Christmas Tree Farm // Living Stephen

Happy December 12th! Only 13 more days until Christmas!

Christmas is coming up so quick, and I am so excited/sad! I feel like I wait all year for Christmas to come, so it's always a little bit bittersweet when it gets this close and I know it will end soon. :( Luckily, we will be trying to get as much Christmas packed into the next two weeks as possible. Starting with buying a Christmas tree!

Growing up, we always went to the local store and bought a real Christmas tree. We would come home, put it in the holder, put all the lights up ourselves, water it and enjoy spending the evening together. Unfortunately, around 12 or 13, my parents decided to buy a fake tree, and all the excitement of the Christmas tree kind of went away. Luckily, since I'm living away from home now, Tyler, Robert and I decided to actually go to a Christmas Tree Farm and cut down our own tree! (More like, look at the uncut ones, and decide to pick one that was already cut.)

It was so much fun to actually go out and walk through the trees. The smell completely set the scene, and the fun we had running through the mud to each tree was unforgettable.

There was so many trees throughout the farm, I couldn't even believe it. Although a lot of the trees out in the lot were a bit smaller than we hoped, it was just fun looking at them. There is so much happiness and excitement knowing its Christmas time and that we were going to be able to take one of the trees home and decorate it.

We had so much fun, and I would really recommend going out and getting your own tree. It's so nice to drive out far away from the city and relax a little bit. Our phones weren't working very well, so it's almost like we were in a different country. It was amazing.

Hopefully within the next couple days, I'll be able to show you the finished product of our Christmas tree.. because it looks pretty damn good! I'm so happy with it!

Until next time, Merry Christmas!

Stephen

I had to add this.. HAHAHA.

Winter Tips // Living Stephen

Hello everyone!

I wanted to start off by apologizing for the lack of posts this past week! I have been working every day since Thanksgiving, and haven't had any down time to sit and write. I absolutely love Christmas and I had so many things inspire me the last few weeks, and it makes me so sad that I only have a few more weeks to share them. So keep checking by in the next three weeks because I hope to make the most out of December!

Like I said before, I absolutely love Christmas. I love to bundle up with some blankets, put Elf on, light some candles, and drink hot chocolate. Unfortunately, the worst past about Christmas is that life still goes on, and you have to go outside into the rain and endure outside life, even though you want to be inside listening to Christmas music. So today, I'll share with you guys some of my winter tips to get through the rain and sludge.

My number one tip is to not care how you look when you're outside in the rain and cold. When I moved to Portland, I had "rainy California" in my head, where you can go outside in the middle of winter in a light jacket and tennis shoes. Unfortunately, that is not the case in the majority of the world, so my advice is to not care about how you look, take care of yourself! I made the mistake of being like "I don't care! I won't wear a beanie, I don't want my hair to look a mess!" I was wrong. So wrong. When you're outside in the pouring rain, you shouldn't care how your hair looks or how many jackets you have on! (I wore three coats the other day..)
What I would say is go out and buy a travel size bottle of hairspray to put into your bag, grab one of your favorite warm scarves to wear over your coats, and don't worry about fixing yourself up until you get back into the dry indoors!

This brings me to the next tip: go places being prepared! I always bring a bag to work with all my little essentials. I always have a bottle of hairspray, an extra pair of socks, a scarf, a beanie, and gloves. (For women, you'd probably want a couple little make up things as well) I think that for people like me, I don't usually care how I look and don't expect other people to judge me based on my appearance, but I do however like to have my hair done. So have an extra hairspray or some hair product in my bag is a must. I just run into the bathroom once I get to work, throw some hairspray on, fix it up and I'm good!

My third tip is listen to Christmas music! I know a lot of people are not big fans of Christmas music like I am, but I honestly think listening to it makes being outside SO much better. I've noticed that I am in a better mood, and that I start to appreciate the cold and the winter. Plus, there is a lot of really amazing Christmas music out there from pretty much any artist (My favorite this year is Kelly Clarkson!)

My last tip is to be happy! I've noticed that a lot of people are pretty depressed and unhappy once it starts raining and feels a bit gloomy, but if you are being positive, people will feed off of it! I try to at least look not completely miserable on the bus, and I've noticed people realizing it and smiling. It's Christmas time, and people should be in a positive mood! It really is the best time of the year!

That's all I have for you guys today! I'll be able to post more pictures in the coming weeks, as I have a few big things coming up! Let me know of any winter tips you have. I'd love to hear them!

Stephen

It's about to get crazy // Living Stephen

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

It is officially the day before Thanksgiving! I can't believe it's already this far into the year. I keep thinking back to August, and how this all seemed so far away. This is the first holiday season away from my family and friends, but I feel so grateful to be able to have my boyfriend, Tyler and my brother, Robert. 

We're having a little baby Thanksgiving with a couple of friends tonight, which will hopefully help with the loss of Thanksgiving I'll be getting this year (it may be a positive, since I'm a little sad I'm not home). I've been working at Urban Outfitters for the season, so my schedule the past few weeks has been a little bit crazy. This week especially, I will be working from noon tomorrow to Friday at 6 PM, with about eight hours worth of sleep time in between.. so you could imagine, it being a lot.

This is all brings me to the topic of not really being able to get out of the house this week to take pictures, or being able to put together a post for the week. I told myself that I'd post at least once a week, and to keep a schedule going, but this week has just been too much! (It's all positive, I promise!)

So I will see you all next week! Have a great Thanksgiving, and remember to take a minute to realize what you are grateful for!

Stephen

PS. Can we discuss how beautiful the trees outside my house are?? I mean, damn!

Is it too soon for Christmas? // Living Stephen

Hello everybody!

As you may or may not know, I work for Starbucks and have the pleasure (or not) of talking to many different kinds of people, since I work in a busy part of downtown; tourists from all around the world, business people, homeless people, and all of the different kinds of people in between. Since Halloween ended, Starbucks has started to slowly start bringing in the Christmas decorations and drinks, and now, here we are, mid-November, and the Christmas has gone full force in every store across the nation.

So from my experience the past couple of weeks from customers and coworkers, I have found a very negative response to the Christmas joy coming so early. Many people walk in, roll their eyes at the Christmas music playing and joke about how we "just forget about Thanksgiving." (which is probably a little bit true.)

However, sometimes I witness the complete opposite. I'll see people walk in from the rain and gloom, and instantly become overwhelmed with excited and happiness as they see the red cups are out and the Christmas coffee is back in. I feel their excitement that Christmas is just around the corner, and that before we know it, the hustle and bustle of Christmas will be here. It really is such an amazing thing to witness and makes my opinion that much more cemented.

Lets get one thing straight; I love Thanksgiving. I love eating, sitting back and reminiscing about all of the things I have in my life that I am thankful for. It's great. However, I honestly love starting Christmas this early. Tyler and I already started decorating for Christmas in our house, and I already have three tabs opened to lists of gifts I have ready for my family and friends. Yes, I may be a little bit obsessed with Christmas, but I really don't think we should think negatively about Christmas starting. If you think about it, if we start "getting into the Christmas spirit" on December 1st, that gives us only about 24 days to get all of our excitement in. Now, for some people.. that seems like a long time, but for some of us crazy humans, it's not.

I think Christmas is a time for people to feel happy and excited, and I think that if that feeling starts a couple weeks early, why not? Work seems to go by faster, I feel more accepting of the cold, and I'm generally in a better mood!

Now that I put in my two sense about Christmas, let me know what you think! Write me on Tumblr or down in the comments, and tell me your opinion. I'd love to hear it!

I'm going to go listen to Christmas music now!

Stephen

Fall Fashion Essentials // Living Stephen

Hello everyone!

Now that we have officially gone into the fall months, and it is officially cold as hell outside, I thought I'd put together a little list of some of the essential clothing you'll need in these colder months. It's been absolutely freezing in Portland, and we actually got a little bit of snow yesterday, so I thought it was finally time to start bundling up for enduring the cold.

It's a lot colder up in the Northwest than it ever was in Southern California. The colder months got down to maybe 60 degrees, at the coldest, but up here, it's been a consistent 30.. and this is only the beginning. Luckily, the weather is still nice enough outside that you can still dress relatively cute without being completely bundled from head to toe.

As you'll be able to tell, I'll be trying to keep a consistent essentials list throughout the next few months, including winter. It's really hard to put money aside from a lot of clothing, so I always recommend recycling your clothes as much as possible, and using different pieces in different ways! Hopefully you'll feel inspired to go out and look cute.. even it's snowing.

1. Hoodies with Leather Jackets

I think this is one of the most important looks to keep in mind during the Fall time. I think sweatshirts can be really dressed up when you throw on a nice jacket over it, and it keeps you really warm as well! Also, pullovers seem to be relatively on the inexpensive side, so it's really easy to change out the sweatshirt, keep the leather jacket, and have a completely different look!

Leather Jacket: Cotton On (similar)

Sweatshirt: Urban Outfitters (similar)

2. Multicolored Pants

One of the clothing pieces I always forgot to focus on at every time of year is pants. I always feel like I end up just putting on jeans or a pair of black pants because I think it looks good with everything. This fall, I want to try and spice things up a little bit and change out the pants I wear. I've chosen a couple of neutral darker colors for this season, like greens and tan, just to kickstart this new "pant revelation" I have. We'll see how I do.

Pants: Urban Outfitters/Levis/Pac Sun

3. Fun socks

I always feel like this is the most random accessory to be obsessed with, but I am in love with socks. I think they are perfect for fall because you can wear them for warmth and for style. I also feel like I usually wear a lot of button ups and nice boots, so it always makes me feel a little bit more fancy having a fun pair of socks that ties my outfit together.

Socks: Target (same)

4. Beanies

One of the biggest struggles I face during fall is finding accessories. I always feel like I wear pants, jackets and shoes everyday, and I don't feel like I ever have an opportunity to accessorize. So I think having a few beanies at hand is the perfect way to add some extra color to your fall style. Plus, you don't even have to do your hair.. which is probably the main reason I think I love beanies so much.

Beanies: Urban/Target

5. Christmas Sweaters

Before anyone thinks anything, I know.. it's technically fall, and I shouldn't even be thinking about Christmas until December. But c'mon. I start pulling out my Christmas sweaters as soon as it starts feeling like winter time. I think these sweaters look good at any time of the year, but it always makes me feel like we're so much closer to Christmas when I put these on. I just love the designs, and they are so comfortable and warm.

Sweater: Urban Outfitters (similar)

6. Layers of Cardigans and Button Ups

So I honestly have a little bit of a problem when it comes to button ups and cardigans. I pretty much wear them at all times of the year, but I think during fall, it makes the most sense. It's just cold enough that you can't just wear a shirt, but it's perfect for when you get inside and take off your big coat. I think having multiple colors of cardigans is essential because they can pair with pretty much anything. I have a lot of button ups as well that I wear all year long, so this is just one way I wear them during fall!

Cardigan: Urban Outfitters (similar)

Button Up: Urban Outfitters (similar)

7. One pair of nice boots

I know, I know. I meant what I wrote, just one pair of nice boots. I think the worst part of fall and winter is that you don't really want to wear all of your really nice shoes when it's rainy and muddy outside. So I recommend having one pair of "go-to" boots that you can wear all season. I always feel like black look really amazing with any look, so I think sticking to a neutral boot takes away the struggle of cleaning all of your nice shoes once it gets warm again!

Boots: ASOS (same)

Well I hope you guys are enjoying the Fall wherever you are in the world! I am absolutely loving it. Just for the record, it's November 13th and I already put my Christmas stuff out.. so I think I'm prepared for the winter.

See you next time,

Stephen

Favorite Youtubers // Living Stephen

Happy November!

I can't believe that October is already over, and we're already a few days into November! This year has flown by, and it's safe to say that I'm more than ready for the Christmas season to be back.

Besides spending more than enough time sitting and thinking of Christmas, I have been spending a lot of time following a lot of people on Youtube. It's been a more recent obsession (probably within the past two years), but I have found myself extremely enveloped and interested in the people I have subscribed to on Youtube! I find myself excited to watch these people and it made me really want to delve into the world on blogging, which is where I am now!

Hopefully, within the next few months, I'll start a Youtube channel.. but lets not get ahead of ourselves.

With that being said, I thought I'd put together a little list of a few of my favorite Youtubers who I've staying up to date with recently!

1. Mamrie Hart (You Deserve a Drink/Mametown)

Now you probably know Mamrie Hart from the "Holy Trinity," which consists of Mamrie, Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart, but what you probably don't know is how fucking hilarious Mamrie is on her own. I can literally watch any of her videos and die of laughter. As well as watching HeyUSA, I've been obsessed with both of her channels. One, where she makes alcoholic drinks (YASS), and the other where she literally sits and just talks.. all the while, making me laugh like I've never laughed before. If you need some funny shit, she's the one.

2. Billy & Pat Sandora-Nastyn (BillyandPatVlog)

Billy and Pat have been some of my favorite Youtubers, since they first began making videos a few year ago. They started out with making videos about their road to getting married; may it be the fun stuff, like what they were wearing and where the wedding was going to be, to the more difficult things, like who to invite and dealing with the "gay wedding" term. Since being married, they've taken me into this realm of seeing the future for Tyler and I, and they really have inspired me. They show a different side of the gay community, that I don't think very many people see. They show a stable, mature relationship, while talking about issues that I deal with in my relationship as well. Plus, they have two cats.. so you should watch them, strictly for that reason.

3. Mitch Grassi & Scott Hoying (SUPERFRUIT)

So I'm absolutely obsessed with the Pentatonix, and ever since they started making videos on Youtube, I have been a die hard fan. So as soon as Scott and Mitch started making their own videos on their own channel, I knew I would fall in love.. which of course, I did. I think what I like most about these two is that I loved them as singers, and now I'm falling in love with them as people now. They are literally so hilarious, and they feed off each other in a way that I have never seen before. With their quirky jokes and their obsession with Beyonce, I could not be more obsessed.

4. Colleen Ballinger (PsychoSoprano)

Okay, okay.. before you assume I'm talking about Miranda, just stop. I'm obsessed with Miranda, just like everyone else, but I'm also IN LOVE with Colleen. Her videos are literally perfect in every way. She does weekly Q&As, that alone will make you laugh and cry at the same time, but also she does just random videos, from Sam and Laybia to daily vlogging. She is one of the few Youtubers that is meant to be in front of the camera and makes you feel like you're actually normal. Plus, I saw her show as JUST Colleen, and that bitch can siiiiiiiing.

5. Hannah & Stef Michalak (hannah maggs)

So to wrap up my little list of favorite Youtubers, I'd end with one of my all time favorite channel. Hannah Maggs. I'm usually not someone who really likes daily vlogging too much, mostly because I think they are done really quickly and without very much editing skills, but holy shit.. if you watch this channel, you will be blown away. The video quality is absolutely incredible and the shots are not just close ups of their face the whole time, you are actually brought into their world. They film the scenery around them, which is absolutely gorgeous, as well as bringing new and exciting filming techniques to their footage. I've actually teared up from how beautiful the videos are. As well as loving Hannah and Stef as a couple, their parenting is remarkable and watching Squeaky-G is so much fun! Also, Hannah dresses too perfection, which is always fun too!

Alright, well that's all the Youtubers I'll share with you guys today.. Trust me, there are so many more out there that I have yet to find, so if you have any recommendations or Youtubers that you love, let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Stephen

Halloween Jell-O Shots // Living Stephen

Happy Almost Halloween!

There is less than two days until Halloween, and I could not be any more excited! We are throwing a party on Halloween night, and we're putting the finishing touches on our duplex to make it a little bit more party ready.

I decided to be a bit creative with our alcoholic drink options, and decided to try out making some Creepy Halloween Jell-O Shots! It makes about 40 shots, which is perfect for a small party of about 15-20 people. If you want to make less, decrease everything by half, or if you want more, just double it!

All you are going to need is the following:

Lime flavored Jell-O packets

Lime flavored sherbet

Any type of vodka (I went for the bottom-shelf, plastic kind)

Gummy worms (sour or regular)

About 40+ plastic shot cups

Water

The first thing you're going to want to do is add 6oz of the Jell-o powder into a bowl. Usually the Jell-o packets come in a 6oz packet, so you should be able to dump the whole thing into the bowl. After that, dump in 2 cups of boiling water and stir.

After you have the entire mix melted in together, add 1 cup of lime sherbet. If you don't feel like measuring it out, just add a 2 big ass scoop of the sherbet, it should be roughly the same amount. Stir until the sherbet is completely melted. The mixture should turn into a light, neon green color!

Go ahead and set aside the mixture. It shouldn't take too long, but the mixture should cool down a little bit. It should be about room temperature when you come back to it. While it is cooling, grab your cheap-ass vodka and fill up about a 1 cup (or more, if you trying to get crazy.) Pour it into the mixture. Next, fill up a cup of cold water, pour it in and stir.

Once your mixture is done being stirred, grab a big sheet and file in as many of your plastic shot glasses as you can fit.

Carefully, pour the mixture into each of the shot containers. You should fill them up about halfway, so that your guests can just throw them back! Also, because you'll need to leave a little bit of room for the gummy worms. Once you have poured each of the cups with your mixture, go ahead and add as many of the gummy worms as you'd like! I mixed them up and put some sour ones in, as well as the regular worms!

If you have any extra, just make some additional ones and put them onto a plate. Don't waste alcohol. Shit is expensive. Once you have all of your shots done and ready, put them into the fridge for the night! It should take about a day for them to solidify, so make sure you give yourself enough time before your guests start arriving!

I went ahead and put a couple of them out, and laid a few of the extra gummy worms around them for decoration! Hopefully you guys enjoy your Halloween! Let me know if you tried making these shots, or if you made any other Halloween inspired dishes!

See you later!

Stephen

Pumpkin Patch Fun // Living Stephen

What a whirlwind week it has been for us in the Haus of Gays (yes, that's what we call our humble abode.) I recently got a new job working part-time at Urban Outfitters for the season, while still working full-time at Starbucks. As much stress that I know I will be in, I'm really excited to start a new job that interests me a lot more than making coffee all day for grouchy old people.

Luckily, Tyler and I found a day that we were able to go out to Sauvie Island in Portland. If you tell any Portlandian that you're going out to this island, a lot of people will give you a weird look and ask you why.. Mostly because part of the island is a nude beach, and when you say how pretty you thought it was, you seem to get worried glances. (Not talking from experiences, clearly..) What you should start with is that you're going out to the island to go to "The Pumpkin Patch."

This rural product market/pumpkin patch is one of the most beautiful places I have been to since moving to Portland. As you drive onto the island, you don't see much around you except for plains, trees and a couple cows. You soon roll up to a seemingly random array of homes and farms. Before you know it, you hit "The Pumpkin Patch." It's a small little patch off the road, but it holds some amazing things.. There was a hayride, farm animals, a market, and a corn maze.

Unfortunately for us, we had a late start and it had been pouring rain all day.. so we didn't do much but pick a few pumpkins. What excited me the most was the fact that you could actually go out into the pumpkin patch, and cut off the pumpkin you wanted from the actual vine. I had never seen something so beautiful before.

It was extremely muddy, so excuse Tyler's shoes.. He usually wears a lot cuter footwear. We trekked out closer to where the actual pumpkins were, walked through the pumpkins, and looked around a little bit. It really felt like fall, and I couldn't have loved it any more. Unfortunately, my camera isn't amazing, so I was only able to get a couple of snaps of the pumpkins around us, but the mountain view from across the river was jaw dropping. With the clouds floating over the hilltops, I was completely taken away (just like I am, every time I leave my living room.)

We finally picked our pumpkin (from the "already picked" section), and went our merry way. It was absolutely beautiful, and definitely got me that much more excited for Fall! I'm going to carve the shit out of my pumpkin!

Oh, and here's a little OOTD.

See you next week!

Stephen

Walking the Waterfront Pt. 2 // Living Stephen

Well would you look at that, I'm actually posting more than just one time a week! (It may only be because I already had pictures ready, and didn't actually have to put any pants on to get the pictures I have for this post..)

I recently posted about how I made my way down to the Willamette Riverfront (if this doesn't make sense, scroll down a bit and read that post first). I was taken away by how beautiful the scenery was, and how relaxed and calming it was. I think that since I work downtown and spend a lot of time up there, shopping and such, it was really nice to get away from it, and just breath for a little bit.

What I don't think I was expecting when I took my walk was how close to nature I was actually going to get. As I walked through the park, I was blown away with how many animals I saw, just in the park. I came across flocks of Canadian Geese, which were pecking away at the bread that someone had thrown down for them. For some reason, these birds surprise me every time I see them. I always feel like I live in a more suburb area, and I still don't 100% understand how they survive here.. but somehow they do (probably from all the bread.) I also ran across some of the most friendly (terrifying) squirrels. I see the squirrels all the time, jumping from tree to light pole, all the time around my neighborhood, but I had never seen these guys so close. They were a little bit too close for comfort, but they are pretty cute.. aside from them having rabies..

As I made my way through the park, I decided I wanted to be a little bit closer to the waterfront. I slid down a steep-ass, muddy hill, and ended up facing the water. This is when the emotions began to come. I was just watching the sun in the perfect place in the sky, and was hearing the waves hit the rocks. It was extremely peaceful and warming. I looked over and saw a stork walking across the beach, with no sense of urgency.. just enjoying a little walk. It was so calming, I can't even describe it.

I finally pulled my shit together, and made my way back up the park route. I ended up taking a little detour to some of the boats that were docked, and when I did, I was taken away (and I started crying a bit.) I saw a bald eagle hanging out out in the water, on one of the sticks coming out from the water. I honestly could not believe what I was seeing. One of the most beautiful birds I had ever seen, just relaxing on a random branch. I will never forget the feeling of chills and excitement that I felt as I stood there. It was breathtaking. 

As I pulled myself together, yet again, I made the final trek back home. I was so overwhelmed with all the things I had seen, and was so inspired to come and show the people who read this blog. I was about to pass the last bit of boat docks, when I looked down and saw a big pile of fur. When I looked a little bit closer, I noticed that what I was actually seeing was five river otters, ripping at a fish they had just caught on the dock. I had never seen anything like this before. After talking to a woman who had seem them right after me, she explained that she had lived there for 35 years and had never seen river otters before. This was an extremely rare occasion, and I was in awe of how lucky I was to have captured this moment.

After composing myself one last time, I walked all the way home.. (without any interruptions). Still looking back, I'm mesmerized by all of the things I had seen. This city keeps surprising me with its multi dimensions. I can only hope that next time I go to the waterfront, it will be this eventful.

Until next time,

Stephen

Walking the Waterfront // Living Stephen

Hello guys!

As you probably already figured, I've been trying my best to spend a lot of time outside, enjoying nature and all of the amazing places in this city. I recently started exploring a little bit closer to where I live, and have found some of the most beautiful scenery I could have imaged. I only have to walk about for about five minutes before I walk onto the waterfront of the Willamette River. The river runs through Portland, which means it splits the East from the West and is home to diverse wildlife and plant life.

I walked down a few days ago, not really expecting to spend too much time looking at the water, but I ended up spending about two hours walking and exploring some of what this area holds. I usually only walk about as far as I know, and try to stay close to where I'm familiar, but for some reason, I felt the desire to explore a little bit more that day, and ended up going through trees upon trees. I stumbled across a couple of benches, where I stopped and sat for a little while, drinking a bit of coffee from down the street.

I continued walking and explored closer to the actual waterfront (which I'll post about in a few days, I took a lot of damn pictures). I don't think I really expected to get as excited and emotional as I actually did while I continued on the trail. I was so overwhelmed with how beautiful everything was, and how in awe I was that this was my home. I've always driven past this area, and never even stopped to see what it was.

As I made my way back home, I ran into some insane little sights (Again, I'll be posting about those later). I walked down old train tracks, that I always seem to have just past over and walked back through the fall stricken trees, back home. 

When I got back home, I really had to take a minute to realize what I just went through. I had basically fallen in love with Portland all over again, and had one of the most breathtaking days I have ever had. (I'm still not a 100% sure if I loved it, or just loved the fact that it felt like Fall, finally) Like I said before, I'll be posting a few more blog posts from this day, mostly because I took a ton of pictures, that really deserve their chance to be looked at! 

I hope all of you are enjoying Autumn so far! I'll be back to post some more later this week!

Stephen