Another New Journey

So, I posted on my Facebook a few days ago looking for a friend to help me learn how to do my hair and makeup. Well, the problem is that I now live on the other side of the country from all my friends. A little hard to learn makeup and hair from people that are at least 1,000 miles away... Some even more. A bunch of them are more than willing to help because I have super awesome friends but like I said... There is A LOT of country between us. :) 

The #1 tip I have gotten from them is to look online at videos and tutorials. Should be easy enough right? :) I am so lost when it comes to all of this. I have never been great at hair and only decently passable at makeup so it will be a long journey.  

I started with going to the best place to find anything you want to find on the internet anymore... PINTEREST! Where else would I go???? So, I have a board for hair and a board for makeup. I found a bunch of great looking things that I want to try. Awesome right??? Well, now my problem is that I don't really understand how to do the things the videos say... I need to find tutorials that start at the VERY basic for this whole makeup thing... how sad is it that I am 26 years old and know pretty much nothing about this. :) Oh well, Its never to late to start right???

This is one look I want to try... Looks like maybe it should be simple enough??? Right??? YIKES!

As for my hair, I am really hopeless there too... I blame my hair for that. :) It is really difficult to do anything with. AND yes people who do hair have told me that. NOW, I said difficult, not impossible. I really think that I might be able to train it to do some things and it will also take lots of practice for me to learn so I am going to try. 

I love this look! Nice and simple for every day but still looks like she tried to do something with it.

So, my plan is to pick a new makeup look and hair style and try it every so often. I think everyday would be a bit much so I am going to try maybe 3 new looks a week to begin with. :) I will post pictures and keep you all updated along the journey. :) 

Fast and Furious Weekend!

So, as some of you know I recently moved. I now live in Ohio (I know completely random) and last week was the Brown County Fair. I LOVE FAIRS and it was such a blast to be there. To hear more about the fair and our experience check out my other blog. 

I also ordered some new Washi tape this weekend. Well, I ordered it last week but she is closing out the orders and stuff like that. I can't wait to get it in! :) If you read my last post you know that I am falling head first into an addiction with this amazing decorative tape. :) So, here is a sneak peak of what I ordered this weekend. 

                                       

I am so excited to get these kits in and start decorating with them! :)

I also ordered a few of these sets of thin washi that I can't wait to get! :) I am using this kind of wash to color code my bills in my planner so I needed more of it so it was fate when I found this lady that sells this washi! :) 

Don't worry! Like I said I didn't order ALL of these, even though I wanted too!!!

She is AMAZING! I just met here though her group on Facebook which you can find HERE but I have talked to her a bunch on Facebook and she is tons of fun! :) Go over and check out her page! :) 

Thank you Saundra for all you do and I may have to go into a 12 step program for Washi addicts... Anyone know of any such thing???

How do you spend your spare time?

So, I am working on coming up with some hobbies I am interested in. Now that I am here in Ohio I have more room in my house and lots of things I have wanted to do... One of them is learn to sew. I have my sewing machine out and I have messed with it a little bit. I need to get some scrap fabric to practice with just haven't had the time or been anywhere to get any.  I have perused the lovely Pinterest and found LOTS of projects I want to try. First I have to get used to using my machine. The problem right now is I am pretty much terrified of my machine. :)  That and I am pretty much allergic to straight lines... :) I'll learn eventually though. 

This is the beginning of my craft area... I have the sewing table set up and we got the shelves to keep other craft stuff on. I can't wait to get the rest of the storage stuff that I want to put in there and really bring the whole room together. 

I want to order some bins from Thirty One to put on the shelves to keep some of the little things in. This is one of the bins I want to get. 

https://www.mythirtyone.com/AbigailBlount/shop/Catalog/BrowseCatalog

Another one of the hobbies I am working on is planning and decorating my planner. I don't have many things to plan right now but I plan on changing that with my Thirty One business and having more parties. I am building up quite the collection of Washi tape so I am hoping to get this bin soon to keep it all more organized... Well, at least all in one place.  Interested in the bins??? Just click on the picture and it will take you directly to my website. 

So, share with me... What are your hobbies??

Are there any new things you are wanting to try??? 

Family

So, I just moved to Ohio.... ITS CRAZY! I never thought I would move this far away but... here I am.

I've been here for almost two weeks and since then I have had a lot of time to think.. because I spend a lot of time alone. I did when I lived back in New Mexico too but this is different. I really don't have anyone close by that I can call to hang out... Well, yet of course. Hopefully I can start meeting some people soon and making some friends. 

One thing I have really been thinking about is family. I really miss my family. Before I moved out here I was only a little over an hour away from my parents and I had an Aunt and Uncle right down the street. It just took a few minutes to get to their house by car and even was walking distance if I really had to.

 BUT, now I am about 14 hours away from my closest sibling and about 22 hours from my parents. It is a completely different lonely feeling. 

So, what I have really been thinking is 

WHAT IS FAMILY????

I have heard from people in my family and in others that there is a lot of drama going on between people. It really makes me sad to hear about everything that is happening. Why do people have to be so hurtful and judgmental?  I mean really. There are ways to help people without being like that. If our family members can't be there to help us through tough times with love and respect who can we have? And for the ladies.... We should be there for the you girls growing up and going through these things. We all made bad decisions growing up and should help with our experience and not judge them for their decisions. YES, our experiences may be different but that doesn't mean we can't be there for each other and just love and support each other. Right??? Same goes for you gentlemen. You need to be there to love and support the young men growing up and going through some of the same things that you went through. 

And young people... You need to respect those that are trying to help you. They have the experience and know what you are going through. It may feel like they don't and that they can never understand... BUT, I will tell you a secret. They went through a lot of these same things and really do know what it feels like. 

If we all just learn to treat EVERYONE with respect and stop getting upset when people try to help things would be so much easier. 

Family should be our anchor... BUT, they can only be there for us if we let them. 

To all of my family! I just want you all to know that I love you and I am so thankful to have you in my life! 

National Conference!

I'm super excited! I am registered and ready to go to Thirty One National Conference this summer! It is going to be so much fun! I will finally get to meet my team members and learn and grow new skills for my business!!! Check out the countdown above to see how much longer I have to wait! 

So, in preparation to go to this I need to book more parties to earn some money to be able to go! :) I am also looking for ideas to book parties. So, any ideas you have start sending them my way! ALSO, if you are interested in ordering or hosting a party send me a message! :) We can set up an online party for you and you still earn rewards! WHO DOESN'T LOVE FREE STUFF??? Am I right??? 

AND did I mention I will be celebrating my BIRTHDAY in Denver?!?!?!?

SO....

Getting everything ready for 2015.... A little late....

So, getting ready for taxes for 2014 has really made me wish I could have kept everything more organized for the year. SOOO I am getting things going for 2015 so this time next year I'm not as stressed out. :) I got this idea from on of my team members. She said to purchase a Fold N File and set up folder for each month and put receipts and anything else you might need in it for tax time. 

This is the Fold N File in my favorite print! Grey Wave! 

I really wanted to do this and thought I would have to wait to be able to order one and get all of this set up. Who doesn't want everything to be cute and organized? 

Well, I finally decided that since I already have three filing cabinets here at my house, two of which aren't even being used, I should save some money and just make use of them. Maybe one day I will get myself on of the Fold N Files but for now this will work.

So, as I started getting things together to set up this system I found that I don't have the file folders to do this like I thought. SO, yet again I had to improvise. Well, I have a TON of pocket folders left over from last year when I was teaching so I decided that I could use them just as well. SO, I got the folders out and looked online for some cute printouts of the months to label each one. 

Then I got the hanging folders and labeled them for each month and put the folders in there. TA-DA we have a filing system to keep things ready for tax season! :) The filing cabinet was in my classroom last year. My darling husband painted it for me. It is chalkboard paint with a pretty border! :) I love it but have yet to try using chalk on it. :) 

What do you all use when organizing your tax stuff. Share your systems here! 

Not so Fit- Fitness Friday

So, since about Monday night I have been having really bad problems with my ears... Can't hear out of my right ear and left ear is pretty muffled. WELL, those of you that know me know that I am not a fan of doctors and rarely willingly go... BUT, yesterday I finally gave up and let my lovely husband take me in. Turns out my ear was severely impacted and it took a LONG time and many many tries of shooting water in to clean my ear out before it mostly worked... Now, I am on drops for 7 days but I still can't hear very well. :( It is rather frustrating and I am just really ready to feel better. 

So, since I haven't been feeling well I haven't really been working out. :( I am hoping that within the next few days I can get back to feeling pretty good and can start back up with my workout plans...  Even with the ear and not dedicated any time strictly to working out I still felt like I was really active today. Started with going to Wal-Mart and getting my ear drops this morning, then to the laundromat to do laundry, then home to put it all away, then we had to run to the mall to pick up a few things so there was quite a bit of walking around happening up there. 

So, as you all know my sister and I have been blogging together and helping keep each other motivated. So, when I checked her post today it got me thinking about more I can do with my workouts. She has been posting on facebook and things about more walking and things the past few days and her blog post today was about this and how she can get more steps in.... SO, it got me thinking. My wonderful husband bought me a Fitbit recently and it has been a lot of fun! I have been having fun tracking my steps but I haven't been able to reach my 10,000 step goal yet! 

My fitbit when I got it finally all charged and ready to use! :) 

So, there a few things that I want to try to amp up my workouts. 

1. I am going to try lowering my goal on my Fitbit so that I can reach it easier each day and then slowly work back up to the 10,000. I think if I reach my goal for a few days it will help keep me motivated as I raise the goal. 

2. I think I am going to try walking around my house more. Walk in place while watching tv, have smaller glasses of water sitting next to me so I have to walk back to refill my glass more often, just little things like that to help add up throughout the day. 

3. The weather is warming up outside. In fact, it has been downright beautiful the last couple of days so I want to try getting out and walking a few laps around the field behind the house again. Not only will it help with the exercise but it will be good to get out of the house and get some sunshine for a little while each day! 

What are some of your ideas to help get more steps in and be more productive in workouts? 

Work It Wednesday: Subbing and Thirty One

So, Monday I went in and subbed for a friend who is a Special Ed Educational Assistant so she goes around to different rooms and helps students in the classroom with their work that need help I had A LOT of fun doing that. Her students are amazing little children who are very kind and hard workers. 

THEN, I got a call from the secretary right after we left the school that day asking me to sub again Tuesday and Wednesday for a third grade class. The teacher left early on Monday and went to the doctor to find out she had the flu and couldn't work for two days. :( Poor thing! But, I am glad I was able to go in and help out so she could stay home and get some rest. She left so quickly that she wasn't able to leave me any plans so the other third grade teachers and I got together and got some plans going so I could make it through the two days. It was not easy but I had such a fun time working with her class... The kids are so nice and very helpful figuring everything out. I do have to admit I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning! :) 

Another fun part of my work day is Thirty One. I am absolutely addicted to the bags and I love telling other ladies about them! I even gave a catalog to a friend who saw my wallet (When we were buying Girl Scout Cookies from her) and asked about it. My husband told her about Thirty One and she said she loved it and she wanted a catalog! So, that was really exciting! 

This month has A SUPER AWESOME special for customers! Spend $35 and get any purse for 50% off! HOW AMAZING IS THAT! :) 

Then there is the Hostess special: 

I am also really excited because I am waiting for UPS to get here with an order that I placed a couple weeks ago! In it is the final piece to a present that I am putting together for a friend of mine who just had a baby! :) I can't for her to get it! :) 

I have one party booked for this month and I am trying to get a couple more. :) I am sure I can get it worked out somehow! :) 

Now, to go relax some before bedtime! 

Get Your Happy On!!!

So, another new change I am making in my life this year is to start a Gratitude Journal. I have been thinking about this and wanting to do it for a few months now. I finally sat down this weekend and got to working on it. It is still a work in progress but I am pretty happy with it so far! I got to let the creative, crafty part of me out to play for a little while and I love what I have so far!

This is what I started with.

Broke out the washi tape and stickers!

This is what the front and back covers look like after decorating. 

I still want to add more but I'm not sure what... I think it needs glitter! 

And here are some inside pages! :) Still need to get to work filling them out but its a start and I can't wait to see where this journey takes me! 

 

Who else does a gratitude journal or something similar??? I would love to see your journals or hear your ideas on how to do one and make it your own. 

New Year New Me (Again) 2015 Edition

So, every year we always say "This year I am going to lose weight, get fit, and live healthy" Right? Well, I am guilty of it too... Its not just at New Years for me that I make this "declaration of change" but, so far along this journey I have been a miserable failure at living up to it. So, I am trying to figure out how to change things so that I can fix me and be happy... 

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Yes, I know the picture says 2014, I already mentioned that I have started this journey many times before. :) The first picture was one of my high school senior pictures in 2007, the second was my college graduation picture in 2013... Where I am starting and where I want to end up. At least the direction I am working towards. I find it always helps me to have a visual to I have this picture EVERYWHERE as a motivation to help me keep on track. 

I will be using the blog (yes I've said this before too) to help along my journey and figure out just how to make this happen. My sister and I have decided to work on this together and see if we can't help each other make progress along this journey. Here's her blog if you want to follow her journey as well. 

I am still trying to figure out exactly how I am going to do this and what  want to do to meet my goals. I am hoping to get a new Zumba program on the Xbox that my husband got and some other workout programs. I think having a variety of things will help me to keep motivated. I also want to do some research and figure out exactly what to do since I don't really have much knowledge on this sort of thing... I also bought myself a fitbit to track my activity and help keep me motivated to move... 

Mine is pink so that it matches me more (I am a bright color kinda girl!) 

So, this is the beginning of my journey:

 Weight: 253.7 lbs

Chest: 50 1/2 inches

Waist: 41 1/4 inches

Hips: 51 3/4 inches

Thighs: 31 inches

Arms: 13 3/4 inches

I will update my fitness goals and let you all know how things are going every Friday but I won't be officially weighing in every week. I'm not sure how often I will do it but I will let you know as I figure it all out!

Thank you all for the support and help through this process! I will need all of your help and motivation throughout the journey! 

What are you go to exercises? What are your favorite healthy meals?  Let's all work together to help us all become healthier people!!!