New year, new Natu

As the new year approaches, I am dedicating some time to think about the new goals I want to achieve in my life. To all of you who are also planning on "re-creating yourself," please make sure to not only identify WHAT you want to accomplish but also HOW. Remember that you need a timeframe for each goal and make sure that they are realistic and attainable.

It's been real, 2012, but I've established the following goals (in no particular order) in order to make the most of 2013:

1. Become financially savvy by reading literature and increasing my discussion on finances. I will also grow my personal savings by contributing to my account weekly and sticking to a budget. In order to keep track of my spending, I am going to use resources such as Mint.
2. Improve my health by creating healthy habits. I can do this by getting at least 8 hours of sleep daily, eating healthy, drinking lots of water, incorporating daily exercise I can commit to, and taking care of my body by developing a good relationship with my doctors. I am going to use resources such as Skinnytaste, Livestrong, and don't weight for it.
3. Broaden my potentials by committing to learning something new. Ways that I can accomplish this are by looking into doctoral programs, learning another language, reading more books, giving back to the community by volunteering and doing random acts of service, and participating in activities that will allow me to grow in my understanding of self and others. 
4. Prioritize my relationships with others by formally and/or informally expressing my gratitude for their positive impact to my life. This can be as simple as sending a letter or by dedicating more time to spend with my loved ones near and far. I will also continue to look for opportunities to expand my professional network by being more productive at work, being organized because an organized person is often perceived as a reliable person, gaining new knowledge, having faith in my abilities, and being more friendly and approachable.
5. Grow in my faith by consistently persevering in spiritual disciplines (i.e. going to mass, praying, doing service) and by enacting the golden rule.

I hope that my goals inspire you in some form and empowers you to establish some of your own. Happy YOU year, my friends. Get yours! I wish us all success and cheers to having a fulfilling life this new year. In the meantime, make the most out of the last day in 2012. Another year down, another year blessed.

Happy hour with the fam

One of my siblings and my favorite things to do when we are back home for the holidays is happy hour  at Blue Sushi Sake Grill. As you can see in the picture above, you can get a drink and food for as cheap as $2 such as the edamame below:

I always forget how much I love edamame! However, I must be completely honest with you and let you know that I removed a lot of the salt that the chief added. I am convinced that him or her did this for presentation because NO ONE I should not be eating that much Na (what up, periodic table)!? It was a good starter but my favorite part of the meal was the sushi and drinks.

Check out Blue's menu here. I ordered the Crunchy La and Tan rolls.

Delicious marg but I can only handle one because they are very sugary!

As expected, we had a good time and talked about anything and everything. But when you have siblings with strong personalities together in one room, you are bound to have some conflict! For example, my brother shared his opinion on relationships. According to him, men are like houses and women are like cars- unless it's a classic, a new model comes out. Y'all know my opinion about my relationships from this blog post so you know I stood up for myself and all the ladies out there quickly! What are your guys' response to his comment? I'd love to hear your perspective!

Although we don't see eye to eye on everything, at the end of the day we are fam and I have to accept them regardless.

I only have one more day to relax and enjoy my time with family and friends before I head back home to the Windy City tomorrow. Added bonus: thankfully, I am able to squeeze in a Bluejay basketball game tonight. Y'all know that I have made love for my alma matar. Roll Jays, take the W against Evansville!

Eating for a good cause- Firehouse Subs

Although my girlfran Maddie and I both live in Chicago, we always make it a point to meet up when we are both in Omaha. I called her this morning after dropping off my friend Casey at the airpot to see what she was up to and she suggested that we meet up for lunch at Firehouse Subs. I quickly said yes because my friend Sara told me months ago that it was a delicious place with a good cause. Firehouse Subs was funded by fireman and their goal is to ensure that they are able to impact local fire departments, law enforcement and EMS and public safety organizations with the tools, technology and training they need (see source, here). 

I ended up ordering their veggie sandwich because of my flexatarian lifestyle and it was amazeballs! Who would have thought that sauteed veggies on whole wheat bread could be so delicious? Watch out Subway and Jimmy Johns, there is some tough competition for my number 1 vegetarian flexatarian-friendly sub choice. 

Maddie is totally rocking the Fire Chief hat.

Love this look- reminds me of 101 Dalmatians

Good touch

Close up of the hat and table

Beautiful artwork on the wall

Until next time, Firehouse Subs. Overall, 2 thumbs up!

The reason for the season

Now that the Christmas season has quickly come and gone, I can't help recognize that the best gifts in life are the people around you. From our house to your house... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My siblings and I have a pact that no matter where we are in our life, we must always find a way to make it back to Omaha for the holidays. 

I got my parents this Pinterest-inspired table setting because I am thankful for all the life lessons I learned from them- my two most influential teachers- at the dinner table all these years.

This picture was taken at my sister's apartment after church. My family gives me so much happiness. We are truly individually unique, together complete!


I hope y'all were able to share this time or have a conversation with the people that mean the most to you. Happy Holidays to you and yours and remember that Jesus is the reason for the season!

It's that time of year

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year! Why may you ask? As N-Sync once sang, " It's the best time of the year for the family; It's a wonderful feeling; Feel the love in the room from the floor to the ceiling; It's that time of year; Christmastime is here!"

Here are a couple of ways that I have been celebrating this special time the past few days:

My colleagues and I decided to have an ugly Christmas sweater work day last Friday. To be honest, I wish we could rock this look all the time because it is quite comfortable.

Friday was especially fun because we got to leave the office early and head to our annual holiday party at Broadway Cellars. Good food, good times, and good company!

But don't worry, the fun didn't stop there. Following the holiday work party, some of us went to our friend Ben's party. I truly got the most out of my ugly sweater. You wouldn't believe how many compliments I received.

Although Friday was a great time, the best part of my weekend was these two's big announcement...RYAN PROPOSED and Kara, of course, said YES! I made them take of picture of making it FBO (aka Facebook official for my social media disengaged friends).

Therefore, Brooke and I had to treat Kara to a mani/pedi. I ended up just going for the company because the salon did not have my preferred holiday color choice. 

But it was worth waiting because the salon by my work had the no-chip gold that I wanted. So instead of taking my lunch break to eat a salad, I decided to get my nails done with my colleague and friend, Sara. What do y'all think of this holiday color combo? Have you noticed that I am all about getting mani's lately? Remember this post?

Contrary to (some) popular belief, I promise that I have a life outside of getting my nails done. In fact, I am still in love with this big city and appreciating it like a tourist. So, I was happy that my dear friend from high school, Stacy, was able to visit me right before I left for Christmas break! (Yes, I am in academia and I still see the year in terms of semesters). 5 bucks if you can spot Stacy and me in this picture of the Bean.

Stacy and I had a great time but us city girls were excited to head back to rural Homaha.  I was really lucky that I made it back today because the weather has been crazy in the midwest. This is a picture of my parents' street. As expected, it looks like we are going to have a white christmas in Nebraska.

I've only been back for a few short hours, but I am already thankful for the time I get to spend with my family and friends. Y'all obviously know that I will always have a special place in my heart for this place... especially at this time. 

I guess you can say that it brings out the inner  kid in me- being fully present and open to love, laugher,  and others.

Tis the season, my friends. Just want to wish you a H-A-P-P-Y   H-O-L-I-D-A-Y season and encourage you to make this time count. Sing your favorite Christmas song a little bit louder, sit down and enjoy a drink/non-alcoholic beverage with a family member or good friend, and make sure to treat yo self! 

An Egg-celent tradition

Every single semester my colleagues and I volunteer our time by serving our students breakfast for dinner during their finals week. I enjoy this tradition because it's an opportunity for me to support and celebrate my students' success during a time that tends to be quite stressful for many of them.

I can relate to them because Finals Breakfast is also a big tradition at my undergrad and I still remember how motivational it was to see the faculty and staff, outside of the classroom, because I gained a sense of reassurance that I was going to get through the difficult week due to their kind words and gestures. Therefore, it's my pleasure to force myself to stay up pass my 8:30P bedtime (I wish I was joking), put on an apron, and hope that my smile or words of encouragement will inspire my students to keep going.

 It truly is a humbling experience because it reminds me that every single person at a university (or any work environment) plays a significant role, regardless of their official title. As I reflect back on my college experience, I obviously remember my faculty, friends, and mentors. But I will always have a special place in my heart for the maintenance crew, dining/food services employees, administrators assistances, public safety officers, and the transportation drivers. These individuals taught me three important life lessons...

1.  Life is not about what a title can give you, but what you can give to the title aka there are no such thing as a small part only small actors.
2. Be kind because the world is a small town.
3. You are never too busy to be a wo(man) for and with others (what up Jesuit values)

I think about these people and the lessons they taught me every single day and especially during this time of the academic year. Finals Breakfast is a fun time and an egg-celent tradition. I hope you enjoy the pictures (below) of my colleagues and me at the big event. 

I was in charge of serving the fruit. I was pleased to see that it  was a hit because I was the college student that always ran straight for the bacon and eggs.

Don't mind Alex, Courtney, and me

How can we serve you?

Before I Go To Sleep

Last night my book club and I met to discuss Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson. This is by far the best book that we have read so far because it is a page turner. I don't want to give you a summary spoiler, but I will share broad information. Basically, a woman named Christine suffers from amnesia due to an accident she encountered. She wakes up next to her husband, Ben, every morning at different stages of her life (i.e. as a child, college student, adult). In an attempt to remind his wife of her life, Ben has placed various photos of her and them together on the bathroom mirror. According to Ben, he can't provide more photos of their past or belongings because they had a bad fire in their previous house. However, her questions of doubt becomes too intense, therefore she starts to secretly see a doctor (Dr. Nash) on the side to help trigger her memory. Dr. Nash suggests to Christine that she should start a diary and document her day-to-day activities and memories of her former life. The first sentence in her diary is: DO NOT TRUST BEN. These little words captured the reader me because you start to question why and you are determined to find out why and whose motivates are genuine. I recognize that my brief summary isn't giving this book justice because I don't want to give everything away. But for real- recommend this read to your book club or find some time over the holiday break because it is just that good.

Not your typical love letter

So, friends, I must share this interesting letter that I received at work from my "Secret Santa." At first I thought this was a joke that one of my friends was trying to pull on me, but they have all sworn on their life that it isn't them. Therefore, I am currently completely stumped on who would like to "deck my halls tonight." Will the joke be on me at the end of the day or perhaps is this Santa's way of foreshadowing that there will be an IBM waiting for me underneath the Christmas tree in a few weeks?

 Either way, I've got to laugh at this situation because it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Don't believe me? Check our this cute little picture (below) of my friend VW and me in front of the Sullivan Christmas tree. I wonder if  my "Secret Santa" watched us while we took this picture and secretly laughed on the inside. In honor of them and this not so typical love letter, I am going to share one of my favorite guilty pleasure Christmas song with you here.

It's just one of those days

Today was one of those days when I noticed that I was putting out negative energy into the universe. For those of you who don't know me, I truly believe that you get out of life what you put in. Therefore, I played my go-to song on repeat, "Happy" by Natasha Bedingfield, and I was back to my positive self in no time. How can you not love the lyrics, below:


"Happy"

Ooh.. Oooooohhh.
Landlords Knocking at my door cussing me out
Got laid off my job the night before
Can’t figure how
I’m gonna fix tomorrow when Yesterday's still a mess
Can you tell me what’s the point man
It all seems meaningless
I wish that I could step away and breathe
This world’s trying to swallow me
Clear away the clouds inside my head

[Chorus:]
Someone just tell me
That it’s ok now
What are you worrying about

Got my dreams, got my life, got my love
Got my friends, got the sunshine above
Why am I making this hard on myself
When there’s so many beautiful reasons I have to be happy

People lie, people hide, people cry, people fight

And they don’t know why
If fear is all that we should fear
Then what are we so afraid of
'Cause fear is only in our heads

Someone please say...

[Chorus]

Any day I'll go bad thinking bad
Everyone is against me and the world wants to fight me
Preparing to battle an enemy unseen
During my stressing I’m blinded to the lessons 
That could be a blessing if Id be confessing that the enemy
I’m trying to beat is hiding inside of me

But it’s ok now...what are you worrying about...

[Chorus]

Keep your grind on girl...it’s your love, it’s your world... [Repeat 2x]

[Chorus]

The phrase, "There's too many beautiful reasons why I have to be happy" always gets to me!

Nebraska...the good life!

I hope these pictures gives you a good understanding of why I love visiting Homaha. 

Rob, G, Mel, and me at O' Connor's- some of my fav Bluejays

Girls night out in downtown Omaha aka the Old Market

Maureen and Rob came to town. They always make me smile.

Look at this little baby pic of me that I found!?

Of course I got my hair re-done. I love rockin the natural look.

I spent most of my time with my family. They truly inspire me.

These are my MHS (high school girlfrans). They will always have a special place in my heart.

As y'all are aware, I only eat organic white meat (see blog post about why I do this here). My family, thankfully, got a bird that  I could enjoy for our Thanksgiving meal.

To show my fam how much I appreciate them, I cooked them a lot of meals. This is a delicious,  healthy, Chipotle inspired veggie bowl.

This is my beautiful Homaha! I am so thankful to have so many positive  memories associated with this place. Nebraska's state motto is "the good life" and it truly lives up to that saying. See you soon, Omaha. 

An important life lesson

One of my friends posted this image and story on Facebook. It's such a good message.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full.. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.. The sand is everything else---the small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you asked.' The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers with a friend.

-----

This message really resonates with me because I am currently back Homaha, Nebraska for the Thanksgiving holiday. (Don't worry, family and friends, I will make sure to post about my week-long break soon). In the meantime, I encourage everyone to reflect on the message that I posted above. 

Do you have a clear understanding of what the golf balls in your life are? If so, take the time this Thanksgiving season to be thankful of the jar aka the life you have been blessed with. 

However, if you are at a crossroads and are not sure what your golf balls are, please don't be too hard on yourself because your life was meant to be a life long learning journey. Simply make sure to take the initiative in figuring out what's critical to your happiness and the rest will fall into place. It also may not be a bad idea to grab a beer with a friend or two. They may not only be able to give you insight that will allow you to successfully progress towards the life that you deserve, but I am sure they will also share stories that will remind you that you've already come a long well. 

Counting my blessings

My friend Sarah Margaret gave me the devotional book pictured above. I appreciate this gift because it was a surprise and Sarah told me that she thought of me when she came across it. Considering that my faith is at the core of who I am, this gift really meant a lot to me!

I know that many people use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to express the many things that they are thankful for. What are you thankful for? Your family and friends? Your job? The fact that you have a roof over your head? President Obama's re-election? Your health? I, for one, truly consider myself very blessed and this is why I recognize that it is my responsibility to give back to the community so that others may also live the best life possible. I gained this understanding because of the family and friends who I share my Thanksgiving meal with every November. Because of their presence in my life, I am truly blessed!

However, this 365 devotional book empowers me to not limit my opportunity to build my relationship with God and express my gratitude to Thanksgiving. Thanks to Sarah's gift, I now make time every morning to enjoy peace in His presence and be thankful for the life I've been provided.

So, my friends, I encourage you to take a minute to reflect on what you are thankful for. If you find yourself identifying certain people through this process, I encourage you to reach out and tell them them how they have positively impacted your life. As the saying goes, "Make everyday count, appreciate and cherish every moment and grab everything you possibly can because you may never be able to experience it again," Kemmy Nola.

My life through pictures

We have been experiencing the best Fall weather. My friend Lauren and I decided to take advantage of it by reading  The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides for our book club at a neighborhood park. Everyone had mixed reviews about the book, but I personally liked it.  

Work has been crazy busy lately so it made my day when I received a surprise letter from my boy Justin in my work mailbox. It's the little things in life that matters!

This month, Maggie hosted us at her house for dinner club. My favorite dish was Maddy's Halloween cake.  One of these months I think we should get the group to go to Cafe Ba-Ba Reba because I've heard great things!

I couldn't decide what I wanted to dress up for Halloween. Miss Cleo,  an African Princess, or do a group costume?

Considering that Slatt and Kayla were in town, I decided to join them in the CTRL, ALT, DEL..., End Task group costume.

My Halloween celebration wasn't limited to the weekend. These are great cupcakes that my friend Kiki brought to work on Wednesday the 31st. Check out her blog here.

Kiki and I dressed up for work because we believe that you are never to old to dress up! How much are you loving our 80's and rocking it look?

The day after Halloween I had dinner reservations at Geja's Cafe, known as "the most romantic restaurant in Chicago." Cheers to a delicious fondue meal.

I told myself that I wanted/needed a chill weekend because the past 2+ have been pretty busy. So on Saturday I gladly accepted my friend Chelsea's invitation to hang out with her and this cute little dog, Wasabi. Check out her blog here.

Chelsea and I decided to make a meal together. Of course we used a Skinnytaste recipe because we love Gina's creations. This picture doesn't give this meal justice. It was BOMB! Check out her website and try something new.