It's Not Actually About the Horses

...it's about having a great time with your friends and celebrating the end of the year! So as many of you already know, Foxfield was this weekend and I had such a great time. There was so much Lilly and Vineyard Vines and so many sundresses and bowties that I can't help but wish we could have another go at it this weekend (instead we get Finals...how is that fair?)!

I went with my sorority but along the way saw friends and family and plenty of pictures.

my partner-in-crime

candid with the roomie

one half of the Monogram Fam

my sweet "roommate" from last year

cousin bonding

For those of you who are wondering, my dress was a Lilly Pulitzer from last season that I picked up in the Rue La La sale a few weeks ago. My hat is from Marley Lilly and they also sell a cross body similar to mine! If you missed that sale, but don't want to in the future, here is an invitation to join the site so you never miss an amazing designer sale!

xoxo,

SSP

Flower Power in Fashion

It was only a matter of time before my love of flowers resulted in a post dedicated to floral fashion. I realize that florals are far from original this time of year, but I still love them and love how cheery they can make an outfit look. I actually wore a floral dress from Bluetique to my formal on Saturday and got so many compliments on it (look for more about formal and other life happenings on the blog tomorrow).

monogram family takes on spring formal

Some people are less inclined to add a floral pattern to an outfit because they don't want a pattern to be unflattering or busy. In reality, florals are similar to stripes, it's not so much that they can never be flattering or cute, but you just have to figure out what works best for you!

The key to rocking a busy pattern like florals is to keep the shape flattering. I personally prefer clothing that emphasizes my waist, but that is definitely a personal preference. Honestly, fashion is a form of self-expression and if you wear what you love and feel comfortable in, you will rock it because you will be confident about the look!

Any other floral lovers out there?

xoxo,

SSP

Monogrammed Shirts for the Monogram Fam

On Saturday, the Monogram Fam got two new members! Welcome to the family, Eliza and Savannah. I feel a bit old now that I'm a grandbig, but I love how my family has grown.

last pic with the twins being the littlests!

the stack is bigger!

all of us together

I actually named my family here the Monogram Fam last year (at Virginia Tech it was the Blackout Fam) because I love monograms and gave my littles several monogrammed items throughout the week, so it just makes sense. Plus, it's an excuse to buy monogrammed goods, like...

they look much more neon in this pic than they actually are

these fabulous monogrammed shirts from Alicia Beam on Etsy. Seriously, these shirts are so cute and the shop owner was so helpful. The thing with getting the newest members of the family is that the turn around is pretty quick. I ordered these shirts on Sunday night and they were at my door on Thursday for no extra charge. She was so professional and helpful and now my family has adorable matching shirts that fit our family name.

Welcome to the monogram fam, littlests! We love you both and are so excited to have you!

xoxo,

SSP

Happy Bid Day

OH. MY. GOD. BABY HOOTIESSSSSSS.

Do you know where I am pulling this quote from? No? Okay, watch this (...or just watch it anyways because it's hilarious):

Yes, that's right today is BID DAY!!!! I am so excited to get all the new babies today after a long week and a half of recruitment. They're so lucky to join in this amazing sisterhood that myself and so many others have found! Oh, and have I mentioned who my first owl pal was? Because today is my friendiversary with this one....

AND THEN SHE BECAME ONE OF MY BABEHS

So cheers to the new babies and me finally having some free time to dedicate to homework and blogging again! Enjoy these pictures of actual baby hooties...they're almost as adorable as the Chi Omega baby hooties ;)

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xoxo,
SSP

P.S. fun fact: owls totally freaked me out before I joined Chi Omega, but how can you not love pictures of baby owls?

Kick It Into Gear

First of all, yesterday some sisters and I went to the Kappa Sigma headquarters to drop off a birthday cake in honor of Dr. Charles Richardson's birthday. He was a founder of Chi Omega and a brother of Kappa Sigma. Their headquarters was absolutely stunning and an afternoon of that followed by an evening of cheering on UVA basketball as they crushed Wake Forest was just what I needed. Of course, it is back to J-Term for me today...

CAKE!

with the Dr. Charles Richardson bust in their museum

A little self-criticism never hurt anyone, right? Actually, I don't know the answer. What I do know is that when I looked in the mirror last night as I tried on one of the dresses that I got in the Lilly sale, I did not like what I saw. Yes, I was wearing a size 4 dress...two sizes smaller than what I would have worn at times in high school, and yes it was pretty. What I didn't like was the way my legs looked. I didn't like that despite adding some lotion and a pair of pumps, they still weren't that impressive.

Now, I am never going to have Carrie Underwood legs and I am not complaining about my weight. That isn't what bothered me. The problem I saw when I looked in the mirror was that the reflection was showing me a reality I had been trying to avoid. I have been absolutely horrible about working out, and now, my body is showing it. It is not about just fitting into the dress, it is about how you look once your in it. 

I wasn't upset that I was lacking definition because I wanted to weigh less, I was mad because I let myself fall out of shape. The image in the mirror was upsetting because it confirmed a reality I had been carefully avoiding. One that could no longer be avoided. So, how about no more excuses. How about I just start running again and liking what I see? I am not trying to get the "perfect figure" that others determine, but I would like to be proud of myself when I look in the mirror or at my outfit shots.

Here's to making healthy lifestyle changes and becoming the happy person you deserve to be!
 

Cheers,
SSP

Monogram Monday: Let Them Eat Cake!

To start this post off on a totally unrelated note to this post, I am wearing plaid and cable knit today and absolutely loving it. Seriously, nothing screams cold weather like this combo to me, now if only my fireplace actually worked (it's okay, the heater and a scented wax melt can make up for that, right?

Anyways, I turned 21 last Saturday and I had the best birthday! I got to go out the night before with one of my best friends here at UVA and my roommate and paint the town red...sorry, not regaling y;all with those crazy stories ;P

But Saturday I rang my birthday in with a pretty classy celebration at the International Gold Cup. 

Gold Cup is a horse race event that happens twice a year and is a bit much less of a hot mess than Foxfields in the Spring. I love the fall event because everyone breaks out their tweeds, furs, and boots and in the deep, rich fall colors...it's just perfect. We had the greatest time and I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos, including a very special monogrammed item...

Nate and I

my wonderful Momma

love these ladies!

go Chi O

the toast!

and, of course, the monogrammed...

BIRTHDAY CAKE :D

xoxo,

SSP

PFormal and more!

Well this weekend was so much fun, but so busy. Seriously, this coffee is the only thing keeping me functioning right now. Since it was such a crazy weekend, I thought a picture post would be better than me telling you all about it. Enjoy!

Friday Night

Chi Omega Parents Formal at Farmington Country Club

 

L: Momma, Dad and I; R: best friends make the best dates. K-Soms & I

L: littles!; R: my best friend, my momma

 

Saturday

I had to work a 5k...

and then Momma and I drove up to watch Kyle and Nate play in a club lacrosse tourney. It was so hot and I am pretty sure I melted. (I also got a sweet sock tan line...see above picture) Oh, and then I decided to go out with my friends when I got back to C-ville, hence the total exhaustion right now.

Sunday (today)

We had a mixer with Sigma Pi at King Family Vineyard to watch a polo match. I was so tired after the weekend, but I am glad my friend convinced me to come because it was an awesome end to the weekend.

stomping the divots...a polo tradition

And now I am sitting in the library attempting to get work done but procrastinating quite a bit...oh well, totally worth it for such an amazing weekend!

xoxo,

SSP

Comforted by God

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I have been so blessed to have this opportunity at UVA and to make wonderful friends and connect with amazing women that I get to call sisters. Yesterday an alumni of my Lambda Gamma chapter of Chi Omega and the mother to one of my dearest friends, and sisters, at UVA was called home to God.

Please send up thoughts and prayers for Laura and her family. I was never lucky enough to meet her Momma, but I know that to have raised a daughter as wonderful as Laura, she must have been pretty incredible herself.

Also, please continue to join me, Laura and so many others in the fight against Cancer. I relay for a world with more birthdays, and I hope you will too. If you'd like to donate to Laura's Relay for Life page in memory of her mother, here is the link: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=60216&pg=personal&px=34828844

Laura, you are my sister in Chi Omega, a sister in Christ, and the best Arches buddy a girl could ever ask for.

College Commitments

"The secret of happiness is: Find something more important than you are and dedicate your life to it."

-Daniel Dennett

Have you ever heard that it is better to stretch 6 inches wide and 2 feet deep than it is to stretch 2 feet wide and 6 inches deep? Well, that is the jist of what my high school counselors and other mentors have always told me. It makes sense, why be barely involved in a dozen things when you can really delve into 3-4? 

I believe that college is both one of the best opportunities to explore what interests you, and the final chance to do so before the responsibility of the real world comes crashing down post-graduation...okay, that might have been a bit dramatic but you get the idea. 

Do what you love and love what you do. Don't do something because it will bolster your resume...if you hate it that will show and it will affect you in other ways. Yesterday I had 4 classes and 3 discussions and all I could think about was how excited I was for my Relay for Life meeting that night. And guess what? After my meeting I went to the Chi Omega house and spent another hour brainstorming with one of my sisters about Relay. I love Relay and I love working on things for the organization no matter how exhausted I am.

lovely Chi Omegas take Relay (indoors because of dumb rain...)

It isn't too late to get involved. Write down a list of things you love and look at flyers around campus/grounds. Ask friends what they do and stop and talk to people who are tabling. Just find something and get involved now. You will find that as you pursue a passion, it motivates you to achieve. I believe in hard work, but I also believe that without passion, hard work is just an empty shell with little reward to show. 

This should translate into other aspects of your life. Pick a major that inspires you, that is why I study Foreign Affairs! Find a summer position that exposes you to an interest. I am so lucky to be a fellow of The Perfect Game Foundation. I got to work on an amazing internship this summer and while working 2 jobs plus an internship sounds crazy to some, it wasn't for me because I reveled in the time I got to spend working for a sports-related company.

Pick a passion and pursue it. It sounds so simple, yet it took me 20+ years to really understand it.

xoxo,
SSP

P.S. for all my Hokies out there, Ut Prosim might be the phrase with the single biggest impact on me throughout my life. I guess you really do bleed maroon and orange once you touch that Hokie Stone...

Rowdy Redneck and Sorority Socials

So I should be reading or doing my spanish homework right now...but I wanted to blog and decided that was more important, so, you're welcome ;)
First off...HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY to (one of) my little(s), Emily. I adore you and I am so happy that I got you as a little! Who knew that my first owl pal would become one of my favorite Chi Omegas!
Anyways, back to blogging! This weekend was so much fun. Chi Omega had our first date function of the year...the infamous Rowdy Redneck! We kick off the year with this d-func every year and it was a blast. I took one of the Chi O transfers and we had so much fun. I loved everyone's costumes and it was great to get to see everyone. 
Having so much fun got me thinking about other date function themes so I went on a bit of a pinterest binge and here are some of my favorites that I think everyone should suggest as a mixer/dfunc theme in the future! Hope y'alls weeks are off to a great start!

 

other social/date function ideas:

woodstock!

 

"noah's ark" (left) "you are what you drink" (right)

"dynamic duos" (left) "nursery rhymes" (right)

What is the best social/date function theme you've been to?

xoxo,

SSP