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!

 

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!

Friday Favorites

Oh, this week. I am glad this week is over. I have my big ol’ Finance final tomorrow morning and I know NOTHING Finance related. I’m just ready to get it done and hope I pass it so I don’t have to re-take the course. If you need me…i’ll be studying all night long. Sigh.

But it’s still Friday and we’re linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites today!

When I’d paint my nails or get them done as a young lass I always got pink…or red because they were always safe and my FAVORITE. So a couple years ago I made a vow to not do either of those colors so I could branch out. Last week however, I went with this pink Flirt Alert and love how bright it is. It just puts you in the mood for Spring!

Last Thursday Reeana and I met up at Starbucks after not having seen each other in a while. I got there early to do a little quiet time and read. Meeting up at Starbucks with one of my best girl friends and drinking coffee is for sure one of my FAVORITE things. Oh and don’t forget to read my thoughts on Hoda’s book. That was a FAVORITE too.

But another FAVORITE of ours happened to be when this lady walked in and legitimately had these dragon spikes weaved in through her braid. What in the actual heck? It all made sense when we walked out and she was knitting yarn characters together…

I created my own little ham, egg, and cheese. When I was young (apparently I am reminiscing today) my FAVORITE breakfast used to be ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches from Casey’s General Store. Now that I can no longer have cheese and bread I improvise. This morning I threw canadian bacon, egg whites, and spinach into a pan to heat up/cook And then melted some cheese on top. Hey…it works! 😉 And tomatoes on the side because it’s one of my FAVORITE things to eat right now too.

I told you last Wednesday that I was so excited to try out Shakeology because eveerryyyoonnneee talks about how it is their FAVORITE. Well, it finally came in the mail Wednesday night. We already had plans for dinner…

…but first thing yesterday morning I made it! I asked Kylie why it was so little and she informed me that you’re suppose to put more liquid in it #shakeologyfail #imanamateur. I liked this one it tasted like brownie batter so I’m excited to try the strawberry (probably today).

You can’t read my tank, but it says “the gym is my happy hour”…here’s a red one. I think mine came from Target but it’s only the plus size one online. (Target has buy one, get one 50% off all women’s clothing and shoes right now by the way!!)

My Insanity class was at 4:30 this day, so I got there around 4:10 to stretch, get out of the house, relax, and take this necessary selfie. ALL MY FAVORITES. I get compliments and I feel like a powerhouse in it. Don’t you have clothes that make you feel powerful too?!

I did this the other day and I know I’m awkward, but I wanted to share my FAVORITE easy little exercise to do right now.

Soooooooo…

1.It’s weird watching yourself on video, I made some strange faces.
2. I’m sorry for all the “um’s” I didn’t prepare before hand this was improv!!!
3. Super cute thing I do with my hands at the end…*covers eyes*.
4.  THIS stability ball comes with 2 workout dvds, a yoga band, and a pump. Such a good deal for less than $14!
5. I hope you still love me after watching this. After all I did thank you (haha I don’t know why, I think for watching)!

Okay have a super weekend!!! Come Monday I am going to be a happy camper. No class for 3 weeks! Booyah!

Friday Favorites

You know, now that I work on Fridays and Saturdays I just don’t get that excited to see Fridays as much anymore 😉

But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying my weekend!! And we’re still linking up with Erika, Narci, and Andrea.

So I love these little snacks. I got them at Aldi…remember when we talked about my love for Aldi? They’re little single serving packs and they’re my FAVORITE right now…especially the strawberry. I personally think they are super sweet too, but one bag is only 5g of sugar and it’s made out of literally just strawberries. So not only are they good, they’re healthy!

If you follow me on Instagram you saw the bottom picture the other day. I’m obsessed with these leggings and they’ve quickly become my FAVORITE.

They’re my first pair of long pant leggings that have color…all my others are black. I couldn’t find the link to them, but Target is having a 25% off sale on their C9 activewear with the code: C9SAVE. You need to check it out!!

Since we’re mentioning working out and activewear…you should check out my post as we peeked inside my gym bag on Tuesday and talked about tricks to keeping our bags organized. Y’all are like me and lose hair ties all the time. #thestruggle

Y’all. I have one final left next Saturday morning (yes that’s freaking weird) and then I am done with this semester!!! I take 2 classes this summer and I will have officially graduated. Ohhh, are we gonna party hard come August! And by we I mean all of us. You and me. Because YOU (MY FAV PEOPLE) ARE ALL INVITED TO MY HOUSE to celebrate the happiest of days! 😉

Be my friend.

There will be food.

Isn’t that a good bribe?

A couple months ago our pastor challenged us to go social media-less one day that following week. Well I am huge on challenges, so I partook and I LOVED IT. Loved it so much that I did it a couple weeks after and then I randomly did it a couple weeks ago.

I’ve now challenged myself to a “Social Media-less Monday” where every Monday i’m off all forms of social media…Instagram, Twitter (which I don’t have so that’s easy), Facebook, Snapchat, everything.

It’s honestly so refreshing and my FAVORITE way to start my week off. I have more time for LIFE and conversations and Jesus and being present and reading and listening to the news and seriously, everything.

You should try it because it is a serious challenge, but so so worth it!

So last summer I did a “Woman Tell All” where you guys got to ask me anything you wanted and I answered. Last week I asked what you all would like to see on the blog (and I texted some friends who don’t normally comment) to see their opinions. I have some good ones and a whole week in May devoted to Woman Tell All answers.

So again, leave ANY suggestions/questions/preferences on upcoming blogs and topics. This May is devoted to you, my sweet sweet readers.

So comment and share you thoughts/opinions for our Woman Tell All and really just anything else you have in mind.

Love you all.

Have a fun weekend.

See you next month.

Get it? ‘Cause that’ll be May and today is April.

Okay bye now.

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, y’all!

I’m glad to see this weekend. I had a paper, two presentations, and hours of sitting in class that took up most of my time this week. But luckily I asked off work this weekend for something and I’m not doing it anymore so I have a FREE WEEKEND! Whatttttt??!!! Let’s get this party started!

If you missed my post yesterday, you should check it out because I updated you on my life plans coming up in these next couple months 😉

And feel free to check out my health/fitness goals while you’re at since they kind of go hand in hand.

Lately I have been hitting up Starbucks a lot more. And I am remembering why it was my FAVORITE. There’s nothing like a quick post-workout pre-class coffee selfie.

I go through a lot of phases. My recent phase also happens to be a FAVORITE of mine… cooking. And not just for me, but for other people. I’ve been making a lot of meals for myself and my family too.

Spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs.

Spaghetti squash breakfast casserole (TO DIE FOR). My dad ate 3/4 of this thing in one sitting.

Hawaiian chicken over mashed cauliflower with a kale salad.

This amazing salmon that my mom deemed the best salmon she’s had in her life. That’s huge!

And a shepherd’s pie (mashed cauliflower on top my side and puff pastry on the family’s side). Served with parmesan roasted carrots…and of course your girl had to throw in her greens!

I mentioned this tea a couple weeks ago, but it’s my FAVORITE hot tea right now. I love sitting down at the end of the day writing down the next day’s goals and sipping this hot tea. The little things, friends.

My FAVORITE part of the semester is here…the end. I have a final next Tuesday and then another final in a couple Saturday’s and I am allllllmost done with college. #untilAugust #icandoit

And lastly, this past Saturday I drove down to Dallas to visit my big (from my sorority at OU) who moved to Dallas last May. My FAVORITE thing was catching up with old friends. So much fun!

Also let’s all laugh at baby Molly 2012.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites

Can you believe it’s the first Friday of APRIL? Again, 1/4 of 2016 is already gone. Woah, Nelly.

In typical Friday fashion, i’m sharing my FAVORITES with you for this week. Join me and link-up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci.

Happy Friday to you!

The most exciting part of this past week was that Morgan and I threw together a little surprise for my parents. She had no intentions of coming home at all this semester, but when she told me her plans of leaving Gulf Shores halfway through their Spring Break I told her how fun it would be to have her surprise mom and dad. She agreed and we planned.

Our plan was that I would tell my parents I wanted to take them to lunch and when we’d walk in Morgan would be sitting there waiting for us. It worked for the most part, except Morg was awkward and didn’t know what to do so she went bouncing up to them and I couldn’t video it! ^ That was the best I got.

Pissed. Ha, just kidding, she’s in an intense conversation…aka probably being lectured by dad about something 😉

We got the cards going that night and enjoyed the rest of our weekend as a family of 6 again. So much fun.

My family has an obsession with Buffalo Wild Wings. Everyone but me that is. My siblings went for lunch that afternoon, but I tagged along for the company. You see, when Morgan isn’t here my brothers don’t want anything to do with me.

And then Sunday night she had to leave again. All good things come to an end, but as mom says, that just means she’s one day closer to coming home again.

While you northerners have been bundled up in your hats, coats, scarves, and snow flurries, we southerners have been laying out in our backyards catching some vitamin D. I’m usually not that excited for summer, but for some reason this year i’m seriously looking forward to it! This sun has been my FAVORITE lately and it’s putting me in the best spirits. I’ve been taking my reading out there while (hopefully) getting darker. We all know homegirl needs some of that.

On Tuesdays, I have a 3.5 hour break in between my classes. I dread it, but I’ve learned to take advantage of it. Usually I stay on campus, but this past week I drove to our nearest Starbucks and was pleasantly surprised to see this little outdoor area in the sun with comfortable cushioned chairs.

 

I pulled out my lunch, I got my coffee, and I ended up being so productive. It was one of those “ahhhh, I am seriously enjoying life right now” moments. You know those. This was definitely my FAVORITE 3.5 hours from this week.

For a while now I have been trying to get myself into hot tea. I just see all the advantages (on Pinterest of course) and I see how many people love it. I’ve been trying to detox lately and I picked up this Yogi Detox tea (which i’m totally loving) and sip on it right before bed while I finish up my blog or whatever it is that i’m doing. It seems like Yogi is everybody’s FAVORITE right now so I had to test it out. So far…2 thumbs up.

Okay. Hi, my name is Molly and i’m addicted to chocolate. And dessert. And having a chocolate dessert every night after dinner. Like it’s just a thing now. I was at the grocery store on Monday and snooped up and down each aisle as I always do. I’m notorious for spending way too much time at the grocery store.

WELL.

This week I came upon this little snack. And friends. My life is changed for the better. I have a chunk or two every night. It goes along with my food allergies to dairy and gluten, it’s healthy yet it’s dessert, and it’s in line with my sugar detox. Like, there’s no sugar (because it’s sweetened with date paste). A packaged product with no sugar? I about died. If you see it, just try my FAVORITE grocery store find.

A couple days ago I found this bag and within seconds of spotting it, I knew it was a keeper. It’s my FAVORITE. It’s big, it’s roomy, it’s perfect for these upcoming summer months. I’m totally loving all this light colors this year. Lots of white and stripes. Two of my FAVORITE things.

This week on the blog…

Monday I shared an update on my 2016 Bucket List. Some of my FAVORITE goals have been checked off already.

On Tuesday I shared what my talk show would look like if I had my own. You can bet two of my FAVORITE ladies were on there.

It was the first Wednesday of the month, so of course, I hosted my FAVORITE linkup…Bookworm Wednesday. It’s good stuff.

And yesterday I shared my FAVORITE go-to breakfast recipe at the moment. Healthy almond butter banana waffles for the win!

Have the best weekend!

Friday Favorites: Favorite Gluten Free Products

Well, 2 weeks ago I did a Friday Favorites post on my FAVORITE lactose free products. And seeing as I can’t have lactose or gluten, I knew it was only right to do one for gluten free products.

Gluten free products are becoming SO POPULAR now days. I mean there’s a gluten free section in just about every grocery store that you go into. I guarantee you that I have tried every brand of every product. I’ve been on the hunt for gluten free products for about 4 years now (back when it wasn’t as popular). But the ones I have listed below are my FAVORITES. Trust me, you’ll want to listen. Don’t waste your time and money like I have 😉

*Now all of these items are when i’m not doing my sugar detox just FYI*

Tips for gluten free eating:

1. Read labels because gluten is in the most random of things…think: soy sauce, spices, “cream of” soups. (More to come on that.)
2. No flour or wheat. However, rice flour and corn flour are okay. This can get tricky.
3. No fried foods as it’s usually fried in flour.
4. Don’t eat gluten free unless you have to and want to give up gluten for good!! There’s no going back and forth…I learned the hard way.
5. You’ll hear me say it 3095325 times, always go popular name brands. They’re usually the best.

Bread

Bread was BY FAR the hardest thing when it came to gluten free eating. Gluten is the protein found in flour and wheat, so it basically the elastic that holds it together. Without gluten you have bread that falls apart. I cannot tell you how many times I have made some bread and it’s fallen apart in my hands or it’s been too dry to even eat. This loaf of bread below will change your life.

This bread is everything. I get the whole grain, but they are both delicious.

A turkey melt, a grilled cheese, with peanut butter and banana, or with egg and avocado in the morning…it doesn’t matter. You will love this bread and I would place my life on that one 😉

Cornbread

Truly I haven’t found a cornbread mix that I haven’t liked, but right now we only get Aldi’s (you’ll see this as a running theme during this post).

And we eat it like it’s dessert. Seriously, I have to hide it or i’ll eat half in one sitting.

This is my second option (and Glutino is good too).

Pasta

I haven’t purchased any boxed pasta that is bad, so really I would just say to go with your favorite pasta brand. We get this one and Barilla a lot. Luckily, most brands are making their own gluten free!

I honestly don’t buy boxed pasta, I usually just eat whatever we are having minus the pasta. When I want the feel of pasta I usually get these tofu noodles, spaghetti squash, or some zucchini and make zoodles.

Crusts/Baking

There are a lot of restaurants that are now making gluten free pizza crusts. My three FAVORITES are from:

Happy Joes
Papa Murphy’s
Pie Five

If I ever want to make some of my own gluten free crust, Pillsbury’s thin crust is so delicious. And crispy. And when I want pizza crust, I don’t want it soft!

Another frozen crust I like to keep in my freezer if i’m wanting pizza is from unrefined bakery. It’s super simple, too!

They also make muffins (that my mom got me for my birthday a couple years ago) and I really liked it.

Betty Crocker makes some amazing mixes. And Pillsbury, too. Stay with those name brands people (i’ll keep repeating that!).

Snacks

Now I don’t buy packaged goods, but on occasion I do and when I do…these are the ones I get.

Larabars are awesome. They’re made from natural ingredients and are therefore very healthy for you. This is one packaged good that I always have on hand.

Nuts, raisins, trailmix, etc. is all naturally gluten free. This is why I don’t understand why people always ask me what I can eat. There’s so many foods that are naturally gluten free that I can always find something. It’s just usually not the processed and fried foods most are used to.

Walmart’s brand is our FAVORITE pretzels. My mom eats these over regular pretzels just because she liked them better. They’re so much more crunchy!! (YAY G-FREE). We’re also a fan of Aldi’s brand and Glutino.

These are without a doubt the best gluten free crackers. There are so many kinds that you can purchase, but honestly just stick with these!

And as a kid I would put away peanut butter crackers like no other. Well, when I found out the company who makes them finally came out with a gluten free brand I was all about it.

They’re crunchy too. One thing i’ve really noticed with gluten free products that are packaged is that they’re way more crunchy than normal products. I don’t even remember what normal tastes like anymore.

Breakfast

I mean…eggo makes waffles. Don’t try anything else, just get these!

Rice and corn are your best friends, gluten-freers. And now Chex (and Cheerios) are gluten free! Woohoo!

Many mornings I love an english muffin. And when I do, it’s got to be Glutino’s. And burnt…because who eats their bread and english muffins not burned??? #gimmeallthecrunch

Randoms…

I use oats in many of my recipes and I always go with Bob’s.

I’m not a big alcohol drinker, so this one isn’t a big deal for me. If you’re gluten intolerant and you like beer, this is the best brand that I have had so far.

You can find cookies in any gluten free section grocery stores. Kylie sent me these cookies and they were super crunchy and chocolatey…what more could you want? 😉

Before I started making my own chicken tenders I found out that Tyson started on gluten free too. If I could have one meal for the rest of my life it would be chicken tenders and sweet potato fries. SO THIS IS BY FAR MY FAVORITE.

Watch out for…

Cream of Mushroom has gluten in it. Why? I do not know. I haven’t been able to try this because I can’t have the cream, but it’s the only one on the market, so I would suggest it to  those who can have the cream.

Seasonings! What?! Yes, make sure these read gluten free too!

If you didn’t already gather, my favorite brand right now is Aldi’s. Mainly because it’s cheap but they’ve also got good product. If you have to eat gluten free you know that it is expensive. Any money you can save is such a help.

If you’re new to gluten free…go straight to the gluten free aisle while you’re still learning to read labels. And then, if you need any help, be sure to ask me! I’ve become an expert by now 😉

OKAY FELLOW G-FREERS….how’d I do. You agree or disagree with my finds?!

Friday Favorites

This is the first time in a long time that I can say I am NOT excited about Friday being here. It means spring break week is over and I am not a fan.

But the weeks keep on moving so I have to get over it. Sigh. Today i’m linking up again with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites!

Date Paste

So I mentioned that I was doing a sugar detox weeks ago. Well, now that i’m on vacation I couldn’t still do it. But as soon as I get back I am doing it again because I LOVED IT. This is date paste that I made and used it as sweetener in all my recipes and it is my absolute FAVORITE sweetener ever.

Class?

I have a Tuesday night class and a couple of weeks ago absolutely nobody showed up. I mean I guess that’s a fib because there were 4 of us. I was so mad and it was my LEAST FAVORITE part of the week. I did get a lot of work and blogging done but why even hold class when nobody is there??!!

Tanning in March

I posted this on snapchat the other day. It was early March and I was tanning while drinking my FAVORITE La Croix. I couldn’t complain. After winter and cold weather I always get so excited for some sunshine and warmth. Follow me on snapchat… i’m “mollymiddleton” pretty simple!

Coffee

I’m sure if you went through my Friday FAVORITES posts, the majority of them would have coffee on them. It’s not a secret to anyone that this drink is my FAVORITE. I love picking up a cup filled with my drink with a picture of my girl on the front.

It’s just a beautiful sight when you’re on your way to work in the morning.

22

On the 7th my FAVORITE girl turned 22. She came home for the weekend and I celebrated with her, Tyler, and their families that night. Food, friends, and my bestie. Such a good night! Happy Birthday Em!

The Sauna

My FAVORITE place to go right after a good workout is the sauna. I love to sweat. That’s no secret either. But as soon as I get done with my HIIT class on Saturday morning, I like to walk on over to the sauna and stand in there for about 20 minutes before I carry on with my day. It’s so refreshing and I would recommend it to those of you who have a gym membership with a sauna!

On the blog…

Last Friday, I talked about my FAVORITE lactose free products.

Next Friday, I’m talking about my FAVORITE gluten free products.

You won’t want to miss it. Just like I hope you didn’t miss our guest bloggers this week…thanks again ladies. XOXO.

To see why we all love ______ and how we think you can too. Click the one that interests you:

Why I love Running, and you can too!
Why I love Yoga, and you can too!
Why Kylie loves Spinning, and you can too!
Why Jamie loves Celebrating, and you can too!
Why Christina loves Hosting, and you can too!
Why Julie loves Hiking, and you can too!
Why Randi loves Pittsburgh, and you can too!
Why Angie loves Self Care, and you can too!
Why Mattie loves Zumba, and you can too!
Why Katie loves Reading, and you can too!
Why Lindsay loves Hot Yoga, and you can too!
Why Emily loves Decorating, and you can too!
Why Tara loves Cooking, and you can too!
Why Erika loves Online Shopping, and you can too!
Why Lauren loves Traveling, and you can too!
Why Shelly loves Giving to Others, and you can too!
Why Alexandra loves Photography, and you can too!
Why Haley loves Thrifting, and you can too!
Why Jacquelyn loves Sewing, and you can too!
Why Jackie loves Orlando, and you can too!

Have a great weekend!

Friday Favorites: Favorite Lactose Free Products

I’m coming at ya PUMPED this Friday morning because it is SPRING BREAK fo’ yo girl and I am headed out of town tomorrow.

But i’m still linking up with Andrea, Narci, (and Erika but not this week) for another Friday FAVORITES before.

I get asked alllllllllll the time what I eat with my food allergies. “Can you even eat?” Yeah, peeps. I DO EAT. I just have to make modifications.

A couple weeks ago, I promised posts on my FAVORITE lactose free and gluten free products. Many of you already are gluten and lactose intolerant, and many of you are just now being diagnosed with these intolerances. Seeing as it’s taken me about 4 years to finally find products that I enjoy, I thought I would share to spare y’all. Not only did it take a long time, but it took a lot of money and throwing foods away. I mean my poor tastebuds hate me by now too 😉

So when I say these are my FAVORITE products it’s because I have tried them and continue to buy them. There have been some that I have tried where I can say “oh, that’s not awful” but these are the products that I buy over and over again.

Cheese

Cheese was the hardest. There’s nothing like some good ol’ cheese and I missed it…for shredded cheese, Go Veggie is my FAVORITE.

They have Cheddar, and Cheddar + Monterey Jack as well. The Mexican style tastes different than the others but it doesn’t bother me anymore since i’ve gotten use to them. This grated parmesan isn’t bad either and it’s good for pasta dishes!

Sliced cheese is weird because they all taste different! Strangely I’m not a fan of Go Veggie’s sliced cheese but I found this Borden brand that is delicious for grilled cheese and sandwiches when the craving hits.

But this Finlandia brand is what I have been buying for turkey and swiss melts or whatever else i’m needing some sliced cheese for.

Cabot is lactose free. I liked it for wine and cheese nights with my parents, but we don’t do that often enough so this cheese goes bad way too fast. If you have a big family with lactose intolerance, totally get this!

I really don’t used sliced cheese that much. I only have it in the fridge on occasion. But I always have my FAVORITE Go Veggie shreds. And the best thing about each cheese that I mentioned is that they all melt!!! I’ve used some that don’t melt before and that’s awkward.

What happens when it comes to pizza? Well, I don’t buy frozen pizzas because none of them are good to me…so either I just get it without cheese if we’re eating somewhere like Pie5, or we get Papa Murphy’s and i’ll put my own cheese on top before it goes in the oven! That’s mine without the cheese right there on top 😉

Ice-Cream

Ice-cream is by far my FAVORITE lactose filled product. I miss frozen custard so much. But this Lactaid is the absolute best. GET IT IF YOU HAVE NOT TRIED IT. Honestly, you’d like it even if you weren’t lactose intolerant…that’s how serious I am.

If I just want a plain ol’ ice-cream for a shake, Breyers is a great one.

I am way too excited about this coming out, i’m on the hunt right now. I have heard such good things.

And I just found out that this is lactose free, so as soon as I am done with my sugar detox it’s coming home with me.

I have gotten this before because chocolate chip cookie dough is always my favorite kind of ice-cream and it was good. But it’s not as good as the other ones i’ve mentioned.

Any other brand…don’t trust it. If you want some good lactose free ice-cream, you have to go with these name brands to get something remotely edible. I’m not kidding!

Mayo

Mayo is one of those things that you don’t need in your fridge all the time like cheese, but you need it for recipes. And you want a good one!

This is the best mayo brand that I have found…

…but I have also tried their salad dressings and don’t like them. It’s hard telling with some products.

I use it in my basil mayo.

And when I make my own Chick-Fil-A sauce.

I’d keep this on hand if I were you, it stays good for a while too.

Sour Cream

I have yet to find a sour cream that is lactose free. But I was at my local Sprouts the other day and saw this one, which I am pretty excited about because there are a lot of recipes that I have had to forgo due to sour cream.

Cream Cheese

Same goes with cream cheese. I have actually tried this one though, and it’s pretty good. So far i’m really liking the Green Valley brand.

But as I was googling that cream cheese, I found this bad boy and i’m over here like…”Where have you been all my life?!” It’s not in any of my stores!

Cottage Cheese

I ALWAYS have cottage cheese in my refrigerator. It’s a staple for me. A good source of protein,  calcium, and mine is low fat. You need it. I go through this container like a baby goes through diapers. Okay that was a bad comparison…but roll with it.

Butter

This is the only one that I know of that’s dairy free. I couldn’t tell a difference with this one, so I recommend! Shhh…don’t tell but I have used it on my brother’s FAVORITE english muffins and they couldn’t tell either.

Milk

So here’s the thing. I’ve never liked milk. When I was a kid I would only have with cereal in the mornings…but I never drank the milk at the bottom. Sometimes I would even eat my cereal dry. My mom said when I was younger I had a hard time with breast milk.

However, Lactaid is my absolute FAVORITE lactose free brand. I got the eggnog during the holidays, I get the fat free high calcium milk, the ice-cream, the cottage cheese, everything. It’s all good. I have yet to go wrong.

Sometimes we will get the big jug at Costco that i’ll use for recipes, or when i’m making this frozen coffee.

But most of the time I will just get the store’s name brand because #cheaper and #costeffective and #college.

But to be honest…I don’t buy dairy milk anymore. I now only use my FAVORITE unsweetened almond milk (the cheapest kind of course). I don’t eat cereal or drink it plain, so I just use this for my protein shakes or in recipes. Again, if you like dairy milk – Lactaid should be your go-to. Or even your grocery store’s name brand.

Yogurt/Kefir

If i’m craving some yogurt, Yoplait carries lactose free that is good.

And Green Valley is a great option too. Yogurt-wise, I just keep this plain kefir in my fridge. I use it for smoothies, or put it in a bowl with fresh fruit. Kefir is such a great way to  get your probiotic in as a snack! Always get plain because the flavored kinds have a ton of sugar.

So I will say that I have tried all of these Daiya products. Lots of lactose free people swear by this brand and use it all the time…

…but I do not like a single one of these. It is my LEAST FAVORITE. Except Daiya has a lactose free greek yogurt at the bottom of the picture that I recently figure out about, so I tried it and really enjoy it. But that’s it.

And when it comes to coffee…?

I just get some soy milk or coconut milk. But I totally prefer soy.

Really and truly if you can, get the name brand “lactose free” products. I have found that if you try some sort of off brand it’s just not as good.

OKAY FELLOW LACTOSE FREE PEEPS…does that help? Do you have any questions? If you’ve tried some of these what are your opinions?

Have a great Friday. Hopefully you’re writing your grocery list right now and these products are making the cut 😉

Friday Favorites: Must Haves

Happy first Friday of March, peeps! This time next week I will be in full on Spring Break mode. Oh, am I ready for that!!!

We’ve got some things to cover before Friday can officially start though. Blog your FAVORITES from this week, link to Erika, Andrea, and Narci and let’s get this Friday started!

La Croix

La Croix is a carbonated water beverage with 0 calories, 0 sweetener, 0 sodium, 0 everything. The only ingredients are “carbonated water” and “natural flavor”. I must warn…this drink is an acquired taste. I basically had to force myself to like it, but now that I do, it’s my FAVORITE. La Croix has become so refreshing for me when I am wanting something with a little flavor. You know, since all I drink is water. Other than my water and back coffee this is the only drink I can have on my sugar detox right now. I especially love it because it doesn’t bloat me thanks to no sodium or artificial/any sweeteners. These are the 3 flavors I have in the fridge now, but there are SO many options. Give it a try if you haven’t already!

Clarisonic Mia

For Christmas, I asked for a Clarisonic Mia. I just wanted to see what all the talk was about…now I get it. My Mia 2 has become my FAVORITE beauty product. I tried to research the 3 versions to know which one to specifically ask for, but I couldn’t figure it out. I asked her why she chose this one and she said that after reading all of the reviews it was like a no brainer that the Mia 2 was the one to go with. It has made my skin so clear looking and feeling and just more “lively”. I get compliments all the time and I especially love the fact that I don’t have to use my hands to wash my face. Word on the street is that using your hands will cause wrinkles. No ma’am.

Girlfriend Time

Now if you were here on Wednesday you might have seen that instead of Bookworm Wednesday this month, I switched it up to TVworm Wednesday. And you also read that I love watching my FAVORITE shows with my FAVORITE people. While my momma was out of town this week, my girl Alyssa came over on Monday night and we watched The Bachelor and The Voice.

Alyssa and I were best friends in high school and when it came time for college she went to Texas Tech and I went to The University of Oklahoma.

We lost touch after being so far away, but she recently graduated early in December and now she’s back in the DFW area for her job. I’m so happy my friends are coming back to town. Alyssa and I had so much fun and spent the night giggling about random things and arguing about who is actually going to win the Bachelor! She’s all #teamlauren and i’m all #teamjojo.

Aromatherapy Pillow Mist

One thing to know about me is that when it comes to Bath and Body Works…I love love love candles, aromatherapy, and vanilla bean noel. My FAVORITE product from B&BW that got me hooked on the store in the first place is their aromatherapy, specifically their stress relief one. I adore this stuff. I have the lotion, the shampoo, the hand sanitizer, the body wash, the bubble bath soap, the chapstick, and…the pillow mist!

I spray the pillow mist well, on my pillow before bed at night. I spray it actually all over my bed and in my floor fan (to diffuse it throughout the room) and it seriously works. Not just stress, but it just relaxes me when I take a deep breath. Try the bubble bath soap too! You need this in your life.

In fact, when I went over to our host home from the Church retreat a couple weekends ago, the mom at the host home said “What do you have in there because my daughter and I were talking about how amazing it smells.” I told her it had to be my deodorant because I hadn’t sprayed anything. She said it’s almost like aromatherapy and that’s when it hit me…it was my pillow mist. That I had sprayed a couple days before. Not even on my blanket. It’s so great, friends.

Stevia

Speaking of our host home at the retreat, the mom introduced me to Stevia while we were there. She said to “only put a drop because otherwise it’s overpowering” and she was right. I loved it so much that I went to buy it the following week. I put one drop in my black coffee (when i’m not on my sugar detox) and it’s perfect. Again, another product that I recommend if you’re trying to limit sugar. And just because it’s a healthier way to sweeten your FAVORITE morning up of joe.

Not only do people use this in coffee, but a lot of people use Stevia as a liquid sweetener in their foods. I bet if you Pinterest this, you’ll find a lot!

Milk Frother

And since we’re talking about coffee…and Christmas. I got a milk frother for Christmas and it is so fun. I had been wanting one for eh…forever and Santa came through! I knew nothing about these originally. The one I have has a cold, warm, and hot milk setting. This day I did the cold setting…which is why I think it turned out bubbly below:

And see it in action:

I re-watch that video and can’t help but laugh. Because i’m weird. And awkward. You’ll have to forgive me 😉 But now you need to get cha some of my FAVORITE Stevia with my FAVORITE milk frother and make some delicious coffee this weekend! I gave you all the good products!

Blog Button

A couple weeks ago, Jacquelyn posted about her awesome goal of meeting 100 Bloglovin’ followers and that she was putting blogger’s buttons on her page. While we were e-mailing I said something about how sweet it was that she was doing that, but I didn’t have one so I couldn’t send it to her. Well, a couple days later I did have a button…and now it’s on her page!!

Thank you for being so kind, Jacquelyn. Sweet gestures like this are my FAVORITE. It is perfect! Bloggers, i’ve added my button to my sidebar. Feel free to grab the link and post it to your blog page 🙂

xoxoxo

And there we have it for today. You must have everything I mentioned today people. They’re too good not to! I hope you all enjoy your weekend. I’m hoping to get my shifts covered so I can relax and get ahead on blog work and school work 😉

Friday Favorites

Hellloooooo Friday. So happy to see you!

If you’re a blogger, link up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci and share your FAVORITES. If you’re a reader, so glad you’re here!!

This goes without saying…but my FAVORITE family is back in action tonight. Oh, I am pumped…as are most of you from reading everyone’s What’s Up Wednesday post this week.

I might stay up and see if it comes out at midnight (which will have passed by the time you read this) otherwise I guess I will have to watch after work sometime. Which is going to be interesting considering i’m working both my jobs today. NOOOOO I NEED MORE TIME TODAY!

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that our pastor challenged each of us to fast social media for one day.

And it was the best thing ever.

And then a couple weeks ago, I mentioned that I was going to go a whole weekend without social media.

And it was the best thing ever.

And now I do it one day every single week. It’s my FAVORITE day of the week now. I loved it so much that I could probably give up social media for an extended amount of time, but it’s also how I engage with you guys so I don’t want to! You’ll be surprised how difficult it is. I would open up Instagram multiple times, remember I wasn’t suppose to, and close it out immediately. But you’ll also be surprised with the amount of free time that you have. Communicate with your family! Get some work done! Don’t look at other people’s pictures and be like “wow she looks great why don’t I?” And in today’s world, I think a lot of us could use that every now and then.

I would seriously challenge you to do this. Just one day – no Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest, nothing. I told my girls to do it one day this week after a long conversation about comparison at our retreat.

Speaking of retreats, I want to recap this past weekend, even though I mentioned it on Wednesday. But it was just so GOOD and I don’t want to forget it!

Friday night we had to be at one of our campus for check in and I of course go in my signature outfit. Cute sweater? Check. Jeans? Check. Booties? Check. Long necklace? Check. Selfie? Check. A room that I just switched into and haven’t organized yet? Check.

Friday night they catered Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, we had worship and service, and then we went back to our host home for a Bible study and girl talk. After Bible study, the girls wanted McFlurry’s. Who are we to deny them such a glorious dessert? PS…I MISS MCFLURRY’S. They got a kick out of my wedges with socks, but I didn’t wanna wear booties and my feet were cold. So I improvised!!!

Saturday morning, we woke up and did a Bible study before going to bowl that morning. I sat at the kitchen table drinking some coffee and chatting with one of the girls.

After bowling we had free time and our first stop was to Starbucks because this was my group, remember???? Haha, total shocker but this was my first Starbucks in weeks!!

We hung out at our host home for a couple hours while the girls went swimming and took naps. Then we headed up to the Church for a cookout, service, and it was my FAVORITE night. So 15 passenger van selfie was in order.

We broke up into small groups and I had 3 girls with me who just opened up completely about stuff that’s been going on in their lives, things that were bothering them, and their relationships with Jesus. This night was the reason I started praying about volunteering with high school girls in the first place. There were tears, prayers, re-dedications to Christ, and lots of hugs. At the end of our conversation the girls said: “wow, that felt so good to talk about. We don’t have to do anything else this weekend because we’ve accomplished everything we wanted to”.

Cue the tears. Except I don’t cry…but if I did. I WOULD HAVE!

After service, we left the Church and the girls requested Braum’s. And thus #friesbeforeguys was born. BECAUSE I AM A GREAT LEADER AND KNOW WHAT’S TRULY IMPORTANT IN LIFE. 😉

We went back, hung out, snap chatted, and talked. Us leaders went to bed before the girls because we can’t hang! Megan and I shared a room so it was fun getting to know her a little better and realizing how much we have in common 🙂 I am so thankful that I was able to work with Jen and Megan this weekend.

We all went to sleep and woke up Sunday morning in desperate need of some coffee. Us 4 went to Starbucks again and the other girls went to Smoothie King.

And then we went to our third service and went home. I’m still trying to catch up on sleep i’m so tired. But it was SO worth it.

 

Because I have been getting so many questions about the food i’m posting lately, I decided one day next week I will post about them. If you’re one of those people, be on the look out. That means you’ve got to come back next week so I can share some of my FAVORITE recipes!!

If you have any requests for particular recipes I have talked about, for recipes you’re not sure that i’ve made, or recipes you’d like me to make…leave them in the comments or e-mail me.

As for being gone the past two weeks, it was so worth it. But coming back and seeing your comments about missing me?? Also worth it!!!! You all are my FAVORITE. I’m not sure what i’m going to do in the future, but it’s possible that I might start taking one week off a month or something like that. I could go into a lot of detail, but I learned a lot during that time. I’ll just keep you posted. But seriously thanks for your sweet words about my return. XOXOXO

Alright. That’s enough for one post. ‘Cause you know I could go on! 🙂

One more thing: Bible Study girls, I will be posting Week 8, 9, and 10 in the next couple weeks. Don’t forget about our study. Catch up beforehand by clicking HERE.

Friday Favorites

I start drafting these posts on Monday morning (so I make sure that I include everything I want and don’t forget anything) and I get so excited because i’m like “oh it’s almost Friday” except it’s not so that’s awkward. And I don’t know why I told you that but, hey it’s Friday so I can do what I want!!

It’s time for another round of FAVORITES this week with Erika, Andrea, and Narci. Surprisingly, I feel like this week went by rather fast. Usually I feel like they go by slowly. Here we go!

Goodbye, Instagram

So I originally wrote this as a whole week, but I think if I set too big of goals I never accomplish them. Instead, for one weekend, all day Friday Saturday and Sunday I decided to give up Instagram. I know it will be rather difficult. I love Instagram, I love pictures, and I love seeing people’s lives. I look through a lot of health and fitness accounts on a daily basis. To be honest, I think I probably spend a couple hours (combined) on A FREAKING FORM OF SOCIAL MEDIA. That’s why I deleted my Twitter close to a year ago….it’s just not necessary. But I love Instagram!

A couple weeks ago our pastor gave us homework at the end of his sermon to fast social media for a day. And I did. And it was the best thing of my life. It was probably my FAVORITE day of that week.

I got SO MUCH more done in a day.

Looking through all the health/fitness accounts that I do, sometimes I get overwhelmed. I see some pictures and i’m like “yeah, why can’t that be me?” I know it’s wrong…so very wrong. But it’s not good for me.

I don’t need to be on my phone that much. It bothers the heck out of me when people are always on their phone.

I should have more time for school work and blogging and reading 😉

Sugar Detox Details

A couple of you asked about the sugar detox i’m doing for the next 21 days. More specifically, what you can/can’t eat, what kind of sugar you give up, etc. Your questions are my FAVORITE, so today i’m here to answer.

Instead of me typing everything, I thought it’d be easier if you just clicked here to see The Today Show’s list of foods to eat and not eat. Some of the detox’s say you can’t eat fruit or anything like that…but…no. Beware!!! No ketchup is allowed (bet you didn’t know that had sugar in it)!

My progress so far: Yeah, i’ve slipped up already and accidentally ate chocolate chips in a recipe as well as drank something I didn’t know had added sugars. The other night I purposely ate something with sugar. I’ve found that doing this detox has caused me to crave carbs and salty things. Like seriously crave them. So I don’t know, but I guess we will see how the rest of it goes!

My FAVORITE thing from this past week is filling up the tank in my mom’s car for less than $17.00…#thankyoukrogerfuelpoints

Four Facts Survey

Kylie nominated me for this a couple weeks ago, and then this Monday Seri nominated me and Tuesday Julie did…so I decided to do it already 😉

Four names people call me other than my real name:

Mol
Molls
Pollyanna
Milky

Four jobs I’ve had:

Waitress/Hostess
Nanny/Babysitter
HR Assistant
HR Generalist

Four movies I’ve watched more than once:

The Notebook
A Walk To Remember
The Aristocats
101 Dalmations

Fun fact…I don’t like watching movies more than once, hence why half of these are super old!

Four books (or authors) i’d recommend:

Candace Cameron Bure
Nicholas Sparks
Let’s All Be Brave by Annie Downs
For The Right Reasons by Sean Lowe

Four places I’ve lived:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Richmond, Virginia
Dallas, Texas
Norman, Oklahoma

Four places I’ve visited:

Southeast Iowa
New Orleans, LA
Boston, MA
Orange Beach, AL

Four things i’d rather be doing right now:

Sitting on my grandpa’s porch talking with him
Traveling somewhere i’ve never been
Watching TV with my parents
Having a girls night with some of my besties

Four things i’d prefer not to eat:

I’m honestly not a picky eater, but if I had to choose…

Coconut milk. I just don’t like it.
Egg yolks. I had one for breakfast the other morning and it makes me think i’m eating a raw chicken or something I don’t know.
Anything that smells weird. If I smell something strange, I won’t eat it.

Four of my FAVORITE foods:

Avocado
Fish
Chips and Salsa
Chocolate & Peanut Butter anything

Four TV shows I watch:

The Bachelor/ette
The Voice
Pretty Little Liars
Blood and Oil

Four things i’m looking forward to this year:

Graduating college
Making my way into the real world
My gym membership (and all the benefits with that)
Seeing my grandpa again

Four things i’m always saying:

“So bye”
“You’re being annoying”
“Can I go home yet?”
“Hellloooo”

Four people I tag to do this:

Emily
Lindsay
Jacquelyn
Jackie

My FAVORITE thing about Tuesdays is going to the gym and walking on the treadmill for about 30 minutes and then foam rolling afterwards. In case you missed it, last Thursday I posted about staying healthy as a college commuter…but honestly, it could work for any student. Or anyone.

Yep, i’m keeping it short this Friday!

So bye.

Kidding, that was me saying my what I always say. Get it?

Can I go home now?

Okay now really, I hope you all have the best weekend…i’m sure looking forward to relaxing and sleeping since that’s all I will be doing without Instagram, haha. My FAVORITE 🙂

Friday Favorites

Hello Friday!

Hello FAVORITES!

I saw this picture the other day on Facebook and it made for my FAVORITE “LOL” this week because it’s so true. And it kind of reminds me of my post from yesterday where I said to bring your pillow and blanket to school with you 😉

My FAVORITE way to chew gum…by the half stick. I never thought it was weird because growing up my dad would only give us a half stick of his gum at a time. Because he didn’t want to waste it, RUDE. But then I just got used to it and began chewing my gum that way. #ownit

My FAVORITE group text moment…is actually from a couple weeks ago. This one is self-explanatory.

Mom acting like she knows what she’s doing. Haha!

My FAVORITE song changes all the time. Right now, this is it. On repeat. All the time. Also, listen to it before you hit the gym because warning: It will pump you up!!!!

 Check it out here if you’re too lazy to go to YouTube!

I didn’t really know if I liked it at first. So if that’s you right now, give it a second chance another time, okay? Okay!

Snap Kitchen is my FAVORITE. I first heard about it from my co-worker because she was talking about this place she goes that has healthy food and a lot of food allergy friendly items. I heard food allergy friendly and was like I’M IN. So i’ve been going here since this past summer. If you have one, you should try it. They company has a dietician who has approved everything in the story and they offer such great products.

I only get a couple of meals at a time because they will go bad (they’re natural foods so they go bad quick) and i’ll usually pack this in my cooler for lunch/dinner/snacks throughout my school day. Also, if you like black coffee try the almon-ccino and the black coffee! It was my first time to get the juice drink and that milkshake and when I tried them they were pretty good.

Bubble baths are my FAVORITE way to relax. Honestly, I did not like baths growing up. I was always a shower person. I never understood why someone would want to sit in their own dirt…but now I do take baths. #neversaynever Give me my eucalyptus spearmint aromatherapy bubble bath soap, a bath and body works candle, and a book and I found my FAVORITE way to relax. But only in the winter! And only after i’ve already showered, is that weird? Yeah that’s weird. Oh well. #ownit

So 40 degrees and below is FREEZING around here. My body is used to the Texas heat. After my night class the other day, I was so thankful for the seat heaters  in my mom’s car. Seat heaters are my FAVORITE during the winter months. And sometimes I use it when it’s not freezing because I feel like it relaxes my muscles. Do you think that’s a thing??

Andddd that’s my random assortment of FAVORITE things this week. Hope y’all have the best weekend!

Friday Favorites: What Is Colors of Life?

Whew! I’m late today…don’t worry Kylie already got on to me for it 😉 BUT I’M HERE NOW!!!!!! So in weekly Friday fashion i’m linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci!

I thought today’s FAVORITES would be for those that are newer to the blog. Since 2016 started, I have done a couple posts re-introducing myself. And today I thought i’d re-introduce the blog. Because even my long-time-reading blog friends liked my re-introduction posts! So this is what Colors of Life blog is.

BUT FIRST PAUSE….

…and read this article right here. Actually it’s a blog post (which is why I don’t have a picture) that someone shared on Facebook and I loved it. Like, it’s so much my FAVORITE that I want to print it out and hang it somewhere in my room. It’s perfect for today’s post because it ties in to things i’ll mention later.

Fashion

In all honesty, i’m really not that into fashion and that may be the phase of life i’m in now (although I doubt it) or it may just be me. I don’t post many fashion blogs because usually i’m in my FAVORITE Nike shorts or yoga pants with a t-shirt. And i’m completely happy with it. However, on occasion I will talk about clothes i’m wearing or loving. And when I do…it must be seriously great, or a seriously good deal 😉 With that said, back in November of 2014 I participated in the “November Pin-spired” link-up and that post just happens to be one of my most viewed blog posts to date.

To see other Pin-spired posts, you an click here.
To see other shopping/fashion posts, you can click here.
And when i’m done with certain things in my closet, I post them here.
And to see posts of the online boutique that I work with, click here.

Friends

I talk a lot about my friends. And I try to blog about them when I get to see them. Since we’re all growing up it’s getting harder to see one another, but I do my best to spend as much time with them as I can. Having good friends is so important and my friends mean so much to me. They just make life more fun.

I introduced you to each of them here.
And I blogged about friendships here.
And not only am I talking about my real-life friends, but I have awesome blog friends too…read their guest posts here.

Family

Ahhhhh, yes. “My people”. My family goes beyond my siblings and my parents. I mean, this guy is in as many posts as I can put him in!

My grandpa is the BEST and I am super thankful for him. I’ve got some awesome aunts, uncles, and cousins as well. I truly feel sorry for the people who don’t have good relationships with their families. My family is the most special thing in my life.

To read about grandpa, you can click here.
To read about my siblings and my cousin Reese, you can click here.
To read about our yearly trips to the farm, click here.
And our Christmas fun is all right here.

Fitness

…and with this one comes food too. Health and Fitness is something that has always been a part of my life, but took a spot on the back burner up until a couple of months ago. I explained it a little bit more in my re-introduction post when I talked about my new year’s resolutions. Health and fitness has become a huge passion of mine and I think a lot of it has to do with the struggle of an eating disorder, going to college, and a long battle with my health. This is a journey i’m traveling right now, so expect to see more where these posts came from this 2016! 😉

To read my monthly fitness goals, click here.
To read all health and fitness related posts, click here.
To see my recipes, click here.
To see my fitness routine, click here.

Faith

And most important of all….my faith. Faith is defined as “complete trust or confidence in someone or something”. I am a Christian, I believe in God, and my faith is my FAVORITE part of my life. It’s something i’m always striving to make better. I think there are a lot of things I probably do right in this area, but a lot of things I know that I do wrong. And I choose to blog about all of it.

To read about my Jesus relationship, click here.
To read about my thoughts on quiet times, click here.
To read all my Jesus-related posts, click here.

Colors of Life

The reason my blog got started. These posts were a way for me to communicate and share with others the things I have gone through, experienced, and attempted to navigate. Not all of them are easy and not all of them are super serious. But they are all part of me and who I am. They are the different colors of my life. And I share them based off of this quote below. I am hoping that through being vulnerable and sharing parts of my life someone can benefit and connect with my blog through them.

Click here to read all of my Colors of Life posts…ranging from topics of depression, to crafting, to being a night owl, and even having a dad in the military!

As always, use my contact page to connect with me. E-mail me, follow me on social media, and let’s become friends! 🙂

So, this is my life. Hence, why I created a lifestyle blog back in 2014. It’s a way for me to share my life and remember everything! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading and following along with me!!! Have a great weekend!

 

Friday Favorites: New Years Edition

The second Friday of 2016 is among us. And I hope that Andrea, Erika, and Narci are still doing Friday Favorites this year.

This is probably the only time i’m sad for a Friday to be here. And it’s because I know that come Tuesday, i’ll be sitting in classes for the majority of the day. Joy.

And i’ll probably be wearing something like this outfit. My aunt gave me this workout shirt and new running shoes for Christmas. She couldn’t have done better…I asked for new running shoes since mine were about 2 years old and very worn. These ASICS are a perfect fit. And the shirt is something I also wanted but didn’t have on my Christmas list. This is my daily uniform and it’s my FAVORITE. 🙂

I’ve said it plenty of times before, and i’ll say it again. ASICS are the BEST running shoes out there. That’s my personal opinion. And Nike Frees are the worst. That’s also my personal opinion and the Nike salesman that I talked to about them. If you’re trying to run/do any kind of workout in Nike Free shoes and you’re having problems, seriously get new shoes!

The day before NYE I went into work and she told me there wasn’t much going on, so I could leave. Well, I left and headed straight for Reeana. She got a new apartment over in the Fort Worth area, so I grabbed a Starbucks to sip on, turned my music up way too loud, and made the hour drive to see her new place and hang out for a bit!

I told her to pick a place to eat that was on her list to visit/try but she hadn’t been before because it was on me! The place she wanted to go to was closed (RUDE) so we went a couple blocks down to a bar/grill type place. She got a beer and we shared their fish tacos (YUM) and sat and talked about life for a couple hours.

I tried to get out of there to make it back to the gym before traffic hit the city, but I ended up getting stuck it in part of the way.

We had a mini-Christmas exchange with each other and along with some face masks, she gave me this blanket. It is my FAVORITE and I haven’t let go of it since I got it. This was the picture I sent her after I got a picture from her that she hung the two pieces of decoration I bought for her apartment.

NYE was me hitting the gym for an 8:30 dance class. HAHA to that. And then I went straight to work for the lunch shift. When I got home it was time for the OU game in which they lost to Clemson (WHATEVER LAUREN). My blog friend Lauren went to Clemson so I was texting her about it. And she made sure to let me know she was super excited about it 😉 The rest of the night consisted of me spending time at home cuddled up by the fire with my FAVORITE Molly milk and cookies. AKA Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough QuestBar and lactose free milk.

And then I went to bed after the ball dropped, because is that not what every 21 year old did on NYE?! #noshame #ilovesleep #anddoingnothing

It’s been rather warm for Texas around the Holidays. But on New Years Day when my dad wanted to go for a walk, it was NOT warm. Walking with my dad is one of my FAVORITE things to do, so I couldn’t say no when he asked…but a mile in and I was done because my nose was running and I had to work that night.

New Years Day night I went into my other job (which yes is waiting tables) and we were serving black eyed peas! Apparently it’s a southern thing, but you are suppose to eat black eyed peas on NYD for good luck. I love beans and traditions so this was one of my FAVORITES. Although…I didn’t have any. What, Molly?!

The rest of last weekend I spent working out and going to work. How typical for me. Man, I am so not ready to go back for another semester of classes. I’ve enjoyed this past week too much.

Here’s to hoping this weekend goes by EXTRA slow for us all! 😉

Happy 2016!

Hello everyone! Welcome to 2016!!!

I am so excited to be ringing in the new year with each of you. I don’t know if I would still be blogging if it weren’t for meeting y’all and the support you have given me. I know I tell you all the time, but I just look forward to your comments and e-mails so much! And I truly mean that.

Today’s assortment are a couple random things that I haven’t shared with you yet. 🙂

Last week, Alexandra featured me as a guest blogger. 5 things I love about Texas…check it out!

If you remember, my friend Tara at Hill Country Heart won my ultimate Chranksgiving (I made this word up) giveaway. Well I came home last week after work so it was super late and I was in a mood for who knows what reason. I see that there is a package from Tara to me. I was like there’s no way that she sent me something but remembered that she had my address since she won my giveaway package. She sent a pair of her favorite boot socks and a little prayer box for me with a thank you for everything in the giveaway. I mean, seriously. I have THE best blog friends and i’ve worn the boot socks approximately 3902572 times already.

Speaking of THE best blog friends, Kylie at Kylie McGraw is one of them. So I get home the next night which just so happened to be Christmas Eve and my sister’s like “you got a package, open it” and I couldn’t wait until the next day so I did. And Kylie sent me this cute M keychain. I love it. It’s already on my purse looking faaabulousss 🙂

THANK YOU KYLIE AND TARA!!!! You both made my entire week by that your thoughtful gesture 🙂

The other morning I had bought a Starbucks coffee and didn’t like it, so I took it back and got a new drink. Well I decided that I wanted to take that drink to my dad at his office, so I did. I don’t even remember snapping this picture, but apparently I did cause I found it on my phone. I think he was very appreciative even though he said “bring it earlier next time”. Beggers can’t be choosers, pops.

This is my new favorite flavored drink. I love vitamin water and this is Costco’s brand. Raspberry and green tea. They just go together. And green tea is supposed to be very good for you, I always read that we are suppose to drink it so here I am…drinking it!

And for fun…I loved seeing which posts other bloggers have found to be their most viewed, so i’m adding mine today. Here’s the top 6:

Show and Tell: Your Yard
Favorite Things: Target Edition
Show and Tell: Your Home
Show and Tell: Beauty Routine
Show and Tell: A Day In The Life
Meet My Peeps

So I should just Show and Tell all the time i’m thinking 😉

And the top 6 most viewed pictures…are random. Apparently we all have a mutual hatred for Wednesdays.

And you all loved my yard.

And apparently really loved my sister’s sprained ankle…

And liked what I put together back in November of 2014 🙂

So random, right?

Next week will be another week’s worth of Online Bible Study. I’ll be sharing my resolutions for 2016 and recapping 2015’s. And don’t forget about Bookworm Wednesday!

I hope you eat some black eyed peas, collard greens, and pork today 🙂 Happy January 1, let’s get started on our new goals!

Thursday Favorites: Christmas On The Mind Edition

Well, tomorrow i’ll be elsewhere (come back to find out where!) so today i’m posting my Friday Thursday FAVORITES.

…with Erika, Narci, and Andrea of course.

And actually that brings me to number 1 today. A couple of weeks ago when Erika guest blogged for me on her love of online shopping, I didn’t really understand fully what she was talking about. I’d online shopped before, but not that much. After I ordered one thing in the mail this Christmas season, I just kept ordering because I AM OBSESSED WITH online shopping now. I mean, it’s my FAVORITE. This is me on Christmas morning last year and I can only imagine what this year will be like since I hardly had to go anywhere!! Which may or may not have meant more shopping and more gifts 😉

Speaking of deliveries and going places, I put this little gift together last night. I actually found this on Pinterest so I can’t take credit for it. After looking at it, I decided it was perfect and had to do one for our mail carrier. For $3.50, you can easily make their day. It’s not anything huge, but it’s something to let them know we are thinking about them during the holidays too. Making people feel special is one of my FAVORITES.

And speaking of the holidays…this week we attempted our Christmas card picture. The brothers hate, hate, haaaaattteee taking these pictures. Me, any pictures are my FAVORITE so it doesn’t bother me and Morgan doesn’t care either way. This is usually a huge ordeal because the brothers don’t cooperate and it takes hours, so finally my mom just started snapping pictures…

…she obviously has a gift for the flattering pictures…

…but we ended up with one that nobody hated so we called it a winner, and were done no more than 5 minutes later!

Merry Christmas from the Middletons!

Speaking of Christmas, I went out with my mom and aunt last night to do some shopping and they take a sweet forever just to go through the aisles of the dollar store. So when we finally made it to Target I was about to keel over, naturally I hopped in the cart like the mature adult that I am.

Notice the fuzzy socks, leggings, and house shoes. #FAVORITE #it’smyuniform

Month 2 Fitness Goals: Week 2 Update

Having goals is one of my very FAVORITE way to keep me accountable. Now, how did I do this week you ask?

• No eating within an hour of a meal. I did surprisingly well with this goal. I think part of the time I was conscious about it, but most of the time I was just listening to my body so if I wasn’t super hungry I didn’t eat. I’ve really found how much listening to your body makes a difference.
• No QuestBars or Larabars more than 2 days in a row.  I actually did this one!! I think without even realizing it though. Although some days I did have one and a half, and some days I had some dark chocolate bark things or others in place. But at least i’m cutting back on these!
• Continue working out 5 days a week. Yep, check! I’ve worked out every day except for yesterday this week. And I probably would have had I not talked myself into taking a break…it’s so needed!
• Be in bed by 11:00. Nope. In fact, i’m finishing typing this up at 1:00AM. You guys, I told you this was going to be a real deal for me! My uncle even called me out on it when he saw I had texted him late the other night…oops.

Whew! And now this time next week it will be Christmas Eve…can you even believe that?! Ahhhh, I hope the rest of my online shopping arrives by then or things could get #awkward around here 😉

Have a great day!

Friday Favorites: Thanksgiving Tradition + Fitness Goals Update

I mean, honestly. Can you believe that it’s already the SECOND Friday of DECEMBER?!

As usual, i’m linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites. It’s Friday Favorites…Thanksgiving in December style?

I forgot to include this in my Thanksgiving post, but i’m probably going to have to go back and add it. A couple years ago I cam up with a fun Thanksgiving tradition. Don’t get me wrong, I love the food that the Holiday brings, but I love the Holiday for just what it stands for. A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, everyone draws one name (secretly) of another person in the family. For the person that you draw, you have to write them a letter of why you’re thankful for them and then we get that person a little gift. Nothing big, just a little gift.

This year, Morgan had me…and she did awesome. This was my gift from my sissy and she picked it to personally match my office (from a year ago) because she knows how much I love my yellow and grey together.

This year, we started another tradition. Mom came up with the idea of everyone writing something about each other, then crumbling up the paper and sticking it in their glass. After dinner and gift exchange, the person to our right read each note and you had to guess who it was.

I saved my little papers from everyone to tape to my home “desk”…so I can look at it when I need to smile 🙂

Dad said: Molly’s perseverance
Mom said: Focused on health and fitness
Morgan said: I’m thankful your worms (inside joke, she’s referring to my health issues) didn’t kill you and you started cooking more for all of us.
Rick said: I’m thankful you let me pick on you and still be nice to me.
Ryan said: I love your room because you share it with me.

Well, since mom mentioned health and fitness above, i’m going to roll with that.

Month 2 Fitness Goals: Week 1 Update

Wow this week pretty much got away from me and I didn’t even remember that I had fitness goals that I was working on!

• No eating within an hour of a meal. I started keeping a food journal if I didn’t already mention that, and as i’m looking back on it now i’m seeing that there was only 1 day that I didn’t stick to this goal.
• No QuestBars or Larabars more than 2 days in a row. Boo. I didn’t accomplish this goal this week. Sometimes a bite of one of these bars just sounds sooooooo good. Every day. Sigh.
• Continue working out 5 days a week. Yep, check! I’ve worked out every day except for Monday this week.
• Be in bed by 11:00. Oh, yeah. Well like I said this week snuck away from me. I feel like i’m trying to fit a lot of things/accomplish a lot in a short amount of time, so there were a couple nights I was still up and about after 11:00.

Yesterday morning I was running some errands and stopped at Starbucks to pick up a gift card. I have cut back SO MUCH this fall on my coffee intake, which is probably a good thing. In the last month and a half i’ve only had 8 cups of coffee. And usually when I do I get an Americano with soy or a Blonde Roast Misto with coconut milk.

But yesterday I decided I deserved a 1 pump iced mocha with soy. It was the best. Give in to your cravings every once in a while…it’s good for the soul!

Online Bible Study is starting on SUNDAY!!!!!! Wahoo!

Those of you signed up: You should be receiving an e-mail from me today.

Those of you not signed up: You will get a glimpse of what it’s going to be like. If nothing else, just pray for all of us joining in on this journey together. And I hope you’ll consider be part of it next time. 🙂

Annddd last thing today, if you’ve missed any other posts on the blog this week, check them out.

Monday: Month 2 Fitness Goals
Tuesday: Show and Tell: Christmas Decorations
Wednesday: December Goals (A recap of 2015 goals and everything accomplished.)
Thursday: Guest Blogger! Lauren talked about why she loves traveling, and we can too.

Aaaahh, enjoy your second weekend of December!

Friday Favorites

I am haaappppyyyy to see this Friday morning and talk favorites with Andrea, Erika, and Narci!

I have an interview this afternoon and 1 final on Tuesday, then I am in the clear for Christmas break!!!! Ah, one more semester is done. Y’all. AUGUST AUGUST AUGUST! We are going to celebrate in August when I officially graduate.

Well as I type this, I am sitting here eating this…

…a slice of peanut butter cup protein pie, while watching…

…Candace Cameron Bure’s Hallmark movies. I love them, but then again I love her. She is one of my favorite famous people. I read 2/3 books this past month and talked about them on Wednesday in case you missed it.

I watched my favorite team play in their Bedlam game Saturday after Thanksgiving. So I sported my crimson and cream all around the house.

And was SO happy that they beat Oklahoma State and were named Big 12 champs!! Boomer sooner!

My favorite part of the day is when I get to head up to an exercise class. Right now, i’ve been trying out different yoga studios and gyms to see which one is a good fit for me before I put forth the money to one. Yesterday morning I went to a “Cize Dance” class and it was so much fun. I can’t dance. Never have been able to, but I figured i’d give it a whirl and loved it!

Give me all the work-out clothes and i’ll be a happy girl 🙂

If you’re needing some easy, fun, affordable Christmas gifts this year…the time is coming. So hurry up and check out my Shop My page to find out more about my favorite Kendra-Scott lookalikes!

And Monday….i’m announcing the winner of my favorite GIVEAWAY to date. Make sure you enter and get your friends to enter so you have a better chance of winning the friendship gift 😉

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND (with a lost of rest and relaxation!) 🙂

Friday Favorites: Black Friday Edition

Oh boy! It’s the day after Thanksgiving. We’re all stuffed into our food comas, don’t want to get out of our PJs, and may or may not be debating that Black Friday shopping.

This year, we decided to forgo the crowds. In high school my mom and I would have a blast with Black Friday shopping. The real Black Friday shopping where we’d wake up at 4:00am to get in line at 5:00am. But now it’s just not fun anymore with the stores opening Thanksgiving night.

So i’ll just shop from my office this morning. Let’s get to favorites black friday style! Link-up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci today!

Are you ready for this? Starting November 24th through Monday, November 30th, ALL Stella & Dot sale items will be reduced by an additional 25% off! Prices will be available as marked and this sale will end at 11:59pm PST on 11/30.

This is the perfect opportunity to load up on pretty pieces to add some flare to your wardrobe this holiday season. Speaking of the holidays, Stella & Dot sales item also make for perfect gifts!

Don’t forget Dot Dollars too! For every $50 you spend, you’ll get $25 Dot Dollars to use towards your next purchase!! These are some of my favorite pieces that they offer.

The engrave-able necklace comes in silver and gold and is a nice gift to personalize, which is also why I like the engrave-able bracelet! I’ve seen names, dates, nicknames, whatever you like. These pieces are classy but also personal.

Blue Sentiment Stone Drops (they are part of the sale page and are at a great price!)

I have this cross necklace that I kinda refuse to take off. I love it so! I’ve wanted one forever and finally got it.

And honestly their entire bracelets page has me HOOKED. From the fabric ones…

…to the elephant wishing bracelet…

…and the arrow bracelet. I can’t get enough of them.

These studs need to be in your jewelry box by the end of Christmas. I mean, get a pair for you and the girls in your life!!

I haven’t even gotten a chance to peruse Old Navy’s site because ON and Targ are my go-to clothing stores. But I did have a chance to look through Target’s site. AND OH BOY!

I mean 40% off all clothing for the whole family? Pinch me!

I found the festive, Christmas leggings that I wore on Christmas Eve last year for $12.00 that’s right! I pair of festive, cozy, comfy, leggings for 12 bucks. I KNOW.

I’m pretty positive that by now y’all know I am obsessed with my chambray shirt. If I had to pick a favorite thing in my closet, this piece of clothing would be it. I wear it ALL. THE. TIME. (Even in the picture above haha!)

Click here to shop all the deals for women’s clothing and accessories! You really just need to see for yourself!

This is going to be me today. The two of us in HR are taking shifts, i’m working this morning, while she’s taking the afternoon. So as soon as I get there, I’m going to grab myself an Americano or a Blonde Roast Misto, turn on my Christmas Radio Pandora, and shop shop shop for Christmas. It’s pay day (PTL) and i’ve got things to do! It may not be in my pjs but jeans will have to do this morning 😉

Before we go here’s a semi-pathetic Fitness Goals update  for week 3!

1. No eating after 8:00 p.m. I did this only twice this week, I think??? It usually just depends on the day and when I eat, but i’ve definitely been trying to be more conscious about it!
2. Meal prep every Sunday for the week ahead following the 21 day fix plan. I still have not meal prepped or followed the 21 day fix food portions. I’m honestly not sure why, but I think I might just save this goal for next time.
3. Eat 5 small meals without snacking in between those. I think this week I was more often eating less meals and eating until I was full. The thing that stuck out to me this week was that I really just tried listening to my body whenever I could. It’s been so much better!
4. Work-out 5 days a week. Working out more than that. Check!
5. Cut down on the carbs. I cut down on the protein bars and shakes. I think carbs have still been about the same as usual though.

Those of you who signed up for the online Bible study should have received an e-mail from me this week. If you did not and would still like to join we’re trying to get this moving, so please e-mail me ASAP!!!!!

colorsoflifeblog@gmail.com

And that’s it for this Friday. Good luck braving the crowds today. Or working. Or whatever you’re doing. Have a great Holiday weekend!

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