Long breaks in between

G-man's here and if there's one thing I do, it's take long breaks away from my computer while he's in town. I only get the evenings since pesky work is interfering with those lovely day hours, so the last thing I want to do is lose those precious few hours zoning out staring at my computer screen, ignoring him, so to say there's been no time for blogging is an understatement.

So instead, we're zoning out watching a tv series together on Netflix. I kid. but really.. we just started 24 from the beginning. I've never seen it. I've always ignored it knowing it was on tv forever in a day, but Tuesday night G suggested it and we dove in.

Have you seen it? Did you like it? Slight cheese factor is there but in its defense, it is the first 2 episodes, so I'll keep an open mind.

We’ve kept pretty busy since he’s been there, heading up to Lake Tahoe over the long weekend and that’s a story all in and of itself, so I’ll save that for another day, but it sure was beautiful there.

I’ll be jumping in and out around these parts when I can get some extra time since I have some fun things to share and show, so I hope everyone had a great long weekend and nice short work week.

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Do I have to say?

I’m getting tested a bit with Jenni’s challenge today. Top 3 worst traits? Why would I dare reveal the absolute worst about me to you, who’s only seen (for the most part) my good side? What will this do to our friendships when you learn these things that I bury deep down inside so you can’t even get a glimpse of them, are revealed?

The first thing that popped into my head was, just 3…only? Yes, goodness, I have far more than 3 horrible traits. Now it’s a matter of narrowing them down using the do I tell that one? or this one…? no, I better tuck those away for another day, method.

                                                                                               oldie but goodie

So maybe I’ll be gentle on you (and myself) and give the lesser of the worst?

Spitting – oh, I hate that I just said that. I feel like it’s a trucker thing to do, but I spit. I spit a lot and it’s not just because I brushed my teeth and I want to get the toothpaste out. Its because I can’t breathe if I don’t. My sinuses are whack and morning, noon, and night (and almost every hour in between) I spit those kinds that clear your sinuses, in sinks, in trash cans, by my car door… but mainly sinks. .. Only my family and very very close friends even know that I do this and the code word for when I do is ‘don’t look’. {{my only good thing about it is I’ve perfected the silent spit. No hocking here}}

Anger – oh nelly, I tend to have a wee little issue with my anger. I even had a conversation with my friend just the other day of her witnessing my anger awhile back. She’d never seen that side of me and was quite shocked… and perhaps a little frightened. It wasn’t directed toward her but someone on the phone and I’d like to blame it on it was during the time I was still in corrections, which had a huge role in my temper spiking, but I still deal with it a bit to this day.

Attitude – you think this might go along with anger, but it doesn’t. I have quite the indifferent attitude..especially lately as I’m dealing with a lot of stuff in my life, and I’ve become this dead eyed, straight faced, no smile, sarcastic type of person mainly at work. I’ve even begun challenging things they tell me to do, or just flat out not do them. Or give just a hint of attitude with each thing they say.

Is this wrong? Of course. I know this deep down, but there comes a time in my life when someone tells me I have to kiss each and every a** that comes in that door to make them feel like they’re royalty when they make me feel like dirt, that I have to stand up for myself and say enough.

Well shoot! Look at that, my anger wanted to creep out just a little bit. Let me tuck that away before I continue.

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A lot of times I know think I fall short in the sugar and spice and everything nice category. I see those women who truly have this happiness about them that can look on the bright side and encourage others even while they’re down. Who can have this tender, sweet, gentle disposition and I can’t even tell you how much I long for that and give it a test run to see if that can be me. But then its National Pull Out in Front of Emily Day and everything goes right out the window.

I wonder how they do it. How can they have the type of personality that when others meet them they say ‘she really is the sweetest person, inside and out’.. ‘on her blog and in real life’.

Seriously, if you met me, first thing you’d probably say is, ‘yup, she’s just as sarcastic (if not more) in person as she is on her blog.’ I do have a tender side, promise. I almost feel like calling out some friends to come forward to vouch for it, but alas, I’ll refrain.

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I hope those of you in the states have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I may or may not be going out of town with someone.. I can’t confirm or deny this until Tuesday.

Happy weekend to you!! If you’re feeling frisky, and want to help me feel better about myself, by all means, tell me as many horrible traits about yourself as you want. No judging over on this end.

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A walk down memory lane

Today is day 21 of Jenni’s challenge and its all about sharing my favorite posts from the past. How perfect that we all get to walk down memory lane together, hand in hand as I reminisce over my glory days.

The first one that came to mind, well, there were 2 but this one, where I shared how I kicked a nasty habit really popped in my head as a topper. I know it resonated with a lot of you and maybe by bringing it back, it’ll resonate with even more of you.

The one and only time I vlogged was really actually quite fun. You asked questions, and I kinda sorta answered them. I talked fast (faster than a lot of you thought) and I rolled my eyes a lot..oh and called myself stupid a time or two. It’s a riot. ..get it… riot?? oh wait, you have to have seen the vlog to understand that. Go watch so we can both laugh at the pun together.

I’ve been thinking of doing another one, but keep putting it off, so maybe one day I’ll muster the courage up for it.

Talking about the family decal stickers on cars is a post that I would love to post over and over again because I want everyone’s eyes to be open. Even those who have them and think I’m overreacting or feel its not a threat. If you’re one of those, I’d be more than happy to mail you a copy of the letter I intercepted, that I talked about. Maybe it’ll really help open your eyes.

I think it goes without saying that the start of my love story is among my favorites. Truth be told, I actually just read through all of them a few days ago and got the warm fuzzies all over again. I can’t help it. I go into more of it through my my story tab, if you’re so inclined.

Its hard to say these are among my favorites but I definitely don’t want to forget the feeling of that afternoon when I learned my Dad had a massive heart attack. Within minutes of learning the news, I sat down to write how I was feeling. I had to get the words out, had to say how I’ve always felt and seen my dad. Even to this day, reading over that post chokes me up. Hearing those foreign words of him having a heart attack was eye opening to me that they won’t always be around like I selfishly expect they will be.

I can’t believe it took a minute to think of these, but if you were around for my many trips to Hawaii, you’d know the one thing that I blogged about obsessively often, were the sunsets. I’m a lover of Hawaiian sunsets and you’ll see that no two are the same. From the North Shore to one over Ala Moana Park, they are beautiful and breathtaking and I’m missing them terribly. I’ve limited myself to only showing 2, so you’re welcome for the restraint.

If you’ve been around for awhile and there’s one that comes to mind as a favorite of yours, do share. I’d love to know what has stood out for you, even if you don’t remember when it was or the title. I’m all for generalities so we can reminisce together.

 

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Shocked

I’m shocked my $2 didn’t produce $600,000,000 for me.

I guess I’ll have to go on my with daily life. My yard sale also did not yield me $600,000,000, which almost disappointed me more than the actual lottery. In fact, it was a downright bust that left me quite defeated, and a little guilty for taking up my friend’s weekend since I borrowed her front yard to have it.

When I say it was a bust, I mean it couldn’t have gone any worse than it did. I take that back! no one showing up would have been worse, rather than the 10 {maybe} that did who bought things over the 2 days. It was weird, and unusual and discouraging taking almost all of my stuff back home with me.

When I said I was ‘afraid’ to have it Friday, it was because I was afraid of the hassle to price everything that night, but that was a breeze compared to the crickets I heard for 2 days straight. On the plus side, it allowed me to spend time with my friend that I never get to see and sit outside on a porch to enjoy the 2 beautiful days that we had and finally picking up a book to read. I can’t tell you the last time I read a book. It was so enjoyable, friends.

So though I didn’t make bank like I was really hoping for, it got me outside, with friends, enjoying the cool breeze and a good book. Nothing wrong with that.

Saturday, after packing up early, I raced to a baby shower, a baby shower for Callie, if you remember, I helped shoot her wedding last year.

My ‘table’ of friends.

If all goes right and I can make it, I’ll also be photographing her birth. That’s right! I finally found someone who’ll let me.. and is eager to let me no less!! I’ve very excited.

I had to cut the shower a little short so I could make my hair appointment and I was excited and nervous for this one. Its been an ongoing battle to find a stylist who I think is a good fit here and I was giving yet another girl a chance. Even though she beat up my head with the roller brush and attempted to rip out every single strand of hair while brushing and drying it, she gave a pretty darn good cut and this girl is pleased.

a moment in between the pain


Can you really tell I got a cut? No, but it feels lighter, softer and healthier and that’s all I needed.

I hope all of you had a nice enjoyable weekend…and perhaps one that was a little more lucrative than mine.

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It's my favorite

I can't help it. Even though I went through a large amount of photos, the moment I came across this one I chuckled and knew deep down, as silly as it may seem, this is one of my favorite photos of myself.

I kept looking, just in case another jumped out, but I accepted defeat and went right back to this one because it has been one I've shown to many many people.

Narcissistic as it may seem, I show this picture often. Its on my phone and the moment someone realizes what I used to do, I 'prove' it by showing this one and another I keep right next to it. I feel like these were my 'glory' days. Even though there were some days I hated what I did; being out at the range, with the group of guys that were out there were always my happier moments.

With a revolver strapped to my hip and a AR-15 slung, I was nothing if not in my element.

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. I'll be up bright and early for the yard sale that I am no where near prepared for..not to mention just a little frighted over.

Happy weekend, friends!


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A celebratory day

Today, my parents..okay, mostly my dad, can now say, “three score” when asked how old they are, because today. is. their birthday! Not just any birthday, but their 60th!

This is crazy. I don’t see them as 60…and I’m pretty sure they don’t either, but I’m so thankful I’ve had the privilege of being in their lives for 31 years, 9.5 months of those 60. In case you’re scratching your head because I keep saying “their”, it is in fact both of their birthdays. My dad is just a few hours older than my mom. I’ve always loved saying that for as long as I can remember.

I’m honored I get to call them my parents. They’re pretty darn awesome, if you ask me.                                                                                   (photo courtesy of my dad)

Happy Birthday to you both! I love you so so much!!

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Jenni’s challenge today is to talk about what’s difficult within my lot in life, and frankly its way too deep for today’s happy feelings, so I will refrain from the inner/outer turmoil of craziness that’s been going on lately in these parts because really, I haven’t quite gotten to the point of being able to overcome it all, so its best left quiet.

One thing that I am overcoming, is this mega yard sale I’m having this weekend. I get in this habit of piling things together and the more I pile, the more I have to add to it, and next thing I know, I’m wanting to sell everything in my apt. down to the curtains that have been on my walls for years and years. I’d rather go without curtains than have to look at their masculine ways for one more day. Serves me right for getting ‘gender neutral’ colors (read: something only a guy would like) because I thought I had to back then.

Oh, if I could talk to my 27 year old self, I’d have so much to tell her.

- If there was one thing you could add to my yard sale, what would you get rid of?

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Not my typical day

Life is back to normal once again. I made it to my uncle’s funeral Friday all the way in Utah, and it was nice. Beautiful weather. The kind where it rains and rains and rains all week and then that morning, blue skies, sunshine and warmth. It was a short service at the gravesite and then we all went our separate ways.

Thank you to everyone who left such sweet comments on Friday. I appreciate each and every one of them. I had plans to go to Las Vegas this past weekend any way, so it worked out in my favor that I was able to move my flight to Thursday to make it in time. And it worked even more in my favor, because I picked up my dad on Friday and we made the 2 hour drive together to Southern Utah.

In true Emily fashion, I was late…to a funeral. Who does that!? I blame the fact I spilled coffee on my top on the way and having to stop at my brother’s to change. They drove on, while I was still getting ready at his house.

After it was all said and done, we grabbed a bite with my brother and his wife and waited at the house for their kids to get out of school. I don’t get to see them very much, so even though they know me, they don’t know me, so it takes a little bit to break past the awkwardness, but thankfully we broke through it and had a great time.

Younger kids are easier..

It’s the older ones that take some time to get through to..

and the even older ones that are down right difficult.
Oh wait, that’s my brother! He wanted me to take a ‘selfie’ of him, not understanding that by me taking it, it in fact is not a selfie, but he hates photos any way, so it didn’t really matter.

We watched my niece play her game, listened to parents scream back and forth at each other and watched the high school girl who umped, cry because of how they acted toward her.

It was craziness, and uncomfortable, but they won and all was right in the world (on our side any way) again. The highlight of that game was my younger niece and I talking in British accents through the last 3 innings. We’re rather good at it. Delicious pizza followed, then shaved ice, then candy, then a movie. And in that time, I broke through with their 10 year old boy. I felt like I accomplished a lot being able to carry a conversation with him.

Is it just me who has a hard time talking to older boys?

By no means was this my typical day, but it was a day that though it started out in grief, ended with joy by being surrounded by children and family and I really think I could get used to that kind of ending.

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Never get the chance again

As it can happen in some families, something happens that causes a divide and sides get chosen. Though I wasn’t in the middle of it by any means, I felt I needed to choose. Neither pressed me to do it, but I quietly chose mine and left it at that.

2 years after making that decision, I’m sad. Both sides mean a whole lot to me and I struggled with wanting to reach out to the other side often, but I never did. I’m embarrassed that I thought constantly over those 2 years to write a letter, to reconnect, to see how they were doing but never actually grabbing the pen and paper and taking that much needed important time out of my non busy life to write. Making excuses and always saying I’ll do it later, I have time to do it later.

My phone rang at 6:30 in the morning and anytime my phone rings that early, its never a good sign. My uncle, the one when growing up would always answer to my ‘hello?’ on the phone, “what are you doing!?” to which I’d reply, ‘talking to you!’, died Monday night.

It was unexpected. to me.

Its been 2 years, I had no idea how his health had been and I never wrote that letter to reconnect with him and my Aunt, whether they would have responded or not (though I believe they would have), I never gave that 10 minutes of my day to write. I had an opportunity over a year ago to email, and yet I stayed silent. It was a very conflicting decision then, one that I battled with for a long time but in the end justified it because I was ‘going to write that letter’.

I still have a chance with my Aunt. but the guilt. the guilt over not talking to my Uncle is there. and it’ll be there for awhile.

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A day of firsts

Flight to Oahu, HI – $450.
Entry into Hanauma Bay – $16.
Renting snorkel gear for the first time snorkeling experience – $45.
Having your boyfriend snap a picture of you the moment you come out of the water in the middle of a panic attack? – priceless.
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In all my years of wisdom

You know those people who are filled with wisdom and the moment they open their mouths, you sit back because you know its going to be worth your while?

I’ve never been one of those people.

I’m the one that hears a beautiful quote, a deep meaningful nugget of advice, a life changing piece of wisdom, and forgets it 30 minutes later. There’s only one piece of advice, a quote really that I read a month ago, that I’ve remembered and actually used on someone recently and that was: It’s not that you need more time, its that you need to make a decision.

Amen and amen.

Maybe I should have used that on day 4 of Jenni’s challenge… but when it comes to advice, I actually have a lot of it. You just have to give me a good 3 days past when it’s actually due for me to come up with it. I’m a thinker after the fact. The best kind, if you ask me. Where in the moment, I’m just ok, but let me think on it 1, 2, 48 hours later and I’ll have the smartest, most well thought out piece of advice for you that will literally blow your mind.

Rarely does anyone want to hear it that much after the moment, but darn if I don’t give it any way, albeit to deaf ears. But if there’s one thing I’m big on, one thing that I’ve learned a lot about through major trial and error, is communication in a relationship.

I’m no expert, but gosh, I’m darn near close to it with what I’ve endured in my relationship. In the 5 1/2 years we’ve been together, we’ve gone from zero communication with fights and frustration and hours upon hours, days upon days of being closed off in between, to having an issue and resolving it within minutes. Feeling one did something wrong and addressing it at that very moment. No stewing. No brewing. No fuss. No muss.

Its taken care of and we move on.

Its an amazing thing. Now I’ll tell you, I still get the sweaty palms heart racing moments when I have to address something with him. I’m not sure that will ever go away, but I gird my loins (yes, yes I do..) and I stutter my way through what I want to say because even though I don’t like confrontation {not one bit}, I don’t like having the internal stress of the imaginary scenarios and the built up frustrations even more. There have been times where I wanted to regress into my non confrontational self and hold things in, but the moment I did for even a few hours longer than necessary, would have me broken. There was nothing I could do but address it. I became this broken sad mess until the moment I began talking about it, and that 1000lb weight I had on my heart, would be lifted.

This hasn’t been the first time I’ve talked about communicating. I blogged about my musing on it almost 2 years ago. And another time almost 1 year ago. I’m really that passionate about it and find it important enough that its becoming an annual topic. So its only fitting it’s my piece of advice to you if you are struggling with communicating now. Take baby steps, write an email or a letter. Take that 3 hours to form your words on paper so they can know just what’s been bothering you and ask them for patience, because you both need a lot of patience to get through this.

-How easy is it for you to communicate?

-Have you fought through it? Or still working on getting better at it?

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All alone in the office

What do I fear? It’s a common question, but not one that I really put much thought into. I don’t really fear anything. Do I hope I don’t get attacked or in an accident or kidnapped or something far worse? Sure, but its not something I dwell on. Yesterday for example would have been a potential for “fear”.

I was the only one in the office for the last hour of the day. Our office isn’t in the best part of town and the whole wall has windows. But it wasn’t the “typical” that I see daily that I had to deal with but a creeper that was coming in to see a co worker who had already left. Needless to say, this creeper turned his creeper meter up the moment he saw me and lets just say all pleasantries were dropped the moment he said his first sentence.

My mind was working fast in preparation, my adrenaline began pumping to the point of stumbling over my words while working on appearing calm, but I was getting ready to do what I had to do if he attempted anything. It was an effort to get him to leave and unfortunately he had to return to drop something off, and I wasn’t looking forward to that. When he did, he continued his creeper status which only proved to make me angrier, which actually worked in my favor to remain calm.

A part of me was annoyed I was the only one in the office since it put me at risk, but the other part of me was glad since no one had to witness how I handled him. My co workers only know me one way, the nice quiet person I am at work, and let’s just say my ‘sweet’ reputation would have been tarnished had any of them been around yesterday.

But in all honesty, I wasn’t afraid. Maybe its because I’ve been around far worse, that I knew I could handle it, but being alone in the office, on the edge of downtown, where druggies, gang members and the lot walk by daily, doesn’t really scare me. Annoy me, yes. Scare me, no.

Would it scare you?

What does scare you or bring you the greatest fear?

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Let me break it down

Welcome to another Monday! Highlights from my weekend consisted of selling my patio furniture for $5 more than what I asked for. {note to self: always ask for $75 because ATM’s only dispense 20’s}. I didn’t do it on purpose but it definitely worked in my favor. The other was I made it within 10 seconds of the ice cream place closing. Her hand was on the light switch when I charged in asking the obvious but necessary question, “ARE YOU CLOSING!?”

Thank goodness the girl had a heart and gave me my 2 scoops I was desperate for before locking up. She must have seen the desperation in my eyes. –oh, coffee and peanut butter ice creams, and it was perfection.

I would have made it in time if I hadn’t gone out to the farthest field known to man to catch a sunset. Had I known that all the gorgeous fields I’d been eyeing for the past 3 weeks had been plowed (the day before), I would have gotten my ice cream hours earlier, but as I drove past one sad plowed field, then another, then another, until I was practically in the other town, I finally pulled over and made due with what I had.

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In keeping with Jenni’s question for the day, ‘what do I do’, its one of those that I sit and think how to tell. All my adult life, I’ve been so reluctant to tell what I did. It would provoke nonstop curious questions, gaping mouth stares, scrutiny, and it was never something I liked dealing with. So I would find ways to get around the answer, divert their questions, and turn the tables on them with a battery of questions, because let’s be honest; people like to talk about themselves more than listen. And it usually worked.

Even now, working in a normal office for the past year, only a handful of people know what I did. They have the appropriate shocked expression, declaring how I don’t ‘fit the type’ and they never could imagine, but I still keep it rather guarded. Never sharing stories or even let on when old co workers come in who don’t recognize me.

It’s a trust thing with me.

I also have my own business. I sell lia sophia jewelry and have for the past 2 1/2 years, and I love it. Its fun. I meet all sorts of people and I get to play with beautiful jewelry every single day. My old job gets linked into it as well. And there are times I’m very careful with what I say, but once they know what I was, its hard to hide, as was the case Friday night, as I had dinner with a “retired” gang banger and another who declared herself too tough to join a gang back then.

did you know there’s no ‘getting out’ of a gang? you retire (which is hard to do) or die.

I’m sitting there across the table from them, and it was a conflict. One knew what I used to do and told the other by referring to me as a ‘clown’. It took a while for the girl to realize she was serious. As we talked, they told stories of what it was like on the other side of the bars, the strip searches, the life of an inmate, where I’ve only known what it was like to be the one with the badge. And it was weird. Listening to it all without being in that life anymore…granted, I wouldn’t have been there if I were still in that life.

Its been 2 1/2 years since I’ve retired from Corrections, but it seems like it never happened. Like that part of my life was a complete dream..(or nightmare), but yet after all this time, it still gets linked into who I am today and “what I do” because it still takes up a huge part of myself, in how I look at people, talk with people, interact and I don’t think that will ever go away.

Even though I’ve moved on to a more carefree daily life, I will always be a Sergeant… because my retired badge says so, and frankly, I’m proud of that.

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You give me the creeps

I’m not sure if you’ve heard yet, but Jenni over at Story of My Life is doing a little link up. It’s a small one. Me and only a handful of others are participating, but she’s thrown out the challenge to blog every day in May…with topics given, mind you, but I, being all defiant, have chosen to pick and choose the days I blog.

…I wish lying was one of those things that made me uncomfortable.

Her link up is huge, people. 600+ people huge. And I haven’t even shared it with you all yet, so after today, its going to surely spike to 602, maaaybe 603, I have that much influence.

So there’s things that give me the creeps, that downright make me uncomfortable and give me the heebie jeebies.

We’ll keep with the categories..

Gives me the creeps:
- Well, creeps do, for one. Those who stop on their way to who knows where to pull their huge knife out of the back of their pants to make sure its still there and promptly tuck it back down making sure its directly in line with their crack. that’s important you know..
- those men who, while talking to me, stare at a place other than my eyes… ok ok, this happened once! but holy moly, I had no idea what you girls were going through until this guy. After he left, I looked down just to see what the heck could be down there that would draw so much attention, and nope, nothing, just the little girls were there like normal.
- the stalker who would write me 10 page letters and emails and hide behind the wall too scared to talk but instead stare.. now that gives me the down right creeps!

Makes me uncomfortable:- standing up straight. If I could slouch and have people think it was the most attractive thing they ever did see, I would slouch till the day I die… and also not suffer from any spine issues because of it. wouldn’t that be nice?
- confrontation. Even though I’m “great” at it, darn if it doesn’t leave me with heart palpitations, sweaty palms and a stutter-ee speech. Oh and bright red ears too. darn giveaway every time!
- finding out I did an hour long presentation in front of a bunch of women with my zipper down the entire time. Face to palm moment..
- when a woman around my age (30’s) stopped me and asked what grade in high school I was in. …ok ok, for me, this was awesome, but I know she was uncomfortable after I said my age.

The heebie jeebies:
- looking up every single time a person hawks the biggest nastiest loogie. Its like this sick gift of mine that I can look up at the “perfect” time it happens..every time.
- making eye contact with a dog who’s poo-ing. Have you ever made eye contact with them before? It’s the most uncomfortable experience. Like I’ve violated them on every level and have shamed me and my family for locking eyes with them at that very private moment. I still want to go back to that dog and apologize.
- seeing the biggest spider known to man on my wall and going for a shoe and turning around and having it completely disappear. worst.feeling.in the world!

GO link up now!! And happy happy Friday!!!
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My favorites

Do you have a favorite app? Or 5? 10? I’m not really an apps girl… I’ve seen iPhones that have 100 or more apps, all categorized, and where 10 do the exact same thing and it boggles my mind. I can’t have that many on there, I start to feel overwhelmed and cluttered and if I see I haven’t touched it in awhile, I’ll take it off my phone, but there are those rare few that I have that I can’t live without.

I feel like you don’t know about these and I have to share the wealth. Get you in the know. Bring you into my little ‘best app’ circle, so you can nod your head and agree with me.


From the one that I’m loving most:

~ Viber
By far the most exciting app I have. Why? Because its free. (always a great thing) but more than that, it lets me talk to friends around the world for free. I text my friend in Germany all day long and never think twice about it. Friend in Peru? Same thing! We can call each other too, all through the app and have it be free. Such a beautiful thing. It works for everyone anywhere, US to US too, so you don’t need an international friend to get it…but it never hurts to have one. ;)

~ My Consultant
If you have your own business, this is a great app to use for tallying the customer’s totals. It let’s you add everything up with tax and shipping included which keeps you accurate. I use this all the time while at my parties.

~ Wells Fargo
one reason and one reason only… mobile depositing. best.thing.ever.

~ My Cycles
Definitely a ‘girly stuff’ app to have, but I love this app. It tracks everything, every month, so I can be prepared. I enter in my issues for that day, all the symptoms, it saves it and gives me an idea of what I’ll be expecting for next month. I’ve had this app for 2 years now and have found in incredibly accurate, and recommend it to all.


{there’s another app alongside it that I’ve covered but that I use daily. It’s great for women, whether after giving birth, or in general.. if you want to know, I’ll email you the name of it, but since the creator didn’t think of the best name for it, I don’t want it on my blog}

And then a lot of my photo apps. The ones I use the most are:
~ Diptic
a great collage app that gives you several different options and funky designs. It costs, but it’s worth the .99 cents.

~ Pic Stitch is the free collage app.

~ TimerCam is great for those selfies you don’t want people to know are selfies. Prop it up. Set the timer. And run to the other end of the room… oh, someone took my picture…

~ Whitagram is for those photos you don’t want to get crunched in the Instagram app. It’ll keep the dimension of your landscape photo allowing everything you took to be in the IG picture. This might be why you’re seeing a lot of shrunken IG photos these days.

The most recent app I’ve gotten (just last night actually) is the InstaCC app. I’m not quite sure I like it. It forces you to sign in via IG and will only pull your IG photos. Originally, I thought it would pull from my photo album, which I thought would be great to fill a picture for every day of the calendar that I took, however it will only post the ones you put on IG and it will only allow you to ‘save’ the calendar, by putting it on IG… something I didn’t want to do. I just wanted to save it in my camera roll, but since it wouldn’t let me, I took a screen shot of it instead.

Take that, InstaCC!

But the concept, I thought was pretty neat. They also have fun screen skins for the background. So it has potential, if you’re a heavy daily IG user…which you can see, I am not. (this was a heavier month for me).

So those are the most used (and favorite) apps I have currently.

What are apps you can’t live without or just plain love using? No listing the typical (ie. IG, FB, Twitter, Pinterest..), I want unique apps that you’ve found that are your hidden gems.

Happy May Day!!!

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