Book Nook: Divergent Trilogy

Hello Lovelies!

I have another Book Nook for you guys!  So, I finally completed the very famous, very disputed Divergent Trilogy.  These books are known not only for their movie but also for their resemblance to the also famous trilogy The Hunger Games.  Some people have their preferences, personally I never read The Hunger Games and can only tell you that the movies were entertaining, but very unrealistic and similar to other things I have seen before.

At first I thought that this was going to be just like other books and that it would be boring, over hyped, and just another fad.  But I really enjoyed these books.  I know that these Book Nooks have all been focused on very popular reads, but I wouldn't recommend them if I didn't enjoy them.

So, I read the first two books last summer during my trip to Puerto Rico.  From the beginning these books are great, unlike many others where the beginning is an uninteresting back story, nothing happens, and it is just another book with another uninteresting nobody character.  Divergent, the first book, was probably the only book that seemed relatively similar to other novels I have read.  Considering nothing happens the first several chapters, it was still interesting because the details given are actually worthy of being noted and the setting as well as the situation is believable.

Insurgent.  I think this has been my favorite because it gets right to the action {as you can tell I prefer to read the climax}  there is no mush, Veronica Roth simply gets to all the good, juicy parts.  I read this book in a matter of days.  The romance is evident but not overpowering, it has several surprises and turns, the whole book was just gripping and exciting, and.... Just amazing.

Lastly, Allegiant, don't worry no spoilers in this post.  The ending was... let's just say odd, surprising, different, unique?  It was not expected, but that's what makes it such a good read.  At first it is disappointing and I wish there could have been more details and more "spark" I guess, but it goes to show how well Roth thought out her characters.

The Divergent Trilogy is a definite page-turner and a fun, easy read.  Since this is a teen series the voabulary is understandable and great for laying in the bath and indulging into.  I really enjoyed these books and am excited for the next movies to come out.

Let me know any books that you recommend!

xoxo, Ana

New Beginnings

Hey Lovelies!

If you have been reading my blog you would know that I have been fairly busy these past couple of weeks.  Now that summer is almost here I have some exciting projects planned for this blog, as I stated before.  I don't want to reveal everything yet but I want to let you in on this secret!

I have been working hard to get different platforms of social media running for this blog.  Recently I changed everything related to this blog, Fun-Sized Fashion to separate account and even made an extra Google+ page for it.  Because I originally handled this through my personal e-mail everything was getting mixed and I prefer having this as a medium for all of my personal and social accounts pertaining to this blog.  I don't expect to be popular, I don't even expect an audience but this new project is something I have wanted for a LONG, LONG, LONG time.

Thank you for anyone supporting me and I hope you are excited for what is to come!

God Bless,
Ana

P.S. These changes are going to come quick, so get ready to see a new ME!  {I have been working very hard to prepare this before I finally let you all see!}  Love you all, hope you have an amazing day. :D

Staying Fabulous: Organization Series

Hey Lovelies!

As this school year comes to end (or already ended for some of you) I have been stressing to get myself organized and motivated to push through these last two weeks of school and my final exams.  Whilst I took on this challenge, I noticed how important being organized is in everyday life.  Since organization is something that is important to me, I thought I would share some of my tips and tricks with you.

The thing is, my obsession with organization could form a blog of its own.  Not to mention if I actually had money to buy organization tools, you guys would never hear the end of it.  I decided to make this like a "series" I guess or just part of my typical blog posts.  It is named Staying Fabulous and will be under the Organization tab in my home page.

This post is just going to be kind of like What is organization to me? type of post.  I want to explain how my love for organizing came about and maybe share some of my favorite things to do in terms of organizing time, things, myself, and juggling a hectic life.


This story shall begin when I was in elementary school.  I loved the idea of being an adult and growing up, that is all I ever wanted in life {no matter how many people told me growing up is full of stress and responsibility}.  Honestly, I loved the idea of running around, always being busy, writing in a huge agenda, and getting a cup of hot coco in the cafe, I loved the movie-style way of grown up life.  I can remember watching The Wedding Planner thinking, she has the best life ever!  As a young girl I played secretary all the time with my sisters and I asked for toy makeup and I would take my father's old office supplies when he didn't need them anymore.  I truly wanted the life of someone who had a busy schedule.

Middle school is when I started really writing in my agenda, color coding, looking up videos about organization, and really trying to "grow up".  Eighth grade I realized ~ maybe growing up takes a lot of steps before I can be the person I aspire to become.  This is one of the reasons I always tell people I have a plan when I really don't (sorry Dad), but I will explain later.  So I decided this life was the life of a lawyer.  I said, I'm gonna be a lawyer because those are the people that run around and file papers and organize things, and they have pretty planners and etc. etc.

As I am getting older, things are actually not what I hoped they would be like.  Honestly, high school is a snooze, I so focused on school I have had no room to grow as a person and develop myself.  There is no super busy schedule where I am running around, there is no close group of friends, there are no obstacles in my way.  It seems too.... EASY. Now, I have decided to start a blog, join the Cross Country Team, join a club, start sewing again, and also focus on school.


Basically, I emphasize so much of my time and energy on organizing because it is something that I love to do and something that has helped me grow as a person.  Some people don't find organization to be important, but I do.

I don't know what I want to be in the future, a lawyer, an engineer, a doctor, a scientist, a housewife.  I cannot expect my life to be perfect, but I can try and manage my time and myself so that I am happy and I accomplish all that things I wish to get done.

I hope that you all will continue to read for some awesome organizational posts and will share with me what (if anything) you like about organization and stuff like that.

xoxo, Ana

P.S. - I just want to clarify that this blog is NOT a fashion/beauty blog.  This is a blog I a made for myself to track my progress and share things that interest me with the rest of the internet.

P.P.S. - Summer is only two weeks away!!! I have a surprise coming for all you that follow me.  I am so excited and have been working hard to plan things for the future of this blog and hopefully can announce some exciting projects soon.

AP Exams, EOC, and School: How to Handle with Stress!

Hello Lovelies!

Recently, my life has been turned upside down, shaken up, then dropped from an incredible height.  Besically, I am very stressed and have not had time to even think for myself.  Honestly, how tired I feel cannot be described with words.

So, a lot of college bloggers have been writing about finals and papers and organization for college students. But I was thinking, what about the high school students that have AP exams and EOC and Finals to do?  Not to mention that we also have daily lives, possible work, and maybe even sports/exercise.  It's a lot to handle and, this being my first year of high school, it has not been going as smoothly as I hoped.

~ 1 ~

Part of the problem is the people I surround myself with, they are not very motivated and constantly send out "negative energy", if you will.  So Tip #1 Surround yourself with people who have similar goals.  If you don't want to be that person cramming an hour before the exam, don't surround yourself with people who do.  I find that their laziness and lack of interest has been rubbing off on me, rather than my motivation has been rubbing off on them.

~ 2 ~

Make a list and actually complete it!  I have a big problem with this.  I enjoy the planning, but I don't enjoy the doing.  Such as right now.  I could be working on the three projects I have to do, or studying for the AP test next week, or even cleaning the mess that surrounds me.  The hardest part is beginning.  Once you start your body gets accustomed to work and will do what it needs.

 ~ 3 ~

Start early, don't wait until the last second.  Things won't just go away if you waste more time.  Spend the time necessary to really complete your work, or study and to get the end result you want.  Work hard and DON'T procrastinate.


I know these aren't specific tips about organization and schoolwork, but honestly, they work.  Even with your fitness goals and diet goals, I find this is what works.  Hopefully later I will make a post about that, but for now, get to working and don't let anything get in your way.

xoxo,  Ana

Beep, Beep Update!

Hello Lovelies!



Just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten.  I've been super busy with school {exams are coming up soon!}

Some new things that have been going on:

Driving lessons!  Yeah, a couple months ago I got my permit and have been learning to drive.  Honestly, it is a work in progress and hopefully I will get more time to practice and soon I can go out and drive with other cars.

The Face.  This show is absolutely awesome and entertaining.   They make me want to work hard and strive for my dreams!  Great show, you should watch it.

Legally Blonde.  Yeah, that's just enough.  It's perfect and their is nothing to it.  :D

Fashion.  Slowly, but surely I am really working on getting my closet together and really pulling it all in the girly and sensible wardrobe I've always wanted.


Let me know what's going on in your lives! Excited for Easter?

xoxo, Ana

Book Nook: The Fault in Our Stars

Hello Lovelies!

So, during my trip to Washington D.C. I was really craving some reading material.  I really wanted to read Allegiant, the third book in the Divergent trilogy.  Fortunately, the airport I was traveling in didn't have this book.  But, I saw they had The Fault in Our Stars and I said, why not? right.

This is the best decision I have made in a long, long time!  So, considering I have once again fallen in love with reading I decided to give you all a review (more like a spiel on why this is such an awesome book).

WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!  //  WARNING SPOILER ALERT!!!

Everyone and their mother have already read this book and I know why!  If you have not read John Green's masterpiece, please STOP reading and get yourself a copy this very instant.  I am not usually the person to read sad, romantic, somber reads, but this book completely captivated me.

It's not like a lot of us can relate to the story (most of us are, thanks to God, healthy).  But this young woman's story is told so well, it is hard to believe that this is completely fiction!!!

Firstly, the actual story line.  What? Absolute genius.  I loved the sarcasm and humor used throughout the text.  Some authors can't write sarcasm, because it is so difficult to translate this to the reader.  But John Green made his characters some to life with his words, you felt in the action.

Second, the pure artistry and imaginative thinking.  I loved how they called their meeting place the literal heart of Jesus.  I loved how the narrator and main character, Hazel, said Augustus, the other main character, was handsome and hot and sexy, etc. (It's the way a girl really thinks)  And then tying in another book and their trip to Amsterdam.  Fabulous.  Let me not mention how he took the simplest of words, okay, and made them seem like so much more!

Lastly, THE ENDING.  We all cried, it is practically inevitable.  I didn't expect Augustus to die, I half-expected her to die and the story to end in the middle of a sentence (in reference to the other book in the novel).  But, I loved it.  It was the most perfect, unexpected, lovely ending to an amazing novel.

I think the way Green was able to make Hazel so aware of her situation and make her so analytical of life and so intelligent and wise at such a young age is what draws so many people to read this book.  Although I love thrillers and action, this romantic comedy was well written and deserves all the attention it receives.

Here is the link to the trailer for the upcoming movie {June. Yay!!!}:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ItBvH5J6ss

If you have read this book, let me know in the comments what you thought of the book.  Also, tell me if you are watching the movie {I know I am!}

Have a great day!

xoxo, Ana

Outfit of the Day

Hello Lovelies!

When I went to D.C. it was really, really cold. I have lived in tropic/subtropic climates all my life and this change of weather did not suit me.  But, this gave me the opportunity to style an outfit for the chilly spring weather most people are experiencing.

I wore this look when visiting the monuments and standing in front of the white house.  Granted I had a jacket over it most of the day, I got some pictures for you guys in front of some beautiful trees in front of the World War II Memorial.

Sweater: Old Navy // Pants:579 // Shoes: Target // Bag: Target

Up close and personal.

Hope you guys enjoy this simple, but still adorable early spring outfit of the day!

xoxo, Ana

My "Health Story"

Hey Lovelies!

You might be wondering what a "health story" pertains to.  Don't worry I am alright if that's what you are wondering! Well I cam up with this idea to share my story about how I became interested in health and fitness.  I would also like to do this for fashion and crafts.  So here it is!

My love for health and fitness began about two years ago.  But, this story really begins when I was about nine or ten.  This is when I lost gymnastics {that's another story}.  I felt lost in life, like I had no meaning and could never pursue anything ever again.  At this point in my life I was sad and didn't care anymore about what I ate, what I did to my body, how I treated myself, how I treated others, in fact I focused so much on school and what others expected from me, that I completely forgot about myself  and my well being.

As two or three years went by, all I cared about was school, school, and school.  I am not saying I regret anything I did in my life and I wouldn't change a thing.  This is how I coped with the loss of something that I truly loved and cared for.  Anyway, two or three years passed and I began noticing that my body wasn't working the way it used to.  I couldn't go up a flight of stairs without going out of breath, and I was having symptoms of hypoglycemia.

This scared me, it really did and still does.  To this day, I am afraid that one day I just won't have the fuel in my body to continue and that my body will shut down on me.  So around this time last year I began to research everything I could on the body and health and how I should be treating my body, what I should eat, how I should exercise, etc. etc.

Summer before freshman year of high school I began to work out and start trying to eat healthier.  I found many alternatives to the bad foods I was eating and made an effort to start a food journal again and track my progress.  This continued and my love for health and fitness grew and grew.

This was me beginning high school,
before everything went downhill.

Freshman year of high school began and things got complicated.    I thought I would be able to juggle it all and I thought I would be like super woman and do everything and be everything.  It turns out that life isn't all we expect it to be.  High school was a big, HUGE let down for me.  In fact this has been one of the worst school years ever!

I stopped my effort to eat better and increase the diversity of foods I eat, I wouldn't track my progress, I began eating ice cream and cake in large amounts and eating tons of fried foods.  I let all the people telling me I was weak and small and telling me I could never be strong, I let them get to me.

Today I look at myself in the mirror and for the first time in my life I am disappointed.  Not by the way I look or the fact I am not as skinny as I used to be, or the fact that I am short.  I am disappointed in how I act, how I treat myself, how I treat others, my lack of motivation!

To be honest, I am not sharing this to make anyone pity me or feel bad for my lack of energy and motivation to move forward.  I am doing this mostly for myself.  Here is a little something I have decided to say to myself when I feel like I am not in control:


I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT TO DO!  NO ONE SHOULD DICTATE MY LIFE OTHER THAN MYSELF.  I HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS THE GUY NEXT DOOR, I SHOULD NOT TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. GOD LOVES ME AND HE WILL HELP ME GET THROUGH THE ROUGH PATCHES IN LIFE AND ALLOW ME TO PREVAIL.

I know that this journey has not been easy for me.  I took all the information I learned and dumped it out the door.  But tomorrow is a new beginning and I don't want to stay stuck with the person I used to be.  Not just in the physical aspect but also just myself.  It is okay to have a bad day, but don't have a bad life.

I want everyone who reads this to smile and focus on the positive and wonderful things we have! I still have time to develop a better diet and train my body.  If you want to get better grades this semester in school, do it. Just work hard and don't let anything stand in your way.

I think my biggest mistake has been not taking the time I have and using that time wisely.  I sit an watch TV until late at night, I made stupid excuses not to help my mother, and I let other people tell me what is right and what it isn't.

Personally, it is very hard for me to develop new habits and change my lifestyle, but if others can do it, why can't I?

I hope that you got something out of this, I know that this was something I really needed and although it is 1 in the morning, I am glad that I wrote this for you guys and maybe now you know how I got into health and fitness and how I plan to continue my journey and not give up {like I have on many things}.

Remember, you can do anything!  Just work hard to get to where you want to be and you will get there!

xoxo, Ana

P.S. - I apologize for this odd post, I was having a rough day and just randomly started writing! I still hope you got something out of this post and  hopefully I did too.

It's almost Spring Break?!?!

Hey lovelies.

Its been a while.

This is just a quick note that my blog will be up and running soon!  Tomorrow is my last day of school before spring break and I am super excited to get some post up for you guys.  I have planned an OOTD post, something about the pool/beach, a post about working out/healthy eating, possibly an organization post, and later a post about my trip to Washington D.C.

Have a great day!

xoxo,

Ana

Yearly Goals Progress

Hey lovelies!

As you may have noticed, I have kind of been slacking a bit on my blog recently.  This isn't isolated toward my blog, I have been neglecting my overall well being and my goals for the future.

Today I decided to do kind of like a "Progress Report" for my yearly goals or resolutions.  If you weren't aware, I made this blog in order to track my progress on myself, my style, my fitness, my projects, etc.  This blog makes me accountable and gives me reason to keep doing exercise (other than my well being) and to wear nice clothes, and to be a better person to others.

Well, since I have been extremely busy, I have put everything on HOLD.  My blog, my fitness, my overall self, I put everything but school on pause.  Although I really enjoy getting good grades, they still aren't the best and I have really been procrastinating and haven't been handling my problems head on.

So, I want to look back on my mistakes and see how I can fix them as well as myself.

~ 1 ~

Help out in my community more often.

Other than occasionally helping my Biology teacher after school, I haven't done much to improve my community at all.  I plan on getting my paperwork for school signed and sent to the guidance counselor {to get the hours for graduation} and then find new organizations or places that need help.

~ 2 ~

Make Healthier Lifestyle Choices

Yeah... No.  I have been eating more fruit and squeezing in the occasional workout, but it has not been going well.  The food tracker only works if you actually write down what you eat.... I always forget or feel ashamed and do exactly what I am not supposed to do!  This aspect of my life needs work.  I need to talk to my doctor about all the things wrong with me, make a plan of action, and actually do what is necessary to get myself back on track!

~ 3 ~

Pray more, worry less.

Another journal that is still sitting on the same shelf, untouched as always.  I still pray at night, but not as in depth as before.  Sometimes I fall asleep midway into my prayers or I forget to pray for someone because it slipped my mind.  I just hope that I can improve my relationship with God and really work on how I manage my time in order to really converse with Him as necessary.

~ 4 ~

Work hard at everything I do.

This one is probably the goal that I failed at the most and the one I am most disappointed in myself for.  I realize that I am my own biggest critic, but I seriously haven't been doing my best at anything, absolutely nothing.  In school I am mediocre, usually I have all As and suddenly I have three Bs and I don't seem to care.  Not only that but I have been SUPER lazy recently and just haven't been doing what I am supposed to be doing to improve myself and help others.  I just wish the last three months could be swiped clean and I could start over, but I can't.

~ 5 ~

Be a better person to myself and those around me.

Part of being a lady (and a respectable human being) is being a good person not only to those around you but to yourself as well.  As I said before I am my own biggest critic.  I wish I could say that I should cut myself some slack, but that only took me into the direction of the typical lazy, boring teenager.  That is not the person I want to be!  But I also need to work on being kinder and more courteous to the people around me.


Overall I have failed the past three months in my book.  But I can change that. I will change that, I am determined to change that!

Ever since my older sister became a "teenager" I promised myself that I would never become lazy, snobbish, conceded, self-conscious, and mean.  To see myself headed toward that direction really made me rethink my choices and made me feel really letdown by my own self.

I want to stay that confident, quirky, kind, hardworking, creative young woman I was before entering high school.  I know that this is a time where some people struggle keeping their true identity, but I am not one of those people.

My plan is to set aside time everyday to write down what I ate, write down my prayers  really focus on my relationship with God, go to confession on Saturday and mass on Sunday, to clean my area, do exercise when time permits {rather than sitting on my butt watching TV shows or scrolling through Pinterest}, help my parents, work on my overall self and how I treat others.

It's a simple plan, and with small changes every day I hope to really get the happiness that I want.

xoxo, Ana