Friday Favorites.

I've always wanted to do some sort of post showing a few favorites of mine across the board weekly, and I found that Amanda does a link-up just like that!

My favorite blog post that I've written this week, and maybe ever...Bald is Beautiful.  

My favorite blog post that someone else wrote this week? Rachael's, which lead me to this post by Morgan. 

I was perusing facebook and someone posted a link to Matt Walsh's blog post about divorce parties.  

& this made me laugh way too hard, so I will end with it! 

Bald is BEAUTIFUL.

"You have cancer." That three word sentence can send a grown man to his knees.  Now imagine, being a child or teenager hearing those words.  As young women a biggest part of our outward identity is our hair, and knowing you can lose that due to chemo, that would be a hard pill to swallow.  Enter St. Baldricks, a non-profit foundation that raises money for childhood cancer research.  I had probably heard of St. Baldricks in passing once or twice before, but it was brought to my attention most prominently when one of my first blog friends, Michelle posted about it on her Facebook page, her daughter Katelyn came home and asked to shave her head for the foundation, Michelle was hesitant at first, but once she agreed, it was go time, watch as Katelyn explains why she wants to shave her head...but beware, you will cry, I've watched it three times and I cried each time.

Katelyn Neumann "I May Change Your World" from Robert Leighton Films on Vimeo.

After watching this video for the first time and once I quit crying, I messaged Michelle on Facebook to see if I could share Katelyn's story and she agreed, so what better way to showcase Katelyn and her story then with a little Q & A.

Hi Kate! Thanks so much for agreeing to share your story today, can you tell us a little about yourself, what makes you, you?

I'm 10 years old and almost finished with 5th grade. I like to play softball, hang out with my friends and I LOVE roller coasters!

Who and/or what inspired you to shave your head?

A family friend Emily lost her leg because of osteosarcoma. I was very happy she overcame cancer but very sad that she went through so much. When our school district said they were holding a St.Baldricks event I knew this was a way I could honor someone that I admired and raise some money for kids with cancer.

Who supported your decision the most?

My mom wasn't supportive at first but changed her mind after a week. She teaches me to always help other people and to be extra kind to people that have been through terrible things. I didn't think she would let me shave my head but she did and she tells me every day how proud she is of me.

Was there anybody in your friends or family that tried to make you change your mind?

My mom and dad didn't want me to do it. My mom changed her mind when my art teacher said she would do it with me. My dad still didn't like the idea. But I know he is proud of me for raising the money and shaving my head. He just wishes my hair would grow faster!

What do you want to say to the kids who want to do this and what about the ones who make fun of you?

If you want to do it, be sure you are ready to have a cold head! I haven't had many kids make fun of me. But those that did, I've asked them "What if you didn't have a choice in having hair? I bet then you wouldn't be making fun of me showing my support for shaving my head."

If a parent is reading this and their kid wanted to shave their head and they were unsure, what would you tell them?

Let them. I am only 10, but I know how important this is. When I asked my mom and dad I knew I was going to have to beg them. But I was ready to beg them because I knew in my heart that my hair was meant for a wig. I knew I was meant to help out other kids. Trust your kids decisions. It will change lives!

Would you do it again and if so, can I come shave my head with you?

Yes I would like to do it again. Everyone is welcome! The more bald people we can get,the better!

THANK YOU so much Kate for answering my questions, you are such an inspiration! xo.  

Currently

Making: a dent on my blog reading :)
Cooking: Absolutely nothing. Ain't nobody got time for that! 
Drinking: Coffee.  With a shot of peppermint creamer. 
Reading: Just finished Tag Chaser, going to start Chelsea's book Happy to be Alive Because today! 
Wanting: My boss to approve the time off for my best friend's wedding. 
Looking: Like I'm the captain of the hot mess express.  It's my day off.  
Wasting: my day off by doing laundry, I have a glamorous life, let me tell you.  
Wishing: That people understood that I didn't do drama in high school and I'm not doing drama now.  
Enjoying: my day off with my pups at my parents house.  
Waiting: For June! Lots of fun in the next month.  
Liking: Brantley Gilbert's new album.  
Wondering: How I can smuggle Cooper into my apartment without my landlord knowing and without my mom noticing he's gone 
Loving: My apartment! 
Hoping: that my bonus from work will be nice.  
Smelling: Nothing too strong, the peppermint creamer in my coffee? 
Wearing: Yoga shorts and a K102 St. Jude's Partner in Hope tee. 
Noticing: That I've fallen back in love with blogging.  
Knowing: That I have people who love me.  
Thinking: that no matter how old I am and how long I've been gone, my childhood home will always be a part of me.  
Giggling: about Garth Brook's 90's wardrobe.  
Feeling: Full of happies, life and love. Keeping Kym's answer! 

stolen from the lovely Kym! 

Honey I'm Home.

Last week I wrote about the memories associated with the song Sweet Caroline, and today, Honey I'm Home by Shania Twain came up in my music and I was brought back in time once again.

All the way back to the 1998 to 1999 school year.  I was a first grader at the local elementary school and my mom worked nights, so my Dad was the one who did the morning routine with me, and dropped me off because he worked right next to my school as the liason officer at the high school.  This was back when my parents were still married.



Honey I'm Home was a new song at the time & was constantly played on the radio, because Shania Twain was HUGE back then.  So my dad and I would do our morning routine and this song would pop up and we would have mini dance parties as we got ready.

I remember hearing it on the radio one time and she sang the line, "I must confess, this could be worse than PMS." I asked my mom or my dad, I can't remember which one what PMS was and they stumbled through the explanation it was some sort of thing that women had.

Keeping it awkward has been my thing for quite a while apparently :)

a few favorites.

Before I share a few of my favorite things, I would be in the wrong if I did not wish a very Happy Memorial Day to all the men and women who have sacrificed their lives, so I can live mine in the land of the free.  All gave some and some gave All.

-notes like these ones from my work momma.

-brantley gilbert's new album.

-hot pockets.

-my new designline shampoo & conditioner.

-old country music.

-getting to sleep in with no alarm.

-hugs.

-wearing just a tank and yoga shorts.

-candy crush

-mountain dew.

What's one of your favorites at the moment?

Sweet Caroline.

Sweet Caroline, BUM BUM BUM, Good times never seemed so good, so good, so good.  

I saw this song mentioned somewhere yesterday afternoon and it brought back so many sweet memories for me.  This song and anything from Neil Diamond is some of my dad's favorites.   I can remember road trips out to see my Uncle Jim and everybody would pick a song to listen to & this was always played multiple times, and we'd always belt out the chorus.  Or the summer after I graduated, cleaning out our pole barn after one of the parties we hosted that year, my grandma and I line-dancing/two-stepping to it.  

It's the little things like that I miss now that I'm out on my own.  The random belting out of songs with my family.  The after-chiropractor Starbucks dates with Lynn.  Late night movie nights with the entire family.  Arguing with Ryan over petty things and who's turn it was to feed Coop and Chloe. Cooper and Chloe as a whole.  It's the little things like that I miss the most.  

Not saying I don't love my freedom, cause I totally do, but I am so grateful even more now that those times don't happen as often.  

Have a great weekend everybody!

~do you have a song that takes you back? What's your favorite song?

~What one thing did you miss most when you moved out on your own for the first time? 

Things I Don't Understand.

I've been seeing this post floating around in blogland this last month or so, so here are just a few of the many things I don't understand..

-the expression, inhale the good shit, exhale the bad shit. Why would I want to inhale shit in the first place?

-how toilet paper can cost so much money, because it's not like you can't just not use TP! Same goes with feminine products, like just no, they should not be so dang expensive.

-people who don't like dogs.  Chances are if you can't at least admit my dog is somewhat cute, we probably aren't going to be friends.

-when someone tells me they don't like music.  I understand you not liking one type of music, but music as a whole?

-morning people who don't drink coffee.

-the book the great gatsby.  that is the only book in high school I did not read.  I hated it.

I Confess..

I confess...

 that my candy crush addiction is quite bad...thanks Karen!

that I chug milk right out of the carton along with my two nightly bites of raw cookie dough #livingdangerously

that once I start a book, I will usually finish it in one sitting, unless a pesky little thing known as work gets in my way.

that I often wonder if I care too much about people and situations.

that I'm not overly anal about many things except for how my drawer at work looks and that my ears are clean.  #ihaveissues

that my bank account probably isn't happy with me but I bought Brantley Gilbert's album that came out yesterday and that makes me happy.

that I've already listened to said album at least three times in it's entirety.

that I'm either asleep by 11 or I'm up til 2:30 or 3 in the morning,  There is no in-between and I hate it!

that I'm a grandpa's girl through and through, I love my Grandma, I do, but there is something special about my grandpa.  My day always is made better when he comes in and surprises me at work :)

linking up with vodka and soda.

Really?

Meghan's Note- This is not meant to hurt anyone's feelings, but this is my blog & therefore I will write what I feel. 

Before I start, it should be noted that 9 out of 10 people I work with at my main job are women.  & women are notorious for being, well, women!

I'm the youngest one at the service desk, and one of the younger ones on our front end in general, when I started four years ago I was the youngest.  Therefore if you ask people who's the baby of the walmart family, they will mostly say Meghan.  So I'm watched over and they care about me, and worry about me & some meddle in my life as well, and for the most part, I'm okay with it, but there is one person who is the gossip of the group and she enjoys stirring the pot.

She approached me and said so-and-so says she's helping you a lot with your apartment and you guys are all buddy buddy and BFFs.  Okay, first of all, why does it matter if I'm friends with her? I'm 22, as long as I'm not hurting anyone, I can be friends with whoever I want.  Second of all, since when is it okay for a 40-something to use the phrase BFFs seriously, just no.

And then I was in returning something this afternoon and she brought it up again, and I had to bite back a response, because once again, I'M NOT HURTING ANYONE, and unless she's got some criminal background that I'm unaware of, she is not some crazy psycho serial killer.

Is my personal life & who I'm friends with really envy worthy? Because this wasn't the first time I've been called out so to speak on who I associate with.  If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know about the relationship between my work momma and I.  Well her younger daughter, who I was good friends with, called me out via facebook messenger, saying she thought we talked excessively and that it was weird that I meet her mom at work all the time, um, we work together! I told Karen and her exact words were "do I sense some jealousy from my daughter?" and laughed it off.  Once I made sure these weren't feelings shared by Karen about us being too close, which they weren't, I let it go.

I love my life and wouldn't change a bit of who I am, but is it really something to get catty and jealous over? I really don't think so!

/end rant
//stepping off of my soapbox.

Grateful Heart.

I have so much to be grateful for, and sometimes I forget to acknowledge what and how grateful I am.  

Then I stumbled upon Emily's tweet about her Grateful Heart Monday Link-up this morning & I was pumped! 

So what am I thankful for today?

-my apartment.  I love a place to call my own.  I love my independence. 

-my two jobs. I am so blessed and grateful that I can say that I have two jobs that I like going to each day. 

-my family. Both of my grandpas had health scares this last week along with my younger brother getting a concussion, so I'm grateful that everyone seems to be on the upswing. 

-my work momma. the one who doesn't have to worry about me or care about me, but does because she loves me like her own.  Knowing I get to work with her makes each day 100x better.

-country music. Country music is in my blood.  I've loved it since I was young and I'll love it til I'm dead.  Johnny Cash, George Jones, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Brantley Gilbert, give them all to me! 

What are you grateful for? 

#FirstTotalSocial

Excuse me while I dust off the cobwebs of this ol' blog here.  The last week in April and May were CUH-RAZY! Two jobs + moving + unpacking = one tired Meghan.

But I'm baaaaaaaack! I know you all missed me right? *crickets*

What better way to get my blogging groove back then to participate in Sarah & Helene's  #TotalSocial link-up which is launching today!

So as I was debating on what I could post about, my stepmom texted me asking me if I had finished unpacking, which at that point was still a negative and come to think about it, my bedroom is still not completely unpacked, but that's not here or there.

I digress.  I got that text and I'm like BOOM! I can write about my first apartment, which is my new apartment.

A few months ago, after the whole school debacle, my parents and I sat down and had a come to Jesus, heart to heart,  I was ready to move, so they helped me look for a place, I put down my deposit, and did all that fun stuff and then I waited.  May 1st was the day and I was super pumped.

Here's a few pictures showing my place off, I want to get more things for my walls and little things to make it mine, but here it is so far! & yes, no pictures of my bathroom, I couldn't get a non-awkward shot of that & my bedroom as mentioned above, is still not fully unpacked.

& can I just gush about my awesomely amazing new design? There are a few kinks still be worked on by me and my amazing designer who happens to be the same Sarah who is hosting this link-up! If you ever want a new look, I 100% recommend Sarah from Social and Chic Designs!