Inspired

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in Blogger Happy Hour with Erin from Living in Yellow and Taylor from The Daily Tay.  If you have ever wondered about doing one of these I can tell you that it is a great time to meet other bloggers and to learn a little more about this whole blog world.

Before this week I have felt a little, OK a lot drained the last few weeks.  I have desperately needed Spring Break to be here for like three weeks just so I can sleep for long long periods of time.  I still have two weeks until Spring Break and everyday I get out of bed a little later.  I have been feeling a little out of it in terms of my life and my blog.

Three things have really helped me pull out of my mini soap opera: 1. going on a mini vacation to Vegas 2. exercising almost regularly the #1800minutechallenge has been great at keeping me motivated 3. Blogger Happy Hour.

[caption id="attachment_1262" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Penny is such a great trainer she makes me carry her to add some strength training to our walks.[/caption]

After talking with all the ladies that participated in the Happy Hour I felt my blogger spirit renewed to keep on trying and making this little blog better with every post.

Another thing that inspires the heck to of me is other bloggers.  Today I have three ladies to introduce to you and I really hope you visit their blogs and get to know these amazing bloggers a little more.

As always I asked the ladies the same four questions that I will share with you along with all the ways you can connect to them.

1. Tell us about your blog.
2. What is one post you would want a new reader to read and why? (provide link)
3. What is one item in your life you cannot live without? 

4. What is goal you have for yourself this month and how you will achieve it?

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blog - bloglovin - instagram 

1. Be a Warrior Queen focuses on overcoming the challenges, focusing on the positive and giving back.

2. Ah! I can't decide but I am going to go with this post: Always Wear Your Invisible Crown, Warrior Queens. I think this post embodies my blog, movement and myself to a T.

3. My cell phone because it keeps me connected to everything.

4. This month is a big month for me; my goal is to remain calm and not let me anxiety get the best of me before and after our wedding. I plan on using mantras and choosing happy to keep calm!

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blog -  bloglovin - instagram

1. My blog is my little corner of the Internet where I can talk about anything and everything that pops into my mind - one rule: there are no rules!

2. I think I would have to say a recent one, Carolina Cup/Stage 5 Hangover, because I think it's my first post where I kinda just let go and wrote EXACTLY how I would talk to my friends and didn't hold anything back. It felt good to truly be myself (not that I wasn't before, but more...blunt?) and see people like it!

3. A physical thing? My phone, absolutely - cannot go anywhere without it. Something a little more abstract? Love - I'm a Cancer through and through - need nurturing and comfort.

 4. My goal is to go 100 days without eating fast food. April 10 is the 100th day, so only a few days left!

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blog - twitter - pinterest

1. Blogging about crafts, DIY projects, recipes, and life's adventures - venturing through motherhood and getting through it all on a strong cup of coffee!

2. Why I Blog (so original, right?) would be the post I would want new readers to check out because it shares my blogging journey.

3. I could not live without my childhood cabbage patch doll - he was a world traveler and has retired to a nice, quiet home in our closet.

4. A personal goal is to exercise every day but because running or walking every day would get boring, I plan on trying different activities to help achieve that goal.

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I told you these ladies are great!  I seriously have had some of the best sponsors and I love being able to share them with you all.  If you are interested in seeing your blog here please look at my sponsor page.

What is something that you have done or read or a person you have interacted with that has inspired you lately?

Drama At Sugar Stream

I have become the neighbor to hate at Sugar Stream.

Warning: This post is not about getting sucked into the addiction that is Candy Crush!  It is actually about my condo community called Sugar Stream.  No that is not the real name of my condo association, #stalkers.  All I will tell you is that it is equally as Candy Crushesk and people laugh when they hear it.

This post is about the drama that I have been through the last week as a resident of Sugar Stream.

Other titles I considered for this post: Get Off My Lawn!  I Need Wide Open Spaces, The Poop Smelled Round The World.

It is official Penny and I are "those neighbors" of Sugar Stream.  You know the kind, we are the neighbors that you hate because the dog barks, or we play our music too loud, or we get dog poop all over you.  Totally normal right?

I think that question you are asking and the one I have asked myself is "How did Penny and I arrive at this point?"  I can not trace it to one particular incident (lies! I can totally trace it to one incident filled with poop).  I can just present the facts to you and you can determine for yourself when and why I am not the post popular neighbor at Sugar Station, I mean Stream.

 The Poop

In case you are new to Erica Jacquline or just decided to read this particular post because you thought it would help you get more lives for Candy Crush, Penny had a terrible incident with a young man and her poop.  I welcome you to read about it here.

The Letter

In the above mentioned post I feared Penny's poop ended up on said child's leg.  A few days later I came to find out this was completely true when I checked my mail and found this note inside.

The Pain

I had many mixed emotions about this letter.  First, I was mortified that yep, I got dog poop on a kid.  Then, I wanted to move and never face them again.  Then, I reread the note and I was angry.  This lady totally exaggerated what happened and was rude and demanding.  Finally, I could laugh about it because of all the lies and funny moments I have pulled from the incident.

The Lies

The first sentence is funny.  Like I just let my dog wander around Sugar Stream?  It isn't the AMC phone for crying out loud it is a dog.  I hold her leash tightly, sometimes when you are mid-poop clean up and your dog bolts you lose your grip out of surprise.  I also had a friend say that this mom needs to keep a tight leash on her son.  It made me laugh

From here the letter is pure hilarity.  "Your dog got crap all over my son's leg."  I actually saw how much "crap" I got on your son's leg it was a smudge.  Potato, Potato though I guess.  (That saying sure doesn't work in type.

Also I did not make you late for school.  On that particular day I went in to work late because I had my annual eye check up.  I slept in until 8:30 and took Penny out shortly after we woke up.  You then were leaving for school after 8:30.  What middle school starts after 8:30?  NONE!  You were already late and wanted to pin it on me.  Well too bad I teach and have too much time on my hands to figure out your shenanigans.

My favorite line is "Don't let it happen again."  Why do people say this?  It isn't like I plot at home how I can get Penny's pooh to infect unsuspecting kids and then laugh evilly when we get home.  What if it does happen again?  Are you going to chase me down and rub my nose in her poop?  Accidents happen.  Life goes on.  I will continue to have a tight leash on my dog.

The Conclusion 

I think it is pretty clear it is time to move on from Sugar Stream and find new residence at Chocolate Lake or Sugar Plumb Central.  I also think that none of these issues would have happened if I didn't live in Southern California where there is no room to breath around your neighbors.  We need open spaces and room to move around.

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OK now it is time introduce you to a real Warrior Queen who would probably make quick work of my neighbors. Raewyn blogs over at Be a A Warrior Queen.  She is too is from Southern California where it is raining for the first time in forever and is a teacher too.  Make sure you read her answers below.  She is funny, compassionate, and fierce.

Where are you from and what is your favorite thing to do there?

I am from Southern California and there are so many things that are my favorite! I truly believe that I was made to live in California - moving out of state leaves me in a funk. My favorite activity is dirtbiking with my family and my fiance. We go out to the sand dunes and camp - riding our quads, dirtbikes, sand rails and driving my offroading truck around!

Who is the most important person in your life and why?

The most important person in my life is no longer with us. My cousin Gregory died after beating cancer right before his 10th birthday. He was the strongest and happiest person I ever met, and the thought of him guides me through each and every day.

What is your go to jam that makes you want to dance a hole in your floor?

Ke$ha. If I need to get pumped up, I put her on and I am dancing and grooving and ready to be the life of the party.

What is your favorite Book, TV show, Movie?

Why Men Love Bitches is one of my top books. It is actually the book that started the Warrior Queen movement when I was in high school.

What is your favorite line from a movie?

"You can't change the world, but you can make a dent." - Death to Smoochy

You are given a free day and $100 what would you do?

If I had a day with no responsibilities, I would probably start out my day giving back in some way - maybe a beach clean up or a #DoGood52Ways activity. I would then take my fiance to lunch, spend the afternoon at the beach and finish up the night at a concert with my best friends! (Pop-punk always rules my heart).



 Who was your childhood celebrity crush?

I had the BIGGEST crush on Kenny G. I know that's unconventional. My uncle is his percussionist and I used to go to his shows as a child. When I was 3, I stood on a chair backstage and shouted KENNY G I LOVE YOU! Needless to say, I was crushed as a 6 year old when I found out he was married and had a baby.

Now go over to her blog, bloglovin, Facebook, and Twitter and follow the crap outta her!

Also don't forget about the most amazing weekend link up since Abe Lincoln's presidency!