Blogging Challenge -- Days 28-31

I did it! This is my last installment of the blogging challenge, which means I have successfully completed it! It's always nice to finish something you start :) Here are the answers to the last few questions of the challenge. I've enjoyed writing more often and getting the wheels in my head turning again. I have a few blog posts already written that I will be slowly publishing over the next few weeks and I am excited to share them with you all. This challenge has given me new ideas for my blog and I'm thankful for that!

28.What's your guilty pleasure? The first guilty pleasure that comes to mind is reality t.v. and corny television shows. I enjoy reality television and shows/movies that are light hearted and fun. I view watching t.v. as a way to relax and I don't want to have to think while relaxing. The things I watch may not be challenging for my brain, but they put me in a good mood! (Teen Mom, Four Weddings, Hart of Dixie, Gilmore Girls, and The Fosters all make the list.)

29. What's your favorite time of year and why? Summer. Yep, I said it. Almost everyone I know would say fall is their favorite season and while I do enjoy changing leaves, scarves, and boots, I am a summer girl at heart. I absolutely hate the cold weather (except this year since my son was born in January!) and I am a huge fan of the sun. Being a red head, my skin doesn't do well in the heat, but I still love summer nonetheless. Shorts, long days, swimming, windows down, summer nights, and the beach are my favorites. Plus, I am a complete wimp when it comes to the cold!

30. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream? This is a tough one! Ice cream is my favorite dessert, so I am not at all picky. My favorites are birthday cake and Moose Tracks. Yum!

31. Explain what you liked most about this challenge. I basically answered this question in the introduction, but I enjoyed this challenge because certain questions really made me think and pushed me to write about things that weren't always in my comfort zone. It was fun to try something different to help get my creative juices flowing again!

Blogging Challenge -- Days 23-27

Good morning! I'm back with another dose of the blogging challenge. I only have one more post after this one and then the challenge will be complete. I hope everyone is having a great week and enjoying the warmer weather while it lasts. I'm excited it's Wednesday and almost half way through the week. I am at work today after a perfect day off yesterday. If you are waiting on this day to drag on by, here's something to entertain you on this glorious Wednesday morning:

23. Do you have a hobby? Yes, I do. I love to run! I know, most people think it's crazy, but I truly enjoy it. I started running when I was in 6th grade. We ran the mile run in P.E. and I remember being surprised at how well I did. I was never very good at sports, but for some reason, I excelled at running long distances. From there, I joined track and cross county. I ran both throughout high school (again, I know most people think I'm insane!). I have always felt great while running and considered it "me time". Running relieves my stresses and you can't beat the natural endorphins. I didn't run for almost a year due to my pregnancy, and it was something I missed so much. There's just something freeing about going on a long run while jamming out to some good music that I love. (In fact, running while listening to worship music is a very powerful spiritual experience if you ever want to try it!) Running is fun way to keep in shape and it's a hobby I plan on continuing for years to come.

24. Describe your most embarrassing moment. This question always makes me laugh. Why would I want to tell anyone about my most embarrassing moment?! Lol. Well, there are many, but one that sticks out for me would be falling flat on my face in high school. I was late to class and the halls were almost cleared. It was raining outside that day, so the floors were slick. There were only a few other students in the hallway with me and I fell flat on my face while hurrying to class. One of the girls in the hallway actually laughed at me. I laughed at myself. It was embarrassing, but totally me in high school. Clumsy and a mess!

25. Describe your location. Currently, I am at work! (fun, fun) I work at a car dealership in Atlanta. I'm at my desk with fancy cars (that I will never even get close to owning) as my viewpoint. Not too bad, I guess.

26. What's your favorite food? Cereal. I love it and it's been my favorite food almost all my life. I could eat cereal for every meal and be happy. I have it for dinner often and consider it a treat when I do. I like all types of cereal and enjoy it with almond milk. One quirk about my cereal eating habits is that I almost always mix my cereals. I pour myself a bowl of half one kind and half another kind. I've done it for years and I enjoy the variety. I have no idea if I'm the only person in the world that does that, but I consider it normal :)

27. List 3 online friends you've never met in real life, but hope to soon. I'm not quite sure how to answer this question except to say that it's so weird how you can get to know people so in depth through the internet, but never meet them face-to-face. I love how we will comment on someone's photo online, but if we see them in person, we act like we don't know that person. I believe the internet has made in-person interaction much less frequent and much more awkward. There are many positives to the social media, but I believe this is one negative aspect.

Blogging Challenge -- Days 19-22

19. List 5 blogs you read on a regular basis and why.

1. Bower Power http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/ -- I love this DIY blogging family and all that they have to share! Katie Bower shares all sorts of DIY house projects, her family life as a mom of 3 little boys, photography tips, and so much more. As a professional blogger, she inspires me to write often and even try my hand at crafting!
2. Southern Sweet Tart https://shalahgale.wordpress.com/ -- This blogger is one of my sister-in-laws and I really enjoy reading her blog. She writes about a variety of fun things, but I especially enjoy her refashioning posts! She buys dirt cheap (and not so attractive) clothes from different thrift stores and turns the hot mess of an ensemble into something beautiful! I love looking at the before and after pictures of her creations and am always highly impressed with her ability to transform.
3. The Collins Charm https://thecollinscharm.wordpress.com/ -- This girl is one of my dear friends whose blog has turned into one of my favorite weekly reads! She writes about the highlights of her week, DIY and crafting projects around her home and her adventures around the world as a flight attendant. Her blog offers a variety of topics and interesting stories that always keep me coming back for more!
4. Feather & Ink In A Modern World https://jmblackwood.wordpress.com/ -- This blog comes from another one of my sister-in-laws (the love for writing must run in the family)! She was one of the people who originally inspired me to start my blog and also gave me the idea to do this 31 Day Blog Challenge. I love her blog because it is passionate, raw, and real. She doesn't write with the fake "fluff" like a lot of us tend to --she tells it how it is. She gets vulnerable and honest with herself and her readers -- I really appreciate this blog for that. It's always refreshing to read her point of view as a mother and pastor's wife. Her blog is relatable and encouraging to a young mom and fellow pastor's wife like myself!
5. Anna Saccone http://www.annasaccone.com/ -- I have read this blog for over 2 years now and am a huge fan! Anna Saccone is a beauty guru, as well as, a young mother of two beautiful children. She writes about beauty, make-up, food, diet, motherhood, style, fashion, and more! As a working mom, it is easy to wear your work uniform and then change into pajamas when you get home. Her blog inspires me to actually want to pick out a nice outfit for myself and have fun with new make-up. She is a great example of a wife and mother who still takes the time to better herself. Her cupcake recipes are also delicious!

20. What do you collect?  As of right now, nothing. But when I was younger, I collected the shiny and crazy colored little rocks from any museum or field trip. You guys know the ones (especially if you are a 90's kid)! On any field trip I ever went on, I always bought those rocks as my souvenir. I collected them for years, but I have no clue where they are now!

21. What's your biggest fear? I'm not sure what my BIGGEST fear is, but I know what one of my fears is. Not to bring down this post, but I have always been terrified to be involved in a public shooting. I'm always so scared I will be at the wrong place at the wrong time when one of those happens. Not very upbeat, I know, but that's why it is such a fear of mine.

22. What do you do when you're home all alone? As the mother of a 2 month old, this is a rarity! Grayson is pretty much always with me if I'm not at work :) BUT, when he is napping at home and I have a little time to spare, I usually end up catching up on shows I've recorded or cleaning the house. So exciting, I know! I find it relaxing to catch up on my shows, no matter how shallow or pointless they may be. I'm not into educational television and not afraid to admit it. After a long day, I don't want to have to think much! My current go-to DVR show is Reba. I discovered it on my maternity leave and have almost watched every episode at this point. It's cheesy, but I love it!

Blogging Challenge -- Days 14-18

Hey everyone! Where in the world have I been with my Blogging Challenge posts? Well, I'll tell ya. I've had the pleasure of hosting some nasty virus for the past 4 days. Today is by far the best day yet, but I'm still feeling rough. This thing started off like a cold, then turned into what felt like the flu and then progressed to something resembling a stomach virus. Lovely, I know. That's a good part of the reason why I haven't blogged in a week. BUT I wanted to get back to it today and answer questions 14-18 of the blogging challenge. These questions are all really interesting to me and it's funny how a lot of them are harder to answer than I would have ever thought. They are really making me think...which is a good thing! Hope you enjoy! :D

14. What's on your iPod? I really like a variety of music! Country music is definitely my favorite, but I also like pop, contemporary Christian, and 90's music. Scrolling through my Pandora stations I found: Matchbox Twenty Radio, The Grinch Radio, 3 Doors Down Radio, 90s Pop Radio, Today's County Radio, Lady Antebellum Radio, Today's Hits Radio, Hillsong Worship Radio, and Passion Worship Band Radio...to name a few.

15. List 10 things that make you awesome:

1. I am one big, recessive gene (red hair, green eyes, left-handed, fair skinned).
2. I enjoy running long distances.
3. I am very organized.
4. I've jumped out of a plane.
5. I'm a good friend (or at least I try really hard to be).
6. I love to encourage others.
7. I have the best husband, son, and puppy around!
8. When I want something, I work hard to achieve it. I'm driven.
9. I have always adopted my pets from the local animal shelter.
10. I exercised throughout my entire pregnancy, up until 3 days before I had my son.

16. What's your biggest accomplishment? Gosh, this is a hard one. There are a lot of things that come to mind, but one of the biggest accomplishments I can think of is how hard my husband and I have worked for what we have. We started off with very little and have worked so hard and come so far. We still don't have much, but what we do have, I am proud of because I know the hard work that went into it. I'm proud that together we have overcome a lot of obstacles, especially financially, and stayed dedicated to what we wanted. I'm thankful that what I have wasn't handed to me because I don't know if I would appreciate it quite the same.

17. Why and when did you start blogging? I started blogging in August of 2013. I have always loved writing and found blogging to be a way to rekindle that passion. I wanted to share bits of my life with people and hoped that someone would find my posts encouraging and relatable. I figured if I touched one person's life with my blog, that would be wonderful!

18. Where are you happiest? I am happiest when I am with those I love, my family and friends. Yes, that corny, but it's true. The older I get, the more I realize the importance of my relationships and how those are the things that will carry on when everything else fades. At the end of my life, the reflection on the relationships I had will bring me far more joy than anything else ever could.

Blogging Challenge -- Days 9-13

9. What's On Your Bucket List?

Travel to Europe
Run a marathon
Find a job I love, so I don't feel like I'm working
Visit NYC
Go on a family vacation
Lead a women's Bible study
Go to a movie by myself

Things I Have Already Achieved on my Bucket List:

Give blood
Donate hair to Locks of Love
Go skydiving
Go on an international mission trip (South Korea and Costa Rica)

10. Daily Routine -- With a 2 month old baby, my daily routine looks very different each day! Three days a week I go to work, leaving before the sun comes up and not getting home until about 5 pm. After I get home from work, I either go to youth girl's Bible study, Wednesday night dinner at my church, or relax at home for the evening with my baby and husband. Two days a week, I am off work and am able to get housework done and run errands. I also like to go on a walk, go running, and see friends and family on those days off. My routine is different each day, but I like the variety! And of course, my son determines a lot of how my daily routine goes :)

11. Last Book You Read -- The last few books I have read have been The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Hunger Games series, Mere Christianity, and The Fault in Our Stars.

12. Something You Miss -- I am at the stage of my life where I have a lot of responsibility. I am responsible for another human life, my house, my job, my car, etc. I also have a lot of financial responsibility. I love this phase of my life and am happier than I have ever been, but if I miss anything, it's probably the phase of my life where I had less responsibility and was able to be more carefree. Every decision I make now affects not only myself, but my entire family. Sometimes I miss those carefree high school and college days where I had less responsibility.

13. Do You Have Regret? My biggest regret is probably the time I have wasted in my life worrying about the future or how things would work out. Each time, everything has always worked out and I spent way too much of my time and energy worrying about things I couldn't control.

Blogging Challenge -- Days 5-8

Good Morning! I'm continuing the blogging challenge with days 5-8 ! Hope everyone has had a great week of snow and ice (at least here in Atlanta). I personally am ready for the warmer weather and the time change. Come on, spring! Have an awesome weekend, everyone and hope you enjoy this post.

5. Favorite Movies You Never Get Sick of Watching -- Twister & Titanic. Yep, 90's and old school. I have watched each of these movies countless times and they never get old. It doesn't help that they both come on TV all the time and I still manage to get sucked in.

6.Your Last Random Act of Kindness -- Two years ago, I chopped off my long hair and donated it to Locks of Love to be made into a wig for a cancer patient. It was a really neat experience and very rewarding knowing I was going to help someone in need. I would have loved to meet the person the wig ended up going to!

7. What's Your Dream Job? For years, I have always said my dream job would be working for a non-profit doing some type of marketing. I have a degree in business marketing and management and I would love to utilize that more. Also, I always wanted a job that made a difference and impacted people's lives. At the end of each day, I would like to know my job and where I'm investing my time made a difference in someone's life and not just their wallet.

8. Biggest Pet Peeve -- My biggest pet peeve is probably people complaining about something, but doing nothing to fix it. I am a doer and a fixer. I am proactive about what I want and I go after it. Sometimes I struggle to understand people who constantly gripe about an issue, but do nothing to change it. I believe we are all in control of our own lives and we have the power to achieve whatever we want. If you want it, go after it and make it happen!

Blogging Challenge Days 2-4

Well, I've already completely slacked! I didn't post at all over the weekend, but I plan on getting back on track this week with my blogging challenge! Today I am going to answer the questions for days 2-4.

2. Favorite Quote -- "Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering.”   ― Ida Scott Taylor

I love this particular quote because I am a worrier and I tend to overanalyze most things. I critique the past and struggle to move forward while also worrying so much about the future that I can't enjoy the present. This quote is a beautiful reminder to focus on the present which I tend to need reminding of.

3. What makes you happy? Well this question could be very long if I answered it fully. Lots of things make me happy! Dessert before the main course, going running on a fall day, the beach, and someone making me feel special all qualify as answers. But the first thing that popped in my mind as I read this question was my family. My family's life is pretty hectic, so any time I am spending uninterrupted quality time with my husband, son, and puppy I am very happy! They are my happy place without a doubt.

4. Best Childhood Memory -- While this may seem cliché, one of my favorite and best childhood memories was going to Disney World! I went with my family when I was in 7th grade and it was one of my favorite family trips. I have such good memories from that trip and still remember it really well. It was such a fun and magical place despite the fact that I was already 13 years old. I absolutely loved Disney World! I remember taking pictures with the characters, riding every single ride, and spending the evenings playing cards and laughing with my mom, dad, brother, uncle, aunt, and cousin. My family was in a really good place at that time and the memories we made on that trip were unforgettable (in the best way!).

Well that's all for today!

1 Year Blogging Anniversary!

This month marks my 1 year blogging anniversary...I can't believe I have been blogging for an entire year! Wow, it's flown by. I've experienced so many changes in the past year and I loved being able to document them here on this blog. I have always enjoyed writing and this has been a creative outlet for me. Thank you all for your support over this year and for making me feel like my posts have made an impact and a difference. I like to write about things going on in my life and hope that there is someone out there who I can encourage through my experiences. Many of you weren't around when I originally started this blog, so I thought I would share a little bit about myself through 25 random facts about me!

1. Cereal is my favorite food -- I could eat it every day and be perfectly happy.
2. I love country music.
3. I'm a runner and have been since I was 12. Running is therapeutic to me.
4. My favorite shows are Gilmore Girls and Friends. I still watch the reruns all the time.
5. I'm currently 17 weeks pregnant with my first child. :)
6. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was 11 years old.
7. I love coffee! Now that I'm pregnant, I only drink decaf, but I still love the taste.
8. One of my favorite activities is going on walks with my husband and my dog.
9. My mom is my best friend and always has been.
10. I'm extremely organized and basically live by my planner.
11. My husband and I have been married for a little over a year and a half.
12. Our dog Cedric is like our child -- he is very spoiled and loved!
13. I graduated from the University of West Georgia in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration: Concentration Management and Marketing.
14. I'm red headed, blue-eyed, fair-skinned and left-handed -- basically one big recessive gene!
15. I have a passion for missions and children.
16. I genuinely enjoy eating healthy foods and staying active.
17. On the same note, my downfall is sweets. I am a true chocoholic.
18. I currently work for Land Rover as a cashier and accounts payable clerk.
19. I've lived in Georgia my whole life, but often get mistaken for a Yankee.
20. I'm not very athletic but I have tried tap, jazz, ballet, softball, and tennis over the years.
21. My dream is to one day work for a Christian non-profit and have a job that truly helps make a difference in people's lives.
22. I love to travel and have been to Jamaica, Mexico, South Korea, and Costa Rica.
23. My favorite place in the world is the beach. It's the place where I feel the most connected to God.
24. I am an Assistant Pastor's wife and our family is very active in ministry and church life.
25. It's very hard for me to give up on something. I put everything I have into the things that I do and the people who I love. I will fight hard to make those things and relationships work.

Again, I genuinely appreciate all the support and hope you continue to follow and be encouraged by my story. If you have anything in particular that you would like me to write about, please let me know! :)