Top 10

November to June

That is the only pageant experience my sister has.

Her first pageant was Miss Ohio November 9, 2012

She won and competed in Miss USA June 16, 2013

..and made it to TOP 10!!

Where You Are

Best Month of the Year.

Patience

A good reminder.

Summer

It's the First Day of Summer and that can only mean one thing...

Only good things from here on out!!

Teaching

Day 22 - Rant About Something - Get on Your Soapbox and Tell How You Really Feel

I have my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education.

Both of my parents are teachers.

We have many friends who are teachers as well.

Teaching is a WONDERFUL occupation.

You get to educate as well as touch and help to mold people's lives.

However...

I believe teachers tend to be under appreciated.

Some people don't realize how hard it truly is to be a teacher.

The idea of paying teachers based on test scores is mind boggling to me.

In districts I'm familiar with:

Kids come to school hungry

Kids come to school tired due to unfortunate circumstances at home

There is not a support system at home

The list goes on...

All of these things make it harder for children to behave, concentrate, and learn.

I despise when people say - "Are you going to do your ABCs and count to ten today? Must be rough."

I could go on and on about how wonderful teachers are and how much behind the scenes work they do.

Trying to keep this short and sweet, though. :)

Favorite Post

Day 21 - Link to Your Favorite Post From Your Archives

It would have to be my Happy List

Just reading it makes me smile :)

Also, check out my sister's Road to the Crown 2013 video!!

Thanks for the shout out!

Don't forget you can vote Miss Ohio USA as fan favorite.

Vote OHIO!

If my sister is fan favorite, then she will have a spot reserved for her in the semifinals as Miss USA!

(You can vote 10 times a day per e-mail through June 15.)

Thanks for your support! I know she appreciates it. :) 

Today

I need to catch up on blogging every day in May!!

It's been a crazy past few days..

Exciting news though!

Today, voting for Miss USA fan favorite begins

You can vote 10 times daily per e-mail through June 15 at the link below

VOTE FOR MISS OHIO HERE

The winner of fan favorite becomes an automatic semifinalist - woo hoo!!

You can read below for my sister's story :)

Kristin Becomes Miss Ohio USA 2013

So today, I will spend time voting for this girl ;)

Grin and "Bear" It

Day 10: Most Embarrassing Moment

I must have a selective memory when it comes to embarrassing moments..

Although I know I've had PLENTY.

Can't seem to think of anything overly embarrassing. Hmm...

I do know that having something in my teeth drives me wild.

So if I'm talking to others or smiling a lot and then find out food was in my teeth, I want to fall over right there.

Okay, I might have something.
I'd say it's something that makes me laugh more than it embarrasses me, but..
when there was not a volunteer available during my internship,
I got to dress up as the one and only B. Safe Bear

Dressing up as a character is no joke!

You can't breathe or see (it's like the vision of a fly) and it's SO hot inside.

I would have been a little embarrassed if I took that head off and somebody saw the sweaty mess I was..in a bear suit no less ;)

A Moment

Day 9 - A Moment In Your Day

I enjoyed the nice weather with these guys..

Bailey, Henry, and Toby

Advice

Day 8 - A Piece of Advice You Have for Others

Listen to your mom!

She is always right!!

Even the times when I thought she had no idea what I was feeling or going through...

The things she would tell me would always turn out to be true.

I appreciate how wise she is and recognize that she knows what she's talking about :)

Fears

Day 7: What are you most afraid of?

Not living the life of my dreams

My family living far away from me when I have a family of my own

Needles. The words immunization and vaccination make me cringe.

Loss

Hair getting in my mouth. I know, I'm weird.

What Do You Do?

Day 6 - If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question..

"What do you do?"

..Dream things up.. a lot..

..Plan "imaginary" parties/get togethers for fun..

..Try to make everyone around me comfortable/happy..

..Keep an open mind..

..Cook and bake..

..Love..

..Think (too much at times)..

..Try to soak up all the little moments that make me smile..

..Love food too much..

..Look for a reason to celebrate..

..Dance alone in the kitchen..
..Do my best to be healthy..

..Enjoy sunshine..

..Try to change the world..

Cinco de Mayo

I cannot resist celebrating!

So Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!

Tonight we had:
Chicken Stacks
Chipotle Steak Quesadillas
Mexican Sour Cream Rice

..and I am still stuffed!

Preparation for the rice

Ole!

If interested, I can provide you with the recipes :)

XO

Another Blog

Day 5 - Blog I Enjoy

Little Baby Garvin

I discovered Little Baby Garvin when I came across her chalkboards on Pinterest

I share the same love for holidays/celebrations/festiveness as Jessica does.

She has a fun, sassy personality, which makes reading her blog enjoyable.

We share similar tastes in things, so this blog is a daily read for me!

Quote It

Day 4 - Favorite Quote and Why You Love It

This is tough.

For two reasons..

-I have a hard time choosing favorite anythings

-I'm a quote junkie.  I used to have a 30 page Word document filled with quotes I liked (thank goodness Pinterest came along)

I'm going to bend the rules a bit and share a few..

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Why: My mom loves it and it's just plain true.

WHY: The times when you have nothing and when you have everything can shine the light on who you are. 

WHY: Success is wonderful, but you have to help others.

WHY: We need to recognize and enjoy the simple things more. 

WHY: As long as you're helping one person, you are making a difference.  Do what you can.

WHY: Because it's true.

What Makes You Uncomfortable?

Day 3 - Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

wearing wet clothing..especially pants

when people do things that make me feel embarrassed for them

couples arguing in public

saying no to people..sometimes

when I feel a stranger staring at me

people who think their opinion is the only opinion

Baking Secret

Day 2

Educate on something you know a lot about or are good at

Baking.

I've been told I'm good at baking.
I've made some pretty tasty treats if I do say so myself.

I'll educate you on baking by giving away my "secret".
I like to make everything from scratch. It just seems to make it more special and that's how my momma has always done it.
Made with love, anyone? ;)
Add extra of nearly all ingredients
..the yummy things at least (don't need to add extra flour, eggs, etc.)
I always add extra until it "feels right" - sounds weird, but I somehow know when to stop

Here are a few sweet treats that I was able to find on my phone!

Fourth of July pretzels and Oreo balls 

Homemade sugar cookies and buttercream frosting

Homemade sugar cookies and buttercream frosting

Lemon cookies

Not going to lie, probably the best cookies I've ever made :)
Cinnamon, white chocolate chips, chocolate chips

Happy May!

Starting the month off with the "Blog Every Day in May Challenge"

Story of My Life in a Paragraph:

I am a born and raised Ohio girl.. Daytonian to be exact.

I have always had wonderful, supportive family and friends by my side.

I continue to aspire to "make a difference".

Education, health, party planning, organizing, love, travel, and anything cute are of high interest to me.

I always thought I was going to be famous.

I went to Miami University and received a BS in Early Childhood Education and a MS in Health Promotion.

I continue to have big dreams :)
My life is good!

Every Day in May

I THINK I may try this..

Day 1, Wednesday: The story of your life in 250 words or less (or one paragraph... no one will be counting your words... probably)
Day 2, Thursday: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)
Day 3, Friday: Things that make you uncomfortable
Day 4, Saturday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it
Day 5, Sunday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member
Day 6, Monday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?
Day 7, Tuesday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of
Day 8, Wednesday: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.
Day 9, Thursday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)
Day 10, Friday: Most embarrassing moment (s). Spill. 
Day 11, Saturday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less
Day 12, Sunday: What do you miss? (a person, a thing, a place, a time of your life...)
Day 13, Monday: Issue a public apology. This can be as funny or as serious or as creative as you want it to be.
Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy
Day 15, Wednesday: A Day in the life (include photos from throughout your typical day - this could be "a photo an hour" if you'd like)
Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it
Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why
Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.
Day 19, Sunday: Five of your favorite blogs and what you love about them
Day 20, Monday: Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.
Day 21, Tuesday: A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives
Day 22, Wednesday: Rant about something. Get up on your soapbox and tell us how you really feel. (a pet peeve, a current event, a controversial topic, something your husband or roommate or neighbor or boss does that really ticks you off)
Day 23, Thursday: Things you've learned that school won't teach you
Day 24, Friday: Your top 3 worst traits
Day 25, Saturday: Something someone told you about yourself that you'll never forget (good or bad)
Day 26, Sunday: Something you read online. Leave a link and discuss, if you'd like.
Day 27, Monday: A letter to your readers
Day 28, Tuesday: Only pictures
Day 29, Wednesday: Five songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories. Use Grooveshark or YouTube to include them in the post
Day 30, Thursday: React to this term: Letting Go
Day 31, Friday: A vivid memory

April 29

Today marks 2 years of fun with one of my best friends!

My favorite April 29ths so far :)

So glad he was able to come down this weekend for a visit!

We enjoyed Hot Plate followed by staying up ALL night with family/friends.

Brunch at Butter Cafe

Our first trip back to Miami!

Kona

O Pub

Bagel and Deli

I Love Sushi

Starbucks/Pita Pit in Uptown Park

Then a home cooked dinner before heading back to the airport

I am a very lucky girl!

International Pay It Forward Day

AWESOME video!

Worth the watch.

Click below.

Kindness Boomerang

Share with me what you did on this great day!

Just Sayin'

Think about it..

Happy Monday

Mondays aren't so bad after all

Health Bit

 Trans Fats

(aka partially hydrogenated oils)

Some of you may know how terrible they are for you and some may not.

So, here is a quick low down on them...

• What are trans fats?
• Trans fatty acids are made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil (the process is called hydrogenation)
• Why are trans fats bad?
• Trans fats raise your LDL ("bad" cholesterol) and lower your HDL ("good" cholesterol)
• The combination of the risk above increases the risk of heart disease
• Consumption of trans fat increases the risk of stroke and type 2 diabetes
• Trans fats are difficult to digest
• Clog arteries
• Think of the grease that comes from cooking bacon and how it hardens..
• That is trans fat sitting in your arteries
• Where can trans fats be found?
• Commercial baked goods and snacks
• Fried foods
• Frozen foods
• READ LABELS!
• Even if the food label says 0 grams trans fat, that may not be the case
• If there are less than 0.5 grams trans fat in a food, it is allowed to be labeled as 0 grams
• GRR!
• So look at the ingredient list
• If you see "partially hydrogenated oils" on the ingredient list, that is another way of saying trans fat
• Note: fully or completely hydrogenated oil does NOT have trans fat
• If the label just says hydrogenated oil - you don't know if it is partially or fully hydrogenated

Above the registers at Earth Fare

Take What You Need

and take as much as you need

Because of Blake

Today's post is number 41.

41

A number that means so much.

A number that comforts you and tells you everything will be okay.

A number that makes me smile.

A number that represents a beautifully handsome smile.

41 is Blake Christiaan LaForce

An awesome athlete and an even more amazing young man.

My sister's beloved friend, strong and courageous.

Someone who brought an entire community and beyond together.

Blake was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

He beat cancer. Of course he did, Blake is a fighter.

After his successful bone marrow transplant, toxoplasmosis came along.

A devastating infection shutting down motor skills.

Blake continued to fight.

Pulmonary hemorrhaging came along leading to the ICU and more medical issues.

His skin became very thin increasing the risk of infection.

Blake challenged all issues with his faith, determination, and stamina.

It was time for him to be with his Creator on July 3, 2009.

I like to think he chose my sister's 18th birthday so that they will always be connected.

Mr. LaForce wrote a book:

Because of BLAKE, #41: Blake Christiaan LaForce. A Christian Athlete's Life Purpose

Livestrong 41

TEAM BLAKE

Warm Weather

Oh, how I've missed you!

But you are back and we can be friends again.
I am such a summer girl!

reading a good book outside

walks

sun-kissed glow

picnics

water fun

bike rides

al fresco dining

patio parties

cookouts

watermelon

just feeling plain happy

What sounds good to you on a summer afternoon?

Home Sweet Home

Recently, I've been feeling extra lucky and thankful for the people in my life.

I have several "second moms" and close family friends.

We go to the same Mexican restaurant every Friday night.

Everyone knows that if it's Friday, Hot Plate (our own name for the restaurant due to all the waiters yelling hot plate as they place your plate in front of you) is where you can find us.

My family and friends (who are family) provide me with so much support and comfort.

There is rarely a dull moment and always laughter.

We have fun, that's for sure.

Hot Plate nights, Thanksgiving, Bunco, Super Bowl 

Tailgating, Parties, Wine Nights

There's no place like home.

Everyone's door is always open where I'm from.

And they're willing to help you in any way they can.

Spring into Health

Spring into Health 5k

Pre-5k and yes, my mom's shirt says water boy needed ;)

Our group ready to go!

On your mark, get ready..

Mom finishing up!

We did it!

What are you doing this spring for your health?

It's the perfect time for a fresh/new start!

Do something good for yourself :)

How Sweet

I recently posted about how great love stories and weddings are.  

Randomly saw this on Facebook and just had to share!

It's simple, sweet, and shows so much love and thoughtfulness.

Proposal Video

Gangsta Gardening

TED Talks are great.

There is one, in particular, that I 'm loving right now.

The idea is so simple, yet has the potential to make a huge impact.

Click here: Ron Finley: A Guerilla Gardener in South Central LA

Some quotes that stuck out to me include:

• "If kids grow kale, kids eat kale.  If they grow tomatoes, they eat tomatoes.  But when none of this is presented to them, if they're not shown how food affects the mind and the body, they blindly eat whatever you put in front of them."
• "South Central Los Angeles - home of the drive-thru and the drive-by. Funny thing is, drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys."
• "The problem is the solution. Food is the problem and food is the solution."
• "Free is not sustainable.  The funny thing about sustainability - you have to sustain it."
• "We gotta make this sexy. We need to be gansta gardeners. We gotta flip the script on what a gangsta is. If you ain't a gardener, you ain't gansta. Get gansta with your shovel and let that be your weapon of choice."

Wedding Season

Wedding season is about to kick off, which is so exciting!

I've always been a sucker for anything to do with a love story.

(how 2 people met, special moments they've shared, the incredible feelings they have for one another)

I also love celebrating just about anything and everything.

My adoration for weddings comes from the combination of these two characteristics.

I always wanted to be a wedding planner, but was afraid I was going to get jealous of each wedding I planned - HA

My mom's friend recently started planning weddings and I love hearing about the details.

So from time to time when I have nothing else to do, I love to look at www.stylemepretty.com 

or I will watch wedding videos.

This one is so beautiful - http://vimeo.com/29335210

It's heartwarming to see couples sharing one of the best and happiest days of their lives with all of their friends and family!

(I'll admit.. I do get teary eyed while watching some. Okay, I full on cry sometimes. I DON'T EVEN KNOW THESE PEOPLE.)

Some of the very best parts of a wedding include:

The groom's expression when he first sees the bride

The heartfelt and funny toasts
Little whispers and smiles between the bride and groom

The dancing

But most importantly, the point of a wedding is to celebrate the love of two people and that should never be overlooked or forgotten!

Who knows when the time for me to get married will come.

I already get the butterflies just thinking about the possibility of it, though :)

Good Feelings

I love both of these and find them to be very true.

Yes. 

Kindness, eyes, smiles, and so many laughs.

Sibling Day

It's National Sibling Day..

Sending love to my little sis Kris