Hello, May.

I can’t believe we are already approaching the fifth month of the year. It seems like just yesterday I was celebrating the beginning of a brand new year and all of the wonderful festivities that come along with it.

Everything is happening so fast this year. It feels like spring will be over any minute now, which means that summer is literally right around the corner. Deep down, I think I am still somewhat in shock that the winter season has already come and gone so quickly!

Earlier this year, I had so many plans and ideas about what I wanted to accomplish before the end of the year.

I am pleased to say that I have accomplished some minor goals, and I am still actively working towards the major goals. Although I am learning to be more patient, it is still very challenging for me to pace myself to complete big goals. I love seeing the final results of my actions/projects, so it takes a lot of extra determination for me to stay focused during the process of accomplishing major goals.

Now that I am 25, I can honestly say that I have reached a heightened sense of maturity. Every day, I feel myself growing and learning more knowledge. When I was 18, I thought I knew everything and that life was going to be very easy. I thought life should be a piece of cake.

Boy, was I wrong.

Life is not easy. Life is not hard. Life is what you make it.

Now that I’m older, I am not constantly worried about what other people think about me. I am much more comfortable in my own skin, and I have a greater sense of who I am.

Last year, I stepped out of my comfort zone and started to try new things. This year, I have continued to branch out and go after what I want in life. And you know what? My life has become so much easier.

I am looking forward to all of the wonderful things that are going to happen in my life.

 

April.

The past month has been busy.

So busy that I haven’t had much time to blog.

Oops!

I turned 25 on April 1st, which was a fantastic way to start the month. I am just so grateful these days to be able to celebrate another fantastic birthday. I definitely don’t take any days for granted anymore, because you never know when it might be your last day here on Earth.

In addition to my birthday, there has also been a lot of other celebrations going on this month (mostly anniversaries and birthdays) so each week I have been attending lots of events.

I have also been planning a family trip out of state next month, which I will provide more details about in a later post.

And, of course I have been working and trying to stay on top of my daily responsibilities!

I don’t know about you all, but I am definitely looking forward to the summer months when I can take things a bit slower. I want to go to the beach, read  my favorite novel until the early morning hours, and sip lemonade. I want to take a stroll outside in the late evenings and gaze at the stars at night.

I want to take advantage of the simple pleasures in life. I don’t want to stress out over getting material things or trying to buy happiness.

I am determined to make this summer as stress-free as possible.

HAPPY EASTER!

I would like to take some time out to say ‘Happy Easter’ to all of my readers.

Today is particularly special, because it also marks the one year anniversary of this blog!

Have a wonderful holiday, and more updates to come soon

Menu Plan For The Week

We all know that life can get insanely busy sometimes, and therefore I feel that it is a great idea to have a plan in place for those weeks that are extremely hectic.

This week I have a lot of activities going on and I won’t have enough time to think about what meals to prepare.

So, I have decided that I am going to plan out  my meals for the entire week. I almost always cook Monday thru Friday and order takeout on Saturday. On Sunday, my relatives and I usually get together for a family dinner, which is a wonderful way to end the weekend.

MENU:

• Monday: Chicken Tacos, Black Beans & Steamed Rice
• Tuesday: Veggie Marinara Pasta, Green Salad
• Wednesday: Stuffed Bell-Peppers
• Thursday: Grilled Salmon, Roasted Red Potatoes & Asparagus
• Friday: Veggie Burgers & Steamed Vegetables
• Saturday: Take-Out. I have been in the mood for sushi, so I think I will have this for dinner!
  

I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet which poses a small challenge to successfully completing my meal plans for the week. To be very honest, I could go shopping today but I just don’t feel like it.

I do not go grocery shopping on the weekends (too many crowds), so I will probably go tomorrow morning around 7am when my local store is the least crowded. I have never shopped for anything on the weekends besides clothes, and I don’t intend on changing my routine now.

For the first time in months, I can actually truly relax on Sunday without having to do anything . All of my household chores are completed, I am caught up with all of my work-related responsibilities and I am not going to do any couponing today. It will truly be a work-free afternoon for me.

What’s on your menu plan for the week? Comments are always welcome.

How Dependent Are You On Technology?

Every once in awhile, I will come across an article or something intriguing that causes me to think about the world differently. The other day, I happened to catch a glimpse of an article online about a lady who embarked on a life changing challenge to drastically reduce the number of electronics she used daily in her home.

• Instead of using a cell phone at home, she used her old fashioned land-line to keep in touch with friends and family.
• Unless it was an important business call or an emergency, she put away her cell phone in the evening.
• Communication by text was non-existent.
• Instead of e-mailing friends who lived far away, she simply wrote them a letter in the mail.
• Television time was limited to one hour every other day, so she read to keep herself preoccupied during any down time on weeknights and weekends.
• Computer time was also limited to one hour each day, as well.
• Meals were minimal, did not involve take-out (no phone) and were prepared at home.

After two weeks of cutting back on technology, the professional business woman got so used to being tech-free that it was difficult for her to make the transition into using electronics again on a regular basis.

Wow. Technology really is a huge part of everyday life, isn’t it?

This article forced me to look at my own life and how it has been influenced by technology. I can honestly say that a large portion of my life is almost totally dependent on technology.

Without a computer, I would not be able to interact with most of my peers and friends who live far away and use social networking sites as the dominant form of communication. Likewise, if I did not have a cell phone I would not be able to text and could possibly lose a few friends. I am only partially kidding.

I have to admit that some days I would just love to receive a letter in the mail or a phone call from an old friend. I remember the days when people would call their friends instead of just sending a quick “hey’ by text message. I remember the days when I would receive an abundance of Christmas cards in the mail, and my family would send them out, too.

However, I do appreciate being able to benefit from the marvels of modern technology. Some days, though, I just dream of the past.

Comments are welcome.

Party and Event Planning.

One of the things that I enjoy the most in life is a great celebration. In fact, I love celebrations so much that anytime I can help with the planning of an event, I jump on-board with little hesitation.

Party planning requires creativity and detail, which are two traits that I have learned to perfect over the years. One of my dream jobs is to be an event planner one day, so I figure I might as well get used to planning events on a small scale.

(This is a photograph from a high school graduation party of which I helped to plan a  few years ago! It was so much fun.)

This morning, it dawned on me that I  have numerous engagements to attend in the next few weeks.I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Easter, which is followed by my birthday the very next day. I am so excited about the opportunity to celebrate both events with my family at the same time.

I have so many great things to look forward to in the upcoming months. In addition to Easter, there are many anniversaries and birthdays to celebrate during the spring season. I also have numerous friends with birthdays, which means that just about every other week I will be preoccupied with some celebration.

One of the best things about planning a party is the joy that comes out of knowing that your tedious efforts will be appreciated by many people. Throwing a party allows you to take the focus off of yourself and think about someone else for a change.

A Day of Rest…

Sometimes, life is all about relaxing and taking time to enjoy the great view.

Life is too short and precious to be constantly under stress and worrying about  what troubles tomorrow may bring.

Sometimes, it just feels great to breathe and let all of your worries float somewhere far away.

Because everyday can’t be busy and full of chaos.

Everyday shouldn’t be full of things to do, places to see & people to meet.

Some days, it’s fun to just be quiet and observe the things around you.

To be kind, patient & express gratitude to God.

It’s days like these that remind me how grateful I truly am!