The Willoughbys Book Review

Living in Seattle is one of the greatest things, because of all of the different book resources that we have. There's the Amazon store, countless Barnes and Nobles, but, my personal favorite, is the Half Price Bookstore located in Redmond, WA, which is about twenty minutes from downtown Seattle. This bookstore has new books and used books, but you will always be able to get books for a great price. It smells like books and happiness the second you walk into the store. I love going there and finding new books and spending hours staring up at the gigantic bookcases and wondering what all the books are about. Recently, my sister and I went to Half Price Books and she found a book called, The Willoughbys. She asked me if I had ever read it (I hadn't) and then told me I needed to buy it because it looked like a book I would enjoy. Naturally, I had to purchase it. The cover looked so darling, and the book isn't super long, so I knew I could have it read within an afternoon.

The Willoughbys is written by Lois Lowry, who wrote the oh so famous book we all had to read in middle school known as The Giver. I enjoyed The Giver, so I figured why not give her other books a chance? After loving books like The Penderwicks or The Saturdays, The Willoughbys seemed like the next best book to read.

The Willoughbys is a children's fiction book, but I have to say that anyone, young or old, would be able to enjoy this book because of it's dry, sarcastic humor and immense character growth. There are some really good themes in this book, such as friendship, growing up, facing and overcoming sadness, and becoming a better person. When I first started reading the book I wasn't so sure I was going to like it, but in the end I'm really glad I stuck with it, because it turned out to be a super sweet and touching story.

The Willoughbys is a short story following the four Willoughby children Tim, Barnaby A, Barnaby B and Jane, a depressed millionaire, an abandoned baby, a nanny, a woman and her son who were lost in an avalanche in Switzerland, and two dastardly parents. The Willoughby children are enraptured with the idea of being typical, old fashioned children, and decide that, finally, they want to get rid of their horrible parents by sending them on a dangerous vacation. Unfortunately for the children, their parents seem to be thinking much of the same thing. Unhappy that they even had children, Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby come up with a plan to abandon their children forever and start a new life without them. Then, there is Baby Ruth, who is an abandoned baby that is left at the Willoughby's house, only to be gathered up by the Willoughby children and then placed on the porch of a rich but sad candy maker, who lost his wife and son in an avalanche in Switzerland. Finally there is Nanny, who is hired by Mr. and Mrs. Willoughby to look after the children until further notice, which may as well be forever.

One of my favorite things about this book, is how much Lois Lowry focused on character growth. When I first started reading the book, I didn't really like the main characters. I hated how rude they were and how selfish they appeared (then again, can I really blame them with such horrid parents?). But by the end of the book I was pleasantly surprised by how wonderful they became and how sad I was when this book ended. I also really liked how the story had some realistic traits, but also some highly whimsical twists, such as a millionaire candy maker or a vacation filled with helicopter rides over erupting volcanoes or an avalanche that buried a train in Switzerland that might contain survivors even after so many years.

If I had to pick one thing about this book that I didn't like, then I would say that I didn't love how it started. I disliked the characters a lot in the beginning, but, rest assured, they really did grow on me and by the time the book ended, I thought they were perfect! But, it was a bit of a battle to get myself to keep reading. Granted, keep in mind that it does get better and it most definitely is worth the read, so please finish it all the way through.

One of my favorite quotes is, "We are four worthy orphans with a no-nonsense nanny."

The Willoughbys is definitely one of my new favorite books. It's witty, funny, and has fantastic character growth. Plus, it's super short so it doesn't take a long time to read. It's one of those books that you can finish in a couple hours, maybe even less if you're a fast reader. You can buy The Willoughbys on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Willoughbys-Lois-Lowry/dp/0385737769/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458582773&sr=8-1&keywords=the+willoughbys I hope you read it, it's totally worth it!

16 Reasons Why Dogs Are Literally the Best

After having my own dog for nearly three years, I have decided that there are just some reasons why dogs are literally the best. If you have a four legged bestie, then this is the post for you. Prepare yourself for all the feels.

1. They are great snugglers
Whenever you need a little TLC, your dog will always be there for you. I have a huge Bernese Mountain Dog, who is almost as big as I am. He is the best one to cuddle with, because he's big and fluffy and so sweet.

2. They think you are the greatest person to ever walk God's green earth
Dogs genuinely think that you are the best thing they have ever seen. They love you freely, no matter what you do or how bad of a mood you're in. They genuinely think you are the most important person, and that's unconditional love.

3. They encourage you to exercise
Having a dog has made me far more active then I used to be. Because of Bentley, I am constantly always wanting to go out on walks or hikes, because I know he loves them and needs them.

4. Dogs won't ever let you eat alone
Some might say it's begging, but the fact of the matter is, you really never will have to eat alone.

5. They're fine just laying around and watching Netflix

6. They won't ever leave your side
When I was struggling with my auto immune disease this summer and fall and then my car accident over the last few weeks, Bentley has not left me once. He is always walking right alongside me or resting next to me, constantly making sure I am okay. He thinks it's his job to protect me, and I love that.

7. They'll greet you like you've been gone for a thousand years, even if you only stepped out the door for five minutes

8. They find joy in everything
Bentley legitimately gets excited about everything. He gets excited if you throw a ball for him, or if you ask him if he wants to go for a ride or a walk, or even if you just say his name. Everything is a matter of joy to him.

9. Owning a dog can protect you from heart disease and other sicknesses

10. They can always make you laugh
If you say dogs don't make you laugh, then you are probably a liar. They're hilarious! And they don't mind looking goofy.

11. Kisses - need I say more?

12. They scare away unwanted wildlife
I live way out in the sticks, and because of that we have a lot of wildlife around us. With Bentley around, he helps keep us and our yard safe by barking and scaring all of the bears, bobcats and other unwanted wildlife away.

13. They keep your bed warm

14. They love all the same shows and music you like

15. They are known to help people who suffer from anxiety and depression
A few months after I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, I was starting to have all of these panic attacks and anxiety problems while I was away at school. My doctor told me I had a temporary anxiety problem due to low levels of seratonin in my brain, all a product of my autoimmune disease. I could say the meds are helping, or that the people around me are helping, but mostly, Bentley is helping. Dogs make you want to get up in the morning and enjoy life alongside them.

16. Mostly, dogs are literally best because somehow, despite the fact that we are selfish and strange, they love us with an unconditional kind of love.

• Kylie Lip Kit Review •

Ever since the Kylie Lip kit came out, I have been dreaming of the day when I could finally order one. But apparently everyone else was as crazy over the lip kits as I was, because they were near impossible to get! Every time I tried to buy one, they were already sold out, and I wasn't about to go spend $300 on eBay to try and get one sooner. But alas! The universe was ever in my favor and on March 12th 2016 (let this go down in blogger history!) I was able to finally be fast enough to buy a lip kit! I'm sure you can imagine my joy; my elation; my overall happiness that in just a few short days, I would be the proud owner of a Kylie Lip Kit created by Kylie Jenner! I was fangirling all over myself...it was kind of embarrassing, but totally worth it.

Anyway, just yesterday my Kylie Lip Kit arrived at my door, and you can imagine how giddy I was when I saw the black and white drip designed box. I tore into the box, opened everything up, and gazed at the glory that was my very own Kylie Lip Kit in the shade of Candy K. It was nothing but pure glory, trust me. It was so beautiful I almost didn't want to use it, but that would be dumb, so I tried it on and loved it! So, naturally, I decided to write a review on my Lip Kit by Kylie.

Firstly, I loved the distinct box it came in. The second I saw it, I instantly knew it was my Lip Kit, so there's a plus. Second, when my Kylie Lip Kit came in the mail, the box was snuggled protectively in foam, so I didn't have to worry about anything getting damaged or ruined. This made me so thankful, because I cannot tell you how often I have ordered something and it wasn't put in the box properly, therefore it was slightly ruined and I was very sad.

The Kylie Lip Kit comes with both a liner and a liquid-to-matte lipstick in the color of your choice. The shade I chose, was Candy K, because it's a deep pink with some brown tones. The lip liner is beyond perfect. It glides so nice and so smooth against your lips without bleeding or leaving weird traces. And finally, my favorite part! You whip out your liquid-to-matte lipstick and sweep it across your lips like the baddie you are. This is the only liquid-to-matte lipstick that I have personally used, that didn't feel like it was completely drying out my lips. Not only that, but it smells delicious, just like vanilla! Before I got the Kylie Lip Kit, all I knew was that most liquid-to-matte lipsticks really didn't smell like much, and they especially didn't smell like vanilla.

Finally (and this is also one of my favorite things about the Kylie Lip Kit), we all know how annoying it is when you put your matte lipstick on, only to have it wash away as soon as you take a drink of something. Well guess what?! The Kylie Lip Kit does not rub off when you try to drink out of your water bottle or from a straw. It also doesn't leave any residue on your straw or cups either.

If you can, I really suggest investing into buying your own Kylie Lip Kit. It's only $30 for a lip liner and a liquid-to-matte lipstick, which is actually a really good deal. There are so many colors, you might even want to buy more than one (I know I'm going to)! Just go to http://www.kyliecosmetics.com/ to check out her colors and see when her next order time will be.

Here is me wearing Candy K. Enjoy!

16 Signs You're From the Pacific Northwest

After living in the Pacific Northwest for my entire life and then traveling outside of the Pacific Northwest, it has become apparent to me that there are just some obvious signs if you're from the Pacific Northwest. So here are my sixteen signs that you're from the PNW!

1. Birks. Everywhere, Birks.
Birkenstocks are a huge sign that you may be from the Pacific Northwest. I go to school in Oregon and I can't even begin to tell you how often I see people wearing them. And whenever you go into downtown Seattle, any and every local you see is wearing Birks when the weather is halfway decent. Plus, not gonna lie, I do own a pair and want to own about fifty pairs.

2. Starbucks
Come into the PNW and you'll soon learn Starbucks is just a staple. No matter what time you go, it's almost always busy. Go to Seattle and there is literally a Starbucks on every corner! And, naturally, you'll see tons of Starbucks pictures all over Instagram, something I am guilty of as well.

3. Flannels
It's pretty cold and rainy and gross here in the PNW, and we're all about comfort and keeping warm, so naturally, everyone and their mother wears flannels. Take a stroll through Pike Place and you'll start to wonder if everyone decided to coordinate their outfits and why you didn't get the memo. The real double whammy is when you get Birkenstocks with a flannel. And even though it's so stereotypical, I totally love my flannels.

 4. Socks and Sandals!
I remember when I was little and used to think wearing socks with sandals was quite possibly the weirdest thing ever. Now, suddenly, socks and sandals is my favorite thing. Visit the PNW and you'll quickly learn that I'm not the only one rocking the socks and sandals fashion statement. Funky socks and Birks are just the best combination.

5. Rain jackets, not umbrellas
Due to all the rain, we Pacific Northwesterners have adapted to wearing rain coats pretty much all the time. Since there are so many people around and so much rain, we have also adapted to not using umbrellas. As soon as I see someone walking around with an umbrella, it's apparent that they aren't from around here. Everyone sports a rain jacket, and it's awesome.

6. Hiking
Hiking is a huge part of the PNW lifestyle. Talk to just about anyone and they will say they hike regularly and enjoy doing it. Hiking is just something you do and a part of regular life.

 
7. Exercising
The PNW is one of the healthiest areas I've ever been in. People in the PNW pride themselves on eating healthy and exercising. I can't say I see a lot of over weight people in the PNW, because I see people constantly working out and eating good food.

 8. Nature pictures
Find someone on Instagram that lives in the Pacific Northwest and you'll be able to see that most of their account is full of pictures of the green world they live in. Hiking trails, trees, sunrises and sunsets, you name it and our Instagram account probably has it. Taking pictures of nature with those cliche hashtags like, #upperleftusa and #pnw is just one of the things you probably do if you live in the PNW.

 9. Rain
Over this past summer there was hardly any rain in the PNW, and it was a long, hard summer. If you're from the PNW, you love the sun but when the rain disappears for a while, it's rough. We've all grown accustomed to rainy days and cloudy nights, and secretly, we love it.

 10. Blackberry picking
As soon as it's blackberry season, if you live in the PNW, you are probably out and about in search of berries to pick. Blackberry picking and blackberry pies are just one of the many great things we love about the PNW.

11. Camping
Over the years, camping has continued to become a huge part of living in the PNW. When Spring turns into Summer and the Fall, it is officially camping season. You're probably from the PNW if you spend most of year planning camping trips and your summers actually living them.

12. Farmers markets and locally grown food
If you're from the PNW, you're probably used to seeing a lot farmers markets and buying some of our produce from them. I know where I live, every town that surrounds the town I live in, has their own farmers markets. And one of the best places to visit in the Pacific Northwest is Pike Place Market, which, is a giant farmers market.

 13. The "beach" myth
If you're from the Pacific Northwest, then you're used to the fact that the "beaches" around you aren't the kind where you go and lie out in the sand and sunbathe. No, it's the coast, not the "beach". If you go and visit the coast, you're used to grabbing sweatshirts and long pants and leaving the bikinis and swim trunks behind.

14. Bragging rights to "The Goonies" and "Sleepless in Seattle"
Being from the PNW means you automatically get to brag that where you live is where two famous movies were filmed. It really doesn't get any cooler than that.

15. We're loud about our sports teams
There is a reason Seattle is known as the loudest city when it comes to our passion for our sports teams. If you're from the PNW, you're used to being loud and proud when it comes to your favorite sports team. Not only that, but cold doesn't bother you, and you will be at any and every game to support your team.

16. Recycling
It's just something we all do. If we go somewhere and we can't quickly find the recycling bin, we start wandering around aimlessly to find it, until we realize that the city we're in, doesn't...actually...recycle. What can we say? We love keeping our planet healthy. 

 

How to {Clean} Your Adidas Superstars

My Adidas Superstars are probably one of my most favorite pair of shoes to wear. They're comfy, they're stylish, and you can pretty much pair them with anything. I've worn them with jeans (like the picture above), with a cute skirt and space buns, with a dress, and with leggings. But, since I do wear them so much and I live in the PNW, my Adidas tend to get a little dirty. 1.) they're white, so dirt is bound to happen and 2.) with all the rain, means there's a lot of mud, which sometimes, I accidentally walk in. This is why I have decided to share my tips on how to clean your Adidas Superstars!

Things You Will Need:
• A medium seized bowl
• Laundry soap/detergent
• Bleach
• A towel
• Water
• A washcloth - make sure you pick one that you won't mind getting dirty or getting bleach on

Directions:
1. Put in 1/2 teaspoon of laundry soap and 1/2 teaspoon of bleach into your bowl
2. Pour cold water into your bowl and allow the laundry soap and bleach to mix in together
3. Soak your washcloth in the water/soap/bleach mixture
4. Remove the laces from your shoes; if you want to wash your laces, you can let them soak in some laundry soap, bleach and water and then let them air dry, but I didn't really bother doing that because I knew I wouldn't want to wait for the laces to dry.
5. Take your washcloth out of the water and make sure you ring it out really good so there isn't a lot of excess water dripping on your beloved Adidas
6. Wipe away all the dirt and grossness
7. Dry off the shoes with a clean towel
8. Put the laces back on and have fun wearing clean shoes!

To show you the dramatic difference between my Adidas before I cleaned them and after I cleaned them, that way you can see that this method actually works.

Before

After 

Clearly, this cleaning method works. I was really pleased with my results and can't wait to go out and sport my clean Adidas Superstars. I hope these tips help to keep your Adidas looking clean and white and not nearly as dirty as mine were.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

When I decided to give up gluten and dairy in order to try and calm down my autoimmune disease (which it did, thank goodness! It really does work, people), I was a little overwhelmed by the fact that a lot of my favorite foods were now no longer allowed to be eaten. Mac and cheese, hamburger buns, cookies, cake, you name it and I knew I was going to have to figure out how to substitute it somehow. Thankfully, there are so many dairy-free and gluten-free options out there nowadays, it's fairly easy to find food that I can actually eat, but finding food that I can cook was a little more difficult, especially when it came to the area, of cookies. Cookies are my guilty pleasure. I could literally eat them all the time, and since my heart rate is so fast thanks to my autoimmune disease and my fast metabolism, I basically can eat as much of them as I please! Peanut butter is also my guilty pleasure, so that's why I decided to share my recipe of gluten and dairy-free peanut butter cookies! They're so easy and they're only a few ingredients, so it hardly takes any time at all to make them.

What You Will Need:
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Peanut butter
- Vanilla
- A baking sheet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A mixer (or something you can use to mix all of this up)

There isn't really any special way to add all this together, so I usually just add all of the ingredients together, mix it in, and then bake it. I typically make a double or triple batch because my entire family loves soft peanut butter cookies and these cookies are so good, you can't just have one. If you make one batch, it should make 12 small to medium sized cookies.

Directions:
1. Set your oven to 350
2. Mix in
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 egg (although you can do 2 eggs if you want the cookies to be a little lighter)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
3. Once you're done mixing all of this up, you can roll them into tiny balls or just use a small ice cream scoop and set them on the baking sheet
4. I usually press a fork into my peanut butter cookies and then just sprinkle a teeny tiny tad of sugar on top, but if you don't want to use a fork or the sugar, just flatten out the cookies with the back end of the ice cream scoop you used
5. Bake for 7-12 minutes; if you make smaller cookies, 7 minutes should be perfect, but if you want to make bigger cookies like I usually do, it can take between 10 and 12 minutes to bake
6. Take the cookies out of the oven, let them cool, and then ENJOY!

There you have it! My super easy and delicious gluten-free and dairy-free peanut butter cookies. These are excellent to share with friends and family, and they're super quick to whip up. And, you can share these with all your gluten-free and dairy-free friends too. Whether kids or adults, everyone is sure to love these cookies.

8 Ways to Style a Scarf

For my first blogpost on fashion, I decided I wanted to post about the different ways you can wear a scarf. Scarves are probably some of my favorite accessories, and they can make a good outfit become a great outfit. The only thing that I sometimes struggle with, is the different ways to style a scarf. Sometimes just looping it around your neck isn't good enough! And sometimes it's hard to come up with new ways on our own that don't end with us frustrated and just leaving the scarf behind because it's just too much time and effort to put into an accessory. Here are my eight ways to wear a scarf with little to no frustration whatsoever. So for the pictures, I am using my LuluLemon snap scarf. I like it because it's very versatile and can be worn like an infinity scarf, or can be unsnapped and worn like a regular scarf, shirt or even a cardigan.

1. Loop
For the simple "loop" style, all I did was take my LuluLemon scarf (buttoned) and put it around my neck. This gives you a long infinity scarf, relaxed look. This would look good with a denim button-up shirt or even a plain white t-shirt or long sleeve. Plus, if you have a scarf that has more of a pattern or a print to it, that can look extra awesome against a white shirt or denim button up. If you don't have an infinity scarf, simply take a normal scarf you have and tie the ends together. And there you have it! The simple loop scarf style.

2. The Double Loop
The double loop way of styling the scarf is pretty much just as easy as the loop style All you have to do is take your long infinity scarf and instead of just draping it around your neck like we did above, we will wrap it around our neck twice, so we have an extra big and snuggly scarf. I enjoy wearing my scarf this way on particularly cold and blustery days, so I can burrow down into it. It's super cute, really easy and it keeps you very warm. This style could really look good with anything, but when I usually wear it, I either wear it over a flannel or I put the scarf on and then I put my jacket over it to give me a cozier look.

3. Over the Shoulder
This next look is so easy to accomplish it's like eating cake (except you aren't stuck with all the calories afterwards...). All you have to do is take your favorite scarf (an infinity scarf won't work for this so make sure you get just a normal scarf) and throw one end over your shoulder and voila! You are ready to run out the door. This scarf style can look really cute with jackets or coats. I like to wear my scarf this way when I wear my favorite Helly Hanson raincoat and just need that extra little something to finish off my outfit. Or, it can look super cute with a button up and a tank top/t-shirt like I did for the picture.

4. Over BOTH Shoulders
Okay friends, for this scarf style we are getting really crazy and wild (insert sarcasm). Just take one of your favorite scarves, and like above, throw one end over your shoulder, and then (here's where it gets tricky) throw the other end over your shoulder! We all see those pictures of models going about their day and shopping and they always seem to pull off the scarf look where both ends of the scarf are thrown over their shoulders. I like this look a lot because it seems so effortless and careless, but somehow it looks really beautiful and extravagant.

5. Over and Around
I think one of the most basic and easy ways to wear your scarf, is to take your favorite scarf, throw  both ends over your shoulders, and then grab opposite ends and pull it back around to the front, creating a sort of bandanna-type look. I see scarves worn like this all the time, and I have yet to see it look bad on someone. You can do this with a normal scarf, or you can find a scarf that is already in that triangle shape and use that instead. I find that the triangle scarf looks a little more professional, whereas just a normal scarf comes off as fun and carefree and casual.

 
6. Lazy Girl Style
I wear my LuluLemon scarf pretty much every time I travel because 1.) it's huge and 2.) it's really cozy and warm, so I don't get cold on the plane. My favorite way to wear my scarf while traveling is the lazy, airport girl style. If you don't have a LuluLemon scarf, then you'll need a bit longer and wider of a scarf for this style. All you do is wrap your scarf around your shoulders (like a blanket) and then tuck the left side up into your right shoulder between your scarf and your back, and then wrap the right side of your scarf up and tuck it into your left shoulder between your scarf and your back. It sounds a little harder than it is, and I will be posting a video below that might help you more. This is so simple and it looks great, especially when traveling.

7. The Twist
The twist style is basically just a twist (see what I did there) on the over and around style. All you do is take your scarf, twist it, and then loop it around your neck like you normally would. This is a particularly easy way to style your scarf and it just adds that extra pizzazz. I like to wear it with a pair of jeans and a flannel, just because it looks so casual and cozy. But this scarf style looks good with anything!

9. The Hoodie
Last but certainly not least is to wear your scarf like a hoodie. This is my personal favorite way to wear my scarves, especially if it's a really rainy, cold or windy day, which is pretty much all the time in the Pacific Northwest. All you have to do to achieve this look is take one of your longer infinity scarves, wrap it around your neck twice, and then just reach back and tug one of your scarf layers up and over, just like you would a hood. It's really simple but it does help protect you from the rain if you forget to grab a jacket with a hood on it.

Wearing scarves can be so fun and I hope that this gives you some great ideas on how to style your own scarves. If you want to purchase a scarf like mine visit: http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/women-headbands-and-hats/Vinyasa-Scarf-II?cc=23209&skuId=3658830&catId=women-headbands-and-hats

If you want any tips on how to style your LuluLemon scarf (or frankly, any scarf), then please check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY8ZtcLrpL0