Rent rather than Buy with CampusBookRentals

Do you have a bookshelf full of college textbooks that you no longer look at? You are not the only one. Whether or not you are going to college now, you clearly remember how expensive it was to buy textbooks. Once the semester was over the book became obsolete and you just kept it somewhere in your room or storage area and let it be. Happened to the best of us. 

Summer is almost over. For some of us this means that college starts soon again and that those expensive books are needed as well. How about saving money buy renting books rather than buying them? So, I thought this is a perfect opportunity to do a sponsored post for CampusBookRentals.

I am quite impressed with CampusBookRentals I have to say. It is simple, convenient and a great solution to any new college semester. Plus, by renting your college books through CampusBookRentals you not only save money but help a great cause, too.

 Here are a few perks of renting through CampusBookRentals:

• you save 40-90% off of bookstore prices (amazing!!!)
• they offer free shipping both ways (yes!!!)
• you can highlight, underline and write in your textbooks
• they also offer flexible renting periods and extensions
• you get 21-day risk-free returns
• they give back and donate to Operation Smile with each textbook that is rented

 Here is how it all works:

Also, you can make money by renting your books. Their new program, RentBack, allows you to rent your books to others so you make 2-4 times as much money. It is just like having a little business on the side because every time your books get rented you get paid. Sounds great, doesn't it?

Renting books has just become easier and better.

Whether you are going to college, are in college now or just know someone that is going to need a lot of books in the future I would definitely recommend CampusBookRentals.com! Their reputation and partnership with Operation Smile makes them worth it. Plus, I personally like companies that give back. We all do, don't we?!

Happy Friday!

{via}

Happy Friday my lovelies.
I've been MIA I know.
Jet lag is gone. Yay.
Suitcase is unpacked, and clothes are stored away.
The dogs love me again (as if they ever did not love me).

The sun's sorta out, and the palm trees call my name.

I've met my best friend Wednesday for dinner and a much needed fun evening.
I've had sushi already (duh??!!!).

And I'm enjoying GF food available all over...thank you.

I still need to get into the swing of things.
However, I'm back and I'm loving it.

All I need to do is catch up with you all and meet up more friends I have missed over the past two months.

Going to a wedding shower this weekend will keep me busy.

Main problem:
What am I going to wear?!!
Ideas?

What about you? Any fun plans ready for the weekend?

Have a fabulous one.

xoxo

Back Again

I am fully back in California. Not yet adjusted but doing well. Jet lag is a nasty little thing but I'm handling it gracefully - with a coke bottle in one hand and sunglasses on 24/7 so no one would think bad about my tired puffy eyes. 

I have been mostly relaxing, unpacking, snuggling the doggies, and enjoying the cooler weather. Unfortunately, I received an email today that wasn't pleasant. A friend's husband passed away after his surgery last week and it's weird to think of this whole situation as even happening. I mean, I'm so far away and reading that this is happening right now is just so surreal. However, in other (better) news...I'm meeting one of my best friends today for a light dinner. Can't wait. I need my funky friend to cheer me up and distract me from everything. ;) Girl time is always fun, no?!

More updates on my whereabouts this summer, upcoming craziness, and reviews (I have two so far) will follow...I'm a little behind these days but I'm sure you are okay with that.

Missed you all.

xoxo

50 Things About Me

Hi my lovely friends!  I'm traveling and re-adjusting again. It's been a wonderful summer. It was a wet, rainy, cold and then very hot, sunny, cultural, historical, political, tragic, funny, fruitful, baby-filled, laughter-filled, explosive, exhausting and European summer. My heart aches every time I leave home for another, and once I land in one place I immediately forget the other place and vice versa. Needless to say, I'm a crazy little mess right now. I'm jet lagged, unpacking, sleeping, and dreaming. If I am not around blogging which might actually happening with my readjustment, Twitter and Instagram definitely keep you posted on my whereabouts.

But back to my regularly scheduled programming.  I found this survey on a few blogs and decided to play along today.  Be prepared - this is a LONG list of super random questions. It may provide you with a little more insight as to who I am.  

I've tried everything but I have no idea why the font, spacing, and sizes and whatnot are all off. I'm lost. Sorry.

1. Do you like blue cheese? No. I've tried it many many times, but this is one cheese I cannot stand.

2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? Unfortunately, yes.  My mom smokes (yes, I know!) so as a young teenager I wanted to be as cool as an adult and tried it. Not proud of it. I also only did it once and never again.

3. Do you own a gun? Absolutely not.  I've never fired a gun, and I don't intend to. I've been exposed to guns (work related among others) and that's that.

4. What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? I went twice. It was okay. Don't even remember if I drank something. If I did I ordered a strawberry shake.

5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? For normal check-ups, yes. Absolutely. Not sure why though. It's always an annual check so I should know what awaits me each year.

6. Do you like hot-dogs? Yes I do, with mustard only. Now I just can't have the bun anymore, and a gluten free hot dog bun is just not the same. 

7. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee with milk. And if no coffee, then cold milk.

8. Can you do push-ups? Yes. 

9. What’s your favorite meal? I have many favorite meals. Real authentic cheese fondue is one of them (not the stuff you get at the Melting Pot - sorry, but yikes!), Sashimi and Sushi, and pretty much everything Turkish. :) YUM.

10. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My rings mom and grandma gave me. When jewelry stays in the family it's awesome. I would have never bought those rings myself but they are so gorgeous I can't stop wearing them. 

11. Favorite hobby? Watching tv/movies, zumba, reading, photography, and blogging.

12. Do you work with people who idolize you? What kind of question is this???  I think it's safe to say that the answer is NO.

13. Name a trait that you hate about yourself? I talk too much. Haha!

14. Middle name? Pamela

15. Name 3 thoughts at this moment: 1.) Will I survive this fall semester?, 2.) I'm so bumped about something that didn't turn out as planned which I cancelled, and 3.) Hopefully I won't fall asleep by 5pm today. I MUST stay up longer. I MUST stay up longer.

16. Name 3 things you bought yesterday: a bottle of water for $6 at the airport. That's it. Nothing else. 

17. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink: Water, coffee, and wine. Pretty much yes, all of these.

18. Current worry right now? Money!

19. Current hate right now? Hate is not the right word, but I really dislike dust and silverfish - they are disgusting.

20. Favorite place to be? Istanbul, Luzern, and wherever I am happiest like this place called Southern California. I'm spoiled.

21. How did you bring in New Years? Shouldn't it say "ring in New Years"?  In Switzerland with four of my best friends and their children.

22. Favorite place to go? I so wanna go to Chicago and New Orleans and North Carolina.

23. What is your most recurring dream? I don't really have a recurring dream. Yet.

24. Introvert or extrovert? If I'm with a bunch of new people I'm a total introvert and if no one approaches me or says something to be I stay a loner. So typical. Once I'm okay with whoever I'm surrounded with I don't tiptoe around anymore - then the extrovert person comes out for sure.

25. What color shirt are you wearing?Colorful tunic dress...so no shirt. ;)

26. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? Yes, did that once. Loved it. But well, cotton is okay too. ;)

27. Can you whistle? Yes. However, there are times I just really badly fail at this.

29. Favorite color? Purple, turquoise, gray, black and sometimes pink.

30. Would you be a pirate? No. 

31. What songs do you sing in the shower? I sing along to the radio station if it's on, or to my play list I feel appropriate to listen to in the morning when I shower. But my singing these days is more of a humming not a singing out loud and forming words.

32. Favorite girl’s name? There's a few, mostly English. Won't name them here. 

33. Favorite boy’s name? Again, won't name them.

34. Who is your loudest friend? Amanda, then Melanie. I think. ;)

35. What’s in your pocket right now?  No pockets I'm wearing a tunic dress. 

36. Last thing that made you laugh? The dogs getting excited to see me again. So cute and so adorable. Them jumping and licking and smiling made me laugh.

37. Bed sheets as a child? With animals on top, or clouds, or hearts. I had plenty.

38. Worst injury you've ever had? My ligament snapped and tore off and then tore my right ankle in three pieces. I also broke a left toe and it's now crooked thanks to my doctor thinking it was just sprained. Beyond that, I have to say that I've been pretty lucky.

39. Do you love where you live? I love California, and I love Orange County. Enough said. Plus, even though it's not in the city (aka L.A.) it's close and as a big city lover that's what I like.

40. How many TVs are in your house? 1.

41. What is your worst habit? Not sure if I have one. My talking too much maybe?!

42. How many dogs do you have? Two - however, they are my roommates'  but aunty Selma loves them regardless and calls them hers at times. ;)

43. Does someone have a crush on you? Not that I know. My friend's son once said he liked me a lot more than the girl next doors....the cutest. Maybe he does?

44. Do you own slippers? Own, yes. Wear, no.

45. What is your favorite book? I have plenty to name. One that just comes up is Extremely Loud & Incredible Close

46. What is your favorite candy? Sour Apple Rings

47. What is your favorite sports team? In Soccer it's Real Madrid (yes, weird for a non-Spanish person but it's what it is). Other than that I don't have a favorite as in ''I need to cheer incredibly and unstoppably for one team" kind of favorite. I like my local baseball teams (yes plural), and the local basketball teams (again plural). And by local I mean the Los Angeles Area...you do the rest - if one sucks I have another one to go with. ;)

48. What song do you want played at your funeral? Ugh. This is so morbid.

49. What were you doing at 12 AM last night? I was sleeping.

50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning? Jet lag, you suck. It was 4am. 

Bye Europe, See You Later

My bags are packed, everything is ready. I should be ready too.

My time in Europe is over for now.
I will miss it. I will long for it.
But, home is where the heart is, right?
My heart wants to adjust again and longs for another place.

Enough said.

I will miss my mom, my friends, their families and children, and everything I will miss when I am not there with them. It is what I chose to do. It is what needs to be done. 

It's funny, whenever I doubt myself there's this scene in The Notebook (don't judge) and the obvious question towards the end of the film to choose for oneself what one really wants in life. Whenever I doubt myself, have second thoughts and what not I think of this scene and ask myself if what I am doing is what is making me happy, and if it is something I want to do or if it is something I am forced to do. I always know the answer before I even ask the question.

I'll miss you, Europe.
Be kind to my people.

And also, be kind to me.

See ya next year Europe!!!

xoxo