10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Quiet moments

2. Naps

3. Finishing an amazing book

4. Decluttering my email

5. This letter to Vanessa Bryant

6. Target

7. Happy Mail

8. You Can Draw Whatever You Want (In Memory of Jason Polan) by Austin Kleon

9. The Bold Type

10. My kids

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

One Little Word 2020

January is almost over, and I'm only now sharing my word for the year. I waited to share this post because I wanted to hold onto it for a little while longer. But I'm ready to share it now. 

My word for the year is NOURISH.

Nourish 

1. Nurture, Rear

2. To promote the growth of 

3. To furnish or sustain with nutriment

I really need this in my life. I'm learning that it is essential to take care of myself first. Putting myself first is really hard. It always has been. I need to stop feeling guilty about taking care of myself.

Nourish my mind

I plan to limit the amount of time that I watch or catch up on the news. I swear the news can be so toxic. Last year, I would go weeks without watching the news...and it was glorious. I still believe that it's incredibly important to be up to date on what's going on in the world, but sometimes it can be so overwhelming. It's essential to have a balance. 

Journaling and memory keeping are two ways that help clear my mind. To me, it's a form of therapy. I haven't been journaling as much as I'd like, and I hope that I can change that this year. Sometimes, I just have so much to say (or rather write) that I don't even know where to begin.

Nourish my body

I want to be more active. Last year, I kept making exercise goals and kept failing to accomplish them. I really want to change that this year. Honestly, I felt so drained, and what little energy I had left after the day ended, I just wanted to rest. Sure caring for three children definitely keeps me active, but I really want to actually work out more. 

I also need to eat better, as well. I kept sticking with our usual meals, even though I really wanted to try new recipes. I tend to eat snacks throughout the day and usually try to make sure that they are healthy. However, I noticed that there were times when I would forget to eat an actual meal. I would be so busy getting everything on my to-do list done that I actually would forget to eat. Well, this year, that is going to change.

No more, I wish I had time to exercise. No more "Oops I skipped lunch". I will nourish my body. I will take better care of myself. That also reminds me that I have to make my doctor's appointments. So that's another way that I am taking care of myself. 

Nourish my soul

I want to take more nature walks. I guess this could fall under nourishing my body, but I love that my word ties into all three of the main things I want to nourish. Anyways, I always feel at peace when I go for a walk, especially at the Silver Comet Trail. 

And there you have it, my word for the year. I will be a much better mom, wife, and person if I start taking care of myself. I've blogged about self-care many times on my blog, but I really need to take my own advice. Easier said than done, right? Well, this year, things are going to be different. 

What is your word for 2020? What do you hope to accomplish this year?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Tame Impala

2. Starbucks

3. Cozy socks

4. Reading

5. Scrapbooking and Crafting

6. Finding new recipes to try (and actually buying the ingredients so now there's no excuse for me not to make the damn dish)

7. Feeling at peace

8. You memes (It's a really good show. The memes have been so hilarious.)

9. Seeing Easter candy and Spring displays (The weather has been hideous and I'm ready for Spring)

10. Still celebrating my birthday

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Target Finds

It's been a while since I shared a Target Finds. I think the last one that I shared was in October. And trust me, I've been to Target a lot since then. I honestly can't believe that I forgot to share some of the things that I found. So I'll be sharing a few things that I found in November and December.

BAMBA Peanut Butter Puffs

I found out about these puffs from a blog, so I decided to get them. Raphael loved these peanut butter puffs. The size is perfect, and it's not messy. It's great for snack time. 

Toddleroo By North States Superyard 6 Panel Freestanding Gate

This gate is awesome! Raphael has been getting into everything, so we needed something to block certain areas in our living room, and this gate has been so useful. We love that you can make it into a mini-play area. It's light-weight but sturdy. It's also great on carpet and hardwood floors. I also love that the gate can be used outside.

Just One You Toddler Boys' Buffalo Check Moose Fleece Footed Pajamas

I love Just One You clothes. Their footed pajamas are so cute. Their holiday-themed footed pajamas were perfect for celebrating Christmas as well as winter. Raphael usually doesn't like having blankets on him, so having him wear some warmer pajamas was a great alternative. 

Kinder Bueno Chocolate Bar

I decided to try this chocolate bar after hearing great things about Kinder chocolate. They were light and flaky, but so delicious. They reminded me of Ferrer Rocher chocolates.

As usual, I was able to save on all of my Target Finds by using the Target Cartwheel (now Target Circle), purchasing items that were on sale, or buying items that were at the Dollar Spot section.

What are some of your favorite Target Finds?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Finding out the season 4 premiere of The Bold Type is on January 23!

2. Getting stuff done ahead of time

3. Chick-fil-A lemonade

4. This blind contour painting by Amy Maricle

5. My planner

6. Like A Boss

7. Buying a new outfit from H&M

8. This Instagram post

9. Echosmith's Lonely Generation album

10. Call Out My Name and Heartless by The Weeknd

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet up at a new coffee shop. It's a new year, so we should try and check out a new coffee shop. We'd ask the baristas which drinks they recommend. We'd also get a couple of breakfast sandwiches and pastries. The weather has been horrid so we'd probably stay at the coffee shop.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I finally started watching You and oh my goodness...it's such a great show! It's not often that a TV show can get me hooked within the first ten or so minutes. It's a really crazy show, but so entertaining.

John and I just finished watching Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga. I'm kind of sad that it's over. It was a great anime. Now I'm on the hunt for a new anime to watch. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I'm so confused about the drama regarding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. I don't usually follow the royal family, but this whole "drama" has been perplexing. The way I see it, Meghan and Harry are both adults. They can do what they want. Yes, it's a bit tricky because they are part of a royal family, but Harry will never be King. So what's the problem with Meghan and Harry splitting their time between North America and England?

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I have a couple of art and scrapbook projects that I'm so excited to work on. I just got a couple of acrylic covers for two mini albums that I'm going to put together. I've also been participating in a photo-a-day challenge. So far, I've been doing very well. I only missed one day. Fingers crossed that I can finish the rest of the challenge.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I hope this is a great year. I hope that all of our wishes and dreams come true. I hope it's a year full of hope and peace. A year full of nourishment and growth. A year full of wonder and adventure.

What would you tell me...

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...



Photo by Fabian Blank on Unsplash

Atlanta Area Moms Blog

Happy Monday! Today I'm over at The Atlanta Area Moms Blog with a new post. I'm sharing my reasons why we are starting to choose birthday experiences over birthday parties for our sons. Feel free to check out my post and tell me what you think.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. Krispy Kreme mini donuts

2. Happy Mail

3. You (Finally decided to watch it! Such a good show!)

4. Naps

5. Reading comics

6. Pizza

7. Having the courage to pitch a couple of brands (Fingers crossed that they respond and hopefully accept.)

8. Finding Starbucks Molten Chocolate Lattes on sale

9. Love Your Selfie Photo A Day Challenge

10. Taking time for myself

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

What I Read in December

Last month, I almost didn't accomplish my reading goal. Despite getting all of the shopping done early, we still had a lot of events and last-minute things to get done before the holidays. However, I was able to read an excellent book.

This month, I won't be sharing my favorite blog posts because I didn't read a lot of blogs. I'm hoping to catch up on that soon. Well, let's get to my book review.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

This was such a quick read, but it was such a powerful book. The message was amazing, and the images were beautiful. The book was about friendship and kindness. There is a boy who meets a mole, and then they meet a fox. Finally, they meet a horse. One of my favorite parts of the book was when the mole freed the fox from the snare. Despite knowing that the fox could kill him, the mole decided to be kind and trust that the fox wouldn't harm him. The story reminded me of Winnie the Pooh and The Little Prince.  The story is perfect for children and adults. In today's world, this story is so needed.


What did you read in December?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

This Is 29 - Birthday Recap

Happy Tuesday! I'm a little late with sharing a birthday recap, but I've now realized that it's probably going to happen every year. Since my birthday is in the first week of January, I always give myself some grace. The new year may have already started, but after my birthday passes is when everything seems to settle down. I guess you could say that the new year for me begins on January 6.

So my birthday was on Sunday, but I actually started celebrating it since January 1st. John and I had a date night on New Year's Day, and we were finally able to watch Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The day before my birthday, I went to the salon and got my hair done.

On Sunday, John and I went to Street Taco for a little date. I can't believe that we went on two dates in one week! That rarely happens.

Oh, my goodness! Look at those delicious quesadillas! If you ever visit Street Taco, I highly recommend the chicken quesadillas. They are amazing and very filling. The Blackened Shrimp Tacos are also delicious. It's also a great place to have dinner with the entire family.

After brunch, we walked around the Marietta Square and checked out some of the murals. The Marietta mural is my favorite. The colors are so bold and look beautiful.

After our date, we continued to celebrate my birthday at Mami's house. We all had such a great time. Of course, we ended the day with a Carvel ice cream cake. Carvel cakes are my favorite cakes. I swear I can eat an entire ice cream cake by myself.

Overall, I had a great weekend and a wonderful birthday. I'm still going to celebrate my birthday all month. I think there might even be a little giveaway on the blog so be on the lookout for that. I would like to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday. I felt so loved reading the messages that I received.

How was your weekend?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their weekly happy and grateful list link up.

1. It's a new year! Welcome, 2020!

2. Date night

3. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

4. Completing my reading challenge for 2019

5. Using my new planner

6. Completing my 30 Days of Lists mini-album

7. Early Birthday Rewards

8. Newk's

9. Celebrating my birthday early

10. Starting a new book

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

December Goals Recap and January Goals

Happy New Year! 2020 is finally here! I still can't believe how fast 2019 went, but I'm so excited for the new year. I accomplished so many things in 2019, and I can't wait to see how this year is going to go.

I'm going to do things a little differently. I'm going to share a recap of my December goals as well as my goals for January. However, I do plan on sharing my word for the year in the next week or so. I also plan on sharing some yearly goals in the next couple of days. I didn't want to make a massive post, so I hope you all don't mind.

So let's check out how I did in December, and then let's check out my goals for January.

Recap of December Goals

• Read 1 book: I accomplished my reading goal. I was actually really close to not finishing a book in December. We had so much stuff going on, and honestly, I think I fell into a reading slump. I ended up reading The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy and absolutely loved it. I can't wait to share my review soon.

• Try 1 new recipe: Yikes! Once again, I didn't try a new recipe. Something has got to change. 

• Take 1 Skillshare class: This was a fail. I completely forgot to finish one of the courses. 

• Work on my art project: I didn't work on my art project because I was more focused on completing 30 Days of Lists. 

• Work in my journal: This was a fail. I had so much to say, but I just didn't know how to put it into words or art (if that makes sense). 

• Complete the December Pause session of Here course by Liz Lamoreux: Sadly, I didn't even start on this class. I'm hoping to work on it this month.

• Document my December: I definitely took lots of pictures, but I didn't actually make any layouts. I'm not considering this a fail because I did take lots of photos. 

• Declutter (with a big focus on my closets): So we did declutter a lot of things, but we didn't get to our closets. Instead, we focused on the enormous amounts of toys that the boys no longer play with. So I'm considering this a success.

• Donate lots of stuff: Oh my goodness! We donated so much stuff. It seriously amazes me how much we can accumulate in just a short amount of time. It felt so good to donate a lot of things.

January Goals

• Read 1 book

• Take 1 Skillshare class

• Work in my journal

• Work on my art memoir project

• Declutter my closets

What are your goals for January? How did you do in December?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash