le cœur suite

  So I see this quote from time to time that we have as many hours in a day as Beyoncé – as if we should be able to accomplish as big achievements or look as beautiful, right?  The problem is, we are obviously not Beyoncé.  And we certainly don’t have the schedule and leisure of a celebrity.  But!  Nonetheless, our lives need balance too.  And if you’re like me, I like having routines and yet I don’t like being tied down to a schedule either aside from my 8-5 job.  With traveling and a couple of photo shoots, a wedding to cover, and the holidays just around the corner… not to mention going to actually see Queen B’s show in Los Angeles come December, I figure I definitely need to make sure I have a good balance going on.  So, I’ve just made my own balancing check for myself to share with you and I kept it simple so that it’s easy to achieve.

  1.   Kind Diet:  I’m not the type that can stick to a diet.  Props to those who can!  I easily lack self-control and give in.  I love food, I love my rice, I love meat and I love my sweets.  But, that doesn’t mean I should or can eat whatever I want.  Self-control is a must when it comes to eating.  But since I don’t like being on a strict diet, here are my simple rules:

-          Eat proportionately

-          Make sure to eat vegies during the week

-          Make sure to have fruits during the week

-          As much as possible, opt for water than sugared drinks.

2.      Work Out:  If you’re like me, I don’t make time to work out.  If self-control is needed when it comes to eating, self-discipline is needed when it comes to working out.  So, I challenge myself to make time to exercise at least 15-30 minutes a day, at least 2-3 times a week.   Google some quick work-out ideas that don’t require much time or much equipment!  Like Jessica Simpson’s song featured in a Bally’s commercial in the early 2000’s, a little bit goes a long way!  

3.      Beauty Sleep:  This beauty secret is ancient and yet I still haven’t tried it out to its full potential.  I like to sleep late and with work the next morning, unfortunately, it usually leaves me about an average of 5 hours of sleep and maybe 6 on a good night.  Gross, right?  Remember, 6-8 hours is what’s recommended by doctors and by beautifully rested people!

4.      TLC: Make sure to have some tender-loving-care time for yourself, whether that means applying a face mask or scrub once or twice a week, painting your nails, getting a massage or getting your hair done once every few months – whatever floats your boat! Just make sure to give some TLC for yourself cause it helps us ladies feel good about ourselves.

5.      Quiet Time: Lastly, in our society, it always sounds cool when someone is busy – like having something to do weekend after weekend, going out all the time, etc.  And that’s great.  I love it when life is full of events and activities too.  But, as much as it can be a good thing, it can also be a bad thing.  For me, a balanced life is not just physically or about time and schedule, but it’s maintaining a balance with myself emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  Spiritually is key for me.  If I’m balanced with this, my world can fall apart and I’ll still be safely in one whole piece.  But if I don’t make time to be still, to spend time with Jesus, and if I’m too busy to pray, or to read His Word, I’ve proven to myself that I’ll have a hard time keeping myself together.  I’ve learned time and time again that this is the main ingredient to keep life balanced.

Have no plans for Halloween this year? Here are a few fun ideas if you decided you want to do something festive after all!

1. Closet-items costume: I’ve had a recent thrill that developed a few years ago to be creative and spend as close to $0 on a costume! So think of any thing, and I mean any thing you have in your closet and get creative! For example, one year, I received a white blouse that I’d never really wear but then I found a baby blue dress at a thrift store for $4 and voila! I turned myself into Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Another year, I remembered my brother gave me a shimmering Michael Jackson glove! So I threw on black pants, a white v-neck and a fedora, curled my hair and tied it up and bam, I was Michael Jackson! This year, I’m going to use a souvenir I received from NY of the crown of a famous statue, and then I’m going to wrap myself in a green sheet of blanket, and boom, I will be the Statue of Liberty!

2. Feel like having a mellow night? Call a friend or two and watch a Halloween-themed movie! Doesn’t have to be scary. Disney’s Hocus Pocus is an all-time Halloween fave! Maybe bake some treats for yourselves or maybe buy a couple bags of candy to give the trick-or-treaters who’ll be knockin’ on your door!

3. Be a kid again! Get dressed and be someone you’re not for a night. Go out and have fun! You can go to a local happening spot to walk around like in California, Downtown Disney, or Universal City Walk, and stroll the streets and enjoy seeing other costumes! Ask for some candies while you're at it;) Might as well!

What I love about the bermonths is that it means it’s…sweater weather! Ok, when the heat wave makes it’s last hurrah , then it’s sweater weather. But that’s when you know it’s officially autumn.

There are dozens of cute, warm sweaters but let’s face it, we can’t have them all, right? So I thought of a few sweater basics that are great to have in the closet for assorted looks.

Featured on this post are H&M’s sweaters so you can all find them in one spot - and what’s great about them is that they’re all under $30!

Let’s keep it simple for some classics, shall we?

+neutrals

+textured

+printed

+color

Can’t go wrong with a few of these. Neutral shades can go with so many bottoms - jeans, tights, leather. It can also be paired easily with a printed scarf to spice up your look. Textured fabric adds a little lush to your outfit. Even if you wear the same color for your top and bottom, different fabric or texture makes a distinguishing and defined difference. And weather you go for classic or trendy prints, like stripes or in-now aztec prints, they add a fresh take to your style. And of course, having some color in your wardrobe is always fun. Strutting any of the fall colors livens up your outfit and adds a little boldness to your look. Lastly, what’s wonderful about sweaters are the different styles they come in such as scoop-necks, turtlenecks, and off-shoulder. Now let’s just hope for some more cooler weather in southern California so we can wear more sweaters!

Wishing you all a cozy sweater weather season!

Warmly,

B

…”I know the One in whom I trust and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have committed to Him until that day.” — 2 Timothy 1:12

I am so inspired and so blessed by the life of Hannah in the Bible. She was a woman of faith who entrusted her barrenness and longing for a child to the Lord. And He did not disappoint.

We all have an area in our life where we are barren, so to speak. An area where we are dry, empty, unable to bear fruit. The Lord allows and at times even cause this barrenness in our life to happen very much as how He closed Hannah’s womb (1 Samuel 1:5). Yet in this time of despair, of anguish, a covenant was made between the Lord and Hannah. In her time of darkness, there was treasure. There were riches in stored in secret places (Isaiah 45:3). There was the special treasure of having a covenant with the Lord, of being closer to Him. And there were riches, for Hannah’s case, life in the secret place of her womb that was to come… because she knew the One in whom she had trusted. She was convinced that the Lord was able to guard what she had committed to Him until that day. And she was blessed with five children… far more than she asked for. She offered her one awaited child, and the Lord blessed her with much more.

We too, can find treasures and the richest, deepest spiritual lessons in our darkest seasons in life. In our emptiness, our barrenness, God will produce an abundance if we commit that very thing to Him.

Desktop backgrounds from yours truly!

"All things fall into place" — to celebrate the change of leaves in the seasons of life and to be reminded that God works all things for the good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

"Be Still and Know" — (photographed in Venice, Italy) to remind us to be still and know that God is God (Psalm 46:10). Trust and let Him work in your life.

Hope these wallpapers inspire you to work away on your computers and make it fun!

Friday Fall Faves: Starbucks Fall Brews So we all know that autumn officially kicks off this weekend and I am ready to party. What better way to celebrate than to have a drink! A couple of my favorite things to do in the fall are 1. Go on a nice walk (preferably along pretty foliage) with a warm drink in hand and 2. To sit at home with a blanket, reading, with a warm drink in hand. Do we see a common denominator, here? With that, I am so, so, so excited to be sipping on Starbuck’s fall brews again this year! If autumn can be a drink, Starbucks sure has got it down. Here are their delicious tastes of fall:

Salted Caramel Mocha: Espresso and steamed milk, blended with mocha sauce and toffee nut flavored syrup. Topped with sweetened whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a mixture of turbinado sugar and sea salt. – Umm, yum? Pumpkin Spice Latte: Espresso, pumpkin-flavored syrup and steamed milk. Topped with sweetened whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices. Chocolate Chai Tea Latte: A warm blend of spices, black tea, creamy cocoa and steamed milk. Topped with whipped cream.

I am over the moon for these and pleased that Starbucks has taken over the world with a location in almost every parts of town. How convenient to grab a cup with a good friend and talk about the change of leaves in life. Fall bucket list: Try all three of these! Happy Friday, y’all! Enjoi!