Back at it again

Hi Hi Hi!!! Hello Blogsphere.... I have missed you all dearly!

It's November and after a long break--- I think I am ready to jump back into the blogging world. I know I briefly blogged for a little in September with Bailey's Blogtember challenges but I really want to blog more intentionally and have this act as my journal of some sorts--- a place to keep memories and experiences.

I guess its only proper if I fill you in on what I have been up to the past few months. I think the best way is through photos; I love capturing everyday moments, things that excite me or  I think are beautiful. Snapshots of everyday life that I want to remember.

 everyday life

courtroom / best message ever / grilling in the rain / neon

office styling / flamingos / bunnies / patterns

sweet surprises / target for the win / office snow / new art friend

 

 creativity 

drips and drops / flowers/ dots

pineapple / flamingos/ mermaid

 

Selfies

after the dentist / 42 balloons in my car / Dylan Scott

B&N / Sporting Goods Store / Elevator

Colorful Skies

Big moon / sunset / Island Heights

Seaside Bridge / Point Pleasant / Back Bays

Morning Runs / Latitudes / Day

Water Street views 

Toms River Dining

  

The past few months have been rough but I have always loved looking back on my camera roll and seeing the images I capture. Life isn't always perfect but I always try to look for the good in each day. 

I found this quote really inspiring, just at the perfect moment when I needed it . I hope this can help someone going through a rough time.

My intention for this month is to blog more and to enjoy it. I am excited to try to share more this month. Stay tune for my November Goals.

 

Where were you when the world stopped? A September 11th Reflection

Rescuers searching the pile at Ground Zero. My father is the one in the center with the orange mask on. 

From the book, In the Line of Duty.

 I wrote this 5 years ago for the 10^th anniversary of September 11^th.  I was 13 when this happened and it has had such an impact on my life. My father, a captain in a North Jersey Fire Department, was one of the first responders that evening; he was part of the search and rescue teams deployed to Ground Zero. I am proud of him and all the other first responders but also sad for all the lives lost that day. In remembrance of the day, here is something that I still rings true today:

They Save Us. Who Saves Them? 

Every Wednesday, I try to watch Rescue Me. If you haven't see it, its a show (fictitious) about the FDNY and their day to day lives working as firefighters. Now this show has been on tv for 7 seasons and I have tried to watch them all and sometimes, it was hard to watch the episodes due to the raw content, and not because there were scenes of death and bad injury but even more because my father is a firefighter. He has been a firefighter, Captain, Battalion Chief my whole life. He loves what he does but he rarely tells what exactly he does. Yes he would come home from his 24 hour shift, saying the funny stories from the previous shift and if he went on a run for careless cooking or someones cat was stuck in a tree but he never really told me, maybe he told my mom, the real stuff he did- running into the building first to search for survivors or other things that he didn't want to worry me with. The point is, I never really knew what he really did. 

I never fully understood what the job of a firefighter was until Rescue Me came out. This show is raw, and unforgiving and gave me an insight of what firefighters actually do. Maybe its dramatized for tv or blown out of proportion but it gave me something to see and say, oh that's what my dad does for a living.

When I was little, I remember when my dad came home, my mom and my dad would sit in the kitchen, drinking their coffee and talking about the past shift. As I got older, I sat with them sans coffee and listened. He usually gave me the watered down version and when I got bored listening to every (boring) detail about his day, I left and then he would give my mom the real story- what really happened at 432 Smith Street or who had to go to the hospital after receiving attention at the ReHab tent at that 4 alarm last night. I got smarter and decided to listen sometimes to the stories from the hallway. Not until a couple of years ago, when I was away at college, I really started to realize the danger firefighters put themselves into.

The point of all this rambling- Last nights episode really hit me hard. Rescue Me is having their series finale on September 7th and fitting its right before the 10th Anniversary of September 11. The Chief spoke about how heroes aren't remember by making walls and monuments (which I think is a good way of remembering heroes) but they are remembered by speaking about them, telling their stories of heroism and why they left such a lasting impression on you. The Chief spoke about the Vietnam War and how he received a letter from the wife of one his men that served under him. Then the Chief spoke about what those firefighters were thinking on the morning of September 11 right before they rushed downtown to do what they were trained to do-save the public. What were those brave and fearless firefighters thinking, writing letters to their loved ones that in the back of their minds they knew they would never see again?

Today is September 11th, and I still think what were those people thinking when they were calling their loved ones to say their last goodbye? Did they get a chance to say goodbye? What was going through their minds? Watching the documentaries and other tv programs about September 11th is like reliving that day over and over again. The huge question that looms over everyone's head is “Where were you on September 11, 2001?” Everyone remember exactly where they were, who they were with and what they saw.
I was in Ms. Stankovich’s 8th Grade Science Class. I was sitting at the lab table in between Jacob Stueber and Erin Stewart. It was right after gym class for me and someone ran into the class room and told Ms. Stankovich to put the tv on, something had happened. As she turned the TV on, we saw flames and smoke pouring out of one of the World Trade Towers. I didn't believe it, I didn't understand it then the whole class witnessed something that looked to be out of a horror movie- We saw the second plane fly right into the other Tower. I was 13 at the time and at that moment my world closed in and I remember thinking what is next?! Erin Stewart saw I was upset and said to me" why are you so worried? We are so far away from there, nothing will happen.“ I knew something would happen but I hoped it didn't.
When I arrived home later that day, I didn't see my dad’s car in the usual spot in the drive way. My worst fear came true. My father, a Fire Captain, was in Northern NJ waiting to be deployed to help with the rescue detail at Ground Zero. My mom didn't even have to say it, I knew he was in North Jersey. I think I talked to him later that night; I was trying to be brave and strong but inside I was so worried. I don’t remember exactly how long my father was gone for but I do remember him coming home. He looked like a ghost, still covered in grey dust, with a look on his face that was like no other I had ever seen. He didn't talk about what he did nor did he want to. I was happy to have him home, safe and sound.

Not till years later, has the effect of September 11th really hit me. The internet has let me have my hands on thousands of videos, personal stories, official reports and millions of photos. The photos most of them are burned into my memory because I saw them live, and uncut. Still they all bring tears to my eyes looking at them. One of the hardest hitting images that I cannot seem to fully understand is a video clip (recently I saw it in 102 minutes that changed America) that you see the smoke from the collapse of one of the towers and you see a fire truck, filled with firefighters speeding into the unknown and you see them disappear into the dust and smoke and you know that they were probably never seen again.
After watching a documentary entitled "9/11”, it gave me a chilling look into the lives of firefighters who were practically the first responders to the scene. They filmed when the first tower fell and what happened afterwards and it was unconcievable that these firefighters were still living. It was an inspiring look into the lives of firefighter and how they are trained to do exactly what they did on September 11th- rescue people.That is what firefighters do. That is their lively hood.

America is resilient, strong and proud. We got through this and we can get through anything else

This September 11th,  I think of all the brave firefighters and police officers who lost their lives doing what they were trained to do, all the office workers going to work never knowing what was ahead and for all the families who lost a love one that day. We are strong and resilient as a country. We will #neverforget

God Bless.

Blogtember Day 6: Create a playlist

Hi Hi!

I am popping in again for another one of Bailey Jean's Blogtember Challenge.

Create A Playlist: What I am listening to, what inspires me.

I am such a fan of playlists; I used to make mixed CDs back in high school. Then iTunes came around and I swore I had a playlist for everything- working out, sleeping, road trip, etc. you name it, I had a playlist for it. Music is the one thing everyone can agree on and it always seems to speak what you cannot say.  Anywho, here in 2016, I have my playlists on Spotify and here it is:

Closer by Chainsmokers feat. Halsey 

Do you think about me- Dylan Scott  

Tuxedo by Claire Dunn

Vinyl by William Michael Morgan

Given the Chance by the Starting Line

I Keep Going to the River to Pray by Robin Berrygold

My House by Flo Rida

Record Year by Eric Church 

Home Game- Cole Swindell

God, your Mama and Me by Florida Georgia Line

Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars

Die a Happy Man by Nelly

Bright by Echosmith

Tonight on Repeat by the Lacs

Make Me Proud by Drake 

Fast Car by Ryan Montbleau, Tall Heights

Nowhere Fast by Old Dominion

Forever by Chris Brown

Came Here to Forget by Blake Shelton

Me Too by Megan Trainor

Such an electic mix, I know! These songs make me happy, I usually end up humming along and/or bopping my head too!

I cannot wait to see what everyone else put on their lists!

Blogtember Day 1:This is me

Hi friends, I'm back,

In honor of Bailey's Blogtember challenge, I thought this would be a great way to get back into writing again, an introduction of me and what Everyday Jersey Girl is all about!

Well let's start with the basics:

Name: Gabrielle
Nickname(s): Gabby, Ellie, Debbie, Munckin, Doll
Residence: Jersey Shore
Age: 28
Occupation: Paralegal
Favorite Color: Blue green

Everyday Jersey Girl has been sorta like a scrapbook for the past three years (if you include Just Simply Elle, my first blog, for the past FIVE years!) I might not have been as consistent as I wished I was but I really enjoy this little slice of Internet.

To describe who the Everyday Jersey Girl, I think it's best described in my very first post on here,

The everyday jersey girl is twenty five  twenty eight year old who grew up on the World Famous Jersey Shore. She is nothing like the stigma of the Jersey Shore that is portrayed on TV. Her hobbies are but never limited to knitting, crafting,  mini golf, and picking out pretty color swatches at the local hardware store. 

The everyday jersey girl loves bright colors, giggling, her parents, her teddy bear, moose , flamingo, silly jokes,  handwritten thank you notes,  snail mail, surprises and nice wrist watches.

The everyday jersey girl makes lists for absolutely everything, considers all the possibilities before attempting anything new, makes weekend plans with her boyfriend on Sunday evening and plans next weeks outfits on Wednesday. 

The everyday jersey girl is not your typical girl- she skips to work, she wears bright colors when the rest of the world is wearing dark colors. 

The everyday jersey girl blurts out random thoughts, giggles at (sometimes) awkward times and loves life.  

I am the everyday normal girl who can anyone can relate to, she is bright, curious and hopeful.I am the everyday jersey girl and I'm Gabrielle.

This blog is for the everyday jersey girl to keep everything that she loves in one place- daily fashion, daily photos, daily ramblings, color palettes, attempts on crafts found on pinterest and of course, my life's journey, where ever that might take me.

Its the early days of September and I wanted to do something fun, hence the new blog. I post my photos to Instagram and my tumblr but I never really had anywhere I could talk about my daily ramblings, my affordable fashion advice while working full time and the adventures (sometimes misadventures) of my crafting journey. This shall be an adventure and I am curious as always to see where it takes me."

I guess, a few things have changed over time but the core of it, stands true. I am just a girl who loves life, color and silly jokes. Life has been really crazy over the past few years and I have grown up a lot but I am still  the everyday jersey girl. 

I am hoping to be more consistent, to write however I feel and to enjoy this process. I cannot wait to share more of my crazy adventure.

So, hey, hello, hiya and welcome to Everyday Jersey Girl, say hi and stick around. I promise there will be lots of funny things,  LOTS of Flamingos and lots of realness..

Join Bailey with with Brave Love Blog , and join the Blogtember challenge.

Ps. I also thought it was neat to look back to see what I have posted in the past on September 1st.
These two posts have been from 2015 and 2014. I think I look at September first as a new year- in a way- like a fresh start. 

Show and Tell Tuesday

Hiiiiii everyone! I am just popping back in to link up with Andrea for Show and Tell Tuesday. Today's show and tell is "What's in your Bag?" I did a "Whats in my bag" in the fall and I am excited to show you all whats in my bag, because some days, I don't even know whats in there. HA!!

Show and Tell: Whats in your Bag

Let's start with my bag:

Michael Kors'. I got it for Christmas and its a definite favorite.

I don't think my exact color is still available but here is a brand new color here.

Lets peek inside

Yes, there is a lot going on in there yet, it is surprisingly organized. A lot of Vera Bradley, a lot of color.

My work ID and keys

I use these everyday and somehow I always seem to loose them in my purse

Glasses and Sunnies

Totally need these when the pollen is really bad

 My carryall

This holds some of my favorite make up products and some random items.

Speaking of my carry all

My aunt made this and its sometimes like Mary Poppins bag!
 

My bag of prayers.

Its nice to always know that these items are close by. The rosary beads are from my grandmother and I cherish them a lot.

Well those are the fun parts of my bag.  There is always the random bobby pins, change, my library card and post it notes that I always lose. 

I can't wait to see what else is in everyone else's bag!

Thanks Andrea for hosting this show and tell!

PS. I am really missing writing so I am working on starting to post a little more regularly! I will update you all super soon!!

Short and Sweet Book Reviews

Hi everyone! I am just popping in for a quick update. I am still not feeling well. I have been dealing with the insurance company for the past two weeks and its been rough. Please send prayers and any good vibes you can! One perk of being sick is that I have been reading a lot more!

Here are my recent reads:

Love In Maine by Connie Falconeri
I picked this book up at Shop Rite (of all places!) and I ended up absolutely loving it. It was the perfect sappy love story for spring. The story line was really cheesy but it was the perfect mix of romance and interesting characters. Sometimes I felt, as if I was piecing together some of the story line myself, but other times, it was really well written . Overall the book had a cute set up and by the end of it I wanted to know more! The ending was short sweet and kind of a surprise. I had to read it twice to full understand it. If you love a quick, romantic read, this is the book for you.

Balancing in Heels- Kristin Cavallari
I loved Laguna Beach and the Hills, so I was super excited to see Kristin had written a book! Her book was filled with great ideas (for new moms especially) and yummy recipes. Kristin has grown up a lot in the years since MTV and it really shows. Her excitement and passion about living a healthy life and keeping her growing family healthy . I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a healthy lifestyle. 

Approval junkie- Faith Salie I was really excited to read this book, Approval Junkie. I thought this would be an easy and funny read given that the author is a comedian. As I got into the book, I was sadly disappointed. I thought this would be filled with fun advice and silly anecdotes but no, its long, painful stories about he childhood, her teens and her "wasband", made me sad for her. I applaud her for her bare all attitude  but this book was a sad let down. It was hard to get through and I kept feeling embarrassed for her. You might like this book, if you actually know who Faith Salie is and you enjoy reading about someone's life who is more awkward than yours. .
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

I am currently reading The Pioneer Woman- Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond. 

What are you currently reading?

  

Life Lately

This is so true!

Hi all! I know I have been quite silent on the blog for the past couple of weeks. First of all, I wanted to let all my readers know I love that all of you take time out of your day to read my blog, you have no idea how much that means to me.

I have been dealing with a lot of health issues the past couple of months (actually years but in more recent months, its gotten worse) and its been A LOT keeping up with work and just living my life. With that being said, some things have been neglected especially this blog. I don't have the energy at the end of the day to write. It's sad that it has come to this but I need to take care of my health first and everything else comes next that.

I've decided I need to take a break from blogging and Everyday Jersey Girl. I am hopeful when my health returns back to normal, I will be back to writing again.  I just ask my readers to send good vibes, love and prayers. I would really appreciate that!

I can't wait to write again when I am feeling better!

Boys Make Passes at Girls in Glasses

I have recently gone back to wearing glasses. I was having some problems with my eyes and I figured this was a great time to give my eyes a break from my contacts. I picked out some new frames- the glasses I was wearing mostly at night, I've had those for over 4 years! I was really excited to pick out my new glasses and it got me thinking- I've been wearing glasses since I was 4 years old ( 24 years!!!) and I remember how excited I used to get when I got to pick out new glasses.

Source

I found some old photos of me in glasses over the years. My taste in glasses has certainly changed over the years and I  laugh at some of my choices I made.

 

 ((( Are you loving my fanny pack and humongous bow in my hair? and yes my hair was blondish brown back in college))

 As you can see, I went from many different styles and sometimes colors. I never really loved glasses growing up but I knew I had to have them to see. As I have gotten older, I have truly appreciated glasses for less of something I had to wear and more for a fashion accessory.

I spent almost a year trying to find the perfect pair of glasses . Here are two of the runners up.

I liked both of these, but I wasn't in LOVE with them. I loved the color in the top pair but I wasn't sold yet.The bottom pair, I liked the shape but I thought were too dark and a little too big for me.

I finally found the perfect pair that fit me perfectly in the perfect color. I wanted to get away from the solid black frames and go more towards tortoise shell blend. I am so happy to finally find something I feel that is grown up and fashionable.

 These are Kate Spade and I just loved the surprise details in these glasses. From the teal on the inside on the arms; the fun colored case and the quote "boys make passes at girls in glasses" hidden on the inside of the arm, makes this such a fun pair!

An even more exciting I found a pair of sunglasses that I liked (actually LOVED) and wanted to wear. Since my prescription is so high and I tend to like BIGGER sunglasses, it was a challenge to find something that would not show the frames out of the sides- BUT i found the perfect pair for me.

These are Tiffany's sunglasses- the arms are the signature Tiffany blue and  on the side there is a key. Such small details but they make all the difference.  Even the box was a signature Tiffany's box which made them even more special!

I felt instantly comfortable in these and I saw myself wearing these ALOT! Feeling comfortable when you wear something makes all the difference. It doesn't matter if its clothing, shoes, accessories- if you are not comfortable in it, don't wear it . These glasses don't remind me of when I was a kid, I am actually excited to wear these glasses.

So my journey to find new glasses (and sunglasses) was successful and I hope I won't have to go looking for new glasses for a while!

Do you wear glasses?

Wellth: The New Life Currency

Jason Wachob defines Wellth as a new and more valuable life currency. “A wellthy existence is one in which happiness is attainable, health is paramount and daily living is about abundance. It’s a life in which work is purposeful; friendships are deep and plentiful and there's a daily sense of richness or overflowing.” (pg.30)

Living a well rounded life has always been a priority with everyone's but how do you exactly live a well rounded life and what should be included in it? Jason thinks a well rounded life should be filled with the following: Eat, Move, Work, Believe, Explore, Breath, Feel, Love, Heal, Thank, Ground, Live and Laugh- each one of these have a chapter dedicated to the title. There is anecdotes from Wachob, insight from professionals and scientist and then at the end of each chapter- there are two mini sections- Grow your Life savings and a quick deposit into your wellth account. These summarize the chapter, gives you something to think about and how to incorporate the principle into your own life. 

Throughout each chapter , there are quotes from famous people about life and living. These reinforce what is being talked about in the chapters. Some of these quotes are funny, some are serious but they all are in this book because they are inspiring. Some of my favorite quotes are :

 

  - "Sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together." Marilyn Monroe

            -"Courage is not something that you already have, that makes you brave when tough times start. Courage is what you earn when you've been through the tough times and you discover they are not so tough, after all" Malcolm Gladwell, David and Goliath

           -"This is what I believe to be true.... You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining" Pat Solatano in Silver Linings Playbook

           - "You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from" Cormac McCarthy, No Country For Old Men

- "Does this spark joy? If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it." Marie Kondo, The Life Changing Magic of Tiding Up

            - "It was possible that a miracle was not something that happened to you, but rather something that didn't" Jodi Picoult, The Tenth Circle

- "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle" Albert Einstein

I really enjoyed this book- for so many reasons but mostly because I feel like I needed to read this at this very moment. As the inspirational author SQuire Rushnell calls “Godwinks”. He goes on to explain that Godwinks are little reminders that there's a lights at the end of the tunnel and that someone is watching and that you are on the right track. (p.72)

If you are looking for an inspirational, yet light-hearted read, this is the perfect book for you. I think this book is brilliantly written as to that you do not have to read the chapters in order- If you feel like you need to focus on Breathe, read that chapter. It’s a nice way to gain information but not read a whole book.  This has inspired me to be more Wellthy!

 Get your own copy of Wellth here.

 
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review and all the thoughts expressed are my own.