Challenging Me

     

     I've always been big on goals.  I feel the need to constantly work to better a small portion of myself or my life.  Some call it perfectionism, I call it healthy improvement.  To capture my need to achieve little goals (and maybe to help hold me accountable?), I've decided to create a series to capture my monthly goals and my efforts to just BE BETTER! I'm thinking the first of every month I will post that month's mission! And near the end of every month i'll update everyone on how it went. Wish me luck!

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How do you challenge yourself?

Pray for Boston

     

     I am a runner.  I have run many shorter races.  I'm currently training for my first half marathon.  I know the amazing, empowering feeling that you get when you cross that finish line.  I can imagine exactly how it would feel to finish a marathon for the first time.  The feeling of I DID IT or I EARNED IT.  Those feelings I know all too well.
     What I can't  even begin to imagine is crossing that finish line only to have it blow up.  That thought sends chills through my spine.  Right now my thoughts and prayers are centered on the people of Boston.  My mind is full of questions.  How could anyone wreck such an amazing event.  How could anyone have the need to destroy so many lives for no reason?
     The reality is there are bad people out there.  Really evil bad people.  And those people are going to hurt other people no matter how many gun laws or public safety regulations are in place.  It's up to the good people in the world to off set the bad.  God bless the first responders and the people that rushed to help the injured today.  And my prayers go to everyone effected by this complete tragedy.

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Pinspiration: May

    Just a few of my favorite Pins!

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1. I've been on the hunt FOR YEARS for the perfect soft sugar cookie recipe. And ^ that one looks EXTREMELY promising! Stay tuned I will be trying it very very soon! 

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2. Joey and I are currently planning our next photoshoot! Poor Joey. I love having our picture taken so much that we do it multiple times a year! This will be our "redeployment" shoot. And i'm thinking that it will include more fun relaxed photos like ^ this. 

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3. I've been looking everywhere for a great lip scrub recipe! I'll be trying this one out ^ this week! It includes coconut oil!

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4. I love DIY calendars! This ^ one looks like it would be WONDERFUL for my blog! 

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5. I try to surprise Joey with something every time he returns from a long training trip. A wall full of heart shaped love notes is in his near future!! 

     Want to check out all of my pins?  Follow my pinterest!

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Are you addicted to pinterest too?

I LOVE SUCCULENTS

     We've definitely caught spring fever around here.  Unfortunately I am not very good with plants.  I try really hard, but I generally end up killing them.  Joey has a wonderful way of inspiring me to be better and encouraging me to try when I think I can't do something.  Last weekend he drug me to our local hardware store, I say drug because usually when we go he slowly walks through every single aisle stopping every three minutes because he has a crazy complicated exciting project in mind.  He's just plain wonderful.  And even though it drives me CRAZY sometimes, I adore his creative side.

Anyway, this time we went straight to the garden section.  He loves plants.  SO we decided to get a few plants for our patio.  Hopefully I can keep this batch alive! 

Mini helped us plant them!

She likes to stand like a person.

I have had two white pots from ikea and a red one from target for a few months now. 

They made lovely homes for my new succulents!

Fletcher decided to get in there and help too. He's a bit camera shy.

     Our patio has never looked better! I wish I could keep these inside but our apartment just does not get very much natural light and I doubt they would do well. Next apartment hunt I will most definitely pay more attention to light!! 

What are your favorite plants to have around your home?

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Pinspiration: Spring Cleaning!

    

      It's no secret that i'm unbelievably addicted to pinterest.  It is the most visited site on my laptop and the most used app on my phone.  I have TOO MANY boards and thousands of pins. It is my absolute favorite website and a constant source of inspiration.  I just love it.  Once a month i'll showcase some of my favorite pins in a Pinspiration series!  

     This week I am focused on spring cleaning.  I'm what most people like to call type A.  I like things to be clean, organized, and whenever possible, color coded.  Spring cleaning is practically a holiday around here.  However my wonderful husband is as far from type A as can be.  He's messy.  And color blind.  My need for order and his messy tendency can clash at times.  Lucky for me he's amazing and patient and tries everyday to be cleaner.  And lucky for him I actually enjoy picking up after him.  I'm constantly looking for ways for us to organize our tiny apartment that we can both be happy about and keep up.  

     Spring cleaning signifies a new beginning.  A clean slate.  For some reason I just love that.  Plus it gives me a reason to completely scrub and reorganize everything. :) 

     This spring has however gotten off to a rough start.  Our dishwasher leaked under our wood floor and ruined the floor in our kitchen and dining room.  The complex is getting it fixed but it's still causing a major delay in my spring cleaning schedule!  I like to disinfect things with my dishwasher.  Plus the big gross hole in the kitchen combined with the lifting wood makes me cringe. It should be fixed by next weekend and I will be having a proper spring cleaning week then.  For now I am taking advantage of the delay and scouring pinterest for great spring cleaning ideas to add to my cleaning list!  Here are a few of my favorites. 

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This is supposed to be the best tutorial for cleaning a microfiber couch.  I clean our couch once a month using an oxiclean spray that takes forever to dry.  This rubbing alcohol idea sounds much much better!  Although I plan on adding a few drops of lavender to my spray bottle for scent.  Along with being a clean freak i'm also paranoid about my house smelling like dog.  

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I hate the build up on ceiling fans.  I do clean ours weekly however dust still builds up very quickly.  I'm excited to try the pillow case trick and I wonder whether it actually will keep the dust shower that usually happens! 

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I LOVE this. I had no idea we could clean between the glass!  I CAN'T WAIT TO TRY IT!

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Confession, I suck at folding sheets.  But this little tutorial looks easy enough to follow! 

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How to clean different kinds of walls!  Our apartment has cheap paint.  It's nice to know the right way to clean a wall!  

     I'll be sure to feature a few of my favorite cleaning tips and DIYs soon!  What are your favorite cleaning and organizing tricks? 

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Our Perfect Chaos

   Our Christmas card photo from 2012

My life is chaos.  I have chosen to embrace this fact instead of constantly fighting it. Because I love my crazy unbelievable life so much. In the last few years I've married my best friend, moved to another state, welcomed two adorable puppies into our family, and so much more. Our entire life is one thing after another. It absolutely is complete chaos all of the time. And I would not have it any other way. Our chaos is perfect. And I can't wait to share it with you.

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S

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