FEBRUARY FAVORITES ♥

Hello again, friends!  It’s that time of the month again—time to list my favorite things of February 2014!

I’ll start with my music favorite this time around.  And the award goes to…*drumroll*…Cho Kyuhyun!  (Big surprise there, hmm?)  As of this week, I’ve downloaded all of Kyuhyun’s solo songs, and I just love them. ♥ His deliciously warm tenor just makes my heart go ahhhh.  Some people are worth melting for! ^_~

My favorite songs of his are Edge of Rain/Rain of Blades, and Hope Is a Dream That Doesn’t Sleep.  I’ve listened to both probably several hundred times in the past thirty days.

As Lent was approaching, I had been doing a lot of spiritual reading to help ease myself into the forty days of fast and abstinence.  I’m currently reading three books, which I highly recommend, and are my picks for this blog post: The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila, Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross, and The Nature, Dignity, and Mission of Woman by Fr. Karl Stehlin.

Here’s something a little different: a favorite scent for the month of February.  As you all know, I went on a bit of an adventure a few weeks ago to Klamath Falls, Crater Lake, and Bend.  One of the things I bought while shopping in downtown Bend was this Frosted Cupcake candle from Bath & Body Works.  This.  When I smelled it for the first time, I was honestly like “Ooh, Heaven is a place on earth!” (Belinda Carlisle reference) This candle smells exactly like a frosted cupcake, which, of course, is one of my favorite things ever.  There is no fake or chemically undertone at all.  It’s so lovely.  I’m definitely going to have to go back and get more of these.

My favorite product for the month is one that has been an absolute essential for me throughout the winter season.  It’s a simple one that I truly believe deserves this feature, and it is aloe vera gel.  No specific brand, just 100% pure aloe vera gel, with none of that green dye stuff.  I use this gel twice a day; once in the morning and once at night, to soothe my psoriasis.  This is particularly effective on my face and neck area.  I’ve also used aloe vera gel to treat any and all skin conditions.  If I get a bruise, scrape, bug bite, some random irritation, etc., I put the gel on it and it really does help.  Also, burns.  Just a week ago, I splashed boiling hot water on my chest (I don’t know, either).  I applied this right after, and within a few hours it was like it never happened.  It’s an all-natural miracle product!

I also have three favorites this month for the food/drink category, in this case, drink.  Firstly, bubble tea.  Just yum! ^o^ Secondly, Irish Cream steamers.  For those times when it’s too late in the day for coffee.  Finally, Pomegranate-Raspberry Green Tea from Stash.  This is absolutely delicious with a few teaspoons of honey.  I feel that it is a good transitional tea for winter to spring.

I’ll end this post with my favorite moment of February.  This, of course, being the moment that I first laid my eyes upon Crater Lake.

As I’ve said many times before, there are no words.

Crater Lake – The Everlasting Blue

Hello again, friends!  Here I am with a little post regarding my inexplicable road trip to Southeast Oregon, where I had good times, good times with three of my favorite people in the whole wide world. ♥ Adventuring.  Discovering.  Shopping.  Side-splittingly funny rounds of Mad Libs.  Singing a beautiful High Mass at a hermitage in the middle of nowhere.  Food, friends, and more fun than I could have ever imagined.

Smiles.

I wish I had more time to chronicle the events of this wonderful weekend and wander off into the wilderness of intricacy and expression, but alas, I do not, so I will focus my thoughts today on my experience viewing Crater Lake for the first time in my life.

What can I say?  This is so very difficult to write about.  There are simply no words.  Viewing Crater Lake is one of the moments that take your breath away.  No poem, no prose could do this natural phenomenon justice.  All I can say is that everybody needs, not should, needs to visit Crater Lake National Park at least once.  No bucket list is complete without it!  It’s stunning.  Gorgeous.  Mystifying.  Inspiring.  Pearl sapphire blue.

 

I’m incredibly eager to visit again in the summer.  I can’t imagine how the water could possibly be any bluer, but I will definitely be back in a few months.

It was truly a day—no, a weekend—to remember.  It broke through the monotony of my student/teacher life, and provided me with an opportunity to “stop and stare.”  I feel rejuvenated, not only in body and mind, but soul as well.

Finals week, bring it.  You’re going to be pwned like a WoW noob.  (lol)

…Keep calm and carry on! ^_^