What I'm Wearing for New Years

This post is really very simple. What should you wear on New Years? Anything that is SILVER and GOLD!

When it comes to the New Year, you should surround yourself with sparkle in light of a fresh start and a shiny new beginning. No better way to do this than with silver and gold. Black looks great with silver and white looks great with Gold. Or change it up! I think I will go with the white and gold option.

2016

We made it this far so let's bring the New Year in with some style! I don't have much with me this year seeing as how all my stuff is in suitcases so I didn't want to bring too much. My brother, however, surprisingly got me a dress that is just precious. I really love it and I am thinking it would make a great outfit base for New Years! FYI: This is not me in the picture. I got it from the Charming Charlie's website which is where he got the dress.

Okay so I have these Ralph Lauren earrings that I have and they are white and wrapped in gold. FYI: These are not the actual earrings I have but these are very similar.

Accessories are everything in an outfit and to continue on my gold tangent I will add this plain gold necklace. FYI: Same deal as the earrings.

Don't forget the shoes! Gold of Course! FYI: Dido part two!

Star Wars Review

Sunday I saw the movie that has been the talk of the world since it was announced that Disney had the rights and was going to make it. The story was written by J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, and Michael Arndt. Along with George Lucas's characters and J.J. Abrams directing, the phenomenon that is Star Wars was reinvented yet again. WARNING: This may contain spoilers!

I have grown up watching Star Wars. I have always liked it. I remember seeing the prequels in the early 2000s and I am so glad to have a new Star Wars for my generation. The new story brings back Han, Leia, and Luke with Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill back to revive the roles. Along with those three from the original cast, there is also Chewie, C3PO, and R2D2. It was good to see those faces again.

Along with the old comes a new cast as well. In the very beginning, we are introduced to the best pilot in the resistance Poe Dameron played by Oscar Isaac. Next we turn to a stormtrooper who is having second thoughts about his duty. His name is FN-2187 but once he escapes the first-order, Poe decides to call him Finn and he is played by John Boyega. In the same scene that introduced these two characters, we were also introduced to the villain of the movie. 

Kylo Ren is a lightsaber wielding, masked figure who is portrayed by Adam Driver. The movie wastes no time letting the audience get to know this character. Instead of finding out a whole movie later that the villan is the father of the hero, in this case we find out most of Kylo Ren's backstory in the very movie he is introduced. We learn through out the movie that Kylo Ren is an old apprentice of Luke's. He turned to the dark side and now assists the first order in serving their leader Snoke. We also learn that Leia and Han are his parents, and also unlike the original trilogies, He takes his mask off to reveal himself to our next new character.

Rey, played by Daisy Ridley, is the heroine of this story and we know very little about her history. We know that she lives on the planet Jakku by herself and that she is waiting for someone. It's is very much implied that the people she is waiting for is her family who left her there when she was very young. She knows how to handle herself and is not afraid to take action. We see this right off the bat when she saves BB-8 from a teedo near where she lives. The introduction between Rey and this little droid is when the story really begins to take off. This movie was very well casted and the acting was very well done and J.J. Abrams had a really great vision for this script and story. He really set up for stories to come, though Abrams won't be returning to direct the others.

The millennium falcon is the main transportation for the heroes like before and there are a lot of moments that made you remember the older trilogy which is what made Star Wars so great. This was definitely a new story with a lot of surprises. It was something that made me really excited to watch what happens next and that is what I remember feeling when I watched the other episodes. The music was the classic music you hear through out the franchise but there was new music too. They really did good in holding off on the original music until it made sense to play it. One instance of this is the triumphant Jedi tune that was heard when Luke's iconic blue lightsaber was brought back into the scene. 

Overall I was very impressed with this movie. I really had my doubts. I will admit that the fear of too much CGI was a worry as well as the acting, but this story was very funny and action packed and there was never a moment that I got board watching. The original trilogy was made with less CGI and more sets and puppets and they definitley went back to that with this movie. It really revived the series instead of using too much CGI and making it look unbelievably cheap. 

I'm really happy with the outcome of this movie and can't wait to see where the rest of this story goes for Star Wars. I give this movie a 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Love the Coopers Review

So just before we got out for Christmas Break me and my friends went and saw the movie "Love, the Coopers". I know that all of the movies I have reviewed so far have been movies I have loved. Well this movie, though I loved the cast, was not my favorite. Here's why:

First off, the cast of this movie was an all-star cast that included: Diane Keaton, John Goodman, Ed Helms, Amanda Seyfried, Alan Arkin, Olivia Wilde, and more. With this cast, am sure you can guess that the acting is not why I didn't particularly care for this movie. The movie was written by Steven Rogers and directed by Jessie Nelson.

This movie takes place at Christmas time and focuses around one family with many different stories. The parent's are struggling, the kids are struggling, and the senior generations are struggling. There was a lot of struggling and not a whole lot of well, joy. I know that some movies aren't supposed to be completely 100% happy, but this movie was not the movie that I thought I was going to see when I saw the trailer. I thought it was going to be about a struggling family, yes, but I also thought that the struggles would be made funny. The humor, however, lacked greatly.

This could be blamed on the advertising of the movie, or maybe there was a lot of humor left out, but I have a very versatile sense of everything and that includes humor. This movie, though I did laugh a few times, this was definitely not the Christmas comedy I thought I was seeing. The humor was a little too blunt and inappropriate and there was enough to balance out the really serious moments.

It wasn't overall terrible, but it wasn't worth the movie ticket and I was rather disappointed with the overall product.

The best of the whole movie was the dog that was voiced by Steve Martin. He was the only character that didn't make me feel highly uncomfortable as I sat in the theater.

I am sorry to say, don't go see this movie because I give it a two out of five stars.

Our Christmas Traditions!

Throughout the Month:

• Watch Movies
• Make Cookies
• Buy Gifts (Choose the Perfect gift for you loved ones HERE)
• Wrap the Gifts (Find wrapping tips HERE)
• Decorate- Inside and Outside
• Listen to Christmas Music

Christmas Eve:

1. Watch Christmas Movies all day
2. Eat Christmas Dinner
3. Open One Gift 
4. Go to the Candle Light service
5. Watch a Muppets Christmas Carol
6. Read Twas the Night before Christmas
7. Go to sleep

Christmas Morning:

• Wake up at the crack of dawn
• Look at the presents (DUH!)
• Watch a Christmas Story until it's time to wake up mom and dad
• When we finally get them out of bed we OPEN PRESENTS!
  

After that we spend the rest of the day watching movies, drinking eggnog, and playing with our new toys. And even though I am 21 I am still very much a child when it comes to this stuff so don't judge me. I love Christmas, not because I know I will always get presents, but because I love to give presents even more. I particularly excited about this year, because I have nailed it on the head. I can't wait to see everyone's faces Christmas morning! 

I also want everyone to remember what the true meaning of Christmas is! It's not getting or giving. It's remembering that God has blessed this Earth with a savior. A king of all kings to live and die for us no matter how much we don't deserve it. God's only son Jesus was born on Christmas day! I have written another post that is dedicated to just that and you can find it HERE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

True Meaning of Christmas

Hello, everyone! It is the week of Christmas and I am really excited. I feel like I have been in the Holiday spirit since before Thanksgiving! Something about this time of year that I feel gets forgotten, is the true meaning of Christmas. Everyone get's caught up in what they want and what they are going to get on Christmas morning. I would like to remind the world about the true meaning of Christmas!

What is Christmas?
We celebrate this holiday every year, but people don't know why. This is the day that we celebrate Jesus's birthday. Jesus Christ is God's only son who came into this undeserving world and died for every single one of us. He wasn't born on this exact day, but this is the day that we choose to celebrate it by GIVING to others the way God gave to us. The true meaning of Christmas is made up of three major components:

1. Jesus
2. Giving
3. Family

The Story

There are several verses about Jesus's birth for us. You can find them HERE! Notable few:

• Isaiah 9:6: "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."

• Matthew 1:23: "BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL," which translated means, "GOD WITH US."
• Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

My Favorite version of this story comes from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and is as follows.

Luke 2:8-14

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,

 keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, 

and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: 

and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them,

Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 

which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, 

which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; 

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel 

a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Gift Wrapping Tips!

So it's that time of year and I know some of you are looking for new and exciting ways to wrap your gifts this Christmas. I have been designated the gift wrapper of my family for years now and I wanted to share my creative tips that I have accumulated over the year. Here they are! I hope you enjoy.

1) Don't be afraid to use sparkle. 

2) You don't always have to use a bow. 

3) The tag can go anywhere. On the side or the front or even the back. 

4) Make your own tag for a special touch.

5) The classic look is just that, classic. 

6) Use ornaments to dress it up. 

7) Make a permanently beautiful package by wrapping the bottom and the top of the box separately.

Let me know what tips and tricks you have learned over the years in the comments below and what you think of mine.

 I hope you have a wonderful day and

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Creed Review

I went to see Creed last weekend and this is my review of it. When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I was massively excited. Rocky is one of my favorite movies of all times. I don't choose favorites for movies because there are so many great ones, but if I was forced to choose I would probably say Rocky. I love the story, the music, the love. I love all of it. Creed was so exciting because it was so unexpected, which is always good, and it was kind of like the next generation of my favorite movie.

First of all, the movie stars Michael B. Jordan, and, of course, Sylvester Stalone. It was written and directed by Ryan Coogler and co-written by Aaron Covington. It's not really a continuation of Rocky so much as a spin-off with a totally new story to focus on but is still a big part of the franchise and shares the same heart.

The story starts with a young boy in juvie who is a big fight starter. He is taken in by his father's wife and raised to be a pretty successful young man, fighting professionally as an unknown in Mexico. In the States, he would be known as former heavyweight Champion of the world, Appollo Creed's son. This would prove to make it difficult for Adonis Creed to make his own name in the world of boxing, but he was determined. His ring name would be Donny Johnson and he would move to Philadelphia, with no support from his adopted mother, to seek the aid of another great heavyweight champion of the world. Rocky Balboa, who not only beat Appollo for the title, he was also his great friend. He retired long before Donny showed up and is running a restaurant. Reluctantly, Rocky agrees to help Donny and you will just have to see for yourself what happens next.

It is most definitely worth it to go see this movie in person. It is one of the greatest reboots I have ever seen and I am not just saying that because of my love for the originals. It is true that there was so much of the older franchise in this movie, but it was also a movie that very much stands on its own. It renewed my love of underdog stories. I would also like to point out that the casting was incredible in this new movie. Tessa Thompson plays Donny's love interest and is absolutely charming but very different from an Adrian type. Michael B. Jordan looks so much like Carl Weather's son it strange. It made this movie that much greater.

I've got to say that I love movies. I love reviewing them and I love analyzing them. This movie is a great movie to go see and I totally recommend it. I give it 4.75 stars because I honestly didn't see much wrong with it.

Inspire Yourself With Mieroglyphs

Hello my lovely readers!
Today I have a wonderful surprise for you! I am collaborating with a company called Mieroglyphs!
They are an awesome company that make these handcrafted products that simply beautiful. You can find products like bracelets and key loops. Each comes with an inspiration quote that will help you keep moving forward in this crazy world! If you have something that is special to you and your testimony of life, you can even ask for a custom quote! <<<<<<That's what I am going to do!

These boho beautiful products have a beautiful meaning behind them is you search around their website which is linked about and here: Mieroglyphs.com!

If you decide that this product is something you need in your life the use my FREE SHIPPING code! When you get to checkout just type MoonieMag into the discount bar and you will have FREE SHIPPING! Take advantage of this awesome opportunity because these products are amazing to have in your life for inspiration, support, and style!

I hope you all enjoyed this post and I hope you check out my friends at Mieroglyphs! Let me know what you think in the comments below and don't forget to have a wonderful day!

Song Writing Basics

So I have been writing my own songs since I was probably 13 or 14 and I wanted to share with y'all how I learned to write.

First you should probably learn to play an instrument. For me, it all started with the trumpet in middle school band. I got a music bases and then I went from there to teaching myself, guitar, a little piano, autoharp, ukelele, and the tiniest bit of violin. The last one didn't last long.

Second you should figure out your style of music. I thought I wanted to be a country singer when I first started and the first original song I have on my YouTube channel, which is fairly new, is proof. It's pretty country but it's one of my first songs ever. I pulled a Taylor Swift somewhere in there.  

                                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIWlTVEGxnY

Third, learn from your favorites. For me, I did learn a lot from Taylor Swift and Loretta Lynn. One thing I learned is a basic song arrangement is one that goes:

Verse

Chorus

Verse

Chorus

Bridge

Chorus

Chorus

Writing like this is a good way to learn who you are as a writer and how to evolve from that. Then you can do whatever you want in any order you want. Have two verses in the beginning. Heck! Take out the chorus.

Fourth, still learning from your favorites, take away some keys to the melodies of their music. I learned that really you don't need a million different chords or notes to make a good catchy song. Some of the greatest songs only use four chords and usually, those four chords are G, D, Em, C.

Those four chords make up a lot of the greats. But you can even use only three or even two chords, it depends on what you like. 

Just remember to be original. A lot of songs (Let it Be, Tim McGraw, Hey Soul Sister, Someone Like You) may use the same chords, but they definitely don't sound the same. Find what you like.

Fifth, there should be a build up. By the time you get to the bridge, it should be a little faster, a little louder, and a little catchier than the rest of the song.

Sixth, there should be a wine down. The bridge is the climax, but you still have the rest of your song. I mean you could end it there. This is just basic, but it's really up to you.

Seventh, write for you. Write a song that you can sing, not what you feel like only Alicia Keys can sing. Write the lyrics for you. What you want, what you miss, what you dream of, and what you love.

So those are my basics for song-writing. Let me know if you have any questions and what you thought in the comments below. Please Check out my YouTube channel! I will be adding a lot more to that over the next few months.

The Collegiate Standard

For this post, I am collaborating with an amazing company called THE COLLEGIATE STANDARD! They make awesome Fraternity and Sorority jewelry that I have the absolute pleasure of writing about.
So many of you know that I am a Phi Lamb at Auburn. *Shout out to the Alpha Mu chapter!* Well, today I have received a package that would make any sorority girl get excited. It was so beautifully packaged and there was even a sweet note from the shop owner for collaborating.

I opened up the white package to a black velvet jewelry box and inside of that was a Sigmas Phi Lambda charm that would hang from the chain that was also inside. The chain is very sturdy and you can just tell that it will last for a really long time. The packaging alone was enough to make someone happy.

This necklace will go with anything and I know that my sisters will all ask me where I got it. The answer will, of course, be The Collegiate Standard. I am in love with this necklace and can't wait for my fellow Phi Lambs to see it and they will because I am posting pictures everywhere.


Go to TheCollegiatStandard.com or click on any of the links I have placed throughout this post and find your sorority. And guess what? They have fraternity products too! So girls, get your boyfriend a gift this holiday season, and boys you should do the same at The Collegiate Standard.

Be sure to go check out their website! They also have a Facebook Page, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and a Tumblr account. Click on each here or you can find them on their website.

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to THE COLLEGIATE STANDARD, and a happy holidays to all!

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Well, I'm back home and I know my mom and dad are happy about it. The house is all decorated except the tree, but that will happen today! I love the way my mom decorates. It is so beautiful and I always feel like a child around Christmas. Really I feel like a child every day but even more so during Christmas. So I wanted to share my poem.

It's Christmas at the McCracken's and all through the house, there are decorations everywhere

and even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Sait Nicholas soon would be there.

Us children won't sleep not even a wink. If you need us you can find us watching Christmas movies.
And mom's in here chair and dad's to her right, they always tell me to turn on the lights.

When out on the driveway, there was a car pulling in. It was my brother from Georgia to bring the Christmas tree in.
We brought it right in and we got out the latter, to hang the garland and lights.....could it be any fatter?

The sun starts to set, another day gone. That just means
we're closer to presents and fun.

When the night got later and as I watched the TV, almost like clockwork, I thought I had heard something.
I thought to myself, surely not yet, it's not even Christmas It's a squirrel I bet.
I heard it again it was real this time. I ran outside in the house's night shine.

There he was it was sure and true, Santa and his reindeer were up there too soon.
I was feeling too scared to try and call, I was afraid that Santa would fall.
But when he turned around he saw my face, he smiled and then continued his pace.
I watched as he sprinkled something on to my house, then I couldn't help myself I had to call out.
What is that you did just now, then all of a sudden he was floating down to the ground.
He told me it's magic for families like mine, ones that believe and are always childlike.
That's me and my brothers always young at heart, but how could this happen when did it start.
Santa floated back up to his sleigh, and then he started to be on his way.
And when I woke up I knew what it seemed, it wasn't real life, it was only a dream.
But somehow that isn't how I could feel, because in my heart I knew that it was all real.
Santa had come and Santa was seen and like the child I am I will always believe.

My dad reads the original Night Before Christmas every Christmas eve. I am so blessed to have parents who care so much about the experiences of their children and to be able to celebrate the birth of our king. He really is so wonderful it is unexplainable. I am so happy to be home for Christmas.

Tell me your Christmas story and let me know what you thought of mine. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you are spending the holidays well.