The Non-Blogmopolitan Quiz

1. Something you think is... 

certifiably disgusting: Socks and Sperrys. Like, who are you?

absolutely amazing: New shipments from Vineyard Vines; their boxes just make me so happy. 

2. A compliment you've been given that's made you...

feel on top of the world: "You always look so put together." This was actually in my 8 AM which I arrived 20 minutes early to, fully dressed, hair and makeup done and coffee in hand. Go me. 

pretty upset: "You look really tired." Well thanks, I'm only getting five hours of sleep per night and I have 8 AM class across campus every day except Monday, but thank you. Love you too. 

3. A name you...

hate: Cameron

love: Windsor Michael (don't ask me why because I really couldn't tell you)

4. Something people say about you that you...

know is entirely false: "You're from California? You must hate it here." 

think is on point: "You are the most patriotic person I know." 

5. A taste you...

can't stand: Mayonnaise and cold scrambled eggs in the caf...gross. 

can't get enough of: Peanut Butter Captain Crunch (an acquired college taste) and mint chapstick.

6. A song you always...

turn off immediately: Lips Are Movin' by Megan Trainor...just no. 

belt out the lyrics to: Afire Love by Ed Sheeran

7. Animal you...

fear: Snakes of all kinds, I don't even want to think about them.

need in your life right this instant: A puppy, duh.

8. Something you...

will never ever eat: Blood sausage. Why do Germans always try to convince you that it's really not that bad?

would eat for every meal if you were given the chance: Sushi or Knoephla (it's a North Dakota thing, look it up.) 

9. To enhance your looks you...

would love to, but would probably never resort to: Getting my eyebrows done? Why spend money though when I can do them myself.

just stick to: My makeup routine that is as basic as I am. 

The Prepster Tag

Image via Etsy

1.What's your definition of preppy? Classy, clean, well groomed, well educated, well spoken and well dressed. 

2.Whats your all time favorite brand? Vineyard Vines. 

3.Favorite Lilly print? This, this and this. There is truly nothing like a good Lilly. 

4. Favorite preppy Youtuber? Sarah Belle

5. Jack Rogers or Sperrys? Sperrys. But a Jack Rogers purchase will be happening this spring. 

6. Jeans or Khakis? I rarely wear either lately because leggings take the cake, but I'm going to have to say jeans, even though khakis are amazing. 

7. Opinion on Oxfords? The shirts or the shoes? Love both, but I would personally choose the shirts.

8. Duck boots, Riding Boots, or Hunters? It really depends on the outfit and the weather. I love my riding boots but Duck Boots are perfect for the snow and look great with an oversized button up, leggings and ball cap...so I'm going to go with both Duck and Riding boots (and while I love a good pair of Hunters, it doesn't rain here as much as it snows so I haven't had the need to purchase a pair yet.)

9. Navy or Black? Black is classic, but in my humble opinion, navy is the new black. 

10. Scale of 1-10 how much do you love J.Crew? A 10. It would be more though if they were more wallet-friendly. Obviously. 

11. Favorite Ralph Lauren clothing item? Ball caps, because they are perfect for bad hair days, when it's windy/snowing or really just absolutely whenever. This is my personal favorite. 

12. Pearls or bows? I occasionally wear bows in my hair (when I actually do my hair) but I'm going to have to say pearls. 

ND Leadership Conference Weekend

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of attending the North Dakota Leadership Conference in Castleton, which is about 15 miles out of Fargo, making it about a two hour and 45 minute drive from Bismarck. To be honest, we were all unsure of what to expect (Rachel also went) and they made a point of keeping us in the dark until the very last minute. Our student body president reached out to us in an email a few weeks back basically telling us we were attending this conference, but even he wasn't told exactly what to expect. 
It ended up being a great weekend and I learned a lot more than I expected I would. The forum leaders included the former Republican governor of North Dakota, Ed Schafer and his lovely First Lady, Nancy. They provided excellent insight into what it was like to perform in the political realm while also trying to raise Nancy's young children and they were a lovely witness to what a totally selfless and healthy marriage looks like. 
The theme of the conference was purpose, and we dove deep into discussions about what it means to have a purpose, what it takes to find that purpose, and what actions it requires to fulfill that purpose. We talked about relationships, both dating and marriage and deep personal friendships. Leadership through faith was an important component of the talks and there were many faith based accounts and stories of faith journeys that were extremely inspiring. Former president of the University of Mary, Sister Thomas Welder, led a women's panel and talked about the struggles she faced on her journey to entering the convent. She also touched on the at times daunting task of being the first female leader of the school, but also how she received a great level of respect and admiration as her order was the one which founded the college. 
Nathan Clark from Wondermade was another keynote speaker who talked about his journey from being a struggling college student looking for God and his purpose in life to becoming the founder of an extremely successful homegrown company manufacturing all natural marshmallows. Through an unsurmountable measure of faith, patience and love, he and his wife were able to put total trust in God and begin something that they loved doing but which turned into something so much more than they could ever have expected. 
Throughout the weekend there were many opportunities for small group discussions and conversations that covered everything from internships to family to travel to where will you be in five years? I am so glad I had the chance to leave my comfort zone and meet some amazing new people and hear their stories. It inspired me to take advantage of all the opportunities that present themselves to me and it reminded me that I can truly do anything and everything that I put my mind to and work towards accomplishing. 
What were some highlights from your weekend?

The Crucial Facts of Life

Today is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, when abortion was made legal in the United States. Since then, America has lost over 50 million lives; the population of California and Texas put together. The thought of all these helpless children being slaughtered against their will makes me sick to my stomach and fills my eyes with tears. Of course, the main reason is because I cannot believe that we, the land of the free and the brave, have ended more human lives than Hitler and Stalin. The other reason is because I feel so ashamed of my country. Is this really what our nation has become? We believe in upholding the rights of every citizen. But without sustaining the right to life, all other rights are meaningless. 

Image via Google

Today I will touch on some arguments supporting the pro-life position. I do not intend to hurt anyone's thoughts or opinions, but as a Conservative, pro-life supporter, this is what I believe.  An unborn citizen is entitled to the right to life. These children will never have the opportunity to exercise their rights as citizens as they grow up; they will never be able to contribute to society as they normally would. When a pregnant woman is killed, it's labeled as a double homicide and the child is entitled to the rights of the court and the right of equal justice while still unborn. I am a feminist who will fight for the rights of the unborn women. 
Over population does not exist. See more here. This website has a series of short videos that are very interesting to watch outlining why this world needs more births! Without their contribution to this world, we lose so much potential for growth as a community. Instead of viewing it as one more mouth to feed, we need to view it as two more hands to work and one more mind to provide for ideas and furthering the intelligence of this world. 
Just because a baby requires it's mother's uterus to survive doesn't make the child any less human. It's unbelievable how a life is defined by "intentions", and that the definition of a life is subjective. Many pro-choice supporters claim that because the child depends on the woman for their life source, they are unable to live on their own and thus not considered a human being. But just as a child depends on their mother's uterus as a sustainable environment, so do we rely on the atmosphere and the providence of the earth to provide for our source of life. 
The baby is it's own person, but cannot make it's own choice. Having a completely different set of DNA from the mother starting at conception, the child is not a part of the mother's body. It ought not be the right of the mother to determine when the end of life should be for her child. 
It is a baby, a life, a child. It is amazing the lengths a pro-choice supporter will go to to not refer to their unborn child as a baby. It is not human to them until it is born, it is a fetus. But just as we are referred to as fetuses, we are also referred to as infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly. It is another stage of human life. The beginning of human life. 
Pro-life supporters are not anti-women. We should not tell women that in order for them to be successful, they cannot have children. It is demeaning. Being able to bring life into this world is what makes us women. Saying we can only be successful without children is like saying a woman must become a man in order to succeed. That is not a very feminist approach to success because we are eliminating that which makes us women. We need to empower women. We need to support them as women and show them they can be a mother and an employer and a wife and a successful entrepreneur. 
The Catholic Church is pro-life before and after birth. I often hear that Catholics only care while the baby is still a fetus, and once it's born they walk away. This is so wrong. This article articulates the statistics much better than I can, and I encourage you to read it. It outlines the multiple institutions and millions of women they serve in the United States each year.  
A child who is the product of rape is still a child. Ask any child who was conceived through rape if they hate their life. They were given the opportunity to live and they have made the best of it. When a pregnancy is in crisis, you don't eliminate the pregnancy, you eliminate the crisis. If the crisis is the price of raising a child, adoption will always stand as a safe and viable option for a mother. There is no doubt they will receive support from those around them to carry their child to term, and they will be grateful they gave their child the opportunity to live. 
We are missing 1/3 of our entire generation. Think of the contributions and radical changes we could have made as a generation in the last 40 years to our society. And it could have been someone you loved; your best friend, husband, sibling, coworker, role model. They aren't here and we never had the pleasure of meeting them. This isn't merely another one of my political rants, this isn't about Democrats or Republicans or Catholics or Buddhists or Atheists, this isn't about sixteen year old girls or low income families. None of that has anything to do with the abortion issue. At the end of the day, a baby is a baby, a life is a life, and the more lives our country continues to take, the more difficult it is to remember that this is supposed to be the land of the free and the brave. I realize that this is a controversial issue, however I also realize that the cold hard truth is that life cannot be overlooked, ignored, or tossed in a biohazard receptacle. 
On this day, January 22 2015, forty two years after Roe v. Wade was passed, let us take a moment to remember all the empty seats in the cafeteria, the diapers that don't get purchased, the open spots on the bus to a student government conference and the half empty cubicles at our parent's offices. Let us thank our parents for choosing life and let us make an effort to live our lives to the absolute fullest each and every day. 
{This post was co-written with Rachel Ward, my lovely roommate and best friend}