Life.

Has been real funny lately. Real fun, at times, confusing at others. All sorts of emotions lately.

Meal planning.

I'm a lot busier than I used to be a few months ago. I sometimes forget to eat, lol. As silly as that sounds! That's REALLY bad for you. So, to help me be more organized with my eating (and not eat junk food or spend extra money on food!), I found this handy note pad at Target's $1 spot. It's great! I'll be sharing my weekly meal plans on here, if I have the time, which I hope I do!

As you can tell, Monday was a pretty weird day. I spent the whole day doing errands and didn't have a good breakfast because I was in a rush. I had lunch at almost 4:30, so I had something light for dinner. I haven't had a chance to finish planning for the week, but I have a lot of things in mind. I'm going to try a turkey burger for the first time this week. (I'm so weird, I love burgers but I don't really eat meat, I eat chicken two or three times a week because my mother is pretty sure I will die without it. But I love seafood, and I manage to eat a slice of turkey breast in my sandwiches!)

Here's a quick tip: while grocery shopping, download the app "Fooducate" on your Apple device, scan the barcode of whatever you're buying and it grades the item from A+ to F! The best part is, it gives you better choices. Only because you're shopping at Whole Foods, doesn't mean everything you're buying is healthy. (I wish there was a Trader Joe's in South Florida. The closest is in Naples...agh!) That place is overpriced, I just get a few things from there and usually shop for groceries at Publix and/or Target. 

Music Monday

Ever since I got my car, this is the only (for no reason!) music that I listen to.

WHAT I LISTEN TO:


Not in order: Mumford & Sons, Phillip Phillips, Kendrick Lamar, The Lumineers, Coldplay, Kanye West, Beyonce, + Ingrid Michaelson.

I should switch it up! Suggestions?

FILM THE CITY 2013

I'm leaving you, my Miami. Until next Thursday! 

I'm going to Atlanta, GA for the week. I'll be attending the Poultry/Feed Expo. with my dad. It's an expo where anyone that has anything to do with aviculture or agriculture meets up, once a year. It's really neat, I just go there for the free stuff! I get free things such as: pens, post-its, key chains, etc. My dad and his friends actually buy stuff and go for business purposes. (Our family business: we sell eggs from Honduras!) 

Anyway, since this is my first official trip of the year, I am beginning my new project. This year, I plan to document in video, the cities I visit. (Yeah, I'm planning on visiting more than 3, promise!) My DSLR records and I feel like I never take advantage of that, so I'm stoked to use it in my trip. I tried doing so in Downtown Miami not so long ago and it didn't go so well, what I had in mind required more than one person on the team, and uh, it's just me. 

This picture was taken in Atlanta, from a room's view at the Marriott Marquis.

While in Atlanta, I will be going to Trader Joe's for the first time!!!! I'm so excited, it's a little weird, but I just am! There's one in downtown, and it looks like its close to our hotel. Woohoo!

Here's another picture of a different place that isn't Atlanta or Miami. Orlando!

All pictures were shot with my old camera, Nikon D60.

Good Things.

If you follow me on Instagram/Twitter (@carmenicole), then you know what I mean by Good Things. I've been journaling about that topic this year. I've named it Good Things. I realized that in the past, during my devotionals, I would kind of just complain most of the time, and whine, I guess. I used to discover God's blessings, the good things, just by hitting rock bottom, emotionally. I'm real guilty of that, and I guess it does happen, but it shouldn't be consistent. Well, things have changed, and so has the way I journal/pray.

There are SO many good things in my life from The Lord. Seriously, it's overwhelming. The way my journal layout works, is this way: on the left page, I have a sticky note thing with a fill in the blank list, and it says Good Things on top. I found it at the same time I found my journal (Staples!) and that's when it all clicked! So for today, for example, I put the starry night sky in Miami. The stars are really shinning bright (....like a diamond, Rihanna?) tonight, and I think that's beautiful, and a good thing. Also, knowing my friend; Sanah, left to Boston today, but will be right back in 2 months is another good thing! On the right, I usually write the title of the text first, so that I know why I wrote what I wrote in the entire page. Last week, while reading Exodus, I came across this verse:

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

I was prepared to write about the chapter as a whole, but the verse really got to my heart! So I made an entry for just this verse. First of all, what I'm about to say isn't a complaint, it's just a statement. So, I have been trying to find the right way to address several issues that are happening around me, and well, this verse has given me the solution. This week itself is a crazy one, I opened up my planner this morning, and I thought I was in the wrong week cus of all the things I had written down. Well, The Lord has previously fought many battles for me, and I am so blessed to be reminded! It's not really bittersweet, it's more of like a "oh, sugar! That's right." And it feels good, it felt really good.

That's a good thing. So throughout this year, different passages in the bible have opened me up to good things that are in my life that I take for granted or simply don't see. (Isaiah 55:8,9!!!) I'm so excited for the future, and for this bible study, and for my faith, and for my youth group, and for everything, and for you!

Do you keep a journal? A devotional? Tell me more! :-)

The Driving Diaries: Part II

It's been a while. Well, I have my own car now! This is Oliver West:

He's a 2013 Kia Optima SXL. (Picture was taken with my iPhone camera, he hasn't really had a photoshoot with my DSLR yet!)

I like driving. But sometimes, when I get out of work late, I secretly wish someone would just drive my car for me. (It's a 25 minute drive, nothing crazy.)

-My heart hurts when I see animals dead on the street. I've counted over 20. Dogs. Cats. Birds. Armadillo-looking things. Birds are the saddest, they fly, so what the hell?!
-At first, I thought "I'm never gonna switch lanes, I don't need to." Until the other day, it just happened. That was the day I realized I was getting used to the streets of Miami. Now, it's normal.
-I'm that nice person that when someone needs to get into my lane, they stop so they could get in. I would hate to be them, it's happened and no one freaking stops.
-Pumping gas is easy, but a bit too expensive.
-Driving to FIU is a road trip. It feels like it. So I usually listen to a full album on the way, or try to!
-I used to wanna cry at the thought of finding parking at FIU. Thank God for the Panther Parking Garage. No one parks there. (That's cus it's in BFE, next to the brand new arena on campus.) It does take me an eternity to get to my first class, but I don't mind!
-Oliver West is fast.
-Trucks are no joke. They're scary.
-Motorcycles are scary, too.
-I hate speed bumps.
-The heating (& cooling) seats in my car are probably my favorite. When I have back pain, (or cramps......) my chair hugs me with heat. I love it.
-I always said I'd never go in a drive thru. Taco Bell was guiltily my first (& last....?) one. I was getting food for my cousin, I had no choice, I was wearing my PJs.
-I'm extremely thankful for everyone that gave me a ride when Oliver West wasn't in my life.
-Oh, no texting and driving. I'm 140% serious about that.
-To all those scary people that have crossed the street running as "fast" as they can during a green light, what are you thinking?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
-Old people + driving. Aw.
-Mustangs are dumb. They all swear like they own the streets. Hmph.
-I don't tell anyone this but....I know everyone says my car is gangster and badass and whatnot, but Oliver West has a girl's voice. A girl's voice. The GPS, the music on demand thing, the voice commands, everything, his replies to me are in his girl voice. So there, Oliver West has a girl voice.

OH! Oliver West is going to Brickell for the first time tomorrow and we are pumped! Taking advantage of the drive, so I'm taking my Nikon to film that bad boy in downtown!

Well, that's pretty much it, for now.