Be In The Know!!

This is just a quick message to anyone out there who reads this and wants to be a part of my Mary Kay email list. If you are interested in knowing when I am having another fabulous 25% - 50% off $ale, send me your email address in a comment & I will add you!! :)

Until later...

Sweet dreams!

I've been tagged! Q&A time!

Sweet Maggie from A Carolina Love tagged me to do this neat little Q&A that I miss oh so much from those Myspace days. When I always got bored wanted to procrastinate I would  fill out those quizzes. Here's an example of one of those old quizzes {from 2005}. Thanks to Maggie tagging me, you now know totally new & completely random things about me! I know, I know....you're ecstatic. :)

Okay, now, here were the rules.

1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.

 And here were the questions Maggie asked me....

1. What is the one item you have to have in your fridge/pantry? 

If you know me, you know I am ADDICTED to Mello Yello. It's my absolute favorite drink in the world, and for SOME reason, people don't think stores still sell Mello Yello. Well, they do! I love me an ice-cold can of Mello Yello during a meal. Lucky for me, I rarely finish a can. Therefore, I waste a lot of Mello Yello. But I'd rather waste it than ingest it all. It is a soft drink after all! But, one I have, and always will love. :) Here's proof:

Yes, this is a picture that was taken in my dorm room during my freshman year at Appalachian State. I was {obviously} in love with Mello Yello then...and that was 2/9/2006!! {Don't judge me. I only know this because Webshots tells me when pictures were taken via my old Kodak camera. I just thought it'd be funny to prove my point through a almost 6-year-old picture!} 

2. Is there a song that evokes an emotion/memory from you no matter what? (can be a happy, nostalgic, etc)

The honest truth is that every song reminds me of something...some time or some person or some situation I was in or some time in my life. I love that so much because just hearing a song you haven't heard in such a long time can take you back & you can feel those feelings or be reminded of how far you've come just by hearing a song. 

Side note: I put this blog on hold and had to take a drive. So I shuffled my iPod during the drive to see what songs on there made me think what. And this is what I found: 

Des'ree's "You Gotta Be" reminds me of a summer Saturday in the 1990's, having very little care in the world, feeling encouraged, with the sun shining, and the windows open all throughout the house. It really makes me feel happy, empowered, and carefree. I will always love this song, no matter how silly I think the music video is. Man, I swear I could make such better music videos than 90% of people who actually get to make music videos.

3. What do you feel is your biggest accomplishment to date? Could be personal or professional.

My biggest accomplishment to date would have to be a professional one. I feel like I have not "accomplished" too too much in my personal life, yet. ;) Obtaining my Masters degree in Counseling is something I was determined to do, and did as quickly as possible. I had my mind made up & was motivated to succeed! Of course getting licensed as an LPCA & getting a j-o-b fall right on into this category, because without those two, I can't do what I went to school to do.

4. Would you rather go the rest of your life without ever watching your favorite show/movie or without reading your favorite book?

I would go the rest of my life without ever reading my favorite book again, duh. I've already read it & I seldom read the same book twice.  But I could watch a funny TV show over & over again! 

5. Skydiving or bungee jumping?

Skydiving! It's something I think I'm too chicken to do. BUT I think I would love it if I did it. Tori amp; I did the skydiving simulator on campus last year, and it was fun! :) 

6. Where is the one place you want to go before you die?

NEW. YORK. CITY.
Seriously, if you know me, or have talked to me in the past....year, you should know this. I have blogged about it and said it over and over again to those around me. I think someone's gonna get tired of hearing about it & just buy me a (one-way) plane ticket. :) Please do.

7. If you had a book written about you and your life, what would you want the title to be?

Dang, this is a toughie. I have absolutely no idea. Maybe "Fabulous Fulfillment" - :)

8. What would you want your 15 minutes of fame to be for?


For donating an organ to someone who really needed it and some really cool ironic or coincidental thing happening between myself & my organ recipient.

9. Is there a hobby or activity you did when you were younger that you've given up, but wish could start again?


I really miss sleepovers with my friends. Staying up all night, talking, doing hair, playing games, prank calling people, you know...typical sleepover stuff. The only time I have a "sleepover" is when I visit my out-of-town friends for a night or weekend and need to sleep at their house, but there's not really sleepoverish things going on...you know, because we sleep. I really valued that time with my friends and miss those days so much.

10. What would be the hardest food to give up forever? (Mexican, Italian, cake, etc.)



Chocolate. Basically anything chocolate.

11. If you could be amazing at one thing, what would you want it to be?
Doing.....this:

Wow! What a trip down memory lane for me! :) I love love love reminiscing.
NOW- onto those who I wish to tag! Note: I'm probably not going to tag 11 people. I know, I'm a party pooper! But I'll tag those who blog the most who I think have the slightest bit chance that they'll wanna do something fun like this too! :)
And I choose...
Meredith from The Davis'
Joy from Just The Three of Us
Ashley from Life With Busy Bea
Winter from Deeper Than The Ocean
Erica from My Life as a Ledbetter
Abby from The Randomness of Abby
Laura from Taylor Tales 


Now...your questions are...
1. What is the happiest movie you've ever seen? What's the saddest?
2.  What's the biggest lesson you think you learned in 2011?
3. What bold thing are you just scared to death to try?
4. What is the most out-of-place thing in your purse?
5. What's your favorite app on your smartphone? And if you don't have a smartphone, why in the heck not?
6. Are you Team Kim or Team Kris Humphries?
7. What's one thing you would tell your 16-year-old self?
8. Who is your celebrity look-a-like?
9. What websites do you visit on a daily basis?
10. What's something on YouTube you want to share with others?
11. What is your favorite quote or Bible verse?


Now I can't wait to see who responds! I love stuff like this. :)

I can't do everything but I need to do more.

"You can't do everything." -My dad

My dad warned me of this when I was a teenager. When I was in middle school & high school, trying to run here & there, participate in this & that, make two parties in one night, you know, typical crazy  busy-people things. I don't know if it was age or exhaustion, but I finally realized that {bracing myself to say this} but... My. Dad. Was. Right.

After a long day of working, I would love love love to: eat dinner, spend time with my grandparents, watch some TV shows, do some laundry, do the dishes, blog, read for pleasure, do a nightly devotion.....oh, and see my boyfriend.  The bad thing is is that my nights usually look a little something like this: Work til 6:30-7:00ish, go to my grandparents to eat dinner (kill two birds with one stone), get home around 8ish, thank God my boyfriend doesn't mind traveling to BFE to come hang out with me, watch a couple shows with Mom & Alex, head to bed to play on my phone for a little while I "wind down" & hope to be asleep before 11:30. {It takes me forever to get to sleep.} Guess what didn't get done: everything else.

I don't know what's going on with me, but I am a super sleeper lately. I should say super napper instead of super sleeper because it takes me forever to get to sleep & it is an act of Congress to get me out of the bed in the mornings.  Alex  blames soft drinks, of course, but that's a risk I feel like I'm going to have to take right now. ;) BUT- this weekend, let me tell you, I have slept like a DOG! I have napped until I felt guilty. I have slept, slept, and slept some more. I chalked it up to saying on Twitter, "Saturdays are for being lazy," and "Sundays are for church and napping."

Now, one could argue that I can't get anything done if I nap, but I am being serious when I say that I have felt SUCH the need to sleep sleep and sleep some more lately. I don't know why! But, I know I've got a busy week ahead & I've got to be prepared, and hit the ground running! That is my plan, so, tonight I spend my Sunday evening catching up on paperwork from work, and feeling SUPER rested after a FOUR hour NAP after church this morning. SERIOUSLY. I have slept this weekend away!!

How does that tie in with the quote from my dad? I don't know. I think I'm procrastinating again but I DO think I had a point. And I think that point is: I can't do everything, but I need to find a way to do more.

So, the weekend's almost over. I must go back to work.
I need to figure out a better plan though because this not getting anything done crap is for the birds.
One thing I can say proudly is that FACEBOOK has not been the reason for me not getting things done.
I can proudly say that I have spent 6 whole days OFF of Facebook and I haven't really missed it have only missed it a little. :) Yay me!
I'll be honest: I am tweeting more but, I mean, come on! {I will work on it. I promise.}

Until then: holler at me on twitter: @nsykes0921 -- say hello! I would love to know who actually reads these durn things. :)

Where I've been, and where I haven't...

Life has officially taken over. As I began my transition to full-time outpatient therapist and clinical evaluator, I found my time consumed with work, playing catch-up, and making sure I am set to begin this career. I've been doing research, getting organized, and taking my time to make sure I am getting done all that I am required to do for this new position.  I am so thankful the time has actually come for me to be able to do what I went to school to do, what I believe I was Called to do. The only thing is: I am a TOTAL newbie. I have little experience. I am so so new to this. The to-do list for an outpatient therapist in a non-private-practice mental health facility is ever-growing. I not only have to figure out what I was originally supposed to do, and how to do it correctly the first time, but I am having to figure out what all this & that paperwork is and when it's required, etc. for all the new responsibilities of us therapists! It's a lot to take in, but I am trying! I am grateful for my job, and the experience, and the supportive co-workers I have, and the supervision that is provided free of charge! {Supervision can get EXPENSIVE!} And y'all know I'm grateful for that pay raise. CFNC is knocking at my door & it's about time I let them in so we can hang out for the next 100 years. {Grr!} Luckily Dave Ramsey Alex is on top of my finances & is getting me on track to succeed! I am so thankful for him, and for his love for organized & successful finances! Even if it does mean that I have zero privacy when it comes to money.

So, between that & my mission to simply my life, that's where I've been.

Speaking of...I'm doing a couple extra things to get my life on the right track!

I am officially o-f-f of Facebook! Can you BELIEVE it?!?! I don't know how long it'll last, but right now, I'm not missing it. A friend of mine sat at the restaurant for three hours had lunch and I became convinced that I should get off Facebook think about getting off Facebook. I have a million reasons why, and maybe one day I'll share those, but...

I became 100% convinced that I should get off of Facebook during our first night meeting for our Made to Crave small group. More on that later, BUT, I basically realized Facebook is something I crave, just as much as I crave FOOD!! Stupid crazy, so something had to give. I am on Day 2 without Facebook and honestly, I haven't even missed it......yet.

Now I swear if I found a good makeup train case my life would be a lot less cluttered!! :) I'm working on that.

He Qualifies The Chosen

Jacob cheated.

Peter had a temper.

David had an affair.

Noah got drunk.

Jonah ran from God.

Moses commited murder.

Giedon was insecure.

Miriam gossiped.

Martha worried.

Thomas doubted.

Sara was impatient.

Elijah was moody.

Zacchaeus was short.

Abraham was old,

& Lazarus was dead!!

GOD DOESN'T CHOOSE THE QUALIFIED,

HE QUALIFIES THE CHOSEN!!!

Thankful in 2012

Lots has gone on since the last time I posted. Christmas and New Years came and went. Christmas was far from normal & probably one of my worsts. When I'm feeling kinda of blah, like I am right now, I like to stop, snap back to reality, and remember all the things that the good Lord has blessed me with!! I need a reminder every now and then of things I am thankful for, of things I have been given, of things I probably typically overlook or take for granted. 

Let me start off by saying that GOD DOES WORK!! I have nothing but thankfulness and joy in my heart when reporting that my Pawpaw is doing SO much better!! He is at HOME now, getting better every day!! I am so glad to have him back with us, being so glad to see us walk through the door, asking how our day was, and fussing about something he saw on the news. I wouldn't have it any other way! :)

I am super thankful for Alex's family who took me in on Christmas Day & treated me as if I was one of their own! I love them for that! Heck, I love those guys anyways! It feels so reassuring to date someone with a good Christian family. I don't know what I'd do if I had to worry about future in-laws, or passive aggressiveness, or any other negative thing other people seem to have to worry about. 

I am thankful for new beginnings! 2012 is here. It started off with a 4 day weekend and for THAT I am thankful! I needed time off, sleep, and just some good ol' R&R. It TOTALLY jacked up my sleep schedule, but heck, isn't that what the holidays are for?!

I am thankful I can say that Alex and I spent another year being able to say "happy January 4th" to each other.  9 years ago we went from best friends to boyfriend & girlfriend.  We have had our bumps in the road but we are getting stronger every day!! I am so glad that we made it to year #9. ♥

I am thankful that my pay raise went into effect two weeks earlier than I thought it would! To some, that's nothing. But to me, that was something extra for those I love at Christmas time, and it makes me so happy to give to others!! I wish I made enough money so that I could buy people presents every time I saw something in the stores and thought, "He or she would love this!"

I am thankful for heated seats in my car, hot water coming out of my shower, and for the fact that I do not live in Boone, NC anymore!! Man oh man I am sick of the cold weather already!! The thermometer in my car read 22 degrees the other morning!! That is just stupid!!

I am thankful for so much more. Really, I am. But right now, I am thankful for my bed, my comfy sheets, and my iPhone that will wake me up in time to go to the JOB I am thankful for! ;)