New Office Building!!

We are officially moved into the new Judicial Complex downtown!! It's been a long wait, but it's finally here! I actually have my own office with an actual desk, my own phone and a flat screen computer! Watch out now! I'm moving up in the world! And, of course, the most exciting thing about a new office is DECORATING!! Check out what I've done with it so far.

This is where I use to work for about

three and a half years. It looks

so strange with everything gone! So empty.

So THIS is my new office! Check out

the huge desk! So much to work with!

This is the vase my mom bought

me from Ross as new office gift!

I'd been eyeing that vase for a couple of

weeks now. And it's eco friendly too!

Another gift from my amazing mom!

This was 50% off at Michaels... how

could we resist? It was exactly what I

had been picturing for my office.

The pile up of paper work that

accumulated during the move.

Looks like one of our filing cabinets

threw up on my desk.

This is what it looks like from

the hallway.

Love the brown baskets from

Walmart!

Finally have it exactly like I

wanted it! My lamp adds

a cozy, home feeling while giving

me light to work with. I think it has a

very comfortable feel. Which, of course,

creates more productivity!

Organizing!

My passion in life is organizing things! I love to organize! I love it so much my parents got me a label maker for my birthday this year. I was ecstatic! I've been organizing a lot at my parents' house lately and so far we have organized my mom's laundry room, kitchen, closet, and office! Every other weekend I'll go out and start a project with her. It's been so much fun and I, of course love spending time with my mommy and daddy! :) Projects for my dad are soon to come. Here are a few pictures of the end results... for some reason I always forget to take 'Before' pictures. I guess I always get so excited about getting started!

This was the latest project. My mom's scrapbook office.

This is actually my old bedroom so we took her two shelves

and put them in the closet to create shelving space and

then took the doors off to create a more open look.

I think it turned out quite nicely!

This was actually our first project! The

laundry room. In here, we utilized the

upper shelving to store toilet paper,

paper towels, light bulbs, etc.

Then we used this shelving to

organize all of her cleaning supplies.

These I grouped together by type

and labeled accordingly.

And this was my uniform I wore :)

While cleaning out my mom's office I found

mine and Missy's old costume box!

Had a LOT of fun with that one!

Day 2 of Cleansing Diet!

Okay. Day 1 is winding down. And it hasn't been that bad and my body actually feels better! I really can tell a difference! The only thing is the headache from lack of caffeine... did I mention I'm cutting out coffee too? Which is HUGE for me. Going from anywhere to 2-3 cups a day for the past at least five years to absolutely none, of course I'll have a headache. I just do not want to be addicted to it anymore. So today was day 1 of the detox, day 2 of no coffee!

So today's detox went really well considering I was at home most of the day AND we had a cookout at my grandparents' house... a typical 4th of July dinner with bar-b-que chicken, potato salad, baked beans, chips and dip, yummy rolls, key lime pie, pound cake, AND homemade ice cream. VERY tempting so I brought steamed broccoli and ate a baked sweet potato before leaving the house. I even served the dessert to the family and didn't taste any of it. I was very proud of myself!

So Day 2 (July 6th) I will eat:

Breakfast:

Hot cup of water with a slice of lemon

Granny Smith Green Apple

Mid morning:

Veggie Juice

Lunch:

A large bowl of fresh fruit salad, to include apple, grapes, mango, and some berries.

And a handful of fresh, unsalted cashews; a mug of mint tea.

Mid Afternoon:

Veggie Juice

Dinner:

Glass of Radiant Lemonade and Simple Pasta Marinara

My Cleansing/Detox Diet

Lately I've had some issues with my health. Nothing too serious, but enough where my body just doesn't feel right. And because of my new change in diet and lifestyle for that matter, I've decided to do a detox to get rid of all these 'toxins' that may be making me feel off! I've been reading up on it and I've found one that I am going to do! So I decided to blog about it and share my journey (and hopefully results!) with my friends and family.

For the past seven months, as I've said before, I've cut out all red meat and chicken from my diet and really focus on eating better. Now, I still had my fair share of chocolates, Wheat Thins, ice cream, and french fries, but no meat! Then about a month ago my father introduced me toFood Inc. which changed my lifestyle and eating habits yet again. I started eating organic and really payed attention to the Nutritional information of foods and more importantly, the ingredients. I ate a lot of organic cereals, trail mix, and tons of honey and bread!

But my health problems were still very apparent. My digestion is not what it should be. I still feel very uncomfortable in my clothes. And my hormones and emotions are still way out of whack. (I cry ALL the time now over absolutely nothing! Which is definitely not me.) So bring on the detox!

For my first day (which will be Monday, July 5th) I will eat:

First thing in the morning after yoga:

Cup of hot water a with slice of lemon

grapefruit with Stevia sweetener (an all natural sweetener with zero calories!)

Mid Morning Snack:

Vegetable juice

Lunch:

Hot mint tea

Salad with avocado and sea salt and pepper

Mid Afternoon Snack:

Vegetable juice

Dinner:

Fruit salad (apples, strawberries, and oranges)

Hot mint tea

Evening:

Cup of hot water with a slice of lemon

So that's what I'll be eating for Day 1. It's a three day cleanse, then I'll starting eating 'pure' foods and hopefully being feeling and looking great!

And while I'll be doing this detox, I'm going to be practicing intenSati which is a high-energy cardio workout for the body, mind and soul. It is a fitness program created to exercise both your body and your positive thinking power. The program combines: martial arts, exercise, yoga, and spoken meditation. I've already been doing this for two days and I already feel great!!

I have to admit, at first saying the 'affirmations' and hearing them was a little weird to me, but once I started going they really helped me focus on the movements AND they were positive things I need to be saying to myself anyways! So I can't wait to share the results with you!

Hiking

Here are a few pictures I found from an old hiking trip I had taken about a year ago. It was so beautiful where the hike was! I really hope to go back sometime soon! Such good hiking! Maybe this time I'll be in better shape than the first trip!

A beautiful waterfall on the side of the

trail. So gorgeous!

Taking a break!

How can you beat this?

Seriously.

A swinging bridge over the river where

our camp was set up.

The river was so refreshing

after an 8 mile hike. Cold. But very refreshing.

A shot of the trail. This is probably

just ONE of the times I had

to stop for a break... that hike kicked my

butt! But definitely in a good way.

An amazing meadow on

top of the mountain. This was taken

on our way out.

My Journey on Becoming a Vegetarian!

It's about that time. I've floated back into the blogging world! I seem to drift in every now and then when things are weighing heavily on my mind or if I just feel the need to be creative. At this particular moment, it's a little of both.

It has been about seven months since I made the decision to become a vegetarian. At first, it was just to loose a little of the "pudge" I felt I had gained from Missy's wedding from the stress of everything. I wanted to be healthy. I didn't think it would be a permanent thing. But now, for several different reasons, I it has definitely become a permanent change in my life. I feel better and feel back in sync with my body(which I think is VERY important!). I have actually influenced others around me to be conscious of their eating habits. And most importantly, I've been enlightened about our food industry in general.

While recovering from a knee replacement surgery my dad stumbled upon Food, Inc. on his Netflix account and watched this documentary. It is about what goes on in our food industry and the main corporations that control it. He was very moved. Enough so, he told me and my mother watch it. In all honesty, it was a life changing moment for me. I am now watching out from these processed foods that creep into my pantries and fridges. The Organic isle at Publix has become my best friend, as well as some products from Wal-mart! It's amazing how much is available if you just look for it.

It's amazing how much my eyes have been opened to food! I now encourage everyone that I meet to watch Food, Inc. or at least visit their website at takepart.com/foodinc.

I now try to eat as many of the vegetables out of mine and Earl's garden (pictures to come once my camera decides to work again) and to eat local produce as much as I can. I try to buy local farmer's produce! Summer is the best time to do so! Every dollar you spend is a vote towards changing the food industry and making healthy food available to everyone!

Work Day at the CSC!

One Saturday morning, the Student Center got together for breakfast, prayer, and a work day at the Christian Center. Let's face it. College students love free food, the CSC really needed some work done to it to make it look less like a set from a 1970s sitcom, and everyone can always use some prayer! It was such a great day! We got so much accomplished. But there is much more to be done. Here are a few pictures we took.

Dan doing a wonderful

job of sweeping.... and

pointing out that fact.

Rachel vacuuming!

Fixing the vacuum after

all the dirt it picked up.

And Adam here worked the

hardest of them all.

And I definitely got the easy job of painting a mural! I was in absolute heaven! Painting while listening to my favorite music? Ah! I was in my happy place! Here are a few pictures to show the progression of my mural. As time goes on, I'll add more and more to it. But this is what I was able to do that day!

Starting to add some leaves!

The leaves took forever,

but they're starting to get 'fuller' here.

And this is the finished product!

The verse is John 15:5.

"I am the vine; you are the branches.

If a man remains in me and I in him,

he will bear much fruit;

apart from me

you can do nothing."

Something New.

Oh, gosh. It's been so long since I've blogged. Call it lazy? Or is it just because I haven't really had that much to talk about? I'm going to be completely pathetic and say a little of both. Well, I guess it's time for all the updates! So. I've officially moved back to Valdosta. No more Gator Country for me! Things didn't really work out at UF as I planned or would have liked. Which I really hate because I felt totally out of control of the situation. I felt like such a failure, but now I know it's just my life took another path. I came to a fork in the road and I made a decision and now I'm walking down a different lane.

Well, while I was down in Gainesville some things got messed up with my tuition and FASFA so I made the decision to withdraw from the university (stupid Gators). Then I was offered a full time job at the courthouse so I took that and that's where I am now! I've been working there full time for the past three months and have really enjoyed being back there, learning new things and taking on new job responsibilities. I absolutely love learning new things!!

Which brings me to my next up date. School. Ugh. I'm currently not taking any classes but I'm in the process of researching night and online classes right now to weigh the pros and cons of it, making lists... all that good stuff. So I will hopefully start in the summer if not sooner! I just want to get back into a 'classroom.' I'm itching to learn! I was always the little dorky kid who couldn't wait to get back to school. Guess I'm now the dorky 22 year old who can't wait to get back to school. Somethings just don't change, huh?

And another update! My VW bug is officially gone! Whoo hoo!! Thank gosh! I traded it in for a new car! One that actually works and is reliable. Crazy concept for a car, huh? I bought a Ford Edge last Thursday and have absolutely fallen in love with it!! It's amazing. And on top of all that, I cut off about 7 inches of my hair. New car, new phone... had to get a new 'do'! I would have liked to given it to locks of love, but I had too many layers. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Here's a little picture of my car that I took. Oh

I LOVE it! I've worked so hard for it... and will continue

to for a long, long time. But totally worth it!!

So nice to have a car that actually works!

"I believe in pink, I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner.

 I believe in kissing, kissing a lot.

 I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong.

 I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. 

I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles." 

- Audrey Hepburn

One of my new favorite quotes by my favorite actress.  To me, Audrey Hepburn has always been the epitome of class, grace, style, and elegance.  She was an exquisite person with a great outlook on life despite her living through World War II during which she suffered from depression and malnutrition.  I hope that throughout my life I sustain half of the elegance, class, and positive outlook on life that Audrey did through her lifetime.

Homeless People Ride Buses...Why Can't I?

Yesterday was my first day of class at UF... and wow was it a day. It all started with me completely freaking out about the bus system and not being able to figure it out (yes, I am a college student and yes, I did get into UF). So that really made me feel mentally deficient especially because if the toothless bum that talks to himself and runs around downtown punching the air can do it, why can't I?
After I figure out how to actually get to my class, I finally walk in to my Design 1 class to find out that three girls my age are teaching it... yay. THEN on my way home from class my parent's car completely breaks down on me in the middle of the busy intersection of 13th Street and 39th Avenue. So I get out and try to push and steer it out of traffic in my flip flops and I got pretty far (like 5 feet) when luckily three men come to my rescue and gallantly push me into the AutoZone (ironic, huh?) a couple of yards away. No problem, right? I can just whip out my handy-dandy, twenty-first century, high tech calling device and call help. If only, much like my car, it wasn't completely dead. Luckily, again, I had my charger with me, just no where to plug it up. (And just a side note: No one should make fun of my ginormous purse anymore because in times of dire emergencies, it comes in quite handy!)
So I shuffle into AutoZone on the verge of tears to see if they would be kind enough to let me charge my phone so I could call my sister or Misha to come get me. So one of the really nice men from behind the counter ask me how I was doing and I replied, in the biggest voice I could muster while trying to sound like I wasn't about to bust into tears and sobs, "I've been better...." He of course asked me if he could help me with anything so I held up my dead cell phone in one hand and my charger in the other and told him my car, along with my cell phone, was dead, and if I could just plug it in for a quick second so I could call someone to come pick me up.
Of course, he let me and he plugged it in behind the counter for me. So I try to call Missy on my cell phone, which by the way, the cord only streaches two inches from the counter, so picture me leaning over the ENTIRE counter with my face planted to my cell phone and my butt in the air for everyone behind me to see and tears streaming down my face, splattering onto the newspapers below. It now is EXTREMELY funny to think about.
So Missy came to comfort me and I was able to call road side assistance which towed me for free to an auto repaire shop that the guys from AutoZone highly recommended. It turned out all to be quite funny (especially after Missy got there). But I'm not so sure how funny it'll be when I get the autoshop bill. Ek!

A New Chapter

I am getting ready move down to Gainesville this Saturday... officially! It's so strange that it's all finally coming together. I've got an apartment... a job! I'll be starting school next month... Wow! I've been working so hard for so long to make this all come true and it finally is all falling into place. Monday I start working at the new Hampton Inn & Suites in downtown Gainesville. The construction isn't through yet, but they are going to start training me as soon as possible.

I'm so ready to start this new chapter in my life. So ready to learn new things, meet new people, take on new challenges, and experience new things. It's going to be hard, but I think I can do it. God has opened so many doors for me and I am so blessed and so thankful for each opportunity that has been put in front of me. Now I just have to tackle head first, the Architecture degree. Let's hope I'm strong enough and smart enough to get the job done!

"Creating a new theory is not like destroying an old barn and erecting a skyscraper in its place. It is reather like climbing a mountain, gaining new and wider views, discovering unexpected connections between our starting points and its rich enviroment. But the point from which we started out still exists and can be seen, although it appears smaller and forms a tiny part of our broad view gained by the mastery of the obstacles on our adventurous way up."

- Albert Einstein

"Do your duty, to the best of your abilities, for the Lord without any selfish motive, and remember God at all times - before starting a work, at the completion of a task, and while inactive."

- Bhagavad Gita

To all the amazing women in my life...

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.

I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size

But when I start to tell them,

They think I'm telling lies.

I say,

It's in the reach of my arms

The span of my hips,

The stride of my step,

The curl of my lips.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

Then they swarm around me,

A hive of honey bees.

I say,

It's the fire in my eyes,

And the flash of my teeth,

The swing in my waist,

And the joy in my feet.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Men themselves have wondered

What they see in me.

They try so much

But they can't touch

My inner mystery.

When I try to show them

They say they still can't see.

I say,

It's in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

The palm of my hand,

The need of my care,

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me.

-Maya Angelou

To all of the phenomenal women in my life that have

influenced me and touched my life in such a special way...

(in no particular order)

My good friend and coworker, Tiffany.

My close friend, Rachel.

My best friend and my sister.

My mother.

My friend and coworker, Karen.

My best friend, Gena.

My Aunt Judy

Missy's Engaged!!

Misha proposed this past weekend to Missy after about 10 months of dating!! They've known each other exactly a year now where they met on a mission trip in Ukraine where Misha is originally from. He's been planning this for weeks and got me in on it about two weeks ago... it has been SO HARD keeping it from Missy. First because I tell her everything and second because she can read me like a book. But we managed to keep it somewhat a suprise.

So Misha's sister, Natasha and her fiance rented a condo in Weeki Wache which is right outside of Tampa for the weekend. There were 10 of us that went down to hang. Me, Missy, Misha and a bunch of our friends. The house was amazing! There were 6 bedrooms, 4 baths, a closed in pool, jacuzzi, game room, big screen TV, pond in the backyard... everything!

So Saturday night Misha was diligently working on the fireworks (which is not unusual seeing as he is a Nuclear Engineer) while we were all hanging out and eating. Finally about 11 o'clock we all walk outside in front of the house to shoot of the fireworks where Misha's show was set up. There was a huge board with fireworks strapped to it and Misha pressed his ghetto-rigged remote control to start it. It said 'Will you marry me?' in fireworks... but it didn't quite work the way he wanted it to... Here are some of the pictures I took from that night.

The ring box

The ring

This was the start of the fireworks.

This was suppose to say 'Will you marry me?'

But it kinda blew up and caught on fire...

She never really said 'yes' by this point,

but we all pretty much knew her answer.

Admiring her ring :)

I love this picture of them!!

Poor Misha was so nervous he

had to change shirts because

it was soaked in sweat!

Missy's friend Alona

was SO happy for her

and Misha.

Missy & Alona

Missy, Alona, & David

I think she may like it just a little.

They were both glowing :)

Misha & Missy

The hefer got a manicure right before

we left for Tampa. Said she wanted

to be 'prepared.'

Going to check out the scene of the

fire the next morning.

Thought this was cute.

The proposal site.

This is the condo we stayed in.

Absolutely beautiful!

Missy & Misha

There was ash EVERYWHERE! They

even had to bust out the fire extinguisher!