2017 Word & January Small Goals

Hello 2017 and World of the Internet. It has been a while! I took a long break from blogging this fall for a few reasons. The biggest being that my life seemed to be spiraling a bit and I needed to figure some stuff out. The good news is that I have done that for the most part and am now back to a place where I can write and post things again.

So since, I have not posted any small goals for a few months, I figure I’ll make this my 2017 and January goals.

First 2017! I can’t believe it is already a new year. I’m hoping for some big things this year, some of which are out of my control so we will see. I have decided to make too many specific goals/resolutions for 2017. I have chosen a word for this year though! That word is focus. I have found that recently my life has lacked focus. I have just been going through life hoping and wishing that things will happen to me. I really haven’t had a focus and it has taken a toll on me.

Here are some of the things I am going to focus on:

• Focus on God and His plan for me
• Focus on building my career
• Focus on who I am as a person and not as a relation
• Focus on my budget
• Focus on my health
• Focus on being joyful through everything

So now on to specific goals for January:

1. Start Blogging Again: I have missed blogging. I never had a ton of followers, but it has been a nice outlet and I look forward to doing it again. I am going to try to post more consistently and get stuff done ahead of time (I am working on this post on Sunday to publish on Monday).
2. Start Hockey Wednesday: This is something I have had in the works for a while, but I really want to dedicate a weekly post to hockey. I am working on a Hockey 101 series that I am hoping to start this month.
3. Stick to Budget and Pay Off A Credit Card: This is a big one. Budgets are easy in theory, but when that cute outfit you have been wanting stares at you in the face, budgets seem to be forgotten. I do have a budget laid out and I have scheduled the last payment on one my credit cards.
4. Cut Out Carbs: This is another big one. I have gained a lot of weight at the end of the year and it is not good for my health. I can feel how unhealthy my body is. One of my good friends cut out carbs and has had a lot of success, so I am going to lean onhere for help with this.
5. Start Scripture Journaling: I found the Intentional Planner, through Molly of Still Being Molly and I knew I had to have one. I got one and plan on using the Scripture Journaling part everyday. I really want to seek God’s purpose and plan for my life this year, so this is a good start.

So there you go! I am hoping that my few readers will keep me accountable to these goals and focuses. Please reach out and ask how I am doing on my goals for the  month.

Just like I used to, I am linking up with Nicole over at Writes Like A Girl and the rest of the goal setting bloggers!

Comment below with some of your goals or tips for any of mine!

Monday Musings Vol. 8: 10/03/16

*This post contains affiliate links.*

It’s October! I pretty much love this month because everything is decorated for fall and the NHL season finally starts!

On The Blog:

• My Small Goals for October are up so check them out.
• Hoping to have another post up on Friday!

Love & Life:

• Michael got a car! His car was totaled 6 months ago in a hail storm and he has been riding his motorcycle everywhere since.
• Michael and I went to see That Thing You Do while it was at the Alamo Drafthouse. I loved that movie as a kid and Michael had never seen it. We went with our friends, Wes and Tricia so it was great to see them as well.
• I picked out new glasses via Warby Parker. I really enjoyed the experience and can’t wait for the glasses to come in!

Professional:

• I had a very productive Terry Officer Meeting this past week. We got a lot of dates on the calendar which was a goal for the year.

Recently Purchased:

• I got this pair of jeans from Old Navy. They had a huge sale and I had just found a hole in one of my pairs of jeans.
• I also picked up a lunch box while I was there because my old one had an unfortunate encounter with my toaster oven. Mine is gray with the word lunch on it in pink cursive.

Crafting:

• I finished 2/7 projects so far. I’m already making good progress on the third though!

Now Streaming:

• Podcast: I loved the recent podcast about Robbers’ Roost by Stuff You Missed in History Class.
• Music: Gavin DeGraw’s newest album is on repeat in preparation for his concert at the end of the month.
• TV: I’m watching The Voice and trying to decide who I really like.

Reading:

• Still working on  The Unbroken Line of the Moon (The Valhalla Series Book 1) by  Johanne Hildebrandt. It’s a pretty interesting historical fiction piece.
• My small group has started a study on Chuck Colson’s The Good Life. Pretty good so far.

Hockey:

• Team Canada won the World Cup of Hockey to no one’s surprise.
• The NHL season starts next week!! (I am so excited)

Looking Forward To:

• TWU Terry Banquet tonight
• My friend’s bridal shower on Saturday
• Sister Night on Saturday as well

Link Love:

• I may be referencing Cupcakes and Cashmere’s cheese plate post in the coming months. Michael loves cheese plates and they are easy to bring to holiday gatherings.

 

 

Monday Musings Vol. 5: 9/12/16

I am ready for life to slow down a bit, but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon.

On The Blog:

• I had a post planned for Wednesday of Friday, but I didn’t get the finishing touches done on it. I am hoping to get it out this week.

Love & Life:

• My mom went into the hospital on Tuesday, so I left work early to go see her. She has had a rough week, but is doing better now.
• Michael and I went to see “For the Love of Spock.” It is a documentary about Spock and Leonard Nimoy. It was really good.
• I went to the baby shower and finished the diaper cover and hat.
• Saturday night, Michael and I went to see La Rondalla Romantica de Dallas for one of Michael’s class assignments. It was interesting to hear a different type of music.

Professional:

• I polished up my resume so I can get it sent out to some places.
• I attended an Terry alumni and current scholar pizza party and UTD. It was great to see how some of the freshmen that I interviewed were doing.

Recently Purchased:

• Bath & Body Works had a sale so I stocked up on some lotion and got a free three wick candle.
• I got two new tops this week. They are just some nice sleeveless work tops that were only $3 each.

Crafting:

• My first Christmas gift project is really taking shape. Hopefully the next two go just as smoothly.

Now Streaming:

• Podcast: My hockey podcast, Puck Podcast, has started their season preview which means the NHL season is right around the corner!
• Music: I’m pretty much in love with the new Gavin DeGraw album.
• TV: I’ve been binge watching The West Wing while I work on my crochet projects. I just got to the season that was aired in 2001 and you can definitely tell there was a shift in thinking.

Reading:

• I need to read more. I’ve just been so busy that reading has taken a back seat to the rest of my life.

Hockey:

• The World Cup of Hockey prelim games have started. I have not had time to watch any yet, but I’m so excited to watch hockey again.

Looking Forward To:

• Terry Luncheon
• Michael’s Move (He will be so much closer to me)
• World Cop of Hockey Officially Starting

Link Love:

• I so want to try this Shay’s Jalapeno Bacon Mac & Cheese. I think Michael would love this.
• I started following Chelsea this week after seeing her September Small Goals post. I love all the pictures she has taken for Nicole over at Writes Like a Girl.

 

Monday Musings Vol. 3: 8/29/16

I can’t believe it is already the end of August. The summer has flown by. Here’s to hoping that the rest of this fall semester flies by just as quickly.

On The Blog:

• Working on a beach recap and September Small Goals.

Love & Life:

• We celebrated my step-brother’s tenth birthday last week. He had a cool Batman vs Superman cake.
• Mouse had a UTI this week so he has been peeing everywhere and had to be taken to the vet. He is quite the little terror at the vet. It was not a fun experience for anyone.
• Michael started classes this week, which has meant adjusting to seeing him less. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Professional:

• Work has really ramped up lately because it is budget season. Lots of calls and spreadsheets being made.
• I had a couple of Terry related meetings this weekend. I had to drive out to Denton twice which was less than fun, but worth it.

Recently Purchased:

• I spent all my money on Mouse and the vet this week.

Crafting:

• I’m working on Christmas gifts. I have seven things to make so I have to start now.

Now Streaming:

• Podcast: One of my friends recommended Radiolab Presents: More Perfect. I wasn’t sure how I would like it since it is about the Supreme Court, but I have actually found it pretty interesting.
• Music: My older sister and I are going to see Gavin DeGraw and Andy Grammer in concert in October, so I have pretty much been hyping myself with their new songs.
• TV: I’m watching Homeland right now. I’m actually well into the third season right now.
• Gaming: Does Candy Crush count?

Reading:

• I’m still reading Timebound by Rysa Walker. I feel an obligation to get through any book I start, but it’s really not my favorite.

Looking Forward To:

• Roughriders’ Game with the family next week.
• Long weekend for Labor Day

Link Love:

• I love Molly’s and A’s Stitch Fix reviews. They are making me want new clothes for fall.
• I definitely want to try the Whipped Nutella Frosting recipe that Lauren shared.

H54F: Two Week Recap

It’s Friday and I have a half day at work, so I am over the moon.

You may have noticed that I have not posted in two weeks. My week nights were very busy during that first week and I did not have a chance to put a post together. The second week, I purposely did not post on my blog. As I am sure you have heard, Thursday, July 7 my city was rocked by a violent act. At the time, I was not sure how to put my feelings into words and chose to stay off the blog for a bit. I didn’t want to go n with blogging like nothing happened, but I also did not know how to express my feelings.

I am going to be recapping the past two weeks for H54F, so here is goes!

July 4th weekend was fun and relaxing. We did not do a whole lot. We saw a movie Saturday. Sunday, I went out with family to celebrate my little sister’s 20th birthday, and on Monday, Michael and I took Chewie to the dog park. Pretty good weekend in my opinion.

My baby sister is adorable!

He loves the dog park for all the people, not the other dogs!

Last Thursday evening started out really well. I have a Girls’ Night with tow of my friends from church at a Cru Wine Bar in Plano. We had a lot of fun, talking and drinking. When I got home, I found out about what was going on less than 30 miles away. I stayed up late watching it unfold. Like most Dallas people, most of Friday was spent listening and watching the news for all the details.

This past Sunday we celebrated Tori’s birthday again, but this time at my mom’s. During the afternoon, Jacquie and I took Tori shopping and some good sister time together. That night, we did birthday dinner and then had some amazing cake. Tori’s childhood best friend’s mom now makes and sells goodies in the Dallas area and she made a beautiful cake for Tori. Look her up on Facebook at Sweet Smith Bakery. I highly recommend her. The cake was sour cream almond and oh so delicious. Look at the detail on these flowers!

Monday, I hosted my small group at my apartment. We had dessert night so I tried a new Pina Colada cupcake recipe. They were pretty good. I always enjoy hosting people at my apartment, and I love my church small group.

Last night, I was elected as the 2016-2017 President for the Terry Scholars Alumni Association- DFW Chapter. I am so excited to be part of this team and for everything that will be happening this year. I will be writing a blog post this month about the Terry Foundation, Scholarship and what it has meant to me.

So that is a condensed version of the last two weeks. As always, I am linking up with Della, Tif & Katie!

I am so excited for this weekend. Michael and I are going to a wedding tonight, so I am using that as an excuse to have my first DryBar experience and I am so excited about it! We also get to go down to Austin for my cousin’s 8th birthday and to see some friends. It will be a full, but fun weekend!

What do you have going on this weekend?

H54F: Spending Birthday Money

Another week has gone by and I have not had the chance to put a blog post together. Nothing super exciting has happened this week, but work has taken up a lot of my time and energy. When I get home, I’m pretty drained. I am really going to try to do better next month and set aside blogging time. Anyway, here are my top 5 this week.

Saturday, Michael and I went to a Frisco Roughriders baseball game. We went with the alumni association for the Terry Scholarship (I had this scholarship in college). I was in charge of the whole thing as the event coordinator, and we ended up with a great turn out. It was great to meet new people, see old friends and the all you can eat food didn’t hurt.

He loves getting on a freshly made bed.

Monday, I got home to packages. The sheets and bed skirt I ordered with my birthday gift card had come in. I was so excited because my bed redo is almost done now. I just want to replace my pillows some time soon. If anyone has recommendations for good pillows that are affordable let me know!

I may have fallen in love with Kendra Scott.

Tuesday, I spent more birthday money and I had my first Kendra Scott color bar experience. I got this pair of earrings and I got to pick the actual stones, not just the color. I was pretty excited. By the way, if you go to an actual store and show your ID, you get 50% off one item during your birthday month. I covered the rest of the price with a gift card from the best friend! My new Women’s Bible Study also started that evening. It was a great time of fellowship and Bible study. I’m excited for the next 5 weeks of the study.

So much work, but so yummy!

Wednesday, Michael and I took a break from work out Wednesday due to the fact that I forgot my tennis shoes. I did get to experiment with a new recipe. I made the Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken from Skinnytaste (my favorite website for WW recipes). It was really good. Michael loved it and then cleaned up after dinner so I could relax. I have such a good boyfriend.

Rocksbox Kendra Scott and New Top = One Happy Bekah

This week I also got two new tops I got from Poshmark. I love that I can use credit from clothes I sold to buy more clothes. I got two tops and wore one yesterday. I absolutely loved my outfit and had to take a picture for Instagram. I love getting things in the mail!

We don’t really have any big plans for the weekend, just a lot of small plans. I’m just excited for a long weekend to relax and a short work week next week.

As always, I’m linking up with the H54F girls: Tif, Della & Katie!

Send me your pillow recommendations please! Also, what is your favorite quick Fourth of July dessert (I need to make one)?

H54F: Birthday Week

It’s Friday!!! It has been a long week even though it was my birthday week, but it’s finally over and I have a busy weekend ahead of me. Recapping this week, while linking up with the lovely H54F girls: Tif, Katie & Della.

1. Last Friday evening, I had my birthday dinner with my mom, stepdad and friends. We went to Urban Rio in this cute part of town (downtown Plano). The food was great and for dessert we had S’Mores. They bring out this little burner thing and you roast your marshmallows over it. My mom got me the duvet cover I wanted, which is a step in redecorating my room.
2. Saturday, Michael and I ran some errands before going to a friends’ birthday dinner in Addison. It was nice to hang out with a bunch of other couples. We got to see some of our good friends, Wes & Tricia two nights in a row: Friday for my birthday dinner and Saturday for Tricia’s birthday dinner.

   

   Loving these two Kendra Scott necklaces from Rocksbox.

3. Monday, I got my first Rocksbox. I decided to try it because I think this will be a great way for me to try new jewelry without buying it all. I got two Kendra Scott necklaces for layering and a set of House of Harlow earrings.
   

   
4. Wednesday was my actual birthday. I spent most of the day traveling for work, but Michael did pick me up from the airport and drove me to pick up my birthday gift: a new headset for my computer. He, also, let me pick what I wanted for dinner. I chose to grab Wing Stop to go and watch Broadchurch back at his place. A pretty good birthday once I got done with the traveling.
5. Yesterday, I took my final exam for my second Real Estate License course and I passed! Now only four more courses to go, before the big test!

I am looking forward to this weekend!  Tonight, I am celebrating my birthday with my dad and stepmom. We are going to a Canadian restaurant where I can get my favorite food, poutine! Tomorrow, Michael and I will celebrate Fathers’ Day with his dad, plus my sisters will sleepover at my place!

Curious about my goals for this next year? Check out my 26 before 26 post from yesterday!

H54F: Shopping and Animals

It has been a really long week this week. Nothing huge really happened, but it has been long. I’m excited for a fun weekend though. I get to hang with my older sister tomorrow before we head out to celebrate my dad’s birthday with dinner and a movie. I’m also excited for the Mothers’ Day picnic we have planned for my mom.

Here is my High Five for Friday recap of the week.

Shorts: Gap through Thred Up (similar)/ Top: Target through ThredUp (similar) 

1. I got my order from ThredUp that I mentioned in this post. I absolutely love the red shorts I got! I have been wanting a pair of colored shorts for a while. I can’t wait to wear them this weekend! I thought the teal shirt was a fun color as well. I got to wear to work today with my jeans. Love Jean Fridays at the office.

   

   Hat: Target (exact, similar)/ Purse (exact, real leather similar)/ Shoes: TOMS (exact, similar)

2. This month I decided to stay away from buying more clothes. Since I am working on losing weight and I have my spring/summer essentials, I decided to spend my budget on accessories. I got this adorable sun hat for summer days and a cute saddle bag for casual weekends. I also got these adorable TOMS flip flops in my latest Trunk Club. They were a bit pricey, but they do have some arch support which my feet need.

   

   I think he’s adorable!

3. Wednesday night was Work-Out Wednesday. Michael and I started this a while back and then stopped for a while when we got really busy. We started again this week. My legs still hurt from the lunges, but after the gym Michael made dinner. We had some yummy Pork Tenderloin and mixed veggies.
   

   Can’t get to me here!

   

   I want on your lap too!
4. Michael left for DreamHack in Austin yesterday, so that means I am watching the Chewie monster for the weekend. Mouse was not too happy about seeing his “friend”. He took to hiding behind my bike to get away from the dog. Eventually, he came around. Although the fight for my attention lasted all night and I got very little sleep.
5. Today is my dad’s birthday! We are celebrating tomorrow, but I wanted to give him a quick shout-out! Like I said on Instagram, he fostered my love for the important things in life: Jesus, hockey and Star Trek. Quick hockey note: the Stars won in overtime last night!!

As always I am linking up with Tif, Katie & Della as well as Meet at the Barre!

Do you have any big plans for Mothers’ Day weekend?

H54F: April Showers Bring May Flowers

H54F: April Showers Bring May Flowers

I can’t believe it is already the end of April. Since this blog is new, it is still evolving quite a bit. Now that I am regularly doing H54F with Della, Tif & Katie, I will no longer do my mid month and end of month recaps! You can catch up on my weekly life every Friday now!

It has been so not nice weather here. We had a major storm on Tuesday and ever since then it has been muggy and gray. I just heard some thunder. More storms tonight!

Sunburn!!

I love him!

1. Saturday, we pretty much spent the whole day outside. We went to my little brother’s baseball game and I got sunburned! I put on sunscreen, but not very well apparently. Then after ice cream with my Uncle and his daughters (they live in OK so I don’t get to see them that often), Michael and I headed out to Date Night in Farmers Branch. They have food trucks set-up and then after dark they have a movie. We went with two other couples and had lots of fun.
2. Sunday was sister time with the little sister. We had lunch with my mom and then went window shopping while my car was in the shop. We also caught the end of the Stars game and watched them win to advance t o Round 2 of the playoffs. They play Game 1 against St. Louis tonight! I, also, went on a 7 mile bike ride when I got home. My city has some great trails really near my apartment and I love it! I saw ducks with little ducklings. I love being out in nature and enjoying God’s beautiful creation.
   

   Chicken Sausage and Peppers

   

   Apple & Carrot Slaw
3. Tuesday, my older sister and I started Weight Watchers together. We both have been struggling a lot recently with our weight so we are doing this together. I found some fantastic recipes and had yummy food all week while staying in my points.
   

   
4. Wednesday was Administrative Professionals’ Day. I am as close to an Admin as we have in the office so my bosses showered me with gifts: flowers, balloon and a couple gift cards. That night, we went to the local ECHL team’s, Allen Americans, Game 7 of Round 1. They won and also move on to Round 2!
   

   
5. Last night was relax night for Michael and I. I think I am fighting off some sickness, so instead of hitting the gym we took Chewie on a long walk in the nature preserve near Michael’s apartment. We cooked some chicken and spinach for dinner together. It was great to cook side by side! Then, we went out with Michael’s roommate to get Bahama Buck’s. Soooo good, especially if you get their sugar-free Thin Ice flavors.

Well that was a full week! Check out my post from earlier this week about my new clothes for the season (includes the outfit in the cowboy hat picture).

Things I’m looking forward to this coming week: Terry Annual Picnic & the start of the National Bike Challenge!

I’m also linking up with Meet at the Barre with Amanda.

H54F: Camping Edition

So last Thursday was Michael’s and my 2nd dating anniversary. We decided to take the weekend for ourselves and go on a camping trip. It was so much fun and really the highlight of my week, so I am doing my whole High Five for Friday on the camping trip and what I loved about it.

1. Purtis Creek State Park: The park was beautiful and really not that far from home for us. It took us only an hour and a half to get there in 6pm Dallas traffic. Check-In was relatively easy. There was a short line and the rangers on site were really talkative with everyone. They have three different types of camp sites. They have some have a lot with electricity and water hook ups that you can drive right up to and park your RV if you have one. They also have sites with just water hook up. The parking is a few yards away, but the site has a tent pad, lantern pole, picnic table and fire ring with an attached grill. This was the type of site we reserved. The last type is their primitive sites. These are a mile or so from any parking and only come with the lantern pole and fire ring. The fire ring does have a grill attachment that can swing over the top for use.
2. Sleeping in a Tent: We got a large tent, but I was still pretty nervous about sleeping in it. I had an air mattress and I slept through the whole first night without any problems until about 6am. I woke up with a full bladder and the restrooms were a good five minute walk from us. I ended up going back to sleep for an hour before the need was absolutely dire. I was surprised how well I slept and how refreshed I felt in the morning.

   

   This picture makes me want to get back to working out more!

3. Canoeing: We went canoeing on Saturday morning. There is a small lake that is part of Purtis Creek SP and they have canoe, kayak and paddle boat rentals. Canoeing is a lot of work, but also a super fun way to get some good exercise. We stayed out there for a few hours and had our pre packed sandwiches for lunch. I was amazed by the beauty all around me. Anytime I find myself surrounded by nature, I am so overwhelmed with what a beautiful world my Lord has created. We saw some turtles and frogs which I loved!
   

   
4. Cooking Over a Fire: Saturday night, we made camping Mac & Cheese. We used this recipe I found on Pinterest and added ham to it for some protein. Michael is an Eagle Scout so he was a master at making a fire. We bought some fire wood on site that afternoon after taking our showers (the showers were pretty nice for public showers). He built a great fire and then made our dinner. It was so great. We even managed to watch the Stars playoff game through the Slingbox app on my phone hooked up to a portable charger (thanks Sprint for unlimited data).

   

   Where I spent most of Saturday afternoon.

5. Overall Relaxation: This was by far the most surprising benefit of the whole trip for me. I had always thought that camping would be really stressful for me. I am not super high maintenance, but showers and washed hair are an everyday thing for me. I wasn’t sure about sleeping practically outside and dealing with all the bugs. Plus what would I do for the whole trip? It turns out the trip was one of the most relaxing things I’ve done in a while. Saturday afternoon I spent reading on my Kindle. I finished the book I was reading and started a new one. I think it helped that I went with an experienced camper. Michael knew what to do in all situations which meant I just had to be helpful and not come up with the ideas. I came home Sunday feeling fully relaxed and refreshed (after shower in a private bathroom, of course)

   

   We saw so many of these. They kept falling on my chair and Kindle.

I definitely recommend camping to anyone who hasn’t tried it. I am pushing it as an idea with my family for an easy weekend trip. If you leave nearby, check out Purtis Creek, but I definitely recommend making a reservation.

I’m hooking up with High Five for Friday with Katie, Tif & Della, Meet at the Barre with Amanda & Five on Friday.