2015...Oops I Haven't Written In A Year

...and Goodbye January at the same time! Wow! I am so sorry I have not blogged in over a year!  Life seriously just got in the way, and I have been way too lazy to write.  2014 was a year of many many changes in my life.  Changes in the form of a new job, new friends, family emergencies, and new likes and dislikes!  I definitely learned a lot about myself last year, and I feel like I've made a lot of positive changes!

Jeremy and I even traveled to Hawaii! YES freakin Hawaii!  It was absolutely amazing, and my most favorite place I've ever been (Next to Disney World), and we have every intention in the future to travel there again!

Still no babies for us, but we hope that they are on the horizon! Hopefully by the end of this year! I'd love to be a mama! 

Please be patient with me as I decide which direction to take my blog, I am definitely leaning towards doing some beauty posts.  Please send me any beauty questions, or if you have any suggestions feel free to send those too! 

What's In My Bags.....

A couple of months ago, on one of my favorite blogs I saw a link up for "What's in My Bag". I thought it was super cute, and decided to do a blog dedicated to my rat hole of a purse.


Something you may not know about my husband, is I consider him to be a bit of a pack rat. I have never really thought of myself in those terms. Because I tend to get rid of things, throw things away, you get the picture. Just last week this conversation happened with my husband after I bought him a new pretty and plush bath mat:

Me: "I just put your new bath mat down in your bathroom. Only differnece between the new one and this old one (that I show him is in my hand) is that this old one is a little wider and shorter than the new one."
Jeremy: "Don't throw the old one away."
Me (very confused look on my face): "Um why not?"
Jeremy: "Because, just dont."
Me: "WE are not keeping an old bath mat, it allows water to pool underneath it, the rubber is almost gone off the bottom."
Jeremy: "Don't throw it away, put it in the laundry room."
Me: "WHY!?"
Jeremy: "Because...it has sentimental value."
Me: "Ummm...okay"

I am not kidding that conversation really happened, and that old bath mat will end up in the trash. I appeased him and am allowing it to take residence in our laundry room for the moment. But not for too long, there is NO need to keep a bath mat that doesn't even do it's job properly, all because he has had it for like ever.

Now, with that said, I will not continue to poke fun of my husband and the other things he keeps, but will share with you all where I am apparently a "pack rat": My Purse, and my work bag.


We will start with my purse, and yes all of that was in my purse.
Let's start with the top left hand side of this picture: Those are EXPIRED coupons I found floating around in the black hole of my purse. Pink polka dot bag is my "lady bag" it has about 14-15 tampons inside plus midol and nail clippers. This is always in my purse, even when it isn't that time of the month. Right beneath my lady bag are my Kate Spade sunglasses and case. Then Next to those my Kate Spade wallet, and my Vera Bradley check book cover (yes I still carry my check book around). Then the gold/brown looking roll is actually pretzel bites, and underneath those is my address book which is outdated. Beside those are my mini contact solution bottle, Excedrin bottle, and 13 pens, yes 13.... I have a problem. Then on the far upper right hand side, looks like a bunch of paper right? That my friends is old receipts, a birthday card, some Christmas cards, and my vitamin pack (which is empty). Underneath those, do you see the tangled mess of wires? Those are my ear buds, and my Dr. Dre beats, a coffee cup jacket (that I don't use), contact container (and if you haven't noticed we are going right to left here), my MAC compact, 7 different lip products (again I think I have a problem), an empty change purse (that I don't use), 2 packs of gum, pocket calendar, and finally in that row a small hairbrush and a headband. Bottom left, is my camera bag, a cork from a wine bottle (not really sure why I kept that in my purse in the first place), my car keys, and 3 protective eyewear for the tanning bed (I am always losing these, and figured the more the merrier), also if you haven't noticed this time we are going left to right on the row, my nook, 2 of my Mary Kay business cards, 2 cough drops, and my iPhone. ALL OF THAT has been residing in my purse for weeks!!!! I'm starting to see that I keep things in there for no apparent reason, kind of like hoarding.


Now my work bag isn't as bad as my purse, well it was worse. Not pictured were 3 EMPTY plastic grocery bags, and 2 half eaten bags of potato chips that were stale, those got thrown away last night at work finally. Starting at the top left is an EMPTY box of poptarts, some soup, Starbucks Mocha coffee bag, 2 empty cups, and my tanning lotion, then on the far right is everything I need to put my makeup on. Now right to left: Daytime Cold and Flu medicine, Halls cough drops strawberry flavor, unpopped bag of Kettle Corn popcorn, and two journals. Underneath the journals is a baggie of tanning lotion samples that I was given from our lotion training, 1 tampon, 2 mini bags of Skittles from Halloween, 1 big bag of Skittles, 1 candy from work, 1 bunched up straw paper, my nook charger, and more makeup products.

Now, I really believe I just hoard things in these two bags and my car. My car is even worse! Pretty funny if you ask me! What's funny is I have no need for half of this stuff daily, so why must it be in my purse!? Because, I cannot seem to part with most of it!!! Today was a great day to start the decluttering process of the year, started with these bags! Next it will be my car, because I have stuff in my car that has no business being there! Then onto the house!!!

What are some of the craziest things you have seen in your purse, or someone else's purse?

2014

I am well aware that it has been 2014 for 6 days now, but I have finally decided to write my first blog of the year! Crazy to think that we are in the year of 2014! As you get older, time certainly does go by so much faster. Anyways, off that tangent! So like most of you, in years passed I have made a list of resolutions that I plan to keep to. Unlike some people, this year I have decided not to make a list of resolutions. Because, I always seem to break them before I even get really started, or I forget about them. I believe the only thing I kept up last year, was staying alive. ha! Seriously! This year, of course I have goals, but I am not making any promises at keeping them, because it may not happen!

So below you will find a few things I plan to do this year, seeing as how there are 359 days left to the year I am sure I can obtain some of these!


1. First and foremost, I plan to make more time for my husband. Yeah I know that sounds cheesy, but what I mean when I say I plan to make more time for him, what I am saying is less Pinterest, less Facebook, less Twitter...you get the picture, and more time with him. I have got to put the phone down, and be more present in my relationship.


2. I really mean it this year, I mean to save some money. I've actually gotten a headstart, my bank has this option called "Save the Change" and it basically rounds up to the next dollar on every purchase I make using my debit card, and at the end of the day it automatically transfers that amount to my savings account. Which is pretty amazing, and another thing I plan on doing is this, which I found off Pinterest:

Let me explain this, basically on Pinterest there are a few of these floating around, there is one that is where you save the amount of dollars that corresponds with that number of week. For example, week 1 would be $1, week 2 would be $2 making you have $3 saved and so on and so forth. I found this one where you do $2 increments. I'm thinking realistically I'll be able to do this for most of the year, until it starts to getting to the bigger amounts. We shall see!


3. If you follow me on any of my Social Media outlets, you will already be familiar with this one. This goal also goes hand in hand with my number 1 goal. So these aren't exactly in numerical order as to which is most important by the way. Anyway, another goal of mine this year is to build a better relationship with God, which in turn will allow me to draw closer to Jeremy. I've been doing the above devotional for 6 days now, and what's really great is I'm doing it live online with the author and 100s of other women! So I am not only gaining knowledge, based on what God calls us to be as wives- but also I am gathering new perspectives from other wives on marriage. Seeing women talk about the same problems, and the same thoughts that I have is so empowering and has opened my eyes a lot! Facebook Wife After God Event Please join me if you are interested, you can download the 30 day devotional on Amazon, I promise you will love it! Also, with this goal I hope to commit to a church and attend regularly this year.


4. This Spring, I am absolutely planning to organize, declutter, and clean my house thoroughly so that I can keep up with it for the rest of the year! We have so many boxes, and piles of stuff, and junk that we just need to purge and get rid of. We started this purging process yesterday! Feels so good, already! I tell you, this domestic housewife business is hard work!


5.This is a two parter, firstly; I'd like to be sure my friends, and family know how much I cherish them. I plan on showing them somehow this year just how amazing they are. I have been super blessed to have some of the most amazing people in my life from coworkers and my best friends scattered across the US to crazy and funny family! And second, I'd like to finally let go of hurts from the last year, I went through a lot last year in the friendship department, and I have chosen to no longer hold onto hurt, unkind thoughts, jealousy, and my mean girl tendencies regarding those situations. I am a grown woman, and I don't need to chase people in order to have them in my life, the people that want to be here are here.


6. Last but certainly not least, I plan to read and finish all of the books that I currently have on my Nook. Which is around 100 books that I have purchased, but have not read. I have been reading 3 books off and on for about a year now, so I will finish those! So basically, I refuse to buy any new nook books that are not a devotional study type of book, until I finish what I've got!

So, that's the end of this list! Trust me, there are so many more things I could list! But this is enough for you to get the gist of my goals for the year!

What are some of your goals and/or resolutions for 2014?

Merry Christmas

If you are like us, you spent this past weekend binging on Christmas movies on ABC Family! Jeremy and I have had the plague for about a week and a half now. And when I say plague, I really mean bronchitis. With it's wonderful horrendous cough that has kept us awake most nights, and the wonderful mucus coming out of our noses and throats. It was fun. So we really needed a weekend of relaxation and rest,considering I still felt like I was dying. I still have that raspy quality to my voice from all the coughing. Tis the season, I suppose.


Now that I am FINALLY starting to feel human again, and rested! I am so super excited for Christmas! From Thanksgiving to New Years is my fave time of the year! I just enjoy what the season brings, and the feel of giving and being around loved ones. I literally cannot stand to wait for people to open their presents from me. It normally isn't much, and I don't spend a ton of money but I am always so excited! I have all these amazing gifts under my tree for our friends and family, and I've been DYING literally dying for everyone to recieve and open their presents. Now, for my friends and family who live in other states, we all know how terrible I am about mailing things out (Sorry Daddy)-I am equally excited for you guys to get your gifts, I just haven't mailed them yet!


I did 97% of all of my Christmas shopping online this year! THANK YOU PINTEREST AND ETSY! The only stores that I actually purchased gifts from were TJ MAXX and the Dollar Tree! I did not, however, get out my Christmas Cards this year. I was on it with the presents, seeing as how they were all bought by December. But my Christmas Cards, are still sitting in the box with my address book, pen, and stamps! Oops sorry guys, maybe next year! I was lucky enough to have all of my Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving (Stop judging me, we went out of town the weekend after so we had to decorate early). Here are a few of those pics:





With all of that said, I'd like to reflect on the resason for the Season for a moment. With the hooplah that Christmas has turned into, all the give me give me attitudes, all the sales and the fighting that happens for something that isn't even being sold at that good of a price. I think as a whole our society has lost sight of what Christmas is really about! It isn't about Santa Claus and what he's bringing me. It's about celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! It's about giving, and being with family! And it's about loving each other. I was lucky enough to be able to go out into Charleston, with my coworkers for an evening of doing Random Acts of Kindness, and yes I said lucky. Because, I was able to spend my time and my money, to do for others. People who don't even know me. I also did a Secret Santa type thing for a family. I am lucky to do these things, because I have a job and the means to do a little bit for my community. It also made me incredibly happy to do for those who could do nothing for me in return.


"But the angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for look I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord, was born for you in the City of David. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough." Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to the people He favors!" Luke 2:10-14


And on that note, I'd like to wish all of you my precious readers a very Merry Christmas! Thank you for reading my ramblings over the last year! I am incredibly grateful that you choose to spend some of your time, reading my random thoughts! Merry Christmas to you and your families!



Please enjoy my favorite Christmas song of all time, love this version!

Domestic Goddess? I could be...

I believe I asked my mother this very question, a few hundred times. This is still a question I ask myself daily! How do I do that? How do I get that stain out? How do I combat mildew in the bathroom? The "how do I " questions are endless!

Thanks to Pinterest, I've discovered a new love for cooking and baking!  The last couple of weeks I've made at least one real homemade meal, and when I say homemade I mean literally homemade.  Fresh veggies, standing in front of the stove cooking, chopping veggies, making chicken stock, etc... It's definitely a good way to promote a healthier lifestyle in our home! 

Tonight's spread was Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup! I have to say, I've been impressed with myself!  Especially with last weeks spaghetti squash meal! 

Which I was incredibly impressed with, as was the hubby! I wish I had taken a better photo than what I got of it, everything on the plate looked bland and gross so I'll show you the prep pics instead: 

I discovered a local farmers market that made me so incredibly happy! I was like a kid in a candy store, just ask Lauren (who was on the phone with me the entire time).  I will say, I found it difficult to cut open the spaghetti squash, I was scared I was going I chop my fingers off or my entire hand for that matter!

Now the rest of the housewifing, I find trouble with. It seems the cleaning is never ending!  Why haven't they invented homes that clean themselves yet!? There are days where I find myself proud of how hard I worked on the house and of how much I was a me to get done.  Then there are other days where the couch and our packed DVR are much more appealing! Sometimes the motivation just isn't there!  I've found and even printed out cleaning schedules from Pinterest, they just get shoved behind other things on the fridge! I'm definitely better than I used to be, but have a looooooong way to go with the whole Dosmetic Goddess business! 

What are some of your "Domestic Goddess" secrets? 

xoxo

August 17, 2006

So I came across this blog trend via one of my favorite bloggers, and thought it was a nifty way to take a trip down memory lane... So here goes...

Disclaimer: I absolutely HATE the song that is referenced in this "grab button"...like i puke a little in my mouth every time it comes on. I did not create this button and do not claim ownership. Also, to any family reading this post, I'm really sorry. 

I celebrated turning 21 for a good 3 years before I turned 21! HA! I kid I kid! But in reality, I did have a fake ID for around 5 months before I turned 21. ALL of my friends, including my boyfriend were 21 or older at that time in 2006! Sooo I spent many evenings in my boyfriend's Clemson apartment looking like this:...

This was my junior year, I think ;-) 

The boyfriend and our friends graduated May 2006, and dispersed throughout the country to begin their adult lives, probably the most boring summer of my college years. I can't lie. Towards the end of July 2006, I flew to San Diego where Jeremy was living at the time: while there, I enjoyed some nice visits with my dad (who still lives in San Diego) and visits with my man. The last night of my trip we went to this really wicked cool place, I forget the name (sorry), I didn't drink there of course but it was my way of enjoying some birthday festivities with my dad and boyfriend since they weren't going to make it all the way to SC for the actual day. Here are those photos: 

Yes, those are straws in my hair...I believe the waitress thought it would make for a great hair do...who knows...

August 17, 2006

Then came my actual birthday, the day that it was actually legal for me to consume alcohol! After classes, my family and best friends took me to the grand ole city of Easley where we got a big table at Applebee's! At the time, that was the closest thing to a favorite restaurant I had! This night was relatively tame, considering I had classes the next morning. 

My first legal drink, I believe it was a bahama mama (stop judging me, yes I'm wearing the same outfit in this photo as those above, this was my fave outfit back then).

Now the evening where I do believe before the end of dinner I was blackout wasted. I don't have many of those photos anymore, they used to be on my Myspace, yes I had Myspace I was a classy broad.  Anyways, the evening started out pretty tame with dinner, then some guy started buying me shots, I don't remember eating dinner. We went to a few bars downtown Greenville, where lots of older gentlemen kept filling me with lemon drops, lots of lemon drops. I also need to add, it wasn't just my 21st we were celebrating we were also celebrating my best friend Holly's 21st as well! She was also getting her fill of lemon drops. Somehow, because I don't remember, we managed to get to this place called the Blind Horse, save the judgement you know you want to go there! I don't remember all of the details there, but do remember Holly barfing in the parking lot, but she manned up and continued partying! Go girl! I also remember losing my shoes, and my beer several times. And if you know me, and you know that I was consuming beer you know that I was far away in blackout land! I don't remember what we did after that or how we got home! I would say that it was a successful 21st birthday party, enjoy these last few very tame photos! If I happen to stumble across a disc (yes I said disk) of any old photos I'll be sure to post them! 

Why yes, I did wear a tiara! How else was I supposed to get those free lemon drops?

The other birthday girl Holly, on the left. 

The only image I know of from inside a bar somewhere. 

P.S. I'd really love to be that skinny again.... 

                     XOXO

Foremulating Pattie

Yes! I have revamped my blog with a new name, and a new layout! What do y'all think? My good friend William, helped me come up with the new name, he also helped with the revamping process! 

Do you like the play on the word "formulating"? It was changed to incorporate my last name! William came up with it, it's pretty fitting if you ask me! 

The definition for the word Formulate is: to create or devise methodically (a strategy or a proposal).  Synonyms: devise, conceive, form, produce, concoct, prepare, develop...

So with that definition in mind, the new title means that I am a being in development! People change every day, they grow intellectually and emotionally every day, and we also grow physically!  Especially if you're like me and you see your waistline expanding everyday hehehe! 

Be patient with me as I decide what to write about, and how quickly it comes to you! Let me know what you think about the changes! 

XOXO