Overwhelmed with appreciation.

I have been overwhelmed lately.

Overwhelmed with people.

People who inspire me to want such goodness in my life.

I am overwhelmed of appreciation to the influence they have on me.

I sit here and am so grateful for the things I have in my life. I feel as though lately I have been able to open my heart and mind and see the greater perspective in life. I know what I want in life and am ready to do whatever it takes to get there. I truly believe life is what we make of it. People come into our lives for a reason. I believe nothing just "happens" but that the lord has a hand in all things.

I am blessed to have such amazing people in my life who help me try and reach my greatest potential. I feel inspired everyday because of the good people I am surrounded by. Friends and family are who pull me through when times get rough. Not only that but these sweet babies have some of the greatest impact on my life. They are my everything.

They are there to keep me happy and who make life an adventure.

Gordon B. Hinckley has a quote that I love and try and live by. It says,

"In all of living have much fun

and laughter.

Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

I love that. So much in fact that I have that quote framed and in my bathroom so that I see it daily. Yes life is hard, but make the most of it. Not only endure it but enjoy it.

Choose the people in your life who bring you up. A true friend is someone who will make you want to become better. Life is about growing and becoming what you can be. I firmly believe that. I am and will forever be grateful for the people in my life who help shape me into who I am. Stop and think about your life and really figure out who makes an impact on it... Run with that. Be who you can be. We need to stop worrying about the little things and run with who we are and what we want with nothing holding us back. If we want to be happy, be. Attitude is everything. Anything can be as great as you want it to be. Make the most of what you have and appreciate the people who are in it. Live NOW and prepare to become what we want to be tomorrow.

Happy Monday everyone.

Be that friend that you so badly wish you had.

xoxo

I am especially grateful for the inspiration this sweet lady gives me.

I watch this and am in awe of her courage and strength.

May we all be like her in some small way.

Jump start your summer.

Well you asked for it so here it is. This is not taking place of my tuesday tip day. It is something that has simply been on my mind because all you lovely people sparked the idea. I am going to enlighten you with some ideas as for how to help you stay healthy this summer.

--I was sent an email from good o'le doctor oz who told me about loosing weight in the summer. He states that due to increased sunlight it is easier to lose weight. Increased sunlight = increaded seratonin levels. Increased seratonin can decrease the amount of food that people want to eat. He also says that most people want to eat less when it is hot. Bringing the light in will reduce your appetite. Pretty crazy huh? Think about it for a second..if it is blazing hot outside and you are in your nice cool house and have bright sunlight shining through, are you craving a heavy plate consisting of lots of meat and hot potatoes? Yeah, me either. You crave a good drink, a yummy salad, or a light sandwich. So open the blinds and bring that light in!!

(K I know this is Christmas decorated, but I love how you can almost feel the sunlight coming through. Plus it makes me excited for Christmas!!)

--Now, most important..Water, water, water! With it being so darn hot outside now, your body will start to lose water and sodium in the form of sweat. Keep a bottle of water with you ALWAYS! Wherever you go, have it with you. They make bottles for a reason. It is very functional. Always have one with you so that you have easy access to keeping your body hydrated. Also when you are at a restuarant, have the mindset that you are going to get 3 refills on your cup during the course of your meal. If you are drinking your water, you're not eating. Plus it is giving you more water which should be all of our best friends. Drinking a lot of water is hard at first but work on it. We all have room for improvements. Make it a priority to drink more of it. It is a calorie free friend! :)

--Fruits and vegetables aid in weightloss. I know you hear it all the time "Eat more fruits and vegetables!!!" But really it is key. It will help you to stay full and will help balance your body. It is an essential nutrient for your body. Try this..Instead of flowers on your center table, replace it with a bowl of fruits. That will cause you to see it, making it more likely for you to eat it. Some important fat burning summer foods to consider are: Broccoli, Asparagus, Cucumbers, and peaches.

--Now.. this is crazy so listen up. A study was done and found that using a colored plate verses a transparent container to eat off of causes the person to eat less. A wopping 71% more food was eaten from the tranparent container. CRAZY! The color also does something to your mind. It makes you feel more satisfied. So bloggers, go buy yourself some new cute, bright, summery plates to enjoy your food on. Sounds like a good excuse for me to shop :). But really try it for yourself.

1. Anthropologie- Latte bowls- $30.00

2. Anthropologie- Verdant Acres Dinnerware- $10.00-$16.00

--Avoid real salty foods. Salt absorbs water, therefore eating salty foods causes you to swell. Being that it is summer, swelling it far from what we want. If you are planning a trip to the beach and are gunna be wearing a cute new suit, give yourself at least a week of preparation time on your diet. Avoid the salty foods to help your body not hold onto all that water weight. We want you lookin good for the beach!

We want to look like this:

1.Urbanoutfitters-Pins and needles polka dot V-neck one piece- $78.00

2.Urbanoutfitters-Billabong runway ruffle one piece- $120.00

3.Urbanoutfitters- BDG Henley One Piece- $88.00

Not this:

(Swollen belly. Blahh.)

--We all love treats. I am queen of them! So instead of going to cold stone and ranking in the calories and fat from ice cream, go and get frozen yogurt. Most places you go are going to be fat free and have much fewer calories then regular ice cream. Score! And to be quite honest, I would much rather prefer frozen yogurt then ice cream. Some yummy places to try are:

1. Yogurtland- (My fav)

2. Good o'le Mesa Fro Yo

3. Mojo's

4. Golden Spoon

5. Ocean Blue
(Each one is linked to it's website if you are interested in locations or menu items)

--Wear fitted clothes. Wear clothes that actually fit snuggly. It is a mindless way to keep you reaching your goals you have set out. It is a big reminder that you never want to feel stuffed after a meal. Wearing fitted clothes will make you want to eat light so you can keep feeling good in your nicely fitted outfit.

(Research shows that those who wear scrubs are more prone to gain weight because of the loose fitting feel.Interesting.)

--Eat breakfast! Breakfast is one of the BIGGEST essentials! After sleeping all night, your body needs something to wake it up and start your metabolism. I used to not be a breakfast eater at all. Now I wake up excited to eat!! If breakfast is hard for you to eat, then keep it light. Grab some fruit. But the key to breakfast is to eat something with protein. Protein will keep you fuller longer and will also give you energy to work off of. Some yummy breakfast ideas can include:

1.My number one favorite- Chocoloate/Peanut Butter Special K Protein Bar. (Meal replacement)

2. Oatmeal with some flaxseed, then add blueberrys and sliced almonds

3. Yogurt with berries and granola (mmm)

4. Grapefruit with whole wheat toast with some peanut butter on it (adding that protein!)

5.Cottage cheese and fruit
All of these breakfast ideas may help you in the direction that you are wanting to head in. Sometimes all you need is something written out for you to follow in order to keep on track.

Well bloggers, thats all for now. These are simple ideas to try and do while still handling your busy lives. Diets don't work. It is all about life changes. Here's a start to a better summer YOU!

xoxo

Information was found from-
Heather Baurer- RD

Dr. Oz

Nutrition courses taken in College

Also enter this giveaway. I REALLLLLY wanna win!!

Tuesday Tip Day. Summer Tip #2

Its been quite a busy weekend for me. Thank you to all of you who share the love with my new buttons. I appreciate it a lot, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. Lately, a lot has been going on in the thoughts of littlemisscrum. (Like always :)) But I will share my thoughts with you all later this week. As for today it is..

Summer Tip # 2.

I am excited to delight you with some fun summer tricks that will help your summer start off right.

1. The new polish color of the summer is pale pink. It makes a statement even though its more of a quiet color. It says color but isn't screaming for attention. This helps to not look like your trying to hard. It goes with everything and is so soft and pretty and has a vintageness about it (I think I just made up that word, ha). It can be the finishing touch to making you feel put together. And I know for me, when my nails are done, I feel prettier.

There are plenty of cute pale pink colors to choose from, but this one from urban outfitters caught my eye. Don't worry I have already ordered it for myself. Check it out!

Urbanoutfitters.com- Nail Varnish. -$5.00

There is also this cute one from forever21.-$2.80

2. Also for tuesday tip day, gold is the new you. Gold is soft and subtle but so sophisticated. It is also perfect for summer! It is natural but gives you an edge. Using gold eye shadow will revive your eyes, and give people something to look at.

Because the gold has a hint of metallic, you don't have to dress it with much. Simply lining your eye with gold shadow and adding a hint of pink to enhance the color will give you the perfect summer look. Top it off with a black mascara to make you look put together, yet give you the summer beachy feel.

Wearing the gold as a liner will highlight your eyes and give them a whole new life because the gold will actually enhance your eye color.

To dress it up, try for a darker liner on the outsides and lighten as you come in. Using a dark liner throughout your whole eye, narrows the eye, making them look smaller. Keeping a dark liner on the edges draws people out, giving the allusion that your eyes are much bigger. Gold is perfect for any occasion. It helps to not over due the make-up yet makes you still feel beautiful. Plus with this eye shadow you can add a bright lip color!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Don't over due it this summer. It is time for you to just be YOU.

Thats all for today, tune in next week for Summer tip #3.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

xoxo

ps check out this give away

pps thank you to mrs. alexa hall for helping me with my buttons.

Attention bloggers. Please share the love.

Attention all bloggers.

I have 2 new buttons. So exciting! We are now out with the old and in with the new. Simply copy and paste the code into an html gadget. Thank you for the love. Have a great weekend!! :)

Option 1

Option 1 code

Found on the left sidebar...!

<-----------

Option 2

Option 2 code

found on the left sidebar...!

<----------

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Summer Tip #1

Rule #1....

Do not go to Walmart at midnight..

This is what happens when you go to Walmart with your sister at midnight on a Tuesday night...

Buuuttt I did find some awesome steals. Who knew I could love Wolly World aka Walmart so much! :)

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1.Checkered Shirt- $5.00

2. Watch for running- $9.00

3. Adorable one piece suit (designer brand)- $20.00

4. Swim skirt to go over the one piece- $15.00

Overall: Definate success!

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Summer Tip #1:

Stripes.

I love them and so should you.

{When paired with the right pieces, stripes can really enhance your figure and keep you looking up-to-date. Designers are now mixing stripes with florals to give it an edgy vintage feel.

For Example...

Anthropologie paired this stripe shirt with a bright floral skirt.

Love it.

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If this look doesn't seem to fit you then wear stripes with just one print and match it with a solid. For example, a striped shirt looks great with white pants or jeans. Vertically striped pants or skirts can make you look taller and in style when you wear it with a solid-colored tee. Having stripes on the bottom allows your legs to look longer, giving the allusion of you looking thinner. In addition, horizontal stripes are great on shirts and can help to create a curvacious feminine figure.}

Solid pant with a striped shirt. Mmm Hmm :)

Go treat yourself to something of stripes you lovely bloggers!

ps. Happy Wednesday!

--

Stay tuned every Tuesday for new summer tips including topics such as beauty secrets, fashion do's and don'ts,make up tips, date ideas etc...

Don't Miss It!

xoxo

Being pure in everything you do.

I was taught by a beautiful cousin of mine recently, awesome principles that really struct me. People can make the biggest influence on you whether they know it or not. My cousin has inspired me and for that I thank and love her.

Lately I have been looking at my life..Looking at where I was, where I am headed, what I want. I finally feel like I am at a time in my life where I am figuring things out. I am finding happiness because I am sincerely striving to get it. It is amazing to see that if you want something bad enough and work hard to get it, the lord will bless you with good. Lately the topic of purity has been brought up. It has been brought up multiple times, causing me to sit back and examine myself and who I am.

I heard the quote,

"Be honest with yourself. Purify your lives so that you are prepared."

I love that! We are in charge of us. We are the ones who make decisions that direct our path, no one else. Being pure doesn't mean just being a good person. It means being honest in thought, action, word, and deeds.

Pure happiness comes with a price. Doing good in life isn't always easy. Heck, this life sure isn't easy! I believe that the stronger we get, the more satan will try to work on us. Life is hard. So so hard. But the reward for overcoming those trials is true happiness.

Pleasure = pain.

Happiness = joy.

There truly is nothing better in life then feeling happy with life and who you are. I look back at my life in junior high and high school. I loved it. But my perspective on life is so much different now. I think the friends that come at that time are there for a reason. Yet, life takes you in so many different directions and people come into your life at certain times, for a reason. When I was in junior high and high school I always tried to be open and friendly to everyone. However, in high school, fitting in was one the biggest things that seemed most important. My friends were my life. There was so many clicks and groups which made things hard to really get to know people. There was always a "popular" group that everyone wanted to be in. But now that I am graduated and trying to put my life in a direction that I want it, my perspective is so much more. When I meet people now, I could care less if they were popular in high school or have a rough past. I feel like I have a love for people because I can see their good. They are who they are NOW, without the pressure of trying to fit it. When I meet someone and can feel how pure they are it makes me want to be around them. It makes me want to surround myself around good uplifting people.

I believe that if we want to be happy that we can. If things are hard and your struggling, change your attitude. If you truly want to be happy then make yourself that way. Choose to see the good in the hardships you endure. We must start living now and make the most of it. There is no room for sitting back and feeling bad for ourselves.. Hardships come to make us better and make us grow into what we want and can become. Run with that. A quote by George Sheehan describes this perfectly..

"There are those of us who are always about to live. We are waiting until things change, until there is more time, until we are less tired, until we get a promotion, until we settle down -- until, until, until. It always seems as if there is some major event that must occur in our lives before we begin living."

Now is the time to examine yourself and decide what you are going to do with yourself. Stop waiting, and make it happen!! Be pure in everything you do, and true happiness will come if you are truly seeking after it.

Have a wonderful week everyone. Happy Memorial Day! Make things happen for yourself. Attitude is everything.

---As you can tell, lots of things going on in the head of littlemisscrum these days.. :)

Off to new adventures..Out with the old and In with the new!!

....So here I am. Life is crazy. Forgive me for not posting for a whole 2 weeks! Ahhhh! It has been eating at me. It really has. I lay in bed thinking about my blog and how I feel like I have neglected it. But here I am and here to stay! Life has been hectic. So much going on. But in the end, all is well and I am happy and ready for new adventures.

Lately, a lot of change has happened.

Change is defined:

To transform or convert.

I love the way that sounds. To transform. When change occurs, we can't just sit back and let it happen. I think choice goes hand in hand in change. Things may happen that cause change, yet we must choose how we want to take it. We have a choice as to how we react and what we want from it. We must transform into what is to come and also what we want to become.

All of us arent just a body or a mind. We are so much more. Change helps us to define we who are and reach the potentials within us. It simply means to grow.

I believe that resistence to change comes from a fear of the unknown. It is a fear as to not knowing what to expect, to know, to see. Change can definetely be scary let me tell you. Experiencing change has freaked me out to say the least. But, when I sit down and really think about it, change makes me who I am. Whether it be good or bad, it helps shape me for the better.

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First and foremost, I am applying to study abroad in China. It sounds very scary but so much fun!! It will be through a group called ilp and I would go to teach english. There is so much I wanna do with my life and feel like now is prime time to do it. I can't just sit back and wish I could do something..I must make it happen and WILL. Talk about a change..ha! Not only to live on my own but in a foreign country. I love it though. It sounds like an experience that couldn't be more awesome. Again, it would help me to grow into what I want to become.

I have made it a goal to attend the temple weekly to do baptisms for the dead. If any of you dont know what that is, email me to get more information. I have had this hunger lately to want the best I possibly can in life. I want to be closer to the Lord and strive to be like Him. Doing baptisms is honestly one of my favorite things to do. The spirit is so strong and there is truly no better feeling then being there. I want to change to become who I know I can be.

I have been so set on becoming a sports nutritionist, and don't get me wrong I still want to. Being a dietician is how my mind functions. But lately I have had this bug in my head telling me to look into labor and delivery nurse.

WHAT THE HECK?! I like knowing what I want and working hard to get there. Now with this idea forming in my head, at first it freaked me out because I am thinking "I have been so set on what I want what does it have to change," but then after talking to a friend, he described that not knowing what you really want at first is good. It helps you to draw out your options and to find what really suits you. Then it makes you work harder for it because you know thats what you really want. Now I am not saying I am going to become a nurse, yet having other options is nice.I think it would be so rewarding to help delivery and care for these sweet new babies coming into the world. I like the pressure it requires because people are relying on you. Having this change helps me to see what I really want in my life. Luckily those 2 career paths are both medical so I am on my way with both but who knows where life takes me. But to be honest, I can't wait! Thank goodness for change :)

Last and most important.......

My mother is engaged.

Pretty crazy I know. She is going to be married in July to Reed Flake. Wow so many crazy/intense/nervous/exciting thoughts going through my head. Now this is a prime example of CHANGE. My dad passed away almost 6 years ago in July. That I must say was one of the most life changing experiences I have ever encountered. Yet what happened from it..? I have grown in ways I never thought possible. Change can sometimes mean trials. I believe in that situation it was a major trial that forced change upon me. It was hard. It still is hard. I struggle every day, yet I know it happened for a reason.I choose to take good from it and to let it effect me in a beneficial way. I can sincerely say that I am a better person for it. I am becoming who I want to because of that experience alone. It helped me to see an eternal perspective and for that I am so grateful. My mom has worked so hard for the past 6 years to try and survive and take care of us girls. She is amazing. She has dated Reed for the past 7 months and is now engaged to be married to him. Reed is great. He is a stud. One thing I love most about Reed is that he is kind and loves my mom. I know he will take care of her. My mom is my pride. I am very protective over her because I love her so much. I love Reed because he will support my mom and love her just as much as I do. It is weird I'm not gunna lie and is going to be a HUGE change. Yet, I know it is for the best. I know it is right. I know through this change that it is helping me to grow. It is helping me to reach my greatest potential. Although it is scary, I can't let my fear scare me away. Change is good. Change is what life is all about. I am so excited for Reed and Mom and am excited for more family! Because ultimetly there is nothing more important in my life then my family.

Change happens for a reason. Change is all about how we perceive it. Change is what we make of it. So bring it oonnnn :)

xoxo Lex