Cheery as a ButterCup

I know I said I'd be sharing all the emotions I was deeply feeling yesterday, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Yesterday was deeply emotional enough already and full of special experiences that I'd just rather keep it to myself if that's cool with you guys. Anyway, before I started typing I actually had this totally genius idea for a funny post and now...it's gone. I seriously haven't the slightest clue what it might have been. My memory is pretty shotty. Anyway, last weekend I got bucket loads of nerd movie time in. I watched Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Both were swasing stella. I've been a fan of both Godzilla and X-Men since childhood and neither disappointed. Holla! If any of you loves are comic nerds, like me, go and see them! Stat! ALSO! The Rush Hour movies are up on Xfinity OnDeman right now, and I'm like full on asthma attack freaking out about it! I LOVE those movies! Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan? Match made in heaven. Hallelu. Those two can make me laugh and feel cheerier than a buttercup better than anything! ALSO, ALSO! I've been keeping up practicing Ashtanga Yoga, and I must say, it is going marvelously. Even, though, I'm no were near as proficient as I aim to be, I can completely already feel the major changes it's making both physically and spiritually. It really is such a zen and enlightening experience to embark on the Yoga journey. I'm seeing this through you guys! After only a week I can already begin to feel how it is completely a journey of finding myself and getting to know my body on a deeper level! Not to mention that it's hard as crap.

top: Aerie
overalls: Target
sneakers: h&m
sunnies: F21

Also, I'm feeling like I need some hair change. I know I definitely want to go for the uber long bohemian look, but getting it to that length is getting a little boring. I'm thinking bangs? Maybe? I don't know, every time I think I want bangs and I go out and get bangs I regret it ten seconds later. Ce la vie, am I right? If only I had Jennifer Lawrence's hair dresser, THEN I wouldn't hesitate about getting bangs for one second. Seriously, that girl has the most perfect beyond perfect bangs that I have ever seen. The scene in the latest X-Men movie when she's got this amazing retro floppy hat on is just divine. She looks fantastic. Anyway, celeb obsessions aside, I'm seriously loving my 'ralls. I know the overalls trend isn't for everybody, but I'm seriously loving it. Mostly because, if it reminds me of being 5, then I love it. Also, I'm SOOOO glad I snapped up these mirrored sunnies back in February when they were still in stock because now I can't find a pair like them ANYWHERE! Which, is kind of saddening because I've scratched these up pretty bad and I'd love to get a replacement pair. If any of you know of a place with sunnies like these in stock please inform me! :)

Much love!

Hi, hi!

Hello loves! If you all noticed, I took a day off from posting yesterday. Why, you ask? Because instead of prepping a post for you all, I spent my evening re-designing this lil' 'ol space of mine. :) What do you all think? I'm pretty in love with it! There are still a few minor details I want to iron out and add but, over all, I'd say it's 90% done! Also, give my little "about me" paragraph a read, I updated it and I gotta say, that's probably my favorite line. Ever. Anyway, I've got something deeply emotional/special weighing on my mind and heart today, but as I've got some new readers to greet, I'll save my expression of those emotions for tomorrow! Anyway, for you new friends, HI! 👋 Welcome to my little island of personal fashion and just plain old weirdness! :) Be sure to check out, my "Blog Design 101" series for complete tutorials on how to make/center a header, creating clickable social media icons, tips for better photos, and more! Also, take a peeky peek at my latest style posts with Chic Wish! OH! And absolutely be sure to check out my "isms" tab; it's like the topical guide/dictionary to my blog! If you don't give it a gander you absolutely will not understand at least half of the words I use on a regular basis. ;) Oh, and just as a quick introduction, here are 5 fun facts about me!

1. My biggest craving in life is orange juice. It's the thing I crave most frequently and I literally feel like throwing tantrums when I don't see any in the fridge. 
2. I hate the smell of toothpaste, I just think it's so gross. The smell of freshly brushed teeth? Puke city.
3. Ice cream, peanut butter, and bread pudding, any or ALL of these things are my cure all for a pooey day. I'm grumpy at you? Get me some bread pudding and all will be forgiven. You could even snatch away my first baby child and I would forgive you if you gave me some bread pudding. ;)
4. I have an obsession with blondes. I don't even care that people say that men with blond hair are what is known as a "man child". I luuuuuuuuuurve me some blondes!! I mean, running my fingers through some silky (preferably slightly curly) straw colored hair? That's the dream. Some girls like em dark haired and rugged but I like em blonde and clean shaven. I guess man child is my type.
5. Even, though, I'm Guatemalan and dang proud, I frequently wish I was British and I alternate between speaking like a cultured Brit or a black woman street diva.

shrug: h&m  (I bought it on sale for $9 versus it's original price. I think in stores it may still be $9)
boyfriend jeans: American Eagle
t-shirt: h&m
shoes: F21
hat: h&m

Guysssssssssss. I. Love. This. Shrug. It's perfection. Literally. Well, I guess not literally, because it does have ONE minor flaw. I went with a size Small rather than an X-Small because I thought, eh, big whoop, I like bagginess, also, small was the only size they had in the gray (Holy run on sentence. My AP English teacher would be rolling in his grave. If he's dead, that is. I mean, I don't think that he is but, I guess he very well could be. He was pretty old.) Anyway, I know, I know, you're all like, "boohoo Allexis, you had to get a Small instead of an X-Small. Cry me a swasing river". I honestly wouldn't complain about it, though, if the arms weren't so big. I mean, I like the bagginess of all the rest of it, but the arms are just too loose. They refuse to stay put. Anyway, I'm done being annoying. Moving on, these jeans? They're my new favorite pair of boyfriend jeans, holla! The heavens opened up and finally provided me with a pair of boyfriend jeans that don't give me a saggy mom jeans butt and yet still are loose and cozy enough around the legs! Can I get a testify? Testify! Also, the rips! The rips! I'm in love. I will be buried in these jeans. MmmmMmmm, hallelu. American Eagle, I will never shop for jeans else wear, you have never let me down and you are sheer genius'! Anyway, the only poeey part is that I can't wear these to work. I mean, we technically get a "jeans" day every Friday, which, I'm totally fine with because I actually don't even wear jeans all that often, so once a week is plenty for me, but ripped jeans are expressly forbidden. Boo! Major boo, because these are pretty much the only jeans I EVER want to wear these days. Tear. ;( I'll get over it, though. Also, I know I've said this before, but I'm not usually a week day heels kinda gal. Heels are saved for Sundays, for practicality purposes mostly (I mean, I don wanna stand for 9 hours straight in heels), but for these jeans? I made an exception.

Much love!

The School of Dreams

For those of you who follow me on instagram, you've probably seen a good chunk of these photos but they were just so fun that I had to share them on here as well (even if they're iphone grainy;)! Over the weekend I had the SPECTACULAR opportunity of going to a local art show with my sister. This wasn't your average art show either, guys. It took place inside of a local abandoned high school that's around 80 years old! The idea was to bring in a bunch of local artists and photographers to recreate the school into a land of dreams! Boy were they successful! Touring the school was wicked fun and seeing that much talent all in one space was crazy cool! From light rooms, to giant kaleidoscopes, to all white classrooms, to murals of childhood memories, it was just such an inspirational experience! My sister and I loved the room with the giant pencils the best of all, it was all about expressing yourself through words, and as book nerds/writers we related to its message so well! My second favorite room isn't pictured, unfortunately. It was a photography room full of incredible photos of children, their stories, and who their heroes are. My favorite image in the room by far was of a small boy playing with toy robots, the caption read "What We See" and underneath it was another photo of the boy in a giant field looking up at three giant robots towering over him and it was captioned, "What They See". I was once a deeply imaginative child and am still a deeply imaginative adult so the message of the photos just connected with me on such a deep level. Anyway, here some photos from the trip, enjoy!

$300 up for Grabs for all you Road Tripper's! :)

Is anyone as excited as I am to have today off? Monday never felt so good! Perk of being a state employee? National holidays are mandatory days off! Yippee! Also, also! The weather is AMAZING!!!! Summer is definitely on the precipice of making its official entrance! I'm soooooo excited for long nights, running in the canyon, giggling with friends, fraternizing with males of the blond variety (hopefully), and surviving on 5 hours or less of sleep from waking up at 5 and going to bed at or later than midnight! Long days rock, sleeping is for shlups! ;) Also, you know what else Summer means? Road trips! I know I'm heading out to lie poolside at the Hard Rock Hotel in Vegas with my best babe in a week or so! Holla! So excited to catch some rays and do some shopping (my shopping hiatus is pretty much in the gutter right now. Yikes!) Anyways, what better way to make this Monday off even better than a giveaway?! Today I am teaming up with a handful of bloggers to set you up with some SERIOUS summer cash! Meet the ladies that'll be putting you on the road!

 

Hosts: Love, The Skinnys | Friday We're in Love 

Co Hosts: Kelsey Bang | Life of a Coy Fish | Katilda | The Salty Mess The Glittering Life | Bella | Little J Style | Haircut and a General Attitude The Red Closet Diary | One Little Momma | Blushing Boulevard | Let Me See You Sparkle The Freckled Fox | Indigo Pier | Wild One Forever | Oh So Delicioso

Let us help you out with your first road trip of the season by making your financial situation a little easier! How does $300 sound? Entries can be submitted until June 3rd. Open to international followers. All entries will be verified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's all in the Pleats

Guesss who gots a massage yesterday? Me, me! Mmmm it was just what the doctor ordered! Lots of the icky left over tension from the car accident was worked out! Bless my soul! Also, the masseuse I went to is a complete and total genius! The dude has a gift, no joke, and he sure knows his way around a back! Does that sound weird? Maybe. Whatever, he does. Also, he could somehow tell, without even touchin' em, that my quads where the quads of a runner and a runner who doesn't stretch nearly enough...I'm lame, I know. Anyway, my prognosis is this, my lower back has a curve to it, as all athlete's backs do apparently, however, because of the accident my curve is too deep and it's causing the muscles in my upper back, shoulders, and neck to bend forward. Yick. Basically, I have to stretch, stretch, stretch and do some moves he recommended or I'll look like Quasi Motto. Also, I've decided to just plain old add in yoga to my daily workout routine/running mileage. I was never a big yoga fan before because I never thought it was fast/intense enough. I did a routine last night, though, and boy was I ever wrong. That shiz is hardcore you guys. Hard. Core. I'm dedicating myself to becoming an Ashtanga Yoga practitioner. Yipee! Also, this marks my second massage in the entirety of my life and this is what I've learned, once you get over the fact that you're not wearing a bra, and that the masseuse is seeing your back, a part of yourself that you never really look at and as far as you know could be covered in thick hair and pimples, massages really aren't that awkward and I would absolutely love to massaged at least 5 hours a day! ;)

top: abercrombie kids (a thousand years old) similar
skirt: c/o Chic Wish
gladiator sandals: GoJane
bracelet: target similar
rings: F21

MmmMmm to this skirt, you guys. It. Is. A. Dream. So much so, that it requires the use of incorrect grammar. Holla! I mean really, there isn't much in this world that tops a swishy pleated maxi. Seriously, though, guys, it's the pleats that are the secret to a super chic looking maxi that's a cut above those average jersey material cling to yo butt ones. Also? There's none of that super annoying, tiny-underlining-so-it's-sheer-from-the-mid thigh-down thing going on with this skirt! It's lining comes all the way down so everything is properly covered, I mean, the world don't want to be seeing no hooha's. Ja feel? Ja feel. ;) Also, Chic Wish's current maxi skirt line up is to die for. I've got my wee little eyes on this nude colored one, I mean, pair it with a denim top, tons of stacked jewelry, and a little black purse and you've got an effortlessly chic combo! Also? This ombre maxi is like the skirt of my dreams. I mean, it's an ombre maxi! Need I say more? Oh, and I know it's still way too early for fall (I'm always planning outfits months and months in advance;) but this maxi skirt would be PERF with my biker booties, a plain white tee, and a killer leather jacket. Hallelu, you guys, HA-LE-LU.

Much love!

10 Things

I think this post is going to be a little less style centered and a little more chat centered. I've really been thinking a lot about the things I've learned about life/happiness/randomness during these past 22 years I've lived and what I can take away from that. I think the most creative and simple way to do this is my creating a list of 10 things I've learned so far.

1. (Pay attention, because this is the most important one.) My parents were always right. Always. Scratch that. My parents are STILL always right. I think this is just one of those things that's tough for most people to learn until they've lived at least a minimum of 20 years and most times it even takes way longer than that. Any younger than that, though, and ya still just don't really get it. I was never really the type to disobey, in fact, I was like the Ella Enchanted of children, but I still had my moments were I thought my parent's advice was bogus. Boy was I a dumdum.
2. Natural is better. These past couple of weeks I've been just plain old letting my wild hair BE. For years I styled the crapola out of it, and it suffered because of it. I saw a photo of a fellow curly haired lioness on Instagram the other day, though, and it all just finally clicked for me. This girl looked GORGEOUS in her curls, and I found myself wanting curls just like that. That's when I realized, dur, I HAVE curls like that. My parents always used to tell me not to style my hair, not to use heat on it, that it would get thinner over the years, and it'd loose it's curl. I didn't believe them, like the lame 13 year old that I was, I thought that they were full of baloney. (See lesson #1;) They were right, of course, but fortunately I've come to my senses in time for my locks to have a fighting chance. :) 
3. Loving your appearance JUST the way it is is essential. This goes in line with #2. Again, for years I plucked and plucked my brows into delicate little caterpillars instead of just letting them be the chunky worms that they are. Again, a couple of months ago, something just clicked and I decided to just stop, stop the fight against my brows. I'm a hairy person, that's just the way I am, and there's nothing wrong with that. Now my brows are back to their thick hairy selves and I couldn't be happier. The rest of my body, though? I'd still very much appreciate it going bald. Buh bye leg, armpit, and nether hair! You are not welcome and will likely never be unless I decide to go French, which is highly unlikely. I'm a Brit at heart. ;)
4. Family is the most important thing in the world to me. Really, and truly, there is no group of people that make me happier. The joy of having an eternal family is a constant testament to me of the truth of what I believe. Family is happiness. 
5. A happy and kind attitude can move mountains. I see no use in being unkind. Everyone is fighting a battle which we know nothing about, so smile. If I can be kind to someone, regardless of their attitude toward me, than I've done something good in the world. Spreading joy and love will always reap bigger rewards than negativity. 

top: h&m
shorts: F21 similar
shoes: h&m
readers: F21 similar

1. Find people that appreciate the qualities that make you, you and kindly encourage you to improve those qualities that maybe aren't so nice. I've found that the relationships that mean the most to me are those relationships where I don't have to hide who I am, the good, bad, pretty, and ugly. The relationships where I'm loved despite my imperfections and yet feel inspired to be better.
2. I hate the smell of toothpaste. I know, this isn't a life changing lesson, and it's super weird, but it's still something I've learned about myself. I don't know what it is, but the smell of freshly brushed teeth just makes me want to puke.
3. Weight really isn't as big a deal as I used to make it out to be. Honestly, who cares? Letting go of that particular care has certainly been a battle, though. But I've honestly found that I feel happier when I eat a big nutritious meal when I feel like it instead of stressing about calories and trying to restrict myself, and honestly I've found that I tend to be heavier when I worry about it and lighter when I don't. I think being healthful and strong beats being a "skinny minny" any day of the week. In fact, I kind of hate that term. It's lame and puts too much emphasis on the desire to be "thin". Be yourself at your healthiest and be happy about it, whether that IS on the smaller side or whether it's on the curvier side. Be you. Be happy. All of our bodies are different and there's no point wishing we had some other person's body. Comparison is the thief of joy. For myself, though? I'm currently simply striving to be stronger and more muscular in a healthful and natural way. 
4. A song in the heart is a pocketful of joy. Music can influence the world. Surround yourself with music that inspires and brings happiness. 
5. I am me, and I'm not going to hide. I watch TONS of tv, I'm a graphic novel/comic junkie, Harry Potter is my best friend, I'd rather lie in bed reading a book or giggling over something funny on the internet with my sister than go out, Star Wars and Back to the Future are the defining movies of my childhood, I can't dive into swimming pools, I love super heroes, Jane Austen is my home girl, 90% of my conversations with my siblings involve at LEAST on Pride & Prejudice quote, I'm a lyricist of funny songs, I can come up with a lovely cock and bull story to woo the masses in ten second flat, I'm a geek at heart, and I am HAPPY.