My Collection: Cozy Autumn/Winter Sweaters

IT’S FINALLY THAT TIME OF YEAR, I CAN FINALLY WEAR SWEATERS WITHOUT BEING UNCOMFORTABLY HOT WHEN I WALK OUTSIDE!!! WOO-HOO!

All joking set aside, it really is my favorite feeling-slipping on an incredibly warm sweater that just seems to form to your body the moment you put it on, and getting to walk out into the late autumn weather and not be bothered by the chilled breeze.

Over the years I have developed quite the collection of sweaters, and I honestly don’t think I could have fit them all into a picture, so I picked out my 5 favorite sweaters, that I got for all VERY reasonable prices! Each of these varies in thickness/length, but all of them are very warm, and all work very well with jeans!

The first sweater I got from Old Navy, and are you ready for this…I got it for $0.97! As you can tell from the tag, it is VERY big on me, but is incredibly cozy, and looks very “trendy” when it’s pared with some ripped jeans and some ankle boots!

The second sweater I believe I also got from Target…but don’t quote me on that. It was in the $17-$25 range, but it hands down the warmest sweater EVER. I love how soft this sweater is, but I also love how easy it is to dress up. This sweater also has a V-neck that is a very comfortable amount, and also makes this sweater look great with necklaces!

The third sweater I got from Kohl’s and it was $7.00! This sweater is much longer than the rest of them, but is a great length if you are a bit taller like me! I love this sweater pared with a scarf, but it’s very versatile!

This fourth sweater is also from Kohl’s, and is what I call my Confetti Cake sweater, and it was around $25. It is also a VERY warm sweater, and is so soft! I love this sweater, and it has actually lasted the longest out of all of these sweaters!

The fifth sweater is actually from Walmart! (Go figure?!)  This sweater was $10, and is such a pretty color! I love how soft this is, but the only downside to buying a cheap sweater, is that it shrinks VERY easily!

Loving all of these sweaters, and how great of a deal they all were, and *fingers crossed* that I will get to wear them in the SNOW this winter! J

Sister Sister

I am so blessed to have sisters, and sometimes I have to remind myself of that. It’s something that’s hard to explain, unless you have sisters as well, that there is a sense of connection between sisters that is like nothing else. You are able to drive each other to the point of insanity, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. You know each other’s favorite candy, and you know exactly what song they want to play when you hop into the car together. You have “sister secrets” together that make you giggle at the slightest mention of them. You know what pet peeve annoys them the most, and you know how to make them laugh when they need it the most. You know the way to make them stop crying before mom finds out, and you know which item you will have to bribe them with to not tell dad about that one time you used his toothbrush as a toilet cleaner.  •___•

I will always have those sweet memories of playing outside for hours, pretending to be magical creatures, and playing with dirt covered plastic lizards. I will always think of us when I see the movies The Land Before Time or Stuart Little. I will always laugh when I see someone dressed up like a ghost for Halloween, and I will never be able to listen to a Disney song without thinking of our jam sessions on the way to school. Anytime I see a fishing pole, I will always think of our summer days spent with Papa at Hal's pond, and watching as one of you threw your pole into the pond in attempt to cast your line.  :)  Honestly, this list could go on forever!

Sisters are such a blessing, and I honestly believe that my sisters are the absolute best. We all have great relationships with each other, and the amount of memories we have together can’t be counted. Thank you both for being some of the most influential people in my life, I look up to both of you (even if one of you is younger) and I can’t thank you enough for being the amazing support system that you are.

Thanks for being my best friends, I love you both.

Autumnal Indie Tunes

Brisk air blowing through you hair, watching leaves swirl through the breeze- away from their trees, and a soothing beat coming from you headphones. This is one of my favorite parts of autumn. Being able to go back and listen to a playlist I created during this season, and being immediately taken back to a memory at the strike of a chord. Below is a list of all of my favorite indie tunes for autumn. Each song reminds me of a certain time throughout autumn, whether it was last week, or years ago. Music is pretty cool, but these songs are extra special.

• Here with Me: Susie Suh, Robot Koch
• Speak Easy: Mansionair
• Rules of Beautiful: Jacob Whitesides
• When it Comes To Us: Frances, RITUAL
• Sick of Losing Soulmates: dodie
• The Climb, the Fall: Luke Thompson
• Guillotine: Jon Bellion, Travis Mendes
• High By The Beach: Lana Del Ray
• Waiting (PAL Remix): Alice Boman, PAL
• Pushing Away: Kevin Garrett
• Falling Short: Låpsley
• Great American Novel: Max Jury
• Wishes: RHODES
• Safe Dream: Tep No, Heather Janssen
• ILYSB: LANY
• Alaska: Maggie Rogers
• Blue: Troye Sivan ft. Alex Hope
• Let it all Go: Birdy
• Tiger Striped Sky: Roo Panes
• Rivers: The Tallest Man on Earth
• Little Lover: BROADHURST
• Natalie: Milk & Bone
• Flacons: Amanda Bergman
• Everything I am in Yours: Villagers
• Dazzle: Oh Wonder

Also, as a little extra tid-bit, here is a link to one of my favorite autumn playlists that Spotify has to offer. A lot of the songs that I talked about in my list are featured on this playlist, it’s pretty stellar.

https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/2gtr2Tf686zXqjQNiYNPQW    

Oh Wonder ft. Kevin Garrett

Cool venue, insane amounts of talent, and an overall amazing atmosphere, the Oh Wonder concert featuring Kevin Garrett at The Granada was a night to remember.  After a bit of a rough start to the evening (we didn’t actually have the tickets like we thought we did :/ ), I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the concert as much as I wanted to, but as soon as Oh Wonder’s opening act-Kevin Garrett sang his first note, I knew I wouldn’t regret the amount of sleep I was going to lose for that night.

The concert venue was very simple, but had a “hipster” vibe to it. The lighting and just general closeness of the whole area made the concert even more special. With a capacity of only 1,700 (and that’s pushing it) it really felt like we were RIGHT next to the artists.

The opening act was Kevin Garrett, and as soon as I got out of the concert, I downloaded his EP Mellow Drama. He is insanely talented, and knew how to work a stage well. His style of music was PERFECT to open up for Oh Wonder, and he was really good about interacting with the crowd. If I ever have a chance, I would go to one of his concerts in a heartbeat.

Even after a grand total of almost 3 and a half hours of waiting, Oh Wonder did nothing less than perfect. This duo sounded even better live than they did on their album, and they were so much fun to watch perform. Josephine was so quirky and happy through the whole performance, and Anthony just kept smiling and jamming out on his guitar.  They opened up with their single Livewire and the lighting throughout the song pulsed with every beat. It was amazing both visually, and musically, I was very impressed. If you ever have the opportunity to watch these two insanely talented humans perform live, I promise you it is worth every penny. Raw talent, with an amazing ability to run a stage with only two, it was an amazing show. 

If you ever have the opportunity to watch these two insanely talented humans perform live, I promise you it is worth every penny. Raw talent, with an amazing ability to run a stage with only two, it was an amazing show.

"Pumpkins for Sale!"

It’s the staple of all autumn festivities, and honestly one of the cutest things that this world has to offer---pumpkins. They come in all shapes and sizes, and all different colors ranging from a brilliant orange to stark white. But, there is definitely something special about pumpkins, when you know that they were grown in your town.

I am blessed to live in a community where the small town vibe is very evident, and we are surrounded with hometown farmers who every year do their part in turning their small farmhouses into the cutest, and quirkiest mini pumpkin patches. I’m talking rustic craft projects, homegrown pumpkins, and even a family dog to greet you the entire time you choose the perfect pumpkin. I recently was able to drive the whopping five minutes it takes to get to one of these hidden hometown treasures, and thankfully was able to capture a few photographs of these adorable patches.

Enjoy.

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

It’s been awhile since I’ve recommended a book to you, so why not tell you about one of my new favorites! I recently went to Barnes and Noble (aka the store that I could spend hours in) and randomly picked the book “The Beginning of Everything” by Robyn Schneider up. I was blown away with how well the story line was laid out, and how easy it was to fall in love with the characters. This is a story of teen romance, told from a very philosophical perspective.

The whole story is based upon the idea that every human on Earth will get a tragedy. Whether you like it or not, you will have a tragedy, and it will change your life. I love that, like a lot. I love how the entirety of this book is based upon that sad truth. Schneider is able to twirl this idea into a hard to put down novel. You get the chance to meet the characters Ezra and Cassidy along with all of their friends and classmates, and how life gets flipped upside down when Ezra finally gets his long awaited tragedy. You get to see how not only relationships, but friendships are contorted into entirely new creatures when tragedy hits.

            It had been a long time since I had read a book this well written, to the point where I didn’t ever want it to end! If you are like me, and you have a deep love for John Green, then trust me when I say you will LOVE this book. It is comparably witty, and just as heartbreaking with a whole new perspective than Green’s books.

This is a must read.