Quotes for Monday

{here}

"I postpone death by living, by suffering, by error, by risking, by giving, by losing."
Anais Nin

“when the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.”

- jimi hendrix 

“the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”
- marcel proust

{here}

“they who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”
- edgar allen poe

{here}

“keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”
- walt whitman

{here}

“the woods are lovely, dark and deep, but i have promises to keep, and miles to go before i sleep, and miles to go before i sleep.”
- robert frost

Dancing Parrot

have you seen this?

makes me laugh every. single. time.

Small Changes

{here}

Yesterday, at the opening of my best friend's mom's school, the group of us were talking about holistic health.  I've always been interested in the holistic health because it's not about a certain diet, or medication, or exercise program.  It's simply about treating your body right and living your life a certain way.  That just means paying attention to what works for YOU and what doesn't work for YOU.

Now, I'm not a doctor, nutritionist, or expert by any means.  I'm simply a student, athlete, and yoga teacher who knows what works for my body at any given point of time.  Sometimes.

What I like about holistic health is that there are so many ways out there to help your body.  

Having a bad day?  Try aromatherapy.

Feeling sluggish?  Yoga or a change in foods can help.

Tired all the time?  A small tweak in what you eat can change that.

I'm not perfect.  I eat my fair share of pasta, carbs, ice cream.  You name it, I eat it.  But I think that part of the holistic lifestyle approach is doing so in moderation.  For instance, I know that my stomach doesn't react favorably to fried foods.  But, I LOVE fried foods.  The solution?  I have it once or twice a month.  

I also love pasta and ice cream.  The solution?  Eat a small salad with your pasta and load it up with veggies.  Just last night I ordered some pasta, but added some eggplant into it to fill me up.  As for the ice cream, I have it when I want, but I'll add some fruit with it.

This isn't turning into a diet post, I promise.  But I do know when I eat something, whether or not it will help my body or not.  That's one reason I became a vegetarian.  Meat (even organic) just made me tired.  I function so much better without any meat, poultry, or fish in my system.  

I also know when I don't work out enough, or relax enough, my body doesn't like me very much.

I need to be active in order to be happy.  And I need to get outside and literally smell the roses in order to stay sane.  

This year especially, I've become more in tune to my body and what I need to stay happy.  That's why I'm going to start making small, simple changes to my diet and lifestyle.  These are things I have always known I need, I just always push it off.  But not anymore.

Instead of changing every little things at once, I'm focusing on two things this week.

1)  Drink 64 ounces of water everyday.

I don't drink nearly enough water as I need.  Especially as an athlete, I can tell that when I drink a lot of water, I have more energy.  I have this big bottle that can fill 32 ounces, so my goal for this week is to drink at least two of these.  

2)  Do 15 minutes of yoga everyday

With my hard practices and injured shoulder, I haven't been doing enough yoga.  Since going to 2 hour classes on the weekends is too much, I'm going to incorporate 15 minutes of yoga into my day.  This is just to stretch me out, loosen me up, and clear my mind.  Whether I do 7 minutes in the AM and 8 minutes in the PM, or 15 minutes right before bed, I know I need this change.

I guess the point of holistic health is just doing what helps your body.  I'm not saying these things will help everyone.  I just know that these changes are going to help me from feeling so sluggish in the winter.

If you plan on joining me to make one or two small changes this week, leave a comment telling me what they are :)

Style Story Sunday- Number 18; Tribal Prints

Oh, what a busy weekend it was.

Friday night was the second year I have volunteered at a special fashion show to raise money to help buy less fortunate teens prom dresses.  It was a huge success {again} and a lot of fun to help out with.  But of course, by 11 PM that night, I was exhausted and my feet ached from wearing heels all night.  But it was for a good cause so it's okay:)

Yesterday,  my best friend nora came home from college because it was the opening of her mom's new school!  I know, a school!  She has an autistic brother, so her mom opened a new school specializing in special needs.  Since that's a cause dear to my heart, and since her mother's so sweet and I wanted to support her, I went with Nora to the open house!  Her mom did such a great job, and we talked about me possibly starting some yoga classes there! Yay!  

This outfit is from the open house yesterday.  

Sweater:  Madewell

Pants:  JCrew

Boots:  Lucky Brand

Necklace:  Free People

It's amazing, I've had this sweater since November, but I've never worn it.  I took it out yesterday, tried it on, and realized why I purchased it in the first place!  It's gorgeous.  And oh so warm.  I love the semi-tribal print it has going on.  The pants were a Christmas gift from my mom.  They are olive green corduroys.  Now normally I would never wear corduroys, but I'm starting to like them again.  These are tailored at the bottom, so they are similar to skinny jeans, and have a zipper at the ankles which will be perfect once it warms up {if it ever does}.  The necklace is my all time favorite.  Just going along with the tribal trend :)

Happy Sunday!

Coming up this week there will be a giveaway, a poem, and {hopefully if I can find some pictures} a fashion show post!

And a HUGE congrats to my Mama!  She's in Miami right now, where she has just completed her second half marathon!  You go girl! xo

Snow Day

This morning I woke up to no school and over a foot of snow on the ground.

Despite my best efforts to not post pictures of snow on here {simply do to the fact I'm more then sick of it}, I couldn't help but snap a few of the gorgeous trees today.  It just looked so peaceful.

Until my photo partner (Isabelle, my dog) decided to run down the street without her leash, which lead to  30 minute dog chase in my pajamas.  Back to reality, I guess.

If you're in the Northeast, enjoy your snow day and stay safe! 

If you're not {and anywhere warm}, then I'm extremely jealous.

xo

Brigitte Bardot

I've always thought that Brigitte Bardot is one of the most gorgeous models and actresses in the world.

And while she has come under fire for speaking her mind, she's not only a pretty face, and she has been a influential animal rights activist for decades.  Her fight to save dolphins, dogs, tigers, and various other animals is something that is close to my heart.  I love when the famous use their fame for good reasons, and Ms. Bardot is no exception.

Besides, she's stunning, even today.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Isn't she stunning?

It's another snowstorm here, and I'm spending the night bundled up watching movies.  Practice was canceled for tonight, and since we're suppose to get 8-12 inches, I'm hoping classes will be canceled for tomorrow.  Enjoy your night everyone!  

P.S hi to all my new followers! i'll be checking out your blogs tomorrow :) xo

The Summer Day

{here}

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean-

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

I love this poem, especially the final two lines.

It brings about my newfound interest in living life

fearlessly.  This is MY time to do everything and anything

I want.  No regrets.  Just enjoying my "wild and precious"

life.  

Saying what you Mean {and giveaway winners}

Today has been oh so hectic, which is why I am leaving this post until 12:30 in the morning.

Since I really need sleep, I'll just leave you with this adorable video {thanks Joanna!}

And the winners of the giveaway are:

Moon Dust Vial to Kara Lynn!

and 

Dreams Vial to Ruth!

Thanks for all your guilty pleasure stories!

email me at purplemonkey732 {@} aol {dot} com!

Style Story Sunday- Number 17; Bright Blouse

This weekend has been insane in terms of how busy I was.

I had a lot of fun, got to see two of my friends who live in different states, got a massage, and watched 7 episodes of Criminal Minds.  Obsessed much?

But I'm here with the 17th Style Story Sunday!

Woo!

This time I switched it up a bit.

Bathroom pictures!  Going old school, people.

{P.S these pics were taken in Florida in December.}

Shirt:  JCrew

Sweater:  JCrew

Skirt:  Urban

Shoes: Anthropologie

Glasses:  Warby Parker

Believe it or not, I'm really proud of myself for this outfit.  Normally I tuck plain tshirts into skirts, but this time I dared to be different and tucked this flowy shirt into the skirt.  The skirt is super comfy because it's cotton and stretchy, so it paired nicely with the silk blouse.

I added the pink oxfords to complete the outfit.

Tonight's the last night to enter the giveaway!!  It's so cool, but not many people have entered, so you have a HUGE chance of winning!  Get on that :)

Fill in the Blank Friday

I haven't done this in a few months, but I love this week's fill in the blank friday, so I'm joining in!

Head over to Lauren's blog to participate :)

1.   My favorite quote is       "Let the Beauty of what you Love be what you Do"   .

2.  A bad habit I have is    biting my nails.  I've actually become better at night biting them, but whenever I'm stressed I find myself doing that.  Gross, I know  .

3.  The first time I felt like a "grown up" was       two different occasions.  The first was last April when I went to Paris without my family.  Even though I was with my school, I still felt very independent.  The second was when I got my college acceptance letter last month.  It was the first time I realized that soon I will be leaving home.  And while I entirely don't feel like a grownup, these events have made me feel like I'm growing up    .

4.  Weekends are   all about relaxing and doing what I love.  I like to fill my weekends with good movies, friends, family, yoga, and baking.  Everything I don't have time for during the week   .

5.  When I was a child I wished my name was    Summer.  I used to make all my friends call me Summer, no joke.  They make fun of me for it to this day.

6.  I wish          people weren't so quick to judge people all the time.  i also wish people weren't so fearful about what everyone thinks of them.  we have one life to life, so why not live it without judgement and without regret  .

7.  A secret I have is       i sometimes wonder why I swim.   As much as I love it, every time we have a terribly hard workout that makes me want to cry and leaves me feeling dead on my bed all night {which has been every night in the past month}, I wonder why I signed on for four more years of this.  And then I think of all the friends I've made through swimming, and how I love the thrill of a race.  And about how I'd be 300 pounds overweight if I stopped swimming.

I was never suppose to have school today because I had no midterms, but they closed school anyway because it snowed here last night.  Which means now I don't have to go in on Monday either.  

Yay for 4 day weekends! xo

what?  only two people have entered.  psh you all need too enter the AWESOME giveaway! :)

Simple Oatmeal Sugar Cookies

My neighbor is a huge baker like I am, and is constantly bringing over recipes and treats for me to try.

These are my all time favorite sugar cookies.

They're simple to make and amazing.

I thought I'd share them with you.

I don't have the exact recipe, but these are pretty similar, just take out the cinnamon and vanilla in the recipe they have.

You'll Need:

1 1/2 cups oatmeal 

1 cup flour

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup fine sugar

Powdered Sugar, for dusting

1)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2)  Whip the butter until fluffy.  Add margarine to the butter, and combine.

3)  Add the oatmeal, flour, and sugar.  {if you want, you can add cinnamon and vanilla, but I think it's fine without it}

4)  Make tablespoon balls of the mixture, and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet

5)  Flatten balls with your palm

6)  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

7) Take out the oven, and let cool.  Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

yes, i did put this on the lid of my tea.  it tastes amazing with tea.

Enjoy!

And don't forget about the giveaway!  it's still pretty empty.... and awesome!

Purple Monkey Giveaway! {CLOSED}

I have another AMAZING giveaway lined up for this week.

And, instead of one winner there with be TWO!

Space Pearls is this super awesome shop that sells this gorgeous vial necklaces.

They are vials filled with a variety of potions to give it a magical feel.

How unique is that?

Space Pearls is giving away two of their vials to a Purple Monkey reader!

The first winner will receive the Moon Dust Vial

and the second winner will receive the Dreams Vial

I think they're absolutely stunning!

To enter:

1) If you're not a follower, become one!

2)  Leave a comment telling me your guilty pleasure :)

For example,

Mine is watching Teen Mom 2 and having dance parties in my room.  By myself.  

No judging ;)

For extra entries:

3) Tweet it!

4) Blog it!

xo good luck!

I'll pick a winner on Sunday! 

MC Yogi

Ruth posted this link on her blog today, and I became instantly obsessed.

MC Yogi is yoga inspired hip hop music.

As you know, yoga is one of my passions, and I believe that much like yoga, music can be a spiritual and meditative tool to our happiness.

The music the MC Yogi has created is perfect.  It's a mixture of traditional yoga chants, with hip hop beats that make it modern and energetic.

enjoy!  i have another awesome giveaway coming up tomorrow :)

and since i completed two of my four midterms today, and have no midterms tomorrow, i'm taking the night off! xo

Five Things

.... I'd rather be doing then studying for my midterms:

Vacationing here, again:

Greece, 2010

Laying in the meadow, surrounded by flowers


Meditating on this rock

Biking down a shaded path

Reading a book in the bathtub

The Best of the Golden Globes 2011

Let me start by saying this:  I love award shows.

I love everything about them.

The dresses, the funny quotes, the cute moments, the long speeches.

The tears, the "oh no she didn't" one liners, the hosts, and the winners.

I love to just sit on my couch with some chocolate and a mug of tea and laugh and cry with the audience.

So here are some of the best, the worst, and the "I can't believe this just happened" moments that happened last night at the Golden Globes.

{if you're a twitter follower, this is a longer version of what I wrote last night}

1.  Ricky Gervais.  In the beginning, he was hilarious.  I loved his Charlie Sheen comments, and I actually thought he was going to do a great job hosting.  And then it went down hill.  Now, I think he's hilarious.  But he just got tacky and classless.  The jokes about the waiters being deported?  Not cool, Ricky.  I'm voting for Tina Fey and Steve Carell next year.  And I can't wait for Anne and James at the Oscars.  They'll keep it funny and classy, for sure.

2.  Natalie Portman.  I know, she was the frontrunner all along.  But I was so happy to see her win Best Actress.  I saw Black Swan and she was incredible in it.  And I loved her speech.  "He totally wants to sleep with me".  My mom and I both cracked up.  As for the dress, I know a lot of people hated it.  But I secretly {or not so secretly} loved it.  I think she pulled it off completely and looked absolutely stunning.

3.  Chris Colfer.  When he won his award, I cried.  He looked so genuinely surprised and happy, and to me that was so refreshing.  I got major chills, and I really just wanted to give him a hug because he deserved it so much.

4.  Brad and Angie.  Need I say more?  They are so a gorgeous couple, and I love Angie.  Those moments that the camera caught where she was fixing his tie, or had her head on his shoulder, were priceless.

5.  Robbed.  I'm sorry, but Inception was robbed big time.  I didn't see The Social Network, so for all I know it could be amazing, but still, Inception and Leo were robbed big time.  As was Black Swan.  And as much as I love Glee, Modern Family should have won hands down.

6.  Best Dressed

Besides Natalie and Angie {who were stunning}, these are my best dressed:

They all looked like princesses last night!

Okay, I'm off to finish studying for my two midterms tomorrow.

xo

what were your favorite {or least favorite} moments of the globes?

all photos via google search

Full Moon {and a giveaway winner!}

This week, on Wednesday, will be the first full moon of 2011.

I've always been so interested in the way a full moon makes us feel.

Since full moon's tend to mean fertility and romance, they have a lot to do with our emotional state.

I always find myself super emotional the week before a full moon hits.

{here}

This full moon is a Capricorn Sun opposite the Cancer moon, which means that the focus of the moon will be on balance.

I find this so intriguing because it encourages us to balance our commitment of family, relationships, work, school, and personal time.  The whole concept of balance is what makes someone truly able to accept happiness.

The media does this crazy job of portraying the full moon as a time when the witches come out and disaster strikes {let's be honest, every creepy halloween movie involves a full moon}, and while most may not agree with that, I do believe a full moon completely affects our moods and habits.

Just something to think about and work on throughout this week.  I know with the midterms I have coming up, it is all about balancing my own happiness and my need to do well on these exams.

 Plus, isn't a full moon just the most gorgeous thing to look at on a clear night?

Now, on to the giveaway winner!

Congrats too.... Number 4!

Camilla!

send me an email at 

purplemonkey732 {@} aol {dot} com

and i'll put you in touch with the seller!

Thanks for entering everyone!  If you didn't win, don't worry, I have three awesome giveaways scheduled for the next few weeks!  xo

Style Story Sunday- Number 16; Sparkly Shirt

This week's outfit is from Christmas Eve.

I loved my shirt that I wore!

{I didn't get a picture of the shoes, but these were what I wore with the outfit}

Shirt: Urban

Jeans:  Seven for all Mankind

Belt:  JCrew

Shoes:  Kate Spade 

This shirt was the first sparkly piece I ever added to my closet a few months ago, and it's so perfect.  It's nice and light, but the sleeves provide added warmth for cooler night.  I love how the top isn't form fitting, but it's super flattering. 

I actually wore almost the same outfit on New Year's Eve because I loved it so much!  

xo i'm off to go make a smoothie, teach yoga, and study for midterms!

today's the last day to enter the giveaway!  I'll pick a winner later tonight :)

Going All Natural- My Top Earth Friendly Beauty products

A few people have emailed me about my beauty regime.  Let me clarify something- I don't really have one.

I mean I do.  But it's full of simple things that don't exactly make one glamorous.

They're more necessities. 

The thing is, I rarely wear makeup.  I'll do mascara when I go out with friends.  Maybe some black eyeliner if I'm feelings daring.  I'll wear coverup when I have a major pimple or red spot that has to be covered.

But I go fresh-faced to school and to work everyday.  And normally when I go out too {unless I'm really daring and wear red lipstick}.

I think my lack of makeup has more to do with laziness.  I use to do the whole big thing.... but that took too long in the morning and I honestly hated the way my skin felt after putting on the coverup and foundation.

The only time I will wear foundation and blush or anything is for prom or something to that extent.

So I consider my beauty regime all of the lotions and daily potions I use on my face, skin, and body.

I recently began using more eco-friendly or all natural products and I have to say the difference is huge.

I have less breakouts and my hair is shiny and soft.  It has to do with my new years resolution of less processed foods, more water, more yoga, and more attention to my health.

I thought I'd share some of my daily, necessary all-natural, organic, eco-friendly, or just plain good for you products.

{From left, clockwise}

1.  Naturopathica Holistic Health Cleansing Cream

I first found this brand a few years ago in Hawaii.  It's super expensive, but I got it on sale and it last's forever because you only need a little.  It's by far the best cleanser I've ever used, and I have tried a ton because of my sensitive, dry skin.  

2.  Avalon Organics Lavender Body Lotion

I love this body lotion because it's not too heavy, but it's just enough to leave your skin smooth and not dry.  It's especially great in the winter when my legs get so dry it's uncomfortable.

3.  Tom's of Maine Toothpaste

I'm a recent converter to the Tom's products.  I use to use Crest toothpaste, but I felt a little weird putting so many unheard of chemicals into my mouth.  Tom's has all that anti-plaque fighting agents that is necessary, but without the chemical taste.  Plus, to be honest, my teeth have never felt this clean or looked this white with Crest before.

4.  Alba Sea Moss Moisturizer 

This is also a new product I just tried, but I love it.  I use it right after I shower, and it's perfect for my super dry face.  Plus, it has SPF 15 for mornings when I need to go out, and the Sea Moss scent keeps it light and airy.

5.  Boscia Willow Bark To-Go Breakout Treatment

I love, love, love this.  I got it last year, and it's amazing how fast pimples disappear with it.  They say willow bark is incredibly helpful and clearing pimples, but this is great at clearing up red spots from irritation too.  I swear, I had a pimple the other day, and I put it on while cleaning my room, and within two hours my pimple was gone!

6.  Kiss My Face Cold and Flu Body Wash

I don't have a cold, or the flu, but I got this when I did, and I love it so much I still use it.  It has that vapor rub-like scent, which completely clears your sinuses.  I always have a stuffed up nose in the winter, so this is great.  Plus it leaves my skin feeling super refreshed and energized.  

7.  Tom's of Maine Lavender Deodorant 

This is another product of Tom's that I love.  The scent stays on all day, and it really does help against odor.  

{From Bottom Left, Clockwise}

1 and 2. TRESemme Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner

I actually alternate between a variety of shampoos and conditioners, but this is what I'm using now.  It's the same high-quality that TRESemme is known for, but all-natural, so it doesn't leave your hair weighed down. 

3.  TIGI Love, Peace, and the Planet Cherry Almond Texturizer 

I could be this products number one spokesperson.  My sister could be too.  I have naturally wavy hair, but my waves can get frizzy or flat depending on the day without a little boost from a product.  I have tried every single gel, mousse, texturizer product under the sun, but I love this because it really does make my hair perfectly wavy.

4.  Moroccan Oil

This is another must product for me.  It makes my hair super smooth and shiny, which i need so badly since I'm a swimmer who is in chlorine for at least 12 hours a week.

So there you go!  All of my favorite all natural or organic products.  It seems like a lot, but these are just my daily basics.  I tend to live by the rule that if it makes your skin itch or burn, or if it is an unnatural color or fragrance, you probably shouldn't use it on your body.  I recently threw out a ton of old makeup and body lotions, and was so surprised at just how bad this stuff is for you.  

I'm off to go swim {again- seriously my body hurts} and study for midterms. 

remember- tomorrow the giveaway ends!  enter now for an awesome {and animal friendly} bracelet! xo