A letter to my teenage self

I once saw a post about a 20-something gal who wrote a letter to herself as a teenager. I thought it was a great idea, so I figured I would do the same today. Hopefully someone out there will read this during their teenage years and heed my advice—trust me, it will be worth it!

A letter to my teenage self:

• Go to community college---you will save $50,000 and a helluva lot of time
• Consider the consequences of drinking in the woods at 16, then decide to stay home and watch a movie instead
• Try to be a little nicer to your sisters..one day you will be best friends and you will realize that you can’t live without them
• Do NOT apply for that credit card with the shiny logo and nearly unlimited spending power---your credit will thank you
• While riding the subway, never sit on the inside--people are creeps and will try to grab you...punch them if they do
• Stand up for yourself against the bullies at school..one day you will be happy and successful and they will still be mentally 17
• Break-ups happen...A LOT...don't sit in your room and listen to sappy songs for 48 hours---these speed bumps are just making your heart stronger so that when the time comes, you can give half of it away to your soul mate
• One day you are going to cave in and move to Florida, even though you are a "city girl" at heart...trust me, it's for the best
• Eat a ton of cheese steaks, because when you eventually do move to Florida, you will miss them more than you know
• Stop trying to change who you are to fit in. You are unique and quirky and tacky and that's ok--one day your husband will love you even more because of these things
• Never underestimate the importance of a job. As an adult you will need all of the experience you can get.
• Your mom is not being a nag when she tells you not to drink and drive...you will witness some things that make you understand the importance of this--take it to heart
• Learn to love ramen noodles. There will be a time in your life when dinner will be a choice between ramen noodles or chips, and you will be ever-so-thankful for that 30 cent packet
• When Jon Bon Jovi signs your cell phone case, stop using it!! Instead of keeping it on there for another 6 months until the signature wears off, put it on eBay and sell that hunk of plastic!!
• One day it won't matter that your curfew is 10:00, while everyone else is out roaming the streets. It won't matter that you only had a handful of friends instead of a huge gathering. And it definitely won't matter what your sister/boyfriend/friend said or did to you to piss you off. Because one day, you are going to look around and realize that your life is pretty damn awesome. And the crazy ass roller coaster ride to get here has only made it that much better.

What would you say to your teenage self? Feel free to comment or write your own list!

I hope you enjoyed!! 

Ready for spring

Is anyone else as ready for spring as I am? I am so tired of the cold, the wind, the winter jackets, etc. I love pulling out my boots and scarves as much as the next gal, but after a little while, enough is enough! I'm ready for planting flowers, consistent 75 degree days, leaves on the trees and late night beach walks. If we are being honest, I'm ready for bikinis, tan lines and lounging in the pool, but that seems like a lifetime away right now. So instead, I am looking forward to the spring. As I mentioned in last week's post, the stores are finally putting out their pastels and flowy skirts, and I am taking full advantage!! This weekend I was all about the spring colors as we headed to Chuck-E-Cheese with the rugrats. (which was complete mayhem since it was a rainy day and everyone in my town had the same idea). Through all the craziness I was able to debut my new favorite clothing item, this amazing sleeveless aztec print sweater. I paired it with some mint skinnies and a turquoise necklace and fell in love!

 

Sweater/Duster: Rue21 (here)

Skinnies: Rue21 (by the way, I have these in like every color they offer) (here)

Necklace: Wet Seal (similar here)

Shirt: Body Central

Boots: Charlotte Russe 

Watch: Gift from hubby

I hope everyone is having a great week so far!!

The Melting Pot date night

A few weeks ago, Steven and I won a $100 gift card to The Melting Pot. We played a radio contest where they asked me 3 questions, then the hubby had to answer the same 3 questions and try to match my answers. Harder than it seems....but in the end, we won the gift card and were so excited about trying it out. Neither of us had ever been there and I heard that it was de-lish! Well everyone was right! The food was so yummy and the experience itself was so different! If you haven't been there, I will give you a little run down, because it's more of an adventure than a normal restaurant. First of all, it was the most romantic private place that I have ever eaten. The whole place is so dark, with just a little light above your table. They put us in this cozy little booth in the corner--the booth was L-shaped so we didn't have to sit across from each other, which was great! We ended up going with the 4 course meal, which is a little pricey but definitely worth it. The first course was cheese fondue served with bread, veggies and apples. The server makes the cheese dip right in front of you so you get to see everything that goes into it--great idea!! Next was the salad, which I originally thought was wayyy to small to be considered a dinner salad, but it was amazing and I was thankful that it didn't fill me up. Next came the main course, which threw me for a loop, if I'm being honest. They bring out a plate of raw meat, and you have to cook it yourself at the table. I got chicken, filet mignon & spinach artichoke ravioli, and the hubby got a plate with a whole bunch of different meats on it. It was all so good!! For dessert they make a chocolate fondue at your table, served with a bunch of fruit and cakes. The whole experience take about 3 hours, if you go with the 4 course meal, and it was so worth every minute. We will definitely be going back again!!

I wanted to share a few pics of the evening with you. Since it was so dark in there, I had to turn the flash on, causing all of the pictures to be super bright and blown out. But it was either that or no pictures, so they will have to do.

 

The cheese fondue served with veggies, bread and apples. We went with the cheddar cheese which was made with beer and worcestershire sauce, among other things.

 

The main course, served with like 7 sauces for your dipping pleasure.

 

The dessert plate consisted of apples, strawberries, brownies, red velvet cake, graham crackers, rice krispy treats and marshmallows.  We went with the smore's fondue and it was amazing!!

I would highly recommend trying out The Melting Pot if you have never been there. Plan on being there for a few hours and spending a pretty penny, but also plan on enjoying yourself thoroughly. It is a great spot for a date night!!

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!!

The time I bought a lemon....

Today I am going to share a story with you about the reason you should never buy a brand new car. Like, ever. A few years ago, the hubby and I decided to go car shopping. I was in desperate need of a new car--my battery died on a daily basis, 3 out of my 4 tires needed to be replaced and it was turning into more of a hassle than it was worth. Off we went to the dealership with every intention of buying a used car with good gas mileage. After shopping around, we figured out that my car was worth about as much as a stick of gum, so in order to avoid an exuberant amount of negative equity, I decided on a brand new Dodge Avenger. I guess it was new car fever, because Steven decided to trade in his truck for a brand new Challenger. Off the lot we drove, with 2 brand new cars and 2 ridiculous car payments (seriously, it was more than our mortgage payment and it made me sick every month).  Here is a picture of the beauty herself....

 

<3 RIP Piper <3

Now on to the fun part...

2 weeks after driving off the lot, I came out after work and noticed that my entire front windshield was cracked. A huge line ran down the center from top to bottom. I knew that I hadn't hit anything and there were no dings or other marks, so I was completely baffled. Lucky for me, windshield replacements are free in Florida, so my beautiful cherry red Piper (that's right, I name my cars...) was back to normal in no time...Until about 2 weeks later. While driving down the interstate on the way home from work, I heard a loud crack and noticed that my windshield had broken yet again. At this point I had owned the car for less than a month and I was on windshield number 3. I knew something wasn't quite right with the car, but I figured I would give it another shot and see what happened. Well that lasted all of about 4 months...

One day I noticed that my engine light came on, and being a complete paranoid freak, I dialed up the dealership immediately. They told me to bring it in and they would take a look. The mechanic came out, plugged some tool up to my car and the light shut off. I was sent on my way, being told that sometimes lights just come on and I had nothing to worry about. Nothing, indeed--the light was back on a week later. Same process all over again. Brought the car in to the dealer, they shut the light off and told me if it happened again to schedule maintenance. Low and behold, the "nothing to worry about" turned into a replacement of my car's computer system due to a malfunction and a crack in the fuel line. Wonderful, right?

During this time, I had gotten in touch with Dodge & Chrysler via an extremely angry yet very professional letter (I am an excellent angry letter write).

The last straw was a month or so later. The engine light was off, the windshield was intact, but I was noticing a new noise. Whenever I would turn my steering wheel, the car made a weird grinding sound. It ended up being the rack and pinion (whatever the hell that is?) and off we went back to the shop. I was without my car for A WEEK while they flew someone in from HQ to replace everything.

By now I had already sent 4 letters, with no resolve, so off went letter number 5. ((Meanwhile, while everything was going on with my car, Steven's brand new car was also having a range of problems! His seat was replaced twice in the first year, his turn signal shifter FELL OFF, and the rubber seal on his hood was destroyed)) After receiving a less than acceptable response from Dodge, I went higher and higher until I reached the CEO of Mopar. It took months of aggravation and what seems like hundreds of phone calls & letters, but I was finally able to get a resolution. Even though my car did not technically qualify as a lemon (it had several different issues, for a lemon it must be the same issue 3+ times) Dodge decided to take it back and replace it with a brand new 2013 vehicle. I ended up going for the brightest most obnoxiously orange car in existence..seriously, the picture does it no justice...

 

My new baby, Daphne the Dart

Lessons Learned:

-Dodge's are terrible cars

-I will never buy a brand new car again

-Letter writing eventually pays off

-The lemon law is the most difficult, pain in the ass thing to deal with

Boho & Braids

I am so excited that the stores are starting to put their spring & summer clothes out!! I have been staring at my maxis for months and I can't wait until the weather warms up!!! It's just not the same wearing a maxi with a winter jacket and boots. The other day I found the CUTEST bohemian looking maxi and I had to have it. And since the weather hit almost 75 degrees, I took full advantage!! I strapped on the wedges and added a cardi and I was good to go. I also found the instabraid page on IG and tried my hand at an upside-down french braid with my hot buns. Definitely not an A+ but not bad for my first try.

 

Skirt & Belt: Rue 21 (Similar here) (Similar here)

Shirt: Target

Cardi: Bealls

Earrings: Charlotte Russe

 

 

The braid turned out a little crooked and loose, but I'll eventually get better at it.

I hope everyone is having an amazing week!!!

 

Bathroom facelift

We had our house built a little over 3 years ago, and we have made tons of updates since then. We ripped up the floors, added back splash, painted some walls, added a fire pit and a pool and several other additions. One thing we haven't made any changes to is the master bathroom. We have big plans in store, including  replacing the tub with a tile shower and re-doing the closet, and we will eventually get around to doing them. Yesterday, however, I realized that I needed a change. The shower curtain has been the same for as long as I can remember, the vanity needed some major de-cluttering, and it just needed an overall face lift. So off to the store I went, decorative gears a-turning, and I spent 2 hours picking out some new decor. And let me tell you, I feel much better! Now it looks less like a plain jane bathroom and more like a cozy and romantic commode (I really just wanted to refer to it as a commode). Even the smallest little updates can make a room look 100% better!

 

How cute is that tissue box?! And the soap dispenser--amazinggg!! I am LOVING the Sofia Vergara collection...super sparkly and gaudy and exactly my taste!

 

Of course I had to buy the matching shower curtain and hooks to go with the tissue box. They are super sparkly and the picture does not do them justice.

 

I have been eying up these monogrammed towels for awhile now and I finally caved and bought them.  The shelf is also new...the space above the toilet was way too bare and I couldn't take it!

 

This picture was drawn by a woman I used to work with, and I absolutely love it! It has been in my bathroom for a few years now, but I figured it was still picture worthy :) 

So there it is, the new updates (and some old ones) to my bathroom. I love love love them and now I am even more impatient about our eventual bathroom remodel.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far!!

Where did the weekend go?

It's been a few days since I've been on here, the weekend kind of took over and I haven't stopped moving in days!! Since V-Day was Friday and we both had to work, and since the hubby had to work Saturday morning, we decided to celebrate on Saturday night. Our original plan was to hit up The Melting Pot and then head to the beach, but it didn't work out as planned. The Melting Pot was COMPLETELY booked up all weekend (leave it to me to wait until the last second to try making reservations) and it was a little too chilly for the beach. So instead we headed to TGI Fridays for some dinner and drinks, then rented a hotel for the night and had a mini-getaway. Since I have the best hubs in the world, we had a great time celebrating!

Luckily it was a 3 day weekend--the baskets of clean clothes were starting to take over my bedroom. I know I am not the only one who hates putting clothes away! I have no problem washing and folding the clothes, but the baskets can literally sit there for 2 days a week before I get the motivation to put the clothes away. The idea of laying all the clean clothes out on the bed, putting them all on hangers and trying to shove entirely too many clothes into my closet is such a daunting task. Now all of the clothes are put away and a fresh load waits for me in the dryer. And just as soon as I peel myself away from my comfy bed I will get to it.....

On another note, I got my tattoo!! I actually got it last week, but due to my horrible lack of blogging, I am just mentioning it now. I ended up going for the dream catcher on my rib cage, but I added a little twist by swirling my last name into the feathers. Looks amazing and I would love to share a picture, but due to the gross scabbing and peeling, that will have to wait until next week. And while we are on the topic of my new tattoo, I will also share with everyone that I acted like a big.huge.baby while getting it done. There were words coming out of my mouth that would embarrass even the most seasoned sailor. I even had the poor tattoo artist apologizing for hurting me! You would never know that I had done it ELEVEN times before...let me just say that I am happy I do not have any more room on my rib cages because it was ridiculous. Like, some of the worst pain I've felt in a long time. Luckily the end result came out fabulous, so I am glad I endured the torturous agony discomfort for a few hours.

Now onto what I wore over the weekend. I had all intentions of buying a new dress to wear for our date night, but since it felt like someone was ripping off my ribcage all day on Saturday, I was in no mood to try on new clothes. So instead I opted for some more green and some comfy boots.

 

Tank, Skinnies, Bracelet & Necklace: Rue 21 (Here, here, here, similar here)

Jacket & Boots: Target

Watch: Gift from hubby (similar here)

FYI--if I ever forget to post a what/where about a certain piece of clothing I am wearing, just assume it's from Rue21. Seriously..they need to have like a frequent shoppers club..because I would be president.

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!!!

Twilight...6 years later

Years ago, when Twilight first came out, I was obsessed!!! I mean, I literally read all 4 books in a week, and then picked them up a week later and read them again. If you haven't read the books yet (which is absurd, by the way) you need to pick them up and read them. Like, tomorrow. Since reading them a few years ago, they have been sitting on my shelf collecting dust. Well just last week I decided to pick them up and read them again. BIG mistake. I am completely sucked right back in. And not in the "Wow this is a really good book and I don't want to put it down" kind of way. But in a "oh my god why are vampires not real" and "I just saw a silver Volvo, think it's Edward Cullen?" kind of way. Its a huge problem. Something about the books---draws me right in and takes over my whole day. I know, I sound like an obsessed teeny-bopper. If you are one of the few that have not read the books, you are probably thinking, what could possibly be good about them? A whiny, clumsy teenage girl living in a rainy town in Washington, a bunch of beautiful vampires that don't drink human blood, and a 16 year old werewolf with a 12 pack. Well, boys and girls, Stephanie Meyer must have some kind of magical powers, because she turned those 3 things into the most amazing 2,200 pages in existence. Let's dive right in, shall we?

Meet Edward Cullen. The most beautiful 19 year old vampire in existence. He sparkles...He can stop a car from crushing you..And his eyes just happen to be the most beautiful color ever.

 

Prime example...Bella is about to be crushed by the van, in steps Edward. Seriously, why are real people not able to do this? 

 

Meet Jacob--the 16 year old that I previously referred to. He starts out with like a 5 minute role in the first book. By the second book, we know his entire life story and how much he loves Bella. Poor Jake.

 

Oh the meadow...The meadow appears several times throughout the book, and it makes you wish that everyone laid in wildflowers and sparkled in the sun. Unfortunately, I live in Florida and fire ants suck. So I don't lay in meadows. Or sit on the grass. Ever.

 

This is some of the sparkly I was referring to. I know what you are thinking--skinny white guy with no shirt on---how attractive. I guarantee you will feel differently when you read the books. Unless you are my aunt Pat, in which case you probably stopped reading after the first line. 

So let's recap:

1. Twilight is the most amazing book to ever be written. Followed by New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

2. It sucks that vampires don't exist in real life

3. These books have the power to take over your entire life...no lie

4. If you haven't read the books, close your laptop and go to the library. Or go to www.readanybook.com. See how easy, you don't even have to get up.

So there's another one of my secrets. I am a complete twi-hard. And I love sparkly vampires. True story. 

I hope everyone is having a great week so far...and guess what, 3 day weekend coming up!!!!

 

 

A little about me...from A-Z

I got this idea from http://www.foreveryoungtheblog.com/ and thought it was so cute, so I figured I would write one too!! Hope you enjoy!

 

My sisters, brother and I...we are a pretty special group

A - Age: 28

B - Birthday: August 21st

C - Color: Green..especially neon green

D - Drink: Red Bull & Dr. Pepper

E - Essential Item: Chapstick

F - Flashback: Steven proposing to me, our wedding, the night we decided to start trying for a baby

G - Gent: My hubby--Steven, Swick, SWK <3

H - Hobby: Cooking, reading, watching DIY network

I - Indulgence: Mint chocolate chip ice cream, strawberry-banana daiquiris, pasta, cinnabon

J - Job: Commercial banking

K - Kiddos: Hopefully soon!!!! but for now, our lab/rottweiler Casper

L - Live: Panhandle, Florida..I would tell you the town but its so small that if you blink, you will miss it

M - Music: Country music is my go to...but lately I have been LOVING the pitch perfect soundtrack..and of course the backstreet boys will always have my heart

N - Nickname: Bee, Beez, Beenanz, Beezly, on a rare occasion Bri

O - Overnight hospital stays: Concussion when I was 9, tonsillectomy when I was 12

P - Pets: The most adorable dog in the world, Casper

Q - Quote from a movie: "You're like my own personal brand of heroin"--Twilight
"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. What a stupid lamb. What a sick masochistic lion"--oh Edward Cullen
Paul Edgecomb: Your name is John Coffey? John Coffey: Yes sir boss. Like the drink, only not spelled the same--The Green Mile

R - Right or left: Lefty

S - Siblings: 2 sisters--Angela & Nikiya; one brother--Frankie

T - Temperature:  I LOVE the summer! I could spend every day on the beach, in the sand with a good book

U - University: I went to college at Drexel University

V - Vehicle: 2013 Dodge Dart..its seriously the brightest orange you have ever seen in your life

W - Worst Habit: I bite and pick my lips all.the.time

X - X-ray:  Ummm, maybe when I sprained my neck..and when I was in a car accident

Y - Yuck: Orange tic-tacs, orange soda, any skittles other than red or purple, flavored water

Z - Zoo animal favorite: Monkeys and cats (lions, tigers, cheetah...all of them!)

What I Wore...

Aside from my failed attempt at getting a tattoo and the return of The Walking Dead, this weekend consisted of hair dying, dog bathing and car shopping. The hubby is looking for a truck instead of his sporty little Challenger. I love the look of the Challenger, and he looks damn sexy in it, but I absolutely HATE driving it!! It's too fast, I feel like the car swallows me and I am always afraid that I am going to smash it to pieces. He used to have a truck a few years ago, and it was a beast!! It was a huge Nissan Titan crew cab with an extended bed--and it.was.huge. This time around he looked at a few that weren't bad, but nothing that was knock-your-socks-off, so we left the dealership empty handed. My momma did buy a new car though, so it wasn't an all around waste of time. Guess we will just have to keep looking on our end!

On a good note, this weekend was FINALLY sunny!! It was warm--I think it hit above 70--and the sun was shining!!! I tried to take advantage of the beautiful weather for some outside shots of what I wore, but the sun was in my eyes and I was only able to get one good shot outside. Not one to disappoint, I took plenty of shots inside the house, and I was even able to get the hubby to pose for a few :)

And a big thanks goes out to Tori @ http://fashionblingandothergirlythings.blogspot.com/ for giving me the idea to go monochromatic for the day! I decided to go with the green theme instead of the purple, mainly because I own like 2 purple things and green is my favorite color!

 

Shirt: Target

Cardi, skinnies & necklace: Rue21

Boots: Target

Watch: Gift from hubby

 

Sunglasses: Jessica Simpson

 

<3 love him!! <3

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a great start to the week!!!

Commercials after midnight....

I hope everyone had a GREAT weekend!!!

I almost got another tattoo last night, but thanks to me being a procrastinator and deciding at 8:00 at night, my tattoo shop was booked up for the night! And I am a complete spur-of-the-moment tattoo person. My current count is 11, and 80% of those were decided on a whim as I was thinking of what to do for the day. But unfortunately, this next one will have to wait.

On to the main topic of this post. Over the weekend while the hubby and I were laying in bed, we saw a commercial that made us both stop, look at each other and question whether or not we actually just witnessed that. The commercial starts out innocent enough--there is a little boy laying in bed, telling his mother how much he misses his dad. At this point in the commercial, you assume that the father is away in the military, and he will pop up at the bedroom door to surprise his miserable lonely family. Well, like mine, your assumption would be wrong. Fast forward a few seconds, and the mom is in her room looking at a picture of her husband--she tells him that she misses him too. So far so good, a real wholesome family commercial. Then she opens her drawer to uncover a gift that her missing husband has left for her. A ring maybe? A beautiful framed picture from their wedding perhaps? Maybe even a note telling her that he is waiting downstairs? Nope. Its a vibrator. A Trojan Vibrations to be exact. Now, I understand that this commercial was on after midnight, when most of the commercials consist of 18-year-olds in nighties laying on red velvet couches,  giggling seductively into the phone. Because, you know, that's how everyone looks on a Saturday night. My big issue with this commercial is that fact that there was a little boy involved in the first 10 seconds. I know that its all about making money, and the idea of the gift in the drawer is great, but how the hell was that explained to the kid playing the part? Like, hey, I know that you are 6 years old and you have no idea what sex is, but do you think your parents would mind if you took part in a vibrator commercial?? Sure, no big deal. Anyway, I have included the commercial below for anyone who doesn't stay awake into the wee hours of the night.

Lovely, right?

I'm off to go whip up a batch of fettuccine alfredo, then I will be counting down the minutes until THE WALKING DEAD!!!!!! Somewhere in the mix of all of that I will be dying my hair to take care of these atrocious roots and then maybe getting to bed at a decent hour to avoid anymore crazy commercials involving kids and sex toys.

My 3 big life changing events

 

In keeping with my last post, today I am going to write another list. This one is not about what I will accomplish or what I have accomplished. Today’s post is going to be a list of the 3 things that have had the most impact on my life, and have completely changed the course and direction of everything. These are all things that, at the time, were absolutely awful and terrifying, but they have changed my life for the better in so many ways.

1. My parent’s divorce:

 

My parents got divorced when I was 10, and at the time, I was the only person that I knew whose parents weren’t together anymore. 18 years ago (oh.my.god I can’t believe it’s been that long!) my entire world came crashing down around me when my mom told me and my sisters that my dad was moving out and we would be living with her. There were so many emotions---anger, hurt, confusion---and we directed 99% of those emotions towards my mom. (Sorry about that Gigi!!) What we didn’t know, however, was that for years my mom had been through so many of her own emotions, and she was finally at her breaking point. As a child you only see so much of what goes on between your parents—sure, they have the occasional fight and silent treatment, but that’s just what parents do—but what you don’t see is that sometimes, parents are just not meant to be together. It took many years for us to realize this, and when we finally did, the most amazing thing happened. My parents became friends! My mom and dad have a better relationship now than they ever did while they were married, and my mom & step-mom get along great!! My mom is 100 times happier than she was when we were kids, and seeing the two of them in the same room together, laughing and joking about things from the past, is one of the greatest feelings. I know now that my parents were only together for the sake of having my sisters and me, and looking back, the divorce is the best thing that could have happened to us all.

2. Dropping out of college:

From the time I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse. I had an amazing experience with a nurse while I was in the hospital, and it completely changed my life. All through grade school and into high school I just knew that I was going to be a nurse someday, it was just a matter of finishing school and picking the right college. Fast forward to junior year of high school—time for SATs and college applications. I was accepted to a great school—Drexel University---that offered a 5 year co-operative program for Nursing. It seemed perfect! I would get the schooling I needed plus the hands on experience that I wanted, and after 5 years I would finally be a nurse. Unfortunately, 3 years later I decided that nursing wasn’t what I thought it would be and I dropped out. $50,000 in student loans and one career choice later, and I knew I was screwed. Not only had I wasted 3 years and more money than I like to think about, but I had let myself & my family down by quitting something I had dreamed of for years. As awful as the entire ordeal was, it was a huge life changer—had I finished nursing school, I would have graduated in 2008 and signed into a contract with a hospital in order to obtain a sign on bonus (the contracts are usually at least 5 years). That would have brought me into 2013, still working at a hospital in Philadelphia and still not living in Florida. Had this happened, I would have never gone to the job fair that fateful day in August, I would have never gotten hired at the call center, and I would have never been asked to train the new hire class that contained my future husband. And for that reason above anything else, dropping out of nursing school was the best decision I have ever made.

3. My dad getting cancer:

Let me clarify this---my dad getting cancer was NEVER a good thing, and I would never wish for anyone to have to go through what he went through. That being said…During my teenage years, my dad and I had a falling out. Things were said and the relationship was destroyed, & I didn’t speak to him for about 5 years. One day my mom called me and my sisters to the kitchen table and told us that our dad had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and he had to begin treatment right away. By then, it had been so long since I had spoken to him, and my feelings for him were nothing more than feelings toward a stranger, but I knew that deep down, it would be the biggest regret of my life if I did not mend the relationship. My dad needed all of the support we could provide him, and without his daughters by his side, the journey would have been that much harder. That night the 3 of us drove to his house, and without saying a word, the years of pain and anger were swept aside. Through treatment and remission, relapse and now recovery, my relationship with my dad has grown stronger. There have been a few speed bumps along the way, but things couldn’t be better than they are now. Had my dad not gotten sick, who knows where our relationship would be (or if there would even be a relationship at all!). As bad as the diagnosis was, it has led to years or great times and a relationship that I never imagined having.

So there it is, the 3 most life changing events that I have been through. I want to challenge you to dig way down deep and find that one thing (or 2 or 3) that changed your life in the most amazing way, even though it was awful at the time. Just goes to show you that things really do happen for a reason!

25 before 30...mini bucket list

For today’s blog post, I have decided to write about the 25 things I would like to accomplish by the time I turn 30. Back in August I turned the ripe old age of 28 (ugh, that’s crazy), so I am not sure how many of these I will actually be able to get to before the big 3-0. I have tweaked my original list somewhat, with a little advice from my hubby, as it originally had me traveling the world for the next 17 months—and that’s just not quite in the budget! Once I post this I will also include it as a new tab along the top of my blog, that way as I accomplish a goal I am able to check it off and track my progress. So here goes…

25 Before 30

1. Have a baby…this one trumps all, and if we can accomplish this then the rest will be a piece of cake!
2. Go on a picnic…like a real picnic—in the grass on a blanket, wicker basket, sandwiches, the whole nine yards.
3. Witness an eclipse…there will be a few lunar & solar eclipses over the next year, so this is very possible!
4. Visit Niagara Falls…even living in Philadelphia I never had the chance to make it up there, and I would love to see it
5. Serve at a food kitchen...helping others with nothing in return is one of the most amazing feelings
6. Spend an entire weekend with no electronics…I feel like this would be so crazy hard and so much fun at the same time!
7. Swim with dolphins…this shouldn’t be too hard, considering we live all of 25 minutes from the beach
8. Eat at a real hibachi…there is one not too far from us that Steven and I have been talking about going to for a few years
9. Take Steven to Disney…he’s never been there before!
10. Visit 10 states I haven’t been to…this may prove to be a challenge considering I have driven up and down the entire east coast several times, but we’ll see!
11. Visit a spa/Get spa treatment…a couple’s spa day would be best!
12. Kiss in the rain…the most romantic, grab-me-by-the-waist movie kiss ever!!
13. Be involved in a flash mob…this would be amazing!!!
14. Go on at least 2 more cruises…we are planning another one for the end of the year and at least one in 2015!
15. Learn to drive stick shift…and by that I mean not stalling out every 10 feet
16. Get front row seats to a concert…hopefully Chris Young!!
17. Go zip lining…there is a place 10 minutes down the road from our house, I can’t believe we haven’t done it yet!
18. Go to a gun range…I have NO clue how to shoot a gun, and I feel like I should have some sort of idea
19. Plant a garden…with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs, etc!
20. Read 3 classic novels (Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre & Wuthering Heights)
21. Visit old plantations…we live in the heart of the South, so a day trip would be possible
22. Take a yoga class…and make a complete fool of myself because I am the least flexible person ever
23. Sing Karaoke…in front of an entire crowd of people!
24. Learn to play a full song on the piano…with both hands, top and bottom
25. Complete P90X again…Steven and I did it last year for the 13 weeks, and it was amazing. I would love to do it again!

So there you have it, the list of things that I would love to accomplish over the next 17 months. Some of them may be more difficult than others (seriously, where the hell am I going to find a flash mob down here?) and some of them I have no control over (like my uncooperative uterus or whether or not the eclipse will be visible from my house). But you better believe that I am going to try my hardest to accomplish every last one of these goals! Make sure to keep checking back on the list to see what I have completed so far.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far! You know what day it is…..Humpdayyy!

Back to business

The snow has melted and the wicked stomach bug has run its course, and now its back to business as usual around here. And the best news of all? Monday is over!!! I know that I have probably mentioned it in like 10 other blog posts, but I.hate.Mondays. With a passion. I feel like everyone would be much happier if Monday just disappeared forever. I also feel like the weekend would be much more enjoyable if it were 3 days instead of 2. Saturday--laundry, cleaning the house, washing the cars. Sunday--shopping and then cooking a big dinner. Smonday(?)--laying around and doing NOTHING! I know I am not the only one who feels like they never get to lay around and do nothing...wouldn't it be nice...Ok I'm done complaining...

I feel like I am finally getting the hang of this whole virtual world--blogging, instagram and such--and this will officially make my 20th blog post! I'm actually super excited that I have only been going at this for a month and I am already in love!! I have always heard of bloggers talking about how important blogging is to them, and they love sharing their lives with other random strangers. And you know what? I agree!!! I am really enjoying getting a sneak peak into everyone's lives, and I feel like it is such a release to be able to share my life with all of you on here! So thank you for reading!!

Now before my outfit post of the day, I am going to go ahead and vent for a second...I know I said I was done complaining, but I lied...sue me...Steven and I are officially going on month 35 of TTC (trying to conceive). That means that if I don't get knocked up this month, we will have hit the 3 year mark! (3 years...ohmygod that's crazy) 2 years ago when I started reading the infertility blogs, I would see women write about how they had been TTC for 3 years, and my heart broke for them! I knew how hard it was for us after only a few months, and I couldn't imagine going through that for 3 years! Well guess what? We are knocking on the door...and guess what else? It sucks. Sucks with a capital S. (I have plenty of other choice words for it, but I'll keep it PG for the sake of not offending anyone). For anyone reading this who has gone through the long and seemingly never ending process, I wish you all the luck and baby dust in the world! And for now, as we enter month 35, I will continue to be bitter about my uncooperative uterus. Ok, no I'm really done complaining. I swear!

 Now on to what I wore over the weekend. By the way, can I tell you how much I love my mustard skinnies? They look more like vomit green in the pictures, but I swear they are adorable in person!!

 

Cardi: Bealls

Skinnies: Rue 21

Cowboy Boots: KMart

Tanks: Purple--Old Navy/Brown--Hollister

Necklace: Body Central

I hope everyone had a great Monday. Here's to a wonderful rest of the week!!

What I Wore...

Tonight's post is going to be a quick one...just wanted to share an outfit post to hold you over until tomorrow's update. My niece Camden wanted to take part in today's WIW, and since she is just the cutest thing ever, I wanted to make sure I posted the pics. And by the way, I know my roots are like 4 inches long, but between being sick and the weather sucking, I haven't had time...so please disregard...

Enjoy! :)

 

She was more interested in my necklace than the picture...

 

Love her!!!!!

   

 Shoes: Target? (I think?)

Blazer: Thrifted

Bracelet & Necklace: Rue 21

Jeans: Bealls

Tank: Rue 21

Belt: Thrifted

Have a great night!!!!