Opa! Part: 3

stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com I remember waking up bright and early, eating breakfast and making myself some cappuccino before we ventured out on another group trip. It was raining and I was dreading a bus trip this early in the morning. We were headed to Delphi, a place I knew nothing about. We laughed at our lack of getting ready because we were so comfortable with each other (and tired) at this point. We laughed at our love/hate relationships with our mandatory trips. We were seeing so much of Greece, but at the age of 21, a history lesson so early was a little much. 😉

However, after getting on the bus I realized something. We all had our “people” we would sit near and we knew who would gravitate towards the front or back of the bus. Jordan would find any empty seat and take out his video camera to capture it all. Brittany would want a seat to herself to she could sleep comfortably. I loved the window seat and listened to the same 20 songs over and over. Mike would stay awake the entire time because he didn’t want to miss a beat. Josh would crack a joke that we would all laugh at and then quiet down into our spots. At this point, we had been together so much and we had a rhythm going. We were starting to feel like family. We were so comfortable with each other and I loved that.

Through the rain and information overload, we were pleasantly surprised at how beautiful of a place Delphi was! Delphi is a town on Mount Parnassus in the south of mainland Greece. Aside from the Acropolis, Delphi is the second most popular archeological site. This was the place where, “heaven met earth” and people felt the closest to God.

The architecture and landscape of Delphi were gorgeous but experiencing such a sacred place was beautiful in itself. After a long night’s sleep we woke up to the sun shining and Delphi awaiting us to explore even more of what it had to offer. 🙂 stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com stephanie-spring.com

What’s Up Wednesday

What we’re eating this week: Homemade Granola Recipe at: Stephanie-spring.comWe have been eating my homemade granola A LOT these days! It goes with anything and everything! 🙂

What I’m reminiscing about:
Stephanie-spring.com

I’ve been reminiscing all about Greece lately. Five years ago, I was living in Greece and soaking up everything it had to offer. If you missed my first two posts, you can check them out below!

Opa! Part: 1

Opa! Part: 2

What I’m loving:472ff3c293c250e4783f78c9f011a4af_best

essie Ballet Slippers 

I love that I stopped biting my nails so naturally I’m loving some fun nail polish! It goes on so smooth and I love this color for Spring!

What we’ve been up to:

Loving life together. I’m so thankful I get to do life with him.Stephanie-spring.com We’ve also been showering so many friends with baby gifts! I think since I absolutely love blankets, I gravitate towards getting friends and their babies a blanket that I would want. 😉 I love picturing our friends little ones cuddled up in this. How precious?!

chunky-knit-baby-blanket-grey-by-circo

What I’m dreading:

Allergies. They always win for at least a few days in the Spring. 🙁 

What I’ve been working on:

If you’ve been reading my blog for a few months, I’ve talked about how I’m working on re-doing my skin care routine. I think I’ve hit the jackpot! 

Face Cleanser

Face Cleanser s1459221-main-hero

Face MoisturizerRepair Cream

Ultra Repair Cream 

What I’m excited about:Stephanie-spring.comStephanie-spring.comOur trip to Colorado!

What I’m watching/reading:All the craziness brings me back!

What I’m listening to:

Other than this and this, I love listening to Laura Daigle any time of day. Her voice is incredible!

What I’m wearing:

Other than teacher clothes and sweatpants…. 😉 My favorite go-to foundation.

0cca2087c1386483f9d9463219d68a64_bestMy favorite go-to all over face color. 

s1229095-main-heroMy favorite go-to finishing touch: Mineral Veil! 

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Ah! This smells live heaven! It has been my favorite go-to perfume for years and it never gets old!

What I’m doing this weekend:Stephanie-spring.comCelebrating this beautiful lady because she gets married so soon!  🙂

What I’m looking forward to next month:

We joined a co-op that provides all seasonal food from a local farm. It’s a little ridiculous how excited I am to eat majority of things that are in season. 

What else is new:

We are on the home stretch to the end of the school year!

We’ve gotten into a slower rhythm with our schedule. 

The weather has been gorgeous! 

All new. All great. 

Bonus Question: What is your favorite spring cleaning tip?!

I think the first thing that popped into my head was to open the windows, put some music on, and just go for it! I like to keep up with things throughout the year so I am not so overwhelmed when a new season rolls around but we’ll see how long that lasts! 😉 

Follow me here to keep up with daily life!

Happy Wednesday ladies! xoxo

Opa! Part: 2

Acropolis in Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAcropolis in Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAcropolis in Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAcropolis in Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAcropolis in Greece. Stephanie-spring.comOne of first places our group visited was the Acropolis. A trip to Greece isn’t complete without this. As months went on, it was no longer just a site to visit, it was a landmark in our neighborhood, a spot where the guys would go and read, and a place that I wish I would have appreciated so much more. The history, architecture, and views from this spot are unlike any others. Athens, Greece. Stephanie-spring.com 215234_1659151446690_6261175_n Athens, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAthens, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAthens, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comA sunset is truly is breath-taking no matter where you are in Greece. One evening, a small group of us randomly decided to venture out on a hike to see the sunset. We were so excited until our legs hurt and the walk was definitely longer than we anticipated. We wanted to make sure we made it in time and didn’t miss what all the talk about this spot was about! Through the moans and groans, we chatted and grew closer, only to be awaited by the most gorgeous view at the top. We couldn’t stop bouncing between taking pictures and taking it all in. The walk was rejuvenating, picturesque, and a breath of fresh air from the insane traffic and massive amounts of people we encountered on a daily basis. As I looked down onto the city, I loved how different this was from my original home and started to realize that a home is so much more than just an address. Meteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comMeteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.com Meteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comMeteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comMeteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.com Meteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.com Meteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.com Meteora, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comIn all honesty, my desire to study abroad in Greece stemmed from a night of watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. No lie. I rearranged my entire college schedule to study there because the scenery in that movie intrigued me so unbelievably much. I had no idea what I was about to witness though when I left for this trip. Greece had so many other treasures than just white buildings and blue roofs. The lush landscape and mountains are to die for. It is like nothing I had ever seen and I was in awe. It was new. It was different. It was gorgeous.

Waking up at 5:00 a.m. to meet the entire group wasn’t exactly beauteous but the bus ride, the view, the connection the group made during this time was something I would do over and over again in a heartbeat. We learned, laughed, and bonded thanks to Meteora.
Athens, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.com Aegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comAegina, Greece. Stephanie-spring.comEaster in Athens Greece. Stephanie-spring.comEaster is a big deal in Greece! It is celebrated on a much larger scaler than Christmas or any other holiday. During our Easter break, several people in the group decided to travel to other countries or parts of Greece. However, there was a group of us that stayed back. During that time, we went to market’s, cooked dinner together, made each other Easter baskets and ate crepes like it was nobodies business.

However, the best part of Easter break was when we decided to take a short ferry ride to a nearby island, Aegina. When I think back on, “perfect days,” this one always makes the list. The weather was perfect, the town was quaint, and the people were so friendly. We laid in the sun, had nutella flavored drinks, and talked about God’s goodness. I had chicken souvlaki for dinner with the view of bright blue water and boats that were coming and going. We shopped, ate ice cream, and laughed a lot. That night, an Easter service was scheduled for a church nearby our apartment. We were sunburnt and tired but determined to experience an Easter service in Greece that night.

We got home, swapped our bathing suits for dresses, and held hands to keep track of each other in the crowd. It was overwhelming and beautiful all in one. Easter in Greece was one for the books and the best part was, we were just getting started on this three-month adventure. 🙂 stephanie-spring.com

Create a travel board on Pinterest and start pinning some of these pictures to add to your bucket list! I can promise you that you won’t regret it! Happy Tuesday! xo

Click here for: Opa! Part: 1

Opa! Part: 1

IMG_1680Five years ago I left everything and everyone I had known and decided to study abroad in Greece for three months. Little did I know, this would be one of my most life-changing experiences. I was about to meet people who I would forever feel connected to, see some of the most breathtaking views, and embrace one of the richest cultures. IMG_1672On March 27, 2011 my parents and boyfriend at the time, drove me to the airport. It was a tearful goodbye (more…)