High Five for Friday - Link up Vol. 11

Linking up for another weekly edition of...

 ONE. My new Gussy Sews medium zip pouch

I just love seeing that note - "YEOW! - you own a Gussy!" :P

TWO. Wild Harvest goodies came in the mail

Part of registering for The Healthy Living Summit consisted of receiving some freebies!!! Um, yes please! Hello Wild Harvest cherry vanilla granola, animal cookies, applesauce, black beans, peanut butter, mild peach salsa, ground ginger & ground cayenne pepper - and THANK YOU!!

THREE. Jumped 30 in. on my box jumps this week!

 Pinned HERE

 via

I promise, I'm not really one to brag on myself, but I was pretty excited about this one! Box jumping is probably my favorite part of a WOD (I know, I might be a little crazy!) :P
p.s. I think I definitely need the tank above, don't you?!

FOUR. Right around the same time as Lauren got her journal & blogged about it, I too found this 5-year journal and couldn't resist snatching it up...been slowly filling it up ever since

You answer 1 question a day for a year, then start all over again, answering the same questions again - for a total of 5 years. Then you get to go back and read it all once you're done..seeing how you've changed OR haven't changed and reminiscing about your life over the past 5 years. LOVE IT! <3 

FIVE. My best friend gave birth to her 2nd little girl this week...introducing Miss Zoey Blythe

 Is she not the cutest little thing...and in those hand mitts?! She is precious and I can't wait to meet her!

Thanks for checking out my 5 favorite things from this week & thanks for hosting Lauren!!

ALSO...did you check my video out that I posted yesterday?? Strong, amazing kids from Seattle Children's Hospital (hemoncology floor) rocking out to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger"!

@Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop - Date Night

I know, I know...I've been linking up A LOT lately. I promise, I have some posts that will be strictly my own, coming soon! :) But, I loved linking up with Gussy Sews last month for the Inspiration Workshop on *Shoes*, and couldn't pass up the opportunity to link up this month with the prompt...

~DATE NIGHT~

What is Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop?? Basically, it's a once a month link-up party, in which Maggie presents a prompt that is meant to inspire, connect and encourage creativity among the blogging community! Doesn't it sound awesome & fun...now you go link up too!!

So seeing as the hubby and I don't get to go on dates very often at the moment (hence the long-distance marriage we currently have going on...wait, did you hear?! It's coming to an end SOON!!!!), I thought I'd reflect on some of my favorite date night memories.

• I have a pretty good memory of our 1st Valentines Day together...ya know, the special one where he planned it all out and kept it a surprise from me. We were both living in southern IL at the time, so we were limited in terms of activities or places to go. We did a fairly typical dinner/movie type date...I've said it before on the blog, and I'll say it again...we are both MAJOR "movie buffs". Hence, our enormous collection...that has grown dramatically even since that post - now they fill up 2 leaning ladder bookshelves! So for us, going to the movies isn't just because we can't find anything else better to do - it's what we really enjoy! Anyway, he took me to this Italian restaurant that had just opened, we both ordered our own dishes...but you know, I have this thing where I always have to try what he has, I mean, I just want a taste! ;) And I proceeded to try his fettuccine, splattering it ALL over him! Bahahahaha, I was laughing so hard, and he still brings it up to this day! He won't let me live it down!!

• When we lived in Monterey, CA I suggested that we start a new tradition...where we each took turns planning a date night. So one Friday night he'd plan our date night activities...the next weekend, I'd plan it...and go on like that from week to week. It was SO much fun! I remember one of the dates I planned, was actually an all-day-long date. But it started with kayaking in the bay, which the hubby had been wanting to do ever since we moved there. It didn't end up with me in the ocean, my camera at the bottom of the ocean, and a wet purse/cell phone/etc., I promise!!! And don't ask me why I brought my purse with me...it was in the water-proof bag that they had provided me with. Unfortunately, at that precise moment (where my kayak decided to tip over), I had opened up the bag, pulled out my camera and was trying to take pics. Yeah, so after I calmed down (crying persisted because of losing my camera, and because, hello...it's scary falling into the HUGE ever-massive ocean)...we ended up really enjoying ourselves! :P Some of the dates I remember him planning involved hiking, sushi and going to local concerts. It was fun and exciting for each of us to anticipate the other's date night 'extravaganza' each week...I'd highly suggest something like that if you're wanting to try something new.

Another option, that many of you have probably seen on Pinterest is:

 Pinned HERE *Add me!!

A jar full of ideas, created by you & your significant other, that you can select out of, from time to time...can be anything from bed & breakfast, to go-cart racing, to a picnic in the park.
There are SO many ideas out there!

Various other dates we've had...

 Hiking Date

 Dinner Date - Sushi, of course! :)

Winery Date

Date @ a Blues Concert

Date Night in Omaha, NE (right before I moved to Charlotte)

So as you can see, we like to change it up and do different things on our various date nights. We always like trying new restaurants, so good food is important to us...and we do like to get dressed up from time to time, if we have the chance. Otherwise, we're okay going out in jeans and flip flops too.

Thanks for hosting this awesome Inspiration Workshop Maggie - I can't wait to check out others posts to get even more inspiration on date night ideas...seeing as pretty soon the hubby and I will be back together under the same roof and needing some new things to do in our new home of DC! :) 

What's In My Purse?

One of my favorite blogs is The Small Things Blog, featuring Kate and her fabulous hair tutorials. If you haven't checked out her blog, I highly suggest heading on over there...you will get hooked watching her YouTube videos for HOURS! Believe me, I've done it! :) Anyway, just recently she did a fun "What's In My Purse" series, which featured some of her (and my) favorite blogs - their purse posts are listed toward the bottom. But so, I just thought it would be fun to do my own (assuming you all care what is in my purse :P )...

Currently, the purse I'm carrying:

Bueno from Marshalls
It's big, has lots of pockets, and is neutral (so it goes with pretty much anything)

(1) iPhone & iPod (don't ask me why I carry both, I have no clue) (2) Sugar in the Raw packets - this is the only sugar that I use, so I carry a few packets with me at all times (3) MAC pressed powder, Carmex (can't live without this stuff), travel-size Very Sexy perfume from VS, Revlon Lip Butter in Creamsicle (my new favorite), & Listerine breathe spray (4) Tissues, Shout wipes (um, I spill on myself very regularly) & hand sanitizer (5) Coach wallet (matches my winter purse...probably need a new one, maybe one that's a little more springy/summery) & a small, black business card wallet (6) Gussy Sews checkbook cover & checkbook (7) Backcomb or teasing brush (to give the hair a little volume from time to time) (8) Current recipe/grocery list I'm carrying around - this week it was a list for grain-free chocolate chip cookies (they were DELICIOUS) & a few pens (9) Miscellaneous lip gloss pouch (see contents below) (10) Collapsible umbrella, in leopard print :) Everyone always laughs at me when I tell them I have an umbrella in my purse...but then I whip out that little thing (from Target, I think) and save the day!!

 

 Inside my pouch: B&BW Aromatherapy Energy - Orange Ginger lotion (smells so good), Aveda Hand Relief (works so well), & 3 different lip glosses

 

 VS Beauty Rush Lip Gloss (Sugar High), Rock & Republic Luxe Lip Gloss (Trust Fund), VS Lip Plumper

And I just wanted to give you a close-up of my lovely...

...Gussy Sews checkbook cover...isn't the black/white contrast so pretty with the pale yellow?! I've had it for about 3 years now, so it's quite worn. You hear that Maggie, you need to post some new checkbook covers...I'll be your 1st customer, I promise!! :P

Wanna see what the other gals had in their purses?? 

Check them out over at Kate's "What's In My Purse Series":

Kate @ The Small Things Blog

Lindsey @ The Pleated Poppy

Allyson @ Allyson, Recipe Ranger

Jessica @ allora handmade

Carrie @ Chasing Big Dreams

Lauren @ From My Grey Desk

Haley @ The Tiny Twig

Maggie @ Gussy Sews

Katy @ Katy Loves

And another blogger friend of mine also just did her own "In the Bag" post:

Bhrett @ lost in relocation

What are some 'must haves' that you carry around in your purse??

@Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop - Shoes

Today...

Maggie @Gussy Sews has been traveling with Compassion International in Tanzania this past week, getting to experience the work that Compassion does and the direct effect that sponsorships have on the children living there. Not only has she been experiencing this amazing, and inspiring trip...but she and her other fellow bloggers have been blogging the entire time! Giving us at home a chance to "tag along" on some of their adventures, see some of the things that they're seeing, and feel what they're feeling along the way.

I was amazed though, because not only has Maggie been blogging about her trip, she also (1) updated her Gussy Sews store with new products, AND (2) posted a new Inspiration Workshop post! That took some dedication & major planning on her part. :)

This is my 1st time linking up with Maggie's Inspiration Workshop (a once a month link-up party, in which Maggie presents a prompt that is meant to inspire, connect and encourage creativity among the blogging community). This post's prompt is...SHOES!

And...go!

So my mind shot in a few different directions...I could use my handy-dandy Pinterest to showcase my favorite pairs of shoes out there (Lord knows, I pin so many)...I could take pictures of me wearing my favorite pairs of shoes that I own...I could talk about my TOMS ballet flats & April's One Day Without event  that I participated in (but I've already talked about it here and here)...and then I had it.

I wanted to talk about dance. Dance shoes to be exact!

These are all pairs of dance shoes that I used to wear when I was younger: soft pink ballet shoes, tap shoes, & (probably, my favorite) red-dyed toe shoes

I started taking dance classes back when I was 4 years old and didn't really stop until I was about 21. It was my LIFE! I lived and breathed dance 24/7 when I was young...I'm pretty sure my Mom had a hard time getting me to go out of the house wearing any other shoes than my dance shoes. I took classes throughout high school, while also dancing on the school's dance team. When I moved away for college, I danced with the college team for awhile and taught at a local studio...but school got in the way, life got in the way, and now it's something that I look back on with such great memories...it goes without saying that I desperately miss it! You can still occasionally find me dancing in the kitchen :), but that's about it. One thing's for sure...it will always be a part of who I am. 

I think I talked about this in my quilt post, but this past fall, my parents moved out of the house that my siblings and I grew up in. I had to go through all of my stuff that I still had stored there, leading me to find all of my old dance shoes...it was like 'taking a trip down memory lane' and I'm so thankful that I've held onto them all of these years.

I remember dying many pairs of toe shoes (red, blue, black), just so that they'd match my costume at the time. And I remember begging and begging my Mom for those tap shoes in the middle...they look like jazz shoes, but they have taps on the bottom. They were definitely the cool thing to have, back in the day!! :)

These shoes, whether kept in a closet or hung on a wall somewhere eventually, will always represent long hours of practicing my heart out, fun times had with so many good friends, and doing something that I love and that made me extremely happy <3

 I threw them on, just for kicks...please don't criticize my turnout, it has been awhile!

Thanks for hosting this awesome Inspiration Workshop Maggie! 

You got me to put on some old shoes that were just begging me to dance around in!! :P

Genius Cleaning Schedule

First off, I'm so excited that the Compassion Bloggers made it to Tanzania and have started sharing their journeys with all of us! Check out the first few blogs here:

  Gussy Sews

The Nester

...and others here

I read both of these ladies posts late last night and had chills afterwards (especially after watching Gussy's video)...I just can't tell you enough how much I am in awe of what they're doing and hope to one day get to experience a trip like this for myself.

There are many more posts to come from these bloggers...so stay tuned!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Because it's the beginning of the week, and I spent a good portion of this past weekend cleaning my apartment...I wanted to share with you this weekly cleaning schedule that I'm going to be trying out. Honestly, I hate to clean...I'm sure many of you also feel this way, so no news there. I've been fairly lucky over that past few years because I've only lived in apartments, smaller apartments at that, so I haven't had a lot of area to cover. But that doesn't make cleaning them any more fun. I realized that my problem is that I get to the weekend and have so much cleaning/laundry to do that it takes up a good portion of my weekend. And who wants that?! :( I vaguely remembered finding this weekly cleaning schedule (probably on a blog) years ago and writing it down somewhere. After some searching & digging, I came across it scribbled in an old planner of mine...so here it is:

I'm going to try to stick to this and see how it goes for the first few weeks. My thinking is that, by spreading it out AND taking a day off on the weekend, it won't feel like I'm doing an enormous amount of cleaning. Granted, I realize that you all may live in a house with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, etc...so you may need to tailor the schedule to fit your own home. But it is doable! I think my only other edit to this schedule would be that I tend to do some form of laundry daily or every other day...just can't get around it, especially with all my sweaty running/yoga/work out clothes. :P

 Do any of you all have any other cleaning schedules or methods that work well for you and your family?

Compassion Bloggers

I wanted to share with you all, an organization that I just recently found out about by following other bloggers. It's called Compassion International - a faith based organization, founded in 1952 by Rev. Everett Swanson, that exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty. It is similar to other child sponsorship organizations, however it distinguishes itself by being:

Christ Centered. Child Focused. Church Based. Committed to Integrity.

Their two main programs are:

(1) Child Survival Program - supports and feeds malnourished children while training mothers to sustain the growth and development of their little ones.

(2) Child Sponsorship Program - through monthly gifts, prayer and letter writing, sponsors invest in the lives of children living in extreme poverty. A tax-deductible $38/mo. provides sponsored children with: food & clean water, medical care, educational opportunities, life skills training, and much more.

Their website also provides crisis updates (earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, etc.) and asks for specific prayer requests.

They work in Africa, Asia, Central America & The Caribbean, and South America

Also important:

Compassion consistently receives high ratings for financial accountability and integrity. Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator, has awarded Compassion its highest rating -- four stars -- for nine consecutive years, placing Compassion in the top one percent of all charities.

So why am I talking to you about Compassion?

At the present time, I don't sponsor a child, although it is definitely something that I am interested in doing (the conversation has to be had with the hubby). Back in 2007-2009, I sponsored a child through a different organization, and I can already tell that Compassion goes to greater lengths to allow sponsors to actually see the impact that they're having and allow them different avenues to give to the children. But let me tell you, my heart is definitely there...it is something that I desperately want to do.
Two bloggers that I follow,

            The Nester   Maggie @ Gussy Sews

kept mentioning this trip that they had coming up...to Africa, Tanzania to be exact. I kind of dismissed it at first, but then started to get really interested in what they were going to be doing. And I am amazed after finding out...Compassion has partnered with them, and 4 other bloggers, and they are traveling to Tanzania (May 6 - 11) to see the ministry of Compassion themselves and write about it (read more here). I am in awe...what an amazing, life-changing experience I can only assume that they're going to have. And prior to the trip, these bloggers have been using their influence in the blogosphere by spreading the word about Compassion! And to be honest, I feel compelled to do the same.

Over the past few days, I've watched these ladies post about getting shots after shots (immunizations), stocking up on everything they need for their trip, packing, and asking for prayers from their readers. It's inspiring! To me, they have been given an experience of a lifetime and I don't know how anyone could go on a trip like this, and not come back changed in some way.

So if you want to follow the bloggers, you can check out each of their blogs daily, starting May 6, and also through these social media outlets:

Facebook

Twitter

Compassion Bloggers website

Compassion Blog

And feel free to join me in spreading the word about Compassion - find out how you can become a Compassion Blogger here!