Taking my happyness into my own hands.

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been in a little funk lately, I really appreciated to book and lecture suggestions--i listened to them and even ordered a book. I'm ready to take this head on and figure out how to feel more excited about this life I have (and don't worry about me, i'm not that bad, just want to feel happier).

As a part of that, i'm making a few changes in my day to day life--like cooking at home more, going to the gym more regularly, leaving my phone at home more often, and as a more exciting part of this change--i've decided to become a better seamstress. I grew up with a mother who could make it all--anything I could sketch out, she could create and to perfect fit. She's a bit of a perfectionist, so rather than let me do it (and do it wrong) she would generally just take over my sewing projects, and since I can be a little bit lazy (and i knew full well that if she did it, it would be a lot better) I would generally let her without a peep. So, although i can probably sew better than some, it's still not great.

But a friend of mine shared with me this super silly Simplicity Pattern video from the 1950s that is really corny and probably somewhat sexists if you looked even a little bit into it, but nonetheless, it accomplished it's goal of inspiring women to want to sew, at least for me. I'm putting this on the blog as a sort of accountability tactic. I'm going to go to the fabric store this week and my goal is to sew something this weekend--hoping it will get me feeling like my old self.

What are your tricks for feeling good?

Do you have any talents you'd like to explore deeper?

 <<what i wore>>
hat//free people sale (buy similar here $11)
'm' necklace//divas boutique in tempe (buy similar here $30)
turquoise necklace//forever21 (buy here $10)
leather belt//(old) j.crew
zella dress// free people (buy it here $88)
leather mexican purse//vintage (similar here)
gold bracelets//stylelately, vintage, a beautiful heart
sandals//(old) old navy (similar here $22)
hair//beach curl tutorial here

back to our roots--i need your help!

This week we're getting ready for an adventure of a lifetime.

We're packing our bags and saying "Farvel!""Auf Wiedersehen!" and "Ciao!" to the States, making our way across the sea and meeting up with all the Nielson's in Denmark.

Ma & Pa Nielson are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and it was Pa's dream to be back on the Danish Island, Bornholm, where his favorite ancestor came, and he wanted to be there with all his children. Obviously, we were all in MAJOR support of his dream and since we were all the way across the pond, Marcus and I decided it would be best to stay a little longer and make our way down to Germany & Austria (where Marcus served his mission).....and since we were already on the way, I insisted on a few stops in Italy as well.

It's going to be an insane few weeks--we did all of our bookings through Airbnb, so we'll be staying in people's homes--which I'm a big believer in, I don't think you can every truly experience a culture until you've lived with someone from it. I can hardly wait!

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So...what I'd love to hear from you is any suggestions for a long trip--what to pack? what not to pack? what to see while we're in those countries? what to eat? etc.

I will love you forever for your suggestions!

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{Wardrobe} Wednesday: Purusha People

This year I am going to focus more on my health. I like to have themed years when setting goals. Good things tend to happen to me when I have a theme.

First it was Yes Year--and that was the year I said yes to getting set up after many years of refusal, it was that 'set up' in which i met Marcus. 

Then there was Love Year, which also happened to be the year I got engaged and married.

So this year I am declaring Be Strong Year. 

Perhaps it was that one time I googled my name and this picture showed up...

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It's pretty inspirational if you ask me.

No, really. I have absolutely no desire to look anything like that, but I do have a desire to feel strong and healthy and not like I'm going to faint if I run a quarter of a mile...So I will strive each day to get up from my computer desk and MOVE, bike, run, skip, skate. I will crawl out of my bed and do some push-ups or some sit-ups. I will finally put that Jillian Michaels DVD in and give it a try. I will visit my neighborhood yoga studio. And I will be strong.

And while I'm being strong I might as well look kinda cute in the most comfortable yoga clothes on the etsy planet...because leggings that don't go see-through? sign me up!

Do you have a theme for this year?

the breakdown:

microorganism t-shirt (softest in the WORLD): purusha

cutest freakin' irezumi leggings: c/o purusha

p.s. i love the owner/designer. she's the nicest!

23 1/2...

Something to think about while setting our New Year Goals:

bucket lists.

While in Ireland I made a list of 'Life Goals'. Most rather extreme, but life is for living, so why not make it count?One was dancing the Tango in Buenos Aires.As soon as I got back I found an Argentine Tango class at ASU and I fell in love.It's a dance with so much emotion and since I'm a closet actress, I love to do anything that allows for character development. 

Dancing at ASU with my favorite friend from Germany

I danced it for 2 years before moving to Idaho and saying goodbye to my favorite hobby. Before I agreed to marry Marcus, I told him he'd either have to learn the tango, or be okay with the fact that I was, at some point, going to go to Argentina and dance with some man that was not him. And I was going to like it very much.He didn't so much like the second idea, so he agreed to the first.Ahhh, that's my boy...Finally the time has come, we found a class taught by my ASU teacher, but it's at a community college in the area so we don't have to pay university tuition. We start at the end of this month and I'm completely ecstatic!I've attached a few videos for your viewing pleasure. The first one's rather passionate, just so you know.The second is a couple that I took a three day workshop from, they're really amazing and super nice, and the last one is my beautiful and talented teacher.
What's on your bucket list?