10 Shocking Things You Don’t Know About Me

How is this for a starting blog post on my blog launching? I have done these sorts of things many times on my blog; where I share some facts about me that you wouldn’t know. I’m not even sure if my husband knows it all either. So, here are ten shocking things you definitely don’t know about me.

Sorry in advance for anyone who knows me personally.

Please note that this are shocking for a reason. They can be pretty stupid, surprising, or even inappropriate. Reader discretion is advised.

I’m worried I could become an alcoholic.

I love getting drunk. The first time I drank was in high school where a friend at the time brought a whole 2 L of beer in a soda bottle. I drank again in college and ever since actually being old enough, I enjoyed it. I will always prefer drinking to anything else (I’ve never gotten high) and it has been alarming how much I lean towards alcohol when I’m feeling low. I know that if I”m not careful, I could end up an alcoholic.

I lied about who I lost my virginity to.

I claim that I lost my virginity when I was 19 to a guy that was a mutual friend of like, all of my exes, and was my best friend’s ex. (Did I lose you there?) And although it’s true that he was the first person to actually be inside of me and the first guy, I was actually sexual with other people before – two girls, actually. To be honest, I still feel like a virgin and don’t like the idea that I’m “less pure” so – I think I’m going to say that I’m a virgin again. I’m sorry to you all. 😂

I don’t trust science.

Before I really get into this, I understand that we have come a long way in medicine and technology and that it does help sometimes. However, I don’t trust science. Science is all about experimentation but there is always certain variables. However, we are not always told about the errors or side effects. I just have a bad feeling that science does more harm than good: to people, to animals, and to the world around us. People can see how the world is changing and still claims a lot of it is fake (global warming, negative effects of vaccinations, creatures said to not exist) and I just, I don’t like it. I trust my own eyes and soul before I trust words from people proven to lie.

I have no idea what my sexuality is.

I have tried having sex with girls and it wasn’t for me. I have had sex with guys and prefer that. But, I’ve had mini crushes on girls that faded super fast and I’ve been in love with many boys. I’m not confused on if it’s boys or girls – I’m confused on whether I’m straight or asexual. I don’t really like genitals and find them gross, but there have been times that I have experienced arousal. I don’t know, it’s just strange and frustrating for me.

I was addicted to porn.

In addition to this, I had a moment where I watched porn every single day. I don’t know if I was just trying to figure out my sexuality or if I just resorted to it because I couldn’t connect to my husband anymore. I still watch it from time to time, especially with my husband not being home, but I always get bored and frustrated with anything because I’m not super aroused by any of it. Which makes me wonder what’s wrong with me. There is this bullshit thing that girls can’t enjoy sex, masturbation, or porn, but we do!

I truly feel like I can predict the future.

I know that it sounds crazy but there has been so many occasions where I could predict what would happen. Call it intuition or putting vibes into the world, I just get warnings and I can’t ignore it. It’s really frustrating when I knew something would happen, I ignore it, and what I predicted actually happens. It’s not ALWAYS bad things, either. I have predicted good things too. I predict pregnancies of my friends, I predict people reaching out, I predict a lot of things and it’s CRAZY!

Flirting is one of my favorite things to do.

I know that it’s bad to do but I flirt with everyone and have for a long time. In high school, I would go up to the circle of guys and tie their sweatshirt strings into a knot and tell them to keep it all day – THEY DID. Flirting has gotten me out of bad situations, it has lifted my spirits, and it has been fun. Even though I’m married, I still flirt with other people. My husband is aware of this, of course he gets jealous, but it’s just the person I am. None of it means anything and I do make that clear if it progresses too far.

I love it when people check me out.

Call it an ego boost or that I crave attention too much but I love it when I get checked out. I especially love watching my husband become proud of having an attractive wife. According to him, he’s not used to being with someone who gets checked out and he jokingly says he has to “beat everyone off with a stick” and we get to laughing about it. I don’t know, I’m just so insecure that when I’m checked out or complimented, I love it.

I remember that when I showed up to my husband’s job, he checked me out and then realized it was me and got super happy and I didn’t know whether to be jealous or not. 😂

I was actually a bad student but got away with everything.

I would skip class, not do homework, and even got out of the senior project requirement. It’s crazy thinking about how much I lied to teachers about feeling sick and then I would go hang out with friends. I left class early, my teacher caught me, and I shouted that I hope they have a great vacation and my FRIEND got in trouble for not being in class. My senior project was definitely a real thing because I was having a lot of problems at home and my teacher saw me crying and asked me what was going on he excused me from the reading and project.

I used to text and drive.

This one is so fucking stupid that I’m actually angry at myself for it. I used to text and drive on my commute, mostly around red lights and traffic jams. I haven’t for over six years, especially since I got pregnant with my first, and I never will again. My car has voice texting and I don’t even use that – I hate being remotely distracted with anything

Don’t be dumb and text and drive!

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

The Birthday Tag | Husband Edition

Today is my husband’s birthday and the thing that he wanted was to “control my day” for two days straight (more on that in my next post) and that included choosing my blog post today. He wanted me to do a birthday tag for him today; so, here we are!

So, without further ado, here is the birthday tag!

1.| When is your birthday?

November 6th, 1994.

2.| How old are your turning? Or, if your birthday recently passed, how old did you turn?

I am 25 today.

3.| What was your favorite present that you’ve ever received?

Hmm. I guess my PS3.

4.| Are you/did you have a party this year? If so, what are you doing?

No.

5.| How do you usually celebrate your birthday?

Being with my family, having something special for dinner, and just enjoying the day.

6.| What was the most memorable birthday that you had?

Probably my 21st because we went to Ricky’s Diner, played Black Ops 4 and went out to dinner and then got drunk with The Kraken.

7.| If you had an unlimited amount of money, what would you do for your birthday?

Oh, I would be going skydiving, have a shrimp ring, and maybe go to a theme park.

8.| What’s on your birthday wish list?

Seafood!

9.| If you only had one birthday left, what would you do for your birthday?

Skydive!

10.| Share a picture from your birthday, preferably an embarrassing one.

11.| Do you have any birthday traditions?

We would typically have chicken Alfredo for my birthday dinner and could
“take a break” from parenting duties.

12.| What’s your favorite part about your birthday?

Being able to spend it with you guys.

13.| What’s one thing that changed a lot since your last birthday?

Me.

14.| Have you ever been thrown a surprise party or ever thrown one for someone?

I don’t think I’ve ever been thrown a surprise party but I considerably I put together one for you.

And, there you have it! You can also check out my blog post of when I did the birthday tag here on my blog.

Happy birthday to the love of my life.

Thanks for reading.

Featured Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

Halloween This Or That Tag

Today was really hard on me emotionally and, of course, that can impact someone physically as well. I’m tired but I’m so proud that I have kept up with Blogtober (it’s day 23, by the way) that I had to come on and do some writing; even if it’s just a quick tag.

I was looking at one of my favorite blogs that I go to for some inspiration when it comes to writing blog posts. She “hosts” a sort of Writer’s Workshop with a few prompts to choose from – this week, the Halloween This or That tag was one that was there. So, not as a lazy as usual!

The tag has thirteen questions and I’m going to choose one or the other. I, at least, want to refrain form choosing both or neither. So, let’s learn a little bit more about me, have a relatively easy post, and participate in the workshop this week.

1.| CHOCOLATE CANDY OF FRUITY?

Fruity! I’m definitely not a fan of chocolate.

2.| WITCHES OR VAMPIRES

Witches, all the way!

3.| TRICK OR TREAT?

Treats!

4.| HALLOWEEN PARTY OR SCARY MOVIE?

Halloween party; even though I’m an extreme introvert, Halloween parties are a lot of fun and scary movies scare me.

5.| SKELETONS OR ZOMBIES

Am I weird if I say skeletons? Because I’m going with skeletons.

6.| TRICK-OR-TREAT OR HANDING OUT CANDY

Handing out candy. This is the first year I will ever get to do it and I’m a little nervous but so excited.

7.| HAY RIDE OR CORN MAZE?

Corn maze, for sure. I hate hay rides.

8.| SCARY COSTUME OR FUNNY COSTUME

Funny costumes. They make me happy.

9.| PUMPKIN SEEDS OR PUMPKIN PIE?

Pumpkin pie!

10.| BOTTLE FEED A BABY ZOMBIE OR WALK ALONE THROUGH A DARK FOREST?

Honestly, bottle feeding a baby zombie. I’m so used to being able to hold the babies down while nursing, that I doubt I would have to worry about the baby twisting and munching on me.

11.| BATS OR BLACK CATS?

Black cats! Salem from Sabrina is my favorite.

12.|PUMPKIN SPICE OR HOT CHOCOLATE?

This is one that I would originally say neither but I’m going to go with pumpkin spice, even though I’ve never tried it.

13.| CELEBRATE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR AT THE MALL?

Neighborhood! I love the “togetherness” celebrating as a neighborhood does. It’s nice to see people put aside their differences and celebrate childhood. It’s actually super sweet.

There you have it! The 13 choices from the This Or That Halloween Tag.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

I Heart Fall Tag

Another day of Blogtober (day 20 to be exact) and another tag to share. I know, I know, but I really do enjoy tags. I think they’re fun, easier on the writer, and it helps readers get to know the blogger behind the screen. It may appear to be “the easy way out” for a lot of people; not me, though, sometimes I want a smoother writing experience; especially with stress being so prominent for me right now.

I’m going to be doing the I Heart Fall YouTube Tag today for Blogtober and I hope that you enjoy learning a little bit more about me. It’s twelve questions long so, let’s get started.

1. Favorite Fall scent.

A lot of people would go with pumpkins but I’m a sucker for anything that smells like apples. To be honest, I’m JUST NOW getting into actually using candles. Speaking of which, I wanna get to the store ASAP and purchase a new scent.

2. Best way to spend a rainy day.

Curled up nice and warm! I definitely need a cup of Ramen (just the basic Ramen) and doing minimal things like watching a movie or reading. I don’t like going outside, at all, when it’s raining so no “adulting” chores (laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, appointments, ick!)

3. Favorite Fall Drink.

Apple cider! I LOVE it so much; yummy!

4. Football, yay or nay?

Yay. I’m more in the middle of this because I’m not obsessed with it but I do enjoy sitting with family and screaming at my television. Truthfully, i just like being able to eat the treats.

5. Favorite article of clothing this Fall.

A cardigan or fluffy socks!

6. Haunted house, haunted hay ride, or haunted corn maze?

Yikes, none of them? I’m a big baby.

7. The scariest movie you’ve ever seen…

Sinister was probably the scariest (and is my favorite) movie that I’ve seen in the horror genre.

8. Favorite candy to eat on Halloween?

As a child, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and now as an adult, I’m not even sure. Probably Baby Ruths – to be honest, I don’t like chocolate.

9. What will you or your kids be this year?

I don’t think I’ll be anything. Nathan is planning on going as Ghost Face, Aubri is going as a ghost bride, and Everly will probably just remain in a Halloween theme onesie.

10. Favorite fall recipe.

Anything in the crock pot but I also make delicious apple treats!

11. What is your Favorite thing about Fall?

I have so many things that I enjoy about the Fall but my absolute favorite is the colors of the leaves changing into beautiful colors.

12. Who else would you like to see complete the I Heart Fall YouTube Tag?

I don’t really include myself in the blogging community but I challenge whoever is reading this to give it a try. You can always reach out to me via E-mail if you upload a blog post of doing so.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Dan Freeman on Unsplash

Trick Or Treat Tag

Day 16 of Blogtober is here and I had a good day today. Even though it feels like everything is hanging on by a thread, I feel hopeful today. Hopeful but still exhausted and honestly, I love doing these fun little tags; it brings me back to my high school days where I would just answer questions.

If you’re unfamiliar with Blogtober – it is essentially a challenge where bloggers upload something new every single day for the month of October. So, make sure to come back tomorrow.

So, here is the Trick Or Treat Tag and it has a total of 10 questions.

1.| Your favorite Halloween candy

Honestly, I was always the kid who was excited to see a popcorn ball in her bucket. But, my favorite candy were Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups when I would go trick or treating.

2.| Do you believe in ghosts/spirits?

I definitely believe in ghosts and spirits. I have had ghostly experiences my entire life. You can actually read my blog post about this. I mean, nobody really knows what happens when we die unless, of course, you have died. But I have had a lot of experiences and I do believe in them.

3.| The spookiest thing that has ever happened to you.

I’m going to split this into paranormal and non-paranormal. So for the paranormal was when my cousin, Marissa, and I were a lot younger, we both woke up at about 5 AM and we were up in her room talking. All of a sudden, her room opens and a hand was stuck through the door. It waved around and as we both got up and walked towards the door, it slammed shut and we heard running down the stairs. We realized it was nobody in the house, all doors and windows were locked besides their basement. We ran up those stairs and refused to go and check it out. We still talk about that encounter to this day.

As for non-paranormal, we were out Christmas shopping and I noticed this grown man with a skinny figure and glasses was following me and Aubri (who was a baby at the time) around the store. My whole body froze and my maternal instincts kicked into overdrive. He would stand at the end of the aisle and stare at me. I got my phone out and called Nathan and as soon as the man saw that we were not alone, he ran off. I worry about it every single day.

4.| Favorite Halloween costume you’ve ever worn.

This one is pretty hard because I had so many costumes that I loved. My go-to costume was always a witch but this “shipwreck pirate” has so many memories. I actually bought this for a college (I’m actually pregnant with Aubri in this picture but didn’t know it yet) dance. Nathan and I basically got back together because of that dance (the picture is the second dance I wore it to) and it was a lot of fun with my best friends, too. Me and a friend of mine drove to the closest Spirit Halloween and went shopping and, it was pricey, but I loved this costume and all memories attached to it.

5.| Do you still dress up?

I do if I have a costume handy. I’m not even sure if I still do have one. I know I don’t have the pirate one anymore.

6.| If you had to dress up this year, what costume would you choose?

A witch! Because it’s my go-to and I secretly want a cauldron for my house! Is that too much? Witches are fun to dress up as and why fix what’s not broken?

7.| How old were you when you stopped trick or treating?

Oh man, I was definitely older than 16 because one of my friends from high school and I went trick or treating on a whim; we literally threw some random clothes on and went out. It was a lot of fun.

I took a whole string of lollipops that said “take one” and I thought, “how generous” when realistically.. I was only supposed to take a single lollipop and not the whole string. Whoops! We also got a door slammed in our face, were asked to step into the light to “figure out what we were” and both united on our laziness. It was definitely one of my favorite memories.

I miss her.

8.| Favorite scary movie.

Hmm. I’m not really one for scary movies and have only seen a handful but I’m going to go with Sinister. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s where Ellison Oswald is a true-crime writer who is looking to write his next best-seller. He decides to move his family (wife and their two children) into the house where a family was murdered. After trying to solve the case for his novel, he comes across some found footage videos and quickly learns that he probably shouldn’t have moved there. I definitely recommend it.

9.| Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes, or Hayrides?

I’m torn between pumpkin patches and corn mazes but I’m going to go with pumpkin patches. I like looking at all of the different shapes and sizes of the (mostly) orange objects on the ground. I love circling the patch to find the “perfect” pumpkin to take home to carve.

10.| Trick or Treat?

Treats, for sure. I don’t like pranks or being scared so I’m definitely one for treats! I like the sweet and innocent fun so… treats all the way!

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Bee Felten-Leidel on Unsplash

MENtal Health Matters

Hello and welcome to my blog.

I was going to do a more “in-depth” post about the subject of my husband’s mental health but that will have to wait for another day. One thing about the realm of mental health is that there is SO much stigma around it; especially when it comes to men and their emotions, feelings, and events that happen to them.

I wanted to sit and take a moment to ask my husband ten questions relating to mental health and really give him a space to open up about it. Before we started, I, of course, mentioned this interview was for my blog and he gave the go-ahead to share with you how he has been feeling and his experience with his mental illness.

So, here it goes!

1.| First things first, what conditions are you struggling with?

Depression, anxiety and PTSD and TBA.

2.| What is the hardest thing about your mental illness?

Uh, not feeling in control with it. Like, not knowing what to expect.

3.| Do you believe that men have a heavy stigma around mental health? If so, what are some common misconceptions about men suffering with mental health issues?

Yes and “nut up or shut up” is what you’re taught in “How To Be A Man”.

4.| What is one thing that you have learned going through these conditions yourself?

That it’s very, very hard and you can’t stop it – it keeps coming like a current pulling you down the river.

5.| What is it like having to worry about my mental health on top of your own? Do you think this has made us closer or grow further apart?

I think it has been both bringing us together and pulling us apart. We’re closer because we have a better understanding of each other and try to support one another but we struggle when we’re both in the cycle.

Worrying about you is hard because if I can’t help you then I feel like you shouldn’t have to help me. You can’t really do both, I guess, it’s hard. Very, very, hard.

6.| How do you practice self-care?

I don’t really.

7.| What helps you the most when you’re feeling at your lowest?

To be honest, I’m unsure.

8.| Do you have a crisis plan? If so, what’s included on it?

I don’t have a crisis plan. If I did, life would be a little easier.

9.| How does your mental illness affect your daily life?

I miss out on work, I’m unhappy a lot more, I beat myself down, I’m more exhausted. Minor tiffs turn into major ones because of my mental state.

10.| What advice would you give to others struggling with their own mental illnesses?

I know it’s tough and it takes a lot of strength to hope to get out of it but you have to hang in there until the right motions happen and believe that everything will turn out okay.

There is a mini interview with Nathan about what his mental health is like. It’s still really new for him to experience but I thought it was interesting to see what his answers were. I can tell that we need to make a point to figure out self-care, create a crisis plan, and find him a safe alternative when he’s at a low point.

I love you, Nathan! Thank you for answering these questions about your emotions because I know it’s complicated for you to open up about it.

Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash

The Spooky Halloween Tag

I’m going to be doing a tag for today’s blog post. I know that I do a lot of these but honestly, I enjoy it. I like being able to answer questions and it really helps others get to know me a little more.

This tag is called “The Spooky Halloween Tag” and it has thirty questions so, let’s get started!

1.| Favorite horror or Halloween-themed song?

I have so many songs that I enjoy but Oogie Boogie’s Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas movie has got to be my favorite! I absolutely love this movie and it’s jam-packed with so many songs but this one is so much fun.

Stay tuned for a post coming up in Blogtober where I share a whole playlist of my favorite Halloween-themed songs!

Nathan’s answer: The Horror Of Our Love by Ludo.

2.| Name something you wouldn’t want to run into in a dark forest or in an abandoned building.

Literally anything because I’m terrified of everything; especially other people.

Nathan’s answer: The rake.

3.| Have you ever played with a Ouija Board?

Absolutely not.

Nathan’s answer: Yes.

4.| Favorite horror monster or villain?

Probably Jason Voorhees!

Nathan’s answer: The Demogorgon (Stranger Things)

5. | The creepiest thing that’s ever happened while you were alone?

The only thing I could think of was feeling like I was followed home after my day at college. I had to pull over into Wal-Mart to pick something up and then headed home and every single turn, including the dead-end road that I lived on, this person turned as well. I accelerated so fast into my driveway and ran inside to tell my father and curled up and was TERRIFIED. You can read two more of my real-life experiences here.

Nathan’s answer: Aubri’s toys started going off and a ball rolled out of the other room.

6.| If you were dared to spend the night in a “haunted house”, would you do it?

If I were to even consider it, it would have to be for some cash and it really depends on the type of haunted house it was. If it’s a few bumps around and light footsteps, then I would be used to that. If a whole family was brutally massacred there, nope!

Nathan’s answer: Yes.

7.| Are you superstitious?

No, I’m not.

Nathan’s answer: Yes.

8.| Do you ever see figures in your peripheral vision?

Absolutely, all the time.

Nathan’s answer: Yes.

9.| Which urban legend scares you the most?

The wendigo… I’m absolutely terrified of the idea that they’re out there.

Nathan’s answer: Probably the skinwalker.

10.| Do you prefer gore or thrillers?

Thrillers by a landslide. I refuse to watch anything with gore in it.

Nathan’s answer: Probably more thrillers. I don’t mind things like Saw, or stuff, because they’re cool. It sounds weird but seeing how they react is really cool. But thrillers.

11.| Do you believe in multiple dimensions or worlds?

Yes, it doesn’t seem realistic that we are the only world and dimension out there.

Nathan’s answer: Oh God, yeah!

12.| Ever made a potion of any sort?

Not that I can recall but I’d love to get into it.

Nathan’s answer: Haven’t made one but I’ve used one.

13.| Do you get scared easily?

Yes, I definitely do.

Nathan’s answer: No.

14.| Have you ever played Bloody Mary?

I did as a child and it wasn’t the accurate way to do it, thankfully. As an adult, I never would.

Nathan’s answer: Yes.

15.| Do you believe in demons/the devil?

Demons, yes, just because they’re “bad” or vengeful spirits but not really the devil, no.

Nathan’s answer: Demons yes, the devil no.

16.| You’re home alone but you hear footsteps in your house, what do you do?

Call the police and get the hell out of there.

Nathan’s answer: Grab the nearest blunt object and go after him.

Aubri’s interruption: No, you have to grab a knife and chase him to the door while he’s screaming, “ahh!” (This was too funny not to put in it)

17.| If you got trapped in one scary movie, which would you choose?

Probably The Cabin in The Woods but then I’d worry about the idiots I was with but I enjoy the plot of that one.

Nathan’s answer: That’s a challenging one. Yeah, probably Cabin In The Woods or Friday The 13th.

18.| If you could only wear one Halloween costume for the rest of your life, what would you be?

A witch! That’s been my costume for so many years.

Nathan’s answer: A good one.

19.| Would you ever go to a graveyard at night?

Nope. I barely want to during the daytime.

Nathan’s answer: Yes and I have!

20.|In a zombie apocalypse what is your weapon of choice?

Something that can be used without making too much noise and something that puts distance between us. Maybe a bow? Then I could make my own arrows and be resourceful.

Nathan’s answer: Probably a crossbow.

21.| Would you rather go to a Halloween party or go trick or treating?

Halloween party, all the way!

Nathan’s answer: Probably go trick or treating.

22.| You’re in a horror movie. Are you the final girl, the first to die, the comic relief, the skeptic, the smart one, or the killer.

Either the smart one or the killer.

Nathan’s answer: Probably the comic relief.

23.| Do you have to watch something happy after watching a horror movie so you can go to sleep?

I rarely watch scary movies but when I do and I’m super scared, I do want to watch something happy before going to bed.

Nathan’s answer: Depends on how bad it is.

24.| Whilst watching scary movies, are you the person who yells at the characters, the person with their eyes covered the whole time, or the person who falls asleep?

Either the one with her eyes covered or yelling at the screen but if I can only pick one, then definitely eyes covered.

Nathan’s answer: Probably the person who yells at the characters.

25.| Are you the one who gets scared, or the one who the scaring?

I do both but more so the one who gets scared.

Nathan’s answer: Uh, both but I do a lot more scares.

26.| Favorite scary book?

Hands down, The Escape From Furnace series by Alexander Gordon Smith. His book that you can read on Wattpad This Book Will Kill You is super scary, too .. even though I haven’t finished it yet! He writes amazing books and I encourage you to check them out.

Nathan’s answer: Escape From Furnace series.

27.| How old were you when you saw your first horror movie?

I don’t remember.. 12?

Nathan’s answer: Too young! I think I was like 10.

28.| What was your first Halloween costume?

I’m not too sure but there is a home video (the original vlog) of me trick or treating as BJ from Barney when I was about 2.

Nathan’s answer: Probably a pirate.

29.| What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

Nothing. If anything, if I still have that witch costume, I’ll put that on.

Nathan’s answer: I don’t know.

30.| If you could have a spooky Halloween pet (black cat, owl, bat, rat, wolf), what would you pick?

Either a black cat or an owl.

Nathan’s answer: An owl!

There is the Spooky Halloween Tag for Blogtober Day Three! I was surprised my husband wanted to jump on board with today’s post. I’m not really surprised by any of his answers!

Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash

The Blogger Tag

I have never really been the blogger who cared about statistics. Of course I felt happy when I saw the evidence of being “good enough” to be a blogger. Sort of like validation that I’m a good writer and people enjoy my content.

I slowly worked my way into feeling more comfortable promoting my content on social media (especially Twitter and Instagram) and then I woke up one day and noticed that my record of daily views was doubled. And it’s been growing every day that it brings tears to my eyes. All I have ever wanted to be was a writer and, although I blog for myself, it makes me feel so good to see others stop by. So, thank you!

Because there are a lot of new people here, I thought it would be the perfect time to do a little blogger tag. After a quick Google search to find one, I came across a familiar blog from someone who is a fantastic blogger and so supportive in the community. So, check out Lauren’s blog Bournemouth Girl! Specifically, you can check out her answers to the blogger tag right here.

Thank you, Lauren for giving me the green light to do this. It means a lot to me. So, without further ado, let’s get started so you can learn more about me.

1.| Do you have any pets, if so what are they and what are they called?

I do have one pet! I have a fluffy white cat who we call Arlo.

2. | What is your favorite social media for blogging?

Twitter is probably the easiest social media to make friends in the community. I won’t lie though, sometimes it can get hostile. Twitter has helped me meet other bloggers, share ideas, and feel involved. I highly recommend it.

3. | How tall are you?

I’m really short, probably only about 5′ 1″.

4. | Do you have a hidden talent, if so what?

This might sound a little crazy but I’m really intuitive. I can predict a lot of things from something as simple as what is going to happen next in a game or TV show, or even events that are happening. My family is so surprised that they keep pushing me to play the lottery but it definitely makes me feel interesting and a little crazy.

5. | What is your biggest blog-related pet peeve?

I really hate it when someone contacts a blogger and expects them to do work for free. It used to be enough for me to write articles in exchange for traffic to my blog, It’s different if it’s a collaboration but when a company does it, it really bothers me. It takes a lot of work to dedicate time to review a product or write an article and it’s frustrating to either take away the hard work we did without contacting us first, or to not offer payment. I hate it and it really makes me angry because it took me time to do it.

6. | What is your biggest non-blog related pet peeve?

Having my time wasted. I hate when someone plans to come over and they don’t even contact me if plans change because I wasted the entire day because of that person. I hate my time being wasted when someone spends months lying to me. Time is something I can never take back and it’s so precious to me that it enrages me when it’s stolen from me.

7. | What is your favorite way to spend your free time when you are alone?

I really have been getting back into reading thanks to Kindle Unlimited. It’s fun to see stories in my head, support other writers, and to get lost in other worlds. I also enjoy writing (of course), playing video games, and watching YouTube videos, TV shows, or even a movie.

8. | What is your favorite junk food?

Hmm. There are so many that I want to answer here. I think I’m going to go with some chips with cheese! It’s so delicious and I enjoy it.

9.| If you could only drink one beverage (besides water), for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Apple cider! It’s SO good and refreshing.

10. | What’s your favorite movie?

I don’t really have a favorite movie but my top five are probably: P.S I Love You, Collateral Beauty, The Bucket List, Freedom Writers, and The Day After Tomorrow.

11. | What were your favorite lessons in school?

I loved Home Economics, Slam Poetry, English, Chemistry, and even Trigonometry.

12. | What blogger do you secretly want to be friends with?

Definitely Vixxy from Crazy Little Things – she was one of the first people I interacted with and made me feel less alone with my mental health. She’s such a sweetheart and I would love to actually become good friends with her. But I’m always too anxious. Regardless, I can’t recommend her enough!

13. | Who is your biggest inspiration?

Personal inspiration would definitely be my mother as she has given so much for my brother and I and helped shaped me into the person that I am today. She’s always there when I call her, she’s a fantastic Gamma to my daughters, and she’s so kind to everyone.

My inspiration for writing is Alexander Gordon Smith who is the author to the Escape From Furnace series (which are amazing, go give them a read) because he’s doing so well with writing but he always talks to his readers. I have talked to him on a few occasions and I highly adore him as a person and a writer! He gave me the push I need to really want to pursue writing.

My inspiration for my ideal lifestyle is Kalyn Nicholson who has a bunch of YouTube videos on getting her life on track, astrology, tarot, bullet journaling, and so much more. I have been watching her for years and absolutely love her content.

14. | What are your favorite shops?

So, I’m boring so I’m going to be skipping this one. I typically buy everything at Wal-Mart, Label Shopper, or Amazon. I know, I’m not the best at shopping!

15. | Are you in education or work?

No, I’m not in either. I dedicate my time to raising my two children and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

16. | Where is one place you would like to visit?

I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii for a state, Hershey Park for an attraction, and Greece or Canada for a different country.

17. | Where do you like to write your blog posts?

I’m either working at my desk or sitting on the couch or comfortable chair. I would love to be able to go outside and write because it will remind me of the summer days, jotting things down in my notebook, with a refreshing glass of lemonade. But, 9/10 times, I’m writing at my desk or on the couch.

Because I wasn’t tagged, I won’t be tagging other bloggers but feel free to do it. You can email me a link if you want! I hope that you enjoyed learning more about me. I love doing tags like this

Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

The Mental Health Tag

I love doing tags on my blog; they’re short, fun, and require little brain activity from me. That may appear lazy but I don’t really care. I want to get back into blogging more about mental health and this tag is the perfect way to start.

I personally found this tag after a Google Search which led me to My Brain’s Not Broken, which has a lot of amazing posts related to mental health. Go check it out!

So, without further ado, here are the questions and my answers.

What is your mental health issues?

I was diagnosed with anxiety after a trip to the Emergency Room in 2014. Then I was diagnosed with depression in 2015/2016 and I was diagnosed with PTSD earlier this year. Please keep in mind that a lot of this I was silently suffering with for years because of no access to health insurance and no support system. I do have a hidden issue that has not been diagnosed yet but I’m going to get help to get a diagnosis soon.

Do you have medication and/or therapy?

I recently lost my pregnancy health insurance so I have to wait until October 1st for the “parent” insurance to start. I have been so scared to get on medication; plus I would have to get it through a doctor. In the meantime, I have definitely used counseling. It’s good to get it out but, it’s really hard to open up about things. I would like to get into other therapies though.

What therapy/medications have you tried and have any worked for you?

I have only had a counselor so far for methods for my illnesses and it’s okay short-term but I don’t think I can ever get over what has happened to me. It definitely uncovered a lot I had forgotten but still. It’s hard!

Do your family/friends know?

Yes, my family and friends do know. Hell, a lot of strangers know!

Does this affect your work and daily living?

Absolutely. It’s one of the huge reasons why I’m a stay-at-home mother and not a working mom. So, it prevents me from even having a job. I also struggle in my daily life, too. Sometimes it takes all I have to even take a shower. I’m embarrassed by it.

What makes you feel calm?

Honestly, being outside has always been helpful. Whenever I would feel overwhelmed, I would go outside for a walk. Living in Maine doesn’t make doing this easy. The weather is temperamental here; which means that it will be beautiful outside and then it will be miserable. Still, there is something comforting about feeling the warmth of the sun, hearing nature sounds, and a slight breeze on my skin.

What do you do in crisis?

You’re not going to like this, but I snap. I will lash out with anger, I will curl up and cry. I will hyperventilate. I will want to give up. I go from zero to sixty in a matter of a few seconds. Once that is done, I either have to do breathing exercises, do something distracting, or just wait for the episode to pass. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours.

What advice would you give to others suffering?

That opening up and being honest about how you’re feeling is the first step. That, no, you will probably never see yourself as “normal” again and that can be frustrating. It takes so much courage to face how you’re feeling, to seek help, and to take control back. You can do this!

What makes you smile?

This is going to sound cheesy but my little family makes me smile. My husband, Nathan, will say something silly (or stupid, however you wanna look at it) or my older daughter, Aubri, will do something crazy like dance around, or say something so ridiculous that you can’t help but laugh. Or, my youngest, Everly, will coo and smile at me.

When my family is being a little extra difficult, although I love them dearly, then I will find comfort in YouTube videos or watching comedy. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

Describe your mental health issue in 5 words.

Valid even if it’s different.

There you have it! It felt refreshing to talk about mental health again; even if it’s in a tag.

Thank you for reading and have a great day.

Featured Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

My 4-Year-Old’s Favorites

Since I have been a busy bee with my newborn daughter, Everly, I thought it would be fun (and good for her) to spend some time with Aubri. I gave her a mini photography session and asked her some questions that we can look back on when she is older.

Man, I REALLY hope my daughters are just as sentimental as I am when they’re older!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?

Pink and gold!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TOY?

Barbies!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT?

Strawberries!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO EAT FOR LUNCH?

Noodles and broccoli!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO WEAR?

What I’m wearing right now!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GAME?

Hungry Hippos!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SNACK?

Cheeze-Its

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL?

Lions!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC?

Trolls!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?

Little Rabbit Foo Foo

WHO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND?

Maddie

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Lucky Charms!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO OUTSIDE?

A water balloon fight.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DRINK?

Water

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY?

Christmas!

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO TAKE TO BED WITH YOU AT NIGHT?

Stuffy!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO EAT FOR BREAKFAST?

Pancakes!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO EAT FOR DINNER?

Chicken Tenders & Fries!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?

Polly Pocket!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?

Lion King!

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?

Gecko!

I honestly can’t believe how simple it was to make her day. She really enjoyed having some pictures of her taken and being able to answer some questions for my blog. As you can probably tell by all of the exclamation points… she was really excited about her favorites. I want to do these as often as I can while they grow so that we can look back on their answers.

I hope you enjoyed.

Thank you for reading and have a great day.