can life get any better than this?

i am so excited for fall.

for sweaters.

for hot chocolate.

anatomy of a cup of perfect hot chocolate:

1. precise cocoa-to-milkiness ratio

2. just enough marshmellow to give you a little white mustache when you take a small sip

3. the cup keeps your fingers warm

4. it warms you all the way down to your toes

5. the most versatile of comfort foods. (you can drink it with someone, or it can be company itself when you just want to sit and ponder the deep mysteries of the universe...)

for leaves.

this is one of those pictures.

from the "dark ages".

(my hair would not cooperate with me)

bike rides.

and picnics.

can life really get any better?

today, i submit that it cannot.

obsession

i've been having a recent obsession with harry p.
i think it's acceptable, because i never really obsessed about anything during my childhood...

Source: youtube.com via Alyssa on Pinterest

grab and hold on for dear life.

how is everyone out there in the world?
having a fantastic day yet?

i think i am.
...not to mention i had the most amazint parfait for breakfast this morning.

this is just a thought on life that i have been having recently.
everything happens for a reason. 
(even looking for a job, and not getting anything!)
or applying to a program and not getting accepted.
it doesn't mean that you are a failure.
it just isn't the right time.
     or you are meant to do something else.

something that i've been learning is that i need to be more proactive.
i'm the kind of person that would like to believe in fate, but then i go taking it to the extreme and just expecting life to come handed to me on a silver platter.
(i've learned a very important secret)
it doesn't happen like that!
if you want anything to happen, you have to go out there and get it!
because you can do anything you want to.

this is a little blast from the past.
you gotta have some of these every once in a while.

now you have to go and try this.

i think that vanilla wafers are underrated.

i'm shining!

(this is my random thought for the day...)

there are so many times that i get so busy, trying to make sure that i get everything done, that i am the best friend, sister, daughter, whatever to everybody. but there are times when i get so caught up in doing things, that i forget the people that i am doing it for. there are times when we just need to sit back a little. there are times when we might need to drop something that is "important" for something that means much  more to us. 

there are times to shine. 

feel motivated yet?

you should

;)

because...

you are beautiful!!!

(i was informed by my sister that i hadn't posted in forever... and that she had actually managed to catch up on ALL of my blog posts. this is no good. so here ya go whittus.)

tired.

today was one of those emotionally draining days.
i don't like to complain. so i won't.
but at the end of today, i just wanted to crawl into my bed and escape all of the thinking that the day involved.
i think i should just go and live in the mountains. i'll eat berries and fish for my food. no more worrying about school, boys, selling swimsuits for a job... or any of that other silly stuff. just me and the birds. and possibly bears. (hmmmm this plan is starting to sound less and less appealing...)

*breathe*

tomorrow's gonna be ok.
it always is.

no mere mortal can resist.

i bet you all had the same reaction i did when you saw this movie.

i MUST learn this dance!

i learned it tonight. (and hopefully i will get to ahold of a video here shortly...)

.

.

.

what else have i been up to lately???

i realize that i fail miserably at updating this blog.

i'm repenting though.

even though that means i will have to limit my pinterest time...

*wipe a tear*

one of my favorite classes this semester is sports nutrition.

at times it makes me want to re-think my life and just go into dietetics.

i mean, what a better major than someone who loves food as much as i do?

it just makes sense.

but i guess i'll just have to own a bakery on the side.

hmmmm...

but i digress.

back to the subject.

sports nutrition. yes.

we had to develop a menu for an overnight hiking trip, and make sure that all of the calorie/carb/protein/and fat requirements fit.

the extra credit?

we had to make it.

and guess who made pizza tonight?!

it was... (considering it was supposed to be eaten while hiking, and NOT gourmet?)

actually pretty good.

i mean... flatbread pizza? not my first choice.

but it's hard to pass up pizza while camping.

i mean... come onnnnn!

(granted, we cheated a little. i mean, how am i supposed to dehydrate the spaghetti sauce to make a leather when i don't even own a dehydrator??? i mean, i want one. but i have nowhere to put it. and i have too much junk already.)

we just threw regular sauce and veggies on the flatbread, but you would normally use reconstituted sauce and re-hydrated dehydrated veggies (if you like veggies on your pizza.) top that with some cheese and you are set to go!

i can just imagine this cooking over a fire right now...

(and my mouth is watering.)

taken using my new phone!

i'm impressed.

alas... i haven't gotten cool enough to get a smart phone yet.

maybe someday...

well that's enough to bore you for now! 

(if you really want to see more of what i've been stalking for the past few hours... check 'em out!) 

here and here and here...

can you tell i'm excited for this summer?

i am SO going hiking.

a little bit of every scattered thought.

how is everyone this (lazy) holiday morning?!


i'm fantastic... just in case you were wondering. :)
today is one of those mornings when life is just good. 
happy music-baking-motivated-i'm gonna go on a long run-type of morning!








so i have to work on my motivation to try this... because you know me, i am a very lazy person when it comes to my hair. anything that takes over an hour to do just isn't worth it in my book. 
this one looks like it could take a while...





and you remember that granola that we made like, two days ago?
it's gone!
crisis! i need to make some more!!!
this time, i think i'm going to try this recipe. and then maybe this one. this one??? (i have a surplus of recipes, most of which i haven't had the chance to try yet!) 


pumpkin granola
originally from baking bites


ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ tsp. salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pepitas


directions:
1. preheat the oven to 325° F. line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. in a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. mix well.
3. in a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. whisk until smooth. pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. they will be moist. evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
4. bake for 20 minutes. remove pan from the oven and stir. bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas. let cool completely. store in an airtight container.




i was reminiscing this morning... and decided to plan my next big adventure.