Summer List 2015

For years I have made seasonal lists but always kept them to myself. I posted my first official list last year and I think I want to make this a regular occurrence. Seasonal lists are fun. They are filled with things I, or now we, would like to do during a specific season, whether it's trying a new restaurant, being creative, doing something we haven't done before, or going on a trip. 

Sometimes it is a little depressing to see the list barely even tackled. Life happens, and it can get the best of us. I believe that the effort counts, and with a list it is at least easier to go about a new project or trip or discovery. I am trying to accomplish most of what is on my list and thought I'd share it with you.  It will be fun to come back here, cross some things off, and create some fun memories along the way. Here's to a fabulous summer of 2015!! 

• Travel to Europe to see my mom and a few friends! {unfortunately, this has changed but in a way I am in Europe right now, and I am seeing friends...but life has drastically changed}
• Organize life and paperwork {so hard, my dear lovers...it's sooooo darn hard}
• Return home to my favorite person {fingers crossed early July it happens}; {finally happened 7.23}
• Bake a fruit pie
• Make a yogurt pie
• Go to the lake {did this almost every day in Switzerland; hopefully in California I'll do the same}
• Go to the ocean
• Go the farmer's market {update will follow}
• Make sangria or mojitos or both
• Read at least 6 books - two per month
• Make popsicles
• Happy Hour in San Francisco or near the ocean!
• Go back to Napa Valley and enjoy some great wines and eateries {9/2/15}
• Start growing our own herb garden {rosemary, basil, thyme and mint...we have the space!}
• Go to the beach and make a two-day trip out of it
• Visit Southern California if time allows
• Make new friends
• Explore smaller towns around the area
• Spend a lot of time with family and Swiss friends {early July I went to Istanbul for a family reunion and wedding...long but wonderful weekend; update with follow}
  
• Work out three times a week and not just once or twice
• Prioritize life and cherish moments

*List updated as of 9/3/15 

Do you ever make seasonal lists? Would love to hear if you have anything planned for this summer since it's officially about to start! {Can you believe it!?}

As many of you know, my mom passed away almost one month ago. I cannot believe how fast time flies. I was able to see her, talk to her and assure her I am fine and happy. It was one of the hardest things I had to do in life. I had to let go of someone I love. I am not alone in this. One of my dear friends lost her mom when she was 16, and now even almost twenty years later it still hurts. I think this feeling will never fully vanish but we learn how to live with it and how it guides us in life. Mom would want me to live on and cherish each moment. I will with this list for sure. I always make lists, and today I think this list has an even bigger and better meaning!!!!

Happy summer 2015!!!!

xoxo

image via here

4 Movies I'm Running to the Theater to See This Summer

Hey it's me, Sierra from Simply Sierra blog! Selma asked me to guest post while she's moving, so I told her I'd be happy to do it! ;) Lately I've been going to more movies than I usually do. This spring (and soon to be summer) has been packed full of fantastic flicks that I just had to see. So far two of my favorites have been The Longest Ride and Insurgent. Big surprise there, huh? ;) I still have to see Furious 7 which I have heard is a tear jerker because of the dedication to Paul. The nice part about this spring/summer is that there are still many awesome movies to come! I love it when finally there are some great movies to see. Here are 4 movies I'll be running to the theater to see. Will you?

1) Pitch Perfect 2

{via IMDB}

Release Date: May 15th

I love a movie where there is a lot of singing, and of course all of our favorite characters are back to sing, compete, and win our hearts with their incredible banter. This film stars three of my faves: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Hailee Steinfeld, and I can't wait to see them singing a new song or two!

2) Jurassic World 

{via IMDB}

Release Date: June 12th 

Can you believe that Jurassic Park originally opened in 1993? I can't and I still remember being totally in awe of this film as a little girl (yes my parents let me watch it when I was 10) and the magic it brought to the screen. I love a good action and thriller, and Jurassic Park brought it all. Starring Chris Pratt, a dinosaur tamer (good luck to him ha ha), I think this film will be magical. Of course the Indominus rex gets loose and all hell is going to break loose! I can't wait to see what happens.

3) Tomorrowland

{via IMDB}

Release Date: May 22nd

Tomorrowland is based off -- yes you guessed it -- Tomorrowland from Disneyland! I guess there isn't a lot about this film so far, other than it stars George Clooney, a reclusive inventor, Britt Robertson who plays Casey and gets to see the magical world, and Hugh Laurie, the dictator of this universe. I love everything Disney so of course I'll be headed to the theater to see this. With great actors and I'm sure a beautiful land, I really hope this film does well. Besides, it has 3 of my favorite actors!

4) Magic Mike XXL 

{via EW.com}

Release Date: July 1st 

Hello Channing Tatum! Who needs Vegas when you have Magic Mike? J/K, well, kind of. ;) I am guilty of watching these films just because it's sooo much fun watching them dance. Plus, who doesn't love Channing Tatum? Good thing his wife is okay sharing him with all of us, otherwise I don't think the film would be nearly as successful as it has been (besides Matt Mcconaughey who won't be in this flick). However I think Joe Manganiello will make up for Matt not gracing us with his presence. This time around they're headed to Myrtle Beach for an annual stripping convention. Big surprise there? ;) Let's have some fun and enjoy this film this summer!

So did I miss any films? What films will you be running to see? 

Maintaining your Friendships while in a Relationship

Hey my lovely readers,

As I am busy taking care of business in Switzerland, and also kind of mentally help my favorite person move from one place to another {yes, we are moving, and yes, I am not there to help out...cannot change fate or terrible circumstances} I have Lindsay write a post for you today. Don't forget to stop by at her blog and check her out. :)

Have a wonderful week.

S

P.s. if you were wondering what is up with my fonts or not...this blog does not like me today...it just does not.

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It is incredibly important to maintain your friendships and your identity in a relationship, I cannot stress this enough: do not dump or abandon all of your girlfriends when you enter into a relationship.

I know that's typically what happens when you enter into a new relationship, but it's so important to maintain those friendships because those are the friends that are always going to be there for you, through thick and thin and when you need them most.  

When we enter into a new relationship, you're getting to know the person and your life is all about that person, you want to spend every minute with them and sometimes, we neglect our friends because we're simply happy and trying to navigate our way through a new relationship.  The key is finding balance.  This applies to new relationships, whether you've been together with someone for 6 months or even married, it's all the same.  It's important to cultivate that relationship with your partner, but it's also important to take time for yourself and time with your friends in order to grow, to mature, to be able to vent or bounce ideas off of.

You won't realise just how important these friends are to you until they're no longer there. 

Trust me.

In high school, I just wanted to be done and over with it and move on with my life.  I'd always felt like I was more mature than others my age due to circumstances in life and also being an only child. Couple that along with just being sick of high school drama, BS and cliques, I just wanted no part.

So, as a result, I buried myself in school, night school and I ended up graduating one year ahead of my friends.  By graduating early, I left the few friends that I did have and with living in another town as well, I rarely saw any of those people thereafter.

Fast forward almost 15 years later and I can tell you this -- it is hard making friends and meeting new people as an adult.  Not impossible, but also not easy.

So while it's important to foster and build your friendships and relationships in life, it's equally as important making time for your significant other to show them just how much he or she means to you. Don't wait until tomorrow or when it's too late to tell those you care about just how much they mean to you. 

 

Life is short; live, love and zero regrets.

About Lindsay:

Lindsay is 31 and lives just north of Toronto with her husband and two fur-kids, Charlie and Baxter.   You can find her over at: www.theflynnigans.com where she writes about life, fitness, food, travel, marriage and her love of animals.  She works in a stressful corporate job in the legal field so in her down time, she pet sits and dog walks to give back.  When she isn't working or blogging, Lindsay loves to travel, read, SCUBA dive, take photographs, spend time with her family and indulge in far too much reality television. 

 

When Life Teaches You A Lesson

One week ago today my mom passed away. Suddenly, too soon, too fast, and so not expected. The initial shock, the madness, the crazy thoughts, the sadness, and the angry thoughts are gone. The shock is gone. Acceptance....well, what else can one do but to accept what happened. If I could I would turn back time. If I could I would do a lot of things differently. Yet, everything happens for a reason.

My mom wasn't sick, wasn't old, but had unfortunate circumstances happening to her that medically speaking it wasn't possible to heal a thing, or anything. I had to listen to doctors and surgeons telling me that medically speaking it is not possible; that they have tried everything they could have; that literal shit like this can happen and is happening now. Imagine me, fully jet lagged, exhausted already from stress, sitting in a sterile room at 9pm on a Tuesday night looking into a doctor's eyes and hearing the unspeakable...shock is all I felt, I still feel it sometimes. I am beyond happy I could see her, talk to her, assure her I am happy and yes, I AM HERE. I was hoping this would help in some way, hoping it would heal her and give her body strength but I was mistaken.

What I am left with is a mess of paperwork that needs to be handled, an apartment that needs to be emptied, and items of mine that need to be shipped abroad. It's a doable mess but it is overwhelming. I have no siblings and no close family that could help. I have a few friends and I know they will help, and I am not afraid to ask for help. I am going to give up part of my life here in Switzerland, part of me, but that part will live on and I will not forget where I am coming from, and who I am. I promised this to my mom, and I stand to my promise.

As I am mourning the loss of my best friend, of my mom, I hope I won't disappoint some of you by not posting as much. Life will resume, and it must but in due time. Blogging will not be a major part of my life this summer, or at least not until I am back home reunited with my favorite person. He sadly couldn't join me. I wish he was here. I really really wish. I need strength, and I need help but I know I am not alone in this. It's struggles that make us stronger, and this struggle is already making me stronger.

Hope you are having a great day.
Go out, hug someone, say hello, and thank you, and cherish the moments...any moment...even the ones that you want to throw away and yell at. Cherish those too. Trust me. 

Miss you all.

xoxo

image via here

May Food Challenge

Happy Friday everyone! Can you believe it's already May? Time sure flies but this doesn't stop me from living life and exploring new things.

For the past four months I have been eliminating certain foods from my diet to not only challenge me but to get back into bikini/swimsuit shape. I have given up sweets, alcohol, dairy, and sodas/sweet teas. It has been a great challenge so far. My taste buds still love me, and I have a better appreciation for food and drinks. Giving up certain foods has helped me be more conscious when it comes to grocery shopping and cooking. Also, I decided to continue to give up sodas unless we go to a BBQ and there are sodas available. I may give in for a day which will be fine. After all, my month of no soda is over so I can squeeze in a soda or two. 

This month I am giving up any snack food like chips or popcorn or there like. This won't be as difficult but it will be still challenging. Popcorn basically is kind of a healthy snack yet I love to add butter to it and then it becomes bad. Chips are my weakness. I love barbecue flavored chips. I could devour an entire bag when I'm bored. Plus, with warmer weather and spring events happening all over chips are always around.

At home I can easily replace snack food with veggie sticks, unsalted nuts, and fruits. Yet, when you are invited to parties this will be a challenge. Then again, we won't be invited around here, so this shouldn't be an issue. I know I can do this, it will be just interesting to go around my beloved {unhealthy} snacks.

Wish me luck!

image via here
also linking up with Globetrotting in Heels