Reminiscing

Two years ago, I was in Scotland. I was there for about six months.

I was in Edinburgh - the capital.

I can't even put into words how much I miss it.

I went there my senior year of college...by myself. I didn't know anyone. There were five of us from my university - but I wasn't friends with any of them.

I miss the people. I miss the culture. I miss the history. I miss making so many amazing memories. I miss the adventures.

Such a beautiful city - beautiful people - beautiful culture - beautiful life - beautiful way of living.

I look forward to the day where I can return.

As a person, I grew so much there. I am so thankful for that chapter in my life.

The Edinburgh castle! So gorgeous.

View of Edinburgh

Something you can only find in Europe <3

So many bag pippers...every where!!
What a beautiful sound.

Be sure to check out my Tasty Tuesday Taco Dip! YUM!!

Stay tuned for a "400 follower giveaway"!!! :)

Tasty Tuesday - Taco Dip!

Link up your delicious recipes...

Taco Dip...

Ingredients:
-Sour Cream
-Cream Cheese
-Taco Seasoning
-Re-fried beans
-Guacamole (or avocado to make your own!)
-Salsa
-Iceberg lettuce
-Shredded cheese

Directions:

1) Mix some taco seasoning in the sour cream (to your taste.) Put some on the bottom of the plate/bowl you're using.

2) If not using a flavored cream cheese (I went with onion & chives) mix taco seasoning into the plain cream cheese. Put on top of the sour cream mixture.

3) Mix a bit of taco seasoning in with your guacamole. (I just bought some avocados - mashed them up...nice and simple!)

4) Open the can of re-fried beans and spread on top of the guacamole.

5) Pour some salsa on top of the re-fried beans

6) Shred some lettuce and put on top of the salsa.
7) Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the lettuce.
8) ENJOY! (It was a huge hit on Sunday's get together!)

Happy Birthday Momma!

Today is my momma's birthday!

Happy birthday to the one who taught me how to love! She has the biggest heart out of everyone I know. I wish her plenty of love, happiness, and health!

We are celebrating out to dinner tonight - but hung out on Sunday for a BBQ and just spend time together - it was great!

I'm going to share some photos with you :)

And while you're thinking of her - please pray for her healing of her body! I'd greatly appreciate that!

Me and my precious old man cat :)
Sadly, I can't have pets where I'm currently living so his residence is my parent's



Birthday girl & sister



My V helping with the birthday meal...kebabs!
(Along with PLENTY) of other food


Taco dip I made -
going to post the recipe on tomorrow's Tasty Tuesday!



Angel food cake cupcakes I made - with whipped cream and delicious strawberries on top!



Happy birthday to meeee!
Yep. I made her blow out a candle on one cupcake. Haha :)



I was comfy...I don't know about him! ;)

Oh - and less than ten followers away from a fabulous giveaway!! :)

Diaper Stories

It seems like there's so many people with "fun" stories of their kids when they were in diapers. Like...having to change their child in a crazy place - something fun like that.

Diaper Stories is a neat little website that I came across recently that has me CRACKING up. Kind of like that Auto-correct site...I'd put it in the same category as that!

The Diaper Stories Blog is where all of the fun is at! I am seriously laughing like a crazy lady..at work. ;)

It's cool, too, because if you enter a story - you can win a free pack of diapers - which is fantastic!

I'm going to my cousin's baby shower on Saturday...so I bought her some diapers as part of her gift - and oh my, they are so expensive!

So if you or anyone you knows are preggers and would love a free pack of diapers (and a good ol' laugh) send them this way!


P.S. Almost to 400 followers...have a great giveaway once that happens! :)

Blog Land

Blog land is so very interesting.

I started blogging for First Day of My Life in the summer of 2011. I was so excited to start. Blogging still makes me happy - and excited. I really do absolutely adore it. I've met so many wonderful ladies. I love that I have a place to go to vent or to go to if I need support. It's wonderful.

I feel like one of the point of blogging is to share your story - share your thoughts - opinions - etc. but also, to get to know other bloggers. In doing so, you comment on other's blogs. (This goes for twitter or even pinterest, too!)

Have you found yourself treating a fellow blogger differently if they have more followers than you? Or if they have more comments in a particular post as you?

I've had some conversations with people lately that have felt like this. If a blogger has more followers than you, you feel like they are part of the "popular" crowd and a type of celebrity.

This isn't true.

Yes, they might get more "fan mail" than you. But they are still a blogger - just like you.

We all want to know we have 1,000 people visiting our blog a day. If we put forth effort into it - that will happen...but then blogging turns into a popularity contest and that isn't what blogging is.

The next time you post on a blogger's wall or tweet to someone that has four times as many followers as you - remember, they're just people. Just like celebrities - it's just a person. Yes, they might be incredibly popular...but they're just like you and me. Don't treat them any different - just treat them how you want to be treated...with love, care, and respect.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Ok, I'm going to stop rambling and show you my pretty pretty nails ;)

OH so I finally got that Seche Vite some of you ladies told me about - I tried it for the first time last night - not with this color, but another. I'll blog about it next Friday - especially because I'm dying to see how long it's going to last :D

Vicki & Tara rock :)

It's gloomy here today on the beach - hope you have lots of sunshine where you are <3

Thankful Thursday, 1.26.12

Beautiful beach days with my love!

Thankful Thursday link-up...

I am so blessed...
very nice people & very nice compliments multiple times this week...they make up for the meanies! ;)
even though V isn't feeling the greatest...he isn't grumpy, nor mean - still very loving!
nice e-mails and tweets from you all - you make my day!
the Pats won last weekend! woohoo!! Super Bowl, baby!
people saying I'm tan...I totally do NOT see myself as tan...but I'll take it!
exclamation marks...can't you see how much I love them?! ;)
having a God that heals and forgives
listening to some Creflo Dollar recently...not sure why I stopped! He is an incredible preacher and man of God
feeling productive this week - love that feeling!
having Saturday off! It's my cousin's baby shower...should be a fun time. Especially because that means shopping for a little one ;)
spending Sunday celebrating my Mom's birthday...Monday, too, actually! Monday night is dinner...Sunday after church is fun in the sun - bbq!
having a great idea for a Valentine's day gift!
almost cherry season...the prices of cherries went down at the grocery store two weeks ago and back up this week - can't wait for them to be stay down! I love me some cherries :)

having gorgeous weather and being able to enjoy it at the beach...

a wonderful friend of mine coming to visit St. Patrick's day weekend! She went to college with me and she's going to grad school in Vanderbilt now...so excited and happy I'll be able to see her for a bit over that weekend in March :) I miss her so much!
oh and when we fed the birds over the weekend, we didn't get pooped on by one OR get too bombarded!

Powerful Words

I'm fat. I'm ugly. I'm sick. I'm bored. I'm dumb. I'm unhappy. I'm miserable. I look horrible in this shirt. No one is going to like me if I say that.

For some, that is a common way people talk to themselves.

Do you realize how powerful your words are?

If you change your words, you'll change your life. Your words carry the power to change anything.

Think about it.

Start saying - I'm beautiful! I'm healthy! I'm happy! You'll start believing it and you'll start having a much better attitude.

No reason to be gloom and doom about things - you are on this earth to enjoy it...so do just that, enjoy it!

Forget about your insecurities, forget about your doubts, forget about the lies the devil is trying to tell you. Be positive. Find joy in the little things & let that happiness consume you.

The next time you start having self-doubt and telling yourself horrible things - remember to take a second to realize what you're doing is silly and start breeding some positivity into your life! Positive talk! Your words have power...start using them the right way!




BTW- looking for sponsors for a giveaway soon! Who is in?

Tasty Tuesday - Breakfast Edition

Ladies, I am so sick and tired of eating eggs.

Eggs, eggs, eggs. That's what I've been having quite some time for breakfast. Healthy, I know. But boy do they get old!

I started eating oatmeal & putting some raisins in it, but that doesn't really keep me full for too long.

Last weekend when we went food shopping, we decided to try to get something new (for us)...

It tastes good...just nothing to it. I might as well drink some chocolate flavored water.

Heeeelp me before I go crazy, please :)

Walgreens Fan

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

It’s always been a toss up for me – Walgreens, CVS…Walgreens, CVS? Seriously – what is the difference? There is a HUGE difference. (Besides what I’m going to tell you…I’ve noticed, at least in our town, that overall Walgreens employees are nicer than CVS.)

I think I might know which side I’m choosing when I heard about the Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens! Especially for someone who doesn’t have any sort of health plan through work – it makes prescriptions and going to the doctor a real – “do I NEED to go or am I ok?”

I just learned that through this program for $10/year, a family membership (includes everyone in your immediate family, including spouse, dependents 22 & younger AND pets)! Individuals have to pay a mere $5/year. When you join, you also receive discount prices on other prescriptions.

There are many benefits of this plan – you can save on more than 8,000 brand names and ALL generic medications. You can receive discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers, and diabetic supplies. (I think its so fantastic that pets reap the benefits as well!) Also, you receive bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and photo finishing services.

I suggest you follow Walgreens on Twitter, and Walgreens on Facebook – they run promotions through these types of social media outlets.

DIY: Wine Cork Magnets

My very first DIY craft! (I adore crafts! So fun!:)

Now, use some hot glue or gorilla glue to put a couple of dots of glue so the magnet and the wine cork will stick together!

Pretty easy - and fun...right?!

Leave People with a Smile & A Kind Word

Friday, January 13, a regular member came in and talked to my co-worker and I. He is a 60 year old man, with a knack for telling inappropriate jokes.

Tuesday, January 17, I got a phone call from one of his workout buddies - a very dear friend of his - that was calling to let us know he had passed away.

Wow.

What a slap of reality.

It's such a pity that it takes something like that for you to remember how precious and how special life is.


You truly don't know when (IF) you'll see them again.

It also makes you realize how important it is to always leave people with a smile + a kind word.

Lady in the Red Dress

I adore new clothes. I really do.

Well - back up - I don't like the process...I don't like shopping much. I am fairly tall and petite - so to find clothes that fit and look good is an issue.

I was excited when I first heard about eShakti since the clothes are customized to your body sizes! So excited!

I sent over all my measurements for the perfect dress.

This is the dress...

It's cute, right? The material is...I'm not sure. It doesn't say it on the tag! But it's "swooshy." It's made in India, too. (When I receive the dress, it was right from India, too!)

It's a little long, isn't it? I feel like it kind of washes me out.

I would prefer it to look like this -

I think short looks better on me since I'm tall - what do you think?

Concerning eShakti, as a company, though - they are fabulous! Great communication, as a business!



P.S. Check out my super cute nails + design to match -