Be Daring...

I know we are almost done with the first month of 2012, but I wanted to take a moment and post a couple of my hopes/goals for myself and 2012. In 2011, I did a lot of things that were new to me, I went to a book signing of a favorite blogger, Quit my job of 3 years and started a brand spankin' new one, I went to Chicago with my mom (our first mother/daughter vacation) Mike and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary with one another and we continued to settle into our lives together, we found out we were pregnant end of July with our first child, visited Washington DC and some friends and saw some great monuments and history. It was an whirlwind of a year! However, I felt as though I didn't challenge myself enough. So for 2012 my theme is to:

I want to challenge myself in new ways. In 2011 I became a huge introvert - and not that there is anything wrong with that, but it became unhealthy for me. I didn't get out there. I didn't meet as many new people as I wanted, I didn't experiment with new adventures, I didn't read as much as I wanted, I didn't try new recipe's, I didn't get off my ass and work out, I didn't work at keeping my house in order the way it should, I judged too much, I didn't stand up for myself, I was stagnant when I should have been mobile, I didn't give people a chance, I was let down, I let myself down, I waited for others to act before I did, I played it safe. I let others dictate my own happiness, I wasn't as giving as I should have been. I didn't pray as much as I should have. And I worried far far too much.

This year I am going be daring in everything I do, even the small stuff like cleaning out my kitchen cabinets. I am going be daring and raise my son the way I planned on raising him. I am going to be daring and try new recipes and meet new people even if it scares the crap out of me. I am going to make my house a living breathing well old machine. I am going to work hard on myself and be the best version of myself physically, mentally and emotionally. I am going to push myself harder this year than ever because if I don't who will? I wont count on anyone to get the things I need to get done, done. I will be more independent and spend my precious time on things that truly matter. I want to be daring with this blog and grow the non-existent readership into something. I don't have a vision as to what I want to do with the blog but I want to make more time for it and write out more meaningful post. I also want to put myself out there more and comment more on the blogs that I follow and love, growing my friendships through here would be wonderful. I want to be daring with my looks. I want a new cut and color, try experimenting with new scarves, jewelery and accessories. I want to live a more authentic daring life. That's the dream for 2012.

What is your theme for the year?

Just say NO

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Mike and I are looking for ways to save money. We cut down on our groceries bills by shopping smart, we keep the thermostat in the summer at 72 to save a little cash, we use an energy efficient washer and dryer, and most recently, we got rid of our cable and replaced it with a Roku it is a streaming player for Hulu Plus, Netflix, Pandora, Crackle and much more. We are saving on average $70 a month on cable. I especially like it in the summer since most of my shows are on their summer hiatus and I'm not paying for a lot of reruns.

Since we got rid of cable I've found myself being a little more productive. I've been spending a lot of time taking pictures and editing them, branding myself, trying to take on some freelancing work and cooking more. It feels good. I am my happiest when I am in movement, working, being creative, thinking...living!!! It's amazing how easy it is for me to migrate to the couch after an exhausting day and watch episode after episode of my favorite show (which recently has been Friday Night Lights on netflix, BOOO that its over) next thing I know, 5 hours have gone by and i've moved my legs from one side of the couch to the other. Can I get those 5 hours of my life back, please? No... ? Ok... [sad face]

So, in an effort to get busy and to eliminate distraction from my life I have decided to remove TV time this week. A mini experiment if you will. By eliminating TV time this week I hope to concentrate more on Me, my house - keeping up with regular chores that need daily attention (laundry, dishes), my relationships - write replies to those emails I need too, schedule phone dates with friends, put myself out there more. My passions - taking more pictures, networking, reading more on those points of interest, practice. My productivity - this blog being one of them, regular updates instead of the sporadic, working on personal tumblr page which documents my life in pictures.

Do I think I can do it? Absolutely. Do I think it will get hard? You bet. But I feel like it's a personal testament to myself and my life that I don't need television to make me happy, or to fill me up. So stay tuned on my progress. Should be interesting!

Tik Tik

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What makes you tik? What makes you heart sing? What is it that makes you feel alive?

Lately I have realized (with some help of my ever perspective mother) that I need to live each day with a purpose. Even if the purpose of the day was to finish my laundry, or scrub down the kitchen or tidy up the living room. Sometimes I find myself getting caught up in the "I worked my ass off this week, I deserve a day to relax" and yeah although that may be true - the days I allow myself to relax are days that leave me feeling lethargic, useless and unmotivated. All of a sudden I find myself on couch and 6 hours later have gone by and I haven't moved a muscle! I need to constantly be moving and bettering myself and my day to day life. I am no longer going to get sucked into the blackhole that is my comfy ass couch.... I am going to do things that make me happy and alive....

So what makes me tik?

- A clean house
- A Venti Iced Chai from Starbucks
- A beautiful sunny day with my windows down
- Taking photographs
- Learning something new
- Sleeping in and waking up with my own internal clock and the sun beaming in through the windows
- A fresh manicure and pedicure
- Eating a piece of Dove Milk Chocolate
- An organized purse
- A full tank of gas
- Paid bills
- Going to see a movie
- Sipping wine
- Laughing with family and friends
- Text messages with sweet messages
- Massages (professionally and non professionally)
- Flipping through Magazines
- Finishing a book
- Fresh flowers in a pretty vase
- Receiving/Hearing good news
- Trying a new recipe
- Grocery Shopping
- Long, deep, meaningful conversations
- Wearing flip flops
- Feeling inspired
- Writing out my thoughts
- Shopping
- Expensive Makeup (sorry Mike)
- Traveling (near and far)

These are a couple things I can do and feel that make me instantly happy and alive. I am going to work everyday to do even one little thing to change my mood. I am going to make the best of each day I am granted. This is my one life, might as well make the best of it, right?!

The Weekend That Wasn't

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99.9% of the time I have all the good intentions of the world. I make lists, I plan, I think about things - a lot... I would say I am a very introspective person. However, sometimes, life happens.... and I dont mean in the BIG altering kind of way. I mean life in the every day sense happens. I had plans this weekend. I planned on getting out of the house, I planned on having some good meals, and seeing good movies, and getting shit done. You know everyday house stuff - Laundry, dishes, dusting. I was going to have a fun yet productive weekend. Well, it was an epic fail.

Friday however, was a good day (but hardly consider it my weekend since I had to work). I got some good news, I got things done at work and I sold out Tank less Water Heater through craigslist and made the swap in a parking lot. I went out to dinner with my Husband and brother law and later went over to my sister in laws for a girls night where I stayed out till 1am. It was a good day, yes.

Saturday I planned on having a hearty breakfast, a lazy morning then use my prize loot with Mike. Well around 2pm the snow started falling. I heard we were supposed to get some snow but it was coming down - hard. As I saw how quickly the snow was accumulating, I told Mike we should go to the store now to get our Super Bowl food since I new it would be difficult later or even Sunday. Once we got out on the roads - it was terrible. Like white knuckle, sweat beading, lip biting terrible. By the time we got to the store - my nerves were shot. And I quickly came to the realization we were not going to be able to go out for our little adventure. Sad face. Instead we stayed in - which isn't so bad considering how much of a home body I am. But I ate like shit that night and just felt yucky from being so stressed and eating crappy and not really moving. On top of that I pretty much slept my Saturday away... talk about unmotivational!

Sunday I woke up and looked outside and realized we no longer could go through this winter or future winters without a snow blower - our $10.00 shovel just wasnt cutting it with our mile long driveway (exaggeration but still) Luckily with our unplanned money we got from the craigslist swap we were going to put that toward the snow blower which we will hopefully get today. So throughout the day I felt in a funk - couldn't get out of it. I even tried to make some Chocolate Chip Cookies to brighten me up - no luck. So with my best effort I got ready and headed over to my in-laws where they had a great spread of food (as usual) and enjoyed watching my nephew run around with Mimi not far behind. The game was great and the commercials were hilarious. These two were my favorite





Mike and I left early because of the weather and because we had a 5am wake up call (which ill never ever ever get use too) by the time we pulled into our sub we got stuck rounding a corner and inevitably got stuck in our own driveway (awesome)By the time I got it inched up enough I wanted to cry. Maybe it is the Winter Blues, or the fact that I didn't live up to my potential this weekend... whatever the case may be - It just wasnt what I wanted or needed it to be.

But I am going to make this week a good one. I am going to be productive by doing the following:

1.) Going to my Weekly Zumba class on Monday
2.) Keep up with my God-forsaken-Laudnry
3.) Read my book for the month of February
4.) Take more pictures
5.) Start writing out what i'm grateful for
6.) Put healthy things in my body
7.) Laugh more
8.) Not let stupid people get under my skin
9.) Do things for me and FORGET the haters
10.) Smile

Was your weekend what you wanted and needed it to be?

Cha-cha-chaanges......

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So I get we are only a mere 8 days into the new year (but still, 8! Yowza) however, I find that I am still doing the same things that I told myself were not working, and vowed to make an effort to change - lone behold no effort.

Things that DO NEED to change:

- No breakfast in the morning

- A 450 cal coffee that I don't need

- Dis-organization (car, home, desk, life)

- No workday routine - Hi, im flying my the seed of my pants

- No actual goals to work toward

- Laying/sitting around too much

- Too worried about everything and everyone but myself

- How I handle my stress

- Conquering my fears head on - it actually becomes crippling

- Stop feeling sorry for myself

- Taking things so seriously

- Staying in too much - get the heck OUT there sista

- How I need to take more pictures

- Spending habits

Things that DO NOT need to change:

+ My work ethic

+ My love of reading and awful TV

+ My desire to be the best I can in life (even when its hard)

+ My ability to laugh at the stupidest things

+ My love for my family and friends

+ Wanting to dance and sing and break out into a number

+ Wanting to travel as much as I can

I also get that it's a lot more easy to pin point the bad in your life than the good, but I know that with the bad there are good. The funny thing people. is I know exactly what I need to do. Im no dumby. I need to make more of a conscious effort. I need to make more time. I need to live more consciously. Sure I am not where I want to be some aspects of my life but that doesn't mean I should let everything else fall apart, right? It shouldn't have to be an all or nothing combination. Life can be hard, but I can do - I did it before - i'll do it again.

In other news!

This weekend should be a lot of fun. This morning I had a nice chat with my aunt who is living in England, looked around the Internet for inspiration and talked it up with my mom. This afternoon, we are going over to Mike's parents house to celebrate our Bro-in-law's bday. Dinner, fun and good times to come. Tomorrow, I plan on doing a little decorating project and then celebrating my Uncle Gino and Aunt Lina's b-day. Lunch at our favorite restaurant with cake and ice cream to follow. Sprinkled in between the festivities I plan on catching up with the mounds of laundry appearing everywhere.... see, if I had a freaking routine this wouldn't be such an issue.

Have a great weekend!

Don't fotget to....

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Happy Thursday everyone. The week has been a busy one but alas, it's almost over which means the weekend is upon us! Hope everyone has a fabulous day :) xoxo

This Week I will.....

• Go to zumba class and work up a sweat
• Read more of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
• Make my own lunch
• Catch up with all our laundry
• Think positive thoughts
• Take more pictures
• Make some "me" time
• not sweat the small stuff
• count my blessings everyday
• Be frugal

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New Start

Hello! You may remember my previous home over at http://www.mariasmusings.net/ and while although that was a wonderful place to share my fun finds, discuss random happenings, and share interesting things I feel in some way I have outgrown that blog - or quite possibly gotten too bored with it. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I didn't really know what I wanted from that blog or what I was trying to do with it - it was sort of an enigma. I had fun with it, but it was time to move on. Since my last couple posts over there a lot has happened. I got married, I moved into our new house, I've been working a lot, we are adopting a precious little Yorkie (which will be coming home with us in Sept), I've been doing a lot of thinking, and have been trying really hard to not only to find organization but balance in my life.

It has been a crazy emotional rollercoaster and I have learned a lot along the way in a very short period of time. I am constantly amazed at what I am able to handle and what I am capable of - makes me realize that as long as I am focused I really can accomplish anything I put my mind too.

So here are a couple of my goals:

I will work hard everyday (whether it's at my job, with my relationships, or my life)
I will work at continuously improving myself
I will pursue my dream more aggressively
I will work hard at being in the best shape I can (even if I have some hiccups along the way)
I will give thanks everyday for my blessings
I will learn to love myself despite my imperfections


xoxoxo