Post 12.
Winter means SOUP SEASON!
Check out this awesome soup I made last week:
Link to fabulous recipe here: http://www.closetcooking.com/2014/10/creamy-parmesan-tomato-and-spinach.html
The recipe called for heavy whipping cream or greek yogurt, I used greek yogurt and it was amazing and not as unhealthy! Also, I did puree half the can of diced tomatoes as it suggested but I’m sure that’s not necessary.
Dinner is served! I highly recommend this recipe! Let me know if you try it!
Olivia.
Post 11.
Happy Monday! Sioux City is officially a Winter Wonderland…or Wasteland depending on your view/location. Last week, snow fell for the first time and I broke out my Christmas candles and extra quilts.
I’m not a huge fan of the snow. I like it when I’m sitting inside with a nice warm cup of coffee watching the morning news. I don’t like it when wind is blowing ice in my face and I’m drooling into my scarf and my fingers feel like they don’t even belong to me and my mascara is running down my frost-bitten cheeks and…well, you understand.
Another thing I don’t like about the snow is driving in it. I really dread getting in my car each morning (usually 15 minutes earlier than I normally would, therefore losing that extra precious sleep) to drive 15 MPH under the speed limit and have 2 near death experiences before I even get breakfast.
Last Friday, after the temperatures had plummeted to single-digits, I made my way to my car after bundling up in layers of wool and water-resistant clothing. I got to my car, turned the key, and “click-click-click”….Nothing. My battery was dead. I had to be in class in 15 minutes and my battery was dead. Another fabulous feature of winter weather: car problems.
After jumping the battery twice throughout the day, running around town trying to find the best deal to buy a new battery and get it installed, and spending the night confined to my apartment, I finally got it replaced on Saturday morning.
Since then, my car has been starting fine. I still cross my fingers and say a little prayer every time I turn the key though just in case.
How has your winter started? I was quickly reminded that I should really consider looking for career opportunities in California or Arizona.
Talk to you later,
Olivia.
Hello all! Can you believe it’s already almost halfway through November? Crazy! Thanksgiving is right around the corner and after that, CHRISTMAS! This is really one of my favorite times of year because there are so many traditions and memories that come along with colder weather.
Speaking of colder weather, Sioux City is scheduled to get its first round of snow tonight. I can’t believe it’s already time for boots and mittens! I always like snow…for about the first week or so. After that, I am ready to get rid of it! I think my biggest reasoning for it is how scary it makes our Midwest roads. I’m not necessarily the most cautious driver, so this can make things especially nerve-racking.
What is your take on snow? Take it or leave it? I will say, regardless of the complaints I make about it, I have no plans to move from the Midwest anytime soon, so I must not hate it THAT much.
Have fun making your snowmen!
Olivia.
Post 9.
Hey there! How is it going? I have been getting extra busy, but things are going great. I’ve had a few opportunities come up with internships and projects in the near future that I’m really excited about. I can’t believe how close graduation is getting!
Speaking of that, I register for my last semester of college today. Time seriously flies. At the beginning of my freshman year, it seemed nearly impossible to think that I would ever be where I am now…100 and some credits later.
I also feel like I have learned so much OUT of the classroom over the last few years also. It seems so corny to say that you “find out who you are” in college, but it’s so true! Not that I don’t have a lot more to learn…because believe me, I do.
What was your favorite part of college? What do you miss the most and what was the greatest part about moving on and growing up?
I will let you know how everything works out for me, stay tuned!
Olivia.
Post 8
Hello ghouls and goblins! It’s that time of year again: Halloween. The one day of the year that you can be anything you want to be.
Now, I know that Halloween can sometimes be stressful. With all of the costumes to choose from, how do you ensure that you’re making the right decision? To make this year a little easier for you, I have put together this post of my top 5 Halloween costumes for 2014.
5. Ceiling Fan
Relatively inexpensive and creative.
4. Never Ending Story
Bonus points for if you can find a real live Falcor, the lucky flying dragon dog.
3. Crazy Cat Lady
This is nice and comfy and you don’t really have to wear pants which is always nice.
2. Spice Girls
This has been a little over-done, however, it is still a long-time dream of mine to be Posh Spice. I just really wannabe Posh.
1. Britney Spears
I really love this option because there are so many great Britney phases. Hit Me Baby Britney, I’m a Slave for You Britney, Circus Britney, Breakdown Britney.
Also, there are a few great couples costumes in this category.
Hope this maybe gave you come ideas. I’m probably going to go as a witch or put a sheet over my head as a ghost.
Happy Haunting!
Olivia.
Post 7
Hey guys, hope you had a good weekend. I had an extra couple of days added to it due to fall break and a few classes being cancelled. Not complaining!
On Wednesday night, I went and saw a GREAT friend of mine, Dana. She used to live in Sioux City and we worked together. Now she lives a little over an hour away and with both of our busy lives, we don’t get to see each other nearly as much as we wish we could, but that makes it even more fun when we get together. Stories, laughs, and lots of margaritas!
After a fabulous reunion, I hit the road for home on Thursday evening. I had so much fun with family and friends that were also in town over the weekend. And of course my dog.
What did you do this weekend? Hope you made as many awesome memories as I did!
Olivia.
Post 6
Hey everybody, hope you are doing well.
You may remember from a previous post that fall is my FAVORITE. And it is well underway. One thing that really gets me going in the fall is the food.
Fall is the season where meals change from hot dogs on the grill to chili on the stovetop or a roast in the crockpot. Which brings me to the subject of this post: CROCKPOT.
Since moving off campus and having a place of my own, I have always had a crockpot. I always intended to use it last year, but never got around to it. It just sat in my cupboard and collected dust.
This year, I decided to change all of that. I was on Pinterest and found tons of awesome recipes. I’ve tried two so far and I am basically calling myself the Crockpot Queen.
What’s your favorite comfort food to make in the crockpot?
Toodaloo,
Olivia.
Post 5
Hello readers! Hope your weekend was as good as mine. I celebrated my LAST college homecoming this past week. There’s really not much to dislike about homecoming, in my opinion. It’s really a week when school spirit is at an all-time high. As much as I love BCU, school spirit is not a 24/7 thing, so this week is always a blast.
This year, before the homecoming dance, all of my friends (that were of age of course) rented a party bus. It was basically an old school bus with a couple tables and recliners that has been built into it, but it was so much fun!
It was also nice to see some of my old friends that already graduated come back and spend the weekend with us. I really feel like memories like the ones I had this weekend are the kind that make you look back and say, “college was the best 4 years of my life.”
Also, weekends like this are the ones that will make it a serious tragedy next May when it’s all over. But as of now, I’m really trying not to think about that!
Happy days!
Olivia.
Post 4
Hello everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend.
I left campus and road tripped home for the first time in a LONG time. When I was a an underclassman, I used to go home all the time. When I moved off campus my junior year, I noticed that I really didn’t feel the need to head home as often. I mean, a huge reason I was doing it all the time was to eat home-cooked food and shower without sandals on, and when you live off campus, you get that luxury everyday!
Another reason I go home, besides visiting my lovely parents, is to see my little lion dog, Daisy. I get to talk to my parents on the phone, and sometimes they will meet me half-way for lunch or something, but I don’t get to contact Daisy NEARLY enough.
In a perfect world, Daisy could call me up on the phone to tell me she missed me.
So basically my weekend was filled with crashing my parents’ date nights, laying around with my dog, and watching Grey’s Anatomy. I also scored a grocery shopping trip with my mother. Let’s just say I took advantage of it…
What did you do this weekend?
TaTa For Now,
Olivia.
Post 3
Hey guys! Hope all is well wherever this is reaching you.
As many of you may know, this year I am interning at United Way. As part of my major, I am required to log 300 hours at an internship so I really need to get to work! As excited as I was when beginning this internship, I was also a little weary because of two little words:
Business Casual.
Bleh.
I really did not have much in my closet for nice clothes. As a college student, my wardrobe basically consists of leggings and sweatshirts. Dressing up for me meant putting on pleather leggings and sparkly crop top…not so work appropriate.
I basically was starting from square one. Luckily, I have a wonderful mother who was willing to help me out a little financially in the process of building my big-girl closet. Shout out to Lori, God bless ya.
When dressing myself for work, I still want to feel like I look nice. I have never been the type of girl to feel good in a pair of plain black slacks and a button-up shirt. I’m 21 years old and it’s very important to me that I don’t lose my personality under a heap of khaki pants and polos.
Surprisingly enough, I have actually started to really look forward to the days that I get to ditch the sweats and wear something nice. Coming up with nice outfits everyday is something I think even people who have been collecting clothes for years have trouble with! For any college student that is in the same boat as me, I have a few of my favorite outfits that might help you out in your shopping endeavor!
(Sidebar: big thanks to my roommate for having a better full length mirror than me)
Shirt: Old Navy, Pants: The Limited, Belt: Target, Shoes: Arizona brand-bought on consignment
Dress: Express, Shoes: Boutique in MN
Shirt: Target, Pants: NY & Company, Earrings: Uniquely Stoned, Belt:PacSun, Shoes: Boutique in AL–brand Nicole
Shirt:Target, Velvet Pants:The Limited, Shoes: Charlotte Russe, Earrings: Old Navy
Dress: Bohme, Shoes: Gap, Belt: Consignment
Jacket: Forever 21, Pants: NY & Company, Shoes: Charlotte Russe
Happy Dressing!
Olivia Lea.
Liv Out Loud 
