I need to start remembering to do this...

So last week I attended taste of tacoma, of course forgot to take pictures of anything, but I had some amazing food. Blackened Salmon sandwich, fresh coconut milk, and half of a deep fried peanut butter and jelly. Yums all around!

Right now I'm watching my sunset, sparkled with fireworks. Feeling independent today? I am.

Soon, Here, Maybe

Next weekend is Taste of Tacoma, and in a month is Bite of Seattle.  I am more than excited for these things.

It feels like Summer just kindof jumped up at me, I am so very unprepared for this.  But prepared or not, I just need to jump in.

I am making one minor change.  On the list I had "Stay at least one night in at least 3 different states," and that is turning into only two states FOR A REASON.  I have already stayed the night in Oregon and Cali, and I was going to make the third state something special, a real trip that I would be spending "real money" on, but then the sister and I decided to go to Disneyland in October!  So I am spending the money I would have spent on that third state and going to Disneyland.  Can I count Disneyland as a state?  I think I will.  At least half a state.

I also think I'll be heading to Point Defiance Zoo either before or after Taste of Tacoma, and am so excited for this.  THE ZOO!  ANIMALS!  PENGUINS!  FEEDING THINGS!  I feel like a child, and I'm going to buy a balloon and some other cheesy piece of swag and will be the coolest kid at the park because I can drink alcohol.

Maybe this weekend I'll make a birdhouse?  That sounds like a fun thing to do, especially if it is still sunny out.

One More Thing Down

So I went to the beach last weekend with a friend, and her two kids, and it was wonderful.  We rented a condo in Ocean Shores, about a one minute drive from the beach (if the weather was nice we probably could have walked).  Took her new truck down, drove on the beach, made sand castles, and found an awesome bar.

Also, waffles for breakfast

 And Mimosa's 

Also flew a kite for the first time in years, and it was amazing and I want to do it every day.  Only I want to get like 30 kites and some of them be those stunt kites that I can move around like crazy.

I do think friend and I will be be heading back to the beach soon, just without the kids.

We also made a beach campfire, which was crazy with the wind and took us like 45 minutes of tiny fires or one log being lit, but then in some glorious fortune everything lit up all at once, and it was magical.  Then we hung out and drank fancy Italian Soda's in bottles that were so delicious and we wished we had s'mores to make but there is always next time.

All in all, wonderful.  And the food festivals are starting, and the weather is getting better so I can get out more.  Maybe I'll even head to the zoo this weekend!  I have a new wind, things are looking up.  Having pictures of this weekend helps.  Pictures!  Forever pictures!



(getting a post in feels so amazing)

You Are My Sunshine

We have been having amazing weather around here, and the sun has been making this list burn a hole in my pocket. These next few months will be a time of getting things done. Next weekend I'll be at the ocean, and July marks food festival time.

I wish it was ok to leave work to go to the craft store, then come back to craft at ones desk. Every day this week I have intended to go to the craft store to pick up supplies to make the change purse (and possibly even an apron), but things keep coming up! If life could calm down between four and six every day I would be so happy.

Also, a friend has asked me to make cupcakes for her wedding. VEGAN cupcakes. I am excited for the challenge, and start making test batches this weekend. This is my first time doing vegan cupcakes and have already found some great recipes that sound totally delicious. I'm very thankful I have an almost endless supply of stomachs around here to taste test.

When traveling

On the way to Oregon last week

Second night, second state

So I haven't mentioned it, but this weekend I knocked out staying the night in two different states. First Oregon, now California. Unfortunately, the circumstances were less than ideal. A friend passed away, and I came down here for the funeral.

It is currently my second, and last, night in California. I leave the state in about 8.5 hours, and I'll admit, I'm not updating because I want to talk about the list. I'm updating because I can't sleep. I have gotten up no less than 5 times in the last two hours to do things around the house. Clean dishes here, straighten up counters there, sweep up this and that. I guess I'm updating right now because the trash is full and if I don't watch myself I'll be back up and bringing it outside.

Loss is a terrible, terrifying thing.

Cookies

As an update, I just wanted to let you know I baked two different kinds of cookies the weekend before last. I would have taken pictures, but by the time I was in a place where lighting lent itself for pictures, they were all gone! I will take this as a compliment, and just describe them.

I made mostly-fat-free oatmeal raisin cookies (sent to dad), which would have been all fat-free except for I finished them off with a little bit of butter, just for taste (and to help hold them together). They were crumbly, but soft and amazing. Pretty much fancy granola once they got to daddio, but I didn't hear any complaints.

The other cookies were peanutbutter-applesauce, and holy DAMN. First off, the recipe made SO MANY COOKIES. Seriously, SO MANY. I really enjoyed these vs regular peanut butter cookies because they were lighter and a little sweeter. Cut down the sharp peanutbutterness.

Ok, I'm going away for now. I just need to remember to keep my eye on the goal (and be grateful for amazing friends who are pushing my ass to do this, and not let me slack off. Seriously, every time someone reminds of this stuff I feel so blessed to have awesome friends).