Today is [Hopeful]

Hope is a beautiful thing; it carries you through rough times and gives you something to hold on to until the end. Hope draws your attention away from the negative and shines a light on the positives and blessings around you. I've been needing some of that lately.

Currently I'm:

Thinking... about new jobs and opportunities. Being a creative professional is difficult. You need a day job because you need money to fund your creative endeavors, but how do you remain inspired and alert when you hate your job?? It's a vicious circle I tell you... I've also been thinking about opening another online store, outside of Etsy, with which to sell some of my products. I feel like it would force me to create more to sell (which I need to be doing anyway!).

Feeling... hopeful about the future. Despite what I mentioned above, I have so much to be happy about! And that's what I'm focusing on.

Watching... Disney movies like Pocahontas and Beauty and the Beast (hehe). Sometimes you just need a little dose of childhood whimsy to keep you going. I'm also watching BBC's most recent adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry IV, The Hollow Crown, with Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons.

Reading... Cinnamon and Gunpowder, a new novel by Eli Brown. It was recommended to me by a woman who attends the book club I'm in a the library and I'm so glad she did. It's written from the diary (for lack of a better word) of a chef who is kidnapped by the dreaded (female) pirate Mabbot and forced to cook a heavenly meal out of the ship's sub-par food supply. If he succeeds in bringing her a stunning Sunday meal, he's guaranteed to live for another week. The whole ordeal draws the curiosity out of the chef and shows him that life isn't always black and white... at least, that's what I've gathered thus far. It's a great summer read. I'm also reading Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald.

Excited... about going to California in two weeks! We're heading to the Los Angeles/Santa Monica area to visit my brother-in-law who currently lives there. It's really going to be a great vacation!

Wondering... where this year has gone!? It's already mid-July!

Wanting... a new camera! I've been frustrated with mine for while now. I at least would like a new lens. I also need a new swim suit... hmm.

Eating... I've been on a serious Brie cheese kick lately. Am I the only one who goes through serious food craving phases? Some days I can't stand certain foods and the next week it's all I'm buying. I've also been loving Stoneyfield Organic's new Banilla yogurt. I add some Udi's gluten-free granola and I'm set!

Drinking... San Pellegrino's Blood Orange sparkling soda.... It's heaven in a can.

Loving... the newness that life brings every day. I'm so thankful for family and friends because life would be so hard without the joy that they bring.

What are you loving, thinking, and feeling?

A Week in My Life: Week 25

Here's what the past week looked like:

My little cat really knows how to sleep...

I don't know about you, but it's been nothing but rain and storms here... Not the most exciting start to the summer.

I recently got a beautiful hanging jade plant (well, I took it from my dad...) and it's hanging in our living room window. I love the shapes that the "leaves" create against the light.

I've always loved popcorn, but lately it seems like it's all I want to eat! I like to add a little lime and cilantro too.

Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day never.

This weekend, Zion has its annual "Nostalgia Days" Festival. For two days, they close down a section of the main street to encourage people to showcase their vintage cars. This guy was an Elvis impersonator. He was actually pretty darn good. And he was wearing red suede shoes... too bad they weren't blue. 

I'm glad that the rain stopped enough to let the festival continue! Hope you all have a beautiful weekend.

A Week in My Life: Week 10

I can't believe that it's already been ten weeks since I started this blog "series". I had seen a few bloggers do it, and I decided to try my hand at it as well. I recently had someone tell me that they wouldn't have anything to write about if they started a blog, and I thought about how I didn't really think I had much to say either. It's funny how you start realizing all of the simple things that happen during the week that might have otherwise gone unnoticed and been forgotten. Blogging is funny that way; it's an extremely personalized way of documenting your life and things you love and before you know it, you find yourself wanted to photograph every little thing you do!

Here's what my week looked like this week!

 

One thing I love about summer is the abundance of fresh fruit and raspberry lemonade (in a Mason jar!). 

 

Yes. These are my feet. I went over to my parent's house to make dinner for them. My mom and I sat on their deck and chatted while the chicken cooked. 

Got to use my parent's fancy new oven/stove. I was pretty jealous ;-) 

The finished products. I made Garlic Parmesan crusted chicken with honey roasted red potatoes. My mom also threw some of their fresh garden vegetables in! Read more about that here.

Some pictures of my old stomping grounds. My parents own a few acres of land so my childhood was full of backyard exploration adventures, tree climbing, and berry picking. You can see how much we need rain- the grass is brown!

My cat did some pretty cute things this week. Or at least, Luis and I thought they were cute. Here she's chilling underneath our bookcase, half sun-bathing. Not sure what she was going for there. 

I had my favorite blanket (also Kiki's favorite) hung on the back of a chair. She took her chance and wrapped herself in the blanket. What a goof. 

All in all, Kiki likes warmth, and where warmth goes, she goes. Here she's got her paws pushed under my laptop. I love her...

More sunbathing... 

My grandma sent me this photo earlier this week. It's somewhat of a Tjader/Johnson family tradition to photograph the grandkids (of which I am one of) in my grandma's daisy field each summer. Here I am (at 22...) posing in the field. The thing you do for loved ones ;-) On a side note, I'm in my favorite blazer! Haven't been able to wear it much 'cause of the hot weather.

Slowly but surely, I'm trying to replace my current forks and assorted cutlery with vintage counterparts. I've been finding beautiful stuff at the antique shop right down the street. I've got my eye on a vintage glass juicer that I might go purchase...

I made rice crispy treats for Luis and I... We ate the whole thing... Then I made more the next afternoon.

Um, clearly I love sweets. I went and got myself a BIG box of chocolates (two levels!) and had the time of my life. 

My workspace...aka the kitchen table. Luis hates this. Fortunately it doesn't stay that way for long. 

Finally got my July Birchbox! Starting from top going clockwise: Stila eyeshadow palette (love!), eau Flirt perfume sample, Dirt salt scrub, blinc mascara, earbuds, and there was also a snack bar, but I ate it... 

I bought some white canvas boards because I'm going to make myself a makeshift photography studio. The only thing I need is a painter clamp light which will look great when diffused by the white canvas. All of my windows face west, which means I only get about three hours of direct sunlight into my apartment. The lighting isn't the best situation for photography (in my opinion). 

I'm plant sitting for my best friend while she's away in Michigan. Look at her basil plant! Massive! I introduced them to my other plants. They seem to be getting alone fine. ;-)

I took a leaf cutting from Kelsey's large basil plant, treated it with root growth plant hormones, and planted it. I'm really hoping that I can get a plant from this. I used Schultz's Take Root. You can find it at pretty much any major store. 

Bought some mint on clearance today! Pretty excited to have that around.

Fourth of July!

What a beautiful day it was today. It could not have been more of a gorgeous day in which to celebrate our nation's declaration of independence from tyranny. 

However, it was hot. Hot. Hot. Hot. Even with the constant breeze, I could feel the humidity sitting on my skin; but what else does one expect during July in the Midwest?

Luis and I spent the day with his parents, having a barbeque and trying to stay cool. 

We had plenty of traditional favorites to fill our plates: beef barbequed on the grill, potato salad, iced tea, and, of course, Elsie made her amazing arroz. 

We relaxed and chatted about everything! I was pretty jealous of some of my mother-in-law's plants. She's growing tomatoes, peppers, and lavender!

 

Later in the evening we went to see the concert in the park, put on by Zion's orchestra. There's something about outdoor concerts that is completely relaxing. We let the sun set as they played patriotic songs and movie themes. At one point, this adorable elderly couple got up, pulled each other close, and started dancing. It was so precious!

Around 9:30 they began the fireworks! 

How were your Fourth of July celebrations? What traditions do you have?