1.29.2015

Current State of the Union: 1.29.15

Here's another alternate title for perfectly Priya: perfectly Series I Start And Sometimes Abandon.

Do you ever feel like you have so many blog posts scheduled in your brain that you're not blogging about what's going on in your life currently? I mean, this is my fault, I wanted to finish 2014 with a flourish, and re-remember the best parts. And I'm perpetually behind, so that brings us to the end of January. That's silly though. Let's blog about what we actually want to, all the time. My only blogging goal is this: don't quit. But since it's strictly for fun (note: for some people, it's actually a job. I place you in a separate category.) it has to be strictly fun!

And that's my semi-annual "blogging about blogging" PSA.
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Nothing to do with anything, except I always have donuts on the brain! // The best mural in Chattanooga, October 2014

Things on my mind lately:

1. Weddings! And not mine, though it's been fun to brainstorm. In the past week I've looked at approximately 10 bridesmaid dresses, designated a #weddings2015 notebook, and I'm headed to a wedding meeting tonight (for Amanda, with Julie, Katie, Missy, and Emily). And wedding watch continues. I know the actual matrimony should be the most important thing, but I can't help enjoying spending time/constant correspondence with my favorite girlfriends.

2. Still learning about short hair again. It does feel really good (and weird!) to not have a ponytail, but I like it. And I don't know if I can still make it one week+ without a wash. Maybe that's a good thing? All I know is a curling wand is now my best friend, and my hair is not strangling me every day.

3. And as far as my monthly resolutions for the year go, maybe I'll share what I did accomplish in January. I saw live music on Tuesday night at the Family Wash, my one word motto was "organize", I had Matt, Ethan, Andrea, and Hunter over for dinner, and I wrote the heck out of some letters. Not a bad month, though February is already looking better for my goals.


Happy little Friday, y'all.
Even if you're having a terrible week- it's nearly through. Treat yoself this weekend! Thanks for reading.
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1.28.2015

ipsy vs. Birchbox, December

This is the third installment of a long-winded series, in which I try to choose between two monthly subscription services (referred to hereafter as "subs"): ipsy & Birchbox. Currently subscribed to both. Trying to keep one and lose the other. But which one is best for me? (View October here. November here.)

November's post ended with me saying "I'm about ready to cancel my Birchbox, but who knows, December could be a whammy!" Well, it really was! Birchbox sure packed a punch last month. It's almost like they knew I was seriously on the fence...

I am still really enjoying both of my monthly subscriptions, which gets me no further to the end of this noble quest (l o l). Mostly I love trying the new products, and getting to experiment with my look. I think I'm doing a decent job trying everything/using everything up, which was the rule I made for myself for getting these subs. Plus it makes for a thorough beauty day on Sunday. What's beauty day? Just like it sounds. It sounds kinda vain, I guess. But the self-care is nice and really sets me up to start the week. 

Ok, here's what I got last month!
ipsy (products left --> right)
Pixi by Petra Fairy Dust in Brightening Bare- I tried this out as both an eyeshadow and a highlighting shimmer, and I think the color is just too light for me. Also the applicator is super weird. Kinda meh.
CoolWay Boost Repair Mask- I use hair products very minimally, so it would take a life-changing product to make me a believer. I believe this is intended for use in between shampoo and conditioner. The texture felt very "clay-y" and it was hard to get out of my hair. Also I noticed no benefit after my hair dried. *Disclaimer* I have horse hair, basically, so it might work better for you. 
*Nyx Butter Lip Balm in Parfait*- I love this bright, punchy pink shade! Since it's a balm, it goes on smooth, and with little effort in application. Also smells great! 
CrownBrush Shadow/Crease Duet Brush- Great addition to a Glam Bag, especially because I only own one eyeshadow brush. Perfect for stashing at work, in my car, or at Hunter's house for touch-ups on the go. "Beauty friend Emma's" tip of the month: eyeshadow brushes can be as cheap as you want. Just invest in a foundation brush.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Action 4-in-1 Mascara- Super disappointed by this, especially when comparing it to my Birchbox mascara sample. Isn't Tarte supposed to be, like, a great brand? This mascara is totally meh, and after a couple uses, already seems to have run out (I realize it's a sample size.) I would buy Maybelline Great Lash over this any day!


*Winner of this bag! Lip products are usually my favorite, and the other products really didn't do much for me.

This actual bag kinda sucks. I guess "holiday party black satin" was the theme behind it, and I know all the bags are cheap; but this one seemed worthless. If it's gonna be cheap, it's gotta be cute. That's essentially a life philosophy of mine. 
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 Birchbox (products clockwise)
Number 4 Hydrating Conditioner- This was exactly what I needed when packing for Hawaii. I only washed my hair a couple times, since I was in the ocean every day, but I have to say, this conditioner was pretty awesome for my surf & turf tresses. 
Beauty Protector Oil- This is the only product of all of them I haven't used yet! I just chopped my hair, so the ends are in pretty good shape. But I'll plan on using it soon!
Ruffian Nail Lacquer in Red- I was excited about this initially, but a little disappointed. I used this on my toes for Hawaii, and while it looks bright and fun, it took several coats to get the color I wanted. I realize I was on the beach, but it faded & chipped pretty quick. I received this polish in nude a few months ago and loved it, so not a total waste. 
Number 4 Hydrating Shampoo- I also took this to Hawaii with me and loved it! I don't usually notice a huge difference between shampoo/conditioner because my hair is really coarse, but this worked as well as any. Maybe better.
*Mirenessee iCurl Secret Weapon 24 Hour Mascara*- LOVE. The curled brush makes the application so easy! It leaves my lashes curled almost like I used a curler. Love the pigment as well. And, this is waaaaay better than the ipsy Tarte sample in every way!
Acure Organics Lip Lush in Shmexy-  I like this a lot. I had it on hand the whole time I was in Hawaii. It smells good, goes on easy, basically clear with a hint of color.

*Favorite of the month! At $24 a pop, this mascara might actually be worth buying. I've been using it quite a bit. The color, brush, consistency, and even packaging are perfect.

How adorable is this box? I've only kept a couple Birchboxes, because I don't know what to use them for, but this was too special to throw away. Good work all around, Birchbox. 


The victor: Birchbox. The plot thickens! They absolutely blew me away this month, and I liked every part of it better than my ipsy. So nothing is getting canceled...yet.

Did any of you get one of these subscriptions this month? Maybe you had a different reaction to one of these products? And most importantly: which subscription should I keep?

If you are interested in signing up for ipsy OR Birchbox (or both ;) for $10/month, you can find my referral links here: ipsy //Birchbox.
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1.26.2015

Four Seasons, One Dress: Winter

Hello hello, it is that time of the season again! Today Danielle and I are styling our buddy dress for Winter. At this point we've already styled it twice; for Summer and Fall.
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How perfect is it that we both went with a mustard color scheme?

I love how Danielle mixed brown and black (it works!) and a pop of mustard yellow to pull her outfit together. Come to think of it, our outfits are pretty much identical...I just added a coat, because it was NOT 64 degrees in Nashville (j e l l y Danielle!) 
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| scarf: ASOS | cardi: H&M | dress: Gap | coat: Old Navy | tights&booties: Target | socks: Madewell | 

Styling this dress for every season really gets me to thinking about what makes an outfit quintessentially "Winter" (or "Fall" or "Spring.") Though last week was pretty mild in Nashville, over the weekend the temperature dropped again (we even got a little bit of snow!) So the decision was simple: tights, layers, and a warm coat. 
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For some reason I've had an aversion to tights this year, and haven't worn them barely at all! These are my favorite pair from last year though. Since the bright yellow is such a statement, I tried to keep the rest of the look very neutral. These socks are the perfect addition any time I wear booties- bonus that they keep my feet warm. I'm pleased with how it all turned out! 
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I am actually wearing this entire outfit to work today, which hasn't happened...hardly ever! 

Also- I cut my hair last week! It looks a little funky in these pictures, still working on styling it myself, but boy it feels good to have short hair again. 


Check out Danielle's full post here, and go ahead and spend some time or her blog, Goodwillista, if you haven't before!

Here's how we styled this dress for Summer // Fall. I've got a good feeling that we can make it all four seasons, this dress is a winner! Thanks for reading! 
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1.21.2015

Golden Goals

Today is the best day of my life. I cut seven inches (surprise!) off my hair last night, I just joined the Fall Out Boy mailing list to get the presale code for their show in July with Wiz Kalifa, we're having hot chicken for lunch at work, and tonight is Ping & Wing. So much chicken happening today. 
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 | necklace: gift | sweater: F21 from Mallory | button-up: Huntee's | jeans: F21 | loafers: Old Navy |

I think I've mentioned a few times that I've come into some awesome hand-me-downs lately. This sweater came straight from Mallory's "I am moving across the country" fire sale, and it's been on heavy rotation since. (P.S. Time to wash these jeans! HULLO saggy knees!) 
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This fabulous necklace was a gift from Andrea, and I am OBSESSED. It's pretty neutral and can go with most things, but still totally glam with the oversized gems. Such a great gift! I've also been wearing this as much as I can get away with it. 
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photos edited with VSCOCam

So due to: the amount of hand-me-downs I've gotten lately, moving and looking at alllll my stuff, and getting ready to drop some ca$h on weddings this year, I've kinda got a crazy notion in my head: that I won't buy any clothing for myself in 2015.*

*This is of course, separate from the three lovely bridesmaid dresses I'll be buying. And I cannot believe I haven't mentioned that as of right now, I'm in three weddings this year and on wedding watch for the fourth. Have I blogged about this already? Because it's dominating my mind right now. 

*And accessories. Because I figure I'll need to give myself some grace in there somewhere. And I already bought this bag from Target, because I've been looking for a purse big enough to fit my laptop. You'll notice it's $45 on the website, and I paid a whopping $17 for it in stores (clearance + a Cartwheel coupon for clearance items.) Yes, seriously! RUN, do not walk! Look for that on the blog soon, since I've been using it everyday since. 

So, if I'm not getting anything new, I just have to get better. I've been posting my #ootd pretty consistently on my blog Twitter @perfectlyPriya, trying to keep track of what I'm wearing, what's working, and what's not. You can also check that out for a sneak peak of my new haircut! 

I read an interesting quote from Kendi Everyday, reigning queen, recently, 

"I notice that if I just spend a few extra minutes -- and I mean like 20 like not just 5 -- if I give myself more time in the mornings, I can put together a killer outfit for the day. But style takes time and effort and sometimes I choose to be lazy and I waste a great opportunity to style myself." 

This. Is. So. TRUE. I'm really trying to put a little effort into pulling something together, it makes all the difference when I'm running out the door in the morning (every single morning.) 

That entire 2015 Style Resolutions post is a great read. I love to read about how an already incredibly stylish person is pushing herself to get better, and I can see myself following her resolutions like commandments in my quest this year. 

I'm gonna go ahead and give myself an out by saying I'm not entirely convinced I can do this, it seems crazy, and a totally reasonable need may arise...but it's a goal, nonetheless. 


So, any style resolutions for you this year? Any tips on how I can make it an entire year without shopping? Anyone ever done that before? 
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1.19.2015

do you wanna go straight to Hawaii: #palohaChristmas2014 part 2

Well hello! So last week completely escaped me. Mostly because my good friend from work, Mallory (searching the perfectly Priya archives for Mal :: :: here!) decided to up and move to San Francisco, and a cornucopia of festivities ensued! Happy for her because SF is the coolest, and my home, and she is going to kill it; bummed because we will miss her. 

So this weekend was mostly chill, with a bunch of friends thrown in for good measure. And some RuPaul's Drag Race with my roommate, Emily. Have you guys ever seen that show? Oh. MY. 

So it's funny, I worked on this post and planned to say "dreaming of Hawaii, it is so cold, take me back" BUT Nashville is a shocking 60 degrees, and has been around there for the past three days! It's the most incredible teaser for Spring. But yeah, I'm still missing #palohaChristmas2014 (see the full post here.) 

Part 2 of my vacation post is just for the iPhone pictures and quotes from the week I wrote down. Two of my favorite things. Comprised of my favorite people. Oh yeah, I can't take credit for many of these photos...some genius decided we should share all our iPictures through our photo stream, or something? SO consider this #palohaChristmas through everyone's eyes and mouths (sounds gross)! 
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big sibs night out / afternoon walk / staying alive on the sunrise hike / beautiful, everywhere!

"Tuppy you did surprisingly well!" - Mom after Tarif placed second in a race with Amir and Coren

"Holy Road to Hana!" - Galina makes the Hawaii edition of her favorite phrase

"Ok, her name is Kanoe. I have to see if this is real." - Sundar and I perusing Tinder one night
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beach bumz / bullying Amir, per ush / Dad makes his cooking debut! / the boys after their race

"Oh-ha-hu." - Dad pronouncing where they went for their anniversary (Oahu)

"There is no fun in eating watery ice cream." - Dad laments about his melted dessert

Mom: Pushpan, can you take the Youber?
Dad: No, there is no Youber.  
my parents discussing options for traveling around the island

"You conquered your fear of the ocean today." - anonymous on Dad's stocking
one of the things we forced everyone to do was write something nice about every person on Christmas stockings I made out of construction paper (like, you are a good friend), this was found on Dad's
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best throwback photo of them all / another Maui sunset / siblings selfie / me wearing mom's old suit! 

"I think this says 'Love Lupe'" - Tup trying to decipher someone's handwriting 

"I didn't say I was 21. They asked me if I was 21 and I said 'Yeahhhh.'" - Tup defends his acceptance of "rum punch" on Hawaiian Air

"I will answer that question but first can you come outside and take some fashion shots of me right now?" - Mom as Priya
My planned after dinner activity was a rousing family game of Psychiatrist (basically, everyone does an impression of someone else in the group) when someone asked my Mom a question, she answered as me, saying THAT. Hilarious and concerning at the same time (I'm not really like this!) 
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sibling selfie in a Subaru / sunset from Napili beach / sistah selfie / paddleball on the beach! 

"Pushpan, if your feet are touching the ground you are not swimming!" - Mom giving Dad a lesson in the treacherous Maui surf

"Arja, bring me four slices of cheese." - Dad's lunch request

"Carina has island fever." - Sundar diagnoses the dissension in the group


I laughed out loud a few times reliving these memories. What a trip! Missing my people.

At press time, I don't think I will make my resolution of the month of seeing a family member (major bummer) BUT I also recently learned that all the siblings should be rounding up for Tarif's production of Jekyll & Hyde at the beginning of March. I swear, we go two years without all seeing each other, and then it's two months. I am crazy happy about that. And the way things are going this year so far...that will be here so. FAST.

So, onward, and upward!
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1.12.2015

2014: What I Did

How would I define the last year for me? Probably "settling." I didn't get a degree or start a new job, I started to settle in, own, and enjoy this next chapter of life; as a really young single professional. I loved life this year. I had so many afternoons at work where I felt dizzy because I was so hyper with all the good things happening. I hung out with my scattered family at any chance I got, adored my friends, and my sweet boyfriend Hunter was SO good to me! I'm pretty whiny and dramatic most of the time, but 2014 rocked, and I have no complaints.

Now presenting: my favorite memories from 2014!
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In January, I celebrated my first ever New Year's in Nashville and settled into a new home.
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In February, I enjoyed my first corporate Valentine's Day, participated in a Style Swap with Lauren, and remixed my beloved cowboy boots.
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In March, I ran my first half-marathon in Florida with Sundar, got my hair colored for the first time, and traveled home with Huntee for a long-weekend to see Tarif in Shrek.
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In April, Hunter & I saw Weezer at the Ryman, I spent Easter weekend with Andrea & her family, & Galina came to visit me and run the Music City Marathon.
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In May, I traveled to Alberta, Canada and met up with my mom & dad, and attended my friends Julie & Lee's wedding.
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In June, I celebrated my 23rd birthday with a group of friends at Cedars of Lebanon State Park; and began chipping away at my Summer road-trip wishlist.
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In July, I spent the 4th in Memphis, and saw Beyonce and Jay-Z perform in Atlanta.
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In Augustseveral siblings, Stephanie, and David came to visit me in Nashville; and Hunter and I celebrated our four year anniversary.
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In September, I made a quick weekend trip to Chattanooga, and reflected on some blue boots.
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In October, I met some family in Florida, celebrated my one-year "Emmaversary" at my job, volunteered at a Haunted House, and spent Halloween in Memphis.
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In November, I visited Amir in Davidson, made it to CA just in time for Jacqui's engagement, & spent Thanksgiving with my family and all my best girlfriends.
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In December, I really grappled with ipsy & Birchbox, celebrated the holidaze in Nashville, and spent Christmas with my entire family in Maui.

Thank you for sharing this past year with me, and following along with perfectly Priya. I'm thankful for whatever bloggy friends I have made, and I honestly hope my rambley bunny trail writing and crooked toothed smile brings you some sort of encouragement. I truly hope this New Year brings you the best things, and you're LOVING 2015 so far. 
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1.10.2015

2014: What I Wore

I have loved getting to read everyone's "best outfits of the year" posts! So handy to have all my favorite blogger's favorite outfits in one place, like your own personal highlight reel! I enjoy the "lookbook" aspect of blogging; because it's great to see what I loved wearing this year, what I wore the most, and what didn't work quite as well. 

Also interesting- can you get a good feel for your year by looking at what you wore? Compared to 2013 (graduating college, starting a real job) 2014 seemed pretty routine to me. I try my best to appreciate the exciting AND mundane moments of life, because as they say, "How we spend our days, of course, is how we live our lives." That being said; I love that these outfits coordinate with highlights of my year- trips, holidays, friends visiting, my birthday, etc. Being a fashion blogger (to some degree), I obvi place some significance in what I'm wearing; and this is proof to me that what I wear ties so closely to     memories of what I did. 

Now presenting: my favorite outfits of 2014! 
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Special thanks to Huntee, Kelley, Amir, Stephanie, Mom, Andrea (I think that covers it) for taking my photos this year AKA making the blog happen.

Breakdown by month (with links to full post)
January, emerald city: An outfit made entirely of pieces I love and frequently wear (esp. the pants), pics taken in CA!
February, perfectly beautimous: The post where I talk about my "beauty routine." This skirt is a thrifted GEM. 
March, leopard & donkey print: Another thrifted gem skirt, a new dress worn as a top. Loved this. 
April, spring stripes: Just realizing this dress appears TWICE in this list. This combo is one of my favorites of all time! 
May, the highs & lows of Banff: A "Spring" outfit in Canada! This dress was a life-saver the whole trip. 
June, weekend update: birthday // weekend: Worn on my 23rd birthday. Includes another popular '14 item- my jean jacket! 
July, a brunch & clog story: I love this unexpected combo, on a trip to Memphis. Hunter's fav for the year. 
August, Sunflowers! : Steph took these pics so that makes the outfit even better, but this dress is perfection. 
September, Denim Tourist: Out to dinner with my brother and Hunter in Chattanooga. Easy, and I felt great in this! 
October, The Rand-Me-Down: My fav look from "Graphic Tee Week", love the tee dressed up with lipstick. 
November, Blazer Bus: Proud of myself for resurrecting old tees. These gold loafers are another fav from '14. 
December, If You're Reading This... : "New to me" clothing is just as well! Sporting goodies from a co-worker. 

And my winner for the year? That's tough, but probably March, leopard & donkey print. I love every single piece that makes up this look, I got my hair done that day, AND was on my way to see my younger brother star in a show, which was one of my most special memories of the year.

Which one is your perfectly Priya winner for the year? 
If you compiled a "2014 Best Of" anything list, please leave the link in a comment, I'd love to check it out! 

Be back soon to wrap up 2014 with "What I Did" and my last memories from Hawaii. 
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1.07.2015

Haw-a-i-i Dreamin' on Such a Winter's Day

Current temperature outside: 19 degrees.
Temperature in Maui when I took these pictures: I'm gonna guess around 80 degrees. 

So it's really a fun, blogger irony joke that I'm posting these today! And 100% dreaming about that lovely Hawaii weather...on such a Winter's day here in Nashville. 

If you missed #palohaChristmas2014 part 1 check it out here
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| necklace: Target | dress: Target from Jamie | purse: Marc Jacobs from Carina | clogs: Old Navy |

I love that beach vacation lifestyle of being SO grungy and sandy all week, that when you finally DO take a shower and get ready again, it's so fun! This was day two of my family picture hair, for a nice fancy dinner that our friend at home surprised us with (thanks, Mr. Haff!) I assure you for the rest of the week, I wore no make-up, my hair was a fright, and it was delightful! 
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Good news about Hawaii: I didn't over-pack. I seriously ran out of things to wear! I packed this dress for a dinner/going out, and wore it for both. It's new-to-me, secondhand from my co-worker Jamie. It's simple, fits well, and seems to have pretty limitless styling possibilities. 
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New lipstick (the one part of this outfit that DOES translate to real time, I'm wearing it today)! The day I left Nashville for Christmas (also known as: The Morning After The Holiday Party '14), I got to work in a daze, and it was sitting on my desk; the kindest, most thoughful, thank you/Christmas-y present from my friend, Kat. Thank you Kat!! The color is Venom by Urban Decay, and in terms of application, texture, and shade, it's perfect! Even the metallic tube feels luxe. I was very excited to break it out when I wasn't a hot mess making the trek home with a Charlie Brown Christmas tree in my carry-on (thus was the situation the first time I tried it on.) 
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So how IS everyone? Just realized we are officially one week into the new year. I would love for you to leave me a comment and tell me how 2015 is treating you so far. Did you make resolutions? Do you feel refreshed and ready to go? Are you getting in your groove? I feel like I am finally, finally starting to get organized; which is how I thrive.

One of my resolutions for the year was to have a one word motto every month (my resolutions are really by the month. Check out this post for more information on that.) And because of the way January feels, and how my life feels, my word for the month has been selected: organize. It is my sincere hope that by the end of the month, I feel organized, or at least, my brain does :) 

Thanks for reading guys! I am just putting the finishing touches on my "2014: What I Wore" post (and not a moment too soon...right?) should be up by the end of the week! I am really enjoying looking through my old outfit posts for the year. Is that totally vain or..? Eep! Signing off for now!
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1.05.2015

do you wanna go straight to HAWAII: #palohaChristmas2014 #1

*Important to note: ^^ is derived directly from Hawaii- The Beach Boys, title track of our #palohaChristmas2014 playlist. If you find yourself on a tropical vacation/stuck indoors wishing you were on the beach during a family holiday, check it out here.
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Still adjusting back to reality after an altogether dreamy trip to Hawaii. As insufferable as it sounds, I caught myself a few times thinking “I can’t really be HERE with my ENTIRE family.” This is because 1) I’ve never been on a “tropical vacation”, let alone set foot on the Hawaiian islands, somewhat of a birthright for a Californian and 2) the last time my entire (9 person) family was together was Christmas TWO YEARS ago [Galina doesn’t love us that much and last Christmas was on a giant trip.] So, I hope that makes describing the trip as “dreamy” less obnoxious.
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My people. I just can't get enough of these guys. My highlight from the trip was just hanging out with everyone. I can't even remember the last time I spent a day with my little brothers. Maybe in high school? 
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And so, I squeezed them as often as I could. 
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Another definite highlight: a fancy dinner with Jayne and her husband, Yann. Jayne is a family friend from long ago that we recently re-connected with. She spent nine months with my family right before I was born. Hearing her tell stories (and share photos) about my older siblings as kids was priceless. I almost spewed my octopus hors d'oeuvres I laughed so hard. Did I mention dinner was fabulous?
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How handsome are they? I am not at liberty to share the offish family picture, apparently the Pappu mailing list is a big deal and my mom would kill me. But we took it on the same day as the above three photos so, just use your imagination.
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The most unreal, spectacular sunset before dinner with Jayne and Yann.
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(This somehow got omitted from draft --> post) The other really neat thing we did with Jayne & Yann as our guides was a sunrise hike on Christmas Day. We all woke up at 1:30am to make the trek to Haleakala National Park, and get a spot amongst the masses at about 10,000 feet elevation. 
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The whole experience was just incredible and so, SO COLD. The wind on top of that mountain nearly knocked you over. Truly a once in a lifetime experience to be able to do that as a whole family, and watch the earth wake up with the sun. I'll never forget it! (And yes, Amir was looking elsewhere in every picture we took together >:( ) 
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Napili, our "home beach", where I made sure to spend a few hours every day. We swam a lot, snorkeled, got rough-housed by coral, played paddleball, and obvi worked on those tans to get us through the Winter.
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Working on those aforementioned tans with m'ladies. 
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Here's a picture of my parents "swimming."
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I was determined for us to have some decorations, as well as structured activity. Because though I nearly completely forgot, it WAS Christmas while we were there. And I knew everyone would ultimately love the plans I made. Here we have the official hashtag garland.
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Tiny Christmas tree with exclusively Pappu-kid-made ornaments. Would you believe I toted this in my carry-on all the way from Nashville to San Francisco to Hawaii and it poked me in the butt the whole way BECAUSE I AM DEDICATED. Also pictured- the most amazing tinsel string that I will use for every holiday possible. Best $7 I've ever spent? 
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Mom was clutch with supplying photos of Christmases past for the fridge. Search and find a tiny me, and Amir making the BEST opening-a-present face you've ever seen. In the center is our schedule for dinner + activity partners. I'm organized but I never claimed to be an artist, ok? Not pictured: enough strings of lights to fill half a carry-on suitcase. 
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That last sunset with my boo. 
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Already missing what was one of the best (if not THE best) trip of my life. 

Yes, I still have sand in my hair, just unpacked that suitcase yesterday, and am still desperately hanging on to the tan.

Since between the 7 of us we took about 7,000 iPhone pictures, stay tuned for #palohaChristmas2014 #2: iPhone pictures and quoteable quotes. 

Hope real life isn't hitting you too hard this Monday! 
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