Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Wouldn't You Like to Know

A few weeks back, a friend awarded me with the Liebster. While I, unfortunately, cannot play the game correctly I thought I would at least list some randoms and answer the questions she posed. So here it goes:

First, list 11 random facts about yourself:

1. I've been married for nearly 3 years (September makes 3!)
2. I hate feet!
3. Just graduated college (whoop whoop!)
4.I have come to "understand" God through a child like faith (I'll leave it at that)
5. I have a guitar, but lack the skill to play.
6.I write song lyrics (haven't attempted music).
7. Music is my therapy (variety is key!)
8. I get stressed out way too easily, but I hold it together long enough so you don't notice ;)
9. Pride & Prejudice has a permanent home in our bedroom dvd player (usually plays every night while I'm in bed, much to my husband's dismay).
10. I'm addicted to ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars.
11. I'm an old soul.

Now, to answer the questions that Sara Beth was asked on her blog:
1. Where was your first date with your Hubby/Significant other?
     Our first date was to Olive Garden and the movies (The Wickerman was a horrible first date choice), he's never trusted me picking movies since then lol

2. What is your favorite movie?
I will always say that my favorite movie is Mary Poppins! Pride & Prejudice and Breakfast at Tiffany's tie at second place.
3. Do you have any special talents? If so, what are they?
    I dabble in a little of everything-while I may not be great at one particular thing. But I used to twirl the flagpole (Colorguard) in high school. I really miss that!
4. How long have you been blogging and Why do you like to blog?
    I've been blogging for over a year now and I like to think I offer good information to those who wouldn't know where else to get it. I try to be understanding of my audience (friends and family). Since I've become the "go-to girl" for fashion with friends, I thought it'd be a great way to share how I find what's currently in my closet (or my wish list).
5. Do you like to cook? If so, what is your favorite recipe?
    It depends on what I'm making! lol But honestly, after a long day at work, I'd rather have something quick then to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I do like baking though-even though I almost always set off the smoke detectors :)
6. Pepsi or Coke products? ;)
    Definitely Coke-don't know what I'd do with my Diet Coke!

7. If you could go back in time to one moment in your life, what moment would you pick?
     I would pick the day my ex told me some bad news; I wish I would've had the sense to have ended it then (but I was too nice and forgiving). I often wonder the kind of women I would've ended up becoming had that day went differently (hopefully the same woman, but much, much stronger!).
8. How many children do you have/would you like to have?
    No children at this time, but we've talked about two kids. That's still down the road for us, I've just finished one milestone. I'd like to relax and figure out some more plans before jumping the baby wagon.
9. What is the one beauty product you absolutely can't live without?
**I can't go without lipgloss!!!! I am currently addicted to Victoria Secret's line.**
10. Name 3 things in your purse right now.
      Wallet, cell phone, and my niece's disney rings
11. Did you or do you play any sports? If so, what?
      I played softball when I was younger, but then I switched and become a band geek :)

Lastly, here are the last few questions that Sara Beth asked:
 
1. What is the number one played song on your ipod?

Probably "Thinking of You" by Katy Perry (I love songs I can really belt out)
2. What is your LEAST favorite chore?
 
Ummm, that's a tie between cleaning the bathroom and laundry.
3. What is your favorite quote/Bible scripture?
John 11:35 "Jesus Wept"
Let's me know that it's ok to shed a tear or several.
4. What is your favorite food to eat? to Cook?
 
Love pasta!!! And whatever is easiest is my favorite to cook :)
5. What is your favorite sound?
 
I love the sound people's shoes make when walking on gravel (weird I know) lol and I love the sound of rain
6. What is your favorite "ME TIME" activity?
 
"Me time" would consist of a glass of wine, blanket and a good movie (usually one of my favorites)
7. If you could go back to any age what would it be?
 
I'm liking the age that I am now; aside from the extra responsibilities ;)
8. If you could witness any event (past, present, future) what would it be?
 
I wish I could witness the physical human presence of Jesus while He was on earth. While we're instructed to walk by faith, I just think it would be an awesome experience.
9. What are the first three words that come to your mind?
 
Sleep. Work. Chocolate.
10. What is your favorite book?
 
It would have to be Redeeming Love. I haven't read it in a while; but it deserves a second read for certain.
11. Which movie can you watch over and over and it still "gets you" every single time?
 
The Notebook-without a doubt!
If anyone decides they would like to answer these questions on their blog, please feel free to copy and paste. Give your readers a little something different :)

Hope you enjoyed, comment below if you decide to answer these as well!

xoxo

Can't Get Enough Booties!

You saw ankle booties start to make an appearance last year, but Fall 2012 is the year of the ankle booties. Luckily I scored the perfect pair!
LC Lauren Conrad Booties - Women
 These LC Lauren Conrad booties are perferct for Fall and I can't wait to show them off in September with the trip to Nashville we've planned. These babies are on sale at Kohl's, and plus if you're a Kohl's card member, you have the opporutnity to use an additional 20% or 15% off coupon-now who doesn't like deals like that??

Here are a few other booties that I'm digging:
Candie's Ankle Boots - Juniors 
                                            Candies @Kohl's                                       
   Unionbay Ankle Boots     
Unionbay @ Kohl's  
    Ankle Booties
            I'm loving these!!!! (via pinterest)

So how to wear this hot "new" trend?? Here's a few of my favorite images I found on Pinterest (don't forget to follow my board, by clicking the link under my favorite sites)


Fall clothes :)

denim shirt black dress simple
love the casual look. sweater, white tee and boots! perfect for the weekend.

For chilly fall days: flow-y dress, cozy sweater, black tights and warm booties

Textured tights, wool socks & suede booties.

sparkles + neutrals

Pinned Image

Just because it's fall doesn't mean you have to hang up most of your summer attire-mix and match with your skinny jeans, shorts and tights (even your skirts)-and most importantly a scarf! You'll be looking fall fabulous in no time. For more summer to fall transition help, check out Lauren Conrad's site for additional guidance.

xoxo


Thursday, August 16, 2012

Images & Honesty


I downloaded an app on my phone, MyFitnessPal, so I could start tracking what I eat everyday, and how many calories I'm consuming. Needless to say, three days later I haven't even glanced at it. I decided to change my eating habits by switching my Hostess Crumbs Doughnuts to lactose free yogurt, add fruit and gluten free granola for breakfast. Next I bought items to make a wrap for lunch each day at the office. It's all sounding good right??? Overall I should've been thinking about this being a healthy decision, since those other items I was consuming weren't great for my body (internally). But do you know what I was really thinking about the whole time???? How few calories I could consume and how much weight I needed to lose.

So I have this expectation that every time I get on a "health kick", it'll come right off-and I mean I literally believe it should disappear ASAP. I end up stepping on the evil scale every morning, just to realize that it's not moved AT ALL. So then starts my thought cycle (and you can laugh, but I know I'm not the only one who battles these thoughts in my head, and I'm being extremely open here so please save your harsh comments, and I apologize for the language in the picture):
Body Image

You're kidding me, all this work and nothing at all. I hate my body. I have the worst body, seriously. [Now I'm looking in the mirror]. How can anyone find all this fat attractive? How does my husband even find me attractive? [insert stomach growl]. I am such a pig, here I am trying to lose weight and my body plots against me and I constantly think about food. I am disgusting.

So that's just the beginning of it...my internal conversations don't always go like that, but I'm not lying when I say that this is how most of my mornings will start. So I go through my day, and I get back home...now it's round 2 of the internal thought battle going on in my mind...

Standing in front of the mirror, I start to pick apart everything I see: my face is too chubby. My boobs- I have elderly woman boobs-look how much they friggin sag!!! And my butt! And my pooch-my kangaroo pouch, no matter how hard I do diet or workout it never goes away. I look awful.

I'll stop there to keep your eyes from rolling out of your head. Yes, I know that by putting this out there, just how ridiculous I sound. But the mind...it can be a trap sometimes. Especially when you allow certain thoughts to dwell there. Sadly, these thoughts have dwelled for so long that it's now a "bad habit", I guess. These thoughts are so bad, I constantly worry what other girls are thinking of me. Are they sizing me up? I bet they're talking about how digusting I look in this outfit. Then, I start thinking of how much better they look and how I wish i had their body. Gracious, I even hate going out on the river because it seems that it's only the tiny girls out there. What pisses me off even more is to see these itty bitty girls downing beer like it's water-and nothing happens. While I've had to alter everything I put in my mouth just to avoid even bloating!

body image article.So I say all that to say this, I don't want to continue this way. I saw this picture on pinterest, and it really struck home with me. If I have a daughter, I don't want her to fall into my bad habits. I just want her to be healthy. I don't want to be one of those moms that are more concerned with her child's weight than anything else that is going on in my child's life. In other words, I have to get this thought process under control. I have to understand that I am in no way perfect, nor will I ever be.

We all like to think that the people who spend time working on their bodies are perfect. They work so hard on themselves to show off their work in a show, to be judged, and hopefully win an award. I give an extreme amount of credit to those people, because it takes so much determination and time! But in the end, it doesn't necessarily matter what their opinion of themselves are-it's the judges. And you may win the competition, but in the side notes, guess what, they still tell you what you're lacking. So that means, even if we put all this hard work into our bodies, our temples, we will still never acheive perfection. As much as we would like to, it's just not possible. We like to tag that word to Hollywood's most beautiful people and say that they're "perfect", but perfection constantly changes to whatever Hollywood wants it to be. Years ago a size 10 was perfect (Marilyn Monroe) and now, you're still technically fat if you're a 0 (I know, gag right?).  At some point, this will click with me. I'd rather it be now than later. Because if I can't learn to accept myself for who I am, despite my flaws, then I will never allow anyone else the chance to accept me either. That includes my husband, my family, friends, and even those people I'm worrying what they're thinking of me.
 This picture highlights how the majority of people see themselves when they look in the mirror. Now if only we had the mentality of boys-and only thought the best of ourselves!
I can't help but laugh because that's usually how it is!

Now you know one of my darkest secrets-and while some of you will only be thinking how silly, there are others who will read this and understand. Understand those nights when you search the internet of all the skinny actresses and wish to be like them; where you pick yourself apart in the mirror; where you scream obscenties at yourself-make you hate yourself because you don't look like what society tells you that you should look like. I know it seems pathetic, reading this aloud-it's disturbing that I could hate my own self so much, but then expect others to love me. Doesn't seem right does it? So it's going to be a new struggle for me, learning to stop doing that. To tell myself that I love what I see looking back at me. But I'm going to do it, if not for my sanity, but also so I can allow my relationship with my husband to be better, as well as with my family and friends. I hope those of you that are struggling with your self image/worth as well, will take time to reflect and start this new journey of self love with me.
xoxo

Maggie

body image

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Some Other Beginning's End

Finally, I can get back to posting regularly on here. Why is that? I've finally finished college. :) It only took me seven years, but I'm FINISHED!!!

graduate from college. #check Next week, I will be walking across the stage to receive my bachelor degree in Accounting. It feels surreal to be quite honest. I've been having "nightmares" that I've forgotten assignments or that I'm not really finished. lol Sad, I know. But I guess after you've been working so hard on something for so long, you get into a habit. Now if I can get back into the habit of cleaning and organizing. Our living space desperately needs it.

In other news, I'm not sure where this this new ending is going to take me ("every new beginning is some other beginning's end", sorry that lyric automatically popped in my head). I do know that this now opens a door of opportunities that I never knew were possible, so I'm going to see where it leads me. In the mean time, I'll be taking a small break from studying before I pursue my next goal: CPA. I have a few more courses to take in order to qualify in even taking the exam, and then I must save $900 in order to take the exam. So if anyone feels like donating funds, I would gladly appreciate it. ;)

I would also like to use this post to thank those who have continually encouraged me while I have struggled, mentally, to juggle a full time job and full time studies. As my husband says, it builds character. I have certainly learned a lot through this process, and I don't know who else I would be if I had not done it. If I didn't have such an amazing husband, I'm not sure I would've even finished college; because he is the one who pushed me to get back into school (when we began dating). And now, here we are. I'll be posting pictures of the ceremony. Stay tuned for more fabulous posts, as I get back into the swing of things!