The Guy Behind the Blog | 4

Happy Thursday!

Do you know what today is???  You do if you have read the picture and/or title above, but I am going to tell you anyway!  Today is Joshua's blog day!!  I always say I love these, but I really wish that he would let me vlog him so y'all can see his reaction to some of the questions!  He is also bad about being like, "I don't know!"  Still these are a lot of fun!  If you are interested in doing something like this, check out The Peony Project and then just be sure to read Besty's May edition!  Now here are Joshua's answers!

1. What is your favorite family tradition?

My favorite family tradition is going to see the musical Scrooge in Roanoke and then going up to see the Roanoke Star!

2. Who's your male celebrity crush?

Oliver Queen! I don't know. John Cena! I don't know.

3. What song best sums you up?

"Against the Wind" by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band

4. What three things do you think of the most each day?

Food, more food, and Tricia!

5. What is your most embarrassing memory?

I don't have embarrassing moments. Just kidding!  When I burped in your face after eating Cookout with you!  That was pretty embarrassing!

Y'all, I had to PULL that one out of him!  He didn't want to tell me one to write down, but he was really embarrassed about that!  I got laughing so hard when he did it that people were staring at us!  I thought it was funny, and I am full of odd noises myself, so I knew we would be a great match!  Turns out I was right!

What does your guy behind the blog think?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

Ten Things | Foods I Love

Happy Wednesday friends!

I meant to post this on Tuesday so I could have a "Tuesday Ten," but I missed it, so here is a "Ten Things!"  Excitement either way, because this is a ten foods I love!  Y'all know I love some good eating, so really that is the same thing as saying, "I love food."  Since I am trying to lose weight, this is a great way for me to daydream about everything I cannot have!  Don't worry though!  After I lose ten pounds, I am going to allow ONE cheat day.  It's not really a great system, but everyone needs a little reward, right?

1. Chocolate - Nectar!  I LOVE all things chocolate!  It is such a weakness!
2. Raspberries - I look forward to raspberries every year!  I cannot wait until they are ready to pick, because I can eat them for hours!
3. Hamburgers - I love hamburgers so much, that I actually gave them up from Lent, which was REALLY hard!  This is my go-to when Joshua and I go out to eat, but I am having to switch that up since I am eating healthier!
4. Cookies - Not only are these some of my favorite treats to bake, but I love to snack on them too!  I don't have a favorite type because I love them all!
5. Pancakes - These bring back memories of home!  I love munching on pancakes, especially when they are drizzled in syrup!  Love!
6. Potatoes - Whether they are fried or baked, I love all things potatoes!  I am super addicted to them, and I literally cannot turn them down!  It is a problem, but at least it is a delicious problem!
7. Cheese - I love all things cheese!  This is another one where I do not discriminate, and I eat all kinds in all forms!  
8. Strawberries - Nothing is better than strawberries with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on them!  This is a "Summertime is calling me" kind of food, even though they are a spring season fruit!
9. Blueberry Muffins - I love muffins anyways, but blueberry muffins are definitely my favorite! I snag them whenever I see them!
10. Nutella - Y'all, I eat this out of the jar with a spoon!!  If that doesn't say love, I don't know what does!

Obviously, I have a serious sweet tooth, but these are my favs!  Now I have made myself hungry, so I am going to have to grab a snack...maybe some celery (yuck!)??  

What are your food loves?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

Free Ad May | Highlights & Friends

Happy Saturday friends!!

I hardly ever post on Saturday, but today is a special exception!  I have been looking forward to doing this all month!!  I had so many people sign up for my Free Ad May, and I had a great time meeting them, and following all of their unique adventures!  Now it is time for me to introduce you to them!  They are a group of amazing and diverse women who are all doing amazing things!  If you haven't checked them out yet, you now have no excuse!  It is a MUST!  

This was such a fun thing, and I have really enjoyed having these women grace my sidebar space!  One of my favorite things about blogging is the community that you build with people in all walks of life.  As a whole, blogging communities look for ways to support their members, and that is what I wanted to accomplish with this free ad month.  I wanted to support other bloggers, and I lucked out by having an amazing group to support!  I can sit here and tell you they are all wonderful, but here are some highlights about my new blogging friends!

Abbigayle Rashae

I love Rashae's blog!  She is very inspirational!  Whether it is her Strong Female Figure series or her Motivational Monday series, she is always inspiring others to reach for the stars!  I was so inspired by her #TryItFor30DaysChallenge, and if you didn't follow it, here is your change to challenge yourself! Here is her little bio:

I'm Rashae, a seventeen year old, currently living in southeast New Mexico. I'm especially interested in psychology and web design. I've completed three semesters of college for the latter subject. I enjoy sharing my views on feminism, motivating others, drinking too much caffeine, and buying cheap tee shirts from the men's section at Walmart. I love meeting new people and having friendly debates, so please don't be afraid to say hello!

Momz Cuisine

Maggie's blog was a new one for me, but she has some awesome recipes and tips!  If you love Greek food but you don't know if you can fix it on your own, Maggie's blog is where you need to be!  Here is a little more about Maggie!

Creating food for family and friends is always a joyous event and being Greek, food and family go hand in hand !! Cooking is a part of my daily life. I don't assume everyone knows how to cook, so my blog is set up to be easily read, by an expert or an amateur, with a step by step instructions( which I believe are the easiest to follow) All of my dishes have been tried and tested by family and friends at various occasions.  Food for me is an indulgence, not something to be overlooked and eating together at the table plays a significant role in our daily lives. At Mommy's Kitchen you will find wonderful homemade recipes, some are traditional while others represent a story or a certain time in my life. the comon thread is that each recipe is created to be enjoyed. Come and join me on my weekly cooking adventures!

Blogging Onward

Fox Emm is my foxy lady featured in my latest Weekend Snapshot!  She is amazing at everything!  Since I told you all about her Tuesday, here is how she describes herself!

I'm a 20something freelance writer, blogger, and social media consultant who loves to write about writing, blogging, and share great resources with other writers and bloggers. I also write for a variety of horror-themed entertainment websites, so a google search might turn up results on pages like Wicked Horror or Gores Truly. I am currently living in Virginia with my boyfriend and two adorable Chihuahuas, and I would love it if you would take a moment to pop by my page!

Mitchael Journey
Andrea's blog is another new one for me, but I am already falling in love with it! She hosts a linkup on Tuesdays called Tuesday Talks, and I absolutely LOVE her Frugal + Fresh page! She has so many great ideas! Here is Andrea's bio!

Our little family lives in South Florida and leads worship at a church here. We are here to share the love of Christ and live life together. We have a 2 1/2 year old boy and a 1 month old baby girl! I share our ministry journey and family updates along the way. 

Life Out of the Nest

Lauren is another new blog for me, but it is right up my alley!  She gives her readers tips and tricks for living on your own, out of the nest, for the first time!  I haven't lived at home for seven years, but I still find so many useful tips on Lauren's site, including her cute DIYs!  Here is a little more about Lauren!
Hey everyone! My name is Lauren and I am a blogger and college student studying Psychology and Spanish and I write on Life Out of the Nest. I love writing and sharing DIYs and cooking and experimenting with new recipes. And I love helping people and giving advice so I love helping college kids save money and time and find ways to stay healthy. Hope you all check out the blog! :)

Hannah Says

Hannah's blog is super cute and super awesome!  She is one of the admins for the Facebook group, Let Your Blog Shine, which is one of the blogging groups I am a part of!  She lives in the UK, and is always on an adventure!  But I will have to let her tell you more about herself!
Hey I’m Hannah. I live in Bedford, England with my three boys. There’s Chris my husband, Our Sidekick who is our foster son and Jaxon who is our son. My blog is all about our crazy adventures and finding out way through fostering and the unusual line up we have. When I’m not chasing around after them three I run my own business, Daisy Media, the idea behind it is to do social media for small businesses the idea being I can take it off their hands and they can focus on running their businesses. in my “spare” time I love to read, crochet and knit as well as play with my camera. I watch way too much TV and way too many movies!

Life According to Lina
Lina's blog was another new one for me, so I will let her introduce herself!
I'm a Child of God who loves blogging, giveaways, reviews, music, reading, baking, shopping, and crafting! I love offering my readers new ideas and recipes and enjoy reviewing family-friendly products that I know they'll enjoy!  I also love sharing about great products and amazing companies with my readers, as well as offering awesome giveaways and finding great deals! In my spare time, I love to read, bake, play games, cook, and play the piano. I live in Maryland with my family.

Eating to Live
Aisha's blog is also a new blog for me, but since I am trying to eat healthier, I am learning a lot about Aisha and her health journey!  She has some awesome recipes!  Here is her bio!
My name is Aisha LC and I blog over at Eating to Live. Eating to Live focuses on my journey of healing through food. I focus mainly on a grain-free and paleo lifestyle and share my testimonies, tips, and recipes. My goal is to inspire and encourage those to reach their goals and never give up on your dreams. My motto is that “It is journey, not a race. Not even a marathon. Enjoy each step!” I hope you will come and join me on my journey!

Bye, Comparison

Brooke's blog is a great place to go when you need inspiration and motivation!  She is a life coach, and she has made it her mission to embrace, strengthen and inspire women all over the world!  I will let her tell you a little more about her blog!
Bye, Comparison is a place where women can come to encourage others and to be encouraged to live creatively, honestly, and fully (faith*fully) without the common and harmful Comparison game. We each have unique experiences, strengths and weaknesses and therefore we each have a lot to share and teach each other. Big stuff and little stuff and everything in between. Letters to our daughters (and each other), creative DIYs, funny stories, home, family, life---as creatively, honestly, and fully as we can muster.

One Hoolie Mama

Suzanna's blog is all about hooligans!!  She has two of the cutest little boys in the world, and they are always into something new!  She is another new blog for me, and I have definitely enjoyed following her adventures!  Here is a little more about Suzanna!

I'm Suzanna and I blog over at One Hoolie Mama where I share our adventures with our hooligans ("hoolies" for short). I'm a wife, boy mom, fur mom, runner and fitness enthusiast, lover of chocolate and wine, volunteer, who also happens to work full time.

This idea was so cool in that I discovered so many new blogs!  I realize there are thousands if not millions of blogs out there, but I discovered several blogs that spoke to me on a deeper level!  I found friends and I found inspiration around every corner!  These ladies are AWESOME, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this!  

If you missed the free ad month but would like to advertise with me in the future, you can find out more information here.  I would love to talk to you more, so feel free to email me at likeisaidlady@gmail.com.  If you did participate in the free ad month, thank you so much again, and I will be sending an email your way in a few days!  Your ads will stay up until the end of the month, and then starting June 1st, my sidebar space will open back up again!  Thank you for supporting me in this endeavor, and go check out these other amazing blogs!

What do you think about the free ad month?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

 

The Circle Linkup: 15 Item Mood Board

Hello Friends!

I mentioned last week that house hunting is not as much fun as house decorating, and it got me thinking about mood boards.  Up until March, I didn't know what a mood board was exactly, but one of the blogs I follow (The Blue Dishes) posted her mood board inspiration for her new home office.  After reading that, I was hooked!  When I was looking at this month's "The Circle Linkup" it just happened to be titled, "Spring15 Mood board" which is best described as a mood board with 15 items!  Coincidence?  I think not!  

I jumped at the opportunity to create a mood board, but honestly, I didn't have a clue where to start.  I mean, I don't even have a house yet!  How am I going to imaginarily decorate a room that doesn't even exist and what am I going to use to do that?  So I turned to handy-dandy Google.  Did you know that when you Google, "mood board creator" you get 836,000 responses?  Yes, this is a true statement!  I did a little research, and discovered Olioboard.  Olioboard is like the Pinterest of mood board creations.  Basically you find an item you like, install the "Add to Olioboard" button, and click on the picture.  It selects the price and gives a link back to the item, and you are able to create JPEG for your own use.  It is really kind of cool, and you can choose between a free platform, or a paid platform.  I signed up for the free one, and it was easy to use, and just plain awesome!  If you haven't already, go and check it out!  So much fun!

Anyway, I created an Olioboard mood board for our Master Bedroom (you know, the one that doesn't exist yet?), I used Olioboard to select things off of our wedding registry!  I also selected items that are not on our registry, but they have the look I am going for!  Here are a look at the items!  

1. Olympic One Tinted Flagstone from Lowes Hardware | I really like this color!

2. allen + roth Bronze Round Framed Wall Mirror from Lowes Hardware | DIY substitute right here!

3. Flip Face Crown Moulding from Lowes Hardware | Really just any kind of crown moulding!

4. Sereno Fretwork Window Panel in Beige from Target | Love these, but here is a DIY

5. Threshold™Traditional Shelves in Brown from Target | I think Joshua can build these!

6. Threshold™ Paper Rope Hamper in Dark Brown from Target | It's already on the registry!

7. Brookstone® BioSense™Deep Pocket Sheet Set in Grey from Bed Bath & Beyond | Registry item!

8. Tangiers King Duvet Cover in Grey from Bed Bath & Beyond | These are also on the registry!

9. Threshold Owl Figural Table Lamp from Target | I love owls, so this is also a registry item!

10. Threshold™ Bath Storage Basket from Target | I was thinking of this as a trash can: registry!

11. 12x12 Canvas Print from Shutterfly | I really want to have canvas pictures in our room!

12. South Shore Fusion Nightstand in Chocolate from Target | I already own this, but I will have to re-stain it to match!

13. Natural Floors with Prefinished Bamboo Locking Hardwood Flooring from Lowes Hardware | I love dark stained floors, and I think these are really simple to install!

14. Threshold™ Fretwork Rug in Cream from Target | Joshua doesn't want to put his feet on a cold floor, and this one matches the design!

15. Seedling by Thomas Paul Arm Chair in Dec Rose Gray from Target | I love this chair so much, I added it to the registry after I added it to the mood board.  Y'all, that's love!

There you have it!  Our imaginary design for our imaginary bedroom in our imaginary house!! Haha! Still, this was a lot of fun, and I have even started on a master bathroom design using our registry items!  I think it will be cute, and hopefully we will move forward on the house front!  

What items would you put on your master bedroom mood board?  

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

Note: I have not been paid to promote Olioboard, and these opinions are my own.

Weekend Snapshot

Happy Tuesday!

I hope everyone had an awesome weekend, and is ready for the week ahead!  Joshua and I have had some big adventures the past couple weeks, and we are pretty excited about the upcoming adventures!  This past weekend though, we took a trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, so I decided it would make a good feature for the blog today!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

 

Weekend Snapshots

1 – Kayaking Adventure

So our first stop Saturday was at the Great Dismal Swamp State Park in North Carolina!  I have never been, and when I was searching the website for things to do, I noticed they were having a free event on Saturday.  The “Spring Paddle” was a free kayak or canoe adventure down the Great Dismal Swamp Canal, and Joshua and I were number 1 and 2 to sign up!  It was so much fun!  The adventure was led by Ranger Katie, and she had the kayaks and life vests ready when we arrived!  We got to kayak 1.5 miles down the canal, and then kayaked the 1.5 miles back.  I cannot tell you how many turtles we saw, and Joshua even spotted a deer in the tree line.  We didn’t see any snakes, but there is always next time!  Super fun!

2 – Lighthouse Extravaganza!

I have been to the Outer Banks before, but it was long enough ago that I don’t really remember a whole lot about them.  Joshua and I went all the way from Corolla to Ocracoke, and I really wanted to see each of the lighthouses along the way!  We stopped in Corolla on Saturday evening and snapped a picture of the Currituck Lighthouse before going to drive on the beach in search of wild horses!  Sunday, we woke up early and got to the Bodie Island Lighthouse before it even opened!  Then we drove down to Cape Hatteras and hopped the ferry to Ocracoke!  We were going to catch the ferry from Ocracoke to Cedar Island, but we didn’t realize we had to have a reservation!  Needless to say, we didn’t catch that ferry but there is always next time!

3 – Wildlife Viewing

Anyone who knows me knows I love animals!!  One of my favorite species is stingrays.  I think they are absolutely beautiful!  They fly like underwater birds, and I have never seen a school outside of the aquarium.  We were on Bonner Bridge on the way to Hatteras on Sunday morning, and we saw not one but TWO schools of stingrays!  They were beautiful!!  I totally just about stood there on Bonner Bridge and cried, but I held it in!  We saw so many different wild animals on our trip, but I think the school of rays was indeed my favorite!!

4 – “There is no place like home!”

Sunday, Joshua and I drove from Kitty Hawk to Orcacoke, back to Hatteras, to Roanoke Island, and then back to Raleigh!  We were in the car for hours, and at the end of the day, I was so happy to be back!  I don’t know who was happier to see each other though, Phoenix or Joshua!  They both were pretty excited to sit with each other!  My sweet family!

A Look from Last Week

On My Mind | 6
A Letter to My Mom: Book Review

Pinterest Finds

I am really wanting to jump start my weight-loss, and these looks like good tips to curb my appetite!

I love strawberries, and I cannot wait to try this frozen yogurt recipe!

Now that I am a graduate, I am looking at these tips to help establish a morning routine!

Featured Blogger 

Fox has one of my favorite sites!  She writes about writing, and is constantly into something!  If you plan on writing a memoir, she is your lady!  She is also a freelance writer, so if you are looking to hire someone awesome, I totally recommend her!  Stay up to date with all things Fox Emm, and keep Blogging Onward!

What did you find this weekend?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

On My Mind | 6

Happy Friday friends!

It has been a while since I wrote one of these!  A lot of awesome things have happened, and I have a lot of awesome things coming up!  Last time I was talking about pigs and upcoming graduation and now, I am a graduate of NC State!  To say a lot has happened might be a slight understatement!  

I graduated!   I feel like this is the most important because y'all have heard so much about it recently!  On Saturday, my family came to Raleigh, and I participated in the big ceremony at PNC Arena, and I participated in my departmental ceremony from the BAE&AET departments.  I cannot believe I am a graduate, and I still have no idea what I am going to do forever.  I don't think I can just apply for jobs forever, but hopefully I will find something soon!

Joshua threw me a surprise party!  That sneaky man of mine planned, put together and then surprised me with a graduation party!  He even invited my friends and my family so I could have everyone who loves and cares about me there!  It was so much fun!  On the eve before graduation, it was so important to see all the people who supported me and were proud of my accomplishments!  Joshua definitely gave me one of my favorite gifts by giving me that!  

Since I graduated, it is time to go back to the beach!  See because that is the life!  Actually Joshua planned a post-graduation treat for me as well!  Joshua and I are heading to the North Carolina coast this weekend, and I am so ready!  We are stopping by the Great Dismal Swamp and taking a kayaking adventure through the canal (which I don't really understand where or what that is), and then we are off to the Outer Banks!  I haven't been since I was a teenager (young teenager...like 12 or 13) and I don't really remember a whole lot about our trip.  We are staying in Kitty Hawk, so if anyone knows of some good places to eat close by, let me know!  Joshua and I love good food!  

Wedding planning is the next big thing!  With 141 days until the wedding, it is the start of our next big adventure!  My aunt is throwing me a bridal shower in two weeks so that my California family can participate, and I am really excited about that!  It will be exciting to see all of my friends and family!  Joshua and I have already booked our honeymoon cruise, but now we are setting out to book our flights.  I have a lot of things to do, but as far as I am concerned, this is just another step in the adventure!

Side Note: This is not in our price range so don't get excited!

House hunting is not as exciting as house decorating.  I say this very sincerely.  I love to walk into a house and think, I am going to decorate this house like this, but I am not a fan of the offer and wait game.  Don't get me wrong, I totally want to go and look at all the houses with Joshua, but I also want to immediately decorate them!  I think I am just going to start making mood boards for things like our bedroom, the kitchen, the living room, etc.  Then maybe I won't feel so much like, Oh we can put this here!

What's on your mind?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

A Letter to My Mom: Book Review

Source

Happy Mother's Day friends!

I realize I am a little late in posting this, but I feel like appreciating my mom never has an end time, am I right?  I love my mom more and more every day.  When I graduated yesterday, I couldn't sit still until I knew where my mom was sitting.  PNC Arena is no small building either!  When I was a little girl and I was in a performance in a play, or at church, I would always look for my mom.  I would smile and recite my lines to her, and as long as I knew where she was, I knew I would be fine!  

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across A Letter to My Mom.  I have been looking for a light-hearted read, and I felt with Mother's Day coming up, this was the perfect book for me!  I was totally right!

This is the latest in the "A Letter to My" series written by Lisa Erspamer, and it is an absolute delight!  Starting off with a letter to her own mother, Lisa has collected letters from celebrities, like Shania Twain, Suze Orman, Kelly Osbourne and Kristin Chenoweth, along with letters from regular everyday individuals.  The awesome thing about all of these letters is that every single mother is anything but ordinary!  They are all superstars, and their children express there love and gratitude for support and encouragement.

Source

Some letters are filled with so much love, that I could not help but cry!  They were so sweet!!  My personal favorite letter was from a young woman named Annie who is currently a junior in college.  In her letter she thanked her mother, Joy, for her courage.  Courage that left Joy disabled but Annie and her siblings alive.  This was an incredible act of heroism that is an everyday characteristic of a mother, and I was so touched to read Annie and Joy's story.  I was truly humbled to read Annie and Joy's story of love, and it was only one of the amazing stories that filled this book!

This is a wonderful book, and will make a perfect gift for your mom, either for Mother's Day, birthdays, or just because days!  If you are interested in learning more about A Letter to My Mom, you can check out Lisa's website here!

After reading this book, I was inspired to write a letter of love to my own mother, who doesn't like to have have the attention centered on her.  But that is what Mother's Day is all about though, right?  So here you go Mom; spotlight time!

Dear Mommy,

Thank you so much for always being front and center at every event I ever participated in.  Thank you for always having a snack ready, and being willing to talk about all the good and bad in my day.  I always knew that my Mama Bear had my back, and you still do.  You are ready to take up the torch the moment I ask you, and that means the world to me!  

I am so thrilled to see you teaching dance again, and I truly cherish all the times we shared dancing on the same stage.  You always made our time line dancing special, and you encouraged and strengthen me every step of the way.

As a college graduate and a wife-to-be, I know our relationship as mother and daughter is going to change over the next year, but I am so excited to see how it will grow.  When I first went to college, I called you every night, and I have a feeling that as a newlywed, I will be calling you all the time to seek your advice.  You have prepared me to spread my wings and fly, and for you Mom, I plan to soar!  I love you so much, and I can never thank you enough for the countless amount of energy and priceless amount of time you have given freely to me.  Without any conditions or expectations.  I love you Mom, and I will always love you!!

Love,
Tricia

What are you thanking your mother for this Mother's Day?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

Note: I received a copy of A Letter to My Mom in exchange for this review through Blogging for Books.  All opinions are my own.

Currently | 3

Happy Wednesday friends!

It's MAY!!!  WHAT????  Too fast!!  I graduate in a few days, and time is flying!  I have been totally lazy blogging wise this week, but I have been packing and cleaning.  I don't move out of my apartment until June, but I am trying to get a head start on the packing (I HATE packing...Phoenix does too!).  

Either way, I am super pumped to post my third installment of "Currently!"  This is a linkup hosted by Gold & Bloom (formerly Dearest Love) and Anne in Residence.  Be sure you check out their "Currently" posts, and join us either this month or next month!  

  

Designing - I am currently designing my graduation cap!!  Here and here are a couple of my favorites!  

Enjoying - The beautiful weather!!  I am definitely looking forward to spending some more time outside in the sunshine and creating a garden!  I have enjoyed looking up garden ideas here and here!

Ordering - Nothing!!  I am broke!  But if I could, I would be ordering this and this!  Super cute outfits!!  A little out of my price range at the moment though...maybe post-career beginning!

Celebrating - I am celebrating my graduation on Saturday!!  Seven years of college is a long time, and you can read about some of that journey here and here.

Tasting - I am currently enjoying tasting all the yummy fresh fruits and vegetables that are becoming more and more readily available!  Here and here are some recipes I am looking forward to trying, and here is one that I have already enjoyed! 

Yay!!  This month is looking pretty exciting!  I cannot wait to tell y'all all about it!!  If you are interested in participating in next month's "Currently" the prompts are playing, going, wearing, sipping, and reading. So if you haven't already, go check out Gold & Bloom and Anne in Residence to see what they are into currently!

What you are designing, enjoying, ordering, celebrating, and tasting currently?

Like I said, let me know!

XOXO,

May Goals + A Giveaway

Hello Friends!  Happy May!!

I cannot believe that it is already here!!  May!!  Time is flying by, and it seems like yesterday when I first sat down to plan out all of my April blogs.  Now I am graduating from college in nine days, and I am taking the last of my finals today.  I am getting married in 154 days!  That is how quickly time moves!  Let's review April's Goals!

April Goals

1 - Go without digital technology for 1 hour a day

No.  I started this, but y'all, it's hard to do homework online when you can't be online.  I did try to do about 30 minutes a day, but it wasn't a conscious thing.  I didn't realize I was without my technology!
2 - Take more pictures

Yes!  I think I have blown up Instagram the last few weeks and I have added more pictures to all of my galleries!  I am happy with this goal!
3 - Stick to April blogging schedule

Yes!  I didn't get all of them done, but I got the posts I wanted to done!  This is success in my mind!
4 - Stay organized and on top of things

Yes!  I ordered and paid for all the little graduation details that I needed to, and I stayed on top of homework and finals!  Sweet success!
5 - Enjoy my last month of being a student

This task I completed with a lot of love and joy!  I had such a wonderful final month!  I have so many good memories from this time at State, and I am leaving college with many new adventures heading my way!
6 - Get some reading done

Sometimes, we just have to accept our small victories and move forward.  I finished one book on April 5th, so that is getting some reading done!  I also started two new books, one of which I cannot wait to tell y'all about!!  Either way, this is a success as well!

May Goals

1 - Graduate from college

2 - Take an awesome post-college trip with my fiancé

3 - Celebrate my family's birthdays this month

4 - Participate in an awesome bridal shower

5 - Savor the moment...every moment

6 - Keep reading!!

I am pretty excited by the success of last month's goals!  I achieved so many wonderful things, and that makes me feel proud.  I am also blown away by how my Facebook has exploded the past couple of days!  I am up to 111 followers!!  Thank you to all my new followers!!  I am so happy to have you all here!  Due to all the excitement and success, I teamed up with some lovely ladies to sponsor a giveaway!!

This beautiful Mirabelle Collar necklace (and matching earrings not pictured) are up for grabs!  I could try to tell you more about it but the website has a pretty awesome description!

"Delicate floral shapes take center-stage in this oh-so-pretty collar necklace. High-shine clear crystals catch the light, while an antique gold-plating plays up the shine. Both effortless + elegant, this is the perfect layering piece to add a bit of sparkle to a casual weekday, or a night-on-the-town! For a wedding-party-to-remember, style your bridesmaids (or the bride!) in this stunning piece from our Mirabelle collection. Style Tip: This piece layers perfectly with our the floral arrangements of our Mirabelle Collar Necklace." 

So friends!  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win the Mirabelle Collar necklace and matching earrings!!  For each entry you enter in the giveaway, the higher your chances of winning will be,  so it's a great time to find new blogs to follow. The winning entries will be verified, and the giveaway is open to anyone in the world who wants to win. GOOD LUCK! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
I am rooting for of you to win!! Like I said, let me know!
XOXO,