WARM DAYS, TOP KNOTS, AND CALVIN HARRIS

WARM DAYS, TOP KNOTS, AND CALVIN HARRIS

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

It's hot. It's so so hot. And humid! Southern life at its finest. I'm not complaining mind you. I'm just informing you of the desert like heat that has married itself to the damp air of the jungle. I went for a run the other day and I'm pretty sure I shaved eight years off of my life. So, since it's sweltering outside I thought: "why not put together a summer inspired post".

So I did.

Warm days, top knots, and.. Calvin Harris. These are some of the things that come to mind this summer.  Oh yeah, and The Sandlot: "I'm baking like a toasted cheeser!". 

Also, since I've decided to take the rest of the summer off of school ( hallelujah for passing with a solid A), I feel like there is that much more summertime fun to be had! Sunburns, lighthouse runs, driving with the windows down while blasting some tunes, kale lemonades... It's all within my grasp now! I'm really curious what you guys love about summer? What are your favorite warm day activities? Proclaim it in the comments!

_____________________ SUMMER INSPIRATION _____________________ 

EMBELLISHED SANDALS. Here's a pair. I have a fear of wearing sandals ( there's a story in there ) that I am shoving aside for this cuteness.

TOP KNOT + BANGS. Yep, the go-to. With or without bangs, top knots are the way to go! Here's a tutorial.

LE CALVIN HARRIS ON REPEAT. It is impossible not to dance around to Summer by Calvin Harris. Are you sick of it yet? I listen to a song over and over until I hate it, and you hate it, and the people in the cars next to me hate it. We could be together baby, as long as skies are blue..

BLACKBERRY LEMONADE. Kale lemonade, watermelon lemonade, blackberry lemonade.. it is all amazing! Here's a recipe.

SUMMER PLAYLIST. Sometimes I throw the one song on repeat thing out the window and listen to a single playlist on repeat. This one specifically..



OMBRÉ CURLS. Sometime's the ombré look can go too far and have really harsh lines. This soft balayage ombré is absolutely perfect! Here's a DIY balayage ombre tutorial.

FLORAL SHORTS. I love florals so much. They are really fun. I feel like I should do a What I Wore post with one of my multiple pairs of floral jeans. Yes? No? I'm going to do it! Here's a bunch of floral shorts.

CUFF BRACELETS. I don't have pierced ears. I used to, but it didn't end well. I'm a bracelet + rings kind of girl. Shimmery stackable cuff bracelets are a perfectly delightful summer accessory, don't ya think? Get to stackin'.

SKINNY ARTICHOKE DIP. Food is delicious. Skinny food is even more delectable. Toss some cheese in there and, well, here's the recipe.



What are some summer inspired things that you're loving right now?

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LOADED TURKEY BURGERS

LOADED TURKEY BURGERS

Friday, July 25, 2014

Hello again! I'm finally really trying to get back on a schedule with posting more than once a week. Oh the struggle. It's real. The recipe I'm sharing today is a variation of a base recipe that I make at least once a week. It's a tried and true favorite around here, and hopefully it will become one of your families favorites!

So here's the thing.. I can't eat red meat, and I have a gluten intolerance. Loaded up cheddar bacon burgers on a warm toasted bun just don't exist in my world. At least not without a little tweaking. Lean meats are the name of the game for me, and consequently, my family. Since bread is an issue, piling up typical burger toppings doesn't really work. There is nothing to sandwich the goodness between. So I found a tasty solution. Loaded Turkey Burgers. I eat them just as they are, on a bed of lettuce. The man of the house gets bread. Lucky dog. 

These turkey burgers are quite simple to make and taste stinking good! So give them a try, or pin this for later, maybe just sit here and let your mouth water over them. You know, whatever works for you.

What you will need:

2 packages of Ground Turkey

1/2 of a Purple Onion | FINELY CHOPPED

1/2 of a Zuchinni | CHOPPED

2 cloves of garlic | MINCED

1/4 of a cup of BBQ sauce

1 1/2 cups of Pecorino Romano Cheese |GRATED

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

1 1/2 teaspoon of Parsley

1 teaspoon Turmeric

NOTE | If you would prefer the onion, garlic, and zucchini to just fade away into the burger, sauté them lightly in some olive out, just until soft. Then you can fold them right into the meat, and they will add flavor but will not be detectable texture wise. 

In a large mixing bowl | Combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. ( I just pop some disposable gloves on and knead everything together with my hands. Pat burgers out to desired size ( I pat them out just slightly larger than the palm of my hand ). Place on a lined baking sheet, and then fire up the grill and cook them low and slow.

What is your favorite burger recipe?

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WATER FESTIVAL 2014

WATER FESTIVAL 2014

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

I am a slacker. I have been semi MIA for many days now, and I'm starting to feel guilty. It's only partiality my fault though. You see.. I got a new camera. A Canon Rebel to be exact. It is everything a blogger could hope for and more! Every time I sit down to write a post, I get distracted playing with that blasted camera, and then I just end up downtown snapping pictures.

Speaking of downtown.

The Water Festival is in full swing! I shared a few shots + a video of some of the shenanigans that have been going on since it started on Friday. See. Look. Fireworks. Ta-Da! Last night was particularly fun. It was Motown Monday, and I'm pretty sure I was the only twenty-two year old there that knew all the lyrics to every throwback song! We danced like crazy with at least a couple thousand other people.. in a torrential downpour. Ah to be young. I ( we ) earned drowned rat status. It was 100% worth it. 

I didn't get any Canon shots of the literal Water Festival. Because, well, would you carry $400+ around in the rain? I thought not. 

I did take a few pictures over the past few days from the sunnier Water Festival days, and that is what I will leave you with for now. At least the ones that will upload. Blogger has only granted me four. What's up with that?! I promise to get my game together and start posting regularly again. All right, I'm off to edit a potential make-up tutorial for Youtube. Wish me luck!

Do you have summer dance parties in the rain?

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The Single Girl's Prayer Challenge: 31 Days Of Praying For Your Future Husband

The Single Girl's Prayer Challenge: 31 Days Of Praying For Your Future Husband

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Several years ago, I found the 31 Days of Praying for Your Husband challenge on a blog that I followed. As I was reading through the post it occurred to me, even though I did not have a husband, I should be praying for my future spouse. I could take the thirty-one day challenge and pray for my future husband. Since I was twenty-one, I have been doing this prayer challenge every few months, lifting my future spouse up to the Lord in prayer. Over the years it has helped shape a young girl's romanticized dreams, into a young woman's practical heartfelt desire. 

In Ephesians 6:18, Paul instructs all believers to pray for one another. This includes earnest prayer for your husband or future husband. It is good for him, it is good for you, and it is good for the spiritual health of your home, or the home that you will have one day (Proverbs 31:11-12). Satan desires and seeks to destroy your husband ( future husband ), particularly his character and his leadership. So bless your future husband, or the husband that God has already brought you together with, by praying for him! 

This prayer challenge is near and dear to my heart, and has taught me a lot. I'm thrilled to share it with you! I hope that this will encourage you to pray for your future spouse, or the man that God has already blessed you with.

31 Days of Praying for Your Future Husband.

Day 1 | Pray that your future husband will grow spiritually and consider his accountability before the Lord. Pray that he will guard his heart by developing spiritual disciplines—Bible reading and study,prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc. (2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

Day 2 | Pray that your future husband’s relationship with God and His Word will bear fruit in his life. Pray that he will be a man of wisdom and understanding, fearing the Lord. (Prov. 3:7, 9:10; Ps. 112:1)

Day 3 | Pray that your future husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

Day 4 | Pray that your future husband will grow in leadership skills in your relationship—protecting and providing for you. Pray that he will lead you wisely and love you sacrificially, so that God will be glorified in your marriage. (Eph. 5:25-29; Col. 3:19)

Day 5 | Pray that your future husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. (Prov. 20:6; Gen. 2:24)

Day 6 | Pray that your future husband will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture. Pray that he will recognize and avoid wickedness in his own life, and if necessary, take a clear, strong stand against evil. (Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Day 7 | Pray that your future husband will safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex. Pray that his heart will be pure and undivided in his commitment to you. (Prov.6:23-24, 26; Rom. 13:14)

Day 8 | Pray that your future husband will work hard to provide for your family, to the best of his ability. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career and ministry will be a growing part of his character – persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, positive relationships with people, determination, etc. (Rom. 12:11; 1 Cor. 15:58)

Day 9 | Pray that your future husband handles finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord’s work. Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family. (Prov. 23:4-5; Rom. 12:13;Heb. 13:5)

Day 10 | Pray that your future husband will cultivate strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. Pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Prov. 20:7; 1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)

Day 11 | Pray that your future husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord. Pray that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Prov. 15:33; Eph. 6:6)

Day 12 | Pray that your future husband will yield his sexual drive to the Lord and practice self control. Pray that your sexual intimacy together will be fresh, positive, and a reflection of selfless love. (Prov. 5:15, 18; 1 Cor. 7:3; Song of Solomon 7:10) 

Day 13 | Pray that your future husband uses practical skills to build your family and make wise decisions for your welfare. Pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal. 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Day 14 | Pray that your future husband will speak words that build up you and your family, and reflect a heart of love. Pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29)

Day 15 | Pray that your future husband will choose his friends wisely. Pray that God will bring him men who will encourage his accountability before God, and will not lead him into sin. (Prov. 13:20; Prov.27:17)

Day 16 | Pray that your future husband will choose healthy, God-honoring activities. Pray that he will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, but that he will experience freedom in holiness as he yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

Day 17 | Pray that your future husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength. (Eph. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Cor. 10:11)

Day 18 | Pray that your future husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)

Day 19 | Pray that your future husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger, but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Day 20 | Pray that your future husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography. (Prov. 27:12; 2 Cor. 10:5)

Day 21 | Pray that your future husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress, find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord. (Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Day 22 | Pray that your future husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Day 23 | Pray that your future husband will be a good father—disciplining your children wisely and loving them unconditionally.  (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2:1-2) 

Day 24 | Pray that your future husband will have a balanced life—that he will balance work and play. Pray that he will fear God, but also gain favor with people he knows at work and church. (Luke 2:52; Prov. 13:15)

Day 25 | Pray that your future husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will stand for the truth. Pray that he will protect you and your family from Satan’s attacks. (Ps. 31:24; Eph. 6:13; Ps. 27:14)

Day 26 | Pray that your future husband will discover and live his God-given purpose. Pray that he will offer all his dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count for eternity. (Jer. 29:11; 1 Cor. 10:31)

Day 27 | Pray that your future husband will understand the importance of taking care of his body—the temple of the Holy Spirit—for the glory of God. Pray that he will practice self-control by making wise food choices, and get sufficient exercise to stay healthy. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 9:27)

Day 28 | Pray that your future husband will be a man of prayer. Pray that he will seek and pursue God in purposeful quiet times. (1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 22:46; James 5:16)

Day 29 | Pray that your future  husband will surrender his time and talents to the Lord. Pray that his spiritual gifts will be manifest in his career, at church, and in your home. (Eph. 5:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:4, 7)

Day 30 | Pray that your future husband will serve God and others with pure motives. Pray that he will obey the Lord from his heart, and glorify Him in everything. (1 Cor. 10:13; John 7:17-18; Col. 3:23-24)

Day 31 | Pray that your future  husband will recognize the lies of the Enemy in his life. Pray that his attitudes and actions will be guided by the truth as he brings his thoughts into captivity to the Word of God (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 10:4-5) 

Have you done this prayer challenge before? If not, will you give this challenge a try?

With Love,

* The title image was sourced from Pinterest and is the work of Chelsea Diane Photography

$130 PAYPAL CASH GIVEAWAY

$130 PAYPAL CASH GIVEAWAY

Thursday, July 10, 2014

It is time for money! I just love giving you guys the chance to win some cash. I love extra cash, you love extra cash, we can buy pretty things with extra cash. Speaking of pretty things.. I finally purchased a real camera! I have no idea how to work it so if you have a few tips, leave me a comment. I'm seriously in the dark here, you guys!

Anywho. $130 Paypal Cash is up for grabs! Myself, and the lovely ladies below, are so happy to be able to make this giveaway possible. Show them some love and get yourself entered!

Mandy  |   Stephanie  |  Jen  |  Noelle  |  Jess  | Jenn  | Christine  | Rebekah  | Brenda  |  Jessica

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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JULY 4TH PHOTO RECAP

JULY 4TH PHOTO RECAP

Monday, July 7, 2014

I hope you all had a fantastic day celebrating Independence Day with your loved ones! We had a crazy fun time cooking out with friends, and cruising around on the boat. Plus, we found the perfect spot on the water to watch fireworks. The engine on the boat only died and left us stranded once. The boat police yelled at us. The night wouldn't have been complete without that. There was also an incident with a drone, on the walk back from the dock, that provided some slightly frightened laughs.

What crazy fun things did you do with your Independence Day?
If you have photos up from your July 4th shenanigans link me up in the comments!

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HOW TO ADD A SCROLL TO TOP BUTTON IN BLOGGER

HOW TO ADD A SCROLL TO TOP BUTTON IN BLOGGER

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

How to add a scroll to top button in blogger.

CHEVRON  |  ROUND  |  PEACH  |  PINK  |  ARROW  | RECTANGLE

I'm always adding and tweaking things on the blog, and one of the newest things, that I'm pleased as punch about, is the addition of a back to top ( or scroll to top ) button that fades in as you scroll down, and upon clicking, quickly takes you back to where you began in a speedy clean scroll. 

A scroll to top button might not be absolutely necessary, but it is a nice addition to a blog's aesthetic. And for those dear souls that stick around long enough to end up way down at the bottom of your blog, it's a welcomed friend! The install for a scroll to top button is really quick and easy, so I just had to share it! Plus, there are six free back to top buttons to get you started. Picmonkey is your friend if you want to create one all your own!

 The absolute best thing about this particular button is that it only appears when a reader scrolls down the page, and disappears when they scroll back up. Fancy right? That is thanks to a jquery script hard at work. There's nothing wrong with a static button, but the fade effect really does make it more noticeable to the eye. 

TO ADD SCROLL TO TOP BUTTON

Go to your blogger Dashboard and select Layout. Choose Add a Gadget and select the HTML/Javascript widget. Paste in the code below ( with your image URL between quotes marked by the lovely blue IMAGE URL HERE ), save, and position at the bottom in Layout. Save Arrangement and enjoy your fancy scroll to top button!

______________________________________________________________________________________________

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.3.2/jquery.min.js"></script>

<script type="text/javascript" >

/*********************************************** 

* Scroll To Top Control script- © Dynamic Drive DHTML code library (www.dynamicdrive.com) 

* Modified by www.MyBloggerTricks.com 

* This notice MUST stay intact for legal use 

* Visit Project Page at http://www.dynamicdrive.com for full source code 

***********************************************/

var scrolltotop={ 

    //startline: Integer. Number of pixels from top of doc scrollbar is scrolled before showing control 

    //scrollto: Keyword (Integer, or "Scroll_to_Element_ID"). How far to scroll document up when control is clicked on (0=top). 

    setting: {startline:100, scrollto: 0, scrollduration:1000, fadeduration:[500, 100]}, 

    controlHTML: '<img src="IMAGE URL HERE" />', //HTML for control, which is auto wrapped in DIV w/ ID="topcontrol" 

    controlattrs: {offsetx:5, offsety:5}, //offset of control relative to right/ bottom of window corner 

    anchorkeyword: '#top', //Enter href value of HTML anchors on the page that should also act as "Scroll Up" links

    state: {isvisible:false, shouldvisible:false},

    scrollup:function(){ 

        if (!this.cssfixedsupport) //if control is positioned using JavaScript 

            this.$control.css({opacity:0}) //hide control immediately after clicking it 

        var dest=isNaN(this.setting.scrollto)? this.setting.scrollto : parseInt(this.setting.scrollto) 

        if (typeof dest=="string" && jQuery('#'+dest).length==1) //check element set by string exists 

            dest=jQuery('#'+dest).offset().top 

        else 

            dest=0 

        this.$body.animate({scrollTop: dest}, this.setting.scrollduration); 

    },

    keepfixed:function(){ 

        var $window=jQuery(window) 

        var controlx=$window.scrollLeft() + $window.width() - this.$control.width() - this.controlattrs.offsetx 

        var controly=$window.scrollTop() + $window.height() - this.$control.height() - this.controlattrs.offsety 

        this.$control.css({left:controlx+'px', top:controly+'px'}) 

    },

    togglecontrol:function(){ 

        var scrolltop=jQuery(window).scrollTop() 

        if (!this.cssfixedsupport) 

            this.keepfixed() 

        this.state.shouldvisible=(scrolltop>=this.setting.startline)? true : false 

        if (this.state.shouldvisible && !this.state.isvisible){ 

            this.$control.stop().animate({opacity:1}, this.setting.fadeduration[0]) 

            this.state.isvisible=true 

        } 

        else if (this.state.shouldvisible==false && this.state.isvisible){ 

            this.$control.stop().animate({opacity:0}, this.setting.fadeduration[1]) 

            this.state.isvisible=false 

        } 

    }, 

    

    init:function(){ 

        jQuery(document).ready(function($){ 

            var mainobj=scrolltotop 

            var iebrws=document.all 

            mainobj.cssfixedsupport=!iebrws || iebrws && document.compatMode=="CSS1Compat" && window.XMLHttpRequest //not IE or IE7+ browsers in standards mode 

            mainobj.$body=(window.opera)? (document.compatMode=="CSS1Compat"? $('html') : $('body')) : $('html,body') 

            mainobj.$control=$('<div id="topcontrol">'+mainobj.controlHTML+'</div>') 

                .css({position:mainobj.cssfixedsupport? 'fixed' : 'absolute', bottom:mainobj.controlattrs.offsety, right:mainobj.controlattrs.offsetx, opacity:0, cursor:'pointer'}) 

                .attr({title:'Scroll Back to Top'}) 

                .click(function(){mainobj.scrollup(); return false}) 

                .appendTo('body') 

            if (document.all && !window.XMLHttpRequest && mainobj.$control.text()!='') //loose check for IE6 and below, plus whether control contains any text 

                mainobj.$control.css({width:mainobj.$control.width()}) //IE6- seems to require an explicit width on a DIV containing text 

            mainobj.togglecontrol() 

            $('a[href="' + mainobj.anchorkeyword +'"]').click(function(){ 

                mainobj.scrollup() 

                return false 

            }) 

            $(window).bind('scroll resize', function(e){ 

                mainobj.togglecontrol() 

            }) 

        }) 

    } 

}

scrolltotop.init()

</script>

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Was this helpful? What are some of your favorite widgets for Blogger?

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