my life has been full of fun adventures lately, and i love sharing this side of my life with you on le blog, it’s the best feeling to have my friends come up to me squealing that they were “featured” on “the blog” (which never fails to crack me up.) so let’s see what I’ve been up to this month:

my school holds a senior retreat every year, and being an all girl’s school it is basically a day and a half long sleepover with all of your best friends, aka the time of your life. I was a small group leader and my adorable group (pictured pre and post retreat above) were the absolute best. I couldn’t have been luckier with the dynamic we had and all of the fun stories and laughs we were able to share in our cabin. complete with a dance party and lots of yummy comfort camp food, it was so bittersweet to have this last retreat with some of the best people I’ve ever met. I cannot wait to see where college takes them all next year, because they’re truly some of the greatest girls I’ve ever had the privilege to meet!

I haven’t decided if it was the lack of sleep from retreat planning, or the lack of sleep and constant running around and stress of school, but i have been down for the count this past week when it comes to my immune system. It’s some sort of nasty gross cold that has kept me sleeping more than ever and stocking up on chicken noodle soup and hot tea. I’ve also found a liking for just plain hot water and honey, which has been the ultimate life saver when it has come to my poor sore throat this past week. if you all have any tips on how to cure colds asap, let this chick know.

we were #blessed with not one, but two snow days this week and on one of them my buddies and I got together and went sledding and it was such a blast. I can’t remember the last time I actually went sledding and we had so much fun even though with the smiles on Mary, mine, and Andie’s faces above, I’m pretty sure our toes and fingers were not workable for the next few hours.

Finally, I am missing NYC like no other and already planning all the places I want to hit up next time I go. I’m obsessed with watching people’s NYC videos of living there & am still in a city girl kinda vibe from my trip. If you’re ever planning on making a stop in the city, hit me up for some of the favorite things Andie & I did!

until next time, xoxo, Ally

1// it’s been awhile since I’ve featured a good Lilly item on here, so this one is no exception of amazing. I’m swooning over how adorable this would look at a spring grad party and think I just absolutely NEED it.

2// I’m constantly looking for new fashion idols and Gigi is the top of my list lately. if you can make ripped jeans look good with a pink coat, we can be friends. Check out her top 30 looks right here.

3// if you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for a quick tip on how to take care of yourself and your body. so these skin care rules are right up my alley for the new year

4// I’m a huge fan of my fur vest I have, so it was so fun to see how Caroline from Citrus&Style styled hers in this post!

5// shameless instagram promotion: @xoxoallisonnicole for constant behind the scenes updates into my life

6// it may show how often I stalk Caroline’s blog that I have this many links from her posts, but LOOK AT THESE AVOCADO SHOES and TRY telling me you don’t need them!

7// this mug absolutely captured my heart. it’s been a family saying at bedtime ever since I was young and I think I may be ordering it before I head off to college just to have that reminder of my family always in my dorm

8// would it even be a links post without a recipe…? Kale Caesar Salad get on my plate asap.

9// breakfast in bed sounds fab any day, but breakfast in bed on Valentine’s day sounds ULTRA fab. check out this homemade bib (I’m making my own acronym for breakfast in bed) tray for you and your gal pals!

10// i recently discovered the blog Something Navy and have been head over heels ever since. seriously, PLEASE let me be this chic one day.

until next time, happy friday, xoxo

Ally

spring 2016 is approaching faster than we all think it will, and I am determined to make it as healthy and good for the mind, soul, and body as any year yet. I am a fairly healthy gal, but there are for sure areas of my life I tend to forget about. For example some days I may go gluten-free for a day and feel great, but only get around 4 hours of sleep (yikes, but true). Or some days I may have a fab workout routine and #feeltheburn, but then proceed to dig in on snacks all night while I do my homework. I don’t plan to make any MAJOR lifestyle changes, but really want to just overall be healthier in a well-rounded aspect.

As far as my goals go:

+bread only before noon// this helps majorly when it comes to bloating and feeling overall sluggish because your body has the best system for digesting all those carbs when you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed in the morning time!

+one sweet a day// I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth in general, but I don’t mind a good cookie here and there. Thankfully I LOVE dark chocolate which is actually fairly good for you. By allowing myself one sweet a day instead of taking them away from myself all together, it allows me to have the satisfaction without binging on sweets when I cave.

+strive to eat less red meats// although this one seems simple, your girl loves her a good steak burrito bowl from Chipotle. By making the simple switch to chicken in situations like this, it can improve your overall heart health a ton! Fish is also a GREAT source of iron and good source of your fatty foods, so that salmon is always on my grocery list!

+drink more water// this is so typical and repetitive but so needed. Keeping a water bottle on me at all times and adding fruit when it gets bland is a great way to stay hydrated and have your body fueled for the day. Not only is this great for physical health, but keeps your mind working too.

+take time for myself// whether it be a few minutes to make myself a smoothie and just sit down, or time to actually read a book (i’m currently looking @ starting this one, thoughts?) this time is SO important. i’ve always been told we are all like cars, we’ve got to put in our own gas before we can fuel for others!

hope you can start to find some ways to improve your body & mind this spring! let me know what YOU are planning on doing to spring clean yourself!

until next time, xo, Ally