Mama's Got a Brand New Name

...and by Mama I mean my blog.  After living in Cincinnati for 6 months, I felt it was finally time to update my blog by christening it with a new name to fit the location.  In the last 6 months, my blog is not the only one to get a face lift.  I have been taking some time to myself (ahem, not writing...) and really working on improving myself inside and out.

Since moving back to Ohio I have honestly felt a world of difference in my attitude.  I'm not saying Arizona was a bad place, please don't get me wrong.  I loved the sunshine, the friends and family I was blessed to spend 4 years with, and all the amazing adventures I had there.  However, there was just something that wasn't "me".  I think it was like trying to pull off an outfit that was really cool but didn't fit quite right and was the complete opposite style you usually wear.  It was great trying that outfit on for awhile, but when you come home you just want to throw on your favorite pair of jeans and that's what I've done.

I'm proud to say that I've made changes for the better. Because I like lists, here are the things I like about the new me:

1. I workout. (Do you want to read that again?) Yes, that's right. I said it. I WORK OUT. And no, not just sometimes, but pretty much every day and sometimes two or three times a day.
2. I enjoy working out. (I had to take a big breath there, my old self just died a little).  I push myself every day in my workouts to lift more weights, do more reps, pick my knees up higher and I enjoy it because I know that hard work and determination will get me to my goal. I also just feel a heck of a lot better with all those endorphins people are always talking about. Guess that wasn't just some myth. Weird.
3. Due to numbers 1 and 2, I have a slimmer figure and smaller pants size. Let me just tell you, I am so freaking happy to see my hard work pay off! 
4. I am a happy and positive person again.  Being away from the drama and stress of my old job has let me be a smiling and cheery person again with a positive outlook on life. Sometimes when I am driving around singing along to music and smiling, I just think "Dang it feels good to be happy!"
5. Although I have some frustrations with my program, I'm so happy to be pursuing a masters in something that I really believe in.  I know it is going to be a challenging career, but at least at the end of the day I can remind myself that I am helping out in the world of teenage woes that we all know can be dramatic and painful at times.
6. Sometimes, I leave the house without makeup. I know, it's a huge accomplishment for the girl that had to have thick eyeliner, mascara, and foundation on at all time. But it's amazing how the laid back lifestyle here has transformed me into a girl that isn't scared to run to the grocery store sans makeup. And to be honest I just wear way less eyeliner in general. I'm sure the makeup industry is really missing my paychecks but they will have to find another girl to boost their economy. (Oh and p.s. I don't wear heels hardly ever...it kind of makes me sad, but people just don't wear heels when they walk across campus for some reason)
7. I'm dancing again. It is amazing how a fun dance class on a Saturday can really put a pep in my step for the rest of the week. 

So there ya have it.  There is my brag list from the last 6 months while I disappeared from the world of blogging.