butimgeorge

meganintherye has moved! link below :]

[meganintherye]

Last last weekend (September 26) I went to dinner with Nick and my parents, and then we went to see a dance show at the community college. Here’s what I wore. 

I’ve got on a pair of black skinnies from Urban Outfitters, Seychelles ankle boots that I found in a random little boutique in LA, and a vintage floral top from this Etsy shop. 

No matter how hard I try, I will never be a blue jeans kind of gal. I always always always end up wearing black jeans no matter the circumstance, but they’re flattering and go with pretty much anything so whatever. 

This was actually my first time wearing this top even though I got it months ago. It never seemed like the right thing to wear during the summer, but now that it’s fall I think I’ll be wearing it more. Same with the boots- this night was their maiden voyage, but I can’t wait to wear them more often. I’ll admit that they did give me some minor blisters, but I also wore them without socks and did a fair bit of walking. I think once they’re more broken in, it shouldn’t be a problem.

[butimgeorge]

My latest post over at the new/actual MEGANINTHERYE blog :]

[meganintherye]

sabbatical

I started this blog 3 years ago when I went to England for my summer travel-study program (coincidentally, July 29 was the day I arrived in Cambridge…weird!), and thought that maybe I’d continue to use it whenever I traveled, but obviously that hasn’t really happened (partially because I haven’t done much traveling since, also because I never had a lot of time to actually blog). Now I’ve decided to resurrect and repurpose it as I set out on my next, seemingly less glamorous “adventure”…moving home!

Surprise–I quit my job and am officially moving home to focus on school and other things that make me happy.

Basically, it became pretty clear that having a full time job, getting my masters degree, and making time for the other 10,000 things I like/want/need to do was way a lot harder than I thought it would be. Even though I was trying really hard to make it all work, I just was not able to do everything and be the person I want to be.

So now I’m making it happen. Something had to give, and here we are. 

It may seem, at first, like a step backwards. I’ve been out of undergrad for over a year, I’ve been living on my own for another year, I had a job, etc… but in reality, this one step back will (hopefully) eventually set me up for better things than continuing on in the same place would have done.

Of course I’m going to miss living in Orange County, but I’m excited to be home and close to family for a little while, and then I’ll move on to somewhere new. Or maybe I’ll move back to Southern California. I don’t really know, but we’ll see!

I don’t really know a lot about what I’m going to do after I move back home. Maybe that seems irresponsible, but to me it feels right. I have ideas (places to visit, volunteer work to do, etc.), but nothing has been decided upon or set in stone. For most of my life, I always needed to know the next step. But for now, the uncertainty is welcome. 

Peace, M

[butimgeorge]

stuffed bell peppers

Well it’s been a while… Something I learned in the last few months is that it’s hard being an adult who has to take care of herself and go to work and still have fun and stuff. But with the new year and all, I decided I’m going to try a little harder to find balance, and find time to blog more often. We’ll see how that goes.

Anyway, something I haven’t been doing lately is eating very healthfully (healthfully?). My meals have mostly consisted of frozen burritos or take-out, and it’s taking a toll on how my body has been feeling lately—believe it or not.

Sometimes it’s hard to find time to cook a healthy meal, even if it’s as easy as steaming some broccoli and eating part of a rotisserie chicken. Tonight, however I had some extra time, and was feeling a little adventurous, so I tried my hand at stuffed bell peppers!

I got a 4-pack of bell peppers from the grocery store the other day and had to use them before they went bad, so I got some ground turkey and did it up. I pretty much just winged it—chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, basil, oregano, and brown rice went into the “stuffing,” with a little Parmesan cheese mixed in (a suggestion I found online), and some cheddar cheese on top. Cram the stuff in the peppers, cook for 30 mins (plus 10 more after the cheddar cheese goes on top) and boom, done.

This is something my mom used to make when I was younger, and now that I know it’s not too complicated to recreate, I’ll probably make it for myself more often. Plus I’ll have leftovers I can take to work for lunch! AND it’s kind of healthy I think…minus the cheese, but hey something’s gotta give, right?

[butimgeorge]

brazened honey

I decided to try out a new face mask a while ago, and am finally getting the time to write about it.

I’ve known about Lush for a long time, but I recently decided to give some more of their products a try because of a few of Essiebutton’s YouTube videos. their stuff is a little pricey, but it’s all cruelty free which makes me feel 100% okay about splurging a little.

okay anyway, I went into the store looking for this mask, brazened honey. 

I had one of the employees help me find it, which may or may not have been a mistake because she talked me into getting a facial cleanser and a toner as well, which I actually really like so maybe it wasn’t a mistake…but I digress.

so now I have this facial mask, which you have to refrigerate because it’s made of completely natural products (cool!) and it expires in like 2 weeks (ugh). I don’t normally use face masks that often, usually just as a treat when I feel like pampering myself (which is kind of rare because who has the time to do that, right?), but I wanted to get my money’s worth so I used this like…every couple of days or so 

here’s the run-down It smells…kind of good, kind of weird, very natural. It’s got eggs, honey, fennel, and ground almonds, among several other ingredients, and that’s pretty much what it smells like.

It feels good on the skin, because it’s cold from being in the fridge. It also feels soothing because of the honey and probably other stuff in it. It does get quite dry over the time you’re meant to leave it on, and it kind of feels like it’s sucking the gunk out of my pores, which is definitely good!

The best part, in my opinion, is the ground almonds. They turn the mask into an exfoliator once you start rinsing it off. As you rinse, you can rub it into your skin some more for a little extra exfoliating. Super nice!

As with most masks, my skin did break out a little after using this since it was drawing all the dirt/oil/whatever makes up a zit to the surface. But it was worth it because it ended up being a pretty luxurious treat (for me, at least!).

So if you’re looking for a deep cleansing mask that doubles as an exfoliant (and you aren’t allergic to any of the natural ingredients and are willing to splurge a little…) I would definitely recommend this!

[dean-m-z-deactivated20211102]

This is your Sunday evening reminder that you can handle whatever this week throws at you.

(via properkidproblems)

[01101010010101-10101001010110-d]

☆

[butimgeorge]

happy sunday, friends!

the last couple of days have been pretty sub-optimal, so i have decided to reflect on the more uplifting things that have been going on lately.

over the last few months, i have been doing a lot of yoga. a lot. of yoga. i tried it last year for a little bit, but then stopped going because school got crazy and i got lazy. then this spring after i graduated, i decided to give it another try, and i haven’t looked back since.

yoga became that thing for me that challenges, energizes, calms, centers, and refreshes me all at the same time. naturally, the more i did it, the more i loved it—and loved the way it was changing the way i felt. that’s why i decided to sign up for teacher training; i really wanted to push myself out of my yogi comfort zone and see where it could take me. 

so far, i’ve learned more than i could ever have imagined, and we’re only like 3 weeks into the 8 week program. but the biggest thing i’ve noticed is that i’m getting stronger and doing things that i never thought possible for me. and i don’t just mean physically stronger— i do feel more physical strength, but i’m also beginning to notice a difference spiritually and mentally.

to put it simply (because i have no idea how else to put it), i just feel better about things. i feel more patient, more mindful, more understanding, and more motivated. i feel more inclined to push myself and try new things, and not beat myself up if i don’t succeed right away—kind of. i’m still working on this. one of the yamas (restraints, or things to avoid in order to reach yoga bliss) is called aparigraha, which means “non-attachment.” it warns against confusing goals with expectations, and stresses the importance of just trying your best and seeing what happens. if you try your best but whatever you were doing doesn’t work out, it’s okay. there is no reason to get upset with yourself. it’s important to just let things go sometimes. i could talk about this forever, because it’s something i really struggle with and majorly need to work on. i’m getting better, but i still have a long way to go…

anyway, this brings me to my main point, the picture featured above. in that picture, i am flying my crow pose. this is something i’ve been working towards since the day i started practicing yoga (so, for several months), but have only recently accomplished. i really wanted to share this, because of what it represents. it represents a lot of hard work and dedication. it represents the accomplishment of something i never thought would happen. honestly, if you told me a year ago that i would be doing this now, i would not have believed you. i would have said something along the lines of: “but i’m not strong enough! i’m not in good enough shape for that” which essentially translates into: “i don’t look like a skinny lululemon yoga mom, how could i ever do something like that?” the truth is, i don’t look like a skinny lululemon yoga mom. but i’m doing it anyway! it didn’t happen overnight, that’s for sure. i kept practicing— and yes, every once in a while i would get disappointed and discouraged that i had been practicing for so long and still couldn’t fly. then it just clicked one day, and here i am (it's nowhere near perfect, of course, and I'm still practicing to improve, but you get the gist). 

so, yeah. part of this is me tooting my own horn a little because i truly am very proud of myself for reaching this mile-stone. but i also hope that this can inspire someone else to keep doing whatever it is they’re doing, because eventually you’ll get there— we are all capable of so much more than we think we are! seriously. take my word for it, and eventually you will prove it to yourself :]

namaste!

[butimgeorge]

check out these little fall babies i picked up at Whole Foods today! two gourds and a pumpkin. the green and white is totally gorgeous

[butimgeorge]

happy monday!

[butimgeorge]

pickled red onions!

alright. i know you're thinking about how insignificant pickled red onions are, but hey let me tell you, they're so simple and easy to make, and they add just the right kick to whatever you use them in!

i had a salad from Urban Plates a couple of weeks ago that had pickled red onions in it, and i was like I HAVE TO MAKE THESE they were so good (obviously not by themselves, but in the salad--so good)

so i turned to handy dandy pinterest to find a recipe that seemed legit, and found this one from the view from great island. her recipe was simple, straight forward, and very easy to follow.

when i finally got around to gathering all the ingredients, i gave it a shot.

this is what it looked like when i first put them in the jar.

it was soooo easy! you just put all the liquids and spices in a pot, bring to a boil, take it off the heat and throw in the onions (and jalapeños). if you want the recipe and real instructions, just click on the link i posted in the bit above this picture! 

and here are the onions the next morning-- pretty in pink!

i guess i wanted to share this little cooking project because it was something i'd never really thought of doing before, and i was proud that i actually successfully made them! i've already used them in a salad and on sandwiches, which both tasted amazing! this is also proof that a real-life person other than the person who originally posted the recipe can make these! sometimes i see recipes and i'm like "who the hell can actually do that?" well, my friend, i'm telling you that you can definitely make these pickled red onions if that's something you want to try! 

namaste!

[butimgeorge]

PYTT Session 1 and not enough sleep

well, i think for now i’m only going to be able to post once or twice a week until i get settled into a routine.

the first session of power yoga teacher training (pytt) was last night, and suffice it to say, i’m super excited about the next 8/9 weeks! it was typical “first class” type of stuff— handing out paperwork and getting to know everyone— but it was really fun nonetheless. i can tell that everyone is super excited to be there, and the energy in the room was amazing. 

that’s really all i have to say about that for now, since it hasn’t really gotten in full swing yet. but i know i’ll have tons to say later!

~

on another note, i am so tired tonight. i went to bed around the same time as i usually do, but my kitten decided to wake me up about an hour earlier than necessary and i never really got back to sleep after that. 

that is why my pickled onion post still doesn’t exist. i was going to make it tonight and queue it up for tomorrow, but i don’t think that’s going to happen. not that it’s too tragic, since pickled onions aren’t very exciting. it’s just something i want to share because i was pretty proud of myself for pulling them off. 

~

also, hopefully no one minds a few personal-ish posts every once in a while. sometimes i feel guilty about not making any type of post for a while, so i figure i should at least post something.

namaste!

[butimgeorge]

alright well i said that my first official content post would be about my pickled red onions, but i just got so excited about this that i couldn’t wait to share.

behold: honey coconut oil mask/moisturizer/spot treatment/whatever you want it to be.

as you may or may not know (you probably do, though), honey has antiseptic, anti-aging, moisturizing, and pore-opening qualities. which makes it wonderful for skin! combine that with coconut oil, which has vitamin E and other proteins to keep skin healthy and supple, and you’ve got a wonder-product. and don’t be afraid if you have oily skin- they say it’s best to fight oil with oil, and so far i’ve found that to be true (for myself, at least)! 

all i did to make this was put one part honey, two parts coconut oil in a small mason jar, and shake!

what you’ll need:

unrefined, virgin coconut oil (i got mine from whole foods)

raw honey (also got mine from whole foods)

a jar

how to prepare:

literally just put a little honey and a little coconut oil in a jar. I did one part honey, two parts coconut oil, but you could definitely play around with different amounts to find your perfect combination! (tip: warm up the honey a little first so it blends into the coconut oil a little more easily)

if your coconut oil is completely liquidy, let it start to firm up, put the lid on, and then shake to whip the ingredients together! i had a little trouble with this… my apartment doesn’t really get cool enough for the coconut oil to ever be solid, so i had to stick my mason jar in the fridge for a bit before i could shake it. and then i had to use a fork to get it going (like beating an egg).

i suggest storing this in the fridge if your normal jar of coconut oil melts easily. 

so yeah, this was definitely trial and error. BUT the point is- in theory this is super uncomplicated to make. i mean, it only has two ingredients, and i already had them in my cupboard (if you don’t, they’re reasonably priced, so you won’t be breaking the bank. and then you’ll have them for other things!). you could also fool around with adding in some other essential oils, but i decided to keep it extra simple. 

~

what do you do with it? well so far i’ve just used it on my face like a moisture mask treatment. but, i have a strong feeling that this could be used for, well, whatever you want. if your mixture is heavier on the honey side, it would make for a nice natural spot treatment. if it’s heavier on the coconut oil side, it’ll be a great moisturizer—whether it’s your skin or your hair. 

don’t forget to test a small amount of the product on a patch of skin (i suggest the inside of your wrist) before slathering it on elsewhere to make sure you don’t have an adverse reaction!

~

i must admit, i didn’t quite get the texture i wanted. but ultimately it doesn’t really matter because it’s the ingredients that count. plus, it was fun to experiment with natural ingredients and make something from scratch (sorta?)!

[butimgeorge]

hello!

so, i decided i'd try my hand at the whole "lifestyle blog" thing. mainly because i'm about to embark on a really crazy journey (yoga teacher training-- i'll get into that later) and i'd like to keep track of all the new things i do/try while sharing the results with others (assuming someone out there actually reads this...!)

basically, i'm about to get REALLY busy for the next 9 weeks; but at the same time, i feel very excited about doing more things like cooking, trying new and natural beauty products (and using all the beauty products i already have but don't use), paring down my wardrobe, and keeping my apartment clean and organized!

~

here's why i'm about to be super busy: yoga teacher training.  after some time of taking yoga classes at my local Core Power Yoga studio, i have decided to take my practice even further and participate in power yoga teacher training (PYTT). which means i'll be doing a TON of yoga and learning a lot (about myself and yoga) along the way.

so in addition to writing about all the other stuff i mentioned above, i will also be writing about my PYTT experience. hopefully that will include some interesting information, as well as encouragement and empowerment for anyone who needs it. 

~

right. so i think that just about sums everything up for now. i haven't properly introduced myself, but it feels strange to do that now when i've already been posting (see reblogging) things on here for a while. if you want to have a glimpse at who i am, check the "about" section :]

ps. my next, and first official content post, will be about pickled red onions in case that sort of thing interests you 

[mothsplaining]

Evey at the beach on August 13, 2014

[pollyfern]

[butimgeorge]

johnny belinda

active child

[marlomeekins]