Feminine Friday: A Slave To Vanity

Happy Friday my lovelies! Today, my post is about beauty. This past week, I went to see Snow White And The Huntsman (for the second time actually) and the queen struck some inspiration into me. She's gorgeous but you soon discover that it's her magic that's made it so. She has to steal beauty from other's to keep herself beautiful. She has to ask her mirror who is the most beautiful in the land, just to hear it from someone else's lips. And when Snow White exceeds her in beauty, she goes after her competition. In the end, she still ends up growing old and dying, like every human being.


It made me think on how much time can be wasted, spent sitting in front of a mirror and how much money can be spent on products that focus on our outward appearance. Girls spend entirely too much time and money on this. And then when they still don't feel beautiful, they put other girls down to lift themselves up. But here is what the Bible has to say on the subject:


But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." - 1 Sam. 16:7

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. - Prov. 31:3

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. - 1 Peter 3:3-4


Now I'm not saying that all makeup and hair products are evil. I use makeup but I don't spend a fortune on it and, being a nanny, I don't have time to put on fifty layers each morning. And as I see such beautiful looking women all over the internet, I need to remember myself that "the Lord looks at the heart". In eternity, my face will mean nothing. 


And with that, here is your song!

Enjoy your weekend and keep those smiles on! Until next time!


"It is the plain women who know about love; the beautiful women are too busy being fascinating." ~ Katherine Hepburn


"In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally." ~ W. Somerset Maugham


"I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing." ~ Mae West


"There is no such thing as an ugly woman." ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Wishlist Thursday: Best TV Series Ever

Hello my dears! It's Thursday! That means tomorrow begins my weekend! And my weekend should be pretty freaking awesome. :) Though as the Dowager Countess of Grantham says "What is a weekEND?" lol! Today's wishlist item is my all time favorite TV show! DOWNTON ABBEY!!! (This is the part where you freak out with me and jump around happily, exclaiming how it's your favorite too.) 

I just love these people! Some of them are so endearing and some of them you just love to hate. Oh yes. So this is one thing I really really really reeeeeeeaaaaalllllllyyyyy want to add to my collection:

And I can't wait till season 3!!!

Welp, I'm off. Keep those smiles on! Until next time!

"Your quarrel is with my daughter, Rosamund, and not with me. So put that in your pipe and smoke it." ~ Lady Grantham


"No one wants to kiss a girl in black." ~ Lady Grantham


Mr. Carson: "We may have to have a maid in the dining room."
Lord Grantham: "Cheer up, Carson. There are worse things happening in the world."
Mr. Carson: "Not worse than a maid serving a duke."

Homemaker Wednesday: Frugal Dates

Hello my lovely readers! Today's post is about dates! It's on my mind because it's only 72 days until I get married and I think I should have some date ideas when Dearest Carl and I are saving money for this or that (like.... A HOUSE!). Anyway, when given the option, I'd like to come up with something cheap and creative and not your normal "Dinner, Movie" date (of course Dearest Carl has no problem with this :) ). So, I've been thinking and here are some frugal date ideas for me, you and your significant other. :)

- Picnic and a walk in the park
- Dress up and cook a nice dinner together at home
- Have an honest to goodness sleepover with a movie from Redbox, popcorn and lots of pillows and blankets on the living room floor
- Game night with some homemade delicious dessert or snacks
- Take a Saturday to go hiking with a picnic lunch
- Grab a Starbucks to share and drive around in the country
- Watch the sunrise with some hot chocolate
- Walk around the mall and talk or make a wish list for Christmas/Birthday
- Make sandwiches and go visit the IMA
- Go on a leisurely bike ride
- Theme Night at Home (ex. British night: Make fish n' chips and watch a tea pot movie [which I'd probably like better than him ;)])
- Saturday morning breakfast at home and Farmer's Market shopping (okay maybe not quite as cheap but more fun to do it together since it has to be done!)
- Turn the living room into a dance floor and use some Swing Dancing moves
- Go to the store and get dinner food for $20 or less (which could make it a strange mix!)
- In the winter, go sledding
- Build a fort and take turns reading a good book
- Drive around and look at Christmas lights

Feeling inspired? :) In this stage of life, dates are easy for Dearest Carl and I but I know a time will come when we may need this list. Hopefully it helps some of you who are ahead of us. :)


Well I'm off! Keep those smiles on! Until next time!

"Keep your courtship alive.  Make time to do things together -- just the two of you.  As important as it is to be with the children as a family, you need regular weekly time together.  Scheduling it will let your children know that you feel that your marriage is so important that you need to nurture it.  That takes commitment, planning, and scheduling." ~ Joe J. Christensen


“There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection IS the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted.” ~ Anon.

Monday Favorites: Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice

Hello and happy Monday to all you lovely readers out there! Today's post actually spawned from something I read this morning, completely different from my original idea. It has to do with upcoming wedding plans and pressure. 


Now I'm going to admit that I've always had trouble with my body. I'm quite plump (to be nice) and I'm not too proud of it. But I like this stuff!

Find me a woman who doesn't love her bread, pasta and sweets! You won't. We love it. My whole life, even with my plumpness, I've only watched portions but not denied myself much. And then I got engaged... and everything changed. Now I have a dress to fit into and I really have to watch it. Today, I found this blog post and it resonated with me. Check it out!


This is so true! I didn't have the mom or friends who asked what size I wanted to be BUT I have several Bride's magazines under my bed because all the girls in them are all skinny and perfect and I can't bear to look at them. The standard is gorgeous and no matter how much I starve myself, I will never be the standard. It's not in my genes. But what I read in that blog post really stuck out to me. "You are all beautiful. Whether you’re a size 4 or a size 24 you’re marrying someone who loves you. Every last inch of you." Silly me! I should know this! I tell this to my friends all the time so why don't I believe it about myself?! And what's more, I need to be more focused on the reason for the day itself, not how much the scale says when I step on it. 


Now not to say that gives me licence to go splurge eat terribly unhealthy. Eating healthy is very important but it means that I shouldn't worry about having some mashed potatoes or a scoop of ice cream, as long as I keep it in small portions. I do still have that dress to fit into. :) 


Maybe you are feeling a little inadequate by that reflection in your mirror? Well guess what! There is a God that loves us and made us just the way He wanted! So smile, listen to this song and remember that You are BEAUTIFUL!!!! 

Keep those smiles on, eat some ice cream and until next time!


Recipes for the above pictures:
Potatoes
Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Tiramisu
Gnocchi, Sorrento Style
French Breakfast Muffins

Wishlist Thursday: Baking

Hello my dear readers! My apologies for lack of posting yesterday. I had one all lined up for you but I was sick and didn't feel up to the task. I hope you are enjoying a pleasant day! It's quite sunshiny here and Little Bird is down for her nap. :) So I can post and read and have a few hours to myself! 


Today's post is about baking! Or rather... some baking utensils. Tell me, do you like sugar cookies? I've never really been a big fan of them myself. I'll usually help someone make some around Christmastime and maybe eat one then but that's about it. However once I found these different cookie cutters, it made me want to start baking! 

Mustaches!

Ninja Men (With the right recipe, I'm sure they'd disappear like ninjas too. ;) )

Pac Man (These would be too fun to play with before eating!)

Half Eaten Men (Hilarious! Perfect for Gingerbread men at Christmas!)

Maybe once I have a house of my own, I'll get some of these and bake cookies more often! Dearest Carl would certainly enjoy that I think. :) Now then, here is your song! :)

Enjoy your evening and keep those smiles on! Until next time! :)

"Cookies are made of butter and love." ~ Norwegian Proverb


"A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand." ~ Anon.


"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." ~ Barbara Jordan

Monday Favorites: Old Movies

Well it's Monday again my dear readers! Honestly I was quite enjoying my weekend so I'm a bit sad to see it come. However there are some fun things planned this week like girlfriend time and cake baking and hanging out with my mom and sisters and fiance snuggles. :) Maybe you have some special things planned for your week too?


Today's post is more of a genre. Old movies! I love old movies. The songs and dances, the romance, the adventure, the thrills, the classy black and white, there's just nothing like it! And I love finding random new favorites which I do quite often. :) But here are a few oldies that I just love:

What is your favorite old movie (if you have one)? And now for your song! :)

Keep those smiles on! Until next time!

"We'll always have Paris." ~ Casablanca


"There's no place like home." ~ Wizard of Oz


"Insanity runs in my family... It practically gallops!" ~ Arsenic And Old Lace


"The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!" ~ The Court Jester

Wishlist Thursday: Wall Decor

Hello and happy Thursday all you wonderful readers of mine! Today's post, I wanted to show you something that's caught my fancy. :) I've been finding these adorable prints more and more lately and I can't wait till I have an apartment to decorate them with! Just see what I'm talking about. :)

We Belong Together

Happily Ever After

You Are My Sunshine

A Kiss Is Still A Kiss

Adventurers  (This one has to be my favorite and I will be buying it if nothing else!)

Pretty right? I like them all. :) Oh for an apartment!!! *sigh* 85 days. And that's enough lamenting. Here's your song!

Have a lovely day and keep those smiles on! Until next time!

“Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.” ~ Charles Eames


“What is done in love is done well.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh

Homemaker Wednesday: Cake

Happy Wednesday my dear readers! Its a sunshiny morning and I have a post for you! Now I know Monday's post was about that mouthwatering pie... but today's post is about cake! :) I've found a few very good looking cakes that I'd like to share with you. :)

Flower Pot Cake (Something I'd like to figure out for my Mom sometime)

Ice Cream Cone Cakes

Watermelon Cake!

And last but certainly not least, the Lavender Ombre cake! What I would give to know how to make this! <3

Maybe you have a special occasion to use one of these recipes for? I want to make the watermelon cake for 4th of July. :) Perfect yes? Ah me. I love baking. Anyway, here's your song. :)

I hope you have a lovely day my dears! Keep those smiles on! Until next time! 

"The most dangerous food is wedding cake." ~ James Thurber

"Birthdays are nature's way of telling us to eat more cake." ~ Anon.

Monday Favorites: Pie

Hello my dears! After a long weekend of busyness and fun and family and amazingness, I'm back with a few posts for this week. :) And guess what! It's June! Summertime is upon us! Sunshine, picnics, afternoon naps, good books, sunscreen, water play, ah yes. Oh, and 88 days until I get married to my love! :D *happy dance*


Today's post is only my very favorite kind of pie! A sweet summer treat eaten in May and June. Pie crust filled with delicious strawberries and whipped cream! That's right.... my favorite pie is Strawberry Pie! :)

Delicious yes? I just had some Friday night and it is indeed my favorite. :) Especially my Grandma's! Oh yes. Well, enough of that. Here is your song, something a little summery. :)

Enjoy your day my dear reader and whatever you do, keep those smiles on! Until next time!

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." ~ James Dent


"If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance." ~ Bern Williams


"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." ~ John Lubbock