it’s supposed to be fun.

by 15 Comments

Like a lot of people, I have that wonderful ability to make even the greatest of things feel like something that is stressful, dreadful, and…well, not fun.

 

Don’t get me wrong – I don’t think that everything in life is always going to be fun. I understand that a lot of life’s processes and experiences require hard work and sometimes even a good deal of pain. But sometimes it seems like we take things that should only lend to our quality of life and turn them into a burden.

job opportunities.
hobbies.
being healthy.
relationships.
even planning parties, vacations, etc.

With things like this, I think it’s important to always look at the bigger picture. Even if something is stressing you out, take a step back and look at how it fits into the grand scheme of things. Is it really something worth getting worked up about? Or is it something that you should actually be enjoying? I’d actually argue that the more you enjoy something, the more you’ll be successful with it…

So do things you love.
And if you have the option, stop doing the things you don’t love.
Remember to play.
Enjoy the process.
Have fun.

noteworthy.

by 18 Comments

It’s Thursdayyyy. I like that. A lot.

This week has been a bit of a busy one so far, but a great one nonetheless. Here are some noteworthy moments I captured in the midst of the busy-ness.

I made Chocolate Toffee Bark for the first time for a little get-together on Tuesday. It had always been a favorite treat of mine, but I never made it myself. Who knew it was SO easy to make?! Just four ingredients.

Definitely a new go-to recipe.

The bark was definitely a hit, but not as much of a stunner as the incredible rooftop view as the sun set. New York City moment, right there…

That same day I also made a batch of Double Chocolate Chip Heath Bar Cookies as part of a gift for a certain someone. I used a basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but added milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and Heath Bar pieces. They turned out great!

And since I’m all about balance over here at GML, I also made it a point to hit the gym every morning (can you tell by my barely open eyes? haha).

I think this whole exercise thing is finally turning into a habit - as is some better eating choices - like this healthy and filling noteworthy breakfast from Fuel.

(Just because I’m eating better, it doesn’t mean I’ve forgone my beloved Seamless ;))

And this Zing Bar I grabbed from Whole Foods. It’s very LARABAR-esque but with more protein. Loved it.

Definitely noteworthy this week has been the weather. We had some rain here and there, but yesterday in particular was a b-e-a-u-t. It made it the perfect day to run a ton of (mostly wedding-related) errands. From Tribeca, to Union Square, to Times Square, and everywhere in between…

…and yes, I squeezed in just a bit of shopping for myself. My favorite sunglasses broke and just had to be replaced.

Some noteworthy snippets from my devotionals this week:

And last but not least, you know I’m a sucker for good quotes…

 

 

What has been noteworthy about your week so far?
Any new recipes or food finds?

this time last year.

by 9 Comments

Recently my roommate Trish told me about the TimeHop app, which every day sends you your social media activity from the same date from one (two, three) year(s) ago. It’s so crazy and fun to see what I was up to at this time last year!

As much as time seems to have flown by, I literally cannot believe how much has changed over the past 12 months. I’ve experienced things I’ve never imagined, learned so much more about myself, and formed relationships with people I didn’t even know this time last year.

Sometimes looking back or dwelling on the past can be a bad thing, but often times it can be such an amazing indicator of God’s faithfulness and His plan for our lives. Who would’ve ever guessed that there would be an app for that? 😉

Where were you this time last year? In what ways have you grown/changed?

scenes from the weekend.

by 13 Comments

Another fun Friday night in the city with my favorite chick – check.

Saturday started out as a low key day with a quick workout, followed by getting my hair done at Rizza Salon. Gotta keep the blonde fresh!

After a few hours of catching up on Breaking Bad I made the last minute decision to go out Saturday night.

All’s well that ends with chicken & waffles at 2am.

The feasting continued on Sunday with a visit to SmorgasBar. I had no idea that my favorite food vendors also set up camp in Manhattan!

The rest of Sunday included some shopping, which was a success when I found this cute and flowy Under Skies dress. Not a success – trying to take uninterrupted selfies of it 😉

Then there was church in the evening, followed by dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Momoya.

What a great weekend, from start to finish!

As usual, will leave you with some inspiration for this Monday…

What was the highlight of your weekend?