Blog Every Day in January: What I'm excited for in 2014 (and answers for yesterday's post!)

Woohoo almost Thursday! I actually woke up and thought today was Friday. That is almost worse than waking up at 6 a.m. and thinking it's 3 a.m. and you still have a few hours of sleep left.

In all honesty, today is very stressful. I am waiting for a phone call right now that I am anxious about. (Aaaaaany minute now. It's not really something to be anxious about, but I am the queen of anxiety. Seriously.)

But this is a positive post! So let's move on to that!

First of all, here is the answer to yesterday's Two Truths and a Lie post:

The lie was...NUMBER ONE!

Like a few of you guessed, I do not have five brothers.

I do, however, have four. And I'm the oldest. So that was fun. They occasionally tackle me, but at least no one ever stole my clothes.

I did have my appendix removed senior year of high school. I was so fascinated by the whole experience that I wanted the doctor to save it in a jar for me. (I think that was the drugs talking? Maybe?) He said it was the weirdest request he'd ever had, but he did take a picture of it for me. Thank you, sir.

And yes, I was a PROFESSIONAL PRINCESS! Sort of. I worked at a place that threw princess parties for little girls, and you could opt to have a princess show up. I only had to wear the platinum blonde wig once and crazy dress once, thank goodness. Blonde and pink frills is not my best look.

(This picture has nothing to do with this post. It just makes me laugh. 

Even my water bottle matches us!)

Onto today's thing! I just had that scary phone call I mentioned above and it went really well. I know you were very concerned about that.

So, it is 2014, nearly the second month! Thank goodness. In case you missed me complaining about it before, I really dislike January. I consider it a throwaway month, one that people like to get done and over with. Except New Years. New Years is always fun.

Today is all about what I am excited for in 2014. Let's begin!

1.) THE JOB. For me, 2014 is the year of the career. Half of 2013 was spent stressing, interviewing, getting turned down, getting my hopes up, getting turned down, repeat. It was a rough year, one of the most challenging I've dealt with. 

It's funny because people keep telling me 2013 was "my year." I graduated in May, got engaged in October, and my book was accepted for publishing in December. Those were huge moments in not only my year, but my life. However, the rest of 2013 was hard on me. 

Leaving a full-time job after only two weeks was terrifying, and eight months of job hunting was draining. It was so hard to watch my friends get hired in jobs that matched their career goals, and while I was truly happy for them, it made me wonder what was wrong with me.

So my number one focus going into 2014 was to leave my internship and get my career rolling. Luckily, I seem to have stumbled into an opportunity that will allow me to do just that! I am very excited, a little anxious, and incredibly hopeful that this is exactly what I've been searching for. 

And I found out yesterday that I did, indeed, get the job!

2.) Weddings. I cannot wait to see two of my friends get married this summer, just three weeks apart! For one of those, Tom and I get to travel to California. It will be our first extended trip that we have to plan and execute on our own, so I am pretty excited for that. And I am a bridesmaid in my best friend Sandy's wedding! I remember exactly where she and I were the day of her first date with her fiance (before the date. No, I did not crash that date.) It feels so special to be a part of their wedding.

3.) Spring. Apparently, this winter is bad enough that we have to NAME EVERY STORM! Really though. Right now Winter Storm Leon is unleashing ice fury on the Southeastern U.S. And those of us in the Midwest get excited to see the temperature rise above zero, because that means the salt will work. I am going to have one heck of a Spring Fever this year, and everyone will know it. The minute it's 60 degrees, I am busting out a floral sundress. I don't have one, but I will buy one for the occasion.

4.) October. My favorite month. I'm not very fond of the summer (see above photo. I require all sorts of SPF.) So I have always loved October. And this year, it marks one year out from our wedding, and we will be returning to a favorite Inn to celebrate our engage-iversary!

5.) My book(s). I recently learned that my first book is due out on March 31st! How cool is that?! I still don't really believe it's happening. I barely talk about it or write about it on this blog because I still sort of don't believe it. My second book will probably also come out in 2014. It's so surreal.

Ahh, 2014. I am excited to not have a lot going on this year. It's one final deep breath before the house-hunting-renovating-wedding-madness that will be 2015.

I hope your year is off to a great start!

Blog Every Day in January: Two Truths and a Lie

Oh boy, this has been one heck of a week, and it's Tuesday! And cold. Very cold. Negative 14 degrees kind of cold.

We are watching the State of the Union address, and I just finished some Blogilates workouts. (I love Cassey. She's eternally inspirational.)

First, I wanted to show off my nails today. Because they usually look like I tried to paint them while jogging, and I'm kind of proud of them today.

I love that swirl! I apologize if this is nothing new, but I had been too afraid to attempt it before. It was actually really easy! A coat of white, a drop of purple, swirl with a toothpick. Done.

Onto today's post!

Let's play a game, shall we? A game you have probably been forced to play in classrooms and ice breaker groups and college orientations for years.

Can you spot the lie? :) Here are two facts about me, and one thing I totally just made up. Aaaaaaaand go!

1.) I have five brothers.

2.) I have had my appendix removed.

3.) I once worked as a professional princess. 

What's your guess?

Happy Tuesday!

Blog Every Day in January: Products that have made all the difference

Today was the day I really needed. So many good things happening (and I really hope to share them with you this week!)

But for today, this is something I have really been excited to do. Five favorite products. I am going for beauty products specifically, and I only have a handful I use religiously. I love to rotate out makeup and skin products frequently, but when I do find something that works, I stick to it.

1.) Coconut oil- My freshman year of college, I had some serious problem skin. I broke out a lot, and I didn't know how to handle my combination skin. I had dry skin with an oily T-zone. I remember getting fed up with it and googling some options, and reading about the benefits of using oils on your skin.

After that, I used olive oil on my skin for three years. My skin finally felt properly hydrated and balanced, but the olive oil was still a little thick. Enter coconut oil. I use it multiple times a day, and my skin has never been happier. Be sure to look for the extra virgin kind, preferably organic.

2.) True Blue Spa's "Look Ma, New Hands"- I love these things so much that I bought three of them at one of Bath & Body Work's holiday sales. This is phenomenal hand cream, and it can moisturize even the driest, most cracked winter hands.

3.) Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color- My nails are awful. AWFUL. They flake off, fall apart and refuse to grow. Then this fall, when I started suspecting a proposal, I got really into nail polish. I bought this clear coat just because I needed some, and my nails are finally growing! It has mixed reviews online, but I give it five stars. It was an unexpected success, and I have to go buy some more soon.

4.) Benefit Erase Paste- This is another one of those surprise finds. I had a gift card to Sephora and I was looking for a good quality concealer. I decided to give this one a shot, and I've been using it for almost 3 years now. It looks like the tiniest little bit for the money, but this stuff lasts me at least a year. Very, very worth it. I especially love it for dark under-eye circles.

5.) Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream- I have hooked a few people on this cleanser. It's perfect for my skin, and according to the reviews, a lot of other people's. It leaves your skin feeling moisturized and clean, and I have been using it for a couple years now. I keep re-buying it because I don't feel any reason to try anything else.

Do you have any can't-live-without items? Do you already use any of my favorites?

Blog Every Day in January: Guilty Pleasures and a Smoothie-a-thon

I think this is the first time I have ever watched the Grammys all the way through, and I'm glad I did. Holy Beyonce, Holy Pink. Those two alone made it worth it. And they both have babies!

All the schools in town are shut down tomorrow due to the cold (and a lot of businesses) and I'm sitting here, hoping my little Scion makes it to work alive. And me. I'd like to survive Ice Age 2014 as well.

Today, however, was gorgeous! By that I mean it hit 40 degrees and I drove with the windows down. So Tom and I took a walk and I made 14 smoothie packets.

This was a genius idea. Really. I don't know why I never thought of freezing pre-made smoothie ingredients because I would always get frustrated when some of my greens wilted before I had a chance to use them. (Hello, freezer.)

So now I have two weeks worth of green smoothies ready to go!

Today's post is all about my guilty pleasures, and I can tell you that I have plenty. Here are my top five:

1.) SUGAR. I think this one is self-explanatory. I have been working awhile to kick this habit, or at least limit it. But those homemade lemon poppyseed cupcakes aren't going to eat themselves.

2.) Bridal magazines-This is a new one because obviously, this is the first time I'm planning a wedding. I have Pinterest. I have an endless amount of online inspiration. But those pretty glossy covers are like catnip to me, and I love the "I CAN CUT PICTURES OUT!" part of it.

3.) Youtube- Ugh. I really do feel guilty about this one. I have mentioned it before. But I am suddenly addicted to these everyday vlogger people, and I feel like I am totally invading their space (I'm looking at you, April and Justin.)

4.) Crack of dawn driving- Is this a guilty pleasure? I don't know. I have a thing for mornings, especially when no one else is on the road. I would prefer to be out of the house by 7 every day, and home for good by 11 a.m.

5.) Makeup- I really don't wear that much makeup. Actually, many times during the week, I don't wear any. But on the weekends when I do put some on, I like to have a whole artillery at my fingertips. Especially Tarte lipgloss. Tom's mom got a free gift of them and gave them ALL to me, and I am officially a loyal fan.

Stay warm, friends! 

Blog Everyday in January: Catching up, and catching the speedo-wearing camera thief

Saturday! Ah I love the weekends.

So since I've been M.I.A. the past two days (oops...) I am going to sort of combine all of the ones I have missed into today's post!

First up...Anything DIY.

This DIY is a super simple beauty technique. Two ingredients. Very cheap. And my skin LOVES it.

I have started using apple cider vinegar as a toner. It's one part apple cider vinegar to two parts water. I put it on before my moisturizer every night. I may start using it twice a day. Full disclosure...I've only been using it for a week. But so far, so good, and my skin is incredibly sensitive.

It's important to use the good stuff, though. I like Bragg's. Whichever one you use, make sure it says "With the 'Mother'" on it. That means certain enzymes haven't been filtered out.

Via

Seriously, it has been working beautifully. But it does make you smell like feet for a few minutes. 

(Tom claims it is a repellent I have created against him. He can't stand the smell. Sometimes beauty is stinky!)

For yesterday's and today's posts, I am going to combine them a bit because they go together. Yesterday I was supposed to write about where I've traveled, and today is a badass moment.

For starters, here is a list of where I have traveled:

-Various U.S. states (Hawaii, Illinois, Missouri, California, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Massachusetts, Arizona, Texas, Wisconsin, Nevada, Tennessee, D.C....I think that's it....)

-Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula, Riviera Maya, Cancun)

-Punta Cana

-Turks and Caicos

-England

-Scotland (Edinburgh)

-Ireland (Dublin, Cork, Galway)

-Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Segovia)

I have been so fortunate to see all I've seen in 23 years. And there is so much more I want to see!

So for the badass part...

I was 16, and visiting Spain on a class trip. My parents had bought me a brand new camera for the trip, and I clearly remember my mom saying "Make sure you don't lose that!"

Foreshadowing. As usual.

On our second to last day in Barcelona, we went to the beach. A few friends and I left our bags UNATTENDED, and went to dip our toes in the water really quick.

In that thirty seconds, our stuff disappeared. Including my camera, my money, and....my friend's passport. Yep.

I absolutely refused to accept my camera was gone. I ran around frantically, eyeing everyone suspiciously. To make things more interesting, half the beach was topless, and they spoke a different Spanish than I did.

As luck would have it, a topless woman nearby called me over (this was a very strange experience for me.) She told me a bunch of stuff, but all I heard was that a man took our stuff and ran down the beach.

I thanked her and took off. I don't like running on beaches. It's awkward and challenging, and my swimsuit was new and didn't fit quite right. I didn't care. I sprinted for what felt like half a mile, when I saw it.

My bag. And a tiny, strange man in a speedo. Digging a hole.

I became angry. Very angry. But I was angry in English. So I started yelling at this little man in an angry sort of Spanglish, saying something along the lines of "La camera es de mi!" Which translated means "The camera is of my," so that was weird.

A crowd formed. They were silent. I kept yelling at this man with the little Spanish I knew, and he eventually obeyed. He gave me my stuff back, but for whatever reason insisted on keeping a pack of gum and 28 cents. I took that deal.

And me, being the shy, passive person I generally am, had a true badass moment of chasing a speedo-wearing man down the beach in a foreign country.

I wanted to share one more thing. I got this scarf with cats on it, and I love it, so...Happy Caturday!

What's your favorite badass moment? Everyone's got one!

Blog Every Day in January: A Favorite Place

Oy this blogging every day thing is challenging. On the one hand, it's good because it reminds me that blogging can be about anything. The important thing is to just sit down and do it. On the other hand, it's a challenge. So that means blogging when I don't feel like it. Well, that's sort of the point.

Today is all about a favorite place of mine, and it was really hard to choose. But of the places I've seen so far? I love, love Ireland.

I'm lucky enough to have been there twice already, and something about it is really magical. It seems frozen in time, and the shades of green there are like nothing I've ever seen.

There are plenty of other parts of Europe I'd love to see, but so far, Ireland is incredible. And those accents! (Everyone says that, but come on. They're great.) 

Even the oldest structures in the United States are relatively young, so to see 1,000-year-old castles is pretty enchanting. I especially loved staying at the Ashford Castle. (Read an interesting story about that castle here...I'm psychic guys.)

Ah, Ireland. I will be back someday.

What's your favorite place on earth? A runner-up for this post was the open highway at sunrise. I love an empty road.

Happy Wednesday!

20 things I've learned in my twenties

Well helllloooooo!

Ah, January. You made my car slide all over the place yet again. Is this winter especially brutal, or what? Those of you in the Northeast...you're on my mind tonight. Watch out for Janus the Winter Storm. (They name winter storms now??)

So today's topic. I've had it on my mind throughout the day. When lunchtime rolled around and I found myself eating leftover chips from the break room as my only meal, I questioned my authority on this topic. And it became painfully obvious that yes, I am still in my early twenties.

23 in two weeks, actually!

But I have learned some valuable things in the past three years, so here we go:

1.) Stop looking backwards and replaying your regrets and defeats. You know where you've been. Focus on where you'll go.

2.) It's okay to be messy and imperfect. Actually, it's mandatory. Embrace it.

3.) Don't stop playing! Build forts and snowmen and Lego castles. Some things stop being fun (like spinning around until you fall...nausea isn't fun anymore) but there are other things you never grow out of.

4.) Don't worry about other people's timelines. I always try to compare my age and current life progression with other people's, but I've realized the twenties look vastly different for everyone.

5.) Puppies can fix any bad day.

Riley :)

6.) Drink more water.

7.) Cover up in the sun.

8.) Don't put your life on hold until 30. Work toward where you want to be now.

9.) Don't buy into the "College is the best time of your life" thing (I HATE that!) Those are some great years for sure, but don't give up on the rest of your life, either.

10.) Don't be in a rush. Do things in your own time, no matter how early or late other people think it is.

11.) Stop worrying about other people's opinions! This has been a HUGE one for me. They are wrapped up in their own stuff. They don't care or obsess nearly as much as it may seem.

12.) Don't be afraid to ask for what you really want, whether in a job, a relationship, etc.

13.) It's okay to only have a handful of close, quality friends.

14.) Start telling the truth. If you need a night alone, say it. If you want to save your money instead of going out, be upfront about it. People will understand.

15.) Don't ignore your health. It starts catching up to you pretty fast.

16.) Anything you want to change in your life should start with you. So get going!

17.) If you plan to stay up all night, you'll get tired. If a crazy night happens spontaneously, the all-nighter is entirely worth it.

18.) Don't be too cautious. Make good mistakes now. (I'm still not good at this one!)

19.) Challenge yourself. Read, watch and learn about things you don't normally gravitate to.

20.) The future isn't a destination where everything you want will work out. It's a series of days, just like today, with its own ups and downs. Be grateful for each one all the same.

XO,

Heather