Just Because.

My love surprised me and brought home some beautiful flowers!  He must have known I was upset and getting frustrated as I tried my hand at designing a new Blog header.  Ahh well.  These beauties perked me right up and out of that stinky mood!

a hot oven & raw dough.

So this weekend consisted of a couple things: a hot oven & raw dough...as the title suggests.  To explain, I spent a couple days this weekend cooking (i.e. a hot oven) and also mixed up some cookies (i.e. raw dough).  Now I know some of you out there take pleasure in eating raw cookie dough and cake batter and if you don't - you're missing out.  Some days I would rather eat the dough than the actual baked good!  Just sayin'!
Also, I live in Wisconsin so I don't just cook and bake for pleasure...I do it for warmth!  Even with the heat on our house can be a bit drafty and if all I'm doing is sitting on the couch then I freeze.  Solution: make something!  Anything to do with turning on the stove or oven provides instant heat or "Insta-Heat" as Andrew would say when we start the car on a winter's day, praying that the heat will turn on instantly!  At one point this winter, it was so cold that I actually turned the oven on and left the door open in order to warm up the house a bit without maxing out the thermostat! 

April Goals.

I'm constantly writing lists of goals and to do's on sticky notes, pads of paper, and in notebooks.  The thing is I rarely ever feel like I completely accomplish everything I set out to do.  I want to be realistic and keep myself accountable.  Seems like I'm really only half doing about a handful of things - I'll start out on a project and then just before its finished...on to the next project.  I'm so all over the place!! So many interests/projects/ideas and I'm trying to tackle them all at once!
I was just visiting Jess over at the Foreign Room and read her newest post A New Month//April Goals.  This is the kick in the butt I need to start setting and achieving my goals.  I wrote out a list of almost 50 or so goals I want to accomplish this year, but looking at it...its quite daunting.  Jess' post has inspired me to keep it simple - have a few monthly goals and review them the following month to make sure I'm finishing...or at least attempting to cross of my goals.

>>April Goals<<

# Make blogging friends.

I've been reaching out to a few bloggers lately and it's been great!  It is really fun finding people who have similar interests!  I find that its a great way to find inspiration - it really pushes me to better myself, as well as give me great ideas for projects & blog posts.  I definitely want to expand my blogging community.

# Read one book.

I am no longer that reader who can read a book in a day or two.  After college, I've struggled just sitting down and immersing myself into a book - just because well a) reading all those textbooks and required readings burned me out and b) I have other interests too - like sleeping and Netflix, can you blame me?

# Clean out the clutter.

So, my dresser and side table are a wreck.  After work, I get home and empty my pockets onto any free counter space - scattered about are crumpled receipts, chapstick, change, name tags etc.  On top of that, I have a supposed craft room that is serving as storage space for not only craft supplies, but unopened presents from Christmas - wine glasses, a Star Wars clock, glass kitchen containers - that I just haven't found the time to put in their proper places.  Clutter = stress.  I just feel so much more relaxed and happy in a clean, spotless home.  These days its impossible to relax when all I see is mess!  This must change, for the sake of my sanity!  I'm a clean freak who doesn't like to clean. *le sigh*

# Live healthier.

I'm not trying to train for a marathon or have an six pack.  All I want is to eat healthier - not for every single meal (I still want dessert every now and then & to indulge in chips!) - but to make overall better choices.  I used to follow a Beachbody program (Chalean Extreme) - which I loved and it did wonders for me - but I don't want a strict 'diet' to rule my life.  Basically, I need to cook at home more, incorporate more veggies, and drink more water.  Not just for the sake of my weight, but for my health (and my face! - eating better and becoming more active should help combat this wretched acne!).

I believe four goals should suffice - these are fairly doable goals.  I have faith that I can accomplish these and hopefully more by May 1st!

What are your goals for this month?  Do you have any exciting planned?

Feeling all the feels.

 Post inspired by: itbritt's "Taking Stock: March"

Making : the world a happier place, one smile at a time :)
Cooking :  nothing.  already ate dinner an hour ago [leftover ribs and beans. yum.]

Drinking : iced passion tea with honey.

Reading: happy wives club. got a slow start to it - need to get into it more!

Wanting: to dance!

Looking:  to plan a vacation!!

Playing: 24 hours of happy : i wanna dance around the streets of la right now! so happy!

Wasting: time browsing the internet when I should put clothes away...oops!

Sewing: NOTHING! wish i was...i've been meaning to start learning.  

Wishing: Wisconsin could be done with winter already.

Enjoying: my warm Ikea throw.

Waiting: for my master's program to start in May! 

Liking: the fact that i have the next 2 days off with my love.

Wondering: what is going to happen next season of the walking dead! (my prediction: cannibals)

Loving:  Boyfriend.  He is a good guy!

Hoping: to be productive tomorrow. 

Marveling: at how fast life has flown by; & how much i've accomplished.

Needing: groceries - i want key lime chobani. delish.

Smelling: the stinky puppy!

Wearing: socks, sweats, a long sleeve - comfort is key.

Following: ELSIELARSON - absolutely love her photos and a beautiful mess updates!

Noticing: I need to start spring cleaning!

Knowing:  I really should get back to my workout routine, badly.

Thinking:  about moving out of Wisconsin.

Feeling: happyyyyyyy! because i'm happy! #clapalongifyouknowhappinessisthetruth

Bookmarking: Jess at the foreign room!  her photographs and style are thebomb.com

Opening: a new tab to read itbritt's newest blog post - check this girl out!

Giggling:  at this:

Feeling: surprised at how happy i'm feeling! had a semi stressful day & my eye would not stop twitching, so the end of my day is actually pretty good! :)

Dear Diary

It's been quite some time since I've kept a diary/journal - at least 13 years.  I figured I would start a blog as a means of an online journal.  But I've been meaning to put my micron pens to some use and work on my handwriting.  At first I thought whatever I put on my blog would basically be the same thing I would write in a journal.  The more I thought about it, though, I realized how distracting the internet could be.  When I'm writing my blog posts, I'm usually bouncing back and forth between checking my social media accounts, reading other blogs, searching ideas on Pinterest and the list goes on and on.

I bought this beauty at Marshalls - my absolute favorite store!

When writing in an actual, real life, physical journal - its just you, the pen, and the journal.  You can find a quiet space where you are left with your thoughts and the paper.  Its also much less of a hassle to carry around compared to a laptop.  Say you wanted to write your post at the park or some scenic, serene setting - it would be much easier to bring your writing utensil and your journal than it would be to find a green space that also has WiFi.
On this beautiful, sunny Sunday morning I will be thinking of writing ideas for my journal.  Pinterest is very helpful with that, but I've got to be mindful of the time because two hours and 50 pins later I'll have a bunch of great ideas, but nothing concrete in my journal to show for it!
How do you come up with ideas for either your journal or blog posts?  What inspires you?

Make a wish into the well, that's all you have to do...

...And if you hear it echoing your wish will soon come true.

Family photos.

I've always been interested in my family history and looking through photographs from their lives. Tonight, I joined a Facebook group dedicated to my Grandmother Elaine Steven's side of the family. I'm not exactly sure who most of the people are in these photos, but thought I'd share because they're very intriguing!  I do know that most of the people are my at least my great-great relatives (and the really older photos are of my great-great-great-great relatives - so cool!).  I believe for the most part they are Aunts/Uncles/Cousins.  I think my Great-Great Grandfather Frank is pictured in a couple as a boy and an adult.
I also love all of the names: Delta May, Frank, Rose, Evelyn, Warren, Ethel, Alice, Fred, Hilda.
I hope to one day learn about my ancestors and their lives.