Gratitude	---
1	Today I am so thankful for super sweet customers and cute coworkers ;)
2	Today I am thankful for FRIDAYS and waking up early!
3	Today I am so thankful for ACTUALLY waking up at 4 am and for my pups!
4	Today I am thankful for SUNDAYS and sleeping in (until 730) and sweet family.
5	Today I am thankful for cuddly monday mornings and SLEEP.
6	Today I am thankful for getting through the LONGEST day of the week!
7	Today I am thankful for Wednesday! And my pups, even if they wake me up at 2am...
8	Today I am thankful for waking up super super early and getting things done before work!
9	Today I am thankful for SHOPPING SPREES and productive weekends!
10	-
11	-
12	Today I am thankful for being productive and getting through the day.
13	-
14	Today I am so thankful for my JEEP and my cutesy family!
15	Today I am thankful for another slow day at work and for having time to myself!
16	Today I am thankful for FRIDAYS and making time to watch all the shows i've been putting off!
17	-
18	Today I am thankful for a beautiful day and getting to take the doors and tops off the Jeep!
19	Today I am thankful for nice slow days at work and getting comfy!
20	Today I am thankful for having a totally free night and getting to look at my finances a little deeper!
21	Today I am thankful for actually waking up early and getting what I need done ahead of time!
22	Today I am thankful for having a fairly fast day at work and for super cute TBTs!
23	Today I am thankful for lil baby Asher!
24	Today I am thankful for early, slow starts and orthodontic appointments!
25	Today I am thankful for sleeping in until 6:30 ;) and cute friends!
26	Today I am thankful for super sweet customers and getting through the rough ones...
27	Today I am thankful for cute puppies and working on getting better!
28	Today I am thankful for cold days and cozy mornings!

Hello again everyone!!!!! So today's blogpost - keeping with the theme of VAlentine's day and lots of love - is about how I choose to surround myself with love every single day! Obviously there is love all around us, but sometimes it's hard to feel it, or to acknowledge it. And sometimes when we feel like we aren't really loving ourselves, it's especially important to be surrounding by it - purposefully. So these are the ways I purposefully surround myself with love so that I am constantly made aware of just how much of it I have in my life. I hope you all enjoy!



Social Media:
Social media rules our lives it seems like. It is everywhere and we are constantly turning to it for updates or to get updated throughout each and every day. SO, I am SUPER careful about who I "follow" or keep up with and what I post to the people who follow and keep up with me. I try to be super positive on all my platforms - not because I want people to think my life is perfect, but because I choose to make my platforms positive and loving spaces. I don't want to look back on my posts and think about what a terrible time I was having or read through my own complaining or negativity. I want to look back and think about the highlights of my life. Just the same, I don't like following negative people or people who don't align with my life - morally, mentally, spiritually, etc. I can handle differences, but I cannot handle people who put them down. SO, I choose to follow uplifting people who nothing but positive things to say and positive attitudes so that it can in turn reflect back to me.


Family:
This is hard people family really knows how to drive you crazy. But lately I've been trying SUPER hard to at least be aware of when I'm being especially impatient or especially harsh and I try to make mental notes and bounce back from it. I'm not perfect but each time I do find myself falling short, I think about how much I SHOULD be thankful for and I feel myself chipping away at the hardness in my hart and softening up. Slowly, but surely.


Work:
WORK IS HARD. PEOPLE CAN BE MEAN. But, I try to keep in mind that we all are going through our own hardships. SO, if I get an especially mean person I just try my very hardest to make the next person I speak to especially happy so I can feel like I am WORTH something. Some people will try to bring you down, especially when they don't know you. But there are so many other people appreciative of your gifts and for what you do that you have to keep chugging along! So I tell myself this very same exact thing when I feel less than.


Church:
Church is seriously the best place to go when your heart and soul are in need of a little TLC. This is the most obvious and sweetest and best place to go that is constantly full of love, no matter what. And I NEED to work on surrounding myself with this love a lot more often.



Thanks so much for reading you guys! xo, me.

arrow: how much does your happiness depend on your relationships with others?
- I think a lot. I'm happiest when I have steady, loving, happy relationships - both romantically and platonic!

bouquet: what's your favorite kind of flower?
- I'm a sucker for them all, tbh.

chocolate: what would you most like to receive on valentine's day?
- edible arrangements bouquet ;)

couple: are you annoyed by public displays of affection?
- NEVER, i love it lol.

cupid: what's your sexuality?
- straight.

date: do you think age differences are a big deal?
- Nah. I dated someone 8 years older and I NEVER thought about it until he'd reference something super old lol.

heart: talk about your crush
- cuuuuuuuuutesttttttt boy in the whooooleee widddeeee worlddddd, it's insane.

hug: how comfortable are you with physical contact?
- depends on the person, honestly. but pretty comfy!

kiss: have you had your first kiss? with who?
- YES, with this guy named aaron in like 7th grade - WORST KISS EVER. he ate fajitas beforehand LOL.

rose: are you romantic?
- I think so, sure!

sweet: do you like candy and chocolate?
- not as much as I like chips, lol.

true love: do you believe in love at first sight?
- hmmmmm, i believe in attraction obviously but maybe not "love".

xxoo: are you dominant?
- i don't think so, lol.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR! So naturally it's time for some relationship themed posts ;) Here are what I think are the 5 most important things in/about a relationship! Hope you all enjoy!


1. Quality time.
Naturally, I have to start this post off with my love language. I've taken this love language quiz/test/whatever probably a million times by now (or at least close to it) and each time I am never surprised that I get quality time as my number 1 by a landslide. I am the worst with words of affirmation, the most awkward when it comes to gifts, pretty rock solid with acts of service, and physical touch comes up at number two (9/10 times). But quality time is my jam. I feel the most loved and the most treasured when I feel like someone really wants to spend their time with me, and I show my love the best through wanting to spend quality time with them.

2. Sweet lil surprises.
I am the biggest sucker for sweet little gestures/surprises. When someone leaves a cute note for me to find (more soon to come, see #3 (; ) or going out of there way to show me I'm loved and thought of in even the smallest of ways. I think that a small little "act of service" goes a VERY long way to let someone know they are loved.

3. LOVE NOTES.
I think I've talked about this in nearly every single relationship blog I've ever posted, lol. I am THE QUEEN of love notes/cute cards. Seriously, I am the biggest sucker for a sweet card with a sweet little saying. I think I get way more enjoyment buying the cards and writing them and giving it to the other person than I do actually receiving them (BUT DON'T GET ME WRONG I LOVE LOVE LOVE RECEIVING THEM)... but that's just how much they mean to me! I'm bad at words in person but I like expressing myself through words on paper (or on screen, hence my blog *wink wink*).

4. Consistency and consideration.
This is one of the most IMPORTANT things in a relationship. Being consistent with each other and making sure that love does not become old or unexciting - and being considerate of each others feelings. I think my biggest shortcoming in my previous relationships is that I always think of my feelings first and foremost, with no true regard to the other person's feelings until it's all said and done. I am so deeply ruled and powered by my own emotions that when I'm hurting, I do not take a second to think about the ways the other person may be hurting too. I am so dramatic when it comes to my heart that once my feelings are hurt I AUTOMATICALLY assume it was done purposefully (which it hardly ever is). So just being considerate with each other and knowing that both parts of a relationship go through different phases and feelings and being consistent with showing care and love are going to take a relationship to higher levels.

5. Mutual respect.
This. This. This. This. Love is nothing without mutual respect. You can have bad and hard days/weeks/months/phases in general (these are healthy given life has its curve balls) but the only way to get through these is to respect each other, above everything else. In my most recent relationship I found that when we had hard/tough days/moments that I did not respect his feelings. Ever. I just wanted to drag out the hard times and get it all out of my system then move on. And he did the same! SO in an argument, outside of an argument, through all of life in general the biggest sign that you love and care for someone is to show respect even during the times you don't like them that much. You can love someone with your whole heart and still find yourself not liking them from time to time believe it or not, lol. But it's all about showing respect and consideration even when it feels the hardest. This is what keeps relationships together even when you're down in the dumps.


And there they are! What are some of the most important/fundamental things about relationships for you guys!?
Thanks so much for reading, xoxoxo.

Okay, so it is NO secret that I am the biggest fan of Valentines day..... the biggest.
I love love so a day that is 100% dedicated to the loviest, mushiest, gushiest, cheesiest acts of love is my absolute jam.

HOWEVAAA, I know that there are lots of cuties out there that are single (like me) and some even hate the holiday because of it! BUT I think that love should always be celebrated - whether its romantic love, platonic love, family love, WHATEVER.

So I came up with a list of ways to celebrate valentines day whether or not you have a significant other to be cheesy with! I hope you all put it to good use and let someone special know you LOVE them! :)


1. make treat bags for your coworkers/neighbors!
- okay, so i realize that most people don't love their neighbors or coworkers, but it's still a sweet gesture that most people don't generally expect but will still be REALLY appreciate of! just put together a cute little goody bag of some candy and a cute/cheesy pre-packed valentines day card (like the ones you used to give out in elementary school)!



2. go to a movie with your best friends!
- movie night widdd da girls. binge out on all the candy and popcorn and make it a girls night!



3. buy your MOM some candy and flowers!
- moms go underappreciated 100% of the time. even when you think you're showing your mom how much you appreciate her, there's not enough appreciation in the world to really relay the message. spend valentines day making your #1 girl (literally) know how much you appreciate and love her!



4. help a younger sib make their valentines day cards!
- my siblings are all out of elementary school, but i'm sure some of you have siblings (or maybe even children) that are making valentines day cards for your classmates so help them out! the coolest kids had the best candies and coolest card. be that cool older sibling that helps make that happen.



5. buy YOURSELF some candy and flowers!
- some people aren't as excited about the idea of buying themselves candy and flowers but let me tell ya' - SELF love is the MOST IMPORTANT love you will ever have in your life. spend the day giving your heat a pick-me-up and reminding yourself have much of it you HAVE in your life and how much of it you have to give! instead of being bummed you don't have a boo to celebrate the day with, celebrate the fact that, that big special love is STILL out there waiting for you and that one of these valentines day you'll finally spend it together!!!!!!




I hope you all take a day that is literally all about love and make it special for everyone in your life - especially yourself! you are all so loved and full of love and you should take any and every day you can to remember that.

LOVE YA ALL ALWAYS, XO - me.

So I wanted to do this new thing where I make a post of all my favorite pictures for each previous month! I thought it'd be fun to look back on during the end of the year so I can see all the fun memories (or just really good pictures i've taken ;) haha) all in one post for each month!

Hope you guys like it! xo.