My Mama's Day

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Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)




My mom is such a special person to me! I miss her all the time, but especially on Mother's Day. I haven't gotten to spend this day with her since I got married and moved away. I always figure that I will at some point, but it just hasn't seemed to work out yet. 

My mom is one of those moms who always works so hard for everyone else, and rarely has time to do the things she wants to do. When you have (seven) kids, it keeps you pretty busy!

She is one of the sweetest people I know, and she makes the best pies. She rocks a sewing machine like no one else, and she loves to sing. I wish that I had just a shred of the patience that she has (although she will probably tell you that she's not, but again, she had seven kids!). She is beautiful, and wonderful, and the best mom I could have asked for!

The card I sent her had a sentiment that I find to be very true. Over time, I find myself doing or saying little things that remind me of her constantly! And I think that's a great thing. I'm so lucky to have such a great mom, and I couldn't be happier that I share some of her same quirks and mannerisms! Some women are afraid of turning into their mothers, but I, for one, am happy to.

I hope that you all have a very happy Mother's Day with your families! Whether you're celebrating your mother, mother-in-law, grandma, or you're a mother yourself, I hope your day is fun, relaxing, and special! 


That One Time When I Forgot the Words

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Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill. 


Oh goody! You all know how much I love to share a good embarrassing story!

In fact, I've shared a couple before, here and here!

Most of the time, I don't tend to embarrass easily. It takes something extra special to make me want to just crawl into a hole, and trust me, I've had a few of those.

Like the time I walked in on a guy in a gas station bathroom.

Or the time I pushed the wrong button trying to call Dane, and ended up having a conversation with a friend who I was pretty positive a) wasn't Dane and b) was one of his friends trying to make fun of me! Poor guy had no idea why I was just calling him out of the blue!

Then there was the time I was badmouthing being critical of someone in high school, and she ended up being right behind me, hearing every word I said!

For the story I really want to share though, we'll have to go back several years. About ten actually, to be precise. Some of you may remember when Molly did this guest post for me, and she mentioned this little doozy.

I was in eighth grade, thirteen years old, and had dreams of becoming a singer! I may have been a little delusional about how good my voice was (I can carry a tune, but my voice is nothing special) and I was performing a solo at our choir Christmas concert. 

I don't think I had ever done a solo before at that point, and I was both very excited and nervous about it. Plus, with my competitive streak, I wanted to be way better than anyone else who was doing a solo! I was singing "Christmastime is Here" (off of A Charlie Brown Christmas) and I was singing a cappella (without music). 

Things were going well for through the first part of the song. I wasn't even thinking, I was just singing. I had practiced so much, that I knew all of the words by heart!

Well, I wish they had been in my head, instead of my heart.

I was just singing along, and when it came to the second verse, I started thinking. Bad move! As soon as I tried to think of the next lyric, I froze! My mind was a total blank, and I could not for the life of me remember the words!

I'm not sure exactly how long I stood there, on that stage, in front of all of those people. I heard some chuckles, some sympathetic murmurs from some of the moms, but mostly just silence.

My choir instructor was off to the side, whispering at me to just keep singing! Sing anything! But what was I supposed to do? There was nothing but a blank slate in my head, so I just continued to stand there. 

Luckily, the words did come back, and I was able to finish the song, but it was probably one of my more uncomfortable moments in my life. I'm sure it was almost as uncomfortable for all of those watching and listening, as it was for me!

So, what are your most embarrassing moments? Go and link-up!


Just a Moment

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Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)





This is one of my favorite moments of my day. When I'm having my coffee, planning my day, and blogging! It doesn't always look like this (and I never have fresh flowers) but when I have the day off from work, I have more time to sit and relax first thing in the morning. So far, this is about what my mornings have looked like this week, and I've been loving it!


Here's a Piece of Advice

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Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.


If I could give any advice at all, it would be to never take anything for granted. Especially family!

I've been watching some old home videos, and it's really got me thinking. "I wish I could go back and give all my siblings lots and lots of hugs, when I got to see them all the time." "I wish I had played more board games when they would ask." "I should have been a nicer big sister."

Pretty much this list could go on and on. I would like to point out, that I don't just constantly sit around and regret the things I did or didn't do when I was younger (what good is that going to do?), but I still wish I had taken certain opportunities. I say, if you get the chance to tell someone close that you love them, do it! Take the time to make that phone call, when the idea crosses your mind. Write that email, send that birthday card, play that game, give those hugs! You will never regret doing these things, and you don't want to end up in a position where you didn't and wish you had. 

So, for all of my friends and family who read this little old blog of mine, thanks so much for following along, and I love you all so much! 

And a special thank you to all of my new followers and friends! I really appreciate all of your kind words, and support!
Whew! These past few days have been a little heavy, don't you think? How about something to make you laugh!

Guess who finally broke down and bought a depilatory cream to get rid of her beard?? Yes! You're right! This girl right here. 

I know, what a bummer, huh? Not even twenty-three, and I've got old man whiskers going on. Trust me, it was so not pretty, and plucking was just not cutting it anymore!

So, I guess if I had any more advice to give you, it would be to not grow whiskers. Simple. Just don't do it, because I promise you won't like it!

Oh, and don't eat yellow snow.


Scared-y Cat

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A nice, non-scary bridge


Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of  


There are probably too many things for me to list here, unfortunately. Most of them are just totally irrational, like my fear of bridges and heights. I have never flown, but I know that when I do, I'll be fighting a panic attack! I remember when I was younger, things didn't phase me very much, and I never would have considered myself easily scared. But, the older I have gotten, the more afraid of things I am. 

Mostly though, I've come to realize that my biggest fear seems to just be of fear itself. It's one of my biggest worries, that something will scare me into a panic attack. My logical self knows that most of my fears are unfounded, and that I really have nothing to worry about. It's the losing control and falling into panic that's at the root of most of those fears, because once I do, it takes a while to bounce back. My nerves just totally get shot!

Luckily (and thankfully!) I've been able to mostly control this. I drive and walk over bridges. I know that if I ever get the opportunity to fly somewhere, I'll take it. I don't want to be controlled by my fears, and sometimes facing those fears full on really helps! And knowing that I don't have to be afraid if I don't want to.  I rarely have attacks, and I can go months in between them. 

It's still a struggle (oh stupid anxiety!) but, I always believe that someday I will get past it. I already do so much better, and I know that as time goes on I'll only continue to improve. Eventually I will realize deeper down than just my logical thoughts, that I really have nothing to fear!

Do any of you share this same thought? That your biggest fear is of fear itself?



I Do Stuff

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Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?


What do I do? Well...

 I do dishes. And laundry, and vacuuming, and dusting. I'm like a regular Cinderella!

 I make food. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Sometimes they're good, and sometimes they're not! But, make them I do.

 I plant flowers, on occasion. And I mow grass.

 I help kiddos learn. I encourage, guide, and support those ones who tend to have a harder time. 

 I write. It might not be the best stuff out there, but I enjoy it! 

 I exercise. Probably not as much as I should, but I want to be healthy. 

 I play with my dog. Fetch, walks, belly rubs, and the works. 

 I style my hair. If people only knew how long I spend on it sometimes!

 I take pictures, but I wish I took more. 

 I fix things, and change things, and try to make things look pretty. 

 I drink coffee. Lots, and lots of coffee!

 I love, I worry, I struggle, I laugh. 

 I cry, I miss, I hope, and I pray. 

I live.




Lovely Ladies

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Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member


This one is pretty hard for me, because I'm still fairly new to blogging! I actually first started my blog in the fall of  2011, but I didn't get serious about writing and connecting with other bloggers until just a few months ago. So, I don't have a lot of actual blogger "friends," they're more like acquaintances.  

 There are a few lovely ladies though, that I would like to recognize! First off, is my one actual blogger friend, who was also my friend in real life. She's been mentioned a few times around these parts (and even had a guest post) and she's pretty awesome! I'm talking about my friend Molly, from Mae Live Free. She's a vegan mommy of an adorable little girl, and she blogs about her life, living green, and raising a little one with the man she loves so much! I definitely think you all should check her out, if you haven't already. She likes to share (delicious) recipes, hair ideas, great photos, and lots of coffee talk! (smart lady!)

Then there are a couple others who, while maybe wouldn't fall under the "friend" category just yet, are pretty close! Lauren, of siddathornton, is so great! Her Sunday Currently is one of the first link-ups I've ever done, and she is just so sweet! She posts some pretty neat pictures, and we have a lot in common! Something tells me that we could have such a good time if we ever got to hang out in person. And Tina from Like Ordinary Life is just as awesome! I love reading about her running, and house projects (we both would like to sell our houses). So, yeah, I guess we have a lot in common too!

There are plenty of others who are always super sweet and nice when we chat, so I hope that my circle of blogging friends just continues to grow and grow!

And with that, it's off to bed for me!

You Can Quote Me

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Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it



"This too shall pass," is one of my favorite quotes of all time. I never used to have a favorite, and honestly I didn't think much of quotes at all. For some reason, they don't tend to really stick around in my mind. 

This quote though, is one that my mother-in-law shared with me when I was having a hard time, and it still resonates with me. We all go through struggles in this life, it's just a part of being human. When I'm going through something hard, and it starts to get me down, I just think of this.

I feel that it's very true. Any bad thing that could happen, any sorrow, anger, or bad day will never last forever. It will always pass, and you will realize when it's done that you were stronger than you thought. 

This has helped me through several trying times, and I know I will continue to use it in the years to come. I hope you enjoy it, and that it helps you in whatever struggles you might be going through! 




It Makes Me Feel Uncomfortable to Write this Post....

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Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable


A soothing picture, because thing's are about to get a little heavy...


Oh boy. This one is tough. 

You see, there are a lot of things that make me uncomfortable. Probably more things than there should be! The older I get, the more I realize that I hate all things negative.
Now, I'm actually not a super happy, go-lucky person. I tend to complain a lot, and I feel like I could learn to be a lot more content. And I suffer from anxiety. 

It's pretty much the worst, and those of you who experience it too know what I'm talking about. It's a difficult thing to deal with, but I feel like I manage it really well! I try to keep a positive outlook on life, and think on the good things, because that helps so, so much.

As a result, I pretty much try to avoid thinking about all of the terrible things in this world.

* It makes me uncomfortable to watch t.v. I don't watch the news, because it's depressing. If there are terrible things (like bombs, wars, shootings and other crimes) I would rather just not hear any details. I don't look at the headlines on msn, or yahoo, or anything like that, because it just bogs me down!

* It makes me uncomfortable to read online articles. I don't like to read comments sections on just about anything (except most blogs!), because people are just so mean! I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, and not everyone is always going to agree with me, but I hate it when people are rude and forceful in their opinions.

* It makes me uncomfortable to hear/read about politics. Some of my favorite websites are notorious for being extremely liberal. And that's fine, if you're a liberal. But as someone who leans a little more to the conservative side, I hate being made to feel like the bad guy when I read their stuff. Although, I am still a little left wing, and being around hard core conservatives makes me uncomfortable too. Can I just say that I am so, so happy it's not election time! 

I'm sure I could go on and on, but I suppose they are all of a similar theme. 

I would love to get to a place where these things don't bother me as much, and I'm sure that I will eventually. In the meantime, though, I will continue to try to focus on those things that are good, and happy, and light. And to try to keep this blog a space for me to share all of the positive things in my life!




Thanks for reading along on this link-up challenge! I really appreciate it!


It's Good to be Queen!

Blog Every Day


Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at.



Today, I'm going to give you some excellent tips and tricks. You see, I'm pretty much an expert on something, and I know you all are secretly dying to pick my brain. In fact, I think I will go one step further than saying I'm just an "expert." I'm the freaking queen! 




That's right, if you want to know how to waste all of your time, then you have come to the right place my friend. I mean, come on! Who doesn't want to be late, everywhere (and I mean absolutely everywhere) you go? Every. Single. Day.

It's such a blast, and I feel like it's just not fair for me to keep these all to myself. So, here's a little list to help you on your journey to late-ness. And maybe, just maybe, you can someday be just as good as me! Now, without further ado, I give you:
Step one: Make sure you know how long it takes you to get ready to go. You know, shower, eat breakfast, small morning chores, the works. Set your alarm to get up early enough to get all of these tasks done. Then, hit your snooze. At least three times!

Step two: Now that you're anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes behind schedule, take your time getting around. Log onto Facebook, and all of your other social media first thing! Read some posts, share that draft you did the night before. Whatever, you really aren't that behind yet.

Step three: Look up and realize that you have wasted 15 minutes! Don't worry, you're doing great! Jump up and make your coffee and get your breakfast started. You've still got plenty of time. 

Step four: Jump back on the computer for "just a sec," while your eggs are cooking. Let them burn, then get all pissed off because you hate when they're over-done.

Step five: Make breakfast and or lunch for your love. Except it probably won't be and, it will be one or the other, because you are on a roll right now, and there definitely isn't time to do both! Or...maybe there is, just go ahead and do it anyway. 

Step six: Time to shower! At this point, you should be feeling the pressure. You know how long it takes for you to get ready at this point, right? Well, you might have only lost a quarter of that. But, some of you pros, like me, will have knocked that number down by half! Whoop, whoop! You go girls! 

Step seven: Make sure your shower isn't much faster than usual. I mean, it's not something you can really rush, right? Then take your time with your make-up (and hair). You don't want to look like a bag-lady, do you?

Step eight: Getting dressed. Make sure you don't have your outfit already picked out. Dig through those shirts you didn't have time to hang up yesterday, and try to find one you like. Put on an outfit. Take it off. Try on another one! Then get rid of it too. 

Step nine: Run to the computer to "double check" the weather, so you know which outfit to wear. Get distracted on your social media of choice for another five minutes.

Step ten: Rush back to your room to get dressed. At this point, you should still have some finishing touches to add to your hair, and then you have to brush your teeth. But don't rush on that because, well, you know, cavities and stuff. 

Step eleven: Notice that the time you should have left has come and gone (anywhere from five to fifteen minutes before) and you still have one last thing to do. Make your lunch, take off that chipped nail polish, search for your car keys. Any of these will work, it's totally up to you!


So, there you have it! Following all, or most, of these steps will ensure that you won't arrive anywhere on time! Ever! It makes life so much more exciting, don't you think? Plus, you can even add some fun extras, like getting extreme road rage because you're stuck behind someone doing five under speed limit. Or spilling your coffee, because you didn't have time to put it in a to-go mug! These will definitely add that little something special to your morning.

I know, I know. You're very welcome. Stay tuned, because this might just be my new series! I can teach you how to keep your friends waiting, how to let your laundry pile up, and, my favorite one of all, how to keep that "disaster zone" look in your kitchen at all times! 

I hope you enjoyed this, and that you get a chance to use all of these tips soon.

Now, bow to your queen!




OHP + A (short) Story of My Life

Blog Every Day

Today kicks off day one of the Blog Everyday in May Challenge! I am really excited about this link-up, and I think it was such a great idea! I hope you all enjoy all the content that is about to be heading your way this month, because I know I'm going to enjoy writing it.

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less


The story of my life is not a very exciting one, but it is a good one, (you could even say that it's fabulously ordinary! Pun intended.) and it's one I'm happy to share.

 I was born the oldest of seven, and raised in the country in Idaho. I grew up on a small cattle ranch, where I learned that I really enjoy being lazy the importance of hard work. Family, friends, and faith were what my life revolved around. I was always the tough one, and as siblings, rough-housing was our way of communication (and it kind of still is!). It was a great way to grow up, and while I may not have loved every minute at the time, I wouldn't change a single thing!

Then I met this sweet Oregon boy. He swept me off my feet, and whisked me off to his hometown! He brings out the best in me (most of the time!). He calms my tempers, and taught me that I always don't need to act so tough. They say home is where the heart is, and that's definitely true. I miss all of my friends and family, but wherever he goes, is where I'll be!



















So there you have it! Like I said, not too exciting, but I definitely wouldn't change any of it!

Thanks so much for stopping by, now go link up!



And of course, I can't forget about OHP! It's one of my favorite link-ups of the week, when I get to share all of my favorite pins with you! 
But since this post is already getting long, I'll only share a few of the best ones.











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