On The Coast Of Somewhere Beautiful

My middle sister posted a pic on Facebook today of her and our baby sister loving life on the beach.  And here I sit, cranking my heater up in SF, well over 500 miles away from my fam bam.  While I would so much rather be laying in the sun with my favorite people on Earth, the timing of it all proved to be a bit wonky... and I'm taking a mini vacation of my own in just a few weeks!  For now, I'm going to drift off to sleep dreaming of the last time I was at the beach with my baby sisters.

Cayucos 2008.  Other half naked pics of this trip were included in the family Christmas card, so this was one of few pics I cared to relive :)  A piece of my heart will always be at this beach.

PS: Post title.

Save Water. Drink Wine.

This weekend, I joined a fantastic group of people for a wine trip to Sonoma!  We ended up only making it to a winery (and a half) after an intermission to Taylor's Refresher for lunch, and definitely made the most of our time.  I love me some wine, and it didn't hurt that we started the day off with mimosas.  Sunshine, Call Me Maybe at least a dozen times, boyfriend and lots of wine... could life be any sweeter?

Lots of wine!

Mantra.

Great people.

Taylor's  Refresher.  I don't care that they renamed it Gott's.

Favorite.  Thanks for the pics Dan and Dave!

Cannot Get Enough

The first time I listened to the new Zac Brown Band album, I couldn't even pick one song I liked even slightly more than all the rest.  Safe to say I am obsessed with Uncaged.  I tend to do this with new (or new to me) albums; listen to them over and over again until I fall in love with something else.  After two weeks powered by these sweet tunes, I've decided that Sweet Annie, Day That I Day and Lance's Song are my favorite. 

 

Day That I Die.  Zac Brown Band + Amos Lee = So Stunning

I just love how their album runs through the whole spectrum of emotion.  The melodies and lyrics touch on heartbreak and drinking and time and love.  Definitely worth a listen no matter what genre of music is your favorite.

Current Obsession

The book nerd in me died a little over the print... and every, single other one in this Etsy shop.

Via.

Check out this shop here!

A New Definition

I used to think that growing up meant things like getting a job, replacing the light bulbs in my apartment and making sure to change the oil in my car in a timely fashion.  You know, those things you think about when you are in elementary school that signify a transition from someone taking care of you, to, well, you taking care of yourself.  Important things, yes.  But methodical, symbolic, even stereotypical moments.  Life events that shape you, but lack the feeling and depth then what actual growing up does to a person.

After a particularly heavy conversation with my sister last week (shenanigans, life and heartache covered in an eight minute work break), I thought a lot about what it really means to come into my own.  I was homesick during my entire college experience.  Even throughout my first year of work.  And it wasn't because I was disappointed or didn't like where I was living or anything.  On the other hand, I always woke up (and still wake up) every single day with a profound appreciation and excitement for life.  I love experiencing the other side of college.  I think I've realized, and been trying so hard to accept, that my family and I will never live in the same house again.  Or the same town for that matter.  It's almost funny how hard it's been for me to realize this is the new normal.  Growing up is pushing away the intense desire to sleep in your childhood bed and eat dinner with your immediate family every night.  It's taking the time to make phone calls and send emails and connect with the people that mean the most to you.  It's finding a family of sorts in the new city you live in. It's plastering your apartment and cubicle with pictures of your family.  It  means distracting yourself with new adventures and realizing you hadn't thought about your fam bam for a slice of time...  and that's ok. Sometimes it even means missing out on family events and birthdays.

I'm lucky that my family and I are all in California for the time being.  Our time together will be spent during holidays, weekend trips and long dinners.  And that's ok.  I think realizing what this growing up process really means has helped me navigate its intricacies and ambiguous alleys.  A definition has been shifted.  But considering how awesome life is, I think I can accept it enough.  Don't be offended though if I choose a weekend with my fam over playtime in SF :)

I'd rather have a good life than a perfect one.  Via.

This Weekend

Everything about the last four days made me so happy.  A pre-weekend last hurrah with Ashley.  The cutest present from my boyfriend.  15 hours of sleep after a nap on Friday and serious sleeping in on Saturday.  Laundry domination.  Catching up with my sister.  A fun night out with some of my favorite SF people.  Sunny weather.  A lazy Sunday watching the first season of Modern Family.  Bachelorette finale with the roomie and wine.

Thank you boyfriend! First (but certainly not the last) item I'll own from Vineyard Vines.  

San Francisco flowers.

Such a dramatic conclusion!  I read all the spoilers before (can't help it lol).

How was your weekend?

Tasty Summer Treat

When I was home for the 4th of July, I made waffle cones for the first time.  Paired with homemade ice cream, it made for a perfect dessert on a hot summer evening.  The best part?  Waffle cones are surprisingly easy to make.  You can use a press designed to make waffle cones, but you can also use an iron designed for Pizzelle cookies.  Find the recipe found here.  Yum!

Boyfriend and I made a great waffle cone making team.

Necessary supplies.

Success!

Nearly two dozen cones took less than 30 minutes to bake.

Feel free to eat any cones that get broken too ;)