5 Remedies to a Summertime Cold

Wildfox Couture track suit/ Relax Throw pillow/ Emergen-C Vitamin Drink

getting sick during the summer can be a real downer, especially when the sun is going strong and your friends are off at the beach getting their tan on. the best thing you can do is take a few days of r&r...and try to stay cool. 

cold season decided to hit me early, so while i am stuck inside, fever and all, i thought i'd share with you some of my tried and true cold remedies, tailored towards the summer heat. take it from experience, drinking tea when it is 95 degrees outside is not enjoyable. 

• emergen-c: when you are sick, vitamin c is the best thing you can put in your body. it not only strengthens your immune system but gives you a boost of energy. emergen-c is my go-to drink when i feel a cold coming on, but if my body gets the better of me, i continue a strict regimen of two a day to keep myself sane and on the fast track to recovery. tip: i only add about a 1/4 cup of ice cold water, it is more concentrated, fizzy and easy to get down. 
• netflix: will be your best friend. when your whole body is aching and you can't move, fall asleep to your fav tv show, marathon style; or discover the endless selection of throwback movies from your childhood. being sick is a great time to reminisce. 
• comfy pjs: nothing softens the blow of a sick day like your favorite pair of pajamas. find something soft and worn in to make watching those netflix movies that much more fun.
• strawberry orange smoothie: eating while you are sick can be a struggle. with the flu comes a loss of appetite, but neglecting your body will delay your recovery! because of the hot weather, i tend to avoid tea, but whipping up a frosty strawberry orange smoothie gives you a healthy dose of vitamin c and feels great on a sore throat. oh, and it is easy to make too. 
• sleep: the best cure to a cold is sleep. if you are anything like me and have a million things running through your head at a time, being sick can really stress you out. i absolutely hate sitting around doing nothing. but take this time to appreciate that is something you need to do for yourself and it is perfectly acceptable to sleep from the hours of 11am to 5pm, trust me, it will help. 

3 Foods You Should Grab Instead of a Pastry

"train your mind to see the good in everything." 

in order to prevent that post cinnamon swirl regret, try keeping these 5 health-ified sweets on hand as an alternative. trust me, your waistline and conscience will thank you. 

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we all know how delicious a blueberry muffin or piece of coffee cake can be with your morning coffee, especially when you are late and rushing out the door in the morning... sans bfast.

1. strawberry nutri-grain bar: only 120 calories and containing 11 grams of sugar, this sweet treat hits all the right notes without sending you into a sugar coma
2. fruit smoothie: try whipping up a sweet, creamy blend of frozen berries and soy milk to curb your morning sweet tooth. you will get all that sugary goodness without the carbs and the added bonus of antioxidants
3. peanut butter & honey pita: you cannot get much better than smearing pb and honey on a piece of whole wheat pita bread. it is a sweet and satisfying treat full of protein to keep you energized and focus until lunchtime. the only real hesitation involved is creamy or crunchy? 

5 iPhone Apps You Don't Want To Miss Out On

Afterlight 
photo editing

• this photo editing app for your phone has an endless number of subtle filters to add just the right amount of edge to your photos. the textures and light effects make the app even more fun and for those of you who are fans of frames, you will be in heaven. oh and they make it easy to export to your instagram! 

Song Kick 
music discovery

• my go to music app, song kick organizes all of my music in one place. it downloads the artists on your iPod and notifies you when one of your artists goes on tour or adds a show near you. now i never have to worry about missing a gig again. 

Find My Friends 
mapping

• admittedly creepy but way too much fun, this app allows you to follow friends and locate them on a map. it may not be necessary for everyday use but for those trips to vegas, it sure does come in handy. 

My Fitness Pal 
health

• i love this app because it makes it easy for me to track my daily caloric intake. the selection of nutritional information is vast and accurate. my favorite feature: you can scan a barcode on a food label and the app will import the nutritional information so say goodbye to manual input!

SoundHound 
music

• i don't know about you but my slight obsession with music keeps me constantly on the lookout for new beats to put on my iPod. this app lets you hold your phone up to the speaker and will identify the song name and artist. too cool! now i don't have to worry about never knowing the name of a song. 

Tips for Organizing Your Pocket Book

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keeping your finances organized and in check can be a serious challenge, especially when nordstrom's semi-annual sale is calling your name and that trendy new restaurant down the street just opened. but as a frugal college student or recent grad living on a limited income, it is important to remember the reality of life's expenses. the best way to make sure you don't end up in the hole is to know how much you are spending, what you are spending your money on and how much you are making. from there, you can create a budget making sure you don't miss out on dinner with friends at that new restaurant and ensuring you can splurge on a new top every once and a while (especially when nordstrom's semi-annual sale is on :)

check out my template to make tracking your expenses easy.

even better, have the internet do it for you. mint is a great free and secure program that syncs your credit card and bank accounts.

to get you started, here is a list of things you should be tracking:

• Necessary Expenses
• things like rent, electric/cable bills and groceries
• Personal Expenses
• things like shopping and eating out
• Income 
• track what money you are bringing in and where it is coming from

i also like to keep and want | need list. this helps me keep my purchases in perspective and prevents me from blowing my money on something i don't really need. 

**please note i am no sort of financial expert, i just wanted to past on some of my observations from personal experience. hope it helps!**

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"i've never been a millionaire but i know i'd just be darling at it." --dorothy parker 

Words to Live By

-"smile like you've never cried, fight like you've never lost, love like you've never been hurt, and live like there's no tomorrow."

-"don't play hard to get, play hard to forget."

-"if love doesn't make you feel a little crazy every now and then, it's not love."

-"let's sleep under the stars."

-"i get by with a little help from my friends."

-"laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live."

-"all good things are wild and free."

-"music is what feelings sound like."

-"you fit me better than my favorite sweater."

-"it's better to burn out than fade away."

-"when the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

***sometimes the most comfort comes from the words of others. one can always use a fresh perspective***