Currently Obsessing

These are my favorite products right now. Instead of Oprah's favorite things, it's...

 Dani's Favorite Things

 Starting on the top left, we have the cutest Leopard Cat-Eye sunglasses from Forever 21. I personally need sunglasses that are inexpensive because I will lose or break them eventually.

Next is the Women's Nike Comfort Thong that has the gel soles. These are amazing!!! They just are amazing, can't really say anything else.


On the right, is the Pixi Lip butter in Raspberry. I love this brand. You can find it at Target in the cosmetics section. The lip balm has Shea butter in it and gives just the perfect amount of color without drying out your lips.

Last of all, my favorite summer treat, McDonald's vanilla cone. This stuff is the best because you can have a cool down treat for very few calories.

Productive Thursday!

Yesterday, I hung out with my little bro and didn't get a chance to post a picture of it. We decided to get a picture beside the Disney store in honor of our sis Abi. We will be coming to Orlando soon Abi, just hang on.

Today, I was in "Clean Mode". I organized by season, occasion, and length of clothing. I collected items for donation. I also rearranged how things are stored in hopes to fit it all a little more without bulging over. Just because it's a closet, doesn't mean it can't be pretty.

I also took some little plastic tubs from the Dollar store and used them to help me organize. I really don't like all my apples rolling around in the fridge, but now they are all safe and sound. Wiped it all down and now it is so fresh and clean!

Good Morning! Isn't the first cup of coffee the best? Sometimes when I am going to bed at night, I just get excited thinking about that morning cup of coffee. It is time to slow down and have quiet in my house. Time to reflect, read, and respond. This particular morning I came across a blog on Pinterest about organizing your closet. Upon further playing around with the blog, I found this entry about marriage. It is very thought-provoking; I've never read anything like this before. Never have I ever heard anyone phrase the purpose behind your partner in this way. Check it out! Click on the link below to read the entry.

Why is marriage so hard?


One of the biggest questions to ask is ...how am I at fault? We spend so much time "reacting" to our partner, thinking that we are the "hero", in turn "villainizing" our spouse. After reading this article, I am really starting to think about how I respond and what things I need to be accountable for.

 Happy reading!

Super Duper Wednesday

Today I met with the sweetest lady who is the owner of her family landscaping company. It was so refreshing to meet someone who cares so much about her work and making my home look inviting. She was injured and had a very difficult time walking but that didn't stop her from touring the property and discussing ideas. Tonight, I am hoping to discuss the details and make some final decisions. I am looking forward to posting some "before" and "after" pictures.

I am totally freaking out about my July trip to Disney. It is going to be HOT! I had started to panic and was not sure what to wear to help keep me happy. After a night of research, reading blogs about different family tips, and raiding Pinterest, I took a trip to Walmart and Target. I discovered that the backpack purse is going to be my best friend on this trip. I have a O2-Cool fan that will go everywhere with me. I also found a light t-shirt jacket that I can roll up and put in my backpack just in case I get cold. I am all about the essentials.

 I am also going to try something new this time, these "Refresh" cloths that are supposed to have cooling qualities. We will see how that all works out.

What a great day! Thank you God for all my blessings today. Happy I worked out even though the strength training part is kicking my butt. It is so much harder than it looks.

A Father's Love

Father's Day fell on the day right after we drove 8 hours home to Atlanta. We all decided to go low key and see a movie. So my little bro got dad his treats and I bought his ticket. We saw the How to Train your Dragon 2, which was adorable.

My dad is an amazing Christian man who supports, encourages, and inspires others with his kindness and heart. I am so thankful that my Heavenly Father gave me an Earthly father that is so wonderful. He has taught me so much about the power of love; love absorbs all including the best of us and the worst of us. Through it all, love grows with you and that is pretty awesome! Thanks Dad!

Back from Florida

Hey everyone! I am back home and ready to relax and catch up on house stuff. I said goodbye to my little sis and it was much harder than I thought it would be. In all reality, I am sure that we saw each other once or twice a month, but knowing that I can't drive for 10 minutes and meet for coffee, is hard. We had so much fun in Orlando and it was awesome to see her set up her room and prepare for school in the Disney College Program. Here are a few pics from our drive down, the hotels we visited, and setting up her  dorm room.

Helping Sis move in to Disney

Wonderful Wednesday

Today, I was working on house stuff and trying to figure out landscaping. After a morning of phone calls and quotes, I went for a mani/pedi.

Can you tell where I am going on my vacation? Oh Disney, I will see you soon. I am so excited for my sister to be joining the internship program through December. She is officially leaving Atlanta for the next 7 months and she will be so busy with working at Disney (30 + hours a week). I could not be prouder. She is amazing! She is so blessed and deserving of this oppurtunity. Not only will she get to work at Disney but she will also be taking creativity classes at the school. Disney is blessed to have her. Abi will bring joy to people with her sense of humor and her kindness. Love this girl!

 

 

Yesterday

Yesterday was just perfect! I went to the dentist, got a great report, and was fitted for my night guard. I am supper excited about the new night guard because it will help me sleep better and I will have less jaw pain. Then from there, I went to the mall to find a swim top that will hold the girls. Each time I go to find a bra or a swim top, I notice that once you get past D, the band sizes increase and stores do not carry 34 DDD, or 36 DD. They assume that if you have a large chest then you must be large all over. This is so not the case! It can be very frustrating. Plus I needed something a little more conservative for a family vacation. I must be "unusual" because all of the sales people kept trying to sale me a bikini, but I really don't feel comfortable showing that much skin. It is totally a me thing.

Finally I had success at Lands End. Now it was lunch time. I actually stopped and had lunch outside, for more than 20 minutes (regular teacher lunch time). It was beautiful! I stopped and took my time and took in the day. I text my husband and told him that "I love summer".

 

Lastly, I had to pick up a few groceries at Walmart. I ran across John Green's book, The Fault in Our Stars. This book has been tempting me for the last few months, but I was a little hesitant that because it is for younger readers, it would not hold my interest. I was so wrong! This book is so good, last night I read a third of the book and will probably finish it by Thursday. It is not a "teen romance", don't get me wrong there is a little love story weaved in however the story is so much more. You really lose yourself in the character's challenges and perception of being sick. The character discusses how once you are sick, the world sees you as sick and you cannot escape the feelings that others project. People feel sympathy and assume that you are a victim and there is little you can do. But this character really shows how you design your life and live it fully. I cannot stress enough how good this book is. Got to read it before the movie comes out.

 

Richard came home with an empty stomach and a long day at work. So I made him mashed potatoes, meatloaf, and chocolate chip cookies. I was hoping to make the afternoon a little nicer for him. This is one of the perks of being at home over the summer. I get back into my love of cooking and want to be a nurturer.

School's Out For the Summer!

Good Morning Everyone!

I am so excited to have a summer full of long days and not keeping time. So for my first day of summer, I was on a mission to find the perfect summer tote. It had to be nautical!!! I was surprised to find the best deal at Ross, which can be a hit or miss kind of experience.

Love, love, love. Plus I had to get the matching cross-body bag for such occasions. Next on my list was to research paraben-free skincare. I have become more and more educated about how the chemicals in everyday products can disrupt our hormones and lead to cancer. In every article I have read, doctors have found at least one paraben present in a cancerous tumor. I also try to pick products are cruelty-free. One of the products I am currently trying is Juice Beauty. Check it out:

So far, I really like it. Now my next "hippie granola" mission is to find a SPF lotion that is paraben free. It is kind of scary the things you will find in suntan lotions. But any who, I have all the new summer essentials: new bag, new "do", and something else...lots and lots of time.

 I also discovered this new nail art stuff called Jamberry. A friend at church got me into this and I am going to try it for my summer vacation and see how it holds up in the pool. http://www.jamberrynails.net/ You will have to check out all of the options (which are endless).