the perfect NYE {SparkleLouder with Hpnotiq}

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. So a couple weeks ago, I mentioned a super awesome contest that Hpnotiq is currently putting on called SparkleLouder, and being an avid sparkle supporter, I wanted to share it with all of you! If you  haven't already, head over to the SparkleLouder website, and sparkle your favorite photo showing how you plan to SparkleLouder on NYE, like I did below! The entry deadline is quickly approaching - December 8th - so go go go! When you share your posts on social media be sure to use the official hashtag: #SparkleLouder . Every entry gives you more weekly chances to win one of 20 EFFY Diamond & Blue Topaz Rings Sweepstakes...

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go go gryffindor.

Prepare yourself for a super nerdy blog post, that I'm actually really excited to write about.  I don't think I'll ever get over my love for Harry Potter. I fully intend to introduce my kids to HP when they're younger and cross my fingers that they love the wizarding world as much as I did, and still do. When I think of HP, I don't just think of how amazing the movies and books were; it brings me back to a time in my childhood when I thought anything was possible. I used to go to the midnight book releases and midnight movie premieres with my friends who loved HP just as much as I did. HP and I were the same-ish age while the books were coming out, and I think that's why this book had such an empowering...

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weekend update.

I really feel like I failed as a blogger because I didn't take many pictures this weekend, and the ones I did take were taken with my iPhone and show how much I don't care about my hair whenever I'm with Jon, so apologies in advance. My weekend was full of fun though, and it was the longest amount of time that Jon and I have spent together in so long, so we just tried to soak it all in. Thursday My weekend actually started on Thursday when I drove an hour to see Jon after work. I took Friday off so I could go to the midnight premiere of Catching Fire with him. I know I'm a child, but whatever. I am an avid believer in midnight premieres. With the book fresh on my mind with the recent re-read, I was...

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do judge the book by its cover {blog post swap}

Today I am swapping blogs with Kayla from Caught Between the Pages. We "met" through HerCampus, which I'm super happy about because I love meeting fellow bookworms. Kayla came up with an awesome idea for a blog swap. XO Tiffany ************************** Hello everyone! Kayla from Caught Between the Pages here. I'm so glad that I met Tiffany through the HerCampus Blogger Network (and not only because she lets me play fun games with book covers!) It's always amazing to meet a fellow bookworm and today we get to share some of our favorite books with one another. Who doesn't love recommendations? But for a little unconventional twist, we only have the titles and covers to judge by and guess what these books are...

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boys love music and food.

It's that time of the month again for Boys Behind the Blog! Luckily, this month's questions involves two of Jon's (and my) favorite things: music and FOOD!  Here's a blurry, gritty, and old picture of us. It pretty much captures our relationship - me being weird and him laughing at me. Here's what Jon had to say: 1. Who is your favorite band/musician? My favorite band is from my second favorite gene of music. It is Breaking Benjamin. 2. What was your first CD/tape? My first tape was a Neil McCoy cassette tape. 3. Who was your first concert? I can't really be sure but the first concert I can remember from a known band is Mercy Me. 4. What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? I...

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creating a beautiful little christmas.

It's never too early to start planning for Christmas. I'm serious. I start collecting Christmas gift ideas all year. Really I never stop. After reading A Beautiful Little Christmas by Teri Ahlm, I realized that I wasn't the only one who planned early. When I was younger, I always thought Christmas was just about presents, presents, presents. Now, I still associate it with presents, among other things of course, but it's more of the giving end than the receiving end. Christmas can bring out the best or the worst in people, and I try to be part of the former.  Thanks to A Beautiful Little Christmas, the holidays don't have to be about stress. It can be about what you want it to be - time with...

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5 ways to be happy today.

It's so easy to get bogged down in the stress of every day life, which is understandable when you have work to go to, homework to do, bills to pay, emails to answer, TV shows to watch, books to read, chores to do, friends to see, gifts to buy, and in the midst of all of it, endless interruptions. All of this stress can lead to anger, sadness, frustration, doubt, discouragement, grief, and a number of other negative feelings. While your to do list keeps growing, so does your patience, which can lead to people getting tired of your negativity leaving you lonely and depressed. So why not skip all of that grief, and just take some time every single day (yes, every day!) to try and just be HAPPY? We all have things...

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"fall" in love {cara box}.

I'm obsessed with Cara Box. The overall concept is awesome, but I love that Kaitlyn decided to change it from one month to three months. I got to know a my partners a lot better, and I got the opportunity to put together the perfect box for the person that I was mailing to. For fall, I was paired with Teresa and Britt. I sent Teresa a box, and Britt sent one to me. I loved reading my emails from Teresa every day. We clicked from the get-go, initially bonding over our jobs in the hospitality industry and then we found out that we had a million other things in common too. I know that we'll stay email pals even now that our Cara Box partnership is over. She is super awesome, and you should go check out her blog...

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20 ways to do date night on the cheap.

If you're anything like my boyfriend and me, you may not have a ton of money to spend on a night out every weekend. Though Jon and I are in a unique situation because we're currently long distance, every time we get to see each other, we pretty much jam a million date nights into one weekend. Sometimes, we'll do a big thing like dinner at a fancy restaurant, a concert, or a live show, but for the most part, we like to find creative ways to spend time together without breaking the bank. Here are a few date ideas that you can do with your significant other without getting depressed about your bank account afterward. 1. Game night. It is dangerous for Jon and I to play games together because we're both so competitive,...

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