Sometimes and Always

A while back Megan at Mackey Madness had this great little link-up called Sometimes and Always.  When I was a little newbie blogger this was one of my favorite link-ups to do.  And as I was pondering what I wanted to write I remember this and thought "Hey I should do another one of those posts."  So I am.  Enjoy:)
Sometimes...I go get pedicures Always...I go with the French pedicure.

Sometimes...I misjudge people pretty badly. Always... I regret it and do my best to make it up to them even though they probably have no clue I am.
Sometimes... I forget to drink any caffeine all day (kinda like yesterday) Always... I get really bad headaches and I can't shake the feeling of needing a nap

Sometimes... I feel bad about my running skills Always... I tell myself I am doing this for God and myself.  So who cares how slow I am or how far I go?!

Sometimes... I worry real life people think my blogging is cray cray Always... I run into someone who says they read my blog and love it and I then get really embarrassed
Hope everyone is having a great day and getting ready for the weekend! I know I cannot wait for it to be here:)

Happiness Is...

Last night I could not come up with anything to write about.  We all have those days when we lack the inspiration needed.  So I put it out on Twitter and sweet Melody gave me the idea for this post.  Check out her blog and send her some love!
What is happiness to me?
Happiness is... coming home and curling up in a big oversized chair with a blanket and writing my heart out.
Happiness is... getting cuddles from a cute little baby at work.
Happiness is... a new book to read.
Happiness is... a quiet hot day by the pool reading that new book.

Happiness is... talking to my friends and knowing that no matter what they will always be there for me...even if I do live 12 hours away.

Happiness is... knowing I am right where I need to be in life even if some days I have my doubts.
Happiness is... knowing that no matter what my God will be right by my side and never give me more than I can handle.
Happiness is... having people who love me and encourage me no matter what.
What is happiness to you?  What makes your day 10 times better?  

Why I Avoided Running

Last week I ran 1 time.  And I hated it.  I barely made it 1 mile and my calves completely cramped up and I was miserable.  I didn't run any other day that week.  I had my excuses of working too much and being tired and having other things to do.
Bad runs combined with not losing weight (instead gaining a lot) and not reaching my running goals wore on me.  I wanted to give up...I thought that maybe I was just meant to be fat.  I have been most of my life so why not keep on with it.
That was until as I finished another not favorite run yesterday morning.  And after I posted on Intsagram my discouragement I got the most amazing message.  It's amazing how God knows exactly what I need when I am at my lowest.  Kristin I cannot thank you enough for sending this to me!

I am not one to cry over little messages like this, but I cried.  Hearing that I had inspired someone blew my mind.  Me?! The fat girl who runs slower than Christmas?!  
After reading this I made a promise to myself.  I promised I was going to take my health back again no matter what it took.  I am a runner and I will run that half marathon in October.  I am going to go back on a strict diet and I am going to lose the weight.  I will not be fat anymore.
Sometimes we all need that reminder that we can do this.  After getting mine I really do have a desire to get moving again.  I went shopping yesterday and bought all the right foods.  And I am going to take running one day at a time.  Yesterday I ran 1.5 miles.  Today I will run 2.  And the next 2.5.  And I will keep going from there.
Thank you all SO much for any and all encouragement you have given me in the past.  I promise myself and everyone that I will conquer all of this once and for all!

Weekend Recap

This weekend was crazy busy one minute and then nice and relaxed the next.  Not sure how much I liked that, but hey at least I was able to relax some and enjoy my weekend at home.
Friday was the busiest of all days for me.  I had to go into work all morning.  And when I got off we spent all the time in between my next shift looking at apartments.  Like I had mention last week it has been some kind of chaos finding a place.  
I had found the place I wanted but I needed to convince Dad it was the best place for me...even if it was a touch out of the price range.  So I took him to see the place.  And that was all it took for him to see that this was where I needed to be.  

This means I have signed a lease for my first apartment!!!!!!  I move in September 5 and I could not be any more excited!  I am so ready to start planning everything and getting my craft on!
Speaking of getting my craft on...Saturday I worked again in the morning and then came home to sewing lessons.  My Mom has sewn for years and I have recently wanted to learn how.  I really want to make my own quilt but she thinks it will be too hard. 
My first attempt was this little scrap pillow, or a mouse pillow as we like to call it.  What you don't put out little pillows for your mice to sleep on?

And my final project was these two pillows!  Now I am fully aware that making pillows is very very simple.  But hey you got to start small and work your way up!

Sunday I curled up on the oversized chair in my room all day and watched tv.  It was SO nice to chill and be by myself for a day.  I love the time I get to spend not doing anything.  Sometimes a day full of nothing is just what I need!

Apartment Shopping

I have always longed to have a place to call my own.  A home that is mine and that I am responsible for.  Little did I know this wonderful dream of mine would have a long stressful road in front of it.
Once I made the decision to move back to my hometown and go to school here I started looking for apartments.  The hard part with that was I had no clue what my price range was or where everything was really located.  
And now that I do have those answers?  Even more stressed.  Everything I have liked is out of my price range.  And everything in my price range is not in the area I want to live.  And the few places that fit both area and price are not always the best.
The past two days I have look at four different apartments.  And get excited because I am going to share it all with you...the good, the bad, and the very very ugly.  
Apartment #1

  This duplex was the very first place I saw.  It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and is about 1000 square feet.  When I walked in I loved the living area and kitchen.  It was exactly what I wanted.  But when I saw the bedrooms I got very discouraged.  I have really bulky bedroom furniture and the rooms were way too small for it.  Also I would really prefer not to have carpet.  The location was good and I really liked the kitchen, but I was super bummed about the bedrooms.
Apartment #2

This place is located right down the road from the school I am going to and according to the owner my neighbors would be other students as well.  That being said the street did not make me feel very safe, which is very important to me.  Inside the bedrooms were much bigger than the first apartment, which was great to see.  The kitchen was huge but it lacked the dishwasher I really wanted.  Over all though I just had this feeling this was not the place for me and needed to move on.
Apartment #3

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I had heard really great things about this place.  It is located downtown and was suppose to be the place every young person wanted to be.  Two people told me the apartments were big and really cute.  I think they need to have their eyes checked.  First off heat and air are in a wall unit.  Then the walls looks like they had damage.  Oh and the kitchen...you get to it from the bedroom.  And that bedroom could hardly hold a twin sized bed.  And the kitchen is probably smaller than your bathroom.  Honestly I could not get out of there fast enough.  
Apartment #4

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This complex was one of the first ones I ever looked at even before I knew my price range.  Unfortunately it is a little bit more than I would like to pay.  But when I tell you it won me over I am not lying.  The moment when got there I felt safe.  It is gated and for a single young girl this made a difference.  The space was just the right size.  Came with washer and dryer in unit, a dishwasher, a patio, and the largest walk in closet I have ever seen.  Hopefully I will somehow be able to make this place work.
I never knew this journey would be as stressful as it is.  But I am so thankful to have parents who support me and are willing and able to help me out.  If apartment number 4 is not the place for me, I know God will provide the right one!

I Said What?!

Last Friday I shared with all of you all of the crazy things my kids have said at work.  Well today I am going to share with y'all all of the crazy things I have said at work.  Apparently Friday mornings are a bit early for me and I tend to say things without thinking...

"If you don't quiet down I am going to make you put up all of your games and sit in a circle and then....I will come up with something to make you do!" Like I said early mornings are not my things.  For one The kids were yelling at each other in three different groups.  And I had asked them to quiet down multiple times.  So I decided to tell them if they didn't quiet down soon I was going to make them do something.  But I didn't think that far in advanced so I really had nothing to make them do...they stared at me like I was crazy.  And my coworkers laughed.
"If you keep pushing him your going to go to timeout and you won't be the captain of anything." A brother and sister were playing on our jungle gym thing which has a little pirate like place on it.  He was standing in her way so she pushed him.  When I told her she was not allowed to do that she said she was the captain and he needed to move.  So I told her she wouldn't be the captain of anything of she kept doing that.  Pretty sure she thought I was crazy and so did my coworkers who could not stop laughing at me!
I promise you can trust your kids with me...as long as I have had some coffee and they are quiet.  But really I love my kiddos and I love that they make me say some crazy things:)

Future Apartment Ideas

Hopefully pretty soon I will be moving into a new apartment!  And while the process of finding said apartment has not been the most joyous, planning what I want my place to look like has!  Here are some fun idea that I have for my new place.
There is so much about this picture I love.  To start with I love the chest of drawers with the cream bottom and wood top.  And then everyone on top of the drawers?  Love love love! I hope to use lots of mason jars and cute bottles for pieces like this!

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I think there should be something above every bed.  And I love the idea of putting my initials above my bed.  And inside a picture frame?  Makes it even better!

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I hope to have bookshelves all over my apartment.  And while most of them will be filled with all of the books I have (I may have an obsession) I want to have the shelves looking cute too!

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While in most places I want to have lots and lots of pictures, I am loving this idea of hanging plates.  I think it adds some great charm to a kitchen!

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Bold patters are going to be all over the place in my apartment.  Stripes are my favorite and I hope to use them whenever I can!

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Along with the plates like I mention above, I also want to have prints all around mixed in with pictures.  I love walls full of fun and cuteness.

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While I have all of these ideas and inspirations, I am waiting on finding the right place for me till I work on anything.  I really cannot wait to make my place a home!  Warm and cozy and stylish here I come!

What Did They Say?

I work with kids just about everyday.  And I love it more than anything in world.  But it comes as no shock to anyone that those little darlings can say some of the funniest things!  And well being the good person I am, I have written down some of my favorites from this week!
"My leg hurts.  But only on this side of the room." Our kids are separated by a half wall depending on their age.  Well this little guy was about 4 years old which meant he needed to be on the toddler/baby side.  But since we didn't have a lot of kids we were letting him go back and forth between the rooms.  I finally told him he needed to pick a side and stay there.  10 minutes later he complained his leg hurt, but only when he was on the side of the room he was in.  If he moved it would be all better.  I told him I hoped his leg felt better when he left:)
"Everyone is my slave.  And they are my slave because I am cute." Yeah not cute 6 year old girl.  A parent was so proud their child said this to their baby sitter.  I was in shock.  My child will never be allowed to say this to anyone, and even if they did I would not encourage them to keep saying it!
"Sometimes babies don't think like us." Said by a 9 year old girl who was sitting in the baby room trying to help.  She was telling me that babies just don't think like us right now but one day they will.  Now I am wondering what babies do think like...
"I wish I had super powers so that I could save the babies from being hurt." The same 9 year old from above said this one.  She was so cute and I loved that she loved the babies so much that she wanted to always be able to keep them safe.  Now I wish she really did have those super powers...it would save me from a lot of stress at my job!
Oh how I love my kids and being around them.  They always have me smiling and laughing at everything they say!

Something Blue

For about a year now I have been a member of Influenster.  If you are a blogger and not doing this you are just CRAZY!  Free fun things to try and then blog about?? Count me in every single time.  
This time around I received the Something Blue Vox Box since I was in a wedding just a little while ago.  What I would not have given to have had some of these things with me during that time!  At least now I know what to bring with me!
Here is everything I received in the box.  Not pictured is this magazine thing about ring sets.  Yeah not getting married anytime soon so that was not of much use.  

Unfortunately I do not wear false lashes.  I already own a pack of these and have never used them.  So if anyone is in need of some let me know and I will send them your way!

I cannot wait to try this headache relief.  I am kinda picky about flavors that I drink and if the powder dissolves all the way, but I hope it works.  I do not get headaches all too often but when I do I am now prepared!

I am always looking for ways to whiten my teeth.  I will try any new whitening tooth paste out there.  Unfortunately most of them do not work.  This one claims to make a difference in one brush, I didn't see this happen.  But maybe soon there will be a difference.  Oh and this one doesn't taste all that bad either...but it is BRIGHT blue the whole time.

These Qtips are the bomb.com.  I am ALWAYS betting mascara everywhere but my eyelashes and these have come in handy a lot for that.  The pointed tip is perfect for little touch ups!

These Dr. Scholls for Her shoes cushions are the number one things I wish I had had at the wedding!  Even in wedges my feet were killing me!  Hopefully I will get to try these out soon and let you all know how much I love you.

I love being and Influenster and you can be too!  Go to their site and sign up today...you never know when you will be chosen for the next Vox Box!

This is a sponsored post from Influenster.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Half Marathon Training Update

I mentioned yesterday my training for my half marathon.  I am so excited to be doing this (and with this girl) and have loved having something to train for again.  I am loving running so much and really do look forward to it every day...even with my legs killing me. Last week was week 1 of training, and while I did not accomplish it all, I was still proud.  Here is was I was suppose to do: Monday: stretch Tuesday: 3 miles Wednesday: 2 miles Thursday: 3 miles plus strength Friday: rest Saturday: 30 minute cross training Sunday: 4 miles. And here is what I was able to do!

 Monday: Nothing...I was recuperating from my time in Texas.

Tuesday: I ran 3 miles.  This was the first time I had run 3 miles in a while and I was so happy I was able to do it.  I may have gone slow, but I am more interested in the distance right now than the time.

Wednesday:  I tried really hard to get two miles in but my body was dead.  I didn't do my usual path and that messed me up.  I was pretty disappointed in myself, but I knew I would be ok and to just keep moving!

Thursday: It rained all day long.  So i tried the treadmill.  Didn't even make it half a mile I hate those things. So instead I did some more cardio and called it a day.

Friday:  Even though I was suppose to rest I really wanted to get some cardio in. So I did.  I decided to rest on Saturday instead.

Sunday:  As I mentioned yesterday I finally reached four miles.  Not purposefully I was running a whole lot faster than I had been lately.  As in between 20-30 seconds faster.  I got through 2 miles feeling absolutely great and proud of myself. And then mile 3 came and I died.  I had to walk a little for the last 2 miles.  But I ran more than I walked so I am counting it a success since I made it to four miles in pretty dang good timing for myself!

This week is looking the same as last week.  With the major goal of finishing my 4 miles without a stop at all!  I have to say I am pretty proud of myself and all that I have achieved since starting running in January.  And I cannot wait to see where I go from here:)

Weekend Recap

I know I am a day late for posting about my weekend, but to be fair my weekend had an extra day in it!  I had yesterday off and was no where near my computer most of the day so I decided to enjoy the day and put blogging off:)
Saturday I had the morning shift at work so I did not make it down to the island until mid afternoon.  But no worries I made it in time for the party...or brought the part as I would like to believe.
In case you were wondering, we Hardin's are very classy people and cool our fancy wines in our ice maker.  Be jealous.

After a fun night with friends I knew I was going to have to get up in run in the morning.  I am training for a half marathon (update on that tomorrow) and had my longest run ever to get in...4 miles.  I did it.  And I will give you all the details tomorrow.  Please come back tomorrow?

After my nice long run, we all got ready for a boat day.  It had been a couple weeks since I had been on the boat and I was SO ready for some sun.  Add that to new bathing suits and I was the happiest camper. Even though I got sunburned. 

Monday was my extra weekend day.  I had the day off and decided to stay at the beach house for some much needed Mosby time.  Since moving home other than my runs or workouts, I do not have nearly as much Mosby time as I use to have.  So any day that I can lay in the sun with a good book in hand and be by myself is always a good day.

I seriously recommend this book to everyone! I read it back in high school and I am really interested to see what I think this time around reading it.  Yes I am the nerd that rereads books for fun:)

What's My Age Again?

Lately I have been feeling like I am at this awkward age in life where nothing seems to be like the right move to make.  I am too old to want to live at home, yet too young to be able to support myself.  And all of my hopes and dreams seem to be years down the road.

I am 22 years old.  I have graduated college, I am going to grad school, and I work part time with kids. I feel like I should be way past all of this.  I feel like I should have my own place, my own friends here in Florida, and should be falling in love (that may be because I was just at a wedding).
But instead I feel stuck.  I feel like I am still that college girl who Mom and Dad still support (which I am BEYOND grateful for).  I just don't feel like the adult I thought I would be by this point in my life.  

If you had asked me 4 years ago right after my high school graduation where I thought I would be it would be completely different from where I am now.  I thought I would at least have a ring on the finger, if not married.  I would have a legit job that I was in love with, and I would be making decisions about my life without having to talk 4689264 people about it.
But I am not there.  And yes I know I should love where I am at and enjoy my time being young.  But I cannot help but desire away the years and move onto being an "adult".  
Time goes by so fast.  I am constantly reminding myself to live in the moment and remember every little detail.  And when the time is right everything will fall into place.  I am a firm believe in the idea that everything happens for a reason.

And maybe my reason for not being where I thought/want to be is that God has a much grander plan for me than I can even imagine!  And I know that to be true.  And I know that when the time comes I will look back on my life and be thankful it did not come any sooner than it did.
But friends I need your help a bit.  Prayer for becoming content with my life would be great.  If I have learned nothing else I have learned that through faithful prayer I will become satisfied.
And one day I will look back on this post and laugh.  I will have come to where I want to be and be grateful for this time of my life.

Finding the Positives in the Negatives

To be honest with you this is something I struggle with all the time.  Finding the positive in the negative.  I strive to be the person that everyone always thinks of as positive and happy, but I am constantly failing at this every day.
Sometimes life just becomes way too overwhelming and all I want to do is cry and complain to everyone around me.  But what I have to realize is that this is not always good and helpful, it even can be a dangerous thing to do.
So from here on out, especially after this past Sunday, I will be trying to make a much more conscious effort to be more positive and happy.

What happened Sunday you may be asking?  Well flight delays.  My flight out of Texas was suppose to leave Harlingen at 11:02 and connect in Houston and leave for Tampa at 1:19.  Well then there was some weather and my first flight was delayed for almost 2 hours.  This meant I would miss my connection home.  
Fortunately I was not the only one of this flight.  Lauren and her husband Jacob, the preacher who married Josh and Becky (the bride and groom from the wedding) and even the bride and groom themselevs were in the same shoes.
We all would miss some flights and be stuck in airports for an indefinite amount of time.  Normally this would make me freak out.  But instead I had my best friends there with me and we had fun.  We even enjoyed lunch on the airport floor.

We took this negative situation and turned it into something positive.  Being stuck together meant we got to spend more time together.  And I would not trade that time with them for anything!
I know that I can always find something positive and stop being negative.  And even in those times when I think I just have no positivity in me I know I have an amazing God right there with me to guide and help me through whatever I am going through!