This week is one of those weeks where I'm like, I can't believe that this is my job.
I have an exciting update for you guys in terms of our apartment.
It's funny, I was kind of reflecting on last year and the headspace I was in last year.
I just feel like I've really had a change in perspective in regards to that.
And I think I'm just realizing that there's so many more important things.
Oh man, I can't believe it's already Thursday.
This week is really flying by, but welcome back to another vlog.
Honestly, this is my only day off this week, so i'm trying to make the most of it, so i thought i'd take you guys along, for that.
We can spend the day together.
Had a really great work week so far.
Monday, i was in brooklyn working with a regular client, and then tuesday wednesday i was in jersey, so i got back from that last night.
It's just been one of those weeks that's been so easy, which is not always the case.
Like, sometimes i get home from work at night and i I feel like I can't, like I don't even have the energy to talk to people, and this week is one of those weeks where I'm like I can't believe that this is my job, you know.
So I'm gonna hold on to that energy for the rest of the week.
Today's Thursday.
In a week from today, Avery and I are flying to Europe, which I haven't really told you guys about that much, in the sense of like where we're going and what we're doing, but I'll tell you guys a little bit more about that this afternoon, after all my appointments and stuff.
I booked a couple of doctor's appointments today because i am just due for them and i also want to get them done before a trip.
I'm going to the dermatologist for my annual skin screening.
Try and do that every year but sometimes honestly, i end up going like every every year and a half or every two years.
But i am one of those girls that has a lot of moles like on my body, comes from my mom's side and actually i had a mole removed in my neck when i was a kid and it grew back and they removed it again, and now it's been like this ever since.
But because i'm one of those people who have a lot of moles, i try and go and just make sure that they're all good um, and obviously wear a lot of sunscreen.
So i have that.
What time is it in?
Like 30 minutes, and then i also have a dentist appointment later today, which I'm very excited about.
I know that not everybody feels that way, but I actually love going to the dentist.
I love having my teeth cleaned.
It's just such a good feeling.
And then I'm gonna try and get a workout in this afternoon because honestly, I have not worked out this week.
With work and being away for two days, it's just been kind of hard to fit in a workout class.
Yeah, we're gonna try I've been trying not to say the word try.
We're just gonna do a little bit of everything.
Anyway, I just wanted to start off the vlog and just give you guys a little sneak peek into what our day's gonna look like.
I have an exciting update for you guys in terms of our apartment, because in my last vlog, I think, I was telling you guys that we were waiting to hear if we were gonna get an offer to renew or release.
I think it was maybe even the day after I finished my vlog.
We got the email and we accepted our offer.
And so we're gonna stay here for another year.
Because of that, we're gonna be making some updates to the apartment in terms of furniture.
I'm gonna share some of those details with you when I get back.
Okay, it's a couple hours later.
I had all my appointments.
Everything looks good, which is such a good feeling.
I'm just so glad that I got that out of the way.
It's always annoying to have to schedule doctor's appointments and things like that, but there really is no better feeling than having everything checked off and knowing that you're good.
I thought I would give you guys a little sneak peek into what we're gonna update in our apartment.
Most of you guys who regularly watch the vlogs will already know the layout of our apartment, but for anyone who's new, we moved from a studio apartment in Financial District to our current apartment, which is a one bedroom.
We pretty much moved in with all of the furniture that I had and then slowly got rid of stuff, as we kind of lived in the space.
But we still have a lot of the furniture that I got for that initial apartment, such as my couch, the mirror, the tv and like the makeshift console that we have, which i'll show you guys, and also the bed and the bed frame we had from my old place, everything else we slowly purchased over time, such as the bar cart over there um, and also everything that's kind of in this little dining area here.
We Got all of this stuff new, basically.
Some of it was from Facebook Marketplace.
Other things we just got on Wayfair and Amazon.
This bookshelf, which I love so much.
After we did this dining area, we honestly didn't really make any major changes for a while until we started talking about potentially renewing our lease and thinking about being here for a longer period of time.
And we decided that if we were gonna stay, we would make some other changes and get some more furniture.
This is the current living room situation.
We took this mirror from my other apartment and also the couch and the coffee table.
This rug we ended up adding in after.
And then the TV console is actually something that I had at the front door of my other apartment.
I actually had it turned the other way.
And it's just kind of where I kept my bags and my laundry and random little things.
Honestly, it's been great for us to move in here and just have something to put our TV on and store all these books and things and then have the bins underneath.
It's been really nice, but we're both ready to kind of get something new.
And also, if you guys can tell, this is like a gray wood and all of our other furniture is much warmer and a lot more like the floor in this apartment, to be honest,
So we ended up ordering a new TV console.
I thought it was maybe coming today, but it's definitely gonna come tomorrow instead.
But i'll insert a photo of it so you guys can see we got a lower tv console, so that's.
The other thing that we don't really love about this setup is the tv is pretty high and our couch sits a little bit lower, so it's going to be easier on the eyes, if you will.
We also got it in walnut, which goes really well with The legs on our chairs and on our table.
Our bookshelf even though it's not real wood is also in a walnut color.
This new TV console is going to be real wood, which is nice, because I think it's one of those pieces that we're going to have for a while.
We bought it with the intention to have it for a while, so hopefully we do.
I'm really excited that it's not going to look so cluttered, because I mean, first of all, you guys know that I love everything put in its place and just having tidy things.
But I also think, because we already have the bookshelf and we have this bar cart, which I honestly regret.
If there's anything that I wish we didn't have, it's the bar cart.
I feel like it's one of those things that everyone had for a while.
And when we moved into this place, I was like, Oh, let's get a bar cart.
It's going to be so fun.
It's basically become a dump for all of our junk and receipts and business cards and keys and things like that.
And it's kind of an eyesore and I just wish, I wish I took a little bit more time when I came to the bar cart and picked something else.
I mean, it's not like we, it's not like we can't replace it for something.
But if I had to do it again, I would put the bookshelf where the bar cart is and then put like a really nice plant or something where the bookshelf is next to the table.
Anyway, no regrets.
But when you have the bookshelf and you have this bar cart that's cluttered.
It's nice to have a TV console that's a little bit closed off and has a little bit of mystery.
You know, not everybody needs to see what's in the TV console.
And then the other thing that I was thinking, let's turn the camera around again.
Because this is now gonna be lower, because the TV console is lower, we're gonna have a lot more like empty space up here.
So I was thinking we could do like a shelf and then another shelf and have maybe some books, maybe just like a couple books or a couple of little trinkets, and like a plant or a photo frame or something above there, just to take up some of the space on the wall.
I don't know, what do you guys think?
I was gonna get groceries and cook dinner, but I remembered that tomorrow I'm gonna be at work And then tomorrow night I'm having dinner with Rebecca because she's in town.
Saturday, I forget what I'm doing, but I think I'm having lunch with Marina.
So I was like, I'm gonna wait until the weekend to do groceries.
So I went to our favorite Indian spot and I got some Indian food for dinner.
And I have some salad in the fridge and stuff, so I'll make like a little side salad.
And that's gonna be dinner for tonight.
It's crazy how tired I was feeling before this workout.
Like on my way there, I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna make it through a 45 minute class.
But now that I did it, I don't know why I'm like holding this and talking to you.
Now that I'm home, I feel so energized.
I feel like I could live like a whole other day.
Okay, you guys are probably thinking that it's the same day, but it's actually Friday.
I just got home from work and I'm about to get ready to go out to dinner with Rebecca and some of her girlfriends.
I thought that I was maybe going to be able to wear my makeup from work out to dinner and not have to redo it but honestly, They just had very light makeup all day and they also had my hair in a ponytail.
I still need to figure out what I'm gonna do with that, but I had such a funny day at work today.
We were shooting mostly active wear stuff, but there was one shot where I was using my hands, and so I guess they had wanted me to get a manicure yesterday, but my agency didn't know that, and so I went to work this morning.
I didn't have my nails done, which is usually totally fine as long as they're like groomed and whatnot.
I guess I had thought that we were shooting like regular e-commerce, but we were shooting similar stuff that we had shot on Monday, And so they wanted me to have my nails done for that.
In the middle of hair and makeup.
They were just kind of like okay, you can go and get a manicure and then you can come back and then we'll finish your hair and makeup and then we'll shoot.
So my whole morning basically consisted of me getting to work.
They did like a little bit of makeup and skin prep and whatnot.
And then I went to go get a manicure.
And by the time I got back, they just finished up my makeup, put my hair up and everything.
And it was time for lunch.
So I ended up having a really chill day. day at work actually.
I have to do something about this braid.
Before I start my makeup, I have to tell you guys about this supplement that I've been taking whenever I'm going to dinner and I know I'm going to have a drink or two.
It's this liver and GI detox from the brand Pure Encapsulations.
That's what it is, right?
Yeah.
My friend Laura told me about this.
She's the one that I go to for all my supplements and whenever I have a question about health-related things.
And she put me onto this and I also put Avery onto this now and I truly notice a difference when I take these supplements before I drink versus when I don't.
I always forget how hot it gets in here when I have this door closed.
I've never really been a big drinker to begin with, but now that I'm getting a little bit older I notice a bigger difference when I do drink, even if it's just like one or two drinks like I never really drink during the week, especially when I'm working, I just can't do it.
But um, I just noticed that I feel better the next day.
I have less of a hangover and really don't have a hangover.
I don't know if that applies to when you have like five or six drinks.
I haven't really tried it with that because I just I find myself not really doing that anymore, but regardless, I feel like this just helps your body process the alcohol a little bit better and support your liver and your gut.
Okay, so I thought I would tell you guys about our trip while I get ready for dinner and just kind of give you a heads up as to what we're going to be doing.
For those of you who don't know, I'm originally from the Netherlands.
I was born there and I lived there until I was seven and then we moved to Canada.
That's kind of how I ended up in Canada to begin with and why I speak Dutch and why my parents speak Dutch, if you've ever watched those older vlogs with my parents.
You might remember that they have a pretty strong accent and it's because we're from the Netherlands.
After my parents divorced, my dad moved back to the Netherlands and he's been living there now, for I want to say it's almost two and a half years that he's been living there.
And so I've obviously seen my dad since then, but I haven't been back to the Netherlands and I haven't seen really anything of where he's currently living.
I haven't seen his apartment.
And also, I haven't taken Avery there.
That's gonna be the first part of our trip.
We're gonna spend a couple days in the Netherlands.
And my brother and his wife are also coming and her parents are coming, so it's gonna be like a big group trip.
I feel like we have quite the agenda.
We're gonna spend one day in Amsterdam and then we're gonna spend a day in my hometown, which Avery's been to Amsterdam before, but he's never really been to my hometown, which is a super small fishing village.
So I'm just very excited for him to see that and um, also for me because, to be honest, I haven't been back there since before the pandemic, which is crazy.
So that's gonna be the first part of our trip, because we were already gonna be in Europe.
We wanted to add some extra days onto the trip and go somewhere.
That was really just going to be a pure vacation, because Avery and I have been together for almost three years.
And even though we travel together quite a bit, none of our trips have been just for a vacation.
Like we've taken little weekend trips here and there to see family.
We obviously traveled quite a bit last year for weddings, but we've never just gone anywhere, just to go somewhere or just to get away from everything.
So the second part of our trip, we're actually going to Portugal.
We're gonna go to the southern part of Portugal, just spend a couple of days relaxing there.
That part of the trip will also be with my brother and his wife and her parents, so we won't be alone, but we're each gonna have our own little house to stay in.
My battery's gonna die.
I think my original camera battery is on its last legs because I've only been filming for 10 minutes and the battery was already dead and it was fully charged because I know I charged it overnight.
Anyway, I'm super excited for our trip.
I wasn't sure if I was gonna vlog or not and honestly, I was leaning towards not bringing my camera, because it's rare to get this kind of time with your family and We really only have such a short time anyway with my family.
And also just the fact that Avery and I really don't get that much time together these days.
We really only have Sundays together because of his job and because of my job.
And also my brother and his wife, we don't live in the same city as them.
We really only get to see them a couple times a year.
But I think I'm gonna bring my camera just in case, because there's part of me that thinks that there are gonna be things that I want to film and want to share and that are cool to like, vlog about and talk about.
So it might not be a full vlog, but I think there's gonna be like, either a mini vlog, or maybe I'll put it in the next one when I'm back home.
It's funny.
I was kind of reflecting on last year, the headspace I was in last year in regards to our trips and our travels and whatnot, and I look back and I kind of regret the way that I thought about all these trips.
I think obviously part of me was really excited and it was really fun to do all these things, but I think there was a big part of me that just kind of resented having to go to all these events and I having to spend all this money and whatnot.
And now I look back and when we talk about memories from last year, all of the things we talk about are things we either did on a trip or time we spent together on a trip or time we spent together with other people that we love.
And it just made me realize how, first of all, you're not going to have this opportunity and this time forever, especially as you get older, especially as you maybe have a family one day like you're just not going to be able to travel like this and have the flexibility and the freedom.
I think that that's something that I can sometimes take advantage.
That's not what I meant to say.
I think I lose sight of that sometimes because it's something that I have right now, right?
And I haven't really, I don't have an experience of me losing that percentage.
But it's made me realize that any money that's spent on travel and money that's spent on spending time with the people that you love is an investment.
I just feel like I've really had a change in perspective in regards to that, and I think I'm just realizing that there's so many more important things than being good and staying at home and not spending money.
You know what I mean.
It's gonna sound so silly, but I feel like I feel like it's really hard for me to get out of that mindset of just let go.
Just do the thing.
Just be young and yes, be responsible, but also take advantage of this time and this freedom that you have, and have fun.
I'm really glad that I've had that realization and that I'm kind of leaning into that a little bit more because one, i feel like i'm just having a little bit more fun and two, i just feel like i'm trusting in things a little bit more, if that makes sense, rather than worrying about everything and making sure that everything has to be perfect before i can commit to something.
And i feel like that's something.
If I don't get that under control, it's something that I'll end up regretting.
Okay, I hate to cut this vlog short because I feel like I could talk to you guys all night, but I have 15 minutes to figure out what I'm going to do with this hair and what I'm going to wear.
So I love you.
I'm going to end this vlog right here.
I hope you enjoyed.
Next week we are, I think, going to pack for my trip together and somehow going to try and squeeze in another vlog before I leave for my work trip.
You'll see that next week.
I love you and I'll see you in the next one.
