Today I Give Thanks.

When blogging, I usually tend write about makeup, or fashion icons, or views on current events, or books and music. But today, I'm going to mix it up a little bit. I decided to take the time just to sit down and write about the people I am so thankful to have in my life.

We Are Family. Hey, Hey, Hey.

Leslie Domingues

First I want to start out with my mom. If any of you have met Leslie Domingues, you can probably guess where this is going. This woman is simply amazing. She is such a role model and an inspiration to me. Growing up, my mom was always there for me. She knew how to heal everything, whether it be a skinned up knee or a broken heart. My mom cooked me a hot breakfast, packed my lunch, and made family dinners until my last day of high school. I'd sometimes tell her she didn't need to do all of that, but she'd simply respond with a sweet smile and say "I know. I want to." My mom filled our home with laughter and love, and she put my brothers and me before anything else in the world. I hope that one day I can be half as good as a mother as she is. I'm so proud of my mom, and I really couldn't have asked for anyone better. I love you mom, and I am so honored to be your daughter. You've taught me so much in life, and for that I am so grateful. 

Paul Domingues

 

 

Whenever I was born, the doctor held me up and said to my parents, "It's a girl!" They were both pretty excited, since they already had a boy, my brother Beau. A girl was exciting and new. I can imagine what must have been going through my mom's head at this time. "A girl! I'm so glad I have a little girl who will grow up and take after me! Kind hearted, sometimes reserved, always polite, maybe a little studious, and lady like." Well, things don't always go as planned. At around the age of 2 and a half or 3, I think my parents knew that despite being a girl who had beautifully soft spoken mother to take after, my dad's wild side had been passed down to me. It was clear that I am my father's daughter. From cutting up in class, to listening to The Beatles soundtracks on repeat, to loving to be in social situations, to our extreme facial similarities, it was needless to say I got my dad's genes. Growing up, I always looked up to my dad as a superhero, not just because he is 6 foot 4, but because of his attitude. When talking to people who know my dad, the first thing they always bring up is his humor and how friendly he is. He's got a big personality, a big smile, and and even bigger heart. I love you dad, thank you for everything you have taught me and passed down to me.

Beau Domingues

I am thankful to have such a strong brother. Beau is strong physically, but more importantly, mentally. He has taken his hardships in life, and he has learned from them, as opposed to let them beat him down. Beau is an inspiration to anyone and everyone. He has proven to me that no matter what cards life deals you, it's your choice how you play them. Love you Brother Brother. 

Thomas Domingues

I am thankful to have Thomas as a brother because of his wisdom. Thomas is an old soul, and he knows how to handle situations with wisdom and poise. Thomas inspires me to be a better student, as well as a better person. The thing about Thomas is that no matter the task, he always gives 100%. I love you T.

Mimi and PawPaw

I am so lucky to have two amazing grandparents, Jack and Ines Thomas. They are both such special people. My Mimi is creative, quick witted, and loving. My PawPaw is sharp, funny, and big hearted. I love you both! Thank you for giving me such a wonderful pair of grandparents to look up to. 

Edie

Meow. Love you boo boo!

You Find Out Who Your Friends Are
This one goes out to all of my friends. I love you all. But I want to give a special shout out to two of my friends.

Catherine Kidd

Cat, I couldn't have asked for a better roommate. You have really been so great to me by always offering your advice to me. Your help and love have served me so well this past year and for that I am so grateful. Love you, Kitty!

Emily Russo

Emily Russo is one of the most kind-hearted people I know. She always wants the best for people, and she really goes the extra mile to make sure everyone is happy. I am thankful for her because throughout this past year, when I really needed someone, Emily was there before I could even hang up the phone. She is the best friend I could ask for. She is the closest thing I have to a sister. I love you so much Em. Thank you. 

And finally, last but absolutely not least, I am thankful for all of you who take the time to read my blog. It means so much to me that what I write is important to you. I love all of my readers, and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

xoxo Al

iSideWith.com

I'm in my English class right now, and my teacher just informed my class on this website. You take a quiz on what stances you believe in, then it shows you what candidate you agree with most. I urge everyone to take it before they vote! #vote2012

http://www.isidewith.com/

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

I didn't want to post my political opinion for this election, because that's what it is. An OPINION. And a great thing about our country is that we are all entitled to have one. But what bothers me is when people don't even know what they are preaching about. We are so lucky to have tools such as the internet to inform us on the beliefs and standpoints of the candidates. So before you spill what you think your political opinion is, get informed! Please everyone, become educated about this! It's very important to know why you believe what you do. So no matter who you vote for tomorrow, as long as it is an educated and researched decision, I am happy to have you as my fellow Americans. #vote2012

H&M...why aren't they making the most out of their digital space?

When I browse through my closet, I have a few pieces I love most; what girl doesn't? I've got a mix between some sweaters, a few feminine blouses, and a couple classic dresses. Almost everything I have purchased from an H&M store is among my favorites. There is no question the H&M brand meets the perfect mix of fashionable, yet affordable. So answer me this: why is it that I can't order any of these chic pieces online? The only way to purchase something from H&M is in the store. Because Louisiana doesn't even have a store, I have only bought things from the Las Vegas and New York locations. Online, you are able to browse collections of clothing and accessories. It is organized beautifully, by gender, then by top, bottom, dress, etc. They have everything digitally you would expect an online clothing store to have. The thing they don't have, however, is an "add to cart" option. There is no way to purchase online, and I feel that they are making a mistake by not taking full advantage of their digital space! If they added an option to purchase online, not only would they be improving their site and sales, they would be improving my closet also. 
Click me for a link to the h&m website!

One Man's Trash...

This weekend my neighborhood had a garage sale. My mom wanted to sell an old end table for $5, but it would't sell! I decided to give it a little make over. In the end, I ended up spending only $14 dollars on the finished product!

What I Spent Where:

End table- free! It was my cousin's a while ago and my aunt gave it to us.

Spray paint- $3. On sale at K-Mart.

7 New Knobs- $11 from Home Depot

The Finished Product!

Mardi Gras Mambo

Mardi Gras is over! :( I am so sad because it's my most favorite holiday. I had a really good time in Nola, starting out the break with Midcity Ball.

 

 Saturday we went downtown, then uptown, then downtown, with a lot of rain keeping us company, which you can tell by the picture made me and Chels sad. Me, Gabi, and Becky just so happened to have Mardi Gras colored rain boots, which were adorable if I do say so myself.

Then we met a little man with the coolest motorcycle jacket I've ever seen riding down Bourbon Street.

The next day Chelsea, Lindsey and I got to dress like we were attending the Kentucky Derby. We then went on to toast the new Midcity court, having a delicious lunch, then watched the parade from the viewing stands! It was super fun, filled with beads and champagne, two of my favorite things. 

After that I just went to a bunch of parades and had a great time for the rest of the time I was there.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Happy Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope everyone is having a beautiful day! I love V-Day because it's a chance to tell everyone how much you love and appreciate them! Today's blog post is just a short and sweet little note to tell everyone who reads this that I love you all!

This is what I made today for breakfast!