Thankful Thursday: Summer is Here!

Hey, long lost blog friends! Guess what? Summer is here! At least here in Southern California it is! I had my windows and front door open all day today, it's 6:30pm and I'm still (comfortably) wearing shorts and sandals, and you should see the produce at my local market! Just beautiful!

Thankful List:

-My freshly clean and organized bathroom (I took everything out of it, cleaned it, got rid of a ton of stuff I don't need, and organized it all back into nice baskets and containers I just bought. I keep going in there just to admire my handiwork!)
-While I'm on that topic, my freshly clean house. I'm so fortunate to have a home I love. I love it even more when it's sparkling.
-The magic hours in the early summer between 3 and 7pm. The sun is perfectly slanted, everyone is out and about with smiles on their faces, it's the perfect temperature...
-My Idaho visit coming up in only a few days! I plan on going to Karaoke with Brad, making cocktails with and taking my mom to a day spa, getting into who knows what kind of mischief with Jacob, making goat cheese jalapeno poppers for my dad, playing Chess with Nick and Pete, going on walks and bike rides with Andrea, laughing a lot with Jeff, and all kinds of other awesomeness*.
-Having a car that gets me where I need to go.
-Having two best friends I can count on and talk to about anything.
-How delicious goat cheese is spread onto squaw bread.
-My renewed commitment to exercising more (I'm drawing inspiration from my teenage years when I used to rise at the crack of dawn to work out before any of my family were up. If I could do it then, I can do it now!)
-Having two days off in a row once in awhile (It's like a mini vacation!)
-Cooking for myself almost every single night. (I've been having so much fun trying new recipes. And challenging myself to use fresh produce before it spoils and to make new combinations out of what I have on hand!)
-A really deep and awesome connection that has been rekindled in my life as of late.
-Being able to buy organic and natural groceries.
-How full of fun travel this year has been and will continue to be!

Now you!

{Image: Strawberry Rhubarb Ginger Crumb Bars. Find the recipe here! (I threw in the strawberries because I had them lying around.)
If you have not baked with rhubarb yet this summer, this is a fantastic recipe to start with!}

*I also plan on missing Rachelle, Will, Skyla and Levi, since they won't be there this time. :( But I'll see them in the fall! :)

Thankful Thursday: Food and Life

Thankful!

-For the natural market a few blocks away from home (especially when I get the urge to bake in the morning and discover I'm out of baking powder).
-For food blogs and the endless inspiration they provide.
-For the decision to go easier on myself when it comes to exercise. Yes, it's a priority, but there is no need to beat myself up for not doing it at the end of a long, exhausting work day.
-For the means to buy groceries (not just any groceries, organic groceries- and I'm thankful those are readily available to me).
-For my time off for my trip to Idaho being approved- only three weeks away!
-For wine (and all of the combinations for enjoyment it provides- food, friends, places...)
-For my Ella Fitzgerald Pandora station (I can't get over how awesome it is to have Pandora- when I was a kid you had to listen to the regular ol' radio- or cassette tapes!)
-For the opportunity for personal growth I've been presented with at work
(I balked at first, threw a few fits.. but I'm determined to come out of this situation a better person!)
-For the two dinner dates I have this week- tonight, a home-cooked meal by a friend who's in culinary school, and Saturday, a nice restaurant and lots of drinks with one of my oldest homies.
-For my resolve to cook for myself more often than not- even after a long day when I don't feel like doing anything, stopping at the grocery store, then coming home and creating something delicious is so relaxing and nourishing!

How about you, friends?

{image: we stopped at Sunstone Winery in Santa Barbara on our way to Big Sur the other weekend. Lovely!}

As a Flower of the Field

As for man, his days are like grass;
as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.

My parents had us memorize Psalm 103 when we were kids.
It's beautiful, and although I'm not religious at all now, the verses still come back to haunt me at times.
I had a powerful dream last night.
At one point in my dream I was sifting sand through my fingers, letting it be carried by the wind, sobbing,
and this passage was repeating over and over in the background.
I won't bore you with more details;
suffice it to say I felt changed upon waking, and this verse is stuck in my head.

Thankful Thursday: Contemplation

Thankful:

-For my wifey. So proud of her for finding her passion and following it. She inspires me.

-For piano music. Speaking of inspiration... It's time.

-For rediscovering the joys of cooking for myself. Not having someone else to cook for is a weak excuse to not live well. (I made this tonight. YUM)

-For days off when I force myself to let work wait til tomorrow. Life is more than work (what a concept).

-For awesome blogs.. old and new to me. Especially new cooking blogs. I've bookmarked SO many recipes to try from this gem!

-For the stack of books (seven on my coffee table.. more on the shelves) enticing me into solitary contemplation and imagination.

-For making the last of my student loan payments today! Four years of making three times the minimum monthly payment, done. I feel so accomplished!

-For the many opportunities for personal and professional growth I have with my job.

-For my job being much more than a job to me. It's a calling.

-For my Regina Spektor Pandora station. It's been so peaceful to listen to today.

-That I used permanent hair dye for the first time in years today and lived to tell the tale (last time I had a terrifying reaction to the ammonia and ended up in the ER). Plus my color looks fab!

-For the calm that comes over me when I spend time watering my plants.

-For my upcoming visit to Idaho.

-For my glasses. Sure, I can't wait to get laser surgery. But in the meantime, I look cute and nerdy, and I can see.

What are YOU thankful for today?

{image: deep thoughts in the winery restroom during my visit to Santa Cruz}

11 Idaho Memories

Walking to the top of the hill at sundown (and one of my favorite haircuts ever, also one of my favorite pics of Nick and I)



My niece Skyla playing with lightsabers



Giving Jeff cool haircuts



Taking cheers with Dad very seriously



Seeing the sun shining through the hilltop rocks and looking out over the valley



Shawn and Jacob being goofs (basically, the usual)



Pretty flowers, plus a pretty view



Taking blurry pics of Brad that I end up liking



Capturing moments full of personality



Brad taking blurry pics of us that turn out cool



Cheersing with water and Brad making funny faces

I haven't been to Idaho since Christmas. Can't wait to be back in a few weeks!!!

{these photos are all from our May 2010 visit}

Thankful Tuesday: Reconnected

How killer was that super moon last weekend??

I felt my energy pulled in all sorts of different directions in the week leading up to it.

I was in full on GO mode all the way up until Thursday night, when I was finally done with work, packed, and ready to head up to Big Sur to spend the weekend camping with my PLP, her hubby, and a bunch of their friends. After that, I just rode the energy waves and, despite being surrounded by people, had a very introspective weekend.

Now, I'm back. And ever so grateful.

For my home. My home that I so often take for granted, but LOVE coming back to.

For my big comfy bed. The one with the awesome mattress, the collection of blankets and quilts that make for a perfect sleeping temperature regardless of the weather, the east-facing window that gives me beautiful sunrise views every day.

For my PLP. So generous. So easygoing. So sassy. Such an anchor for me. And for her awesome husband, who is basically my brother in law. {They are pictured above, enjoying the view.}

For the pile of new books awaiting me on my coffee table.

For the simple bliss of lying (and swinging) in a hammock.

For the experience of climbing and playing and exploring and splashing like kids.

For clean, cold, drinkable mountain water.

For the simplicity of olive oils infused with garlic, blood orange, or balsamic and soaked up by crusty bread.

For remembering how little we need in life to really be happy.

For the years of continuous camping I experienced as a child.

For opportunities to reset the pace of our lives- and regain balance.

For the reminder that there are a few things, when focused on in our daily lives, that make all the others fade. The reminder to bring those things to the top of the to-do list. The reminder that if we do, the rest of the details flow almost effortlessly.

For the time off and means to travel and vacation.

Have a wonderful Tuesday, friends!