Trail Mix

So its been a long week and a half getting back into the swing of school. After a semester off it definitely takes a bit of adjusting. While I've been learning how to do real school work and hang out with friends there has been one thing that has gotten me through long nights of reading or a quick snack between classes.

As a compulsive snacker I really have to watch myself, it is way to easy for me to go through a bag of chips in an afternoon. Despite my efforts I'm almost finished with this bag and its only been a week. At least trail mix is a little better than chips. 

This particular bag is nothing fancy, I got it for $5 at Wal-Mart. I know you can find healthier, more natural alternatives, which I might have to look into if I'm going to be blowing through a bag a week. 

Winter Break

Winter break and I have a very love/hate relationship. At the beginning I'm all about the chance to be lazy and relax, but by the end I feel like I'm about to go crazy! This year I have taken laziness to a new extreme and I'm so ready to head back to school this Thursday.

This break my whole life has been eat, work, sleep and I have literally worn a variation of three different outfits the whole break.

1.) Pajamas until I go to work at either 12 or 4... yes I'll wear my pajamas until 4 EEK!
2.) My work uniform. I have the least glamorous job in existence, I work at Dunkin Donuts. I kind of love it though, I mean working around coffee all day not too shabby.
3.) On the few occasions that I leave the house for a reason other than to work I will wear some variation of leggings and a chambray.

Needless to say I cannot wait to wear real clothes again!

Smartwool

I hate cold feet, keeping my toes warm is a constant battle especially in the winter months. I swear I must have awful circulation or something! In any case warm socks are a must. While fuzzy slipper socks are fun they are not very practical. I don't know about anyone else but I can't wear them with shoes.

Enter Smartwool. These are literally the best socks I have ever worn! I am completely obsessed with them. My grandmother got me a pair for Christmas several years ago and it was love at first wear, but then horror of horrors I could not for the life of me find another pair! It didn't help that my grandmother couldn't remember where she bought them. After much searching, they are back in my life in a big way.

So what's so great about these socks? They are made of magic, I'm convinced. They are warm like a pair of wool socks but none of the itch. They prevent your feet from getting wet (because they're made for out door activities). They come in a ton of fun colors and patterns. Last, and honestly the best part, you can throw them in the washer AND dryer! I do not know how they can make wool socks withstand the rigors of a regular wash and dry cycle, but it makes laundry day so much easier because I don't have to worry about it.

The only downside to these magical socks is their price tag. At around $20 a pair they cost a pretty penny. However, in my opinion they are worth every cent. They last forever and take a beating. I've had my first pair for several years (probably around 3 or 4) and they are just starting to look a little threadbare, this is with near constant wear/washing. I would say I got my money's worth.

Here are a few of my favorites in my ever-growing collection.

1. Margarita | These are by far my favorites (and most numerous). I have several colors of these cute striped socks. These are nice and light, but still warm, crew socks. I find them perfect for under boots or tucked into leggings with a cozy pair of Moccasins. You can find them on Zappos.com, and 3 pairs for $58 seems like a steal, this set may be going on my wishlist. 

2. Sarurnsphere | This is a newly added pair to my collection and I'm in love. They are slightly more padded on the bottom and a little warmer. A little less comfortable with regular shoes but perfect for wellies or Bean boots and they will definitely keep you warm and cozy whether you are hiking or just trekking to class in the cold and rain. Smartwool.com.

3. Cable | I have not tried this pair yet, but I cannot wait to. How cute and a little more dressy. Definitely better for work. If these dress socks are as great as their more casual counterparts I will buy them in every color once I enter the workplace. Working all day can be hard enough on your feet why not treat them a little? For now I'll probably opt to start with a simple black, brown, or gray...or all three.  Smartwool.com.

Resolutions

I have never really been one for New Year's Resolutions, I'm awful at keeping them and I feel like usually they're things people do not take seriously. This year however, I have a real one that I really want to keep. I want to keep up with and grow this blog. I have really put a lot of thought into this and came up with 5 ways to actually keep this resolution. I hope these steps can help other people too. 

1. Set manageable goals | Don't choose something that you absolutely cannot achieve. You'll just set yourself up for failure and feel miserable when the inevitable happens. Start slow and build up to bigger things. I want to start by posting on this blog 2-3 times a week. I know there will be times when that will seem like a lot and other times where I will post everyday. The important part is that I don't feel pressured to post all the time. I think blogs are more about quality over quantity.

2. Get Organized | Before you start your new resolution get organized, get a plan in order. Want to get in shape? Get a gym membership and figure out when you can fit a workout into your schedule. You need to know how you're going to succeed. I have been reading a bunch of blogs, getting ideas and trying to narrow down what I want to write about.

3. Plan Ahead | This one is kind of tied in with number two. Plan ahead speaks for its self, don't let your resolution overwhelm you. I'm going to keep a list of blog posts that I want to write, that way whenever I think of something I can write it down until I have time to really use it. I cannot tell you how many times I have a great idea and then forget it before I have to write about it! I also want to write blog posts in advance and have them set up to post automatically, so my posts are more consistent for my readers even if my schedule gets crazy.

4. Forgive Yourself | You will make mistakes! Accept it and forgive yourself. Even if you fall off the resolution wagon don't give up. Get back on track and try twice as hard. Even if you fail a million times at least you're further along than if you never tried at all.

5. Treat Yo'self! | Parks and Rec anyone? Every time you reach a goal or milestone reward yourself. It doesn't matter how, just do something just for you. Indulge a little you deserve it. I think most people forget to celebrate their accomplishments especially the little ones. If you just move on to the next goal and never celebrate what you have achieved what's the point?

What are your resolutions this year? How do you stick to them?