Spring Break

Well here we are at the end of Spring Break and this is the first post I'm sitting down to write. I was hoping to blog much more than I did, but such is life. It's probably a good thing that I literally had a break from every area of my life: no work, no school, no plans. It was much needed! The time with Wes was absolutely wonderful, I can't remember the last time we had so much time together. So, I'm here to say that I'm alive, rejuvenated and ready to blaze through our last two months here! Oh also... I got bangs! :) Most people know that haircuts usually make me cry if they are the slightest bit different, but I was ready for these babies. I went in with the mindset of: I'm ready for a change, I can pin them back if I hate it, and I'm always going to wonder, so do it now when you have a hair stylist you trust! I'm happy I did. I like them though they are an adjustment, it's fun for now. I'm sure many girls out there are thinking, "you got bangs... right before you go backpacking through Europe... with no hairdryer..?" Yes, yes I did.

Anyway, that's enough hair talk! Fun posts full of pictures coming soon! We are preparing for two best friends of ours to come up this next week. Wes and I got lucky and got to have both of our best friends up here at the same time! Justin comes tomorrow and Ashley comes Friday! woohoo! Can't wait. More again soon!

What I'm doing/thinking right now...

Currently working on my last assignment of the quarter: drawing tomatoes. You know those diagrams of sorts? I never know the name for them but they are sort of like anatomy/ visual map of objects and their names.. like this:
 

That is what I'm drawing up. I really would love to know the official name of what things like this are called. So if you know it please comment!

Had two little kiddos stay the night at our place last night (the girls I nanny). It went pretty well I'd say. Happy to have the quiet back though, that's for sure!

I also now have an intense desire to make an art project out of re-wrapping all of my crayola crayons (box included) with my own designs. If only one could just make art all day long... maybe next quarter because that sounds like quite the fantastic project!

Yesterday Wes and I got over to the Kennedy School (Mcmenamin's) bright and early to be the first ones with our hands on their limited edition Devil's Bit Whiskey, released every Saint Patrick's Day and always sold out within a couple of hours. We were the first and even beat the crowd. Then we went and at the always satisfying Pinestate Biscuits.

We also made Corned beef and Cabbage for the first time lastnight and it was delicious, especially with mustard. mmm mmm. Alright... some tomatoes are calling my name I guess... Perhaps this will be the first art project I post in quite a long while. We'll see...

Spring break is almost here, during which I can't wait to play catch up and post some pictures here.
Hope you all had a lovely Saint Patrick's Day!
 

Mr. Golden Sun

Goodmorning Blog, Family, Friends, and Mr. Golden Sun-

Yes, the sun is out this morning. How wonderful it is to wake up to the sun pouring in through the windows. It is also a happy day because my first two classes have been excused as "work from home days" so here I am "working from home." ;)

No really, I have gotten quite a bit done but thought I would pop on and write a quick post. Our first year of living here I feel like I used to hop on all the time just to post a small update. So I thought I'd give that a go again.

Right now I am currently working on a project that entails rolling fruit dipped in ink across 2 yards of butcher paper. Oh the silly, crazy art-things I have done through out my time here. I am also working on a drawing that will be turned into a box, and also am making a coloring book to be printed for high school students that I work with in one of my classes. Wes is sleeping after working all last night but alas' its Monday which means he stays home with me tonight! Yaaay!

Graduation plans are coming along swimmingly, or well, really all that means is nothing bad has happened in a while and I got to sign up for Spring classes. Which means that never again will I have to sign up for classes. The finish line is fast approaching, Praise God! Holy moly it's been a tough one hasn't it? I hope that this really is it... the calm after the storm... well, you know you'll hear about it if it all goes awry again!

Anyway, I have pictures to share from my time in CA last weekend, but that will be in my next post. Happy Monday everyone!

Clams

Their is a first time for everything, and last week marked our first time cooking clams. Wes and I first ordered clams at Pok Pok a while back and were amazed by how delicious and yummy they were. I had never experienced clams outside of San Francisco's Pier 39 Clam Chowder, so handling shells and teensy-tiny forks was another major first. After such a positive experience we ordered them yet again at a little restaurant we like to call Clyde Common: again, delicious. We both "oo" and "ah" over handling the shells every time. The tactile experience is quite unique. Anyway, all of this is to say that last week we decided to bring clams into our kitchen.
We found a very simple recipe, using only: clams, garlic, olive oil, butter, white wine, and parsley. And is served with crusty bread for dipping. It was very successful and surprisingly easy. Below is the recipe, if you are the slightest bit interested I urge you to try it out! Check out the full recipe here.

First, give them a salt bath so that they release any and all dirt. Clams are sand-dwellers so this stage is necessary. This was also the stage in which it dawned on us- these suckers are alive. It's quite fun to sit and stare. Be patient and you'll watch one jitter a bit or watch the bubbles surface. *bloop, bloop!*

 

scrub-a-dub

 

No worries little guys, you're just going into a "sauna," to die a slow steamy death.

(sorry, I make it so appetizing don't I??)

 

mmmm lots o' garlic

 

And into the steaming bowl! They cook quickly. This is what it looks like as they just begin to pop open. After all or most of them have popped open the clams are ready. Discard any that do not open, this means the clam was in fact dead prior to cooking and not fresh. :/

  Serve up in low-bowls with crusty bread, noodles, or rice.

 Enjoy!

 And don't forget a bowl to put all of your empty shells into.

Inspiration

I've always loved flowers. When I think back on our relationship (the one that consists between myself and the flowers) there are moments that stand out amidst our love story. One of which was when I watched You've Got Mail (yes, you read that correctly). Because, you see, in You've Got Mail there is this scene. You know, that one where Meg Ryan is sick and Tom Hanks brings her flowers -- not Roses, but Daisies: simple, understated, ordinary, white Daisies. Meg Ryan shares "I love Daisies. Don't you think that Daisies are the friendliest flower?" Yes Meg, yes I do. Which is why I broke (probably) a thousand flower rules and paired Gerbera Daisies with Roses in my bridesmaids bouquets. gasp! Little did I know most florists hate "Gerbers" -- but how could you hate a Gerber with they're big round faces and so many colors to choose from? But anyway... flowers make me happy and they always have. Whether it be the red Christmas berries that my mom would send us to fetch from the park around the corner, the September Sunflowers in Portland, that one annoying time I had to take biology, or the life long dream I've had of laying down in a field of flowers, with my horse as my pillow and a book to keep us company. Flowers are in my life and they will be forever.

Many of you have heard me brainstorming over the past couple years in regards to my career. My problem has mostly been narrowing my focus and understanding that one person can only provide so many services. I've always had a desire to be a "one-stop-shop" of sorts for a bride & groom.
I've always wanted to be the wedding planner-florist-fold-your-paper-favors-by-hand-and-provide-you-with-linens-too, kind of girl. After getting this internship with the florist my dream has become focused and floral design is my main goal. However this isn't to say that Wes and I don't dream of having a team of people under one roof, working together to provide that one-stop-shop. So, when I happened upon this website this morning I nearly fell out of my chair. Seriously everyone, this website is to a "T" what I would love to be someday. I love the site design, the information could not be articulated better, and the portfolios are phenomenal. Have a look:



{Click here for Super Awesome Crafty-Paper-Flower-Goodness}

So Life, this is what I have to say to you:

College Degree I will fight for you. Even when it doesn't make sense and you are the last thing I want to fight for, I will. And someday I will understand why I did.

God, thank you for creating flowers to provide for "The Circle of Life" and also for the sake of enjoyment.

Dreams, I will fullfill some of you someday.

I think its time to go purchase a couple of single-stems, don't you?

Through the Ringer.

This week has been one of those weeks. I've decided its probably best to avoid talking about my current problems as often as possible so to not remind myself of how disappointed I am. Therefore, I figured I would update everyone in one foul swoop on our near and dear blog. This doesn't mean you can't ask about it or show sympathy, its just an attempt to prevent myself from moping around in further, self-pity. (Yes, the pity party is rich can you tell?) I recognize that my problems are so (so SO SO) small compared to the real tragedies of life, for example I almost fell to pieces on the bus ride home from receiving my bad news when a blind guy (my age!) sat down on the bus right next to me (no coincidence I assure you, God has been involved in quite obvious ways). So, I digress - on with my bad news:

On Wednesday I met with a different adviser than normal. At the time I was frustrated that my normal advising was sending me some place new. However, I was pleased to meet the nicest, most helpful adviser I have ever crossed at PSU. So we sit, she answers my questions, then says "Let me just do this for you." She takes my DARS report (in normal person terms this means: my everything, my records) and writes up a brand new graduation plan for me. Then she whips out a calculator.

gulp.

And then proceeds to tell me that I have an additional 4 classes I need to take in order to graduate.

She could tell by the blank look on my face I was in utter shock. In shock I tell you! Because well, you see, I meet with an adviser very often. Like, every-two-weeks-often to ensure problems like this don't happen. She explained that this happens a lot and that for some reason or another this requirement often gets overlooked. The requirement I speak of is the one that says 72 credits of your total course work has to be Upper Division. It makes sense... only, in my situation its quite stressful because I have to graduate in the Spring. We have plans, you know?? And its upsetting because no one ever told me. You'd think I'd have figured it out on my own but seriously the aforementioned "DARS report" is like another language. Full of crazy symbols, repeating information, The word: "NEEDS" and "EARNED" and "OK" all over the place. Its a complicated mess.

So, what this means for my life is that my "easy" finish to my college career won't be happening. These next few months will be stressful. I will probably cry a lot and mope around on occasion. Today when I added two extra classes to my load the guy who was processing the information said "You are now enrolled with 20 credits- Have fun!!!" And next quarter I will no longer get to take only two classes, rather, I will be taking four. :(

Oh well, life goes on. Like I said, there are much bigger tragedies in life and who am I to complain??? I keep telling myself that I just have to ride out these next few months and then we will basically be on a 3 month extended vacation. I can do this. I will do this. So that's my news. It's been a tough week but life goes on. And I'm memorizing this:

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." -Romans 12:12


Praying for patience and perseverance. As always, thank you for your unwavering support. It is a relief to know that many of you will meet (and have met) me in my place of disappointment because you know me well enough to understand how this translates into my life. Wes has been brilliantly supportive, and encouraging. Boxed Mac n' cheese for dinner tonight! :)

Portland Bride & Groom Magazine Shoot

If you saw me over Christmas than you most likely saw the magazine and heard the news already. But if you didn't, the photoshoot I worked on through my flower-internship has been published and can be seen in the Winter/Spring addition of Portland Bride & Groom Magazine. My experience helping out with the shoot was a great one. Talk about inspiring, eye-opening, and such a fun time. The florist (of Petalos Floral Design) was asked to prepare her handmade paper flowers to adorn the table-scape featured. I am so proud to say that I had a part in making the flowers! And then the extra fun part is that while helping set up the table for the shoot I was asked to be in the magazine. No, you don't see my face but I got to change into a dress and fun jewelry and hold a tray of food. You see my arms! ;) I am so thankful for the experience, I can easily say I never thought I'd leave Portland having been a part of a local wedding magazine publication. I owe "my" florist everything for inviting me into her life. Thanks to all for the awesome opportunity!