Hiya hiya my beautiful beans! Ahhhh, I am very gald to have returned guys. (i mean, even though I was just here yesterday and multiple days before that) Well I hope you have had a great day, and welcome to Day #21 of Blogmas!
Today I am very excited to be showing you, well, an dance haha! For our Christmas service at church, the dance team wanted to perform for it. We decided not to do a Christmas song this year like we have done before, but instead did a song that related more to the craziness of this year. It basically is saying that even though things have been messed up, and stressful, we should thank God that every day we get another day to wake up, and another chance to have a good day.
The choreography was filmed at the service and I am pretty proud of how we did. I was also so happy to have a dance teacher who was an amazing choreographer, and such a lovely, sweet lady. The choreo turned out so well as it always has, and although we are not professional dancers, I think we were great.
This coming year, I really want to pursue dance (i’m thinking more high energy dancing like hip hop which I will talk more about in another post) because I literally love it so much. It makes me feel so good and excited, and ahhhh I love it. just love it. xD
Haha we were quite nervous so in this one our energy levels were a little low, and it wasn’t quite in sync sometimes, but it was still so much fun and we did really well.
Anyways, I thought it would be really cool to share this with you guys! You can find the link for the video down below, and I am the one in the green sweater by the way ; D
Welp, I guess that’s all for Blogmas Day #21! So thanks a bunch for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! I love you guys so much, and appreciate all the love and support you’ve been giving back! If you enjoyed this post, you should totally Subscribe to the blog because I mean why not? xD
I can’t wait to see you guys again, which will be tomorrow, and I am sending much love until then! *blows kisses* Happy Holidays y’all! 😘
(6 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. OH MY CHEESEPUFFS WE ARE SO CLOSE!! xD)
Hiya hiya and good evening my beautiful beans, I hope you have had a wonderful day and welcome to Day #19 of Blogmas here on Sunshine & Rain!
Today I have put together a list of some great Easy & Affordable Last Minute Gift Ideas that would be great for basically anyone! These are actually so easy to do, but are still super amazing and thoughtful gifts to give.
So please enjoy, and take inspiration for anyone on your list this year! 😉
A bunch of yummy treats & snacks
Anyone will love a basket with some candies and small goodies in it! Places like Dollar tree has plenty of snacks for just a dollar each, and it’s super easy to throw a treat basket together!
Candles or Essential oils
Sweet smells are always something to be loved
A special handmade painting/drawing
A handmade craft is always special, and I love being able to sit and take the time to make something special for someone, even if it’s small it’s really special. I’m actually doing some crafty things myself this Christmas xD
A cozy blanket
I mean who wouldn’t love a soft blanket to snuggle with?
Jewelry
Nice jewelry and any accessories are easy to find, and will absolutely be loved!
Gift cards
What’s an easier last minute gift than a gift card? If you aren’t sure what to buy for a specific person, let them use the cash and buy whatever they choose! Sure takes a load off ;D
Beanie & Scarves
You can find some absolutely adorable beanies & scarves, and it’s always nice to be able to bundle up!
Cozy socks
Soft and warm socks are a must have. Just yes.
Blue light glasses
Blue light glasses are actually something i’d like to have, and you can find so many cool & cute patterns! These are great for anyone who works with screens often.
A fun family game
Family games are a great idea! Scattergories, Clue, Life, etc. Absolutely such a fun thing to give!
Movie night in a box
Just throw a couple movies, drinks, a blanket, popcorn, and candies in a basket and boom! An entire movie night in one kit!
Back scratcher& Scalp massager
Ahhhh, these things are heavenly. The scalp massager feels absolutely amazing, and I’m sure that anyone would love it.
Water bottle
Nice water bottles to travel with are definitely a must have!
Mug with tea & hot chocolate packets
Another yummy gift of treats to put together!
Notebooks & Planners
A 2021 planner surely has to be something EVERYONE wants this year amiright? A nice planner or notebook, or journal to write thoughts in is a great gift!
Headphones or a bluetooth speaker
My headphones, and bluetooth speaker are my techno best friends. (next to my phone though) and you can find some great ones that are pretty inexpensive! My headphones are by the brand Mkay on Amazon for about $30 and they are INSANE.
Homemade sweets
Bake a batch of cookies, or a pie, and wrap it up for someone else to enjoy. Always a nice thing to give.
A kind handwritten card
What’s sweeter than a heartfelt letter or note simply stating what they mean to you? You can even make a list of “All the reasons I love you”, and that’s surely a great gift for anyone.
Something to stay warm
A heated stuffie, heated blankie, a warm jacket, anything to stay cozy during these cold days will be an amazing gift.
Printed pictures
Printed pictures hold the memory of a moment, and that’s a beautiful thing. You can even make a mini scrapbook full of memories!
A Good book or Magazine Subscription
I love my Brio magazine, but of course there are soooo many different mags out there. A good book or devotional is also a great gift for anyone.
Welp, that’s it for today’s Blogmas post, and I shall return tomorrow my loves. I hope you enjoyed the latest here on Sunshine & Rain, and if you did, please be sure to Subscribe to the blog so you never miss out on any future posts!
See ya again very soon my loves, have a wonderful evening. 😉 Happy Holidays! *blows kisses*
Hey loves! I hope you have had a wonderful day, and welcome to Day #11 of Blogmas here on Sunshine & Rain! (GUYS. 14 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. JUST 2 WEEKS! xD)
Today I would like to take some time to sit an reflect on some Happy Moments from today, and this past week. Today has been a different day than it usually is, and I think it’d be nice to write about the highlights of the beautiful day that I was given before it comes to an end, and another day begins. 😉
Happy Moments for me are really special, and I am very grateful to have had quite a few this. Writing about them makes me even happier, and reflecting on them makes me feel well rested and brings me comfort at the end of the day seeing all the good things I experienced.
I often have trouble being grateful and finding happiness in daily life, even in the little things, so this really helps me. Talk to me in the comments about your own happy moments from this week, because I would love to hear about them 😉
Here are my recent Happy Moments from this week, big and small.
*pinterest*
2 days ago I woke up to sunshine peeking through my window and pouring onto my blankets. I stretched, closed my eyes, and then layed out in the pool of sunshine for awhile. It felt really nice. 🙂
Hanging out with my sweet little chicks in the backyard
This morning I took a break from schoolwork, and walked in my room to find Tanky baby (my doggo) laying in my bed enjoying a pool of sunshine too.
Enjoyed a piece of dark chocolate after lunch yesterday
Kept up my blogging streak up to 10 days in a row, today marks 11! xD
Facetimed an amazing human being that goes by the name of Livy while she taught me Tik Tok dances, and we talked about weird dreams we had, recipes for delicious broccoli, and Christmas.
Had a phone call with another lovely friend called Rea, who is also an amazing human being. We talked about doggos, and a bunch of other things that I can’t remember.
Got hit upside the head with a baseball bat by inspiration for writings
Looking out the car window at night while the trees and streetlights blur by, and my
headphones blast while I’m deep in thought.
Getting Chick-fil-a for dinner. Got some delicious waffle fries, chicken nuggets, and chick-fil-a sauce to top it off.
Laughed at some hilarious MEMES
Having some nice extra free time after finishing school and chores today
Went school supplies shopping and got some cute stuff
Watched The Grinch (Jim Carrey version) with my family
Getting a good nights sleep in my cozy bed after long days
Got some lovely comments and support from lovely people (I mean you guys; D)
Made some yummy hot chocolate for me and my siblings this morning for breakfast, and ate granola and frozen fruit with it.
Ate chicken salad for dinner last night
And ate pizza at some point this week
Caring for myself in the mornings
Being overwhelmed with excitement for a bunch of things
Those are my happy moments, and ahhh, I feel very happy looking back at them. 😊
Thank you for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! Haha, I hope you enjoyed my random ramblings about my life this week. And if you did enjoy, it would be amazing if you subscribed to the blog so that you don’t miss out on any upcoming content!
I love you guys lots, and I will see you again super soon! (by that I mean tomorrow ; D) *blows kisses* Bye-bye! 😁
The wind blowing through my hair, through my white silk dress. Almost lifting my bare feet from the ground.
The unknown was below.
I heard sounds of water crashing, but below the cold mist I could see nothing but darkness.
I stood there, afraid. I wanted to leap, I was curious.
I wanted to experience something different in life.
I wanted to feel free and brave, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t jump.
Then you walked up.
Slowly you walked, and stood right next to me, staring blankly into the deep darkness and unknown things that lurk below.
Then you looked up, straight into my eyes. And you smiled.
I smiled too.
We just stood, and listened to the terrifying sounds of the wind and waves.
Then you said you would jump with me.
You told me you’d jump, and stay right by my side through the dark.
I trusted you.
You made me happy.
Suddenly the curiosity grew, and the fear didn’t exist anymore.
We counted to 3
And we jumped.
We laughed and shouted as we leaped, and flew through the sky.
It felt as if I was floating. The adrenaline rushing through me.
Little did I know what was down there.
We both crashed into the waves, and we fell deep into the waters.
I opened my eyes.
You were right in front of me, nose just inches away from mine. Staring deep into my eyes, smiling that big smile of yours.
I giggled, and managed not to choke.
My heart fluttered, and jumped.
You grabbed me by the hand, and pulled me deeper to swim. Deeper, deeper.
Then, we danced.
Danced in the ocean. Swaying in the current, and twirling me. We shared something that felt electric.
We just kept moving with the waters. Your fingers linked in mine. It just felt right.
Then there was a noise.
You turned your head up to the surface of the waters, and the sunlight glinted off of your bright eyes.
I looked up too, but saw nothing.
Then the noise. It called again.
I couldn’t hear what it was, but you heard it clearly.
Without hesitation, your hands slipped from mine and you started to swim back up.
I reached back out for your hand and grasped it, pulling you back.
You looked at me. No smile. No glare. Just a blank expression.
You shook free from my grasp and continued to swim. I tried to call out to you, but I gagged on the water.
I tried to follow you, but I couldn’t. I tried kicking and pushing but nothing worked. Something was holding me down in the water.
I kicked and screamed to you, but you didn’t hear me.
I kept swimming and pushing upward, but made it nowhere. You had just touched the surface, before I was dragged back down.
Something had a hold on me, and it was dragging me further and further down into the water. I cried and called out to you, over and over, but the saltwater filled my lungs.
I was running out of breath.
Running out of time.
It felt like there was a weight, pushing me deeper and deeper, drowning me.
Darkness overtook me, and I couldn’t fight the storm that raged in the water.
And I couldn’t stop the storm that raged inside me.
I just couldn’t swim anymore.
I let it pull me down deeper into the dark. I let myself sink, and the water took my voice away.
I kept trying to call out, but I couldn’t. My hair and dress floated through the water as I kept going deeper. My last bubbles of breath escaped, as I looked at the glimmer of the sunshine one last time.
Now here I lay at the ocean floor
where nothing happens
And darkness covers everything
I can’t see the light anymore
And I can’t breathe, but I’m still living.
I just exist.
I’m invisible, and nobody sees me through the dark of the sea.
Nobody can hear me, because I’m forever silent through the crashing of waves.
My voice is gone.
My hope.
My happiness.
I’m forever waiting until the day, when someone else just may take the jump
Good Sunday morning, lovely! (Or just Happy Sunday to others in different time zones ; D)
*sighs* Here we go.
Okay so this week, Igniting Inspiration is going to be a bit different.
(don’t worry, it’s a good different.)
Every week for the past 12 weeks, I have always looked forward to the Saturday morning when I can sit at the kitchen table eating pancakes for breakfast, and gather some beautiful quotes, and hilarious MEMES to bring sunshine to the lives of others! And it makes me so very happy seeing how much you all seem to love it, and look forward to it just as much as I do!
But recently I’ve been thinking, and I want to change up what I am doing with Igniting Inspiration. I absolutely love spreading happiness, and hope, and joy to others through amazing (and wonderfully aesthetic) quotes, but I have felt as if it wasn’t truly coming from my own heart, as if I was always just using somebody else’s words. Of course, I am a huge quote person and I love when you find that one quote that literally hits you right in the heart, but when I am showing light to others, I also want it to be through my very own heart, and words.
So, here we are.
You may or may not have noticed that this past week, I haven’t posted anything. Week #13 of Igniting Inspiration was supposed to be last Sunday, but I decided to take a break and reflect on the past 12 weeks of the series before I just jumped right into the next. (Life also got a little crazy, so a break for some time to myself and not having to worry about posting was really nice.) It got me thinking how I really wanted to change the series just a bit!
So, this week I am going to switch it up, and if I find I love it, then I will probably continue doing it this way for the rest of the time!
For Week #13 of Igniting Inspiration, I am going to be spreading encouragement and love from my very own heart through a short Bible study, on one specific topic. This weeks topic is going to be Unbroken Promises: He Will Prosper You. I plan on doing this topic as a series, and for the next few weeks I will do the topic of the unbroken promises of God!
I really felt like I needed to write about this, because I have personally been struggling with doubt, and have had real anxiety about what my future holds recently. To be completely honest I really get scared about these things, and it hurts not knowing the answer to many questions. But I have found great comfort in seeing the promises that God has for me, that he will never break.
As I am digging into these promises, I want to share them with you all, and bada-bing bada-boom! We have our own little group. 😊
I am no preacher. Just a girl who is discovering Jesus, and who wants you to discover him with her.
Oh, did you think I am just gonna completely forget about the quotes, and the MEMES?! Uh-uh, nooooooo sir! Haha, my love for quotes and MEMES shall never fade, so at the end of the post, I will still continue to include some lovely quotes, and hilarious MEMES! xD
(Srsly, what would Igniting Inspiration even BE without the MEMES amiright??)
Let’s go ahead and dive into this weeks promise! And don’t forget to stay till the end for some encouraging quotes, and the amazing MEMES for some laughs to kick off this new week! xD
Alright imma keep the Devo short and sweet for ya, so here we go! 😉
Unbroken Promises: He will Prosper You
Alright, who here has ever worried crazy about their future? … Mkay, anyone here ever felt afraid that their future won’t go as you have planned now? Anyone just been so scared about what they really want but may never get?
No, it’s okay! Be completely honest. Because I am standing right there with you sista.
I have definitely felt really weird about these things before, and still seem to do it all the time! I mean, I already have so many hopes and dreams and things about what my future may look like, and thinking about that makes us feel really good, doesn’t it? We start thinking “Oh God is definitely going to give me a happy life, and all of these amazing things and I will be happy no matter what!”
But then we start to doubt. We feel afraid of the thought that life isn’t going to have everything we want, and dream of. And that’s because it isn’t.
Life won’t have everything we want, and that really does suck but there is another promise God has given us in place of that. Actually, quite a few promises he has given us in place of that!
Just take a look right here at Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
In this verse, God is promising us that he has plans for us and he knows exactly what those plans are! He knows every itty bitty detail about what our future will look like, and he is in control of all of it! Our future will most likely look so very different from what we expect it to be, but we just have to remember that God is in all of it, and he does everything for our good. One of my favorite quotes is, “God wrecks your plans when he sees that your plans are about to wreck you.” And it is so true! God’s plans for us are always for our good, because that’s just how much he loves us.
When God tells us no to something we really want, we get pretty upset don’t we? I mean God promises us great things doesn’t he? Well, yes! He absolutely does! But the thing is, God promises us great and amazing things, but he never promises we will get exactly what we want. When God tells us no, or takes something away from us that we loved so much, he is using everything to guide us in the right direction! God’s “no” is not a rejection, its a redirection. So I can guarantee, it’s a very good thing whenever God tells us no. Sometimes, it’s a very good thing not getting what we wanted, because God still promises us something great. Greater than anything we ever dreamed of! We just have to realize, that we can’t have exactly what we want, and have Gods even better and amazing plans at the same time.
In all the years that I have lived, never once did a single thing go exactly as I thought it would.
And every single time, no matter how tough it was to get through the big and small, it all turned out great, and I was okay.
God also says in this verse, that he has plans to prosper, and not to harm us.
Lets look into the word prosper
Prosper, means to succeed, to bloom, flourish, to fly, thrive, grow, to live, to shoot up, to flower, do well, blossom, booming, to spread, to expand, advance, make a mark, to impact, go places, and to make good!
Does anybody else see what I am seeing? God is saying that he promises that we will succeed, we will bloom through it all, we will flourish, and fly, and thrive, and shoot up, and spread, and that we will make a mark in the world!
I really do believe, that God does want us to have a happy life. Even though our lives may seem to completely turn around, I think that no matter what God will give us happiness. I believe that God loves to see us when we are happy!
He promises us that we will flourish, and thrive, and bloom, and fly! I find that very comforting. God is saying that everything he does, is not to harm or to hurt or punish us! His decisions for our future our perfect in every way, and he does it all for our good. He promises us hope, and a beautiful future!
He promises that what he has for us, is perfect. Far better than what we may see as perfect, and we will be so grateful at some points that we actually didn’t get what we wanted but got what God wanted!
God knows so much better than we do. Sometimes I forget that simple fact but it’s so very true.
God has ruled over everything. The heavens and the earth, from the beginning of time. He has reigned over it for all eternity! So I think that in all the time he has watched this earth, compared to the very few years I’ve been here, then I think he must have seen a whooooole lot more than I can ever imagine! And, he has.
So, that concludes to say, that there is nothing that God hasn’t seen, heard, or felt. God watched it all, and he is in complete control no matter how crazy it may feel, I promise you that God has never let go of that steering wheel of life! Every single thing that happens, happens for a reason. It all happens for the greater good.
If you just trust him with all your heart and stand strong in your faith, and just let go of everything that has hurt you and hand it all to God, he will give you everything you are destined for. Everything that happens to you, is all meant to lead you back to him, and to make you stronger, and to prepare you for whats ahead.
There are so, so, so many things ahead, that you and I can’t even imagine right now. God is full of surprises, and I definitely believe God fits some humor in there too haha! We don’t know what tomorrow holds, it’s just something we can never comprehend. But we can trust that God has a perfectly perfect plan beyond our understanding, and it’s all going to work out. There are many things ahead, that even though I have no clue what they could be, I can’t wait to figure that out.
So hon’, Gods got this, okay? No matter how hurt you are, no matter how scared, no matter how doubtful you are, God is going to pull you through the fire. He is going to stand right next to you through it all. He is going to watch you bloom, and you will be happy, and joyous, you will fly, flourish, and thrive. And he loves you. He will never stop.
And that’s a promise.
Now, we are going to get onto the beautiful quotes for some extra encouragement and smiles! Lemme know which of the quotes is your favorite! ; D
Now, for the moment you have most likely been impatiently waiting for, I present to you…The lovely MEMES!
I challenge you to get through all of these without laughing! If you accomplish that, then comment down below #NotAGiggle!
And if you’re more like me, and can’t keep in a laugh for the life of you, then comment down below #…lotsagiggles! xD
So, I am going to bid my farewells now, and let you move onto the MEMES and end it right there! (So it’ll be more dramatic 😉)
Thank you so much for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! Be sure to Subscribe to the blog as well, to become apart of the #GummyBearFam! (Yep I changed it! I figured I should change it from #ChickenNuggetFam considering we now have our own Chickens as pets, and ya’know, I wouldn’t want to offend them 😝 I also have respect for my fellow Vegan and Vegetarian friends out there, so I figured that Gummy Bears would be a really cute name for you guys! 😁
So, have an amazing Sunday lovely! You deserve it! I can’t wait to chat with you all super soon, and until then, please enjoy these lovely MEMES. 😊
Okay, ready? Set…GO!!
(This is basically the grand finale of the post xD)
I DIED OF CUTENESS. I JUST CANT.literally me tho. See! I told you! Super dramatic 😉
Good Sunday Morning Lovely! I hope that your day is full of sunshine! ❤️ Ahhh it’s really great to be back.
So how are you today? What did you have for breakfast? Something you’re grateful for this week/today?
Once again, I am back with week #10 of the Igniting Inspiration series! I have gathered a handful of encouraging and inspirational quotes, along with some hilarious MEMES for some laughs to kick off the new week! I’m so excited for this new week. It’s a fresh start and it holds many things that I’ve never seen before! 😊
Alrighty, I hope these bring some light and love to your new week! And be sure to stay til the end for some laughs! 😝
*photos displayed are not my own unless listed otherwise*
Aren’t those beautiful? ❤️ I love it when there’s that one quote that absolutely speaks to your heart. Let me know if there’s anything I can pray for that’s happening in your life right now!
Okey dokey! Up next we have the amazing MEMES! Haha, as always I challenge you to go through all of these MEMES and try your hardest not to laugh! If you accomplish that, comment down below #Didn’tLaugh! And if you’re like me, and can’t keep in a giggle, then comment down below #TotallyFailedAtThidChallenge 😂 Don’t worry though dudes, there’s no shame in that.
Okay, are you ready? Alrighty, here we go!!
LOL IM DEAD. IM SORRY I JUST CANT. 🤣 Did you laugh? Let me know down in the comments!
You guys, I literally had so much fun putting these all together! I really hope that you enjoyed this post, and if you did, be sure to subscribe to the blog to make sure you don’t miss out on any future content! Because I can tell you for sure there is a lot planned to soon come here on Sunshine & Rain!
Thanks a bunch for checking out the latest on the blog! I can’t wait to chat with you guys, and I hope you have an amazing day! Keep smiling my girly, it looks good on you 😉
I take a 7 day phone detox the last week of every month.
No pictures. No messages. No music. No editing. Nothing.
Yep, that’s right. For a full 7 days I don’t touch my phone at all. It sits on the dining room shelf and it stays there all week.
Here’s my post on why I do it, the huge benefits taking time away from our phones, and why you should try it!
We are all so attached to our phones, no matter how much we deny it. It becomes a habit and it ends up becoming a bad one, and it often wastes our time…. and ALOT OF IT.
Did you know that the average teen spends over 7 hours on their phones/socials every day? By the end of the week, the average teen would have spent over 49 hours on their phone! That’s more than 2 days worth of time!
At that rate, by the end of the year the average teen would have missed over 2,500 hours time of many other things they could have been doing. They could have been hiking, or reading a book, or studying, or drawing, or learning a new skill, or writing, or praying, or anything else in those 2,500 hours!
2,500 hours. That’s over 104 days worth of time wasted by the end of the year! There are 365 days in a year, and 104 days worth of time was just spent on a screen.
That time could have been used for so many other things, to make life better, more enjoyable. But, no. Instead, they were scrolling through their socials.
It makes me really sad seeing that some teens are just letting their lives pass right by them while their noses are sucked into a screen. And it often makes me really sad seeing these teens stuck on the phone, when they are right in front of eachother and don’t even bother to engage in conversation!
My parents have always been stricter than most with my phone time. But, over time it’s not only been their choice, but I’ve also accepted it as my own choice as well.
I have a time limit set on my phone (by my Mama) for 4 hours time a day. After that, my apps shut down and I can’t do anything on the phone, without a password only known by my Mom to unlock them.
I have rarely ever surpassed that time limit, and most people’s jaws drop when I say I spend a maximum of 2 hours on my phone every day! Which to be honest, 2 hours still seems like a lot and way too much time to me.
I don’t even have social media, not any. No Insta, no Snap, no VSCO, no Youtube, and no Pinterest. Once again, its not just my parents choice, but also mine. I don’t even want socials right now. Maybe later down the road I could make my own Pinterest account, or make an Insta, but not right now. Just awhile ago, I actually made the choice to delete YouTube completely off of my phone. I spent so much time on it, and it really started to bother me. And lemme tell ya, I don’t miss is at all.
Eventually, I will work on a post entirely on my thoughts and choices with social media.
Anyways, do you realize that 7 hours is actually over half of your entire day? And not only that, but a lot of girls actually admit that they’re normally on their phones at times like 3 am in the morning!
And they wonder why they have trouble sleeping?
Haha this post is in no way calling people out because if you struggle with phone attachment don’t worry! I still completely understand, and I know how hard it is to stay away from it!
But again, that doesn’t make it okay to let your phone get in the way of your health. Mental, and Physical.
Whenever I find myself getting super attached to my phone, like can’t-put-it-down-for-15-minutes-attached, then I know it’s time for a break.
So, at the end of every month, I take a one week phone break! For me, just taking a single day off of my phone is not enough, because I know the next day I’ll come straight back to it. After a full 7 days, I feel so very refreshed and I barely missed my phone at all!
After my break, I feel so good about myself and I can look back on my week and see all the things I’ve accomplished without my phone! During the week of not having my phone, it felt so good not having to worry about missing calls or texts and not worrying about always having it with me 24/7! Now i’m not saying in order to take a break it has to be 7 days, because you can take as much time as you want, and do whatever works for you!
I started seeing how attached I really was to my phone, when I started to notice whenever I was bored, I would immediately look for my phone. Or whenever I was first taking phone breaks, I kept catching myself reaching into my purse pocket for my phone out of habit, only to once again remember it wasn’t there.
Here are the top 5 benefits I have loved that have come out of taking nice 7 day phone breaks!
PRODUCTIVITY
I have always found that in the mornings, and late nights, I have felt most productive. Those are the times when I actually want to clean my room, get school done, finish chores, do self care, and actually do so many other fun things! Ya know why? Because mornings, and late nights are when I don’t have my phone. During an entire week of phone freedom, I feel SO FREAKING PRODUCTIVE and it makes me feel really good! I got so many things done during my phone break, and it’s amazing.
Whenever I have my phone, I sometimes am guilty of being very lazy and unwise with my time. I’ve noticed sometimes that I tell myself early in the morning that I will definitely get this or that done later in the day, but once my phone is in my hands, all I want to do is sit down and spend hours on end on it. I used to tend to do that alot. So, when you don’t have your phone in your hand all the time, it really refreshes you, and helps you to use your time for so many better things!
It’s FREEING!
POSITIVITY
Whenever you’re scrolling through your socials, how does it make you feel? How does it benefit your life or health? Often times, we can get sucked into social media out of boredom and all the sudden we start losing our positivity. This is often because of seeing other peoples lives in these perfect pictures and filters, and we start to compare our own lives to that. Always mindlessly scrolling through your socials can really break you down without you even realizing it. Doing this becomes a habit, which takes away from your time.
Staying away from socials for awhile can be really good for you! You are freeing yourself from the mindset of always having to have the perfect life like you see in all these other profiles, and it really gives you time for yourself. You get away from that which feeds into your mind negativity, and over time can tear you down completely.
CREATIVITY
I have always been a very creative person, but when I have my phone, I quite often find myself in a burnout stage. When I let go of my phone for awhile, I have actually found that that’s when so many ideas basically explode in my mind! I can get so much inspiration, and ideas, and artsy things outside of my phone. Just stepping away for awhile has actually helped me so much to brainstorm, and I have written down so many creative things and ideas from it!
INDEPENDENCY
I feel so very independent and strong whenever I have stepped away from my phone! It’s crazy how phone attachment can actually make you feel so chained down, and unable to do things on your own. You feel like you always need it to do everything, and just letting go of that really makes you see how much you can actually do on your own. You get super dependent on your device, and and without realizing it you make it basically your entire world.
I have been so proud of myself and been able to love myself so much more seeing all the great things I can do, and the amazing choice that I made by myself to stop holding on to my phone so tight.
LIVING PRESENTLY
And finally, stepping away from your screen allows you to live presently. When we’re sucked into our phones, we very much tend to let our lives fly by without even taking notice of it. There are so many amazing, and even not so amazing things happening in this real world right now that we are completely missing. And even if you’re there, doesn’t mean you aren’t missing out.
Don’t worry about taking pictures while you’re there! Try living in the moment and just take in the beauty, and happiness of it all right now! Of course, I am pretty sure that we all love a good selfie or an aesthetic photograph to look back on later, or share. But you shouldn’t be worried about being able to look back on the good times with a photograph, when you weren’t truly enjoying the good times at all.
Thank you guys so much for checking out the latest here on Sunshine & Rain! I very much enjoyed creating this, and can’t wait to create more. I also can’t wait to chat with you guys, and definitely let me know your thoughts on this post! I love you guys a bunch, and I’ll see ya again very soon!
I hope you feel pretty today, keep smiling lovely ; )
I take another small sip of coffee from the mug I have cupped in my hands, still continuing to read the thin lines of the open book that lies in front of me. The bitter, and dark liquid is almost perfect.
Still warm, but cooled. It’s soothing to the mouth.
The delicate pages of the book are yellowed and brittle, and the edges are rigged and torn from many years of age. Most of the small black letters printed across the pages have faded so much they are nearly invisible.
The click of the white ceramic mug back on the marble kitchen table is one of the few sounds that is keeping complete silence away. I hear my own breathe, and the low crackles and pops of the logs in the brick fireplace. It does fairly well in keeping the cottage warm and cozy during the winter days.
All is quiet and chilly, as I sit there with that mug of coffee, and that old brown book.
I pull the sleeves of my soft gray sweater over my wrists, and hold them cozily there with my fingers. I tuck my hands under my chin as I begin to read aloud to myself. My voice raspy from the frosty air of the morning, I read, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name…” I paused. “… you are mine.”
The beautiful words seemed to linger in the air as a soft and sweet aroma, that I could breathe over and over again. The words bring a sensation of comfort, that hangs as a blanket around my shoulders.
I brush my cold fingers over the words, trying to grip onto every letter as if I could pick them up, and lock them in my heart forever.
I continue reading aloud, in that still kitchen. Just my voice breaking the silence of the house, which normally brings a feeling of loneliness.
I’m once again reminded I’m not the only one in this rusty cottage, as an orange ball of fuzz walks underneath the table. Samuel’s faded orange fur, with streaks of white brushes against my legs, and his whiskers tickle my feet. I can’t help but giggle.
He looks up at me for just a second, and I gaze into his beautiful green, and brown speckled eyes. His eyes are like a pond in the summer, with the lilies floating atop the muddy water.
I smile softly at him, and reach down to pick him up. I cradle him in my arms and snuggle him close, with my nose in his fur. He purrs, and nuzzles his face in my sweater.
I close my eyes just for a second, and sit there.
I sit there with a mug of coffee, an orange cat, and that old brown book.
I open my eyes, and see him looking at me again. I have a feeling of happiness and warmth inside. I gently kiss him on the nose, with him still cradled in my arms.
I sit him on my right shoulder, and close the book still in front of me. I carefully pick it up not letting the few torn pages slip out, and walk over to the mysterious door across the room. The wooden door has scratches all over, and the brass knob has been worn over the years.
I sit the book down on the cabinet next to the door, that holds all of the glass bowls and plates, and variety of coffee mugs I managed to collect over a period of years.
I slide the metal key off the top of the cabinet and wiggle it into the brass lock until I hear the click of the latch.
It is a quite suspicious looking door, so it’s probably hard not to let your imagination run wild when there’s curiosity for what’s down there.
The door is always locked. Nobody but the cat and I have ever been down in that basement before, at least not since books were no longer wanted years ago, and I am unsure if they still exist on the face of the earth. Most books have been thrown away, just tossed into the trash. A lot of valuable things of the past have been thrown away.
Nobody wanted books, or even art anymore. Some people today blame you of being a liar or a fake for believing things written inside the pages of the beautiful things called books, or loving art. If the wrong person finds these things, they’ll destroy all you have. That’s why I won’t let anyone inside my house, let alone the basement.
I fear that they may burn everything I hold precious to me.
The lock clicks and turns, and I forcefully push open the door. I am immediately sense the sweet smell of paper. I feel for the switch along the wall with my free hand, and flip it. Everything came to life with one switch.
My pretty lights strung across the ceiling seem to burst with yellow joy as they come on. All the different colors I have painted on the walls, and beautiful drawings I have created are shown. I have my sack chair sitting towards the right in the middle of the room, and my favorite white wool rug on the floor.
A short coffee table sits in the center of the room, with a forgotten coffee mug from the previous night, and a still open book.
I have more smaller lights that twinkle, strung across the many shelves in the room. You wouldn’t expect it to be as big as it is inside of such a tiny home, but this room is my home.
All the shelves lined along the walls, and smaller shelves in the center of the room, all lined with pages filled with memories of the past.
A table in the left corner is stacked with books, that have yet to be alphabetized along the shelves.
I open the drawer to an identical cabinet as the one upstairs, and lay the old brown book inside.
I walk in the spaces between the shelves, filled with beautiful things. Some trinkets and small decorations would sit here and there among the books.
I smile as I pick up a small glass frog. It sits upright on its back legs, and it grasps a yellow flower in its small arms. Its eyes are glossed and shimmering, and its cheeks are a rosy red. Its smile has a look of shyness and peace. I look at it once more and put it back down on the shelf, and straighten it to where it first sat.
I walk into the middle of the room, the wooden floor creaking with every step.
The whole room smells like pure happiness. The aroma of aged paper mixes with the lingering smell of the pumpkin candle I lit last night.
I stand there, looking around the room.
I stand there with an orange cat on my shoulder, in a room bursting with books, light, and art, and creative things.
It just feels good.
Thanks for checking out my random writing spurt! I have just recently been feeling really creative with writing, and I couldn’t say my writings are the best ever, but I think I did pretty well with it haha!
Incase you were wondering, this short story line was supposed to be based off of what life would be like in a world full of hatred for books, or where books almost didn’t exist anywhere. Basically in a world where you have to hide art, and writings, and creativity.
This was a bit longer than I expected, but hopefully my writings intrigued you so maybe you possibly actually read it all the way through haha! (I feel like some of you authors out there may be hard core cringing right about now though. Are you?😂 )
I will most likely continue experimenting with my writing, and I would love to here if you have any suggestions or tips on becoming a better author!
Also this may or may not have been a schoolwork assignment for an essay I was writing that was only supposed to be 250-500 words and I may or may not have written almost 2,000 hehe…. so I figured hey why not make it into a post?
I’ll see ya super soon guys, it was really great getting to drop in for a bit! xD Have an amazing day loves, and keep smiling! ; )
YOU GUYS. I am literally so excited for this post. (Also hello there my lovely friend! Haha how are you today? xD) So I have just recently decided, that I am going to start making short little photo shoot posts on letters that I make for and receive from my Pen pals! Today I am featuring my most recent letter from Allie!
Speaking of which, Allie has just recently switched her blog over to WordPress! Definitely go check it out because her posts are absolutely amazing, and I promise her blog is totally worth your time. Allie is such an amazing girl, and such a great friend of mine and you should totally go check out her blog here at Allie@gowiththewaves, give her a good ole’ follow, and lots of love!
(P.S. To those who seen this post in their notifs but couldn’t find it, this post was actually taken down and re-posted just because of some small errors. Thank you! ; D )
Alrighty, onto the adorable letter photography! xD
The envelope art was absolutely adorable! ❤ Also I’m actually loving the flower stickers covering the address haha! Might as well make it cute right? xDShe sent me an entire envelope full of rose petals and pressed baby’s breath flowers and it made me smile so much! It was just beautiful ❤In this photo is a vintage postcard from Arizona (which is actually probably from the 50’s or 60’s which I thought was SO COOL! I’ve always dreamed of seeing Arizona, my heart feels so pulled towards that place haha so thank you so very much for that Allie!) Also along with a very AaeEsSssTtEeETTiIIcCcc little photo collage and super cute paint chips! ❤️She also sent me some little-puff-ball-flower-pom-pom-hangy-things (wow hailey what an amazing definition, but i’m sorry thats awful.), an adorable ATC, and a little decorative garland for my room! And this is a picture of the envelope the beautiful flowers came in, the outside of the handwritten letter which was like 6 pages long so that’s the explanation behind the label, (gosh allie you crack me up 😂 ), and the cute little envelope with our questions and answers sheets on the inside!
(I’m not going to show the inside of the handwritten letters, or the Q&A sheets just for personal safety reasons.)
That’s it for the short yet SO adorable Letter Photography post! Once again don’t forget to go show my dear friend Allie some love over on her amazing blog! I can’t wait to hear from you guys, and I really hope you enjoyed this! Until we meet again my Chicken Nuggets,
Sunshine & Rain 
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