Moving…

Hello friends!

After a lot of time to think and consider I decided I am going to be moving my blog. A lot of factors went into this decision, but it’s just what I’m going to do!

I have been having quite a few issues with privacy and security recently (which is also why I haven’t been blogging). Because of that, I’m not going to be putting my new information on this site. If you’d like my new URL shoot me an e-mail: colorsoflifeblog@gmail.com.

I’m hoping to get my new site launched within the week! Stay tuned!

And know that I do miss interacting with y’all every week. Hope each of you are doing well.

XOXO

Vacation Bible School 2016

So every year if I can, I like to volunteer for our Church’s Vacation Bible School. I was a little nervous this year that I wouldn’t be able to because of my new job. Like I said yesterday my on-boarding paperwork took a lot longer than we were expecting. Therefore I had this week free!

From Monday – Thursday earlier this June from 9:00 to 12:00 I spent my time with a group of 20 little ones at Cave Quest VBS.

I got some of the girls in my Wednesday night group to volunteer with me and one of them was my co-leader the whole week. We had so much fun! One morning she told me she had never had Starbucks before. That would simply not fly for this girl so I remedied that before she could even blink.

Lacey came to our Church to try it out earlier this Spring and she was placed in my group. I just love all of my 10th graders like they are my own little sisters. She’s been coming back ever since and I LOVE it!

I enjoy volunteering at VBS because:
1. I think it’s so so important to be involved in your Church
2. You get to meet other people who share your faith and people you normally wouldn’t know.
3. Kids are so sweet.
4. It’s fun!
5. I loved VBS as a kid and I want to be part of some of these kiddos VBS memories.
6. What else would I have done besides sleep?

Red group 7 for the win! We had a group of about 20 Pre-K to 2nd graders. Our Church set it up to where kids get to pick their groups (when I was growing up we were assigned to a group). The first morning about 14 of them showed up together and wanted to be in a group. We had a lot of siblings together and they got along pretty well. #luckyus

When you notice some of your kiddos constantly singing Jesus songs throughout the day, or telling you about something nice they did, or anything about Jesus, you realize that it’s so worth your time. So worth it.

This little one did not leave my side the entire week. She wanted to be sitting in my lap, holding my hand, or near me at all times. And honestly it’s one of my favorite parts too. I love when I am walking through Church in the morning and I have a little one say “Hi Miss Molly” because they remember me.

Her mom told me that she was SO PROUD of this sign. We had 4 different colored groups and we were told to dress in as much of our color as possible and the whole week was a competition as to who could get the most points.

The boy on the end was in our group and during our closing ceremony one day was pulled up on stage to participate in an event to win more points for the red team. He was so excited!

Unfortunately at the end of the week, red team did not win. But we still cheered for the green team who won instead of boo-ing them (there may have been a firm talking to earlier in the week for that).

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen this picture. Like I said yesterday, it’s been a rough couple of months for me lately. But any time I step into Church I just feel better. Maybe it’s the atmosphere, maybe it’s the Holy Spirit, maybe it’s both. But whether it’s worship night on Wednesdays, service on a Saturday night, volunteering with my 4s and 5s on Sunday morning, or this week of VBS…it’s just happy. I’m just happier. I don’t know how else to describe it.

And now that I just typed that and I am re-reading…i’m seeing the word happy. If you remember earlier this year, I mentioned happiness. I guess I can cross that off the 2016 bucket list. And I didn’t even know it or think about it being something like that. It’s really the simple things, y’all.

What’s Been Up

Hello!

It’s been a while.

Before we get to anything today, go check out Katie’s blog for our Bookworm Wednesday series. I wasn’t able to participate this month but she has the link-up going!

So lately…I just haven’t been up for blogging. I feel like I haven’t had much to say, I don’t know how to say what I want, I don’t feel like what I want to say is of any relevance, and I just didn’t want to spend the time on it. You’ve been there, right? We’ve all been there. It’s been a rough couple of months recently. But we’re here now and we’re moving right along. Let’s see what’s been up.

There has been A LOT going on around here. And really I’ve just been trying to survive for the most part. Since the beginning of May, so for 2 months now, our house has looked like this…

Paper covered floors, paint samples on the wall, an entertainment center that’s no longer there, no blinds, it’s been a mess. For a straight 2 months. We haven’t been able to use anything and we can’t find anything. It’s like we’re in a foreign land. We’re all at the ends of our rope with this re-model and it feels like it’s never ending…but alas I see the end nearing soon.

Along with a destroyed house, I have been spending time Monday-Wednesday at school because TWO CLASSES and I will finally be done with school forever.

I also (since May) was offered a new job and finally got all of my on boarding paperwork completed a couple weeks ago, so I was able to officially begin. This is a horrible picture of me, but when your dad asks for a “first day pic” at 8AM you just say yes.

Now that it’s summer here in Texas, my butt has been laying out by our pool as much as I can. I like to go out while my dad is there so we can float around in the pool together or I can talk to him while he’s working in the yard. I’m almost done with this book by the way and can’t wait to share it with you next month!

On the weekends (and sometimes during the week) I pick up a couple shifts at the restaurant, you know, to earn a couple bucks while I am trying to adult…AKA buy a car this month. YAY ME. #saidnooneever

A couple of weeks ago I was sick (with I still don’t know what) so I woke up one morning at 2AM and then when I couldn’t fall asleep at 4AM. I got a craving for warm pancakes because my throat was hurting. Ry ended up going on a late night (or early morning) run to Market Street with me to get some.

And not only that but I have been having a horrible time with my digestive issues, like real bad. And we’re not sure why (again). So last week I spent a couple hours at the doctor’s office before my vacation for blood work, a breath test, etc. and should be getting those results back next week. #prayingforgoodthings

In the meantime…I sliced open my finger with a knife the day before I left for vacation.

Yes. Genius. Right after my blood work I was at home trying to open something and went straight through the plastic into my finger. A couple stitches and a tetanus shot later…I’m still alive! I got my stitches out yesterday, but my finger is still super tender.

A couple months ago my cousin told me that he had to close his account at the gym but he had personal training that he already paid for. They were able to transfer it to my account since we both use the same gym, so my workouts the past couple months have been all based off of my trainer’s plan for me. It’s been such a nice change of pace in my physical/exercise life. I totally recommend changing your pace for a little while…no matter what your style is.

More home workouts, but shorter workouts and higher intensity. I’m digging it.

So as you can see…a lot has been going on over in this neck of the woods. I’ve got lots more to share, but that’ll come later this week and next when I can catch you up some more. I hope you all are doing well!! I’ve got some serious reading to catch up on!

Happy Wednesday!

Las Vegas: Day 3

It’s day 3 of the Vegas trip. Are you sad??? We’re going home now 😦

In case you want to re-live this little vacation, check out Day 1 and Day 2.

Day 3 was Saturday morning and after being out late on Friday night we HAD to get to the pool at 10:00AM to make sure that we got a good day bed spot. Well, pool opened at 11, so we went back in to waste some time and then go back out.

We spent the day in the sun. I think we were out there until 4 in the afternoon.

Let’s just say…if you got thirsty while you were out there you were doing something wrong. But it was hot. Oh so hot.

This guy came around to our day bed and said he had to “get 3 girls to kiss his ball” i’m assuming for a Bachelor party check-off list. And you know, #dowhatyougottaforthebachelor

My older cousin’s friend Michelle was a blast. And I jumped into her selfie…naturally.

We had 2 rounds of sweet potato fries, fish tacos, and more. I’m still feeling the effects of the food. But man was it good. I don’t eat french fries so THEY WERE AMAZING.

We came back up to the hotel room between 3 and 4 and napped for a little bit before dinner. We had dinner plans right next to the nightclub that we were going to hang out at that night. Galantis was playing.

I had never heard of them before, but I looked them up and realized I totally have heard them on the radio! I totally started working out to their music now. It’s so fun! Don’t judge this creepy picture.

So after our dinner reservations we headed over to the club. Claire’s friend Haille and I went back a little early and this was our sight leaving. Goodnight Vegas!

Haille and Michelle left at 4:30AM and I left around 8:00 on Sunday morning. Our trip was over and we had to go back to reality. It was such a fun trip but it took me at least a week to catch up on sleep (even though that’s not an actual thing) and I really don’t know if I am all that caught up.

Let me know if you’re planning a trip to Vegas! I’ll tell you things you should definitely do or places you should go or where you should eat!

Las Vegas: Day 2

Day 2 of Vegas has arrived…if you missed day 1, make sure you catch up!

Saturday morning we tried to sleep as late as possible because #tired

But we finally got up and ran to the grocery store and stopped by the lounge to cheese and pastries…AKA this gluten and lactose intolerant’s worst nightmare. But there were grapes! And we had picked up some meat! So Molly made do.

Oh yeah…and all they had was lemonade, tea, and hot water. WHAT? Hot water??? So I drank it…

It was Friday morning and we were ready to hit the pool!

There were so many pools to choose from in between all of the hotels so we tried to find one that had 5 chairs all for my cousins, my aunt, me, and my cousin’s friend.

This was our best attempt at a photo. Just laying by the pool, sippin’ drinks, soaking up the sun, and relaxing. Ahhhhh 🙂

I was super surprised at how small the pools were. There were several next to each other but they were pretty small. But there were still quite a bit of people at each one!

We of course had to snack on some fries, kale chips, hummus, and other goods. Keep those tummies happy!

They all hopped in the pool and I sat in the chair and just enjoyed the sun!

We came back to our hotel around 4 to shower and get ready for the night. We had plans to ride the High Roller Ferris Wheel, eat some dinner, and go to the nightclub that Calvin Harris was playing at. The 30 minute Ferris Wheel ride had an unlimited bar and we got LOTS of cool pictures.

It’s Vegas at sunset.

This was the little ball that we rode in.

And right away we got started!

Here’s a super flattering picture of us for you 😉 But this was a little bit more of the inside of our ride.

And we’re going up!

My older cousin’s friend and I had a little photoshoot. And it totally looks like we’re just hanging off the side of a balcony, but no that’s glass behind me.

My cousin and I on the Ferris Wheel ride.

And another one of my cousin, her friend, and I. For a while I was considering moving to Omaha and if I did…they would’ve been my roomies. They’re still trying to get me to, but I don’t think it’s going to work out in the plan anymore.

Molly ‘n Vegas, Vegas ‘n Molly.

And again…the Venetian behind us is where we stayed for the weekend.

We had dinner at a restaurant right next to the nightclub Calvin Harris was playing at. So we walked right next door and got to dancing immediately!

When in Vegas, right? 😉

We were told the wrong time and got to Calvin Harris as soon as he was done so we ended up leaving to crash for the next morning…which is tomorrow…so you better check out that fun too.

And for fun, if you’re not following me on Snapchat (moblymiddleton) this is my snap story from that day.

Las Vegas: Day 1

K, hi!!!!

I feel like it’s been a while. What have you been up to? What’s been going on? I have a lot of blog reading to catch up on.

So last Thursday I went to Las Vegas. And it’s the next Friday and I am still recovering. I am so tired I could sleep for 320597235 days. Not a joke.

Why did I go to Vegas? Well, two Wednesdays ago (May 25th) my cousin texted me and said “Hey what are you doing June 2-5th?” and when I told her nothing she said “Come to Vegas with us for my 21st!” Um. I had never been. Trip to Vegas with my cousins? Heck to the yes!

A couple of days later my other cousin texted me saying they were going to make a scrapbook with drinking tips…so I made one too. 😉

I ran around like a crazy woman all last week (which is why my blogging was so bad) to make my page and get outfits, shoes, bags, etc. for the trip. Thursday, June 2 comes rolling around and it’s POURING in Dallas.

A delayed flight later and I was in Las Vegas, Nevada!

It was 95 degrees, but I was pleasantly surprised with how nice and well-kept the airport was. My first impression wasn’t a bad one.

We stayed at the Venetian and as soon as I got there and we got my key, I got me a glass of champagne and we got ready for dinner right away!

Ready for Vegas night 1!

Cheers (with sparkling cucumber mojitos – so good) to night 1!!!

My cousin on the left is the one who just turned 21 and the one on the right is her older sister who’s 2 years older than me. Do you see any kind of resemblance??

We had a fried rice, a chicken dish, a seabass dish. To die for, y’all.

Dessert for Claire. Happy 21st!!

We went upstairs to the nightclub and my cousin snapped this picture of Claire’s friend and I dancing. So much fun!

And a fun picture to end the night!!!

Day 1 is in the books. Come back Monday for Day 2!

New To The Blog?

So this weekend I’m going out of town which means there is just no time for blogging.

With that said, I thought I would make today’s post a little introduction post. I know I have new readers that probably don’t really know anything about Colors of Life.

First of all…thanks for reading! I’m so happy you’re here!

This me…

I’m Molly. I’m 22 years old. I’m currently headed to Vegas for the first time in my life (haha).

I’m a huge baseball fan…especially the Boston Red Sox.

I love Jesus. I volunteer in my Church twice a week (on Sundays and Wednesdays) and enjoy every second of it.

I’m currently studying for my Health Coach certification and trying to start my own business afterwards.

I’m a Business Admin major with an emphasis in Human Resources and Organizational Behavior where I’ve worked in HR for a year and a half.

I love my family, I mean love them. I’m super protective of my family members and would choose them over anything.

I’ve dealt with anxiety, depression, and an eating disorder and while those things do not define me I still talk about them. I’m hoping that through that I can help someone else in those situations. This is also why I have such a huge passion for helping others specifically in the form of health coaching.

You could call me a military brat. My dad recently retired but was in the Air Force for 30 some odd years.

And really there is so much more!

If you want to read more you should check out my introduction post from January. And this post on what Colors of Life is all about.

You can always read guest blogs I’ve done for other people:

How I Manage It All
5 Things I Love About Texas
Guest Blog Introducing Myself (A lot like this post)

And follow me on social media too:

I’d love for you to pin some of my pins from my “Colors of Life” board that you have specifically liked reading too. Oh, and follow me on Instagram to see what kind of crazy I may be getting into this weekend!

Instagram: @mollymiddleton01 here
Facebook: click here to like my blog
Pinterest: @mollymiddleton1 here
Bloglovin’: click here
Snapchat: I’m “mollymiddleton”

See ya next week if I’m still alive from Vegas 😉

Bookworm Wednesday: June

Hi!

Happy Bookworm Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday!

Happy Summer!

Are you excited to be talking books like I am? Depending on when you’re reading this…I probably look like this right now…

…because (while I only read one book this month, thank you, school) books are the best. If you would have asked my elementary aged self if I would say that? Never. The answer would be never. And if you asked my younger self if I would be taking walks while listening to Jesus music and reading a book? Never. I guess you should never say never.

I definitely have blogging to thank for this love of books again because you guys read your books, talk about them, and then I get all excited because I want to read them too. And especially on days like today when Shay talks about books and so many people comment and share more ideas too!

#thankyoublogland

Now, if you remember last month I told you all about Hoda’s book.

Well this month I stayed on theme with my Hoda woman and read another one of her books…this month I read Ten Years Later.

And holy cow was it humbling. Not only that but holy cow do I want to have Hoda’s job. And not only that but holy cow do I want to be friends with Hoda. Still. That hasn’t changed from last month either.

Ten Years Later is just Hoda telling us about 6 different people whose stories she followed. They faced some kind of hardship in their life…abuse, health, sexual disorientation, etc. and it tells you all about what the experience was and how it turned out for that person. This tugged at my heart strings as she shared the different kinds of stories from these people. And that’s only 6 people in this world! Like I said, it was so humbling and really made me look at myself and think “wow and you’re whining about bloating issues”. Now that I loved both of her books, I am dying to read her third one. I would seriously recommend these to you anyone! Honda woman rocks!

Next month, link-up with Katie and I on July 6th for our next edition of Bookworm Wednesday! I should have more to talk about because I’ve got a few vacations planned and that means lots of car/plane/travel time…meaning…BOOKS!!

Friday Favorites: Bachelorette Monday and Family Nights Edition

It’s Friday and we’re linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea today!

We spent Saturday night at the Roughriders game. The Roughriders are the AA team that feeds into the Rangers system. They’re super close to us and we got tickets for the game with unlimited access to this food bar. #baseball #food #unlimited #loveit

Family time is my FAVORITE and I wouldn’t want to spend my Saturday night any other way 😉

A new tradition has been born. Every Monday night, my girlfriends are going to come to my house and we’re going to watch and gossip about The Bachelorette.

This week we made personal pizzas in the pizza oven (I’m so bummed I forgot to take a picture of a pizza).

And I bought a cookie cake to kick off the season. Monday nights are going to be my FAVORITE from now on I just know it. It will give us all something to look forward to and kick off the week on a good note.

When I told the cookie cake person what I wanted on my cake, he may have laughed at me. #ohwell #thisisaholiday. 4 girls came this week, but I have at least 6 more planning to come now too!

This cookie cake was gone by the next morning. Our party was so fun and I cannot wait to spend every week with my girlfriends. And my mom. I have to watch with my momma, which is why I am hosting this little fiesta every week. And then we will switch off who brings the food.

I’ve already staked my claim on Luke. He’s country, he’s from Texas, he was in the military…could there be another more perfect??

Pinterest. I love Pinterest, it’s one of my FAVORITE forms of social media. I’ve pinned lots of my blog posts, but I would so appreciate if you followed me on Pinterest and pinned some of your FAVORITES too.

Speaking of family night, we played cards together on Sunday night and it was so fun. I love playing cards. What are your FAVORITE card games? We’re always looking for new ones. Oh, and we played drug dealer.

Speaking of cards and games and Monday nights…one of the things we did after the show was play drug dealer. This snapchat couldn’t be very long to show you but everyone enjoyed it. Have you played it? It’s our FAVORITE right now.

Alright, that’s all I have energy for this week. I was up and at ’em all day yesterday moving stuff. I’m tired…zzZZZzzzz

I hope you have a great weekend!

 

Link-Up Love: The Results Are In

So last week I asked y’all to let me know what link-ups you host and what link-ups you participate in that are your favorites.

And you came through.

So thank you!

I’ve compiled a list from your comments with the corresponding days of the weeks, let you know some notes in parenthesis, linked to the blogs that host, and tried to give you a little detail as to what it’s about (I know when I hear of a link-up I want to know what it actually is). Hopefully this makes it easier on everyone to follow and find new blogs and link-ups.

Comment below on this post to let me know if you think of any more. Send people this way if they want me to add theirs to the list. I will keep it on a tab at the top of my blog for y’all to continue returning to! So here’s what we got…

Monday

Weekending – B Loved Boston – What’d you do this weekend?
Let’s Talk (Last Monday of every month) – A Little Bit of Everything, Momfessionals – Talk about the different topics each month.

Tuesday

Show and Tell Tuesday – Momfessionals – “Show and tell” with the prompt.
Tuesday Talk – Grammie Time – Blog about anything.
Talk About It Tuesday – Crown Me In Glitter, Stang&Co. – Blog about anything.
Delicious Dish Tuesday – Eat Drink & Be Mary – Share your recipes every week.
Sweat It Out (First Tuesday of every month) – Chasing Texas – Health and Fitness link-up.
Tuesday Fashion Party Link-Up – Two Peas in a Blog – Share your fashion posts for the week.

Wednesday

Bookworm Wednesday (First Wednesday of every month) – Colors of Life, Better Off Benedict – Share your reads for the month.
What’s Up Wednesday (Last Wednesday of every month) – Mix and Match Mama, The Larson Lingo, Sheaffer Told Me To – Follow the prompt of questions to share what’s up.
Welcome Home Wednesday – J for Joiner – Whatever you want.
What I Wore Wednesday – The Pleated Poppy – Share your fashion posts.
What’s Hap-pinning Wednesday – Jessi’s Design, Going The Distance – Share what’s going on and your favorite pins.

Thursday

Party at My Place – Grammie Time – Whatever you like.
Thankful Thursday – Knit By God’s Hand – Share what you’re thankful for from the week.
Thoughts For Thursday – Home of Malones – Share your thoughts.
Confessional Thursday – Lynn – What are your confessions?
Special Needs Link-Up – Hannah – Talk about special needs, chronic illness, etc.

Friday

Friday Favorites – Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love Blog – Share your favorite things from the week.

Once a month…

Stranded – A Little Bit of Everything, Mix and Match Mama – What 3 items you would take with you on a deserted island and date of link-up.
Literary Ladies Book Club – See You In A Porridge – Everyone reads the same book and you chat about it.
101 in 1001 – To Travel and Beyond – A bucket list with a certain time to complete and you share progress every couple months.
Spiel The Beans – Queen In Between – Follow the prompt.
Share The Love Saturday – Hannah – Link-up with your social media every Saturday.

What’s Up Wednesday: May

I’m here and i’m linking up with Mel, Shay, and Sheaffer. Every last Wednesday of the month, we all blog about what’s been going on.

If you missed 2015’s posts, check them out!

Happy hump day friends! Can’t wait to see what’s been up with you!

What I’m eating:

Lately it’s been a lot of the usual…

my favorite lactose free products

my favorite gluten free products

And I’m also trying Shakeology. I’ll tell y’all how it goes after I have used it for long enough!

What I’m reminiscing about:

High school. All my friends are coming home now that everyone is graduating and we had a little reunion on Monday night (more to come on that Friday). It’s so fun having everyone back again!!

What I’m loving:

My cousin Ean is having to close his account at the gym we both go to and he already had personal training purchased. They were able to transfer it to my account so now I have 12 personal training sessions for free!!! I’ll take it! E-bomb, you rock!

What I’ve been up to:

Studying for my certification exam while my summer classes are still slow.

What I’m dreading:

Moving back in to our house…we’ve been remodeling so we’re staying in a rent house right now. I can’t wait to get back to our house but I am not looking forward to all the unpacking that we have to do!

What I’ve been working on:

All of my on boarding stuff for a new job I just accepted earlier this week. Back to these clothes I go!

What I’m excited about:

(While Rick obviously doesn’t look like it) My sister and her new boyfriend! I love him and i’m so happy they’re together now 🙂 Ps. this was taken last summer haha it’s the only one I had!

What I’ve been reading/watching:

I’ll talk about what i’m reading next Wednesday, June 1st for Bookworm Wednesday!! Link up with Katie and I for that.

I’ve been watching Young and Hungry at night before bed.

What I’m listening to:

The dryer because #adulting

 What I’ve been wearing:

Random things I have been able to thrown together. I didn’t even really love this outfit but the girls in my small group asked if I would take them shopping because they like my style….um so sweet! Yes!!

What I’m doing this weekend:

Probably working on getting my blog out on social media.

Follow me, follow me, follow me!!! 🙂 I’d love for you to pin some of my pins from my “Colors of Life” board that you have specifically liked reading. It gives me an idea of what readers like so I know what to continue blogging about.

Instagram: @mollymiddleton01 here
Facebook: click here to like my blog
Pinterest: @mollymiddleton1 here
Bloglovin’: click here
Snapchat: I’m “mollymiddleton”

What I’m looking forward to next month:

See last question below 😉

What else is new:

Tomorrow I am blogging about everyone’s favorite link-ups…be sure to come back!!

What are you looking forward to this summer:

GRADUATING COLLEGE FINALLY. Going to Omaha for a family reunion. Vacation Bible School. Starting a new job. Signing up for a mission trip (hopefully). Sunshine. My best friends all being home. IT ALL. I’m looking forward to IT ALL.

Show and Tell: Your Favorite Vacation

Oh boy, vacations!!! I could use a long vacation…you know, the kind that never ends! 😉 But nonetheless, life must go on and I must continue school. Sigh. I guess we can still talk about them then.

When we did our favorite vacation post last year I talked all about…

Our family vacation to Orange Beach, Alabama in the summer of 2014. And it’s still my favorite one to date because

1. It was quality family time.
2. We had never been before so it was an experience for all of us.
3. We got away from distractions and all laughed and joked with each other so much.
4. We just relaxed for a week straight.

Since then, I went to Boston with my dad last May.

We celebrated Grandpa’s 95th birthday in Iowa last September.

I spent Spring Break two months ago in Omaha, Nebraska.

We went Grandpa’s house in Iowa (like we do every summer!).

And I went on a couple “mini” vacations for the weekend to…

Fayetteville (for Emily’s graduation), our High School Church retreat, Lake Charles to visit Morgan, Ole Miss for Labor Day, and to watch Morg’s very first college game. So fun!

So for the rest of 2016….

We’re planning to go back up to Omaha for a a little family reunion at the beginning of July.

I’m hopefully (fingers crossed) going to NYC in October on a Mission Trip. I went on one in June of 2012 to New Orleans and I am so ready for another one.

And as many more as I can go on!!! I love vacations and spending time with some of my absolute favorite people doing fun things.

In case you missed any of my S&T Tuesdays for 2016:

Introduction
Momfessional Moments (Didn’t participate)
How To Win My Heart
Favorite Pinterest Pins (During my blog break)
My Hometown
My life’s mix tape (During week of guest bloggers)
My Own Talk Show
Day In The Life
Personal Style (Missed this)

And here are all my 2015 Show and Tell posts.

Fitting Exercise Into Your Busy Schedule

I know this is something that a lot of people struggle with. Time! How do we find time??? Look, we all have lives right? We work, we go to school, we have our kids to take care of, etc. And sometimes it’s just not feasible in the season that we’re in to hit the gym as much as we’d like. So I sat down and thought about some tips I would give someone who is busy but wants to fit exercise into their schedule.

1. Decide if you’re an AM or PM workout person

I’d call this the first step. This is key because when you figure out what you like, you’re that much more likely to do your workout. If you don’t know, try both. I’ve found myself doing both at different times. It’s just whatever season I am in at the moment. Let’s face it, if you have all your energy in the mornings, but you try to continually workout after work at 5PM you will crash and burn every time. Get to know your body.

2. Next, PLAN

Prepare your gym bag ahead of time. Every night before I go to bed I make a penciled list of everything I have to/want to accomplish the next day. I then write down the times for everything I have to do and then write in times for things I want to do. That was I can prioritize.

3. So make it a priority

Once you decide if fitting a workout into your day is important to you, make it a priority. If you’re an AM exerciser, get that booty up early enough before work. If you’re a PM exerciser, go straight to the gym after class/work. If someone says “hey let’s go to dinner tonight” make sure to schedule dinner at a time that you can get your workout/shower/and change beforehand. Make it a priority.

4. Motivate yourself

If you like to workout in the AM, wear your gym clothes to bed. If you like to workout in the PM, plan a healthy and yummy dinner in the crockpot so you can look forward to that afterwards. Buy some new gym clothes. Get new gym gear. Download some new music that you’ll be excited to listen to. Find something that you like and learn to motivate yourself with it.

5. Get an accountability partner

It’s important to have accountability partners in all aspects of your life…spiritually, emotionally, etc. so why would your fitness life be any different? There’s strength in numbers, my friends. If you have a class or workout set up with your friend to both be at you are less likely to skip it.

6. Use those lunch breaks

For real. Take a walk during your lunch break. It’ll get you outside with some fresh air and it will get your heart rate up. After sitting down most of the day, your body will really appreciate it. You need a break anyways.

7. KISS

Keep it short, stupid. No i’m not calling you stupid. Instead of “Keep it simple, stupid”…keep it short! Just because you’re not working out for a long time doesn’t mean you won’t see benefits from exercise. Do some HIIT for 30 minutes, walk around your neighborhood, follow a quick yoga DVD, do some squats in your office for a break during your work day. Try some moves I showed in my stability ball video. Just get moving.

8. Multi-task

You all have seen my pictures before…I read while I walk the streets of my neighborhood. I know, some of you are thinking about how unsafe that is and some of you are wondering how you could be coordinated enough to do that. Well, I’m really not that coordinated! You’ve also seen pictures of me studying for exams while walking the treadmill. Hold some planks while you’re scrolling through Instagram. I do them all. I love them all. I love to exercise while I am doing something else.

So these are just a few tips I have…there’s definitely more where that came from. Now share: what do you like to do??

Friday Favorites

A Friday in the middle of May? That’s crazy. Time slow done. But look, on Monday morning my LAST SEMESTER of college officially starts and that is definitely my FAVORITE. I have 2 classes and I am finally done. Praise Jesus!

As usual, I am linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci. Here are some FAVORITES from this week. Have a great weekend!

Speaking of linking up…yesterday I asked what your FAVORITE link-ups are. Either ones that you host or ones that you like to participate in. Next Thursday, I will post the final list with days of the week that you can continually check back with.

Make sure you share yours!

Family nights are my FAVORITE. A couple weeks ago before Morgan came home for the summer the other 5 of us went bowling one random night. It was so much fun!

Mom had a mojito…too much time with Rick, Ry, dad, and I can do that to a woman 😉

After we bowled for an hour (PS mom won game 1, while I took over game 2 #girlpower), we played pool because the brothers think they are super good at it.

Let’s talk about how the pool stick is almost taller than me??????

Game 1 was dad and I vs the brothers and I carried our team….sorry dad but we are not going to be teammates anymore 😉

During the summer when we go to Iowa my brothers pretty much sit in the basement all day and play pool at my uncle’s house. He’s in a league and teaches them all the tricks of the trade. And he’s good…so I cannot lie…they’re good too.

Killing it with my concentrated face.

Family nights are seriously the best. I totally think it’s necessary to do that every once in a while because it’s so easy to forget to just spend time with the people you love.

Speaking of spending time with the people you love…since we are doing the remodel to our house we have been renting a house down the street to stay at while ours in torn apart. And since nobody has their own rooms with their own tv, we’ve gotten plenty of quality time together. I think at this point we’re all thankful and grateful that we have our own rooms in our house. I think there’s a such thing as spending too much time together! Haha

#moderationiskey #myownhouseismyFAVORITE #isitdoneyet?

So one of my FAVORITE shows, Young and Hungry finally released season 3 on Netflix. I’ve been binge-watching as much as I can. I don’t know how or why I ever started watching this show but it’s so funny!

Y’all, I have never been so excited to study in my life. I can say that my FAVORITE part of this week has been the time I set aside to begin studying for my certification exam.

On Tuesday I blogged about Turmeric. You really need to read about all the health benefits!! Pin it so you can remember to look at it later!

This past weekend, Emily graduated from The University of Arkansas. Last Thursday Morgan and I road-tripped to Fayetteville with JP (Emily’s brother) and their dad.

Now, I am one of those people that has maybe like 5 friends. But they’re GOOD friends. In high school it was all about how many you had, but now that I am older and have grown up a little bit I have my 5 or so good friends and I am happy with it. One of those is to include this girl…she’s a FAVORITE for sure.

I am thankful for this friend of mine. She’s good for a deep conversation, a belly laugh, a fun time, and everything in between. I blogged about her a little more here:

Her 21st birthday and our friendship
Her relationship with Tyler (who also happens to be one of my besties)
Labor Day weekend at Ole Miss
All others

I’m telling you…the majority of our time is spent like this. 🙂

But when she does her little Arkansas Woo Pig thing you can’t help but make a face.

Morgan and JP are the same age and have been friends since middle school just like Emily and I. So naturally we are one big ol’ happy family. Us at Emily’s graduation.

Us at Morgan and JP’s baccalaureate.

And then of course Morgan and I had to get a picture together too.

JP also snapped this one which makes me laugh because of course i’m giving attitude. 😉

We drove back Saturday and I swear I slept for 3 days straight. I’m getting too old for this nonsense!!! 4AM bedtimes take too much out of me. Haha!

Link-Up Love

Today’s post is pretty easy. As a blogger, one of my favorite things to participate in are link-ups.

• I love that you can grow your blog, meet other bloggers, and get other opinions on the same subject.
• I love that you can have a topic, yet because we are all so different each topic can be interpreted in different ways…like Andrea’s Show and Tell: Personal Style from the other week. I bet if you go through all the links they will all be completely different.
• I love that we are also able to share what blogs we follow and enjoy reading.

Some of my favorite link-ups right now are…

Bookworm Wednesday with Colors of Life and Better Off Benedict 😉
Show and Tell Tuesday with Momfessionals
Friday Favorites with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything, Grace and Love
What’s Up Wednesday with Mix and Match Mama, The Larson Lingo, Sheaffer Told Me To

Now…let’s share some link-up love!

Do you host a link-up? or What are your favorite link-ups that you participate in? 

My goal is to get as many people as possible to share link-ups they host or participate in and then next week I will put together a list of link-ups for the corresponding days of the week. I am always looking (and so are many of you) for some new link-ups to continue growing my blog and meeting others. Share, share, share!!

Life Lately

So when we left off it was the end of March and I started walking again and Rick and Ry were still in baseball season. Click here if you need a refresher 😉

And speaking of Rick and baseball, check out this video his team did of the running man. Love it love it love it!

Since then Morgan has come home for a visit over part of her Spring Break and we played lots of card games.

I introduced you to chewy almond butter oatmeal cookies…yeah, you’re welcome 😉

I finished up my semester with lots of Starbucks dates for myself. #blessyoucoffee

The sun has come out and the heat is full force for the summer months ahead. It’s been perfect for relaxing by the pool and catching up on some reading.

If you’ve missed my post about either of these books, be sure to read about them here.

I’m telling you…lots of coffee!

I’ve been hanging out at the gym and on my yoga mat A LOT. I am really and truly one of those people that is addicted to the gym. Not in a “I need to spend 23498174 hours at the gym every day doing high cardio” way but just the fact that it makes me happy to go, to sweat, and to leave energized and refreshed.

I also shared a video I made with the stability ball…I love my stability ball!

And I showed you inside my gym bag.

Lately, Hoda and I have been going on walks during sunset. We enjoy our time together. I highly recommended taking walks as much as you can! Get the heart pumping, the blood flowing, clear your mind, and get some fresh air. It can really change your attitude.

#preachitlaura

Last Monday I completed my CPR/AED/First-Aid course and I was so excited because it meant that I am one step closer to getting my health coach certification. I have my manual and I have been studying every day. Eeekkk so excited! 🙂

Lately this has been our life…thank you remodel! Moving and packing and not being able to find anything. It’s hectic and crazy but we are all so excited to see the finished product.

And this Monday night the youth group I co-lead went to the BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT in Frisco. It was so good and so fun to spend time with some of them. Cannot believe they are going to be sophomores next year!

My co-leader Jenn is awesome, fabulous, and all the best adjectives I could think of. It has been such a blessing that I was placed in their group when I decided to volunteer this past fall.

Not all of them could come, but I was glad some could. I love this girl right here; she is so stinkin’ sweet. She and another one of my girls asked if I would take them shopping! #meltmyheart #ofcourse #tellmewhen

Annnnddddddd I think I have caught you up! That’s about 2 months worth…whew. I may or may not have some more fun memories coming on Friday. Oops, I have just been having too much fun 😉

Happy Wednesday!!!

Turmeric

You guys are going to have to bare with me this week. It’s craziness over here with our remodel, classes starting next week, and studying for my certification exam!!! I’m going to (hopefully) stay as consistent as possible with my blogging…but you just never know. 😉

Lately I have been reading and hearing a lot about turmeric. So I set out to figure what all the talk was about! I had a lot of people mention to me how much they liked my post on chia seeds, so I decided to format this one the same.

So…let’s start with the basic question.

What is turmeric?

Turmeric is a spice found in India that’s commonly used in curry. It was used as an herb in medicine for aid with several body systems, including the digestive system to help with digestion, menstrual irregularities, and other kinds of swelling.

(This is how it comes at the store.)

…which leads to the second question.

What is it about turmeric?

1. It is a superfood.
2. It is an antioxidant (a cancer fighter) and anti-inflammatory because of the curcumin  chemical – which is the reason it’s so popular now.
3. Curcumin helps stabilize inflammation and decrease swelling…if your joints have been hurting you, try turmeric.
4. As mentioned above, because of it’s high anti-inflammatory effects, turmeric helps with arthritis along with pain and high inflammation.
5. Turmeric increases dopamine and serotonin which is the “feel good” hormone.
6. One article states that it is better than prozac (treats depression, OCD, and other mental disorders) because it reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) and increases serotonin.
7. In India, Turmeric is rubbed on the bride’s face because it’s used to beautify skin and help complexion as well.
8. Helps support the liver by detoxifying.
9. It produces bile, which breaks down fat and helps move toxins through the digestive tract…we like this. 🙂
10. Helps those with diabetes by suppressing glucose production in the liver. Research found that it improved metabolic function and decreased plaque build-up in arteries.
11. Increases oxygen intake in the brain, which makes the brain function at it’s best. This also increases the release of serotonin and dopamine.
12. It is recommended that the average adult gets 1-3g/day in their diet, which is about 1/4 tsp. That’s super simple to do!

How can I get turmeric in my body?

1. Use it as a spice in your recipes. For instance, put it in your rice and quinoa. FYI: it turns food yellow.
2. Use mustard as a condiment…mustard has turmeric in it. (Hence the yellow and bitter flavor)
3. Drink it in your tea.
4. Toss your veggies in some turmeric and roast them. Throw it in soups. Use it as a marinade. Anywhere that you can disguise it. Be mindful that there is a bitter flavor. My first time I put it in my oatmeal and used way too much that it was so gross!
5. Pinterest recipes. I did this yesterday and there’s a ton.
6. Eat curry.

What are the risks of turmeric?

1. Turmeric can interfere with other medication you may be taking, such as aspirin. If you are on a lot of medicine, be sure to consult your doctor.
2. Mild side effects may occur (diarrhea, indigestion, increased menstrual flow, nausea, etc.) if you take too much. By sticking to the recommended 1/4 tsp a day, there should no problem.

So that’s turmeric! As you can see, there are many benefits. It’s becoming the “new thing” so now i’m wondering do you use it/have you used it before? Do you know anything else about it you want to share??

*FYI: I am not a licensed medical practitioner, all statements have been formed through my own research and thoughts.*

Gone…

…for the weekend!

The four of us are re-uniting in Arkansas…but since it was Morgan and JP graduating last time, this time we’re celebrating Emily!!!

See ya Monday!

 

Stranded: Books

Hi! It’s been crazy around here. We’ve been packing boxes and running errands and all sorts of things these past two weeks so my blogging as been sporadic. I’m hoping to get back on track soon…hang with me!!!

Today I’m participating in Shay and Erika‘s stranded link-up and we’re talking books.

What 3 books would I take off my bookshelf if I was stranded on an island?? Ugh, this is hard. I don’t know if I would want to read or if I would be too pre-occupied and anxious to read. You know what i’m saying?!

The first book that I would try to make sure that I had was some sort of guide for surviving on a deserted island. You know, ’cause i’m all practical and stuff 😉

I’d get this book so I could figure out WHAT THE HECK TO DO. It looks helpful and probably would be a good read as a just in case. In this guide you’re suppose to figure out how to signal for help, get drinkable water, and catch food. I’ll need all the help I can get!

If I was stranded on an island I would want a funny book, you know to entertain me and also keep me sane.

So i’d pick Bossypants by Tina Fey because…
-SO MANY OF YOU recommended it and really loved the book
-I haven’t read it before, which I’d love because I don’t read books more than once
-It’s also an autobiography which is my favorite!
-It was rated on buzz feed’s most funny books

Win, win!

And the third thing I would take with me is a series. You know, have a long drawn out series to read to keep me occupied while I am waiting on someone to come rescue me. That’s a good idea, right?!

I’m normally not into all the mystical creatures and made up stuff with vampires and witches, but Morgan LOVED the Twilight series along with just about everyone else. I’ve seen the movies (and liked them) but I haven’t read the books. Do you suggest I take this series or would I have a better series to read while I’m stranded??

YAY FOR READING!!! Except I probably wouldn’t be this happy and I wouldn’t have a school book with me. Haha!

So what do you think? Would you keep it practical or would you just take your favorites? I’m really hoping I would never be in that situation!

Ps…to see my reads for 2016 click here! And in case you’re looking for other great options, check out a link-up I host on the first Wednesday of every month (don’t worry it doesn’t interfere with this one) called Bookworm Wednesday!!!

One Healthy Month: Month 7 Goals

This morning I’m sitting in my CPR/AED/First-Aid certification class. Honestly, I’m such a nerd for being excited…but I AM SO EXCITED! Once I pass this and get certified my next step is my health coach certification. So that makes today a good day! 😉

Before we get to month 7’s goals…let’s take a quick look at Month 6.

Month 6 Fitness Goals:

• 2 rest days a week. I definitely did this. I might have taken more than just 2 a week a few times.
• Be in bed by 11:00PM. Honestly, April was a crappy month. I never like April…it’s so weird. It was a long month and there were a few nights that I didn’t sleep a single hour. So I definitely did not accomplish this at all.
• Write down a time that I’ve been proud of myself for something health related. I didn’t necessarily do this…but I did something else. I’ll try to share with y’all soon!
• Set aside 10 minutes each morning for “quiet time”. I always make this a goal and it doesn’t happen. I don’t know why. If someone has an hour, let a girl know!!!

One Healthy Month

May 9th – June 5th

So with this month I decided to do something a little different. I decided that I wanted to have a healthy month. Everyone has their own version of “healthy” so a healthy month to me might look different than a healthy month for you.

Like I said above, April was just a really crappy month for me for a lot of reasons. One of those reasons being that I felt as though I was sick for the majority of the month. And the only way to make that different is to change some things. First thing, I am playing around with my diet.

Physically/Mentally:

1. Follow the Low-Fodmap Diet. Honestly I am running out of things to try to get my bloating and digestion problems under control. I once went to a gastroenterologist who told me I had IBS but we shrugged it off because she said “this is what we say when there’s nothing else” I’ve been researching IBS again and based on what I have found some of the foods align with what I feel like is making me sick…so I am giving it a try for a month.
2. A month of clean eating. I have not been good about this at all this month and that could be playing into how I am feeling. Hopefully this will confirm or deny for me but it’s a lot like going Paleo and all of that stuff. I have high hopes this month!
3. Straight to my Bible in the AM. Look, I WILL get this down. Even tomorrow I have an alarm set for before my CPR class.

Socially/Emotionally:

1. Send 1 people a random (kind) text each day. I’m happier when I can make other people happy and who wouldn’t love a thoughtful text in the morning?? That’s 30 different people that will receive a kind text from me. I’ve already planned out who with each day.
2. Delete social media apps off my phone. Yup, I told you I was making changes. This is a huge thing for me because y’all I spend way too much time during my day scrolling through Instagram, Snapchat, etc. My Fitness Pal is probably controlling my life a little more than it should. I’m not taking it out completely, I’m just planning to keep the apps on my iPad and can scroll through and see what happened at the end of the day. It can be my “wind down” time.
3. Spend time with 1 girl friend each week. My friends are coming home and I am so excited…so I want to spend time with AT LEAST one of them each week 🙂

Professionally:

1. Sign up for my health coach cert test. Whoop!!! After today I will be able to!
2. Figure out job. While I am growing my business, I need to have an income, so this month my goal is to decide what that will be.
3. Begin work on my health coach website. It’s time to start planning! Eek!

That’s a healthy month to me…being productive, being social while spending time with my favorite people, and working on myself.Think I can do it?! 😉