- Gardening is my new therapy, but yoga will always be my number one.
I recently got into gardening about a year ago. I tried it out but it was a pretty big fail [lol]. My husband, Greg, and I used to live in a smaller home with basically a measly patch of grass for a yard. I tried to use plant potters to grow some vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, radish, carrots, etc.) but it just did not work out. Okay… I’ll take a little credit. I got about two pea pods and one small radish!! Anddd that’s it.
Fast forward to this year, and we are blessed to live in a home with a little over 1 acre of land. I think y’all know where I’m going with this. I have OODLES of room for a garden now! Greg bought me a nice raised garden bed from Costco, and you best believe I went right to the store and bought my organic seeds – Cucumbers. Bell peppers. Tomatoes (cherry and roma). Jalapeños. Squash. Zucchini. Lettuce (gourmet blend and butter crisp). Spinach. Onions. It’s a work in progress, but I think we might have some success this year people! Keep your fingers crossed.
I won’t get too deep into yoga [there will be a separate post on that], but I’ve been practicing for about 3 years now. On and off for the first two years, consistently for the past year. I can’t say enough good things about yoga. It has worked its way into my life every single day, sometimes multiple times, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But again, more to come on that later.
I’m an introvert.
Maybe this surprises some people, maybe it doesn’t. There was once a time when I feared being alone. There was a sense of [unwelcoming] darkness that came along with it. However, a lot has changed over the year. I like to be alone and I cherish my alone time. Frankly, I can’t fully function if I don’t reenergize myself with quality alone time. I love reading books and researching things that interest me. I think best and come up with some of my better ideas when I’m alone. I’d rather curl up on the couch with my husband than go out for a social night with friends. Now don’t get me wrong, I love date nights with Greg, and even getting out with friends every so often, I just don’t prefer it most of the time. I really don’t like to converse with people. Haha. I know how that sounds, but you know the “chit-chat” or what have you.. yeah that’s not for me. If I see someone at a grocery store whom I casually know, you betchur butt I’m hauling booty the opposite direction just so I don’t have to talk. Anybody else with me?? No? Just me?
My favorite place to be is Home.
Probably a no-brainer after reading #2, but I mean this in a couple different ways. I mean “home” as in my physical home (North Carolina as of April 2018). It’s still a [big] work in progress; some unpacking and lots of home décor to complete, but it’s ours and I love it.
I also consider my “home” wherever Greg is. Home isn’t always a place, sometimes it’s a person, and Greg is definitely my home. He’s my rock, my best friend, and my forever person. I feel at home whenever I am with him, just as I feel like a part of me is missing when he’s traveling for work. Which leads to #4..
I’m married to my best friend.
Cliché? Maybe. But 100% true. I absolutely adore my husband. This post wouldn’t be complete without including him [a few times]. He seriously makes my life so amazing. I honestly had no idea what true love was until I met him. You know the saying: “When you know, you know.” Well that’s exactly what it was with this guy. I fell for him before we even met in person. We’ve been together 3 years, married for 2 years, but it honestly feels like a lifetime. There is so much to look forward to, and I cannot wait for what the years ahead have in store for us.
Baking is my favorite.
Now, I didn’t say I was great at it… but I do love trying. Greg makes me feel like I could be on The Great British Baking Show, but I know I’m not that good. 😉 It’s also a big stress reliever for me. If I ever find myself needing a break from work, I typically hop on Pinterest and find one of my saved recipes. On rare [but becoming more frequent] occasions, I’ll bake from scratch and whip up one of my own recipes. I always try to cook/bake healthier options. In time, I may post a few recipes, if they’re blog worthy.
I’m a control freak and a bit OCD.
I’m not really sure why I threw this in here. If my husband is reading this, I already know what he’s thinking – “yep, that’s her.” At least I can admit it, right? I think all of us are a little OCD in our own ways. I can’t stand when things are scattered, dirty, unorganized, and so on. It makes me feel like my life/day is the same way. I [try to be] a very organized person, so when something is out of place, it throws me off.
I could drink tea [and occasionally coffee] all day.
I have a cupboard full of different teas. Mango ginger or my homemade matcha latte is currently my favorite. It warms my soul. The Dirty Chai Latte is a super close second. I get it from a local shop called Godino’s Bakery and Coffeehouse. Check them out if you’re in the Greensboro area, especially if you have a sweet tooth! They have so many amazing desserts, everything homemade – cupcakes (vegan and GF options), gelato (yes, it’s homemade AND they have diabetic friendly options), cannolis, macarons, muffins, cheesecake, cake balls, cake rounds… seriously, the list goes on. Oh, and they also have quiche and other various breakfast pastries. Brb gotta go get a DCL [kidding, but I so wish.]
I used to be a vegan. My diet is still majority plant-based.
I was a vegan for a year. Now, I occasionally eat seafood and eggs. I rarely consume red meat and poultry. I continue to stay away from dairy. Majority of my diet consists of organic fruits and veggies, superfoods, and grain-free carb sources. I also stay away from gluten, soy and corn. The reason behind this is due to certain health issues that I’ve been through [some I’m still going through]. More on that in a future post.
Pastels, neutrals and darks are my favorite colors.
This one is pretty straight forward. If you took a look inside my closet you would see exactly what I mean. Whites, darks, and grays make up at least 80% of my wardrobe. I also love neutral and dark nail polishes. If my nails are painted, which they normally are, you’ll typicall find a neutral color (white, nude, light gray, light pink) or a very extreme color (black, charcoal).
*EDIT 7/2018 : I’m slowly filling my life with more color. It’s funny how often things change. I’m definitely digging bright and bold colors this summer.
Açaí bowls are my weakness and I have a serious obsession with them.
I have one almost every day. The options are limitless! The base of my bowl varies. Sometimes I use frozen, organic açaí packets (some regular, some kale + spinach based). Other times I use frozen zucchini or frozen cauliflower and then I add in whatever frozen fruits I’m feeling! Typically that includes organic wild blueberries, sometimes strawberries. And if I want to sweeten it up, I’ll add a small piece of banana. I also throw in some “add-ins” to the base. This always varies but options include: Vital Proteins collagen peptides, Kyo-Greens, mushroom adaptogens (reishi and/or ashwagandha), CBD oil, MCT oil, cacao powder, flax meal, fiber supp, and so on. I definitely don’t do ALL of these at once.. usually anywhere between 3-5 add-ins.
My current toppings of choice include fruit, typically some nuts and/or seeds, and granola. The options are endless! [bananas, strawberries, bloobs, mulberries, chia seed, gf granola, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, maca powder, bee pollen, honey, almond butter, coconut, etc.] And if you’re feeling extra fancy, use basically everything listed! (reference picture 😉 )
Hopefully that wasn’t too boring, and maybe you guys even related to a few things – let me know in the comments! If you have any questions or want to know more about anything I dove into, just ask!
Namaste,
