Living a Joyful Life

1. The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins I recently read this book and I absolutely loved it. I couldn't put it down and I think I read it in 3 days. The plot twist was unexpected and really good. This is Paula Hawkin's debut novel and it was fantastic. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars, a definite must read. Credit: My Instagram 2. Pandora Charm Bracelet For Christmas this year, my dad brought me a Pandora bracelet and two charms. We went and picked it out together and they had a really great special going on at the time where you get the bracelet, two spacers and one charm for $140. ^My Pandora bracelet^ 3. Parenthood I'm super sad that Parenthood had it's series finale last night. I absolutely love that show and all the characters on it. I don't get how they have such trashy shows on TV and they end the really good ones. I also don't understand why they didn't make it two hours since it's the series finale. My mom ...

Reading: A Christmas To Remember -Jenny Hale Writing: This entry & LJ update Listening: Jake Owen music Thinking: I hope the week goes by fast Smelling: My body lotion Wishing: That every weekend was a 3 day weekend Wearing: Mets t-shirt & pajama pants Loving: My family <3, weekends, good books, country music Wanting: To upgrade to the iPhone 6 Needing: To empty the dishwasher Feeling: Lazy & content

Things I did during my 4 day weekend: -Cleaned & organized my closet -Took down Christmas tree in my room (I put it off until the middle of January because I get so bummed when I take it down) -Dust & vacuumed my room -Vacuumed the house -Went food shopping -Watched the NFL Playoff games -Read a lot -Facetimed with my nephew, J -Went for walks with my mom -Finally watched the movie Gone Girl -Spent time with my furbabies Credit: ReadingGlassesShopper.com

Here is what I received in my January Pop Sugar Must Have Box: ^January Must Have Box^ ^January Information card^ ^What inspired January's box^ Jack & Lucy Pom Pom Hat Retails for: $32 I absolutely love this hat. It's so soft and comfortable and very warm and cozy. I love the addition of the pom pom on top which just adds to the cute factor of the hat. General Mills Nature Valley Protein Granola Retails for: $3.68 I really like granola and I've never tried this flavor before so I'm excited to try it. Skin Jewel Tattoos EMPIRE Retails for: $18 I don't really love this product but one day I might try some of them out. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Retails for: $28 I've heard a lot of great things about this cream and I'm so excited that it came in my box. I can't wait to try it out. Manduka eQua Hand Towel Retails for: $16 Along with the jewel tattoos, this was the only other produc...

Reading: The Girl on The Train -Paula Hawkins Writing: This entry & making Valentine's Day cards for my nieces and nephews Listening: Taylor Swift's album, 1989 Thinking: I love four day weekends Smelling: My iced coffee Wishing: That weekends didn't go by so fast Wearing: Pajamas Loving: My family <3, four day weekends, Law & Order: SVU marathons Wanting: To upgrade to the iPhone 6 Needing: To do some stuff around the house/my room Feeling: Loved & content

I was nominated for The Versatile Blogger Award by Heather of  Hey, Heatherbee!  Thanks, sweetie! RULES Show the award on your blog Thank the person who nominated you Share seven facts about yourself Nominate 15  five blogs Link your nominees and let them know. 1. I'm a very loyal person. However, if you hurt me or my family, I have no room for you in my life. I do not have time for people who are rude, mean, hurtful, two-faced, disloyal, etc . 2. I love to write short stories although I haven't written any since I took 4 creative writing classes in college. I want to start writing again. 3. I love to scrapbook. I love the memories that I reminiscence on as I look through scrapbooks I've made. 4. I'm a huge sports fan. My all time favorite sport is and always will be baseball. I'm a die hard New York Mets & New York Yankees fan. 5. Reading is one of my favorite things to do. I love reading books and magazines and I read a ton of blogs. ...

1. Four Day Weekend This weekend is extra awesome because it's a four day weekend for me. Today is a student holiday so aftercare doesn't run today and we have Monday off for the MLK holiday. Today, I cleaned out my closet and reorganized it. My plans for the weekend are to get some stuff done around the house: vacuum the house, dust & vacuum my room, clean my bathroom, take down the tree in my room (it's a 4 ft. tree that I got from Target and since I was away for 10 days in December, I decided to leave it up until Monday). I also plan to go for a walk on Saturday, Sunday, & Monday. I brought the Gone Girl movie & book combo last night at Target (I've already read and loved the book but I wanted to own it) and I had wanted to see the movie in the theaters but I never got around to it so I plan on watching the movie this weekend. At Target, they were running a promotion if you purchased the book & movie combo, you saved $5. I also plan on finish...

#FrostyVoxBox from Inluenster Review: ^Picture of the #FrostyVoxBox^ Product #1: No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Sachet  #GetADVANCED The description on the VoxBox card reads "This clinically proven serum is even more effective at reducing the appearance of fine lines for younger looking skin in just two weeks" So obviously in the sample, I don't have enough to use for two weeks but I tried the product and it felt nice and worked well for the single use I had. I would rate this product a 3 out of 5. Product #2: NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum #SugarPlum I did not like this product because of the color I was provided with. I did try it out and it went on well but felt a little sticky on my lips. I'm not a huge fan of lip colors in general (I normally either use lip balm or Stila lip glosses on my lips). On the VoxBox card in says that "the NEW Expert Last Lip Color comes in twenty tantalizing shades." I would rate this ...

READING: Christmas At Tiffany's -Karen Swan WRITING: This entry and my grocery list LISTENING: Little Did You Know -Alex & Sierra THINKING: I hate how fast the weekends go by SMELLING: My iced coffee WISHING: That I could visit my family in NY sooner than summer WEARING: Pajamas LOVING: My family <3, the weekend, reading books/blogs/magazines WANTING: To go to Target this week NEEDING: To go food shopping FEELING: Thankful & content

Influenster Review: Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea I received the product listed above in my #FrostyVoxBox from Influenster. This tea was really delicious. I'm not a huge tea drinker and when I do drink it, I usually have peppermint tea. I'm not a huge fan of green tea but I did really enjoy this product. It wasn't overly sweet but it also had a nice, flavorful taste. On the #FrostyVoxBox card, they described this product as "being made with the very finest green tea leaves, peppermint, and other botanicals, because at Celestial Seasonings, we know you are what you steep." I would rate this product a 4 out of 5. Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Influenster Review:  Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover &Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner I received the products listed above in my #FrostyVoxBox from Influenster. The eyeliner was okay but I never wear eyeliner so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I liked the color and that it went on pretty easily. On my Influenster Voxbox card it was described "Gives instant colour impact with it's high intensity pigments. The ultra-smooth and creamy formula glides on easily. I would rate this product a 3 out of 5. The makeup remover worked great. It took off my long lasting mascara pretty easily without much effort and it didn't sting or burn. I really enjoyed this product. On my Influenster Voxbox card it was described "Gently removes all eye makeup, including long lasting and water proof makeup, with no oily residue." I would rate this product a 4 out of 5. Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary from Influenst...

One: Wrapped up in my niece's love My 9 year old niece O knitted me an absolutely gorgeous scarf for Christmas/my birthday. She started making it when she was 8 and finished it when she was 9. I love wearing it, especially with the colder weather we've been getting in the South lately. ^Me wearing my beautiful scarf. The beautiful dog is Belle, my fur-niece^ Two: Finished my first book of the year I recently finished my first book of the year. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion which is the sequel to The Rosie Project. It was a really great book. This weekend, I will be starting my second book, Christmas At Tiffany's by Karen Swan. Credit: fredericksburg.com Three: Fruit Vines Bites I received these for reviewing purposes in my #FrostyVoxBox from Influenster. These are so yummy and very addicting. I reviewed the Cherry flavor but I want to try the Strawberry flavor as well. Credit: Amazon.com Four: Hi, my name is Amy & I...

READING: The Rosie Effect -Graeme Simsion WRITING: This entry and thank you cards later today LISTENING: My Christmas playlist... giving it one last play THINKING: I can't believe how fast 2014 went by SMELLING: My iced coffee WISHING: That my dentist appointment goes well tomorrow WEARING: Pajamas LOVING: My family <3, having time off from work WANTING: To upgrade to the iPhone 6 NEEDING: To write out thank you cards for Christmas & my birthday FEELING: Loved & happy

One: Happy New Year!! I hope 2015 is a blessed, happy, healthy, and wonderful year for my family, my friends, myself and all of you who read this blog!! Credit: sweatshirtdressshirt.blogspot Two: Christmas in New York I had a wonderful 10 days in New York visiting my family and making many wonderful and special memories with them. I spent a ton of quality time with my nieces & nephews, siblings, sister & brother in laws, and my dad. One of my main highlights (besides spending quality time with my family), was meeting my baby nephew M for the first time and bonding with him. He is such a love bug. I enjoyed holding him and rocking him while singing to him. He even feel asleep while I was holding him. I gave him his bottle and burped him a few times during my trip. It was so hard to leave him because I know the next time I see him he won't be in the little baby stages anymore. It breaks my heart that I have to miss out on so much of my nieces & neph...

December Happy/Loved List: + Niece O’s birthday + NY for the holidays + Meeting my baby nephew M for the first time & bonding with him + Making many fun & happy memories with my family in NY + Celebrating my birthday with my mom + Celebrating my birthday with my family in NY + Being able to cheer my nephew N on at his championship deck hockey game + Meeting my new fur niece, Belle ^Belle & I ; Personal Photo^ + Celebrating the holiday season with my family + Seeing the joy and happiness on my nieces & nephews faces when they opened their gifts from me + Seeing the tree at Rockefeller Center ^Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree ; Personal Photo^ + Getting a Pandora bracelet & two charms for Christmas + My 28th birthday + 8 year anniversary of meeting David Wright (Dec. 16th) ^8 years ago that this happened ; Personal Photo^ + Receiving my December Pop Sugar Must Have Box + Read so...