March Inventory

In the great words of Ron Burgdendy, Well that escalated quickly. March was a rough month. Did March feel like a year to anyone else?

Chalk and Leaves

Just like last month, I decided to take inventory in my month. This month was especially hard to find happy things but I think some good came out of this crazy month. What were your happy moments from this month?

Highlights
+Spending more time with my parents
+Running outside in the warmer weather
+SPRING
+Zoom yoga classes
+Learning to slow down and breathe (still working on this)
+Getting my sewing machine out to sew masks
+Reaching out to friends and family

Lowpoints
-Worrying and the stress of the COVID-19
-The unknown of all of this

Favorite Moments
+Running outside
+Seeing the flowers and trees start to bloom
+Family time (lots of it)
+Spotting rainbows and sidewalk chalk art on my runs
+Catching surprise sunsets on the water

Favorite Posts
+Thirty Two
+Recent Snapshots
+All About Me

Looking forward to
+More outdoor runs
+More yoga (virtual and in person)
+connecting with friends in person after all of this passes

Quote of the Month
+All great changes are preceded by chaos-Deepak Chopra
+At the end of the day, remind yourself that you did the best you could today, and that is good enough- Lori Deschene

Hopes/Wish for next month

+Not to take little things for granted- going out to aimlessly walk around Target/TJ Maxx/ Michael's; a food store with the shelves stocked; a boring Tuesday at the office that is full of employees and clients; seeing school buses on the road; and most importantly handshakes and hugs. We need to focus on the good things to come again, whenever that might be.

What to Expect Next Month:
+New Normal
+My Fitness Journey
+Being Vulnerable

[[Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you- 1 Peter 5:7]]

-gabrielle

Fabulous Friday Favorites

Well, this week I think, at least for me, was a little easier.. I feel more settled into this new normal.  I am working from home every other day for the foreseeable future.  I still have anxiety about it all and it still worries me to no end, but I think I have my wild thoughts under some control.

This week, I noticed, that people seem to be more calm as a whole. People are reaching out to see if others need help grocery shopping; reaching out to friends and family via text, calls, and facetime; making masks for the healthcare workers; providing free coffee to first responders and healthcare workers; sharing more memes to lighten the mood and provide emotional comfort to one another. This is a hard time for everyone and I believe that everyone is taking comfort in that- we are all in this together, as the nation and as the world. I loved seeing how people are coming together, but not (because social distancing) and helping one another. We might be in a pickle for the time being but compassion and kindness seem to be really shining through.

These are my favorites from this week:

Dr. Elvis Francois/// Did you see this? His voice is AMAZING! What a gift he has and he is sharing it with his patients and now the world. Out of the craziness of his day, he has time to sing and inspire. Well done Dr. Francois!

Silver Linings During COVID-19 Quarantine///All news is not bad; this story is filled with feel good stories about the good things that are happening during all of this. Spoiler Alert: it is filled with family time, new hobbies and tackling dreaded chores but making it fun.

Zoom Meetings// I have never heard of Zoom before this Quarantine but I am sure glad technology is so amazing.  Now I don't use this for work, I use it to attend live yoga classes and it has become one of my favorite things to log into. Getting to connect with people from all over through the internet is truly amazing.

Laughter// To make you all laugh here are some of my favorite memes from this week:

Stay healthy, be safe, be smart and always be kind.

[[When we get through this, every handshake and hug will mean so much more. Simon Sinek]]

-gabrielle

As always I am linking up with Andrea, Narci and Erica.

Don't forget to check out this weeks posts- On COVID-19 and March Mixtape.

giancarlo

Yikes. Talking to Eric yesterday really got me thinking. Like my mind is a mess just like the last time I saw him. we really haven't spoken since September and It was like we were back in our bubble again. we revealed things to eachother and it was really nice.
I think eric was one of the only relationships I truly gave myself and everything that I had. It didn't feel like I had to hold back. we had some rocky parts in our short relationship but the fact we still felt so comfortable after so many years makes me think. He was one of the few that made me feel like I can be my true goofy self. he didn't judge me. he played along and I think I truly did love him. the fact after 4 years we jumped right back into our bubble made me smile. the chemistry was still there and it was even more intense.

March Mixtape

Hi friends.  This month's playlist is one I hope will uplift you, inspire you and bring you joy. When I was picking songs out, I was really focusing on the words and the message behind each one. I hope this is a little sunshine in this crazy world we are living in.

March Mixtape

Dance with Me by Morgan Evans feat Kelsea Ballerini

Won't' Give up on You by Peyton Parrish

Home to Me by Ross Ellis

The Good Ones by Gabby Barrett

I Will Follow by Chris Tomlin

Tell Your Heart to Beat Again by Danny Gokey

What A Beautiful Day by Chris Cagle

Know Your Worth by Khalid, Disclosure

Rise Up by Matt Maher

Blessings by Florida Georgia Line

Beer in the Headlights by Luke Bryan

Big Plans By Why Don't We

Graveyard by Halsey

If You Need Me by Julia Michaels

Prize Worth Fighting For by Jamie Kimmett

Wide Awake by Katy Perry

Eastside by benny blanco, Halsey, Khalid

The Good Parts by Andy Grammer

Remind Me You're Here by Jason Gray

Safe and Sound by Capital Cities

God Only Knows by for King and Country, Echosmith  & Timberland

Click here to listen to this month's mixtape.

[[He heals the wounds of every shattered heart. Psalm 147:3]]

-gabrielle

On COVID-19

Hi Friends,

I know this past week has been so hard. We all have been experiencing variety of emotions- anger, sadness, uncertainty, calmness, happy, worry and feeling scared and for a while I thought I was the only one who was experiencing these emotions. I realized as soon as others started speaking out about the emotion range they were having, I felt more at ease, knowing that other people were feeling the same as I was. In this time of worry, its nice to know that others share the feelings as you do.

I will not lie, I was a mess for the better part of last week; I am not one to hid my emotions and coming off the week prior (a full moon, daylight savings and Friday the 13th), March certainly has not been easy for me emotionally. I am pretty sure I cried multiple times this month and sometimes I didn't even know why I was crying, I think it was just the feeling of  sheer frustration and the feeling of overwhelm in every aspect of my life. Its funny how things tend to be grouped together-  everything is good or  everything is bad. I also have been feeling hopeless in the sense that no one really knows what is going on with this. No one knows how long we will need to stay inside and away from people- it could be weeks, it could be months. 

As I am writing this, I feel nothing- I am in a void, so to speak. There is so much going on and yet I am choosing not to feel anything.  ( I am not sure if that is good or bad but I am going with it.) The unclear restrictions, the mixed feelings and the unknown scares me.  I am a person who is prone to anxiety and depression and for the life of me, I cannot get out of this slump I have been in, pretty much all month.  At this point I am not trying to rationalize them; I am allowing myself to feel these emotions and get swallowed into them. 

Yesterday, I cried, stayed in my pajamas all day and laid in bed, and if I felt like crying, I did; I gave myself grace in that aspect. I thought about so many different things and my mind was having a hard time focusing on one thing for a long period. I had a plan to be productive yesterday and a to do list of things I wanted to do, but that sat undone. 

I know others have been giving great advice and great tips how to weather this virus but to be honest,  who is actually following that advice? (I am not one to be the mean and so judgmental, but seriously?!) Does anyone just sit on the couch, eat junk food and wallow in their emotions? No, only me, cool ! I appreciate the other bloggers trying to put on a brave face and act like this is exactly what everyone needs but truth be told,  this is probably the last thing we all need. We need real talk- and not just about clothes, the newest accessory or another sponsored post about something they don't use; we need posts about how they are really feeling, honest and raw. No need for sugar-coating your feelings now, especially since everyone is feeling it. Feelings are messy, you don't need to put together a blogpost that is perfect.

A lot of people in my community seem to not be listening to the Governor and to stay inside.  To them, its a free pass to go to the parks/boardwalks/outdoor areas in large groups and act like we have a "snow day". There are a lot of people that I heard say,  "Oh I'm not in the age range or I'm not at risk for this'.... hello! the virus does not discriminate against anyone. Its very frustrating. I am at risk being on immunosuppressant medication for Crohn's Disease and my parents are at risk because they are older , and you not following the rules is putting us at more of a risk. I am a rule follower to a T... can't everyone else be one too? Is it that hard to stay inside with all the necessities- food, internet, streaming services?

Here is my plead to all of you please please please for the love of God, if you are not an essential employee, stay inside and do what you do every other weekend-drink, eat and binge something on the many different streaming services that are available; clean to your houses until your hearts are content; remold or repaint that thing you have been meaning to do; play board games; reorganize your closets... DO SOMETHING INSIDE AND BY YOUR SELF.

I would rather be stuck inside now for two weeks, rather than in the summer for 3 months.

Use your brains,  I know you are smart, listen to #flattenthecurve.

-gabrielle

ps. If you or someone you know is really struggling with their mental health, you can contact NJMENTALHEALTHCARES  the free helpline created for telephone counseling, emotional support, information and assistance at 866-202-HELP (7 days a week, 8AM to 8PM)

Faboulus Friday Favorites

Woah! Did this week feel like 7 weeks to anyone else?! No, just me? okay cool.  Lets agree to say COVID-19 has made a monumental impact in most peoples lives. I have been practicing social distancing not just because this virus scares me but also I have a compromised immune system and my parents are older. We are (knock on wood) in mostly good health. We have been taking all the precautions and I am happy my job has restricted the public from coming in. That puts me at ease, a little more. Having my own office is perfect for social distancing now. #introvertunite

I figured with the craziness of this week, my favorites this week should be uplifting and light.

I found this and I couldn't stop laughing because I remember all those times trying to do math homework with my dad and crying my eyes out for hours not understanding basic math. This common core math is way harder and  I cannot imagine how parents are feeling now, teaching something that they don't even know. Thank goodness for YouTube and the Internet.

one/// Penguins Explore Aquarium /// This was just the most adorable thing I have ever seen! These penguins were just waddling around, like it was no big deal. They did not realize how they are winning over America's hearts right now. Take a look at this cute video here

two/// Celebrities/// So many celebrities are using their stardom for good. John Legend, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban and Dropkick Murphys all streamed mini concerts from their homes Tuesday night trying to "flatten the curve." I loved how interactive these were (You voted on what Chrissy Teigan was to wear---a plain towel) and the artists were connecting to so many people at once.

I caught the end of Thomas Rhett's instalive concert; Him and Lauren prayed for everyone and it was just such a heartfelt and natural thing for him to do. It was really, really sweet.

Seeing other celebrities livestream themselves reading their favorite children's books have made me smile all week. I love seeing celebrities use their star power for the common good.

three/// Dating during COVID-19 outbreak/// This article made me giggle. Yes, dating is looking a little different right now BUT I think this might be really good. Courting is talking to your potential romantic partner before entering into a romantic relationship. Maybe this is the roaring twenties are happening again. I'm curious to see what happens.

four/// Easy fix /// This made me laugh so hard this week. They fixed the Mars Lander by hitting it with a shovel?! Come on, that seems so made up but yet, it happened and it fixed it. For real!

five/// Anxiety and COVID-19// it was no secret this week I was filled with anxiety. A LOT of it. As the week wore on, I had less and less anxiety but its still there. This was a great article and provided a lot of tips.

six/// Favorite things/// my absolute favorite things from this week was seeing how families are FINALLY spending time together and working together to provide harmony and calmness in a world of such uncertainty. The world is a pretty awesome place once everyone just calms down. The sheer fact that all these good, heartwarming stories are emerging, reminds me there is still good in this scary world. It sometimes takes a worldwide emergency to bring these good stories out.

Well, I am saying my prayers, counting my blessings and thinking good thoughts to get me through today. Please know if you are struggling with anything, I am praying for you.

Be sure to check out my Recent Snapshots and All About Me posts from this week!

[[be someone who makes everyone feel like a somebody]]

-gabrielle

PS... I took an online live yoga class last night because COVID-19. I had always taken in person classes so this was a little different but this was the coolest thing I've done in a while. Go find a local instructor and take their online live class. They are having a hard time, like a lot of us during this time. Do something good for your mind and body.  You wont regret it.  I have a few yoga instructors who are doing live classes, if you want a great session, let me know and I will give you their names!
Namaste everyone.

PPS. I’m linking up with Andrea, Narci and Erika for Friday Favorites.

All about ME!

I think out of all the years I've been blogging, I don't think I have ever had a post of facts about myself. Yup, I looked through my old blog posts and I did a little mini introductions when I started or restarted a blog but nothing like this.

Last April at Holland Ridge Farms

 10 Facts About Me

1. I'm a paralegal who's main responsibilities are adoptions and bookkeeping.
2. I love to read and I try to take a book everywhere I go.
3. There is always songs on loop in my head, but never whole ones, pieces of this and pieces of that linked together-I feel like its my soundtrack. (Does anyone else do that?!)
4. One of my bucket list items is to visit all 50 states- I've been to 7 of them so far.
5.I have been blogging for close to 10 years on and off.  This is not including Xanga and Myspace.
6. When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher or a fashion designer.
7. I have been practicing yoga for 4 years with the same teacher.
8. I haven't watched TV all year and I truly don't miss it.
9. I have kept all my old planners since 2009; I wish I had older ones. They are like journals to me.
10. I'm an ISFJ and a type 2 Enneagram.

Did anything surprise you about my facts?

[[this is the part where you find out who you are]]

-gabrielle

PS.

Just a side note: I know everyone is still worried about COVID-19 ( I like this name better than Coronavirus) and all the uncertainty swirling around it.  I am worried too,  ALOT! It has been hard to limit the exposure of the information and news about it because its just EVERYWHERE I look. I am happy to see families embracing the virtual schooling and taking time to spend together. I know being a teacher on subjects that you don't necessarily remember have to be hard but seeing all this family time makes me happy and reminds me that we are resilient and strong. Remember to take a deep breathe and trust that everything will work out.  We are JERSEY STRONG!

Recent Snapshots

This is one of my favorite posts to publish. I am always snapping photos of things I see along the way. More recently my camera roll is full of screenshots of quotes, bible verses, items I want to purchase and other randomness. Does anyone else do that- take screenshots of things you want to remember to do/buy/think about?

I wanted to just say this about Coronavirus- It is scary to think about what is happening around the country with the fear of this virus. With schools are converting to virtual schools, companies are having employees work from home and the unknown that is swirling around lets no forget to breathe, take a step back from social media and re-center ourselves. Its okay to feel overwhelmed but do not let it take over your life right now. Talk to people you trust and meditate to calm your mind. Do self care for yourself- what ever that might look like. We will get through this- we are strong and resilient Always.

Okay. On to the photos, I thought it would be fun to share some photos I've taken since the middle of February. These are everyday things that have caught my attention and made me smile. Enjoy!

  

     

[[May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow and may trouble avoid you where you go--Irish Blessing]]

-gabrielle

Fabulous Friday Favorites

Hi!

Happy Friday the 13th! I am hoping for good luck today.
I’m just going to leave this here. It’s been a week! 🤦🏻‍♀️
Hope you have a FABULOUS Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Check out my posts from earlier in the week- Thirty Two and What’s Up Wednesday.

Be safe and wash your hands!

[[Do not be anxious about anything- Philippians 4:6-7]]

-gabrielle

What's up Wednesday

Hiya! 

Hope your week is going fantastic! 

What I'm Eating This Week

All of Mama's home cooking and Naan. Have you tried Naan? 

Its delicious especially the roasted garlic one. They have good flavor and are sorta addicting. 

You're welcome!

What I'm Reminiscing About 

Last year when my parents and I took a trip to Holland..... Holland Ridge Farms in Cream Ridge, NJ. I have never seen anything like this before.  There were tulips upon tulips upon tulips EVERYWHERE. We went on a overcast type day and the photos we took turned out so good because the colorful blooms popped against the dull skies. If you have a chance to go, do it. It's definitely an experience and great photo opportunity.

What I'm Loving

My new yellow Orchid that bloomed over the weekend. Have you ever seen a yellow Orchid before? I always thought they were in the red/pink family. Another thing I have been loving, taking care of these persnickety plants. It has been really interesting and informative. I can't wait to see what my last orchid color will be.

What I've Been Up To

I have been trying to get to the gym fairly often lately. I have been running and doing some weight training. I also make it to yoga each week; I have grown stronger with each yoga session and its neat to see the progress- I am so close to getting my headstand!

What I've Been Dreading

If we are going to get a snowstorm in late March, since we had such a mild winter. 

Fingers crossed we don't.

What I've Been Working On

I started to read "Dating Deeper" and there are a lot of excericises in the book and to be honest, I'm still on the first excerise. This book I think will be great for me, but finding time to carve out and actually focus on it, will be hard.

What I'm Excited About

Michael Buble concert next week with my parents; O.A.R. announcing their summer tour; the warmer weather; the days getting longer; breaking my spring clothes out; life itself. ((Can you tell, I'm a girl who loves everything and is excited about most things?!))

What I'm Watching/Reading

I started a new book this week "A Curve In The Road" by Julianne MacLean. I was immediately sucked in. During my lunch on Monday, I read 50 pages. There was a huge twist in the FIRST 50 pages. I cannot wait to see where this goes.

What I'm Listening To

I have been jumping all around different playlists lately on Spotify. 

Currently I have been loving the Workout playlist by Spotify. 

It's perfect when I want to focus at the gym. Good beats. 

What I'm Wearing

I've been trying to wear some pieces that I know I will have to put away once the weather starts to get warmer. My favorite pieces this week were my red pants from Monday and a hot pink top that I am planning on wearing on Friday. Also I am wearing a white sweater today- Pray that I don't get ink or anything else on it! Last time I had a large ink stain right in the middle of it. HAHA

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Enjoying the sunshine, blogging, reading, crafting, relaxing. 

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month

Easter! Warmer Weather! More Sunshine! Tulip Festival! Outdoor Things! 

((Can you tell I am very excited for April?))

What Else is New

Not that much, I have truly been enjoy life in general. 

Just the sheer fact that I feel so good, make me happy.

[[ How you make others feel about themselves, says a lot about you]]

-gabrielle

Thirty Two.

In January, I turned thirty two. I celebrated it with my family and it was lovely. A few days after my birthday, I had a revelation, an 'ah-ha' moment, an epiphany-something clicked and all of the sudden everything that I had been questioning and worrying about suddenly became a lot clearer. 

I had a lot of unresolved questions swirling around in my head that I couldn't seem to find answers for and now everything seemed to make sense. I knew I needed to change some things to bring me true happiness. My thought process changed and all the brain fog I was experiencing cleared up. 

Most people turn thirty two and just accept it as another step in getting older. Thirty two for me has been transformative and its only been two months! I realized very quickly this is the first time in SIX years that I have actually felt good and not had any really big problems with my chronic illness. My symptoms seemed to be quiet and under control with my diet, medicine and exercise. My doctor had given me a good report just a week earlier and it wasn't until I turned thirty two it hit me. I am healthy (as I can be) and feeling good- mentally and physically. Once I realized that and I was grateful for that, another thought came into my, Who am I?

I had been gracefully dealing with these symptoms for so long, I had lost a sense who my true self was. I had been consumed with surviving daily and faking being healthy that I had no time to be introspective and focus on me. I had been lost, and unsure who I really was anymore. 

Ending a three year relationship back in August was one of the hardest things I had been through besides my struggles with my illness; this had me starting to question  myself - who am I? what do I like? what are my interests? over and over again. Each time I tried to think of an answer,  I really couldn't give myself an answer that I was happy with. It made me sad that I had lost so much of myself over the years.

I decided that I needed to find myself again and find what makes me, me! Back in August, I tried to start painting again and that was okay; I struggled with finding inspiration. What else used to bring me joy, I thought to myself?  Blogging. That is something I truly used to enjoy. I loved to write and I thought this was going to be a good place to start to rediscover myself. I didn't have a plan when I started to blog again, I wrote just to write. I ended up doing a midday thoughts posts and I really liked those. what ever was on my mind, I would post the short blurb during my lunch. I was really enjoying it THEN I had someone say some really mean comments to me about these free flowing posts. I wasn't in the right state of mind to let that negative comment just roll off my back so I decided to step back from blogging. It made me sad that this person affected me so much. 

During this time of rediscovery, I made the decision to get back into the dating world. I looked at it as a band aid- I had been out of the dating world for 3 years, I just needed to jump back in and start seeing what is out there. Well, it was an interesting experience. I had done online dating before yet this time, it felt trying. I have been dating for the better part of the decade and  I was tired of dating without a purpose. I knew what my purpose was but I felt like a lot of the men I met and dated did not have the same purpose or they were not on the same page as I was. It became increasingly more  frustrating as the years went on, things never seemed to work just like everyone else's relationships. I wanted to find the one for me and to start a life with someone who loved me. I felt during the fall that that dream was not going to happen anytime soon. 

I continued to date throughout the fall and early winter but once my birthday rolled around, I said STOP (imagine Brittany Spears in "Drive Me Crazy" music video) and I needed a change. I realized right after my birthday that I needed to change the way I dated. If I wanted a different result, I need to do something different. But at that moment, I realized even more, I need to fall in love with myself first before I could truly fall for anyone else. 

I knew I had to do some soul searching- Who am I? Who do I want to be? How do I want to be presented to the world? Who do I want to be with? I would think about these questions during the day, on my commute, before I went to bed and any free moment. I wanted to make sure I knew myself well before I started to learn about someone else. I needed to make myself a priority. How am I going to tell someone else about me, if I am having a hard time figuring that out for myself. 

I am proud that I have had this 'ah-ha' moment. I knew things were not working out in my favor and I felt very stuck. I needed a wake up call to help me realize what my true potential is. This revelation came at the perfect time, and it helped me see clearer when I was really missing. 

So just about two months into thirty two, I can say life after this revelation has been even better than I expected it to be. I have been so much more comfortable in my own skin, truly owning and embracing who I am.   I have been doing things that make me happy. I have been reading, crafting, exercising, staying more in touch with friends and building more intentional relationships and working on to improve my faith. 

I felt as if my faith over the years has been not as strong as I wanted it to be and I figured this is the perfect time to work on it. This has brought me more peace and contentment in my daily living. I will continue to grow and learn each day with my faith. This is not something you can just learn in one day. 

As for dating, I realized that building a foundation of trust and friendship is very important for me. I felt as if I had always jumped from strangers right into dating and then building a foundation. It never worked for me that way and more times than none, ended in heartbreak. I started to do some research about dating and how to build the right foundation for a lasting relationship and I stumbled upon a term- Courting. I was immediately drawn to this; In courting, you are friends first, slowly building the foundation for a relationship before entering into a relationship. There is a period of getting to know each other called "courting" before mutually agreeing to enter into a relationship. This is exactly what I had been looking for.  A big foundation for a relationship for me is trust- trust isn't something that should be immediately given then proven over time- it should be proven over time, slowly and then given to the other person. I am curious to see how this works out if and when I decide to start to date/court again.

I am still working on it all, as it is a ever evolving process but I think I am finally on the right track. Turning thirty two has been more of an eye-opening experience than I ever thought it would be.

Have you had an 'ah-ha' moment that lets you see everything so clearly that has been clouding your judgment and thoughts? Have you made steps to change things to improve you life form this 'ah-ha' moment?

[[the pain you have been feeling, can't compare to the joy that is coming. Romans 8:18]]

-gabrielle

Fabulous Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! Has this been a long week for you? It sure has been for me.  Nothing especially hard or trying really happened this week but I think the fluctuation of weather has put me through the ringer this week- warm, cold, windy, and rainy. Can Mother Nature make up her mind?!

This sunset from the other day gave me such hope that Spring was really on its way!

I have been struggling through my current book- What She Knew by Gilly Macmillan. I can’t seem to really dive into it.  I think i might try to jump into another one on my nightstand. Does any one else feel like they hold books hostage from the library. You have such high hopes to read them when you are at the library and then by the time you get home and its weeks later, they are scared, untouched and want to go back to the library BUT no, you have you little hands on these books and you don’t want to give them up that quickly (ITS BEEN THREE WEEKS—- the books say!)

Here are some of my favorites from the week:

Classic Dad Outfits in 2020
This is way too funny. I couldn’t stop laughing reading this. These outfits in 2020 are ridiculous looking but they are so much fun. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for my entire life!”

Why Courting is Better than Dating
This article is very interesting. Dating in 2020 is hard and I don’t think I am the only one who agrees. Courting seems to be a little more focused and more intentional about how you go about spending your time with someone you hope to have a relationship with. I have been devouring articles about this and it seems intriguing.

Pantone New Color Collection
Pantone never ceases to amaze me. They are ‘the color authority’ and somehow they keep coming up with more and more colors. I don’t know how they do it. This new collection has 315 new hues in addition to their already very large catalog of color clocking in at 2,625 different hues. Can I work at Pantone?!

Carrie Underwood’s New Fitness and Nutrition Book
I am just going to say what everyone is thinking, Carrie Underwood has amazing legs and from what I have read her leg workouts are killer! She has created this book that she wished she had years ago. I am eager to dive into and see if she shares any more secrets on how to use exercise as your medicine to feel the best you can.

Before and After: House Plants
This is absolutely amazing; what a little love, attention and care can do to a houseplant. I personally talk to my plants each day and try to check in with them all. I feel in the short few weeks since I’ve had the Orchids , they are really blossoming and the one I thought was dormant, is starting to bud! Proud Plant mom moment !

What are you reading?

I’m linking up with Andrea, Narci and Erika for Friday Favorites.

[[A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure]]

-gabrielle

Ps. Don’t forget to check out my February Reads and my Wednesday Wisdom from earlier this week!

Wednesday Wisdom

Happy Wednesday! 

I figured everyone could use some words of wisdom today These are some of my favorite words of wisdom. Life is what you make it- be happy, be grateful and be loving. 

What are you favorite words of wisdom?

[[In a world you can be anything, be kind]]

Xoxo Gabrielle

February Reads

Hello again! Here we are in March with my February reads. I completed 5 books and 1 I did not finish. These books were so good and they all, for the most part, kept my attention. I am so glad I decided to make reading a priority this year. It has brought me a lot of joy lately.

On to the books:

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book surprised me. I did not think I was going to like it and in the end, I couldn't put this down. I like how it had a part of history intertwined in the fiction story. I didn't realize there was a book before this one but I don't think you necessarily needed to read that before reading this. I loved the characters in this book and how there were elements of romance, espionage, and history. 

It's Not Supposed to be This Way by Lysa TerKeurst 1/2 ⭐DNF.

I am going to be the unpopular opinion here - I did not like this book at all. I was going through a rough time and I thought this would uplift me and help me cope. NOPE. I got through the first 75 pages and all I kept thinking, this is not supposed to be this boring. I felt that the author kept referencing her troubles then talking about a Bible verse that helped her through that part in her story and then she moved on to the next. I wanted this to be helpful and I tried. I tried thinking of her perspective but it didn't work.

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a fun book. I previously read One of Us is Lying by the same author and even it being a Young Adult book, this author sure knows how to write a mystery/ suspense novel. Some of it is a little corny but I think that is what gives it an fun and quick read appeal. I didn't want to put the book down.

Commonwealth by Ann Patchett ⭐⭐⭐1/2

I knew very little about this book before diving in. To be honest, it was hard for me, to keep the characters straight in my head. I was very confused but also very interested and hooked once I really got into the book. This book takes place over a few decades and it shows the relationships between different family members and their dynamics. 

The Seven Longest Yards by Chris Norton⭐⭐⭐⭐

I read this book in one day. I could not put this book down. It was so powerful and emotional. I felt for him, he was so determined to beat the 3% odds of walking again. He left things in God's hands and things worked out even better than he could have imagined. I loved how he not only shared the good times but also the hard, ugly, trying times as well. He was vulnerable and he let everyone in to his beautiful story. I loved truly enjoyed this book and the message it gave.

A Simple Favor by Darcey Bell ⭐⭐⭐1/2

This was a fun little suspense novel . This edition came out before the movie did and it told a good story and the twists and turns in it really kept me wanting to know more. I didn't like the ending though,  I thought it was too short- I wanted to know more. Overall a good suspense book.

What did you read last month? 
I am always looking for good book recommendations.

You can find me on Good Reads and keep up to date with what I am reading!

[[You can find magic wherever you look, sit back and relax, all you need is book- Dr. Seuss]]

-Gabrielle

ps: Can anyone help me- blogger seems to have a mind of its own with font sizing and its driving me bonkers- does this happen to anyone else? Thanks!