happy leap day!

24 extra hours to spend and today just so happened to be beautiful - 63 degrees and sunny in Champaign! Despite my busy day, I tried to spend as much time as possible outside. The campus seemed to come alive: people were playing frisbee on the Quad, sunbathing on benches, and walking around as much as they possibly could. There's something special about an unseasonably warm day in February...

P.S., I started off my morning by watching this adorable video today. It was made for Kate Spade New York. You have to see it - so cute, so cute!

Kate Spade "Henrietta Street" Fashion Film from Kinga Burza on Vimeo.

all our troubles and all our tears

the family mug

...I already miss home!

oscar sunday

My morning began early, with a bagel and a long run - 8 miles, to be exact. The sky was brilliantly sunny and the temperature sat somewhere around 35 degrees. I felt alive. And, by the end, I also felt hungry. Thankfully, my next thing-to-do was have lunch at Chipotle with one of my good friends. Burrito bowls = the perfect post-run food.

Later in the day, it was pie time. Apple. I whipped up the pie while my mom began cooking dinner. Tonight's menu was a special one, in honor of the Oscars and my last night home: challah, salad, campellini with tomatoes and basil, and lemon chicken breast. (The Barefoot Contessa knows all!) My gramma, aunt, and cousin arrived just in time to ooh and ahh over the outfits on the Red Carpet. And that we did. The 8 of us enjoyed dinner, then dessert, and now are cozy in the family room, watching the Oscars.

Ooh, my nails and hair are soooo Oscar-ready. I had a mani-pedi yesterday. Love love love my color. It's called Rouge Carat by Chanel. Holla. (Or should I say, challah?) And today, I mastered a daunting task: the sock bun!

Tomorrow is Monday, which means my weekend here comes to a close. Courtney and I are taking the bus back to Champaign in the morning. If only we could stay home just a little bit longer...

call me maybe [part two]

Courtney and I loved this video so much that we decided to create our own on Thursday. We're weird. Don't judge:

home, home, home

Well, I'm back, and I couldn't be happier. Home is truly a wonderful place to be. Tonight, my friend Eric picked Courtney and me up from the bus. We drove to Penny's Noodle Shop (one of my favorite restaurants - the cucumber salad is literally to die for) and enjoyed the company. And now, after I spent some time with my dad, another one of my best friends is sleeping over. I hope this weekend lasts a while.

here's my number, so call me, maybe

I can't get enough of this cute video. Honestly, I've probably watched it 50+ times since last night. What can I say? I'm a Belieber, and seeing Justin au naturale is every girl's dream :) Plus, the song is SO, so catchy!

made holy, once and for all

When I was in middle school, I went through a "church" phase. I wanted to do everything that my non-denominational church was doing, including Ash Wednesday. My parents were amused. "So, you want an ash on your head?" my dad asked. "I can do it for you."

"No, no, Dad! You don't get it. It needs to be with a pastor. In church," I replied, on the brink of tears.

At that, my dad walked over to the fireplace. He stuck his hand in the black soot on the bottom and put a black ash on his forehead. At the time, I was furious. I felt like he was mocking me for wanting to go along with what my church was doing. But my parents are two of the most respectable spiritual leaders I know. And, years later, I understand what he was trying to teach me.

A pastor is a just a person and an ash is just a ritual. If my pastor had given me an ash on my forehead, I wouldn't have been made any holier. Christ makes a person holy - not the rituals. The practice of Ash Wednesday is not Biblical; trust me, I've looked.

For many people on this campus, today holds much meaning. I've seen tons of kids walking around with the black symbol on their foreheads. There have been ash services going on all day, even one on the Quad. But to me, today is just another Wednesday. I don't need an ash on my forehead in order to show my devotion to Jesus, remind me of His death and resurrection, or be made holy. Because I do love my Savior. Because I am reminded of what he did for us every single day. Because I have been made holy, once and for all.

We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

-Hebrews 10:10

tuesday night at the bar

There's something peculiar about watching drunkenness through sober eyes. Tonight, I stood outside KAM'S, a popular bar on campus, with a can in one hand and a sorority sister by my side. We were taking donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which is Chi Omega's national philanthropy.

A lot of what I saw encouraged me: people eager to learn about why we were there, kids happily sticking a few dollars into our cans. But I was saddened, too, by the stumbling. By the obscenity. By the confusion. By the scene that is normal on college campuses across the country.

It's crazy, isn't it?

today was...

...A pink-Tory-Burch-patent-leather-flats kind of day.

the saving life of Christ

"To be in Christ - that is redemption; but for Christ to be in you - that is sanctification! To be in Christ - that makes you fit for heaven; but for Christ to be in you - that makes you fit for earth! To be in Christ - that changes your destination; but for Christ to be in you - that changes your destiny! The one makes heaven your home - the other makes this world His workshop."

-Major W. Ian Thomas

smitten with paperback weddings

Weddings make my heart go mushy. Paperback Weddings make it even mushier.

These short films are beautiful; each one is special and unique to the bride and groom. Daniel, Katie, and Nirav (the team behind Paperback Weddings) are truly talented. After all, very few videos can cause me to tear up and smile at my computer screen. But these are light and lovely. Right now, my favorite is Robert and Brie's Christ-centered wedding. I'm especially smitten with Robert's sweet prayer in the beginning: "Help me to be the husband that You called me to be. I want to love her like Jesus loves me. Please do that work in my heart today, Lord."

Watch the little film + your heart will go mushy, too:

every girl should unwrap a prize ball

Last week, I ordered myself a little gift from Kate Spade: the prize ball! It was on sale and I was intrigued. My package came in the mail a few days ago, and I, eager to discover its contents, ran up to my dorm room and began the unwrapping process. Of course, I had to document it:

song: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Relient K

Yards and yards of crepe paper is much more fun than you might think. Each layer of color contained a little trinket of some sort: a whistle, a spade tattoo, a necklace, a mini deck of cards, and more. The best part of the whole process was the beautiful mess of red and pink and blue and yellow and green that covered my floor at the end.

what kind of fruit were my actions growing?

my valentine's day...

...Looked a little something like this:

A cupcake with sprinkles. Pink outfits. A special dinner. Strawberry + goat cheese salad. Ali Wentworth's new book. Pink nails. Roses from my dad. A candy gift from my best friend. Dove chocolates. A cute card. Sweethearts. A package from my mommy.

:)

better than any other valentine

This is how we know what LOVE is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

1 John 3:16

the valentine's swap

I got a package!

But not just any package. Tara, Celia, and Meg, three fabulous bloggers, put together a Valentine's Day swap. The rules were simple: you get paired up with another blogger, share your favorite things, and then mail each other a little package. I was matched up with Jennifer from Dexter Morgan's Mama. Her assortment of Valentine's Day goodies was adorable: a nail stencil kit, perfume samples, cupcake bath soaps and a cupcake picture holder. Oh, and some Hershey's Kisses, of course.

all dressed up

Last night, we went to Fiji's semiformal. Our dates didn't make it into this picture... But don't we look good? :)

smitten with biccies

This morning, I fell in love.

photo

With a cookie. But not just any cookie. Biscuiteers' delicious hand iced biccies.

Each box set of decorated treats has its own theme. I absolutely adore the above Paris collection, but there's so many more. If I had a million dollars, I think I would spend it on biccies to send to my friends. Thank you biccies, happy birthday biccies, congratulations biccies, wedding biccies... The choices seem endless.

Biscuiteers is based in London, however, so I imagine shipping would get pretty expensive. But I'm still really, really tempted to order myself the Paris box set. After all, it is almost Valentine's Day. I should treat myself, shouldn't I?!

photo

shrimp and scallops and flounder, oh my

Courtney and I went out for a little collegiate adventure this evening. We borrowed her cousin's car, went to the bookstore, hit up the mall, and then it was dinnertime:

Mmm, Red Lobster. We'd never been there before, so we decided to be daring and go for the fish. Specifically, I went for the broiled seafood platter and OH MY GOSH it was delicious. I'm a big seafood girl, so even the cheap stuff makes me happy.

There's nothing better than a Friday night with your best friend and shrimp :)

sober

Tonight, my sorority had an exchange, which is where we rent out a bar with a fraternity. And for the first time, I didn't drink at all. I was so, so sober.

It was hard. I watched everyone around me dance with drinks in their hands, careless and giddy. I couldn't help but be envious of their fun. They were doing college the "right" way... while I watched the clock.

This semester is going to be a lot more difficult that I thought.

in a funk

I don't know what's wrong with me. This week, I've skipped a bunch of classes and meetings, called in sick to work, and have been in my room with the door shut before 9 p.m. every night. All I really want to do is lay in bed. This funk is weird. And depressing.

God, please help me find joy in the next few days.

a letter to my friends

Dear Friends,

I miss you. A lot. I miss sitting around our kitchens, talking and laughing and learning and eating and being. I miss the simplicity of spending time with the girls who have watched me grow up, who know my greatest attributes and flaws, who love me for me. I miss you all, and I can't wait until we're reunited for an entire summer together.

melanie's day off

Okay, okay, so maybe I'm not still terribly sick. In fact, I actually felt great today. But sometimes, a girl just needs a day to herself. Today, that girl was me: Melanie's Day Off was a complete success. I skipped 4 out of 5 classes, laid in bed, dined while watching Sex and the City, and did a whole lot of nothing. It was bliss. Pure bliss.

I should do this more often ;)

this superbowl sunday, i turned into the cookie monster

Truthfully, I was a little bummed that I wasn't going to be home for the Superbowl. It's a family affair at my house, complete with my mom's yummy appetizers and score squares. (I did, however, get to participate once again in the square betting. My dad texted me a picture of it. I won $0... But was happy to be included.)

This time around, my Superbowl Sunday was just as good: we gathered at a friend's apartment, enjoyed some delicious food, and paid little to no attention to the game itself, just the way I like it.

The girls made these cute little crescent-wrapped hot dogs, stuffed with cheese and "crack dip" and salad and chicken and creamy pasta and oh my GOSH I was in football food heaven. But the final crescendo was what did me in. Insomnia Cookies, you're just too much for me. I ate about half of the box:

YUM.

change of plans

Being sick is the worst. All week, I've had this little cold. My throat was sore, I coughed a lot, and I felt as if my head weighed a thousand pounds. By yesterday, however, I was starting to feel better, just in time for Trish to arrive. But things never go as planned, and I ended up sicker than ever in the middle of the night: shivering, teeth-chattering, coughing, crying... I was a mess. Thankfully, my amazing friends were there to take care of me. They wrapped me up in coats and blankets and held me until I finally warmed up. Then, this morning, the sickness hit me again. I completely blacked out on my way out of the elevator, winding up in a random hallway in the fetal position. It was horrible and scary and sweaty and I can't remember ever feeling so sick.

I'm finally feeling okay again. Not okay enough to leave my dorm room, but okay enough to wolf down an entire Chipotle burrito. Because sometimes, a favorite food is the best remedy:

I pray that God heals me and gives me strength for the upcoming week.

fro-yo friday

Courtney and I have a visitor at U of I this weekend: our friend Trish!

We went to a Remedy Drive concert with a few others tonight. Afterwards, we gave Trish a quick tour of our dorm, then headed out for frozen yogurt at Cocomero. So delicious. I think I overdosed on cookie dough:

Happy Friday!

take me on a trip

I'm sick with a cold and this warm weather has me dreaming of vacation, so I ended up at the Ritz-Carlton.

Well, the website, anyway. Somehow, looking at pictures of luxurious pools and lavish dining rooms at my favorite hotels makes me feel a little bit better:

photos

a glimpse of spring

I'm writing this post from the steps of a chapel on campus, basking in the sun and marveling at the fact that the temperature is sitting pretty at 51 degrees. It's beautiful, right here, and I am suddenly reminded of how sweet springtime feels.