So this is the new year...

... and I don't feel any different.
Just kidding. I do. Those are just the opening lines from a DCFC song I like a lot.

Yes, yes, 2014 has arrived whether I like it or not. 2013 was a pretty good year for me. I learned more about myself, I got back in to school and I've more or less accepted my situation and learned to embrace it and make the best of it. Not like it was bad to begin with, I just feel residual impulses to be constantly moving, because that's all I've ever known. But I am happy where I am and who I'm with. I'm happy with my work and school situation. I'm happy and grateful everyone I love is still alive, so it's never that bad, is it?

Even though my situation was good, I'm trying to make it better in 2014. I set resolutions. Real ones. That I am committed to keeping. No. Matter. What. See, one thing I learned about myself in 2013 is that I don't give myself enough credit. I am capable of great things. But I've never accomplished anything way super significant because I get lazy and unmotivated. But not anymore. New year, new me. (Well, still the same me, but with enhanced motivation!)

So, here they are.

First, I will eat better in 2014. Not like my diet is terrible, but it's a far cry from the awesomeness it was a couple of years ago. Carson and I got stocked up on neat kitchen appliances for Christmas, so now I really don't have any excuses. Hello, green smoothies and delicious, nutrient dense crock-pot meals, I will devour you! Mostly this resolution has a lot to do with me not being lazy when it comes to my self-care. I feel better when I eat better, and I know this, so I have to do this.

Second, I will get back in to yoga in 2014. Again, nothing compared to where I was 2 years ago. It's sad watching my flexibility and strength wane! Besides consulting my multitude of books on a regular basis, I intend to make use of online resources like no one's business. Plus, I thought of something fun and challenging to do (in January at least. I'll probably be ready for a switch up come February). For January I decided to do one more sun salutation a day than I did the day before. I started on January first with one sun salute, and I will keep adding so that on the last day of the month I will do 31 sun salutations. If you would like to see how I progress with that particular resolution (and what I decide to do the rest of the year to keep me on track) you can follow my yoga blog.

Third, I will be participating in a Spending Fast in 2014. I found the inspiration for this resolution here. This girl and her blog seriously rock. I get so many awesome money-saving tips from her page that I decided to completely throw myself into her get-out-of-debt strategy. I'm not the worst spender in the world but I could be much better with my money. By far my biggest challenge will be to not buy little trinkets and nail polish from work (I have a small fixation with nail polish. That's all we're going to say).

Did you set any resolutions you'd care to share? Good luck and best wishes for 2014!

rays

Summer is truly winding down now. I did some last minute "summer-fun" activities, despite my never-ending homework. I just couldn't pass up the Idaho State Fair, or the Salt Lake Comic Con! That's right, I went! I took my 14-year-old nephew and my boyfriend with me and we had so much fun. We're definitely going next year, too.

What I want to write about today is how surprisingly good I feel about everything in my life right now. That's not an understatement. Of course not everything is ideal, but it's getting pretty damn close. I could be taking better care of myself when it comes to eating and exercising, I could be sleeping a more regular schedule, but I don't feel totally shitty because of it, and I think that's important.

School is fun and rewarding; I'm already learning so much and having a great time doing it. Work isn't a nightmare-- it's not interfering with anything (which I was afraid it would at least serve to overwhelm me), my relationships are great, and I can smell autumn in the air! Soon I'll be in a new space, my own space, and I think I'll be better able to work on my fitness and nutrition when that happens. I will probably sleep more soundly at night, and I will have a decent place to do my school work. It'll be bare at first (we have almost zero furniture...) but doesn't that happen to almost every 20-something year old at some point in their lives?

My point here is, I finally feel like my life is on track. I don't feel stuck. I don't feel stale. I don't feel gloomy. I'm on the threshold of living the vision I've had for my life for the past 2 years. I'm almost there. I'm doing it. I couldn't have done it on my own. My family and boyfriend have been there for me in countless ways and for that I am so incredibly grateful.

I feel like the sun. Bright, warm, and strong.

source

Happy Back to School!

Well, it took me a couple of years but I'm finally back in school! My 14 credit online semester starts today. I'm excited, and a little nervous, and very determined to do well! I know that my life is about to change (again) and I will have to make major adjustments to my schedule and leisure time. I'm still working my regular schedule. I've never worked and gone to school at the same time, so it might be a challenge for me to mold school around work, especially on long work days.. But I'm going to give it my all!

my best friends for the next 4 months

I decided to continue on with my 2 year degree, since most of my credits from Florida transfer easily to 2-year colleges here. I didn't want to risk losing a lot of credits or anything like that. And this way, once I complete my AA I can transfer into any university as a Junior. Which is a huge deal to me. Plus, it's cheaper. Once I'm done with my AA I can start working in my field and have a better job while I'm working on my Bachelor's degree. Overall, I think I have a pretty solid plan for my education. I just don't know where I'll be going to get my 4 year degree. That all depends on what happens while I'm working on the 2 year!

So today is dedicated to being patient and loving with myself, as I take the first steps to a different life (I actually sat down and meditated for a few minutes this morning. I have a hunch that practice will help tremendously); getting organized/making sure I have all of my supplies; planning out a new schedule and routine as best I can; drinking lots of water and taking deep breaths!

Wish me luck!

july gratitude

I feel inclined to write a gratitude list, since my last post was sad and stuff.

besides, it's been a while since i've done one of these.

-fresh water

-great books

-ginger peach tea

-wifi

-bookstores

-thunderstorms (we got one today, lightning included :] )

-this adorable kitten i've had the absolute pleasure of playing with lately

-my newfound appreciation for my little pony, thanks to my niece (no shame here- that show is cute!)

-the greenbelt

-personal progress

-my absolutely loving and devoted boyfriend

-sunshine, the sky, and white fluffy clouds

-the internet and the ease of accessibility of innumerable, valuable resources

-my parents

-music

-time with friends

-yummy fruits

-the yard game known as cornhole (it's not perverted, i promise)

-pillows and blankets

-the library

-helping people out where and when i can

-candles that smell nice

-knowing i have people i can count on when i need help

-the ruffling of skirts in the breeze

-life

tension

i'm torn about this post. i'm not entirely sure i want to post it...
i try very hard to only post positive, uplifting things on this blog.

it's a space for me to share my happiness; to muse over and blurt out whatever i want.

whatever i want.

so does that include things that aren't necessarily in flux with the majority of posts on this blog?

do i want to put what i've been feeling lately out there?

i don't know.

all i know is that June was stressful, no matter how hard i try to sugar-coat or disguise it.

it's been so stressful my back constantly aches;

my sleeping patterns are all f*cked up;

my digestion is a wreck.

i feel helpless; lonely; stuck-in-a-rut-ish.

the few stressors i have in my life have truly been tearing at my heart.
and i don't know what to do, or if there's even anything i can do.
it all just feels so out of my control...

so basically i feel like shit. and i don't want to tell the world.
but i just did.
did you hear that world? i feel like shit!
and it's okay to post that on an otherwise happy, feel-good blog.
because i'm human.
and not every day (or month) is god-damned rainbows and frolicking bunnies.

little sprouts

My blog has over 2,000 page views! I'm not quite sure how that happened, but hey, it's still cool! (To me, at least.) It makes me a little more motivated to post regularly.

Here's a basic update on me, what I've been doing, and what is on the horizon:

*I have been reading A TON! Which makes me really happy, because I always seem to drift away from books and reading, for whatever reason. Lately I've been reading books back to back. I've read a couple of Kingsolver books, and I just picked up my second Gaiman novel, among other things. I usually take a few days (or weeks sometimes) to digest and ponder whatever I finished, but lately I just feel a pull to move on to the next story. I've been taking full advantage of my library card and Goodreads.com. It's been so much fun!

*Packing is once again in the works for me. It seems like I'm always packing. It's not daunting or overwhelming anymore; it's exciting. It's a part of my life that I know will keep popping up, so why let it stress me out and bother me? Besides, it's a good excuse to go through my things and decide what stays and what goes on a regular basis.

*Preparing for school in the Fall. You read it right- I'm going back to college! It's been a struggle, between establishing residency in Idaho and financial issues, but now everything is resolved and I'm registered as a full-time student at a community college. I'm beside myself with excitement! Also a little nervous, but deep down I'm confident I won't have too much trouble adjusting to my new schedule and workload.

*Carson and I have a few day trips planned, since he starts working more days soon and will have 2 days off a week again! We want to go visit some local waterfalls and go swimming. We're lucky we have Lava Hot Springs, Heise Hot Springs, and Green Canyon close to us. Oh, and the museum has a Guitars exhibit that he's really interested in. I just plain love the museum so we're going to go there, too.

*4th of July. It's right around the corner, three of my loved ones' birthdays are right around there, it's big in Carson's family. It's going to be a big, busy deal this year! But I'm excited, nonetheless. Maybe I'll make some treats for the occasion and make a post about it ;)

*My little garden is doing pretty well. Some plants are happier than others. I should re-pot a few into larger containers soon... but for the most part they're pretty and green and make me happy. I'm growing a majority of herbs this year. The plan is to dry out the leaves to use in my own loose-leaf tea. I'm growing peppermint, lavender, sage, and holy basil. Oh, and I'm happy and proud to say that it's all organic. I also found out that there is a gardening club/community in my city which I plan to join next summer. I get 30 square feet to plant what I want and engage with other gardeners!

That's probably enough for today. Thanks for reading and have a great day!

beerfest2013

On the first of June, the North American Brewer's Association put on 19th Annual Mountain Brewer's Beer Fest here in E. Idaho. I heard over 7,000 people went, as there were breweries from all over the Western United States. Craft beers are my heaven! And honestly, I'm still not too familiar with the different breweries that are available to me here in the West; they are quite different from what I bought in Florida. It seemed like a great opportunity to be introduced to what's around.

Luckily for me, my man had the day off and my 3 best friends came from out of town! The day was perfect; sunny, warm, and the vicious wind that is so common here was quiet.

I asked my friend Alisa to send me the pictures she took, since I forgot my camera. This was a day of celebration for us. You can see it on our faces. Especially since Carson worked 13 straight days before this, we hadn't seen Alisa and her hubby Caleb for months, and Candice lives in SLC so it had been a while since I'd seen her, too. Besides, when you throw sun and brews into it, any situation gets a little silly.

The lovely Alisa and I

Us plus the fabulous Candice

Cheese-balls.

Showing off his new tattoo

not sure what's going on here, but it makes me laugh

Uh... same with this one....

we tried to get everyone rounded up, but we're
missing a few.

All in all, the day was an absolute success! It was a great way to kick-off the summer and I'm sure all of us will remember that day for a long time. Thanks again to Alisa who remembered her camera, because of her we have lots of visuals to look at and giggle to :)