GOODBYE SEPTEMBER

I'm a little sad to see the blog-tember challenge come to an end, but I've had a lot of fun. And I have some fun stuff planned for October!

Today's prompt: A farewell coffee date. Take some time to breath, sip a warm drink, and share with your new blogging buddies.

via

I thought I would start by saying thank you to all the new readers (and my old friends too!). The last couple of years have been a roller-coaster and blogging definitely took a backseat. It's been so fun getting back into it though! 

Secondly, I thought I would go over my September goals. I am writing this post a 6 in the morning, so I may have to come back later today and update anything I complete (look at me being optimistic!). Of course, it is 6 in the morning and I'M STILL AWAKE, so I may accomplish absolutely nothing the rest of the day. 

September Goals
1.  Hit the 15 pound lost mark (GOING TO WEIGH IN TONIGHT, WILL UPDATE LATER)

2.  Organize my  paperwork (I did manage to somewhat organize the student loan stuff)

3.  Excercise at least 5x  

4.  Read 5 books (3/5... ALMOST DONE WITH 4 AND 5... SO CLOSE!)

5.  Blog more 

6.  Redesign my design site (IN PROCESS! HOPE TO FINISH TODAY!)

7.  Get me a spirit shirt (buy or make) for Dalton's football season

8.  Go to church (we are trying new churches)

9.  Complete a vision board

10. Help C empty storage (WELL, I DIDN'T HELP SO MUCH AS STAY OUT OF HIS WAY)

11. Refinish media cabinet

12. Get curtains for living room

13. Finish paperwork for school

14. Make calendar of important dates and mail cards/get gifts

15. Do something about my hair (cut and color?) GOT IT CUT, NEED TO COLOR STILL!

16. Backup photos from phone (I've NEVER done this..eek)

17. Get/make a fall wreath

18. Picture a day 

19. Make 2 new recipes (1/2... AND I MADE THAT ONE RECIPE A COUPLE OF TIMES.)

20. Watch the Cowboys WIN (We are 3-1 people... 3-1! This past weeks game was AMAZING!)

I did okay. Clearly I could have done better. But, I also know that I could have done a lot worse (do I say this every month?) Oh well, it's the truth! Maybe October will bring even more productivity!

October Goals

1.  Hit the 20 pound lost mark (I may modify this after tonight's weigh-in)

2.  Organize my  paperwork

3.  Excercise at least 8x  

4.  Read 5 books

5.  Blog everyday for the 31 Day Challenge

6.  Get a spirit shirt (buy or make) for Dalton's football season 

7.  Go to church (we are trying new churches)

8.  Refinish media cabinet

9.  Get curtains for living room

10. Finish paperwork for school

11. Make calendar of important dates and mail cards/get gifts

12. Get hair colored

13. Get/make a fall wreath

14. Picture a day 

15. Make 2 new recipes

16. Get rings inspected and cleaned

17. Unpack 5 boxes from storage

18. Deep clean apartment

19. Continue working on budget

20. Watch the Cowboys WIN (I'll need help with this one!)
*Make daily to-do lists so that I can stay on top of things!

Whew. A lot of those are obviously things that have rolled over a month or two (or ten). Here's to getting them marked off (for good!) this month!

I'm so excited about my 31 Day Writing Challenge for October. I participated in this last year and I'm actually doing the same topic (31 days of weight loss). I'm feeling super motivated right now, and after a lot of thought, I decided that I would try it again. Hopefully, it will be beneficial for me (and others!) 

I'll be back tomorrow with an introduction to that as well as my plans for the month.

Have a great day!! 

HIGHS and LOWS

Happy Sunday y'all!

Plugging along with the blog-tember challenge another day. I have loved doing this so much, that I have decided to do another challenge in October, which I will talk about more on Tuesday!!

Today's prompt: What were your highs and lows for this month?

When I first started thinking about this, I (ever the optimist) figured I would have no problem coming up with the lows. But really, I only came up with a few! And, most of them directly correlate to a high. So... that is exciting. Maybe the tides really are turning in my life. Lord knows I'm ready for that!!

I'm going to start with the lows. We can get them out of the way first thing...and then focus on the good stuff.

:: My diet has been just awful. We have been eating out way too much. We try to do mostly salads and grilled chicken. But still. I need to up my domestic skills and start meal planning and making healthy dinners for us. We are seriously considering doing Whole 30. But, the few times we have tried to start it, poor planning has caused us to get off track (usually within a day or two). Ha.

:: I'm REALLY frustrated with just about every aspect of my life right now. This has led to a bunch of meltdowns, including one really big one the other day. But, I feel like I'm on the verge of making changes, so I think this is just sort of the emotional workings of all that.

:: My allergies. They have been super, super bad this past week. I may claw my eyes out today.

:: The heat. I realize I have no control over this. But, by mid-September every year...I'm just OVER it. I hate feeling sweaty and gross... just walking to my car.

Okay, so those are really the only down points I can think of this month. I mean, I'm sure there were lots of other little things, but the fact that I can't even recall them quickly gives proof they couldn't have been that bad, right?

The highs!

:: I mentioned being frustrated with my life as one of my lows. This is unfortunately something I've experienced for many, many months (years?!). The sad thing is as much as I wanted change, I never actually wanted to MAKE the changes. Hey, at least I was being honest! NOW? I'm ready!!! I feel like the last few months have really pushed me to my breaking point. I'm excited to start changing things up!!

:: I've only lost about 9 pounds since I went back to Weight Watchers earlier this year. I've maintained that loss for about 2 months. BUT, I'm okay with that. At least it's not going the wrong direction!!!

:: My baby niece turned 2!! Love her bunches.

:: I've started blogging regularly. And, I LOVE blogging again. I had just got so burnt out that it wasn't even fun anymore. Again, I'm thankful for Bailey and her prompts this month!

:: I made a to-do list (this isn't anything new) and I'm actually marking things off (this is a new thing! haha). I'll be sharing that on Tuesday also, but I'm pretty excited to have had a fairly productive (by my standards) month! Accomplishing these goals (even the small ones) empowers me to set even more goals. Here's to an even more exciting October!

:: FOOTBALL is back!!!! Amen.

Hope y'all had a great weekend!!!

WANT THIS PLEASE :: FASHION/ACCESSORIES

The last weekend in September! Can you believe it? Only a couple more days of the blog-tember challenge left! Thanks again Bailey for coming up with all these prompts! It has really helped me to blog more this month.

Today's prompt: What's on your wish list?

one/two/three/four/five/six/seven/eight/nine

I'm a shopper. Mostly, I limit it to window shopping (see: budgeting). Sometimes I take a picture of something at the store... and if I keep thinking about it, I may go back and get it. Or, if I'm "shopping" online, I might bookmark or pin whatever strikes my fancy. Ha. Anyways, these are some of my most recent "wants" I've kept track of.

one// Cheetah pashmina from Kohls. I LOVE this. It's really inexpensive too. The only problem is that I don't wear a lot of scarves (I feel silly in them). Well, that and when I went to go pick this one up this past weekend (I was feeling brave!... and I had gift card) they didn't have them in stock. UGH

two// Victoria's Secret PINK / Dallas Cowboys shirt. Sequins y'all. I see this one in my near future, actually.

three// Brighton ring. I love Brighton. At any given time, I want about 40 things from that store.

four// Riding boots from Nordstrom. I LOOOOVE these, and they are a really good price.

five// Quilted leather jacket from Nordstrom. To match my boots, obviously.

six// I need to go to the eye dr. I need new contacts and glasses in the worst way. I'm thinking about doing prescription sunglasses too. That sentence makes me feel old...but how convenient would that be on bad allergy days (like today, for example).

seven// Kate Spade pink earrings. Cause they are cute, yes?

eight// Juicy wristlet from Kohls. I saw this last weekend and almost got it. I don't really have a need for it...but it's SO cute. And looks really well made too.

nine// Acqua di Gioia. I got a sample of this the other day. It smells SO SO SO good. And the scent stayed with me. I could smell it on my pillow a day or two later. I'm putting this on my Christmas list for sure. I have pretty much worn the same perfumes for years and years. It will be nice to get something new!

What's on your "wants" list?

FRIDAY FIVES

I keep seeing girls link up their 5 on Friday.  I used to link up to another one a while back, but it has been on hiatus for a while (just saw it's coming back next Friday!) . SO... I knew I'd have to jump in and join this one!

1. I debated skipping the blog-tember challenge today as well. The topic is great (how have you changed in the last year), and it is something I want to address... eventually...when I have a bit more time to think about that. But, I thought I would share just a little. If you don't know my story: the last 2 years have been the most difficult of my life. My dad was diagnosed with cancer and passed away 6 months later. Our sweet cat (who was basically my child!) passed away at the first of June this year, and three weeks later, my mother in law died rather suddenly. We've moved twice...with the majority of our belongings packed away in storage for over a year.  I've attempted to eat away ALL that sadness (which has only really succeeded in making me struggle with my weight even more). SO... I feel like I don't have anything positive to share for how I've changed in the last year.

Obviously, I do realize that I have changed over the last few years. The main thing that has stuck with me the last two years is that LIFE IS SHORT. It's here and then it's gone. I remember when my mother in law was in the hospital, C and I kept saying how quick this was all happening. It's like she was okay one day and the next, she wasn't. I don't wan't my "one day" to come too quick, ya know? I want to make sure I'm living, truly living, all of my days...so I don't have any regrets.

Of course, the "wanting" and "doing" part of my brain don't communicate well. So we are sort of stuck in a rut right now. Maybe next year, I will have amazing, inspiring, encouraging story of personal growth to share?!

2. On a lighter note... we are actually getting all of our stuff out of storage this weekend!! Hallelujah!! We have two dressers that we had bought right before we moved. I have big plans to refinish them and use one as a buffet in the dining room and one as a media cabinet. Here are some of the ideas I am loving (do y'all follow Noteworthy Home on facebook? You should!)

one/two/three/four

3. We need a new couch. We've had ours for 6 years...which doesn't seem like that long for a couch. I guess we got a new couch every 10 years or so growing up? I don't even remember!! But, it's showing some definite wear and tear. I don't want to spend the money on a new one, so I'm thinking about buying some foam and adding it inside our cushions. Has anyone done this? They are so flat right now!! I do know that the next time we buy a couch, we are going to spend a little bit more and get a really good quality one. I want a big leather one! I can't quit looking at these tufted ones.

top/bottom

4. The State Fair of Texas starts today! I haven't been in YEARS. But, my best friend's husband is performing there this weekend (The Commandant's Own). C and are going to try and get out there for a bit on Sunday! Charlie told me the other day that he has NEVER been to the fair. WHAT?!! He's so weird! Ha. After 14 years together, he still surprises me.

5. We managed to go for a walk the other day. I know. I should have told y'all to sit down before I revealed that. Ha. I hated every single second of it, but was so proud when we were done. Also... a 20 minute walk made sweat like crazy and I was actually sore afterwards. Proof positive that I have GOT to start doing more. A girl that graduated with my sister lost a bunch of weight after high school. She has been SUCH a huge inspiration to to me. And... I just found out that she is moving into the building around the corner this weekend!!! I'm going to try and talk her into making me skinny too! Ha.

Y'all have a great weekend!!

LET'S TALK BUDGET

I'm skipping today's blog-tember challenge. Mostly because I didn't look forward and plan accordingly to do the guest post.

I didn't look forward and plan accordingly.

Ladies (and guys, if you are reading)... if ever there were a statement to fully encapsulate my lack of maturity, there it is.

And, as such, I thought it was fitting that I continue to confess my sins to y'all on this lovely Thursday.

Oh my goodness. I am the worst at this. It's weird, because my husband was really responsible with his money before we started dating. And, I'm really really good at numbers. I also have a type A personality (with exceptions). So, you'd think creating and sticking to a budget would be cake.

Not so much.

I'm type A personality in so much as I can assure it will be perfect and without conflict. This is obviously a rare occurrence. So mostly, I'm the exact opposite of type A. Ha.

I mean, somewhere in my mind (bless it's heart) if it can't be perfect, it should be a complete mess. Makes sense.

When we were first married, we did Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University at our church. We loved it! We were inspired! We were motivated! We were going to be debt free! We were going to be rich! We were going to give give give!!

Until we got ready to do our budget. C was working weird hours (and got paid per hour- not salary), plus he had a side job with odd hours. I worked part-time, never making the same each month (and I only got paid once a month). I was also doing freelance design stuff (as I am now) and that is never consistent or reliable. So when I sat down to do our budget and try to organize everything... all I had to work with were estimates and guesses. WHAT?!!! What if I under budgeted? What if I over budgeted?

TOO MUCH!!!

So, I didn't do it. I mean, we went from using our credit cards and writing checks/using our debit card to paying cash for everything. And that was great. We tried to pay our bills PLUS some extra as to pay down our balances.  But we never got on the debt snowball train. We never got 'gazelle intensity'.

And, nearly 6 years into wedded bliss... we are pretty much exactly where we were. We aren't worse off (which is a blessing, of course). But we definitely aren't any better off (big picture, I mean). Sure, C only works one job and makes quite a bit more money (yay!) but our rent (yes, rent) is higher as well as most of our monthly expenses. Granted, we don't have to scrape together pocket change to buy dinner of the dollar menu at the end of the month (yay!) but I really thought that we would be in a much different place at this point in our marriage (and certainly at this point in our life).

I had an EPIC melt down yesterday. I don't know what happened, but I just got super frustrated.... WITH MYSELF. After bawling for about an hour about approximately 295 things, it boiled down to one question: "how did we get here?"

If it can't be perfect, it should be a complete mess. 

And it is. Everything in my life that brings me heartache fits into that statement. Relationships? check! My weight? check! Dreams and goals? check! Family? check! Budget? check! check! check!

But, one thing at a time. And as overwhelming as all those issues are, budget seems the easiest to tackle.

So, after reading Hannah's post, I read Victoria's post. And then I sat down and crunched the numbers. I got aggravated and threw crumpled up pieces of paper on the floor. But, I now have a framework budget in plan and I've even started labeling my envelopes.

I keep reminding myself that this is a learning process. It doesn't have to work perfectly the first month. Or the second or third. Or ever, I guess. But, as long as I'm not moving backwards or running myself ragged and basically staying in place... then I'm progressing, right?!

C and I do have big dreams and goals. It's high time we start looking forward and plan accordingly!!!

Do y'all budget? Do y'all do the envelope system? Do y'all pray? Ha!  Cause I may need it!!

FALL BUCKET LIST

I love to-do lists. LOVE them. Of course, we've already established that I'm far better at making lists than completing them. But, that is neither here nor there. In my defense, accomplishing more things on my to-to lists is actually something ON my to-do list.

Some of my favorite "lists" are things I want check off during a particular season. And, my favorite season is FALL, so naturally, creating a fall bucket list is something I thought I should do!

And, that just happens to be today's blog-tember challenge!

Today's prompt: Your fall bucket list. What do you want to do before winter rolls around?

There are lots of similar type lists on pinterest. I thought I would take some of my favorites from those lists and add a few of my personal to-do's and create a little Fall Bucket List for myself (and you, if you're interested!).

Our temps are still in the upper 80s/lower 90s. While that is better than the 100 degree days we had over the summer, I just can't wait for the temperature to dip a little bit more!!

FIVE FAVE BLOGS & FIVE RANDOMS

Coming in just under the wire on today's blog-tember challenge.  But, I'm here! Ha.

Today's prompt: Introduce us to 5 blogs you read on the regular, and tell us why!

I have been reading blogs for a long time. So, I've gone through lots of favorites. I have several blog "friends" who I check out regularly. But most of them have really cut back on blogging, which makes me sad. But, who am I to judge as I went about 3 months without even thinking about blogging.

Anyway, over time there have been a handful that I have really always come back to, and a few new (to me, anyway) ones that I can't get enough of!

Life In Grace:: Her home is so great. Her style is so fun. And she has such a sweet heart.

lifeingraceblog.com

The Sweetest Thing:: This is a newer read to me. I kept pinning things that linked back to her blog, so I finally went to check it out. She is gorgeous. My dream is to one day (no seriously, just for one day) to look as pulled together and chic as she does.

www.thesweetestthingblog.com

Makeup by Tiffany D:: I've watched Tiffany's video tutorials forever. She started sharing home design posts on her blog a while back and she has great style.

makeupbytiffanyd.blogspot.com

Nesting Place:: I remember reading her blog WAY back when (ha!). I may take breaks from blogging (and blog reading) here and there, but I always check in with The Nester to see what is going on over there. I also just picked up her book... and I am completely in love. I will be doing a post about this another day.

thenester.com

Whatever:: Probably my favorite blog. Seriously. So much craftiness, decor and personality.

www.megduerksen.com

I could share lots more. I remember when I had like 400 blogs in my google reader (I miss google reader!). Of course, I didn't read them all regularly so at any given time I would have 1000+ unread blog posts. That just got too stressful. Ha.

1. 100 Happy Days
So, there are 100 days left in the year (can you believe that?!). After some thought, I have decided to hit the reset on my 100 happy days challenge. I had a rough start to my last one... and I immediately felt defeated. So I didn't do it. There is always always ALWAYS something to be happy about. I need to make sure I am more aware and appreciative of that!

2. I am going to WW tomorrow night! I am declaring it here so I don't talk myself out of it later. I think I'm going to start doing a "Weigh In Wednesday" post every week, so if y'all are doing the healthy thing and having something to celebrate... be sure to come share! (Lord knows I need all the motivation I can get!)

3. I'm am trying to decide if I want to do another blog challenge for October. The Nester always hosts a 31 Days challenge in October. Last year I posted about weight loss for the entire month (and managed to gain weight!). While I love having a certain thing to post about, I also like having some freedom. I just can't decide!! Ha.

4. Speaking of challenges and starting over (seriously sensing a theme in my random list), C and I are going to refocus our saving efforts. Sometimes we manage to save with real intention, and other times? Where does all the money go?!!

5. All the new planners are have been coming out the last few weeks. I just can't decide which one I want!! AHHH. I need to hurry and decide because one of the ones I wanted has already sold out. Also, I need to go into the planner design business!!

FALL FAVORITES

I have ALWAYS loved fall. I feel like it's kind of cliche to say that now. But, seriously. Me and fall? A match made in heaven.

Which is why today's blog-tember prompt is my jam.

Today's prompt: Fall Favorites. What do you love most about this season?

one/two(my own photo)/three/four/five

Let's talk about why fall is awesome.

1. The idea that cooler temps are on their way. I live in North Texas. And it is HAWT here in the summer. I mean, it's nearly the end of September and I am still sweating if I have to do any kind of activity outdoors. But, I know that once the kiddos go back to school, it's not much longer till the ac doesn't have to run all the time.

2. Cute clothes. I love boots and sweaters and denim and jackets. Maybe if I was 110 pounds I might like wearing next to nothing, but I'm not (by a long shot) and I really just prefer to cover it up. Layers!! And fall lets you do this without dying of heat stroke.

3. Back to school. I've already established that I'm kind of a nerd. I like school. I like learning. I always loved going back to school and hanging out with any friends I hadn't seen over summer. I loved meeting new teachers and mapping out a plan for the year. Now, I just like that Target isn't full of screaming kids when I go shop in the middle of the day. But, the idea is the same.

4. Speaking of Target and back to school.... the school supply aisles are my favorite! I don't really need 35 new spirals and another set of pens. But I want them. And some index cards. And a binder! Ha.

5. Pumpkins. Cute to decorate, cute to eat. I love pumpkin flavored anything. My sister makes a pumpkin cheesecake sopapilla that is out of this world. Pair that with pumpkin spice frap and some pumpkin seeds... I'm good to go.

6. Honeycrisp apples. They are my favorite!!!

7. Football. Seriously. They wait from February to September nearly kills me every year. Of course, sometimes the ups and downs of the season nearly do me in anyway. BUT... I wouldn't have it any other way.

8. My favorite thing about fall? Celebrating another year married to my sweet husband. We got married the Saturday before Thanksgiving 2008. Excited to celebrate SIX years this fall.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Happy Saturday!!

I almost skipped today's blog-tember post. It's not like it is that challenging of a topic. But, I found myself dealing with a bit of insecurity when I sat down to write it.

Today's prompt: Share a day in the life. Pictures, timelines, stats, however you like.

I decided to go ahead and share a peek into my day to day. This is a pretty accurate representation of where I am at this point in my life. It's not all that exciting. I realize a lot of (busy!) women would probably love to have my schedule (or lack there of). And I'll admit... some days are great. But, overall, I feel very unfulfilled. And lonely. I think my initial embarrassment when I tried to come up with a timeline of my day is a pretty good indicator that now is the time to make some changes!! It makes me sad to think that anyone isn't be living to their full potential. And yet, here I am doing just that.

When I first started working from home, it was SO MUCH FUN. I went from getting up early and going to school or working for a school to having all my time to myself. I was blogging regularly (at my old blog) and had enough design business to 1) keep me busy and 2) give me some fun money. Since then, I have had lots and lots of clients but I've also experienced some pretty serious lulls.  I've had a roller coaster of emotions with my design business. Most of the time, I love it. LOVE IT. It's fun to meet new people and work with them on designing their blog, wedding announcement, business logo, etc. But, sometimes, it's not so fun. Sometimes people are indecisive (and rude) and I feel sort of like I'm not really doing anything worthwhile. That being said, I think those are completely normal emotions for most people (Lord knows I have experienced them at all of my previous jobs...to some extent).

Don't get me wrong, working from home has a lot of perks. I don't have a set schedule. I have the freedom to go and do as I please and I'm SO SO SO grateful for that. But, I'm not always a good steward of my time. Some days I get a lot of things accomplished. Some days? I get NOTHING accomplished. I think this is a major source of my restlessness right now. 

I have a passion for design. But, I feel like I need to be doing more. I need more structure. I am hoping that going back to finish up my certification in the spring proves to be just the catapult I need into my new season of life!!

Anyway... my day to day....

:: I usually wake up around 10ish. I am a night owl. Some nights I don't go to sleep until 4 or 5 am. Crazy!!

:: I'm not very good about eating breakfast. Sometimes I have a banana and peanut butter. Maybe oatmeal. Most of the time, I just skip breakfast.

:: I usually check my email and facebook. I may read a little. I might start some laundry or do any dishes from the previous night. 

:: I might go pick up lunch. Or, I'll eat at home if I'm being "good". My favorite thing for lunch right now is broccoli with cucumber-ranch dip, rice crackers with a cheese wedge and grapes. So good.

:: If my mom has my niece(s) or nephew, I may drive over to her house to visit and play. I'll run errands and maybe go to library or bookstore while I'm out.

:: Even if I don't have anywhere to go, I will take a little drive in the middle of the day. Driving helps me clear my head and think. Plus it gets me out of the house for a bit. I do my best thinking while I'm driving. So, if I am in a creative rut, I will drive out to the lake (right behind us) and make a loop around a neighborhood and then come back. 

:: I rarely watch television during the day. If I'm working, I may watch Harry Potter. I like to have the background noise, and I swear it helps me think better.

:: When C gets home, we may go run some more errands or go shopping (he LOVES to grocery shop). We watch television and cook dinner (or go out to eat). This is my favorite part of the day... to just hang out with him.

:: Once he goes to bed, I do some cleaning. I watch my shows that have been dvr'd. I also loooove watching documentaries on Netflix. And other series (I just watched Friday Night Lights...OMG). I read some blogs. I will blog. Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, etc. I will do some more work, if I have any.

:: Once I get in bed, I may watch some Modern Family reruns or try to read. I always try to go to sleep by 2am.... but a lot of times I toss and turn until C is getting up to get ready for work. CRAZY!!

It seems SO boring when I type it all out. It also makes me question why our apartment isn't spotless and organized a la Martha Stewart. But, like I said. I'm not good with my time. I think the busier I am, the better I am with my time. If that makes sense? As it is, most days I have all these hours that are free and I feel like I wander around in circles with no direction.

Anyway... there ya have it.  I need to get better about living with intention. I do better when I make daily to-do lists, which is something I need to challenge myself to do more often.

I am planning on going back to school in the spring. I'm hoping that will keep me busy and that new responsibility will bring some life back into my everyday! That is a statement I never would have said 10 years ago!! Ha. I'm getting old!

A WORD OF ADVICE

Took another couple of days off from blogging. I did manage to get some other things done around the house though. I finished a book, and I'm almost done with another. So basically, I read. Ha.  But, I'm back to the challenge today, and hoping to finish the month strong!

Today's prompt: If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?

This is a good one. My first instinct would be to tell people to be quiet more often. Just because you have an opinion (even one you feel super passionate about) doesn't mean 1) you are right or 2) we all want to hear/read/see it.

Or, I may tell people to just be kind. It's not that hard (sometimes it's as simple as just being quiet!!) Think of how different this world would be if people sought kindness more often?

But, I know that if I ever got the chance to really give a group of people advice. It would be simple. It's something I think about every single day.

LOVE ON YOUR PARENTS WHILE YOU GET THE CHANCE. 

YOU WILL MISS THEM GREATLY WHEN THEY ARE GONE. 

SEPTEMBER GOALS :: MID MONTH CHECK IN

Skipping today's blog-tember challenge. One of these days I may do a vlog, but today is not that day! HA.

I thought, instead, I would do a check in on my monthly goals. I shouldn't have to do this mid-month, but Lord knows I need the accountability.

September Goals

1.  Hit the 15 pound lost mark (only need to lose about 5)
So... I haven't been to WW in forever. I just always have something going on. Plus, I get out of the habit of going and it's hard to get back in the habit. Of course, not really doing the program is the biggest issue. That being said.... my scale at home as gotten down to about 13 pounds lost. But, it fluctuates a lot...and I mostly hover between 9.5 to 12 pounds. I need to get back at it!!!

2.  Organize my  paperwork (I did manage to somewhat organize the student loan stuff)
Still sitting in a laundry basket in the closet. Ha. Out of sight, out of mind. Well, not really.

3.  Excercise at least 5x  
Yeah, NO. Not even once. So shameful.

4.  Read 5 books
Y'all I have NOT read a book in several weeks.  I mean, I'm reading several different books, I just haven't really gotten in the groove and finished any of them. I go through spurts though. Maybe this overcast/rainy weather will help.

5.  Blog more 
I'm doing pretty good with this!! Thanks to Bailey Jean and her challenge. 

6.  Redesign my design site 

I still want to do this, but it's not as big of a priority right now. I need to sit down and brainstorm some ideas and really get clear on what I want to offer and what direction I want to take my design business.

7.  Get me a spirit shirt (buy or make) for Dalton's football season
I've found one I really like. I just need to order it. He's had two games (won both!!!) and he has a bye this week so I should get on it!! I may be able to get it in before the next game.

8.  Go to church (we are trying new churches)
We are going back to our old church this weekend. They are having a new small group meet up. Praying for direction and new fellowship opportunities.

9.  Complete a vision board
Did it. Had a lot of fun with it too. I want to get it laminated (LOL...is that crazy?) because some of the images are lifting. I also want to get my bulletin board put up above my desk to sort of continue the vision board theme. I think I will mostly put inspiring quotes on that. And family pictures.

10. Help C empty storage
We so need to do this. We have until the end of the month. I just wish it would cool off.

11. Refinish media cabinet
Need to get it out of storage first.

12. Get curtains for living room
I can't decide what I want!!!

13. Finish paperwork for school
I need to do this asap.I have to reapply and get all my paperwork current. It's really not that difficult but it will take a trip to the school and I just haven't had the time.

14. Make calendar of important dates and mail cards/get gifts
I am going to try and do this today. I did pretty good at the beginning of the month... but I was having to buy cards/gifts very last minute. I hate that. I really want to get to where I have them all on my calendar and buy cards/gifts once a month so I'm prepared and not feeling rushed.

15. Do something about my hair (cut and color?)
I cut it!! Now I just need to decide what color.

16. Backup photos from phone (I've NEVER done this..eek)
Done!! I have an iPhone 4s (I know...so old) and I am excited to get a new one next month. BUT...I was fearful everyday that my phone would crash because I had like 3500 pictures on my current phone. It would constantly give me messages about lack of storage. I finally transferred them all to my computer/external hard drive. It's like a new phone ... I was able to finally update the operating system and all of my apps. It's so fast now. Almost makes me not want a new phone. Almost.

17. Get/make a fall wreath
It's hard to get motivated to do this when it's still in the high 90's. 

18. Picture a day 
NOPE. I clearly like to take pictures (see above). But... I can't seem to make myself routinely take one a day. So silly.

19. Make 2 new recipes (1/2)
I made baked chicken fajitas (from this recipe). We loved them. Actually made them again last night.  Need to find another recipe to try out!

20. Watch the Cowboys WIN (I'll need help with this one!)
YAY!! They beat the Titans this past Sunday. Hopefully I can check this off twice more this month. I'm feeling pretty confident about the Rams. We'll see. GO COWBOYS!!

Okay...So I'm doing okay this month. I mean it could be a lot better. But, I could also be staring at a list with NOTHING accomplished (it happens more than it doesn't!). It's good to take another look at the list and see where I need to improve (workouts, weight watchers are my main issues right now). I will check back in in two weeks with my monthly progress as well as a my new goals for October (eek!!).

RANDOMLY SPEAKING

I can't believe September is now officially half way over. I say this every month...when will I learn that the months go by fast?!

LOVE THIS SHOP!! (print found here)

I struggled with whether or not to participate in today's challenge for blog-tember. Not because of the challenge itself, but more because I wasn't sure what to write. (story.of.my.life)

Today's prompt: "Most people don't know this but..."

I feel like I'm a fairly open book with the things I want to share. And I keep the things I want private locked down pretty good. So this one is throwing me for a loop. A lot of the other girls are just sharing random facts... so I guess that is the route I will go. If you have followed my blog for a while, none of these will be all that surprising.

1. I LOVE clouds. LOVE them. I have about 400 random photos of clouds in my photo stream. When were the taken? Where were they taken? NO CLUE. But gosh, they sure are pretty!!

2. I took French all throughout high school. I tried to take it in college but dropped the class, now I can only remember about 10 words/sayings. This is one of my bigger regrets!

3. I can say the alphabet backwards.

4. I'm a procrastinator. In the worst way. But, I usually work best under pressure (even though I ALWAYS swear next time I wont wait until last minute!).

5. I met C right after I turned 21. He was (well, and still is) 13.5 years older than me. He was not anything like the guy I "imagined" I would marry. AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

6. I didn't graduate college until I was 28. I took several years off after high school. I also took my sweet time several semesters (see #2  AND #4 above).

7. Speaking of college graduation. C proposed the week before I graduated, and I turned 28 the day before. That was a fun week!!

8. I didn't eat red meat for like 8 years after high school and into my twenties. I also haven't had a hot dog or bologna since I was 12. No real reason for either of those. Just woke up one day and decided I didn't like them. (Wish I would do that with sugar and bread!).

9. I have the hardest time trying to decide what to do with my future. Some days I want to be a teacher (well like 99% of the time this is what I want to do). But sometimes, I want to be a realtor, interior designer, author, stationery designer/shop owner, even an accountant (I like numbers). I ALWAYS forget that I'm in my thirties and should have a better grasp on this type of thing by now. What can I say... I'm wild and free. Well, more like I'm indecisive and lazy! Yay!

10. I've been feeling VERY restless here lately. I feel like I'm on the cusp of some major changes. I just pray my laziness/procrastination does not interfere!!

So, tomorrow's prompt is to do a vlog and I'm like 112% sure that is not going to happen (does anyone else CRINGE when they watch themselves on video?). I'm obsessed with watching videos on youtube (mostly makeup and hair tutorials) and would love to do my own. But, that will probably never happen. Instead, I think I will do a check in with my monthly goals tomorrow. I know y'all are just dying to see how I'm doing with those. 

WANT THIS PLEASE

I took a bit of  blogging/challenge break over the weekend. I didn't intend to take off any days this month (much less three in a row) but I will have to save those prompts for later on!

We had a busy weekend. I chopped all my hair off Friday night. It was very spur of the moment, so I went to a new girl. I meant to get about 4 or 5 inches cut. I think she cut about 11. YIKES. Thankfully, C had gone with me. I was crying BIG tears when we left (not in front of the girl... but the minute we stepped outside). He was so sweet about it. I know that's one of those moments he was REALLY wishing he had stayed home though! Ha.  But, I mean, it's just hair... and mine grows really fast. So... I suppose a change will be good for me for a little while.

My nephew is playing football again. It's his second season... and it is just too fun to watch. He is a natural. He's super fast and his team is really good. That makes it even more enjoyable. My nieces always look super cute, and they love to cheer their bubba on. How sweet are they?!

Okay, so today's blog-tember prompt is to create a mood board. I am constantly adding things to my "want this please" list. I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that are currently on it. I mean it's nice to have these items organized... just in case someone decides they really want to buy me stuff. HA.

one/two/three/four/five/six/seven/eight

Okay, so most of this is a "keep on wishing" list ... but, ya never know when you may find an extra couple thousand dollars in need of spending. Right?!

I'm really wanting to try the Balm eye shadow palette. It's paraben free and has pretty good reviews (a combo that I have a hard time finding). I love the colors and the reviews say it lasts all day. I may have to get this for myself soon!

I love that silly little cosmetics bag. I just can't bring myself to spend $100 on it. Ugh!!!

I've wanted a Louis since I was a little girl. My Aunt had a Speedy WAYYYY back in the day. She sold it at a garage sale (CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!) about 20 years ago. We both regret that!! Ha. But... this bag is on my "weight loss rewards" list... or really "when I hit goal" list. One day it will be mine!!

I've never been a watch girl. But these are growing on me. I like the two-tone. And the bling.

How cute is this flatware? I want it SO bad!! I'm asking for it for Christmas. I mean we have some flatware we received as gifts when we got married. We use it everyday and still love it (it's very basic... but timeless). BUT... black and white polka dots are just irresistible!!! Right?

Y'all probably know that I want ALL the boots ALL the time. Ha. We went to get C some new boots last weekend and I was like I'll take a pair of these, and a pair of those, and those. Do I wear boots? Not regularly... I mean they don't really go with yoga pants and tshirts. They are just so pretty!! (the boots... not my everyday uniform).

I have worn the same necklace everyday for YEARS. Seriously, maybe 18 years? I've only ever taken it off when the chain broke, and on my wedding day (I wore my Grandmother's diamond). I am really loving these beaded necklaces though. Her etsy shop is adorable y'all.

And... the biggest want right now is this Restoration Hardware Kensington sofa. It's so pretty. Our couch that we currently have has been well loved, and it's showing its wear. Hopefully, when we buy a house here in the next few months, we can get this baby (or a reasonably priced look alike).

What's on your current "want this" list? 

INSPIRED

Today's prompt: How do you stay inspired? Who inspires you the most?

one/two/three/four

I am a visual person. Sometimes I get somewhere (like little boutiques or flea markets) and I feel like I'm on sensory overload!! Even with just everyday life, I am constantly inspired - and I find inspiration in all kinds of places.

I used to tear out images of magazines or save pictures I found online to look at later when I needed a creative spark. If only I'd thought of turning this idea into a social media platform! Ha. Love instagram, tumblr and pinterest. If I'm feeling blah or uninspired, I will just spend a few minutes perusing one (or all) of these. That usually does the trick! 

I still tear up my magazines. I love doing vision boards or pinning things that inspire me on my bulletin board or fridge. I will pick up menus that I like the design of, keep the cute sales tag from a purchase. I'm also kind of a hoarder... but that is probably not related. Right?

Other things that inspire me?

Pattern (polka dots, stripes, animal print)

Turquoise

Family pictures

Fresh flowers

Television (Friends!)

New office/school supplies

And...

Shopping! My favorite stores/inspiration stops:

Anthropolgie, Junk Gypsy, Kate Spade, Target, Homegoods, World Market, stationery stores, flea markets (Canton First Monday!) and local boutiques.

10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT {ME}

source

I am having "a day". I mean seriously. I don't feel that good and my mind is waging war on me today.

So, it would be SUPER easy to skip today's blog post for the challenge. Super easy.

But, it's also probably the day I most need to challenge myself to persevere.

Today's prompt: List 10 things you love about yourself.

HA!!!

I find it super annoying when people toot their own horn. I feel like your positive traits should be shown and not told.  I'm also not a fan of self-deprecation. Unfortunately... I'm really good at it. Way better at it then self love. And that needs to stop. I mean nothing good comes belittling others... or ourselves.

I realize I am not perfect. Not by a long shot. And, I don't strive to be. There are certainly areas of my life that need some BIG improvements.  I need to work harder on those areas. But... I also have lots of redeeming qualities. So... as awkward as this is... hopefully it will do my psyche some good today.

source

TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MYSELF

1.  I love my husband. A lot. I'd like to think I show my gratitude and love by being a good wife.

2.  I've been blessed with good hair (and LOTS of it). Granted, it's mostly in a top-knot or bun. But, on the rare occasion I do something with it... I love it.

3.  I love my friends and family. I don't show emotion well. But... you'll never have a bigger/better ally.

4.  I'm funny. At least I think and I'm funny. And my friend and family seem to play along.

5.  My memory and sense of smell are ON POINT. These are both a blessing and a curse.

6.  I know a lot about football. And I'm passionate about my teams (even though it's sometimes painful to watch).

7.  I think I have a good eye for design and I love being creative.

8. I think I'm a smart cookie. I am self taught with lots of things. Including algebra.

9.  I love to read. It makes me sad when people say they don't like to read. I don't understand!!!

10. I take my job as "cool Aunt" VERY SERIOUSLY. I love my nieces and nephews so much!!

silly faces work every time!

PERSONALITY

Today's prompt: Let's talk personality types. Introverted? Extroverted? Unsure-troverted? If you know you Myers-Briggs type, share it!

Before I took the test,  I thought I would just describe my personality the way I see it.

So, I'm Tricia and I'm....

-an introvert... unless I'm comfortable around you. 

-emotional, but very guarded. 

-not overly compassionate, I don't do "feelings" well. 

-a big day dreamer. 

-a believer in unlimited opportunities and that things aren't always set in stone. 

-a rule follower. 

-loyal to a fault.

-analytical. But also creative.

-a numbers fan and I over think just about everything. 

-a planner; love to-do lists. But, I need to feel motivated to actually do things.

Also, I'm fairly certain I have mild OCD. I took 4 personality tests.

One just ranked me as Rational (which includes ENTJ, INTJ, ENTP and INTP)

Two of them scored me as INTJ (both scoring me high on Intuitive "N")

And one scored me as ISTJ (but only marginally Observant or "S")

The last test (here) had a sliding scale to answer with...so that may have had something to do with the different outcome? 

Anyway... about INTJ

It's one of the rarest personality traits, especially with women (less that 1% of women) and they are "imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy". (source) 

unknown

This makes me laugh out loud. Don't make clicking noises around me (hahaha...ask my husband). Don't act stupid around me. Don't get emotional near me (that sounds awful...but I just get super uncomfortable!). Do not hug me. Do not surprise or scare me. SO SO SO me!! In a nice way...of course. Ha.

I think most women have a natural tendency to be a caregiver...I'm just not one of those. I am not touch-feely. I never really noticed it until a few years ago when I was in my first car wreck. A girl had managed to side-swipe an older lady's car and then rear-end mine. I never really got angry, but I just kept wondering how it had happened... like I was trying to reconstruct the scene and I kept thinking there is no logical way her car could have done this, this and this when it was just doing this. Meanwhile both the younger girl and the older woman were worried about everyone being okay/not injured. Obviously I wanted everyone to be okay. But, I guess since I was okay, I just never thought to ask the others? 

I did read that INTJ's have a tendency to be narcissistic... and I don't think I'm a full blown narcissist... but I do need to be careful not to get to that point. The good thing working for me is that I over think everything... so hopefully that serves as a good checks and balances for me! It's not that I want others to suffer, I just some times forget my manners to make sure they are doing ok. If that makes sense. 

Oh...and I looked up famous INTJ. Kind of depressing. Ha. Not very many women at all. Lots of scientists and well, geniuses (yay!) but also a lot of terrorists (?)! My favorite celebrity INTJ partners in crime are Ashley Olsen and Mark Zuckerberg.

Cha ching.