Goals for the summer

Well, I did awesome for that 30 day challenge, but I have not done well with keeping up with this blog!  I haven't really been cooking new things and most defiantly have not been crafting!  I'm so busy with school and work I haven't done much.  I even made a spring cleaning list for my house, and I have done maybe two things on that list.  Insert sad face.  

So, I have decided to make a goals list for summer time!

Not a lot of goals.  Because, well as you can see with the spring cleaning list, I have good intentions but it doesn't get done.  Why set myself up for disappointment?! 

This is why things don't get done! 

Here are my goals:

1. Paint Zoe's Room and get it pretty-fied!  She cant seem to keep it nice and clean, so maybe with a little decor it will be easy for her. That's what I am hoping for anyways.  We picked two colors.  A sky blue and a lime green.  Two walls each color.  She wants her dresser yellow to look like the sun.  I want to make a flower pot holder for her window and make stuffed animal nets for the corners of her room because she has SO many stuffed animals.  Mainly puppies.  I know she wont part with any, so if I have them off her bed and floor and up there they will be out of the way.  I also want to make a thing for her bed, she has a loft bed and they have these like sheets that look like houses that you hang, so they can make the inside like a little house.  That's a big project in itself because I don't know how to sew.  So, on to goal number 2......

(image found on flicker, no source)

Isn't that the cutest thing EVER! 

2.  Learn how to SEW!  Yes, I have a sewing board on my pinterest page, yes I own a sewing machine.  No, I have not busted it out of its box and sewn things.  I will learn, darnit!  I want to have another baby, so I want to make cute blankets and clothes! 

3.  Last goal.  Get my third bedroom straightened up.  Its just a complete mess in there.  Completely embarrassing! 

I think these are pretty attainable. Do you all have any goals this summer?!

~Allie 

30 Day Challenge: COMPLETED!

I actually stuck with something!  Go me!  I never do well on these sort of things, I guess I'm turning over a new leaf in 2014.  Hopefully this little challenge is a foreshadowing of things to come this year.  Like bigger and better things getting accomplished.   Lets finish this challenge shall we?!

Day 28: Something that I miss.  I miss the days where I had no bills, no worries, could come and go as I please.  Don't get me wrong, I love my family and would die if I didn't have them anymore, but its nice to think back to those days when I didn't have to think of anyone but myself.  You know back when I wasn't exhausted all the time and would go out to eat at like 10 pm at night! Now, I'm in bed by 8, reading a book and zoning out for the night! hahaha

Day 29: Goals for the next 30 days.  Lets see, it would be February.  So, going to the gym at least three times a week would be good.  Drop at least ten pounds would be even better!  Do yoga 3 days a week. Clean out my guest bedroom so its presentable.  Make some new healthy recipes to share on here!  Oh, and get some crafting in!  I have 4 letters for kids I HAVE, HAVE to get done. Like they had to be done last week and I haven't started.......

Day 30: My highs and lows of the month.  Lows: Hours being cut at work. It was going good for a bit, was too good to be true, but at least I have a job and my bills are getting paid.  Starting speech class, I have dreaded that damn class since I started back in school!  Medical bills piling up and no way to pay them.....

Highs: Started back at the gym.  Got my reading mojo back. Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley came out in print, yet the stores around me don't have it yet! Having weekends off.  We have had so many nice family days this month.  I cant contain how happy that makes me! 

Share some of your highs and lows with me!

~Allie 

30 Day Challenge: 24-27

Day 24: Whats my favorite movie and what is it about?  Lets see, I dont have a favorite per say. I do have some that I can watch over and over again.  Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte, with Betty Davis.  Its a suspense mystery.  Betty Davis is being asked to move out of her plantation so they can build a road and she wont go, so her cousin comes in to help but things go crazy with the ghost of Bettys married ex-lover.  

I also love Pride & Prejudice with Kiera Knightly.  Its about a family of five girls and their mother wanting them to get married off.  Then comes Mr. Darcy and he is mean at first and Elizabeth doesnt like him, then she sees the error of her ways when she finds out all the sweet and wonderful things he does for her.

Dirty Dancing.  I made Richie go see this with me when they put it back in the movie theaters a few years ago for some anniversary. It was all middle aged woman, and it was GREAT seeing it on the big screen!  I love all dance movies really, even if they are corny.  Dancing and singing.  I love them! 

Day 25: Someone who fascinates me and why.  Really cant answer this one. I have not had enough coffee to articulate an intelligent response.   

Day 26: What kind of person attracts you?   I'm confused. Does that mean who am I attracted to, or who gravitates towards me?  Ill go with the second.  If I'm out in a store, there is always that one person that needs someone to talk to and I guess I have the kind of face (my mom as well) who attracts them.  Random people talk to me all the time or ask me for help all the time when I'm out shopping.   

Day 27: A problem that I have had.  Who hasn't had problems.  I cant think of a major problem. I deal with little problems every day. I guess my daily struggle as of late is trying to balance a household, school, family and work.  That defiantly is a daily struggle! Im' still trying to find the energy to deal with it all! 

Feel free to share your views! 

~Allie 

30 Day Challenge 20-23

I'm kinda proud of myself for sticking with this project.  When ever I try to do the monthly photo challenge I fail miserably!  Lets start shall we.....

Day 20: How important do I think education is? Very.  Why?  When I was in school I knew what I wanted to do, therefore I slacked.  Big time.  Now, I am back in school and while I don't find it too hard, I wish I would have applied myself more in high school while learning these things.  Because now, I soak it up like a sponge and enjoy it so much! 

Day 21: One of my favorite shows.  Hmmm.....which one to pick.....I have a lot.  I guess I'll go with Once Upon a Time.  If you haven't seen this show, then you must!  It takes these fairy tales and intertwines them with each other and makes them interesting.  Hook is a hottie, prince charming is a hottie, cant go wrong! 

Day 22: How have I changed in the past two years.  Not much I don't think.  I am trying very hard to be a glass half full person. Its not as easy as it sounds.  I tend to be a negative person in a lot of aspects, so that is a constant struggle.  

Day 23: Now the fun part!!!!  Give pictures of 5 famous guys whom I find attractive......YIPPEE.  

 

Robert Pattinson, I mean come on.  He tops this list.  Although he looks like a hobo a lot of the time, the accent of his will prevail each and EVERY time.  I love this man. mmmmmmmm........those eyes!

Colin Firth, I love this man.  Again with the accent.  I have a thing for brits, what can I say?  Hes older, and such a good actor how can you not think he is delectable? 

Jesse Williams.  Words don't do this man justice.  Enough said.

Channing Tatum.  The man can DANCE.  I love a man that can dance!  Hes not so bad on the eyes either!

And last but not least.....

Mr. Swayze.  He was my first ever crush.  I watched Dirty Dancing with my mom every weekend almost.  I pretended to be baby, I wanted the coral dress and the high heels, I wanted to dance with Patrick.  I was heartbroken when this man died. See, what I mean about a man that can dance!?!? 

Now, this last one I actually had to google, because I couldnt come up with them on the top of my head.  Cept for Rpatz and Patrick.  Now, if you asked me fictional characters from books, then I could have those listed one, two, three.  Tack from Motorcycle Man, Hop from Fire Inside, Max from The Gamble, Apollo from Broken Dove, Lee from Rock Chicks 1, I could go on....Edward from Twilight, Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Romeo, Bill from Sookie Stackhouse series.   I guess I should stop now before I embarrass myself. 

Share with me your famous men :) 

~Allie 

Currents

Currents

I cant even remember the last time I did a current post!  So here goes.....

Reading: I just finished Broken Dove by Kristen Ashley. I LOVED it.  It was the 5th in the series I believe.  I read the others a looooong time ago, so when the other characters entered I was a tad bit confused, but the book was back to old school KA style of writing so that is what I loved most about it.  Once she got a publisher some of her newer books have been cut short and not as detailed as she usually is.  So this book had all that I love about her writing in it.  I was pleasantly pleased!

Laughing: Im always laughing about something.  Most of the time its from what the kiddo does or says.  

Listening to: I love Lorde right now, and timber by keisha and pit bull.  Oh, and The Neighbourhood.  Love Sweater Weather! 

Wearing: Jeans, jeans and more jeans.  Its been cold in florida.  Too bad I have no sweaters anymore!  So, I've been rocking my one and only glittery sweatshirt. 

Watching: I'm digging Super Fun Night with Rebel Wilson.  Any show where the lead is not super skinny, I am in.  The first episode didn't really grab me, its was the second that did.  I'm a sucker for a love story. 



Eating: I made a new crockpot recipe last night.  Cowboy something or other. It was yummy.  Of course I'll blog about it.  I need to get back into that.  My pictures have sucked lately.  I do them too quickly and it takes away from the pretty food I am consuming. 

Craving: Food, I am hungry non stop lately.  

Getting ready for: School.  I am taking a class that I put off and put off and I am really dreading it.  I dont understand it, its an 80/20 course and I'm just lost.  I go in tomorrow to do an impromtu speech, which sucks by the way.  Not happy. 

Working on: Cleaning my house.  What else is new.  I plan on decorating the bedrooms this year.  Zoe's room is a disaster and I am afraid to go into it.  Hopefully we can fix that this year! 

Whats current with you all??

Fresh Corn Salad

I have made this side dish several times and I absolutely love it!  The ingredients are raw and the citrus vinaigrette is delicious! 

You could probably use any veggies you would like.  I stick with the corn, zucchini and tomatoes.  I have cooked my corn and left it raw. Its really up to you.  I made this for my friends baby shower yesterday and actually took a picture of it to blog about!  

Its a great dish to bring to bbq's.   You know get those veggies in and the dressing I would use on a salad I love it that much! 

I originally got the recipe from recipegirl.com.  I slightly changed.  Just slight. 

Fresh Corn Salad:

4     ears of corn

2-3  Zucchini 

1 pt.Cherry tomatoes

handful of basil (chopped, chiffoned, whichever you prefer) 

4 T. rice wine vinegar

2 T. EVOO

1 T. honey

1 T. fresh lime juice

salt and pepper

Cut off the kernels from the corn.  I learned from Rachel Ray to put a mini bowl upside down in a bigger bowl.  Place your cobb on top of that and cut the kernels off.  It makes it super easy to get the knife all the way down the cobb (then all your kernels are in the bowl you need to use!).  Dice up your zucchini, halve your tomatoes and chop your basil and throw all of that in a bowl.  

Mix all the wet ingredients together and throw on top of veggies.  Mix well, cover and let sit in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors.  Right before serving top with some salt and pepper (to taste).

All done!  Easy peasy!

~Allie 

A little bit late.......days 14-19

By the time day 16 came around I was so busy I completely forgot!  

Day 14: Your earliest memory.  I remember being a wee little one, watching probably football or baseball downstairs and my mom picking me up and putting me in my bedroom upstairs to go take a nap.  I remember it clear as day.  Isn't that crazy! Nothing special about it, just I vividly remember it. 

Day 15: Your favorite tumblrs.  If I knew what those were I would post them. But, alas I do not.  What are they?!  Someone explain them to me please!

Day 16: My views on mainstream music. Is it bad to have mainstream music?  I love all music.  Of course being on the radio I tend to lean towards those songs more.  Why? Because I simply don't have time to find underground, indie, unknown artists.  I am open to listening to them.  I have found some groups through friends before they made it mainstream like Of Monsters and Men and I absolutely love them.  When I was younger I loved discovering new groups or bands.  When I was younger we didn't have the internet the way we do now.  Now, you can youtube and find anything.  I just simply don't have the time but I love all music.  

Day 17: My highs and lows of the past year.  My high would be moving into a house (rent) that we will stay in for a few years to come.  My lows, probably work.  Its been a struggle getting the hours. Drained my savings supplementing my paychecks to so I could stay a float.  2014 is looking better for that so far.  Book bash would be a high.  That day was so much fun!  We went on a nice family vacation and are planning our next one for early 2015.  I would say the work problem being my only low oh and getting a C in one of my classes. I learned absolutely nothing in that class and the C really brought my GPA down.  More highs then lows! 

Day 18: My beliefs.  My beliefs in what exactly?  Hmmm...well I was not raised going to church, while I do believe in God, I don't live day to day by what the bible says.  Nor do I look down on those who do.  Only if you throw it in my face over and over again.  I live my life according to MY morals.  I learn from others mistakes and I think that is what has molded me into the person I am.  I am pro choice.  I don't think a group of people should decide for me what I can and cannot do with MY body.  I have a conscience, I don't condone those who say get an abortion. Its their right to decide that, not mine.  I personally don't think I could do that, but I think the choice for me should be up to me and say my partner, depending on the situation.  I could probably go on and on, but I will not.  

Day 19: Disrespecting your parents. Don't do it.  Its rude.  Some parents let their children get away with it.  When I was younger I watched my mom get talked to like crap and I vowed to her at a young age that I would NEVER say those unkind words to her.  And I have not.  I may snap here and there, but I apologize afterwards when I have seen the error of my ways.  You should respect all people that are older then you.  Its polite.  If you disagree with something then talk about it like the adult you are.  The older people (I'm talking older generation , like grandparents age) have lived longer then you, they have seen more then you, learn from that.  If you don't agree then move on.  No need to be rude to them or treat them like crap. I worked for this company a long time ago that employed a lot of older people that did not speak a lot of English.  They were hard workers and got the job done and they were very nice.  I watched the one person of authority rip into one because he did something wrong (this gentlemen was say your grandpa, thats how older he was). Talked to them like they were the dirt on the bottom of their shoes.  Yes, they messed up.  Address the issue, hey write them up even.  But, to talk to them like that was inexcusable.  It was disgusting and to this day I will not buy their products. I have no respect for them. So when it comes to disrespecting your parents don't. 

I'm all caught up!  Feel free to comment your opinions, whether you agree or not.  All is welcome! 

~Allie