Pinterest Success

If you gave me 10 minutes to myself  I would be on my phone or ipad looking at Pinterest. My girlfriends and I always laugh because it's like an addiction. I have some friends who love pinning everything and they LOVE when someone else repins them. Then I have some friends who only pin things so they can make them. I am one who falls in between. A lot of things I pin I would pretty much say I wont be doing anytime soon but I feel like 'one day' when my life is less busy I will do it. {Will that day ever come?}

I love fashion and I love pinning outfits. I feel like it's the easiest way for me to remember something. Plus, I just love getting new ideas. It's exciting for me. I thought I would show you my favorite board. I have started wearing a lot of these outfits {especially the boot ones}.


My friends over at Mommin' it Up started a fun new carnival today. You know how we all LOVE Pinterest - well now you can link up your posts about your favorite Pinterest find that you ACTUALLY TRIED! How fun is that?! Plus, it's kinda nice to have some accountability. How many hours minutes do you and I spend pinning ideas that we never try?!  

My Pin Inspiration...

                                                               Source: dee-construction.blogspot.com via The BMC Report on Pinterest

The Result...

What is your favorite thing about Pinterest? Is it the fabulous recipes or maybe the home inspiration? For me, it's looking at all of the style of clothing and fun fashion ideas. I just can't get enough!! If I am not following you on Pinterest then please make sure and leave me a comment so I can start looking at all your fun pins!! xoxox

Are You In The Zone?

                                                               Source: myrevelment.com via The BMC Report on Pinterest

Over time, we all gather a set of constricting habits around us~ ones that trap us in a zone of comfort. I like to be comfortable. In a room full of people I will sit back, arms folded and simply listen. Often times, I will know the answer. Every time I will have an opinion but I tend to not say anything. If I am with friends then it's an entirely different story but if I am not I retreat into my zone... at least I thought that's how I was. 

As I get older I find myself stepping out of my comfort zone little by little. Last week, I had a meeting at work and it there were men and woman from all over Ohio that attended. We each had to stand up, introduce ourselves and answer this question~ If you could be anywhere at this moment where would you be? 

I love stuff like this. I love to listen to the answers others give. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they answer this question. I saw this cute little blonde sitting in the back of the room arms folded. You could tell she felt a little out of place. She smiled, stood up and began to introduce herself. As she went to answer the question she said, "I have been a stay at home mom for 8 years. I am just now getting back into the work place and if I could be anywhere it would be back at home were I am comfortable." 

Normally, I would have just stayed in my seat and went about the meeting but this time I just couldn't. As soon as the speaker told us we could break for about 15 minutes I  jumped out of my seat and went to this girl. I asked her how old her kids were and found out she had two boys similar ages of my two oldest. I also found out she works part time and kinda has the same 'gig' as I do. We live about 10 minutes apart and work in the same area! As we talked I shared what has worked for me and how I have had to struggle to kinda find my way of balancing work {even if it is part time}. The tricky part about working part time is that you don't feel like you are giving 100% to your work or your home. I shared things I have learned over the past few years that have helped me to balance life with my boys and be content in doing my best wherever I was at that time. As the speaker began to call everyone back in the room she grabbed my arm and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you. I have been questioning everything I am doing. I feel out of place but know I am in the right place. You are an answered prayer for me." I gave her a hug then got up and sat back down at my table. 

As I sat back in my chair I was totally not listening to what was being said by the speaker {oops} I just kept thinking about how thankful I was that I stepped out of my comfort zone.  Here is what I am realizing~ in all aspects of life you and I can be used if we just put ourselves out there. Each of us have a story and each of us can help so many other woman in our stage of life. Sometimes, it just takes us taking that first step! Do you find it hard to step out of your comfort zone? I challenge you to take that first step. You will be amazed at how you can be used in others around you! xoxox

Orange.

It's in the details. Some of my favorite outfits have the smallest of details. For example, this dress I purchased from Target. The orange and white tassels are my favorite. Plus this dress has the cutest little birds. It makes me think of Spring and that alone brings a smile to my face. 

On my birthday shopping spree I got this adorable jacket from H&M. I have this obsessions with my jean jacket and I have been looking for something to wear besides my one jacket. I am loving this brown beauty.

Remember, how I said the birds make me smile? Well, another thing that always brings a smile to my face is checking out all of the other beauties over at The Pleated Poppy. 

So, after you leave me a comment telling me 

what your favorite color of clothing to wear is...

 Go check out some of the others beauties!

xoxox

My Love. My Valentine.

You are the Diet 
To my Coke
You are the Peanut Butter
To my Cinnamon Bagel
You are the Pretzels
To my Junior Mints
You are Carmel 
To my Frappuccino
You are the Ketchup 
To my Eggs
You are the Happy
To my Place
You are the Sun
To my Shine
You are the Wheel
To my Fortune
You are the Bubbles
To my Bath
You are the dance
To my step
You are the True 
To my Love

From our castle to yours... Hope your day is filled with love and laughter!
Happy Valentines Day! 
xoxox

This post is linked up to Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.
 Go check out some other fabulous Top Ten lists!

Yes. Yes. Yes.

What if I just said yes? What if I just gave up stressing about or resisting what is {and what may be coming}? What if I choose to embrace it. To simply say YES. What if this simple change in perspective changed your entire week? By saying 'yes' it allows you to view and overcome some of the fear, anxiety, and stress. It allows you to embrace each day of THIS week in a whole new light {at least it does for me}.

This week my boys have declared it 'Love Week'. So, on this Love Monday what are you saying YES to? 

This week I am saying YES to...

... yes to heart shaped sandwiches 

... yes to writing to my Valentine

... yes to conversation hearts { I loved them as a kid}

... yes to helping a friend out

... yes to watching the bachelor with girlfriends

... yes to potty training {sigh, yes I am still potty training}

... yes to dancing, burning calories and lots of booty shaking

... yes to basketball games and indoor soccer practice

... yes to being ok with being a taxi driver to my boys

... yes to sneaking away for some alone time

... yes, yes, yes to prayer 

... yes to PAC meetings and teacher conferences

... yes to being a mentor to one of the sweetest High School girls ever. 

... yes to sneaking in a few dance parties.

... yes loving on my boys and being thankful that on this Valentines Day I am their only Valentine!

On this Love Monday what are you saying YES to?

Made For The Big Screen

As I woke up this morning I thought today would be like any other Saturday. Get up and go dance a little gig {zumba} and then rush off to watch my favorite little men play basketball together. It is by far the highlight of my week. Today, however was like none I have EVER experienced. 

I love watching action movies and I have so many times leaned over to my hubby only to tell him I could totally do that. The running and jumping over buildings or the breaking into cars... {Ahem} Today I proved to myself that I can't in any way, shape or form do any of that. 

I work part time and every once in awhile I have to run out on a Saturday to meet a client. Today, after my boys game and a quick Target run I jumped in my swagger wagon {do they even call them that anymore?} and headed off to my clients home. I was a tad bit nervous just due to the area I was in. As I pull up I decided to 'hide' my purse in my van. I decide I should wait a couple minute so I wasn't to early and I decide to lock my door {while I'm inside}. Clearly, someone was a little paranoid! A few minutes pass and I decide to OPEN my car door. As I start to open it nothing happens.

Remember when I said I watch movies? Immediately I think I am locked in my car. You know how the doors are locked and all of the sudden the car takes off with you not controlling it? Yep, that. So, what would any smart girl do? I put the keys in the ignition so I could start my car and unlock it. Only to set off the most God awful alarm I have ever heard. I immediately start to feel like I am stealing my own car. It wont stop. I turn the car off. I turn the car on. I lock the door. I unlock the door. I sit there. Do I get out? What if the police think I stole it? Me, handcuffs, jail.... 

I slowly start to see people peek through their blinds {did I mention I was in an apartment complex}? I call my husband in pure panic only to have him tell me to press the alarm button on my remote. I start to break out in hives as I inform him, "I kinda don't have it with me." The alarm is piercing through my ears as I hear him say I have no idea then. I guess you will have to drive home with it going off. 

WHAT?!? How is this happening? I am going to get pulled over. People have now come out of there apartments. I refuse to look up and continue to act like everything was going just as planned. 

I decide-- I have to call 911. Yes, they will be able to help me. Clearly, the piercing noise is causing me to lose brain cells quickly. Before I start to dial I decide to pull away from the apartment complex and pull into a Donatos. That way they could find me easier. Hello?! They could hear me from a mile away I don't think that will be a problem. As I am driving down the rode I can see other cars looking at me like, "Is this girl really stealing a van?" I smile and continue driving. I pull over and open my glove box to find the card of the sweet little lady who sold us this beauty. I call her and before she can even say anything, I start yelling over the alarm. "Ma'am, I need help. Can you hear me? I explain how I locked myself in my car, set off my alarm and the alarm-- this God awful alarm is about ready to make have the Big One! 

She calmly says, can I put you on hold. I am willing to bet $100 bucks she is saying, "There is some whack job on the phone who somehow set off her alarm. What do I tell her?" She gets back on the line and begins to tell me how to deactivate my alarm. Thank the Lord! 

As I write there is still ringing in my ears. If you are wondering whatever happened to my customers. Well, I drove back to the apartment parked a street down and knocked on the door and acted like the last 35 minutes of he%* had not just happened!

So friends, how was your Saturday?!

A Creature of Habit.

I am a creature of habit, aren't we all though? 

Whether those habits are beneficial to us or harmful. 

I tend to repeat them day in and day out.

I sit here at the my computer {for the 70 billionth time} 

I start to write. I erase it. I start to write again. I erase it. 

Honestly, I don't know why. I find myself so often trying to please people or be a specific way that I begin to lose who I am. I find myself reading other blogs or reading Facebook and thinking to myself ,"

How on earth do these people always have it together?"  

 The lies start to creep in. I start to doubt myself. 

Do you ever feel this way?

 I was talking to some girlfriends about this because when I start going down that path I start to question everything that I am doing in my life.  So, this my friends in a nutshell is why I haven't been blogging. It's not that I am too busy or that I don't have anything to say or write about. I get into a habit of believing lies and it hinders everything I do.  

I need to get back to the place of letting His grace cover me and ignoring the lies.  You would think since I am 32 I would finally start to 'get it' whatever 'it' really is I am not sure. I saw this on Pinterest yesterday and thought there is

 so much truth in this for me. 

What about you? 

                                                                 Source: piccsy.com via The BMC Report on Pinterest

 Are you nice to yourself? I know I struggle with this so much. 

I'm realizing that I really need to change the way I talk to myself. I truly believe that I often believe the lies and live like they are true. So, here is to

 ignoring the lies and soaking in His truth. 

Happy Friday, Friends!