Peachy.

 Remember this little peach tree?

 

          

The first summer, it gave us a few... Last year, next to none (due to pruning too late, and possible over-pruning).

This year, we learned our lesson- and it paid off. Or rather- paid out.

              

We've frozen some, baked with others...

 

and simply drank the rest.

It's amazing how quickly you can use 'em up when you put your mind to it.

Peach Margarita

serves 3

2 peaches

1/2 c tequila

1/4 c grand marnier

1 1/2 T honey

1 T lime juice (1 lime)

1 1/2 c ice

{garnish}

1 T sugar

2 T salt (kosher)

lime wheel

mix salt & sugar.

rub lime wedge on edge of glasses.

dip in salt & sugar.

blend remaining ingredients, & pour.

garnish glasses with lime wheel.

*peeling the peaches is optional.

(we've been leaving them unpeeled)

{ryan found the recipe here}

  

It's a good one.

In bloom.

We're back from another wonderful wine country vacation, and I'm ready to write... to post... to read... to connect (or re-connect, I should say)... but also wanting to enjoy the part of summer that I love most. The part where Hailey's birthday celebrating (July 2nd) is over. The vacation planning, preparing, packing is complete (& likewise~ the unpacking hell) {camping can be a whole lotta work}. 

...the part of summer where relaxation mode has fully set in. Where we take all the inspiration from that wonderful vacation... from the books we've read... meals we've tasted... seeds we planted... and put it to good use. 

...in our own backyard.
                                                                    
{So in an effort to do all/both of the above~ blog + summer ~ I've decided to stop over-thinking it, and keep my posts short & sweet... starting with this article that Stephanie shared with me yesterday...}

It was more timely & relevant than Stephanie may have realized when she generously took the time to send me the link. And I'd strongly encourage you to read it too... So this is me, sending you the link :).

                                    

Why It's Never Too Late to Bloom

  

Let freedom ring.

    

PSA.

A few weeks ago, we met with my dad for quick dinner/gift exchange.  Never being one to hold back on "how he really feels"- after pointing out that my toenails needed a little "attention" (In all honesty, that last week of school- I'm a disheveled wreck), he blatently asked, "What's that spot on your face?"  

What it was was an eyesore... an annoying "blemish" that came out of nowhere and decided to stay put- right on my forehead.  It started as a red bump, and slowly (but surely) morphed into a what appeared to be a shiny, somewhat bumpy (but partly indented, if that makes any sense) scar.  That's what I assumed it was anyhow.  I always heard that along with "old age" comes all sorts of "beauty marks".  

Assuming this was the case, and hoping it would leave as suddenly as it arrived, I ignored it...  for about a year.

My dad wasn't about to let me ignore it any longer.  He {blatantly} said that it looks like it could be skin cancer (which he and his wife have both had, multiple times)~ and that he didn't want to "scare me" but he wanted to scare me enough to have it checked out.  Well, he did.  And I did.

I went in the following Tuesday, and on Thursday, had a biopsy.  Friday, I was told that is was in fact skin cancer.  Basil Cell Carcinoma.  The good news is that this form of cancer "can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow, but almost never spreads (metastasizes) beyond the original tumor site."  

This afternoon, I'm going in to have it treated/removed with an outpatient surgery (Mohs surgery).  My mom's husband has undergone this procedure and was able to explain the process, which was highly comforting.

This was a definite wake-up call.  A call to wear sunscreen (no less than 30 spf) on a daily basis... A call to be more aware/respondent (45% chance of recurrence)... To see a dermatologist on a regular basis (they recommend every six months from this point forward)... And last but not least, [when it comes to your loved ones] a call to set formalities aside, and be blatant. 

Just like my dad was.
 

Spanish sangria {quick & slow}.

{i will spare you the reasons as to "why i haven't been blogging [again]"~

because really, it's all the same reasons i've mentioned in the past.

i will just say [again] that i'm happy to be back.}

as of thursday, at 12:31pm...

summer has officially commenced.

the list has been written.

patio {& dog} cleaned. 

sangria sipped.

 

  

{one of the easiest "cocktails" to make, and oh so pretty}

                               

spanish sangria

{2 ways}

slow
*slightly adapted from 101 sangrias & pitcher drinks                             

serves 8 
             
1 bottle spanish red wine* 

1/4 c cognac

1/4 c citronge (recipe called for orange curacao; could use grand marnier or cointreau)

1/4 c simple syrup

2 oranges, cut into half-wheels

2 peaches, cut into cubes

2 lemons, cut into half-wheels

                                    

Place all of the ingredients in a large glass or ceramic container and stir well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).  Serve over ice.  Garnish with additional fruit if desired.  

                                                     

*I used two buck chuck, based a recommendation from a tapas cooking class in which we made the "quick" version (recipe below).

                                     

quick
*hipcooks version 
                   
serves 8 
 
2 bottles of red wine (i.e. two buck chuck) 
3 oranges, cut into half-wheels
3 limes, cut into half-wheels
½ a bottle of mango passionfruit juice (from tj's, or other tropical juice)
dash of citronge (or grand marnier, or cointreau)
                              
Place all of the ingredients in a large glass or ceramic container and muddle*.  Serve over ice.

*This can be made up to 8 hours ahead of time, but the muddling releases some of the juices into the sangria, eliminating the need to infuse on their own, over time (in other words, a good way to "cheat" when you need instant gratification, or simply don't have time to wait).

{p.s. somewhere along the line, in my extended break- for reasons completely unbeknownst to me, my anonymous comments (aka SPAM) have SKYROCKETED. every single day, "they" inundate my posts. 

i've held off on reinstalling word verification, but enough is enough.} 

S H I N E.

If I hold back, I'm no good...  

I'd rather be good sometimes, than holding back all the time.

~janis joplin 

over the weekend, we had the opportunity to see an incredible production of, 'one night with janis joplin'.

from beginning to end~

my heart was beating.

my soul, singing.

 electrifying.

{...the pure magical, glorious essence of [being in the presence of] one who lets their LIGHT shine.}

not bad for a sunday matinee.

 

Hard work pays off.

Ryan has always been a good influence on me when it comes to shutting work OFF (back in the days that I used to work... or more specifically, when I had work on my brain 24/7).  For years, we both held the same position.  Both district managers for Starbucks Coffee Company.  Both had the same number of direct reports, similar geographical spans- in other words, the same exact work load.  But he had this AMAZING ability to leave his laptop shut when he walked in the door (This was back in the glorious days when our mobile phones were not inundated with texts or email... when their sole purpose was for *phone calling*... Sadly, keeping the laptop shut nowadays doesn't quite do the trick of 'shutting work off'...).  So, thanks to him, we do weekends pretty well. 
 
But for the same reasons mentioned here, old habits have returned -in the form of laundry, dishes, paperwork, inbox-clearing, garage-cleaning...  But when spring break ended last week, and I wrote that post (declaring to GO more... see more, try more, DO more), I vowed to take our weekends back to a time for play... for togetherness... for rest~ & rejuvenation.    
                                                                         
On Friday, I read this article~ "What The Most Successful People Do With Their Weekends".  ~my thoughts exactly.

I worked hard during the week, and in fact- by the time I read those words, laundry was done.  Any that built up over the weekend could (& did) wait until Monday.  The must-do's of the week were done.  Still a million TO-do's.  But those could (& did) wait until Monday.

Hard work really does pay off.  The absence of laundry alone made a world of difference.  Some of our time was spent doing "work"~ making pizza, digging dirt~ but of a different variety.  {...a variety that also pays very well.}  

                  

 {...one of our big weekend "jobs"~ reviving our garden, which [despite intentions to keep it going year-round] hasn't been touched since last summer... this year, due to limited time, we broke the work into parts... we cleared it out and prepped the soil a couple of weekends back... last weekend, we mapped it out and purchased our seeds... this past weekend, we purchased our seedlings & planted.  this year, we wanted to involve the kids more than we have in years past.  breaking it up into parts allowed it to be more enjoyable~ and less stressful (or- keeping in line with the theme of this post~ "work-filled").  this year, they each got their own planter box!  they picked out their own seeds and with our help, plotted & planted... we love seeing them get so 'into it' :).}

 

Now Monday is here, the hampers are full, and I'm more than ready to work just as hard this week for that {weekend} payoff that awaits.
 

A new approach.

"getting back into a creative zone."

                                                                               

{Yesterday, I sent an email to a friend~ thanking her for gifting me with the amazing cookbook, in the photo above.  Here is a portion of her reply...}

Today I got a cookbook that I saw advertised in Sunset magazine... It is soul food vegan... by Bryant Terry, named The Inspired Vegan. 

I have decided that in order to be the artist I want to be and give the classes I am doing, and volunteer at the school, and lounge about reading, etc. as I do, I have to make what I do in the kitchen (I cook almost all our meals) short and sweet- but better than I have been doing (do you know what I mean?)...

So in order to improve as a cook and eater... I want to make the most attention on the veggie part of the meal... and then throw in the meat/chicken/fish/chicken sausage/ as the easy part.  I am thinking that using the soul food vegan cooking approach might entice me to spend more thought and give me some new skills…  

Cooking is very interesting to me- but I have so many hobbies and loves that cooking and food has to get in line behind many other things.

YES.  I do know what she means.  I know exactly what she means.  It's as if she took the words right out of my mouth (er... keyboard).
                                                                                                         

Go.

{a beautiful alicia bock photograph ~ a daily reminder to GO.}

You know that saying, "You need to get out more"?

For various reasons (that I've shared before... homework being one of the primary culprits~ Ryan and Jacob's homework) we've sort of become homebodies.  And I am blatently reminded of this fact each and every time I log into my instagram account.  This is not a bad thing, I might add.  ~This blatent reminder.  It doesn't throw me into a jealous state... or a my-life-is-MISERABLE mindset.  Because, really- it is not.  I love our home.  I love what we have {intentionally} created it to be.  I love the memories we create in the walls within.  The laughs we share.  The wine we sip.  The seeds we plant.  The games we play.  The meals we savor.  The shows we watch.  It really is home-sweet-home.

But it has definitely sparked a longing~ a longing that was already there~ as we've always had the urge explore- to see- to do- to try- to GO.  As much as we enjoy the comfort of four walls and a couple of super comfy sofas (we picked well :)), there is nothing that compares to fresh air and an open road.

That spark is pretty much on fire at this point.  Not only within me... but in each of us.  On day one of spring break, upon finishing a little "coaching session" with Jacob- encouraging him to use his money for doing and not only acquiring... he proceed to inform me that there are many places he'd like to go... things he would like to do.  He had no trouble listing them all out.  Hailey (the child that wakes up each and every non-school day and asks, "Where are we going to go today??") was more-than-eager to join the conversation.  And best of all?  Their lists weren't filled with amusement parks (although they were definitely included) and presently-insurmountable excursions.  But instead, nearby museums, parks, movies... "places [we've never visited] in L.A!"... "the beach!"...  All doable.  Or at least, plan-worthy.

Simply put:  We really do need to get out more.

So off we went.  A little something (or somewhere I should say), each and every day.  Happy kids.  Happy mama.  Happy dad (to come home to the aforementioned 'happy').  Happiness abound.  
                  

Every girl...

“... is expected to have Caucasian blue eyes, full Spanish lips, a classic button nose, hairless Asian skin with a California tan, a Jamaican dance hall ass, long Swedish legs, small Japanese feet, the abs of a lesbian gym owner, the hips of a nine-year-old boy, the arms of Michelle Obama and doll tits. This is why everyone is struggling.”

-Tina Fey

image via

   

Love this quote.

And hate it at the same time.

    

Sweet & savory. {Savory & sweet.}

Yesterday, spring break officially commenced.  I took the kids to see The Croods.  As I rushed to get ready, I asked Jacob to get our snacks together.  He asked Hailey and I what we would eat first~ the candy or the popcorn.  He accommodated each of our wishes.

The Footnotes:
                 

1. We're cheap.
2. Delayed gratification is vastly overrated.
3. He's quite methodical, incredibly thoughtful, & pretty sweet~ that boy of mine. (but never before savory)

p.s.
The movie? ...such a positive message, & funny too. thumbs up.
p.p.s.
...& he was in it :).
                 

Resolve.

{coffee date #2 of the day.  friends are a beautiful thing.  so is coffee.}

last year, on this very same day (the day before my birthday), i wrote a post about "choice."

sometimes i need to be reminded of my own words...

What I do each day, each week, each moment is a matter of choice.  And while I have responsibilities & obligations to contend with, life does not just happen to me.

in the past couple of days i've had several conversations with friends {different friends... similar age-range}~ centered around this simple, yet profound, concept.  we've learned it before.  we know in our hearts to be true.  but seem to have "forgotten"- or - continue to keep "forgetting" it along the way... 

i do not want to look back on a life that just "happened" to me~ wondering what the hell happened(??)- or worse- why did i let it happen(??). 

living with intention.  having the courage to do so... the focus to make it happen.  
~ currently {& deeply} on my mind and in my heart.  
 
last week,~ in perfect synchronicity~ i read a couple of incredibly inspiring posts (here & here), which both shared the 'quote of all quotes'... the 'question of all questions'... 

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

Mary Oliver, Poet   

 i resolve to make it a great one.

...because after all, it is a matter of choice.