30 Blogs in 30 Days: Day 7: My Dream Job

Day 7 of 30 Blogs in 30 Days {Which should be called 30 blogs in 100+ days as slow as I'm going...} has me tell all about my dream job! This is ironic because I've been talking about my dream job here & there for a couple weeks now to various individuals.

I will say that. I am on my way to working at my dream job. {So far} As of right now, I think my dream job would be to do counseling of some type.  I would love to work in a hospital one day, counseling individuals dealing with adjustments of various kinds, or family members of patients.

Call me lazy if you want, but I would love love love LOVE to not have to work an 8-5 five days a week. That's probably my dream. I would love to have some down time in a week to not have to rush, to be able to space my to-do list out, or you know, a day to sleep in. ;) But if I 110% loved what I was doing, it wouldn't feel like work, and I don't know if I'd mind working 40+ hours a week.

I think my dream job would be able to schedule clients according to MY schedule, have them come see me in MY office, and to make enough money to be able to pay my student loans off A-S-A-P!

Is that too much to ask??

For now, I'm a provisionally licensed therapist. I have another 2ish years left to be supervised once a week. I can't wait to be a fully licensed therapist. For one, I'll be able to bill more insurances, and so many more doors will open for me. My company is growing so darn fast, so I'm sure there will be something of interest for me to do down the road. Until then, I'm just so glad I have the opportunity to do therapy before I'm fully licensed. I love my clients and love having the chance to gain the experience I need and to learn more and more every day.

Hopefully this Fall I'll get to start something different. That's the plan, but we'll see. I think I'll like what I'll {hopefully} be doing then. I love the company I work for so I'm very lucky to be able to have done {now} four different positions in the company, even since I've started in September. I'm just happy not having to do something I don't like doing. :)

Click here to read my other blog posts from 30 blogs in 30 days. 

30 Blogs in 30 Days: Day 6: The hardest thing I've ever had to experience

Day 6 of 30 Blogs in 30 Days: Tell about the hardest thing you ever had to experience.

This is hard for me. I've been through a lot in my life but it's hard for me to say what was the hardest. I don't like to grade my trials and tribulations on a scale of one to ten, and I don't know that I've even ever experienced a "ten." The therapist in me is reminding me {to remind you} that not everyone's "ten" is a "ten."  Some people's "fives" may be others' "tens." Some people, myself included, have been blessed to be able to say that their life could be worse. We all could really say that, but some days, I know some things are harder for others.

Side note: Did any of that make sense?!?! I just took a Benadryl {or two} and am feeling it right about now. Maybe you can tell? Anywho...

The hardest thing I've ever had to experience?

Hmm... well, it was probably when my brother lost his eyesight beginning in August 2009. {How's that affect me, you ask?} Well it was a super hard time for my family. And my brother affects me, as does my family. My parents were still together, which often times made things more difficult if you wanna know the truth. And seeing my brother go through all he went through was tough on me as a sister, especially when he took things out on me.....

Time out: I know my brother doesn't read my blog. And this is personal. And I'm choosing to share this. If he finds out what I said, so be it. If he gets mad, that sucks. But I'm trying to honest, and I hope others respect that.

.... That was probably the toughest thing. I tried my little heart out to help him in any way I could, and he was so hurt and mad at the world that he took it out on me any chance he got. You couldn't talk to him. You couldn't question anything he was doing. You couldn't provide him suggestions. And you dang sure couldn't suggest he was doing anything wrong. My brother didn't talk to me for probably a year or more. I mean he did, but as needed, and it wasn't ever good conversations.

I like to think that phase is behind us. But my family going through all we went through, as a unit, and individually as well, was not a great time for the only two siblings to be upset with each other. I think know he was mad at me, and I was mad at him for being mad at me {!!}. And I would try, and he would get mad, and I would get upset, and I would swear off ever helping him again. Until he needed something. Or I saw a way to help. {Enter that unconditional love} I would always go back to my brother, helping him in any way possible because I know that's what God wants us to do for EVERYone and I am sure He knew my brother needed me. And I'm sure He knew I could help. And I'm sure that He saw things so far down the road {today & in the future} that what seemed to be a big deal, wasn't. But that cycle of being mad/sad, getting over it, just to set myself up to get mad again wasn't getting me anywhere. And it sure the heck wasn't helping anything.

I just prayed and prayed and prayed that God would heal my relationship with my brother. And I think step by step, day by day, God is doing that. I say God because after everything that's happened {to us and between us} that the only way my brother and I can have a healthy, loving, sibling relationship is by God. I knew God would do His thang to make it happen. And He is. Slowly but surely :)

Pat's senior prom ~ Spring 2009

Pat's High School Graduation ~ June 2009

June 2011 at my cousin's wedding :)

Click here to read more of my 30 blogs in 30 days. 

30 Blogs in 30 Days: Day 5: Five Things That Make Me Happy

Yep, I haven't forgotten about 30 Blogs in 30 Days! I just took a detour & blogged about inexpensive makeup, Mary Kay, and George Bush's interview about 9/11. That's what my blog's all about: Blogging about whatever the heck I want, when I want! ;)

So TODAY I shall blog about whatever the heck Day 5 is supposed to be.

And day 5 is....

Five things that make me HAPPY {in no particular order} ... That'll be easy enough :)

1. Pampering myself
Any time I can find the time [and money] to pamper myself, I will. That could mean getting a pedicure, getting my favorite shellac manicure or just painting my nails, coloring my hair, getting a fresh new haircut or style [body wave not included], taking a lavender-scented bubble bath, putting masks on my hair [Lord please heal my hair], playing with makeup, $HOPPING, or getting some color on my skin [I still am on the look-out for the perfect spray tan!] - I am always looking for new ways to feel better about myself, and if giving myself a spa day does it, well, I guess I'll just have to do it. ;)

2. My boy
Alex Mullen drives me crazy, more than probably anyone, but Lord do I love that boy! 9+ years together will do that to ya! He takes care of me and makes me laugh and that's all any girl wants! He truly makes me happy and I can't imagine my life without him.

3. Capital G - O - D
Hate me for being cliche, or cheesy, or whatever you want to call me today, but I'm not joking y'all.. a lot's going on in my life, and a lot has gone on in my life. I can't imagine where I would be without my God. I can't imagine where I would be without the hope I have in Him. I can't imagine how anyone gets through anything negative [and healthily] without Jesus. He is truly my strength, my hope, my joy, and my future! I know that no matter what happens, He is there with me, guiding me along, bringing happiness to me in the oddest of ways. And for that I am thankful! :)

4. Doing what I do
I love my job. I love that I have the opportunity to assist others in bettering their lives. Doing therapy has given me the opportunity to help people see the bigger picture, feel better about themselves, improve their family, improve their relationships, and deal better [in more healthy & appropriate ways] with the things going on in their lives. Making them happier and healthier makes ME happy as well!

5. Hang Time
Being with my friends, hanging out, doing nothing or doing something fun, or even doing something stupid makes me really happy. I love all of my friends, past and present! I don't know what I'd do without some of them. We're all super busy, and have our own things going on, so it makes me really happy to get to spend time with them. We always end up laughing and what's not happy about that?!

an oldie but a goodie :) 

Inventory Sale Still Going On!

I'm having an inventory $ALE!!

Everything on this list below I have on-hand and can be yours for 25% off!

You can contact me at my *NEW* Mary Kay email address: nicoleformarykay@yahoo.com to order, comment on this blog, or find me on Facebook or Twitter (nsykes0921).

3-in-1 Cleanser- Normal/Dry

Acne Treatment Gel

Age Fighting Lip Primer

Age Fighting Moisturizer- Normal/Dry

Beauty Blotters Oil-Absorbing Tissues

Blush- Citrus Bloom

Compact Cheek Brush

Compact Mini

Compact Powder Brush

Concealer- Beige 1

Crème Lipstick- Red

Crème Lipstick- Shell

Day Solution

Eye Applicators

Eyeliner- Black

Eyeliner- Deep Brown

Eyeliner- Olive

Eyescicles Eye Color- Island Bronze

Eyeshadow- Black Pearl

Eyeshadow- Blue Metal

Eyeshadow- Iris

Eyeshadow- Lemon Grass

Eyeshadow- Midnight Star

Eyeshadow- Precious Pink

Foundation Primer

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE- Color Burst Mini Eye Brush Set

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE- Premium Tweeze & Soothe Set

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE- Satin Hands Trial Set

Liquid Lip Color- Cherry Coffee

Liquid Lip Color- Malted

Mineral Powder Brush

Mineral Powder Foundation- Beige 0.5

Mineral Powder Foundation- Beige 1

Mineral Powder Foundation- Beige 2

Mineral Powder Foundation- Bronze 3

Mineral Powder Foundation- Bronze 5

Mineral Powder Foundation- Ivory 0.5

Nourishine Lip Gloss- Berry Sparkle

Nourishine Lip Gloss- Fancy Nancy

Nourishine Lip Gloss- Starry

Oil Mattefier

Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

Satin Lips SET

Subtle Tanning Lotion

Trial Miracle Set- Combination/Oily

Trial Miracle Set- Normal/Dry

Ultimate Mascara- Black

Waterproof Mascara- Black

Weekender Eye Pencil- Classic Navy

Weekender Eye Pencil- Sage

Weekender Eye Pencil- Turquoise Waters

Weekender Eye Pencil- White Wash

Weekender Lip Pencil- Pink Sand

**$5 flat shipping rate on all orders, no matter what all you order! -- That is IF I have to ship it to ya, but I'll try to meet up with you to give you the order myself! :) 

ENJOY! 

George W's 9/11 Interview

Disclaimer: One minute I'm blogging about Mary Kay sales, the next minute I am blogging about George W. Bush and 9/11. Welcome to my blog! :) I obviously blog about whatever the heck I wanna blog about. :) 

This morning, I'm at home watching the George W. Bush 9/11 interview on National Geographic (which apparently I will be watching a lot more of now, particularly because of my new-found fascination with the Amish population).

So, about this 9/11 interview...

Think what you want about our past President or judge his actions made during that time, if you want, and if you feel like you're in a position to judge anyone. But remember this: he is just a man, just one person, in the same state of shock, and terror, and more overwhelmed than any of us thought we were, and had some super major decisions to make. I don't think any of us would be prepared for a situation like that. And I'm glad I wasn't the one that had to deal with all that stress, fear, and turmoil.

Here's some great George W. Bush quotes from this interview that I felt led to share :::

"My first reaction was, "Whodahell would do that to "Amurica""?"

Now, this isn't as serious as the following quotes, but I thought this was appropriate. This just shows that he is human. He is man. And he is Texan. I love George Bush's accent, and it's only appropriate that SNL makes fun of it, because I mean dang, it's country as heck! Okay... back to some seriousness...

In regards to him being informed of the terrorist attacks while he was in front of a small group of elementary-school children:
I think it's so judgmental for people to comment on his reactions in the classroom [in front of the CHILDREN] after he heard the news. I'm glad he specified why he did what he did though [for those of who like to judge]. He said he knew a lot of people were going to be watching his reactions to these crises. He said he made the decision not to jump up immediately because did not want to rattle the kids. He said he had a moment of clarity in the classroom with those children, that his job was to protect. And I guess in that moment, he thought [and I think a lot of us agree] that it was in those children's best interests for him to keep his cool. Y'all know he wanted to get up, start screaming, panic, and cuss up a storm. And we're going to judge him for sitting there for a few more moments in an attempt to not freak a bunch of elementary school-aged children out???

I didn't know that the first time he addressed the country, it was in the room full of children, parents, and teachers. They thought he was going to compliment them on their school's reading program, but instead were informed that the country had been attacked. What an experience! How shocking! It makes me want to Google that video & see the reactions from those behind him. That blows my mind. Can you imagine?

"The most powerless I felt was when I watched people jumping to their death on TV

and there was nothing I could do about it.

I said, "Let's go to Washington." I wanted to be in Washington DC as the Commander in Chief at a time of war. And I needed to be in the Capitol making the decisions necessary to protect the home land and to recover from the initial attacks. .... And [the head of the Secret Service] said, "You're not going back to Washington." I said, "What dahell you talkin' bout, man? I'm the President of the United States. We're going back. I need to be there."

"We didn't know if there had been any other commercial airlines that had been hijacked. So the first decision I made, on Air Force One, was to give our Air Force orders to shoot down any commercial aircraft that did not respond to our orders to land. It would have been awfully difficult for an Air Force pilot to shoot down a commercial airliner full of our citizens, and yet, that was a decision I made because I thought it was the best way to protect our country at that point in time." 

I feel like I'm semi-educated on the events of 9/11 and I did not know that. What a decision to make! And he commented on the guilt he felt when he learned that Flight 93 had crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania, thinking that it was due to those orders he had made until he learned that it was also a terrorist attack. Seriously, this man had so much to deal with this day. He was in charge of our country and it was under attack! Can you imagine the pressure?? The feelings of responsibility?? I can't.

"This is what war looks like in the 21st century."

"You never know what it's like to be a war-time President until the moment occurs. I never campaigned on 'Please elect me, I'll be the kind of war-time chief you'll be proud of. The war came upon us unexpectantly. And at that point in time you just deal with the issues. And there's certain gravity, of course, that comes when you start making decisions that involve life. It wasn't one of these moments when you can weigh the consequences or think about the politics. You decide. And I made the decisions as best I could in the fog of war. But i was determined, determined to protect the country, and determined to find out who did it and go get 'em." 

I'm also glad he said that. I never realized until he said that that no, presidential candidates don't focus on their crisis intervention plans, or their history of emergency-handling when campaigning to be President. They focus on money, and their stance on abortion, and what they want to do with welfare, and unemployment. They're all realistic in that sense. I bet none of them know what they'd do when they are put in a position such as this. So they skirt the issue, and hope that if the win, they don't have to find out. And if you are put in a position like this, like George Bush was, then you just do what you've gotta do, and hope it's a good decision.

"One of my concerns, like the concerns of other husbands and/or wives, was, "Was my spouse okay?" Was Laura okay? And my second concern was, "Are our girls okay?" It took a while to find her. She was in a secure location. And it was awesome to hear her comforting voice, and she had talked to the girls, and said they were okay, so, that was a relief for me." 

Aww! This [again] just goes to show you that he's human. He's a husband and a father. He's worried and afraid, and just wants his family to be okay too. The comfort of a spouse really is what we probably all want in a time of crisis. And he's no exception.

"It was in this moment that I made the decision that I'm going back to Washington over the objections of just about everybody else. I'd had it. I said, "I need to get home." A lot had developed, and it was important to wrap the day up with a Presidential speech assuring people that the government was functioning and responding, and that we would take the appropriate actions necessary to protect our country. And I damn sure wasn't gonna give it from a bunker in Nebraska. I wanted to give it from the Oval Office. I didn't want the enemy to have the psychological victory of a President speaking from a bunker in the heartland of our country, and not speaking from the Capitol that had been attacked. So I told the head of the Secret Service, "I'm coming home," and they prepared the flight and off we went. 

"There were firefighters, police men and women, and rescue workers lining the way. I decided I was going to shake every hand."

“Eventually, September 11 will be a day on the calendar; it’ll be like Pearl Harbor Day. For those of us who lived through it, it’ll be a day that we’ll never forget.”

This really was a great interview. It was completely apolitical so no matter what side of the fence you stand on, if you're an American, I'm sure you'll appreciate hearing it.

Did you see it?

What did you think about it? 

Tell me. :) 

MAJOR MARY KAY MEMORIAL DAY SALES

I am having some major Mary Kay $ALES!!

First off...until Thursday evening (no exceptions, so don't miss out!)...

This is NOT something that happens often [directors giving their consultants' customer's gifts for ordering] so get your gifts now while we're giving them away! Order for yourself, for someone else, or get a group of people together to put an order in! These are some GREAT gifts! The two new eyelash products are supposed to be a-mazing but I use all four other free gifts ALL the time and can tell you personally that they are GREAT gifts!! Stock up on your favorite products or look through your cosmetics now and see what you're going to need to re-order soon anyways, do it a little earlier, and get a free gift, or three! ;) 

Contact me at my *NEW* Mary Kay email address: nicoleformarykay@yahoo.com to order, comment on this blog, or find me on Facebook or Twitter (nsykes0921) before it's too late!!

**Also, just to give you an idea- (For example) Order $50 and all of these free gift options are $30-$38 in value!! That's a deal!! No joke!! 

Also...
I'm having an inventory $ALE!!
Everything on this list below I have on-hand and can be yours for 25% off!
*These items on sale below aren't included in the My Director's Gone Crazy $ALE above, but you CAN order whatever you want to include in the sale above! I just have to order the stuff you order for the sale above and the stuff below I had on-hand.
Check this list out below & see if you want anything for 25% off! :)
Again,  you can contact me at my *NEW* Mary Kay email address: nicoleformarykay@yahoo.com to order, comment on this blog, or find me on Facebook or Twitter (nsykes0921).

3-in-1 Cleanser- Normal/Dry

Acne Treatment Gel

Age Fighting Lip Primer

Age Fighting Moisturizer- Normal/Dry

Beauty Blotters Oil-Absorbing Tissues

Blush- Citrus Bloom

Compact Cheek Brush

Compact Mini

Compact Powder Brush

Concealer- Beige 1

Crème Lipstick- Red

Crème Lipstick- Shell

Day Solution

Eye Applicators

Eyeliner- Black

Eyeliner- Deep Brown

Eyeliner- Olive

Eyescicles Eye Color- Island Bronze

Eyeshadow- Black Pearl

Eyeshadow- Blue Metal

Eyeshadow- Iris

Eyeshadow- Lemon Grass

Eyeshadow- Midnight Star

Eyeshadow- Precious Pink

Foundation Primer

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE- Color Burst Mini Eye Brush Set

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE- Premium Tweeze & Soothe Set

FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE- Satin Hands Trial Set

Liquid Lip Color- Cherry Coffee

Liquid Lip Color- Malted

Mineral Powder Brush

Mineral Powder Foundation- Beige 0.5

Mineral Powder Foundation- Beige 1

Mineral Powder Foundation- Beige 2

Mineral Powder Foundation- Bronze 3

Mineral Powder Foundation- Bronze 5

Mineral Powder Foundation- Ivory 0.5

Nourishine Lip Gloss- Berry Sparkle

Nourishine Lip Gloss- Fancy Nancy

Nourishine Lip Gloss- Starry

Oil Mattefier

Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

Satin Lips SET

Subtle Tanning Lotion

Trial Miracle Set- Combination/Oily

Trial Miracle Set- Normal/Dry

Ultimate Mascara- Black

Waterproof Mascara- Black

Weekender Eye Pencil- Classic Navy

Weekender Eye Pencil- Sage

Weekender Eye Pencil- Turquoise Waters

Weekender Eye Pencil- White Wash

Weekender Lip Pencil- Pink Sand

**$5 flat shipping rate on all orders, no matter what all you order! -- That is IF I have to ship it to ya, but I'll try to meet up with you to give you the order myself! :) 

ENJOY! 

Target & Ulta Haul - My 1st Cosmetic Haul Blog Post

Warning :: This is a super long blog about inexpensive cosmetics. :)

Last night, me and a couple of my favorite co-workers had a girls night doing nails, hair, and makeup. I love our girls nights! It's good to know you have friends, married or not, that will always take time after work to hang out every now and then. You should never be too busy for your girlfriends! Anyways, this girls night just happened to fall the night before payday, so, I just had to make a trip to Ulta and Target to get some new cosmetics while I was in Gastonia the next day.  I'm pretty excited about my new random items, so I thought I'd share them with you! :) Let me know if you've ever tried any of this stuff, and send me any suggestions you have for next pay period! ;) I know my next big purchase is a Sigma Essentials Brush Kit. I can NOT wait for this, but, that'll be coming in a few weeks. For now, I bought 13 inexpensive items to try! :) 

#1 :: e.l.f. Studio Makeup Mist & Set - $3 

Ashley, who basically needs to just needs to become a cosmetologist, was using this setting spray. She swore by the stuff and showed us a "before" and "after" of what the stuff does. The BEST thing about this stuff was that it was a whopping $3 at Target! It's worth that just to try! I'm horrible at explaining things, so I'll copy & paste to you the website description of the stuff.

"Wish you could have a product for your makeup like Hairspray is for your hair? Well…keep your makeup staying in place all day with a radiance boosting invisible hold with our new Makeup Mist & Set. The invigorating mist moisturizes and soothes the skin with key ingredients Aloe, Green Tea, Cucumber and Vitamins A, C & E. The lightweight, comfortable and alcohol free formula improves makeup wearability and prevents color from running or fading."

She just sprayed some sprays on our friend's face, told her to keep her eyes closed, fanned her face for a couple seconds, and was good to go! I can't wait to try the stuff on myself. Remind me to let you know how I like it. [Y'all know I'm bad at following up.]

#2 :: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Shampoo and Conditioner - $5.39 each

Y'all know I'm all about trying new hair products lately, especially after my "body wave" incident. I saw this at Target for $5.39 and it had 30% more (13 oz. versus the normal 10 oz.) and each [I got the shampoo & conditioner] came with a free trial size Frizz-Ease product! That's a great deal!! Plus I need an alternative shampoo to switch up with my current K-Pak shampoo & conditioner. I got the trial sizes of the Frizz-Ease 3-day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray & the Frizz-Ease Moisture Barrier Firm Hold Hairspray. 

#3 :: e.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick - $1

For only ONE dollar, it's worth it to try! I'm always looking for cheap lip color to stash here & there. I got two shades, Pink Lemonade and Baby Lips. 

Top: Pink Lemonade
Bottom: Baby Lips

They feel a bit sticky (on my hand) so my guess is less is best! My guess is this $1 lip color is like a gloss that [hopefully] lasts longer than usual. We shall see.

#4 :: NYC Matte Me Crazy Mattifying Top Coat - $1.99

I've been browsing the selection of NYC nail polishes when I'm at Wal-Mart or Target lately. I'm fascinated by all the NYC-related polish names and y'all know I love me some NYC. I saw this Matte Me Crazy top coat and for less than $2 I just had to try it. I've been wanting a mattifying top coat, just to play around with polish colors. Here's a blog that reviewed the polish & provides a pic to show you the difference in matte polish and...regular polish?

Here's the pic

#5 :: Lip Smacker's Strawberry-Scented "Liquid Lip Smacker" - Super cheap

This is just my to-go-to, super-cheap, make-me-feel-like-I'm-a-kid-again lip gloss. I always buy it when I see it sold individually. It's a decent gloss and smells ohhh soo good. :) Can't beat the price either!

#6 :: e.l.f. Studio Blush in Tickled Pink - $3

"The soft sheer texture blends into the skin for a silky finish. Designed to be worn alone or layered for more depth. Highlight your complexion with a subtle healthy glow!"


#7 :: e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder duo - $3

"Create a healthy and natural glow all year long. The Blush highlights the cheeks to add a flush of color, while the Bronzer accents and contours cheekbones for beautiful definition."

The only mistake I think I made was buying a blush that almost matches the blush here in this duo.  Ah well, it was $3. Lesson learned! :)

See?

#8 :: e.l.f. Studio Angled Eyeliner Brush - $3

"This new anti-bacterial, synthetic-haired Taklon brush is softer and more absorbent and can be used with wet or dry products. Be a professional makeup artist and create a flawless look with this e.l.f. Studio brush! This thin pointed brush creates even and accurate color application in one fluid movement. The perfect angled tip of the brush provides exact placement for concentrated color right up to the lash line. Use to apply eyeliner for perfect color application."

I'm going to try it with my new matte black eyeshadow (#11) for my lower lash line which is such a pain for me! Wish me luck!

#9 :: e.l.f. Waterproof Eyeliner Pen - $1

"Get no smudge with no-budge eyeliner, which creates a fabulous and fresh look of precision that lasts for hours. The smooth pen applicator easily glides on color for very fine to bold lines for effortless beauty."

For one dollar, why not try? I'm always looking for a new favorite eyeliner, especially for those lower lash lines! I'll have to try this tomorrow while I'm laying out by the pool :)

#10 :: Maybelline Eye Studio Master Shape Brow Pencil - $6.99

I THINK this is what Ashley had. Either way, I wanted to try it. She swears by visible eyebrows, but I'm so afraid I'll look like I was meant to have a unibrow, but just waxed my brows! [Do you know that look?] I'll have to try it with and without my Anastasia Beverly Hills brow stencils from Ulta and see if I have a clue what I'm doing.

#11 :: L'Oreal Hip Matte Shadow Duo in Dashing - $8.49

I really wanted a matte black eyeshadow, and went straight for the single eyeshadows in the NYX brand today at Ulta, but the one that the store had was broken [dumb] so they directed me towards this product. Hey, I mean, it's two colors instead of one, and I still have my matte black, so, I'm not too upset that $8.49 was most expensive thing I purchased today. :)

#12 :: NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder in Brunette - $5.99 ($4.50 on sale with the BOGO 1/2 off)

I'm not gonna lie. I accidently bought the Auburn/Red shade today, but will exchange it for the Brunette next time I'm in Gastonia. I previously got the Dark Brown/Brown shade(s) for Christmas, but the brows are just too dark and out-there-screaming for my liking, so I'm going to pipe it down a notch and see how much I like this "visible eyebrows" look.

And last by not least...

[Lucky] #13 :: NYX Collection Noir Skinny Black Liner - $5.99 ($4.50 on sale with the BOGO 1/2 off) 

Ah, what the heck? Ulta had NYX items at Buy One Get One 1/2 off and as I've said a couple times already in this blog post alone, I'm looking for the perfect eyeliner for my lower lash line! "Skinny" sounds like what I'm looking for, so, why not?

That's a lot of makeup! And the most expensive thing I bought was $8.49! I think I racked up and did well! Now it's just time to play in all my new makeup & see what I love, what I like, and what I can live without.

Thank you for surviving this long blog post...
I hope you got some suggestions of your own to try and again, if you know of anything that you love that's inexpensive, let me know! I'm always loving to try new things! :)

♥,
Nicole

30 Blogs in 30 Days: Day 4: 10 Things I Would Say to my 16-Year-Old Self

This is a pretty interesting one!

Hmm... let's see... what was I doing when I was 16???

In September of 2003, I was starting my junior year of high school, so "16" was basically my junior year & the summer after.

Alex and I were on and off {of course} and I had some pretty great times with some pretty great friends.

Here's some random pics from my 16-year-old days...

Golfing with Alex for his 18th birthday

"Fab 4" night of trouble... 

There's a funny story that goes with the picture above.

I will sum it up with a Facebook photo comment from Summer (2nd from the right):

"hahahahahahahaha...i still can see you flipping out of the back of the truck..hahaha...and the car coming and you almost getting ran over...i thought you were dead...but of course im glad you're ok and everything but you know that was the funniest thing ever when you look back on it...lol" 

Good times, y'all, good times...

My 16th Birthday... at Hooters after the football game, lol

Oh you know, riding around ;) Taking pictures...
With that old Nokia phone- everyone who was cool had one ;) 

Junior Girls Christmas Party at my house

Christmas dance
I was in a "bold" phase

Homecoming Pep Rally with Alex
Look how young & skinny we were!

Softball girlies :) 

When you want a specific tan line, you wear 2 bathing suits.
You can do that when you're skinny.

My future college roomie!! Who knew?! :)

My twinsie, Meredith ♥

I definitely just scrounged through my old Webshots account and whatever is left of my Facebook pictures from this "era" and reminisced for about an hour. {Way to be productive, Nicole!} 

Oh, yeah....10 things I would tell my 16-year-old self.... 

1. You've got it, so flaunt it! You will start taking Depo-Provera next year, and your body will never like you again. 
2. I know you think you're overweight, but YOU. ARE. NOT. You can't compare your body to your peers' bodies. You wanna compare it to something? Compare it to your OWN body, 8 years later. You'll think twice and want to wear bikinis everywhere you go! 
3. Your hair was cute short. But at some point, please let it grow long.
4. You look beautiful without a ton of makeup! 
5. You're going to have fun. Things are going to get crazy. Live it up. You'll grow more cautious later. 
6. When Alex gets super controlling and psycho on you, don't call him. "It's meant to be," so don't call him. He'll act like he won't miss you, because he's young and big and bad, but do your own things. He'll miss you a lot. And he'll be a much better man eight years later, so, do what you've gotta do. 
7. Realize how lucky you are. You're surrounded by so many awesome things, memories, and people! Not everyone's so lucky.
8. Hoes before bros. 
9. Learn how to study, PLEASE. And get better grades. You're too smart to get lower grades just because you're lazy. 
10. Family is important too. 

*****

Stay tuned for Day 5: Five Things That Make You Most Happiest Right Now

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30 Blogs in 30 Days: Day 3: My Relationship with my Parents

On Day 3 of 30 Blogs in 30 Days, I'm supposed to describe my relationship with my parents. This is a little awkward, because it's not something I talk to about to everyone.  Sometimes I'm personal on my blog, but I'm never super personal. My relationship with my parent(s) is a very personal issue to me. It's a unique relationship & not one that everyone can relate to. 

my mom:

I often tell my Mawmaw, who is like my mother, that my Mom annoys me.  Today she said something to me that I will never forget.  She said, "What if you had to go see your mom where I had to go see mine?" My grandmother frequently reminds me that there's nobody like your mother and you are only given one mother in your life. I need that reminder sometimes.

The truth is that I have learned a lot from my Mom. I've learned how to be a good friend, to put others first, to love unconditionally, and a number of things to apply to my life once I become a mother.  My mom's great. She puts up with more than she should and would give someone her last dime if it would benefit someone else. She's hilarious and fun to be around. A lot of things she does to make others laugh, she does unintentionally, which makes her even funnier. I love my mom and can't imagine my life without her. I'm grateful for all her sacrifices and attempts to help make me who I am today. 

"I know you were on my side, even when I was wrong

And I love you for giving me your eyes,

for staying back and watching me shine

And I didn't know if you knew,

so I'm taking this chance to say

that I had the best day, with you, today..."

-Taylor Swift

my dad:

Ahhh, "PD"... can't live with him, can't live without him. He's a character, that's for sure. He's the kind that doesn't try to be funny, but is, in a not-laughing-with-him kind of way. We have had our ups and downs, that's for sure. But what Mawmaw says about mothers also applies to fathers, and I think some time in the past three years or so, I have found forgiveness and unconditional love for my father. He raised me. When I realized how big of a Momma's boy my brother was going to be, I quickly learned me and Dad needed to be a team. He's done some pretty crappy things in the past, but I try to remind myself of all the good he's done. He's a super hard worker. He's a product of my grandfather's generation and [I know deep down] that he lives his life knowing right from wrong.  He has morals in surprising times and he has a huge heart. People often don't know that about him. He gets his feelings hurt and he would do anything for anyone. He's a country boy redneck, Rock-n-Roll loving man but the Lord loves him, as do I! 

"You don't choose your family.

They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."

-Desmond Tutu

*****

Stay tuned for Day 4: 10 Things I Would Tell My 16-year-old Self

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30 Blogs in 30 Days: Day 2: Three Legitimate Fears

Three legitimate fears?

I could say things like spiders, bugs in general, rats, and other yucky things and be totally serious. But I don't think that's what the purpose of this blog is.

So, I'll be honest.

For YEARS I had reoccurring nightmares. I had nightmares regarding end times, terrorist attacks, machine guns, devastating tidal waves, etc.  Someone I knew and loved always died in these dreams and I would wake up terrified every now.  I remember as a super young child, I had nighmares.  I slept with my brother's hard as a rock Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle because my dad told me that it would fight off my bad dreams.  Crazy thing is is that he was right.  When I slept with the TMNT I would never have a bad dream, so of course I slept with it every. single. night.  I think my parents thought "that CAN'T be comfortable" so they got me this cat. It was a gray stuffed cat that "purred" when you shook it. Why you would shake the cat, I don't know, but nevertheless.  The movie "Andre" had just come out, or I had just watched it, and was in LOVE with the cat. So, obviously I named the cat Andre and slept with it until I was in 8th grade.  I don't know but I THINK my parents did something with the cat when I forgot to take it to a friend's house. I think they thought I was a little too old for that kind of thing. For that, today, I thank them. But anyways {I think I'm on a tangent now}...I am a firm believer that nightmares are "all in your head" because I could literally control my nightmares by whether or not I slept with this cat. I figured this out sometime in middle school because I did experiments to see whether or not I would have nightmares depending on whether or not I slept with this cat.  Fast forward six to eight years and I had a bout of nightmares again.  Alex and I weren't together at the time and I would call him just to make sure he was okay because I would have horrible nightmares about him dying. {Crazy, right?} I seriously started praying about relieving my nightmares and repeated Scripture to myself and would hang Bible verses around my apartment.  That totally worked. God is so good!!

So...I guess you could say that these crazy nightmares are a fear of mine, or whatever was in my dream is the fear. I don't know. All I know is I don't want to go through that season ever again.

That was a long #1... {sorry!}

The second thing that I am legitimately afraid of is my home being broken into or catching on fire. I've had neighbors houses catch on fire and I've had people I know have their homes broken into while they were home. Movies don't help this fear either. Knowing these things happen, every day, to people who aren't expecting it at all makes it that much more scary.  I also have reoccurring dreams that my house is catching on fire and I know it's happening, and I devise a plan to get what I can or what I feel like I can't live without before the fire gets to the part of the house that I'm in. {Crazy, right? I'm sure that means something.}

And, shoot me now for being so cliche, but losing someone I love is probably a biggest fear of mine. I lost my first grandparent when I was young, and haven't had to deal with someone I love dearly passing away since then.  My grandmother's currently in an escalated state of dementia, and I haven't seen her since she lost a lot of her memory. That is going to be SO hard and I pray that I don't just cry my eyes out the next time I'm with her. My Mawmaw and Pawpaw are my grandparents that have always lived in my hometown, so I grew up seeing them more. They are literally my favorite people in the world and I have no earthly idea how I will get through it if anything ever happens to them. The thing is- I know it will, one day, and like I said, I have no earthly idea how I will get through it. The same goes for Alex. If something happened to him, I'd be so lost and I'd probably never get over it.

Great, now I'm in a super gloomy mood before bed. :/

Next up!: Day 3: Describing my relationship with my parents... Stay tuned!!

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30 Blogs in 30 days: Day 1: 20 Random Facts

I am stealing this idea from my good friend Becky Chambers. It's a great way to get your blog readers to know you, and, what I'm thinking, is for me to reflect on things about myself as well! So, here it goes! :)

And, if y'all know me, y'all know I have every intention of seeing this to the end. However, I'm gonna be honest & say that it won't be an every day thing... but I will definitely attempt to do each day! Deal? Deal!

Day 1 is pretty fun! It's 20 random facts about me!

1. I am a therapist. 
2. I lived in Boone, NC for three years, but I HATE cold winter weather. 
3. I stay far far away from scary movies or I'll have nightmares.
4. And by scary I mean movies with massive tidal waves or end-times scenarios.
5. There is no sport I care to watch on television.
6. I am extremely impulsive. Especially when it comes to cutting and coloring my hair.
7. I judge people if they misuse they're, their, and there. I also hate to see misspelled words. But I am completely ignorant when it comes to grammar.
8. I feel the absolute NEED to go to New York City. 
9. I want a yellow room in every future home of mine. But a very particular shade of yellow.
10. I don't have any close girl friends that I've had even almost my whole life. And this makes me sad.
11. I have some seriously crazy family members. 
12. My Pawpaw is the best man I know, and I want to be just like my Mawmaw when I grow up. 
13. I don't think I will ever be able to quit drinking yellow soft drinks. 
14. There's a good percent that I will lose my eyesight someday. And that's okay with me.
15. I get emotional when retelling stories... of special moments on television. Especially when discussing series finales. Dumb, I know. 
16. I am one of the few people who don't feel the need to bash my hometown.  It's done nothing to me and I actually love my little hometown.  I don't necessarily wish to always live here, but there's absolutely nothing I have against it.  Lincolnton has a special place in my heart. :)  
17. I've been dating my boyfriend {on and off} for 9+ years. And I want to drop kick anyone who asks me why we're not engaged.  If you're wondering, let me know, & I will give you his phone number & you can ask Alex yourself. ;)
18. My dog is completely psychotic. 
19. I can not stand the new Lily character on Modern Family. Am I the only one?!
20. I basically don't know how to do much of anything domestic. I'm going to make a horrible wife. Which probably has something to do with the answer relating to #17. But I want to learn!! I get points for that, right?? 

Stay tuned for Day 2: Three Legitimate Fears...

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Friday's Food for Thought

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This is oh so darn true and this has become more visible to me this week than ever before!

At times, you want to be right.

You will twist and turn any way you can just so at the end of the day You. Are. Right.  

Other days, it's about battles- and picking your battles wisely.

Alex has said before, "What good is it to win the battle and lose the war?"

I am raising him right! ;) Haha... {Juuuuust kidding}- but no really, what good is it?!

Sometimes it's better to be KIND and EMPATHETIC.

You know, ask yourself, "Would I want to be treated this way?"

And if the answer is a big fat N-O, then rearrange how you're going about doing whatever it is you're doing.

Also, sometimes you just need to sit still, stop talking, and LISTEN.

Others have things to say as well, and often times they will make good, valid points.

Sometimes it's even for your benefit to listen to others so you don't make the same mistake again. 

What's the most important, though, is-- when you stop worrying about being right, and start being kind, and stop what you're doing, and listen to others, and you realize that maybe, just maybe, you are not right you realize you need to APOLOGIZE.

Is it the end of the world?? I think not. 

It may or may not be a bruise to your ego, but consider it one of life's lessons and move on and GROW from the experience, rather than being stubborn, rude, "right," and inconsiderate. 

But hey, that's just my opinion.  

Happy Monday

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Those in the mental health field may find this a bit funnier than others, but poor, poor Monday... he has so many haters!! 

Happy Monday y'all!! 

♥,

Nicole