Heliophilia

When you walk into my room this is what you will see first- my doll named Lola sitting on my bed, the window that lets the sun in and my Van Gogh posters. Someone can find out many things about me and my life through my room, and I don’t really have a “theme,” which I’ve grown to be okay with, there are just a bunch of photos, mementos from special times in my life and a lot of artwork that cover the walls of my room. On the farthest left of this first wall that you’ll see, I have some artwork that my friends have made and given to me, photos of my friends and some canvas that I’ve painted. The back of my door has Omar Apollo’s tour poster, the ticket to his concert and a photo of Omar and me from when I got to meet him at his show. 

This wall contains some of my records by The Beach Boys, Billy Joel, and Juan Valentin, a lot of Audrey Hepburn, the CD of my favorite local band named Chavela and my collection of postcards/ landscape film photographs. These are some of the photographs that I shot as well as the postcards that I purchase from the same vendor every First Friday. 

My full length mirror is held up by a stack of books that I have (for the most part) read. This little corner of my room has photos of my siblings and me and cut out letters that my little brother made me that spell out “I love you Ila” (Ila= the nickname they call me). My nightstand has books that I recently checked out from the Central Library downtown and I am almost done reading all of them so that makes me pretty happy! 

On this nightstand, I have the current book I am reading which is a biography about Pablo Picasso, some jewelry, a photograph of my sister Karen, a perfume bottle and my bamboo plant. Here is Lola again just chillin, I’ve had her since I was about three years old and I sleep with her every night no shame and no cap! (she’s the best). Above my bed are more Audrey Hepburn posters as well as the first of three Van Gogh posters that I own. 

Here begins my collection of the cameras that I have and for the most part they all still work and have film in them, here are two that are hanging on my wall and later on you will get to see more. I love that every wall in my room contains photographs of friends that mean a lot to me. 

My window holds all of my plant babies. I got into growing and maintaining plants this past December simply because I felt sad and wanted to distract myself by picking up a new hobby that I had never done before. It has been so fun and fulfilling to get to grow something inside of my room and then transporting it outside once it grows bigger and bigger. These are the current plants/ flowers I have at the moment but in the prior months I grew Hyacinths, Tulips and Irises. 

There’s a lot going on in these photos but to break it down there are a lot of photographs of some of my favorite humans, a mood collage I made at the beginning of 2020, more of my vinyls, my laptop, mirror, more jewelry, and my paintbrushes. 

My necklaces are held up by this room decor piece that I purchased at a garage sale which came in super handy. Here is another one of my cameras and a more close up on all of the intricacies that sit on this side of my room. Also, my current fragrance wear is You by Glossier and it is by far my favorite fragrance ever! 

Some art that I purchased from really dope vendors at First Friday are hung up on this side of my room and they make me really happy. Down at the bottom, you can see my Diana Ross and The Supremes vinyl + more film photographs of my friends, as well as more jewelry and my TV. 

I really love going thrift shopping and to antique stores so that’s where I usually find most of the books in my room and other decor lying around. My parents usually buy me the cameras that they find at the antique shops that they go to so that’s where I’ve gotten a few of these cameras. 

I added my bathroom since it is inside of my room lol. I made this collage on a corkboard a few years ago and it consists of photographs of me and my friends, concert and movie tickets, and inspiring quotes that remind me to be kinder to myself. I purchased the Psalm 46:10 painting at one of my favorite places on earth, T Bar M Camps, a few summers ago when I worked as a camp counselor & photographer. On my closet door I have a letter that one of my best friends Leishka wrote me as well as a drawing that my sister Karen made me. I wrote these sentences on my mirror a while back just to remind me of the important things in life and they say “You are deserving of happiness and all the good things,” “God knows you fully and loves you fully,” “Everything you have to offer is what we need,” and, “Get excited for today!!!” 

That’s my room and the space that I feel happiest and safest in!! If you read all of this thank you and hopefully you enjoyed this post (: Maybe you even got to know more of me through these photos and through all of the items that are in my room. Stay healthy & happy out there! 

❤ – Kimberly 

You know that precise feeling when you’re on a run and feel like you’re about to pass out or you feel like you are not going to make it or your legs feel like noodles and you want to quit? If I could explain the past year of my life in one sentence/ description, it would be that. That I wanted to quit so many times, that I thought my story was over, that I felt defeated. But oh boy, was I wrong.…

A topic that I am really passionate about is mental health, and I had been wanting to make a post about resources that have helped me with my mental health and share it with anyone who reads my blog! I’m a Peer Mentor at my school and I had originally made this e-mail to my peer mentees letting them know of great resources that have helped me in regards to anxiety, stress, and how to cope with…

Music 

Gus Dapperton

Billie Ellish

Chinese New Year by SALES

Fangs by Matt Champion

Love is Alive by Louis the Child

Heart to Break by Kim Petras

shedontknowbutsheknows by Tove Lo

The photo on the left is of Louis the Child when they performed at The Final Four Music Festival in San Antonio this past April. On the right is Matt Champion from Brockhampton (also currently obsessing over them right now) looking as adorable as ever.

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Food/ Activities in SA 

Acai Bowls at “Rise Up” on Broadway st.

Brunch at “Feast” Downtown

First Fridays in Southtown

Avocado Toast

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Books

“Grace not Perfection” by Emily Ley- This book has helped me these past few months to remember that I will never be perfect and that is totally okay. We are all human and will mess up at times, but God still has perfect plans for our lives, even when we feel so undeserving.

1st and 2nd Corinthians (Bible)- These books taught me what true love looks like and God told me to wait patiently for that kind of love. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of what we truly deserve.

Proverbs (Bible)- Proverbs helped me to discover that we must obey God’s teachings and that He places those teachings for us to grow and learn, and to have a better life because of Him.

“Ice Palace” by F. Scott Fitzgerald- Anything by F. Scott Fitzgerald is amazing, I am still currently reading this book, but if you are looking for any romance/ old age writing, I highly recommend reading Fitzgerald.

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Skincare/ Healthcare

Face masks: These Face Masks pictured below have all been really refreshing and have been so fun to wear! My personal favorite has been the Charcoal Modeling Peel Off Mask because you can thoroughly feel it working in your skin and gives you super soft skin when you take it off. 

Curology: Curology is a prescription skincare that really tackles what kind of skin you have and has helped me tremendously with my acne and cystic skin. You just have to take a skin test and the three main active ingredients are given to you and those are the three ingredients that will help you with whatever you are struggling with for your skin. This overnight cream has honestly changed my life and I can’t remember the last time I had a break out. To check it out and get your own customized bottle go to curology.com (:

Hair masks: My scalp can sometimes get super dry and needs extra nourishment some times. For DIY hair masks I usually just cut a banana and put it in a bowl along with coconut oil and honey. I mash all of that up and massage it through my scalp, leave it on for about 30-60 minutes and wash it when I shampoo in the shower. This stuff makes my scalp feel so healthy and leaves my overall hair bouncy and shiny.

24 K Gold Under Eye Mask: I purchase these under eye masks through amazon for such a cheap price and discovered them through my dad haha. Honestly I just feel super boujee and happy when I put them on after a long day so if you want that aesthetic (and superb under eyes lol) I highly recommend these puppies.

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Realizations 

Stop doubting what you are capable of doing

Do whatever you gotta do to be happy and stay happy

Go out of your comfort zone

Find your worth within yourself, not other people

These realizations will have a separate blog post to them because I have a ton of thoughts haha but here is a small preview of what I have learned during this season of life.

Hope y’all enjoyed knowing about my Spring Favorites and thanks for reading (:

xoxo, K

He is Near to the Broken-Hearted

A hurting heart sucks and when you’re going through the pain, it may seem like there could never be anything good that could come out of that situation. HOWEVER, there always is, and there is a reason and purpose for the pain. Trying to get over someone who hurt your heart (and hey maybe they’re not a bad person at all, things just didn’t work out between y’all) isn’t always easy, and the timing…

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On our first day in New Mexico, we went to the Carlsbad Caverns & spent the day walking down and up a really awesome place. While we were exploring, my YL director, Steve, and I talked about how in life we can seem to be in a dark cavern just like the one we were in & sometimes it feels like there’s no way we could ever get out of it. But once we meet and accept Jesus, we get out of that darkness & He is the light & He brings us out from all of that & allows us to live in the light with Him and God. That’s what my story is like, and I began reflecting how God turned a mess into a message & now I live in light whereas I used to live in darkness for many years. And living in light feels so dang amazing, let me tell you. Walking back up from the very bottom was definitely challenging, but once I saw the light & got back to the top, it felt indescribable (just like my walk with Christ). The rest of that day, we went to dinner in Roswell, New Mexico & just getting yummy food with amazing people made me incredibly happy & getting to see the Caverns was so worth it.

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The next day, we had planned to go hiking at Guadalupe Peak. Now, I love going on runs & walking in parks & I legit did not think hiking was going to be all that bad, but oh boy was I in for a treat. It took us about 3 hours to hike up to get to the very top of the peak & 3ish hours to walk down to get back to the bottom. This was honestly one of the hardest things I had ever done & if it wasn’t for my encouraging YL family & God, I really don’t think I could’ve done it. There were countless times when I just wanted to quit & stop & not keep going. I feel like a lot of times in life we can tend to feel that way. We are in situations where we can’t see how God will bring us out of it or if it will ever end, but it will. Along the way, it’s good to stop and breathe and take in all of God’s beautiful creation. Even in the toughest times in life, God is right there with you & He will never let you go. During this hike I had to continuously repeat to myself “God will provide me with His grace, strength and power, He is so faithful & loving.” And He totally did!!! He provided with that and so much more. Getting to the top of the peak was so surreal, like “I did that??? With God’s strength”. God will never leave you, He brings us so far in life & will never let us go no matter what we do. Looking out at God’s creation & seeing how endless the plains were reminded me of God’s amazing love for us. His love runs as far as the East is from the West & visually seeing those plains run endless really hit me that God’s love will never end. No matter how far we go, no matter how lost we feel, no matter the mistakes we make, He still calls us by name and still has incredible plans for our lives, even though we are so undeserving. Higher than any mountain, His love will go on and on. His love will hold on and won’t let go, His love will never leave you on your own. (go checkout On and On by Housefires). I honestly feel like there’s nothing I can’t do without God by my side after hiking this mountain. It’s true, God will bring you to the plans He has for you in His timing & it’s okay if that looks different from other people’s plans and timing. He has you right where you need to be in the time that He needs you to be in.

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The rest of our SB trip we made s’mores, laughed around the campfire, told our testimony’s & had really amazing conversations. Even though this trip was way out of my comfort zone, I am so glad that I got to embark on this journey, grew closer to such wonderful friends & learned so much more about who God is. I hope you had a fun and safe spring break & if there is any way that I can be praying for you, feel free to reach out to me.

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xoxo, K

I used to be soooooo dang shy when I was younger & super introverted, so I feel like 8 year old me would be very proud of who I grew up to be. Those “scary” or hesitant moments can be the greatest feelings, sometimes. It kind of feels like when you’re buckling your seat belt for an intense roller coaster & you almost want to say “lol nooooo thanks I’m outtie” but sometimes in life you can’t be outtie. I have discovered things that make me truly happy & will hold them dear to my heart. I have decided to put myself out there whether that means for leadership positions, jobs, making new friends, being open to new opportunities, etc. To my surprise, those situations have brought me really incredible people that I have the honor of calling my friends.

Going out of my comfort zone, for me, was wanting to join a small group and be in community with them even after trying 3 small groups last semester. My heart really longed for a small group and to have those girls and small group leader that were relatable, loving and kind. So after taking that leap of faith, which was to insta dm this girl that I had never met, Emerson, and ask her if we could meet up for coffee to talk about her small group, I ended up finding the small group that God had planned for me all this time. Through that small group, I have found amazing-beyond-belief friends. Not only are my s.g gals & leader awesome, but my YoungLife fam is too, and I am currently going through leadership training for YL (another big yes I said this year). It’s crazy how something you thought would just be a small thing turned out to be a HUGE thing in your life that has brought you so much happiness.

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I am learning to say “yes” more, but also learning that saying “no” isn’t horrible, either. There are times to physically and spiritually rest, and there are times to have energy & experience all that God has intended for you to. There are some people who will try to influence your life in the wrong ways, or make you feel like you need to be doing things that really wouldn’t bring you ultimate happiness (i.e: partying, drinking, whatever else, etc). Make your life the way YOU want it to be, whether or not other people think it’s “cool”, at the end of the day, you’re not living for them.

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So far, this year, I have taken many leaps of faith, done things that I had never imagined ever doing, and ultimately being zealous with the life that God blesses me with. I STRONGLY encourage you to start living your life out of your comfort zone because it will lead you to spectacular places & people you never imagined existed. Go out & join that organization that has always caught your eye, tell your crush how you feel about them, explore any city whether that’s by yourself or with friends, learn how to cook, try yoga or any physical activity workout, talk to new people & be truly present & genuine in every conversation you have & above all, live your life with a happy & kind heart.

xoxo, K

  Monday, January 22nd, 2018– On M&W I have an American History class, and a Texas Politics class between the times of 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. My professors this semester are incredible so that makes these lectures great! These photos show one of my classes, studying & getting things done on my laptop, eating sushi by The Sombrilla on campus, and campus at night. I ended my day off with leadership training for YoungLife with my friend Emma, which is something I am giving to God, but am really excited to see what the next 10 weeks brings through this training course.

  Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018–  I try my best to make a nutritious and yum breakfast every morning, so on this day, I had avocado toast (v basic, I know, but v good) & a green Naked juice (my fave). After that, I headed to my first and only class of the day which is my stats class. I have that class with two very good friends of mine from middle school, so they make that class a lot better. I went to the rec and worked out after my stats class, and after that, I had lunch with my friend Anais. Having intentional conversations with old friends makes me appreciate life so much more, plus Panera is always bomb.

  Wednesday, January 24th, 2018–  I had my classes, as usual, so I didn’t take photos of that, but Wednesdays are probably my favorite days out of the week because I enjoy my classes, then go work out afterwards, and end my night with bible study with my small group. I learned a lot of things about myself on this day. I realized how much I hate running, and even though I would run a couple of miles before my workouts for a warm-up, I learned that I shouldn’t do things that don’t make me happy, even if I have constantly worked on it for the past 6 years. I am trading the treadmill for the stair master, so yay for happy workouts rather than unenjoyable ones. Also shout out to the nice cashier who gave me two spring rolls at the Panda Express for free. Peep the campus at night (UGH I LOVE MY SCHOOL). And also peep my cute and amazing small group that I am so thankful for!!!

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Thursday, January 25th, 2018– On this day, I had my stats class, and then went to an SI session which totally help with school work and remembering the material you learn during class. After leaving campus, I went to Chipotle and got to catch up with one of my dearest friends, Jenna. (I fell in love w Chipotle on this day). The rest of my evening consisted of going to an AED meeting, which are always my favorite. Our guest speaker that night was a cardiologist and he gave us very amazing advice on life. I finished my night with going to see “Call Me By Your Name” with my friend Maddie. I could watch this movie for days and not get tired of it.

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Friday, January 26th, 2018– My history class got cancelled on this day, so I got to sleep in and have a relaxed day. I did homework, studied, and caught up on SNL and Grown-ish. I picked my siblings up from school and made them cookies and hot cocoa. Later that day, my small group and I headed to Spicewood, tx for College Weekend through YoungLife. These two gals are my friends Emma and Amber, some of the sweetest and funniest souls ever. The car ride was about 2 hours, and it consisted of intentional convos and jamming to Gambino, Lorde, and Tyler the Creator (God truly blessed me when He allowed me to be in this small group).

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Saturday, January 27th and Sunday, January 28th, 2018– This weekend was one of my absolute favorite weekends of 2018 so far (and like ever). God spoke loud and clear to me during these days about so many things that I needed clarity on. I met and grew closer to a lot of spectacular people, played fun games, and had amazing worship. It’s pretty incredible being able to get away from your busy every day life and refocus on what is truly important. My small group (L to R): Jordyn, Hollis, Emma, Emerson, Rylee, Me, Amber. These girls have been a huge blessing to my life and I am so thankful that I met them when I did.

I had a lot of fun getting to document my week, and sharing it with you all. I hope y’all enjoyed reading this as much as I had fun living it.

xoxo, K

Like any other person in this world, I have made my own list of New Year’s Resolutions, however, I feel like any human can do that, too, so I decided to choose a word that could signify how I want to live my life this year, 2018. For me, I want 2018 to be the year of living BOLDLY. I know that is a very broad term, but I chose this word for many reasons. Often times, I would feel like I would…