Michel's first snow!

Validation.

I have been meaning to share a few bits and pieces from my last weekend. It's been a busy week, but I finally found a few minutes to write this post :)

I got to spend some time with my bestie who will soon be leaving B-more for an AMAZING job in NYC. So proud of her, and I will be missing her tons!

Breakfast/ brunch at my favourite place in B-more, Artifact Coffee! It is so cute and cozy and the food is DELICIOUS, and all of it is locally sourced! 

I have greatly reduced my dairy intake, but once in a while treat myself to my favourite treat- latte!

"Candid" Sunday Ruhi photo of these two cutesies.

A real candid photo of pretty Carolyn! 

Lately I have been thinking about the need for external validation. Sometimes our society can lead us to believe that this sort of external support is linked to personal success and accomplishment. Personally, I have found myself easily discouraged or disappointed, or second guessing myself, when I don't have the acknowledgment  or approval that my work and effort is "good" and accepted. I am trying to consciously work on this,  and accept the truth that all I need is validation from within myself . As, long as I know that I have worked hard and have done my best, that is the most important aspect of success. This concept can often be more difficult than expected to incorporate into one's life but is so incredibly freeing! Do what makes you happy and proud of yourself.  We can be our own worst critic or strongest supporter! Be kind and give to others, but don't depend on praise from others to determine your success and happiness!

Fall firsts...

Michel's first Halloween! And very first pumpkin carving. He did a much better job than I ever have ;) )

(On my way to work I was in awe of the rich and deep colors of this tree! How can anything possibly be so beautiful!)

October was an insanely busy, but wonderful month! There are so many things I love about fall - the gorgeous colors of the trees, pumpkins, Halloween, lots of birthdays in my family, scarves and many other cozy things! 

Smiling - better than chocolate?!?!

As a kid I came to realize a few truths about smiling:

1. People are prettier when they smile.
2. I like being around smiley people.
3. Whenever I am upset, simply forcing myself to smile makes me feel better (and sometimes even laugh, because it can feel so silly).
4. Smiling is contagious.
5. Smiling is fun!

I recently heard this Ted talk while driving home from work, it confirmed all my beliefs about smiling, and made me further appreciate this simple yet powerful act!

Smile people! :)

24!

Hello beautiful people!

I honestly cannot believe I am writing a post right now, but I do need a little break from studying for tomorrows test! Eeek. October has been a crazy month for me with all the assignments and midterms due and I feel like I am barely keeping afloat. But, with that said, I could not be more appreciative for the opportunity to be educated and learn about public health!

Sunday was my first birthday as a married girl and it was so very sweet! I woke up to flowers and chocolate and lots of surprises prepared by cute husband, including a Britney Spears hits CD that I have been listening to non stop in the car (forever a Britney fan!). I had a wonderful brunch with my girlfriends, Ruhi book gathering with some awesome peeps, and ended with dinner from my fav Afghani place and my fav red velvet cake from 3 Brothers. It was also perfect! Thank you to everyone for all the love and sweetness! I really am a lucky girl!

And I am going to end this post with some of my recent favourite pinterest finds:

Fridays and August.

 Photos from weekly Friday gatherings in our humble abode..

1. Lately life has decided to throw me many unexpected obstacles and hurdles to climb over, and it can be so easy to get side tracked and discouraged - especially if you are a person (like me) who likes to plan and schedule out the days/ months/ even years! These are more lessons and opportunities to master the art of letting go, which is sometimes not one of my strengths.

2. Getting married was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made. It definitely takes work and dedication but the rewards are so incredibly sweet.

3. I start school in a few days and am a ball of excitement and nervousness. A new journey is about to begin!

Lately grammies- July/ August

Lately...

( My handsome husband cleaning up after dinner during our honeymoon. I am such a lucky gal!)

 (M and I discovered the cutest famers market filled with a large variety of goodies that were also reasonably priced! The zuchinni was SO good in a veggie soup M made and the nectarines were so sweet and the perfect texture. It is probably a little ridiculous how happy farmers market fruit and veggies can make me:) )

 ( The day after our wedding with our little baby girl ;) )

(Delicious vegan lunch on Taco Tuesday from the UMD Co-op, AKA my new fav place!)

(Friday night Ruhi! Nothing better than great conversation, with beautiful souls and tea!)

(Woke up and found her like this one morning. She truly knows the way to my heart!)

Lately grammies- July.

I cannot believe it is August already! This summer has truly been one of the best and so much fun! Yesterday was M and I's 1 month anniversary which was spent working all day and then attending the nineteen day Baha'i feast. Lately I have been missing the Holy land so much that it feels like my heart is actually physically hurting. During prayers at feast last night I closed my eyes and took myself right back to some of the most special and incredibly beautiful favorite spots in Akko, Haifa and Bahji' and it felt so incredibly sweet. What an amazing blessing! I have also been deeply missing my amazing soul sisters and brothers that I met there and am feeling so much gratitude for all the amazing gifts that were given to me during that amazing year. Cherish every single moment of life you are given! 

On another note, 2 small personal goals that I am setting for myself for the month of August includes waking up earlier > so that I can be more productive and efficient with my time & taking more photos with my real camera > because taking photos is something I truly enjoy and I love having those little memories to look back on!

(Out with my lovesie!)

 (LOVE going to a cookout with lots of fresh, healthy and delicious vegetarian options!)

 (The most delicious new discovery. Honey made from apple concentrate and beet sugar. Serious Noms and perfect for tea, waffles, desserts...)

(Zipline during our Honeymoon. SO MUCH FUN!)

Focus & a food journal.

(Paper cranes from wedding day. I apologize for all the many more pics I will probably post in the future!)

It can be so easy to get caught up in the crazy swing of life without taking a moment to stop, appreciate, and breathe a little. I often myself needing to be continuously multi-tasking, always have some background noise in the background, and fill my days with non stop to-do's. I need to remind myself to really spend some time enjoying the gift of silence, the company of my own thoughts, and the little things in life that are so sweet but can easily be overlooked. Often we can be much more productive when we take the time to re-center, and re-focus, through reflection and gratitude.

On another note I have decided to keep a food diary in the notes section of my iPhone, inspired by this post here on one of my favorite blogs. I truly believe that how we nourish and what we put into our bodies matters and can have a big impact on our moods and energy levels. And, the first step towards taking care of our bodies is being aware of what we are eating and why. I find it to be so empowering to take control over your own health through making conscious decisions about what you put into your body. 

Married away...

It has been a while blog world! So much has happened yet the past few weeks flew by in the blink of an eye. I got married! And, it was perfect and more wonderful than I could have imagined. Late that night after it was all over I found myself just jumping up and down in excitement (Michel joined in too) and joy over how much fun the day was! I feel so blessed and lucky to have such amazing friends and family who helped make the day possible, and so incredibly beautiful. It is something that I know will stay with me for the rest of my life and I am so thankful for all that they did.

The week after we spent our honeymoon at a resort in west VA ziplining, hiking, swimming, and my all time favourite, riding horses along a mountain trail. I was given a big horse named Butter and Michel was given a teenier horse named Pablo!

All in all, I am so full of happiness and joy to have married a man that I love so much and (I cant say this enough) is truly an inspiration to me through his day to day actions. I love you so much Michel!