The Knitting Life

About a week ago, my parents and I went to Port Orchard for tea. Once we had our tea and biscuits, we went over to Debbie Macomber's Yarn Shop, which was right next door. It was literally a knitter/crocheters heaven. 

When I was inside, I knew I had to find a project to do over break. I ended up looking through the binders of patterns and found a beginner's pattern to knitting socks and I knew it was the one. I came home with a new skien of yarn, double ended needles and the pattern. I am almost to making the heel so I will get to finishing the tube of the sock.

Stay tuned to see the finished sock!

The Strike of Grown-Up Reality

I have come to the conclusion that if I am to reach the goals of my life, then I must change a few things.

First, I must practice an eccentric level of personal hygiene. This level includes proper care of the teeth by flossing, brushing, mouth washing and whitening of the teeth to bring them to perfect shine. It includes the proper care of the skin; this is washing twice a day, moisturizing, masking and maintenance of any blemishes. For the hair, it is the use of shampoo, conditioner and masks to keep its shine and thickness.

Second, I must improve my personal fitness and diet. I will be starting by doing more yoga at the start of next year to increase my flexibility and improve my balance. For my diet, I will start at the beginning of the school year by preparing most of my meals with protein, vegetables and fruit. This way, I will be treating my body as the temple it should be.

Three, I must start acting more my age. I cannot keep acting like a silly girl anymore, it's not attractive. I must also stop swearing (yes, I do swear on occasion). I need to maintain my etiquette, confidence and standards. I will do this because it will be useful once I am out of college because it will secure ties in the business world.

Four, I will start looking for clothes that flatter my body. By wearing unflattering clothes, it can make the body look different in the bad way. By wearing the flattering pieces, I will emphasize my good features such as my hips and legs. This also means that I must shop at stores like Zara, Topshop, HM, J. Crew and Nordstrom.

Five, I must maintain a well educated brain. This is for getting straight A's in college courses in order for me to be at the top of my class. This means I must set strict hours for studying, introduce good study habits, and constantly quiz myself in my courses as well as setting up study groups. I must also take use of the teaching assistant's (TA's) hours. I was able to finish Fall Quarter at Western with an A, 2 A-'s and a B, which left me with a 3.56 GPA.

And Six, I must teach myself to be smarter with money. This is where I can start a rainy day jar (already done) and force myself to deposit every check into my savings to build up my dividend, I must also attach a photo of the thing I want most in my wallet to keep me on my path.

One More Day!

Photo from google

One more day till Christmas! Is everyone ready to eat your Christmas ham/turkey? I know I am! I hope everyone has finished getting their last minute gifts and ingredients for dinner!

Stay safe out there on this holiday tomorrow!

Favorite TV Character's Fashion: Lady Mary Crawley from Downton Abbey

Lady Mary has always been my favorite character on Downton Abbey. Her style during World War I is just incredibly flawless as the era went from the sinking of the Titanic towards to Roaring 20's. 

This is my favorite coat of hers. I really love the light tan fur contrasted with the royal blue of her coat. And with the addition of her hat makes it even more regal.

This is one of my favorites because I love the powder blue color. It makes Lady Mary look so beautiful, makes me think of an Ice Queen in summer; in a good way.

I always love her dresses when she goes to dinner or a party. They are so classy for her and make her look stunning. With her porcelain completion, the reds and blacks just go perfectly. 

All photos are from Pinterest

Fashion through History: Diana, Princess of Wales

Diana has always been one of my fashion icons in history. Even though I was three when she passed away, my mom had many magazines about her and even a video tape of her wedding. Going through photos of her on Pinterest, I realized that in every picture and every outfit, she looked flawless. 

Her wedding dress was always my favorite. It was such a classic look for that time and it was just beautiful and breathtaking. 

All photos are from Pinterest

Christmas Greetings

I hope everyone has gotten their Christmas shopping done and is safe at home making gingerbread houses. 

My parents and I have just finished our Target and Barnes and Noble shopping today, however we have a Christmas party tonight. So I will have a Christmas Party Outfit up tomorrow morning.

Stay safe on slippery or snowy roads!

Christmas Trees and Ornaments

The first thing you would say when you entered my house at Christmas would be "Wow! They have a ton of ornaments!" Thing is, they aren't ordinary ornaments. My mum and I collect ornaments, whether they are handmade or a series from Hallmark.

Some that were my grandparents. 

Some are school or daughter related.

Some are little tokens from our travels made into ornaments.

Some represent our hobbies.

And others represent childhood memories.

The Christmas Puppy of the Camaya Household

MudLynn the Christmas Puppy wishes you a happy holiday! Enjoy sitting by the fire place, sipping hot cocoa or enjoy a nice movie without the stress of finals on your back. Go cuddle with your beloved furry one, because MudLynn is off to cuddle with her human, Sophia.

MudLynn wears Up Country Inc. Union Jack Dog Collar

The Week Ahead

Outside my window… The weather is cold, but do-able. 

I am thinking… that fall quarter is finally over and that is it 11 days till Christmas.

I am thankful… For having an awesome mom who makes the best Elf on the Shelf (out of home edition) for me to enjoy.

From the dining hall/kitchen… Today, I had a very bad diet. I had Carl's JR, Smarties and chips.

I am hearing… The clicking of keys as my fingers type on my Macbook and the telly.

I am watching… The Santa Clause. 

Always one of my favorite things… Snapchatting my friends!

I am reading… My Dec/Jan issue of Seventeen. I just saw that Pentatonix's new Christmas album made its way into the pages!

I am making… Nothing at the moment.

I am writing… This blog post!

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week… Sunday- my mum and I are having a day of relaxation, Monday- Realxing . Tuesday- Brunch in the morning and then a Christmas party. Wednesday- Mum and I head to NEX and Commissary for some last minutes items and sales. Thursday- Relaxing. Friday- Relaxing. Saturday- Relaxing. 

MudLynn Update… I am home having cuddles with my baby. She was so excited to see me when she came with Mum to get me.

College Update… The quarter is finally over. My mum doesn't want me to check for my final grades, she wants to surprise me.

Riding Update… Since I home, I will not be able to ride over break. However, until the first week of school, I will be doing my rider fitness three times a week to maintain the specific muscles for riding.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014: My Favorite Looks

Taylor Swift

 Madalena Frackowiak

Izabel Goulart

Devon Windsor

Candice Swanepoel

Josephine Skriver

Ariana Grande and Elsa Hosk

Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio 

Karlie Kloss

Advent and Elf on the Shelf at School: Day 10 & Day 11

Day 10

For day 10, I got a set of three EOS lip balms. Just, so you know; I have five EOS lip balms now. It's crazy, but it is a variety of scents. They range from fruity scents to mint. I love them! My mom is the best at choosing the goodies for me. I love this set because they are very fruity, they bring summer to this winter with their scents.














Day 11

So today, I won't be posting the image of my goody that Edward the Elf left me, but I will be posting an image similar to my goody. The basic relation is that it is plaid. Basically, I got underwear from VS and it was red plaid and the plaid relates to Outlander because Jamie's plaid is sorta a red plaid. I don't know if you can tell in the photo to the left but yeah. I loved today's goodie!

Happy Finals Week!

Happy Finals Week everyone! Get some rest, relax with classical music, eat and hearty breakfast and dominate your finals like a beast!

You got this!

Advent and Elf on the Shelf: Day 8 & 9

Day 8

For day 8, Edward brought a lovely Christmas card. Now, this card wasn't for me, but for my RA. I then talked with one of my friends and hatched a plan. We would get another card and do two cards for the floors my RA is assigned to, so they would be from the 3rd and 4th floors. My friend Shana and I literally went door to door getting people to sign them. We might as well spread the holiday cheer!

 Day 9

Last but not least, today's goodie from Edward. What could it be? Is it food? Nope, it is an iTunes card! I just used the rest of it. I bought a lot of different song ranging from Christmas music to One Republic. God, I could never live without music. It's been apart of my life ever since I started chorus in elementary.

Advent and Elf on the Shelf at School: Day 6 & 7

Day 6

Do you like chocolate covered biscuits? Well, this is your lucky day! I got these Cadbury Chocolate Fingers in my Elf on the Shelf at School Day 6. These biscuits are so addicting because their sweet chocolatey crunch becomes the craving that never ends. But it is a good craving. I opened these yesterday morning, and then they were gone by the end of the day. That is how addicting they are. These also come in a trio-tin where they are milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate.

 Day 7

Baby smooth skin is such a wonderful thing to have. My mum gave this to me in today's Elf on the Shelf at School. She said that she read somewhere online that when you apply this to your damp skin after a shower, your skin become 10x softer. I cannot wait to try this tonight when I shower. Just be careful to rinse the tub or shower down so that it is not slippery.

Toodles!

Advent and Elf on the Shelf at School: Day 5

Day 5

Has anyone else had these? These are probably my favorite Andes mints. I like the green ones, but the peppermint crunch mints are the best because it is so Christmassy! They make me think of peppermint bark. Ah! I am snacking on them right now since I am also studying for finals. Grrrr, I want finals to be over. I want to be home and cozy in my recliner with my puppy.

Toodles!

Dead Week at Western

Happy Dead Week Vikings! Study hard and ace those finals next week! Oh, and go to the library and pet a dog/cat to reduce any stress! 

Toodles!

Advent and Elf on the Shelf at School: Day 4

Day 4

Oh my goodness, Edward the Elf knows me so well! Today, he gave me a little gift set of hot cocoa k-cups, some snowmen marshmallow Peeps and a peppermint white chocolate spoon. I must admit, I ate the spoon on its own. But I am so excited for finals week now because hot chocolate makes everything better! For me, the Peeps are my favorite. I used to not like Peeps but now I am in love with them.

I can't wait to see what Edward brings tomorrow!

The Week Ahead

Outside my window… The weather is very cold. The bricks were a bit slippery today.

 

I am thinking… About how the Winter quarter is almost over. It is so crazy how time has gone by since I moved into the dorm.

I am thankful… For having an awesome mom who makes the best Elf on the Shelf (out of home edition) for me to enjoy.

From the dining hall/kitchen… Today, I had cereal, peaches and water.

I am hearing… The clicking of keys as my fingers type on my Macbook.

I am watching… Nothing.

 

Always one of my favorite things… Looking through Instagram and watching Christmas YouTube Vlogs.

I am reading… Some documents for History tomorrow.

 

I am making… A scarf I think.

I am writing… This blog post!

 

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week… Today, I sorta overslept. Oh well! I opened my advent, had my last JOUR class, and then I have my last Art History class. Tomorrow is my last day of HIST and SMNR classes. Friday, I have my last practice before break. On Saturday Johanna, Hailey and I are go to Jo's friends house to make pancakes! Sunday is an extra study day. Monday, my JOUR final opens and I have my Art History final. Tuesday, I just have my Indian History final and then I am done. And Friday, I wait for my mom to pick me up to go home! I am so excited! AH!

 

MudLynn Update… My mom just sent me this photo and it is so clear that she misses me.

 

College Update… The quarter is almost over and it is dead week. The week before finals is filled with puppies in the library and tons of opportunities for students to get the extra help they need. 

Riding Update… I just turned in my new schedule for next quarter so that the officers can make up new lesson schedules. And I am still waiting on my sweatshirt. 

Advent and Elf on the Shelf at School: Day 3

Day 3

Today is Day 3 of Elf on the Shelf! In Edward's (the Elf) gift today, there was this little package that said, "Wishing You Warm & Cozy Toes This Winter." In this set, there was a pair of red fuzzy socks and a bottle of nail polish, which was red as well! I have to admit, I have a fuzzy socks addiction… I think I have like 10+ pairs of fuzzy socks. What can I say? They keep the toes warm! I now have a pretty Christmas red to paint my nails! The shade of the nail polish is Berry Sweet and it is a Nicole by OPI nail polis.

Toodles!

Advent and Elf on the Shelf at School: Day 1 & 2

 

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having a lovely December. It's really chilly outside where I am so stay bundled up. 

Since I am at college, my mom has sent me an Advent/Elf on the Shelf package. Each of the little gifts are numbered and have a clue on them. I love it because it gives me something to look forward to every morning before I go to class.

Day 1

For day 1, I got an advent calendar. But it's no normal advent calendar. It is a Cadbury chocolate advent calendar. I think these are the best advent calendar. The chocolate is such a treat and pick-me up in the morning. If you have little kids and don't want them to eat a lot of chocolate, I suggest the Play Mobil advent calendars because they come in many different themes and they are great for the little ones.

Day 2

If anyone knows me from my previous posts, you'll know I love Charlie Brown. Especially the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I have a bigger one at home but it doesn't have the blanket. This miniature Charlie Brown tree is super cute. I love these little miniatures from Barnes and Noble. They make great little stocking stuffers. I think my mom got my dad the lump of coal one a few years back.

My cute little tree!

Sightseeing with Sophia: Christkindlmart Trip to Leavenworth

No, I am not a Husky. I am a Viking! Go Vikes!

Mom and I went on a little bus trip while I was home for Thanksgiving, sadly Dad couldn't come but we had a lovely mommy-daughter trip. Our trip was to Christkindlmart in Leavenworth. The bus ride wasn't too bad, I slept most of the way. 

On the way, we stopped at the Almond Roca store where they sell some of the candy as well as the rejects. We bought some of the traditional Almond Roca's and man, they're delicious. Mom even bought a little package of 2 for me to snack on. Plus she bought some for Dad.

Once we got to Leveanworth, we went to The Soup Cellar for lunch. We split the sausage platter between us. I really like the easy and mild sausages, but I couldn't eat the spicy one. I tried a bite but my mouth started to burn. I have a very sensitive mouth. They were really good though! I could have eaten more but I got so full on a sausage and fries.

This was where Christkindlmart was located. Mom and I were a bit disappointed because we thought there would be more vendors with holidays items. It was more vendors that sold things that were not holiday related.

In the end, Mom and I explored the rest of the little town of Leavenworth. Compared to Poulsbo, Leavenworth is the German equivalent.  Poulsbo is a Norwegian town. My friend Johanna is actually teaching me some Norwegian phrases.

There were some beautiful paintings on one of the buildings. They're so flawless and well done. 

Mom and I then went to Kris Kringl the ornament shop. I might have had a little too much fun in that shop. Lets just say I came out with maybe one too many ornaments.

I saw Santa and a huge rack filled with horse related ornaments. I ended up purchasing one round one with a horse on it as well as a certified Budweiser Clydesdale .

I also saw some adorable Charlie Brown decorations. I love the little houses that light up. They're so cute. Plus, I am a huge Charlie Brown fan. I mean, who doesn't love Charlie Brown. I basically grew up with him!

We also saw some Griswold Family Christmas houses. I loved the house the most. The movie is the best. I am definitely going to watch it the minute I get home. I'll turn the telly, the fireplace and the tree on and relax on my recliner with MudLynn while we enjoy the movie.

Any Downton Abbey fans out there? You can own a version of Downton to add in your Christmas village this year! I forget the price of this one but you can buy it here. I personally adore Downton Abbey. Amazing costumes, cast and location. I love the periods of fashion that they go through.

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch."

My mom pointed out these Joules at a shop we went into and I fell in love. Joules are very popular in the Dover Saddlery catalog that comes out.

The Nutcracker House! This shop was filled with so many different characters made into nutcrackers. I saw some from the Nutcracker Ballet and some were military inspired. Plus, we saw a life-sized nutcracker. I was a little shorter than him.

We went to two other stores. The first was Schocolat where they make the best chocolate. I bought a chocolate toy soldier while Mom bought some chocolates to share with Dad. The second was A Paw Above. This was such a cute store. The main reason why I love it is because they make treats that have no soy, corn, wheat or preservatives in the treats. MudLynn has a very special diet and I am sure she is enjoying the variety in her treats now! She also got a new toy that has 14 squeakers in it! It will be crazy at my house!

Lastly, who could resist a 13 week old Goldendoodle puppy named Teddy? I know I couldn't. Ever since I have been at college, I have become so dog deprived. When I saw my dog when I came home, I was so happy and so was MudLynn. Every time I see a dog, I squeal "puppy!" In the end, I had a wonderful time shopping. I bought some goodies for MudLynn, ornaments and some cute 3-D ceramic animals to add to my Nana's collection.

Toodles!