NO and LATER

I did something very drastic and out of character for me. I bought a paint sample without consulting a half dozen people. Then, I taped off a two foot square on the kitchen wall, and I painted it New Avocado green. As I was doing it, I asked myself why I hadn't done it sooner. It was simple to paint the sample on the wall. It didn't cost much. I completely loved the results.

I realized as I was painting that I hadn't done it sooner because I had told myself NO or LATER every time I had thought about it previously. I started thinking about all the things that I hadn't done yet because I had told myself I either had more time to do them or didn't have the power to do them. I had been saying NO and LATER to myself for as long as I could remember.

There were so many things I just hadn't let myself do because I thought I couldn't do them. However, I've also done a great many things I didn't think I could do. I realized that I would never know my full potential until I start attempting things I don't think I can do. If I am meant to fail, I will fail. If I am meant to succeed, I will succeed. But for either outcome to happen, I need to try.

So, I'm removing NO and LATER from my vocabulary. I'm taking chances and I'm living in the now.

Today, when I got to school, there was a postcard for a local gym offering all school employees a free membership for the month of May. I immediately logged onto my computer and signed up. One thing that I had been saying both NO and LATER to was my health. I don't work out. I really only like running, but my doctor said I can't run outdoors due to my severe, chronic allergies. Jumping on a treadmill though? Totally fine. Doing it for free? Even better.

Tonight, I'm working in my office. I've been neglecting this space because I kept saying I could get it ready LATER. The time is here. I'm not letting it go any longer.

I'm excited to see how my life and my home look in a month. I feel like saying NO and LATER have made me feel far more stress simply because these tasks are just hanging over my head instead of being accomplished. I am so excited to feel the sense of accomplishment instead of the nagging feeling of needing to do something.

Are there things you have been saying no or later to? What are they? Join me in this new adventure!

Before 30 Bucket List: April Progress

1. Run a 5K race.
 I'm re-assessing this. I maybe should have said something like "start working out" or "join a gym."

2. Make my office/scrapbook space perfect.
I have been working in the office the past two nights, but otherwise, I haven't been in there much lately. It's mostly in the clean up/reorganization stage right now.

3. Pass the Middle Grades Social Studies GACE.
Planning to take this in June -- if I don't decide to take a different test instead!

4. Re-do/refresh our bedroom, including paint.
There is a sample swatch of Valspar Bamboo Shoot (light green) taped to the wall. I found a couple new decorating items, and I'm actively searching for a new duvet cover.

5. Make curtains for the guest room.
Hoping to finish this one over the weekend! I'm going to wash, dry, and iron the fabric tonight, and hopefully pull out the sewing machine tomorrow! The curtain rod is already up, so it's just waiting for curtains.

6. Make curtains for the living room/kitchen.
Fabric choices are picked out, but I need to get Trevor to come along and help me decide which fabrics to use!

7. Finish A Clash of Kings, the second book in the Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire series.
I'm on about page 350 of 900+. At the beginning of the week, I was at page 70. Proctoring the CRCT definitely helped me make a dent this week!

8. Complete our wedding scrapbook.
Ha. Ha. Ha ha ha. I haven't been in the scrapbook room enough to clean it up, let alone do any actual scrapbooking.

9. Reduce my wardrobe.
I cleaned out one drawer. One.

10. Finish my home management binder.
I've made a little progress, mostly in the calendar section, and mostly out of necessity!

Five for Friday: Beauty

Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite beauty supplies with you. I have been thinking about this post for a long time, so I'm really excited to finally have it ready for you all!

1. People always tell me I have incredible eyelashes. I really don't. It's all Lash Blast Volume from Covergirl. It makes my eyelashes look longer and fuller, and it has the added benefit of making my eyes look bigger. I've been using this mascara for probably seven years now, and I've never even considered switching to something else.

2. Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Hemp Almond Pure Castile Soap - Trevor calls it hippie soap. I call it magic soap. This stuff smells like frosting, and it is all natural. It doesn't have any acne fighting chemicals that dry out my skin, but there's nothing in it that makes me break out, either. You can also mix it with sugar and oil for a really awesome exfoliating scrub, too. You can use it to wash your clothes or dishes, and some people actually use it to brush their teeth! 

3. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Vitamin Body Wash - This minty body wash helps me during allergy season. The mint helps clear my sinuses, and in the heat of summer, it's a nice way to cool off, too.

4. Coconut Oil - I just the Trader Joe's brand because it's a bigger, cheaper jar than I can get anywhere else. I mix this with sugar and Dr. Bronner's for a scrub, I use it in place of Vaseline, and sometimes, I rub it on my hands for intense moisturizing. I have friends who rub it in their kids' hair to smooth away frizz without adding chemicals to their kids' hair. The added bonus to coconut oil is that is actually smells like coconut, too!

5. Suave Keratin Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner - My hair has never been smoother than it is right now. I've been using this combination for about a year and a half. I really love how well this works on my hair, and I honestly don't believe a more expensive brand would work any  better on my hair. 

Trevor will be coming back from his Initial Officer Experience trip tomorrow afternoon. We will be staying put for Easter this year, as usual. I have to work the day after, and we really don't know yet when Trevor will return to work (likely around May 1, though). We haven't planned anything at all for Easter year. Neither of our families really placed a lot of emphasis on the holiday growing up, so I think we both tend to forget about planning anything until the last minute. I *did* go out and get some things for Trevor's Easter basket, though! He said he will be doing my shopping when he gets back this weekend - here's hoping he gets something good for me! ;)

Five for Friday - April 11, 2014

1. Real eye shadow brushes - I got sick of those sponges breaking off my freebies that come with my eye shadow palettes. I am really impressed with the results.

2. Pandora's "Let It Go" station. It's like a mash up of all my favorite Disney and Broadway songs together in one station. There's everything from "Bye, Bye Birdie" to "Hakuna Matata" included. So much fun!

3. 31's April special: The All-Pro Tote for $25 when you spend $35. This is one of my favorite bag designs from 31. Yes, I am a consultant, but I would probably be sharing this with you anyway! The bright pops of color, the pockets, and the shoe compartment are awesome. There's also a fun little jewelry clip inside, too, complete with holes for your earrings.

4. Cosmos: Totally loving this series right now. I wish there were more educational programs on network television during prime time. 

5. How Great Thou Art by the Crossroads Newnan worship team. This was the opening for the 25th anniversary services on March 29 & 30, 2014. This was the weekend we sat in the front row with our friends, Jessica and Anthony Bridges. It was definitely the right weekend to be up front and center!

One Little Word 2014 - First Quarter Update

I think I have been more true to this word than I have any previous OLW. I have stuck with it for three whole months, and I have repeatedly asked myself, "How can I have more joy in my life?" I kept finding myself coming back to one phrase.

Let it go.

Let go of the negative emotions, the grudges, the hurt feelings. Just let it out and let it go.

The funny thing about this is that this realization had nothing to do with the song, but once I heard the song, I knew it was perfect for me. It is kind of my anthem for the first part of 2014. 

I ended up letting go of my usual morning radio station this winter. I had listened to and loved a local contemporary Christian station for the past few years, but I found there to be a little too much silly chatter about The Bachelor and other pointless reality shows simply because they had featured or were featuring participants who were Christian. I'm probably in the minority here, but hearing that there is a Christian participant on those shows just disappoints me - it does not make me want to hear it recapped the following morning when I'm expecting to hear uplifting music!

I'm also in the process of letting go of a lot of junk that is in our house. I'm throwing away clothes that are too worn out to wear to school, I'm donating gently used items, and I'm making room for more people in our house. We are in a position where we may have house guests frequently over the summer and fall, and I'm just so determined to get rid of the clutter and be able to say that no room in this house is off limits to our guests. My spring break project will be finishing up a lot of this uncluttering work and dropping off donations at thrift stores in town. 

Overall, I feel like what I've been doing with the first few months of 2014 has been simply laying the ground work to have joy for the rest of the year. I am energized to clean out my house and unclutter. I'm excited to have less stuff. I'm starting off my morning with radio I actually like listening to again, and I'm not holding grudges or hurt feelings. 

2014, let's do this.

Brittany's 30th Birthday Card

I am totally in love with Lori Whitlock's A2 box cards. This card came together in a snap! I used my September 2013 Studio Calico card kit with a few extra pieces added in, and I loved how this turned out! I definitely plan on making more of these cards in the near future!

I am SO excited for spring break! I am free for 9 days beginning at 3:30 on Friday. This week is really kicking my butt at school, but I am being very productive at home, so maybe that means I'll be able to enjoy my break instead of working on a hundred different cleaning projects!

What we're up to - April 2014 Edition

Trevor passed his final evaluation at Spirit Airlines, so he is done with training! He has been home for almost a week. He will start actually flying very soon. We won't see his April schedule until later this week.

Something interesting happened while he was gone. Crookshanks became a snuggler. At first, it was just with me, on the sofa. Then, he started sitting with me at the breakfast bar, and eventually, in my office chair. Pretty soon, he started doing the same for Trevor. Last night, Crookshanks slept behind my knees all night. He has only slept next to me once before, so this was an amazing development. He has come a long way since his first days with us in September.

Minerva is thrilled to have Trevor here again. She is so totally in love with him. I'm a little nervous about Trevor going back to work later this month! Minerva has a tendency to puke when he's gone. :(

I am looking forward to spring break and doing some projects I've been considering for awhile (like actually planning blog posts and queuing them in advance). Three work days after today...I think I can do this!

I'm also exploring the possibilities for next school year. My principal said I was over qualified for my current position, and everyone assumes I'm looking for my own classroom, so there would be no hard feelings over me leaving. I just want to stay at my school! It was always my favorite school when I was a sub, so I can't imagine fitting in as well somewhere else. I am mostly planning on being back in my same role next year, but I am also considering taking tests to be certified in other subjects to increase my chances of having my own classroom. 

We picked up some paint chips at Lowe's this weekend. We are thinking it's finally time to get rid of the builder grade paint and add some color to our house! My plan is to tape them up in our bedroom tonight to see how they look, and maybe get some small samples later this week before tackling the actual painting during spring break next week.

Last night, we started on a couple projects I've been planning for over a year. Trevor finished off the spray painting and hardware while I was at school today. There is another step I want to add to the clementine crate, but it will probably have to wait for spring break (AKA ProjectPalooza).

I'll be back again soon with some cards to share and other updates. 

Five for Friday - March 28, 2014 edition

A short list of random things I'm into this week.

1. Sara's Not Quite So Mellow Playlist

2. This photo and video of Marge Simpson brought to life

3. "Oceans"  by Hillsong United. It's a beautiful song. You can watch a video below, or check out one of the many versions available on YouTube.

4. Cadbury Mini Eggs. OMG. I always forget how great they are until Easter approaches, and then I cannot get enough of them.

5. Savannah Smiles Girl Scout Cookies. So amazingly delicious! I just have a few left, and I just got them last Friday. I told my "dealer" I may need a whole case next year!

Around here...

I haven't really posted an update about our lives since sometime last year. Yikes! I think it's about time for such an update.

I am super busy at work right now. We missed 8 days this winter that we won't be making up - but staff must make up those hours. That means I'm working hard with my teachers to get our students ready for the CRCT exams I'm April and putting in extra hours to make up the 50+ hours I missed. I'm counting down the days until Spring Break in April, and I'm happy to say it's soon going to be in the single digits.

At home, I'm finally falling into a routine again. It was tough this semester because we didn't have many long stretches of school until March. After six months in our home, Crookshanks and Minerva are finally settling in. Minerva is mellowing out a bit and needing less attention, while Crookshanks is beginning to be very affectionate. I still can't pick him up, but he does climb in my lap at least once a day now.

The blossoming pear tree we planted two years ago is blooming. I'm planning my container garden and dreaming up long-term plans for our jacked up backyard. Sometimes, I can't decide if I want to put the work required into the backyard or if I just want to sell this house and buy one with a much better yard. Both options seem to require more work than I would like to put in at this point. 

Trevor is in week 7 of training at Spirit. He really just has one evaluation and a initial operating experience trip between him and officially be an A320 pilot! With luck, all that will be done within the next two weeks, and he will be home with me again for a few days before beginning his April schedule. It is really crazy how quickly all this happened. Training seemed to fly by for me. I hope it went as quickly for Trevor as it did for me! I feel like there are still a million things I want to get done before Trevor comes home, which is silly because he's been home three times since he started training. 

The Before 30 Bucket List

When I was just about to turn 20, I wrote a list of goals to accomplish over the next ten years. Those goals were mostly stupid, and I think I realized that they weren't all that important to me because I've lost the list. These are the things I remember from the list: I wanted to get a real job, buy a car, buy a house, get married, have a baby, get a tattoo, see John Mayer in concert, see Weezer in concert, go on a road trip through at least five states that didn't include the Dakotas, have my writing published, and go to Europe.

I've done seven of those things. I still plan to do two of them someday, and there are another two that are completely off my radar at this point.

The problem with the list was that most of my goals were not accomplishments. I didn't really have to work to achieve most of those goals, and so, there was no sense of pride in fulfilling them, and there isn't much heartbreaking in not reaching them. At 20, I wasn't looking for fulfillment. I was thinking about reaching the markers of adulthood. I didn't even list graduating college on that list because I took it for granted that I was brilliant and would have no trouble doing so.

I'm six months from turning 30, so I feel like it's time to start evaluating what I REALLY should have accomplished before I turned 30, as well as what I should accomplish before I turn 40. The fourth decade bucket list will be a work in progress over the next six month, but today, I'm ready to share my "Before 30" bucket list with you.

1. Run a 5K.
2. Make my office/scrapbook space perfect.
3. Pass the middle grades Social Studies GACE test.
4. Re-do/refresh our bedroom, including paint.
5. Make curtains for the guestroom.
6. Make curtains for the living room/kitchen.
7. Finish the second book in the Song of Fire and Ice series.
8. Complete our wedding scrapbook (okay, really this is a 5 year anniversary goal, but our anniversary is a month and a half before my 30th birthday, so it is part of this list, too).
9. Reduce my wardrobe to the pieces I actually wear and expand it to include more functional pieces.
10. Finish my home management binder (more about this later).

I'll be sharing my progress on these goals over the next few months. My birthday is September 15, so I'll be updating on or around the 15th of the month until then.