I think bookshelves can be so pretty. It’s practically art when you take the time to decorate and organize pieces of your home. Here are a few tips I use to style a bookshelf
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1. Don’t clutter your bookshelf with just books.
2. Add some decor such as a sign, a picture frame or even a faux plant.
3. Make your book placement intentional. Whether you organize your books alphabetically, by genre, or simply tallest to smallest, make it intentional. Don’t make it look like you just tossed them up there.
4. Add some sort of space for treasures or basic household items, such as a small box or 3 tier drawer.
5. Adding notebooks, paper and pens looks great too!
6. Finally, add something above your bookshelf that catches the eye, such as an inspiring quote, a clock or a piece of artwork.
Just thought I’d take a minute to check on my plant babies! My mosquito plant has grown twice as big and is doing wonders at keeping the pesky mosquitoes away.
My flowers are also flourishing and doing amazing! Having a lot of rain these past few weeks has really helped.
So originally this was cat grass. Now I have no idea what it is. It actually kinda smells like cat nip.
My Sweet Yellow Pepper plant just decided to sprout within the last week or so!
And my Hot Red Pepper Plants are thriving and surviving! Can’t wait to find some good recipes where I can use my peppers!
And last but certainly not least… my avocado plants! One is just chilling and enjoying being a shorty. The other has grown so tall it’s about a foot and a half away from touching the ceiling!
It’s official! I started my balcony garden for the year! Fingers crossed that I’m able to keep my plants surviving and thriving!
The day before Easter, I went out and bought all kinds of seeds… a variety of fruits, veggies and flowers.
This year I am using a few tips and tricks from last year, and using them to improve my gardening skills.
For example, I decided to keep the packets to all my seeds, tape them to popsicle sticks and place them in the pots so I can remember what I plant and where.
I also have been very observant of the weather/temperature and pull in my plants when it gets below 34° outside. I’m hoping this will help my plants not to freeze or get damaged.
I am understanding when and how much to water my plants. I water my plants the most when I first plant them and on really hot days.
A huge game changer that I have learned this go around is Miracle Grow. They don’t call it a miracle for nothing. That stuff does wonders!
Lastly, I formed a habit when taking care of my plants. For instance, I remember to water my plants in the evening when I feed Rocky, clean his liter and pack my lunch.
This is my balcony garden and I’m hopeful that it is going to grow, grow, Grow!
About three weeks ago, I was on Pinterest, and I stumbled across a video about how to grow an avocado tree from an avocado pit. It looked easy, so I decided to give it a try.
First, I gathered up a few avocado pits I had from an avocado and tuna fish sandwich the day before.
Then I peeled the skin off each pit.
Next, I got a paper towel for each pit and made them very damp. Then I wrapped the paper towel around each pit.
Once they were all wrapped, I placed each pit in a ziplock bag and sealed them tight.
Then, I taped each bag to my sliding door. At this point in the planting process the avocado pits don’t need sunlight. But I still hung them up just so I wouldn’t forget about them and they’d be near my other plants.
Fast forward to 2 and a half weeks later and I checked on my avocado pits.
One pit had finally cracked and sprouted a root! I was beyond excited. It was then time to place it in a full vase of water.
At first I used tooth picks to support my pit, but the tooth pics just ended up sliding, causing the pit to sink to the bottom of the vase. I then tried a rubber band, and plastic wrap.
About three days later I checked on my other avocado pits. One avocado pit has also opened and sprouted a root. The last pit had shown no growth so I figured it was a dud.
Progress on first avocado pit First avocado pit and how I keep it securely above the waterI placed plastic wrap over the opening and pulled a rubber band around the sides. Then I poked a small hole in the middle with scissors. This helps the pit to stay secure but allows the root to get water.
And there ya go, two successful avocado pits have sprouted and have successfully been transferred into water. Stayed tuned for more updates on my planting this season. I will be giving more updates in the coming weeks!
2020 was a year many thought would be a fresh start. It was the beginning of a new decade and a year for clear vision.,, or so we thought. But instead we were all taken for a loop by this deadly sickness called the Corona virus. In many people there was sheer panic and anxiety, and not long after the way we once lived our lives was no longer. We went from having the freedom to socialize with anyone and everyone, to being instructed to remain 6 feet apart with anyone out side our household. We were required to wear masks everywhere, and no longer had the freedom to dine in restaurants. Students as young as kindergarten and as old as college were forced to complete their studies strictly online.
This year has been anxiety inducing, confusing, exhausting, unpredictable and unexpected. But despite all of that, we have all had the chance at putting things into perspective. With a variety of shut downs and quarantines we have had more opportunities to spend quality time with our immediate families. We have learned to appreciate the time and moments we shared because they are precious, and the future is not promised.
For me personally, this year has been rough, but I have been given a lot blessings as well. This was a big year for me despite the craziness. Today I would like to reflect on 2020, the ups and downs, the blessings and challenges and everything in between.
Recap of My Goals for 2020
Graduate with my Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Development. ✔️
Pay off my Car ✖️
Recieve my Certification in Family Life Education ✖️
Get a Pet ✔️
Publish my Memoir ✖️
Move to a New Home ✔️
Get Certified as a Life Coach ✖️
Recap of 2020
January
I started my last semester of college.
Started taking Plexus daily.
February
I started revamping my resume and applying to various jobs for after I would graduate.
March
I started a new job as a Lead Preschool Teacher.
Covid – 19 hit the US and life as we knew it changed.
We moved to our new apartment.
April
I finished my last semester of college.
My state and pretty much the country was forced into an immediate say-at-home order.
I graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Child and Family Development.
May
I returned back to work after being laid off.
I redecorated my new apartment.
I celebrated my 2nd Mother’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week.
I honored my Due Date for my 2nd baby.
Charles and I started trying again.
June
I went to the cabin with my best friend Alli.
Started swimming and enjoying the beautiful summer weather.
My husband got a new job.
July
I published my first children’s book, Mackenzie Goes to Heaven.
I adopted a kitten and named him Rocky.
August
I turned 25.
I continued digging deep and working on my memoir.
I grew 9 plants on my balcony.
September
I hit 6 months of working at my job.
Charles and discussed and decided to pursue adoption.
October
I reached 150 followers on my blog.
I hit 25 sales on my children’s book.
November
I was named teacher of the month at my Job.
December
I did some goal setting for the year ahead.
2020 was crazy and definitely a year of change. Moving forward I predict 2021 will bring it’s own set of challenges and blessings. 💕
It is time again for another blog post round up! The following are a list of recent blog posts that were not only popular but also a favorite to myself and many of my readers.
My Kitchen Reveal!
In late March, my husband and I moved to our new apartment right at the beginning of the Corona virus Pandemic. It was crazy, quick and overwhelming. Regardless of how we got here, we absolutely love our new home. Check out my kitchen reveal post to see how I decorated our kitchen.
New Edition to the Family!
As many of you know, we did add a new edition to our family this year, and his name is Rocky. He is a gray, long haired domestic tabby. He is super smart, hilarious, and sassy. We love him so much and are so glad we adopted him.
Deep Fried Pickles Recipe
Since graduating from college, I have found myself in the kitchen more often. Part of this is because I have more time to cook, and it is also because I no longer have the luxury of eating meals at the dining hall. Check out my Deep Fried Pickles recipe, and other recipes I will be sharing this month.
What’s My Why?
What’s my why? This is a question that many influencers ask themselves. What’s the reason I write a blog? What’s the reason I advocate for this important cause? What’s the reason I do what I do every single day? This blog post talks all about why I do what I do.
Another Plants Update
This past summer was the first summer I had a balcony. I took full advantage of this balcony by growing many different plants. Check out my different blog posts this summer of my progress and fails in growing plants.
It’s Been 19 Years Since the World Changed
It has been 19 years since 9/11 happened. As I mentioned in this blog post, it is one of the first tragic terrorist attacks that I can recall in my life time. In this post I discuss my memories of that fateful day.
Happy Fall Ya’ll
Having holidays in a new apartment, means I get to try some new decorating ideas. For example, I have never had my own fireplace that I have been able to decorate. But this year, I plan to decorate it for every season. Check out this post to see how I decorated for fall.
Expanding Our Family… What’s Next for Us
This unexpectedly, was a super popular post. This was the post where I shared our thoughts on expanding our family. I also share a tentative 2 year plan as we prepare for parenthood.
Taco Baked Potato Recipe
I am such a huge fan of potatoes and tacos. So I thought, why not combine the two? In this post I share my recipe of a Taco Baked Potato.
Christmas Decorating 2020
Yes, I know… another decorating post. But I can’t help it, I love decorating and home decor. Check out this post to see how I decorated this year for Christmas.
Hello friends! If you’ve been following me for awhile, it’s a safe bet that you’ve seen pretty much every part of my apartment since I moved in March. You’ve probably even seen parts of my balcony since I’ve shown you my many plants. However, I haven’t yet done a balcony reveal. So, without further or do, I welcome you to my balcony.
My balcony is full of plants, a lawn chair, a bike and storage. I love our balcony, as it is spacious and welcoming.
I can imagine I will be storing much of the items on my balcony, this winter. But for now, I am going to enjoy my current balcony set up.
Our balcony has a great view of the other buildings in our complex as well as the wide open sky. it’s so fun to see storms roll in, and beautiful sunrises early in the morning.
Recently, we bought a storage unit/bench we are able to store our pots and planting through the winter.
Last but not least, our balcony is accompanied by our large slider door. This door allows for gorgeous natural lighting into our living room and a wonderful view of our plants from the inside.
Thank you so much for checking out my balcony reveal! I only have two places in my home you haven’t seen… can you guess what room I’ll show you next?
Today’s the day! It’s August 30th, which was the deadline for my summer bucket list. To be honest, I did not get nearly as many goals accomplished that I had hoped. However, my summer has been quite more busy than I anticipated as well. So, I’ll take what I can get. I hope everyone’s summer has not only been productive but also restful. The following is a list of my summer goals, and how I may or may not have accomplished them.
Goals Met This Summer
1. Grow my Plants and Produce Fruits, Veggies and Spices
This summer, I am proud to say that I actually had a successful garden. I think I planted a total of 13-15 plants since April. Out of all of those I have had about 7 survive. And considering the fact that I used to kill all my plants I ever owned, I would say it was quite an accomplishment. This summer I was able to successfully grow and produce a ton of chives as well as four green peppers!
2. Visit the Lake Shore At Least Once.
In late June, I was able to complete this goal when going on a weekend vacation with my friend Alli. It was warm, beautiful and wonderfully relaxing.
3. Have a Game Night with Friends
In June, Charles and I also had a dinner and game night with friends in our apartment. It was fun to be able to entertain and visit with company.
4. Create and Commit to a Yoga Routine.
This goal was hard to complete, but I would say I have definitely gotten a routine down and completed this goal. For a while, I was very unmotivated to do yoga. I was exhausted, eating junk and living off caffeine. So much so, I forgot how to breathe and how to relax. But now, I have been doing mini yoga workouts a few times a week. I have even taught my preschoolers a few poses.
5. Write and Publish a Children’s Book.
I think everyone knows I completed this goal, and I am so excited for it. My book launched at the end of July and has been pretty successful. I am so thankful I have been able to create something in honor of my babies, and in order to help families who are coping with pregnancy loss.
Goals Not Met This Summer
1. Finish First Draft of Memoir
I haven’t finished this goal yet, but I have made some progress. I am strategically working on different chapters, in hopes of having the first draft done very soon.
2. Crochet a Large Blanket
I didn’t end up finishing this goal either. To be honest, I was not in the mood to crochet much this summer. It has been very hot and just not something I found myself interested in.
3. Apply and Receive my Family Life Education Certification
I haven’t completed this goal yet, and frankly I kind of forgot. It was something I put on the back burner, hoping to get to after Covid. But since Covid isn’t going away anytime soon, I guess it is probably something I should try and figure out.
4. Write and Post 200 Blog Posts.
I was so close to this goal, but I just didn’t quite make it. Including this post, I have written 180 blog posts! I was 20 short of my goal. But that’s okay, maybe next time.
5. Buy a Coffee Table for my Living Room
I haven’t completed this goal. I have had a few expenses come up including a flat tire, a kitten, an antenna etc. Eventually though, I hope to get a coffee table.
Hello Friends! I just thought I would take a minute and give you a little update on my plants. If I were to be honest, I would have to say I think I’ve planted roughly 15 plants this year. And due to the weather, and my forgetting to water them sometimes I have had to start over and replant some. So, currently I have 7 plants!
Sandy is my palm tree that I bought on Palm Sunday. She is an indoor/outdoor plant. At the moment she is outdoors because I have a kitten that I don’t trust enough to leave her alone. Anyway, she’s grown at least 4 inches since I got her and is thriving.
Clive the Chive is huge and over grown. I’ve cut chives off him many times but I can’t seem to eat the chives as fast as he can grow them. But overall he is doing well.
Here’s the spice girls. To be honest I thought they were dead for the longest time. I didn’t see anything sprout and was super concerned. But she made it and is doing well.
This is the newest member to the plant family. This is a spinach plant that I guess I will name Ralph. I planted Ralph on Saturday and I am optimistic he will grow and thrive.
This is my green pepper plant. To be honest I thought this plant was dead too. When I first got this plant it was shriveled up and thirsty. It also didn’t help that I kept forgetting to plant it in a pot. None the less, when I finally planted this plant, she flourished. She currently has 4 green peppers growing on her. It also occurred to me that I haven’t given her a name yet. Let’s call her Penny.
Here’s Chester the mosquito plant. He’s huge and doing well. He’s does a great job at repelling mosquitoes.
And last but certainly not least, here is my tomato plant. I think it’s a cherry tomato plant but I can’t entirely remember. My Sunshine flowers didn’t make it, along Harry and Henry the tomato plants. So, I decided to try with this tomato plant instead. Let’s call this one Sylvester. Sylvester is doing super well. He has quite a few little green tomatoes on him. I can’t wait to eat them once they turn red.
Well there you go. That’s an update on my plants. How are your plants doing?
Grief and Mercy 