Favorite Things Friday

Howdy, frans! 
TGIF. No, seriously. Thank frickin' goodness it's Friday. This week just seemed to drag by for me. I'm so happy it's the weekend! 
As you know.. Friday always brings along a sweet little list of my favorite things. This week, I'm going to do a blogger edition. 
1. Gentri Lee's interpretation of Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games. Seriously! Gentri just started Esthetician classes, and she's already pretty amazing. Just look at the makeup she did as she interpreted Effie Trinket. So cool, right? Oh, and just to add to the awesome-ness... she recently started doing a Friday feature where she shares some of the cool stuff she's learned at school. Like... about waxing her nose and that fun stuff. 

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2. Anything from Erin at Living in Yellow. Guys... I don't know if you follow Erin, but if you don't... you probably should. I almost always leave her blog chuckling to myself. Plus, it helps that she's a fellow mac'n'cheese lover. 

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3. Cecilia's toucan shoes. Now... I only follow like, 2 fashion blogs (mostly because I have no hope of ever being as fashionable as those people, so I choose to just give it up), but you know I love me a good pair of shoes. shoes = my drug. So when I saw these puppies on Dearest Lou, I was smitten. 

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4. This post by mah friend B. at Different Paths, Same Destination. Okay, so you may have guessed that I am pretty passionate about loving the skin you're in. Hadn't guessed that? Oh, well... now you know. I'm not going to rant about it right now - I'll save you. I don't really have a picture... you just need to read it, because it's that good. 
5. The new "Pass it Forward" project by Ashley. You guys remember the movie Pay It Forward? Well, that's what this project reminds me of. It's such a cool idea. It's a simple way to brighten somebody's day (and maybe make you feel a little better in the process). There's this new website, www.spreadtheshine.com, and, according to Ashley, this is how it works:

Pass it Forward is designed around a card. Each card is given a unique ID number. Lets say we're at McDonalds, and I decide to pay for the person behind me in the drive through. I'd give the cashier the card, and tell them to pass it along to the next car when the give them the food that has been paid for. I then go home and log into the website that was on the card, and find my unique ID number. I log into it, and add my information... My first name, city, and a description of what I did....

Let's say the person behind me was you, you would pass it forward to someone else, and then would go home and do the same thing. From the very beginning, you will be able to track where your card goes, and how many people you affect just by doing one simple act of kindness.

This is what the card looks like, so be on the lookout for one of these puppies: 

So... there you go! Those are a few of my favorite things from the blogging world this week. 

On Body Image.

Oh, how I love The Office and Michael Scott. 
So... what's up, dawgs?
If you haven't already, go check out the post I did on sweet Ashley's blog about baby fever. If I may, let me just tell you this - it's kinda funny. 
Oh, and guess what?! Thanks to some help from you guys, I won the photo contest held by Ma Nouvelle Mode. 
Now on to the juicy stuff. 
Dear Women of the World, 
What the crap is wrong with you? I mean... us. What the crap is wrong with us? Why do we allow ourselves to be brainwashed? Why do we let society's constructs of beauty affect the way we see ourselves? 
Why do we believe that one body type is better than another? Why do we see a "skinny b*tch" and automatically refer to her as just that? Why is it that just because she's thin, she's automatically joined the ranks of people who deserve the title of "witch with a capital B?" And on that note, why are bigger women ridiculed and called "whales" and turned away from in disgust? 

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Here's my proposal. First, let's all try to QUIT JUDGING! Then... Throw your stupid scale out the window (just make sure there's no one walking by - you don't want a law suit). Instead of crying about the 1 pound you just gained, go for a walk. Quit trying crazy crash diets to lose a few pounds. Instead, try to eat a little bit healthier each day. Quit comparing yourself to the super-skinny size 0 in line next to you at the grocery store. Instead, realize that we all have different body types. Quit looking in the mirror and pointing out every little flaw. Instead, realize how beautiful your smile is, and take the time to give yourself 10 compliments. Quit thinking that just because someone is prettier than you, that they are better than you. They aren't. Quit wishing that you looked like someone else, and learn to appreciate what makes you you.
Quit thinking that beauty is skin-deep. Instead, realize that true beauty comes from within. 
This next part is going to be a smack in the face, so brace yourself. 
Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Quit thinking that you're not ___________ enough. End the pity party, and remind yourself that you're frickin' amazing. That you are a child of an incredibly loving Savior who would not waste his time making an ugly piece of crap. That you have people who love you just the way you are, and that there will always be someone that you think is better-looking than yourself. Grow up, get over it, and live life to its full potential instead of wasting your time wishing you were better. 
Sincerely, Alyx