Hiatus

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It's been a week or two, and for that, I apologize.

Junior year has been even more difficult than I anticipated. With 3 AP classes and 4 GT, my work load has quadrupled and with that, my stress level has quintupled. In addition there's always marching band, JCL, my "social life", and a few more personal things going on in my life lately that have even further distract me. 

It's not fair for me to leave whoever still reads this site hanging while I attempt to keep up with my life but I can't blog right now. It's physically impossible. If there were 48 hours in a day, maybe, but putting in the time to write quality posts and keep up with shops and trends is no longer an option for me. Because of this, both Anastasia and I will be hanging up our blogging hats along with a few of our favorite bloggers in order to focus on school for a while. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some AP US History notes to take

xoxo

HBM

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Summer Recap

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Saying one last farewell before school tomorrow morning

I tried Yoga
I left the country

I paid my respects to some of the greatest and most influential ball players of all time

I saw what my dad referred to as "God's country": a side of New York that I had never seen before

I saw one of the most amazing natural wonders of the world: Niagara Falls

I got my learner's permit

I went to a ball game 

I saw Jersey Boys, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Giver, The Lego Movie, multiple James Bond films, Best in Show, A Touch of Evil, the Alien franchise, the Ocean's Eleven franchise, finished season 6 of Murdoch Mysteries, started season 1 of 24, etc...

I changed the name of this blog (for the last time)

I started reading again AND started a book club

I re-arranged my room (again)

I saw Yellowstone

I saw the Grand Tetons

I went on a plane

I fed a llama/elk/various other herding animals 

I let 4 parakeets walk around on my arm at a time

I saw Luray Caverns...another natural wonder

I saw Penn's Cave

I learned to drive

I watched old faithful erupt 3 times

I saw my first concert...Beck in concert

I visited Charlotte, NC

I tried REAL sushi

I fulfilled some of my style wishlist items

I watched my dogs turn 4

I lead the low brass section

I went and taught and loved every minute of Band Camp

I visited Wyoming and Montana
I entered my first relationship

I experienced 32 degrees and snow in July 

I felt confident in a swimsuit

I got back in touch with people who I thought were out of my life forever

I got to see my friend from India

I turned 16
I celebrated with my closest friends

I made new friends and grew closer to existing ones
I laughed so hard that my sides hurt 

I taught at Bible Camp

I exemplified the term "Couch Potato"

I saw 9 bears, 4 moose, 2 otters, 2 wolves, countless elk, and countless bison in their natural habitats

I rode a horse up a mountain

I went whitewater rafting 

I started my junior year of high school
and I had one of the best summers thus far

Farewell Summer, until next year...

xoxo

HBM

Back to School Checklist

What I'm looking forward to adding to my wardrobe just in time for the school year:

denim jacket / white jeans / boyfriend jeans / blue cami / dark wash jeans / textured pants / Tory burch flats / white sneakers / leopard flat / Red flat

//For the Top Half//
Silk Cami: Wear it with skirts, pants, under a blazer, under a cardigan. This blouse is the perfect year-round wardrobe addition
Denim Jacket: Mine is a bit on the baggy side, so finding a sturdy new denim jacket to go with, oh, just about everything is in order

//Pants//
New Skinny Jeans: Mine are a size too large and never keep their shape. I need a pair to last through the  school day
Boyfriend Jeans: Slouchy perfection
White Jeans: I'm warming up to the whole white-jeans-year-round trend...labor day rule be darned
Trousers: This is more of a autumn wardrobe prep: not completely necessary but oh-so chic

//Kicks//
Leopard Flats: Leopard is the new black. Plus, I adore the pointy toe and d'orsay details
Red Flats: simple, solid, can go with whatever I need it to
Tan Flats: ditto
White Sneakers: While breaking the labor day rule on pants, I'm not so sure I could do the same with shoes. However, these sneakers would last me a good 3 days before they go into storage
Sneakers: I love the sporty chic look and these sneakers are too cute to pass up

xoxo

HBM

Awarded

I remember doing this way back in 2012 when this blog was born, but I haven't done something like it in a while

Since we haven't yet finished our meet the bloggers page, and I adore talking about myself, I figured that it'd be fun. 

Rules:

1. Post eleven facts about yourself.

2. Answer the eleven questions provided by the person who nominated you, and then create an eleven-question set for the next group of nominees.

3. Choose other bloggers to nominate, they have to have under 200 followers, and let them know they've been nominated.

11 Facts:

1. I'm a total entertainment freak: When it comes to music and movies, my standards are through the roof

2. I Irish Dance as a hobby 

3. I started this blog at age 13 and have matured into the ripe age of 16

4. I just finished driver's ed (glad it's over)

5. I have a minor popcorn addiction  

6. I painted and designed my bedroom myself and the only thing I had to buy was a duvet cover from pbteen and a few cans of paint #diypro

7. I was neither born nor raised preppy, but have adopted many preppy aspects into my style although, I'm not sure if I'd call myself a full blown prepster

8. I have a major addiction to all things pink

9. I pay for all my own clothes

10. I basically have the nail polish selection of a manicurist but use only about 3 or 4 colors

11. My band geek resume: Low Brass/Winds section leader in Marching Band, 3rd chair in Wind Ensemble (honor's band), 3rd chair in Varsity Jazz Band

Questions from Sophia (my nominator):

1. What are you most proud of? 

I don't think I'm most proud of anything. I'm proud of my bedroom design, I'm proud of my schoolwork and grades, I'm proud of my ability to find an awesome sale, I'm proud of the leadership positions I currently hold, and I'm proud of this blog

2. What made you start your blog? 

I used to work with a friend on a virtual magazine. When that failed, I decided to try blogging and here we are!

3. What is/was your favorite subject in school? 

I don't really have one...school is school. This year I'm looking forward to Wind Ensemble, Journalism, and AP US History 

4. Do you prefer taking pictures or being in them?

Being in them...I like to be a part of the memories as they are recorded 

5. Name 3 people you would like to have tea with. 

Andy Partridge, The Ghost of Coco Chanel, Sean Connery 

6. Do you prefer TV shows or movies? 

How am I supposed to even compare these? I love both equally

7. Country or city?

There are things I love about both. I think as a young, unmarried woman, I'd go for city but I'd want to retire in the country

8. Where would you love to visit? 

Venice/Rome, Italy

9. Yay or Nay: Tassels

YAY YAY YAY! A well placed tassel is beyond fabulous

10. What animal would you like to be for a day? 

A buffalo living in Yellowstone...they have a great life

11. Beach, mountain, or field? 

This is another one I can't decide between. This summer, I saw western mountains and plains but only a few months prior, I had visited one of our favorite beaches. All are beautiful and tranquil but in different ways. I simply can't decide.

Questions for my nominees:

1. Who is your hero/idol? 

2. What would you do if you won the lottery? 

3. If you could do it over again, what would you major in in college? 

4. Do you have a best friend or a circle of close friends?

5. What genre of music do you listen to?

6. What is your ideal location for a first date?

7. Do you have a sweet tooth or are you more of a savory person?

8. #1 bucket list item?

9. Describe your style

10. 3 favorites: food, animal, color 

11. What is your favorite social media platform?

My Nominees: 

So I honestly don't know very many blogs with under 200 followers (#thestruggle) so I'm going to make this an open nomination for anyone reading who wants to answer some questions about themselves. Let me know in the comments if I have any takers!

xoxo

HBM

Linked

Wishing that summer would never end
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This quiz is the coolest. My mom took it and got Baltimore, but I got New York somehow...I took it again and got Baltimore and D.C so I guess the second time, I was more accurate/honest

Celebrating my mom's birthday today by having her take me driving and going shopping.

Jeans. That fit me perfectly. And are long enough. On sale. 

If you missed this week's posts...what we're listening to, what I'm wearing, what I'm shopping for, and my mantra

My endless pinterest surfing has profited me yet again: learn the secret of the arm party

If you need me, I'll be enduring my last driver's ed course and planning outfits with my new goodies
Sounds like the perfect start to the weekend to me!
xoxo
HBM

Mantra

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If any you have ever seen our philosophy page, you'll see that one of my style mottos is "Quality over Quantity". Maybe it's because I'm watching Project Runway and seeing a huge spectrum of craftsmanship, but I'm rethinking my closet in terms of quality. When I was in middle school, my weight and body shape fluctuated so drastically that I have pieces that are 2 sizes above what I wear in my closet. Whenever I went shopping, my mom would panic about me not be able to wear the piece in the future so she would make me buy it a size up (even if I was paying for it). Now that my body has more or less evened out, I'm starting to be able to start collecting more pieces that fit me well, but I still have so much that I need to weed out. Little to none of my jeans fit correctly, my denim jacket is too big, and I still have pieces from Abercrombie & Fitch that don't match my personal style at all. I'm starting to realize what I truly like and how to find quality yet affordable pieces. 

Shop some of my favorite affordable and not-so-affordable pieces 

What's your style mantra?

xoxo

HBM

Not over yet

I will admit, seeing all of the rich fabrics and deep colors makes me a bit excited for fall, but at the same time, I am SO not ready for summer to be over...

I'm not sure what summer has been like where you live, but Baltimore's weather has been beyond beautiful. Not to mention the adventures I've had with my friends and family making this the best summer to date in my opinion. After all the fun I've had, I''m not quite ready to go back to school...

As the summer winds down, stores start ordering and selling their fall inventory and summer clothes go on sale. This is the perfect excuse to shop for all of the pieces you'll need to finish out August and to get excited about for next year. Here's what I'm still looking at:

Shift dress / striped dress / polo dress / maxi dress / Jack Rogers / flip flops / heels / bangle / earrings / floppy hat

Are you wishing for an endless summer or are you already lusting for autumn 

xoxo

HBM

Collar Poppin' Club

Disclaimer: This photo is the only photo in which my collar was popped

{Shirt: Ralph Lauren, Shorts: J.Crew Factory, Bow/Watch/Sandals: Local Boutique, Earrings: American Eagle}

I'm not sure if any of you have ever visited Baltimore during the summer (or Baltimore, period), but the combination of the heat and the humidity makes for a general uniform of tank tops and shorts (or more realistically: a swimsuit) in the month of August. This year in terms of weather has been extremely mild and I've even been able to wear long sleeves comfortably a few times (like in these pictures). I know I should appreciate tank tops and sundresses while I can, but there's something so adorably classic about a button down and shorts.
Is it mild enough for long sleeves where you live?

xoxo

HBM

Playlist No. 3

Listen to it here

xoxo,

ASD

Linked

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This App has me hooked

The perfect giveaway...just in time for back to school shopping!

Are Jack's a bit on the pricey side for you? Here's the perfect alternative

I can't wait for November

Even KJP is in on it! I've been nominated, have you?

Have a fabulous weekend!

xoxo

HBM

Yay Marching Band!

  Firstly, I would like to apologize for not posting in a while. Being out of the country with limited internet access has its drawbacks. But honestly, I've also been downright lazy. I know, shame on me.

   Although, these past two weeks Hannah and I had to wake up at around 7:30 to go to BAND CAMP!! YAY! Being a leader of a 120+ member group has its ups and downs but it is so rewarding I would never trade in those two weeks for anything. Our laughter echoed through the trees and our sound could be heard down the streets. Marching band has become a second home for me and these people below are my second family. We all are a little crazy but we love each other none the less. When we perform for our parents, friends, and visitors there is such a huge sense of pride that pours out from us, and that pride is what makes our band roar.

//one// All of the band's leaders. Hannah is in the top row, fifth person in, and I am in the second row, second from the left. 

//two// We were attempting to be cool-- it didn't work. Hannah and I are on the far right making weird hands.

//three// The leaders also found a George Foreman grill in our band director's office. Needless to say, we put it to good use

//four// Dress up your section leader day. We all looked ridiculous. Hannah is sitting on the ledge wearing the bear suit and I am right behind her with weird glasses, a Jesse cowboy hat, and wings you can't see. 

//five// Our "High School Musical" type jump. Hannah and I are on the far right. 

//six// Neither Hannah nor I am in this, but this is what goes on during Hannah's sectionals...

//seven// So this needs a little explanation. After our performance at the end of band camp leaders give out a pie ticket to one person in their section. All the leaders kneel down and have to take whip cream right to the face. Hannah and I are in the second row fourth/ fifth for the right. You can't see this but there is whipped cream all in the back of my head because two people snuck up behind me and pied my hair and back. After this we had an epic water balloon fight. But, we smelled horrible. Water and hot whipped cream don't mix. 

//eight// some leader shenanigans 

//nine// Hannah's section decorated the courtyard where they hold sectionals for her 16th birthday

//ten// Hannah and I with some friends talking a selfie while waiting in line for ice cream. Typical. 

//eleven// So there was a competition to see which section of the band could take the best selfie, a "Section Selfie Competition." The leaders in my section, including myself are obsessed with stock photos. If you haven't seen them please go educate yourself. In stock photos the people have the most obscure items in their hands so we told everyone to bring in the most random things. If you look at each person they are doing something weirdly strange. We have a pizza box, light saber, cactus, a plunger wearing a green wig, and in the top right a girl is holding uop a graph of increasing stocks (yes, we love puns). The picture above is the final flute and clarinet section selfie. I'm in the front holding a naked Prince Charming who is petting a potato in a Goerge Foreman grill. 

//eleven and a half// While slightly less creative, the low brass/winds selfie was just as cute and fun to take

Hopefully this gives a bit of insight into our lives. When we say that we're band geeks, we aren't joking (as you can now see). We love marching band, and while it's not the most glamorous thing in the world (in fact it's not glamorous at all), neither of us would trade it for the world.

xoxo

ASD

Tasseled

{Tee: Loft, Shorts: Jcrew, Bag: Gifted (Old Navy), Earrings: Gifted (Kohl's)}

When I saw this tote at first on Old Navy, I nearly passed out. The size, the color, the tassels: could there be a more perfect bag for $40? I'm glad my parents picked up on my not-so-subtle hints and gave it to me for my birthday because I've already started to use it for everything from being a bible camp teacher to toting my crap necessities to drivers ed. Can we also talk about these earrings? These were also gifts, but Anastasia gave them to me. They aren't something that I would pick out myself simply because they seem understated and I'm generally more of a post earring kinda gal, but I ended up loving them! Note to self: invest in more dangle-y earrings...

xoxo

HBM

Discovered: Goodnight Macaroon

Disclaimer: this is not the logo

Many of the blogs I've been reading feature fashions from this online boutique, but for the longest time, I would tell myself to check it out but always ended up forgetting to. I finally forced myself to look and I'm kind of in love. The prices aren't completely budget friendly, but the quality and individuality of each piece looks incredible (and makes the price a bit easier to handle). The store carries something for every style: from preppy to edgy and back again. I was drawn to the classic-with-a-twist pieces as shown above like the classic navy stripe shift with pink accents or the interesting shape of the light blue and white dress. Not to mention, how adorable is the name? If you haven't checked this site out yet, I have no idea what you're waiting for.

xoxo

HBM

Sixteen Candles

12:13 am this morning marked my birth 16 years ago.

Being the 80's movie lover that I am, would you expect any less? But actually something like this had better happen today...

As usual, I'll spend the day at band camp collecting birthday wishes from my fellow band geeks as well as processing the overwhelming response that I'll get from my facebook friends. I'll get to have dinner and cake with my family and spend the day with my best friends and, honestly, what more could I want?
The very idea that I'm turning 16 scares me a bit. I'm pretty sure the last time I checked I was 10 so what happened to make me so old and teenager-y? I used to always watch movies and see sixteen-year-olds and think that they were so old and mature and now I'm about to be one of them...where does time go?
I bet my parents are wondering the same thing
xoxo
HBM

On the List: Paper Goods

striped notepad/ thank you note/ gold monogram/ monogram notepad

I, like many other bloggers, have a list-making habit.
A while back, my grandmother gave me a bunch of hodge podge notepads that have come in handy, but are about to be completely used up! While my notepads will be gone, my listing obsession will not be. I've decided it would be worth it to spend a little extra money on a notepad if it looked super cute so I've picked my 2 faves. I'm currently leaning towards the blue & green stripes as of now. As for the stationary, I'm using these as more of inspiration for what I want mine to look like. Instead of paying way too much for a few cards, I plan to buy some cardstock and plain envelopes and personalize them myself with a monogram stamp or with self-taught calligraphy.
Anyone else into/getting into stationary and other paper goods?
xoxo
HBM

Take a Deep Breath

Lately, my life has been insanely crowded and stuffed and just the slightest bit stressful (in a good way)
As one of three low brass section leaders, I've had to be the "section mom" so-to-speak. Not only do I have to be responsible for making sure the technique of my section (16 people) is impeccable, I have to make sure that I plan for every contingency. The contents of my backpack are currently along the lines of sunscreen, band aids, lip balm, a variety of lost and forgotten musical parts and drill pages, and lastly my plethora of pens and pencils (my brother actually reminded me the other day that I didn't have a highlighter and therefore wasn't fully prepared, but that's another story). My responsibilities began the week before band camp while I was out of town/in Yellowstone (more on that later) which stressed me out even more because phone service and wifi was limited, and I've begun the terrifying process of learning how to drive.

While it seems like the life of a junior would be simple, I find myself more frustrated than ever with a need for a way to unwind. Through experience, I know what makes me feel better and felt the need to pass on my de-stressing tips to the world

1// Tea ...or any hot beverage really. The herbal scent and taste really calms me down and taking the extra time to drink it in the evening allows time to stop and just think and mull over the day which is exactly what I usually need to plan my next move most of the time.

2// Yoga Taking time to stretch and move will switch your focus from your worries to relaxing. It gives you an opportunity to take a break and take a few deep breaths in the midst of your potentially crazy and busy life.

3// Read I mainly do this before bed when I need to clear my head and wind down from the day. It gives me a chance to slow down and get my body adjusted to not racing around before I attempt to fall asleep. Doing this usually makes me realize how tired I actually am and makes me feel more ready to turn out the lights. Suggested: choose a boring book

4// Write it out If you're anything like me, list making is a habit. Something about organizing and visualizing what needs to be done puts my mind at ease. Even just writing down anything that's going on in your head in a sort of journal entry can help you slow down your brain and address the problem even if you don't keep an active journal.

5// Take a bath The perfect few moments to either focus on how good the warm water feels and forget about everything or to take the time to organize thoughts a bit. Bonus: you're clean by the end

What's your remedy for stress?

 xoxo

HBM

The Versatile, The Wonderful, The Indispensable...

...Striped Tee

{Tee & Shorts: Gap, Flats: H&M, Necklace: Loft}

Attempting a High-School-Musical Jump

                                                      

All those things people say about how amazing stripes are? They're all true

While this shirt isn't navy and white, it is still versatile. If you can believe it, I had major buyer's remorse about it when I first bought it...I didn't know what to wear it with and thought it fit weird. I'm the type of gal who doesn't buy anything unless 1) there's an amazing sale, 2) I can't get an item out of my head and I'm willing to possibly splurge or 3) it's essential to my closet (or at least in my clothing obsessed opinion)*. This shirt was on an amazing sale at the Gap outlet so of course I picked it up, but it wasn't until recently that I really learned to love it. Now, as you can see, it's become a great addition to my casual wardrobe.

xoxo

HBM

*stealing John Green's number-listing-in-a-sentence thing  

Linked

Via

As a pet owner, this photographic story was so happy yet heartbreaking at the same time. It takes a lot to get me to cry but I was in tears by the end.

This just came in the mail. I'm in love.

I tried out this cookie recipe and was blown away by how amazing they tasted.

These two music videos are absolutely hilarious. Every line is basically true to society these days.

Bon Voyage! I'm taking this next week off to do some exploring

Have an excellent weekend and I'll see you all next Monday

While I'm away, be sure to follow along on instagram

xoxo

HBM

Roadtrip!

This weekend, my family and I went on another mini vacation/roadtrip. The main point of this adventure was to see Beck live in concert. He is performing in Maryland, but we would be in Yellowstone on the day he would play here so we'd miss it. My whole family loves Beck and he only tours occasionally so my dad knew we had to go to a show. He bought tickets for the concert in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is a bit of a hike for us, but to make the drive more worth it, we scheduled a few stops in between. 

The trip started on Thursday when my friend, NSR, came over to bake cookies and have our mini book club and then spend the evening at the Orioles game (which they won!!). From there we dropped her off at her house at around 11pm and hit the road. We stopped at a McDonalds around midnight for a bathroom break and milkshake/coffee stop and then I passed out in the car until we got to our hotel in northern Virginia at 1 am. The next morning we left the hotel and drove for an hour or two to the drive through safari park in Natural Bridge.

Let's Go O's!!

I can now say with no doubt in my mind that emus are terrifying creatures. I was scared they'd try to eat my hand if I fed them

HA! My dad was a little worried by this

See the one with the bucket? It pulled the bucket away from my brother and poured all the food out!

I'm pretty sure I took this but what can I say? I always manage to capture the derpiest of faces...

baby bison nursing...my heart was melting

another heart melter...

..and another! This fluffy white alpaca had me freaking out and yelling at my mom and dad to take a picture

I mean can you blame me? LOOK HOW CUTE IT IS!!!

Wildebeest just casually grazing

The safari was so cool! There was the section where you could feed the animals out of buckets from your car (which was crazy...the zebras were sticking their heads in the car #what) and then, once you were done, there was a zoo portion where you could feed parakeets and have them land on your arm/finger/etc and a kangaroo walk.

The Parakeets matched my shirt ;)

See the baby's feet sticking out of the mama's pouch?

Once we were thoroughly satisfied with our safari experience, we hopped back into the car and drove 4 hours to Charlotte, NC where we checked into our hotel and grabbed a bite to eat.
Then, we saw Beck in concert.

The lead singer of the opener (The band name was the Ghost of a Saber-Tooth Tiger) was John Lennon's son (Sean Lennon). He sounded just like his dad but with an American accent

My mom decided to not bring the camera to the concert which was fine, but we ended up not getting any clear pictures of beck. I took a few videos of my favorite songs but was singing louder than I realized and my lack of pitch was captured as well (there's a reason I'm in marching band and not chorus...). Even without a ton of pictures, this was one of my best evenings ever. The live music was amazing and I can truly attest to the talent of both Beck and his band. It was so great, I got a tee shirt (bonus!!) and spent the night rocking out to some of my favorite songs.
The next morning, we drove for 4 hours to Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home during his retirement, his place of death, and his eternal resting place). Weirdly enough, it was here that I discovered my new favorite scent.
We went to the gardens first and then went on the house tour

I could see why TJ wanted to retire there...

This is the iconic image on the back of a nickel

It's just so beautiful

This is the back view

From there, we raced (and I do mean raced...) to Luray Caverns

Dream Lake

That's a reflection, not a group of stalagmites

The formation known as Pluto's Ghost. The column in the foreground is known as Persephone, or his wife

This is for a sheer size comparison. There's me in the corner, and there's and medium sized column

The largest formation in the caverns

National Geographic named this to be the most perfect draping formation

These reminded me of star-wars-esque city buildings

We were due to pick up our dogs from the doggie resort at 11 pm so we were on a bit of a time crunch but we made it home with 15 minutes to spare. Overall, this was another lovely trip and I've learned just how much I love roadtrips: the driving is calming and it's lovely to be able to see so much of our beautiful country.
How was your weekend?
xoxo
HBM