Life Update | Megan

Hello everyone! So these last few months have been kind of crazy for me and I thought it was about time that I sat down to share with you all what's been happening and let you know about the exciting new chapter that I am about to begin. Here in New Zealand it is the beginning of another school year and as most of my friends are starting their last year of school, I am lucky enough to say I am not one of them. The last few years of school for me haven't been the best. When I was younger I absolutely loved going to school, I loved learning new things and being with all my friends. But as the years went on I found myself becoming extremely bored and unhappy with school and I realized that the school environment just wasn't for me. As much as I disliked school, I wasn't prepared to ruin my future by dropping out of school so instead I started looking at other options. University for me has always been something I knew I was going to do. When I started looking at other options I found out that it was possible for me to go to Uni a year early and begin my degree instead of doing my last year of school (if I got the right grades). Naturally I did everything I could to make sure I had the best chance of getting in, I worked hard and figured out my goals for my future. I applied knowing that my chances were slim and there was a very high chance I was going back to school. About a month ago I got an e-mail from the university congratulating me on my acceptance. I couldn't have been happier! Going to Uni is a a huge thing but I know it's what I want to do! This also means that I will be moving out of home (what???). Moving into the university halls will be a huge challenge for me that I am super excited and nervous about! I've never really been away from home for that long and moving out at such a young age absolutely terrifies me! But in a weird way, I can't wait. I think the craziness of it all makes me even more excited. A few years ago I would never have even thought I would be able to do this, but luckily I've grown up a lot in the past few years and this is definitely a challenge that will be good for me. Although, I am not near enough ready to be a grown up and having to do everything independently and acting like an adult has already been a major struggle for me. These next few weeks are going to be super busy with the move in day fast approaching (Sunday!) and getting everything organised for my first week at Uni, but I honestly couldn't be happier. I finally feel like I can start living my own life and figure out who I want to be. I can't wait to start living the Uni life and figuring out who I really am. I really feel like this is my year!

The University campus is right in the heart of the city. I've always wanted to experience the city life and so it couldn't be a better location. However I recently discovered a Starbucks cafe right across the road from where my apartment is which means I'm going to be losing a lot of money and Starbucks is going to be making a lot of money. It also means I will need to join a gym. It's also about a two minute walk from the main street of the city where all the main shops are which again means my bank account is going to suffer a lot. With all the excitement of moving out and beginning a new chapter also means a lot of stress and a lot of things to do! I now have to 'act like an adult' and do 'adult things' which is highly unlikely as my maturity level is probably about the same as a two year-old. It also means I won't be seeing Gabby everyday at school anymore which is terrifying considering we spend literally everyday together and have been together for the majority of the last few months. Luckily the city is only a short bus ride from the shore and she'll definitely be visiting me pretty much every weekend! And my phone bill is going to be ridiculous with the amount of times I will be calling her. But besides that everything is going great in my life and I've never been more excited about the future! I'll be keeping you updated with future posts to let you know how I'm doing and if I'm surviving being independent! Oh, and I'll still be uploading posts all the time! Focusing on our blog is still very important to me and writing is one of my favourite things to do. Sorry for all the rambling but when I get excited I can't stop talking and then this happens! I hope your're all having a lovely day and have many exciting things planned for they year ahead as well!

Love,

Megan xx

Valentines Day

We don't know about you but to us the thought of valentines day makes us want to stay in our rooms and watch cheesy romance movies that make you cry every time (titanic anyone?) but even though we're single we want to make it as good a holiday as any. Ideally we would gather up all our girlfriends and have a girls night in or go out and party but if, like us, your friends all have boyfriends and plans for the night you're going to need an alternative, preferably one that doesn't involve tears! When we sat down to think of tips and tricks to survive valentines day we started thinking about what valentines day actually is, and really all it is is a chance to show someone that you love them but it doesn't have to be your partner, we should use it as an excuse to tell our family and friends how much we love them too because the truth is none of us do it enough. So, that's our tip for this valentines day, take the chance to tell the people you love that you love them! Bake them cupcakes, make them a card, cook them dinner, buy them a present, it can be anything, even the simplest things can make their day so much better, just let them know that you really appreciate them and everything they do for you. It's such an easy thing to do and you'll find that it will make your day better too (and distract you from feeling sad about all the happy couples around you.) So instead of spending valentines crying alone in your room eating that second tub of ice-cream (because we all know one isn't enough when it comes to the valentine day feels), spread the love and be around the people you care about and you'll have a much better day. Don't get us wrong, we love the traditional valentines day dinners and having pink and red hearts around the city so if you can have that for valentines go for it! Have that special day with your partner and enjoy every second of it but remember to show love to the people close to you too. <3

Happy Valentines,

Megan and Gabby

xox

<3

A place to get away

Sometimes when life gets super busy and your stress levels soar through the roof it's good to take some time away and relax for a little while. A few months ago (before we had finished school) we were both extremely stressed prepping for exams and feeling overwhelmed with our work-loads that we had no time to sit and relax to think about things and let ourselves breathe. We felt like things were moving at a million miles per hour and we decided that enough was enough. Unfortunately we couldn't just stop and quit school (much to our disapproval) but we did decide that we needed a holiday and something to look forward to so we could stay focused and motivated for our exams. We decided what better time than to go away for new years and make the start of 2014 as best as it could be! So with that in mind, we decided we'd go camping! Now we know that camping is a very different kind of holiday and not many people would enjoy it, but as students living with not much money this was the most affordable and logical way of saving our money whilst still being able to get away for a while. Personally I love camping, it reminds me of my childhood as my mum was a very spontaneous mother growing up and liked to travel a lot so we found ourselves camping quite a bit. Gabby however, had never been camping before but was just as excited (and a little nervous) to go! The place we stayed in was right on the beachfront in a small holiday town that was filled with tourists and lovely people. It was a beautiful town on the Coromandel and was buzzing with an exciting holiday atmosphere! We knew as soon as we drove over the bridge that we were going to have an amazing week.

The views never failed to be beautiful no matter where we went!

The campsite itself was quite small, but the people around us were lovely and the town was just around the corner and the beach right across the road which was perfect! A few of our friends were also staying in the same town for New Years which is why we chose that particular campsite. We spent most of our time soaking up the sun and enjoying the freedom of being away. The first few days were spent exploring and enjoying the beautiful views. On New Years eve we went to the beach to join the celebrations and to watch the fireworks, the beach was absolutely packed with people! The fireworks were amazing. The company was great. It was a perfect way to start the New Year and we couldn't have been happier. 

Soaking up the sun outside the tent.

You have to have treats whilst camping, it doesn't get better than smores and ice-cream!

The shops were exactly what you'd expect from a small seaside town, cute and colourful.

Being at the seaside, with no parents and no responsibilities, was absolutely perfect. It was just so nice to be away from reality for a bit and not have to worry about the real world, we were truly able to just relax and enjoy some time off and clear our minds. We spent a lot of time reflecting and discussing our futures, talking about where we want to be this time next year and what we want to achieve. It's amazing how a bit of fresh air, relaxation and sun can make you feel so good! 

Cooking on a little portable stove outside on the grass for dinner!

We made a friend! This little cat named Tomtom wondered into our tent one afternoon and we of course had to have few cuddles! (Don't worry, he was returned to his owner!)

There's nothing better than late evening strolls especially when you have view like this!

On New Years day we decided to start it off well by climbing Mount Paku, of course a soon as we started our hike it started to pour down with rain which left us soaked through walking up muddy paths but it was well worth it, we had a great time and we can now say we had our heads in the clouds!

Whilst at the top of the Mount we thought it would be cute to set off our New Years resolutions in balloons, we guess it was our way of leaving all the stuff from last year behind us and looking ahead to the year coming and we're so glad we did it, it was a great way to start the year.

On our last night in Tairua we went to watch the sunset, cheesy we know, but it was so beautiful and the perfect way to end a brilliant holiday.

This holiday was amazing, filled with hours of laughter, smiles, amazing people and amazing memories which we will never forget. We met some great people and learned a lot too (and I don't think we stopped laughing the whole time we were there.) 

If we could have stayed longer we definitely would have. We can't wait to plan our next holiday and maybe this time we'll splash our for a hotel (who knows!) 

Love always,
xox

Summer Essentials

Summer's finally here in New Zealand and that means we're going to be in the sun, on the beach and relaxing by the pool, it's perfection. When it comes to summer there are a few things we just cannot live without so here are our summer must have's!

1. Sandals

Obviously summer has hotter weather so you want to keep it simple when it comes to shoes and we think a good classic sandal can compliment any outfit perfectly, whether they're healed or flat they can add either a touch of glam or make an outfit beach appropriate and casual, a definite must-have for the summer months.

2. Sunscreen

Yes, this is pretty standard and you should have it anyway but over here in New Zealand you can burn very quickly even when it's overcast so this is a step we are careful not to forget. Personally we hate having to rub in sunscreen (so lazy we know!) and having greasy skin and hands for hours so this year we went out to find one that is less annoying to use and we found it! This SPF 50 sunscreen is a clear spray (leaves no white marks!) and is water resistant so is perfect if you're like us and burn easily! We love it, you just spray all over and that's it, easy and perfect!

3. Loose tops

We hate that feeling in summer when you get a bit hot and sweaty and your clothes start to stick to you, not pleasant at all. We've found a whole range of loose fitting tops that are perfect for both our styles, things like slightly over sized printed tee's, simple chiffon cami's and baggy crop tops. There really is something for everyone and trust us when we say they're worth it!

4. Sunglasses

We're sure that sunglasses are on everyone's summer essentials list but if they're not they should be! Obviously sunglasses are great for protecting your eyes but we found it impossible to leave the house without them this summer, on those days where it's just to hot to do your make-up nicely sunglasses will be your best friend, throw on some tinted lip balm and concealer if you need it and no one will notice any difference!

5. Pastel Nail Polish

When it comes to summer style we think think light and bright and while neons aren't really our thing we hopped on the pastel train straight away, we love all of them! You can never go wrong with a pale pink, mint green or a classic white in the summer, they go with everything and are a simple touch to brighten up any outfit!

6. Denim Shorts

Summer isn't summer without your favourite pair of denim shorts, no matter how many years go by and how many trends come and go the denim shorts will always be there to fall back on and we love them! There's nothing better than having your summer tan, throwing on your shorts and showing of your legs, and denims are the perfect way to do just that! 

7. Rompers

Rompers are perfect for any summers day! They are so nice and can be thrown over a bikini after a day at the beach. They are the perfect fashion item for summer and can be worn with a few bracelets and some casual sandals or can be dressed up with a necklace and wedges. 

8. Shift Dresses

Now when it comes to fashion essentials for the summer, everybody has different ideas of what they think is essential for summer and as the trends are always changing it is often a difficult task trying to find must have fashion items but we think shift dresses are probably the dresses of the season. Although sift dresses don't suit everybody and can often be unflattering, when you find the perfect shift dress you'll have trouble taking it off! We personally love floral ones, but we also adore the simple ones too.

9. Festival Shorts

These have definitely become a major trend this season, we love the simplicity and chic style of these shorts and they are perfect for a day at the beach or if you're going to a music event or festival.

10. Floppy Hats

We are so guilty of falling in love with every floppy hat we see at the shops. We just simply can't walk past one without stopping to admire them. Although they are very subjective and you either love them or hate them, we happen to absolutely love them! They are perfect for pretty much any outfit and keep the sun out of you're eyes (what else do you need!)

We hope you liked this post and found it helpful, let us know if you have any requests on what posts you would like us to do. Enjoy your summer guys!

Love,

Megan and Gabby 

xox

Welcome 2014

New year. Fresh start. Bring on 2014.

So it's another year, another chance for a fresh start and we're excited. We've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about the new year ahead and of all the things that could happen and as 2013 draws to a close we want to make a list of all the things we want to achieve throughout the new year and the changes we want to make. 

2013 was in some ways one of our best and worst years so far. We've had some amazing experiences throughout the year and we've shared some great memories. We've had a lot of laughs and a lot of tears also. There have been some not so good times and we've had our fair share of obstacles this year that have made it a more difficult year but looking back now, I guess we can say that the good times definitely outweigh the bad. So to end the year on a high note we've decided that this next year is going to be great! We're going to make it the best year of our lives and of course we are going to smile the whole time! So here's what we are hoping to accomplish in the new year.

Be more positive

We are both extremely guilty of allowing ourselves to only focus on the negatives, things that we haven't achieved, things that didn't go as we'd planned etc. and we have a horrible habit of complaining about them, a lot. So this year we are going to focus less on the negatives and more on the positives and start seeing the good in the bad instead of finding things wrong with everything. We think a positive outlook on life is the best way to start the year!

Appreciate the small things

We have spent way too many days focusing on the big things this year and trying to be happy that we forgot to take a step back and take in everything around us. We all need to take a break once in a while and notice the beauty all around us and appreciate everything in life because sometimes it's easy to get caught up in all the drama that we forget what's really important. This year we plan to make the most out of every situation and be grateful for all the small things that make life beautiful.

Be more confident

Being confident with who you are isn't easy and we often find ourselves missing out on a lot of opportunities because we feel unhappy with ourselves or let other people make us feel less confident about who we are. This year we have decided to not let that happen. In 2014 we are making a promise to learn to love our flaws and embrace things that make us who we are. Being happy with ourselves and caring less about what people think of us, will definitely make us more confident and will allow us to enjoy everything that life has to offer and not let anything get in the way of our happiness.

Find our style

Feeling confident in your clothes is a big step in learning to love who you are.  Our style trends this year have changed drastically and we feel as though we haven't yet found our own 'style' instead we have been following the latest trends in fashion. We hope to discover our own fashion sense this year and find our style icons and inspiration and maybe even start our own trends!

Be more adventurous

This is one of our main goals for this year. Taking more risks and being adventurous is something we can't wait to start doing. We feel as though so much time is wasted sitting on the sidelines waiting for things to happen or watching others go on adventures so we decided that this has to stop. We're stepping off the sidelines this year and going on our own adventures, being less afraid and living more!

Blog more

As we've only just started this blog and are still new to the blogging world, we want to make it one of our resolutions to continue updating our blog as much as we can and blogging the year away! So far we have loved writing this blog and it's becoming a massive part of our lives. We have thoroughly enjoyed writing posts and can't wait to keep writing in the new year.

Meet new people

Surrounding yourself with people that bring out the best in you is a great way to ensuring happiness. One thing that we have learnt in 2013 is that life is too short to waste chasing after people who don't deserve to be in your life. We're hoping to meet new people this year that bring out the best in us and help us be nothing but ourselves. Meeting new people is always fun and exciting and could lead to a lifetime of friendships.

So that's it! We can't for the new year and we are super excited to see what 2014 brings. We both have a good feeling about this year already! We're planning on making the most of this year and we already feel great! We hope you're all as excited for the new year as us!


Megan and Gabby xox

Christmas Wishlist

Every year at Christmas we always get stuck when asked what we would like as a gift (which undoubtedly happens every year) and every year our minds draw a complete blank despite the fact we have been mentally putting a list together since January so we end up with the useless answer of 'I don't know' or 'Oh, I don't mind' which of course isn't helpful at all and usually results in us having to do that awkward 'pretending to be happy' face (which we all know about) when we open gifts that maybe aren't quite what we would have hoped for, and before you say anything we've all done it so don't lie! So this year we decided to put our minds together and come up with our Christmas wishlist which includes all of the things we have been wanting lately and some things that we've had our eyes on for a while but have never been able to purchase. We hope this may help you with some ideas of what you might like for Christmas and also give you inspiration for what to buy for your family or friends. So here it is! Our Christmas Wishlist:

1. Marc Jacobs Watch 

We've had our eyes on these watches for the longest time and we absolutely love the gold colour and detail of the etched logo top ring! These watches are just absolutely gorgeous and a must have for our Christmas wishlist!

2. White Windsor Smiths

These shoes are perfect for every occasion and look amazing with any outfit, they have the added height (which we both definitely need) with the casual sandal style and are so comfortable! They are so hard to find in New Zealand and when you can find them they are slightly out of our 'student' budget so we really hope santa is nice and gives one of us a pair of these lovely shoes. 

3. 'Dot' or 'Daisy' by Marc Jacobs

We definitely have a bit of an obsession when it comes to perfumes and we seem to fall in love with all of the Marc Jacobs scents! At the moment our favourites are 'Dot' and 'Daisy' which both smell amazing! Whenever we're at the perfume store we're constantly using the sample bottles (oops!) and we're never disappointed with these scents. They last long and stay smelling amazing all throughout the day and we would love to own our own bottles! 

4. Kate Spade Handbags and Purses

There is nothing better than having that one handbag that you can reach for at anytime and have it go with whatever you're wearing whilst also being big enough to fit everything you need inside it, right? And well, we won't deny it, the designer label makes it just that little bit more exciting! Oh and the purses, we could go on for hours about how perfect they are but we won't bore you so instead we'll just say if we ever had enough money to buy a purse or handbag from Kate Spade we'd be running to the mall or going straight to the internet to order one right away but for now they're staying right here on our wish list waiting patiently.

5. M.A.C Lipstick

This wouldn't be a complete Christmas wishlist without at least one make-up product and there's nothing more appropriate for Christmas then a bold red lip which in our minds leads straight to M.A.C. You simply can't go wrong when it comes to lipstick at M.A.C but at the top of our list we have 2 shades. Firstly, Russian Red, a classic and perfect for everyone and secondly, Lady Danger, a slightly more coral shade but as Christmas is in summer here in New Zealand why not go a bit lighter? We all have those days where all we need to complete our look of the day is that perfect red pout so really what better Christmas gift could you ask for!

6. 'It' by Alexa Chung

Alexa Chung is definitely a huge fashion inspiration for us and we admire her carefree attitude to life! She is definitely one of our big girl crushes at the moment and we've heard amazing things about her new book titled 'It' and we would love to read it ourselves to see just how amazing it is! The book is part memoir, part scrapbook and part style guide. We cannot wait to have the book in our hands and will probably not put it down until we've finished the whole thing!

7. Essie Nail Polish

We are both lovers of nail polish and rarely go a few days without having a colour on our nails and anyone who has a love of nail polish knows about Essie polishes and how amazing they are so it's easy to see why we'd want to get our hands on them! Although they may seem like a small thing, here in NZ they can be quite pricey so why not ask for them for Christmas?

8. A Mini Cooper

This is by far the most expensive thing on our list but it something that we have both had our eyes for a long time. Having both got our drivers licenses this year it's not surprising we would love to have a car and in our minds nothing beats a Mini, they're just so cute! Obviously this isn't something we are expecting to get as it is way out of our price range but we thought it at least deserved a mention on our list!

9. Money!

We've found as we get older our Christmas wishlist shrinks and we end up with only a few things left that we'd like to have and when you have multiple members of family wanting to get gifts what better way to avoid the bad gifts that will end up at the back of a draw then to simply ask for money! We are definitely not the first people to do this but this way we have an excuse to go shopping and get things we will actually make use of, which is really what we all want for Christmas!

That's it for our list this year! We hope this gave you some inspiration of what to say when you get asked what you would like, which lets face it, will happen, or even what to get for your friends and family if you were completely stuck for ideas. But remember, if you do get that bad gift from a great Aunt that you haven't seen in years it's the thought that counts! 

Merry Christmas lovelies! 

We love you!

Megan and Gabby

xox

Bucket List

Hi lovelies! So as part of our new lease on life we wanted to create a list of new things to do and experience within the next year and what better way than to start a bucket list! We wanted to include a range of different things, not just your average swim with sharks or jump of a cliff but everyday things too, like doing yoga on the beach and going hiking and we thought why not take you with us on all our new adventures! So, we will be posting photo's and keeping you updated about our experiences by checking off our bucket list and adding to it along the way. We hope that this might inspire you to go out and create your own bucket list (or even use ours if you want to!)

- Go hiking

- Skinny Dip

- Loose 5kg

- Have a New Years kiss

- Go camping

- Have a picnic

- Midnight swimming

- Go on a road trip

- Yoga on the beach

- Go skiing

- Get a job

- Play spin the bottle

- Finish school

- Swimming in the rain

- Go para-sailing

- Take more photos

- Sleep under the stars

- Go to a concert

- Kiss a stranger

- Go roller skating

- Buy a polaroid

- Go swimming at Piha

- Try every flavour of Body Tea

- Go on a Rollercoaster

- Go ice-skating

- Make our own candles

- Take photobooth photos

- Use a fake name at Starbucks

- Take a class

- Go kayaking

- Meet lots of celebrities

- Go on a tire swing

- Get a tattoo

So far this all we have, but don't worry this list definitely isn't finished yet and we're always looking for new things to add to it! We will be updating our list on our bucket list page, so keep checking that page to see our list grow and to see how many things we have crossed off! 


Lots of love,


Megan & Gabby


xox

Awkward introductions...

 Hi gorgeous people! So we have decided to finally make a blog after months of talking about it but never actually getting around to making it. To start off our blog we thought we'd get the introductions (which we're not so good at) out of the way. So here goes..

Our names are Megan and Gabby, we are both 17 and living in New Zealand however we both grew up on different sides of the world, we met in 2012 and have become the best of friends ever since! We have both been wanting to make a blog for a while now but we just never got round to doing it, but since we have just finished school we have decided to make these next two months the best of our lives and what better way of keeping the memories then to blog it! Since we're both obsessed with beauty, fashion and adventure we decided we wanted to try something different and start a new chapter of our lives and we couldn't think of a better way then to create a blog to express our passions and create memories to last a lifetime. This blog is a place for us to share what's going on in our lives, to express our love for beauty and to have fun!

We want to update our blog frequently, just writing about our day and what we did, any adventures that we go on, the fashion trends that we are loving during the year, monthly favorites and the occasional beauty product review! 

So to sum it up we are hoping to have a really crazy and fun few months ahead of us and we're hoping you'll join us on the adventures!

Love, 

Megan and Gabby 

xox