Goals.... Living the Life You Imagined

The future has been on my mind a lot lately. With graduation right around the corner (76 days away to be exact, not that I am counting or anything) setting a few plans in motion for the future has taken over much of my free time. For those of you who know me planning is a pass time of mine. List, excel sheets and details are what I live for so graduation is a little hard for me to wrap my head around. There will be no more group projects, test and papers to juggle and it is a little bit scary! School is all I know, it has provided me with a set course of action for the past 18 or so years and now that it is over I NEED to find something to work towards next.  With this in mind, much of my time of late is spent researching... ideas, inspiration, people, the art of accomplishing things.... Along the way I have found a few interesting tips and hints to help you with goals.
1. Don't Be Counseled  by Your Fears.

        Elder David A. Bednar (learn who he is here) called the young single college adults in the Orlando area together in 2011 and answered any questions we had. He said many amazing and inspiring things that night but this sentence stuck with me ever since. I don't even remember what question brought it up but it moved me, quite literally in fact all the way to Utah but that's a story for another day . This little phrase provides so much power. When setting goals it is only natural to think of all the possibilities that can go wrong. Fear can be paralyzing, but only when we let that fear go can we do something amazing.   

2. Set Specific, Attainable, and Measurable Goals.

        Many of us a have these huge goals, goals so huge they seem unattainable at times, but it does not have to be this way. Big goals need to be broken down. Always dreamed of running a marathon? Well, its not going to happen while you keep feeding that Hulu addiction. It takes some work. A plan that is reasonable. Start with something more attainable like, this month I will run 2 miles three times a week and I will run a 5K on March 16. Then you make these smaller steps happen. The most important part here is to measure your successes and to realize that it is OK to fail as long as you do not give up. Evaluation and reworking the plan is part of any big goal. 

3. It is Better to Fail than to Never have Tried at All. 

        This is probably the scariest thing I have learned. If you speak to any successful person they will tell you failure is a part of success. It is just a fact of life and sometimes our failures lead us to a more successful future.  Failure, has the ability to open doors and possibilities just like as success does. After I finished my AA I was hopefully applying to universities for a program I thought I wanted. I received a devastating rejection from my number 1 school and thought all was lost. At the time the this failure seemed like the end of the world but I would have missed so many opportunities had I attended a different university. Things have a way of working out for the best when you make the most of what you are given. Although it is scary and even crippling at times we won't get anywhere if we are too afraid to fail

       

The Blonde is Back!

I am sure you all have been anxiously awaiting my return to the blogosphere and the time has finally come. Where have I been you ask?  Just working two jobs, finishing up my last semester of college, planning a giant fundraiser, cleaning my house and getting frustrated with my new tablet! I think I have about 10 posts that I started to write, got impatient with my tablet and gave up. For some reason it hates to upload pictures, blogger and it are not friends.  But Im going back to the classics today so I can once again reach the masses, otherwise known as my Mom. Ill give you a quick update since Christmas, Instastyle.... Its just like time travel! 

BFF came to visit....

Went to Hotlanta for my first conference 

Learned to play some poker and we raised the stakes....
I lost it all

 Learned to network like a pro

Got mushy with the Hubby in front of the Christmas tree

Got a fancy new jacket

Fell in love all over with my cute little family

I have a few more post planned to get you all caught up and hopefully keep you slightly interested.  

Ever wonder how my blog got its name?

So today began like any other day... 

Alarm clock went off at 6 just like any other day. 

I slowly inched out of bed. 

Began to get ready. 

Heard Hubby alarm go off 6 times (one alarm is NOT enough to wake him from his death like slumber but one light on the other side of the house will have him up in a second complaining)

Made Hubby's lunch while dancing to his various alarm tunes

Let puppy out and flip the light on in the bedroom so Hubby will ACTUALLY get up 

Kissed him goodbye and head off to work. 

Not actual student but eerily similar

If you don't know what I do Ill explain it for you...

I wake up super early to watch about 15 to 20 kids who are all hopped up on pop-tarts and COFFEE before school and yes I said coffee. This morning was rather rough it was like they ALL drank coffee before arriving, so after work I look forward to a nice run on the good Ol' Titusille Bridge ( its the cool place to run now) with a friend. I get all ready aka as scrubby as can be with my baggy shirt, ratty hair and leggings, I grab my pup and my purse ( I just know my keys are in there), lock the door and head for the car.... Only its just my keys aren't in there.

So madness ensues

10 minuets of trying to break in, which involves Ruca jumping at my feet while I climb over our AC Unit take the window screen off and almost fall, only to find out our window locks do indeed work.The failing multiple times at using the credit card trick ( it used to work when I locked my self out of my room), but apparently our condo is Fort Knox.

Hubby didn't answer the 3 times I called him, Ruca was running around terrorizing our neighbors and I looked slightly like a homeless person due to my clothes and unusually large purse.

So I break down and do what any girl would do call, call  my Mommy!!

She has the extra key but is stuck at work so I spend 20 minuets trying to find some one who is not working and awake to take me to her...  which for some reason was nearly impossible today. Finally after 4 calls to my sister, she groggily answers the phone and heads my way (she lives 20 minuets away though). Did I mention this is after I walk to my moms house thinking I could fit through the doggy door only to have her point out that the doggy door only works if the door is unlocked.... So I have turn around and trek another mile back to my house....

After all this Jon FINALLY calls me back and just happens to be driving by and lets me back inside an hour after the whole debacle began. And not to mention just in time to save my sister from a trip in to town.

And this is my life.... 

Insta dump

I know I have been pretty absent lately but 6 finals and life just took over. Here are a few pictures to keep you company until I start to post interesting things again. If you guys feel like you need more Sarah time you can follow me on Twitter I'm obsessed now (just a little behind on the trend) follow me at @criticallyblond

Pretty much my marriage summed up in a photo....
me dancing while Jon watches with a look of  "is she really doing this" on his face....
and then there is my Nephew.... 

Tree... and hanger... True art 

Home made Chicken Cordon Bleu... Felt like it needs to be on the web...

Reception times

First attempt at red lips...
reverted back to my high school picture taking days

How Hubby sleeps with puppy....
this is normal right?

 Work Christmas Party 

Just a normal Convo with the BFF

Spiderweb .... that is all

Linking up with Sami and Brooke

That one time I pretended to be a photographer...

A couple of weeks ago one of my good friends got married. It was a small ceremony and kind of last minuet. They had planned on getting married in December but those little love birds just couldn't wait. Despite the last minuet prep things came together perfectly for their little beach wedding. When I heard they didn't have anyone taking pictures I offered.... I am no pro by ANY means but I know how to use a camera (most of the time) so I borrowed a camera and took a few shots and I thought I would share. Remember I am so amateur its not even funny... but they are beautiful so it makes up for the not so good photographer!

   

      

 

 

A Very Hipster Thanksgiving

My oh so cute hubby has this obsession and if you read the title you can probably guess with what. I am pretty sure he secretly wants to be a hipster but just doesn't want to admit it so he turns it in to a joke. Jon's hair was getting really long so he let me cut it on Thursday morning before our family dinner so instead of  just a normal do he wanted a hipster cut.... SO off came the hair into something that slightly resembled a Mohawk ... this then turned into a dress up affair. SO out came the skinny jeans, flannel, and I had to say good bye black wide rimmed sunnies cause they are now his....

Once he started I had to join in the fun and of course Ruca wanted to play too so our Thanksgiving was deemed Hipster Thanksgiving 2012

  

The day was kind of wasted because only my sister and brother in law understood what a hipster was. We spent the afternoon explaining what exactly a hipster is.

Liebster Award Times Two

I have been nominated for my very first award... TWICE!

That is right two crazy girls,Cassie and Chelsee deiced to nominate ME.
So what award is this you ask? Well it is called the Liebster Award and it is given to up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers, and little Ol' me has been nominated.

Here are the rules for said award:

each person must post 11 things about themselves

they must answer the questions that the nominator set for them plus create 11 questions for the others that they nominate

choose 11 people to nominate, link them in your post, and let them know you nominated them!

*no tag backs*

11 THINGS ABOUT ME
1. I have been married to the love of my life for a year and 4 days (yes we were one of those 11.11.11 couples)
2. I will have my bachelor's in Event Management and Non Profit Management in April.
3. I could eat mashed potatoes every day for eternity and be perfectly content.
4. I loose my self in a good book... so much sometimes that it is unhealthy
5. I don't think before I speak, sometimes I think I should but I couldn't hold it back even if I needed to.
6. The beach makes all problems in life seem so small. It is my home and my happy place.
7. I have a weakness for cheesy TV aka Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, Hart of Dixie, ect...
8. I have the worse memory in the world... I have to write everything down
9. My life is a musical I'm always singing and randomly dancing
10. I can't spell to save my life... You probably low this if you follow me
11. I'm a Mormon

11 QUESTIONS 

1. WHAT KIND OF KID WERE YOU? GOOFY? SHY? CLASS CLOWN? TROUBLE MAKER? TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT IT.

I WAS OBNOXIOUSLY HYPER AND LOUD... ALL THE TIME. I MADE TROUBLE WITH PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE AND COULD NOT HOLD ON TO A GIRL FRIEND FOR THE LIFE OF ME... AKA I PRETTY MUCH HAD GUY FRIENDS MY WHOLE LIFE (WHICH LEAVES ME PRETTY FRIENDLESS NOW THAT I AM MARRIED) BUT I HAD TONS OF FUN LAUGHED A LOT... MAYBE CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF TROUBLE.

2. WHO IN YOUR LIFE HAS MADE THE MOST IMPACT ON THE PERSON YOU ARE TODAY?

This is a really hard question my parents both have made a giant impact on how I look at the world. But I would have to say at this point in my life my husband has made the largest impact in my life. For the past almost 6 years he has been a driving force in many of my most defining decisions (some good, some bad, ALL of the perfect in the long run).

3. WHEN YOU GO ON LONG ROAD TRIPS OR FLIGHTS, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO PASS THE TIME?

Sleep... Its pretty much my favorite pass time... well anytime... Last flight we took was on the tiniest plane squished next to a lady that I'm pretty sure was part zombie judging by the noises she was making and I still found a way to cuddle up next to (on top of) my hubby... lets just say its a good thing I am flexible because I was using it... I think I made some new yoga positions while trying to find a comfy way to sleep on that silly little plane.

4. IF YOU WERE IN A 90S GIRL BAND, WHAT WOULD THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP BE?

I wouldn't make up a new band I would just be a Spice Girl... I was still am obsessed with them and spent the better part of the 90's pretending to be Baby Spice...

5. WHEN YOU GET FRUSTRATED OR ANGRY, WHAT HELPS CALM YOU DOWN?

Walking away... Hubby hates it and sometimes it is not the best solution but the second I walk away I can think and calm down and usually realize how wrong I am or a better way to let people know that I am right...

6. WHAT IS AN EMBARRASSING MEMORY (OF YOURS) THAT YOU DON'T MIND SHARING?
See this post

7. WHAT'S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE? (FOOD, TV, BOOKS)

See fact 7 above... did not plan this... but worked out nicely.... Bad TV Oh and I will trow in Sappy British romance books... I own about 100 of them.

8. WHAT ABOUT BLOGGING GIVES YOU THE MOST SATISFACTION?

Having my friends and family on the other side of the country tell me they read it... Oh and maybe walking in to work and having Brittnay or Kaitlin tell me what made them laugh... SO WHAT IF I LIKE THE ATTENTION... like its fine.. I never grew out of my attention seeking phase as a child.

9. WHAT DO YOU HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION IN THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD?

To pay more attention than we did.

10. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH (THE KIND OF LAUGH THAT MAKES YOU NEAR TEARS)?

My husband mostly cause he is such a weirdo...

11. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL FOR YOUR FUTURE?

IS IT LAME IF I SAY PRODUCE TONS OF HAPPY LITTLE BABIES? CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA LIE THAT WOULD BE PRETTY COOL... BUT OTHER THAN THAT I WANT TO GET HUBBY INTO A GOOD CAREER THAT HE LOVES AND I WANT TO HAVE THE MEANS TO ADOPTED AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE SAID HAPPY LITTLE BABIES AND MAYBE START MY OWN BUSINESS AFTER MY LITTLE ONES (THAT DO NOT YET EXIST) ARE NOT SO LITTLE ANYMORE.

My questions:

1. IF YOU COULD DO ANYTHING AND MONEY WAS NO MATTER WHAT WOLD YOU DO?
2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY?
3. WHO HAS MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON WHO YOU ARE TODAY?
4. IF YOU COULD BE ANY CELEBRITY WHO WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?
6. FAVORITE MEMORY
7. FAVORITE MOVIE
8. WHO IS YOU BIGGEST ROLE MODEL?
9. WHERE IS THE BEST VACATION LOCATION?
10. WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR
11. WHAT WERE YOU LIKE IN HIGHSCHOOL?

I'm nominating:
The Cure for Writers Block
Whats in a Name 
Sharpes Serendipity 
Rejoicing In The Present
Ryan, Michelle and Ellie Mae
Home Payge
Blessed is Bray 
All Things Bright and Beautiful
Kate and Cam: The Wilson Clan 
Rylee Blake