Dear Students: Let's Chill

Hey y'all! Sorry I haven't posted for a bit, I just got back from an amazing but short trip to Savannah, Georgia to a regional conference for Youth For Christ. It was a great experience and before I start this post I really want to show you this picture I took from my hotel room window 

Anyway, today I'm thinking about going to school. Even though I've only been in high school for two days, I've already witnessed the effects that stress has on people. I'm writing to tell you beautiful people to take care of yourself.

via tumblr.com

Here are some tips to making school a little less stressful, your body a little more happy and our school year a lot more chill!

1. Make sure you are getting enough food, water and sleep. It's pretty much the basic way to start feeling better. Being tired and hungry at school is the worst.

*Eat a good breakfast that fills you up

*Bring a water bottle to school and USE IT

*Put your phone out of reach at night and sleep

2. Organize your work in a way that doesn't put too heavy a load on your shoulders all at once. 

*Take study breaks 

*Do your homework early and get it out of the way if you can

*Write your assignments and due dates down and check them off to make sure you finished

3. Have a creative outlet and a friend!

*Make sure you are doing things that you love, like reading, drawing, listening to/making music, playing a sport, making new friends. Have time in your week just for hobbies

*When you have problems, knowing someone is there for you all the time is such a stress reliever. Talk to someone and get a new angle on your situation. 

*Also do fun things with your friends! School doesn't last forever and it's a great time to make some memories. Just make sure you're in a good place school-wise

4. Find positive role models

*Don't hang out with the kind of people that continuously make your life suck, even if you think it makes you cool. It isn't worth it

* Having a mentor is super cool. They aren't perfect but they might be a little more experienced and kind of know what they are talking about

There is a lot of things that need to be balanced, and hard work and confidence are essential. If you need someone to talk to, feel send me an email and I'd love to listen and be there for you. 

Please make sure to get enough relaxation and make good choices. 

I want everyone to be healthy this school year, so share this post with a friend!

Love ♥Brenna, the girl without shame 

Best Trail Mix EVER

I, Brenna, love trail mix. I can eat it at night or in the day, for lunch or breakfast or elevensies. 

But one of my least favorite things is when I buy a bag and only like the m&ms and peanuts! That is wrong! So below I have made a list of things that should be in a trail mix. 

• banana chips
• almonds
• large sunflower seeds
• m&ms 
• cashews
• dried coconut chunks
• peanut butter & dark chocolate chips
• dried mango
• yogurt chips
• cheerios
• peanuts
• dried pumpkin seeds
• dried cherries/craisins (NOT RAISINS)
• goldfish
• pretzels

Via bloganataveres.com

Being able to balance crunchy, chewy, salty, sweet, sugary and protein-packed is an ART! So mix these carefully and maybe one day you can become a master mixer like myself. Also, be reckless in combining these finger foods and discover strangely creative flavor combinations. 

Most importantly, enjoy the trail you are traveling that accompanies your snack.

What is the most important ingredient in your trail mix?

Travel-Photo Journal

Before I show you some of my pictures from last week, I want to say happy birthday to two old friends of mine, Maiya and Kasumi and one of my favorite aunts ;) I love you guys, hopefully we can visit soon
Anyway, here are the rest of my pictures from New Jersey last week. Enjoy

Cape May NJ

Benjamin Franklin House, Philedelphia

Menagerie Coffee, Philedelphia

Street corner in Philly

Really cute/historic room

Room where Decleration of Independance was signed

#brennaonbroadway

Yesterday I went to New York City! And it was wonderful! Since I grew up in mostly small towns and only visit Seattle or downtown Louisville every once in a while, so going to a huge city like this was a completely new experience.

Manhattan is so old, beautiful (a little smelly) and completely filled with history and music. 

I'm a big Broadway person, and the TONY AWARDS were happening. I walked by Radio City Music Hall during the big rehearsal, I didn't see anyone, but I was REALLY REALLY CLOSE to Kristen Chenoweth. There was one lady in a very fancy nude, rhinestone and black dress that looked very serious about being in New York. I wonder who she was. :)

Across from Radio City Music Hall

 I also walked past the Belasco Theatre, where I mentally met Darren Criss, who is currently starring in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He was in Glee and pretty much wrote (and starred in) Harry Potter the Musical. 

DARREN CRISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I also sang at Carnegie Hall and saw The Lion King on Broadway ;)

Singing at Carnegie Hall

Look closely

We also visited St. Patrick's Cathedral, and it was beautiful. They were actually having Puerto Rican mass, which was completely in Spanish. I'd never been to mass before, but it was pretty cool. The building, though, was something else. Huge stained glass windows, sculptures and detailed stone walls. I bet the whole experience for a Catholic visiting the city is amazing. 

Front of St. Patricks

Stained glass in St. Patricks

Ceiling Detail in St. Patrick. 

At the end of the day, I saw the One World Trade Center, which is quite a pretty building, and seeing how smooshed together the places are, I was able to picture the 9/11 attack, and that day must have been one of the most terrifying thing anyone has ever had to experience, and America will never forget that. 

One World Trade Center

I also saw Lady Liberty from across the river, but it was too far away to get a good picture, so you'll just have to imagine it. ;) This was an amazing experience and I am really hoping to visit again in the not too distant future, but no promises. 

I hope everyone is starting off summer with fun memories and lots of sleep! 

Have you ever been anywhere really special to you?

Love, 

Brenna

There You'll Find Me

There You'll Find Me
A Catholic story that takes place in and around Abbey glen, Ireland, by Jenny B. Jones.

So I got this book for Christmas along with another book (which I''m reviewing once I finish!) and I brought it along with me to Washington! Oh yeah, by the way I'm back in my own house now I read about half of it at a time on each flight. I really enjoyed it!
The main characters are Finley, a previously spoiled American exchange student and Beckett, the young Hollywood heart throb. They visit around Ireland together, following Finley's deceased brother's travel journal. As they go about their journey, a love story is created, but it's not just that. Finley's walk with God is taking some big detours. While going to a Catholic school and visiting an elderly woman in her last few months of life, Finley's life changes drastically. It kept me interested the whole time (even though I had nothing else to do...) I understood the characters thoughts like they were my own. I recommend this book! Make a note that I'm not Catholic, but I still really enjoyed it :)

COMING SOON~  SECOND CHANCE SUMMER BY MORGAN MATSON
QOTD:  Do you like any Christian fiction?

Tell the World I'm Coming Home!

Tomorrow morning I catch a 6:50 AM flight back to Washington State with my family and I CAN'T WAIT! I have spent way too much time apart from some of the most important people in my life and I cannot stand not seeing them any longer! 

From church to school to home, so many people have influenced me and made me into the Brenna that moved to Kentucky six months ago, and I am uber excited to show them who I am now. I LOVE YOU PEOPLES

On the other hand though, leaving my friends even for just a week will be pretty hard too, but I see them almost every day ;) I love how they have supported me and been here for me and put up with all my complaining about moving and being a missionary kid, and how I just kept talking and talking about going home. You guys, I'm so sorry, and thank you. 

I'm including some T-Town SWAG so you see a little bit of my home town just in case you've never been there. 

Be on the lookout for new posts of pictures I'll be taking when I get home, and otherwise documenting my trip. :)

IF YOU ARE MY FRIEND IN WASHINGTON I WILL BE HERE ON WEDNESDAY

AND

HERE ON FRIDAY AT 2:30ish

QotD: Have you ever flown anywhere cool? How did you feel when you got back home?

Nashville Roadtrip

Yesterday I got back from an overnight trip to Tennessee. The drive was about 3 hours long, and since we took that really long road trip in the summer, so it was nothing. The way my family vacations is by visiting and thoroughly judging the local coffee shops. And then sometimes we  like to look at statues. 

The museums there were really expensive!!!! So instead we look at the pretty buildings. 

Crema Coffee Shop-extremely hipster

Spencer's Coffee-Great vibe, cute town :)

Barista Parlor made me want to become a hipster. 

Nashville Opryland Hotel

Off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

State capitol...I think. 

The sky on the way back was gorgeous