Valentine's Day is Overrated

Edit: This post was probably not worded as well as it could have been.  I intended it to sound like "We should love people all year, not just Valentine's Day."  Instead I feel like it came across more as "I hate Valentine's Day, such a dumb idea!"  Please know this was not what I meant!

I wrote a post here a while back about Thanksgiving.  This week, I've been having similar thoughts towards a very different holiday, so I figured I'd do a new one.

Most likely you think I'm going to shoot down the roses-and-chocolate Hallmark day because I'm a cynical single (very commonplace idea).  That's quite the wrong idea.  I love chocolate (very, very much) and any excuse to eat it.  Also, flowers are awesome.  I think we should have an entire separate holiday for giving anyone and everyone flowers.  The Hallmark card part... well, I'm really neither for nor against it.  You can decide for yourself to buy/make/give them or not.  I like cards, and I love giving them, but they don't hold a candle to the chocolate. ;)

Hmm, I think I forgot to mention another point... I am neither cynical nor single.  Generally I try to be a cheerful, positive, give-the-benefit-of-the-doubt person.  Also, I just went on a date to Red Lobster with the brown-eyed boy last week.  Definitely no cynical single here.

So why wouldn't I love Valentine's Day?  I mean, any person who's known me for a few weeks would probably guess it to be my favorite holiday.  A month ago I would've nodded and replied, "Actually, Christmas is, but it's a really nice one too."  Why the change of heart?  (No pun intended, honest.)



It started with a comment someone made in church - "February is the month of love."  I know what he meant.  Everyone does.  It's been said a million times before.  But it didn't sit right with me.  Why is February the month of love?  Why not June?  Or September?  Really, why is there a month of love to begin with?  Seems rather stupid to me.  We're supposed to love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, strength, and might.  We're supposed to love our neighbors like ourselves.  When a person falls in love, they pour themselves into making the other person happy and they learn to sacrifice for him or her.  Everybody knows these kinds of love require our whole heart, our full attention, our continued effort.  So blocking off 1/12 of the year to love people was a really dumb idea.

Before you start shaking your head and murmuring about how wrong I am, think about it.  Girls, when you get flowers, cards, or presents on Valentine's Day, how do you feel?  Loved, appreciated, cared for.  But when you get the exact same gifts on a non-holiday?  All of the above - times three, because someone took the effort and thought of you when they had no reason or reminder outside of their own desire to make you feel special.  I mean, seriously, what beats that?  I'd rather have a guy - or anyone else, for that matter - spend time and money on me just because and put a smile in the middle of my ordinary day, rather than get Valentine's Day presents because it's expected, it's the norm, and if you don't the other person will be upset that you 'forgot a special day.'

P.S. By this logic all holidays are kinda dumb.  I'll admit that I believe that to some extent.  Most holidays have been turned into something they were never intended to be.  However, if you forget my birthday or Christmas... well, I don't hold grudges or anything, but I may not be the happiest person with you for a few days.  Also, I won't say no to cards or presents on any day of the year, even if it's Valentine's Day, because saying no to nice people on principle of not liking a holiday is stupid too.

Firmoo: Global Online Optical Store (Review and Giveaway!)

One thing you, my lovely readers, may not be aware of - or may be confused about - is that I wear glasses.  Most of the images on my blog show me wearing my lovely Vera Bradley glasses, although my main photo (see me in the green dress in the right sidebar?) was taken while I was wearing contacts.



My entire family actually wears glasses, contacts, or a combination.  That adds up to a good deal of money in eye doctor appointments, prescriptions, and new glasses - lens and frames - and contacts.  So when Firmoo, an international online glasses company, approached me about a review and giveaway, of course I said yes!

Now, I am very much in love with my expensive floral Vera Bradley frames.  However, my youngest brother needed new glasses - desperately.  So I showed him the frames available on Firmoo and put through an order for his favorite!  Ordering was really easy on Firmoo's part.  (I had never ordered glasses before - Mom usually does that - so I had to figure out how to read the prescription paper first.  That bit took me a while, but Firmoo's pages with explanations and definitions were so very helpful!)  I was very surprised with the prices, too - glasses frames from the physical shops my family uses are many times Firmoo prices!

Firmoo does its best to help customers with their shopping with their virtual try-on tool.  This tool allows you to see any of their frames on the face of any of their eight models, or even upload your own photo to see how they'll look on you!  Have any questions while shopping?  Just visit the help page!

It took a little while for my order to be processed and for me to receive the email stating the order had shipped.  However, once shipped, the glasses got here very quickly!  They even came with a soft and hard black case, blue cleaning cloth, and mini key chain screwdriver with extra screws.  Personally, even though they're Nick's glasses, I love them.  I tried them on myself!  (I may look odd, because I couldn't see anything and my eyes were kinda squinty.  Nick and I have very different prescriptions...)

Nick loves the color and says they're comfortable, although he also says they're "huge!" and they "definitely change my appearance!"  He really likes the change from the metal nose pieces with rubber pads to the all-plastic nose pieces.  I love they look with his haircut and face shape!  What do you think?

Now, for my lovely readers, Firmoo has some goodies!  First things first: Firmoo has a First Pair Free program!  If you're a new customer to Firmoo - whether or not you've worn glasses before or bought them from a different company - your first Firmoo order is free!  You just pay shipping and handling.

Here's what Firmoo has to say about their First Pair Free program:

This program expresses our doctrine “Fashion and Vision the frugal way”.  Every new customer can get their first pair free. This free eye wear includes a unique selection of styles from geek chic to business casual, the creative design - from crystal details in the laterals to stripe at the front of the frame - carefully selected based on fashion trends and feedback from our customers. Moreover, Firmoo.com has become the most popular online retailer of eyeglasses by offering an alternative method of purchasing eye wear online, and supplying you with the same high-quality eye wear offered in brick-and-mortar store for half the price because Firmoo's low overhead allows us to offer frames directly to consumers.

Firmoo's not just for people who need glasses, either.  You can buy nonprescription glasses - reading or fashion - sunglasses, and even goggles!  They really do have something for everyone.

On to the giveaway!  Firmoo has offered to run a giveaway of six $30 off designer glasses coupons.  You may possibly be able to win a free pair of any non-designer glasses in their store (excluding sunglasses; you can get tinted lenses with regular frames, though) if more than 30 entries are received!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Wake Up Generation

Wake Up, Generation by Paige Omartion
You have a life... how will you use it?

Click the cover to buy

When Paige Armstrong was diagnosed with bone cancer at ten years old, her entire world was turned inside out.  However, what she never dreamed even then was that a Christmas CD she made in the hospital with a friend would eventually lead to her being a semi-celebrity as a recording artist, world traveler, child sponsor, author, and more.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about this book.  It was well-written, both in general and in light of its content and target audience.  I enjoyed reading it and thought the stories shared both to start the book off and later on to get readers thinking were amazing and well-chosen.  What I particularly loved was the personal approach Paige took - talking to individuals each made differently by God.  Another thing I appreciated was that, in light of how different each person can be compared to another, she covered a variety of topics and tangible ways our lives can be used.

The focus on a personal mission was the best point of the book, I think.  In my mind, my word for 2013 - "dream" - can be used to refer to goals, but it can also be used as another word for vision, passion, mission.  So this book seems to resonate well with my dreams of this year for me!

My favorite part of the book was its workbook approach.  At first, when I picked this book up, I was expecting something very similar to Do Hard Things - and in many, many ways it's the same.  But then as you get into the book, it switches gears from "call to action" to the "how-to" of what each person reading the book was made by God to do in this world.

One last thing I want to point out was the awesome extras available on Paige's website, www.paigeomartian.com.  These in particular made the book really pop, or added the "wow factor" I supposed you could say.  I mean, it just made it seem so much more real and personal coming from a girl with photos, stories, links, and videos on her webpage about her experience rather than the girl who got cancer and wrote a book.  I really don't know how else to explain it.  There's something about Paige's voice combined with her online extras that made this book different from others like it.

Before I close out this review, though, I want potential readers/buyers to know something: there are several chapters in this book where it seems like Paige is going in a strange direction - saying something quite opposite of what I know to be Biblically right - but as she continues, you generally realize she didn't mean what you thought she did.  Some parts were written in a confusing way and you have to finish each chapter before getting the full picture of what she's trying to say.  Also, most verses quoted/referenced are not KJV.

I give this book four stars and intend to start putting into practice the things I learned about myself from it.

 I received this book for free in exchange for a review from Glass Road Public Relations.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

The Pinterest Report: Handmade Photo Key Chains (Part Two)

Week Twelve: Handmade Photo Key Chains, Part Two

{all photos linked to source}

{See part one here.}

This was a particularly long project, which in turn means this is a particularly long post with a lot of photos.  It might slow down your computer or take a while to load.

The Pin:

mod podge photo key chains

The Link:

My Crazy Life as a Farmer's Wife: Instructions for my key chains!

The Test:

You'll need: mod podge, paintbrush, decorating stuff (scrapbooking paper, stickers, die cuts, contact-size photos, colored pens, paint, etc.)

What to do: Obviously, this part is way open to your own choices and creativity.  However, I'm sharing how I make my key chains.  Feel free to copy my process!

Step One: Cut a small rectangle of scrapbooking paper, slightly bigger than your key chain base piece.  Mod podge one side of the key chain to the back of the paper.  Trim and let dry.  (I worked on six key chains at a time, so that by the time I'd finished each step with the sixth, the first piece was dry enough for the next step. Also, I forgot to take a photo of this step.  See the third and fourth pieces in the photo above.)

Step Two: Decorate the key chains with... well, whatever you want!  For one I printed off a photo of Adam, a boy I babysit, and added a sticker and some glitter dots I cut off some glitter scrapbooking paper.  Another key chain I made has a photo off the internet of daffodils, with some decorative paper that I wrote "Dream of Daffodils" on.  My third just has a "Dream" 3D scrapbooking sticker.

Step Three: Paint the backs of the key chains and let dry.  This make take several coats, depending on how dark the color is, and if you're perfectionist like me you may want to use a tiny brush to carefully paint the textured white edges of the key chain card.  I like the paint idea, because that way it's clearly the back and it's simple and plain, but it's not the ugly back of a gift card.  You could easily use colored or scrapbooking paper, or even make the key chain double sided.

Step Four: Once the paint is completely dry, mod podge the front of the key chains.  Let dry and repeat on the back.  This prevents the key chains from getting scratched or having add-ons on the front peel off.

Step Five: Put the key chain on something - a key ring, string, ribbon, one of those small ball chains, a pipe cleaner, even a necklace string or chain.  It doesn't have to be a key chain!

 Ta-da!  All done!

The Grade:

I really enjoyed this project, especially the fact that it took more time and allowed for a lot more freedom and creativity than most Pinterest crafts I've tried.  I'll definitely be repeating this one!  It even works for gifts; I gave the key chain with Adam's photo to his mom and she loved it!

This Is For Real

After It's Official! and a hint I left in The Liebster Award, I have a big, big, big announcement for you.

This is bigger than my first rejection.

This is cooler than when my blogging hero wrote a blog post inspired by me.

Yes, this is even better than when I received my own newsletter column.

And it's almost greater than the amazing, incredible, fantastic trip I went on this past summer.

Guess what?  Seriously, before you read more, guess in the comments!


A book by me is coming to ebook readers near you!

The book description I currently have written reads:

Nicole "Nikki" Johnson has never gotten along with her mother, so when she meets a great new guy, it's no surprise that Matt's age is all her mom sees. Just because he's twenty-four and she's sixteen doesn't mean he's a creeper. Thankfully, Nikki's dad allows Nikki and Matt to be together and see how things work out.  Their relationship is fantastic and Nikki is on cloud nine...
Until the Fourth of July picnic, when things go too far.  Now a pregnant Nikki has to make choices that will affect her every relationship - with Matt, her parents, her best friend, and most importantly, God.
Sixteen is a story of relationships, told by an adult Nicole to her teen daughter Claire.

I don't have a book deal, and it's not a full-length novel.  It is a contemporary Christian young adult novella that I will be self-publishing to Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

To ensure that my book is the best it can possibly be, Rachelle Rea has officially agreed to be my editor!  As a favorite blogger, amazing writer, and good friend of mine, I couldn't be happier.  She isn't available until May, but I hope to have a release date sometime once we're finished!

Stay tuned for a cover reveal, that release date, and more news!

The Liebster Award

Hello, my lovely readers!  Happy Tuesday morning!  A week ago a writer friend of mine from the Go Teen Writers Facebook group dropped by here and left a few notes for me, including a nomination for the Liebster award!  Thanks Sarah!

This was actually my first time hearing about this award.  It's a very nice-looking award, and of course it's always fun to hear you've won something!  It reminds me of the Game of Elevens I played a while back.  The old-me writing and messed-up font/highlight settings make me cringe, but I thought I ought to mention it anyway.

The Liebster award is given by winning bloggers to the blogs they follow that have 200 or fewer followers.  The main purpose of this blog is to connect with new bloggers and find new blogs - any niche or kind of blog is eligible.

The rules of the Liebster award are as follows:
1. List eleven facts about yourself.
2. Answer the eleven questions set for you by your nominator.
3. Ask eleven new questions.
4. Nominate eleven bloggers you follow that qualify for the Liebster award.
5. Notify each of your nominees on their blogs.
6. Thank and link back to your nominator.

My Eleven Facts:
1. I live on a military base, in a small yellow house I'm quite fond of, only a few minutes' walk away from a store, food court, post office, and several friends' houses.

2. As part of my one word for this year, I've started a windowsill garden.  My plans include lavender, strawberries, catmint, lettuce, and gourmet dwarf carrots.

3. The strawberries may not become a reality this year, as they're currently under a full-fledged mealyworm attack.  My only available method of defense is a spray bottle of dish soap, rubbing alcohol, and water.  Sadly, there have been many casualties and the battle does not appear to be going in our favor.

4. I eagerly await the arrival of Doctor Who Season Seven Part Two in March.

5. I choose to push away the heartbreaking reminder that my family does not have the British America television channel.

6. I'm currently playing around with the idea of opening an Etsy shop around this time next year.

7. Just last week I broke 35,000 words in my current manuscript!

8. Also last week, I discovered I have a slightly unhealthy, bordering-on-stalkerish obsession with Menchie's... after my very first visit.

9. Duct tape can fix anything, but only chocolate is a cure-all.

10. I've been keeping a very amateur art journal for the past couple of months, and while I've only put in a few 'entries,' I think it's coming along rather nicely.

11. My dreams of late have been dominated with the Doctor, his companions, the TARDIS, and several situations that upon waking I recognized from my favorite episodes.  I have not yet decided if I should enjoy the closest thing to meeting my mad man in a box, or if I should be concerned about the state of my mental health.

Sarah's Questions:
1. If you could go to one concert for free, who would you see? Before Red, I would have answered Taylor Swift.  However, after some of her latest works, I think I'll go with Tchaikovsky.  I do have varied taste.

2. If jelly stopped existing, how would you make a PB&J with something else as the J? Does it have to be a letter 'J'?  Because I've always preferred honey anyway.  But a J... jelly beans?  Jam?  Jellyfish?  Beef jerky?  Jawbreakers?  (Are juniper berries poisonous?)

3. If you could go any one place, where would you go?  Oh, the question that everyone reaches at some point.  Disney World is a bit of a waste, really, for just one place out of everywhere in the whole word.  I'd say Ireland for beauty; Spain for food and people; France for art and culture.  And I'd better mention Cardiff for Doctor Who.

4. What, if any, channels are you subscribed to on YouTube? My favorites are Lizzie Bennet, Blimey Cow, Once Upon a Time Fans, and Charlie McDonnell.

5. Chemistry or Physics? Neither?  I do a bit better in chemistry...

6. Do you play an instrument? If so, what?  Guitar, amatuerly.

7. What's your favorite breakfast cereal? Just one? Cheerios.  Also Life.  And sometimes Corn Pops or Fruity Pebbles or Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Oh, and Honeycombs!

8. How do you like your eggs cooked? Scrambled! Yum. :)

9. Do you listen to music while you blog? It depends on the post I'm writing.  A review that requires more focus, not usually.  But a post like this just for fun?  Yes, most of the time.

10. What was the title of your first blog post? Teens Can Be Writers, Too.  It's kind of ironic, because this blog is not really the 'writing niche' blog I set out for - I discovered I much prefer lifestyle blogging - but there's a blog and writers' group called Teens Can Write, Too! that I am a member of.

11. Why did you start blogging?  I started blogging to prove that a teenager can write and be understood, be good at writing, even be liked for what they write.  I kept writing because I wanted my voice to be heard and I loved the chance to share a piece of my heart, my mind, or my life with a world so much bigger than me.  The odd thing is that, in my two years of blogging, my writing has improved so much.  If I were asked now whether I think my new-blogger self was as good at writing as I thought - no way!  In fact, I honestly agree a lot more now with some of the things I was rebutting in my very first post.  But if I were asked whether I still believe teens can write?  Yes, yes I do.  I just think a lot of us don't know when the work is actually ready for the world.  Some days I'm still not sure I'm ready to be published...

My Questions:
1. Who is the first person you can remember, from when you were young?
2. Frozen yogurt, ice cream, sherbet, or sorbet?
3. Would you consider yourself more of a logical or a creative person?
4. Your house is on fire; you have just enough time to grab one item as you run outside. What is it?
5. What's the very first thing you'd buy if you won a shopping spree or cash giveaway?
6. Fiction or nonfiction?
7. If you got engaged today and had exactly a week before the wedding, what would be your number-one planning priority?
8. Who's your favorite superhero? (Spiderman! The old one!)
9. You have to choose between never wearing makeup or never eating chocolate. What's your choice?
10. Favorite flower?
11. And stealing the same question Sarah did: Why did you start blogging?

My Nominees:
Alas, as is usual, I can't scrape up any nominees.  But, of course, you as my lovely readers are welcome to use the comments to nominate your own favorite blogs!

The Pinterest Report: Handmade Photo Key Chains (Part One)

Week Eleven: Handmade Photo Key Chains, Part One

{all photos linked to source}

This was a particularly long project, which in turn means this is a particularly long post with a lot of photos.  It might slow down your computer or take a while to load.

The Pin:

mod podge photo key chains

The Link:

My Crazy Life as a Farmer's Wife: Instructions for my key chains!

The Test:

(As part one, this is technically a test of the pin only.  See, the link uses pre-made key chains purchased online.  However, this was a test on the idea with the pin, which was to make the key chains using old cards.)

You'll need: At least one old gift/credit/debit card, scissors, ink pen (optional)

What to do: First, cut the gift, credit, and/or debit cards into rectangles about the size of the key chains you'll want.  I really like how they all turn out a little different.  Make sure to round off the sharp corners, too.

Now we need a hole to hang the key chains on.  I learned later on that my holes, which I was afraid I was making too big, were actually too small.  So be sure to make them a little bigger than mine!

This step is optional, but it really helped me: use the ink pen to put a dot where you'll want the hole.

Now line up the tip of your scissors with that dot.

And, a bit unconventionally, (try to be safe!) twist, turn, push and otherwise scrape your way into that little dot.  Make sure not to crack, break, or shatter the gift card.  Also, twisting the key chain between scissors and work space (like I did) may cause damage to the work space.  This step is also time-consuming.  Consider yourselves warned.

Although it feels like you're making absolutely no headway, eventually you'll get a small hole like this.  That's where it gets a bit easier!  Using your fingers to control and back the key chain, carefully and slowly wedge/twist your scissor tip into the hole until you get a visible bump on the back:

Line up your scissors with this, just like you did with the ink dot on the front, and repeat the dance of the scissors!  Once you finally get a hole through, twist and push your scissors in until it's the size you want.  Again, remember that you'll probably need holes bigger than mine.  Learn from my mistake.

Hang with me!  Just one more step to decorating-ready key chains!  You see all that stuff sticking out around the edges of the hole?  That'll be poking out on both sides.  We have to get rid of that.  Over a trash can preferably, line up the edge of your scissors against that poky gunk and scrape it off.  It'll seem a bit like you're playing with a saw.

Do that on both sides, and voila!  You're done and ready to decorate!

The Grade:

Stay tuned for decorating ideas and the grade in part two next Saturday!