What's Up Wednesday?!

Wow. Can you believe we're already through the month of April?! I feel like it was JUST Christmas time! My goodness. This time is passing by like crazy!

What's Up Wednesday?!

What We're Eating This Week

I'm finally back to normal food, aka NOT the Whole 30.... but I have to admit. Now that I'm not being FORCED to do the Whole 30, I feel much better about eating the right things :) 

 I don't know how to explain it. I'm just a little stubborn and don't like being told what to do! 

So here's our menu for this week!

Monday: Broccoli Alfredo Tortellini

Tuesday: Pizza! {side note: we STILL cannot find as good of a pizza place as we did in Hawaii... boo}

Wednesday: Chicken And Noodle Caesar Salad

Thursday: One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese! 

Friday: Leftovers

Anyone want recipes?! Good! Because there are some in the mix coming up soon :)

What I'm Reminiscing About

Is it weird to say nothing?! I'm actually just looking forward to what we have planned for the summer. 

Of course I'm always thinkin' about mama. 

But for right now, I'm just so excited for summer and traveling!

What I'm Loving

Uh, is shopping a good answer? ;) 

What We've Been Up To

We've been active! Going to the dog park. Taking walks on some nature paths. And just loving the weather! Gorgeous and 70 degrees out!

What I'm Dreading

Nothing! Gosh, this might be boring for y'all so far. I mean, weird to say, but I'm literally not dreading anything! 

What I'm Working On

Working on some YouTube videos. Working on some blog posts. 

But you know what one of the most exciting things is...? Read below ;)

What I'm Excited About

We are going to pay off our car this weekend! 

NO MORE CAR PAYMENTS!

That's what this mama's excited about! 

It's one of my goals to be debt free before we have kids. {aside from our mortgage.}

p.s anyone else seen this movie? We watch it when we want a silly/dumb movie to watch ;)

What I'm Watching/Reading

Watching...

Jane The Virgin

Greys Anatomy

The Mindy Project

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Reading...

NOTHING. And I so need to start reading. At least one book a month.

Any suggestions? I love biographies {about people in present day mostly}, I love fun books. Anything really :)

What I'm Listening To

1. Work From Home - Fifth Harmony

2. Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande

3. Close - Nick Jonas

What I'm Wearing

Lots and LOTS of Pink Lily Boutique. 

I've been loving their maxis, and I have about 4 of them now. 

Also this cute outfit!

Top: Marshalls

Shorts: J Crew Factory 3" Chino Shorts

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Well, poor Coley bear is getting fixed this weekend. So there will be a night without him :( 

Mama's not so happy about that! But, I hope that he won't be in pain. 

SO, this weekend, we'll head up to the Farmers Market, and then pick up Coley from the vet after his surgery, and then spend the weekend at home with him, doing whatever our sweet baby needs!

The look on his face pretty much says it all. He is NOT looking forward to this weekend. 

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

My love's birthday is next month! Woohoo! I cannot wait to make him feel so special and celebrate his birthday to the fullest. 

I have a little plan up my sleeve, but it's a surprise. So I can't put it on here on the off chance that my babe reads this ;) 

What Else Is New

I always say... this is such a silly question! I have nothin' else for y'all :)

What Is Your Favorite Mother's Day Gift To Give Or Receive

Well, of course I used to give my mom the usual mug or flowers. 

But one year my sister and I got professional pictures done for my mama's mothers day while she was out of town. 

When she got back in town and it was mothers day, we handed her all of the prints. I think that was her favorite gift of all time!

Circa 2013

Hope y'all have a wonderful end of your April, and a gorgeous May! 

Woohoo!

What's Up Wednesday?!

Well, y'all... I'm writing this to you today while watching Fixer Upper.

Needless to say, it's gonna be a good day! 

#shiplap

What's Up Wednesday?!

What We're Eating This Week

Well, that's funny y'all should ask! 

As of today, we are starting the Whole 30! 

If y'all don't know what that is, it's basically 30 days where you don't eat any processed foods, sugar, grains, dairy, or alcohol. 

Sounds like a lot to handle... but honestly, when you look at the food you do get to eat, and you start meal planning your week, you realize it's not that bad!

You can eat all of the vegetables, fruits, meats, and water/coffee/tea that you desire!

For those of y'all interested, I'll be posting ALL of our meals in a Whole 30 series. This should help you with some new recipes for this 30 days. 

And honestly, if you're at all interested in this, look up the rules more closely on Google, and join us! 

I've heard of AMAZING results from this little guy! 

For those of y'all not interested in anything I had to say above {no hard feelings ;) },  I have 2 recipes up that I've already posted for y'all this week!

Check back on Thursday as well for another new recipe :)

Perfectly Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes

Crunchy Wonton Tacos

What I'm Reminiscing About

Mama, of course. Because what's new?!!

I tell ya. This grieving thing is NO JOKE. 

And it takes a heck of a long time. A lifetime to be more exact.

But anyways, this song always comes to mind because my mama said she loved it when I played it on the piano and sang along. 

{song starts at about 1:00 min}

yep. I miss my mama.

What I'm Loving

Well, hmmm. Fixer Upper! Duh! 

Also loving this weather that's moving right on in. 

Hello Spring. 

Hello Sunshine.

Hello Gorgeous Days.

What We've Been Up To

Well, we've been just moving right along with life!

And praising God every minute of it!

2 weekends ago, we went up North and volunteered for a world championship event that Adidas sponsored. 

This past weekend, we spent Easter at home just having a comfy, cozy day. We took a couple walks around the block and ate monkey bread and enchiladas. #helloyum

We also put Cole in a cute hat. 

Can't say no to that face!

What I'm Dreading

Not anything of real substance. 

But I do have to say... I got my first mosquito bite of the season the other night.

Not too happy about that one #grrr

I need all of these. At the same time.

What I'm Working On

Just workin' my little booty off on this blog!

I'm really enjoying this community that I get to be a part of with y'all! 

And it's my absolute FAVORITE when y'all leave comments. Cause then I really get to interact with you! 

I feel like we're just really good friends :)

What I'm Excited About

Life :)

Isn't that nice though?

I've been really focusing on being excited for the little things everyday. Because otherwise, I find myself looking forward to everything months from now. And then I end up missing the little things everyday!

So, what do I get excited about everyday?

-Waking up next to my man {seriously my fave}

-My apple cider in the morning

-How excited Cole gets when he wakes up and sees us in the morning

-The crisp outside air in the early hours of the day

-Cooking for my loves

-Lighting the candle in the kitchen

-Having a clean home

-Going to the park/on walks with my dears

- Picking my man up from work

-Laying down and relaxing completely in our bed next to each other at night

I could've gone on for days. When you start thinking of things, it's really easy to keep going! Try it!

What's your favorite things that you get excited about in everyday life?

What I'm Watching/Reading

Uh, Real Housewives of New Jersey. Cause duh! 

But I'm watching it because I want to watch all of the seasons before I read Teresa's new book. I've heard great things about it!

What I'm Listening To

This one is freakin' catchy! 

What I'm Wearing

I'm starting to come out of  hibernation because the weather's gettin' warmer. 

So, maxi dresses and J. Crew chino shorts are becoming my faves!

I've been finding some GORGEOUS maxi dresses at Marshalls! And yes, they've all found a place in my closet ;) 

I don't have this one. But I love it. It's from Nordstrom.

But honestly, I cannot justify $158.00  on a dress. 

What I'm Doing This Weekend

We are headed to the beach!

Holla!

I mean, it's not Laguna Beach or anything, but it'll have to do!

Cole is slowly learning that he likes water {as long as it's not in the bathtub}.

And it's adorable seeing him pounce in the water and splash around. 

#love

Also, I found a new park by our house that we'll be hitting up. 

It has a little river with a bunch of ducks running through the middle of it. And y'all can probably guess...

Cole loves that.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

It's my birthday next month!

A little bitter sweet, since it'll be the first one without my mama, but I know she'd be so proud of me. 

What are we doing for my birthday? 

Ask my man!

It's kind of a tradition in our little family that the other one plans the birthday as a surprise. 

And it always turns out fun :)

For my birthday last year, we kayaked out to Molokua Islands, and we had an awesome time!

I may or may not have flipped the kayak and FREAKED the freak out {even though I could touch the bottom}.

And I may or may not ever live that one down.

#imisshawaii

What Else Is New

Pretty sure I say this every time, but I think this question is silly! I have no idea what else I could share with y'all :)

Bonus: What Is Your Favorite Spring Cleaning Tip

Oh, y'all, I've got a good one!

Are you cleaning out your closets? This one might involve some planning in advance, but it'll take out all of the guess work! 

I'm sure you have some clothes in your closet that you don't ever wear, but you always convince yourself to keep them because "one day I'm gonna wear that cheetah onesie".

So, if you have a hard time with throwing clothes out, start by making sure your hangers are all hanging the same direction. 

When you wear a clothing item, then wash it and hang it back up, turn your hanger backwards. This way, you know you'll most likely wear this one again!

When it comes time to clear your clothes out, donate or sell all of the clothes that are still on the hangers that haven't been turned backwards. 

Easy peasy!

Hope y'all have a wonderful day! See you tomorrow :)

What's Up Wednesday?!

Is anyone else having a hard time believing that February is almost over??? My goodness! 

But I am so glad that my year has involved you guys. YES, YOU!!

I love this community. Y'all are just spectacular :)

Let's get started!

What's Up Wednesday?!

What We're Eating This Week

Well, we've been eating some new meals! I always get excited about trying new things :)

A classic that's been on our menu is my Homemade Spaghetti Sauce. If y'all know anything about me, it's my love for Jesus, my boys, and spaghetti. YUM.

I use spaghetti sauce for lots of things, and you will never go back to jarred stuff after making this!

We've also been eating Southwest Salad. So simple. So yummy. 

And this mama loves her sweets! Any of y'all have a sweet tooth?? These cookies will be right up your alley. Super simple, and I always have the ingredients on hand.

They're soft, cake like, dreamy little bits of heaven #allthehearteyes

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies

What I'm Reminiscing About

Reminiscing about our sweet baby! We cannot believe how big he's gotten. It's crazy! 

{then and now}

Also reminiscing about the warmer months. I cannot wait to have more things to do than just being stuck inside. Plus, we have some pretty underrated summers where we live is what I've heard! ;) 

What I'm Loving

I am loving being a little travel agent! One of my favorite things is to plan for our upcoming vacations. Any one else do this?? I have a knack for finding the cheapest places to stay that will still amaze you! Think luxury at the lowest price evaaaaa!

So we've got a couple of vacays comin' up! Hooray for downtime and being able to spend it together :)

And yes, these are all real pictures. Not filtered. Beautiful!

What We've Been Up To

A passion project. Anyone else had one of these?? 

I've decided to follow a passion project. So I started my YouTube Channel!

If you haven't checked it out, please do so. It would mean the world to me! 

Subscribe to not miss any videos, or look on my Makeup Mondays and I'll be linking my new videos for the week!


Dusty Rose Makeup Tutorial

Texturized Beachy Waves Hair Tutorial

Red Smokey Eye Makeup Tutorial

These are my three latest videos. If you love makeup and hair and all that girly stuff, or just want to learn more about technique in an easy and fun way, then I promise you'll love them!

What I'm Dreading

Hmm, that is just something that I'm not going to apply to my life. I am not dreading anything. I am consciously making a decision to think positively and not let others garbage be thrown on me. Ever heard of that law? Let me explain. 

Garbage Truck Law

What I'm Working On

Well, I'm working diligently on my new YouTube Channel. 



And on tons of new content for y'all on the blog! I can't wait for you to see everything that's coming! 

Let me know if there's something specific you'd like to see! 

It can be about anything. Grief, healing, new recipes, workouts, makeup, how to be 1st time dog parents,  how I'm successfully losing weight, anything!

Leave any suggestions down in the comments :)

What I'm Excited About

I'm excited for my new makeup to be arriving in the mail.



I'm excited to be going on a beach vacay! {Ooh Ooh!!!}




I'm excited to be losing weight {which is well on it's way from running and working out!}

What I'm Watching/Reading

Anyone else watching The Bachelor???

I'm not sure who I'm rooting for. I honestly don't feel like I can get a good read on Ben...

But I'll tell you what I do like... Pinterest Told Me To's Bachelor Recap. I literally laugh my booty off for days after reading her posts! You are missing out if you haven't checked them out!

What I'm Listening To

Hmmmm, let's get a little list going! I've been listening to a ton of upbeat music and loving it!



1. My House - Flo Rida
2. Drunk On Your Love - Brett Eldridge
3. On My Mind - Don Diablo
4. Cake By The Ocean - DNCE
5. Magic - Mystery Skulls
6. It All Started With A Beer - Frankie Ballard
7. Build Your Kingdom Here - Rend Collective

What I'm Wearing

I'm wearing my new jeans from Nordstroms. They are Vigoss, only about $35 and SO CUTE. 



Also, I really am trying to NOT wear my wedges yet... But I'm so wanting to! My Franco Sarto Wedges are my fave!

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Hmmm, not sure yet! Puppy play, puppy training, and running our miles for the week. I love these times!  With my boys :)

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

Possibly moving?!! I say this every single time. And honestly, I think it's going to happen! We have just taken a few detours ;) But that's alright. I know God's preparing to put us where he wants us.

What Else Is New

I always find this question the hardest because I feel like I've answered so much above! But I do know that we have made some progress on our wedding planning. Which makes me ecstatic! But if y'all are getting married anytime soon, or know anyone who is, I'd love to pass on this advice. 



It's easy in this day and age to get caught up in all the wedding planning. Make sure you are not planning a wedding, but preparing for a healthy, long lasting, loving marriage. Invest in your marriage. Not your wedding. 

Bonus: Favorite Easter Tradition

Hmmm, favorite Easter tradition?? Well, I used to love Easter Egg Hunts and all that. But now that I'm older, and we don't quite have kiddos yet {except for Coley}, I am so excited to celebrate Jesus!


{my little sister and I and my lamby on her first Easter. She had a horrible fever in this pic. But don't worry. Mama nurse to the rescue}

This year, we'll be heading to church in the gorgeous Spring weather to say thank you for His sacrifice for us. And I think we'll be making him a cake. For, you know, celebration :)



I hope y'all have a wonderful week, month, and so on. I can't wait to see you back here tomorrow for some fun! I encourage you ladies to take some time for yourselves this week/month. Just at least one time! You are worth it!