Welcome, 2013! (and me)

It's finally here. The time when I decide I'm back on the blog.

After an extensive break to complete my last semester of college (which I did with flying colors and a shiny 4.0!) I think it's time to come back. I kind of miss it.

And what a great time to come back, after all the holidays are gone and it's a brand new year. Things always get exciting around the first few months of the year, as people are trying to make some changes in their lives. Whether they stick or not, that is yet to be decided. Do you even remember last year? All I remember is wanting to make the bed every day and I can say that I make my bed way more than I used to. It's not every day, but it's  a good start.

I have a few changes of my own that I'll be working on in the year 2013. Some are only for a short time, and others are things I would really like to make permanent. 

1. Do a spending hold during January and February

2. Read more than watching TV

3. Be more positive (I think this one is always on my list now)

4. Get outside in the sunshine for at least 20 minutes each day

5. Learn how to make a quilt

6. Get involved with a yoga community

They're mostly little things that I've been thinking about doing, but being more positive is always a bit of a struggle. My husband tends to nickname me "Debbie Downer" if I'm in one of those moods of looking at things in the worst way possible. And those moods are a little too common in this house, so it's time I cut it out. Perhaps getting more daily sunshine will help.

Happy 2013!

The Simple Things//Magazine

Open publication - Free publishing - More family

I discovered a "sneak peak" into The Simple Things magazine over a month ago, bookmarked it, and totally forgot about it because of where it was in my bookmarks. I found it again over the weekend and am so pleased I did.  It sent a sigh of contentedness through my soul. The magazine looks to be so delightful and I'm eager to get a copy myself. 

The style reminds me of why I enjoy all the cookbooks I do. Homemade, Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights and La Tartine Gourmande all share a love for the simple joy that is excellent food, special moments and a beautiful cheese plate. And not excellence in the overdone. No,  excellence in a few fresh ingredients, some flowers picked and a well-used, but beautiful tablecloth. 

It is gems like these that I treasure forever, the ones that teach me time and again that simple is the best path to take, the truly beautiful. For one can have the overdone, but is it something you can recreate day after day, to be enjoyed time and again?

Take a moment to peek through this delightful magazine yourself.  Perhaps it will make you sigh, as well.

You can check out The Simple Things blog here

Saying "no thanks" is missing out

Image via favspotting

A lot of people have a difficult time saying no. I'm not one of those people.

When it comes to working an extra shift for someone, or helping them out, I'm all for it. But recently, I've taken to the "I'm too tired/cranky/scared/insert negative emotion here" road. As the girl who took off for a six month stay in Europe by herself, I'm not sure where this came from. Over the weekend, however, it seems I was to be taught a lesson on saying no to doing things. A new friend from school invited Erik and I to go wine tasting with her and her husband. Erik was out surfing, we would have been late, and I was tired from studying all day, but also a little agitated with the idea of mingling with people I don't know that well.  So I said "no thanks, definitely next time!"

At class, she showed me a photo of her with Jack Johnson.  At the wine tasting.

I was struck by how vividly this portrayed what saying no to things was doing to my life. I've been missing out on huge opportunities, due to whatever I might feel. Not only meeting celebrity moments, but smaller, important things, such as making more friends, learning how to surf better or going to a cooking class. Those things which make us a fuller person, someone who has said "yes, I'm afraid, but I'm going to face it and do it anyway." Because as the saying goes, life begins at the end of your comfort zone. (Strangely enough, I read an article on Saturday about this very thing, and it really convicted me. Too bad I hadn't read it a few hours before).

So here's to figuring out how to say yes, to move forward and face fears!

(except for skydiving)

The greatest of feasts

“Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts.” 

―James Beard

I mentioned last week that I was baking bread and making butter as part of the "projects" section of my menu.  It's not a routine (or even common) event in my kitchen, but when I do happen to pull out the yeast and cream, it certainly results in a very happy me.  I end the day feeling accomplished  and as though I am truly living the simple, beautiful life.

For what is it to bake one's own bread and churn (mix) one's own butter?  What makes these used-to-be menial, weekly tasks so jaw-dropping?  Are we so accustomed to mediocrity (bread that tastes like nothing good and margarine standing in) that things which used to be normal and routine are now something to be cherished.  Can you imagine 100 years ago, saying "oh my goodness, you bake your own bread?"  

How things have changed.

Butter
2-4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
Salt, if desired

Pour whipping cream into a mixing bowl and add a touch of salt, to taste (if desired).  Mix on high speed for 2 minutes, then switch to medium low for the time remaining.  You will know when you're done mixing when solids suddenly separate from liquid.  Scoop out the butter (solids) and strain the buttermilk (liquid) into a container.  Set buttermilk aside for other recipes and add any solids to the rest of the butter.  Rinse butter under cold water through a fine mesh strainer until water comes out clear.  Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

I use a recipe from Betty Crocker's cookbook whenever I bake bread.  The recipe can be found here.

Transitions: Late summer

While my summer is a little different than many others, I still feel the change in attitude and heart from summer to autumn.  School has started again, things are becoming busy, and we've been getting more rain. It seems the excitement of lazy days in the grass or by the pool, eating popsicles and listening to Foster the People on repeat is fizzling out.  Death Cab for Cutie and Alexi Murdoch are beginning to dominate my music time, these days.  Even the variety of produce is dwindling.

I welcome the change, for one cannot live without it.  As season moves to season, I say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.  It's an exciting time, full of new beginnings.  But for the time being, we're all in a transition, still with one foot in summer and the other in fall.  So here are some things to do as we move.

  Weeping Cherries

1. Preserve some of summer's bounty image via Weeping Cherries

2. Add flannel and boots to your summer shorts.  image via Kenza

3. Make the most of still available summer produce.  Try Heirloom tomato panzanella with poached eggs.

4. Listen to Codes and Keys by Death Cab for Cutie. The perfect pair of happy and melancholy.

5. Find some warm berry tones for your closet.  image via asos

6. Take a walk. image via Ashley Akers

7. Go swimming one last time. image via Pinterest

8. Host an outdoor dinner party. image via Pinterest

9. Make sangria. image via Myrecipes.com

10. 5 tips to end the summer well.

Excuse me, can I have the aisle seat?

I don't know about you, but I get nervous when I (or Erik) go on trips, especially flights.  The possibility of terrible things happening is slim, but I like to think of myself as that special 1 percent because I'm just that cool.  

So what to do to calm those nerves down?  Here are a few things I've learned over the several flights I've taken.

1.  Music.  Have a calming playlist of your most comforting tunes and listen to it often.  I find music to be one of the most therapeutic things I can do in situations where I feel anxious.  The second being putting a hood up and hiding from the world.

2.  Wear something that puts you at ease.  I like to look nice (recall previous post) and knowing I don't look like a train wreck helps me feel better.  I also like hoodies.  Do what is going to make you feel the best, and if it means wearing a smashing outfit while donning your old college sweatshirt, more power to you.

3.  Educate yourself.  You know that emergency planning video they show at the beginning?  I watch it.  I also study the little fold-out.  Even though I've flown a lot, it makes me feel a little more at ease to refresh my memory.

4.  Enjoy your time before the flight.  Usually Erik and I will go to a restaurant for a glass of wine, coffee or a snack, depending on what time of day it is and where we're at in the trip.  It helps to give yourself a little distraction and not spend time before getting on the flight freaking out.  Plus, it feels like a very normal thing to be doing.

5.  Plan.  I definitely pick out my seats.  And often (depending on how long and what time of day it is) I'll choose the aisle seat.  Knowing I can get up and out easily makes me feel better.  I also try to get as close to the emergency exit as I can without being in charge of getting everyone out.  I might freak out at the pressure of trying to open the door for everyone.

Have a great time with your end of summer travels, wherever they may take you!

Perfection Overload

I've noticed a trend lately. 

People are feeling an information overload.

Not just there's-too-much-stuff-to-know-on-wikipedia information overload.  More like a photo overload.  With websites like Pinterest and apps like Instagram, we get to see photos of beautiful people, crafts, homes and food.  And it seems as though there is no way to compete.  All these perfect photos of perfect ideas that I certainly didn't create myself.  It leaves one feeling a little inadequate at times.

And it's not just me.  HelloGiggles recently posted an article about how Instagram often shows the most perfect side of someone's life and not reality.  You shoot the best picture of the prettiest things you can find in your life.  That perfectly plated dinner of yours, your cute cat, etc.  Mrs. Priss, a crafter and motherhood blogger, posted just a few weeks ago about her frustration with Pinterest, as it shows how so many others are doing the exact same--only better.  Beautiful photos, which quite frankly I cannot achieve with my point-and-shoot no matter how hard I try, are all over the place.  Creativity is so easily showcased that nothing feels original.  

We don't feel original.  

So what to do?  How do we deal with this vast amount of public display of perfection?  Perhaps, remind ourselves that these are the most perfect aspects of a persons life.  This isn't what reality looks like.  They have messy kitchens, bad outfit and bad hair days (at least once in a while).  Perhaps, remind ourselves why we do the things we love.  It's not all about taking the best photo, or coming up with the next best thing since a mustache on a stick.  It's about stepping back, doing what you love and enjoying the beauty and creativity of life.  And pictures.

Because in the end, as Mr. Miyagi would say, "Someone always know more." That's just the way it is.  

Travel travel travel

Trip logic

In about two weeks, I get to jet set off to Washington for ten days!  My family is doing a trip to the coast, which I initially thought I wasn't going to be able to attend but was able to shuffle a few things around.  Afterwards I'll spend a few more days visiting friends and family.  It's pretty darn exciting, and I'm looking forward to the chilly coastal air.  Sweaters, here I come!

If you want this awesome travel-inspiring subway art, check out trip logic for the free printable.

Seven reasons why being sick isn't so bad

I caught some annoying bug on Thursday and just can't seem to shake it.  It's not terribly debilitating, but it certainly doesn't make me want to do much.  

As I was moping around, I started thinking of all the nice bits of being a little under the weather.

1.  There's actually an excuse to watch TV/movies.  All.  Day.  Long.  Usually if I were to do this, I would feel quite terrible about myself and immediately head to the kitchen to do some dishes.

2.  Tea.  Lots and lots of tea.

3.  Sweaters.  Even in Hawaii, I'll find as many reasons as possible to pull out the bundling clothes.

4.  Naps.  Because who doesn't like a good nap?

5.  All that reading you've been putting off.

6.  No housework.  It may pile up, but you have a good reason to let it.  Sorry, but "I have to go feed the feral cats, I can't do the laundry today" just doesn't cut it.

7.  Free back rubs.  Being sickly and mopey does earn some added attention.

Is it worth it?

Adjusting to life in a big city has been interesting for this small town girl.  When I visited Europe, I was just that--a visitor.  I didn't have to worry about how to get to work on time, when and where to do my shopping, avoiding traffic times and how I feel about going to meet friends at night.  It's all a big, new adventure that has been another great experience to add on to my belt.

One thing I've really noticed is getting around.  We share one car, mostly because I'm terrified of driving here but also because it requires paying for a second car.  Cars just aren't something I like spending money on if I can get away with it.  And if I'm going to get one, it's going to be a good one so I don't have to deal with overwhelming maintenance fees.  I once had a car with an alternator that went out three times.  No thank you.

So I take the bus.  It's often late and takes planning.  It's also slow.  But I'm a fan of public transit because it saves gas and keeps cars off the road (and I don't have to think about driving).  It makes me put a price tag on what I'll be doing, too.  Is this really worth me paying $5 roundtrip?  

Applying a monetary value to trips has kept me from joining a gym, helps me multitask on necessary errands and generally just keeps me from making unnecessary trips.  If I'm going to meet a friend, that's always worth it because friend time can be a little lacking and I need to get out of the house more.  

It has me wondering, though.  How often do we place a value on our trips?  Long-distance trips are almost always placed with some sort of number.  We know it will take us this much gas for this many miles just because it takes so long to get there.  A plane ticket gives us a value for our travel, in time and in money.  These things are easy to measure.  But what about carbon emission value?  Is my errand, my trip, my work-out worth the damage to the environment?  I know I hardly ever think in these terms, because I really want to be doing whatever it is I'm planning on doing.  Many times we'll drive the half mile to the grocery store instead of taking the ten minutes to walk there.

It just has me thinking.  

Some relief

My week has been insane.  Insanely good.  I worked cleaning houses and luxury condos to earn a little extra money for Erik's upcoming birthday (and to help someone out :) ).  I was gone at least 12 hours every day so my house is a mess and I'm tired, but it was good!  

What it did make me realize was how few the moments have been when I've been able to enjoy time spent at home, not stressed out and running all over the place.  The brief stints of unemployment were always riddled with worry over how in the world to pay bills.  With owed money looming overhead, I never enjoyed by non-working moments.  

Now, I devour them.  Spending time taking care of my family and myself--it's what I really love right now.  No longer do I feel like the useless wife who isn't out making money, since after watching the house go to shreds, I realized I do more than I thought.  I work hard to finish my degree strong and know that once I'm done I can hopefully do something else that I love.

What a relief.

Voluptuous Yummies

First, I want to make sure that everyone knows that these opinions are entirely my own and I purchased this book myself, with my own money.  I am not getting paid for this review.

I wrote spoke wrote briefly yesterday on Sophie Dahl's book Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights

but by the end of the day, there was so much to be felt and said about such a beautiful, quaint little cookbook.  So I go on, to share with you how this book affected me.

Sophie writes much of her own journey at finding a happy medium, enjoying food while not overindulging.  She is a semi-vegetarian, so her recipes are not meat-focused.  Organized by season, her recipes are simple, but have a decadent feel and are written with me precisely in mind, for I am not a good recipe follower.  I do not measure oil to sauté vegetables in so someone who uses the word "glug" to describe how much oil to use is suddenly my one true love.  The photos make me want to cook absolutely everything and her delightful way of writing makes me want to cook even more.  And, can I just say that with a title using the word "voluptuous" how can I not want to have it in my home?

When I was a very young girl, I wasn't quite sure how aware of one's eating I must be.  We often discussed "health foods" and that we should be eating skim milk and whatnot, but I don't really remember ever thinking that I should eat less.  Perhaps it was due to the many people in my family, but I always felt that if I like something, I had to eat as much of it as possible because it very well might be the last bite I had of that tasty bit of food.  This wasn't because there was a lack of food, just that there were many mouths who also enjoyed whatever I did, too.  The first time I realized there might be an issue was not when I tried on the women's size 12 jeans.  No, it was when I realized that all the other girls were far more petite than I was.  With the childbearing hips of a 30 year old woman (I mean no offense if you were to fit into that category), I was at the most awkward stage of 12.  

Once this realization hit me, I decided that perhaps it was time to go on a "diet."  I wanted to look better and try to fit in, for fitting in is my all-time favorite pastime.  For about a month or two I followed a little exchange diet that my mom had started up and felt pretty good about myself.  I'm not quite sure if I can remember where that got me, but it wasn't a bad experience.  If nothing else it taught me to pay attention to what I was eating.

And then I got a babysitting job, that was after my choir class.  I would walk every day for about 45 minutes to get there, pick up my young charge from preschool and walk us back to his home.  Suddenly, I dropped down to a size 4 and felt insanely excellent about my body size for the first time in years.

I've had many rocky ups and downs with my size, and how I feel about it.  As a once vegan for several years, I am very good at following strict rules.  Black and white serves me very well, it's the grey parts that become an issue.  For someone who studies Nutrition (nutritionists believe that moderation is the key to success), I'm not talented in the ways of "a little bit of everything."  When I first read French Women Don't Get Fat
I fell in love with the idea of enjoying little bits of things amongst a healthy dose of other good for you foods.  But I didn't know how to deal with this new-found freedom.  I overindulged and with the stress of a science degree, moving more than once, a wedding and other various life changes, the pounds just easily came on.  With a no-holds-bar outlook on food, I could eat anything!  But I was miserable.

Every since moving to Hawaii, I have slowly worked towards finding a middle ground through every area of my life, especially when it comes to food.  Losing weight has been a part of that journey, and not through some crazy diet with super restrictions.  No, it's been through eating some things now and some things a week from now.  It's been through smaller amounts and knowing that there will be some of it left if I want more later.

Miss Dahl's book rings true with me, and inspires me to cook beautifully and with an eye on moderation and no thought to cracking the dietary whip.  Such a delight.

Change

Yep, I changed my blog format.

The more I looked at it, the more cluttered it felt, especially not that I'm including so many photos.  So I needed a change, and here it is.  It isn't entirely perfect yet, but as with life it's a work in progress.  

Let me know what you think!

Week in Review

It seems like I just wrote last week's week in review, but here we are again.  Goodness, I can't get over how time flies!

1.  One of my best friends sent me this awesome card!  Neither one of us feel too good about skinny jeans, so it was a little inside joke.  I sure do love cards and letters!  I've been trying to send them out more since I have some more time on my hands.

2.  MY TOMATOES ARE RIPENING!!  You can just barely see it but this little tomato is turning orange.  There are so many bunches of tomatoes on my little plant but none of them had started to ripen yet so I was getting worried.  But lo and behold, today when I was out watering there was some color.

3.  Last nights dinner was super yummy, and very pretty (and on a plate!).  We had grilled baby bok choy, tamari marinated tofu and a tomato feta salad.  I got the idea for the bok choy when we were on our honeymoon.  Maho Bay camps have a restaurant that provide lots of vegetarian food (that is actually good and veggie heavy). One night there was an asian vegetable plate and a grilled half of baby bok choy was on there.  It's super yummy.

4.  Now that things are unpacked, I get to have my french press and coffee mug back!  Erik took our little french press to keep at work, so I got the big guy.  I'm not so good at making coffee in this one though, as you can see by the light color.

Hoping you all have an awesome Friday!

Week in Review

I'm in shock that it's Friday already.  I know we always say time flies, but good grief.  This week has been a blur!

1 and 2 go together this week.  I spent all of Monday painting the gigantic six foot desk I found on craigslist.  It's a lovely light gray color that makes the office/guest room look delightful, even if the desk is way too big.  

3.  We went to a luau last night with my grandparents at the Hale Koa!  I've never been to one and it was really neat.  Towards the middle of the show, the MC found the longest married couple (58 years!), sang to them and had all the other married couples dance.  I realized since we didn't have a first dance at our wedding, this was Erik and I's first married dance.  I definitely got emotional.  It was a really nice evening.


4.  Everything finally arrived.  Our apartment here is much smaller than our old apartment in Moscow, so this is going to be interesting.  Clearly I'm putting off unpacking because I'm here or doing my assignments or some other silly thing (like watching my wedding video).  Most of the dishes arrived unscathed, but unfortunately the clay mug we purchased on our honeymoon totally collapsed.  That's probably the most disappointing damage I have found so far.  But after waiting over a month, I'm just thankful anything got here at all.  You all know what I'll be doing this weekend.. :).


Happy Friday!

Kitchens are teachers

                          secure.lodgemfg.com

We purchased a cast iron skillet when we first got here a few weeks ago because we needed something to cook with until our kitchen stuff arrives.  I chose cast iron because I've been wanting one for a while and didn't want to purchase something we already had.

It has taught me a lot about relationships.

When dealing with cast iron, you have to treat it very well in order to assure it's long life and cooking quality.  Washing must be done almost immediately.  You cannot just let it sit in the sink or it will rust.  You cannot use harsh soaps (or really any soap at all), nor can you scrub it too much or the seasoning gets ruined.  You can't just shove it in the dishwasher and hope it gets the job done.  In essence, you really have to care for it or you'll ruin it.

Relationships work the same way.  You can't just let problems sit, you can't treat them harshly.  You can't hope that by haphazardly "dealing" with an issue that comes up that the issue will be taken care of.  Lazily attending to your relationships can cause damage and wear it out quickly.  Relationships take time, dedication and great care.

All this from a skillet.

Getting closer..

After packing up our entire home (and selling most of our furniture), we are out of town and spending time with family before heading to Hawaii.

                                                                        My French Country Home

It's been a time of stepping back and relaxing after the incredibly insane months since last August.  Now that we're packed up there isn't much to do until we get on that plane.  I've been reading (my husband got me a kindle for my birthday!), exercising, and pretty much just enjoying myself.  It's been amazing how much I can focus on the simple things now.  Once we left, I found myself able to sleep better at night.

                                    Good Evening World

Stress and I don't get along and I'm not always aware of how poorly I've felt until it's gone.  I'm so pleasantly surprised to see it leave.

Happy Monday!

                                                                     

Heading to paradise

So, as usual, it's been a while.  As usual, things have been busy.

Not usual--my husband was offered (and accepted) a job in Hawaii.

Packing and figuring out how we're going to make this move has been what has consumed us for the past three weeks.  I'm now completely unemployed and this upcoming weekend we'll start visiting family before we fly over.

Never did I envision myself in a tropical paradise, but I hope I'll get used to it.  I seem to be a nomad.  I haven't lived more than three years in any one place since I was 15 years old.  So I'm thankful for the opportunity to again live in a different place, to gain a little more experience in another area of the world.

But oh my goodness.

We're moving to Hawaii.

Love lost

Within the last three days, I've found out about two people who lost their parents suddenly, without warning.

Three days.  Two people.  So many lives have changed at the drop of a hat in such a short time.

Love.

Love, love, love.

Do not take your relationships for granted.  Express how much you care for each human (or not human) being in your life.  Because you never know.

Repurposing mason

I am obsessed with saving glass jars.

And my husband absolutely cannot stand it.  The most recent jars I added to the collection I had to rescue out of the trash bin because they had ickies inside.  "But I can USE it!" is usually my reply to whatever else might be said about the poor jar.  Sanitized and happy, it gets stashed away in the cupboard set aside specially for my finds.

I'm often told that my hoarding is reminiscent of my great grandma, whom we lived with for several years when I was a child.  A woman of the Great Depression, she saved e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  At seven years old, it seemed strange to save yogurt containers, clothespins and pieces of wrapping paper.  But now at a point in my life when I want to learn to reuse, repurpose and recycle, returning to the habits my great grandma developed doesn't seem odd at all.  In fact, it's smart.

Those pickle jars are now filled with other goods, such as nuts, granola and coffee.  The bathrooms are becoming more organized, tossing bobby pins and cotton swabs into their topless glass homes.  I even scavenged for more during trips to the recycling center, to be used at our wedding.  And I love it.

What things are you known for obsessively repurposing?