the truth behind "i love you."

I have recently been noticing a lot of "Happy 6 months!" or "Happy 4 days!" and "Happy 2 years" on Twitter. It really has gotten me thinking. What I am thinking about is how all of these couples, the 6 month, 4 day and 2 year relationships, are saying "I love you". They are all a very different ranges of time. But does that have any effect on what "I love you" truly means? 

Personally I have always felt that the only time you should tell someone you love them is when you are completely comfortable with that person. And I mean completely comfortable. So comfortable that they you are willing to look your worst, so comfortable you are willing to tickle them, so comfortable that you can tell them everything ranging from your deepest secrets to the fact that you don't feel good and are going to spend the next hour in the bathroom. I think that that is what love is.   

Love is nasty, embarrassing, honest, funny, wierd, awkward, crazy, relieving, patient, ridiculous, love is beautiful. Love is kind of like being on anethseia, you don't really know why you feel so comfortable and content, but you do. Love has this overwhelming prensence when that special someone is in the room with you. No matter how much you think the other person is annoying, you know that you would be crazy without that "annoyingness". That is what love is. So, because of that I was a late bloomer to the whole "love thing" in my relationship. We waited until 8 months to say those lovely 3 words and it seemed to work out fine for us. I mean, we haven't gone a day without saying it in 3 years, so I would say that is pretty successful.  

Here is what some of my Twitter Followers had to say when I asked "How soon is it okay to say I love you?":  "Whenever it feels right for you, there is no "perfect" time, and usually you'll just know anyway."- Ann "When you literally cant see yourself with out them and you can not only all them your lover but best friend."- Taylor "Whenever you feel it. whenever you know the person inside & out and still can fall head over heels for them. never a set time. "- Brit But what do you think? Maybe I am crazy to get annoyed when there are people saying "i luv u baby"  after two days of dating. Maybe they were shot in the head by cupids love arrow and they can't contain themselves.  What I'm thinking is that arrow they were shot by was more of the infatuation arrow than the love arrow. But that's just a guess.  

 So please, leave your opinions in the comments. I want to see what you lovely folks think. Have at it. Keep calm, and party on friends. If YOU want to be featured in some upcoming posts, follow me on the Twitter machine. We'll have fun.  PS: Make sure to enter this super awesome giveaway going on.   

q & a answers.

Remember when you guys asked me those questions?
Here are the answers.

PS: I feel like I come off reallllly annoying in this video, I apologize. haha

opinion post: asymmetrical skirts.

Hey guys!
It's March (Obviously) and you know what that means...
SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
Awesome, right? 
And with spring comes new spring fashion. 
I can't wait to rock the neon shorts, the pastel nail polish, the floral dresses and skirts, everything.
But one of the upcoming trends that I am starting to see is the trend of the asymmetrical skirt. 

If you don't know what that is, it is where the skirt is longer in the back, shorter in the front. It is really taking the "fashion world" by storm. I see it everywhere.
And I am relatively indifferent about them.

I mean, I like the style...I think. I don't know. 
That's why I am coming to you guys to see what you think. 

I want to know what YOU think. Leave a comment telling me what is going on in your little brains.
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If you are interested in sponsoring on So, hi please email me at (rachg.423@gmail.com). 

god love.

Here it is! The last installment of my "Love" series for February.
The love that I am going to talk about to day is definitely the most important kind of loves out there.
God love, i.e. Agape. 
No, no, not like "A Gape" one word. Agape. It probably has that little swish above the e, but I don't know how to make one, so...you'll just have to deal. 
Annnnyway... 

God love.
I think of it this way. How on earth would you be able to love anyone, anything, everything with out this kind of love first. God is who gave us our life, who gave us everything we have, everything we need, and who is the one person you can completely count on. He will be there with you through the hardships, through the most wonderful times. He will be there with you through everything.
Now this isn't a religious blog, at all. And nor do I want it to be. But I am posting this because I am a religious person. 
I don't care if you are Catholic, Methodist, Evangelical, as long as you believe in God then I believe that you will go to heaven and have eternal life. 
You can disagree, whatever, just don't comment with something rude.
God is my everything. Your everything. God IS everything. 
That flower sitting outside your window? God made it.The blue skies? God made it.Your sister? God made her.The cheez-it you are about to shove into your mouth? God made it.
He made everything. Do you understand that? 
Without him, where would we be? We wouldn't be. There would be nothing.

I feel like so many people lose their faith based on petty things. "Why did God do this to me? If there was a God he wouldn't make my life so horrible. "
Horrible things happen to everyone. It's life. Do you not understand he is doing this to make us stronger, there is a reason for everything he does. Though you might not see it, if you have faith you shouldn't worry. 
I feel like Courtney, here, summed it up pretty well.
"To me, God love is: knowing you'll never hear God say out loud he loves you, or send you flowers on your birthday, but in every blessing that he gives you in life, that unconditional love he has for each of us is proven again and again, as it also states in the Bible :)"

What do you think? 
Interested in Sponsoring for March?

significant other love.

CAUTION: Verrry sappy post ahead. Precede with caution.  

When anyone says the word "love" what do automoatically think of?  You think of significant others, right? At least I do when it is in the context of Valentines day.  Husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend.  

Love is something that everyone needs to experiance, especially love in that special someone. It's so wierd having someone you are completely comfortable around and someone that you can share everything with. Wierd, but amazing. Someone who you aren't afraid to be yourself with, someone who knows your quirks and still loves you for you. Someone who annoys the heck  outta you, but you still love them nonetheless. And the things that happen to annoy you you actually kind of love. You know what I'm talking about? If feels like you are two peices of completely different puzzles that happen to fit together perfectly. At least that is the way I see it. Some of my readers see it this way. " Love is something you feel not necessarily something you just say. When you love someone its supposed to be un-explainable, its something you just know. Personally, I think there are too many people that throw it around when in a relationship just because they feel obligated to "express" saying I love you to their significant other. When you feel love, you know it and you show it to someone without even knowing it, its not something that is forced when its real. Either its there or it isn't, you will just know. It won't be fake, and it won't be a lie, it will be real. Some people believe in love at first sight.. personally, I'm not sure. My opinion on love at first sight is that its just the start. It's like an answer or a hint that you should pursue the butterflies in your stomach because there just might be a prize down the road." - Ann "Love is the reason that I wake up next to my best friend every day. It's the reason I can look at him when I'm pissed at him. It's the reason that we are more than lovers, we are friends. Love made us more than just two people sharing a home. Love made us a family" - Roxxy
 

I am lucky enough to have found love at such a young age, and who knows if that will change over the course of my college years, but if it does I will never regret the time I am currently spending with my man. We have grown up with each other, we have changed with each other, and we will continue to change over the course of the years.   

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not the type to go out and say that I will one day marry my high school sweetheart, or high school/college sweetheart, or you know what I mean. But I do believe that love is something that changes and grows over the years and I hope that no matter what happens we both end up the happiest ever.   

 Who do you love? Why do you love them?        

friend love.

Here's the first instillation of my series of "love" posts. 
The first love that we are going to talk about is "friend love". AKA your best friends. The ones who you will tell anything too and who you look forward to seeing and hanging out. You miss them when they are gone. You aren't the same when the other isn't there. 
That kind of love, you know? ;)




I have one friend that is like that. 

Her name is Erika. She's cool. 
We go to the same school, have the same classes, and pretty much have relatively the same personality. People mistake us for one another at least once every day. Even teachers. Yea, it's weird. 

One of the readers of the last post, Taesha, said "Love, to me, is patience. joy. and laughter. If someone can make me laugh, make me happy, and is patient with me; then i love em'!" 
Isn't that what a best friend is? Someone to laugh with and someone that you are happy with, and someone you are patient with even when you think they are being irrational? I mean, that is what you have to do to be a good friend. 
Being a friend is such a big thing in someones life, sure you can be "Best Friends" with your significant other, but you still need that affection from someone who can understand the "girl" aspects in your life. You know? Feel free to disagree with me, but that is what I believe. I need someone to talk to about my significant other when there are problems. I need someone to help keep me strong when I go through rough times. 

Friend love is just one of the many loves out there. But it is a wonderful thing. Just like all of the loves. But there are also different opinions out disputing whether or not there is truly one love or more. Here are some of the other opinions...

"how does someone love a cheeseburger, and then say i love my husband?

there's only one love. one love=the person you spend your life with, the person you cherish, the person you kiss goodnight...that person can be "your love" or the person "you love" or the person you say "i love you" to. it can be used as a verb or a noun. ;) ..and then...you really really really enjoy/like/are fond of/ cheeseburgers." - Karly 

"Everyone loves differently and in their own way. Who am I to say there is only one kind of love. I love my family and my dog but I love my husband and children more than I love anyone or anything. My love for my husband and children is a different love and a bond. I don't agree in "one love". I also love witnessing kindness in others. I mean I love it. It brings be joy and brings me to tears sometimes. The selflessness that some people show in our world and in this time makes me love, love." - Blanca

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If you are new to this post, go look here and it will explain everything. I'd love for all of you to participate. Thanks! And what do you think of "Friend Love"?

what is love?

So, that four letter word we all here. 
You know what I'm talking about right?
The one that we overuse, misuse, never use.
The word that defines humans as human. 
The word that helps us get through life.
The word that is one of the most enjoyable, memorable, interesting adventure we will ever go on.
LOVE.
Love is not just a word, it is a feeling. I go through my life seeing the word "love" thrown around like it is nothing. But I stand (well, lay) here before you shouting (typing) out to the world that LOVE IS WHAT MAKES US. It is who we are. It is one of the best things that God blessed us with. 
Whether that love is for a family member, a significant other, a friend, a pet, God it is what drives us as human beings. 
So, you say "Love isn't real, it's just a word". I don't believe you, nor do I think you believe yourself. You are hiding what you truly think. And I want you to know that even if someone ruined the word "Love" for you, remember the feeling will always be present whether you know it at all. It could be a teacher, a friend, a councilor, you are loved by someone. 
Heck, if you are reading this blog right now, I'm pretty certain I love you to a certain degree. 
With Valentines coming up I felt the need to share my opinions and beliefs on what I believe love is, what it should be used for, and how amazing it is. That is why I am starting a little series this month about all the different kinds of love. Friends, family, significant other, God, and I'll probably throw some sort of food in there somewhere too. 
So, just a heads up. I'd love to see what your opinions are on those 4 different kinds of loves. You can either comment down there or email me at rachg.423@gmail.com and tell me what you think. You are likely to be featured in the posts. I'll link you and everything. 
I want you to participate. 
Can't wait to hear what you say. ;)

individual style.

Hey guys.

Today in sociology we got onto the subject of what being an individual truly is. And I could not stop thinking about individual style while we were talking about it. I know, I’m weird, but it is true. But what I was really thinking was “Is there really a way that someone can be completely individual in their style?”

We are all obviously influenced by our friends, families, and media. But how much are we influenced? I mean, why on EARTH would I think that jeans that are like a second skin would look good on me? Because the freakin’ media has brainwashed me into thinking that way.

It’s not entirely a bad thing, though. I feel like it helps me unleash my creative juices. Just so you know.

And when it comes to personal style, is there any way you can be completely unique? I don’t think so.

At least I couldn’t think of anyway that you could be completely individual. It seems like even when someone is trying to be “Off-the-wall unique” they are still following some sort of crowd.  The “I-want-to-be-off-the-wall-unique” crowd.

Boho, Goth, Diva, Classic, Emo.

All categories of different styles that we all try to fit into. Some of them are more popular than others, some are more low-key some are more off the wall, but none are completely unique.

So help me figure this out, friends. Is there any way we can all be completely unique in our style? And should we be? 

PS: Photo's from weheartit.com

ombre.

Hey guys!

Another opinion post coming at you - and the title says it all. 

Ombre.

I know you have all seen the trend popping up on runways, celebs, magazine's, everywhere. The ombre trend is one that I believe will be short lived and kind of looks like you have forgotten to touch up your roots for a year or so, but somehow...I am still drawn to it and I have no idea why.

You generally see this look on longer haired girls, but the short haired girls are pulling it off too! (i.e. Alexa Chung) I have also seen people "Color Ombre" their hair and add some colored tie-dye looks to their blonde locks. It's interesting to say the least, I wish I had enough spunk to ad color to my hair. 

Well, here is what some of my lovely sponsors and followers had to say about the trend. The results came out to be that most people either love it, or hate it. 

"Ombre hair is tricky... When done right, it can look perfectly styled and fun. But sometimes it just looks like you missed a spot when you dyed your hair. My advice: if you want ombre hair, have it professionally done. Though there are at-home ombre hair kits, disaster quickly follows with those. Ombre hair is trendy and adorable when done right, and the only way to guarantee that is to have your hair done by a professional stylist."

- Hannah from Coffee, Books, and Clothes

"I personally think ombre hair is tacky. There has only been a couple times when it actually looked good, but most of the time it makes women look like they are in desperate need of a dye job."

- Victoria from Vi-key

"Yay!! Definitely yay! When done correctly the ombré hair can be natural and beautiful. Not just any stylist can accomplish it. You need to go to a professional who has been trained in the melting technique. So, I say go for it because it's such a fun style! :)"

- Gentri from Gentri Lee

"Nay- I'm not really a huge fan of it! I feel like it's something that is trending right now, and as soon as it's over people will be like, "Oh, why did I do that again?" Dont get me wrong, many girls have it and still look beaaaaaautiful, but it's just not my thing!"

- Ashley from The Shine Project 

My personal opinion? I think ombre hair can look super hot if it is done right, like the girls said. I like when it gradually gets lighter - and isn't very blunt. I think it looks best on longer hair and just flows into a light caramel blonde. Is it for me? No. Is it for other chicks? Most definitely. 

Tell me what you think, friends. 

And Ashley up their is giving away one beautiful necklace - so don't forget to enter that. :)

PS: Photo's from wehearit.com

saturday secrets.

Idea from Life in Quotations.

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This is a chance to anonymously share secrets you've been keeping to yourself and you need to get off of your chest. They can be anything from "I cheated on my math test" to "I cheated on my husband". Whatever you need to let off your chest in some way. This is for you guys and as well as for my self. We hall have secrets that we have to live with, but the best thing to do is to not keep it held in and to let it out. I hope this can be one of your gateways. I'm hoping that if this gets good feedback from you guys it'll be an every week thing. Lemme know how you like it. :)

And remember - you can say any secret. No one will judge you or point you out in anyway. 

Here's the rules: 

1. This is open to anyone who wants to participate, from regular follower to casual visitor. 

2. Post a secret anonymously, no names please. 

3. I will not censor anything - so feel free to say whatever you need to. I will delete the comment if it is harmful to someone else's feelings though.

4. I do this for you guys - so you can get some weight off of your shoulders. It's for you and if you are not comfortable with sharing, that is entirely okay.  

5. And not only am I writing this post, but I am going to participate as well. One of the comments will be mine. 

PS: Photo from weheartit.com.

meet kara.

Meet one of my lovely sponsors, Kara. She is a wonderful photographer and all around wonderful chick. Make sure to check her out. :)

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Hello! My name is Kara Haupt and I'm a blogger, photographer, online art journaling teacher. I'm 19 and love coffee, night drives, and movies in bed. You can check out my blog at I Just Might Explode!

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If you guys are interesting in sponsoring on my blog, make sure to hit me up with an email! :)


PS: YOU HAVE ONE WEEK FOR THE APOTHICA GIVEAWAY!