monday funday

Happy Monday to you all! I just wanted to say hello and let you know that I have updated the "about me" on the sidebar and on the actually page. I love my new photos and I hope you do too. Have a happy Monday. Xoxo. 

we all need our own pep talk in the mirror sometimes...

I recently listen to this song below and it instantly cheered me up.


We all need those pep talks in the mirror, that remind us of how amazing life is. Just write a list of five things you are proud of and put it somewhere that you can read daily. Or even hide it until you need that self pep talk. It is completely normal to talk to yourself. I do it all the time. Ha. When you need a pep talk just remember this...
You are one of a kind. You are special. You are brave. You still can do amazing things with one drop of love.

blog list!

Well, I caved in and bought a large vanilla milkshake. Boy, was is yummy. I had been craving it all week and now my craving was somewhat fulfilled (I always crave Chickfila).

Anyway, guess what tomorrow is Friday! Yay! I thought I would share with you today a list of a few blogs I enjoy. These are probably my faves.

ohdeardrea

 

He and I | lifestyle blog

  

a faithfulness told 

• Baby Baker Love

   

  • Sweet Verbena

     
  • The Quiet & The Quirky

   

 

So go check out these awesome ladies! xox

 

currently..

I am currently.....

...eating soybeans and chicken. yum.

....trying to do my laundry. fail.

...loving my new shoes... colors to be relieved tomorrow...

This first half of the week has flown by, I mean is it Friday yet? Feels like it. I have not been too busy this week. Just filled with evening things (swim team, babysitting, etc.) and not getting home till later which is fine by me. I don't have to wake up till around 7 am anyway. Ahh...the luxary.....

It is officially Fall, yay! Here, it is like mother nature knew it was fall the day of because all the sudden I went from shorts and a tshirt to jeans and a sweater. It was cold (well, at least cold for me). I have a love hate relationship with the fall/winter because it reminds me of all the wonderful seasons but I love to be warm. The struggle. Ha.

I hope everyone's week is going well, xoxo.

natural favs.

1// Target's "Simply Balanced" fruit strips, oh so yummy.

2// this probably lame but water, is my favorite go-to drink!

3// well, all of these are my faves: diy dry shampoo, Tom's deodorant, Burt's Bees lip balm, essential oil, coconut oil, and diy sea salt spray

4// this is a homemade hot/cold pack add some essential oil and is great to help calm you down at night

5// this probably comes no where near to natural but.. I love ALTOIDS mints.

These products are all under $6 (6.50 to be exact, coconut oil being the most expensive thing). They are all from your everyday stores and well they are quite great. My all time favorite is probably the Burt's Bees lip balm, you just can't go wrong. They have so many lip balms. It is great.

Thanks for reading. xoxo

snickerdoodle cookies

    I made these cookies a few weeks ago and took some awesome pictures and have been meaning to share them with you ever since. Let me just say I am not a baker but these cookies might have just tasted like I was. I made them huge and with a little crisp. While they may not have been the healthiest, they were worth every single bit of unhealthiness. Yum. Yum. I cooked them a little longer and flattened them out before I put them in the oven and I think that was the key. If you would like the recipe it is here. 

from this..

cooking away...

to this...yumm

xoxo.

happy weekend

Happy Weekend to you all. I hope you are having a lovely one. I am having a great weekend so far. It all started off with my mini vacation and just keeps getting better. I love being able to sleep in, ahh. I went to a surprise party for one of my lovely friends and it was a blast. And man has it been getting chillier around here. But it has been nice for a little change, gets me thinking about all the upcoming holidays and fun craft projects that come with it. Yay! I am off to go watch a few shows now, xoxo lovelies.

mini-vacation

    Mini-vacations can be the best and the worst. I sometimes am ready to go on an adventure, but others times I like being home. This short little overnighter was good, especially since I live in a smaller town. Having a Micheals and Target withing walking distance is crazy. We also went to this amazing doughnut shop...ahh..yumm. It was so cheap and so yummy. Worth every bite.  Sorry for no pictures.

yes, I did buy lots of paper

it is September people

as a creative thinker my mind could not stop wandering on what to do with these letters...

I am wearing my batman socks my sister gave me as a gag gift on my b-day.

farewell...

I purchased very few things in effort to save money. I love window shopping it is so much fun. Especially, in Bath and Body Work's where I rarely every buy there things. But the fall candles smell amazing. Anyway, there ya have it. My eyes are closing as I type. xoxo

money...

    I went on many fun shopping adventures this evening and it got me thinking about my money choices I have made in the last month. I keep track of all the money I get, where it goes, and how I spend it. I have realized that I spend money on little things here and there and it adds up. I thought I spent my money wisely and I still think I do. Here is what I used to do when it comes to earning money. Each amount of money I get I split it up four ways (tithes, short term, long term, spending). Often, 10% goes to tithes, 20% to short term, 20% to long term, and 50% to spending. That can add up to a lot of money, which can be good or bad. For example in the last month (keep in mind it was also my birthday) but I spend a good chunk of money on me. A lot more than I thought I even had! I am so glad I kept track of my purchases to show me what I need to stop spending on and me is one of them. I get rid of things so fast I don't need as much stuff. So, I have come up with a new solution. I want to try and buy more quality things that will last longer than quantity. So when it comes to getting money I will know be giving 10% goes to tithes, 10% to short term, 30% to long term, and 20% to spending 30% to goals for spending (ex. a nice pair of shoes). I need some blow money everybody does, but I think I was giving myself too much. I am going to be trying to save more rather than impulse spending.

target love

    Anyway, I think when it comes to spending and money in general I think it is up to every person and what there needs are but spending it all is not the way to go. Ha. I felt like I needed to share this with a few of you so I hoped you enjoyed. xo.

just an update

He, the new iOS 8 came out today. It is a new update, yay! While talking about updates, I thought I would give you an update on my life (in photos, of course)

I have been loving my "cold sleep pack" recently. All it is is rice and essential oil!

Since, I am often a neat freak this picture reminds me that life is messy and not always perfect.

shh..sneak peak of a blog post..

Thanks for reading today's short post. xox

how I determine what to post about...

    I have a very odd process when it comes to posting everyday. It is a simple process that I have been using for a few weeks now and it is working great! Since I write a lifestyle blog, I have a lot of picture and fewer words. So this is how my blogging process starts out...

#1- go on iPhone and find a picture to base my blog post on
#2- send the picture to my email so I can post it
#3- come up with some "grand idea" to post about
#4 - write up my blog post, edit it and post it
#5- send out my blog post in email format
#6- all done!

on my way home today I snapped this picture; I love it when they come out blurry sometimes

I have been using my iPhone more and more for pictures because it can take some nice pictures and I is super easy to edit and transfer to my computer. Some of the pictures, yes they are grainy and I know they are. Ha. I just don't have time to take high quality pictures everyday and upload and post them. So, this is what works for me and I love it. I have tried scheduling, planning ahead and it is not very enjoyable when I do that so I stick to my normal routine!

How do you blog? xoxo

a glimpse at my day... (day in the life)

You know it is getting colder when your coconut oil starts to harden. Ha. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Any of you out there who use coconut oil will know what I am talking about.

Even though that has nothing to do with this post, I just thought I would inform you. Ha.

Today's post is a glimpse at a somewhat average weekday for me. Everyday what I do changes so this is not a "daily routine".  I mean tomorrow I will be gone from 7 A.M. to 8 P.M.

This is what today looked like...

I normally get up around 7ish (this picture is from a weekend hence why it is a little later than normal). I get ready and we leave the house around 7:50 for school.

Off we go...to the wonderful land of school ;)

Well we went to school and what do you know I am back at home again (3ish) shopping at J.Crew with the money I don't have. Ha. I didn't end up getting anything, but it was so tempting.

Time is lost and I am at swim practice...(5ish)

Swim is over around 7 and then I head home...

Wow, I just realized how dark it is getting this early (7:40)....Fall is coming...

DINNER TIME. Yum, I am super happy. I normally eat dinner between 7-9 I am typically busy and we don't eat till later.

Whenever I can I try to make lunch for the next day so I can sleep longer and today I made "healthy PB & J". Rarely, do I eat this but today was just the day and know you all probably think I am five for still eating "PB & J's". Haha.

By 9 or around 9 I have taken a shower and am settling down for the night. Today was actually an early night to start off with but now I am here writing this blog post and well, it is not getting much earlier. I try to go follow new blogs everyday and comment on a few here and there.

By this time of the night it is "me time". I get to explore the worldwide web and get ready for bed.

After I am finished exploring the web I like to do my devotion and read a magazine...

No, I didn't set my clock forward to just take this picture. Guilty. I did. Most likely by the time I am finished with this it will be that time. 

What does your day look like? xoxo lovelies.

yummy food.

    Happy Sunday to you all, I hope you are doing well! I went shopping yesterday and got some yummy food. I always try to get some yummy healthy snacks from Target and this is what I got  (with the exception of bread and some cheese sticks). While I was there I also got some "Tom's of Maine" things I am excited to try out. Simply Balanced brand from Target is also another amazing brand they have so much yummy stuff. What I get can range from applesauce to organic cereal to raisins. So, here is an overview....

I picked up my first essential oil, it is "Organic Sweet Orange"...ahh does it smell good.

Enjoy. xoxo.

recently...

   I just wanted to say I am so thankful for my blog and what it is. I often try to change it to look like something or someone's blog. But, I like how it is now and what I have done with it. I also want to thank you for reading, subscribing and posting nice comments. Thanks everyone, have a lovely day. xoxo

    A few snaps from yesterday, I thought I would share.

I messed around with some watercolors yesterday.

I am in the midst of doing a "day in the life".

blurry picture of country roads

Thanks for reading. xoxo