Awake Now

We can't always be with the people that we love, but happy memories are good to have. Our senses can connect us strongly to certain memories, whether it's a sound, smell or taste. The other morning I was sipping on some tea and it immediately took me 1000 miles North West back to a beautiful city and perfect moment... 

I love drinking Awake tea because it reminds me of last fall... 

...sitting outside Starbucks in UVillage. There was a cool breeze, the leaves on the trees were turning yellow and blowing around on the ground. The sun was out and there wasn't anywhere else I'd rather have been.

Tell me something bad about Tucson...

it has almost everything I could ever need... 

song of the moment... 

St. Paddy's Day Pancakes

I've been meaning to make pancakes for Rebecca and myself for a long time. Now that this hectic week is over and the weekend is here I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief. This morning I slept in, made a double batch of delicious pancakes, ate them on our back porch while listening to the wind chimes tinkle,  and talked with my sister. Isn't she pretty? 

mmm pancakes are delicious. especially ones with chocolate chips.

P.S. Have you ever seen mold in maple syrup??? Because this morning I did when a glob of it poured out onto my pancake! I didn't know sugar molded. What!?

I Dream In Color

I love this song. Maybe because it's perfect for this moment in my life. I've had to juggle a lot lately mentally, emotionally, and physically. It really takes a lot to keep pushing yourself forward and to tell yourself you are smart, you are capable, and you will be okay. I've been forgetting recently to tell myself those things, and I have only lost self confidence and missed out on opportunities to be happy because of it.

Time to recharge those batteries, Fighter.

I think I'm ready for my big review at work tomorrow.
And for the day after that...and after that one.
If it doesn't kill me...well, you know..

And a country song because there's always a country song playing in my head. This one suits me now.

Spring Time BBQ Salad

I've got BBQ's on the mind...

... the smell of a hot grill in the air, delicious food all around, friends to laugh with, and the always perfect Tucson spring time weather.


This is one of my go-to side dishes for any backyard BBQ. It's simple to make and so very delicious.

Ingredients


2 cucumbers*
2 medium apples* (I used Fuji)
Basil (large handful, chopped)
Half a red onion (diced finely)
3 T olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled (or more if you're like me!)

Directions

1. Dice the cucumbers and apples into small, bite-sized pieces and toss into a large mixing bowl.
2. Chop the onion and basil and mix into the apples and cucumbers.
3. Drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over everything and give it a good toss to coat.
4. Gently mix in the feta cheese and serve cold.

* This recipe can also be made using watermelon instead of cucumbers and apples. Both are tasty options!

"Clarity"

Ingredients


1 hot tub, the perfect temperature
3 glasses of wine (at least)
1 Goo Goo Dolls song "Better Days", volume 11
1 incredibly clear, night sky full of stars


Directions


1. Mix all together.
2. Think way too much about everything.
3. Come to some ridiculous conclusions.
4. Decide these conclusions are reasonable and justified.
5. Question everything.
6. Somehow reach a sort of clarity.
(7. ...but not really.)

Something About a Cowboy

Let's face it. There is something incredibly sexy about cowboys. 

The strong type, both mind and body-- the kind of guy that is rooted in the basics of life--the outdoors, hard work, and caring for those you love. 

Consider me wooed by the perfect voices of Chris Young, Billy Currington, and Dierks Bentley. And the straight-to-the-heart lyrics of  Zac Brown Band's "Colder Weather" and "Free". 

Give me a tall man with messy hair, some jeans and boots, and a truck any day. 

A New Day

I started this morning  by almost catching my whole house on fire with my coffee percolator. Turns out you actually need water in the pot once you've plugged it in! (What a concept.) The smoke billowing out of the little spout was an automatic sign I did not do something correctly. However, once the coffee ground embers had been removed from the pot and a water was added to the percolator, I started enjoying my morning. Ha! 

I began cooking a mini pot of Quinoa for a breakfast inspired by my new favorite blog. I chose to try out the apple cinnamon Quinoa breakfast recipe I found on this blog, and I was not disappointed. 

Now let's start this new day. Every moment of this warm and sunny weekend is too precious to waste. 

 

Baby, take it all on your own from here

Sometimes words become too personal, and all I have are pictures and music. 

Spring Again

It's the beginning of March.

These crumbly dirt shoulders on the side of the road are sprouting with beautiful flowers.

I see them as I ride by on my bike.

They blow in the now warmer winds...

Time to say good bye to the cold...

Say hello to springtime.

March.

It feels like just yesterday it was Christmas.

Wasn't it just Valentine's Day?




Time is passing too fast for me. Now that I'v been in the working world for a while, I'm looking back and realizing how quickly a week, a month...half a year can pass.


Sometimes it's scary when I realize that not much has changed from week to week and month to month. I get worried when I haven't made progress...


Sometimes I get so caught up in just getting somewhere or getting to a specific moment in time I forget to enjoy the little things along the way



               
                                                                           *   *   *
Taking the time to take a picture of a beautiful moment, bake a batch of oatmeal bars just to eat a hot one right out of the oven 30 minutes later....
                                                 

Scrounging up a random dinner with my sister at 9 pm when we both get home so we sit on our couch and watch a TV show together ...

Driving through town with country music blasting and signing along without caring who sees...

And spending that time at my neighborhood coffee shop, laptop or book in hand curled up on the outdoor sofa.