CEREAL NIGHT

On Friday, this popped up in my Facebook newsfeed. 

CEREAL night! (or whatever easy breakfast food you want). We will have normal milk and some boxes of cereal. I think Bri said she'd bring almond milk. So…. bring whatever.

Our Young Married Couples group was planning our next event.  I decided that I would bring Lucky Charms (mainly so that I would have an excuse to eat them), but before I put that down in writing, it was claimed.  After debating all weekend, I still had no idea what to bring.  I'm THAT person that doesn't like to cook AND my oven doesn't work, so I always bring the loserest (that's a word) options.  Only hours before it was time to go, I got SUPER excited and told Nick "Let's bring Krispy Kreme Doughnuts...it would be so fun to bring something good and not be the losers for a change!"

So, on our way to dinner, we stopped by Krispy Kreme.  I asked Nick if we could go through the drive through, but he said that he would rather go in, so we hopped out of the car and went inside.  As soon as the doors opened, the sugar was calling to me and I walked over to the glass to take a peek at what doughnuts were available.  Nick asked if we should just get a dozen glazed doughnuts and I responded, "We never get doughnuts, so I want to pick a dozen assorted that are fun options for everyone."  He said ok and I continued browsing.  He leaned over again and asked if I knew which ones I wanted and I said yes.  Then he started talking...he said to get a few glazed and that he wanted chocolate too.  I felt too guilty to get only what I wanted, so I figured I would appease Nick with a few doughnuts that he would like.  I told the lady, "4 glazed".  Then, Nick leaned over and added "4 chocolate".  I was watching in horror as my freedom of choice was being ripped from me, right before my eyes.  Nick turned to me and said, "You still need 4 more to make 12...the sprinkles are good".  So, the lady got 4 sprinkles.   

It was like an out of body experience.  I had gone inside with hopes and dreams of cute little colorful doughnuts.  12 different kinds.  Happy people at the couples dinner.  I watched the lady close the box lid and cover up the boring options that had somehow been chosen.  

I felt speechless...it had all happened so fast.  My dozen assorted doughnuts turned into 4 glazed, 4 chocolate and 4 sprinkles.  As the lady was walking over to the cash register, I turned to Nick and said, "Why didn't you let me choose anything!?!?!?  I feel like you are trying to control me and tell me what to do!!!!".  Nick said, "You did choose...she chose what you said".  I couldnt believe this was actually happening to me.  We paid for the doughnuts that I no longer wanted and went to the car.  As soon as we got in the car, we talked through what happened again.  I was upset because I didn't have fun picking my doughnuts and it crushed all my hopes and dreams and Nick was upset because he didn't even remember talking to the lady at all or telling her anything about doughnuts.  

We drove to the couples night in silence.

Then we pulled up, parked the car and Nick got out.  I couldn't believe that he didn't try to resolve the doughnut issue and that he didn't even offer to carry the box.  So, as he walked up ahead of me, I called after him and asked if we were done.  Nick turned around and said, "I don't know what else to say".  We just stood there, staring at each other.  The front door opened, we both put on our fake smiles and went inside for a fake fun night.  I ALWAYS love these.

After all that drama, one person ate half of a doughnut.  

Seriously?

Once the evening was over, we got home and got in bed.  Nick snuggled up to me and said, "Are you still mad at me?".  And I said, "What about YOU being mad at me...you wouldn't look at me all night!".  Nick said, "No, you wouldn't look at ME all night!".

We both laughed and I said, "Stupid doughnuts".

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All In Moderation

     This is my family when planning a meal together...

Momma: "So, what do y'all want to eat?"

My sisters: "I don't know..."

Me: "Pizza!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My sisters: "Yay!  We love Pizza!!!!!!!!"

Momma: "No, I want to eat something healthy."

Me: "Let's go to Schlotsky's and get salads!!!!!!!!"

Daddy: "That sounds good."

Momma: "I would really rather stay home and save money."

My sisters: "We always go there..."

Momma: "How about we make a good salad here at the house?"

Me: "No..."

Daddy: As his eyes light up and he does hand motions, "What about we make a good salad and grill some chicken?!?!?!"

     EVERY SINGLE TIME we have this conversation, my daddy suggests a good salad and grilled chicken.  And EVERY SINGLE TIME he suggests it, he does hand motions.  He takes both his hands and holds them out in front of him as if he is holding an invisible basket ball.  Then, he moves his hands around and back and forth.  That motion is basically his version of sign language for a "good salad and grilled chicken".  If I see my sisters doing those hand motions, I know what they mean.  So, it has become a family joke and we all do that "good salad and grilled chicken" sign language as we decide on a meal.

Well, actually I DO understand...

     My daddy doesn't just "like" anything.  You know "These are a few of my favorite things" song in The Sound of Music?  Well, this sums up my dad's life.  He has a few things that he LOVES.  Like, REALLY LOVES.  Like, he could do/have these things EVERY SINGLE DAY and never get tired of them.  Let me give you a list (this is great if you are Christmas shopping for him):

1.  Coffee --- He goes to Starbucks so often that one year the employees even gave him a christmas card and gift!  And if we are at his house, he always asks Nick "How about we make a nice pot of hot coffee?".

2.  Schlotskys --- He goes so often that the employees know that he wants chips and an extra cup of dressing with his salad.

3.  Soup --- He always asks who is going to be "scooping" his soup because he wants to make sure they get "all the junk from the bottom", while using his right hand in a downward circular motion...aka the "soup" sign language, similar to the "good salad and grilled chicken" sign language.

4.  Naps --- Saturdays and Sundays, at least, have always had mandatory naps.  And not just any nap...he needs feather pillows, lots of blankets, darkness and his fan blowing cool air on him.

5.  Peanut Butter --- When we lived overseas, people always brought a jar of peanut butter when they came to visit us!

6.  Grilled chicken and a good salad --- I think that we have established that he likes this!

7.  Sweatshirts --- Every Christmas he asks us for a "good sweatshirt".  It is basically just a solid color, cotton sweatshirt with a rounded neck, no hood, and the arms and torso must be long enough for his tall body.

8.  Nacho Libre --- We have watched this movie more times than I can count and my family speaks to each other through movie quotes.  When growing up, we watched "It's a Wonderful Life" every year for Christmas, but apparently our movie choices have adapted to our ever growing wisdom and maturity.

9.  Disposable Cups --- Instead of throwing away plastic, paper and styrofoam cups after use, my daddy washes them in the dishwasher or sink and saves them to drink out of instead of the glasses and cups in the kitchen cabinets.

10.  Giving --- seriously, BOTH of my parents will drop EVERYTHING for just about ANYONE.  They will give and give and give, even when they get nothing in return.  They LOVE helping people and will give their time, money, resources and more!

Seriously.  It MUST be a super-power.

     So, let's talk about me...

     Over the past few weeks, I have made it pretty clear that I LOVE Hallmark Christmas Movies.  But, the more and more that people bring it up and ask me about it, the more that I realized that I talk about my obsession all the time.  I am JUST LIKE MY DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I don't just "like" something...I LOVE IT.  I don't just dab my toe in something...I do a cannon ball.  I even wrote a post about it a few weeks ago, but wanted to share the few things that I am CRAZY about right here:

1.  Nick --- I don't like going anywhere without him and miss him ALL day when he is at work.

2.  Pizza --- If it were ok, I'd eat it every single night for dinner.

3.  Slippers --- I get home, take off my shoes and put on my slippers every single time.

4.  Blogging --- I don't have to explain this one.

5.  Essential Oils --- I mean, I pretty much live and breathe these things.

6.  Purple --- Every bedroom I ever had was purple until I got married (I have an extra special addition to this story below).

7.  Sauna --- I go to the gym to get in the sauna...end up story.

8.  Hallmark Christmas Movies --- My November and December are pretty much useless for anything else.

9.  Traveling --- I can't help but think that maybe I should have bought an RV instead of a house?

10.  Simplifying --- The 10 Item Wardrobe is my favorite and my friends and family freak out when I want to help them clean out and organize.

     UUUUUuuummmmmmmmm....do you see a pattern here!?!?!?!??!?!  I am pretty much Wick Jackson...just a little younger and more feminine.  I don't just try out these things...I go all in and obsess.

     The first time I realized that I might have a problem was when I met a new person at Francis Marion University.  I introduced myself and we started talking.  All of a sudden, the girl grabbed my arm and stopped me and said "Oh yea, I know you...you are the purple girl".  I was like, "What?".  She said, "You are the girl that walks around campus wearing all that purple".  AWKWARD.  I silently pondered her words and realized that I usually came to classes wearing my purple crocs, my purple north face jacket and my purple LLBean backpack.  It was like a lightbulb moment.  I was "the crazy purple lady".  So, after that embarrassing encounter, I tried to switch up some colors a bit...

     Everything in Moderation...have you heard people say that?!?!!?  Well, I am THAT person that, when I hear you say that, I dramatically roll my eyes and feel a serious gag reflex going on.  Basically my ENTIRE life, I have thought that people who say that are just liars.  I mean, when I am craving sugar...I don't just eat a candy bar, I eat cake for breakfast, a donut for mid morning snack, ice cream for lunch, hot chocolate in the afternoon and finish up the day with brownies.  I mean seriously.  Who does moderation?!?!?  

     All these years, I thought that I was normal and those "all in moderation" people were crazy.  

     So, here is my public apology:  I'm sorry that I was wrong, that I am THAT crazy person and that I get it all from my daddy...so it's basically his fault (but he got it honest too, so we can cut him a little slack). 

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Who Am I?

     As I was reading the final pages of The Fringe Hours, by Jessica N Turner, I read this quote that she included:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” 

― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

     I LOVED this...what a great way to end an AMAZING book!  

     So, I want to GIVE AWAY my copy of the book away to one of YOU!  Leave a comment and share what you like to do when you make time for YOU!  I will randomly select a name from the comments and send you this book, The Fringe Hours!

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2 year OILYversary GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EVERYONE is talking about Essential Oils, but it's because they are seriously aMaZiNg.  Some people talk about their favorite pair of skinny jeans...I talk about my essential oils.

I grew up using these little bottles of goodness - Tea Tree on my breakouts and Peppermint in the vacuum for a fresh smelling house - but, I had NO IDEA how many essential oils were out there and how much they could do!!!  I pretty much thought Lavender was the only other essential oil out there...

Back in November 2013, a friend invited me to an essential oils class.  I excitedly agreed to go and told Nick that he didn't have to worry about me buying anything.  Famous last words.  I ordered the Premium Starter Kit THAT NIGHT...November 20th, 2013.  EXACTLY TWO YEARS AGO!!!  A week later, I got my PSK and fell down the stairs carrying it.  As I was crying and moaning, Nick said "why don't you use your oils?".  I tore open my package, began applying and was immediately sold...I KNEW that I wanted to HELP others get these essential oils in their hands too!!!

My 1st Premium Starter Kit!!!!!!

So, fast forward to TODAY, two years later, and I am still USING, LOVING 

and SHARING about Young Living Essential Oils!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I first got started, I had A MILLION questions!!!!  I did TONS of reading and research because I was SUPER excited.  I was also blessed enough to have gotten into an AMAZING group, called the Lemon Droppers!  We have INCREDIBLE support.  Click HERE to watch this fun, short video about us!!!

If you are interested in essential oils, the best place to get started is with a Young Living Premium Starter Kit, like I did!!!  In the past, I used other essential oil brands, but I switched to Young Living because of their Seed to Seal, which means they are in charge of all of the steps in the process!!!  I have even been to the Young Living Lavender Farm in Mona, Utah and seen it all with my own eyes!!!  Click HERE to read about my visit and see photos!!!

Young Living Lavender Farm - Mona, Utah

If you would like to know more, PLEASE send me a Facebook message or Email me!!!  I am TOTALLY READY for your millions of questions!!!

BUT, if you are ready to get your own Premium Starter Kit NOW, you can order through me by clicking HERE!!!  The Wholesale Membership will save you TONS of money!  Even though you chose "Wholesale Member", you don't have to ever sell anything...it's just to get good prices (think SAMs Club or Costco Memberships)!!!

Once you sign up, let me know ASAP so that I can send you an Essential Oils CARE PACKAGE to help you get started!!!  Also, we have an essential oils Facebook education group called "School of Oils" that I would LOVE to add you to so that you can participate in our daily education, monthly giveaways, online classes, support and more!!!

I LOVE my essential oils, but even more, I LOVE the friendships that I have made through this journey with the Lemon Droppers!!!  If you have one more minute, click HERE to watch one last short, inspirational video about us!!!

Not only have I enjoyed 2 years of using Young Living Essential Oils, but I have also enjoyed 2 years of the BEST JOB IN THE WORLD!!!!!!  I spend my days helping people learn about essential oils and how to grow their Young Living businesses.  I am SO THANKFUL for this company and how it has given me the FREEDOM to do what I LOVE while working from home, setting my own hours, traveling much more than ever before...all without having to return to school or go into debt.

So, all this to say, in CELEBRATION of my 2 year OILYversary, I am GIVING AWAY these Goodies below to the FIRST person who signs up through me (click HERE) and purchases the Premium Starter Kit!!!!!!!!!!  It's first come, first served!!!!!!

GOODIES!!!!!!!!!!

Your Goodies include:

-A 15ml Tangerine Essential Oil

-A Lemon Dropper Handbook

-3 Lemon Dropper Quadfolds

-A spray bottle 

-A small roller bottle

-A mini roller bottle

-A mini dropper bottle

-A small essential oils carrying bag

-One more secret surprise in the bag :)

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and celebrate a milestone with me today!!!

THANKFULNESS

I really honestly believe that I am thankful.

I like living simply and being generous, so I always feel like I am doing "good" in the thankful and non-selfish department.

Haha...that's funny.

...you know how Nick and I just recently bought our first house in June?  Let me just be honest here....yes, I LOVE having my own house.  BUT, I want it renovated...decorated...Pinterest ready.  This takes TIME and MONEY, so that's what I think about...planning how I will get my dream home. I am constantly thinking about the future house that I WILL be thankful for, not my present house that I SHOULD be thankful for.

I grew up overseas...I've seen the poor and the homeless.  But, I don't see it often anymore and so I forget what it looks like and how much I have.

Until Monday night.

I went with a group of girls to Whosoever Church to serve dinner to the homeless.  After driving to a less than safe side of town, I pulled up and would NOT have gotten out of my car if I had not seen my friends standing on the Church porch.  We walked inside and I immediately noticed that the hot air was on high and the smells were not pleasant.  My group leader did a short devotional and then everyone filed through the kitchen to eat fried chicken, green beans, mac-n-cheese, rolls, brownies and sweet tea.  Many of them came back for seconds and even thirds and some took plates home.  They were SO kind.  No one was pushy.  Everyone was grateful.  One man even said "God bless you" to each person who put another thing on his plate.

As we were cleaning up, I learned that we had served many of these people their ONLY meal that day.  And that some of them had no where to go and would be sleeping on the uncomfortable wooden church pews that night.  I KNOW that people are homeless and starving, but until I see it with my own eyes, it doesn't seem real and hardly has an effect on me. 

When it was time to leave, we got in our nice, heated cars and drove over to Redbone Alley and shared appetizers and desserts that we all could afford to pay for...then we all went home...I walked into my warm house, had a hot shower, put on clean clothes, snuggled up in my comfortable bed, talked with Nick and enjoyed the safety of it all.  

Over the years, God has reminded me over and over again of "giving thanks in all circumstances" and I want to do that NOW and stop waiting for my "perfect" life.  I ALREADY have a life that many people would die for and I should be Thankful EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Well HELLO THERE Facebook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I decided to bite the bullet and get a Facebook Like Page for my Blog!!!!!!!

I REALLY want to get to know my readers better, buuuuuttttttttt I haven't found a good way to do that yet...emails are great...and blog comments are great...but Facebook is THE BEST!!!

So, please head on over to my BRAND NEW Facebook Like Page and LIKE ME!!!  I plan to keep you up to date on my blog posts there...AND my daily life!!!

I'm hoping that this will help us get to know each other better!

Click HERE...see you over there!!!!!!!!

Hallelujah

     Christmas was just around the corner and my daddy thought that it would be a fun, bonding experience for us to sing in the choir.  He and my sister, Mary Ashley, have pretty good singing voices so it was a piece of cake for them, but I was not blessed in that department.  However, in the name of family (and Christmas), I signed up too.

     We had practiced for a few weeks and were improving with each rehearsal.  There were so many songs to learn and we had to sing them over and over and over and over.  I remember thinking, “Why do we practice so much?…It’s not like we don’t know how to read the words and open our mouths and let our voices exit.”

     At one of our final rehearsals, we had quickly warmed up and practiced a few songs.  It was time to sing “Hallelujah”.  This was one of my least favorites because I felt like we just repeated the same things over and over and that the pitch was higher and harder to reach with each new line.

     So, we sang through most of the song and I was thinking that we would never get to the end.  Oh my word.  It just kept going and going.  Forever and ever.  I sat there staring off into space, not really paying attention because I already knew the words.  I didn’t need to look at the booklet or the director.  I knew this.

“And He shall reign for ever and ever,

for ever and ever,

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords,

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords,

and He shall reign for ever and ever,

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”

(side note - this is where the song ends and EVERYONE else stops singing)

HALLELUJAH!

(additional side note - this is where I continued singing one “Hallelujah” TOO many)

      As I was screeching out the additional Hallelujah, in a voice that should have killed the other singers, I realized too late what was happening.  Everyone.  Every single person.  They all turned around and looked at me in sheer horror.  The music had stopped.  The singing had stopped.  You couldn’t hear anything, except my breathing turning into hyperventilating.  All of a sudden, all I could think about was that Kyle Wasser was turned around staring straight at me in shock and that I had been terribly wrong…I actually DID need the words AND the director.  

Lesson Learned.  

But, the biggest lesson that I learned was to NEVER again sing in a Christmas Choir.  

Hallelujah.

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BFFs

I LOVE blogging...

     I'll just be minding my own business and then BAMMMM...I am inspired to write.  I sit down, start typing and the story comes to life, leaving me laughing or crying at my own adventures.  After my post is written and shared, I get to enjoy feedback from my readers.  

But you know one thing that I NEVER imagined I would get from my blog?!?!?!??!?!

Friendships.

    Katie found my blog, we began emailing back and forth and became Facebook friends 1-YEAR-AGO TODAY!!!!!!  And you know what they say...it's never official until its Facebook official.

Today is our 1-Year-Friendaversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     During these past 12 months, Katie and I have:

1.  camped at the Young Living Lavender Farm in Mona, Utah!!!!!!

2.  attended the Young Living International Convention in Dallas, Texas!!!

3.  attended FUEL Chicago together!!!!!!!!

     The MORE we talk, the more we find out how much we have in common and the more I love that we are friends!  And not only are WE friends, but our men have become friends too!  Friends are HARD to come by and friends that our men are ALSO friends are even HARDER to find!!!  

     Katie, thank you for reaching out to me!  Thank you for drinking the kool-aid and jumping onboard the essential oil freak train.  Thank you all of the messages and phone calls and giggles.  Thank for for always having my back.  Thank you for your friendship.

Heres to 1 YEAR and MANY MORE to come!!!!!!!!!!!

I love you Katie!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Limiting Beliefs

I had NO IDEA how much I was talking to myself every day.

     I have LOTS of Big Goals for my life and in some ways I believe that they will happen, but at the same time, I also know that they will NEVER happen.  Do you ever have those moments?!?!?!?!

Recently, I had a specific goal that I had been working towards for a LONG time.  I was working HARD!  But, every single time I thought about this goal, I would think thoughts like:

-It will NEVER happen.
-I can't do it.
-I'm not as good as __________.
-I'll probably fail.
-People won't like me.
-I don't have what it takes.
-I'm not a leader.
-I'm too shy.

The list goes on and on and on.

     So, on one hand, I would give myself a pep-talk and tell myself "YAY YOU CAN DO IT"...but at the same time, I would secretly be thinking, "I can say it, but it doesn't mean it will happen".

These doubts, fears and disbeliefs actually come from something deeper and more intense...

So, when I dug a little deeper, I found these beliefs:

"It will NEVER happen because I can't do it and I'll fail 

because I'm a quitter, I'm not good at anything and I never 

finish anything well."

WOW.

"I will NEVER be as good as _______ because I'm shy, easily overwhelmed and usually anxious and can't handle any type of stressful situations because I don't have the right personality/characteristics to be successful and make something of myself."

OH MY GOSH.

"I will NEVER fit in because I have always been the outsider/foreigner and no one will ever like me, accept me or invite me into their group because they can tell that I don't belong."

Yep.

So, I talk to myself like this ^^^ and then wonder why I don't feel confident...my past is now affecting my present and future!!!

So, what can be done?!?!?!?!?

     Since, I have identified my Limiting Beliefs about myself...I can create powerful opposites!

So, here is what I have:  I am a hard worker and always do the best that I can do at the time!  I have many gifts, talents and strengths that help me do things that I enjoy.  I have a group of friends that I love and they love me and accept me for me.

     What are YOUR limiting beliefs!?!?  

-You need to identify them

-Create powerful opposites

-Write those ^^^ down 10 times each per day 

-See how you feel about yourself after two weeks!!!!!!!

"The most Influential person you will 

talk to all day is you...be careful what 

you say !" - Zig Ziglar

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