so this is what normal people do?

A few weeks have passed and I haven't blogged. Oops. So what in my world is new?

First things first, I'm not flying.

Obviously.

I write a blog, I love the sky, and you know as well as I do that I'd tell you all if I was suddenly back to work and hopping around the country. So please, please stop asking me. It's not something that I'm thrilled about, so understand that having to explain it 7 times a day to every single person that I encounter grows tiring. I'm not trying to be mean, but trust me... when I know something, so will you. I'm stressed enough already without the constant reminders. Moving on...

Ryan's sister had a beautiful baby girl on February 18! It's their second child and I have plenty of friends with kids that know me as Auntie, but this is the first legitimate soon-to-be-related baby to be born when I was in the country. Safe to say, I was pretty excited. She's gorgeous and I'm going to try to be her cool Auntie Krysta.

Our wedding is in 48 days. That means we leave for Mexico in 44 days, and while I'm excited beyond belief, it's all coming so fast! I've been so caught up in the madness that is buying a home, moving into said home, and trying to get my job back that time has just creeped up on me and all of a sudden I feel like we are running out of time!

We have been pretty darn awesome at keeping on top of our fitness, if I do say so myself. There have been a couple of cheat meals that have led to entire weekends filled with guilty pleasures, but for the most part we've been eating healthy, working out, and feeling great. With Lent beginning this week, I gave up chocolate as per tradition, but along with it I'm trying to give up all sorts of sugary treats. I hate to admit it, but I've got an addiction to all things sugary. I knew that sacrificing chocolate would only lead to binge eating other equally unhealthy treats, so I had to take drastic measures. I'd imagine that the way I feel right now is similar to the way that a smoker feels within days of quitting. I'm in withdrawal. No amount of sweet fruit will fill the void left by the absence of junk food.

My goal is not to lose weight, but to challenge myself and get healthier in the process. Sugar controls me, and I'm going to show it who's boss! No, I don't possess some crazy form of willpower. This is one of the most difficult things I've ever tried to do. I just want to sit here and stuff myself with cake and chocolate and specialty lattes. Mmm. Sugar.

I'm using my Project 366 to keep me busy. Taking a photo a day is not as easy as it sounds... not when you are picky, at least! I strive to have a great shot for each and every day, but more times than not I'm unsatisfied with what I post. I've been reassured by the photography community that that is entirely normal. What I think is a great photo now, might make me cringe in a year! If you are never satisfied, you'll never give up... not a bad thing, if you ask me!

Aside from that, my life has been relatively uninteresting. I don't have a lot to blog about, because I'm not traveling and I'm eating healthy.... food and vacation seem to be the inspiration for a large percentage of my blogs, and clearly what you all would rather hear about!

Until next time, eat some chocolate for me!

oh, it's already february

I'm officially sick of being on the ground. Okay, fine, I was sick of it a month ago... now I'm just reaching the point of serious withdrawal. I stare longingly at the sky as Boeing's soar overhead. I should be on those planes, but instead I'm here. On the ground.

After an unanticipated lack of income, I began searching for a second job. I'm now employed at a local cafe. It's a cool place designed for parents with young kids to enjoy a cup of coffee with friends while the kids drive toy cars around the track and climb through princess castles. I enjoy making fancy lattes, but I can't shake the feeling that I should be above this type of job. I mean that in the most literal sense, not to indicate that I'm any better of a person than a coffee shop employee. I'm better suited to 40,000 feet.

Aside from that, life is great. It's only 59 days until my wedding, and I'm so, so very excited. I can't wait to be on the beach with my best friends and family. I've been getting a lot of negative reactions from people who are against traveling to Mexico, but that's not making my excitement dwindle at all. I've been to some pretty scary places in this world, but never have I feared for my life in the Mayan Riveria. The media exaggerates everything.

In terms of wedding preparation, Ryan and I have been to the gym nearly every night this year. He's lost weight, and I feel strong.... for me, at least. Maybe when I eventually go back to work I'll actually be able to close the main cabin door with ease. Maybe.

In keeping with our aviation obsession, Ryan and I went a little bit overboard yesterday. While shopping at one of our favourite stores, I lit up upon discovery of the flight attendant "Career Barbie" that I've searched for... for a long time. Yeah, I'm 25 and I buy Barbie. I didn't think that I could get more excited until we turned the corner and found paradise. Airplane pillows and bedding galore. With each item I'd pick up, we'd find another equally awesome one. We threw everything into our cart and tried to convince ourselves to put it back on the shelves. It was no use. We left with everything. Our airplane themed guest bedroom is finally coming together. And no, we don't have some secret child that we bought all of this for.... but when and if we do ever have a little boy, he'll have absolutely no say in his bedroom decor. Ryan was just as thrilled about the end result as I was. You see why I'm marrying him?!

bring back the fun

When did everyone get so boring?

No offence, but really... where has the fun gone?!

I couldn't wait to grow up and have the freedom to do whatever I wanted. To be spontaneous. To live my life to the fullest, and not let anything hold me back. Up until now, I think I've done a pretty decent job fulfilling this philosophy. I've went on spur of the moment vacations. I've jumped out of a plane because it seemed like the best activity to do on short notice. I've gone on road trips, photo shoots, and adventures because they sounded like fun. These days I'm wondering who I've become and where the fun in me has gone.

It doesn't help that everyone else is so stuck in their daily routines that they don't have time to do much else. As somebody who absolutely hates making concrete plans, I find it excruciatingly painful trying to organize hanging out with friends weeks in advance. I suppose if there is one thing that I miss about Dubai, it's the like-minded people that I knew there. The kind of people who say "Let's go to Paris for the weekend" or a little bit of a less extreme "Hey, I'm bored... want to go for coffee, say, now?". That doesn't happen here. Spontaneity is relatively non-existent. Weekend trips are planned months in advance, and even a simple coffee date has to be penciled in ahead of time.

I realize that people are busy. I realize that a lot of things cost money and that a lot of people my age have family commitments that make it difficult to sway from the routine. Still, I find it sad. We take for granted our youth, our health, and our ability to enjoy living to the max.

It doesn't have to be much. Go for coffee with a friend that you haven't seen in far too long. Get in the car and drive with no destination. Go for a walk. Try something new. Buy a one way ticket across the world. Okay, that last one might take a teensy bit of planning ahead, but nothing is impossible. Come on people, be spontaneous! Live a little!

As I sit here flipping through photos of the last few years of my life, I'm missing my old self. It's not entirely a bad thing, because I'm now feeling inspired to get out and do something fun. So you know what I did today? I went to the gym. Random and adventurous? No. But I typically only go at night, so it was a whole new way to spend my afternoon. On the way home, I stopped at Wal-Mart for the sake of enjoying my day... it's one of my favourite places to be, as crazy as that makes me sound. I came home and made some Vietnamese salad rolls! Oh, and I blogged. Even though I didn't intend to blog. I know it doesn't sound that exciting, but I broke away from the routine and I made my day a little bit better just by doing things that weren't planned. You should try it, right about now!