SARITA'S LIFE

MY TOP KETO ESSENTIALS FOR BEGINNERS

2024-05-14T22:23:00.:00

Years ago, I did Keto successfully for three months and during that time, I lost about 25 lbs and oh, did I feel GREAT. I was finally able to wear cute clothes for once with confidence and I had more energy to go out and have fun. Food no longer controlled my life which made me feel free! I was so convinced that I had tried it all when it came to dieting, but it was only Keto that made me feel like I had finally found the answer to losing weight.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

Unfortunately though, my life took an unexpected turn and I stopped following the Keto diet. Naturally, I gained all of the weight back (and more) and I couldn't get myself to commit to a low-carb diet. I had reached a very low point in my life but when I overcame the struggles, Keto was the first thing I pushed myself back into. So when I was ready, I cleaned out my fridge and snack cabinet of anything that wasn't Keto-friendly and went grocery shopping.

DEBUNKING THE MYTHS

Before diving into the essentials though, I want to clear the air about following a Keto diet. Many people think following a Keto diet is expensive, but it's actually not! Of course, it depends on where you're shopping but if you shop at common grocery stores like Aldi's or even international markets, you will surely get great deals on your produce and meats. However, if you're buying packaged Keto snacks that are often very expensive (and sometimes unnecessary), then yes, your wallet will take a blow.

Just know that you don't need many Keto snacks when you're just starting out. Matter of fact, don't buy any snacks at first and just stick with wholesome meals or baking your own Keto desserts if possible. It'll save you so much more money in the end and give you more control over your diet!

TIPS WHEN SHOPPING FOR KETO ESSENTIALS

When you're shopping for your Keto essentials, keep it simple and stay disciplined. The first week entering Keto will always be the hardest for your cravings so try to keep your house free of anything tempting to eat; also, never shop when you're hungry! At the store, anything marketed as "Keto friendly," and you will want to always double check the ingredients, net carbs, and total carbs. Personally, I look at the total carbs only so I achieve faster weight loss. This maybe be a tough way to go for some, but depending on your weight loss goals, it may be necessary.

Also, many food companies have now caught on to the demand for Keto products and have started producing products that sound appealing but really aren't. Many are loaded with hidden sugars and even GMOs. That's why it's best to keep your diet as simple as possible so you has less to worry about when it comes to shopping.

Reminder:

Avoid shopping when you're hungry
The first week of Keto is always the hardest
Always check the ingredients label
Decide if you want to count Total carbs or Net Carbs
Keep your diet simple for less headaches

MY TOP KETO ESSENTIALS

I actually have a complete shopping list of my Keto essentials so if you want to see visuals of what I'm talking about, head on over to my Kit page. I do earn commission if you decide to purchase anything from there, but all of the products are products I personally use and find very helpful.

1. Almond Flour

A baking essential that you will likely end up needing if you want to do any kind of keto baking! Ever craved pancakes or pizza? You'll need almond flour for those.

2. Coconut Flour

Sometimes recipes will ask for coconut flour to add more texture or flavor to your dish. Also, combining almond flour and coconut flour together make a great cake!

3. Xanthum Gum

Not all, but some recipes will ask you to use xanthum gum which is an agent that helps bind your ingredients together for a solid structure. Since we aren't using traditional flour that has gluten in it, we often have to use xanthum gum to fill in the gaps.

4. Psyllium Husk Powder

This is often used in pizza dough and bread recipes, or any recipe that requires elasticity or extra protein. It's very useful to have!

5. Monk Fruit Sugar

Once you start baking Keto desserts, your world will change forever! I highly recommend baking your own desserts because you will save more money and have more control over what goes in your food. Monk fruit is on the pricey side, but the sugar I buy is a decent price!

6. Sugar-free Chocolate Chips

If you're like me and you crave chocolate chip cookies a lot, you're going to need some sugar-free chocolate chips on hand. These can also get pricey but they're good to have around if you ever want to treat yourself to something sweet!

7. Keto-friendly Electrolytes

I'm only on my 2nd week of Keto and I made sure to buy myself electrolytes before starting! Keto Flu is no joke and it will kick your butt if you're not supplementing your diet with the right vitamins and minerals. Definitely buy this!

8. Mini Waffle Maker

The one thing I cannot lie about is how repetitive my meals have become. After my first week of Keto, my appetite has gone down a lot, but sometimes I get bored from eating the same meals over and over. Introducing a mini waffle maker! Make a waffle out of anything and let yourself feel like a kid again!

9. Keto-friendly Protein Powder

There are some days where you're not going to feel like cooking, especially in the early stages of your Keto diet. This is why it's convenient to have a good Keto protein powder on hand that can be used to fill in for a meal. Also, sometimes it's just hard to get in calories on a Keto diet so protein powders can greatly help you out!

10. Ketone Urine Test Strips

These are so great to have when you need to hold yourself accountable! I can't tell you how many times I look forward to using these strips just to confirm that I'm in a state of Ketosis. It really adds joy to anyone looking for validation.

11. Keto Food Guide

As I mentioned before, your meals at some point will get repetitive. Having this Keto guide will inspire you to try new things and spice up your plate options! The last thing you want is a dull meal plan!

12. Meal Prepping Boxes

I used to cook my meals in advance at some point because having meals ready to heat up when you're hangry is a life saver! I stopped doing this though because our current fridge is much smaller but if you have the space and time, preparing your meals in advance will make your life a million times easier!

KETO ESSENTIALS FOR ALL BUDGETS

Remember, your Keto shopping doesn't have to be expensive and while they're more products out on the market now compared to a few years ago, just keep it simple. When you've gotten the hang of your Keto diet and you no longer have to pander about what to eat, you can afford to splurge and take your diet up a notch.

Also, if you have some Keto essentials that you find helpful to your diet, share them in the comment section below!

ARE YOU SELF-SABOTAGING YOURSELF?

2024-05-09T11:27:00.:00

It took me years of struggling and hitting a constant wall before I realized I was self-sabotaging myself. My life had went off course and nothing was going right to the point where it almost felt like I had hit an all time low. I had no job, little money, relationship issues, bad luck, and no more passion to do what I loved.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

I felt stuck and I didn't know what to do but dwell on everything that was going wrong in my life. I became completely detached from everything around me and it pushed me further into denial.

Self-sabotaging is one of those things that creeps up on you if you aren't careful. It can be as minor as putting off daily chores or it can be more impactful like wanting a new love in your life but not making an effort to find it because you're afraid of rejection. Self-sabotage can happen to anyone and for some, it takes years before they wake up and push themselves out of the vicious cycle.

For me, what made me look at myself in the mirror was reading more self-help books. For every part of my life, whether good or bad, I have always turned to the knowledge of books to enlighten me. To me, books are my therapy, my happy place.

To get a better idea of what self-sabotaging looks like, here are some more examples of it. You'll be surprised by how common some of them really are!

1. Procrastination: Putting off tasks until the last minute or avoiding them altogether, even when they're important or necessary. Things like not cleaning your home, taking care of your pets, getting involved with your children's school activities, or putting off getting a job.

2. Perfectionism: Setting unrealistically high standards for oneself and becoming paralyzed by the fear of failure which can quickly lead to avoidance or abandonment of tasks altogether. When there's no wiggle room for error, you set yourself up for failure because deep down you know nothing will ever be perfect yet you strive for it anyways.

3. Negative self-talk: Engaging in constant self-criticism or negative thinking can erode your self-confidence and motivation. Before you even give yourself a chance to try, you have already determined you aren't good enough or that something wont work out which pushes you even further away from your wants and desires.

4. Overthinking: Getting stuck in cycles of overanalyzing situations or decisions that can lead to indecision or inaction. When you overthink, you become immobile and stuck. Rather than going with one option and seeing where it takes you, you stay in one place with your thoughts taking the wheel instead.

5. Avoidance of success: Fear of success can lead many of us to unconsciously avoid opportunities or sabotage our efforts just when success is around the corner. It often happens to those who aren't confident in themselves as they are unable to imagine a certain level of happiness for themselves, leading them to stay in their comfort zone.

6. Self-medication: Turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as excessive drinking, substance abuse, or binge eating just because they temporarily numb your emotions. For awhile you're problems don't exist and that becomes a moment you live for. This can quickly take you down a path of turbulence so it's best to tackle this as soon as possible!

7. Setting unrealistic goals: Setting goals that are too ambitious or vague without breaking them down into more manageable steps will only make you overwhelmed and more likely to give up. This is another form of fantasizing where we like the idea of our goals in our head but in reality there is much more to it that we have to be honest with ourselves about.

8. People-pleasing: Prioritizing others' needs and opinions over your own can leave you feeling resentment, burnout, and your own goals getting neglected. Instead of having healthy boundaries in place, you may bend over backwards for others for approval or to make up for your lack of confidence.

9. Isolation: You withdraw from new social interactions or avoid opportunities to connect with others because you're afraid of rejection or vulnerability. If you struggle with low self-esteem, you will most likely push people away as an attempt to protect yourself but you'll only end up feeling lonely.

10. Self-handicapping: Intentionally creating obstacles or excuses to justify potential failure such as not preparing adequately for a task or blaming external factors for one's shortcomings. When you can't face the task before you, any little inconvenience is enough to make you walk away from it altogether.

Now all of these sound fairly shocking but the good news is that even if you may find yourself sabotaging yourself, it can be as temporary as you allow it to be; just know when to get professional help! The human spirit is very resilient which is why we often have to hit a low point before we can choose a better path for ourselves.

The low points in our life are often wake-up calls that we have ignored for some time and when we've had enough, we finally pull back the curtains.

Handling self-sabotage methods requires you to be vulnerable and honest with yourself. Like really, really, honest. When you're ready for a new phase of your life that is more loving and open, you will know how to move forward. Since I had a hard time being honest with myself and receiving advice from others didn't help me do any better, I turned to books as I always have.

You will likely have to find what works for you so that you can give yourself the happiness you truly deserve. So stop self-sabotaging yourself and go find the best version of yourself. Even better - create it.

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

THE BENEFITS OF AFFIRMATIONS

2024-05-08T13:16:00.:00

The day I started to do daily affirmations is the day I put my happiness first. I forced myself to tune out the rest of the noise around me like work drama, family issues, the news (which is really not news anymore since it feeds off of our emotions), and anything else that made me feel anything else but content. I learned to live for the moment and in return I was able to make my life better as well as those around me. Eventually, this small change helped me discover myself in ways I never thought to imagine.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

What are affirmations you may ask? Well, you've probably heard influencers talking about them as they've picked up quite a lot of attention lately. Affirmations are statements that are repeated to yourself in order to instill a particular belief or mindset. They're often used as a technique for self-improvement or personal development. The idea behind affirmations is that by consistently repeating positive statements about oneself or one's goals, you can gradually reprogram your subconscious mind to adopt those beliefs or achieve those goals.

Examples of some affirmations that I write are "I am financially stable," and "My pets are happy and healthy." Affirmations are quite personal but you don't have to be too realistic! It's perfectly okay to speak of things you want to happen as if they already have because that's the magic about affirmations; it's your time to manifest anything you want, just as long as it's worth while to you. As I am sure you have heard the saying before, just "Be careful what you wish for."

Now affirmations are fun and meant for everyone but for many of us who are stuck in the shadows of our mind, affirmations can reveal dark aspects of ourselves that can be hard to face. That's why affirmations are best applied to your life when you are also working on yourself simultaneously. When you take your self-development seriously, you'll be able to believe in your affirmations with little resistance. I also believe that actively working towards your goals (rather than just simply wishing for them) also helps you manifest much faster.

For example, I had a rough childhood growing up and there were many aspects of me that needed tons of reprograming. For so long, I felt lost and detached from my own life. When I reached my twenties, I finally dived into reading self-help books and then it was three years later that I could effectively apply The Law of Attraction. Today, working on myself has become top priority since doing so has allowed me to manifest many wonderful events in my life and increase my own happiness.

It's important to remember though that you should also adjust your expectations when it comes to your affirmations. Do them because it has potential to bring you greatness but it doesn't always guarantee results. Having such expectations will lead you to most likely becoming disappointed since manifesting takes time and energy. The best way to approach your affirmations is with an open mind and to just go with the flow; when it happens, you will know!

The Benefits of Affirmations

Here are the many benefits of doing daily affirmations to increase your overall happiness.

Positive Mindset: Affirmations help you to cultivate a positive mindset by focusing your thoughts on constructive and optimistic statements.

Self-Confidence: Regularly affirming positive traits and abilities can boost self-confidence and self-esteem.

Motivation: Affirmations can serve as motivational reminders of your goals, aspirations, and the steps you need to take to achieve them.

Stress Reduction: Affirmations can act as a stress management tool by shifting your focus away from negative thoughts and worries.

Increased Resilience: Regularly practicing affirmations can build resilience by fostering a more optimistic outlook on life and a greater sense of control over your circumstances

Goal Achievement: Affirmations can help align your thoughts, beliefs, and actions with your goals, increasing the likelihood of achieving them.

Improved Relationships: Affirmations focused on love, compassion, and understanding can enhance relationships by promoting empathy and positive communication.

Enhanced Creativity: Affirmations can stimulate creativity by encouraging you to think in innovative and resourceful ways.

Health Benefits: Studies suggest that positive affirmations can have physiological benefits, such as reducing stress-related symptoms and improving overall well-being.

Emotional Healing: Affirmations can aid in emotional healing by promoting forgiveness, self-compassion, and acceptance.

Even if you just want to focus more on your goals with a more optimistic attitude, or you really want to manifest some of your deepest desires, you can't go wrong if you spend just 10 minutes out of your day doing them! When combined with your personal development, writing affirmations can be a powerful tool for personal growth, helping you to rewire your mindset, boost your confidence, and improve your overall well-being. If you do decided to do affirmations, I hope they work for you as they have for me!

Until next time! - Sarah XOXO

SOFI BANKING REVIEW

2024-05-04T23:31:00.:00

One of my goals this year was to spend more time improving my finances. Now I'll admit, money has never been a walk in the park for me and I was quite ignorant on the whole investing stuff. To be honest, I still am. If you're like me though, money comes and goes faster than you can you snap your finger and no, it's not the kind of magic I like. I wanted this year to be different though so I started to read books on investing and real estate investing and found myself diving into a whole new world!

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

Along the way of me educating myself, I came across an advertisement for SoFi Banking. It came at the perfect timing too because as I read into the perks of signing up with SoFi, it aligned with all of my financial goals; talk about Law of Attraction huh? After a little research on it, I suddenly found myself depositing all of my money into my new SoFi Checking's Account and setup my direct deposit; all in two hours or less.

Now, before we continue, just a little disclaimer; I am not giving any kind of financial advice in anyway; just my opinion and experience. Please do your own research to decide if SoFi Banking is right for you. Also, this post is written in May of 2024, so the information in this post may be outdated as time goes on so again, do your research.

First things first, I was drawn to SoFi Banking because of their High Yield Savings Account. It boasts a 4.60% APY for their Savings Account and .50% APY for their Checkings. Now, for reference, before switching to SoFi I was using Wells Fargo Way2Save and the APY for that account was 0.01%...why on earth I stayed with this bank for so many years is beyond me!

For those who aren't familiar with APY, APY stands for Annual Percentage Yield. It's a measure used to represent the annual rate of return on savings accounts or other interest-bearing accounts. APY takes into account the effect of compounding interest which in plain English means your money grows overtime the more you put into it and hold it there. If you're a parent with kids, or a young adult reading this, get one of these accounts now so that it will have more time to grow and appreciate in value!

Not all accounts offer the same APY though which is why you want to go with the one with the highest APY, at least 4% and over for a savings account. SoFi's High Yield Savings account was the sole reason I signed up and I am very happy to know that my money will now start to grow every year just by keeping it there!

Sofi's High Yield Savings account isn't the only perk that comes with banking with them. Being a mobile banking app doesn't stop this company from offering a range of perks that many users will appreciate, including myself. Some of the benefits include no account fees, 2-day early paycheck, traveling discounts, estate planning assistance, referral program, and the wonderful ability to invest directly from your account.

Even though I'm still diving into the world of investing and managing my finances better, SoFi has introduced me to these new concepts in a fun and welcoming manner. So much, to the point where I'd frequently visit the App just to learn something new. Of my fifteen years banking with Well Fargo, I have never had the same connection with them that I now have with SoFi. My connection with Wells Fargo felt cold, but with SoFi it truly feels like the company wants to improve your livelihood.

Naturally, the first feature I was excited to get my hands on was their investing program. I really wanted to start building my investment portfolio and SoFi has done a great job giving their users the ability to do so with ease. Index Funds were my sole interest in the beginning so I quickly put money into my investing vault so that I make my first investment. If you're ever not sure of anything, SoFi also has a plethora of articles available both in App and online to help you along the way.

Since the company was still quite new to me though, I'd be lying if I said that I was confident with the Apps ability to function. There were times where the App itself wouldn't load and I'd have to sign out. These bugs were minor though and since my time using the App (about two months or more) the bugs have gone down with each update. Occasionally it glitches, but it's nothing major.

For their customer support, it's mostly automated where their robot directs you to commons answers to common questions. It's pretty helpful when you're first starting out as you get a feel for the interface. If you find that your question isn't solved though, you're quickly (and I mean quickly) connected to an actual human to chat with.

My experience with this was when I kept getting emails from SoFi that my password was found in a breach and it needed to be reset. I reset it of course, but I kept getting the same email repeatedly asking me to change my password. It started to become alarming after the third time, so I contacted customer service through the App and they were quick to look into the issue for me.

SoFi also has a credit card that members can get approved for. This credit card gives you 2% cash back on all purchases and up to 3% cash back for traveling purchases. So if you use this card for everyday purchases, traveling, or for bills even, you could get a good return back on it. Just remember that with any credit card, comes bigger spending responsibility! If you're looking for a entry level credit card though that can give you decent perks with it, SoFi's credit card is an ideal place to start.

With my three months of using SoFi, I am grateful to have stumbled upon it. I can now be more involved in my finances without the whole process being intimidating to me. And in all honesty, I feel like I can achieve my financial goals with it too. This company is greatly changing how we all do banking as a whole and they have made banking much more modern and appealing to us younger folks.

So if you're looking to step up your financial gains, I highly recommend giving SoFi a try!

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

MY FAVORITE KETO MUG CAKE

2024-04-29T21:22:00.:00

I am doing it again - getting back into Keto before the summer hits! I'm only on my 2nd day of Keto and I have been doing great about eating fulfilling meals, but my sweet tooth is incredibly annoying. So, as usual when the cravings hit, I search the web for a keto-friendly dessert that is easy and accommodates me with all the ingredients I have on hand...which isn't much as always!

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

After some time browsing around, I finally came across a fun recipe for a Keto vanilla mug cake. It requires both Almond and Coconut flour and of course a low-carb sweetener like Monk fruit sugar. The recipe was very simple and since it was my first time making a mug cake, I was really curious with how it would turn out. Ironically enough, I had just enough sugar for this recipe so it was definitely meant to be.

Once the ingredients were mixed together, I poured it into a mug, smoothed down the surface and popped it in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. I ended up taking it out 10 seconds earlier though just to make sure it didn't over cook which was a good call. I was so surprised by how much the cake has risen and how fragrant it was!

Finished!

The cake was fairly hot at this point, so I decided to pop the cake out of the mug and put it into a new mug that was colder to help it cool down faster. I couldn't believe how dense the cake was! I had never made a mug cake before so the fact that I had a small cake ready in less than 2 minutes wowed me over. I had always heard people raving about mug cages and now I could see why!

I topped my cake with whipped cream

Very low-carb whipped cream from Lidl

I didn't have any icing on hand so instead I used something even better...whipped cream. I had found some at Lidl that had very low carbs in it which was such a great find considering most whipped creams have sugar in it; not this one though! Once the cake had cooled down, I swirled a generous amount of whip cream on top of it and took it to my comfort area which was me sitting on the living room floor in front of my laptop while watching Toasty Games.

Let me just start by saying for a Keto mug cake, this was everything I needed to satisfy my cravings! It wasn't overly sweet, it was soft with a great vanilla taste to it, and the richness from the almond and coconut flour made it so filling. Obviously the whipped cream was a bonus that completed this cake, but as I was eating it, I felt so happy that I had found an easy Keto dessert that I could make literally in minutes; how awesome.

Such great texture for a mug cake!

While I only just started my Keto diet, having a simple and clean dessert that I can indulge in makes each day a bit better! This recipe is definitely a new favorite of mine and I can't wait to make variations of it.

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

A DAY AT THE PARK

2024-04-28T12:28:00.:00

Dimitar and I had the rare (but nice) opportunity where we both had the same day off. As usual, we slept in until 9am, gave Amigo a nice long walk before munching on some blueberry muffins for breakfast. That's when we decided to go to the park. We haven't been to one in awhile because of our schedules so we thought about checking out a new park that I have been eyeing for over a year now.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

Since starting my new job where I work even more hours, I have been desperately in need of spending time outdoors. I often get body aches from sitting too long at my work desk so making time to walk has been a big priority of mine. To combat this, I have invested in new sneakers, bought a Fitbit, and upped my intake on electrolytes. It's been an adjustment for sure but finding small ways to help myself physically have really paid off. Also, the benefits of working in a clinic is that you can often get drops of advice on how to improve your life like how drinking fermented drinks before bedtime can improve the quality of your sleep.

Once all of the pets were taken care of, Dimitar and I changed into our walking clothes, filled our water bottles, and headed off towards Huntley Meadow Park. It's a cute park honestly that is a combination between a park and a wetland. It's also the first park that I have personally been to that has allowed me to walk over water; something Huntley Meadow Park has incorporated so well!

Weird Blaire Witch structure

The park was about 15 minutes away from our house and it was tucked away behind a cute neighborhood. To our surprise, the park was smaller than expected but filled with people. We managed to find parking though and headed off towards the trail that was quick to introduce us to the local wildlife, history, and the map of the park. I also learned about certain invasive insects that immediately sent me down memory lane of when I used to go fishing with my dad.

We didn't get very far on the trail before we came across a path leading us over the wetland. There was a dock that stretched across the water and allowed us to get up close to see all kinds of wild life; fish, tadpoles, snapping turtles, and tons of frogs. It was easy to get lost in the beauty of everything that we often stood in one place to take it all in!

Snappy Turtle coming up for air

Once we walked across the wet land, there is a lookout tower that allowed us to look over the entire wetland. It was a cute area where you could get a panoramic view of everything or just sit down and relax on the bench. Maybe it was because I hadn't been to the park in a long time, but it really was a peaceful place that helped me unwind after a long week!

No matter how much time I spend outdoors; it feels like my inner being is recharging and purifying itself. I know many of us live busy lives in rushed cities, but finding time to slow down and reconnect with earth is a humbling experience that I hope to never take for granted.

Overlooking the wetland

Once we hit the end of the dock, we entered a regular trail that took us into the woods. I really wanted to see a snake (since I saw just about everything else I could see) and sure enough, I saw one! Sort-of. Unfortunately, Dimitar saw it first but his reaction to the snake made me freak out and the snake got scared by both of us and slithered away into a bush. I was hoping to take a picture of the little guy but maybe next time.

The trail from that point on lasted about half a mile or so before it took us back to the beginning near the Visitors Center. I knew the trail was going to be short but part of me wished it was much longer. Overall, this park was the cutest park ever and I'll definitely come back again during the Fall time to see the foliage change color.

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

The Visitors Center

CATIT PIXI WATER FOUNTAIN REVIEW

2024-04-14T14:40:00.:00

Having both a cat and a dog means finding ways to make caring for them easier and faster. Amigo, my 8 month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, isn't a picky water drinker but he is active so he drinks more of it. Pearl on the other hand, my 7 month old kitten, enjoys playing with her water and making a huge mess every chance she gets. So naturally, this led me to investing into a water fountain for them both.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

I couldn't just get any water fountain though. I needed one that both Amigo and Pearl could use together so it had to be a decent size and a good weight. I also needed it to have a fountain spout and give off a cue when the water levels were low. An added bonus would be that it was cute and stylish which was really just for my own enjoyment. I didn't mind if there was sound that came from it as I really like the sound of running water.

My local Petsmart had many water fountains to browse from but they were all way overpriced! They had a cute Catit Pixi water fountain for $40 dollars but I knew I could find a better deal elsewhere. So I continued to search around other stores but found none I liked. Finally weeks later, I was walking through Marshalls and BAM! There was a Catit Pixi water fountain on sale for $19.99 and in the exact color I wanted too! Talk about manifesting huh?

The Catit Pixi water fountain comes with cool features that beat any pet water fountain I've seen so far. It has two stream options for cats that are picky drinkers, an alert system that lets you know when the water is getting low, a filter that lasts 30 days, and of course the fact that it's shaped like a cat with a cute design on the front that lights up is top notch. I'm obsessed with it!

I also love how big it is too. Amigo drinks much more water compared to Pearl and the size is perfect for them both to drink from-even if at the same time. The height of the fountain also puts ease on their throats and prevents them from choking. While Pearl hasn't had any issues with drinking, Amigo often rushes when he drinks water and later ends up either burping or puking it all up altogether. Yuck.

The filter only lasts 30 days but I can easily buy more so that I'm stocked up on it. I have read that water fountains can get pretty gross if they're not being regularly washed or if the filter isn't getting changed out as it should. Just so that I remember, and for my fur babies own safety, I've marked the calendar on my phone to remind me.

The back of the box

Setting up the water fountain was very easy. Not only does it come with a booklet that gives you written instructions, but on the box there is also an illustration with directions. Once it was assembled, I filled it up with water, plugged it in, and I was immediately shocked; it was fairly quiet! Of course in a quiet room, you can hear the water but it's very gentle and relaxing.

Almost immediately upon setting it up, Amigo came to inspect. With no hesitation, he began to drink from it and seemed to enjoy his new gadget. I wasn't able to grab my phone fast enough though because soon afterwards, Pearl approached the fountain and began to drank with him; a good sign that it's Amigo and Pearl approved!

The only thing I'll have to get now is a bigger mat to put underneath it though because Amigo makes a mess when he drinks. Pearl has has even developed impulses to dip her paw into the water and flick the water onto the walls and floor like a little toddler. She drives me crazy sometimes but I'm happy at least that she's drinking more water now.

Amigo taking his first sips

Pearl playing with the water...

Overall, I can't believe the crazy deal I got at Marshalls for this amazing water fountain. If you're looking for a stylish water fountain that is also fairly quiet, you will want to buy the Catit Pixi fountain!

Until next time! - xoxo Sarah

STRAY GAME REVIEW

2024-04-05T17:34:00.:00

In my time playing video games (or just games in general), I have yet to come across one where the cat is the main character. I've played games with dogs and horses but none with cats - shocking right? I honestly like cats and find them highly misunderstood, but no game ever caught my attention enough to make me want to play it. That is, until I played Stray.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

I remember watching the trailer for this game back in 2022 and knew for a fact that it'd be a game I'd enjoy. To play a cat exploring a dystopian city? Yes, count me in! But, for whatever reason, I forgot to buy the game when it came out until one day my boyfriend, Dimitar, gifted me the game to play on Steam. So on one rainy afternoon up in my loft, I dimmed the lights down low and started the game up.

( If you don't like spoilers, I'd skip this post altogether but read on if you're still curious.)

The game starts out immersing you into a group of cats huddled up in a tunnel overgrown with vegetation. The atmosphere quickly gives you a sense of longing for something that you aren't aware of yet, but you oddly still feel safe. You also get the chance to interact with your group in a cat-like manner; taking your time to groom each kitty member and to even to play with some. It's a small heartfelt moment that could make anyone smile and it's a moment that you later end up appreciating even more.

Like any game, you quickly jump into the mechanics of how to play and getting used to controlling your kitty character. I was pleasantly surprised by how effortless it was to maneuver my kitty friend up and down beams and jump onto ledges without the movement being too choppy. It was a fun POV that I enjoyed more than I thought I would! It also made me wonder why more gaming developers weren't creating games with cats since it's now obvious by this game's ratings that there is a demand for it.

As you follow the tutorial, you quickly take in your surroundings. Seeing tall (and ominous) concrete walls surround you with overgrown plants and no humans in sight leads you to wonder how exactly the story will unfold. Everything appears so serene as the game highlights how resilient nature is. Just as you begin to make peace with following your kitty group around, the story takes a sudden turn and you're separated from them due to an unexpected fall; pushing you down into the darkness that the walls hide.

Just like that, your journey as a cat begins and you find yourself exploring a dark abandoned city brought to life by neon lights and the dangers that lurk within it. It's not all gloomy though, as you later encounter robots who end up helping you along the way towards your mission. One of these nifty robots just so happens to be on your back in the shape of a backpack and the two of you rely on each other every step of the way until the very end. You also quickly learn the true story about the unfortunate events that took place before the city was blocked off from the outside world.

Apart from the amazing layout of the city you can explore, the game itself has various puzzles in place that help you develop the story line. Since I'm not the best with puzzles, it was a relief to find that most of the puzzles were user friendly but engaging. Sometimes you had to complete missions for the local robots to obtain certain desired objects, allowing you to move past the yearning of your kitty group from the very beginning.

The best thing I liked about this game though (apart from you playing a cat) is the interactions between each and every robot. Most of the robots talked like a human would, but then there were others that seemed more distraught and unable to cope. Many spoke about their long search for a way back up to the surface but settled with the idea that it wasn't possible. You end up sympathizing with them and hanging onto the story even more because of this.

Also, as simple as the gameplay may be, your ability to play as a cat is never taken away from you and it's not oddly distorted in some weird way. I say this because many games have a habit of overpowering the main character that they believe lacks excitement. With Stray though, you can be a cat and utilize everything that makes a cat special and I appreciate the developers of this game so much more because of this. Cats really are unique and this game does a fantastic job getting that point across.

I honestly don't have much to criticize about this game apart from the fact that it was too short in my opinion! This game was able to capture my attention with a cat, neon lights, and a superb soundtrack. If more games came out with a similar style like Stray's, I'd jump on them in a heart beat! The fact that this Indie game didn't win Game of The Year is wild to me but it still holds a special place in my heart and in the fans it garnered.

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

SPRING IS COMING

2024-04-04T22:50:00.:00

As I type this, it's currently storming outside and it has been raining for the past four days - four days! It's pretty nice when you can relax in the house and watch it all from the comfort of your own home but not so much if you're running errands. April showers are no joke, but, at least it means warmer weather is on it's way. Despite the cold fronts we often get here on the East Coast, I think Spring is here to stay.

Now that the weather has started to improve, I have been taking Amigo on longer walks. At first, he was not happy about it and would often throw a typical Corgi fit! He would whine and pull in the opposite direction to the point where our walks took forever. But now, Dimitar and I both walk him consistently on the same path and he has slowly started to welcome it. We even managed to take some cute pictures of him on one of his good days!

Amigo is a big boy now!

Also, can you believe how big Amigo has gotten though since I last wrote about him? He's only 7 months old now and he's almost 20lbs! Our Vet told us to feed him as much as he wanted until he was an adult and sure enough, Amigo has grown so much since then. I often forget how heavy he really is until he plops down on my lap; something he has always done since he was a puppy.

I didn't write about it much but we also adopted a kitty. Funny enough, we had no intentions on getting a cat but Dimitar really wanted Amigo to have a cat companion. We applied to adopt one cat through a local Petco but the adoption process was so frustrating that we went to a shelter out of state where we were quickly approved for Pearl. She was very shy at first but after two weeks, she warmed up to us and her new "brother."

We were told that Pearl was about 8 months old at the time of adopting, but she seems much smaller than that and undeveloped (her teeth are tiny) so our guess is that she's about the same age as Amigo. It's worked out great though either way because both of them are learning from each other and it's the cutest thing ever!

Amigo & Pearl bird watching

Apart from the animals getting used to one another and them literally becoming partners in crime, I have been staying busy with baking. I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to start a home bakery and I underestimated just how intensive it was! Buying everything is the easy part but perfecting the recipes has taken up the most time.

Since I'm baking Keto baked goodies, they're a bit different than traditional desserts. For starters, the sugar I use (Monk Fruit sugar) is much sweeter than regular sugar so I have to have the perfect amount of it to make sure my desserts aren't crazy sweet. It's tough figuring out the measurements. Also, Monk Fruit sugar can sometimes leave a weird after taste in my desserts, something that effects each recipe.

I have been enjoying my new hobby though and Dimitar has also been enjoying it too. He likes being the guinea pig to try everything I make; sometimes he enjoys them and sometimes he doesn't which is totally fine; Keto isn't for everyone after all. Since he usually doesn't eat Keto, I figured it would be a good idea to let him try everything to get his honest opinion.

Keto Chocolate Cupcakes - I didn't like this batch!

Since my goal this year is to be financially stable and to save up enough money to buy a house (hopefully in Florida), I've also started working a full-time job at a clinic as a receptionist. I didn't think I would like it at first since I'm an introvert by nature, but I actually do. The pay is great, my coworkers are decent, and it'll help me achieve my financial goals much quicker.

My time is much more limited as you can imagine now so I try to fit time into my day where I can write on this little blog of mine or catch up on house work like finally repotting the money tree we have. Poor thing. It was so root bound that I finally went to Home Depot and bought a bigger pot for it. I also discovered that I had planted it in the wrong soil too! I'm not sure if I planted it right but it's been a few days now and Billy is still holding up...fingers crossed.

Billy the money tree enjoying it's new pot

Until next time! xoxo - Sarah

STARTING A HOME BAKERY

2024-03-23T17:14:00.:00

When it comes to baking, I didn't start until later on in life. Like...much later. When I was little, I used to save recipes on my computer that I'd want to try baking one day or I'd watch baking tutorials on YouTube for fun. I even remember watching Cake Boss back in the day when the show first started and I was hooked. Despite all of this though, I never thought about baking...until now.

My desire to start baking started out with me being frustrated in 2019 about not finding Keto friendly desserts while out in public. All of the bakeries and stores sold traditional baked goods that were loaded with sugar and carbs so I learned to carry a Keto friendly snack with me at all times. Eventually I was happy with this little fix, but I still wanted the convenience of shopping for Keto baked goods while traveling.

Fast forward to 2023 and I get the wild urge to start baking more Keto desserts. So I started gathering up a list of all the recipes I liked and began baking them. Dimitar had tried some of them and was really impressed by tasty they were that he even mentioned that I should start selling them. I brushed it off at first but when I thought back on how there weren't any Keto bakeries in my area, it really made me consider the idea.

Sweet Keto Fix - Snickerdoodle Cookies

On one late night, I stayed up putting together a menu, my logo, researching the laws in my state, and trying to put together a plan on how I could bake from home. With a full-time job on my hands, I was worried that my time was too limited to consider starting a home bakery. Before I knew it, all of these limiting thoughts had cluttered my mind and I ended up putting off the home bakery planning until 2024.

I still had the itch to start a home bakery though no matter how busy I was. I continued to bake at home and even began designing my own website. I wasn't sure if I would start a home bakery, but here I was...checking off my to-do list. I even saved a shopping list on Amazon and browsed stores for the best deals because I couldn't stop thinking about baking.

When starting a home bakery, it's important to research your food cottage law because every state is different and some are more strict than others. In Virginia, you can sell baked goods just as long as you sell them in person and you aren't selling prohibited items like pickles. Knowing this allowed me to plan ahead but I eventually hit many road blocks despite my good intentions.

Sweet Keto Fix - Vanilla Whoopie Pies

Even after my website was done and my recipes were all tested and approved of, I kept having a horrible experience trying to break through on social media. Facebook Marketplace wouldn't allow me to market myself due to getting flagged, Twitter suspended my account after it was hacked into, and Craigslist wouldn't allow me to advertise my services either. It was frustrating and discouraging but I wasn't going to give up that easily.

Eventually I ended up turning to Nextdoor, YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, and word-of-mouth. I also created a Google Business Profile Page so that locals would be able to find me a lot easier. Even though my business is currently not open to the public yet because I still have supplies to get, I had the idea of starting a waiting list. One that locals could sign up for while incentivizing them with freebies and yes - it worked! I was able to build up waiting list of five potential customers which really boosted my confidence!

With this waiting list, whenever I was ready to launch my business to the public, I could alert these potential customers with the hope of making my first few sales. The important part was staying consistent with advertising myself and not being afraid to reach out to strangers. I've also started giving out samples to coworkers, friends, strangers; while I don't have business cards yet, if I did, I'd do give this out as well.

Sweet Keto Fix - Pistachio Cookies

While baking and gathering up the supplies is the easy part (at least to me it is), advertising and making that first sale is the hardest. Since I bake specialty items, it does put me into a niche area that would be easier to be discovered amongst all of the competition. However, committing to daily advertising myself is time consuming but worth it if it pays off and leads to regular customers.

My goal with starting a Home Bakery is to not only offer Keto friendly desserts to those either doing Keto or on a restricted diet, but to also bring in some extra income. Working a Full-time job is ok but having extra income is a thousand times better. I'll be working more at the end of the day but who knows - maybe I can someday replace my job with baking!

Either way, I've found a new hobby that I enjoy and I'm excited to see where it takes me!

Until next time!

HOW HAVING A DOG HAS CHANGED MY LIFE

2024-03-14T13:55:00.:00

Before getting Amigo, my life consisted mostly of having small animals like guinea pigs, birds, rabbits, etc. When I grew up and I started working with Animals, I began interacting more with dogs. I didn't understand dogs very well and since I was much more introverted, I never thought about getting one either. It took about 10 years later for me to finally muster up the courage to get a dog and having one in my life made me happier than I thought it would.

I mostly put off getting a dog because the timing was never right. I was either living with someone else or our apartment didn't allow dogs in general. I was also worried that I wasn't responsible enough for a dog so I mostly gravitated towards small pets that I knew I could manage. After all, I knew having a dog was like having a child and my life wasn't prepared for that!

When 2024 rolled around, Dimitar and I found ourselves talking more and more about how having a dog would lift our spirits. The previous years had been rough on us and we wanted a companion that could grow with us. We were also at the point where we were heavily considering having kids so getting a dog seemed perfect. Sure enough, about a week later we ended up getting a Corgi puppy and named him Amigo.

Amigo's favorite sleeping spot

Now, I'm not going to lie; Dimitar and I had no idea if we could make having a dog work out after we brought him home. Our lives were already hectic and with us even considering moving to a different state next year...we were nervous. But, we knew we had to get out of our comfort zone because if not, we'd constantly make excuses on why we couldn't get a dog even though we wanted one. So to be proactive (and responsible dog owners), we developed a training plan for Amigo and with each day, our puppy started to feel like our new family member.

Training Amigo was just like having a child though! We had to get up early to walk him and feed him. He needed a strict schedule of training and was rewarded with playtime. We also had to make sure he had naps so we'd put him in his crate to make sure he slept enough. Our day consisted of walking him at least 4x a day and while it may not seem like a lot - when you live on the fourth flour of your apartment with only stairs, your legs definitely start to feel it!

Amigo after playing

As we began to learn more about Amigo and he was learning to trust us, we realized that he was teaching us just as much as we were teaching him. He nudged us to live more in the moment, be more selfless, and offered us new ways to have fun. Our regular routine of working and coming home became much more exciting because now we had a dog that loved to to be with us no matter where we went.

Amigo's innocent and playful nature quickly rubbed off on us and we welcomed it. Coming home from work and seeing him waiting for us made our day sparkle a bit more. When I wasn't feeling my best, getting out of bed and playing with him made the day seem worth while. If the weather was nice, his excitement to go outside gave me something to look forward to. I never understood the love a dog owner had for their own dogs until the day Amigo came into my life.

So having a dog (as an introvert) has really improved my life in many ways that I underestimated it would. While Amigo is still growing and learning and life still seems unpredictable, we know having Amigo part of our family now will only make us stronger. He's the friend we all needed and seeing him bring joy to others around him as well reassures us that we have many happy years ahead of us.

Amigo & Pearl bird watching

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE

2024-03-09T17:32:00.:00

There comes a time in your life where you want better than what you have; where quality is much more important than quantity. Our very own human nature is to create and thrive and while we can't fill in every crack that we find along the way, our drive to improve the quality of our life is perfectly normal. In fact, it's necessary.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

For example, when our home is messy, we get an urge to organize and tidy up. When our job is no longer fulfilling, we suddenly want one with better benefits or pay. If you discover you spend way too much time on social media than your own hobbies, then maybe you'd adjust your priorities. The quality of our life matters and when we get that push to do or be better, it's our inner selves trying to bring more happiness into our lives.

As complex as we humans tend to be, this internal system of ours attempts to guide us in a better direction so that we are more in tune with ourselves. Nature always finds a way to restore the balance and we are no different. If our lives do not reflect what we truly want from ourselves, we will naturally get situations that will challenge this. When this happens, something either needs an upgrade or needs to be replaced. We either have to let go and move on or welcome new adventures into our lives.

For the longest time, I didn't understand the importance of having a life of quality. I simply lived every day filled with obligations and I always ignored the signs from the Universe. I was on autopilot and internally suffering just like many others around me. It was only when I turned to my hobbies again that I found myself able to see beyond the walls I had built for myself. It was astonishing how a small tweak in my routine changed my life forever.

So, here are some ways you can improve the quality of your life right now and you may be pleasantly surprised by how easy it really is!

1. Develop A Hobby

If you have an itch to try out something new, find ways to start now. Take that art class you found on Groupon, join that Facebook group, or buy the supplies you need from Amazon. Starting your hobby sooner than later can really enrich your daily life.

2. Spend Time In Nature

Do you spend too much time indoors and can hardly remember the last time you felt the sun on your skin? Go to your nearest park and explore the trails or bring some friends along to enjoy outdoor activities. Being in nature is a great way to move stagnant energy while getting some fresh air at the same time.

3. Have Fun

If you're all work and no play, you'll eventually get burnt out! Whether you like playing video games, going out to social events, or even engaging in your own hobbies - everyone should learn to embrace their own inner child.

4. Quality Time With Loved Ones

If you know you have been absent from those you love, reach out to them and plan something that everyone can get involved with. Check up on those you haven't heard from in awhile or invite friends over to lighten up your home. The best memories are the ones we can share with others!

5. Mend Your Finances

It can be absolutely hard to enjoy life when you have a dark cloud of debt hanging over you. Rather then letting it suck the life out of you, find small ways to tackle your finances. Or, if you want to start increasing your earnings, look for ways to bring in passive income or learn to invest. Money dictates a lot in todays modern world so finding creative ways to improve your finances will give you more freedom.

6. Follow Your Passions

At the end of the day, if you aren't doing what you really want to do, you aren't going to be happy. You will either find external objects to make you happy, or live with a void in you that you'll try to cope with. If you aren't satisfied with your career, change it in a practical way. If you want to start a business, give it a shot. If you start living a life driven by your passions, the quality of your life will increase dramatically!

7. Meet New People

If your circle of friends is small or a bit...outdated, why not meet new people? The power of having friends that compliment us is so rewarding. If you're an introvert like I am where making friends can be a bit challenging, make connections through social Apps and see what interesting souls you meet.

8. Work/Life Balance

Similar to having more fun, establishing work/life balance is paramount for everyone. Work can often find it's way into our homes, disrupting the time we spend either with our loved ones or the time we spend on ourselves. Whether you work from home or not, find creative ways to keep your work separate from your personal life. If this means being more upfront with your employer or even switching to a new job, it's worth considering if you lack work/life balance.

9. Declutter

Personally, I find that having junk around me is a representation of my mind. A clean home is a home with better energy and it's much more inviting to those around us and our own psyche. Spend time cleaning your home (or wherever needs cleaning) and getting rid of what no longer serves it's purpose. By freeing your environment of junk, you'll feel so much lighter. When you think of quality, it involves higher standards; bring those standards back into your life by keeping your environment clean and organized.

10. Travel More

I'm guilty of this but I do not travel as much as I want to. If you're like me and you need a vacation, start planning or saving up for one. It's been statistically proven that even a short vacation is enough to improve our level of dopamine and that says a lot about traveling. Whether you travel to a new city or out of the country, traveling is a great way to change up your daily routine.

11. Treat Yourself

Restricting your ability to treat yourself can easily become overbearing. You can treat yourself without overdoing it by simply giving yourself small rewards that are of high value; monthly get-a-ways, eating out every now and then, or even having a savings account that is specifically dedicated to splurging. Try not to be so caught up in the destination and learn to enjoy the journey as well.

12. Take Charge Of Your Health

One of my goals this year is to lose weight in a healthy manner; meaning no strict diets. For many, tackling their health goals can be exhausting and intimidating but in the long run, it's so worth it. If you're ready to turn your health around, consult with your doctor or start changing your shopping habits. Maybe even consider joining a gym with a friend too if you want to exercise more. You can't enjoy your life to the fullest if you don't look and feel your best!

13. Limit Social Media

We all know it; social media is fake! Nothing is what it seems on most social media platforms and sadly, many of us fall victim to admiring false idols. The best thing many of us can do is limit how much time we spend on social media so that we can start prioritizing our life instead of idolizing others.

14. Relocate

As a city lover, you wouldn't find me moving to the country side anytime soon. I thrive from activity and interacting with my surroundings which is why I have plans to move to Florida. I've always lived in Virginia but Florida resonates with my energy. Sometimes the hard truth is that where we live may not be right for us and it may be worth relocating.

And that's it! This small list should get you started towards a path of improving the quality of your life. Such changes will always require you to be honest with yourself, but it will only benefit you in the end. So if there is a part of you that is trying to reach out from within, have courage to see what it's trying to say because it may just change your life forever.

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

I HAD MY FIRST PANIC ATTACK

2024-03-07T11:16:00.:00

The other day, I was in the car and I couldn't breathe. Both of my nostrils were stuffed up and I didn't have any saline spray on me to help. Usually I keep saline spray on me at all times because I'm fairly sensitive to allergens and pollutants. Dimitar also keeps a bottle in his car because he too gets a stuffy nose every now and then. This time though, we didn't have any around and I didn't realize it would cause me so much distress.

We had hit traffic pretty bad and it felt like time was moving by slowly. What seemed like a few minutes felt like an hour because I was constantly focused on the traffic or the fact that I couldn't breathe. As hard as I was trying to keep myself calm, I could feel the tension within me build up with every minute and I become more and more uncomfortable. Everything around me was as normal as could be, but deep down I was beginning to panic.

Since I never had a panic attack before, I didn't really understand the symptoms or techniques to use to keep myself calm. I just sat in my seat trying to control my thoughts but it was extremely difficult. It took one thought though to set my panic off (a thought too personal to share here on my blog), and I quickly felt myself become extremely claustrophobic.

As we turned the car into a dark neighborhood, I struggled to breathe even more and the music playing on the stereo seemed louder than usual. The space in the car felt like it was closing in on me so I rolled the window down to see if fresh air would help. Along with my thoughts, I felt my breathing pick up and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't breathe, I felt alone, and whether we stopped the car or not, it wouldn't help. That's when it hit me that I was having a panic attack.

On top of those feelings, I also felt ashamed. Whether that was because of my panic attack of just my experience being the younger sibling who always felt like an inconvenience, it left me a bit traumatized. Why? Because it was the first but not the last time I'd have a panic attack and I didn't understand why. It seemed fairly random since I'm normally a pretty composed person.

The second time I had a panic attack, I decided to leave the house without my glasses; we were making a quick trip to Subway and for some strange reason I thought it was a good idea to leave my glasses at home and sure enough, I had a panic attack. The third time, I was at work and I remember looking at the lights and thinking how unnatural the lighting was; I had to step out of the store to get a drink just so I could calm my thoughts down.

Although presented with different situations, each time I felt myself on the verge of having a panic attack my thoughts always got the best of me. Since these incidents, I have learned to practice controlling my thoughts and my breathing since those are the two things that can make the symptoms worse. Most importantly though, it made me aware of how I wasn't taking care of myself mentally and that I needed to do better. I have always been an advocate for mental health so I needed to play the part.

It also helped to have Dimitar around to help calm me down. When my mind was racing and I wasn't thinking clearly, it's was great to have him around for comfort. Experiencing such things when you're alone is fairly scary!

Some things I've been doing so far to take care of myself are; taking more vitamins, eating cleaner, going outside when the weather is nice, listening to better music, having more fun, and doing more daily affirmations. Having panic attacks made me realize how vulnerable I was to stress because even though I didn't feel overly stressed out, my reactions to such events told me otherwise; it was truly a wake up call.

If you find that your mental health has taken a turn on you, please consider getting professional help! There is a mental health crisis in America that many of us overlook and such things will never improve if our lifestyles don't change with it!

Until next time - Sarah xoxo

COUNTING CALORIES: MY EXPERIENCE SO FAR

2024-03-05T10:04:00.:00

I have been on a mission to lose weight...again. For anyone who has struggled with losing weight (specifically, keeping it off!) you know how hard it can be to feel like you've tried it all but nothing seems to be working. Well, that's the point that I'm at and it sucks. I kept losing weight and gaining it all back and I just couldn't understand why or how. Was my body out to get me? Was I just destined to be a default weight of obese?

Now, before I start this post, I don't want my health goals to trigger others. I know the ideal weight I should be at and since I strive to be healthy, I know I can't be healthy and happy if the scale says otherwise (Again, I'm using myself as an example here). Also, this post is not for those who struggle with eating problems already - if you find yourself with an eating disorder or have underlying health conditions that need to be evaluated by a professional, I highly encourage you to get medical help as soon as possible.

With that said, I have opened up about my experience trying many different diets; each came with their own success but it was always short lived and I would just end up gaining all of the weight back. The most successful diet I tried was doing Keto but my diet was very restricted and often left me frustrated since I had to maintain a low carb diet every day. While it came with added health benefits, I just couldn't see myself doing it long term.

This year, something clicked in me where I thought about counting calories. I have never considered it before and instead always thrusted difficult diets onto my body with no questions asked. My diet is already fairly healthy but I wasn't losing any weight, which led me to wondering if I was eating too many calories than I was actually burning.

This is how I started counting calories. I downloaded an App called "Lose It," and did my best to track my calories every day. It's a fairly easy App to understand but unless you upgrade, you have to enter what you eat manually. I didn't upgrade and have come to enjoy putting the foods I eat in myself but some of the App's features like tracking your carbs or scanning a barcode seem pretty useful for those willing to pay.

Lose It App

Also, when you setup the App, you can personalize your goal according to what you want to achieve. Since I wanted to lose weight, my first plan was set up so that I was eating 1200 calories a day which meant I'd achieve my weight loss of 25lbs by November. It seems like a long wait to see results but I was so used to trying diets that gave me fast results that I was ready to try the complete opposite if it meant the weight staying off.

Unfortunately, after several weeks of counting calories with the scale not moving, I lowered my calorie intake down to 1000. For some, this many seem too little but I knew my body had more than enough fat on it to sustain itself; I just had to be extra mindful now of the food I ate. Just like that, the water weight was first to go and I started to feel like I was making progress.

My day consisted of a protein shake in the morning, a small snack afterwards, a light carb meal for lunch, another small snack, and then dinner is where I'd cook something more elaborate. Since I was consuming less calories, I had to be mindful of everything I ate since I could easily go over with a simple snack like chocolate.

It was hard of course but not as restricting as doing Keto or water fasting. I felt like I could splurge if I wanted to just as long as I was not going over my calorie intake. Of all the diets I have tried, being mindful of my calorie intake was a great way for me to hold myself accountable for everything I was eating because I genuinely had no idea how easy it was to eat 1500 calories or more! Tracking the calories forced me to be honest about my eating habits without my diet being so restrictive.

My 2nd diet plan

I also should mention that I don't really work out; I personally don't like to but I do wear a Fitbit that Dimitar bought me a few weeks back. It's pretty fun but sometimes also annoying; I got sick shortly after wearing it and it was annoying for the watch to constantly remind me to move when I was bed ridden! Other than that though, it's a useful device I use to monitor my steps. At the end of the day, I put in how much I've walked on the Lose It App; freeing up more calories that I can treat myself to if desired.

I'm now going on my second week of my new diet plan and I know my body is getting a healthy challenge. I don't feel like I'm deprived but I definitely find myself craving stuff; a good sign my body is working. I'll know after another two weeks if this new plan is working and if it is, I may have found the answer to losing weight (at least for me).

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

I WROTE DAILY AFFIRMATIONS FOR 3 MONTHS

2024-03-04T14:05:00.:00

Everyday for the past three months, I made it a habit to write daily affirmations in a notebook. It's wasn't a special notebook or anything like that; just a regular notepad where I could dedicate my time towards being positive and focusing on my goals. I realized that in my intense life journey towards fulfillment, there wasn't a place where I could let my imagination roam freely. I have my daily obligations that aren't always exciting or inspiring, yet I didn't give myself a chance to be intentfully happy and wishful. So, I dedicated a notebook just for such thoughts and I was pretty shocked with what happened!

Some important reminders to keep in mind is that I had one notebook dedicated to my thoughts; the bigger the notebook, the better too, so I highly recommend a jumbo journal if you can get your hands on one. Ideally, it should be a notebook you can take with you anywhere you need to go to make it easier to write daily. Also, I always wrote in present tense to help me focus on what I wanted to manifest; I have a successful business, I have happy & healthy pets, etc. By focusing on what you have (even if at the moment you don't have it) you help improve your vibrations which can in return help you manifest what you really want.

For this experiment, I wanted to see if writing daily would help improve my ability to manifest. Lately I have been hit with many obstacles that made me wonder if my vibrations were off. By writing for several months, I would put my own thoughts and vibrations to the test and then share my results afterwards.

FIRST MONTH

Writing for the first month involved some trial and error. My first entries were short and all over the place so I wasn't very connected to what I was actually writing. Much of my time was spent figuring out what I wanted to write rather than just letting my thoughts flow naturally. With anything creative, my logical brain kept interfering and I had to learn to shut it off so I could really get the most out of my writing.

By the end of the first month, I had an idea of what I wanted to write and just started to dissect those desires. That's when I started to pick certain desires over others because they were the ones I could remember. Before I knew it, I could write several pages without putting too much thought into it.

I also made sure to listen to good music or nothing at all. I'm easily inspired by music with no vocals like Chill-hop music so if you're going to listen to music, make sure it's music that really uplifts your mood. I also made sure to write in a distraction free space so I could completely focus my energy on being positive.

SECOND MONTH

By the second month, I had an idea of what I wanted to write better than the first. I let my thoughts flow casually and tried not to stick to writing a script since that also didn't feel genuine. To tap more into my subconscious, I wrote a few of my most desired affirmations on a piece of paper that I'd read both in the morning first thing when I woke up and at night time before bed. I heard many people often did this to target their subconscious and that it worked wonders if you stuck with it.

While the habit of writing everyday became easier, I kept my expectations low. Some people often dismiss daily affirmations because their goals don't manifest instantly. It's a silly way to approach affirmations altogether but it happens and I knew better than to let myself get to that point. I knew aligning myself with the right frequency took time and as long as I kept up with my daily affirmations, I'd eventually start seeing results.

That's when I started to notice small tiny miracles happening; a random deposit into my bank account, a nice job offer came through, spotting a rainbow in the sky, or a wave of inspiration hit me that came during an episode of feeling down in the dumps. These were tiny miracles of course, but I couldn't help but wonder if these manifestations were because of my commitment to doing my daily affirmations.

THIRD MONTH

For the third month, I started to notice how much happier I felt. No significant event happened and I didn't win the lottery of course, but my overall mood was just better. The kind of feeling you have when you see a pretty sunset on a nice spring evening is how I started to feel daily. Was it because I was spending more time being intentionally focused on my happiness? Was my vibrations shifting for the better? I wasn't sure but it felt great.

I came to look forward to writing every day and felt off when I missed a day. I even found myself getting messages through YouTube tarot card readings that I should continue doing my daily affirmations; if that wasn't a sign from the Universe then I don't know what is!

I was so moved by my own daily affirmations that eventually Dimitar started to do his own too. It was fun to see us both working on ourselves because it really is too easy to lose sight of what matters most. When the struggle is real and it overstays it's welcome, we often take the tiny miracles for granted. As small as they may be to some, daily affirmations isn't just a way to manifest what you want, but it's a chance to express gratitude amongst the daily chaos of our every day lives.

If you decide to start writing daily affirmations, share your experience below and let me know how it has helped your life! It may not happen so quickly, but with time, I'm sure greatness will find you!

Until next time - Sarah xoxo

MINI APARTMENT TOUR

2024-02-29T13:37:00.:00

Now that I've lived in my "new" apartment for almost a year now, I figured it was time to do a small apartment tour. It's a major upgrade compared to our previous apartment (ugh, how triggering it is to think about it), but so far we have really enjoyed living here. In case you're wondering why I have the Christmas tree up, it's because we love to keep it up all year round; we see it as a big plant that just makes our space feel much more cozier.

Our apartment is on the top floor and while it doesn't have as many windows as I'd like it to, the tall ceiling sure makes up for it. We have a 2br/2ba space that includes a small loft that is currently my office. While the lighting can be so wishy-washy from time to time due to the facing of the apartment itself, in so many ways does this apartment exceed our previous one; the only major downside being the amount of carpet, lack of natural lighting, and...the price.

For about $2,500 a month, we considered living here for awhile but the high cost of rent has pushed us to reconsider. As nice as the apartment is, Dimitar and I know we could get a better deal somewhere else like in either Texas or Florida. Does this mean we'll move there sometime soon? It's pretty likely! I used to live in Texas and Dimitar and I both had a blast when we went to Florida. Since Northern Virginia homes right now are way too expensive to buy a home, relocating seems fair. Just a few years ago, homes in this area were $300k but now they're pushing $700k!

Anyways though, back to the tour. The kitchen overlooks the Livingroom and it's much bigger than our previous one. Inside the pantry is also where the washer/dryer is with even some more space for a shelf; something we didn't have before and greatly appreciate! Even though we have a dishwasher, we honestly don't use it since I'm so used to washing dishes by hand; one day I'll use it though.

The appliances are outdated and since we are renting, we aren't able to replace them for newer ones; one of the cons of renting. The fridge is also much smaller inside than what we are used to having so every time we go grocery shopping, it's a fun game trying to see how much of what we buy can actually fit inside.

Livingroom

The Livingroom also comes with an attached balcony and a fireplace that is really pretty to look at; I say look at because we haven't used it yet and as it turns out - it doesn't work. While the Livingroom is cozy, there are a few aspects of it that I wish were different; no carpet and more natural light! My two biggest ughs that I wish I could change.

Above the Livingroom is my office which is in the loft. It's pretty hard to find an apartment in this area that has a loft so I was shocked to finally find one. It doesn't have a door but it's the perfect size for an office. I've never had my own office before since Dimitar and I always shared one together, so the loft was a huge upgrade for me.

The guinea pig's cage fit perfectly along one of the walls and I still haven't decided where I want my desk to face; I often rearrange my office layout until I'm satisfied. It's still in the process of getting decorated too but it'll get there eventually.

That's pretty much the entire apartment, apart from my bedroom and Dimitar's office. It's a nice upgrade compared to our other apartment and we'll enjoy it for as long as we can until our moving plans are more concrete.

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

MY FAVORITE K-DRAMAS OF 2023

2024-02-18T11:23:00.:00

Since I last wrote about my favorite K-dramas for 2022, I figured it was time to update my list with this last years winners. Being a K-drama enthusiast, I always like to browse Netflix for new releases. My to-go to genres are dramedies, horror, and romance. I personally love feel good shows and while not all, but most K-dramas do a spectacular job at lifting my spirits up or tugging at my heart strings. Even if most shows are exaggerated (what show isn't?), I get annoyed at Dimitar when he insists on watching something other than K-dramas...it's crazy but true.

Personally, I find K-dramas much more meaningful then American TV shows. The stories are relatable and unique, the acting is superb, and there is always a good amount of comedy that I have come to adore. As you all know, I love to laugh so when a show can be good AND funny - it's a win win. Plus, K-dramas are always on point about their aesthetics!

So lets jump right into this list because it's going to be a long one! Also, as always, if you have recommendations for me, make sure to comment at the end of the post!

1. Reply 1988

Reply 1988

I was genuinely sad when this show came to an end. Everyone essentially lives on this tiny block where their differences bring them together and it was this kind of rare community that made me love this show so much. In America, such community is so hard to find but this show did such a great job at making you feel part of it from episode one. From school, to love, to adult hood, and changing times, this show gives you a look back in time that leaves a profound message with you once it's over; connections are important, but so are your passions.

2. See You In My 19th Life

See You In My 19th Life

Being someone who believes in reincarnation myself, this show really wowed me away! The story goes like this; a sudden death of a young girl leaves her to reincarnate where her mission is to find someone she promised to protect. Full of beautiful moments that made me laugh and cry, the overall theme of reincarnation really comforted my soul during a time I needed it the most. On top of that, the sound track is also amazing!

3. Mr. Queen

Mr. Queen

After an humorous accident, the main character wakes up to finding himself not only in a different time period, but also inside a females body. This show had so much wonderful goofy moments in it that made me fall over in laughter. At the same time, the story had a good amount of politics in it that was portrayed in a entertaining way to keep the watchers involved. I truly loved the development and complexity of the main character and I'd absolutely watch this show again in a heartbeat!

4. Like Flowers In Sand

Like Flowers In Sand

I wasn't sure if I'd like this show since it was about Ssireum wrestling (I didn't know anything about it at first) but this show ended up being good! It was motivating to watch the main character develop his confidence as a wrestler while at the same time building his connection to his childhood friend. A combination of passion, family, love, and crime, all made this show worth it. An added bonus was that it took place near the water which always attracts my attention!

5. Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

This show is so easy on the eyes and soul without too much drama or politics - just how I like it! It takes you on the journey of a young girl who moves her dentist practice to a quiet village (by the water, of course) but has a hard time fitting in due to her city like expectations and attitude. This show highlights the importance of being down to earth, caring for your neighbors, and making peace with your past; of course with a hint of love too!

6. Behind Your Touch

Behind Your Touch

I hardly come across shows that have to deal with being in the Veterinary field so I was really excited to watch Behind Your Touch. Turns out, it's so funny with many twists and turns! After taking over her parent's hospital, the main character ends up with a unique ability that ends up working in her favor. With a touch of crime, love, and friendship, this funny show came with quirky moments that really brought everything together so nicely. If you like humor, this show is it!

7. Castaway Diva

Castaway Diva

If you love singing, Castaway Diva will inspire you to go after your dreams! The main character gets stranded on an Island but is later discovered years later to the world's surprise. As the stars line up in her favor, she ends up working along side her Idol to rediscover her passion for singing. With hidden drama lurking as the story unfolds, this story was absolutely amazing and inspiring to me - not to mention, the vocals of Park Eun-bin are incredible!

8. Kingdom

Kingdom

K-drama has been on fire lately with their zombie shows and Kingdom is one of them! A young prince ends up getting involved in a scandal that leaves him no choice but to flee his own kingdom. As he does so, a mysterious virus breaks out that brings the dead back to life, and it forces the prince to step up and defend his people. I'm not one for gore but I can't deny the thrill of watching a plot unfold towards the waking dead and the survival of the fittest. If you enjoy zombie flicks like I do, give this a watch!

9. The Glory

The Glory

I was hesitant to watch the Glory because I'm not one who enjoys heavily dramatic dramas, but this show offered revenge every step of the way so it was pretty satisfying to watch. This show covers heavily on the effects of bullying and since I faced bullying myself in school, watching The Glory was a bit triggering at times. With intense moments that leave you shocked and emotionally involved, I was even more shocked to discover that this show was based off of true events...

And there you have it - my top K-dramas for 2023. The list is still growing as the year progresses and I already can't wait to share more dramas with you. Also, if you have dramas that you'd like me to watch, comment down below and let me know!

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

BOOKS TO INSPIRE YOU IN 2024

2024-02-14T12:38:00.:00

As someone who likes to be transparent about my life through this blog, it's no surprise that these past few years for me have been extremely turbulent. I wish I could say otherwise, but...it is what it is. I wont go too much in detail about it (since it's not what this post is about), but after losing two pets and battling depression, it seemed like the dark tunnel before me was never ending. Fortunately, by the end of 2023, life became a bit brighter and I'm slowly starting to feel like I can breathe again and of course; it has a lot to do with a few books that have helped me along the way.

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

I personally love self-development books but this year, I have moved towards books that will help me become financially independent. No one taught me much about financial literacy and since it's not really taught in school either, I made many financial mistakes in my 20's that still make me feel a bit raw to this day. But (big but), as I venture down this new road of investing and reshaping my mental state to be empowering, I'm discovering the brighter side of life again that is pushing me towards a brighter future.

So here are a few books that I have personally come to love and I hope they will help inspire you as well.

1. Girls That Invest by Simran Kaur

Girls That Invest by Simran Kaur

A wonderful book that easily breaks the investing world down for us ladies to understand. Not just that, but Simran Kaur does so in a way that really keeps the reader engaged, making it perfect for newbie investors. This book shares it all, going in depth (but in style) about index funds, the stock market, common myths about investing, and so much more. I highly recommend this book to ladies (or guys) who are new to the investing world who want to start investing sooner than later.

2. First To A Million by Dan Sheeks

First To A Million by Dan Sheeks

I love this book! While this book is geared towards teenagers so they can start making proper decisions at a young age that benefit them in their 20's, anyone at any age can (and should) read this book! I honestly wish I had picked up this book when I was a teenage but I still found the information in this book so valuable and inspiring to someone who started investing at a later age. This guide covers everything from what a teen should start to do once they're able to start making money, budgeting, how to approach loans and school, debt, and even real estate. Dan's approach towards investing is practical and he doesn't candy coat anything; an attitude I have come to appreciate.

3. The House Hacking Strategy by Craig Curelop

The House Hacking Strategy by Craig Curelop

I did not know a thing about house hacking until I picked up this book. For those who do not know, house hacking is the process of where you buy a home to live in and you rent out the spare rooms within it so that you basically end up "living for free." When our home can be our number 1 biggest expense, house hacking helps get rid of that expense so you can put your money towards other avenues. This handy book is packed with so much useful information and breaks down different loans one can apply for, how to build a team to find the best deals on homes, and how to live more frugal to make house hacking worth while. If you're interested in house hacking, this book is a must read!

4. Boss It by Carl Reader

Boss It by Carl Reader

Boss It is a phenomenal book that breaks down what makes or breaks a business and how to avoid common mistakes that many business owners make when starting their own business. It made me realize that starting a business can be great but only if you are doing so where you can delegate tasks so that your passions remain your passions - not another job! This book gives a lot of hard to swallow truth bombs but if anyone is serious about starting their own business the right way without feeling tied down or exhausted, this book is an essential!

5. Mind Power by John Kehoe

Mind Power by John Kehoe

A friend recommended this book to me and it really helped me reapply everything that I've learned over these years in such an effortless manner. Mind Power's message can be compared to the Law of Attraction except it's much more down to earth and practical. John Kehoe emphasizes that through visualizing and being mindful of our thoughts and actions so that both align with one another (not contradict), we can push ourselves to create the life that we really want. If you struggle with positive thinking, this book is a must read and one that I would gift to anyone in a heart beat!

So, If you're like me and you want to make 2024 great, hopefully some of these books will inspire you they way that they have for me. Each book has a great message to offer which essentially is to start investing now rather than later and to be mindful of your thoughts/feelings/and actions. While I'm nowhere near where I want to be right now, just reading these books has pushed me in the direction I want to be in.

Until next time - Sarah xoxo

TRAINING OUR CORGI PUPPY

2024-01-16T13:00:00.:00

Being a first time dog owner, I've spent many years day dreaming about the day I'd get a Corgi of my own and what it'd be like during the training phase. Obviously, in my mind everything was all picture perfect but I knew in reality it would be much more challenging and require time, dedication, and patience. So, when we brought Amigo home, both Dimitar and I made a plan to train Amigo at least 2x a day and stick to it.

Since we both work full-time jobs, our training time with Amigo was limited and that's the case for just about everyone with some kind of job or responsibilities. It was important for us to establish a routine that worked for our schedule which would help us stick with it and give Amigo a schedule he could look forward to. Dimitar preferred training Amigo during the morning or afternoon and since I was gone most of the day until 10pm, I would train Amigo either at night time or during the break that I'd have between my two jobs.

We also made sure to train him one command and stick with that command for a few days until Amigo showed improvements with it. When he learned one, we'd move onto the next one that seemed top priority. Once he learned a few commands, we'd have a training session where we'd practice all of the commands at once. While some people may train certain commands in a different order, these are the commands we started out with and slowly worked our way towards as Amigo matured.

1. Recall (his name, or "Amigo, come...")

1a. Go Potty

2. Sit

3. Stay (threshold)

4. Crate

5. Down

6. Fetch

7. Drop it

8. Rollover

During this entire process, we implemented positive reinforcement, a method of training that has greatly worked for us and Amigo. For example, if Amigo was biting my fingers or something he shouldn't, instead of saying "No," I'd give him his favorite toy instead to bite on and reward him when he continued to do the right thing. Some people may think this approach only encourages your dog to bite more because they get rewarded, but that hasn't been the case with Amigo. As long as we're consistent with the training, Amigo has learned what gets him attention and treats, and what doesn't.

Variety is also key. During training, I'd often switch up how Amigo was rewarded. Some days I'd only use the clicker as a reward with lots of pets and praise while other days I'd implement treats. I found that implementing a variety of ways to praise him helped him adjust to more realistic scenarios. After all, I wont always have a treat on hand or a clicker so training him for such situations just made sense to us.

I'd be lying though if I said that training always went as planned! There were plenty of days where Amigo just couldn't focus which often got the best of my composure. Being a Corgi, Amigo has a natural tendency to rebel and while I knew about this before adopting such a breed, it was still frustrating in the moment. Getting frustrated with your puppy is perfectly normal though as they test us in every possible way so give yourself a break if you and your pup really need it!

Nonetheless, on days where he just couldn't focus, training wasn't a priority and I'd just up his training on the better days. Eventually though I ended up connecting him back to his crate with his leash so that he'd have no choice but to focus during training which greatly helped. He was already used to this since we had initially kept him connected to his crate in the beginning to limit his access of the Livingroom, but it was a gentle reminder to him that he only gets freedom or play time after training.

Where his potty training is concerned, we started to give him more free roam when he started to show us he could go to the puppy pads on his own. When he did have an accident (yes, there were some!), we tried our hardest not to freak out and simply carried him to the puppy pads and left him in the playpen for about ten minutes. We taught him that if he could go to the puppy pads on his own, he'd get more free roam and play time but if he had any accidents, he'd immediately go back into his playpen. If he successfully went potty on his own though, we'd always praised him with excitement and treats since he thrived off of that.

Since puppy's are not perfect, it's essential to understand your puppy's body language. If they do need to go potty, they may need your assistance from time to time until they can learn to go on their own. Any time it looked like Amigo needed to go to the bathroom during free roam (he'd start whining, circling, sniffing, etc) we'd take him immediately to his puppy pad and leave him there. Eventually he'd go potty which lead him to getting instant free roam afterwards.

Another thing worth mentioning is that any time someone tried to pet Amigo during walks, we'd kindly remind them that he was training since we didn't want strangers greeting Amigo with excited (aka, unstable) energy. Boundaries with strangers will forever be important no matter how old your dog is as you the owner will have to be the judge as to who can greet your dog for their own safety and yours.

With that all said, training Amigo has been very pleasant since we adopted him and I hope his journey will inspire other puppy owners out there that training can be fun; even when you have a full-time job! As long as you find a schedule that works for you, training your puppy will not only help you bond more with your puppy, but teach you how to be a better pet parent.

MY CORGI'S FAVORITE TOYS

2024-01-14T17:54:00.:00

Amigo is at that age where he's teething and wants to chew on everything; literally everything! I figured that if he had plenty of toys to keep him busy, he wouldn't be so tempted to bite on things like the coffee table legs or our plush couch blanket. Unfortunately, Amigo's desire to chew doesn't really discriminate so I've been working on positive reinforcement with him and using redirecting methods. It's been working out well (for the most part) and I'm slowly learning what toys keeps him entertained and what toys just aren't suitable for puppies at all!

* This post may contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. See disclosure for more details.

* This post is not sponsored.

So here is a list of toys that my Corgi puppy Amigo currently enjoys. Toys that didn't make the list will of course be listed at the end of the post. Also, please make sure to supervise your puppy when they're playing with any of their toys!

Catstages Track Chase

1. Catstages Track Chase

I was genuinely surprised that Amigo enjoyed this toy! Of all the toys we bought him, he enjoyed the one that was not only for a cat, but was also free (someone gave it to us)! This toy kept him busy for such a long time before he eventually figured out how to get the ball out. The top of the toy did come apart often just because Amigo would chew on it to get the ball out, but he still enjoyed playing with it. We also have a tower track chaser but Amigo wasn't too interested in playing with it and preferred the single tier only. While the toy he has is a much older version, I did my best to find one similar by the same company here.

Catstages Track Chaser

Retractable Feather & Wand Toy

2. Retractable Feather & Wand Toy

Another cat toy! Amigo actually started playing with this toy after watching one of my regular cat boarders playing with it. Since then, this toy has kept him entertained for quite a long time! The worms are on the flimsy side and you do have to make sure to replace the "worms" if they're falling apart, but it's definitely a toy Amigo has fun playing with. I ended up upgrading his first wand with a sturdier one just because Amigo eventually ended up chewing the string off. You can buy the wand toy here.

Retractable Feather & Wand Toy

TrustyPup Platypus

3. TrustyPup Platypus

As Amigo gets older, he starts to enjoy bigger toys so Dimitar went ahead and bought him another platypus toy that was much bigger and made little squeaking noise. Trustypup designed this toy for dogs to hear only and while I can't prove that Amigo can hear it, he still goes crazy for it when squeezed. It's very sturdy too and has held up well compared to other plush toys that literally fall apart within half an hour. You can buy this plush here.

Trustypup Platypus

Playology Sensory Ball

4. Playology Sensory ball

While this toy was rather big for Amigo at first, he still loved chewing on it and throwing it around. Despite how much he has chewed on it, the ball has held up very well! This ball is on the pricey side compared to some of his other toys, but it has been well worth it because it will last him awhile during his teething phase! You can also hide treats inside of it to stimulate your puppies senses. You can buy this toy online at Petsmart here.

Playology Ring

5. Playology Ring Toy

This wheel was a bit heavy for Amigo to play wheel but once we showed him how he could play with it, he has spent most of his time chewing on it and throwing it around once his jaw became stronger. It's also beef flavor too which has kept Amigo entertained! You can buy this toy here.

Playology Rope

6. Playology Rope Toy

As you can see, Playology toys really are durable which is why Amigo also loves their mini rope! Compared to another rope that he has (but was cheaper), this one is all chewed up yet still holding it's shape. Now that his jaw is much stronger too, we can even play tug-of-war with him! The material on this rope really is durable as it doesn't fall apart like most traditional ropes do. You can buy it here.

Toys That Absolutely Failed!

1. Lampchop Plush Dog Toy

This toy seemed durable at first but after a few days, Amigo had literally destroyed it! Such a shame too since it was so cute!

2. Puppy Teething Rings

This teething ring didn't last more than a few days before we took it away. It had such a cute design to it but it was unfortunately a waste of money!

3. Rubber Chicken toy

This toy is absolutely not meant for a dog! After half an hour with it, Amigo had chewed it's face off and plastic was everywhere so we had to throw it out. I found this toy on TikTok and thought it would be a funny buy, but it's just not meant for a dog; a teething one at that.

@Amigo.The.Corgi

OUR NEW FAMILY MEMBER!

2024-01-07T00:19:00.:00

Life for me has been a bit busy lately! For starters, my goals to start my own business has me now occupied working two jobs because we all know how pricey starting your own business can be! Some days I don't come home until 10pm at night which is why I haven't kept up with my YouTube channel or this blog in awhile. I'm really tired most days but with the holidays now behind us (thank God...), I can finally have some time to share some wonderful news with you all; we have a new family member!

For many, many years, I have wanted a Corgi. One could say that I was that one girl where if I spotted a Corgi on the street, I would freak out. It even got to a point where I started manifesting Corgi's every day it seemed while we were out and about! To me, Corgi's have a very special place in my heart and it all started when I first discovered a YouTuber and his own Corgi, Gatsby. When I first came across Ryen's vlogs of his life with his new Corgi puppy, I knew right away that I wanted a Corgi of my own. Well, that was over 10 years ago so some time has definitely gone by since then. BUT, just days before Christmas of 2023, Dimitar and I had a heart to heart conversation about us getting a Corgi, and we eventually came to the conclusion that we were ready for one.

So I did what I do best and I began to browse the internet for Corgi breeders near me. All breeders I contacted had waiting lists that were already full and I was beginning to think that we were out of luck. Then I stumbled across an advertisement for Corgi puppies. Now, I was very suspicious at first about this website because it was completely new to me until I did more research and discovered that there was an option for Breeders to become Gold Standard Certified to ensure ethical breeding and care were in place. I found a few Gold Standard breeders whos puppies I liked and reached out to them directly to answer my many questions. Some breeders were more welcoming to my questions than others and the ones who semed aloof were the ones I weeded out. Of the 5 breeders I contacted, I found 1 that seemed like a great fit. So a meet up date was scheduled for 12/19/2023, which gave Dimitar and I time to buy the essentials.

Days went by so fast that before we knew it, it was time to set off to Pennsylvania to pick up our new puppy! It was about a 2.5 drive and there were so many thoughts running through my mind. To occupy ourselves, Dimitar and I watched puppy training videos the entire ride. As we arrived in Pennsylvania, our GPS took us to a rural area that was surrounded by farms and cozy towns. I had already known that our puppy was born on a farm but to see it in person gave me a reality check; I was getting a puppy!

First picture of Amigo

And just like that, we had met our puppy Amigo (his original name was Richard). I choose the name Amigo because it meant friend in Spanish and naturally, dogs are a mans best friend. Amigo was 13 weeks old and despite the length of the trip back home, he slept most of the way. When we arrived home, we set up his designated area near our second bathroom and let him chill out; naturally, he whined when we left him, but it was time to start teaching him independence.

That day, we let him get as much rest as possible to help him adjust. He stayed in his playpen area and we restricted him to this area until about day four or five. Since he only had 1 of his shots, he wasn't allowed to go outside but he didn't quite understand how to use the puppy pads either which was also a dilemma for us.

Since Amigo grew up on a farm, he was used to using the bathroom outside so we had to take him outside at first for him to go (to an isolated patch of course) which worked out well. By the second day, he ended up using the puppy pads inside and it was just a matter of praising him and giving him tons of treats for him to continue using the pads for potty breaks.

Amigo in his playpen area

Amigo was not only a fast learner, but he had such a fun personality once he warmed up to us. He quickly brought us joy no matter how many times we had to check up on him or the lack of sleep both Dimitar and I were both getting; we loved the thought of having a puppy, especially a Corgi at that.

By day two, we started to train him with a clicker to do basic commands and crate training him. With both of us working full-time jobs, it was tiring of course, but we both took turns teaching him and it was so crazy how fast he picked everything up! We knew he was at the prime age to learn so we wanted to take advantage of his age as much as possible.

Amigo striking a pose

By day 3, he was proving to be a bit more trust worthy, so we let him spend time in the Livingroom but kept him connected to his crate with a leash. That way, he was always in view and near a puppy pad in case he had to go potty. Most of the time he was well behaved, but we struggled teaching him to not nip at our hands and feet (clothes even) so when ever he acted out, we made sure to crate him or ignore him. He barked excessively when this happened but it was only when he was calm that he ever got our attention.

I also had two cats boarding with me by day 4 who were my regulars. One of the cats named Maya, was very open to meeting Amigo. Since Amigo had never seen a cat before (I don't think so at least) he naturally barked a lot at them. By playing both with the cats though and Amigo, he quickly caught on that the kitties weren't anything to be intimidated by and eventually ignored them altogether. By introducing him to new species, I knew it would help him become better socialized since he wasn't able to go outside or meet other dogs at such a pivotal age.

Kitties watching Amigo from a distance

Maya interrupting Amigo's training

Amigo loves playing with the cat toys!

Seeing Amigo interact so well with the kitties really inspired me. I had no idea when getting a Corgi how intelligent they really were and Amigo was learning his new commands so fast; by day 5, he already roughly knew 6 commands! There were of course days where he just didn't want to do any training whatsoever, which was fine because he was a puppy after all with a very short attention span.

It's also worth mentioning that I didn't start leaving Amigo in the crate until day 3-4. I didn't want to overwhelm him when he first arrived and I wanted time to train him to associate the crate with something good, like a treat. Just like with anything, we gave him treats for the time he'd spend in his crate and whenever he went into the crate on his own. Afterwards, I'd leave him in the crate overnight for about 3 hours and wake up to let him out for potty breaks and treats. Eventually he learned to be in the crate for longer periods and to be okay with it.

Now that Amigo is about about 16 weeks old while writing this, he definitely has grown so much and he also has moments where he doesn't like to listen. Sometimes he's not in the mood to listen to commands because he'd rather play and when this happens, play time ends for him. While the nipping has died down, it's important to stay consistent with his training because he is a Corgi after all; a breed that is notorious for being stubborn.

Amigo finally outside !

Leash training him was also something to be worked on. At home, Amigo was focused and calm, but the moment he was outside, all he wanted was to go back home. The only way to make the experience a positive one was to take him to the park in the early morning to let him play. Sure enough, he learned to enjoy the walks this way because it became something he could look forward to.

Now, I know many people say to not let their puppies outside until all of their boosters are done, which is why we took him outside early in the morning when no one else, including dogs, were around. We also watched him and kept him close to us. Everyone in my gated community also has to have their dog's vaccinated so I wasn't too concerned. I simply didn't want Amigo to miss out on experiences or socializing, even if it meant giving him even more supervision.

So to our new family member Amigo who is honestly growing up way too fast, we look forward to the years with you and the memories to come with them! May we bring you as much joy as you bring to us.

Amigo in his new rain jacket

A TRIP TO A COZY TOWN

2023-10-31T16:59:00.:00

It's Halloween! One of my favorite Holidays that really leaves me feeling giddy inside. Everything from the weather, the cozy smells, and the colorful trees really just sits so well with me. Dimitar and I have been talking a lot about moving to Florida and while it's a huge possibility, I'd honestly miss the four seasons here on the East Coast. But anyways, moving is not what todays post is about - it's about traveling to a cute historic town that I had never been to before but came to adore.

The town's name is called Leesburg and it's known for it's authentic structure buildings built during the 1700s. If you've read my previous posts where I used to live in Old Town Alexandria, you know I have always adored older towns that have age to them. Small town feels is what I am all about, I just don't know if I'm ready to live in one yet. Leesburg was roughly an hour away from where we lived so we made sure to eat well before heading out; what better way to start the day than with crepes covered in strawberry and chocolate drizzle?

Celebrating my 10 year anniversary w/ Dimitar

On the road, I had a strange feeling that I would see a rainbow. Lately whenever I'm outside, I get a strong feeling that I will see a rainbow and 100% of the time, I do! I'm not sure how to explain this but Dimitar has been with me every time it happens and we're both blown away! I didn't see a rainbow on our way there though but, a crazy surprise does happen by the end of the day!

Since the historic part of Leesburg was small, we prepared ourselves by parking and walking to all the areas we could go to. It was actually a very warm day and I regretted wearing my jean jacket! It was so warm that we eventually got ourselves ice-cream. There were many cute shops in the area like furniture shops, clothing stores, pubs, pottery, and tons of restaurants. Before we knew it, we had seen everything!

Leesburg Courthouse

There was one particular shop though that really caught my attention that I pulled Dimitar into which was a quaint little book shop called Birch Tree Bookstore. Inside, the space was small, cozy, and decorated with books on every wall. There was also a great selection of witch novels that really helped me embrace the Halloween spirit, along with Halloween decorations sprawled over lampshades or hung from the ceilings - it was awesome!

Dimitar had wandered off into the plant section which I didn't know about, while I spent time flipping through pages of witchy novels; taking pictures of the books that I'd look more into later on.

Birch Tree Bookstore

The store even had a small children's book section which I absolutely fell in love with! It was adorable and even had a few books that I had read when I was little but completely forgotten about. It always amazes me when moments like these hit because it sure reminds me of how valuable memories are.

The children's book section

The cutest space ever!

Just when I thought the shop couldn't get any cuter, in the far back of the store was a plant shop! Dimitar and I spent a good chunk of time looking over plants we'd had never seen before while admiring the cute pots they were all potted in. I have always been fond of plants but being in a room full of them really inspired me to get more plants for the house.

The plant shop in the back

Speaking of which, I told myself that I wouldn't buy anything (saving up to move...) but just as I had said that to myself, I saw a potted plant that literally made me gasp. It was as if the Universe knew what heart strings to pull in me and plopped the funniest looking pot in my path to buy. Did I buy it? Yes. Yes, I did.

Meet Willie, our new house plant.

So we bought Willie (yes, we named the plant) and new he'd make a great companion to our funky looking money tree that has surprisingly held up well for the past 3 years in my care. I don't exactly have a green thumb (I managed to kill a succulent once - a succulent!) so the fact that the money tree is still thriving is a blessing. Hopefully I can keep Willie alive too; fingers crossed. Also, we felt bad for naming Willie so we also named the money tree Billie.

After we bought Willie, there was a near by park called Morven Park that I really wanted us to see. The park was situated just outside of the town but it sure felt like we were in the middle of nowhere since the park had acres of land to it's name. It wasn't busy at all and it honestly felt like we were the only ones in the park which was still nice.

Morven Park

Morven Park not only had trails to walk through, but there was also a Mansion in the center that was open to the public. Unfortunately, it was closed on the day we went so we could only admire the Mansion's beauty from the outside. The view from the front of it though was absolutely stunning and so peaceful. Compared to bustling Old Town Alexandria, Leesburg was definitely an upgrade!

View from the Mansion

We walked around the mansion and came across a few buildings that were part of the Mansion; a laundry house, stables (I think), and even a Turkey farm that we didn't get a chance to visit. As nice as it was to explore everything, there was practically no one around so at some point we really thought we were trespassing until we saw other visitors walking around too - a relief.

The stables?

A very crazy looking thing called "Osage Orange"

Since it was getting late, we decided to walk around the front of the Mansion to get a better view before leaving. I honestly didn't want to leave but it's not like we could stay either. After taking more photos, we walked back to the car and headed on home where on the way back, I got a massive headache - ouch.

Beautiful tree

View of the front of the Mansion

Remember when I told you that I felt like I was going to see a rainbow on our way to Leesburg? Well, sure enough on our way home, once we hit the highway, there was a rainbow! Later on, another rainbow showed up too! If any of you have ever manifested rainbows, maybe you can tell me what it means because I still don't know.

Manifesting rainbows!

I hope you enjoyed todays post and Happy Halloween!

Until next time! - Sarah xoxo

I MADE MY OWN DIGITAL PLANNER TO ORGANIZE MY LIFE

2023-08-30T15:46:00.:00

*10/31/23 - Unfortunately, my Etsy account was hacked and Etsy permanently suspended me. I am in the process of trying to appeal but it's literally taking forever to hear back from their support team...

It's no secret on this blog that I have been in the process of trying to heal my life; especially my mental state. It has been quite an up hill battle these past few years, but I find that keeping my mind and soul proactive really helps me overcome the turbulence. I personally don't think it's productive to plan every step of our lives to the point where being still feels like a crime, but, I do believe that keeping our energy moving can greatly improve the quality of our lives.

When I look back on parts of my life where I admired myself the most, I realized it was because of how organized I kept my time. I was introduced to the idea of having a planner after browsing in Tjmaxx and I wasn't exactly as happy as I wanted to be then. I had just gotten back into Art after battling depression and I also just started a new job that stressed me out tremendously. So, I thought having a planner would help me manage my time better and it really did!

Since those times, I have always kept a planner on my desk. On my worst days, I see the planner as a competition with my own ego who'd shame myself for not doing enough in one day. On my best days though, I'm excited to tally off my check list and accomplish my goals. Having a planner has honestly helped me eliminate the negative talk within me. I can truly look back on time and see my own accomplishments and how far I've come mentally when I just don't feel like myself. It may just be paper to some, but for me it's a way to hold myself accountable and embrace the concept of having control of my life.

So, that's what I did. I went back to using a planner but of course, the little artist in me wanted one that would fit my taste. When I couldn't find one in store that wowed me over, I knew I had to make my own. What was really just supposed to be for my own personal use, ended up with me spending a few days creating a full bundle of planner templates. When that mini project was done, I then spent a week expanding the design into 3 other colors; blue, purple, and green. Before I knew it, I had a small collection and that's when another idea struck me to create my

My New Planner Templates!

Aura colors have really inspired me these past few months so I knew I wanted to create a collection stemming from that. I also wanted the planner templates to spark excitement and sooth my feminine side which has really taken a beaten lately. It could just be my creative side speaking out, but colors really are therapeutic to me and influence my life a great deal! Even with 4 collections already finished, I still can't decided which one is my favorite because they're all so beautiful to me!

PURPLE Aura Planner Template

GREEN Aura Planner Template

BLUE Aura Planner Template

Since I have never made planner templates before, the process of making these templates was low-key a bit stressful. I had to learn about PNG and PDF and which one was best for printing out or for using on an iPad. At the end of the day, I decided to include both format types in a bundle just so that people could decided which format they wanted. I will also have to include more sizes too in the future as this bundle is only 8.5x11,but could still be resized with the right programs.

I personally love that I now have a digital planner of my own that I can literally take with me anywhere I go. The templates of course can be printed out as well and with the right printer and paper, the colors will look beautiful in person! Now that the designs are finished though, I hope to see this planner as it's own book one day soon; one that is already made and ready to go for anyone looking for more convenience.

If you'd like a piece of happiness that comes with these colorful planners, head on over to my Gumroad Shop where you can download yours today!

Until next time! - Sarah

HEALING MY FEMININE ENERGY

2023-08-18T08:00:00.:00

I'm on a mission to healing my inner feminine energy. After taking a few months away from social media, I realized that my own inner struggles have caused an imbalance within me. Since I was little, I spent most of my time around my dad who was often reserved and in the Army so I wasn't exposed to much female energy. Even with 3 other sisters, we all lacked in the same manner. When I grew up, I quickly became surrounded by chaos and low vibrating situations that forced me to hold back a part of myself that needed to be expressed. As a result, I grew up afraid to show my emotions and afraid to let my inner qualities shine.

I didn't think anything of it though and for many years, I was fine, or so I thought. I enjoyed keeping people at a distance and I learned to put on my best brave face so that others wouldn't think about taking advantage of my weaknesses. I admired my cold exterior because it felt comforting to know that I was always one step ahead of everyone else. I learned to love being alone at a young age because my own company was better than most.

Time proved otherwise though. By 2021, a shift in how I carried myself left me vulnerable and struggling. The burden of loss was heavy and I could feel it eating away at my soul. I tried my hardest to resist the feelings, but I found myself crying more often, questioning my purpose in life, and feeling helplessly alone. For the first time in years, I felt exposed to a force that was ready to take me on a spin that I had no control of.

From 2021 to 2023, the dull aching pain inside of me grew. I became more resentful of myself and I started to lose interest in all of my passions; Dimitar and I fought more as well. The hard exterior I had tried so hard to keep strong was starting to fall apart because it was never meant to be there in the first place so naturally, everything was returning to it's natural state. That's when I realized that there was an imbalance within me that needed to be healed so I quickly turned to books for answers.

Awaken Your Inner Goddess by Dr. Dara Goldberg

One book that caught my attention was Awaken Your Inner Goddess by Dr. Dara Goldberg. It opened up to me about how acknowledging ones own trauma can serve as a tool to reaffirming ones own strengths. The book covered thought provoking topics on psychology and spiritualty and how the two can coexist to create a balance between everyones masculine and feminine energies. While the information was simple at it's finest, it was everything my desperate soul needed to begin the process of healing.

So I slowly started to become more aware of the emotions I had put on the back burner for so long. Rather than pushing myself to be controlling, logically, and tenacious, I aimed to be compassionate, vulnerable, and playful. I became aware of my limiting beliefs and did my best to apply one feminine quality to my life that would help me overcome my own internal issues. The more aware I became about the yin and yang within me, the more authentic I began to feel but oh, was it scary!

While I still have much more to take care of within, I feel a bit lighter now that I've started this mission. I'm much more aware of how I present myself to the world and my own inner dialogue has grown to be a bit more forgiving because of it. This year, I really want to dedicate it to healing my feminine energy so I can begin to live my best life possible.

Until next time! - Sarah

ADOPTING A NEW GUINEA PIG + 1 MONTH UPDATE

2023-08-17T08:00:00.:00

Reecey and Hershey were introduced to each other a month ago and it has been anything but easy for me! While Reecey got along with my previous guinea pig just fine, it was an emotional roller coaster with Hershey. There were so many times where I thought they would be just fine until they would have days where all they did was bicker. I consider myself an experienced guinea pig mama but bonding Reecey and Hershey really tested me!

During the introduction phase, I did my best to follow the typical introduction rules; neutral meeting ground, clean cage, separate after fights with health check ups afterwards, and interfere as little as possible unless blood is drawn. It became clear during the introduction phase that Reecey wanted to be in charge and Hershey just wanted to be left alone. Also, Hershey lunged at Reecey a lot which was expected since Hershey wasn't socialized well prior to adopting him; he also had a rough start so he was overcoming a lot of trauma.

After 1 hour of meeting each other, they both finally had settled down so it was time to move onto the next phase and move them to their cage.

1 hr after introduction

Once inside the cage though, Reecey wouldn't let up chasing Hershey. Naturally when you introduce anything new, boars will become more territorial about it, so I kept most items out of the cage until they made more progress. It took a couple more hours after being in the cage for both to calm down but just when they did, the fighting continued soon afterwards. Since I wasn't comfortable with how the introduction went, I separated them over night and decided to redo the introduction next day.

The next day, I let them see each other again but the fighting continued to the point where both were rolling around in their cage. I decided that this was the point I'd give them a buddy bath and clean the cage completely...again. It was a pretty stressful process for me because it required me to learn new things about guinea pigs behavior that I didn't really have to do before with my previous pigs.

If you don't know, Buddy baths can help neutralize guinea pigs scents while at the same time, helping them bond over a scary situation (aka, the water). Sometimes it works though and sometimes it doesn't, but it was worth trying anyways.

Buddy bath complete! Look at those faces!

Once everything was clean, I put the guinea pigs back in their cage to reintroduce them. Unfortunately, the fighting continued but this time I didn't interfere unless it was to check them over for bites. Every hour that passed by, they made more progress; Reecey would let Hershey eat and Hershey stopped lunging. After 8 hours from the time the bath was given, I finally caught them lying down next to each other so it was finally time to put more items into the cage for them to enjoy.

8 hrs after the buddy bath!

It definitely stirred them up a bit more but I made sure they had two of everything and gave them as much space away from each other as possible; just because they're cage mates doesn't mean they always want to see each other! While they were making so much progress, I already had plans at this point to expand their cage to help them both be more comfortable around each other.

The next day, I spent all morning expanding their cage and modifying it to a 2x5. I knew I wanted a loft so after 3 attempts, I finally built a 1x1 loft with a ramp. Once the cage was finished, the piggies immediately took a liking to their bigger cage! I also had to teach them how to use the ramp and once they realized it led to more food, it became one of their favorite spots. Expanding the cage really helped the fights die down which was a huge relief!

Their new upgraded cage - setup 1

Their final setup w/ improved loft

Even though the fights died down drastically, they still had their moments where they bickered. Hershey was going through his last months in his teen years which left him irritable and constantly annoying Reecey. When this happened, I separated Hershey for an hour so he could calm down and it normally did the trick. However, by the end of the month, they got into a major fight over night that left Hershey constantly hiding under the hay bag and Reecey very territorial of one side of the cage; it threw me off completely so I once again was back at work.

It was clear after checking Hershey over that they had gotten into a fight; Hershey had a bite mark behind his ear and a big patch of fur missing but there was no sign of blood. Since I knew Reecey wouldn't attack unless he was heavily provoked, I was under the impression that Hershey had annoyed him so much to the point where it lead to a big fight. It also seemed as if the dominance between the two shifted because Hershey would squeal really loud whenever Reecey came near him and Reecey was back to controlling the cage.

I let them hash it out for 2 days like this but when things didn't get better, I ended up cleaning their cage and giving them both a quick bath. While I had second thoughts on it at first, it honestly helped them both make up to one another! I later then changed a few things in their cage by adding a privacy wall under the loft - this way they didn't constantly face each other as they were using this area as a way to square off at one another. I also added another hidey hut and a big long tunnel that they could use to escape from each other if needed.

New privacy wall & both pigs lying near each other

So far, these changes seem to be working and I can only hope that my piggies only get closer from here on out. It's been one heck of a roller coaster ride with these two but I'm beginning to have hope for them.

Until next time! - Sarah