Kitchen Item Lust

Summer is around the corner, there's no denying this. Temperatures are slowly rising, flowers are blooming, we see more produce, more flies, more ants, too, lighter clothing material, and more recipes that allow us to dream of salads and BBQ dinners in the backyard. What is not to love? Right? So here I am looking around my kitchen realizing I needed new bowls {ours have clearly seen better days}, a few new accessories to make this year's summer bright and fun, and a new cutting board. So I went online shopping...online window shopping so far and here's what I found:

How cute is this cutting board!!?! Showing my state pride with this beauty. You can find it at JCPenney's and even BedBath&Beyond. Summer always consists of lots of cool drinks. I make my own lavender lemonade and lemon water so a new pitcher is also needed. Turquoise is such a perfect summer color {also available in different colors} so I am slightly drooling here. Our plates are still pretty okay so I may not upgrade the collection but I could always use new ones that go with a new summer pitcher. I have been looking for a tray to add to our home and well, I might have just found it. I don't shop seasonally but sometimes you got to add a bit of color to your every day life and kitchen. Plus, with summer almost here why not start now and not when it is too late {or sold out}.

I don't want to spend a ton on new items. Items are clearly just items and can always be replaced. Yet, over the past few months I realized that waiting for the right time or moment to purchase something new is silly. That moment may never come so why wait? Go get yourself that cutting board showing off some state pride, or new bowls because well, you know you need and want it all. Plus, again, you'll regret it later I am sure.

My kitchen item lust list would go on but I can only afford so much while still staying sane. I clearly don't want to go overboard and replace it all because, well, I don't have the money and frankly not even the space for it. Ha! 

Are you like me lusting over new kitchen utensils or plates, or what not?! If so, what is it? Let me know.

Have an amazing day and weekend ahead of you. I promise I'll stay away from all the shopping. ;-)

xox

5 Night Routines for a Healthy Relationship

There are tons of books out there talking about how to fix a relationship, how to live better, how to behave better, how to act, and how not to act. Honestly, I never touched one. I believe in the written word and I am sure that all these books help in some way and show a way to improve or enjoy a happier relationship especially when the relationship is not going so well. There is a book for pretty much anything and everything. What inspires me though is to find out how to make the already happy and well functioning relationship work even better. Why look for help or suggestions when something is crumbling, about to shatter into millions of pieces? You can call it prevention...I call it inspiration. Bring the better you out and live it so it is felt and shown in any relationship. Here are my five tips to add to your night routine when in a relationship...

1. Never ever go to bed angry or mad. Not worth it. It will kill your sleep. Seriously, think about it. When you go to bed angry you are stressed and stress doesn't necessarily lead to sleep. You won't be able to fall asleep as fast or rest as much as you would like to. You may sleep but how peaceful will that sleep be when you are angry at your partner? You wake up groggy and your day is off to a bad start.
2. Prepare for the next day. Now this sounds like it doesn't belong here but look at it this way...when you prepare for the next day you not only lay out clothes, shoes and get your bag{s} ready, you also prepare for the future. You look ahead. You plan. You look forward to the next day {or not, depending on what you're up to}. Yet, the more you prepare for the next day the easier your morning will be...and the smoother your night's rest will feel as well.
3. Put all electronics away {phones, tablets, laptops}. It's a distraction. If you really want to check with social media, emails or games before you go to bed schedule a specific time for it. Let's say you go to bed at 10.30, make 9.30 to 9.45 the time to check for all of that and then make those bad boys go away! No need to lay in bed next to your partner and not engaging with your partner, which brings me to the next tip:
4. Connect. Talk, play games, massage, tickle, be intimate in any kind of form you would like. Being intimate does not mean you have to have sex, remember that. Connect with your partner. We talk a lot in bed. We go over the day, what went right what went wrong. What the next day looks like or the next week.  All that while he is massaging that knot on my muscle away. This gives us a chance to re-connect, to get everything out of the way and clear our heads so we don't go to bed angry {see tip #1}.
5. Always kiss good-night and say good-night. It's that simple. We made a rule that we would always do this no matter what. It makes sense and brings harmony. It's also a nice way to end any day and know that you are not alone and loved. It is part of my fourth tip, but brings this nightly routine to an end. 

These are my night routines for my healthy relationship with my man. There are many more tips out there on what to do before you go to bed. Yes, shower, brush teeth, remove make-up, stretch, read, play with pets, put lotion on, or what not. All those are important, too. Today I wanted to solely focus on five simple yet effective ways to end a day and get a hopefully good night's rest. You may think, wait a minute...what if you have children? What is that nightly routine going to look like then because it is quite likely to happen that both sides will be exhausted and won't have time for a good-night kiss...

...well, then my lovely readers...then I don't know. Is a kiss really that hard to manage?

xox

Weekly Hopes {39}

Another day, another week and another Weekly Hopes from yours truly...so let's jump right to it because I can't wait to tell you what I am hoping for this week...plus it's early and I don't want to miss my favorite part of the day...working out my legs and butt! Yes!!!

This week my Weekly Hopes consists of...

1. Warmer weather

2. Baking

3. Seeing an old friend from Southern California {she's here for business but hey I get to see her}

4. Dinner downtown somewhere

5. Butt kicking workouts

6. Catching up on emails, blogs, and questions

7. Happiness and Distractions

8. Hope

9. Hugs and determination

10. Laughter, lots of laughter

These hopes may be simple but sometimes simple hopes are crucial for survival. One year ago I was a mess. This doesn't mean I am no mess at the moment but I am more me. I can breathe, I can dream, and I can hope. One year ago I tried to strongly hold onto hope for about two weeks. I tried to find power and strength and faith. Nothing worked. Nothing helped. So, this week and next I am trying to focus on what is now and not what once was. I was a mess last year this time around but this year I want to be hopeful, happy, smiling, and ready to be me. Wish me luck!!

xox

Happy Friday - Family Edition

Most Fridays I participate by linking up with Krysten, Lindsay and Charlotte for their 10 Things that Made me Happy this Week series. Love this idea. This week I was debating whether or not to participate. Not because I had nothing "happy" to report but because I felt I didn't have the time to share it with you. Well, I decided to stay home today and sleep in...I didn't sleep in because at five in the morning we were woken up by loud and screaming neighbors. Crazy world. So my happiness loving self didn't want to blog but because I believe blogging/writing helps improve any bad mood I decided to open my laptop and start writing...and here I am, sharing with you what made me happy...shall we begin?

1. Mimosas

2. Board Games

3. Rain

4. A glass cake plate I received from my cousin in Istanbul - I am in love!

5. Seeing the Sheriff arrive at my neighbors {yes I'm mean but it made my happy...finally!}

6. Crying

7. StitchFix 

8. Kicking my allergies in the butt with natural remedies

9. Lindsay and her uplifting words, she knows when to send an email at the right time. Love ya!

10. Massage

It's been an interesting week. When I needed it most I received the above plate at the right time. I had been crying all day, feeling sad, feeling hurt, feeling pain and having a hard time breathing in general. I felt awful. I decided to check the mail and found out I had a package from my cousin waiting for me. She told me she sent me something but didn't elaborate on it. Well, once it arrived my heart and mind brightened and I felt more relaxed. When you feel lonely and feel like you don't have friends and especially family {blood related family that is} near you everything hurts. These next two weeks will be challenging but manageable. Receiving this plate showed me I am still loved and linked to my family abroad. Receiving this plate gave me hope, and it gave me courage. I felt instantly loved. Needless to say I cried for another hour knowing I am loved and missed and appreciated. Mushy I know but so worth mentioning because hey, I am only human and life happens. 

So yes, with that...my week has been great. Who would complain when one can list mimosas, a massage, a StitchFix delivery and a precious glass plate to their happy list? Yup, no one should complain about that at all. 

Come and join the fun and link up!! You won't regret it.
Happy Friday everyone! Have a fantastic day and weekend ahead of you.

xox

Time Heals All Wounds - QOTD #29

“It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.” 

Rose Kennedy

***

I have come across this very quote a few days ago and it hit home. Hard. I so agree with this quote because although we want to believe that time heals all wounds it doesn't. It may make it easier but it may not make those wounds go away. Ever. They stay with us whether we like it or not. They shape us and make us either stronger, more fragile, determined, confused or bitter. I am a mix of all of this. My wounds are still open, and it hurts to know that soon it will hit a one year mark. Time sure flies but it doesn't heal those wounds, it just lessens the pain. 

Yesterday I started experiencing anxiety attacks again and they aren't pretty. It's a mix of allergy related anxiety attacks as well. Thanks pollen, grass and trees...thank you. Well, maybe I should thank me for all of that because I caused it. But that story is for another time. I don't know what caused my anxiety attacks yesterday but man I felt awful. There were moments I felt great and normal and I kept wondering why I felt normal that moment. Was it that I didn't think of my mom? What is that I didn't think of the day? That I didn't think of what may come after that one year mark? Probably. I don't know. I don't think about the day, officially. I'm sure subconsciously I am. I am sure my mind dreams about it but won't let me see those dreams. I am not stupid. I know the day will come and I know it will bring back memories and sadness. I was told to get distracted that day. I am hoping we will find a way to do so. It's so very real and so very weird. And the funniest thing about it all is that my anxiety leaves me once I start crying. It's like all the sorrow, all the heavy stuff I carry with me and all the worries I have leave me for however long I cry. It feels great and yet it feels awful because I am an ugly cry baby. My face swells, it gets red and I look like I swallowed a sour melon that is too huge to even get eaten. 

So, long story short...I am a mess and time heals NOT all wounds. I am sad yet happy. I am a mess, really. Every day I learn my lessons, I cherish each moment and hope mom sees how I am doing. Well, I hope she won't see it all because some of it isn't pretty and I am not proud of it but hey, it's life and I needed time off to reflect on myself, my life, my future, my health and heck, I am proud to say I am ready to conquer the world again. I must, whether or not I am happy. I simply must.

I hope this finds you happier than I am. If you're experiencing similar feelings consider yourself hugged because hugs help. Hugs are needed and a true blessing, no matter who gives them. Remember that. 

xox

Currently {7}

Thinking about: Lately, I have a few dates on my mind and what we {or I} should do on those dates. One is May 6, one is June 2, and one is August 29. As August is far away I'm mainly focusing on May and June. May 6 will mark one year since my mom chose to give up living life and sleep forever {yes, I'm still slightly bitter about it}. I was told, and I have read, it is best to get distracted that day and "celebrate" it somehow. I dread that day. I dread May in general. I don't know how to go about it. We have it marked in our calendar but I honestly don't know what to do that day.
June 2 is my birthday...so we are planning on maybe having lunch. My friends live far away so there's that {yes, I'm sad and alone, blahblahblah} and I realized just this second that my man has school that day. We can't even take the day off together and celebrate it. Oh now I'm even more confused on what to do. See? I have a ton to think about.

Listening: Online classes and background noises our cats are making. Weird combo I know. I love that I can have both. The classes are free, and I still get the info I need. And who doesn't like kitty noises...their bells tell me exactly what they are up to...for most of the time. :) 

Watching: A couple of shows I am catching up on. We have an on demand feature and it is certainly a blessing. I do record as well. While I am trying to catch up on I also am trying to live life and stay away from the TV and the Internet as often as even possible. Life is too beautiful to sit inside and get squared eyed. 

Reading: Good Housekeeping! Love that magazine. Helps me find new recipes, new ways to clean, cook, live life, and what not. Also, I am finishing up my book for the book club. We read one chapter per week, so there's no stress...love that aspect of that group. Other than that, I am working on convincing my man to choose a book for me to read...fingers crossed it is not about a serial killer on the interstate 5 this time. ;-)

Loving: My snuggle time with Luna and Lilee. Both kitties decided April was "we love mommy month". So, every second they get they snuggle with me. Not with B, with me. And that for hours!! Besides that, I am also loving the warmer weather {although it's gotten a bit too hot lately for this time of year} and the fact that my body accepts my wish to workout more...meaning, it won't let me down and so far so good because I am not that much in pain. Yay.

 

Planning: Our summer 2016. Last summer was a bust. This summer, well, it looks a bit more promising. B will be busy with three heavy summer courses {leading him closer to an end}, and I will be busy working as well {fingers crossed}. We had plans to go to Arizona and/or Europe and both got canceled thanks to his summer courses, but I know we can still make a trip happen. We will see if we have enough money and time to visit family in the Midwest for a few days.  

What are you currently up to?! 

Anything exciting?

Weekly Hopes {38}

Don't even get me started...I woke up and it's Monday! Oops...also, I enjoyed the weekend. B was off all weekend long. Despite him studying for a few hours here and there we ended up exploring a nearby town, went to the mall {I can't stand the mall on weekends}, and played board games when we got bored. Oh and it was a hot weekend, too. I'm not ready for summer but yes, bring on the warmer temps!!! But let's look at my Weekly Hopes...

1. My monthly massage
2. StitchFix arriving
3. A cold cut dinner date, with cantaloupe and some wine...Mediterranean style!!
4. Working out again, been slacking last week
5. Pool day
6. DIY projects
7. Emotional healing
8. Planning our summer together
9. Baking
10. Catching up on emails, blogs, people, life...the usual!!!

What's your week going to look like?! Busy?! Laid back or just as always something in between? Let me know. Either way, have an amazing week...I promise to catch up....one day at a time!!! 

Happy Monday my lovely readers,

Xox

Happy Friday - Spring Love

Is it really Friday already? It's is insane how fast time flies. It's already mid-April, too...slow down there, time, will ya? Besides my awareness of how fast time flew by in the past few weeks, I hope your week has been great and that this month has treated you fairly well. 

Like most Fridays I am linking up with Lindsay, Krysten and Charlotte for their weekly series 10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week. Join the fun if you wish...it's a lot of fun! :) Let's look at what made me happy this week...because there is always something that makes one happy and smiling! Always!

1. The Catch

2. Windy days...yes!

3. Raclette

4. Pearl - our new car

5. Sweet Tea

6. Sitting outside on the patio and enjoying dinner and drinks

7. Gray nail polish

8. House scouting {in our area this time}

9. Better focus thanks to Rosemary essential oil

10. Wifi working again {yay!!}

It's been a great week. The sun is back and their forecast for a rainy couple of days was a fail, so you could find me outside a lot. I love this spring breeze we are having lately...so refreshing and not at all bothersome. I love the wind. There's people who don't like windy days because it messes with their hair but I really don't care about that...I love when my hair gets all messed up...ok, maybe not to 100% but I still love it. :) 

Am I the only one loving this?!

Happy Friday my lovely readers...hope you're having a fantastic weekend!! I'm going to enjoy it with B as this is the only weekend he gets off this year! Yes, this year, only weekend, and I am so taking advantage of this!!!

xoxo

Fires - QOTD #28

"When the fires come, and they will, quitting will always seem to be the best escape route. But if we take a few more steps, show a little more effort, and put a few more seeds in the ground, maybe, just maybe, we will start to see something beautiful happen."

Nicki Koziarz

I am currently reading a book I normally wouldn't pick. However, I find myself drawn to a lot of stories she describes and it all feels so real. Whatever happens in our life we are not alone. There's usually someone who has gone through the same or something very similar {or worse but we won't go there}. These days I tend to believe in the good, the positive, the fun, the uplifting...and when I read a book and read a story about how she almost set her whole crops on fire...I had to laugh. This certainly has not happened to me, but plans got shattered or changed so drastically that it felt like a fire hit my precious home. With that being said...I hope that whatever life gives you that you make the best out of it. Cherish the moment, learn from whatever is happening to you, and move on {however fast you want to move on}. There's always something beautiful about to happen, always!

xox

Blueberry Peach Cake

Part of my spring list is bake a cake/pie. I love most things that are sweet so it was a definite must for me to sit down and figure this whole baking thing out. Also, spring being such a lovely season what else could I do?! A cake bake day had to happen. I came across a few recipes that called my name, and when I found one that literally haunted me for about a year I knew I had to give it a try. I changed a few things because well, me living a gluten free food life it was needed. It did not disappoint so I made this blueberry peach cake twice in two weeks {yes, I am obsessed}. So here we go:

Here's what you need:

9x3-inch spring form pan
Parchment paper
1 1/2 cups gluten free flour {I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to1 GF baking flour}
1 tspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 stick softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 peaches, sliced into wedges {I used frozen ones}
6 oz blueberries {fresh is the better choice here}
1 tspoon sugar {extra sugar}

Here's what you do:

- Preheat oven to 350 F, rack in the middle
- Grease the side and bottom of the spring form
- Line the bottom of the spring form pan with parchment paper
- Grease that paper as well

- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda into a medium bowl
- In a different bowl beat butter, sugar and eggs until very light & fluffy about 2-3 mins on high speed
- Add vanilla and yogurt, continue beating until very creamy and light in color about one minute
- Mixing speed to low, mix in the flour mix until everything is combined. Don't over mix.

- Transfer the batter to the spring form. Top it with sliced peaces and scatter the blueberries evenly in the spaces between the peach slices. Sprinkle with the extra sugar.
- Bake for about 1 hour and until the cake turns golden and when you test the center it comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the spring form for about 40 minutes, release it from the form. You can then transfer the cake to a cake plate with the parchment paper. 

And here we go, my very delicious blueberry peach cake!! We all loved it. The yogurt makes it moist and not too dry. Leftovers were left outside the fridge and it was just as delicious the next day. Cannot complain and I will definitely make this again...maybe with another fruit...not sure which one though? Suggestions are highly recommended.

Hope you're having a great day and week so far!!

xox

P.s. Adapted from Julia's Album

Weekly Hopes {37}

Good morning!!
Last week's Weekly Hopes kind of got pushed back and got published very very late. Not sure what happened but hey, life continues even with these little glitches. It's not the end of the world. There's worse things than a post not going up when it does {I am fully aware that some posts are more important than others due to sponsors and deadlines but still, life won't end right there and then}. So, I shrugged it off. And believe it or not, a new week just rolled back in and I am ready to conquer it!

This week my Weekly Hopes consists of...

1 - Blogging {yes, trying to share more...a recipe is in the works, too}
2 - Meet up with my Mother-in-law as she will be in the area
3 - Making more connections
4 - Taking a day trip to a new town nearby
5 - Frozen Yogurt
6 -Cooler temperatures {spring temps, rather than summer temps!}
7 - Date Night
8 - Drinks outside on our balcony for our own Happy Hour

How was your weekend? I hope it was awesome. Mine was relaxing and quite boring. I got my neck adjusted, my chiropractor likes all the improvements he is seeing and feeling, and well, I can't complain either. I am so ready for this week...oh so ready, are you?!

Happy Monday!!!!

xox

Happy Friday!!

Happy Friday my lovely readers,

So this week was not my week at all. My weekly post didn't get published until, well, many days later and I have no idea why. I think I either forgot to hit publish or something went wrong...now it's up which to be honest doesn't really make any difference. I'm shocked I didn't notice. Oh well, life continues, doesn't it?

So let's jump right into this post, shall we? List most Friday I am linking up with Krysten, Lindsay and Charlotte for their weekly linkup series "10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week". I think it's fun to look back at any week and find the little {or big} things that made me smile, dance, laugh out loud or just jump for joy! Since this week wasn't the best let's see if I can find something that still brought made me smile...

1. Warm weather {hello, 80 degree weather!}

2. New spring shoes...thank you Target

3. Working out

4. No issues with my allergies

5. Criminal Minds {I watched it a week later than normal}

6. Breakfast for dinner

7. A very special wine delivery

8. Thai Food

9. Sour-Cherry drink

10. Thieves cleaner - it literally got rid of a lot of red wine my man spilled the other night. I mean, it was red, very red and it was late and I didn't want to give up and be mad the next day, so I took thieves cleaner and literally put it all over those awful stains and wow, everything is gone!! GONE!!

I found a few things that actually made happy and smile this week. I am beyond happy now. Yay! What about you, what made you happy this week? Join the fun and link up with a few of my favorite bloggers!!!

Happy Friday, and happy early weekend!

xox

Weekly Hopes {36}

Let's jump right into this, shall we?

I'm hoping to...

1 - wear more sandals and spring clothes
2 - finish up a few errands so we can move on with our lives
3 - apply to a few more places...will this ever end?
4 - BBQ a few things a few times this week...yum!
5 - be more creative with a few DIY projects {more beauty DIY but still...}
6 - try more recipes to spice things up a bit
7 - work out more than just three times a week

I have seven hopes for this week. Seems like a lot but it is not as I had to really think about those hopes. This week will not be a productive one. I mean it will be productive but not as much as I would like it to be. It'll be an easy week. No stress, great weather and a few things to do. Being a domestic engineer can be fun, even when it is not. Now, wait, what? Yes, domestic engineer. I mean, I don't have children yet but I still run the household, I still organize, cook, clean, wash, schedule and what not. My better half looks at me to find out if we have something scheduled for a particular day. I am a domestic engineer. Besides my lovely description of who I am...let's honestly say that I am in need of something else, aka a job.

Anyways, these are my goals for this week....let's see how it turns out...

xoxo

Happy Friday Spring Edition

Happy April 1!!!
It's a new month, it's a new day, and it's a new moment to enjoy everything life has to offer. Like most Fridays I am going to share with you what made me happy this week. The little things in life count. I could go on about how precious life is and how we should seize each day to the fullest but you all know that {I hope!}. The little things in life are often overlooked and literally ignored and I believe this is the wrong approach to wake up in the morning and get ready for the day. So here we go...here are the little things that made me happy this week:

1. Friends

2. Good news from the doctor's

3. Baking yummy pie

4. Warmer temperatures {wooohoooooo spring is here!!!}

5. Helping friends out

6. Criminal Minds

7. Waking up to sunshine in the bedroom coming through the blinds

8. Jacuzzi time

9. Reading more and keeping up with people...

10. No meat this week...yup, none!!!

This week has been productive. Thursday wasn't my day but I got a great massage so that was a good thing. But man, I hit every single red light in the city. I had every slow driver in front of me. I had every stupid driver next to me not signaling. Everything got done but it was a draining day. Spring has finally arrived in Northern California...no more rain. We are still in a drought but hello, I like to have a bit of sunshine here and there. Finally able to wear my pretty sandals again. Yay!!!

Anyhow...hope your week has been good, filled with little things that made you happy this spring time. As always I am linking up with Krysten, Lindsay and Charlotte. Join the fun!! I love this weekly series. It makes you think about your life, your week and yes, you got it, all the little things enhancing your life!!

Hope your Friday is good and your weekend will even be better!!!
Happy April!!!