Monday, January 30, 2012

time for a haircut!

So friends, I am due for another haircut.  Last time, I contemplated cutting my hair to my shoulders (right now it's about 3-4 inches below them), but I chickened out.  Big time.  I've had the same hairstyle for pretty much the last 2 + years and while I like it, I think that I am over having long hair for awhile.  It takes SO long to blow dry and I feel like it doesn't have style anymore to it.  Do any of you feel like that that have long hair?  Is it just because I need a haircut?


Here are some hairstyles I've found that I really like...  I think they might all be versions of the same style though! haha!


 


Shoulder-Length-haircuts

 


Shoulder-Length-haircuts

 


Shoulder-Length-haircuts

 


Shoulder-Length-haircuts


What do you think?  Have you seen any great hairstyles lately?


 

valentine's day decor!

Do you decorate your home for Valentine's Day? After all of the decorations we had up for Christmas, I just had a few things around our home--a wreath, a few towels in the bathroom, and some red candles. However, Pinterest has some beautiful options for Valentine's Day decor! How do you decorate for Valentine's Day?













Source: etsy.com via Becky on Pinterest






Thursday, January 26, 2012

big news friends!

Big news friends, I'm starting to read Harry Potter. Now, I might be about 8 years behind the times (or more!) but I am really excited to get started! :)
Harry-potter-books-1-7111

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

wilw


WILW


Photo-19


I'm loving my salad for lunch! I've been trying to cut down on carbs some lately and this was the perfect lunch. I had two cups of spinach, hard-boiled egg whites, chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, blackberries, a few dried cherries, and some yummy strawberry poppyseed dressing. Oh and just a little bit of grilled chicken for some extra protein. This was one HUGE salad and it kept me filled all through the day--even when I was chasing around some crazy second graders. :)




Photo-19


I'm loving these izzes I bought at the store this week. They are SO delicious and such a perfect treat. I savor these things like nobody's business. (Sorry the picture is sideways--for some reason typepad is flipping them?!)


Photo-19


I'm loving my new bag. I swear there are few things in this world that make me feel as happy as a new purse. I stopped at the outlet yesterday and picked up this pretty bag for 75% off. That's right 75% off. I love outlet malls and their amazing sales!! :) I love the three dividers--it's perfect for compartmentalizing makeup, pens, my wallet, etc. I can't wait to carry this pretty bag!


Photo-19


I'm loving my sweet, sweet husband. We just celebrated ten months of marriage and I swear the days have just completely flown by. I am so thrilled that he still makes me laugh like no one else and that I can't fall asleep at night without him by my side. We aren't perfect, but he is my very favorite.



215702_803963354214_38300314_39235908_2089914_n


What are you loving this week? :)

Monday, January 23, 2012

miscellany monday!

Hi friends! I hope you had a great weekend! I can't believe it's already Monday--why can't we have another four day workweek again this week? I'm going to be linking up with Carissa for Miscellany Monday again this week to share all of the random things I'm thinking about!



MMbutton3



1. We were supposed to get a really nasty ice storm on Friday night, so Rob and I planned on a nice dinner at home! We made pork chops, steamed fresh green beans, and this skinny au gratin potato recipe. I didn't have most of the herbs on hand, so we just improvised and it was WONDERFUL! I highly recommend it!


2. We of course watched a bunch of tv this weekend because the weather was pretty yucky! We caught up on our DVR on Friday night--we watched Castle, Modern Family, and Rob even watched Grey's and Private Practice with me! Husband of the year, right here! :)


3. Saturday night we tried to go to Bonefish, but the weight was almost two hours! No fun, but we ended up at a Mexican restaurant instead. We did have some pretty yummy guacamole made right at our table so I can't complain too much! Rob and I thought about hitting up a movie afterwards, but decided to come home and watch a movie we had Netflixed. I've been reading a bunch of spy/conspiracy books lately, so we watched The Recruit. It's not as good as a book, but it was a good movie to watch!



220px-Recruitmovie



4. Sunday started out with church and then dinner with Rob's parents. I love that we live so close to his family--and all of the time we get to spend with them. I know how so many other couples have forced relationships with their in-laws and this is something I am just so incredibly thankful for!


5. Instead of going grocery shopping this week, Rob and I are going to just try to eat foods we already have at home. I know we are going to have to get a few things (like Diet Coke! :) ) but I think we will probably spend under $30 this week in groceries. Amazing. I decided to put what we'd normally spend at the grocery into our savings. That was one of my NY resolutions, remember? :) I know that we might have a night or two of random meals, but we still have things for a roast, buffalo chicken macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, and a pork tenderloin that we need to eat. Not a bad week's worth of meals for not going grocery shopping! Our fridge and pantry are so full, we need to eat some of those things up!


6. I have a very busy week ahead--substituting three days, a work trip on Tuesday, reading a book for a workshop this weekend, plus preparing for a couple of trainings events at work. All of these things I love doing, but I just know it's going to be a tough week!


How was your weekend? Tell me what's new in your life! :)


Wednesday, January 18, 2012

wilw



WILW

Today is my favorite day of blogging--both reading and writing! I love the positivity out there in blogland! :)

Before I get started into WILW, I'd just like to ask you to offer up a prayer for my papa. He's having some minor surgery today, but his health has been in a gradual decline for awhile. They've transferred him to a different hospital because he's high risk. I'd so appreciate your prayers--and I know my papa would too!

Ok--let's get started with the love and happiness out there today! :) I'm linking up with Jamie at This Kind of Love, as always, for What I'm Loving Wednesday! :)

I'm loving this pretty Valentine's Day wreath! I have minimal Valentine's Day decorations, but I think they are so pretty! Isn't this wreath genius?


WILW


I'm loving this owl nightlight. As a Chi Omega, I must have this in my life! Isn't it so cute?!



130111876704101694_a3kVWJ1Z_c-1

I'm loving Goodread's 2012 Reading Challenge! I challenged myself to read 52 books and so far this year I have read 4! I'm about 200 pages into a 900 page book right now so I know my pace is going to slow down a little. However, I love keeping track of this goal--I feel so accomplished! :)


207



I'm loving my husband, as always. I love that he makes me feel incredibly special and so very cherished. That's the way every woman should feel and I am so thankful for Rob. He even made dinner last night--which is another thing I'm loving! :)

BeckyRob_012

What are you loving this week? I'd love to hear! :)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

my weekend!



On Friday we got lots of snow! I was so excited to have some finally--we normally have SO much in Columbus and we haven't really had any! I was substitute teaching on Friday--and we were one of the only schools within several counties to have school! However, I loved being out in the snow--it was pretty exciting!

I rented a couple of movies for us to watch on Friday evening because I knew there was no way we'd be going back out! Rob made us a gluten-free pizza and we enjoyed a nice evening in! We watched Contagion and The Next Three Days. Both were ok--I was expecting so much more!

The_Next_Three_Days_7



The_Next_Three_Days_7


On Saturday morning, Rob was sweet enough to go with me to one of my youth's baptism. Well--now she's a college freshman! Frannie was baptized at her college, Wittenberg, which is a little over an hour from our house. The interstate wasn't too bad--but the roads on the way there were kind of sketchy! Here's pretty Frannie and Alicia posing with me after Frannie was baptized. :)


Photo-13



Saturday night, we had some friends over to watch football. I love having friends over and cooking for them! It was kind of last minute, but it ended up being really fun. I made my granny's macaroni and cheese, which was a huge hit! :)

Sunday morning started off with church and a meeting afterwards. I had a visitation for my great aunt to go to afterwards. My great aunt, Betty, was such a wonderful person. It was so nice to see some of my mom's family though. My sister came home with me for a little bit until my mom came to pick her up for the ride home. It wasn't nearly enough time to hang out--but I was so happy to get some quality time with her!

Sunday night, Rob and I headed to our friends' house. My friend's husband is seriously a gourmet chef! He made a rack of lamb for us with squash, rosemary roasted potatoes, and a few others sides. Such a delicious meal! It's better than anything I've eaten in a restaurant!

Monday was another jam-packed day! It started off with brunch and a movie with two of my best girlfriends. I had a wonderful avocado omelet! :) We then went to see My Week with Marilyn. It was an interesting movie--but barely 90 minutes long!

My-Week-With-Marilyn-featured-277x320


We also did a little bit of shopping at Old Navy! Old Navy is a store where I can either find nothing or want to buy the whole entire store! This time, I wanted to buy everything. :) I managed to restrain myself and only buy a few things. One was this pretty dress on sale! :)



My-Week-With-Marilyn-featured-277x320



Monday evening, Rob and I met up with my cousin and her boyfriend for sushi and ice cream. This weekend had lots of eating and fun with our friends. I'm so happy that I was also able to spend time with my family! And, I am happy to report that even though I ate out several meals and was incredibly lazy, I didn't do too terribly with my calories! My Fitness Pal makes things so easy to track--so you can either adjust what you're eating or your portions perfectly! I love the feature where you can exercise to get some extra calories for eating. ;)


How was your weekend? I hope you enjoyed the extra day off from work! I know I did! :)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

midweek randoms!

-Last night Rob and I decided to watch our Netflix DVD of Big Bang Theory. We got it in the mail yesterday, but when it came time for us to watch it, it was nowhere to be found! I tried to remember where I had put it...and then I realized I had most likely put it in the outside trash. :( I had checked the mail and thrown away the junk in the trashcan before coming inside. :( :( :( :( :( So, I put on my big girl britches and dug it out of the trash. In the rain. That's how much I wanted to watch Big Bang Theory! (Also there was nothing else in the trash. Thank goodness. :) )


-Speaking of, I finally learned the words to the theme song. I'm pretty much a genius. :)


Big_bang_theory


-On Tuesday I subbed at a local high school but all of the students had work to do--there was no real teaching for me to do. Luckily, I had downloaded my Nook with some fun new reading material including----


ThroughMyEyes
Honestly I wasn't sure if I would like this book. I thought it might be too preachy or perhaps too conservative. However, I loved the book! It's written in a way that makes you feel like you are just having a conversation with Tim Tebow! I really admire him and his strong faith--which he is able to talk about in a way that is not judgmental or righteous. I like that. There's a lot about football in there (shocking, I know), so I think that guys would like it just as much!


-I've heard that so many of you are doing My Fitness Pal too! Let's be friends---beckyjo606 is my username. This has been such an eye-opening app for me. I had no idea how much snacking was impacting my calorie intake. Even if I end up going over my calorie count, I try to still put everything in there, but it definitely makes me think twice about everything I eat!


-Also, earlier in the week I mentioned I had saved a bunch of money through couponing. One of my friends has started a new blog, Coupning Make$ Cent$. Jessica has basically taught me everything I know about coupon clipping and the best ways to save money! She has started posting matchups where she matches up the stores that are having sales with the coupons being offered. This is how you get maximum savings! If you're interested in saving some money, check out her blog! :)


-Do you have any good book recommendations? One of my resolutions for the year is to read 52 books! I've read 3 so far and I have a few more picked out to read, but I am always looking for more to read.


Alright, I have shared enough random things with you for the day!


Hope you're having a great Thursday! :)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

wilw

WILW
Hi friends!  It's time for What I'm Loving for Wednesday so link up with Jamie to play along!  


I'm loving... some of the new recipes I've found on Cooking Light!  They are so filling and really low calories.  Plus, I am so thankful to have some new dishes to add to my regular dishes!


I'm loving... the My Fitness Pal app on my phone!  I've been tracking calories and it has been so eye-opening to me.  I had ONE turtle as a snack and it was 85 calories!  I think I'm going to stick to foods with way less calories--I enjoy munching too much!  If you have that app, friend me-- it's under my email rebeccahjo {at} gmail.com :)


I'm loving... the world of blogging.  I feel like I have read so many great new blogs lately and have developed such great friendships!  I am so thankful for each one of you!


I'm loving... my new baby cousin, Madilyn Cade.  Isn't she so precious?!  Look at that sweet tobaggon on her head! :)


384408_919120059353_48205146_39179815_957362634_n
And, of course I'm loving...
Rob!  Even though he wasn't a super fan of running so many errands and helping me with all of my couponing, he totally was a champ about helping out!  And, when we had to return some things or get some extras of things he didn't grumble too much.  :) 


What are you loving today?

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

getting organized!

One of my goals for the year is to get more organized. I have actually been making some pretty good progress towards this including cleaning some items out of my closet that I haven't worn in a year. I also bought more hangers because there were so many things I needed to hang up to remember they were in my closet!


I have some other ideas for organization....





Source: bhg.com via Becky on Pinterest







Source: creatingkeepsakesblog.com via Becky on Pinterest


I also signed up for a fun newsletter where every week you get an update on an organization task. I am a week behind, but I'm sure it won't be too difficult to catch up. :)


Organized-home-challenge
Here is the website where you can sign up also and get your house organized! The first week is focusing on decluttering your kitchen and working on your counters, which is such a big deal for me. We always open the mail and leave it on the counter. Our counterspace is pretty limited so I can't let it be taken up with this any longer!



So, tell me--what are some of your organization tips? Do you have any advice for me?


Friday, January 6, 2012

2012 goals

186336503301990131_2iE4uVS4_c


I have been thinking long and hard about my 2012 goals. I'd like to make 12 goals that are completely attainable for me--even though I know I'll have a lot of work to do on them!


1. I will read 52 books this year. In 2011 I read 45 books AND planned a wedding so I'm pretty sure I can get this accomplished! I finished a book last night--although I read 90% of it in 2011, it was over 1300 pages so I'm going to go ahead and count it. :)


2. I will lose 20 lbs. When I exercise and eat right I feel better about myself! I need to develop the best plan for me for this year though.


3. I will save X amount of dollars this year. This will be a little bit harder, but I am still confident that we will be able to reach this goal! My ultimate goal would be for us to be able to live off of one of our paychecks, but we aren't there yet!


4. I will find a place for every single thing in my house. If it doesn't have a place I will either create a solution for it or give it away. I want my life to be more organized!


5. I will learn to coupon in a way that cuts our shopping budget down at least $100/month. I am going to really focus on personal care items and pet food and treats. We spend a lot of money in this area and I am looking forward to saving some money--which will also help with #3!


6. I will travel outside of Ohio at least 6 times this year. I stole this idea from my friend Kate. I already know of three trips I'll be taking out of state this year, so I really wanted to set the bar high! And, trips to Kentucky to visit my mom do not count! :)


7. I will send more cards and snail mail this year. I know how much of an impact this can have and I promise to be better at it this year!


8. I will complete at least three Bible Studies or devotionals this year. I will be doing at least two Beth Moore studies with some of my favorite ladies at church, but I would like to find one other study or devotional to really strengthen my relationship with Christ.


9. I will plan at least three trips for my husband and I to take this year. I think traveling together really strengthens our relationship--plus it is just fun! I love the memories we create and looking back on those times really bring me so much happiness!


10. I will make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink and a load of laundry is started every night before I go to bed. I hate both of these chores, but getting them finished the night before makes for a much happier morning for me.


11. I will get pregnant this year. This is a whole different post for a different day, but this will happen this year!


12. I will be a good wife this year! This includes cooking my husband's favorite meals, showing him how much I love him everysingleday, and spending quality time with him!



Do you have resolutions for this year? I'd love to hear about them!