so I’ve been obsessed with reading these kinds of posts on other people’s blogs. if you know anything about me I’m huge on pictures, not super great at taking them, but have a little spot in my heart for editing and making sure everything in the picture color coordinates (It’s a dorky habit i know). I actually just recently made an Instagram for this blog and for my quirky picture obsession, so check it out if you haven’t already! (@xoxoallisonnicole) so here is 2014 in pictures, my favorite from each month.

January

February 

March 

April 

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

2014 rocked a lot and filled my life with a bunch of fun people and activities. From stressful all-nighters writing AND memorizing speeches (i enjoy it i promise) to dancing at football games with dance team (which has to be my all time favorite thing of fall) to entering junior year and not even imagining the amount of stress it would bring. I got to know my speech pal Rachel a lot better and am super glad i did (because she’s pretty rockin’), and was blessed with a hecka amazing secret santa (laura basically knew me too well, j crew socks and coffee? i think she stalked my Pinterest). I found my best friend and spent too many sleepovers and summer days with her and realized Andie is as good as it gets. (also there are no pictures of her in this because we mainly just take car selfies, #notashamed) I pushed myself to try new things, failed and succeeded: i somehow have a hidden talent for cornrows (???) and water skiing over waves just isn’t my thing. (coughed up a lot of lake water, and my pride, on that one.) I started this blog and love love love it. Overall it was a year of finding myself and realizing what makes me happy, and that sometimes putting yourself and your own happiness first is the first step to making others happy.

Hope your 2014 was magical and that your 2015 is the best year yet. Find yourself and smile while doing it.

xoxo, 

Ally

well it was my last day for sleeping in way too late for my taste yesterday (4:45 dance team alarm, I’m so not ready for you) and i figured what better way to spend your first day back at school than getting a little bit of a creativity spark.

so here are a few of the links i’ve been obsessing over this break:

the BEST iced coffee recipe

new room decoration inspiration

Starbucks cranberry bliss bar knock-off recipe

Christmas video with Kate Spade AND Anna Kendrick, sign me up

let me know if you have any awesome links to share with me as well! Hope your first days back go smoothly! sending lots of love!

xoxo,

Ally

so I’ve never been super awesome at New Year’s Resolutions, nor have I really ever been a huge fan

why wait util January 1st to make things happen when you can (and should) be starting today. now i’m not a huge goal setter but i’m a huge dreamer. and an even huger (that’s a word right?) fan of the saying:

“she believed she could, so she did.”

because if there is one thing I’m proud of about myself it is that if I tell myself i’m going to do something, it’s going to happen. i’m not a grey person, i’m black, or white. really love it, or really hate it. and once i have my mind set there is no changing it (i’m not really perfect at the art of admitting i’m wrong quite yet) so this New Year i have a new dream. for me, and hopefully for everyone.

fall in love with yourself (fully, not just a few things, all of it) and don’t ever apologize for it

now like everyone i’m sure, i’m not a fan of braggers or people who are completely over-egoistic. but that’s not what i’m asking of you. i’m simply asking you do be, you. 

don’t be afraid of being different, be afraid of being the same as everyone else. and exist in your life to be happy, not to impress.

for me this means wearing pigtail braids whenever given the occasion (or when i’m not), monogramming anything and everything to my heart’s content, write write and write because it’s where i feel confident, wear pink pants because they make me feel unstoppable, let the world know its possible (and semi-normal) to like J.Crew and Starbucks TOO much, use the white and gold dot combo every chance i can, and to not feel one bit guilty for obnoxious amount of instagrams with captions that could be categorized as the world’s worst puns/alliterations or mini novels.

whatever it may contain for you, this year learn to love yourself in your own skin. and not just the outer level. love who you are and don’t try to dull down any of it. it’s OKAY if you post too many tweets or use to many emojis, it’s OKAY if you don’t ace every single test or even ace any tests, it’s OKAY to wear black with navy if it makes you feel good and it’s OKAY to spend all your just earned paycheck on new shoes if you’ll feel good wearing the shoes. it’s all you, don’t apologize for any of it.

and it’s also very very okay to not always feel the exact same, love all of yourselves.

because somedays i’ll wake up in matching pj’s and devote my life to my planner and other days i’ll barely manage to find a pair of sweatpants before heading off to bed without half my homework done (teachers PLEASE don’t read this..and mom, it gets done.) and some days i’ll wear my combat boots and wonder what it all entails to be a hipster, some days you can find the good in long lines and red lights and some days you find the bad in your best friend. somedays you want to serve everyone and other days you need to be served. it’s okay to be whoever you wake up as that day, actually, it’s great.

life can be messy but beautiful

so for your New Year’s Dream:

make it an adventure as much as you can. 

be confident in you.

love you. love, all of you.

however mirror-selfie obnoxious, lilly loving, dancey-ing, or chicken taco on the sidewalk eating you may be. (or maybe that’s just me)

 

 

have a happy and sparkly new years!

all my love, xoxo, 

ally