Happy Friday!

Friday is a day everyone looks forward to.
I think today I am, too. Not only will I get to spend the weekend with my man, we also have a few errands to run together and so, spend time together. Life together is awesome, but sometimes it is so hard to keep up with every day life. We may eat dinner together, and somewhat talk but there is always a void. Life gets busy and we end up exhausted at 7pm. And yes, we have no kids yet. Cannot wait to see what that does to us. Hahaha. Seriously, I felt my eyes close around 7.10. I think my delicious dinner made me sleepy. 

But I digress. Today, once again, I am joining two wonderful bloggers Krysten and Lindsay with their weekly series "10 Things that Made Me Happy This Week". I'm sharing with you what made me smile and happy this week. Plus, as you know, Happiness is my word for 2016. So I better find a ton of happiness in every day. Happy Friday!

1. I completed almost everything on my Weekly Hopes list

2. Raindrops

3. Connections

4. Homemade meatloaf

5. Coffee

6. Picture frames for home decor {so excited}

7. My favorite healthy drink keeping me active and feeling great - posted on Instagram

8. Smoothies

9. Snapchat {yes, I'm on it, want to follow me? Email me.}

10. A lot less pain

What made you happy this week?
Was it sunshine, an email, or a hug from your best friend or child? Come link up. 

Happy Friday!

How to add Happiness to your Life

Life is tough. Don't roll your eyes. Yes, it is. We don't always acknowledge the fact that we do so much during one whole day, one full week, heck one long month. We have to pay bills, buy groceries, clean, organize, schedule appointments, get things fixed, work, work out, talk, meet up, share, and spend time with family and friends. The list is endless. Plus this list does not include emergency situations; you know those you will never be fully prepared for. Life is tough.
At the same time it is also beautiful. To make it more beautiful, to make it happy even during the darkest times it is time to remind ourselves that even though life is tough and sad and busy there is always something to brighten our day. We need to add daily happiness to our lives! 

My five favorite things to flavor up my daily life, my crazy little world {see what I did, just now?}, will not be your things to add happiness to your life, yet, they will give you ideas what could bring happiness to your busy, tough or even sad life. Don't get me wrong, I don't fully think your life is lame and if it did, then MY life is just as lame. We all need that extra thing/item/moment/color adding a happy moment to our {dull} life. ;) 

My kitties. Yes, I admit it. I love my fur babies. They give me so much joy it is unfathomable. Whenever I feel down {and this happens very often} all I have to do is look at, snuggle and play with them. They know no fear, are curious, love to cuddle and crack me up when they make their hungry noises. Plus, this pictured little nugget chirps. She does this when she's happy, when she plays, and when she's looking for either me or her sister. Loving it. So much cuteness and so much happiness added to my life.

Sunsets. It's harder to catch them where I'm living at now so I miss them a lot. Yet, when I do catch them I grab my phone and take as many photos as possible. The photos never show the sunset's pure beauty but they come somewhat close. Plus, hello, am I the only one loving palm trees? It's a double happiness factor...palm tress and sunsets!

Coffee. Do I say more? Probably. I know some people don't like coffee and I am perfectly okay with that. My best friend doesn't drink coffee, she drinks tea instead. I don't like coffee for its caffeine though. I drink it because its warm, flavorful scent makes me feel secured. No matter what mood I am in a simple sip of a milk coffee {or a latte as many call it} adds pure happiness to my day; any day. During cold winter times it is even more important for me to get my cup; either with a flavor or without. If I don't get my coffee I can be pleased with a cup of peppermint tea, or a chai latte. Yet, really, nothing comes as close as a hazelnut or vanilla flavored black coffee. Yum.

Anything home related. Crate and Barrel? Yes please. West Elm? Yes. Pottery Barn? Yes yes! IKEA? Sure. Target? Of course. Z Gallery? Absolutely. Not saying I have all the money for it. I probably won't even purchase an item but browsing through these stores brings joy to me. I get inspired by pastel colored anything, by cute decor, mirrors, and glasses. Want to make me smile, bring me to one of these stores and it'll work like magic.

Pinterest & Instagram. Quotes, photos, recipes, decor ideas, and inspirations. I get it all from these two sites. I am also slightly OCD and want to put everything in a folder. Pinterest helps me do that. Instagram makes me simply happy. Their filters are awesome but I usually prefer to add no filter at all. After all it's called Instagram; a combination of instant and I would guess telegram {you know, where mankind used to send info/updates/letters}. You update your friends, family and strangers with a photo. No matter what mood I am in, these two sites and apps add happiness to my life.

I know my five things to add happiness to my life are lame but hey, it's a start. I don't get to see sunsets often, but when I do I am a happy girl. My kitties drive me nuts at times but they still make me laugh out loud when they play with one another or fail to jump right. Also, I am a homebody. I want my home to reflect my feelings, my life, my style so anything related to home shopping makes me incredibly happy.

What are a few things that make your life happy?
What kind of happiness do you add to you life?
Do we have anything in common?

xox

last two images via 4 | 5 

Easy Broccoli Ham Bake

Have you ever been in a cooking funk?! I have. Easiest then is simply to get dressed and go. Let's be honest though, eating out once is fine. But eating out on a regular basis drains your account, and may even add a few pounds to your figure. As much as I love eating out I also learned to love to cook at home and explore new recipes and tweak them a bit. Today, I'm sharing with you my easy broccoli ham bake. It's so easy I want to make it once a week. It's a great breakfast dish, but I like it as a fun and different lunch or dinner idea.

Here's what you need:

• 5 cups of broccoli florets {I mainly use one big bag of frozen broccoli}
• 2-3 cups of diced ham
• 2 cups of mozzarella
• 1/3 to 1/2 cups of cut green onions {optional}
• 8 eggs, well beaten
• Spike seasoning {or similar}
• Black pepper
  

Here's what you do:

• Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil, cook the broccoli for about 2 minutes, drain well, set aside
• Heat oven to 375F
• Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray, or use butter/margarine/coconut oil {I used a 9x12'' dish}
• Layer your casserole dish as follows: Broccoli first, then the diced ham, then the Mozzarella cheese, and green onions
• Season with black pepper and Spike seasoning {about 1 tsp or to taste}
• Pour the beaten eggs over everything. It may look like there's not enough but it will be enough.
• "Stir" with a fork until all it coated with the eggs
• Bake for about 35-45 minutes {I usually end up with 40 minutes with my oven}

Once done, your broccoli ham bake is ready!

xo

Weekly Hopes {26}

I meant to write and share more last week. I believe in writing blog posts on a regular basis but also on a more natural basis. I love the schedule feature; it has helped out a lot. However, blogging live, showing full on authenticity and not fully having the need to write every day is more my style these days. We all know blogging is not just writing, it's a lot more than that. So, I'm trying to keep it real and somewhat "live".

How's your Monday going so far? Mine? It's filled with ideas and hopes and wishes...so here we go:

1 - Date night on Saturday with my man {one he doesn't forget this time}

2 - Sending out two packages {one is long overdo}

3 - Cleaning out my closet; I do this almost once a month

4 - Exercising three times a week {Monday, Wednesday, Friday}

5 - Painting my nails again

6 - Testing and reviewing a few facial products

7 - Less rain

8 - Sending out resumes

California needs rain, yes, but it doesn't need so much rain so nothing will be absorbed anymore. So, less rain would be appreciated. Also, painting nails and sending out packages sounds easy but it is not. I would not have put it off for so long if it were a piece of cake. And yes, I am applying for a new job. I need to, it is time, and I am ready. This is all I can say.

Let's hope this week will rock my world and let me cross off everything on my Weekly Hopes list!!!

Happy Monday!

xox

Currently {4}

Thinking about: When I hear back from potential employers. Also, last week's trip is still on my mind. I'm mostly thinking about that one because, well, I miss Southern California and its fantastic breeze. It's been raining here and although this state needs water it doesn't need this much rain at once. Mud slide alert, y'all!

Listening: TV noise and neighbors slamming their doors for no reason {manner clearly mean nothing to them}. Oh, and I hear my diffuser diffusing a blend that keeps me alert and at the same time supports my immune system. During this colder time of year I will not allow myself to get sick.

Watching: My fur babies explore our home again. We picked them up yesterday from their almost two-week retreat at their "grandma's". I'm sure she spoiled them rotten. Now it's back to living with us again and seeing them realizing they are home again...priceless.

Besides that, I'm catching up on a few TV shows I missed watching while away. It's a great day!!!

Reading: Emails, blogs, and yes, even a book {not at the same time though}. Currently reading Trace Evidence

Loving: My new piggy mug, and a few new home accessories I bought while away last week. Our bathroom has a beach theme and I needed a few extra items. I want to hang out in our bathroom all the time now. :)

So, what are you currently doing?

Weekly Hopes {25}

One week has passed by so quickly, you guys. I spent a wonderful time with friends and family. I even helped my best friend move. It was a crazy move, you know, those that require quick thinking and action. No time for dwell in the past, no time to slowly go through things. It was time to act fast and go! And yes, I think the move went well. Now my body just hurts...I'm done with moving for the next few years. :)

This post comes a bit late but I don't ever want to skip Weekly Hopes. So with that in mind, here's my list for this week:

1 - Getting my fur babies back

2 - Donating more items

3 - Writing thank you notes

4 - Writing a letter to someone and it won't be easy {wish me luck}

5 - San Francisco

6 - New recipes to try

7 - Trying my new soothing eye gel from Mary Kay! So excited.

I have seven awesome things planned this week. Well, number four is not that awesome but it will feel great once done. We will drive one day to San Francisco as we are planning on meeting and catching up with a relative. So excited, plus, I have to show my better half my favorite city a bit more. He's still not convinced it's nice. Ha!

How was your weekend?! 

Hope this week treats you beautifully...cannot believe it's already past mid-January! 

xo

A Letter to My Insecure Younger Self

Dear Selma,

Hi, how are you? I hope this letter finds you happy, smiling, and content with your life. If not, change it immediately because the world, with its current turmoil in several countries, is beautiful and awaits you to explore it. So get up and go and don't waste another minute of it. 

I am writing this to you today to let you know you should not look forward to being older. Enjoy every moment of your youth, every moment you spend with your mom; even the moments she drives you insane and seems not to understand you. Spend every moment with your grandma, even your grandfather and everyone else in your life. Make it a habit to visit family and friends more often. Don't take anyone for granted. Trust me. 

Do not frown at the high school choice your mom throws in your face. She wants you to get a great education and a better start into your future. One day you will know why. You will not like it the first day of school but it will get easier. High school will be not your favorite. You will do much better in French, and you will excel in English, History and German. Oh, and ignore those girls who talk behind your back and give you false promises. You will never see them again and you will not miss out a thing. The best thing out of high school will be one girl. Yes, the high school your mom will pick out for you will give you one amazing friend. You will become best friends for life. Trust me. You two will have ups and downs as it is expected in a friendship but it will be all worth it. She will be your sister and she will have great stories to tell you and you will be very proud of her accomplishments in life, including her little family.

There will be times where you just hate everything. This is OK. Don't roll your eyes. It happens to everyone. When you are about 18 you have the urge to travel. It is not just to travel, it is to leave your home. As much as it will hurt and as much as it will bring conflict to your life, follow that dream. Don't second-guess yourself. Don't hesitate. Your decision to do this is not to spite your mother or anyone else in your life. It is to make yourself happier and feel more fulfilled. Happiness is what you want! Always, always, remember this because when you are about 34 it will feel like you did it all on purpose. You did not. 

When you start your journey, remember that you are following your dream; the dream in your heart. Do not leave home forever. Your home, where you grew up, will always be part of you. So when you leave make sure you have plenty of phone calls with your mother, plenty of emails that you share. Plenty of everything. Even if it is repetitive, do it. Call every other day, email as often as possible, and later on text and Skype/FaceTime as often as possible; even on those days you don't feel like talking. Do it. Yes, you can hide certain things from her like everyone does {some details need no explanation or sharing} but do not block her out.

Enjoy every trip you take with your mom. Don't take her for granted. You won't in those moments you travel with her but when you reach a certain age you may think you did. So overdo it. Overdo it all. Take her nosy, over-mothering self not for granted. She cherishes you. She loves you. She may never say it to you but know she treasures you. She's proud of you. She lives and works for you. Don't take that for granted. Take her out and pay for her a few times. Put yourself in her shoes and think of all the hard work she put herself through in order for you to live the life you are living. So, make sure to spend a lot of time with her. You want to spend your life your way and that is fine, but force her to come out and do more things with you. Challenge yourself and your mom  to walk more, to drink more water, to eat healthier, to explore more. Together. There will be a time when she needs you to lead the way. Be a role model. She will be against change, she will be against most of what I just said you needed to do with her and she will frown and say she doesn't feel like it or doesn't want to do it or cannot afford it. Come up with an idea to make it happen. You have lots of ideas. Make it happen, Selma. Don't wait and say "one day" or "soon". Do it now!! Do it!!

You will study. You will try really hard. You will succeed. You will have some obstacles especially when it comes to money. Do not give up. Help with present itself. It will happen. You will get the support, don't worry about it. Don't frown so much, your wrinkles on your forehead will not be fun to treat so stop worrying too much. Your studies will pay off. 

Life will not be always happy. At 25 you will not be married. You will have to move back home. It will be fine. You two won't be too lonely and despite what others think or believe, you are doing well staying at home with mom because it gives you both time to spend together. 

There will be times when you feel lonely because your friends live their lives and look successful when you do not. Don't frown, it's okay. Your time will come, just later in life. You will meet your prince at the most impossible time and it will feel amazing. He will amaze you. He will shock you. He will become your best friend. You will marry this great blond guy. He will be a lot younger and yes, it will feel weird at first but no one in the end cares. You will complete each other and he will make you a very happy girl. Make sure you introduce him to mom properly. Do not wait too long. Tell her. Don't be scared. Just tell her. It will be alright. Tell her also that she will not be replaced and that she is missed. She will think you are replacing her. It is crucial to tell her that she is wrong with her assumption.

Now about the main reason I am writing this to you:

About nine months into your marriage you will learn that your mom is sick and in the hospital. You will think it will all be good. Everyone will think that way. Unfortunately, fate wants you to experience hardship. You will have the opportunity to spend three days with her and show her that you care and love her. Yet, mom will die too soon and too fast as a result of too many years popping too many pills. It will not be her fault. It will not be your fault. Do not feel guilty. You will feel guilty but stop it right there and then. You will feel weak, stupid, and just not right. You will hate yourself for not leaving earlier and spending more time with her. You have to remember that you were not allowed to travel for a while and even if you were able to spend more time with her, ask yourself the question whether or not it would have changed the outcome?! I can tell you NO.

You will not be alone after this. People will help you out. Friends and family will come and help you clean, donate, organize, support, hug, and joke with you. You will feel like shit, and you will feel very empty. You will feel a lot of emotions and it will hurt. You will get through this. The pain will linger longer than you want it to but again, it's okay. The pain will feel like a heart attack and it will bother you for months but it will be alright. Don't worry. Your heartache will be very strong. Your lungs, your shoulders and your stomach will hurt. Don't worry, and don't panic. You will spend three long months back home going through all kinds of emotions, seeing friends and family and you will return home to your new life. You will seek the help you need, and the plans you had will be postponed. You don't have to work right away. You will be crying a lot and this will be okay. Cry. Scream. Cry some more. 

Remember, you are only human. Life continues. Your heartache will leave you day by day. You will miss mom, and you will move on. You will even adopt two adorable kittens and they will bring so much joy into your life you didn't know was possible during such a hard time. Just sit down, think, and remember all the good times. Remember the trips you took with mom, the stories and inside jokes you had, the laughing-till-you-cry-and-almost-pee-yourself laughter, the food you both loved, the inspirations, the conversations...hold on to those memories. Hold on to them.

I know this wasn't easy to learn. I know it wasn't fair to tell you this. However, remember, life is like that. It can be unfair. Yet, try to learn more, explore more and live more. Go out more. Eat out more. Don't give up. Smile even when you don't feel like it. Don't ever second guess your decisions, moves and choices. You will not be alone and it will all be okay.  Trust me!

If you are crying reading this...you are welcome. You need to let your emotions embrace you. Cry when you want to cry, scream when you want to scream...let them embrace you but not stop you. You are a beautiful girl, you will be a beautiful woman, full of strength, determination, power, and love.

Now go out, explore, smile, and most importantly, hug your mom and tell her you love her!!

xo
Your older {not so insecure} self

What Can I Do With My Happiness?

“What can I do with my happiness? How can I keep it, conceal it, bury it where I may never lose it? I want to kneel as it falls over me like rain, gather it up with lace and silk, and press it over myself again.” 

by Anaïs Nin, Henry & June 

With everything I have gone through in the past eight months I wanted to know one thing, and one thing only. What can I do with my happiness when I cannot share it with the one person I lost. What can I do with my happiness even when I share it with everyone around me. It is one of those questions you cannot fully find a right answer to. Even if you think you found it, there will be another answer waiting in line. My happiness has been increasing. I have found joy again. I have learned to let the past be the past. I have accepted what fate wanted me to experience. Happiness is what I strive for the most. Happiness is what I want to experience, every day, every hour. This year will be filled with happy moments. Even when I feel sad, shocked, perplexed, and not ready to see the positive side of something, anything, I will force myself to be happy even if it is happiness found in a word, a color, or another person's smile or gesture.

So, what can I do with my happiness?
I will keep it, conceal it, bury it, and live it. I will share it with whoever I want to share it with. I will cherish it. I will find it. AND, if I want to share it with the one person I lost last year I will. She will feel it. She will see it. She will know it. Most importantly though, I will feel my happiness and I will welcome and embrace it.

What are you doing with your happiness?!

Weekly Hopes {24}

Week two of the New Year has started. Crazy to think that in a few days we will be halfway through the first month of the year. Didn't we just talk about turkeys and gravy? Where did the time go? It frightens me at times. I want to do so much and sometimes I feel I don't have enough time or energy to do it all. No matter what though life continues.

Well, today is another day, another Monday for Weekly Hopes. So let's jump right in, shall we?

1 - Meeting up with friends I haven't seen in {over} one year

2 - Putting my feet in the Pacific Ocean {yes, I'll be doing this}

3 - Eating at my favorite restaurants {it's a long list}

4 - Laughter and relaxation

5 - No more pain

6 - Dog cuddles

7 - Most needed catching up

8 - Being home again

Do you see a theme here? Yes. I'm in Southern California again. I'm finally home. Wish I would stay forever. However, to be honest, I enjoy leaving it too. Where I live I pay half the cost for everything {gas, food, housing, fun, etc}. I get to experience 3 1/2 seasons. As much as I love the greater Los Angeles area I also don't like it. Friends have asked me whether I am moving down south again at some point. Honestly, I would do it in a heartbeat because my friends live there and the weather is perfect {unless it is stuck in the high 90s or 100s}. The current housing market though is ridiculously expensive and cost of living in general isn't as much fun as I would like it to be...so once that chances then yes I'd move down again. Until then, I will probably stay away from it. :( 

Yet, until then I am happily visiting SoCal. 

Now it's my friends' turn though. I have gone down four times already and no one has visited me. There's something wrong with that. Ha! Come visit NorCal; it's really not that bad!!!

Happy Monday everyone.
Follow along on Instagram...I'll be over there mostly on this week.

xo

Quick and Easy Dinner with Kielbasa

Making any kind of dish can be dreadful, especially when you believe you are not good at cooking. Trust me. I have been there. I thought I sucked the living life out of every kitchen tool and would ruin every meal by just attempting to read the recipe. Yes, I have failed. I have also succeeded. The minute I realized that I am no super human with super powers I learned to let go of fear and try what I wanted to try; with or without a recipe.

I started with easy dishes. Cooking pasta, rice, roasting potatoes, crockpotting {did I just make this up?!}, and salads. It cannot get easier than that. Crockpots are my best friends. Toss the meat in, add seasoning, water or broth or what not and hit buttons and voila, your desired dish will be ready in 4-8 hours. I have not failed at that once. I know people who failed, so yeah, that is that. Then, months ago I was craving meat. Yes, I eat meat. I may have a gluten intolerance and when I eat it I turn pregnant and rash-y {not a cute side effect at all}, but being gluten free doesn't mean meat-free. I try to limit our weekly meat intake but I am a meat lover. There you go, I said it. So, when I had that intense meat craving I wanted something easy. I know how to make meatloaf in all kinds of shapes and forms, and I might have tried myself with a turkey but when I cook I want it quick and easy. I don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. A quick and easy dinner had to be found. I walked through the meat aisles and found Kielbasa. I immediately knew that this was my meat, bought it and voila...I had myself a new dish at home, and a dinner ready with Kielbasa.

Here's what you need and what you do:

1 Kielbasa {or any other sausage, but I have tried a few others and always return to K}

1 onion

2-4 potatoes of your choice

1-2 zucchini {optional}

1-2 bell peppers of your choice {I prefer green and red}

- Cut all the vegetables into junks, cut the Kielbasa into nice, medium-sized rounds.

- Cook/Roast the potatoes as they are taking longer.

- Cook/Roast the Kielbasa either separately for about 6 minutes on medium or add them a little later than the potatoes.
- Once almost done, add the onions, bell peppers, and zucchini. Stir well.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- If you feel adventurous add some paprika, cumin, or curry to the veggies.
- Roast everything together for a few more minutes. Stir once more.

Serve while it's hot.
Add a salad to the dish, or a fun yogurt sauce. Easy and quick.

This Kielbasa dish never fails us.

xo

50 Things To Throw Away NOW

Every season I clean out my closets. All of them. I get rid of clothes I no longer want to wear, haven't worn or touched for months; I go through my notebooks, stationery, pens, and magazines. I will not browse through a food magazine from 2010, and I certainly will not wear that cute shirt I bought a year ago but haven't touched in months. I also don't need four pairs of sneakers, or twelve pairs of jeans. Granted, this year it is a bit different. I brought everything I owned in Europe over here, and although I donated and tossed so much overseas already, there is always going to be an item or two I will never touch again. NOW is the time to get rid of exactly that said item{s}. We all know it's not just one item. We also certainly know our clothes are not the only drama corner in our home. There is more, and today it is time to look at what you could and probably should throw away now. 

1. Hangers from the dry cleaners
2. Hangers from the store {they really don't go well with the rest in your closet}
3. Magazines from five years ago, well, all those from 2015 and older. You know which ones.  
4. Old newspapers and newspaper clippings you will never look at again.
5. Old product boxes {mixers, TV, diffusers, shoes, etc} you know you won't ever use again. Not even to fill with Christmas gifts next year. Toss them, or donate.
6. Bills, taxes, and that paperwork over 5 years old {go paperless; being clutter free is awesome}
7. Take out menus you never ever look at again
8. Old technology {VHS tapes since you probably don't have a player anymore (if you do, then keep them), floppy disks, etc etc}
9. Old greeting cards {birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, thank you's, etc}. I love cards. I keep most but then realize I never look at them again...so why bother keeping them then? Keep a few maybe but toss the rest now!
10. Plastic cutlery, and plastic plates
11. Cutlery that is no longer working for ya {I tossed old ones away the other day taking too much space up in our drawer}
12. Plastic containers without a lid, and those having lost their original shape
13. Dried up nail polish bottles {gross!!}
14. Fake jewelry you don't wear at all; you once did but now? Nope.
15. Old towels you don't ever use and know you won't ever use again.
16. Old cellphones and covers. You won't look at those photos again, even if you wanted to. Come on, you won't.
17. Unloved toys and stuffed animals {pets or kids' toys; doesn't matter...toss or donate!}
18. Video games you will never play again
19. Expired food in the pantry and/or freezer and fridge {if it expired in 2013...I think it is time to do so}
20. Matches
21. Stretched out hair ties, old bobby pins, etc
22. Little shampoo/conditioner/gel bottles from hotels. You won't ever use them, will you?
23. Old calendars, organizers, ticket stubs, business cards, notebooks, school books, etc you won't ever touch again
24. Expired coupons
25. Holiday Decor; at least the duplicates and the ones you didn't take out last year
26. Ornaments you don't see as sentimental or cute
27. Flower pots and watering cans, unless you are having flowers of course
28. Duplicate extension cords, or cords of any kind
29. Old wallets or bags. You replaced them for a reason, so why keep the old one?
30. Clothes that are more than two sizes too small.
31. Clothes you haven't worn last year at all. Donate or toss.
32. Clothes that make you feel ugly and uncomfortable. Donate!
33. Socks, underwear, and shirts/pants with holes, worn out to the max and faded...just toss.
34. Items you bought and didn't like and wanted to return {return if you can, sell or donate}
35. Hats you don't wear or look hideous on you. You know they do.
36. Extra buttons, shoe laces, ties, stockings, leggings, and what not you know you won't ever replace or use
37. Anything that won't fit your children anymore. 
38. Cleaning supplies you thought were good but turned out not to work for you. Be gone!
39. Styling products, lotions, washes, etc you wanted to try but didn't like. Toss!
40. Bags from the mall, from parties, from grocery stores...why keep them? Toss!
41. Junk mail {in paper or online}
42. Candles you once used but haven't used in months or years
43. Cooking utensils you haven't used in a year. Donate if in good condition.
44. Touristy/Travel knick-knacks. Keep a few, toss or donate the rest.
45. Gift cards - Use them. If empty, shred!
46. Candy you bought to enjoy and somehow forgot existed. Just toss it.
47. Expired sunscreen.
48. Old batteries, and ink cartridges. Recycle them so you can get money back.
49. Plastic bottles, glass bottles, drinking can...recycle them and get money back. 
50. Broken anything. Unless you are planning on fixing that broken item this week chances are you probably will never fix it. I have been there, tried that and miserably failed. Toss, toss, toss.

There is so much more you can throw away now. This list is endless. I didn't want to bore you, nor did I want to list it all. Every household is different. Everyone has different things, but to be honest, in the end, we all have stuff to get rid of. I just threw away sunscreen which expired two years ago. It smelled great, didn't look too bad, but I think it was just plain lotion now. Plus, I had a new one bought last week. Why keep the old one?! I tossed a lot of broken anything, magazines and newspaper clippings, cellphone covers, old worn-out and faded shirts, as well as bags and boxes. It felt liberating. I feel free now. Plus, there's room now when I walk into my storage closet. Yes!

Always remember you don't have to throw away everything. You can donate {also good for tax purposes}, recycle, and even sell. Schools are great places to donate to, churches too, and well, just the simple Goodwill stores as well. We donated our couch, recliners, new looking shoes, clothes, and bags to our local Goodwill store. I even gave books and kitchen utensils away. I felt great knowing someone else is going to use the items I no longer wanted or needed.

It is a new year and it is the perfect time to start fresh. Clean out your home, one day and room at a time. Donate or toss. Feel free. Feel liberated. Feel happier. It is time to throw away at least 50 things now. Do it. You won't regret it. I promise.

xo

Weekly Hopes {23}

How's the new year treating you so far?
It is Day 4 of 2016. As you know, my word this year is Happiness. I try to stay true to this and stick with it throughout this year no matter what fate throws at me. With that, I am happily {see what I did there?} announcing that I will continue with my Weekly Hopes Series. It's already my 23rd time since my first WH post and I cannot be more proud of my life and my accomplishments since I started WH. I needed this. I still need it today. We all need something to look forward to and to make ourselves happy. Having hopes, weekly goals and wishes is a great way to start any week; even the most dreadful one.

I'm jumping right into my Weekly Hopes for 2016. Let's see what my wishes are this week:

1 - Massages

2 - Dropping off the fur babies at their human grandma's {let's hope I can keep it together}

3 - Raclette for dinner {Swiss dish}

4 - Movie Date
5 - Continue reading my first book for this year, thanks to my reading challenge

6 - Finishing projects before we head on home to SoCal

It's going to be a good week. We will drop of the fur babies and it will be bittersweet. We will be traveling to Southern California to see family and friends and decided not to bring our ladies with us. They are used to traveling and it wouldn't be a big deal but it will be better for all of us not to bring them. I'll miss them. My morning snuggles will be missing. However, I know it'll be fun to get them back and resume our life together. 

A movie date, at an actual movie theater, will be equally as fun. We haven't gone for almost 10 months. Yes, that long. We wanted to go so many times but my anxiety flared up, or work interrupted our date time, or we just didn't feel like going and spending money. We always stayed in and watched movies at home in our pajamas. 

What does your week look like?
Any fun plans ahead of you?
I hope this week goes smoothly for you!!

Happy Monday!

xo

P.s. and yes, I changed the WH photo. New Year, new everything!

Happy New Year - 2016

It's a brand new day in a brand new year. Happy New Year my lovely readers.

2016 will be a year filled with love, laughter, prosperity, growth, and most importantly happiness. So much has happened last year. So much has also changed. I changed. I grew. I also fell into millions of little pieces. I found most of those pieces and put them back together. I told myself that no matter what happened life continues. I told myself even though the old year didn't turn out at all as planned I found strength and didn't give up. I never want to give up. The old year was a bust but little things kept me going and made me find happiness again. The New Year will continue to bring me happiness. I can feel it.

Happiness is also my word for this year. It usually is a verb but I decided this year is all about one major noun. I want to find happiness in whatever I am doing and experiencing. Whether it is a new recipe, a new book, a day trip with my man, snuggles with my fur babies, an improved resume, a horrible interview, a doctor's visit, or just news from around the world. I am determined to find something happy about it, something useful, and something to remember. 

I will change a few things on this blog over time {let's hope I will stick to this idea} and I promise I will keep you posted and not leave you in the dark. I want to find happiness in this blog {not that I have lost it} but I want change. I also want change in my life. A new job, a new path in life and most importantly a new outlook will provide me with not only a brand new year but a great attitude for what I strive for this year: pure happiness.

So, Happy New Year 2016 my readers. May it be your year; may it be big; may it be beautiful and filled with happiness. 

xo