10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

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

1. Working in my "A Summer Story" mini album

2. Sleeping In

3. Poetry

4. DuoLingo

5. Ice Cream Cones

6. Going for a walk on The Silver Comet Trail

7. Catching up on blogs

8. Running errands with Raphael

9. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

10. Chick-fil-A

What made you happy this week?

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Until next time...

Atlanta Area Moms Blog

Today I'm over at The Atlanta Area Moms Blog with a new post. I'm sharing my thoughts on not wanting a daughter. Feel free to check out my post and tell me what you think.

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If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd go meet up at a favorite coffee shop and take our drinks and pastries to go. We'd take advantage of the beautiful weather and go for a walk around the city.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd ask you if you enjoyed the long weekend. I'd tell you that I was not really in the mood to celebrate the Fourth of July. This year just felt different. It didn't feel like something worth celebrating, especially with what's going on in this country.  I did buy a bunch of holiday desserts, and I took advantage of a few deals. Surprisingly, John was able to get the day off. We got a few errands taken care of early in the day. Overall, we had a great time relaxing and spending time with each other.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd ask for your opinion on the casting of The Little Mermaid. I'd tell you that I was pleasantly surprised at the casting. I'm not familiar with a lot of Halle Bailey's work, but I think she will do a good job. I'd tell you that I have no idea why so many people are trying to compare Pocahontas with Ariel. I mean Pocahontas was a real person and mermaids are not real.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I have been devouring poetry books. I just finished reading Nocturnal by Wilder and Take Me With You by Andrea Gibson. I'm currently reading Child of the Moon by Jessica Semaan. I'd also ask you what you are currently reading and if you there are poetry books that you recommend I read.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I am loving all of the resources that I am currently using to continue to learn. I'm learning Italian with the help of Duolingo. Learning Italian isn't so hard because I am fluent in Spanish. There are a lot of similarities between Spanish and Italian, but there are some challenges.

I've said it before, but I absolutely love Skillshare. I've been taking different classes, and they have been very beneficial with the creative projects that I'm working on. I love that I can take photography classes one week and then take a class on writing and journaling the next week.

Get Messy has also been incredibly beneficial. I've tried so many art techniques and have gotten out of my comfort zone. The community is incredible. The inspiration is amazing. I have definitely noticed my art change, and I love it.

What would you tell me?

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Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Target Finds

Happy Monday! It's time for another edition of Target Finds. I'm excited to share some of my favorite finds at Target. I also included a few things that I consider to be "misses" for me.

Let's check out what I purchased at Target last month.

1. Kind Healthy Grains - Dark Chocolate Chunk

I'm a big fan of Kind products, so I was excited to try something new from them. Out of all the Kind products that I've tried, this was my least favorite. I'm not sure if the texture or the flavor threw me off, but I was not a big fan. In my opinion, I wouldn't say that it tasted gross, but it also was not delicious.

2. Kind Protein Bars - Double Dark Chocolate Nut

I loved these Kind Protein Bars. The flavor was delicious. It was very filling, and it is the perfect snack. I have been keeping a few in my purse and diaper bag.

3. Love Home & Planet Dish Liquid

I've been trying to use products that are good for the environment as well as for my home and family. I've heard such great things about Love Home & Planet, so I decided to give them a try. I bought the Love Home & Planet dish liquid in Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower. The scent was not my favorite, but it was light. It lathered up well, and a little goes a long way. I would highly recommend this if you want to use a clean product that is paraben, dye, and cruelty-free. I love that the Love Home & Planet products are bio-based and plant-based. This product is a great alternative and very affordable.

4. Califia Cold Brew (Salted Caramel and XX Espresso)

I was not a big fan of the Salted Caramel flavor. I could taste the salted caramel flavor. The flavor was overwhelming, and I didn't even get to finish the bottle. I haven't tried the XX Espresso flavor so I will have to report back on that.

5. Cosmopolitan - June Issue

I don't read magazines that often, but decided to pick up a copy of Cosmopolitan magazine. This was an impulse buy, and I'm glad that I was able to use the Cartwheel app for a discount. I enjoyed reading the articles in the magazine.

Overall, I found some great things at Target. As usual, I was able to save on all of my Target Finds by using the Cartwheel app and buying items on that were on sale.

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 grateful and happy list link up.

1. Frappuccinos

2. Relaxing

3. The Sketchbook Project Digital Library

4. Signatures in Danny Zuko's Yearbook by Johnny DiNapoli

5. The Cheesecake Factory Plain Cheesecake

6. John had the Fourth of July off from work, which is so rare!

7. Instagram...so much inspiration!

8. All. The. Desserts!

9. Starting a new book

10. Get Messy Art Journal Community

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

What I Read in June

Happy Wednesday! Last month, I didn't accomplish my reading goal. I wanted to read two books, but I was only able to read one book. I almost read two books, but I really took my time with the second book. Honestly, last month was just a slow month. I read a lot of blog posts and articles, but there were not a lot of pieces that really caught my attention.

Hopefully, I can accomplish my goal for July. Below is the book that I read as well as the list of blog posts that I loved in June.

Must Read

Heart Talk by Cleo Wade

I loved this book! I bought this book a couple of months ago, but finally found the time to sit down and read it. Honestly, I read this book at the perfect time, so it meant so much more to me. I loved that Cleo included some poems and notes in the margins of the book. I loved the little pep talks and motivational notes. There's also relatable advice that is perfect for everyone and for everyday life.

As you can see in the photo above, I even put some post-its in the book. This is a book that I plan to read over and over again.

Blog Posts I Loved in June

Sarah on being a creative

Pride Month: Free Mom Hugs by Mary

Vanessa's take on May's theme for The Painted Diaries

Vanessa's Summer Travel Supplies

Janelle's Basic Guide to Caring for Your Natural Coily-Haired Cutie

Light Reading

Cosmopolitan - July 2019 issue

It's been a while since I read a magazine. I read the entire magazine in one day. I loved reading the piece on Aubrey Plaza. I also enjoyed reading about Mercury Retrograde and the section on horoscopes.

What did you read in June?

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Until next time...

July Goals

Happy Monday! It's a new month! June just flew by. I'm excited, but also kind of dreading that it's July. We have a lot of stuff planned for this month that I'm looking forward to, but I'm not looking forward to the heat.

Since it's a new month, it's time for some new goals. Before we get to the new goals, let's recap on my goals from June. Just a heads up...I didn't do so well on my goals for June.

Recap of June Goals

• Read 2 books: This was a fail. I don't feel too bad about not accomplishing this goal because I did read one book and I'm almost done with my second book. I read Heart Talk: Poetic Wisdom for A Better Life by Cleo Wade and it was amazing. I'm also reading Take Me With You by Andrea Gibson. I'm taking my time reading Andrea's book because I love it so much. 

• Try 3 new recipes: This was a fail. I don't even have an excuse for this. I did make a juice that I usually only drink during Summer.

• Complete 2 Skillshare classes: This was a pass. I took two courses by Elle Luna.  I also completed a course by Dale McManus.  I really loved taking Dale's iPhone photography class. I learned some new tips and techniques. I can't wait to put what I learned to use. If you are interested in signing up for Skillshare, you can sign up here. 

• Go for a walk every day: This was a fail. The first half of June was not so great. Raphael and I were not feeling well. When I finally felt better, I just did not feel motivated to exercise or walk at all. 

• Journal every day: This was a fail. I did work in my journal, but not as much as I would have liked. Even though I didn't journal every day, I did work on a lot of crafty and art projects. I made a couple of Project Life layouts, worked on my Get Messy art journal, travelers notebook, and I also started a new project.

July Goals

• Read 1 book

• Try 2 new recipes

• Complete 2 Skillshare classes

• Exercise/Stay Active 3 days a week

• Make art 3 days a week

• Participate in Plastic Free July

What are your goals for July?

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Until next time...

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Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash