Liebster Award

Hello Everybody, 

I was nominated by Adriana Reis for the Liebster Award.  The link to her blog is http://adrianareis.blogspot.co.uk  The Liebster Award is an award that recognizes new bloggers and helps to promote them, so a big THANK YOU to Adriana for nominating me and my blog!

There are a few rules for this award and they are as follows:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and put a link to their blog in your post.
2. Answer 10 questions that are given by the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate and link 10 bloggers (with less than 200 followers.)
4. Create 10 new questions to ask your nominees.


These were my Questions:

1. Why did you start blogging?  I started blogging as a hobby and it has turned into a kind of therapeutic thing for me.  I really enjoy it and a goal of mine is to one day make money from my blog.  That would be amazing!

2.What is the best holiday that you have been on?  It's been awhile since I have gone on a vacation, but I am looking forward to going to Florida in September.

3.What is your go to beauty product?  My go to beauty product is probably mascara, but I also love me some blush and eyeshadow....I really love all make-up so it's kind of hard for me to choose!  Haha!!

4. What is the best blog post you have read this year?  The best blog post I have read this year is probably one written by Aisling's Beauty Bytes called 75 blog post ideas for when you're lacking inspiration.  Great post and very helpful!!!!

5. What is your must have clothing item?  My must have clothing item has to be leggings.  They are so comfy and they are super easy to style.

6. What is a travel destination you want to visit?  I would love love love to visit Brighton, UK.

7. What's your favorite blog you follow?  My favorite blog that I follow is Zoella.  http://www.youtube.com/user/zoella280390  She is amazing!!!!!

8. If you were on a deserted island, what three items would you take with you?  I would have to take some books/magazines, some sun screen and a hammock!  Just saying!!

9.  What is your favorite book you have read this year?  My favorite book this year is The Secret.

10.  What is your number 1 goal this year?  My goal this year is to learn to accept myself the way I am and stop comparing myself to others.  (I do that a lot!)


My 10 questions are:

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What is your favorite band/song this year?
3. What is your favorite blog topic to read about?
4. Who is your favorite blogger?
5. What is your goal for your blog?
6. What is your favorite movie this year?
7. Who is your favorite book author?
8. What is one thing you love about yourself?
9. What is your go to beauty product?
10. What is your favorite dessert?


My nominees are:

http://allmyloveamanda.com
http://www.lovefromloi.co.uk
http://alaamber.wix.com/alaamber
http://thediyhomelife.com/
http://livingasmcbrides.blogspot.com/
http://paledelune.wordpress.com
http://whatmaffsaid.blogspot.co.uk/
http://nevertooexperienced.wordpress.com/
http://comealongbeth.blogspot.co.uk
http://brunchandvogue.com/


So there ya go...I hope you all have enjoyed reading my answers and will all participate in this award and help get some new bloggers recognized!  This is truly amazing and I give so much thanks to Adriana Reis for nominating me.

-XO
Danielle

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Hello Everybody, 

I am bringing you another recipe for cheesecake stuffed strawberries....Two recipes in one day....Y'all are lucky little ducks...haha!!!

Anyways, I found this recipe online and I just had to share it with y'all.  It looks so delicious and I couldn't not share with you guys.  This recipe is pretty simple and not very time consuming so it shouldn't take too long to make.

Ingredients:

1 pack of fresh strawberries
8 oz block of cream cheese (room temp.)
1/4 cup of confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 pack of graham crackers



Directions:

• Cut the stems off of the strawberries and hollow them out. 
• Crush up the graham crackers. 
• Mix cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla and almond extract until they are light and fluffy. (best to do with a mixer instead of whisk)
• Use a spoon and fill the strawberries with the cream cheese filling.
• Top with crushed up graham crackers

These strawberries would be great as an appetizer at a party or great to bring along on a picnic or to a family event, or even as a midnight snack.  They are so quick and simple to make and they are do delicious!

I hope you all liked this recipe and I hope you will try it out for yourselves.  Please let me know how you liked it.

-XO

Danielle

disclaimer: all photos were found on google images.

How To Make Your Own Homemade Ranch Dressing

Hello Everybody,

Today I'm back with another recipe for you.  This one comes from my amazing husband who just so happens to be a Chef.  Lucky me right?  Anyways,  He was nice enough to let me peek into his personal recipe book and share some of his very own recipes with you.  He has tons of recipes but I thought I would start off with the easier ones and eventually I will share some of the more longer ones with you all.

So as the title reads, I'm going to be sharing with you how to make your own homemade ranch dressing.

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp chives
1/2 cup dried parsley
1/2 tsp dill weed
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Simply mix all of the ingredients together and store in a container or jar.
Remember to shake or stir before each use.


Hope you all enjoy this recipe and please feel free to leave feedback in the comments.

-XO
Danielle

Wordless Post

Blushed

Hello Lovelies,

So today I'm going to change it up a bit and write a blog about make-up because I don't know about you, but I just get really inspired when it comes to anything that has to do with make-up.  I just purchased the Maybelline New York Blushed Nudes Palette.  Now Maybelline is my favorite drug store brand in make-up so obviously I had to pick up the palette and try it out. I love the palette so far and have created some pretty and simple looks with it.  My only complaint about it is that some of the colors are not as pigmented as others and you really have to swipe your brush in there to get a lot of color on it.  I find that the lighter colors are the ones you have to really dig into to get that good color.

Now if you are looking for a good dupe for the Naked 3 palette, you can't go wrong with the Blushed Nudes Palette.  This palette has a lot of similar colors as the naked 3 palette and it's at a cheaper price too.  I payed about $10 dollars for the blushed nudes palette and the naked 3 palette is around $50 dollars.

The Maybelline Blushed Nudes Palette is truly a great palette if you want to get subtle looks but still have that smokey eye.  I'm the kind of person who loves a good smokey eye but I don't look good in the darker colors like blacks and blues.  My skin tone is to pale for the darker colors so I try to stick to the nude colors and play around with them but it's hard trying to find a palette that has different choices of colors in them.  Most of the palettes today have the same colors in them so it's nice that there is now a palette out that has changed it up a bit and added some newer colors to its display.

Here are a few pictures of myself wearing a subtle smokey eye from the Maybelline Blushed Nudes Palette.

I am not an expert when it comes to applying make-up so I just do what I think looks good for me.  I get a lot of my inspiration from YouTube.  I love to watch the girls of the beauty community and get tips and tricks from them about how to apply make-up or what products are new and what is good or not so good.  I will list a few channels that I love to watch for make-up tutorials below so you can check them out if you want to.


YouTube Beauty Channels that Inspire me:

1.  Ciaoobelllaxo-This girl is AMAZING when it comes to applying make-up and coming up with new looks.  She is a licensed cosmetologist and she has tons of videos and tips for doing your make-up.  She is the first channel I will go to for inspiration.

2. Casey Holmes- She is another amazing beauty guru who has tons of tips to offer when it comes to doing make-up, plus she's from Georgia like me so that's another reason to go check her out...haha!!!!

3. Kait Nichole- Another great person to get tips from is this girl.  She has her own lip stick line too.  She has some amazing videos on her channel and she is very entertaining.

Okay, so I hope you all will go purchase the Maybelline Blushed Nudes Palette and try it out.  It is one of my favorite palettes that I own and it really is amazing.  Let me know in the comments what you think of it.

Until next time,

-XO
Danielle


disclaimer:  the photos of the make-up palettes I used are downloaded off of google images.

Book Review Tuesday

Hello Everybody, 

Sorry for the lack of blogs, you know how the mommy/wife life goes....Today, I'm back with a juicy new book review for you.

I am currently reading "Grey"  the fourth book from the 50 shades of grey series.  I have only read a couple chapters so far but from what I can tell, It follows along exactly with the first book "fifty shades of Grey" only it's in Christian Grey's point of view instead of Ana Steele's view.  We get to see what Christian is thinking and feeling and get into his head a lot.  It's kind of nice to get to read what he is thinking and see how he really feels about Ana.  This book unleashes Christian and lets you see where he is coming from.  Now he isn't so mysterious.

I've only read about the first 50 pages and in those pages it's already really promiscuous and really kind of provocative.  It's very detailed and very risque.  You will definitely get a better understanding of Christian in this book, which if you ask me, is kind of nice!!!!!

I'm really excited to read the rest of the book and bring you guys a better detailed review but for now, this is what I have for ya!  Hope you enjoyed this so far and I promise to bring you a better one as soon as I'm done with the book, which shouldn't be very long!!!!!!!!  I really recommend the book if you like the other three books.  It's worth reading in my eyes!

Until next time lovelies....

-XO
Danielle

Thank you All

Okay so I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have taken the time to click on my blog and follow me.  I started this blog as a hobby when I was home on maternity leave after having my second son.  I would be home all day and have nothing to do, tired of watching re-runs of Grey's Anatomy and reality TV, so I thought to myself....Why don't I give blogging a shot.  I have always wanted to have a blog but never actually took the time to create one because of reasons unknown. So I got on my computer one day and just went for it.  I still struggle sometimes with the whole "what do I blog about" thing, but I'm getting there slowly but surely.   Now, I am still learning how this blogging thing works, but I think I am getting the hang of it pretty quickly.  It's really amazing to have people read what I write.  I never thought when I started this blog that I would even have anyone interested in my life, or what I have to say, so it's really surreal to me to have already gained 30 followers.  I know that some people will say that 30 followers is nothing, but to me, it is amazing.  You all are amazing and I really appreciate that you are interested in what I have to say!   You guys don't even know how much I really appreciate you all!  This is what keeps me going with this thing.  It's kind of therapeutic for me to log on and start writing.  Does anyone else feel that way?

Anyways, enough rambling.  Thank you again to all of my followers, you are all truly awesome and I am just overly excited and happy that you all want to read my blog!  I hope I continue to post things that will interest you and keep you coming back for more.

-XO
Danielle

Wordless blog post

What is inspiring me

Hello Everybody

Sorry for the lack of blog posts these past few days....I have been really busy and so tired lately, but now I'm back and I'm bringing you a brand new blog about what is inspiring me at the current moment.

I have been reading this book, (which I will discuss in a blog really soon) called The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.  This book is so amazing,  It has a ton of inspirational and motivational quotes in it and it is filled with the information needed to become a happier person all around.

I'm going to share some of my favorite quotes thus far that really mean a lot to me and have really opened up my eyes and my thoughts about life.  

"If you see it in your thoughts, you're going to hold it in your hand."  -Bob Proctor

"Thoughts become Things." -Mike Dooley

"It's very important to have an attitude of gratitude." -Lee Brower

"The universe will start to rearrange itself to make it happen for you." -Dr. Joe Vitale

"Your thoughts and your feelings create your life.  It will always be that way, Guaranteed!" -Lisa Nichols

"You create your own universe as you go along." -Winston Churchill

"You're getting exactly what you feel about, not so much what you're thinking about." -Bob Doyle


So these are just a few quotes that have really been inspirational to me.  I really think you should all check out this book if you haven't already.  It's an amazing book and it truly one of the most inspiring books I have ever read!

Recipe Friday!

Hello Everybody, 

I'm back with another blog for ya....This time I'm coming at you with a delicious recipe to try...As promised, every Friday will be a good recipe to try out, I hope you enjoy it!!!  I have an app on my phone that has tons of delicious healthy recipes to make.  It's called Eating Well.  You can download it at the google play store or the App store if you have any apple device.  

Buffalo Chicken Wraps:

 

This recipe makes 4 servings.

Active Time:35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (any hot sauce will do)

3 tablespoons white vinegar, divided

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound chicken tenders

2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

1 cup sliced celery

1 large tomato, diced

Steps:

1. Whisk hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken tenders;  cook until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Add to the bowl with the hot sauce;  toss to coat well

3. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar in a small bowl.  Stir in blue cheese.

4.  To assemble wraps:  Lay a tortilla on a work surface or plate.  Spread with 1 tablespoon blue cheese sauce and top with one-fourth of the chicken, lettuce, celery and tomato.  Drizzle with some of the hot sauce remaining in the bowl and roll into a wrap sandwich.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

I will post a photo with the nutrition facts.  I got this recipe from the app EatingWell.  The photos are just screen shots from the recipe on the app.  

I hope you enjoy these wraps!!!!!!!!

-XO,

Danielle

Hello Everybody,

So we started giving our youngest son who is just about four months old, baby food.  He seems to really love it and despite what some people say, I think that it's okay to give your baby food as long as their little tummies can handle it.  Some people will argue with you until they're blue in the face but really it's how your baby is and what is best for him/her.  We actually gave him cereal and applesauce around two months old and he just absolutely loves it.  I know this is a controversial topic and some may not agree with what we did for our son, but I believe that every child is different and parents just have to do what is best for their kids and stop listening to all the "expert advise" from everyone and their brother.  As long as your child is healthy and safe, you have nothing to worry about in my opinion.  Don't get me wrong though, I do appreciate others' advise and opinions but at the same time, I am going to listen to that advise and still do what myself and my husband thinks is best for our children.

With all this being said, I would love your feedback and opinions about this topic.  Nothing negative please, this is a place for positive thoughts!

-XO
Danielle

Wordless blog

Motivational Monday....5 things to tell yourself on a daily basis

Welcome to Motivational Monday!!!!!!!!!!!
Today I have a list of 5 things to tell yourself daily to help keep your spirits up and stay positive.

1. Today will be my day!
2. I'm the best me there is!
3. I know that I am a winner
4. I can do it, I know I can!
5. God will always be with me!

Here is another little quote I thought was quite appropriate as well.

"Don't stop when you're tired, Stop when you're DONE!!!!"

hope you all enjoyed the first motivational Monday!!!!!

-XO,
Danielle

Wordless Blog

Blog Organization tips/ my weekly blog topics

Hello everyone,

I don't know about you but sometimes when I go to write a blog I will get everything set up and get in front of my computer screen and be completely lost about what to even write.  Does anyone else have this problem?  C'mon, don't leave me hanging here!!

Never fear though, I have come up with a solution that will cure the "bloggers block" and have you posting frequently in no time!   I'm also going to follow my own advice and use this weekly list for my blog so it is easier and I'm posting everyday, so I hope you enjoy and I hope this makes things a lot easier for you.

Sunday:  Open-  Post or take the day off.

Mondays:  Motivational Mondays-  Post something that is motivational that people can relate to.

Tuesdays:  Book Reviews-  Review the chapters/ book that I am currently reading.

Wednesdays:  My inspirations- Write about what is inspiring me at the current moment.

Thursdays:  Wordless Post-  Post a picture that makes me smile/happy etc.

Fridays:  Recipe Day-  Post a delicious recipe to try out.

Saturdays:  Kid blog-  Write about what the kids are up to.

Things that made me happy this week

OK, so many people like to write about things that are pet peeves or make them mad or angry or irritated or just plain grinds their gears, but I thought i'd change it  up a bit and post about things that have made me happy this week.  Now, this for me is a little bit of a struggle, not because i'm and evil witch who doesn't appreciate anything, but because I tend to be a little more on the negative side sometimes, (i'm not proud of it) and i'm trying to change that aspect about myself. So I thought I would accept a bit of a challenge (not to challenging though) and let you all know about some things that are making me happy this week...Who knows?  Maybe this will become a weekly blog post for me!  What do you guys think?

Anyways,  Let's get started.  

1.  The number one thing that makes me happy this week is getting to spend time with my family.  That is not always easy in our household because my husband and I work opposite schedules which can be tough at times but we make it work as most married couples do.

2. Getting to have a little bit of extra sleep.  So my husband takes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes in the mornings every Tuesday-Thursday, and they are EARLY classes.  I mean we have to get up at 5:45 A.M. just to TRY and leave the house on time.  Now when I say it's a challenge for me to get up that early, it's not because i'm lazy....it's because I just got off of my shift at work at 1:30 AM and I have a half an hour drive home, so by the time I get home and get settled down to get into bed (if the baby isn't already up) it's probably around 2:30 or 3 AM and so I only get about two and a half to three hours of sleep before we have to get up and leave.  So with all that said, CJ and I "sadly" overslept Tuesday morning and  I got a few extra MUCH  NEEDED hours of sleep!   Sorry honey, I love you but I needed that sleep :)

3. Knowing that my oldest son is having a good time at his fathers house.  This to me is a blessing because it's hard enough for me to spend a lot of time and distance from my son, but the fact that I know he is being taken care of and he is safe and having an awesome time with his dad and his other family just makes it a lot easier for me to cope with.

4.  It's a bit materialistic, but I am so thankful for my younger son's new stroller/car seat combo.  I mean this thing is awesome.  I took him for a walk in it the other day and he just loved it.  It makes him so calm and I can just tell he enjoys our little walks together.

5.  Continuing from number four, I am thankful to be able to take my son for walks.  It's nice to be able to live in a place where we can come and go as we please.  I am so thankful for that and I will never take it for granted.

6.  My laptop came in the mail finally.  If you haven't already read my blog post about this topic then you should.  I have waited almost an entire month for this thing to come in the mail and after getting the runaround from the company, it finally made it's little way to my doorstep!


Well, there you have it.  These are some of the things that have made me happy this week.  I hope you enjoyed them and please feel free to leave comments and let me know what made you happy this week.

Happy Girl

OK so this blog post might not be as helpful or interesting as my other ones but let me just take a little time out from that just to have a little celebration that FINALLY after about a month long wait, my brand new laptop came in the mail!!!!!!!!!!!!  :)  I was the happiest girl in the world when the FedEx man pulled up in front of our house with my new toy!!!  It was like Christmas morning for me!!!!  I have been waiting so long and it finally made it to me!!!!

I called the company a few times and they told me that because I ordered a Dell computer, they get made to order (which I had never heard of in my life) but that's why it took so long for it to get to me!!!!  needless to say, it was a long wait but it was well worth it!   I absolutely love this computer!!!  It's the Dell inspiron 14 laptop with and i5 core processor and has a terabyte in it!!!  BEAST MODE!!!  Anyways, I am super happy to have it in and this is my first blog post on it so happy all around here!!!!