Don't Judge Me But...

Don't judge me but, the idea for this post was not my own. Regretfully. Creativity, at the moment, is something I am lacking. It is a little after four and my exhaustion is setting in. Unfortunately my best ideas only seem to pop up between the hours of 2 am and 4 am as I toss and turn struggling to fall asleep. Yet, I don't write them down like I should, and end up forgetting my own brilliance. It's such a tangled mess. Anyways, enough about my rambling. I discovered this post from Simone who maintains the blog "The Bottom of the Ironing Basket." I loved this simple idea of the post and decided to write one like it. So here it goes...

Don't judge me but...

I am terrible at directions. 

In fact I am so terrible, that I have to search for another human being to give directions when someone asks me. I point, I stutter, I call out landmarks. 

I tend to over-analyze every situation I am in. 

I plot numerous outcomes both positive and negative and obsess over which will actually happen. 

I love the taste of wine far too much. 

In fact I am dreaming about a glass of Merlot as I type. 

I hate the camera. 

I try to stay away from it as much as I can. 

I prefer to be alone at times. 

Sometimes all I want is complete and utter solitude, a great magazine, and again, uh hem, a glass of wine. 

I do not have a big sweet tooth. 

I would rather have a big plate of french fries. 

I love food yet I have a fear of gaining weight. 

At this point I should get a trophy for will power. 

I cry a lot. 

It doesn't matter what the trigger may be; movies, television shows, concerts, quotes, great novels, or a great song, I will cry. 

One leg is longer than the other. 

It makes balancing very difficult at times. Which is why I should also ask you not to judge me when it comes to this: I walk into walls. 

I don't go to church. 

Sometimes when I do, I feel overwhelmed. 

I curse. 

Sometimes "fuck" is the only word that makes the kind of impact I want. 

After too much whiskey I slur my words like a true Bostonian. 

I am not from Boston, although this is something that I tell people in the south because "New Hampshire" apparently wasn't on their map in school. 

I tend to be bit dramatic. 

It's a shame I never took an acting class. 

I never played a team sport when I was younger. 

While everyone was joining a basketball team or playing baseball, I opted out. The only time I wanted to play a team sport is when I developed a love for hockey. When I asked my Dad however, he said that hockey would "ruin my pretty face."

I have never been to New York City.

Although I often dream of living a "Carrie Bradshaw" kind of lifestyle. 

I am terrible at math.

I count on my fingers, use a calculator or ask someone who is far more intelligent than me. 

I am not utilizing my college degree.

This is something that my parents have a hard time dealing with. I honestly at times, do not know what the hell I want to do. Why can't I apply for the wine-making, vineyard-owning, brilliant published writer, living in a sweet beach home, position? That's what I want. I'll get a degree in that. 

I have curly hair and if I go to bed with it wet, I wake up a stellar version of Diana Ross. 

Not much more to say there. 

High heels kill my feet

I wear them anyway.

I don't own a pair of skinny jeans or leggings. 

I got thighs and a booty and some people simply cannot pull off that look. I am one of them. 

I hold on to things far too tightly. 

I guess a part of me just wonders if such wonderful things can happen more than once.

I am utterly fascinated with Marilyn Monroe. 

She had a keen desire to be loved, yet I don't know if she ever really found it. Admired yes, lusted after yes, but did she ever find that heart-wrenching, beautiful, volatile, love that she desired? 

Last one. 

I cannot for the life of me pronounce "apocalypse".

If the zombies were coming you would hear me stuttering like Rob Schneider in Big Daddy: 

hip...hip-hop...hiponoumous. 

YOU GIVE HIM THE EASY ONES!

Personal: April Goals

Where the heck did March go? I can't believe it is already the 28th and the Color Me Rad 5k is in 2 days! Because it is the end of the month, I decided I need to sit down and start writing my goals for April. And I'll tell you what, I am so excited to have the chance to start over, and make myself not only better, but continue to grow as an adult. I have maintained a vast majority of my March goals and I am very proud of myself. In the past month I have really pushed myself physically and the results are starting to show. Now that I have increased my stamina on a variety of levels, I am ready to start pushing my body even further. One thing that I have yet to master, although I have been careful, is my diet. I need to "clean it up" and start eliminating the processed junk. With that being said, here are some of my goals for April:

Physically

Log some serious hours at gym which includes 4-5 sessions of cardio a week and incorporating weight training. 

Continue to practice yoga

I never knew I  could do a yoga headstand but I challenged myself and got into one. I am going to focus on mastering the pose and increasing strength, flexibility, and agility. 

Clean up the diet:

I am going to start prepping my lunches for the week on Sunday evening. I want to make sure that I have several healthy choices available to me at work and before/after workouts. I also want to start walking during my lunch break to burn more calories. 

Get some definition in my abs:

Ugh. Abs are so difficult and I know they come with a clean diet and lots of cardio, etc.

Plank, Plank, Plank. 

Creatively

April Photo-A-Day Challenge

Maintain my Creative Writing Blog

Paint

Journal

Draw

Around the home:

Spring Cleaning

I want to tidy up the yard, put up the gazebo, and clean out the garage. 

Maybe go to Bed, Bath and Beyond.

If I have time.

Happy Hour Readers: What are your April Goals 

What Our Parents Never Taught Us

“Here’s what our parents never taught us:

You will stay up on your rooftop until sunlight peels away the husk of the moon, 

chainsmoking cigarettes and reading Baudelaire, and 

you will learn that you only ever want to fall in love with someone

who will stay up to watch the sun rise with you.

You will fall in love with train rides, and sooner or later you will

realize that nowhere seems like home anymore.

A woman will kiss you and you’ll think her lips are two petals

rubbing against your mouth.

You will not tell anyone that you liked it. 

It’s okay. 

It is beautiful to love humans in a world where love is a metaphor for lust.

You can leave if you want, with only your skin as a carry-on.

All you need is a twenty in your pocket and a bus ticket. 

All you need is someone on the other end of the map, thinking about the supple

curves of your body, to guide you to a home that stretches out for miles

and miles on end.

You will lie to everyone you love. 

They will love you anyways.

One day you’ll wake up and realize that you are too big for your own skin.

Molt. 

Don’t be afraid.

Your body is a house where the shutters blow in and out

against the windowpane.

You are a hurricane-prone area. 

The glass will break through often.

But it’s okay. I promise.

Remember,

a stranger once told you that the breeze

here is something worth writing poems about.”

-Shinji Moon, "What Our Parents Never Taught Us"

The Art of Letting Go

Found this article on marcandangel.com and had to share, it is very inspiring. Enjoy.

Holding on is being brave, but letting go and moving on is often what makes us stronger and happier.

Here are ten signs it’s time to let go:

1. Someone expects you to be someone you’re not. – Don’t change who you are for anyone else.  It’s wiser to lose someone over being who you are, than to keep them by being someone you’re not.  Because it’s easier to mend a broken heart, than it is to piece together a shattered identity.  It’s easier to fill an empty space in your life where someone else used to be, than it is to fill the empty space inside yourself where YOU used to be.
2. A person’s actions don’t match their words. – Everybody deserves somebody who helps them look forward to tomorrow.  If someone has the opposite effect on you, because they are consistently inconsistent and their actions don’t match up with their words, it’s time to let them go.  It’s always better to be alone than to be in bad company.  True friendship is a promise made in the heart – silent, unwritten, unbreakable by distance, and unchangeable by time.  Don’t listen to what people say; watch what they do.  Your true friends will slowly reveal themselves over time.
3. You catch yourself forcing someone to love you. – Let us keep in mind that we can’t force anyone to love us.  We shouldn’t beg someone to stay when they want to leave.  That’s what love is all about – freedom.  However, the end of love is not the end of life.  It should be the beginning of an understanding that love sometimes leaves for a reason, but never leaves without a lesson.  If someone truly loves you, they will never give you a reason to doubt it.  Anyone can come into your life and say how much they love you, but it takes someone really special to stay in your life and prove how much they love you.  Sometimes it takes awhile to find the right person, but the right person is always worth the wait.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. An intimate relationship is based strictly on physical attraction. – Being beautiful is more than how many people you can get to look at you, or how others perceive you at a single glance.  It’s about what you live for.  It’s about what defines you.  It’s about the depth of your heart, and what makes you unique.  It’s about being who you are and living out your life honestly.  It’s about those little quirks that make you, you.  People who are only attracted to you because of your pretty face or nice body won’t stay by your side forever.  But the people who can see how beautiful your heart is will never leave you.
5. Someone continuously breaks your trust. – Love means giving someone the chance to hurt you, but trusting them not to.  When you completely trust a person, without any doubt, you’ll automatically get one of two results - a FRIEND for life or a LESSON for life.  Either way there’s a positive outcome.  Either you confirm the fact that this person cares about you, or you get the opportunity to weed them out of your life and make room for those who do.  In the end you’ll discover who’s fake, who’s true, and who would risk it all for you.  And trust me, some people will totally surprise you.
6. Someone continuously overlooks your worth. – Know your worth!  When you give yourself to someone who doesn’t respect you, you surrender pieces of your soul that you’ll never get back.  There comes a point when you have to let go and stop chasing some people.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll find a way to put you there.  Sometimes you just need to let go and accept the fact that they don’t care for you the way you care for them.  Let them leave your life quietly.  Letting go is oftentimes easier than holding on.  We think it’s too hard to let go, until we actually do.  Then we ask ourselves, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”
7. You are never given a chance to speak your mind. – Sometimes an argument saves a relationship, whereas silence breaks it.  Speak up for your heart so that you won’t have regrets.  Life is not about making others happy.  Life is about being honest and sharing your happiness with others.
8. You are frequently forced to sacrifice your happiness. – If you allow people to make more withdrawals than deposits in your life, you will be out of balance and in the negative before you know it.  Know when to close the account.  It’s always better to be alone with dignity than in a relationship that constantly requires you to sacrifice your happiness and self-respect.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
9. You truly dislike your current situation, routine, job, etc. – It’s better to be a failure at something you love than to succeed at doing something you hate.  Don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of going after yours.  The best thing you can do in life is follow your heart.  Take risks.  Don’t just make the safe and easy choices because you’re afraid of what might happen.  If you do, nothing will ever happen.  Chances must be taken, mistakes must be made, and lessons must be learned.  It might be an uphill climb, but when you reach that mountaintop it will be worth every ounce of blood, sweat and tears you put into it.
10. You catch yourself obsessing over, and living in, the past. – Eventually you will overcome the heartache, and forget the reasons you cried, and who caused the pain.  Eventually you will realize that the secret to happiness and freedom is not about control or revenge, but in letting things unfold naturally, and learning from your experiences over the course of time.  After all, what matters most is not the first, but the final chapter of your life, which unveils the details of how well you wrote your story.  So let go of the past, set yourself free, and open your mind to the possibility of new relationships and priceless experiences.  Read The Power of Now.

And the one thing you should never let go of is hope.  Remember what you deserve and keep pushing forward.  Someday all the pieces will come together.  Unimaginably good things will transpire in your life, even if everything doesn’t turn out exactly the way you had anticipated.  And you will look back at the times that have passed, smile, and ask yourself, “How did I get through all of that?”

Bucket List Continued...

1. Read Baudelaire in the French Riviera

2. Get another tattoo

3. Starting in Kalapana, Hawaii, I would like to walk to the place on the coast where active lava flows touch the ocean. 

4. Wade the waters of Starfish Beach, Grand Cayman

5. Take a french cooking class.

6. Experience New Year's Eve in Paris

7. Have a glass of wine and a piece of pizza in Rome

8. Explore photography in Santorini, Greece

9. Abandon all the rules for just one day.

10. Breakup with the idea of perfect. 

Happy Hour Readers: What is on your bucket list? 

Spring Cleaning for the Mind: 10 Ways to Make Your Day Better

1. Make someone else smile. – Ordinary people worry today and postpone their happiness for tomorrow. Intelligent people are happy today and postpone their worries for tomorrow. Wise people only wish happiness for all, today and tomorrow. If you wish to have a lifetime of happiness, dedicate time every day to helping others smile with complete sincerity and enthusiasm. 

2. Be imperfect. – Something that is really difficult, but totally worth it, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the journey of becoming your true self. The most beautiful part of this journey is simply returning to the peaceful feeling of being. This peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be. 

3. Be enthusiastic about what you’re doing. – You’re not given a good life or a bad life. You’re given life, and it’s up to you to make it good or bad. So wake up and get motivated; not everybody made it to today. Don’t take your time for granted. Don’t waste time thinking back to what you could have done differently yesterday. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and do it differently today. Wherever the road takes you, bring your passion. Whatever you do along the way, do it with all your heart. 

4. Make the best of what happens. – More important than what happens to you, is what you make of what happens to you. The more thankful you are, the more beautiful this world appears. You must uncover the good in the bad, the happy in your sad, the gain in your pain, and what makes you 

grateful not hateful. 

5. Forgive your past self. – Sometimes, good people like you make bad choices. It doesn't mean you’re bad; it means you’re human. So get bored with your past; it’s over. Forgive yourself for what you think you did or didn't do, and focus on what you will do starting now. 

6. Spend some time simply being and breathing. – The only way to live happily ever after is one day at a time. Just be, breathe, and think not about what you’re missing, but what you've been given. Happiness is something that comes into our lives gradually through the doors we don’t even 

remember leaving open. 

7. Learn something new. – It’s important to remember that you cannot become who you are capable of being by remaining exactly where you are. If you are not willing to learn and grow, no one can help you. But if you are determined to learn and grow, no one can stop you. In the end, there are no permanent jobs on this planet; we are all interning here. Learn from everyone, evolve, remain humble, and don’t forget to have a good time. 

8. Look in the mirror, and tell yourself what you love about yourself. – What we see in the mirror is what we see in the world. Our disappointment in others perfectly reflects our disappointment in ourselves. Our acceptance of others perfectly reflects our acceptance of ourselves. Our ability to see potential in others perfectly reflects our ability to see potential in ourselves. Our patience with others perfectly reflects our patience with ourselves. 

9. Focus on the qualities you like about those around you. – Whenever we focus on a person’s wonderful qualities, we have a wonderful relationship with them. Whenever we focus on a person’s not so wonderful qualities, we have a not so wonderful relationship with them. What we focus on grows in 

our minds and hearts. 

10. Say 'YES' to a spontaneous opportunity. – Everything in life can’t be planned. Some of the greatest opportunities will knock on your door when you least expect them to. Be flexible, be spontaneous, and 

just say 'yes.' 

 {Source: Marc and Angel}

New Product Launch: Flower by Drew Barrymore & Her Beauty Tips

Check out the latest interview with Drew Barrymore from RealBeauty.com regarding her new makeup line! I am so excited to check it out!

By. Hallie. Gould

This cool-as-can-be celeb talked to us about her newly launched 181-piece cosmetics collection that is all about beauty by way of happiness. We're thinking that philosophy, as well as the line's price tag (only $5–$14!), is definitely something we can get on board with. Not to mention, dishing with Barrymore was basically like sending us to Disney Land.

Real Beauty: What made you decide to start a cosmetics line? 

Drew Barrymore: Well, I’ve been in a makeup chair since I was six years old, so I’ve worked with some of the best makeup artists in the world. I’ve played with every product! And I just absolutely love makeup. After I was a co-creative director at CoverGirl, which was the best partnership a person could ever have, I felt like I had gotten a college degree! I thought, wow, I should go out into the world and do something with these skills.

RB: What’s your beauty philosophy? 

DB: Happiness is the best makeup. A girl looks absolutely the most beautiful when she’s smiling—you see those eye crinkles and they sparkle. The beautiful teeth come out and it just has this glow that no makeup could ever pull off. It’s just that inner moment. So I definitely try to stick with that. Then, as far as my daily routine, I believe in concealer.

RB: What are your other must-have products? 

DB: Witch Hazel Wipes. I’m obsessed with them. They come in little individual packets and they’re genius. They’re cheap and cheerful—they’re like great facials on the go. And also Aquaphor, for my lips.

RB: Do you have any beauty tricks or secrets you swear by? 

DB: Yeah, absolutely. You know, when I work with makeup artists that put a little white sparkle in the corners of my eyes, I’m always like, wow. It makes such a difference! We have a cream eye shadow that speaks to that. It’s called, Rest on Your Laurel. It’s this beautiful, pale creamy pearl. I’m also really big on cheeks. We have cream blushes that I’m crazy for. We have Pure Petuniawhich is a very peachy, coraly pink. I like to put it on the apples of my cheeks. We also have one called Elegant Azalea that I put in the contour of my cheeks. It just depends if I want to look like a Kewpie doll and fresh, or more like a woman with cheekbones.

RB: What is your beauty inspiration? 

DB: I would probably have to say David Bowie. He is ever-changing and always playing, and just so interesting. If you look at him in the "Let’s Dance" era with Ziggy Stardust and the pinups, he was just the coolest creature ever! Sometimes, my inspiration is Sharon Tate or Jane Fonda. And I always think Naomi Watts looks so beautiful walking down the carpet, and Scarlett [Johansson]. She’s always changing and it’s always so fun. With Jane Fonda, you never knew what you were going to get, and it was always exciting. I like chameleons.

RB: Are there any beauty trends that you would never try? 

DB: I’m still hoping to make a good crimped hairdo look proper! You know, my whole philosophy is to not care what people say. Just do what makes you happy and feel good—and have fun! We have one very short life, and it’s all about experimenting. You’ll figure out what does and doesn’t work for you very quickly. It’s all about your journey.

RB: Is there a look that you’re dying to try out? 

DB: I’m kind of happy that the ‘90s are trending a little bit again. We did two products in the line that were, for me, really harkening back to that era. One is Chocolate Lilly lipstick and the other is our Toffee lip liner. When we created those a year and a half ago, we had no idea those colors would be coming back into play. I put them in the line because I was like, 'I used to wear these colors all the time!' We also have a lipstick called Pop Rose. I did the cover of Pop Magazine, and it was kind of grunge. It was a really fun shoot. I loved it and remember being inspired by that moment. We also created this lipstick called Black Rose. So if you’re into the ‘90s or what’s trending right now from back in the day, those are the three good go-to’s in the line.

RB: How would you describe it your personal style? 

DB: I’m still a jeans and t-shirt girl and probably always will be. But right now, I’m really into long skirts.

RB: Do you have any tips or tricks that help you stay healthy? 

DB: I do a lot of hot yoga and I try to do some resistance training to strengthen my old bones. But I’m not the biggest workout maven. I feel like there are probably other women who can speak much more to that. I just try to do what makes me feel happy in my head. I move enough to feel good.

Read more: Drew Barrymore Interview - Drew Barrymore Launches Flower Cosmetics Collection - Real Beauty 

Ladies & Gentlemen, This Is Writing...

I came across this poem late yesterday afternoon. Without question, it is the most beautiful pieces of writing I have ever read. Each time I read it, I become more moved by its sentiment and find myself dancing in circles. Ladies and gentlemen, this is what writing is about. 

“

Screw falling in love.

My heart itself is already in tangles. A web of nonsense
and a drawerful of necklace chains that I will never
have the patience to separate. I am sounds mixed with
different mediums of light. Six thousand eight hundred
dialects of flesh that I don’t have enough time to
translate into words. This dictionary of skin is unreadable and
Latin is dead because of what we never had the balls to
tell each other.

I am swearing off of love because everything inside of me
is oil and vinegar and I no longer believe that it’s morally correct
to fall in love with the intent of both destroying and rebuilding 
another human being. I am a forest fire and an ocean, and
my favorite color is the same as the color that hurts me the most.

I don’t want your sentimentality. Quit looking at me intending
to melt me. We all know it’s working. We all know what this heart
is capable of unfolding.

I am not as strong as my words pretend to be. Not 
as quiet as these caesuras promise. This heart is a patchwork quilt of people
that leave different shades of blue inside of me.

The drowning. Your skies. 
The outline of a blue jay on a porcelain plate.

For now, I am closing off these bones for someone who will know
how to trace me without me ever telling them what I look like naked.

I no longer want to seduce the words out of people just to see
if I can. The love that I’m looking for falls out of the realm of your lips
and my lips and our lips doing a dance that involves bodies and more skin
and your hair touching mine, gently, like two winds
colliding.

Screw falling in love.

It’s too much to handle when
I’m already having difficulties breathing and keeping track of my
heartbeats and making sure that my limbs are doing what
they need to be doing.

But,
men are so beautiful.

But this heart is so
fragile.

I am every vulnerability that the thesaurus has to
offer me and in a certain light it’s impossible for me not to pull you
towards me with the intent of kissing the very life
out of you.

What I’m trying to say is that you are not allowed in.
What I’m trying to say is that all I want is to open myself up and have you
rearrange me, untangle the gold chains of my heart, love me for
every shade of blue that I have hidden in the silent spaces
between parentheses.

I have sworn off of falling in love,

but I know that in the morning, 
outside, in the pale frost of February,

all I’ll want is to hold another person’s hand, warm and
gloved, in their coat’s pocket.

”

(Shinji Moon, I Don't Want to be Loved. I Just Want to be Untangled. 

Carrie Bradshaw, Olivia Wilde, and My Love for Magazines

She had Mr. Big, the city, and a closet full of Louboutin's and Haute Couture. Her evenings consisted of top shelf Cosmopolitans and expensive champagne with her girlfriends. Miss Carrie Bradshaw, despite her relationship woes, had it all. Even today, long after the show has ended, a big part of me still aspires to be like her; to wake up in a "fabulous" studio apartment in the Upper East Side, surrounded by my published novels and the aroma of Colombian coffee filling the air. 

Ahh. To dream...

In the meantime however, I adore reading magazine, just as Carrie did. I believe she was once quoted as saying: 

"When I first moved to New York, I bought Vogue. I just felt it fed me more."

Fashion. Shoes. Beauty. Glamour. I understand Carrie, I truly understand. That's why I couldn't help posting this spread by Marie Claire Magazine of the ever-so-lovely Olivia Wilde. 

D o w n

I don't know where I'm at
I'm standing at the back
And I'm tired of waiting
Waiting here in line, hoping that I'll find what I've been chasing.

I shot for the sky
I'm stuck on the ground
So why do I try, I know I'm gonna to fall down
I thought I could fly, so why did I drown?
Never know why it's coming down, down, down.

Not ready to let go
Cause then I'd never know
What I could be missing
But I'm missing way too much
So when do I give up what I've been wishing for.

I shot for the sky
I'm stuck on the ground
So why do I try, I know I'm gonna to fall down
I thought I could fly, so why did I drown?
Never know why it's coming down, down, down.
Oh I am going down, down, down
Can't find another way around
And I don't want to hear the sound, of losing what I never found.

I shot for the sky
I'm stuck on the ground
So why do I try, I know I'm gonna to fall down
I thought I could fly, so why did I drown?
I never know why it's coming down, down, down.

I shot for the sky
I'm stuck on the ground
So why do I try, I know I'm gonna to fall down
I thought I could fly, so why did I drown?
Oh it's coming down, down, down.

D o w n

{John Walker}

Cheer Up: Beat the Monday Blues

strikingtruths.com

I know today is Monday and you assume it's going to suck, but according to statistics, there will be over 5,000 weddings, 10,000 childbirths, and 42 million hugs occurring today throughout the United States. Also today, there will be a least 4 people that will win the multi-million dollar lotteries, 600 people will get promotions at work, and 3,000 people will lose their virginity. There will also be 600 dogs adopted, 35,000 balloons sold and 800,000 Skittles sold. Plus, the words "I Love You" will be said over 9 million times. So, again, I know today is Monday and you assume its going to suck but just smile, because according to statistics, it should actually be a really nice day.

Unknown

Something to Remember on International Women's Day

Those that are, and those that are growing up to be. The daughters. The mothers. The sisters. The fribblings-friends like siblings. The wives. The girlfriends. The aunts. The nieces. The grand-somethings. The 

young-uns, the teens. 

The women in your life. 

Who love, lose, cry.

Laugh, heal, thrive. 

Nurture. Create. 

You. Are. Amazing. 

As. You. Are.

Stronger than you know. More beautiful than you think. Worthier than you believe. More loved than you can ever imagine. Fiery when protecting those you love. Learning. Growing. Not alone. Warm. Giving. Generous. Quirky. Sexy. Funny. Smart. Flawed. Whole. Scared. Brave. And so, so, so much more. Be Strong. Be Confident. Be You. 

-Tia Sparkles Singh, 2011 

dknyprgirl.tumblr.com

A Look at the Marilyn Monroe Collection for Macys

I am swooning over these piece from the Marilyn Monroe Collection that will be available at Macy's. 

I can literally picture myself in a pink Cadillac convertible wearing this little black polka dotted dress with a pair of wedges and Jackie-O sunglasses. 

Did I mention S W O O N I N G 

x o x o 

View the whole collection HERE

All Marilyn pictures found HERE

Healthy Lifestyle: A Sweet Spin on Water

Tired of drinking boring water? 

Me too. 

Luckily, I discovered this tip on Pinterest to help me reach my daily goal of 64 oz (or more) water a day.

Instead of filling your water with artificial sweeteners, etc. add a handful of frozen raspberries and ice in your water bottle. 

It naturally infuses your water and gives it a sweet berry taste. 

Benefits of Raspberries: 

High in vitamin C

High in Fiber

High in antioxidants.

Read more at LiveStrong

How Dancing Can Improve Your Relationship

I am sure many women can agree that there is something magical about a man asking a woman to dance. Let’s face it, dinner and a movie, although a classic choice for date night, truly can get boring. Don’t you think that it is time to try something new and exciting? Why not try ballroom dancing! Believe it or not, ballroom dancing, or the “dance of love” can truly improve a relationship and can be a  rewarding experience that both partners can enjoy! Don’t believe me? Janet Carlson, author of “Quick Before The Music Stops: How Ballroom Saved My Life”, claims that their is an inevitable attraction that derives from a couple who is learning how to dance together. “Let’s face it, moving rhythmically to beautiful music together is a turn-on that is hard to resist. It’s hard not to enjoy the person who is right there helping you feel sexy, glamorous, and elegant.”

But why? Like a relationship, dancing involves three important entities that are crucial to a long-lasting, successful relationship: trust, respect, and of course a partnership. There is a balance of power and comfort that is established when a couple begins to learn how to dance. Carlson can agree! “One of the first things I learned from a dance coach was probably the most parallel between dance and love: Your job is to think about your partner’s comfort while you dance, and your partner’s job is to think about yours. The bottom line: consider your romantic partnership to be like that of a dance partnership; for a smooth, successful one, don’t step on each other’s toes, look out for your partner’s needs, and make sure he or she looks out for yours.”

Still need more convincing?

Ladies, I am sure you can agree that at times, we need to be in absolute control of a situation. After all, we are strong, self-sufficient, and independent. But guess what? When it comes to ballroom dancing, you must surrender to that need to be “in control” all the time. “I confess, being the kind of woman who’s mostly in charge, and self-sufficient, it’s kind of sexy to experience the man being in charge when it comes to dancing”, says Carlson. “It’s taught me to stop trying to do everything myself in a relationship.” Again, like dancing, a relationship is a partnership, responsibilities can be shared! Now, I don’t want to fool you, the man will not always be leading and the woman will not always be following, but surrendering to that initial need to be in control can be liberating. Learning how to ballroom dance together, can truly foster a loving, respectful,partnership off the dance floor.

We have all heard it before: It does indeed “Take two to tango”. 

(Found this article on an old blog I used to write & maintain!)

Happy Hour Mixology: Three Olives Launches Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka

I usually don't rush to the liquor store after work, but today I may have to. Three Olives just launched it's Marilyn Monroe Strawberry Vodka. Marilyn Monroe...vodka...in the same sentence? AHH!

"Three Olives Vodka honors Marilyn Monroe with a flavor offering that celebrates the legends love of strawberries and her dazzling style and iconic Hollywood glamour."

Live, love, Marilyn Monroe. 

Recipes: Healthy Turkey & Feta Stuffed Peppers

Turkey & Feta Stuffed Peppers

What you need:

4 green bell peppers

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 stalks of celery, diced

1 28 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes 

1 lb. of ground turkey 

1 package of Athenos Tomato & Basil Feta Cheese (if you want to use plain feta cheese, that's fine too)

 3 tablespoons tomato paste

A tiny spoonful of minced garlic (Chris doesn't really like garlic so I had to use sparingly) if you want more, go for it! 

 2 tsp. Oregano

2. tsp. Red pepper flakes

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste) 

 2 tablespoons olive oil

Shredded Mozzarella cheese to melt over peppers. 

What you need to do: 

1. Start by heating skillet over medium heat with olive oil. 

2. Add onions and celery and saute until tender. 

(At this point I like to splash white wine into the mixture, makes me feel like I'm on some fancy cooking show). 

3.Take tomato paste and mash it into celery and onion mixture, stirring continuously for about 3 minutes. 

4. Now, add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.

5. Once the turkey is cooked, add the diced tomatoes and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. 

(The house at this point, by the way, smells fantastic.) 

6. While the mixture is simmering, prep the peppers by cutting of the tops and removing the seeds. 

7. Remove mixture from heat and stir in feta cheese. 

8. Now it's time to stuff those peppers! I filled each pepper about 3/4 full (leaving a little room for mozzarella cheese) 

9. Place peppers in crock-pot with about 2/3 cups of water, and cook on high for about an hour and a half or until the pepper starts to get soft. (They will look almost olive green). My crock-pot is fairly new so it runs very hot and doesn't take much time to get things cooking.  About 10 minutes before eating, top peppers with mozzarella cheese and cook an additional ten minutes. 

10. Enjoy!

Soundtrack of My Day: Starry Eyed

So we burst into colors, colors and carousels

Fall head first like paper planes in playground games.

Next thing we're touching 

You look at me, its like you hit me with lightning. 

[ e l l i e G o l d i n g ]

starry eyed

Alex Clare on Pandora today:

1. Blue Foundation: Eyes on Fire

2. Alex Clare: When Doves Cry

3. Swedish House Mafia: Don't You Worry Child

4. Ellie Golding: Starry Eyed

5. Sia: Breathe Me

6. Florence and the Machine: Bedroom Hymns

7. Alex Clare: Up All Night

8. Lindsey Stirling: Crystallize

9. Lindsey Stirling: Song of the Caged Bird

10. The Glitch Mob: Fortune Days 

Personal: March Goals

Although I have stayed true to the majority of my New Year's Resolutions, I find myself wanting to up the ante (sort of speak). Deep down I know that I can do more to improve my overall sense of health and well-being both physically and mentally as this year continues. I am happy to report that I have officially signed up for my first 5k in Chattanooga, and I couldn't be more excited. With that being said, I need to start training harder so I can run the race without much hesitation. I have never been a runner, but I have grown to love my training sessions at the gym as well as my weekend runs. Unfortunately, a hip injury from over exertion has side-lined my workout regimen and I have fallen off the bandwagon. Luckily, its a start of a new month and I can get my butt back into the gym and accomplish the goals I have set forth. I can also reflect on the positive changes I have made the last two months regardless of a little slip-ups,such as:

I gave up energy drinks. 

I was a 2-a-day-er. I loved Red Bull and the insane amount of concentration it gave me. It wasn't until a minor panic attack at my desk and an accelerated heart rate that I realized I needed to stop. 

I started drinking more green tea

No sodas, no sugary drinks, just natural green tea with natural sweetener

Water became my best friend 

Sure I was in the bathroom a lot, but I was less bloated, my skin looked better, and I felt more energized. 

Replaced hardly eating to eating small meals a couple times a day

Learned to love Greek yogurt as well. 

Incorporated weights into work-outs

Love the burn!

BUT... I have new goals for the month. Although I am going to continue doing the things listed above I want to do the following:

Physically:

Commit to working out in the morning before work 

Ugh. this is going to be tough but I want more time in the evenings to spend time with friends and loved ones. 

A Plank A Day No Matter What:

(1 minute or more!)

Planks are awesome for your abs and I want a nice flat tummy for bikini season

Healthier Dinners:

I tend to eat healthy all day then blow it with an extra spoonful of pasta. I must execute better self control! I have found several new healthy recipes on Pinterest and I can't wait to try them.

Run, Run, Run:

At least 3 times a week. No excuses. 3 miles, 30 minutes. I can do this. Please hold me accountable, if I start making excuses. 

Regain flexibility in my back:

I did a back bend the other day and my muscles screamed in happiness. What a truly wonderful stretch. 

Emotionally, Spiritually, Etc. 

Join the Photo-a-day challenge:

I am joining Fat Mum Slim's Photo Challenge to stimulate my creative side. 

Reserve time for me:

I tend to forget about myself at times. I need to reserve time where I can just sit and relax. 

Find Free Lance Writing Opportunities

I need to write more and improve my portfolio. 

Blog, Blog. Blog

After all this is what I love to do and I want to continue inspiring those who read. 

With that being said: 

Happy Hour Readers: What are your plans for March? 

x-o-x-o Kristina