we survived seattle’s “snowpocolypes” this winter, which mainly consisted of being snowed-in in shoreline, watching “happy-endings”, visiting a wonderful bar named Sweet Lou’s and having enough whisky-ginger’s to keep us warm:) But mostly i’ve been listening to this song, waiting for my home to be ready for me to move into, and for my life to stop being in perpetual transition. im over it.

Don’t pray ronnies prayer. It will change your life.

If you never want to live in los angeles– pray ronnies prayer. You’ll live on melrose ave four months later.

If you never want to get married–pray ronnies prayer. You’ll be married to the love of your life two years later.

If you never want to be complacent, boring, or stagnant–pray ronnies prayer. You will live an adventure.

I’ve lived in Los Angeles, CA for the last two and a half years–until the last 5 days. I prayed that stupid prayer again, now and my husband and I have been lovingly transported back to our rainy city with no house, no jobs, wonderful friends, and a sock monkey named Chudley. (or Kevin.) I’m full of terror. But I’m loving it.

Four of us moved up this month from the sunny skies of Los Angeles to take a big risk–live together for two months, save every penny, and then drive across the country playing music and having a crazy adventure. So we are currently in phase 1 of that plane. That frightening jumping-off-a-cliff-getting-the-wind-knocked-out-of-you-just-broke-up-with-someone-displaced-broke feeling. Thats the one.

We are being hosted by our favorite people in Seattle until our house closes at the end of the month (thank you everyone:). So I’m hoping this blog will be a wonderful way to let you all know how the move in goes, how the improvements of our house come along, what is cooked in its beautiful kitchen, and the adventures of the six people who live in it have.

My new years resolution is to pray ronnie’s prayer as many times as possible and begin to learn even more about what it means to truly love, serve and know. I want to blog more and watch tv less. Read more and waste less. Listen more and talk less. Laugh more and complain less. Include more and exclude less. Kiss more and argue less (with my husband…). I want to run towards the things I know I’m made for and take on challenges without being held back by fear. Who knew that a little man in africa would be inspiring me years later to makes these ridiculous resolutions? I guess that’s what I get for listening to a man so dear to God’s heart.

Happy new year ronnie. You ruined my life for the better.

why the sudden surge of desire to be a foodie?

here’s why:

THE SWEET BEET

thesweetbeet.com

MING MAKES CUPCAKES

mingmakescupcakes.com

NOT WITHOUT SALT

notwithoutsalt.com

what should i name mine?

Long distance relationships are the worst. Loving someone from far away feels like a constant punch in the gut as you make the realization over and over again that you are not living daily life with that person. Consistent updates, texts, and even skype are a poor substitution for having the people you love a part of your every day. It makes me really value the people who I am living life with now; this is a special season and we never get this time back.

No matter which way I swing it, I am going crazy, and racking up my phone bill, while driving down laurel canyon everyday. I need to get a book on tape. stat.

joy.

love.

color.

new ideas.

friendship.

Stop This Train by John Mayer

No I’m not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but…
I just can’t sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can’t take the speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t
But honestly won’t someone stop this train

Don’t know how else to say it, don’t want to see my parents go
One generation’s length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off and go home again
I can’t take the speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t but honestly won’t someone stop this train

So scared of getting older
I’m only good at being young
So I play the numbers game to find away to say that life has just begun
Had a talk with my old man
Said help me understand
He said turn 68, you’ll renegotiate
Don’t stop this train
Don’t for a minute change the place you’re in
Don’t think I couldn’t ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we’ll never stop this train

See once in a while when it’s good
It’ll feel like it should
And they’re all still around
And you’re still safe and sound
And you don’t miss a thing
’til you cry when you’re driving away in the dark.

Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can’t take this speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t
Cause now I see I’ll never stop this train

so i went to tj’s to plan a really simple dinner, and knowing i already had salmon in my freezer, i just bought sides and wine. it took me a few minutes to get aaron on board with the recipe plan, but by the time he was blending a sundried tomato sauce, i was working hard at failing completely on the rest of our meal. i defrosted our salmon too late, it ended up smelling like an old fish tank (not a good sign), i overcooked our baby broccolli, and finally gave up. aaron pulled out some salmon patties from the freezer, suggesting we try to save the whole project, but 4 minutes of microwave defrosting later, we gave up completely on our half frozen, half defrosted salmon disaster and went to sushi. which is never a fail because our sushi place is the best sushi ever. for $3 a plate.

thank you fish fail. i love sushi. happy valentines day:)

Yesterday was my best (and extremely talented) friend’s CD release party. The masses have been anticipating this show for ages, and last night, gads and gads of family, friends and strangers off the street gathered in the chic downtown Portland venue,”Peacock Cleaners”, for a stunning show by the one and only Natalie Closner. Dessert began at 7 and music at 8, and as the best friend of the artist, I appointed myself head pastry chef for the dessert table. I created masterpiece cupcakes and my quickly-becoming-famous, sea salt chocolate-chip cookies. After a week of preparation, and the extremely necessary taste test for each sugary morsel of heaven, I weigh much more when I arrived in Portland Saturday morning. As a first Friday Life Lesson, I must say, I need to go on a vegetable cleanse when I touch down in LA tomorrow. This weight has got to go.

If there was to be a second life lesson for friday, it would be that letting Natalie Closner’s EP pass by without a listen, would be a terribly unfortunate mistake.

Go buy it here!!  http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/natalie-closner/id416849764