Till Then Smile Often

Friday Favorites | OxyMoron

I could not be more excited for Friday it has been a really rough work week. I am going out tonight to meet up with some fellow bloggers to see an outdoor movie in the park and grabbing some drinks before hand so let’s get this party started! Please note I am highly aware of my healthy/nonhealthy favorites but it has just been that kind of week! 😉

Favorite Workout: Although I am hitting the gym hard and using the 10k for Pink app to getting my running mojo back I still like some quick at home workouts for when I can’t hit the gym. This one looks short enough but if you repeat it 3-4 times it can be a scorcher.  This is from a dead link but the meme gives you what you need. Linked to the pin from Pinterest.

Easy and quick morning workout
 

Favorite Recipe: These are in no way healthy and probably why they sound so good but, hello!!! Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon Butter Pecan Sweet Rolls, nuff said. 

Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon Butter Pecan Sweet Rolls via thefrugalfoodiemama.com #cakemix

Favorite Song: This band Evans Blue has been a big help to getting me through my running workouts and the lead singer is pretty cute so worth a share.

Favorite Book: Can we still be friends if I say I only gave the Fault In Our Stars only 4 stars? Mostly due to all the hype I was expecting more. Not that it wasn’t good. I do however always fly through these books by Allison Brennan. It is a crime/mystery series but it involves the roudy Kincaid family and you always end up rooting for the underdogs.

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From Goodreads: Assigned to San Antonio’s Violent Crimes unit, Lucy Kincaid joins a team of seasoned veterans and newer agents for a task force called Operation Heatwave. It’s supposed to be a simple sweep of known offenders with outstanding warrants. But when Lucy and her team try to bust two local brothers for jumping bail, she walks into a hotbed of pure evil. Their names are George and Jaime Sanchez. They are charged with murder, drug trafficking, and worse. And one of them is still out there.

 

Favorite Funnies: I may have wanted a cupcake this week but I worked out instead. If I had one this might happen! Haha!


 
 
I feel this way a lot about our society!

 

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Am I a bad person, because I would totally laugh if this happened, then make sure they were ok?!?!

 

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That is all she wrote, and by she I mean me! Duh! 😉 Now go have fun, hit a beach or a beverage!  

What are your weekend plans?

 

Linking up with Amanda

Meet At The Barre

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Mango Sangria

The thing that I like about Sangria is you really can’t get it wrong. You can really make it your own and you can use even the crappiest of wines and it can still come out great. My Aunt and Uncle gave me a few bottles of wine at Christmas that they had lying around for awhile and wanted to get out of their house. I figured I would use them eventually and 7 months later I finally cracked one open. These were larger than a standard bottle of wine so I had to adjust accordingly. Also don’t worry if you are not a fan of red wine, switch it out for white wine.

 

Mango Sangria
Ingredients: 1 (750ml) bottle of red wine ~ 3/4 cup of Mango Rum ~ 1/2 cup sugar (I used Truvia) ~ 1 Orange ~ 1 apple ~ 1 Lime ~ 1 Lemon ~ Lemon-Lime Soda or Lemonade *NOTE: I have used Melon flavored Rum too which is really good as well.

 

Sangria
Directions: Mix all ingredients in a large plastic or glass pitcher. Chill for 1-2 hours to let the fruit infuse with the wine. Fill a glass 1/3 full and fill the rest with lemon-lime soda or lemonade. 

 

You really can use any fruit you want. Mix and match whatever flavors you like, I have used peaches, strawberries, grapes, pineapple, apples, oranges, lemons, and limes. Got a cheap bottle of wine? No problem just bump up the amount of sugar till it tastes to your liking. I tried the lemonade since I had some left in my fridge and I wanted to get rid of it to make space. I have to say I am so glad I did, it was so good!!

 

Have you tried Sangria?

What is your favorite fruits to add in?

 

 

Martinis & Bikinis

 

 

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Hiking, Beaching, Relaxing

Hope everyone had an enjoyable long weekend!! We were a little rained out here, so all the parades and fireworks were cancelled but it ended up being for the best because I got to snuggle with Seamus, finish a few books and watch a movie. After too much time away from home I had a lot of catching up to do on chores and home projects. Also since I took Monday off to enjoy an extra long weekend I am going to keep this short so I can hit the beach again.

So a quick recap of the weekend…

 

Friday: Waking up at 5am is always fun, but it does allow for morning reading with coffee. Then I went grocery shopping only to learn my road was blocked off in one direction due to a tree being down, and 3 more were down in the park by my house too. They were completely ripped from the roots too. I picked up Lone Survivor from Redbox, and it was really appropriate for the 4th of July. It was such a great movie and really makes me even more grateful for our servicemen and women.

Friday
Saturday: For some reason I agreed to go hiking with a friend at 8:30am on Saturday. Don’t get me wrong I love a hike and catching up with her, but making plans is not my favorite thing on the weekends. Needless to say I was up early anyways, Seamus wanted some snuggles while I was reading. The hike was really challenging and it was a place I haven’t been before so it was fun to explore. My fitbit said I hit 75 floors so it was a really good workout.

Saturday
After I took Seamus for a walk, ate some lunch and then sat outside in my yard to get some sun while reading. I did some cleaning and then grilled some dinner while concocting a new drink recipe for a guest post. It was amazing and really fun taste testing.

Sunday: In the morning I finally started The Fault In Our Stars, yeah I know totally behind the curve on this trend. Yard work has seriously been slipping, so I had to rake up all the branches from the storm, and trim the front bushes. I head out for some errand shopping. Then I walked to the beach by my house to meet up with a friend. After a few hours I headed home, walked Seamus and then made a really yummy dinner, while sipping some Sangria I marinated the night before, recipe coming soon.

Sunday
The night was relaxing catching up on the Glades on Netflix, reading, blogging and just plain relaxing. Planning my day for tomorrow.

 

How was your weekend?

Did you get to see some fireworks?

 

Linking up with Leeann from Join the Gossip and Biana from B Loved Boston.

Weekending
 
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God Bless The USA

Happy 4th of July!!! I am so excited for this long weekend, plus I have Monday off so it is a really long weekend! After two weekend being away I have a lot of housework to do, and a long to-do list to get though. I have a lot of books to read this weekend. The Hurricane is heading this way so we may get rained on all day today but I have some painting and some reading I can do if that happens so no worries. So let’s get to it so I can start relaxing.

 

Favorite Song: In hour of Independence Day I am sharing one of my favorite songs. It leaves me in tears every time I hear it. So powerful. To all the men and women past and present who fought for our freedom, god bless you!

Favorite DIY Flag: I may be a little biased as I made it myself and it is hanging up over my Dad’s mantle but still my favorite. Click on the picture to see the details on how to make it.

American Flag
Favorite Recipe: I caught in the Pinterest Vortex and I saw this cupcake and it was just too cute. Perfect beach themed cupcakes.

Teddy Bear on the beach cupcakes, love the ground graham cracker sand and fruit roll up beach towel. Can also use gummy life savers and inner tubes and Swedish fish sticking out f the ocean.
 

Favorite Product: This Bronzing Powder from H&M is my new favorite thing. In the summer I get pretty tan so I only use a little bronzer to cover my face and that’s it, well besides my trusty Revitalift lotion with sunscreen. I have it in the gorgeous tan color and at $6.95 it doesn’t break the bank. Not overly shimmery and perfect for contouring too.

Favorite Funnies:

It was a rough day at work yesterday because people can’t hide their stupid.

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Last Sunday after Girls weekend I was sitting in the yard and I may have fallen asleep in my lounge chair. Pretty sure this was me.

funny animals (11)
Just pure genius, someone tell Darryl!

funny zombie attacks
Well that is all I have for today, if the Hurricane comes closer it is going to be a rainy indoor reading, DVR kinda day. If not I am going hiking and to the beach. Either way it will be glorious because I won’t be at work. Go celebrate America and all the people who fought for it to be free!

Linking up with Amanda

Meet At The Barre

 

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Be The Change | Help Someone Celebrate

Did you read my Providence girls weekend post? If you did you may remember my telling you about an older couple that was waiting in line to be seated at Bar Louie’s after Waterfire. They were in line just before us.  A friend on theirs was walking by and I overheard the gentleman say it was their 51st wedding anniversary. They were visiting from New Jersey to attend the Unitarian Universalist conference. It is a progressive inclusive faith of which I knew nothing about, however it lead to us talking about faith, love and gay marriage.

My friend was discussing her church and the issues they are having with a split church regarding gay marriages being performed in the church. This lead to discussing our own beliefs and how we feel on the issue and them pulling over their table.  The conversation moved to love, and what has been the secret to their marriage. After awhile they were ready to get going and they asked for the check. We had already told the waitress that we wanted to pay for their drinks so she told them it was already taken care of, that we took care of it. They thanked us, were very appreciative and said their good nights.

Celebrating a 51st anniversary in this day and age is not that common and is something to be celebrating. Being able to pick up the tab was the least we could do to thank them for giving us hope it is possible. That love can conquer the work that goes into making it last.

Be The Change | Help Someone Celebrate
Their advice as to how their marriage has lasted? Humor, love, understanding, and compromise. It was such a pleasure getting to speak to them and hearing their viewpoint. It was one of openness, love, and equality.

 

Are you considering doing your own Act of Kindness? If not, what is stopping you? Grab a button if you would like to spread the word. The change that we seek in others has to first come from within. This year I hope you decide to Be the Change You Seek.

Till Then Smile Often

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