Tag: #2022

My favorite aspects of autumn ♡

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Hey, y’all! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to my blog, The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! ♡

Spring, summer, fall, and winter. The four seasons. Each one is unique in their own way; their own special events, holidays, traditions, and other characteristics that make up 1/4 of each year. While I love each one for their own reasons, autumn and winter have always had a special place in my heart. And since we’re practically in the middle of fall (already, I know) I want to explain some of the reasons why autumn is one of my favorite seasons. So without further ado, let’s get this party started!

1.) Warm and cozy colors

There’s something about medium green plants transforming into gorgeous orange, golden rod, and burgundy leaves as they float to the ground that’s so satisfying. All seasons have an aspect of nature that makes them unique, but the eye catching colors of autumn make the season stand out like no other.

2.) The spectacular weather

For me, warm weather is the least desirable weather to have. I mean, I’d rather be a little chilly than sweaty and uncomfortable, do you know what I mean? And while I love summer and winter, with both of those seasons, you either get one or the other side of weather. But when autumn comes around, the temperature is the perfect combination. Not too hot. Not too cold. Just how I like it.

3.) That homey reading atmosphere

By now, it’s no secret that I’m a big fan of all things literature. I’ll do it just about any place, at any time of the day, and obviously in any season. But there’s something about fall vibes that makes me want to read even more. And any bookworm who has spent a fall night cuddled up on the couch with their favorite snack and a comfort novel knows what I mean.

4.) One of my favorite holidays – Thanksgiving

I wouldn’t be the same person if it wasn’t for my awesome family. And during the holidays at the end of the year, we always partake in the tradition of having family gatherings, as often as possible. Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity for me to recap what and who I’m thankful for and blessed with, eat mouth-watering food, and do all the other autumn things I love with the people I love. There’s not many things in this world that are better than that.

5.) Photography is thebomb.com

Photography is one of my other hobbies that I don’t talk about as often, but I adore taking photos of sceneries, especially in the afternoon or just before a sunset. And if we’re being completely honest, autumn’s gorgeous colors makes it the perfect time to go on a photography splurge.

6.) The yummy food

Technically, the comfort of fall horderves goes hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving, but I still wanted to include it because autumn is certainly not the same me without them. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy eating a soup, a piece of turkey, or a pumpkin pie on an autumn afternoon? (Seriously though, I’m super curious!) Autumn food is definitely another thing that makes fall like no other.

7.) Napping paradise

As I mentioned earlier, the weather in autumn is as close as it could get to perfect. The sun isn’t usually out too early (or too bright, when it does peek out from the clouds) which makes it easier to take a power nap or sleep in without feeling like you’ve missed out on half of a day. And since I’m homeschooled, I take quite a bit of naps, so that’s a bonus!

8.) Simple and chic fashion

When it comes to fashion, I am all for finding outfits that are both stylish and comfy. And from classic cardigans to knee high boots, there is so much wiggle room to play with when it comes to autumn fashion.

9.) The decorations

From pumpkins, to candles, to fairy lights, to throw pillows, there are so many creative yet comforting ways to decorate for fall, both on the inside and outside of our homes. I think that autumn decor is the perfect way to set that homey, timeless vibe inside your home, which is perfect not only for fall, but also the preparation for the transition into winter.

10.) Being outdoors

When it comes to autumn, doing any fun fall activity outdoors just makes my day. There’s so much to do this time of year that it’s hard to make an excuse not to go outside. And with the awesome aspects of fall (many of which I have mentioned in this list) it’s kind of hard to do nothing when there’s so much fun we can have right outside our door.

Most of the time, it would take longer posts like this a little while for me to configure. But when it comes to fall, there is so much to love that it’s easy to find reasons why it’s so amazingly great! Please tell me YOUR favorite season(s) down below in the comments? Also, what’s your favorite aspect of autumn and/or the season that you like the most? I’m looking forward to everybody’s responses!

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! Don’t forget that regardless of what you may be going through, we are all beautiful and wonderfully made. And that’s something we can all be thankful to God for! Peace in, y’all! ~ Q’Zion ♡

Mid-October Thrift Book Haul | 2022 ♡

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Hey, everyone! This is Q’Zion and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Yes, yes I am posting a second bookish post, this week. But I decided to spice things up by posting something that I’ve never done before: a book haul! This month, I’ve already got 8 new books! I don’t know about you guys, but for me, that’s a lot for only half a month!

My favorite place to buy thrift books, which are awesome if you are on a budget, is Goodwill. Before last week, it had been about 2 1/2 years since we’d last stopped by, since we didn’t want to buy any pre-used items during COVID-19. But now that the virus appears to be subsiding, me and Goodmommy (my grandmother and guardian) figured that it’s a good time to start again! So, without further ado, here’s all the books I’ve received this month!

  • Ask My Mood Ring How I Feel by Diana Lopez

I stumbled upon this one by just browsing a large bookshelf in a thrift store. And of course, the bright colors were quick to catch my attention. I had never heard of this author or book before, but when I looked at the back and saw that 1) It’s a contemporary Christian novel and 2) It had a super interesting plot; the protagonist’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, I was immediately sold.

  • Savvy by Ingrid Law

I don’t think any fan of fantasy middle grade books would reject this novel. As soon as I saw the striking cover art of Savvy, I knew that it would be a book that I would like. It’s about a girl named Mibs, short for Mississippi, who is about to turn thirteen and earn her “savvy,” which is a superpower that is earned by each member of her family on their 13th birthday. I can’t wait to get into this one; it’s seems like such a good read!

  • Better with Butter by Victoria Piontek

To be honest, by the title of this book, you’d think it’d be about food lol. But I was pleasantly surprised to see a little baby goat on the front. This cute novel is about a girl with anxiety who learns to face her fears when fate leads her to a little baby goat, whom she names Butter. There’s something about books involving cute animals that makes them so tempting to read. I hope this book is as good as it is adorable.

  • Sleepaway Girls by Jen Calonita

Books that take place in the summer are always so refreshing…even when it’s not actually summertime. And they’re almost always the most colorful, so that’s always a plus. But from the start, this vibrant novel seemed like such a blast–and the plot about a teenage girl becoming a CIT at a summer camp to avoid being a third wheel with her best friend’s new boyfriend and some subtopics like friendship seemed pretty promising. I’m looking forward to giving this one a shot.

  • The Great Paulie Fink by Ali Benjamin

Believe it or not, I actually found this book at Dollar Tree. There is so much going on in this cover art… but I actually kind of liked it. The art style almost reminds me of Gordon Korman’s novels–especially the cute banana peel. I actually started this one about a week ago, and while it was pretty confusing at the beginning–kind of like the cover–it’s growing on me the more I read it. So, keep looking out for my review on this book throughout the next few weeks.

  • Scat by Carl Miaasen

The first thing that caught my attention about this novel was the name. Scat. To be honest, that within itself seems like a pretty odd name for a book. Then, when I read the synopsis the first thing I could think of was the word “quirky.” It looks like this will be such a strange, yet fun book. And I can’t wait to read what this story has up its sleeve!

  • Chicken Noodle Soup for the Teenage Soul I by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kerberger

It’s very rare that I read a book that’s not fiction, but this popular classic became an exception when Goodmommy brought it to my attention. Chicken Noodle Soup is an entire, Christian based, self-help series filled with a bunch of inspirational short stories and poems sent by either teenagers and/or adults—depending on the target age group—about their personal life experiences, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. And better yet, they have a book(s) for parents, college students, Christians, kids, dog lover’s, teachers, etc. so there’s really a book in this series for everyone. But of course, I got the teenage version. I’ve already read 1 1/2 of the 8 sections, and I’m already loving it!

  • Chicken Noodle Soup for the Teenage Soul II by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kerberger

Surpise! Turns out, we were able to spot the second edition to this trilogy in the Chicken Soup series. To be honest, I could not be more thrilled–and tempted to get the third book, plus a version specifically for Christian teens, to complete my collection lol.

  • Chicken Soup for the Mother’s Soul by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, and Marci Shimoff.

Double surprise! God surely provides us with what we need; and apparently Goodmommy needed a Chicken Soup book, too. It’s so awesome to see her expanding her book collection, as well. In fact, I think my bookish ways are starting to rub off on her. Whether or not Goodmommy is turning into a bookworm, I’m glad to see her buying new books. Besides, this one practically screams her name with the design!

From now on, I just might make book hauls a monthly (or half-a-monthly) tradition on my blog. This was so much fun! Also, I would love to know if YOU like shopping for thrift books in the comments. If you do, what’s your favorite place to get them? But if not, what book format do you prefer (brand new physical books, eBooks, audiobooks, etc.?)

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Bye, for now! ♡

Just Me . . . Having the Best Birthday Ever!!!

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As I mentioned in my last post, a special day was right around the corner that I wanted to share with you guys. And that special day was (drumroll, please) my birthday! I know that I say this every year, but me and Goodmommy had such a blast, and I still can’t hush up about how hyped I am.

Even though birthdays come back every year, they’re a really big deal. It’s not just a day about you, but also a celebration of the beautiful and wonderful gift of life that God has blessed us with. Life has it’s ups and downs for everyone, but the fact that we are still breathing is a blessing within itself. In reality, every day is worth celebrating.

Sending time with Goodmommy is always a blast, and I want to share how we spent our special day with all of you, as well! Okay, enough of the chatter, now! My 2022 birthday post is a go!

Our first stop was probably one of my favorites out of the whole day; and it was only just beginning! We decided to stop at Claire’s to do something that we’ve been talking about for years–getting my second ear piercing! And considering that Claire’s has been known for piercing ears for decades—or 40 years, to be exact—we thought it would be a great place to get the job done.

I actually got my first ear piercing when I was a few months old, so I obviously don’t remember anything from that experience–though Goodmommy’s retelling of my baby-self’s reaction always makes me giggle. As a result, I never knew how it felt to get your ear’s pierced before my birthday, so I was naturally a little nervous. But considering that I handle shots so well, I knew that this was going to be a walk in the park.

Despite our original plan to get the silver cross, we decided to get a stainless-steel star after the reccomendation to get a smaller earring. And I immediately fell in love with the results–it’s small, sweet, and simple. I can’t thank Goodmommy enough for getting me my second piercing! In fact, I loved it so much that I may even get another one, in a few years.

My reaction to the first piercing; it burned for about a minute, but I only felt a little pinch, as expected.
The finished product! I couldn’t be more obsessed! 🙂
Me cleaning my ears for the first time. I was a little confused about the steps at first, but once you get the hang of it it’s pretty simple.

Before we left our house, Goodmommy shared with me that she was contemplating taking me to a surprise destination for my birthday celebration, and I was over the moon to find out that it was Barnes and Nobles–my favorite bookstore.

If you’re a frequent visitor of my blog, you already know how I feel about books. And what I really appreciate about Barnes & Nobles is they’re variety–not only with the genres of their books, but with the types of items that they sell, too! As soon as I saw on a sign that the Young Readers’ section was upstairs, we took a ride on the escalator and searched around the entire second floor.

After a few minutes of searching, I finally found the section in question, and I couldn’t have been more excited by the shelves of novels that stood before me. I really love how this section in particular had literature that varied from pictures books to upper-middle grade, which makes it appropriate for a large range of ages.

We ended up purchasing three awesome novels–one of which was a graphic novel–for about ten bucks each. Another one of them was on my TBR (or to be read) list for this year, so I was super grateful for the opportunity to finally read it! Oh, and don’t worry, y’all; I’ll be posting all the book reviews for each one soon. ;))

So, I’m a firm believer that birthday’s don’t have to break the bank. But a simple piece of cake is always nice. And that’s why our next stop was no other than The Cheesecake Factory. Now, in case I’ve never mentioned this on my blog, cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts, and we hadn’t had a slice for like, two years. So as anyone would assume, I was greatly anticipating eating a slice.

Me and Goodmommy are on a health journey, so it was a little shocking–to say the least–to see the amount of calories in a slice of each cheesecake. Seriously though, one slice is like half of the calories for the day! And although all of the options looked absolutely delicious, we both decided to stick with the classics–a slice of Cheesecake Factory’s original cheesecake.

After we saw the fact that it was a full house inside the restaurant, we decided to eat our delicious treats in the car. But I didn’t mind, at all; we had a close up view of the entire food court section of the mall!

To all of the cheesecake fans who don’t think they’d like the plain original, I’ve got to press the fact that The Cheesecake Factory knows what they’re doing. The piece of cheesecake had the perfect amount of sweetness, and the soft texture of the cream cheese melted in your mouth with the perfect serving of sour cream to eat with every bite. What can I say? If you’re looking for a tasteful—and delicious—dessert with fewer calories, the Classic is probably the way to go, in my opinion.

While that sweet surprise was absolutely delicious, we wanted to work off some of those calories. So we ended up making our last stop at Celebration Station, which is this amusement park full of rides (go-karts, water karts, roller coasters, etc.) and an arcade.

After entering the building, we decided to buy a couple hundred coins and explore the arcade. It was actually my first time ever visiting this place, so when I looked it up and saw the booming reviews, I was really anticipating exploring. And trust me, it didn’t disappoint!

What I find so captivating about arcades are all the bright lights. As someone who’s naturally attracted to colors, I got excited by seeing the games. There were so many games to play. And I have to admit that most of them are super addicting!

Me playing a creative game that tests your reflexes. I had a lot of fun with it!
This is a piano game where I had to press as many correct keys as possible in 40 (ish) seconds. I loved it!
Here’s just a cute pic that Goodmommy took when we first arrived.

One of the first games that I played was a massive claw machine that was full of large bags of 5,000 tickets. I tried it about three times, and I got a good grip on all three tries. But as always, the grabber didn’t seem like it was strong enough. Boy, I would’ve really loved those tickets; just imagine the prices I could’ve won.

After about a half hour of exploring, we decided to check out the additional games located upstairs, and Goodmommy’s eyes lit up when she spotted two huge pool tables. She’s told me several times how she used to play pool years ago, but I never had the opportunity to play pool with her. That is, until my birthday.

At first, I was struggling with getting a good grip on the pool stick, but eventually I got the swing of it, and I was able to hit the balls. Practice makes improvement!

But honestly, seeing how happy it made Goodmommy to play a game of pool with me is what really made it all worthwhile. Just look at her!

Finally, here’s a quick selfie of me to get a closer look at my outfit. Goodmommy did such an awesome job on my hair, didn’t she? She really made me feel special on my special day, and I am forever grateful to her for that.

I have to admit that this birthday was genuinely the best that I’ve ever had. Sure, I say that every time my b-day arrives, but my 2022 celebration is going to be hard to beat. I thank God for letting me and my Goodmommy having such a blast! I hope we get to make many, many more blessed birthday memories together, for many, many, many, many, many more years to come!

What are some of your favorite that you’ve done on your birthday? I would love to read your responses down below in the comments.

Have a beautiful and blessed day, y’all! God bless you all, and I will see you all next time!

Thank you, Lord, for another happy and blessed birthday! In Jesus’ name, Amen. ♡

Wishing You a Happy August + my monthly goals ♡

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Hey, hey, hey! Happy August everyone! We have now entered a month of more fun in the sun, a brand new school year for kids around the world, and a new beginning. I hope that all of you will have a productive, relaxing, and memorable month of August.

Since I will be starting high school this in about a week, I think it’s super important that I create some personal goals for August to start ninth grade off strong. Here are just a few of the goals that I look forward to reaching throughout the rest of the month and year.

My Monthly Goals for August

Through the last few weeks of my summer break, I’ve been reading more often than before, and I plan to keep that going. During the event that me and Goodmommy attended a couple days ago, I found three Diary of a Wimpy Kid novels in a box of free books, which I happily added to my formally small collection of the series. I’ve already finished one of them and began another. Hopefully I’ll be able to buy some of the books on my TBR list, within the next couple months, too.

As soon as I’m able to begin working on my new courses, I plan to get straight to work. It gives me a huge piece of mind when I’m able to submit assignments a couple weeks before they’re due. Being ahead prevents me from getting in a crunch, while giving me more free time for my clubs and other personal goals.

Lately, I’ve been writing about our 30-day salad challenge, and even though it’ll be over in a few more days, I plan on sticking to a salad a day from now on. Already, I’m seeing a huge improvement in my quality of sleep and my energy everyday. I can’t wait to see the progress that I make with my nutrition journey.

Finally, I want to take some more time this month to study God’s Word in the mornings to start the day. Some words of wisdom are always the best way to start my day, so doing a little meditation and Bible study when I wake up will be a great way to kick of a new month and school year.

LET’S CHAT~What are some of your productive goals for the month of August? Feel free to share your response down below.

Have a fantastic August everyone! God bless you all, and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

My TBR List for the Second Half of 2022

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What’s up, y’all! Happy Tuesday! ♡

The first half of this year has already went by so fast, and my goal to read a total of 12 books before next January still stands. Lately, I’ve been reading many of the books in my own collection, and speeding through them within a few day’s time. But as a bookworm, I always feel the need to add more novels to my shelves.

Today I will be sharing a few of the most-anticipated books on my TBR (aka to be read) list for the second half of 2022. Let’s get started!

As some of you all know, one of my older cousin’s happens to be deaf. That has inspired me to take American Sign Language as one of my electives for my upcoming freshman year. And aside from the gorgeous cover art, I couldn’t help but love that the protagonist of this book is a deaf girl who is trying to navigate in a school with all-hearing kids. She also has a goal to make a song for a whale. Let’s admit it: cute animals are always a bonus.

Lately, I’ve been more interested in reading books with black protagonists, especially those that address racism and discrimination in a way that is appropriate for younger audiences, like myself. This middle-grade book starring the 12-year-old protagonist, Shayla, seems like a really good place to start. I’ve heard lots of good feedback regarding The Good Kind of Trouble, including how it address the issue of racism, but it also contains much diversity in the characters and a message of finding yourself, friendship, and standing up for what’s right. I can’t wait to test this book out for myself!

Fish in a Tree

You all know how much I loved the novel Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper. I’ve been eyeing this book for a while now, and it seems to have a pretty similar plotline. What really attracts me to this novel is that it seems to focus on the subject of belonging, speaking up when you need help and coming to a point of loving yourself and the things that make you different. The protagonist is a girl with dyslexia, and although I’ve heard of the condition, I think this book will give me a better look on what it is and how it can effect a person.

Honestly, just by looking at the cover you can tell that this is a super cute book. Magic Poindexter is the daughter of an incredibly famous NBA player, and her dream is to become an athlete and join her school’s cheer squad, the HoneyBees. The overall plot of the book seems pretty promising, and, once again, I love the diversity of the characters. Oh, and did I mention the book takes place at a summer camp? For obvious reasons, I’ve been in the mood to read summer stories, lately.

Yep, I still haven’t read it. During my visit to Barnes and Nobles last month, I looked for the most-anticipated novel on my list–the sequel to Out of My Mind–but I didn’t see it anywhere. Still, my excitement to read the next adventure of Melody in this novel has not faltered. I can’t wait to get my hands on this one!

Hopefully, you had fun seeing the books on my TBR list as much as I enjoyed writing about them. You all know that my bookish posts are always my favorites, lol.

LET’S CHAT!~Tell me, do you have any highly anticipated books on your TBR list and/or any books that you recommend for me? Let me know in the comments. (P.S. middle grade and lower YA are highly preferred)

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everybody! Peace in, y’all! ♡

The I Love Summer Tag ☀

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Hey, everybody! My name is Q’Zion and welcome or welcome back to my blog. I hope you are having a fantabulous day or night!

I decided that today I wanted to post something really simple, but still summer-related and fun to read. So, I decided to make another tag, which is officially dubbed “I Love Summer.” Since I am a big fan of the sunny season, I created this tag to celebrate and give you all some info on my summer habits and preferences. Let’s get into it!

Rules

1. Ping back the creator of this tag by providing a link to the original post.

2. Post these exact rules on your post of this tag.

3. Answer all 11 questions.

4. Nominate some of your blogger friends and/or leave it open to anyone reading.

5. Have fun!

I Love Summer Tag

1. What’s your favorite thing about summer?

I really love the bright weather, especially when the weather is around 76-80 degrees with a small breeze. Just after spring, nature is flourishing and that makes for a really photogenic season.

2. What is your signature summer style?

I usually wear bright colored tops–mostly t-shirts–with comfortable leggings or jeans to match. My jewelry usually has lots of color to match with my outfits and make the colors pop. And I’ll usually add a pink or orange lip gloss to tie it all together.

3. Which dessert do you prefer during the summer?

Milkshakes, obviously. I get them once a month. But to be fair, I was doing so before summer even started lol.

4. Beach or swimming pool?

I like both, but I will say swimming pool because I’m not the biggest beach go-er.

5. Where would you spend your dream summer vacation?

I would love to go to either Italy, Sydney (Australia) or Jamaica. I would probably spend most of my time checking out the famous landmarks to learn more about each country’s history and local restaurants to familiarize myself with different cuisines.

6. Do you think that you spend more money in the summer?

Yeah, for sure. I tend to stay home a lot more when the school year is in session, just because during the weeks I have work to do and feel like doing nothing but resting when the weekends arrive. The summer gives me much more time to relax, which makes going out of the house a lot more appealing, to me.

7. What’s the most annoying part of summer?

The insects–particularly the lovebugs, gnats, and mosquitoes. Especially the mosquitoes.

8. Do you spend most of your summer indoors or outdoors?

Indoors. To be fair, just because I go out more in the summer doesn’t mean I do so that often.

9. Who do you spend your summers with the most?

My family, particularly my Goodmommy and intermediate family. I haven’t even really spent much time with my friends from school, but we have made sure to check up on each other through texting.

10. What scents do you associate with summer?

Pineapple, watermelon, saltwater, and barbecue.

11. What colors do you associate with summer?

Warm colors like yellow, red and orange since they remind me of heat, and where I live is pretty hot during this time of year. But any bright color gives me the summer vibes–like sky blue and hot pink.

Nominees

I’ve nominated everyone who likes the season of summer to replicate this tag. If you do decide to give it a try, I hope you have lots of fun with it and I’m excited to read your responses!

Thank you so much for reading this fun tag with me! Let me know in the comments if you all enjoy my tags and would like to see more of them, in the future. It’s a lot of fun making them, so I hope you like to read my tags, as well!

Have a fantabulous rest of your day everyone! Laters! ☀

The Joyful Blogger Tag 🌻 | national day of joy ♡

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If you could describe the best feeling in the world, what would it be? Come to think of it, there are a few that come to my mind. Love, gratitude, hope, peace. But what about the word “joy”? The dictionary itself defines the word as “a feeling of great pleasure or happiness.”

And while some might say that joy is a synonym to the word happy, it’s more of an abundance of glee that feels like a burst of energy throughout your body; in other words, pure bliss. Today happens to be the National Day of Joy, and a special Hug Holiday, which ironically go together perfectly. I mean, if there’s anything that bring us joy, it’s a warm hug.

In order to celebrate this day catered to joy, I decided to answer some fun yet thought-provoking questions in my original creation: The Joyful Blogger Tag 🌻 Feel free to answer each of these questions on your blog, as long as you state my name as the original creator (Q’Zion) and provide a link to the homepage of my blog within that post. And, without further ado, let’s get started!

What brings you the most joy–that does not include materialistic items?

Firstly Father God, who all my joy comes from. Then my family and friends. My pet fish. Seeing others be kind to one another. Doing what I love to do: including writing, art, listening to music, singing, reading, looming, etc. I think I feel happiest when I am doing what I love with the people that I love. While participating in my hobbies is always fun, whether I do it individually or with others, I always love to share my work with the people whom I care about the most.

Which color do you associate with the word “joy” the most?

I know this might be a little standard, but yellow is the first color that comes to my mind after reading this question. Bubblegum pink is a pretty close second, though. I think both of those colors are bright, energetic, bright and happy–looking. Brighter colors in the warmer spectrum tend to make me the happiest. On the other hand, colors like purple, blue and green give me a serene vibe. It’s funny how different colors and shades can make us feel different emotions, isn’t it?

How do you think you’ve grown as an individual within the past year?

The past year–or two–of my life have had a huge affect on the person that I am today. For one, I think that I’ve got a lot wiser, both due to things that God and my Goodmommy has shared with me as well as personal experiences. Now I am much more confident in who I am and how I look, and as a result I am a lot less shy then I was years ago. I have come to discover that I am wonderfully and perfectly made. In other words, I am exactly who God wants me to be. And I think that as long as I keep that motto in my heart, I will continue to grow.

What are you most grateful for?

The list is so long that it would never end, as there are always things to be thankful for when you look at the big picture of your life and what it could be. Right now, I’m most thankful for love and peace in my home. Being able to laugh, smile, and just enjoy life. I know that’s a pretty simple answer, but the things that make us happy don’t have to be complicated. In fact, most times it’s the everyday miracles that bring us the most joy.

How do you find joy through the trials of life?

When life gets tough and you’re in a tight spot, it can be tough for some to find things to be joyful about. However, I always like to remember that even though things might not be going my way, I’m still alive and breathing. Therefore, my journey is not over. Life itself is one of the greatest blessings of all. If we weren’t alive, how would we be able experience joy in the first place?

Wow! Those questions were the exact daily dose of happiness that I needed. The entire purpose for this post was to give us a chance to reflect on what makes us feel joy, and what we are grateful for even throughout the trials that we face. Remember, nothing and nobody can take your joy without your permission!

LET’S CHAT~What brings you the most joy? And furthermore, what is your favorite way to spread joy to others? Feel free to share your responses in the comments. I would love to hear from you all!

Have a joyful day, everybody! See you next time! 🌻

Happy Father’s Day ♡

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On the third Sunday of June, people in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada celebrate Father’s Day. A day to show our appreciation for the fathers and father-like figures who are present in their lives.

A father’s job is to love, protect, discipline, empathize with, and provide open arms to his children. The men in our lives teach us strength, love, forgiveness, and friendship. And without our fathers’s love and guidance, many of us wouldn’t be who we are today. Today is a chance for us to thank our dads for every sacrifice that they made to give us the lives that they never had.

Today, I wrote an original poem named “Father of Mine” to celebrate this special day and thank fathers around the world. I hope you all love it as much as I did! ♡

You’ve been my rock, and kept me strong
Sacrificed a thousand times
You never left when I did wrong
It's hard to believe you're the father of mine 

Ever since my birth
Our bond was set in stone
Your voice is a reminder 
That I’ll never be alone

You’re not just my father
But you’re also my friend
Through thick and thin, both losses and wins
You’ve stayed true until the end

And even when you’re miles away
You’re still right by my side
The wisdom still resides in me
From my everlasting guide

I’ve wondered a thousand times
Does anyone have a father like mine?
But all I need to do
Is look at you
And I realize

You’re a one of a kind design

— “Father of Mine” by Princess Q’Zion, written on June 19th, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Once again, fathers are a blessing in our lives–both our earthly and Heavenly Father–and I thank God for not only His guidance, but for that of every single father that He has used to give us instruction, strength, and love. And I hope that everyone was able to show some love to their “father of mine” today.

Happy Father’s Day, and I will see you all next time! ♡

The BEST summer dessert . . .

Q'Zion2 Comments

Many places are experiencing the warmest time of year, right now. And because of that, people are constantly searching for ways to cool off underneath the summer heat. And what yummier way to do that than a cool dessert?

While there are many delicious options to choose from when it comes to sweet treats, I am a firm believer that one of the most classic, refreshing, and tasty desserts to have in the summer time is a nice scoop of ice cream. Not only is it a sweet, fresh treat for hot summer days, but there are also so many delicious flavors to choose from.

Me and Goodmommy go to a local ice cream parlor that sells award-winning homemade ice cream, and we plan to visit once again this summer. My favorite flavors are their banana pudding, plain Jane vanilla, and this super good strawberry flavor whose name I can’t recall. On our next visit, I’ll be sure to share some of the details on our favorite ice cream shop with you guys!

Okay, so there’s no question that most of us have ice cream flavors that we know and love the most. But let’s take the time to recognize one of the most popular ice cream flavors of them all; chocolate.

For National Chocolate Ice Cream Day, and summer break itself, there are so many fun ways to celebrate the wonderful invention of ice cream. Just a few ideas include visiting a local ice cream parlor in your city, and even attempting to make some homemade ice cream in your kitchen with your family.

No matter what you do to celebrate, if there’s any time to get some ice cream, it’s summer time!

LET’S CHAT~Do you like ice cream? If so, what are your favorite flavors? If not, which desserts do you prefer?

Thank y’all for joining me, today! See you next time!🍦😋🍦

My Nail Polish Collection | National Nail Polish Day

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What’s up, peeps! It’s so nice to “see” you all, once again! ♡

One of the rarest topics on my blog is makeup and beauty, despite the fact that I love fashion and design. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I’m more of a natural girl–despite my go-to lip gloss, of course. That being said, when I was checking out the National Days for today, I found so many interesting topics that are addressed in June, many of which I plan to blog about, later this month. One of my discoveries was that today (June 1) is National Nail Polish Day.

Now, me and Goodmommy (my grandmother and guardian) have obtained quite a large nail polish collection over the years. Even though I haven’t painted my nails–or let Goodmommy paint them—in forever, it’s always nice to have a large variety if I ever want to try something new.

In honor of the National Day, I will be showing you all my complete nail polish collection. Let’s get this party started!

Here’s a quick preview of the majority of our collection, which is located in our medicine cabinet. I will be showing individual pictures of each of our favorite brands instead of by color. Enjoy! ♡

O.P.I

O.P.I is probably one of the most popular nail polish brands out there. The pinks and reds are probably my favorites.

L.A. Colors

A large majority of the nail polish in our collection is from L.A. Colors. But I’m kind of happy about that, considering that they have so much variety. I really love the ones with all the glitter inside.

Salon Perfect

I really love how vibrant these colors are, which may have to do with the fact that they are from the “NEON POP!” selection. Either way, pretty bright colors–particularly the blues, pinks, and purples–are some of my favorites.

Kiss:

Me and my Goodmommy both adore the color pink–if you can’t already tell–so these are super simple but chic additions to our collection.

Sally Hansen

Blue is the color of my birth stone, so I obviously love both of these. Sally Hanson nail polishes give you such a luxurious vibe. All of their colors are super rich and polished-looking, which I like tremendously.

Oh, did you think that was all? Nope! I went downstairs and saw that Goodmommy had a bunch of other nail polishes sitting on her desk. We have an additional 3 from Salon Perfect, 1 from L.A. Colors, and 3 from Sally Hansen. Behind the actual colors are a bunch of clear solutions that are mostly used to make your nails shinier, faster drying, etc. Those are mostly by Sally Hansen and a couple other smaller brands.

P.S. the picture in the back was me in 1st grade. As you all can see, I’ve all ways been as cute as a button lol.

It’s pretty surreal to see how much nail polish we actually have. But I’m not complaining. Going through our entire collection was actually pretty fun, and I thank God–and Goodmommy–for keeping us stocked with many gorgeous colors. Ironically, I’m kind of the mood to paint my nails, now.

LET’S CHAT~What do you think about our nail polish collection? And moreover, do you have one of your own?

See you next time, everyone! Toodles! ♡