2013 challenge?

The New Year is fast approaching and I'm trying to decide on a challenge to take up for my blog.

Based on experiences with my #AlphabetChallenge this past year, I know I can get pretty distracted and forget about posting for my challenge but I really want to try finding one I like and sticking to the post dates.

So far I'm thinking of either a motivation challenge or a photo challenge (assuming of course that I get that camera I want for Christmas)....or maybe I'll just take on some other random challenge that I buck up online.

I promise that by December 31st I'll let that cat out the bag, including the frequency of the post and any other particulars worth telling.

Oh and feel free to give me challenge ideas...I'm always game for feedback =]

help my charity this Christmas

One of the members of my charity entered the Foundation into a competition where we can receive a J$100,000 grant from a local company - Sagicor Life Jamaica.

You can read the submission below (or click here for a clearer image) and then vote for us by liking the photo on Facebook. After you've liked it, feel free to share it with your friends so we can get as many likes by December 19th when voting closes.

This is quite an opportunity for us, and with all the plans that the team and I have for 2013, the grant would definitely help us fund some of our projects with the Danny Williams Primary School for the Deaf and the Lister Mair Gilby High School for the Deaf.

So #GetInvolved and help us make a difference this Christmas. Let's get those likes up to at least 120 by December 19th!

super healthy potato chips

The average person sees potato chips and says 'oh yea these look good.'

But then there are the not so average people (like me) who read food packages and nutrition labels; comparing the calories, fat, carbs, sodium and vitamins and minerals before purchasing a snack (unless I really feel for a specific thing).

This week I met potato chips from heaven that are neither baked nor fried, and are gluten-free and vegan approved- Pop Chips.

It's almost like a potato chip for everyone, but of course the only problem is that there is as much air in the package as there are chips -_-

I tasted the plain chips, and to be honest I did consider how much nicer it probably would have tasted with a hint of salmon cream cheese. Honestly though it was a nice snack to curb that 'post-breakfast but pre-lunch' hunger that hit me. I figure the flavoured ones are nice too (and probably don't need any additions).

After some Googling I noticed that these chips are honestly like 'the international healthy potato chips'...and if you don't believe me, you can check it out on their website where the nutritional facts are available for all their products (they definitely make use of their website!).

I'm working on getting back in shape so finding the healthy snacks is a MUST because I'm quite the snack-er! 1 snack down, many others to go!

how do you know if you've found 'the one'?

Quite a few persons seem to think my boyfriend and I are just the bees-knees (which of course we are lol). Of course with that belief, every now and again I get a question which usually comes in one of two situations:
1. Single girl who is looking for that companion they can grow with and feels that her 'prince charming' isn't coming around...ever
2. Guy (sometimes single...other times in a relationship) who either honestly trust my advice or have some interest in me (more often than not, it's the latter...which while it is flattering, it's also a bit annoying).

What's the question you ask:  

How do you know he's the one?

The last time I was asked this question was by a number of high school students who after seeing my laptop wallpaper (I forgot to make it generic before going into that session) got into a series of questions about my life. I'm a proud and happy wifey, and since my session was to be a relaxed heart to heart with them, I didn't see anything wrong with me sharing even a little bit of relationship advice.
 
On a serious note though; I'm honestly usually a bit taken aback by the question because I really have no amazing fairytale answer to give (which can be quite a bummer for someone who's hoping for it)....but there is that princess part of me that kinda wishes I could formulate a fabulous fairytale answer even just for my own sake.

In answering I tend to look back at where my hunny and I are coming from, how our relationship started out and the journey we've had together so far. I usually smile (at least in my head) when I talk about this stuff, because there is comfort in knowing that we have grown...individually and together, and that there is a love and friendship that we share. 

Then usually after getting out all the cute stuff, there's the follow-up questions:  

1. But don't you ever wish you were still single?

2. Aren't there stuff that he does that bugs you? 

And my responses: 'no not really' to the first question...and 'yea' to the second. 

Unlike some people, I don't find my relationship to be a 'tie down' and that's probably because my boyfriend and I were friends before it got serious. And yes there are some things that he does that kinda annoy me...but I'm pretty darn sure there are stuff I do that annoy him. 

After that experience though I really started looking into this whole idea of 'is he the one.' Not because I don't imagine that there is a future for us together (preferably with the nice wedding, good kids, picket fence etc etc), but more so that I'll be better able to answer the question when asked again (particularly by teens who really are hopeful for a fairytale scenario). 

Then I found this video:

I think honestly that it's a good way to look at the situation (regardless of your religious standpoint). Instead of trying to find the perfectly amazing spouse...be the perfect spouse. And how do you do that? Be the best you that you can be. 

As he mentions in the video, you may be searching far and wide for that perfect person that fits your fairytale standard; but then you walk pass/overlook the real perfect person who you see ever so often. This person may not be a knight on a white horse/the perfect homemaker, but he/she may have all the qualities you need to sync with your qualities, so that together you can help each other realise your full potential both together and individually.

So instead of wondering whether or not you have found 'the one', ask yourself if you've found someone who will help you realise your full potential; just as you will help them realise theirs. 

You'll be surprised to know what you'll find hidden in a relationship you have with a friend/acquaintance. =]

2months, 2weeks and 4days later

It has been ages since I've posted....2months, 2weeks and 4days to be exact.

I'll admit that over the last few months it's been pretty crazy with me trying to balance jobs and projects and a short course I was taking. But now we're back to 'normal' and I promise to post more often!

Hopefully 'more often' will mean once a week but hey let's not push it.

I do have some stuff to post though. There's some beauty DIY stuff, updates on my charity projects, some random commentary on random stuff (as usual) and I even have some personal/motivational stuff to share with everybody (they'll probably get mixed into my random commentary).

So definitely keep on the look out for more from the blog in the next few weeks/months. =]