Blessings on the Bayou

I mentioned that I was on a hometown mission trip last week, and I'm absolutely bummed that all of the amazing missionaries are back in Baton Rouge. (I've been so caught up in my post-mission funk, that this Monday-post turned into a Wednesday-post. Sorry!)

Telling all of these beautiful souls goodbye had me even more bent out of shape than I was when I said goodbye to my sorority sisters for the summer.

My church started hosting this mission trip five years ago when it wasn't safe for another church group travel to their usual mission-trip country of choice. I think it shows how easy it is to help people - no need to travel across the world, just look in your own backyard (literally!). 

200+ high-school missionaries, both local and from the Baton Rouge area, come together to grow in their faith while helping our community. 

New friends, old friends, and even older friends. Such a blessing. 

I worked along with these fabulous ladies and some of the world's most charming gentlemen as a "mentor". Not-quite-kids, not-quite-adults, we were spread out in different small groups, but grew so close by the end of the week. 

Some of my favorite parts of the mission? 

Seeing my small town through the eyes of a stranger. 

Bonding with my small group when there weren't enough paint brushes to go around… 

… And meeting some colorful native folks in the process.

And, of course, the inside jokes, late-night charades tournaments, and McDonald's and Sonic trips with the other mentors. 

I wish I could replay this week, Groundhog Day-style for the rest of the summer!

Has anyone else gone on or is planning to go on a mission trip soon? 

Hometown Mission Trip

Hi everyone! 

I'm currently blogging from my phone so I apologize if there are typos. 

I'm on a mission trip with my church in our own community. High school "missionaries" from out of town are here sleeping in our school and doing mission-y things. Yesterday we painted elderly people's houses, did yard work, and prayed with the homebound. 

I can't wait to post all the pictures and tell y'all more about this great experience! 

More to come on Monday, so please be patient with me! 



Signs of Summer + An Essie Giveaway!

In case you're completely under a rock (or still binging OITNB), summer is in full swing.

I'm keeping busy by checking items off my summer bucket list. If you follow my Instagram, you've probably seen some of these adventures. 

#25: Wash the Jeep

#27: Library trips.  

#1: Dip my toes in the ocean.

#11: Start a garden. 

#7: Read a book.

In my last post I mentioned that I'd been coveting some lovely beauty products… I've already bought a couple, including this fun Essie nail polish pictured above in "Bikini So Teeny"! It's quickly become my absolute favorite color! 

One of the unwritten items on the bucket list was "Host a giveaway" and I'm so excited to be doing that today!  

I love this nail polish so much, that I'm giving a bottle of Essie's "Bikini So Teeny" to one lucky reader! 

Good luck, everyone! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
 *This giveaway is sponsored by me and not associated with Essie in any way* 

Beauty Wishlist

I've never been a huge makeup-wearer (my sorority sister did my makeup for formal!), but a new Sephora popped up in the mall near my house. I was just browsing when I started this wish list. Babysitting money tends to burn holes in pockets… 




The Summer's Buzzing

My dad's always been a huge coffee drinker; two sugars, one cream, and into the microwave for 60 seconds if it's a day old.

Freshness doesn't really matter, and neither does the time of day. He'll drink it all day long, and will make a second pot in the late afternoon. I don't think the caffeine affects him anymore. 

He's been this way for as long as I can remember; I learned how to make a pot of coffee around age five. I'm sure most kids have tasted their parents' coffee at some point of childhood. I, like most, was turned off by the bitterness after one sip and never ventured to try it again. 

I was so afraid of trying new things, that I even got Pumpkin Spice Frappuccinos without the coffee! 

An actual closed-minded Sydney-tweet. 

Until now. Remember that whole, being-open-minded thing? Well now I'm kind of addicted. 

It started with a chocolate-covered strawberry frappe from McDonalds. I hadn't realized that there was mocha or coffee flavor in it until I tasted it. I didn't not like it, and then I started craving them. I must've had two or three when I decided to try something coffee flavored from Starbucks. 

I decided on a java chip frappuccino and really liked it. Then I saw all the ads for the new Vanilla Macchiato; they were so pretty! The color contrast of the espresso and milk -- I had to try it!


And now I'm obsessed (and craving them on the reg). I've also tried (and loved) iced vanilla lattes (my fuel for finals week)!

My new goal for the summer? 
Learn to make yummy coffee drinks at home! Look out for a recipe soon :)

My Warby Parker Glasses

Fun fact about me: I have the worst vision ever

I started wearing glasses around age 2 when my lazy eye became an issue. (My left eye was completely crossed and I could have gone blind!) I had to wear an eye patch over my right (good) eye to try and fix the weak muscle. 

#PirateBaby

The late 90s and early 2000s were an era of large, thick glasses. It wasn't until the sixth grade when I finally convinced my parents to let me get contacts, and I've worn them ever since. 

Though I had nothing against my glasses, contacts have just always been easier for me. I still wear my glasses at night and on lazy days. It wasn't until just recently that I started wearing them more often. 

I fell in love with Warby Parker glasses after seeing them on The College Prepster

Unfortunately, there's no WP store in or near New Orleans, so I had to shop online. Luckily, they offer this amazing home-tryon service; you can pick out your favorite frames and they ship try-ons to your house for a week, free of charge! (I know, I was skeptical, too, but it really is absolutely free!) You decide which look best on you, ship them back with the included return label, and then order your own pair. Easy as pie! 


I got these try-on frames in December and ended up doing a second order of try-ons because I didn't absolutely love any of those on me.

I ended up choosing the Ainsworth frames in Walnut Tortoise.
(dirty camera lens = airbrushed finish)

All of their glasses are very reasonably priced ($95 with lenses!) because they create their own designs and sell them directly to you! If affordability alone isn't enough for you, chew on this: they donate a pair of glasses (over half a million and counting!) for every purchase to someone in need. 

I was inspired to write this post after waiting too long to order new contacts (Side note: you should not try to wear the same pair for two months. It's not healthy). Currently on week two of waiting for those silly little lenses.

Where are your favorite stores to shop for glasses?