Summer Time To-Do's {I'm Back!}

Now that I can breathe a little and can get back to some level of normalcy in my life, I'm pumped because it's summertime in Houston and that, my friends, is my favorite time of year!

You know it's summer in Houston when...

* The first order of business after walking through the front door - stripping. Too damn hot for lots of clothes.

* Your activities can be one of two places- indoors or in the pool

* Saturdays are spent on the lake, at the beach, in a puddle - anything with water

* You bring a jacket into any building with you because the AC is set on -10 degrees

But summer also means bathing suits and beach trips, watermelon and picnics, bare feet and shorts, sunlight until 9pm and even though I no longer live the life of a college student with nothing to do during the summers but subject my skin to the sun's evil rays 6 hours a day, I still can't help but feel more carefree and happier in the summertime.

{Let's just say I could never live in places like Alaska that have entire days of darkness - serious lack of Vitamin D.}

Some people think the heat makes them sluggish and tired, but summer time makes me feel adventurous. It makes me feel like trying new things, setting new goals and taking advantage of every extra hour of sunlight.

{Maybe it's a trick - more hours of daylight makes me feel like I get more hours in the day to do things or something}

Here are my summer to-dos:

1. Clean out my closet. You know it's time when you run out of hangers.
2. Join the YMCA and maintain my weight loss. Easier said than done, but it is swimsuit season right?
3. Grow some herbs. How hard can it be?
4. Blog routinely. And by routinely, let's start with at least twice a week for now, shall we.
5. Try more new recipes. Now that we have roommates {that's another blog post} I have more people to cook for!
6. On a food note - organize my recipes. Recipes on napkins and various scraps of paper is not cute!
7. On another food note - blog my recipes/food adventures more. I always take the pictures and then never blog about them.
7. Celebrate my 25th birthday with the people that I love :)
8. Go to more blogger meet ups. I went to one and loved it - now I just need to go back!
9. Get back into graphic design. I finished the website and the Etsy shop and then life got in the way.
10. 11. Learn to count

What are your favorite things about summertime? Any summer goals? {We can be accountable together!}

- Lindsey Nicole

When blogging gets added to a list of stuff I don't want to do

99% of the time blogging feels like an escape, an outlet, a piece of the world that belongs to no one else but me.

The other 1% of the time it feels like just one more thing to add to the list of things I have to do that is already more than a mile long. <<<That has been the case for some time now.

But today - it needs to be that safe space for me to breathe

Right now, life is definitely hectic, but deep down I know that all of the things I am stressing over are positive things that will make my life better and more fulfilling, but are just scary to go through at the moment.

All good things in life are worth working for and that is what I have to remind myself everyday, because oddly enough it applies to every aspect of my life right now.

For someone who plans things for a living, I have to also remind myself that life isn't on my terms and, even though I like to think I am, I am not in control. God has plans for Ford and I and I have to stop thinking they are my plans.

Hindsight is 20/20 and it is easy to look back at a confusing and difficult time and say, "Now I understand why that didn't work out like I planned." But in the moment, it is much easier to feel like nothing works for you or that your prayers aren't being answered.

{One of my favorite quotes: If God answers your prayer, he is increasing your faith. If He delays, He is increasing you patience. If He doesn't answer, He has something better for you...}

Sometimes it's hard to slow down and remember that, so tonight, this planner is going to slow down. She is taking a deep breathe. She is letting it all go, because it is crushing to deal with it all alone. 

I am blessed beyond belief that my stresses are those that will bring joy to future and not those that bring pain to my daily life. 

So happy Friday and thanks for sticking with me even when there is nothing new to read :) I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and remember

If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans...

-Lindsey Nicole

Healthy! Crockpot Bourbon Chicken

One of my favorite parts of going to mall is walking through the food court and unselfishly sampling from each place offering it - for the good of the company you know!

One of my FAVORITES is the bourbon chicken...I'm sure other people call it other things and if you don't live under a rock, you have probably seen the recipe on Pinterest recently. And surprisingly enough, it's not going to put you in the grave. 

{Unless you have high blood pressure - then stay away from this salt mine!}

Note: I absolutely, positively HATE cooking with chicken thighs. They give me the heeby jeebies - I guess I am more of a breast woman.

Another note: Because I use breasts, I chose to cook it on the stove so it wouldn't dry out. That, and I was being lazy and didn't want to come home at lunch and do the whole crock pot thing.

- Lindsey Nicole