Lists

I am copying Margaret Murphy because she is such a trend-setter. And my best friend. 
See: http://beautyinmymess.blogspot.com

Lately I love...

•  One-on-one time spent with friends- it's the best. I have enjoyed that with a few choice ladies this week.
• Having lunch with 5th graders who make me laugh.
• Holding newborn ducklings. As in, 1-day-old (kindergarten class has an incubator and the eggs hatched this week)!!
• Sara Bareilles' new song, Manhattan.

Lately I loathe...

• Bills...those awful white envelopes that you avoid opening for a few days :/
• The cracked screen of my phone from when I dropped it weeks ago. 
• My over the top, unbelievably unbearable, messy room.

Mostly I just...

• can't wait for summer and SPAIN! 
• need a haircut. These split ends are k-k-killin me. 
• am stoked that I like broccoli sprouts because I don't like broccoli or lots of other veggies but I will eat these and then when I am old and gray and strong with a good heart I will think, "thank heaven for those organic sprouts!" 

Now here, listen to Sara and make your own list, 

Italia

      Italy is but a whisper. A dream I am hoping will be awoken into reality. I have never felt this way about a place before. Well, about an international place that is.

      I know that I might have an idealistic, overly romantic notion of Italia...but...I don't know...could it all be true? I mean the culture, the food, the people, the warmth, the color, the food, the history, the food...it is all so enticing. And most people who have visited have very positive reports.

      I am drawn to the people just as much as everything else. They seem like my kinda people. Our neighbor (who is also our landlord) is 100% Italian. Lived in the states here for like 50 years and his English is still pretty rusty, his Italian accent in full force. He is a kind man, full of life and such a hard worker. I went over to their house to ask for more delicious organic tomatoes that he grows on a ranch in East county. We ended up talking and he literally cries at one point telling me about his heart transplant and how he prayed to some saint and is healthy now. It was so adorable. I told him how much I want to learn Italian and how I want to try his wife's delicious, authentic, Italian cooking.
He is from Napoli. Even the name is dreamy.

      Anyway, my heart aches for a real abundant trip to Italy. With no limits, going to all the cities I want. Getting a rich experience, meeting people, enjoying long lunches, diving into the sea, drinking wine, enjoying both the city life and most definitely the countryside.
Napoli, Florence, Tuscany, Venice, etc.

Some day. Oh Lord, please, some day

Radical

      This morning I was journaling like the good Christian woman I am, and a prayer/hope/desire came into my heart that was just right on the money! 

      I want to go to Spain this summer and I want the Lord to do something radical in my life. I want Him to radically affect my spirit, my heart. No more soft spoken words, no more small movements of sanctification, but BIG, AWESOME, RADICAL REVELATIONS. Something that changes my relationship with Jesus; something that changes my worldview. 

Could this be the Lord telling me that He is going to give me a radical experience this summer? Could He be trying to prepare me for a month in Spain that will radically deepen my relationship with Him? I sure hope so. Man, I really want that. More than I want a nap on the beach right now (which I do, because it is supposed to be 85 degrees today & I'll be at work (but I love my job so it's cool (too many parenthesis inside of parenthesis (an inception of parenthesis)))). 

      Anyway, we'll see what happens. Hopefully it'll be rad. 

On recipe blogging?

Tonight was a classic. 

I went for a run around Dad's neighborhood (I'm house sitting). 
His neighborhood is filled with adorable houses with budding and booming flowers in every garden, walkway and stoop. I actually considered stopping to just walk & take it all in. Tomorrow night. 
It is always a good idea to follow any good run with a home cooked meal {whilst listening to Of Monsters and Men if you want to literally recreate my evening}

Here was mine, you must try. 
Disclaimer: If one could marry a grocery store then I would be down on one knee in front of Trader Joe's faster than you can say 'organic granola'. 
All of these ingredients should come from TJs. I also had extra leftover- HELLO LUNCH TOMORROW & THURSDAY!

Cold Couscous Salad 

Cous Cous (I used Trader Joe's Israeli Cous Cous) 
Chicken broth (or vegetable broth) instead of water when cooking the couscous 
Then refrigerate. 

After it is cold, add:

cucumber slices 
bell peppers or tomato slices (I splurged & bought those beautiful brown Kumato tomatoes)
mozzarella (or feta; I prefer mozz)
Trader Joe's bruschetta sauce tub 
fresh basil
lemon juice

VOILA! It's delicious. Plus, I ate mine with this amazing dessert wine from TJ's. #NailedIt

Daily Hallelujahs

      Someone made a comment to me recently about how unreal my life is, joking that I don't seem to have any responsibility. It was all in good fun. But it just made me think...we can all have a life that looks like that. I make a sincere effort to do something fun or social or life-giving almost each day. I get worried that my life will go down hill when I am married or have kids and I won't have time for fun or spontaneity. But, I choose to believe that won't be the case. I will still be the same me, I will just have a husband to drag along or tell my daily stories to. Or, I will open my kids' eyes to do something joyous each day. 

      I am able to stay a usually positive person because of 2 reasons. One of them might just be an innate quality. I don't let something that brought me down earlier today, bring me down tonight. I can hear bad news and still find a reason to laugh the next day. I can have a bad morning but that doesn't need to determine the rest of my day. Of course I process things and feel sorrow and don't live in denial...but I just can't live a life of despair or whining or self-pity or negativity. I am thankful for that quality in myself. 

      The second reason is, as I alluded to, I intentionally put things in my daily life to look forward to. If you can have something, anything, each day that gets you a little excited then that is good. No matter how big or small. 

-Could be your job. Your daily work is meaningful and wonderful to you. 

-Could be an aspect of your job. Maybe you don't get excited about your line of work but you love your co-workers/customers/students/clients etc. Remind yourself of that. 

-Could be getting donuts with a friend the next morning that doesn't get you stressed out the night before. 

-Could be a sunny forecast that gets you anticipating the day. 

-Could be your evening shower and the prospect of being clean and fresh. 

I'm TELLIN YA it can be anything! 

      Find a reason to look forward to each day. Change the course of your bad day. Drive by the ocean or country side on your way home. Decide to make your favorite dinner/dessert. Indulge in a couple chapters of pleasure reading. Sing at the top of your lungs in the car/kitchen/shower. Whatever! 

      Now, this all sounds a little selfish. And I haven't even mentioned the Lord, which makes me nervous. But, I think God is proud of my joy and positivity. By living in a place of freedom, outside of my circumstances, it makes me alive. And when I am alive I can't wait to tell people the TRUE reason I am alive...JESUS!

      Anyway, tomorrow may be gray and I gotta get up early and my students drive me nuts and my gas level is on empty BUT it's opening day for the Padres and I'm gonna let that piece of good news outshine the rest! And, Thursday I don't feel prepared with my lessons, and I have a list of 10 things I gotta get done before the end of the week and the amount in my bank account is frighteningly low BUT I am getting coffee with a friend I haven't seen in 2 weeks and she is a joy to be with so that will outshine the rest. I have something to look forward to. 

Find a reason to say HALLELUJAH every day!

p.s. in case of low supply of hallelujahs consult Bible for countless reasons to exclaim

On baking

I have been thinking about things I love and what I am passionate about and what brings me joy. 

So, why do I love to bake? 

Well the two answers that come immediately to mind are: I love sweets and baked goods and they taste SO good in my mouth. And the second, I love making people happy, and one thing that people will always want/need is food. 
With baking, it's hard to go wrong. I mean, yes it is precise and you need to pay attention and follow instructions- but I am good at that. I like to know exactly what to do in order to get such and such a result. Is there a word for someone like me? I want to know explicitly what to do so I won't go wrong and I can perform what is expected of me. Back to what I was saying, even if you do go a little wrong you can always try to make the recipe again, and often someone will always eat whatever you made. Baking is a healthy distraction for me. It's more productive than watching television, less exhausting than exercise, and more rewarding than when a waitress brings out your food. 
I can't help but go back to the fact that I love to share and I love knowing that someone will enjoy the sweet morsels I mix, mash, whip, combine, spread, roll and serve.
Baking is cathartic. And it's creative. You never need to run out of things to make. There are plenty of recipes out there waiting to be brought to fruition! 

I am getting all excited maybe I will make something today! Better search the interweb for new ideas...

on Joseph Gordon Levitt

      I just love him. So much. Sometimes, I get that super irrational feeling girls can get when they believe that the attractive and witty film star on the screen might just be the real life version of him as well. And maybe if he and I met in real life he might think I was funny and smart and cute. 

      Or, if I don't get that irrational I at least lead myself to believe that his character in such-a-such movie is exactly what I am looking for in a man. Only, HE'S FICTIONAL. And I am left falling for a movie star. Only, I'm not falling for him in the slightest, it's just what the movie gods want me to think so I will keep funding their multi-billion dollar cooperation. UGH.

In any case, JGL is hot and everything I want in a boyfriend