A Day in the Life

One of my favorite blogs, Kelly's Korner, is hosting A Day in the Life linky party on Friday. I've written a little about myself before, but never what I do in a typical day, so I thought this would be a fun opportunity. Most of my favorite blogs are written by moms. Sometimes I feel a little out of place because I don't have any kids, but hopefully that will change one day! Until then, this is my typical weekday... 
My alarm goes off at 6:45 a.m. (and as a sidenote: I HATE the "beep-beeping" of an alarm, so I set mine to the radio so I can wake up to something pleasant)! I usually don't actually get out of bed until a few minutes after 7:00. I get ready for work, pack my lunch, and I'm out the door at about 7:45. Yes, I get ready pretty quickly when I need to! If I have time, I'll eat breakfast before I leave. Otherwise I'll eat oatmeal or a granola bar at some point after I get to work. I'm a huge fan of these bars!!

Via

I work at a private college doing event planning and communications, and my workday usually begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. I won't go into all the details of my day at work, but I do usually eat lunch with co-workers (outside when the weather is nice), which is always a fun way to break up the day. By the time I get home, it's usually close to 6:00 because I have quite a long commute. At that time, it's almost dark, so I usually go ahead and cook dinner and settle in for the night. (After the time changes and it's light outside longer, I'll be able to go for a walk around my neighborhood. I used to run a lot, but I injured my foot a few months ago, so I'm kind of limited on my activities right now.) Cooking for 1 person isn't always easy, but I do manage. I try to change up my dinner menus so I don't get tired of eating the same things. I do tend to eat a lot of stir-frys, pastas, and salads, though. I also eat tons of fresh veggies since I'm a vegetarian. This veggie soup and a big salad was my recent dinner. So delicious and freezable! Click here for the recipe.

Via

After dinner, I usually do dishes, shower, relax by watching TV or surfing the Internet, and/or I pay bills, do laundry, etc. and prepare to start my day all over again. My goal is to be in bed by 10:30 p.m., but it's usually around 11:30 by the time I make it there. I just get busy doing odd and end things and lose track of time.

My typical day isn't nearly as exciting as those who have kids and lots of variety every day, but I know my time will come! :)

It's a Beautiful Day

Anyone who knows me knows that I love country music... with an exception. I absolutely love Michael Bublé! I've always liked his music, but I especially become more interested in him after my very first trip to NYC this past December. Since I was excited about seeing the city at Christmas time, I decided to go get his Christmas CD and put it on my iPod so I could listen and put myself in the Christmas spirit on the plane. Well, on my last morning in New York, I walked by the Today show and was trying to get a glimpse of the news anchors, but this guy inside the studio was kind of standing in the way. Well, because I could only see the back of him, I didn't think much about it, until he turned and I realized it was Michael Buble!!! I watched Natalie Morales interview him and after I saw the video, I realized that I was at the same exact Broadway show as Michael and his wife the night before!! It was just so cool that the whole trip was Michael Buble-themed... listening to his CD on the plane, seeing him at the Today show, and sitting in the same theater watching the same show! 

I'm especially excited about his new album coming out April 23! In the meantime, I got a taste of the new music from his brand new single, "It's a Beautiful Day." This song can't help but to put you in a good mood! Have a beautiful day!

BeautyBlender

Ok, so I have to admit that I was a little skeptical when I first read about the BeautyBlender. I just couldn't figure out how it could make that big of a difference on how makeup is applied. But, I was wrong!! I ordered a twin pack of these (because it was cheaper than buying just one), and I've been hooked ever since! 

Basically, the BeautyBlender is a makeup applicator/sponge that allows you to get in every crook and crevice of your face, and it blends your makeup flawlessly. The cone shape lets you use the pointy top to get around places like your nose. The BeautyBlender can be used damp or dry. I always use mine damp. I run water over it and then squeeze it all out and blot with a towel. Then, I dab my foundation on it and start "bouncing" the blender all over my face. I'm telling you... it's really so much better than blending makeup with your fingers! The best part is that it's anti-microbial, can be washed and re-used, and it will work with any type of makeup!! I promise you'll love it as much as I do! 

Ginger Salad Dressing

One of my favorite places to eat is a local restaurant that serves Japanese-style Hibachi food. I always get the veggies, and the soup and salad they serve before the meal is amazing! The salad is actually quite simple. It's just lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded carrots, and a yummy ginger dressing. Well, since I discovered Makoto Ginger Dressing at my grocery store, I've been able to replicate the exact salad at home. I'm addicted to this salad and have been eating it all the time. Lucky for me, the dressing was recently buy one, get one free, so I stocked up! I even bought the orange ginger flavor, which I have yet to try. I highly recommend this salad dressing!! You can find it in the refrigerated part of your produce section.

Via

It's rare that I like any store-bought dressings, but this one doesn't disappoint. If you'd rather make your own, I've come across some recipes on Pinterest like this one. It sounds quite tasty, too!! After I run out of the Makoto dressing, I'll have to make some and see how it compares. 

Nashville

I have a special place in my heart for the city of Nashville. I will say that the first time I visited there I was too young to appreciate it and actually found the city quite boring. As I grew older and discovered how much I love country music, it became one of my favorite cities. It has everything a big city can offer, but when you're there, you feel like you're in a small town. It just has that southern charm. 

Of course I was ecstatic when I found out that ABC was debuting Nashville, a show about country music and Nashville! The show has been out for a couple months, and it just keeps getting better and better! My favorite thing about the show is that the actors perform their own songs. That's what you call true talent! Connie Britton plays Rayna James, Nashville's queen of country music, whose career is beginning to fade until she embarks on a tour with the young and sparkly Juliette Barnes, played by Hayden Panetierre. The show is full of drama and beautiful music. I would pay money to see Rayna and Juliette! Too bad they're just fictional characters! Be sure to watch everything unfold Wednesdays on ABC at 10:00 EST.

Lip Scrub

There is nothing worse than dry, cracked lips. It'll drive you crazy, and of course, you just want to keep licking them, even though that's drying them out even more! Even in the summer, I find myself getting dry, peeling lips. Not cool. I've used my toothbrush before to try to brush off the dead flakes, and it helps, but it's not the best solution. For Christmas, I asked for a lip scrub I read about online. I got the Vanilla Bean Sara Happ Lip Scrubb. Amazon or Nordstrom are typically the best places to buy it. It's not cheap, but if you use it regularly, it'll make such a difference! It softens your lips and exfoliates them. Plus, the vanilla bean smells so good! You can almost taste it, and believe me, I'm always tempted! But you're not supposed to eat it! You just massage it onto your lips and then wipe it off with a tissue. Simple! Soft, supple lips are just a scrub away!

Bring Some Luxury to Your Bathroom

A couple weeks ago I was feeling the need to spruce up my bathroom. It seemed a little bland. I think I just missed all my Christmas decorations, so the lack of festiveness made me think things were a little bare. I decided to take a little field trip to Target and buy a nice bath rug to go in front of my sink, and some matching towels to hand on my towel rack. I found a set by Fieldcrest Luxury, and the towels and rug definitely live up to their name! I bought the Victorian sage color (a light green). The rug is super soft, and the towels make you think you're at a spa! The line is a little pricier than typical Target bath linens, but I think they're well worth it, and so far they've washed well. Here is the stuff I bought. I really love the extra pop of color that the towels and rug give my bathroom! And let's face it, the green helps me get over my post-Christmas blues. But I promise I won't add any red... that'll have to wait until after Thanksgiving!

Via

Via

It's Strawberry Season!

If you're not from Florida, you might not realize this, but it's strawberry season! This is the best time of year to get delicious ripe berries. My grandfather was born in Plant City, FL, the strawberry capital of the world, and he and his family were strawberry farmers before he moved on to bigger and better things, like building half the houses in the town where I live! So, I really have a special place in my heart (and belly) for strawberries! Yum!!

Just last night I was finally able to sample the strawberry banana pie I made the night before. This pie was a home run, but you must have some serious patience! No, it's not difficult to make. In fact, it's quite simple. But after it's made, it has to be in the refrigerator for 12 hours!! It was torture to have that pie sitting in there waiting for me, and I couldn't eat it!! It was definitely worth the wait, though. I forgot to take a picture of it once I cut into it, but I'll send you to my favorite blogger's page, which is where I first saw the recipe. Go check it out here!

If pie isn't your thing, or you just need strawberry overload, check out this strawberry cake, and click on the photo for the recipe. It's calling my name!! I will definitely be testing out this Pinterest recipe soon!

And just in case you still haven't gotten your strawberry fix, don't forget that FL has an annual Strawberry Festival with lots of great treats and fun country music!!And guess where it takes place?! Yes, Plant City! Feb. 28 - March 10!

For the Love of Scarves

I'm starting to get sad that scarf season is coming to an end. I love scarves and have probably about 10, but until this season, I never really got in the habit of wearing them a lot. I think they can completely change an outfit, though! They add that little pop. I envy people who live in areas where they can wear a scarf year-round. I always think, "Oh yeah, maybe I can wear some of my light-weight scarves in the summer with a cute tank and shorts." But when summer rolls around and it's 95 degrees with 110% humidity here in Florida, the last thing I want to think about is putting on a scarf! So, my tank and shorts outfits remain boring. Maybe I'll attempt it once this summer on a day when I'll be inside or something. But in the meantime, I rounded up some of my favorite scarves in case you, too, want to take advantage of wearing them while you can and maybe adding a few more to your collection!

I love love love the lime green color of this scarf! I like that it's kind of yellow-ish, although the reviews say it's more green. I'm tempted to order it just to see, and either way, it would be a great color for spring!!

I must be on a yellow/green kick because I'm loving this one, too. I think you could get away with this in winter or spring! The stripes are perfect!

This looks pretty thick, so I think it would be best for winter, but it is just adorable!!

I just bought this scarf at Target last weekend and can't wait to wear it! It's pretty lightweight, so I think I'll be able to wear it for a little while. It's going to go with so much, too!

If you haven't jumped on the scarf bandwagon yet, get on!! I promise they're really comfortable and oh-so-stylish!

Some Positive Inspiration

Well, church was canceled today due to the power being out, so I decided to read today's passage in Jesus Calling and reflect on that for a bit. I love, love, love this book!! I try to read each day's passage in the morning as I'm getting ready. They're all very short, but extremely meaningful. Since I got the book a couple weeks ago, I've definitely found it useful. I've run into certain situations throughout the day that made me think about what I read that morning, and it has helped me tremendously. I highly encourage everyone to check out the book. It's really small, too, so you could even fit it in your purse!

Here is today's general message from the book:
“I AM WITH YOU AND FOR YOU. You face nothing alone–nothing!” Jesus Calling By Sarah Young

If that doesn't encourage you, then nothing will! Have a great week, and check out the book for some positive tools for everyday life!