Five Things to Do When Stressed

What happened to August?

It's crazy to think that summer is ending.  I'm sad to see it go, since I know as soon as the first snow hits I am going to miss sunny skies and perfect, 70 degree weather.  I'm going to miss ice cold Arnold Palmers on the porch and late nights cruising with friends around town.  I am DEFINITELY going to miss sleeping in.  

However, I am excited for the upcoming fall.  Every now and then you can feel the autumn chill in the air.  It reminds me of pumpkins, dried corn, apple cider and colored leaves.  Oh, and pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks.  Can't forget those!

However fall starting means school, which means homework and projects and after-school activities.  Its easy to get overwhelmed.  Here are a few of my own tips on what to do when you get stressed out during this school year:

1. Organize and Re-group

When you feel overwhelmed, you won't be productive no matter how hard you're working.  Take a pause and re-group.  Look over your schedule for the next few days.  Determine what is the highest on your priority list.  Is there a major history test in two days?  Then those French flash cards for next Friday can definitely wait.  Have a major project or paper due in two weeks?  Decide what you will work on each day.  My dad used to tell me this saying all the time when I would get overwhelmed: 

"Inch by inch its a cinch.  Yard by yard its hard."

Trying to do everything at once will just stress you out - plus you won't get nearly as much done.  Take a breather, open your planner, and break up that mountain of papers and deadlines into smaller, bite-sized chunks you can handle.  Also, don't try and tackle the hardest tasks first.  Knock out the smaller, easier ones so your list will begin to shrink and you will see progress.  

2.  Get Sweaty

I don't know about y'all, but when there is a lot on my mind (papers, tests, projects, homework, social activities, you name it) I tend to stay awake an hour after lying down to sleep thinking about all I still have to do.  Don't let yourself lose an hour of sleep over what you have to do tomorrow!  Every day, either before you go to sleep or when you start to feel overwhelmed, try to exercise for thirty minutes.  That can either be blasting your favorite music and dancing, running or biking.  It doesn't matter as long as it gets your heart rate up and your adrenaline pumping.  Once your done, you'll return to your work refreshed, more focused and you'll be asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.

3. Paint Your Nails

Sometimes you just need to stop working on whatever and have a little "me" time.  Pick your favorite color, sit down with some music and paint your nails.  You'll be surprised how much better you'll feel whenever you look down and see your favorite color glittering back up at you.

4.  Drink Some Hot Tea

Sometimes all you need is tea.  A hot cup of tea can do wonders.  It can refresh you with its heat.  Its herbal qualities can calm your nerves which can leave you more focused and it can invigorate you for a few more hours of cram time.   To calm nerves and reduce anxiety caused by long "To-Do" lists, drink some chamomile tea.  Another one of my favorites is black tea - it has just enough caffeine to give you a little jolt, but not enough to make you jittery.  Its herbal qualities also calm anxiety and help you focus!

5.  Take A Nap
A common (and stupid!) mistake that many students make during school is deciding to throw sleep out the window when deadlines begin to pile up.  This practice will hurt your grades, activities and health if practiced for a long time.  To be able to concentrate and understand your studies, you need to sleep.  Cognitive function is the first thing your body will stop supporting when it is running on little energy.  Just like you shouldn't drive when you're drowsy, you shouldn't try and cram when you can barely keep your eyes open.

To help with this, set your alarm and take a 20 minute power nap.  You'll wake up refreshed and ready for a power study session, but you won't affect your normal sleep schedule.  It will also help with stress, as situations often are magnified by exhaustion.  When you wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, you'll be able to assess the situation clearly and understand what exactly you need to do.

What are your daily de-stressing routines?
-xx, Beccy

Tasty Treats | Banana Cupcakes with Nutella Icing

Oh, do I have a treat for y'all today.

My family and I have really become hooked on the Nutella craze as of late - we will buy at least one container of the hazelnut spread every trip to the grocery.  I'll have it on my toast, and cover it with bananas.  Nutella and bananas - you can't get any better than that.

So when I had a little free time to kill, I decided to take my favorite snack and make it into a sweet treat.  After a few hours of hard work I had crafted a delicious banana cupcake with Nutella icing!

Here's the recipe:

Banana Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick of butter - softened, not melted

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 bananas (medium to large) peeled and mashed

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional!)

To start, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line your cupcake pan with tin baking cups - this will keep the mess to a minimum.  Mix your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the butter and sugar with a hand mixer.  Make sure the butter and sugar are completely combined - you will want to start these cupcakes with a very smooth base!  Mix in the sour cream and vanilla, and slowly add the eggs (one at a time).

Once your wet ingredients are combined, slowly mix in the dry ingredients (those you combined earlier and set aside).  Make sure you have fully combined the ingredients that are in the bowl before adding more!  If you dump in all the ingredients to quickly, they will not combine and it makes a huge mess.

Once thoroughly combined, add the bananas and the walnuts.  Be careful not to over mix!

Fill your cupcake tins three quarters full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or when they appear golden brown on top and toothpick stuck into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

Nutella Buttercream Icing

2 sticks softened unsalted butter

2 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup Nutella

3 tablespoons of heavy cream

2 tablespoons of vanilla extract

Start by beating the butter with a hand mixer for 3 minutes.  You will want the icing to have a creamy base.  Once the butter is creamy add the 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat on medium speed. The icing will be getting much thicker - add the Nutella and continue to beat on medium speed.  Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla and continue to beat on medium speed until everything is thoroughly combined and the icing is thick and creamy. 

Ice the cupcakes when cool and chill the remaining icing in the fridge until next use.

These cupcakes are so good!  I hope you enjoy!

Happy baking!

-xx, Beccy

On My Playlist | Summer Playlist No. 1

I have put together a list of songs that have currently been on repeat over my speakers.  They are so summery and fun - hope you enjoy!

1.  Kasey Musgraves - Follow Your Arrow

2.  Lorde - Royals

3.  Lana Del Ray - Young and Beautiful

4.  Brad Paisley - Southern Comfort Zone

5.  Jayme Dee - Rules

6.  Vampire Weekend - Diplomat's Son

7.  Birdy - People Help the People

8.  The Weeknd - The Party and the After Party

9.  Jason Mraz - A Beautiful Mess

10.  Kip Moore - Hey Pretty Girl

I am totally in love with these songs (those who know me personally can attest - they are almost always on when my computer is out).  This certainly is my summer soundtrack for now!

Happy listening!

-xx, Beccy

Getting Healthy | The 30 Day Water Challenge

It is always a little awkward when I go out to dinner with friends.  Most of my gal pals are healthy eaters, which is great because I love food like sushi or a good Caesar salad.  However, whenever we order drinks, the conversation goes a little like this."

"What will you have to drink, ma'am?"

"Oh, I will take an ice water with lemon, please."

"Alright, and you?"

"Oh, water too, please."

"Water."

"Water."

"Water."

"Diet Coke."

Guess who that is.

I can't help the fact that I really do love the taste of Diet Coke.  My friends are constantly telling me how bad it is for my system.  I don't deny that the stuff is battery acid.  I know the negative effects of diet sodas have been studied and documented.  However, that doesn't stop me from going to the soda machine and putting a dollar in for 20 ounces of cold liquid goodness (with no calories - which makes me feel better about myself).

It's not my fault that it tastes so good...though it
probably is my fault for buying 64 ounces of the stuff....

I'm definitely wanting to change that mindset when it comes to caffeinated beverages.  My caffeine dependency only increased during my Junior year of high school - it got so bad that I would need a Diet Coke or two almost every day to function. My Senior year is coming up, and I would rather switch over to coffee (something I have not acquired a taste for yet) to be able to get the caffeine I need when there is a long day of work ahead.  As well as get more sleep and eat better (baby steps).

So here is the thirty day challenge:  I will strive to drink at least two bottles of water every day.  I will drink a bottle when I get a craving for caffeine, and I will drink the other before I have dinner.  I plan to try and slowly wean myself off of caffeine (specifically Diet Coke) within the next thirty days while avoiding the headaches and such.  There are so many benefits to increasing your water intake, such as:

1.  Healthier skin.

2.  Overall you will weigh less.

3.  It will give you more energy since it will stop dehydration (soda won't).

4.  It helps maintain a healthier heart.

5.  You can't get cancer from water (depending on where you get it from).

6.  It naturally cleanses your body.

7.  It can put you in a better mood (water intake boosts endorphin levels - who knew?).

8.  It supports your immune system.

9.  It certainly saves you money, given that water is free.

10.  It also increases cognitive function (layman's terms - it makes you smarter).

What is your water routine?

-xx, Beccy 

How to be Preppy on a Budget

You are magnetically drawn to the color combination of pink and green and cannot help but stare in longing at all the gorgeous Lilly dresses online.  Your closet is a disheveled mess of chinos and seersucker during the summer.  Polos and oxfords make up about 90% of what you wear.  Every sweater you own is either cabled or argyle.  If it has a bow on it, you probably need it.  Pearls are your best friend.  Somewhere on your person there is a monogram.

If the sentences above describe you, you are probably a preppy.

If you google the word "preppy", your life will appear on your computer screen.  Google images will be filled with Brooks Brothers clothing, those cute male models wearing colored pants and tailored suits.  And lots and lots of perfectly tailored Oxfords.  (Let us all take a moment to thank Ralph Lauren for creating those suits our favorite preppy men wear).  However, another term for the preppy lifestyle is "old money", which is practically what you have to be to afford a lot of our favorite clothing.

I do not have $400 laying around to buy myself a brand new Lilly Pulitzer dress.  As someone who owns a small business, those expenses come first before any splurge items.  However, I can't help but love the look of vineyard vines, J. Crew and others.

After a year of digging I have found a lot of great places to find affordable preppy clothing.  here are a few!

1. Ruelala

Ruelala may just be my favorite place on the internet to online shop.  This company works with name brands to sell their clothing at dramatically reduced prices for a certain period of time.  Lilly Pulitzer, Jack Rogers, Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade and vineyard vines are all regulars on the site, as well as many new brands that I have discovered and fallen in love with.  I recently bought a pair of Jack Rogers Navajo sandals online for $70, MUCH more affordable than the $140 price tag they originally carry in stores.

The site is not open to the public - you have to be a member to access the deals online.  However it is insanely easy to become a member.  You can sign up with your e-mail address, Facebook, or Twitter, whichever you prefer!  The link to this website is here:

I STRONGLY suggest that you sign up for Ruelala.  I have yet to find a deal just like this anywhere else, and it is such a great idea!

2.  Re-Lilly

The Re-Lilly group on Facebook is your place to go if you are looking for cheaper Lilly.  The objective of this group on Facebook is to provide an online forum for people to buy, sell, and trade Lilly products.  I have drooled multiple times over the posts of a brand new Lilly Pulitzer dress (with tags!) posted as for sale with the original price slashed in half.  All sizes and types of clothing can be found on the page - the awesome admins monitor the posts and collect all the postings into albums organized by size to improve overall browsing.  There are also albums dedicated to Lilly clothing for mini preppies and accessories.

The payment method is predominantly Paypal.  I haven't seen any complaints or reports of sellers or traders not following through with their agreements.  It is by all accounts a safe place to do business with others across the internet, plus it is a great way to stock up your closet with all of your favorite prints.

You can like their page here:

3. Consignment Stores - Clothes Mentor

Cue Macklemore's "Thrift Shop".

In all seriousness, consignment stores are a great place to look for name brand clothing for a lot cheaper.  However, my favorite consignment store (that actually happens to be a chain!) is Clothes Mentor.  Clothes Mentor is like Plato Closet's older, classier cousin.  They only accept clothing that is in practically like new condition, and it is a haven for brands such as J. Crew, Kate Spade, Coach and vineyard vines.  I got two different Lilly dresses I wear all the time, plenty of Oxfords from J. Crew and a skirt and pool cover up from vineyard vines.

The pricing is my favorite part - it usually ranges between $5 to $10, depending on your purchase.  Some things can get up to $20, but these are usually brand new.  I really, REALLY suggest checking out your local Clothes Mentor if you are in need of an update.  I absolutely love mine!

I hope this post helps all those who are budget preppies like me.  It is amazing how many deals there are for your favorite brands if you just take a little time to dig!

Happy bargain hunting!
-xx, Beccy

The Microwave Cookie

If you are like me, you will crave a bit of chocolate at least three times a day.  I have a massive sweet tooth and love to have a little bit of a tasty treat when it is possible for me to.  Its something I really need to rein in.

However after I discovered how to make chocolate chip cookies in a mug, I knew there was no going back.  My sweet tooth will forever be indulged - I lost that battle.

The reason why this recipe is so deadly to plans of healthy eating is because it is so easy.    It only took me five minutes to make the first time I tried it.  And do NOT get me started on the smell of a fresh, warm cookie.

Here's how to make one:

1 tablespoon butter (I melted this, as it was easier to stir)
1 tablespoon white sugar - granulated
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
3-4 drops of vanilla extract - depending on how you want the dough to taste.
A good pinch of kosher salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup of white flour
2 BIG tablespoons of chocolate chips

Start by mixing together your sugars, butter and salt in a mug - this will be what your cookie will "bake" in.  Melt your butter before stirring as it makes it much quicker.  Stir in vanilla drops.  Stir in the egg yolk (make sure it has been seperated from the egg white and that discarded).   Once all this is combined, mix in slowly the flour.  Make sure all flour clumps are stirred in before you microwave it.  If you don't those will burn!  Once that is done, dump in your tablespoons of chocolate chips and mix those in!

Cook your cookie-in-a-cup for 40-60 seconds in your microwave.  I would check, depending on how powerful your microwave is, for a baked cookie around 40 seconds.  Mine was done around 50.

Enjoy your new little guilty pleasure!

Happy eating!
-xx, Beccy

As I Lament Summer Bugs

Words cannot express just how much I love summer.  You can roll the car windows down , the sun is hot, Arnold Palmers are cold, your skin gets tanner and the music gets louder.  It's my favorite season.

Until all the bugs come out.

Do not get me wrong, I love nature.  I like trees and flowers and green grass.  I love to hike and bike and I can tolerate camping,   What I don't like is the buzzing, creeping, slithering little six-legged creatures that live in nature. 

And do not get me started on the eight-legged ones.

Yet no matter how much I rage against our creepy-crawly neighbors, I do love the sounds of cicadas in the summer.  And butterflies - I like those too.

Hope y'all are having a good summer so far!
-Beccy, xx