The Forgiving Soul

Hi everyone,

I've been pretty quiet for a couple weeks now. I had to take some time off because I lost someone very dear to me. But I know he is in Heaven now, with God, and that he finally has some peace. 

Here is something beautiful I stumbled on, not too long ago. To me, it is a reminder that everyone has a purpose when they are put on this Earth. I hope we can all work towards ignoring our differences and love one another, because our time on this planet is short. No one is promised a tomorrow, but while we are here, we can make it count.

The Brave Little Soul

By: John Alessi

Not too long ago in Heaven there was a little soul who took wonder in observing the world. He especially enjoyed the love he saw there and often expressed this joy with God. One day however the little soul was sad, for on this day he saw suffering in the world. He approached God and sadly asked, "Why do bad things happen; why is there suffering in the world?" 

God paused for a moment and replied, "Little soul, do not be sad, for the suffering you see, unlocks the love in people's hearts." The little soul was confused. "What do you mean," he asked. God replied, "Have you not noticed the goodness and love that is the offspring of that suffering? Look at how people come together, drop their differences and show their love and compassion for those who suffer. All their other motivations disappear and they become motivated by love alone." 

The little soul began to understand and listened attentively as God continued, "The suffering soul unlocks the love in people's hearts much like the sun and the rain unlock the flower within the seed. I created everyone with endless love in their heart, but unfortunately most people keep it locked up and hardly share it with anyone. They are afraid to let their love shine freely, because they are afraid of being hurt. But a suffering soul unlocks that love. I tell you this - it is the greatest miracle of all. Many souls have bravely chosen to go into the world and suffer - to unlock this love - to create this miracle for the good of all humanity."

Just then the little soul got a wonderful idea and could hardly contain himself. With his wings fluttering, bouncing up and down, the little soul excitedly replied. "I am brave; let me go! I would like to go into the world and suffer so that I can unlock the goodness and love in people's hearts! I want to create that miracle!" 

God smiled and said, "You are a brave soul I know, and thus I will grant your request. But even though you are very brave you will not be able to do this alone. I have known since the beginning of time that you would ask for this and so I have carefully selected many souls to care for you on your journey. Those souls will help you create your miracle; however they will also share in your suffering. Two of these souls are most special and will care for you, help you and suffer along with you, far beyond the others. They have already chosen a name for you". God and the brave soul shared a smile, and then embraced.

In parting, God said, "Do not forget little soul that I will be with you always. Although you have agreed to bear the pain, you will do so through my strength. And if the time should come when you feel that you have suffered enough, just say the word, think the thought, and you will be healed." Thus at that moment the brave little soul was born into the world, and through his suffering and God's strength, he unlocked the goodness and love in people's hearts. For so many people dropped their differences and came together to show their love.

 Priorities became properly aligned. 

People gave from their hearts. 

Those that were always too busy found time. 

Many began new spiritual journeys, some regained lost faith - many came back to God. 

Parents hugged their children tighter. 

Friends and family grew closer.

 Old friends got together and new friendships were made. 

Distant family reunited, and every family spent more time together. 

Everyone prayed. 

Peace and love reigned. 

Lives changed forever.

 It was good. 

The world was a better place. 

The miracle had happened. 

God was pleased.

Lingerie: Lessons and Lingo

Hello Lovelies!

Hope you all had a great weekend and are rested for the week ahead. I recently got a request for a lingerie post and I thought, yes, why not? So here it is, everything you need to know :)

Done drooling over and envying these hot girls and their bods? Okay then, let's get started.

Know Your Body Type - Let's face it, none of us are Victoria's Secret models (how awesome would that be!) so we need to know what works best for our body type. Are you an hourglass, a pear, an inverted triangle? Look online and find out (I think I will have a post on body type/shape coming soon). Also, if you think only really petite Kate Moss types can wear sexy lingerie, think again. Love your body and yourself, and you will see that there are endless options.

Take Your Time and Make Your Pick - As with everything these days, we are faced with a lot of variety when it comes to buying lingerie. The key is to experiment (in the dressing room) and no matter what your body type, don't buy anything that doesn't make you feel like you're a pussycat doll!

Black Lace, Gloves and Jewels - You Just Can't Go Wrong!

Know Your Subject -There are many different pieces of lingerie and before buying, it is important to know what look or feel you are going for. Always remember, if you don't feel comfortable in it, it's not worth buying. Everyone knows what a bikini bottom and a thong are but do you know the different between a corset and a bustier? A camisole an a chemise? Here's help:

The Babydoll: A short, loose flowing gown that stops at the hip (with built in bra- cups). It comes in a variety of materials from silk to nylon  and can be opaque or sheer. Usually sold with a matching bottom.

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Garter Belt: Is worn with a dress or skirt - never with pants. It is worn around the waist with stockings or thigh-highs which are attached to the belt with 4 to 8 straps (the straps are part of the garter belt). Wear with a complementing bra.

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Camisole: This is a short, loose fitting top that goes to the waist. It can be worn like a slip underneath your clothes. Many women like to wear them under blazers.


Chemise: A gown with thin straps that fall just above the knee. Most chemises are made of silky, satiny material.


Teddy Nightie: A short gown that falls below the waist but above the upper half of your thighs. Worn with skimpy panties.


Bustier: This is a strapless bra that goes down to the waist. It can be attached to garter straps. This instantly makes you feel like you're the hottest woman on the planet.

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Corset: This is what made Keira Knightly fall into the water in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It is a tight fitting, stiff top that cinches the waist and gives your girls a lift. Garter straps can be attached to the bottom.

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Briefs/ Boy Shorts: Like briefs that boys wear, hence the name . Only the girl version is a lot cuter/hotter/sexier, you name it, you got it.


Kimonos: A robe usually worn over lingerie, it is designed for when a girl wants to be comfortable and walk around without being too revealing.

And just to be clear, 

Thongs: Similar to a G-String but with a little more fabric going up the back, unlike a G-String, which has well, just a string.

Complement Your Colors


It is important to distinguish where your body ends and your lingerie begins so try not to pick colors that camouflage you. You want to stand out not look washed out.


If you're fair-skinned, pastels colors work well, just make sure to match your hair/eye color as well for better results. Blues and pinks go really well, especially with blonde hair. If you are a red-head, you too can pull off bright colors, but be careful since you don't want to clash with your gorgeous locks, which will be part of the package already! As always, jewel tones and shades of green are a safe bet.


For olive or tanned skin, slightly darker colors will look great as does bright colors. Thinks reds, yellows and purples. Brunettes and raven-haired girls can pull off bright blues and greens and can carry off bold prints too! For darker skin, almost all colors look good, especially bold, bright colors and darker shades as well. Anything from red to coral will look ravishing!


Some Do's and Don'ts
Do:

- Be comfortable in your outfit

- Have confidence and show it!

- Flaunt your best features; wear a babydoll to show off your long legs.

- Wear killer shoes

- Dress around a theme


- Wear black tights/hose to make legs look longer and leaner.

Don't:

- Feel insecure - it will be as sheer as your fabric and that's not a good look. You are beautiful and you can pull it off. Remember, it's not what you wear, it's how you wear it.

- Wear too tight/loose - the right fit is essential.

- Wear lingerie that is ripped or worn - you wanna look classy and put-together, not trashy.

- Wear light colors if you want your legs to look slimmer.

Women of all eras know the importance and wonders of good lingerie! Source

Some more tips:

Beautiful lingerie makes you feel like a million dollars. Even though most of the lingerie we wear is not seen, it affects how we we look and feel and that makes a difference. Keeping your lingerie in good condition and properly cared for will extend its use and will help you feel comfortable and sexy.

Victoria's Secret, Bare Necessities and Fredericks of Hollywood are some of my favorite stores - I love their selections. La Senza is also a very sexy brand. If you have a bigger budget, opt for Agent Provocateur and La Perla.

Have fun!


xo,
Chrissy


(Images via Google Images)

Gimme Some Love: Tips for Self Love and Success

Hey Beautiful!

Yes you, silly. I'm talking to you. Cuz you're beautiful, just the way you are. Okaaay. If you're wondering why I sound like a Bruno Mars song, let me explain. {Side note: TGIF!!!}

I usually try to be super optimistic (and sometimes that leads to being idealistic) and face life with a smile. But I've noticed that lately (think a couple years, which yeah is quite some time), I've been complaining. A LOT. And I finally opened my eyes and ears and put my foot down - this has got to stop!

Background info: I was having a few rough years and little optimistic Chrissy apparently couldn't handle it somewhere down the road. I'm not going to go into all the gory details, but you know how it is. Island girl lands in North Dakota for college (North Dakota!?!!?), body doesn't handle the frozen tundra very well at all, healthy island girl is now suddenly always sick. Said girl is also a poor college student, being that she doesn't have a trust fund (which if you do is just great!) and does not want to ask her parents for more money than they can afford to give. So there you have it. Health and money. The ever-present obstacle to pretty much everything.

I valiantly tried to beat life at it's own game and long story short, my battle tactics were all wrong and I had a losing streak. Hence, the constant complaining. Going on my third year in college, I just woke up and had an epiphany this week. I got so sick of complaining and honestly I think that was my way of dealing with not having control of all those other aspects of my life. Anyway, I got up and went on an early morning run which since I hate exercising was quite the big deal. I needed to clear my head and come up with a stronger, more effective battle plan. 

So I did. And here's some of it, who knows, it might be what you were looking for:

Chrissy's Tips for Self-Love and Success

1. Exercise.

Yes, I just said I hate exercising. But guess what, like every college student I gained that freshman 15 nice and steady over the last couple years and never did anything about it. I couldn't see it until I had to take a few extra minutes to button up my favorite jeans. I never had to exercise and everybody would always say how lucky I was when I ate that extra piece of cake and they couldn't. But my metabolism slowed and not working out got the better of me. Plus, exercise makes you feel fresh and increases your energy levels which makes it easier to stay positive and be awesome! I like to stay fit without realizing that I'm doing it, so here are some options:

• Swimming - lose weight and relax at the same time! 
• Zumba - soooo much fun! 
• Kickboxing - After a long, tired day, this will do the trick. Take that, calculus homework! 
• Dancing - ditto zumba. 
• Sports - tennis, racquetball, whatever.

2. Be kind to your body.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's great to challenge yourself but make sure not to push yourself over the edge. If you treat your body/self like some machine and overwork it then sooner or later that machine will get all squeaky and it's going to need a serious oil change (or whatever it is you do to make a machine alright again). Sure, we are all going to have to pull an all-nighter sometimes, but doing it frequently is terrible for your body. Same goes for not taking time for yourself. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, I heard. I don't know about you, but I'm guessing nobody wants to be around that.

3. Manage your time.

I couldn't stress this enough. I was the queen of time management. I had everything under control and I rocked, if I say so myself. But that was part of the problem. Life turned around and suddenly I couldn't control things that I needed to control anymore. I was taken by surprise. It all happened too fast and I didn't react quickly enough. Now, I'm more proactive. Work ahead and Work smarter, not harder. Control what you can and for the things you can't, there's always damage control. At least, that's how I see it. This way you won't unnecessarily blame yourself for everything that goes wrong in the world. Your stress levels are lower and you're happier overall because getting things done gives you satisfaction.

4. Know what stresses you out and how you react to it.

I get stressed out when things aren't in order. I like things to be in their rightful place. And this applies to everything. I also get stressed about things I can't control - like being a broke college student for example. When I mean control, I mean, I can't exactly make it disappear. It weighs on my mind and I get stressed. I know I can take measures to protect myself, but the problem is sometimes what you do is not enough. And the last few years have been like that for me. It's important to remember that's how life works. I realize that now. Just go with the flow. Do what you can, be creative about what you can't and accept the things you absolutely cannot change. Move on. 

My reaction to stress (besides crazy headaches) is this - I eat. I hate stress-eating and I never thought that was me because well, it wasn't. But now, my lifestyle has changed and with the cold weather up here, a pint of ice-cream or a giant piece of chocolate cake in the comfort of my well-heated room was quite the recurring scene. I have a sweet tooth and I'm fine with that but I've realized where to draw the line. You need to face the facts and come to terms with the problem, otherwise how do you begin to solve it? So eat right and on time. Snack in between and reward yourself, but look for the signs and know when to rein yourself in.

5. Know what makes you happy and do it more often.

Pretty straightforward. Singing in the shower gives you a high that stays for days? Jump right in there and maybe take an extra 5 minutes.

6. Be independent but know when to team up.

The truth is (and I've learned this the hard way), at least once in life, the people closest to you will let you down. Everybody's human. Don't put your happiness in other people. If you can't make yourself happy, chances are, nobody else can. 

I am a pretty independent person, but I have had to depend on people a lot here. I don't have a car, I don't have a support system. It's difficult to get used to and I don't like to burden others. But people have been so nice. That's something I really like about ND and the Midwest in general - people are nicer and definitely helpful! Take charge - do things on your own. Spread your wings and explore your world, but after a distance if you find yourself in need of help, don't be afraid to ask for it.

These are just some of the things I have thought about and am now enforcing in my own life and I thought I would share. I hope this helps. 

Life is too short to complain all the time. There will always be big stages of your life where change is inevitable, but don't lose yourself in the process. Always preserve your personality and keep your head above the water. Change is not always bad - you gotta know which ones are the good kind. And last but not least, remember, it's all about perspective.

I'm excited for my first weekend as the old/new hybrid me.

Happy Friday!

Chrissy, xoxo

{A Few Things} Love

Love is the best feeling in the world, but it also hurts like hell. Here's to the loves we've had, the ones we've lost, and the ones we will never let go. And if you are so lucky as to have the person of your dreams, then hold on to them and count your blessings. And don't underestimate the little things. Live.Laugh.Love.

I want to kiss you in the rain on the rainiest day of the year

I wanna grow old with you.

Would you lay with me and just forget the world?

10 Ideas for a Romantic, Inexpensive Date

Hi again!

I hope everyone is enjoying summer as much as I have this year and if you're lucky you may even have gotten yourself into a hot summer fling! Well, my boyfriend and I had a cute little candlelit dinner at the park last night and so I thought a date post was in order. Read on!

  
1. Fun times at the fair

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All sorts of fairs and carnivals pop up in the summertime. Who said old-school wasn't cool anymore? Cotton candy and a ride on the Ferris wheel, not to mention the magical moment when it stops at the top allowing for a full on make-out session. Yes please! Note to boys: aforementioned magical moment doesn't just happen. You're not starring in your own movie, so please be a doll and tip the person in charge of the ride to stop when you and your date have a nice view of the whole fairgrounds :)

2. Visit your local farmers' market

Spend a Sunday wandering your local farmers' market. It's a great way to relax and you get to taste-test fresh local food. Buy some yummy ingredients so that you can cook up a storm together later that day. 

  

3. Go to "The Lake"

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Here in the Midwest, people are always saying they are going to "the lake". They don't specify which lake - Minnesota is the Land of 10000 Lakes, but they just go to "the lake". So head down to that lake for some quality time (Yes, I'm aware that I said lake like 10 times and that I said it again). If you're in a long-term relationship and past the honeymoon stage, this is a great way to unwind and rekindle that fire! If you don't have your own lake cabin, ask a friend - they might let you stay in theirs.

4. Have a picnic in the park

Throw some sandwiches, cookies and a bottle of wine into a basket and head to the park. Don't forget the cute checkered blanket to complete the picture. After your done eating under a big shady tree, lay down, listen to music or just talk.

5. Go to a drive-in theater

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Lots of places have outdoor theaters, especially in the summertime. This is a fun way to make your usual routine of dinner and a movie a little bit more interesting. They usually play classics so it's definitely going to help with the romance factor. Take some snacks and a bottle of wine if you will.

  

6. At-home spa date

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DIY just got more romantic. Decorate a space (bathroom, bedroom, living room - wherever) with scented candles, dim the lights and bring out the essential oils. If you want to go all out, this could be a lovely surprise waiting for your significant other at the end of a long work day :)

7. Get cute at a coffee shop

Casual, cheap and fun! This is a great way to get to know each other if you're on the first few dates. There's no pressure so you can relax and just go with the flow while still being intimate. Keep those lattes coming! 

8. Stargazing on a warm night

Take a blanket - one that you won't mind getting dirty. Park your car close by and play soft, soothing music on your iPod. Lay on the grass and gaze at the stars. Simple and all for the low, low price of free!

9. Just Dance!

Anywhere. Just do it. Dance in the privacy of your living room with a glass of wine and some slow music playing in the background. Dance without music out in a garden or a park. There's something about dancing that brings two people closer together and the moment is almost always perfect.

10. Go apple picking

Or something like that. Trust me, it's fun. Visit a nearby orchard or vineyard. Or even a cornfield. The point is you're with your lover (!) and it's summertime. When winter rolls along, you'll be glad you did it.

Make the most of this summer and inject a little fun and romance into your life!
Have you tried any of these? Don't forget to share your experiences and ideas in the comments!

 
 *Images via weheartit.com and Google Images

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus

To all those men and women who struggle daily to understand each other. Who am I kidding, that's every one of us!