Lately, I haven't been feeling all kinds of the happy feelings. I've been letting my job get to me and blah blah blah. But these are the things that can bring me all the happy feelings so let's bring those back shall we?


//This guy.

//Scarves, give me all the scarves to make me do a happy dance.

//This kitty is on a whole other level with pet love

//Spoiling my friends and sharing in on their happiness

//Wine. Always makes me happy, happy. And coffee.

//Christmas movies

//Getting to see some of my family this weekend.

//A really good nap

//Cozy slippers



What makes your heart happy?

COMFORT.

Today's Blogtember prompt: React to this term: comfort.

Comfort.

Cozy.

Comfortable.

This guy. My comfort at all times.

Snuggled in bed.

Hot drink on a cold day

Melts my heart.

Yes, this.

A Moment with Mom

Day 11 of Blogtember is simply a memory you'd love to relive.

Looking back to relive a moment, a memory. I of course, want to relive my engagement and wedding like a million times over. But today, I am thinking of my mom and one of the memories I had with her before she became an angel watching over me.

Her last Mother's Day with us 

Mom even knew the knee bent hand on thigh, photo pose.

It was the very last picture I have with her. She never liked getting pictures but this day she was so excited and giddy. You see, my sorority had a Mother's Day brunch ( the week before Mother's day) where we pinned our mothers with our Alpha Xi Delta letters. She had no idea this was what was happening but she couldn't have been happier. I got to share a very special sorority ceremony with her and really teach her the meaning of my sisterhood. The sisterhood that in the next year would keep me together.

She was so proud to have that pin and kept asking me when she could wear it, if she could just wear it out anywhere. The next day she called me saying how she wore it to work and was showing it to everyone. Every time she came to campus to see me at the house, she always asked if she could wear it. 

We spent time with my other sisters and their moms and really had a special day. We even painted a wooden picture frame together with the colors of double blue and gold, having a distinct moment of how alike we were when neither of us would make the decision of how exactly to do it. It was a day that reminded just how special our bond was. 

And then on actual Mother's Day, we spent the time working on her own mother's grave. We shopped for new plants and tools where we saw her favorite grand niece, Heather and her mom, Tammy. They truly got a special moment seeing their aunt on her last Mother's Day by coincidence. But it was decided then that they would come up for dinner. My mom and I then spent the next few hours at the grave, digging and planting. It still pains me to think of that day sometimes and how that the very next Mother's day I was at that same spot, at her grave. 

This moment and time was one that I will cherish forever and love that I always had these moments to share with my mom. 

My Social Voice

Day 8 Blogtember: Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.


If you have followed along with me during Blogtember, you saw all about my ISTJ personality and the fact that talking about feelings is about as comfortable for me as a root canal. Hence le blog!

Blogging has given me that outlet. My feelings are free flowing when I sit down to the keyboard. So easy to express all the feelings and moments that make up my life. And on top of that, this platform developed into writing that people actually related to and enjoyed reading. It made me realize my writing lets other people relate to my experiences, love for wine and crazy cat lady.

This blog has made me feel like there is a bigger part of me waiting to be let out. It was a place for me to find my place when I felt like I didn't really have my own spot in this life. I was lost and it gave me a direction.
I have connected with quite a few bloggers and hope to have many more. It's become a passion and I have pride in what I write and expose to friends and family everyday. Who has the courage to say they post about what a mess their bedroom is?

And one of the the best parts? It's here forever (Ok, well maybe not forever. Who knows where this crazy world of blog platforms will go) but the point is, I can look back to this very day 2 years ago and see what I was feeling or thinking. I can see how far I've come or be enveloped with a special moment I was experiencing. Those are the best parts about this blog. 

Thanks little blog for giving me a passion.

Personality, Lots of Personality

Take this short personality test and respond to your test results. 

I promise you, you want to do it.

And surprise, surprise, I am an Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ)

I am "The Duty Fulfiller."

Let me just pick out a few of the highlights of being an ISTJ. 

ISTJs are quiet and reserved individuals who are interested in security and peaceful living

Did I not just mention I can't wait to get back to the country?

As do other Introverted Thinkers, ISTJs often give the initial impression of being aloof and perhaps somewhat cold. Effusive expression of emotional warmth is not something that ISTJs do without considerable energy loss.

I myself have always thought myself to be introvert so this was never new. Talking to new people has scared the bejesus out of me since I was a wee little one. And it's true. People think I'm a bit of a bitch but it's just really I don't like having all that small talk. And feelings and expressing them? Fahgettaboudit. Lately, I have been hearing all about how "my passion" doesn't show. Clearly, I can just say it's my personality now. 

ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don't mince words. Truth wins out over tact. 

It's always been said, I may be quiet but when I do speak it matters. I say the truth and people might not like it but sometimes it just comes out. My husband loves the part of Lady Gaga's song that says, "wish I could shut my playboy mouth." He says that's me. What can I say, the brain mouth filter is sometimes not functioning.

The ISTJ is extremely dependable on following through with things which he or she has promised. For this reason, they sometimes get more and more work piled on them. Because the ISTJ has such a strong sense of duty, they may have a difficult time saying "no" when they are given more work than they can reasonably handle. For this reason, the ISTJ often works long hours, and may be unwittingly taken advantage of.

But saying no is soooo hard, am I right? No, just me and the other ISTJs? Ok. 

And me to a T right here ladies and gentlemen...

While they generally take things very seriously, they also usually have an 

offbeat sense of humor and can be a lot of fun.

See, I'm fun. 

Have you taken the test? What were your results?

I Hope You Dance

 The advice I learned from LeAnn Womack. 

Nothing is more freeing than dancing. 

Take every opportunity that is presented to you. 

Learn every lesson that is put in front of you.

Life has heartaches and set backs, but it also has many joys. 

Never sit on the sidelines when you could be dancing!

Linking up with Blogtember

Take me to Paris.

If you could take three months off from your current life and do anything in the world, what would you do?

This also means I would have infinite money, yes?

Spend time in Paris, at night, during the day, during fall. Doesn't matter. I want to kiss my husband under the Eiffel Tower.

via

Visit all my family that I have been missing. Takes me to north Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Visit all the friends I am missing. From north Jersey, Baltimore, Connecticut, South Carolina and of course, California.

Texas, Y'all.

via

So when can I embark on this 3 month vacation?

Blogtember! Where I Come From

Boy, do I have a treat for you...Blogtember!

I am so glad that Jenni has started another monthly blog challenge. Remember, Blog Everyday in May? I may have not excelled at that in the least. But call me crazy for even attempting it a month before my wedding. Yea, I was a bit crazy I'd say in May.

I digress. Starting off Blogtember, 

Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

I am from a super tiny place called Harmony. Yes, it exists and it isn't some sort of made up place.

It has trees, plenty of farms and a lot of wide open space. It's the place where you have to travel a bit to find the nearest stores. It was also a very simple place where dishes were left in the sink in order to have more time to spend with family. And speaking of family, they showed up whenever they pleased which made us a very close family.

I am a country girl.

I love walking barefoot it the opportunity presents itself. The ground doesn't scare me and my husband asks time and time again, " Why don't you have shoes on?" when I take out the garbage

I love my space and can't wait until the day I have my own backyard to relax in. A pool would be a plus to that equation. Oh, and that backyard I had? It had a horse. 

I open the windows and let the breeze in any opportunity I can get. I grew up with no air conditioning so I still yearn for the fresh air. But during the heat wave, you best believe my new age central air was running up a storm. 

My grandfather was a farmer. Like legit, had a farm, mom grew up on a farm kind of thing. 

And speaking of the family that showed up whenever they wanted, we are all a bunch of crazies. We all have a disdain for the phone and have a hard time keeping in touch. My mom was the center of that family and when she was gone it was as if everyone was lost as to where to gather and what to do. We all have too many emotions and opinions of the other. Might be where my judginess came from. Thanks, fam.

My parents separated when I was 11 which means I had to grow up pretty fast. My mom was essentially a single mom and would work 2 jobs, come home late. So I became pretty self sufficient and independent at an early age. It is something I struggled with when I first met Brian and still struggle with now that we are married. I  was raised to be independent and it's hard to let go of the reins sometimes. 

It is also what instilled such a hard working attitude in me. I saw my mom working so hard to support her two kids that I knew I needed to work as hard to help her out. I had my first job at 15 and had 3 jobs at the age of 17. I bought my first car with cash and paid for all my car expenses (insurance, registration, repairs) from day one. I do not expect to be handed anything and would always sneak my stuff through the check out and pay myself so my mom wouldn't have to pay.

But funny thing, I really stink at saving money now. Take me back to when I was so good at it please.

So that's where I come from and what makes me, me!

And just because..