T H I R T Y | Farewell...

I know it seems incredibly silly - but I made it!  All thirty days of the Blog-tember Challenge blogged!  :-)  I had to make use of the "schedule" function on Blogger, but if I wasn't honest about that, one would NEVER know!  

I really enjoyed the various topics discussed through the Blog-tember Challenge. First of all, I adore Brave Love, and am continuously thankful that I stumbled across Bailey Jean at some point in the past year.  She's a Texas girl, which helps, but overall, I'm just amazed at how together she is for being 23.  

I'm surprised that I finished, honestly.  I've never put much time or thought into this blog, and only update when it feels like there's something I need to say, which isn't all that often.  

My favorite prompt - making the mood board, because it really allowed me to focus in on what I'd like for our wedding, if it happens.  :-)  I also really liked the fall bucket list prompt!  

Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I'm thankful that I choose to participate.  I didn't always link up daily, but I definitely participated on my own each of the 30 days.

T W E N T Y - N I N E | Blogging Resources

I blog for fun.  I blog for the love of writing.  The only resource I use is The Cutest Blog on the Block for their blog templates, and my brain.  I'm awesome that way.

T W E N T Y - E I G H T | High & Lows

I'm forever in amazement at how FAST this year has flown by!  And now we're wrapping up the 9th month of the year.  October will be here in just a matter of days, and the remainder of the year is sure to fly by!

September Highs:

1.  I finally got some more news on the job front.  Things are moving now.  :-) So we'll see how that goes.  I don't want to post too much if things end up not working out.
2.  With A being back in school, we've been able to catch up a bit, so that's been nice.  
3.  I was able to meet Lindsey for dinner one night.  It was nice to have some girl time.

September Lows:  

1.  It's still so incredibly hot here.  I'm ready for a break in the heat.
2.  A failing grade for FAR.  Boo!

Overall, September hasn't really been an eventful month, but I'm a-okay with that! :-)

T W E N T Y - S E V E N | Wish List

Man, my wish list is insane right now.  Mostly because I'm trying to buy some new work type clothes, and get back in the swing of dressing more professional for works.  No more jeans.  :-(

First up - there's this Calson Drape Neck Zip Cardigan from Nordstrom's...

These Adelia D'Orsay Pumps from Banana Republic... and these Kelsie Cutout Leather Peeptoes from Ann Taylor...

I desperately need a few more tops & pants for work, especially if I'm going to be in a much colder climate than Texas.  

I'd also like to find a couple of ponte fabric blazers.  

T W E N T Y - S I X | Cha - Cha - Cha - Changes

It's kind of hard to think back a year ago, because it really doesn't seem like much has changed, but I guess it really has.

I'm still at the same job, doing basically the same thing.  

We've moved twice, and are actually getting ready to move again after the first of the year, but where is still to be determined.

I finished school (but not completely).  

I passed all the certification requirements to begin my CPA exam.

A & I are getting ready to celebrate TWO years on 10/12/14.  

I've lost a friendship & reconnected with an old friend.

And this is officially the most depressing post - EVER!

T W E N T Y - F I V E | Censorship

Today's topic is supposed to be one where we switch blogs with another person and essentially do a guest post.  Well, not many of my friends blog, and the ones that do don't really have the free time to write a guest post for my little bloggity blog blog.  So today, I figured I'd use this day as a FREE post for a topic that's so near and dear to my heart.  

In the news recently, here in Dallas, there has been a news article about some parents who successful got seven books banned from high school classrooms in Highland Park.  

The seven books are:

An Abundance of Katherines - John Green
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian* - Sherman Alexie
The Art of Racing in the Rain* - Garth Stein
The Glass Castle: A Memoir* - Jeannette Walls
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
Song of Solomon - Toni Morrison
The Working Poor: Invisible in America - David K. Shipler

Now, I can't profess to say that I have read all seven of these books, because I haven't.  I've only read three of them.  I put an * beside the books I have read.  I have added the remaining four to my to be read list.  The reason for the books being banned isn't clear except that parents were uncomfortable with references to abortion, rape, and various sex scenes in the books.  All of which I can completely understand, but instead of banning the books, why don't we use these books to open up the lines of communication with children?  This is a high school for crying out loud.  These kids have been exposed to ALL of these things in one fashion or another, probably from watching television.  Um, there are ABC Family shows that reference sex and pregnancy in them.  

I just don't understand.

So then I pulled up another article that discusses the top 15 children's books that have been banned.  The Dairy of Anne Frank was one of them.  This quick discussion happened on Facebook, and some people understand the need/want to ban The Diary of Anne Frank due to the "depressing nature" of the book. However, I firmly believe that 100% of the Holocaust is depressing.  The way the Jewish people were treated is horrible.  The fact that so many lives were lost is awful.  BUT - it's history.  And I feel like we owe it to every single one of them to read their stories, TELL their stories to future generations, because most of them didn't make it through the concentration camps to tell their stories.  If we don't learn history, we're doomed to repeat it.  

I think this is a story that deserves to be told.

T W E N T Y - F O U R | Fall Bucket List

I'm a girl that loves a list.  And I love a list even more when it encompasses my favorite time of year!  

... celebrate my anniversary with Alex

... celebrate Mom's birthday

... celebrate Alex's birthday

... GIRL'S weekend while Alex visits his best friend in Kansas

... Pumpkin Patch in Canton

... Buy some new pumpkin candles

... Decorate for Halloween

... Decorate for Fall

... Make a homemade apple pie

... Make a homemade pumpkin pie

... Drink a Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea

... Go on a hayride

... Watch ABC Family's Halloween Marathon

... Make caramel apples

... Buy mums for patio

... Watch Sunday or Monday night football with my love

... Roast s'mores

... Make a Fall wreath

... Roast pumpkin seeds

... Carve a pumpkin

T W E N T Y - T H R E E | A guide to Dallas/Fort Worth.

Most everyone that reads this blog is probably from Dallas or has been here a time or two in their life, so I'd much prefer to write this to the person who has never ventured this way.  There are some things you *have* to make time for if you ever visit DFW.    

1.  The 6th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.  It's where JFK was assassinated, and while it's a tragic time in our history, we have to remember the times and keep history alive.  

2.  See the cattle drive at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

3.  Visit the Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth or the Arboretum in Dallas.

4.  If you are here around the holidays, spend the $$$ to rent a carriage & check out Highland Park for Christmas lights.  Or Deerfield in Plano.  Or the Shops at Legacy's light show.  Or Prairie Lights.  Or heck, just try them all!  :-)

5.  Summer time in Dallas means checking out a Ranger's Game & 4th of July fireworks in Addison at Kaboom Town.

T W E N T Y - T W O | Blogs

Five blogs that I read all of the time...

www.younghouselove.com - John & Sherry are currently on a hiatus to focus on their little family of four, but I love this blog because they really break down how to do a variety of DIY projects around the house!  Not that I have a house to DIY, but it gives me something to look forward to in the future.  :-)

www.theblissfulbee.com - I adore this blog for a couple of reasons.  #1.  Amy is a Texas girl that resides in Fort Worth.  Um, yay DFW!  #2.  She has impecable decorating sense that really speaks to me.  #3.  She refinishes pieces that she finds at various places for cheap!  I love the idea of reusing pieces instead of buying new. 

http://www.wardrobeoxygen.com/ - Alison has amazing style!  Seriously!  And she's not your typical size 2, without ZERO curves.  I appreciate women who are a size 2 without curves, but well, I'm not.  So I really look to Alison for inspiration!

http://stylecassentials.blogspot.com/ - Another girl who has amazing fashion sense, and isn't a size 2.  

http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot.com/   - Kate is one of my sweet friends that I met through my military wives group!  :-)  She's an amazing girl, who shares my love of reading.  

T W E N T Y - O N E | Fall Favorites

Fall...

Ahhh...

My favorite time of year!  I will say the more Alex & I talk about leaving Texas, and moving to a region that truly has a fall, the more excited I get!

... Changing Leaves

... Hot Tea

... Pumpkin Patches with my Love

... FOOTBALL

... Sweaters

... the State Fair of Texas

... Birthdays & Our Anniversary (2 Years!)

... Fall Shows

T W E N T Y | A day...

Whew.  My life on the weekends is incredibly boring, but after such a busy week, it's great to have some down time.

Here's my day so far...

11:30a:  Crawl my tired behind out of bed.  I went to sleep around 11:30p, but woke up several times through out the night.  At 31 years old, I still have ridiculous nightmares, so I kept waking up.

11:45a:  Make breakfast.  Cinnamon sugar toast.  Yum!

12:00p:  Sit down and start Becker review for the BEC section.  

1:00p:  Decide I'm really not in the mood to study, and would much rather clean, so I close the books and get to cleaning.

4:00p:  Finish cleaning for the most part, and decide to go back to the books.

7:00p:  Lay down with Alex to take a quick nap.

8:30p:  Wake up from said nap, KNOWING that there's no way I'll be able to sleep again for awhile.

10:00p:  Start CPA studying AGAIN.  Anxiously waiting Alex to wake up because I'd really like some ice cream from DQ.  Has anyone tried their pumpkin pie blizzard?  It's to die for!

N I N E T E E N | Advice...

Today’s Prompt:  If you could give one piece of advice to a large group of people, what would it be?

Done and done.  I’ve prayed for this opportunity to give a large group of people a piece of advice.  The group I would choose is girls from the age of 12 – 25.  I won’t say that I’m an expert, but I can speak from experience because I’ve been there.  Life has changed so much since 2001 when I graduated high school, but people and society still puts the same pressures on girls now that it did then. 

Have you ever heard the song “Try” by Colbie Caillet?  If not, go listen to it now!  Please.  Once you are finished listening to it, come back and re-read what I have to say. 

As women, society tells us to do whatever {WE} have to do to “snag a man.”  Songs are written by major performers and labels that discusses how a woman took 45 minutes to get dressed up for her “man” but they aren’t even going to make it to the club because he doesn’t respect her enough and he has to have his way with her in the back of a limo.  She just wants to be a “girl he likes.”  Clothes continue to get smaller, shorter, and tighter for sake of fashion.  Modesty is a thing of the past. 

But… it doesn’t have to be. 

Ladies:  I beg you.  Learn to love yourself before you expect a man to love you.  Learn to support yourself, make decisions on your own, take care of your car maintenance, fix things around your house, budget your money.  Get an education or a certificate or something that gives you a way to make a name and a career for yourself.  You don’t want to be his wife.  You want to be YOU first, then this wife, and their mom.  You deserve it.  Learn early that modesty is way sexier than short shorts and tight dresses.  Demand respect, but give respect as well.  Hold your head high and KNOW that you deserve nothing less than greatness.  You do not have to degrade yourself in the backseat of a limo to make sure that you are the girl he likes.  If he doesn’t like you for YOU, that’s his problem.  Not yours.  There’s something incredibly sexy about a woman who knows who she is, who has direction and ambition, and who isn’t afraid to chase her dreams.  You don’t need anyone in this world to do that.  Develop a relationship with God, and use the way that God intended relationships to be as a beacon to find the man you deserve.  Make sure he is strong in his faith, and can help be the rock in your family. 

But most of all – love yourself.  Know that you deserve happiness.  Don’t settle for the wrong person because you are watching all of your friends get married.  Take my word for it – it won’t end well. 

Be you.  Love you.  

E I G H T E E N | Traveling

Ahhhh.  Traveling.  The one thing that I've always wanted to do more of, but never had the time or money.  But the most memorable trip I've ever taken was a trip to Las Vegas, NV to meet some of the most incredible women that I've ever been blessed to be a part of, military wives, from across the country.

I wish I could recreate that trip & those memories with those women all over again. We've discussed making it a yearly thing, but time and life gets in the way, so it hasn't happened yet. 

I left DFW International Airport to travel to Vegas on a Thursday, and come home on Sunday.  We spent four glorious days shopping, walking, talking, laughing, people watching, drinking, and just all around being incredibly silly.  And it was an absolute blast!

I'm trying to find photos so that I can update this blog post with them, but I'm having trouble accessing them online, so I'll update when I can.  :-)

S E V E N T E EN | A vlog!

If you've noticed - I skipped Seventeen.  The goal was to post a vlog.  I don't have the recording capabilities, except through maybe my iPhone.  Quite frankly, I have no interest in trying to figure that one out.  :-)

S I X T E E N | Most people don't know this but...

Wow.  This one is tough.  I'm really an open book.  I guess the thing that most people don't know is that at one point in my life, I had my cosmetology license. The state of Texas changed the requirements to keep it, and hair stylists now have to do 40 hours a year of continuing education.  Without being in the industry, it's tough to get those 40 hours, and I have no desire to ever cut hair again, so I let it go.

Basically, because I'm an over-achiever, when I was in high school, there were three graduation plans.  The bare minimum, recommended, and advanced.  Guess which one I picked?  As part of the advanced graduation plan, I had to have an certificate of some sort... cosmetology, real estate, etc.  I picked cosmetology.  I tested in Austin in March of 2001.  

Upon graduating, I worked at Toni & Guy for probably 6 months, until I realized that it just wasn't for me.  I left, went into accounting, and haven't looked back. 

F I F T E E N | Mood Board

I've never made a mood board before.  I guess, I feel like that's what Pinterest is for, but I'll attempt this!  :-)

Really, I always have lots of ideas circulating in my head.  How would I decorate my house if it was more permanent than just a year?  But, the biggest thing I'm focusing on lately is my career and CPA exam.  I guess I could create a mood board for that, but um, how BORING!  So the next big thing that'll probably happen in my life is a wedding.  I figured I could create a mood board for that. (However, since I don't have PhotoShop, my mood board will just be photos for now.)

But first, I should figure out exactly HOW to made a mood board.

A and I discuss getting married all the time.  There's no set definite deadline as to when an engagement will happen, an actual wedding date, etc. because well, I don't like to put the cart before the horse.  I'm not in a huge rush to get married, because I trust that things will happen when we're both ready.  And I'm trying to be patient and not ever make A feel like he's being pressured (not that I think that's the case, but still).

That's not to say that I don't think about what our wedding day will be like, but I'd much rather focus on the actual {MARRIAGE} than the wedding.

My sweet boyfriend is the world's biggest Ohio State fan, and um, what better way to incorporate HIS loves (besides me, of course) into the wedding, so I've always kind of thought that "scarlet and grey" could be wedding colors.  But, because I love all things vintage and the color pink, I thought we could include some of those aspects as well.  The plan (as of now) is to find an art deco or vintage ring so we're both constantly on the look out for something that fits those qualities.

I know somethings I definitely want... 

... a dress with sleeves.  Or straps.  Anything but strapless.  I know being busty, I have no desire to walk around pulling a dress up all night long.  Preferably without lace, although that may be a tall order to fill.

... for my bridesmaids to be able to pick dresses that suit their individual features, but all in the same color scheme.  Depending on the time of year will depend on long vs. short.  But I definitely would *like* for all of us to wear the same color shoe.  I think it makes for FUN photo oops.  The guys could wear all grey suits with "scarlet" ties.

... I really love these flowers.  

... everything else I'm really open to in terms of location, food, band vs. DJ, open bar, actual wedding date, etc.  

F O U R T E E N | Blogging

Why did I start blogging?

Well, I don't have any great & profound answer to this.  I like to write.  I needed a place to keep all of my thoughts.  I figured I could add in some various sewing projects as how to's along the way, and maybe some recipes.  

My life was chaotic, but simple at the same time.  And I'm extremely organized and able to manage the chaos, so it just kind of worked out to my favor.  I thought I'd spend more time focusing on the content of the blog, but that's honestly never happened.  I just update here & there, write what I want, when I can.  :-)

T H I R T E E N | Relationships!

Gosh - I love telling this story!  Every time I think about the way I met A, the situation I was just getting out of, and how amazing things have been in my life since that day, I just smile.  How could I not?!  :)

Let's see... it was September 2012.  Right at two years ago, exactly.  Let me set up the scenario a bit.  I lived in an apartment in Fort Worth.  It was on the second floor, but I had a garage.  A lived above my garage, and I lived above someone else's garage, which means that his patio was essentially over my garage door. 

So, I came home from work, and notice this super hot guy has moved in next door.  I even commented about him to my mom.  I close my garage door & go on about my merry way.  Later that evening, I had a friend coming to visit & check out my new place, and I pass him in the hallway.  A week or so goes by, and I don't seen him again.   

Then towards the end of September, he would randomly come outside while I was walking the dog, check his mail on a Sunday, talk to me from his balcony, etc.  Me being me, and just getting out of a toxic 10 year relationship, I didn't even notice the flirtatious signs.  I'm naive, what can I say?  LOL.  

So on October 9th, 2012, I pull into the driveway from work, and he's outside.  I ran in to grab Chloe, and come back outside.  We stand there chatting for about 30 minutes or so, before I have to leave to go meet my ex-husband to get some of my belongings.  So after I get home, I immediately wash my face, put on my yoga pants, hair up, and settle down on the couch with leftovers.  

I hear a knock on the door.  It's A.  He invites me to go get a milkshake, but of course, I haven't eaten yet.  So I invite him in so I can eat real quick, and then figure we could head out.  Two hours went by so quickly of us chatting it up, before he had to run home to finish up an assignment for school.  

The next night, he comes over and we hang out for a bit.  He asks me if I'd like to go to dinner the next night.  Um, YES!  :-)  So Friday night rolls around, and we head out to a sushi place in Arlington.  Now, granted, this poor guy was put through the ringer in the beginning.  I'm surprised he didn't run for the hills.  I'm pretty sure I would have.  Considering what I had just walked away from, I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't make that mistake again.  I asked him point blank on the way to dinner if he wanted kids.  (I have no doubt that I would have asked him to take me home if he had said no).  

From that night until February 1st, 2013, we spent every single evening together. We would sit out on my patio until the wee hours of the morning just chatting. He would always make me hot tea, I'd grab a blanket, and we'd just sit there talking. About the past, the future, our hopes, our dreams, our fears, and everything in between.

On February 1st, 2013, we made it even more official and broke his lease.  And we haven't looked back since.

Now, things haven't always been easy, as I know I'm difficult to deal with when I'm stressed, and I've been stressed to the MAX with work, school, and studying for the CPA exam, but there's no one else in this world I'd rather be with.  He is one of my biggest supports, and he never fails to make me smile.  He is the man who is going to help me achieve my goals & dreams.  I have no doubt that someday soon he'll be my husband, and the father of my kiddos.

Being married before, I can truly say that I had no idea what love truly was before A.  I never loved my ex the way I love A.  I didn't know a love like this was even possible.   Happiness is real.  I've learned to never settle for less than that!

T W E L V E | Traditions

Growing up with traditions was such an important part of my childhood.  It's something that I've discussed with A numerous times, and we've talked about how we're going to incorporate the traditions we had growing up within our individual families as well as how we're going to start NEW traditions with our children.

I can remember the holidays growing up.  We always got new Christmas pajamas that we wore to bed.  It was the one gift we were able to open on Christmas Eve. As a family, we always made a big deal of decorating the tree.  For the majority of my life, I remember Christmas as just the three of us (Mom, Matt & I) as we lived a pretty good distance away from any family.  If there was time, we baked & decorated Christmas cookies.  

And one thing we almost always did was adopt an Angel from the Salvation Army Angel tree.  My mom tells the story of an instance where Matt & I agreed to give up presents for ourselves in order to be able to adopt an angel as my parents didn't have the money for both.

In terms of traditions I hope to start with my own kids...

... I love the Christmas PJs, so that's something I want to continue.

... I'd like to buy them a new ornament each year of their life.  The goal is to make sure they have a smaller tree in their room as they are growing up that has their ornaments on them, and then they'll have some ornaments to start their own tree when they move out.

... I'd like to also wrap 24 Christmas/holiday books, and read one each night as a bedtime story.  (Until they are old enough to not want bedtime stories, that is.) On Christmas Eve, the story would be the story of Jesus' birth, and what the real meaning of Christmas is.

... Of course, attend the Christmas services at church during the holiday season, including Christmas Mass to pay homage to A's family.

... Have you read the book The Polar Express?  Well, if not, the book gives various kids a "golden ticket" to ride The Polar Express.  How fun would it be to wrap the golden ticket in with their Christmas PJs, and use that as family bonding time to drive around looking at Christmas lights?  Granted, this one is more for me than them.  :-)

... And the biggest tradition I want to continue is the Angel Tree.  I think it's important to teach kids that there are people in this world that still need our help. I've seen instances where kids donate their older toys to make room for the new ones, and I think that's a great idea too.  But, being able to pick an angel, and pick out clothes, toys, etc. specifically for that child was important to me as a child, and is even more important to me as an adult.  

E L E V E N | Inspiration

I find inspiration from various places and varying people.  I could honestly say that every single person in my life provides inspiration of some sort, because otherwise, what would the point be?  I stay inspired because I always try to remember the joys in life, realize that no matter how bad things are, they could always be worse, and know that God is in control.  I may not like how things are going but it's not in my timing, it's in His.

{Inspiring people.}

{Mom}  My mom is simply amazing.  As a child, my parents divorced when I was 11.  My mom worked two jobs to make sure that my brother & I were taken care of, and had the things we needed.  It meant that I ended up growing up a bit faster because I took on some of the responsibilities around our house, but I honestly wouldn't trade it for the world.  I am, without a doubt, the person I am today because of my mom.  At 31 years old, I still think my mom hung the moon.  They say that your relationship with your mom grows by leaps and bounds when you have kids, and I can only imagine how amazing ours will be.

{Alex}  This man.  I don't even know where to begin, but I admire him in so many ways.  Despite not having the best childhood, he doesn't let that affect his adulthood.  He is such a giver, it doesn't matter if it's his last $1.  If someone needs it, he'll give it to them.  He has such a heart for God, and I admire that about him.  He is such a loving, caring, genuinely amazing person, and I thank God daily that he loves me. 

{Lindsey}  You know how sometimes you meet people, and they just have a lasting impression on your life?  That's Lindsey for me.  This girl isn't afraid to go after what she wants, even if it she may face adversity as a result of it.  She's incredibly intelligent, beautiful inside and out, a great mom, and she has an amazing heart.

{Amy}  There are women that come into your life and truly show you what its like to be a God fearing woman.  Amy is that person for me.  As a stay at home mom with three little ones, she definitely has her hands full.  She's also a National Director for Thirty-One AND one of their national mentors.  PLUS, she homeschools her kiddos.  Her schedule makes me tired just thinking about it.  But she handles everything with such grace.

{Ashley R.}  When I first "met" Ashley, I wasn't sure if we'd get along.  As the new military wife on the block (online), I found myself intimidated by her.  She was very pregnant with her first baby girl, and probably miserable too.  But over the years, I've found Ashley to be such an inspiration.  Ashley is one of the most non-judgmental women I've ever encountered.  She has such a beautiful heart.  One of the things that I admire most about her is that she's not afraid to stand up for what she believes in.  There have been several instances in the news recently (Robin Williams' death, the Ray Rice situation) where she has spoken up for the "victim" and told the world that we shouldn't judge someone because we don't know.  She always helps me to find a new perspective, to open my eyes just a little bit wider, and to see the world a little differently.  For that, I'll always be grateful.

T E N | 10 things I love about ME!

A perfect topic if I've ever heard of one... ten things I love about myself.  Why is this a perfect topic you ask?  Well, because this will be a *great* kick off point for my {50} things I love about myself list for my 101 things to do in 1001 days list! :-)

... my desire to have a relationship with my God.

... my ambition.

... my eyes as they are a very unusual color.

... certain features of my body.

... my kind heart, although it sometimes gets me in trouble.

... my strength despite all odds, I keep my head up & keep going.

... my ability to learn quickly.

... my love for vintage & antiques.

... my craftiness.

... my pale skin.

N I N E | Personality

I have to say that I've always been intrigued by the idea of someone's personality. For me, growing up, I was ALWAYS the extrovert.  I have found that as I've grown up and matured, I'm not the extrovert I always thought I was.  In fact, I'm pretty introverted as an adult.  I often wonder when that shift came about, or when I became more knowledgeable about the shift.  

Either way - my Myers-Briggs:  INTJ.  No doubt.  

I find myself very introverted when it comes to new social settings, new people, etc.  I think a lot of that comes from being burned by people in the past, and well as the pain of being hurt in the past.  I don't externalize a lot.  In fact, I internalize it, and depend mostly on myself to sort through my feelings.  

I find a pretty neat site that really gives the portrait of an INTJ.  

Some things of note for me... 

INTJs live in the world of ideas and strategic planning.  {Always.}  

They value intelligence, knowledge, and competence, and have high standards in these regards.  {Most certainly true.  Otherwise, why would I still be in school and trying to get through the CPA exam?  Ha.}

INTJ's need closure and organization when it comes to ideas.  They aren't interested in understanding a concept, but in applying that concept.  The internal form of the INTJ's thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not readily translatable into a form that others will understand.  {I hear this a lot.  I hear how my brain works faster than my mouth does, and I'm already onto another topic.  I have to really focus on this when it comes to work, because I often jump from one topic to another, without fully explaining the first topic.}

INTJs are natural leaders.  When in leadership roles, they are effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation.  They are adaptable enough to change things that aren't working well.  {This!  I love being in a leadership role, because I enjoy taking responsibility for how things operate.  I don't mind the relationship aspect of being in a leadership role. In fact, it's probably one of my strongest features.}

INTJs are ambitious, self-confident, deliberate, long-range thinkers.  {YES!}

INTJs dislike messiness and inefficiency, and anything that is muddled or unclear. They value clarity and efficiency, and will put enormous amounts of energy and time into consolidating their insights into structured patterns.  {Very much so! Some people call this OCD, but it's really just a personality trait.  :-)}

When under a great deal of stress, the INTJ may become obsessed with mindless repetitive, Sensate activities, such as over-drinking. They may also tend to become absorbed with minutia and details that they would not normally consider important to their overall goal.  {I think this is sooooo true.  When I find myself stressed, I worry about the small stuff, because it seems to be the things I can control.  It's the only thing that makes me feel like I have some sort of power over my life.}

INTJs are most always highly competent people, and will not have a problem meeting their career or education goals. They have the capability to make great strides in these arenas. 

On a personal level, the INTJ who practices tolerances and puts effort into effectively communicating their insights to others has everything in his or her power to lead a rich and rewarding life.

Another resource, this one, states that this personality trait is extremely rare, and INTJ women are roughly 0.8% of the population.  I knew I was awesome.  :-)

E I G H T | Music

So I kind of cheated in the beginning of the whole Blog-tember Challenge, because I had some free time on my hands.  I scheduled a couple of posts.  And then I promptly ran out of scheduled posts, which is why Day {EIGHT} is a bit later in the day than normal.  But... it's still on time!

Ahhhh.  Pandora.  :-)  A girl could spend her whole life listening to music.  There are some songs that just bring me back to a time or a place, and help me to relieve memories, good and bad.

It's funny because when I sit down and try to think of the songs that have had such an impact on my life, my mind runs wild.

{Daddy's Hands by Holly Dunn}  Daddy's Hands was played during my Grandpa's funeral.  It's the first song I really remember having such an impact in my life, because the song is completely & 100% my Grandpa.  He passed away in 1994.  I still can't listen to that song without remembering sitting in the funeral home while it played.  

{Pontoon by Little Big Town}  Pontoon.  You know when you hear a song at the right time in your life and it just makes you smile?  Pontoon is totally that song for me.  When my ex-husband said he wanted a divorce, I packed my stuff from our room, and went to live in the guest room until I could find an apartment.  There wasn't a tv in there, so the first night, I was surfing the net, listening to the radio. The first song I heard was Pontoon.  It was such a happy, upbeat song.  And I swear, every time something great happened that summer, I heard Pontoon.  I still smile when I hear it!

{She is Love by Parachute}  Alex & I used to send songs back & forth to each other during the day when we'd hear them if they reminded us of the other person.  She is Love is one of those songs.  :-)  

S E V E N | Books!

Anyone who knows me, AT ALL, knows I have a deeply seeded love for books, of all kinds!  But, they are the one thing that tends to take up all of my time if I let them.  It's virtually impossible to allow yourself to be engrossed in an amazing book, and study/pass the CPA exam at the same time.  So sadly enough, I haven't read a book in, um, 6 months or so.  {SAD!}

But, that doesn't mean that I'm not always adding new books to my to be read list.  Have you ever of Goodreads.com?  If not, GO CHECK IT OUT, NOW!  It's an amazing site where you can track the books you've read, the books you want to read, AND you can give them a rating of 1 - 5 stars.  It's been an amazing tool for me to have, because I'm a list maker, and I can use my Goodreads list to find books when I venture out to the library.

Since it's been so long since I've sat down with a good book, I thought I could post about the books I can't live without...

... The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

... Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

... The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

... Emily & Einstein by Linda Francis Lee

... Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

... If I Stay by Gayle Forman

... The Walk by Richard Paul Evans

... The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

... The Entire Harry Potter Series by JK Rowlings

... Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

... I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

... pretty much anything by Philippa Gregory and Nora Roberts,

S I X | Currently...

...reading Business by Becker.  :-)  Gotta love that CPA preparation.

...watching Season 3 of The Tudors.  I watched the first two seasons several years ago, and then promptly forgot about Season 3 & 4.  I'm trying to get them finished before all the new shows come back at the end of September.

...trying to keep my head on straight, and not get overly excited about a new possible opportunity at work.  I don't want to get my hopes up instead of the let down. 

...eating nothing at the moment. 

...pinning things to do in Pittsburgh and business casual inspiration ideas.

...tweeting about nothing.  I don't do Twitter.

...going a little crazy thinking about all the possibilities!  I just wish I knew SOMETHING.  :-)

...loving the fact that school is back in session, which means the weather will soon start cooling down.  Pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks.  And fall/winter is ON THE WAY!

...discovering that I need to have more confidence in myself & my abilities, and go after my dreams, instead of letting myself down. 

...enjoying the fact that I've had a bit of downtime lately.  It's been glorious.  And something I so desperately needed.

...thinking about the future, the possibilities, and wondering where it all fits into God's plan. 

...feeling exhausted.  Mentally.  Physically.  Emotionally.  All of the studying, the unknowns, the ups and downs, it's draining.

...hoping for positive news.

...listening to the sound of the air conditioner and typing.  I should turn on Pandora or something.

...thanking God for all of His many blessings in my life.  I may not always understand, but His timing is everything.

...starting to realize that the future possibilities are endless.  And I'm excited about that!

F I V E | Passion

Passion is an undeniably hard topic for me to write about, and I'm not sure why. Maybe because there are entirely too many things I've passionate about. 

God.

Politics.

Our military & veterans.

Ending human trafficking & sex slavery.

Education.  

All of these are such hot button items, and all of them would require hours of conversation, so I'll spare you all the details.

F O U R | Fashion Trends

I tend to shy away from fashion trends.  Not because I don't like them, but because I find that I lack the time, energy, and patience to shop often, put together outfits, include jewelry, etc.  I wish I were one of those girls that just always looks put together, but I'm not.  Quite frankly, I feel like a hot mess 99% of the time.  I think a lot of is deals with the weight I've put on in recent years, a lot of it is lack of self confidence.  One of these days I'm just going to have to get it together, because work will demand it.  

So, a fashion trend I love...

Maxi SKIRTS!  They are so easy to throw on, add a cute top, a necklace, and bam. Love. Them.

A fashion trend I hate...

Peplum tops, dresses, etc.

Unless you are a size 2, with no curves, it's incredibly hard to pull of this trend. That's not saying that some women bigger than a size 2 don't rock this trend, and look fantastic.  I'm not one of them.  Between being top heavy, then adding ruffles around the middle, it's just NOT a good combination.

T H R E E | Growing Up is Overrated

I've often pondered this question... what do you want to be when you grow up?  I wish I had an answer.  

{Professionally} I'm pretty much on point with where I want to be.  I wish I were a little bit further ahead (having finished my CPA license, gathered some more experience, making more money) but overall, I'm usually pretty happy with where I am.  If I had it to do all over again, knowing what I know now, I might {would} have made some different choices.  Hindsight is 20/20.  I still stand by the idea that the world can't expect an 18 year old to make a decision about the rest of their life.  It's impossible. 

{Personally} I've struggled a bit.  After a disaster of a marriage, a miserable divorce, I'm finally H A P P Y.  It's an incredible feeling.  But my patience?  Yeah, not so much.  I'm ready for the next step in our journey.  It'll happen in time, I have faith in that.  There's a lot of changes happening, and it's going to all work out and be amazing in the end.  

R E C A P | August Goals

Um, holy moly.  I feel ridiculously productive this month.  Other than the "health" section, I actually can CHECK OFF EVERYTHING ELSE!  :-)  And, not only did I complete {almost} everyone on my goals list, I completed stuff that WASN'T on my goals list per say, but has been out there to be done for YEARS.  How's that for an awesome August?  

Here are my August goals:

Just for your info:
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Relevant
T - Time-Bound

HEALTH
1.  Work out.  Period.  30 minutes, at least.  3 - 5 days a week.  Just do something.

 HOME
1.  Hang curtain rod & curtains for living room.  Goal date:  8/10/2014  A little later than my original goal date, but um, it's done.  And really, that's all that matters.  I can't even remember how many MONTHS this has been on my to do list.  Oops.  I forgot to take a picture of this, but maybe I'll remember tonight and update tomorrow.

2.  Hang IKEA shelves above desk, and organize the office space.  Goal date:  8/10/2014  Same goes for this one.  I figured since I was getting ready to start a new CPA section, the least I could do is start with a clean slate desk wise.  Ignore the cords underneath.  I haven't figured out exactly what to do with them.  And, I'm not sure that the wire drawers will stay there.  I also need to do some more decorating on the shelves, but for now, they look great!  :-)

PERSONAL
1.  Take the FAR portion of the CPA exam.  I tackled this test on 8/29.  I'm not too confident that I passed, but we'll see.  

2.  Celebrate Adam's arrival, and get LOTS of baby snuggles!  Oh my gosh, this baby boy!  He was born on 8/11.  And he's precious.  It's been a week since I've seen him, but man, he needs to stop growing already!  Isn't this little burrito baby adorable?  I most certainly think so.

3.  Plan one evening out.  Do something fun & spontaneous to break up the boredom of always studying.  Live a little.  Alex & I have tried to make it a point to spend time together and do more things outside of our house in August.  But I won't lie, August was a HORRIBLE month.  I'm glad it's September.  Hopeful for big things coming our way!  I tried to take a selfie, but when you are a foot shorter than your boyfriend, they tend to turn out like this. :-)

And here's all the projects I finished in August...

The first  embroidery project was started in 2012, to be ready for the "fall" season.  Um, yeah.  I clearly didn't make it.  The second one was started & finished this weekend, AND I learned a new stitch which is fun.  :-)

And these pillows... the paisley pillows were sewn by my mom when I moved into my first apartment after separating from Marcus.  All I had to do was stuff the pillows & close them. Needless to say, I just got around to it this weekend, but I love how they kind of complete our bed.  :-)

And I also put together a fabric bunting of Halloween fabric to decorate my desk at work.  I love making these buntings.  They are high impact without much work.  :-)  This is the 4th or 5th one I've made.  

T W O | Happy, Happy, Happy

As I continue with Brave Love's The Blog-tember Challenge, I find myself really thinking about what makes me happy.  Today's blog prompt is to write about what makes you happy, from the little joys to the huge game-changers.  Not that I'm not inherently a happy person, but I think I sometimes struggle to find joy and happiness in the little things.

When I think about things, no matter what they are, I often find myself googling Bible verses to help sort out my feelings.  And happiness, for me, is no different. I stumbled across this verse:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law." Galatians 5:22 - 23

For me, that really means something.  The Spirit is {LOVE}.  The Spirit is {JOY}. Peace. Forbearance.  Kindness.  Goodness.  Faithfulness.  Gentleness.  Self-control.

That makes me happy.  

But, what else makes me happy?

Alex & our fur baby, Chloe.  My parents.  Friends.  Sweet baby noises.  A place to call home.  Hot tea, warm blankets, and long chats with my love.  Rain.  Clouds. Everything Fall.  The holidays.  PUMPKIN.  My career.  {All things pink}  Office supplies, mostly colorful pens.  BOOKS!  My sewing machine.  An ability to create something new.  Baseball.  Football.  Queso.  Spontaneous plans.  

O N E | Who I Am

Hey guys!  It's Day 1 of Brave Love's The Blog-tember Challenge.  I'm super excited to be on this little journey with you, because well, um, IT'S FUN!  I've always had a thing for writers, books, and their stories, so I think this was a perfect little prompt to get the *challenge* started!

Sept 1st:  Imagine the front sleeve of a hard cover novel.  Give us your "About the Author" so we can get to know one another, and for fun tell us what your imaginary novel would be about.

So here it goes... 

My name is Christina.  :-)  I was born in Kansas, in May 1983.  That makes me 31 years old.  I am a natural born red-head with green eyes and freckles, so growing up all of my teachers called me Dorothy.  Plus, I had a yorkie dog that definitely resembled Toto.  I have a brother who is two and a half years younger than me, to the day.  My mom is my absolute best friend.  I get my stubborn, independent ways from her.  I am a firm believer in education which is why I currently have an Associates of Arts, Bachelors of Science in Finance, a Masters in Business Administration, and am two classes away from a Masters of Science in Accounting. I'm a CPA candidate, which means all of my free time is spent studying.  But really, those are things you can read on a resume.  Who Am I?

I am:  A believer in Christ, Alex's girl, a daughter to her Mamma, a {best} friend, Chloe's mom.  

I am:  stubborn, strong willed, opinionated, intelligent, optimistic, pessimistic, dedicated, focused.  

I long to be:  a wife and mom, someday.  

I will be:  successful in life and in my career.

I strive to be: an amazing friend, a giver of praise and laughter, someone with a big heart who put others first, and a loving girlfriend.

I want to strengthen:  my relationship with my Lord and Savior.

I struggle with:  accepting help, knowing my limits, saying no, and taking care of myself.