current favorites & recommendations

Let me start this off with a quick unsponsored advertisement: Trader Joe's White Cheddar Corn Puffs are to die for.

Picture this: I am sitting in our unmade bed, perched across from our napping toddler, and happily stuffing my face with white cheddar corn puffs. The sun is shining through our windows, and the breeze is blowing in the trees.

Sounds pretty darn good, huh? The corn puffs are really making it that much sweeter. (Or, I guess - cheesier?) I am ranting about these cheese puffs both because I love them and because I wanted to write a little "favorites" post, along with some announcements and such. I just wanted to let you all know some various things that I've really been digging lately, and I figured I'd start it off on a  crunchy, cheddar-flavored note.

Favorites...

• To eat... Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. (Can you tell I went to Trader Joe's this week?) You guys, these are honestly amazing and my favorite sweet treat to pick up at the grocery store. They have a snack bag filled with them for $0.99, and I may or may not have eaten the entire bag on my way home once or twice. (Or thrice?)
• To shop... Thrift stores. It's probably no secret that I love thrift stores - if you're reading this blog, chances are you probably know me in some way, shape, or form, and I am pretty transparent about the fact that I buy most of my clothing and decor from thrift shops. (Emphasis on clothing - decor is a hit or miss!) I actually feel a bajillion times better buying gently used, good quality clothing from the thrift store than buying cheap clothes at other inexpensive stores. Why? Well, for one - ethical reasons! Fast fashion is known for being rotten, and by buying from second hand shops I'm not supporting the huge companies that employ children in third world countries. Secondly, it's better for the environment! Buy it second hand, wear it for a long time, then donate it again. You're recycling clothing. Third, it cuts down on costs AND it's high quality clothing. The materials and brands you can find are nice, for a fraction of the cost. It just requires a little patience and shopping around at different stores. And, last but not least - the clothes you'll find are far more unique than any you would buy at your local big retailer. You can wear clothing that spans the decades and the rainbow!
• To drink... Plain ole iced coffee. (Okay, I DO order my iced coffee with cream and sweetener - I'm not about that black coffee life!) One thing I love to do is have a coffee from Starbucks on my errand runs with Ben. The issue is? I tend to err toward the more pricey selections! My mom was visiting from Michigan this weekend (holla!) and she ordered just an iced coffee, so I ordered one too because I wasn't feeling anything too CRAZY. It was as if I had finally visited a long-lost friend again - I had missed just the simple joy of an iced coffee, plus it's about 50% cheaper than my typical fare. 
• To make mornings easier - A toddler morning bath! This has been a huge lifesaver for me on mornings when I want to get ready but I also want to keep an eye on Ben. He typically takes an evening bath, but in the mornings I'll fill up the tub just a little bit and put his toys in so he can play. It gives me time to ACTUALLY get ready but also be able to chat with him and keep my eye on him while he's able to have fun and do some water play. Our current living situation is  a little different, so when Ben and I are up in the morning, everyone else is still asleep. It's a great way to keep him happy and playing but also safe and close to mama while I curl my hair and rinse my face.
• To beautify... L'Oreal Paris Sublime Glow - Ah, a nice tan. After Ben was born, I decided I wanted to feel pretty again and I started going to a tanning booth. With real UV rays. Way too often. I was suspiciously bronzed in the dead of Michigan winter, and eventually I stopped going. Ever since we moved to California, I've been wanting a little color on my skin, so I finally went out and bought myself a bottle of self tanner. I have been loving it! It doesn't smell TOO much like that nasty self-tanner stink, and it's gradual but not TOO gradual.
• To wear... This backpack/diaper bag. 

  

  Photo from Target.com

  I know I previously talked about the many joys of thrift stores, but I have a hard time finding a functional bag that I love for pretty much anything and that can be used as an easy on-the-go diaper bag. This is my new bag, and I am OBSESSED! I saw it perched in the diaper bag section at Target, but apparently someone misplaced it there because it is not technically a diaper bag! But here's the thing - if you didn't already know this, I'm going to let you in on a little secret... ANY BAG CAN BE A DIAPER BAG! You could use a grocery bag, for gosh sakes! I love this  bag, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves simple accessories with flair.

Send me your favorites! Comment below - what are you currently eating/drinking/reading/doing/loving? I want to know!

Love,

megan

your daily dose of motivation to chase your goals

Hello lovely humans.

How ya doing today? I hope it's been a wonderful, motivating, sunshine-filled day in your life. As for me, it's been a good one. Outside time with the little guy, a long walk, listening to a motivating podcast while drinking a coffee, having time to paint. It's a good one! Can I tell you something that is probably a first-world problem to the highest degree but it's so distracting while I'm typing this? I got my nails done, and I got medium-length acrylics. I have never done medium length acrylics, but I took a leap and went for it, and the extreme inability to type that I am experiencing right now is making me squirm. SQUIRM! I'm going to try my hardest to shake it off, guys. Prayers please. Let's hope I can make it through this post.

photo via Pinterest

I am feeling super inspired today by the book I'm reading. Have you ever found a book that just speaks to you? If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my recommendation for the book Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis. It's her newest book and a sort of sequel to Girl, Wash Your Face. She is bold, honest, and challenges all women to strip away all their insecurities, the shame, the layers of self-doubt and crap that stop us from chasing our dreams and to charge forward with clear goals defined in their minds. Honestly, I have been feeling like a sitting duck in my own life. We are in a transition period - we moved to California, we are settling in, but we don't have our own place yet and our working lives are still shifting. I haven't been waking up feeling like taking charge, I wake up already feeling tired. Handing Ben's new toddler habits does take a lot out of me, but sometimes I just feel like I haven't been as gung-ho to push myself to create and make something new. I see other women and mothers pushing the boundaries with blogs, businesses, podcasts, books, and creations, and I think, "Gee, wish I could do that." Finally, I am motivating myself and asking myself - "Why not me?" I love to write, connect, create, and achieve - so why am I not pushing myself to do those things? Let's be honest - in life, no one is going to make your goals happen for you - you're the ONLY one that can do that.

So, yeah. Feeling motivated. What's a big dream that you have for your life? I want to write a little list of some of my resources that I utilize when needing that extra kick in the pants.

Podcasts

• RISE Podcast by Rachel Hollis. (Great for aspiring businesswomen, moms, or anyone in need of some serious motivation. You will end the podcast feeling like you could be the next Oprah.)
• The Goal Digger Podcast by Jenna Kutcher. (Super motivating and all about hustling to create the life you want.)
• For the Love! with Jen Hatmaker Podcast. (Jen Hatmaker is a forward-thinking Christian writer  and speaker.)
• Coffee + Crumbs Podcast. (Amazing for mamas in need of community and a little guidance - you will feel like you are sitting around a kitchen table, talking with mom friends over coffee.)

Books

photo via Barnes & Noble

• Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis. (Amazing. Loving every page.)
• You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero.
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
• How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger.

Activities

• Take a long walk outside (if you're a mom, this is a good one if you have stroller-sized littles!) and listen to a podcast or playlist that makes you want to fly around and do a happy dance. 
• Create a vision board filled with quotes and images that remind you of how you see your very best self. (Pinterest is great if you don't have a ton of extra time!)
• Clean out your closets and house and sell or donate a ton of crap that you're tired of looking at every day.
• Keep a detailed calendar, and try to have a "Get the Boring Crap Done Day" once each week. Bills, appointment planning, cleaning, running the errands that just need to get done. Checking stuff off your to-do list might just be fun with a Starbucks in hand and good music on the car radio.
• Step out of your comfort zone. This could be anything from approaching another mom at the playground and trying to make a friend to writing the first page of that book you've wanted to write for years.
• Write in a journal - just a paragraph or two - every morning or every night. Feel like overachieving? Do morning AND night! Write about ideas you have, a mantra for the day, a to-do list, positive traits about yourself. Keep it positive and encouraging.
• Start on a goal - make that first bold step. A goal of my own for the next few weeks is meeting with counselors at our local college and starting up classes again to continue chipping away at my degree. I am so excited, and I know I'm going to feel so proud of myself when I'm sitting in class on that first day.

You got this. 

Love,

Megan :)