2015 In Review

Happy Wednesday! I have been buried in watching Gossip Girl unpacking the past few days...I'm trying to make the most of the space I have in my room and trying to get rid of all the clutter that has accumulated in my room over the past few years. I have hoarder tendencies and I have tried to be ruthless in what I have been throwing away. Do I really need bank statements from 2013? Shirts that I haven't worn in a few years? Barely used hand lotion from a yankee swap that I don't like the smell of? NO! I am hoping to get everything finished today, so wish me luck!

Today, with NYE looming, I wanted to look back on the year on this blog...so here we go!

3 Most Popular Posts of 2015

1. Almost Halfway | Friday Favorites 

I don't know why, but I think its so funny that a Friday Favorites post was my most popular post of the year! I still think that monkey video is hilarious...

2. 6 Tips For Combating Stress 

These kinds of posts are my favorites...you know I am a sucker for lists! I get a lot of hits on this post through Pinterest which makes me happy because I really tried to create more "pin-able" images this fall. My increase in Pinterest traffic has definitely proven that I did right with a few pictures!

3. You Can Always Have More Than One Favorite... | Friday Favorites
I am glad that there are two Friday Favorites posts in my top three most popular posts of the year because I love writing them! They are a great way to look back on the week, and I love making little lists to look back to about what I was favoriting at the time.


My Personal Favorites

1. Netflix Picks #1: Independent Girly Comedies

I love watching/talking/researching movies and I don't know why I didn't think of this little post series sooner! I will definitely be continuing it into 2016!

2. A Very Special Five on Friday

Its corny, I know, to include this as a favorite post of the year, but I loved going back through five years worth of pictures of us and posting a few.

3. Everyday Makeup Routine | Video

 I just had so much fun making this video, because I just love watching everyday routines. I got so much great feedback on this video too... I felt/feel so lucky to have people say such kind words!

4. I Read... Bossypants By Tina Fey

This book was definitely my most favorite read of the year. I still swear that Tina somehow can read my mind and she transcribed it all into this book!

I hope you enjoyed these posts over the year! Also, since this will be my last post before New Year's, I wish you all a happy and safe holiday! Cheers to the New Year! 

What Holiday Blues?!

Happy Monday! As silly as it sounds, I wish I could know how each and every one of you is feeling on this post-holiday Monday. Are you sad the holiday is over? Relieved? Anxious to get to the end of the week for a different holiday? Feeling completely stuffed from so many Christmas cookies? Happy with how everything went? Taking a poll now.

Usually I don't like the week in between Christmas and New Year's...In the past I have spent it bumming around and wishing that my favorite holiday wasn't almost a year away now. Last year I even wrote a post on shaking those "post-holiday blues" and even reading it back now, I am not really feeling it.  Even though we are only a few days post-Christmas, I think I can say that I have managed to evade those feelings...probably because December was such a frazzled month for me that I didn't have time to have all the build up to the holidays like I have in the past. Its kind of a catch-22 because if I am super excited/ready for Christmas, then I get really bummed out when its over, but if I haven't built up Christmas, then I am okay when its over. So I guess its either a win-lose or lose-win situation. Please tell me someone else feels like this or understand at all.

I don't mean to put you to sleep with my ramblings, so I guess I will do a quick recap of my holiday weekend! 

Thursday //

Christmas Eve was a typical one, with cleaning the house and finishing up the baking of the cookies in the morning, and John's family's Christmas Eve party in the evening. This was mine and John's 6th Christmas together, and the 5th year that I had been to his family's Eve party. Even though I have been going for the past few years, this year was the first that it really felt like it was my tradition too. Sounds weird, but I think I am just slow to adapt to holiday tradition changes! My favorite part of the day though, had to be when I got home from the party and sat with my parents and uncle around the tree, laughing and reminiscing. 

Friday //

Christmas Day was a good one...We hosted our extended family and had the best meal I think we had ever managed to make on Christmas. The day went by so fast and all I kept thinking about was how I would probably have to work next Christmas because I'll be a new nurse (and new nurses usually get the not so fun shifts!) I think my family and John were happy with their gifts...I was beyond thrilled with mine!

Saturday //

Like last year, John and I went to the House of Blues in Boston to see one of my favorite bands, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. We drove down a little early and had a great dinner before the show, which was so fun. I liked that we had been before so we knew where we were going and what to expect at the show..aka lots of crazy dancing and to watch out for some people that dance a little too aggressively (pushing and shoving)! The concert was also the perfect occasion to wear my new cross body bag...I feel so stylish with it! 

Sunday //

Just worked a shift at work. Not as a nurse yet...but as a tech (like a CNA or PCA or whatever you know nursing assistants as!) Can't wait to pass my boards so that I can start working as a nurse!

I hope you all had amazing weekend and easy weeks planned ahead. This week, I have nothing extra special planned except to unpack everything and do a massive clean out of my room. Good times! 

Linking up here today!

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Have a Merry Little Christmas!

Happy Christmas Eve Eve friends! Time is just flying by and I can't keep up with it all. Christmas spirit in my house was a little delayed this year...we just put the Christmas tree up yesterday! Its amazing how much the smell of the tree has raised my spirits in just a day. With all the hubbub of graduating, the holiday season had really been put on the back burner for me, but now its front and center. I have all my gifts wrapped and ready to go under the tree and Christmas movies have been watched! Now I just need some egg nog and cookies.

Since I usually post MWF and Christmas is on Friday, I just wanted to take today to wish you all a merry merry Christmas because I won't be posting on the day of. This is such a special time of year, and I am so glad that I have the outlet of this blog to share it with you. It sounds slightly cheesy, but know that every comment that I get with your sweet words are a gift to me every day!

So thank you all for being you and for supporting me. I hope you have a merry Christmas...and if Christmas isn't your thing, I hope you have a great week! I will be returning back on Monday!

I Graduated!

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you all had amazing weekends. If you read my post from Friday, you know that this was a pretty big weekend for me. I graduated from college! I am beyond excited (and exhausted) from this weekend and I am thrilled to be typing this from home. For anyone who might not know, I graduated (ah!) from James Madison University with a major in nursing and a minor in chronic illness, both of which I absolutely loved.  This will be a quick-ish post today, because I have so much sleep to catch up on unpacking/cleaning to do, but I wanted to share a few pictures from this weekend!

Friday 
I had my nursing pinning ceremony in the afternoon which is a tradition for nursing graduates across the country. I honestly liked this ceremony better than the university commencement because it felt so much more personal and it had more sentimental meaning for me. We recite a pledge and get to be pinned by a favorite professor. There were so many times during the ceremony where I wanted to cry, but as silly as it sounds, I didn't want to wreck my makeup because I knew I wanted to take pictures! After snapping a few pictures afterwards, we went out to dinner (@ Texas Roadhouse... I am embarrassingly in love with their food!) and went to the movies to, of course, see Star Wars...which was incredible and completely surpassed my expectations! Did anyone else see it this weekend?

Saturday

I had my university commencement ceremony in the morning at the convocation center, and it was a fairly simple ceremony, except for the fact that the fire alarm went off in the middle of the commencement speaker's speech! Everyone had to file out of the convocation center and wait outside while the building was checked...it was crazy. The ceremony was started back up pretty quickly, and I eventually had my name called to walk across the stage. It was amazing and scary at the same time! If you were wondering, I didn't trip going across the stage at either event...like I thought I was going to! After the ceremony, we went to lunch and then quickly packed up the rest of my apartment. Once we had packed everything in my car, we hit the road to get a few hours closer to home so that we wouldn't have to drive the whole 12 hours on Sunday.

Sunday

We drove the rest of the way home and I was finally reunited with my babies (the cats). 

I was so happy with how this weekend turned out. Sometimes I let stress get the best of me, and I really tried to relax and keep the stress in check. Fortunately, the only hiccup of the weekend was the fire alarm going off during the ceremony and if that was the worst thing, then I think that means I was pretty lucky! It is weird to think that now I am official an alumni of JMU and that one chapter of my life has closed to let another one start. I am so excited to be moved home and be in one place for a while, and to continue this blog as a post-grad! 

What did you get up to this weekend?

Linking up here today! 

Graduation Is This Weekend?! | Friday Favorites

Happy Friday friends! Its the big day! No, I don't mean my nursing pinning ceremony, or graduation tomorrow, but finally the day we have all been waiting for...the new Star Wars movie! I know Star Wars isn't everyone's cup of tea, and I am sincerely sorry that you have had to hear so much about it everywhere you turn. But at 8pm tonight, know that I will be SO happily sitting in a movie theater, waiting for that opening music to play! And, I guess happy that I will have had my nursing pinning... just kidding, I will be super excited about it I'm sure! For now I am just nervous that I will trip walking across the stage. Onto favorites for the week!

Favorite Article: Even though I apologized before about talking about Star Wars, I should've said that it would be mentioned again in this post...so sorry again! Earlier in the week, I came across this article from Vogue, that gives insight on how to go about watching the Star Wars series if you've never seen it before. Personally, I subscribed to the 4, 5, 2, 3, 6 theory..but with 1 added in as well. So I guess 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6! If you are a Star Wars fan, let me know what you think about this! 

Favorite Lust: I used the ABH dipbrow pomade, but want to try this out for my brows too...I get the impression that it is easy to use and more natural looking than the pomade! 

Favorite Blog Post: This post about holding onto that special holiday feeling from Taylor on the The Daily Tay. It was so touching and really resonated with me! 

Favorite Funny:  I was scrolling way too far back on funny Instagram videos and came across this Justin Bieber one...I seriously think I have watched it 500 times this week and laugh out loud every single time! 

⠀ 🌱Justin Bieber Is A Savage! 😂 ✅By Unknown

A video posted by @bestvines on Oct 20, 2015 at 3:09pm PDT

Favorite Moments: 

1) Getting emails from my professors saying that all my grades have been finalized and sent off to the registrar for processing (spoiler: I passed everything). 

2) All week long getting to say to myself, "This time next week, you'll be a full-time resident of Maine!" Nothing against Virginia though, I have LOVED my college experience here. I am just tired of the back and forth between states and living spaces...I just want to be in one place full time for a while! 

3) Rewatching a few of the Star Wars movies so that I would be refreshed and ready to go for tonight...okay, that was really the last Star Wars mention for this post! 

I cannot wait to share on Monday what ends up happening over the weekend (ie. Did I trip or fall?) I will definitely be taking a lot of pictures for family members that couldn't attend and to share on here of course! Also, so many of you have said congrats on graduating and your sweet words have meant so much to me! I hope you all have the best weekend!

Linking up here and here today! 

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8 Ways To Conquer Long Drives

If there is one thing that I know for sure, its how to survive a long drive. The drive from my family home in Maine, to JMU in Virginia is about 12 hours including three stops and I have done it more times that I can count. I have tried every which way to make the ride better, some of which actually helped and some made the ride worse. I am sharing what I have learned in hopes that it will help someone else!

1 // Take good snacks // Although I am sure fruits and vegetables keep you feeling great, the one snack that I always have on hand during a long drive is sour patch kids. Yes, I know its random, but when I am feeling tired I just snack on a few and I swear the sourness perks me back up. I would tell you that one time, on a drive home, I only had a whole bag sour patch kids and three Dunkin' Donuts iced coffees...but why would I scare you like that?!

2 // Download an audiobook // I know a lot of people enjoy Audible.com, but did you know your kindle has a "read to me" feature? That means most of the books you buy can be read aloud. 

3 // Break out that mixtape // you know that one you made as a freshman in high school. Sing your heart out! 

4 // Plan out your stops ahead of time // I always stop at the same three places that I know are well lit and safe for a young woman traveling by herself. If you are traveling with others, then you don't have to worry about this as much...but its something to think about! 

5 // Dress comfortable // While you won't be doing any physical activity, wear those yoga pants and sneakers! 

6 // Be careful about who you bring with you // This sounds weird, but I just mean that if you aren't a fan of small talk, then don't get stuck in a car with someone who you feel like you need to have small talk with for hours on end. As someone who isn't a fan of small talk, I have learned to be cautious about this...In some cases I truly enjoyed the peace that driving solo can bring! 

7 // Review your route before you get in the car // GPSs are great, but I always make sure I have an idea of what my route is even if I know I am going to have my Maps app on during my drive. 

8 // Get a good night's sleep before the drive // I hope this would be assumed, but it really does make a difference...trust me! 

Let me know if you have any tried and true tips that your swear by for long drives!

Hiking Old Rag

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a great weekend! I was so excited to sit down and write this post because I had a fun weekend that I am excited to share. Here is a highlight from each day of the weekend...

Friday: My BFF Sarah came to visit for the weekend, after a spur of the moment decision on Thursday night. It made spending Friday studying so much better knowing that I was going to see her at the end of the day. Also, I am excited to mention her because I only recently told her about this blog and I know she reads it on the reg now! Hi, Sarah!

Saturday: I went for a hike! I know this might be embarrassing because I am from Maine and go to school in Virginia...two hiking heavy states...and I had never been before. We hiked Old Rag, which is in the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah National Park area. Before going my friends (whose idea it was to go) had warned me that it wasn't exactly a novice trail, but we rationalized that since I had never been on a hike before, I wouldn't have anything else to compare it to...sound logic, right? It was tough for me and to be honest I wasn't super excited to go in the first place, but I am glad now that I can say I did it. Also, Tina Fey wrote about climbing Old Rag in her memoir, so I am mostly excited that I did something that she did too. I obviously took a ton of pictures because I needed proof for my mom the blog that I actually got to the top!

My friend caught my efforts in trying to take a cool picture...the things I do for this blog!

The result of the picture above.

Sunday: After barely being able to get out of bed because I was so sore, I spent the day packing up my room so that I won't have to do it later in the week. Its hard to imagine that this time next week, I will be back to living in the state of Maine full time!

Overall, this weekend was a great way to say goodbye to Virginia and to the friends that I probably won't see until at least the spring. Now onto an NCLEX (nurse licensing exam) prep class this week and then graduation! I know I have mentioned the G word in so many posts lately, but I just can't help it...I am too excited!

What did you do this weekend?

Linking up here today! 

Almost Halfway | Friday Favorites

Happy Friday friends! We are almost halfway to Christmas and I just received my last shipping notification I was waiting for from Cyber Monday shopping yesterday. So everything is either in the mail or has been received and so far, everything has come in good condition and I got what I was expecting. I feel like I have to talk about it on here, because I am horrible when it comes to keeping gifts a secret and I just want to give them as soon as I get them. I am getting it out of my system now! Let's get on to Friday favorites!

Favorite Article: I know this might sound silly, but I have always been a fan of Paris Hilton. I know, I know. She is definitely not a favorite to many, but I just appreciate her "do whatever I want" attitude and honestly, "Stars Are Blind" is a great song. I even had my hair cut short once after she cut her hair short....So when I was came across this article on her business ventures and how she really paved the way for reality television, I loved it! 

Favorite Lust: Books like these....I know that they are all the rage right now, but I looked at them while at Michaels the other day and I can see why they are so fun! 

Favorite Blog Post: I am a huge Harry Potter fan and was so excited to see a Harry Potter gift guide from Carly on The College Prepster! My favorite thing on the list would have to be the HP Boxed Set!

Favorite Funny: This! The monkey's reaction is too cute! 

Favorite Moments:

1) Finishing my last college presentation. Now all I have left is a few days of a prep class for my licensing exam. 

2) Getting to post this picture!

10 days! #graduation

A photo posted by Meghan Farrell (@mfarrelll14) on Dec 9, 2015 at 4:30pm PST

3) Finding out that I band I love, Reel Big Fish, is playing in Portland in February! John and I plan on getting tickets, and I already can't wait!

What were some of your favorites this week?

Linking up here and here this week! 

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My 5 Favorite Christmas Movies

Happy Wednesday! I am feeling back to 100% after feeling not so great this weekend, which is good because I am wrapping up classes and putting final touches on projects left and right! I am very borderline stressed about about finishing up the semester, graduating, rushing back to Maine and jumping right into Christmas there. To ignore all the stuff I have to do relieve some of that anticipatory stress, I have been watching a lot of movies because I think they are great ways to continue the Christmas spirit. I thought I would share some of my favorite Christmas movies!

1// Elf // I think this might be on everyones favorite Christmas movies list...its just a classic! For me, the best thing about this movie is how quotable it is. John and I can never ever say "10 AM" without following it up with "Santa's coming to town!"

via

2 // Home Alone // Once again, I would assume that this is a pretty popular one as far as Christmas movies go. That being said, I think it is a well deserved favorite. How many times can I watch the end where Harry and Marv are subjected to Kevin's clever booby traps? The limit does not exist. 

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3 // A Christmas Story // Watching this movie on Christmas Eve night was my family's tradition for a long time so I have such positive memories of it. Its also SO funny, so its one I highly suggest. 

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4 // Eloise at Christmastime // I always try to catch this movie on ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas and every year I tell myself I need to buy it! It is such a cute movie...Eloise is the sassiest little girl and I would love to have a day in her shoes living at the Plaza Hotel! 

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5 // National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation // I'm not sure if I have mentioned it on here before, but my family's favorite movie is National Lampoon's Vacation...and Christmas Vacation is not far behind on that list! Like Elf, it is often quoted in our house. Its subtle in the movie, but we love "I don't knowwww Margo!" 

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What are some of your favorite Christmas movies? 

Linking up here today!

9 Feelings You Have When You're Sick

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend! I spent mine tucked in bed with what I can only assume to be a virus of some sort since I already got my flu shot for the season. I had the whole nine yards of the chills, aches, fever, and exhaustion. I was kind of bummed because I only have so much time left at school, and the last thing I wanted was to be stuck in bed. However, I would rather it happen now, then graduation weekend!

Since I didn't have much to write in the way of a weekend wrap up, I thought I would write out a few feelings in gif form that I figure most of us share when we are sick.

1// When you've left your bed for more than five minutes...

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2// When anyone asks how you are doing

via

3// When you self-diagnose from WebMD

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4// Realizing you'll have to cancel plans...

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5// But you're an introvert you're secretly happy about cancelled plans and staying home...

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6// When you think you've permanently become a part of the couch

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7// After you have't left the house for a few days and you're going a little stir crazy...

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8// When you realize you're out of Advil...

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9// When you wake up and realize you feel better...

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I wish you all a great week, and I hope I made you laugh a little!

Going By Too Fast | Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This week really seemed to fly by for me...is it because its the holiday season now? I feel like I look forward to December all year, but when it actually gets here, its over in the blink of an eye. Does anyone else feel that way? I was planning out my posting for the rest of the month, and looking at the calendar made me feel as if there wasn't even any more time left in the month! I know I was overreacting in the moment, but it made me realize that I need to slow down and appreciate the time I have to celebrate the holiday. I guess enough with my overthinking mind and on to my favorites for the week!

Favorite Article: An article filled with just gifs of Paul Rudd dancing. Oh how I love him! Its not a complete list though, because they didn't include a gif of him dancing in Clueless (one of my favorites). 

Don't worry though, I found it! via

Favorite Lust: Everything on my Christmas wish list! If you were wondering, its already been sent off to Santa. Although, I am not sure its gotten there yet because mail to the North Pole can sometimes take a while...

Favorite Blog Post: I loved reading all of the gift guides that have been coming out on blogs, but ones of my favorites has been this one by Christina. I love how detailed and thoughtful it is, and there really is something for everyone! 

Favorite Quote: I dedicated a lot of time to blogging this week and I just love the escape it provides me. Growing up, I would have easily told you that I don't have a creative bone in my body, but now I feel proud that I do have a creative outlet and its this blog (and makeup, haha!) 

Favorite Moments: 

1) Publishing my second video on here and on YouTube!

2) Cozying up on the couch on December 1st with cookie dough (don't worry, I didn't add egg) in hand while watching Love Actually. Its such a great movie to stir up holiday giddiness! 

3) Crossed a lot of thing off on the "things to do before graduation" list that my roommate put together. Only 15 days now! 

What were some of your favorites this week? 

Linking up here and here today! 

November 2015 Favorites | Video

Happy Thursday! I know I don't usually post on Thursdays, but I filmed a video yesterday and thought, "why not just post it tomorrow?!" so here it is! It is my favorites for the month of November, and its a little bit ramble-y, so be warned. Also, I was still a tad nervous in front of the camera, but I think its only a little bit noticeable (I hope...). I had fun doing it, even though I look a tad serious in a few parts! Let me know if you like videos every now and then!


What were your favorites for the month of November?

Christmas 2015 Wish List

Happy December! I know its the second day of it now, but since I didn't have a post yesterday, I still wanted to say it! I always try to make December first extra Christmassy to kick off the whole month, so last night my roommate and I watched Love Actually with Christmas lights and a pine-scented candle.

Kicking off December with Love Actually, a Christmas candle, and pretty lights. Plus some cookie dough but it didn't fit in the picture...🎄🎁🎅🏻⛄️ #myholidayspark #hellodecember #holidaycheer

A photo posted by Meghan Farrell (@mfarrelll14) on Dec 1, 2015 at 4:23pm PST

We thought we deserved a chill night since we spent most of the day studying and working on our online classes (while listening to Christmas music, of course!) Since I am now fully in the Christmas spirit, I thought I would share what I am wishing for this Christmas.

Here are the items in the picture (working from left to right-ish): 

Old Navy Classic Plaid Flannel Shirt

Sorel 'Joan of Arctic' Boots in Tobacco/Sudan Brown

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop

Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC Crossbody Bag in Black

Old Navy Cozy Socks

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette

Soma Luxe Marble Long Robe in Ivory

Kendra Scott Rayne Necklace

Santa, if you're reading, I have been really good this year!

Too soon?! via

What do you have on your Christmas list?

Linking up here today! 

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