Smoothie time!

SO even though it isn't monday, I'm going to put this recipe out there for all of you to enjoy. I'm actually enjoying one as I write this and wowzers! so good!

The recipe I'm giving you is for.... Green Smoothies!

I can't take all the credit for this recipe; my family has been blending up frozen fruit concoctions for decades. But, I finally started getting diligent about making them every morning, and now Chris requests them even over bagels. BAGELS, GUYS. So believe me, it's good.

Some other reasons I love green smoothies for breakfast:
- Fast and easy to prepare
- You can eat them on the run (or commute)
- You can change whatever ingredients you need to fulfill your health requirements
- Chris says he thinks he's lost weight since he really started eating these regularly. So there is that!
- Way more energy than with a carb-loaded breakfast, and you won't crash later!

So here is how I make green smoothies!

1. You need to start off with your juicy fruit and other liquids.

"Juicy" fruits are just that-the fruits that have a lot of juice. Some that I've used include grapes, grapefruit (wouldn't recommend that one to all), oranges, and apples. Usually with bigger fruits, like oranges, I simply cut off the orange peel, quarter it, and stick it in the blending. Juicing made easy! Some are more pulpy than others, so I often will add some soy milk at this point for added creaminess and to mix it up a little better. You can also add yogurt here.

2. Get your green on! Throw in a handful of your choice of green, leafy vegetable.
For greens, you can use a lot of things: romaine, chard, kale, spinach, and even cabbage. Just be careful about what you mix in with what! Spinach is always a safe bet, especially if you're new to putting greenage in smoothies. It breaks down nicely and you can hardly tell it's there! I am also partial to kale, which adds a nice sort of contrast and body to the smoothie.

3. Add half to a whole banana and other fresh fruits. Blend.
It's pretty self-explanatory. Add whatever your heart desires!

4. Add frozen fruit, or about a cup of ice.
This will give the smoothie that thick texture!

5. Add anything else you may want!
This is where you might want to beef up the taste or nutritional quality of your smoothie. You might add som ground flax seed for fiber, some flax oil for those lovely fatty acids and omega-3's. I usually add about a tablespoon of protein powder, because vegetarians always need their protein!

Here's a simple version of my typical green smoothie recipe. Also, be aware this usually turns out more tan then green once everything is added.

Put into your blender:
1 orange, skin pared off and cut into quarters
1/2-1 c. vanilla soy milk
1 cup (about a handful) of kale or spinach
And blend! Then add
1/2-1 banana
other fresh fruits
Blend again!
then add
6 frozen strawberries
1 c. frozen blueberries
Pulse until frozen fruit is broken up, then blend until smooth.
Add 1 tbl vanilla protein powder, and blend in.
Pour into container of your choice!

This recipe for me makes about 3-4 cups of smoothie, which can be one huge helping of smoothie for you or two medium servings for you and a spouse. Also, I love to dip buttered toast in my smoothies. Try it!

The weekend and a wedding

My beautiful sister, Ashley! photo by James Michael Liu.

The weekend was really really really fun.

Friday:

I drove down with Britt. We hitched a ride with the best friend of the groom down to Vegas. I ate a cupcake for breakfast and I felt pretty dang good about it. When we got there, we hung out around the house and got dolled up. My dad was there and he and I bantered a bit. He is one of my most favorite people!

For dinner, we met up with the sisters and Jinny and grabbed some Pei Wei. I went next door for a Chipotle burrito, however, because it is the best. The line for Chipotle was ridiculously long, though! Anyway, we all sat in Pei Wei and ate. Karalee and Janelle both have new babies, so they got passed around and snuggled. I made everyone laugh, right, because I'm super hilarious and charming.

After, we headed to Jinny's for a mini-bachelorette party. There were Italian cream sodas, kettle corn, and maui onion chips dipped in sour cream (a favorite snack in my family that I want everyone to know ORIGINATED WITH ME, OKAY????!?!?!). I stayed at Jinny's and we had a slumber party on the living room floor and stayed up late talking about married life and our friendship and how happy we are and how much we love each other.

Saturday:

Jinny and I got up and sluggishly made our way through the morning. She and her husband wrestled and giggled for like a half an hour, but that's ok because I was finishing the book for Kristin. Then she and I went around running errands, primarily finding a tie for the groom because the one Ashley had ordered ended up being more gold than yellow. We found a suitable choice at Ross, which is good, because it was only eight dollars. Which is good because with my family, I think it's unlikely I'm getting reimbursed. I'll just call it a wedding gift.

Jinny dropped me off at home and I got ready for the wedding. I wore this super hot green dress I got for Christmas (thanks, Mother-in-law!) with a peacock feather in my hair. This is probably my favorite thing about my new hair cut—it is just BEGGING to be accessorized.

We made it to the wedding and it was a really lovely ceremony. Ashley and Andrew had a real nice, long just-married kiss. I totally teared up. I'm so happy for them and the journey they are setting out on. I know they will treat each other well, and I'll be happy to have Andrew as a brother.

The ceremony was followed by dinner and we sent the couple off in style with some fancy sparklers.

After that, I went with my mom to drop Kristin off at the airport. I really love Kristin. She's the classiest, most gracious person I know. Then it was bed!

Sunday

Got up and ready for church. I looked sassy, of course. Church was awkward because it is my old ward with all the old people from high school, and while they were nice enough, it's just weird. It's the kind of thing where we know we both know who the other is, but neither will actually go and say hi? Awkward.

After church, most of the fam came over for a brunch of Hawaiian haystacks. They were very excellent. I said good bye to everyone and got packed, and then we took off. I spent most of the drive home getting reacquainted with the first season of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and giggling to myself in the backseat.

I was so, SO happy to see Chris again! I kept smelling him all night and telling him how good he smelt and hugged him a lot.

So, that was my weekend. It pretty much rocked. I love Jinny, I love my fam, and I love you!

my day in 10

1. Started working on a journal for Kristin. I am trying something new, but it involves very fine motor skills. I'm a little nervous. But I think it will turn out super fantastico. Probably.
2. Packed to head to Vegas tomorrow. My sister Ashley is getting married on Saturday (exciting!) so I'm heading down there for the event. Sadly, Chris already had some stuff on his side of the family, so he won't be going with me.
3. This will be the first time since we got married that we will be apart for any real length of time. Or sleep apart. It makes me sad to think about.
4. I got a hair cut! I actually went through with it and chopped it short. I really really like it, and so does the hubby. In fact, I think he really actually likes it! Neither of us was much expecting that. I figured it would be just another funny/crazy thing I do that he love me despite of. But he was staring at me all day and told me he really sincerely thinks it's fab.
5. Picked up Chris and we had an early date night. We had pupusas (my first time!). They were so, so, so delicious. Also, Sangria. Need I say more?
6. I got to attempt to speak in Spanish. I still have no idea what native speakers say to me (they speak so fast!) but I felt more confident with my recent brushing up I've had to do to understand El Libro de Mormón. I really want to be fluent soonish.
7. Hung out with Rob and Lauren (Chris's brother and his wife). They are good people! Also, Rob beat me in Words with Friends for the first time. Wah wah waaaah.
8. I hung out with Brittany and her roommates. I'm sleeping at her place so that Chris wouldn't have to drop me off before work, which would be potentially stressful. I was a little slaphappy and said many inappropriate things.
9. Titanic was on the TV because it was playing on ABC Family. I really dislike that movie. Also, the old lady who plays Rose when she is old is a really, really bad actress. Remember the little grunt she makes when she chucks that tacky looking diamond overboard? She is pretty terrible.
10. Talked about what makes a good marriage with Britt and the roommates. And while I was the only one who could currently directly apply the discussion, it was fun and really enlightening. It's all about love and all those good things that come along with it, right? Like forgiveness and charity, long-suffering and compassion. That kind of stuff. I want to be a better wife. I mean, I am a pretty great one already. But even Everest could be taller, amiright?

I think too much.

Some things I've been thinking about lately include:

1. Writing a novel.

As you probably know, I set out last November to start and finish a novel in a month. As you can guess, I ended up with a pathetic pile of drivel with a Swiss cheese-style plot — stinky and full of holes. I've thought about this a lot and what I've come down to is that my premise was an unclear, sad hot mess.I want to start working on my writing again, but I don't know where to start. I'd really really love to attempt a novel again, but my problem is that I can't come up with a premise that is exciting or compelling to me without seeming really formulaic. I don't know, maybe I'm being picky with my ideas here. In any case, if you have a cool premise you want to let me steal (I'll spin your tin cans into gold!), let me know. Also, I'm taking writing advice.

2. I want an art degree.

I feel like every other job listing I come across is for a graphic designer. And while I've never considered myself to be a particularly talented artist, per se, I want to get an art degree. I LOVE doing things with design (esp. publication design). I took a few design classes and I really, really loved them. Design, typography, printmaking, illustration are all things I'm dying to learn more about.

And I feel that I have a small amount of talent/knack in this area. I think I have that kind of eye, you know? This could also be in my head, or a delusion ingrained into me by being referred to for most of my life as the "creative one" in my family. Being the "creative one" mostly meant that I drew on walls, read too much and hummed to myself nonstop. I guess it sounded better than calling me the "one that's not quite right in the head."

3. I like God.

No, really, I do. He's way awesome and also we're friends. (Should "we're" be capitalized, since part of that is referring to a deity? Will anyone besides me care?) But lately, I've kind of been snubbing Him. Not talking to Him as much as I used to, not reading good books He recommends. But I've also started needing Him a lot, and like the best friend ever, He doesn't hold any of that against me. He just gives me a hug (figuratively) and forgives all, and then helps me with what I need. It's pretty awesome and I am grateful for Him, always.

Also, I started reading one of those books God recommends. Which brings me to my next point....

4. Reading in foreign languages is like playing a super awesome game.

I've been reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish (El Libro de Mormón!) and it's seriously SO FUN. I actually remember to read every night because I'm totally looking forward to it. It's like playing an awesome cross between a Dr. Brain computer game, scripture Trivial Pursuit and Mad Libs. It is interesting how reading in a new language opens up interesting new interpretations of a story most Mormons know really well. I thought I knew the story of Nephi's exodus to the Americas backwards and frontwards, but I TELL YOU, that assumption is being challenged.

Motivated? Probably closer to maniacal.

Last week was a lazy one. I didn't do much of anything besides sleep a lot and play Plants Vs. Zombies. Oh, I did a few loads of laundry here and there and made meals, but still. My productivity level was at a low.

But I've started this week off much better. I scoured my kitchen, even cleaning out my oven (it was gross, believe me). Let me just say that after all that scrubbing, I was finally motivated enough to put some foil down on the bottom of it. I also did close to a thousand (OK, it was four...thousand!) loads of laundry, folded and put away. I finished putting together my crafting area/station and organizing the extra room that houses it.

This motivation stemmed, in part, from necessity (my in-laws will be staying here this weekend) and partly from not being able to handle any more of the complete and utter boredom that I allowed my brain to wallow in last week. Which, as you can see, led to melodrama. In any case, it felt good, like I was giving inactivity the good old "No, thanks!" accompanied with the bird (not THAT bird... more like a bird that flies down and poops on it).

Also, I am up at 3 in the morning because my sleeping habits have gotten derailed again. I can't seem to get myself up before 10 a.m., and my mind is going crazy if I'm in bed before midnight. I get up and do something just so I don't have to keep listening to the squeaky wheels that my mind-gerbil insists on running on.

In any case, check out my bookmaking blog to see what my new crafting area looks like. ! Que linda! Buenissimo! Wunderbar!

Adieu!

Dream on...

Dreams are weird. Some people take them seriously, others don't. All the same, it's interesting to see what your mind comes up with when you're not behind the wheel.

I recently had a nightmare that culminated in Chris leaving me. It wasn't particularly scary, but it was heartbreaking! I woke up and it took almost a full minute to realize it had been a dream. It was still pretty early, around 6, and I reached out for Chris and just started crying. And didn't stop for close to half and hour. Needless to say, it freaked him out a little, but eventually I calmed down. We were even laughing about it later that day.

Las night I had weird dreams about our neighbors. We lived in an apartment complex (not the basement apartment we currently live in) and our neighbors were mad at us because we were "noisy"—when I played the ukulele, or Chris and I even talked before going to bed, we would inevitably end up with some VERY angry neighbor banging on our door. I think this stemmed from a conversation I had yesterday with Tess about apartments and neighbors anda volume levels.

Also, I have these recurring dreams, and I have had them since I was a teenager. They usually come when I'm feeling insecure or stressed out. Needless to say, with my job search still going on, that means even now. Anyway, I have dreams that my teeth somehow fall out. Sometimes I pull them out and then try to put them back in. Other times I realize they are rotten. Sometimes they chip or break in my mouth. I have even had them crumble to dust in my hands. Apparently dreams about your teeth falling out are actually very common, which is totally random and bizarre.

I don't really try to interpret my dreams, but I will often think about the general feel of a dream and see where that parallels how I feel about my life situation. If I have dreams about my teeth, for instance, it's a pretty safe bet that I'm feeling down on myself, and my dreams help me notice that. And the super scary dream about Chris leaving me was really unpleasant, but it helped me to realize that I was feeling very rejected—by Chris in my dream, and from my job search IRL. My dreams can often help me to realize what's going on in my emotional world so I can try to feel better.

How about you? How much credence do you give to your dreams? Do you have any recurring dreams? What have your dreams been about lately?

Hairy Restlessness

My hair is getting long and I'm feeling that urge again to chop it all off. I feel like it's been floating around in the same-ish style—with varying lengths—for two years now. And I'm ready for a change.

I've been thinking that I want to go short—really short. Pixie status! Emma Watson style! And all that. See inspirations below:

The very cute Carey Mulligan!

I don't really love Kiera Knightley. In fact, she kind of drives me crazy. Something about her mouth when she talks is the worst. BUT her hair here has serious attitude.

This is my favorite and probably the one that I will take into whatever hairdresser I end up hitting up. Look at it! SO BEAUTIFUL.

So, what do you think? How should I end up doing my hair?