Knowledge is Power

In 2011 I watched "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead".

If you don't know what that is, watch it. It's so good.

No really, it is. I makes you realize just how bad off we ALL are.

Then, my mom and I decided to juice. 

We had juices for breakfast and lunch and would eat a vegetarian dinner. 

Did we lose weight?

HECK YES.

I lost 15 pounds in 20 days.

I looked awesome.

I felt awesome.

I didn't feel hungry.

I had a little more energy--but nothing crazy.

I did love the weight loss I was experiencing.

Until I gained it all back. Very quickly.

I still juice! I think they are yummy and a great snack.

 I just don't use it as my primary method of weight loss. 

Why?

Well, for one--I learned zero about nutrition when I was juicing.

I wasn't learning what my body needed.

Yes, I was getting a lot of the vitamins and nutrients from the fruits and vegetables I was drinking.

Yes, I wouldn't have normally consumed the amount of fruits and vegetables if I wasn't juicing.

Yes, I was seeing an increase in energy.

Yes, I did see some of my stomach issues dissipate. 

BUT:

Once I started eating solid foods regularly again--what I thought was healthy, wasn't.

I went from eating 200% of my daily portion of fruits and vegetables to eating 75% or less.

I saw a rapid loss in energy--either no energy or crashes throughout the day.

My stomach issues returned as soon as I started eating gluten and dairy again.

I had no actual understanding of nutrition.

All I knew was that I wasn't going to juice or be a vegetarian for the rest of my life.

So, I gained weight back PLUS some.

Then, I found AdvoCare.

I have this incredible understanding of my body and what I put in it now.

I know what it needs to get through the day.

I know that when I don't feel well it's because of what I've put in it. 

I now know to eat a clean and balanced diet.

Do I still love chocolate and wine? Yes.

Do I still indulge? Yes.

If I eat a clean diet 90% of the year--I can have those Reese's eggs and Cloudline Pinot Noir the other 10%. ;) 

I don't have to worry about gaining back the 25+ pounds I've lost.

Because I have an appreciation for my body.

I don't put bad things into it anymore.

I feel better, I look better and I know better now than I did before.

I Just Want To Be Wonderful

Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to do something bigger than myself. 

I can remember when I was a freshman in high school we had to make these freshman binders--and they each included our own sort of "mission statement".

Mine was a quote:

I remember getting a lot of grief from my counselor about this quote.

I went to an all girl's private school--and we were being bred for success. 

I didn't want to make money? I just wanted to be wonderful? What did that even mean? 

I just wanted to make a difference.

I wanted to be remembered. 

I wanted to be different.

I still do.

I don't want to be famous or in history books anymore.

I just want to make an impact.

I want to inspire.

I want to make a change.

I just want to be wonderful. 

Where's The Fun In That?

A lot of you know that I don't drink anymore.

By that I mean I'll have a glass of wine once a month if that.

The last time I had a mixed drink? More than a year ago.

I'll have a beer if I go to a brewery or to a bar..but let me tell you how often that is.

I do enjoy alcohol--don't get me wrong! I think there are appropriate times to drink, but I always drink in moderation now. I couldn't tell you the last time I had more than 2 adult beverages in a night. Actually, I probably could. And it was over a year ago. 

Do I judge you if you drink?

No.

Well, maybe. But only if you're belligerent. 

Do I still want to hang out with you if you're drinking and I'm not?

Of course! 

Well, unless you're belligerent. 

It doesn't bother me one little bit to be the girl drinking water when everyone else is slamming down beers/vodka sprites/wine coolers.

So, why does it bother you?

I had my days (however short lived) of partying and thinking it was funny to have a little too much to drink.

But not anymore.

This weekend I heard "where's the fun in that?" in regards to me not drinking. 

Well, here's my answer:

I just don't see the fun in drinking until you're sick.

Do you like throwing up?

I didn't think so. Me either.

I just don't see the fun in being around people that are falling over they are so drunk.

Do you like making fun of people in a vulnerable state? 

You might. I don't. It's sad.

I just don't see the fun in watching girls lose all sense of their morals after one too many fruity drinks.

Do you like watching someone "hook up" with a complete stranger?

I don't.

I just don't see the fun in passing out in a lawn chair instead of in my bed.

Do you like sleeping outside in the cold over in a warm bed?

You might, I doubt it...but you might. I don't.

I just don't see the fun in waking up extremely 

sick.

Do you like feeling like crap in the morning? 

I don't.

Maybe it's because I feel like I've grown out of it.

Maybe it's because I don't feel the need to forget the night. 

Maybe it's because I don't like what it does to my body/skin/overall health.

Whatever my reasons are--what matters is that I never regret not drinking the night before.

Have you ever regretted drinking the night before? 

Be safe, y'all! 

xoxo

Time to Breathe

Well, I've made a decision and I just wanted to give every one the low down on it so there weren't any rumors or speculation. 

I'm taking a quarter (possibly two) off!!

I have been going non-stop for over a year with a full class load and working and being the perfectionist that I am..it's taken a toll on me. 

Then there are all of the things happening at home that I wish I was there for.

The people I wish I was there for.

Then of course there is this little thing called a wedding I have to prepare for.

Oh!

And it's not just MY wedding that is coming up, but also my best friend's, my future sister in law's, as well as another friend of mine all before December! Yippee! 

Therefore, I need to take a little time to breathe.
I need some time to gather myself and my thoughts.
I need a chance to close my eyes and take a deep breath.
I feel like I'm drowning.
I don't want to sink, I want to swim.

So.

I'm taking the summer quarter off to work and makes LOTS OF MONEY! Well, that's the plan anyway. I'll be working just about every chance I can get so that I can fully support myself for at least a little while if not the rest of the time until I get married. (eee!!!) 

Then in September I am going to take a trip home and stay for a few months--IF I can get someone to sublet my apartment! 

So, if you know anyone that would like to spend their fall quarter in downtown Seattle in a fully furnished apartment with some seriously sweet amenities, tell them to holler atcha girl. ;) 

Memories

FIRST I want to start off this blog post by saying I'm sorry:

I'm sorry for leaving all of my readers in the dark.

&&

I'm sorry for my lack of posts and updates. 

I've had a lot of stuff going on in my life and my blog has been set on the back burner.

Today I'm going to talk about the importance of photography.

A photograph captures a moment in time, sure. But it also captures so much more than that.

When you look back at photos from your childhood, high school, or even a week ago--it brings back memories.

Smells, sounds, and thoughts all come pouring back into your mind.

Whether you're a professional, shoot as a hobby, or even if you're just an instagrammer you know that every time you publish your work you have the ability to create memories and conjure up feelings from others. 

It's a connection we all have and don't realize it. The photo may mean nothing to you but it could mean the world to someone else. 

I've been really homesick lately and my mom sent me this photo the other day. She was so excited she caught Mason licking his nose in the photo. 

This simple photo made me think of the feeling of the thick grass in our backyard beneath my toes. The smell of the air, the dense feeling of southern summer air, the sound of the trees rustling and the annoying dog next door barking. This snapshot brought all of those memories back to me and made me instantly realize just how homesick I really am. 

The point of this post it that memories are important. Don't underestimate the power of a photo--even one taken on a cell phone. 

xoxo

My First Tutorial, Awe.

Hello lovely people!

 This is my first photoshop tutorial on something I really love to do. 

Retouch!

 This is a very basic skin retouching video--but it shows how easy it is to do, how to make things look natural and accomplish a lot with a little. 

I hope you enjoy it and like I say in the video--PLEASE give me some feedback! Let me know if I am moving too fast, too slow, not conveying enough information, etc. :)

Now that I've uploaded this first one--what do you really want to see? 

xoxo

I'm A Photographer.

All of you know (or should know) that I am a photographer. I attend the Art Institute of Seattle where I am earning my Bachelors Degree in Commercial Photography.

For my Marketing Class I will be integrating some of the things I have learned either on my own or in school. But what I need from you is what you would tips or techniques you would like to see!

Lighting?
Photoshop?
Posing?
Equipment?

I currently shoot with a Canon 7D and my favorite lens is my 50mm 1.4--it could be my favorite because I got it for Christmas so I'm still in that "it's brand new!" stage...or because I really love the quality of photos I get when I use it. Only time will tell, but I think it might be both. ;)

I just completed a course in which I shot and developed my own black and white film. That class seriously changed my outlook on photography. Sure, I love digital SO much and I loved shooting film before--but developing it all on your own and making your own prints is a different story.

All of my personal work will more than likely be in film and on my iPhone. That's one reason why most of the photos I post on here are from my iPhone. It's something that I always have on me, can upload immediately, and don't have to edit afterward.

I know there are so many aspiring photographers out there--so what is it that you want to know? I'll try to answer any and all questions you might have! What is it that you may want to learn? Please comment  and let me know!

xoxo

Bullies

A few days ago someone I know accused me of being a bully.

I know.

I'm not going to use this blog post to tell defend myself because everyone that knows me knows that is the furthest thing from the truth. But it did get me thinking--maybe there is someone in all of our lives, that seems like our own personal bully. What do I mean? I'll explain.

A bully is a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker.

This doesn't necessarily mean that the bully is mean or that the bully even does these things intentionally. I think there is someone in all our lives that is stronger or more powerful that seems to intimidate us.

Bullies can come in all forms--sometimes we perceive people as bullies because our own insecurities are highlighted in their successes. Maybe the characteristics you see in the bully are actually the things you lack.

Maybe your bully is that person that always seems to be one step ahead of you.
Maybe your bully is that person that seems to have it all together.
Maybe your bully is the mom that is the head of the PTA, goes to all of her kid's games, works a full time job, makes dinner every night and still manages to go to the gym every day of the week.
Maybe your bully is the new employee that is already climbing the corporate ladder to the top when you've been there two years and are in the same position as you started.
Maybe your bully is a fellow student that always seems to come out on top.

Maybe your bully is yourself.

My bully is myself. I am my own worst critic. I have a constant anxiety over my grades, how others perceive me, how I am doing at work--I am almost always questioning myself instead of going with my instincts. I want need to be the best in everything I do, and when I'm not sure that I will be I have a tendency to shut down. I'm a perfectionist in the worst way. I would rather not try at all than to try and fail.

What is important is that we realize why we think this person is a bully. After we identify it--we can overcome it.

Words can also be a source of contention when it comes to bullying. Not everyone hears things the same way. We often misinterpret things when we already have a preconception about the person saying them. Our attitudes and feelings are playing into every word they say, every action they do, every look they give. Therefore a neutral statement may be misconstrued as a bullying remark simply based on how we view the person saying it--or even by what we may be going through at the time it is said. We might be overly sensitive to a subject, and unless that is known someone may upset us without knowing it.

This post isn't to say that bullying isn't a real issue--because it very much is so. I'm a huge anti-bullying advocate, I'm just saying that as an adult the way we see bullies has changed from when we were younger. Bullying is a very serious issue in the world today--especially with the internet being easily accessible and anonymous. If you know someone that is a victim of bullying, please be sure to report it. Without proper action--it cannot be stopped. Verbal bullying is the most common type of bullying--with 77% of students being verbally abused. If you don't ask questions, you may never know.

Join in on the pledge to end bullying, here.

xoxo

Bridesmaid Boxes!

In my last blog post I introduced y'all to my bridesmaids. Well, now here are the boxes I sent them to ask them! :) 

Everything about the boxes reflected my wedding--the colors, the theme, the sentiment of it all. We are going to have a very "down-home" feeling wedding, travel themed, vintage with the colors pale aqua, blush, and oatmeal with gold touches. I really wanted that to be clear in the boxes I sent them.

These shipping packages are just from the post office! 

Supplies:

Plain wooden boxes with a gold metal clasp from Jo-Ann's Fabric

Pale aqua paint

Pink tulle

Oatmeal colored doily

2 packs of scrapbook papers (travel themed and vintage flowers)

Pearls

Plain David Tutera cards

Burlap 

Washi tape

Hot glue gun

Paint brush

Scissors

Paint pens (black and white)

WHAT I DID:

I folded the tulle and wrapped the doily around it. 

 I painted the inside of the boxes/trim and added the vintage flower scrapbook paper to the inside top with hot glue. I then cut out pieces of paper from the travel scrapbook pack and wrote on that and glued it as well. Then I hot glued the pearls all the way around the inside/top. 

I also hot glued the travel scrapbook paper to the top of the box and then wrote their name with a black paint pen.

I also made little burlap bows that I put a "happy" in for each of them. I gave my bridesmaids a neutral colored lipgloss and just slid it inside the bow. :) 

I also "made" the cards I sent them--I took plain cards and cut washi tape to fit over the front cover, and used a paint pen to draw the first letter of their name. 

And then on the inside I wrote why I wanted them to be a part of my wedding day and how much they all mean to me! 

If you did something special to ask your bridesmaids--what was it?!

Also, if you were to get a "happy" what would you want? I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to send them. Nail polish? Earrings? Lip gloss? Let me know!

xoxo

My Favorite Ladies

Probably one thing I am most excited about for my wedding, is my bridesmaids!

I am blessed with having some of the best friends a girl could ask for. So I am going to introduce them to you!  

I asked each of my girls to send me six words or statements that described them. I definitely think you can get to know them better by how they describe themselves than by me describing them. So here we go!

Maid Of Honor: My sister, Courtney.

1. Genius

 2. Best sister, ever.

3. Ginger

4. Loud

5. Crafty

6. Simple

Matron Of Honor: Audriana 

 

1. Fantastic

2. Fabulous

3. Favorite

4. Frisky*

5. Fun

6. Freaking amazing

*just in general, not towards me

 

If one thing is clear in these photos, it's that Audriana has been my best friend through MULTIPLE hair colors and styles!


Bridesmaid: Lindsey

1. Inspirational
2. WITTY
3. Charming
4. Delightful
5. Brilliant
6. STUNNING
7. ....did I mention witty?

Bridesmaid: Amber

1. Adventurous
2. Hippie
3. Christian
4. Creative
5. I love people
6. I love to travel




....oddly enough the only picture I could find of Amber and me together, was one I really don't like of me..hahah BUT I swear I love this girl and spending time with her!


Bridesmaid: Rachel

(Rachel and her sweet, sweet momma!)

1. Love the Lord and post it notes.
2. I'm a closet racecar driver.
3. I never buy anything full price...except handbags.
4. I love food...any kind.
5. Love to travel and try new things.
6. My best friend is a grey schnauzer-poodle mix named Lady Adelayde of Owatonna a.k.a. Addie :)


Yes I went there! Throw WAY back photos of us!
 


Bridesmaid: Mary


1. Sassy
2. Pessimistic
3. Intellectual
4. Spunky
5. Crafty
6. Mom

 

I've known Mary the longest out of all of my bridesmaids (well, besides Courtney) and I have hardly any photos of us together in the digital form. Which 1. makes me sad, and 2. makes me feel SO OLD.
I mean, how old are we that most of our pictures together are in printed form?! Sheesh.
(Mary is also in the last two pictures with Rachel though)



I'll post just how I asked them to be a part of my special day in my next blog post! :)
xoxo