Having Faith

Hey guys! This week has been busy and I haven't had time to post, but I wanted to share this little nugget with YALL before the weekend! 

I always find myself stressing about things when I just need to take a step back, and realize God has everything under control. I am working everyday to have faith in God. I always think that I am the one who has to fix everything, but that's not true, at all! Everything will happen in God's time, for he has perfect timing. 

Remember this as you go throughout your weekend! Don't stress, have faith. For everything will happen in God's perfect timing. You don't have to do everything, give it to God!

Xoxo, Liv

Where Am I Going!?

Hey friends! Sorry if the title confused you, but no I am not moving. Today I wanted to talk to you about something that has been on my mind a lot recently and is making me frustrated. The future. 

Honestly I hate it when people ask me "what do you want to do with your life?" because I have no freaking clue. I do not have a plan, nor will I ever. I am not trying to offend anyone, but we have no control over the future. Only God does. I can plan where I'm going to college, what for, when I'm getting married, where I will live, and every other single detail til the day I die, but if it doesn't line up with the plan God has for me, its pointless. Not knowing what I will be doing 5 years from now could seem scary to some and I'll admit a part of me is. Another part of me is excited. It's the same feeling I get when I go on a roller-coaster (which I love); yeah I'm nervous but the excitement outweighs the nervousness. When you don't have a plan there are so many possibilities of what you can do; who knows maybe I will own a Bed & Breakfast in 10 years. 

Obviously, I'm not saying don't think about your future at all, but don't plan it out in so much detail that you lose sight of what God's purpose is for you. 

Here's a verse that gives me peace when I get scared about my future:

I hope this post helped some of you guys that may have been struggling with the same thing I am. It's OK not to have a plan. It doesn't mean that your future won't be great. Just trust in God. 

Make sure to follow us and comment down below some post ideas for us! I'm kind of running low. :(

Love ya!

xoxo, Em

How to Style Shoulder Length Hair!

Hey ya'll! I hope you have been having a fantastic week! Today's post is going to be all about how I style my hair. A few weeks ago I went and got it cut ( it was a long bob, but I got it evened out) and darker ( a glaze)! I don't know about you, but I would much rather sleep 30 more minutes than wake up and fix my hair for school every morning. So, instead I give myself 10 minutes max in the morning to fix my hair.

*Now keep in mind I don't do this everyday. I wash my hair every other day and the curls last both days!

To achieve this look all I use is the TRESemme Heat Protectant and the Remington Tstudio Pearl Curling Wand ( 1/2- 1 inch size). This curling wand is amazing and super cheap! I just take random pieces of hair and curl them. I don't really have a set in stone processes. Sometimes I'll put it half up and just curl the bottom half. It kind of just depends on my mood.

Comment down below how you like to style your hair and how long it takes you to do it! Make sure you subscribe and follow all our social media! See you next Wednsday with a post that I'm super excited for you all to see!

xoxo, Em

Getting Organized: #1

Hey friends! Liv here! So my Wednesday post is going up on a Thursday. Oops! Y'all still love me right? I knew it. Anyways. IT SNOWED a teeeeeeny tinnnnny bit last night where I live! Some of you reading this might roll your eyes at that, but it's always super exciting when it snows here. Even for 10 minutes. As a result of that, we have no school! Kind of rediculous I know, but some schools couldn't get their heating systems to work properly. Therefore, no school for me! Ok ok, I'm done talking about me. Let's get organized! 

 Write it down. 

-so I love to use my planner to organize. The planner is a Mead planner, "Cambridge Edition". 

Here's a page in my planner for the upcoming week. I have my planner color coded for events! I knownthatbsounds like a lot of work, but once you get everything set, it's really not! Here's my colors:

Pink: schoolwork

Purple: yearbook 

-I'm on the yearbook staff at my school, and since I am super busy with stuff for that class, so I gave it a separate color. 

Blue: personal stuff 

-I use this one for plans I make, or church, things like that. 

Orange: commitments

-this is for work, babysitting, photoshoots, church, etc. basically anything I "commit" to. 

Stay consistent. 

It's super important to not stop writing stuff down. If you keep up with it, it will become easier and be like a second nature! 

Don't forget, won't forget. 

I don't know if I'm the only person out there like this, but I'm always forgetting things. Mom always tells me, "you're too young to be forgetting stuff! That's me!" So... But really. I constantly forget about homework or plans or posting on the blog...it just got real. But I want to be real! So I'm telling you to write it down, write it down, WRITE IT DOWN. It sounds a little redundant, but "don't forget, won't forget" is pretty true. 

Ok, that's all for this blog post! Stay tuned for the next Getting Organized post on Monday! It's going to be about getting organized in a more technology-ish way. 

Comment if you enjoyed this post or found it helpful! Do you guys like a little blurb about what's going on in my life? I'm thinking about doing that each time. Let me know in the comments! 

Like, Favorite, Pin! 

@emandlivsblog

Em and Liv

Xoxo, Liv!!

Monday Inspiration

Hey ya'll! I hope everyone had a lovely Valentines Day weekend. I watched A Cinderella Story and ate chocolate!


A Cinderella Story is one of my favorite movies! Its so cute and come on, who doesn't love Chad Michael Murray? As I was watching, this quote really stuck with me.

I notice myself constantly compromising my dreams because I'm afraid of what someone might think or that I might fail. Well, honestly we never know what the future has in store for us. We like to think that, but we don't, so what do we really have to lose from chasing after our dreams?

Always remember that you can succeeded as long, as your willing to try. Make sure to follow us on all our social media and comment down below how you guys perceive this quote and what your dreams are! I would love to know! See ya on Friday!

xoxo, Em

Clinique Beauty Haul!

Hey  everyone! So, a couple days ago I went to Clinique to get some new foundation, and by getting that I qualified for the "free" gift! I think I've gotten the gift at least 5 times... I'm pretty sure I had to spend $27 to get the gift, and that's how much my foundation was! So, here's some pictures of what I got!

Here's the adorable bag the gift came in! It's so cute!

The foundation I got. Redness Solutions with SPF 15, the shade is 01 Calming Alabaster.

Time for the goodies! Starting from the top row, left side.

1. Strawberry Fudge eyeshadow duo, and blush in Pink Blush. (picture down further!)

2. Lash Doubling Mascara. My absolute favorite mascara!

3. Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator. A thicker moisturizer.

4. Different Lipstick in A Different Grape. (picture down further!)

5. Take The Day Off makeup remover. It's oil-based, which makes makeup slide off!

6. Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +. I looove this product.

Here's the lipstick (A Different Grape), the eyeshadow duo (Strawberry Fudge), and the blush (Pink Blush).

I hope you guys enjoyed this mini-haul, and you should go buy this little gift! It's so cute. Clinique is my favorite and most- rewarding brand out there. If you have any questions about these products or Clinique in general, don't hesitate to comment or email! 

Our email: emandlivblog@gmail.com

Social Media (twitter, instagram): @emandlivsblog

Pinterest: Em and Liv

Comment and Subscribe!

Question for the comments:

Have you ever tried Clinique? If so, what's your favorite product? If not, what's something you want to try?

Love you guys!

xoxo, Liv

Beauty Haul & Review

Hey loves! So, a couple of weeks ago I went to Ulta to grab some toner and of course I was drawn to all the makeup and bought more than intended. But hey, I'm sharing my thoughts with you guys. That's justifiable isn't it?

The first product I bought was the CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Foundation. The consistency of this product is AMAZING, especially if you have oily skin! It helps control the oil all day long and doesn't slide off your face. The only downside is that I got a shade darker than what I actually need so at times it has looked a little orange, but I've been mixing it with my Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream to make it work. I would totally buy this foundation as long as you don't have a problem with your foundation oxidizing.

Since CoverGirl was buy one get one 50% off I also got a Smoothers pressed powder in 710, Translucent Light. This works wonderfully with the foundation I got!

Like I've mentioned before I like toners that strictly just clean my face and this one is absolutely perfect for that!

I don't wear eyeliner that often but I want to start using it more, so I bought the cheapest one I could find to start playing around with. It works pretty well, but oddly enough this eyeliner is better for doing winged liner than just a simple line. Depending on what you wear the most I  would give this a whirl.













Luckily I didn't break the bank on this little shopping spree. Let me know in the comments down below if you've tried any of these products or if you have some recommendations for me! Make sure to follow this blog and all our social media. Have a lovely rest of the day!

xoxo, Em

Social Media Hype!

Hey friends! I'm just popping in for a quick Monday post, saying hi and..you should follow us on social media! Cause we're out there. It would be really great if you could follow us on INSTAGRAM and TWITTER! On those two were under the username @emandlivsblog. On Pinterest, if you search our names, "Em and Liv" under pinners, we should be there! A lot of our traffic to the blog comes from Pinterest, so THANK YOU for that!! Em and I (Liv) were talking about doing a Q&A on Twitter, but we need your help to do that! So show us some love and follow us! We post on Twitter and Instagram whenever we have a new post up, so that's a really great way to check and see if a new post is up. 

We really appreciate all that you do, comment down below if you followed us! 

We may just follow you back :)

Xoxo, Liv

@emandlivsblog

Liebster Award!

Hey ya'll! We got nominated for the Liebster Award! What's that? Well, it's a "virtual" award for up-and-coming bloggers to get recognized for their awesome blogs! We were nominated by the blog's Miss Singh and Vivid Thoughts. Thanks so much for nominating us! It means so much to us, since we've only had our blog for about 3 months! Now it's our turn to nominate some of our favorite bloggers as well! 

lauras best life
foxxybeauty
Meet me in midtown
Monster Misa
Not another Covergirl
Thats Mags for You
The Rossetto Blog
Wednesday19th
Rachel Elizabeth
A Little Lilly
Gabs Talks



Here are some rules: 

• Link the person who nominated you

• Answer the question asked by the person who nominated you

• Nominate further 11 blogs with under 200 followers

• Create 11 questions for those blogs to answer

• Notify those bloggers via their blog/social media

We were asked by two lovely ladies, so we mixed their questions!

1. When did you start your blog and why? We started our blog in November 2014. We always would talk about our favorite products and recipes to each other. Then one day, Liv texted Em and said "Hey. Want to start a blog?" And that was that.

2. One product you can't live without? 

• Em: Mine would definitely be my Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. Iv'e purchased about 5 tubes of it already and will keep going back to it!
• Liv: My favorite product is the Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder. Iv'e been using for about 4 years and wear it every single day. 

3. Would you rather a book or watch a movie and why? Both of us would prefer to read a book instead of a movie! We've always been book worms, so it's just the natural choice to pick a book!

4. What are three things you've learned in 2014?

• Em: I learned to be more confident in myself, more social, and take risks!
• Liv: In 2014, I learned to not let stuff get to me, worry less, and be a light to others for Jesus!

5. What's your favorite store to shop at?

• Em: Old Navy! They always have cute, trendy, and affordable clothes!
• Liv: Gap! Seriously, everything I wear is Gap. I'm wearing all Gap right now as we type this post...It's the best!

6. Who inspires you the most?

• Em: Probably my friends! They always encourage me to try new things, but not in a bad way! :)
• Liv: My mom! She is my best friend, I tell her everything. She inspires me daily to be the very best that I can be, and to never give up on what you believe in.

7. Top five places you want to visit? 

• Em: NYC, California, Europe, Montana (have you SEEN the pins on Pinterest?), and Hawaii.
• Liv: Italy, Spain, California, NYC, and Utah (have you SEEN the pins on Pinterest?

8. Three favorite TV shows?

• Em: Currently, I've been loving Pretty Little Liars, Gilmore Girls, and Bones.
• Liv: Right now, I love Gilmore Girls, Hart of Dixie, and NCIS New Orleans.

9. How do you relax yourself after a stressful day?

• Em: I like to read a romantic mystery novel and write all my thoughts down.
• Liv: I like to take a bubble bath and read a cheesy romance book!

10. What's your favorite candy and/or chocolate?

• Em: my favorite candy is sour gummy worms, and my favorite chocolate is Lindor Truffles! Yum!
• Liv: My favorite candy is "Sowa Powa Strips" and my favorite chocolate is Reese's!

11. What are a few of your guilty pleasures?

• Em: In my spare time, I enjoy dancing around the house with the music blaring, like I just don't care!
• Liv: I prefer to sing loudly in the shower, and staying in my PJ's all day!

*In case you can't tell over the Internet, #11 is where the sarcasm kicks in.

Here's our questions to you!

1. When did you start your blog, and why?

2. What are you currently reading, and what's your favorite book?

3. What's your most-used beauty product?

4. What are you plans for this summer?

5. Must-have fashion piece (something you don't own)?

6. Most-used app on your phone?

7. What's your daily motivation?

8. Favorite food?

9. Dream vacation?

10. Favorite thing to do with your free time?

11. What's your favorite thing to blog about?

Thanks for all your support, we love you guys! Even thought we've inly been blogging for a short time, we already feel connected to everyone. Please keep commenting and following! 

xoxo, Em and Liv

Book To-Do List: 2015

Hi, friends! Liv here. I'm so sorry that it's been a little while since I've posted! Life happens, you know? Anyways, lets get on with today's post, my Book To-Do List of 2015! In case you didn't know, I love to read. But I don't read a very wide array of books, they tend to be pretty similar. I also get scared of the books everyone says are great, then they get turned into 5 different movies. I don't know why, I just do. SO...this year I'm going to try and get out of that comfort zone! I made a list (because if you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you know I love to make lists) of some books I would like to read this year. I read pretty fast, so lets say this list is for the first 6 (5...happy February friends) months of this year. I'll update my list for the summer, and we can see where we're at by then! I really encourage everyone reading this post to pick up some of these books with me and read them! So without further ado...

1. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen. I've read every single SD book...at least 3 times. Her 12th book, Saint Anything, comes out this May. Happy Birthday to me! Sarah (yes, we're on a first-name basis) is a phenomenal writer. If you haven't read her books, I would recommend starting at the beginning, with book #1. Most of them aren't related (a few are, in cute secretive ways) but it's important (to me) to see how Sarah grows as a writer. My personal favorite book of her's is Along for the Ride. If you HAVE read SD's books, I suggest you follow her on Twitter. Right now, because she's hilarious.

2. How to Catch a Prince by Rachel Hauck. I'm so excited for this book! This is the 3rd book in the Royal Weddings series by Hauck. I suggest starting with book number one in this series. It's the kind of series where you meet the character for the second book in the first, and the third main character in the second. In this series' case, it's about Brighton Kingdom. AND it comes out this month! I need to re-read the first two before I read this one. A great Christian author, whom I highly recommend. (Also, she tweeted me once. 'Nuff said.)

3. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. I'm actually reading this book right now, but wanted to include it because I want y'all to read it! So far, I love it. I had never heard of it until I was searching for a book to read for my book project at school. It's a beautifully written book, and the imagery in it is crazy. I can picture it perfectly in my head. Also, it's set in the 1930's after the Great Depression in New York. So glamorous. 

4. Divergent by Veronica Roth. I know, I know. "You haven't read Divergent??? but everyone's read it!" This is where we refer to my intro paragraph. I avoided it because I had a weird experience with popular books that get turned into movies. But I'm trying. Anyways...I have heard great things about this series and just never got around to reading them. But I have heard the movie is great and I want to read the books first! 

5. Girl Online by Zoe Sugg. I read mixed reviews on this book, but it's about a girl with a blog, so how can I resist? I'll be sure to let you guys know how it goes. Zoe Sugg is a YouTuber, as well...how fun!

6. Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher. There's mixed reviews for this book on Goodreads also, but the plot sounds adorable! So I'm going to give it a shot. 

7. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Here's the big whammy. No, I've never read Harry Potter. Yes, I'm going to. That's why it's on my list! 

8. Jesus Freaks: Sins of the Father by Andrea Randall. Ok I'm actually super excited to read this book. I just found it on Goodreads earlier today, actually, and loved the way it sounds. Sometimes I'll read a book no matter what the reviews are, and sometimes I base it solely on the reviews I read. This book had really good reviews. And I'm really excited.

9. Running Like a Girl by Alexandra Heminsley. I saved the memoirs for the end, because I felt like I should distinguish them. I've always liked (sorta) to run. It's my main choice of exercise! This book is sort of about motivating yourself. Right in the description it says "This book will make you want to put on your trainers." So I said, okay. Reading that. Now. Because I need a little motivation when it comes to exercise.

10. #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso. Last, but not least...This memoir is supposed to be really good for ambitious young women (ooh, me! pick me!). It's written by the creator of NastyGal, a clothing brand that's oh super cute. So, pretty much self-driven women + fashion + keeping it real = the best book? I hope so. 

And that's a wrap! I really hope you guys enjoy this post as much as I do. It was really fun to actually come up with a list of books! I'm going to write it down and put it on my wall or something, so I won't forget! Seriously though, I can't wait to read these books. I'll try my best to update y'all on my progress along the way! 

Please comment if you enjoyed this post! Also, If you've read some of these books and liked/disliked them. I want to know! One more thing...give me some book suggestions! My list is always growing. Comment your top 2 favorite books and (if you have one) a book you didn't really have the hots for. It's okay not to like every book! I know I haven't. I'll tell you guys my favorites sometime in the future. I want to hear what you have to say!

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @emandlivsblog

Thanks for reading! I love to read comments, it , makes my day!

xoxo, Liv

Healthy Crispy Garlic Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Hey loves! I hope your week has been great so far! ( I am currently home trying to fight a cold )A fun fact you guys didn't know about me is, is that I LOVE Sweet Potato Fries. I always order them when I go out to eat, but those aren't always the healthiest. As I was looking on Pinterest one day I got the inspiration to make my own recipe. I add cornstarch to make them crispy and garlic and Italian seasoning to add more flavor. (By doing that your'e also not tempted to eat them ranch!)

Ingredients:

• Sweet Potatoes ( 1 is about 2 servings)
• Oil (eyeball it. You want all of the sweet potato to be covered but not soaking wet)
• Dash of Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 a TBS. Cornstarch
• Garlic Powder*
• Italian Seasoning*

                                      *As much as you like

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Wash your sweet potatoes, peel, and cut them into fry like shapes. ( The thicker they are, the longer they will need to cook)
3. In a bowl mix in oil and cornstarch. (depends on how many sweet potatoes you're making) Make sure the corn starch is blended in; no white spots.
4. Then mix in your seasonings to your liking.
   
5. Put on a baking sheet and cook on Both side about 16-18 min.EACH. (works best with no cooking spray or tin foil)

Send us pics and let us know down below if you guys make these! I hope you like them!

xoxo, Em