A BELATED CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you had a joyful day surrounded by loved ones. I feel like this month has been a little bit of a whirlwind with me jumping from place to place. I've been working, went down to SD twice, flew to the Bay Area, and now I am back home. Overall, my christmas was great. I was able to see so many of my family members and we played a lot of our traditional family games. Man I love our family games, so much fun and laughter all around. Since I am feeling older, and naturally more maternal, I've been thinking about some of the traditions I wish to have with my own little family one day. So far I've thought of ice skating, christmas cards, and movies on x-mas eve. I look forward to those days, but will also soak up this time of being young. What are some of your christmas traditions?

We are just a few days away from the new year and I still don't have any set plans. I'm thinking this year will be a very low-key year. I'm not in the mood to go out and party, because it gets pretty crazy. I was thinking about having a nice (and expensive) dinner like we did last year, but that doesn't seem like a great idea right now. I already have a bunch of things to pay for at the beginning of January, and my boy is going to be going out of the country. We should probably be saving as much money as possible. I would definitely throw a NYE party if I had my own place, and unfortunately we don't really have many friends down here that live on their own. I am thinking a nice romantic night in, complete with yummy dinner, decor,  and music will be in store.

God is good! 

'23 before 24' in Review

Its been almost three months since I've turned 24 and I have yet to review my '23 before 24' list.  I also made my '24 before 25' list which I will also post. But first lets go over the things I was able to complete this past year. I definitely feel like 23 was a great year in terms of accomplishing goals.

1. Secure a full-time position

In January 2013, I secured my first full-time position. Its the position I had been working very hard to get, and I feel so grateful to have it. Now, I have been working for almost 1 year now, and am a few months away from sitting for my board exam.

2. Run a 10k race 

I didn't run a 10k, but a half-marathon! I can't believe I surpassed my goal. It took a lot of training and hard work, but it felt so good to say I've ran a half-marathon. I am looking forward to run many more races, including half-marathons, in the future.

3. Actually put money into my savings account

I've had trouble saving money in the past due to the fact that I was a broke college student barely scraping by. But since I got a full-time job, I made an effort to save as much as possible. I am happy to say that my savings account is bigger than its ever been. I have learned some good saving habits, and am looking forward to saving even more this year.

4. Expect less and give more

I think I may have done this. But its hard to measure this. I definitely have been trying to expect less, but I know I still expect a lot from people. But I know I have been giving more, and want to continue to give more. For 24, I want to focus more on giving my time and talents instead of money.

5. Learn to cook new dishes

Unfortunately cooking got put on the back burner with the start of my new life. I've been busy and since I can't really take food to work, leftover aren't an option. Cooking as much just doesn't plausible at this time of my life. Maybe, I will pick up more this year.

6. Volunteer

I started 23 by volunteering for a local non-profit, which in turn helped me get my job. Since moving I have tried to volunteer with hospitals, but have not heard back. I don't have the time to volunteer at this very moment. But I want to find more volunteer opportunities after my boards since I will have a lot of free time.

7. Try a new cuisine

This year I tried Tapas, which I am not sure is a cuisine, but its definitely a new type of food. I'm all about trying new foods and new cuisines. I want to find more cuisines to try, maybe Ethiopian or something.

8. Travel to a new place

Even though I didn't travel how I wanted to, I still got to visit some new places. In January I went Big Bear Lake for my job, which was so much fun. Even though I was working, it felt like a little get away. I got to visit Santa Barbara for a day and walk down state street. I also visited some beach cities that I've never been too, like Manhattan Beach, Long Beach, and Huntington Beach. 

9. Be less lazy and do things right away

I'm still absolutely horrible with this. One day I will have more energy!

10. Be less secure & know that I am enough

This year I felt so absolutely amazing about myself and my confidence was at an all-time high! Getting my dream job, living on my on, and feeling independent, made me feel so good about myself. Unfortunately, my break-up earlier this year has caused my self-confidence to fall again. My insecurities have come back to the fore front.  I know, we all feel insecure at times. I am hoping to get back to where I was earlier this year, and not let my insecurities break me.

11. See/keep in touch with family and friends

Living in a new city and not knowing or making any new friends was actually a benefit this year. I got to visit and see friends and family on the weekends. When I was in college I would only see my family maybe 3x a year. This past year I have seen my parents more than ever and I absolutely love it. And for the friends I can't see very often, I still keep in touch over texts and e-mails. I've done a really good job at keeping in touch with everyone.

12. Read the entire bible

I still have not accomplished this, but I did get through the entire new testament. I am currently working my way through the new testament, and hope to be done before age 25.

13. Start eating more fruits & veggies

Nope, I still do not eat as much as I should. But I have been taking daily vitamins 

14. Purchase a new car

This was a huge goal for me! I purchased a brand new 2013 Nissan Sentra. This was the first car on my own and a much needed investment since my old car was giving me so many issues.

15. Work hard to maintain my relationship despite the distance

Of course I worked so hard on this, and I was happy with my relationship despite the distance. But it takes two people to have a relationship, and if someone isn't happy, then it has to end.

16. Start paying off my student loans

YES!  I am so proud of myself for doing this. I know most post-grads my age are having trouble paying back their loans. I am blessed to be able to pay mine back without a problem, on top of paying for all the expenses of living on my own. When I turn 25 I want to make a plan for paying everything off.

17. Explore my new city of residence

I explored and there just isn't much to do here. There are some things I like such as; hiking trails, downtown, salted pig, casey's cupcakes, and the swap meet. Other than that, I wish there was more to do.
18. Cash in my jug full of change

I did this and was able to cash in almost $100! I couldn't believe all my change added up.
19. Revamp my blog 

I did this, but its time to revamp again!

 20. Re-invent my style

With a larger income I was able to do a little more shopping. I definitely have been adding more pieces to my closet. I use to dress so ragged, and I feel so much better with an upgraded wardrobe.
21. Take a vacation with J

Never happened.
22. Start putting my blender to use to make smoothies

I did it a few times so I guess it counts.
23. Get into photography

J bought me a camera for our anniversary, and I have shot some film and have developed it. I'm looking forward to getting better and more experienced. 

Overall I have accomplished 16/23 goals, which isn't too bad. I'm just so proud of accomplishing so many large goals this year. Of course there is more work to be done, and I constantly want to work to be a better person and make my life more enriched. I have already started making progress on my '24 before 25' list. I will be revamping the page and adding my updated list soon.
 

HAPPY DECEMBER

Happy December! Who doesn't love this month? The holidays just completely put me in a cheerful and celebratory mood. I've already been seeing lights and decorations springing up all over the place. I absolutely love it! I'm looking forward to seeing Christmas lights, Christmas specials on TV, the chill in the air, sending off cards to friends and family, finding creative ways to give back, eating warm foods, and just being as cheerful as possible.

As the year winds down I cannot help but think two things-- How has time flown by so fast? and What is in store for me next? I love reflecting back on the past year, and recognizing both my triumphs and struggles. I've been feeling oh so inspired lately, and I don't know if that's because 2014 is fast approaching or because I have some recent opportunities arise. I'm sure its a mixture of both, and I am loving this passion that is brewing inside of me. It makes me feel happy, free, and hopeful. I definitely have learned that if I am not happy with my current situation, then its up to me to change it.  And thats exactly what I am in the process of doing. I feel so much happier! Again, I'm sorry I cannot share at this exact moment. But when the time is right, I will.

Looking forward to spending the month of December both reflecting and looking forward!

THANKFULNESS

First off, let me start off by saying how much better I feel after a quick organizing and de-cluttering session. Nothing frees my mind and gets me more motivated, than a nice organized spaced. I'm sad to say that my desk has fallen victim to my laziness lately. What was once my spot of work and creativity, turned into a space of junk mail and a second closet with sweaters thrown about. No bueno whatsoever. But now my desk feels so much more free, and I feel ready to tackle a few things tonight.

So here I am on the Eve of Thanksgiving, sitting at home and enjoying the very little things in life. Tomorrow morning I am flying home to the Bay Area, and I have yet to pack. But not to worry! I have a fresh load of laundry almost done and ready to be packed for my trip. I'm always a last minute type of packer, which is good and bad. I try to pack light (which is always a fail) and without forgetting anything (which is a double fail). Hopefully, this time I will get it just right. On my trip down to San Diego last weekend, I left my contact lens, extensions, hair straightener, make-up, and jewelery. I felt so lost! To think this time last year, those items did not matter to me. And now I feel almost naked if I don't have those things within reach. Not that they are super important or anything, now I just tend to use them more often than not. 

As we wrap up 2013 and are just a few hours away from Thanksgiving I can't help and think of my many blessings this year. My biggest blessings are my friends and family and my health. Those things nobody should ever take for granted. But I seriously think I've hit the jackpot of life, by having the best of family and friends. No drama or bullshit (or any other crap that can come in the way of relationships), just complete love and support all around. Of course so many other things come to mind, from large and small and everything in between. I know for a fact I forget to take a step back and look at how amazing life is and all the beautiful things inside of it. 

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving and meditates on all the blessings on in their life!

HAPPINESS

Lately the things that make me happy include:

 Creating pretty things, glasses of wine, getting lots of sleep, dreaming of far away travels for 2014, giving money to those who need it more than me, making yummy mexican foods, learning new things at work, watching awesome choreography on youtube, searching through endless books at barnes and noble, Christmas decorations, cute new undies.

NOVEMBER

Happy November! I am so excited and happy over the fact that its the end of the year. Yes,  2013 is slowly but surely winding down. And I'm still in astonishment over how fast it has been going by. Its been a big year of learning, growth, and also some really hard times. I've been wanting nothing more than time to just pass on by so I can live the life I truly want. I don't want to go into too much details about that, but the time will come to talk about that. And now I can't believe 2014 is almost here, I feel like I can see the finish line. Thanks to so many holidays and days off I know November, December, and January are going to fly by.

I have a few plans for the next two months. I plan on heading down to San Diego a few times because I desperately miss the city and my friends. I'm kicking off next weekend by celebrating a little SD Beer week a long with attending a baby shower. I'm heading to the Bay Area for thanksgiving and christmas. And in December I am looking forward to going to December Nights in Balboa Park and ice skating at the Hotel Del. Yes, I miss me some San Diego desperately.

Some good things to note:
+ Passed and received my food manager's certificate
+ Officially passed probation and 9 months at my new job
+ I have been thinking about trips for next year. Hawaii and New York look like real possibilities :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween ghouls and goblins! I really do enjoy halloween and getting a chance to be someone or something else for a day. Unfortunately since I work in the public sector and have to be professional, I couldn't dress up today. I also didn't attend any halloween parties this year. But I did soak up halloween in my own way, and have been pretty crafty lately. What? Me? Yes, I've actually been getting my DIY on lately. I decided to do a sugar skull face tonight while handing out candy to the kids. And last weekend I painted pumpkins (instead of carving them), and I love the way they turned out. I really want to keep them year round because they are so pretty to me. I definitely want to incorporate more projects and DIY into my life. I definitely want to share the end products here.

Of course Disneyland was the icing on the cake for a great halloween. I've never been to disneyland when the park has been decorated for the holidays. The pumpkins and fall colors everywhere truly made the park that much more colorful! Not to mention that the haunted mansion being made into a nightmare before christmas edition was absolutely awesome! I think I need to go back for Christmas too.

ROUGH DAYS

These past two weeks have been rough. Nothing extremely horrible or anything, but just exhausting and draining. Last week, I woke up to a 'pins and needles' feeling in part of my leg. I thought for sure I had slept funny and somehow cut off my circulation. But as the day continued, the pain persisted and even spread. It went from one leg to both legs, from the tips of my toes to my butt. It felt like my whole entire lower body had shut down. This was weird and I knew I had to go to the doctor. Of course as guessed, my doctor didn't find anything after taking blood and running a series of test. So back home I went to rest. The next day I was at a conference and was able to take it easy all day, and half way through I finally took a advil to control the pain. My plan was to make an appointment for the next morning. But by the following morning, the pain had for the most part subsided. The remainder of the weekend I took it easy and it eventually went away. I have no idea what it was or what triggered two days of 'pins and needles' feeling through my lower body, but it was no fun. I will definitely be keeping an eye out if the symptoms start up again.

And this week, work got a little crazy. I worked over-time from Monday-Wednesday. I worked so much overtime that I only worked half a day on Thursday (and I had today off to).  So ready to relax the remainder of this weekend.  I'm leaving behind the past two weeks and am looking forward to organizing, cleaning, crafting, and of course disneyland!

BACHELORETTE LIFE

This week has truly been my off week and as a result I feel like I've been the epitome of a young bachelorette. I spent the past weekend in Vegas with my girlfriends dancing and drinking (but not staying out too late, because I am still a grandma). This week I've been sipping on champagne and eating incredibly fatty foods. For example, today I ordered pepperoni pizza and sipped on a glass of pink moscato. I've even neglected laundry and may have wore a pair of pants more than once without having laundered them first. I've even been slacking on working out and studying.

Who am I?

I think I have become a little stressed and tired this week. I am being the complete opposite of my usual motivated, high energy, and ordered self. And its definitely taking its toll on me. I need to get to bed early tonight and break this cycle. I believe starting off my day tired and with low energy is destroying my whole day. I need a cleanse this weekend! I just want to sleep in, work-out, have a clean home, and get lots of studying done. I am going to do exactly ALL of those things. I also think I've been feeling this way, because my weekends are so great. When its back to the work week I feel lonely and unsure about when I will have companionship again. I just need to stay focused, treat myself right (less fatty foods, more sleep, water, and working out), and keep my mind of what I am trying to accomplish here.

OUR GOD IS RE-AFFIRMING

I am the queen of planning, dreaming, and making things happen. All too often an idea gets planted in my head and then I run with it! I would like to think of myself as a pretty realistic person (more so than most people my age), therefore I think these ideas that I brew in my head are attainable with hard work and passion. But at the same time, I always feel like I need a second opinion. I need someone to verbally approve my ideas before I officially start to pursue them. Especially, in this day and age when so many young people are trying to accomplish similar things but are falling short.  Who am I to think that my plans shall succeed over someone else who is trying just as hard? I wish to share my "plan", but this just isn't the place. I just kept pondering if this plan is right, and had some feelings of doubt.

Let me start off my saying that God is re-affirming. I prayed to him about this "plan" of mine, wondering if this was right. I know he also has a plan for me and that his plan will always reign over any of mine. All I can hope is that what I desire in my heart is in alignment with what he has in store for me and my life. I can tell you that 24 hours after talking with him and praying on this matter, he answered in such a magnificent way. His answer to my plan was clearly "yes", as he directed me to a website that literally had to answer to my problem. Its so mind blowing how he works sometimes, but oh so magnificent!

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" 

Jeremiah 29:11

On top of him re-affirming me (which was perfect enough), after disclosing the idea with close friends and family, I received even more support and approval. Our God is so good, and all we simply need to do is listen to him. Sometimes he will say yes to our prayers, other times no, and other times we just have to be patient. But sometimes, I hear of situations of people who have been struggling for long periods of time but praying like crazy.  And yet things continue to snowball around them. I wish those people would simply listen to him. Wait upon his signs. If things are still a struggle, maybe he is clearly showing you that you need to make a change in your life.  My belief is to ask, pray, and listen to what he has to say to you. It is not always what you want to hear, but what you need to prosper you.

OCTOBER

I really do like October although I don't really admit in. I guess in the past, October has always been a blur for me since I'm usually busy with school. But this is the second year now where I won't be nose deep in the books, and when I can actually celebrate and appreciate this month. To top it off I already have some exciting things planned and I am excited.  Somethings I am looking forward to :

1. Vegas with my friends
2. Disneyland during halloween time
3. A four day weekend in the middle of the month
4. My first professional conference
5. Decorating my apartment for fall/halloween
6. Joining a kickball league
7. Hot chocolate and warm drinks

ON TURNING 24!

Yesterday (September 26th) I celebrated my 24th birthday! It really was a lovely little day. I spent the first half of my day at work and had to do a (last minute) ride along with a doctor. He was very nice, and I was happy teach him about my career. He even treated me to a birthday lunch! I was able to get off of work early, so I packed my bags and headed down to SD. I already had an appointment to get my hair done. This time I had my stylist put in extensions and I was so happy with the way they turned out. They are clip-in, so I am hoping when its time for me to put them in myself that they look just as decent. The last part of the evening I was told to get dressed and ready for a surprise. I was treated by my sweet man to my favorite restaurant; The Prado in Balboa Park. It was the perfect evening!

My birthday celebrations will continue the remainder of the weekend. Today I went on a little shopping spree and spent a little too much money. But I must say it felt good to spoil myself since I've been very responsible this year. Tomorrow there is supposedly another surprise for me and then in the evening I'm meeting a few friends out to hit up the town. Its already been a great weekend, but I am looking forward to everything!

As I reflect and look back on being 23 and the past year, I've never felt so proud of myself. I accomplished a handful of major things this past year. I remember when I turned 23 I wrote down a list of goals I wanted to accomplish, and I did whatever it took to complete them. Getting my dream job, buying a new car, living on my own, running my first half marathon--I would have never thought at 23 I would accomplish all those things within a few months! This year was a huge year of growth and I plan on continuing to grow at age 24.

I am planning on writing on more detailed post on my goals for 24 and what I hope to accomplish this upcoming year.

FIRST HALF-MARATHON: GIRLS ON THE GO SAN DIMAS

I am officially a half-marathon runner. Earlier today I crossed the finish line and completed a huge goal for the year. The race started at 7:20am, and I had butterflies in my stomach all morning. It didn't help that I ended up leaving my house late so I was worried about making it there in time. I literally arrived 10 minutes before the race was about to start. So I drank some water, did some quick stretching, and got in line for the start.

The start was very simple. Someone did a small countdown on some loud speakers and then the race started. I placed my towards the back of the runners, since I wanted to pace myself and because I didn't want to get in anyones way. I started off with a very slow jog since there were so many runners. I would say the first half mile or so it was very slow because it was so crowded with runners, but after that people started breaking away. Everyone came to this random dirt hill and was unsure where to go, I saw some people turning around and saying go the other way. But 98% of the people decided to go down the dirt hill anyways. But apparently that wasn't the right way to go....but everyone forged ahead anyways until we found a paved road.

I saw women passing me up left and right and I kept telling myself "pace yourself, regardless of what speed other people are doing". I remember seeing the sign for the 1 mile marker and thinking to myself "WHAT?" I of course was tracking my run with the runkeeper app, and as I hit the 1 mile marker my runkeeper was telling me that I had already run close to 2 miles. Okay....

At about 3 miles we had to go down another deep hill which led to a creek bed. The only thing was that in order to cross the creek you had to step on a path of teeny tiny rocks. Of course this took some time, so there was a large back-up of people waiting to cross. I would say this took 3-4 minutes, which kind of sucked if you were going for a PR.

Unfortunately my phone battery died before the end of the race. But I crossed the finish line at 2:46! Which is a time I am actually proud of. Especially considering that I ran 14 miles! What you ask? Yes, remember I told you my app was telling me I was running a mile longer than the markers on the trail? It wasn't just a problem with my app, EVERYONE said we ran further than what we were supposed to. Apparently we ran extra because the trail wasn't properly marked, and we were given poor direction. Since this was my FIRST half-marathon I didn't know any better. But after reading reviews, people are pissed about how this event was organized. People were mad about running over 13.1 miles, about it not being completing safe, and about people cheating. I mean there are seriously people calling this the worst half marathon they've ever ran.

Like I said, I don't know any better. I do know that this was a great accomplishment for me. My longest run was 10 miles, so being able to run 14 miles today felt amazing! I feel like I can accomplish anything. I am looking forward to completing many more half-marathons throughout my life.

MONDAY BLUES

Today I definitely had a case of the Mondays. I woke up feeling kind of 'sick' and I had symptoms on and off all day. I'm not really sure if I am getting a cold, allergies, or sinus infection? I'm thinking its sinus issues because my head feels like a ballon. Its such a weird feeling. It was also another hot day (102F!) but thankfully today went by fast. But I don't want to focus on the bad anymore. I've created a list of things that I am looking forward to in the upcoming weeks:

My birthday

My first half-marathon

Vegas trip with friends

Disneyland during halloween time

Treating myself during my bday

Fall and cooler weather

Re-doing my fall wardrobe

My first professional conference

WELCOMING SEPTEMBER

The beginning of this month was of course spent in San Diego. What a crazy labor day weekend I had (both good and bad). I did have fun going to the Del Mar races, seeing friends, eating out a lot, going to a BBQ, and much much more. I love action packed and fun filled weekends. I dream for all my weekends to be that way.

There is no secret that September is my favorite month of the year. Not only is it MY birthday month, but its also the birthday month for a lot of close friends of mine. Yes, thats right! Most of my close friends are virgos' and libras'. This month is fun due to the fact that the whole month is one huge celebration. I am very excited to look back on the past year of being 23, and seeing how much I have accomplished and grown. I can already say that 23 was a HUGE year for me.

I know I said earlier that I don't like planning nor celebrating my own birthday. But I know I absolutely cannot do anything special on my birthday. I'm still very much wanting to take a get-away somewhere, and I've kind of settled on Ensenada, BC. I am planning on booking something by the end of this week.
How nice it will be to get out of the country for a while. I'm also planning on taking half a day of work and having a little 3.5 day weekend. Now, I just need to make sure I follow-up with plans and book the hotel room.

On top of celebrating September is going to be filled with the last training for my half-marathon in addition to studying for my REHS exam. It is going to be one busy month, but a well balanced one at that.

LOVELY LITTLE UPDATES ON LIFE

I find that I never update as much as I intend to. But I guess thats a good sign that I am staying busy. I can't believe that summer is winding down, but I couldn't be happier. Summertime spent working in 90F to over 100F weather has been too much for me to handle. I'm looking forward to it cooling down and it being a nice warm fall.

And with fall comes so many changes for me. I am just four short weeks away from my first half-marathon! I am happy to say that I accomplished my longest run (both distance and time wise) of 8.5 miles and 1 hour and 30 minutes. I can't even begin to explain how amazing I felt after that run, especially since I could feel myself becoming drained the week prior. One thing I learned is to listen to your body! I realized I was ignoring a lot of important signs; my body needed more rest in between runs, more water, more protein, and more sleep.

And of course next month I turn 24! Oh how your 20s just seem to roll by. I don't have any definite plans set for my bday yet and I keeping going back and forth on if I should or not. First off, I'm not one to plan parties or celebrations for myself. The past 2 years were an absolute disaster. So I've made a promise to myself that I will never plan something for my birthday again ever in my life. And if anyone loves me enough to plan something for me, that would be awesome. But at that moment, no one does. So who knows what I will be doing, going out to dinner? a road trip and hotel room somewhere? a night of drinking? or even just staying at home.

I am also proud to say I have started studying for my REHS exam. This is pretty much the exam that my whole life is riding on. They recommend that we start studying 6 months in advance. I'm studying 6 months + some weeks to make up for everything that is happening this time of year (bday celebrations, holidays, travel time, etc). Another reason why I enjoy fall. But I will definitely be putting in a lot of hard work for March 2014!

MOVING ON

Lately, I've been battling with something. Its a matter of the heart, and something I've been praying to God about. Because day by day my feelings would change on this matter, and it just left me feeling frustrated and lost. But I realized I was tired of feeling lost and that it was time for me to take action. I decided to cut someone out of my life. Someone I would continuously give my all to, but was not willing to do the same for me. Someone who would take from me all that I had to give. Someone who has made it clear that they don't feel like I am a blessing to have in their life. My big heart has always been my downfall. I think thats just the Christian girl in me. But that big heart has also gotten me in some trouble. This situation has happened a few times in my past (with all males), and it always comes down to this type of ending.

Sometimes you give your best in the situation and thats all you can do. I've done all that I can do. But this person is no longer serving me or helping me grow. I can't help but think how much I have supported this person, encouraged them, helped them, gave them great advice, looked out for them, and loved them more than anything.  And I never expected this person to ever go above and beyond to do anything for me. I just wanted this person to appreciate me and what I have to give. But this person doesn't see it and therefore I refuse to do anything more. Its time for me to move on, and I've decided to cut this person off by no longer having any contact with them.

I will constantly be praying to God for the strength to stay strong and continue having no contact with them. I will also pray for their well being and happiness. I will ask the lord for forgiveness whenever I think "bad" thoughts in order for me to move on faster.

HELLO THERE

Happy August! Is it really the last month of summer? Yes, it looks like its winding on down. I actually couldn't be more excited. This dessert heat is just too much for me to handle, and I can't wait for some cooler weather. I think living in San Diego the past five years, really made me spoiled. But man, I cannot get enough of that lovely city.

Lately, my heart has been craving all the pretty & wonderful things in life. I feel like sometimes I get so caught up in my work that I fall into a little rut. I get tired, and I get stuck in my "lazy routine". It's been one of my goals to break that routine this year, but its really proven easier said than done. I want less messes in my house, less TV, less junk food, and less unnecessary money spending. I want more apartment decorating, more cleanliness, more reading, more traveling, more girlfriend time, and more time with Jesus . I also want to have more things to look forward to during the workweek. My weekends have been so amazing that all I can look forward to is the next weekend. I want to change that! I know things will change next month as I start studying for my REHS exam. But I know I can have all the pretty & wonderful things like I wish to.

I have been so incredibly inspired lately. Now I just want to use that inspiration to make my already wonderful life even more wonderful.

ONE OF THOSE WEEKENDS!

This weekend one was of those action packed weekends, where I constantly felt on the go. I could write in so much detail, but I rather spare you. Lets just say that my parents came to visit on the same weekend where I had to work. I don't have to work weekends usually, but every other month or so I am required to work on Saturday. This weekend just happened to be one of the Saturdays that I work, and it also happened to be a nice solid eight hour shift (as compared to four or six hours). It wasn't bad at all, and I was excited to learn some new things. I truly love my job and what I do.


Of course I was tired after working a 52 hour work week, and just wanted to sleep and eat when I came home on Saturday. But when I arrived back to my apartment my sweet parents had spruced up my apartment a bit! I mean they deep cleaned the whole thing, bought some sweet little supplies, and a new dresser! Yes, a new dresser! I can't tell you how exciting this is. I really wanted a new dresser as I have being using a bookcase to sit my TV on. But because my closet is a lot smaller (compared to my old apartment), I need a dresser with some drawers to make up for less storage space. I'm so happy, but even more grateful for my dear parents. I love them so much! So excited to decorate my place a bit.

THE ROAD TO A HALF-MARATHON

I am happy to say that I took the leap in accomplishing a big goal for the year. I finally signed up for my first half-marathon! I am registered to run the Girls on the Go Half-Marathon in San Dimas (Los Angeles) on September 22. The timing of this marathon is perfect for me. First off its the weekend before my birthday, meaning I can cross it off my '23 by 24 list'. It also allows me to complete a nice 12 week training plan leading right up to race day. And lastly, I've been running on a consistent basis for almost a year now, and I feel more confident in my running abilities.

I will definitely be blogging about my progress. That includes my accomplishments, struggles, and everything in between. I by no means consider myself a runner. And I still struggle to run 3 miles on some days. Oh and did I mention that I am rather slow? But for the first time I can run a 10k, and have even ran 8.33 miles as my furthest distance. I know this won't be easy, but I am excited to say that I've completed a half-marathon. I also hope this one inspires me to complete many more during my lifetime. I can't wait to experience that feeling of crossing the finish line after completing 13.1 miles and having a pretty little medal to show for it. Here we go ladies!

BUSY BEE

This weekend was perfect! I squeezed in everything I needed and wanted to do. But the biggest thing I did was explore! I finally took it upon myself to do some exploring around Riverside. What did I come across? A small farmer's market, the cutest cupcake shop, a yummy gastropub, a sexy whiskey lounge, a street full of museums, and a beautiful hiking trail. I'm glad to say that the Inland Empire isn't completely dead. But after growing up in the East Bay and then living in San Diego for 5 years, this is a huge change for me. I consider it small town life, even though its a pretty large city. I am hoping I discover more things to do in this town.

This weekend I also headed to Huntington Beach to get away from the hot hot weather. I spent some time catching some rays, soaking my feet in the water, and tasting gelato for the first time.  Oh how I miss living by the beach. It was an hour drive from Riverside to Huntington, that is just too far for me. One day I will be back by the water, but for now I am getting used to being a desert girl.

BREAK-UPS

I am back from a much needed hiatus.

I never explained why I took the hiatus, but I believe now is the time to do so... J ended our relationship. His reasoning? He felt like he couldn't give me the commitment I deserved and that he needed to focus on school. Of course I was incredibly heartbroken; I was in love and I felt like it came out of no where. Every break-up is hard, but I felt like this one was so much harder due to not having any friends here, and me feeling miserable about living here. It left me confused and with a never ending list of questions. As girls, I know we tend to blame ourselves and wonder "what is wrong with me?" But the more I thought about it the more I realized its not about me, and what I did or did not do. Because for once in a relationship, I gave this one my all. I gave him everything he needed and was always his biggest fan. I was there to support, motivate, and encourage him. I was patient and understanding when he was busy juggling school, work, and internships. And even though he was (and still is) a great guy, there is so much more I deserve in a relationship. I deserve someone who doesn't take me for granted, who appreciates all that I do, and feels that I am a blessing they never want to let go of. I deserve someone who likes to do nice things for me, surprise me, and who sees my beauty both inside and out.

I am a true believer of everything happens for a reason. And of course I believe this break-up happened for a reason.  I am thinking maybe God has a plan for me to be with a christian man so I will continue to grow in my faith and walk with Jesus. But who knows what the good lord has in store for me. I just know I am the process of healing, and I am doing just fine. Me and J still talk on a regular basis, which is nice but also damaging. I don't think guys intentionally try to send mix signals....but they do! I don't try to dwell on it, but not having any friends out here has made it worse. My goal this month is start socializing and create more of a life for myself out here. I know once I start making friends and dating again, I will becoming less dependent on talking to J.

GOING THROUGH IT

So I am currently going through some life changes at the moment. I am doing fine and actually making great progress. But at this time I need to focus on other things. I believe not blogging for a while will allow me to gather my thoughts and also allow me to grow in the real world. But I will be back! I just am unsure when. Maybe a few weeks? Maybe a month? I'm not completely sure yet.  I just know when I am back, I will be ready to share the details. Take care!

DREAMING OF HOME

Moving to a new city is a rough transition. I can't believe that four months ago I moved to a new city, started a new job, and started living all on my own. At first it seemed easier than I thought, as it was a new and exciting phase in my life. But after four months the loneliness is starting to set in. I am used to living in a big city and having lots of things to keep me busy, so moving to a small city is starting to be a hard adjustment. I feel like I have to search yelp like crazy to find something to do for the day. And even then I feel like the only thing to do out is here to go shopping and eat out. Its just not the same as sunny San Diego.

At the same time since its such a small city, it is hard to meet new people.  I have no friends that live out here, and the closest one is 40 miles away. My family is 400 miles away, while my boyfriend is 100 miles away. This has left my feeling lonely and without enough valuable interaction. I miss my friends, family, and boyfriend dearly. I miss having things to do on the weekend, meeting up with friends to grab dinner. I miss it all.

I am starting to get miserable here.  

I keep telling myself this is temporary and if I need to move to be happy then I will. But I still have another year to go. I just have to be strong and stick it out, and see what the lord has in store for me.

POST-GRADUATE: HOW TO SCORE YOUR DREAM POSITION

This past week marked a year that I have been out of college. I can't believe that it has already been a year. And oh what a learning experience this past year has been. I am happy (and humbled) to have scored my dream position and have had this ideal post-graduate life of mine become real. But of course it wasn't always that way. I've only been working in my current position for four months and before I got this position I was a hot mess. I was broke (no more student loans to help cover my rent), working part-time in a job that bored me, and felt downright helpless at times. I graduated thinking I would land a job right away due to my biology major and living in an area with lots of jobs in that field. My confidence was at all an time high. But as I applied for 100s of jobs, and only got a handful of interviews I started to feel bad about myself. I couldn't handle it. Thank God for the support of my wonderful mother and boyfriend who encouraged me day in and day out. It was my 23rd birthday in September when I decided it was time to make some changes. I was going to step my game up and get a hold of my life.

1. Get some experience! I learned pretty quickly that my degree was going to make me qualified for the job, but it wasn't going to land me an interview (or the position). Internships and volunteering are the best way to get experience. Sure paid is awesome, but those are few and far between. Everything little skill you can add to your resume, gives you a leg up on your competition. I remember I started one internship and quit just a week later, because I learned that it was going to give me the skills/experience I needed for the dream job I wanted. Luckily, the same organization I was interning for had volunteer positions that did give me the experience I needed. And so I started volunteering; on my birthday, and early on Sundays (which happened to be my only days off at that time). Its all about sacrifice! I got a chance to include all that wonderful experience on my resume AND THEN elaborate on it during my interview. Could you believe when I went into my interview at the end they told me they would let me know later on if I was selected for a second interview. Guess what? They ended up calling me less than a week later and offered me the position! Hardwork pays off ladies.

2. Tailor your resume! I edited my resume so many times. In fact I kept many different versions of my resume saved on my computer depending on what type of job I was applying for (administrative, lab rat, non-profit, etc). You really want your skills to be specific to the position you are applying for. You want to prove that you would be not only a perfect fit for that position, but can bring a little extra. When I would learn something new when volunteering, I'd be sure to add it to my resume as soon as I got home. Don't make your resume a freakin' essay, but also don't leave out valuable skills.

3. Breakdown your goals! I knew my main goal was to get my dream position, but I didn't know how the hell I was going to get there. I started by breaking down my goals, and making smaller goals for myself. I told myself I would apply for 2 jobs everyday. I kept a journal of jobs I would apply to. I wanted to keep track of the hours I volunteered. Celebrate your small accomplishments and know that they are brining you one step closer to your ultimate goal.

4. Broaden your horizons! Don't be stuck on one location or one company. Sure it may seem right to you at the moment, but who knows if really end up a bad fit. If you broaden your horizons it leaves you open to more opportunities. I applied for jobs all around the state, even though I knew that meant leaving the city I loved and possibly ending my relationship. Its not an ideal economy at the moment, so you simply cannot be picky. Remember, there are lots of other recent grads out there wanting the same position. In the end, I did have to move to a new city for my dream job. Sure, its not my most ideal place. But someone gave me the opportunity because they saw something it me.

4. Keep busting ass! Seriously. As I mentioned before I started an internship and quit and volunteered during my days off. In addition, I got into contact with professionals and asked them for advice. I considered signing up for community college classes just so I could take a class that required an internship that I wouldn't be able to require on my own. Look at your options, never stop busting butt, and know that it will all be worth it in the long wrong.

HAPPY HUMP DAY

Today definitely felt like a Wednesday. I woke up extremely tired and sore. I guess my body never fully recovered from my 5k run just a few hours before. I laid in bed for an extra 20 minutes and then made coffee. Oh how delicious my coffee tasted after not having any the past two days, but it just didn't seem to have any effect. I gulped down my cup and yet I still felt groggy. Unfortunately my drive to work nor sitting down at my desk this morning helped either. Yup, today definitely felt like a Wednesday. On the brightside tomorrow is my Friday AND I get a lovely four day weekend. Yes, a four day weekend! And it gets better. I get paid for not working on Monday, and J will be visiting for 2.5 days. This can't be real life! Its so rare that we get two full days together, so I will definitely be soaking up every moment of this weekend.

In other good news I feel like my desire for adventure will finally be answered. I finally booked my trip home in a few weeks. I cannot wait to see my family and also get away from here for a while. Me and my mom are trying to plan out lots of fun activities while I am home. I definitely want to spend some time in San Francisco doing some touristy things. And my sweet daddy will be taking all of us out for dinner. I can't wait! Me and J also have a wedding to attend towards the end of June. I'm so excited for wedding season. In fact I haven't been to a wedding in about 5 years, and I think I am long over due for one. And lastly, we have a friend planning out a Vegas trip for sometime this summer. I also haven't been to Vegas in a year, so again I am past due.

Hope everyone has an amazing holiday weekend!

CONQUERING MY GOALS

I think I'm ready to take the plunge. Thats right, I think I want to register for my first half-marathon. It would be such an amazing feeling to be at my ultimate fittest and complete something I'd never thought I'd be able to. This weekend I ran over 7 miles! What an accomplishment for myself, I'd never thought I'd be able to run 7 miles or for over an hour straight. Although, I was tired afterwards and my legs felt like Jello, I truly felt badass. As I kept running and further and further I kept telling myself how amazing I was. I feel confident and able. Now, I just need to get my money situation together. Who knew half-marathons were so expensive to participate in?

CRAVING ADVENTURE

I know I've beat this saying over the head, but I am truly grateful for everything in my life right now. Its just that everything feels so perfect, and that after so much hard work and tribulation everything has finally fallen into place. I appreciate the routine that is my life. While others are constantly plagued with chaos and drama throughout their day, those things have not been a factor in my own life. I appreciate it and I love it. But at the same time, I have been craving something more. Because although its nice to have routine, its also nice to have something different to look forward to.

This little lady is in need of a vacation, a mini-get away, or a new adventure of some sort. I haven't traveled in so long, and the bug has been bitting me like crazy. Right now I look forward to seeing my boyfriend on the weekends. But he goes to school full-time, works 15-20 hours a week, is doing research on campus,  and not to mention all the other activities he is involved in. God bless his heart for being able to do it all and still be with me. But I know he is worn out when I come down to see him. I know he needs a vacation too, but he just doesn't have the time right now.  On top of that I can't take a real vacation (or any time off from work) until my probation period is up. That will be another 5 months from now.

I'm not looking to do anything big or grand within the next month or anything. But I am looking to put some plans into motion for a mini-get away over the summer, and a larger trip within the next year or two. We have to dedicate a time, save the money, and make the plans. I have so many ideas for both mini and big trips. Hello palm springs, SF, NYC, Seattle, and Paris!

I am grateful for

Nice soothing rain after a heat wave. Learning new hobbies. A fridge full of yummy food.

Sock buns. Three paychecks in a month. Chocolate. Pink nail polish. Sticking to budgets.

My warm comfy bed. Hearing someone tell you "I'm proud of you". Pink Moscato. Groupon Deals.

IN HIS HANDS

I've been living this picture perfect life lately. I have everything I could possibly want right now: an awesome career, new car, my own place, enough to support myself, a great boyfriend, good friends and family. What more could a girl ask for? There has been one thing on my mind these last few months that I have been fighting with. It's kind of been of been repressed for a while, but last night it was brought back up.

My heart has been my biggest downfall when it comes to love and relationships. I feel like I have the biggest, largest heart that is always ready to love and be open to love. I feel like thats my God given gift. Because all throughout the bible we are told to love one another, and that is something thats comes easily to me.  But what happens when someone does not love you back? Do you keep giving love freely in hopes that one day they will feel the same or do you stop and end things? At the moment I am still unsure on which way to go. I've been praying about it and asking the lord to let his will be done.  Either way I am sure my life will greatly change as a result. I don't feel angry or bitter, just confused and lost.

For once I am not scared about the end outcome, because I know I have Jesus as my rock. Not that it will be easy, but that he makes things possible.  I am faithful and I know that his will is the one that will be done.

JUMPING ON THE BANDWAGON: TONE IT UP BIKINI SERIES

So I decided to take the plunge and join in on the Tone It Up Bikini Series. I've heard about the tone it up trainers Karena and Katrina before, and have watched a few of their videos on youtube. I love their "beach fitness" theme, but their work-outs just never stuck with me.  Since I am finally focused on my fitness and they have an eight-week bikini series going on, I thought this would be the perfect time to join. I've been running a lot lately and get plenty of cardio, but I've been lacking in toning my body and building muscle. And since I am a lover of planning, making to-do list, and carrying them out I thought this would be perfect to keep me on track. Hello Beach Body, I am excited to see what you look like!

I feel like I'm going to go all out with this series. I'm going to eat a lot cleaner and train like a beast. I've gotten some protein supplements for water, am taking daily vitamins, and am looking into getting some type of nutrition bars. Who am I turning into? I am happy to say that I started the first day off great with a 40+ minute cardio session (mixture of elliptical and running). I also threw in some lunges, planks, and push-ups. I honestly feel great ladies, but this is just the beginning. I will definitely be posting some before and after pictures.

Is anyone else participating in the bikini series?

HAPPY ONE YEAR (ANNIVERSARY)

Today is a pretty special day. Today is me and J's one year anniversary! This past year of my life has been really great, and a big reason was because he was apart of it. This guy never fails to make me happy. We have enjoyed a many of good times together this past year. From sleeping in, to renting endless movies on redbox, to traveling to do some wine tasting in Mexico. He is seriously, the sweetest and most caring person I know. I learn so much from him each and every day.  He is also one of my biggest supporters (along with my family). To be completely honest, usually at the one year point I am over being in a relationship. But it's definitely different this time around. I find myself falling in love with him more and more each day. I know this next year will be just as amazing as the first. I am looking forward to many more adventures and good times with him.

For my anniversary gift, I was given the sweetest and most thoughtful present ever; A film camera! One of my '23 before 24 goals' is to get into photography.  And now I have the tools to do so. He has even offered to help me out. So I am thinking this upcoming weekend we will spend some time shooting. He knew this was on my list and bought this for me. This is what I mean when I say he supports all my goals. I love my sweet sweet man.

I'M BECOMING MORE AMAZING

This weekend wasn't perfect, but it was definitely good. Each week I am surprising myself more and more, and just proving that I am quite the superwoman. Being able to accomplish things and actually see the progress is such an amazing feeling. I love it!

First thing first: I ran over 6.5 miles this weekend. Yes, non-stop! I've finally ran a 10k and then some. This has truly been a work in progress. I remember I could hardly run for 20 minutes when I first started my running journey. Back in October 2012, I was finally able to run a 5k. And in December, I finally entered my first 5k race. Well, now I can finally say I've reached my next goal of a 10k! It feels great. I'm now trying to find a 10k race to enter within the next few weeks. And thens whats next after that? Hmm...a half-marathon maybe? Just Maybe. Oh, and I must say how much I love the runkeeper app! I highly recommend it to fellow runners, and anyone needing help sticking to a training plan.

How else am I amazing you say? Lets just say I kicked butt at work today. Not only did I wake up this morning at 4:45am this morning to drive up to work from San Diego, but I made it to work nice and early. And after getting bombarded with a lot of things to do, I over-shot my office time and headed into the field about 20 minutes late. But did I let that ruin my day? Nope, this little lady got everything done AND then some. I didn't let my lack of sleep ruin my day either. But now that I am home, its time for me to sleep. Superwoman needs her rest too!

Maybe, the only thing I wasn't amazing at these past few days was being a good girlfriend. I thank God for giving me such a loving and amazing boyfriend. Thanks to it being that time of the month, my hormones were so out of act. Lets just say I was acting cray cray! But he put up with it and even just laughed with me when we both realized how ridiculous I was being. The poor guy still catered to my every need this weekend (buying me chocolate, renting netflix movies, and holding me tight). He is too good to me. But like I said, superwoman has her days too.

NEW LOOK

Who have I become? Hipster glasses, red lipstick, and extensions? Yes, 2013 is definitely my year of change. I've been changing various areas of my life, and I like it! I'm trying new things and figuring out what works best for me. I'm kind of excited about wearing extensions. This weekend I gave my clip-ins a little test run. And they turned out well, but they need to be dyed darker before I start really wearing them. I can't wait for all the cool hairstyles I will be able to wear with my long hair. Anyone have any tips for blending and wearing extensions?

FINDING THAT 'PERFECT' BALANCE

Since I have already accomplished so much this year, I have gained an incredible sense of confidence. This confidence has been growing and makes me want to keep kicking-butt and continue working on each area of my life. In a sense, I feel like super woman. But the truth is, there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I work full-time, am trying to study/stay on top of my new job, training for a 10k, devote time to jesus, and am in a semi-long distance relationship. I want to (and try to) get so much done everyday, but I just can't.  And in return I am just not getting that much out of each activity that I am doing. Each one feels kind of rushed, and I don't feel as dedicated or focused on each one. The honest truth is I need more help on this balancing act I try to do each day. I came up with a master plan a few weeks ago, and I kind of forgot about it. But this week I am implementing it, because I so desperately need it. Below are my rules to my master plan. If you have are having trouble balancing everything in your life, try using this plan. That way you get a perfectly balanced dose in each area of your life.

1. On each week day I will complete two activities in my free-time. And I will set aside 30-45 minutes for each activity.
2. On each weekend day (for me I consider that Friday, Saturday, Sunday) I will focus on one activity and devote a longer period of time to that activity (1-2 hours).
3. Every Sunday I will plan out a weekly schedule of which activities I would like to complete.

At the moment I only have three activities that I want to focus on: studying for work, jesus/devotional time, and working-out. I'm sure other things will come up in my future. But at the moment those are the three things that are important to me. My schedule for this week is:

Sunday:

1 activity: Jesus Time (I watched a 1.5 hour long service online, read my bible, and daily devotion)

Monday: 

2 activities: work studying & jesus time

Tuesday: 

2 activities: running 1.5 miles & jesus time

Wednesday:

2 activities: work studying &  running 3 miles

Thursday:

2 activities: jesus time & work studying

Friday:

1 activity: running medium distance (5-7 miles)

Saturday:

1 activity: work studying

I really believe writing it out like this will definitely help me. I will update about my progress and sticking to this schedule.  Happy Sunday!

NEW FRAMES

Last week I finally received my new frames from firmoo. I'm in love with them! They fit my face just perfectly, and give me a refreshing look. I was so over my old glasses. I feel like they made me look too dorky, and just weren't stylish enough. To top it off, when I took pictures they made me look like my eyes were closed. I am happy to have a new pair of glasses to go with my new age, and my new style. What a great deal for only $26.00! I highly recommend firmoo. You can get my frames here.

WEEKEND WRAP-UP & APRIL JOY

What a truly beautiful and blessed weekend I had! I spent my three day weekend down in San Diego with my boy. It was such a blessing to be able to spend so much time together. Usually, he is busy with school and work. But we definitely took advantage of his spring break and my three day weekend. We packed in so much fun and activities. We ran errands, worked-out, went dancing downtown, went shopping, traveled to TJ to visit his family, went to church, made dinner, and lots of other things in between. I honestly never wanted it to end. I still have a smile on my face because this weekend was that good. I'm definitely going to enjoy my new schedule and all my three day weekends.

This weekend was truly special because it was Easter Sunday. To be completely honest, I haven't been celebrating Easter these past few years. But since I have renewed my faith, I definitely wanted to do more this year. This year I made it a priority to attend church. What was more exciting was that J came with me. I thought he would be nervous or scared, but he said "I'd go anywhere with you baby". Because easter services were so packed, we had to sit outside in a tent and watch the service by TV. But he didn't complain or judge. And as I raised my hands to sing and praise the lord, he took one of my hands and kissed it. What a beautiful gesture, that meant so much to me. The whole day I felt so happy and blessed by Jesus. Easter means so much to me now, and will always be. Jesus being resurrected is such a big deal. My savior died on the cross and rose again so that my sins could be forgiven. That is truly a love unlike any other.

And now it is April and its another chance to better and renew myself. I feel like I am going through a steady state of progression and its quite lovely. I love seeing the progress I am making, and I feel so very proud. I have no new goals this month, I just wish to continue working on my old goals. That is, I want to continue running, spending time with Jesus, and doing the best I can at work. Hello spring and reaching my goals!

DAYLIGHTS SAVING IS TREATING ME RIGHT

I might be the only person in the world who has had no trouble adjusting to daylight savings time. I don't mind loosing an hour of sleep, because I really enjoy the fact that the sun is out longer. As a result of the day feeling longer, I feel more productive. I seriously felt the biggest change from daylight savings. I've been sleeping a little less, but have an abundance energy! I can come home and get so much stuff done. Usually after work I am dead and will lay in bed alllll night long. But since Monday, I have been such a busy bee and I have been taking care of things that I usually put off. I am loving this new sense of energy and motivation. I truly feel like I can do....anything! So what exactly have I been doing with this new found energy?

1. Staying Active! I've kind of lost track of working out since I've been trying to concentrate on work and passing my supervisor sign-off. Now that its all out the way, I have decided to kick things back into gear. This morning I ran over 5 miles and over 50 minutes straight! Thats a personal record for myself! And the funny thing was that, I felt great! I wanted to keep going but I had this horrible cramp/knot in my stomach so I had to stop. But after today, I feel like I am ready to run my first 10k race next month!
I haven't signed up yet, but I will be soon. In the meantime, I am going to keep training hard and running on a regular basis so that I can run my first 10k pretty easily. I am also very interested in getting into some barre ballet classes. I was able to find a cool studio in Riverside, and I am thinking about trying it sometime this week. Lets hope it goes well.

2. Date nights with Jesus! It's true, I've been neglecting time with God. Being busy and adjusting to a new life is no excuse. Everyday I should be taking time out to read my bible and talk to God. I am happy to say that although I have being doing a lot better. Sure I am not perfect, but I working towards where I want to be.

3. Keeping up with my Job! I am happy to say that I successfully passed my supervisor sign-off earlier this week. I was so happy, especially because I've been a nervous wreck about it.  Even though I passed, I still have a lot to prove (and learn). Therefore, everyday I've been writing notes about things I can improve on or do more research on. I want to be the absolute best inspector I can and just rock at my job!

I've already crossed 5 things off my '23 things before 24' list. I feel so accomplished! But I am so ready and motivated to cross of more!

NEW HOBBIES!

Wahhhh! Why do weekends always feel too short? I really really wish that I could have a three day weekend every single week. Wouldn't that be amaze balls? Ok, I'll stop my whining. This weekend was absolutely lovely for so many different reasons, and I definitely kept busy. Of course I headed down to San Diego to spend the weekend with my boy, and we went on so many adventures.

First thing first....I finally got my hair done! It was really really in dire need. I could barely run a comb through my hair. Embarrassing! Yes, I get my hair chemically straightened. I am also happy to say that my stylist found a product that works so much better on my scalp (less irritation) and man was I so happy! It felt great. She ended up making my hair curly, so when I woke up this morning I had this kind of wavy look going on. Check out the picture above! I wish my hair always looked like that. I wish I could pull of sexy and messy. Usually, my hair just ends up looking messy. Go figure!

Friday night we headed to lei lounge to grab some drinks and food with friends. I'd never been to the lounge before as I never really head into university heights neighborhood. But man did I love it! The decor was awesome, and I felt so swanky. Oh and all the waiters are gay and fabulous. We had awesome customer service. I'd definitely have a girls night there in the future. We then headed to el camino in little italy to meet up with more friends.

Saturday I was so exhausted! So I was kind of in a lame mood all day. Although, I did have some fun watching movies with J's little cousin. I ended up crashing and going to bed early. But today was pretty fun! I ended up waking up and was treated to breakfast at The Mission. After that we decided to head to the swap meet! I seriously haven't been to one since I was 10 years old. I was on the hunt for a vacuum cleaner. I may be making more money than I ever have in my life. But at the same time, I am living on my own so I have wayyy more bills to pay. And since I am starting with close to nothing (no furniture or major appliances) I need to save money while I try to acquire everything. We did end up finding a vacuum for $12! Yes, and it works and is pretty new. Exciting! I also saw so many other goodies that I wanted and will definitely be heading back in the near future. I may have found my new hobby!

WEEKEND WRAP-UP

This weekend was different for a few reasons. The first being that it was my first weekend staying in the Inland Empire. During the week I am busy with work and then during the weekends I am usually out of town. It always feels like I am on the go! I decided this weekend I needed to take the time to get my apartment in order and also explore my neighborhood a little bit.

One thing I was really excited to do was find some great places to run. I was able to search on the internet some running/bike trails, so I decided to check it out for myself. I went to Fairmount park in Riverside which was so beautiful to me. They have two medium sized lakes in the middle of the park, along with multiple playgrounds, and an outside stage. On the perimeter of one of those lakes there was a trail that was about 0.7 miles that lead to multiple trails along the Santa Ana river. It was perfect! I get bored easily, so its nice having different trails (and different scenary) to keep things new. I was only able to run 2 miles before coming winded and hot from the heat. But it was truly amazing getting back into running again. Now I know where I can go to run.

Of course I had every intention this week to be by myself and just get somethings together. But I got a great surprise this weekend...my man decided to come up for a last minute visit! Yes, after working all day he drove up to visit me for a few hours (he had work this morning). It was a quick visit, but so very much appreciated. This was his first time visiting me and seeing my new apartment. Geeze, I am such a lucky girl. I appreciate his sweet gestures.

Three things I am loving this weekend:
1. This website has articles that cater to everything going on in my 20-something life
2. Chevron paper goodies! I wish had penpals to send cute stuff to....
3.  This sums up exactly how I have been feeling lately