Bucket List

What's on your bucket list?

 

                                                                                    

What is a Bucket List? A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you know......you uhhhhhhh Kick the Bucket! This list usually consist of our lifetime goals that we often dream of doing. Some people include adrenaline rush activities such as sky diving, mountain climbing, cliff jumping and watering skiing. While others want to travel to places like Africa, Europe and Brazil. Whatever your bucket list maybe; whether it be exciting, humbling, or adventurous, I would love to see and be updated on your journey. I'm going to share with you the top ten things on my Bucket list.

1. Traveling: Being born and raised in Baltimore MD, I didn't travel very much. Other than our yearly trip to Gastonia NC and a occasional trip to New York City, Baltimore was all I knew. I have always wanted to visit other states, continents, and countries. As a photographer I would love to capture the beauty of different cultures. 
2. Volunteer: As dangerous as it may be, I have always wanted to go to third world countries to help their needy. I would look at feed the children commercial and always feel the need to help them. A financial donations was never enough for me. I don't really know how to volunteer for these programs. If you have information on how I can volunteer in a third world country please email me at Audreyhughesfotos@gmail.com
3. Mentor: I look at our children and I'm instantly sadden by the path they are taking. I would love to share with our youth all the mistakes I made as well as show them just how much potential they truly have. If you know any programs where I can volunteer as a mentor for troubled youth, please email me at Audreyhughesfotos@gmail.com
4. Meet my favorite youtube celebrities: You may find this one funny but it truly would make my day to meet Taren Guy, Nikkie Mae, The LaVigne family, Brian Bee, Paul Kim and David So to name a few. These wonderful folks have helped me through bad hair days, made me laugh, or sooth my ears with something different than the normal crap they play on the radio.
5. Have my blog reach 1,000,000 views or more: If you're gonna dream, than dream big (enough said).
6. Road trip across the united states: I would love to take 6 months and travel EVERYWHERE in the United States, taking beautiful photos. 
7. Camping: I want to go camping with my sons. No phones, No computers, No tablets, No video games....No No No!! just the simple things in life spending quality time together.
8. Conquer my fear of heights: I want to go Sky Diving. I know I'm going to scream the entire way down but atleast I would have conquered my fear head on :/
9. Be successful as a photographer and blogger: I want to be Anti 9-5, making my own schedule and controlling my own destiny
10. Waist length hair: I've always had long hair as a child but once I decided that my mother no longer needed to do my hair, those long hair days have been long gone. 

Now that I have shared my Buck List with you, What are some of your goals that you want to complete before you kick the bucket?

March fitness giveaway

                 March Fitness Giveaway
Contest has been postponed due to incomplete entries. You must be subscribed to myblog to enter.

     
     Summer is 4 months away and now is a great time to get fit. Whether you want to lose weight, tone your body or live a healthier lifestyle, this giveaway may be perfect for you. The rules for entry is very simple!! 

1. You must subscribe to my blog (you must be signed into your google or gmail account to do so)
2. You must leave your name in the comments below along with a brief message describing what your fitness goals are. (you must be signed into your google or gmail account to do so)
3. If you have trouble subscribing and want your name entered for a chance to win this giveaway please email me at Audreyhughesfotos@gmail.com 

March giveaway prize includes:

• Two 2lb Dumbbells
• One weighted skip rope
• One Latex Stretch yoga band
• One exercise book with 50 Best Shape-up Exercises

This Giveaway is perfect for a beginner who doesn't know where to start.

Winner will be announced March 1, 2014 at 5 pm. All entries must be in by February 28, 2014 Midnight. 

What I'm currently reading.

My Current Read

"Change your words change your life" by Joyce Meyer

 

If you have never listened to this woman speak you are truly missing out. I purchased this book because the title spoke to me. I would often say things without thinking, never truly realizing the affect that words that you can't take back can truly damage someone. This book is definitely a must buy if you are trying to change the way you use your words. Words are very powerful and should be used very carefully, not carelessly.

Hard Water

HARD WATER? 

          Do you have hard water?

                                                  

What is hard water?
     
    Hard water is water that has high mineral content. Hard drinking water is not harmful to one's health, but it can be costly. Hard water can cause damage to your dish washer, washing machine, or boiler. Hard water is often indicated by lack of suds formation when soap is agitated in water. Hard water contains salts, calcium, magnesium, chloride and sulfates that can cause damage to your hair and skin. Hard water can also make your clothes appear dull and discolored giving them a shorter life span. Hard water can also cause your utility bill to go up due to the accumulated scale in the water heater. Scale is a conductor of heat, increasing the energy needed to heat the water. In other words, your water heater is working extra hard because the large amount of minerals and magnesium in the hard water.


5 Signs that you have hard water

1. DRY SKIN: If your skin is dry and itchy no matter how much you moiturize it than you probably have hard water. Have you spent tons of money on expensive soap, lotion, creams and moisturizers and no matter what you purchase or how much you apply it your skin remain dry. Is your skin breaking out for no reason? Your not stressed, you eat right, and you have a good skin care regiment? Hard water may be your problem. Hard water have been known to make acne and eczema worse.
2. DRY AND DULL HAIR: You just washed and deep conditioned your hair. The conditioner is in your hair and your hair feel amazing on your fingers. Now it's time to rinse and your hair now feel hard and unmanagable. To make matters worse your hair look dry, dull and lifeless. You began to moisturize and seal hoping it will help but no such luck. You may be a victim of hard water.
3. YELLOW STAINS IN YOUR SINK, TUB AND TOILET: Your brand new tub has lost its pearly white shine and has been replaced with nasty yellow stains that Mr. Clean or Clorox can not remove. The excessive minerals in the water are causing your water to leave these ugly stains.
4. WHITE FILM ON YOUR GLASSWARE: When you get out of the shower does your bathroom mirror have water stains? Does your glasses, coffee pots or pans have streaks, water stains or a white film after they've been washed? These a sign of hard water.
5. LAUNDRY NOT COMING CLEAN: Does your clothes look dull after you wash them. Do your white clothes come out off white or rusty looking? These are all signs of hard water.

Simple Solutions

So now that we are caught up on what hard water is, as well as the damage that it can cause, lets talk solutions. 

1. WATER SOFTNER: You can purchase a water softener from walmart. Water softener is a substance that softens hard water by removing certain minerals, calcium and magnesium from hard water.
2. WATER FILTER: You can purchase filters for your faucets and shower to help soften the water. Amazon sell some amazing shower filters starting at $69.
3. DISTILLED OR PURIFIED WATER: if you can not afford a filter, I suggest you purchase some distilled or purified water when washing your face or hair. Hard water can make your hair hard and brittle. It can also cause your face to break out. Purchase a few bottles of water to avoid any damage to your hair or skin.

Getting rid of hard water stains!!!
          
      Once I fixed my hard water problem, I was then faced with the ugly yellow stains that it left in the Bathtub, toilet and Bathroom sink. I looked for different solutions and found that baking soda and vinegar was the most popular one. I tried this solution several times, several different ways. I allowed it to soak overnight. I even made a paste and scrubbed until my arms couldn't take it any longer but the stains remained. Finally I was told by my landlord to try a product called WHINK. I was skeptical but decided to give it try, after all I had nothing to lose and I wanted the hideous stains gone! I went to my nearest hardware store and purchased two bottles of Whink for $7.00 each and headed home hoping for the best. The directions were very simple (pour whink on the problem area and rinse with cold water immediately. Repeat if necessary). Whink is a miracle in a bottle. Not only did it work but I only used 1 bottle for my entire bathroom. If you have hard water and have any additional advice on how to fix it, please comment below.