Pink Cupcake!

I just had the most exquisit strawberry cupcake from Common Grounds earlier today. I am not a huge frosting fan, but the pile of pink frosting atop the strawberry cupcake was so rich and creamy, with just a hint of sweetness. 

My new mission in life will be to go in pursuit of the best cupcake in the entire world, whilst becoming an accomplished cupcake baker. 

banana bunny kisses

Buddy ate some banana yesterday and then liked my face, which ended up smelling like bananas...This post is about my lovely pet bunny, Buddy. I got her over the summer from a coworker, and they thought she was a boy, ergo the name Buddy. I was going to rename her but, the name kinda suits her.

Here are lovely little facts about her:

Her favorite treat is bananas

She likes napping almost as much as she like mischief

She pretty much taught herself how to be potty trained

I hardly ever leave her in her cage

She wakes me up every morning my jumping on my bed and either stepping on or licking my face

She loves to play with her cardboard boxes....no idea why

She is the most snuggly in the morning and late at night

She enjoys getting rubbed on her tummy

Her best friend is Toby (my dog)

She likes moving the clothes on the bottom rack of my closet...

She enjoys eating newspaper and sticks on occasion

She will come up to me and nudge my hand until i pet her face

She thinks its funny to knock over my water or step in my paints when i am painting

She will only jump on or off my bed in one spot...

She is currently working on 3 projects today: 1. ripping up the whole stack of newspapers I have in my closet, 2. digging in/chewing on the blanket in the living room, and 3. napping. This is good she had an agenda, most days just consist of napping.

my culinary skills at work

I have cooked more this year than I ever have in my entire life. Which is a sad, but true fact. Even more than when I ran my lunch business. I used to make muffins on a weekly basis. I am going to start that up again, once I finish studying. 

Next time I am home, I am going to make a point to cook with my mom and learn; since my cooking skills consisting of throwing things together. My mom is a excellent chef, and I miss most about home because of the meals she made us. Although according to my cousin Maria, and Geneva we don't eat big enough meals or enough protein. I guess our family (minus Robbie) consists of small eaters.

 I am fully aware that my family (not so much Robbie) has become stereotypical California hippies. I realized this the other day when my mom left me a message, talking about houses in Waco. Her main concerns was that it faced the sun, and had enough windows, so I could get lots of light in. =)

my favorite thing to make for dinner

Sauteing all an assortment of veg I have in the refrigerator and throwing it in tomato sauce and putting it all over pasta. Mainly I like it because it is super easy. Tonight's dinner consisted of broccoli, eggplant, asparagus, peppers, spinach and tomatoes!

8 miles

just ran 8 miles. I was planning on doing 6, but i was feeling good so i pushed for 8, and the last two miles sped by!

William Blake

The Divine Image

To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love

All pray in their distress; 

And to these virtues of delight

Return their thankfulness.

For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love

Is God, our father dear, 

And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love

Is Man, his child and care. 

For Mercy has a human heart,

Pity a human face, 

And Love, the human form divine, 

And Peace, the human dress. 

Then every man, of every clime, 

That prays in his distress, 

Prays to the human form divine, 

Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace. 

And all must love the human form, 

In heathen, turk or jew; 

Where Mercy, Love and Pity dwell 

THere God is dwelling too. 

Mandatory Stargazing...

Ryan informed us that there was a meteor shower this morning at 1 am. He said "maria, no excuses you are coming". Sometimes I like to get a little extra sleep, and they all know this. I was totally in though this time!  I left my door unlocked and told them to come in my apt and wake me up if I didn't pick up my phone. I woke up to conner diving on my bed, and all of them looking at me. Then we left for a an hour or so, of driving around out in the country. It was cloudy and we couldn't see one star, but Con and I have a snuggle fest in the backseat that we invited ben to join. 

Also Ryan ran over an armadillo. hahaha

Pancake breakfast...

After my Bio test today I came home and rewarded myself with a pancake breakfast! 

Also Buddy has been especially cuddly these past two mornings, and will just lay next to me while I sleep. 

Bearathon training has officially begun...

I persuaded Conner and Ryan to do the bearathon with me. We all ran together today. Hopefully we (i mean Ryan and I) can get in shape in time to run the 13.1 miles in March. I hate running, and am trying me very hardest to run everyday to get better. The beardowns dream team is back for another shot at glory...

The Cyclist Manifesto...in 3D

Lunch is never boring when you spend the entirety of it trying to think of names for your beardowns cycle team! 

Pastrami...

Yum! me and rob got some Schmaltz's the other day. Nothing like a warm pastrami sandwich, on a cloudy day. 

A great joy...

"I'm filled with a great joy". This is what Edward Simiyu said at church today. This phrase took me by surprise, people these days do not say they are filled with joy, they say happy. But think of the different between being happy, and being filled with joy. I'd rather live being filled with joy. I think next time someone asks me how I am, I'm going to say...Filled with joy! 

Also, to make up for all the junk food and sweets I have been eating I am going to detox this week, with lots of juice, and raw food...let's see how it goes. 

Stargazing...

I received a knock at my door around 10 last night. It was Ryan, Ben, and Dan ready to pick me up to go stargazing. Ben and Ryan were still wearing the 3-D glasses they got from the movie theater. We just kinda drove until we found a good place. It was beautiful! I have never seen so many stars in my life, which is sad. I need to get into the mountains more back home, so I can see stars. I am not sure how long we were gone, but it was super duper cold! On the way back, Ryan got pulled over, but just got a warning. haha. 

The journey to dallas....

this video helps explain, why i love these boys so much!

Let the Wild Rumpus Start...

A group of 17 Baylor kids caravaned up to Dallas to see Where the Wild Things Are? in Imax. It was awesome. We left at 9, and got there like an hour and a half early. Totally unnecessary tho, because no one else was there. It was an awesome time! The movie was great, the Wild Things were fantastic! I wished they had Max get to the island, by having the forest grow out of his room. But that was really my only disappointment though. I definitely think the movie is a more young adult movie, because it might have been scary, and definitely confusing for little kids. Ryan and I split a HUGE sweet tea, and a tub o popcorn (and a refill of both). Needless to say, I felt like I was made of butter by the end of the movie. 

I wished I could have stayed in Dallas, but now that I am sitting in my own blanket fort in my room I am perfectly happy. 

I am thinking tonight is a PERFECT night for stargazing .=)

just ran 7 miles...

...and boy are my dogs barking! haha. except my run was on the treadmill, because Waco is dangerous, and I would not feel safe running around. And I did not feel like doing multiple laps around the bear trail. I miss running at home. I live in wine country, and we have tons of trails in the hills and next to vineyards. I miss those trails. 

The California Sun Cascading down my face...

I am really hating all this rain. We have had cloudy skies for what seems like months now. I would do anything for a nice warm California Autumn day. Life without sun, not matter now great, will still depress me. I guess I'm a cali girl through and through. 

Crispix's and Strawberries...

...always reminds me of grandma. =)

I found myself knee deep in culinary arts...

After seeing Julie and Julia the other week Michael and I were inspired to dabble in our love of culinary craftiness. We planned on making a fantastic meal and enjoying the musical masterpiece of Chicago. 

Our menu consisted of: 

-bruschetta

-spinach salad, with almonds and strawberries in a raspberry walnut dressing

-handmade lemon sorbet

-zucchini spaghetti, hasselback potatoes, and chicken stuffed with boursin cheese and spinach 

-individual Chocolate chip lava cakes 

It was heavenly. And the best meal I have ever had in Waco. We both invited our brothers to join in the festivities. We were both worried they would not appreciate the elegance, and culinary skill as we did. We were wrong. It was a great night. 

Open Mic Night at Common Grounds

Jacob finally decided to play at open mic night. He was phenomenal! I love him very much, and he is a very good singner, and entertaining performer. I hope he plays more often. He is also a fantastic song writer, and his songs are awesome!

I always seem to get the bum shopping carts

I tried to wake up for yoga (at 6) this morning, and I guess I was so tired I don't even remember turning off my alarm. Buddy, my always faithful alarm clock as well, jumped on my bed around 7:20 (which is around the time she normally wakes me up). I seemed to open my eyes a split second before she jumped, because I saw her flying through the air only to land almost on my face. haha. There is truly nothing better than waking up to Buddy's kisses, and whiskers tickling my face. =)

Anyways, I went shopping after class. Got Buddy some new toys and treats, and got me some groceries. It seemed at both stores I happen to get the bum cart. Thinking about there in the store, I always seem to get the bum cart. Or at least when I go shopping here in Waco. Are bum carts just drawn to me? Making my shopping experience difficult for a tiny girl such as myself. Or is it the fact that I slept in and didn't go to yoga or weights, and Jesus is making sure I get my arm workout in? But more likely, it is probably that most of the carts in Waco are bum carts, since Waco is kind of a bum town. 

O, well I have a kitchen full of stocked goodies, and a significantly lighter wallet. 

I have to study for a chemistry test, and write a speech for tomorrow which I am slightly nervous about. And drag my butt to the gym. (I really like going, so I wouldn't be dragging). 

Also last night, Ryan, Ben, and I sat out and had a tea party on their porch. It was a great way to spend a monday night. Drinking tea, joking, and me hounding Ryan to work on his paper. 

hookah, snuggling, hats, and a night filled with Sigur Ros

Last night was I think my favorite night of the year so far. Ryan, Ben, Conner, Matt, and I all watched all of Brandon's Sigur Ros DVD. It took around 4 hours is my guess. With the smell of creamsicle hookah in the air and the light from the candles made a perfect setting. It was perfect for after the boys spending 4 hrs out in the rain at the football game, for all of us to just get in our pj's and snuggle up. We all seemed to share the same indescribable experience. Sigur Ros is one of my favorite bands. They are just a bunch of super duper talented Icelandics who make beautiful music that seems to touch the soul. After touring around the world they came back to Iceland and put on a bunch of free unannounced shows in the most beautiful spots. Some of the way through it, Ryan walks out from his room and just throws a bunch of hats at us, to help the mood. Needless to say it was hilarious. Since the band members all were crazy awesome outfits and most of the Icelandic people wore sweet hats. And we just all had a really great time talking and joking, Ben is extremely silly when he is tired, so that made it all the more awesome. 

It was a perfect way to spend an evening.  

Preface

I am a sophomore at Baylor University (Sic em bears) in Waco, Texas. I thought I would give a shot at blogging for two reasons. One, to try to make myself take some time once a day or once a week to just think about stuff, life, my day; and write about it. Two, so I can look back and remember things that made me smile and see how I have grown. 

I don't really expect anyone to read this, but if they did that would be cool, and happy readings.