Weekly Round Up // 39.

This week has been long and stressful. And I am so thankful for it to be over. This weekend is going to be jam packed though and as much as I have to do, I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be off both days and then on Monday -- I start my brand new job! Very exciting things going on. I hope you all have a great weekend! Onto the links...

- I want all the things on this list. Must haves for any small apartment.

- I would love this for my car. And the best part is she's from Arizona too!

- Seven Reasons to be Happy Right Now -- even if things aren't perfect. Some great reminders for why we should be happy. Why can't I ever listen to the advice from these lists?

- Have I posted this yet? The places to go in 2014. I'm craving some travel in my life.

- Mike would love this print:

                           source: The Mary Sue. 

- Cheap and easy food for under $5. A great list to keep as a resource!

As always, anything you want to see on next week's Weekly Round Up -- drop me a line. Tweet me, Facebook me, email me klgstumpe at gmail dot com -- I'd love to include your submissions!

Have I Been Sticking to My New Year Resolutions?

Man, I sure had high expectations for myself in this new year. I feel as if most people start falling off that band wagon about part way through January and I know I had my problems, but let's check in and see how I'm faring.

1) Run 200 Miles. I've had some really great weeks and some really bad ones too so far. I feel confident that if I just get out and run that I will not only meet, but exceed this goal.

2) Lose Weight. This goal has been incredibly slow going. Everytime I start to get back on track with my calorie counting, something happens and my entire day is thrown off. I just need to buckle down and stop proclaiming "TREAT DAY!" and then just going wild.

3) Move off my Mom's Couch. Working on it.

4) Bike and Hike More Often. This one is difficult because not only do I have to motivate myself, but also motivate Mike. I'm hoping that as our schedules change and we get used to it, we start being more active in the mornings.

5) Cut down on drinking. I feel good about this one. I've gotten a little wild a few times this year, but not as bad as usual. Trying to grow up is hard, guys.

6) Read More. Once again, totally working on it. I've been trying to bring my Kindle with me wherever I go so that when I get the opportunity, I can read a few chapters. I finished a book the other night too.

7) Write More. I haven't been writing the way I'd like to, but that's okay because I figure blogging counts as some sort of creative outlet.

8) Blog more and take it seriously. I think I'm succeeding at this goal. I've really started working harder on my blog and trying to think outside the box when it comes to creating content and gaining followers.

9) Stick to my budget. I'm not doing bad here either. Surprisingly.

10) Keep couponing. Also, another goal that I think I'm doing well at. I've been saving a lot of money and stocking up on things when they're on sale.

The Beginner's Guide To Couponing

I started couponing in November 2013 after binge-watching Extreme Couponers. Between November and December 2013, I saved approximately $300 using coupons. Not bad for a beginner.

In January, I saved $175.10 -- 51% of the total pre-coupon amount I spent on groceries and personal care items. I feel like every month, I keep getting better at what I'm doing. Here are some helpful tips to get started on your couponing journey:

1) You need a Savings Tracker Worksheet. This is incredibly important to have -- that way you can keep track over the months to see how much you're saving. Here is the one that I use.

2) Start gathering coupons. The Sunday newspaper is the easiest way. Checking out the websites of your favorite companies. And, printing coupons online. Coupons.com has great coupons, but Swagbucks also has the same coupons and you get Swagbucks for printing and redeeming those. Also, keep your eyes peeled over at Target (When you shop at Target, you can use one manufacturer coupon as well as one Target coupon per item).

3) Create an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of all of your coupons. This is the most time consuming part (At least for me), but you will thank yourself later. After gathering all of my coupons for the week, I input the information in an Excel spreadsheet -- what is the coupon for, expiration date, savings, and if there is a specific store it has to be used at. That way, when you find out something is on sale, you can easily search to see if you have the coupon.

4) Keep an eye on the sales. Every week when the ads come out, I start scanning. I ask myself, "What do I need?" I use an app called Favado to show me which store has what I'm looking for the cheapest, but it doesn't keep track of all the stores I shop at. I've also signed up for a daily newsletter that shows me where the good deals and sales are through Couponing101.com.

5) Whenever you put in new coupons, weed out the expired ones. And don't feel bad about throwing away coupons! I know at first it sucks that you took the time to clip it, but if there wasn't a good deal on the item, it wasn't worth it to use.

6) Don't feel discouraged. Learning how to coupon takes time and I still make mistakes all the time. Just remember -- you're saving money. You don't have to be like the people on TLC's Extreme Couponers. Any money you've saved is worth the time and effort. And, remember that practice makes perfect. You can't become an Extreme Couponer overnight.

Weekends: The One Where We Had a Great Saturday.

Saturday was my only day off and I wanted to enjoy it -- not sleep in all day like I typically do. Mike and I woke up early, grabbed some coffee, and then got ready for a picnic. We rode our bikes up to Tempe Town Lake and enjoyed a picnic, complete with Tapatio Doritos. 

Afterwards, we rode back to his place and watched the Mitt documentary on Netflix. And truthfully, I really enjoyed it. Mitt is fairly robotic, but this film humanized him more than his campaign ever did. After the movie, Mike and I got ready and went to the Hall of Flame Fire Museum. And then, we went out to dinner at our favorite restaurant - Mucho Gusto. There, I ate too much and was stuffed for the rest of the evening.

It was such an amazing day and the best way to spend a day off. I was so refreshed going into Sunday and then I ended up getting sick Sunday evening. That nose started running and I ended up going to bed before 8 pm last night because I felt that terrible. Which, can explain why this post is up late. Oh well, I got 9 hours of sleep last night and even though I still didnt' feel better this morning, that sleep was worth everything I gave up to get it.

Speaking of sleep and getting things done, I need to nap so I can hopefully finish laundry tonight. I'm hoping that I can just sleep off this cold before the weekend because it's my last weekend before I begin my new job. 

Weekly Round Up // 38.

Wow. This week has been something else. My best friend surprise flew into town on Friday night so all of last weekend was spent with her. Mike got two nights comped at the casino resort by my house so he and I slept there Sunday and Monday. And then, I got offered a job on Monday! I'm incredibly excited and I can't wait to start. The rest of my week was trying to play catch up with everything that's been going on. My desk is in total disarray and what's laundry?
It's been a great week. I'm just lagging behind on everything else. Hence, why this post is so late. But oh well. Onto the links!

- 2013's best books for 20 something year olds. This page has been an open tab forever because I keep meaning to add these books to my Amazon Wishlist.

- This was an incredibly helpful post on feeling overwhelmed -- like I've been feeling this entire week.

- Cutest thing I've seen all week:

- I can't wait to make these GF Jalapeno Corn Muffins for Mike. Via Peacoats and Plaid.

- Life Hacks -- these are super important, especially the sweat stain removal tip. Via Life Unpublished.

- And because it's not a Weekly Round Up without a Buzzfeed list: Gifs to Make You Laugh.

What's On My Face - The Drugstore Edition.

I don't know about you, but I love seeing the kind of make-up different people use. I'm always intrigued and I always want to see if there's something I'm missing out on. I've shared my regular make-up with you. So, I'm really excited to share my drugstore make-up with you today.

1) Maybelline MegaPlush Volume Express Mascara. This is my favorite mascara -- better than any brand I've found. It actually makes my lashes long and plump.

2) Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer. I've been using this stuff for years now. Living out in the desert, I'm always worried about having a dry face. And even though I have combination skin, this stuff doesn't make me oily at all. 

3) Almay CC Cream. This was a recent find and I am so glad I found it. It's perfect when I don't feel like putting on my entire "face." It gives me enough coverage. This is my favorite most recent find.

What kind of drugstore make-up do you use? Anything I'm missing out on?

Visited: Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden.

I love finding hidden gems throughout the valley. And, this hidden gem was literally across the street from me. The Scottsdale Xeriscape Garden is located across the street from my old high school. It was built within my memory, but I couldn't tell you precisely, when they built the water treatment plant. I've driven past this everyday for years and I finally decided to go check it out.

It's similar to the Desert Botanical Gardens except it's free and there's a little less to look at. And the best part is that it's right by the dog park.

Hi Mike!

I'd actually love to go back in the spring to see how things will change.

Weekly Round Up // 37.

This has been an incredibly productive week. I've restarted Couch to 5K and I even started a squat challenge. And, more importantly, I've been keeping my calories in check. I'm trying so hard to get back in shape. Other than working out and trying to keep my diet in check, it's been a relatively quiet week. Without further ado, here are the links for this week:

- I'm probably the only person that still thinks this song is funny, but this Adventure Time mash-up is really adorable.

- 34 Tips To Making Stuff Last Longer. Spoiler Alert: Put it in the fridge or freezer.

- And, while we're at it, another Buzzfeed list: 27 Life Hacks Every Girl Should Know. I really like #11.

- Cats and the kitty cats and the meow meow meow and the meow meow meow.

- 5 Easy Health Tips. Very simple reminders on stuff we should all be doing anyway.

- This melts my heart. At 24, I still appreciate whenever my mom packs my lunch and writes "I Love You" on the bag -- which is rare.

- Maybe I should move to Russia.

- This is a great post all about Girl Code.

Anything you want to see on next week's round up? Let me know! Leave a comment or tweet me!

What's On My Face.

Today, I'm doing something a little different on the blog -- I'm doing a make-up post. Crazy, right? One of my favorite parts on blogs is seeing what other bloggers use for make-up. Are they on to something I've never heard of? Or do we use the same thing?

So, here is what I wear on my face. Not on a daily basis, but when I'm trying to impress.

1) Smashbox High Definition. This is the best foundation I have found thus far. It doesn't clump or get scaly even here in the Arizona heat. 

2) Bare Minerals Mineral Veil. I use just a dusting of this over my regular foundation or I wear it alone.

3) Brow Kit from Benefit. I love this brow kit. It comes with a powder and a wax to fill in the brows. I never realized what a huge difference filling in your brows makes.

4) Smashbox Photofinish Primer. I've used other Smashbox primers, but this one is my favorite. I've never used another brand of primer (I got the sample with my foundation once and I've never looked back).

5) Sephora Lash Plumper Mascara. I was looking for a different mascara and I accidentally grabbed this one. I usually use it after I've already put on a mascara for length.

6) Smashbox Blush - Color Flush. Sorry about the picture, but it's almost empty anyway.

7) Benefit Boiing Concealer. I've used a lot of different concealers over the years and this one is by far the best. It doesn't clump up and you can't see it under the foundation. The only one that I've liked just as much was Kat Von D's tattoo concealer, but it left my face so pale that my foundation looked strange on it. But it did the trick.

What are your favorites? Any products to recommend to me? Let me know in the comments! 

Recipe: Corn Black Bean Salad

This is super easy and delicious. And, healthy! Since I can't eat dairy anymore, I'm always looking for things to replace cottage cheese for lunch and this is the perfect side. 

Ingredients: 
- 1 can of black beans
- 1 bag of frozen corn
- 2 orange bell peppers (or red bell peppers - whatever your heart desires)
- 1 jalapeno
- 1/2 of a red onion
- 1 lime

1) Drain out the black beans. And rinse off the corn. The best part about frozen corn is all you need to do is run warm water over it. Throw these in your bowl/tupperware/whatever you're using to keep this.

2) Dice the bell peppers, jalapeno, and onion. Add to bowl.

3) Roll the lime (Rachael Ray says that this gets the juice flowing, so I do it) and cut it. Then squeeze into the bowl.

4) Mix.

5) Enjoy!

Do you see how easy that is? My family claims that my constant salad making is not considered "cooking" because I don't use a stove, but I used a knife and that has to count for something.

You Can't Go to Prom Without a Prom Dress.

Baby Kaileigh before Junior Prom.

DISCLAIMER: I received compensation to write this post, but all opinions are my own. 

I didn't go to my senior prom.

I know. I worked instead. I think that in itself shows where my priorities were when I was 18, but I definitely didn't miss out on the prom experience. I went my sophomore year (Hooray for older boyfriends!) and my junior year. And each year, it was a last minute debacle trying to find the perfect dress. The first year I went, I was asked 9 days before prom. And it was a mad rush to get the perfect dress. As for my junior year, it was a lot of waffling between "Are we going? Are we not going?" and I wasn't about to drop any money on a dress before I knew for sure.

Because prom dresses are expensive and who wants to spend $300+ on a dress you're going to wear for one night? Especially when you're a poor high school student. You need to find an affordable way to get the perfect dress.

To the high school girls, you should buy the prom dress and then just go. Don't worry about the date. Or the plans because all that matters is you look back at those pictures and think, "I looked good." You can also play Beyonce in the background while you do this and you'll have a fantastic experience. All that matters is that dress and Dress First has some of the cutest and affordable prom dresses I've seen. 

This Empire Sweetheart Floor Length Dress would be my ideal prom dress.

And for those of us that aren't going to prom again, DressFirst has other great dresses for any special occasion. 

But honestly, if you're too old, just have a Prom Party instead. I think I'm going to have to float that idea around with my friends because I need to have one of these dresses. And for the price, they're definitely worth it.

Weekends: The One That Prompted Me to Get Back in Shape.

This weekend Mike and I had awesome plans. We were going to ride our bikes up to the lake and have a picnic on Saturday before heading over to the Hall of Flame. And then, we were even thinking about going to the Desert Botanical Gardens on Sunday. However, Mike got sick and we ended up staying home.

Saturday, in between him sleeping and me Pinteresting, we made some Irish stew that didn't turn out very well (Mike is ready to make his recipe and share it with you all so you don't make the same mistake we did).

On Sunday, I decided enough was enough and getting back in shape has to become my number one goal. I've gained back ten pounds that I lost last year and that's unacceptable. Here's the real plan:

1) Back to calorie counting. I had a lot of success with it. I use an app called Lose It and it works really well.

2) Running. I decided to restart Couch to 5K again.

3) Amazon Prime work-out videos. Amazon has some awesome work out videos that I can't wait to try out.

4) Squat Challenge. Look at these results! I want my butt to look like that.

I keep saying I want to get back in shape and then I keep postponing it. No more. Getting healthy again is going to be my number one priority.

WEEKLY ROUND UP // 36.

- Ironically, I found this article by procrastinating on the internet.

- Most Anticipated Movies of 2014. I had no idea there was a Gone Girl movie in the works and I'm looking forward to the Muppets movie ... even though I haven't seen the one with Jason Segal.

- We're almost two weeks into 2014, but this is an incredibly helpful list for anytime: 15 Fresh Starts for the New Year.

- Fairly funny.

- Wow - I love these so much and they make me want to go to Disneyland.

- It's Winnie from The Wonder Years and pi! Not pie.

- Here's some more pie talk because I love these Sesame Street parodies.

- I haven't been to Chicago since I was 15 and I am itching to go again. Thanks to Meg for this incredibly comprehensive guide to the city. I hope to be putting it to good use sometime this year.

2014 READING LIST.

One of my resolutions is to read more so I need to start having ideas ready for what I'm going to read next. Here's my list of books that I plan on reading this year. Obviously, this is not the complete list and I'm open to suggestions. You can tell I'm really into non-fiction, but I'm fairly open to any suggestions you have.

1)The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin -- There is a Teddy Roosevelt movie in talks based off one of her books - much like Lincoln. So, I have to read this one before the movie. 

2) Because I Said So: The Truth Behind the Myths, Tales, and Warnings Every Generation Passes Down to Its Kids by Ken Jennings -- I read Maphead last summer by Ken Jennings and I really loved his writing style. Super easy to follow, funny, and full of facts. I'm excited to read another book by him.

3) This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral - Plus Plenty of Valet Parking in America's Gilded Capital by Mark Leibovich -- Remember when I wanted to be in politics? Yeah, some side effects still remain and wanting to read this book is one of them.

4) Lean In: Women, Work, and The Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg -- I've heard mixed things about this book and I want to check it out on my own.

5) The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris by David McCullough -- David McCullough is one of my favorite history writers. I heard him talk about this book on NPR a year ago and I've had it on my list ever since. This is finally the year I'll read it.

6) Elephants on Acid and Other Bizarre Experiments by Alex Boese -- If the title doesn't give you a reason to read it then I don't know what else could.

7) Shrinkage: Manhood, Marriage, and the Tumor that Tried to Kill Me by Bryan Bishop -- I loved Bald Bryan on the Adam Carolla show and I remember when he was first diagnosed with his brain tumor. This book doesn't come out until May, but I look forward to reading it. Bryan is a smart guy and I'm sure his book will be great.

8) The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene -- I saw Brian Greene speak at an event last year with Bill Nye and Neil DeGrasse Tyson. I've heard good things about his writing style -- that it's fairly simplistic and makes sense to people that aren't scientists.

9) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt -- I've seen this book repeatedly on Best Books of 2013 lists. So, I figure why not see what the hype is all about.

10) Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden 

Weekends: The One Where We Had Good Intentions.

The weekend started out with good intentions. On Friday, Mike and I met up with some friends at a bar -- where we limited ourselves greatly. We each had two ciders and we felt fine. We came home and instead of going straight to bed ... we both read on our Kindles. We were incredibly responsible adults!

Saturday morning, we woke up incredibly late though despite having set an alarm for 8 am. Rolling out of bed around 11 am, the plan to hike was still on. And, so we did. We drove up to A Mountain where I had a great time and Mike - not so much. Afterwards, we came back, grabbed the dogs, and decided to get lunch and have one beer each.

Not so fast. The moment we sat down, a liquor rep approached us and offered us free Bloody Mary's that were made with Patron's vodka. Turning down a free drink is bad luck. So, we started off with mediocre Bloody Mary's. Then, I had to have that cider I wanted. And things quickly devolved from there.

I want to be able to enjoy my weekends off. This PARTYDRINKPARTY mentality I've had since turning 21 is getting boring and is losing its luster. Spending all your time at the bar isn't fun anymore -- it's just depressing.

That said. Sunday was low-key. After getting my Sunday paper, we decided to see a movie and I based my choice solely off the fact that Louis CK had a part in American Hustle. I enjoyed it and didn't think it was long. Mike wasn't a fan and thought it lasted for days. So, mixed reviews.

A fairly decent weekend. We truly did try to be productive and we're slowly getting back on that active horse. We're trying, guys. We're trying. 

WEEKLY ROUND UP // 35.

Happy New Year! Mike and I had more than enough fun for everyone on New Year's Eve -- AKA: We got really drunk. I hope your New Year's Eve was fun too! And involved a little less puke than our's did. Moving on to less disgusting topics -- I'm really looking forward to 2014 and I'm excited to start making some serious changes over here at Somehow Chaotic. One thing I don't plan on changing is my Weekly Round Up of incredibly nerdy and helpful links from across the internet. Want to see a link on here next week? Tweet me @SomehowChaotic! I'd love to share your link or a video that you deem worthy. 

On to the links ...

- What if Lisa Frank designed the House Sigils for Game of Thrones? Hilarity ensues.

- 45 Productivity Tips. I definitely need these.

- I want all of the pillows over at ShopNightingale. Especially this one.

- Alright, this was pretty good, but not as great as my impromptu songs I sing while I watch Star Trek:

- This is why I don't want to completely quit drinking -- moderate drinking is good for you!

And, the most important link of all: Mike has started his own photography blog - Sometimes in Focus. Check it out! I'm so proud of him and his budding photography business.

2014 Resolutions.

1) Run 200 Miles. I ran 130 miles in 2013, so this is a totally possible goal. And ideally, I'll run more than 200 miles.

2) Lose Weight. I lost 16 pounds in 2013, but I ended up gaining a few of those back (LIKE EIGHT. SERIOUSLY). I don't want to drop an amount that I want to lose, but I want to fit into my clothes better.

3) Move Off My Mom's Couch. Fairly self-explanatory.

4) Bike and Hike More Often. Mike wants us to hike at least once a month next year and in addition to biking on the weekends, I want to bike during the week too.

5) Cut Down on Drinking. It's not that I want to stop drinking because that's no fun, but going out and drinking costs a lot of money and I really want to save.

6) Read More. I did read more books last year than in previous years and I want to keep that momentum going.

7) Write More. The only way I'm going to become a better writer is just to write more.

8) Blog More and Take it Seriously. I've been blogging for over a year and I have definitely grown from when I started. I want to keep that going and become a better blogger -- reach out more to other bloggers, create more content, and have consistent posts.

9) Stick To My Budget. This is really important. If there is anyway I can accomplish #3, I need to do this.

10) Keep Couponing. I've been saving so much money through couponing and I'm able to help out my mom with it. I want to keep going and get better at it.