Things I wish I knew in high school

It’s that inevitable time again. The start of school! Now I have graduated college, so I don’t have to worry about all of the back to school shopping craziness (although I must admit y’all, when I walk in to Wal-Mart and Target and see all of the adorable new locker decorations, notebooks, pens, lunchboxes, etc. I can’t help but wish I was back in school…I mean, why didn’t they have all of these awesome things when I was in school?) I still can’t help to get nostalgic about my high school days. In typical fashion, there are SO many things I wish I could change about my high school days. Especially with the wedding coming up soon, I have been particularly nostalgic and thinking about my childhood. I have been thinking about this a lot, and I came up with some advice for people starting high school, things that I more or less wish I knew, wish I did, or wish I believed.

1.)    Live your life for yourself, not some guy. Chances are, the guy will NOT stick around, especially at that age. You need to do what makes you happy, not what makes him happy. Always always ALWAYS be true to yourself. I wasn’t.

2.)    You will get your heart broken more than once, and it will be ok. Heartbreak is natural. After all, don’t they say if you never experience it, then you will never truly appreciate the blessings in life?

3.)    Work hard and learn as much as you can. Knowledge is powerful. Knowledge is sexy. Success is an attraction.

4.)    Make healthy choices: in your food, in your life, in your relationships, for your soul. Good (and bad) choices stick with you for the rest of your life. Choose wisely. Stop eating all of that garbage, stop choosing the guy who is causing you grief, stop hanging out with friends who have bad ideals, and stop thinking negatively about yourself.

5.)    Take that make-up off EVERY NIGHT. I struggled with that and now I have some lines and unattractive dark circles. Take care of the temple that God created.

6.)    Less really is more (except when it comes to your clothing, girls, cover yourself up). Quit wearing so much makeup, you don’t need that much. You’re beautiful. Quit eating so much! You need enough to make yourself full, but you don’t need to be gluttonous. Less perfume, you don’t need to smell up your whole classroom. Less television. Less hanging out with your boyfriend. Try cutting back and see how much happier you are!

7.)    Listen to your parents. They have your best intentions at heart. They want the best for you, and they are most likely right in what they are saying. They really have been your age, too.

8.)    Stop complaining, just do it. If I could count the number of fights with my parents that I could have prevented by just doing what they asked when they asked it, you would be shocked. I wasn’t a bad child by any means, but no kid wants to empty the dishwasher or do their homework all the time.  Just get it done, then you don’t have to avoid doing it and you don’t have to argue about it.

9.)    All that worrying won’t make your problems go away. Trust me. I’m a self-prescribed worry wart. But worrying about everything doesn’t make you feel better, it just makes things worse. Plus, most of what you worry about, doesn’t even occur! Just let it be.

10.) Karma does come back around. Trust me. Karma, good or bad, comes back to you. Don’t worry about that. Might as well have the good karma come around instead of the bad.

11.) Gossip reflects more poorly on the person speaking it. We all love a good, juicy story. Who doesn’t? but spreading or even just repeating a rumor that you don’t even know it was true, just to have something to talk about? Who has time for that? That is just bad character.

12.) Don’t be afraid to take off your rose colored glasses. The world isn’t perfect. There is pain. Don’t get stuck thinking life is some ideal world where everything is perfect. The small imperfections are where you will find beauty, peace, and your true self.

13.) Get involved! Join a club, join a youth group, be in student council, support a charity, go to the school football games, be on the dance team, just get involved! It is not only good for social and spiritual reasons, but it is also good looking on resumes, and I promise you won’t regret that.

14.) Think before you speak. Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Are you saying this out of anger? They say never to make promises when you’re happy, never reply when you’re angry, and never make a decision when you’re experiencing sadness. Do not become a victim of your emotions. Emotions shouldn’t control your words, and if you let them, it will lead to regrets.

15.) Be contented. This goes back to the commandments. Don’t covet! Be happy with what you have. Be content with who you are. Don’t wish you had more, be happy with yourself.

16.) Ask for help. Don’t fear being ridiculed. Don’t feel like you’re “stupid” for needing help. It’s a sign of maturity to realize when the problem is bigger than something you can handle. Always ask for help when you need it, you won’t regret it. I cannot stress this enough. I always feared asking for help, and now, in retrospect, I realize I needed help with much more than I realized.

17.) They will still love you. Your parents will still love you if you mess up. They’re your parents! I never fully grasped this. No matter how badly you mess up, they will still love you. Your friends will still love you even if you don’t go to the party they are throwing when you know it’s not a good environment for you to be in (or else they aren’t really your friends.) Your significant others will still love you if you don’t want to take the next step, or else they don’t really love you at all.

18.) Draw your OWN conclusions. Even if your friends don’t like someone, draw your own conclusion about the person. Make up your own mind about where you want to go to school. Create your own fashion sense. Be your own person, and not just the clone of your friends or what is “popular” at the moment. Individuals are far more fabulous!

I really hope the high schoolers out there are more savvy and suave at high school than I was. It’s a very impressionable time, and it can shape people into the young men and women they are going to be for  the rest of your lives. I hope this advice is something you all would agree with, and if you’re going into high school, give this a shot. You might just have a more positive experience than most!

Until next time,

Michele

Fall Bucket List

It’s your lucky Friday, I’ve decided to share with you all my “Fall Bucket List!” Now as I previously mentioned, Fall is my favorite! Who doesn’t love fall? Fall to me means Razorback football, cider, pumpkins, crisp air, walks, yummy smelling candles, bonfires with friends, and just a happier Michele! There are several things I would like to do this fall, so why not make a bucket list and share with you? Sound good? Great!

Tailgate at numerous Razorback Football Games. Okay, now this is a given. Who doesn’t love putting up a few EZ Up tents, having a few drinks with friends, enjoying beautiful weather, and firing up the grill while waiting for the game to start! It’s the best time! If you haven’t ever tailgated before, you should give it a try. It’s a great way to show your team spirit and get outside for some fresh fall air! Plus, you never know the friendly people you will meet when you tailgate. Whether you go with family or friends (or both,) you’re sure to have a wonderful time. Check out my recipe for an easy tailgating dip that’s sure to make you the life of the party!

 

Feta Dip!

1 can SHOEPEG CORN (drained)

1 can BLACK BEANS (drained)

1 container FETA CHEESE

4-5 green onions, chopped

green and/or red pepper, chopped ( I like to throw in jalapenos for a kick!)

 1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon Cavenders

 

Mix it all together and enjoy! Can serve with fritos, tortilla scoops, or whatever you’d like!

Here is our Razorback Tasilgate! This is my brother in law and his girlfriend, and my future hubbie and I! WOO PIG!

 

 

Build a Bonfire. I absolutely LOVE a good fire. Who doesn’t like getting in a cozy sweater fall sweater (that I probably will get from Suite One…), some good music, and roasting a good ‘mallow? Because as we all know, first you take the graham, you stick the chocolate on the graham. Then you roast the ‘mallow. When the ‘mallows flaming you stick in on the chocolate. Then you cover with the other end. Then you scarf. For those of you who know that this is from the Sandlot, props to you! You’re okay in my book. For those of you who didn’t know what that was from, you’re killin’ me smalls! In all seriousness, I love the sound and the smell of a good bonfire. Even though I smell like smoke for a good two days, I love it!

 

Go to a pumpkin Patch. Okay, I know this sounds like something a little kid would do (and it is,) but who can argue that pumpkin patches are awesome places to take pictures? My plan is to get up in the morning, grab some coffee (maybe a White Chocolate Mocha, or maybe a nice chocolate chai tea latte, and head to the pumpkin patch with my soon to be husband! A lot of pumpkin patches have things for children to do (for example, face painting, hayrides, etc) and can be a lot of fun for the whole family! Grab a pumpkin to carve while you’re there and bring it home to have a carving party! Charles and I love having people over to watch football and carve pumpkins and it’s always so fun!

Our pumpkins from last year!

 

 

Have a photo shoot in a leaf pile. I know this may sound odd, but I’ve always wanted to do this! Again, it is great for pictures and I would love to make a collage of fall pictures to hang in the home. Fall is fabulous, and I just know we would have a blast taking photos in the leaves with our puppies!

 

 Read an entire book sitting on the deck at the lake house.  This one should be easy to accomplish! The view from the deck at the lake in the fall is just spectacular. Nothing would beat sitting with a cup of coffee and a blanket while reading a book and enjoying the peace and quiet! It’s a great thing, having alone time!

Here is the view from the deck at the lakeh house in fall! How could you not just LIVE here? Stunning, God's wonderful creations.

 

Decorate my home with fall decorations. This is a given. After going to Kirkland’s yesterday and stocking up on all of their fall candles, I can’t help but want to decorate my home with fall items! I’m pretty much obsessed with Kirkland’s currently; they have some amazing prices and really beautiful home décor. If you’re as obsessed as I am, check out their sale going on from today until Sunday. It is the perfect time to stock up for fall and get the best pick of items before everyone clears them out. Also, Bath and Body works has their 2 for $22 3-wick candle sale going on this weekend, so check that out (because paying $20 for one candle is ridiculous.)

These are the candles I purchased at Kirkland's the other day. They are $7.99 for this large size, and the scent payoff is wonderful. I also like the Bath and Body works 3-wick candles, but these are more cost-friendly!

 

 

Make an apple crumble, apple cobbler, etc. When fall rolls around, the delicacies change. I enjoy getting to make things like cobblers, pies, etc. that I don’t make all year round. It is not only delicious, but it’s good for the soul and y’all, it makes your house smell DELICIOUS.

 

Lay under the stars in a truck bed full of pillows and blankets. I have to admit y’all, I saw this on Pinterest (I have a not-so-slight addiction) and fell in love. Basically, you fill up a truck bed with pillows and big blankets and then lay outside and look at the stars. Charles has a truck, so this is perfect to try! Done. SO excited.

 

I have a lot more things I am looking forward to accomplishing in fall, but these are the things I’m really wanting to try! What is on your Fall Bucket List? I’d love to hear, maybe I can get some fantastic new ideas? I hope you all have as fabulous of a weekend as I plan to!

 

Until next time,

Michele

Relaxation comes to an end

Hello my friends! I’m back again in full force. I can’t believe the weeks are flying by so fast! This girl is in need of a massage and a mani/pedi, and maybe a day of lounging in my pajamas relaxing and catching up on my favorite television shows (Nashville, Revenge, Parenthood, Mistresses…..Just to name a few!) Unfortunately, after a nice, semi-relaxing weekend at home cleaning the house and working in the yard, I am back to busy every day and running around doing every day chores and wedding prep! We are down to the wire, we only have one month and counting until the big day (and only 9 days until HOG FOOTBALL!)

Last week, I spent trying to play catch up. We have had wedding showers, lake trips, friends weddings, family in town, family gatherings, etc. filling up our schedules since two weekends before Memorial Day! I had laundry I needed to get out of the way, a sink full of dishes, a messy room, carpets that needed to be steam cleaned and vacuumed, sheets that needed washing, wedding presents that needed to be organized and put away, thank you cards that needed to be written, and I still had to find time to work, sleep, shower, grocery shop, cook dinner, love on the puppies, and love on my fiancé. The point I am trying to get across to y’all is that I led an absolute bore of a week last week, but it was SO needed. Sometimes you just need to be a little boring (most of the time if you’re like me ;D.)

When the weekend finally came along things got interesting! Charles and I spent Friday night resting and not doing housework. We marinated some ribs on Friday night and stuck them in the fridge to wait for grilling the next afternoon. I really find that marinating meat for grilling the night before is a MUST if you want to lock in that good flavor. What can it hurt, right? Right. We then cooked a nice supper and rented “The Admission” which was absolutely hilarious. I did fall asleep in the last twenty minutes however because I was absolutely exhausted.

Delicious Ribs and grilled veggies that I made in my Pampered Chef grill pan!

 

Saturday morning I finished up some more chores around the house (guest bedroom cleaning, kitchen cleaning…the normal…) and went and saw my parents and had a nice visit at their house, which is about 10 minutes away. Afterwards, I went to Wal-Mart to get a few things to make the side dishes for the cookout we were having that afternoon and ran into this STUNNING Better Homes and Gardens rug that I have had my eye on for quite a long time. When I saw that it was the last one they had in store, I knew I had to snatch it up. I got 1 full size rug for our room that leads to the French doors out to the patio and one for the room leading to our bedrooms. I also snagged one for right by the sink in the kitchen (it’s so plush and comfy!) Nothing quite makes you feel like having a new, fresh home than having a new, fun rug! It also makes the house retain the good smell from my 50 scentsy warmers I have throughout the house.

Relaxing with my babe and one of the pups on a gorgeous Saturday (cute adirondack chairs from Home Depot)

The amazing rugs I scored from Wal-Mart..left is the big one for our area leading outside, top right is the new kitchen rug, and bottom left is the one for the entrance to the hallway.

 

Speaking of which, did you know that Febreeze and Glade now have the wax inserts for Scentsy? They also make their own warmers. I particularly like the Glade warmer because it does not require a lightbulb. Now, I will have to admit, the Scentsy warmers / wax are better quality. The smell lasts longer and they have more scents to choose from, but they are difficult to get your hands on. Once you find someone who is selling Scentsy products, you have to wait weeks for them to come in, which is just plain inconvenient. Plus, the light bulbs they run on can only be purchased through Scentsy, and they don’t last very long. I currently have about 3 Scentsy pots that I can’t use because the light bulbs are out. It’s a tad frustrating. I haven’t experimented as much with the Glade scents, but I have tried one that I love and it is called “Fall Hayride.” It smells heavenly, like a nice, crisp fall day! I pretty much like all of the Febreeze scents that I have tried, although I feel they don’t leave a strong enough scent and it doesn’t last too long. But it is well worth the $3 to go buy one when you need it instead of having to spend 3 weeks ordering Scentsy. I also obsess over Bath and Body Works 3-wick candles (especially around fall, my favorite season of all time) but I like to wait until they are having their 2 for $22 special. Normally they are $20 a piece, which in my mind is a tad outrageous.   

Well gang, it’s been so nice having a few days to play catch up and relax, but I’m afraid next week up until the wedding will be completely and utterly insane and crazy hectic. I am already booked with a commitment every single night! Not looking forward to that, but it is officially only ONE MONTH until the big day, and then my life can go back to its semi-normal state =) I hope you all are having a fabulous end of summer, and I hope everyone is looking forward to fall as much as I am! Let me know what your favorite season is! Tune in next time to see my newest project—the conversion of an old wood crate!

“No beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart”

Until Next Time,

Michele <3

Running on coffee and fumes!

Is it really Monday again? I promise y’all, Mondays come around sooner and sooner every single week. I feel like I have completely reached my limit with all of these crazy and hectic weekends. Being gone every week sure is fun; however, it is finally catching up to me! I’m exhausted and Charles and I are living out of travel luggage – not ideal. Not only am I exhausted (and a little crankier than normal...Oops!) but I feel like my housework and my appearance are suffering because of it! I kid you not; I have boxes among boxes of wedding gifts from our three showers just sprawled out on the floor of our guest bedroom, living room, front foyer, dining room, etc. It’s hard to even move around! Plus, the house could just use some all-around TLC, and so could my body! When you’re always on the go, you don’t have time to cook a proper meal, so you end up heading out to your favorite fast food restaurant (hey Chik-Fil-A, you’re looking tasty…) for quick and easy meals. I also have been struggling to stay awake long enough to take my make-up off before bed (HORRIBLE).

Even though right now the only thing on my mind is a nap, I’ve decided to dedicate this week to getting my house in order and getting caught back up! I really believe that a clean house can make all the difference in your stress levels and your life. People need to be surrounded by a calm environment. I am all about making lists, as I’m sure you already know, so I have been searching the ever so wonderful Pinterest to find some good cleaning lists and cleaning ideas to help keep me on track! Here is the list I am going to try to follow this week, since for once I have NO set in stone plans for any nights this week:

I think sticking to a cleaning schedule it a very good way to not get behind. I know that with everything that people in their twenties have going on, sometimes life gets in the way and things such as doing the dishes seem miniscule, but at least with a schedule, maybe I won’t get AS behind? One can only hope! In the midst of blogging this, I’ve already made plans for two nights this week (maaaaybe this cleaning schedule won’t work after all…)

So the past weekend was the bachelor / bachelorette parties! The future hubs and his friends went to Dallas! What a great time they had. I went to Wal-Mart and stocked up on Water, Gatorade, Granola bars, band aids, gum, roto, BC Powder, tums, etc. I wanted to make sure they had everything they were going to need for three days since I wouldn’t be there to baby my baby! He had an absolutely fab time, I couldn’t be more grateful for the friends that he has! I truly believe that absence makes the heart grow fonder, because these past few days of having him home makes me truly appreciate him and we have been loving on each other non-stop!

Here's Charles and a few of his buddies on the way to Dallas! He had 14 friends go!

 

My bachelorette party was also this past weekend! We started out the morning with some to –go coffee from Sweet Bay (a locally owned coffee shop that is THE best, what have I told you about shopping, dining local?) Then, we ventured on to Tulsa, where we did some light shopping and a light lunch at The Cheesecake factory (their pomegranate mojitos and chicken caesar salads are to DIE for!) Afterwards, we got ready and headed to dinner at an Italian hole in the wall called Ti Amo, which was heavenly! Unfortunately, it was right by the BOK center, which just HAD to be hosting Rascall Flatts and the concert started right when we were going to dinner. Parking was a nightmare, let me tell ya! We then ventured out to some bars and started our night, then drove back the next day! Now that all of the showers and parties are complete, the WEDDING can happen! We are into the 30 day range, y’all! 38 days until I get to marry my sweetie! It’s insane the amount of emotions I am feeling right now. Here are a few pictures from the low-key trip!

Started off with some Sweet Bay!

Per usual, our sisters before the bachelorette picture

Koozies I made from www.totallyweddingkoozies.com! I also ordered our wedding favors from this site, highly recommend!

 

 

 

Well, everyone, it's been great, but it's time for me to get back into the swing of things! Hopefully my life calms down this week and I can get into a better routine (fingers crossed, not holding my breath!) Until then!

 

Michele 

Back in full force!

Sometimes you have to sit back and face harsh realities. In my case, this week I had to realize that I failed with a capital F at making posts! Let me just tell ya, I cannot even remember the last time that I was this tired/busy/exhausted.  I am not old by any means (twenty three and loving life!), however I find myself not even being able to remember what I did a week ago! PLEASE tell me other twenty-something gals have this same issue…otherwise I’m feeling pretty lame right now.  As always, let’s start with a little recap (of what I do remember from last week), shall we?

Last week was a pretty hectic one. Let me start off with my poor attempt at an explanation. I started working the 6am-3pm shift at work, so all last week (and still this week…) I have been trying to adjust my eating, sleeping, and breathing schedules! I am still not quite used to the change. Let’s just say that coffee and I will be hand in hand for quite a while. Seriously, y’all, I feel as if I’m running off of coffee and fumes.

On Wednesday of last week, we had the bridal shower! Ladies, when you think of your picture perfect bridal shower, you are picturing the shower my mom’s wonderful friends threw for me. My wedding is going to be a fall wedding, so I am incorporating a lot of burlap, lace, mason jars, twigs, etc. into my wedding theme, so the wonderful hostesses of the bridal shower did the same! They incorporated all of my favorite things into the shower, I was absolutely thrilled! We had some delicious bellini’s while we mingled, and then we snacked on delicious fruit and vegetables, absolutely ah-ma-zing Indonesian pork tenderloin (If you’re lucky, I might post the recipe …It’s pretty much heaven in pork form), and cupcakes! We opened gifts, took pictures, and just enjoyed the company of everyone around us. I cannot even express how blessed Charles and I have already been by our friends.

Me, my mom, and my sister at the shower!

The wonderful hostesses!!

Y'all know I couldn't resist my Arkansas Razorback loofah!

Enjoying the shower!<3

 

The next few days were spent celebrating the birthday of Charles’ brother Chris! We headed to the lake Friday after my 3pm meeting. Two of our friends went with us, as well as a few of Chris’ friends. We got down to the lake, and of course we got on the water immediately! There is nothing like a sunset boat ride and a nice drink after a long week at work. Nothing compares! Saturday, we all got up and on the water at an early hour, and stayed on the water until sunset. It was a much needed day of fun in the sun! After that, we all cooked dinner and stayed up chatting for a bit, then we all felt the exhaustion set in and called it a night early. We got back in town Sunday at around 2pm, and Charles and I made our typical Sunday-after-the-lake first stop: Pho Hoang! They have the most DELICIOUS Vietnamese fried rice ever. It’s the perfect lunch for coming home from a trip.

Sunset rides! xoxo

I’m not sure about your state, but mine participates in the tax free weekend shopping event. Stores get to participate in making things tax free, and it’s the perfect time to get out and get some back to school clothes shopping, supply shopping, etc. done while you don’t have to pay sales tax! For me, it was just an excuse to shop. I ventured out to the mall Sunday afternoon, and BOY was it a mad house. I did manage to get my Make Up Forever HD foundation from Sephora TAX FREE, which is a score, as well as a few new shirts and ties for Charles to wear to his bachelor party this coming weekend! I truly HAD to get my Make Up Forever HD foundation, because as much as I love my CC creams, and believe me, I do, I need something more full coverage for photos, and to cover up a few “stress blemishes” I seem to be getting more of as the wedding gets closer. While I was at the mall, I passed Things Remembered, and I saw a sign that said that if you were a bride to be (like me!) then you got a free keychain in the shape of a heart and you got it engraved with your new name on it! I got mine engraved to say my name and my wedding date. It is adorable; I just love being a bride to be! I then sat around writing thank you notes for the shower gifts, and sipped on a glass of wine while Charles watched the Cowboys game (can I get a HOORAY FOR FOOTBALL SEASON?!)

Monday was a LONG day. After work, I went to my mom’s house to work on addressing the wedding invitations, and about half way through, I got a phone call from Charles (who was studying for his final at the school library) saying that I needed to pick him up because he was really sick. I rushed there to pick him up, and we had to get him to the ER immediately. We were there for several hours. We finally got to take him home (the patient is doing okay, thank the Lord) and I had to get us something to eat (we were absolutely starving) and get to bed because it was extraordinarily late. I had to wake up at 5am for work yesterday, and I was absolutely dragging all day because of no sleep the night before. Upon reflection, I have NO idea how I made it through without falling asleep at least once!!

Tonight, we have another shower courtesy of the wonderful people at Charles’ mom’s work! I am thrilled. PLUS, it’s HAIR DAY, and ladies, we all know how exciting hair days are! It’s going to be another long day here in the daily life of Michele, but it’s worth it! We have a lot of exciting things coming up before the wedding (which, by the way, y’all is only 45 days away!!)

I’m feeling generous and thought I might go ahead and give you the recipe for the Indonesian Pork Tenderloin, and trust me; I know you’ll be thankful:

1lb. pork tenderloin
2T soy sauce
2T peanut butter
1t. dried crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c pineapple preserves (Ok, so I couldn’t find any! I substituted ¼ cup of orange marmalade, and it turned out wonderful!)

Mix Soy sauce, peanut butter, pepper, and garlic together and spread over pork. (Typically I would recommend wrapping this up and letting it sit in the fridge and marinade for a few hours, but if you’re short on time, skip this step!)
Roast at 375 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and coat with preserves (or marmalade). Bake another 10 minutes. Enjoy!

If you try this recipe, PLEASE let me know how you liked it, because honestly, it’s divine. I’ll be back here in a few days to tell you all about our cocktail shower and our bachelor / bachelorette parties! I will also be sharing a few of the goodies I made up for the bachelor and bachelorette =)

 

I'm excited to blog with you soon! Until then,

 

Michele