Simply Gabbie's Life

I hope this blog will continue to get noticed. I want to continue blogging regularly and build on the progress I've made during this challenge. With that being said, I am excited to announce.... I am planning to do a blogging challenge for October that is October based to grow my blog. It starts tomorrow and runs through October 31st. I will also have many surprises to go with it, so stay tuned.

I really don't have anything to confess here. lol. I'm just an average housewife going back to school to get a 2nd degree. I love Disney, wrestling, and planners. I love to dine out, go shopping, and attend festivals. That's about it.

My most embarrassing moment happened in October 2010. I was with my husband visiting Walt Disney World for the food and wine festival before we left for a four day cruise on the Disney Cruise Line. One night during the trip, we were going to have dinner at Raglan Road. We were staying at Caribbean  Beach Resort because Pirates of the Caribbean has always been "our movie." That night, I decided to wear a little denim dress with a Pirate Mickey hat. On my feet were Hello Kitty flip flips and this is tmi but it's integral to the story....I was wearing Hello Kitty panties. lol. So we went to dinner and had a great time. When we were leaving the restaurant, my flip flop got caught on the walk way and I went flying straight down, butt up, exposing my Hello Kitty underwear! Nope, not drunk....just super clumsy. I can laugh about it now. Thank goodness I decided not to wear the sparkly thong that night. What's your embarassing moment?

In my closet are blouses and jeans on hangers on one side. On the other side are dresses for every season. On the bottom of the closet is a shoe organizer holding my boots, sandals, and dress shoes. My closet is also filled with quilts and some extras from my childhood on the side shelves. I have a light on the door that helps me to see when I need to look to find what I need. I keep a box of Kenny's old books in the corner. To the back of the closet, I keep a stash of wine. This is because we share a home with my mom. She has extreme night terrors and hates being alone at night. Even when we're out of town, we arrange for someone to stay with her. She detests alcohol and to avoid a fight, I keep it in my closet.  However,  sometimes after dealing with stress from life and school I need a glass to help decompress. So that's what in my closet. What's in yours?

I have the ability to find great deals for extremely slashed prices. I refuse to pay full price for anything unless I am familiar with the brand. I have the talent to be able to stack discounts in stores. I bring coupons and combined with sales, usually come out with items half off or less. I have even been able to get items in the grocery store for free with combined sales and coupons. I guess you could say my hidden talent is to always be on the lookout for a sale. If there's a sale, I'm on it with coupons at the ready. I subscribe to every major retailer with my birthday in their database for birthday coupons. I get free birthday appetizers, gifts, and drinks every year! What's your hidden talent?

If I have any regrets, it's that I didn't get my Associates at Tulsa Community College and then transfer to The University of Tulsa. The first time I attended TCC, it was between the years of 1996-99. I transferred in 1999 after a bad breakup with my ex. I had planned to wait a year and get my associates as an honors scholar and then attend The University of Tulsa, but life got in the way. Fortunately, I now have a chance to rectify that regret. I am attending Tulsa Community College again studying Strategic Communications and intend to earn my Associates Degrees, as well as a Certificate in Digital Media. Once I have done that, I may transfer back to The University of Tulsa to finish the degree. I have not decided at the moment. The one thing I do know is that my future is looking bright and I'm excited for all the exciting opportunities coming my way! What is your biggest regret and do you have any plans to change it?

What attracts me first of all is the eyes. I love soulful eyes on a man. A nice smile is always attractive to me and the ability to make me laugh.  I love a man who does what he says he'll do and dislike games intensely. He doesn't have to look like a model, just as long as he treats me nice. My husband is all of these things. He's a good man who is a hard worker and makes me laugh. He keeps his promises and takes good care of me. In turn, I make sure he is happy as well.

This is a fun one and got me to thinking, "What would I do if I won the lottery?" Well, here are some of my ideas. After checking Powerball  website, https://www.powerball.com to see what the latest jackpot amounts for a frame of reference, the website stated that the average jackpot is 178 million. So we're going to go with that. So what would I do if I won 178 million? After taxes and the lump sum I would likely pick, I would likely a 100 hundred million for use. First, I'd pay off all our debts and put aside a chunk of it for savings. In addition, I would buy my husband a new car that would be dependable and that he would love. I would give my mother a portion of money for her own usage. I would want her to do whatever she wanted with it and be able to live comfortably on it for the rest of her life. We would also want to completely renovate our home. Kenny and I would love to put a pool in the backyard and I would want a hot tub on a completed deck. I woul...

My worst habits. A big gripe I have with myself is that I start something, but don't finish. You name it; fitness, organization projects, diets, I have started and then got stalled many times. But here's the thing: I don't want to just talk anymore, I want to complete what I start. I've started by little monthly challenges on instagram. I have discovered that with a little structure, I can achieve what I want. Another bad habit is procrastination. I like to joke, "I'll do it tomorrowland." If I can put off something until tomorrow or the next day, I'll do it. Now that I'm back in college, I can't put things off. I have to tackle my tasks and keep my schedule up to date. I'm working daily to break this habit. I'll admit it too, I can be lazy. I have the art of couch surfing down to an art form. There have been days I hung out on the couch most of the day, ordered pizza and binge watched Netflix until dark. This is why so...

What makes me sad? Missing my husband who's been away at training makes me sad. Sleeping in a big bed alone makes me sad, not being able to hear his deep breathing. I admit that I have had to snuggle with a body pillow so I would be able to fall asleep. Even though my mom and Nando are here in the house, it's not the same without sleeping next to him. I miss being able to cook him breakfast and put away his clothes. I miss sitting with him at the table and chatting about our day. I miss the fun times where we just hang out and watch YouTube videos about funny dogs.  It makes me sad that our interaction has to be done remotely; but right now that is how things must be.

First of all, I need to interrupt this challenge with an exciting announcement! I will be starting work study this January as an office clerk and also assisting with social media management! This position is flexible and I will be working mainly in the afternoons after class! I'm so happy. Things are working out so well! I will keep you updated as things develop! Anyway, what makes me happy? It's the little things. It's spending a rainy day with my fur baby inside, while lighting a flannel Bath and Body Works candle. It's getting my work done for the week and seeing the progress. It's making a nice dinner for my family that we all enjoy. Things like vacations, birthdays, and anniversaries make me happy too. Spending time with those I love makes me happy. Seeing my husband enjoy his video games me smile.  Being able to go back to Disney makes me giddy; I cry every time I see the castle, no matter how many times I see it. I've learned over the past year...

This comes in two categories. Disney and Non Disney My favorite Disney movie would have to be Pirates of the Caribbean, The Curse of the Black Pearl I never miss it when it is on and because of that, have seen it many times. To me, Disney could have stopped with this movie. It's good on it's own, it really didn't need a ton of sequels. It's also the one that reminds me the most of the actual Pirates ride in the parks. My favorite Non Disney movie would have to be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2 I cry every time I watch this movie. I love Snape's redemption story, it just feels so real like something so many can relate to. I only wish JK would have left it where it ended with the kids going off to school 19 years later. It was a perfect ending. All except for the Harry and Ginny love story. Could have picked a more dowdy and boring partner? I'm team Harry and Hermoine all the way. What are your favorite movies and why?

Here is a recent photo taken of me by my husband at The Gathering Place: This was taken at the park Friday night when he was here for the weekend on training. It was a great evening out and we enjoyed the park. We ate burgers and fries for dinner at the Lodge, then we enjoyed  chocolate ice cream for dessert at the lakefront waiting for the night show. The evening ended with a night show called, "Luminous." The show features a large ball in the lake lit to popular music. It reminded us both of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot.

Here are my favorite blogs: Disney blogs: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/ http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/ https://ohmy.disney.com/ http://www.wdwinfo.com/ Wrestling blogs: https://www.cagesideseats.com https://www.wrestlezone.com https://www.sportskeeda.com Lifestyle blogs: www.msgoldgirl.com www.kristinabraly.com www.prettyneatliving.com Student discounts: www.bestcollegesonline.com

I think education is never a bad thing and in my opinion, you are never too old to start over. I am 41 years old with a Bachelor in Arts in Mass Communication from The University of Tulsa. I graduated in December 2002 and have worked at home as a writer/researcher for the past twelve years. I decided recently, it was time to go back after trying to get a job in Public Relations and being told I need additional training. I decided to take Advanced Composition to raise my g.p.a. before I began my official courses this spring semester. In a matter of weeks, I raised my g.p.a. from a 2.6 to a 3.0 My feeling is that an education is valuable at any age. I also feel that  education is never a waste. It broadens life experiences and teaches things about the world that someone might never have known before. It opens people up to those who are unlike themselves and widens the worldview. My feeling is that if someone chooses to use their degree in a non-traditional position; that is ...

My long range plans are that I am finished or finishing my degree by then. Should I go for the B.A, I may be attending The University of Tulsa again. I want to have at least an Associates, if not another Bachelor's. I plan to work part time with local companies in Strategic Communications to gain experience and take any related internship I can. Another plan is for me to finally lose the weight I've been dealing with. I have started a new exercise plan and it involves not just the gym, but walking the gathering place regularly. I am incorporating more water in my diet and smaller portions. For example, last night I had a burger and fries. I ate most of the burger and only half the fries. It was just too much to eat. I want to continue growing my social media platform and partnering with more companies. I have been approached by a jewelry company, the mystical rose jewelry and will be making some posts and social media projects with them. This spring, I plan to be working...

I have started to try to incorporate more healthy habits into my life as of late. Here are three. 1. Get to bed at a decent hour. I used to stay up until after midnight every night, just surfing the net and watching television. Now, I try to get in bed by 10:30 or 11 p.m. at the latest. Getting more sleep allows me to be more productive the next day. 2. Drinking more water. I have started drinking more water. I prefer bottled water or sparkling water, I  do not like the water from the tap in my area; it has a strange taste. My mom dislikes tap water too and keeps bottled water around for that reason. 3. Get some exercise in daily. Whether it be going back to the gym or going to the park or stretches here, I try to do something. I've been doing house cleaning daily this week and that requires lots of exercise on my part. What are your three healthy habits?

It has been an interesting one to say the least. I have my midterm paper next Friday and my final paper on the following Friday. They are both on things I am passionate about. My midterm is about the Women's Revolution in WWE.  I will have more on my final paper later as I don't want to spoil the surprise. After a few more weeks, I will finish strong with a 3.0 plus gpa. This semester has been challenging, but rewarding. I brought up my gpa which was one of my main goals for attending this semester. Attending college online has also made me realize that I prefer being an on campus student. I will probably have online classes from time to time, but I just don't want to do them all online. I love the interaction of being in a real college classroom. That's why going forward, most of my classes will be on campus. I will be taking 2 or 3 classes a semester, depending on what's offered and what I can handle. This spring, I am taking Writing for the Mass Media and El...

Let's see...we have the usual suspects: cheese kerrygold butter milk eggs salad mix honey mustard dressing leftovers for mom (she's sick right now and doesn't feel like eating). Nando's medicine bread sausage veggies cottage cheese That's all I can think of for now.

When I was a child, I had a few favorite childhood books I loved. When I was little, I loved Dr. Seuss. I loved every Dr Seuss book I got my hands on, but my favorite Seuss childhood book was called, "My book about Me." It was a book where my mom and I updated it every year when I was growing up. It was like my first scrap booking experiment. The book included my favorite foods, where I live, where I went to school, my height, hobbies, interests, and so on. It was fun to see the change from year to year. When I was a teenager, I also loved the Sweet Valley High series. My favorite character was Jessica Wakefield. I always wanted to be like her. She might not have had it all together, but she had the most fun! What's your favorite childhood book?

Here are my 10 favorite foods. Some you probably can guess, some you probably don't know. 1. Pepperoni pizza; thin crust, light to medium sauce, extra cheese and extra pepperoni 2. New York Strip Steak; medium 3. French fries; I like them extra crispy. My favorite fries are Smashburger fries, they are cooked to perfection! 4. Cheeseburger; Cheese and mustard only. I love my cheeseburgers medium and I love a good juicy burger. 5. Salad; green salad with honey mustard dressing 6. Avocado toast; I love the bread crispy and I love bacon on my avocado. 7. Cheese; I love Gouda, Colby jack, cheddar, Parmesan, and muenster. I love a good cheese with some crackers and wine. 8. Green beans; my favorite way to cook green beans is with bacon. It just makes them so rustic and hearty! 9. Kerrygold butter. I don't think any more needs to be said. 10. Blackberries and strawberries. 11. I also love fondue, both cheese and chocolate. What are your favorite foods?

Seventeen years ago today, I was a senior in college at The University of Tulsa. Tuesdays that semester were my favorite day. I took Art History in the mornings with one of my favorite teachers and then, usually had lunch with friends from that class. That afternoon, I always took Photoshop and then trudged over to Kendall Hall where I worked at TUTV, the campus news station. It was to be an average, ordinary Tuesday. Then it wasn't so ordinary. I got up in the morning to see my mom watching the news. This wasn't unusual; she does it every morning. It was the way she was watching, with horror in her eyes. I looked at the television to see what I mistakenly thought was an accident; one of the World Trade Towers had been struck by a plane! But then the other hit and we knew it was no accident. Immediately I was afraid. What if something happened at my school? My mother insisted I go and she stayed at the campus that day.  She wasn't the only parent who did that. F...

The best trip of my life was when my husband and I went on our last trip to Disney World and on a Carnival Cruise. This trip was a redo from 2013 which was when we did a road trip to Walt Disney World and it was horrible. Everything went wrong. This time, it was rocky at times, but we had a fantastic time. I decided to pre-film my announcement of the trip before we left and wait until we arrived in Miami to release it. It was to be a surprise. When we set off, we drove from Tulsa, OK to Miami, Fl. It took two days and we stayed overnight in a hotel in Birmingham. We finally reached the Aloft Hotel in Miami where we stayed for two days. It was a very modern and swanky hotel. While we were in Miami, we ate at Sugar Factory using a groupon. It is a place you just have to go. We got the large non-alcoholic fruit punch drink, burgers, and fries.  I enjoyed the breakfast the morning we left for the cruise. It was 10.00 a person, but it was all you could eat; eggs, muffins, bagel...

Brings over bag.... I have a red Tommy Hilfiger cross body bag I'm using right now. It's efficient and holds everything I need. So in it, I have: my keys a Tulsa Community College flyer a business card from a local company two Uber gift cards from Kenneth a Prada Candy spritzer from Scentbird EOS Pomengrate lip balm Michael Kors 24k Brilliant Gold Spritzer from Scentbird Too Faced lipstick in Clueless Biotene Dry mouth spray a few pens Poppy lip crayon from Bath and Body Works Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer In my wallet: my Tulsa Community College ID state ID pay cards CC for emergencies Wal-mart discount card Insurance card Bath and Body Works coupons change/cash www.scentbird.com www.gatheringplace.org www.tulsacc.edu

Yesterday was a historic day for all Tulsans. We saw the opening of The Gathering Place, a park that has been four years in the making. It was commissioned by the George Kaiser Family Foundation as a way to bring Tulsa together. The park offers many various things to do such as a skate and bike park a sports complex, two areas of swing sets; one for adults and one for children. There are several beautiful gardens, mountains, a beach area, and various playgrounds. For  dining areas, this park has several options. These include The Boathouse which offers an upscale restaurant, The Vista which is an upscale menu at an affordable price. There is also The Patio where standard burgers, pizza and hot dogs are served. For coffee, ice cream, an d pastry options, check out the Red Bud Cafe. The Boathouse is located near Swing Hill and Sky Garden. The Patio is located in the Lodge near the edge of the park Red Bud Cafe is in next door in the Reading Tree. The park is free with the excep...

So I have a lot of goals, but here are my five current ones I want to make happen soon. 1. Finish the semester strong and enter the spring semester with a 3.0 plus gpa 2.  Get at least a part time job in a PR related field to get my foot in the door. If I can't find a brick and mortar job right now, then some good work at home contracts in that field will suffice. 3. Start doing some redecorating (we're going with a lake cabin look) 4. Get a fitness plan that I can live with 5. Join a campus activity group/volunteer

My five favorite songs: 5. "Rockstar" by Nickelback 4. "Cherry Pie" by Warrant 3. "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffet 2. "Church Bells" by Carrie Underwood 1. "Friends in low places" by Garth Brooks Now..... My top 5 Disney songs: 5. "So this is Love" Cinderella 4. "When will my life begin" Tangled 3. "Friends on the other side" Princess and the Frog 2. "Be our guest" Beauty and the Beast 1. "Part of your World" Little Mermaid

I had to think of what it is I am afraid of. Most of all, it is being without love. I can deal with disappointment, failure, life challenges, but if I don't have love in my life; I have nothing. Luckily, I have love from my family, husband, and friends. I also love myself and it took a long time to love and accept myself for who I am. When I was young, I had severe depression and believed no one could love me because I didn't look like the typical "beautiful girl." I've learned that is wrong and I am loved for who I am. That's all I need.

My proudest moment came June 17, 2006 when I married my husband. We had been together for six years when we married. Our wedding was at a lakefront lodge, "Five Oaks Lodge" in Jenks, Oklahoma. The theme of my wedding was the mixing two cultures; Japanese and German. My mother in law was my wedding planner and helped me plan the whole thing. She specializes in handmade origami art, she made the origami cranes for the top of our wedding cake. In Japanese tradition, the crane symbolizes good fortune and longevity. Our wedding not only featured Japanese traditions, but German as well. We had a quilt where whoever reached it first was head of the household. We were blindfolded and turned around until we were let loose to find it. Kenneth found it first. We also had a kissing ball, where everyone who passed underneath that was part of a couple had to kiss. We offered a buffet and various wines. The food included sushi, sandwiches, snacks, and our wedding cake and grooms cake. ...

So I thought about this one. What would be my dream job? I love social media and keeping up with the trends. I also love certain brands such as WWE, Disney, Bath and Body Works, and Erin Condren design. My dream job would be a freelance social media strategist for major companies. In this position, I could telecommute, but also attend various events like wrestling pay per views or product conventions. I would get a chance to visit Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and all the various Disney resorts across the world for events such as The Epcot Food and Wine Festival. My goal in studying Strategic Communications is to help open up opportunities in my career. I desire to be a social media strategist for various companies. I also want to telecommute for greater flexibility in my own personal life. I'm very excited for all the future holds and am ready to embrace it!

Happy Labor Day! This is day 3 of my #30daybloggingchallenge, favorite quote. My favorite quote is from Walt Disney, "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." This quote sums up how I've dealt obstacles in life. Anything I really wanted took a while for me to achieve it. When I finished my GED, my dream was to go to my dream school; The University of Tulsa to study Mass Communication. It turned out that I had the grades, I had a solid 3.0 average. The problem was socialization; admissions didn't think I would make it through even one semester at TU since I hadn't had traditional socialization. They recommended that I go to Tulsa Community College for a few years first and follow their transfer degree plan. Then, come back when I was ready to transfer. So, I enrolled at Tulsa Community College immediately after hearing that. I wasn't going to let anyone stop me from getting into my dream school. It took three years to be able to transfer to The Un...

So here are 20 facts about me that some may know and some facts that are obscure. 1. I am an only child. My parents were married in the late sixties and I was born in 8 years later. They had infertility and nearly lost me in childbirth. I was born a preemie at 3 pounds, 5 ounces. I was a bit sheltered and a lot spoiled as a child, being I was the only child. My family indulged the grandchildren in both Christmas and birthdays. We were all very fortunate to have a great and loving family. 2. I am married to my best friend, Kenneth. We met online in 2000 while I was studying Mass Communication at The University of Tulsa. We dated for six years until 2006 when we were married at Five Oaks Lodge in Jenks, Oklahoma. We've been married for 12 years. We celebrate two anniversaries; April 25th which was our first date in 2000 and June 17th which is our wedding anniversary. 3. I am a stay at home furmom to a spoiled Chihuhua Nando. I work at home also writing and doing social media p...

I am starting the #30daybloggingchallenge today. The first entry is about the name of my blog. So why is this blog called "Sweet tea with a side of mouse ears? I'm glad you asked. Because I am a southern woman who loves Disney. I was raised southern with fried chicken dinners every Sunday, sweet tea was always on the menu, and "yes maam" and "no sir"  were some of my first words. I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma and although it might not always be seen as traditionally southern, I can tell you that many of us were raised with these southern values. When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents on my dad's side also and his grandmother, my great grandmother. My great grandmother loved to play music on the piano and I would sit and watch for play. With my grandmother or "grandma" as I called her, I was obsessed with how she made pinto beans. She would boil beans for beans and cornbread. They were so good and nobody could di...