Talk About It Tuesday: Shark Week

Shark Week.

It’s not exactly something I’ve ever watched.  Some people love Shark Week, some people do not.  A few summers ago I remember raving fans complaining because too many of the features were obviously recreated and not real.  It’s amazing how a computer can make something look realistic and lifelike.  Pretty sure regardless of how close you live to sandy beaches and ocean waves, you’ve heard about numerous shark sightings and a few shark injuries.

I am a firm believer that you need to be aware of your surroundings, refrain from taunting creatures, and be smart.  I think a lot of animal attacks are because people are dumb, invade a creatures home/habitat, and think they are invincible.

Anyway, I had my own brush with Shark Week last week.  Ok, it wasn’t a week.  It was a day.  And by “day” I mean it was 2 hours.

My Poppy & I before Shark Week began 🙂

My Mom & I took my grandfather fishing since it had FINALLY stopped raining and it wasn’t blazing hot.  He caught two horseshoe crabs and two sand sharks…but he had fun!

Here’s mother removing the hook from the first shark Poppy caught:

Both sharks were the same, and I can’t seem to make the picture of the horseshoe crab hook removal load.  Oh well!

Some of my favorite things 🙂

Chick-fil-A Sweet Tea, the beach, and Poppy in his happy place I mean look at those adorable water shoes! 🙂

Monday…Funday?!?!

I had big plans for a post recapping my weekend.

Clearly if you just read that first sentence, this “post” is going in another direction!  I cannot wait to recap the past week, and because of a super fun day today (WOO HOO for taking Monday off!) I’ll have an addition to my super fun weekend recap post!

However, I have not blogged since last Tuesday and I must admit – I miss it!  It’s nice to take a break from things every so often to recharge and refresh, and that is what I did.  However, I will be back tomorrow with lots of stories, laughs, and good times!

Hope you had a great week!

And here’s a Monday laugh for you 🙂

Talk About It Tuesday: Love – Hate – Tag

Last week Claire nominated me for a fun little list challenge.  The rules are pretty simple, the person “tagged” must share 10 things they love, 10 things they hate, and then nominate up to 10 other bloggers to do the same!  What a great way to already have a blogging topic, share it with your readers, and get to know others!

In order to make this interesting, I focused on 10 things I love and 10 things I hate that aren’t obvious…not an easy task!

L O V E S (in no particular order)

1. Sale/Clearance/Coupons.  I really love when something is on sale or clearance AND I have a coupon.  The other day I found a $50 ceramic pan with a lid; it was 50% off and then I had a 20% off coupon! #Score It is VERY rare that I buy a non-essential item at full price.  I almost have to have it right away in order to pay full price, and even then if time allows, I’ll look for something cheaper or an applicable coupon.  
2. Live Outdoor Music.  I will listen to just about any type of music if I am outside, with some friends, and maybe even enjoying an adult beverage.  I just love live music!  It’s fun, it’s relaxing, people dance.
3. Small Acts Of Kindness. I absolutely love those little things that end up being big things.  Walking into your favorite restaurant while they are switching out the flowers, only to be handed a bouquet.  Those types of small acts of kindness.  Instead of tossing the flowers (they were still very much alive), repurpose them to make someone smile.
4. Adult Beverages Outside.  I often joke that I am a “seasonal adult beverage consumer”.  Don’t get me wrong, I am happy with a glass of wine every so often, but I really like enjoying a beverage outside.  In college, 2 friends and I would meet in the courtyard between our apartments at night, enjoy a drink, and chat.  It was one of my favorite things to do. When I moved in to my first apartment, my neighbor and I would partake in “Neighborhood Beer Walks”.  He’d walk down with his dog after dinner, and we’d take the dog for a walk, while enjoying a drink. #ThisIsWhyIKeptABucketOfKooziesByTheDoor
5.  Friendships Which Don’t Require Work. I love my friends, but hear me out.  I have a good friend from college who I have not spoken to in a year.  We are both busy.  We have a mutual friend.  Collectively, we’ve probably spoken twice.  However, the next time we do speak, it won’t be awkward.  Sure we’ll need at least an hour to catch up BUT we extend grace and we are the type of friends that can pick up right where we left off no questions asked.  I love that! (It’s a feeling – I also have friends-turned-acquaintances in the same “haven’t spoken to in a year” boat and I can feel that the friendship is over…it just dissolved.  And that’s ok.) #ReasonSeasonLifetime
6. Hardworking Teenagers.  I absolutely love meeting well spoken, hardworking teenagers.  Or even just high school students with afterschool/weekend/summer jobs.  They are actively learning the value of a dollar as they earn money for a hard days work.  The right job offers so many life skills and I think it is important.  I make it a goal to let the manager on duty know if I’ve received exceptional service or witnessed something awesome done by a kiddo.
7. Respectful Children. Earlier today I was talking to a friend who happens to have 3 kiddos.  I commented on how respectful and mannerly her children are.  I love that!  When kids don’t need to be prompted to say please/thank you/my pleasure it just makes me happy!
8. People Who Love Their Jobs. This can range from the person washing dishes to the person with their name on the side of the building.  Nothing excites me more than someone who is truly happy to go to work each day! Think Chick-fil-A/Publix… 95% of those employees are always happy, and 5% of that 95% is over the top excited.  I love it!  But it has to be genuine.  I have no tolerance for fake happy.
9. Grocery Shopping. Ok maybe this one seems weird. But I love grocery shopping!  I love walking up and down each aisle.  I love when what I need is on sale.  I love meal planning.  I just really like to go grocery shopping!  #SelfCheckoutForTheWin
10. Talking To My Grandparents. Seriously.  I won the grandparent jackpot!  They are not only hilarious, but every time we chat, I hang up the phone with either a stomach ache or my cheeks hurt from laughing so hard.  They’ve been married for over 60 years, and were both born in the 30s.  To be 80+ and navigate everything 2000 to present day has brought with it, is amazing. #ColorTVToInternet #PoppyHasPinterest #AndInstagram

H A T E S (in no particular order)

1.  Red Lights.  I really can’t stand it when Every Single Light from Point A to Point B turns red and I HAVE to stop.
2.  Rude People.  It makes me really upset if I’m out and about and I overhear an employee being rude to a customer, or a customer being rude to an employee. I’m that person who feels the need to comment to the recipient of the rudeness that it wasn’t their fault. #Solidarity
3. Bare Minimum People.  You know what I’m talking about. You ask a question “Where are paper towels located?” The answer? “Aisle 85” Great. Because you’re standing in aisle 4 and the aisles are not in numerical order, so this should be fun. When really, the employee has plenty of time to WALK YOU to aisle 85 – he probably even knows a shortcut.
4. When people don’t use their manners. Come on folks!  It is not hard to say please and thank you!  Sing the song “Please and thank you, they are the magic words.  If animals could talk you’d hear the fishes and the birds, saying please and thank you, they are the magic words.  Use them in the morning and use them at night because it’s a great way to be polite. Please and thank you are the magic words!” 🙂
5. No songs on the radio.  I HATE it when all of my preset stations are playing commercials at the same time.  Shouldn’t you guys coordinate this a little better? —stealing this one from Claire because YES!
6. The TSA Checkpoint LINE. I fully support the TSA security checkpoint.  What boils my blood…the people in line in front of me who have NOT been paying attention (or never fly) and hold up the line because they have to take off everything they shouldn’t be wearing, fiddle around for toiletries, ask to borrow Ziploc bags, forget laptops in bags, think the rules just don’t apply.  Seriously people…it is NOT hard.  Boarding Pass & ID in hand. Belt off, shoes off, coat/scarf off.  Pockets empty. Laptop in 1 bin. Everything you removed in a bin. 3oz bottle bag in a bin.  Walk. Pause. Arms up. Wait. Collect personal items.  Not rocket science.  Get it together – research before you hold up my day! #LoveWhenImTSAPreCheck
7. Overhead Storage Hoarders. I cannot stand it when someone assigned to sit in the BACK of the plane, boards early, and places their carryon in the overhead compartment in the FRONT of the plane. Why? Because when I board the plane, and am sitting somewhere between rows 4-12, and I have to WALK RIGHT BY my seat to place my bag in the back bin, I’m furious.  AND then I’m STUCK on the plane even longer waiting for 10 rows to depart to grab my bag just so Stupid Mr. Last Row Who Thinks He’s Better Than All, doesn’t have to carry his bag down the entire aisle.
8. Oblivious/Sneaky drivers. I absolutely cannot stand when a lane ends and everyone has to merge.  Usually all drivers are in the left lane (since the right lane is ending), but Mr. My Destination Is More Important And I Can’t Wait, decides to ride the shoulder, or pass the lane that is ending and then merges into the correct lane at the front.  Hello, the 500 cars behind you were first , waiting, and followed the rules.
9. Expiration dates. I understand their purpose and I follow them.  However, sometimes I wish I could buy something on Sunday, but not need to consume it right away.  I like the idea of having milk in my refrigerator, but I don’t like its short shelf life – I rarely finish the entire pint/quart/half gallon by the expiration date.  The same applies to a loaf of bread.
10. When people spell my name incorrectly via email. My email address has my full name in it.  In order to send me an email, one must begin by typing “megan.” yet often times people type “Hi Meghan/Meagan/Meg” I am always baffled since they HAD to type “megan.” in order to begin the correspondence.

T A G S

1. Julie @ http://www.jlanford.com/

2. Angelina @ http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com

3. YOU!

 

Weekend Recap

As much as I enjoy a plan (hello, just look at the title of this blog!), every so often I can be spontaneous.

Spontaneity may not be my strongest quality, and I assure you I am working on it, but I do think I have really improved.  Friday happens to be a prime example of my ability to be spontaneous!

A friend of mine sent me a text at 5:16pm regarding dinner plans.  That lead to a phone call to sort things out and 40 minutes later, this happened:

 Because when your pregnant friend is obsessively craving hibachi and her husband is working, you meet her at the restaurant and eat dinner with the senior citizens. 🙂  Kidding.  But it was funny to be completely done with dinner before 7pm.

Obviously we had to cross the street and check out this new piece of real estate:

While they are known for their Salted Caramel Brownies and other delightful pastries, it was absolutely crazy to me that the inside is a cleaner, less crammed version of what I am now referring to as “Amelie’s 1.0”.  Points to the team for keeping things relatively the same.  Atmosphere is just as important as culture.

Saturday & Sunday were kind of the same, with typical weekend “musts”, and my newest obsession added to free pockets of time:

The Newsroom consumed my weekend.  I’m not even ashamed or embarrassed.  I still have Season 3 to watch, and I cannot wait!  I’m a little bummed the series was only 3 seasons, but I strongly recommend just watching it.  And now I kind of want to just watch shows after they end.  I LOVED watching continually and not having to break for sweeps, or summer, or holidays, or “breaking news” – which I realize is funny to include since The Newsroom is well, a news station!  No spoilers please, because I still have Season 3 to watch!

Totally random, but I’m pretty sure everyone loves Target.  If you’re a fan, are you also a cartwheel member?  It’s awesome!  My savings would be much higher since I signed up for cartwheel in March 2014, but the application wasn’t compatible with my phone, so I wasn’t able to start using cartwheel until August 2014.  However, I’ve saved over $50 in under a year!  Sign up – it’s free to join and so worth it!

(Target doesn’t know I’m endorsing cartwheel.  I received the $50 badge alert as I was typing this, so I HAD to share it!)

I’m pretty sure that’s it for my weekend recap.  Hope you had a great weekend!  Have an even better week!!

Hey Friday!

Well folks, we survived another work week!

I’m not sure about you, but this week was crazy!  It was busy, it was tiring, it had some frustrating moments, and it had a little glimmer of hope at times.  Excited to put this week behind me and enjoy the weekend! #EvenIfIFeelLikeILiveOnTheSun #SoHot #ConstantBucketOfSweat #Gross

#1 Friday Favorite – SMoreos (seriously, Nabisco dropped the ball when they didn’t name these SMOREOS)

#2 Friday Favorite – Poppy seed Dressing I have Julie to blame but man, this stuff is good! (Though not as good as the first time I licked my plate clean tasted it.) I gifted a jar, kept a jar, and still have a container. Doubling the recipe wasn’t 100% necessary.

#3 Friday Favorite – Thank you cards Adorable! 🙂  That last line may be my very favorite!

#4 Friday Favorite – CFA & This table I am a creature of habit…and one of those people who enjoys sitting in the same spot at certain places.  This, being one of those spots/places. #WorkingLunch

#5 – Friday NOT favorite – Bug What the heck is this?  Post-it used for reference, but this sucker is big.  And was still alive during this photo.  After I snapped this pic, I placed a salsa jar over the bug – yep, death by suffocation. I couldn’t handle the thought of the sound if I stepped on it.  Or what would come out of it.  So, jar it was.  If you have an idea, I’ll gladly send you a pic of the top of this ginormous creature. #Gross #StillBellyUpUnderTheJar

Hope you’ve had a GREAT week!

#BoutToHaveMeSomeFun #YouKnowYoureSingingAlong

Attempting to link from April‘s super fun blog!

Throwback Thursday: Food

Here we go again.  Items our taste buds can no longer enjoy.

Planters P.B. Crisps

I had a very unhealthy addiction to these (I mean I can still see them on their designated shelf in Walmart).  They were SO good.  The outside was like a wafer (think Kit Kat without the chocolate) and the inside was this amazing peanut butter creme(or chocolate creme).  Seriously. So good!  I distinctly remember my childhood friend Cassie and I devouring bags upon bags of these one summer!

Rice Krispies Treats Cereal

Total was my cereal of choice.  I didn’t like the options geared towards children, basically sugar in a bowl, but friends ate this.  So I would eat it by the handful (not with milk) because I liked it as a snack.

Reese’s Cookies

I didn’t necessarily like this in one bite – I would nibble away the chocolate and pb, and eat the cookie alone.  man, that cookie was GOOD!  And kind of like a chocolate snap!

Lifesavers Holes

Things I remember: They were good.  They showed up in birthday/Christmas presents.  They came in a really cool plastic tube. My mom thought they were a choking hazard (I was school aged).

IncrediBites

If any of Betty Crocker’s people are reading this….I want these back!  I love granola. And chocolate. And these were freaking fantastic!  So good.  I wanted to eat the entire box in one sitting.

Jell-O Pudding Pops

Other brands have tried to replicate these – they have failed.  I remember my grandmother would buy these for my brother and I when we came to visit.  I was always fearful I’d open the chocolate or vanilla one….I really wanted the swirl!

Mickey’s Parade Ice Pops

So good!  I remember these from early childhood.

Wonka Bar

Chocolate and Graham Cracker. Yes, please!

Let’s THROWBACK to LAST THURSDAY….forgot about these ice cream options of the past 🙂

Yukon Cruncher Blizzard from Dairy Queen

This was AMAZING. Vanilla ice cream. Hot fudge. Marshmallow Sauce. Rice Krispie Treats.  Couldn’t find a picture but during my search, I stumbled across another “Treat Yo Self” option:

S’more Galore Parfait from Dairy Queen

Pretty much your lifetime allotment of calories in a tasty treat! 🙂

Talk About It Tuesday: Failure vs Success

Failure vs. Success.

Isn’t it funny how failure is defined as a lack of success?

See, failure and success go hand in hand.  However, we rarely, if at all, talk about the failures behind the successes.

click card to be directed to website

I saw this card yesterday and knew others would enjoy it. So I posted it on Instagram, and immediately a friend reposted it.

How often are you consumed in the online life of someone you’ve never met? (we are all guilty of this)

We scroll through our newsfeeds and we see their success.  We see their perfection.  We see everything they are… and we all of a sudden see everything we are not.

But you know what, we don’t have to let the best moments of Mrs. Perfect Instagram, or Miss Perfect Blogger, or Mrs. Perfect Facebook, affect our worst moments.

We view Mrs. Perfect Instagram as perfect because she only allows us to see a perfect snapshot into her day.

We look at that awesome dinner she posted, but we don’t see the pan soaking in the sink because she burned the first batch of chicken.  We don’t see the stovetop completely a mess because the pots boiled over.  We don’t see the amount of food on the floor because she had a slight issue when it came to chopping and moving the chopped items. 

We only see a beautiful 3 course meal.

We read Miss Perfect Blogger’s amazingly written and beautiful photo accompanied posts, because it’s her blog and she’s allowed to only show her good moments.

We don’t see the hundreds of pictures she took to accurately correspond to the words written.  We don’t see the tears shed or the frustration it took to type it all out, but forget to save, and realize her laptop died and she’d have to start all over again.  We don’t see the coffee she spilled on her keyboard because she knocked it over when she was reaching for her cell phone which wouldn’t stop ringing.  We don’t see her checking her bank statement and all sorts of reward points/miles to make sure everything was taken care of accordingly – she earned this trip – and it was pretty much free with the exception of meals. 

We only see a vacation that we’ll probably never go on.

We scroll through and see another perfect post from Mrs. Perfect Facebook, so we ignore it.  Or we like it, or even comment on it, because we feel like we should, although we may not agree, we feel guilty…because everyone else is sharing in the joy.

But what we don’t see is the wording she contemplated each time she attempted to post.  We don’t see how many times she had to carefully select the right words, and retype, as to not change the overall message.  We do not see the series of photos taken to accompany the post.  We do not see the negative direct messages she’ll receive, or the rude comments, which she’ll eventually delete or block. 

We only see how many likes and shares and comments 1 post accumulated.

You know what?  We need to stop comparing our failures to the success of everyone else.  Because one day, our best moment will come.  We are free to share it if we want to, or we can keep it under wraps.  Only we know the endless hard work we put in to get there.

Perhaps we all just need to trust God more.  For when we fail, we are drawn closer to Him, and that is when we succeed.

Monday

And so another weekend ends week begins!

Ya know what’s not awesome?  Trying to hang a shower curtain rod by yourself.  Seriously.  Here’s my issue – a LOT of items which require assembly also require two people (IKEA instructions have a picture of 1 person crossed out and 2 people smiling next to it).  The shower curtain rod mentions 2 people numerous times.  And ya know what, that’s just not right.  I really think companies need to get it together and think about the people that are “Party of 1” because that would make my life easier.  Because when I walk out of my bathroom, frustrated beyond belief, and almost in tears, with a curved shower curtain rod still on the floor because I DO NOT HAVE GO GO GADGET ARMS and I cannot stabilize both ends at the same time to lock one side, it makes me furious! I purposely purchased the more expensive curved shower curtain rod because it was NO DRILL REQUIRED and that’s my language.  Now, I’m pretty sure I’m returning it tomorrow and buying the drill required because at least I can most likely drill each side separately. UGH!

Also, I came from having a garden tub for 5 years – so once I moved to a place with a “standard” tub, I just felt claustrophobic in the shower…until I showered at Claire’s and discovered a curved shower rod!

WEEKEND RECAP

Friday after work I went to Julie & Scott’s to hang out and have Scott assemble my desk/table (yes, that table desk).  I am definitely NOT a carpenter, however, Scott is!  After a lot of brainstorming, Scott sent Julie and I to Lowe’s with a  list.  Well, after a trip to Lowes and Home Depot, we ended up back at the house empty handed.  I’ve got a few more spots to try and hopefully this table/desk hybrid will be complete – and structurally sound – before 2016.  We also watched The Lego Movie which was awesome. 🙂  If you haven’t seen it yet, watch it – it’s funny and has a great message.  It wasn’t until I started typing this post that I realized, I’m trying to build something and we watched a movie about building things.  Well played Julie, well played. #MeBuildingThingsIsNotAwesome

Saturday I worked on some Beautycounter things, and made a game plan for this week, and shopping/errands lists for Sunday.  Once the sun went down, I headed to a birthday party uptown for a former neighbor.  Even at 10:00pm it was 1,000 degrees outside.  UGH!  While it was fun, it was SO STINKIN HOT on the Rooftop, the thought of dancing wasn’t even entertained.  After almost 3 hours of realizing it was never going to cool off, I left.  And turned the AC on full blast once I got in the car! #SoHot #EvenAtMidnight

Sunday I accidentally slept through church (didn’t set an alarm because I was POSITIVE I’d automatically be awake) so I lounged for a little bit and then crossed some things off the list for Saturday.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Important STUFF and THINGS that make you think

I’m interrupting my regularly scheduled “Throwback Thursday” post to share an article I just read that I REALLY like.  Last Wednesday I posted about Beautycounter, how much I love the products and the mission, and how I started.  It was brief. I did not cover everything or dive in to the really amazing facts and figures.  But it was a start!  Well, someone sent me this article, and I knew I just HAD to share it!  Naturally, if you’re interested, I would LOVE to talk to you about Beautycounter and I am always up for a good ol product sample! 🙂

http://thezoereport.com/how-one-beauty-editor-made-the-transition-to-natural-products/

I really encourage you to read the entire article but here are a few of the lines that really stuck with me:

“I’ve chosen to cut down on the amount of shiny black compacts and sleek gold palettes in my cosmetics bag, focusing instead on using only safe, nontoxic skincare and makeup products that are as healthy for me inside as they are glamorous for the outside.”

“Upon receiving a report from my doctor a few years ago that the level of aluminum in my body was notably high (something she said could be attributed to personal-care products), I started to tinker with the idea of researching clean beauty items. However, parting ways with the high-end brand of foundation I know gives me a flawless complexion and just the right amount of glow is easier said than done.”

“Started by Gregg Renfrew in 2012, Beautycounter creates products that straddle the line between clean and effective. “Women were always being asked to compromise on safety and efficacy,” says Renfrew. “Our company was founded on the notion that women shouldn’t have to compromise on their health.”

My note: all it takes is a small step – a building block! You don’t have to change EVERYTHING today, but you have to start somewhere!  “Celebrity makeup artist and Beautycounter’s Head of Creative Design, Christy Coleman, switched her entire professional kit to clean in 2007, so I consulted her on where to start. “Start with your body lotion, face cream, foundation and tinted moisturizer because they cover the largest areas of skin,” says Coleman. Also, lipstick is an important one since we tend to ingest the product throughout the course of wearing it.

“To be clear, I’m not suggesting a massive overhaul of your beauty routine, but incorporating clean products into your regimen should be similar to the way many people approach food: Mostly organic and GMO and hormone free but not without an occasional In-N-Out meal or handful of gummy candy thrown in. And in the same way we’ve become conscious of what is in our food, learning what ingredients are safe also takes time, education and most importantly awareness.”

If you are intrigued by what you read, or would like to know more, I would LOVE to chat with you!  Feel free to comment on this post, or send me an email! MLPastor.Beautycounter@gmail.com

So I attempted to link this with Stuff & Things but I failed. #RookieBlogger

this post is not sponsored by anyone. heck, no one really knows this blog exists! I just wanted to share a passion! 🙂

WOW Wednesday: Funny Tshirts

This week, I wanted to focus on things that make me say “WOW!” with a slight smirk on my face.  I stumbled across this website and I love pretty much every shirt they offer.  I really wish I could pull off wearing some of these. 🙂  I’ve also included a few random shirts, not sure where they are from.

Enjoy!

 

 And if you’re looking for a Graphic Tee, check out Claire’s ETSY shop!