This Girl...

...is a stud

has a sense of humor that absolutely kills me

loves her friends with an in incredible love

is selfless

creative

a fighter

and truly beautiful inside and out.

She was my first friend when we were timid clueless freshman in college and I instantly knew I had met someone special.

We giggle lots

make funny faces

both really love christmas

and I just love her lots

As I mentioned she's a stud, and a fighter and she's kicking cancer's butt right now and I couldn't be more proud. Her attitude and positivity are incredible and she brings so much joy to those around her. Court, you're wonderful, and I am so blessed and proud to be your friend.

Love you way big huge!

And what better way to celebrate way big huge love than con pane pastries and butterscotch lattes??

Answer...none.

Fancy Breakfast.

I found this breakfast on 101 cookbooks and it seriously must be the ultimate power breakfast. I can't wait to try it sometime in the very very near future. Check it out...

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

I used a red quinoa here, but you can use whatever kind you like, white/buff colored seems to be the most common. Also, a few notes and tips from the book: low-fat soy milk may replace the low fat milk, blueberries may replace the blackberries, dark honey may replace the agave nectar, and walnuts may replace the pecans.

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk

1 cup water

1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)

2 cups fresh blackberries, organic preferred

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*

4 teaspoons organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Recipe for a successful weekend.

1. An evening spent cooking and enjoying dinner with the cross country team

2. Bus rides with friends

3. Snuggles on the couch with one of my favorite people

4. Crocheting, Oregon Chai drinking, jazz music listening, cozy time with roommates

5. One ridiculously beautiful sunset with beautiful people

6. One Con Pane pear almond scone and a cup of coffee

7. Taking time to enjoy the view of the San Diego harbor

8. Reading a good book while soaking up some Vitamin D and sporting some turquoise vans

9. Running on Sunset Cliffs while taking in this view

10. An hour of uninterrupted glorious nap time

11. Free Yoga Class with Lauren

Monday, Saturday and Sunday were just too good to me...I'm not quite ready for you.

Bookshelves

Lately I have this thing for bookshelves. I want an entire wall of them in my home someday

LOVE this one

Santa Barbara Love

Home sweet, oh SO sweet home.

I had some quality Santa Barbara time this weekend and it was glorious!

Yes. I live here.

I have decided I have an old soul because when I go home, when i'm in my element, my place of origin, I act like an old lady. It's really a strange phenomenon, but there's no way getting around it...

I knit

do crossword puzzles

play scrabble with the fam...

...and lose horrbily (which is why I resorted to taking pictures of them the last few turns of the game)

and bake

You see my point? I'm 19 going on 91.

But it was a wonderfully relaxing weekend with these beautiful people

Love me some Mumford

Looking for some raw, real, solid, (insert appropriate adjective here______) music? Yeah me too, and here's what i've been listening to in order to get my fix

Favorites of there's include...

1. After the Storm

2. Awake my Soul

3. Timshel

Also check out Laura Marling, who is on tour with them:

Favs of hers:

1. Rambling Man

2. Ghosts

I'll leave you with a little sample of there fabulous lyrics and that's all it takes, you'll be hooked...

And after the storm,

I run and run as the rains come
And I look up, I look up,
on my knees and out of luck,
I look up.

Night has always pushed up day
You must know life to see decay
But I won't rot, I won't rot
Not this mind and not this heart,
I won't rot.

And I took you by the hand
And we stood tall,
And remembered our own land,
What we lived for.

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

And now I cling to what I knew
I saw exactly what was true
But oh no more.
That's why I hold,
That's why I hold with all I have.
That's why I hold.

I will die alone and be left there.
Well I guess I'll just go home,
Oh God knows where.
Because death is just so full and mine so small.
Well I'm scared of what's behind and what's before.

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

Enjoy!

When Family Comes To Town

Have you ever noticed that feeling you get when you're around family? The feeling that they know you, where you came from, how you think, and interact. There is an automatic level of comfort present that just is that family feeling. Then add coffee, con pane cinnamon rolls, and some cute little babies and you have a pretty darn good morning.