Christmas Haul!

 

Happy Holidays Friends!

Today is the day after Christmas and I had to work, which really sucked, but I wanted to make a post showing the goodies I got this year. I love seeing what people give and get during the holiday season, and this year I was absolutely blessed to have so many people gift me so many amazing things! 

Jonathan gifted me a Harry Potter Lego set and a Lego Mineral set, which are the first official Lego sets I've ever had! I did have the Overwatch Reinhardt and Dva from my dad a few years ago, but this is my first actual set and I'm so excited! 

Jonathan also got me a Hello Kitty Lite Brite, a Butthead block figure (from Beavis and Butthead, which we have been binging a lot lately), a Pennywise lamp, and the whole Belcher family in figures! He also got me some candies, which are not pictured, because I literally devoured them.

My dad got me a Ravenclaw purse, which is STUNNING and keeping with the Harry Potter theme, my sister got me a Harry Potter bookmark with a 3D Hedwig and a golden snitch lamp.  

My Mom gifted me rainbow socks, a Rocky Horror themed cookbook, a Fenty lip gloss, Victoria's Secret body sprays, a lip tint kit, Rocky Horror earrings, an Edogawa Ranpo book, and an ArnieTex cookbook! (Sidenote, if you haven't seen his videos, definitely check them out here.)

My niece and nephew surprised me with a new dress, body sprays, lotions, soaps, lipsticks, glosses, a cute mushroom blanket, a scalp massager, notebooks, pens, and some super cozy socks!

I ended up treating myself to a complete bindup of Lord of the Rings with illustrations BY TOLKEIN as well as a complete works of William Shakespeare set and a book by an indie author from Dallas. I also won a giveaway for signing up for her newsletter which had some more bookish goodies!

But the best thing about this year was I got to spend time with my family, my fiance, my cat, and my friends. I heard from friends all over and I know that this year has been really hard for all of us but sharing these moments with my loved ones was truly what made the holiday magical.

So tell me what you got, what you gave, what you did! I wanna know all the things!

Always, Raineedayze

Sunday Funday: Us, Dinner, and Dollar Drinks

Happy Monday!

This past week I worked the week straight with no days off so I had been pretty bummed to not really do a whole lot. However, the weekend actually was pretty eventful after work. 

Saturday was Jon's niece's birthday so we headed there and celebrated with her party. It was really fun and we got to see a lot of family that we hadn't seen in awhile. 

Sunday night, we ended up getting together with a friend of mine, Jocelyn (from the PAX South trip) and we headed to get dollaritas (which were super lame) and then to the Drafthouse to "get lit" as the kids say and watch Us.

The movie was super creepy and I loved all the ambiguity and hidden references in it. Also Winston Duke as a dad was just..... *heart eyes emoji*


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Jonathan also had a blast taking pics with the different props around the theater and I got to help work towards my goal of taking more photos. :)

Overall the weekend was great, but this morning I woke up sick as a dog in bed with no voice. So I've been resting a ton, reading in bed, and spraying terrible tasting numbing spray down my throat which is just as fun as it sounds -__-

However, I was able to finish Reflection by Elisabeth Kim, the Mulan retelling in the Twisted Tales series. I also started On The Come Up by Angie Thomas and I'm already 200 pages in and I adore it! I'll talk more about these in my April wrap-up later this month. 

That's how my weekend has been going! How was yours? Let's chat about it!

Always, Raineedayze

Vacation Recap

Happy July my doods!

I just got back from vacation and I had an absolute blast! This will affect my June Wrap-Up/July Goals posts so expect them, just a little later. 

Last week, my dad, sister, grandma, and cousin came down to see me and Jonathan. We took a trip to Six Flags the day after and we had an absolute blast. I am not the biggest fan of amusement parks, mostly because I am not a fan of roller coasters, heights, etc. I'm a huge chicken.

But, I am a HUGE fan of gift shops and food, so Jonathan and I took a really long shopping excursion around the park and he bought me a bunch of cute things. I also ate a ton of yummy, overpriced food and rode the Spinsanity (tilt-a-whirl) about 50 times. It was so fun!

And then my dad almost broke the Batman ride.

After we had lunch, we went back inside the park and my dad decided to get on the Batman ride. Now, my dad is not an easily scared guy, but spinning rides make him woozy. So, here's a video of what the Batman ride does.

                       

So, this was already a bad idea, especially after chicken salad, but my dad, not one to back down from a challenge, was ready to go anyway. Apparently, my dad started making weird heaving noises and faces and THE PARK HAD TO STOP THE RIDE because they thought he was dying. He survived, and was so red after he got off the ride! It will definitely be something to make fun of him for, forever.

Dad, Sister, Cousin, Grandma

Also, my grandma rode the Superman! On her 70th birthday as well. Go grandma!

Thursday, my family left back home and Jon and I took the day to relax. Friday, we went to SeaWorld since we rarely use our passes, and spent the entire day in the lagoon. 

I have a nice tan, a relaxed mindset, and am glad to be back!

Hope you are all enjoying your summers!

Always, Raineedayze

New Year's Eve Recap: Goodbye 2016

Hey ya'll! 


Today, I decided to make a short post to show off our New Year's Eve bash we had at the house. I'm not a huge partier so it was just me and Jonathan at home but I must say we kicked off the night in the most perfect way. 

Nearing the end of the night with a Cosmo

We are lucky enough to live in a city that goes all out for New Year's, so we went outside at midnight to watch the fireworks light up the sky! Unfortunately, I was a little too celebratory and forgot to take photos :( but it was magical to feel all the energy in the air. New Year's Eve is one of my favorite holidays because the excitement and happiness radiates throughout the universe. It truly feels breathtaking for one moment and for one moment, we all come together.


That's not to say we didn't take full advantage of the traditional drunk antics though.

Fully stocked. Not pictured: Wine, Champagne, and mixed drinks in fridge

I am a lover of booze and a lover of celebrations (safely, of course) and so we had a blast with our drinks. We toasted champagne, drank fancy Cosmos (which are not as fabulous as they seem, I found) and I took on a bottle of coconut rum. It was so fun!


Jonathan had to work until 11:30 last night, so he was rushing to get home before midnight. Luckily, I made us a lovely meal of ribs, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and black-eyed peas. We ate a bit and just enjoyed the wonderful night together.

I was super happy that I got to use my new makeup from Geek Chic Cosmetics for my NYE look. I have my full review of them scheduled for later this week, as well, so stay tuned!

All in all, I'm extremely blessed to share a wonderful life with a wonderful human. I'm so excited to see what I can accomplish in 2017. I finished off 2016 by officially driving in the city (on the highway!!!), finding out I love scotch (I can feel Ron Swanson vibes), and becoming more independent overall. 

And also doing things like this

How was your celebrations? Let's chat in the comments!


Always, Raineedayze

Resolutions, Revolutions, and Doing Something

Happy New Year ya'll!


Now that we've began a new year, I decided there was no better time to make some adjustments in my life. But, the idea of resolutions always seemed a bit odd to me.I'm not sure I have much to resolve as much as I have to create. So instead of resolutions, I think it's time to make revolutions.


                                 
                                 
This kind of goes along with the #OneWord365 goals you may have seen popping up on other blogs. For these revolutions, I think there is one word they all surround. 

Do.

I want to do something, whether that means creating, being present, or simply just doing the things I love. I want to be a doer, not something that lets the world pass me by. What does this mean? 

In 2017 I want to...







Do Something and Do it Well

As a full-time student, part-time worker, I have a lot of duties that pull me in every direction. Sometimes, though I hate to admit it, I do put my school a little behind due to frustration, exhaustion, and general laziness. Sometimes I spend my Saturdays playing Overwatch instead of reviewing for an exam by telling myself "I deserve this". This year I want to create the kind of academic profile that matches the person I want to be. The kind of academic record of a person that would make Leslie Knope proud.



                                        





Do something active



                                          


I'm 21 years old. I love booze, junk food, and video games. I tend to not really pay attention to the long-term effects that my lifestyle will take on if I continue. This isn't a "lose weight" type of thing though. This is a more, "put real food in your mouth instead of a 5 dollar burger" and "see the outside world a little more" type of thing. Contrary to popular belief, I won't be Forever 21 and even now, I should be able to do some physical activity without dying. Also, it'd be pretty great to not have my doctor yell at me. 



Do things for and with others


                                          


I was blessed with the most amazing people in my life. Yet, sometimes I feel myself taking them for granted. I catch myself checking my phone while in conversations, playing games instead of watching movies with Jonathan, or just avoiding plans because I'm too lazy/stressed/anxious/etc. to actually go out. I want to change how I see the people in my life, show more appreciation for them, and put more effort in them than my selfishness.



JUST DO IT


                                      



If you follow me on any form of social media, you know I love a lot of things. But I do catch myself "never getting around" to doing things. Movies go unseen, books go unread, crafts go unfinished, (blog posts go unposted....). This year I want to be a doer, a creator, an interesting person. I want to push myself to be the person I'd want to hang around. The type of person who has a story to tell and who has things they do instead of just waiting for life to happen to them.  


What are some of your goals for the new year? Do you have a word for 2017? Let's chat about it!



Always, Raineedayze 

Isn't This Where We Came In?

Hey guys! 

In case you haven't noticed, I've been gone for a bit. An extremely long bit, actually. I had a pretty hectic semester and the only time I got to see the computer was for typing up 50-page assignments. So, yeah...it's fabulous to be back, and I hope you accept my humble apologies!


As 2016 closes out, I'm looking back on this year with a full heart and a determined spirit. We can't say it hasn't been eventful. From the tragic, the scary, the fun, and the just plain bizarre moments, I can truly say I'm ready to put this year behind me. Of course, there were so many wonderful moments that made this year great. But I feel ready to release this year and create a fresh start.

Since I haven't been around much, I thought I'd update you all on the last few months of my life. Cue the photo montage!


                                          



Two of my best friends graduated! Congratulations to my Little, Miriam and to Karina, aka Shot #1. I'm so proud of you guys!

 
















 

Christmas came and we were spoiled with not only wonderful gifts but a trip to visit my family in Dallas! I even went ice skating! It was an absolute blast and I was so blessed to spend the holidays with the people I hold dear!













I lost my grandfather a bit before Thanksgiving. It was pretty hard on all of us. Unfortunately, I was unable to be with my family when it happened, so I had to take some time to deal with it. Luckily, our family is so supportive and close that we are slowly able to come to terms. 





I took on the hardest semester of my life. Aside from any personal issues, I also was putting in full days of nonstop school. Even though I took few classes, I worked in labs or on classwork from 6 a.m to past midnight most nights. Every break from school was filled with sleeping for 12 straight hours. I worked so hard and can proudly say I accomplished it strong.
I also took on new responsibilities on the Executive Board of my honor society as their Publicity and Social Media director. I felt so humbled at my opportunities to work towards building better leadership skills and gaining responsibility for something I'm passionate about.










I was blessed with the most wonderful support system in the world. From my hilarious and perfect friends, my loving and wacky family, and the most supportive boyfriend I could ever dream of, I was able to push through this year. I cannot imagine doing any of this without them.

 

So now it's your turn. How was your year? Now that you can review it as a whole, how would you describe it? Let's chat in the comments!!


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Always, Raineedayze

Captain's Log #6 - Camping Adventures

Howdy internet!

Hopefully your upcoming week is looking good. We just got back Sunday from a family camping trip on the Guadalupe river! It's not summer without laying in a tube with a beer in your hand!

Unfortunately, we were only able to stay for one day. We meant to go on Friday but Jon and I both got pretty sick so we postponed until Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning after breakfast, we packed up and came home before Jonathan left to work. I adore him so much but the man works so much. 

In case you were wondering why this Captain's Log is so late, it's been pretty crazy in our household lately. As soon as I get home, I collapse into bed and don't wake until it's time to make dinner. I then go back to sleep until I go to work in the morning. It's insane. We just got XboxOnes and have yet to really play them because we are just so exhausted all the time. 

So, without further ado....

Wayward Pines, Season 2. I know I talked about this in a previous post but OH MY GOSH THIS SEASON!!!! We just finished the season and I cannot wait until the next season. It was so trippy and twist after twist kept hitting us in the end.

Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox One). Like I said, Jon surprised me with an Xbox One right before we went on vacation. I haven't had a huge chance to enjoy it much but one of the games I did get installed was GTA V. This game is my guilty pleasures and it's so good to have it because me and Jon are always down for a good heist. 

As you can tell, I haven't had much time to do anything lately. Hopefully, this next week shall be tons better. We are having a party on Friday and then it will be the LAST WEEK OF SUMMER!


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Always, Raineedayze

Captain's Log #3: Back from Vacation!

Yo there, guys!

As you may know, I just got back from a family vacation on Sunday. It was absolutely amazing and I got to meet our new family members. My aunt got married a few months ago and this is the first time some of us met her wife and the first time we met her wife's family. 

I don't have a ton of photos, since I had a broken phone the whole time. Luckily, I just got a new phone thanks to the loving, kind, and patient Jonathan. 

Check out our sunburns tans.

I got to try a bunch of new things this weekend like paddleboating and canoeing. I went canoeing with Jonathan and then, while he took a nap, I decided to go with my mom. Now, I know on the internet I look as put together as can be....



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...but docking a canoe is hard work! My mother and I paddled it to the dock and she attempted to get off. All of a sudden, the boat just flips over, taking me and her to the water. It was hilarious and the highlight of my trip.
 

Our view from the cabin

 We stayed in a beautiful cabin and they had teepees surrounding the neighboring campsite.

The inside of our cabin!

 As you can tell, because of all the excitement, this Captain's Log is a little different than most. I haven't gotten to read or watch much but here's what I got planned for this week.

Rick and Morty, Season 2 (Hulu). I absolutely adore Rick and Morty, but since we don't have cable, we rewatched the first season about 30 times. Finally, on a whim, we decided to go on Hulu, and lo and behold, season two was finally available! We have about 3 more episodes left but I'm loving it. I still really enjoy the first season a little bit more because this season is a bit morbid. However, I'm eager to see where it leaves off.

Wolf Boy by Evan Kuhlman (re-read). I bought this book about a year ago at a convention. I'm pretty sure the guy who sold it to me was just trying to get rid of some junk but this book was an amazing find. It is about a family dealing with the loss of one of their kids. It mainly follows the younger brother of the deceased but it does show how each member and acquaintance deals with death. Plus, it has a comic intermixed with the text, written by one of the characters. It's a great read and will make you feel all the feels. 

  
Crush Crush (Steam). This free-to-play game is a very strange Japanese dating simulator. I love these games because they are over the top ridiculous but super cute and this game is no exception. While the examples are highly fan-servicey, it's still a silly game to play and a great way to pass the time. You play a character who accidentally ruins girls lives and then try to date them. It's ridiculous (you actually crush a homeless catgirl's cardboard house) but it's a crazy time-waster. If you are looking for something to pass the time with and for a laugh, check this game out.

I know this Captain's Log is a little different than usual, but hopefully, we'll be back to normal next week! Let me know what you're up to in the comments!


Always, Raineedayze