June blog challenge, days 16 & 17

Day 16: What are your summer wardrobe staples?

Usually, I wear capris and a nice, professional looking top to work and on the weekends I'm either in my swimsuit all weekend between the river and the pool or I'm in shorts and a tank. But this year, I'm quite a bit heavier than I was last year. Last year, I had lost a ton of weight from cancer treatment and I optimistically got rid of all my fat clothes thinking I would stay that size. Sadly, I didn't. And now I can't fit into my last summer's clothing, no longer have my fat clothing and just started a new job so I can't really afford to go shopping just yet! I've managed to wear dress pants and a few dresses to work and when I'm not at work I'm either in my swimsuit or workout clothing.  And of course, I have several pairs of flip flops. I just hate that I can't wear them to work ever!

Day 17: What are your favorite summer activities? What's on your summer bucket list?

I love summer. I don't mind the heat. I love to be near water. I can usually be found sitting by a pool reading or if it is really hot, in the pool hanging onto a float! If I'm not at the pool, you'll find me on the Cahaba river floating.

I usually try to fit in a white water rafting trip on the Ocoee at least once during the summer and also a beach trip. I'm not sure the beach trip will happen this summer but fortunately, weather stays pretty warm well into October here and I don't have small children to worry about taking time off during school for a trip. Plus the rates are much cheaper after Labor Day. So we'll see.

I also love cookouts and spur-of-the-moment meet-ups with my besties for drinks on a patio somewhere.

Summer has also always been the time for me to catch up on my pleasure reading being that there was no grad school during Summer months but now that I'm completely done with grad school anyway, I now have time to focus on that year round.

Since I just returned to work full-time, I don't really have a Summer bucket list. I just hope to get opportunities to spend time with people I love/like relaxing, having fun and making memories!

June blog challenge Day 15--Father's Day

I had to take a few days to do this because when I think about my daddy I get extremely emotional. I love him that much. Not only is he the best father hands down, he’s even more special because he chose to take on that role for someone else’s kid when he didn’t have to do so.

My biological parents split when I was 2. Up until I was 10, I had an on again/off again relationship with my biological father for reasons I won’t go into here because this isn’t about him.

But my mom married my stepfather when I was 5 and he is the man that raised me and the one I call “daddy”.  To say he is a loving and sacrificial father is an understatement. His entire life has been spent in care of his family, always putting their needs ahead of his own to his own financial and physical health detriment. He worked hard. Very hard. He did without so we could have what we needed and even a lot of what we wanted. He spent time. He attended football games and dance recitals. He coached softball teams. He spent his off days fixing cars for us to be able to ride the roads doing things we weren’t supposed to be doing in the first place! He was there. Not only did he provide for his wife and daughters but he provided for his mother-in-law, other relatives and friends whenever he could.

And he STILL does these things even though he has had health issues in the last few years. He fights those issues just so he can keep doing things for others. I am so proud of him.

He loves unconditionally. Even when we screw up and disappoint him, he’s still there. The sun rises and sets in my dad. He set the bar so high to show us girls how a man should treat a woman!

There is no one greater than my daddy. I don’t know what we’d do or where we’d be without him.

June blog challenge--multiple days because I'm catching up!

Day 5--What is your go-to Summer snack?

Usually, ice cream or a popsicle. Something cold. After all, I live in hot-ass, ALA-FREAKIN-BAMA! As for flavors, it depends but there must be some kind of chocolate in it somewhere. It doesn't have to be completely chocolate. Chocolate chip, moose tracks, turtle tracks, french silk, I don't care.  But for the last 10 days I've been on a sugar detox. So I'm not even snacking.

Day 6--Tell us about your wedding anniversary plans.

Haha! I'm not married so I have none. What a dumbass question. Whoever came up with these must be one of those smug married people who assumes everyone is married. Moving on.

Day 7--What movie are you most looking forward to seeing this Summer?

I can't even remember what is currently playing or what is supposed to be coming out. I like movies but I don't plan my life around seeing them.  Everyone keeps telling me I need to see The Shack but I've been resisting because I don't like to cry and that's all I've heard about it so far--it makes you cry. I think I'll pass.

Day 8--What books are on your Summer reading list?

The same ones from last summer! haha.  I do love to read but whilst in the middle of trying to get my MBA, which I just did, I didn't have much time for pleasure reading. Right now I'm reading, How to Date Like a Grown-up and I'm enjoying it very much. I do plan to go through my list and reorder it soon.

Day 9--We're halfway through the year! How are your 2017 goals coming?

Actually pretty well. I was unemployed at the beginning of the year and not done with grad school. I also had quite a few things on my list. Here is what I have accomplished and what I am still working on:

• As of right now I have a full-time job that I enjoy as well as some other prospects. 
• I finished grad school (just waiting on a final grade and some administrative things to be straightened out) and have my MBA. 
• I have resumed writing and reading for pleasure.
• I redecorated my bedroom and redid my patio.
• I ended a relationship (if you can even call it that) and am dating.
• I am working on getting myself in better health, physically, mentally, spiritually and financially and have made some good progress.
• I have severed contact with my ex-husband. I haven't yet decided or know if this will be a good or bad thing. But it is what it is.
• I am spending as much time as possible with family and friends.
• I have increased my involvement in the homeless ministry and consider one of those we serve a really good friend. I think I may have found my calling.
• I am making plans to have some cosmetic surgery within a year.
• I am making plans to travel next year (beyond the beach!). 

Day 10--What is your Summer workout routine?

Haha. I actually stopped working out and went through a mild depressive state between April and May. I hate that I did that. Exercise is good for depression--why can't we ever get that? So I am starting to be more active again. Ideally, this is what I want to work up to:

Monday-Friday a.m. increase cardio from 30 minutes to 1 hour, plus weights.
Monday evenings--either return to ballroom dance class or belly dance
Tuesday evenings--zumba or kickboxing/mma
Wednesday evenings--hot yoga (except 1st Wednesdays when I have church)
Thursday evenings--zumba or kickboxing/mma
Friday evenings--rest
Saturdays--pool, hiking or biking or combination
Sundays--pool, hiking or biking or combination

I know it won't always happen that way but that's what I would love to do. Of course I have to find time to cook, clean, shop, yardwork, etc. so....I'll do as much as I can.

Day 11--Create a picnic date for you and someone special and tell about the experience

We picnicked for Easter and we grilled out for Memorial Day. There will be more cookouts and things for family but what I really want to do is start taking lunch once a week to my downtown friends at Linn Park. I'll definitely write about that when it happens.

Day 12--What advice do you have for beating Summer blogging burnout?

Aside from the very over-used Nike slogan, "Just Do It", keep looking for challenge ideas when you can't think of anything on your own.

Day 13--Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world this Summer?

Right now, I would be satisfied with a weekend at the lake! So many of my friends have been traveling this Summer--Mexico, Israel, Africa, Chicago. I'll just about go anywhere. But this Summer I just hope to make it to the beach for however long I can stay. There is no place in the world as beautiful as the Gulf. I really wish I could move there.

Day 14--Create a Father's Day Gift Guide

My parents are the hardest people in the world to shop for! They are picky about their clothing. No, they don't care about labels. But for example, my dad's T-shirts. They have to be a certain size and they to be V-neck. He cannot stand anything touching his neck! Do you have any idea how hard they are to find?

They are also always dieting and right now, my Dad has done so well sticking to his diabetic diet and he absolutely refuses to cheat. So gift cards to restaurants are out as well.

I don't know what we'll do this year. But we'll spend time together and that's the most important gift of all.

June blog challenge Day 4--What is your go-to Summer recipe?

I don't really have one. Of course, I stay away from soup, chili and other things I generally think of as "Winter food".  And I like to grill outdoors so I generally throw some sort of meat on the grill at least once a week. I also like salads, pasta salads that are light and anything that can be prepared without using the oven and heating up the entire house.

June blog challenge Day 3--What are your goals for the month?

My goals for this month are pretty simple:

1) catch up on bills and straighten out my finances

This is self-explanatory. I'm feeling the pain of 9 months of unemployment and though I did good to last as long as I did, my unemployment compensation being cut off earlier than I expected and now the ex is trying to pull child-support while our daughter still lives at home are huge obstacles to overcome. But I am working on solutions.

2) make an impression on the new boss at work so I can secure permanent, full-time employment

She starts tomorrow and I hope she wants to keep me on permanently. I really like my job.

3) find out whether or not I'll get my MBA in August or if I'll have to take another class

When I checked on my application, it states that I'm missing credit for a class that wasn't on the list of requirements when I began the program. Although I'm ready to be done, taking a few more classes means more financial aid and even though it's debt I have to repay, it could help with my current shortage in cash flow.

4) continue trying to give up sugar

I've realized that it isn't fat that makes me fat. It really isn't even carbs. It's sugar. And it's like a drug to which I am totally addicted. I don't sit around eating sweets all the time. But sugar in my coffee, in my tea, on my toast. And during cancer when I couldn't taste or swallow anything anyway and had to get a feeding tube, it's remarkable how much weight I lost so fast without the sugar. It's also remarkable how quickly it came back once I could taste it again. I started trying to cut it out last week but kept getting withdrawal-type headaches. So I had to switch strategies to tapering it off. So far so good. I'll get there eventually.

5) get back to the gym

I've been too lazy for too long! Time to put this fitbit back to work!

6) begin working on some books I want to write

I have had a few different ideas for novels for a long time but now I have an idea for a novel series! I'm not going to worry about finding an agent or a publisher right now. I just need to write and let the Lord worry about all those details. And since I plan to use the proceeds for this one towards furthering what I feel is my ministry, I'm sure that He will.

June blog challenge Day 2--Most Meaningful Vacation Memory

I have been blessed to have traveled to some wonderful places--Mexico, New York, London, Paris. But my most meaningful vacation memories have been with family.

Regular summer trips to Panama City Beach, Florida when I was a kid will always be near and dear to my heart. I loved PCB back in the good ol' days before all the high-rise condos completed ruined the beach. I loved that my parents always made sure we got to go regardless of how tight their money was and we always managed a room in a hotel directly on the beach. Trips usually included a trip to Miracle Strip Amusement Park or Petticoat Junction and Shipwreck Island. We play on the beach all day eating chips, sandwiches and snack cakes. Sometimes dad would get donuts for breakfast. We never cooked. At night we would go out to eat somewhere. My mom always liked to eat at places by the water. Afterward, we'd ride go-carts, play putt-putt golf or visit the arcade. Then my sisters and I would curl up in the bed watching cable TV which we did not have at home while my parents sat on the patio with cocktails and beer.

I loved every moment of those beach trips; the anticipation of the ride down there--passing every landmark we had memorized from the year before, finally crossing the bridge from PC to PCB and seeing that amazing beach tower. The sunburns, water up our noses, chlorinated water from the hotel pool turning our blonde hair green, the salt in our eyes, the sand in our crotch and the freezing hotel room because my dad refused to turn down the air conditioner (which we also did not have at home). And as long as it took as to get to the beach in the first place, the few days spent there would soon be over and the ride home not nearly as long as the ride down.

As the years went by and hotels were torn down to make room for expensive condominiums, the price of rentals went up and my husband and I were not always able to afford yearly beach trips for our kids but we went as often as we could although by this time we preferred Gulf Shores to PCB.

My two favorite vacations with my kids were Disney World 2002 and Gatlinburg 2002. We planned our Disney trip carefully and waited until our youngest was at least 4 so she would get some enjoyment from it and perhaps remember the trip one day. We spent a day in Magic Kingdom, a day of rest and leisure at the hotel, a day at Universal Studios, another day off and the final day at Animal Kingdom.

Later that year, Dylan's football team took a trip to play in a tournament in Gatlinburg over Thanksgiving and my kids got to see real snow for the first time. They were so thrilled and the girls both remarked at how it was "better than Disney World!".  We stayed at a hotel overlooking a small creek that ran alongside the road in Gatlinburg, drove up through the moumtains, visited the Aquarium and Dollywood and just enjoyed our time. Of course we watched football, both Bama and our son, and had a great time.

I think I'll always have wanderlust. There isn't anywhere I wouldn't go (except maybe Afghanistan!) and I usually enjoy myself. But what makes trips enjoyable is not really the destination. It's your travel mates.

June blog challenge Day 1-How do you express your creativity?

I get told that I'm very creative but actually I'm not. Instead, I am resourceful. I get ideas from other things and then personalize them so that they become my own.

I have always enjoyed painting, crafts, sewing, photography and all the "creative" things. But I rarely have a fresh idea with any of it. I find what I like and I copy it but a put some variation into it so that it becomes mine and not just a carbon copy of someone else's gift. I can't stand a thief and I feel like if I copy it exactly, that's stealing. But like a vocalist that puts his or her own flair into someone else's song...well that's different. Imitation, not duplication.

The last time I was really creative aside from crocheting was when I did some mild renovations and redecorating my townhouse which actually isn't mine, it's rented. So I couldn't do anything major. But I did enough to make it "mine". I watched a lot of Property Brothers and scrolls through a lot of pins on Pinterest until I found my "style". I painted my kitchen cabinets white. I planned on putting sticky tile on my back splash but it turned out to be way too expensive so I painted it with stone-speck paint. I planned on painting the counter tops as well but after I got the cabinets and backslash done I decided I liked the wood block look of the counter tops. It broke up all the white in the kitchen with the white appliances. I kept the beige tile-looking linoleum rug and painted the walls a very light gray. I used yellow as an accent color with flowers, flower pots, canisters and accent pieces.

The bar area I got from Pinterest but instead of making a bar, I bought a rolling kitchen cart and installed open shelving above it to display wine glasses and the wine rack.

Because the kitchen wall continues into the living room and the open area into the stairwell, I kept the light gray wall color but changed the palette in the living room to include dark brown furniture (which I already had) but accented with teal, white and purple.

The bathroom I decided to make really feminine with stark white walls to go with the silver chrome fixtures and light pink rugs and shower curtain.

I finally finished my bedroom this year. My furnishings were black so I needed black in the bedding also but I wanted color instead of taupe and gold that I already had. I decided to use lavender and gray. I made it my own with blingy accessories, a prayer/war corner, a vanity and my sewing/craft corner. I also rearranged things so that my chest, dresser and closet are next to each other making one area for clothing/dressing.

I do have some other craft projects I want to do and hoping to get to them this summer now that I'm done with my MBA and finally got a full-time job.  But for now, my creativity will have to be fulfilled with writing and I do have some ideas for that as well.