happy

have you ever thought about what makes you happy? i mean, truly happy? not too long ago, i got to see the happy documentary and it really made me give it some serious thought. the documentary, if you haven't seen it, follows several people in different cultures, countries, etc to see what makes them happy. it was really interesting to see that across the board, people have the same ideas about what makes them feel good about who they are. funny how that works isn't it? how a man in india living in the slums has the same ideas about what makes him happy as a businessperson in tokyo or an elderly woman in the states.

it completely opened my eyes to what we share as people and made me think about what makes me happy...so i thought i would share...

connecting with your community - T and i like to donate food, clothes or various items to big brothers big sisters, participate in causes within our area and supporting the local guys.

keeping relationships with people you care about - spending time with family whether it be for holidays, birthdays, vacations or just because, hands down puts a smile on my face. getting out and about to explore new things with T or the pups or sometimes, getting together with friends is the best boost to help recharge and reconnect.

taking care of oneself - i recently started running outside as a way to kick up my exercise routine and i've noticed how much better i feel afterwards. plus it is such a great way to see the changing flowers and trees.

..now if i can start to work on decluttering our kitchen.

adelaide

a twist on the original

 

it's strawberry time, have you heard? i couldn't resist picking up a container or two this past week since they smelled sooooo good. is it possible to be hypnotized by the scent of fruit? i swear, i could hardly finish grocery shopping before my thoughts were swimming with 'berry recipes! once i brought them home, i thought i would try my hand at this strawberry shortcake recipe. and between it, the yummy 'berries, and the fresh whipped cream i threw together, it sure did hit the spot.

best part about it was that even T liked it..which if you don't know, finding a treat that he likes (and not just taking a bite to be polite) is crazy hard to do. i predict there may be more shortcakes in our near future...

happy hump day!

spring is in the air

now that the last of winter is out of the way, i am so happy to be able to enjoy all of the warm weather and spring showers to come our way. it really is one of my favorite times of year because there is so much to do...between the festivals, outdoor concerts, late night bike rides, drinks on the patio, what's not to love? plus it really does make for such a gorgeous afternoon run after work. i took these snapshots while out with caroline and just had to share since it was just too pretty to keep to myself ;)

striped back

 

hope everyone had a great easter! sorry for the abscense in posts, my computer decided to be fussy and not want to work. (which ended up having a quick and easy solution, thank goodness!) with the break in post time, i thought i would seize the opportunity to relax and enjoy the spring season...which entailed baking a lot of deliciously sweet treats with all the amazing fruits that have come in season. but i am so excited to be back online and blogging again. i have to say, i have missed it quite a bit!

 

i love shirts that have a little something extra to them without being over the top.  this razerback i inititally bought not even knowing about the back since, at the time, i was looking (last minute) for a basic black tank. once i brought it home, i instantly fell in love with the gray and black stripes and it's been a favorite ever since. **also, i only realized now that i hadn't completely tucked in the back of my tank. sorry about that! ...i'll blame it on the extended break from blogging ;) **

surprise!

 

 

[apologies for the grainy photos in advance]

 

so remember how i said friday after my birthday that T was going to take me to dinner and then family would come saturday to celebrate? well, that was not the case since T put together a SURPRISE PARTY with my family, his parents and my closest friends! and while i've thrown several surprise parties for friends in the past, this was the first time i've ever had one thrown for me!

 

it was so wonderful to be surrounded by all the people i love most and to know that all of them went through so much trouble (including a few white lies) ...all for little 'ol me! and for the record, i never saw it coming.

then to top off the night, my mom baked my favorite cake. (yum!) it was such an amazing night and one that i will cherish forever....and i loved that T came up with such a special way to celebrate my 26th year :)

cositas

 

[surprise flowers...the best kind]

 

these past two weeks sure have flown by. between starting a new job, the amazing birthday celebration i had (post to come) and several other moments in between, i've hardly been able to keep up! now if winter would get a move on so that it could finally be spring, i'd be all set :)

 

[food that is almost too pretty to eat...almost]

 

[random snow days...i still get just as excited as i did when i was little]

 

[colorful sidewalk]

 

[funky wine labels]

 

[figaro!]

lunch at the museum

 

a couple of weeks ago Caroline and i had been long overdue for a lunch date together and both kept coming up blank on where we wanted to go. fortunately, while sick with the flu and extremely bored, i found out about the delicious menu that is the oklahoma museum of art cafe. so we ventured up to the cafe to add a little pizazz to a seemingly gloomy saturday.

 

and what girly lunch is not complete without a little champagne?...

 

amazing food combinations..

and creme brulee. yum.

if you are looking for a lunch spot that is a little out of the ordinary, make sure to try out the museum cafe. and if you are feeling like viewing some great art, you can easily check out the rest of the exhibits after!
happy lunching!