Thankful #1

Today I am thankful for my hands.
My hands that help me to write and type and create.
My hands that hold my loved ones hands.
My hands that pet my beautiful cats.
My hands that help me cook and take care of myself.

As of late.

 Hike to The Living Room with dear friends.

 Bad ass Smith Corona typewrite from Camille!

 Music around the bon fire. Curtis and Sam.

 Father and Son. Love these two.

 Adventure time with Sarah.

Camille and little Sam. He loves to feed the fish. I am so happy they are here right now.

Paula making pie. She is the best ever.

my parents are neat

One of my favorite memories of going to visit my Braegger Grandparents was exploring in their backyard and entering the mysterious chicken coop. I say mysterious because when I was little I didn't really understand why anyone would keep a chicken as a pet. Especially when they smelled funky. I would enter the coop cautiously, secretly enjoying the awful smell. I don't remember exactly when they disappeared but I don't remember seeing them after I was maybe ten or so. Maybe the chickens had to go after Grandpa died. I wish I remembered that part better. The coop still stands, even though the house no longer belongs to any of us. I hope the new owner gets chickens too.

Since my mom grew up with little birdies running around it has been a life long dream of hers to have a coop of her own. My incredible father saw this dream of hers as a completely reasonable reality and he built her a bad ass hen house.

Of course, before the fresh eggs, and the adorable hen house... they had to buy the chicks. They bought 12 tiny little chirping, crapping, flapping bird monsters. They were so small it was hard to imagine that they would one day provide us with (the best tasting) fresh eggs.

Only now can I understand why someone would want to keep a chicken as a pet. I love these creatures. I want to pet them and hold them and thank them for giving us eggs.

It's really special to see my dad work so hard to make my mom so happy. I love them both and am forever grateful for everything they teach me.

I pulled these carrots out of their garden a few days ago. They are so cute!! I cleaned them up and added them to a spicy red curry. They taste so good.

Thank you mom and dad.

catch up

During the last week in July I got to go to California and play with my family. It was so much fun and I got to do all of my favorite things like...


eat ice cream

take naps on the beach

 

visit kate
sleep in (past 8)
snuggle with Sam and Olivia every day



Coming home was hard and different this time. Normally I can go back to reality and accept my life as it is but not this time. I wanted my sisters and I needed my Sam and Liv. It took me a good 48 hours of random crying fits to accept that we just don't live by each other anymore. At least we live in the same country. At least I get to talk to them every day.

Summer is flying by and I have so much more to do.
I need more....

barbeques
picnics
swimming
lakes
late nights with friends
vacations
panzanella
lemonade
humming birds at my window
farmers market mornings
ideas for all the basil

Here are a few photos from the past little while in my life. I'll try to blog more often so we can stay current!

 The Boy was my bunko partner and we totally won. Thanks Boy! Nobody believes me but I actually love playing and I'm so glad my mom lets me join her sometimes. Thanks Mom!!

I baked a few things...
snickerdoodles

blondies


We went to the zoo and saw the amazing polar bear. He is so special.

 

Monster

simple pasta

Me: Curtis what do you want for dinner?
Curtis: Pasta
Me: Great, pesto?
Curtis: I don't really like pesto.
Me: I DON'T UNDERSTAND?

Okay fine, not pesto (even though its my favorite and I've been feeding it to you all along and I was not aware you didn't enjoy it). I can deal with that. Lucky for him, I aim to please and can improvise like a champ.

Key players: garlic, basil, tomato, mushroom, and romano cheese

 

 

 Sloppy loose instructions.

It was very yummy and Curtis loved it. Who needs pesto? (I still do)

I get to have a sleepover with my favorite little girl now so excuse me while I go have fun!

 

Afros and/at instcare

My hair. My poor hair. I don't care about how much my boyfriend dislikes it or the weird looks I get in public, sometimes I just have to have an afro. On Wednesday night Sarah kindly (and gently, I'm so tender headed) put my hair into sponge curlers. It's a nostalgic activity for me honestly. I think back to the hundreds of times my mom, and sometimes dad, would wrangle my hair into pink sponge curlers. I've always had such a tender head and I know I gave them hell if they made one wrong move. I try not to yell at Sarah but of course I do occasionally.

 I owned that Afro. As with most things in life, if you carry yourself with confidence you too can rock an afro. I may have been a little too confident though because I had a little accident. We went to my friend Chantelle's house for a friendly gathering and as I was stepping out of the car and onto the curb.... my foot just slipped off the curb. I wasn't even doing anything. Just poof, you're falling. Mostly it was embarrassing but my friends were kind and gave me some ice and I managed to have a lovely evening anyway. The next day when I woke up and stepped out of bed I basically collapsed. My foot had puffed up and swelled overnight. I tried to shake it off and go to work anyway but I started getting scared that I may have broken something. Sarah, my life saver, took me to the instacare (and wheeled me around the empty waiting room while giggling) and the X-Rays said nothing was broken. That's a relief! I'm still hobbling around a bit but the pain is lessening.

 

Having an afro at instacare makes everything in life seem a little more ridiculous. 

Take care. 

Lately

Summer seems like the perfect time for parties and for friends to gather just for the hell of it. I have made some wonderful new friends and am closer than ever to my good old ones. Even though it's warm outside I can't stop turning on my oven to bake. I hate showing up to a party empty handed, I just can't do it.
A few of my recent cakes....

 Of course I have a cat shaped pan. What did you expect?

 

A girlfriend of mine requested red velvet cake for her birthday and I immediately frowned but knew that I had to do it. Red Velvet is so... overrated. It has a special name and it lures you in but really it's not worthy of being your BIRTHDAY cake!  I made it, she loved it, the end. 

I didn't take a photo of it but just yesterday I made my dad a coconut macadamia carrot cake and it was delicious!! I'll post the recipe for you soon. 

Take care.