vacation: Santa Cruz

while in California, my mom and I got to visit with my 1 cousin, Jesse and his wife Margot. They live up in the mountains along side the beach outside Santa Cruz. Their little cabin in the woods is amazing, and they also have a wonderful little yurt.

1. long afternoons at wonderful little bookstores (that serve you local wines)

2. Capitola (beach town by Santa Cruz, cousin went to surf there...too cold)

3. Mom and Jesse in Capitola

4. eating at Jesse's cabin (about all we did :)

5. Sweet little cabin in the woods

6. cooking in the cabin

7. found a wonderful vegan indian place in santa cruz :)

trying to round up the last of my photos to move on my from my trip....

bittersweet bailey

this is a bittersweet post about my sweet, spicy, darling, amazing bestie bailey! I am so blessed by her relationship. Our friendship was sprouted from a tiny seed that was planted when we were 15/16. Ever since that one day when she heard me sing a Colbie Cailat's "bubbly" in Japanese, we were sworn as friends, until now, we are 21 and 22 and I am so proud of this girl!

[listening to colbie cailat's "bubbly" while reading this post, makes for a more dramatic read]

[bailey and I at cabana, hillsboro village. ladies night. also, big girls night, she had just turned 21 a few weeks prior]

bailey and I used to live in the same room in a charming little house in east nashville. We shared a room! People say not to live with good friends, especially best friends, it'll ruin your relationship. Not us.

[on the porch of our old house.]

one gloriously bright weekend we spent the whole day at the pool. I never spend the whole day at the pool! Partly because of my sad sun allergy, and I hate being in full sun all day, but the drinks and the cool roof top pool, looking over all of nashville made it so worth it! and being with my Bailey!

[on this same weekend, I went home with swollen feet because we went to a swing dancing get together at Centennial park in Nashville.]

[this girl is golden]

[she stood beside me on my wedding day]

[girls date night for margarita's at Pueblo]

[late night free root beer floats at sonic one night. little did we know it was the sketchy one, and I left my house in my bathing suit.....]

[this girl is amazing. she gets me]

Bailey Todd is a once in a life time friend. You meet someone like this and you cherish her forever, she doesn't float in and out of your life like some people, she is always there. We can go months without seeing each other, but once we give that first hug when we are reunited, it's like we've been next to each other for all that time. She knows how to make you feel like you are the most important person in the world whilst talking to her. Her reasoning is sometimes weird to me, but that's another reason that I love her so dearly. Often, while in a sticky situation, I find myself saying "how would bailey deal with this?" I am so amazed at her willingness to forgive and let things go, something I think we all need a little more of in our lives.

Bailey is leaving on January 2nd from New York and flying to Botswana for 5-6 months. Like I said, this is a bittersweet post. I am thrilled, and excited for this huge, amazing opportunity for her, whilst being selfish and sad that she is going. I am worried she will never come back, but I can't say I blame her. I know she will meet amazing people and impact their lives as she has done mine, certainly. I love you bailey todd and I will never forget the wonderful woman you are, the amazing friend and the importance you have had on my life thus far. I hope you never forget that I will always be here for you, I will fly to botswana for your wedding (maybe?) and I will hold your hand when you deliver your babies, whenever those days come, I am there. I love you.

bailey will be posting from Botswana on her newly listed blog: you can take a look and read it here! enjoy!

ps holiday note:

also, a year ago today I created the most exquisite gluten/dairy and sugar free banana round bread! yeay for me!

floating on the river.

this past week we had a sweet Swedish lady around, we decided to float down the cumberland river in a beautiful canoe. this fellow bob dylan lover got to see all of downtown nashville! floating the river. oh what a wonderful day it was.





we worked up a huge appetite to make homemade pizza's!




then I tested out some fruit sweetened chocolate, oatmeal cookies. they turned out a little bit too crumbly, but nothing the peanut butter couldn't fix on my next batch.








also, here are some vegan nachos i made! turned out delicious!

lemon bliss.

the lemon's right now are so delicious. oozing with flavor. i'm delighted when I am able to incorporate fresh fruit in my baking.
yesterday it was a lemon cream cake and today I made vegan strawberry lemon cupcakes. topped with a lemon buttercream icing and a slice of a fresh strawberry! delectable! [i used almond milk, tapioca, and earth balance butter in place of the dairy/eggs!]

strawberries + no bakes

[strawberry cake, made yesterday! fresh strawberries, perfect for the weather here!]

this week the sun has begun to shine a constant radiance through my windows. it's only encouraged me to bake more and more.

recently i've been on a major no-bake cookie kick! the oats + chocolate + peanut butter combination hit the spot when i'm craving something sweet!

I've been replacing my original recipe with gluten free oats rather then regular ones, and honey rather then sugar.
I also replaced the peanut butter with almond butter, and I'm making sure i'm using 73% or higher chocolate for a dairy free treat, and almond milk to give it an extra nutty taste.


[no bake dough]



[no bake's stirring]



[using 73% dark cocoa, dairy free!]



on another note, i absolutely love these people! they were a vital part of me becoming a woman. this wonderful woman Christie and her husband Stephen sang at our wedding and they have been such a blessing to know. These three munchkins Jaydinn, Rayna and Finn, make Robert and I actually want to have kids. I love these people and every time Robert and I go to Kansas we make sure to spend a good chunk of time with them. I cannot wait to see them again soon!






on another side note, Robert and I have been making these fun recycled wood words. He's been cutting them out and I've been either staining or painting them. We've been using them as baby shower/wedding gifts. really fun and 100% recycled. Really fun. ok wait, the paint isn't, so 90% recycled!




That's all, more bites later! I have chocolate oatmeal ball's in the oven right now!

dinner parties.

i think i will just gush about all the fabulous dinner parties i've been a part of this week.
on tuesday we invited 4 people over to indulge in some fish tacos, little did we know that word would get to 3 times that many people. somehow over the span for 5 hours I was able to feed 17 or 18, or i lost count how many people, with enough food for 6. ha. so wonderful! spicy fish and homemade salsa, avacados, corn tortillas hot off the press! it was fabulous!











so last night my friend Matthew King invited me and some people over to cook us up a fabulous meal! It was so great! complete with wine, beer, salad, hummus, fresh veggies, a what looked like a fabulous bacon/potato dish, some mushroom/bruschetta! It was great! [check out his great "Eat Me Nashville" website by clicking on his name!]






this week has been full of great food, and even greater friends! and tonight, to a fondue birthday party!

lovely pears and bears.

this weekend has been superb!
friday I received this adorable invitation to some of our dear friends Tim + Christens wedding in May, and I love the bears. these little hand made goodies are just too cute.



speaking of bears, this adorable man Bert is just huge and wonderful. he and wizard could be so in love..if they weren't both boy dogs...




friday I spent my day making this lovliest of lovelies "Pear Tart" it turned out so great!
no gluten, no refined sugar [only alternative, natural, un-refined!] no dairy and no eggs! and full of protein and pears!



[pre-bake]



[turned out better then I thought it would!]






then late Friday night my lovely husband came home! at 1am, within 9 hours he was up making me and my lady friends sugar free pancakes with sauted pears and espresso! oh what a charmer I have! making all the women jealous!







scones i made, they didnt turn out quite right, but I will have to perfect them eventually.



and this was my day today: writing a paper that is worth 25% of my final grade about optimum health, in food, organics, vitamins, nutrients, activity..all things for optimum health! good thing some Espresso was here to help :)