The goals I made for myself this month were:

1. Get back in the gym. 
2. Finish Stolen.
3. Lose five pounds.
4. Eat breakfast.
5. Start meal planning.

 Let me just come right out and say it, I failed hard with these goals. Unfortunately, I ended up having to go to the hospital with a bladder infection progressing to a kidney infection which lead to me antibiotics that made me sicker than hell. I don't think I've EVER been so nauseous. I literally slept by the toilet for two days. I got some nausea pills and they finally seemed to be helping but I still felt so shitty. Anyway, that took up an entire 12 days. This month was also very difficult on me and my family. Some very tragic and horrible news came about and there has been lots of tears and lots of anger and lots of disgust. I am not going to get into detail because this blog is not the place, but anyway, that's my good excuse.

So let's see...

1. I definitely wanted to get back into the gym. After being sick for two weeks, it got put off quite a bit and then I got a little depressed with all this stuff going on with my family. So yeah, it just didn't happy unfortunately. I did go on a very active hike this month though and we did go to the lake and walked with MyLee. So, I was a little active!

2. I cannot find my book Stolen anywhere. But that's okay because I ready two books this month. The first two books of the Crossfire Series. I'm hooked. It's so good.

3. My weight fluctuated a lot this month. I lost quite a bit of weight when I was sick because I could not keep anything down. In fact I couldn't even keep my nausea pills down for the first couple of days. I am the same weight as I was now though. So damn.

4. I really did try to eat breakfast every morning. But let's be real, it wasn't going to happen every single morning. When I work really early, I just don't have the time to eat something. I did try to make it a point to grab a granola bar or something before work though. And I did eat breakfast more often this month than I ever have. So that is progress.

5. Start meal planning. Okay, I started but I did not begin. I am still working on compiling all the recipes I know and love, and finding new ones, into a big list so meal planning will become easy. So it's coming along.

Okay I guess I didn't do as bad as I thought, but I really wanted to fulfill all the goals I made for myself this month. Better luck next month! Stay tuned for tomorrow when I post my goals for February!

Have you fulfilled all of your goals for this month?

Wow, I bought a lot of stuff this month. Normally I don't but I got a couple gift cards for Christmas and put them to good use. I was also on the hunt for a good foundation. In fact I even returned a foundation I tried this month! Which was the Pur Minerals one I bought at the beginning of this month. I'm going to run through these products and give you my thoughts and let you know if I love it or hate it.

Foundations:
I LOVE the new Maybelline Fit Me Dewy & Smooth foundation. I loved the old one as well, and I will say that the new formulation is darker than the old. The old foundation in 110 Porcelain matched me so perfect and the new one is a little dark. But I manage. This is my new every day foundation.
I also really like the Rimmel 25 Hour Lasting Finish foundation. It's nothing extraordinary. It does last a really long time on me, though. Again, this foundation is a little too dark for my extremely fair skin even with the lightest shade.
I splurged on this Becca foundation. I heard such great things on it and figured I would give it a try. So frustrating because AGAIN, the lightest shade is too dark for me. I really do like this foundation though, but it will be more of a summer foundation for me. My skin is too dry for me to wear it right now.

Concealers:
I wanted to try something to hide my dark under eyes, because I have such a hard time really brightening it up under there. I gave the NYX under eye concealer a try. It does the job but it's very drying under my eyes. Probably another product for the summer.
NYX HD Concealer is my favorite. Along side with my Maybelline Fit Me concealer but this one is amazing. It does glorious things under my eyes!

Skin Care:
Not a huge fan of First Aid Beauty like I thought I would be. But it's alright. Just a regular gentle cleanser.
The never ending search for a great daily moisturizer will never end I swear. I really do like this one I got by Kate Somerville, but it's just not enough. My dry skin sucks it up like you would not believe and I still end up putting an even more intense moisturizer over top of it.
I absolutely love Philosophy's Exfoliating Wash. I love pretty much anything by Philosophy, though. They never fail and they are great for my sensitive skin.
I thought I was a fan of Boscia's cleansing oil, but then I decided I really don't like it.
I have yet to try the Peter Thomas Roth Peel. I'm too scared to try new products these days because my skin breaks out so damn easily.

Misc.
You guys, I bought this 3 in 1 Total Hydration Chapstick at Target and it is seriously the best chapstick I've ever used. I have this horrible problem on my lips where they are extremely dry and even when they aren't dry, they are peely and flakey and so gross. I cannot stand it. Anyway, I use this morning and night and I have had the smoothest lips I've ever had since. I'm going to buy every flavor they have and keep them in every crevice and corner. I'm not joking.
I have always used really cheap dry shampoo and although I've always wanted to try Batiste, I never felt like spending $8 on it. Well folks, I'm never going back to my $3 Suave dry shampoo again. This stuff is magic.

Oh man, so many things. Like life in general? I am so easily stressed out. I often take on too many things at once and it will consume me and stress me out an immense amount.

Having work, school, and duties as a wife to manage at all times stresses me out all the time. I think it's healthy to endure stress, though. We all need to learn to manage our time better, to find a routine that works for us and dealing with stress for time management is important.

I have days where I have so much homework due, but also have an 8 hour shift at work and then dinner to prepare for Shae when I get home. I can get so overwhelmed but it's so normal. I'm not the only person in the world with the same worries and stressors. Not to mention, it's all worth it in the end to know I am getting a great education, I have a job I get paid decently at, a roof over my head, food on the table and the most loving husband a girl could ever ask for. Stress doesn't last forever and that's what gets me through it most of the time.

What stresses you out?

I have the cutest pets of all time.

It's hard to believe that I packed my bags and headed 3,000 miles away from all my family and friends. At the time, I could hardly be sad. How could I be when I was about to finally join my husband in our first home together?

All I know is that this year flew by and although it's been a year of many firsts and many great times, we are ready to take the next step. We moved into a small one bedroom apartment when I got here on January 18th. It was perfect for us from the beginning because we had nothing but suitcases full of clothes. The night I flew in we went to Walmart and bought some basic household essentials: a garbage can, toilet paper, some pillows, etc. We curled up on the floor and slept cuddled up together and we were happy. We eventually upgraded to an air mattress, and we slowly started filling up our house. Room by room, piece by piece, our tiny apartment was becoming more homey. Looking back, I loved having these times. I think of us sleeping on the floor or air mattress, eating dinners on the floor, and watching movies from my laptop and it is all something I'm glad we went through. We started out with nothing but we  had each other and to look back and see how far we have come is an awesome feeling.

But, we have outgrown this one bedroom apartment. We have three months left on our lease and we couldn't be more excited to get a house with two or three bedrooms. To be able to have our own yard and to get a new puppy. To put more personality into our home and get new couches. If we decided to expand our little family, then we would have the room to do so. We are ready for the next step and we both could not be more excited either!

So here is to one year of living on the east coast with the love of my life! To one year living on our own. To the road trips and adventures we have taken, to buying a new car, to the many hours of airplane rides, to the adjustments and sacrifices we have made, to going to bed together in our own bed for an entire year.  Here's to the many laughs and smiles and memories we've made this past year. To the tears, the fights, to the times we never gave up. To the pain we have had to endure and the love we've grown into. Here's to year one, and to the ones to come.

There are so many people missing from this photo: my brother, my dad and his family, my in-laws. But I love this picture. I love my family so damn much. I have my best friend in this photo as well as my brother's best friend because they have both been apart of our family for so long. I don't know what I would do without any of them.

1. Drown - Bring Me the Horizon
2. Or Nah - The Weeknd
3. Engine 45 - The Ghost Inside
4. White Lights - The Ghost Inside
5. Hell & Back - Kid Ink
6. Lifestyle - Rich Gang & Young Thug
7. Diamonds Aren't Forever - Bring Me the Horizon
8. Heroes - Alesso
9. Habits - Tove Lo
10. No Type - Rae Sremmurd

Obviously there has been many things I have learned over the course of my life. But the biggest thing I've learned is to forgive. I find life so much more enjoyable to not be angry and to not be sad over the actions of another person. Forgiveness does not always mean forgive and then let them back in your life the same way that they were.

For example, very recently I discovered that one of my very best friends was not a very good friend at all. I was so angry and so hurt by the lies this person had told. It tore me apart for days and then after that I grew angry beyond belief. Finally it hit me that hating this person, or telling this person how nasty they were, or continuing to feel betrayed was not going to get me anywhere. In fact, it was only making my life and thoughts more negative. So I let it go and although we are no longer friends, I'm not letting their poor personality affect me and my life anymore.

There are so many examples I could use with this lesson. I think everyone struggles with forgiveness and I completely understand. It's hard to swallow betrayal or the hurt someone has caused and forgive at times. I'm right there with you.

What is something you have learned over the years?

I'm not sure if too many people would consider Pelican, Alaska a city, but it's my favorite town.It's all boardwalk and there are no vehicles other than ATV's and golf carts. From one end of the board walk to the other it's one mile and the population of this little place is about 89 people. It's a secluded island off in the Pacific Ocean. The only way off is on a float plane or boat. It's about a 4-6 hour ferry ride to Sitka or Juneau. I spent a year here when I was in 8th grade and school was just crazy. There was a total of twelve kids K-12 and as I said, I was in 8th grade. Take a wild guess how many people were also in 8th grade... Three total. Me and my two cousins. Haha!
This was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to experience snow like you wouldn't believe. We would do flips off the board walk and land in 6ft high snow. I caught so many fish, went hunting, met great people, went skiffing and crabbing and shrimping, and shoveled so much snow. On my 13th birthday my grandpa and I jumped off the oil dock into the ocean (AT THE END OF OCTOBER). Everyone here is family and I can guarantee it you would have a great time. You may have to grocery shop from a place as small as a gas station, and there may be no malls, and there may be no cars or trucks, but it's beautiful and it's amazing and I can't wait to go back.

I took these on Thanksgiving and my hair and makeup were on point. Here ya go! ;)

The only two people who really call me anything other than my name are Shae and my mom. Shae calls my babe, baby, love bug, lover, strawberry. My mom calls me honey girl. Some people call me Red because of my redhair. But that's as far to the extent of my nicknames I know.

Sorry for the short boring post but it's hard to elaborate on such a simple topic!

It's definitely no surprise here that I miss my family. I miss them more than anything. I love living a life outside what I had been for the last 21 years, I love adventuring out and exploring the world with Shae. But I am so, so close with my family. My mom is literally my best friend and so are my brothers. I have two awesome dad's and many other great family members that I miss dearly as well. 

First and foremost, let's start out with my skin. I have very fair, pale, sensitive skin. I have freckles and redness. I wouldn't say I have severely problematic skin, but it's far from perfect. I have pores, some scaring, and I break out easily. I feel like my skin type is ALL over the place. I would say I have dry, sensitive, acne-prone skin. My skin will break out fairly easy from products and let me tell you, it has taken a very long time (and a lot of money) to find products that actually work well with my skin. So here we go!

Firs thing is first, I usually use a facial wipe or oil to take off my makeup. For facial wipes I like the Target Up&Up Brand you can find here. I love these wipes. They get the job done and they have never broken me out! Lately I have been into using makeup remover oils to remove my makeup.One I have been using for awhile now is the Garnier Clean & Nourishing Cleansing Oil. A higher end one that I recently purchased but have had great luck and results with is Boscia Tsubaki Cleansing Oil-Gel. I have heard reviews that it doesn't take off waterproof makeup well but I don't wear waterproof makeup so it has been great for me!

Next I cleanse my face. Sometimes I use my Clarisonic Mia, but sometimes it can be too harsh on my very sensitive skin. I have to take breaks with it! So for a really good drugstore cleanser, I use Simple Foaming Cleanser. I used to use just the regular cleanser by the Simple brand, but I like this foaming one much more. I have to use really gentle cleansers for skin and this one works really well! It does make my skin feel a little dry after but nothing a little extra moisturizer can't handle. A higher end facial cleaner I love is First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser. Again, a gentle cleanser that is targeted for sensitive skin. I recommend both of these products if you have really sensitve skin. Not to mention, both of these products do not contain parabens and sulfates or other harsh chemicals put into a majority of skin care products. Another gentle face cleanser I love (but haven't used in awhile) is Philosophy's Purity Made Simple Cleanser.

At night, I moisturize my face with a beauty oil. I either use Tarte's Maracuja Oil or Josie Maran's 100% Pure Argan Oil. I started using oils as a night moisturizer a couple months ago, and haven't stopped once. Most people seem hesitant to put oil on their face in fear of getting more oily or causing breakouts, but it does the complete opposite. Using oils actually slows the production of oils produced by your body so most of the time it helps with break outs. For me, it has cleared up my skin and I have seen such a difference from using both of these oils.

In the morning I use a regular daily moisturizer. I have been using Simple Ultra-light Gel Facial Moisturizer. I love natural products and I love this brand, and I do like the moisturizer but now that my skin has become SO dry from the colder months, this isn't working as well as it used to. My skin has been sucking it right up and I've even been applying some of Clinique's Moisture Surge over the top of it so my skin isn't so dry. I do like this moisturizer in the warmer months though! I bought the $20 .5oz of Kate Somerville's Nourish Daily Moisturizer at Sephora one evening after hearing lots of good reviews on her moisturizers and so far it is working for me. It is lightweight but makes my skin soft and smooth. I haven't been using it long so I will have to get back on that, but so far so good!
I use Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment. I got this eye cream in a holiday gift set a few months ago and since I ran out of my old eye cream, I started using this. I haven't seen some huge change in my area but it does moisturize and I do see my eye area brightened up some.

As far as acne treatments go, I am a die hard Clean and Clear Persa-Gel. I have used this product since high school and I still do. It is extremely drying so I have to make sure to use a good moisturizer when using it but other than that, it does help a great amount at clearing up break outs.

I regret not putting my school and education at the very top of my priority list. I'm not saying I regret getting married and moving across the country with the love of my life, but I do wish I put more consideration into having to start school over three times now. I should be graduating this year and I still have a year or two left. Not even that, but I will only have my associates by then and I should have my bachelors by now. So right now, I'm having a hard time swallowing that. I will be getting my diploma for surgical technology and then when Shae PCS's elsewhere, I plan to go back to school to get my bachelor's.

It's the one thing that really gets under my skin and makes me disappointed in myself. But, life happens and things happen and I wouldn't change my life now for anything. 

MOVING TO A NEW HOUSE. This is all I can honestly think about. There are no words to tell you how done both Shae and I are with living in an apartment. It is just not us. Not at all. We both are so used to living in the country, where we had our own privacy and our own space. We miss having a yard, more room and air to breathe in. This little apartment has been good to us and it has been a wonderful first place, but as you have probably heard me say a few times by now, we are ready for an upgrade!

I could also list some future stuff I'm excited about:
Getting another dog
Graduating college
Having babies
Moving away from Fayetteville and seeing where we will end up next!






What are some things you're looking forward to?

Honestly I don't want some castle or some mansion with extravagance written all over it. I'm super simple and all I want is to live in the middle of the woods with lots of land, surrounded by trees and wildlife. I love farm houses, or just basic or modern houses. The look is simple to me and I really enjoy that.

My dream home would consist of many bedrooms. One for each of the kids, a guest room, a man cave, an office/beauty room. My very own walk in closet. Granite counter tops, a huge kitchen, a huge pantry. A fireplace. A big patio to grill on, with a swinging couch. A big laundry room. A big family room to fill my big family in. A private, long driveway.

I love this picture so much. We are both smiling so big at each other and he is holding me in the air. We both look so happy, because we were. So full of love, with radiating smiles. This was the day after we got married too. Our first pictures as husband and wife and I can't tell you how on top of the world I felt.

Short Term:

1. Get into the Surgical Tech program & start fall term.
2. Get all A's Spring term.
3. Start my lifestyle change to a better, healthier, active life.
4. Finish Insanity one time.
5. Let go of all the negativity, and pursue a more positive lifestyle.

Long Term:

1. Get my masters.
2. Visit all Seven Wonders of the World.
3. Have three beautiful children.
4. Be the best wife I could possibly be.
5. Visit all fifty states.
6. Own a french bull dog.
7. Be successful and proud of who I am.
8. Have a house built.
9. Stay patient, carry the ability to forgive always.
10. Go skydiving.

I'm not going to sit here and type out my beliefs so I figured I would type out the things I believe and some rules I live by.

1. Never go to bed angry.
2. Stop trying to read everyone's mind. This can't be done.
3. Don't compare your life or love or relationships to others.
4. Believe in the ability to change your circumstances.
5. Don't be confined by rules. Break them once in awhile!
6. Never settle.
7. Accept change. Embrace change.
8. Question everything.
9. The future is fully in your hands.
10. Have the ability to pick up the pieces and move on.

I have seen many bloggers post goals (whether big or small) at the beginning of every month and letting the power of the internet hold you to them. Then at the end of the most, post a recap to see how you did. So I figured I would jump on the band wagon and do it myself. I have decided to set 4 or 5 goals for myself each month. I say you do it too!

1. Get back in the gym. About a half hour, Shae and I just talked about going back today. I am craving a long run on the treadmill, and to feel sore. My body needs to get back in shape.

2. Finish Stolen. This book is really intriguing and I like it, but I have yet to finish it. Honestly I just need to get back into reading. I miss it so much and I've taken far too long of a break.

3. Lose five pounds. I feel like losing five pounds and seeing it on the scale will motivate me immensely. Five pounds is very reasonable for one month.

4. Eat breakfast. I struggle with eating something every morning. Mostly because I have a hard time having an appetite as soon as I get out of bed. Shae got me a ninja for Christmas though so I plan on putting that bad boy to use and making smoothies most mornings.

5. Start meal planning. I really, really want to get back into this. I am currently working on writing out all the meals and recipes I know and want to learn and then I will be able to more successfully achieve this.

What are your goals for the month?

Photo: WeHeartIt

The Vampire Diaries


The Originals


True Blood


Scandal


Grey's Anatomy

I am a huge Sci Fi nerd so it comes to no surprise that the first three are all vampire shows. I think everyone loves The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, though. The characters are so bangin' too! One of my favorite shows of all time is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so again, it's not much of a surprise. Shae and I just recently started watching True Blood and are on season 2 but we are obsessed!

I've been watching Grey's Anatomy since I was in 8th grade! I remember my grannie would record all the episodes on Tivo and I would indulge in them as well. It's been a long road with this show and it's still one of my favorites! Scandal is newer-ish, but Shonda Rhymes makes some great shows! I recommend both of these shows to anyone. I am definitely far from a politics junkie, but I absolutely love Scandal. It's so good.

I watch almost every game show on the food network. Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, Worst Cooks in America, The Great Food Truck Race, etc. These are also my favorite shows I just didn't feel like including pictures of every single one.

What are some of your favorite TV shows?

Truthfully, there aren't many things I'm afraid of. Not that I can think of. There are some obvious ones like huge spiders, ugly critters that I don't recognize, being outside in the dark hearing noises, etc. But besides that, there aren't many rational fears. I suppose I'm absolutely terrified of not being able to have kids. Part of me feels like I will be unable to get pregnant and if so, I wouldn't be able to carry the baby. It's just one of those gut feelings. Mostly because I have health problems, and another because me and Shae somehow magically have not gotten pregnant (we have never 'tried' but we have not prevented). So I would say that's something I am really afraid of.

I love you all. So much.