New Year, New Me

Hey Everyone! 

Sorry it's been forever since I've been on here, life just got kind of crazy. 

As with every new year, resolutions are made. Now, I don't know about you, but I can almost never keep up with my New Year's Resolutions. However, there are a couple this year that I am determined to make stick. New Year, New Me. 

1. I am was a Diet Coke drinker. 

On a typical day, I drank 2-3 cans. Seriously, I always have at least 2 cases in my bedroom at all times. However, keeping my motto in mind, Diet Coke was the first thing on my list that needs to go! 

The last time I drank a Diet Coke, and well, any pop really, was December 31, 2014.

15 days. 

I don't remember the last time I went 15 days without a Diet Coke. 

It hasn't been easy, and I realize just how addicted to it I really was.

Aspartame is an ingredient of Diet Coke, and I always knew it wasn't good for me, but the list above shows everything that it can cause. 

Scary right? 

Well, it wasn't scary enough for me to stop drinking it in the past. I hate to admit that, but it's true. I've been drinking Diet Coke for as long as I can remember, definitely since my freshman year in high school.

 And I wish I could say that after 15 days, I'm not craving a Diet Coke anymore, because I am. But here are some things I've noticed about myself in the last 15 days:

I've lost weight, not a significant amount, but my pants are fitting better, and my stomach is getting flatter. I also have noticed that I have less joint pains in my hips (however I have been stretching more), and my mood has improved. After seeing this happen in just 2 short weeks, I wonder what will happen later down the line! 

2. Working Out 

I know, I know. Everyone always says getting in shape is their New Year's Resolution. 

However, after getting back surgery in 2006, the repercussions of not working out regularly have caught up to me. On September 27, 2014 I woke up with the most intense back pain I've ever felt in my entire life. I couldn't walk, stand, sit, and do pretty much anything without someone helping me. Once the semester ended I was able to begin, physical therapy. Well, they've taught me things I can do on my own for when I head back to school, and I'm determined to continue my workouts, strengthening my core in order to avoid that pain from ever coming back! 

I'll post more about my workouts once I get into a smoother routine. 

3. Blogging 

I always say I'm going to get back into blogging, but this year, it's going to happen! I'm going to try to have a post at least once a month, but I'm going to aim for more! 

Well, that's all my new years resolutions! 

What are some of yours? 

Oil Pulling

Hey everyone!
So I read a blog post a few months ago talking about how oil pulling made a huge difference in her life. I wrote it off as another fad and although I found it interesting, I never got around to trying it. About two weeks go, I saw this same idea come up on another blog and decided it was worth a shot. After buying some coconut oil the other day, I decided to try it out.

If you are unfamiliar with the term oil pulling, essentially it means that you swish oil (coconut oil, sesame oil, etc.) in your mouth for 20 minutes, and it is supposed to strengthen teeth, gums, and over all oral health. The oil mixes with the saliva in your mouth and pulls out any toxins that may be there. There is also a list of other benefits oil pulling has within the body as well.

Basically it went like this, I took one spoonful of coconut oil, got really freaked out by the lard consistency and spit it out almost immediately. Determined to see what the hype is about, I mentally prepared myself, and did it again. It did not take long for the lard consistency to change to oil then I just sat (and blogged), for 20 minutes while gently swishing it around my mouth and pulling it through my teeth.


I found that I had a really hard time with not swallowing tiny bits of it as it was in my mouth for so long (which means you'd be swallowing all the toxins you're pulling out), and the concept of all those toxins in my body being pulled to my mouth was gross to think about as I was doing it, but I'm hoping that gets easier as time goes on.

Once the 20 minutes were up, I spit out the coconut oil (in the trashcan, because the oil can clog the sink), and rinsed my mouth with warm salt water (I read I was supposed to do that, but I'm not sure if I'll continue that part yet- I think I might just use warm water, however, it doesn't seem all that necessary), then went about my day as normal.

I think this will be something I will try to do everyday, as my teeth feel super clean once I spit it all out.


What do you guys think? Is oil pulling something you'd try?

Recap

Hey everyone! 

So it's been about a year since I posed on here!

To recap this past year in some major highlights:

1. I moved into my sorority house. 

2. I had the most fun but most stressful first semester in the elementary education program.

3. My boyfriend Max went abroad to London and I was lucky enough to be able to go visit him over spring break! 

Now that it is summer break however, I will be very busy working two jobs, and starting the 16th the first of my two summer classes begins! 

What's been happening with you guys? 

Finally 20!

Hey everyone! 

So I definitely haven't posted in here for a while, so I'm totally slacking. Not a whole lot happened during the month of June, except a bunch of babysitting, donating blood with my family, and me getting my wisdom teeth removed. 

July has been full of some fun times :) 

Part of my Greek family was able to get together and eat at The Cheesecake Factory then take a walk around the Centennial Lakes in Edina. It was so much fun to be able to get together with them! 

I spent the 4th of July in Minneapolis, and it was definitely the best 4th ever! 

After that, my 20th birthday finally rolled around! I was able to spend it with some of the best people! 

This was by far the best birthday I've ever had, and I couldn't have asked for better people to spend it with me! 

Coming up, I am moving back to my apartment for a couple more weeks before it's time to move out and start the next chapter of my life living in Alpha Chi! I actually cannot wait! 

Actually the end of May?!

Hey everyone! 

Sorry it's been about a month since I've blogged last, with Michelle's graduation, finals, then jumping right into volunteering and work right when summer started, I haven't really had a second to myself. 

To begin, Michelle graduated from college! :)

It was a great ceremony and I can't believe she's actually done! 

I had a great time in Winona seeing all my old friends, but after such a fun weekend, it was hard to get back into the school mentality to finish up the year with a final paper and exam. Once I completed that, I was able to head right back to Minnetonka to start my 70 hours of volunteer work that's required to apply to the elementary education program at the U. After two weeks of that, my 70 hours were complete, and I know for sure thats what I want to do in life! :) 

Starting this past Tuesday, I started nannying my neighbor who has a 5 week old boy, and a 3 year old.   They are SO cute and I love my job! 

Also, I started to read The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and it's pretty good so far! If anyone has any more suggestions let me know! :) 

I promise I'll try to blog more often now that things are starting to settle down. 

"Always be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle." - Plato

May!

Happy May everyone, I hope you had a good weekend! 

As finals are quickly approaching I've been busy writing papers and studying, and I've officially finished one of my four classes already, and will hopefully be finishing another class tonight! For one of my classes I am required to read a book called "A Visit From the Good Squad" by Jennifer Egan, and it is actually a really interesting read, if you have some time on your hands I definitively recommend it. Reading this book is making me so excited for summer so I can start reading for fun again, but I can't believe summer is almost here and I'm still wearing sweatshirts, hopefully Minnesota figures out what season it's supposed to be very soon!  

However, yesterday was mine and Max's 6 month anniversary so we decided to have a date night and eat at the Old Spaghetti Factory then walk around Mill City and the Stone Arch Bridge. 

It was really windy! 

This upcoming Thursday I will be heading back down to Winona to see Michelle graduate, and I can't believe it's coming up so quick! I'm excited to head back down there, and I'm really looking forward to eating at Bub's and Lakeview! 

"When someone else's happiness is your happiness, that is love" - Lana Del Ray 

Bat Mitzvah

Hey everyone! 

I hope you had a good weekend, and didn't let the snow get you down too much! 

Throughout high school, I nannied the best family in the world, and today is one of their birthdays! Aubrey turns 13 today, and had her Bat Mitzvah yesterday. My sisters and I were fortunate enough to be able to go! It was a lot of fun, with the (long) service in the morning, then a party at night! 

There was a photo booth there, and we had a lot of fun with it! 

Unfortunately, with the random colder weather, and the busy weekend, I woke up this morning with a horrible cold :( I have been drinking tea like crazy, but if anyone has suggestions on how to get rid of this quick let me know! 

This week is Initiation Week for AXO and I couldn't be more excited...if only I didn't have this cold! 

"I didn't set out to be unusual or different, I just wanted to do things my way." - Lilly Pulitzer