Happy Veterans Day! 🇺🇸
Lets not forget to thank our Veterans for their sacrifices for our freedom. I know it’s such a small gesture, but today and always, thank you!
Being that Explore The Moment is a new, I thought why not start out with an “About Me” so that as new readers come along they can know a little more about me and what I do!
Me in a nutshell!
I’m 34. And a native Oregonian, I’ve never moved away from my home state. Oddly enough I really hate the rain (it rains the majority of 9 out of 12 months here) but I know it’s the price we have to pay for such a green and beautiful state.
I’m the mom of two, I had my son (Isaiah) when I was 16 and he just turned 18 this past summer… my life has not been an easy one, but my struggles have built me into a character that I enjoy 😊 I also have a 15 year old daughter (Allie). Raising teenagers is probably the hardest thing I’ll ever do.
My boyfriend (Kris) and I have been sharing our adventurous life together for 12 years this December 2016. I get asked a lot why we aren’t married, and my answer is never good enough so I don’t explain anymore. We’re happy with our lives currently and that’s that. He and my kids are my everything!
Last year, in September we decided that it made sense for me not to continue working the job I had at the time. Between family issues (i.e teenagers) and my stressful job, it just wasn’t worth it. I worked in long term care, as a Health Care Administrator, and spent 15 years in the industry. I loved my job, but I think I left at the appropriate time and have enjoyed being able to pursue my dreams- photography and fitness! My education is all over the place, ranging from electronics engineering and computer sciences, to human biology and 2 years of college working towards a degree in nursing (which I did not complete due to my then current career path moving forward in a different direction). I love science, and fitness nutrition. Over the last year, I’ve lost 20+/- pounds and am about 10 pounds away from my so called “goal weight.”
I also like cats, a lot. My cat is the best, but I think all cats are great. Someday, I inevitably will become a crazy cat lady. It’s just a fact 😸
If I’m not working out, you can find me doing one of several things:
- Photography session of course
- Hiking/exploring the outdoors
- Or napping (after reading a good book- I love reading and collect books so I someday have a huge library!)
But mostly I’ll be exploring a new trail or a local park. Just breathing in the fresh air, contemplating life and taking photos of everything. I find beauty in the smallest things- fall leaves, budding trees during the spring, the way the sun reaches through the forest canopy… finding a snail, or coming upon a babbling brook. And truly, those small moments makes me more happy than anything money could ever buy.
“Creating” in some way or another is an essential part of my life and who I am… from doodling, to calligraphy, to painting and creating photos, and writing (think poetry and prose). I wouldn’t survive long without the creative process!
Despite having this blog and being super active on social media (I have lots of handles!) I’m really a very private person. And I struggle to open up to anyone aside from Kris, and even that can sometimes be a struggle! On top of that, I’m the epitome of an introvert.
In between being a mom, girlfriend, working out, exploring my beautiful State and snapping photos… I’m always planning our next adventure or trying to hop on a plane to get there. Kris and I are extremely spontaneous and we like to live life on a whim.
There’s a lot more to tell but I think those cover the basics! If you want to know more, ask away! Or just leave a comment with a fun fact about yourself, I love learning about other people!
I’ll leave you with a quote that is a definite favorite…
