Things to tell your husband daily.

 "She didn't just fall in love with him once. She falls in love with him every time she looks at him."

-Josephine Angelini

I think the key to any successful relationship or marriage is being verbal with each other, every day.

Words of affirmation go a long way when it comes to love. And some times, it just feels really good to get a compliment or know that we are appreciated.  This is also the same for our husbands.

When I was asking Mr. Fresh Heart about what are some of the things that he wish I would say or do for him more, he talked about acts of service. If you are familiar with the five love languages, then you know what I'm talking about. However, if you don't and want to check it out and maybe even want to see what your love language is, head on over to Gary Chapman's website for the five languages of love here.

Anyway, acts of service is what he said. Basically he feels love when I do things for him without him asking. He's a man of action versus words however, not everyone's husband or partner seek acts of service. Because we are human we are all wired differently and interpret love differently. But there are others ways to express your love for your partner for example:

• I love ____ about you or I love that you do ____.

I feel that saying "I love you" just simply isn't enough. Being specific about a certain trait or thing that your husband or partner does goes a lot further. Like for instance, I tell Mr. Fresh Heart that I love watching him be a father and interacting with our children. Or when life just gets super busy for me and he takes the trash out for me. When he comes back in, I immediately let him know that I love and appreciated him doing that for me. By doing this it lets your husband know what you are acknowledging what he is doing, even if the act seems so little.  Remember, even small acts leave a much bigger impact.

• Letting your wants and needs be heard and acknowledged.

Though our husbands and partners posses many super talents, mind reading just isn't one of them. So we can't assume that they know what we want or need. We have to be verbally honest and open with them. If we are vocal about what we need or want we can avoid any negative outcomes there may be by assuming. When we are verbal this strengthens our bonds with each other. 


 Ultimately, we have to love our husbands or partners the way that they need or want to be loved. What are some of the things that you say and do for your husband or partner daily?

10 Inspiring Quotes on Love

Like any woman, I love to hear how much my significant other cares about me. Here are ten other great quotes on love I found to inspire you today- enjoy. 

"For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. If was not my lips you kissed, but my soul." 

"I love you. I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, everyday we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours." -Nicholas Sparks

"It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does." -Peter McWilliams

Brief is life but love is long." -Alfred Lord Tennyson

"Love is the beauty of the soul." -St. Aurelius Augustine

"We loved with a love that was more than love." -Edgar Allen Poe

"Love is friendship set on fire." -Jeremy Taylor

There are all kinds of love in this world but never the same love twice." -F. Scott Fitzgerald

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."- Emily Bronte

"Love; it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you. It will set you free." -Mumford & Sons

"You don't love someone for their looks, or their clothes, or for their fancy car, but because they sing a song only you can hear." -Oscar Wilde

If you find a quote you love or think of one yourself, write it down and text a "love quote" (the new love note) to your partner while they're at work. It's a quick, personal way to say I love you! 

What's your favorite quote on love? Share with me in the comments below! 

Relationships Are...

Relationships are hard!

I mean look at me, I'm a divorcee who on top of that went through a really bad relationship. 

However, here I am being loved by and am loving a Godly man. 

Yeah, I know what you're thinking too .. because everyone who I say this to expects fireworks, butterflies and rainbows. But really, this hasn't been the easiest relationship either. Like it has and it hasn't ..if that makes any sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there has been a lot of trial and error. Which I don't think is bad at all by all means it's just that .. I'm not used to this kind of love and I'm certainly not used to being pushed like I am either. 

I'm "seriously serious", I think I will forever be in a state of ruffled feathers. 

Anthony is constantly pushing me and it's not the "I'm pushing your buttons" either. He's pushing me to be better in my faith, as a better person, mother and woman. I honestly think that is the difference in being with someone who loves and lives for God and being with someone who is also so positive about life in general. So yes, I am defiantly not used to this.

I heard the best quote this morning while listening to K Love this morning: 

 It's not about finding someone you can live with,

it's about finding someone you can't live without.

That quote is so true but, I've always picked the wrong people. Also in all of my past relationships I've never been equally yoked either. I think in order to have a great relationship God must always come first. Pray together and seek God together (having great communication skills help too).

"Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another."

                                                                             -Romans 12:10

For once, I'm not being judged for what I've done. I'm not being told that I'm "too fat" or that I need to "put down the fork." I'm not being accused of cheating when I'm attending bible study. Instead I'm being told that I'm beautiful, I'm encouraged to eat but also to be mindful of healthier choices and I'm certainly encouraged to go to bible study. 

He's strong, sweet and generous but he's also stubborn, brutally honest (about some things) and he knows how to get things done, quickly. He isn't afraid to say what needs to be said or do what needs to be done. Which is good because sometimes... I get way too a head of myself and a need a nice dose of reality. But he's also my protector, provider and he's never stopped.

Really, I've got to hand it to him. He's been sick for almost 7 months, just recently he tore his bicep muscle tendon from the bone and had to have surgery to reattach it. Not once has he stopped or complained and he still thanks and praises God. This is no joke, he's the strongest and bravest man I have ever known. 

I mean this is the kind of relationship I have been dreaming of since I was a tween. I prayed for days, weeks and months for this kind of love. I prayed for God to send me my true soul mate. However, I'll admit there are times where I question if I was truly ready for this, There are still some things that I need to work on, emotional scars from previous engagements that I just haven't yet worked through. But I also know that if God saw that I wasn't ready, I don't think he would have blessed me with him.

As I said before, our relationship hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies. There have been so many tests, not just for me but for both of us. Yet, here we still are together, loving God, our child(ren), and loving each other. We've gone through so many leaps and bounds which have really made our bond stronger ... or at least make things a little more interesting. But these experiences have also helped me grow too (see I'm constantly learning!). 

"Strength & growth come only through continuous effort and struggle."

-Napoleon Hill

GREAT NEWS!

I can finally share this picture because it's official... We bought our first house!! Lots of work to be done, but we are so excited. Ah I can't wait to share more with all of you! Praise God for sending us this little gem. #homeowners #foreverbroke #praisegod

When You Give Everything To God, He Will Bless you.

L O V E

bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

-First Corinthians 13:7

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If you have been with me through the course of this year on the Fresh Heart, then a lot of you know I went through a really rough and bad situation over the course of five/six-ish months. 

I am very open with my belief in God and my faith and thank Him every day for the amazing people he has brought into my life. As well as all the wonderful connections with those very same people He has brought me too. Even one that I never thought I would find, which is love. Not just smitten love, but true, real, and unconditional love. Not just for me but for my children as well.

I won't lie to anyone I was broken, very broken emotionally.

I talked and touched base about it often in my Knowing Your Self-Worth segments on my blog. I prayed for days, weeks, and months for God to bring me someone: my partner, my soul mate, my equal. Someone who was going to love and respect me and help me blossom even more. Not only in my faith with my God but emotionally as well. I knew that in order for this to happen, I had to give myself to Him fully. I had to wait and be patient while being calm and still. I know it wasn't just luck that brought me into the place that I am now, it was my prayers being answered. 

Out of no where, this big Italian man comes into my life and instead of tearing me down, walking in front of or over me, he walks beside me, cheering me on. He loves me through my faults and insecurities and didn't care that I had nothing to give.

After all, I was broken and I had no idea how to love or even how to trust anyone with anything that I had. All he wanted was me: good day, bad day, pretty, ugly whatever. He accepted me for all that I am. He loves me, not for what I can give him but for who I am on the inside: he loves my heart. The best part of all is, he accepts and loves my children. Which is something more than I could ever ask for. I highly believe it takes a real kind of person, I take that back, a real man to love another mans child/children.

He has been my cheerleader and brightens my day, he keeps me calm when I start to worry, anchors me with I get overwhelmed, and showers me with love and respect. He has given me everything and doesn't ask for anything in return. 

He has loved me through everything passionately and unconditionally. He has helped me heal and blossom and I am so very thankful for that. That my friends and dear readers is what true love is all about. 

I will be honest, it has taken a couple of bad apples and choices to get to him. However, I finally found the one my soul sings for and I couldn't be happier and I so owe it all to the glory of God because without Him and faith, none of this would be possible. 

heart emoticon

Know Your Self-Worth :: Why It's OK To Be Single.

When you know your worth, 

no one can make you feel worthless. 

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Truth: I have been burned very badly by my past relationship. It was and still is a pretty messy break up.

I decided to take a HUGE hiatus from having a relationship. I feel like it is completely OK to be selfish right now. We can take time to focus on ourselves, our bodies, our mind, our careers. Everything we need to focus on we can without the hassle or worry about another person. 

Am I scared? In a way, yes.

5 Things They Don't Tell You About Divorce

I have been divorced from my ex-husband for a while now, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I think it bothers me more because  I was raised that you never get divorced; you stay married or you are a failure. The failure aspect still bothers me even well after the fact. To be honest, there were a lot of things that I wish I had known before getting married. Like how you can read all the books on how to cope with it but nothing really prepares you until you experience it first hand. Here are my top five.

1. It's expensive.

Maybe I am a bit naive when it comes to certain things but, no one ever explained to me just how expensive getting a divorce is. Lawyer fees, court fees, and any other additional fees can pretty much wipe out your bank account. The two of you cannot agree on anything? It took almost a year before we could see "eye to eye" and settle.  Our divorce in the end, cost more than our actual wedding. 

2. It's painful.

Sadness, regret and failure are just some of the emotions that accompany divorce; and I wasn't ready for any of these emotions. I wasn't prepared to be a failure and I never wanted to raise my children in a broken home.  Even after moving on, I find that it still hurts and that hurt will always be there. Just the thought of getting married again scares me a little because, I never want to be back in that place. You also tend to really find out just how spiteful the other person can be, specially with kids and property involved. Nothing can mentally or emotionally prepare you either for the gut wrenching feeling when another woman comes into your childrens' lives and "mothers" them... in front of you. This is something that I still have difficulty dealing with because after all, she was never in the plan.

3. You lose friends.

I don't care what anyone tells you, you will lose some friends once this process starts. People will always pick a side and it doesn't matter who was at fault or who did what or who filed for what. So be prepared for that. You will know very quickly who will be there to support you and those who aren't. I had to learn this the hard way that you also have to be very careful about who you let in or tell things to because there are some people who are disguised to have your best interest but they are really only there to try to sabotage you. So be careful! Protect yourself and your heart.

4. It's difficult on your children.

It doesn't matter what age your children are, divorce is divorce and it's hard on them. I think my biggest blow to the face that I experienced through this was when my oldest son came home crying after he had spent a long weekend with his dad. When I asked him what was going on, his reply was "Daddy asked X to marry him." My oldest was sobbing uncontrollably because he finally realized that his dad and I were done. We weren't ever going to get back together. He kept asking me what could he do to fix it. Did he do something wrong? Was he too bad? He couldn't grasp the concept of his daddy loving another woman and asking her to marry him. And that honestly killed me, I spent most of that evening cuddling my little guy trying to remind him that he wasn't the reason why we didn't love each other anymore. If anything he was the reason that kept us trying for so long to keep it together. We failed him, he didn't fail us.

5. You have two options: be bitter or be better.

I seriously can't stress this enough you can either chose to let the divorce cripple you OR empower you to do better. I learned through my first marriage about what I really wanted out of a partner, I learned that love is respect and to never settle for less. Because even in the most darkest time there is always light at the end of the tunnel.   

A Day At The Park.

The littles and I enjoyed the late afternoon at our favorite park. They played on the slide and then later fed some ducks, where one little guy got really up close and personal. I love seeing them laugh and squeal with excitement.  Plus the air was so cool much relief to these hot humid rainy days we have been having.

 Isn't this little guy super cute?!

365 Project :: 2,060 Squat Challenge and Thoughts.

A 365 do over, what? Yeah ...  I'm calling a do over because I went almost two weeks of not really eating right, even though I kept my portions small I still wasn't eating the right stuff, so I'm calling a do-over!

Above is my current weight, which is 177 lbs. Yes I know, I am awful, I'm starting over AGAIN. Rome wasn't built in a day.  I just have to keep telling myself that I CAN.

This morning I've mostly stayed in the house, I had some major laundry work to do, it was to the point where the more laundry I did the thought of being a nudest wasn't really that scary. Majority of laundry consisted of my little ones belongings from piles and piles of socks. Hopefully the drier doesn't eat them again, I can't tell you how many times I've had to buy brand new pairs of socks for everyone!

I realize by the time I sit down at the end of the day, I've forgotten most of what I wanted to type about. So I'm going to star writing things down to make it much easier for me. 

So it's day two and I'm already having temptations, lack of motivation, and feeling just down right blah! But I am pushing through it, it also doesn't help that I feel so tired all the time either. I've been looking at finding myself a little 'pick-me-up' and also something to help curve my hunger and help me boost my fat burning lady power LOL! I've been reading the reviews on this supplement pill:

From what I have seen on the reviews it's really good and a lot of people have had great results on it. I don't know about the whole 'magic pill' thing, but if it will possibly boost my energy then I am willing to try it at least. But I want to do all of my research first before I just go out and buy something I know nothing about.

I'm still looking into getting a gym membership, but there are so many it's overwhelming, and do I get a calorie counting watch too? I've been looking into this little guy :

One of my girlfriends has one of these and she's always posting pictures of her progress in her workouts. And this little guy seems like it would make tracking everything a little easier for me.

I have been flowing a gym  ( that I'm looking at getting a membership) on facebook and decided to take part in their 2,060 Squat Challenge.

 Squat for a month for a super cute booty!? Heck yes, sign me up please!

I’m currently 177 pounds and I am only 27 pounds away from my first goal: 150… and only 42 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight: 135

There are so many emotions tied into this. Why? Because it’s something that I want more than you could ever imagine… and because I've seen so many people reach their goal only to put all the weight back on.

Hey, it happened to ME before! well, I didn't exactly reach my goal, but I did go from 200 to 150 and then back to 165 which I ended up staying that weight for about two years. I wish I could tell you WHY it happened though, it’s something I've never been able to figure out.

Is it because I couldn't maintain the healthy lifestyle?
Is it because I wasn't strong enough?
Is it because I didn't have support?
Is it because I stopped caring about myself?

All of these things are floating through my mind as I start to work closer to that number.

What makes this time different then the last?

I’m actually petrified! Scared to death.

I’m scared that once I reach my goal weight, I still won’t be as happy as I want to be. I'm terrified that once I get there I wont find a happy medium, I've blamed my weight on so many things in my life… and once it’s no longer an issue, what can I use to blame?!

Oh, Natasha’s unhappy? It’s because she’s fat.
Oh, Natasha has no friends? It’s because she’s fat.

Oh, Natasha never leaves her home? It's because she's fat.

You get the picture.

The worst part:  I’m absolutely terrified of letting everyone else around me down. I do NOT want them to see me fail AGAIN. 

Despite my fears and my doubts, I will not give up. I just have to have faith in myself and be brave. I am only human after all.

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Introduction. 365

This is my 365 days project of to finding lovely. I want to take everything that is negative and turn it around to a positive. By the end of this project I plan to be a healthier, happier, and hopefully 50 lbs lighter!

As a young 23 year old mother of two babies who were born back to back (12 months apart), not to mention the stress of everyday life has really taken a tole on me physically and emotionally. I've lost myself in the mists of all the chaos. So this is my attempt to get back to the confident person I use to be.

At this moment I hate looking in the mirror and not liking what I see. I mean I have tired multiple times to loose the weight but I've always... failed. I either get too lazy and want to take short cuts or something happens that discourages me and then I give up.

My children are my number one priority, but I also need to start taking better care of myself too. I want to be able to enjoy them and have may happy years! With both of my parents passing away at the ripe ages of 63 & 62 both from massive heart attacks, it really makes you think about your life. Due to their unhealthy eating habits and life style, their health deteriorated quickly and  there were a lot of things that they missed that I wish they could have seen. So here is to a new year and a new me, I will get this weight off, I will be happier, I will be healthier!

By the end of this project I plan to:

1.  Have a better out look on my life.
2. Stress less.
3. Have healthier eating habits.
4. Weigh 50lbs lighter.
5. Worry less.
6. No longer be in a slump.
7. And above all else: Be Lovely!

Memorable Words Monday :: She Leaves A Little Sparkle

Hi everyone, welcome to this weeks installment of Memorable Words Monday! Simple save, print on an 8x10 piece of paper, frame and viola! You have a super cute wall hanging for your home! Don't forget if you like what you see Pin + Share!

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Download this weeks freebie HERE!

Memorable Words Monday :: The Cure Freebie

Hey guys welcome to this weeks installment of Memorable Words Monday! Simple save, print on an 8x10 piece of paper, frame and viola! You have a super cute wall hanging for your home. Don't forget if you like what you see Pin + Share! Hope you all have an awesome week. 

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Download this weeks freebie HERE!

Memorable Words Monday :: All Good Things Freebie

Hi everyone! Here is this week's freebie, just print on a 8 x 10 piece of paper, frame, and viola! You have a super cute wall print for your home! If you like this weeks freebie don't forget to Pin + Share! Have a super awesome week!

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Download this week's freebie HERE!

Memorable Words Monday :: I Love You To The Moon Freebie

Hi everyone! Here is this week's freebie, just print on a 8 x 10 piece of paper, frame, and viola! You have a super cute wall print for your home! If you like this weeks freebie don't forget to Pin + Share! Have a super awesome week!

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Download this week's freebie HERE!

Download this week's freebie HERE!

Sleep Tight Little One

I love it when she falls asleep snuggled to her lamb in my lap as I work in the office.

Memorable Words Monday :: I Will Hold Myself To A Standard Of Grace Freebie

Hi everyone! Here is this week's freebie, just print on a 8 x 10 piece of paper, frame, and viola! You have a super cute wall print for your home! If you like this weeks freebie don't forget to Pin + Share! Have a super awesome week!

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Download this week's freebie HERE!

Memorable Words Monday :: Two Love Freebies

Hi everyone! Enjoy this weeks freebie!! Like what you see? Don't forget to Pin + Share, have a super fabulous week!

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Download Do All Things Freebie HERE

Download Love Was Made Freebie HERE

Memorable Words Monday :: Follow Your Heart Freebie

Welcome back to memorable words Monday! Enjoy this week's freebie! Don't forget if you like what you see Pin + Share have a super fabulous week!

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Download this week's freebie HERE!

My DIY Circus Wedding - Our Five Year Vow Renewal!

Jeffrey and I met in Kingston Tennessee in 2008. It was love at first sight. It took one look at him and I knew he was the one for me.. I haven never met someone so perfect for me. Every day since I met him, I fall more and more in love with him.

We have been together and married actually for over five years now! We really wanted to do something special and I wanted to have that big gypsy wedding I have been dreaming about for years.

OH MY GOSH WEDDINGS ARE THE MOST MONEY EVER! We paid for everything our selves and we quickly realized that we weren't going to be able to really afford what we wanted. Well me, Jeffrey, and our family and friends are pretty crafty and resourceful. We figured out what were the really important things to us and how to make it happen. Let me tell you I have never had so many craft projects at once! None of it would have been possible with out our amazing family and friends who worked their butts off. But we pulled it off beautifully and it was really cheap for a wedding and the best day of my life.

Please enjoy the song that I chose to walk down to my adorable husband to as well.