Week in Review w/ DITL Vlog

Hello everyone. It's Tuesday night and I am just getting around to writing this post and sharing it. It's been a long couple of days. I honestly didn't ever realize how hard it would be to keep up with this blog with a job and family. I understand now. There are less hours in the day it seems. There are so many things pushed back and unfortunately this blog and my videos seem to take the brunt of it. I am coming to the realization that I just have to do what I can when I can and move on with it. I don't need to overthink it. I don't need to worry about it. I just need to put one foot in front of the other and get it done. Soooooo...I know it's Tuesday and I am just getting around to posting the WIR. Actually Tuesday Truths just went up a while ago. It is what it is! :) 

Week in Review: November 9-16, 2015 | Vlog, Blog Post, and Weekly To Do's |

Hello everyone. I hope you are having a great Tuesday. I am back with another week in review with a new vlog as well. Normally I like these posts to go live on Monday but due to travel that was just not possible yesterday. This is a looooong vlog because again due to time constraints I couldn't edit, save 2 vlogs and get them uploaded this past week. Grab a cup of hot tea or coffee and come spend an hour with us. Here's the video....much more below! 

Week in Review: Day in the Life Vlog July 13-20, 2015

Hello friends! I hope you are having a great start to your week. I am still tired a bit but I have a busy day ahead of me so hopefully the coffee starts working fast. :) Normally I put up a big week in review but today is a bit different. I don't have a ton of time so it's going to be a bit shorter. Here's the latest day in the life vlog....from last week. Hope you enjoy! 

Here's a little more about our week:

Starting off last week, it was not that exciting. I did a ton of online work trying to not only get caught up but also trying to get a few things done ahead of Brittany coming to visit. I consider this blog and my youtube channel a part time job of sorts so to take off, I feel like I have to get as much done as possible to get things done ahead of time. It was a lot of time at the house and at the desk. Not too much fun! 

I did get a little shopping done at the beginning of the week. Scott and I have been eating a few more adult type dinners since we have been kid free. We normally are eating more kid meals with cheeseburgers, pizza and dinners that Jackson likes. However, it's been cheese plates, scallops....you know, meals the kids just don't care for. Not many kids around the house this summer has actually saved us a little bit of money grocery wise. It been kind strange seeing the price of the grocery bill for just Scott and I compared to when the kids are here with us. It's crazy what the difference is. But school is around the corner and that bill will shoot right back up again! But it's been interesting to see the difference in our food bill. :)

Most of the week was pretty calm around here. Scott worked a ton and I worked around the house trying to get things cleaned up and ready for Brittany Belle coming to visit. I wouldn't say I got things completely done but who cares. It's never going to be perfect around here but I got Jackson's room cleaned up ( a big job ) that she could use. I was going to put her in the spare room but the tv is big in Jackson's room and that way we don't mess up the spare bedroom and make more messes for me to clean up! :) 

Saturday started off normal but really ended with a bang. One of our other kids were having a very hard night and it was so hard to listen to. It was heartbreaking and hard to get things calmed down. It's really hard not being close to all of them. I would love to just get all of our kids, move them close to us and I won't have to worry as much. I was up super late and had to be up Sunday super early to get Brittany. Needless to say, Saturday and Sunday both, turned out to be mostly about the kids. I was so tired when I fell asleep only to be woke up 3 hours later at 5:30am by my exhusband. He was my wake up call since he wanted to leave so early. It was so hard pulling my butt out of bed but I did and Scott drove us to pick up Brittany. 

Look at who else was tired. She was up late and only got a few hours of sleep herself. While we were driving I fell to sleep first and then woke up to find Brittany sleeping peacefully. About the picture, I didn't realize she had come out of her seatbelt to sleep. She had it on when I dozed off and even after waking up and taking the picture, I didn't notice it. But I did once I got home and we had a loooong talk about it. I about died. We were driving fast down a highway and she took it off to sleep. Anything could have happened...and next time I see this happening the phone is gone for a week. I slept in the seat belt and know it's uncomfortable but it is what it is...and Brittany better figure that out fast before she gets into trouble! 

I was a zombie once we got home. I was tired and had to muddle through because I didn't want to waste a minute of time with Brittany. I started feeling a little better after I had a early evening shower and made dinner. It was so nice sitting here talking to Brittany about her friends, school and so much more. She is growing up on me faster than any of the others it seems. I really couldn't be more proud. She is a good person with a big heart, a good student, a funny girl who is showing me life from her point of view. Our kids are seriously the best part of us. Scott's children are just as much mine and vice versa. Our blended family is not the dream I had; it's so much better. Laura and Zane are amazing kids and they all make our lives better. Because of them, I am totally blessed. Today though, might not seem like the blessing while I am taking Brittany school shopping! We don't totally agree on clothes but it will be interesting to say the least. I have to actually get moving with this blog post because she wants me cleaned up and ready by 2pm. Ha! Look at her with the schedule. Maybe she is her mothers daughter. ♥

Here's a few to do's for this week:

- Get hotel for mid week vacation. 

- Check PO Box

- Pay Bills

- Brush out cats

- Call and make appointments for Jackson...Pre School. 

- Dump Photos from phone. 

- Make lots of memories with Brittany this week. 

- Do laundry in the evenings...to make sure it doesn't pile up. 

- Water the plants

- Clean up closet in master bedroom....its a mess. 

- Call down south and report updates

- Make time read...maybe while laying on beach in Lake Lure. 

- Speaking of the beach...better try to assemble big umbrella here at home for the first time. It's cool as can be, and perfect for the beach. 

- Check registration dates for Jackson. 

- Clean out frig...probably some science experiments going on in there.

Some inspiration for your week:

Thanks for stopping by. I am going to have a busy week ahead of me. I have lots to do with Brittany today and tomorrow...and then Wednesday we are leaving for a little mini vacation..just us girls! Scott would love to go, but he doesn't have that kind of vacation time so he's staying home and taking care of things here and we are going to go play! I will be vlogging.. and promise to have them up next week sometime!  Let me know how things have been going...I'd love to hear from you. ♥  If you are new here, get subscribed! 

 

Week in Review: Day in the Life Vlog June 8, 2015

Hello friends. I hope you are having a wonderful afternoon. Here, it's a beautiful day and I have been stuck at the desk all day. Not so fun but I am trying to get a few things done while I can. I does feel so weird to me to NOT be cleaning today like my old schedule but desk work is a required part of my life. This blog, my youtube channel and everyday emails and bills all have to be taken care of. I do feel lazy since I have been on my butt most of the day but for us, the day is still young. I will be in the kitchen next and then tossing laundry. I don't think it ever ends! I know things have been crazy with the house. I want you guys to know we are so grateful for your comments and advice. We are going to be staying here another year being Scott worked it all out. I'm still nervous but it will be ok. We have a new lease and that means a lot right now. I took most of the weekend off from vlogging because I just needed time to get my head wrapped around everything that has happened. Our home inspection meant everything to us....sharing our life in that way is scary. But we were so relived only to have the landlord pull the rug out from under us. Thankfully Scott worked it out...and I stayed out of it. I did vlog on Sunday....here it is! 

I didn't take a lot of pictures last week... you can actually check out my instagram feed *and hopefully follow a long for pictures. I just had an emotional couple of days. I will try to get back into the swing of things in the coming days. At least until we head off on vacation. But hopefully I can pre record some videos that will pop up while we are gone. I doubt I will be able to include blog posts too for that week, so get subscribed on youtube so you don't miss out!

Here's a few things on this week's to do list:

• Get past the crazy rental drama that happened to us....it's been handled today and we are in fact staying for at least another year. 
• Make our meal plan and get to the store before the guys start winning that we are out of doughnut sticks and ice-cream...yet we have a lot of food in the house! 
• Unpack boxes and put things away. 
• Pay bills. 
• Find a big floppy hat for our vacation. 
• Brush out kitty cats. 
• Cut back herbs and clean up roses. 
• Figure out next weeks youtube schedule. 
• Update Chalkboard Wall
• Make more treadmill time. 
• Pack up Jackson for his summer with his dad. :(
• Father Day gifts??? What to buy?
• Catch up on laundry.....story of my life. 
• Clean the animals bowls out. Why does the water always look green and slimy in the automatic water dish? Grossssssssss.
• Start trying on cruise clothes and start figuring out outfits for the week. Shoes too.
• Clean sliding glass doors. 
• Look for a new grill...I think I am finally giving into the idea of spending the money to just get one. 
• Check PO Box. I haven't checked it in a while and I hope they are not mad at me because of it! 
• Buy extra hangers for cruise. 

Here's some inspiration to take along with you throughout the week:

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you guys have a great week. For us, we are going to get back to life back to normal and move on to a happier time! xx

Day in the Life Vlog: Week in Review: April 27 - May 1, 2015

Hello everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful Friday night. Our house is full of tired people....its been a long day for each of us in our own ways. In fact, it was pancakes for dinner tonight. Anyway, things have calmed down enough where I have a computer minutes at the computer. Here's our latest day in the life vlog: our Week in Review. This is where we share snippets of our lives vlog style. Hope you enjoy!

On Monday I will be back sharing our vlog from the weekend and our WIR Blog post with both vlogs. Come back and visit! We have a new food haul coming up on tomorrow....stay tuned! xx
 If you are new here, I'd love it you took a second to subscribe!

 

Week in Review | Egg-cellent Easter! | April 3 -5, 2015 w/ Vlogs & To Do's

Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful Monday. As many of you know... I post a week in review recapping what happened over the week & weekend. Its something that I have been doing off and on for years. Its just a simple way to give you guys a glimpse into our week. I have changed up the vlogging schedule where I will be uploading a Day in the life vlog Monday...as always and then another on Thursday. Monday's vlog will cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the previous week and Thursdays vlog will be for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Actually I might be adding more vlogs in during the week...depending on how much I vlog.

* So I should start this blog post out with letting you know that I had some terrible computer and video editing issues over the past day or so. Yesterday was non stop with calls to tech support, uninstalling and re installing.. it was truly mind numbing and exhausting troubleshooting problems all day. But we seem to be back up and running...so I am playing catch up! :) I'm just thankful for it working

So the beginning of the week came with its own challenges. I don't know what is going on but we had lots of internet, tv and even phone issues. I really tried my best to go along with it and got caught up with things around the house and even did a lot of reading. But I have to admit, it was nice to get everything fixed. Here's what went on around here during the beginning of the week: 

I have been noticing that the vlogs can be really long and I thought I would break them up this past week and give you another vlog on Sunday. However, that didn't work out as expected but finally it went live late last night. F-I-N-A--L- L-Y! 

The end of the week was about trying to catch up on videos, get the house together, shop for Easter groceries. → Check out that haul here ← and getting things for Easter Day. Easter is such a lovely time. I love the spring holiday when we can all get with our family and friends, enjoy a wonderful dinner along with a few sweet treats! It was a beautiful day and all the kids were outside playing while all our neighbors were out in their yards working. I had a kinda weird experience in the evening but I skip over that and just say that over all, it was a lovely day with my family. We actually ate a little earlier so I didn't have to be in the kitchen late. It paid off because once the sun set, we all got sleepy with our full bellies! I was sound asleep by midnight. Here's more from our weekend...

This week:

It's a special week for Scott and myself this week. Yesterday { Monday 4.6 } is our wedding anniversary. After 7 years of dating, I finally said yes and married by best friend. At this point we have been married 4 years but together 11. It's not always been easy and I wasn't sure we would get through some of the problems in the past but we have fought through. He's still so beautiful to me and I feel very lucky to have him in my life. That doesn't mean that it's a walk in the park. Marriage is hard and requires a lot of self sacrifice and a lot of love to make it through the harder times. I feel that Scott and myself built a good foundation that has held strong through out the years. He is the love of my life and I am very grateful for our relationship. I know that life is more dull, I don't smile as much, and I know I would feel lost without him. And I am pretty sure he feels the same way. So here's to 4 full years of marriage and to many more. ♥ Oh.. and we are not quite ready to celebrate until the weekend. Scott worked a lot of hours at the dealership yesterday and we thought we would both feel more like ourselves when we could get some rest first and then celebrate. :)

We have a ton of changes coming up. One of the biggest is I have decided to let go of the adorable Volkswagen Bettle and I am moving into a newer better Mini Cooper Clubman. It wasn't a easy decision but the truth is.. the Mini Cooper drives so much better. So I gave the ok and I will probably have the car by the mid to end of the week. It's kinda exciting but I am going to miss the bug. We also have a big trip to Louisiana planned again for next week. However, we just didn't want to take Jackson to just sit in the hotel. BUT...he is going to go hang out with his dad and sister for a week..which should be nice. I am not happy about pulling him out of school but he would have had to miss to go down south.. so we will deal with it. I know he is excited and I am thankful that he is not going to be stuck with us doing un fun things. So it worked out. 

This weeks to do’s

• Get new ID. Mine is expired and it's wayyyyyyy past time. Gosh.. I HATE the DMV. They always turn me away so I give up and never go back . But I need it so gotta try again. 
• Check PO Box
• Get plates and tupperware back from neighbors. I think they wanted to keep them.. Nope! We don't give away our dishes. 
• Send my sister a congratulations card for her new job promotion she just got!!! 
• Continue walking on the treadmill. 
• Work in planner.. Desperately need to take time to figure things out. 
• Make on last payment on our cruise! 
• Enjoy the rainy days we have coming up with a hot glass of tea and good book. 
• Make dinner reservations at the Melting Pot. 
• Clean up files on computer. 
• Call not so nice lady and make an appointment for our trip down south. 
• Clean up Coopers dog bowls. It only takes 2 nights for them to get dirty and crusty. YUCK!
• Pray for more patience and understanding.
• As soon as Hilary announces she is running by posters, shirts...all of it. I am seriously putting posters up in the top windows of the house. Too bad for anyone who doesn't like it.. Sorry Scott. It's happening. BTW. I have been approached to make some political commercials!!! HAHAHAHAHA! Yesssssssssssssss!
• Pamper my nails a little more. They still are so sore. 
• Buy cameras to monitor the front and back of house. Yep...it's happening. 
• Clean out frig before grocery shopping on Wednesday.  Also need to work on grocery list. 
• Make more time to play games with Jackson. The xbox is out but I am sure we can find a board game we both like. 
• Stay away from cake for at least a week. The walking is never going to help if I don't control my sweet tooth.
• Give ivy plants a shower. 
• Buy some flowers for the yard. 
• Find the laptop of my dreams to buy! 
• Clean up desk...which never ever stays cleaned up!
• Make time for some of my favorite youtubers. I have not been watching as much and I miss them! 
• Call Marjorie about Jackson. 

Here is some inspiration to take with you through the week!

 So I know this is going live a day late which does push my other videos around but right now the computer is working and I couldn't be more happier about it. I spent forever trying to get my video editor software working and actually asked God to send me a tech support angel to work their magic. Oddly enough, I got on the phone with a guy in Canada who was kinda like the tech angel. He worked on the laptop with remote access for over 3 hours and not only helped me but was so nice to teach me a few new things too. So Monday was spent at my desk in frustration. Late late last night I finally got things fixed. I was able to snuggle up and forget about all the tech troubles and got some sleep. Scott is home today so we are just going to hang out and shaperone the preteens hanging out on the 2nd floor! :) It's spring break here. I hope you guys had a lovely week and a even better Easter. ♥Thanks so much for stopping by. If you are new here, I'd love it you took a second to subscribe!

 

Week in Review: March 27 - 29, 2015 | Vlog & To Do's |

Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful Monday. As many of you know... I post a week in review recapping what happened over the week & weekend. Its something that I have been doing off and on for years. Its just a simple way to give you guys a glimpse into our week. I have changed up the vlogging schedule where I will be uploading a Day in the life vlog Monday...as always and then another on Thursday. Monday's vlog will cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the previous week and Thursdays vlog will be for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Actually I might be adding more vlogs in during the week...depending on how much I vlog.

So this past week I posted two day in the life vlogs. The beginning of the week is the bottom video and the top video is the most current day in the life vlog. It was pretty much a weekend at home but home is where I am happiest! :)

Here's part 1 ↓

Here's what's went on around here the past few days:

Saturday my Brittany Belle had a cheerleading banquet. She spent the night with her friends to get ready the next day. All the girls were excited about getting dressed up to see who got what awards. Brittany is the shortest of the bunch in the pink dress. ♥

She also got the Cheerleader of the year award which was totally amazing. I am so very proud of the young lady she is. Smart, strong, kind, and even athletic. I don't know where the sports and such came from but she enjoys it and is doing so good. Her father and I both love her so much. Its great that she is so active and also making a ton of friends along the way.

Also on Saturday I finally ran to the post office. It's not close to us so sometimes I wait a little long in between visits. But I received some beautiful birthday cards and stickers from some amazing subscribers/friends. 

I received a letter from a 67 year old subscriber whom wrote me the most beautiful letter. I sat there and read it line by line. It was kinda and it really touched my heart. For a while now, I have been considering leaving youtube. But it's friends like her and all of you guys that has been keeping me there. I love you guys. Thank you for thinking of me and sharing your lives too. I don't know where this youtube life is going to go but I am so blessed because the friends I have made a long the way.

It was a slow start around here yesterday. I did my best to ignore all the sleeping animals and people. I mean it's hard to get motivated when the entire house is quiet. I didn't mind Scott sleeping because I know he works hard long hours and needed the rest. Jackson too for that matter. But I am sure he will get plenty of rest next week when he is on spring break. But Sunday seemed to be family rest day around here.

I didn't let it stop me though. I worked upstairs for a couple of hours and got it cleaned up. I love getting as much of the weekly cleaning done over the weekend to make my Monday's easier. All I have to do up there today is change the bedding and vacuum which makes me VERY HAPPY! I also picked up a lot on the first floor and even made some time in the evening to get on the treadmill. I do not enjoy it at all but I am feeling a little better because of the exercise. I know I am sleeping better and I think it's making my joints and muscles feel a little better. I haven't been snap crackling and popping as much going down the stairs. That's the main reason for the walking. Sure, loosing a few pounds would certainly be nice and probably helpful but I just want my body to feel better.

As Sunday night wore on, I kinda lost my patience with my husband. It's not always easy. Sometimes I feel like banging my head against the wall. I know that patience and forgiveness is something I have to work on with him. After so much time together, I feel like I know pretty much everything about him and having patience at this point is hard. But it's something I need to work on. I am reminded with the quote below that as I get older I should have more patience that will help me forgive. Marriage is ever changing and requires so much work that I never expected.

But you live and you learn. You fight for what's right and what you love and everything else should fall into place. I want a life with no problems...happiness all the time but if that was the case,  how would I grow? It's the challenges and problems that really teaches us and builds character. So here's to a new week of fresh starts...new days...new experiences and new lessons.♥

This weeks to do’s

• Try to work on having more patience....something that is so hard to grasp sometimes. 
• Keep getting to bed earlier and earlier...it's been working here lately. 
• Go through my makeup and declutter. A job I have the hardest time with. 
• Figure out what cruise excursions I want to go on. 
• Get nail fixed...it broke and my nails never break...NOT HAPPY.
• Check in on mom sometime. She's been to quiet lately!
• Write mommy bucket list. 
• Wake up!! I am sleepy today. More coffee please. 
• Change out wallets. 
• Send Trina information so she can help me with a problem. Thank you Trina! ♥ She's seriously like the Olivia Pope of the family! 
• Put flea meds on the animals before those little bugs try to invade us and our home. 
• Declutter the spare bedroom more. 
• Plan our Easter dinner. 
• Try a recipe out of the Clean Slate Cookbook. :)
• Groom Romeo...he always looks like a hot mess. 
• Make dinner reservations for our wedding anniversary. 
• Clean up DVR
• Clean up the back deck on a warm day.
• Make and film Easter bread recipe. 
• Get courage to start Chantrix again. It tears my body up but I know it will help in the long run. 
• Take more time to read. 
• Stay away from the cake...I have eaten enough already.
• Try to clean more windows this week so the sun can really shine through.
• Spend less time on the Daily Mail.
• Walk on the treadmill more. 
• Menu plan for April. 

I hope you guys are having a wonderful week. Today I am keeping busy around the house and enjoying the sun shinning through the windows. Here's some inspiration to take along with you as we go through this new week. 

 Thanks so much for stopping by. If you are new here, I'd love it you took a second to subscribe!

 

Week in Review: DITL Vlog & Weekly To Do's! March 16-22, 2015

Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful Monday. As many of you know... I post a week in review recapping what happened over the week & weekend. Its something that I have been doing off and on for years. Its just a simple way to give you guys a glimpse into our week. I have changed up the vlogging schedule where I will be uploading a Day in the life vlog Monday...as always and then another on Thursday. Monday's vlog will cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the previous week and Thursdays vlog will be for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Actually I might be adding more vlogs in during the week...depending on how much I vlog.

I already posted somewhat of a WIR on Saturday however, no video was included. If you want to check it out it right here. :) No video though... just a simple blog post catching you guys up! However, here is what has been going on around here the last few days. Hope you enjoy!

Moving into the weekend the weather around here dried up a little bit and spring showed itself again. I was driving to the grocery store and saw a ton of trees blooming. One day they were bare and the next day there were beautiful pink and white blooms filling a lot of the trees around here. However, all those blooms are bringing some allergies around our home. Jackson is the worst and even I.. someone who has no allergies has been sneezing non stop and my eyes have been watering a lot. No fun but its a small price to pay for spring. I was getting so sick of winter. And here in South Carolina things happen just a bit sooner than a lot of places. The seasons seem to change faster if that makes sense. So we have really been enjoying the warmer weather. The birds are back to chirping and the cats are loving sitting there in the basking in the sunshine and fresh air.

Speaking of the cats...this past week we had a huge scare. While we have been nursing them back to health after their surgeries, I go out to the store only to find Romeo out on the front porch by himself. I just happened to glance up there while I was pulling into the garage and saw something cream colored in the corner. I walked around the corner and about died when I saw him. As soon as I got him in, he ran right to the food bowl...making me think it was Scott and Jackson that let him out earlier in the morning.

Of courses all the other cats were hiding but I was flipping out trying to find them. It took about 2 hours to find all the cats and finally have some peace. Thankfully Romeo was the only one who got out and was too scared to leave the porch. He's certainly the King Kitty Cat of this house but outside the door is a different story! I would be lost without that cat. ♥ I wish I could clone him.

The rest of the weekend was spent hanging out with the boys. The neighborhood is coming alive with all the sunshine beaming down on us. I am not a huge fan of living here but its nice to see everyone out in their yards enjoying the day. I still dream of a country house with no neighbors but it's not terrible here. I am trying to get use to it... still after 2 years. But I am grateful for this house keeping us dry and warm. Sunday was a busy day for all my neighbors! I lived on coffee most of the morning and afternoon. Scott and Jackson went fishing at his friends house which was nice for them. I don't know if I would want to get up at 6am on my day off to go fishing but they sure did. :)

I went shopping later in the afternoon and got what I thought we would need to get us through the week. I didn't really want to go but I was happy to get done and not have to worry about it for a week or so. And then it was time for Sunday night prep. Tiding up the house, working on laundry, getting stuff ready for Jackson at school, plugging in all the electronics to be charged, and so much more. It's just part of it to get us ready for a new week. But within a few months, summer will be here. There will be no more school and we have a vacation on a big boat to enjoy! It's nice that the seasons are changing. Sunshine always makes me happy! 

This weeks to do’s

• Clean up the house today. 
• Follow schedule more
• Make Dr. Apt for physical. 
• Take more walks outside...but more walks on the treadmill at least. 
• Clean the pets bowls
• Spend 30 minutes a day in the closet purging more clothes that I don't want or need. 
• Get giveaway prizes mailed out. 
• Figure out priority list to tackle online work. 
• Watch less tv... enjoy the quiet. 
• Try out a new bread machine recipe
• Work on new vision board. 
• Get back on track with my nightly routine. 
• Be understanding over Jackson's report card.....practice kindness
• Clean jewelry 
• Have a wonderful Tuesday with Scott. 
• Schedule Scott my anniversary dinner at the melting pot. We want one of those cozy private booths. :)
• Go check PO Box on Tuesday with Scott. 
• Wash and change out all the bedding. Might get us all new soft pillows sometime soon. 
• Make time to go paint with Jackson. 
• Make Romeo a Vet appointment for a check up. We want him to live forever. ♥
• Clean up inbox
• Get back on yoga routine
• Update planners and family calendar for April 2015
• Brush out the cats really well...they need it. 
• Clean the ashes out of the fire place and look for some candles to put in it for spring and summer. 
• Try to get ahead of videos. 
• Clean leather furniture. 
• Buy some flowers for the back deck...we need some color out there! 

So I have to admit, today I turned 39 years old. I don't really mind either. I am like getting older. I feel like I am getting smarter along the way. I realized a while ago that youth has vanished and now its time to really get to work. Its time to spend more time with my family, smile more, laugh more. Learn the lessons that God himself wants me to learn so my soul grows. I want to show my children that they are the most important people in my life. It's not about gifts at this point. However, Scott does like to spoil me.. and I don't really mind! With each passing year I feel like I am learning more about myself and what I want and what I don't want. All things you really don't know at 20 years old. It really does go by so fast. I am grateful for all the mistakes along the way... they have actually taught me more than anything. I am going to keep moving forward and let the past be the past. The future is ours. I am so happy you are here to share this time in my life. It's exciting! I hope this next year is the best ever. I don't mind moving on into my 40's!


 Right at midnight my little Brittany Belle sent me the sweetest birthday message. She is so adorable...when she wants to be! I miss her so much. I think when it's really the right time to move again it will probably be up north next to her. It's not always easy but she is my hope...along with the rest of the kids. Around here we are celebrating over a couple of days. I think Scott is bringing home a cake and such tomorrow and Tuesday when he is off work we are going to spend the day together. I want to go see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2 for part of my birthday which is totally exciting. I looooved the first movie so I am hoping to really enjoy the sequel.

I hope you guys are having a wonderful Monday. It's hard for so many. If that's the case... slow down and try to find something in the day to be grateful for. Thanks so much for stopping by. If you are new here, I'd love it you took a second to subscribe!

 

DITL Vlog: Week in Review & To Do's | February 23 - March 2, 2015 |

Here's whats been going on this past week:


Before we get into the WIR, I thought it would only be right to tell you about my Aunt. My moms sister Donetta had been battling health problems for a while now. She's been very ill and everyone has been worried about her. Sadly this morning she passed away and now is resting in peace. It's very sad. My mom was with her and she leaves behind 2 beautiful daughters and a son. Plus grandchildren and of course my mom and the rest of her brothers and sisters. All night I have been talking to my mom getting updates, helping her cope with watching her sister fade away and I feel bad I am not there. All of my family is in Indiana besides my sister and my mom and its a place that's always going to have a pull on me. It's very hard for me to hear my mom so heart broken. Strangely enough, I have been through many more deaths that my mom has ( we have pretty much lost everyone on my dads side ) and it breaks my heart to hear her cry and be in so much pain. At least she was there. The bond between all my moms brothers and sisters is a bond like no other. Growing up, they went through so much stuff together and I know this is forever going to change my mom and the rest of my family. My grandma Marry almost made through this life without loosing any of her children. Imagine how hard it is for her right now. It's so sad. I am really hoping now that she is pain free and in peace now. I am realived that my mom was able to be there with her in the end. She felt like she had to be with her sister and nothing was going to stop that. She has been sleeping in her room and praying for a miracle....as I am sure her kids have been too. Life is not promised to any of us. It could end anytime so I really hope everyone reading this blog post, takes the time to make as many good memories as you can. The love and memories are the only things we take with us in the end.

Rest in Peace.

So the week around here was pretty laid back and routine. I feel like I have been so unproductive this past week. The short days, cold nights, just make it so hard to find any motivation. I am back to having serious sleep issues. I seldom fall sleep before 4am and then I toss and turn the few hours I am in the bed. It's nuts. I have got to get it under control. Last night I was talking to my mom a lot and up late but really I am up late most nights anyway. It awful and what sucks even more is I have to get up and clean today tired. Yea. loving that. When I am done with this blog post, I'll get started and this time I think I am going to start on the first floor because it's a mess down here and you see it first when walking in. Maybe tonight or tomorrow, I will be able get the upstairs done.

This past week, I got in another planner. I know that planners and calenders are not for everyone and I understand that. But I love them and I like sharing them. If you don't like them the way I do, skip those videos and blog posts! I had been waiting on the Passion Planner for a while. I can't wait to share it with you guys in full and I am also hosting a giveaway for one of you guys! And don't forget to click here to get entered in all the giveaways that are going on right now. We have 3 that you can still get entered in. Good luck to everyone. 

The week and even the weekend was pretty laid back. I didn't even take a lot of pictures. I had a hard time just getting what I had to done let alone anything extra. But we did have fun over the weekend together playing games, watching movies, and staying warm. We had such a cold rain Sunday. It's was next to impossible to stay warm. We had to go out and run errands Sunday which was just miserable. I really wanted to stay laid up on the couch but I took advantage of going while Scott could drive. It actually was kinda like a little " day date " for us and I was totally grateful that he didn't mind doing the driving. 

Another thing this weekend that happened is Brittany finding her a new dress for her Cheerleading banquet. Its really hard to parent from a different state. But it can be done because I am living proof of it. Brittany and I are extremely close but its hard being away from her. I am going to make a video about parenting from a far because I get so many questions about it. But she picked out a wonderful dress.. I got pictures of each one and then she made her decision and she did a great job. It crazy how fast she is growing up on me. I can't even express how proud I am of who she is becoming. But it's a lot of work and her and father and I are trying to navigate raising teens. I think the trick is just staying one step ahead of them! 

Today is here and I have so much to do. My eyes are heavy, the coffee is not helping, all the animals are sleeping....all things that make me want to go back to bed. But I am going to push through it and maybe just maybe get to bed at a decent hour tonight. Here's some of my to do list for next week. 

This weeks to do’s

• Weekly Cleaning...which at this pace, will take me all week to finish. I think today is going to be a mental health day. 
• Clean out frig. I am sure there are some science experiments going on in there. 
• Whiten teeth. YUCK.
• Look for a new kind mattress and box spring. 
• Still need to get my hair cut. I think I am going to do bangs again to cover up wrinkles on my forehead! :)
• Finish Thank you notes. 
• Post more Instagram pictures. 
• Pick out some flowers to order for my Aunt. 
• Pray in the mornings again and stop slacking off. 
• Call phone company for some tech support regarding one of our phones. 
• Get some lunch. 
• Check on local classes that Scott and I need to take. 
• Start walking 30 minutes every other day on the treadmill. 
• Clean oven....it didn't get done last week. 
• Check voicemails. Ha! Another job that didn't get done last week. 
• Give the housesitter more money. I keep forgetting to do it. Gotta go to the ATM first. It would be nice if residential neighborhoods had individual post offices and atms. 
• Buy some new sports bras. 
• Buy another ivy plant. The one in the kitchen is so pretty.. I want another. 
• Continue with yoga and mediation. I need a clear mind to balance my life properly. 
• Find a fun craft to do with Jackson. 
• Keep checking on mom. She is having a very hard time due to her sister passing away this morning. 
• Continue working in the spare bedroom. Still have a lot of clutter in there. 
• Decide on what blogs to sponsor for the month of March. 
• Bake some cookies
• Film planning video today.
• Make Vet appointment to go have Gabby spayed this week or next. 
• Purge old magazines.
• Get back on track withThankful Thursday blog post. 
• Try to get another chapter done in our love story. There is still so much to write. 
• Get to bed at a better hour. Story of my life. 
• Work harder on getting healthy. 
• Make more cuddle time with Scott. We need to just turn off the world, electronics and spend time with one another. It's not always easy but it's needed. 
• Help Jackson more with his handwriting. 
• Clean up DVR's
• Comment more when I read other blogs or watch videos on youtube. 
• Buy some new workout clothes. 
• Get the dog slobbers off the sliding glass doors. 
• Move some vlogs over from the old channel to my main channel. Just to make it easier for everyone to find them. 
• Work on Trader Joes new shopping list. 
• Buy Martha Stewarts new cookbook...→ Clean Slate ← I want it!! 
• Do a photo shoot of the cat. But gotta get him groomed up first. 

Here's something to think about through the week: 

I hope you are having a beautiful Monday! I am going to take my sleepy self and power through the afternoon and evening trying to get our house cleaned up. Scott is off work tomorrow and I doubt there will be much time to clean. So gonna get a move on!  Thanks so much for stopping by!   If you are new here, I'd love it if you took a few seconds and subscribed so you don't miss anything. :)

 

Day in the Life Vlog: Week in Review February 16 - 22, 2015 & To Do's

Hello friends! I hope you are having a wonderful Monday. As many of you know... I post a week in review recapping what happened over the week & weekend. Its something that I have been doing off and on for years. Its just a simple way to give you guys a glimpse into our week. I have changed up the vlogging schedule where I will be uploading a Day in the life vlog Monday...as always and then another on Thursday. Monday's vlog will cover Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the previous week and Thursdays vlog will be for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Actually I might be adding more vlogs in during the week...depending on how much I vlog.

Here's whats been going on this past week:

This past week started off with winter at it's finest. I don't get it. Aren't we suppose to be moving into spring!? Well, Monday the snow blew in to South Carolina and while we didn't get near as much as so many of you guys, we got enough to shut the town down. I was actually out shopping when I looked through the department store windows and saw snow flying around. Scott was calling non stop asking me to pick up the pace with the shopping and get home. He's a typical husband who doesn't want his wife out driving on snowy icy roads. So I did just as he asked and got home. It was barely covering the porch at that time but as the night fell, it picked up and we got a nice little dump of snow in our neighborhood. The happiest one in the house about it was our Super Cooper. He pranced right out the door and playing out in the yard for a while. I have to admit...I might like the no snow area but just for a couple of days, we had a winter wonderland. 

Tuesday morning the neighborhood kids were out sledding and giggling. It was worth it. I spent Tuesday cleaning and packing to get ready for our trip. I stuck to my mighty to do list and got it done. Jackson was out of school and actually helped around the house which I totally appreciated. We had a lot to get done in a short amount of time. By time I hit the bed on Tuesday, I was exhausted. I had everything mostly packed but still a few things to finish up in the morning before we had to leave. 

Morning came wayyyy to fast. I was kinda grumpy and I moving at a snails pace. Scott was being the cheerleader trying to pep us up to get things finished up so we could leave. It was lunch time before we were on the road. The major highways were not so bad but the ice on the trees looked so beautiful. We all settled in for an 11 hour trip one way. Scott did the driving while Jackson and I kept busy with the electronics.

I was happy that I could actually plug my laptop into an outlet in the car...yep! I love that... and then I hooked up my phone to it and got perfect internet while driving down the highway. It's called tethering and it allowed me to work for many hours. However, I blew through our data and actually had to call and up the plan from the car. Opps. It really helped pass time and it was so fun doing the Wednesday Hodgepodge with Scott. How often does that happen!? It was worth it. 

We arrived at the hotel around 830pm. We picked the Holiday Inn this time and it was pretty nice. It was a bit smaller than the last room we had but we didn't need a full kitchen. The hotel is new and really comfortable. We were in there only long enough to clean up before we were off to Buffalo Wild Wings for a quick easy dinner. With our full bellies we headed back to the room for some sleep for the early morning that was going to show up wayyyyyy too soon. 

Scott and I actually woke up in pretty good moods and managed to get ready without even waking Jackson up. Guess he was super tired too. It was a long day of appointments but we just went with the flow of things and didn't stop until we finished everything. Jackson stayed in the hotel and during a break we grabbed him some lunch and dropped it off before speeding away to the next place we had to go. We ended the night with a quick dinner at Applebees. Mashell, a sweet online friend sent us a gift certificate for dinner on our trip. It was so sweet, kind and touching. These trips have been really expensive but we are getting by with the grace of God. And we are very thankful for the love and support from our family and friends. I wish I could update you guys on what happened but I just can't. Even still we need your prayers and faith that everything will work out. 

Friday morning we were back in the car heading home. I can't even begin to explain how uncomfortable 11 hour car rides are for me at this point. We thought about flying but it would cost more with the tickets and rental car so Scott prefers to drive it but once night sets in.....its so hard. But Scott drove the entire way home even though I was asking over and over if he needed help but I think he was on a mission to get us home. We had 2 wrecks we had to wait on and lots of traffic in the Atlanta area. We arrived back at the house around 10pm,

When we walked in all the cats kinda looked scared but Cooper was jumping all around super happy to see us. It was long before the kitty cat tales went up and they came alive. Speaking of the cats, we are starting the process of Romeo being a therapy kitty cat. He is so laid back and would be so great to take in hospitals or what have you to pick up kids and adults spirits. So were doing it!

Once we got in and settled we all kinda split up and had some alone time. After being in the car and hotel together for 4 days, we needed the break. One thing that I actually missed that night was Scott in the bed. We slept together every night on our travels and it was rather nice. I think we might just switch things around and start sleeping together again. We do here some but its so much easier to go to bed on our own that we have been kinda lazy about it. However, I kinda liked it and might just get a new king bed to cozy up in. :)

The weekend started with us back home and I got busy doing all the housewife life duties that I have which included grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry and then on Saturday I tackled our insane plastics cabinet. Its been driving me crazy so I got rid of a lot of the pieces without lids and such and moved it all to a top cabinet. It's easier for my family to keep it organized if it's a cabinet on top. The bottom cabinets they seem to just toss things in because they don't want to bend down. Honest to God I am still figuring our family out. I guess learning about each other and learning how to make things work for us is never ending. ♥

Sunday showed up and it was just a lazy day for the most part. We all just hung out and relaxed until Scott and I jumped in the car and took off to run errands. I totally feels like we have been living in the car lately. Once we got home, Scott actually cooked his own fish dinner, Jackson and I had dinners that we liked so it was super easy. We watched the Oscars for as long as could handle it and then found other things to watch. It's just sooooooo long. I ended the night with dying my hair, editing videos and talking to one of my best friends.

And here we are! Lots going on this week.. here's some of my to do's. :)

This weeks to do’s

• Do weekly cleaning today......and tomorrow. I have just had too much online work here lately. 
• Write out thank you notes and mail. 
• Work in planner. 
• Keep up with Yoga routine. 
• Get to bed earlier.... and shut the computer sooner too. 
• Clean the oven. 
• Get nails done. 
• Call Dr. re Jackson. 
• Try to keep up with videos... PRERECORDS as much as possible. 
• Have more patience with Scott and Jackson. 
• Work on Trader Joes grocery list. 
• Spend 1 hour in my closet this week picking it up and organizing. 
• Start a new book. 
• Remember to put Cooper on the treadmill every other day. 
• Clean out Jackson's backpack. 
• Drink more tea than coffee...wish me luck! 
• Find new daily devotional book and order. 
• Reply to emails. 
• Check PO Box
• Clean up spare bedroom. 
• Budget for cruise
• Work on information pack for Louisiana. 
• Wash bedding. 
• Run to dollar store and get more dishwasher soap. I totally forgot it at the store. 
• Go to the Drivers Licensee Branch to get a new one. I hate that errand. Hopefully I can get Scott to go with me! 
• Test out a new bread machine recipe. 
• Clean more windows. There are so many windows in this house....it takes forever to get them all clean. 
• Use fireplace more. February's electric bill was a bit high. 

Here's some inspiration to take a long with you throughout the week:

I hope you are having a beautiful Monday! I have a busy to do list just for today and I am running behind. I am going to be working into the evening to catch up. It's trying to warm up around here and melting most of the snow. I am so ready for spring. Thanks so much for stopping by!   If you are new here, I'd love it if you took a few seconds and subscribed so you don't miss anything. :)