Sunday, September 30, 2012

My Completed September Goals

The other day I asked my mom this question, "Is it a bad thing that I make all these huge lists of things to do, but never get the whole list done?" She said, "Well, if you didn't make a list you wouldn't do half the things you do. At least with a list you are busy and the things you get done are because you set a goal and worked towards it." That really helped encourage me a lot. I am always making so many lists: monthly blog goals, monthly personal goals, etc. I just needed to know it was a good idea, and not something I'm wasting my time on.

No matter how many things are left not marked out on this list, I do feel like I've had a very productive month and have gotten SO many posts written! This month I wrote more than 110 posts! More than I've ever written in an entire month! I

Each item marked out was completed...all the others will be passed on to October's blog-to-do list or my goals list, If I wrote a post about something on this list then it will be linked!

Goals For My Blog
Bible Reading Updates
Less than 30 draft posts
Granola Bar Recipe
Life Goals post
Bible Study
Make long denim skirt tutorial
Beauty Tips | Nails
Ranch recipe
Queen's Quilt post
Update Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Promote AP Bloggers

Goals For Me
Make Sending List For Wedding Announcements
Clean Bathroom
Call Ro!!!
Make Body Wash
Update BEB Facebook page
Finish Petticoat Skirt
Call about Health Insurance
Go Through Paper Box
Finish Multi-Color Ruffled Skirt
Make organizers from cereal boxes
Fold Laundry
Find/Print Bible Reading Chart
Look through WalMart registry
Type 5 recipes a day
Go through dresser paper drawer
Go through craft things
Journal
Find House Items List
Finish A&H Cross Stitch
Get to 50 Pinterest Boards
Arm Workout 3x weekly
Go through Stored Boxes
Make Meal Plans/Menus for Moving Out
Make September Blog goals list
 
I am proud of the things I've gotten done this month! It has been quite busy! I am looking forward to all I will get done in October!

Apostolic Bloggers Update #2


This past week I had another Apostolic Pentecostal blogger join the link-up! I am so excited to introduce you all to Juliet who is the author and brain behind Continuing In The Way! I found her blog while doing one of my many Google searches for Apostolic blogs and am SO very excited that she has joined the link-up! Be sure to stop by and check out her very interesting blog! :)

Fall Style | Friday Night Date

This past Friday Autry and I went on a date...and I'll be writing a post about that later on, but for now I want to show off my outfit! If I had been thinking I would've worn something warmer since I was sitting outside, but it did keep me pretty warm and lookin' cute!

Silver Scarf: Thrifted.
Purple Cardigan: Merona (Refashioned by me!)
Black Shirt: Old Navy (Refashioned by me!)
Gray Denim Skirt: Made by me! (Old Navy Jeans)
Snake Print Shoes: Rue21 two years ago.

Loose hair with "pin curl" in front and twisted bun in the back. You can see all the crazy colors in my hair here. :)

Fall Style Posts: Welcome Fall, School Support, A Little Country, Floral Skirts & Grays, Baby Blue & Brown, White Ruffles & Purple, Friday Night Date, A Not So Cold Fall Day, Warm Grays, Cute, Comfy & Casual, Voting Day Outfit, Dressed Up In Gray, Casual Denim, Green & Black.

Challenge | Fit Arms Part 3

Well, I made it to the end of this month! I must say I am feeling much better about the changes I made to my Fit Arms goal last month (read about that here). I really feel like I've made a much better effort in working out my arms now that I am aiming for three days a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.


In last month's Fit Arms update I said how I would start using the 3lb. weights so I could keep them on my nightstand and therefore see them at least twice a day so that it would be much harder for me to forget to workout my arms. This plan has worked exceptionally well for me and will be continued through this next month of working out my arms!

This Month's Workout Dates
Monday September 3rd
Wednesday September 5th
Monday September 10th
Wednesday September 12th
Friday September 14th
Monday September 24th
Thursday September 27th
Sunday September 30th

I only missed 1 of the 9 I workouts I wanted to get done this month! Yay me!

10 Day YOU Challenge | My 10 Secrets

BlogLoveTherapy

So I am a few days late for this challenge, but basically every Thursday for the next 10 weeks I will answer one of these questions.

Todays (or this past Thursday's) question was 10 secrets. Here's mine!

1. I hate taking showers. Mostly because I get dizzy due to the stuff from my wreck and side effects from meds.

2. I am a huge procrastinator. Although this may not be a huge secret, I doubt any of you know/knew that. I usually put things off for as long as I can.

3. I hate Greek food. No joke. I will fix it for someone else, but I try never to eat it. That's probably due to the fact that I got food poisoning from it the last time I ate it.

4. I don't have a sense of humor. Well, I do, but it doesn't show. This is also something from my wreck. That part of my brain was damaged so when people crack jokes or are joking about something I usually can't tell. I usually think they are being dead serious so I usually get mad. It is a rare occasion when I actually catch the joke and it's even rarer for me to come up with a funny reply.

5. I hate reptiles. And spiders. They gross me out. I don't like snakes, crocodiles, lizards...none of them!

6. I have a terrible time fixing my hair up in cute hairstyles. You would think it is easy since I have curly hair, but it is an annoying task...thus the reason I usually throw my hair into a ponytail or leave it down.

7. I have more ideas than I have energy to complete them. This may not come as a surprise, but it is for sure true! If you don't believe me just check out these three boards of things I want to do: Home To Do/Make, Future Crafts, I Will Do/Make This.

8. I am terrible at keeping up with all three of my blogs. I tend to focus on BEB and not so much on Angel Light Photography by Helen or Exercise Encouragement Group...although I am working on updating EEG more often.

9. I have enough clothes for 10 people in my closet. No joke. I love clothes! :)

10. I really do love not wearing makeup. I've been make-up free for almost a complete year now! :)

If you'd love to join in this challenge click here and join the link-up over at BlogLoveTherapy! It's not too late to join! This past weeks link-up ends Thursday the 4th which is when the second link-up starts!

Read the other posts in this series: 10 Secrets, 9 Loves, 8 Fears, 7 Wants, 6 Places, 5 Foods, 4 Books, 3 Films, 2 Songs, 1 Photo.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Are You A Southern Girl?

After the discussion which turned into a game (The 5 Things Game) I had the crazy idea to look on Google and see if there were any quizzes on How Country Are You or How Southern Are You. Well, I found quite a few...and took ALL of them! Here are my results (and links if you want to take the quizzes too!)

Just How Southern Are You? Louisiana questions mostly) 63%. That's 10 of 16 questions right!
Are you a Yankee or a Rebel? (Based off how you say stuff) 83% Dixie. Wow, that one really surprised me!
The Advanced Yankee or Rebel test.100% Dixie.
Are you a Country or City Girl? (Based on things you like). Country Girl! It said: You love nature, and enjoy being outdoors. You're a girl who likes animals and knows what to do when they are upset. You like to walk home, pick flowers, and play outside with your pets. You're awesome, country girl!
Are you 100% Country or a City Slicker? (random questions) 100% country!
How *Country* Are You? 82% Country! And what it said: Congratulations! You have a lot of country in you. *Country* people are down to earth, honest, and hard working. All good qualities to have. Be proud of your roots.
How Country Are You? Very country. It said: Y'all best believe you're downright country! You feel right at home on a farm or in the woods and know how to have a good time without much. You're very old fashioned and believe in traditional customs. You don't mind bein' called a redneck because you're proud of it! You don't need nothin' fancy-like, and at the end of the day you know that all you need is God to get you through the day.
Which American Accent Do You Have? Western. It said: Western is kind of neutral, but not quite since it`s still possible to tell where you`re from. So you might not actually be from the West (but you probably are). If you really want to sound "neutral," learn how to say "stock" and "stalk" differently.

And then after I took all these I remembered having a quiz years ago of 100 things...That was the How Girly Are You Quiz (I'll have to see if I still have it and then write it up into a post!). Well, basically everything you said yes to counts as one point towards your total percent of being girly. I wanted to make my own such quiz for all of you country people (and wannabe country girls) just for fun! Here it is....tell me what you think...AND post your score! I'd love to see them!


How Much of a Southern Girl Are You?
To gather your score: read through this list of questions. Make a tally on a piece of paper for each question you can answer with "yes". Total your tallies and figure out where you fit in the southern girl scale at the bottom of the list of questions. The number of questions you answer with yes will be your percentage of southern-ness. (Share the results with me by leaving a comment!!)

1.__ the Rebel flag stands for heritage not slavery.

2.__ you run around in bare feet, even outside.

3.__ you are always talkin’ about“back home”.

4.__ you drive a truck.

5.__ camouflage and pink are supposed to go together.

6.__ you wear baseball hats with the bill curved, not straight.

7.__ you own chickens or want to.

8.__ you have a big heart for animals.

9.__ the main roads you drive on are either gravel or dirt.

10.__ mud ridin’ is one of your favorite ways to have fun.

11.__ swimming is more fun at the lake/river.

12.__ you love a good bonfire.

13.__ you’ve driven a tractor.

14.__ you love horses.

15.__ you are on one side or the other of the Ford/Chevy/Dodge war, and you are prepared to back up your side.

16.__ you’ve made out with your boyfriend in a pickup truck.

17.__ Taylor Swift isn’t a true country singer.

18.__ you know what it feels like to go 90+ miles down a dirt road.

19.__ you love rodeos and the smell doesn’t bother you.

20.__ you know what cowboy poker is.

21.__ you own a cowgirl hat.

22.__ you would wear boots with practically everything.

23.__ a beautiful sky line is where the land goes on without interruption of tall buildings.

24.__ you think tractors are sexy.

25.__ you love 4-wheelin.

26.__ you were born in the South (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, North& South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida).

27.__ you’ve spent over half your life in a Southern state.

28.__ you’re proud of your heritage.

29.__ hunting is more than a sport.

30.__ fishing is on your top summer hobbies list.

31.__ you love your beautiful starlit and open skies (or miss it!).

32.__ you love to go camping. In a tent.

33.__ it’s “tea” not “sweet tea”. And yes, it has sugar. What is tea without sugar?!

34.__ you own guns. And will shoot them if/when necessary.

35.__ you have something in your closet/home/truck with the Browning symbol on it.

36.__ you LOVE bein’ called “Darlin’”by your man.

37.__ cowboys over city boys any day.

38.__ words ending in “ing” are said“in’”.

39.__ there is no such thing as too much camo.

40.__ you know that country = a way of life, not your address/location.

41.__ Miranda Lambert wins over Adele any day!

42.__ country girls still have a girly side…we do like sparkles, pink, and heels…on occasion.

43.__ most everyone you drive by waves and you wave to everyone you see.

44.__ you don’t usually wear a lot of make-up.

45.__ you live in a small town.

46.__ you own a big belt buckle.

47.__ your favorite place to sit outdoors: on the tailgate.

48.__ you know that a cowgirl = a beautiful woman with dirt on her.

49.__ you don’t need a lot of material possessions to be happy.

50.__ the best food is down home southern cookin’.

51.__ you still write thank you notes.

52.__ you were raised to say sir and ma’am.

53.__ you do things for others without expecting something in return.

54.__ you love country music.

55.__ the words recon, fixin’, ain’t, fuss, and hush are in your vocabulary.

56.__ when you say “lovely” that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a compliment.

57.__ “please” and “thank you” are still magic words.

58.__ you’ve been to some, most, or all of the “Southern States” -three or more-(Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, North & South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida).

59.__ you watch John Wayne movies.

60.__ you love the sound of an acoustic guitar.

61.__ your house is protected by the good Lord and a gun…and a dog.

62.__ you hold tradition close to your heart.

63.__ you don’t start the fight, but you will sure finish it.

64.__ everything is better fried.

65.__ lightening bugs belong in a mason jar.

66.__ your southern accent is as thick as the air.

67.__ southern hospitality is NOT a myth.

68.__ grits are supposed to have butter and cheese up in them.

69.__ you never pay full price for anything you can find at a flea market, yard sale, or thrift store.

70.__ everyone who comes in your door is offered something to eat and drink.

71.__ you keep your eyes and ears open more than your mouth.

72.__ listening to grandpa/grandma talk about “the old days” is one of your favorite things.

73.__ flip-flops are worn year round.

74.__ your mama has told you: if you don’t stop that cryin’ I’ll give you somethin’ to cry about.

75.__ you know the difference between“southern” and “white trash”.

76.__ you can take care of yourself, but don’t mind if a man steps in to help you out.

77.__ a perfect date is a long ride on back roads with your man.

78.__ “vegetarian” is an old Indian word for bad hunter.

79.__ you drink from the water hose and aren’t worried about the bugs or dirt.

80.__ the pre-sets in your truck are all set to the country stations in your area.

81.__ your dream wedding would be outdoors.

82.__ going to the lake/river is your favorite way to spend summer weekends.

83.__ you like cherry coke.

84.__ you own more than one plaid shirt.

85.__ you would run barefoot through a field of wild flowers.

86.__ you’ve been to or hosted a crawfish boil.

87.__ you’re National Rifle Association member.

88.__ you can see beauty in everything…even when no one else can.

89.__ Camo and cowboy boots will somehow be included in your wedding.

90.__ John Wayne, Johnny Cash, and John Deere.

91.__ this is true of you: your secret is safe with me…and my best friend.

92.__ you’re a true Dixie girl.

93.__ you married a good ole southern boy.

94.__ you’ve watched “Steel Magnolias”& “Gone with the Wind”.

95.__ you know someone who reminds you of Bo Duke in the 2005 “The Dukes of Hazzard”.

96.__ you like your men like you like your tea: strong, sweet, & southern.

97.__ trucks are much better with mud on them.

98.__ where you grew up: everyone knew everything about everyone.

99.__ you like gumbo and/or Cajun food.

100. __ you’ve rarely seen snow.


Once you've answered each of the questions by making a tally for each one you could answer yes to...figure out what your score is:

1-20 = not southern at all, just a normal girl.
21-35 = not southern, but you have a good heart.
36-60 = you’re a wannabe southern girl.
61-79 = you’re a southern girl for sure
80-90 = you’re a real southern girl
91-100 = you’re as southern as they come

My score was 93...although my boyfriend would say I am not a true southern girl I can at least say I have a lot of things similar to real southern girls. :)

The questions I said no to: 13, 26 (I was born in Missouri, but spent 20 years of my life in Southern states), 35 (regrettably I don't have anything with a browning symbol...but I plan to get more than one thing soon...hopefully a hoodie like the one on this post), 46 (are you kidding? I don't even wear a belt since I just wear denim skirts...), 58 (I said yes to this but I just have to say I've been to ALL of the states listed!), 66 (did I forget to mention...I wasn't born in the south so that wasn't passed on to me??), 93 (I went ahead and said yes to this since Autry IS southern...and we ARE going to get married eventually), 99 (yeah, can't answer this since I haven't tried either...that I'm aware of).

So over all I think I fared well on this quiz! :) Does it count though if I'm the one who made it up??

March 24, 2014. I took this quiz again today. I scored a 84. Not sure how my score could've dropped since the last time I took this? LOL. Oh well. I'm still a southern girl and this is just a quiz so I guess we're all good!

Apartment Decor Ideas

In my attempts to clean off my Pinterest boards I have reorganized all my home decor ideas. Some will have to be saved for a later day when I will be able to live in a place which is not an apartment...but others are perfect for the home of newlyweds! :)

If you are interested in keeping up with my latest Pins for my soon-to-be-apartment stop by the following boards and follow them!

Home To Do/Make. This board is for everything I plan to make for my apartment. Some things I may end up not making, but for the most part I do like these things and want to incorporate as many of them in my home as I can. Of course, as I finish the project I delete the pin (and usually write a post to show off what I've made) so if you like anything on this board I suggest pinning it since it won't be there long!

Apartment Things. This is a board for decor ideas, organization tips, and anything else I would like to include in my apartment once I move in. This board will be around for a while, but after I get married and live in the apartment some of the pins may be deleted as I start adding those ideas to my new home!

Future Home Ideas. This board is for the home I will have in the future...not for my apartment. This board is just for decor ideas...and a few DIYs.

And just to show off a few things I plan to make very soon...here are a few photos from Pinterest:

A Patchwork Shower Curtain. I love all the floral fabrics!
(photo via Bliss Defines Me)

Heart & Names Carved out of a Tree.
I think my dad can make one of these! I just have to ask him! :) He is really good at carving wood and things so I'm sure he should be able to make something similar to this!
(photo via Mama Buzz)

Vintage-y Sweet Napkin Rings.
I just found the perfect ribbon at the thrift store the other day for .50 cents!
(tutorial via Grits & Giggles)

Mason Jar Soap Pump.
I really love these! And we have TONS of Mason jars!
(tutorial via A Pretty Life in the Suburbs)


Dry Erase Calendar.
(tutorial via The Aesthetic Writer)

I have so many more ideas of things I would like to get done for my apartment. A lot of them could/can be done after I move it, but I have time now so I'm working on what I can while I can!

Want to read more on Apartment Living? Click here!

Friday, September 28, 2012

My Fall 2012 Bucket List


In my adventures of blog hopping I ran across a post someone had written (On The Banks of Stony Creek) about things they would like to do this fall. I thought it was such a wonderful idea! I remember having the thought to make a fall bucket list...but that was earlier this year in the spring time so it just didn't fit. I've pinned so many wonderful ideas and I thought that now would be a great time to put all the fall related goals into one post. So here goes!

UPDATE: As I have completed each item this fall I have gone back and added a link to the post where I show off the creation or projecct, etc. In November I added photos to this post so you could view a tidbit of everything all in one place!


1. Make apple pies! (I WROTE: #1 Make Apple Pies)

2. Watch It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! It's been a few years since I've watched this! I remember mom turning it on and letting us sit at the table and eat while the show played on tv.

3. Carve a pumpkin.

4. Make roasted pumpkin seeds! (How-To Link).


5. Crochet a new scarf! (I WROTE: Fall Scarf Project Started, Fall Scarf Project Attempt 1, Crochet Purple Popcorn Scarf, Winter Style | Dressing Casual & Fun)


6. Go on a Fall Picnic with Autry!


7. Drink Hot Chocolate! (I WROTE: Hot Chocolate Mix-Recipe.)

8. Create a Countdown to Thanksgiving Calendar!


9. Bake cinnamon raisin bread.

10. Make homemade popcorn balls!


11. Go on a nature walk and take the camera! (I WROTE: Photos of Trees, Leaves, & Hay)


12. Make fall decorated sugar cookies!

13. Go on a final camping trip!

14. Start making Christmas gifts! (I make homemade gifts)


15. Go trick-or-treating. (I WROTE: Fall Bucket List 2012 | #15 Go Trick-or-Treating)


16. Take photos in a pile of leaves!


17. Build a fire!  (I WROTE: Bonfire!)

18. Drink apple cider! (possibly using this recipe!)

19. Have a movie night with fun fall snacks!

20. Visit a corn maze!

21. Try a pumpkin spice latte. (Possibly using this recipe)


22. Start an "I'm Thankful" jar to read on Thanksgiving Day. (I WROTE: DIY Thankful Jar, The Thankful Jar)

I used my double cinnamon roll recipe, but added 1/2 cup of vanilla creamer instead of the whipping cream to the filling and I added 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon to the butter and powdered sugar icing! Everyone said these were their absolute favorite, even more so than last years!

23. Bake cinnamon rolls (Thanksgiving morning!).

24. Post soup recipes each week that I can! (I WROTE: Button Up Chili & Loaded Baked Potato Soup.)

25. Make pumpkin recipes! (I WROTE: Pumpkin Double Layer Pie.)

Links
I looked up these sites for ideas to add to my list!

Digital Reflections: 50 Fun Fall Activities