BREAKFAST DATE WITH MELANIE!

Yesterday, Melanie and I went out to breakfast to Jantz Bakery to be buddies and catch up. It was such a yummy breakfast! She got super yummy looking french toast and I got the Farmer's Breakfast because, you know, I'm a farmer now. ;)

There's certain people in this life that you know no matter how much time passes, you can always just pick up right where you left off. Mel is definitely one of these friends. Granted, we saw each other not too long ago in October but it's just always so sad to live far away from your good friends. 

We became friends in our French class at Merced College back in 2011 I think, and have been buddies ever since. We both weren't super great at actually speaking French, but it brought us together and that's the best thing I got out of that class. 
Side note: For our final for that class, we had to tell a story or sing a little song in French, and that's the moment I realized I could read and write French fairly well but was sooo not great at speaking it. I butchered so much of my story, but somehow I still passed the class! Yay for nice, forgiving teachers!

Look how cute of a mama Melanie is; getting Wes all situated to watch his little show in peace. :)

One day I will win the lottery and win just enough money to buy up a street of houses in Santa Barbara or Santa Monica or somewhere for all my favorite people. I'll need to win enough money to buy like 18 homes, preferably near the ocean, no biggie right? haha

It was a lovely morning and I hope in 2018 I can make a better effort to visit with my friends more frequently. 

Thanks for being my buddy, Mel. :)

Mel's Blog:  melaniesmelcer.blogspot.com

COFFEE SHOP THOUGHTS.

Fleeting thoughts from my coffee shop morning.

I'm not really religious anymore and I've honestly never felt happier. It feels like a weight has been lifted off of me, and I know no one will understand that feeling until they come to their own personal mental happiness. For me, the church seemed to put a weighted pressure on my happiness, and now that I'm away from it for a bit, I feel like I see the world more clearly.

I finally realized today that for how much I fly, I just need to finally apply for TSA Pre-Check. I applied today and I have my interview on January 11th after they complete my background check! It's only $85 and it lasts for 5 years and then I can finally cut all those dumb lines at the airport once and for all! When I worked for JetBlue, it was seriously so nice to have Pre-Check! You just stroll by all the long lines, leave your shoes on, leave your dumb laptop in your carry on, and just feel like a real baller! haha.


I leave for California today! I was there not too long ago but I'm always ready to go back. I miss California. I miss home. I miss how sweet the air smells in California. That's one thing that I don't think Utahns will ever understand; just how sweet the air can actually smell from all the trees, and plants, and orchards. There's something about the air at home that smells so good and feels so happy to me.  

Maybe I'll move to LA in April. I initially thought I would try living in New York City first for a year or two come April, but now I'm thinking LA is calling my name. I just want to finally try to start breaking my way into the movie industry, and LA obviously is the place to do that. Plus I think I just need warm weather and palm trees in my life again!

I'm so over winter. It just technically started yesterday, but I'm already over it. My car is so bad in the snow and I live on a hill so leaving my house during winter gives me such bad anxiety. I'll be the first to admit I'm not a good snowy/icy street driver, and it stresses me out so bad. Jeremy said winter tires will help a bit, but I don't know how much you can really help a Corolla do well in the snow. 

La La Land is still the best movie. I watched it again recently and loved it just as much as the very first time I watched it. That opening dance sequence is so perfect! If you haven't seen La La Land yet, you're really missing out. Go watch it, and let it inspire you to pursue your personal dream! :)

Twenty five has been the year of the b****. Something magically happened when I turned 22 that made me suddenly not care what people thought of me. It seemed almost over night that I just started to live for me, and not care what others thought. But 25 has been a fun year too! I started to just be more bold in telling people off and standing up for myself. I've cussed out weird guys who have said gross things to me, I stand up for myself when I normally would just keep quiet, and I've stood up for others when they can't. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm still super nice, but this year I've had no problem being bold and bitchy when I need to be and I love that! 

I'm feeling really grateful for a lot in my life lately. I started a gratitude journal of some sort recently and it's been fun to take note of all the things I'm grateful for in my life. I'm just really happy lately, and I'm so glad my brain is a happy, positive thinking brain. :)

 

TEMPLE SQUARE LIGHTS!

My cousin Wes came to visit for a few days so we went to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights! It's always so crowded and busy but it's still worth it to go. It's so pretty and it's fun to see the performances in the little church. After walking around Temple Square, we got hot drinks from Publik across the way in City Creek and then walked around City Creek for a bit. It was a fun night!

Right now, Publik has a super yummy holiday drink called Burnt Honey Mocha which is sooo good! You can get it with or without espresso but it's super good both ways! They put ginger salt on top which sounds so strange but all of it works so well together! I suggest trying it, it's yummy!

I love Christmastime! It's such a happy time! And I love getting to spend time with my family.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS.

My dear cousin, Oscar, passed away on Sunday. He was young, happy, full of life, and left our family way too soon. It made me really realize just how important my family is to me, and just how fragile life can truly be. Oscar was only 46 years old, and I think we all go through life assuming everyone will be here with us until they're old and grey, but sometimes that isn't what happens. 

The older I get, the more I realize that my family and friends are the only things that truly matter in this life. Everything else that I think is important in the moment falls completely short in comparison. Our relationships with our loved ones, and our family bonds are really all that matter in this life, because it's all we take with us to the next life, whatever you believe that may be. 

I love my family! I admire each one of them and the positive impact they've had on my life. My Espinoza family and Schultz family are all so funny and happy, and I feel so lucky to have been born into such a good bunch of people. 

I always make it a point to take a family group picture anytime a lot of us are together. No matter how much push back I get in the moment for trying to stop conversations, round kids up, and gather this many people at once, I won't stop doing it because these are the photos that make my heart the happiest, and these are the photos I will look back on when I'm older and be so glad we took it!

Hold your family tight. Let go of grudges quickly. Don't waste time not loving your family and friends with the capacity of your whole heart. Nothing else really matters anyway when you stop and think about it.


If you feel like donating, or praying, or sending happy thoughts to his children, his siblings, and his Mom, everything helps.
All donations will go towards helping his family pay off medical bills, funeral costs, picking up the pieces, etc. 

Oscar's Go Fund Me Link: gofundme.com/oscars-medical-fund

SALT + HONEY WINTER MARKET.

Last night was the opening party for the Salt and Honey Christmas Market I'm participating in! The party was from 6-9pm and the market opened to the general public today at 10am for the next two weeks. 

 

I volunteered to help at the party so I was on door duty checking guests in and giving out name badges. It was fun but I don't know if I would volunteer for the party again, it was just too crazy for me. And I didn't get any food and that's the saddest thing of all! I was so hungry all night but too busy to leave my check in table. I should have known the party would be crazy to try to help with; it just really sounded fun to me initially when I signed up. Oh well, I learned. haha

Forrest and Jeremy came to visit and help me so that was so nice to have them with me for most of it. They were both a little piece of comfort in a crazy moment.

 

I loved seeing all the different booths and all the cute things everyone makes! There are so many talented people that participate in these markets and it's always so fun to see all their products!

Go check it out if you need some cute Christmas gifts or if you just want to wander around the cutest little items! It's across from Barnes and Noble in The Gateway!