How Cute Is This!!!

Below is a video of a FOX being petted!  I'm sure it's in some zoo or animal habitat of some sort.  But I have never seen a fox like this before!  I had NO idea that they wag their tails like dogs when they are happy!  Are they in the dog family??  LOL Maybe!  I just thought this was the cutest video ever and had to share!  Check it out!!  Yes, of course there is going to be 20 seconds of a commercial first, but I PROMISE it's worth the wait!  :)

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2014/02/13/orig-distraction-what-the-fox-says.nuneatonwildlife-co-uk&hpt=hp_c3&from_homepage=yes&video_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F#/video/living/2014/02/13/orig-distraction-what-the-fox-says.nuneatonwildlife-co-uk


 

HelpX?

It's been almost a year since I backpacked Europe for a whole month.  My friends and family thought I was crazy for doing this alone, but it was something I had to do.  Life is about the opportunities you take, and even the ones you miss.  And this opportunity was one I could not pass up.

I met so many amazing people over my month long travels in Western Europe.  I now have friends in Germany, Russia and Australia!  I met this one girl when I was in Belgium.  She had actually been traveling for over a year - alone!  She told me about these work exchange programs she'd been doing.  Essentially there are tons of "hosts" that look for "helpers" to help with a vast arrange of tasks:  picking fruit, helping with cleaning, planting, gardening, small construction projects, etc....  You give your time and efforts for a free place to stay and free meals!  UMMM HELL YES!  There are offerings in so many countries around the globe.  WHY have I not heard of this before now?!?! 

www.helpx.net

Have any of you ever used helpx?  I would love to hear any thoughts, opinions or suggestions with that site!

I'm at an interesting place in my life.  Not at all where I thought I would be at 31, but also sure as hell not a bad place to be either.  I have complete freedom.  I've realized that in this life I crave perspective.  I need my soul nourished and I wish I am doing the same for others.  I live to see and understand different things.  I want many chapters in my book.  Not the same chapter that plays over and over again.  I want to explore.  Meet people.  Feel and understand their perspective of the world.  Connection is truly what fulfills me, and in my opinion what is truly lacking in today's high bandwidth low touch environment most live. 

You hear of people claiming they want to travel the world but not many do it.  But some do.  Will I?  Stayed tuned to see.....  :)

 

Food Critic aka Food Lover

BACON BOWLS!!!

I remember the first time I saw the bacon bowl commercial.  I was sitting on my couch and the commercial came on.  My jaw dropped and I was suddenly in a hypnotic state, feeling as if time had stopped.  I was frozen, amazed by all the options you can make with a BACON BOWL!  I had to tell my friends - fast!

Of course I didn't call and buy one.  I was for the most part shocked for a couple days that I had never seen anything like this before.  Wondering how I could get this tool in my kitchen.  Oh well it passed.... until....

 

My best friend bought it for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was a girls weekend beach trip and she surprised me with bacon bowls.  Sunday morning breakfast could not come fast enough!!!

They were relatively easy to make.  There were two contraptions in the box, like individual muffin dishes.  It takes 2 pieces of bacon to make one bacon bowl.  You take on piece and cut it in half and drape it like an X across the top, or bottom of the bowl.  You then take one full piece of bacon and wrap around the bottom to make the sides.  Bacon is pretty greasy so you just press it all together so it sticks,  and then you can either cook them in the microwave or bake them.  No time to wait - in the microwave they go!

When they come out you simply pop them off the contraption.  They may stick a little so just slowly pry them off with a spoon or fork.  Then voila!  We were scrambling eggs on the side so once they were done we filled the bacon bowls, covered them with cheese and baked them for a minute to quickly solidify this masterpiece. 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh bacon.  Bacon.  Bacon.  Bacon!

I must admit - you definitely get your bacon fix with this dish.  Almost overwhelming to be honest.  I don't think I ate bacon for a couple weeks for some reason.  But they were still amazing.  You can really get creative and put anything inside a bacon bowl!  I wonder what I'll make next?!?!  :)

 

 

 

 

The Beautiful Side of Heart💔break

Being vulnerable is a sure sign of maturity.  Beauty at its finest.  Right now my heart is talking to me so I've decided to pick up my pen.  I know others are going through heartbreak and I hope my thoughts and feelings comfort you - as you are not alone - and we can both realize how ridiculous we are for dwelling on a situation undeserving of all this attention and quickly get back to normal.  :)


You use to glow so vibrantly, but suddenly love withdrawals are debilitating to your workday. Life as you know it feels blank. Suddenly a blank canvas but all your tools are in some black hole somewhere. The routine, your friend, is gone. What happened?  He told me I was NOT the girl he would marry, that's what happened!

(You start to question yourself)

Did I react too fast? Should I try to talk to him one more time? I just don't get it? Just the other day he said.... And now?? UGHHHHH!

(Then comes Miss Independent)

He has no idea what he's missing! He is so dumb!  I know his ass is going to text me in a week.  Why is he so back and forth!  No one else would love him like I would.  Man I had it all wrong!

(The inner dialogue continues)

Why could I not see this coming?  Man I am such a hopeless romantic.  Does he really love me but he's scared?  Do I have patience to continue being his teacher hoping he will awake further and realize what's in front of him?!  If a guy cant see my worth WHY AM I THERE!??? 


My dad thinks I subconsciously date losers so if and when it doesn't work out I can turn around and be like "I don't want your dumb ass anyway!" That is hilarious, but eerily true? 

"Get yourself together.  You're missing a kid yard boy who doesn't know what he wants out of life yet.  Why this guy is the answer to Elizabeth's world says more about what you need to do than what he needs to do.  If you would stop making poor choices you could stop suffering!  Snap out of it!" 

"If he loves you, there should be no reason at all that he says to you to find someone who can make you happy and give you what you want. If he loves you, it should be HIS job to do those things - whether he feels he can right now or not, if he LOVES you he would work towards that. Make an effort, make drastic life changes, etc. To me, it seems like he's only saying he loves you now to help with the fact that y'all are over. It's like he's trying to be the martyr here and walk away the "nice guy" instead of the douche bag who broke your heart. He's trying to play like he didn't do you wrong and that his honestly makes up for the hurt he's caused, but it doesn't." 


Throughout all the ups and downs of heartbreak you feel so lost, confused, and stripped of your happiness.  You lack the ability to look forward and can only look in the past and question everything.  WHY???  But even through the hardest times, when you find yourself with no where to go but UP - you finally can see all the amazing things left within you:

• I'm still brave
• I'm still courageous
• I'm still fearless
• I still have my girlfriends
• I'm free
• I'm still beautiful
• My dancing skills are still on point
• I'm still fun
• I still have love in my heart
• I'm still smart
• I'm still making money
• I have not lost my swag  ;)
• I am worth loving

It's amazing how quickly you can get that pep back in your step!  It's almost like you MUST address all the phases of grief in order to really move forward.  Now all you need to do is get up and continue about your business - into the new life that awaits you. 


 

Daddy Advice on Love

Breakups are never easy, and they always hurt.  Especially when the guy you've felt the most connected to tells you you're not the woman he is supposed to marry.  Never in my life have I had a guy tell me that until yesterday.  Yeah.  Ouch. 

My Dad always has the most sincere and caring thoughts for me during times like this.  I had to share his amazing "daddy advice."  Enjoy.  :)



I'm so sorry things didn't work out. I know you invest a lot emotionally.

Sometimes it's only when truth hits us squarely in the face, that it's the only way we'll recognize it. Feel better and stronger that truth is still able to tap you on the shoulder. Vs being on a journey that continues in a circle vs forward.

See things like this as a gift, and not another setback. Harder initially. Easier eventually.

Ultimately I think you were just in different places. You can have a few areas that highlight and spotlight possibilities that you want so much, that you don't give strength to the items that don't fit. Lazily sitting obviously, but in the hidden smoky background.  My ex and I were an excellent example. I wanted so much for the few that shined, that I kept overlooking the majority that didn't.

It's a learning process for both of us, and all of us.

Happiness is out there. You have the tools in your tool belt to make better choices. It takes time to heal the wounds.  And ... make better choices. If things keep turning out the same, then your still going down the wrong path. It's so hard to change our emotional programming.

We grow thru life with a set of tools that aren't capable of producing the results we really need to move and evolve forward. You know this. You've found out about this. You speak this at times. At some point you'll learn to start using the new tools and not the old one's. That's what pain is always trying to tell and teach us.

Step back and heal. This too shall pass.  Try to see the real difference between the old tools and the new ones that you keep shiny but often put away. Eventually you'll understand why they're there, and how to better utilize them.

Love n Miss ya,

Dad

New Look!

I've given my blog a face lift y'all!  I've revamped the layout, format and colors.  I sure hope you like it!  Let me know!  :)

Food Critic aka Food Lover

This is my official first food critic post!!!!!  I highly doubt I will post any criticizing posts regarding food, however.  I love food and there's not much I've eaten that I haven't liked!  Nom Nom Nom.

I am here to praise this amazing breakfast I had recently!  I was on a beach vacation in North Myrtle Beach, SC.  One morning we wanted to find a unique breakfast spot and decided to stop at Southern Sunrise Pancake House.  It was after "normal" breakfast hours, around 10:30 or so and the parking lot was not that packed.  Whatever.  In - we - go. 

The breakfast menu was expansive!!!  Three pages of breakfast choices, woah.  I decided on the eastern omelet:  bacon, cheddar cheese, peppers and onions.  My perfect choice for an omelet!

Boy was this thing DELICIOUS!  The grits were the perfect consistency of buttery-ness.  The omelet was the perfect consistency of the ingredients and cheese.  I'll just say I had a happy plate! 

I just noticed that Southern Sunrise Pancake House is the #16 restaurant (out of 254) in North Myrtle Beach!  We made a great choice!  : )

Please try out this restaurant if you are in the area!