Merry CHRISTmas!

Christmas in my family is not a HUGE thing.  But, this year was different.  

We haven't put up our Christmas Tree in about 6 years.. I think my brother and I got lazy during high school & we never really gave gifts so we felt that there would be no point for a Christmas tree.  When I came home from Provo, our Christmas tree was up & we had Christmas lights! It felt like a Christmas miracle! I have a feeling that my stepsister who lives in Vegas wants my family to be more "Americanized."  We even did Secret Santa.  WEIRD. 

The truth is.. I wish my family REALLY knew why Christmas is celebrated.  My mom is Atheist & my step-dad is somewhat Buddhist? I'm the only 'Christian' member in my family.  It's hard to come back to Vegas and live a material lifestyle.  Provo --> Vegas = BIG culture shock for me whenever I come home.  

Today, when I got on social media, I quickly passed through the pictures of what people received for Christmas.  But, when a picture of a missionary Skyping their family showed up in my news feed, I literally 'liked' it because that's what Christmas is about! Christmas is about being with the ones you love the most and thinking about Christ, our Savior.  I have spent a lot of time with my new baby brother since I've been in town & his birthday is close to Christmas, so whenever I looked at his beautiful face, I sometimes think of Jesus. I love my family so much & I truly wish they could know the true meaning of CHRISTmas.  

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! 

Xoxo,

Liz

Tender Mercies.

I think as human beings we always think negatively.  As in "I wish this could've happened" or "I hate that I'm so ____." But I think we need to stop and realize the positive things that are happening in our lives.

Lately, I've just been so consumed in negative situations that are happening in my life that I look over all of the wonderful things that have happened to me the past few weeks.  So I think it's a tender mercy to actually realize my potential and who I am capable of becoming.

1. I got offered a paid position in the Adlab.  (All of those Adlab projects are volunteer & now I get to do something i LOVE.  Honestly, There was a reason why I quit Wells Fargo because a) I was NOT happy and 2) It's so I can focus more on advertising and furthering my career.

2. I got accepted into the New York Internship Program!!!! I love life! It would be with Y&R and I am soooo excited to live in New York City. I'll be leaving at the end of April!

3. My baby brother is finally born! He has been overdue for the past week and a half.  I am already in love with him and I can not wait to see all of my family for winter break!

So these 'tender mercies' are pretty big.. But, thinking about them gives me faith that it will all work out.  We all need to just stop and think about all of the good that's happening in our lives and NOT the bad. Seriously, It'll make you feel a LOT better.

XOXO,
Liz

Post Workout Yumminess.

Hello whoever is reading this,

For those of you that don't know me.. I love fitness & nutrition.  I have this yummy recipe I found on Pinterest that I've been drinking for every workout literally for the past 3 weeks.

We'll call this the flat-belly smoothie:

Recipe:

• 3 oz. Vanilla non-fat Greek Yogurt
• 1 tablespoon almond butter (if you don't have almond butter, a handful of almonds will work)
• 1/2 cup of Frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup of Frozen pineapples (it gets pretty pricey with frozen fruit, so I just buy canned pineapple chunks & freeze them)
• 1 cup Kale or more if you'd like
• 3/4 cup water

Kale is the largest high-protein vegetable out there.  1 cup of Kale is 67 grams of protein!! This is a great post- workout smoothie & is sooooo tasty.  You can't even taste the Kale.  Follow my blog to read about more fitness & nutrition tips in the future. :) 

xoxo

Liz

I am a walking expiration date.

OKAY. Let's face it.  I'm graduating in 5 months.  It's scary but exciting as hell at the same time.  Excuse me for my language.  I feel like a walking expiration date.

Provo Stereotype:

"Oh you're graduating and you're not married yet?"
"Don't move to NYC, you're not going to find anyone there!"
"If you don't meet someone in Provo, it's going to be really hard once you leave..."
"I don't want to be selfish and date this girl/guy and make them wait for me until I'm done with school."

SHUT UP EVERYONE.

I don't know where I'll be once I graduate, but I know i'll be doing SOMETHING. I just recently quit my job at Wells Fargo because I was unhappy & I felt like I wasn't going anywhere with that job.  Lately, I've been saying goodbye to things that get in my way of making me my best self.  I want to do advertising & I was stuck at a bank doing deposits for old people. Don't get me wrong, I love Provo.  That's why I'm so scared to leave.  Who knows, what if I want to work in SLC? I DON'T KNOW what i'm doing, that's the problem.

I've been talking to a lot of other girls and even guys who are debating about leaving Provo because they haven't found "The One" yet.  We can't let this Provo stereotype stop us from doing what we love.  You want to travel the world?  Move to a big city?  Move back home?  Do what's best for YOU.  Live your life in the present.  We are always worrying about the future, but I know that if you're doing the right thing everything will work out.  It's probably easier said than done, but just have faith.  EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT.

xoxo,
Liz