Merry Christmas everyone! We finally made it to the last day of Blogmas! 25 days of blogging was certainly tough. But I accepted the challenge and somewhat conquered it. Ending the Blogmas series is bittersweet. I love producing content daily and I hope my posts were enjoyable. But I'm also happy to take a break and rest and relax for a couple days. I've brainstormed some future blog posts ideas already, and I can't wait to share them with you! Also I've decided to take a break from vlogging and Youtube because honestly, my heart isn't into it and I want to focus on my writing.

I hope Santa treated you all very nicely with wonderful gifts and presents. And if you didn't get exactly what you wanted, well there's always next year and all those after Christmas sales. While the gifts are very nice, they're not the most important part of Christmas. Instead, we should cherish the time we have with our family and loved ones. And that is why this Blogmas post is extremely late today. I spent the entire day with my family and I have no regrets, because that's what this holiday is all about.

When it comes to my family, I spend as much time as I physically can with them. Especially since we only get to be together during the holidays. All my brothers are older and have lives of their own so holidays are the only times when we can all be a happy family together. So I appreciate those few moments we have together.

Yes sometimes my family can drive me crazy, but I still love them to death. And I wouldn't trade any of them. Because I'm lucky to have such an amazing family, while some people aren't as fortunate. When you're opening up your presents think about all the people in the world who are alone during the holidays. I'd choose being with my family on Christmas rather than receiving all of the presents on my wishlist. That's because the holidays don't mean anything without our family and loved ones. And maybe that's the first sign of growing up and maturity when it comes to the holidays.

For the first time in forever, we broke out old traditions and played games as a family. Something we only do maybe once a year, but when I was little, it was something we did every weekend. But when you grow up you start to get your own life, the traditions start to dwindle. But once you don't have them as often, you end up appreciating them a lot more.

Just a little food for thought I guess. Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays, and it always will be. Sure I love getting and giving presents (who doesn't?) but the best part really is all the memories you make with your loved ones. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who read or skimmed or even looked at one of my Blogmas posts. I really appreciate it, and it was a lot of fun! Maybe I'll do it again next year. Who knows? Until next time.

Merry Christmas Eve everyone! We all have our Christmas Eve traditions and activities, so today I'm going to share one of my favorite traditions: tracking Santa.

For all you naughty nuggets out there who will brush this off because "Santa doesn't exist." Well you know what, maybe YOU don't exist. Maybe this is because I've always been a big believer in Santa, and I always will be. Anyways back to tracking Santa.

Every year on Christmas Eve, NORAD tracks Santa while he makes his yearly journey on their website. To follow along click here. But NORAD didn't always track Santa, in fact this whole thing occurred due to a typo, according to an interesting article from CNN.

According to CNN, 60 years ago, a Sears in Colorado Springs ran an ad for their Santa hotline. Except the phone number was a misprint, and it listed the number for the Continental Air Defense Command center (which would eventually become NORAD) instead. So children kept calling and asking to speak to Santa. But instead of telling the children they dialed the wrong number one colonel got the idea to tell the children he wasn't Santa, but he would track him on the radar. And thus a tradition was born!

Of course you can still call the hotline, 1-877-I-NORAD (446-6723,) but the most popular thing to do is just track him on the website and watch Santa fly in real time. If you go to NORAD's website, a 3D view of where Santa's current location will automatically appear. At the top of the screen, you can see his last location, where he’s headed next and the number of gifts that have been delivered (approximately.) You can also zoom in and out and all around to see where Santa has already been.

NORAD also has a Santa Cam which includes video footage of Santa's journey! But good luck getting it to work, I've been wanting to watch these videos for the last 20 minutes. But NORAD also has a Youtube channel, although the videos aren't currently up they'll be up eventually.

When I was growing up, tracking Santa was my favorite part of Christmas Eve. I'd probably ask my mom every five minutes where Santa was and where was he headed next. I'd plan my bed time around his location, you know, to make sure I went to bed before Santa made it to my house. To this day I still track him. He currently is on his way to Greenland, just so you know. And if/when I have future spawns of mine own, I'll share this tradition with them.

So what are you waiting for?! Let's track Santa all night long! And have a merry Christmas Eve. Until tomorrow.

Whenever we think of holiday makeup, what's the first thing that comes to mind? For most people it's a red lip. And when it comes to red lips, there are so many options and variations of red. So here's a little guide to help you find you perfect holiday red lip.

The best thing to determine first is the type of lip product do you want to use. Do you want lipstick, lipgloss, chapstick, lip balm, lip stains, etc. There's so many different types to choose from.

The obvious first pick would be lipstick. Lipstick is traditional and timeless. But when it comes to lipstick you normally have a choice between satin and matte. Satin lipstick makes your lips glossy and shiny because most have a moisturizer inside. The one bad thing about a satin lipstick is the constant reapplication because it is not long lasting. However matte lipstick is long lasting but it does not moisturize your lips.

But if lipstick isn't your thing, try a lip stain. Lip stains are great because they're like a combination of lipstick and lip gloss. They have the same brightness as a lipstick but apply like a gloss. They're easy and quick to apply. They give your lips some color without lots of effort or blending.

If you don't want such a bright bold product then a tinted lip gloss or tinted lip balm may be for you. They're both simple products and are great for beginners when it comes to makeup or whenever you feel like being lazy when it comes to your makeup. Gloss can add a nice natural pop of color and shine to your lips. The only downside to gloss is that it can be really sticky. While balm moisturizes and adds some color to your lips. The only downside it that the color isn't always too bright, but better if you want to be subtle.

Now let's take a look at all the different kinds of red shades there are to choose from. There are many different shades when it comes to the reds. But here are just some generic color options. Because you know it would pretty much be impossible to list every single shade of red lipstick.

Red Wine. This color was a big trend this year and it's easy to see why. A nice deep dark red is perfect for when you want to add some drama and boldness to your lips. A red wine lip adds mystery and sophistication to your look. If you're attending any fancy Christmas parties, or if you want to show off how fashionable and on trend you are, a red wine lip might be right for you.

Dark Red. A color similar to red wine but sometimes wine just isn't dark enough. But sometimes dark red can be hard to pull off. Since it is so dark, some us wonder if we look too much like a vampire or witch. But if you own your darkness and are bold enough to pull off such a dark color why not! If not, I say stick with the wine.

Bright Red. This is the most basic red and most popular red to use during the holiday season. A bright red is a basic red and it is probably the best red to try out first. It's a good practice red for beginners, especially if you want to graduate to the darker reds. The bright red is perfect beginner color to wear at a special occasion.

Ruby Red. The ruby red is my favorite red. You would think ruby red would be really dark red or bright. But what I noticed is that most ruby reds have a pinkish tint to them. So for us girls who love pink lipstick, the ruby red was made specifically for us. The red and pink tint of the ruby red screams fun and flirty rather than bold and elegant. The ruby red is perfect for more intimate and casual gatherings.

Red Orange. Red orange lipstick is a fun shade to wear but it can be hard to pull off since it is such a bold color. But if you want to stand out and are the most confident girl in the room red orange may be the color for you, because you know everyone else will be wearing dark red or wine. So stand out and be loud and proud with your red orange lipstick.

So there you have it, a quick little guide to find the perfect holiday red for your lips this season. Personally, I haven't decided which red to go with yet. Which is your holiday red lip product go to? Let me know below, until tomorrow.

Even though it officially hasn't been winter until today, December 22, 2015, it sure has felt like it. The sun has barely been out and shining and the nightfall comes a lot quicker. It's crazy how the sun sets around 5pm each evening.

But today we have the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice! The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and it also marks the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere. But this year the winter solstice actually started on Monday at 11:48 p.m. EST. So technically, winter started yesterday here in the USA.

The winter solstice occurs because as we all learned in school, the Earth rotates on its axis which means it is tilted. So when the Earth rotates around the sun we experience seasons thanks to the tilt. Each hemisphere experiences winter when it is tilted away from the sun and summer when it is tilted towards the sun.

So this leads us to a very fair question. Why is the Earth tilted? Scientists do not know for sure, but they hypothesize that the Earth is tilted because of collisions during the formation of the solar system billions of years ago. So what I've learned was that seasons are a complete accident. Yikes.

But anyways, in the winter time we experience limited sunlight. We already got a sneak peak of what these days will be like. On average, according to the International Business Times the United States gets between 8 1/2 hours to 10 1/2 hours of daylight per day. While poor little Alaska has less than four hours of daylight per day.

But since winter is officially and finally here, we know that spring is on the way! So enjoy your hot cocoa and snuggling with the blankets while watching Netflix while you can. And if you get snow, enjoy it for a bit then complain, because not everyone gets to experience snow. But while you're busy shoveling all your snow, I'll be at the beach. So I guess you win some and you lose some. Enjoy the winter and holiday season, it won't be around for much longer! I hope you enjoyed this little science lesson and until tomorrow.

The Broadway musical If/Then starring the talented, Idina Menzel has come to the Pantages Theatre in LA. When I first heard it was coming to town I could not contain my excitement. I've been dying to see this play! And in all honestly, I was dying to see Queen Idina perform live.

My parents are huge fans of Broadway too, so when my mom heard Idina was coming into town she bought the tickets. My dad didn't know exactly who she was, because let's face it most dads don't keep up with today's stars. They didn't know much about this play besides she was in it. But I did my research and gave them a brief synopsis. And when it arrived in LA on December 3, I anxiously awaited the day I would get to see this play.

So yesterday was the day my mind got completely blown away by the Queen herself, Ms. Idina Menzel. But it wasn't just because of her why I really enjoyed this play so much. If you've never seen If/Then or have no idea what it's about, let's break down the plot and overall meaning of the play.

To make it really simple, If/Then is about the choices we make and the outcomes. Idina plays Elizabeth, who is recently divorced and has a Ph.D. in urban planning. She moves to New York City to create a new life for herself. She meets two of her friends Kate (LaChanze) and Lucas (Anthony Rapp). Both of these friends symbolize the two paths of life she could take. If she follows the joyful and optimistic Kate, she becomes Liz and finds love. But if she follows the radical and activist Lucas, she becomes Beth and focuses solely on her career. Personally, I think everyone roots for Liz rather than Beth. Liz seems a lot happier than Beth, which goes to show you can have your dream career but if you don't have love you're missing out on a great part of life.

The story switches off from Liz to Beth quite frequently. And my dad described the play perfectly, by calling it schizophrenic. Because honestly it can be a tough story line to follow. If you stop paying attention for a minute you can be like is this Beth or Liz? The story is different and unique and I like the message behind it, one decision can alter your life drastically and create alternate timelines.

But besides the different storyline, the music is impeccable. And it's not just because of Idina's voice. Every voice in this play is amazing. Then again this is an all star cast. LaChanze won a Tony award for her role in The Color Purple and Anthony Rapp gave life to the character Mark Cohen in both the Broadway and film version of Rent. But you know who completely surprised me? James Snyder. When I was in 11th grade he came to my high school to talk to the marching band and drill team, and I was on the drill team. He was good friends with our band director, Ms. Stacy Burcham. I remember my friend Daniela and I took a picture with him because we thought he was super cute and he was in She's the Man. Little did we know he would end up on BROADWAY. But it's no surprise cause he's extremely talented.

There's so much talent in this play, it's almost too good to be true. All the voices are amazing and they all harmonize beautifully. Plus there's snarky and sarcastic humor throughout the play. And there's also moments when you'll find yourself tearing up. You'll experience so many emotions if (and when) you see this play.

I highly encourage everyone to see this play, even though theatre critics haven't been too generous when it comes to the reviews. Because honestly, it's not a bad play! The music is great, the cast is impeccable, and I just don't understand why some of the critics are just so mean and picking out every single flaw. Because you know what, as a lover of Broadway and from an entertainment standpoint, this play is entertaining and it delivers great music. Just because it's not like a classic Broadway play doesn't mean it is bad. The uniqueness of If/Then is what makes it so good and the reason why I enjoyed it so much.

If you're in the SoCal area and want to see If/Then, it will be at the Pantages until January 3, 2016. And then it will head down to San Diego and Costa Mesa. And if you live in another state check out the website for more tour dates! Until tomorrow.

Wrapping presents, some people enjoy it while others dread it. Sometimes it's a combination of the two. People like myself enjoy wrapping presents but then start to hate it after it doesn't turn out like we planned and then we get frustrated. So here are some of the tricks I've learned.

First let's start with wrapping presents with wrapping paper. When using wrapping paper, it's better to have more than less. Try not to just get the bare minimum, because it's better to have extra paper to just cut off rather than add extra scraps of paper. So more is always better than less! Paper wrapping paper works best but sometimes we want our presents to be extra cute so we give the glitter wrapping paper a try. Glitter wrapping paper, sure it looks cute, but it's a pain to wrap. Let's just say tape doesn't work so your only option is a hot glue gun. Sure it may look cute but be prepared to get frustrated, and it's actually very messy, you'll keep finding leftover glitter until next Christmas. Just be prepared...

This Christmas season, when it comes to wrapping presents I've been really interested in upcycling. Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, or useless/unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.

You know the brown material that holds the wrapping paper together? Well I actually have used that to wrap presents as well! That needs a glue gun also because tape just does not work. Plus based on what I've seen on Pinterest, brown wrapping paper is all the rage. And to make it look extra cute I've hot glued a bow on there. All the ribbon I've used is from old Christmas tree decorations that we don't use anymore. But if you need to buy ribbon, your local craft store or dollar store is your best bet. Michael's currently had all Christmas ribbon marked down to 60% off.

So before you go to Target and buy tons of overpriced wrapping paper and ribbon, look and see what you have around the house and upcycle it! It's good for the planet, and helps you save some cash.

But if you need to get some wrapping materials, check Target's dollar spot, or now known as Bullseye's Playground. The have tissue paper, wrapping paper and even some cute little boxes and bags for cheap! I got a couple sturdy gift bags for some presents and they're super cute and durable. They can actually hold more stuff than you think.

And if you're lazy of course there's always the standard gift bags. Buying a bunch of these can add up, so if you have a lot of presents to wrap get some wrapping paper and boxes. But for one or two presents you can't go wrong with a simple gift bag. Wal-Mart and your local dollar store have some very cute ones for cheap. It can be expensive to buy a bunch of gift bags, but it is the easiest way to wrap a present. If anything reuse and recycle bags from last year! That should help save some cash and the planet.

Also when it comes to gift bags, you also need to get tissue paper. If you ordered items from online, you can always use the paper that was wrapped in the box or the bubble wrap! It came with your purchase and it technically is recycling. But if you didn't get any or did not shop online, Target and your local dollar store will have some reasonably priced tissue paper.

And there you have it, there's my little guide on wrapping presents. I hoped it helped a little or inspired you for your wrapping process! Happy wrapping and until tomorrow.

It's been a while since I've done a rant on my blog so I decided it was time to bring back Kaitlin's Rant. Now today's rant is about something that I'm truly passionate about and something that I hold close to my heart. Yes, my television programming.

Now you're probably wondering why am I going to rant about something I love and care about so much? And you're also probably wondering how this will tie into a Blogmas post? Don't worry, I have an answer to both of these questions. Well during the holiday season, the TV networks and our TV shows are just plain evil. Why's that? Well with their "winter finales" of course.

Winter finales or midseason finales, are the last episodes we see of our TV shows in the current year and we have to wait until after the New Year to see how our shows will continue on. All of my shows ended this week and there hasn't been anything remotely good on TV to fill the void. So I've been taking advantage of all of the shows on Netflix and binge watching some old favorites and looking into new shows to fill the gaping hole in my heart, but I digress.

The first problem I have with these "winter finales" is that they take place before the first day of winter. The first day of winter is December 22, and it is only the 19th. How can a winter finale take place before the first day of winter. Ladies and gentlemen, this does not make sense! Someone must have made this point to networks because now more commonly, the last episodes of shows that return in the new year are called midseason finales. But for the shows that do not return as part of the same season in the New Year they are still called winter finales, even though they end before winter even begins. I don't know about you, but that really grinds my gears.

The second thing that really irks me with these midseason finales is that the finale episode is probably the best episode of the season. Well you're probably wondering why is that a problem? WELL, it's a problem because if the episode was really good don't you want more? OF COURSE YOU WANT MORE! But no you can't have any more until next year. The networks are like sorry sucks to suck doesn't it. NO SIR OR MA'AM, YOU NETWORKS SUCK.

Now not all of the winter finales or midseason finales weren't that great to rant about, but four or five did stick out. Two are actually going to get compliments. Shocking right? Shoutout to Amazing Race and Survivor for having amazing winter finales and I look forward to the new upcoming seasons, later in the year. We ended on good terms and I can't complain. BUT I will complain about the midseason finales of The Flash, Arrow and Quantico. Now I'm not ranting or complaining because the finales were bad, it's quite the opposite. The finales were TOO GOOD and I just want more.

The Flash is my favorite TV show at the moment, and I feel a little lost without it. The midseason finale was just too good for words, they brought back Mark Hamill as the Trickster and Captain Cold, my favorite villain. Plus Harrison Wells 2.0 is going to try to destroy Barry because he's being blackmailed by Zoom?! PLUS WALLY WEST IS COMING?! For any Flash nerd, this episode was HUGE plot wise. There's so much going on and they're really building up the last half of this season. I just want to know what else is going to happen. PLUS after The Flash finished its midseason finale they showed a trailer for the midseason premiere!!! Which shows Barry deciding he's going to tell his girlfriend, Patty Spivot that he's the Flash BUT then she gets KIDNAPPED. This is too much for my heart to take guess I'll just have to count down the days until January 19 for when The Flash returns.

Arrow's midseason finale brought me to tears and made me rage. Everything about the midseason finale was going perfectly fine until the final minute. Oliver and Felicity got engaged and all ready to live happily ever after. BUT NO WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS. So the people behind Arrow may or may not have killed off the best character on the show, Felicity Smoak. HOW CAN YOU ATTEMPT TO KILL FELICITY OFF ARROW DO YOU NOT HAVE A SOUL?! If Felicity is dead next year I think the answer is obvious. Meanwhile, I'll be here worried sick wondering if my favorite character will make it out alive until January 20. Don't mind me sobbing.

The midseason finale that really inspired this rant is Quantico. Now this is a new show on ABC, and it's actually very good. It's all about new FBI agents studying at Quantico so they can become agents. Well when they graduate and becomes agents, one of them bombs Grand Central and frames their classmate Alex Parish, the girl at the top of her class. So one of the classmates is a terrorist, and who is it? Well I don't know but there are theories... But anyways Alex and her team are trying to find out who framed her and the terrorist ends up bombing the FBI HEADQUARTERS. AND THAT'S HOW THE MIDSEASON FINALE ENDS. We don't know who exactly died, who the bomber is, we know nothing! And we have to wait until next year to find out what the hell just happened. Oh and we don't have to wait until January, we have to wait until March. THAT'S RIGHT MARCH. How does ABC expect me to this patient?! The last half better be good ABC... OR ELSE.

And those were the midseason finales that really frustrated and upset me and are really testing my patience. How many of you feel personally attacked by these networks? Or is it just me? Oh well, it's back to Netflix for me, until tomorrow.

During the holidays it's fun to look at all the decorated houses. Sometimes houses are decorated simply and have the bare minimum done. But then there are the houses that put all of us lazy decorators to shame.

So when you're in Southern California, precisely Long Beach, the best houses to see decorated for the holidays are the ones on Naples Island.

Naples Island is a neighborhood in Long Beach that were built on three islands located in Alamitos Bay. The islands are divided by canals that open into the bay and on these islands are million dollar homes. And during the holidays, all these million dollar homes show off their holiday spirit. Some are decorated simply, but most of these houses are decorated to the extreme. You'll even find some playing music to go along with the decorations.

There seemed to be a theme when it came to the decorated houses this year. Every house has some sort of tropical aspect when it came down to decor. Whether it was Santa on the beach tikis with santa hats, or the additional light up palm trees. The holidays on the Naples Island were taken quite literally this season.

And if you noticed at all I've been saying holidays and holiday lights throughout this blog post. Well this is because Naples doesn't just have Christmas lights. There's even a house decked out for Hanukkah! And honestly, this house is decorated the best, but then again, that's just my opinion.

Lots of people come to view these holiday lights, and it's easy to see why. Naples is a nice calm place to walk around and just look at the lights with your family, friends or loved ones. Plus the lights are done extremely well and it seems like it's been done almost professionally.

If you don't feel like walking there are also boat and trolley tours that go throughout the neighborhood. If you want a romantic night with your love, take a gondola ride down the canals. Nothing screams romance like a nice gondola ride.

Seeing the holiday lights on Naples Island is one of my favorite winter traditions. Actually, I just love going to Naples Island throughout the year, it's a nice safe place to walk and relax and pick out which house will be your future home. Talk about house goals, am I right? Who wouldn't want to live in a million dollar home on a canal? Until tomorrow.

Building a gingerbread house is probably one of the most festive things to do during the holiday season. And sure it looks like it's all fun and games, but you're dead wrong.

Building a gingerbread house is one the hardest and most frustrating Christmas crafts to do. And I'm not exaggerating. So today, sit down for story time and grab a juice box because Kaitlin is going to tell you about the time she attempted to build a gingerbread home.

'Twas a night like any other, Kaitlin and her friend Michelle were feeling very crafty. So the idea to build gingerbread houses came to mind. So they went on an adventure to find the perfect gingerbread house kit. Because ain't nobody got time to bake gingerbread AND build a house. So the first stop was at Michael's. They searched and searched around the store, but the only gingerbread houses to be found were ones of Elsa's Frozen palace. So they told Michael's to just let it go, and they went searching at Target instead.

So the two friends walked to Target and alas, they found the kit they were searching for and on sale for $8.99. The kit came with everything! Gingerbread pieces, frosting, gumdrops and so much candy! 'Twas the perfect find. So after finding the perfect kit from Target, they returned to Kaitlin's home to start building their creations. But little did they know, they'd run into trouble very quickly.

Because as I warned building a gingerbread house isn't as easy as it seems. But these two young ladies went ahead to construct the cookie homes of their dreams. Little did they know, their dreams would turn into a nightmare. They spread out their pieces, and cut open their frosting bags, and got ready to go. Michelle had no problem at first putting the walls together, but Kaitlin struggled. She was more concerned with eating the frosting and conserving it as a snack rather than using enough to keep the walls up. She put her walls up with little frosting, and they somehow remained standing, but once the roof was to be added she'd have to change her approach.

It was time for Kaitlin to add the roof, but once she placed the roof on top. CRASH. The house collapsed! Kaitlin had to start over, and use even more frosting to repair the damages. Bah Humbug! But Kaitlin learned her lesson, and realized she couldn't be selfish when it came to the frosting, because her house needs it. So she rebuilt it as well as she could and it could stand again!

So then it was time to decorate, but ever so carefully, because she did not want her house to collapse yet again. So she caught up to Michelle and two friends decorated their houses. The roofs' lines were traced with frosting and candies and gumdrops were added. Maybe one or two gum drops were eaten during this process. Sometimes snacking on the candy made the tracing a little less difficult and frustrating. Looking at the box, the two young ladies wondered why their houses didn't look as perfect, and how on earth did they make icicles from the frosting?

But the two prevailed and did the best they could to make their gingerbread houses look as cute as can be. They added frosting windows and a frosted a chimney to the roof. Even a candy frosting wreath was made above the door! Frosting icicles were attempted and gumdrops were added for some color. Even a candy door knob was added! Plus you can't forget the gummy plants added to the front either!

The house was complete! A little messy but made nonetheless. It may not have looked like the one on the box, but at least their houses had character and charm. Just as they were finished and proud of their accomplishments, Michelle realized it was time to pack up her house and get ready to head out. Once she started to pack up her house CRASH! The whole thing collapsed. But at least she snapped a photo before her house turned into a delicious snack.

And there you have it! That's tale of the time Kaitlin and her friend Michelle built gingerbread houses. They may not have been built to last, but at least they made a very tasty snack.

You all have been warned about how making gingerbread houses do not always go as planned! I hope you enjoyed our little story time. Until tomorrow.

The most iconic part of Christmas is the tree. And once Thanksgiving is out of the way, Christmas tree lots magically pop up out of nowhere. Once you have your tree the holiday season becomes even more official.

The first week of December, I got my tree and named him Tiny Jim. Last year I got a table top tree for my room and named him Tiny Tim, so you can see there's a theme when it comes to my naming my Christmas trees. So when my mom and I were at the Christmas tree lot, we picked out our family one. And when we went to pay this little beauty stuck out to me. If you want to see me pick out Tiny Jim, you can watch my day in the life vlog that I did for Blogmas Day 8.

So I've had Tiny Jim for almost two weeks, but today is the day where he is completely decorated. So may I introduce you all to Tiny Jim. Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree!

It only took me a two weeks to decorate... Well for one week Tiny Jim was just sitting around and waiting to be decorated. So somehow someway, I finally found some motivation to decorate. I bought some white battery pack LED lights from Big Lots to go with my multicolored battery back LED lights from last year, also from Big Lots. Then I went to Michael's to get some clear glass ornaments, and I decorated those. If you want to know how I decorated my ornaments, check out my Blogmas Day 9 DIY Ornaments post. Also apparently these ornaments take about a week to dry.

So while I waited for the ornaments to dry, I hung up the lights and slowly added ornaments to Tiny Jim. And slowly but surely, Tiny Jim is complete and 100% ready to spread Christmas cheer! Have you decorated your tree yet? I'd love to see what they all look like, let me know below. Also feel free to share your Blogmas posts, I'd love to read some! Until tomorrow.

For me, it's not Christmas time if I haven't been to experience the holiday magic at Disneyland. Just as you'd imagine it, the whole park is decked out for the holiday season. Garland and decorations are everywhere! Even the holiday themed treats and goodies have emerged. If you've never been to Disneyland for the holiday season (or at all) here are some of the things you definitely should not miss out on.

Take a walk down Main Street. Main Street USA, the first land you enter when you enter Disneyland. Enjoy all the holiday decorations, and take a picture with the 60 foot tall Christmas Tree. Main Street has some of the best shops and restaurants in all of the park, like the candy store and ice cream shop. Maybe grab a gingerbread cookie to snack on!

Enjoy the A Christmas Fantasy Parade. It's one thing to see it on TV on Christmas Day, but to see it person really brings what you see on TV to life. This parade is a yearly tradition and has been around since 1994. What's better than seeing Mickey and the gang, the Princesses and Santa spreading holiday cheer? Plus the little snowmen are just too cute for words. For a less crowded place to sit, sit over by the Matterhorn and Alice in Wonderland.

Jingle Cruise. Yes even the Jungle Cruise has some holiday cheer. The Christmas cargo fell right in the Jungle Cruise and somehow ended up decorating the jungle perfectly for the holidays. If you're sick of the regular puns, try mixing it up and enjoy some holiday themed puns!

Meet Santa! Why meet Santa at your local mall when you can meet him at Disneyland!? You can meet Santa in both Disneyland and California Adventure. In Disneyland, you'll find him in Critter Country at Poo's thotful spot. In California Adventure, you'll find Santa on Buena Vista Street at Elias & Co.

It's A Small World Holiday. Come listen to Jingle Bells performed in several languages and celebrate peace on Earth. Inside truly is a winter wonderland, which is nice since you know, Southern California doesn't really have a winter. During the day, the outside of this classic ride has a santa hat added to the face. But at night, the ride has been decorated with over 300,000 lights. And if you come at the right time you can see the holiday clock show. Haunted Mansion Holiday. If you're a huge Nightmare Before Christmas fan then this should be your number one spot. Jack Skellington and the rest of the gang have taken over the Haunted Mansion and have added some tricks and treats for the holiday season.

Meet Jack and Sally. After you ride the Haunted Mansion Holiday why not meet our favorite sweetly scary couple Jack and Sally? They're not out year round and you can only find them out and about around this time!

You'll also find some holiday cheer in California Adventure as well! Holiday decorations are all along Buena Vista Street, where you can meet Mickey and the gang. Also if you're still in a Frozen fever, you can: meet Anna and Elsa, watch the Frozen Sing-Along, play in Olaf's Snowfest, and even meet Olaf himself. Or if you're in a racing mood, head on down to Carsland and see Radiator Springs decked out for the holidays. Even Mater is festive with his Santa Hat. California Adventure is also being festive with ¡Viva Navidad, a celebration of Latino holiday culture.

At Disneyland, Christmas time doesn't end until January 6, so there's still plenty of time to celebrate some Disney Christmas cheer. I definitely want to go one last time before Christmas! Until tomorrow.

I don't know what it is about this year, but somehow I really feel like I am in the Christmas spirit. Is it because I've had chestnut praline in my bloodstream since November? Is it because of all the holiday Disneyland trips? Or is it because Blogmas has really put me in a jolly mood? Who knows! But I've certainly felt a lot jollier compared to last year. So whatever it is, thank you!

Now I never really help decorate the house for Christmas, but this year I have been. The most I did last year was decorate my little tree with some lights. But this year, I helped my mom hung garland in the living room. And I even hung garland around the staircase. I did that all with my own free will. Now I hate decorating for the holidays, but somehow, some way I found joy in decorating the house this year.

Even my bedroom, which is NEVER decorated for ANY holiday, has found some Christmas cheer. Garland is EVERYWHERE! It's all along my shelves, my bar, my windows, like I said IT'S EVERYWHERE! And it makes me happy and jolly. Ho ho ho.

Helping my mom with the Christmas tree ornaments was fun this year, we decorated them and put them on the tree together. And even helping my mom and dad put up Christmas lights has been fun. Watching my mom and dad bicker as they put up the lights on our house was entertaining.

It's true what they say, decorating your house can help put you in the holiday spirit. And when you decorate with your loved ones, it's great bonding during the holidays. Decorating the house with your loved ones actually can be fun and entertaining.

If you're in the need to feel festive, try decorating your home or workspace! Wherever you spend the most of your time add a little holiday cheer to it! It will help make you feel more festive and excited for the holiday season. Christmas is less than two weeks away, so why not make the most of the time before? If you're worried about costs, have no fear, discount stores and dollar stores have all the decorations you'll want and need! Plus around this time, Christmas decor is already starting to go on sale at craft stores like Michael's.

There's no need to go full out and drown your house or space in Christmas decor, sometimes, just the little touches can go a long way. Like a couple of lights outside your house or maybe come garland around some shelves! A little bit of decorations can boost your cheer and holiday spirit up! So don't be a Scrooge or Grinch this year, just think, tis the season! Fa la la la! Until tomorrow.

I don't know about you, but somehow I always end up getting sick sometime during the holiday season. Normally it's closer to Christmas, but this year my allergies and sinuses have attacked early.

If you too are also starting to feel under the weather and starting to get phlegmy, or you want to avoid getting sick this holiday season here are some tips for staying healthy and alive.

Vitamins. Vitamins are super important when it comes to staying healthy! Drink some OJ, that's full of Vitamin C or take some daily vitamins! Add more vitamins into your daily diet with some yummy veggies and fruits and that should help boost your immune system.

Wash Your Hands. Germs are all over us, especially our hands. And when we go out and about and touch a lot of things germs spread easily. So make sure you wash your hands especially if you're someone who subconsciously touches their face. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds and thoroughly dry them, wet hands are more likely to spread germs than dry hands! Otherwise you're just asking to get sick. Also use hand sanitizer every once and a while!

Hot liquids. Drink lots of tea or eat soup! Remember having chicken noodle soup as a kid when you were sick? Well warm liquids help relieve congestion! And if you have a sore throat a warm liquid down your throat is very soothing.

Relax. When you're stressed, you're actually more likely to get sick. So don't stress out! Relax and unwind and take some time for yourself. Pushing yourself too hard isn't worth getting sick.

Exercise. I know the last thing you want to do when you're feeling under the weather is exercise. But exercise is a good way to build and boost your immune system. Exercise also helps reduce stress.

Dress Warm. It's very important to keep warm during the holidays! With the changing weather, your body's immune system does weaken. If you live in a place where it can be warm one minute and cold the next make sure you're dressed for the appropriate climate.

Stay Hydrated. Drink plenty of water!! Our body needs water to function properly and survive. Drinking eight glasses of water a day is recommended and it helps flush toxins out of your system. If you're not getting enough water that adds more stress to your body.

Sleep. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eight hours a night. Getting enough sleep can help your body fight off infection. Think of your body like a cellphone, it needs a certain amount of time to fully recharge.

Get a shot. If you really want to prevent illness, then before you get any symptoms just get the flu shot. Two seconds of pain is better than two days of feeling gross.

Let's all stay super healthy and sick free this holiday season. Now don't be like me, and stay healthy this holiday season. I'm going to chug some orange juice, make some soup for dinner and cuddle under my covers. Until tomorrow.

It's hard to believe Christmas is less than two weeks away! If you plan on crafting and doing some DIY gifts, well it's time to get cracking! Sometimes it can be tough to come up with a great DIY gift idea. But thank goodness for Pinterest in times like these.

DIY gifts are a great gift to give and receive, they're inexpensive but they do take time to make. And it's a gift that comes from the heart and for most people, that's what truly matters when it comes to gift giving and receiving. If you're stuck on what kind of DIY gift to make, here are some suggestions!

Mugs. DIY Mugs are so popular, easy to make and inexpensive. You can get a plain mug at any kind of discount or dollar store. And then all you'll need is a Sharpie. And then you can doodle and design the mug! If you can draw, draw! If you want to write motivational or clever quotes then do that! Who doesn't love a motivating or sassy mug? Once you design your mug with your Sharpie bake your mug in the oven at 350º for 30 minutes. And voila, it's done and super simple! And you can pair your handmade mug with hot chocolate, coffee or tea!

Picture Frames. A picture frame is a great sentimental gift that comes directly from the heart. These are great to give to your loved ones and are very fun to craft! The crafting frames at Michael's are $1! But they do have other options and ones with designs too. I always like to try to make my picture frames cute with some sort of design. Like the one I made my boyfriend. I made it blue striped, to try to copy one of his favorite shirts. I used tape as a stencil for the stripes and I hot glued the heart on there. Michael's also has the wooden shapes you can hot glue on to your picture frame. If you don't want to paint, you can always mod podge decorative paper on it! Be creative! I've even made picture frames with hole punched paper circles and that turned out super cute! Or you can get a wooden letter, and mod podge photos on there. If you need more ideas for how to decorate a picture frame go to Pinterest! I promise they'll be your best creative friend.

Scrapbooks. Similar to a picture frame, but a little bit more. Scrapbooks can be expensive, but if you use a journal instead, it can be a little less expensive. A journal makes it a little less bulky but just as cute! Plus if the journal has lines, it will be easier to write captions.

Alcohol Bouquets/Cake. This gift is great for guys, what man wouldn't want a tower of beer? For the beer cake, I normally buy the 24 pack and that's enough to make the cake. If they want something a little stronger than beer, well then there's always a bouquet of alcohol. Buy the little travel size alcohol bottles and place them in a basket and ta da! How simple is that? Or if you're in charge of bringing beer to a Christmas party or dinner, decorate it like so! That would be super cute and I bet everyone will be impressed.

Bake. If you like to bake then why not?! Who wouldn't want some yummy treats for Christmas?! There's so many Christmas themed pastry ideas and so many potential cute ways to decorate them! Put them in a cute little box or serving tray and ta da!

Cellphone Cases. Buy some plain cases and make them your own by decorating them! eBay and Amazon have plain cases for cheap. Use paint, nail polish, paper, mod podge, hot glue, or anything else you can think of! Be creative!

Coasters. Coasters, a fun and practical gift to make. It's true they'll always be needed. I've made coasters out a clay but I've also see people on Pinterest make coasters out of tile, which is really cool because there's so much you can do with it. With clay you can get colored clay and add bottle caps to it. But with tile you can paint them any color you want and design them. Like you can mod podge the beer logo on there or even make them into chalkboard coasters. The options are limitless!

Jewelry Holders. There's so much to do when it comes to making jewelry holders. You can get a box from Michael's and paint and craft it. Or you can get plates and candle sticks to make a tiered jewelry tray. Or take some plain trays from your local dollar store and paint and decorate them to make them look expensive and chic. Or if you want to get really crafty make one out of clay, I found this awesome how to on Pinterest that I've been dying to try!

Mason Jars. I don't know about you but I love mason jar gifts, and I love to craft mason jars. They can be so useful, especially when it comes to organizing. Try making a mason jar make up brush holder or pen holder or vase or even a soap dispenser! And honestly, they're great for putting presents inside too!

Blankets. Making a blanket may seem tough but it's honestly not. Especially the no sew fleece blanket. Joann's sells kits for the no sew blankets, but honestly you just need two sheets of fleece. Line up the two fleeces and trim it, both will need to be the same size. Then you cut off the corners and then cut the fringe all around. Then you'll tie the all the fringe knots and voila a warm fuzzy blanket!

So there are a few DIY gift ideas! Happy crafting and I hope this little gift idea brainstorm helped! Until tomorrow.

The biggest holiday fashion trend worldwide is the Ugly Christmas Sweater. Now why would someone want to wear an ugly sweater? Well the truth is, the more popular these sweaters become some of these sweaters actually become very cute and stylish.

Now when I was growing up, the Ugly Christmas Sweater was not trendy. They were so unpopular, no one in my close circles ever talked about them, So to me, they didn't exist. However, within the past couple years these sweaters have become the must have holiday fashion item. My question is, where did the popularity come from? We'll let's take a look at the history behind the Ugly Christmas Sweater trend.

Well first we need to be able to identify an Ugly Christmas Sweater. Here on the right you'll see the sweater I've been lusting over at Target. Obviously an Ugly Christmas Sweater has Christmas colors and elements on it, like a tree, snowmen or Santa.

In the United States, these sweaters have been around since the late 1800s. The first time these ugly sweaters were mass manufactured they were known as Jingle Bell Sweaters.

We all know Bill Cosby wore all his funky sweaters on the Cosby Show in the 90s. Thanks to that, he is considered to be the ugly sweater pioneer. But growing up in the 90s, I never noticed anyone really fawning over these sweaters and I don't recall seeing them in stores. Not like we do today, so how did they become so popular today?

Well the popularity behind the Ugly Christmas Sweater today is all thanks to the increase of ugly sweater parties. The first ugly sweater party was thrown in Vancouver in the early 2000s, and after that it became an annual event. Then the parties branched out all around the world. And then when hipsters started to attend these parties they wanted to dress their part. They got their ugly sweaters at stores like Goodwill and other thrift shops. Since they were the only place you can find these sweaters. The market wasn't booming yet, but that certainly changed.

But once there was an increase in these ugly sweater parties, more people wanted these sweaters. So the retailers got in on this trend, and now you can find these sweaters all over, from Target to Nordstrom, there's an ugly sweater available for anyone.

So there's a little brief history lesson behind the Ugly Christmas Sweater, it's all quite fascinating don't you think? I certainly learned something new, and I hope you did too. Until tomorrow.

Getting in the Christmas spirit isn't easy for everyone. Some people get sad around the holiday season and there are a whole lot of Grinches and Scrooges out in the world. If you don't want to be a Grinch or a Scrooge here are some ideas to get you excited for the holiday season.

Give. Whether you're giving gifts or giving back to your community, it's a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Give gifts to your loved ones to see the joy on their face, not just because you have to because it's Christmas time. If you're not into the commercialization of Christmas, give back. Volunteer at a soup kitchen and give to those who are unfortunate, your work will be appreciated.

Relax. Dealing with crowds can be stressful and so can prepping for such a big holiday. If you're not in the spirit because of stress, just take a deep breath. Curl up on the couch with a good book, or even watch one of your favorite holiday movies. Or even listen to your favorite Christmas music! After you relax and unwind, I guarantee you'll at least feel a little bit better.

Decorate. Sometimes decorating your house or office space can really help to get you in the Christmas spirit. Also it can be fun! Get a tree and put some ornaments up! Or hang garland around. Or add some Christmas lights! You don't have to put a lot of decorations up, just enough to make you smile and feel joyful.

Communicate. Spend time with your loved ones! Don't wrap yourself in work and make time for friends and family. If you don't live near your loved ones, the Christmas season can be tough. But thank goodness for technology! With Skype and FaceTime, it makes it way easier to communicate from all over the world. Also if you want to be simple, send out Christmas cards and help spread the holiday cheer. Odds are if you miss someone, they miss you too.

Eat. Sometimes when we eat our favorite holiday foods it helps put us in the holiday spirit. Sometimes even the smells help us cheer up! Try a holiday beverage or snack at Starbucks. Or even bake some Christmas cookies! How can you not smile after eating a Christmas cookie?!

Go Out. This one may surprise some of you, but what gets me in the Christmas spirit is going out and exploring. The malls are decorated and play Christmas music! Sometimes some malls and places even do Christmas tree lightings. My favorite thing to do during the holiday season is to go to Disneyland. This may sound insane because of the crowds, but I just love looking at the decorations and riding the holiday themed rides! Plus Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the gang all have their holiday sweaters on! It's too cute! But if you can't afford Disney, or don't live in the SoCal area, go out and explore your area! Go look at Christmas lights! Find out what kind of local events are going on in your neck of the woods!

Be positive. As simple as it sounds, sometimes you just have to be positive. Think about your life and how lucky you are. You're alive and breathing! That's pretty amazing! Don't think about everything wrong in your life, focus on the good and good will come to you! It's amazing how things can change when you're optimistic.

Sometimes we have to remember why we celebrate Christmas, it's not for the presents, it's because of our family and friends! Think about it, besides the holidays how often do you get to see all of your family at once? For most of us, it's not that often. And remember family isn't just blood, friends are family too. We all have those friends who really feel like our siblings. Just know you never have to be alone on the holidays. Until tomorrow.

The best part of Christmas, is the tree and the decorating of the tree. In my family, we always decorated our tree with a specific theme. And when you have a specific theme, it can be hard to find ornaments that match the theme. Some colors are impossible to find! And other times, you may just want some ornaments in a specific color.

Well this year my mom wanted to have an Ireland themed tree, and she could not find any orange ornaments. So we decided to make them, and I came up with a pretty clever idea on how to make them. Instead of painting these plain glass ornaments, like my mom thought of doing, I thought about taking the top of the ornaments off and putting the paint inside. And that ended up working pretty well! So here's what you'll need to do.

First you'll need to get clear glass ornaments. Michael's sells them, and I recently just got a pack to make my own ornaments for my tree and one six pack was only $2. Thank goodness for 50% off Christmas items! Then you'll also need paint, any colors you want! Personally I like the Craft Smart acrylic paint, which I think works best.

You really do not need much to make these ornaments. But if you want to get fancy, try adding some glitter or even get some paint pens to design them. Be creative! But for now, let's focus on getting this clear ornaments painted!

So first you're going to want to take off the top of the ornament (duh). Then add paint to the inside, add as much as you think you will need to cover the entire ornament. At first I wasn't adding enough and I had to keep adding more. But if you add more at one time it is easier to spread the paint.

Once the paint is spread throughout the ornament fully, set it aside to dry. I say leave them out to dry for maybe a day? The first time I tried this, I didn't let the ornaments dry long enough. Once they were put on the tree, all the paint ran down to the bottom and created a giant puddle. So let them dry, especially if you used a lot of paint.

I put my ornaments back in the box to dry and I left the caps off. The first time I put the caps back on. But this time I tried letting them dry with them off and they appear to be drying a lot quicker!

So there you have it! There are my basic colored ornaments! I think they turned out pretty well and so I wanted to share this little trick and technique. It could be a fun crafting activity with your family before you decorate the tree! Plus, you just made your own unique ornaments! No one else will have ones like this! So that makes them pretty special!!

Let me know if you try this DIY out! I'd love to see and hear how they turned out! Tweet or Instagram a picture of them and mention me or tag me: @heykaitlinmary, I'd love to see them! Until tomorrow.

Happy Blogmas/Vlogmas! I've got another vlog here, just a little day in the life video! I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for watching and For more of my videos, check out my Youtube channel. Subscribe if you'd like, I'd really appreciate it. Until tomorrow!

The holiday season is possibly the worst season for shopping, and we all know why. Let me give you one word: crowds. Is it just me or does it seem like no matter what time of the day you go out to do your Christmas shopping or errands it's always PACKED?! I went to Target at 9 pm on a Sunday and it was crowded!

So I am convinced there will never be a good time to go Christmas shopping. Except maybe in May but that's a little excessive. So crowds will be inevitable. But maybe they won't be too bad early in the morning, but who has time for that? Some of us need our beauty sleep. But for those of you who do get up early enough to do that, try it and report back!

One thing that's certain, if the crowds are bad two weeks before Christmas, imagine how bad they'll be the week of, so don't wait until the last minute to do all your holiday shopping!

One thing I like to do when it comes to Christmas shopping is go to the stores and see what they have in stock. When I see what the stores have, that's when I get ideas for Christmas presents. Then I come home and make my list, so when it's time to do holiday shopping I know exactly what to get and I end up not wasting as much time. Making lists, it saves time and makes you less likely to forget someone!

Also I always look online to see what's there. I've noticed with some stores, like especially with Forever21 they have a lot more online compared to what they have in store. Also sometimes the prices are way better online! And Cyber Monday, is the perfect time for this, I got a couple things for presents but I mainly got ideas of what I wanted to get for my friends and family. I check my email to see the current sales and search for promo codes and discounts! Also sometimes some stores email you coupons for in store!

But when I do buy online, I make sure I can get enough stuff to get free shipping or search for a free shipping promo code. Also for you last minute shoppers, when it gets closer to Christmas some stores offer an option to get things by Christmas Eve. If you want to see who is currently offering free shipping check out the website Free Shipping Day. Also when you shop online, shop through Ebates! Where you earn money back by shopping online, I kid you not! I legit thought this was a scam, but I actually have earned some money from Ebates. Of course it's not much but some is better than none. If you want to sign up and get some cash back click here.

If you want to save money this holiday season, check out stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, and other outlet stores. You'll save a lot of money and get some of the same stuff that you would at the department stores! So why bother spending lots of money when you can get some of the same items on sale?!

Also if you're planning on doing some DIY presents, make sure you give yourself enough time. Get your supplies early or when Michael's is having a sale, which seems like they always are! Christmas stuff is already 50% off!! Plus they have tons of coupons! But give yourself time to create and not stress out.

The crowds, the prices, the time, all three of these things can make shopping during the holiday season really tough and stressful. But as long as you come up with a game plan (budgets & lists) you'll shop this holiday season like a pro! Until tomorrow.

Hot chocolate, it's the perfect beverage to have on a chilly day. What could possibly be better than snuggling on the couch with a fuzzy blanket and sharing a cup of hot chocolate with your significant other. Talk about winter goals, am I right?

So today, I'm not going to share anything necessarily Christmas related. This is because today is Hanukkah. So to all those celebrating today, Happy Hanukkah!

Instead, I'm going to share my favorite hot chocolate recipe: NUTELLA HOT CHOCOLATE! How magical does that sound?! The answer is very, very magical.

And the best thing about this recipe? You only need three ingredients. Well two, but three if you want to be fancy. All you need is: milk, nutella, and whipped cream. Obviously you don't need the whipped cream, but it makes it look super cute and taste extra yummy.

First, turn on the stove and grab a pot (duh). Then pour one cup of milk into your pot and let the milk heat up. There's no specific amount of time for heating it up. Just make sure your milk doesn't boil and make your milk as hot as you want. For example, I don't like scalding hot chocolate, so mine is never too hot. Plus who likes a burnt tongue? No one!

Next you'll want to add the nutella! Now I did two tablespoons, and it came out a nice dark brown color and it was super sweet. But sometimes I'll just do two spoonfuls and it's a little bit lighter in color and taste. I say, add as much or as little as you want! Make it as sweet as possible or go light on the sweetness. Follow your gut and tastebuds!

Once you add however much nutella as you want, mix it around until it is nice and frothy. Sometimes you'll have a little nutella residue but is that really such a bad thing? When your hot chocolate is all done, pour it into your mug or cup. Make sure you turn off the stove, because burning down your house during the holidays would be a major bummer. And then if you want, add some whipped cream on top! It adds a little extra sweetness and adds some extra cuteness to it too!

And there you have it! Nutella hot chocolate, something so delicious and so simple at the same time! Who would have thought? Hope you enjoy it! Until tomorrow.

Happy Blogmas/Vlogmas! For my 5th Day of Blogmas I decided to do a little haul video of the stuff I got at Saks Off 5th and Nordstrom Rack. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for watching and For more of my videos, check out my Youtube channel. Subscribe if you'd like, I'd really appreciate it. Until tomorrow!

The Holidays are a fun and festive time of the year, but for some us, it can be really stressful. Whether it is because of finances or time management or even just because there's a lot of work that needs to be done. The time before the holidays can be quite stressful.

If you're someone who stresses out quite easily, like myself, have no fear! Here are some of my little tricks and tips to managing stress.

The first step for handling your stress is actually realizing you're stressed. Sometimes, I don't even realize that I'm stressing out. It's become such a normal feeling. But that is not a healthy way to live. Think hard, what's stressing you out? Money? Time? A large workload? Once you figure it out, you're on your way to a less stressful holiday.

But Kaitlin, if I don't know why I'm stressing, how can I destress? Well my answer to that is to talk about what's going on in the pretty little head of yours. When I'm stressed but I don't know why, I talk to someone. That someone is always my boyfriend Andrew or my best friend Jorge, because they know me so well and they offer great advice. And when I need to rant they listen. So talk out your problems and feelings, I guarantee it will make you feel better.

After you talk it all out and finally realize the reason for your stress, it's time to take action. When I take action, I like to make lists and plan out everything I need to get done. List making really helps me destress and it's also very relaxing for me. Since I like to plan, this part is easy and enjoyable for me. When you make up a game plan it makes every day a little bit easier.

If money is a big stress for you, plan a budget. Set aside money for presents and shop when things are on sale. There's always a bunch of sales before Christmas. Plus there's always coupons! Or maybe next year try shopping for presents on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. And if you're really strapped for cash, try crafting or doing some sort of DIY gift. A gift from the heart is always better than some flashy expensive thing.

If time is a big concern for you, make lists! I can't say it enough, it really is very helpful. Planning accordingly will help with your time management. Make lists for the gifts you want to give and make a list of what you'd want to serve on Christmas before you go to the grocery store. And if you don't have time to make everything for Christmas, ask for help. If you're making some DIY gifts, host a crafting day with some of your friends or family. That way you get to spend time with your loved ones while being productive. But if you're making gifts for them, it's probably not a good idea. But if you're making gifts for friends, ask your family for help and vice versa. Or even host a baking or cooking day with your friends or family! Also if you don't have time cook every entree, make it a potluck and divide the work up.

If you still have a large workload after you planned and asked for help, well then you might be doing way too much. If you find yourself doing too much STOP. Take a deep breath and take a fifteen minute break. Go for a walk or jog! You'll feel much more energized and a little less stressed. Shoot if you're not getting enough sleep then take a nap, your body needs rest. Do something that makes you feel relaxed; catch up on your favorite TV show, read a book, or watch a movie. You need to do something to take your mind off your stress.

Sometimes we want to be able to do everything on our own, but that's not possible. We're not superheroes or superhuman. We need to be realistic and when you have a lot on your plate and more and more is added just say no if it's too much. You know your limits and no one wants you to be pushed over the edge. I hope my little tips helped and I hope your holidays are stress free! Until tomorrow.

With Christmas rapidly approaching, the excitement is kicking in. Only 22 more days until Santa comes! So I thought today I thought I would share some of the items on my Christmas list.

But before I do that, I just wanted to take a moment to say that Christmas isn't about the presents or gifts. It's about people and spreading good cheer and peace on Earth.

Yesterday, tragedy struck somewhat close by to me. Yes, I'm talking about the shooting in San Bernardino where fourteen people died. And just last week there was a shooting at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado. When will the madness end?! So for my most likely impossible Christmas wish, I'd like to wish for peace. I also hope this makes people realize that the United States needs stricter gun control laws. Two tragedies in two weeks? This is not normal and something MUST be done.

Now for a little bit of selfish time. But in times like these, I feel bad asking for things. For me, I feel like I have so much and that I really don't need anything. And I don't really want anything either. Except maybe financial stability, a career in my field, a place to call my own and to become a fully functioning and independent adult. Fingers crossed it happens in 2016! But anyways, here are some of the few things I actually kind of want but probably don't really need.

FLANNELS! They've made a comeback in the fashion world and I'm obsessed. But unfortunately I have not been able to find a flannel that I like! And the ones that I do like do not fit me. Busty chest problems.

The Flash T-Shirt! The Flash is my favorite superhero and my favorite TV show. I'd love the t-shirt and I've been wanting one for quite some time. Oh or one of those Star Lab t-shirts would be awesome too. What can I say, I'm a Flash fan girl.

WASHI TAPE! As a newbie glam planner, I've been trying to build up my washi tape collection. I realized I have tons of patterned washi but no solid colors! I actually need this really badly for my planner!

EMOJI STICKERS! Because of reasons... All part of the glam planner hobby. How cute would an emoji spread be?! The answer is very. I need this. NEED.

Scarf Camera Strap! I saw one of these on Pinterest and I thought they were so awesome!! The camera strap on my camera can be uncomfortable and unfashionable. But if it was a scarf it would be comfortable and fashion forward. Then again, I probably don't need this, and I could always try to DIY it. There has to be a tutorial on Pinterest right?

Small Waterproof Camera! Blogging has become a big passion of mine, I love it and hopefully I can make a career out of it. I also dabble in vlogging, and I enjoy that as well. So I really want to get a small travel camera just for that. Right now I currently use my Nikon D3100 and when I vlog on the go it doesn't work too well. So I'd like a cheap little vlogging camera for when I'm out and about. And waterproof because I have a tropical trip planned in April which requires a waterproof camera if I want to vlog or blog about it. Plus I have a tendency of dropping electronics in water so waterproof is good, very good.

I Am Malala! I always like to have a new book and Malala's story is truly inspiring. I think she is an amazing person and I'd love to know more about her story. I've heard so many good things about this book and I just want to read it so badly!

And those are a few things that I'd want for Christmas. But what you receive for Christmas is not important at all. It's all about spending time with your loved ones. Of course presents are cool, but if they're not from the heart then what's the point? If we take the emotion away from the holiday then all we've become is consumerism robots. Let's not make Christmas about the presents, let's make it all about spending time with the ones we love. Because truly, that's what I want for Christmas. Until tomorrow!!