Saying goodbye to another year...

As we get closer to another year ending, I can't help but to look back on 2012 and wonder, "did I live each day to its fullest potential?"  We are given one life to live so instead of sitting back and letting our days slip by, we should be embracing every breath we take... 

2012 was a bit of a rough year for me. Don't get me wrong I made a lot of new amazing memories, met a lot of incredible people and learned a lot about myself... Although it was a rocky year in health, relationships, etc.. I survived and grew stronger from these experiences.  Life has a funny way of testing you and keeping you on your toes... You get to points on this journey called life where you must reinvented yourself because the path has changed... Today, while being lazy watching One Tree Hill, I heard these quotes and it summed up 2012 for me perfectly...

Lucas: And Hansel said to Gretal: "Let us drop these bread crumbs, so that together we find our way home, because losing our way would be the most cruel of things." This year I lost my way. 
Nathan: And losing your way on a journey is unfortunate. But losing your reason for the journey... is a fate more cruel. 
Peyton: The journey lasted eight months. Sometimes I traveled alone. Sometimes there were others who took the wheel, and took my heart. But when the destination was reached, it wasn't me who'd arrived. It wasn't me at all. 
Brooke: And once you lose yourself, you have two choices. Find the person you used to be, or lose that person completely. 
Mouth: Because sometimes, you have to step outside of the person you've been, and remember the person you were meant to be. The person you wanted to be. The person you are. 

I think many of us lose our way from time to time and it can be hard to find our way back... but what I have learned is not to be afraid of falling off the path... don't be afraid if you get lost once in awhile and never be afraid to embrace the new journey you embark on.  Don't have regrets... take your mistakes and learn from them and then throw them away... 

As I have stated many times throughout my blog, I believe that things happen for a reason.   I believe that this year has taught me that life can be scary and growing up can be terrifying... but it also can be truly AMAZING!  So instead of hiding under the blankets waiting for the days to pass, get out of bed and make mistakes!  Mistakes mean you are living and we were put on this earth to do just that!  The people I have met on my journey have taught me how to live and I will forever be thankful for the experiences, chats, and memories I made because of them.  All these things made me the person I am today... Although I got a little lost, I was able to find my way home! 

So as I say goodbye to 2012, I am ready to embark on a new journey in 2013.  I am ready to make mistakes, live my life, have no regrets and reinvent myself!

Parental Guidance

How to make a BEAUTIFUL life...

Love yourself.
MAKE PEACE with who you are and where you are at this moment in time.

Listen to your heart.
If you can't hear what it's saying in this noisy world, MAKE TIME for yourself.

Enjoy your own company.
Let your mind wander among the stars.

Try.
Take chances.
MAKE MISTAKES.
Life can be messy and confusing at times, but it's also full of surprises.
The next rock in your path might be a stepping-stone.

Be happy.
When you don't have what you want, want what you have.
MAKE DO.
That's a well kept secret of contentment.

There aren't any shortcuts to tomorrow.
You have to MAKE YOUR OWN WAY.
To know where you are going, is only part of it.
You need to know where you have been too.
And if you ever get lost, don't worry.
The people who love you will find you.
Count on it.

Life isn't days and years.
It's what you do with time and with all the goodness and grace that's inside you.
MAKE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE...
The kind of life you deserve.

Thanks mom and dad!!!  xoxo

We Click.

I use to be one of those people that felt that I needed to please everyone.  I was always wanting people to like me and would sometimes sacrifice my own feelings for others.  As I grow older I realize how important true friendships are.  I have had a lot of friends throughout my lifetime but I can honestly say that the people I surround myself with today are probably the best friends a person could ask for.  My core group of friends is small and I realize now that that is ok.. it is more than ok, it is perfect!  I don't have to go out of my way to make sure they like me.. I know that they love me for who I am.  I don't have to try with them.

Over this last year I went through a bit of an emotional roller coaster and these girls were there for me through it all.  I didn't have to ask for them to be there, they just were. Each of them are very different from each other and I sometimes wonder how we ever came to be... but I'm sure glad that we did.

This post is dedicated to the amazing girls I am so fortunate to have a part of my life.  I look forward to many more years of long chats, girls nights in, wild nights out, road trips, concerts, dinner parties, sleepovers, etc.. I love you all so much!  Thank you for being a part of my life!!

"Remember no man is a failure who has friends!" - It's A Wonderful Life

One Magic Night

My absolute favourite day of the year is Christmas Eve.  Not for the reasons most people love the holiday though.  The reason Christmas Eve is so important to me is because my fondest memory of childhood just so happen to take place on this special day.

Most people enjoy Christmas for the delicious food, the good company and of course, the shiny new presents.  Now don’t get me wrong, although I do enjoy ALL these things, this is not my main reason for loving the holiday.   I, on the other hand, love this holiday even more because of what occurred on Christmas Eve 1990 at around 7:30pm.

It was the most magical night of my life.  Myself, along with my two sisters, brother, mom, dad, and our dog Harry decided to take a walk after dinner.  Now this is not something we usually do altogether as a family, especially during the bitter cold winter nights.  But on this night, the weather was PERFECT.  I remember putting on my purple snow boots along with my oversized hand-me-down winter jacket.  Although my jacket was three sizes too big, I loved the way it kept me warm and made me feel as though I was an Eskimo in an igloo.  After finishing bundling up, my family and myself stepped outside.  The sky was so clear that every single star was twinkling and lit up this perfect night with a warm glow.  The snow had just freshly fallen so that every step we took, the snow beneath us crackled like wood heating in a fireplace.  We walked side-by-side admiring how beautiful our street looked with all the Christmas lights on and seeing the neighbours through their windows laughing and smiling.  I felt like I was in a fairytale.  We headed down a short, dark alley which lead to a huge open field that had two swings and a slide, therefore we called it “the park”. 

My sister and I decided to lie down and make beautiful snow angels. As I sunk about 3 inches into the fluffy fresh fallen snow, I remember feeling warmth.  It was funny to think that being cuddled in snow could actually make you feel so toasty.

Just as we had finished our snow angels I heard my dad say, “Look Up!”  And at that moment was when magic happened.  All six of us look up to the sky in amazement.  Up above us we saw eight twinkly lights with a red light leading the way.  Now at 7 years old, Santa Clause is real and this was the most AMAZING experience.  We watched and sat in silence for what seemed like forever.  When we finally came back down to earth we all just looked at each other with the biggest smiles on our faces.  We had just seen what ever kid wishes they could, Santa Clause and his reindeer. 

To this day the experience is burned in my memory bank.  And as I grow older and the magic of Christmas disappears for some, it always remains in me.  I witnessed a miracle and to this day myself, along with everyone in my family, believes we were fortunate enough to see Santa Clause.