Handwriting and October Goals - Tuesday Topics

I am sad that this is the last Tuesday Topics. Lauren and Tiffany have decided to take a break and that is completely understandable. I hope they decide to do another link up that is just as fun! This week's topic is a picture of your handwriting. Now I cringe a little when I think of my handwriting. I used to have good penmanship, but now it's just sloppy, unless I actually try.....which I have done for you today! Hehe.

I love Audrey Hepburn and I think that this is a perfect quote! Especially with everything that has happened in my life. Just be strong and know that you can always try again tomorrow!

I realized that I haven't done a goal list in a while. I think it's about time to accomplish some new monthly goals. So, with that being said I should go back to my June goals and see what fell by the wayside and start there.

1. Finish all the books I have started (June Goal)

I have made headway in a couple, but there are two books I NEED to read before November and the second Hunger Games movie comes out. 

2. Complete another check off our Bucket List (June Goal)

We have kinda stopped making time to do bucket list items and I really want to get back into doing them!

3. Work out at least 3 times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes (June Goal)

4. Start keeping on top of housework.....i.e. laundry and cleaning. I need to do things a little every night during the week so I don't have to spend an entire weekend day cleaning. It's no fun!

5. Unplug more and spend more quality time with the hubby and pup.

6. Find and buy fabric for the hubby's quilt. Start assembly of the quilt.

Well....it appears that I have given myself a full schedule for October. Lets hope I can accomplish everything I put down! I hope you all have a great 1st day of October! :-) Halloween is coming quick, and Christmas will be here quicker than that! AHHHHHHHH I need to start planning!

2 Rooms in Your Childhood Home - Tuesday Topics

I know......it's not Tuesday. Like I said in my last post....I have been feeling really blue this week and haven't wanted to blog, or really do anything for that matter. It's been tough, but I am working my way out of this new slump. Keep calm and carry on right?

This week's Tuesday Topics is really hard for me, because I don't have digital access to many photo's from my childhood home, but I will make do with what I do have.

First up....not a great photo of the actual room, but more of the location in the home. I would lie on the floor in front of that fireplace for hours with our pup Einstein. I would play cards with my dad and watch television. It was my favorite place in the home. I remember only wanting to sleep right there after the Northridge earthquake hit. Knowing that the warmth (even though it wasn't on) of the fireplace made me feel at ease.

This photo was from our house in Lancaster. I love that my parents are cuddled up on what is the UGLIEST sofa's in my memory. My mom loved it! It had a matching armchair to go with it too. I love this photo though because its true happiness in their eyes! Despite an ugly seat! (Sorry mom, but it wasn't attractive!)

Sorry they aren't the best photos of the actual rooms, but they are memories non the less!

Happy Friday!

Tuesday Topics Favorites

I haven't been participating in these Tuesday Topics for a very long time so it's quite easy to pick the ones that were my favorites over the last 16 weeks. 

From the last round I would have to say that my favorites were:

10 Things That Make Me Happy

and

5 Songs That Bring Back Memories 

 With the honorable mentions being: 9 Photo's of Your Spouse and 8 Goals which I can say I mostly accomplished! Score 1!

For this round I would have to say my favorites were:

8 Photographs of Nature and 7 American Cities You Want to Visit

I can't wait to see what the next round entails! Happy Tuesday!

Instagram Stalking - Tuesday Topics

I think that Instagram stalking has become my new favorite past time. It used to be lurking on Facebook, but as we all know, fads die out and my new one is definitely IG. Before I got my IPhone, I used my IPod to post favorite photos, but shortly after I entered the world of Apple and the craze that is IG. I'm not a crazy poster, at least I don't think so. I usually only post about 2-3 times a week, but I have still managed to wrack up a decent amount of photo's on my account. When it comes to my favorite people I stalk follow, I'll admit that I have a couple of shameless celebrities on there (the cast of the Jersey Shore and Pretty Little Liars) but I also follow blogger celebrities like Dooce and MODG and several YouTube vloggers like the SacconeJoly's and It'sJudy'sLife. It's fun to look into the live's of others to see that they are the same as you. Normal people just dealing with day to day life. Also because they post cute and adorable photo's of their children doesn't hurt either.

When it comes to family and friends, I love to see snapshots from their lives! I think it's completely better than Facbook, because honestly I scroll to find the photo's anyways! Who are your favorite IGer's?

Things That Inspire Me - Tuesday Topics

This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but since we were on vacation I didn't get the opportunity to do so. Oops, better late than never right!

This weeks Tuesday Topics is five things that inspire you. I get inspiration from everything. It's really hard to narrow down a specific five that are my main inspiration. But I will give it a go. First off, if we are talking about being creative, my main source of inspiration is Pinterest. Honestly, what did women do before this website? I cannot stay off it for more than a couple of days before I feel the desire to go and find new things! This addictive site also inspires me to cook, clean, and be fit all at once. The next thing that inspires me, my family and friends. They push me to be a better person by setting examples of how to act and live my life. They helped to guide and shape me into the adult I am today. I wish I was more involved in my faith, as it has proven to me that I might need additional guidance here and there that these people cannot provide, but needing to find a place to worship has been long on our list of things to do for a while. My husband was raised Lutheran and I was raised as a Catholic, so it's finding a medium place.

Nature and architecture inspire me. I love looking at the structures that are provided from nature and in man made. People's minds amaze me and I love to see how things come together. The colors of the world are truly the most magnificent thing. Culture is also something that is truly inspirational. Seeing how people from all walks of life can come together and be truly wonderful. It's amazing to know that even when we come from different backgrounds and cultures that we all still are human and our basic needs are the same.  I can truly find inspiration anywhere. Inspiration in how to love, how to create, and how to be me.

Rainbow of Design - Tuesday Topics

I thought that I would do something more geared towards my field of expertise for this weeks Tueday Topics and do more of a rainbow colored mood board. I thought it would challenge me to find some fun colored design/furniture elements.

Red: Strandmon Wing Chair I love the shape of this wing chair from Ikea. I haven't been an Ikea fan in the past, but they have really kicked up their game over the last couple of years. Orange: Jaipur Rug I am really in love with the graphic pattern in a bold  pattern, but I love that it has a neutral background even more because it can be paired with so much more! Yellow: Barn Door's are all the rage lately. I am loving the fact that these people took it to the modern level by painting it a bold color! Green: Pendant Lights always add a little extra touch to a room. I like the fact that this has an interior tube to help get pure light, it also gives it a little extra design element. Blue: Chevron Stripes are also all the rage right now, not just in fashion but in interiors as well. We all know that I have a mild obsession with teal in my home (as seen here, here and here) so this pillow would just look priceless in my house! Violet: Bold Accent Walls always give some interest in a space. I love that even though this is a violet color, it's still reading as a neutral on the wall with the help of the calm architectural elements and adding in the violet in the accessories.

I hope you enjoyed this post and if you would like more design posts just let me know!

Where history and culture collide - Tuesday Topics

Since I have been checking a couple things off our bucket list lately, check back tomorrow for a recap of our trip to Florida, it's kind of appropriate that this weeks Tuesday Topics deals with traveling. Specifically cities that you wish to visit in the ole U.S of A. I haven't been to that many places and I really hope to see all these beautiful places one day.

#1. New York City, New York - It's on almost everyone's list to visit once. The culture, the life, the statue....I want to immerse myself in it for a couple of days. Seems like a fun place to go!

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#2. Boston/Salem, Massachusetts - Specifically this trip must happen in the fall....I mean look at that photo. Who wouldn't want to visit there and see all that beauty. Also the rich history, nightlife and food sound to die for!

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#3. Nashville, Tennessee - The birthplace of almost all music happens here. This is where all musicians go to hone their craft and sometimes get their big break. I want to go to the Grand Ole Opry and just listen to the beauty that is music.

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#4. New Orleans, Louisiana - Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras should be experienced at least once in a person's lifetime. Also the history and culture just fascinate me.

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#5. Seattle, Washington - The north west is just beautiful I want to experience more of it. The space needle looks cool (despite the fact that I hate heights!)

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#6. San Antonio, Texas - The alamo, the food, the cowboy boots and hats, rodeos.....sounds like a good time to me!

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 #7. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming - Again, it's just something that you have to see at least once in your lifetime....like the Grand Canyon. Beautiful landscapes, foliage and wildlife. A photographers dream.

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The Power of Photography - Tuesday Topics

So, I am a little excited for this weeks Tuesday Topics! Not only is it featuring one of my favorite things, photography, I am going to shamelessly show off a couple of my favorite nature shots that the hubby and I have taken! You can see more of our favorite photos on our updated Photography tab at the top!

1. This was a pure luck shot. We hadn't had our DSLR camera for very long and I was walking along my parents property in Florida. The sun was going down and coming in through the trees just looked pretty. A little color correction and bam! One of my favorite shots.

2. We were at my parents house in Tehachapi, again pre us really knowing what we were doing and the hubbs went outside to play with his new lens. I love the contrast of the bare tree against the sunset. This photo has not had any color correction to it! Straight out of the camera! It's such a great shot that we blew it up and have it hanging in our home, and we gifted the shot and a couple of others to my parents of this same tree.

3. On our trip to Catalina this year, we went walking around the island on a particularly gloomy day. Gloom, still made for a moody and, in my opinion, fantastic shot of the harbor and the boats.

4. This one was also from the same trip to Catalina, we awoke super early to catch the sunrise on the island.
 

5. D got this on his family trip to Lake Tahoe last year. This is the island in Emerald Bay. It's a favorite locale when we go, to just float on the lake and soak up the sun.

6. I took this in St. Pete Beach, FL this year. I haven't blogged about that trip yet.....sorry, its coming! It was a fun and wonderful evening just hanging out and eating seafood!

7. We went to the Aquarium of the Pacific with our dear friends and their daughter for my birthday last year. I got this super cool shot of the jellyfish! It was really hard to get a non-blurry shot, so I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this large on my computer!

8. Last July, we had a particularly large full moon. We pulled out the camera and the tripod and got some pretty awesome shots of the moon.

Do you have any cool hobbies that you like to show off? I guess that's why I blog, a place to showcase the things I do! Happy Tuesday.

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9 Travel Essentials - Tuesday Topics

Hello Tuesday.....nice to meet you again. I swear to you, I am that woman that waits until the absolute last minute to pack and then I feel like I must pack my whole wardrobe, and then only wear a handful of items! I also tend to pack my husbands clothes as well because without fail halfway through our trip, even though I asked him if he brought enough, the man runs out of clean underwear and t-shirts. Sigh. So, what are my travel essentials?

9. My straight iron. I used to bring my hair dryer, a curling iron and a straight iron and thought to myself, girl you're crazy. I have learned that hotels have blow dryers (albeit crappy ones) and I can either curl or straighten my hair with one tool. Space saver.

8. Face moisturizer. It never fails, the time I forget it, my face looks like a shedding snake. So I always make sure my travel bag is stocked with moisturizer....even body lotion.

7. Flip flops. These are the easiest shoes to wear always. They go with most outfits and can easily come on and off for trying on new shoes, or dipping your feet in the sand or water if your in a tropical locale.

6. Extra underwear ::see above:: You just never know if you will need extra underwear! Just saying!

5. Medications. I am an asthmatic (although mostly under control) and the hubby is a diabetic. So we both make sure that we have enough medication to last our entire trip! Except for when we went to Catalina and the hubbs brought everything EXCEPT his insulin! DOH!

4. Comfy travel clothes that layer. I tend to either wear a maxi dress/skirt or comfy leggings. I ALWAYS bring a sweater or a light jacket because airports are always cold and so are planes.

3. Cell Phone/Music/Ipad. I lumped these together because the cell phone can carry all your music and be a source of entertainment while waiting around.....or in long car rides.

2. A book/trashy magazine. Again falls into the entertaining me when I am bored category. Although my Kindle is my best friend because she holds lots of words to read!

1. Our DSLR camera or camera phone. If we didn't bring these places, and look like complete tourists wherever we go....then we would never get shots like this one! It's been one of our best investments!

Catalina Island

Stay tuned for next week and some of the wonderful shots we have gotten while on vacation!

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Catching flies while applying mascara?! - Tuesday Topics

What a week it has already been and it's only Tuesday. Monday just went right down the dumps with some medical mishaps and of course my car battery being dead when I went to go to work, but the hubby made it all go away by picking up some to-go and just cuddling the night away. Question of the day? Is it possible to put mascara on without leaving your mouth hanging open? I know I do it, but I don't notice that I do it. This morning I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw a woman trying to catch flies while putting on her mascara. Does anyone NOT do this? Just curious.

Anyways, it's the next round of Tuesday topics and I have been trying to decide whether or not to make this post "thing" related or not. I don't want to sound monotone by making my posts sound overly similar. So I think I will make this more of a ten things I live for if I was stuck on a deserted island, type of post.

10. Music. We all know that it's something that I cannot live without. I love getting caught up in the beat or lyrics of my favorite songs (which change on a daily basis.) Honestly if I had to be left to my thoughts I might over think myself to death. It's a great way to turn off my mind and just groove and sway.

9. Blankets. I am a self-coined blanket baby. It gives me a sense of security. I just love cuddling with a blanket. Even in the middle of summer, when it's 100+ degrees, you can find me under one! As we speak I am using an old blazer as a pseudo-blanket.

8. My IPhone. I'm admitting it here and now. I am addicted to my smart phone! It's just so convenient! I can look up anything, make phone calls and entertain myself all in one little device.....I guess though I would have to add charger and electricity to this as well, but in an ideal society it would have an infinite charge and access to free wifi everywhere!

7. A hot bath. There is just something to be said about sliding into a hot relaxing bath after a long day and just letting all your worries just float away. Except when your overly curious dog wishes to eat all of the bubbles.

6. Travel. Any chance we can get to experience something new and exciting we take it. Why not explore the world we live in?

5. Digging my feet under the hot sand to find the cool spot below. Anyone who has ever been to the beach knows this feeling. The wet sand squished between your toes, the gorgeous view of the blue ocean and spending time with people you love.

Ahhh, wind blown hair!

4. Relaxing on a nice blue lake or ocean! Boating is one of my new favorite past times.

Old photo, from our 2nd apartment.

3. The holidays and all the family and memories that come with!

Baby Closet Dividers

2. Crafting. It's similar to music in where it unleashes my creative mind and lets it turn off from all the thoughts and just focus on one task as hand.

1. Of course my list would be incomplete without mentioning my family. My little family with my hubby and our pup is something that I could never go a day without. I love them so. We're silly, we're caring, we love each other!

A Lifelong Dream - Tuesday Topics

This is the last topic in this round of Tuesday topics. This link up was such fun and I got a preview of the next one and it looks even better! Can't wait to start it! However I do need to complete this one first. This weeks topic was one lifelong dream.

In my past this answer might have been different. Each person grows with every passing day, they change and desire different things. I still have dreams to travel the world, to be a top notch designer, etc. However the one dream that at this particular juncture in my life is to be a wonderful wife to my hubby, and hopefully soon a great mother to our children. I grew up in a large, yet close knit family. We are always there for one another and willing to do anything. While my immediate family was small, we had such a great bond that I hope to replicate one day. We did everything together, and I hope to continue that practice with my children. For them to have such great memories of their childhood, as I did with mine. I want to travel with them, and experience life again through their eyes. I also want to continue to grow as a supportive and loving wife to my hubby. To always be there for him whenever he needs. To desire him and to always be his best friend. We both continue to grow in our marriage, through good days and the trials. I just want him to know that life gets better with each passing day!

I want to thank the ladies behind Tuesday topics and I look forward to next Tuesday and the new round of topics! Bring it on!

Two Places I have Traveled - Tuesday Topics

Hey Guys, I'm back after my super relaxing/excitingish weekend.....I have the sunburn to prove it! Eek....Sometimes being fair skinned sucks! This weeks topic is two places you have traveled. I am going to remind you of my two most favorite vacations I have ever taken!

#1 most favorite vacation....our Honeymoon, particularly the island of Half Moon Cay. We had such a blast on this island, between the bike riding, laying out on the white sand beaches, and drinking cocktails. We were ever so relaxed and enjoyed one anothers company. You can read more about our honeymoon cruise here. It was the perfect end to a perfect wedding!

#2 most favorite vacation I just wrote about last week. If you missed my post on traveling to the U.K. you can get to it here. It was the most adventure I had ever had in my lifetime and it caused me to get the travel bug. Favorite area visited.....the Ring of Kerry in Ireland. I so want to go back!

Honorable mentions:

Catalina Island

Lake Don Pedro