What I wanted in a Man, and what I have now

Wow from the title above this is serious.

I originally started this post the day after my first date with Jake, and needless to say I never got around to finishing it or publishing it. 

About a month before I met Jake I had my fair share of ups and downs, in the dating world. 

I had come to find out what I wanted in a man and things I didn't.

Here are a few things I wanted my future man to know:

I want him to be able to bring me from 0 to 100 and back to 0 in a few simple words.

I want that spark when touching him to always be there.

I want to stay up and talk all night, and not worry about how I am going to feel the next day - better yet, do that and still feel amazing the next day.

I want a man that thinks I am so incredible he never wants to leave.

I want a man that opens the door for me.

I want a man that asks me questions, to always get to know me better.

I want a man that will love me for me.

I want a man that is weird like I am, and I want our weirdness to come together and fall in love.

I want a man that can guide me spiritually.

I want a man that will lead me.

I want a man that will teach me.

I want a man that wants to please me.

I want a man that will lift me up and encourage me.

I want a man that will keep me on my toes intellectually.

I want a man that is ALWAYS on time, and feels the same way I do: early is on time, and on time is late.

I want a man that will stand up to me and tell me no, in a way that makes me want to do what he says.

I want a man that sees my inner beauty, not my physical appearance.

I want a man that can appreciate nice things.

I want a man that takes care of himself physically, meaning keeps his hair trimmed, nails groomed, and is over all hygienic.

Here are a few things I didn't want in my future man:

A man that doesn't know how to dress.

A man that doesn't appreciate nice things.

A man that is cheap.

A man that wants more then 2 children. 

A man that drives a crappy car.

A man that uses foul language.

A man that is not hygienic.

A man that feels he always has to be right.

A man that is more worried about pleasing himself then me.

A man that is simple minded.

A man that doesn't appreciate boundaries.

Like I said in the beginning this is a list of a FEW things I wanted and didn't want in a man.

I had a crazy few weeks right before I met Jake and it truly changed my opinion of men, and not for the good. After all of that I found out what my heart really desired.

I have to admit Jake had a lot of walls to break down, but I am happy he was able to break them down, and we are in the most amazing place now. 

I can honestly say that Jake truly checks off all of my wants and don't wants, except for one. 

The one thing we are both working towards, is becoming closer to God as a couple. I know that in time we will be a couple before God, and have his blessing.

Even though Jake checks off all of my wants and don't wants, I have realized that checking off a list, is not what it is about. 

Granted I think it is important to know what you want and don't want, however I now know that love isn't about that. It is about compromise and loving unconditionally. 

Jake is truly the man of my dreams, and I am so thankful that I found him. He is exactly what I had always wanted, even before I knew it.

Where have I been?!?

Hello All!

It has been WAY too long!

Needless to say, I have been busy with life...

To re-cap the last year in one sentence would be: A dream come true

Why a dream come true you ask? Well let me start from the beginning...

On November 23, 2013 I was set up on a blind date. I was set up by a coworker who recently saw me go on a few bad dates. He told me he had the perfect friend for me. (who would have thought he would be right!)

The first date was not impressive. However we did talk about alot of controversial topics that are normally taboo on the first date.  I loved this! It was nice to be open and honest in the very first days of our relationship.

The second date was by far the BEST date I have ever been on in my life. It was truly magical. He picked me up from my house (I lived two hours out of the way) and we were off to Napa. He planned a private tour at one of my favorite wineries, V Sattui, and had a picnic lunch planned. After lunch he had a second tour set up at Chandon, a winery he was very familiar with but that I had never visited before. We took a private tour of the cellars and learned how Chandon Champagne is made. After the tour we we had a private tasting. The tour guide while serving us asked how long we had been together. We both looked at each other and laughed. She had no idea it was our second date. When we told her she was shocked, and said our chemistry was amazing and it seemed like we had been together forever. We think back to that day from time to time and laugh. She saw us even before we saw us. She could see something in us that we didn't even see yet. Needless to say we have created an amazing relationship with her, and make it a point to see her every time we go to Napa. After all that he had planned dinner at the exclusive etoile restaurant. Again dinner was amazing. The food, the conversation, and the handsome guy I was starting at. It was truly the best date I had ever been on, and sparked a love that only happens in fairy tales.

 Here is our first official picture, while we were on the wine tour that day in Napa.

Needless to say our dates just kept getting better!

Our third date was at the gun range! Who would have thought a gun range could be so fun! Knowing that he knew how to use a gun, and use it well was reassuring and comforting in a strange way. I appreciated that he could protect me. 

From then our time together jut kept getting better and better. 

Soon it was Christmas time, and we decided we wanted to cut down our very first tree together. 

We headed to Santa Cruz and picked a beautiful White Fur.

We brought it home and decorated it together that night! 

Our love story just kept getting better and better as time went on. 

We would spend every weekend doing something amazing...

We took a few trips to Santa Cruz and Halfmoon Bay, and other various fun things. 

Some of my favorite weekend getaways were to Tahoe, where he taught me to ski again. 

After only a few short months of dating, I knew he was the one. I knew I was ready to take the next steps and move in together. All of our families thought we were crazy and that we were moving too fast. 

I have heard it time and time again that when you know, you know. I never believed it until I met him. I knew I wanted to be with him, and took the plunge. We quickly found an adorable little apartment in south San Jose and moved in together. 

The first few months seemed to go by so fast... 

Things are finally settling down a little, and I can now sit and truly enjoy this time we have together. 

The honeymoon phase is over and we are now settling in to our daily lives as a couple.  

This is the time we are truly getting to know each other and are falling more and more in love. 

So that is where I have been in a nut shell. 

It has been the most amazing year of my life. There are times I have to pinch myself and ask if it is all real. It is real, and this is my life. I tell him everyday that I have waited my whole life for him, and for these moments, and its true. 

My fairy tale is finally happening and I couldn't be happier with the man that stands by my side. 

Week 1 Down!

Week 1 of Medifast is done!

Yay!

I made it!

Yesterday marked my 1 week of the Medifast program. 

I have to say some days were easier then others, but overall I think I can do this for the next 9months. 

The hardest things was going to the grocery store. I will have to retrain myself, to not look at everything I used to eat, but only stick to the things I can eat, and focus on those items. 

So far this week I have lost 10 pounds. This is huge! 10 pounds in 1 week, is awesome!

It is so inspiring. It makes me not want to cheat! And if I do cheat I am only cheating myself!

Overall I think I am in this for the long hall. 

It isnt going to be easy, but the results will be life changing!

Day 1 of Medifast

Hello Friends & Family,

August 10, 2013 marks the first day of my weight loss journey.

I am excited to say that I have chosen to start the Medifast weight loss program.

This is a program that will help me loose over 78 pounds in the next 9 months.

My goal is to be 129 pounds by my 29^th birthday. (April 25, 2014)  (I really want to be in a bikini next summer)

The program is a simple 5 & 1 plan. This meaning I will have 5 of the Medifast meals per day and 1 of my own meals.

Yay! This is great news!

Today was the first day of my journey, and it was harder then I thought in some ways and easier then I thought in other ways. 

The morning routine was a little off as I am not allowed heaps of coffee creamer any more. A change that I am sure I will get used to. (They even have mocha mix that you can add to your coffee - I will be purchasing this for next week)

By mid morning I was hungry but not starving. I had the mixed berry shake and it was better then expected, but I know for next time I need to let it sit a little longer before I drink up. 

Lunch was chicken and wild rice. Surprisingly it was very good, but again I know that next time I need to let it sit a little longer. 

By 3pm I was hungry. It hit me like a rush. Weird I know but it was like I hadn't eaten anything, but I had. I had a major energy crash, and know that mid day is going to be the hardest for me. I will have to make sure and have a Medifast meal on hand when this happens to avoid making bad choices. 

Dinner came and went, and because I was at a birthday party, and wasn't able to eat exactly 2 hours after my last meal, by the time dinner did come, I scarfed it down in 30 seconds. (No Joke!)

How ever I learned from some amazing friends that I could be doing some things a little wrong. 

1. On the program I need to eat 3 cups of veggies per day. This is called my lean and green. What I didn't know is 3 cups of veggies is 24oz. 

Have you ever eaten in your life 24oz of veggies per day. I am willing to bet not. 

Just to put it into perspective (As my friend Jen did for me) 16oz is an entire family sized tub of lettuce, the ones you buy in the bulk section of Costco, that takes an entire family a week to eat. 

Haha, I have to eat that plus half of another one PER DAY. 

I am so excited. I get to eat veggies like a pig! I basically can have as much as I can get in my mouth all day long.  This is going to change things for sure. 

I know I am only on day one, but I am so excited to be here and have the support of amazing friends that have done or are doing this with me. (Well I guess technically I am doing it with them)

I am excited to see how my body changes over the next few months. 

With some new tricks and tips, I know I will be successful in my journey to loose weight. 

Before picture:

Rehab: Baggy Dark Circles

You look exhausted!

Are you sick?

I bet you could use a good nights rest!

Such flattering questions slash statements are almost surely inspired by one doggone thing:

Baggy, saggy, droopy, poopy, dark under eyes.

And those same bags inspire this question that I receive maybe every single day of my life:

How do I fix mine?

It’s time I address that.

First things first. We’d like to avoid having them at all. 

The way to do that is:

gulping some major aqua

getting your beauty sleep

taking your vitamins

being born that way

I am aware that some (if not all) of the things on that list cannot always be attained, especially with babies around. I am also aware that (due to genetics) some of us (yes I said us, as in me too) could sleep for the rest of 2013 with an IV pumping fluids and vitamins into our veins and still be baggin’

In that case we move to damage control:

Get yourself a de-puffer:

It took me a looong time to finally try this. I don’t know why, it just seemed gimmicky or something.  Finally I bought it and have never looked back. The de-puff and take the edge of those bags in no time. 

Now for the makeup:

Starting with:

Usually dark circles come with some form of puff. The problem comes when you cover just the dark circle under your eye.  Aside from the risk of looking like you’ve been wearing tanning bed goggles you have to deal with the concealer actually bringing out and drawing attention to your bags…but you don’t want the dark stuff to show either! What to do?!

Let me suggest applying the concealer in a pie piece under your eye instead. This way you cover the darkness and create a little arrow direction the attention right to your eyes and evening out your cheek in the meantime. Total life saver. Try it with a yellow based concealer.

A thin black line around your eye is going to reeaaallly accentuate those buggers. It will recede the skin closest to your eye and draw all the emphasis right where you don’t want it.

Instead, use a bronze or dark brown shadow to define your eye with a thicker smokey looking line. 

This will define your eye ad balance out the bags.

It will also make your eyes look BIG!

By wearing your brows a little thicker and more defined you’re drawing the eye upwards (away from the tiredness) 

I use an angled shadow brush and an ashy brown shadow  to fill mine.

I hope this helps to produce something more like:

“You look like a million bucks!”

“You are positively glowing!” or

“Are you related to Blake Lively, I could swear you girls are twins!”

Bronzing 101

I wanted to share a few tips on bronzing! The goal is to simplify it as much as I can but still help you see the impact. The three golden rules for bronzing are:

1. Pick a bronzer that isn’t orangey oompa loompa.
2. Always tap away excess on the counter and swirl the brush on the back of your hand first. Hear my voice in your head: you can’t ever go directly from the compact to your face! It has to go through the back of your hand first to grant access to your face. This ensures it will never get muddy.
3. And apply it where the sun would hit your face if you were lounging on a chaise in Tulum!

Here’s how:

TOOLS:

• Bronzing Powder — pick one that is shimmer free and is more brown than orange. I use Mac Bronzer in Bronze
• Bronzing Brush — there are many styles that you can choose from but my favorites is Sigma Tapered Face Brush because it is angled to fit the face perfectly. 

STEPS:

1. Tilt your head up and imagine where the sun’s rays would hit your features.
2. Dip your brush in the compact, tap off any excess on the counter, swirl the brush on the back of your hand to smooth it out, then start by sweeping the brush across the top of your hairline.
3. Next fill in your forehead and temples. Go back to reload, tap away excess, swirl a little on the back of your hand, then sweep across your cheekbones and down the bridge of your nose and tap a little on your chin.
4. Go back to reload, tap away excess, swirl a little on the back of your hand, then lift your chin. No, the sun wouldn’t reach your neck, but that’s why you have to go back and make sure to fill it in as well. Otherwise your chest and face will be a different color than your neck!

Credit to thebeautydepartment.com

Bright lipstick? You CAN do it!

lipstick shades

I have to admit that I’m somewhat of a lipstick-aholic. Whether it’s a bright shade of red or a subtle pink, I think everyone looks better (and more lively) with a little color on their lips. I know a lot of women are hesitant to wear lipstick because they don’t want to feel overdone, especially for an “everyday look”. I have found that the key to wearing lipstick during the day is to keep everything else very minimal. I keep my eye makeup very simple with just a few swipes of mascara and add a little bit of highlighter under my eyes and on my cheekbones. I’m always playing around with different shades of lipstick, but the ones above are definitely some shades you should try!