10 Things That No One Told You

...and solutions for them!

Hi all! After taking a little break I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. I'm not going to give y'all a boring long explanation of how crazy my life and busy I am so let's jump in into things...

In this thing called life, there are things we know and things we must figure out. Time and time again I have caught myself saying "What?! No one told me that!" so with pleasure I present you 10 things that no one told you. BUT WAIT...there's more! (Billy May's reference anyone?) I also have solutions to the things no one told you. So, you're welcome. 

1. After high school, you get fat.
   Seriously, after graduation I somehow managed to gain- gasp- 15 to 20 pounds! To be honest, I never weighed myself at my highest. For those of you who know me probably don't believe me. Because it never showed...because I never showed it off! And to be really honest I was shocked I ever gained that much.
   
   

   

   After graduation September 2012- 125 lbs
   July 2013- 142 lbs

   
   Now when I tell people I LOST 15 pounds they always ask "How did you do it?!" I didn't do anything too crazy. I ate less crap and more fresh food. I wasn't in the gym 24/7. I rarely worked out. And when I did I went to my yoga class and did cardio. Losing weight is 70% diet and 30% exercise. However, I made sure to have an active lifestyle; parked further and took walks with the baby almost daily. I contribute my weight loss to 2 major things: DietBet and eating better. Go check out DietBet and you'll see what I mean. As for eating healthier: egg whites, oatmeal, whole wheat and fruit are all you friends! Do your research; know what you are putting into your body. Don't try to look for shortcuts. Steer clear of "fat-free" or "no-sugar" chances are its full of chemicals. It's not rocket science, guys. Put down the doughnut and pick up a spatula because abs are made in the kitchen not the gym.
   
2. Online schooling is NOT a cop-out.
   In fact, it can be quite difficult. Yes, not having to physically get out of bed, drive to school and be present in class has it benefits but virtual courses have their downside too. For example, you teach yourself. From my experience thus far, you and google are your best bet. Another thing, it is much easier to procrastinate. When it's Monday and the assignment is due Saturday night, guess what- you are staying in Saturday night because someone waited all week to do their homework. Point is, weigh the pros and cons before enrolling in online courses and choose what best fits your life. At the end of the day, you are getting an education either way.
   
3. How to pay for college.
   In high school, teachers, counselors and parents shove scholarships down your throat. They shout "Free money!" Then, when applying to the college of your dreams (usually across the state and costing an arm and a leg) you find out applying for scholarships is much for difficult that anticipated. In most cases, a  application requires a tremendous amount of information plus a hefty essay to fit a particular question. It would be much more simple if you could use the same essay over and over but that is rarely a possibility. However there are other scholarships (hallelujah!) like athletic and academic. When I attended APU it was due to academic money and grants they offered me along with taking out a few loans. Here is the truth: absolutely do your FASFA and get all the free money you can. Come to terms that you may NOT be able to afford your dream college. Trust me, community college is okay. On the other hand, bigger colleges and large universities may be able to offer you more money even if their tuition is higher. When I chose to go to school at APU I was stupid and did it for love. I spent over $10,000 in tuition and moving. Word from the wise: don't be stupid. Please, oh please learn from my mistakes.
   
   

   

   The cost of a higher education and stupidity

   
   
4. When you become a parent (or caregiver) you forever share food and do everything one handed.
   Along with both of those, you always eat last. So basically imagine making lunch one handed, feeding the child only to find out they only want what you have. To throw in a fun fact about being a aunt and nanny, expect the unexpected and have good gag reflexes. On two separate occasions I have gotten spit up and snot in my mouth. Neither were mine. Aren't kids wonderful?
   
   

   

   Jess's first birthday- good thing she's cute!

   
   

   
   
5. Life can be hard.
   And that's okay. Chances are you will never have everything figured out. There will be hard times; times were your patients, mental capacity, finances, relationships and down right sanity will be tested. Push through. You'll be okay. Control what you can, let go of the rest and enjoy the moment you are in.
   
   
6. Not everyone is going to like you.
   Stop being a people pleaser. Unfortunately, I struggle with this one. I have made countless decisions based on what other people expected/wanted me to be or do for them. It can be easier to tell people what they want to hear than stand up for yourself. You have to deal with yourself for the rest of your life, so get used to liking and pleasing yourself. There will always be a naysayer, cut that voice out of your life because your opinion is the only opinion that matters. At the end of the day, this is your life so, YOU DO YOU BOO.
   
   

   

   
   

   
   
7. The cost of living is expensive.
   Yes, we all know about rent and the fact we have to eat but there are other things. I don't know about you but I have had a lack of awareness that toilet paper, trash bags, laundry detergent and other household items run out. You mean there isn't a magical fairy that replenishes the supply? No, you can't live with mom forever. But that's where a wife comes in (kidding!). But seriously, I spent $7.50 today on fabric softener and dish soap. I didn't even buy the good name brand stuff...I think this is why the dollar store exists. Not to mention the rising cost of food. But what can you do? Control what you can and let go of the rest. Guess I'm moving to a farm.
   
   

   

   Meet my neighbor Billy-Lou.

   
   
8. Eyebrows can make or break a face.
   Seriously ladies (and men) learn the art of a TWO great brows. I get complimented the most on my eyebrows because I learned to shape them. I have a lot of brow and if  I didn't tame them I would look like Frida Kahlo, but worse. Here is a video by my favorite makeup artist, Kandee Johnson! Watch it, learn it, love it.
   
   
   
   
9. Being an adult sucks.
   Okay, this one someone may have told you. Or made the sly comment of "Don't grow up, it's a trap!" Really, idiot? Growing up is inevitable. Being an adult is optional. I'm often baffled at the fact I wanted to grow up so badly, move away and drive my own car. Clearly, I didn't know anything about rent, insurance or car payments. But it does have its advantages like not having a bedtime or curfew, eating whatever you want (ice cream for breakfast anyone?) and making your own decisions in your life (mostly justified by #yolo).
   
10. The key to life is gratitude.
    This one is a time saver. As someone who loves to study happiness and success I have found it time and time again how important gratitude is. The sooner you accept this and make it part of your daily life, the quicker you are to a happier life. To elaborate on this, I make two recommendations: 1. Read The Secret 2. Watch Happy (an documentary found on Netflix). I love them both. How can we ever expect more if we aren't grateful for what we have now?
    

    "Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them." Matthew 13:12
    now read it this way..
    Whoever has (gratitude) will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have (gratitude), even what they have will be taken from them.
    (The Secret touches on this, read it.) 

    
    

    
    

    
    

Despite my "complaints" I love my life, even if that means figuring things out for myself.
I hope some of this helped! Love you lots my lil readers.

Comment below, Tweet or Facebook me and tell me what you think!

Hugs and kisses,

Following Your Bliss

"Follow your bliss and the Universe will open doors for you where there were only walls." ~Joseph Campbell

I don't want to be a nurse. There I said it. All my life I was told over and over again that I was a 'caretaker' which naturally meant, I had to be a nurse. In my head I thought, "well since God didn't give me any awesome talents like singing, playing an instrument or being record breaking athlete, I'm good at taking care of people so I guess I'll be a nurse." It was convenient for me to convince myself that's what I wanted; I would tell myself "They're in demand and if I work up I can make good money." But the truth was I didn't want to be stuck in a hospital taking care of people who didn't want to be there. Granted I could have worked elsewhere as a nurse but didn't that appeal to me either.

In high school I discovered my love for cooking, and it helped that I was good at it. I learned how to cook by watching Rachel Ray after school and through one of my close friends (really like another mother to me), Hope. Every time I was trying out a new recipe in the kitchen I found myself wanting to know more. After I graduated, I was dead set on going to culinary school. I was going to bite the bullet, pay the tuition and follow my dream. I remember telling my boyfriend's dad at the time (and I looked up to him), he said with a stern voice "my brother went to culinary school...now he's a mailman."
Heartbroken.
Dreams crushed.
Culinary school flew out the window like a tossing out a cigarette on the freeway with the top down.
A few months later I moved to L.A. attended APU and planned on starting the nursing program the following semester. In my classes, there were a lot of nursing students; they all would huddle together. Overtime, I started realizing they had passion, drive and ambition behind their major. I didn't feel the same way about nursing. That same semester I began to journal about my life, I called them my "writings." I remember the first time sharing them with someone else. I felt vulnerable and naked letting someone else inside my mind. Hydee, my roommate, listened intently as I read her my second entry about a new guy I met over spring break. She applauded my words and gave me the courage to keep writing. Entry, after entry I would share with Hydee and she pushed me to read my writings with others. When summer came and I moved back home; I kept writing and stopped sharing. I felt the desire to share my thoughts, experiences, recipes, stories, pictures, and my life with others; this is how Amber Hart was born.

Writing this blog makes me happy. I love giving the world a little piece of me, in hope that one day I can touch someone's life. It is what keeps me going to write more. As of right now, I still don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm figuring it out. I can cross off nursing school on my lists of possible careers. I truly believe in my heart of hearts that if I follow my bliss, discover all my passions and talents then the money will come. Not only that but I will be happier, more peaceful and over all more successful than if I were to give in to social pressures and follow the 'norm.'

Dream Board

This is my dream board. Everything on there has some meaning behind it. I heard some study once that people with dream boards are more likely to accomplish them. I wake up everyday and look at all the different pieces on there. That is my future: finishing school, falling in love, getting married in the temple, pursuing cooking, living close to the beach, having a family, etc. At the bottom it says "thank you." Thank you because I believe in my silly, fairytale dreams so much that they are already in motion. Money nor logic has lead me to believing in my dreams or the dreams I have already accomplished. My bliss has been my arrow. 

If you have a dream, share it with others, take a step toward that goal. You are reading this, you are alive, you have a purpose that isn't compete. It's that simple. You are meant for greatness. If you don't have anyone believing in you, I believe in you. If you don't have someone to share your dreams with, tell me. If you don't know where to begin, start your adventure. That's what I'm doing at this very moment. I'm following my arrow to see where it leads.

Here's to 2014 and following your bliss!

I'm cheering you on in this life. Go get 'em tiger.

Hugs & kisses,

Let's Play Catch Up!

A quick recap of all that's happened since November...

It's hasn't even been 3 months, you think it would be uneventful or something. Nope, not my life. I should rename by blog and call it "My Crazy, Insane, Hectic, Beautiful, Not Normal at All Life"...but i think that would be too long of a title. We'll stick with Amber Hart :) 

On to the events...

• Thanksgiving - I spent it with one of my close friends, Brittney. We went to morning mass and delivered a meal to an elderly woman (she nearly talked our ear off for 2 hours.) Brit's mom cooked a full meal, which immediately required a nap after consuming. 

After we consumed large amounts of food

• Black Friday- technically Thursday night, stores are opening up earlier every year...don't get me started on this. Brit and I headed out to bear the crowds in search of killer deals. I think she mainly went shopping for herself, which is a pretty novel idea. I, however, got 90% of my Christmas shopping done and saved a boatload of money. Yay deals!
  
  

  

  Working off the turkey

  
  
• Disneyland- with my nanny family. It was a work/play weekend. Emphasis on the work. (There will probably be a blog about this at some point.)
  
  

  

  Kay gazing off in the happiest place on earth

  
  
• Baptized & Confirmed- in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wait...what!? Yes. There will be more on this later! But for now I'll just say it was a long time coming, 4 years, and one of the most joyful days of my life.
  
  

  

  Just some of the missionaries

  
  
• Family Pictures- I chose to do family pictures for my Christmas present because I realized we haven't had a family picture since I was about 5 years old. Not cool. We hired a local photographer and she did a great job. Thanks Sheryl!
  
  

  

  *forced smiles*

  
  
• Christmas- This year my whole family celebrated together. It was chaotic to say the least. But I did enjoy spending time with my loved ones! (Apparently I forgot to take pictures on my favorite day of the year; so here is my mom and me with a snowman.)
  
  

  

  Go home snowman, you're drunk

  
  
• Talked in Sacrament- 2 weeks after being baptized. I loved sharing my story and hope to continue to. If you would like to listen to it, e-mail me here.
  
  

  

  "There are many truths in this world but I choose this truth."

  
  
• NYE- I welcomed 2014 in at a church function and (surprisingly) had lots of fun.
  
  

  

  It was a hodgepodge of people

  
  

To wrap it up, my life feels like a continuous stream of crazy. I never know whats going to happen next and to be frank, I like it that way. Here's to 2014 and all of it's unplanned glory! One of my New Year's Resolutions is to post weekly; so expect the unexpected!

Hold on, it could be a wild ride!

Hugs & kisses,

Kids, Food and Fall

Long time, no post

The last time I blogged it was over 100 degrees outside and popsicles and swimsuits were in season. Now, the seasons have changed and I type this as rain falls outside my window. So much has changed other than the weather. I have a new job, quit my old one, begun online classes, taken spontaneous a trip to California, completed (and won!) a dietbet.com challenge- to say the least it seems like something is always keeping me busy. But I like it that way. 

And if you look outside fall is here...

Happy Fall yall 

Sweater weather, baby

My new job is challenging yet rewarding. I am a nanny. Not a babysitter, a nanny. People like to think those two terms are interchangeable. They're not. I'm with the kids Monday through Friday; breakfast, nap time, lunch and on the rare occasion sometimes dinner. With as much time I spend with them, they feel like my kiddos. I just get the pleasure of going home to a quiet house at the end of the day. The little one, 15 months old, Kay, we'll call her loves walks around the neighborhood and being tickled. Her older sister, Rye we'll call her, is 4 years old and 100% girl. She loves, sparkles, cupcakes and everything purple. They keep me busy. I love them. 

On Friday's we always do something fun: bake cookies, make then play with play-dough or use all the blankets in the house to make a fort under the kitchen table. Last week it was making home made instruments.  

Rye with her cereal box guitar. Call her the next T-Swift

On nice days, we like to go outside and play at the park or just play in the driveway. 

Rye letting little Kay drive her beloved Barbie Jeep

This Friday I'll come up with something Thanksgiving themed- maybe a gratitude tree. I'm sure I can go to Pinterest for inspiration. However, this week Rye was sick which means I got to have some time off. Yesterday I cleaned the house and got caught up on laundry. Today, I unexpectedly got the day off again (yay!). To be honest, I don't know what to do with all this time on my hands, I'm not used to it. I actually had time to cook breakfast. Woah. In honor of fall I made one of my favorite, easy (somewhat healthy) snacks/desserts for lunch, well because I can. Dessert for lunch? YOLO (who even says that anymore- yuck). Behold the deliciousness... 

Apples & chocolate

Apples & Chocolate 

it's so simple and delicious i'm embarrassed to share the recipe

1 Fiji apple, sliced (I use an apple slicer)

1/4 C milk chocolate chips (Guittard are my hands-down favorite) 

1 handful of nuts of your choice  

I arranged the apples slices in a wreath form. For melting the chocolate, a double boiler is ideal however, I'm lazy and use the microwave. 11 second intervals with the chips in a glass bowl and stirring every interval.  Drizzle, top and enjoy. 

Guys, really it'a not rocket science. I came up with this years ago and it has been a favorite ever since. Hey, at least I'm eating my fruit. 

That is all for today lovelies, I promise next time it won't be as long. I'm still learning how to manage my crazy, hectic, beautiful life. Do any of you ever feel that way?

Take a break on this Thursday before Thanksgiving and go indulge yourself in some apples & chocolate. 

Hugs & kisses,

The Awe and Wonder

What TODAY is all about...

Disclaimer: My intentions are not to try to preach or be perceived like I know it all- because I don’t. All I hope is to share a little something I believe in and perhaps it gets you a wink more excited about life as you were before reading this. Read on lovelies!

Here is me not knowing it all
{Space Mountain, Disneyland 2012}

A little something I've noticed... 

So often we get caught up in our everyday lives: working, cooking, cleaning, paying bills, going out with friends, waiting for the weekend to arrive, focusing on our relationships, attending church on Sunday, anticipating that pay raise, grocery shopping and oh so much more. That list could go on forever. Well it’s great to be driven, focused and perhaps on a schedule. However, we often miss the world around it and with that it passes us by. We don’t see the beauty in everyday things and soon enough they become ordinary: the mountains, trees, wind, familiar faces, smiles, loved ones, water, the air we breathe, sunshine on our face and just like the other list this one could go on forever as well. There will always be something to complain about but there is also always something to be grateful for- you choose. We have so much to be thankful for, I’m alive today and if you are reading this so are you. Amen to that. We hear it so frequently that everyday is a gift (and most times we shrug it off as just another saying or cliché quote) but let it sink in for a moment….You (and me for that matter) don’t have to be given another day, another tomorrow but we are. Your work is not done, today is not for worrying how the bills are going to get paid or getting in another argument with your significant other or hating your body but it another chance to try and strive for whatever your goal(s) may be. Whoever or whatever you believe in- whether it is Allah, God, Buddha, or the Universe or something else, thank Him, thank them, thank it. You have air in your lungs, love in heart and unimaginable opportunities, for today you are alive. Take today and carpe diem the crap out of it, see the beauty and live in it because none of us are promised tomorrow. Enjoy the awe and wonder today!

A day a lived in the moment...

Huntington Beach, CA 2013

Do I look worried about the bills I had to pay? Or my future plans? No. The funny thing is on this day I had NO IDEA what I wanted in life, where I wanted to be or what my future held. But I didn't care. I was so immersed in that day and in those moments nothing else mattered. For today, I can't wait to see where the day takes me, for all I know today could be the greatest adventure of my life. Hukuna matata babies!

HUGE

 hugs & kisses,