smile like you mean it

it's as simple as that.  a small little gesture can make all the difference in someone's day. 

i challenge you to smile at at least 3 strangers every day for about a week and see if you notice a difference in how you feel.  you know the person you smile at will feel better, therefore i bet you will too.  i know that i don't smile enough and i think the world in general doesn't either.  it seems we, as a whole, less happy and more negative than we used to be.

i am on a mission for myself to smile more and i would like others to do the same.

hope you'll join me (:

photo credit weheartit

sorry to my readers.

i do apologize for my lack of posts lately. 

Instagram has been taking over my social media life lately.  i seem to go there when i want to post something, anything.  this isn't a 'come follow me' post or anything like at all, i am just saying that i haven't forgotten about my old blog and i really, really want to be back here soon.

i have found that with my absence, i have almost forgotten how to write.  when i was thinking of something to post, i could hardly come up with a beginning sentence.  i still don't even know what to say.

it also doesn't help that my hard drive still isn't fixed, therefore i have no motivation to take pictures, it won't quit snowing, and i long for days like the one below where the weather is warm and we can be carefree.  i am just a happier person when the weather is nice, as are most people.

so basically, sorry that i haven't been around.  don't go away or forget about the dream tree, ok?  there will be good things again.  life, food, makeup, and whatever else there used to be, i promise (:

my age has gone up by one.

whew!  i didn't realize that the last couple of weeks had been so busy and that i have hardly posted.  makes me sad because i hate not having time for my sweet blog.  anyhow, since i posted last, i celebrated a birthday on friday.  i can't believe how old i am.  i seriously feel like i'm about 26 or so.

it was a fun birthday.  the nite before i had gone to my cousin's for a wine nite, where i was presented with the most amazing chocolate cupcake.  i slept over at my sister's with my younger cousin.  is it weird that my sis and i sleep in the same bed?  i think not.  it's just such a comforting feeling since we grew up doing it.  anyway, the next morning i got up and had birthday pancakes at my grandma & grandpa's, visited with my parents, and brought my cousin home with me.  she and i shopped and made jewelry until SH got home so we could go eat.

my favorite restaurant in the world {ok, maybe not in the world} is cracker barrel, so that's where i wanted to go.  i could eat there many times a week and live off their blueberry pancakes, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken breast, and chocolate cake.  oh, and the biscuits.  it really was a super fun day.  since i had to work the next morning, it was early to bed for me.  additional celebrating may take place in a few weeks, or so i hope (:

i know it's so cliche to say how life goes so fast, but it really does.  i am two years past thirty, i have been married for five years, out of high school for almost fifteen, and my next big bday is going to be forty.  holy hell!  another birthday celebrated and another age past. although i am a negative worrier, i am also all about living life to the fullest and more so the older i get.  you only have one life to live; might as well enjoy it!

no worries on this saturday.

too much good & fun happening today to have my usual worries.

post-surgery thoughts.

friday i had surgery.  if you remember me talking about my issues with body in this post, this was to help fix it.  i won't go into detail because most people get grossed out when it comes to stuff like that, but hopefully i'm on the mend.

if you know me, you know i'm highly anxious and worry incessantly.  for some reason i was not that nervous about surgery.  as i layed in the hospital bed prepping to go in, my mom and i even mentioned that.  i believe she even texted my dad to tell him the same thing.  i think because i have had issues with my periods and everything related since i was a teenager, this was nothing new for me.  if i was having surgery for my heart or cancer, for instance, i can't even imagine how much of a panic i would have been in.

plus, nurses rarely make good patients.  luckily, i think i was a pretty good patient for my nurse, but she is half the reason i felt so at ease, i think.  she was super nice, friendly, and had one of those soothing voices.  she made me feel completely comfortable, explained everything, and was so caring.  it really made me realize how important it is to be caring & empathetic. not just in a hospital setting, but in life in general. it can certainly turn a tough situation into an easier one, or at least tolerable.

if you think about a time when you were uptight, nervous, or dreading something and someone comes along and eases your mind, it can make all the difference in the world.  sure it can't work for every situation, but wouldn't it be nice.

also, it made me realize that we {or i} take my health for granted a lot of time.  so i may never be able to have kids or my hormones might get all screwed up, but at least i'm overall healthy and still able to function in a day-to-day manner. this was a simple outpatient procedure, not something i had to be admitted for and then monitored for days and days. it could have been much worse - or could still get that way, but let's hope it doesn't.

anyway, much of the day was pretty much a blur with lots of sleeping, pain meds, and lounging, but i was still able to remember some.  i really need to start appreciating things more than i do and not take so much for granted.  it's definitely hard, but there are plenty of people that are better than i am about it, so why can't i?

my mom had this cute gem waiting for me as i got out of the operating room.

she's such a sweet blog friend (:

when i got back from here -

i had this waiting for me, wrapped, and shipped from Allison.  

before i went to florida, she had seen my post on what's got me down at the moment, mentally & physcially.
little did i know that when she asked for my address, she would be sending me a care package full of my favorite thing - candy!

what a sweetie.  friends like that are really hard to find, especially via the net.

i was so happy when i got home and laid eyes on the sweet surprise.  what a way to make a girl feel better.  i may or may not have devoured them all the next day.  hey, i was born with a sweet tooth, what can i say. . .

tell me, have any of your blog friends ever sent you anything in the mail or given you a gift?

i still can't believe the few really good friends that i've made in this little world of blogging.  a couple of my most loyal and trusted friends are right here and mean the world to me.  although we haven't ever met in person {yet!}, i still feel like we've known each other for ages.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

the GIVEAWAY is winding down!

my new do!

today i went and saw my cousin who goes to the paul mitchell school in st. louis.  i was really needing a change with my hair and i'm so glad i went.  i freaking love the outcome.  my hair hasn't been this short in about 10 years.  i think it will be great for summer and i can still pull it back. 

i'm sure i'll grow it back eventually, but i am loving the change.

what do you guys think of it?!

music makes me high

this morning i ran across this fact on twitter and loved it, as i am obsessed with music. i highly dislike silence and have music on wherever i am, specifically dance & electronic.  it puts me in the best mood and always lifts my spirits.  anyway, the phrase read:

listening to music causes the brain to release dopamine, the same chemical responsible for the pleasures of food, drugs, and sex. 

i can totally relate.  this past weekend i downloaded a bunch of songs because i had an itunes gift card burning a hole in my pocket.  i listen to these songs over and over and over because of the feeling they give me.  

Allein - Eric Prydz

 Teenage Crime - Adrian Lux

 City of Dreams - Alesso & Dirty South

not sure what it is about trance, but i have loved it since i was a teen.   think about some of the music you listen to.  does it not give you a pleasurable feeling?  well, let's see....i can honestly say that when i listen to country, heavy metal, or rap, i'm not left with a pleasant feeling, but instead either a depressive, agitated, or sometimes offended {which is hard to do} sensation.  they just aren't my thing.

what is your favorite genre of music?  i find that not many people are into trance.  just give it a try, people. you will love it!  i know that helene is about the only other trancer blogger i know.

enjoy the rest of your day - i'll be listening to these song because it's gorgeous outside and i'm enjoying my last day off!

it's a chocolatey kind of day.

it's easter.
a day for celebrating.

today i'm celebrating because i get to eat chocolate again after living chocolate free for over two months. haha, two months.  it may not sound like much, but it really is. i would give almost anything for a taste of the sweet, rich, yummy flavor. i'm hoping to get kisses, reese's eggs, and snickers in my basket this year.   i was eating chocolate in excess and needed some control, so since about january i've been trying to be good.

i do this little willpower thing a few times a year and i really am proud of myself for it.  so today i finally get to eat some.

but,
it's also going to be a pretty day spent with family, sunshine, hopefully warmer temps, and probably a prayer or two.

there's much to be thankful for and much to be prayed for, as well.

i hope you find some things to be thankful for on this easter day.

source

- pay it forward -

over the weekend as i was doing my daily blog browsing, i stumbled across a pay it forward post by someone.  [so sorry, but i cannot remember from whose blog it was].  i thought this was a very cool idea and i wanted to do the same.

i don't think anyone has ever really paid it forward to me, and that's fine, but i want to take this opportunity to do it for some of you! 

for the first 5 people that leave your email in the comments section, i will send you something in the mail, out of the blue, within the next year.  we all like little surprises in the mail, right?!

you know, nothing fancy-schmancy, but something fun.

ready, set, go!

garbage, you say?

yes!!  my favorite band ever, ever, ever.

i have loved this band since i was 15, starting way back in 1997.  the following year i got to see them in concert and that is the last time i have seen them. 

yep, that is a super long time. 

last year they came out with a new album and began touring.  never did they stop in st. louis.  there were a couple concerts in the midwest that i thought about going to, but of course, work got in the way and i couldn't. 

then just last week, they announced a new spring tour in the US and listed their first 4 cities.  st. louis wasn't one, but i knew the rest were going to be announced in the days ahead.  so i stalked their facebook page everyday waiting, and lo and behold this evening i saw that st. louis is one of the stops!

that, my friends, is the best news i've heard yet this year! {very selfish of me because there have been a couple other pieces of good news as well}

i am beyond ecstatic.  i'm seriously at a loss for words.

music is such a part of who i am and i live for concerts.  this concert is going to be fantastic.  if you haven't ever heard garbage's music, i highly recommend it.  shirley's voice is amazing and she's beautiful.  the guys are so talented and create such amazing sounds.

although my favorite kind of music is electronic, garbage will always be my favorite band, by far.  i feel like they have been such a huge part of my life - well they have been with me now for over half of my life, so it's justified in saying that i guess.

ahhh.  i am just such a happy girl tonite!

* all images via google. 

cardio/strengthing daily routine!

this morning i woke up late and knew that i wasn't going to get much of a workout in because we had errands to run and then we're going to see ellie goulding tonite!

i drank some ovaltine and decided to head out on a walk, but when i got about 2 minutes in, i had to turn around.  i think it was probably around 50, but so super windy that even dutch was bothered by the wind. i was a little agitated because i haven't gotten a good walk in in about a week because of work or weather and today wasn't going to work either.

later i was browsing pinterest and ran across this.  it's blended with a good amount of cardio and strengthening.  this is something that would be good to do in addition to a daily routine or on the days when you can't get outside.

i'm definitely going to be trying this out today!  it definitely doesn't look easy, but hopefully gives some good results. 

Source: fitspiration.tumblr.com via Lesley on Pinterest

do it now!

Source: imgfave.com via Lesley on Pinterest

I have about 15 things I must get accomplished today. I thought with this whole day light savings thing would work to my advantage this morning, but it really didn't. Instead of getting up early like I wanted, I slept way later and threw my whole day off.

But besides the long list of projects, cleaning, and cooking activities on my agenda, I need to do other things that impact my life and even though they may not get done today, make plans to do so.

Things like writing a hand-written note to someone I love, making homemade strawberry jelly, holiday cookies with the girls in my family, a walk in the park, take a day trip, or that romantic getaway to a far off place....plans like that.

I don't know about you guys, but life seems to be moving quicker than the speed of light.  I can honestly say I hate it.  I wish it would slow down and it makes me sad.  I can't believe I am already 31. Where has the time gone.

Take this day to appreciate what you've got and do things that are important to you! 

what makes me feel beautiful...

I saw this cute idea over at a cup of subtle tea and decided this is something I need to think about and post.

I call myself a realist, but it's really filled with a lot of negativity, and that carries over into my thinking, behaviors, and of course, the way I view myself.

The cup is usually half empty for me. 

So today I decided to try really hard to come up with positive aspects of myself that I tend to tuck away deep inside somewhere.  Although I love them, I am quite uncomfortable with compliments.  I also have problems depicting myself favorably. 

Here I go.

I feel beautiful when:

:: eric looks at me a certain way.  he doesn't even have to speak sometimes.
:: when eric tells me that i am.
:: getting all dressed up for a nite out.
:: putting on that new outfit that fits and looks just the way you wanted.
:: making a difference for my patients in the hospital.
:: helping a stranger.
:: rescuing dogs.
:: wearing new makeup and having someone notice.
:: mastering that amazing new hair style.
:: rocking that perfect karaoke song.
:: the way i feel after a good, long walk.
:: hugs.
:: hearing, 'you look great.'
:: my wedding day in jamaica.
:: wearing glitter & shimmer.
:: dutch & harris.

vitamins galore!

I admit it.  I'm like an old lady.

With all of my vitamins, that is.  

 Seriously.

Over the last few years and because I was noticing changes within myself, I really took the initiative to be on top of my health, or at least try really hard.  I try to eat mostly healthy and get enough exercise, but I also take a lot of vitamins.  I figure it's the least I can do every day to living a healthy life, plus it's relatively easy. 

I couldn't do it though without my handy-dandy pill planner though.  

This is how I keep track of all my vitamins.  Without this, I wouldn't remember which ones I took and which ones I didn't.  I also take a couple different medications for my anxiety & migraines, so it helps me keep track of that, too.  

So, it's kind of like, you know you take a lot when taking them requires this.  My family makes fun of me, but it's just something I gotta do!  I also like this certain holder because the days are removable, so if I'm going out of town for just a few days, I can slip off the ones I need and I don't have to take the entire thing.  It's pretty nice. 

 

It looks like quite a handful, and it really is, but I don't take them all at once.  Some I take in the morning, others I take at nite.  It helps to break it up just a bit. 

Here is why I take each vitamin that I do.  There are lots of great ones out there I could take, but I had to narrow it down to just these, for now.

Nature's Bounty ABC Plus Multivitamin:  This has pretty much everything in it plus 400 mcg of folic acid.  Multivitamins are a great way to get all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs.

Fish Oil 1200 mg:  I take 2 of these each day.  Back in the day I had super high cholesterol so I take this for cardiovascular health, plus it also helps with a ton of other things like skin and joints.  One downside to this - you have to get the burp-less ones or you will literally burp up fish taste afterwards.  Gross.

Super B-Complex:  B vitamins are great for energy.

Vitamin C 1000 mg:  I take 2 of these a day for overall immune health.  Because I'm a nurse and around all sorts of germs, I need to keep my immunity in high functioning order.  Most people can get away with taking 500 mg a day.  I take one before bed because I read doing this can increase it's effectiveness for some reason...

Vitamin E 400 iu:  This is a great antioxidant.  With all the pollution and crap in the air, soil, and water, I like to protect my body from it, or as much as possible.  It's also good for dry skin and just by breaking open a capsule and putting the oil on lips, feet, elbows, or anywhere.  

Biotin 5000 mcg:  I have been taking this for years for my skin, hair, and nails.  I have really noticed a difference in all three as well.  I love it. It also claims to work for metabolism as well, but I have never noticed a change in mine....shucks.

Milk Thistle:  This is for your liver.  It's not a real common supplement, but I take it because of how hard the liver actually works.   I want to keep mine in tip top shape, and I figure if this little gem can help with that, then why not.

Vitamins can get pretty expensive, but I like to get mine when there are BOGO deals or discounts.  I figure though if it benefits my health, I really don't care what the cost is though. 

If you have any questions about any of them or comments for that matter, let me know.  I have taken other vitamins and supplements in the past that I'm not currently taking, so I've been around. 

What kinds of vitamins or supplements do you take for your health and well being?

Also, don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!

oooh, a Giveaway!

I am so excited to finally be doing a giveaway!

I thought it was time to thank all my readers and followers for enjoying and being such a huge part in my blog!  

Yes, I do it as an outlet for myself, but I also do it for YOU!

So today I have a few items that I'll be giving away.

______________________________________________________________________

As with most giveaways, the rules are simple.

1)  Follow me via GFC and leave me a comment telling me you did so.

2)  Follow My Lively Mind on Facebook and leave me a comment.

3) Follow me on Twitter and leave me a comment.

 

 3) Blog, Tweet, or post a Facebook message about the giveaway and leave me the link in a comment.

Easy peasy.  You can get up to 4 entries!

 _________________________________________________________________________

 The items in the giveaway are pretty special I think.  

These are from a store from where I live called Plowsharing Crafts. 

From their site:  

'Plowsharing Crafts is a non-profit Fair Trade store dedicated to providing vital, fair income to artisans in over 40 developing countries by selling their handicrafts and sharing their stories. We work with artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed. This income helps pay for food, education, health care, and housing in developing regions around the world.'

 

 The first item is a really pretty bracelet made out of some really cool looking stones. It comes with a really cute tag {sorry, I already took it off, but will still send...my bad!}  It has a cute little quote that states, 'venture forth with good karma on your body.'  

Sounds good to me...good karma is always a plus!

 The next item is a really cute and unique ring.  You wanna know why it's unique?  Because it's made out of guitar strings.  Yep, pretty cool, I think.  I bought one for myself and I love it.  It's small & simple, yet it really stands out because of the way it's twisted and is put together on the top.  I'm able to wear mine on my middle finger and I have average sized fingers so you can wear it on about any finger.  This one didn't come with a card or anything so I'm not sure who made it, but they sure are talented!

sorry, don't mind the ragged hang nail ....

The final cute gift is my favorite.  I had these when I was a kid and lost them.  I was so glad to run into them again that I bought myself another set, again. These are worry dolls.  Have you ever heard of them?  It's such a cute idea.  The legend is, when you go to bed at nite, tell one worry to each doll and then place under your pillow.  As you sleep the dolls take away your worries!  This cute bag comes with 10 little, cute dolls.  Lord knows we could all probably use a set. 

The giveaway will run from Friday the 13th thru the next Friday the 20th @ 1159p.

Good luck to all of you and THANKS again for being a part of my blog.  I love each and every one of you! 

good morning, monday...

Happy Monday, everyone!

Hopefully your weekend was fun & relaxing. 

I had a ton going on, but it was nice to be off for a few days.

Back to the grind now.

I found this picture and wanted to share.  I love it and I think it really says a lot.

good reminders for stressful times

I don't know about you, but I am usually under a great deal of stress.

It also seems the world around me is just becoming more difficult and life isn't getting any easier.  I tend to let things bother me way too much, and I hate it, but that's also how I'm made.  

I worry incessantly about everything.

Below is a list of ideas to assist in handling those hard times that come our way and I really need to focus on them more.  I ran across this site that has the best inspirational pieces. 

So when times are tough or you're feeling stressed, think about this.. .. .

1) Happiness is never constant, and it’s not supposed to be. – You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.  Happiness is simply a series of moments that come and go and add sweetness to our lives.  Learn to accept this, and the more happy moments you will have. 

2)  Failures are temporary situations that teach us necessary lessons. – Life’s best lessons are usually learned at the worst times and from the worst mistakes.  So yes, you will fail sometimes.  The faster you accept this, the faster you can get on with being brilliant. You’ll never be 100% sure it will work, but you can always be 100% sure doing nothing won’t work.  Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  So get out there and try!  Either you succeed or you learn a vital lesson.  Win – Win.  

3) Even if you can’t see it now, you are making progress. – You may not be where you want to be yet, but if you think about it, you’re no longer where you once were either.  You have good reason to believe that you can trust yourself going forward.  Not because you’ve always made the right choices, but because you survived the bad ones, and taken small steps in the right direction.  So cry for a moment if you have to, and get it out of your system.  Crying doesn’t indicate that you’re weak; since birth, it has always been a sign that you’re alive and full of potential.  Once you’re done, keep going!  You’re undoubtedly getting closer to where you want to be.

4) How you feel when you’re stressed is not a true measure of reality. – Just because you’re afraid, doesn’t mean you’re in danger.  Just because you feel alone, doesn’t mean nobody loves you.  Just because you think you might fail, doesn’t mean you will.  Look beyond your doubts and keep searching for the truth.  Be aware of your mental self-talk.  We all talk silently to ourselves in our heads, but we aren’t always conscious of what we’re saying or how it’s affecting us.  The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.  Listen to your self-talk and replace negative thoughts with positive ones.  The sun is always shining on some part of your life.  Sometimes you just have to forget how you feel, remember what you deserve, and keep pushing forward.

  

5) You cannot change what you refuse to confront. – You can learn great things from your failures and mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them.  If you’ve been asking the same questions for months or even years, yet are still stuck, it’s probably not that you haven’t been given the answers, but that you don’t like the answers you were given.  It takes a lot of courage to admit that something needs to change, and a lot more courage still, to accept the responsibility for actually changing it.  The most important step forward is taking the first step.  The simple act of getting started and doing something will give you the momentum you need, and soon you’ll find yourself in a positive spiral of positive changes – one building on the other. 

6) You are not what happened to you in the past. – No matter how chaotic the past has been, the future is a clean, fresh, wide open slate. You are not your past habits. You are not your past failures. You are not how others have at one time treated you. You are only who you think you are right now in this moment. You are only what you do right now in this moment. 

7) Not getting what you want can be a blessing. – Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of good luck, because it forces you reevaluate things, opening new doors to opportunities and information you would have otherwise overlooked.  Remember, some things in life fall apart so that better things can fall together. 

8) Being a ‘work in progress’ is a great state to be in. – Stop berating yourself for being a work in progress.  Start embracing it!  Because being a work in progress doesn’t mean you’re not good enough today; it means you want a better tomorrow, and you wish to love yourself completely, so you can live your life fully.  It means you’re determined to heal your heart, expand your mind and cultivate the gifts you know you’re meant to share.  May we all be works in progress forever, and celebrate the fact that we are! 

9) Nobody else can do it for you. – Keep doing what you know in your heart is right for YOU.  Let your dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions louder than your words.  Live by choice, not by chance.  Make changes, not excuses.  Choose to listen to your inner voice, not the jumbled opinions of everyone else.  It’s your road, and yours alone.  Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you. 

10) Life is not easy, but it’s worth it. – If you expect it to be, you will perpetually disappoint yourself.  Achieving anything worthwhile in life takes effort.  So start every morning ready to run farther than you did yesterday and fight harder than you ever have before.  Above all, make sure you properly align your efforts with your goals.  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.

it's wednesday - time for pinterest!

I leave for work when it's dark and get home when it's dark today and tomorrow, but...

At least it's Wednesday and the week is getting shorter!

On to one of my favorite posts of the week.

___________________________________________________________

This is some sort of chicken parmesan stuffed something or other...looks good!

I can dream, right?!

 This is one amazing master bathroom. WOW.

 Natural mosquito repellant. 

 I am going to make this and see if it works because I attract and they bites turn into welts.  Let me tell you, my legs look real sexy!

 The side bun is beautiful and so is the girl....

 Cute indie look.

 Love this two piece.

 Friendship bracelets with a twist!

 Puppy cuteness!

 Definitely ready for summer!

Source of all pics

vintage apple