Writers Block.. But With Life. Life Block?

Do you ever just get lost in your own life? Not like the good kind of lost (like, "lost in icky sweet happiness over how unbelievably perfect my life is"). I'm talking about the not so great kind of lost where you don't know what next step you should take because the path has so many stupid pot holes of circumstances and crappy mud puddles of indecisiveness, EVERYWHERE. Yeah that kind. It was seriously just one thing after another over the past several weeks. I lost just about all sources of income. Not because I was fired, but because my jobs disappeared. My beloved Tea Room is closing permanently. It was going to close just for the summer so my boss could get her new home renovated and moved into. Unfortunately, fate did not allow for it to re-open. I have been helping here and there to get things ready for our final closing sale tomorrow. I'm dreading it really. It's already been hard enough watching people walk out the door with the beautiful treasures that made up the lovely place. I actually cried at the last sale we had.. over the floral sofa. I wanted to buy it so bad to put in my house someday. So many days that I sat on that thing and visited. The tea room was one of the most magical places on earth. When you walked in, it was like walking back in time. Elegant chairs and tables set with fine china. Low lighting from chandeliers, lamps, and candle centerpieces. Beautiful flower arrangements everywhere. The aroma of fragrant teas and delectable food floated through the air as classical music graced your ears. It was total bliss as soon as you walked in the door. I looked forward to going into work. It honestly didn't even really feel like work at all. It was the best possible job that I could have asked for. I formed an amazing relationship with my boss, Cynthia, Brian (the pastry chef, who is also her nephew) and several of our incredible customers. I laughed and joked with them constantly between carrying out plates and making aromatic hot teas. We always asked each other how our weekend had been or what was new in our lives. Cynthia and Brian became not just my coworkers and friends, but my family. It has been such a blessing working for her and I'm sad that it's come to a close at the Tea Room. I will be so fortunate to find another job that even comes close. I need to start looking for another job but it's hard to. I'm lacking the drive.. on a lot of things. I'm not quite sure which step to take next. There's so many areas in my life where I ask that question, "What should I do next?" I'm at that point with job options. With house options. With social options. I was with church options, till this past Wednesday. I love my church but I'm the only college student there. I found (I believe) a pretty cool church college group to kick it with on Wednesday nights. So that's resolved (Yay!) but I'm still waiting on an open door for the other things. I need prayer, and a lot of it. I know God will handle it, he always does. I always end up having what I need (even though a little extra cash would be nice. :P). I jump back and forth between feeling defeated and being super optimistic. Not sure if that's normal or not. But then again, I've never been the "normal" type. I probably should have titled this, "Saying Good Bye to the Tea Room" since I talked about that just about the entire time. Pray for me and my boss tomorrow as it's going to be a rough day. I might end up clinging on to some old lady's leg, crying hysterically, and blubbering, "Don't take that tea cup!" That's a scary thought.. Yeaaaah prayers would be awesome.

Oh my! Summer Update Time

Has it really been two months since I last posted? Time flies when you're having fun! I've had a lot of trips and activities going on for the past few months. I took a weekend trip to New Mexico to see one of my best friend's graduate. He invited me to come up and party with them so I jumped on the opportunity! I drove 9 hours just to get there. His family has been good friends with us since Ethan and I were in kindergarten. It really was a blessing to be able to go and spend time with all of them.

Ethan and I at his graduation.

A month later, I was on my way down to Dallas! My best friend Alyssa has an internship down there this summer. I went down to spend the weekend with her for her birthday! Couldn't have her spending it alone! We did so many things, it was crazy. Trying Moroccan food, exploring the downtown area, hitting up the farmer's market, going to the Art Museum, and riding an old school trolley, were only a few of the highlights. I really loved it! The amount of fun we had, is probably illegal. :)

On the trolley. Happy Birthday Alyssa!

Another one of my best friends had a baby shower in June for her little girl. I couldn't be more excited for my "niece" to make her debut! The grand party was hosted at a lovely little cottage on a lavender farm. The whole thing was so adorably perfect. I am so very happy for Reghan in the starting of their cute little family! Check out her baby bump updates over her blog, Reghanland. You'll love them.

Entrance to the Baby Shower!

I'll post a few more pictures and snippets from my summer so far. I've been so blessed to have so many amazing things going on this year. From concerts to spending a grand time with "my kiddos", it certainly hasn't been boring. 

 

I took my brothers and one of my kiddos to the zoo. I found a little friend while I was there.

Bowling with my MamMaw, cousins, and all three of my kiddos. It was so fun!
Also, my MamMaw and cousin Danielle are too cute!

Vampire Weekend concert that I went to with my friend Nick. It was such an unbelievably great concert! I love these guys.

Morning porch snuggles with my old kitty. He's too precious so I had to add this on. :) 

Well I think that just about does it for catching up, other than.. I've got a man! I'm dating a pretty swell guy who has been a great friend for quite awhile now. He's a gentleman and I'm sure I'll be bragging on him more in the future. ;) Hope I didn't bore you too much with this post and that everyone's summer has been blessed! Until next time.



Music Monday, My Girl by The Temptations

 

I'm going back to what should probably be the "original" old school today. I seriously love all these old groups and I happened to think of this song today so here it is! The Temptations are the bee's knees. 

Music Monday, The Walker by Fitz and The Tantrums

 

I told you that I love Fitz and The Tantrums.. So here they are again! I just love their music style so much. Enjoy this funkiness and the rest of your week!

Music Monday, Lean On Me by Bill Withers

 

I'm doing a flashback today! Enjoy!

Music Monday, Summer Vibe by Walk Off The Earth

 

I am obsessed with Walk Off The Earth. OBSESSED. They always get me with their tunes. It's not summer time yet but I wish the weather would get warmer. I want the spring sun and breezes!! I have a feeling this song will constantly be playing in my car when summer finally decides to roll around.

Have a great week!

Music Monday, Do Life Big by Jamie Grace

 

Love this song! Jamie Grace is such a precious individual and all of her songs are just so inspiring. I can't help but sing along every time this song, and any of her others, come on the radio. Do life BIG! We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Love life and make the biggest positive impact you can!

Music Monday, True Love Will Find You In The End by Hey Marseilles

 

This song is not originally by Hey Marseilles, but I love this cover of it. I've been through a lot of rough relationships and this song just reminds me, true love is coming. A man will come in and sweep me off my feet and spend eternity cherishing me as his other half. Ladies, such a man is out there! Keep praying for him. He'll be along before you know it! :)

Have a blessed week!

Music Monday, MoneyGrabber by Fitz and The Tantrums

 

Okay, so I currently can't get enough of this group. They are absolutely boogie worthy. The hands come out and the soul kicks in whenever I hear any one of their songs. I got this music video for free a few years ago on iTunes and that's what started my love for Fitz and The Tantrums. They are unique and I like it. I hope you enjoy! Have a great week!

DIY Valentine's (or Anytime) Garland

Hey Everyone! So, I finally did a DIY post AND it is featured on another blog as well. Helen is one of my very best friends and I'm so thrilled to be able to do a guest post on Blue Eyed Beauty Blog!

Today, I'll be showing you how to do a super cute and easy Valentine's garland that is made with crochet hearts and tassels. This is my first ever DIY post so I'm excited to see how it turns out!

 

What you'll need;

 

-Yarn of choice (Pink or red work great with Valentine's Day.)

-Crochet hook

-Scissors

-Yarn needle

-Material (I used a floral I found around the house.)

-String (Or you can use the yarn. This is to tie the tassels with.)

-Ribbon or Lace of choice (I found my lace in a little container at Walmart for a buck!)

 

If you do not know how to make a crochet heart, no worries! I didn't either until I watched the youtube video below. I watched it a few times to make sure I had it right. Once you get it down, it is so very easy!

 



 

Simple right? I have been on a "heart making" kick since. I made an abundance of them but for this project, I only used 8 pink hearts. Once those are made, you can move on to the next step!

 



 

Cut the fabric into strips. Fold the strips in half to decide how long you want your tassel to be and cut them to that length. I used about 5 strips of the fabric per tassel but you can use however many you want depending on how full you want the finished product to be.

 



 

Tie the strips together in the middle with your string (or yarn) and fold in half. Then tie another piece of string around all the fabric an inch or so down from the top. Now that you've tied it all together, you're ready to snip the fabric into smaller strips to create the fringe. Just cut them to whatever width you desire. It does not have to be perfect! That's the beauty of this project. Once all your tassels are done, you're ready to move on! I used 5 for this project.

 

 

Tie string through the middle of each heart so they look like ornaments. This will make putting them on the garland so much easier. Since that's done, you are ready to start assembling! Hurray! Thread your lace or ribbon through the yarn needle and start putting them on. I did a tassel first, then two hearts, and repeated till everything was on.

 

And now, your finished Valentine's garland!

 

 

Isn't it cute?! The great thing about this garland making thing, is that you can do whatever pattern you want! You could do all hearts or even add little (non-dangerous) arrows. All the sticks outside were wet from snow so as soon as it dries, that is my next garland. I thought this project was so fun and can be used for other things than just Valentine's Day. In the house, at a wedding, a little girl's birthday party.. the possibilities are endless! This one is going up in my room for year round. Hope you all enjoy this little DIY. It's a little late but I have certainly loved sharing it with you!

 

 





Music Monday, Human by Christina Perri

 

I am in love with this song. Christina is such a powerful and emotional singer. You can tell that she pours herself into her work. I am so inspired by her music every time I listen. Her clothing in this video is a bit revealing but it proves a point I think. We are all vulnerable. We all have scars that no one knows about. We need to break free of those chains and be free. After all, "we're only human." Be thankful that there is a Savior that forgives and takes care of those imperfections for us. Have a blessed week everyone!

Music Monday, I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts

 

I decided to do a throwback for this week. You can't listen to this song and not have F.R.I.E.N.D.S. enter your mind. It makes me want to watch an episode.. SO that's what I'm off to do :). Hope everyone has a great week!

Music Monday, All of Me by John Legend



 

I am in LOVE with this song right now. I can't get enough of it. Yet another song that I could totally see using at my someday wedding. Some day. Just you wait. Ha!

Have a fantastic week everyone!

Music Monday, Never Once by One Sonic Society

 

This song is so powerful. I put this version of the video up so you could see the words too. I am also uploading a video below that talks about the song's inspiration. I encourage you to check both out! Have a blessed week everyone!

 



Music Monday, Jumper by Third Eye Blind

 

This is an older song but a good one. The music video is a little odd so I decided to just post one with words ;). Enjoy your week!

Music Monday, You Are The Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne



 

I thought this song would be perfect with Valentine's Day coming up this weekend. I'll be going to spend the evening with one of my best friends. I'm so looking forward to seeing her! :)

What are your plans for Valentine's? Hope you have a magical week!

Music Monday, Heart's Content by Brandi Carlile

 

This song just mesmerizes me. I found it from watching Safe Haven, which if you haven't seen it, you need to! I'm crazy about that movie. Brandi Carlile has a gorgeous voice. Hope you fall in love with this song like I have!

Music Monday, Hey Brother by Avicii

 

This song is so catchy. It has a bit of that soulful feel to it and I love that. I thought the lyric video would be good to put up because I think the words are great. I love my family dearly and I would do anything for them. Hope you all get that feel with this song like I do. Have a great week!

Sometimes It Just Needs To Be About Me

Do you ever get a little overwhelmed with everything sometimes? And then you feel like your only feel-better solution is to scream and throw a hissy fit? That was me this week. No, I didn't throw a hissy fit. I just cried and vented to my mom last night. That made me feel better. Moms are great for that sort of thing.

I had gotten to my breaking point. I have been constantly going for what seems like months. It's hard to stop and breath without someone requiring or wanting me to do something. "Can you/would you do this for me?" is a phrase I hear rather often. I love serving others, don't get me wrong! But I'm burnt out on it. It usually makes me happy inside but instead, I feel totally exhausted from it. That's not the way I want to feel. I'm tired of being constantly tired. I want to have that happiness inside me when I serve others.

I'm very self-sacrificing and occasionaly have a hard time saying the word, "No." Okay, actually most of the time. I fret over letting someone down if I don't say yes. It shouldn't be like that, but it seems like that mindset is woven into my very DNA. I'm slowly but surely getting better about saying, "No." I mean, can't do everything. I'm not a fictional comic book superhero that can save the day all the time. No Superwoman here. Just me, a human. A human that thankfully has been covered by the grace and mercy of a loving Savior. I flub up every day but Jesus has my back and helps me through the times when I feel like this.

This past week was busy busy busy. I had two cakes I had to do over last weekend, along with watching my kid brother because everyone was gone on trips/work. So I didn't get much of a weekend break, which I usually look forward to. Then before I knew it, it was a hectic Monday.. Tuesday.. Wednesday. Wednesday I had to drop my dog, Maggie, off at the vet for surgery. She had a mammary tumor that had to be removed and she got spayed on top of that. Double operation. So the poor girl is sore now but seems to be doing great. Which is a huge relief to me because I was a worried sick "mother." After I dropped her off, I went to pick up the little girl I watch and take her to gymnastics. After that, it was home. Fixed lunch. Then back to drop my little girl off and go pick up my pup. Back home, then out to church. I was in the car for half of the day and it was extremely tiring. Thursday was crazy. Friday wasn't as crazy. And here I am at Saturday. This week was long. I worked 40+ hours on top of everything else going on. It all just kind of meshed into a crazy whirlwind of, well, craziness.

Today though, was not like that. I spent the day doing things that I love. Browsing the thrift/antique stores, I found a couple of great deals (two vinyls and a faux fur collar.. holla!). I lounged in my coffee shop, Sips. I drank a delicious chai latte and ate a blueberry cinnamon roll, also delicious. My friend Terry came in while I was there so we talked for a while. Then I had lunch at BWW with a special friend and we went to the comic book store. After running a few errands, I came home and rode my bicycle. It was a laid back day full of wonderful things. I think I'm ready to take on the world again. Today was a refresher. Today was about me and sometimes.. that's just what it needs to be.

Music Monday, Red Hands by Walk Off The Earth

 

I am in love with this band.. Absolutely head-over-heels in love with them. I've followed Walk Off The Earth for awhile and they continue to thrill me. I hope you like this song as much as I do and I encourage you to go watch all their videos on YouTube. Hope you all have a great week!

Music Monday, Hold You Up by Shane Harper

 

I absolutely love this song. There wasn't an actual music video yet so this will do. The words are pretty powerful too so it's neat to be able to see them. I knew that Shane Harper sang and acted but I didn't know that he was a Christian. I had only mainly known him from the Disney Channel (I watch it often with the young girl I take care of) and he's a cutie. This only makes him that much more attractive. It's only convenient that it's "man crush Monday" right?? ;) Hope you all enjoy this song! It's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Enjoy your week!

Music Monday, You're Not Alone by Marie Miller

 

 

Okay, so this music video seems a little weird to me but I love the song. I had not heard this one till just the other day. It's a little repetitive too but it's oh so catchy. Hope you like it!