Trenching through Thursdays

I have been eyeing a trench coat for over the past year or two while the weather continues to warm in Michigan. While shopping with my mom at Dress Barn, I came across a simple, tan trench coat. I fell in love with it, especially with the price of the coat. I am all for shopping on a budget, as a "poor" college student.
This coat is such a spring collection item while it looks great with bright spring clothes. It is a very light weight coat, that goes longer than my knees. I paired this trench coat with my J.Crew toothpick jeans, Jack Rogers sandals, a striped long sleeve and an Old Navy neck scarf. 

More blog post are to come as my first semester of summer classes are coming to an end. More projects and final exams are underway this upcoming week. I would love to share more ideas about tips on taking summer classes. 

Catch Up with Simply Emily Elizabeth

These pass couple of weeks have been crazy! The last weeks of April, I finished the spring season of soccer as it was the final spring season I will have at Aquinas. I turned 21 on the 23rd of April, finally! Summer courses have begun as getting into the routine of class and lab. This summer, I am taking one class at Aquinas (that is only given at AQ) and three classes at Grand Rapids Community College. In order to graduate on time, I have to take these classes. This is my last summer of my senior year! It is crazy to think that I will enter in my senior year of college and my final year of soccer. I seriously don't know what my life will be after soccer is done (tear!). 

I can't wait to share my summer adventures with you that come in a couple of weeks! 

Birthday Wishlist: April Special

As my birthday is on April 23rd, I thought it would be a great idea to show a small wish list for my birthday. Now that I am getting older, the list becomes more reasonable items such as a new computer, student loans paid off, or some clothing items. My parents usually get me a couple of gifts of that I sometimes pick out such as a new trench coat (that I will link below) along with the other items. My top four items that I want for my birthday. Enjoy!

MacBook Air Laptop:

I have wanted a MacBook since my senior year of high school and heading into college. Since having an IPhone, I found it easier to then download pictures between both devices. Now with having a blog, editing pictures would be amazing to do it within one device and not have to constantly emailing edited pictures from email to email. I loved the editing component on the MacBook, as it was very amazing to see it be saved on the computer. Although I will miss having Office 360 on my laptop (currently have a HP) but I can definitely get use to using Google Documents. I would love to hear more opinions about thoughts on buying a MacBook. 

Sperry Seaport Penny Loafer: Platinum

Lately I have been obsessing over buying more loafers as when I found that Sperry made new style of them, I knew that I need to get a pair soon. I was disappointed that our outlet store didn't have any of these loafers in store so I could try them on as to know exactly what size I am but typically I will go with my gut on the sizing. I can't wait to buy more after getting a pair. The color choices are amazing. There is Platinum, Navy, Black, Tan, Blush, Green, Grey so many options to choose from. 

Striped Maritime Dress: 
This dress is probably the most comfortable piece of clothing that I own. I already have this dress in a white and red striped color but I would love to have it with blue stripes. In my blog post Statement with Stripes has explained the similar dress. I can't wait to wear this during the summer and fall with riding boots and colored cardigans. 

Cameron Street Lottie Cross Body: 
This purse from Kate Spade has amazing colors for the spring time as I fell in love with the Olive and Tusk/Black color. It's a great everyday purse that is large enough to function through daily task. I don't have any Kate Spade purses but I would love to have to add to my collection. It does come with a leather crosshatched for the cross body effect. 

Every birthday is different but these are just four items that I would love for my birthday. Now that I am older, the items become more logical to our life. Hope you enjoy my birthday wish-list. 

My Prom Experience

Prom is just around the corner, as many girls are making the decision to try dresses on and find the perfect one. All of March and early April, guys will ask the girl of their dreams to the dance. Creatively coming up with phrases to surprise the girl of interest as she says "YES".  Yes, girls can ask guys to prom (if they don't go to your school), I did it my junior year. Close to the time of prom, plans are becoming in the works as dinner reservations are finalized and tickets are purchased. All day Saturday, girls get all dolled up then off to pictures and dinner then the dance. Check out my blog post about tips for a successful prom!'

Prom was one of the nights to get all dolled up and have a fun night with friends and your date. In my high school, we never did awards for Prom King or Queen. Both years I had a really fun time with my dates and I don't regret on going. I started with my senior year prom as that was my favorite one, my date bought me two corsages to match my dress, we had a wonderful dinner at Outback Steakhouse (his pick), then we were off to the dance. My senior year prom was at the Kroc Center in Grand Rapids. It was so much fun to hangout with friends after prom and not stress about graduating in a couple weeks. 

These pictures below are from my junior year, sorry that I look like a baby. Junior year's prom was at Western Michigan University: Grand Rapids location. Yes, I took the bold choice in wearing an orange dress.

Go and check out for my next blog post about tips for a successful prom! To this day, I love the day after prom and seeing all the different dresses that everyone wore. I love seeing bold patterns and colors being worn. I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful prom.

Makeup Favorites

Growing up I was never much of a makeup fan as I rarely wore a makeup.  Now, I love going to Ulta Beauty and seeing all the new types of makeup that was just released. I can't wait to share more of my favorite makeup products and brands on the blog! I love knowing what other bloggers are using as makeup wise as many of them use the same products as I do.

My favorite foundation that I wear is the Wet& Wild: Soft Ivory Blend. This foundation gives a great matte look as a high coverage look. I use the color of Shell Ivory as the base coat as I use a beauty blender to apply this foundation easier.

Concealer: Tarte ShapeTape: Light-Medium

I have never loved a piece of makeup before especially when I got for $4 dollars. The coverage of this concealer is amazing. The light medium color has a hint of tan that covers blemishes and uneven skin colors to blend together evenly. 

IT Cosmetics: Bye Bye Pores

This translucent powder does a great job of hiding pores after applying makeup. It's very easy to apply as you can use a powder makeup brush or the sponge given within the package. I got a sample from Ulta through getting free samples and I loved this product. Now that Ulta does the 21 Days of 

Beauty and got this powder for roughly 15 dollars.

Blush: NARS: Orgasm Powder

This blush gives a great and natural look on your cheeks without overpowering the pinky color. I love how this blush has a touch of highlighter for a longer lasting wear. I use the color: Orgasm where it gives a great and radiant color for blush. I received this blush as a birthday gift from Ulta. I love this product and highly recommend it. 

Mascara: Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof

This mascara is a life saver, literally! I have tried tons of mascara as with no luck. I came across this drug store mascara with waterproof style. It never wears once applied and doesn't shed after hours of wearing it. I wear the color of black as naturally given but it is reasonably cheap for mascara.

Highlighter: BECCA: Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed
I received a small sample from Ulta and loved how much pigments this highlighter is. My mom always says "A little goes a long way" in this case is true for the highlighter as I lightly apply with my Real Techniques makeup brush. 

Spring Break Vacation

Freshman year of college, a group of friends and I took the Spring Break week to travel to Daytona Beach, Florida. We left Saturday mid-day, it took us 14 hours roughly while we did a straight shot to Florida. It was 7 in the morning the next day when we stopped at the local Waffle House to grab early breakfast. I traveled with my roommate and majority of the women's basketball team and I were friends. We then started the morning by hanging out with some members of the men's basketball team at Aquinas, then we would lounge around the pool, make memories, then hit the clubs at night. We paid $25 dollars for the entire week to go to different clubs through the town of Daytona. It was definitely an amazing time to meet new friends and make memories with them. I highly recommend going with friends on Spring Break while in college as making new experiences that you can share for a lifetime.

Looking that this last picture makes me wish I was on my way to Florida right now while Michigan is debating on what kind of weather it wants to have this week. I really hope that everyone has a safe and wonderful Spring Break! Enjoy!

THE Winter Coat Must Have

A lot of people ask me how I survive Michigan weather since the weather itself has a mind of its own and I say the love of my North Face parka. It's called Women's Metropolis Parka II. I have never recommend a coat than this one. It is my go to winter accessory that keeps me warm through the craziness of Michigan's weather. The quality of this parka is AMAZING, by when I say this I mean it. I have had this coat for over five years. Also the warranty of the coat is perfect, if you have any issue with the coat, North Face will promptly care of those issues. I had a slight cut on the sleeve on my arm (near the shoulder) then I sent into North Face and they fixed it with no charge and repaired the sleeve completely. I have all but good things to say about this parka. 

I cannot stress enough about how much I love this coat. It is definitely worth the money! I can't wait to share more of my closet favorites this spring and summer! I would love to know what other clothing pieces you would like me to share on Simply Emily Elizabeth. 

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

One enjoyment that Michigan has, are the wonderful beaches around Lake Michigan. During the summertime, the beaches are an amazing accessory to go to and enjoy the sunshine. For the winter, my great friend Annie and I traveled to Holland State Park to see the gorgeous snow and lake. It was absolutely breath taking to see how the Earth changes the environment to simplified seeking thrill. As throughout the week, it was negative degrees out but we finally picked a nice day to seek out the beach. We then explore downtown Holland with the many streets of mini boutiques and stores, then we ate lunch at the New Holland Brewery. For never eating there, I highly recommend it. It was a great getaway before the semester started. Enjoy!

Michigan has these amazing features and you never want to take advantage of them. Go out and take those adventures, trust me you won't regret it. I can't wait to share more adventures on Simply Emily Elizabeth. 

My Hopes for 2018

Over Christmas Break, it was great to take a moment and appreciate all of the accomplishments that 2017 has given me. I am looking forward to what 2018 has to offer especially with soccer, college, my career, and with Simply Emily Elizabeth.  

Soccer: 
In 2018, it will be my final year at Aquinas to play soccer. As crazy as that sounds, my senior year came way to quick. I felt like I was just a freshman coming into preseason, these years have gone by so fast. Being apart of an amazing team which is full of friendships that will be treasured forever. In being off season (spring semester), I am hoping to continue in working hard leading into preseason with constantly working out besides having soccer practices. With a busy schedule, actually making time in the morning to go workout, drink a lot of water and make healthy decisions when it comes to food.

Career/Internship: 

I can't wait to share my experiences within my career field of Child Life Specialist. I have finished with volunteering at a local hospital in the Grand Rapids area, now I will be working on applying for my practicum in the spring of 2018. Then I will be applying for internships after my practicum in a different hospital around the Grand Rapids area or even in Michigan. Then after the internship, I will take a certification test to qualify within the field. I am continuing to collect children's books, small activities and toys for having my own collection for working in the field of child life. 

College: 
With my chaotic life as a student athlete, my years at Aquinas are coming to an end especially with school. I look forward to this spring semester and staying on top of my education. The end of my undergraduate career is quickly ending with only a few classes in my Child Life department. Into the next semester, I will be taking 14 credits (which is easy to manage). Then I will be doing summer classes at a local community college with three of my classes that is not offered in the summer semester at AQ, plus it is cheaper to take these classes there. I am hoping to graduate in December of 2018, with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a Child Life concentration. 

Blog: 

With coming into the new year, I am excited for more photo shoots around different towns and coffee shops. I'm excited to broaden my fashion sense within the newest trends of 2018. I have heard through common demand for more lifestyle blog posts which will be happening in 2018. I would love to collaborate with more bloggers in the world of blogging and also do fun activities with my social media accounts. I am hoping to join other social media sites soon. 

I can't wait to expand my knowledge in college, career, blog and soccer. I want to thank my readers for constantly encouraging me to do what I do. Thank you for being you. This year will bring tears, hope, the positive and negative aspects of life but I'm ready to take 2018 on! 

What I Got For Christmas

Christmas in the Adams' family has many traditions that my grandparents has forever held strong. On Christmas Eve, my family spends time together with my dad's side to open presents and watch NFL football together. Then we travel to Coldwater, Michigan to spend the rest of the night at my grandparents' house on my mom's side. We all gather to decorate sugar cookies and put presents around the Christmas tree. For years, my grandpa would wait to wrap my grandma's gifts until Christmas Eve. When my grandpa's health started to decline, my sister and I continued the tradition for wrapping the presents. Once all the presents are around the tree, then we head to bed. As now teenagers, Christmas morning has finally been a time to "sleep in" which is roughly around eight or nine o'clock. My sister and I will open our stockings and presents from Santa then will eat breakfast with my grandparents. My grandma always makes a raspberry casserole that is supper yummy. The rest of family comes over and we wait to open presents until three- four o'clock in the afternoon until my uncle gets out of work. Our Christmas dinner is always prime rib, baked potatoes and green beans. Then we finally opened more presents and enjoyed the rest of the evening together again! 

From Santa, I got a Longchamp Paris purse in the color black. I have been secretly wanting one for a while, plus I love the size of the Longchamp as I can fit my planner, shoes, and my Kate Spade wallet. I love the exterior material of the purse as it is very durable to any weather especially in Michigan. This will surely make it's debut on the blog every soon and I'm so excited to share with y'all. 

One of my favorite presents was the Alex Rain Boots from Target, if you want a short, ankle-styled rain boot these are the boots for you. I have found a similar pair at a second hand store in Grand Rapids, they were from Old Navy. Very lightweight and easy to slip on. The colors are very versatile from navy, black and olive green. These rain boots definitely need a couple times to break them in, as the first time I wore them then irritated the back of my legs. But they are very fashionable and could be wore with many ways. I look forward to posting more on the blog about these. 

Gift cards were also an excitement as I received some to awesome places that I always shop at such as T.J Maxx, Marshalls, and J.Crew. Also I always eat at Panera Bread when I am at school so having some spending money on a quick meal is an amazing gift. 

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Christmas that was surrounded by their love ones. This Christmas reminded me to cherish these moments with your family members as you never know when it could be your last. I am so excited to share the New Years with everyone! 2018 will be a great one full of laughs and memories to enjoy! 

Fire Up Chips!

I have grown up in close traditional family that has celebrated Central Michigan  football since I have been born. My grandpa went to CMU way back in 1960's, then my mother continued the tradition in going to college at Central in 1990's. My grandparents have spent 47 years, cheering on the football team through all types of weather and coaches. They have gone to so bowl games that Central has participated in and frequently like to email the AD (quite an inside joke within my family about my grandparents doing so). Their traditions have carried over into my sister and my lives as I hope to one day share those traditions with my children.
We begin any football game day by eating at a small diner in Mt. Pleasant called the Pixie, it is a very old school restaurant that has thousands of names on the wall representing everyone who has ate the most chili dogs in one sitting. There is a boom box that plays 80's music and the whole inside of the diner is decorated with 80's items. After the diner, we headed to Kelly/Shorts Stadium before game time to look at a huge jersey sale that the athletic department held on selling old jerseys and practice jerseys. My sister and I bought two basketball jerseys in maroon and gold, I was so surprised that the football jersey were fifty dollars. We suited up in our warm clothing of hat and mittens and walked into the stadium. It was a giggle as my grandpa tried to get into the stadium with a ticket from 2015. Obviously it's a sign that my grandparents are dedicated football fans. Central was taking on Eastern Michigan University at 8 pm.
The football game was a little scary, as within the first thirty seconds as Eastern scored a touchdown off of a fumble. With this being the first football game that I have seen, I was nervous that Eastern would dominate the game. Our offense was slow to start within the first quarter but finally got the wheels turning as touchdowns on the defensive side happened. More and more touchdowns happened through the game then we ended on winning the game 42-30.

Yes,  that is a selfie of the whole family who went to the game as it was my mom's idea of taking the  photo. It was so great to be on Central's campus once again this year, I am hoping to be on campus soon again. These traditions are so important and have been apart of my life for years. The first picture is one of my favorites, as my Grandpa was a part of the band when he went to CMU. The band would have old alumni band members come celebrate on Homecoming day as reminisce old memories by marching together once more.

Fire Up Chips!