My Strength

Time for a Write Yourself Happy prompt!

In your life, how are you strong? What has your strength meant to you?

Ladies and gents, it should be no surprise to you that I am a firm believer in loving yourself. I think being happy is contingent upon loving yourself in every way you can. I think you should love your body, your mind, and your soul. I also believe that loving yourself is a choice. 

I used to hate me. I really did. I remember a day, years ago, when I stood in front of the mirror, and I saw no one looking back. I remember thinking that I was worthless. That I was not good enough. That I did not deserve to be happy.

I know we all have bad days, but this kind of thinking is not healthy, and is not true.

My family counseled me to seek professional help, and through that I learned how to rewire my brain. I learned that it's a conscious choice to love yourself. It's a day-to-day, constantly-working-on-it struggle. 

It has been about 7 or 8 years, and I no longer have to work hard to love me. It comes naturally now; I don't even have to try. 

That is the definition of my strength. 

How are you strong?

Lovely day for a Wedding

Last week, Brandon and I had the opportunity to participate in a photoshoot with the wonderfully talented Benita of BRC Photography, and Averi of Averi Blackmon Photography. It was a wedding/bridal shoot, and I was so excited to do it with my own husband!

Check out some of my favorite shots!

Courtesy of Averi Blackmon Photography

Swoon! 

To see more, click here. 

These are my Confessions, Part II

Check out Part 1 here. 

~I love pizza Lunchables. Seriously, with that stale cracker/bread, not-even-cheese, and cold greasy pepperoni, I am in heaven.

~I talk to myself. Often. (Who doesn't?)

~I used to watch Glee. (I actually shuddered while typing that.) I only watched it during the first season, before it got lame. Or even lamer than it already was.

~This is what my hair looks like every morning:

~Last week I ate pizza for three meals in 24 hours. And I would have still eaten it again. I'm seeing a pattern here; apparently I have a pizza addiction.

~I still cry like a baby every time I read the Harry Potter series, especially the last four books. I've probably read each one about 8 times, and it still gets me every time. Like when Harry is in Dumbledore's office immediately following Sirius' death, and he's throwing things and screaming. I mean, how can you not cry?

~I am actually much more ornery than most people even know. I constantly get urges to do mischievous things. Everything from pinching, to knocking someone's drink out of their hand for no reason. 99% of the time, I repress these urges. But I have them all the time, several times a day. No matter who you are, I've probably had to stop myself from tripping you before.

~I am a music hoarder. I cannot get rid of music on my ipod or computer. It seriously stresses me out. For example, the Juno soundtrack is full of super-weird songs that I've never been able to listen to, like this one: 

I can't delete it, because what happens if I suddenly want to listen to that weird vampire song in a few years? Because of this, we have about 27 GB of music on our computer.

~ I just went back and listened to that vampire song, and my kids thought it was hilarious. See? It's a good thing I never deleted it!

600

Welcome to my 600th blog post! When I started this blog, I never thought I'd still be at it 5 years later!

Here are some of my favorite blog posts from the last 5 years:

Goddess of Beauty

My Top 10 Vacation Spots

I am Confident in Me

Comfort Movies

I am Losing my Mind

Library Adventures

My favorite hair challenge look

One of my favorite makeup challenge looks

Enjoy!

What I like about me

Yesterday's writing prompt was:

Write a list of attributes about yourself you are proud of, or ones you want to see more of in your daily life.

Oh, you know I got this.

Here's a list of things I like about me:

1. I am very intelligent.

2. I have great taste in shoes, music, and husbands.

3. I am compassionate.

4. I bake really scrumptious desserts. This is what I'm making today: 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/scrumptous-and_i_do_mean_scrumptous-apple_pie/

(Happy Pi Day!)

5. I am quite pretty.

6. I am a good mom. And wife. And sister. And friend. 

7. I am a fairly good dancer.

8. I am a great hairstylist.

9. I'm funny.

10. I make really awesome faces.

11. I know pretty much everything there is to know about Harry Potter.

12. I am artistic and creative.

13. I don't judge others.

14. I am laid back.

15. I am athletic.

16. I'm a bit of a trendsetter. I was doing accent nails in 2007 people!

17. I am kind.

18. I have fabulous hair.

19. I am energetic.

20. I am confident (obviously).

How long can I make this list before I start boring people? Eh, we'll leave it at 20, even number and all.

Ok, now you all have to go make your own list! What do you like about you?

Guys, in the short time my post about positive body image has been online, it has reached over 650 views! 

That's huge for me, considering most of my blog posts reach my mom, and that's it. 

Seriously though, I am thrilled and humbled that so many people have gotten something from it, and have shared and liked it. Thanks everyone!

To read my post, click here:

Goddess of Beauty

Selfie Sunday

My kids are serious tech babies. They steal my phone every chance they get, and they're favorite thing to do is to take selfies.

Goobers.

Passion for Fashion Friday

Uh, I mean Saturday.

Ok, so I'm a day late, sorry!

I've been dreaming of summer for days. It's so cold, and I hate winter so much.

Take a look at my fave swimsuits this season:

Boden

http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Swimwear/WS038/Womens-Tie-Front-Swimsuit.html

JCrew

https://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/swim/patternsandprints/PRDOVR~A0444/A0444.jsp

Target

http://www.target.com/p/mossimo-women-s-tankini-2-piece-swimsuit-burnt-orange/-/A-15056556

Bring on the heat!

What I Love

Today's Write Yourself Happy prompt is:

What do you love about your life right now?

Oh, there's so much I love! I have so many blessings, and I love to write about them on this blog! 

But today, I'm especially grateful for my sweet husband. Brandon has an interview this afternoon, so he went in to work a bit later than usual. He was here when the girls woke up. It was so much fun to snuggle in bed and play together, just the 4 of us.

I seriously lucked out when it comes to husbands, guys. Brandon is caring and considerate, and he works so hard for his three girls. I can't imagine a better father, a better companion, or a hunkier dude to spend the rest of eternity with.

What do you love?

Goddess of Beauty

This post is designed for the ladies out there. Feel free to read, Fellas, but Ladies, pay special attention!

Several weeks ago, one of my friends posted on Facebook, and broke my heart in the process. She talked about how she had gained a few pounds, and spent the next few sentences spitting horrible, hateful names at herself.

Let me pose a situation for you. Imagine your best friend, or your mother, or your sister, or any woman you love. Would you ever tell her that she is disgusting? Or a fat cow? Would you ever spew such hateful things at her?

Now, how often do you say them to yourself? How often do you look in the mirror or stare at the number on the scale and hate yourself?

It isn't fair, and it certainly isn't right.

Here's the deal. Your body is incredible. Just think of all the things your body is capable of. You can walk and run, dance and climb, and as a woman, can create life with this body. That's incredible!

 They will never be perfect, and that's ok. Our bodies are a gift, that we should be grateful for.

Take a look at this sculpture. 

This is the Aphrodite Accroupie, or crouching Aphrodite. This sculpture is from about the 1st or 2nd century, and is currently on display at the Louvre.

http://insecula.com/oeuvre/O0010646.html

Look at her. She has rolls on her belly and if she were stand up, there probably wouldn't be a gap between her thighs. Ladies, Aphrodite was the goddess of love and beauty. This lady with the rolls, is the goddess of beauty.

I have rolls on my belly, and stretch marks, and my feet are kinda weird, and I am a goddess of beauty. And so are you.

Stop hating you. Stop comparing yourself to magazines, or other women, or even what you think you should look like in your brain. Stop saying horrible things to yourself. Stop it.

Be happy. Love yourself, chub and all.

Because when you love you, it makes it so much easier for others to love you too.

Things I'm lovin' today

1. Tabasco Steak Sauce. Ladies and gents, I use it on everything. 

http://countrystore.tabasco.com/TABASCOsup174_sup-brand-Steak-Sauce/productinfo/03006/

I mix it with mayo for sandwiches, put it on my baked potatoes, and today I'm dipping chips in it. Yum!

2. Margot is officially binky-free! She has been sleeping pretty well, and today we got her toy. And you'll never guess: I found an Elsa doll at Target! And Margot didn't want it. She picked a Monster High doll instead, the goober. Oh well.

3. Thor-The Dark World is out on video! 

Of all the Avengers, I think I have the biggest crush on Thor. Don't get me wrong, I love RDJ and the rest of the guys, but Chris Hemsworth is so dreamy!

Guess what I'll be watching tonight!

4. All of my laundry is clean! It took me all morning yesterday, but I did it. Now I just have to work on folding and putting it all away.

5. This song:

Goodness Gracious by Ellie Goulding

Don't Mind Me

I'm just torturing myself with pictures of tropical beaches. 

http://www.sbhawaii.com/common/sand.htm

http://costaricatoursdirectory.com/listing/costa-ricas-top-ten-beaches/

http://travelfeatured.com/jamaica-caribbean-sea/

http://www.poipubeach.org/beaches.html

Sigh.

Snow day

This winter sucks.

Typically, March is warm in Oklahoma. The average March temperatures are in the 60s! It's sunny and a bit humid; spring is officially here in March.

Wanna know what today looks like? 

Gross! 

It's 9 degrees. 9! 

I'm so ticked.

The Blogmopolitan Quiz

I saw this quiz on Lena B Actually and Two Thirds Hazel this morning, and thought I'd join in! So fun!

What about you? What are your answers?

Binky Baby

Margot is a binky kid. 

She was given one on the first night of her life, and every night since. She calls it a Doot-doos; and it has been her constant companion. She has never slept without it.

Until now.

A few months ago, Margot's pediatrician told me that the binky was stunting her speech and could harm her teeth, and that it had to go. 

We cut back, and got it to where she only used the bink at naptime and bedtime. But she constantly asked for and snuck binkies throughout the day.

I was very worried about finally kicking the habit. I have been putting it off for weeks.

But, the other day, I swallowed my fear, and Margot threw away her Doot-doos.

We talked about how binkies are for babies, and Margot is a big girl now. So she willingly, although tearfully, threw them all away. I think it helped that I told her that if she gives up her binkies, she can pick a toy to get. She chose an Elsa barbie, from Frozen.

It has gone surprisingly well! She has asked for her bink several times, but when I reminded her that they were all gone, she was ok. She hasn't thrown any fits, or screamed all night long, as I suspected she might.

She has a bit of a hard time sleeping; she has never slept without it, so she doesn't really know how to soothe herself. So I have had to lay down in bed with her a few times until she fell asleep, but after that she sleeps all night with no problems!

But last night and tonight, she fell asleep on her own! And tonight, as we were getting ready for bed, she turned to me and said "No doot-doos, all done!" 

By George, I think she's got it!

Now the real problem begins: Where to find an Elsa barbie? They are literally sold out everywhere! If you see one, let me know!