The Transportable Powers of a Peach

Every summer since I was in my early teens, my extended family would all pile in the car and head to the beach in North Carolina for a week. At most, there were 21 of us in the house, feasting on seemingly endless supplies of grandma-made cookies and playing cards after the sun went down. 

Vacations like this thrive on tradition, and for my family, that means food. We are not known for our picky appetites, but more for our tendency to have a dessert following every meal (yes, even breakfast). Every "first dinner" was exactly the same: Sloppy Joe's with slices of Kraft cheese, sweet corn & cantaloupe purchased from the fruit stand on the way into town, and Aunt Mary Cake for dessert. We would all know it was time for dessert when my grandpa would scrape away the remains of his dinner, searching for a clean spot for the cake. 

It was around this table, eating this meal together, that the excitement for the week would build -- we'd already made the long drive, settled into our rooms, and maybe even enjoyed an hour or two outside. Now, the week of relaxing and togetherness could truly begin.

For lunch every afternoon, another tradition was in place: make your own beach sandwiches. Whoever was the first to go in for lunch had the task of getting everything out of the fridge for sandwiches, with bags of chips & fresh tomatoes and peaches to go along with it. I remember many afternoons eating a peach from the fruit stand while standing over the kitchen sink, because it was so ripe and juicy.

I loved those weeks in my early years, when I spent countless hours swimming in the ocean and afternoons watching the movie "Now and Then" with my younger cousins. For an only child, a week spent with a house full of people was a delight. 

In recent years, I've learned to appreciate those weeks for so much more. Living hours from my family, it's the most time I get to spend with them consecutively. Taking beach walks with my grandpa, reading under the umbrella with my grandma, running to look for cheap souvenirs with my cousin -- those are even more special now. 

This year, due to finances, weddings, and schedules, the official beach trip didn't happen. (Don't worry, the house is already reserved for next summer for the whole group, a fact that delights my grandma to no end). Although I did get to spend a long weekend in Ohio, complete with a BBQ that was absolutely wonderful, I missed that week with that fantastic, one-of-a-kind group I call my family. 

Today, during my lunch hour at work, I reached for the last part of my meal: a peach I'd picked out just yesterday at Trader Joe's. As I took a bite, I realized it was so juicy that I'd need to use my beach vacation trick -- eating it over the sink. And that's when I realized that even if I was standing in my office kitchen with it's florescent lights and 350 miles away from my family, it's possible to conjur up a little bit of vacation no matter where you are.

{Photo from last year's beach trip}

Recent Inspiration

Nail polish: My favorite newly acquired polishes are Baker Street by Nails Inc, Meet Me At Sunset by Essie, and Ratin Jot by Nars. My favorite old standby that I've been loving is Mademoiselle by Essie, because sometimes, you're just in the mood for a sheer pink. 

Technology: I've long been a fan of Instagram, but I've recently discovered Diptic, where you can make collages of your picture (I used it in my blog header). Also, TimerCam is a great app, a self-timer for your iPhone. Songza is my far my new favorite music app -- it has playlists based on genre or mood, and there are no audio commercials. My current go-to stations are "Today's Happy Pop Hits", "Melancholy Morning", "Songs From Apple Commercials", and "Dawson's Creek". 

Books: I have been a reading fiend lately. In January, I set a goal to read 25 books after only reading 16 last year, and I've already read 15 (!!). My recent favorites have been The Age of Miracles, the Steve Jobs biography, and The Fault in Our Stars. 

Music: Alongside regular favorites like Ingrid Michaelson, I've found myself in a very pop loving mood lately, even playing "Call Me Maybe" on repeat on occassion (I know, I know). But I've also been really loving Milo Greene, Of Monsters and Men, and The Lumineers. I really do have to thank the fabulous Ashley for music recommendations -- I love every thing she's ever suggested. 

Blog posts: I love the blogging community, and get such joy out of reading what everyone is posting. This month, the following posts really struck a chord with me. 
+ My friend Caiti wrote an amazing post on the power of language, and changing our "have to's" into "get to's. 
+ Elise is one of my favorite bloggers, and her series last week about all the wonderful art and photos around her home was incredibly inspiring.
+ Sarah wrote an honest portrait about worry in the face of a challenging medical appointment, which struck a chord with me.
+ My friend Emily has started a blog re-reading and writing hilarious commentary about the Baby-Sitters Club series. If you were a fan of the books, be sure to check it out.
+ Sarah's blog, Pink of Perfection, has long been one of my favorites. Her post last week on gratitude was enough to shift my perspective toward the beauty I can find in my own life.

Can you believe tomorrow is August? Goodness, the months fly by these days.

{image via Pinterest}

Fake It 'Til You Make It

My beau has his own apartment, and I currently share mine with roommates. As much as I love spending most of my time with him over the weekend, I loathe packing. A creature of comfort, I like being with all of my "things". Plus, how can I decide on Friday after work what I'll want to wear/read/listen to/do over the weekend? Thus, I began to dread Fridays, always going home from work & relaxing for awhile before I'd even start getting my things together, and getting over to his apartment later and later every Friday (and typically after at least one emotionally-charged conversation about how much I didn't want to pack). 

Enter this weekend: I was in desperate need of a relaxing, refill-the-well type weekend. By the time I left work on Friday, I had a sinus headache the size of Texas and was daydreaming of take-out Thai food and vegging out in front of the Olympics. But, that one little hurdle to get over -- gathering my things & driving to Northern Virginia. On my ride home, my brain automatically started the well worn path down Negative Avenue. But, then I had a revelation: what if I just didn't complain about it? Didn't dread it? Just went home, put on a few upbeat songs, packed and headed out the door? I did exactly that, and arrived at his door at 6:45pm refreshed and ready for the weekend. 

Since my experiment went so well, I decided to carry this over into other potentially challenging aspects of the weekend. My beau had an appointment with the car dealership at 9am (!!) on Saturday morning, and I needed to accompany him in my car to give him a ride home. I am decidedly not a morning person, but instead of my usual grumbling, I just got up. I got ready, headed to the dealership, and before I knew it we were sitting in a little cafe I'd always wanted to try, drinking coffee and making our grocery list for the weekend. Before noon, we'd accomplished so much, and I wasn't the least bit tired. I was energized.

I also have a little (okay, maybe more than a little) Monica Gellar in me, and feel MUCH better if my personal surroundings are clean and organized. This especially goes for the kitchen. On the rare occasions that I cook, I can become overwhelmed with all the clean-up that has to be done, especially dishes. We had our friends over for fajitas & margaritas last night, and I kept my can-do attitude in play: I did the dishes as I cooked, quickly washed our dinner plates after I cleared them, and had my feet up reading a magazine by 10 after they'd left. 

The result was a happy, productive weekend where I was in a good mood for 99.9% of it. And the secret? Fake it 'til you make it.

At This Moment

 It's no secret that summer isn't my favorite, but I'm trying to embrace this season for all of the good that it holds -- a chance to slow down and enjoy life, wear sandals, eat outside, and savor a little more daylight. 

Here are a few things I'm keeping in mind to enjoy this next month: 

• Go through my closet and donate any of my summer clothes that don't make me feel fabulous. Life is too short to wear things we don't enjoy.
• Wake up earlier to have a leisurely morning, instead of my usual rush. 
• Buy fresh flowers for the kitchen table, and try to keep my orchid alive. 
• Unplug from the computer, iPad, and phone for one blissful day. 
• Eat as many tomatoes and peaches as possible, straight from the farmer's market. 
• Stop and get lemonade at a lemonade stand. 
• Eat an ice cream cone at least once per weekend, calories be damned. 
• Spend a day taking pictures of everything I find beautiful. 
• Clean out/organize something that desperately needs it (junk drawer, makeup bag, closet). 
• Enjoy early evenings the rooftop deck of my apartment, reading. 
• Relaxing weekend getaway with my beau, just the two of us. 

  What's on your list?

Saying Goodbye to New

I've got to have that newness, all the time, even if that "new" item is just a variation of something that I've already got -- new purse, new nail polish, new book, new striped shirt, new lipstick. And sometimes, I really do need something new. But other (most) times, it's the euphoric feeling of obtaining something new that I'm after. "This is the perfect lipstick I've been searching for", "This dress will be perfect for that party on Saturday", "This really is the exact nude nail polish I've always been searching for". Earlier this spring, I wrote about being grateful for what I have, which certainly touched on material possessions, but I've been feeling a strong urging lately to appreciate the things I already own, and dig deeper into why I'm always wanting something more. 

This morning, I got up a little bit earlier than usual. I am a chronic snooze-button-aholic, but am trying to be better about not sleeping until the very-last-minute. Even getting up 20 minutes earlier meant I had a bit more time to get ready, and I actually ended up applying lipstick before I left the house, instead of in the car while in the midst of eating my granola bar breakfast (it's a sad state of affairs, friends). As I dug through my makeup in the bathroom, I happened upon a long-lost Revlon lip butter in Candy Apple. This was purchased almost a year ago and almost never worn -- it was one of the first brighter lip colors I'd purchased, and I declared it too orange or too bright after a swipe or two and threw it in my drawer with the rest of the rejects. This morning it became my new favorite, all without a trip to the drug store for a new shade.

What is it that forces us to want something new? For me, a lot of it boils down to vanity - I want to feel good and look good. You know that feeling when you are wearing a new dress or your favorite new shirt? THAT is the important part, the "feeling" or confidence, which can be replicated at any moment from the inside out, whether it's the first time something is worn or the 100th. I'm going to make a concerted effort to shop my closet, put together new outfits, embrace wearing "the same old thing", and focus on feeling good on the inside.

Not being able to focus on the present moment is another reason I tend to gravitate towards newness. Swinging by Ulta on my lunch break or running to Target during an unscheduled portion of the weekend can be an easy way to fill time, when there are so many things I could do instead. Making the decision to stay in the present moment and relish a little quiet time or silence may be the difficult decision, but it will be rewarding.

I'm also going to try to reflect on what I really need when I pop into the store for a little something new. None of these purchases are ever something that break the bank, but they only cause a few moments of happiness. I'm likely in need of a boost, but one that could be fulfilled in a better way: with a phone call to a friend, a walk outdoors taking pictures or just breathing in and out,  or making a list of 3 things I'm grateful for today.

While I don't want to completely cut out shopping (oh, the horrors!), being mindful and reflective is something I'm working to be more conscious of. Because even if I'm wearing my $5 striped t-shirt from Target that my friends have seen a million times, with chipped nail polish and the same old lip gloss as always, I am good enough. 

{Image via Pinterest}

The Beauty of Craig's List

This week, I'm settling back in at work and home after a week away. I was in Ohio for the long weekend to celebrate my 31st birthday with my family, and as I was driving back (6 hours in the car by myself), I found myself in my usual post-vacation mode: dreaming of all of the changes I'd make once I arrived back home to live my Best Life Ever. You know what I'm talking about -- I'll wake up early, have my fridge stocked with healthy foods, do yoga daily, call my grandparents each week, and not let that stress bubble up to the surface again. 

Oh, if it was that easy! And, as you know, I do get overwhelmed with those BIG steps and tend to let that prevent me from doing any of it. I do better with small actions toward a bigger goal, and am often amazed at how a tiny change can have such a big impact. So, as I winded my way through Pennsylvania on the turnpike, my mind turned toward something small I could do this week to give myself (and my motivation) a little boost. 

I've lived in the same apartment for 5 years, and I love it. My bedroom is my haven, and it's the place I while away the hours watching Netflix, napping, and reading. Living with roommates, that room is the only place I can truly call my own. While the decor can certainly be called Ikea Chic, I adore it. But I hadn't rearranged the furniture or really spruced it up in several years. 

As I unpacked my bags Monday evening, I looked at my room with new eyes. What did it need to give it that change I was longing for? Not having much money to spare, I browsed Craig's List for some pieces of furniture, and then I happened upon it: the perfect cozy little armchair. It was red with white flowers, extremely reasonably priced, and I could see my room makeover happen before my eyes. 

The next day and a few emails later, I was on my way to pick up the chair with the help of my ever-supportive beau. I just did a slight bit of rearranging, a LOT of dusting (man, it's amazing how much can accumulate beneath something you haven't moved in years), and my little reading nook emerged: my cozy new chair, my already well stocked bookshelf, and a repositioned lamp. 

It was just what I needed - a small addition to make me better appreciate what I already had. I can't wait to curl up with a new book (or, let's face it, an episode of Dawson's Creek on Netflix) later today.