Hey There!

Hello all you beautiful people! So sorry I have been MIA for the week, the holidays have been Cah-RA-zy! But I promise updates a plenty are to come. You can find me over here at This Little Port today to see my first ever guest post. Gaby is quite awesome and one of my daily must reads. So go check her our and check out my post!

Happy Thursday!

Short and Sweet

So you guys are awesome. THANK YOU for ALL of your ideas and suggestions on holiday gifts for my family. I am definitely using your ideas.
Today I'll keep it short and sweet for you. This is my first Holiday season in my very own place. So yes, it's my very first tree, decorations, and all that awesome stuff. And again yes, I will be one of those people who has all my decorations up until right before Valentine's because I just enjoy it that much. Please begin the judging. Again.
Christmas is my FAVORITE time of the year.  It also is a great time to be reminded of how lucky we are and to be grateful for everything we have. Whatever our beliefs are, this is seriously a magical time of year. Yes, I just used the word magical - that just happened. I know everyone is past all of their showing their decorations, but one thing I always try and do is wait well into the Christmas season to get decorations to soak up the savings and sales. (Hobby Lobby... 50% off right now. Boom!)








Here is a short tour of my decorations and some of my favorite ornaments. I am definitely a fan of the chaos trees that don't match. One thing I want to add next year though is Red Ribbon around the tree. Hope you all have a fantastic Thursday!

Today I Need Your Help.

Hello all you crafty people! Today is Tuesday which means it is one day closer to the weekend and Christmas! And I have a confession for you... I am the ULTIMATE holiday shopper-procrastinator. I even buy all my Christmas decorations late (mainly so I can get the sale discount) because the vast array of people at stores is too overwhelming. literally... like panic attack overwhelming. Story for another time.

Confession:
I have yet to purchase ONE gift for loved ones and Christmas is 5 days away.

Please begin the judging. In my defense, my dad's side of the family is doing a "Handmade gift exchange only" type of deal this year where we focus more about what we have than what we want. The boys got a Christmas puppy early this month in exchange for Santa giving their toys to less fortunate children. This is where you come in. I have NO idea what to make:

Dad: Most thoughtful and selfless man in the world.
Mom: Check
Brother(20):Likes camo, redneck things, and cars

Sister (17): Sings, wears headbands everyday, obsessed with zebra and boyfriend
Brother (8): Star Wars, READING, and Science experiments
Brother(5): Star Wars, Karate, Legos

And get for my Mom's side:

Mom: Amazing, hard worker, thoughtful
Brian (Bonus dad): Runner, Georgia Southern Alumni
Brother (16): Just got a driver's license, Geogia Tech Fan, Justin Beiber hair though he refuses to admit it
Sister (12):  All things girly

Overwhelming right? So please please please help me out with ideas this holiday season. I think I have a direction to go for each but Christmas snuck up on me this year with work and life. Thanks to all who help!

Music Monday - Florence + The Machine

Why hello everyone! I hope you all had just a fantastic weekend. What did everyone do?

Today's Music Monday is a good one. I have been DYING to share her with you. I am sure a lot of you have heard and listended to her awesomeness... But for those of you who haven't, please be ready to be enlightened.

Please get ready for:
Florence + The Machine

Miss Florence Welch with her collaboration of other artists make up a complete English mastermind. The first thing that comes to my mind when describing her is Eccentric Beauty. She has a powerhouse voice of pure soul with a heart wrenching capacity. Her music is like nothing I have ever heard of. She has a style of rock, soul,& amazingness. Yes, Amazing is a style of music on this blog. I know I always say this, but this is truly music you can listen to in any mood. This isnt just music. It is art, beauty, self-expression, and truth. I feel empowered after every song. She is absolutely gorgeous and and is an example of inidividualism and artistry. Please listen up and be enlightened.

Wish List

Happy Friday Loves! Hope everyone has some awesomeness planned for the weekend! I am pretty excited about mine. Today I thought I would share with you what I have been DYING hoping for all year Christmas. I was getting pretty excited making this list even though I very well knew probably none of them are possible. But we all can dream right?



1. Nikon D3100 DSLR Camera
2. Amazing camera bag. Please help me find where this is from!
3. Oakley Discreet Sunglasses
4. Brown Leather Jacket
5. Michael Kors Golden Oversized Runway Watch
6. Visa Gift Card for clothes!

I have been dreaming of each of these separately. Bye lovelies!

Awkward & Awesome

Sorry for my moody rantings yesterday! But thank you for all of your amazing comments. You all are pretty much awesome. In the spirit of Thursday and how it's the one day I want to rush through to get to Friday, this post will be short and sweet.

Awkward:
-Check out the awesome picture to the left below. The longer you look, the funnier it gets.
-My right leg is now profoundly larger than my left leg from being on crutches. It looks so awkward.
-Getting in the elevator and being 98% sure that the guy who just came out farted. Then the next person who gets on thinks it was you.
-I turned into a person I hate- I have had trash bags outside my door for like 5 days now. Please don't judge!
-Cutting off someone in traffic (sorry!) only to find out they're your neighbor when you pull into the same complex and the same building




Awesome:
-This is my first week at work off crutches!
-I got my first Christmas tree and am about ready to show off my Christmas decorations
-Christmas is just around the corner and I can't wait to spend quality time with my family
-I made some pretty awesome holiday crafts that look awe-some
-Getting a $300 referral check from my apartment
-Winning a $25 gift card at the apartment holiday party you walk into while picking up said check
-Tomorrow is Friday. Holla!

Today I need to Vent.

I am trying to keep my cool and trying to contain my composure. I really wish I could divulge more of whats been going on but proper human ethics prohibit me to. Today I am tired, frustrated, and downright livid.

I am tired of having to play a game of politics in every day life. I am sick of having to strategically think through every action like a speed game of chess. I am sick of being thrown underneath the bus to look bad in order meet someone's political agenda and end game so they can look good. I am not good at this so called game hardened men play.
I have always prided myself on being a hard worker. Ask anyone I went to school with. I worked my ass off in college to get to where I am today. Not once did I have a college summer experience because I was working, selling and knocking door to door to pay for school and my end.

I am honest, I own up to my mistakes, I will always go out of my way for you, maybe I am naive.

I am smart, I can and will do anything I set my mind to, I will succeed according to my own standards and not yours, and I will maintain my respect- dignity-and class through it all.

I will be who I want to be, and not who you think I should be.

Today I needed to vent about how disappointed I am. How it angers me that I have lost my trust and respect in some people. How it makes me sick to my stomach that you have drug my name through the mud. You made your move. I am sorry that my niceness and sincerity came across as a weakness. Let me please correct you, it is a sign of character. With that, I wish you the best. You may continue to burn your bridges while I build mine. In the end, I will take my respect while you take your pride. And when it is all said and done, I will still stand.


Via

A little Photo/Life Update

Why hello there everyone. Today I thought I would give another life update through pictures seeing how they tell a much better story than I can. For a little word action though I'll share whats been goin down.
I LOVE the Holidays. Holiday highlights mean decorating through festivities, seeing old friends and family members, Holiday highschool chorus concerts, Hot Chocolate, and just plain awesomeness. I CAN'T WAIT to share all my Christmas pictures of my apartment but for now, you'll have to settle for just a sneak peek. Horrible you say? Don't worry the tips I'll give you on how to frugally shop for decorations will be worth it.

Over the weekend I had two of my closest friends come back in town. One to visit and one for good (Miss Timara). Brad has been one of my closest pals since middle school. (Shhh don't tell but he was the first boy ever who grabbed my butt in the 8th grade... GASP!)
But I have a hopeless love for him and his family who I consider my own and can never get enough of them all. Add our good friend David in the mix and we are quite the team. The three of us have really been through a lot together from the best times you'll never forget to the most heart wrenching that you think you might not make it through.
They have given me so many good laughs and the added value of childhood friendhips. I'm pretty lucky to have them but they think I'm pretty awesome too-ha!

Other high moments of the week- Having my best gal friend Timara move back and spending the night talking and laughing about the most pointless stuff, My sister's LAST holiday concert, family outing to Menchie's Yogurt, Awesome Dates, Getting my FIRST very own Chrsitmas tree-Thanks Kev!, cursing at the *&%$ wreath I tried to make, some cute outfits I was proud of, and time with people I adore.





Hope you all had a great week too!

Music Monday - Phoenix

Happy Monday all you lovely people! I hope you all had the most amazing weekend and are ready for whats ahead... Okay you're so smart and already guessed it. It's another round of Music Monday.
PS I hope you guys like that we do this every Monday and would Love some feedback!

Today is a group I came across and have fallen in like with:
Phoenix

These guys are Grammy Award winning French indie rockers from Versailles. They have an easy listening style about them and know how to write music that just flows through the right nerve endings. They provide fresh beats with a perfect mix of fresh lyrics. These guys help me get through my afternoon traffic. So please go check them out, listen to some songs below, and let me know what you think!

Feel Good Friday

IT'S FRIDAY!!!! And I couldn't be more excited. Yes, I have been hyper all day and I am SO ready to get the weekend on. Boom.

I thought I would just share this music video of OutaSight. It's a PERFECT Friday song! Rich is the coolest kid who I got to meet and hang out with through a friend. Way down to earth, incredibly hilarious, and extremely, hands down TALENTED. He just performed on X-Factor as a featured entertainer and is going to do big things people.

Please enjoy my new favorite song - Figure 8


Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all have a good weekend. I have a feeling it's going to be a good one!

Ramblings + A Quick Awkward and Awesome

I have been in the most blah mood all week. Thank you mother nature. Seriously haven't cared one bit what I look like for work, took everything out of me to get out of bed each morning, and have been overly frustrated all week. I don't know what my deal is at all but I need to snap out of this.

So please enjoy my wonderful moments of the week! :

Awkward:
-Please visualize. Walking to the bathroom, tampon concealed, crutching along. Tampon flys out of its hiding spot and to the ground. Male bystander walks by to help girl on crutches with item dropped. While handing it to her, he realizes what it is and drops it only to pick it up again with complete horror, hands it over, and rushes off. Highlight awkward moment of the week
-Realizing at the end of my work day I wore a completely wrong bra with my shirt. Little pink lace was popping out ALL day.
- While in the doctor's office waiting to get my knee looked at I remembered a key point. The shoes I chose to wear that day make my feet REEK. Panicly rushing to find the smelly hand sanitizer to rub over the stank resulted in a scented "Caribbean Escape Feet" smell.



Awesome:
-Going to see my sister's last Christmas Chorus Concert tonight
- My MOM GOT A TEACHING JOB AT BELL'S FERRY ELEMENTARY
-Learning and failing to make this holiday wreath. More on that later
-One more day 'til the weekend
-Buying a boat load of Christmas ornaments
-Getting a bottle of M&M candy Prescription from a co-worker as a random act of kindness.

And there you have it. Happy Thursday Everyone!

An Update with Pictures

I have a tendency to think that my life is pretty boring. That is until I look at it from a picture standpoint and realize that I acutally do have a lot of fun. This week was no exception. So here is a little recap in the life of Lindsay.

Every year the family gets together to decorate the Christmas tree. We turn off the Christmas lights and blast the Christmas music. Mom hands each kid an ornament especially for the kid to hang. We toast to Egg Nog or "Noggin" as my brother calls it as we light up the tree with all the decorations. We listen to a special Christmas devotional and bask in the decorations our Awesome mother has set out for the year.




A little bit of therapy organizing which is always good for the soul


An incredible night and dinner with pretty awesome company with a side of not taking yourself too seriously and just having fun.


It is so easy for me to get caught up in my monotonous schedule of drive-work-drive-dinner-sleep. But when I take a step back I am able to see all the awesomeness in between. I feel like lately I have been living in the "I'll be happy when" stage and I kick myself for doing it! So I am challenging you and myself to take a little advice from rule 36 in Zombieland.

"Enjoy the Little Things"

Music Monday - Andrew Bird

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope everyone's weekend was amazing!
So please let me start off by saying Thank you so much to everyone who read and commented on my last post. Your comments were so touching and amazing.

Moving On. This week's Music Monday is another personal favorite. I beg that you adore him as I haved. I would like to introduce you to

Andrew Bird

Mr. Bird has an amazing intimate and subtle way of showing his art. "The Chicago singer-songwriter has a way of creating an intricately detailed collection of songs". He truly has a broad scope of style that easily lets him encompass multiple genres and styles. This is one thing I really enjoy about him.
Andrew's lyrics are drawn from the kinds of thoughts that keep you up at night:

"Do you wonder where the self resides/ Is it in your head or between your sides?/ Who will be the one who decides/ Its true location?"

His dreamy looks and sultry voice will be sure to make you an instant addict. I can listen to him when I am in any type of mood. I'll post three! videos at the end... Hope you have a chance to check them all out. I formally introduce you both now.








Leave some comment love with your thoughts! Enjoy

Feel Good During the Holidays Advice

Happy Friday Everyone!

So today I thought I would share some highly embarrassing/learned the hard way advice with a little background. Ever since I can remember, I have had a problem with fluctuating weight. On one of my parent's side, there seems to ALWAYS be an emphasis on weight, the new diet, exercising tips, and being in shape. Almost to the point where it's exhausting. All of my family pretty much looks like super models... and then there's me. Talk about rough.

When I was in high school and the beginning years of college, my weight would always sky rocket, then come down, then shoot back up again. It was embarrassing but was inevitable. I would eat like every meal was my last and count going to the mailbox as exercise.

Needless to say, I was developing extremely horrible habits. I began to notice that I was always moody, never had energy, and had a poor self image. I would try diet pills, meal plans like nutrisystem, and at one point would go to the gym for 2-3 hours every day.

The low point:

SO EMBARRASSING!

I came home for the holidays and my mom told me she almost didn't recognize me. This is when I started nurtrisystem, hydroxy cut, and endless workouts - all at different times. Nothing seemed to really stick. I was miserable. I began eating like crap while simultaneously working out. Every week was up and down.


The Turning Point:


See my uncle/Big Brother right above? Ya... Super model. I came home my junior year to complete an internship after I had finished my second season knocking door to door selling pest control. That summer my diet consisted of Jack-in-the-Box. Seriously... That's all I ate. I couldn't even button my jeans, I was forced to pull them up and tuck in the tabs hoping no one would notice. I felt puffy all the time and greasy. Now please mind that I am 5'1 and have a petite frame - so any weight I gain is extremely noticeable.

Problem areas: Face, stomach, thighs, upper-arms

With the help of my Aunt Peggy, I was able to start making significant lifestyle changes. Diet is nothing without moderate exercise. And most importantly, exercise is NOTHING without diet. I began finding that it was EXTREMELY easy to eat healthy, even while going out. Here are just a few tips that I adjusted to that made all the difference in the world:

-GRILLED everything. You can even eat a grilled chicken fillet by itself from McDonald's even.
-Vegetables and Fruits - these are essential
- No bananas and other fruits that are high in sugar.
-Mrs.Dash marinade, dipping sauce and seasoning. Make sure to get the NO Sodium, No sugar.
-No dipping sauce or dressings other than above. This is crucial. There is so much sugar and salt in dippings.
-I LOVED salads with lettuce, grilled chicken, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Seriously, without the dressing I could taste each food item more. These are so easy to order anywhere
-Almonds as snacks instead of potato chips
-limit carb intake - all whole grains and no simple grains.

I began going to the gym 3 times a week. I would do 45 minutes of some type of cardio (run, treadmill, elliptical, stair master) and then 40-60 minutes of weights. I made sure to always try new machines (even when I had no absolute clue how they would work) and switch up my routine so I wouldn't get bored or comfortable.


Today:


If I slip up, its not the end of the world. I just make sure that I wont go into the depths after a few mess ups. Today I feel extremely comfortable with my body and weight. I still have areas that definitely need to be worked on and toned... but I feel good about how I feel, not just how I look.
So during this holiday season, It's important to remember to not just fall off the bandwagon because it's holiday time. Continue to develop good habits and actually commit to them.


Parting Advice:

It's not about being skinny. It's about being healthy

Awkward and Awesome

Happy December and Happy Thursday everyone! So glad that there is only one more day until the weekend. So I must admit... I have been having tons of fun reading everyone's "Awkward and Awesome" posts and may or may not have been a little excited to write one again this week. Last week was the flashback edition as it was my first A&A post. Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were dealing with here.

So for this week... here it is.



Awkward:

-Pocket answering the phone while blasting my lungs out to some song I knew only half the words to. You know where you're like " And blazenstrump oooo blah jarva ooo.... You got my heart!" Ya... Embarassing
-Making a what I thought to be really funny joke at work only to have everyone be like... "What?"
-Trying to bribe the girl taking my order for pick up to bring the food out to me because I swore I was handicap and not a creeper... only to have her respond with "Thats exactly what a creeper would say"... But I won out
-Attempting and epicly failing to use the auto-wheelchair at wal-mart. I can still feel the whiplash
-Having no place to put my phone while on crutches so there is the attempted bra hold... never works, phone slides right down. yay for no cleavage
-And lastly, Falling at the movie theatre onto an empty row while I yelled out an extremely awful profanity. Sorry kids.



Awesome:

-Finding out my little sister got the LEAD role in her school's upcoming musical
-Stuffing myself with Sushi before the Thanksgiving meal was even ready... Yes, we are Japanese and eat sushi at every get together
-Unbottoning my pants at Thanksgiving without feeling guilty
-Going to Utah for my BFs wedding and having a whole week off of work
-Getting to see family for the holiday
-Finding out one of my best friend's moving back to Atlanta. That's her right there above!
-Getting a new family dog

And there you have it my favorite people. Hope you all have a wonderful Awesome and Awkward Thursday