these are my all-time favorite masks from @lushcosmetics! I have oily skin, and cosmetic warrior does amazing things! 👼🏼✨#lush #lushcosmetics #freshfacemask #lushfacemask

my boyfriend bought me a 2015 sloth calendar months back, & this is the best page so far. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I found the most whimsical flowers in the green house today. ✨

'tis the season

cleansing my skin with my favorite face mask by The Body Shop. it's the Seaweed Clay Mask- & it does magical things to my oily skin 💜

HOLGA HLT-C

For my birthday i received a Holga HLT-C lens from my boyfriend. i haven't had the time to play around with it much until today, so i thought i would share some photos. there are two different turrets that come in the package, both magnetic and super quick/ easy to switch between. the two you receive are the Special Lens Turret and the Filter Turret. 

I'm having a really busy afternoon replacing the floor in my bedroom. break-time macarons are making me dance :~)

♡♡♡♡♡♡

♡this year for Valentine's Day I made chocolate covered fortune cookies for my sweetie. they're adorable and so yummy! (︶ω︶)

Two-thousand-fifteen.

Hello and happy new year everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this past week of holidays with your family and friends. I’m such a busy bee leading up to Christmas time with shopping, wrapping gifts, baking, cooking- just about everything. I got a nice amount of time off work for a mini vacation, and it was exactly what I needed. For Christmas I received a 3DSXL from edgar, so I stared a new game of Animal Crossing, and that’s about as much as I’ve been doing the past week.

Last night for new years eve, I stayed in with my family. i had a late dinner with my mom, where we ate so much polish food- we could have easily exploded. We then had coffee, sweets, cocoa and watched movies the rest of the night.

This year was such a good one! I feel as if this year had a lot more activity than last. This year....

I took a trip to California with my Aunt Kat. Somewhere I've always wanted to go! pools, relaxing in the sun, early walks to the beach, sunsets in the sand, and all-in-all a really relaxing time with my family.

I successfully completed the 100 happy days photo challenge. Being a person that loves to document everything, this was so fun for me. I still look back on old photos and can remember exactly what was going on that day, how I felt, and how happy I am to have a photo everyday for almost three months!

Natalia and I found a teeny-tiny kitten this year! He was on the side of the road stuck between a fence and a tree. He fit right in the palm of our hands. After long consideration, we chose to give him to edgar, where he now lives happy and oh so fat. He also cuddles with their dog sometimes, which makes my heart MELT.

I made my second trip home-a.k.a. Disney World. If you know me, then you know I am obsessed with Disney World. It’s the place I feel the happiest, it’s my magical home and I wish I could just live in the damn castle. My mom made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go, and I started planning immediately. DW is my happiness. My mom was basically a single mother after my dad moved out when i was around 11 or 12. We lived off one paycheck and depended on my grandma for a lot. My mom finally being able to pay for a vacation was such a huge thing to our family. To her, it was a dream to visit florida. So when we made it past the entrance, past main street and to the castle- there were some tears.

I started practicing driving. I’m terrified of cars, driving cars, being in cars-I just hate them. I was in one accident when I was about fifteen and since then I have this feeling of panic whenever going somewhere requires being in a car. I got over my fear and started driving my dads car. Although I know I can drive a car, there is still a part of me that is SO scared to actually get a lisence. So hopefully this new year brings me courage!

I got a second job as a nanny. I took a few days out of the week to babysit a little boy named Ryan. I cannot rant &rave about them enough- because they are so great. They’re the nicest people I know and I’ve grown so close to Ryan, he came over yesterday because he missed me.

Edgar and I had our three year anniversary. Three whole years! It’s so  crazy to think it’s only three years because I feel like I’ve had him in my life for at least ten. Hes become such a huge part of me since I’ve grown to know and love him, and everyday I’m so grateful to have such a wonderful guy by my side.

One of the biggest things I have had to deal with this year was my mothers health. It spiraled downward so dramatically, that it was a really rough thing to go through. But as of right now, my mom is doing so much better with the help of dialysis. She’s eating again, working and able to do everyday things on her own.

wishing you all nothing but happiness for the upcoming year. xox- isabella.

Where have I been?

Everywhere but here apparently. It’s been exactly one month since I’ve updated this blog. This past month has been a bit of a tornado for me. With the holiday season sparkling this very moment, I’m finally able to take a deep sigh of relief and get back to a normal schedule. Let’s take a look at where I’ve been.

As mentioned before, I took a second job a few months back. This leaves me sometimes working 10+ hours a day working. On Mondays and Fridays I start my morning work shift from six to twelve a.m. I then get a two hour break to shower, nap, eat or whatever I feel like that day; I then pick up Ryan from school around two-thirty p.m. and return home around six-thirty p.m. Those two days are my hardest throughout the week.

Recently my mom’s condition had gotten a lot worse, and we spent a lot of the end of November and beginning of December in the hospital. My mom has started dialysis as of last month. She had one surgery which went smooth (so we thought) and she was home within a matter of hours. Days later she started her first cycle of dialysis treatment. After her first treatment she had been telling my siblings and I that something didn’t feel right. One hour later she was forced to the emergency room with an infection in her skin and blood. Later that night she would have one more surgery, and two more to come within the next few days.

The doctor recommended my mom stay in the hospital for a week. He wanted to make sure the infection was out of her body before returning home. She also developed a blood clot in her neck which kept her there an extra day or two. This came out of nowhere so my siblings and I kinda panicked. We all just sat in the living room in silence, staring at each other, not really knowing what to do or what would come next. My mother would leave me in charge of everyone and everything while she was out of the house.

I had a few moments of tears and sleepless nights the first few days she was away, but as the week went on she progressed. As of now my mom is back home, back to work (she’s stubborn) and back to being herself. I’m so unbelievably grateful for my friends and boyfriend for the support they have given me. :-)

Teatox: with Yourtea-Tinytea.

I made a post on Instagram the other day about me being halfway through my ‘teatox’ from Yourtea. I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what it is, how it works, and how to use it. Whether you’ve heard of a teatox or not, here’s a look at Tinytea.

So I’m going to start at the very beginning and talk about the price.  There are two box options to choose from for this tea. There is a 14 day teatox & a 28 day teatox. I chose the 14 day because I wasn’t sure if I would like the tea, and I was also unsure about being able to commit to it daily. The 14 day box (42 tea bags) is $35 USD +shipping costs. The 28 day box (84 tea bags) is $55 USD +shipping costs.

Tinytea is a daily herbal detox that cleanses the digestive system, boosts energy, clears skin, promotes weight loss and reduces bloating. You should drink 1 hot cup of tea thirty minutes before or after breakfast, lunch & dinner. Because I’m at work for both breakfast and lunch daily, I sometimes do a mix of drinking before breakfast and then later on in the evening before/after dinner.

Since I’ve been drinking the tea, which is almost two weeks, I have noticed subtle changes to my body as well as my appetite. A few friends and family have commented on noticeable easing of bloating in my stomach and face.  I also find that when I replace my daily cup(s) of coffee with tea in the morning, I am less likely to crash by noon.

I personally would recommend this tea to my friends who are interested in doing a ‘teatox’ or overall body cleanse. Although this product does not give dramatic results, pairing it with good eating and exercise will show slightly noticeable changes. So all in all, i'd give this product a two thumbs up, and  i will definitely be re-purchasing a 28 day box when i finish my current box.

Fall beach picnic.

I really love moments like the one I’m in right now. I’m just home from  work, have  a tall mug of cocoa at my side and Cupcake Wars is playing in the background as I edit photos. This is my perfect representation of “me time".

Last night one of my close friends Daria and I had a picnic at the lake. I know- picnic in late fall weather? pshh no biggie. We bundled up in our winter jackets and set out for dinner. We then made our way to Whole Foods to pick up a few things.

At first i was all "let's eat light. only a veggie roll for me". But then i walked right into the bakery and it all went downhill from there. I've been watching a lot of Cupcake Wars recently and have been craving a really chocolatey cupcake. When i walked into the bakery, as always- i went straight for the chocolate. Long story short- we spent ten minutes circling the bakery until i finally found the largest cupcake i could find.. and it was great.

since i've been gone.

i often find myself taking breaks from this blog for extended periods of time. it's almost been four weeks since i've even been able to sit at my desk and just browse the internet. i really do believe that there really aren't enough hours in the day. and that adults definitely do still need naps by 1pm. (i took one today!)

since i've been gone:

>>i've picked up a second job. my friend has been a nanny for about 4-5 years, and used to text me job opportunities with families she knew. the offers she gave me would never work out because of school, and my other job. right now i'm currently working the 6-12 shift 5 days a week, and taking online classes due to my mothers upcoming medical procedure. the job that i was offered was to pick up a little boy named Ryan from school everyday and watch him until his parents got home. i'm already on my third week of work and absolutely love it! the family is absolutely some of the nicest people i've met thus far. although this gig could or could not be something temporary, i'm really glad i found another source of income for myself. i have what you would call: a bad spending habit :-)

>>i passed my midterms. i am currently enrolled in two online classes; american literature, and history of the americas. they're almost the same class, but one involves a lot of poetry. both classes are a lot of reading, and a lot of paper writing. my history mid-term was a lot harder than the literature, and caused me huge headaches last week. but i'm starting off a new week so happy to have passed!

>>i've been learning more about my mother's condition. a few months ago i made this length-y post stating that my mother has been battling PKD. as of lately, my mom has been working full-time, which i strongly do not agree with- and trying to keep herself energized to do normal everyday things. something as simple as going to the mall can find us sitting on a bench thirty minutes in- due to loss of breath. her and my dad have been talking back-and-forth with doctors for months already to see how and when they can speed up or help the process of getting her a new kidney. on thursday she has a doctors appointment downtown, where she will have to make a really big decision for herself and our family. i'm double crossing my fingers that everything goes well on thursday.

>>incase anyone missed the post, Natalia's grandfather passed away in poland this past week. i borrowed her a suitcase, and not even 24 hours later she packed her things and left until early november. be sure to send her well wishes!

pumpkin patch.

hey everyone! im so happy fall is finally here! i've been drinking non-stop pumpkin coffee during my work shift, getting cozy with big blankets and making sure to crunch all the leaves on my walk to work every morning. i really don't know if i could choose between this season, or christmas-time being the most wonderful time of the year. on another note, i'm currently fighting a cold, and have been internet-less for a whole week. double bummer! but alas, my dream of being curled in bed watching netflix on my tv rather than my phone has finally became a reality about an hour ago :-)

during the fall, edgar and i make a yearly trip to the pumpkin patch. last year we dove into a huge box of corn, rode a camel and pet baby kangaroos! although there were no baby kangaroos this year, i did get to see two of my all-time favorite animals, alpaca and baby goats!

at this farm there is a giant jumping pillow, pig races, wagon rides, giraffe feeding, one really big petting zoo, corn mazes, a farmers market, a halloween gift shop as well as fresh fudge, apple cider donuts (my fav!), caramel apples and tons of pumpkins for you to take home. it's a really cute place and i'm so excited when the time comes for us to make the trip there. here's some photos from our trip this past week.

taking stock.

Cooking: mushroom soup. Drinking: lemon-ginger hot tea. Reading: my bank statement. Wanting: dark chocolate! Looking: for my cuticle oil! it seems to have disappeared :-( Playing: 'carousel' by melanie martinez Wishing: i was watching movies with edgar tonight. Enjoying: a candle from anthropologie burning next to me. Waiting: for a video to load. Liking: watching my frog jump around his tank. Loving: the nail color 'grace' by julep. Hoping: i get this job i interviewed for today. Marveling: THIS Needing: to get to sleep soon. Smelling: a coconut milk-mango candle. Wearing: yoga pants and a tank top. Noticing: how fast my hair-dye has faded :-( Feeling: lonely! definitely wish i was on a date with edgar right now. Bookmarking: THIS Feeling: exhausted! i've had a loooong day.

date night

the weather here in chicago has finally taken a turn, and jumped right into autumn.  this is my absolute favorite time of year! last night edgar and i went out on a burger date. we had originally planned to see a movie but in all honesty, i like walking and talking and spending time together rather than sitting in a theater. after dinner we walked around the outdoor shopping area and visited a few stores as well as the bookstore. at the end of the night we found ourselves hand-in-hand, talking and laughing while sipping pumpkin coffees. our date was definitely a great start to it finally feeling like fall around here. <3