Archives for February 2010

new stuff for the new week

February 28, 2010

It’s Sunday, the beginning of the week, so of course I have new stuff going on!

I have a new blog crush.

I have a new inspirational quote for the week.

And I have a new challenge for the day.

Also, Julie from Brown Eyed Belle tagged me in this lil photo thing….

and since I have the cutest picture to show, I figured why the heck not???

Instructions:

Go to the first folder, find the 10th picture, and then tell the story behind it.

Little Tay eating his first strawberry.

Ahhh, those were the good ol’ days before the NON STOP talking.

Good times.

Happy Sunday loves.

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update on 21 days to a better you (me)

February 27, 2010

I thought I would write a little update on the first week of the challenge…

cause, um, it’s been quite the week!

I’ve always said that anybody who chooses to set lofty goals for themselves,

better be careful….

because life just has a way of testing those goals in every single way.

I had the pleasure of experiencing that myself this last week.

Call it PMS,

call it a test of my goals….

Whatever it was, I was not a fan.

But then again, once I stopped and tried to see the lesson,

maybe it wasn’t all that bad after all.

See?

I’m growing already.

Here’s what I learned about myself in the first week of the challenges:

~ Eating sweets is like a hug on an emotional day….

and when I’m having one and am not allowing sweets, beware of tears.

Lots of them.

~ I have an unhealthy addiction to my phone.

And when it decides to die for good a month after the toilet drop,

I can quickly turn from a “positive look at my blessings” girl, to a big ol grumpy bratty girl.

~ Speaking of brat, I can be one quite often.

Huh.

~ I am extremely hard on myself, and expect perfection at all times.

And when I fail,

because, brace yourself, I do…

I will get really down on myself and feel like a total failure.

~ I’m not one for Twittering much,

except on the day I’m not supposed to Twitter.

And then all of a sudden, I have a million things to tweet.

~ That I kinda LOVE the blessings journal, and I think I’m going to start making a daily habit of that.

It just made SUCH a difference in my day and my mood.

Um, until my phone broke.

{details, details.}

But the biggest thing I learned?

That this challenge…

or any attempt to better myself…

is not about perfection.

It’s about doing my best.

It’s about allowing the same grace and mercy I have no problem extending to others,

to myself on the days I don’t quite measure up.

And then picking myself up in the next day,

the next hour,

or even the next minute,

and trying my best once again.

It was a rough week,

but that’s usually when we see the most growth, isn’t it?

I thought I would grow from accomplishing the challenges….

instead I grew from falling short.

Hopefully though…

next week will bring some of it’s own mercy and grace

so I can take a moment and catch my breath!

Also,

I have to say.

My biggest blessing of all,

was every single one of you guys that have followed along and joined in.

Reading about your own journey and progress has been amazing!

Just another reason, that I LOVE this little community on le blog.

Enjoy your weekend loves,

and don’t forget to check today’s challenge!

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fashion friday ~ eye candy

February 26, 2010

I thought it was about time you guys got to see the man behind the lens on these Fashion Fridays.

So, instead of dolling myself up today, I decided to grab my man as he walked in the door and put him to work.

And now,

for your viewing pleasure….

I present….

Fashion Friday Eye Candy:

{le outfit: all courtesy of Ross & Marshalls. gotta love a man that looks this hot on a budget!}

I know, what a good sport, huh?

He told me later he was channeling his inner Brad Pitt.

You can totally tell, right?

~~~~~~~

{If you’re following along with the 21 days to a better you challenge,

today’s challenge is up!

And don’t forget to link up if you’re doing it too!}

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peeling the onion, one layer at a time

February 25, 2010

{via}

Ever heard something so profound that out of nowhere a light switch goes on,

and you suddenly can see the past, present, and even the future differently?

Someone recently brought to light something that seems so simple, so obvious…

and even something that has been stated to me in another way before…

and yet it took hearing her words to make me see.

And now I kinda get why I did some of the things I’ve done.

Why I choose to do some of the things I do.

And why I have dreams of my future being a certain way.

I kinda get it.

Just kinda.

And yet, it’s just one layer being peeled away.

Ouch.

Just one???

I know there’s more.

And while it stings ever so slightly to see the truth,

I can see that there underneath it all lies a clearer path.

A lighter heart.

A happier soul.

And so I’ll take this pain.

I’ll cry these tears.

Because I want better.

So, peel away.

~~~~~~~

{If you’re following along with the 21 days to a better you challenge,

today’s challenge is up!

And don’t forget to link up if you’re doing it too!}

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dark side & tattoos

February 24, 2010

considering….

{another tattoo…something floral around the tree}

{going dark….perhaps after summer}

I dunno,

just some thoughts.

{If you’re following along with the 21 days to a better you challenge,

today’s challenge is up!

And don’t forget to link up!}

{this has been a part of wordful wednesday}

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are you doing the challenge? link here!

February 23, 2010

Are you following along in the challenge, 21 days to a better you?

If so, I just added a Mr Linky here,

so that you can add in your blog name and link,

this way we all know where to go for inspiration and accountability!

It’s never too late to start, and it’s never too late to link up!

I’ll be leaving this page up indefinitely so that anytime, anywhere,

people can start making a change.

And remember, check back here every night for your next days challenge!

Mwa!

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these are a few of my favorite things

February 23, 2010

It’s time for yet another edition of my favorite things that you must have and love as well.

Sacred Marriage

Now this is for all you married people out there,

or even for you singles who would like to one day be married.

I kid you not, this book has changed my entire view on marriage….in a good way.

And I want EVERYONE to read it.

There will be a test.

So study up.

~~~~~~~

Organize Now!

One of my goals for this year was to finally get organized.

I do an okay job, but I needed ideas and ways to get even more efficient.

And then I found this little gem.

For just $10, I now own this adorable book, and what’s great is it’s broken up into a week by week guide so it’s not so overwhelming!

Honestly, you will LOVE!

~~~~~~~

Rimmel London Lasting Finish (in Airy Fairy)

I did my eyes all up the other night with a smoky look and then I realized I didn’t own the perfect shade of nude lipstick to go with it.

So off I ran to Target to find something worthy of my lips.

What I found, I loved, and within hours I had my sister at her nearest Walgreens to buy it as well.

It’s creamy and lovely….

and most importantly,

it doesn’t have that awful lipstick smell/taste.

~~~~~~~

Yes to Carrots face wash

I am super picky when it comes to face wash.

I tend to have sensitive skin,

meaning, Jr High breakouts can easily make their appearance at simply the thought of one wrong product.

But, I went to this women’s show awhile back where I received a sample of this face wash,

and OMG.

Fabulous.

My skin was lit-rally glowing.

And what’s better is that it doesn’t break the bank!

Definitely my new go to product.

~~~~~~~

iBoss

I actually did a post a long time ago about this incredible invention that has totally made me feel safe about having Taylor (and Jimmy) on the computer when I’m not around.

No kidding, this is THE BEST thing out there.

Here’s a little blurp I found on their website:

The iBoss™ Home combines the best in Internet Parental Controls with a powerful built-in Wireless-N Firewall Router to bring you the ultimate in home network protection for your family. The iBoss™ Home allows you to share your Internet connection safely at home with all of your wired and wireless computers while providing powerful Internet filtering technology that puts you in control of your Children’s activities on the Internet. Flexible parental controls allow you to easily restrict access to specific categories of Internet destinations and manage your Children’s time spent using online programs (online chat and messenger programs, file sharing, gaming and more). Different filtering rules can be setup for different computers. The iBoss™ Home generates detailed reports on Internet activity which can be viewed and automatically E-mailed. Unlike software solutions, one device guards an entire network and makes tampering difficult. Works with Mac, Windows and Linux. Little computer experience is needed!

Key Features

	Easily Block Websites by Category	Same Protection Used by Fortune 500 Co.

	Block Chat, Gaming and more	Built-In Wireless-N Firewall Router

	Schedule Internet Access Times	1 Unit = Protection For All Computers

	Monitor & Log Internet Activity	Works with Wired & Wireless Computers

	View Detailed Reports	Absolutely No Software to Install

	Automatic E-mail Notifications	Simple User-Friendly Interface

	Set Rules for Different Children	Plug & Play

Benefits

· Easily Control When and Where Your Children Surf
· Protect Your Children from Online Predators
· Monitor Your Children’s Online Activity
· Manage Time Spent Online
· Prevent Viruses & Spyware
· Share Your Internet with Multiple Computers (Wired & Wireless)
· One Device Protects and Manages All Your Computers
· Works with Mac, Windows, and Linux
· Absolutely No Software to Install
· Built-in Firewall Protects Against Online Threats
· Guard Your Children from Inappropriate Content

If you decide to get it,

and you should,

there is a coupon code “family safe” that allows a 10% discount.

Trust me, it’s worth every penny.

And no, I was not paid for this…I just love it that much.

~~~~~~~

{via}

{if you’re following along with the 21 day challenge to a better you, today’s challenge is up!}

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monday muse – celebrity blogger style

February 22, 2010

The moment I met Heather,

(yes, THE Heather from The Secret is in the Sauce & Mindless Junque),

we immediately felt that we had been sisters separated at birth.

Actually, we felt that way before we even met,

but the moment we ran slow motion into each other arms in Vegas,

it was definitely solidified.

True love forever.

Not only is she effing adorable, but she has THE sweetest heart, and the cutest voice you may have ever heard in your whole daggon life.

She’s the complete package people.

And you guys are some lucky folks because she agreed to be your muse for this lovely Monday morning.

Listen up.

And love her.

She’s family after all.

~~~~~~~

I have to begin by saying how excited I am to be here!

When Summer asked me to guest post about fashion, I had to giggle a little though because after four kids and the recent budget smackdown in my house I certainly don’t feel fashionable.

Luckily, there is one fashion trend that works around my particular couture stumbling blocks.

I’m talking about the boyfriend trend.

Here we have a model wearing a sweet floral sundress.

What categorizes it into the “boyfriend” trend?

Her hat and an oversized jean jacket.

{Photo of Ralph Lauren 2010 Spring/Summer Collection courtesy fashionising.com}

That’s all something we can easily do.

A cute pageboy hat is great on those unfortunate hair days.

And you’d be surprised with what you can find at Goodwill.

We could take that dress and pair it with a boyfriend blazer.

{Photo courtesy Chatelaine}

I wouldn’t suggest going to the Goodwill and buying a men’s suit coat here.

Stores like Forever21 are selling this look for a very reasonable price and you don’t want to look like you raided your dad’s closet.

The boyfriend blazer is slightly more fitted and still shows off our feminine curves (which is very important).

And don’t forget about the boyfriend sweater.

{Photo courtesy JJill.com}

I love this look with a pair of jeans and ballet flats.

A scarf in a springy color or a chunky necklace would be perfect for spring.

Don’t shy away from this look for spring.

Have fun with it and be creative.

How often is it cool to wear oversized clothes?

Seize the day, ladies.

Seize the day.

~~~~~~~

{If you’re following along on the 21 day challenge, make sure to check the link under my header for today’s challenge!}

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it’s the sound….of silence

February 20, 2010

When the kids are away,

the parents will play.

Hallelujah!

Tay & Chloe are with their Nana & Papa for the weekend and we are as free as can be.

On our to do list:

~farmers market

~nap

~look at bunk beds for if (when) our foster boy is placed here

~sleep some more

~shop for clothes, because I can and I have no kids.

~maybe sleep some more.

~read a book

I know, I know.

We’re wild n crazy.

I may even eat sugar and gluten.

Because I’ve decided that I am never the girl to say never,

and once a week splurge will do just fine.

This weekend deserves the splurge.

Your plans?

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a personal challenge: 21 days to a better you

February 20, 2010

{via}

I love challenges.

They totally get me going and energized and ready for change.

Which is why I came up with this idea for 21 days to a better you.

I’m going to create a little 21 day challenge for myself,

where each day of the 21 days,

I will do or start something that will help and motivate me to be, do, and become better.

I am so ready.

So excited.

And I know in the end it will be a journey worth having taken.

Most of you know that for the most part, I have given up gluten and sugar for an undefined amount of time.

But, I’ve allowed little cheats here and there.

On this 21 day challenge, I’m giving it up the entire time.

NO CHEATS.

I just feel that for too long, I keep saying….

I’m going to….

Or, I should….

Or, one day….

Well that day is today.

Feb 21.

On this 21st begins my 21 days.

Loooooove it.

Each day I’ll add a little blurp of what that days challenge will be,

{look for the link under my header that says, a personal challenge: 21 days to a better you}

just in case anyone wants to follow along or…

maybe even join in with me!

Cause you know, I would so totally be honored to have your company!

And also….

I don’t have all 21 days challenges set in stone,

so if you have any suggestions,

I’d love to hear them.

today’s challenge:

think of something you are willing to give up for 21 days,

and commit to it once and for all.

write it down.

tell someone so they can help to hold you accountable.

and remember,

it’s just for 21 days.

you can do anything for 21 days.

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