Christmas Gift Guide - #BundleMarathon

Gifts are a wonderful way of saying, "I care for you enough to find out what you like, go out, and spend my own money to buy it for you."  But when it comes to finding the perfect gift for friends and family, it becomes very hard. 
Here are some tips for helping you find the perfect gift for that loved one!

If you are buying something for your mom, grandma, or an aunt . . . jewlery is always a good place to start!  There's bracelets, necklaces, or earrings.  In those divisions there are many other choices such as chunky or light, gold or silver, neon or pale?  If they don't care for jewelry, maybe a small purse or scarf would be nice.  A wallet or hair accessories are nice if you don't have a lot of spending money.

If you are buying something for your dad or grandpa . . . guys are so hard to buy for!  Once they're older than three, what are supposed to get them?  Food?  A baseball?  Pretty much the only thing I can think of for a guy is some paraphernalia from his favorite sports team, a coffee mug (if they love coffee), or a gift card, which I do most every year.  Some other ideas include, car washing stuff, a tool box, a ticket to a sports game, or even just a heartfelt card would probably do the trick!

If you are buying something for a friend, sister, or cousin who is a girl . . . pretty much anything that looks cute, smells nice, or is just fashionable!  Purses, scarves, wallets, or a funky t-shirt are great choices.  Since you are friends, cousin or sisters with this person, you probably know them well.  Think really hard of what they like and then get them something along those lines.  For example, Amanda likes owls and her room is pink, so I could get her a light pink owl statue.  I'm sure whatever you get them, they'll be touched!

If you are buying something for a friend/cousin who is a boy, or your brother . . . you could get some tools, a sport thingamajig, sports bag, baseball cap, or some sort of toy that they always talk about (just make sure he's under twelve or so, because if you hand him a Star Wars mini figure and he's 16, lets just say it might be awkward).

I hope these tips helped!  Happy Christmas shopping!

♥ Rachel

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My Crazy Love of Books

Let me just start by saying, I absolutely love books!  Each time I go to the library, I get about 15 or so books.  Then about two weeks later, I return those and get fifteen more.  It's probably not long till I've read all the books in the library.  :) The stack of books above were some of the books that I got on my last trip to the library.  I haven't read any of them yet, but I thought I'd share them with you.  So here they are!

The Doll People Set Sail

The reason this one interested me was because I have read two of the earlier books in the series when I was younger.  The one called The Meanest Doll In The World actually scared me a little bit, but it actually wasn't as scary as I remembered it.  I think this will be a fun read!

Anne Frank - Diary of A Young Girl

This one intrigued me because Amanda has been talking about it for a long time now.  Also, I''ve heard a tiny bit about her life, and it sounds very. . . well, lets say eventful.  I read a tiny bit of the beginning and I'm actually surprised a how well she writes!  I know this will be a great book!

Tuesdays at the Castle

 I've actually read this one and Wednesdays in the Tower before.  There is currently three books in this awesome series, all which I have read.  I got this book again because it has been forever since I read it.  So when I recently read the latest book, I had forgotten what the first two were about!  :) 

Wednesdays in the Tower

I pretty much already explained this one, so I don't have much to say about this one.

The Baby-sitters Club: The Summer Before

You may find this surprising, but I've actually never read the Baby-sitters Club books.  I don't know why, I just haven't.  So I decided this is a good place to start.  There's no time like the present, right?  :)

Dragon Slippers

Jessica Day George is one of my favorite authors, so when I found this books, I knew I had to read it.  In the past, I wasn't really a fan of fantasy, but since I've been reading just about every book in the library, I've grown to like it a bit more.  This should make an interesting read.

Magical Mischief

I honestly don't really know why I got this book; I just did.  I guess I liked the picture on the front or something.  Well, I have it now, so may as well read it!

Christy Miller - Departures

I absolutely love the Christy Miller Series.  If you have not read these books, you must!  They are the best books ever.  I recently found out that I havn't read this one, though so I picked it up.

Hope you enjoyed learning about these books.  Maybe you'll even get a chance to check them out!

♥ Rachel

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Favorite Blogs - #BundleMarathon

Today I get to share with you a couple of my favorite blogs.  So here they are!

Em's Edition

Run by: Emily, my awesome friend!
Blog topics: Basically anything
Favorite things about this blog: Her unique writing style

The Busy Bee

Run by: Bethany, a fun and kind girl
Blog topics: Beauty, crafts, recipes, tips, nails, and fasion
Favorite things about this blog: Her awesome DIYs

South Kakalaki Girl

Run by: My totally awesome sister, Amanda
Blog topics: Almost anything
Favorite things about this blog: The setup of the blog and Amanda's creative and fun personality

Disney's Blog

Run by: Lot's of people with a great sense of humor!
Blog Topics: Anything Disney
Favorite things about this blog: I always end up laughing when I read their posts!

Tolly Dolly Posh

 

Run by: 14-year old Tolly  

Blog Topics: Fashion

Favorite things about this blog: The gorgeous photos!  

♥ Rachel

While I support these blogs, I cannot guarantee that I agree with 100% of the content that their authors believe or post about.  

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you guys are having a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with lots of turkey and pie!

So, as this day was approaching, I was helping my mom prepare things, rushing around, and just being busy.  I was too busy to even think about Thanksgiving and the meaning of it.  I knew it in the back of my head, but didn't pause to contemplate it.  I think that sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the problems and duties of life, that we forget to pause and think about the little blessings we receive from God. (I know 'cause I do it a lot.)  I have so many  things to be thankful for.  So here is just a small list of things I am truly grateful for.

A Family

 

This was before Benjamin, my youngest brother, joined our group.  (I was the one in purple.  This was like 7 or 8 years ago!)  :)


A Home

I have always loved my house!

Food

That is definitely something to be thankful for! 

Freedom

We take this for granted so much, but I am so grateful that we still have rights and freedom.

There are so many other things I could add to the list, but these are a good start.

What are you thankful for?

♥ Rachel

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Turn Back Time - #BundleMarathon

Things have really changed over the past 80 or so years.  Can you even imagine living back during the Great Depression or World War II?  Here are some things that have changed between now and the 1930s.

How You Wake Up

1930s - You would wake up to a normal alarm clock, like the one pictured above. (Not Digital) :)

2014 - Nowadays, it’s very typical to wake up to the alarm on your phone!  I bet if you went back in time and told the people that, they’d think you were crazy!

What You Wear

1930s - Simple, clean cut dresses were very common.  They were easy to make and practical.  Besides, they didn’t have a lot of money to spend on frivolous clothes.  To dress their outfits up, they would add a new collar and cuffs or a cloche (a close fitting hat that got its name from the French word bell). 

2014 – High low skirts, combat boots, boot accessories, oversized sweaters, and knee-high boots are the most common fashion trends for this year.

What You Listen To

1930s – Radios were a big part of many people’s lives.  It brought many families together while they listened to radio shows. 

 2014 – The IPod is what many people use to listen to music.  It’s portable, small, and so much more!

What You Do After School

1930s – Monopoly was a popular board game that many kids enjoyed.  Roller skating, playing marbles, walking on stilts, flying a kite, and playing a game of baseball were also common things to do.  Miniature golf was invented around this time; this became very popular also.

2014 - Lots of kids like to play various video games, watch TV, blog, read, and go to the mall.  As for me, I mostly like to read, blog, draw, and paint.  :)

Popular Patterns

 1930s - Most clothing was made from simple, non-patterned fabric.  It was cheaper than detailed fabrics and more practical, since kids would usually dirty their clothes.  On special occasions, the girls would get dresses made from a rick -rack pattern.

2014 -  In my opinion, stripes are always in!  (I don't know, is it me or have you seen lots of people wearing stripes recently. . . ) Chevron is also the current "popular pattern."

Transportation

 1930s - Railroads had been around for a while, so most people felt comfortable traveling by train.  Reliable cars, however, were a new concept and many people knew them for being dangerous.

2014 - I don't really follow popular cars, since I'm a girl.  I do, however, know that cars have certainly progressed!

Popular Movies

1930s - Since film was quite new, not many films were created.  Shirley Temple was a bit hit.  Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs and The Wizard of Oz were also great productions.

2014 - I just recently got a chance to see Maleficent and I think it's a great movie.  Frozen has also been a great success.

Big Events

 1930s - A huge event back in the 30s was the Great Depression.  I'm sure you have all learned about it in your history classes, so I won't bore you with facts.  The dust bowl, Bendix Air Race, and the Election of President Hoover were also big events.

I hope you guys enjoyed learning a bit about the past!

♥ Rachel

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My Top 5 Favorite Disney Princesses

Even though I’m not seven, I still love watching Disney Princess Movies.  I mean, what girl doesn’t?  So here are my top five favorite Disney Princesses.

5. Anna – Frozen

Anna is a quirky character.  This girl is royalty, yet she doesn’t think of herself higher than the common people.  Plus, her outfits are so cool! 

4. Belle – Beauty and the Beast

Belle is a very sweet girl.  I mean, she befriends a monster that nobody likes, she’s poor, but makes the best of the situation by being happy, and she reads books.  Any girl that loves to read is an awesome girl!

3. Cinderella – Cinderella

I really like how in the older princess movies, the princesses had a kind temperament.  For example, when Cinderella is locked in her room by her evil stepmother, she doesn’t become angry, say mean things, or scream and yell.  She remains kind and begs her stepmother to let her out.  I really like that quality.

2. Rapunzel – Tangled

This girl is also very quirky.  I mean, who would be able to come up with all those things to do while you’re locked up in a tower for 16 years?  She’s also a fantabulous artist.

1. Snow White – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White is by far my #1 favorite Disney princess.  I have adored Snow White ever since I was little.  When I was younger (a lot younger), I would love to watch her movie; however, I was so scared of the evil queen, that I would hide behind the couch and have Amanda tell when she was gone.  :)  I don’t really have a specific reason I like her so much, but I guess it’s because of her character.  She’s thoughtful, caring, kind, patient, and loving.  Besides, who else could rock wearing the three primary colors together?  :)

Who’s your favorite Disney Princess?  Comment down below!

♥ Rachel

 

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Beauty Tips - #Bundle Marathon

Today I get share with you some beauty tips!  So here they are.

Hair
My first tip for hair is don't touch it!  (I have to admit that I am guilty of not following this very often)  If you are continually touching your hair, it will get oily very fast.  If you have your hair styled in . . . say a bun, you still shouldn't touch it a lot because the more you touch it, the more likely it is to fall down.

My second tip is check out Cute Girls Hairstyles YouTube channel.  They have fun and easy hair tutorials.  All the tutorials look like so much fun, I can't choose just one! (Ooh, I think that rhymes!)

Lips
(This is a tip from my good friend, Emily J.)  If you're lips are really chapped, just rub a little bit of extra-virgen olive oil on them occasionally and soon, they'll be moist again!

Another thing that you could do for chapped lips is purchase some LipSmakers.  I love the Luxe line that came out this year.  My favorite flavor of the Luxe line is definitely the Vanilla Bean Sorbet.

Skin
Witch Hazel is a great remedy for acne.  Just get some cotton balls, pour some Witch Hazel on it, and rub it all over your face.  This removes all dirt and particles that are on your face.  

Another product that works great for fighting acne, is the Burts Bees Herbal Blemish Stick.  Just rub it on the places that have acne a couple times a day, and soon, those red bumps will be gone!

One thing that will help you keep acne away is to change your pillowcase a couple times a week. Oil from your face will gather on your pillowcase and will be rubbed back onto your face.  Changing your pillow case will prevent your face from being more oily.

Lastly, if your hands are dry and chapped, the Burts Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion.  Just rub a bit on your hands and they'll be moist again!  I really love this cream because dries quickly; it's not all gooey and slimy.  It dries minutes and it smells really good!

Nails
If you have fragile, weak, thin, or peeling peeling nails, Nailtiques is a great polish to use.  They have a couple different formulas for different types of nails.  I know from experience that this nail polish really works!  In just a couple weeks, my nails were strong and healthy again!

I hope you guys enjoyed these tips!

Comment down below with your favorite tips!

 ♥ Rachel

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Interesting Winter Candles

There is almost always a candle brightly burning in my house.  A couple days ago, my dad got some new winter-themed candles.  The names are quite interesting, if you ask me.

The first one is called "Dream By The Fire."  It smells nothing like dreaming by the fire because what does dreaming by the fire even smell like?  It smells like a guy's cologne.  It's really strong.  

The next one is "Frolic and Play!"  You know I've always wanted to know what frolicking and playing smells like!  Okay not really, but it sounds interesting right?  Sadly, it dosen't smell like that.  I don't think I've ever smelled a candle like this one, but it smells like sonething I ate when I was little and made me sick.  I can't remember what it was, but I still remember the smell!  The smell is sort of minty, yet sickly smelling.

The red one is "Sleigh Bells Ring."  Like the song, "Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, in the lane, snow is glistening..."!  Even though this one has a cool name and picture,  like the others, it doesn't smell like its name.  If it smelled like its name, it would probably smell like metal.  Bleh!  Instead, it smells like a clear soap that is glycerin-free or something like that.

Lastly, there is "Build A Snowman."  Of course, this one doesn't smell like building a snowman because I don't think snow even smells like much of anything.  It smells like peppermint with a hint a coconut.

I have a feeling that they just renamed four smells that they had previously and didn't do very well.  

So which scent did you find most interesting?  Be sure to comment down below with your thoughts!❄️

 ♥ Rachel

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My Dream Capsule Wardrobe - #BundleMarathon

All of us wish we had some certain pieces of clothing in our wardrobe.  Here are my top 6 dream pieces of clothing.

1. Denim Jacket - Target
I love denim jackets!  They're so easy to pair up with just about anything.

2. Women's Mossimo Supply Co. Khalea Combat Boots - Target
These would be so totally cute!  They remind me of Little House on the Prairie type things.

3. Girls Animal-Graphic Tees - Old Navy 
That is possibly the cutest fox I've ever seen!

4. Girls Boat-Neck Sequin-Graphic Tees - Old Navy
Stripes are totally in right now and the sparkly umbrella is so cute!  I just love sparkles!

5. Women's Striped Knit Infinity Scarf - Target
I love scarves; especially infinity scarves.  There's just something about them that I love.


6. Custom Converse Sneakers - Converse.com
I simply adore Converse sneakers.  When I learned that you can make custom Converse sneakers, I almost passed out!  (Okay not really, but I was really excited!)  Visit this page here to design your own Converse sneakers.

Make sure to comment down below with your fav item!

 ♥ Rachel

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Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies - #BundleMarathon

These peanut butter cookies are very fast and easy to make.  They don’t require any fancy techniques or complicated steps.  These are very gooey and chewy.  Although they tend to become quite flat, the taste totally makes up for it!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 sticks softened butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup extra-crunchy peanut butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350˚F. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together softened butter and both sugars until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Mix in peanut butter until incorporated, about 30 seconds on medium. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, scraping after each addition. Reduce mixer to low and slowly add dry ingredients, just until incorporated.
Take 3 tablespoons of the dough and roll into a ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. 

Using a fork dipped in cold water, make a cross in the dough. Repeat with the rest of the dough, keeping 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating halfway between cooking time, and just until the edges are golden brown and the centers are puffy. Cool on a wire rack and then enjoy!

Yield: 24 cookies

_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here are some tips that’ll help you make chewy, flat, puffy, or crispy cookies!
(Found at http://allrecipes.com/howto/perfect-cookies/ )

If you have a cookie recipe that you love, but aren't getting the desired results, use these tips to get your perfect cookie:

Flat If you want your cookies on the flat side, you can do some or all of the following things: Use all butter, use all-purpose flour or bread flour, increase the sugar content slightly, add a bit of liquid to your dough, and bring the dough to room temperature before baking.

Puffy For light, puffy cookies, use shortening or margarine and cut back on the amount of fat; add an egg, cut back on the sugar, use cake flour or pastry flour, use baking powder instead of baking soda and refrigerate your dough before baking.

Chewy Try melting the butter before adding it to the sugars when mixing. Remove cookies from the oven a few minutes before they are done, while their centers are still soft but are just cooked through. The edges should be golden. Use brown sugar, honey or molasses as a sweetener. Let cookies cool on the pan for several minutes after baking before transferring to cooling rack.

Crispy For crisp, crunchy cookies, use all butter and a proportion of white sugar. Use egg yolks in place of a whole egg. Cookies should be baked completely. Let cool on the baking sheet for one minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

♥ Rachel

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