New Year's Eve makeup 2016 FOTD (face of the day)

Foundation: Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse in Porcelain Ivory

Blush: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure

Undereye Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circles Eraser in Fair

Lipstick: Napoleon Perdis Devine Goddess Lipstick in Nymphe

Eyeshadows: L'Oréal La Palette Nude 2 in shades 2&8

Eyeshadow Base: NYX HD Eye Shadow Base #4

Mascara: ELF Beautifully Bare Lash Tint Mascara in Naked Noir

Makeup set with L'Oréal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray

Looking ahead to 2017!

Here are some of the things that I hope to work on and accomplish this next year, or at least start as big projects that extend into years to come...I don't think I've been this hesitant before about the new year and everything that could happen (or not happen). However, I know that whatever does happen is supposed to happen and that nothing surprises God!

1. Practice my Spanish and get to about 80% competency as far as understanding conversations
2. Travel!
3. Graduate from RBC
4. Create some sort of regular schedule for posting blogs
5. Take more photos/videos on my Canon T3I
6. Post more of my best photos on my photography page
7. Find some sort of long-term possibly well-paying job in the health field
8. Get a henna tattoo (done by a friend or done somewhere specialized in henna)
9. Maybe....just maybe....consider finding a cheap way to go back to Spain for a visit
10. Get healthy!
11. Drink more water!
12. Cut down on coffee consumption
13. Keep narrowing down my current makeup collection to things I actually use at least on a semi-regular basis plus a few special items
14. Do something to update my youtube channel
15. Theoretically make a plan for apartment living

I will add more to this list later, but this is bulk of it at least for this next year...

Anyone have any suggestions for fun things I should try? Perhaps things that are out of the box in terms of things I normally do....:)

Love,
<3 Becca <3

A look back at 2016...

As 2016 is coming to an end, I realize that this year has been a year of changes. Some of these changes were quite major, and some of them just more personal in nature. I got to experience so many new things, and experience some things I had already dealt with, but this time in different and deeper ways...I can't say that 2016 was overall a spectacular year, as there were many difficult things, but those things were not without purpose. I would like to take some time to reflect on this past year, and list/describe the things that happened to me, and then in the next post I want to make a tentative list of the things that I want to accomplish this next year. I will go chronologically and try to include as much detail as possible so as to make this interesting. I might come back to edit this post if I think of more things, and I will re-post on social media to let you all know of the changes.

January
-I left for the study abroad term (or cross cultural term, as RBC calls it) to Spain on Jan 5. It was probably the coolest thing I've ever done! It was for only 5 1/2 weeks but I got to see and experience so many things in that amount of time. I have pictures galore for Spain but not as many as I would have liked, and the quality of them were average, not spectacular because they were on my old point and shoot camera.

February
-As part of my Spain trip, I got to stay over in Paris on the way back and see the big tourist attractions and some not so well known places. Danielle, Kristina, Nick and I made up our group. It was super cool! I have so many pictures!
-Niky/Arlyn's wedding on the 22nd!

March/April
-Continued Spring Semester
-Saw Ballet Magnificat in Springfield with some RBC girls March 15
-We moved! We just moved to a quiet neighborhood a few blocks over...
-Chorale tour over Spring Break to Canada/MI/PA/MD/NY
-IFI Spring Banquet at OSU April 19

May
-I switched work locations while our building was being re-built (I was there for about a month and a half)
-Saw my roomie graduate :)

June
-Saw Finding Dory my mom

July
-One of my best friends came to the area on business matters, and came to also visit me!

August
-Worked like crazy
-Hung out with friends
-Laptop died...

September
-Hung out with friends
-Went to a Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra concert on the 30th with my dad
-Friends came to visit at RBC
-Saw a debate at OSU with some RBC peeps
-Fall excursion to John Bryan 29th

October
-REACH open house at the RIC 2nd
-Hike at John Bryan with IFI 9th
-Replaced my muffler
-Steak and Shake late night trip with RBC girls 28th
-IFI fall party at Downsize Farm 29th

November
-Bowling with the girls dorm 7th
-Trump is elected pres.
-Ice skating at The Chiller with most of student body 12th
-REACH commissioning 18th
-All night volleyball!!! 18th
-My roomie from last year came for the weekend and three other friends!
-Christmas caroling at London courthouse 28th

December
-A Christmas Carol 2-4th
-RBC Choir at London Christian Fellowship 4th
-Christmas Community Concert 4th (including RBC choir)
-Christmas caroling at Marysville nursing home 6th
-Fall Dorm Party/Secret Sister reveal 6th
-Christmas lights at Columbus Zoo 9th
-Work M/W/F over break
-Christmas with family

I have only really listed the things that weren't as much personal in nature because I think that is more appropriate for a separate blog post if I will post it at all....let me know if you would be interested in a more journal-style post about this year!!!

Lots of love,
<3 Becca <3

Reflections on Study Abroad in Spain Winter Term '16 - WEEK 2 Jan 13th-19th

Wednesday, January 13th:
This was the first day trip that we took while we were in Spain. We went to Granada. The weather that day was quite pleasant from what I remember, although I think it was maybe a little bit humid and maybe rainy.

Here are a few pictures from the day:

I will insert more pictures later if I find some!!

Generalife Gardens

 Muslim Summer Palace

Alcazaba Palace

Palacio de Leones 

Palacio de Carlos V

Palacio de Nazaries    

Shawarma King with the REACH team

                                                   Photo cred: Danielle Baugher

Royal Chapel with Ferdinand/Isabella
  
Moroccan street shops

                                             Photo cred: Danielle Baugher    

Thursday, January 14th: 
We had some really good discussion in class today about strong and weak Christians for the Engaging Contemporary Culture class. We also had a test about Granada from the trip we took yesterday.

In the afternoon to evening, we went to have Spanish conversations at Sarai's house again. Then we came home and ate dinner, and had some good prayer and devotion time with Danielle. Also, I guessed her Myerrs-Briggs Personality type on the first try! This is because she is basically the extroverted version of me, so..she is an ENFJ, and I am an INFJ. Super cool bonding time ;)

Friday, January 15th:
There was a plan today for a time to have some of the youth from the youth group come to the mall and hang out but only one ended up coming. It was still fun! We ate at a sub shop type place and then we got ice cream at a place called Yogui. And then at the end of the day at the house, Danielle and I had some more really good prayer and devotional time.

Saturday, January 16th:   
Today was one of my favorite outings from the whole Spain trip. We got to go to some cities near the sea. One of the was called Nerja and the other, Frigiliana. Both were extremely gorgeous locations and we got quite a few pictures. Kaitlyn came along with us ;) Something that is interesting about Nerja is that it is called "The Balcony of Europe". We had ice cream and ate calzones and walked along the beach in Nerja. Then we went to Frigiliana. This town is known as a city of peace for Muslims, Christians, Jews. While we were in Frigiliana, we got to see a Catholic street processional. It was for a day about receiving a blessing for pets, from a certain Saint. It was quite interesting and really loud. There was a marching band and at certain stopping points, there were firecrackers set off. After the procession was done, we walked over to a public sports center that had a ping pong set and we played and danced to the music (mostly American songs!) played over speakers in the main part of the gym. Then we went home and had dinner of spaghetti and veggies.

Here's some pics from Nerja/Frigiliana

Sunday, January 17th:
Today was a fun day because Danielle and I got to have the famed churros and hot chocolate breakfast that I have heard about. The cafe was called Casa Andres.

Photo cred: Danilelle's camera

Later this day, after church, we walked along the boardwalk and took some pictures. It was wonderful. 

And, Danielle found someone to interview for the Nominality paper for Engaging Contemporary Culture class. Someone from the church had a friend who was sitting with her at a local cafe/bar. I don't remember what it was called. 

Monday, January 18th:
Today was another beach day and Danielle walked there by ourselves to study. It was pretty epic. For lunch we had paella! Yay!

  
Tuesday, January 19th:
Today was another Spanish conversation day at Sarai's house. We went shopping after at a local supermarket.