My journal idea (stop rolling your eyes!)

I have been awful at journaling the last few years. Okay, the last ten years. I have tried writing prompts, daily journals, five-year journals, emotion journals, art journals, and have been considering bullet journaling as of late, all to no avail. So last year I thought of something. And I think it's something good enough to share. Now keep in mind, I'm horrible at art. But the idea, I think, is gold. Even if you suck at art, you can use pictures you've printed, ticket stubs (or other small, flat paper-related trinkets), or just fake it. Who cares, really, because this is just a way to keep track of your life's big events. Here's what you'll "need." 

Notecards (I use the ones that are blank on one side, lined on the other)

Crayons, markers, colored pencils, or whatever coloring supplies you prefer

Glue

Pictures (if you want)

Mostly flat memorabilia (if you want)

Page protectors and a binder (my favorite method)

OR

Index card holder/"recipe box"

Cheap and easy, and (bonus) you probably already have almost everything you need.

So here's what I did. I started by writing the date at the top, and then writing a brief description of what I did that day. Then, on the other side, I drew something to represent my day. Again, my art skills are sub-par. But that never mattered much to me. 

Obviously it isn't perfect, but there are other options. If you'd rather use pictures, you can pre-write the notecard stuff, print the pictures that "fit" the event, and glue it on to the front. Or if you're too busy to do a card that day, you can write about your day in a planner and transfer it to a card when you have a little more time. 

I like that if you feel like it, you can make an "about me" card, or answer a journal prompt, or make a list of things. It's super versital, fast, easy, and they're fun to go through. And, better yet, low to no commitment! What could be easier? 

I hope I've maybe inspired someone who's more artistically talented than me, so that you can rock it ten times as hard, then show off my idea to people and be even MORE inspiring. Happy journaling!

Best lotion out there!

Let me start out by saying that I don't work for this company, and I never have. This isn't a bullshit promotional plug. This is just a girl with excima telling you what has worked for her for day to day use. 

It's called Cetaphil, and I LOVE it! When I first got the official, "Looks like excima to me," from my skin doctor, I was told that the only way to get rid of my horribly dry, itchy, painful rash was with the medicated lotion, but that once it was gone I could just use regular lotion a few times a day to keep it from coming back full force. She told me about two of the most popular, which I bought, used, and wasn't impressed with. I went through about 6 different lotions after that, all of which had an Achielle's heel. 

Then I switched to a recipe I found on Pinterest that the bloggers all swore by. No such luck. I still had issues with my skin getting dry and itchy, and I constantly smelled like baby lotion. Not exactly a good smell for a woman in her early twenties. 

Then my angel friend, Erin, gave me a jar of this stuff that her other friend with eczema swore by.  I tried it after a shower that night, and it was as though my skin was drinking after a decade of drought.  My skin lapped it up, and then kept moist through most of the day. It didn't itch when I put it on, there was no smell, and I only needed it once or twice a day since then.

Occasionally harsh weather still makes my rash come back, but I have been using this stuff for at least three years and have only gone through 1/4 of a tube of the medicated lotion since I started using Cetaphil. It really is the skin nectar of the Gods. So hopefully I've helped some lonely soul out there who needs a new body lotion. 

The rants and raves of a frustrated bride

I am poor. Not live-out-of-my-car poor, but we are barely scraping by. We bought a home just over a year ago, so there's that. Then there's the cars. Then there's the disappointing tax problems we've had, not to mention the disappointing daughter problems we've had (although I'm saving those rants for a time whenthey  have passed and I'm over the anger). So basically, although we balance our debt fairly well, we don't have any money to spend. This creates an odd problem, as we also are engaged and planning a wedding for this summer. 

I have given up so much already as far as the dream wedding goes. Nothing has really gone the way I wanted it to. I've given up my dream venues, my perfect caterers, anything that you might have to spend money on. We aren't even actually getting married on the date we picked. Instead, we are getting for-real married in May, running away to our honeymoon, and doing a ring ceremony at the later Augist date. This is, in part, to relieve some of the stress, and also so that we can actually go on our honeymoon. 

Now the one dream I am trying to stick to is rediculously harder than I expected to maintain. I want to get married outside. I love in beautiful, spacious Colorado. This should be an easy and cheap thing. It's outside. It should be practically free. And yet, everywhere I look is charging $1000-$5000 just to use up some space. Even a public park is going to cost somewhere in the $1000 range. I'd settle for a nice backyard at this point. I just wanted some trees and grass, and maybe a bathroom and kitchen to borrow for one. Freaking. Day. I don't have $2000 to spend on space.

What's worse is that you then have to pay someone to babysit your party. AND, most places require professional catering and wait staff. I want to do the food ourselves, because we're poor. I can't afford to pay catering prices, let alone for the staff. I know this is a dumb problem that most people don't have, but seriously? I also understand that they need to make sure you don't abuse their property. I get it, I do, but for heaven's sake, do I really have to pay $60/hour for you to attend my event and make sure we don't ruin the space?  Do I really have to pay another $100/hour for people to set up the space (something my family is more than capable of) and to serve us food that I could make at a fraction of the cost?

I feel as though I have been very relaxed on my wants for a wedding. I've gone from a classy dream to a cheap, casual reality. Am I asking too much still? I'm paying for this event pretty much by myself. I just can't afford this crap. 

I have been very blessed in some ways. I have a wonderful close friend who's a cake decorator, who is giving me my cake as a wedding gift. I also have a close family friend who is giving me a great deal on wedding and engagement photos, and my family is so supportive and willing to do anything to help. I'm sorry for my frustrations. Hopefully we find a place soon, as our wedding date is getting scary close. :/ wish me luck!

Cheap things to do

I don't know about any of you, but I tend to spend my days off shopping.  Although this is a lot of fun for me, it's also tends to end up costing me a little more money than I'd like to admit.  So today, being way broke from Christmas, I decided to make a list of cheaper things to do.  Here you go!

Cheap Things to do

• Try on makeup and perfume at Ulta (or a local mall).  This can be taken a step farther by having your friend dress you up in an outfit from your closet that you wouldn't normally wear.  It becomes sort of a makeover.
• Go to a coffee shop and read.  The more obscure and hipster the coffee shop, the better.  
• Rent/buy/Youtube a fun exercise video.  Think Jazzercise or Zumba.
• Journal or Scrapbook.  
• Take a walk or a hike.  Bring along picnic foods, a camera, and a good book.
• Do a mock photo shoot with friends or family.  Ham it up all you want with costumes and props.
• Write.  Create a story, or poetry, or whatever you'd like.  It can even just be a list, or rants about whatever it is that gets your goat.
• Practice your art.  Weather you like to draw, paint, photograph, or sculpt, do it.  If you aren't very good, that's even better.  Pick up a piece of paper and pencil, and try drawing that fruit basket that everyone else always paints.  Might as well.  You can always throw it away or burn it if it's too terrible.  Worst case scenario, pick up the crayons and a coloring book.
• Raid your kitchen cupboards and play "Iron Chef" (insert competitive cooking show here, if Iron Chef isn't for you).  Or just look up a new recipe online and try it.
• Make a vacation plan.  Research all the things there are to do, gas mileage, costs, places to stay, etc.  I did this in fifth grade and loved it.  It also gives you something to save for.
• Try on all the clothes in your closet.  Put together cute outfits out of your old staples, and get rid of what you don't wear or what doesn't fit.  
• Play outside!!!  There are so many seasonal things to do!  Build a snowman, or a snow fort.  Rake leaves.  Plant (or plan) a garden.  Weed the yard.  Draw with sidewalk chalk.  Roller blade.  Eat a Popsicle and jump rope or hula hoop.  Set up a tent in your backyard and make s'mores.  Go to a reservoir/beach/lake.  Who cares what you do?  Who even cares that you're a grown adult with no little kids?  Just get out of your house!
• Movie marathon.  Or a themed movie party.  Again, feel free to ham it up with fake movie tickets, a snack bar, the whole nine yards.
• Go to the library or a used book store with a few stacks of post-it notes and write recommendations or just nice notes to future readers.
• Hand write some letters to friends and family.  Send them in the mail.  Everyone loves getting handwritten letters in the mail.  To take it to the next level, pick a random name in the phone book, choose a pen name, and write a letter to that person.  
• Find a craft on Pinterest and try it.
• Organize something.  Or deep clean a room of your house.  I find this easiest to do when I'm angry or have a lot of energy.
• Pick a weird skill and learn it.  Juggling?  Knitting?  Sign Language?  Who cares?  Go get some books and check out some Youtube videos until you figure it out.
• Go check out a local free tour.  In Northern CO, we have Hammond's Candy, Celestial Seasonings, and plenty of distilleries.  Most states have a website you can visit to check out what free tours are available in your area.  
• Do an at-home spa day.  Get cozy, make some tea, and put on your pajamas.  Soak your feet, take a bath, put on a face mask, and relax.  When you're done, you can either just watch movies and relax all night, or you can dress up, do your hair really nice, and practice your makeup artist skills.  Up to you.
• Check out the 'Missed Connections' link on Craigslist (adults only, and proceed with caution).  Some of them are hilarious, and some are sweet.  Either way, it's a fun waste of time.
• While you're on Craigslist, check out the free section and find a piece of furniture to fix up.  Make a project of fixing it up, and then sell it.  Or keep it, if you'd like.
• Make a care package for someone who lives far away from you.  Get a flat rate shipping box from your post office, head over to Target/the dollar store/Wal-mart and fill it up with whatever. 
• Go get just desserts from a restaurant or two.   I don't know about you, but usually I'm too full for dessert.  You could also do just appetizers.  Eat at home, wait a couple hours, and then snack it up.  
• Go to a matinee.  Skip the popcorn and soda, because that costs more.  
• Window shop.  You can pick out stores for the style of the store to get decorating ideas.  Or walk down a main street a town or two away from where you live and check out the cute mom and pop shops for a different adventure.
• Do an at home Olympics.  Or a carnival.  Come up with competitions or games.  You can even use the Wii for this, but it's more fun if you set up your own stuff.  This one is obviously way better with kids.
• Youtube night.  Find or create hilarious Youtube videos.
• Use up those gift cards you always get for Christmas or your birthday.  Use up the scraps that are left on your cards to get whatever you can, then break out your fondu pot, George Foreman Grill, or cake pop maker and have fun with it.  
• Tea party!  Dress up, put a nice table cloth down, and make tea cakes and sandwiches.  
• Go get a massage or your hair or nails done at a nearby beauty college or massage school.  It's way cheaper, and usually the results are about the same.
• Go for a drive.  Take the back roads.  Bring a book, or stuff to draw with, or snack foods, or a camera.  Let it relax you and free you.
• Try yoga.  Or meditation.  It's harder than it sounds, and way relaxing.  
• Find out a local coffee shop or bar that has local bands playing, and go see a show.  They're probably too loud and terrible, but who cares?  
• Go watch a more obscure sport, or a college team of a sport you like.  In CO, lacrosse is pretty obscure.  Or if you can find a polo match. 
• Get a cheap loaf of bread and feed the ducks at a local pond/lake.
• Put together a list of random items you can find in the average household and do a scavenger hunt.  Or do a photo or video scavenger hunt, if you're older.  
• Find something to do on Groupon.  They usually have fun things to do at a discounted price.
• Go ice skating or swimming, or even find an indoor rock climbing gym.  It's usually pretty cheap, and it's a healthy way to waste your day.

So there's my list of ideas.  Feel free to add or comment!

The Guy's Girl

I will be the first person to admit that I was a typical girl in high school. I said on a regular basis that I was a guy's girl, and that girls hated me for no reason. I was fully convinced that I was “one of the guys,” while also being the girl they all wanted. I loved the attention, however I didn't fully understand what I was saying. I have heard almost every teenage girl I've known describe themselves as a guy's girl. I think many young women push themselves to be whoever guys would want to hang out with. Thank God I have learned a thing or two since then.

Girls: it's OKAY to be a girl. It's okay to like dressing up, shopping, shoes, and chick flicks. It's okay to be emotional sometimes, and to do makeup and like cats. Don't force yourself to like things that you don't like. It's also okay to be adventurous and to try new things. You never know what you might enjoy. I, for one, enjoy archery, 4-wheeling, camping, snowshoeing, and shooting. But I also know that I love shopping, reading, doing my makeup, wearing high heels and dresses, and watching chick flicks. That's okay too. It's also okay for you to not like doing certain things. I don't like skiing or talking about my many bodily functions, and that's okay. Be you. You can't find a guy who likes you for you if you aren't being you.

It's also vitally important to form and maintain very close friendships with other women. Yes, it's incredibly challenging. However, when you are in a committed relationship with a man (or woman) in the future, your friendships with other women are the ones that will remain important. They are also the friendships that will matter the most in the long run.

Alright, last of all, please just stop claiming you are a guy's girl. It's quite frankly annoying to all women, and a turn-off for most men. Guys want a woman they can hang out with, but make no doubt, they also want a woman. They don't like competing for your attention, or feeling jealous either. It's just unnecessary.

Forgive me for my rant. I understand that no one is going to read this, and quite frankly I don't care. Just advertising my opinions, since this is the internet, and that's what we do here.

10 things I would tell my 16 year old self if I could

So I was on Pinterest today (let's be honest, I'm always on Pinterest), and I found a list of things to blog about. It's from #20in13. I'll post the link the next time I have it up on my computer, but it's easier said than done on my phone. So even though no one reads this, here goes. 

10 Things I Would Tell My 16-Year-Old Self if I Could:

1: Treat mom better. She doesn't deserve to be lied to. She doesn't deserve those eye rolls, or the attitude. To be honest, you don't deserve such a good mom. That being said, don't let her feelings control your life. You can't control how she feels. Be nice about it, but also be yourself. 

2: Don't be so quick to judge others. You don't know where they've been until you've been there yourself, and even if you have been there yourself, you aren't them.  Keep the empathy you were blessed with. 

3: Learn to listen. Just shut up sometimes. Don't get overwhelmed by the drama, but not everyone wants to hear about you all of the time. 

4: Be yourself. Be confident with who you are and how you look. You cannot possibly look like anyone else (expensive Michael Jackson surgeries aside), so be comfortable with who you are. Find your good side, and rock it. Learn to use makeup to highlight your good features. Spend a little extra on a good pair of genes, or nice underwear. Make yourself feel good and pretty, because you are. 

5: Eat the pizza. Drink the soda. You're young. Do t whole it doesn't make a difference. 

6:  Play with your family. Spend more quality time with them. In the end, it's your family that will always be there for you. So play cards. Play bored games. Talk to your sisters. Play with your brother. Read to him.  Go to the park. Go for a walk. Build the relationships that will last, and will matter.

7:  Realize that you're ignorant. Seek out to know more. Try harder in school. Stick it through college. It's important. 

8:  I know you get depressed. You'll get through it. Be strong. Life gets better. It also gets a lot worse. You know the old adage; what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Push yourself to be happy.

9:  Be uncomfortable. Force yourself to do things that you wouldn't normally do. That's how you improve yourself.  That's how you make good memories. 

10:  Get to know the people around you. Especially your elders. They have some amazing stories. Have patience with people. Have patience with your family.  Have patience with becoming an adult. You'll grow up too fast anyway. You'll miss this. Enjoy it while it lasts. 

My venue and stuff.

So after searching and visiting many a venue, I think we have finally found the one. One of my friends had her wedding there about a year ago. Is it tacky to use the same place? Anyway, it's Lone Hawk Farm in Longmont. It's closer to home, and it's perfect for us! I didn't take any pictures of this one, but here are some from a Google image search. 

See? Sooo perfect! And here are the pictures of the first one I was considering in Loveland. The fact that it's in Loveland, the "kitchen" was gross, there was no air conditioning, no shade, and the barn was way too tiny for what we would need.  And the bathrooms were port-o-potties. 

Osborn farm was so cute, but there were just too many downsides. 

Here was my day yesterday. 

Dog poop. Yep. Gross. I spent an hour cleaning the cushions. I can't even tell you how mad I was at my stupid dog. 

These are my 4th of July nails. It was a great independence day. Travis and I went to Loveland Lake for fireworks, and they were AMAZING! It was a good night. 

Squirt had surgery on the first to get her tumor removed. Everything went fine, and she was up on crutches the next day. It was an easy surgery. She's not in any pain, and she'll probably only be on crutches till Tuesday, when the stitches get removed. 

Here is my new haircut (curly and then straight) 

Aaannnnddd.... I suppose that's it for now. I'll update you all on more stuff later. :) love ya!