Weeknd Recap: Animal Blessing and Pumpkin!

Wow it feels like forever since I did a weekend recap! Partly because I have been so busy, but mostly because...well, studying has kind of been consuming my weekends lately. Wow, that sounded a lot sadder than intended. 

This weekend I had a break from the usual hardcore studying and mandatory sorority events so I decided to actually take a little bit of me time. 

After work on Friday, and after a super stressful week, there were only two things I wanted to do: sleep (of course) and go and smell all of the new Fall scents at Bath & Body Works. I rewarded myself for making it through the week with a little retail therapy and bought a few things. Plus I had a coupon so I had to go. I absolutely adore the Fall scents (Who doesn't?) and this year they did not disappoint. I am absolutely loving the Autumn Scent Portable in my car and the Pumpkin Apple candle that I light on my desk while I am studying. It helps to ease the pain a little bit. 

Saturday I went to one of my sister's services where they were doing an animal blessing in honor of St. Francis. Of course when she mentioned it I knew I had to bring my Walty. It was definitely an experience bringing a dog into an actual church, but he did great and is now one holy pug! 

Pug in a church, I just can't get over it. 

Sunday morning I went on "hike" with my sorority. I use the term hike loosely as Florida is all flat so is was more of a sisterhood walk but it was still fun! It was a great way to start my Sunday and there was actually a slight chill in the air, didn't last too long, but hey it was still there!

In the afternoon I ran some errands and decided to get my pumpkin on! I was pretty excited with some of the pumpkin finds I came across at Target. 

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And in honor of having to complete HIPPA training, I thought I'd share this. I may have laughed a little too hard at this!

Fill in the gaps with studying and that was my weekend! 

How was your weekend? I'd love to know!

I hope you are having a great week! 

Who's Been a Bad Blogger?

Me :( 

With it being October 1st, I'm actually not in shock over the fact that September came and went because frankly, September was endless for me. 

What I am in total shock about, however, is that I was able to survive the crazy month that was September! 

September was a month of many new beginnings and I absolutely loved it, but man was it busy!

 You can see the extent of my hectic month here and that is not even factoring in class time, work, and study time! #doIhavetogrowup? 

And not only was I a bad blogger, but I was also a bad picture-taker too! (Is that  a thing?) I had full intentions of coming on here and making a recap photo post of all my of September adventures only to realize that I barely had any blog-worthy pictures! (Since ridiculous selfies and multiple food pictures with no rhyme or reason are not entirely acceptable.)  

But even with all this crazy stress I still really missed blogging so I hope to be able to incorporate it more into my schedule since I now finally do have some sort of schedule. 

For now, here are some of my October goals!

Happy Fall y'all!

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Here's to a productive October!

Linking up with Angie, Karen, and Jennee  

Recruitment Tips from a Rho Gamma

It's finally here! 

With my university's recruitment officially starting today, I've had nothing but sorority on my mind. Being a greek is a topic I have not really touched on too much on here, but it is definitely a huge part of my life. I love reading about other women talking about their sorority experience and I am so excited to share a little bit more of mine because it was a decision that has definitely changed my life. 

I am temporarily disaffiliated from my sorority right now because I am currently a Rho Gamma for PC recruitment! I'm so excited to experience this side of recruitment. And by being on this side I have learned a lot about the recruitment process that I wish I knew when deciding to join recruitment. 

Here are some tips I've learn since becoming a Rho Gamma if you are interested in joining recruitment. 

1. Attend the pre-recruitment events/ informationals

These are a great way to see what you will be getting yourself into and to get a chance to meet some of the sisters and members of the Recruitment Team. Don't skip out if you don't have a buddy to attend with and do not want to go alone. The Recruitment Team is happy that you are there and will try their best to make sure every girl is welcomed and comfortable. 

2. Don't be afraid to ask questions

I know when I was a PNM (Potential New Member) I was afraid that I was asking too many questions. Don't be! The more questions you ask the more interested you seem and even if you are not interested in a specific sorority at all, showing interest is also a sign of respect.   

3. Keep it classy 

This is probably a no-brainer to some, but... this is sorority recruitment, not a night out at the club. There are tons of blog posts and pins on Pinterest that show great examples of what to wear for all different types of recruitment rounds. You can also look to your Rho Gamma/Rho Chi for advice or a second opinion on your outfit! 

4. Don't listen to the stereotypes

Some of the main questions I have been asked while recruiting this year are in regards to sorority stereotypes: "Are they like the movies?" "Do you party a lot?" Etc., Etc. Giving into the stereotypes of sororities in general, as well as the stereotypes of the sororities on your campus, can really keep you from having an open mind throughout the process. Which leads me to...

5. Open mind. Open mind. Open mind. 

You will probably hear this a lot throughout the process, but that is because it is just that important. Recruitment is a time where a lot of information is thrown at you which sounds overwhelming at first, but the excitement of it all really makes it worth it. Keeping an open mind will 1) make for a better and more positive experience and 2) help you to find your home. You'd be surprised with the things you can see when you keep an open mind ;) 

6. Prepare accordingly. 

In an ideal world we would all like to plan ahead so that homework and studying would be taken care of before recruitment so during the week you can concentrate on rushing. Key word: ideal. But it is doable and very beneficial to plan ahead and take care of as much as possible so you can go to class, attend recruitment, and get to sleep a decent amount of hours each night. 

7. Stay healthy!

I got terribly sick when I was a PNM and I was not the only one. Recruitment can be a time of high stress which lowers your immune system naturally. Add in long hours, less sleep, and being around and talking to mass amounts of girls and something is bound to go around. I highly recommend trying to boost up your immune system, meaning take your vitamins, drink your water, and take a little Airborne during the week. Being healthy will make this a much more enjoyable experience for you and your body will also thank you for it!

8. Do your research 

It is good to enter recruitment with a little background knowledge of each sorority. Colors, mascot, motto, philanthropies, events they hold annually on campus. They will be presenting all of this information to you anyway, but having an idea helps to prevent you from getting too overwhelmed. You can find out which PC sororities are on your campus and look up their national website or most chapters tend to have their own website/Facebook, where you can see information and pictures from that specific chapter. 

9. Don't forget your smile!

This is suppose to be an exciting and happy time so don't forget to show it! Your smile makes you unique and beautiful so why not flaunt it? Try not to let the nerves get the best of you and even if they do I guarantee putting on a smile will help! 

10.  Utilize your Rho Gamma (or Rho Chi)

Something I am learning better now. Your recruitment guide has signed up and gone through the disaffiliation processes all to help you. After months of preparation they are nothing but ecstatic to help you succeed in the process. They are there for you to confide in, give you unbiased advice, and be your go-to for anything you will need so do not hesitate to go to them. :) 

I hope this helps! 

Here's to a successful and unforgettable recruitment! 

Linking up for :

Confessions of Nursing Student Newbie

Happy Hump day! 

It is officially my second day of Nursing School and my nerves are still in tact! Whoohoo!

*This may need to be revised after my Anatomy class later today 

SO many thoughts have been running through my head lately with all of this new information being introduced  that I decided to confess some of these thoughts on here. I really hope I find my way around soon, being a newbie isn't always that fun!

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#1 "When will my scrubs be done getting monogrammed? I can't wait to go to school in an acceptable form of pajamas!"

Seriously, I've been waiting for this day for a long time now.

#2 "How many hours of Anatomy and Physiology do I have a week!?"

Looks like I will be eating, breathing, and sleeping A&P for the next few months.

#3 "The Clinical Rotation Lottery sounds scary...." 

I don't like playing the lottery and I definitely don't like the sound of having my future job depending on a lottery.

#4 "I'm really going to learn how to time manage here aren't I?"

It's going to be tricky, but I'm up for the challenge.

#5 "I just want to get to the hospital and start shadowing real nurses."

...but I don't really want to do the whole 12-hour-shift thing...

#6 "I need to make friends with these people ASAP!"

No wonder they said at Orientation that we will all be family. Spending all these hours together going through the same intense stuff means you're going to need someone to lean on!

#7 "You have kids and are going through Nursing School? How do you do it?!"

Seriously, these people are courageous. I think they have superpowers.

#8 "I hope I can get over my fear of vomit soon..."

I can't even elaborate because just the thought of the sound grosses me out.

#9 "4 textbooks for an 8 week course?" 

Me and my wallet are not very happy about this one.

and last but not least...

#10 "I. Can. Do. This!"
'Gotta keep saying this!

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Let's hope I figure things out soon! 

Linking up with Bella for..

August Recap!

Happy September, Happy Labor Day and long time no talk, friends! 

As you can probably tell my blog plans for August kind of....never happened. 

August was one super crazy chaotic month. Instead of a super long written explanation of what I've been up to this month, I'd thought to do a much more exciting photo recap instead!

I've already recapped my Disney trip which you can read here! The best way to kick off one of the best months of my life is obviously Disney! 

Right after coming back from the happiest place on Earth, my family and I jumped on cruise! It was my grandmother's 80th birthday and her only birthday wish was for a family cruise. We went on the Carnival Ecstasy to the Bahamas. I hope to do a full recap of this amazing trip soon!  

CM and I made one last summer trip to Miami Beach to end off our amazing summer together. 

Another big project that took up much of August was painting my room! I definitely undermined how big of a project this was and not going to lie, was a little worried I wasn't going to finish in time, but by the grace of the painting gods, I finished! Now it is on to the fun part of picking decor and furnishing! 

I had my Nursing School orientation! 

With the start of school means the official start of recruitment! I will definitely be posting more about this very soon, but I cannot wait until recruitment week and to meet my Rho Gamma babies! 

Last but not least, with the start of September brings the start of a new chapter of my life and I could not be any more excited that it is here. This summer has been exactly what I needed to prepare myself in more ways than one for this challenging journey and I hope to bring this blog with me along the ride! 

I hope you are having a great start to your school year!

Disney Vacation Recap!

Happy Back-to-school Monday!

This has to be one of the most hectic Monday of all Mondays! 

Fortunately, I don't start until next Monday and I could not be more nervous excited!

I know I am getting this recap up a bit later than I would have liked to. This is partly because I've been so incredibly busy finishing up my room renovations, working, and enjoying the too few days left of my summer and partly because I knew that reliving the memories of this trip was going to make me go into major Disney Withdrawals. (Yes, they are very real)

Though going to Disney World never needs a real reason, CM and I made the trip in honor of our anniversary. We have been together since high school and are totally wanting to start traveling together! This was our first official road trip together, if you exclude our few day trips to Miami, so we were so excited! 

Our trip was originally consisting of 2 days at Disney and 2 days with his family at their beach condo about an hour from Disney property. Due to multiple changes we ended up doing one day at Downtown Disney and one day, our actual anniversary day, at Disney, more specifically Epcot.  The last day was spent relaxing on the beach. 

I never get tired of seeing this sight!

The iconic Downtown Disney is always a must-stop for me whenever I visit. I especially wanted to go this trip as I've read of all the new additions and soon-to-be additions to the area. I love the direction it is going in!

 I had 3 missions that day: 

1. Have my first Disney Starbucks Drink

2. Disney Quest

3. Find the Disney Alex and Ani bangle collection

And I am happy to report that I was successful in all 3 missions!

Disney Starbucks is so much more magical than regular Starbucks. 

 A DD store that was new to me was the Spice and Tea Exchange located near the corner of Mickey's Pantry. A fun little stop with a wide variety of spices and teas (well, duh) and salts and sugars and other fun Disney culinary tools.  

You best believe we smelled pretty much all of them! 

I had to contain my excitement when I came across this specific tea though. Hazelnut Cookie Tea?! Yes please! 

We ate lunch at a restaurant I've always wanted to dine at, the T-Rex. CM loves dinosaurs so choosing this restaurant was fairly easy. I loved the atmosphere and experience. We ate in the Ice Cavern that went from blue to red whenever there was a "meteor shower". So cool and so yummy!

Since CM and I were both not feeling too great from the start we pretty much took it easy the rest of the day, which included a trip to Disney Quest which was both of our's first time going there. 

After a good night's sleep we felt much better and ready to take on Epcot! 

Epcot is my second favorite park, behind Magic Kingdom of course, mainly because of the countries. They are my favorite and that is where we spent the entire day. 

It's funny how the pictures you snap the quickest end up being some of your favorites!

We ate "brunch" I guess you can call it in France at Les Halles Bakery. I was really craving a chocolate croissant which we split along with the Jambon Buerre sandwhich and the cappucino glacé. It hit the spot! 

We then spent the rest of the day exploring each country which was so much fun! If you can, I highly recommend you take a day to spend in just the countries. It'll allow you to take your time in each country exploring all that there is to see...and eat and drink xD. 

After a long day we decided to have dinner in China at the Nine Dragons restaurant. Something we said we would do for this anniversary for a long time now. 

I ordered the Honey Sesame chicken with an iced chai tea and it was the best way to end the long day!

And last but not least: souvenirs! 

Since we did not want to do traditional anniversary "gifts" this time around we treated Disney as our gift for each other and bought each other souvenirs along the way. Since neither of us had a pair of Mickey/Minnie ears that was first on the list. (I know I am totally ashamed to admit this) I love these sparkly Minnie ears and I will probably be wearing these a little more than I should! A Disney tradition I have is to buy a trading pin that symbolizes the overall trip. I started this when I was a kid and have now continued this with CM. We bought each other this Epcot World Showcase countries pin that spins! Another little unique purchase we made for each other was for a pair of chopsticks from Japan. This past year we have been all about sushi (shoutout to CM for getting me on this bandwagon!) so to symbolize this we bought real (and really beautiful) chopsticks! We cannot wait to use them! And finally we bought matching little Minnie/ Mickey picture frames to hold a picture from our little trip so we can remember it all year round! 

Oh! And I can't forget these adorable little Minnie bow sticky tabs so I can have Disney magic as my study inspiration!

I am absolutely head over heels over my new Disney Alex and Ani bangles. I have been dying to start a collection and I am so happy I did. These are so cute and create a beautiful, yet not annoying, jingle. Needless to say I have been stalking the website in search of my next addition. 

Disney couples are the happiest couples.

And that's all she wrote! It was an amazing little weekend getaway that was the perfect way to end a long summer of hard work and to start off a new year of long distance. 

Liebster Award! + I'm back!

Happy Tuesday!
Confession: it took me way to long to figure out what day it was today!
I guess that's what vacation does to ya!

I just got back from my (a little hectic) 2 week Disney/Cruise vacay  and I still refuse to believe that I am sitting at my desk at work right now.
I would give anything right now to be either in the happiest place on earth or the beautiful Bahamian beaches but alas I have to face the reality that vacation does not last forever and that I start Nursing school in T minus 2 weeks and that my to-do list of things I need to get done before then is longer than my right arm. [Insert mini panic attack here].

I'll have more about that and recap posts very soon, but in the meantime...

I am so very happy to announce that the lovely Shae from Confessions of a Post-Grad Coffee Addict has nominated me for the Liebster Award! Thanks so much Shae!

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What is the Liebster Blog Award?

Its an award given to bloggers by bloggers to those who usually have less than 200 followers.

The word Liebster has German origins and means dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant.

Rules :

1. If you are tagged/nominated, you have to post 11 facts about yourself.

2. Answer the 11 questions the tagger has given you and make 11 questions for the

    people you are going to tag.

3. Tag 5-11 more bloggers.

4. Tell the people you tagged that you did (through comment, personal message, etc.)

5. No tagging back.

Here we go!  

11 Facts:

1. I have a HUGE sweet tooth. Mainly for chocolate.

2. I have a sister who is 10 years older than me.

3. I went to Catholic school all my life.
4. My first job was working in a candy store .
5. Although I am obsessed with pugs, I also have a beautiful 13 year old Papillion named Lilly.
6. I was a Girl Scout for 6 years.
7. My favorite TV channel is The Food Network.

8.  My favorite color is blue and I buy way too many blue things.

9. I am Italian and Honduran.
10. I must always drink out of a straw. 
11. I am currently listening to old Disney songs while writing this :) 

Shae's Questions: 

1. What's your  favorite ice cream flavor?

 Good ol' cookie dough for the win!

2. What is your favorite vacation destination?

You probably guessed it, Disney! Or anywhere with a relaxing beach and beautiful view.

3. If you could do anything (career wise), what would you do?

I would love to explore many of the different fields of nursing. The variety of areas the nursing career has is one of the main aspects that attracted me to pursing it.. My dream is to also include blogging in there as well ;)

4. Biggest fear?

Lizards. I cannot even describe my thoughts on those creepy, crawly things.

5. What song best describes your life at the moment?

Rather Be by Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne. I just love the vibe of this song right now! And it's very accurate as well ;)

6. Coffee or tea?

Oh that's so hard! I love both, but I'd have to go with coffee because a day without coffee is abnormal for me.

7. What's one thing you could not live without?

Aside from the obvious, and most important, family, friends, pets, etc. I could not live without my bed!

8. Favorite holiday?

Christmas. It is a holiday the lasts a whole month long (that happens to include my birthday!) and it is always such a happy time of the year.

9. What exotic animal would you want as a pet?

A whale, hands down. I have this weird obsession with whales and would be the first person in line to adopt one the day they somehow become acceptable to own as household pets.

10. Why you started blogging and meaning of your blog name?

I started blogging after spending a lot of time reading other peoples' blogs and just being fascinated by the blogging world itself. I wanted to start my own blog as a creative outlet (since my major is mainly science) and also as a way to document my life through college and, hopefully, beyond.

The meaning of The Brown Eyed Sunshine?

The sun, more specifically sunshine, is one of the things I am so grateful for everyday. There is just something so positive and uplifting when you look outside or out a window and see the sun shining down, lighting up the day. Florida is also the Sunshine State (though it fails to represent its name 50% of the time) so I figured it was a great place to start. And you probably guessed it, I have brown eyes. Brown Eyed... sunshine. It rhymed enough in my opinion  (I was never very good at poetry) and the rest is history!

11. Favorite season?

Since Florida only has two seasons, scorching hot and less hot, this question is a little hard to answer lol! I'd love to live in a place that experienced all four seasons independently so I could actually know what a 'Fall' and 'Spring" and 'Winter" too for that matter feel like.

I Nominate: 

Aly @ Love, Alysha

Jessica @ Seeking Individuality

Brie @ Lean, Clean, & Brie 

Sami @ Sparkle and Shine 

Nicole @ Sparkly Ever After

Ally @ The Preppy Little Lesbian 

My Questions!

1.  As a child, what did you wish to be when you grew up?
2. What is your favorite app that is currently on your phone?
3. Favorite candy?
4. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
5. What is your most recent accomplishment (big or small)?
6. Favorite quote?
7. What is one beauty product you cannot live without?
8. Hot or iced coffee?
9. What is your favorite Target department?
10. If you win the lotto tomorrow, what is the first thing you would do?
11. What is your favorite thing about blogging?


Well that was fun! I'm always glad to share a little bit more of myself on here.

And please don't forget to go check out Shae and send some bloggy love :)