The Magnolia Story

          This year I made it a goal to read more. In order to keep myself accountable I am going to do more book reviews. Today I am going to be focusing on The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines.

         

 The Magnolia Story is about Chip and Joanna Gaines life as a newly married couple. The book leads up to the Gaines getting their show, Fixer Upper. Not only does the book have funny stories about when they dated and their marriage, but it also talks about the struggles they went through. Not only did they put their faith in each other, but they also put their faith in God.  Throughout the book you see that they really had their struggles and they worked hard to make it to where they are today. They did not have things easy at the beginning and they went through a lot of struggles.

            I loved reading this book! Once I finished reading this I immediately started reading the book again. The Magnolia Story is definitely worth the read. It is very relatable and you will find yourself smiling and laughing through this book. You will not regret reading this book!

-A

Taking Risks

            It’s a new year, and a great time to do things you never thought you would do whether it’s talking to someone you’ve been wanting to, saying yes to more social gatherings, or trying a new outfit you’d never thought of wearing.

Recently I had an experience where I stepped out of my comfort zone, and I asked a guy out. I will say that I had been working up to this for months, and when I tried to ask all I could say was “uhh”. I finally was able to ask, and he said no. Even though he said no, I still felt really good that I was able to ask. I can honestly say that I would not have done this at the beginning of last year.

Now that I have done this and put myself out there I honestly believe that now that I know I won’t die by taking chances I will be able to do it more. This year I am going to make it a goal to take more risks. I’m going to put myself out of my comfort zone more.

What are some risks that you’ve taken? What’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but have been too nervous to do?

-A

The Box

The Box

            I was given the opportunity to participate in the blog tour for the book The Box. The Box is a children’s book written by Yvette Cragun and illustrated by Alex Smith. I was able to read the book to the little girl I babysit.

            The Box is about a boy who uses his imagination to turn a cardboard box into different things such as  a fort, a pirate ship, and race car. I thought the book was a great book and that it is a great book for young children! This book is also a good form of bribery for when the little ones in your life are not listening. I used the book ten times over as bribery, and it worked every time!

            The little girl I babysit had quite a few opinions and thoughts on the book. Once we were able to start the book she really got excited. The book rhymed which she really liked. She even brought it up multiple times. At one point the box became a fort that had a “no girls allowed” sign. When she heard that she turned to me and stated that she was offended, because she is a girl. All in all she loved the book and said, “This book is really great!” This book was very relatable to the little girl, and she definitely enjoyed that. She really enjoys turning boxes into forts, which she calls her sleeping box. About a month ago her parents ordered a bunch of new chairs and since the little girl was being super difficult that day her mom gave her the box to decorate. She spent hours coloring the box and putting stickers all over it. After she finished she begged to sleep in it. She began calling it her sleeping box. I do not want to give away the ending, but she really related to the end of the book!

            I would definitely suggest this book for the children in your life! As the little girl I watch would say, “It’s pretty awesome.”

-A

Stress Management

Stress Management

            Hey everyone! Today I thought I’d write about ways to manage stress. Before I begin I want to say that these are ways I cope with stress. These methods may not work for you, but I hope that you are able to find something that helps you.

            Recently I’ve been stressing out a lot. I’ve been stressing about school, work, and friendships. Some of the things that have been happening to me are getting canker sores, bad stomach aches/cramps, and I’ve even been losing some of my hair. I finally decided that  this would not just go away and that I needed to find ways to manage this stress. I would like to say that I have this all figured out, but truthfully I don’t. I am still actively trying to figure out ways to manage this stress.

            The first thing that I do is talk to my friends. When I start to feel overwhelmed I will message one of my friends and talk about what is going on. This does not totally get rid of my stress, but I do feel a little better. Another thing I do regarding friends is I’ll get a hug from one of them. This works for me, but may not work for you.

            If those two things don’t work or if a friend is unavailable I will take a nap. This may not be the best thing to do, because it is probably not great to sleep every time you are stressing out, but it can be good sometimes. After a nap I wake up feeling more clear headed and able to calm down about whatever is bugging me.

            Another way I manage stress is I will take a break and read. I will usually do this when stressing about homework and school. I will do a section of homework then take a break and read. I will go back and forth doing this until I get my homework done.

            The last thing I do is exercise. I usually run on the treadmill, but recently I have started doing yoga. A good fitness channel to watch is tone it up, on you tube.  Pinterest is also a good place to get different exercises from.

            These are a few things that work for me. I don’t know if everything will work for you, but it’s worth a shot. I hope you all found this a little helpful. If you have any other ways you manage stress, let me know. I’d love to hear your methods!

-A

Things I'm Thankful For

Things I’m Thankful For

It’s been quite a while since I’ve last posted. Let me start by saying happy Thanksgiving and I hope you all had a great day with your friends and family! Today is a day where everyone gives thanks for what they have and in light of that I am going to list a few things that I’m thankful for.

The first thing I am thankful for is my family. They have been such a blessing this past year. They have helped me when I just needed to talk or when I needed some extra help with bills, gas, or whatever I needed. I know that I can always count on them to be there when I need them.

Another thing I am thankful for are my friends. Just like with my family I know that they will always be there for me. I can go to my friends for anything, whether it is for a hug when I’m feeling sad or stressed, some much needed advice, or just to hang out. I know that no matter how far away they are they will always make time to talk to me.  I am also so thankful that they listen to me about all of my current obsessions!

The last, but definitely not the least, is my boss and her family. My boss is so great! She is very understanding and supportive about my school schedule. She is always a listening ear and willing to give me advice. She is also very generous person. Besides my boss I am thankful for the kids. Even though they drive me crazy sometimes they definitely make me happy.  They are all so sweet, at times, and it makes all the crazy times worth it. There is not a day that goes by where they don’t make me laugh at least once. They all make work so much more fun.

Those are just a few things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. I have been so blessed this year, and look forward to the coming year. I urge you all to think of what you are thankful for this year.  I hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving.

-A

What Would You Do For Someone You Love?

       

Today’s post is based off the ending quote in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately. The quote is, “It is a far, far better thing that I do, that I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.” Sydney Carton said this before being executed. If you have not read the book, Sydney Carton switched places with a man named Charles Darnay, the husband of Lucie, who Carton was in love with. He did this so that Lucie and Darnay could be together, and Lucie would be happy. That brings me to my question for you. What would you do for someone you loved?
As stated earlier, Carton gave his life so the Lucie would be happy and that she could be with Charles. As I was writing this I got to thinking about what I would do. I definitely would put that person’s happiness before my own. I don’t think I’d go as far as being executed, who knows, but I’d definitely want that other person to be happy even if I am not. Don’t get me wrong I would definitely be happy that they were happy.
As I end this post, I encourage you all to think of what you would do for the person you love.
-A

Disclaimer: I got this picture off of pinterest, it's not mine!

Bucket List

        Recently I was looking on pinterest and noticed all the pins about things that can go on people’s bucket lists. I began to add things to my board for my bucket list. I decided to share some of the things I have on my list, and what ones I have accomplished. 

1. 1.Polar Bear Plunge: I saw this done on The Bachelor, and I thought it looked like so much fun! It is going to be a tough one though, because when it comes to being cold I am a total wimp. I am known to wear jackets in the summer, so we will see how long it takes me to get this one done.
2. 2. Go on a stargazing date: I did do this, and loved it. This quickly became my favorite thing to do on a date or even just in general!
3. 3. Have a kiss in the rain: This one is cheesy I know, but it’s something you always saw on movies as a kid! By kid I mean 12… I did accomplish this too!
4. 4. Go to the Super Bowl: I am hoping to be able to accomplish this one day. I really only would want to see the Cardinals though, so I’m not holding my breath on this one.
5. 5. Go Kayaking: This is such a small thing, I know, but I’ve never been kayaking and it is something I want to be able to do.
6. 6. Stand Up Paddle Boarding: Like my last one, this is also small. It is big enough to make it on my list though.
7. 7. Go to Monaco: I would love to be able to travel to Monaco one day. I also want to be able to visit Monte Carlo while there!
8. 8. Go to the World Series: I love baseball; it is easily my 
9. favorite sport. Going to see the world series would be a great experience in my opinion.
10. 9. Write a book:  I recently decided that I want to write a book. I haven’t really began to work on it much, but I generally have an idea of what it will be about. Stay tuned for that as the year goes on.
11. 10. Go to a Rodeo: I have wanted to go to a rodeo for the past year or two, and it really is such an easy thing to do. I just have not gotten a chance to go. Hopefully this year will be the year I go.

   I have not done most of these things but hope to do them in the coming year. What is on all of your bucket lists? 

-A