I've never been the type to take a person's words to heart. I'm the chick that lets others opinions of me roll off my shoulders & on the the next. I'm not a people pleaser, and I never have been. Even as a kid, I made good grades and participated in activities to please myself, not my teachers, not my parents and definitely not any random strangers who may or may not be paying attention. So, everyone else's comments or criticisms were always taken with that proverbial grain of salt, since I wasn't trying to please them.

That being said, there's a little scripture that states "every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses," and I apply that baby all over the place. If I'm researching anything on the internet, I need a couple different sources to back up my findings. If my doctor were to give me any kind of negative report, I'd most definitely seek a second or third opinion, and if more than one person makes a similar comment about yours truly, I start to accept its validity.

Which brings me to the whole point of this post: my laugh.

The thing about documenting life: you must have one worth documenting.
About 30 minutes north of Jacksonville, Florida is Amelia Island, and for the last few years, this has been my go-to birthday destination. The beaches are stunning, and unlike some hot spots in Florida, they aren't loud and crowded *cough - cough, MIAMI, cough*.

This year, I was only able to stay a couple days, and they flew by as quickly and comfortably as a summer breeze. Here's the photo roundup.


A little history lesson on American Beach



Houses along the coast




Lizards gettin' frisky


 Beach snacks (fried pickles)




Oh, and I got my live music fix. Tadow.



... And Meredith & I tried but failed to teach Kendra how to ride a bike.


So we went off without her, and she got a pedicure.


All's well that ends well.




Welcome to the First edition of....

Mouthwatering Mondays

I along with 8 other ladies have joined forces to bring you this exciting weekly linkup. Every week we will have a theme to follow. The schedule for the coming weeks will be posted at the bottom of the linkup so you can plan out your posts in advance. Find your favorite recipes to go along with the theme and be sure to take lots of pictures!! 
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Today, I'm re-linking my Kitchen Sink Oatmeal Cookie recipe.
Why?
Because 1.// I rarely make sweet treats, and that's this week's theme. Gimme a bowl of ice cream or frozen yogurt, and this woman is good to go.
2.// I just got back from a mini vacation, and I've had zero time to dream up something fresh and/or original.
3.// Homemade oatmeal cookies always remind me of Christmas, especially when the aroma from the oven fills my living space. Christmas in July? Yes, please.

So, yeah.

Click here for the super, super, suuuuper easy recipe.


Day 11, Thursday: Sell yourself in 10 words or less


Day 9, Tuesday: A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)


I did that thing bad bloggers do today, where they go somewhere and don't document the outing in photographs. So, I had to steal this picture from my friend's instagram, which was taken before I even got there. Because I was late.

Day 4, Thursday: Favorite quote (from a person, from a book, etc) and why you love it
Day 5, Friday: Publicly profess your love and devotion for one of your blogger friends. What makes them great? Why do you love them? If you don't have blogger friends, talk about a real-life friend or even a family member
Day 6, Saturday: If you couldn't answer with your job, how would you answer the question, 'what do you do'?
Day 7, Sunday: The thing(s) you're most afraid of
Day 8, BIRTHDAY: A piece of advice you have for others. Anything at all.

So, I've missed a few days with the little challenge, and now I'm gonna catch up.

Day 3, Wednesday: Things that make you uncomfortable




~ When people won't look me in the eye during a conversation
Some people find it difficult to make eye contact; I'm not one of those people. If we're communicating face-to-face, and your eyes are avoiding mine, I'll automatically get suspicious. What are you hiding? Are you avoiding something? Are you disinterested in this exchange? This makes me uncomfortable.

~ Touching my face
Don't pinch my cheeks. Don't wipe off an eyelash or a piece of lint, and please sir, don't hold my face if you're going in for a kiss. Even the thought of the slightest, most microscopic bit of natural oils from your fingertips touching my skin may cause a breakout. This makes me uncomfortable. Speaking of hands...

~ Washing my hands in a public restroom and seeing some leave the stall without doing the same
You just had those hands near your oven. Wash them!
Fellas', I can't see when you guys do this, but thinking of you reaching to greet me, after your dirty hands just got done handling your banana. NOT COOL. This makes me uncomfortable.

~ Getting hit on while other people are paying attention
If we're sharing a somewhat private moment, and you dish out a few of your best pick-up lines, I'll eat it right up and come back with some cheeky material of my own. Howwwwwwever, if there are other human beings within earshot (especially women), they're probably listening, and chances are they'll start sizing me up to determine the validity of your compliment. Communal judgement? No, thanks. This makes me uncomfortable.

~ When the waiter/waitress takes my food in the back to box it up
I understand they're providing a service, but once my food has been prepared and delivered, I need to be in control of everything that happens thereafter. Please don't touch my plate again. This makes me uncomfortable.



Day 2, Tuesday: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)


Day 1, Monday: The story of your life in 250 words or less

This is gonna be a tough one.

© the active spirit. +