Men Prefer What Now?!

“Men prefer debt-free virgins without tattoos.”

When I saw that line, I could hardly believe what I had read. I read it again, just to make sure I hadn’t misread it the first time. I’ll be honest, the title had me hooked – I had to know just what this lady was talking about. And so began my journey into the post about how men prefer women without tattoos, who have no debt, and also are virgins. I read it again…and again…and again. I stumbled over each of these concepts in my mind, wondering, if that was truly what Christian men preferred – if they truly wanted a woman who never went to college, stayed home until she got married, had no debt, no tattoos, was a virgin without any past mistakes and was ready to be “taught” by either her spouse or the older women around her how she should act and think within the realms of the home and motherhood. After about 24 hours of lulling these things over in my mind, I turned to my husband of a year and asked him if it was true, if he had wished he had married a woman like that. Now, I was a virgin (and so was my husband), and I don’t have any tattoos (though I have my belly button pierced so I'm sure that would be close enough to a tattoo, right?), however, I went to a private Christian college, so clearly I will be swimming in debt for the rest of my natural born life. When we got married, I was tattoo-less and a virgin, but I was strapped into debt like an angry 2-year-old strapped into a car seat. I did not fit this stigma, and neither, did I realize, did many, if not all, of the women I knew in my church, or where I attended college.

The second the question slipped out of my mouth, my husband looked at me like I was crazy, and answered with a resounding, “NO!” No, he did not wish he had married a woman like that, because he had married the perfect woman already – me! Thus, began the conversation about the type of women men really prefer; the type of women men truly love. We discussed it on the car ride home from the grocery store – what kind of women did men truly prefer? Naughty ones? Prude ones? Conservative or liberal? Strong or meek? Easily-controlled or rather free-spirited? Tattooed or un-inked? After about a half an hour car ride home, we came up with the answer, and this one folks, is a doozy. 

Christian men, real, true, God-seeking, God-honoring men, prefer the women that God has called them to love. My husband and other men, prefer the women that God has chosen for them to love and adore, whether or not they are virgins, have tattoos, or are in debt. Christian men prefer whoever God has intended for them, regardless of if she is quiet and sweet, or sassy and spicy. Godly men will love whoever God has set apart for them, whether or not she wants to be a career woman and never have kids, or a stay at home wife and mom who homeschools her kids.

God did not call Hosea to marry Gomer because she was a virgin, debt-free and didn’t have tattoos. On the contrary, God called Hosea to marry and care for her because that is what He intended; no questions asked. Gomer, a prostitute, ran from Hosea– and after running, God could’ve just told Hosea to let her go; I mean, after all, she was a prostitute, who had been selling herself for money, and Hosea had already had to buy her the first time around. However…God said, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel” (Hosea 3:1). Go again, love my daughter, no questions asked.

Godly men want whatever woman God has chosen for them, even if she is not debt-free, is covered in tattoos, and has had sex before he came into the picture. 

My grandpa, who passed away a couple of years ago, was one of the godliest men I had ever known. He read through his Bible every year, pouring over the Word and memorizing verses. He attended church every Sunday, he played chauffer to some of the church-goers who needed rides to the airport or school or youth group. He prayed relentlessly, loved graciously, never spoke out of anger, and loved my grandma, his children and his grandchildren very well. So well, that he had married my grandma, despite the fact that she wasn’t a virgin when they met! In fact, she had even come from a previous marriage, where her ex-husband was mentally unstable and later committed suicide. He was a godly man, and he waited many years to meet the woman he was going to marry (he was in his mid to late 20s), and the woman God intended for him was my grandma. Despite her not being a virgin, my grandpa preferred my grandma over any woman who was, because she was the one God had intended for him – she was his perfect match.

Men will love and prefer whoever God has intended them to, because those are the women that God loves. Jesus was not chillin’ with the virgins and the non-tattooed and debt-free ladies (or even men for that reason). On the contrary, Jesus was loving and going to bat for women, despite them not being virgins, un-tattooed or debt free, such as the woman who had committed adultery in John chapter 8, or Mary Magdalene, or the woman who washed his feet in Luke chapter 7; Jesus loved every type of woman, just as we, man or woman, are called to love every type of woman, whether or not she fits the perfect mold or stereotype.

Let me tell you, when I read this article and started looking for the type of women that both men and God prefer, I did not find virgin, debt-free and tattoo-less women who stayed home and listened to all of their husband’s commands and never went to college. On the contrary…I found the opposite!

I found the Proverbs 31 woman – hello! She was a business woman! “She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.” (Proverbs 31:16) “She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.” (Proverbs 31:24). Nowhere in Proverbs 31 does it say that she stays at home all day and cooks and cleans for her family and husband – it says she is out and about and working her business and making money, and that men at the gates praise her husband for it! They think it’s awesome that she’s helping out the family.

Or, look at Ruth – in no way would I say she is quiet and meek. In fact, I would say she is strong and brave and fearless. Ruth was putting the moves on Boaz because she loved her family and felt that that was what God had intended to her. Even better, look at Esther. She went before a king – a king! She was prayerful and loved her people and God so much, that she was willing to go before a king and speak out of turn, despite the social construct that someone speaking to a king, let alone their husband like this, was a huge no no. Not to mention that Esther was forced to sleep with the king before she became queen and was his wife – yes, sex outside of marriage happened for Esther, and yet she was still favored and used by God.

I went to college and am in debt, but, if I wouldn’t have gone to college, I would have never met my husband. So, in some weird way, if I wouldn’t have sought an education, and wouldn’t have gone into debt, I would’ve never met and married the love of my life. Yet somehow, despite my debt, my husband preferred me over a woman who was debt-less. 

When I read the article about what men “preferred”, my heart sunk a little. I read it and felt it throughout my entire being. To me, those words may have seemed a little intense. But to women who were not virgins, had tattoos, and were swimming in debt, went to college, were single moms, wanted an education, left home at 18, and did not want to be stay at home wives and moms, this article is painful. If I sit here and read it in the shoes of a woman who is anything but perfect, I hear it: Unloved. Unwanted. Undesired. Full of faults. Unworthy. Condemned. Wrong. Whore. Slut. Ugly. Rude. Bossy. Mean. Intense. Naughty. 

And knowing this, knowing that these are the words that many women are feeling, is grieving. Because what women should be hearing, from Christian men AND women, is: Loved. Wanted. Desired. Faultless. Clean. Worthy. Precious. Perfect. Beautiful. Strong. Brave. Fearless. Lovely. Priceless. God looks at every woman, and says that He sees nothing but beauty and love. And let me tell you, that’s all I see too, because anything less, is not in my job description as a woman who loves the Lord.

If all men and God wanted was virgin women without tattoos and no debt, and all we had to do was achieve that to get husbands, then Jesus dying on the cross would’ve been a total waste. Last time I checked, dying on that cross released an otherworldly kind of grace, and that is the kind of grace God has used to show women everywhere that they are loved and priceless beyond belief.  Because every time I see a woman who is real, raw, and honest about how she is not a virgin, or has a million tattoos, or is going to be shackled to debt forever, I see nothing but grace and humanity and God’s love. 

In conclusion, no, men do not prefer women who are virgins, have no debt and do not have tattoos. Men prefer and men love, whatever woman God has intended, and that is the kind of God I want to serve.

A Sister's Love

I don't even remember what day it was - one of the most unique, startling moments of my life, and I can't remember what day it was. In fact, I don't even remember what month it was - was it October? Or was it November? The Fall months...they always seem to be the hardest, don't they? And while I can't remember what day it was, or the month, I remember everything so clearly. I remember what I was wearing - my favorite flannel pajamas, red and black and gray. I remember where I was sitting, on my couch, sinking into the cushions with my favorite blue blanket across my lap. I remember what I was watching - Supernatural, no chick flick moments. I remember where my husband was sitting, to my right, busily typing away on his computer, click click click. Our dog, Bentley, was sleeping to my left, curled up into a ball of fur and love and warmth.

And that's when I got it, the phone call.

Flash backwards...flash backwards almost seventeen years ago. Flash backwards to a 3 year old girl with long, ash-blonde hair and freckles and blue eyes, and see her on her knees, praying praying praying. Eyes squeezed shut tight and all I want, more than anything in the world, is a little brother. A little brother to be my best friend, to be my partner in crime, someone to look out over the yard with, and see absolute, pure, magic - castles and knights and he would be there, by my side with my sister, battling the dragons. Someone to play in the sprinklers with my sister and I, someone to shake our worlds up a little bit, and to bring a new type of otherworldly kindness and tenderness to our family that we didn't even know we needed. Desperate prayers - I want a brother, just give me a baby brother. And just like that, he was here - Grayson was here. June of 2000, two weeks after my 4th birthday, and he was here. 

Flash forward now, 5 years after when I had laid eyes on the answer to all of my tiny, whisper-prayers. And we are inseparable - we are carbon copies of each other; stone blue eyes and freckles and thick, ash-blonde hair, both of us gifted with a cowlick. And we are cowboys and cowgirls, wearing boots and hats and throwing our heads back, laughing wildly. When he was born, my sister wasn't so sure, but now, now she is very sure - he was exactly what we needed, exactly what our family had been missing. I have memories, memories of all five of us squished into man parents bed, watching TV and giggling together. I have memories, climbing high into cherry trees, racing down snow-covered hills and watching the Magic School Bus, all with my brother and sister. I have memories, with him, sneaking out onto the roof in the cool summer evenings, even though we knew we weren't supposed to, but the view was absolutely spectacular.

And suddenly, I am back in 2017, and I'm listening to my mother on the other line, and it seems so much darker and so much later than it really is as I hear her voice echo across time and space, a state apart and yet I feel as though she is sitting right next to me. That's when she tells me, that's when she says it - that's when she tells me his story. Gray's story. About the substance abuse, and the alcohol abuse. About Gray being gay, and about the boyfriend we didn't even know existed. And I am absolutely shocked, and in tears, and I don't even know what to say. And tears are just pouring, gushing, and my stone blue eyes feel stormy and there are so many things running through my head, like a train that just won't slow down and I'm being derailed and yet staying on the tracks all at the same time. And she's crying too, sobbing heavy, heavy tears that only a mother can cry. And David is beside me and he's holding my hand and he looks so stable - so safe, but he is silent.

Then, my sister is talking to me. She's in tears too, and I can feel the weight of her anger, frustration and sadness through my phone. And she's asking David to pray - she's asking him to pray for us, because all we feel is shock and confusion and hurt. There my husband is, so strong, so secure, holding my hand as he prays over my weeping sister and I. To love is to be vulnerable, and I have not felt more vulnerable than this in my entire life. 

And then the phone is bounced - passed along from family member to family member until I hear his voice. Gray's voice. My brother's voice. He is quiet; timid; the boy who absolutely loves to talk as much as he possibly can, is completely silent as I ask why? Why not tell us? Why now? Why not sooner? Why didn't you tell me? My hurt is heavy - because the fact that he's gay, is not what hurts; what hurts, is the fact that he didn't tell me, and I thought we told each other everything. And soon, he is gone, and we hang up, and I sit crying, clinging to my husband like he's the only thing that will keep me from being swept away. And I'm asking God, what was going to happen to us now, now that my brother's sexuality and alcohol and substance abuse problems are out in the open. I want to know, why the Lord had decided to shake up our world with such news, and I wondered, what was going to happen next.

The year is 2018, and it's May. I talked to Gray yesterday...he's doing great. He's graduating high school in June, on my birthday. I talked to Ryan too; Ryan is Gray's boyfriend, and he spends most of his time at my parents' house, with my brother. Ryan is our newest family member - everything my mom, dad, sister, brother, grandma, husband and I do, we do with Ryan in tow; in fact, home no longer is home, without Ryan. We FaceTimed recently, and talked about Skyrim and discussed sandwich creations and their future plans, and how great it will be when David and I move closer to them in June. We laugh together, snicker together, plan and dream together. And suddenly, we are 5 and 9, and nothing has changed.

There are lots of things I have learned over the course of this journey so far - there are lots of things I have learned after finding out my brother is gay. The first thing, is that Ryan has added a lot of good things to our family dynamic. It feels almost weird without Ryan around, because now everyone is used to him being at home when they get off work. My mom took his picture on his first day of his junior year, and on his first day of work, and he spent Thanksgiving at mine and David's house with the rest of my family. Ryan has been easy to love, he has been kind and for that, I am personally forever grateful.

The other thing I learned, is that nothing has changed. The way I love my brother, is absolutely the same. I know, I know...there are crazy stories of Christians condemning the gay community, and kicking them out of their houses. But ya know, I like to think my family breaks that stereotype. And maybe we just got lucky, but for us...nothing has changed. Gray is our brother, our son, our grandson and our brother-in-law, and that is the beginning and end of everything. In fact, I didn't think it was possible, but I would even venture to say we love Gray now, more than we did before we knew he was gay, and believe me, we loved him an awful lot. 

The final thing I learned, is about love. C.S. Lewis writes, "To love at all, is to be vulnerable." He couldn't have been more right; loving over these last few months has made me feel very, very vulnerable. I have felt raw and exposed. But at the same time, I have never felt more love towards my brother than I have over these last few months. I understand now, a deeper aspect of a sister's love that I never even knew existed. And it is flawless.

My Name is Teacher

My name is Teacher.

I'm referred to as Mrs. Pratt, 

and my first name is Honor, 

but those aren't the names I get called eight hours of the day. 

My name is Teacher.

 At least, that's what they call me. 

That's what those children call me...Teacher. 

Little ones who ask, "Teacher?"

Because that math problem just doesn't make sense.

Sweet little faces who excitedly shout, "Teacher, Teacher!"

Because finally they get it; 

because finally they know how to spell a word,

or finally they got a perfect score on a paper,

or finally they can read the page of a new book.

Tiny humans who cry, "Teacher...Teacher..."

Because they are being evicted and have nowhere to go.

Pixies who whisper, "Teacher."

Because they need a hug;

Because they have to leave mom or dad since home is no longer safe.

Because they are going back to foster care,

Again

and again

and again.

Students who furrow their brows and say my name..."Teacher."

Tiny hands grabbing at me, "Teacher, Teacher!"

Because they need someone to lean on.

Ripped sweaters, and holey shoes and jeans two sizes too big, staring at me and saying, 

"Teacher. Teacher."

The smell of old cigarettes and tired eyes that breathe, "Teacher, Teacher."

Because Teacher, is secure and stable.

Dirty skin, stained t-shirts and greasy hair, yelling, "Teacher, Teacher!"

Teacher, love me.

Teacher, see me.

Teacher, value me.

Teacher, fight for me.

Teacher, see me as something greater than how I see myself.

Tear stained faces and red-rimmed eyes screaming, "TEACHER! TEACHER!"

Because they have seen too much;

Because my worst nightmare is their reality;

Because all of these emotions are heavy, heavy, heavy.

Mouths with missing teeth, and eyes full of love, smiling up at me, "Teacher."

My name is Teacher.

My name is Teacher because teacher means so much more than just teacher.

My name is Teacher, 

Because Teacher is who they need.

My name is Teacher, 

Because language barriers and painful backgrounds

don't apply here.

My name is still Teacher.

My name is still Teacher,

When I want to cry at night because I can't save them.

My name is still Teacher,

When they use words to hurt me.

My name is still Teacher,

When my heart is breaking because the time I have with them is up.

My name is still Teacher,

When I have tried to teach them a concept a dozen times,

and they still don't understand it.

My name is still Teacher,

day in and day out.

My name is still Teacher, 

When I leave exhausted after a day full of tantrums and tears.

It's 8:30 in the morning.

"Teacher? " They ask as soon as they see me.

And just like every morning, 

I reply, 

"Yes?"

// Ultimate List of Diffuser Blends ••

When my husband and I got married, we had a couple of friends that were sweet enough to gift us some doTERRA petal diffusers. I had always wanted to get into essential oils but had been struggling with where to start - which oils to buy, what diffuser to get, what blends I wanted, and which essential oils would benefit me personally. I was feeling so overwhelmed with all these options, but when we were gifted some essential oils and diffusers, it was like I finally had my starting point without having to make a bunch of decisions. I had heard of both doTERRA and Young Living essential oils but I decided to go with doTERRA because that was what all of my friends and family used, and the brand that I just personally felt was best for my family. Naturally, when I first got my oils and my diffusers, I was absolutely obsessed. I had about six or seven oils when I first started using doTERRA, and so I was able to create a couple of different blends with those oils to get me started. However, shortly after, my husband and I were able to purchase a bunch more oils and really start our doTERRA journey. My personal favorite way to use essential oils is in my diffuser, because I love the way they make my house smell and my husband and I love the way they make us feel when they're wafting through the air.

When I got more and more of my oils, I started a Pinterest diffuser blend binge search. I took Pinterest by storm and started pinning all sorts of different blends that I thought my husband and I would like. So, I thought I would share with you my favorite, ultimate list of diffuser blends that my husband David and I adore - only a couple of these are blends that I personally made up, but the rest are Pinterest finds. These blends smell amazing, make you feel great, and just make your day run smoothly and effortlessly.

Rise and Shine
- 3 drops of Wild Orange
- 2 drops of Peppermint
                 OR
- 3 drops of Lemon
- 2 drops of Peppermint

Citrus Candy
- 3 drops of Grapefruit
- 2 drops of Wild Orange
- 1 drop of Lemon

Immune Booster
- 3 drops of Citrus Bliss 
- 2 drops of OnGuard
             OR
- 3 drops of Wild Orange
- 2 drops of OnGuard

Chai Blend
- 1 drop of Cardamom
- 1 drop of Cinnamon Bark
- 1 drop of Ginger
- 1 drop of Wild Orange

Rainy Morning
- 5 drops of Grapefruit
- 5 drops of Lemon
- 2 drops of Peppermint

Apple Pie
- 2 drops of Cinnamon Bark
- 2 drops of Clove
- 2 drops of Ginger

Christmas Magic (even though the holidays are over, this blend still reigns in our house)
- 4 drops of Holiday Joy
- 2 drops of Wild Orange

Relax and Refresh
- 3 drops of Lemon
- 2 drops of Lavender
- 1 drop of Rosemary

Happy Dreams
- 3 drops of Lavender
- 4 drops of Lemon
- 2 drops of Peppermint

Awaken Blend (this is one of our favorite blends!)

- 2 drops of Juniper Berry
- 4 drops of Wild Orange
- 4 drops of Grapefruit 

Fresh Laundry
- 4 drops of Purify
- 2 drops of Lemon

Lemon Drop
- 4 drops of Lemon
- 2 drops of Citrus Bliss

Sweet Summer
- 3 drops of Grapefruit
- 3 drops of Wild Orange
- 3 drops of Lavender

Mojito
- 2 drops of Lime
- 2 drops of Wild Orange
- 2 drops of Grapefruit
- 2 drops of Spearmint

Calming Breeze
- 3 drops of Balance
- 2 drops of Juniper Berry
- 3 drops of Wild Orange

Mint Creamsicle 
- 4 drops of Citrus Bliss
- 3 drops of Spearmint

Sleep In
- 3 drops of Vetiver
- 3 drops doTERRA Serenity

Fresh Air
- 2 drops of Melaleuca
- 2 drops of Lemon
- 2 drops of Lime

Awake and Refresh
- 1 drop of Breathe
- 2 drops of Bergamot
- 2 drops of Wild Orange

Walk in the Woods
- 3 drops of Frankincense
- 2 drops of Fir
- 1 drop of Cedarwood

Breathe Easy
- 2 drops of Lemongrass
- 2 drops of Lavender
- 2 drops of Eucalyptus

These are just a few of my favorite essential oil blends and they help David and I in so many ways. The Rise and Shine blend help gets us up and around in the mornings, the Fresh Laundry blend always makes our house smell so clean, and the Happy Dreams blend helps us sleep calmly through the night. There are some oils that are amazing by themselves, such as Citrus Bliss (which is my husband's absolute favorite oil EVER) or Breathe (which was the only thing that kept us going this last summer with all of the smoke from the fires in California). Frankincense is also a really great oil, especially if you suffer from any sort of chronic pain or illness like I do. I hope you enjoy these blends as much as we do!

If you have any questions about essential oils or their uses, please feel to comment or message me and I'll try to answer them. Oils are so much fun and they honestly have helped my husband and I so much - in fact, Peppermint is the only thing that can help him when he feels nauseous or has a stomach bug! Try out some of these diffuser blends and tell me which ones you liked best and which ones helped your mood throughout the day.

DIY Chick-fil-A Iced Coffee

"First I drink the coffee, then I do the things."

I absolutely love that quote, don't you? Coffee is what gets me going in the morning and helps me move my morning routine along. As soon as I get up, you better bet I'm trying to find a mug or a cup to make myself some coffee. To be quite honest, I don't discriminate against any form of coffee either - iced, blended or hot, I love them all just the same. What I love even more than home brewed coffee however, is coffee from my favorite coffee shop or fast food restaurant. My husband and I frequent Dutch Bros. way too often than we'd like to admit, and that's where I tend to consume most of my coffee. However, one of my all time favorite coffees comes from a fast food restaurant - Chick-fil-A! In our house, we are always game for some good 'ole Chick-fil-A. We love their chicken biscuit sandwiches, and their spicy chicken deluxes, but let me tell you, one of my favorite things that Chick-fil-A makes, is some seriously tasty iced coffee. Their vanilla iced coffee is my favorite fast food coffee, and it even comes close to Dutch Bros. coffee for me; it's scary how delicious their coffee is. Chick-fil-A cold brew coffee is my ultimate guilty pleasure.

Sadly enough though, my husband and I live an hour away from the closest Chick-fil-A, so we don't go very often. Plus, it's unlikely I could talk my husband into a trip to Chick-fil-A just for an iced coffee. So, in an attempt to save money and time and gas, I decided to make my own Chick-fil-A iced coffee! It tastes delicious and is super easy to make. Here's what you'll need:

- Instant coffee
- Heavy whipping cream or half & half
- A large cup (because we all like our coffee large and in charge)
- Ice
- Vanilla simple syrup
- A straw
- A spoon

I adore a vanilla kick in my iced coffee, so I make my own vanilla syrup to add sweetness and a little extra flavor. However, if you wanted to simply use sugar-free vanilla syrup or vanilla syrup from the store that would work just as well. Before we get started on the coffee, here is my recipe for vanilla simple syrup:

1. Mix 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
2. Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla.
3. Once cooled, you can pour the simple syrup into a mason jar and stick it in the fridge - it will last for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Now that you have my recipe for the vanilla simple syrup, let's get to the good stuff...the iced coffee recipe!

1. Heat 4 oz of water and stir in 1 tbsp of instant coffee. I like to make my coffee really strong for this recipe only because you will lose some of the coffee taste once you pour it over the ice and the ice begins to melt.
2. Pour your coffee over a cup full of ice and stir together.
3. Pour in as much half & half or heavy whipping cream as you like - I like my coffee pretty light so I pour in a generous amount.
4. Pour in as much of the vanilla simple syrup as you like - however much you put in will determine the sweetness, so be careful not to get carried away and pour too much in and end up with a wickedly sweet drink.
5. Stir and enjoy!

There you have it - that's my DIY Chick-fil-A iced vanilla coffee. It's the perfect drink to start your morning off right and keep you going throughout the day.

•• DIY Sugar Scrub ••

Welcome back, friends! Today, I decided to post about one of my favorite products - sugar scrub! I absolutely love sugar scrub, mostly because it makes my skin feel crazy soft, and it's an entirely natural product. However, buying sugar scrub from the store really breaks my wallet. Buying sugar scrub from Lush costs $10.95, and that's only for 0.8oz! So naturally, I decided to make my own sugar scrub that was both cheap and used some of my favorite products - Doterra's Essential Oils. Here is my recipe for the easiest, cheapest, best sugar scrub:

What You Will Need:
- Coconut oil
- Sugar
- Doterra Essential Oil (whatever scent you want - I used Wild Orange because that's my husband's favorite scent)
- A jar or container that can hold up to 1 cup of product

Instructions:
1. Microwave 2 tablespoons of coconut oil - about 30 seconds should do it. You will want the oil to be completely melted.

2. Pour 1/2 a cup of sugar into the coconut oil and stir until well combined. It should look something like this:

3. Finally, add between 4-8 drops of Essential Oils to your mixture - feel free to choose whatever scent you want! I chose Wild Orange because it's my husband's favorite and it's a refreshing, summery scent.

4. After you have mixed together your sugar scrub, you will need to put it in a jar or container. I had an adorable candle from Target that I had burned down to the bottom so I just used that to hold my sugar scrub. Here's what it looked like:

5. Put the lid on and you are ready to use your brand new, homemade sugar scrub! I made a label out of scrapbook paper I had at home, which is the picture you can see at the top of this post.






There you have it! This is my recipe for easy, homemade sugar scrub...give it a try and let me know what you think of it and what scents you decided to use. Good luck!

The Truth About Adventure Time

Adventure Time is a brilliantly fantastic "children's" show (I say "children's" only because I'm 21 and I know a plethora of other adults that watch this show). Adventure Time is set in the Land of Ooo, which is a post-apocalyptic future that exists about one thousand years after a horrible nuclear war that the characters call the "Great Mushroom War". The farther you get into the show, the more of a story line you will gain - keep an eye out for Marceline and and the Ice King...they'll give you a lot of backstory. While some may consider this a children's show, I'm here to tell you that I believe that Adventure Time is one of the deepest, most emotional adult shows that deals with a multitude of  problems that people face every day. This, is the truth about Adventure Time.

Dating
Adventure Time, firstly, deals with the difficulty of dating. Finn the human (the main character of the show), deals with intense feelings regarding the women he loves. Since the first episode, it is apparent that Finn has a huge crush on Princess Bubblegum, who is a few years older than him and does not return his affections. He eventually comes to date Flame Princess, a young girl his own age who is made out of fire. During these romantic relationships, a few of the characters have to wrestle with the emotional risks of dating...the same risks we face every day.

 

Insecurity

Every single person suffers with some form of insecurity, and Adventure Time deals with this too. The particular character that wrestles with insecurity the most, is the Ice King. The Ice King feels the need to steal princesses because he is insecure about himself as a person; he's so insecure with who he is that a princess would naturally love him. In the same way, sometimes we feel the need to act a certain way, or dress like someone we're not, because we don't feel like we will be wanted or liked.

 

 


Heartbreak
Finn has carried a torch for Princess Bubblegum ever since he met her, and he continues to love her throughout a good chunk of the show. In one of the episodes, Finn finally confronts Princess Bubblegum about how she's been leading him on, and how hard this has been for him. I think it's safe to say that many of us have been led on and suffered a bad heartbreak because of it.

 

Overthinking
My husband suffers from chronic overthinking. It's one of his best and worst qualities. Adventure Time even deals with the difficulty of overthinking and the fear of the future. Jake the dog has an excellent quote about overthinking, and how focusing on problems that aren't real, are detrimental to one's well-being.

 

   

Finding the Light

In Adventure Time BMO talks about how life can be scary and dark, but that's why we need to concentrate on the light and the positives. I love this quote of BMO's...because I think often times, we get caught up in how scary life can be, and all of the problems we have instead of finding the light.

 

The Ability to be Alone

There's this one scene in Adventure Time where Banana Man comes to the realization that he's alone, but he's good at it. I think we all (in our season of not dating and singleness) have experienced this. We get good at being alone, and even though we may not always like it, we come to terms with it, and then we move on.

Confidence

Every once and a while, Adventure Time does genderbent episodes called Fiona and Cake - Fiona the human girl and Cake the cat. I love these episodes...I mean, girl power! But mostly, I love the confidence and self-assuredness that Fiona has. Just like Finn, Fiona has a huge crush on Prince Bubblegum (the male version of Princess Bubblegum), and she spends a lot of time trying to get his attention. But she comes to this realization that she doesn't need to wait to be noticed by him - she's her own person, and she loves herself. I think everyone could use this amount of confidence. Maybe it's time we listen to Fiona. 

Overall, Adventure Time is an epic show - children's cartoon or not. I hope you take the time to watch this cartoon, and if you already have watched it, I hope this article makes you love the show even more than you already do.

 

Tater Tot Casserole with a Kick

 

Hi friends! It's been a little while since I last posted, and a lot has recently been happening in my life! I recently got married (three weeks ago) and have been enjoying married life. We spent a week in Florida for our honeymoon where we took Harry Potter World and Universal Studios by storm (I plan on writing about some hacks for Universal Studios later) and had an absolute blast. But, that's not why I'm writing this post! I'm writing this post because I wanted to share a recipe I put together. My husband has been busy working two jobs (I know...isn't he such a hard worker?!), and I've had the privilege of getting to stay home and keep up house and hang out with our dog Bentley. So, naturally, I've been making him homemade dinners and lunches and breakfasts, and today, I wanted to share with you my new favorite recipe - and my husband's too - tater tot casserole with a kick! 

I want to start out by saying that I did steal the general tater tot casserole from the Duggar Family, but since both my husband and I are addicted to anything spicy, I thought I would add some new stuff to the recipe and make it more of my own. To quote Rosanna Pansino...let's get started!

You will need:

- 2 lbs of ground beef

- 3-2 lb bag of frozen tater tots

- 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup

- 2 cans of cream of chicken soup 

- 2 cans of evaporated milk

- 1 jar of tamed jalapenos 

- 1 packet of taco seasoning

- Salt and pepper to taste

- A small bag of Fritos

- An 11 cup casserole dish 

- Grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 360 degrees

2. Brown meat in a pan; once browned, add taco seasoning, salt and pepper and stir

3. Pour meat into the bottom of the casserole dish

4. Cover the meat with the tots - feel free to go ham on the amount of tots you put in

5. In a large bowl, mix together the soups and milk

6. Pour the soups and milk over the tots and spread around to make sure all of the tots are covered

7. Sprinkle jalapenos over the top - feel free to add as many or as little jalapenos as you want; my husband and I LOVE spicy food so I added the entire jar

8. Bake in the oven at 360 degrees for one hour

9. Once the casserole is finished baking, take it out of the oven and sprinkle on as many Fritos as you want

10. Next, sprinkle on as much cheese as you like - feel free to grate the whole block and put it on there if you want!

11. Place back in the oven for 5 minutes, just to let the cheese melt

12. Let cool and enjoy!

This dish is super easy and delicious, and it takes hardly any effort to make...and even less effort to enjoy...trust me, my husband and I ate every last bit of that casserole over the last few days. Let me know what your experience is after you've made this dish and what you think about it. I know my brother suggested putting spicy Cheetos on top instead of Fritos, so maybe I'll have to try that next time.

A Letter To The Love of My Life

Dear Bentley,

Words cannot even express the love I have for you. Somehow, despite the fact that we are different species, and we can't talk, I somehow feel like you understand the deepest parts of my soul. I remember the day we first met - you were really little, and awkward. And so was I. I sat down on the floor and among your brothers, you were put on the floor also. You darted right up to me and threw yourself in my lap and I just knew. It was love at first sight. Waiting a few weeks to bring you home felt like an eternity, and yet, finally. the day arrived and we were officially united - best friends till the very end.

I was anxious and nervous; suddenly I didn't have just myself to take care of anymore - I had you too. You cried the first few nights; I wanted to cry too. I would sleep next to your kennel on the floor, and I would poke my hand in through the bars to try and calm you down. And then I gave you Bullseye, the stuffed animal horse from Toy Story, and you would snuggle up against him at night and sleep like a baby.

I used to be able to pick you up and hold you like a baby, when you were really tiny and small and awkward. When your head was too big for your body and your feet were too large for your legs. You slept a lot too; I don't blame you, being adorable is a lot of work. And with each passing day, somehow I fell in love with you more than I had ever imagined I could. I never knew a person could love something as much as I love you.

And then you started to get big. I all but blinked and suddenly you were the size of a horse! Your fur got longer; your body changed so that your paws were no longer too big for your legs. Your chest got wide and massive, and I couldn't pick you up anymore. Although that didn't stop you from climbing into my lap and snuggling and pretending you were still small.

We have had lots of adventures together; we've taken hikes together, cried together, hurt together, howled together, snuggled together, gone on walks together, held hands and ridden in cars. We've played fetch and chase, and somehow, even though we have done it probably a hundred times, it never gets old. And pretty soon we ditched your kennel and you ended up sleeping in my bed - every night. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Things were perfect and wonderful for us, and then I got sick. And I was tired. And I cried a whole lot; more than I've ever cried in my entire life. Despite all of my tears and sadness, you stuck around. Every time you saw me crying, you were quick to run to me and try to love on me. You would nuzzle under my arm and my neck and remind me that you were there and things were going to be okay. I had spent the last two years taking care of you, but now you were starting to take care of me. You never left my side, not once. You would lie beside me on the couch or up in my bed, or you would sit on the floor near me, making sure that I was never alone or afraid. You would wiggle your nose into my palm, and even though it was kind of gross, your wet nose was comforting. It takes a lot of love, commitment and sacrifice to sit with a girl that is all tears and exhaustion.

Friendship comes from unlikely places, and if you would've asked me five years ago that I would be raising you, I would've said the chances weren't likely. Friendship can exceed the bonds of people; friendship can be found in four-legged, furry friends. You became my best friend in July of 2013, but it feels like we've known each other our entire lives.

I often joke about how you are my "spirit guide", like how Aang has Appa or how Aragorn has Brego or how Harry Potter has Hedwig. You're the yin to my yang and the color to my black and white and the peanut butter to my jelly (I know how much you love that). And I couldn't imagine a world where you weren't in it, because you mean so very much to me. When I'm away at college I find myself crying more about missing you than missing anything else (sorry, family). You have been my greatest investment, my closest friend, my confident and my adventure buddy.

Let's keep having adventures together.

Love always,

             - H

10 Reasons Why I Hate College (and Why You Probably Hate It Too)

Before I get into all of the gory details and rant about why I hate college, I do want to say that I also love college. I love that I'm getting a good education, that I'm making new friends, and that I'm entering into the next stage of adult hood. I love being on my own and being in charge of my future and the life I want to have. But, while I do think college is wonderful and dandy and you do make life long friends there (shout out to all my Aagard girls!), there are some things that just really bug me about college. So, here are my ten reasons why I literally hate college, and why you probably hate it too.

1. Dining Hall Food
Yes, yes, we are all thankful for a school that provides us with food. We are grateful for the people that work for our dining hall and help feed us and take care of us. But, also...dining hall food can literally doom you to the toilet for a solid hour if you aren't careful. Also, did you know it's like, $10 a meal?! Yeah, I just found that out... I could literally buy Chipotle for $10 and it could be used as two meals. Finally, if you can't have gluten and dairy like me, then you are confined to a life of dry chicken and questionable rice... *shudders*

2. Having to talk to ten people, just to get one answer that literally any of them could've given
This is one of the things that is quite possibly the bane of my existence. Have you ever had to go to student life or the registration office or the financial aid office or your counselor's office, just to ask one quick question, and next thing you know, you are taking an adventure around the school to talk to like, fifty different people, only to get one answer that literally any of them could've given you? Yeah, me too. We have all been in this situation, where we waste probably an hour or two of our time, for the most simplest and basic of activities, that could've been answered by any one of the fifty thousand people we talked to, but didn't get the answer from any of them because that's not their "job description".

3. The rule where freshman and sophomores are required to live on campus
I have spent the last two years living in a dorm, and to be honest, I love living in a dorm. What I don't love, however, is the fact that I pay $10,000 for seven months to live in a dorm, whereas I could pay $3,000 a year to live in a nice apartment. Colleges everywhere - can you please let us live off campus whenever we want? Some of us don't have $10,000 lying around and don't want to be shackled to debt for the rest of our lives.

4. Mandatory hall meetings
I am all about having a healthy community with your main peeps in your dormitory hall. What I am not all about, is having mandatory hall meetings where if I don't show up, I get charged $50. Do these things really have to be so...mandatory? Also, what's with these mandatory hall meetings being on Monday nights? MONDAY NIGHTS?! Is there really any worse day to have a bunch of people gather? Probably not.

5. The fact that we don't have a fixed tuition rate
Okay people...seriously...why don't we have a fixed tuition rate?! I don't know about the rest of y'all, but at my school, the tuition keeps going up. And up. AND UP! Meaning that I am now forking over more and more of my life to college debt. I now pay $41,000 a year for school. That is literally the most insane number! Can we please just get a fixed tuition rate so that I can actually, I dunno, get married and have a family and a happy life without going into bankruptcy and debt due to college tuition prices? So many kids have to drop out of college or switch schools or never attend school because of the insane tuition prices. If you want us to come to your college, make us believe that you actually want us there, by not constantly raising the prices. Do you really want to curse the next generation of America to forty plus years of debt? I didn't think so. But every time I see the tuition prices go up, I will admit...there are tears on the inside. Ugly, Kim Kardashian tears.

6. Parking...need I say more?
What is it with schools charging us an arm and a leg for tuition, but then having no parking? If I am signing my life away to get an education, I would at least like for my school to invest into more parking at my dorm so I don't have to walk on the creepy back path from overflow, especially because there are two prisons on either side of my school. Please get more parking so I don't die.

7. The fact that I can only take apples or ice cream out of the dining hall
Okay this is like a serious issue for me. I am a huge foodie - I literally could eat all freaking day! And sometimes I eat at weird times because my schedule is so funky. But when I go to the dining hall to grab a quick something (this is where my rant begins) and just take it down to my dorm, I am reminded THAT I CANNOT BRING CERTAIN FOODS DOWN! Yes, my dining hall won't let you take anything out of the dining hall unless it's a piece of fruit or a small dessert. That means that if I am walking out of the dining hall with, say, a bagel, and I am physically eating it as I am trying to leave, the folks that work at the dining hall, tell me that I either have to wolf down my bagel right then and there, or I have to throw it away. If I am paying $10 a meal, I would at least like to take food out of the dining hall and eat in the gorgeous sunshine or in the comfort of my dorm room.

8. Registration
I have been going to college since I was sixteen, and I would like to say that over the last four years, I have yet to have pleasant registration experience. Every time I have ever tried to register for a class, there has always been some sort of thing that prevents me from registering when I actually need to do it. Is there a way we can fix this? Please? Because I actually want to take classes and graduate. Also, can we please have tech support when registering? At my school, we register at seven in the morning, but the registration office and tech support office doesn't open till 9. WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS?! To all of you awesome colleges out there, please be alive, awake and enthusiastic so we can register with your help and continue on the path of graduation.

9. The fact that we don't have elevators
My school is literally built on a hill. My dorm room is the second dorm farthest away from the classrooms and the gym. This means that when I have a class up at the top of the hill, I am huffing and puffing and a sweaty mess. It takes about ten minutes to walk all the way up the hill and the stairs on a good day. So can we please get elevators? Or escalators? Heck, why don't we get a gondola?! Since our gym is at the very top of the school grounds, it means that before I even start my pilates class I am already gasping for air and needing to take a break at the top of the stairs. It ain't pretty, I can assure you... The gif below is an accurate representation about how I probably look trying to hike the hills and stairs.

10. This whole "we're required to meet during finals week" madness
Part of me understands this, but for the most part, I don't understand it. Why do we have to meet during finals week?! If I am done with all my classes during dead week and don't have any final, official tests, then that should mean that I can be done with school and start to move out so I can go home. If I can be done, then I want to be done. Also, what is the point for showing up to a class where all of the activities are done and there isn't any things left to learn? Just do it. Just let us be done!

Now that I'm all spun up from my endless ranting and stressed out by the fact that I only have, like, two or three weeks left of school, I do want to address some things. The first thing, is that I freaking love college. I love my friends, I love (most) of my profs, I love the fact that I'm getting a great education, I love the fact that I'm one step closer to adulthood and an official job. I love the fact that I'm still in the PNW and get to have these adventures. I love my dorm and the community I'm a part of. The rants above are nit-picky things, and obviously those negatives can ever out weigh the positives of college and all the greatness that it brings. So if you can go to college, go! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it's absolutely brilliant. And if you're reading this and you work for a college, or you're a prof or an advisor or something, then please take some of these into account so that we as students feel wanted as people, not just for the sake of our money.

I love college, and it breaks my heart to think about how it's going to end soon But I guess that's why it's so important to enjoy it right now, right?

9 Reasons Why Rey is The Best Female Heroine

 I was born and raised in a Star Wars loving home. My dad is one of the biggest Star Wars nerds (like he has all of the six inch figures and three or four different BB-8s and gigantic ships and lightsabers; he even has a Obi-Wan costume), and because of that wonderful fact, I became a big Star Wars nerd as well. Growing up I had tons of Star Wars action figures, C3PO and R2-D2 slippers, my favorite Ewok in action figure form, and multiple lightsabers. My siblings and I grew up playing more often with Star Wars action figures, than we did with Barbies or matchbox cars. Because of this, we all had lots of joy in our hearts when Episode VII came out in theaters - so much joy that we saw it multiple times. And honestly, I can't wait for it to come out on DVD so I can watch it all over again. But as we were watching Star Wars, I couldn't help but fall deeply in love with the main character, Rey. I mean, I loved all the characters too, but there was something about Rey that really spoke to me - I could empathize with her and understand her. I saw myself in her character, and that was rather brilliant. So here are my ten reasons why Rey is quite possibly the best heroine.


1. She's one tough cookie
 One of my favorite scenes in Episode VII is when Kylo Ren is trying to read Rey's mind but then all of a sudden she feels the Force and is able to read his mind instead. When she is in one of the worst possible situations and all hope seems lost, Rey still keeps fighting. She doesn't just give up or break down crying. She keeps pushing; keeps fighting.

2. She still cries
One of the things that frustrates me most about female heroes, is that often times the authors or directors make them so strong and so harsh, that they don't cry and they don't show any of their feelings. Rey was such an endearing character for me because she still cried when she was sad. She wasn't hard or intense; she still had a gentle spirit.

3. She's compassionate
This kind of ties in with my second point, but like before, often times authors or directors make their female heroes so hard and emotionless, that they aren't compassionate. Often times they are too selfish. Or they are so cold that they could care less about the people or creatures around them. But within the first half of the movie, we see Rey's compassion. We see how much she cares for Finn and how she tries to help him, and how she adores Chewie and Han. But mostly, I love the scene where she saves BB-8 and then lets him stay with her and decides not to sell him for more money. She's compassionate towards him, even though he's just a droid.

4. Her costume isn't sexy
I am getting a bit exhausted seeing all these female heroines that have to be in sexy costumes. They're dressed with all of their leg exposed, boobs busting out from the top, or midriffs exposed as if to say hello to the world. Those types of get-ups wouldn't keep you protected from a sunburn, let alone from an evil villain! And yes, seeing a girl kick butt in a dress is pretty cool, but how often do you as females wear dresses? Probably not very often, because your normal attire is most likely leggings or jeans. I appreciate Rey because she dresses relatively normal; no sexy getup and no constricting dress. Her attire is plain; normal; reasonable.

5. She's totally independent
Most often times with female heroes in books or movies, we find that as soon as we meet them, we meet their sidekick. This isn't the case with Rey. She has lived the majority of her life alone, fighting for herself and being totally independent. She doesn't have a guy best friend like Katniss, or a funny comedian friend like Mushu (although I love all of those characters), nor does she have a dashing prince who is confident and sure of himself. She is on her own, and she keeps herself alive using her independence.

6. She's confident
I'm sure Rey has some insecurities, just like we all do, but for the most part, she's very confident. She's confident when mentally battling Kylo Ren - she didn't know she could use the Force, but she had confidence in herself and her abilities. She's confident when flying the Millennium Falcon; she didn't know how to pilot that ship! And yet, she figured it out and was confident about it. Finally, she was confident when using the lightsaber. She had never used a lightsaber before, but she was quick to snatch it off the ground and start fighting Kylo Ren with it.

7. She keeps fighting
 Rey continues to keep fighting, even after she's been captured by Kylo Ren and even after she has seen her own hero (Han Solo) die and thinks Finn might be dying as well. She never stops fighting, and that's what I appreciate about her. Even when things are tough and looking dim, she continues to press on and keep fighting. She doesn't give up, and she doesn't just completely break down.

8. She never stops believing in the power to do and be good
Often times with female heroines, they change their moral standing. They stop seeing good and evil as black and white, and aren't afraid to blur the lines in order to save themselves and their friends. Something I found particularly interesting with Rey, is that she doesn't do this. She sees good and she does it. Not only that, but the good she is seeking and the way she acts, makes Kylo Ren start to question his own dark side.

9. She cares deeply
I get so exhausted seeing all these female characters that don't care for their fellow friends or family. I see so much friendzoning happening, that I can't truly appreciate the bond between the characters. But, not with Rey. When I watched Episode VII, I loved seeing the friendship between Rey and Finn, but also between Rey and BB-8. She cared deeply for a Storm Trooper (even though he lied to her), Han Solo and Chewie (who she barely knew), and a droid. How cool is that? She doesn't discriminate against them; she cares deeply for all of them.