Life As I Know It: January

 



Am I the only who feels like January flew by? Even though January is my birthday month I'm glad to see it go and the horrible weather it brings! This month has been great so far but I'm hoping that February has even more in store for me.

The upper left hand pic was me on my first day at my new job! Behind that smile I was a nervous wreck but I love where I'm working  and all the ladies there ( I work in a cosmetic dental office with 28 women and 0 men LOL). Transitioning to a full time job from being a college student with small part time jobs has been a bit of an adjustment but I love what I'm doing and the valuable information I'm learning that I know will benefit me in dental school.

I celebrated my birthday this month the bottom right picture was at Texas Roadhouse (my favorite restaurant) with my family blowing out all 24 of my candles with the assistance of my little sis and bro who joyfully sung happy birthday to me the entire weekend!

The larger pic on the left  I posted on my Instagram  and it's stuck with me all month long. I even wrote it on a post it and stuck it on my bathroom mirror, desk, and in my car because it was important for me to continually remind myself. I'm very guilty of talking about situations or things I want God to change but I'm not always consistent about praying about it. God is always working for our good, so why not bring your concerns to him? I'm learning to pray harder even when I can't see results. My friend reminded me that I can't expect God to honor doubt. You need to pray with faith in order for God to honor your prayers. So I'll pose the same challenge to you that I've given myself. Don't talk about your situation, talk to it! Pray with faith that your heavenly father is capable and able to meet every one of your needs.

Hello February.xo

Color Me Rad

I will be participating in Color Me Rad 5K 4 1/2 weeks from now and I can't wait! My job sent around a sign up list for anyone that is interested in participating and they will cover the registration fees. This will be my very first 5K! (check off another New Year's Goal). There are several girls at my job who are experienced runners so I knew  when I signed up I would definitely need to train before hand. I found a 5K training schedule online so I can prepare for the race, Day 1 starts tomorrow! I linked their video down below if you're interested in finding out more about the race. Also, check out their website (click here) to see if there is a race near you!

 

Week 1:

Day 1: Run 10 minutes, walk 1 min – repeat 2 times
Day 2: Rest or cross-train
Day 3: Run 12 minutes, walk 1 min – repeat 2 times
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Run 13 minutes, walk 1 min – repeat 2 times
Day 6: Rest or cross-train
Day 7: Rest

                                                        

 

Inauguration Fashion!

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Inauguration Day this past Monday did not disappoint in the fashion department! Of course all eyes were on the first family, what designer will they wear, and how quickly we all can get our hands on their usually affordable ensembles. The low temp in DC had everyone layered up with coats, gloves and scarves but even their winter gear was a fashion YES!

Mrs. O impressed us all with a Thom Browne navy silk jacquard coat and dress underneath. Most know Thom Browne for his menswear, he's recognized for starting the trend of cropped men's trousers showing the ankle as well as the shrunken fit that can be seen in many retail stores today. Browne's inspiration for Mrs. O's coat and dress was from a silk men's necktie, which complimented perfectly to her husband, President Obama. FLOTUS and Thom Browne has paired up before, Mrs. O rocked this gray and black lace short sleeve dress back in September during the Democratic National Convention.                                                  

 The adorable Obama girls were dressed in different shades of purple. Malia Obama wore a plum J.Crew overcoat. J.Crew announced they retired the plum colored coat out of respect for the first family but the other colors are still available. The same is true for the sparkly sash turned belt, made by J.Crew Mrs. O wore over the Thom Browne coat. Sasha Obama wore a lavender Kate Spade coat with matching dress and scarf. VP's wife Dr. Jill Biden wore a beautiful silk and wool silver coat with a fabulous neck sash designed by Lela Rose. Another couple that stirred up as much media chaos as the President and First Lady, was in fact the President and First Lady of Hip Hop- Jay Z and Beyonce. Despite all the lip-syncing allegations, Beyonce murdered her look with a  black full length Pucci dress, Christian Dior coat, and Lorraine Schwartz emeralds. While Jay charmed all of us in a gray Tom Ford suit and a Christian Dior coat.  The night ended with the inaugural ball and FLOTUS wowed again with a Jason Wu red chiffon gown. I preferred this gown to the  white Jason Wu gown she wore at the first inaugural ball. She looked absolutely stunning and the dress complimented her infamous arms and shoulders well. I'm looking forward to this family being in the White House for four more years as well as drooling over Mrs. O's fashion choices! xo

Song I'm Loving Sunday

Yes ladies! Mr. Timberlake is back *insert teenage girl scream* His new single is entitled Suit & Tie. I heard it for the first time last week on my way home from work and I couldn't get home fast enough to download it. Jay's feature on the track is what sealed the deal for me. I'm looking forward to more great music from Justin. Enjoy! xo

Bangs!!

I can't be the only person that's noticed celeb after celeb popping up with bangs. After my idol Mrs. Michelle Obama revealed her new look on her 49th birthday, I knew I HAD to make a post about it! There has been a lot of talk revolving around the first lady's new style. Personally, I LOVE it!



Mrs. Obama will always be a beautiful woman but I believe her new accessory not only makes her look more youthful, but edgier and stylish. So shout out to the FLOTUS's styling team because they knocked it out the park yet again. Here are some other celebs on the bangs bandwagon as well!

All of these women have their bangs styled a bit differently for the shape of their face and the look they are going for. So here are a few tips if you're looking to change up your style!

 

Round face: Have the bangs cut shorter in the middle it will add length to your face and make it appear more oval shaped.

 

Oval face: Lucky you! If you have an oval face you can pull off a variety of styles. I would go for one that is shorter in length and angled.

 

Heart face: Go for a blunt bang that will cover the forehead and falls just below the eyebrows, this look will soften a pointed chin

 

Long face: Having longer bangs will make the face appear shorter and a bit wider. How you choose to cut it will be up to if you're going for a trendier look or a soft, unforced look.

 

Me with bangs 2 years ago! xo

Am I Hermit?!

her·mit

/ˈhərmit/

Noun

1.       A person living in solitude as a religious discipline.

2.       Any person living in solitude or seeking to do so.

I've always been somewhat of a home body but since graduating from college and starting a full-time job I've managed to take it up a notch. Literally for the last few weeks I come home from work, take a nap, watch an hour or so of TV, eat dinner, pack my lunch for tomorrow, take a shower and in bed by 11:00 pm. Is this normal? Or have I just been so spoiled that this job is just kicking my tail extra hard? The thought of going out and doing anything social on a work night just sounds like a bad idea! When the weekend does roll around I want to do as little as possible. I haven't even been out of college for a year, but I seriously don't remember how I would sometimes go out during the week and still managed to make it to my 8 am class. (Side note: For any of my readers who are still in college please enjoy every second of it. The "real world" truly isn't all it’s cracked up to be.) I know if I keep up my hermit ways I will continue to be very single! I wouldn't turn down a date but it would seriously take some work to muster up the energy to go on one. Now, I see why people choose to do online dating, personally it's not my thing but I do understand why some may take that route. For now I'll just blame this cold, dreary weather, and adjusting to this new job for making me such a boring individual lately! xo

Cheers to 24!

 

My birthday was this past weekend and I had an absolute ball! My friends and family made the entire weekend extra special and I couldn't be more grateful. I spent most of the weekend in Nashville with one of my best friends from college. We had a relaxing day shopping, roaming around downtown, and of course our usual "therapy" sessions talking about everything from relationships, to school, work, and our new lives after undergrad. Later we met up with other friends and went out to dinner and then bar hopping on 2nd street! I came back home to a great dinner out with my family to end the weekend. I felt so loved with all the texts, phone calls, tweets, voicemail, and Facebook posts. I have to admit 24 feels pretty old; I still remember how excited I was turning 18 and 21. I have a list that I created when I was 22, with 5 things I want to accomplish by the time I turned 25. Now I'm down to 363 days to accomplish the last 2 things on my list! xo 

 

Song I'm Loving Sunday: Birthday edition!

 

My birthday was yesterday so today's Song I'm Loving Sunday is my birthday song! My mom bought me this personalized tape for my 4th birthday and she has played it every year. Even at 24 my mom didn't hesitate to play it yesterday morning before I headed to Nashville. I will warn you that it's super corny but I still wanted to share! xo

Looking to order one for yourself or friend? Visit www.captainzoom.com

Sneak Peek!

Here's a sneak peek of what I put together to wear out the night of my birthday-and the only thing I bought was the skirt everything else I already owned! Kudos to me for holding up my New Year's Goal by shopping less and saving more *pats self on back!* xo

 

Cheers to 24!

 

Every Day A Friday: Don't Give Away Your Power

Joel Osteen's book Every Day A Friday is divided into seven parts. The first part is entitled, Don’t give away your power. In this section Pastor Osteen explains how it’s important to remember that happiness is a choice. No matter what situation, circumstance or predicament you find yourself in you can choose how you will respond. Many times we tend to think that our life is dependent on our circumstance but actually it's the exact opposite, your life depends on your choices. So choose to be happy! Don't wait for a promotion for you to choose to be happy. Be happy right now with the position you have. By no means have I perfected this but I’ve been more mindful of putting this into practice. I noticed by shifting my attitude my outlook on different situations is shifting.

"We have what we need to be happy. We just don't have the right perspective"

When you carry the mindset that you "have to have" certain things to be happy the devil will use that against you. If you feel that you have to lose twenty pounds to be happy, he will continue to attack you at the weight you are. If you feel that you have to be in a relationship to be happy, prepare to feel miserable while you're single. Don't let those things stop you from enjoying your life right now. Instead thank God for what he's already done, what he allowed you to accomplish, and how far he has brought you. Pastor Osteen then instructs you to take it a step further and thank God in advance for the blessings and favor he has in your future.

"Learn to be happy where you are and God will take you where you want be."

Image Credit

Liebster Award!

I've only been blogging for about a week but Jessica was sweet enough to nominate me for the Liebster Award! The Liebster Award is given to awesome blogs with under 200 followers  recognition. Since I have a total of 1 follower and a handful more subscribed by e-mail I guess I qualify! lol





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So here's how it works...

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.

2. Answer questions 11 questions from the person who nominated you.

3. Create 11 questions for your nominations

4. Nominate 11 worthy bloggers w/ less than 200 followers. (Since I'm still pretty new in the blogging community and haven't come across that many bloggers yet I'll skip 3&4 for now)

 

Random Facts:

1. I modeled for Kmart as a baby
2. I'm addicted to Mountain Dew
3. My name was supposed to be Candace but my Dad told the nurse Ashley while my mom was knocked out!
4. My first job was at Subway. I HATED IT!!!!!
5. I still can't listen to a Whitney Houston song without tearing up
6. I'm obsessed with Michelle Obama
7. I HAVE to swim with a dolphin before I die
8. September is my favorite month of the year (& it's not even my birthday month)
9. My favorite restaurant is Texas Roadhouse
10. I can't keep a cell phone longer than 2 years
11. The first thing I notice about a person is their teeth. Maybe that's why I want to be a dentist!

Jessica's Questions:

1. What's your favorite season? Fall...so pretty!
2. What's your favorite movie? Really hard to pick just one but I love Juwanna Mann lol!
3. How did you come up with name of your blog? Play off of Eat Pray Love of course
4. Silver or gold? Either or
5. What is one of your pet peeves? A person who always has to have a story that tops yours like it's a competition. Grrrrrrr
6. Do you know how to swim? Yes, had to learn in summer camp!
7. How many kids would you like to have? I hate odd numbers so either 2 or 4
8. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Any place that has all 4 seasons
9. What's your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving!
10. Do you have any pets? No, I'm too busy :(
11. How did you meet your best friend? I don't have a "best friend" but I do have some very close friends

Well that's all folks! Again, if I would've been blogging longer I would've fully participated so this is the best I can do! I appreciate all the positive comments about my blog, like I said I've been blogging for a little over a week so bear with me as I figure this thing out. xo

Song I'm Loving Sunday!

To shake things up a little I decided to do a weekly Sunday post I'm calling, Song I'm Loving Sunday. So today I chose Adele- I Can't Make You Love Me. I can literally listen to this song over and over.  If you truly listen to the lyrics I'm positive a past relationship, an almost relationship, first love or whatever will come to mind. Enjoy!

Every Day A Friday

I had to pick up another Joel Osteen book after I finished I declare. So I got my hands on Every Day a Friday, in this book Pastor Osteen gives encouragement, spiritual advice, and guidance on how you can find joy and happiness 7 days a week, for the rest of your life. I plan to keep a journal like I did for the last book so from time to time I'll share my thoughts on certain chapters, so just look out for future Every Day a Friday posts. xo

This is Who I Am...

I came across this neat idea while I was on Jessica's blog (click on her name to check out her blog). The pictures describe who I am using the tumblr mentioned below. I found sooo many that described me perfectly that I tried to narrow them down as best as I could! Go to the tumblr page http://andthatiswhoiam.tumblr.com and create a post with pictures of who you are. Happy Friday! xo

 

 

 

   

                         
    

13 in 2013

Yes! It's 2013 so it's time for my New Year's Resolutions Goals! I look forward to crossing them off one by one throughout the year. It's one thing to have goals in your head but I would suggest writing them down, it will make you hold yourself more accountable!

In 2013, I will...

• Find a full-time job (Updated: I'm now a dental assistant at a top cosmetic dental office!)
• Build a stronger relationship with God
• Start grad school in the fall
• Travel outside the country..again
• Purchase a new car (my first car is seeing her last days)
• Cook MORE and eat out LESS
• Apply for a graduate assistantship scholarship
• Try a new hair color
• Stay fully committed to this blog :)
• Live in the moment more
• Save MORE and shop LESS
• Meet new friends/maintain my relationship with old friends!
• Continue to work on myself by pushing and stretching my way of thinking

A quick reflection on what I accomplished in 2012.

In 2012, I...

• Received my Bachelors degree
• Stepped out on faith and moved away from home
• Traveled to New Orleans, Birmingham, Miami, Baltimore, Baton Rouge,Washington D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, Hoboken, Nashville, Rehoboth Beach, DE
• Transitioned into the "real world" after college
• Met some great people who've turned out to be great friends
• Achieved a closer relationship with God
• Scored tickets to the US Open Tennis tournament
• Applied to dental school and didn't get in but it motivated me to go after my dreams even harder
• Drew closer to true friends and let go of others
• Hiked up my first mountain!

10 days till my Birthday!

To be honest it is was difficult to come up with a birthday wish list because I received everything I wanted for Christmas (thanks Santa!), and most of the things I really want can't be purchased from a store (i.e. acceptance letters from grad schools).  Since my birthday is right around the corner I thought I post a short wish list for the heck of it. As of now I don't have any concrete birthday plans so we'll just see what happens! xo.

1. Target is my absolute favorite store for beauty products, clothes, shoes, home decor EVERYTHING!
2. A  Planet Fitness just opened up around the corner from my house so what better way to start off the new year than with a gym membership and fresh kicks!
3. Every girl loves a comfy hoodie/pullover!
4. LOVE that necklace!
5. I have been hearing really great reviews about the IMAN BB Cream all over youtube it will officially launch in stores at the end of January but can be found on drugstore.com NOW!

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to wish you a very Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to all the new opportunities, blessings and new memories that this year will bring. xo