That is what I used to make this. On my iPad. Aw yeah, look at that layered goodness.

Ok, so I obviously have not kept up with my resolution of blogging and well, I’m okay with that. The year ain’t over yet!

So much has happened since January that it is TOO much to write down! Just know that this first year of marriage has been great and that God is showing us where to be and what to do. We have made a bunch of new friends, which in turn have become family. We both lost a little weight, did a full body cleanse, and are currently attempting to make eating healthier a habit (beer and ice cream are healthy right? If it’s organic?). New jobs, freelancing, and Brightwork are still in the midst of it all! It doesn’t seem like we can be more blessed than we are now, but we know that there are bigger blessings to come!

I have made a new goal of updating this thing more frequently, but honestly no promises. Sometimes life just happens and you can’t be caught sitting at a computer writing for a blog.

Talk to you all soon!

Something to comment on:

Should a first wedding anniversary gift be something sweet and simple or most likely in our case, nerdy and fun?

Being on a slow carb diet, we are avoiding anything white – milk, sugar, flour etc. and we’re eating meat, vegetables and beans. SO MANY BEANS.

I like beans so it hasn’t been hard to stick them into our diet, but we are also required to add in lentils because they are high in protein, dietary fiber and vitamin B. Lentils are very unappealing to me. I had them once in a soup and they were terrible. I was very young at the time so it could’ve been the taste, texture, size, anything really, but all I knew was that lentils were gross.Quite frankly, if I were to see one on the floor I’d think it was a deer tick. Yup, this is what I associate lentils with. Gross.

Needless to say I wasn’t excited to read that lentils were basically essential to any good diet.

So here we are on Saturday, one meal away from dinner and what’s on the menu? Steak, spinach, lentils. Tomorrow is our binge day (if you want a better explanation ask me or read the man’s book) and lentils are the last things that stand between me and those 3 Dunkin Donuts donuts that I’m having for breakfast tomorrow (it is called “binge day” for a reason).

Lentils won’t get me down though. I just have to find the best and tastiest way to prepare them. If you are not a lentil lover here are a few that I have tried and plan to try.

Have made/would make:

From Allrecipes.com – “Lentils and Spinach” (search for)

This recipe was great for our diet because it added the spinach in and made it easy to combine the two for our meals. I left out onion because I didn’t have any and used a cup of chicken broth to help make the lentils tastier.

From Allrecipes.com – “Tuna with Mediterranean Lentil Salad”

It’s alot of lentils but combined with everything else combined, it’s looking to be good. Especially with tuna steaks. If you haven’t given seared tuna a try (only recommended if you like fish) definitely do so. It is deeeelicious.

Would not make:

From Allrecipes.com – “Lentil Loaf”

Yeah, a loaf of lentils. No thanks.

From Allrecipes.com – “Beer and Maple Lentil Stew”

I like beer, I like maple syrup but together and mixed with lentils doesn’t sound appealing at all.

So all in all, lentils aren’t a favorite of mine and I’m stoked for my binge day tomorrow! Happy eating!

However. Now is a totally different story. I graduated from James Madison University May 2010 with a BFA in Studio Art, with a concentration in printmaking. Then in September 2010 I married my college sweetheart of three years (three and a half really) and moved to Charlottesville, VA where I have been managing a frozen yogurt shop.

Yes, this is where all the extra time has come in and this is where the story changes.  I am currently sitting in one of the shops right now, with my laptop, fifteen minutes until lunch and 2 dirty dishes in the sink.  As the new year has come around i’m starting to feel like it’s time to wake up and make my story more interesting. It’s time for resolutions, restitution, and revolutions.

Resolutions is pretty self explanatory, a commitment I have made to myself for a personal goal. I have three and only three because three is attainable.

1. The Four Hour body, slow carb diet (hence a lunch of chicken, kidney beans and spinach for lunch).

Andrew (husband) and I are attempting to hack our bodies and lose some of this fat that’s keeping us so warm at night. This diet appears to be legit and I’m looking forward to losing weight with no trips to the gym. – If you know us you know that we work out consistently once every 4 years and we don’t plan to change. If this sounds interesting to you, you should google The Four Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss and check out the site and the book.

2. Complete lessons on Lynda.com.

Andrew’s parents bought us a year’s subscription to this website for Christmas (thank you!) and I haven’t sat down to do any lessons yet. I should and I really need to because I truly want to further my knowledge of Adobe Suite and anything else that will technologically strike my fancy.

3. Create more Art

I have the supplies, I have the creativity and I have the time for pete’s sake. Along with creating more art also entails documenting it and putting it up on my etsy account (username cboydgo if you’re interested).  I’ve been lazy and unorganized when it comes to my desk/studio space and I need to get my act together.

Restitution can sound a little intimidating, but when you look at Merriam-Webster’s definition “an act of restoring or a condition of being restored as a restoration of something to its rightful owner” it’s actually quite relieving and peaceful. For me restoration of myself comes from God and only God, so that’s the reason I feel at peace with restitution. Obviously He’s not the one who has taken anything from me, it’s more my everyday choices and letting myself go.

I feel like as of late I’ve been having pity parties for myself (Boyd, party of one) and I’ve let them change the way I view myself and others. Getting myself to complete my resolution goals will help me become more disciplined and I’ll feel accomplished, but ultimately I am going to be restored through Jesus and coming to know Him again and again as I live my life.

Revolutions is also easy to understand. A sudden, radical or complete change. I am so ready to suddenly, radically and completely change my life this year.  Revolutionize. Get things moving. Do the unorthodox things. This will be a challenge as I am not one to change quickly BUT I am definitely ready and willing to do so.

So, I guess to sum up – Hello, my name is Christine Boyd and I’m pleased to meet you.