Hosting a Spanish Exchange Student

Dear Darlings,

     In one month Louise and I will be headed to SPAIN!! Amidst the excitement of planning and packing, I've been reflecting on my experiences of last spring break, when mi hermana and her fellow exchange students came to stay with us for two weeks of American adventure. As we'll all be reuniting so soon, what better story to tell than that of when we first met?

   

     I'll admit, when los espanolitos first arrived, it was all a bit awkward. We had each had choppy, grammatically incorrect conversations with each other in spanish over text, but trying to communicate in person was a way bigger challenge, especially with our Spanish brothers and sisters jittery and tired. But everything went well, and the start of two of the best weeks of my life had begun...

 My exchange student, Marta, was definitely not afraid of my furry (or scaly!) friends.














My favorite memories include cheering and waving around foam fingers at a basketball game, roaming the streets of NYC in the freezing cold, enjoying the sun when it finally came out on our trip to DC, sipping milkshakes in a steak shop while Javi tried to learn the Pledge of Allegiance, sleepy car and bus rides, and laughing our way through the language barrier.

 Time flew by and suddenly we were all standing in the airport, not wanting to say goodbye. The only comfort was that we would be seeing each other again, one year later, when Louise and I will visit the exchange students in Spain, ready to complete the second half of this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. 

 

Adios Cariños!!! 

xoxo, 

Elizabeth 

Surviving Winter

Dear Darlings, 

Shorter days and chilly weather making getting through winter tough, but here are some tips to help you make it to spring in one piece.

1.) Read a book. 
Trust me when I tell you that some days there is nothing better than curling up with a blanket, a book, and some hot chocolate or tea, especially when the weather is brutal.
2.) Make a good playlist. 
When the sun sets so early, its easy to start feeling blue. Make a Spotify account and start a playlist full of upbeat, happy songs for those long winter nights!
3.) Hang out with your friends. 
Just because it's not beach weather doesn't mean you and your squad can't get together and head to some shops or have a movie marathon.
4.) Get outside. 
Don't let any snow keep you locked up inside, unleash your inner little kid and head to the park to sled or build a snowman right in your own backyard.
5.) Enjoy the fashion. 
One thing I DO love about winter is the style. Invest in some oversized sweaters and fuzzy socks, and relish in the fact that winter clothes are way comfier than summer clothes.

xoxo, 

Elizabeth 

Namast'ay at the Beach

Dear Darlings,

As labor day weekend comes to a close, we tend to look back on our summer memories. One that I have been wanting to share with you is the beach trip Abby and I took this summer! Our days consisted of waking up at 9am for hot yoga to tanning on the beach to shopping at all the "hidden gem" shops. We had a bucket list that we were determined to conquer, so of course we took tons of pictures so you guys could follow us along! (Follow us on Instagram for more pictures!)

Our week of memories started out with a bike ride each day to a relaxing (but challenging) hour of hot yoga, followed by a quick stop at an adorable juice/coffee shop for some rehydration.

The stars must have aligned because this homey-feeling shop turned out to be where Taylor Swift would sing for tips when she was younger and knowing us, we were complete fangirls! (1989 concert post coming soon!)

             

After our productive mornings, Abby and I headed to the beach to soak up some sun for our goals of a glowing tan. Purposefully avoiding our classic summer reading books, we unexpectedly saw some dolphins swimming along the coast. *insert heart emoji* As a mermaid, such as myself I was extremely tempted to go swim with them!

Mako's pizza by the bay was an essential end to the day, followed by copious amounts of Springer's ice cream and Khor's soft serve. After we were fully fed (making our cute crop tops not such a good idea), we battled it out at mini golf, got henna tattoos, hit up the arcade, and of course, went shopping.

  

I hope you enjoyed seeing little bits of our mini trip! It's so sad to see the summer come to an end, but with fall, comes the cutest clothes- so stayed tuned for lookbooks! 

xoxo, Louise