Neal & I ~ Chateau Chantal Winery, Traverse City, MI ~ October 2012

Neal and I are getting ready to celebrate one year since our second 1st date this weekend. He calls it our first date since the real first date a year or so before didn't really take (remember, I was really hot for who I came to realize was a super douchey dude) AND since that place burned down (Glenwood South icon, The Hibernian).

I've dated pretty steadily since my first boyfriend in college. Jocks, nerds, military, fraternity, loners..all types and I thought I'd seen it all. Until Neal. It sounds so cliche: "when you know, you just know," but true. Now, I can't say for sure that when I saw him that second time (this time at Raleigh Times) that I knew we would be where we are today. But, I knew something was different from that first side hug..whether it was me, him or the situation. It was just easy. And, here we are a year later.

Our relationship hasn't been perfect but what one is? I thoroughly enjoy his company, he enjoys my cooking and we enjoy each other (among other things). He is one of the nicest guys I've ever known but not in a doormat kind of way. He's smart. He's handsome. As my mother puts it, "he has a nice smile." He likes sports (especially Michigan State). He makes me want to be better. I've probably said that before & it's also another cliche, but one that's totally true. I mean it through and through. He's quite kind and treats me well, probably better than anyone else. Before him, I was a New Belgium snob and now, my tastebuds have been enjoying what Michigan brews (Bell's). Quite simply, I love him.

I count him a blessing and God's timing as way better than mine. I think if we'd tried after the first-first date, we wouldn't have worked. I was different, my priorities were different, I wasn't really into "serious" relationships...and here I am: in a serious, monogamous relationship; and loving it! :) It's amazing really...how the choices we make, however insignificant they may seem in the moment, can really change your life.

I pinned this today...Just simply true. :)

goals for february 2013

* read & return book to l.s.
* read & return landscape architecture magazine to l.s.
* food challenge! going back to the primal/paleo life...i have a new cookbook and i am quite excited!-going pretty well so far-
* use gym @ complex (i scoped it out for equipment..now to program my workouts)
* order abmat & bands from rogue
* hair appt. -2/21 after work-* save at least 200$ in "savings envelope"
* bowling league with the boyfriend 1/28 - 3/11 -our team's tied for 1st!-
* celebrate my dad's 70th birthday! -done!-
* painting for the living room (i'm thinking chevron) -stretched & ready for gesso!-
* read a book for pleasure
* wean towards quitting
* register for the "run for the oaks 5k" 3/9
* church/tithe
* get my rope back from the gym -done!-
* play the keyboard at least 1 day/week
* spend more time with the boyfriend -trying!-
* virginia tech @ nc state basketball game with the parents + boyfriend, 2/16 -done!-

break it down...goals for january

1. read and return book from internship
2. 31 for 31 challenge: overhead (oh) squats
3. finishing sorting/organizing/nesting
4. finish diptych for the dining room
5. large canvas painting for living room
6. church @ summit: 1/5, 1/12, 1/19, 1/26
7. monthly tithe
8. exercise beyond the 31 for 31 challenge
9. go to the carolina fitness challenge @ crossfit durham, 1/12
10. pay off car insurance
11. gis training 1/7-1/8
12. save money...bringin' back the money jar!
13. play keyboard at least once/week
14. donate blue chair + old 21" tube tv
15. get my eyebrows waxed!
16. 12 for 12 challenge
17. bowling league with the boyfriend (this is a bucket list item!)
18. start to wean myself off in the direction of my quit date

2013...the year of drastic change.

whenever a new year rolls around, everyone always seem to make such grand resolutions with plans on how they're going to better themselves, their health, their family, their happiness, etc. who wouldn't want to be better than they were before? i find no fault with good intentions...the lack of follow-through? i'm so guilty of it..getting bored, distracted, defeated. but, this year? although my list may be extensive and thorough, i firmly believe that within the next 12 months i will complete a majority, if not all, of my goals. because although i might've written down everything from here to the now-nonexistent planet of pluto, they are completely doable. since the list is lengthy, i'll give you the cliffnotes version.

1. financial wealth. i'd like to have some. i plan to grow wealth by pearing down the debt to income ratio. with discipline, i will pay off my store credit card, pay off my car insurance within the second month, pay off my car loan early (this one is not so "necessary" as i only pay 0.9% interest...but in the spirit of reducing monthly expenses, it gets thrown on the list)...since the only credit card i have is limited to one store, i'd like to acquire a "use anywhere" card. believe me, i've learned my lesson(s). it would only be used for larger purchases like travel opportunities and not everyday purchases. i'm gonna get the tally of debt owed to the bank of mom and dad and set up a payment schedule..treat it like i would any other fee. and, i'm gonna save some money...yep, i'm bringing back the money jar!

2. health wealth. i'd like to lose the weight i gained back after losing it in the 30 day challenge last year, at a minimum. so that puts my weight loss goal in the range of 13-20 pounds. more would be great, but i just wanna stop feeling/looking like a blob. i will be dedicate myself to exercising at least three days/week. i ran in two races last year, so i'm gonna up the ante and train for/run in at least 3 races. my goal for 2013 is to run in the "old reliable 10k" in the fall. to make sure i stick to it, i will make monthly challenges similar to the 30 day challenge...january = 31 for 31 oh squats. i'm assigning february as the food challenge. etc. my most important goal of the new year is to quit. if i'm allowed to quit one thing this year, that's it. i doubt i'll go cold turkey, but as long as i'm successfully done before my 30th birthday, i'll be happy with that (and so will a lot of other people, whether they know it or not).

3. spiritual wealth. it's been many months since i attended church...so, i'm going back. i've moved, so i'm gonna try to find a new small group. i will tithe monthly. the blue days were more frequent in 2012, so i'd like to do what makes me happy to help limit them rearing their ugly heads!

4. other goals. i left a lot of stuff at my folks' house when i moved, so once the kitchen reno is complete, i'll be headed back home to sort/purge/organize my leftovers/old room. i'd also like to help them redo the bonus room..fresh coat of paint, rearrange some furniture, etc. i wanna read for pleasure! so i'm instituting a 12 for 12 reading challenge: i'll read 1 book/month just for fun. and i definitely need to read and return a book lent to me by my internship supervisor. i returned one already, but i still have the other one. and, when the time is right, i plan on bringing a new furry friend home. and if she's brown, i'll already have her name picked out: cocoa bean (because bella's middle name was bean and i want her memory to live on).

and that's the shortened version of my list. :P happy new year!

December 1 = Independence Day

To say that I am happy would be a complete understatement. I have been riding high on Cloud 9 pretty much since I put my unit on hold, and officially since I signed my lease! Above is a property photo of the complex via facebook. I LOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEE my new apartment. First of all, it's HUGE. It's over 1100 s.f. and boasts huge windows, large closets, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen with modern fixtures...I could go on and on. My unit is different that the original floor plan I toured in that mine is an end unit, so I have an extra window in the master bedroom, as well as a window in my bathroom. If there is a "con" about my new place, it's the lack of immediate outdoor space. I have a "juliette balcony". But, I don't mind it..it's enough space to go out and see what the temperature's like. It's only been 1.5 days but I'm all unpacked (minus a couple of "office" bins in the spare closet that i need to unpack). The move was quick too...loaded in about 2.5 hours and unloaded in the less than 2 hours. It feels SO good to be back on my feet again and no longer living with my folks. Not that the past 2.5+ years were all that bad or anything (as far as living with the parentals goes), but it feels so much better to be back out on my own. It feels like I've "got it all"...a great job, a fabulous apartment, a wonderful man....All that's missing now is a new furry friend to cuddle with. All in due time.... :)

I'll be back, whenever I get internet up and running at my new place, to confess my goals for the final month of 2012.

things to do in november

It's been a LONG time since I made any monthly goals, let alone blogged about 'em, so I figured it was time to get back in the saddle.

- 11/2 Community Campfire, Butner NC
- 11/3 ECU/Houston football game with the boyfriend
- 11/6 VOTE!
- 11/9-11/13 Boyfriend's parents in town
- Apartment hunt...Top 3 Selected!
- Pre-move process continues- Church @ Summit- Commit more time/energy to my small group
- Pay at least 50% of LLCC
- Return to the "Primal Way"
- Exercise --> I've committed to a 50 for 50 Push Up Challenge
  (50 Push Ups/Day for 50 days; I made it 100 for 50 by adding 50 Sit Ups/Day for 50 days)- 11/22 Thanksgiving with the family + boyfriend- Move? --> Moving day = Dec. 1
- Christmas gift shopping --> will have to wait til December & Pay Day

yesterday, after the boyfriend and i went apartment hunting (for me), he came over and we carved our pumpkins we picked out on saturday. i think they turned out really well, so i thought i'd share them with you.

mine:

his:


happy (early) halloween!