If I Were A...

I'm still excited about yesterday's post.

The kind of excited where you feel like your words had power.

Not only am I proud, but I feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

I was happy to show a different side of myself, and apparently, some of you were happy to see that side too. Thank you for all the words of encouragement.
You know they mean the world to me!

I was also featured on Adventures of Team Pancakes yesterday, and there happens to be some fun pictures of my Vegas trips. They have never been seen on my blog {that I recall...whoops}, and you will also find that Mrs Pancakes just had a baby. Naturally. As in noooo drugs. I teared up at her birthing story. Partially because it was so powerful and partially because I couldn't even fathom the pain. Did I ever mention that my big sister did the whole natural/midwife/water birth thing? Crazy I tell ya.

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I saw this on Lesley's blog, and was curious as to what my answers would be.

I feel like this must be some type of personality test.

Let me know...Did I pass?

If I were a gemstone, I'd be an Opal.

If I were a scent, I'd be baby powder.

If I were a pair of shoes, I'd be a pair of wedges.

If I were the weather, I'd be a "boat worthy" day.

If I were a facial expression, I'd a tongue sticking out.

If I were a car, I'd be a Mustang.

If I were a time of day, I'd be 11AM.

If I were a month, I'd be August.

If I were a place, I'd be a beach.

If I were a liquid, I'd be refreshing water.

If I were a taste, I'd be spicy bbq.

If I were a sea animal, I'd be a seahorse.

If I were a food, I'd be strawberry spinach salad.

If I were a colour, I'd be turquoise.

If I were a musical instrument, I'd be a set of Bagpipes.

If I were a flower, I'd be a hydrangea.

If I were a planet, I'd be Uranus. Well, why not?

If I were an object, I'd be a camera.

If I were a fruit, I'd be a passion fruit.

If I were a sound, I'd be a baby's laughter.

If I were a day of the week, I'd be a Sunday.

I'm finding it kind of insightful in a weird way...

PS. Tag you are it! No tag backs ;)

Cheers to the freakin' weekend, because I actually have the whole weekend off!
So far, my plans are housework {exciting}, blogging, and a visit to an alpaca farm with Sami.
I don't know what that entails, but can't wait to catch up.

Got any good plans?

On My Heart: Humility

Yesterday was the BEST day off.
When Will asked me what I was going to do on my day off, I was happy to have "absolutely nothing" on the top of my to-do list. I was able to blog, answer emails, and work on some buttons/graphics. ALL from the comfort of my bed.

One important thing I did, was spill my guts write this here little post.
It was actually much longer (and much more in depth), but I realized that the writing itself was therapeutic and there was no need to rehash the entire story on le blog. I know I know, we all love the juicy stuff, and still...I decided less is more.
{FYI: This is not a pity party. Just showing that we all struggle}

Whether we are in the real world or blog world, we all face judgement and unkind situations.

If I'm quiet, I'm a snob.
If I'm vocal, I'm full of myself.
If I'm honest, I'm a b*tch.
If I'm nice, I'm fake.
You know the drill.

When I'm feeling weak, I wonder if it really is me.
Lately, I've been feeling especially weak.
I think it's because I had gotten to the point of this deployment where I felt like Will's homecoming was too good to be true. I've been without him for so long that his homecoming seemed like a fantasy.

Suffering in silence was my first mistake.
 I was allowing my thoughts to play tricks on me, and since I was essentially alone, I was left to my own devices. I think that with the combination of feeling alone, feeling hurt, and a little insanity brought on by this deployment, I fell victim to my own insecurities.

The last week has been spent doing a lot of introspection.
I have gone over the people that I have allowed in my life, my work situations, and what my future holds. It was actually inspired by a few negative events, but has turned out incredibly positive. I think I must have simply been due for one of those life altering events that give us direction. What inspired this, is not important because each of us comes to different road blocks. What is important, is that we all learn that sometimes, those road blocks are a wake up call that show us we need to redirect our course.

Source: inspiringshortstories.org via Janna on Pinterest

Seriously...It's like that pin was meant for me.

It came to me in all of it's Pinterest glory and inspiration, reminding me that this is what life is all about. It's filled with ups, downs, and lessons to be learned.
How we maneuver through those lessons are what defines who we are.

Source: perceptioniseverything.blogspot.com via Janna on Pinterest

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What matters to me, is that I have a handful of amazing people in my life, my husband as my rock, and now I have all of you for support and inspiration. I have yet to figure out what my final destination will be, but I know that I am on the right path.

Source: happiestaretheprettiest.tumblr.com via Britt on Pinterest

A few lessons in closing:
Everyone is going to make their own opinions about each individual, so all you can do is put your best foot forward, admit when you are wrong, and ask for forgiveness when you should.
Always remember that YOU don't want to be misjudged, so please remember that there are always two sides of a story and that you should simply treat others how you would like to be treated.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned, and the hardest, was that I'm not perfect, I can fall short, and I can make a bad decision or judgement just like ANYONE else. People expect a lot from me and I expect even more, which is why I needed to learn this lesson. A lesson in humility.

Define Your Own Perception: From Here To Eternity!

I'm a giddy little school girl today!

Why you ask?

Because we have one of my all time faves here for a visit!

Okay, so I know that I have loved everyone featured so far, but you know how it is...

Think back to when you first started blogging, and you stumbled upon those bloggers that grabbed your heartstrings and never let go. Courtney is that for me.

Take it away, beautiful!

I'm a little intimidated to be talking about marriage on Janna's blog because seriously.... Janna has got the marriage thing down :) I love the relationship and love that Janna and Will share. I look up to them so much! But when I was engaged to Eric I got a ton of feedback about how I was making the wrong decision.
Why were so many people against the idea of Eric and I getting married? 

Because we were young.

Source: someecards.com via Katrina on Pinterest

Eric was 21 and I was 19 when we started dating. 10 months later we sealed the deal at ages 22 and 20. When we got engaged all of our loved ones were ecstatic for us! But I'm a hairstylist which means I see and have conversations with a ton of different people every single day. I had a lot of people sit down in my chair and tell me that I should wait to get married. I should travel the world before picking my spouse. We both needed to grow up before we could handle a marriage. The list of reasons why we "needed" to wait could go on forever. 

But I knew that Eric was the one for me. 

He is the one that I wanted to experience the highs and lows of this life with. I wanted him by my side while I traveled the world. Eric is the one I choose to be with for eternity.

Marriage isn't always easy... but it's not supposed to be! I don't think marriage would have been an easier adjustment had I waited until 30 instead of 20 to be married. But we went into this commitment with the knowledge that even though it wasn't going to be easy, we were going to work our buns off to make this thing work! It helps that I picked the right man to be my husband, and visa versa, but it is so satisfying each time we make it through a difficult trial together. 

We come out of the highs and lows more in love than before!

Eric is my best friend, my biggest support, my partner in crime, and my deepest love. We fight hard, we play harder, and we love the hardest. We don't ever stop working at our marriage because the moment we do is the moment it will all fall apart. Our marriage means everything to us, and for that reason we are willing to give it our all! I'm not ashamed to say that we married young because we have grown together. And I can't wait to see how we will continue to grow and love as our life together goes on... starting with the newest addition to our family come December :) Experiencing these huge changes, and the highs and lows each day with Eric by my side, is the BEST decision I ever made!

Blog || Twitter

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Let me tell you how flattered I am that she thinks so highly of our marriage. Her marriage is awesome, so that is a BIG compliment. Don't they just make the cutest couple?

They are going to make beautiful babies too.

I can't WAIT to see their little bundle of joy...like for real.

I love you girl!!

In other news, and in case you don't know, next month is my "Birthday Month", and I need you all to help me make it special. For the second year in a row, my lover will be gone :(

Then, when you add in the fact that I am getting antsy for the last two months to be over, I'm definitely going to need your help. I'd like a few more sponsors for this series, and if anyone has any ideas for something else fun...I will gladly take suggestions. I'm thinking a {little} group giveaway would be fun or perhaps some Halloween inspiration. 

You guys are the best, so I know that it will be amazing no matter what.

I have faith.

PS. I'm sad that I didn't get to participate in the Girl Behind The Blog this month, but you should check it out! I am so inspired by these ladies and the vlogs!

Camo Time!

Yesterday, I mentioned working a fight in Pueblo for Wounded Warriors.
MMA and a charity for soldiers? You KNOW I'm in!

First, I had to make the outfits, so of course I turned to Pinterest.

I searched DIY Camo and bingo.

I needed to make a combo of this:

Source: apair-andaspare.blogspot.co.uk via Hayley on Pinterest

And this:

Circa our last fight

I started off with this:

Did a little:

And topped it off with:

I created the belts using Rit Dye and this method.

Which eventually turned into:

Do they come off classy and sassy?

Cuz that was the goal ;)

Honestly, I think that my favorite part of these events is making the outfits.

I love tapping into my creative side and find the process quite therapeutic.

Anyone else feel me on that?

I mean, Halloween is coming up...time to get our juices flowin'!

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I can also officially announce the winner of the My Memeries Software giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lynn blogs over at Illegally Blonde and is pretty darn awesome.

She even rocks the "I Support The Troops" button. You KNOW that is the way to my heart.

Congrats Lynn, and thanks for all who entered.

You guys ROCK.

What...A Weekend.

Okay, so I had an idea that this weekend would be fun, but I had no idea just how fun.

Thank goodness I don't drink, because I can only imagine how much more tired I would feel right now. This is why I'm just going to give you the skinny.

Saturday:

MMA fight in Pueblo

{Pics to come}

Sunday:

Brunch at the Broadmoor + Lots of shenanigans =

Does anyone recognize the guy on the left covered in cake?

Hint: He's NOT from Jersey Shore.

In case you don't, check him out here.

Be prepared to laugh your bootay off.

Oh, and he has the coolest cat ever.

Did you know cats can be cool enough to have their own Youtube?

Haha...Me neither.

You might know the other cool cat on the right, as well.
Any of you watch WXII12?
You might just recognize Artie ;)

Happy {early} Birthday Jesse!

You can't prank a prankster, but you can smash a cake in their face!

Tehehehehe...

I Wanna Play Too!

I saw this on Kelly's blog, and I LOVE Erin, so I had to jump on the bandwagon. Did you see Kelly was featured on Lucky? How flippin' cool is that?!

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

This week I need a little perspective, and this was the perfect thing.

{Well, minus the pink...I don't do pink. Sorry Alana and P!nky!}

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First, and foremost, I believe in true love.
You can love anyone, but you can only truly love one.
I found my "one".


Breckenridge 2011 

I believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. 
Example? Learning to drive a stick and getting a motorcycle license all in one year!

I believe that fur children count.
Weiser is just as much our child as a real baby would be; pet owners will understand.

Le Sigh...

I believe in I'm sorry and/or admitting you are wrong.

Admitting you are wrong isn't weak. It's character building and strengthening.

I believe in forgiveness.
We all make mistakes, and what kind of world would it be if it was one strike and your out?

And simply because Pinterest always nails it...

Source: via Janna on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Janna on Pinterest

Source: designeriphone.tumblr.com via Janna on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Janna on Pinterest

I would also like to say that I believe in bloggers & blogging.

To the outside world it may seem like a lonely world, but they don't understand the bond we form! I truly love each and everyone of you, and hope you all have a grrreat wekeend!

What do you believe in? I believe there is still time to link up!

Inspire Me: Dream Job!

If you had asked me this awhile back...
I probably would have said Stewardess on a Cruise Ship, Travel Writer, Flight Attendant, or something else equally as enthralling and travel oriented.

Obviously, all of those things are better when you are single and young enough to handle it, and now that I am a few years older and married...things change.
Luckily, the changes are for the better.

My desires to fly from the nest are now replaced with roots.

Even so, these roots are not attached to a place, they have grown out of love.

Source: etsy.com via Janna on Pinterest

But you know what comes with marrying a soldier?
LOTS of travel. Whoop Whoop.
In the past few years we have lived in Florida, Virginia, Georgia, and now Colorado, with no end in sight. We could move as soon as next year, and it could be anywhere. I'm actually hoping it will be near Kelly, Meg, Sarah, Tab and Raven, or ANY of you blog loves. I will be sad to leave Sami, but I want to experience more before we have kids. Did I say before? I meant IF. Hehe.

The travel is definitely a bonus, but as for a Dream Job?
Becoming a SAHM is beginning to sound quite appealing.
I'd get to support my soldier, be a happy housewife, and would be a lot more okay with the thought of making babies. The best part, is that Will already agreed and this might be why:

Source: via Janna on Pinterest

As of now, I'm working and doing ALL of that except for the nanny part.
Not that I'm complaining, but I definitely wouldn't mind doing it full time ;)
Perhaps add in some writing on the side...

Source: weheartit.com via Janna on Pinterest

I DEFINITELY think I write better than I talk, and Will's exact words are, "Why don't you just go ahead and get published? You know you need to go for it."
Gotta love a supportive husband.

So there you have it.
My dream job would be a SAHM who also happens to be a published author.
May not be as grand as you might expect, but to me, it sounds like the cat's meow.

What is your dream job?

Define Your Own Perception, Part VIII

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who gets excited bout meeting bloggers from across the world. It makes me feel like the world is at my fingertips. Today, we have a visitor all the way from Australia!

Kirsty is broaching the topic of mental health, and I know we ALL have encountered this in one way or another. I personally have family members that suffer, sometimes in silence, and this reminds me that we must all pay attention to those around us.

I used to think... that mental health could be avoided and controlled through getting down and sweaty exercising, eating rabbit food (all of the good things), surrounding yourself by happy and encouraging people and having a positive outlook. I NEVER thought I would suffer from a mental health illness. I am bright and bubbly and I love life and I am energetic and enthusiastic and I have a loving partner and an amazing family and friends who own my heart. Yet none of that stopped ME, yes ME, from falling victim to Depression.

Now I know... that mental illnesses don’t discriminate against age, race, personalities, the amount of money you earn, the job you have or the people in your life. Sometimes it just happens. Sometimes it’s unavoidable. And sometimes it happens, and it’s not until after you have gotten better that you realise that all of the signs were there and that your body was SCREAMING at you through dark circles under your eyes and ulcers in your mouth to STOP. It’s so incredibly important to listen to your body, to know your limitations and to know when you need to take a break and have some ‘me’ time. I also know that it’s okay NOT to be PERFECT all of the time. It’s okay to put up your hand and say that you are struggling with something. It’s okay to let people know that you are NOT okay. It’s okay to not be HAPPY all of the time. And most importantly, it’s okay to say NO. It’s also so incredibly important to value your health and happiness above everything else. Honestly. It’s those two things that we often take for granted that are the foundation for loving life and being able to love, give and provide for those around you.

People see me as... inspirational, bright, bubbly, loud, crazy and confident.



But I hope that they know... that I truly believe that everyone is inspirational in their own right. That I’m not ALWAYS bright and bubbly, that I can be tired, grumpy and QUIET (tee hee) sometimes! And that my life, while it might seem perfect from the outside, isn’t perfect, but I LOVE it. I LOVE LIFE. And I love the people in my life so incredibly much. I don’t know where my career is going, I’m scared to become a mum, I worry about money from time to time but I realise that none of that matters as long as me and the people in my life are healthy and happy.

I blog because... I want to create a space where people can feel comfortable to be able to talk about things that matter, things that are often swept under the carpet and bitched about. I want people to know that they aren’t alone in their struggles, that life is challenging yet rewarding, that it’s okay to take risks and to not know exactly where life is taking them, and that that’s okay. I want people to know that we’re all on a journey to self discovery, and that we can learn and laugh and travel down this road together! And above all, I want those who have suffered from a mental health issue, or who know of someone who is suffering from a mental health issue, or those who don’t know much about mental health, to accept, deal with and move on from it so that it doesn’t define them J

Much love all the way from an Aussie girl,
Kirsty x

Blog || Bloglovin'

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Thank you, thank you, for being so honest girl. I KNOW that there are many that need to know they are not alone and that they can have a voice.

I also looked up a few sites in case anyone has questions for themselves or anyone they know.
Understanding Depression
Mental Help

We must remember not to judge, but to reach out.
We all struggle, but we can all lift each other up!
I hope you know that I am here for each and every one of you.
Always.

Can I Pull Off Glasses?

I've had them before, but it's been quite sometime since I broke that pair. Whoops.

That is why I was SO excited when Firmoo contacted me to do a review.

Oh, and by the way, everyone can get their OWN free pair, so I'm not trying to sell you anything, just giving you the info. Check it out and thank me later ;)

In case you haven't heard of them, they are an online optical store that carry a great selection and fast service. I was able to get my eyes checked through my insurance, and then used my eye doctor's Rx to order my very own pair. I think that's what you call cheating beating the system.

Now, I know what you are thinking...How do you know if they fit?

This is where the best part of the website comes in.

They have a virtual try-on that factors in your Pupil Distance, and is pretty darn accurate!

I was able to share that on Facebook, and everyone helped me pick pair #1. It was such a hard decision, because I liked all of them! I just thought #1 fit my face the best.
Here you can see just how accurate:

Long story short, I put in the order and in just a few days, I was rockin' these bad boys!

I honestly didn't pay attention to the fact that there were spiderwebs on the sides, but it is so fitting with my birthday being Halloween. It's as if we were meant to be a pair.

You get that sweet case, cleansing cloths, and little tools to fix the glasses too.

Quite the package and all for FREE.

Did I mention you can get a free pair too?

I still can't believe it...

Gotta love blogging!

Website || Facebook || Twitter

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So what do you think? Can I pull them off?

Summertime Fun

Hello Monday...We meet again.

I was a good girl and said no to multiple texts and calls begging me to go out Friday and Saturday night, which actually gave me time to pick up around the house. I'm lame, I know.

Ask me if I care? Haha.

I DEFINITELY wasn't going out Saturday night after the LONGEST day of work ever.

I made double what I normally make, but it almost wasn't worth it.

It was one of those days when we were short staffed, the kitchen was full of new cooks, and the manager wasn't "equipped" to handle the day, i.e. yours truly had a full section and STILL ended up in the kitchen and handling the staff.

Come Sunday... None of that mattered.

We got to squeeze one more day of summer on the boat!

The weather was perfect, a blast was had by all, and I didn't get a fat lip this time!

{more about that later}

I will be making a video of the wake surfing and will definitely share more pictures, but for now... I am in a food coma because we called in Chinese and had it meet us at my house. Plus it's past my bedtime. Unfortunately, it's back to the grind manana.

 I hope that you all had a great weekend too!

Oh, and if You are interested in winning free access and download of  My Memories Suite, go here to enter! Today is the last day.