Odds and Ends of Life

Hey y'all, 

Soooo HI! I feel like its been forever! But I have (several) good excuses. Which I will spare you the details of. We shall just say that finals are OVER (cheering wildly) and I'm happily installed in my summer job. 

Last weekend was a little, I just have to say it - horrendous. I was (suppposed to be) moving and there was all kinds of miscommunication and misunderstandings and I ended up sleeping in my (completely) bare room on my futon mattress Friday night. Not the best night ever. Long and short of it... I ended up packing some dishes and putting them into (very inaccessible) storage. So I had to buy some new ones last night. 

I say "had to." Truth is, I have a huge tiny obsession with dishes. Its a good thing I don't have very much room or I would be very tempted to buy, like... a TON of dishes. 

But I settled for this absolutely ADORABLE plate and the sweetest ever tiny bowl (which I could not get a good picture of to save my life). 

Oh my gosh! Do you love it or what!? I'm so in love with those colors right now! The little bowl is that sunny mustardy yellow of the inside ring of the plate. 

Aaaaannnddd... just because I had just gotten paid, I splurged and bought this. SO EXCITED to try it! 

Make it the best ever day, y'all! 'Cause its super to be alive today! :)

Good afternoon, May.

Living, in its barest form, is simply putting one foot in front of the other, right?

It is a road trip of decisions and memories and consequences, at times filled with pleasure + goodness, other times mundane. Sometimes it is painful too, and there are things we'd all rather forget.

But May? The time when the trees are blossoming and the air is laden with the newness of cut grass and wildflowers... this indeed is the time to smile and rejoice!

"For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill out hearts with His love."

This morning I tried not to awaken and crawl out of bed. The early sun was chasing away the last of the stardust and turned my walls to honey colored wood. My art pieces and drawings stood out in black + white contrast. I made baked apples with cinnamon + walnuts for breakfast.

I am reading through Romans again and scribbling bits of poems on scraps of paper, trying to organize my life as I take yet another step. My walls are filling up with portraits. Creativity is bursting forth.

Ah, life.

And it's the afternoon of May 2013.

The day I pretended to be Ina Garten.

I am a very bad cook.

Everyone knows this. I have made Pumpkin Bricks (aka: Pumpkin Bread without a rising agent), unleavened bread by accident, and even ruined a can of tomato soup. I am just not that handy when it comes to the kitchen, not to mention impatient and clumsy.

Enter Ina Garten and her Barefoot Contessa books, a birthday and a trip MgGuinnes Sisters' store to buy some yummy ingredients and suddenly.... cooking may not be that bad.

I am a nanny, and as such, my job comes with multiple different excitements, and this was one. Yesterday and today were spent happily cooking barefoot in a mansion kitchen with Michael Buble and Norah Jones for company.

The results? Happy me, who found out I really can cook, and the amazing-ness pictured above. My employer did most of it while I helpfully watched and offered advice, drank a homemade Starbucks brew and then took photos of the finished result.

Those cupcakes? German Chocolate with coffee and Coconut Icing. And I got to decorate them.

If I put that on a resume, would I get hired?

I gotta think so.