What I've Been Up To

I've been extra busy these past two weeks, preparing for the end of the school year and dreaded...FINALS. I have 5 finals to study for, plus 3 huge end-of-year projects! (All worth a significant amount of points.) My google calendar app is in overdrive! I've really been making a point to actually use it, and stick to my plans. Yesterday I hit an extreme low point in my year. Something happened that completely broke me and led to a two hour cry sesh. In a way, I think this huge breakdown was good for me- it's making me revaulate how I prioritize my time. I'm working through the problem, and while there's not much I can do about it right now, I know that it's going to turn out ok.  So my resolution for the summer? Schedule time to get work done, and schedule time to relax. Ever since I got mono, I've been finding it really really hard to motivate myself and stick to a to-do list. My priorities have been askew, and I procrastinate nearly everything. I'm really going to try to make a lifestyle change and get back to where I was in the beginning of the year. That being said, a much needed 4 hour nap, pizza, and Netflix was pretty much my Saturday night yesterday. A revamp of my google calendar has left me feeling refreshed, and ready to take on the last 3 weeks of school! Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to get those things off my chest. Now onto what I've been up to! 

These hydrangeas at Whole Foods... Beautiful! All the beautiful flowers and lush green trees are helping me get through these crazy weeks leading up to summer. 

This picture is too cute not to share. I honestly don't know what I would do without Max. He instantly lifts my mood after a hard day at school, and truly gives me unconditional love. This is us on the way to the beach, and he literally pushed his paw underneath my hand. Who needs boys?

(and yes I was sporting a teddy bear blanket... the car was freezing!) 

Another beautiful picture of flowers in the park! 

I found online the perfect mini bucket bag! I've had my eye on this Ann Taylor one, but the JCrew factory one is cheaper and in my opinion cuter! (Anything miniature calls my name.)

My favorite guy. Taking walks around the park everyday is something I look forward to. I do it immediately after I get home from school- my time to relax. 

Wearing: Vintage Lilly Pulitzer shift//White converse

Did some shopping at Ann Taylor (more to come on that).

My sister made confirmation! I was so proud of her! 

Made a Target run with my best friend Sam. 

Neon green nail polish, funfetti cake mix, and gummy bears were necessary. 

This post is honestly just a collection from my iPhone camera roll recently. More specific posts to come later this week! 

What have you been up to lately? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann 

Memorial Day Weekend Packing List

We drove down to our beach house to spend Memorial Day Weekend at the Jersey Shore! I love coming down here for a day or two on the weekends. It's very relaxing, and it's a nice break from the little bubble of school I practically live in. Since it is memorial day weekend, I tried to keep my outfits festive with blues and whites! (I normally don't do reds, I save those for the 4th of July.) Here's some standout things I brought with me. The thing that I love about these pieces, is that they're so versatile and you can create 4 different outfits with them. 

White Cableknit Sweater//I actually have one from Lilly that I love, but the Ralph Lauren cable knits are classic. I'm wearing the sweater right now! It's pretty chilly at night, and the beach is always 15 degrees colder than regular temperatures. This sweater keeps me warm, but is still lightweight enough that it doesn't feel like a winter sweater. 

Skinny jeans// I love these jeans! Comfortable, form-fitting, and universally flattering. 

Tortoiseshell Sunglasses// I have a pair from Old Navy that I love, but these one's are too cute. 

Bright Polo// I love a good polo, and this one from Old Navy is awesome. Things are almost always cheaper if you buy polos from the children's section, in a few sizes up! I have this one, as well as a Lilly one in the exact same color. 

Chino Shorts// Classic white shorts-enough said! 

Navy Baseball Cap// Keeps the sun off your face and goes with every outfit. 

White Converse// I pretty much take these sneakers with me everywhere. You can wear them with pretty much anything-jeans, skirts, shorts, and even a dress! 

Lauren Jack Rogers// I really want to order a pair of these. I always go for the classic Navajo's but maybe it's time to branch out and try a different style. So cute. 

Eyelet Dress// Couldn't find a good picture of the white one (that I have), so I put a picture of the black one instead. This dress is the perfect summer dress and is so so so comfortable. Can't say enough good things about it! 

Bucket Bag// These bags are so trendy right now! I love them. They fit tons of stuff inside and are so cute.

That was my memorial day packing list! 

**Update: I ended up wearing all of these items at least once while I was at the beach! Successful packing makes me happy. 

What did you wear on memorial day? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann 

Mean Your "How Are You's"

Short little post today... just some thoughts I had.

I was taking a test, and we received an essay prompt that really got me thinking. It asked us how saying "how are you?" or "let's talk soon" to someone serves a function in society. The question was a little weird, but I automatically thought "oh that's simple, it's the polite thing to do and it's what you're  supposed to say when you greet someone or say goodbye."

 As I wrote the essay, I realized we say "how are you?" or "hello" so often in our daily lives. I probably say it 20 times a day! But, most of the time I say it just to say it. It's a rite of passage in a typical conversation. I know most of the time, I am not deeply concerned with how someone is actually doing, I just say it to be polite. This bad habit has taken over our lives.

No one is genuinely interested in each other anymore-we get through those "how are you's" rather quickly to bypass any further stalling before we get right to our main point. I think everyone (including myself) needs to learn to truly mean it when we say "how are you?" Be actually engaged in what the other party says, and encourage them to elaborate when they say "ok..." Listening is sometimes the best medicine. The person you're talking to will appreciate the follow up and appreciate the fact that you want to listen. I think if we can all try to make this small change in our day-to-day conversations, that would be amazing. My new goal is to actively listen and inquire about how a person is actually doing. Who's with me? 

Are you going to try this simple change in your life? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann 

Pink and Green!

Wanted to share this outfit from last weekend because I loved it so much! Spring/summer is great because you can throw on a dress and run out the door- the simplest solution to looking automatically chic. I purchased this dress over the summer and wore it all. the. time. It's so comfortable and cute! My go to for when I want to look presentable and be comfortable. I'm happy to be bringing it back out again for the warmer months.

I've looked everywhere for this dress and simply cannot find it. Here's a similar tunic style with pink and green that's just as cute! 

My pink and green jacks went perfectly with the dress. Don't you just love when everything matches perfectly? 

My accessories for this outfit prove you don't need to spend a lot of money to look awesome: 

Old Navy Tortoiseshell Sunglasses// Forever 21 Blush Crossbody (old, but here's something even cuter!) 

Thanks to my sister Emily for all the great pictures. 

What's your favorite chic outfit? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann 

My Go-To Outfits

Just wanted to say before I start this post, blogging has really become so theraputic for me! I love coming home after a long day of school, being able to sit down at my computer, and just write. Writing works wonders!! I normally work a little before I start homework, and a little afterwards before I go to bed. 

Now, back to today's post... 

Do you ever sometimes (ahem, always) wake up, spend 18 minutes deciding what to wear and still not get anywhere? Me too. It's gotten pretty bad. I feel like I've completely exhausted all outfits by the end of the school year! I like to have two go-to outfits in case of an (fashion) emergency. The looks I show here are simple, yet elegant. You can make them more dressy by adding more jewelry, or make them less dressy by removing some accessories and just sticking to the basics. These are the two outfits I love to rotate back and forth during the springtime when I absolutely cannot decide what to wear. The great thing is, these looks really are versatile and can be applied to nearly any season. (Oxford with jeans and flats? Give em' to me all year round!) 

Oxford//white jeans//scallop tote//flats//wayfarers 

Striped shirt//skinny jeans//purple crossbody//pearl studs//smoking flats//sunnies (these are sold out, but keep checking back in!)

What are your go-to outfits? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 
Ashley Ann 

Spring Organization

About once every 4 months I try to do a major project on my bedroom and bathroom. That is, completely decluttering and organizing all the stuff that has piled up through the weeks. Just so happens, that four month rotation has fallen in May, the perfect time to do some "spring cleaning."  I have a lot of stuff to work on! Mainly, my closet (it scares me). I've tried to come up with specific things to do for each area of my bedroom and bathroom so that I don't get overwhelmed. How do you bite an elephant? One bite at a time. 

Closet (#1 Priority): 

-switch out winter & fall clothes with spring and summer 

-re-fold shirts, hang skirts on hangers, put dresses on hangers, fold sweatshirts

-go through sock drawer & throw out old or 1 sock pairs 

-buy matching hangers and convert everything to new hangers 

-organize shoes on shelf 

-order a dresser! (for t-shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas, leggings, pants, socks...) 

-create a "golf section" solely for golf apparel 

-put all the JUNK on the floor into boxes, and bring into attic for storage 

-sort through purses & clean them out 

-organize wallets, purses, and totes into boxes & put on top shelf 

Vanity:

Create three piles 

1. Throw away (too old) 

2. Give to a friend (not my shade/color) 

3. Keep 

-stick loose hair ties & bobby pins in containers 

-gather up hair accessories and organize those 

-go through nail polish drawer and move to bathroom shelf 

2 drawers for hot tools: 

1. Curling irons w/ clamp & straightener 

2. Curling wands, heat gloves, heat protectant, hair spray 

-clean out middle (junk) drawer 

-collect lip balms in clear jar; display on vanity 

Jewelry: 

-untangle necklaces & reassemble on mannequin 

-organize bracelets & donate unwanted ones 

-throw away stray earring backs 

-collect earrings with only 1 pair in a jar and keep in back of nightstand 

Bathroom:

-throw away old skincare items 

-go through hair products 

-display nail polishes on clear acrylic tray 

Storage options

1. Skincare 

2. Hair 

3. Practical (cotton rounds, spare razors, q-tips, toothpaste, spare toothbrushes, makeup remover wipes, deodorant, feminine products)

4. Shower & Body 

Office Supplies: 

-throw out old pens, pencils, markers that don't work 

-set up white board calendar 

-clear up agenda & schedule for the next month 

-file important papers 

-collect school work and put into storage 

Digital: 

-create folders on computer for photos 

-delete unecessary photos & screenshots (guilty) 

-refresh contact list 

-unfollow/unsubscribe to spam emails, twitter accounts, instagram followers 

-update profile pictures & bios 

-update photo albums on Facebook 

-delete old text message threads 

-delete unused apps 

Phew! I think that's everything that I can think of... for now. There's so much that needs to be done, I better get cracking! I haven't organized my life in a really long time... I left it until it got to the absolute worst point. Hopefully, these lists can help some of you create some order in your life! Keep in mind, I don't have to clean the actual house because I live with my family. Only a bathroom and bedroom for me! 

Were any of these tips helpful? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann 

P.S. My favorite closet organization guide from Pinterest! 

Appreciate Every Day.

I had a different post lined up for today, but due to recent events I wanted to publish the thoughts that have been swarming around in my mind since yesterday. Two nights ago, a train heading from Washington DC to Philadelphia careened off the tracks while going around a bend, killing 7 people and critically injuring a number of people. One of those people who died was a man that lived in my town, and whose son I went to school with. After reading the story, I found myself shaking. I could not even imagine being one of those poor people who lost a family member or friend. I wondered why terrible things happen to good people.This whole situation, especially since it affected someone in my school, completely changed my perspective. Here I was, stressing about anything and everything, when someone had just lost the most important person in their life. It really made my "problems" seem trivial. After seeing this quote on Pinterest I got a few ideas in my head. 

Love Your Life

1. Be grateful for everything, everyday. You never know when it might be gone. Appreciate the little things in life, and find something to be thankful for at the end of everyday. It could be taken away instantly. We need to be more appreciative of the world around us!! 

2. It may sound cheesy, but live every moment to the fullest. Having no regrets will ensure the most satisfaction in life, which once again could be taken away in a second. Allow yourself to embrace every opportunity and soak in the reality of that moment.

3. Spend time with the ones you love, and let them know how much you appreciate them. I know there's mornings I run out the door without saying goodbye to my mom or sister-what if something happened to me or them? I don't even want to think about that! Taking the extra 3 seconds to kiss/hug someone goodbye makes all the difference.

4. Do the things you love. Pretty self explanatory. 

5. Never take anything for granted. Everyday, my dad goes up in the air and I take it for granted that he'll make it safely back down every night. That's a blessing in its self, and I realize that now. 

T

his terrible tragedy, although deeply saddening, has increased my appreciation for my family, and urged me to really appreciate every moment of my life- the good and the bad. 

My heart goes out to all of the families affected by this disaster. Please keep them in your thoughts. 

Article: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/us/amtrak-train-derails-crash-philadelphia.html?_r=0

-Ashley Ann 

Spring Inspiration: Mood Board

Seriously, this weather is crazy! It went from 45 degrees to 85 degrees in about two days. I feel like we skipped spring altogether and went straight to summer, but that's fine with me! It is quite beautiful. Flowers bloomed quicker than normal, the trees are green and lush- basically it's amazing. I adore spring clothes because there's tons of different outfit options. It's still cool enough to be able to wear pants, but you can also whip out those summer dresses/skirts. There's millions of different options available, however I tend to go for simple, and comfortable. I put together an array of cute spring pieces that I am totally in love with. Seriously about to order everything.

bucket bag//tortoiseshell sunnies//scalloped dress//fluted skirt//bow studs//navy bow hat//pink pants

Isn't everything just adorable? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann 

New Hair!

Lately, I've been feeling pretty down. I don't know what it is-end of school year jitters, AP Exams, SAT's, ACT's, finding a job this summer, golf-you name it, I'm stressed about it. It's been really hard for me to find even just a second to relax! (Blaming that one on my Type A personality.) Every since January, when I cut my hair into a long bob, or "lob", I've had an itch to chop it even shorter. Like, really short. 

My inspiration for this hair was (let's be real) all Lauren Conrad. She is without a doubt my biggest girl crush! Her hair seems to always, always, always look perfect. If you check out my beauty pinterest board, you'll see for months I've been pinning her hairstyles, as well as some other short cuts. 

My hair came out a little shorter than expected... but I love it! I feel so free. I can literally wake up and walk out the door without doing anything-and it still looks acceptable. I highly recommend chopping your hair for the summertime if you've been on the fence. It keeps you cooler, plus to anyone in school: none of your classmates will see you if it turns out bad!

Now for the big reveal... 

I feel super sassy with my new hair :) 

The first snapchat taken right after I got home from the salon... Infamous.

Basically this haircut is going to be a godsend during the summer. I've curled it once since the cut and I love the beachy waves I achieved with this curling wand set. 

Anyone thinking of cutting their hair soon? 

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 
Ashley Ann

A Pop of Color

Short post today, but just had to share these adorable aqua blue adirondack chairs my mom and I picked up yesterday! We've been looking for a bright set of chairs to put under the oak tree in our backyard, and these ones take the cake with a whopping $18. Adorable, right?

Ah, the perfect color for spring/summer. Get them here.

Aren't these just the cutest?

Thanks for reading and see you soon! Xoxo, 

Ashley Ann