So Much to do, So Little Time

I started day 1 of my own “pursuit of happiness” project. I decided to spend some time getting crafty. It is going to be a headband/belt. Since I have my upcoming beach vacation on my mind I wanted to make a starfish. Since I should be doing homework I did not get too far, it sure takes forever to sew one bead at a time. Sometimes I forget that I work full time, go to school, and have a hubby and three year old to love. Nevertheless, I will do something each day that makes me happy.



I got a list of all the people for a pen pal group that I just signed up for and spent way too much time reading everyone’s blogs. So many fun girls, I can’t wait!



I saved the best for last. My very first niece was born on Saturday.

Meet Chloe







She is to die for. Seriously, what newborn has a face like that? She is so alert and curious for a newborn. I love her so dear.

Love,
Nat

The Pursuit of Happiness

I have been listening to the song “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi practically on repeat. It makes my heart flutter. I would put all the words on here but there is some slight cursing and I’m not trying to offend.

“Imma do just what I want
lookin’ ahead no turnin’ back
if I fall, if I die, know I lived it to the fullest
if I fall, if I die, know I lived and missed some bullets
I'm on the pursuit of happiness
and I know everything that shine ain't always gonna be gold
I'll be fine once I get it, I'll be good”

Maybe it is my 28th birthday looming over my head in a couple short weeks but I am feeling quite restless. I have been thinking about my life, my legacy, and if I really am living to my fullest potential. In my heart, I know that the answer is “no”. When I die, will I be satisfied looking back on my choices? I feel like I tend to play it safe; take the responsible route, the one that pleases everyone. Once upon a time I was exploding with creativity. I lived in Los Angeles, went to design school, and had dreams of moving to Paris for an internship. There was a point in my life when I made the decision to play it safe. I made a conscious choice to abandon my dreams. I though that I would end up lonely. I thought that following my dreams was selfish for some reason. Today, I don’t understand my own logic.
So here comes my own personal challenge. I am going to do something for myself

EVERY DAY

The thought sounds absurd, I know.

Instead of coming home from work, doing homework for a million hours, and going to bed, I am going to create something. Even if it is small or just a piece of something bigger, I am going to do it. And after I do it, I am going to document it. I will start out with 30 days.

It is my own pursuit of happiness, my mission for fulfillment and inspiration.
It sounds romantic but I have a feeling I am going to be sleeping less.
Probably cranky.



“It’ll be fun, it’ll be a thrill. Something stupid, something bad for you, just something different. Isn’t this the point of being young? It’s your choice. People can live a hundred years without really living for a minute. You climb up here with me; it’s one less minute you haven’t lived.”
-Gilmore Girls

Some pictures that make me feel “alive”:







All photos via weheartit.com

P.S. day one starts tomorrow








Love,
Nat

Happy Mail / California Dreamin'

Today started like any other day:
-Wake up
-Drink five gallons of coffee
-Drag my feet for an hour before brushing my teeth
-Getting ready for work in approximately 12 minutes

Anyhow, Lilo sent me a text while I was at work and it said, “ Hey baby, I think your happy mail came”. And then I said “OMG I want to leave work and come home now”. I did not leave work that minute, but you better believe I skipped the gym after work. My aunt Jenny used to write me letters every week while she was away for college. She would put fun stickers on it, draw me pictures, and cut stuff out of magazines and send it to me. I would get so excited and it reminded me of those days. That’s why I signed up for this Happy Mail stuff. I also just sighed up for another thing called Pen Pal Project. So pumped.

When I got home and opened my package I was so excited. My partner this month was Carrie from Seeker of Happiness Blog. She sent me buttons, jewels, a cupcake notepad, and a sweet picture of Jesus (which I loved Carrie) and a pattern for a weekender bag.



I was so excited about the weekender bag pattern because we are going to California in a week and staying for 9 days. I have bulky luggage but need a weekender bag. So I already started making it.


Note the chicken fabric that I will be cutting it out of. I am obsessed, what the heck?

Here is some pictures that Lilo took from Long Beach. His photography is breathtaking. Who knew that a door could be so awe-inspiring? Not me.









I convinced Lilo to make a blog about his photography. When he posts it I will share.

Xoxo,
Nat

This Makes Me Laugh

I have literally spent the last two to three hours of my life looking at chickens on the internet. I had no idea how in depth and insanely hilarious this task could be. Seriously? I think that fancy chickens could potentially overturn my life. I seriously can't stop laughing at these fluffy chicken faces. Here is a sample of what I have been stating at:

My favorite, the Silkie:



The Polish Fizzle:



And the Helmeted Guineafowl:



I hope you are laughing as much as I am right now.

Love,
Natalie

Daddy

I love fathers. I love my father. I love my daughter’s father.




Today was perfect. Coral and I went to the gym so Lilo could sleep in. Then we went and got stuff to make breakfast and some coffee. Coral and I made enough food for an army. But really it was three of us. I tried something new called an egg nest, or something like that. I saw them make it on the movie Moonstruck. Anyhow, it is a piece of toast and you use a cookie cutter to make a hole in the middle. You put the toast on a skillet and then pour eggs in it. I also put grilled peppers so it was like a tiny omelet in the middle of the toast. Next time I will fill it with more veggies, so pumped. I forgot to take a picture of mine but it looks a little something like this:





I helped Coral make Lilo a stepping-stone and a special mug. We had lots of fun and Lilo was quite impressed with Corals artistry.




After our little family morning we went to my daddy’s house. We grilled and swam and watched movies. I love my dad.



My dad is the greatest man ever. He has taught me to work hard and play harder. My mission in life is to make this man proud. Here is one special story about my little daddy:

I moved to Los Angeles for college and was determined to do everything on my own. My dad decided to come out to LA and visited my little apartment. I had a futon that I slept on and I was fine with it but the daddy was not. He wanted me to have a comfortable bed. He insisted that he had a bed at home that he did not need so he went back to AZ, got the bed, and brought it out to me. Months later I went home to visit and I went to my dad’s room and he had a mattress on the floor. He had given me his bed. Years later I still cry when I think about how selfless he is. He would literally give me the shirt off his back. I feel overwhelmed with gratitude when I think about my special little daddy.



Happy Fathers Day

Love,
Nat

A Week In My Life

My last week has gone like this:
1) wake up
2) Go to work
3) Homework for one million hours
4) Go to sleep
5) Repeat
Boring. I am doing finals for a psychology class which thankfully is over. Most of my classes are math, which I am good at. This class is about research writing, which I am just not that into. The main reason that I am just not that in to this psychology class is that doing research on crazy people makes me feel crazy and then gives me anxiety. I have also verified that I am in fact OCD. Great. I am sure that if anyone from work reads this they will just say… “duh Natalie, everyone knows you are OCD as heck”... whatever. I am done with this class and moving on to what I am comfortable with, math. Hopefully my next class does not consume my life so I can get back to enjoying this sweltering hot, ooh so lovely, Arizona summer.
I saw this picture in a magazine at the place where I get my oil changed and was so excited by it:


How much summer love do you feel when you look at that cupcake bouquet? They made it by putting one of those foam balls into the glass container and then using toothpicks to secure the cupcakes. Then they put green cupcake wrappers all around the cupcakes to look like leaves. Now I need to have a summer celebration in my newly fancified backyard porch that I will put more pictures of up in the near future.

Another thing I enjoy about summer is the freedom to have unruly hair. I love getting out of the shower, putting on a dab of TIGI curls rock, some macadamia oil, and voila… beach city,USA population, me.





PS. If you have course, slightly troll doll like hair, and have not yet discovered the magic of the macadamia, it will change your life. If you live in AZ, you can get the stuff from Stephie’s salon called Salon Krush. You‘re welcome.

Xoxo,
Nat

Kawaii Nails..?!

How is it that I have never owned some fancy Kawaii Nails such as these? Now I am not the girl that gets my nails done..ever. But I feel like these little beauties may be the exception. These might just complete my life.



Today I slept in until 10:00. That is unheard of. Coral slept at my moms house last night so I seized the opportunity to do all my laundry and then sleep in. Such a party animal, right? I am getting ready to go to the gym right now with my auntie Rhea-Lynn. She is the most amazing person ever to live. I will make a post just about her soon.

Good day lovelies,
Nat