Five Goals

At the beginning of the new year, I made a list of five goals I wanted to reach by the end of the year. I have to write them down and read them every morning as motivation to get stuff done. I feel like it helps put things in perspective whenever I tend to get off track and it's too early in the year to do all that. 

So here are my goals for the year. 

1. Budget. Since moving out on my own I haven't yet created a budget which is no bueno. When I was living with someone else, it was easy to pay bills and have money to spend here and there. Now that I have a lot more bills on my plate I think it's best to create a budget and be disciplined on that. I know it will get me having to get used to it but I think it will help. 

2. Pay off Credit Cards. I hate credit cards. They get us into trouble. I use them once for an emergency and then I fall off the wagon thinking I need every candle from Bath and Body Works or all the cute have to have stuff at Target. #guilty. How I plan to tackle this - put the credit cards away...far, far away. Pay off the ones with the lowest balance first and continue until I can call Dave Ramsey and yell out "I'm DEBT FREE". I also keep a total of the amount I have to pay off in my planner so I can see it. 

3. Let Go. Ever since I was a teenager, I feel as if I've had control over my life, my finances, my relationships (bad), etc. Things have to go my way and if they don't I tend to get upset or sad or flustered. I stress about life not going as I had planned. Like I should have been married by now with kids in a house in a different state. I know, I know...God is laughing so hard right now. I just feel like I'm in a rut. I need to learn to let go and just live life the way God intended for me to live. I have to live my life according to His plan, not mine. Once I start letting go, I know things will fall into place and I'll know why things didn't go my way.

4. Balance My Time. At the end of 2014, I was overwhelmed with extra "over". I knew I had to change that in 2015. I now have scheduled time for the gym, work, business, friends, family, Rico, and my own time for just myself. There was a point where I had to start telling people "No" when they wanted to do something, I felt bad at first but I honestly just need to stick to this new balanced life. I can honestly say that my planner and alarms on my phone have helped me balance my time so far. Friends and family will understand eventually why you can't do everything.

5. Be Healthy. My goal is just to be consistent with my healthy eating and gym time. Life can be hectic sometimes and it's easy to fall off track but I need to stay focused and keep my eye on the prize. #croptopseason 

I hope I can stick with these this year and I can look back and say "You did it, Mel!" But so far, so good. I just know this is gonna be my year. YAY for 2015! 

Weekend Recap: Naps, Cleaning, & Superbowl

Hi pretties! Monday has finally arrived. I hope your weekend was as relaxing as mine or eventful and exciting because of the Super Bowl. I definitely needed a weekend to just relax and not have anything on the agenda. It's nice not having to worry about being anywhere anytime with anyone. LOL I've come to love my alone time.

Friday night I went over to a friends house to have some pizza and watch the worse movies ever created like Deep Blue Sea. Have y'all ever seen it? Don't. It's awful. My friend and I kept laughing at all the bad acting and how fake everything looks. I mean JAWS was made better than this movie and it was made in the 70s!

My friend put his fireplace on and Rico and I enjoyed staying warm and toasty. Look how cute my baby is! He loves going to my friends place because his dog and Rico love playing together. They are BFFs and love snuggles. 

I was basically a bum and didn't shower all day Saturday. Don't act like you don't do that! I took about five naps all in between episodes of the "Wahlburgers" and "Donnie Loves Jenny" marathon on A&E. I'm officially obsessed and in love with Donnie Wahlberg and I can't wait to go back to Boston to try a Wahlburger. YUM! I think the rainy weather had something to do with my mood for the day. #iaintmadtho

Rico and I woke up super early Sunday morning and went for a nice walk around the apartment complex. I'm sure he was ready to get the heck out of the house for a bit. I did some laundry and cleaned up a bit. I've been a depressed and stressed out mood lately and cleaning is so therapeutic for me so now my apartment is spotless and smells divine. 

I also went to church and I'm so glad I went. I definitely needed to hear yesterdays message. It's like they all speak to me and what I'm feeling or going through at the moment. The entire week I've been feeling down and depressed about certain things but yesterdays service helped uplift my spirits. I was able to go home and really just relax about my current situation and just rest. 

For the Super Bowl, I just ended up at my parents house and ate way too much. My mom made a great cheese dip and Frito pie. My dad grilled some ribs and bacon wrapped jalapenos. All of it was delicious and my tummy was happy and full. I loved Katy Perry's half time show but I thought Missy Elliott stole the show. I got up from my chair and started dancing to all her throwback songs. Made me feel like I was back in high school again.

Whew! That was a lot for a non-eventful weekend. How was your weekend? 

Don't forget to link up with my girl Bella! 

It's Been a While

Oh man, it's been a while. Been wanting to come over here and blog for quite some time but thought I never had anything worthy to say. There has been so much going on in life I won't bore you with every single detail because it would take you a few days to read this post and ain't nobody got time fo dat.

I finally settled into my single, one-bedroom apartment that I absolutely adore and love. My dog thinks otherwise. I told him to get a job so we can buy a house but he likes being a bum so he's obliged. But really, it's awesome. I love living alone (with Rico) and doing whatever I want. No one to tell me what to do, I can decorate how I want, and go in and out as I please. I don't know why I waited so long to live alone.

Still very much single and loving it. I never thought I'd be able to say that. These last few months I have grown so much being alone. I've become stronger, confident, and independent. I don't feel the need to be with anyone or maybe I'm just not ready. I also don't have very much time for it either. I've gone on a few dates but nothing worth telling about. Some of the guys I've stayed friends with but that's it.

It may sound like much of a surprise but back in November I accepted Christ into my heart. My first time ever. I believe that also has helped me heal and made me stronger. I've gone back to church and I absolutely love it. I look forward to going every Sunday morning with Bella and listening to Pastor Keith.

My time has been hectic the last couple of months with work, the gym, Mary Kay, my own business endeavors, family, and such. Sometimes I don't have enough time for myself as much as I'd like. #introvert I need to take a breather and relax every now and then. I've had to start putting alarms on my phone to walk Rico, eat lunch/dinner, etc. Can't keep up with myself sometimes.

I hope I can come back here often to update and post! I will definitely try my hardest!

Until next time, pretties

Confessions of a Blogaholic: Facing My Fear

Happy Hump Day! I'm joining my girl Bella for Confessions of a Blogaholic today!

My confession today has been weighing on my mind a lot lately. Mostly because people have been asking me about plans for my future and whether or not I'm still in the process of opening my own business. Of course my dream is to open my own business, actually multiple businesses.

Truth is...YES! I'm still wanting to open my own business.

Confession is...I'm fucking scared out of my mind.

I don't know why I haven't pursued it because I don't really have anything that is tying me down. I'm just a girl with huge dreams but I'm so terrified of taking that next step and willing to risk whatever it is I have left.

I went to a wine glass painting party a couple of weeks ago and the instructor went over how she got started on her business on creating wine glass painting parties here in DFW and Wichita Falls area. She's only 25  years old and she is so driven and hardworking. She works over 100 hours a week, works as a waitress, and has a year old son. I told her my plan to open my business and her question was "Why haven't you done it yet?" Stopped me dead in my tracks...my answer, "Because I'm scared. Because I don't have a lot of money. Because I'm afraid of the risk." She told me, "Just do it! You don't have any kids, you're single, and if you want it bad enough you'll make it happen."

You know what? She's absolutely right.

I went home that night and finished writing my business plans, brainstorming on how I can make this happen, and taking those next steps on making my dreams a reality. I have so much free time and nothing left to lose.

So there you have it! Glad to have that off my chest!

What are you confessing?

Happy Fall!

I can't believe the season of pumpkin everything has arrived and I couldn't be more thrilled! 

Of course I had to celebrate this morning with my pumpkin swirl coffee and pumpkin cake donut from Dunkin Donuts this morning. Have you tried either of them? No? Go. Do it. Now. I promise you won't be disappointed 

I woke up this morning in such a great mood and it was a breathe of fresh air as soon as I stepped out my front door. The fall crisp air graced us with it's presence just in time. It felt as if I turned a new leaf and I can finally just start this new life of mine. 

I'm feeling good. Really good. 

Happy Fall, my friends!! Go out and get that pumpkin coffee and donut! 

Life Lately

I've been going back and forth whether I want to post or not. Wasn't sure if I was ready to even talk/write about this for the interwebs to see but this blog is a place for me to put down my thoughts and writing is therapy for me. I apologize if this post is all over the place, I'm just writing whatever I'm thinking.

Life has been turned upside down for me in the last couple of months. Sometimes I look at it as a curse but mostly a blessing. It's tested my patience, my strength, and my love for friends and family.

So let's rewind from the last time I posted back in July.

• My 27th birthday came and went. It was a great birthday! Definitely one for the books. 
• August came and my boyfriend of 7+ years decided to go our separate ways.
• I moved out of my house into my parents home to eventually move into an apartment.

So that's where I'm at now.

You read it right. J and I mutually decided to split. A part of me knew it was coming but I was so naive to believe it. I wanted it to work. I prayed it would work and that some day, somehow he would try to make this relationship work. I felt like I put so much effort and time into it that it was bound to last if only he had done his part. Part of me feels like he gave up on me. Like I wasn't worth working with or for. But...I know I don't deserve that. Of course, there were probably things I could have worked on but as a woman I feel like we put our entire hearts and lives out on the table for the ones we love. We just grew apart. Being with someone for 7+ years and basically growing up with them, our interests weren't the same anymore, we didn't do things together. We both weren't happy in the relationship. Yeah, the good times we had were amazing but a lot of the time it was just me. Alone. Waiting for him. I couldn't live my life like that anymore. We grew up and apart.

Letting go has been the hardest part. I know it was for the best. I know it's what I wanted a year ago. But my unhappiness was not a good enough reason to leave him. The thought of being alone was scary. Moving out and living alone terrified me. But I knew this is what I needed to do.

I love him and part me always will. It's been difficult to even talk about it without crying because a huge chunk of my life was spent with this special person. He was my best friend. He knew everything about me. He is a great person and I don't have negative things to say about him. He was just not the one for me. As much as I want to remain friends, it's more difficult that way. I have allowed him to see Rico occasionally but that's it.

Being the optimist I try to be, I'm looking forward to moving into my apartment in 26 days! I'm so excited to have a place all on my own. I've kind of had to start all over and get new furniture, appliances, home stuff, etc and I love it that I get to decide how I want to decorate!

I've been putting all my energy into buying new things for my place, hanging out with friends, watching movies, spending quality time with my family, and taking Rico to the dog park. I need to occupy my time as much as I can because then I just sit here re-thinking my entire relationship and about J.

I'm looking forward to the days ahead. I have my family and friends to thank for keeping me busy and keeping a smile on my face. They are my strength right now. I know because of them that everything is going to be okay. I'll be okay. I am okay. I can't wait for the future ahead and see what God has in store for me.

Thank you everyone for your uplifting words, prayers, and thoughts. They are very much appreciated!

Texas Winds

A couple weekends ago I had the pleasure of meeting Megan for a photoshoot. I was so nervous but she made me feel totally comfortable and confident. It felt like we had tornado winds that day and I thought it would be so hard to tame my mane but it actually turned out to be okay. I love the way the photos turned out. Definitely check out her work, I highly recommend. :) 

These are just a first of many. 

Top & Skirt - Kohl's // Shoes - similar // Bracelets - Stella & Dot, Alex & Ani

When I stopped by my local Kohl's store, I had no intentions of buying anything because I was buying Father's Day gifts for my dad. But as always, the LC Lauren Conrad collection caught my eye and I had to see what was new. This skirt is satin material and the blush pink is beautiful. I knew I wanted to color block so I decided on navy blue. I just love these two colors paired together. 

I hope y'all are having a fantastic Tuesday!

xoxo

Weekend Recap - 4th of July Weekend

Whew! This was a long weekend but somehow not long enough. I was able to relax, be productive, and spend time with family and friends. I think we need more weekends like this!

My weekend started on Thursday when I was able to take off work early and grab lunch at my favorite spot, Zoes Kitchen. I went home and took a long nap then headed to my massage appointment. Can you tell I'm a sucker for relaxation? Yes! I usually get one once a month. It's worth it for me since I always seemed so stressed and tense.

After my massage, I went home shopping at one of my favorite stores, Marshalls. Got some awesome goods for my bathroom to redecorate. Instead of going home to sit my happy ass down on the couch, I ended up washing my car myself because I'm still too scared to take my car to the car wash. It's new and I don't want anyone or anything to fudge it up! 

Now it looks so pretty and clean!

Thursday night, J & I headed out for some pizza and then out to karaoke with some of his friends. I didn't participate..I'm too shy but J on the other hand decided to grace us with his awful beautiful voice with some song I'm not even sure the name of as it was in Spanish and has some funky sound to it. It was hilarious and we had a great time!

Of course I slept in Friday! But once I got out of bed, I made breakfast tacos for J and I and proceeded to clean my house from top to bottom with no interruptions. Had the music blastin, hair pinned up, and in my comfy clothes. 

Here's how my bathroom turned out with the new decor! I love it! And I have a lavender Scentsy in there so it's so calming. I need to buy a light dimmer so the light isn't so harsh. 

   

After all the cleaning, I had to get out from all the fumes in the house. I spent 4th of July with all my family which we hadn't done in years. It was nice catching up, eating delicious food, and throwing back some beers. We caught the fireworks show from my cousins house which was awesome since we didn't have to fight traffic like we usually do. 

I think Saturday was just a rest day for me. I had ZERO intentions of peeling myself out of bed. It was so hard so I ended up watching Netflix movies/shows in bed and drinking endless amounts of coffee. I think sometimes we just need days to do absolutely nothing. Plus, it helped that my house had already been cleaned so I wasn't stressed about it. I ordered Zoes Kitchen, of course, for dinner. That was about as exciting as my Saturday was. 

Sunday morning, my BFF and I had plans to have breakfast at my fav little spot in Plano. I think most people were still recovering from the weekend because the place was empty which was awesome! 

The rest of the day was spent running usual errands and napping. In between the two, I ended up at PetsMart to get the dogs a small pool. I know they are dying outside in this Texas heat so I thought I'd get them a little something to cool them down. Janko loved it while Rico hated the thought of even turning the hose on to fill the pool. He ran inside faster than a bullet. Little stinker! 

Geez! I am exhausted just talking about the weekend. I need a weekend from this weekend. How was y'alls 4th of July weekend? 

I'm linking up with Bella and Lisa! Be sure to check them out! :) 

Confessions of a Blogaholic: Here's a Few

Happy Humpday! I'm linking up with Bella for Confessions of a Blogaholic. It's been a while since I've linked up so I'm just going to confess away. Be sure to link up and spill it!

I Confess

• I'm sick of the World Cup stuff. I know, I know...it's the "WORLD CUP". I'm just not a fan of soccer. Basketball is my sport and now that the Spurs won the championship, I'm just waiting until the next basketball season. 
• I've missed the gym twice already this week. Work has been busy, guys. 
• I haven't meal prepped in a couple weeks because I've been lazy. And I'm definitely feeling it. I've been so unprepared and it's not getting me to my goals. Need to make adjustments and get back to my plan. 
• I ordered a dress online to wear for my photoshoot this past weekend and when I tried it on, I instantly hated it so I had to find something else to wear. 
• I'm now regretting cutting my hair short and I miss my long hair. I go for a trim and color today but I won't be cutting much off.
• My laundry has been sitting on the dryer, folded, ready to be put away for two weeks but it hasn't made it's way upstairs yet into my drawers...
• I haven't read much of the Fault in our Stars...I was listening to the audio but I couldn't get into it. Gotta start reading from the beginning because I eventually want to watch the movie.
• I know every blogger and their mamas are obsessed with peonies right now and I'm no exception...they are gorgeous! Every time I see them, I have to have them. 
• I'm obsessed with the Dry Bar. Beautiful blowouts, reasonable prices. It was so nice getting my hair played with! Going again soon! 

That's all I got right now! What are you confessing today?

Have a great day, y'all!!

Hello July

YAY! It's officially my birthday month. I'll be 27 in just a few weeks but it still hasn't even hit me yet that I'll be closer to 30. I still feel like that 18 year old that graduated high school but now I have responsibilities and bills to pay. #adultlife Don't grow up, kids! 

Doesn't that watermelon look so good in that picture??! Makes me want to go out by the pool and eat the juiciest watermelon. Mmmm! 

June went by lightening fast and I can't believe over half the year has gone by! 

This past weekend I had a photoshoot with Megan for the blog. She is so sweet and made me feel so comfortable. I was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone. Can't wait to get the photos and share them with you all. 

Now that basketball is over, the main sport in our house right now is soccer with the World Cup going on. #duh. Juan is a huge soccer fan and goes for Colombia. They are doing so great so far and I can't wait to see them succeed in the next rounds. 

I'll be linking up with Bella tomorrow for Confessions of a Blogaholic, so be sure to link up and share your confessions! 

See y'all! 

Updates

Hey y'all! I have been slacking big time around here. Life happens, ya know?

So Memorial Day passed and it was a BLAST! I'm actually still trying to recover from all the fun, drinks, and food I ate. Ever since, I've been slacking on my healthy eating...I'm slowing trying to get back into it. I have to because I have a photo shoot at the end of the month and I need to feel and look my best.

I even took a week off from the gym because I was so exhausted. Getting back into the routine is an ass kicking itself. NOTE: Don't skip the gym...just go!

Last weekend I bought a NEW car!!! It's a 2015 Mazda CX-5 and I absolutely love it. I just want to get in it and drive it everywhere. Don't get me wrong, I still love my older car and I'm going to have a hard time parting with it because it was my first big girl purchase. I hope the new car smell never goes away and I can keep it clean. 

This weekend was one of my best friends birthdays and we had a girls day. She is always busy working, she has two babies, and a boyfriend at home so it's hard to get her out of the house. I decided to let her get pampered and just have a day for her. I had told her boyfriend two weeks ago to make sure she didn't have plans so I can just scoop her up and take her around town. She has a great time. We had brunch, got pedicures, went shopping, and came back to my place to hang out and eat bundt cakes. Very relaxing and eventful weekend, indeed. I'm sad I didn't get any pics because we were just enjoying ourselves but next time for sure! 

Okay and a quick confession - I was hating so hard on those damn pretty pictures of people and their peonies. I wondered why the hell these flowers are so popular now. Anyway, I stopped by my local Market Street and they had them there! They totally caught my eye and I just could not leave the store without them. FYI: Don't buy them at Market Street, they're way too expensive. Sunday I went to Trader Joe's and they had them in four different colors! I grabbed two bundles for less than the price I paid at MS. Look how pretty!! 

I'll see y'all real soon! 

My Summer Must Haves

I don't know about you, but summer is my favorite season. It may be because my birthday falls right in the middle of it but it really is and has been my favorite season. I love spending summer nights with my friends and family, drinking cocktails at the pool, beach vacations, vacations in general, toobing down the Comal River, summer break from classes, etc. Just the whole experience of it. 

I thought I'd share some of my summer must haves. 

1. Basic black flip flops. I love my Havainanas. I actually have them in most of the colors but my black ones get the most use. They go with everything, they're comfortable, and you can wear them to dinner or the beach. 

2. Denim Cut-off shorts. Oh man, have I waited for the season to take out all my shorts. Do you have a pair of old jeans? Cut them up and show off those legs! 

3. True Blue Spa Malibu Body Scrub. Whether you tan outside or spray tan, you should rub down with this amazing body scrub. I used to spray tan and would use this all the time, I don't spray anymore but I still use it. Makes my legs and arms silky smooth and it also smells amazing. 

4. True Blue Spa Malibu Waves Spray. I have super straight hair and this waves spray gives it a nice wavy texture as if I just got off the beach. I love spraying it when my hair is damp and it saves it from getting damaged from the heat of my flat iron, curling wand, or blow dryer. 

5. True Blue Spa Malibu Glow Body Shine. Y'all. This stuff is amazing. This is the whole reason I even stopped spray tanning. I hated the orange-y color it gave me and the smell was horrible. Plus, it was costing me an arm and a leg. I bought this and quickly cancelled my membership. It gives me that perfect glow I want, just a little color so I'm not looking ghostly white. Even if you're already tan, it gives the perfect shimmer. I rub this all over when I'm wearing shorts, dresses, and tanks. 

6. Urban Decay Illuminating BB Cream. Well, this stuff recently came out but I'm a sucker for trying beauty balms and bronzers. I use the regular UD beauty balm daily and I love it. I'll be purchasing this one so I won't have to be using the regular BB and a bronzer together. Just gives you a nice glow and radiant look.  It also has SPF 20...gotta protect this freckles.

7. Neon colored polish. What other colors yell "SUMMER"? Definitely a 'Shocking Pink', which is what I currently have on my nails. Grab a neon color and head to the nail salon. 

8. Aviator Sunglasses. Why you wouldn't have these already is beyond me? They're classic and they go with everything. I take mine everywhere! I'm currently looking for the mirrored ones...those are so hot right now! 

Well, there you have it dolls. These will be my summer staples this season and I'm absolutely excited to be heading into summer! 

What are some of your must haves for the summer? 

Weekend Recap

Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend whether it was super fun or a relaxing one.

For once, this weekend didn't feel so jam packed with full of things to do or planned. It was quite relaxing for some reason.

Friday night was spent cleaning my house from top to bottom. As soon as I stepped in my house I got to cleaning because I know if I sit down, I won't want to get back up to get to cleaning. I had finally finished by 10pm and afterward I headed to my parents house to pick up their truck to use since I had to work Saturday. My car is still without A/C and getting fixed. Ughhh! It sucks!

I worked Saturday morning for a few hours which was awesome because no one was in the office and I was able to get some work done. I went straight to my parents house after I got off and we had lunch together and did some shopping. Nothing too exciting! It was nice getting to spend time with them.

Juan and I were invited to Lee Harvey's bar in Dallas Saturday night so we packed up the dogs and headed out. I didn't want to be stuck in the house so I decided to go. We were out for just a couple of hours because it is such a hassle with the dogs. Sundays are the days you can let the dogs off the leash, we just went on the wrong night. LOL It's cool though because the pups got lots of lovin' from everyone.

Oh my goodness...Sunday was crazy busy. I didn't sit down until 10pm.

I got up and headed to my parents house because I had promised my mom I would help her clean out her house with all her junk stuff she didn't need and had to get rid of. We tackled one room in the house that used to be mine when I lived there. It turned into the "workout" room and my brothers office/study room. When I had walked in that morning, that room was so "OMG! Look at the fkn mess!" You couldn't even see the floor. I should've taken a pic but I just wanted to be done ASAP. My poor brother, I don't even know how he studies in there. 

So we cleaned it out, put stuff they didn't need on Craigslist, organized the junk stuff, and made it all nice and purdy. 

My parents were very grateful because they really needed my help in getting the room cleaned. Next project is the kitchen. Boy, that's gonna be another mess! Can't wait for that!

Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend and I'm stoked!!! We're floating the river and I get to see my cousins!!! AHHH!!!! Please, Friday, get here soon!! 

How was your weekend? 

Linking up for Dateless in Dallas and Showered With Design.