january 2014

2014. My year of finding more inspiration.

Cierra made me this framed bulletin board for my birthday, and I've been pinning things to it for the past week or so. And so my inspiration board has begun. Here is January's collection of photos, found throughout the internet.

From left + down to right + down + basically all over:

reminding myself it's a new year / gallery walls with antique frames / applying to a study abroad trip to Trondheim / thick sweaters and curly wavy hair and bangs / ornate necklaces with collars / a floppy felt hat from free people. 

And a little quote to remind myself to be more passionate about life.

& on into the new year.

on my mind: "tucked"

Sometimes, when I'm walking by myself, sitting by myself, I silently narrate my life. 
Or I jot down how I'm feeling, what I'm doing, what I'm seeing.

The other day I reread something I had written, 
"And I pull the sweater sleeves up over my fingers and rest my hands on my face."

Oh. I think. Perhaps I could have used the word 'tucked' somewhere in that soliloquy.
and then I'm off. One word rolling around in my head, the word 'tucked,' and suddenly I need to use it as much as I can:

"She tucked her hair behind her ear and felt more real than ever before."
"She wanted nothing more than to tuck her niece into bed and listen to her soft breathing in the rainy night."
"She tucked her folder into the rain-soaked bag and, after throwing up her hood, embraced the outside storm." 
"She lay in the bath, let her feet rest up on the top bar, and eventually tucked them below the surface of the water."

I look up the definition. 
To push, fold, or turn (the edges or ends of something, esp. a garment or bedclothes) so as to hide them or hold them in place.

And when I've exhausted the word in its entirety, I breathe. 

Columbia City, Georgetown, & Lots of Pizza

This week, mamá and I explored the neighborhood in which she raised Margaux, and then we took a detour to Georgetown (really a detour, because we accidentally got on I5). Columbia City has Tutta Bella, and we sat there in the sun, sipping on lemonade and crunching on caesar salad croutons. Yesterday was the definition of an adventure (because we got lost at least 3 times… darn our aversion to Google maps).

(If you have not been to Tutta Bella in Columbia City, you should be aware of their excellent background music and top-notch flat bread)

Collecting Rocks: Year 15

Dad and I have this tradition. Every end of winter break, we bundle up in clothes that don't actually keep us as warm as we had hoped, and we collect rocks for his elementary school's salmon tank. We climb down the muddy cliff to the stream, pause halfway through, and stare up at the trees. It's a tiny bit of serenity in the surrounding suburbia. It's my Bridge to Terebithia, my Rivendell.

Happy 15th year of collecting rocks, papá!

then the sun started shining.

Does all seem right today? Being woken up by this weather is sometimes necessary. All this week, sunshine. But cold. I'm welcoming this late fall weather with Bon Iver and The Middle East. Welcome, beautiful day. 

Happy Birthday, Mamá!

 In celebration of my mother's birthday, Margaux & mom and I spent the day together downtown. The evening was spent hammering crab legs and shrimp tails at waterfront restaurant, Crab Pot! They give you a mallet, cutting boards, silver cups of butter, and pour a giant pail of seafood onto your table. Then you dive in! Afterward, we visited my aunt's home for desserts from Bakery Nouveau, which is currently selling a mini pumpkin pie cheese cake… which is perfect. Thank you, mamá, for being so wonderful, always! 

& then I took a little break from blogging.

Sometimes you need to. Sometimes you have to work a lot and read a lot and go to class a lot, and sometimes there's not time to make a new blog header or think of something witty to write. These last couple months have been a whirlwind of activity. They have been filled with beautiful days, but they have been busy.

In October, we celebrated Kyle's 21st birthday! He spent the evening roaming the town with his friends, and came back home with fish and chips that I gladly devoured. Pike Street Fish Fry, you're our favorite. In the morning, I woke him up with a chocolate cake, with two big candles (for the tens) and one little candle (for the 1). We carried our sleepy selves to Oddfellows and gorged ourselves on scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits, potatoes, and beignets. Best restaurant in this beautiful city. To the best boyfriend in this beautiful world, happy belated birthday!
What else did we do in October? We carved pumpkins at Laken's fabulous home and watched The Voice. We went all around Seattle looking for an old boy scout shirt and a raccoon hat so that Kyle could be Sam from Moonrise Kingdom. I was an employee at work for Halloween, who got to hand out candy to children trick-or-treating in the shopping complex. Seeing children in dragon costumes is adorable.
That was October.

And now it's November! The first week of November has brought lots of changes. I spent the first week battling health problems, and spent a night in urgent care (to which I am no stranger). Kyle has spent the whole time with me, making me feel better, and reading People magazine to me in an old english accent.
But now we're getting into the swing of things. I am trying to go gluten free (and let me tell you, those gluten free items are certainly not free... they're a pretty penny). It's hard, because garlic bread is one of my favorite foods. And pasta? I basically live on cheesy, baked penne. So it's a challenge, trying to change my diet. But hopefully the stomach aches will soon end. In the meantime, I've got a mountain of gluten-free mac and cheese in my cupboard.

So that has been the last two months.
What's in the future? Lots of projects for school, plus more hours at work because... it's Holiday time! Our store is decked out in Christmas trees and animal ornaments. Who doesn't love an otter with a fishing pole ornament? Very Olivia.

Happy Almost-The-Holidays!