traditions // homemade breakfast

The other day, ironically over breakfast at a local tapas place called Moonstones to celebrate Ian's birthday, I asked him "What do you think are some things that are common themes in our relationship?"  We brainstormed: mini-golf, Instagram (we always laugh about how we met via mutual friends when I used to like photos of his face or food that he posted), cocktails, adventuring... but most importantly, I think a tradition of ours is breakfasting together.  When we were first dating, we mostly only saw each other on weekends, so waking up and making breakfast was a way I could show off my cooking skills and make Ian swoon.

A lot of times I cook a theme-y holiday breakfast, like heart-shaped french toast for Valentine's Day (with strawberries and Nutella since we can't get enough of Nutella around here) or pistachio flavored crepes for St. Patrick's Day. Okay, maybe pistachio flavored isn't exactly Irish, but I was going off the green theme there, dig it?

Sometimes breakfasts are lazy and don't get on the table until 11:00am, which is actually late for us because we can't seem to sleep in on weekends -- to excited to get up and start the fun part of the week. I put on the girliest music, wear one of my gifted aprons, and open and shut cabinets more times than you can count. Anyone who has been in a kitchen with me can attest to my willy-nilly style of cooking and baking -- I'm kind of all over the place. The best part about breakfast is that you're allowed to take your time, especially on weekends. I feel like during the week I am in a rush to get home from work and throw something into the oven. I meal plan throughout my day, and although I enjoy it because I love food, there's something to be said about weekending. I can take my time in the kitchen and use up whatever kitchen staples we have left at the end of the work week. There is always bread, eggs, and milk on hand, so crepes and french toast are a go-to.

Well, I could go on and on, but there you have it. An ode to breakfast.

New Years Resolutions:

So, a long while ago (okay, okay, it was a year ago because let's face it, we always try to change our lives with the push of a big event such as a birthday or a new year), I made a "30 before 30" list, something that a lot of bloggers do. I didn't include getting married or having babies, although that would be swell, but just a variety of non-related goals and fun things that I wanted to do while I was still young. You can look at that list here.  

Well, a year has passed and I don't think I've accomplished much on that list. Actually, none. Yiiiikes.  That being said, I accomplished a lot of other things this year. It seemed to fly by! I could make a list of accomplishments, but I don't really want to think that hard, and anyway, I think my biggest accomplishment was that I really started living. Someone recently posted on my Facebook wall something along the lines of "for the first time since I've known you, you seem to be really happy", and it's true. I learned how to let things go, thanks to a brief stint in therapy, and learned how to lighten up and let people in. This has lead to me gaining a wonderful boyfriend, and his wonderful family that comes along with it. I've continued to be crafty any chance I get, in fact my official "title" at work, along with being the best preschool teacher ever (!!!) is the "art teacher", though I haven't really fully explored that title yet. I took up drawing again -- mostly because Ian makes comics and I wanted to keep up with him -- and I really got into my illustrations. I re-learned how to crochet, and even took a few commissions during the holiday season and got paid (!!!) for my work. 

So this is the new year. (...and I don't feel any different.)   I'm going to write down a list of resolutions, much like last year's 30x30 list, so that next year I can inevitably look back and say to myself "Well, at least I tried."  

Here goes: 
1) Start blogging.  Look! I'm doing it! Haha. I want to make this blog into some sort of lifestyle/style/art blog, but also I want to start a blog for the work I do with my class at work, so that I have a portfolio of art activities to share with future employers when I look for a higher paying job in the future. Within that goal, I want to try to blog here 3x a week to some extent, and on my work blog at the end of each week. 

2) Start an Etsy page + do a few local art/craft fairs.  

3) Reach out to find art mentors. I have a lot of people that I could get in touch with to further the art part of my "career." A parent of one of my preschoolers owns an art studio for children, I know a few publishers as well as children's book illustrators. I need to bridge connections so that I can get where I want to go.  I would also like to display my work at a cafe or little shop somewhere. 

4) Go outside for at least an hour each day. This wont be hard during the week, because we go outside with the kids at work, but I need to make sure that on weekends, Ian and I get out and enjoy the sunshine and get just a little bit active. 

5) Learn how to sew on a sewing machine. Eek. 

6) Save money. Double eek.

7) Learn how to cook dinners for Ian and I. We love to go out to eat, in fact it's one of our hugest mutual passions, but I would like to become a bit more domestic and learn how to cook foods that we like to eat together. It feels more intimate and special to cook a meal for someone you love. 

Now, I didn't include the obligatory "lose ten pounds" because that's always a given. But even though I eat out with Ian on the regular, for the whole year we've been dating, I haven't gained anything, so I'm just going to resolve to stay mindful, as I have been, about what I put in my body. 

Happy 2013! I hope this year exceeds my expectations, just like 2012 did. <3