EAST COFFEE

COFFEE DATE 

My bestie from Oregon was home for four days for Thanksgiving, which called for many much needed visits together, including this cute coffee house date! There truly is nothing like having your friend right across the table from you, chatting about life, instead on a laptop screen via video chat. Since both my best friends are in college out of state, it's given me a much deeper appreciation for the art of conversation face-to-face, especially over coffee. 

I am so glad Emily doesn't mind taking a few snaps of me because this place was darling inside. Couldn't get enough of the wooden bookshelves, and bar top sitting. Unfortunately it was a gloomy day, so their big open windows didn't make much difference in my photographs (unless you were by the windows for natural light) but I still think you get the picture of this place as a whole, no matter the lighting situation.

East Coffee just opened up in my town, and it's one that I'll definitely being going back to. The service was beyond friendly, and helpful (always a plus in CA). I ordered a black iced tea with peach flavoring and a chocolate chunk muffin which was so delicious. Emily had the white chocolate peppermint latte and said it was super tasty. Other than the huge windows, and beautiful wood pieces, each table had a two conversation cards. Emily and I actually asked each other the questions and it was so fun! Overall, loved this coffee shop and I think this might be my new study spot!

WHAT I WORE... 

SHIRT - TARGET  (SIMILAR) | LEATHER JACKET - JENNIFER LOPEZ | LONG NECKLACE - MIRANDA FRYE | BAR NECKLACE - ETSY (SIMILAR) | 

2016 GRATITUDE LIST

his year I have so much to be thankful for. During the month of November I always like to challenge myself to create an on-going list, naming everything I am grateful for, big or small. This year I wrote it all on my chalkboard sign I found in the dollar section at Target, and went crazy with my "calligraphy" writing. I know Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, but I encourage you to also make a list, and keep it not just for the season, but to reflect on all year round. It's been a great reminder for myself personally, to hold onto for the new year coming ahead. Beginning 2017 I want to remember all that I accomplished, faced, and was blessed with, and I think through a gratitude list is the perfect way to do just that. Happy Thanksgiving!

MY THANKFUL LIST

1. Healthy body that allows me to exercise.
2. Old friendships that are still growing to this day.
3. Christian professors at my secular community college.
4. My mom who has helped me get to where I need to go in life especially this year.
5. Family traditions.
6. A vehicle that I love driving, and that has kept me safe.
7. Exploring new coffee shops.
8. California sunshine that lifts my spirits.
9. Being able to meet my Aunt and Cousin for the first time this year.
10. Learning how to Bible Journal these past few months.
11. My faith.
12. Holiday drinks, all things peppermint even in November haha.
13. Cold nights in my warm bed, watching Netflix.
14. Fairy lights in my bedroom.
15. Thanksgiving food. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows here I come.
16. My blog. The creativity I've been able to produce is astounding.
17. My pup, Lily. She always makes me smile.
18. Coffee table books.
19. Lunch dates with my sister.
20. My black leggings.
21. Netflix when I'm bored. (it's the little things).
22. Beautiful blogs to read here in the community.
23. My dad and his character.
24. Nature walks.
25. Gilmore Girls!

10 THINGS BEING FROM CALIFORNIA HAS TAUGHT ME

Whenever I get asked "Where are you from?" I always smile, and proudly say Southern California! It's where I've been born and raised, and it's where my entire family resides. I truly love California. Traveling is my favorite thing in the whole world, and I always have an itch for visiting a new destination. Learning about different cultures, trying new food, and visiting those tourist spots, are all the reasons why I always count down the days til my next trip! Yet, what's funny is that once I arrive home from my travels, I am so thankful for Cali. Yes, Hawaii was amazing and I miss Napali Bay Beach, but California will forever be my home. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

10 THINGS I'VE LEARNED: 

1.  In N Out is life. It's the most famous burger joint, and if you've ever had a protein style double double hamburger, with their animal french fries than you'll know what I'm talking about! When my friends come home from out of state, it's the first place we go!

2. The Ocean. Our beaches are simply incredible all the way up the coast. From the one's I've visited my top five favorite are; Point Mugu (PCH Highway), Cambria, Sunset Cliffs, Laguna Beach, & Coronado Beach.

3. You can wear white all year round. Yes, our weather here in So-Cal makes all you other 49 states jealous! Haha. No matter the season, I can run my errands in flip flops, or take a run on the beach. Deep red leaves will never appear, nor will a white Christmas, and I kinda wish we experienced those beautiful seasons. But, I'll take the sunshine and my flip flops any day over shoveling snow off my driveway, or an umbrella while I'm out.

4. Love for Disneyland. Your never too old for Disney! I've been so many times, and love it to death. So thankful my childhood involved Mickey ears, It's A Small World, and the disney parade.

5. To always use "the" before the word freeway. Yep, it's very Californian to say the 91 freeway or the 15 freeway. Our friends from Texas always laugh at us whenever they come to visit.

6. Always leave 40 minutes before arriving to your destination. Traffic is the way of life here in Cali. It's something I've always grown up having to deal, with, and therefore it's just apart of my everyday routine. So always expect traffic if your visiting this beautiful state.

7. For the love of palm trees. As I'm sure you've seen, the iconic palm trees spread out all over Palm Springs, it's just glorious! What would Cali be without them? (not as cool).

8. All types of food. Here, we have the best of all food - Mexican, Chinese, Italian, and American (give me the burgers).

9. Mountains. I love that within one hour I can visit Oceanside Beach or Big Bear! The mountains are absolutely beautiful here, and so are the lakes!

10. SeaWorld! Any type of animal park with dolphins is so awesome. SeaWorld is just such a great place to visit if your a tourist, or love water animals.

MY TOP AUTUMN CANDLES

andles are one of my favorite ways to make my room feel cozy and to get in the spirit of a new season! My favorite holiday may be Christmas, but autumn will always be my favorite season of the year - hence my top fall candles! No joke, I literally have five candles in my bedroom (mostly decor) so I really need to start burning them, or other wise they will last forever. Plus I can't buy more if I don't have room for new ones, lol! Okay, here are my three faves for this year. 

                                                  ANGEL FOOD CAKE 

This choice could be used more for the spring season, but nevertheless I'm loving it at the moment. It's from Anthrolopologie (do I need to say more) which indicates it's practically gold. It looks beautiful on the shelf, and every candle from that store smells like heaven. It's obviously a very sweet and rich scent, but those are my favorite kinds!

                                                           PUMPKIN 

Of course, a pumpkin candle would be included in the list because it's classic. I love this candle I picked up in a local shop here in my hometown, because it's pure pumpkin. It doesn't have any spice, or apple which is hard to find. Again, it's sweet and has a hint of vanilla when I burn it! Absolutely love this one.

                                                CINNAMON SUGAR

Okay, I'm kinda cheating here, because I believe I shared this one last year (oops), but that just tells you how much I love it! Plus, it has lasted two seasons now - score. I love this scent, because to me it instantly takes me to Thanksgiving with the perfect blend of spices. This candle is so huge, I wonder if I'll ever burn it all. You don't have to spend a fortune at Yankee Candle (like me) and instead can find this at your local HomeGoods, or T.J. Maxx which is very affordable!

Angel Food Cake: Anthropologie 
Pumpkin: Bath & Body Works (similar) 
Cinnamon Sugar: Yankee Candle (similar) 

DIY PUMPKIN LATTE SUGAR SCRUB

ugar scrubs are my favorite, especially in the autumn and winter seasons because of my dry skin. This round I wanted to create a scrub that was fall inspired with the classic scents of the season! Best part, it's so easy and you probably have most (if not all) of the ingredients right in your pantry. I'm calling this sugar scrub a "pumpkin latte" because it includes coffee, and a mix of spices. Everyday I seem to be more sensitive to coffee, and can no longer drink anything at Starbucks, or any types of latte's for that matter. I miss it so much. I love the atmosphere of a coffee house, and it makes me so sad that I can't order anything coffee, I barely go to any nowadays. So even though this recipe calls for coffee, I didn't add any in mine, just too afraid that the scent may cause a horrible headache, like the latte's do to me. Like the coffee, add or take away any of the ingredients below, because the sugar scrub will still turn out great no matter what you choose. 

Pumpkin Latte Ingredients: 

1 1/4 cup of brown sugar 

1 1/2 cup of coconut oil 

5 drops of honey

1 tbs vanilla extract 

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp all ground spice 

1 tsp nutmeg 

1 tsp ground clovers 

1 tbs ground coffee 

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

The Heart Of It | Daydreamer

re you a thinker, dreamer, or doer? From time to time, I ask myself this question to keep myself on the right track. Am I going anywhere? Am I doing what I love? Am I living out my passions and dreams? I consider myself all three; I begin as a dreamer, turn into a thinker, and follow through as a doer. I've always been a lover of goals, new year's resolutions, and life dreams. I'm the type of girl who has always known what she wants, and has gotten it, even as four years old. Ambition has always fueled my emotions and desires. So, it's easy to conclude I love daydreaming, to produce future goals to conquer. Yet, life isn't suppose to be spent daydreaming, so where's the balance?

One of the biggest questions I ask is; is my dreams realistic and achievable? Being realistic is so important. However, I find that this mentality only inhibits my growth for success of crossing off my bucket list goals. I hate being told "you can't do that" or "it's going to be really hard" or "good luck." Some dreams are big, but those are the best kinds. They create the most transformation, and accomplishment. Don't put yourself in a box, and tell yourself that you won't be able to tackle any type of dream! Prove them wrong, and push toward your goals.

MY DREAMS: 

1. Travel to Paris, France
2. Graduate a University with my BA degree
3. Say "I Do"
4. Swim under a waterfall
5. Ride in a limo

Throughout high school and up to this point of my life, I've been able to experience amazing opportunities. I've traveled to Virginia, Maui, Oahu, and Portland. Graduated high school with straight A's, bought my first car, and experienced the (many) minimum wage jobs. All of which I'm very proud of accomplishing, and so grateful to have experienced thanks to many people in my life. I will be reaching my 20's here pretty soon (March 2017), and there are many ways I have, and need to do more than just dream about something. At 19, how can I travel to Paris, France? When will have the chance to ride in a limo? Well, I'm not sure, but that doesn't mean I can toss away my dreams just because I don't know when something amazing can happen! These dreams may take years to become true, but gives me no reason to say goodbye to them. I love the saying, "You are what you do, not what you say."

Having dreams keep me alive, and full of inspiration. One way I try to seek after my dreams is to take any opportunity that comes my way. It can be traveling to visit a friend, attend college, work at camps during the summer, or simply learn a new hobby. Second, make small steps to your goal such as save money for your travels, or begin the application. Lastly, be patient. I know my dreams won't happen over night, and there are some that won't ever happen. But don't give up hope! I So own your dreams, and fight for them!

I'M JENNA & I'M NOW A BRUNETTE

an you tell? I became a brunette!! I've been thinking about going dark for over a year now, and I finally gained enough confidence to do it. If you know me personally, you'll know that this decision was huge for me. I don't do well with change, and when it involves my hair no way. My hair has ALWAYS meant the world to me! No, joke. A bad hair day, or haircut would ruin my day like no other. Changing my hair color, or haircut hasn't happened many times throughout my high school days, I always stuck with what I knew worked best. In seventh grade I decided to add a few blonde highlights, and I've kept up with that style ever since! Two years ago, I cut my hair short, and added light brown highlights because I so badly wanted to be a brunette. Well, I was a scaredy cat and decided on a brown shade that was literally my natural root color, so I quickly reverted to being a blonde, and here I am back with going bold!

I've only been a brunette for a week now, and every time I look in the mirror I still can't get over the fact that I did it. I am so happy with the way it turned out! I kept a few blonde highlights, which I personally think I need more of. When I go back in a few months to get a touch-up I want to do more of a caramel rich color, instead of that light blonde, because it's just so dark. Nevertheless, I absolutely love the change, it's just what I needed. Although, I desperately miss my long curled hair, but it will grow (hurry up). I always wanted to have that dark hair for the fall/winter season, and I think I picked the perfect time!

HOW I PLAN FOR BLOG POSTS

logging is my everything, and this blog means the world to me. However, blogging isn't number one priority in my life because I'm a college student writing for pleasure, not for business or money. So as you've witnessed, I tend to fall off the blogging wagon from time to time. I've really been trying to figure out how I can stop this from happening, as well as being more organized with my blog. It's so important for me to keep my posts flowing, and keeping contact with fellow bloggers I love so much!

The world of bloggers do an excellent with sharing their tips + tricks of their trade, and that's why I love this community a lot. It's full of people coming together to help each other grow, and learn. Hence my post today, all dedicated to sharing my process of planning posts for ABH. So here is the behind-the-scenes of it all.

1. BRAIN STORMING: This one is a must, and obviously the first step to producing unique content. I keep a notebook in my purse/backpack at all times, because of my constant ideas, or life happenings. My biggest way to spark new ideas is Pinterest, (duh). However, I try really hard not to copy any ideas completely, but put my own spin on things...making it more special for ABH readers to understand the purpose of this blog. I also will browse on Instagram, and some of my favorite bloggers to see their archives.

2. SCHEDULE: Ideally I love to schedule two weeks worth of posts in advance, so that it gives me time to either a) take a break and unplug, a time of recharging my inspirational ideas or b) begin working on another two weeks posts to add to the calendar. Having a schedule helps me stay on track, preparing for photography shots, post writing, photo editing, social media marketing, etc. This way everything is laid out perfectly.

3. CONSIDER YOUR AUDIENCE: I stated above that I try to keep my readers in mind with brain storming. It's important to remember your purpose as a blogger, as well as your strengths. You may fall in love with a post idea, or photography layout for your photos, yet if it's not "you" don't bother recreating the idea. I'll be honest, I know that manicures will never be shown here on the blog because I'm not in love with my hands, or fingers. Yet I know that my travel guides, and coffee talk posts are my highlights of ABH. So really use this tip whenever you have a post idea!

4. LIFE HAPPENS: Adjust your post schedule when life get's in the way and changes things. When I'm traveling or my homework piles up, my time for blogging is limited, and then a lot of things never are completed for my blog. A lot of times, I was relying on visiting a certain place, or trying a new ice cream spot for photos, yet with change of plans that never fell through and then I was out of a post for the next few days. That's something I've really had to learn, and also that it's okay if things don't fall through like you plan. Admit when life happens, and when you do that's a real blogger, a.k.a welcome to my life.

I'M FALLING FOR YOU

nfortuntely California doesn't show off it's red leafs until late November (if we are lucky) so this "autumn" photo shoot, is as good as it get's around here! I absolutely love this shoot, because I brought out my floppy hat I purchased last year, and was brave enough to wear it out in public for the first time ever (ahh)! Hopefully I can pull it off? I really love the look, but Cali is a little too warm outside for this to actually be cute! It was like 85+ degrees outside during this shoot, and at the end I had "floppy hat hair," which isn't ideal! But, hey these photos are fun right? 

Life has been a little crazy for me lately. With finals approaching, I've been loaded with homework assignments! So right now, I'm trying not to freak out, and be too stressed. But, 5 weeks left, and goodbye fall semester! I'm so excited to end my classes this semester, and hopefully do all my classes online next semester. Sitting in on real classes through out the week are driving me insane. With the time it takes me to drive, be early to grab a seat, or the time spent in class (falling asleep) takes up so much time out of day. Not to mention the multiple times my professors have called in sick, and I've still shown up to class not knowing! So, online classes are the way to go, and hopefully they won't all be full by the time I register for the spring haha!