One Good Thing - Picking Up Old Hobbies

With all of this inspiration that's been going on in my life, I've been doing a little soul searching and reflecting.

I realized that I don't do enough for myself.

Yesterday's post showed that I curled my hair and put on make up!  Hey, it's a start!  It made me feel pretty.  I should do that more often...should I find the time.

Running, working out and blogging has certainly helped me get some "me time" in there. Those are sure things that I do for myself, but thinking back, I used to love to do crafts, read and sing, and I don't really do any of those things anymore.  I mean, I still sing in the shower every now and then, but I sang every day on my way to and from work for the 30 minute drive each way.  When I lived with my mom in high school, almost every night I went down to the basement and turned on the amplifiers and microphones and play some Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Billy Joel, Bonnie Raitt, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes...and just sing.  I miss it.  I have a cassette tape that I recorded at an amusement park of me singing "The Rose" by Bette Midler.  It's not my best, because I was nervous and I have terrible stage fright (except at Karaoke Night with a few adult beverages in me...).  However I would like to share it with you all, if I can find a cassette player and a way to rerecord it digitally, so I can save it.  If I get brave enough, I may even get a YouTube video up of me singing...but I'll be honest...don't hold your breath ;)

Anyway starting small...I have been researching some ideas on my handy dandy friend named, Pinterest.  Just little things to do at Annaliese's first birthday party which is coming up so fast, house projects I'd like to do, recipes I'd like to try, etc.  It takes money to do a craft project and right now we don't really have any extra funds because they are all going towards the party, so just getting ideas for the upcoming holidays is exciting enough for me :)  They're on my "I'm actually going to do this" list and not on my "Pin this and probably never do it" list.  :)

Also curiosity has gotten the best of me and I picked up a book to read.  Everyone and their mother...and even their grandmother has been talking about Fifty Shades Of Grey, so...what the heck?  I picked it up to try to get back into reading like I used to love doing...and apparently it worked!  I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I hadn't ever read a book over 500 pages before...at least not that I can remember.  So that's a good thing!  Actually I'm a little shocked at how many women love this series, especially after reading the first few chapters in book 1.  I'm not really into the whole S&M thing (probably TMI, but I'm proud of that fact), but the story itself is interesting.  A small town pretty girl falls in love with a wealthy handsome business man...yeah it's like any other beginning to a Lifetime movie, but it's got a little twist.  Needless to say I read the first book pretty quickly and am on the second book.  Yeah it's an erotic love story, but at least it's getting me to read again :)  Ya know...something other than Clifford The Big Red Dog and Goodnight Moon.  After the "Grey" series, I plan to begin the Hunger Games trilogy.  My best friend, Takia, insists that I read it!

So this week's One Good Thing link up with Sarah at Little White Whale is the desire and motivation to pick up some good old hobbies that I used to enjoy doing.  I need to make more time for me, as a person, as an individual.  Not just the mother and wife me.  I enjoy both of those roles very much, but it really is not enough.  I enjoy being lil' ol' me too :)  The person I was before adding the wife and mommy role.  I'm still me, just rediscovering me :)



Happy Thursday!

10-4 Good Buddy- September Edition

Have I mentioned how much I love blogging?  :o)  I can click on someone's comment, then go to their blog, then go to another blog that they are following and meet new people and join new link ups!

Well friends the exact scenario just happened...about 2.45 minutes ago.  :)

I have stumbled on another link up called "10-4 Buddy", by Abby at Akers Of Love.  10-4 Buddy is a link up that Abby created for readers to link up with her on the fourth(through eleventh) of every month.  On the first of every month she provides 10 questions and you provide your 10 answers.  Some questions even have to do with your previous month's posts.  You can read more about her linky here.  I thought it would be fun to join another linky AND it's a good way to get to learn more about each other!  So let's join in the fun!

So this will be my first link up with Abby for the 10-4 Good Buddy - September Edition.

1)  Do you listen to Pandora?  What is your Go-To Pandora Station?
I do mostly when I'm in the car or sometimes when I'm cooking.  My husband and I love listening to comedy, so usually we have the Jim Gaffigan station on, but when I'm by myself...I have my Billy Joel station with me :)

2)  What is your favorite post from August?
Actually it's probably a tie.  Since August was my anniversary, I'm quite fond of my anniversary post but since I also had an epiphany of some sort and decided to make me a better me, I also like my inspiration post.  Check 'em out!

3)  What non-cartoon TV show reminds you of your childhood?
That would have to be Fraggle Rock!  I used to LOVE that show!  My parents have thousands of pictures of me sitting in a laundry basket and in front of the TV watching the Fraggles!

Photo Credit

4)  What bad habit do you have that even annoys you?
Walk into a room with a set purpose, but as soon as I get there (or even half way there) I forget what I was doing to do.  I'd say this is a "Mommy Brain" perk...but I was like that way before I became a mommy.  Haha!

5)  What five things would you take with you if your house was on fire?  People don't count.
Well since my cell phone will already be with me and I'll already be wearing my wedding ring...My laptop (with all my thousands of pictures saved on it), My stuffed raccoon from when I was a baby (a.k.a. "Re"), Our safe with our important documents in it, Our Greek crowns that we used in our wedding ceremony, and the DVD that Justin made me for my first Mother's Day.

6)  Do you have a cleaning schedule that you use to keep up with your housework?
No...but I guess I should.  I'll look into that!  I do the dishes everyday (no dishwasher) and try to do at least one load of laundry every day.

7)  What was your high school mascot?  ( and try to provide a high school picture too...)
Oh...ok.  We were the Chambersburg, Trojans.  Guess what funny "prop" people brought to the Friday night football games.... Mmmm Hmmm.  Your guess is probably right!  Unfortunately I don't have any of my yearbooks or pictures from high school accessible at the moment.  They're all packed away and I don't think I'll be able to find what box they're in anytime soon.  *Sorry*

8)  What is your favorite picture from August?

Annaliese and I at the Renaissance Faire 8-11-12

9)  What do you Love most about Fall?

Oh definitely pumpkin flavored anything!  Pumpkin latte, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, ANYthing! :)  Oh and I do love the pretty fall foliage too :)

10)  Tell me your dream cupcake.

Mmmm...  This is too hard!  Probably my all time favorite is an almond cupcake with butter cream icing.  But there's always chocolate with peanut butter icing, or red velvet with chocolate icing...the list is pretty much endless, especially thanks to Pinterest!  :)  

Well there you have it!  10 random things about me.  Head over to Abby's blog and join in the fun!

Wordless Wednesday - Feeling Pretty

As a stay-at-home mom, I rarely do my hair or make up, but today I decided to curl my hair and put on some make up.  I feel pretty.  Oh so pretty.  :)

Miss Annaliese was just waking up from a nap and wanted to join in the "posing for the camera" fun!  :)

Happy Wednesday!