Walking, walking, walking!

I spent the day walking around in this gorgeous Philadelphia weather and taking photos for my photography class! I took a few pics for my own pleasure too! :) get ready for a fun surprise tomorrow!
Xoxo, Amb

Here's to Happiness: Wisdom from an Eighteen-Year-Old

Today, I figured it out. The big secret that everyone wants to know. As I got off the trolley at 22nd and Market and walked into Trader Joe's, the world made sense to me. If you think I am being over-dramatic you are completely correct, but I still think this is worth sharing: 

I know the secret to happiness. Well, kind of. Let me explain a little... Philippians is one of my favorite books in the bible. I have so much respect for Paul. The entire book is beautiful, and so joyful, and just incredible, but the guy wrote the darn thing in prison! Can you imagine!?!? One part of Philippians that has always perplexed me is when Paul says "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." I mean, the man was in PRISON. He probs had no food, dirty clothes, and scary people all around him, yet he also says "I am not saying this because I am in need." Woah, it always sounded to me like he is the most needy out of everyone I've ever met! But now I get it. Happiness is a decision. It seriously is! Your happiness should not depend on your circumstances, but you have to wake up each and every day and decide that you are going to be happy. 

I am generally known as a very happy person, but here's a disclaimer, the truth is that I am very good at faking it. And I have been faking it a lot recently. But that is just because I didn't decide to be truly happy! I had decided to put on a little show when other people were around, but when I was by myself I sat around and moped about what I didn't have. I didn't want to come back to Philly after break. I felt super lonely, and I just wanted to stay at home with my family forever. I honestly cried more when my mom dropped me off after break than I did when she brought me here in the fall! But the thing was, I wasn't being content with what God had given me! I had completely dismissed the very last part of the scripture that says "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." For so long I had been relying on my own strength, and not being content! What's wrong with me!?!? I was such a doofus, especially since I had that SAME STINKIN SCRIPTURE engraved in my high school class ring! For me, my decision to be happy had to come from being content with what God has given me, and looking forward to what He will do in my life in the future. I have EVERYTHING I need. I have all the friends I need here. God has blessed me with incredible people around me so I don't have to be lonely! I had just refused to open my eyes and see that they are exactly what I need because they weren't the same friends I grew up with my whole life. 

So in this new year, I am making the decision to wake up every single day and be happy. I will "rejoice in the Lord always" just as I am called to do. I will be content with what and who God has put in my life. And I encourage you, the lovely reader who has stuck with me through this entirely way too long post to do the same. He will surely bless you for it. So, Here's to Happiness!

So that is all for now! Thanks for reading what I have to say!

xoxo, Amb.

"I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City"

Over break I went to New York City with my best friend, Cassie, my sister, Molly, and her roomie/ bestie, Karlee. We literally had the best time! We wanted a real NYC experience (aka: no Times Square) and we were determined to make it happen! We used Nat the Fat Rat's post on what to do in NYC, and it was INCREDIBLE. We went to the Brooklyn bridge, we Shake Shack'ed, we walked 5th Ave, we went to the MoMa (where I got sick, but let's not go into that), we went to Rockefeller Center and saw some people get engaged (oh, and lets not forget THE TREE, that glorious tree, that will forever be engraved in my mind and heart. I get very sentimental about Christmas trees, you see), we got cupcakes at Magnolia's (Cassie got a Hanukkah one) and we just had a grand old time! 

 I fell in love with New York. I know everyone says that, but I really did! I love Philadelphia and all, but lets be real, I (hopefully) will NOT live in Philly for the rest of my life! I don't want my future babies to grow up and be Philly jawns and run down the center of Broad Street almost running into cars just to freak people out (yes, I've seen that more than once!) I decided New York might be the place for me after college. Yeah, its expensive, yeah its busy, I've heard it all before. Blah, blah, blah, thats all I hear, because I'm in love. And love keeps no record of wrongs (yes, I did just pull the bible out on you.) Someday I hope to live in New York and love it just as so many others have before me. I can be like Meg Ryan, and open a small business in the Upper West side. Oh, by the way, have I mentioned that "You've Got Mail" is currently my favorite movie? Cause it is. Favorite quote: "I hear nothing, not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beat of my own heart. I have mail. From you." It makes my heart skip a beat every time I hear it! It doesn't help that I am hopelessly in

love with Tom Hanks either.

But I'm getting off subject here. I guess the moment I knew that New York was for me, was as we were walking up 5th Ave and I looked down and the entire 

sidewalk was covered in glitter. I have a thing for glitter. I just knew this would be my home someday. Someday. And until then, I have Meg Ryan and Tom 

Hanks to give me my New York fix. All I can do is dream for the day that this willbe my city.

Thats all for now, but I hope you all have a dazzling evening!

xoxo, Amb

Ps. I got the idea for the title of this post from Nat the Fat Rat.

Seriously, this lady is brilliant!

The SCARF!

I'm going to share with y'all one of my favorite things in the world. 

My new scarf! Now see, I am a scarf girl. I have TONS of the darn things. I wear them in every season, no matter what the weather may be. I feel like its part of who I am! I've had favorites in the past, but I completely fell in love this winter. The GAP, has graced me with the greatest scarf ever. I wear it almost every day. Its so big that it sort of suffocates me, but I really don't care! It was a lovely christmas present from mi mamma (which, like most of my other gifts, I picked out) and it will forever love it! I am dreading the days when the weather is too warm for me to wear it. But until then, I will love and embrace my scarf as much as I can! I know its kinda stupid to write an entire post about a scarf, but I just love it SO MUCH.

Have a splendid day! 

xoxo, Amb.

Loving School. Wait, WHAT?!?!!!!

Yes, it's true! I love school right now! I mean, I've only had two days of classes, but they have been two AWESOME days! I'm loving my professors and the people in my classes are fun too! I'm starting to make school friends! THAT'S RIGHT! FRIENDS! YAYAY!!!!!!! I'll probs write more about my classes later, but I just wanted to stop by and say that! And I said it! So there! Okay bye!
Xoxo, Amb.

The Awkward and the Awesome :)

Yes, I'm doing it. Don't judge me, its just such a good idea! And so fun! Hereee we go!! May I present,

Awkward and Awesome Thursdays!

Awkwarddddddd:

- having a scratch on the very tip of your nose that looks like its a zit. It's embarrassing for a couple of reasons, but mostly because I am in the wrong season for the Rudolph look!
- after 8 years of taking Spanish in school, I now wish I took portuguese! The people I babysit speak it, and sometimes I am so lost!
- the annoying little girl that rode the bus with Mathias and I today who said bigger words than I do in normal conversation! Actually, now that I think of it, she was pretty awesome.
- the fact that I literally don't know anything about star wars anymore and it's all Mathias wants to talk about these days!

Awesomeeee:
- my journalism professor. She's awesome, and she tweeted all through class yesterday!
- there is a girl in my journalism class that is from Seattle and she knows one of my besties, Madeleine who lived in Seattle! What a small world!
- the first week if classes is so blissful with no homework and already having two of my classes cancelled! Holla!
- the fact that I am ACTUALLY blogging two days in a row! This NEVER happens!

Lastly I have a picture of the greatest little girl ever, who is both awkward AND awesome!

Have a nice night!

Xoxo, Amb

Back to School!

I'm back in the city! I'm kinda excited, but also not super excited. I love Philadelphia, but I really miss home when I'm here. And when I'm home I really miss Philly. Its a twisted love triangle, I tell you. But anyways, My mom and sister drove me down this weekend and we spent a couple of days enjoying the city! We went to a super hipster-y coffee shop in South Philly, we brunched at Sabrina's, and we shopped in Rittenhouse! It was definitely a stereotypical Philadelphia weekend! I'm so happy they came down and I got to show them my city! Love and miss them both sooo much! Here's some pics of our time together!

have a great day! 

xoxo, Amb

I HAD to post SOMETHING!

{In my unproductivity I take tons of adorable pictures of my dog, you're welcome.} 

So, I've been wanting to post for a while now, but I just haven't quite gotten around to it! Its not that I don't have plenty to say, I've got lots of fun things to write about, I just cant do it! I went to New York, I had an awesome family christmas, I had a great New Years with old friends (and new ones too!) all of which I have fully intended to blog about for weeks, BUT I CANT DO IT! I am just too darn distracted! But the sad part is, I literally haven't done anything for weeks! I have no license and no car, and in this stinkin' ho-bunk town, that means you are stuck at home! I spend each and every day waking up at the crack of noon, and just sitting on the couch with the dog flipping between HGTV, Food Network and the Style Network. And almost every night I watch a chick flick with my mom! (I've watched The Help three nights in a row, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't going to watch it again as soon as I'm done with this post!) It is a sad existence, let me tell you. 

So thats why I'm writing this. To get it all out of my system, and start fresh! This year one of my resolutions is to blog more, and I refuse to give up on a resolutions on the TWELTH STINKIN' DAY OF JANUARY! I simply refuse! So, tomorrow will be a big day. I will wake up early (not too early, I'm not going that crazy) and GET STUFF DONE! And then I will blog about it! I simply cannot wait! See you then!

xoxo, Amb

PS. "unproductivity" and "ho-bunk"may not be words to y'all, but I am a full believer that we all should be able to make up, and use any words we want!

PPS. Yes, I do say "y'all" my daddy's southern, I'm allowed.