this & that

questions for me!

2012-03-01T22:50:00.002-08:00

well.. after my much needed nap, i'm wide awake & ready to ~~party~~! {definition of word 'party' here: lay in bed, blog & then watch netflix} had a long day today.. started at 6 this morning and didn't really end until 7:30 tonight. anywho... a random post for your reading pleasure.

random photo: that beautiful ring there is missing. so, so SAD because i loved it A LOT.

1. What's your favorite drink?

Probably coffee. I seriously love it. And next to coffee, I love water! Lots and lots of water.

2. Would you consider yourself shy or outgoing?

I think I'm a lot shy-er than I'd like to admit. Well... actually, in certain situations I can become shy but for the most part, I'm pretty outgoing.

3. What's your profession?

Soon and very soon, I will be working towards becoming an esthetician... so all my friends, line up for your facials, waxes and all your skincare needs :)

4. How would you describe your style?

I would definitely have to say playful & laid back. I don't think you'd ever look at me and say, "Wow.. she looks really uncomfortable in what she's wearing." And why am I sure of that? Well... when I put an outfit on, one of the first questions I ask myself is, "Will I be able to wear this all day without fidgeting, fussing or wishing that I was in something else?"

I also think I'm a woman of many hats when it comes to my wardrobe. Sometimes I like to dress it up, sometimes I like to be cozy or sometimes I just like to wear old jeans, a cute hoodie & some toms. It just all depends.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My ability to budget. Oh Lord Jesus have mercy on my soul... and wallet...

6. What's one makeup product you can't live without?

Mascara. I can go days with just wearing mascara and be totally fine with it. But without it.. I feel like my eyes aren't open. Mascara definitely helps to wake up my eyes & keeps me feeling ready for the day :)

thanks colourful palate for the survey idea!

perfect house vs. comfy home

2012-03-01T22:15:00.001-08:00

If you haven't flipped through this book, actually sat down & read it or heard about it... please do yourself a favor and get it; go to Anthro, pick it up, take a seat on the couch {trust me, we love when people come to just hang out... it's all about the experience/your time in the store} & read it; etc.

A perfectly kept house is the sign of a misspent life. I'm not a particularly "spotless, everything must be sparkling all the time" type of person... but I am a clean person and I like to stay on top of my cleaning. Dishes in the sink? Can't stand to look at them {i get it from my momma}, so I wash them right away. If I walk into my room and I just feel like I don't want to be there.. there must be something wrong with it, so that's my queue to start reorganizing, cleaning or moving things around - and normally that takes all day & night. And there are tons of other cleaning type things I do.. and after reading this book, it made me think about when I have my own family and own home.. am I going to be that person who strives so hard to keep a spotless home that they don't actually get to relax, live & breathe deeply in their own home?

Oh God please.. NO. That's the last thing I want. haha. One of the ladies in the book said something to the effect of, "I want my home to be my children's favorite place to be... I want them to bring their friends here and I want this home to be their friend's favorite place to be." I want that. A comfortable, livable not unkempt home.

For those of you with your own home, family, etc. take some time to relax. Leave the big cleaning jobs for another day and spend time with your loved ones. Don't get so wrapped up in the perfectionist upkeep of your home. Afterall... your home, most likely, will always be there... but moments become memories in a second - so cherish them :)

friends are friends forever..

2012-02-29T22:03:00.002-08:00

seriously laughed really hard when i read this.... !!!

today, i was faced with the fact - a very amazing fact - that i have some of the best, quality, friends a girl could ask for. one of my closest friends, elisa, texted me, randomly, and said, "you should come over and make me some food." so i did. we had a spontaneous home-cooked meal - masala chicken with garlic aioli quinoa - great conversation, lots of good laughs and just enjoyed each other's company. and then, my other dearest friend sydney (of 21 years) wanted me to go to value village with her and so, after having a great fun, spontaneous time with one amazing friend... i did the same with another.

you see... syd is getting hitched soon and she's going to be leaving me to become the best housewife out there. sad for me, but then again, i'm so happy for her! so tonight, i just kept thinking, "thank you jesus for such amazing friends! help me to never take these times for granted..."

so yeah, as i'm getting ready for bed (another early morning tomorrow), i'm just thinking about how blessed i am to know some pretty amazing people. and i guess, not just know them, but share life with them. community is the best. and knowing that if i were to ever jump off a bridge, my friends would come save me.. well, that's an added bonus ;)

"It's a sign from God, mom!"

2012-02-29T11:46:00.002-08:00

as you might've read in my last post, as i was sitting in BN, i realized that they were playing hawaiian music. be still my heart. not quite what i needed to hear in the midst of trying to not get distracted about my desires to want to go to hawaii. so i just tuned out the music and focused on finding a job.

looked at my tea and realized, "hmm.. i need a refill." got into line. and what did i hear? two old men talking behind me... in PIGEON. unreal. i turned around, asked them if they were from the islands and we struck up this long conversation about island living, different hawaiian events that go on around seattle, etc. etc. after i left BN, i quickly called my mom and told her, "it's a sign from God, mom! i need to go to school in hawaii!"

mr pet piggy.

2012-02-28T15:11:00.003-08:00

yep. that's a real life little piglet. isn't it adorable?! my friend sent me this picture... it's a little piggy he rescued.

i was sitting here in barnes & noble trying to figure out what i wanted to blog about & i remembered this cute pet pig. if i could have a pet {and it would be easy to take care of it}... i would most definitely have a pet piggy. that or an elephant... but that's for another blog post.

[side note] they're playing hawaiian music in BN right now. i don't know how i feel about that. here i am trying to be okay with being in wet & rainy seattle & BN is messing with me by playing iz kamakawiwo'ole ... not nice.

well. to pet pigs & hawaiian music - happy tuesday!

to be old & in love..

2012-02-26T21:35:00.001-08:00

... means to go on an afternoon date to the mall, take a seat on a bench & nap.

isn't this the cutest/funniest thing you've seen all day? a couple months ago, i saw this little couple at the mall. knocked out. seriously napping in the middle of a noisy mall. i felt like a creep taking all these pictures... but i bet you're happy i did :) cuteness all over this blog post right now!

the grand search..

2012-02-26T21:27:00.002-08:00

and that something i can't find is a good job. it's so frustrating sometimes... i honestly feel like i've applied to every open position in the state of washington & hawaii {yes, my heart soooo badly wants to be there}. i have a job and i love it. anthropologie is such a great company to work for and i love my store and my co-workers but i definitely need another job. so for those of you reading this, say a little (or big & lengthy) prayer for me.

first time for everything

2012-02-25T00:15:00.001-08:00

this is the un-named, regular customer @ anthro.

sooo... you know how a lot of girls have "old man celebrity crushes"? (i.e. george clooney, etc.) well, i've never been that kind of girl. until today. and he's not even a ~~celebrity~~. there's a man that comes into anthro all the time. he's probably late 40s, early 50s. he's apart of the visual team for another store in the area and loves coming into anthro to see our new displays. well, today, i realized & thought to myself, "man.. he's cool. and i so want my husband to be like him someday." its pouring down rain outside.. he comes in, messy bun on his head, t-shirt, straight leg jeans, some cool tennis shoes & a smoothie in his hand.

he's just cool. is this a creepy post? if it is.. i'm not sorry for it. haha. i did a little sketch of him just because i wanted you to see who i was talking about.

anyway. this is all i've got for tonight folks.

peace, love & old-man-celebrity-crushes.

if grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.

2012-02-24T08:14:00.002-08:00

"There is a longing for God in each of us and though it may not be recognized or consciously expressed as such, the search for joy, for peace, for happiness and above all for love, is a manifestation of this longing. Though the desire or hunger is implanted in every human heart, entering into a relationship with Him depends largely on our cooperation with His grace. The freedom to cooperate or not is yet another expression of the love and respect that God has for each of His human creatures. He does not force Himself on anyone; He leaves it to our choice. Yet, the response befitting a creature before its Creator, who is infinite love and wisdom ought to be on of love and trust, praise and adoration, recognition and thanksgiving."

- Where There Is Love, There Is A God

so long free movie, hello free books.

2012-02-24T00:29:00.002-08:00

"bummer duuuuude." this morning {or i guess technically yesterday morning} i got a text from redbox {yeah, we're cool like that} & it gave me a code to get a free movie. free + movie = whats better than that? it expired that day, so throughout the day i kept reminding myself that i needed to stop at a redbox and redeem the code! well... i was on my way home & only had ten minutes left to get to a redbox.. i drove to one.. pulled my phone out to get the code... and my phone was dead. yep. dead. and my phone never dies. but of course it would the day i get a code for a free redbox.

so that's how i ended my thursday night. depressing, huh?

BUTTTT... one thing i did do right was - i went to the library! i love reading & you get books for free at the library. {i'm sensing a theme here... free, free, free}as a kid, i loved going to the library. okay, well.. pretty much as a kid, pre-teen, teenager, young adult, etc. don't judge me. if you ask my mom or my friend sydney (click here to go to her fun blog), they will tell you for my free time i would much rather sit in a library and read all day than do anything else. i've kinda grown out of that, but every now & then, i'll get the urge & give in.

picked up a couple books & am guessing that it was a sign to me that i didn't get a redbox. a sign that tonight, i can stay up & read, read, read.

in my perfect world...

2012-02-23T19:24:00.002-08:00

i'd own a coffee shop/boutique... where you, your mom & your brother's best friend would want to hang out in 24/7.

i'd be able to go to the beach {or on vacation} whenever i wanted. **right now, i want & need the beach BAD.

...two things i keep thinking about! a lot.

"old fashioned"

2012-02-22T10:03:00.002-08:00

thank god for pinterest, google, recipe blogs, etc. but i much rather cook something out of a real cookbook over any internet recipe. it's just something about flipping through pages.. having to actually open a book a search for a recipe that way. i can make notes on the pages... i can add sticky notes, fold the corners down and all that good stuff.

this was a random thought this morning as i was eating my breakfast and going through one of my mom's recipe books :)

the open road

2012-02-20T20:16:00.003-08:00

thanks to my friend katrina hope & her recent post about buying a ticket & never returning - i have been thinking about doing exactly that. oh, the places i could go. or want to go. i seriously would be fine just going one state over. any destination really - put me in a plane & send me off. in all honesty, that's really what i want right now.

but the funny thing about it is, i actually just want to be here too. i want a really good full time job. i want to be in school right now {september should probably go ahead & hurry on up}. i love being back home after living in california for a year.

i am definitely living with a heart that desires [home, family, friends & all things normal] and all at the same time [travel, meeting new friends, missions & the open road].

are you confused about how i could feel this way? well... try being the person who is feeling this way ;)

in light of all this, i have made the resolution that when i'm home, i'm going to be 100% home & make the most out of it. and when and if i get to travel again, well... trust me, there will be no reservations on the open road.

another note to my children.

2012-02-20T19:27:00.002-08:00

;)

tunes

2012-02-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

she is my hero.

2012-02-17T23:54:00.000-08:00

spent all night thinking of ways i could be more like mother teresa. she's my hero. the other day, i wrote in my journal:

"if only mother teresa were still here. i think we would be good friends... i just want to be able to have conversations with her. in real life."

it's true. i wouldn't even have to talk or ask any questions... i'd just listen to her or just observe her. work alongside her. what an admirable woman....

their friday night vs. my friday night

2012-02-17T22:23:00.000-08:00

what most people my age are doing right now:

this is a random photo i found online of people partying. people my age, probably partying on a friday night. something that i don't quite do... because lately, my friday nights have been consumed with reading, catching up on netflix movies, hanging out with my family at home or just being cozy in my bed thinking about life.

now, don't go off judging me in your mind... i do have a social life and i actually really enjoy a good party every now and then. but i have noticed that in recent times, i can do without just fine. i think it's healthy to not be out 24/7. i think it's perfectly alright to stay home & relax.

so here's to a quiet friday... enjoy the art of relaxing. it's almost becoming extinct.

what i'm doing right now:

{disclaimer: this isn't me.}

Meet my new friend.

2012-02-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier." - Mother Teresa

Everyone, meet Lydia. She is literally half my size... but her kindness, her smile, her laugh, the youthfulness in her voice - is way bigger than her tiny frame.

It was just a normal day - sat down on the bus, pulled out my book and was extremely focused on the words on the page. Until this little lady pushed her way through the crowd and plopped down on the seat next to me. At the next stop, the bus driver slammed on the breaks pretty hard and Lydia pretty much flew out of her seat... but don't worry guys, I caught her. And that's where our relationship started. She looked at me with her blue-grey eyes and just laughed. I wasn't sure what kind of response I would get for voluntarily putting my arms around her to make sure she didn't fall. I mean, we are downtown and some people would be quite angry with me for touching them, even if it was to save their lives. {weird, right?} But she laughed and whispered, "Whew.. that was close! I should remember to hold on to the bars here." We both shared a laughed and then the whole bus ride to our destination {which so happened to be the same place} we just talked.. about her life, where she grew up, what she does now, her family, her ex-husband, what she did in college, etc.

After I took this photo of her, I asked if I could take a picture of the both of us. I told her that I wanted one to print out and put in my journal. So that every time I see it, I can pray for her. She was more than happy to take one, but before we did, she whispered to me, "Oh man, I need a perm. And to color my hair. So bad." haha.

We ended our conversation with me giving her my number just in case she needed anything! {her son doesn't visit her much} And she gave me a huge hug.

Some people would be overly-cautious and not give their number out to a complete stranger. But in my mind, the way I think is... she really has no one and I don't want this to be the last time I see her or have a conversation with her. If all we will ever have is that one conversation on the bus, okay, fine. But if there is an opportunity to serve her and help her with whatever, even better.

goin' to the chapel..

2012-02-16T21:19:00.001-08:00

today i received two bridal shower invitations in the mail. crazy. i have so many friends getting married.. actually, every month until august. yep. tis the season for love, people.

No Greater Love

2012-02-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

"What we need is to love without getting tired. How does a lamp burn? Through the continuous input of small drops of oil. What are these drops of oil in our lamps? They are the small things of daily life: faithfulness, small words of kindness, a thought for others, our way of being silent, of looking, of speaking, and of acting. Do not look for Jesus away from yourselves. He is not out there; He is in you. Keep your lamp burning, and you will recognize Him."

-Mother Teresa

This is on the back cover of No Greater Love. I am loving this book and have only read the first chapter!

rain rain, go away.

2012-02-14T17:01:00.000-08:00

after a year of living in the desert.. i can't stand living in the rain. before moving back to seattle, i definitely didn't give it much thought that i was going to be moving back into a total different climate. and now... well, i've been thinking about it a lot lately and i've come to the conclusion that i cannot wait for summer. let's skip spring {i've never liked having allergies anyway} and go straight into summer.

many of you don't know, but i've been praying about moving to hawaii for a short season. and when i say short, i mean seriously really short {only a couple months}. and it's during days like this when i definitely want to hop on the next plane out of here.

I love this woman!

2012-02-13T20:27:00.001-08:00

Picked up a new book today! I've always heard "No Greater Love" was worth reading.. Just never got around to picking it up. Excited to read Mother Teresa's words. I absolutely love this woman!

i'm seriously blessed.

2012-02-13T20:07:00.000-08:00

i'm sitting here reading blogs of close friends, just friends, close acquaintances, mutual friends, etc. and i'm realizing... man, i know a lot of amazing people.

i tried to find a picture that would explain how i feel... but i can't seem to find one. so hopefully, i portray my thoughts well with my words. i have quality people around me. there are so many people that i look up to and admire. it's crazy. i'm a strong believer that you can't and shouldn't do life by yourself. look around you. look at the people you've crossed paths with and know that they have something to impart into your life. and as well, you have something to give out!

isn't that amazing? i'm amazed by it.

but while i was looking for a photo.. i came across this amazing shot:

yeah. beautiful.

we've got commitment issues.

2012-02-09T22:48:00.000-08:00

so here's some encouragement.

abc, 123

2012-02-09T22:38:00.000-08:00

saw this picture on my tumblr wall (thank you modern hepburn) and it reminded me about how excited i am to go to school. like so excited. fall should probably hurry up. there are two schools that i have been looking into - one here in washington state and on in the lovely aloha state. i want to go to school to be an esthetician ( 1 a person who is knowledgeable about the nature and appreciation of beauty, esp. in art. 2 a beautician.). so there you have it. this girl is ready to learn & can't wait to be in a classroom setting again! it's been far too long.

two must haves...

2012-02-08T21:39:00.000-08:00

i'll be grateful for having my own home.. with these two things or not. but in my perfect world - these will be two must haves in the home i raise my family in.

large windows.... i love natural light.

a huge front porch!

weekend recap!

2012-02-07T23:42:00.000-08:00

This past weekend my whole family {dad, mom, brother, all my sisters, all the nieces & nephews (except one... we missed you lani), uncle sam & jordan & bentley (our two doggies) } all went on a little birthday getaway for my momma. We rented a beautiful home on Summit Lake (right past Olympia, WA) and spent 4 days there enjoying each other & celebrating my mom. It was amazing. Here are just some pictures from the weekend!

mom opening up all her gifts!

pampering time :)

hey there bentley

ms. jordan looking at the lake?

lei loves to give kisses!

and she also loves to show her belly button. & if you're ever around when she's showing hers.. be careful, she'll lift up your shirt too!

this little cutie... amare!

oh you know.. just three guys fishin'..

happy, happy birthday momma!

we can never take a normal family photo. someone's either not smiling, confused on where to look or just hiding..

pretty girl!

i love my family. definitely appreciate everything about them...

life is beautiful!

2012-02-05T01:41:00.000-08:00

(my sisters out on the dock teaching the lil' ones how to fish)

with family, or at least with my family, life comes with happy times, sad times, annoying times, hard times, frustrating times, exciting times, ugly times, beautiful times... and if i missed anything - everything in between.

for those of you who don't know me well.. i come from a family of 6 kids - 1 boy (my dear broham) and 5 girls (yep, all of us with our own very strong personalities). i was raised by a crazy, hilarious, dancing machine man.. who just happens to be my father & a sweet, strong-willed, lovable lady who can cook anything really good... yep, my momma. i've got 5 nieces & nephews who are hilarious, loud and all of have really strong personalities of their own. two sweet "in-laws" (but we don't refer to them as that.. they're totally more than related to us by law!) who fit in so well with our family... god bless their hearts ;)

...and you put us all under one roof for the weekend... and let me tell you, all those emotions mentioned earlier - yup, those come out. and at the end of the day (or the beginning of the next day, seeing that it is almost 2 AM)... i have a big smile on my face, my heart is content and i'm faced with the reality that life is beautiful right at this very moment. nothing is better to me than family. the good, the bad & the ugly... it's a package deal ;)

happy sunday ya'll.

Ready for a vacation....

2012-02-03T20:53:00.001-08:00

regardless of the fact that i'm supposed to be in hawaii right now..... this is more than great too. away on a weekend vacation with my whole family. if i was looking for a quiet & peaceful time.. i came to the wrong place ;)

...funny stories & pictures to come. i'm sure of it.

daydreaming about the future

2012-02-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

in daydreaming about my future, i thought about how excited i will be to have my very own costco card. and that... like that picture up there... those will probably be my kids in the future too. messin' around & acting all kinds of crazy :)

i just laughed at myself. i seriously get excited and amused by the simple things in life. like owning a costco card. unless that's every other girl's dream in life too.. and i just didn't even realize? ;) well, whatever the case, i can't wait to be a mom, shopping at costco for my family. those are the kinds of things that cross my mind when i'm daydreaming about the future.

for all my fellow hunger game fans..

2012-02-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

trailer spoof. hilarious.

amazing.

2012-01-31T15:24:00.000-08:00

not everything in that quote is true:

sorry to break it to you.. but everything won't be amazing. it's true. there will be some pretty crappy moments in your life, times when you feel down & don't know if you'll ever cheer up, times when the whole world feels like its crumbling all around you... unfortunately, we're not immune to trying & testing times.

but there's truth in that quote:

but because there is a god that absolutely loves & adores us... things are amazing. there is hope for every dark moment in your life. there is joy for every sad season you'll ever go through. and there is a peace that will wipe away any fear you will ever face. and that's what's so amazing about life.

don't worry... you'll hate life sometimes, you'll cry about it, you'll not know what to do sometimes .. and yet, everything will turn out amazing when you remember that there is more to life than that. live every moment with the knowledge that god knows exactly what you're going through; he knows exactly how to help you through it. and he'll know how to turn any bad day into an amazing one.

happy tuesday.

when i feel like quitting, i keep going.

2012-01-31T15:16:00.000-08:00

just last year, i couldn't fathom the thought of going for a run. or even a light jog. a walk... yep, i loved those but nothing more. when i moved to california, bout half way through living there, i just got really excited about "working on my fitness." and so the journey began. a walk/jog here & there. then it turned into a light jog. then it turned into actually running around the neighborhood. was it ever really enjoyable for me? no. not really. but one thing it did do for me was, it cleared my head. and i think that's why i kept going. gotta have some kind of motivation, right?

anyway, so after my run today {4 miles} i was driving home and i thought, "dang. just last year i probably couldn't have done that without thinking that i would literally die." it just made me feel happy. and accomplished. i love working out now. some days i don't want to, but once i'm at the gym or running outside - i feel good. do i feel pain? absolutely. but just like that quote up there.. i endure the pain because i know that it's weakness leaving my body.

so anyway. there's a fitness update for you. it's 2012. let's work on being healthy, enjoying life and making the most of every moment. {and hey, don't deprive yourself. sneak a little treat here & there as well ;) }

lattes & goodies

2012-01-31T10:59:00.001-08:00

this morning i woke up & one of my first thoughts were, "a latte & a pastry... i want that right now." and so... with some help from my uncle & sister, it happened! :) love when things work out. went with my uncle to drop lily {my lovely hair-stylist sister - guys.. she's amazing! go to foxycut downtown seattle.. she'll hook you up} off & she bought me a yummy latte. and then after that, because of this nice weather seattle is having right now, went walking around the junction & hit up bakery nouveau for some goodies.

the case of french macarons. i am a strong believer that bn has the best macarons in the seattle area. those bright green ones are margarita flavor! delicious.

my choices of macaron for this morning: pb&j and coconut. the pb&j had some hazelnut butter & fresh made jelly in it - so yummy! the coconut one is probably one of my favorites. coconut heaven...

so. it's only 11 am and my day has already been awesome. that's what i'm talkin' about.

excuse my childish ways

2012-01-30T14:10:00.000-08:00

today, i was washing my hands and made bubbles. and it made me so happy. i smiled. at the bubbles. and then thought, "funny how those little childish things can make a person so happy."

go ahead! do something childish today... make bubbles, write on the sidewalk with chalk, draw silly stick figures - whatever you choose, "never lose the child-like wonder. it's just too important. it's what drives us."

:)

thanks grace!

2012-01-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

as of late, this has become one of my favorite quotes. i think about certain pivotal times in my life where this quote has been so true. grace is never too late. it comes at the perfect time. it meets me at my greatest need & somehow figures out when i need it the most. i'm grateful for that. aren't you? go ahead and think about all those times that grace swept into your life. and smile. and be grateful. and go about your day giving grace out to the next person.

happy monday!

i got a little country in me..

2012-01-28T23:58:00.000-08:00

every now and then, i get my lil' country on & enjoy my country playlist on itunes. one of my favorites: "we own the night" by lady antebellum

and i just love cowboy/girl engagement & wedding themes.

bet you didn't know that about me, huh?

my last day.

2012-01-28T13:23:00.001-08:00

"the soul is healed by being with children."

i'm going to miss these lil' guys.

thank you, thank you

2012-01-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

"would we know that the major chords were so sweet,

if there were no minor key?"

-C.H. Spurgeon

Thank you God for the bad days, for they make the good days that much sweeter.

"as we go on..."

2012-01-26T11:24:00.000-08:00

as some of you know, this is my last week working at hiawatha community center, as a before/after school program counselor. i have absolutely loved my time there and am going to miss it with all of my heart! seriously. i've always loved hanging out with the kiddos - grew up babysitting everyone's children! i thank god that he gave me the gift of patience and love for the lil' ones :) but god is doing some rearranging of priorities in my life & has told me to move on from the community center job.

i told the kids that i was going to leave and some kids made sad faces, some kids asked questions and some kids continued to eat their snack, like nothing even happened. kids. but today, whenever the subject came up, some of the kids weren't very happy about it. sad actually.. like genuinely very sad. which made me.. very, very sad. i hate goodbyes. & it's not like i can ask them for their number so we can keep in contact. you know? it's been a tough week knowing that i'm not going to be around the kids that make me want to go crazy sometimes and then other times, make me laugh until i cry. *sighhh

so in honor of one of my favoritest jobs yet..

& to top it off...

our kids like to do Just Dance for the Wii. this is their favorite song.

the crazy things we do.

2012-01-24T21:40:00.001-08:00

oh gosh. this was after i pulled an all nighter for school...like 6 years ago. don't judge me based off of this video. or do. whatever. hah ;)

feb 14th is around the corner..

2012-01-24T00:21:00.000-08:00

..which means, ladies... make your gents a lovely heart cake. or gents.. get in that kitchen & bake your lady a cake. whoever. kids make it for your mom/dad. friends.. make it for your other single friends (*ahem*cough*cough*hint to my friends..). isn't it such a lovely cake? and you don't even have to tell the person you made it for that there's a heart in it. it could be a surprise!

recipe here .. tons of other fun recipes on that blog as well! enjoy!

"i won't be overwhelmed"

2012-01-24T00:16:00.000-08:00

"God, I look to You,

I won't be overwhelmed,

Give me vision to see things like You do.

God, I look to You,

You're where my help comes from,

Give me wisdom,

You know just what to do."

This song calms me every time I hear it. It's sort of been the anthem of my life for the past couple months. Whenever I get anxious, antsy, worried, tired, stressed... I start to sing, "God, I look to you... I won't be overwhelmed.." and it's almost immediate that I am at peace. I know a God that takes my burden away and carries it for me. He let's me look to Him.. and He knows exactly what to do. Now that's a relief ;)

Handwritten Sentiments.

2012-01-24T00:08:00.001-08:00

This week has been the week for receiving fun letters & packages :) I LOVE it! Getting mail is one of my favorite things ever.
Thank you Maggie & Elisa for my lovely notes/goodies. Made my week & it's just begun!

life is too short

2012-01-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

i told two of the girlies at my job (before/after school program) this today. 10 mintues earlier, they were best buds... and in that moment, you wouldn't even know they ever liked each other! in response to my cliche, "life is too short for fighting" one of the girls (1st grader) says, "no ms. anthea. life is too short for secrets. not fighting."

... well, i guess she's right. but so am i. so there you have it. today.. remember - life is too short for fussing, fighting & keepin' secrets.

..advice from me... and a 1st grader.

what are you built for?

2012-01-22T22:25:00.001-08:00

tick tock, tick tock..

2012-01-22T15:32:00.000-08:00

no thanks to pinterest, craft gawker, food gawker & wedding gawker.... i actually feel this way more often than i'd like to admit. okay, okay. i admit... i feel this way a lot. tons of ideas of things i want to do, people i want to hang out with, places i want to go, food i want to make, things i'd like to cook... etc. etc. etc. ... aaaaannd not enough time. but then again, i guess i can't quite make an excuse for the time not being enough. i've been challenging myself to make the most of every opportunity. despite how i feel about time, i know that there is just enough time to do the things that i'm called & have a heart to do. so.. no matter the number of ideas; i am sure that there is all the time in the world, that i need, for them.

...so fear not! if you're supposed to do it, there will be grace to do it!

little anthea

2012-01-21T01:12:00.000-08:00

{little me.}
it's one something in the morning and i'm up. wide awake. thinking about how easy childhood was. in the midst of any kind of turmoil, strife or hard time - i didn't know it. i was a kid... life was centered around playing house with my neighbors, eating bubblegum & trying to get out of nap time {the biggest hardship i knew as a child, hah.} and now that i'm older, it feels like, i'm carrying all the weight of the world on my shoulders. well, all the weight of my world at least. i know i don't have much to stress about, cry about or even complain about compared to others... but sometimes i wish i could go back to the carefree world of my younger days.

...maybe that's why god calls us to be childlike. to live carefree, knowing that he is good & we can trust in him. it's his promise to me. to us. i know that. but i still wish that for a moment, i could be little anthea again.

believe it.

2012-01-20T09:01:00.001-08:00

snow day numero dos.

2012-01-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

ventured to harborview to pick my sister up.

stopped at delite bakery to get some goodies!

went on a nice stroll around the neighborhood with my momma!

pretty icicle tree.

the sky was so beautiful.

"put your hands up!"

oh.. and you may have noticed that i changed the blog title up there. yeah, that's a pig. and yeah... it's not for any particular reason except for the fact that i felt like putting a pig there ;) random & odd. i know.

"jesus was born.."

2012-01-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

i was going through my iphoto & found this video {that i was supposed to post a long time ago} of my nephew kingston performing in his school's christmas play. i figure, since its snowing... it's still kind of christmas season & more than appropriate to post this video :)

isn't he cute? {the little big guy right in front}

new music

2012-01-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

there are certain songs i never get tired of.

& this is one of them. click the video & you can download the song! so good.

let it snow..

2012-01-18T23:02:00.000-08:00

today was a lovely, lovely snow day.

my view from my kitchen window

sledding is always fun...

handstand snowman, joanna, syd & me. all with our sledding positions.

momma mary made thumbprint cookies. so, SO good!

i liked the snow on our trees in front of my house.

homemade oatmeal chocolate butterscotch cookies. delish.

while i was baking, i looked over and saw my niece just chillin... funny girl.

and after i consumed too many cookies.. i decided to go for a walk with a bag of those cookies. i wanted to hand them out to people in my neighborhood. i figured, there's no school tomorrow, people love snow, and it's still light out - there has to be people out! so i took the pup jordan out with me to fulfill that mission.

....well....

& that concludes my snow day #1. now to get some rest before my snow day #2 tomorrow =)

Q&A a day + 5 yr journal

2012-01-18T09:48:00.001-08:00

this question was perfect for today...

must watch!

2012-01-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

i'm always late when it comes to watching movies. i love movies... but for some reason, i always watch all the really good movies, really late. for instance, i still haven't seen avatar. yeah, crazy.

anyway, just watched warrior & LOVED it. definitely adding it to my favorite movie list.

inspirational. tear-jerker. action. all those mixed into a movie = 2 hrs well spent.

goin' to the chapel..

2012-01-17T16:11:00.000-08:00

simple wedding dress + extravagant accessories

simple & beautiful

2012-01-17T15:12:00.000-08:00

femme by christos

this is beautiful. i want it. it's simple. but it's extravagant. all at the same time. i can think of some nice accessories to go with this dress. *sigh..

my imaginary snow day

2012-01-17T14:51:00.001-08:00

so apparently, there is a supposed to be a "snowpocalypse". right now, in west seattle, skies are pretty clear with a little bit of clouds.. and a lot of sunshine. today, work was canceled because of the snow. or maybe it was because the warning of snow. whatever the case, i'm grateful for my imaginary snow day. more time to bake, hang out with family & go to my cycling class at the gym ;)

a god who cares..

2012-01-16T14:17:00.000-08:00

"...there I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor, a door of hope."

hosea 2:15

in the bible, the valley of achor was a place that represented trouble, affliction & distress. and today, as i was reading that passage, god said to my heart, "my dear... i will make your valley of achor into a place of hope, goodness & life." as of late, i haven't been depressed or even slightly stressed out; just a little indifferent. i've been examining my life & am not very satisfied with where i'm at or where it seems i'm going. {hello world, i'm telling you my heart right now. no filter here. hah.} but today... today he whispered to my heart some good news. and i needed to tell you about it, because i know that there are SO many of us who are struggling, going through the motions, not sure of what lies ahead or even of what already was... but guess what. hearts, be still - he, a god who is interested in & cares about every aspect of your life - knows what we are going through & offers to us, every single day... a door of hope.

3 books in less than a week

2012-01-16T00:10:00.000-08:00

from the day i read the first page of the hunger games, i was hooked. like my good friend ash {check out her blog how sweet it is} said in her review - whenever i wasn't reading, i felt like i was leaving all my district 12 friends hangin'. and now... there isn't anything to read. it's a bittersweet feeling. half of me is happy to be done with the books and the other half doesn't know what i'm going to do with my time.

*sigh. i guess it's time for another book. suggestions?

beer + bread + family

2012-01-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

as of late... i've been all about beer bread. have i been eating tons of it? nope. actually, i've only had it a couple times this winter. but, embarrassingly enough, i log onto pinterest, type in beer bread and admire the fluffy, buttery bread - often. so today, as the snow is falling outside... i come to the conclusion, it's one of those days that it's okay to be lazy, eat whatever & enjoy family. SO.. as i'm typing, i'm waiting for my beer bread muffins {my brother doesn't have a bread pan} to finish. ah! i'm excited. i'll let you know how they turn out. right about now, it's smelling heavenly in the kitchen. {my mom is making coconut curry pasta too} come brave the snow weather & have dinner with us.

recipe here

hey there sof.

2012-01-15T15:24:00.001-08:00

sofia elizabeth talamaivao. my niece is adorable.

home sweet, future home

2012-01-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

rugged wood floors. rustic trunk. that rug. the sunlight. i love it.

just recently my parents let me paint the door in the kitchen with chalkboard paint. it's stinkin' fantastic. and i want one in my future home. i also like that door. a lot. i don't know how realistic it would be and it'll probably get in my way butttt... it still pleasing to the eye ;)

Those windows. Oh, let the light in. Natural light is the best. hands down.

allen stone + say so

2012-01-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

i'd like this song to be played at some point in my future wedding.

allen stone - say so

i'm VERY excited. i get to see him live tonight! seattle rock orchestra + allen stone. woot woot.

keep an open home.

2012-01-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

"keep an open heart & open home." a phrase i always want to live by. growing up, my parents had tons of different people over to our house. to talk, to eat, to sleep... company, all the time. i want to live that way when i have my own home. a huge dining room table is a must - i want to have unexpected dinner guests often! an open floor plan - it's just better that way. a big, big kitchen - that's where we all end up congregating anyway, right? might as well have a big one!

what's on your wishlist?

2012-01-14T13:29:00.001-08:00

I'm a true believer of wishing & hoping. And today... I wish for this. I tried it on at work this morning and it was BEAUTIFUL. It's the perfect spring/summer dress. Great length. Comfy fit. And the striking colors. Don't you love it?

...What's on your wishlist today?

instafriday; workin' on my fitness

2012-01-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

My dear friend Leigh & I decided we'd hike Rattlesnake Ridge yesterday. It was such a GORGEOUS day and a lovely hike.

This morning I woke up, got out of bed and nearly fell over because my legs & booty were SO sore. Then... I decided, no pain, no gain and got up, drove to the gym and did some spinning. Best decision I made all day.

Sariah Carson for Anthro

2012-01-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

As most know, I work at Anthro. I love it with all of my heart and could spend most of my time in there, if they would let me ;) Recently we got a new shipment of lovely, lovely threads by Sariah Carson. Just a peak of springtime to get all of our hearts out of winter. (I know I could use some color in my life right about now) All of her dresses, tops and skirts are SO soft. I'm loving the look and feel of her designs!

tumblr + blogspot

2012-01-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

I've decided that it's finally time to upgrade to an actual blog. After years of being on Tumblr (which.. I LOVE), I'm adding a blogspot to my online life. Now, hopefully I can keep up with such a task. Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest & Blogspot? Phew. Pray for me ;)