Thursday Tumblr Inspiration

(found from tumblr)

8 Ingredient Banana French Toast

Tired of the same old eggs and bacon for breakfast? Well try something new for breakfast with this easy delicious treat! Most of these ingredients can probably be found in your pantry already! 

All you need is:

1. Light Brown Sugar (3-4 TBSP) | 2. Butter (1 TBSP) | 3. Vanilla Extract | 4. 3-4 eggs | 5. Milk | 6. Ground Cinnamon (1 tsp)

and of course don't forget the bananas (2) and bread (4)!

1. First, start off by heating two medium size skillets on medium

 heat. One to caramelize the bananas and another to cook the French toast. 

2. Prepare the egg mixture for the French toast next. Beat 3 or 4 eggs in a bowl and add a splash of milk. Then add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a drop of vanilla extract into the mix. Whisk the ingredients together and put it off to the side.

3. In the first skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter until it's completely melted.

4. When the butter has melted, add 3-4 generous tablespoons of brown sugar. This is what is going to make the sauce. Stir the sugar and butter together till they have completely dissolved together.

5. Cut up 2 bananas into thick slices. Lay the slices onto of the brown sugar mixture and stir till the bananas have been covered. Let the bananas sit on low heat while you make your French toast.

6. Dip both sides of the bread to the egg mixture and then place it on the second skillet. Flip when ready and cook both sides to your preference.

7. When finished cooking the toast, take your caramelized bananas and place them on top!

8. ENJOY! You can even sprinkle on some extra brown sugar and coconut flakes for a little added texture and flavor!

This easy recipe takes only about 20 minutes to prepare and it doesn't require loads of ingredients. The recipe makes two servings (4 slices) but it's easy to alter if you need to make more or less. It is simple yet very tasty! 

I used one egg yolk, three egg whites, and reduced fat milk to make this recipe a bit healthier. You can get creative and use lighter versions of all the ingredients to make a delicious guilt free breakfast. It's always fun trying new recipes and it never hurts to learn more!

Hope you guys try this out and if you're not a fan of french toast, try putting these caramelized bananas on top of pancakes or some frozen yogurt as a late night snack.

Enjoy,

Meg

Weekend in NYC, Part 1.

Some photos from New York City!

I had a great weekend visiting friends in the city and it was an awesome birthday present.

So sad Halloween is over but I hope everyone had a great one!

Meg

Restore the Shore

New Jersey seems to have a bad reputation. Ever since the rise of The Jersey Shore, Jerseylicious, and the infamous "tanned mom," Jersey has been seen as a state full of guidos and crazy Italians. What most don't know is how beautiful the state actually is. We have miles and miles of the east coast's best beaches that fill the entire shoreline of the state. Every summer traffic builds up on the parkway as people travel down to their vacation homes just to spend a week at the shore. For some of us, we live there year round. The Jersey Shore is our home 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Now it is nothing but a pile of sand and mess of boardwalk pieces. Homes have been completed destroyed and millions are still without hot water and power. Ignorant comments like "the world is better off without the Jersey Shore" only make us, New Jersians, stronger. We are not a state full of idiots. We are a state full of strong beautiful people. We will get through this. Remember Jersey, our shore might be gone but our memories are not. Let us keep them at heart and help those in need. If you have power and water, offer your home to those you know need it. Have extra clothes and food? Donate to shelters in need. Support the red cross and keep your heads up.

One more important thing. Homes and belongings are replaceable. Lives are not. Be thankful as we could have lost a lot more lives and remain Jersey Strong because we will rebuild.

My heart also goes out to those states that were also affected. You, too, will also rebuild. 

Stay strong and lets all support each other.

As always,

Dream your troubles away

Meg

Red Cross
Jersey Shore Hurricane News
Rebuild the Jersey Shore

Weekend with my T2i

This weekend was a beautiful one here in New Hampshire, just perfect for a day of Rugby games and Pumpkin Fest. I decided to take my Canon Rebel T2I out and get some photos. 

Here is a weekend recap with some photos I took. 

Also if you're interested check out this giveaway courtesy of Massive Boardwear!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Massive Movement

Good companies are pretty hard to come by these days. To most people starting out a new company is just a way for them to make quick easy money. This false belief only sets people up for quick failure most of the time. Starting a brand isn't about popularity or attention, it's about creating a passion.

Massive Boardwear was founded in 2010 by a kid whom I know and love pretty dearly. This kid just so happens to be my wonderful boyfriend. Now I am not bragging in anyway or trying to get him followers but I am just simply trying to spread a movement through this blogpost. This movement is something that hits particularly close to home because it follows three values that everyone should incorporate into their lifestyles. The elephant in Massive Boardwear symbolizes strength, perseverance, and happiness, all of which an elephant pursues in their daily lives. I'm not here trying to preach you or trying to get you to buy something (although it would be awesome if you did!), I'm here because I think it's important for everyone to carry out the traits of the Massive Elephant. 

If you're not going to buy Massive clothing, that's totally okay, but go ahead and support us by spreading the Massive Movement.

Stay happy, be strong, and don't ever give up on your goals.

Dream your troubles away and rock an elephant,

Meg

Touchy Topic Tuesday: Following Your Boyfriend to College

Stephen and I met back at home a little over two years ago. When it came time to make a decision on where we would be going off to school we both decided on the same one. 

Let us set the record straight right now: I did not what-so-ever follow Stephen to school. Do I think you should follow your boyfriend to school? No. Do I think it is a wonderful thing that we both go to the same school? Yes

Let me explain myself here. Stephen and I both chose this school for similar reasons. We both love the outdoors and have a major infatuation with the mountains, but the truth actually is Plymouth wasn't my first choice. I had originally planned to go to the University of Vermont until I had visited Plymouth and fell in love. I was apprehensive about going to the same school as Stephen but I figured I would give it a shot considering life is about taking risks, right? 

Well the decision I made was a great one because I couldn't be happier.  

If you are thinking about going to the same school as your boyfriend MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING IT FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS. Do not follow your significant other to college because you can't picture yourself living without them. Chances are you will be too attached to make your own friends and create your own memories apart from each other. It is important to have your own life as well as a life together. Many couples who go off to school together don't seize many of the opportunities college has to offer.

If you are going to go to the same school as each other make sure you are very independent and both have a separate interest in the college apart from being at school together. It should be just a bonus that your partner is going there not a reason. Stephen and I do great together at school. We each have our separate group of friends and don't spend every waking moment with each other, the same as it would be if we were still at home. We both get along very well with each other's group of friends which makes it great because there isn't any pressure from anyone telling us to break up.

My advice to you is to do what your heart tells you. If you have your heart set on the same school for the right reason then go for it. I'm so happy with the way things turned out and I know I'm going to look back on my life and not regret anything from my college years. Always remember that college isn't about partying all the time or hooking up with copious amounts of people but getting an education to further your academic skills for the real world (let's be honest). How you spend your free time in college is up to you and only you. I'm not missing out on anything in college. I still get to party, have fun, and come back to the same person every night without having to worry about hooking up with random strangers (not my thing). Do not let anyone tell you that having a relationship in college is "dumb" because I couldn't be happier. 

My apologies!

My computer has been in the shop getting fixed over the week therefore I was unable to blog. It is waiting for me back in New Hampshire but I am not there because Stephen and I made a spontaneous trip home to Jersey for the weekend!

I will have it back by tomorrow!

On that note Happy October! I hope everyone is enjoying Autumn so far.

Meg

Mt. Cardigan

There are those special moments in life where no one will truly understand how special that moment was to you except for yourself. Sometimes they are the simplest of moments but the feelings you get are just so indescribable. Last Friday I hiked the hardest trail at Mt. Cardigan in Alexandria, NH. What started off as a moderate trail ended up turning into one of the biggest mental challenges I have ever faced.

For those of you who think all hiking is a walk in the park, think again. As we approached the summit of the mountain our hike got incredibly challenging. This trail required us to climb on our hands and knees several times. In sheer panic, I had to stop myself a couple times to regroup and catch my breath. After years of dealing with panic and anxiety, it was a huge challenge for me. Finally we made it to the top and the views were absolutely incredible.

The summit overlooked both Vermont and New Hampshire which was absolutely amazing. It was a complete 360 panoramic view of the mountains. My favorite part of nature had completely engulfed me at the summit. The best part about it was, I made it to the top successfully. I never once thought about turning the hell around. It was me, myself, and Stephen that got me to the end on that Friday evening. The mental and physical exhaustion was well worth the short struggle.

When I finally made it over that last big hump and found a place of comfort, I came across a very friendly dog. This is the moment I can't really explain but I will try my best to. 

My favorite part wasn't making it to the top or overcoming my fear but rather running into a stranger's dog that hit my heart directly in the sweet spot. As I was sitting with the dog I thought to myself, "I am not anxiety, anxiety does not define me." I made a huge accomplishment that day. One I would not have been able to make last year. I don't want anxiety and panic to define who I am. I made it to the top and I was rewarded for it. That dog brought me such comfort and enjoyment and I can't really explain why but it is one of those moments I am going to cherish forever. 

I know this was a long post and I'm sorry if it bored you but I hope you can find inspiration in it. I am not one to talk about my anxiety but this incredible moment encouraged me to do so in this very blog post. I hope you too can overcome your fears and not let them define you. I hope you don't take those little moments that make you smile for granted because I believe life will always throw things your way to reward you and make you happy. I hope you always remember those beautiful moments, even if you think no one else will understand, and pull them out on a rainy day for your enjoyment. 

May life bring you beautiful moments and as always

dream your troubles away

Meg

This is home...

Every single day I fall more and more in love with this place. New Hampshire has so many beautiful sights it makes my heart melt. Not many people can say they get butterflies from inanimate objects but hell mountains just give me that warm fuzzy feeling. Straying away from the cheesiness these photos were taken at Sabbaday Falls and The Flume Gorge. They are actual photos and no those light particles are not an added filter. Lately I have been trying a lot harder to learn more about my camera and photography. I regret not picking my camera up at all over the summer so I am trying to get some good use out of him here and I think I am doing a good job at it. 

I hope you enjoy the photos. I am going to try to get some posts up asap; it's just hard with my 19 credit load semester! 

but as always, dream your troubles away!

Instagram OOTD

New Hampshire weather can be a little bipolar. Especially when yesterday I was just out scuba diving and catching some rays on the boat. Today it is a little chilly outside with a whopping high of 60. I got a little excited to throw on a fall inspired outfit and I really wanted to share even though its a bad quality instagram photo. Wish I had my tripod at school but nonetheless it will be up here soon enough.

Sweater- Cotton On

Leggings- BDG Urban Outfitters

Boots- Target

Necklace- Buffalo Exchange

Follow me on instagram: megmarra

Cheers,

Meg

I'm back in New Hampshire!

Senior year has officially begun and I am back to some White Mountain action! I am becoming really terrible at posting but I am trying my best to change that. I have plenty of ideas for posts and now that I am back in New Hampshire I will have my camera out and ready MUCH more.

This photo was taken on the side of the road overlooking Squam Lake. This is the calm before the storm picture as it is now raining here in NH. 

Dream your troubles away,

Meg

Colorado Diaries: View from above

  (My apologies for the haziness. The wildfires going on created a haze in which I tried to edit out the best I could)

I think everyone should drive up to the mountains once in their lifetime and I'm not talking about driving up to the base of a mountain and looking up… I'm talking about actually driving up a mountain road and catching a view from the top. It will probably be one of the most amazing experiences of your life.

Lucky enough, I live in New Hampshire so I get to see the mountains out my window everyday but I'm sorry nothing compares to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. It is a trip I think everyone must take. Whether you go to Colorado or Wyoming (or anywhere in the Rockies) the Rockies are absolutely perfect. I'm sure that is just my biased opinion but don't let that stop you from traveling out west one day.

These pictures where taken at Lookout Mountain in Golden Colorado and The Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs.

Let me know if you've ever been to either of these places!

Dream your troubles away,

Meg

How to use: Lush's Ocean Salt

Ocean Salt is a exfoliating scrub made with sea salt, avocado, coconut, and believe it or not vodka! This scrub leaves your skin feeling amazing and fresh afterward but you must know how to use it correctly or it may do more harm than good!

For awhile I had been eyeing up this product debating whether I needed it or not. Finally I decided to take the plunge (even though it was only $20) and buy it after a lovely sales woman out in Colorado gave me a lush treatment with it. She recommended I buy the smaller one if I were just going to use it on my face in which I was. Now, before I bought this product being the extreme researcher that I am, I googled it. I read a ton of reviews and most were mixed. Either someone loved it or they hated it. The bad reviews said it dried out their skin or it left them with break outs! Both of which no one ever wants.

Here's the best way to use Ocean Salt so that it doesn't dry out your skin or leave you with breakouts:

(These directions are for using it on your face)

1. Only use this product once a week! It is an exfoliator so really you only need to exfoliate your skin once a week. Many people will use this everyday but this product should not replace a gentler cleaner. Use a daily scrub or cleanser everyday and make it routine to use this one day of the week. 

2. Rub onto dry skin. Take your makeup off with makeup wipes or gentle soap. Tone your skin with some cold water to close your pores and pat your face dry. Do not wet your face before using this product. This will help to get rid of the dead skin and the vodka will help to tighten your pores and clear out blackheads. Since they use sea salt as the exfoliator you do not want to open your pores before using this scrub. It can may irritate your skin that way which is what will lead to breakouts and dry skin. 

3. Rub it on gently. DO NOT rub it on your skin till it hurts. Once it starts to burn you know your rubbing too hard. This can also irritate your skin and the point of this product it to leave you feeling refreshed not hurting.

4. Wash it off with luke warm water or semi cold water. Once it is all washed off, wash your face with a gentle daily face wash. 

5. [Optional] I like to use a medicated toner after I was my face to close up my pores and remove any access dirt. Plus this will help to prevent breakouts. You don't have to purchase a toner but I like using the ones by Clean and Clear. You can always splash your face with cold water to close up your pores!

This is the way I was recommended to use Ocean Salt. So far I have not had any breakouts related to this product and it has not dried out my face at all. I use it every Friday or Saturday because I like to use it at the end of the week just to bring on the weekend in a pampering way. I am in love with this product and I will purchase it again. Many people are afraid to use it on their faces because of the reviews but I hope this changes your mind! Let me know if you know a different way or if this was helpful to you guys!

dream your troubles away,

Meg

Colorado Diaries, Part One.

Recently I headed out west to Colorado with my mom and dad for a lovely four days. Ever since I left Colorado four years ago I have been aching to go back. Fortunately it was this summer that my family and I decided to take the trip. It was probably the best [short] vacation I've ever had. One day I hope to call this state my home but for now I am just going through the motions of my last year of under grad school and last few years left in New Hampshire. 

Here are some pics from our first day there. I have a TON more from the zoo but I decided not to bombard this post with a bunch of zoo pics. I mean we've all been to a zoo before and have seen most of these animals :P. 

I have more Colorado Diaries to come, this is only the first and trust me, the pictures get even better!

Until then, dream your troubles away,

Meg

p.s. I'm still working on reinventing my blog. I'm sorry if this was a short little boring post but I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging. 

Hello readers!

I know I don't have many followers but I decided to make a post explaining myself anyway. I got sidetracked over the summer and rarely posted, if at all. Looking back I realized that this blog wasn't what I really wanted. It almost became a chore to make posts which is not how blogging should be at all. I was going toward a route that wasn't really me. Sure I like beauty and fashion but I originally wanted more of a lifestyle blog. I wanted a place to track my transition from New Jersey to New Hampshire and also make fun posts that reflected me and the things I like. Looking back on my older posts I'm just not happy with them. I want to revamp this little online journal and make it more like the person I am. I'm hoping to continue making fashion posts but not make that the main topic on my blog. I love beauty and fashion but I don't think I am meant to be a beauty blogger. Instead I would rather blog more than just fashion and beauty alone. 

The purpose of this blog renovation is to reconstruct this blog to reflect my true personality and not one that didn't really exist. I have deleted some previous posts and I may decide to delete more since I haven't decided whether I want to start completely fresh or not. 

I will be working on some posts for the next couple of weeks but for now enjoy this completely irrelevant cute little picture of my bed and stuffed elephant. :P

See you soon!

Meg

April InstaRecap

1. Finding old jewelry. 2. Easter care package from Mama.

3. New American Flag iPhone cover. 4. Lounging after a long day.

5. Silly Reces Pieces flower. 6. Pillow case and Wrinkles.

7. Pretending I'm at Coachella. 8. High top Vans.

9. My best friend and I as youngins (cute get-ups!) 10. Stephen being cute.

11.. Waking up in Boston. 12. Marc Jacobs Cards.

13. Ciao! Written on Steve's leftovers box, super cute! 14. Representing the Devils!

15. Stephen editing. 16. Tea time!

17. Saturday night bonfire. 18. Devils vs. Flyers being televised!

So here they are, some of my favorite instagrams from April. I cannot believe how fast April came and went. Now it's time to welcome my favorite month of the year, May!

I was planning on doing a review for you guys on a product I have been loving but I just remembered today is May 1st so I decided to do a InstaRecap instead. I will have the review up soon though because I really think it is a product worth sharing and the best part is it's very affordable! 

I hope everyone had a great month and I wish everyone the best for May.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram if you'd like!

@megmarra

Up Next: Hair Product Review

New Adventure: Check it out here.