The year is halfway over! June was such a busy month and I am hoping July is more mellow. Here are some of my favorites from this month....

Favorite song: Everything is Grace by Matt Maher


Favorite clothing item: The Home T

Favorite TV show: Big Brother...it's finally back for summer! I am not totally sold on the cast yet, butI love that Jeff and Jackie from The Amazing Race are on it!

Favorite thing I did: I am leading a bible study on Proverbs online with a group of friends. This is totally out of my comfort zone but has brought a few strangers together and helped me keep accountable in my walk with the Lord.

Favorite scripture: Jeremiah 29:11...my life verse


Favorite YouTube channel: Mel Trippy...I have been watching her vlogs for several months, and am obsessed. From the looks of things she lives just around the corner from my brother. It's funny to see her out at places I visit when I am in Florida. She is down to earth, hilarious, and always positive.

What are your favorite things this month?

• These comfy t-shirts from Hello Apparel are currently 50% off. They go great over a swim suit or with a pair of shorts. 

• Stay warm when the sun goes down with this American Flag scarf from Nordstrom 

• American Flag shorts did not fall off trend after Stagecoach. This pair is from Etsy, but would be a great DIY for the extra pair of shorts you have lying around the house. 

• Look patriotic while catching some rays in this stars and stripes Swimsuit for only 8$. Just don't forget your sunblock!

• Although pricy, these Chuck Taylors are cute for any occasion year round. 

Today the Supreme Court finally declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

As a Christian woman, people are often surprised to hear that I fully support LGBT rights. However, God wants us to love our brother and our neighbor, just as Christ has loved us. Just because the desires of this community are not aligned with the traditions of the Bible does not mean that they should not be legally free to love one another and that we should not show them the consideration, support, and respect that they deserve.

People believe that this will ruin the sanctity of marriage, but Kim Kardashian's 72 day marriage did not hurt the sanctity of your marriage...did it?

Here's the way I see it....The Bible says in Leviticus that men shall not lie with men. However, the Bible also says that we should honor our mother and father, and I can promise I have not followed that commandment flawlessly in my life. We are all sinners, we can not pin sin versus sin, because only God can be the judge. What we can do is love everyone regardless of their race, gender, religious belief, and sexual affiliation.

About 18 months ago I went to the doctor for a routine physical. I had been feeling sluggish, drained, and down, but assumed that was because I had just graduated college and was going through a lot of life changes. However, after getting results of my blood work back, I learned that my Vitamin D level was dangerously low. My level was at 12 ng/ml when it should be at 50 ng/ml. My physician put me on a vitamin D supplement and I never thought much of it again.

A year later I was constantly tired, my body was aching, and I just overall down. I went to the doctor again and found out my Vitamin D was still extremely low. The doctor increased my vitamin D intake and added a calcium tablet. This changed my life! Within weeks my energy was up, my attitude was better, and my body felt strong.

I am not writing this to tell you about the greatness of vitamins, but to tell you the importance of routine physicals and getting blood work done. Many can be quick to prescribe medication, when the fixes to our daily health issues can be fixed with vitamins, exercise, and time in the sunshine. Even if you are not feeling weak or lethargic, I encourage you to get a yearly routine physical to make sure your health is well, even if just for a peace of mind!

This season's cast of The Bachelorette might be one of the most bizarre groups yet. Between Clint and JJ's bromance and Nick V's return, every week has left me wondering if these guys have passed a psychiatric test prior to being cast. Of the 26, I think MAYBE only 3 are normal. Below are my rankings from most to least favorite so far this season.

1. Ben H. Ben H. would be my first choice if I were in Kaitlyn's shoes. He has a stable career, a tender heart, and is easy on the eyes. Not to mention he loves to hike and he's a Denver native, a place a piece of my heart will always be.
2. Ben Z. The 6'4" entrepreneur has a heart wrenching story of losing his mother and is searching for the one whom completes him. He played football at San Jose State University and ended up skipping through a majority of the casting interview process.
3. Brady I was not attracted to Brady at all. He is actually the opposite of what I like in a guy. However, I think Brady is the ultimate winner this season, regardless of who Kaitlyn ends up with. He left the show for Britt and they are still dating.
4. Jared The Josh Hartnett look alike was intriguing to me from the moment he stepped out of the limo in a Superman shirt. I thought him and Britt could have made a great match, but he makes quite a name for himself with Kaitlyn. Best part about Jared? He volunteers at the Children's Hospital in his small Rhode Island town.
5. Justin 
6. Nick I was not a fan of Nick during Andi's season, but I think he has proved himself wrong. He stands up for what he believes and has not done anything this season to show that the negative media he received last season is true.
7. Cory 
8. Joshua
9. Shawn B. 
10. Jonathan 
11. Bradley
12. Ryan B
13. Joe 
14. Corey
15. Tanner
16. Shawn E I felt bad for Shawn E when Ryan M crashed his limo arrival the first night. The hot tub car was weird, but the Bachelorettes thought it was funny. I don't imagine Shawn would have stayed around past week 2 or 3 if he had been given a fair shot on night one, but I think he was a good guy who meant well.
17. Josh
18. Daniel
19. David
20. Chris This dentist with a natural million dollar smile arrived in a cupcake car the first night instead of the limo. He has done nothing negative towards Kaitlyn or any of the guys, but something about him just bothers me and I am very good at reading people.
21. Ian I started on this list last week and Ian was near the top...I think falling at #6 or 7. However, after his hostile confrontation with Kaitlyn last week that showed the size of his ego instead of his heart, Ian has fallen to the bottom of the list.
22. Tony Just like Chris, there was nothing wrong with Tony. He just was not my kind of guy. His occupation of "healer" still has me scratching my head and his extreme sensitivity to things is not something I could handle. I am sensitive enough for two people. I think him and Ashley S from last season would make a great match...perhaps Bachelor in Paradise is in Tony's feature?
23. JJ I really liked JJ at first, but as the season went on his true colors came out. His love affair with Clint is what began to move him down in my book, then after he blatantly lied about his conversations with Clint, he showed his lack of loyalty. However, to JJ's defense he was not as bad as the rest of the guys made him out to be. I think he would be perfect on Bachelor in Paradise. 
24. Clint After falling madly in love with JJ instead of Kaitlyn, drama ensued. After discussing it with Kaitlyn, he went into the house and lied about it to the rest of the guys. He was sleazy and the #1 villain this season.
25. Kupah Kupah was aggressive with a foul mouth that rubbed Kaitlyn the wrong way. She let him go before the rose ceremony and then he followed it up with having the most epic meltdown of Bachelorette history.
26. Ryan M. The ex of Nikki from Juan Pablo's season did not make it to the first rose ceremony after getting piss drunk and making a fool of himself. The worst part? He was a serious contender on paper.

Hello sweet friends! This week I was contacted by Box of Happies, a subscription box service full of handmade products by artists, wanting to give one of their beautiful handmade tree of life necklaces away to one of you!


The Tree of Life pendant comes on a silver chain. This giveaway is only available to US residents (sorry international friends!) and ends on Thursday, June 25th at 3pm PST. Enter below & Happy Happies! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Country is my favorite year round, but especially during the summer. There is nothing like a warm summer evening with your best friends, sipping on a beer, and enjoying country music...especially live! Here are 15 country songs to enjoy this summer.

My spring bucket list was an epic fail. I did one of nine things on my list, and I just did that one last week! I may have seen a baseball game, but I didn't pick berries, make s'mores, or go for a bike ride. Spring was a busy season for me, and I don't picture it slowing down much in summer. However, I am hoping to make time for less work and more play.

This summer I want to:

• go camping
• go to (another) baseball game
• attend the mid-state fair
• go to an outdoor concert
• go to an outdoor movie
• tie die shirts
• go to the beach
• play tennis
• play mini golf
• go cosmic bowling

I thought shopping for Mother's day was hard...taking care of Father's Day is even worse. I have never felt more clueless on what to get somebody. Of course it depends upon the dad, but most people have told me they are just as lost for shopping this time of year. Here are a few ideas:

• a new watch: Get your dad a new watch. They run in all price ranges and styles. If he's tech-savy get him an Apple Watch. If he's two steps ahead of you, get him a band for his Apple watch.
• a book: The Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow is a new crime fighting tale most dads will love.
• iGrill2: a bluetooth thermometer 
• a new tool kit
• gift cards: When in doubt, always go with gift cards. My dad eats at Togos Sandwiches every Thursday. Most holidays I end up just getting a Togos gift card. It's boring, but I know he will like it and utilize it. 

Remember back in high school when you thought you were off free for summer, but the last days of class the teacher handed you a list of the books you had to have read by the first day of school? Most of us put the reading off for three months then had a miserable last week of summer.

However, this summer reading list is chalk full of books you won't be able to put down. These five recent releases are New York Times Best Sellers that will have you not wanting to hop in the pool because you're so busy reading next to it.

Summer is not my best time of year to be fashion forward. I am a scarves and boots kind of girl, so being in shorts and flip flops leaves me feeling uncertain. I find my summer looks to be the most plain, simply because I don't find their to be much to dress up when it's 100 degrees out. However, this summer's top trends are things that can keep me feeling cool while also looking great.

The top 5 trends this summer are:

1.) Striped Nautical Style Shirts

Happy 2nd birthday to Datelivery!

Datelivery is a monthly subscription box that brings date night to you!
They plan, package, and send you a box full of goodies for a themed date night at home. Some of the previous boxes include:

• Carnival Date Night: This box included at home carnival games and delicious treats such as popcorn and cotton candy.
• Cookie Night: This box includes a trivia game, as well as all the things needed to bake and decorate cookies.
• Casino Night: This box includes the Hangover on DVD, along with several casino games.

Summer is here which means many of us are vacationing! Every time I have to pack, even for a weekend get away, I get stressed out with fear that I am forgetting something. Here are some of my no-fail packing tips that will hopefully take some of your stress away!

1.) Make a list! Think about everything you might need based upon your activities of your trip. Don't forget the little things such as shampoo, tooth paste, and razors.

2.) Bag outfits by day. If you have a particular outfit planned for going down town Saturday night, put it all together, including jewelry, in a ziploc and label it. You won't have to rummage through your suitcase.

3.) If flying, keep one outfit and a few cosmetic necessities on you at all time. Unfortunately sometimes things happen and baggage gets lost. If you have an outfit, deodorant, and tooth brush on you, then you should be good to last into the next day when you (hopefully) get your baggage back.

4.) Roll things! More clothes can fit into your suitcase, and stay wrinkle free, if you roll them instead of fold them.

5.) Don't over pack! If you're going on a camping weekend you don't need your straightener, blow dryer, or nice outfits.

What are your packing tips & essentials?

Summer is usually the best time for movies. However, this summer's films seem to be more flops than successes.

So far out this summer is Pitch Perfect, San Andreas, and Aloha. A few to come are Entourage, Jurassic World, Ted 2, Magic Mike XXL, and Paper Towns.

Aloha, which released last Friday, only opened at #6 grossing $10 million, regardless of the stellar cast. The movie, which stars big names such as Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, and Bill Murray, is about a military contractor (Cooper) reconnecting with an old flame (McAdams), while falling for another (Stone.) Sony had extremely low expectations for the movie, that was shelved for six years, which was revealed last year amongst the Sony hack.

Jurassic World, which releases next Friday, June 12th, is the latest in the Jurassic Park series. In this highly anticipated film, Isla Nubar creates a new park attraction that backfires horribly. It stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Judy Greer, and Vincent D'Onfrio. IMDB has pre-screened and rated it 7/10.

The summer film I am most looking forward to seeing is Entourage, which releases tomorrow. I was a big fan of the show and look forward to the boys being back on the big screen. It stars all the original show cast including Adrien Grenier, Jerry Ferrera, Jeremy Piven, and Kevin Connolly.

What are you looking forward to seeing this summer?