remember when...

Every once in awhile I question life, what I am doing and the choices I make.  I think this pushes me to be stronger and helps keep me stimulated.  Some choices are easy, others take lots of thought.  Sometimes we have to weigh out the options before we make a final decision because every action we take will eventually have a reaction.   I am always a thinker and analyze many outcomes in my head... pretty much about everything.  Sometimes I wish I were not this way because I often over analyze a lot of things.

Whether we make the "right" choice or not, every experience plays a part in our journey and can be learned from.  I will sporadically think about what my life would be like if I had done things a little different.   As Jams would say to me, "Would of, should of and could of are the three worst things you can think about.  It doesn't matter what you could, should or would have done, it's what you did.  Keep looking forwards, not backwards."  Geez, so true!

Well, I think that sometimes we don't realize the importance of experience until afterwards.  It's kind of like when you were growing up and your parents would tell you, "Someday, you'll thank me for this.  I'm teaching you a lesson!"  Ugh, really.   Sad but true, they were right... (did you hear that Mom!)

People are awesome too.  We meet people all the time.  Interacting, chatting, doing business - we are constantly communicating.  Many people we encounter throughout our lives come and go.  But there are certain people who inspire us to be better and push ourselves.  People who believe in us in that moment that we don't believe in ourselves.   It's because of those feel-good people and feel-good experiences that we look back.  Memories are made and sometimes never forgotten.  This is why we take lots of pictures and meet up with old friends to reminisce about the good old times.  And I know it's not just me; we all have those moments where we wish we could go back and relive something again.

We can't though.  Each memory and experience builds on itself and if you think about it, without all of those things, we would not be the strong and amazing creatures we are today.  Each memory does serve a purpose.  That purpose is so we can reflect back and remember why we choose the path we are on :)

doggies and diego.

Wow, what a fun weekend!  Jams and I got up obnoxiously early on Saturday and took the pugs to Huntington Beach Dog Beach.  They luved it...

It was maybe a bit too early though... the tide was still in forcing us to walk through some rough waters.  Poor little Peanut almost drown!  Good thing she was wearing her harness so I could grab her and save her!

We worked up quite an appetite and decided before we gave the dogs a bath we would need some food.  Yum!  Breakfast Sandwiches!

Yummy Breakfast Sandwiches

by Madame Calcagno

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients (serves 2)

• Hashbrowns
• Pieces of Vegan Sausage
• Lettuce
• Tomato, Sliced
• Portobello Mushrooms, Sliced
• Veganaise
• Avocado

Instructions

Cook hashbrowns and sausage according to package. I use Trader Joe's frozen hashbrowns and they usually cook in about 10 minutes.

I then sauteed the portobello mushrooms with a little bit of oil.

If you are an egg lover, cook the eggs up to your liking.

I made my sandwhich on cracked wheat sourdough, but you can use whatever bread you like. Jams used a bagel for his creation.

Layer the final ingredients on your choice of bread and BAM! Breakfast is served!

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After breakfast, it was off to the showers.  The dogs were filthy!  After their grease bath the other night under the barbecue and now the sand is everywhere; a shower was not even an option!

Before we knew it, it was afternoon... we had to get moving!  Our friends were already having fun celebrating Kristin's Birthday and we were missing margaritas!  

Thankfully it was a short drive... Hello San Diego!  We were staying at the Hilton in Gaslamp and checked in quickly so we could continue our adventure.  We headed out to roam the streets with self made fun beverages in our sippy cups... we had some catching up to do.

We went to a little Mexican restaurant and ate a little food before heading back to the hotel to meet up with our friends.  As soon as we got back, everyone was there!  Yay!  Happy Birthday Kristin♥

Jams made me an amazing Tree Dress for the party.  Took him like three days!  Thanks baby :) 

 Time to go dancing!  We went to Onyx Room and saw our friend Renato Dinis spin... awesome!

What a great weekend having fun with friends :) We had so much fun we thought it might be best to come home and have a nice little Sunday Funday with the pugs... AKA nap day!

flashback.

This may seem really random, but have you seen the move You Again?  I was rummaging through my Netflix the other day and came across this comedy and was in the mood for something light and funny so this one won.  It was kind of corny, as most chick flicks are, but it did have a good message that brought me back...

Before I start my ranting, let me catch you up and get you on the same page.  Basically, nerdy girl gets picked on in high school by bully girl.  They go separate ways in life... nerdy girl gets called back into town for brother's wedding.  Brother is marrying bully girl.  Typical!  Through the movie, all nerdy girl wants is acknowledgement from bully girl... apologies for being a bully.  But bully girl does not give any indication that she even remembers her and the war begins - you want the rest, go watch the movie!  It's actually really funny :)

My story... I had a great time growing up.  If you know me from back then, you know I was all about having a good time.  Sometimes so much of a good time that it was at the expense of someone else.  I luved my friends more than anything and spent as much time with them as possible!  But, I was not always the nicest girl.  Much of my high school and college days were spent convincing my friends to skip class, talk smack and chasing boys - my favorite!  Back then I believed those were "the days" and I definitely enjoyed them to the fullest.  Looking back now, I probably hurt a lot of people in my path and those bad decisions that I made impacted a lot of people.  It was my own immaturity and insecurities that really shine through now when I reflect back.  Unfortunately, I can not go back in time and change my behavior.  In fact, those days will always be a part of me and to anyone that I ever offended or hurt, I am very sorry.  I often have this fear when I go back to my home town that I will run into someone that will remember something horrible about me from my past and throw it in my face.  A lot of the inspiration behind my transformation was to start over and be a good person. 

I made a promise to myself and to the world a long time ago that I would do good and be good.  As Gandhi says, "Be the change you want to see in the world" ...I believe that each of us have the power to change.  I talk a lot about being healthy and making lifestyle changes.  Positivity is a lifestyle change.  Confidence is a lifestyle change.  It's not all about what you eat (...although it is a big part of it!) or how you look, it's how you feel!  It's how you feel about yourself; it's about how you feel about others.  Your compassion, your luv of live and the aura you put into the universe.  Know that smiling at a stranger can make their day brighter.  Paying it forward is not only good for your own Karma, it makes others feel good too.  When they feel good... that will be passed onto someone else... and someone else... and the domino effect continues!

I know now that I am true and good.  All of my bad choices in life have resulted in a lot of experiences, both good and bad, that helped mold me into who I am today.  Thankfully, I have the opportunity everyday to be a good person... and so do you :)