February Budget

Happy Leap Day!! I know we have an extra day in February this year, but it still feels like I blinked and this month was gone. Maybe it's because I'm not stuck in long, cold winter days wondering when the spring will come - it's already here in Berkeley! Seriously though, our daffodils have been blooming for weeks! Thanks to Fran's wonderful link-up, with the end of the month comes another round-up of purchases and budget posts. Let's look at February, shall we? ... ...... .......... Y'all, I don't have any purchases to add to my budget this month! Say what?!? Crazy, I know!! Don't get me wrong, I did spend money on other things this month - like one day at the Bloguettes Branding Workshop...

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Athleisure

More and more it has become acceptable and even fashionable to wear yoga pants, sneakers and a tee while out and about. Whether you're running errands or grabbing coffee with a friend, comfort seems to be becoming the new chic - and I gotta tell you, I don't hate it.  I mean, more often than not I am lounging around the house in leggings and a tee-shirt anyway. Now I just need to toss on shoes and an accessory or two and I'm all set. Love. It.  I recently learned that this look has a name: "athleisure". With the combination of work, school and everything else, I've probably been leaning more toward the leisure side of things lately... I'm sure you all can relate. But...

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5 Weekly Graces Vol. 17

I don't know about you all, but I am so incredibly thankful for the long weekend and an extra day to relax / catch up on schoolwork and housework. It was a great chance to slow down for a minute and just breathe. And now I am in a space feeling very content and prepared to accomplish all of the tasks on my list for this coming week. 1) Be Bold Back in December I was approached by a fellow blogger who asked if I would be interested in writing in a guest-post series #BeBoldGirl all about making bold choices in your faith. I was very humbled for even being considered and after some prayer I responded to the request and was scheduled to post that went live today! My post discusses...

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Happy Valentine's Day

Just wanted to take a moment and wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day and share one of my absolute favorite prayers: Nothing is more practical than  finding God, than  falling in Love  in a quite absolute, final way.  What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination,  will affect everything.  It will decide  what will get you out of bed in the morning,  what you do with your evenings,  how you spend your weekends,  what you read, whom you know,  what breaks your heart,  and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.  Fall in Love, stay in love,  and it will decide everything. - Pedro Arrupe,...

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2 Suggestions for Lent This Year

This morning I was approached by a kind stranger who wanted to let me know that I had a smudge of dirt on my face. I had to chuckle a little and explained that it is Ash Wednesday in the Catholic Church and the smudge - which should ideally look like a cross - is intentional. Side note: I also expressed deep appreciation for his willingness to point it out because there have been many times that I have had something on my face or food in my teeth and no one has let me know. If you see someone with green in their teeth, tell them! I promise they'll appreciate it. -- Today marks the beginning of the Lent-Easter season in the Roman Catholic Tradition. For the next 40 days (Sundays excluded)...

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5 Weekly Graces Vol. 16

Happy Mardi Gras, friends! I hope you are all enjoying this lovely Tuesday morning. I feel like this week's graces are not as exciting as usual and seem a lot more mundane, which is sort of odd because I felt like last week was a really good week. I suppose it's the ordinary or routine things that often mean the most - especially when some of those routines will be ending with graduation... 1. Last First Last Monday marked the beginning of our semesters and on Wednesdays I officially had my last first day of classes ever! Well, at least as a student... So far my courses seem incredible. I am taking two more practical courses, a very academically challenging course as well as a course...

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Gifts That Give: Valentine's Day Edition

With Valentine's Day just around the corner I thought it would be nice to share another meaningful gift guide filled with beautiful items that strive to respect the dignity of those who create them. And not only are these items gifts that give, but they are also great alternatives to the not-so-original gifts you typically find for Valentines. I mean, just how many stuffed animals holding hearts need to be made each year? And I know I'm not the only one who usually donates them within a year - two max! Searching for thoughtful gifts with meaning helps me to enter more fully into the celebration of love each year. That doesn't mean that I don't gravitate to gifts with hearts or those that...

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5 Weekly Graces Vol. 15

Oh hey there, February! Where did you come from? I can barely even sort through everything that happened in January let alone think about plans for this month. But to be fair, classes begin this week which means my seemingly flourishing social life will be coming to a very abrupt end. It was nice while it lasted... Our trip to Jerusalem ended about a week and a half before the beginning of the semester - which is awesome because I truly don't know that I would have been in a good space to just dive right in to classes. Because of the gap in between, last week was pretty relaxing with a great mix of fun times with friends. 1. Back to Work Y'all, I LOVE my job. I love working with...

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