now you're just somebody that i used to know...

when i first started this blog, i told you all how i was so obsessed with quotes.
i posted one "quote of the day" and then never mentioned the topic again.
until today...

this quote/saying always makes me laugh as it's hilariously true.

when i sit back and think about the people i swore i could/would never live without, i shake my head in shame.

retrospect is everything, man.

hope y'all are having are happy wednesday!

:)
vanessa

who is malala?

"who is malala?" he demanded.

no one said anything, but several of the girls looked at me.

i was the only girl with my face uncovered.

that's when he lifted up a black pistol.
...i am malala.

i spent the past couple of days cramming and cursing the fact that i had three midterms in a two day period.
i dragged myself out of bed every morning and begrudgingly trekked down to campus.
and then i went to my local bookstore and read the first chapter of i am malala and instantly felt guilty.
here i was complaining about the one thing that nearly got this little girl killed - pursuing an education.

if you're not too familiar with the story of malala yousafzai, she is a pakistani schoolgirl who at the age of 15, was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt while returning home on a school bus. 

her crime?
being a girl and wanting an education.

there's a quote that i love that urges everyone to "be a voice for those who can't speak."

through her work with the united nations, malala is doing just that - being a voice for the other millions of girls around the world who are being denied an education.
because as malala simply put it, "we cannot succeed when half of us are held back."

so, the next time i find myself complaining about an upcoming assignment or finals, i will stop and think about how blessed i am to live in a country where i'm not only able but encouraged to pursue an education.

i leave you with malala's first speech at the united nations on her 16th birthday:
(it's quite lengthy but definitely worth the watch)

"let us pick up our books and pens.

they are our most powerful tools."

i also found this image online which warmed my heart:

malala's father beaming as he watches his daughter speak at the UN.

:)

vanessa

dream destinations...

i read somewhere that people who write down their goals are 80% more likely to accomplish them.

so, i figure that illustrating said goals must bring one's likelihood up to at least 87%.

anyways, about 2.5 hours into my pathophys lecture today, my brain started to turn to mush.
to keep from dying, i started doodling out the places i'd like to visit in my lifetime and came up with this:

*yes, i'm aware that egypt is not a city...as i said, my brain? mush.
*i also want to visit dubai but cannot draw a camel to save my life.

hopefully, i'll be blessed enough to see even half of the cities on this list.

what are some of the cities you guys are dying to go visit?
i'd love to hear!

:)

vanessa

how do i live without you? (skin care edition)

i had a lot of fun putting together my first post in my "give me your clothes" series.

so much so that i decided to start another one called "how do i live without you?"

(yes, this series is named after that trisha yearwood/leann rimes classic...)

basically, the purpose of this series is going to be to share the items i can't live without.

**i use the word can't for dramatic effect...

now, i've never been one to use creams and serums.

but after reading an article that explained that what you do (or don't do) in your 20s can affect what your skin will look like in the future, i've since changed my ways.

so, i'd like to start off this new series by talking about some of the skin care products i've been loving recently!

1 - fresh start eye cream (ole henriksen) 
i've always heard great things about this eye cream but the price was just not right.
but after receiving a sample from sephora, i decided to take the plunge.
with a couple dabs of this creme, dark circles and/or puffiness under the eyes disappear!

2 - clarisonic mia 
♫♫ all i need in this life of sin, is me and my clarisonic (me and my clarisonic) ♫♫
seriously, hands down, the best little contraption ever - my skin is brighter and smoother than it's ever been.
plus, i love that you can use any cleanser with it.

3 - rosewater toner (burt's bees)
i have very sensitive skin, so most toners and astringents burn my skin - no bueno.
i picked up this toner at my local walmart as it was on sale and have been using it ever since.
it contains gylercin and witch hazel along with rosewater to tone skin and tighten pores.

4 - tea tree oil (body shop)
it smells terrible but it works wonders on any old blemishes you may have on your skin.
i just put some on a q-tip, plug my nose, put it on my face and watch any dark marks disappear.

5 - apricot scrub (st. ives)
i've been using this scrub since i was 13 and will use it until i am old and grey.
it's cheap and effective and can be used as a full body scrub as well.

6 - boo boo zap (benefit)
even after using all the products mentioned above, i still do get the odd pimple.
which is when i pull out my trusty boo boo zap it as it helps reduce any redness or swelling.
it also goes on clear which means it can be worn under makeup.

so, those are some of the skin care products that i'm loving right now.
i'd love to hear about any products you've tried and swear by.
particularly, any good moisturizers as i have yet to find one that i love.

:)
vanessa

give me your clothes! (first edition)

like many girls out there, i often look to celebrities for some style-spiration.

i actually have a folder on my computer dedicated strictly to outfits i love and hope to one day emulate.

i kid you not...

anyways, i thought i would take this quasi obsession and start a series i've since entitled "give me your clothes!"

basically, i'm going to "shout out" girls whose wardrobes i'd be willing to take if ever given the chance.

the star of this edition of gmyc is reality star turned fashion designer, lauren conrad.

i've been a fan of lauren and her style since she starred on MTV's laguna beach (team lc, holla)

one thing that's always gravitated me to lauren was her classic feminine style. 

from her signature winged eye liner to skinny jeans, girl knows how to dress for any situation.

here are some of my favorite lauren looks: 

**all collages made by me on photovisi

who are some of your style icons?

i'd love to hear!

:)

vanessa

where my canadians at?

"give thanks in all circumstances." - first thessalonians 5:18

yesterday the true north strong and free celebrated thanksgiving day!
as much as i love me some christmas, thanksgiving is hands down my favorite holiday.
it's the one holiday where the purchasing of gifts is not required - at my house anyways.
it's a time spent with family eating the most delicious food and taking a moment to be thankful for the good things in life.
(any holiday that combines family and yummy food is fine by me...)

my sister, brother-in-law and i took it upon ourselves to cook the entire feast and i'm glad to report that as of tuesday afternoon, everyone is still alive.
we didn't want to bite off more than we could chew, so we kept the menu relatively "small"...
butternut squash au gratin, corn casserole, alfredo bowtie pasta with shrimp, brown rice, shepard's pie, turkey with cranberry stuffing, carrot cupcakes filled with cream cheese, vanilla cupcakes filled with vanilla pudding and pain patate aka. haitian sweet potato pudding

this kid, lol.

for our table decor we used miniature pumpkins as both flower and tealight candle holders:

i didn't take many photos last night as i was too busy eating but here are some random shots:

my sister jennifer is away at school but we found a way to include her in the festivities...

a little wishbone action

the parental unit and their spawn minus one

i was quite proud of my little centerpiece, though i forgot to write down the name of these flowers :(

midi rings - aldo; nails - penny talk (essie)

to all my fellow canadians, i hope you had an amazing thanksgiving.

and, to my fellow americans, i'll be joining y'all in eating more turkey in november, whoot whoot!

:)

vanessa

i don't always shop at aldo accessories...

but when i do, i snap at buy a buttload of rings.
i've been secretly wanting to hop on that whole "midi" ring bandwagon but refused to pay $20+ for rings that don't fit.
well, that all changed today when i walked into my local aldo accessories and saw an assortment of midi rings on sale.
so me, never being one to shy away from a sale, snapped.

 nail polish - midnight in moscow (opi)

i also stopped by the body shop with my sister where there was another sale going on.

as mentioned earlier, i love me some sales, so i purchased this coconut eau de toilette - 50% off, holla!

it's a nice fresh scent for those days when you don't really want to "smell" like anything...if that makes any sense.

hope you're all enjoying your weekend!

:)
vanessa

lazy day afternoon.

first off, please pardon my absence!
dreaded midterms have started, so i've been focusing most of my attention on studying.
but a wise man once said "work hard, play hard."
so, i spent my saturday doing just that - literally playing in the park with my beloved nephew, nico.

his smile is everything <3

* this was my failed attempt at an 'ootd' post...

grainy self-timer photoshoot.

"i go on the slide free more time, okay tatty nana?

deal?"

leaves are finally starting to change colors...

can you tell, i'm obsessed with this kid, haha?

<3

vanessa

ps. i also went out for breakfast with my sister and brother-in-law this morning.

we went to cora's - this colorful breakfast spot with the yummiest food.

i ordered the "ham ben et dictine" aka. eggs benedict with ham.

my stomach legit growled just looking at this photo.

i have a confession to make...

*yes, ryan...let's.

i, vanessa, am a polish-aholic.
seriously, at last count i had over 80 nail polish bottles in my possession.
some people collect baseball cards...others, stamps.
i choose to collect nail polishes and am not ashamed.

so, in the spirit of autumn, i thought i'd compile a list of some of my favorite nail polish colors for the fall:

my absolute favorite of all these would have to be after school boy blazer (top left).
it doesn't really come across in my picture but it's this rich dark blue that i find to be a nice alternative to black.

are any of you also polish-aholics?
what are some of your favorite shades for the fall?

:)
vanessa