10 of my Favorite Feelings

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I snagged the idea for this post from Essie Button's Youtube video. (As if I don't babble on this topic enough already), I'm a feel-y feeler as I like to call myself, and I experience great ranges of emotions positive and negative. I'm an INFJ through and through. That should explain why choosing just ten of my favorite feelings is a challenge for me, whereas for my husband, it would feel like a task with a death sentence for him. So, here we go.

1) Coming Home on a Friday: Nothing quite beats getting off of work on a Friday afternoon. The hard work is finished. I have time to sleep the next day. I'm probably going to eat something unhealthy and enjoy every bite because IT'S FRIDAY. I feel the days of the week. I can tell a Tuesday from a Wednesday. I enjoy the structure of a weekly schedule (let's stop there before I geek out any further).

2) Enjoying a Cup of Tea: Hot tea is a necessity and an indulgence for me. It's part of my self care, hydration routine, and daily life. I have tea every morning and typically every night. If I'm home in the afternoon, I may have a cup then as well. I love loose leaf, bagged tea, whatever. It makes me feel cozy and happy!

3) Taking a Lavender Bubble Bath: Bubble baths are a thing for me, too. I have this phenomenal trend where I pour in a yummy soap, (currently using this one from The Body Shop), add several drops of lavender scented essential oil, and fill the tub with perfectly warm water. I typically read a book, catch up on blogs, or watch some YouTube videos during my bath. I wish that I used this time to meditate, but we will get there eventually. One of the most exciting parts of building our new home will be the bathroom- I'm getting a nice big tub that will be heavenly for bubble baths!

4) Saying Goodnight to The Hubs: This may be a little strange, but I love saying GoodNight to my husband. I probably enjoy this because he isn't always sleeping beside me each night, due to his job. I cherish the nights that I do have with him, and I love hearing him say GoodNight back. It's like the perfect ending to the day, right before I drift off to sleep.

5) Calling my Mom: I talk to my mom every single day in some fashion. Typically we talk on the phone anywhere from 1-3 times per day, usually with texting in-between. I have such a close bond with my mom and just thoroughly enjoy her conversation. It's so nice to look forward to talking to her each day!

6) Sitting in Church: No matter what level of stress I face throughout my week, the number of red lights I stop at on the way, when I get to church I just feel settled. I'm there to be taught, to absorb what I'm being taught and to adore and worship my Creator. There isn't a feeling on this earth that can top that!

7) Doing an Unexpected Good Deed: I can be quite shy in my nature, and sometimes it's a real struggle to communicate with strangers. I cannot count the times I've thought of giving someone a specific compliment and decided against it because I thought there may be a chance that they would take it the wrong way. When I'm brave enough to do or say what I'm thinking - I feel happiness and a weight lifted. Doing good for others just feels amazing. It just does!

8) Listening to Music: Music does something great for my soul. It helps my heart, my mind, and my body. I cannot fathom that some people don't listen to music, or simply don't enjoy music. I love music of all kinds. Depending on my mood, I will listen to anything from Oldies, Rap, Country, Christian, Pop, Indie, really whatever. I love discovering new music and being surprised at the songs I didn't think I would like. It helps to keep my mind open to new ideas.

9) Reading a Book: I looooove to read. Reading is my escape from the everyday. I read fiction and nonfiction, just alike. Books help me to stay creative and keep my imagination young and alive. Reading makes me an overall happy person and keeps me from getting bogged down and bored.

10) Meaningful Conversation: This one is kinda deep, but it's true. Meaningful Conversation is basically the heart and soul of who I want to be as a person. I hate small, meaningless conversations that fill up our days. I'm not saying that we should share our deepest, darkest thoughts with everyone we come into contact with, but I feel like we should stop wasting so much time discussing silly, unimportant things. Surround yourself with positive people. People who want you to succeed. People to see your big goals and are clapping and telling you to keep going. Honest conversations, though they are difficult, they keep reality in focus and help us to all stay afloat together.

Beauty Review 01

I'm admittedly a self-tanning addict. Skin cancer runs rampant in my family, and I'm not the biggest fan of having things frozen and burned off of me. A couple of years ago I swore off sun-bathing. I still enjoy the sun and plenty of time outside, but I am sure to slather on the sunscreen first. I began using the Banana Boat Summer Color last Summer and I loved it! It looked so natural and it doesn't have that stinky self-tanner scent. I used it all Summer and was happy to buy it again when I saw it.

Continuing with the SPF theme, this is the SPF that I currently use on my face. I put in on in the mornings after I wash my face. It really has a chance to soak in while I drive to the gym. I wash my face and apply my makeup at the gym, and some of my makeup has SPF in it as well, so I think I am pretty well protected.

After my beloved Kat Von D Tattoo liner ran out, I went to the drug store to pick up my next eyeliner. I grabbed this Revlon one because it was on sale, and I think I've used a similar one in the past. Unfortunately, my eyelids had a horrible reaction to the product and it literally burns like fire when I put it on! It feels fine while I'm applying it, but during the drying process it makes my eyelids feel like they are on fire. I tried it a couple of times to make sure. I even thought I was dripping some into the eye, but I wasn't.

The Maybelline mascaras have always been misses for me. The formula is too wet and the brushes are too flimsy. I'm a diehard Covergirl LashBlast user, and I love the thick, silicone bristles. I find that the Covergirl mascaras tend to get better with time (no longer than about 3.5 months, for hygiene sake), while most other brands get really goopy and useless. Even some of the pricer mascaras I have tried cannot compare with the Covergirl mascaras.

When I first heard of putting oil on my oily face I was taken aback. Then I read a little bit about it and realized it was worth a shot. I love light oils on my face. This oil is really thick. I do like that it comes in a dark blue bottle, which makes me think that the ingredients really are potent and natural. The only complaint I have about this product is that it takes a very long time to soak in. I can't put it on and fall asleep, unless I want it in my hair and on my sheets and pillow. Other lotions and oils absorb a lot quicker than this one. Other than that, it's a great oil and I would definitely recommend it. The quality seems great and the price really wasn't too bad, either.

I have a new found obsession with the Simple Micellar Water. I first heard about this product on Youtube, and was a little skeptical about it. I really didn't think it would be strong enough to take off my mascara and eyeliner. I tried a bottle of it and was hooked immediately. It's the perfect lazy person makeup remover. I had previously used wipes, but found that they were not soaked enough in remover and I would end up rubbing my face raw and still have makeup left on my face. 

I purchase round exfoliating pads from CVS and just dispense the water right onto the pad. I gently press the pad onto my face to allow the water to absorb, then slowly take the pad in circles around my face. It takes my makeup off quickly, has virtually no scent, and it way more efficient than makeup removing wipes. I love this product so much that I've stocked up with three bottles- something I rarely do.

May Reading Roster

01. Before I Go to Sleep: This story was really intense! It is one of those books that will keep your mind reeling throughout. It has a nice twist at the end that ties in the whole book. Shortly after I finished the book I discovered the movie! My husband was a bit skeptical (since our tastes in movies don't always match up), but he was very surprised by the suspense of the movie and quite enjoyed it. I typically don't like movies like this, but since I already read the book and knew what was coming, it was enjoyable for me, too.

02. Before I Go: I was so intrigued my the titled and excerpt from the book that I decided to pick it up. It sounded really heartbreaking and sad, but surprisingly it wasn't just a big sob fest. It has a decent storyline and it was an easy read. It's a nice break from the day to day love story that I find myself reading almost every other book.

03. The Fringe Hours: One of my nonfiction choices of the month. I'm majorly obsessed with this book. So, so, so many good things in here that I just cannot summarize it up in just one paragraph. Love this book, love this author, and I can't wait to dive into her blog, The Mom Creative, to learn a bit more about her. I would recommend this book to any woman, regardless if you have children or even work full-time. It is a wonderful perspective on utilizing the hours in your day to help you instead of hinder you, and to have those hours bring you true joy and peace.

04. You and Me Forever: I've been a Francis Chan fan for several years now. He's such a man of God and a purely natural leader. It was really interesting to read a book co-written by his wife, as well. I loved the biblical truth of the book and the honesty in which the book was written. I will be adding this book to my list of books for marriage, and recommending it to married couples, alike.

05. The Beginning of Everything: This Young-Adult read is a great change-up from the rest of my reading list for the month. I love the easy going writing style and the way the story flows. The characters are really cute and you really can't help but feel like you are back in high-school again, along with them. I like that the author throws in some out of the ordinary struggles, and adds a nice change at the end of the story that I had no idea was coming.

Books I couldn't get into this month:

Not that Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham -This book is just really not my style or taste at all. I started reading it and was disgusted and put off. Then I skimmed through a couple of later chapters and decided it wasn't worth the agony of trying to read.

Dirty Work by Gabriel Weston MD - I randomly picked up this book because it was sitting in the NEW section in my library, by the entrance. I briefly looked at the cover and took it home. After a couple of pages and realizing it's a fictional book written by a doctor that performs abortions, I realized this book is far, far, from my kind of reading.

June will be a fantastic reading month. My library list is ever growing, and I will be taking my yearly vacation, which will mean lots of time for reading. Reading is not a seasonal activity for me, as it is for some people. I crochet in the Winter, I bike in the Spring, but I read all year long and don't plan on stopping.

May Podcast Favorites

Podcasts are one of my favorite ways to pass the time. I listen to them while I do the dishes, fold the laundry, drive to work, or do another "thoughtless" type of task. I began my podcast listening journey as probably the majority of people my age did, by listening to Serial. I discovered Serial on a blog, and was quickly sucked into the tornado of binge listening to all of the episodes until the season was over. When the season ended, I went through serious fits of irritation, 1) because the season was over, and 2) the ending wasn't what I built it up to be. I felt a little resentful for spending so many hours listening and the ending kind of leaving me with a feeling similar to that of  a book with a really crappy ending gives. . moving on.

When I began to explore the podcast charts and library, I realized that it's fairly difficult to navigate-- to choose podcasts from the way the menu is formatted. I tried blindly to listen to some random ones and mostly just found that they were nowhere near my taste and weren't worth my time to listen. I began researching online and jotting down titles when I would see them on blogs. I now have a small collection of podcasts that I subscribe to, but just like Youtube, I'm always looking for new ones to add to my playlist. I will go into my favorite podcasts later, but I'll save that for another longer post.

This month my favorite podcast episodes were:

The Paradox of Money,Time, & Freedom  Mimi Ikonn on the Lively Show

This episode was extremely influential for me. Mimi's personality is really like no other, and her zest for life and business is just so contagious, it's hard to listen to her without being inspired. I enjoyed this podcast so much that I've told two people and am planning on listening to it again, maybe even two more times because it is just that good.

Connecting with Your Spouse for a Lifetime Craig Groeschel on Focus on the Family

I've been a fan of Craig Groeschel's for several years now, and this podcast really resonated with me. He gives wonderful, biblically sound advice for marriage and life. This podcast is a two-part series and is well worth the time spent listening.

Developing a Pinterest Strategy Megan Auman on Elise Get's Crafty

This podcast is very informative and such an cool look at using Pinterest for business purposes. These girls are brilliantly smart, and I'm so inspired to listen to their discoveries, goals and achievements.

Lessons on Love

One thing is clear to me: I will never stop learning how to love better. Loving is difficult. Sometimes it's not just my husband or someone close to me that is difficult to love, it can be a complete stranger. I find myself getting annoyed or frustrated with strangers throughout my day - the teenager speeding around me in the wrong lane, a clueless man texting in line in front of me and not moving up to the check out, even a little old man that is so hard of hearing that I have to repeat myself 5 times before he understands me. This is selfishness in the flesh. 

Me, being constantly concerned with myself. My wants, my dislikes, my preferences, my moods. God quickly pulls me up by my shoe strings and says, umm hey there, this life isn't about you, remember? This isn't Keeping up with the Kardashians, and you most definitely aren't the star of this show. 

A couple of sober minutes and I realize and am ashamed of my mistakes. I'm a selfish being, and I always have so much to work on. Thankfully, Revelation 21:5 says, "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."

Thank you, God, for giving me a third and a fourth and a ten millionth chance to start over. Live humble, live confidently, because He will make us new again and again. 

April Reading Roster

One Plus One : by JoJo Moyes

I totally sped through Me Before You in March, and bawled like a baby at the ending. I was so impressed by the discovery of this new author that I dove into another one of her books. This one was less exciting for me. Possibly because I find really long road trips boring, or maybe I just hated the repetition and the sad situation for the children in the book. It made me feel kind of bleh and emotionless toward the characters, though I'm sure that wasn't the authors intention.

The Rosie Effect  by: Graeme Simsion

Similarly to the review above, I read The Rosie Project first and really loved it! It was dry and witty and such a different take on a love story. Overall, this book (the second) it a decent wrap up of the story and continues in the clever, fun voice of the main character - Don Tillman. Reading these two books on a summer vacation would make for a fun trip.

Little Known Facts  by: Christine Sneed

This book was slightly different to the types of books I'm usually drawn to. I usually steer clear from celebrity dramas and love stories, just because they usually don't appeal to me. This story was a very original and cool look at a family whose lives are changed because their father is (basically) Harrison Ford. Lots of emotions, lots of let downs, but looking back, I'm really glad that I read it because it was a change from the typical plots I've been reading lately.

Girlboss  by: Sophia Amoruso

Non-fiction read of the month. I LOVED this book. Genius. I literally read it in one day. I was just perusing through my library and spotted it on the New Arrival table. This was like finding a pot of gold, because my library is possibly the smallest one in the whole US. The only reason I go there is to pick up books that I've had transferred in from other branches. I loved the author's simple writing style and her positivity and encouragement, without being too over the top and unrealistic. I definitely recommend this book. Such an easy read and gives lots of perspective on life, not just opening a business.

Well, that wraps it up for April! The reading list for May is ever-growing (as always), and I'm looking forward to sharing my finds with you guys. I'm always looking for reading suggestions. I browse my goodreads recs all of the time searching for new books!