Serendiptious Oprah: Life Class... Don't Laugh It's Awesome!

Today was wonderfully serendipitous! I just happened to be searching for some of course "quality" tv to watch as I worked and happened to come across a new show from Oprah! I clicked it instantly because of the topic at hand and was curious what the show had to offer in the way of help especially in LIFE!  So here is a little review of what I discovered and oh a sweet discovery it was! 

Oprah's #LifeClass is a show that is dedicated to talking about all things related to those things we encounter in life. (Here is the link: http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/oprahs-lifeclass.html/). A recent example was about Confrontation or as they call it Carefrontation. I instantly turned this one on and became an active listener. Confrontation is a huge problem I have and something that I am working on hard core because it has affected so many of my relationships. I always start with good intentions, but end it in a disaster because I do not truly listen to the other person and determine the end result before the conversation... a big fat no no! Below are the steps that Iyanla Vanzant and Oprah shared on the show:

Carefrontation Steps

1. Acknowledge that a conversation needs to be had

2. Clarify Expectations

Must always fit into the following categories: Does it HEAL, GROW, or EXPAND a relationship? 

Also important when approaching the conversation that you do not state the results because you can not dictate what someone does or how they live their lives! (SO KEY!!!)  

Example: I wish my mom would hear me more often.

3. Extend an Invitation

If the person is not ready then wait till they are willing to sit and listen

4. Set Ground Rules

Examples: Need clarity then ask for it!  or Only speak from experience because you probably made up half of what you think! (i.e. Well I feel that she does not want to be in my child's life? Iyanla (the mediator of the discussion) responded, "Did she actually say that to you?" Response: "No, its just how I feel." Iyanla then stated,"If it was not stated then do not say it. Only mention things that are concrete examples, like when I called you it seems that you do not hear me and talk over me. This has happened multiple times.")

5. Listen

Must be willing to listen! Do not rehearse conversation. Again, YOU must be willing to listen to the other person! 

Always ask what do you hear? Make sure you are on the same page because most people are always too busy trying to be right and not listening. So always important to take a moment and show you are listening by repeating what is being said to show you are hearing, but also to make sure you are on the same page. Jumping to conclusions does no good!!

6. Be Willing To Be Wrong

Agree on the next steps! 

Example: The people on the show were trying to spend more time with their mom so they all decided they would do a monthly dinner.

I instantly had an ah ha! When I try to talk to someone I do not follow any of the rules above. I become so SELF motivated and as much as I think I am considering the other person's feelings, I am not at all because really I am trying to control the situation so it ends in the result I already had predetermined. This is not fair and really does not allow for HEALING, GROWTH, or EXPANSION.  Another super key moment and point that I believe whole heartedly in and need to respect more is that YOU DO NOT GET TO CHOOSE HOW SOMEONE ELSE LIVES THEIR LIFE. YOU GET NO VOTE!

The guests they brought on the show were great because the one person was very much like me when discussing something serious...defensive and unwilling to really hear the other side even though they were claiming they were. I instantly saw how she was not actively listening or taking to mind that she may have assumed wrong. It was great because I now know especially where I need to be a more active listener and participant in the discussion. I am not always right and most things are probably made up in my head anyways. The show ended with a reminder that carefrontation will happen and sometimes needs to for a relationship to continue, but it is important to approach the situation in a right and fair manner so that healing, growth, or expansion can happen.

Do not be surprised if more of these episode reviews end up here, because to be honest, I learned a ton and really enjoyed the refreshing straight to the point, point of view with real action items provided!

Global DIY

So I know it's been long, but I had to take a brief break as we all should. Anyways, during that time I have rediscovered the fun of DIY! First you must know I love all things globes and maps. They remind me of travel and my love of adventure and history. Well sadly they tend to get expensive so I don't have very many. Well one day I came upon a great one at Target on super sale so I jumped for joy and grabbed it. Actually almost got a few, but I refrained.
It was a great globe, but I wanted to spice it up a bit and give it more of a stately feel so I began searching out all things spray paint. I even consulted a few of my crafty friends. Luckily I learned from them that there is spray paint specifically designed for plastic! So I ran to Fred Meyer and purchased some at the low price of 3.99! What a deal! I chose a dark graphite color because I wanted it to be versatile in any space I chose to put it.
After dismantling the globe, I laid some plastic down on grass (next time will do a harder surface for more stable coverage). I then simply sprayed a few coats to cover all the blue and let dry. It said it took 15 minutes to dry, but I gave it an hour. It worked out perfect because the time really showed me where I needed to spray again for touch up. It took me 2 hours total from start to finish. After touching up, I reassembled and voila... A more sophisticated globe for under $15. I am now a spray paint addict who wants to change tons of things! So fun!

Lemonade Statement Sundays

Sorry that it is a tad blurry, but I love the quote and ends the week just right!! Happy new week and look forward to posting some new things shortly!

Happy Olympics Day!!

While the logo is far from my favorite, I am excited that the Olympics is finally here! Now my only hope is that we actually get to see some action... I have a feeling if a royal walks in, it will be like Jack Nicholson at a Lakers game, very little game and a ton of Jack. Either way I can't wait to get a chance to watch the opening ceremonies and see some swimming and gymnastics! Oh and can't forget the crazy random sports like archery! Anyways happy world unification day!

Where Have I Been?... Changing Into Lemonade

Changes are all around. I used to be afraid of changes, but am learning they occur for the better. It is amazing what can still be learned even when you supposedly can not learn more. This past week I have been involved in an intense soul searching type exploration and have learned a ton about myself. It's scary to see yourself flawed when your a perfectionist like myself, but also good because it means you are human.
I have had horrible things happen to me and have always been thankful they have happened to me instead of the people I love. Unfortunately though I hid them away and never dealt with them. Well as you can guess, they have come back haunt me. The last two years brought not so amazing times and why I fought so hard to claim me back, I continued to find myself three steps back. Insert first important note: even though they may have a license it does not make the therapist counselor, etc an expert. Please take the time to interview and question professionals in the field. Half my battle came from confusing and bad advice.
I found that I was hurting all my friends because I would try open up and could not express myself and would end up closing up and being standoffish. Also extremely selfish and unyielding. I was not me. I used to pride myself on my flexibility and capability of handling problems. I highlight this because I have come to realize people like myself push away and if someone is reading this is and is like me, do not do it. If you need,take time to be with yourself. Your friends are only human and can not take on your stress. It is hard because you need hugs and support, but you will only succeed if you put the work in. So my new action item is ask a friend for a hug or some time to do something fun, but leave it as a fun memorable thing, not a daunting always sad thing. They know and care, but life is all consuming sometimes. If you really need that support then find one friend. My biggest mistake was having multiple people. It just added to confusion and I could never really open up anyways.
More importantly is finding the right help. I was lucky enough to have a recommendation and it has been amazing. If you are lost, look at non traditional ways. My program was a mix of traditional group/individual and bible. It worked for me because I also wanted to gain more insight into my faith. Overall my point is that change can not always just be you. Help is an important aspect too, but it is finding the right help.
So yes, changes are happening. Both big and small and I am nervous about disappointing, but have the faith I may have finally figured it out. I will never forget my pain and what happened, but I also can not let it rule the rest of my life. My only hope is to find full healing and renewal at some point. Rushing gets you no where that is for sure. I think I am on the right path and ready to tackle what's next, one step at a time!

Lemonade Sunday Statements

So many things can be said, but for now I am trusting in the sanctuary of my heart.

(Picture was found via Oprah.com's Happiness Project)

Not Sure Title Blog

This title is still in flux, but with this newest section of my blog I hope to record the things I want to embrace more. I spend a lot of time being overwhelmed and insecure. Its hard to say I will instantly snap out and be normal, but one thing I can do is create a list of the things I want to embrace more of. The first is....

I want to embrace simple quiet time. When you are constantly questioning yourself it is hard to quiet the brain, BUT the only way to stop the constant babble is to just be quiet and focus on the positive of the day. Tonight for example I am sitting on my front porch reflecting on a question given to me through a pastoral thing I have been doing. It does not always have to be religious and really never has to be. But taking that break has helped me breathe so much more. So I am hoping to make it a nightly thing before bed. Go outside and breathe.

Lemonade Moment: DJ's Birthday

When was the last time you were actually excited about your birthday? You know that can't sleep the night before giddy with excitement type. For me it's been ages, but for individuals like DJ it happens every year. DJ has CP and because of it is unable to verbally communicate, but trust me that does not stop him from speaking volumes. I had the privilege of getting to celebrate his 17th birthday. To say the least I was instantly humbled.

Tearing through paper, ropes and bouncing balls were found. These simple items were accepted as if a lottery had been hit! Each card was also instantly analyzed and quick hugs given. Next came the cake with as many candles that could fit per the bday boys request. I am not going to lie, I shed a tear when he first saw the cake I had made and the clapping and huge grin that followed. He instantly pointed to his Oregon hat and then to the football themed cake. He could see my vision. My heart was touched. I wish words could describe the amazing birthday party better but I am at loss for them. It's a reminder of the simple things once again! Below are a few pictures from the party.

Lemonade Sunday Statement

A good reminder....

Game Review: Intro and PictionaryMan

I love games especially Game Nights! So why not try some new ones and see if they are winners!

PictionaryMan

Imagine pictionary plus a dry erase marker and a dry erase man and you have PictionaryMan. It is pretty simple. You form two teams, hit a button to get your topic, announce the topic, click the button to get your word, and draw as fast as you can, and repeat till a team gets 14 points. What is awesome about this game is that you have props!!! This game is amazing for any game night with friends. I would recommend playing with no more then six people though so you can draw more then once. Warning: Loud noises will erupt! Below are a few pics of the game. Sorry no action shots, things just moved way too fast!

Lemonade Picture: Sunsets on Lake Almanor

You know you are on an amazing trip when you get sunsets and views like below. Nothing but lemonade here... And I can't stop loving the sun!

Lemonade Break

I know it's bad not to consistently blog, but in the mountains with bad connections so sorry if little action happens here for the next two weeks. I have a slew of blog posts to come including my first crafty post and a book review! Until then, Happy Summer!

It's The 4th of July!

The 4th of July used to be one of my least favorite holidays, becuase, well, I was afraid of fireworks. Luckily I have grown out of it and have loved the past few years getting to do something different every year (totally did a pie eating contest one year and sadly...I won). This year I look forward to listening to some Jazz music in the sun, BBQing with friends, and celebrating my American culture (yes, I do believe we have some). I hope everyone has an amazing and safe day!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!



One of my favorite 4th of Julys was spent in the city watching the fireworks
from the Pier while eating a Ghirardelli Chocolate Sundae.



Where did you spend your favorite 4th of July?

Newsworthy Discussion: Stress

One of my biggest hurdles is handling everything going on in my life without getting stressed out and deciding to just do nothing. I feel it is a topic that many people deal with on a daily basis and are unsure how to fix it so life is again enjoyable. I know half of the worries I have would be eliminated if I stopped stressing, had more fun, gained more confidence, and just go about living my life. Health.com recently released an article called, "Say Goodbye to Stress for Good." (http://healthyliving.msn.com/diseases/anxiety/articlepage?cp-documentid=250009225) It was written by Jenna McCarthy and outlines several different ways that you can have your busy life, but also be stress free. The article points to three main topics that are Stress Proofing Yourself, Make Bliss the Choice, and Savor the Moment. In order to Stress Proof the article recommends that you focus on exercise, resisting the temptation to be the debbie downer, and actually take time to indulge. While in order to Make Bliss the Choice, you should take control of your emotions and pay it forward (a great movie by the way!). And finally Savor the Moment by slowing yourself down and pretending its about to end.

I found the article to have made several good points that are in fact easy to incorporate into every day life. I know its hard to change a perspective and when your negative its hard to switch to positive, but by not trying you are letting yourself be victim to the stress. To start incorporating some of the ideas into my life, I simply listed the topics and wrote a few goals down. This way I know what I want to accomplish, can visually see it, and will more then likely stay true to it because I wrote it down. You should give it a try because stress runs way to rampant these days.

Stress Proofing:

To stress proof myself I will do the following: really begin my half-marathon training, no longer concentrate on the negative of a day but instead the many positives, and be sure that I do one fun thing in a day even if its just 15 minutes of reading a non serious book

Make Bliss the Choice:

To make bliss the choice, I will do the following: stop myself before I get angry and look for the positive as well as pay it forward more by giving to others because I was lucky enough to have so many people there for me!

 

Savor the Moment:

To savor the moment, I will do the following: take more photos (stealing this idea from the article), be sure to breathe when feeling overwhelmed, and think of each moment as a gift instead of concentrating no how much it sucks at the time.

Do you think stress is a big concern these days? What do you do to eliminate stress in your life?



(Lemonade Health Time) Clever Healthy Substitutions: Greek Yogurt

I was recently introduced to the world of substitutions during a discussion with my roommate while baking one time. I was curious if you really always have to use Vegetable Oil or if you could actually use the healthier Olive Oil. She quickly informed me that it did not matter and there were a lot of subsitutions out there to create healthier less fatty meals or baking masterpieces. Below is a chart I discovered on Pinterest and love becuase Greek yogurt is an awesome healthy subsitution for things like...butter. In a US News Health article done on Greek Yogurt vs. Traditional Yogurt (http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diet/articles/2011/09/30/greek-yogurt-vs-regular-yogurt-which-is-more-healthful), it was found that Greek yougurt has about the same amount of calories, but sports less sugar and a lot more protein. Here are some of the most interesting facts about Greek yogurt I found from the article:

6 ounce serving has about the same amount of protein as 3 ounces of meat

1/2 the carbs of regular yogurt

1/2 the amount of sodium as regular yogurt

20% of the daily amount of calicium

The article also mentioned, that the best kind of yogurt to stick with is the lowfat ones. This is true for any type of yogurt. While I tend to very much minimize my dairy intake in general, I am excited to try the following substitutions when it is needed:

What is one item in your recipe that you would love to find a healthier option for?

Lemonade Sunday Statement: Kindness

It is frustrating having yet another medical (nothing major, no worries) step back, but at the same time a tad comforting knowing that I am that much closer to finding a solution. I also have yet to crumble and I owe that to the kindness of friends who have really shown me they care and are willing to listen when I need an ear. (I know complaining gets old, but they have yet to show that) This quote is powerful (I know... Hippie talk) and think it rings true in everyday life.

So what will you do this week to show kindness to another?

Little Lemonades: Intro and Haircuts

It's simple, but puts a smile on a face....


First One: Haircuts

I love getting my hair done. It's a dose of relaxation. Plus you get to change a look or be surprised if your like me and let your hairstylist do what they want. It's the one part of fashion where size does not matter and has the most options! So back to my relaxing time I go!

Reality Moment: Introduction and One

Sometimes we have these moments where real life hits us and lemonade is not always easy to find, I am sharing mine in hopes that others realize we are all human and not everything can be blissful 24-7....

Crazy weekend full of fun (no sleep, but I am awake the whole time) and even a relaxing Sunday filled with a nap and major work completed on Cousin Cousin quilt. Blissful. Monday. Work. Day full of negative people and things mixed with realization of the fact I only have a week left before I am unemployed for a month and half. So many to do lists. Oh and did I mention I have eaten nothing but junk food for the last almost 5 days. Go home. Headache forming at the edges of my head. Watch TV and cook a few healthy meals for the next few days. Impressed with my preparedness. Ouch. Feeling daggers in my temple. Oh no, I suddenly remember and realize whats happening. Migrane. Its been at least 5 years since my last. What do I do? Sleep. Nope thats not working. Watch TV. Oh gosh, now I need to vomit. Meds. Dulls it a bit, but man the pounding is getting worse. You know its bad when there is a ton of noise around the house and it does not even phase you. (Side note: in the past I would have exploded about the noise, but that is another post in the making). Just want a dark room and ice pack. Not happening. Old Fashion Doctors Call. New med combo. I hate taking meds but willing to do anything. Stupid headache and so random! I just want to go play Hungry Hippos with the house guests downstairs. Finally a break. HEAVEN. Must have fallen asleep at some point. Wake up. Still dull pain that doesn't seem to want to leave. Doc sends me note for work, but no way am I missing out on some pay. Oh real life moments.

Lemonade (Because there is always a silver lining):

Glad to know that bad days happen to serve as a reminder that I am

not indestructable and need to slow down a bit! Oh and there is a reason

people do not live off fast food and worrying.

Monday Mania: Introduction and Turning the Phone Off

One the biggest lemons in my life and I know others, is very simply stress. We stress about this and that and everything in between. Why I would love to solve everyone's problems, I can not and will not even begin to try. However, I can give some suggestions on how to take steps to live a simplier less complicated and stressed filled life.



Remember the old days when cellphones
did not exist?
(Pinterest)



Night Time Phone Off

I am a phone addict. I love to text, facebook, email, take pictures, Instagram, and Pinterest at all times. I feel lost when my phone goes missing and probably check all of the above at least a few times a day. Its a problem. Does this sound famaliar to you? Well I am sure I am not the only one out there with a phone addiction. I really thought about it one time and realized, I am addicted, because I love knowing what is going on and use it as a way to curb boredom/feel included. But what I have found, is that social media makes me feel left out (another blog post in the making), pinterest/craft boards make me feel less worhy/creative, and texting makes my friendships inpersonal and have lead to conflicts which really should not happen. AKA STRESS!!! Plus staring at that screen all the time can not be good for you! So I have started to take measures to eliminate this stressful item from my life at least a little bit.

Lemon:

Phone Addiction

Lemonade Idea:

After realizing the errors of my ways and the fact that phones actually take up more time then people think thus resulting in stress for the fact that you are losing productivity time. I decided to take action by TURNING THE PHONE OFF. My phone goes off by 8PM every night unless I am in the middle of a conversation or know that someone needs to contact me. I hate the excuse- well I use it as my alarm. Guess what... Turn it on airplane mode and it works just as well! Ever since I have praticed this, I go to bed less anxious and also find that I am more motivated to read or just plain sleep. (I have begun to apply the same rule to my computer unless I watch a TV show, which I also try to limit) It seems so easy, but making a change is hard. It will make you realize things you never had. This may seem like a litte change, but you will be surprised the effect it has on you. I find during the day I am also less reliant and more interested in doing other things, like my work ;) So give it a try and see how it goes!

What do you do to stop your cell phone addiction?



Newsworthy Discussions: Introduction and History Education

There are many things in the news that need a little lemonade. They are the issues we are constantly being bombarded with, but people do not seem to discuss. As a history teacher, I feel it essential for all to know what is happening in the world around them and have an opinion about it. I hope with this part of my blog to identify an issue in the news, give my opinion, and then spark a conversation or even just a thought. 

To begin, I thought I would choose a less controversial topic, but one that I think highlights a major concern especially in this country: EDUCATION.

A HISTORY TEACHER'S BRILLIANT IDEA

CNN.com

Direct Link: 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/21/opinion/bennett-teacher-innovation/index.html?hpt=op_bn4

Pinterest

Synopsis: 

This article is about a history teacher who was tired of seeing his students more interested in March Madness then their education especially when it comes to history. The teacher, Mr. Hoekstra, decided to take action and created a lesson plan around the idea of the tournament. Each student choose a person in US history and had to immense themselves into the persons life and history. He then created a bracket and the students had to defend why their person was the greater person in history. The class would vote at the end of the debate. What Hoekstra found was that kids instantly were intrigued and became extremely involved in the debates. 

Lemon: 

Students lack of interest in history and well America's lack of interest in history education.

While this may be far stretched, I believe the partial problem is that we as a society have devalued history and its place in the education world. It is true that it is not math or science and many do not believe it gets you far in the "real" world. Well here is the thing, have you ever really thought about what skills you do gain that are just as important? How about critical thinking, writing, problem solving, philosophical discussion, debate, mathematical analysis, and inquiry amongst others? These are skills, yes you gain in the traditional core of subjects as well, but are in fact applied and enhanced in history classrooms.

Lemonade: 

What this article shows is that students will in fact enjoy history and see its importance when a teacher does not simply give up and get pushed aside, but faces the students and their lack of interest. I think history teachers are constantly faced these days with these dilemmas and its so important to prove that the subject is in fact important and can be appreciated. I love the creativity that was used as well.  I just wish that "entertaining" did not always have to be the answer, but that students already come knowing that history is just as important as math and science.

Central Question:

Do you think history is an important part of education? Or do you believe that in order to stay competitive in this world, the essential math, science, and english classes should be the focus?

Photography Moment: Cameras

I love photography. Lemonade is about loving.



Pinterest



I got my first camera when I was about these kids age.

I can not wait to pass on the tradition to other little ones!

I also love this picture because I have started collecting

vintage cameras. Its amazing how they have progressed

and the art has changed.

Lemonade Fashion: Intro and Cluttered Closet

We all struggle in some way to find that perfect outfit. I am sure I am not alone in saying that I have worn sweats more times then not. It has come to my attention though that you dress as you often feel and so thus comes this blog post idea. Why not turn this lemon of a fashion dilemma into a lemonade. I abosolutely hate when people say they dislike something, but can not provide a solution. I am not saying I am a fashion expert (far from it), but I am willing to share advice along the way and hope to feature some other bloggers and people too! So here goes nothing...the first fashion related blog post! 



I am not a huge fan of huge closets (wasted space and money),
but love the organization here! Thank you Pinterest for sharing.



Lemon: 

I have so many clothes and never know what to wear so I just end up wearing sweats and t-shirt.

Lemonade:  

The best thing I would suggest is to pare down and clean out the closet. I used to open my closet and be overwhelmed by the pile that had formed. I would become discouraged looking for an outfit becuase it always seemed I was grabbing the things I never really wore anymore. A good friend (who I hope to feature one day) of mine suggested cleaning out the closets and man oh man, it has made such a difference. My options are limited, more age approriate, and intentional. I also made restrictions on the space I want to use as my closet so that I am not filling it, just to fill it. In the long run, I have saved so much money, because I never buy anything now that I can only wear with one other item or if my closet is full and the piece is really not neccessary. Another tip, is to color and type code your clothes. It sounds OCD, but is really helpful in the end. I seperate my clothes in half (work on one side and outside work on the other) and then group colors. This way I take the guess work out of what I am looking at. I know I need a work outfit and I feel like wearing green so BAM there are my options. No longer need to go through the WHOLE stack. The next step I will be taking is working with my friend to make outfits with what I have and taking pictures so I can look at it for reference to cut down on time as well. (Her Idea) So look for that update soon. For now, baby steps. Take out the Goodwill bags and start eliminating!

Lemonade Sunday Statements

Religious or not, these are all important parts of any type of relationship!

Lemonade Book Spotlight: The Happiness Project

I am in the process of reading for the second time, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. It is a book I recommend to anyone and everyone, even those that are happy. It is a tale of life and the simple things that we get tangled up in and end up consuming our lives making us feel somewhat unhappy and uncertain. In addition to the book, I have been following her blog as well (link located to the right).  The blog is a wealth of resources on the subject and a great extension to the book. I have even used her toolkit to formulate my own project...small hint.. it lead me to this blog project. No matter what this is an enjoyable read for all, don't be surprised if you are one of my friends it ends up in your stocking at Christmas! 

Below is a little sneak peak of her brilliance, and the best part is that we probably already know these things! 

Ten Myths About Happiness

(clicking the links will take you to the blog and explanation of the myth)

"No. 1: Happy people are annoying and stupid.

No. 2: Nothing changes a person’s happiness level much.

No. 3: Venting anger relieves it.

No. 4: You’ll be happier if you insist on “the best.”

No. 5: A “treat” will cheer you up.

No. 6: Money can’t buy happiness.

No. 7: Doing “random acts of kindness” brings happiness.

No. 8: You’ll be happy as soon as you…

No. 9: Spending some time alone will make you feel better.

No. 10: The biggest myth: It’s selfish to try to be happier."

Saturday Surprises

After waking up feeling incredibly restless I decided it was the perfect day for a random adventure! My choice was to hike up to Multnomah Falls so I packed some trail mix, a bottle of water, and little bit of excitement and headed towards the Gorge. It was seriously an amazing drive and day. You could see Mount Hood crystal clear in all its majesty and the Columbia was shiny blue. I was very lucky to have arrived when I did because when I left there was not a spot to be had in the parking lot. Needless to say I forgot that to get to the top you walk up hill the whole way, but I made it! It was a great little adventure out of town.

Lemon Highlight: 

A struggle that I have had to recently overcome is the idea of spending time alone and not feeling that its because no one enjoys my company or that I do not have friends. 

Lemonade Highlight: 

A part of growing up is realizing that the times of spending 24-7 with friends is over because well...real life happens (schedules no longer follow dorm life). One thing I have found is that I have to embrace my alone time as good time to work on me or just a good time to take a breath and do nothing. In this case, I woke up and instead of being moody/sad, I went out and sought adventure. It will probably be a highlight of my weekend and that weekend had moments with friends too. 

Bottom Line: 

Feeling lonely is completely natural at times because life is constantly changing and full of varying schedules, but instead of it being a bad thing, make it into something good whether that be taking a random adventure, picking up a book, tackling that annoying chore, watching a movie, or creating ideas of things you can do with your friends the next time their free! Everyone needs a little time by themselves because it really is good for the soul. 

What do you do to chase those lonely blues away? 

Blog Revamp Mission

While I wish I was 007 and had all the cool gadgets, I am not and can proudly say I am an unique individual who has something to give that is not all theatrics. I know pride is a word that many do not use, but I think in this case, I am going to use it because I am proud I have come through so much in the past couple months. Those that have been following my blog (so excited to say there were a few) are probably confused why all my posts have gone away and I have gone through a complete revamp. (Sorry...the drama is gone) Well the truth is that I really would like to put the past in the past, accept it happened, learn from it, and move on. To be fair though for my new followers, I will give you a quick recap of what happened since it inspired the idea for the blog in the first place. It is very simple, I lost the will to want to live a happy and fulfilled life. I was what they call, a lost puppy. I needed hugs and love (except pushed my friends far far away and got mad when they got angry with me), but couldn't seem to really find home.

I have found home! I wish I could say that it was a really easy journey, but it took a lot of hard work in my part to adjust my attitude and rediscover passions. To really turn some lemons into lemonade. My old blog posts did not have a lot of focus and felt that to best tell the story of turning lemons into lemonade was to clean house a bit and organize. This "remodeled" blog will be a blog that features others as well as myself and I hope more then anything to use it as a way to continue my joy. I learned so much about myself by simply writing and reflecting and not being afraid to state what I was truly feeling. I hope to continue that idea. So lets dive into the nitty gritty of the blog... To showcase some of the topics you will be seeing, I have written a little reflection about what I was and what I am now to demonstrate some of the lemons I have had and the lemonade that has resulted.

I loved photography (was accepted to art school), but gave it up becuase I did not feel like I was good enough or as talented as everyone else... NOW I am taking photo classes and using instragram and not carrying about everyone else. (No longer counting how many people heart my photos!)

I loved to cook and bake (secretly have a dream of having one of those bistros that you see in movies), but did not do it because everyone never seemed excited about my cooking... NOW I am going to be completing a cooking/baking challenge via this blog. A new recipe a week?

I loved to craft (hours could be spent watching movies and making cards), but stopped because I felt everyone else was way more creative then me... NOW I am going to be featuring crafters I admire, but also my own crafts. There are so many talented people in the world and I can be one!

I loved to go shopping, but everyone seemed skinnier then me and better able to fit in clothes....NOW I am learning what fashion is and how to dress my body type... Its hard but I love every second of it!

I loved my friends, but felt everyone did not like me, had no desire to hang out with me, and I started concentrating on people I thought were best friends only to learn I pushed away my real best friends... NOW I am focusing on spending time with the ones I truly love who want to spend time with me (Effort is a two way street). Hoping they will be willing to share on this blog about their own lemons and lemonade! 

I loved to discuss the world around me, but it seemed to me that everyone thought my opinions were redicuioulous so I started ingnoring my own opinions and forming with the crowd...NOW I want to discuss what is going on and do not care if my opinion is not a popular one... isnt that the point of discussion anyways, multiple perspectives?

This is only a glimpse of the fun to come. One key thing that will never change about this blog is that there are struggles out there (lemons- not everyday is a sunny day), but those struggles can be conquered and a happy life is completely attainable (lemonade). So the journey begins and I thank all those people a part of my journey and those future contributors!

Blog Header

I just wanted to give credit where credit is due and let everyone know that my blog header was designed by the great Michelle Waters! Once I learn how to link blogs, I will link hers. She does amazing work and is very easy to work with and has a ton of vision. Sound like a commercial yet?

Under construction and revamp once again. Be Back ASAP.

I have so many blog posts started and so much research to do so this is a little buffer until I get this to do list accomplished! Happy Monday :)