It almost completely slipped my mind, however I am reminded every day before Valentine's Day that another year is in the books for this little blog of mine!
HAPPY 3 YEAR BLOGIVERSARY, LIFE AS YOU LIVE IT!
I created this blog back in 2013 as a creative outlet for my DIY projects and can't believe the growth that it has had over the past couple years. Never would I have thought that I would still be typing away sharing my two cents, have a post go viral, or start my own little Etsy shop. The ever growing plans and opportunities that are ahead of any and every blogger are unlimited and it truly is very exciting to think about.
The first post that I ever published was my "FUN DIY VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT FOR HIM" project that I had put together as a gift for L. A rookie at best, I only included one picture (which was of the final project), and a little blurb about it. I look back and smile because it truly was a labor of love, and then a little bit more love to put it up on the blog. Maybe someday I will filter through my older posts and update them with better pictures, especially the ones that get a lot of pageviews.
I'm a big list maker and goal setter, so it only seemed appropriate to pull together four goals to hopefully see myself reach by year #4!

1. Post at least ten times a month - this probably seems like a small number to some, however, when the creative juices aren't flowing, I'm on the struggle bus and have to really focus to pull together a publish worthy post. I feel as though ten is a good, consistent number that is very attainable. I don't care if it's ten posts in a row, or 2-3 posts a week... it's happening! (:
2. Move to .com - It's been three years and I am still riding the .blogspot.com train. I know, somebody needs to cut the cord! Honestly, I'm in a little bit of a pickle because lifeasyouliveit.com is already being used and I'm not quite sure what other domain name I could use without detaching myself too much from "the brand". I've thought about completely rebranding the entire blog but have started to think that that may not be the best option as I feel as though LIFE AS YOU LIVE IT encapsulates the content of this blog really well. What are your thoughts with .org? Does anyone use it for their blog?
3. Double the pageviews that I had in December - I feel as though this goes hand in hand with the "post at least ten times a month" goal. I'd like to think that it is not all about the numbers, however it is one of the best ways to measure your progress. I did not start tracking my stats and using google analytics until September of 2015. Out of the three years I've had this, only 5 months of them I have tracked and recorded this kind of information. I don't know why I didn't reference to that information earlier, however I sure am glad that I do now! I look at the numbers that I had in December of 2015 and hope that I am able to double that by December of 2016!
4. Design 10 for items for my Etsy shop - I consider my Etsy shop and the blog as one entity, and would love to see these grow together. I try my hardest to design a new product for the shop every month and have a handful of ideas up my sleeve. I want to make sure I am continually contributing to this little shop so that it can continue to grow!

Thank you, everyone, for your continued support! Have a happy, happy VALENTINE'S DAY tomorrow! (:

our SISTER DANCE!

Did anyone go to see the movie Sisters featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler?
There's a scene in the movie where Tina and Amy are hosting a party and a song came on that they had choreographed a dance to as kids. They of course remembered their fun dance perfectly and performed it for their crowd!
Upon seeing that, my sisters and I, who together danced for over 30 years, found it absolutely imperative to choreograph our own sister dance to the popular song "We Like to Party" by the Vengaboys! 
Being that we all live in different states, we would send each other little clips of 8 counts that we had choreographed so that the other sisters could learn it. Over the course of a week, we had finished choreographing our entire dance and had pieced it all together during our family ski trip to Vermont last week. 
We are certainly no experts, but we sure did have a ton of fun putting this together! I hope we grow old dancing to this song together (:
Please don't mind the terrible iPhone quality video... we put this together on the last day before we went our separate ways. There are certainly a few hiccups, however that's the best we could do after an exhausting day of skiing and only a week to learn it. We will perfect it later on, maybe for S's wedding!? ;)
Many thanks to our brother, Ty, who recorded this for us. Despite our best efforts, he did not want to be apart of our sister dance :(



I hope you enjoyed our #sisterdance !!!!

Valentine's Day Gifts for HIM!

If being crafty is not your forte, yet you still would like to get your hunny something special that won't (or maybe will) break the bank, here are some quick picks that you might want to get him!  

...to make things even sweeter, most of these ship Amazon Prime (except the charger and packing cubes), so you'll have them just in time!

 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9

I think this Hershel Supply Co. tote will be L's next bag. His current tote is one that he has had since high school and it has held up very well! 

I'm also a fan of this warm beanie, and I know he would be too! 

Beats Pill... it's perfect, small and very compact. Great for travel and at home.

And because you can never having enough charging cables, here is a 10' long one.

The art of brewing fascinates me, which is why I think it would fascinate him as well. L and I both enjoy a good cider, so why not make it yourself!?

Yeti Cooler... I think every guy wants one to have one.

Nalgenes are perfect for taking to the gym, hiking, camping, anything! L and I got some for Christmas and use them religiously. 

I think I already professed my newfound love for packing cubes on here, however it I have not... they are the best! I got some for Christmas, and now I feel as though everyone needs them!

He already owns a pair of darn toughs, however I'm sure he'd be okay with me adding another pair or two to his collection! They are the best for hiking, skiing, and everyday use! AND they're guaranteed for LIFE. When you wear them out (if that's even possible), send them back and they will hook you up with a new pair. MADE IN VERMONT! (:  

What are you planning on picking up for your guy on Valentine's Day? Some Love Coupons? ;)

View through my lens: January

I sure was hoping I'd have a little more to share with you concerning this month, however I was sadly disappointed when I went to flip through my phone and realized I had hardly taken any pictures this month. Big fail on my part. 

I don't remember if I shared this picture on here or not, but this is back when I was traveling to and from Ohio over the holidays. After arriving at the very crowded airport, Channel 7 approaches me to interview me... sure! Why not? I got frisked at security because my sweater contained too much holiday cheer (foil), my gate is switched three times... I bought myself a frosty to make myself feel better. The plane finally arrives and we board 45 minutes late, we sat on the runway for 3 hours while they put the wings back on the plane and other airport jargon. They deplane us because the flight crew has reached their 9 hour max flight time, and as passengers we had hit our three hour preflight sit time. They put our fully booked flight up at the Hilton and I indulge and order room service while watching SVU... what I learned... if you ever have a crappy day, pizza and fries will make everything alright! Seriously though, some of the best food I've had in awhile!!

My love for organization continues... my most recent obsession... these containers.  I ordered three after Christmas to help corral and organize our many odds and ends and just ordered one more to house my seasonal clothing. They're sturdy, weathertight, and clear! As our camping gear and other collections grow, these will be perfect to keep everything tidy and pretty!

 In January, we had our holiday party for one of my jobs and I might just have lucked out with my secret santa! She seriously hooked it up for me! Complete with marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, a blanket, matches, fly swatters, playing cards, a first aid kit, bug candles, mints, mini camping utensils, hot cocoa, a tumbler, and a cooler! The perfect kit of camping goodies! Such a sweet gift, and the presentation was on point!

 After over a month without Macy Cat, I'm happy to say that we are off to Maine tomorrow to pick her up and bring her back to her little home in Boston. We brought her to Maine to stay with family while we traveled and are ready to have her back. Keep in mind that this cat hasn't been outside in 2+ years, so this crazy snow adventure was life changing for her. She's not a fan though... she's a city cat at heart. (:

Hopefully next month I will have a few more updates and pictures!! (:

WHO • WHAT • WHEN • WHERE • WHY

[this time last year - relaxing in Boston Common]
WHO

• Buzzfeed. I was checking the traffic sources for my Etsy shop and noticed that Buzzfeed was one of my big sources. I found the article and saw that they featured my cleaning kit printables in their post. Pretty cool! I admit, I did text my mom and sisters in excitement! Guys, I have so many plans for that little shop... just you wait! ;)

WHAT

• This dress... if only it wasn't over $400! Does anyone know of any dupes that are maybe a fraction of that price tag!?

WHEN

• February 14th. Coming this Valentine's Day... Swanluv. Has anyone heard of this yet? Supposedly, if you apply and are approved this company will give you up to a $10,000 loan that can go towards your dream wedding. If you stayed married forever you don't have to pay it back at all! However, if you get a divorce you have to pay back the entire loan plus interest!

WHERE

• Everywhere. This is where you should be each month of the year! Book on Tuesdays, fly on Wednesdays, travel in January! 

WHY

• Did this happen in the first place? I frequently use and depend on Uber for any transit in and around the city. I can't imagine ever acting this way towards a driver let alone to anyone! She has apologized since then so hopefully everything works out for the best. 

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

10 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD OWN A PAIR OF BEAN BOOTS

L.L. BEAN I can't say enough good things about this incredible company. Scattered primarily along the East Coast with a few stores here and there in the midwest, L. L. Bean is most commonly known for their iconic hunting boots that were created by their founder, Leon Leonwood Bean, over 100 years ago! A recent rise in popularity has put these handmade boots in HIGH demand resulting in backorders that last for months. As they should be, these boots are not only worth the reasonable price tag on them but also the 5+ month wait that they might be on! My mother bought me mine as a Christmas gift a while back a couple Octobers ago, and I received them 5 months later in March. Don't worry though, L.L. Bean kept me updated through email and also hooked me up with a boot for MacyCat... I mean keychain. ;) If you ever get the chance, I highly suggest you make your way up to Freeport, Maine and explore all of their stores, you will be in L.L. Bean heaven. L and I own a handful of things from them, including our newest additions, a sleeping bag and camp pillow. Back to the boots! They offer it all! Here are a few listed below with links, there are even more on the L. L. Bean website!

• Women's Rubber Moc - $89
• Women's 6" (uninsulated) - $109 (I MIGHT BUY THESE NEXT FOR THE SUMMERTIME)
• Women's 8" (uninsulated) - $119 
• Women's 8" (Thinsulate) - $139
• Women's 8" (Gortex-Thinsulate) - $189 (THESE ARE THE ONES I HAVE)
• Women's 8" (Shearling-Lined) - $209
• Women's 10" (Shearling-Lined)- $219
• Men's Rubber Moc - $89
• Men's 6" (uninsulated) - $109
• Men's 8" (uninsulated) - $119
• Men's 10" (uninsulated) - $129 (L OWNS THESE ONES IN DARK BROWN)
• Men's 8" (Thinsulate) - $139
• Men's 8" (Gortex - Thinsulate) - $189 (L OWNS THESE ONES TOO)
• Men's 10" (Shearling-Lined) - $219

Please know that there are a lot of brands out there that have replicated the duck boot look. Despite the physical similarities, I cannot attest that they have the same premium, long lasting quality that L. L. Bean offers. To make sure you have a product handmade by the team at L.L. Bean look for the "Bean Boots by L.L. Bean" stamp on the back of each boot.

I attached a video below from L.L. Bean's Youtube channel that demonstrates how the boots are made from scratch!



This is a product that I would honestly recommend to ANYONE!

**This is not a sponsored post and I do not work for L. L. Bean. I am just a New England girl who loves and appreciates her beloved bean boots and wants to share the love!

8 TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOU RESET YOUR WEEK!

Ready. Set. Reset! Put your Sunday to work prepping you for the next week!

WASH YOUR SHEETS AND TOWELS

• Technically you're supposed to send your sheets through the wash every three days, however if that's not feasible, at least try to get those sent through the wash on your Sundays! There is no better feeling than crawling into bed surrounded by fresh sheets! By the way, I recently made the switch to Tide PODS, and it couldn't make this chore any easier! No more lugging an entire bottle of laundry detergent down to the laundromat, all I have to do is throw two of these into my laundry basket and we're good to go! Plus, everything comes out smelling amazing!!

ORGANIZE YOUR COMPUTER DESKTOP

• My desktop background starts to disappear by the end of the week from saving photos, paperwork and projects directly to it. I try to make folders as I go, however when that doesn't happen I usually sort through them on Sundays and file them accordingly.

FOOD PREP

• I am 10x more likely to eat a healthy, well-balanced meal when it is planned out and appropriately proportioned out for me. I look at the week ahead, plan out my meals and put the right measurements of food into these delitainers (fyi... they ship in huge quantities). Each container holds one cup and makes it easy to grab and go. If I'm preparing a meal from scratch at home, everything is already measured out and cut up!

PUT TOGETHER A TO DO LIST

• I live my life by a to do list. I keep a running list in my notes app where I'll add and delete tasks as they are completed. This isn't ever anything elaborate, however it does remind me to do simple things like my laundry, go to the post office, bank, upcoming deadlines, projects, etc. When I look at the week ahead, I'll update it and make sure everything that I completed is crossed off! 

PLAN YOUR OUTFITS OUT

• Digging through my closet and bureau is not something I enjoy doing in the morning which is why I am finally mastering the art of planning out my outfits for the week ahead of time. After months of cleaning out my closet, I feel as though I have finally found my staples which does make putting an outfit together much easier! 

REVIEW YOUR PLANNER

• No week is ever the same which is why I am constantly referring to my calendar to keep me in check. I used to use a daily planner, however I found my iPhone to be the most efficient these days. It's easy to input dates, it's always on me, and it syncs to the cloud so that I can access it on other devices. I like to look at my week in advance and reference to it throughout to make sure I don't miss any important due dates, appointments or meetings.

CLEAN OUT YOUR PURSE

• I'm currently using a black crossover (similar) as my go-to bag and I love it! The convenience of being hands free and constantly having everything very accessible is the best! My only problem is... despite it's size, it become a blackhole for receipts, business cards, tissues and bobby pins! I've found that if I stay on top of it and take everything out of the bag at the beginning of the week, it doesn't build up as much! I strip it down to the essentials each week and am good to go!

CLEAN YOUR INBOX OUT

• I don't know if this will ever be possible for me, however I do dream of a world with a clean inbox. Between my school, work, blog and two personal email addresses, my inbox is constantly flooded daily with mail that needs read and addressed. I do love that all of my gmails are in one place and would love to eventually get the other two under that server as well. In the meantime I have implemented a new rule for myself where I will not open an email unless I have time to respond, reply, and file it right then and there. This helps me to avoid opening emails and forgetting to respond. I'm currently working through deleting old, old emails that make everything look cluttered.

How do you reset your week?