A little about me - Dinosaurs

Growing up my favorite animal, believe it or not, was a panda. When I got into high school I realized that a lot of my friends were in love with pandas. So I decided to stray from my panda loving days and move on to something not a lot of my friends like -story of my life-. I'm not exactly sure when my love for dinosaurs started to evolve, I just know it was in high school. I think one day as I was doodling in class, I started doodling the shape of a dinosaur. I started to perfect that shape and it almost became an addiction to draw dinosaurs. Since then, they've invaded my backpack sometimes would appear on my left hand and even on random things. This illustrated dinosaur was a silhouette of a Brontosaurus. Since then I started collecting all things dinosaur, from cards to toys, you name it, I probably had it! I even had a few nicknames such as Dinolyss and Lyssasaurus.

I must admit, I am not intellectually capable of telling you all about their history and all the different types of dinosaurs. I just like them, I like how they look, I like their names, I like their giant appearance, I like that a T-Rex could probably whoop on your favorite animal, I like that their extinct, I like that the only photos you can see of them are illustrated, I just like them.

In college I found out that Brontosaurus' did not really exist. Or at least that wasn't their real name. Brontosaurus' are actually Apatosaurus', which sounds kind of lame. In fact I think I learned that at church when a guy came to speak about dinosaurs. Yeah, it kind of broke my heart. But I still call them Brontosaurus'. It sounds more intimidating.

Once I got into college, I became broke and I stopped buying dinosaur stuff. So just like dinosaurs, my collection soon became extinct. I still love them though...

&that's the story of my favorite animal.

"Practice what you Preach"

So most of my followers should know by now that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I am a Christian...yes a "practicing Christian". I wanted to bring up that phrase because it concerns me when someone says "Oh you're a practicing Christian?", my first thoughts are "If what you mean by 'practicing' is striving to live a life pleasing to the Lord and a life that is not of this world, than shouldn't all Christians that call themselves a Christian be practicing that? If you're not a "practicing" Christian, you might want to figure out what it is that your life is "practicing". I looked up the word practice in the dictionary and came up with this definition - commit: engage in or perform. Living your life for Christ is a commitment and a lifestyle. Yes we fail at times, but the great thing is that there is repentance. Repentance is not just asking for forgiveness, it's turning away from your sin. Christianity is not just a title to give yourself.

&&to some of my friends and acquaintances...I tell you this because I fear for your lives. I fear that if your lifestyle is not one that is pleasing to Christ, well maybe you haven't given your whole life to Christ? He wants all of you. He deserves all of you. I am in no way a perfect Christian and it's true I sin far too much and I hate it. Like I mentioned earlier, there is repentance and sin is no longer what I live for. If Christ wasn't in me, I know I would be doing way worse things than I am now. I know a lot of people like to use the term "Once saved, always saved". Some people translate that as: "I said the prayer once so I can do whatever I want and I'll always be saved." But one thing my pastor says is "Once saved, always changed". I love you and I am praying for you all!

Ephesians 4:22-24
"to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self,created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Galatians 2:19-21
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Colossians 3:1-17
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Thrifty Finds!!

So since we got our tax return, it was time for me to go shopping! &The best place to go is...Thrift Store!!! Not "The Thrift Store", because it's actually called "Thrift Store".

I must admit, prior to coming here, I spent almost 2 hours in Forever 21 and came out with nothing. I haven't gone true shopping since my single days so I guess I just wasn't used to it! So my last hope was Thrift Store...and it was a success.



The first day I bought this JCREW steal! A beautiful wool sweater for $5 and it's an extra small. PERFECT! I love JCREW but it's always so darn expensive, so when I found this I was jumping up and down for joy! I'm actually in love with it, i think i might add some buttons but i'm not too sure yet.


The second time around it was 50% off the WHOLE store!! I found this salmon oversized sweater at the last second when I was about to leave. It's pretty loose fitting, perfect for a pair of skinny jeans or even a pair of leggings. By the way this sweater was $2, orig. $4!



Not sure if you've seen my previous Christmas sweater but I found this one at a steal for $3! It's not really a Christmas sweater or even a winter sweater. I think you'll be seeing me in this a lot! Look at the cute geometric patterns, i love it!



OK...OMG I'm so excited for this next piece! You have no idea!!!! My first trip this week, I saw it and it was orig. $59, more than what I had to spend...so I passed it up. I knew that in a couple days they were having there big 50% off day but I didn't think the Annex section was going to be open. The Annex section is in the corner of the store literally gated off. This is where all the golden finds are! It's there vintage section that has a lot of great things but it's more expensive than the rest of the store. They're never open on Mondays (the 50% off day) so I didn't think much of it. BUT...when I walked in...i saw the gate OPEN! I ran in and snatched this fur coat up! Knowing it was going to be 50% off I knew I probably couldn't buy much else, but that didn't matter. When I rang it up...she took off $20 because it had holes, which I was aware of and that made it $39 dollars. Plus the added 50% off, i got it for only $20!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!! What a steal!!!! I'm in looooove looooove looooove!!




So I've been talking about this goal thing...and well, this next piece is part of this weeks goal. Learn to revamp a piece of clothing. I brought this home and both my best friend and my husband did not like it! They said it looks like a robe...so I will prove them wrong and try to garnish it with the right things to make it look like a sweater. I was even thinking of dying it...we'll see! Let the goal begin!




Stay tuned for more frugal finds!

GOOAAAL!!!!!

Call me crazy, but I've decided to do something different with my life. First, I just want to remind you all that I am not perfect and often fail at things, but this...this I do want to "try".

So you want to know what I'm about to do?

I want to challenge myself by learning something new or giving myself a new project to accomplish every week. Yeah, yeah, yeah...you're probably recalling my failed attempt to take a photo a day...well this is different. I'm not giving myself a year goal. I'm just giving myself a week goal. Who knows how long this will last, maybe I wont even do it every week. But as of this week, I have a goal.

I think this will be fun, and give my life a little more adventure. Being a house wife can sometimes become repetitive so I figured I'd change things up a bit. Live on the edge! Learn something new while I stay at home.

I'll update my blog or tumblr (thealyssarae.tumblr.com) of my weekly adventures and see what comes out of it. I plan on posting either photos or video of whatever I've learned so you can follow along too and cheer me on along the way.

I'm excited.