verde.

day 5
favorite color.

i am currently digging the color green. i feel it has so much to offer. it is refreshing and earthy & has always remained a prominent hue in my bedroom decor. not to mention THE color of on of my favorite holidays of the year, st. patty's day.
so here is my ode to green.

recent purchase

day 4
recent purchase.



re-supplied today.

here are just a few of the many benefits of fish oil:
1. eases depression
2. lowers cholesterol
3. lowers triglyceride levels
4. reduces inflammation
5. eliminates joint pain
6. improves your skin!
7. promotes weight loss
8. increases focus
9. reduce the risk of heart disease
10. stabilizes moods
(& bous can even help the development in a puppies brain, vision and trainability!)

so open wide and help yourself.

someone i love

day 3
someone i love.




the someone i love most.
i am currently missing this amazing man. he is up in new hampshire with his family and i am counting down the days until i go up there to be with them.

clouds.

day 2...

clouds.

here are a few photos of the clouds i have encountered throughout the day today.

15 day photo challenge

lately everytime i decide to write a new post i end up staring at a blank screen with no clue what to write about. so, for lack of a better idea (and since photos are my thangggg) i have decided to do a 15 day photo challenge where each day i post a new photo of something. today i will start with a self portrait. so here i am, holding up a simple symbol with a massive meaning.

total inspiration

the mister and i have nurtured quite the little herb garden on our porch. on a lovely day like today it is one of my favorite things to take care of these lovely plants. just to name a few we have a huge basil plant, some oregano, beautiful chile peppers, mint, thyme and a few more...
upon viewing this photo, , i became totally inspired. makes me want to collect mason jars with the sole purpose of planting some beautiful green life.
looks like i have a new easy and fun sunday project ahead of me!

hello november

the month i long for all year long came and went ever so quickly! so many wonderful happenings to share about october. i visited home for the first time since CHRISTMAS (which is now right around the corner) and was able to hang with my parents a while and see the bro. i miss them. for the past 3 years i have been un able to attend the family thanksgiving dinner but have been lucky enough to have my amazing man make a remarkable meal. this year we have decided to tone it down a bit and have a small nonstressful dinner for two. :)
october also brought HALLOWEEN which means costumes and parties! caitlin held her best ever halloween bash titled hocus pocus. the mister and i were in attendance as mrs. mia wallace and mr. vincent vega (uma thurman and john travolta in pulp fiction). we spend the next 24 hours in recovery only to prepare ourselves to host "night of the living fed." the dinner party we held at our townhome on halloween. we had a good turn out and an amazing pot luck style dinner! i am so grateful for our amazing friends and all the people in my life!

i must say...


i also CARVED A PUMPKIN this year! all it said was "welcome" but hey, it counts!

i can't wait for november and then DECEMBER and SNOWBOARDING! ugh, this MIGHT be my fav. time of year! sorry summer, you just got pushed aside.

sunday funday

hello fellow bloggers. today has been an rainy yet surprisingly eventful sunday. after sleeping in, i had a few cups of delightful

cuban coffee to start. it's nice not to have one place i NEED to be and abling me to just linger in my jammies while i lounge and

enjoy the cafe. i went to a girlfriends house soon after to help her paint her office room a nice shade of poolside grey. we

enjoyed a rather delicious(half price) sushi lunch and quickly got back to listening to music and taking out our week on the

walls of said room. i ran a few errands as well as some laundry and cleaning. riveting, i know.


on another note, i was given a new cd today. :) i LOVE discovering new music. angus and julia stone are a wonderful sibling

duet from australia have such a lovely way of flowing through the ears. this is one of my favorite songs so far...

http://youtu.be/IUpPzVLBEbg


i know everyone has staple items in their home. mine are definitely more important than i realized. when i am out of a couple of

them i start to crave the vitamins they contain. for example, i ran out of bananas and was craving the potassium they provide,

same thing happens when avocados are sparse. these are a few of my staple items: bananas, avocado, almond milk, greek

yogurt, coffee, cheddar cheese (or any all natural cheese), and of course sugar.

i dream of someday having a bohemian dwelling such as this one.

"fall" in love

so we are half way through september and i couldn't be more ecstatic! fall is so thrilling for me. although i am in florida and the weather doesn't turn AS cold as i would like as QUICKLY as i would like, it still brings many things to smile about. fall means, halloween and ALL THINGS PUMPKIN, thanksgiving and family, pretty leaves and changing winds. i look forward to the time of year where scarves, boots, jeans, and HOODIES are acceptable. i crave fall. having night classes brings me back to the days i spent in tallahassee when fall semester meant BUNDLING up and drinking spiced pumpkin ;) latte's! also, i met a certain mister two falls ago. tell me THAT isn't something to celebrate! last year i slacked on the pumpkin carving...this year i have so many ideas my head is bursting with joy. oooooh yes, fall, you are so enchantingly filled with crisp air, PERFECT cuddling weather and endless camping opportunities.

never lose infinite hope

sometimes you just have bad days... but you can't let it keep you down.

crab stuffed mushroom

i love MUSHROOMS! i could add mushroom to just about any dinner meal. tonight i am going to make crab stuffed mushrooms. i usually make them around the holidays but am in the mood for them this evening. here is the delicious recipe if you want to try!

INGREDIENTS
20 large fresh mushrooms, stems removed
3 tablespoons Italian-style salad dressing
1 cup crabmeat ( use the real deal but you can use imitation)
3/4 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. marinate mushrooms for 20 min. in italian dressing
2. combine crabmeat, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, eggs, mayonnaise, onions, and lemon juice.
Fill the mushroom caps with the mixture.
Arrange the mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet.
Top with remaining breadcrumbs.
3. Bake for 15 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese

THEN EAT! :) YUMMY! pic to come later.

i woke up this morning to a lovely cup of coffee. such a good feeling... not to mention the smell of coffee brewing is pretty wonderful. we got lucky down here in florida this weekend by dodging hurricane irene. the early stages of this cane looked as if it were coming straight at us but somehow we managed to slip by with high wind and amazing waves. i was not able to test the waters and show my skills ;) simply because i was working, but the boyfriend got out there a few times! on thursday waves were up to 10 ft. which is particularly large for us... the waves were forming smoothly and consistently(surfers dream). long time locals were teling us they have been waiting five years for waves like this. i was only able to watch from shore for a few min. before tending to some hairs but what i saw was incredible.

in the end it skipped right by us and ended up near the northeast where my sister is. she evacuated to new jersey and is currently without power. the storm has already passed through they are just waiting for the electricity to return.




i stumbled upon this video this morning and thought i would share. lovethisman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4_ghOG9JQM
the boy and i are celebrating 1 year and 9 months today. we have had our ups and downs (as any couple would) but i wouldn't trade what we share for the world. so cheers (clinking coffee mugs) to many many more months of love and support. <3 it's a beautiful thing.

beautiful mess

as i sit here drinking a glass (of what is arguably the most tasty red wine ever) and listen to ben harper (with an amazingly unique voice) cover the beatles, i can't help but think about how fortunate i am. really. i have this amazing bond with the man i hold so close to my heart it's scary, and not to mention he is an INCREDIBLE chef! after helping him with the prep work i sit at my unfinished oak (3rd generation) kitchen table while he continues to work his magic to create a remarkable meal which i have the pleasure of enjoying in approximately 18 minutes. i mean seriously... when did this happen??? how was i able to go from stressing out every day about going home to a situation i wanted out of but felt [stuck] in, to being swept off my feet and at the snap of a finger become head over heals in love?!?!? total euphoric life change. yes, we have our days and things can be tough, but together i know we can (and will) accomplish SO MUCH! we have the capability of achieving great life long dreams at our fingertips. i know sometimes i can be a bit of a mess, but he GETS me and it's a beautiful thing. finding someone who understands how you feel and would do nothing less than EVERYTHING for you. alright, enough of the mushy ranting, time to finish this glass of wine and enjoy a fabulous meal prepared by mi amor.

fresh start

fall semester starts next week and i am actually excited. lately i have dreaded each semester and couldn't WAIT for the end. as i am sure this feeling will not last too long i must hold on to every bit of this eager spirit. i have decided to start fresh with all new supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, calculator, etc.). since next week also starts the public schools new year this weekend is tax free! everything school related (even clothes) has no tax for one weekend only. who DOESN'T like back to school shopping?!?! it is something i always looked forward to each year when i was younger, why not now?



i have been trying to tell myself that i am ONLY 25 and should get through school while i am still 'young', but it is a little discouraging when i do not know a single soul in any class and just about every student is younger than i. this feeling is silly (i know) and this opportunity should be taken to meet new people and FOCUS on the task at hand, my degree. this semester i vow to do just that and being with a positive attitude while concentrating on making good grades and possibly meeting new friends.
so cheers, to a new semester full of new possibilities!

sun salutations

my favorite way to start the morning...



this and a cup of coffee. :)

lobstah

yesterday marked the beginning of LOBSTER season!! this only worsens the urge i have to be out on a boat in the ocean. if only...

maybe one of these days i will have a boat of my own to dive/snorkel/tube/wakeboard/sunbathe off of, but until then i can dream. not much is more satisfying than spending an entire day spearfishing/fishing/lobstering only to arrive home with a feast for a king.

i love living so close to the ocean in this beautiful sunshine state.

just do it.

i am very well aware with the fact that my lack of funds is a direct result of my choices...however, somehow i am at peace. believe me i know the importance in saving... you never know WHAT is going to happen or when you will need "savings". the reason i am so content with the situation is simply this... i live my life each and every day. if an opportunity presents itself and i feel i have enough to get me through (i.e. pay my bills) AND take it... i will. example: next weekend the bf and i are heading to tampa for a night to meet the bff and her bf. (hehe) yes, extra money will be spent, but it is a special occasion and i have off work. it is the little things in life (random or not) that make you who you are. i appreciate each and every day and know that i need to be saving for the future. for the most part we live frugally and i am certain one day my "calling" will find me and able me to live the life i imagine...(crossing my fingers) but in the mean time is it so wrong to to take these opps.? maybe i am being naive...i just don't see the point in regretting a happy lifestyle? i feel life has a funny way of working itself out and lining up the stars just right. one closes and another opens...and so on and so forth.

island state of mind

i love summer. yes, the florida heat can be brutal, but this is the time of year my schedule allows for more travel. the amazing new england trip would have sufficed, but i am NOT complaining with a key west AND tampa getaway. last week simon and i went down to the conch republic for a little extra work AND of course play. it is nearly impossible to go without some fun when you are living island life. having friends who live down allowing us to stay is a HUGE bonus! without fail every time i go i muster up the thought of living on that island with my man and our dogs (who LOVE kw!). the slow paced/ride your bike mentality is right up my alley.




next weekend is my bff's 26th bday. the lover and i are joining her and [her] mister in tampa. busch gardens anyone? yes please. outdoor theme park drinking, screaming, laughing,blissful [fun]. uber stoked to say the least.

new england bliss

the previously mentioned trip flew by as if 17 days were less than a week. words cannot express how magical it truly was. we enjoyed many delicious meals (some cooked by us, some his dad, some in restaurants) over drinks and laughs. just being up in the north country is so refreshing. it really is a completely different lifestyle...one i would not mind having, for the summer anyway. the weather was perfect, 70's and 80's during the day and high 40's - 60's at night. <---- how incredible! we went zip lining! a bit nerve wrecking but a healthy rush. :) we roadtripped to portland, maine with simon's brother and his gf... extremely rad town. totally dug the vibes going on in portland, everyone was friendly and super welcoming. so much wonderful music danced through my head as we enjoyed good company and amazing weather. i feel so lucky to have had such a euphoric experience. hopefully many more trips up to new england are in the script for my future. enough rambling, a few photos MAY help these words do our trip a little more justice...













needless to say, i can't wait for next time.