Have A Merry Monday!

Mondays can be such a drag. Everyone comes into work- s l o w l y. The weekend high is fading away . We've all been there. You were just there a few hours ago. Counting down the minutes to 5 o'clock.

I'm tired of hating Mondays. Mondays should be about  new beginnings, they should cause a smile on your face as you reflect on the awesome weekend you had, they should make you giddy and excited for the week in front of you and all the possibilities that lie ahead. Choka Lifestyle loves Mondays. And we want you to have many Merry Mondays. Our Monday posts will include a brief weekend recap, some ideas to start your week off on the right foot, and also events and projects that we are looking forward to! 

Tonight on THE WEEKEND RECAP
You will get to hear about a delightfully HOT shower, a new appetizer to tantalize your taste buds, and a good book.


We shall start with the hot shower. 

Water heater was not working last week. And the water pressure in our apartment has always been a little lacking. Going a week without hot water is not that bad. I mean we've gone camping for longer than that so it's really no big deal. If I needed hot water I would just heat some up on the stove. I didn't realize though how much I enjoyed my hot showers. Saturday I got a nice hot shower at my aunt's house (we're house sitting for her), it was PERFECT!! And the water pressure- spot on. 

So basically my showers went from this:

To this:

Had my friend Ems over. We ate tuna sandwiches on croissants (you have to say it like a Frenchie) and I've been on a pomegranate kick so we tried this little appetizer out.  It was like a flavor explosion in my mouth!

All you need is 
- Goat Cheese
- Cucumbers
- Pomegranate Seeds
- Honey
- Cracked Pepper

So there's your healthy recipe for the week. Easy as getting those seeds out of the pomegranate. ;)


Just finished yet another book. Audio books have been my best friends lately since I've been doing so much driving from Duluth to Buford to Marietta to Woodstock and back to Duluth! Just finished this book (this one's for the ladies- I doubt many men will find this book interesting unless they are into fashion):

I loved Betty's personality and even though I'm not that into fashion- or rather- I don't know much of anything about fashion- I enjoyed the lavish stories of silks and other fanciful fabrics that I don't even know the names of. I'll do a more in depth review when I do a post next month about good fall/winter reads. Spoiler alert- this one is going on that list. 

Enough about my weekend. I want to hear about yours. What did you do? What should I do next? Please tell me in the comments!!

<Intermission>
Now on to our next segment:

My tips on Starting Your Monday, Your Week, and Your Month Out On The Right Foot:

- Don't panic
- You may not be able to control circumstances around you, but you can always control how you react to them. 
- Breathe deep
- Pick a couple of good mood stations on Spotify. There's some great morning stations for your ride to work, or chill stations to help you get over that hangover.
- Smile and Laugh- even if you have to force it. I love forcing myself to laugh. It makes me actually laugh and then I'm sure I drive past people as they think to themselves, "Look at that crazy girl laughing hysterically while driving in her car. She must be mad!"
- Wake up, Sit on the edge of the bed. Place your right foot on the floor first. You have successfully started out on the right foot.

On Our Next Episode:

Hopefully, we'll talk about some things we're looking forward to like.....starting our new jobs, living at a new/old place, and the notes people leave in my bathroom. Oh yeah, and the awesome teardrop camper that Nick and his bro are working on!  If you have any suggestions of topics that you would like discussed on this blog feel free to leave them below. Also, feel free to ask us random questions at any point in time. But most importantly, remember to have a Merry Monday and a happy rest of the week!!

{ Photos: Have A Merry Monday by Katie Orlando, Janet Leigh from Psycho, Retro Microphone Shower Head , Cucumber Appetizer by Emily Buchan/Katie Orlando, I'll Drink to That by Betty Halbreich,  Spongebob Squarepants photo Nickelodeon/text Katie Orlando, Photo of Betty Blythe/text Katie Orlando}

Weekend Adventures: Autrey Mill Nature Preserve

Wow. Two posts in one day!

I just really wanted to share our little outing today before the whirlwind work week sweeps me away.
First of all, I have been itching to go somewhere. Anywhere! While I would really love a nice long trip, we can't really afford that right now (see previous post) and we are being very conscious of our spending before the move. So any trips in the next two months are not happening unless they are in our own backyard.

I wanted to go to a place that I had never been before. I've lived in Metro-Atlanta for basically 22 years of my life (6 years were spent in Celebration, FL, but we'll save that for another day). I know the roads, the cities, the popular places. But this weekend I was really interested in the not so popular places or the ones you just don't hear about often. I know there are a good bit of historical mills in Georgia so that's what I started out searching for. And again because we were on such a tight budget, we could not travel very far away.

The first thing that popped up was Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center. It was maybe 5 miles from our current apartment i n Johns Creek. I had never been there before or even heard of it for that matter! So we went exploring!

We spent about 1 1/2 -2 hours there walking the trails, and taking pictures, feeding the ducks, and just enjoying the day. The trails are really nice. When you first start out you are met with this really friendly area. I thought these were so cool! More places should do this. Honestly, the trails were not that rough where you would actually need a hiking stick, but I still loved the idea!

We kept on walking the Forest Trail and eventually came across the Plains Tepee,  which is not the type of dwelling Native Americans had in this area but is used at the heritage center to educate and contrast against the mud and cob structures that were used in this area!

If you keep on walking you will come across the monkeys. Actually, when you look on the map you will see there is a landmark called "Monkeys" and the whole time we were walking I kept wondering "What is this Monkey thing??"  And your first reaction as you come up on them is, "What the heck are these things??" Well, they are monkeys. And they are there to remind you that just because you may not know what something is, that does not give you a reason to destroy it.

There are a couple of blinds that allow you to watch the wildlife (there are tons of birds and chipmunks) and today we were the only people there so it was very peaceful and serene. Apparently, Nick saw something terrifying though....

And if you keep on walking you will find other little goodies along the way but I don't want to spoil them all for you! On Sundays, the Visitor Center is closed but you can still walk up and feed the ducks and say hi to the cute bunnies.

 And you know me... I always can find the tropical vibes anywhere I go!

All in all the day was fun and we spent the remainder of the evening reading magazines at Barnes and Noble, but this little place filled my desire to see something new, and I want to go back when they are open to check out the Visitor Center and see the historical buildings. You should check it out if you have time! Here are some other pics from our visit there:

The Old Warsaw Church....I think I was getting hungry at this point...

deBray Chapel....

Green Country Store...

I peeked inside the window of the Green Country Store since it was closed today!

Just enjoying the greenery and walk ways they had. Everything was put together so nicely!

Looking forward to our next Adventure!

10 Signs That You Are Poor (Financially), But Rich In Life

Often times I find myself loathing the area that I live in. I feel like there is just way too much focus on attaining wealth, material things, and showing them off to friends. I feel like I kind of get suckered in every once in awhile. The glitz and glam can be blinding. For awhile, we were doing ok. But between losing multiple jobs and living above our means, things eventually got to a point where we had to take a serious look at how we were living our lives and adjust accordingly. 

For me, it's never been about the money. I work in order to live. You know- really LIVE! I appreciate what money can do- it allows you to travel, try things you've never done before, meet new people, do nice things for other people, etc. But I do not yearn for money so I can buy more STUFF.

This past month we pretty much hit the lowest of lows. And we just laughed through it. It got me thinking about how we have been through a lot in our first 5 years of marriage, and I was honestly expecting us to celebrate a lot more this year, but instead we've been working our butts off just to get by.  We both feel that even though we are poor financially, we've been able to experience a rich life! And I know there are others out there who have gone through the exact same ordeals!

1- You start making a game out of paying the bills. Like which one would we rather have this month? Hot water? Or power? Cell phone?

2- You wake up in the morning and are grateful for the things that you have, instead of being miserable because you cannot have some things! You can just walk down the street and enjoy your day, this day is your own, and nothing can ruin it. You can enjoy the time spent with your special someone (hubby, bff, pet, etc)

3- You have no gas in the car, you don't get paid until the next day. But it's the weekend and you want to do something. Invite your other poor friends over for potluck. Everybody's happy! 

4- You have no gas in the car. You have no money at all. But you have to get to work. You call up your parents/siblings/cousins/aunts/uncles/etc and they happily spot you the gas money not even expecting you to pay back.

5- Horrible week. Car broke down, lost your job, and you come home to a darker than usual house.  Woops must have forgotten to pay the power bill in that last bill game. Pull out all the candles in the house and have a romantic dinner in the candlelight and pretend like you're camping until the power comes back on. And you talk about how your future can only get brighter from there!

6- You get an extreme sense of giddiness when you walk into a thrift store and find something that was just made for you, purchase it and you still have money left over for a frozen coke from QT!!

7- You start looking healthier, not because you've been working out, but because you've quit going to fast food, and have been practicing eating until you are full rather than eating until you are overly stuffed!

8- You have your health, are able to take walks, ride your bike, and are content with these free things that allow you to enjoy the great outdoors!

9- You have power (for now)- and you take advantage of this luxury that nearly one-fifth of the global population is not experiencing, by making a meal for another family, reading up on your fave blogs on the internet, having friends over to play games, etc. 

10- You have worn the same clothes twice this WEEK, but you don't care, because they are clean and you are having a good time with friends and family!

Some of these we have personally experienced! Notice some common traits in this list? Optimistic, positive attitude, a sharing, caring attitude, not being anxious, keeping things simple, keeping family and friends close, and enjoying the experiences for what they are.

"If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos"

This year I have developed a curiosity for insects and small creatures of all kinds. My job is partially to blame as I am outdoors almost every day and in contact with the natural woods. It's nothing as awe-inspiring as safari type wildlife but I have grown fond of capturing the life around me. Here are some of my favorite captures of this past year:

All pics by me- iPhone only! (Except for the one of me holding the butterfly that one was captured by a friend)

Tell me which is your favorite!!

4 Favorite Up and Coming Artists and Crafters

Nick and I love making things. This time of year is quite slow for us due to my other love (zip-lining and challenge courses). So I usually spend the summer gathering inspiration and sharing the creativity of fellow makers and artists. Here are my current fave 4 Artists/Crafters/Makers/Designers whatever you want to call them :)

1) LapelGuy
https://www.etsy.com/shop/LapelGuy

I absolutely love the description for this shop. Simple and to the point. LapelGuy is all about "Dapper accessories for the fashionable man." Elier Hernandez' take on men's accessories is stylish and affordable.There's even a set of Limited Edition Women's Earrings that some handsome gentleman might want to purchase for his gorgeous lady....Here are some of my favorites in order from top to bottom, the Flower Lapel Pin, The Lapel Bowtie, and the Women's Cotton Fabric Earrings. [RANDOM FACT ABOUT ME: my ears are not pierced :o]

2) Beebose  
https://www.etsy.com/shop/beebose

I've featured Beebose on my site once before but thought she was worth mentioning again, because not only has she added more to her shop, but she also has a SALE going on through the end of July!! Use the code FREESHIP01 for free shipping OR use the code NEWFRIEND001 for 15% off!! (Cannot combine the two offers) Also, make sure you mention in the notes that I sent you!!

Beebose has handmade jewelry and housewares from vintage men's ties. And I can personally attest to the quality, and uniqueness of the necklaces I have one of my own custom necklaces from the Beebose shop: 

Here are some more of my faves from her shop:

The Whale Magnet is so adorable. I want to get it for my ocean themed bathroom...alas I have nothing magnetic in there currently..

This mid-century inspired necklace has perfect lace details and colors to bring out the 50s fashionista in you!

3. mustarrrrd "design"
http://mustarrrrddesign.tumblr.com/

"PAIGE HANSERD DID ALL THIS, HEY. lol"

I've become really fond of prints and tapestries lately. And Paige put up some of her designs on tumblr. Some you can get as prints, stickers, tapestries, shirts etc. For more details shoot her an email at: mustarrrrd@gmail.com. Just at first glance something tells me that pizza must be a big part of Paige's life. But then again, if pizza is not a major part of your life, then you're not normal.  Take a look at some of mustarrrrd's designs by clicking here. Here are a few of my faves. Although, I have yet to get anything from her...I'm really eyeing this "greenery #1" "greenery #2" "greenery #3"  perhaps as a print to go on my gallery wall...

"girl with the pizza"

Classic.

And of course the "3am" fat food pattern illustration is making me salivate. 

4. The Gypsy Titmouse

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheGypsyTitmouse

I stumbled across The Gypsy Titmouse while browsing through the Beebose shop. Come to find out they are actually friends! The Gypsy Titmouse are beautifully creative pieces of art by Jessica Sikora. Another artist that I have yet to have a chance to purchase from, but here are my picks from her shop!

This vintage framed print is gorgeous. One of the reasons that I fell in love with this artist is because of the use of color and birds!

Again, the colors are just amazing. And the use of different patterns in this Magpie Maiden piece is very whimsical and seductive.

You guys know I love me some nature. And Star Wars. And even though this isn't necessarily Star Wars it reminds me of Padme Amidala's outfit in the meadow picnic scene in Episode II.... So of course while this piece is actually called "Memories of Deer and My Forest Reign" in my mind it will always remain "Padme and the Deer" lol.

All these artists have such a broad range of talents and skills. I can't wait to own some of their pieces in my house and show them off to my friends!!