wine and love [vol. 6].

hosted by Nora!

{Quick reminder - please update your feed by clicking here and re-subscribing. Thank you muchly!}

Hand me the wine glass...

• For whatever reason, we've had an influx of bugs in our house. Not a crazy amount - it's not like we have an infestation or need to call an exterminator - but over the past week, there have been about four or five, found either in the den or my bedroom. They're all the same type of bug and I'm getting really tired of them flying around suddenly and scaring the crap out of me.
  
  
• When I was painting my room, I did a sloppy job around the edges and got some of the purple paint I was using on the ceiling. So, I went to touch it up... only to find out it's not the same color. I thought my ceiling was white, but I was mistaken, because I touched it up with white and the shades don't match. Which means I get to repaint the whole thing, and that's just a royal pain in the ass.
  
  
• I weighed myself the other day and I it turns out I lost about three pounds since last month. The reason this is on the wine list is because I really shouldn't be losing weight -- I'm already skinny as it is and dipping below the 120-pound mark (I'm 5'7") makes me uncomfortable. More worrisome is that I can't tell if it's from changing my eating habits (more fruits/veggies/protein and less pasta/bread) or if my IBS is getting that bad that I'm losing weight from it, which really wouldn't be good.
  

Things I'm loving...

• I've reached this point in my relationship with E where... I feel really secure, I guess is the best way to put it. I've stopped waiting for the other shoe to drop and wondering if my quirks or flaws are going to drive him away. It's a really great feeling.
  
  
• Speaking of my relationship, sometimes I still have to pinch myself to make sure this is real life. I'm a pretty lucky girl, I must say (and a happy one, too).
  
  
• I applied for my dream job last week. It involves working with students on a college campus to plan activities and events, which is basically what I was doing in college (I was part of the Residence Hall Association). And the icing on the cake? I would get free housing... and the campus is mere minutes away from E's house. Obviously I'm most excited about the job, but I can't help adding an extra bit of giddiness at the prospect of living about twenty minutes from my boyfriend. Please cross your fingers that I get an interview and that they love me!
  
  
• Aside from the mismatched ceiling paint, I absolutely love the color I picked for my room. Eventually I'll stop being lazy and take some pictures to compare the before and after.
  
  
• Even though we've had really hot weather here, I've been able to manage without air conditioning at night. Instead, I open my window, put on my fan for a breeze, and fall asleep to the peaceful sound of the crickets chirping outside.
  
  
• I picked up my shoes for BFF Wedding #1 (which is the nickname I've given Danielle's wedding in September; #2 is Natalie's in April, and #3 is Melissa's). I welcome any opportunity where new shoes are a necessity, because then I don't feel guilty about buying them.
  

feed me!

Okay, so last week when I got my grown-up blog address, I said you didn't have to do anything.

I fibbed.

This is proof of how extremely disorganized I can be sometimes, considering this is the second post about me switching URLs. You can tell that I didn't plan this out at all - I bought my domain last week after going back and forth about it and figured, well, that's all there is to it! Because clearly, I don't know what I'm doing.

Anyway, the point is that I realized that my post from yesterday didn't show up in Google Reader until midnight even though it posted here at 5am. Which means I needed to update the feed, which also means all of you lovely people who use a reader need to update your feeds as well.

So if you would, please click the link below so you don't miss anything!

http://feeds.feedburner.com/findingherbalance/rss

Thank you kindly and happy hump day!

ten on tuesday [vol. 34].

The nail polish I used for Fourth of July weekend; picture by me.

1. What colour are your toenails painted?
Currently, they are au natural. They were most recently painted sparkly red for the Fourth of July.

2. What colour are your fingernails painted?
See the answer to question one.

3. What is your favourite brand of nail polish?
I've just started getting into painting my nails, so it's hard for me to pick a tried-and-true favorite. So far, Revlon polish goes on well and lasts long, so I guess it's my favorite for now.

4. As the norm, do you DIY your nails or get mani/pedis?
DIY. I had an awful nail-biting habit from when I was eight until... about three months ago. My fingernails were always, therefore, way too short for manicures. Since I didn't do anything special with my fingernails, I never thought to get pedicures on the regular, either. I've only had one mani/pedi in my entire life - for Lyndsay's sweet sixteen four years ago.

5. Have you ever had a gel mani? Do you recommend it?
Never had one.

6. What is the last movie you watched on television? (TV, Netflix, Redbox, etc.)
I was half-watching the first Pirates of the Caribbean on Saturday. The last movie I watched start-to-finish was the sixth Harry Potter movie, in preparation for seeing the final movie last weekend.

7. What is the last movie you watched in the cinema?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II. In IMAX 3D. It was so amazing.

8. Is there a movie that everyone talks about as if it is a classic but you haven’t seen?
This is basically the story of my life. For whatever reason, I never watched the "classics" as a kid, I didn't go to the movies often in my teenage years, and whenever I did go to the theater, I saw silly chick flicks or kids movies. Nine times out of ten, I haven't seen a "classic" movie and people are (appropriately) surprised. E was actually the first person to call me out on it and insist we make a list and start watching them.

9. What is your favourite movie soundtrack?
RENT. I know, lame, because the Broadway RENT soundtrack is likely ten billion times better. But, since I haven't seen the Broadway version and I have seen the movie version, I'm in love with that movie soundtrack.

10. Have you ever seen a movie and thought it was better than the book it was based on?
I don't recall going to see too many movies based on books, and when I have, I haven't read the books. Obviously Harry Potter is an exception, and although I love the movies, nothing beats the books.

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

summer photo challenge: week 5.

hosted by Stopping for Daisies

Yes, I know that this is a day late. I had a busy weekend, so, c'est la vie.

This week the theme was fresh fruit. Since I'm (mildly) allergic to many fresh fruits, my mom doesn't bring home too much from the grocery store. However, now that it's the summertime, we always have berries of some sort stashed in the fridge, and this week we had blueberries.

movin' on up!

So, after three and a half years of blogging with a blogspot-dot-com URL, I finally put on my big girl panties and bought a custom URL. After hemming and hawing, I stuck with Blogger (because WordPress scared me too much). Presenting, my Taking This Blog Seriously URL:

http://www.findingherbalance.com

As far as I know, if you're subscribed in a reader, this changes nothing since I bought the domain via Blogger. However, if you've been visiting me by using my blogspot-dot-com URL (or searching some variation of princess and cait and blogspot), you can start using this instead, since it's hopefully a bit easier to remember.

Unfortunately, findingmybalance.com was already taken, and I'm still not sure if I'll officially change the name of the blog so as not to confuse people. Thoughts?

Happy Friday!

mixed shots, harry potter, and bocce ball.

This past weekend was an absolute whirlwind, and since I haven't really talked much about what I've been up to lately, I decided I'd post a pretty little recap of the weekend's festivities.

During the week, E told me his friends were having a party on Friday night and I decided there'd be no harm in going, since I didn't have any other plans and the hostess lived close by. About a half hour after I arrived, the drinking games began and by the end of the night, I was borderline-drunk (which is as drunk as I allow myself to get). I blame E's friends for being mightily persuasive, but I think I was also trying to show E that I could loosen up and have a good time. (Not that I believe I have to drink to have a good time, it's just that I usually want to drink but tend to worry so much about how much I'm drinking, how I feel, how I'm going to feel, etc., that I don't relax and enjoy myself.)

The party was a lot of fun and I actually enjoyed being almost-drunk -- it really did release the firm grip that my inhibitions and worries have on me. However, when it was time for bed, I started feeling gross. Thankfully laying down and closing my eyes made me feel better, but I couldn't actually fall asleep. First it was because E and I were trying (and completely failing) to share a sofa, then it was because I kept having to pee, and finally it was because I relocated to the loveseat and couldn't stretch my legs. I managed about two hours of sleep overall.

Getting up on Saturday was not fun. At first I thought I was alright, but the combination of not sleeping and having a slight hangover made the drive home unbearable. Luckily a shower and some breakfast helped, then it was off to meet up with Natalie and her friends to see Deathly Hallows Part II. We waited in line for about an hour before they let us in the theater, which wasn't bad at all. The movie was FANTASTIC. I could go on for days, but I'll just say I loved the kiss, I fucking loved Neville, and I cried for the entire second half of the film, especially during the part about Snape. After the movie we went out for dinner then back to Natalie's apartment for a bit before heading home.

On Sunday I drove up to E's town to hang out at his friend's house with his group of friends. I arrived just as the women's World Cup was ending, after which we headed out into the backyard. E and his friends are all about playing yard games, so first they played a few rounds of Kan Jam, then we all played bocce ball before dinner was served. After dinner, a few people had left and it was down to E's core friends, me, and another of the girlfriends. The boys played a short game of Ultimate Frisbee while us girls sat on the sidelines -- I actually brought The Hunger Games to start reading, but I barely got half a chapter in before the boys were done. E and I left soon after, hung out at his place for a few hours, and then it was time for me to go.

It was the first time in a long time that I had so many plans back-to-back, and it was absolutely exhausting. Still, it was completely worth it.

summer photo challenge: week 4.

hosted by Stopping for Daisies

I was sort of dreading this week because when I saw the list, sunflare was the only one that jumped out as something I knew I couldn't do (yet). Well, I mean, I've accomplished sunflare by accident in photos before, but never on purpose. I was worried I would have a hard time since I only have a point-and-shoot digital camera, but after reading a few articles and changing a few settings on my camera, I was ready to go.

It was hard to pick a favorite, but I ended up with this photo as my submission for the challenge:



When I was out taking these pictures, the lawn chair bugged me at first. I almost moved it, but I'm glad I didn't - it lends something to the picture, or at least I feel that it does. Another favorite is the photo below because the focus is the sunflare itself, but I disliked how dark the rest of the photo was.

[almost] wordless wednesday.

This picture is from last week's Summer Photo Challenge, but I totally phoned it in -- the picture was taken on Monday night so I obviously didn't post it on Sunday.

This week's theme was books, so I went with the obvious, since I'm re-reading these for #SummerOfHarry.

ten on tuesday [vol. 33].

{my HP books}

1. When you are on a plane and the kid behind you is kicking your seat, what do you do?
I've never actually been on a plane (fun fact!), but I think if I were ever in that situation, I would probably do nothing because I hate confrontation. The most I'd do is get up and look over the seat to imply that, yes, I can feel you kicking my seat (or direct the look to the parents if the kid is young, as if to say yes, I can feel your kid kicking my seat).

2. What food that you KNOW is bad for you and you shouldn’t have, but you love/eat it anyway?
Um... this applies to the majority of what I eat. With my IBS, I really should be avoiding fatty, sugary foods, but I never do. You think I'd learn, because it's not just a guilt thing - I legitimately feel ill from eating unhealthy foods - but since I don't have an immediate reaction, the pleasure of eating junky food outweighs the eventual stomachache.

3. What is your favorite book of all time?
Am I being completely and totally predictable if I say the Harry Potter series? I honestly enjoy a lot of what I read and I don't read enough to have a be-all, end-all favorite. But the Harry Potter series I could read over and over without getting tired of it.

4. If I came to visit you in your town, where would we eat?
Oh, I don't have a good answer. My little town is small and lame and I'm not adventurous. We could go to 2 Fat Guys pizza because they have fried Oreos and Twinkies. And then to Yogu-Route for fro-yo.

5. You have 500 dollars and 40 minutes to spend it at any store you want. Where do you go?
Victoria's Secret. I'd say Forever 21, but it would take me too long to find things I like/want.

6. What blog do you read every day/the most often?
I don't really have one I read more often than the rest -- I just read whatever's updated in my reader.

7. What’s the longest you’ve ever been stuck at an airport?
I haven't been (see question #1).

8. What’s your daily makeup/face/cleansing routine?
When I get up, I shower and use either The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash from Philosophy or, if I feel particularly greasy, Biore's Pore Unclogging Scrub. Then I moisturize with Olay Complete daily moisturizer.

I only use makeup if I'm going out. I use the following products (if it's a fancy event, I sometimes add eyeliner and eyeshadow):

• Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller
• Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Powder Foundation
• e.l.f. Healthy Glow Bronzing Powder
• CoverGirl Lash Blast mascara

At night, I use Purity Made Simple cleanser from Philosophy (which I swear by) and rinse by using a washcloth to "exfoliate" a little bit. Then I usually use sensitive-skin toner and just moisturize with Jergen's Original Scent lotion.

9. Where is your farthest away friend?
My friend Barbara, whom I met in dance class, lives in Las Vegas now.

10. Where is your favorite place to go hiking (or to enjoy nature)?
Um... my backyard? Clearly I don't venture out that often. I will say that the large park in my township has a creek running alongside parts of it, which is enjoyable when I actually go (which is maybe once a year).

These questions are a part of Ten on Tuesday which is run by the wonderful Chelsea of Roots and Rings.

bye june, hi july.

{♥}
June was pretty quiet for me, actually – the biggest event was Danielle’s bridal shower. I spent the week before shopping for a gift with Natalie, invading Lyndsay’s closet for a cute dress to wear (since I decided I hated everything I owned), and helping put together favors. It was so much fun, and now we’re planning her bachelorette party. The wedding is just about two months away, which I can barely believe.

I battled another Mystery Illness this month – it started with me half-losing my voice, but then developed into an annoying cough. My doctor told me it was allergies, which I was only grateful for because it meant I wasn’t actually sick.

Some other noteworthy moments included getting tipsy with my mom and brother on two separate occasions, watching Modern Family with E and loving it, spending Father’s Day with E’s family, relaxing in the backyard while reading, and a going-away party for Mark. I’m still struggling to get my healthy habits back on track, but it’s slowly coming together.

Goal check-in time!

Get healthy. Not really. I'm getting back on the wagon for good this month, though, because I have no choice.

Work on my anxiety. Not actively, no. Mostly I've just been forcing myself to push through the anticipatory stress because once I get to where I'm going, everything's fine. It's been helpful, but not much of an effort.

Live in the moment. Yes! Although the month flew by, I distinctly remember stopping my mind and focusing on the present many, many times this month. The funny thing is, I always breathe more and stress less when I do this... it's a habit I definitely should continue to develop.

Stay in touch. Yes! Everyone's been busy, but I've been exchanging e-mails all month. Hopefully I'll get to connect with everyone in person in July!

Be me and stop worrying what other people think. Yes and no. In actual situations where other people might judge me, I didn't care. But I let my insecurities take over when I'm alone and trying to fall asleep at night, specifically in regards to my relationship and what E thinks of me. It's been really tiresome, actually.

Goals for June: finish my daily life plan and start implementing it; make a gynecologist appointment; make a dentist appointment; try a new recipe; grow out the rest of my nails; be more forthcoming about my emotions in my relationship; spend as much time outside as possible; apply to jobs.

(Cross-outs mean I reached my goal; italics means I kinda reached my goal.)

Goals for July: make a dentist appointment; grow out the rest of my nails; be more forthcoming about my emotions in my relationship; apply to jobs; spend less time on the internet; stop spending money unless absolutely necessary.

summer photo challenge: week 2.

I'm back for week two of the Summer Photo Challenge hosted by Stopping for Daisies!

To be honest, I got a little lazy this week. The theme was clouds, and I had planned on taking pictures on a few different days, but that never happened. This is my favorite from a small set I took the other day when I was lounging in my backyard, reading and enjoying the fresh air.