25 Things About Your Blogger

Hello lovelies,
I hope you're having a great week so far, I decided today that I wanted to share 25 things about me! It's been a while since I've done one of these, and if you're new here you just might learn something new about me!

Let's get started!

1. I'm 5'7".

2. I HATE when people write 'Merica, it's not 'Merica, it's America. 

3. My biggest pet peeve is water bottle sweat.

4. I've never been to a concert.

5. I love Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift

6. My favorite time of year is Winter.

7. I can't wait till Once Upon A Time comes back from it's winter break I'm having withdrawals.

8. I own way to many cardigans!

9. I really need to clean out my closet.

10. I have severe test anxiety.

11. I'm a dog person.

12. I almost drowned once in the Holiday World water park.

13. I will never read all the books on my to-be-read list, there's too many.

14. I will continue adding books to my reading list, even though I may never read them.

15. I'm allergic to everything, except dogs.

16. I can go from listening to classical music to country music to metal in a matter of minutes.

17. My doctor says I drink too much water.

18. I have no filter and it gets me in trouble sometimes.

19. I'm allergic to cats.

20. I love history.

21. I HATE math.

22. I've never had Starbucks coffee!

23. I prefer Google Documents over Microsoft Word.

24. I have six Tumblr blogs.

25. I have two Pinterest accounts.

That's it for today! I hope you enjoyed learning 25 new things about me! What should I know about you? Let me know below!
XoXo,
Lori

September Goals

Happy September lovelies!!!! Words cannot explain how happy I am right now, I'm so excited, fall is almost here and I just can't wait!

Start using MyFitnessPal again.

Finish Algebra 1 Part 1 and Part 2.

Read 3 books.

Finish college app for Trevecca Nazarene University

Finish college app for Bethel University - Tennessee
Finish college app for Converse College.
Lose weight.
Blog more.
Be a better blogger.
Buy more Fall scented candles!!!

So I know things have been slow here lately, but I'm working on getting things back in order, and I'm hoping that this month is the month I accomplish all my goals!
XoXo,
Lori

The Sunshine Award

       A few days ago I was nominated for the Sunshine Award by Katie at Amateur Aglow . Similar to the Liebster award, you are nominated if someone feels that your blog brings sunshine into the world.

Rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.

2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the nominating blogger.

3. Nominate 11 bloggers you think bring sunshine into the world.

4. Come up with your own 11 questions to ask them!

11 Facts:

1. I can't swim.

2. I have long hair, but it's so thick I can't so anything with it.

3. My favorite subjects in school are History and English.

4. I couldn't live without music!

5. No one in my family knows about my blog!

6. None of my friends know I blog!

7. I'm a pro at walking with crutches.

8. I own a ridiculous number of cardigans!

9. I drink on average 169 ounces of water a day.

10. I was born six weeks early and still weighed nearly 7 pounds.

11. I can't sleep without a fan on.

11 Answers:

1. Beauty product you can't live without?

     Lip balm, my lips get so dry and chapped, especially in the winter!

2. Favorite classic book?

    I love to read, but I'm not to keen on classics, I recently read 'To Kill A Mockingbird' and I really enjoyed it. But I wouldn't say it's a favorite because I can't choose favorites when it comes to books.

3. Best dressed at the Grammy's?

    Definitely Taylor Swift.

4. Gloss, balm or lipstick?

    I have dry lips so it's gotta be a balm.

5. Shower in the morning or before bed?

   Before bed,  it relaxes me, and I can't stand the thought of having to blow dry my hair every morning.

6. Biggest obsession right now?

    Demi Lovato's hair. Seriously though, how does she still have hair on her head? I'm in love with her pink hair!

7. Movie character you would befriend?

     I'm not really a movie kind of girl, I can't sit still for that long. I prefer TV shows, and my favorite TV show character that I would befriend, would be Aria on PLL.

8. How do you like rooms to be decorated?

    I like rooms to be neat and tidy, neutral colors with random pops of color.

9. Favorite thing about living where you live?

    Being close to my family, and you can get anywhere you need to go in about 10 minutes.

10. Favorite candle scent?

       Anything vanilla.

11. Favorite store?

         I love Nordstrom and Charlotte Russe!

My 11 Nominees 

1. Zoe

2. Chyaz

3. Ashley

4. AJ

5. Miss Southern Prep

6. Casey

7. Bethany

8. Kristen

9. Samantha

10. Hunter

11. Ambi

My Questions

1. Do you have a special talent?

2. What's your favorite animal?

3. If you could learn any language, which would it be?

4. What's your favorite book?

5. Where do you want to be in 10 years?

6. Do you have a favorite Youtuber or Blogger?

7. What's one thing you couldn't live without?

8. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

9. What's one thing you want to accomplish before you die?

10. What's your favorite thing about blogging?

11. What is your main goal for 2014?

    I look forward to seeing everyone's answers, and if you've received a nomination on your blog leave me the link I'd love to see your answers!
                                                                XOXO,
                                                                       Lori Ann

Wanting to Make a Change

     I've recently been thinking a lot about my blog, and I mean A LOT. I've mentioned before about planning on spicing things up and doing a major revamp after the first of the year, or around the end of January.
     If you've been reading my blog for a while, then in you saw my major blog design update in October. The reason I've been making all of these changes is because I've been thinking about my long-term goals for my blog. I hope one day to be able to make money off of it, once I turn 18, and I'm eligible for Google Ad-Sense.
    But till then I just want to focus on improving not only my blog, but my writing skills.

   The reason for this blog post is because in the past few weeks I've been at war with myself over a big decision, and so I wanted to get your opinion on it.

    I've been thinking of changing the name of my blog, and maybe the URL too. I'm not too concerned about the URL, but my blog name has been bugging me here recently and I really wanna change it.
    When I made this blog I was 14 or 15, and to be honest, at the time I didn't think I would actually keep this blog running this long. But it's grown into my baby, and I don't know what I would do without it now, I love blogging, and I couldn't imagine going back to my life before I started blogging.
   
    It may just be me because I'm a perfectionist, and I judge myself way too harshly, but to me my blog name seems a bit juvenile. What do you think? I really need your opinion because I have no idea what to do.
                                                                 Stay Creative,
                                                                                 Lori Ann

Updated Look!

         Fall is in the air, and I am loving it. I slept with my window up last night and now I'm freezing, brrr! 

   Since it was so cold in my room I decided to make a cup of hot chocolate to warm me up, and then I decided to stay in bed and write today.
     I was going to save this post for Thursday and do my update then, but when I woke up this morning I changed my mind.

My Christmas cup, Can you tell I'm ready for the Holiday's?

  If you've been following my blog for a while, then you've probably noticed a lot of changes over the past few weeks.
     Well I decided to go one step further, and update my entire blog. I've been thinking about it for a while, and a few nights ago I was playing around and finally I was able to put together a new design I loved.
    I wanted to lighten up my blog, before it was black, with a little pink, and now it's white! It's a big change, but I really do like it.
     I'm sure eventually I'll add a little color to it, but for now I just love how clean it feels. I feel like over the past month, I've really upped my standards, and I just want to keep going forward.
     For a long time I felt stuck, but I'm finally coming out of my black (and pink) hole, and opening up to new things.
     Recently, I've been blogging more, and I've actually written so much, that I'm having a hard time scheduling everything. So far I've got everything scheduled through January, except of course my Monday posts. But I just keep writing, but I love every minute of it!

    Soooo what do you think? Let me know below. Do you like it better than the old design?  So that's all for today, I'll have my usual post up a post up Monday.  Let me know what you think in the comment section. Stay Creative my Lovelies, I'll post again very soon.

                                              XOXO,
                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:    loriboyd15@gmail.com

                                 Twitter:   @LoriAnnBoyd

Blogger Related Questions

     This week I had planned on doing something major, but it didn't work out like I had wanted, so maybe next week. So since I wasn't able to post what I had planned I decided to take this from my draft box, I wrote it a few weeks ago to have in case I needed an emergency filler post.
        I decided last night to update my template, and I want your opinion on it. Basically I just want to know if you like it and if it's easier for you to read the page. Aside from changing my text color, and background color, I changed the page width. So let me know if it's too wide, if you liked it better before, or if it's just right.
      Next week I should be able to get up my original post, I'm just having trouble deciding how I want to schedule it. So for now here is my 5 Questions Related to Blogger
1.) How did you find out about Blogger?
- I think it was Google. But it's been so long I really can't remember.
2.) How did you come up with the name for your blog?
-I'm not really sure, it kinda just came to me. I had a name I wanted to call my blog but it was already taken, so I spent some time thinking and Lori's Creative Expressions just popped into my head so I went with it.
3.) How many times a day do you check Blogger?
-It really depends on the day. When I first started out I checked it every 10 minutes, but I'd say now on a normal day maybe once or twice a day. The first time I check is to make sure my scheduled post went up on time, and then I usually check it at the end of the day to see my views. I try not to check it too often because you get obsessed with it, and then you start focusing only on getting more views, and because of that your writing suffers.
4.) How long have you been blogging?
- I started this blog  in September 2012, but I had 2 blogs before that. My first blog was kinda silly, I only posted four times and it was just random stuff. My second blog was more like a personal diary, I went through a rough patch last year, and I used it as a coping mechanism. But I eventually realized it wasn't helping me, and in fact it was very unhealthy. And so now I have this blog, and I'm very happy with it.
5.) What do you think needs to improve on your blog?
- I think my writing could get much better, but I think everyone feels that way. I know I tend to over write, and over explain things and I really need to work on fixing that. I also want to write more reviews, and post more regularly.
     
     So that's all for today, I'll have my usual post up Friday. Stay Creative my lovelies.
                                                                                                 XOXO,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com
                                   Twitter:    @LoriAnnBoyd

17 Random Questions Tag

   Today I was reading Bluebells & Owls and decided to do her Tag of 17 Random Questions. She always tags everyone so I will do the same to you. I do believe this is my first tag so let's get started.

1.) How did you get your Blogger username?
- I'm not really sure, it kinda just came to me. I had a name I wanted to call my blog but it was already taken, so I spent some time thinking and Lori's Creative Expressions just popped into my head so I went with it.

2.) If you could change your name to anything, what would it be and why?
- If I could change my name it would Stephanie Nicole. I would choose this name because it's what my mom wanted to call me, but my dad named me while she was in recovery from a c-section.  But I don't think I ever would change my name because I'm just so used to Lori, it's simple.

3.) If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be and why?
- I guess I would tell myself to not be so afraid of screwing up and to just be myself. I spent a lot of my younger years trying to fit in with other people, and it just wasn't me. Because of that I lost myself and I'm just now starting to really discover who I am.

4.) How old were you when you first learned to blow a bubblegum bubble?
- I'm not really sure I guess I'll go with age 6.

5.) What did you want to be when you were little?
- I always wanted to be a singer.

6.) What do you order at Starbucks?
- I don't know,  I've never been to Starbucks.

7.) What's the hardest you ever laughed?
- I guess that would be the time I laughed so hard I squirted chocolate milk out of my nose, I've also done that with Dr. Pepper before. My family loves to make jokes or do something stupid when I take a drink and it really hurts.

8.) If you could play any musical instrument, which would it be and why? 
- I've always wanted to learn to play guitar, it's actually on my bucket list of things I want to do before I die. I've also recently got interested in piano/keyboards, I love the sound and would love to learn to play someday. But that will have to wait till I move and have room for one.

9.) What's your favorite thing to do when your upset?
- I put on my headphones and blast music. It usually starts with angry music then I'll listen to depressing music. I also like to read, it helps me relax and de-stress. And of course everyone eats chocolate, it makes everything better.

10.) What's your favorite movie?
- I love Drop Dead Fred, Bubble Boy, and Titanic.

11.) What's one food you cannot live without?
- Chocolate. Pickles. Pizza. Pasta. But mainly chocolate.

12.) What's your favorite dessert?
- Every year before Christmas me and my mom make homemade desserts. Homemade Reese Bars, peanut butter balls. And my uncle introduced me to a new dessert last year, I'll make it sometime and share it with you.

13.) Favorite Pizza Topping?
-Pepperoni.

14.) Would you rather have the superpower to read minds, or the superpower to be invisible?
- I would love to read minds because I would know what everyone was thinking and I would know their deepest darkest secrets.

15.) What did you do for your last birthday?
- My Birthday was in March and I slept the entire day and ate chocolate cake.

16.) If you had one personal "selfish" wish, what would it be and why?
- I would want to be a singer in a band so I could travel the world, and share my songs with other people.

17.) If you were a Pokemon what would you be called? What would you look like?
- I don't know I don't even remember how to play Pokemon, I was really into it when I was about 8, but since then I've changed a lot and don't remember anything about it.

    That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed this post. Please leave a link to your blog below and be sure to tag everyone you know.


                                                                                Stay Creative,
                                                                                               Lori Ann
     

Questionnaire #2

      When trying to decide what to write about today I thought about things I'd done in the past. And then I decided why not do another questionnaire like I did a few months ago.
     If you weren't reading my blog back then here's the LINK , and basically I just answered 10 questions. It was fun to do, but at times very challenging, so I'm looking forward to doing today's post.
 1.) What is a nickname only people close to you call you?
-My nickname is really embarrassing and I really don't know why they call it but they call me Pookie. They only do it do annoy me now, but apparently when I was younger they called me that all the time. I on the other hand refuse to even try to remember them calling me that. Haha, other than that the only nickname I have is Lori Ann, which is what I'm called when I'm in trouble.
 2.) What is a song you secretly love to blast and belt when you're alone?
- Wow this is actually a hard one. I listen to so many different types of music it's insane. I don't really sing along to music very often, but when I do it's normally Demi Lovato, or Miranda Lambert. As for music that I like to blast, here recently I've been unplugging my headphones when I'm home alone, and playing Daughtry and Demi Lovato. I'll also play music on my iPhone, my favorite song on there to blast is the Live version of Def Leppard Pour Some Sugar on Me, and Esthero Never Gonna Let You Go.
3.) What's some of your nervous habits?
- When I'm nervous I tend to bite my lips. A LOT. I also play with my hair, and pick the nail polish off my finger nails.
4.) What's the drink you order most at Starbucks?
- Well I've never had a Starbucks coffee. The nearest Starbucks to me is over an hour away. However we do have a small area in our local clinic that sells Starbucks coffee, I'm just not sure what to order, and don't want to waste my money. Feel free to make a suggestion, I know I like French Vanilla coffee if that helps.
5.) What's a beauty rule you preach, but never actually practice?
- Hmmm, I guess that would be to wash your face twice a day. I only wash at night, but that's how I've always done it, if I feel oily during the day I just use a Simple Face Wipes, they recently released some here in the US for balancing oil.
6.) What was your favorite toy as a child?
- When I was growing up I loved Barbies, I had a big box full of them, and would play with them all day everyday.
7.) Do you have any phobias?
- I'm scared of spiders,and of course snakes, really any type of bugs. And I'm also a germaphobe.
8.) What side do you sleep on?
- I fall asleep on my right side and never know what side I'm gonna wake up on. I'm a heavy sleeper, but also a light sleeper at the same time. I can wake up easily, and I get woken up easily. But when I'm asleep I never dream, and never know I've moved or lost a pillow or blanket. This is the reason why I tend to have neck and back problems.
9.)Time to sleep what are you wearing?
- I'm literally laying in bed wearing a pair of old holy Capri's I've had since Elementary school and a spaghetti strap shirt. Other times I'll wear a pair of long workout pant like from Danskin, just because they feel comfortable.
10.) When were you born?
- I was born on March 13, 1997. I was 6 weeks early, and my mom nearly lost me several times while pregnant.
     Okay so that's all for today. I got most of these questions from a tag I've seen going around it's called the Weird Questions TAG, but I didn't really want to do a tag. And I also didn't really know what to put for some of them so instead I just used them for this questionnaire.
   Stay Creative my lovelies, I'll post again very very soon.
                                                                                                 xoxo,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Also contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com
                                   Twitter:   @LoriAnnBoyd

Should I change?

     Today I started thinking about changing over to WordPress, after all it's all anyone in the blogging community can talk about. I started weighing my options, and to be honest I'm not really sure what I want to do.
     But first I want to apologize for not bogging much this week. Like I said in Monday's blog, I'm sick, and not getting any better, I've been sleeping pretty much all day everyday, and I've actually gotten worse.
     Anyway I think the biggest thing keeping me from switching is that I've used Blogger for so long, I know I've only had this blog since September, but I had another blog that I had blogged on for a while, before starting this one. I guess it's like a sentimental thing, you get used to something and don't want to let it go.
      Other than that, I really don't like the way WordPress is set up. I like how with Blogger on the side you have archives, every WordPress blog I've read never has that. So I don't know if it's not available in the setup, or if people just choose not to use them.
      For now I think I'm gonna stay with Blogger, but who knows a few years from now I may decide to make the switch. Let me know what you think I should do. I don't really know much about WordPress and what is has to offer so maybe you could try to persuade me into switching now rather than later.
   But personally I feel like right now I'm at a place where I feel good about my writing. Especially here recently I've seen a huge increase in traffic to my blog, so I don't know what I'm doing but whatever it is must be pretty good. Stay Creative my lovelies, I'll post again very very soon.
                                                                                                 xoxo,
                                                                                                     Lori Ann
      Contact me:  
                                  E-mail:      loriboyd15@gmail.com
                                   Twitter:   @LoriAnnBoyd

P.S. I had originally planned on posting my two reviews this week but since I've been sick that has screwed up my schedule, and so my two nail polish reviews will be posted next week. I actually might put one up in place of my Weight Loss Monday's since I've been sick I haven't really done anything to write about, especially the last 24 hours have been rough. So I see no point in wasting your time with a pointless post that informs you of nothing.