text:
Methuen hill closed after three are injured in sledding crashes

Methuen police have closed a city hill to sledding after three sled crashes there, including one so serious that a woman had to be transported by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital.

Over the weekend, a 22-year-old, 17-year-old, and 11-year-old were all injured while sledding on the popular hill at Greycourt Park. The victims suffered head, back, and lower extremity injuries, Methuen Police Lieutenant Michael Pappalardo said. He did not say which victims suffered which injuries.

“We’re not trying to prevent anyone from recreation or having any fun,” he said. The hill remains open to pedestrians and for other uses.

“As a result of what transpired and to prevent any further injury, taking public safety into consideration, people were not allowed to utilize the hill for sledding purposes,” Pappalardo said.

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The hill, maintained by the city and located adjacent to Methuen City Hall, “could be considered hazardous,” with multiple obstacles such as downed trees, tree stumps, rocks, and boulders, Pappalardo said.

No further details were immediately available.

Lauren Dezenski can be reached at
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Staying grounded

Caroline “Calle” Cronk (left), who is battling a rare form of brain cancer, at best friend Lilah MaGee’s birthday party in a nail salon.

Photos by Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff

Caroline “Calle” Cronk (left), who is battling a rare form of brain cancer, at best friend Lilah MaGee’s birthday party in a nail salon.

Third in a series of occasional articles about Hope for Caroline.

NORWELL — In many ways, Caroline “Calle” Cronk is not so different from other children her age.

The 5-year-old has the preoccupations of the typical kindergartner: She likes to cut and paste simple shapes, grasp a pencil like an adult, and play games that mix fantasy and reality. The difference is, for Calle, these routine activities matter for reasons she does not know.

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff

Kevin Cronk gets Calle ready for her riding lesson.

Nearly six months ago, Calle was diagnosed with a devastating childhood cancer: diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, an inoperable tumor located in the brain stem. The median overall survival period of children diagnosed with DIPG is less than a year, according to medical statistics. Fewer than 2 percent of children, typically ranging from ages 6 to 10, survive it.

The health crisis has rocked the Cronk family, which includes parents Kevin and Rachael and brother Connor, 7, but, as much as possible, in the midst of all the medical procedures and upheaval, they have maintained a schedule typical of a suburban family with two young children: school, playdates, after-school activities, birthdays. Ground rules about acting with fairness and cooperation still apply at home.

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In short, the trappings of American childhood, its structure and expectations, remain intact.

All children, even when facing mortality, need to remain rooted in childhood, say specialists such as Dr. Nina Muriel, chief of the division of pediatric psychosocial oncology at Dana-Farber Children’s Hospital Cancer Center. She said it is crucial that children

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff

Calle gets riding lessons in Georgetown from Anita Coons, who donates her time and use of her albino pony, Sinatra.

with a cancer diagnosis move toward developmental milestones despite the illness. Her team helps parents on how to talk to their children, and helps address concerns they may have about coping skills and other issues. She said parents are the best resource for their own children but experts can sometimes help parents communicate with them in an age-appropriate way.

According to Dr. Mark Kieran, director of the pediatric medical neuro-oncology program at the cancer center, about 200 children are diagnosed with DIPG in the United States a year. The disease affects the critical part of the brain that regulates when to breathe and tells the heart to beat; the part of the brain that keeps an individual alive.

At the Cronk home, the family refers to Calle’s tumor as a “boo-boo” on her brain. Her parents have said Calle is aware that the tumor has altered her life but, beyond that, she remains enveloped in childhood. While she has undergone six weeks of radiation, several hospital visits for magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, and steroid treatment, Calle has managed to remain playfully obsessed with American Girl dolls and princess dresses. She sends video messages to her “best friend forever,” Lilah Magee, also 5, in which she sways her shoulders and announces with attitude: “See you at dance class! I love you BFF!” In the bathtub, she draws chalk hearts on the wall; she is full of hope. At kindergarten, teachers are impressed by Calle’s ability to keep up with the other children despite feeling unwell and tired on some days.

“She is doing really well,” Rachael Cronk said last week.

The Boston Globe

Calle Cronk is greeted by a throng of runners after getting a police escort to the start line of Calle’s Miracle Run.

Linda Magee, Lilah’s mother, said the young girls hold fast to their friendship and, at moments, it seems to transcend childhood. She described a time when Lilah practiced a dance routine at home.

“I’m going to teach Calle, and this is going to be our dance,” Lilah told her mother. A melancholy song without lyrics came on the radio, and she added: “Have you heard this? It is about a girl who loses her very best friend. Her best friend dies. This is a sad song but I like it. I am going to make a beautiful dance to it.”

“I don’t know if on some level, she gets it,” Linda Magee said.

Michelle Hayes, owner of Carousel Dance, a studio in Scituate where Calle began classes four years ago, accepted Lilah as an unexpected student to accommodate the deepening friendship.

“Calle said she needed her friend. So now Lilah comes, too,” Hayes said after a recent class in which the girls, in black leotards and white tutus, spun toward each other, tapped rainbow flags, and, laughing, flopped to the ground, eyes locked.

The friendships and routines of childhood matter greatly, said Rachael Cronk, an energetic stay-at-home mom. She stopped sending Calle and Connor on the school bus this fall because children were speaking in frank and hard terms about her daughter’s cancer. It is a word that family members avoid. She said they do occasionally use the word “tumor” with Calle to make the term familiar rather than frightening, but do not delve into its serious health implications. They want to protect Calle, she said, although there is no way to shield her from all pain.

“She gets it,” said Rachael. “She definitely feels it. It’s hard. If I cry at church, she’ll ask, ‘Mommy, why do you have tears?’ ”

On the heels of Calle’s Nov. 15 diagnosis, the family founded Hope for Caroline, a nonprofit foundation to fund research and offer support to families of children with the same rare brain tumor. About three months later, they officially presented

Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff

About 2,000 people were registered for Calle's Miracle Run.

$100,000 to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to support an ambitious clinical trial that aims to find a cure. Last week the family donated an additional $100,000 to the institute to support DIPG research, an amount made possible by a fund-raiser sponsored by Kevin Cronk’s workplace, Standish Mellon Asset Management Co., an investment firm in Boston. The family also donated $100,000 to the national DIPG Registry, which was created by a group of physicians and researchers in 2011 to collect information about patients’ tumors and develop better treatments.

The family’s plight has inspired a Facebook site and multiple fund-raisers, including, on April 7, Calle’s Miracle Run, which drew more than 2,000 participants. A Hope for Caroline Auction will be held June 7 at Granite Links Golf Club in Quincy.

As Kevin Cronk posted to the family’s more than 14,000 Facebook followers after the April 7 run: “Sorry for the sentimentality, but there are a few moments that I will remember all my life . . . when I saw Rachael on our wedding day, when Connor and Calle were born, and today when I crested the hill and saw all those 2,000-plus people ahead of us. Incredible. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

On that spring morning, Calle and her family were escorted to Norwell High School in a police cruiser with a full motorcade. As most caring adults might do to spare their youngster, her family told her she makes a photogenic poster child, which is undeniable, to help explain all the fuss.

Meg Murphy can be reached at
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text:
Red Sox Notebook

Bullpen played a big role in victory

These relievers deserve high-five

Jonathan Papelbon reacts after striking out Austin Romine to end a threat in Game 2.

Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images

Jonathan Papelbon reacts after striking out Austin Romine to end a threat in Game 2.

NEW YORK - The game will be remembered for Jacoby Ellsbury’s home run. But the Red Sox bullpen also showed some power last night.

Five relievers combined on eight scoreless innings in the 7-4 victory against the Yankees in Game 2 of a doubleheader. Alfredo Aceves, Daniel Bard, Jonathan Papelbon, Franklin Morales, and Felix Doubront allowed one hit and struck out eight.

“We have to go win every game. That’s just how it is,’’ said Papelbon as the Sox left the Bronx with a one-game lead in the wild-card race.

Papelbon threw 29 pitches, 22 for strikes, in 2 1/3 perfect innings. He struck out four, including Austin Romine with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth. It was the longest outing of Papelbon’s career without allowing a base runner.

Morales went two innings for the win, throwing a season-high 44 pitches. He left a runner stranded in the 12th and in the 13th got Nick Swisher to pop to right field with two runners on, then struck out Brett Gardner.

“I was concentrating on my pitches. I was doing my best,’’ Morales said. “I had good location with my fastball and I mixed it up with my split-finger. Everything was good.’’

Doubront retired the side in order in the 14th for the save.

Papelbon said he would be ready to pitch tonight in Baltimore, if needed.

Join the club

Jacoby Ellsbury said he was “very proud’’ of reaching the 30-30 club.

“Definitely a special group of guys in that class,’’ said Ellsbury, who has 38 steals in addition to his 31 homers.

There have been only 57 30-30 seasons. Ellsbury is the 16th American League player to accomplish the feat, the first since Ian Kinsler of Texas in 2009.

He is the fourth player to reach 200 hits, 100 RBIs, 35 steals, and 30 home runs in a season, joining Alex Rodriguez (1998), Vladimir Guerrero (2002), Alfonso Soriano (2002).

“It’s not the best time, but I should brag about him,’’ manager Terry Francona said after a 6-2 loss in the first game. “That’s a pretty amazing feat. This kid has turned into some kind of player and taken a lot of accountability. I used to talk about Johnny Damon being out there all the time. This kid has done some kind of job.’’

Said teammate Dustin Pedroia: “He’s been through a lot the last couple of years. What he’s doing this year is pretty special. We’re all proud of him. He’s worked his butt off.’’

Ellsbury’s previous highs were 10 home runs and 60 RBIs in 2009. But he claimed not to be surprised at his accomplishment.

“I know what I’m capable of doing,’’ he said. “Everybody’s surprised by the power numbers, but it’s always been there. It’s never really translated to the game, but every year I’ve consistently got better. It’s kind of what I was hoping for last year.

Buchholz to minors

Clay Buchholz left for Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday and is scheduled to pitch an inning today in Port Charlotte in an Instructional League game.

The Sox want Buchholz to pitch today but didn’t want that to be against Baltimore. With Josh Beckett on the mound, there was no guarantee an inning would come up. Plus, the game is critical for the Sox.

“It’s just impossible,’’ Francona said. “So he’ll go down there, throw an inning, and it can be a little bit controlled. But it can also be game speed. Think it might be about perfect.’’

Buchholz will rejoin the team tomorrow, be evaluated, and could be cleared to pitch in relief against the Orioles Wednesday.

If the Sox qualify for the postseason, determining Buchholz’s suitability for the roster will be difficult based on an inning or two. He has not pitched in a game since June 16 because of a back injury.

“It is imperfect,’’ Francona said. “We’ve said all along, he may not pitch for us. This is just another step in him attempting to do this. We’ll see. We have been pretty open about it all along, that we’ll see how it goes.’’

For the Sox, that Buchholz is again healthy and throwing off a mound is significant.

“We don’t know where this is going yet,’’ Francona said. “I think the most important thing is that Buch goes home healthy, and he’s doing a terrific job of that.

“If this leads to more, that would be tremendous.’’

Feeling the pain

Jason Varitek left the second game in the seventh inning with a sore right knee, the result of being hit by a pitch in the fifth. He is scheduled to catch Beckett tonight.

“We’ll see how I feel,’’ said Varitek, who has caught all but one of Beckett’s games this season. “I don’t know.’’

Scott Atchison left the first game with a groin strain, suffered while warming up to pitch the eighth inning.

“It’s on the right side, the push side,’’ Atchison said. “When you don’t have the strength in there to push, it’s pretty tough.’’

Atchison threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings, giving him six scoreless outings in a row, a total of 9 1/3 innings. He had worked four of the last five games.

Conor Jackson (left knee) was unavailable for the second game.

Drew returns

J.D. Drew was 1 for 5 with an RBI in his first game since July 19. Several good rounds of batting practice had him prepared to play today. But he talked his way into the lineup before the game. Drew had been out with shoulder and finger injuries . . . The Sox finished the season 13-5 against the Yankees, their most regular-season wins against New York since 1973, when they won 14 . . . When the Sox activated Drew off the 60-day disabled list to start the second game, they made room on the 40-man roster by recalling outfielder Ryan Kalish and placing him on the 60-day DL . . . Game 1 loser Tim Wakefield has allowed three or more runs in 16 consecutive starts, the longest streak of his career.

Peter Abraham can be reached at Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.
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text:
The Swan at Lavenham launches health-conscious Tea-Tox afternoon tea

Tea-Tox in Weavers' House Spa at The Swan at Lavenham  (107 med)

The Swan at Lavenham is responding to consumer demand to provide more healthy options by launching its own ‘spa take’ on the traditional afternoon tea.

The hotel’s Weavers’ House Spa will offer guests a Tea-Tox, which is a handpicked selection of healthy, raw and gluten-free options from the hotel’s award-winning pastry chef Anmar Odendal.

Priced at £19.50 per person, the tea includes more traditional options such as finger sandwiches consisting of smoked salmon and crème fraîche, maple roasted Suffolk ham and egg and mayonnaise, among others, all with gluten-free options.

Story continues below

Then the healthy treats include peanut butter and chia seed bites, sweet potato brownies and fresh fruit skewers.

“I wanted to create a health conscious afternoon tea, with superfood ingredients”, said Odendal. “Now people are quitting gluten and working on the inside out, eating clean doesn’t mean you can’t have a little of what you fancy.”

The Tea-Tox is served in The Swan at Lavenham’s Weavers’ House Spa, to be taken to the outdoor terrace or in the relaxation suite.

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Dissertation Tips

Dissertation Tips

Tips for writing your dissertation

General tips

Marking criteria
An essential first step is to look at the criteria that are used to mark dissertations. Examining the criteria for the higher marks will provide an indication of what your dissertation should contain. The descriptions for the lower marks will provide you with indicators of what to avoid. The marking criteria are currently being updated and will be available shortly.

Full guidelines
Full details of how to format your dissertation are available at this link:

Although the guidelines at this link refer to the degree of MSc by research they also apply to the taught Masters undertaken at the Department of Health Sciences. You should ensure that your dissertation is consistent with these guidelines.

It is important that you reference your work correctly to avoid plagiarism, the major form of academic misconduct. Please consult the postgraduate programme handbook and the academic integrity tutorial for further details, available at the Yorkshare VLE:

Word limit and credits
The table below summarises the word limit and the credits for the dissertations of the different courses at the Department of Health Sciences.

|Course |Word limit |Credits for dissertation |
|Masters in Public Health |16,000 |60 |
|Masters in Public Health (International) |16,000 |60 |
|MSc in Health Sciences (Health Services Research) |20,000 |100 |
|MSc in Health Sciences (Cancer Epidemiology) |16,000...

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text:
Peace Love and Grandpa Blakeslee

Peace Love and Grandpa Blakeslee

In life, people crave guidance. At some point, everyone needs a helping hand. Some people turn to one another, while other turn to great forces of power, such as God. Many people live accordingly to the rules of God, and in turn are directed in leading a better life. In the brilliant novel Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns, Grandpa Blakeslee is such a person. Whenever Grandpa faces an obstacle, he turns to God.

Grandpa turns to God whenever he needs true help. Grandpa is a type of person who is mild, witty, and rather religious. Grandpa uses religion to solve many of his problems. At the beginning of the story, Miss Love was the target of gossip. The entire town viewed her as an outsider and couldn't understand why she married Grandpa, especially after his wife had recently died. After Grandpa elopes, he comes back to the house and finds a group of people mourning the sad death.

When Grandpa prays, "Lord above, afore this gatherin' assembled, I ask You to bless the memory of Miss Mattie Lou" (99). Everyone stood shockingly, in silence as Grandpa continued the prayer. When he finishes singing the praises of his deceased wife, and asking for guidance for his new one, the crowd has a change of heart.

It was a strange thing that happened then. My mama went up to her pa and kissed him and, crying, hugged Miss Love, who, crying, hugged her back. My daddy kissed Miss Love on the cheek and then shook hands with Grandpa. Uncle Camp naturally did the same thing (100).

Slyly, Grandpa used the power of God to divert the feelings of the crowd.

While Will is talking to Grandpa about his frightening encounter with the train, he asks Grandpa if "[he is] alive [because] of God's will" (97). Without fail, Grandpa responds with wise words. He tells Will that "God gave [him] a brain" (97). This shows that Grandpa believes God doesn't deal with the everyday mumbo jumbo, only the things that are life altering. He believes...

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text:
Samorost 3 Review

Samorost 3 Review Screenshot 1

Samorost is a franchise developed by Amanita Design who also created Machinarium. The first Samorost game in the series was a small flash game before the franchise become more popular.

Samorost 3 is the latest release from the team and the latest game in the series. I have never played a Samorost game, which was fine as you don’t need to have played the previous games to play this one. What really makes this game stand out over any other puzzle adventure game is the fact that it simply looks beautiful. I don’t think I have seen a game with such charm and gorgeous world design in a while.

The game starts with you playing as a small character, dressed in some sort of odd-looking onesie, at his house. His house is a large tower with a telescope, which you can actually look through and maneuver to view stars and planets. You then get introduced to the gameplay controls and even this simple design choice looks wonderful. It uses a unique hand drawn style that suits the overall look of the game. Once you learn how to move about the world, through clicking and dragging the mouse to move the screen, you can begin to explore the world around you.

Samorost 3 Review Screenshot 2

You can click on animals and objects to interact with them. I then came across some strange illustrations that seemed to instruct me to build a rocket ship. The game is purely about exploration and creates a sense of freedom and wonder, that sees you journey through beautiful and varied environments. Samorost 3 is an adventure game that uses the “point and click” style gameplay to interact with objects, talk to various creatures and solve puzzles.

Most of the puzzle elements in the game involve pulling levers, moving objects or simply talking to quirky characters. The world feels alive and full of interesting things to explore, which you can do so by clicking on areas to reveal hidden things. The game has a strong focus on rhythm and subtle music, which changes as you interact with the world. The puzzles are genuinely fun, as each scenario is different and full of imagination. They are more about the experience than actually completing and kept me absorbed in the beautiful world around me.

The sense of discovery when playing through the game is what kept me immersed throughout its duration. The characters you meet are wonderfully designed, I especially enjoyed meeting an odd character who picks mushrooms. The characters are well animated and almost look like they are puppets moving around the environments. The game also does a great job of subtly nudging you in the right direction without feeling intrusive or forced. It becomes very important to not only explore the world but also pay attention to the small details and environmental clues that can be found.

I enjoyed the puzzles, like one where you have to put a series of cards in order that reveal charming hand drawn animations about cavemen hunting for food. The various environments, creatures, and characters seem mostly indifferent to your existence as you carelessly wander about the world. There is so much to explore and I loved the amount of detail put into the world, you can click on trees, rocks and other items that reveal interesting things that have no impact on the overall outcome whatsoever.

Samorost 3 Review Screenshot 3

The world is divided up into static screen sections that you can move around. You can also click and drag to pan around the screen. The sections are varied and all have unique design choices and things to see. You will one moment be climbing rocky walls before heading into beautiful green jungle areas and even scrap yards, that still look amazing and well designed. It’s not only the visuals of the game that look great but the sound design is top-notch and is also an essential and core mechanic of the game. The most important gameplay mechanic is your use of a trumpet that serves as both a listening device and musical instrument. Many objects and areas around you subtly pulsate, meaning you can use your trumpet to listen in. The soundtrack is stunning and helps set the ethereal tone and immersive experience. The music adapts and evolves as you move through the world and interact with things around you.

The puzzles and tasks in the game are varied and in my opinion always interesting. Each puzzle scenario requires slightly different thought processes whether its movement, logic, common sense, sound or a number of other components. Several of these puzzles require interesting use of your environment and manipulation of the world’s ecosystem. The only real issue I had with the game was that I found myself having to do a lot of backtracking and often for quite long distances, which can be frustrating and time-consuming. The game is also fairly short, but as I have said before, I like a game that feels like a compact, concise and well thought out experience.

Overall, Samorost is quite simply one of the most beautiful games that I have played in recent times. It’s a game that encourages you to explore every nook and cranny and discover unique characters and areas. The combination of the beautiful animations, hand drawn visuals and joyful soundtrack make for an experience that is breathtaking. I would simply stop at times just to look at how well the world is designed. The puzzles are great and feel varied enough to keep gameplay fresh. I really love this game and I would recommend it if you like point and click adventure games or experiential games.

Rating 7

REVIEW CODE: Here at Brash Games we have a strict Review Code policy, our Editor is the only member of staff at Brash Games permitted to obtain review code and distribute it within the Brash Games review team. No other person is permitted to request review code and or send review links or contact the publishers in any way whatsoever. For all review code enquiries, please use the contact form.

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text:
Sunday, August 11, 2013

Before                           After

I remember the moment I realized I was fat.  It was a rude awakening to hear Dave Lamb infer it on “Come Dine With Me South Africa” and I was blown away by his cheekiness.

I was in a room full of people who were watching the airing of the TV show and cheering me on, even though we all knew I hadn’t won.  At the very end of the show I declared “It’s over!” to which the narrator said “It is now!” as I laughed.

We have a saying in America – “It’s not over until the fat lady sings.”  I was laughing my melodic laugh, a song on most other days – Most other days where I’m not called fat on nation-wide TV.

“Does he mean I’m fat?”  I cried out loud  - no one knew what to say.   Not even Mario.

Mario had been in one too many of these situations and it was no-win for him.  He could see I was hurt and just smiled, encouraging me (as did everyone else) that it was a joke about my laugh, not a crack about my weight.   Somehow I got over it, but it always stung  every time I re-watched the episode.  After all, I knew what the narrator meant.

Even after the Come Dine With Me airing, I didn’t change much.  After all, my husband loved me madly; my friends all supported me.  My family was (as always) very supportive of me and wanted me happy, no matter what.  Weight wasn’t important to all of them.

The truth was this: I was overweight.  My husband’s opinion would not change that.  Neither would my family’s or my friends.  After moving back to America, I had to get real with myself.  My personal trainer stayed behind in South Africa and I was at a crossroads in my life. I had to get the weight off -once and for all.

I did.

I’ll keep it off, God willing.  I can beat the patterns that got me there in the first place.  I have the ganas, the desire to beat back the death that used to live in my old brain.  I am being transformed; restored.

It all started with a few truths I had never been ready admit to myself until April 22, 2013.  I wanted to share some powerful truths that caused the change between my ears ; because that’s really where I’ve lost the most weight.

1.  I got honest with myself.

I was overweight by anyone’s standards.  I’ve never put a lot of faith in the BMI charts, but they are a good place to start in determining if you are overweight.  A healthy human adult should weigh a certain weight for the height that they are, unless they are a body builder or a gymnast.  I was neither.

I was overweight on most days, using most scales, during every season.

The reason I was overweight wasn’t because of my genes.  It wasn’t because I was fifty and had a hysterectomy.  It wasn’t because of my supreme cooking skills or my life of hosting so many people in my home.

It was because I ate whatever I wanted – when I wanted it.

I had rules for my overeating and they made sense to me.  I would overeat at parties, on special occasions, on Sundays….  My permission slips to overeat were only surpassed by my “morning-after-regrets” and my disbelief in what the scale said.

I refused to believe that I had a deeper problem – a terrible feeling of never having enough.  Overeating was only part of the problem.

2.  I learned about food and the power it had over me.

A person who overeats usually has other health concerns.  I had chronic asthma and took my inhaler wherever I went.  I had antacids at my bedside, in the kitchen and near the TV.

When I decided to follow an eating plan that fed my body instead of my taste buds, I began to nurture a new Janet who lay dormant inside of me.  I watched movies on nutrition.  I shopped for organic produce and fresh whole foods.  I started paying attention to which foods satisfied me most. I measured my portions and became truthful about my serving sizes.  I ate three meals a day and I was honest with myself that that was enough.

The first few weeks I was “hungry.”  Truth?  I was coming off white sugar and white flour.  I was an addict to both – and my addict demanded that I get a fix.  An addict’s least favorite word is no; so I felt my body rebelling by sending signals like “I’m hungry!”

Most of the time I was “hungry” I was tired -  I needed rest.  I tried to lay down every time I was hungry.  It was excruciating, but I did it.

And then I realized I was an addict, and I was okay knowing that.  I had to start somewhere.

3.  Alcohol had to go.

Alcohol is a food.  It goes into your mouth and is processed by your several systems that keep your body moving.  When I decided to be honest with myself I that included that I would have to be honest about everything that I was ingesting.

I suddenly was confronted with addictive patterns that didn’t belong in my life.  I had been using food and alcohol to tranquilize my head and heart.  I never processed the pain that was causing my compulsive patterns.   Food I couldn’t eliminate, but alcohol I could.  I gave up the best red wine, the finest martinis and said hello to water.  Tea.

And I still haven’t said goodbye to Diet Coke.  A friend who has watched my transformation up close suggested that I watch a documentary on aspartame.   I groaned, knowing she was right.

4.  I had to process sources of pain that caused behavior I didn't want in my life.

Read that again.

If I had to be honest and weigh and measure my food, AND give up the hooch…. I had to begin a journey into the center of my soul that needed to be repaired.  The journey is exhaustive- and exhausting.

Still, it’s better than the lifestyle of plastering all the wounds without paying attention to why they are there.
The funny thing about wounds are that they cause behaviors.  Limping around, favoring  my weak sides, being grouchy when I am tired are only physical signs that something is wrong.  The real wounds people have are deep inside and most of us (if we are honest) don’t have the time to take care of them, or we don’t know how.  Some of us have been taught that if we only believe … if we only have faith that our wounds will heal.

I have learned that I must participate in a lifestyle of taking care of my wounds so that they really heal.  If I do this, I will less likely hurt others that I care about.

My restart included a lot of honest, humility and reflection.  I had been living a life that discouraged looking within too much.  I had to give myself permission to tend to my own wounds; and I am in process.

5.  I had to be accountable to someone safe.

What would I do without friends?  I have so many who are lovely and loving – they genuinely care about me.   One of my friends offered to be my “bullshitometer” on this journey.  I can squeak past my old friends with my old patterns, but not her.

She had recently gone through a similar journey herself.  Her journey began with a similar moment of awakening and she was confronted with painful patterns in her own life.  Because of her journey, she can relate to mine.  We both are becoming “filled with sanity” little by little.

Because of her, I can be honest about my deep emotions and my food battles.  Even sobriety  and self-awareness can’t hold a candle to the beam of the truth that comes from a good friend.  She understands the truth behind the truth.

6.  I have rediscovered God.

Confessions of a missionary?

In all the years I say I “served God”  I mean this in the most humble way:  I had neglected my true love.  I had been busy doing good things and forgotten about my love.

My rediscovery has been very personal; very private, but very real.  It hasn’t come with bells and whistles, but with love.  I have had doors open with grace, things drop off of me with love…true love.

I get shy talking about this, mainly because it is such a personal thing of how we know God.  I spent years running around doing things for Him, even in His name…but now I realize that He wanted only me.

That’s refreshing.

7.  I have practiced gratitude.

The antidote for the poison of “not enough” is gratitude.  I have learned to be content with slow progress and minor victories.

While I haven’t had the mounds of pizza and Mexican food that I swore I’d have upon my return to my home country, I have been grateful for raw and organic foods that abound here.  I am grateful for a smile or the sunshine.  I have to remind myself that inhaling and exhaling are gifts I’m not entitled to.  I have chosen to love things that before I would complain about.

I adore raw red cabbage.  I love raw cauliflower.  I am grateful for beans.  I have a long list of things I cannot believe are mine.  I have to say it over and over again several times an hour.  Thank you, God!  I am grateful.

The journey has just begun, but I can tell you this:  It has been three months since I started a journey of being nice to myself.  In those three months I have lost thirty pounds (13.6 kg’s).  I have a graveyard of unused inhalers, I don’t even know where Mario keeps the antacids and I haven’t washed a martini glass for three months.

Instead of feeling deprived, I feel free.  If I were honest, the best reward is being free.

It almost makes me laugh.  And now no one can say that the fat lady is singing.

  1. This is so powerful and beautifully-written, Janet!

    "I spent years running around doing things for Him, even in His name…but now I realize that He wanted only me." - This is exactly in keeping with the message God keeps placing in front of me - today, especially! I love when He reinforces important truths in this way.

    I'm just so encouraged and inspired by your story. Thank you for sharing this with all of us!

    1. Thank you, Anne!! Thank you also for following this site!! XOXO Janet


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Friday, August 5, 2011

Boyfriend Series: Picking out a Present

Hellooo everybody! On the 18th of this month, my boyfriend and I will have been together for a whole happy year. Yay! I'm kind of having a difficult time picking out a present for him (and I still owe him a graduation present).

I've offered to take him out to dinner instead of the other way around, because he's taken me out several times throughout this lovely year. It only seems fair that I take him out for a nice dinner for a change.

At first I was considering getting him gift cards. To, because he loves all that nerdy stuff. Or from because he has a Mustang and is constantly wanting things to buy for it.

My second thought was to get him DJ2GO because he likes to dabble in the DJ world. But it's kind of a cheaper and smaller version of this DJ setup, which I would buy him if I had $280 to spend. Buuuut I don't.
image via

And my third idea was an engraved butterfly knife. He had a butterfly knife (you know those cool ones that you flip around and stuff?) that his friend got him for his birthday but I kind of took and haven't given it back yet. So I thought it would be cool if I got him a new one and get it engraved. The problem with that is, I don't know where to get that done.

It's not really that big of a deal, but he deserves the best I can get, so I want to get it right haha.

SO basically I need suggestions, what would you get your boyfriend for a 1 year anniversary? I need help haha.

Arielle said...

I think the little DJ thing would be cool especially since that's one of his interests. I always want to buy my boy cologne but he only likes one and only asks for things like Double Tree Cookies, haha. I always thought a cool idea was a dog tag with one or two small diamonds on it and his name (from The Hills) hhaa.

Katie said...

Ugh boys are so incredibly difficult to shop for!!! DJ2GO seems like a great idea!

Makeup Artist Jessica Rivera said...

That little dj setup is cool

Melanie said...

Congrats to you two! My bf and I usually don't get each other anything for anniversaries, but his birthday is coming up in Sept and I have no idea what to get as usual (and of course when I ask him he's no help! lol.

I like the DJ2GO idea! It seems like something unique that he would appreciate =)

Hello nice blog ... I like ... follow you ... I'll wait on my blog, in return for ... kiss


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Monday, May 30, 2011

What I'm Loving: May

I finally got connected to the internet in this house! Yay! Hopefully I'll be able to do some posts while I'm here. Like I mentioned before, starting next week I'll be living in between my mom's friend's house and my boyfriend's for a month. So sorry again if posts are sparse!

I figured since it's almost the end of the month I needed to do a What I'm Loving post for May! Hope you enjoy. By the way, any thoughts on how I've been doing these kinds of posts lately? With the numbered pictures and then a description underneath? I figured it makes it easier for you lazy people who don't like to read a lot but do love visuals. Anyway, if you are one of those people who actually read the blog post let me know what you think :)

May Favorites
Click the picture for info on products

1. Essie Mint Candy Apple- To me, this color looks a little more blue in real life than in the picture. But that is perfect because I love kind of blue-ish green colors, especially during the summer. It's kind of a Tiffany Blue color, but not as spot on as China Glaze's For Audrey is. Anyway this is my favorite summer nail polish (even though I can only wear it for like, 2 or 3 days at a time because we can't wear nail polish at work! Sad face).

2. The House of Night books- Reading before going to bed is one of my favorite ways to de-stress. I'm currently reading the House of Night series, and I'm on book 2 (Betrayed). It's such an interesting series and great if you like vampire books (which I actually don't. I hated Twilight). I lost my first copy somewhere in the move and had to buy another, unfortunately.

3. Nivea a Kiss of Moisture- My favorite lip moisturizer/balm used to be the Yes to Carrots one (which I still use and love by the way!), but this one is just a notch higher on the list. It glides on super easily and isn't as heavy as the Yes to Carrots one. Plus it has SPF 4 in it. I put it on every night before I go to bed and every day before I do my makeup. Then I take my Yes to Carrots with me to moisturize throughout the day.

4. Extra Strength Tylenol- Moving has definitely been stressful, and I get awful headaches and migraines, especially when I'm stressed. I actually have one right now but I'm just too lazy to go downstairs to get my Tylenol. I don't always use extra strength but for migraines I definitely need it.

5. Mac Prep + Prime Skin- I didn't realize how much of a difference this primer made in my makeup until I ran out of it. I noticed that it helped my makeup apply a lot smoother and evenly. But once I ran out, I also noticed my makeup wasn't lasting as long and my face was way more oily at the end of the day than normal, even if I apply powder throughout the day.

6. Moleskine notebook- These journals are kind of expensive, so I wouldn't normally buy them but they were on sale at Target and came in cute bright colors, so I just had to :) I got a pack of 2 pink ones and they are the perfect size to write down blog ideas, to-do's, reminders, monthly favorites, etc. I take one with my in my bag and leave one at home beside my bed to refer to while blogging or to write down random thoughts.

7. Maybelline Falsies- This is my favorite drugstore mascara at the moment. I've tried the One by One and I love it for lengthening, but I need some definition in my lashes as well and this gives it. I also love the curved want. Mac Haute and Naughty is my other favorite mascara, but it's more budget friendly to buy the Falsies.

8. Mac paint pot in Painterly- This has been so necessary in my summer makeup routine. Sometimes I don't even worry about eyeshadow and just wear this with some eyeliner and mascara. It matches my skintone and it evens out and covers any discoloration around my eyes and on my eyelids, which I have a lot of (bye bye veiny eyelids!) It helps with the whole "no-makeup look" I like during the summer.

9. John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream- This was mentioned in my How to Fight Summer Humidity post, and has been a favorite of mine for years now. It makes my hair just look more "done", and tames the frizz and helps keep it not frizzy throughout the day. It also smells pretty good. Love love love this stuff!

That's pretty much if for this month. Let me know if you are loving any of these too, or what your favorites for this month are! And let me know your thoughts and the whole "picture with description under" thing I've been trying out. And yay 90 followers! Closer to the 100 follower giveaway! :)

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Apology in Advance

We are moving today! Nowhere really new or special, just another house. But our new place won't be ready until July so I will be living in between my mom's friend's house and my boyfriend's house for a month, so it will be kind of hard to do blog posts all the time until I get settled. So in advance, I'm sorry for the lack of blog posts!

Also, we are super close to the 100 follower giveaway! That will still be happening I promise but I might have to wait until I'm settled to do the actual giveaway. I hope you all understand! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Friday, May 27, 2011

How to: Fight the Summer Humidity!

Living in Charleston, I've definitely learned how to fight the humidity when it comes to my hair. If you've ever visited Charleston, especially in the summer, you know that the weather is two things: hot and humid! These are my tips for keeping my hair un-frizzy in the summer!

Humidity Proof Your Hair

click the picture for product information

1. Moisturizing Shampoo: Frizziness if often caused by dry hair that is "reaching out" for the moisture in the air, at least that's how my mom always explained it to me. Pick a good moisturizing shampoo that will replenish moisture in your hair! I use Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo (it's a HUGE bottle so it lasts such a long time)

2. Conditioner: Conditioner will also add moisture to your hair and keep it smooth. I used to use the Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight conditioner, but since they changed it to the Touchably Smooth conditioner I've been using that. (Tip: the Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner by Herbal Essences is great for moisturizing your hair, I just need to use this conditioner up before I get that one).

3. Leave in Conditioner: Another great step for leaving your hair silky, shiny, and smooth. The Garnier line has great anti-humidity and anti-frizz prodcuts. I really love their leave in conditioner because it smells AMAZING and it leaves my hair very smooth.

4. After you've styled your hair (I recommend using as little heat as possible and if you do use heat, use a heat protectant spray!), use a finishing cream that will set your style and get rid of fly-aways. I've been using the John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Weapon cream for years and it is still my favorite! This is probably my favorite product for non frizzy hair. I definitely notice a difference in my hair on the days when I do use this vs. the days I don't.

5. Hairspray- I straighten my hair on most days so I always use a flexible hold hairspray to keep the humidity out while still letting my hair flow freely. My absolute favorite is the Garnier Fructis Anti-Humidity Hairpray, because it is formulated to fight humidity, it's flexible hold (they also have stronger holds if you prefer those), and it also smells so good!

That's about it! Pretty easy. And my main tip would be when in doubt, use the John Frieda finishing cream! It's so amazing. Leave your own tips for fighting frizzy hair in the summer below!

P.S. my followers seem to have disappeared, anybody else having this issue?

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Updating blogroll and tag!

Helloooo! I'm going to be updating my blogroll this weekend because it's kind of outdated. So if you would like me to look at your blog to possibly put on my blogroll, just leave any comment below. Also I would greatly appreciate if anyone would add Breakfast at Gracey's to their blogroll :) sharin' the love!

Also, Berniice from Things happen just LiveLaughLove & Learn tagged me in a tag post, so it's tag time!

The Questions:
1. What is your name and the name of your blog?
2. What is your blog url?
3. Write: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog
4. Favorite Quote
5. Favorite Song
6. Favorite bands/singers
7. Say anything you want!
8. Pass it along to a few other bloggers

The Answers:
1. My name is Gracey and my blog name is Breakfast at Gracey's
3. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog
4. "Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." -Christopher Robin. Gotta love Winnie the Pooh! :)
5. Favorite songs...ah they change so much. Pretty much all Lady Gaga songs and right now I'm loving Lights and Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding.
6. Favorite bands and singers also change a lot! Ummm obviously Lady Gaga and Ellie Goulding, Bassnectar, Chiddy Bang, Pretty Lights, the Glee Cast, Mimosa, LIGHTS, Sam Adams...and I'm just gonna stop because this could go on forever :P
7. You're beautiful! :)
8. I tag anyone who wants to do this tag!

And because I'm OCD about having at least 1 picture in every post:

I love Reese Witherspoon! Anyone seen Water for Elephants?

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Wedding daydream

I don't know why I started thinking about weddings during work today. It was really random. But you know how people, little girls in particular, dream about their perfect wedding dress and everything? Well, I've always dreamed about my perfect ring. The Tiffany round brilliant ribbon ring!

I've been obsessed with this for so long, like ever since I saw it. You know how when you're wedding dress shopping, (well I wouldn't know because I've never been wedding dress shopping. But I watch Say Yes to the Dress!), and there's that one dress that you see and you love, and nothing else seems to compare to it? I feel like that with this ring! No idea why though!

Ever since I saw Allison from La Dolce Vita's post on the Tiffany themed wedding, I've been dreaming about something similar, only not so big. The blue is such a nice color for wedding things in the first place. You can see all pictures via Martha Stewart.

via Marth Stewart

So I think I'm going to start a wedding themed series. Not exactly sure what I'm going to include, since none of my friends really get married since we are still in high school. But I'll figure it out :)

What do you think? Do you dream about your wedding? If you're married, did you get you're dream wedding? Do you know what dress, ring, cake, venue, etc. you want? Let me know :)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Summer 2011 Wishlist

Summer 2011 Wishlist
(click on the picture for information on the items)

1. Tommy Hilfiger Tote- I love nautical colors and themes for summer, and this tote would be perfect for going to the beach or any type of summer event. Here's what I don't understand though--it sells for $78, and it was on sale for $20 at TjMaxx and I DIDN'T buy it. What is wrong with me?!

2. Floppy sun hats- I've never been much of a hat person, but my scalp always seems to get sunburned no matter what I do. I try to put sun screen up there, put my hair in a pony tail, but I still get burned. These floppy summer hats are great for accessorizing AND protecting the old scalp from being burned. They have sort of a Holly Golightly feel to them, in my opinion. Just tie a white ribbon around it and you're in business :P Although Miss Golightly's was not quite so floppy, but still.

3. Peaches!- A few weeks ago I was obsessing over cinnamon, this week I'm onto peaches. I would absolutely die if I could soak in Philosophy's "fresh peaches with cream" bubble bath/shampoo/shower gel. And it's a good thing that my work always has something to satisfy my cravings. When I was on my cinnamon kick, they had the cinnamon crumb cake ice cream. Now that its peaches, I can munch out on the Georgia peach ice cream! Heck yesss!

4. NARS The Multiple in Orgasm- It's been on my wishlist for so long, I don't know why I keep forgetting to buy it! Such a wearable color. Need I say more?

5. Chunky summer wedges- I'm thinking that I can possibly pull off a maxi dress IF I get some super cute wedges to give me some height and just add a bit extra to it. I love these wedges because they have the pretty turquoise detail on them!

6. Big statement necklaces- I have one statement necklace, and it definitely makes a statement. The only problem is that it isn't too wearable for everyday, it's very flashy and diamond-looking. I want one that I can throw on with a t-shirt or a cute simple dress to add some WOW to it. I'm definitely loving coral jewelry lately so this one from Simply Soles is perfect!

7. Breezy dresses in summery prints- This dress is perfect for a few reasons: 1. It's a one shoulder dress. Totally loving those right now! 2. It's in one of my favorite shades of blue. 3. It has a super cute summer print. It looks kind of like palm fronds. I want it sooo badly!

What do you think? Are you lusting after any of these items? What's on your summer wishlist right now?

New Camera & Mini F21 Jewelry Haul

I asked my boyfriend if I could borrow his camera for graduation pictures since mine is awful, and he said yes. I told him later that night after I'd played around with it that I loved it and I wasn't giving it back, jokingly of course. But he said I could keep it because he never uses it. So yay! Thank you boyfriend! <3

Anyway, I seem to get the best lighting in my bathroom during the day, but I'll be moving soon so I'll have to re-adjust to my new place.

Ok, now to the haul. I've spent the last, I don't know how many paychecks on beauty and makeup things. I noticed that I really needed to go shopping because my clothes and accessories were looking kind of drab. Here are a few of the accessories I got at Forever 21, the clothes haul will most likely be coming soon too.

The 3 amigos. Told you it wasn't much. Just 2 necklaces and a bracelet :)

I love this color for summer! I Don't really wear orange clothes but in accessories I love the color! They also had an aqua blue one that I wanted to get and I might go back and get. I rarely buy bracelets because my wrists are TINY and they never fit me, but this one seems to fit pretty well :)
UPDATE: I went back today to get the blue one, and it didn't look very aqua the second time around, just basic blue. But I still got it :)
^tiny wrist :P
I couldn't get a full shot of this necklace because it is super long. The website says 56" approximately. But it is so cute and I love wearing it with the orange bracelet.

And last but not least, this little baby. It is just so cute and pretty! Nothing too flashy but it would add a little something to an outfit, even if it's just a t-shirt.

Hope you enjoyed it! This was kind of a test run for my camera (Nikon Coolpix in case you were wondering). It's not the best camera in the world but it's definitely better than my old one.

And finally, I can say: All pictures taken by me. haha :)

Monday, May 23, 2011

Lucy Loves Feathers

Don't want to permanently (well, semi-permanently I guess?) have feathers in your hair?

I love Lucy Hale's take on the "feathers in hair" look!

She wore a big feather earring in one of the episodes of Pretty Little Liars. Only 1 though! I'm pretty sure this one is by Owlita. A bit more expensive than feather extensions, but you can take them in and out whenever you want!

She is on the cover of the current Seventeen issue sporting the same look, except more colorful! The one she is wearing here is from Edge of Urge. I like these because they are a bit smaller, cheaper, and have some cool colorful options!

This is a great option if you like to change your look a lot and don't want to commit to having feathers in your hair for long periods of time, or if you don't want to wear them to work or something where they would not be appropriate. I'm definitely going to get some of these!

What do you think? Do you like the look of feather extensions? Would you get extensions or buy the earrings? Let me know your thoughts :)

Beginning of Summer Playlist

My favorite songs for the beginning of summer :) I don't own any of the songs or the rights to any of them.

By the way, Lady Gaga's new album came out today. Have you listened to it? Thoughts? What are your favorite summer songs right now?

Sunday, May 22, 2011

images from

Haha, funny stuff. Should be packing, but, I'm not. Oh yeah I'm moving by the way!

Saturday, May 21, 2011

If You Could Spend a Holiday Anywhere in the World, Where Would You Go?

I'd go to Ibiza, Spain.

It has basically everything I need for a vacation, beautiful beaches, awesome sunset views, and insane clubs and parties to go to.

Ok the shopping could be a bit better, but just a boat ride away from the mainland of Spain and you'll be good to go. And it's a bit Jersey Shore-esque, I know, but I think it would be so fun to go for a summer.

Where would you go?

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Free as a Bird: Feather Inspiration

I don't know why, but lately I've been loving feathers. I got feather hair extensions about 2 months ago and I loved them, but they fell out so I have to get them put back in at my next hair appointment. So, here's some feathery inspiration :)

Of course I wouldn't wear this all at once, that would be a bit of feather overkill! But individually, I would DIE to have these pieces!

I think part of my love for feathers comes from my jealousy of birds. They are so free, they have no boundaries. I decided a few months ago that when I turn 18 (5 more months), that I want to get a tattoo. I couldn't decide of what or where, but I've decided on a feather on my neck behind my ear :) Something similar to this, even though I hate that it's on a foot. Bleh.

Lastly, I found this really cute top at Forever21 yesterday that I am obsessed with. It's a little big on me, but I love wearing it as an off the shoulder slouchy tee kind of thing. And it will be perfect for summer to wear to the beach over my bathing suit with jean shorts!

Hope you all enjoyed this inspiration post! Do feathers and birds inspire you? What else in nature do you find inspiration from! Let me know what you think :)

Stylish Blogger Award

So I've been meaning to do this post for a while now but I just keep forgetting. Fail on my part! But metroswimgal from Beauty, Brains, What Else? awarded me the Stylish Blogger Award, so thank you very much girl! Your blog is awesome!

The rules are:
1. Thank the person who gave it to you and link back to them
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award it to recently discovered bloggers
4. Contact the bloggers and tell them about the award

Ok, well my 7 facts are:

1. I HATE feet. I don't know why, I just do.
2. I could eat sushi forever and ever
3. My favorite colors are pink and aqua blue, or more like a Tiffany blue color.
4. I spend most of my paycheck every two weeks on clothes and beauty things, which doesn't help my credit card debt
5. I like to read, but it has to be a choice read. I hate reading for school, unless I can pick the book.
6. Dr. Pepper is my favorite soda
7. I love blogging :)

Oh gosh, the hard part. Hmm...crap. Ok well, I award it to:

...but I'm mentally giving it to all of you because I LOVE reading everyone's blogs.

More posts coming this weekend, because I'm done with school TOMORROW...after 2 finals :/ bleh.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

How to be work-ready after the beach!

I have been absolutely dying to go to the beach, so my boyfriend, his friend, and I decided to get up early one day and go. I had to be at work at 2, meaning I had to be downtown at at least 1:30 to make sure I could find parking. We got to the beach around 9:30 or 10 and stayed until about 12. I was worried that I would look like a mess for work, since I didn't have time to go home and shower. But, doing these things really helped me look more polished and work-ready. My boss came up to me and said "Wow you look pretty! Did you come from Church?" ummm nope. My best friend who I also work with said "Wait you came straight from the beach? You don't look like you did!"
So, I guess these little things I did really worked! Here are my tips :)

1. Find some way to rinse off
For me, this was using the hose at my boyfriend's friend's house (his name is James). Just to make sure I get all of the sand off me, and especially out of my hair. I had my hair in 2 braids at the beach so it wasn't that messy.

2. Face Wipes
My favorite are the Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes. After the beach, my face is usually pretty...un-pretty. Especially after applying sunscreen multiple times to make sure I don't burn (my face ALWAYS burns. I use spf 100+ on it). Throw some face wipes in you're bag and use these to get a clean, glowy face. Not to mention, all that sunscreen, sand, and saltwater can be harsh on your skin and clog your pores. It's best to get all that gunk out ASAP!

3. A Tinted Moisturizer
I use MAC's Studio Moisture Tint, it evens out my skin tone pretty nicely and gives me a little bit of color, because my face just does not want to tan. So it looks pretty odd when my face is white and the rest of my body is tan. This is easy because you can apply it with your fingers and it isn't too heavy. Sometimes I set it with a powder since my face tends to get a little greasier when I work, because of the humidity. But this step is optional.

4. Eyeliner
Nothing too heavy, just a thin line of brown or black eyeliner. I used the Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Sparkle Liner pencil in Cosmic Cocoa. I love the Beauty Rush line because there is always the 4 for $20 deal going on.

5. Mascara
If nothing else, at least apply a coat of mascara to your lovely lashes. Mascara makes a HUGE difference in your makeup look, it makes your eyes look bigger, brighter, and more awake. You've probably already heard that a million times though. I have so many mascaras, so I don't use the same one every day. They are all drugstore (except for MAC Haute and Naughty mascara. I love it!), and I think on this day I used Maybelline's One by One mascara, it's a great lengthening mascara. The only thing I don't like about it is that it has a strange smell. I don't know if I just got a bad one, because I haven't heard anybody else say anything about it.

Optional steps:
1. Before I applied my tinted moisturizer, I applied a light daily moisturizer under it so that my skin wouldn't dry out from the salt water and sun.

2. I used MAC's Paint Pot in Painterly to even out my eyelids and make them look less veiny

3. Hair is kind of a tricky thing to do. At work, we have to wear hats and have our hair up so I just took mine out of the braids and put it in a pony tail. There are other cute updo's that you could do that look more polished than a ponytail, like a bun or something. Here is a good tutorial from Missglamorazzi and one from Macbarbie07.

4. I don't think this needs mentioning, but a change of clothes is also necessary. So I guess this shouldn't really be under "optional steps"...oh well :P

Well that's pretty much it! Hope this helps :) Leave your own beach beauty tips below and let me know what you think!

Oh, P.S. I've been OBSESSED with TjMaxx lately! Usually when I go there it's hard to find anything I like, but lately I've found sooo much stuff! I don't know if I'm just looking harder now, or TjMaxx is stepping up there game or what. But I'm not complaining!

Oh and P.S.S we're getting closer to the 100 follower giveaway! I have some great prizes in mind :)

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Hey guys! I know I've been slacking again but school has been crazy, it's almost exam time and teachers are cramming as many projects/tests/papers they can. But once summer starts I promise I'll have more time to blog!

I don't know why, but lately I've been OBSESSED with cinnamon! I've always liked it, but for some reason I've just been absolutely craving it. Hot Tamales, cinnamon rolls, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, the cinnamon crumb cake ice cream at work...oh my gosh I'm addicted.

Those are actually SOAPS! They look too good to be soap!

And we are 30 followers from my 100 follower giveaway! I'm soo excited to do my first giveaway :)

Hope you all have had a great week and weekend!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Embracing Your Imperfections

Every day at school, I constantly hear girls criticizing other girls for things that they don't like about them. They don't like someone's hair, makeup, shoes, weight, smile, etc. I'm working on embracing my own imperfections, and other people's too.

I'm really insecure about 2 big things--my weight and my teeth. I'm not overweight AT ALL. I'm pretty much the exact opposite. I can eat and eat and no matter what I still haven't hit 100 lbs. People always mistake me for a 12 year old, and I used to think clothes looked weird on me because I couldn't fill them out like everyone else. Now I realize that I need to enjoy it while I can, because my mom was the same way, she didn't start gaining weight until after she had my sister and I. I'm not going to be able to eat like I do forever, so I'm going to start enjoying it instead of hating it.

Second, my teeth. I've always had bad teeth, and I went through the whole braces thing. They were supposed to take my braces off for about a month or two, see how much my teeth moved and then put them back on. They didn't give me a retainer, so my front teeth stick out really far and are really spaced out. My dad has been in a bad financial situation so I haven't been able to get braces back on. I'm still not 100% comfortable with my teeth yet, but my boyfriend has really helped me a lot with it. He thinks they're "cute", even though he kind of has to say that since he's my boyfriend. But I think they make me unique, and I'm kind of coming to terms with them.

I love it when celebrities don't try to fix every little imperfection they have. Take Abbey Lee Kershaw for example. I did a blog post on her in June last year, and she inspires me because her teeth aren't perfect, but she rocks them and looks great!

So, what are some of your imperfections that you've started to love? How'd you do it? Share!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

What I'm Loving: April

It's the end of April, which means time to share my faaavorites!

1. Books
This month I've started reading the House of Night series. I just finished the first book, and I must say, it's got me hooked! I think I'm going to go pick up the second book today or tomorrow. My other favorite book right now has bee Shoo, Jimmy Choo! as I mentioned in a blog post. Sooo useful!

2. Garnier anti-dark circle eye roller
There's been a lot of hype going on around this product, so I'm sure you've heard good and bad reviews on it. I really loved this thing. When I use it in the morning, it feels so nice under my eyes, and it has a tint to it so it covers my dark circles wonderfully. They also make the anti-puff eye roller or something but I have more problems with eye circles than puffiness.

3. Berry Vanilla scent from Bath and Body Works
I was drawn to this originally because I loved the color of the bottle, but when I smelled it, ohh my gosh. It is my favorite scent for summer right now. If you like sweet and fruity scents, try this one out!

4. NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder
(via walmart)
I needed a new bronzer, and this one was only like $3 so I decided to pick it up. At first I was disappointed because when I swatched it, it barely showed up on my skin and I thought it was a dud. But when I used a brush, it bronzed my face beautifully. It's a matte bronzer and doesn't make me orange, so I don't look like an orange disco ball. Definitely check this out if you want a cheap, effective bronzer.

If you shop online for, well, anything, you need to check this site out. When you want to buy something online, search for the website on Zestii, and if they have it, click the website link through the website and you will get a certain percent of how much you spend back on your Zestii account. You can redeem it for cash or choose from their list of gift cards. And I think right now if you sign up you automatically get $5.00 added to your account!

6. Yes to Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes
This is one of those products where when I run out, I don't really know what to do with myself until I get more. I had to wait until I got paid to buy some more, and I noticed that even though I was washing my face at night with my regular cleanser instead of these, my face just didn't look as good. It wasn't until this week that I realized how much these towelettes make the redness in my face go down. I think I'm going to switch cleansers to the Yes to Cucumbers cleanser to see if it will make my redness go down even more. Bottom line, these things are AMAZING and great if you have sensitive skin and/or redness.

7. Chocolate covered Peeps
Peeps are cute and delicious, chocolate is delicious, so chocolate covered Peeps=amazing! Too bad Easter is over :/

Well that's about it for this month. Be sure to link me to your favorites post or let me know your favorites :)


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Learning journeys

I’ve recently been reading some papers in Educational Sociology that make use of biographical narratives in order to understand the experience of “non-traditional” students in Higher Education. “Non-traditional” students are those who, by class, ethnicity and/or gender, are under-represented in university courses. They are usually the first person in their family to enter Higher Education. One of the articles seeks to explain why a disproportionate number of such students drop out: this is a European phenomenon. (1) Continue reading


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Leaked DHS Document: 167,000 Convicted Criminal Aliens At Large In US

Leaked DHS Document: 167,000 Convicted Criminal Aliens At Large In US

Deportations from the interior of the United States declined 34 percent this year from last, according to a new report from the Center for Immigration Studies, derived largely from an internal Department of Homeland Security document

The CIS report released Wednesday and authored by the group’s director of policy studies, Jessica Vaughan, details the decline in immigration enforcement and reveals that there remain nearly 167,000 convicted criminal immigrants with final orders of removal still in the United States and “currently at large.”

“Prosecutorial discretion as practiced by the Obama administration has transformed immigration enforcement into a massive catch-and-release program that makes a joke of the law, fails to deter illegal settlement, and allows even illegal aliens who commit crimes to remain here,” Vaughan said Wednesday.

“These policies inflict real harm on Americans and legal immigrants,” she continued, “in the form of lost jobs, depressed wages, additional social services, and even lost lives. In addition, with the rise of ISIS and other terrorist groups around the world, our lax policies represent an unnecessary national security risk.”

Vaughn’s data originates from a Sept. 22 “Weekly Departures and Detention Report (WRD)”. The WRD, according to Vaugh’s footnote, is authored by the Statistical Tracking Unit of the Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Based on her report, the nearly 167,000 convicted criminal aliens “at large” are likely just the tip of the iceberg, as since Sept. 20 ICE officers reported 170,125 “encounters with aliens deemed a criminal threat.” Vaughn explained in her report that “just 90,500 criminal aliens were issued charging documents, indicating a startlingly large number — potentially nearly 80,000 — of illegal aliens with criminal histories who were able to escape deportation proceedings in 2014.”

Further the number of immigrants who have been given final orders of removal but have remained in the United States grew by about 25,000 cases this year from last.

“As of the end of the 2013 fiscal year, the total number of post-final-order aliens remaining in the country was 872,504,” Vaughn wrote in her report, noting that the number of post-final-order aliens as of Sept. 20, 2014 is now 897,572.

“The number of “non-departed” convicted criminal aliens grew by nearly 7,000,” she wrote. “Even more concerning, the number of at-large post-final-order convicted criminals grew by nearly 8,000 cases, while the number of detained aliens in that category shrank by nearly 1,000 cases. This means that more of the criminal aliens that ICE has been unable to remove are at large than ever before.”

Other striking statistics Vaughn revealed include:

-Total deportations credited to ICE, the majority of which were illegal aliens arrested by the Border Patrol and CBP officers at the ports of entry, declined 15 percent from 2013 to 2014.

-Deportations from the interior dropped 34 percent from last year, and are 58 percent lower than the peak in 2009.

-The number of criminal aliens deported from the interior also declined 23 percent since last year, and declined by 39 percent since the peak in 2011.

-Catch and release policies continue. In 2014, deportation processing was initiated for approximately 143,000 aliens out of the 585,000 aliens encountered by ICE agents. Tens of thousands of those let go had been labeled a criminal threat.

-The number of aliens who have received a final order of removal, but who are still in the United States, has risen to nearly 900,000. Nearly 167,000 of these are convicted criminals who were released by ICE and are currently at large.

Vaughn concluded that interior immigration enforcement “it is in a state of collapse” and called on Congress to restrain the Obama administration from moving forward with any more executive actions.

“Congress can affect this situation by restraining further executive action that would shield even more illegal residents from enforcement, and by insisting that the executive branch agencies spend the public funds they receive to carry out their enforcement mission in a way that is consistent with congressional and public expectations,” she wrote.

Comment count on this article reflects comments made on and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.


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George P. Bush Wins First University of Texas Latino Leadership Award

As the University of Texas debuted its new Latino Leadership Award, it was announced that the first winner would be newly-elected Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.

In conjunction with its Latino Research Initiative, UofT awarded Bush the honor early this week.

“In our diverse Latino Texas, there are very few individuals who have the résumé and record of excellence as Commissioner Bush,” said Nicole Guidotti-Hernández, chair of the Department of Mexican American and Latina/o Studies. “His life-long commitment to service as a teacher, veteran, UT alumnus and land commissioner makes him an exemplar of why transformative leadership is valued and necessary.”

George P. Bush, the oldest son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and a U.S. Navy Reserve Officer, is serving his first term as the Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. It is his first elective office. In fact, Bush won his position in a landslide election making him the first Bush to win office on his first try.

“I am honored and humbled to be the first recipient of the University of Texas Latino Leadership Award,” Bush said in the university’s press release. “As Texas Land Commissioner and a graduate of the University of Texas, I am proud CMAS is facilitating historical understanding and creating a legacy of cultural respect that should make all Longhorn students proud.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at

Comment count on this article reflects comments made on and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.


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Try-It Thursday

January 8, 2015

Q mark

Bridge Road Brewers, Beechworth

Chevalier Saison

Saison, 6%

As the weather warms up and the lawns need ‘harvesting’ on a more regular basis, a young man’s thoughts turn to his forefathers and his forefather’s forefathers who worked the fields, toiled for hours under burning suns and…..drank saisons during their breaks. OH & S may have put paid to the general habit of drinking on the job but we surely owe a great debt of gratitude to those farmhands (and their thoughtful bosses) who provided a refreshingly tart and thirst-quenchingly spritzy beer that takes its name from the French word for ‘season’.

And to the beer;

Bridge Road Brewers website says;

“This beer is quite unique, light straw in colour, with a tight bright white head. Aromas are dominated by esters and phenolic characters, owing to the Saison yeast strain, which also gives the beer its characteristic tart, dry and acidic profile. This citrus character combined with grassy hop flavours make this a great food beer, try it with anything from seafood to blue cheese.”

James Smith, The Crafty Pint;BRB SAISON

“A superb recreation of the classic Belgian farmhouse style, this captures all of the delicate spices and fruit essences you would want in a Saison and was deservedly shortlisted for Best Victorian Beer at the 2010 Australian International Beer Awards. Its part citrusy, part spicy aroma comes from the particular yeast strain used as well as the addition of different fruits, including – on occasion – locally farmed quince. Fantastically refreshing and with a tart, dry finish, it’s great with a wide range of foods ‘ even breakfast!”

Kirrily Waldhorn at Beer Style;

“Convention is boring…. normal is uninspiring. The Bridge Road Brewer’s Chevalier Saison takes you down the path less trodden, where those with curious minds delve and are rewarded for their inquisitiveness. A farmhouse seasonal ale, the style originating in the fields of Belgium and brewed to perfection in Beechworth, this is an impeccable saison rich in funky, tarty fruitiness and barnyard rusticity, which comfortably sits outside the square and shifts the paradigm.”

Peter Lalor in The Australian notes the beers’ ‘working class roots’;

“No doubt it was hard work in the Belgian mud, but the workers of the day must have had good union representation — a typical employee was entitled to five litres of beer a day. It wasn’t unusual to find beer as part of a worker’s arrangement in the good old days and around Dickens’s time your average clerk had an allowance. Beer was a source of nutrition and a safe form of rehydration when water wasn’t the cleanest.”

One need not look far into The Critics’ Choice top 100 to find the Chevalier Saison. A perennial top 10 place-getter it seems to be one of the few regularly released Australian beers that never fall from favour.

In 2011 (#9) Matt Kirkegaard gave us all good reason to reward a ‘hard-earned thirst’;

“Bordering on tart but undeniably refreshing. Perfect for when you’ve finished the harvest, this is the thinking man’s lawnmower beer.”

It climbed to #5 the following year and Matt followed up with this;

“A beer I invariably serve to wine drinkers who “don’t like beer”. Complex and full of spicy characters and interest this beer still manages to remain drinkable.”

In 2013 it took the number 6 spot and again Matt got to think of something new to say;

“If there was a beer that really deserves a wider audience in Australia, this is it. Critically acclaimed but hard to find, restaurants and foodies should jump on it.”

Last year Matt allowed other children to play and Jackson Davey said;

“While the mouthfeel evaporates and elegantly retreats, the flavour of the Chevalier pushes forward with tart citrus, honey spice and that saison sour funk.”

Bridge Road Brewers

The Critics’ Choice

The Crafty Pint

Beer Style

The Australian

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These Real Couples Got Engaged This Week!

Every week, we’ll be highlighting our favorite snapshots of real couples — be it their engagement stories, wedding snaps and everything in between! This week, we’re all about the beautiful proposals we’ve seen all over social media. These engagement stories are totally adding a little sparkle to the end of our week!

If you’d like to submit your proposal, wedding, or honeymoon photos, be sure to tag @bridalpulse or #bridalpulse on Instagram!

This couple got all dressed up

This couple was all smiles

This couple went for the shock value

This couple is getting hitched

Gettin' hitched #shesaidyes💍

A post shared by Zack (@zharmon12) on

This couple was all about surprises

This couple combined a birthday and a proposal

This couple hit up the beach

I SAID YES 😭😍💍👰🏼❤ #Engaged

A post shared by KELLY STRACK💋 (@kelly_janexx) on

This couple smiled the whole time

And this couple couldn’t shy away from a romantic backdrop

Check out our ring gallery!

Follow BridalPulse on Pinterest and Instagram for more wedding inspiration!


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32 Central Sq. Bridgewater, MA 02324
Bridgewater MA Florist - Home > Flowers in a Gift
Send hand-arranged and hand-delivered fresher flowers by your local expert florist.

Flowers in a Gift - by Bridgewater Florist

Bridgewater Florist has many "flowers in a gift" that come in a beautiful and unique vase that can be used over and over again! The recipient will think of you every time they use the special vase you sent them! Bridgewater Florist in Bridgewater, MA has Flowers in a Gift suitable for every occasion from birthdays to new babies to anniversaries! You can even send a modern bouquet, romantic roses or plants! Bridgewater Florist can deliver your Flowers in a Gift locally to Bridgewater, MA or nationwide!


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WALKERS are being promised stunning moonlit views of the Severn Estuary and Bridgwater Bay tomorrow (Saturday) - and a chance to raise money for two causes.

The Rotary of Club of Taunton's Moonraker event starts and finishes at Kilve Cricket Club and will raise money for Stand Against Violence and Street Pastors.

For details and an entry form, visit moonraker.org.uk or e-mail moonrakerchallenge@gmail.com.


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MARCUS Trescothick was a happy man after his side beat Sussex to notch up their second Championship win at Taunton in as many games, taking Somerset to the top of the Division One table.

He said: “I’m delighted with that result and it was a pretty good performance from us throughout. I thought we did pretty well in most parts of the game bar our batting in the top order. Our bowling was outstanding in both innings.”

Talking about Alfonso Thomas’s achievement (see above) he said: “I have never seen four in four so it was quite amazing to be out there. I saw Andy Caddick get four in five in my second Test match but not four in four.

“I have seen a few hat-tricks along the way and they are rare and don’t come around very often. The game was so tight at the time and they were trying to get back in the game but he ripped the heart out of them and turned the game on its head.”

After opting to bat Sussex were dismissed for 214. In reply the hosts slumped to 39-5 before being rescued by the three Craigs – Kieswetter who made 65, Meschede with 38 and Overton who hit an outstanding career- best 84. Thomas chipped in with 38 as Somerset reached 289.

Sussex were then bowled out for 178, Thomas ending with 5-40. That was his third 5-for in the Championship.

Chasing 103, Somerset reached 107-4 in 20.1 overs to claim 21 points.

Last week Somerset had to settle for a draw from their game at Old Trafford after the rain washed out the last day.

Somerset play three Nat West Blast T20 matches in the space of the next six days, starting with Hampshire at Taunton on Friday at 5.30pm.

That is followed by Sussex at Arundel on Sunday at 2.30pm and Middlesex at the Oval on Wednesday, June 18 at 5.30pm.

Trescothick said: “The T20 is a competition we need to improve upon because we haven’t been at our best in it so far. We need to re-address what we are doing and hopefully turn it around.”


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