I love this desk from Ikea but sadly the nearest one is a four hour drive away so this desk option was out for us. So, I was hoping to find something similar.

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My main inspiration is the home office of the interior design wizards behind Young House Love. I absolutely LOVE the look of their home office: So clean, streamlined and minimalist!

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Just to remind you, here’s what the “office space” in our teeny, tiny apartment recently looked like. Right before Eric moved back I did some reorganizing to took it from picture A to picture B below.

Most recently, we moved my beloved cube shelf into the kitchen to make room for a longer desk in our living room area.

And then today we searched and searched and searched for one long desk with no luck.

So we ended up purchasing two, short(ish) desks from Staples to push together. Then we Eric proceeded to spend about four hours assembling them. This is what we’re at right now:

I think the two desks look pretty good next to each other, don’t you? I’m glad we got two desks instead of one now because when we move out of this shoebox apartment, we can rearrange them anyway we see fit. For now, end-to-end is really the only option for arranging them.

We have a lot of stuff to put away still.

This is where you come in! I’m looking for design inspiration! Here are some set-ups that are inspiring me right now.

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Obviously with some more manly colours

Anyways, I’d love some tips! I am not the most design savvy person.

Also, I thought it would be fun to feature other bloggers/freelance writers/crafters/designers work spaces on the blog next week. So if you’d like to participate just snap a picture of your at-home workspace and email it to me by Sunday night!

Finally, I’m 99% sure I am going to order this Erin Condren Life Planner despite the incredibly steep price for a planner. What can I say, the video sold me! Has anyone else used this planner? Is it as amazing as it looks? If not, do you have a planner you’d recommend?

If you can’t already tell I am on a MAJOR LIFE ORGANIZING SPREE right now

First, all the comments on my post about Binge Eating blew. me. away.

It is not easy putting stuff like that out there but you guys make it so much easier with your support and thanks for touching on the topic. I plan on doing a complete follow-up post next week.

Since my blog has been getting a lot of new readers lately AND I am kind of taking it in a new, healthy living direction I thought it would be good to re-touch on my healthy living story. The last time I wrote about it I had, like, 5 readers so it would be good for a refresh!

You can find the five original posts I wrote on this subject here.

My Healthy Living Journey

For as long as I can remember I felt fat. I can distinctly remember being 8-12 years old and cutting pictures out of magazines of the women (models) that I wanted to look like. I would pour through women’s magazines for “dieting” tips and had a scrapbook full of them.

I have always been active; swimming, volleyball, baseball, hockey etc. and I’ve been working out at the gym since I was 14. My problem was with food. I had a very unhealthy relationship with food.

I was teased for being “fat” when I was a kid and for a long time, I truly believed I was. Sure, I was a bit chubbier, but I was not fat or overweight by any means. I’ve had an unhealthy relationship with food for a very long time. I did not feel comfortable in my own skin and it was a terrible thing. I’m sad to say, that when I look through old journal entries there is one common trend: Weight Loss.

In journals from 2001-2002 when I am 13-14 years old, I am writing about how I need to “stop eating junk food so I can get skinny like the girls in the magazines”. Looking back on that now makes me sad.

My relationship with my body changed a bit when I turned 16. I was in high school by that point, playing hockey 6-7 days per week and going to the gym. I felt pretty good and ate relatively healthy (though not healthy at all compared to how I eat now, but healthy for a 16-17 year old I suppose).

Here I am at 16. And if I remember correctly, this photo was taken after getting home from the gym! Looking back at this now I am SO MAD at myself for ever thinking I was “fat”.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes, I did date Ashton

When I went away to college in the fall of 2006 I had already gained about 10 pounds after my first summer of working full-time and I gained another 10-15 pounds in college. Drinking and eating junk food caught up with me. Despite my active lifestyle, my weight skyrocketed. In the summer of 2007 I was my highest weight ever.

Summer of 2007:

I went back for my second year of college in September 2007 and once again got caught up in the college lifestyle. Drinking, eating and drinking some more.

Don’t get me wrong. I had a freaking blast in college. But I also gained weight and was really uncomfortable in my body. New Years 2008 I knew it was time for a change.

I started carrying a small notebook around with me and writing down everything I ate. I also started reading healthy living blogs on Glamour.com and recording my food intake through Body by Glamour.

Once I started keeping track of my food, my whole perspective changed. I had NO concept of calories in vs. calories out before, and once I figured it out I realized that I didn’t have to give up my favourite foods to lose weight, I just had to eat less of them.

Also, even though I’d always been active to an extent, I would go through periods of 2-3 weeks where I wouldn’t work out at all. Then I’d get back on the wagon for 4-6 weeks only to stop working out again. When I started recording my food intake I also started recording my workouts and stopped “falling off the wagon”.

The weight started falling off and in six months I had lost 25 pounds.

Clothes were baggy on me.

I felt better then ever!

As I delved more into the blogging world, I started experimenting with new foods. Oatmeal and Green Smoothies are just a couple of things I learned about from the blogging world!

Then, in February 2009 I did something kind of crazy.

I signed up for a half-marathon.

Despite always being active, I had never been a runner nor had I ever even enjoyed running. I mean, running is painful. I had never ran a 5K, 10K or any sort of organized race and I signed up to run 13.1 miles. What!?

My long-time readers will know that I went on to run that half-marathon, and two others in 2009. Somewhere along the way I fell head-over-heels in love with running.

Just under a year later, in January 2010, I signed up for my first full marathon, which I will run in Portland Oregon on October 10, 2010.

In May 2010, I read Eating Animals, which opened my eyes to a whole world and concept I did not know about: Factory Farming. I have not ate chicken, pork or beef since May 18, 2010. I still eat seafood occasionally but am planning on taking steps to eliminate that soon as well. I don’t know if I will ever eat meat again, but for now this lifestyle has allowed me to spend less money on groceries and I have more energy than ever before.

Now?

Now I exercise for an average of 60 minutes a day. Sometimes more. And I love it.

Now I rarely drink other than the occasional glass of wine.

Now I eat healthy, wholesome ingredients.

Do I have a perfect relationship with food and my body? Hell no. But it’s 100 X better than before. I still track my food using Spark People and I still have fat days but I take it one day at a time.

Does anyone else have a healthy living journey to share? If you have any questions, ask in the comments and I will reply to you and answer! I have a lot more to say but this blog post is getting really long as it is

Well, you’re about to find out!

One of my favourite things that we did when my mom was visiting was spending 2+ hours in the kitchen on Saturday night cooking an amazing dinner made completely from fresh, local ingredients! Our Saturday began with a trip to the Farmer’s Market where we picked up a plethora of things for dinner that night.

On the menu?

Corn on the cob, salmon, roasted beets, salad and fresh peach pastries for dessert.

While I did help a little bit with the amazing food you are about to see, I have to give the majority of the credit to my mom!

I did make my infamous homemade salad dressing, though.

OK, it’s really not that special or famous. Ingredients include:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic
• Honey
• Mustard

All of the above TO TASTE. I chose to make mine a bit sweeter on Saturday night so added more honey!

Oh, I made the salad too! Hehe

OK, time for the good pictures of the final dinner:

Honestly you guys, I think this may have been the best dinner I have ever ate. And 95% of the stuff you see on that plate? Local!

But the dessert. Oh, the dessert.

Peach Pastries

Ingredients

• 3 fresh peaches
• 2 packages of Tenderflake Puff Pastry
• 1 can of sliced peaches in light syrup
• 1 small bottle of Grand Marnier
• 1 egg white
• Vanilla ice cream

This was all my mom’s doing by the way! All I did was peel and slice the peaches.

We then added them to the Puff Pastry.

And squished another puff pastry on top:

My mom then put egg white all over the tops of them and baked them for approximately 20-30 minutes. Until they came out golden brown.

We then added the sauce to the top, which was made with blended up sliced peaches and grand marnier.

And a little bit of vanilla ice cream.

And then? After eating all of this, I fell into a food coma and died.

Seriously. Best meal ever.

We had a fabulous visit, and did a lot of other fun things like go shopping and to the movies and clean my dirty-dirty apartment (in my mom’s eyes anyways ) but the highlight of the weekend for me was spending 2+ hours in the kitchen with my mom on Saturday night cooking this unbelievable meal! It was SO FUN!

What was the highlight of your weekend?

Please welcome Rachel! I’m especially excited about this months featured career because Rachel’s job is very, very similar to mine. We both work as Account Executives at PR/Marketing agencies. So for all of you that were wondering what I do for 30 hours a week, Rachel more or less answers your question in this blog post!

1. What exactly is your job and job title?

Account Executive & Social Media Specialist at AGP & Associates

2. Describe a typical day in your work life?

A typical day working at a marketing communications firm can really vary. I change tasks often throughout the day and sometimes am pulled into meetings at random. But, here is a taste of what I do:

• Write news releases and copy for marketing materials, such as direct mail, marketing e-mails, newsletters, landing pages, advertisements
• Perform research for various projects. This can range from finding the perfect stock photos for a series of ads to checking up on what a client’s competition is doing in the social media sphere to compiling media lists.
• Research new business, create presentations and pitch to potential clients.
• Meet with other members of the team to determine which social media strategies would work well for our clients.
• Write proposals and tactical plans, especially when related to social media.

3. What’s your favourite thing about your job? Least favourite?

I love the variety of working at a firm. Additionally, since I work at a small firm, I get the opportunity to get very involved on a lot of different projects.

My least favorite aspect lately has been dealing with salespeople. Since I compile media lists for advertising, the ad sales people at magazines are constantly “following up” with me. The constant interruption of phone calls wears on your nerves.

4. How did you end up on this career path?

At our PRSSA spring conference at Central Michigan University during my freshman year, I listened to a professional talk about working an a PR agency. It sounded so exciting, so I job shadowed at the same agency during my sophomore year. After being an account executive in our student-run PR firm and interning at both Fahlgren Mortine in Columbus, Ohio and at AGP, I was positive that I wanted to launch my career at an agency. Someday I’d like to start my own agency.

5. What is something about your job that people wouldn’t expect?

Sometimes the tasks I have to do are completely random. For example, last week I was a hand model. I held a product for the graphic designer to take photos. At a small firm, you play a role in literally every aspect of the business.

6. If you could describe your career in one word, what would that word be and why?

Evolving.

Not only is the field of communications evolving because of social media and the changes in traditional media, but my role is constantly evolving as my skills grow.

7. Anything else you’d like to add?

In addition to my job at AGP, I freelance as the managing editor of Vision Mid Michigan. My job as an editor has given me a chance to see PR from the other side. I receive news releases and have to determine their newsworthiness. I also manage a team of freelancers, which can be a challenge. But, I absolutely love the job and how it has helped me grow my skills.

I totally relate to her answer to #5! Sometimes I get to do really random (but fun) tasks. This week I am staining our deck chairs. A few paid hours spent in the nice sun painting and away from the desk/computer? I’ll take it!

Question for the readers today is:

If you could describe your career in one word, what would that word be and why?

When he was gone for almost an hour and wasn’t answering my phone calls or texts I started to get slightly worried. And annoyed.

Then he returned with….

…..MY MOM!

Picture from my grad in June.

How exciting!! I think it’s no secret on the blog that I tend to get homesick, and since I wasn’t going to be visiting home again until Christmas my mom came here to me. I surprised her once but never expected her to surprise me like this. Eric has known for two weeks! Isn’t he good at keeping secrets? I SUCK at keeping secrets!

She is here all weekend, and tomorrow we are getting massages!

So exciting! I hope everyone else has a great weekend. See you on Monday!

Has anyone ever surprised you?