*The Best Red, White, and Blue Foods

I’m still basking in the fun of the Fourth and July It’s just such an exciting time for me, because I love celebrating my country and those who have served it. Plus, I love seeing the bright, beautiful fireworks and getting to have little gathering with my family. And of course, I absolutely love the food. Fourth of July is for barbecues which I obviously adore (so much so that I wrote an entire post about them that was really fun).

That feeling of happiness and good food is actually what inspired today’s post, because I’ve been in such a mood to spread some favorites and I’m always in the mood to talk about food, so today I thought it would be super festive and right in line with the season to talk about my favorite red white and blue foods. It just seems like an adorable, silly way to spread some smiles and talk about lighthearted goodness.

Style Adventure- Wearing Blue

I’m back with another style adventure and it’s one that I feel is extremely fitting for the month. In my last style adventure I talked about how I typically wear very neutral colors. Black, white, and gray make up most of my closet and have for quite some time now. That’s what originally inspired me to start these style adventures: I wanted to slowly start experimenting more with my fashion and start incorporating different cuts, colors, and styles. I started this back in February by wearing red and it was such a positive, hopeful experience that I was more than ready to try it again.

That’s why, this month, I wanted to try switching up my look a little bit and I knew, because the weather is getting warmer and brighter, I definitely wanted to play with the amount of color in my wardrobe. Honestly, I picked the color blue for no other reason than I already had some pieces I wanted to start incorporating more into my rotation. It was something I knew I definitely wanted to do since starting this whole style adventure endeavor, and I figured what better month to wear blue than April, when the rain comes pouring down? Here’s how it all went for me:

Ways to Brighten up a Rainy Day

The rainy days have been so plentiful this year and while some rain is nice and refreshing, I’m getting tired of all the gray sadness. I’m ready for the day when these April showers go away and the May flowers come out to play. As someone who adores sunshine, having a lot of cloudy days can be very disheartening and even stressful for me, so I’m always looking for ways to brighten up these dark times.

That’s what inspired me to write this post on yet another rainy day. I wanted to share with you all some things that I like to do to make myself feel a little brighter and lighter when the weather is dreary. These are all things that are quick and easy, but they always bring a smile to my face when I’m starting to get down and out about the clouds.

*Spring Break Adventures 2019

Spring Break has come and gone for this year and although I’m sad it’s over, I’m certainly glad it happened. Even though I had a staycation where I just stayed at home instead of taking a huge trip to the beach or something, I still had an amazing time. This break was greatly needed and it has left me feeling ready for my next one, because I had a lot of fun.

Today, since I’ve had some time to get back into the work world (two days to be exact), I feel like I want a taste of that vacation again, so now is the perfect time to do my reflection. I’m so excited to be sharing all the wonderful things I did on my spring break this year, and hearing about all the fun you’ve had this month too. Let’s dive right in.

7 Things To Know When Getting a New Puppy

My mom’s puppy turned one year old on March 2nd and while he was adopted on April 30th, we’re still celebrating one year with him. He’s a hoot and a half, sometimes exhausting, but mostly pretty entertaining.

Having a puppy can be exhausting and sometimes, if you’ve never raised one before, fairly overwhelming. As an animal lover who has had pets her whole life, this is actually the first time I’ve had any hand in raising a dog from a puppy in my adult life. The rest of the pets I’ve had we got when I was too little to understand all the work that goes into pet care. My job was to feed and play, but there is so much more that goes into it. So, after a year of helping my mom with her puppy rearing, I’ve decided it’s high time to write a blog post about things you need before getting a puppy.

Snow Workouts

In Arkansas, when there’s snow on the ground, there’s a decent chance there’s a thin layer of ice underneath. That can make for some seriously dangerous running conditions. The other day I talked about making the treadmill your friend, but today I wanted to talk about other things you can do when there’s snow on the ground and you still need to get in a good workout.

Often on snow days gyms are closed and even if they were, if you’re like me, it can be too dangerous to try to drive to town and find a place to exercise. So here are some of my favorite ways to workout when there’s snow on the ground but you’re tired of being stuck indoors.

Ideas for a Snow Day as an Adult

Growing up the most magical part of winter, for me, was always snow days. I remember waking up early to watch the news with my older brother, hoping with all our little hearts that school would be canceled. And I remember how excited we’d be as we watched it crawl across the bottom of the screen. It was the only time our parents would let us bounce on the couch and we’d take one good hop and be off to plan our day of fun fill snow adventures. Back then, staying indoors wasn’t an option.

Now that I’m older, sometimes I get so caught up in “adulting” that I can forget to appreciate the wonder of winter and the spell snow can have. As a teacher, while I do get snow days where I don’t have to go to work, they’re usually filled with grading a lesson planning, which, while important, can sometimes make winter continue to drag on and on and become less and less exciting. I know this happens to lots of people, so today I wanted to share with you some of my plans to have some adult snow day fun this year!

Pressing Matters

Flowers are a curious thing. The grow both wild and tame and we give them to people we love, people we like, and people we can live without. We give flowers for sickness and celebration. We give flowers for sorry and salvation. And sometimes, when we get flowers, we put them in a book and let them dry so we can keep them forever. We let the petals press between the pages so they can be frozen in time forever, a memory that, while faded, still holds a semblance of the past.

No matter whether we place them, in the beginning, the middle, or the end, those pages suddenly become precious to us. We hold onto them long after the moment is gone, because they’ve made the story incomplete. The memory will always exist with or without us, waiting for someone to finish the never ending story of life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.

I created this blog as a way to press flowers between pages, so I can remember who I was, who I am, and who I will become. This blog is an effort to document my experiences as I explore life and all it’s glory including nature, food, friends, family, and fun.

You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to. -J.R.R. Tolkien

As a girl of many interests, it may be hard to reign in my excitement for all my old loves and new hobbies. So let’s celebrate our triumphs and laugh at our mistakes together; after all, what’s life without a little adventure.