Friends

Can I just say how thankful I am for blogging? I know I haven't been writing a lot lately, I've had a pretty rough month and it's not something I can share about online but regardless, the blog world is awesome. 

Yesterday I got to hang out with Meg, Jamie, and Kasey in Temecula. It was my first time meeting Kasey & she was a doll. And really tall! :) Anyways, these are all girls that I met online through blogging. It sounds funny, I know. 

I am someone who loves my alone time, but I need time with people. I love hanging out even if we're not doing anything, just being with friends. I don't get a whole lot of that where I live.

Most of you know I live on top of a mountain with 25 other people, and an hour away from any civilization, including a gas station. I have some really great friends up here, but I miss my friends from home, I miss having girls nights, I miss going out for Happy Hour when we get off work early, etc. Hanging out with girls my own age, with similar interests, a strong faith, it was so rejuvenating. I loved having lunch with you three & just hanging out after.

Also, the best part in my opinion, is that they brought me birthday cupcakes & gave me a gift! Seriously?! Yeah, I am blessed. 

It's funny the friendships that have come from the internet. I never expected this to happen, but Lord am I thankful it did!! 

Thanks for the fun Sunday girls :) You make my heart full!!

My Birthday cupcakes! Meg even asked Zach my favorite flavors :) Thanks sweet friend!

 Meg found this, I find it hilarious :)

Juice Fast and Blogger Meet-Up!

Welp tomorrow starts our 7 day juice fast. I keep saying juice fast, but I actually mean raw fruits & vegetable fast. I will still eat bananas and make smoothies from frozen fruit & orange juice I made tonight.   Just no dairy in them. But I am super stoked and ready to start this cleanse and see how I feel at the end of it. I'll keep y'all updated, and I will definitely need some encouragement! I've never done anything like this. We were starting to get the "clean eating" thing down before we moved, and since then camp food has taken over. Somehow I've managed to lose weight while being here but I think that's just because my job is so active. Anyways, this is a huge deal for me. I love food! This week will be a huge test of my discipline. I know I can do it, I know I can do it.

It really does look delicious though, doesn't it? And so colorful!

Luckily Ashley is hosting this whole thing & there will be lots of encouragement through that group along the way.

Speaking of Ashley, I got to meet her and a handful of other bloggers today. Namely Jamie, Julie, Meg, and Hollie. I've gotten to know these girls via their blogs, emailing, twitter, and texting but it was SO COOL to meet them in person and actually hang out! I met a few other girls too but I was mostly excited to hang out with the girls I already have a relationship with because I was meeting them for the first time today. Maybe next one I'll try to mingle more :)

Jamie & Julie 

I am so mad I didnt get a picture with Meg! (Mine and Hollie's will hopefully be posted soon!) Just means we'll have to hangout again soon, Meg :)

I also won this awesome print from Orange&Park. They have tons of cool prints of California and other places like South America, Africa, & stationary too! 

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I loved meeting these girls and feeling like we'd been friends for a long time. Seriously, you guys are amazing. Now lets set up some hang-outs chicas!

PS. Thank you to the girls who hosted today's meet-up, y'all did an amazing job & it was so nice to be included!

Don't forget to linkup on Monday with your favorite Blush, Bronzer, etc! :)

Please allow me to confess...

My mind's been a-wandering since I've been working alone all week & had tons of time to think. Allow me to confess to you some of the things I dwell on while makin' all those beds and vacuuming all those meeting rooms! Don't judge me, friends.

• Pinterest: While I agree that Pinterest is super duper handy and convenient, not to mention tons of fun & overwhelmingly full of amazing ideas on the web; I am inconsolably envious of you engaged ladies [or ladies who will be engaged at some point] who have Pinterest to act as your personal wedding planner/idea board. The rest of us old married women had to use sticky notes, "bookmarks", and actual binders. I loved looking at ruffledblog.com when I was planning our wedding & had to search that site hundreds of times to find that one picture of that one cake or that one hairstyle. You honestly have no idea how many bookmarks I had on my computer at work. You are SO LUCKY to have Pinterest to help you keep all your random ideas in one cute little organized place. End rant. [yes I'm talking to you, Molly] And yes, I do dwell on this 7 months after our wedding. Oh! happy 7 months of marriage today, babe :)

• SoCal Blogger Meet-Up: I can't believe I will actually get to meet some of the girls that keep my sane while living atop this mountain. Like I've said, I did not intend to make friends by blogging, I just wanted to clear my head through writing. Well one thing led to another and now I'm in love with it & also with the friends I have made. Like real friends! [atleast they better be real!] Saturday I get to meet a few of the girls that live down here and I can't stop talking about it. Even though my coworkers think I'm weird for going to a "blogger meetup". But to be honest, [cue confession] I am soooo nervous. I am very confident behind the computer screen, but here I can think about what I type.. back up and re-type, etc. I get social anxiety when I am around new people and I have been praying all week that this doesn't happen! I know these girls already love me so I dont know why I am so nervous, but just had to be honest here people.
• Balance: While I am on the subject of blogging; I just want to confess that sometimes I don't have the time to write out everything thats in my head. Sometimes I just love reading what all you bloggers have to say and usually I find myself encouraged, inspired, and come away refreshed. So, thank you. Thank you for finding the time to write out what's on your heart. Because it really does touch me.
• God Time: I am not good at making time for God. It has always been a struggle for me ever since I realized I could have a relationship with Him. Waking up early is just not realistic because I hate mornings. After work I get distracted and honestly, just forget. I've really been convicted about this lately and so I've been searching for a remedy. I finally ordered Beth Moore's Believing God study workbook and honestly, it has been amazing. In just a few days of going through her lessons, I have seen so much growth. It encourages me and excites me for the next days' lesson. I am beyond thankful for this right now!

Source: weliveforjesus.tumblr.com via Danielle on Pinterest


• Juicing: This is my last confession. For today atleast. We bought a juicer a few weeks ago after watching Fat Sick & Nearly Dead and a few other documentaries on Netflix. So far, Zach has used it every single day since we got it & I have used it exactly once. And of course I documented it with a photo. I did commit to doing a 7-day juice fast starting on Monday [thanks to Ashley ] because I really do believe in the effects and I want to see the health results. I just dont think it tastes that good. I'll have to deal though.

Liebster Award

*Disclaimer: This post is way overdue*

I started this blog for no reason other than to occasionally write when my head felt like it was so full of thoughts it was going to burst. I had NO idea where it would take me and how much I would fall in love with blogging. I also had no idea how many incredible friendships I would make along the way and how dear to me these girls would become! 

With all that said.... I am incredibly honored that not only one, but two people awarded me with a Liebster Award! 

Renee blogs at This Wont Hurt A Bit and I am loving getting to know her recently!

Victoria blogs at Vibrantly Victoria and I have so much respect for this girl.. she's on a serious weight loss journey & is so inspiring!

Thank you sooooo much Renee & Victoria. It honestly means so much to me!

......and as I was writing this post and reading my friends' blogs I noticed that Jamie  [News From LaFuze] also sent this my way. Seriously, love her.  I get to meet her on Saturday and I just might pee I'm so excited. I was about to give her the award but she beat me to it :)

So I guess I got three awards. I'm like about to cry... I've never felt like I was "good" at anything before and this whole blogging thing just brings me so much confidence and the best part? It's confidence in me.  I do this for me, I write about me, and whats on my heart. SO THANK YOU LADIES!! Seriously, you are making my week!!

Ok... moving on :)

Liebster is German for loved, beloved, dear, favorite, or something like that.

and this award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers to bring attention to their blog.

The rules to this award are as follows:

#1. show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.

#2. award the award to five of your favorite bloggers with less than 200 followers & link them.

#3. post the award on your blog.

#4. bask in the love from the most supportive people on the internet - other bloggers of course!

#5. and best of all - have fun & spread the LOVE.

This is really hard to choose.. but here goes:

Ashley [christian wife life]

Laina [recycled interiors] *she just had a baby! thismorning.

Beth [Until Only Love Remains]

Ali [Not Hip Enough To Blog]

Lauren [lauren darlings]

Allyce [Riemenschnieder Ramblings]

Love those girls. Their blogs are worth your time. Plus I like to think that they are my 

friends, and I like to show off my friends :)

Until next time! Yes I broke the rules and picked 6. I just had to, okay!?

PS: Fun facts.... Allyce was actually my manager when I worked as a restaurant host a few years ago (and I got to do her wedding hair), and Laina was friends with Zach in high school and he introduced me to her blog! Crazy, huh.