Goodbye 2008

For me, 2008 started out with a feeling of slow, cold, stagnant energy. I was working as the manager at Wolf Creek and I was a little too burnt out. Rodrigo had just started a job at Parker Hanifin in the shipping and receiving department and he was way over worked as well. On top of that, it was one of the worst winters I have ever experienced here in Utah. I hated every minute of it. April came and the snow started to melt. We were happy to escape for a week to Portland, OR. I fell in love with it and since then, I have wanted to move there. It's something that I have really focused on since then. Summer came and went and brought a lot of events and fun. Work got even crazier for me and I felt like I didn't want to do it anymore. We were able to go to Alabama for a friends wedding, Park City for a few nights away during Rodrigo's birthday and this fall, we were able to go to Boston and meet up with Carrie and Tim for a couple days. Right after we got back, I felt a strong push to quit my job as Guest Service Manager. I took a demotion, and now I only work there about 3 days a week, and the rest of the time, I do hair and study about Reiki and Angels. Rodrigo is still at his current job and I feel he would like a change soon as well.

2008 was an awakening for me. I found out a lot about myself and what I want and don't want in my life. Spiritually, I've have grown the most I have ever grown in one year...and I haven't even stepped foot inside a church. Below is a list of a few things I've learned...

1-I definitely enjoy working to live more than living to work.
2-I've learned to release fears about money and not having enough it to my angels...since then, I have had plenty-(even after taking a 60% pay cut and a demotion at Wolf Creek!).
3-I've learned that I can create my own reality of positivity, happiness, peace and joy just by meditating.
4-I've learned to ask for help.
5-I've learned to accept the help that I've asked for.
6-I've learned that alcohol is an awesome way to drown out the voice of God and my higher self. I'm not into it that much anymore.
7-I've learned that over eating is also a great way to drown out the voice of God and delay myself from completing my life purpose.
8-I've learned that I am really tired of the mundane life that a lot of people around me live. I feel like I can't stay in the same place anymore. I want to travel, learn and meet other people like me who are into the same things as I am. If going on a walkabout was possible for me...I would do it.
9-I've learned that accepting what is going on in the world is not good enough and it won't settle with me...it's time to make a change.
10-I've learned that we are what we eat. Eat in the light!

Tonight at midnight, I plan to think about everything I would like to manifest for 2009. Just to kind of set the tone and my expectations for myself for this coming year. I challenge you all to do the same. If you hold the intention of peace, love prosperity, happiness and health in mind at midnight tonight and throughout the year...you also have the ability to manifest what you truly desire. Here's to a great 2008 and an even better 2009.

Christmas 2008 Survey

1.

Wrapp​ing paper​ or gift bags?​
I prefer wrapping paper...bags are the lazy version...there is nothing to unwrap!


2.

Real tree or Artif​icial​?​
A real artificial tree...then I just light my Scentsy to make it smell like Christmas. :)


3.

When do you put up the tree?​
This year, it was Thanksgiving evening.

4.

When do you take the tree down?​
After New Years...it's a bleak time of year for me.


5.

Do you like eggno​g?​
Soy Egg Nog

6.

Favor​ite gift recei​ved as a child​?​
I really liked my pink convertable


7.

Harde​st perso​n to buy for?
My parents...they have everything they need.


8.

Easie​st perso​n to buy for?
Rodrigo...I always hear what he would like. :)


9.

Do you have a nativ​ity scene​?​
No...but that would be cool.


10.

Mail or email​ Chris​tmas cards​?​
I bought Christmas cards this year, spent a whole evening making them out...I even texted people for their address and I NEVER sent them out. Maybe I will wait until next year to send the cards I purchase this year. :)

11.

Worst​ Chris​tmas gift you ever recei​ved?​
I've never received a bad gift...giving should always come from the heart. Why would you say that is bad?


12.

Favor​ite Chris​tmas Movie​?​
I would have to say The Grinch with Jim Carrey...the second one would be It's a Wonderful Life...it has Angels in it.

13.

When do you start​ shopp​ing for Chris​tmas?​
This year, it was about 2 weeks ago.


14.

Have you ever recyc​led a Chris​tmas prese​nt?​
Never.

15.

Favor​ite thing​ to eat at Chris​tmas?​
Frosty Mugs of Beer...along with Pizza


16.

Light​s on the tree?​
White...it's the most traditional and timeless

17.

Favor​ite Chris​tmas song?​
Jingle Bell Rock

18.
Trave​l at Chris​tmas or stay home?​
Home.


19.

Can you name all of Santa​'​s reind​eer'​s?​
yep


20.

Angel​ or Star on top of your tree?​
I have a Star...maybe I will switch to an angel.


22.

Most annoy​ing thing​ about​ this time of the year?​
Greed.


23.

Favor​ite ornam​ent theme​ or color​?​
Whatevskis

24.

Favor​ite for Chris​tmas dinne​r?​
Tofurkey with Mashed Potatoes


25.

What do you want for Chris​tmas this year?​
Already received more then I ever wanted.

26.

Who is most likel​y to respo​nd to this?​
Carrie?

Fearless.

My goal for 2009 is to be FEARLESS. I'm not going to be afraid of anything. Im going to banish all fear and release any blocks of fear I may have that are preventing me from doing the things I want to do.

Fearless-because I'm not afraid anymore.

Dedicated to my Angels

My best friends, my companions, my coaches, my cheerleaders, my allies, my greatest admirers...My Angels. They are with me 100% of everyday teaching me, loving me, supporting me and protecting me. They see me only for the good that I am and they never judge. Now that's a best friend! When I need help, all I have to do is ask. When I'm sad, mad, or frustrated, I just ask them to give me peace.

I just bought a new book yesterday called "Messages From Your Angels" by Doreen Virtue. Everyone who reads my blog should go buy this book and read it. Here is an excerpt from the book...by the actual Angelic Realm. "You are God's greatest triumph, as as you revel in your recovered awareness of this plain fact, allow us angels to slip off all layers of painful soot collected through your travels. Allow us to dust away sad memories and unpleasant journeys. Your new aspects await you, as graceful as a ballerina, as gentle as a lily pad, and as secure as any fortress. You are home, you are safe, and you are loved. Now and always."

Weirdest Dream Ever

I just woke up from the strangest dream ever...

It started out in our old house out in West Haven. I had a couple of friends over and we were watching scary movies in the basement-I believe the movie was "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." I remember being really scared when the movie was over. My mom then came downstairs yelling at me saying that because we were watching such an evil movie, I have invoked Satan into human form and she had to cut off his head and bury him. And because it was such a messy process, I needed to go clean up the Satan goo that was left everywhere in the yard. She then handed me and my friends some buckets with bleach to clean. I was really confused at what she was telling me so I asked her to explain 1 more time. She then told me that basically, Satan had come to the house in the form of a Vampire and that she had to dismember him so he couldn't hurt anyone.

The dream then flashed to me and Edward (in Robert Pattinson form) sitting at a bar in a little diner talking about the Vampire situation at my house. I told him what my mom did to the vampire and he told me that it wouldn't be good enough because other vampires could come along and use the same pieces of the vampire to do evil. I then asked if he would come to my house and explain to my parents that he was a vampire and that he new what he was talking about when he said that we should dig up the dead vampire and dismember it for good. He then told me "no" and disappeared.

I ran home to tell my parents what we should do with the body and they agreed. We then went to the backyard to dig up the body. As my parents were digging and broke through the dirt to the body, I noticed it didn't look like a body at all...but just a toy plastic Vampire suit. They took it out of the ground and unfolded it to lay out flat. I then asked my parents if they had a stake that we could drive through the heart and they said they didn't. Just then, the vampire suit started inflating as if it were coming to life. Since it was made of plastic, I told them they needed to punch a hole in the head before it became all the way inflated and back to life.

And that was the end of the dream. Weird huh?

Meet Gilgie

Meet Gilgie. He is a new buddy of ours. He's the best.

Scared of failing

All through my whole life, and even as a child, I've always felt like I've been a bit thicker or bigger than everyone else. I really didn't start learning about nutrition until about a year and a half ago, when I went Vegetarian. Growing up, my family ate a lot of fast food and processed meals. I also started using food as a crutch. When I was sad, I ate. When I was mad, I ate. When I was happy, I ate. Food has always been a reward to me. If I have a stressful day, I convinced myself that I deserved to have something "special" for dinner. If I had a wonderful day, I convinced myself of the same thing. Into my late teens/early adult hood, I realized the effects that all of this has had-weight gain. From the time I graduated high school and until now, I've put on about 30 pounds. I've started a couple of diet programs since then and I've joined the gym. The crummy thing is, you can do an hour of cardio and burn 600 calories but it won't help if you just go right home and eat a 1000 calorie meal. I guess I've just taken a half-assed approach when it has come to weight loss. I'm tired of this vicious cycle and I refuse to continue doing what I've been doing. I'm tired of living to eat when I should be eating to live. This is definitely an emotional battle for me...it's important enough to blog about! Food...and then the guilt of eating too much food has always been something that tortures me every single day. It's become obsessive.

I've tried Sparkpeople.com before-this is actually my second time doing it. I am bound and determined to stick with it and to finally teach myself that food is not what life is all about. I've put in all of my information and it's calculated a healthy weight goal for me. It's even given me a realistic time frame to lose the weight. I limit myself to 1240-1590 calories per day. I drink 8 glasses of water per day and according to Sparkpeople, I only have to work out 3 times a week. This last week has been a success. I've cooked all of my own meals-measuring out proportions, calories, fat, carbs and protein. I went to the gym 3 times and even did some strength training at home on my "off" days. I went to the grocery store yesterday and stocked my kitchen with healthy foods and I've vowed not to eat out. I've been packing my own lunches for work.

I hope I can stick to this routine and I challenge all of you who read my blog to call me out if I end up eating anything I shouldn't be!

Tis' the season plus more...

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! And I'll admit...I'd never thought I would say this...but where the heck is all the snow?!?!? I'm so sick and tired of looking outside and seeing only BROWN BROWN BROWN. Rody and I set up our tree on Thanksgiving night as we listened to Christmas music.

Just another little update...Rody and I are looking into going to work in Tuscany, Italy. A friend of Rody's gave us a heads up about the job. I'm not sure if it's going to pay us what we'd like-but we'll keep our ears open and see if it's meant to be. Here is the website to the hostel we'd be working at. It sure looks like heaven to me!!!! www.leonardosland.it

Go figure...I'm the only person I think to start a diet right before the Holidays. I even lost a half a pound over Thanksgiving. I've been going to the gym consistently and I'm counting calories on sparkpeople.com. Yesterday was so freakin hard. It was everything I could do to restrain myself from coming home from the gym and scarfing down whatever I could find. It was definitely a test of my will power. Today was much easier. Surprisingly easy for eating only 1200 calories today. If I keep it up at the pace that I'm keeping, I'll be down my goal of about 30 pounds by July. Wish me luck!! One of my goals on Sparkpeople is to talk to someone positive daily and voice my goals. Since Rody is asleep-you get to find out my goals today. :)