A Step In The Right Direction

My ABCs

2011-10-13T18:28:00.003-07:00

I'm trying to post a little more often to get used to it again and then hopefully get to a point where I do it regularly but without internet at home and without a lot of spare time to work on projects I'm a little short on blog material. I found this on Kelly's blog and thought it might be fun to try. So here we go...

Confession: I used to love doing these things when I was younger.

Age: 26

Bedsize: Queen - one of my most loved possessions

Chores that you hate: vacuuming and ironing

Dogs: Jonas! (pronounced ho-naas) aka my roommate. I love my little man

Essential start to your day: 2-3 cups of coffee

Favorite color: it changes a lot but I'm really liking yellow right now. And turquoise

Gold or Silver: Silver

Height: about 5'3" - the shortest in my family

Instruments you play: does my voice count? I sing a lot. And I play guitar. I used to play violin too - I'd love to pick it up again

Job title: Ministry Assistant at one job and Admin Assistant and the other

Kids: Just Jonas :)

Live: Love God, Love others

Mother’s Name: Angie

Nicknames: Moni, Schmonique, Moni Choni Bologna, and so on...

Overnight hospital stays: Just when I was born

Pet peeves: when people use "which" in the wrong context. Drives me nuts, even though I catch myself doing it sometimes too

Quote from a movie or tv show: "Chancho, I need to borrow some sweats"

Right or Lefty: Righty

Siblings: 3: 2 sisters and a brother. Looooovvveee hanging out with them!

Time you wake up: 7 - 7:30am. Oh how I wish it were later

Underwear: always

Vegetable you hate: I love pretty much all vegetables. I prefer some cooked in specific ways but other than that I think I'd eat em all

What makes you run late: EVERYTHING! - I'm always running a little late

X-Rays You’ve Had: mostly dental when I had braces

Yummy food you make: Soup!

Zoo Animal: Do they have whales at the zoo? No? ok then I'll pick the giraffes :)

Your turn!

Amazing

2011-10-01T18:21:00.003-07:00

This blew my mind....I hope it does the same for you

Design Sponge: Before & After - Door Sofa

Chair Love

2011-09-20T13:47:00.009-07:00

So I'm in the market for a chair or loveseat to go in my living room. I've been searching for about 6 months now and I can't seem to find one that I like that doesn't have a price that makes me want to cry. I'm having a ton of fun looking though and I thought I'd share some of what I've found and love. Here we go!

1960's Suitcase Chair: Etsy

Isn't this chair amazing?! I would've loved to buy it but it's meant mostly for decoration and I need something a little more sturdy.

Vintage Barrel Chair - Etsy

Ektorp Jennylund Chair - IKEA

I'm still contemplating getting this one. I LOVE the pattern!

The Georgette - Etsy IN LOOOVVVEEE with this!

Hope you loved some of these as much as I do!

Whoops!

2011-07-28T23:15:00.003-07:00

So I accidentally erased all of my photos from previous posts.....whoops! I've been so MIA from this blog anyway that it hardly matters but I'm still a little bummed.

Anyway, I don't currently have internet at home (saving all my pennies!) so my posts have been virtually nonexistent but I'd like to change that over the next few months. Hopefully I'll be able to get in some fun stuff at least every once in a while!

Until then, here's a little peak into my favorite time of day....coffee time :)

5 Looks I Love For Spring

2011-01-20T22:30:00.009-07:00

As much as I adore winter, I'm excited to throw on some sandals and have fun with spring clothes. Here are 5 looks for spring that I'm currently loving:

1) Fun, Lightweight Tunic

This one is a 2-in-1 tunic by River of Romansk on etsy

2) Sundresses

Sundresses are fun because you can dress them up for a night out or dress them down for a casual Saturday. I LOVE this one from Anthropologie

3) Structured Blazer

These add a tailored look to loose dresses/tops and dress up looks for the office. Plus they help with those chilly mornings :) This one from Ruche has a lot of character:

Spring isn't just for your clothes - here are two things I love that you can surround yourself with this spring

4)Muted Spring Colors

This butterfly shadowbox from Target adds color that transitions well from winter to spring.

5) Bold, Bright Statement Pieces

A couple bold pieces can change the entire look and feel of a room. I like these pillows from Crate & Barrel:

Sunshine

2011-01-20T21:47:00.003-07:00

I'd like to preface this post by saying that I totally had the idea of doing a cover of this song first! I will say though, that any cover I would have done could never compare to this one. Enjoy!

Check out the other stuff The Civil Wars has on Youtube and pick up their new album on February 1st.

New Year, New Goals

2011-01-14T22:00:00.011-07:00

I know most people posted their resolutions like two weeks ago, but I needed a little extra time to tweak mine and make sure they're goals I can accomplish and will enjoy. So here we go! :)

1. Spend quality time alone

I had a good head start on this goal on a recent trip to San Francisco. I spent the majority of my days alone and overcame one of my fears by eating all alone in a fancy restaurant. Turns out I kind of love my alone time! So this year I want to expand on that idea. Here's my amazing view from my lunch on the pier:

2. Learn to say "No"

This is more of a life goal of mine. I've realized that I rush through my days going from one appointment to the next because I overcommit myself mostly because I don't want to disappoint anyone or I want to help out. As a result I get overwhelmed easily, come home exhausted and rarely have time to relax. Learning how and when to say "no" would help me to slow down so that when I do commit to something I can do so without feeling rushed or without worrying about everything else I have to do.

3. Be more musical

I'd like to get better at playing the guitar, maybe pick up the violin again, sing a whole lot more and play around with writing songs again. I might even try an open mic night.....maybe ha

4. Document my life/take more pictures

I've kept journals on and off throughout the years but I'd like to get a steady account of my life. I'd like to have something to look back on years later to remember the progress of my life. Keeping a journal gets hard for me so I want to explore different avenues of documentation to keep it fun. Photos are probably the easiest way to do this since they can be done in an instant and I always have my phone on me. Blogs, videos and the occasional journal entry sound fun too. To start off the year, here's my first photo of 2011, taken at midnight (we know how to ring in the new year the fun way!):

5. Expand my food/cooking knowledge

I love to cook and I love good food (who doesn't, right?). I want to experiment with new cooking techniques and try some new foods this year. Sounds easy enough but when you're super busy it's so much easier to eat the same thing over and over. Maybe this can be part of my alone time activities.

Those are my goals for 2011, what are yours?

A Year In Photos

2011-01-06T21:11:00.007-07:00

Every year always feels like it goes by quickly but this one seemed to zoom by in a blur. It was such a great year and I feel like I've grown a ton in every way. Here's a photo recap of some of the highlights of my 2010:

I got to actually see some snow early this year while being blessed the with opportunity to help lead worship at a college weekend in New Mexico.

I had a great experience serving with my church's high school youth group in Rocky Point, Mexico.

BANGS! Super fun but tough to style every day.

Tried octopus for the first time. There will not be a second time.

Had the opportunity to be a part of the worship team for High School Camp for the 3rd year in a row. (photo taken by Travis Williams of Travis Williams Photography)

I had been feeling the tug on my heart to work in ministry for quite some time and this year I was blessed with a job doing just that. It's been wonderful so far and I'm excited to see it progress.

Had a fun photo shoot with my wonderful friend Vickie of VickieLan Photography

Topped off the year with a trip to San Francisco with my best friend Kelsie. I'm in love with that town!

I hope you had an amazing year too, I can't wait to see what 2011 will bring!

I Haven't Forgotten!

2010-12-13T23:33:00.001-07:00

This semester has been tough but it's almost over which means I'll be able to get back to posting (I have some ideas in the works) and sharing some projects. In the meantime, Jonas says hello...

Coffee Break

2010-12-02T19:41:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to take some time to relax this season.....

Balloons

2010-11-19T20:18:00.004-07:00

Oh my, I don't update nearly as much as I'd like to but that's what college will do to ya!

I wanted to share some fun photos that were taken by one of my oldest and dearest friends Vickie of Vickie Lan Photography. Inspired by the movie UP, she asked if I'd help her play around with a balloon concept. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to spend some time with Vickie playing around and catching up. Enjoy!

P.S. Be sure to check out Vickie's website here and see her beautiful work!

WHALES!

2010-08-31T18:52:00.008-07:00

So I kind of love whales...... really really love them. I have since elementary school when I had to do a report on them for school. I've been playfully teased a lot because of my (....... ok I'll admit it!....) obsession, but I don't care at all because my heart just smiles when I see them. I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing one up close but it's something that I hope to do someday. In the meantime, I watch tons of TV specials.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to do a post of some fun (and some ridiculous) whale items I've found around the internet (I have no problem poking a little fun at myself every once in a while ha). I seem to run into whale things everywhere, it's kind of strange actually.

Here's to whale love!

Devil Whale Art by Jen Lobo at Urban Outfitters

Humpback Whale Toilet Handle from whalesdirect.comn(this one cracks me up!)

Whale Measuring Cup Set from Urban Outfitters (I think I HAVE to have this!)

Whale Paper Clips on Etsy

My two favorite things! - Whales and coffee: Whale mug from Etsy

Hope you had a whale of a time reading my silly post! ;)

The Sketchbook Project

2010-08-29T19:26:00.002-07:00

I am so excited about this project! This is an amazing opportunity to be a part of a huge project with other people around the country.

Basically, you purchase a sketchbook from the site ($20), get a theme for it (or allow them to randomly choose one for you) and let your creativity run wild - the only rule is that you have to stay within the confines of the book so that it can be closed up again and sent back to the organization where it will tour art museums around the country along with all the other participants' sketchbooks. You can paint in it, sketch, decoupage, set it on fire, the possibilities are endless.

My sister and I have decided to do the project together, sharing a sketchbook so that we can combine our ideas. I highly encourage you to give it a whirl or join in with some friends and pass the book around until you fill it up. Here's to creativity!

Five For Fall

2010-08-05T11:34:00.007-07:00

Fall is almost here! I love fall - the colors, the clothes, the pumpkin spice lattes! I know we're not quite ready for all of that just yet with our 100+ degrees outside, but in hopeful anticipation, here are five of my favorites for fall:

1. Bowtied-Beauty Boots - Anthropologie ($248)

I am absolutely in love with these boots! They're a little too pricey for me but I will definitely have these in the back of my mind and in my dreams for the next few months.

2. A Clean Slate Shorts - ModCloth.com ($37.99)

Let's be honest, it doesn't get cold around Tucson until November. These shorts are a great way to finish out the summer and would look great with a pair of leggings once the weather starts to cool down.

3. Bianka Blouse - Anthropologie ($68)

I used to hate florals, but over time I've really come to love them. I like the colors of this blouse, they remind me of the trees that change colors during fall.

4. Cooperative Printed Cardigan - Urban Outfitters ($38)

It wouldn't be fall without a sweater/cardigan. The pattern on this cardigan is super cute and I love the color.

5. Today's Date Box Picnic Basket - boxsal.com ($35)

I love love LOVE these picnic baskets! They are made of recycled materials and each box features compartments to help keep all your food organized until you reach your destination. Each box also comes with enough utensils, food trays, napkins, cups, etc. for 4 people (they even include a trash bag for when you're done!). This paint by number box offers some fun entertainment for an afternoon in the park or at an outdoor movie.

Resolution Update

2010-07-26T22:53:00.006-07:00

Back in January I created a post about my new year's resolutions, which you can read HERE. I thought it might be fun to do an update on them since the year is half over.

So here we go!

#1: Be more creative, without holding back

- I think the my last few posts can attest to the fact that I'm letting my creative juices flow and having a great time doing it. I'm about to start some new projects too, so keep an eye open for posts on those. In the meantime, here are a couple bracelets I made about a month ago:

#2: Be more adventurous:

This is one I'm still working on, and will probably continue to work on past the conclusion of this year. I did manage to sing the National Anthem in front of an entire camp of people I knew last week; which was nerve wrecking but exhilarating at the same time, as that particular song is rather difficult for me and one that I've always been grateful to not have to sing. So I guess I've got a start, I just need to dive in a little deeper. The fact of the matter is, I'm a big scaredy cat and it takes me a while to muster up the courage to do something out of my comfort zone. But I AM working on it, and who knows...maybe one day I'll be able to tackle this bad boy:

#3: Be a closer:

This one is definitely a process, but I feel that my summer projects have helped a lot. It's nice to start AND finish something, and then be able to reflect later. This blog has been a great place to showcase progress and completion, as you can see HERE.

#4: Be healthier:

I feel like I've made some progress here. I still have way too much of this suff:

but I'm working on the other things that make a difference. I discovered not too long ago that I love yoga so that has become a part of my health regime, along with some new recipes.

#5: Read

I've had a great time with some amazing books so far. Right now I'm reading What Is The What by Dave Eggers. It's a great read and I can't wait to see how it ends.

So this is where I stand as of today, Monday, July 26, 2010. There are still quite a few months before this year is over and I can't wait to see what new adventures and opportunities they will bring!

A Dash of Color

2010-06-29T14:59:00.005-07:00

I had this cardigan that I loved but needed something extra:

A little thread and some buttons later...

(Sorry for the blurry-ness of the photos, I don't have the greatest camera)

This cardigan has turned into one of my favorite items of clothing. It's a great piece for when I don't feel very creative with my outfit and need some fun without much work!

Chalkboard

2010-06-22T22:43:00.007-07:00

The summer started out pretty slowly as far as projects are concerned, but then I got a burst of inspiration and I've hashed out a few things that I'm really excited about. The first one I'd like to share is a chalkboard I made.

What do you think?

BEFORE:

PROCESS:

AFTER:

*Please excuse the photo quality, I took these with my phone

I've decided to use my new chalkboard as an inspiration board for my trip to Europe next summer:

FREE MUSIC!

2010-04-27T13:30:00.002-07:00

So I know that I said I was going on hiatus until summer, but I'm so excited and hooked to this website that I just HAD to share it!

It's called TheDownplayer.com and Monday - Friday you can (legally) download 10 new singles everyday. You can click on them to listen to them before you download them to see if you like what's posted. There's no subscribing to anything, just right click and go to Save Link As, save it and it downloads!

I encourage you all to give it a try. Today's selection includes Travis (who I LOVE), John Mayer, and Kinds of Leon, among others.

Here's the link - enjoy!!

www.thedownplayer.com

IDEAS!!!

2010-03-25T11:50:00.001-07:00

I am exploding with ideas right now and I wish I had the time to follow through with them but unfortunately, until the middle of May, college must take priority. So I am going on a temporary hiatus until the end of of the semester.

Hopefully this summer I can organize and attack all of the ideas in my head and have some good posts for you.

Until then, enjoy what's left of spring!

Scarves

2010-03-04T13:20:00.005-07:00

In December a friend of mine taught me how to knit and I made a couple scarves. My first one was a Christmas present for my friend Kelsie and was huuuggee! (but she still wore it to be a good friend ha) The second one was a lot thinner and was finished just in time for Marissa, my younger sister, to take a trip to Maine in the dead of winter.

Here's how they turned out. What do you think?

Kelsie's scarf:

Marissa's Scarf:

(I'm not sure why I ended up taking these photos in the bathroom both times. Next time I'll find a more aesthetically pleasing background)

2010-03-04T12:57:00.001-07:00

Creativity to come....I PROMISE!!

2010-02-02T13:03:00.002-07:00

I know I should be paying attention in class right now....but I can't. I'm so distracted.

COLORS :: A Trip to the Zoo

2010-01-27T16:50:00.007-07:00

The week before Christmas my brother, a couple friends and I went to the local zoo. It had been a while since I'd been there and this was by far the best experience I've ever had there. We got to feed the giraffes and watch the otters play but my favorite part about the day was all the incredible colors. These animals that can be found out in the wild, that are not fed altered foods or vitamins, that are just chillin in the zoo - have the most beautiful colors! I found a lot of inspiration in these colors and patterns and I plan to use them in future projects. Here are a few pictures:

P.S. Click on each picture to get a close look at these amazing creatures.

It took me about 15 tries to get this picture! I love that he had RED eyes and the blotch of white on his wing....and he had speckled feet!

I think these two are the same peacock but I took them at different times so I can't be sure. I love how the colors change throughout the bird's body and the mixture of texture.

How amazing is this giraffe?!?! This was right after I fed him :)

This is the best picture I could get of a zebra:

*Special thanks to Beanie for making an appearance in my blog haha

5 Things::My Future Home

2010-01-18T21:51:00.012-07:00

I've been perusing blogs about home decor for the last hour or so and I'm becoming infatuated with home style. OK maybe that's a little dramatic but I am seriously jonesin' to decorate now. I can't afford my own home just yet, but in the spirit of dreaming I thought I'd create a 5 Things post of some of my favorite home ideas and/or items. Hope you enjoy!

1. A Dramatic Chair

I would love to get a unique/fun/elegant chair for my room. These make me want to curl up by a window with a good book:

Antwerp Chair, Bloom from Anthropologie (above)

Parker Chair, Crate & Barrel (above)

Armchair, Target (above)

2. Dark Wood Bookshelves

I love dark wood and have always loved these bookshelves from Target that come in three different sizes so you can mix and match them:

3. Color Accessories With White Furniture

I saw this in a blog post for Design*Sponge (which is a fantastic blog that you can check out HERE) and I absolutely love the way the color pops out against the white furniture in this kitchen. Take a look at the rest of the blog entry and this adorable house HERE

Personally I'm afraid of having white furniture and how quickly I would probably get it dirty, but this makes me want to try it out!

4. A Spacious Kitchen

The only thing I love more than cooking is a big kitchen with tons of counter space to cook on! My mouth literally FELL OPEN when I saw these amazing kitchens from IKEA:

5. A Unique Headboard

I have a giant painting that just happens to be hideous which was given to me by a family I nanny for. They suggested I paint over it and I've decided to do just that and then use it as a headboard. These headboards are pretty cool:

Dwell Studio for Target (above)

I LOVE this one!!

Forest Canopy Bed, Anthropologie (above)

So those are my 5 Things for home decor. What are yours?

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-26T11:47:00.008-07:00

Christmas was great and I have a lot to say about it in a later post but I wanted to skip a few spaces and hit on New Year's. I'm not usually the type of person to have New Year's resolutions but I thought that it might be fun this year and it's good to have goals, so I'll give it a try. This time last year I had a strong feeling that the next year would be a year of change and it definitely was. A lot has changed in my life and I have changed a lot in the past 12 months. It was a great year! This year I'm feeling like the next 12 months are going to be when things start to fit together....not so much a settling of things but more like a time when all of last year's changes come together and things are finally set into motion. This is going to be the year when things start to happen that will set the tone for the future. I'm excited to see what will happen! So with all that being said, here are my New Year's Resolutions:

1. Be More Creative, without holding back

- I have tons of ideas for projects that I want to finally put into motion.

- The first two I want to start with are repainting this ugly painting I have and sanding and repainting a dresser that I have in my room. Updates to come!

2. Be More Adventurous

- I'm a big scaredy-cat when it comes to sports and any sort of thing on wheels (besides a car) and I'd like to get over that. I tried and failed miserably last year but I'm going to try again this year ha.

- I also just want to be more bold in general and try harder to speak up and show who I am

3. Be A CLOSER

- My dad likes to read those self-help books and I usually think they're silly but he was telling me about a concept the other day that really hit home. Basically it said that there are 3 kinds of people when it comes to getting things done:

- Starters: Great at starting projects but awful at finishing them (totally me!)

- Finishers: Good at finishing projects but not at starting them

- Closers: Can start and complete a project

- I want to stop being a starter and be a closer.... stick to my word and stick to my goals

4. Be Healthier

- I'm generally a healthy person. I eat pretty well because I love to cook but I don't drink much water and I drink way too much coffee. I'd like to find a balance

5. Read!

- I shocked myself by reading 10 books last year and I'd like to do read at least that much if not more this year. I'm on my first book so let the tally begin!

Those are my goals for this next year. What are yours?

Time...

2009-12-14T22:25:00.001-07:00

Oh Christmas, why do you taunt me so?

I have a lot of blog ideas swimming in my head and I promise to get to them once finals are over.

Don't give up on me yet!

All I Want for Christmas Is...

2009-11-16T00:12:00.007-07:00

So I just finished up my five day blog for extra credit in my close relationships class and now I want to add a little extra fun....

Since Christmas is coming soon I thought I'd post 5 things from my wishlist. What do you want for Christmas?

1. These awesome boots from Target! (preferably in gray)

2. The Harry Potter book series. After reading all 7 books and understanding how great they are I just HAVE to have them! I like this box set, especially since they're all hard covered.

3. Set of note cards from Etsy.com. I have an ongoing collection of cards I use for all occasions, as needed, and I thought these were so cute! I absolutely love whales so these are perfect!

4. A day to chill with a cup of coffee, a crossword and a book

5. A new hat. I'm starting to love hats and I'd like to add to my collection. I thought this one, also from Target, was fun.

Day 5 - Final Entry of Extra Credit Blog

2009-11-16T00:09:00.002-07:00

Wow 5 days go by quickly. This extra credit assignment has been fun and made me think a lot about my priorities. I have a lot to mull over.

Goal Recap for the day:

- Complete my homework

I think when you're in college there's no such thing as "completing" one's homework but I did get some things done today.

- Do something creative

This is going to sound so girlie......I was creative with my outfit today. I tried to wear an outfit that was a little different from what I normally wear and do my hair differently. The weather helped with that and gave me inspiration to dress warm and fun....AND it gave me a reason to wear my favorite boots that I've been staring at all summer.

-Clean the house

Ha, yeah right. Living at home with 3 other family members who are just as busy as I am can leave the house looking a little, um, untidy. I did a lot of straightening up and the kitchen is clean like usual, but the floor could still use a vacuum.

- Clear my room

I spent the majority of the evening doing homework so I didn't get a chance to clear out my room but I'm using a lot of those boxes as make-shift tables so it's not a bad thing that I didn't accomplish this goal today. Otherwise I wouldn't have anywhere to put my things.

-Love on someone

I made a point to show some extra love to my dad today. I helped him shop for some clothes and took him out for coffee. We had a good time and he got some nice clothes.

I was surprised by contact from an old friend today. It was a small and almost insignificant form of contact but I appreciated it and it made me hopeful that this person and I have a chance of reconnecting in the future.

I surprised myself today by being spontaneous and agreeing to go on a trip that I hadn't planned on attending. I'm not surprised so much at my willingness to go but more about the fact that I did it after I had told myself I wasn't going to go. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally excited for it, I just hope everything works out like it's supposed to. Either way I love spontaneity and I hope to be able to practice it more in the future.

I guess that concludes the assignment. All of these blog entries and more can be found at my regular blog: www.amoniquemeza.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading :)

Days 3 and 4 - Extra Credit Blog

2009-11-14T23:09:00.000-07:00

So I kind of messed up and didn't write last night....sorry. Quick recap and then onto the next day:

FRIDAY

Goal: Find some medication for my cold

- I ended up not needing medication on Friday, as I woke up without the "punched-in-the-face" feeling. Thankfully my cold is getting much better everyday and I'm hoping to sound like a normal person by the end of the weekend.

Goal: Do a craft with the kids I babysat

- I took advantage of the new paints the kids got and we made hand cut-outs into turkeys. The kids had a lot of fun and they looked pretty cool when they were done!

Goal: Drink tons of water

- I don't know if I would classify my intake as "tons" but I drank more water than usual, I guess that counts

Goal: Love on someone, anyone

- My older sister ended up being the person I loved on yesterday. She broke down on the freeway on her way into town from Phoenix and I went to rescue her. I happened to be in a particularly bad mood at the time and though I always try not to be rude to others I came off kind of short and had to really adjust my mood and just choose to put it aside because my sister needed me. In the end we fixed her situation and she helped me get out of my funk.

Goal: Notice something beautiful

- Oh man, who couldn't love the amazing weather we had yesterday! And today was even colder!

Surprises:

- I had a few surprises on Friday that kind of threw me for a loop and just put me in a bad mood. Trouble with the bank, running behind schedule, stress, you name it. I think I need to work on slowing down and just enjoying life...sometimes I can get pessimistic.

- I finally got the chance to give Nolan, a little boy I babysit, his birthday present. He's been getting into the cool older board games that were my childhood favorites so I thought I'd add to his collection and got him Connect 4. I think we played for like 2 hours, he LOVED it!

Okay, goals for Saturday:

Get my friend Kelsie completely moved into her new place and settled
Finalize Thanksgiving plans
Get through the day with minimal caffeine
Make a new friend or improve a friendship
Notice something beautiful (a repeat as a way to get myself in the habit of doing so)

===============================

SATURDAY

Goals:

- My friend Kelsie is completely moved in and, thankfully it hardly took any time at all

- I was a little bummed this year when a family friend announced that she wanted to host Thanksgiving this year. I love to cook and my dad and I always tackle Thanksgiving together, planning all year for new recipes and how to improve our old recipes. But we still have Christmas, so I'll just cook for that and enjoy the extra time off for Thanksgiving. Plus she said I can take care of dessert so at least I still get to do something.

- Hmmm, caffeine. I drink a lot of coffee. A LOT of coffee. I'm trying to re-hydrate myself so I'm trying to cut down on my caffeine. I managed to get through the day on 2 cups today. Not bad for a first try.

- I generally get along with people, I love people. Sometimes I have a hard time getting past the "surface" part of relationships though. Tonight I made an effort to talk with some girls that I don't normally hang out with. They were nice and a lot of fun, so maybe I'll get a chance to spend time with them again soon.

- Did you see the sprinkles today? Matched with the most amazing cloudy sky, this day was beautiful. I absolutely love cloudy, gloomy days.

Surprises:

- My dad was the source of my surprise today. We had a really great conversation and he said a lot of things that made me appreciate him and the relationship that we have. He is a great person that I have grown to appreciate and respect.

- My surprise to someone else was silly and really small, but a surprise nonetheless. I'm kind of known for my love of coffee and particularly of Starbucks. Today I introduced a friend of mine to the magnificence that is the Peppermint Hot Chocolate. She was very pleased and I think will be drinking it for the rest of the season.

Goals for Sunday, November 15, 2009

Complete my homework
Do something creative
Clean the house
Clear my room of all needless junk/boxes
Love on someone

Day 2 - Extra Credit Blog

2009-11-12T23:08:00.001-07:00

I'm having trouble staying awake so this entry might be pretty quick...

Goals for today:

- I've done some more research for my project but I still can't narrow down another organization. I'll have to do some more looking

-I didn't start my Cognitive Psych project. Honestly, I completely forgot about it until about 20 seconds ago, whoops!

-There wasn't one specific person that I found myself pouring love on today, but rather people in general. Things have been a little stressful in my life lately and I think I've gotten caught up in it and forgotten about everyone else to an extent. For a while that was sort of necessary but it's time to move past that. I think that today was a good launching point for that.

-I promised a story.... at the end of the summer I was thinking a lot about this concept of loving people unconditionally and at all times. Oddly enough I had many chances in just my first week of class to practice this. Every day I was randomly in a situation where I had no choice but to engage with people that I didn't know and that I normally don't talk to (which is pretty much everyone on campus since I'm pretty reserved at school). The first day was a random person who sat at the little table I was occupying and started a conversation. The second day was a group of sorority girls who were looking for the same class I was (nothing against sorority girls, they're just a crowd that I don't particularly associate with or understand). Then there was the awkward kid in class that started at me all during class. This kept going for days. It doesn't sound that strange from the outside, I'm sure but if you knew me well you'd understand that my life is pretty boring and though I love people and making friends, I don't usually do so on campus, I'm not really sure why. Anyway, that week was a good time of practice.

-Oh man, I've slacked a lot today! I forgot about Nolan's present too! I'll have to pick that up on my way to work tomorrow morning.

-Creativity: I worked on an old song today that I wrote a couple years ago. I think it's pretty much done now. It's going to require a second guitar part since my part is pretty basic but overall I think I like it.

Surprises:

-I woke up to a surprise today. I've been fighting a cold for the past week and I thought it was getting better but I woke up an hour earlier than necessary to the awful pain of what I think might be a sinus infection. I felt like someone punched me in the face and looked like it with the exception of a bruise, it was totally swollen. I'm still determined to fight it off but I might need the help of some medicine soon.

-At the diabetes center tonight we surprised our class with tons of low carb treats and a make-shift Christmas party. It was a lot of fun and our patients were really excited.

----------------

Tomorrow:

Goals for Friday, November 13, 2009:

(Seeing as how tomorrow is Friday I'm going to be realistic about my time and efforts and not make any of my goals academic as the chance of them being completed is slim to none)

Find a good over-the-counter medicine to fight off my cold and oncoming sinus infection
Do some sort of fun craft with the kids I'll be baby-sitting
Drink tons of water

sounds like a dumb goal, but I recently found out I'm severely dehydrated so maybe making this a goal will help me to actually do it

Love on someone, anyone
Notice something beautiful

Day 1 - Extra Credit Blog

2009-11-12T00:05:00.002-07:00

The first day of this "project" went pretty well. Some parts went better than others. Here's the update:

Goals:

-I didn't finish the research for my project like I wanted to, but I DID complete my writing assignment.

-My cookies turned out pretty well considering they were flour-less and made with Splenda instead of sugar.

-I haven't practiced my guitar yet tonight but I will when I'm done with this post. And as an added bonus a friend asked me to teach him what I know so that will be good motivation for me to keep practicing.

-Doing something creative was probably the hardest thing for me to accomplish today, as I expected. I had wanted to start by making some hair accessories with the awesome supplies my little sister got me for my birthday, but I couldn't find my hot glue gun so that had to be put aside. I settled for decorating some of the cookies and bringing them to some of my friends to eat during their band practice.... which brings me to the surprise part...

Initially I had planned on surprising a coworker with coffee, it's something her and I like to do for each other every once in a while. But in the end she ended up surprising me. After telling her I was going to Starbucks to pick us up some drinks she handed me a gift card and said that her husband had told her to buy us coffee today. That was a nice surprise since those drinks aren't cheap! So I surprised the guys with their cookies instead and kind of ended up surprising 6 people today instead of just one. The guys seemed to appreciate their cookies too and hopefully they liked them (I didn't stick around to find out, I didn't want to interrupt practice).

Ok, onto tomorrow's goals:

Goals for Thursday, November 12, 2009:

Actually do the research for my paper

I'm determined to actually get this done!

Begin project for my Cognitive Psychology class
Love one a random person

This one takes a bit of explanation. I feel that a huge part of my existence is supposed to be spent loving people unabashedly and unconditionally, even in times when I don't want to. This can mean talking to someone who looks lonely, listening to someone's story or problems, showing compassion,etc. This is different from loving your friends or family because it's on purpose for someone who has no strong attachment, just because I am a person and I feel like everyone needs to be loved. I'm not planning on "seeking out" a person for this, but rather leaving myself open to see others who need love. Tomorrow night I'll explain my experience with this at the beginning of the semester...I had some interesting experiences!

Buy Nolan's birthday present

This one's more practical than anything else. I have a couple jobs and one of them is as a nanny for two little boys, Nolan and Bryan. Nolan's birthday was in October and I keep forgetting to buy him a gift. Luckily I haven't seen him much lately but I'm working on Friday so I need to get it by then.

Do something creative

I'm extending this into the second day, and possibly the entire extent of this project, as a way to push myself and think out of the box. Maybe I'll be able to locate my hot glue gun by then.

So that's my progress so far, maybe I'll find a way to post pictures or something for future blogs.

Extra Credit

2009-11-11T16:56:00.003-07:00

I'm taking a class this semester called Close Relationships that deals with our most intimate relationships (romantic partners, family and close friends) and why we act the way we do in those settings. It's one of the best classes I've ever taken, I actually ENJOY doing the homework! As an extra credit assignment for the class we can write a blog for 5 days (with specific guidelines, of course). I thought the assignment seemed pretty fun so I thought I'd share it with you as well. I started last night so this one is a little behind schedule......Enjoy!......

Hello World,

So the point of this extra credit blog is to explore the idea of FLOW, working with the element of surprise and goal setting. In order to fully understand what I'm writing about I should probably explain the assignment. For the next 5 days I'll set 5 goals for the following day and then write about whether or not I accomplished those goals the following evening. I'll also try and be surprised by something everyday and to surprise someone else every day. I'll document everything here so that you can see my progress and to help me be accountable, as I tend to forget about my projects and never finish them.

Here is what is required:

1) Set 5 goals for your self each day and list them.

2) Did you meet these goals? Why or why not?

3) Try to be surprised by something each day. Write down what surprised you each day (this can be something small or big). Did you enjoy this surprise? Why or why not? Do you want it to happen again?

5) Try to surprise someone each day. Write down whom you surprised, and what you did to surprise them. Also did they seem to enjoy this surprise?

I'm actually pretty excited about this assignment, especially the part about surprising someone else everyday. I'll be writing every night or afternoon in preparation for the next day, and as a debrief of that day, just to clarify. So let's get started!....

- 5 Goals for Wednesday, November 11, 2009

(To make this more enjoyable, I'll make 2 school goals and 3 goals for my personal life)

Research for Family Violence project

I have a huge project due next week in another class that I really need to do some more work on, so the specific goal here will to find another organization to talk about in my project

Complete my writing assignment for my FSHD class on Lying
Bake cookies

I work at a diabetes education center where we teach diabetics to manage their own diabetes (with the help of physicians, of course) and Thursday evening we're having a class called "Healthy Holiday Habits" which we're turning into a bit of a holiday party. So I need to make some diabetic-friendly cookies

Practice my guitar

I've technically been "playing" guitar since I was 18, so 6 years, but I'm still pretty awful at it. I'd like to start practicing regularly both to get better at it and to help me when I write songs

Do something creative

I have a lot of very creative friends and I read a lot of blogs about expressing creativity through crafts and music and a million other venues but I find myself being rather timid when it comes to doing these things myself. I don't want to limit myself with a specific task, so my goal will be to make a strong effort to be creative in a new way.

I won't talk about who I plan on surprising because I plan to post this on my usual online blog, where that person could read it, and also because I haven't really decided who I'm going to surprise yet. A full update on this can be expected tomorrow night though.

I'm off to a fairly good start, I think. Hopefully these blogs will get a little more fun as I get more comfortable with the assignment and with posting the results for the world to see.

Here's to creativity and schoolwork!

5 Favorite Things

2009-10-12T23:38:00.006-07:00

I thought I'd share some of my favorite things with you. My favorites are always changing so I might have to make this a continuing post but here are some of my faves for now:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Tucson isn't exactly known for it's distinct seasonal weather so I gauge the beginning of fall with the arrival of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. I wait ALL YEAR for this fabulous drink! It just makes me feel like fall.

Coffee

I know I just listed the Pumpkin Spice Latte as one of my favorite things but the truth is that I love ALL coffee, especially from Starbucks (I have my favorite Starbucks location too that I go to everyday, and whose baristas I love to see). Coffee is the epitome of comfort for me and I will never say no to a cup!

High Heels

I adore shoes of all kinds but I have a special spot in my heart for high heels. They look great with just about anything, are soo cute and the height help doesn't hurt either considering I'm 5'3''. Right now my absolute favorite pair are some purple faux snake skin peep toes that I got at Target. I'd wear them everyday if I could!

Hair Accessories

I'm really into hair accessories right now, especially flowers. I love this hair clip by AP collective from Etsy....I just might buy it....or maybe you should! Isn't it cute?!

Harry Potter

I know it's a little silly but I just finished reading the Harry Potter series and I LOVED IT!! I'm still thinking about it 3 days later and I recently saw the 6th movie in the theaters for a second time. If you haven't read the books I highly recommend them and I publicly apologize to all my friends that I made fun of before reading them - ha.

Well those are 5 of my favorite things as of yet, more to come later down the road. What are your favorite things?

Oh Brother!

2009-09-21T22:51:00.002-07:00

I recently came upon my brother's youtube page that he's created with his two friends/bandmates. His videos are your typical 13 year old silliness but kind of funny too. Have a look:

(in case you can't tell, my brother is the Mexican looking one)

CAKE!

2009-09-13T15:17:00.002-07:00

My family loves to watch the show Cake Boss. So when it was time for my sister Sherry to plan a birthday party for her two friends, she decided to try and make a cake the way they do on the show, fondant and everything. Naturally, I was enlisted to help and the cake actually turned out way better than I initially thought it would. The theme of the party was the beach so we created a beach scene with brown sugar for the sand and barbies to represent the girls. Here's how it played out:

Sherry "dirty icing" the cake:

Fondant:

My other sister Marissa helped out by making a little crab:

The final product! (I made the beach ball):

As happy as we were with the cake I don't think we'll ever try that again. We know when it's time to call in the professionals! Nevertheless, we had a great time and my sister's friends loved it, and that's all that really matters.

Friends and Food

2009-09-08T19:30:00.007-07:00

So a few months back, in June I believe, a friend and I made a bet to see who could make the best salsa. The bet went as follows: each of us would submit salsa to be judged (at a youth leadership pot luck we were attending) and the one who lost would have to make the winner dinner.

Being Mexican, and seeing as how I was competing against an American, I was sure that I was going to win. Well I lost ha. The judges liked Ryan's salsa better than mine so we was declared the winner. In all honesty his salsa was indeed pretty good and he said that he liked mine so all was ok. Since I lost the bet I was supposed to make him and his wife dinner, but he asked if we could turn it into a night of me teaching him and his wife and some of our other friends how to make Mexican food. We we got together a few weeks later for a cooking lesson. It was a blast and the food turned out really well! Here are some photos of the event:

Checking on the food:

Everyone learned really fast, I was impressed:

Ryan took my words a little too literally when I said to make a lot of beans at once. This is just a small portion of the huge pot of beans he made:

Caldo de Queso soup, made by Jenna:

Calabacitas, made by Peter:

On the menu: Caldo de Queso soup, Chicken tacos, Calabacitas, beans, and salsa (including the one I lost the bet with):

It all turned out great!:

I had such a great time cooking with my friends. Hopefully we'll get to do another one of these days in the near future.

P.S. I stole all of these pictures from Jenna, so thanks Jenna!

A Little FUNK

2009-08-20T01:05:00.004-07:00

I received a call a few weeks ago from my friend Richard's office, who is my hair dresser. They asked if I would be a hair model in a photo shoot he was doing for his office and for his portfolio. It was a lot of fun and I ended up with a fun new haircut and color. Plus I got to take some pictures with my friend Ruth, which was just icing on the cake. Here are a few pictures from the shoot. What do you think?

A Trip for Treasures

2009-08-02T18:06:00.003-07:00

Recently I've been inspired by people I know and some that I don't to bring out my creativity. Seeing the amazing things my friends have found in thrift stores, my friend Beans and I decided to try and find some treasures of our own. A trip to Savers introduced us to the following items. I'm pretty excited about them!

My new favorite ring

This cameo is in amazing condition and it technically a pin but I'm going to try and turn it into a necklace

I LOVE this necklace!

This vest fit a little weird at first but a short time in the dryer fixed that. I also didn't like the tarnished gold buttons so I replaced them for two gold and black buttons and three brown buttons.

I also got a belt and a pair of jeans....pretty successful trip I think! Beans also got some really cool stuff. We're heading out for a day of thrift shopping next Saturday and then I'll post what I find.

A Little Adventure

2009-07-26T23:51:00.002-07:00

So I went to New Mexico this past week as staff with our church on the middle school summer camp, as part of the band. On our way there I took a turn driving and started out in the wrong direction. In the process of turning the van around the boys and I stumbled upon an abandoned cotton mill. Here are some photos of our adventure:

Playlist

2009-07-07T00:49:00.002-07:00

So I was sitting at my computer looking through design, fashion, art websites and a playlist started to build in my head that I thought I would share. If I HAD to pick a title for his playlist I guess it would be "The Search for Inspiration". Here goes:

1. Carla Bruni: Quelqu'un m'a dit

2. Rocio Durcal: Quando de Vayas

3. Evangeline: Seattle

4. Rufus Wainwright: Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk

5. Sleeping At Last: Currents

6. Priscilla Ahn: I Don't Think So

7. The Prize Fight: This Apartment

8. Holly Conlan: You Are Goodbye

9. Adele: Right As Rain

10. Ray LaMontagne: Be Here Now

11. Joe Purdy: I Love The Rain The Most

12. Something Corporate: Me and the Moon

13. Pepe Aguilar: Me Estoy Acostumbrando A Ti

14. Radical Face: Welcome home

15: Straylight Run: The Tension and the Terror

- Have a listen (especially to the ones in other languages, they're pretty cool) and let me know what you think!

Starting Over

2009-07-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

I deleted my last blog. There were a lot of reminders of things that I'm past or at least trying to move past and it was becoming something that leaned more toward the negative than the positive, so I'm starting over. I want this blog to acknowledge the beautiful things in my life not highlight the ugly. So here's to a new start!

To begin, here are a few things that make me happy: