7 Ways to Make an Awesome Day Even More Awesome

*Originally Published on The Peculiar Treasure on May 2015

Do you ever have one of those days where you just wake up and everything is awesome? Or maybe it even takes you an hour or two, but sometime during the morning you realize that there is joy surrounding you. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, all the plants seem to be shouting "look at me!", and your mood is bursting with energy and positivity! Do you ever feel like that?

I tend to feel like that less than I would like to, but I do have those days- those awesome, beautiful days!

On days like that, I know I had better take advantage of those feelings. Those are the days where I am most productive, most pleasant, and most self confident. I am more likely to exercise and eat healthy, I am more likely to have a good prayer time, and I am more likely to have a grateful disposition.

Wonderfuls, when these days present themselves, I feel like we should take life by the horns and make the most of it by creating a day that matches our mood.

So here are 7 things you can do to enhance your already-awesome day!

7 Ways to Make an Awesome Day More Awesome

1.) Groom yourself and your home

When I was a teenager struggling with depression, my mom would always tell me to get up, make my bed, get out of my PJ's, and put on makeup. This was because she knew it would make me feel better. I used to not understand it. But since I have my own house and am living as a married "grown-up", I definitely understand now. I almost always feel better when I take her advice. There is something about a freshly made bed, a cute outfit, and a little bit of makeup that makes this gal feel more productive, put together, and ready to face the day. Give it a whirl. It can't hurt!

2.) Take a Day Trip

You know that restaurant in the next town over that you've been dying to try? Well, just go. Treat yo' self to a little road-trip. Invite friends or make it a solo venture- whatever your heart desires. Newness is always exciting, and you don't have to go very far to find that. Feeling super adventurous? Turn your day trip into a weekend getaway to the beach or mountains. Go hiking on a new trail, rock hopping in a creek, or for the over-adventurous folks, go skinny dipping in the sea- or on second thought... how about not ;)
Regardless of the size of the adventure, spend your awesome day doing what makes your heart sing.

3.) Read Outside

So maybe you aren't a very adventurous person...that's ok! There are still plenty of things for you to do! One of my favorite laid-back activity is sitting outside, soaking in the rays of sun that are dipping down to kiss my skin while I lose myself in a good book. Whether you like young adult fiction, self-improvement books, or Good Housekeeping Magazine, grab your favorite reading material and get yourself outside. Just don't forget the sunscreen!

4.) Clean Crap Up

Though I cannot relate, some of my friends love to clean. I don't get it, but thank God for them. In college, my wonderful friend and suite-mate would ask me if she could clean my room when she was stressed. Um, yes please! For those wonderful weirdos (a term of endearment!), on days when you are already feeling awesome, why not add more awesome to the mix by cleaning. You already know you enjoy it, and with your good attitude you will surely get things done more quickly- leaving you feeling productive and accomplished. Happy cleaning!

5.) Get Your Garden On

Another way to really enjoy your day is to spend it gardening. A lot of people feel so happy when they are able to get their hands dirty. Pull some weeds, plant some more flowers, or just take some time to admire the gardening you've already done. It is scientifically proven that looking at pretty flowers is a good idea ;)

6.) Ride a Bike

One of my favorite things to do is ride bikes. Somehow, this love skipped over my husband and friends... Sad day. But when I have a sunshine-y day staring me down, I almost always want to ride my bike. I don't have any bike-riding buddies around here, but I have got to stop letting that be an excuse because I love it way too much to miss out. So let's go ride a bike!

7.) Take Pictures

When the day is "pretty as a picture", why not actually take pictures? Do you have a favorite spot around town? A hidden gem that always brings a smile to your face? Then go capture it on camera. Don't know of anything in particular to snap pictures of? Then go exploring. Walk around town. Photograph strange things, beautiful things, mysterious things- all the things. Be creative. It's fun!

What do you like to do to improve the awesomeness of your day?

Note: Any day can be awesome. You don't need to wait for the perfect job, the perfect relationship, or even the perfect weather. Any day can be awesome if you will allow it to be. So rain or shine, happy or sad, do all you can to have an awesome day.

Hello, October!

Happy, happy, happy October! My favorite month is here and just knowing that makes me ecstatic! I'm doing a little jig over it ;)

October is when the leaves really start to change. The gold and crimson hues and the crisp air overwhelm me. I tend to feel lighter, perkier, and more optimistic during this time of year.

In addition to the beauty of it all, October holds my birthday, my husband's birthday, one of my best friend's birthday, and mine and my husband's dating anniversary. Lots and lots of good stuff!

I have several goals for October, but first, lets take a peek back at September.

September Goals

1.) Watch Florida football with Taylor
Ehh, kinda. We went to one game at a WAY too crowded bar in downtown Charlotte. We also watched one game at home. He's been working during all of the games, and since I only watch for him, I haven't been watching without him.

2.) Decorate 
Check! I put up my fall decorations about three weeks ago :)
I'd still like to make a fall wreath.

3.) Blog at least four days per week
I did pretty well with this. Twice I blogged 4 times, once 3, and once 2. The only week I wasn't proud of was the week where I only posted twice, simply because I didn't meet my goal.

4.) Get Outside
Yes! My nanny job is awesome because they live fairly close to a park. I take baby E to the park to play and I get a nice walk in.

5.) Plan Another "Get It Together" Challenge
Check and Check! I planned it and we are in the middle of the challenge. I have been so proud of all the ladies who are participating!

Now, let's get to October, shall we?

October Goals:

1.) Read the Bible 2 times per week

I have such a tough time getting myself to read. It's frustrating, and I have been saying for years that I need to get better. Taylor and I read together at night several times a week and I am so thankful for that. But I also need my personal quiet time. For now, my goal is twice a week, with the hope of getting better at consistency.

2.) Meet my Weight Goal

I organized and started my Get it Together group last month. It has been going really well and I enjoy facilitating. My weight-loss goal by the end of the challenge is to have lost 10 lbs. I weighed today and I've lost just under 5 lbs in 15 days. I call that success. And I want to lose the other 5 by the time the challenge is over :)

3.) Cook at least 4 times per week

Taylor and I are really bad about either going out for fast food or doing simple boxed-meals. There's nothing wrong with boxed meals, and they can be yummy, but I am a pretty decent cook, and there is no reason (other than laziness) not to cook more homemade recipes.

And with fall here, there are so many soups, chili's, and pumpkin-thingies to make!

4.) Blog 4 times per week

This was my goal last month, and here it is again. I am happy with blogging 4 times/week. I would like it to eventually be 5, but 4 times/week is a good amount and it is realistic.

September was kind of a tough month for me personally, but I was very proud of myself for accomplishing the goals that I set for myself. Small victories add up!

How about you? How was your September? Is there anything you are excited for in October? Comment below :)

Finally Here: The Cooks Go Charlotte

Hello, blogging world! I've missed you tremendously!
How have you been? Have you been loving life, having new adventures, and drinking good coffee? I sure hope so! It's only been a week since I last posted, but it feels like it has been so much longer!

As most of you know, my husband and I just moved from our small North Carolina mountain home to the very busy city of Charlotte. We did this so that my husband could follow God's call for him to attend seminary. We have a lot to get used to, but I am sure we will enjoy Charlotte once we get the hang of it.

Actually, on Saturday when we moved in, I even got to meet a blogging friend that I had spoken to in The Peony Project, an online Christian blogging group with writers from all over the world. How awesome is that?! Vanessa, over at Tapestry Chronicles, and her husband came over to our home to help us move in, along with two Waynesville friends, and three other friends from Charlotte. We are truly blessed. We even had help from our church and family the night before with loading up the truck. We are incredibly grateful for all the love, support, and help that everyone has shown us.

Once all the rooms are fixed up and all the boxes are gone, I plan to do a post showing  how we've decorated the house, but for now, I figured I'd share a few "so far" pictures. Enjoy.

Our living room. We LOVE the mantel. Please excuse the slippers and red snuggie ;)

My new succulent friend, a close-up of our mantel, and our coffee wall in the dining room.

Our house is coming along slowly but surely. We have plenty more boxes to unpack, we are trying to help the dogs transition well, and it will take us a while to learn the area, but we are so excited about this new adventure God has us on, and we know it will be good. To God be the glory.

If you are following our new adventure on social media (Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook), search the hashtag #theCooksgoCharlotte and #Cooksonthemove to see more pictures and posts.

Father's Day Gift's (throwback)

Note ***I am re-sharing this since Father's day is quickly approaching :) ***

Dad's are an important part of life. Without a dad, we can't help but feel like something is missing. This isn't to say that someone can't be raised well without a Father, but it does make it a heck of a lot harder.

I am blessed with a very sweet dad who loves me deeply. He and I are very different in a lot of ways, but in some ways I understand exactly how he thinks and I can see a lot of similarities between us. I am thankful for my dad and thankful that I can always tell how much he loves me.

Saturday, June 21st, is Father's day. Just like I wanted to treat my mom on Mother's Day, I also want to treat my dad on Father's Day.

But sometimes, dads can be hard to shop for. We know that Father's Day isn't really about the gift, but that doesn't mean we want to epically fail in that department. So since the day is approaching quickly, here are a few gift ideas for Father's Day :)

Gift Ideas for Dad

Treat Him to Dinner
Does your dad have a favorite restaurant? Tell him to clear his schedule on Father's Day (or somewhere close to it) and take him out for dinner and dessert. Believe me, he will feel special, knowing you carved that time out for him.
Don't live near your dad? Send him a gift-card to his favorite restaurant and tell him to splurge on a giant steak dinner.


DVD "Kit"
If your dad is anything like mine, he loves shows and movies (especially the "oldies-but-goodies"). Find his favorite shows on DVD and construct a bag with those movies/shows, along with a box of pop-corn and a bag of chocolates. He will be in television heaven!


Decorated Picture
This one is for all those sentimental-teddy-bear-daddys (again, like mine). Get an 8x10 picture frame (Walmart has some sturdy yet very cheap ones) and a piece of card stock in whatever color you prefer. Select one or two pictures of you and your dad and have them printed. Cut the card stock to fit in the picture frame. Use a glue stick or double-sided tape to secure the pictures onto the card stock. Decorate the rest of the exposed card stock with sweet words, art work, or scrap booking accents. After you are satisfied with your mini-"collage", put it in the frame and viola! My dad loves gifts like these.


Sports Tickets
If you and your dad have always watched sports together, why not get him tickets to see a team he likes! With baseball season in full-force, there are plenty of games to choose from. Can't afford the pro's? Take him to see your local minor league team instead. Even if it's not the Major Leagues, I'm sure he'd still enjoy the game- especially with you!


My daddy has always been fairly easy to please with gifts, but regardless of what your dad is like, I feel confident he will like at least one of these picks. However, if your dad is impossible to shop for, buy him a card. Write a note in the card telling him that the day is his and that you want to do whatever he wants to do. You can't get any safer than that! ;)

What are you thinking about doing for your dad for Father's Day?

Summer Essentials

The hot sun beating down on my skin, the pool water calling for me to dive in, the tantalizing smell of BBQ chicken on the grill, and the crash of the ocean waves as they come in to shore to greet me- all examples of happiness at its finest!

I am so excited for summer. Since June is here, the pool is open, school is out, and watermelon is in season, I feel like running around screaming "Yippie! Woohoo"! Well actually, I'll walk...who am I kidding?

With summer comes a change in wardrobe, a change in schedule, and a change in needs. For every season there are things that this girl just wouldn't want to do without. With summer weather at our doorstep, there are a few essentials that make the transition much easier.

Summer Essentials

Sunscreen
Yes, yes, I know. We all hate hearing "put on sunscreen", but we really do need it. If I am going to be out in the direct sun for over 30 minutes, I try to make sure I have it on. I know several people who have had to have small surgeries for skin cancer, and I have also seen a few articles surfacing lately that will scare the crap out of most anyone (example).
Now, I'm no spokesperson for sunscreen. I spent years not wearing any and rolling my mind's eye at people who insisted that I should. But as an adult, I am seeing that I need to be more responsible about sun-care. I usually wear SPF 30-50.
I am also on the hunt for an affordable, natural sunscreen option. As much as I think we should protect our skin from the sun, I also think we should protect our skin from chemicals (which sunscreen is packed full of). I haven't found anything yet, so suggestions are welcome in the comment section.



Bandanna
I don't know if blondes have this problem or not, but as a brunette, my hair attracts way too much heat. Within 15 minutes of being out in the sun my head gets so hot it's unbearable. If I let the situation continue, I end up with a terrible headache- and who wants that?
So if I am going to be out in the sun, I always wear a bandanna. I find them much more manageable than hats that the wind can easily catch and blow away. Plus, bandannas are cheap, making it easy to buy tons of different colors and designs without breaking the bank!


Sunglasses
Sunglasses have to happen. I have some friends who go without them to avoid a "sunglasses tan", but I would much rather be able to open my eyes and see than avoid a bad tan. If I am outside on a sunny day, I always have sunglasses. They protect my eyes, keep me from squinting all the time, and they are cute-if you need a little more incentive ;)




Water Bottle
I struggle to drink enough water each day. It just never seems to happen. But when I am out in the sun in the warmer months, I always drink a bunch of water. Not only do I need water when it's so hot out, but it's also a great way to actually reach my daily water intake goals. When I am home and inside, I tend to drink around one water bottle (2.5 cups) a day. If I sit out in the sun for an hour, I'll probably drink 2-3 water bottles per day (5-7.5 cups). I am just way more likely to crave it. Woot woot! Go, hydration!

A Magazine
Last summer, I had several free magazine subscriptions. I was getting 4-5 magazines in the mail each month. So every time I went to the pool, I would take one of the magazines and flip through it. It was actually something I came to love doing. Now, if I go to the pool and I don't have a magazine, I feel somewhat lost.


Pop Music
Call me crazy (and you probably will), but there is something about the summer sun, the water, and smell of burgers on the grill that makes me want to get my pop music on. Give me Nsync, The Jonas Brothers, One Direction, or even Justin Bieber, and I'll be a very happy girl. *You may now start you judging*.

Though some of these things are much more important than the others (ie: put on sunscreen before you listen to Bieber), these are all big parts of my summer. The music and magazines make it a lot more fun, and the water, sunscreen, bandanna, and sunglasses make for a safer, healthier summer stay in the sun.


I hope you enjoyed my summer essentials list. Can you relate? What are your summer essentials?

Linked-up with :

Life in Balance- Summer Family Fun 

Cupcakes, Friends, and Weddings- Oh My!

I'm exhausted. My feet ache and my brain is not quite functioning. But my heart is full and happy.

This past weekend was my friend's wedding. Bri and her fiance' are so sweet together and they have been waiting for this day for a long time! They are a Christian couple who have committed their relationship to the Lord and they strive to honor Him. And anytime there is a couple like that, it's hard not to be happy for them.

On Wednesday evening, Challice arrived from Kentucky to stay with me and Taylor during the wedding festivities. I have missed my dear friend and I am so happy she was able to stay with us.

We spent the day together on Thursday laying out in the sun and buying ingredients for Bri's wedding cake and cupcakes. That evening, we headed over to Asheville for Bri's bachelorette party at an Italian restaurant called Vinnie's. It was delicious and the service was fantastic! I was very impressed with our waiter and the food. We sat inside, but there was also the most adorable outdoor seating area with strands of lights hanging from the wooden ceilings. If you are ever in Asheville, I highly recommend Vinnie's.

After we ate we went shopping and then drove to Bri's house, where we watched my all-time favorite movie, 27 Dresses :D

The next day, me, Challice, and our friend Sara worked together to bake, frost and decorate the mini cupcakes that would be served at Bri and Chris' reception. We baked around 350 mini cupcakes. Half were red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, with a white chocolate pretzel on top. The others were white cake with cherry frosting and half of a cherry on top. They were so cute!

Challice also made the wedding cake!

The Bride looked beautiful!

Pre-wedding fun :)

Saturday was the wedding! The sanctuary and all the reception decorations looked perfect, the cupcakes were finished and delicious, Bri looked stunning on her big day, and we were all ready to see the happy couple get hitched. Everything went incredibly smoothly. 

I think the sweetest part of the day was watching all the dances. Bri and Chris' first dance was super cute, Bri and her dad danced and cried together (which in turn made me cry), and than I balled like a little baby when Bri and Chris honored her parents' approaching anniversary by having them dance to their own first dance song from their wedding day. It was ridiculously sweet. It made me happy.

 I am so thankful for Bri, and happy for her and Chris that they don't have to wait anymore. I am thankful for the time I was able to spend with Bri, Challice, and Sara, and thankful that I met some wonderful people.

Was your weekend as eventful as mine? What did you do?