"Hallowe'en Party". Is Agatha Christie worth the hype?

In case you are unaware or simply never fathomed the idea of watching the classic TV show "murder she wrote", Agatha Christie is a - real -  mystery author and the TV show is based around her and her books. 

Agatha Christie (known as the 'Queen of Mystery') is a woman of talent by far, but some don't see it that way. She's not only sold more than a billion copies, but she's only been out-sold by the Bible and Shakespeare. Quite an impressive resume, but have her writings truly stood the test of time? I took my local Barnes and Nobles to find out.

I am a fan of detective books - Nancy Drew to be precise - and decided to venture into the "grown up" section, seeing as how my beloved ND is considered a teen series. After a few recommendations, I was sent in the direction of Mrs. Agatha Christie and her apparently very well known series starring the famous character, Hercule Poirot.

I'll be honest with you all, I wasn't the slightest bit aware of who she was or her work. I apologize in advance, but it is what it is. 

While Agatha Christie has 33 Hercule Poirot mystery novels, I chose to go with "Hallowe'en Party". Perhaps due to my fondness of the eccentric holiday. Once I purchased my newest addition, I headed home to indulge in the murder mystery.

First impression's after Chapter 1: Her writings are NOT for those who enjoy laid-back simple readings. Although who knows, maybe her style would be your cup of tea. For myself I tend to lean more towards something that's easy on the eyes, yet captivating with a beautiful flow. 

I'm not necessarily saying this book isn't written well, but I will say that I just simply wasn't a fan. There were a few irrelevant details that caused the book to make a few minor detours and a little repetitive. The characters didn't seem to set apart from one another besides Mr. Poirot himself. Also the ending was a bit obvious. I was able to pick out the killer with a pretty clear indication that I was in fact correct, somewhat early on. Which dragged on the book a bit. I so desperately wanted to believe that an intense twist would take place - as I was told Agatha Christie often included in her mysteries - but what sadly a bit disappointed. The "Halloween" theme didn't last much either, except for a bit of sadistic event. Which I'm not a fan of. I guess one could argue that the holiday itself has a bit of evil in it, but I'm more in it for the funny costumes, bright colors, silly food creations, and candy. Plus the Disney shows surrounding October always crack me up.

I went back to the Barnes and Nobles, running into the girl who recommended the book. She asked me my take and I told her that I simply wasn't as big of a fan as Miss Drew. The kind lady recommended I try a few of her more popular titles ("Murder on Orient Express", "The ABC Murders", and "Witness for the Prosecution", to name a few)

Apparently this particular book wasn't a huge hit when it was first written and isn't necessarily a huge hit now. Would've been great if she had let me know prior to buying it, but ce la vie I suppose. 

So, is Agatha Christie an excellent writer? Or is she simply to stay in the past? While I don't exactly enjoy the specific style (you can call me simple minded, but I like what I like), I don't think calling her anything less than "an amazing woman of her time", would be fair game. I do plan on reading "Murder on Orient Express", as it's apparently perfect for a first time Agatha Christie reader. I do plan on updating once I've gathered the funds to make a bookstore run. Unfortunately things happen and at this moment, bookstores are out of my league. Again, ce la vie. 

What kind of books do you enjoy? Or perhaps you have a read you've been interested in, but don't know if it's worth the time? I'd be happy to read it for you and let you know a yay or nay! Or maybe you would just like a second opinion? Or maybe you'd even like to have a book discussion?! 

What I'd give to be a lady back in the day. *sigh* I feel as if I've traveled to another time zone. One that I - sometimes - just don't belong in. Having Taco's readily available along with Hodad's is pretty awesome though. As the Chewbacca lady said "it's the little things!"

My Saturday morning sign.

Found HERE

Many of you may know me to be a cheerful, positive, person. While I am that, I am also more. Much more.

Last year I dealt with a tragedy that hit me harder than anything I've dealt with thus far. My grandma - a woman who helped raise me and was hugely active in my everyday life since being a few weeks old - passed away. It was an incredibly difficult time for me. The hardest part was simply containing my sanity to still be a good mom. I wanted nothing more than to just curl up in a ball, crawl into my bed, and give up. I knew this was impossible, so I tried avoiding the tears by being overly active with my son, slightly smothering him with too much "mommy time". After being told by my son that he needed some "him time", I knew I was avoiding the inevitable. Then, slowly over time, everything engulfed me into a hole of pure sadness whenever my son had fallen asleep. I was able to hold a smile during the day, but after bedtime I was lost.

Fast forward to almost a year later and I've been able to cautiously build myself back together. The piece of my heart that my grandmother held will forever be gone, but it's been filled with the knowledge that she will never be in pain, never worry about bills, never deal with sickness or frustration. She's free. 

I still talk to her and pray for her on a continuous basis, but I still have worries. 

My past isn't filled with joyous occasions and a childhood everyone would be proud of. In Laymen's terms, I was a bad person. I chose a path that I'm utterly ashamed of and I've experienced many nights relentlessly crying out, praying for a chance to just erase those situations all together. In reality I wouldn't change a thing about my past, as it's made me the person I am today. While I absolutely regret ever hurting the one's closest to me, it's made me realize that I have one chance to do good in my life and being a negative person with only double my trouble. 

Because of that train of thought, I'm the positive person you see/read today. Although I am a better person overall now - not bragging, just proud of how far I've truly come - I often worry about heaven.

I'm not the greatest Catholic in the world and I know there are many skeptics out there. That's fine. I have no intentions on ever forcing my beliefs to anyone and I don't judge you based on if - or what - God you do - or do not - pray to. I don't judge period. You are who you are based on what you do from this moment on. For me personally, I constantly freak out about whether or not I'm actually alone. 

I've been told before that if you aren't a good person and you live with evil intentions, God won't be able to reach you. Your angels won't be able to protect you. You won't necessarily be alone, but you won't be close to them either. That plays through my head everyday. What if I've been too much of a bad person and I just can't be saved? What if I'm forever without God or an angel near me? What if my grandma won't ever be able to reach me. 

With all of that thinking and a few other personal struggles going on in my life, my anxiety was increasing every night, my panic attacks were making more frequent appearances, and I was slowly crying out more and more, terrified.

On Friday night I went to bed covered in tears. I started to worry if my grandma was even close to me. If she'd ever be able to show me signs or give me that "I sense her nearby" feeling. I miss her every single day and I've been so scared that throughout the rest of my life, she'd truly be forever gone. 

Saturday morning God gave me a very clear answer. 

Before I get into the "sign", let me tell you about the last thing I did with and for my grandma. Prior to my grandmothers demise and the downfall of her health, I had taken her to a grocery store. We walked around and she picked out what she needed. As we reached the checkout line, she started laughing about how she hoped not to get declined with her credit card. It broke my heart, so I said I'd pay for my stuff first, than help her bag her groceries. 

Little did my grandma know, I was setting up a surprise for her. After I paid for my groceries I secretly had the cashier swipe my card instead of my grandma's. I wanted to pay for her, at least that one time. I may not have had a ton of money or a job, but I knew she was more important than spending money on frivolous things. She called me a stinker, said I shouldn't of done that, but thanked me with her gracious smile and warm hug. I miss those hugs.

The total bill for my grandmother's groceries were around $20. I know, because I remember thinking I had an extra $20 put aside for a "night out" with my son at home. I chose to use it on her instead and my son was more than happy to give up our "night out" for a "night in". 

Now, let's get to the "sign".

Saturday morning started like any other. We woke up, opened up all the windows and front door - for the wonderful fresh morning air - and started breakfast. My son had just finished his cereal and I was just starting my coffee, when I noticed a group of five 18/19 year old's walking up our steps. We are at the very top of the apartment complex and we are the only one's up here, so when someone walks past our neighbors house and up to our door, I'm always cautious. Especially when I don't know them. I actually had thought that my neighbor was getting a new roommate, as they were carrying a few bags and had big backpacks. I was VERY wrong. 

One of the girls had proceeded to tell me that they were from a Christian church in Yuma, Arizona, and we're going around collecting money. Immediately I figured they were going to ask for a donation - which I simply didn't have - and that would be the end of it. Well, quickly after introducing the group, the girl who began the conversation said she'd like to give me the groceries they were carrying. Not one bag of groceries, but all of the groceries they had. All they asked was that I accept God's will and love. I broke down crying. 

We began to chat and I apologized for my breakdown. I simply explained that things weren't so "hot" the past couple of days - let's be honest, month's - and that this was an amazing blessing. Mind you, I didn't think anything more of this than a bunch of nice kids doing wonderful things. After briefly explaining my situation (very briefly), they read me two passages from the Bible that made it very clear. 

The two passages basically said that no matter what has happened in my past, no matter what I look like (tattoo's and green/blue hair), and no matter my situation, it's going to be ok. I asked for forgiveness, I admitted my sin's, I changed my ways, and I accepted God into my life open heatedly, therefore all is forgotten. They didn't know who I was, they didn't know what I prayed for, they didn't know I was worried about my past. They just read the passages. I knew that this was God's way of telling me I'm ok. It's going to be ok. 

After we said our goodbye's, one of the gentlemen handed me a $20 bill and said "this is so I can be blessed. I want to give you this". I began crying again, hugged them all, and wished them a safe journey back.

I immediately hugged my son and thanked him for being amazing. Once our "lovey-dovey" hugging session was over, I went to put the groceries away (milk, eggs, peanut butter - I'll be giving it to my uncle since my son has a severe peanut allergy, spaghetti, pasta sauce, cookies,  and applesauce - when I noticed the change ($1 and some coins) in the bag as well. I also found a receipt attached to the cold milk. I looked it over and smiled, thinking about these wonderful kids walking around buying groceries for a stranger. That's when cold chills went down my spine. 

The total for those groceries was $20 something dollars. 

I've also always been told that when you do a good dead, God repays your dead double. I got $20 something dollars in groceries, I got $20 something dollars in change, but most importantly I got confirmation that I am truly not alone.

Some of you may not see this as a sign. Some of you may truly understand. All I know is that the panic attacks have stopped. The anxiety has stopped. The fear has gone. This may not last - although I wish it would - for now I'm in a better state of mind. I finally feel free. 

Whether or not you believe in God, whether or not you believe my story, I want you all to know. You aren't alone. You are loved. You aren't forgotten. Things will get challenging and things will get ugly, but it's to learn from. I don't like what I've done in the past and the choices I made, but I'm glad I did. Years after the heartbreak, torment, and living on the brink of self-destruction made me become graciously accepting of all things in life. Without the lessons, only then would we be lost. 

I choose to believe in God, because having something to believe in, someone to believe in, gives me the hope and strength to go on. It gives me and my son a chance. 

Thank you God. Thank you Grandma. 

Love, 
Your little stinker. 

P.S. Happy Memorial Day everyone. I hope you guys had a magnificent time and thank you to all those fighting, to all those who fought, and to all those who've lost a loved veteran/soldier. 

A to Z Food Challenge: E

Here we are once again with another Friday Food Challenge. Today I tackled the letter 'E' and let me tell you, it wasn't easy. I was battling all day with what to create and/or try. We had gone to a local Mexican grocery store for some conchitas (conchas - delicious Mexican bread) and it hit me, enchiladas! I love enchiladas, but sometimes people just don't have the funds or time to create the delicious dish. So we head to Trader Joe's to see if they had any alternatives. I ended up finding a pack of cheese enchiladas and chicken enchiladas, both in the frozen aisle. Along with purchasing the two frozen enchilada meals ($1.99 each) I also purchased and a frozen eggplant parmigiana meal ($2.49). I was impressed with just how inexpensive they were, so all I needed to do was taste them. We found the panda (if the kids find the stuffed animal - in our case panda - that is hidden around the store, they get a lollipop), paid for our purchases, and headed home.

Both enchilada packs came with 2, creating just enough for 2 meals per dish, totaling 4 meals overall. The cheese enchiladas were a lacking a little bit of flavor, even though they were filled with loads of cheese and topped with ample sauce. I ended up adding a little Tapatio to spice it up. My son wasn't a huge fan either, but it was still a good cheap alternative. The chicken enchiladas were my favorite. They were packed with shredded chicken - I was a little worried they would put chunks for some reason - and topped with ample sauce as well. Tapatio was added, but it wasn't for flavor purposes.. Love me some spicyness! My son did enjoy this one more than the cheese one, but he still wasn't amused. He's had real enchiladas too many times, to accept these as actual ones. Can you say picky? I ate one cheese enchilada and one chicken enchilada, which left me stuffed, but I still wanted to try to eggplant parmigiana I had prepared as well. 

The eggplant parmigiana was a HUGE miss for my son, but I actually enjoyed it. I'm not a huge fan of eggplant, but this one - which was grilled - had a very subtle taste that was covered with a delicious sauce. The sauce is very similar to their tomato basil marinara sauce and just as equally tasty. This - I feel - is an excellent healthy meal option and relatively cheap. The serving size would really only suit one person, but still an awesome meal. 

Both the enchilada and eggplant meals take roughly 45 minutes - in the oven. While you can microwave for a quicker dinner, I personally think food prepared in the oven or on the stove-top, just tastes better. 

We also purchased edamame at Trader Joe's, which is my son's favorite snack. You can choose to purchase them in the pods or out. We choose in, because my son likes a little bit of sea salt sprinkled on top, licking the salt, the popping the seeds into his mouth. The edamame was only $1.79 and worth either 4 snack portions or 2 meals for a toddler. Or at least my toddler. 

Before I forget, the juice pictured in the photo is Trader Joe's Dixie Peach juice. An absolute favorite of ours! In case you were wondering, it's $3.99 for a 64 ounce and it's SO freaking good. 

Overall I was stuffed at the end of the day and paid roughly $6.50 for both the enchiladas and eggplant meals. It was a little too much for me and I would've preferred to have had the enchiladas on a separate day than the eggplant, but I don't like wasting food. Therefore, I ended up with an extremely stuffed belly. All well, at least I won't be lurking in the kitchen at midnight looking for a snack. Who am I kidding? I'll still do it. 

Once again we've completed a Food Challenge Friday. Completely successful? No, merely because my son is the judge I'm trying to impress. No bother. I will still be re-purchasing the eggplant parmigiana for myself! Personally I've been spoiled - like my son - with real enchiladas, so I think I'll just hold out until we're able to get the real deal. Like I said before, it's a good alternative, just not perfect. 

Have a wonderful Memorial weekend guys (USA) and stay safe! We live within a few minutes of Downtown and near-ish to the local beaches, which - unfortunately - means drunk drivers. Therefore, we won't be going anywhere until Monday. We will be having a little family day at my dad's house, avoiding the hustle and bustle of public celebratory parties. Just how we like it!

Big Dollar Haul and Target Products Review!

I will be the first to admit that I have a "dollar section/store" problem. You know how you go to Target and the first batch of awesomeness there to great you is all the magnificent stuff that's incredibly cheap? That's probably where I am. Either there or the actual Dollar Tree. Granted I'm not hanging out at Dollar Tree as much as I am the dollar section at Target, but I still go. Mostly because Target is closer to me and the quality seems to be a little bit better. There are still certain items I only (or more often than not) buy at Dollar Tree though. To give you an example, cards, balloons, frames, baskets, party supplies, sunglasses, etc. I will say though that Walmart is directly next to our Dollar Tree, so there is a bit of a competition there. 

Today our plans got cancelled, which left my son a little down in the dumps. To try and make it about him, I offered for him to check out Dollar Tree for a kite. He's been wanting to purchase one for a while and doing extra chores for some money. Immediately he jumped for joy and agreed. I must say that overall we had a pretty cool day. Our first stop was Dollar Tree, as promised. There we strolled through the store, really only looking for a kite. Of course that's never how it works with me. Once we found his kite, we kept strolling and kept adding things into our basket. Typical. Before deciding to officially check out, we did our usual "double check" where we second guess and rid of any unnecessary purchases. I ended up leaving 3 books behind - which I'm still second guessing - along with a few other items, to purchase a mug with a unicorn/rainbow on it (classic), a gift bag for the up-coming Father's Day, a dry erase board for my son to practice his alphabet, a balloon on a stick that says #1 (my son and his balloons) and of course the Iron Man kite that my son so proudly purchased himself. I will say I'm quite proud of this haul. I especially love my new unicorn mug!

After fast walking to the car with our purchases - I had already decided in my head that we were heading to Target - we drove off to make a few additional purchases. Purchases that are correlating with today's blog topic. 

Previously I had noticed these mini binders, inserts, and a few other organizing accessories, being sold in the Target dollar section. I had held off on buying them, as I had a - very dull - planner at home already. I just wasn't sure when the months ended, so I didn't buy the beloved semi-DIY planner...yet. After realizing that my planner actually ended this month, I knew what had to be done. I was to throw away that black, old, dingy, cheap planner and spice up my life with a rockin' mint green one! Side note: You will notice throughout this entire haul that I have a serious addiction to the colors mint green, turquoise, aqua, sea green, and all colors corresponding with those mentioned. In fact, you'll notice that through my entire blog, including the header. Moving on. 

I scoured through the piles of stuff to find what I needed and squealed with such delight. A few of the items I had purchased were the last of their kind. Muahahaha. We of course walked around Target like normal, but didn't buy anything other than items I had found in the beginning. Not only did I buy a mini-binder ($3), 2 planner sets ($3 each), a planner accessories pack ($3), a magnetized note pad ($1), a miniature desktop note pad with pen ($1), a pack of pencils (all with neat little saying inscribed on them, $1), and page sticky flags ($1), but I also a small Caribbean Blue "Creamcoat" paint ($1) and 2 popcorn containers ($1 each). What was the main color scheme? Well...just look at the pictures. I told you I was addicted!

As soon as I got home, I took pictures (I ended up removing the magnetized notepad, miniature desktop notepad/pen duo, and pencils out of their plastic wrap. I couldn't help myself) and then put together my little binder. I haven't quite figured out the exact order I specifically want them in and had decided to thoroughly inspect all of my items, to inspect for quality and quantity.  I admit, I was impressed. 

In the first planner set, I received 2 pocket dividers, 40 sheets of "note" paper (black/white) and 40 "time" sheets (peach/white). The pocket dividers are very sturdy and adorable. The print was really pretty and the paper was actually a paper worth writing on. Unlike those really cheap papers you find that rip with minor pressure of an eraser, these are sturdy, colorful, and very well made. 

The second planner set came with 78 weekly pages (seafoam green/white), 18 monthly pages (peach/white), and 6 dividers with different gold patterns on each of them. The dividers are just as sturdy as the pocket dividers and the gold is a shiny gold, not dull. The paper is of the same quality as well and just as beautiful. Target really did a good job at combining the color schemes to match, regardless the packs and binder you choose. (They had different options).

The binder was a firm and strong binder. The clips are also strong, holding everything in place with a tight grip. I don't like those binders where the clips don't touch or easily come apart, ripping your papers as you turn them. This binder is not only a magnificent color with an area to label on the side, but it's well put together. Again, well done Target. You have me sold.

The other accessories and notepads are beyond beautiful in my opinion. I will say that a few stickers from the accessories pack were bent - last pack - so they didn't stick as well, but they are still beautiful. I simply applied a little glue to the back and they set nicely. It only affected 3 of the stickers, so not a big problem at all. What I also like about the accessories pack, was that all 3 sections (sticky notes, paper notes, and stickers) came with holes punched on the side, allowing you to directly insert them into your mini binder. They know me so well. The page flags unfortunately didn't come with that option, but I added a small piece of tape to the back of it's cardboard and stuck in on the front inside of the binder. Worked great.

The pencils are actually easy to sharpen (yes I sharpened one and it kind of broke my heart) and write quite smoothly. The pen from the desktop notepad/pen duo, is a bit harsh, but still works fine. I'm not a huge fan of how it feels in my hand either. Almost like if I squeeze too hard it will break, because it's of a cheaper material, but it works. Plus its adorable. So I'm keeping it. 

The paint is miraculous, but I already knew that as I had previously purchased this exact paint from this exact Target recently. I just loved it so much I had to have more of it. I'm still trying to contain myself from painting everything this beautiful blue. Moderation is definitely key. This paint is true to the bottles color. It holds not secrets. You can do one coat, but you may still see remnants from whatever you're painting. I often do two and it works beautifully. This paint also is true to it's label "Creamcoat", as it's creamy in consistency. Extremely easy to work with.  

The popcorn containers are more because I don't want to hear the crunching of a popcorn bag in the middle of a movie. My son and I have movie night every week at home. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've had to rewind a certain part, because we just can't hear it over the bag. We've tried using big bowls, but because my son loves to sit in one particular chair and I sit on the couch, we're constantly passing it back and forth. Also, I don't like using my regular bowls for popcorn. As you can see I have my reasons for wanting one. Plus it's my favorite color, so there. I bought them. They work perfectly and allow for tons of popcorn (my son won't get filled up, just half way). Just don't put them in the dishwasher and you'll be good to go! Plus they were $1.

I gotta say, this was a really cool score. I have a gorgeous planner ready to be filled with my daily goals, two popcorn containers ready for this weekend, paint to add to my paint collection, and an awesome cup. Pretty good Thursday if I do say so myself! I totally recommend checking out your local Target's dollar section, especially if you're in the market for a personalized planner! 

An added tip: Instead of re-purchasing more and more binder insert pages, I plan on making copies of each one as needed in color. That way I can easily cut and re-create! I'll update when I've actually done it, to show you guys how it turned out!

Have a wonderful night and a fantastic Friday! Don't forget, tomorrow is Food Challenge Friday and I'll be tackling the letter "E"! Check back tomorrow night for the details and to see what I conjure up!

An Unusual Bucket List.

Found HERE

Throughout the course of my life, I've come to understand that my goals are simply undesirable by most. Not all, just most. This self-realization was a bit hard to chew when I was younger, as I felt that different wasn't something to necessarily be proud of. That's line of thinking has drastically changed now that I've had more experience and have become a mother. While I was once very shy and secretive about my hopes and dreams for the futures, I'm very proud of my accomplishments and what I know I will succeed at someday. 

Now, I'm not necessarily big on talking just about myself, unless it's a story that can be used as a learning experience for others, but today I thought I'd take it upon myself to share with you all my "Bucket List". It's not filled with extravagant luxuries or traveling to hundreds of exotic locations, but it's a list that I have come to love and strive towards completing. The whole point in sharing this list, is to help you understand the type of person I am, to know that you may not be as strange as you think, and to possibly inspire you to add a few things onto your list as well. After all, the thing that makes a great "Bucket List" is that you have the option to continuously update what you yourself wish to make a reality. It's all about what suits you and makes you happy with memories to last a lifetime. While not quite an extensive list, as some things are personal, I've devised a detailed list on what I consider worth aiming for. 

1. Find an authentic piano bar that plays Frank Sinatra. 

While this may seem simple, I find this to be a much anticipated joy. I have a bit of an old soul, which often craves simplicity and peace. Numerous times before, the sounds of Frank Sinatra had taken me to a utopia. For any brief moment his lyrics were filling the air, I could pretend to be free from any angst. To do so while having a nice meal and relaxing, sounds like heaven.

2. Find the perfect, secret, flower field.

I've always dreamed of finding a clear field beyond civilization that is not well-known. A place where my son and I could place a large picnic blanket, run around smelling the air of fresh flowers, eating a picnic basket filled with delicious goodies. I've never found one that seems deeming for a beautiful, scenic, adventure. Someday we will find one. Hopefully in California or Oregon. 

3. Travel to small towns. 

My preference of transportation is car. Trains aren't too bad either, but flying is a bit stressful for me and ships are out of the question. Sea sickness. So traveling to far away places just aren't part of my big dreams. Going to Europe is a huge one I'd love to conquer, but it's not necessarily my priority. My travel crave is to venture into small towns throughout thr USA and seek the little joys. For example, during Halloween time, my son and I plan (God willing) to drive up the coast of California - stopping for small towns - to Oregon. There we are hoping to have the chance at celebrating Halloweentown during a weekend in October in the town of St. Helen. Afterwards, we will be traveling all around looking for eateries, small stores, and towns full of authenticity. Another trip on our list, for example, is North Pole, Alaska during summer time. We want to put in a good word with Santa well before Christmas!

4. Having a Tiny House. 

A while ago I watched a documentary on Netlfix called Tiny - if you haven't watched it, I recommend it whole heartedly. This movement hat has grown tremendously, isn't about living in the woods away from all humanity. It's about living a simpler life and being self sufficient. Living off her land and living with less. This appeals to me more than anything. Having what is necessary, providing for my son with more than adequate living, and being able to work doing what I love without worrying whether or not I can afford what my son needs. This particular goal is something I aim to strive towards with every fiber in my body. 

5. Finish my Nancy Drew collection. 

I'm an avid Nancy Drew fan. Being as such, I plan on collecting the rest of the Nancy Drew books along with every video game owned by Her Interactive, I'm not looking to purchase the newer versions of Nancy Drew though. Purely the yellow back ones. After collecting every Nancy Drew book, I plan on throwing a Nancy Drew themed party. Ever since I was little, she has been my hero. My idol. I always wanted to be like her and quite frankly that hasn't changed. Who wouldn't want to be a detective that gets to run the show with amazing adventures?!

6. Find a long-term Pen Pal and write to them using an antique typewriter. 

Like I said before, I'm a bit of an old soul. After watching the infamous "Notebook", I've been searching for a friendship that will embark in this past time that has been sadly become endangered. With all this technology, we rarely take to pen and paper anymore. I feel that expressing ourselves with a personal touch - handwriting - would allow us to reconnect without being glued to a device. Ironic for a blogger, but meaningful to me nonetheless. 

Found HERE

7. Create an underground personal library. 

I may not have an extensive amount of books, overflowing in every corner...yet, but some day I will. Along with a few other "Bucket List" goals, having a nice plot of land for example, I plan on building a secluded personal library that will grant me peace and serenity. I feel as if this is only "different", because it's underground. No I'm not a hermit, but I do enjoy reading with silence, while sipping on a nice cup of tea and cream. Other than the "6 feet under" part, I feel like everyone could a place of quiet, regardless  if it's filled with books and a comfy chair or not. 

As you can see I'm a bit eccentric. Which I have mentioned in prior blog posts. This isn't an extensive list, but it does contain the first 7 of my long ever-growing plan. Many would probably focus on skydiving (not for me), owning a huge house (too much to keep clean), or maybe traveling to all the countries in the world (too many planes). Regardless what you put on yours, maybe this will help to show you that big dreams are great, but whatever your heart desires is what should be on that list. Also there is no rule saying that you can't keep adding on. No matter if you wish to try every cup of coffee from around the world or own a small honey business, go follow your dreams. Nothing is too big or too small. I have had other items on my list that were quiet large in stature, but I've already completed many of them. Perhaps in a future post I will tell you guys a story of my previous encounters across the Eastern United States. 

The Many Styles of a Frugal Mom.

Let me just start out by saying that I am in no way shape or form a fashionista. There are plenty of other mom's out there with far better style than myself. Regardless, I actually adore my style. No I'm not conceited - far from it actually - but I appreciate that my style accurately represents me. Every single piece of clothing I own has been hand selected over a large period of time, because it's suits me and was within my tight budget. Every piece of clothing is special, and while I do rid my closet of old loves, I do so in preparation for new ones. 

As a mom, I'm often struggling with the dilemma of "dress like I have my life completely handled perfectly" and "let's just drink coffee and watch Good Mythical Morning". I'll be honest, 99% of the time I choose YouTube with my son as our morning ritual over figuring our accessories, shoes, hair, makeup, and an outfit. I don't know how some of you ladies do it?! Especially you moms and dads! Because I'm a frugal and "I'll just throw this on" type of mom, I've slowly gathered clothing items to create very simple (and cheap) outfits that I can feel comfortable in and throw together without hesitation. So, to give you guys ideas on how to be comfortable without going outside in your pajamas - not to say that I haven't done that, because I totally have - I've decided to show you a week of outfits from yours truly. The prices for the Forever 21 and H&M clothing mentioned, can be found HERE. The prices for my newest thrift store purchases shown, can be found HERE. Without further ado, here's 7 days of me! 

Sunday: We went to church in the morning and the Farmer's Market afterwards for tacos, samples, a rubber duckie to add to our collection, and fresh produce. This calls for something light and airy, but nice enough for church. Yes, this green-haired, hippie, eclectic, single-mother goes to church. Will I preach my beliefs to you? No, because you have your beliefs for your own reasons, as do I. Moving on. My favorite outfit for Sunday's, usually consists of flowers and bright colors. This past Sunday I chose to go for a skirt (that I made myself, thank you very much), with a really pretty purple camisole. I used my yellow cardigan (you will see it in another photo) while I was in church, as I'm usually freezing. The skirt cost me $3, as it was a long skirt WAY to big for me. I just altered it to my liking and boom. A beautiful skirt. The shirt is a camisole found at Forever 21. They have a whole bunch of colors - I own a few - for extremely cheap. Also, you'll see throughout this post that 7/8 pictures feature my converse. They are extremely comfortable and that's what I'm all about! This also makes a great outfit for thrift store shopping, as trying on clothes with this is rather easy! This outfit reflects my "girly" side. 

Monday: We had a few errands to run including going to Costco, Target, and a local bookstore. Seeing as how I love Star Wars, needed to be warm but not hot, and hate jeans, I went for an outfit that consisted of my Star Wars t-shirt, my yellow cardigan (previously mentioned), leggings from Forever 21 (extremely cheap), and of course my converse. I feel like a simple cardigan or jacket paired with a really cool cartoon or graphic shirt, makes for an eclectic day. Since I've used that exact terminology to describe myself, I find it quite suiting. This outfit reflects my "nerd" side. 

Tuesday: My dad's birthday was being celebrated with a simple yet semi-casual dinner at a really cool buffet. Seeing as how we were celebrating a very special event, I chose to actually wear *gasp* jeans. I also decided to wear a fur vest (it was freaking cold in the buffet) that I made out of an old fur coat, a simple jean colored shirt over a white camisole from Forever 21, and my absolutely favorite Doc Marten boots. I got them for Christmas a few years ago and boy do I freaking love these beauties. They are comfortable, warm, and amazing! Granted they are expensive and time consuming to lace them up, hence why I only wear them for special events. Most fashionistas would consider them a "fall or winter accessory", but I'm a rule breaker. This outfit reflects my "fierce" side.  

Wednesday: Whenever my son and I decide to stay home, garden, go for a walk, or head to the park and play, I wear an outfit that I could literally sleep in. Like I said before, I don't like jeans. I do own a very select few (obviously), but I avoid at all cost and that includes jean-shorts as well. The shorts I chose for this day were a pair that I received as a gift. They are a lightweight material and very soft. The pattern on them as well is really cool and actually goes nicely with many shirts in my closet. Yay for awesome gifts! My main comfort shirts (on hot days) are "muscle shirts". I may not be a buff beef-cake, but that doesn't mean sleeves are required. My Bob Marley shirt is just one of the many I've cut the sleeves off of. They are "boys" shirts in X-Large, making the sleeves a bit awkwardly placed on me anyways. This one was purchased a LONG time ago on sale. I don't remember the exact price, but I do remember screeching with joy when I saw that they fit. This duo allows me to plop down for nap-time after playing at the park, without having to change into pajama pants. Which I wouldn't do anyways, because I don't like putting on clean clothes until I've showered. Tuesday also happens to be my "laundry day", so it's a win-win. My converse still made playing on the slides fun as heck! This outfit reflects my "badass mom" side. 

Thursday: My Uncle was in town and we decided to go exploring Balboa Park with a nice picnic. The shorts I used for this adventure were a pair I'd made out of men's trousers I purchased from a thrift store for super cheap. I absolutely love how they are big around the thighs (I'm not a huge fan of short-shorts) and fitting around the waist. I altered them to become high-wasted shorts with slight warmth. The dark green is a gorgeous color as well! I call these my lucky shorts, as they came with a wonderful gift of money hidden inside the pocket! To accent the beautiful green, I went with a really pretty burgundy colored shirt that I found at H&M. We also decided to go to the thrift store last minute (luckily they had changing rooms), so being comfortable made it much easier to go with the flow. Wearing the converse - once again - was also a relief, as I didn't have to worry about my feet! This outfit reflects my "old soul" side. 

Friday: To end the week and begin the weekend, we decided to have a full day of "what do you want to do". The way we go about this type of day is by sitting down and letting my son decide a few activities he'd like to do and a few activities I'd like to do. Then we combine them and make an entire adventure-filled day. It consisted of checking out the Disney Store Outlet, paying a visit to the pound, checking out Barnes and Nobles, playing at IKEA, and having ice-cream from Rite Aid. Since we were leaving in the morning and it was still a bit nippy, I went with my new romper and topped it with my new "robe". Both from the thrift store adventure I mentioned earlier. I absolutely adore the pattern and the colors worked perfectly together. I was so incredibly comfortable and warm. I really felt confident with this beautiful romper and still can't believe someone let these two pieces go! Of course I wore my converse. This outfit reflects my "modern hippie" side. 

Saturday: For the final day of this past week, we decided to do some grocery shopping and have lunch. I know, I know, I said I don't like jean shorts. It doesn't mean I don't own a pair. This just so happens to be my one and only pair. I couldn't resist them though, because they worked so nicely with my new flannel from the thrift store. The actually are very comfortable and I don't necessarily mind them. These shorts were found at H&M for a relatively good price, but it was worth it seeing as how I have never been able to find another pair quite as comfortable as these. I look a bit, western-like, but it's part of my personality. My converse have yet to disappoint me! This outfit reflects my "simple" side. 

Extra: You're probably thinking that my "fierce" side is as "fancy" as I get. Not quite. Whenever I have a really nice dinner (perhaps a wedding reception for example), I do get dressed up. That's right, I own a NICE dress. Two actually. For a party I attended back in December, I wore my dark purple dress with a nice cream coat (it's way to hot for me to put on right now). Yes, I wore my converse. To be fair, I actually wore heels to the ceremony, but the party mostly consisted of sitting down and eating. The pictures were waist up as well. So after politely asking the couple if they would mind, I wore my white sneakers with pride. Just because my body is dressed fabulously doesn't mean I have to be in pain!

And there you have it! Geeze I say that a lot. Although most of vocabulary and tone seems consistent throughout all my posts. All well, ce la vie! Hopefully this will inspire you to dress for YOU! Who cares if you're not "in style". If you're comfortable, happy, and love what you're wearing, that's all that matters. I'm not the coolest mom in the world and I certainly don't have a wardrobe that would make the fashion world proud, but I will say that I dress for myself. I like to express my moods and inner being with what I dress myself in. If you want to scream "I live like a boss!" and you do so by wearing the fanciest clothes you can find at the mall, you rock it! If you want to slightly yell "I'm in love with pink and kitties" and you do so by only wearing cat apparel and pink accents, you go for it! I commend all of you. The entire point is to just do you!!! So go out there are wear what makes you smile! I just choose to do so with many styles and frugally.

Easy and cheap DIY's anyone can do!

Yesterday I used my inner crafting abilities to fill my inner DIY-er needs. If I don't do something artsy every now and then, I go insane. I work best with my hands and concentration, so creating gives me peace of mind. Seeing as how I hadn't done anything to showcase my ideas in a while, I went full throttle yesterday. Instead of just putting up some pictures, I thought I'd share how I created them and give you ideas on what you yourself can easily create! For cheap of course. 

1. Popsicle Sticks Art: I have a love for stick art. The amount of creative art you can accomplish by simply using the, is intriguing to me. Personally I've created Ferris wheels, mini tree houses, coasters, and now a fence for herbs. My oregano and chocolate mint herbs were growing unruly. Seemingly sad - as they were flopped over the edge of their containers - I decided to help them stand nice and tall by providing a fence barrier behind them. All you have to do is hot glue a few pieces together, in whatever way would benefit your plants most. Heck, you could even do a miniature white picket fence if you'd like. Unfortunately my limited space doesn't allow for me to create a big enough garden, but others may have that type of access....lucky. Coasters are also my favorite thing to create. Yes they're simple and nothing fancy, but designing the, a color I actually like and not paying anything to create my own (I had a huge box of sticks) is well worth the tone down for me. Also, creating little structures for kids is awesome. My son loves his treehouse and uses it often for his own village creation. 

2. Furniture From Scraps: I'm not telling you to dig through the trash and find old scrap parts to create some strange piece that may end up causing your more frustration than happiness. I'm simply saying that if you have a couple unique items, left over wood, an old shelving unit, and some paint, you could potentially create that side table you've been thinking of. I wanted a little side table for the patio. My son and I often enjoy having our morning drinks outside and while playing a game of checkers, on a fine day. Why be inside when you could have the fresh air on your skin, am I right? I really didn't have the funds to buy a simple table, so when someone threw away an old shelving unit with broken bars and a small square shelf (because it was slightly dinged up in one corner), I took it upon myself to combine everything and create my own shelf. The metal shelves were from an IKEA "Hyllis" shelving unit and the small white shelf was an IKEA "Lack" shelf. Is it perfect? No. Is it small? Yes. Does it work and make me happy that we have a simple (and free) table that holds our drinks and/or checkers game? Abso-freakin-lutely! The metal shelves already had holes (score!) so I just screwed in the supporting side, and nailed in the back portion to ensure stability. I debating painting the white shelf, but the contract deemed fitting. While it isn't exactly fitting with our folding chairs (I may apply a faux wooden decal on the white shelf to better suit them) I do think that it works perfectly for us. At least for now. Use this simple little design to inspire you to re-think what you see. Many people toss out items that can be re-created. Pinterest is a huge information outlet on ideas as well when it comes to upcycling!

3. Clay Creations: A few years ago I bought a box of Sculpey's clay. It may or may not have been a bit of a bigger box than I initially intended it to be. Regardless I haven't regretted the purchase, as its proven beneficial in my crafting adventures. Yesterday was no different. Not only did I create a pair of earrings (I had previously purchased some earring backs for a project I completed a while back) and an adorable miniature R2D2 (he's not perfect, but he's smaller than a Lego therefore I think my hand painting sufficed), my son also created a stupendous piece of art. I can't show you as he's "shy" and has asked me not to, so you'll just have to take my word for it. Sculpey's oven bake clay is relatively easy to work with. While I prefer clay that needs a kiln (I loved ceramics in high school), I still create to my hearts desire with what I have. Plus I don't have the space for a kiln, otherwise I'd have an entire pottery room! With clay you can really go all out. Want a fancier coaster with a gold trim and marble affect? How about a neat pot for your knew flowers? Or what about a personalized artifact for a grandparent? Clay has your back! Plus it's an awesome crafting tool for kids to make their own "toys" for that new treehouse you made them with Popsicle sticks. *wink wink* Regardless, clay opens a whole world of artistry. You could even do like I did and make shift your own earrings! I hand painted a Nancy Drew silhouette (see picture HERE for reference) and a magnifying glass in honor of Nancy Drew herself. They are as small as my thumb nail, so give me a break. Please? 

And there you have it! 3 extremely easy DIY's and some ideas for you to take advantage of. As you can tell from this post - and a few of my previous posts - I've dabbled quite a bit in the art of do-it-yourself. I'm not a pro by any means, but that doesn't stop this momma from applying a little TLC. Plus it's really a cool bonding experience with my son. He too loves to work with his hands (Lego's are often his go-to), so doing DIY's allows him to apply his input. He's the one who came up with the coasters and having them be blue. Also the treehouse was his idea, I just cut and glued. Don't be afraid if things don't work out perfectly the first time. It takes practice, but honestly when I create my own trinkets, I find them to be my favorite. The fact that I created something unique, give my place (and bookshelf) a little added pizazz! So get out there and start crafting that skirt you've been wanting or those bookends you saw on Pinterest! No matter what, it's going to be beautiful, just like all of you! Ps. Don't you just love our little patio set up? A mommy and son folding chair! Believe it or not, these two were free as well!!!

A to Z Food Challenge: D

Today's food challenge is based all around my favorite time of the day, dessert time. Yes I could've chosen a meal for the "D" category - like dumplings - but I saw this as an excellent opportunity to try out a few different Trader Joe's desserts. I've had my fair share of decadent foods from this fantastic grocer, but I do know that I have yet to try many of their sweets. I seem to stick to their gummy letters and cookies, so why not venture into unfamiliar territory to possible find a new love? This is NOT an "I love everything list". This is merely a "hey I tried this and here's what happened" list. Let's begin shall we?

1. Fruit Frenzy Bars $2.29: These bars are equipped with raspberry, lemon, and strawberry. I have always been a fan of raspberry - it's even my preferred preserves flavor - and this was absolutely no different. Strawberries are also a favorite of mine, while lemons I'm a bit particular about. The size for these "popsicles" was pretty big compared to their other raspberry frozen treats, but it still only came with 4 bars in total. I will say that while I thoroughly enjoyed the raspberry and strawberry sections, the lemon one left me a bit unsatisfied. I've eaten raw lemons before, and while they are sour, this particular frozen popsicle has an overly sour lemon portion. It was more of an extremely acidic lime than anything. I ended up having to cut of the middle section, as I just couldn't take the taste. Other than that, it was delicious. Would I buy it again? No. I don't feel it's worth it if I have to alter 1/3 of the bar. 

2. All Butter Shortbread Cookies with Apricot or Raspberry Filling $3.99: Again, I have a thing for raspberry, but I also favor shortbread. Trader Joe's even has these shortbread biscuits that are absolutely to die for, which led me to be curious about these. While they do seem to lack filling, they are a refreshing cookie. Not too sweet, not too plain. They wouldn't make for a very good dessert if you have a huge sweet tooth, but they would suffice for an afternoon delight with maybe a cup of tea or coffee. Very light and crumby. I do like soft cookies, but these were a little bit stiffer than some. That's not to say they were crunchy, as they weren't in the least. Would I buy them again? Absolutely! I can foresee myself using these as afternoon "sweets" with my young padawan with a cup of Chamomile, as he seemed to like them as well.

3. Mini Pie Medley; Strawberry, Blueberry, Peach $4.49: Spoiler alert, this was my absolute favorite dessert find out of the bunch. They come with 2 of each flavor and I can't even begin to describe how delicious they were. Each tiny pie can easily be warmed in a conventional or toaster oven. Within 10 minutes, you'll have miniature pies that taste exquisite. That's right, stupendous. The crust was light and flaky with a hint of crunch. It was coated with a sugar that felt so raw and pure. The filling wasn't overpowering, but full of fantastic taste. I commend Trader Joe's with this one. I DEFINITELY will be re-purchasing these, as they make excellent desserts with ice cream for holidays. For any day really. The fact that I can eat my favorites without having to purchase 3 full sized pies, is an excellent score for myself and my son! I love blueberry, he loves strawberry, and we both enjoy peach so we split it! We had this for our dessert with some Vanilla ice cream. It truly was the perfect end to a great Friday!

4. Banana Bonanza Bread with Almonds $3.99: I do love banana bread, but this was not a favorite for my desserts. I chose this particular item for this challenge, as I wanted to attempt in finding an after dinner delight that was a bit healthier than chocolate. I was recommended this by a Trader Joe's employee and while they were not wrong about it being fluffy and delicious, it simply wouldn't suffice as a dessert. I have a bit of sweet tooth, this I know, but even my son was left still wanting something "sweet". This bread definitely holds the banana and almond flavors nicely together, without either of them overpowering the other, but I feel it's best paired with a glass of milk, as it still can be a bit dry. I will be having this as a breakfast food with a nice cup of coffee, tea, and/or milk, but anything other than that would be overselling it. It may pair nicely with ice cream and it may be good for those with less of a sweet tooth, but you may still not find it "sweet enough". Would I buy them again? Maybe.

5. Mini Hold the Cone Vanilla Ice Cream Cones $2.99: My son and I are a huge fan of ice cream cones with chocolate covered vanilla. Seeing these immediately made me excited, as I wanted my son to be able to enjoy his favorite ice cream cone, without the big portions. I saw this as an excellent alternative. I was slightly disappointed. The chocolate itself almost tastes like a dark chocolate with a bit of extra cocoa. The Vanilla was delicious and nothing to complain about. The cone however, was what left me feeling a bit defeated. It was like chewing edible, chewy, thin, cardboard, that had been flavored. The taste of it was fine, but the texture itself was way less crunchy than I had hoped. I felt as if I had bought an expired batch, but after triple checking the dates I realized that it simply was made that way. I will say that the chocolate inside the tip of the cone did give me nostalgia, as that's always been my favorite part of a good ice cream cone. 

6. Organic Fairtrade Rooibos and Honeybush Tea (caffeine free) $2.49: Some people don't think tea is a dessert. I do. I pair my tea with biscuits, pastries, cookies, you name it. Therefore, it's going on the list. I will admit that I am not a huge tea fan. I can't handle the taste of green tea, chamomile is only tasty to me when I've added creamer, and I tend to stick to Trader Joe's Sweet Black Tea (in the container) without creamer, more than anything else. That is no longer the case. This Rooibos and Honeybush tea has become an absolute favorite, tied with black tea. It has a sweet, herbal, earthy taste to it, that makes me feel like I'm in a field of fresh flowers. I added a little bit of Trader Joe's Turkish Honey and the pair worked amazingly. Of course I ended up adding some creamer after I had drunken half of my cup already, just to see if it would taste good as well. It most certainly did. While the pies are my favorite dessert food that I've purchased today, this tea is my favorite dessert drink. Yes it's the only drink I purchased, but don't let that hinder your decision on buying this "warm hug in a cup". Not only is this tea tasty beyond words - with or without creamer - but it apparently holds health benefits as well. Some that surprised me and made me even more in love with it. Rooibos apparently has 50 times more antioxidants than Green Tea and can help thwart free radicals that could lead to cancer. It's also known to help with digestive problems, asthma, eczema, acne, strengthening bones and teeth, hypertension, blood circulation, healthy hair, and blood circulation. Honeybush apparently smells like honey and is sweeter than Rooibos - which is probably why it has a sweet flavor. It's also has beneficial properties that supposedly help with anemia prevention (hopefully this will help me, as it's full of iron and I'm anemic), stress, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, menopause, milk production (nursing mommas may want to check this out), and the cold/flu. With the wonderous taste and added health benefits, why WOULDN'T I repurchase? 

And there you have it. 5 desserts and 1 dessert drink that I tried today. Some were far less than I had hoped, while others far exceeded my expectations. You can't win them all though, now can you? All in all I was happy, because this weeks challenge has helped me explore new foods/drinks that I hadn't even though of trying. I do like to try new things, but I knew I was holding back. That won't be the case anymore! I still have an extreme love for cake, ice cream, cookies, brownies, cheesecake, pie, pudding, and much more (even if they aren't from Trader Joe's), but I wanted to do a real challenge. This was it for me. What are some of your favorite desserts?