Recognition - Good Morning

What I do know is that when pain is looked back on and reflected, it brings an emotion in which we can’t exactly put a finger on. When we reflect, we appreciate. When I say this, I do not say it requires pain of the past to enjoy something. Sure, those who live simple, more pain-free lives than most of us, enjoy things and appreciate, but pain beings deeper meaning. It allows enjoyment to reach a whole new level. In track and field standing at the start line, and during Christmas morning waiting to open presents, I take these priceless moments to reflect on my pain and enjoy and embrace the moment. I recognize that especially during track, I need to turn my fear and perhaps unconfidence into appreciation how how far I have come. Do not ale the small moments for granted, because they could turn into some of the greatest , most joyous moments of your life. That is a promise. I may not be very good at this, but it is something that I am aware of, and that I need to improve and embrace. Take these small moments, and reflect on your past. Look at all you have endured, whether its these past few days, months, or years. Reflect on the rough times, and embrace the moment you are in. Take advantage of the present--not the gifts, but the time you have. The pain you have gone through should only mean that you have more blessings to count at this very moment and you should now be more aware of the joy and the opportunities and excitement that the moment brings.
-Tara

A Modern Twist on Candy Craving

Today we checked out Sugarfina, I new shop at South Coast Plaza. It was a modern twist to the traditional See's. Sugarfina was very welcoming by offering samples and being very accommodating to all customers. Prices were a little higher than See's but the modern twist on the chocolate shop seem to be worth it. Sugarfina reminded me of a Kate Spade version of a candy shop. It was filled with bright colors and it is certainly a place to check out for gifts and personal cravings. They offer unique specialties such as champagne gummy bears and fun gift boxes that you wouldn't find at the traditional chocolatier. 

Easy Meal or Snack

This recipe has always been my go to when I have no idea what I am in the mood for. I like to make this easy and healthy banana bowl for breakfast, or even a late night snack. 

The recipe is simple. 

All you need is one frozen banana, cut into fourths, and 1 regular banana, cut into fourths as well.
You will also need vanilla almond milk, as well as cinnamon. Optional additions(but recommended) are granola, almond butter, chopped dark chocolate, and/or chia seeds as toppings.

Using a magic bullet, nutri-blend, or blender, simply put in the frozen banana and 3/4 of the regular banana. Also add about 1/2 a cup of almond milk. Blend all of these ingredients until it comes to the consistency of a thick smoothie. 
Next, pour the ingredients into a bowl and top off with 3/4 tablespoon chia seeds, a dash of cinnamon, and the remainder of your banana, sliced.

Enjoy!

Last Minute Gift Ideas

For your sister/mom:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/momofuku-milk-bar-cookie-mix/?pkey=cfood-cookies&cm_src=food-cookies||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-     $16.95

http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/kate-spade-new-york-eat-cake-for-breakfast-mug?ID=692116&CategoryID=1000232#fn%3Dspp%3D32    $20

http://www.shopkitson.com/index.php?page=product&id=27019 $14

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-water-bottles/Pure-Focus-Glass-Water-Bottle?cc=16360&skuId=3584920&catId=cat1350018 $28

http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-holiday-limited-edition-decadence-shimmering-body-souffle/-/A-16446070#prodSlot=medium_1_5&term=15761993+15761994+15858461+16202972+16202973+16446070+16452391+16452392 $10.99

http://www.target.com/p/sonia-kashuk-holiday-limited-edition-all-that-jazz-10-piece-brush-set/-/A-15761994#prodSlot=medium_1_7&term=15761993+15761994+15858461+16202972+16202973+16446070+16452391+16452392  $34.99

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=34406231&parentid=W_TOPS#/ $59

http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=whatsnew_app&ProductID=2000119551&VariantID=  $29.80

http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=whatsnew_app&ProductID=2000055866&VariantID= $32.90

For your dad/brother: 

http://www.saturdaysnyc.com/item/grant-6  $75

http://www.saturdaysnyc.com/item/zinka $5.99

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/mens-tops-technical-tops/Metal-Vent-Tech-SS-31466?cc=17131&skuId=3574477&catId=mens-tops-technical-tops $64

http://www.kiehls.com/Ultimate-Man-Refueling-Set/516,default,pd.html?start=7&cgid=men-facial-fuel $59

http://www.swell.com/New-Arrivals-Mens/RVCA-JULIAN-LS-SHIRT-2?cs=LB $54

http://www.lushusa.com/Dirty-Solid-Perfume/05269,en_US,pd.html#start=14 $10.95

Acrylic Nails

Tara and I love to get our nails done. Since we both have fairly big hands/long fingers, long acrylics seem to go well. I think many women are scared to go down the acrylic path..not because of the expenses of about $16.00 per fill every 2-3 weeks (but if you're in Nashville it is about $30.00 per fill😣) but because they are afraid of how they might look or how to function in everyday life with them. Yes, longer nails are an adjustment the first few days; but I do every normal activity with my nails. Day to day activities are easy and I've had nails for over two years now. I've painfully broken a nail about 3 times, but each time I basically put it upon myself. Will longer nails look weird? NO!! I've never met a girl that looks bad with long nails. Yes, I constantly see girls with short stubby acrylics that look miserable., and are poorly shaped. As for acrylics, atleast make them fairly longer than a real nail would be. Another plus to acrylics is the durability. They also withstand 3D nail art really well. Many salons do poor work when it comes to nail art and shaping the nail properly. Two of my favorite nail salons are Laque Nail Bar in Encino and The Nail Shop in Carson. 

Winter Break

The week before Christmas is always hectic. All in all, winter break is a crazy time. Balance is VITAL. Working out seems to be the biggest chore, however, it has to happen. Make sure you plan out your winter break. Yes, breaks are meant to be a time to relax, but do not let it go to waste!

 Enjoy activities that you can look back on with high school friends. Make new memories. Yes this might sound cliche, but it is time to forgive, if you haven’t already. Forgive your old friends that you had stupid drama with. Forgive your sister that you haven’t talked to in 6 months. And remember to be thankful for the time you spend with your family, and people you know and love. College campuses are filled with mystery and undependable people. At home you can’t take the people you've known for a while, and have available, for granted. 

Let loved ones know how much you care about them. I saw an Instagram post the other day that read “no one has ever become poor by giving.” Whether it is giving to other people, or even small self-indulgences, take the time to give quality gifts. I often like to buy myself a bouquet of roses to remind myself how special I am. Might sound weird, but it is the best feeling. I took the time to make my Uncle a homemade cake for his 50th birthday. Sadly, it tasted terrible, but I could tell it was the sweetest thing someone has done for him in a while. It showed him that he is loved. As soon as you know it, you will be 46 celebrating Christmas with your family- or alone. So make these holidays count. Give what you can, because you will always be granted something special in return, whether it is a warm, fuzzy feeling or a material item. 

Regarding Health:

Last thing, remember to balance your meals during the holiday season. Stay focused on your goals. Kate Moss once said “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”. This may come across as promoting anorexia, but I am saying it in a sense that it is better off to feel full rather than stuffed. These past two days (yes, only 2), I have tried out the whole paleo thing. I noticed a big difference. I was feeling happier at the end of the day, and I was never hungry. When you eat healthy, it is far more satisfying than eating junk food. You are nourishing your body opposed to injecting fat. 

At school, I was eating late night at Jack in the Box. I ordered chili cheese fries, and I offered a teammate a bite. She said something to me that changed the way I think of a lot of food, especially fast food. She said something along the lines of “eating those is just like injecting loads of saturated fat directly into your body.” slightly, offended, I continued to eat my fat-filled-fries. However, I felt disgusting the next morning and those words stuck in my head.

For the holidays, I am trying to stick to eating simple meals. I have tried drinking a lot of kombucha in the mornings to fill me up and give me a healthy start. The probiotics in kombucha are said to help bloating, which is needed for the holiday season. Since I am trying the paleo thing, I can not have grains for breakfast, so I stick to eggs practically every day. Eggs can be made and paired with so many different things. Lately, eggs and avocados or eggs and sweet potatoes have been a favorite. Eggs, fried plantains and beans are a must if you want to get really into it. Lunch is typically boring, broccoli or carrots and chicken. Then comes time to train. 

Training for a college athlete is a 24/7 thing. Training in the kitchen, training your mind, and training your physical fitness. It takes a lot of work on and off of the track. I highly encourage everyone to get out of the gym, and to try running on a track. I find track workouts the most practical if you want to get in shape, stop feeling sluggish, and get the fastest, most efficient and rewarding workout in. If you don't have time to workout, I highly advise a day filled with shopping. However, shopping does not include eating auntie annes! Squeeze in little things, like calf raises while brushing our teeth, or yoga when you wake up. The little things make a big difference, and are better than nothing at all.

If you have any questions regarding health or workouts, let me know. I love to help people out and make people happy. :)

I hope this post was semi-worth your time. 

-Tara

NYC

This past weekend my sister and I were fortunate enough to take a quick trip to Manhattan. Sadly, we were not able to cover as much ground as we wanted to, but we did have a lot of fun, and hit up a lot of great spots. We ate at some of the coolest places, such as BG Bergdorf Goodman, Momofoku Milk Bar, and Magnolia's Bakery. We also went to a Flosstradamus concert and raged our butts off. This was interesting, and something that I probably won't do again! Overall, the trip was extremely luxe, and a great experience.

how to survive the last few weeks of class

Finals. Food. Failing.

These are just a few things that come to mind when thinking of the last two weeks of school before the grand ole CHRISTMAS BREAK!

Now the real question is, how the F*** am I supposed to get through these weeks without eating away all of my feelings and not failing country music class?

Take a deep breath, and make a trip to whole foods.

You might not know this, but Whole Foods is a big part of my life(well at least I like to think that it is).

Step one: purchase yourself a dozen roses. You know why? You are WORTH it. Roses will light up your disgusting, smelt dorm room. Roses will remind you how beautiful and special you are. They smell good. They make you feel classy and out together. Roses make wonders.

Step two: buy some chamomile tea and apple cider vinegar(2-3 tablespoons combined with 1 glass water). Apple cider vinegar for the mornings, and chamomile tea for the night time, before bed. The beverages will help you and guide you to a better day, and begin and end on a more full, balanced feeling. I honestly have no idea what apple cider vinegar does exactly for you, but I do know it is incredibly healthy and detoxifying.

Step three: leave whole foods before you are tempted to buy all of the nut butter, and play some MF CHRISTMAS MUSIC! Christmas music = pure joy. It is honestly the only thing I can say that brings me pure happiness.

However, remember to prioritize group projects and get homework out of the way soon. Everything at once especially during holiday season can be stressful, so make sure you complete work as soon as possible when it is assigned. Keep in mind how happy you will be on your way home, on a plane, and all of the relaxing you will do when you get home if you just get the work that is assigned, done.

Last but not least, shop for others. Buying gifts and/or MAKING gifts for people can be one of the best feelings. As Maya Angelou once said, it is better to give than to receive. So go ahead, head to sephora or H&M or Zara and buy your best friend, sister, mom, grandma, teacher, anyone a gift. Go on pinterest and look up easy DIYs such as bath scrub, cookies or candles. I promise this will bring joy to your day (maybe not your credit card), but it will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

happy holidays,
may these last few weeks of school not suck as bad as you think they might. :)
Tara xox