Farmer's Market Finds

If you've been around for a while, you know how much I write and that more often than not I have my Moleksine journal with me. You know, just in case I have some good thoughts to write down or something.

I've been pretty faithful to the good old Moleskine and have filled up quite a few in the past few years, but when I was at the SLC Farmer's market this weekend, I found something that could possible make me switch up my Moleskine ways.

While walking around I stumbled across a stand that looked like it was selling old books, and I saw an old copy of Where The Wild Things are (one of my childhood favorites) and had to stop in. I picked it up and realized that, BONUS, it is actually rebound AND a journal! Be still my soul, right?! 

Red Barn Collections rebinds books, adds pages, and creates a journal out of old books. They have a range of books at their stand (and even more in their warehouse, so you can check if they have a specific book you want!) from children's to mystery to reference books and even board games!
I am a little obsessed with the children's books because they have the whole story in the journal and it just makes me feel all young and nostalgic. I ended up buying Where the Wild Things Are and Shel Silversteins "A Light in the Attic".

I'm so excited to start writing in these (can't start yet because there are still a few pages left in my trusty Moleskine) and see how it goes!

moms rock!

Guys, moms are seriously the best! If you need specific reasons as to why my mom is the best, feel free to read here.

I mean, sure, I'm 25 years old and apparently a real live adult with a 401k and everything, but my mom STILL sends me care packages and it's the best. So what if I graduated 3 years ago (yikes)? THAT DOES NOT STOP MOMMA REYES!

Coming home to mail is the best, especially when it is unsolicited from your mom, and not from a night of binge online shopping. A came home from a trip and had this cute little package filled with a few of my (and her) favorite things!

I'm a pretty independent person and I'm not one to get homesick ever (like at 6th grade camp when girls were CRYING because they missed their parents, I was just chillin' in my Paul Frank sweatshirt like take a chill pill we will be back at the end of the week), so it's nice to be reminded how much my family loves me and thinks of me, their sweet sweet prodigal daughter.

So to close, moms rock! The end.

BE MORE LIKE A SIX YEAR OLD!

I am going to guess that everyone reading this is above the age of six, if not, kudos to you under six year old, you win at life!

But for all of us who are past the age of six, let's remember that time. It was glorious, not a care in the world, well yes, definitely cares, but only the candy, toy, and play drama, none of that heavy adult-y type stuff.

We weren't afraid to speak our minds and maybe sometimes said things that weren't socially appropriate (like that time I was so excited to open the door and get the pizza, then saw the delivery guy, ran back upstairs freaking out, yelling MOM, IT'S AN OLD MANNNNN!!!!). But man, did we say some great stuff back then.

So, I say we should be more like a six year olds! Maybe not just say whatever we are thinking, because, sometimes, let's be honest, it's a little rude, but SAY NICE THINGS TO PEOPLE!

I'm serious though, compliment people, genuinely, do it!

Because yesterday, while I was getting my nails done and chatting with Easton, this six year old (it was her birthday, and all she wanted to do was get her nails done. Seriously, the cutest thing!) so politely interrupts our conversation and says to me:

"um, excuse me, I really like your boots"

And let's be real, that made my day! That little girl had something to say and she made sure she told me, which, if I'm being honest, I don't do enough.

Recently I have been trying to compliment people and say nice things to them when I think it, but sometimes it's hard. Like sometimes I want to tell a girl I don't know that I really like her dress or man great comments/insight, but she's busy/talking to people, so I better not bother her. It's fine, I'm sure she get's it all the time. Maybe next time.

Sound familiar?

Sure, it's scary approaching people out of the blue and speaking to them, but here's the thing, who is ever MAD about a compliment?! PEOPLE LOVE HEARING THAT THEY'RE AWESOME! They love it.

So don't assume that they know or that someone will tell them or that it won't make their day, you channel your inner six year old self, and you tell 'em that they're great or their outfit is on fleek (yes, I said it, judge all you want).

Let them know, say your piece, and don't worry about what happens afterward, because I can almost guarantee that someone won't be weird and judgy about the compliment you just paid them (unless it's a way awkward one, like once a guy got real close to me in the office and told me my hair smelled nice... stay away from being invasive or creepy, trust me).

SURPRISE! I went to Spain

    

For those of you who don't know, surprise! I went to Spain at the beginning of Spain. It was UNREAL.

So much food, so much goodness. so much walking, so much fun. It was great and I'm slowly sifting through pictures and (very) slowly getting caught up on the work I missed while I was gone. Someday I'll get a better recap, but for now, these two pictures will have to do.

skillz 2 pay da billz (actually, no bills will be paid with this new skill)

So a few posts back I talked about resolutions and mentioned specifically learning new skills.

Well SURPRISE! At some point I decided that I should learn to skateboard (maybe it's a quarter-life crisis, I don't care, it seems legit, right?)

      

So basically, I have a skateboard, I can kind of stand on it and manage not to crash into anything. Mainly I am just very awkward and ask people in the parking lot to teach me, and so far so good. I've only fallen once and it didn't hurt that much. My current strategy is when in doubt, jump off and bail, and it seems to be working super well.

This definitely isn't the type of skill I was thinking of in December, but here I am, wish me luck!

Grateful.

I've been having a hard time with life and tweeted about it. Then I started to write about because I was going to be courageous or whatever.

But here I am, thinking of how grateful I am for all of the people I have in my life, people who love me and still love me even though I'm difficult.

Because for the most part, I don't like to talk about things. I don't want to cry with you. I don't want to sit and chat about why I feel rotten. I don't need you to baby me. I don't need cookie dough or ice cream or a movie marathon. And I know that's SO hard to deal with, but it's who I am.

Yet I still have people I know are there for me. People who talk me through it and give me the space I need to figure it out. People who give me the gentle reminder that I'm okay, that I'm loved, that they're there when I need them.

I guess, grateful is the only way I can describe it. And to each and everyone, I am thankful for you.

work in progress

A lot of the time, I get overwhelmed with how much I haven't done, with how much there is still left to do. And it get's me down. Feeling so behind on life.

Somehow I lose sight of the bigger picture and I forget that life happens bit by bit; you know, that whole "Rome wasn't built in a day" thing.

But I have to remind myself that I've done good. I've done good things, big things. Things I never thought I could do, but somehow, I did.

You've done good, don't be so hard on yourself. Your life will always be a a work in progress, but oh, how you can make it beautiful with the choices you make each and every day.