I can't get this song out of my head!

Happy Monday everybody! I just wanted to share a couple of songs I've been loving lately. I can't get over the animation in the Sara Bareilles video, it is just too cute! I have been listening to Ed Sheeran a lot the last week or so, and this song in particular. I decided to learn it on the guitar, and it's coming along pretty good! Let me know what you think, do you enjoy either of these artists? (Actually, I guess there are three, can't forget to shout out Ingrid Michaelson!)

Reading  Not much. Mostly just blogs, and some fitness magazines! I've been getting subscriptions to Self, Fitness, and Shape for a few years now. I really like them, I just wish they would give me a little more motivation sometimes! I think I've gotten desensitized to their motivating powers! I do find good information though, so when I do decide to get healthier (like I am right now) I have the right tools available.
Writing  I wrote my first attempt at a funny post! I never realized how hard it would be. I usually hope that people like what I write, but if they don't that's fine too. With humor though, it was different. I was really concerned with putting it into the right words. Even the funniest story can fall flat if it's not told right! My best friend read it though, and even though she's a little biased (she was part of the story), she said she laughed so hard she cried! That's good enough for me!
Listening  My coffee just beeped at me! Which means I can finally have some. Other than that, nothing right now. Just the bathroom fan I forgot to turn off. For music though, I heard a really good song earlier this week, which features my friend Molly! She sang background to her uncle, who performs under the name City Bear. The song is called "Nell" and you can listen to it here.
Thinking  About some of the projects I want to do around here. I know I've mentioned before how long my list is, but I feel really optomistic that we're going to start making a dent in it this year. Dane is working on our shop right now, building shelving and organizing inside. Then it's time to paint the outside, so it matches the house! My next couple of projects will be planting my flower beds (hydreangeas are a must!) and doing the cutting in on the outside of the house. It's going on four years since we started painting, and it's still not finished!
Smelling  Nothing still. I've got those left over symptoms that hang on, even when you're really not sick anymore. Blowing my nose and coughing are still here, but I feel better this weekend. Being sick really put a dent into my training schedule for my 5k! I waited until the last minute, and gave myself just enough time to fit it in before the race. Well, now I'm a week off, and I don't want to start running until my lungs are totally clear. Bleh! I may not be running it this year after all.
Wearing  My pajamas, again. I think I'm going to start cutting this one out, unless I actually put on real clothes. I always write this first thing in the morning, before I shower and get ready for church. I guess I could tell you what I plan on wearing later? I just bought an adorable little summer dress, but I'm busting it out early. It's a really vibrant, burnt-ish orange (I suck at describing colors) and the top has all these little flowers of the same color and fabric sewn on. It's a subtle, but very pretty, feminine detail!
Loving  Mexican food. It's one of my absolute favorites, and I like to make it on a semi-regular basis. I made chicken fajitas last night, and they were awesome! I actually didn't eat mine with a tortilla though, because I'm tyring to cut back on my carbs again. I just eat them with a fork, and a side of avacado and sour cream! Yum!
Wanting  To shed a few pounds. I always want this, but I finally decided to jump on the wagon again, and start eating healthier. Eating low carb really works for me, and when I stick to it I see really good results! Plus, I always feel better, and the less sugar I eat, the less I crave it. Well, I decided to join my parents in No Dessert March, so we'll see how it goes. Wish me luck!
Needing  To wash my hair! It's been a few days, and it's a total grease bomb. I should have washed it last night, but my hair just will not cooperate unless it's freshly washed right before I style it. Sleeping on it does it no favors whatsoever!
Feeling  Sore! I did a lot of yard work yesterday. I prepped my front flower beds, and mowed the yard. Then I swept my sidewalks off. Everything was looking pretty shabby. We just topped our tree, and there were sticks everywhere! Our beds have always been a disaster, and except for the rosebush that was already there, one of them has never had anything planted in it. Besides weeds. Curb appeal is usually lacking a lot at our house! Not anymore though. There's still nothing planted, but there are no more weeds, and everything looks nice and clean. Definitely worth the sore shoulders and back I have today.
Clicking  On a lot of Jenna Marbles videos lately. I probably shouldn't admit that, because those of you that know who she is, know how raunchy and foul mouthed her videos are! She's is just so funny though! It's kind of a guilty pleasure of mine, I'll watch them once in a while. If you don't mind hearing some inappropriate stuff, you should watch this one. It's hilarious! But if that bothers you, definitely don't watch any of her stuff!

Reading  Lots and lots of blogs! I can't seem to get enough. I've been thinking that I need to track down a book to read though, it's been a little while since I read any. I always end up with the most ridiculous library fines though! It is almost impossible for me to return anything on time, so maybe I should search my own personal collection for now.
Writing  Blog post after blog post. I've got some in the works at the moment, and there's been some brain storming going on. I'm really enjoying it, and I'm hoping to keep up that forward momentum!
Listening  To my washer going. Last minute laundry, because of course the outfit I wanted to wear today would be dirty. I'm also listening to some Mindy Gledhill on Spotify. I just recently discovered her music, and I love it! I'll probably be sharing one of my favorites of her's at some point.
Thinking  About my to do list for the day. It's coming along. I've also been thinking about the goal I had when I was in high school. How I wanted to be a writer. Well that's definitely what I'm doing now, but I want to start looking into getting something published. I don't know, we'll see. It's just a thought at the moment, but there are so many places on the web where someone could have an article or story published!
Smelling  The coffee brewing. I need it so badly this morning! Way too late of a night, coupled with an early-ish morning, means I'm running on just under six hours today. Whoop, whoop! Oh and also the bacon I cooked last night, which is grossing me out. That smell lingers worse than any other, and I don't find it to be a good thing.
Wishing  I had a little more seating in the family room. Let's hope some people don't mind sitting on the floor to watch the game....
Hoping  That the San Fransisco 49ers win in Superbowl today! I haven't always been big on watching football, or even kept up with the Niners much at all, but I've always considered myself a fan. They were the team I chose to support as a kid, so when it comes to pro football, that's who I always root for. Turns out, Dane shares that same story! So when they were in the playoffs we made sure to tune in, and we're both hoping they can pull a win! (We do watch a lot of college football though, so I definitely know my way around the game)
Wearing  My scuzzy old pajamas, of course! It's morning time, and I am not ready to do for the day. I wish I was wearing some of my nicer pjs though. It is amazing how much less of a slob you feel like when you are dressed in something classy and cute, as opposed to something that doesn't fit and is all stretched out and baggy!
Loving  That Valentine's day is coming up! Technically our date Friday night was supposed to be for that (kind of) but I plan on doing a fun night in on the actual date. I'll brush off my gourmet cooking skills and make something fancy, light some candles, and try to make a romantic evening for us here at home.
Wanting  The magical house fairy to come and clean my bathroom for me, so I don't have to do it! I used to say that dishes were my least favorite household chore, but I it's actually cleaning the bathroom.
Needing  A nap, I think. I could just go crawl back into bed right now.... Better drink more coffee!
Feeling  Pretty happy that I took a shower last night before bed, because there's no way I would have had time to take one this morning! I love knowing I don't have to do a lot to get ready to go. I think I have a tendency to be pretty high maintenance sometimes, it takes me so stinking long to get ready to go anywhere!
Clicking  Here. I just started trying the oil cleansing method for cleaning my face, and here's where I got most of my information. I also got some tips from my friend Molly, from Mae Live Free. She's been doing it for a year now! We'll see how it goes, so far so good.

Linking up today for the first time with Lauren from siddathornton!

I've thought a long time about whether or not I should write this post, because it is so personal and still so fresh. But it has been on my mind a lot lately and I would really like to share with you some of my thoughts. 

21. That's how old my little brother will be in a couple hours. Or how old he would have been. I mentioned in an earlier post that he passed, and it has been almost a full year. It seems so crazy to be saying that already. Our Tony Bologna. That's what we always called him growing up. It has been such a hard year, not having him around, but in a way it's harder for all of my family who lived near him and saw him all the time. I've lived in Oregon for four years now, so to go a while without talking wasn't uncommon for us. And now that is one of my regrets. That I didn't talk to him more after I moved away. And the fights we still had like we were both still teenagers. Or the fact that I didn't give him a hug and tell him I loved him the last time we talked. The thing I've realized though, is that I can't go on always thinking about the regrets I have. I know that he knew I loved him. So I would rather share with you a little bit about him, and how great of a guy he was.

Tony was my only brother, the next after me, and the only boy out of seven kids! We were only 18 months apart, so we were inseparable. We fought like crazy, but we were also always there for each other. We told each other everything, and I mean everything! We had no secrets between us, and the code we followed was that we never ratted on one another for the things we had done. We couldn't really, because as soon as one would threaten to tattle, the other had something else just as bad to use! Growing up we had a lot of the same friends, and it was always Amy and Tony. We did pretty much everything together.

I can't believe I let myself go almost a year without posting anything! Having a blog was supposed to give me an outlet for my writing, and hopefully help bring back my passion for it. Obviously that did not happen! Oh well, I suppose the occasional post is better than nothing at all, so I will try to be better about it from here on out.

So much has changed in my life in this past year, some things good and others bad. I lost my brother in January and it was definitely the hardest thing I've ever gone through. But time heals all things and I received a lot of peace with it. Earlier this spring I got a puppy. He is a heeler/border collie mix, his name is Handsome, and he drives me absolutely nuts!  But I sill love him and I know he's only going to get better as he gets older. Most recently I've gotten a job, after almost four years of being just a stay at home wife. I work part time as a hostess at a local restaurant and it isn't much, but I enjoy the business it has brought into my life.

Today I am feeling the pressure though, because today my absolute best friend Kayla is coming to see me for the weekend! I am so excited, and I should be cleaning my house even as I write this. I saw her in June but it already seems like forever, so I can't wait until she gets in! Then tomorrow we are going with a group of girlfriends to see Fun. at the Britt Festival! It is this amazing little outdoor amphitheater that hosts tons of great musical acts all summer long, and this is my third year going. I'm so addicted to it, I don't think I could let a year go by without going at least once! 

Also, somewhat unrelated, I got my hair done yesterday. Who doesn't enjoy doing that? I always wanted to get highlights, since I was just a little pre-teen, so I went for it earlier this summer. Last night I went back to get my roots done, and have my bangs cut. That's another thing I have always wanted and after having them for a while last fall, then growing them out, I've decided I love them too much not to have them! The highlights, however, won't probably be around for more than a couple/few more months though. The (dear) husband prefers me as a brunette, so while the highlights have been fun for the summer, I will be going back dark in the fall.

This is how my life is going this week, and I have a long, busy, fun filled weekend ahead of me! I will try not to let myself slack so much, and hopefully I will have lots of interesting new stuff to post next week! Until next time...