3-2

My better half turns 32 today.

I spent the morning looking at photos; of the two of us, of him in high school, of him as a baby. Seriously, look at this guy! I can't get enough.

So happy birthday, Ryan. Me and the cats love you to pieces.

1 year? for realz?*

*yes for realz.

(I guess that's a good sign because it flew by since we are having so much fun. Also, the lack of fabric flower garlands I have made lately should have been a tipper too.)

Ryan, thanks for being such an awesome husband and for loving, me even when I am completely ridiculous and trying. I adore you so much and cannot wait to see what the next years have in store for us!


(by the lovely Kate Rose)

...and a happy anniversary one day late to Angie + Josh too!

by product meal, a dilemma

(snoozers, at the old apt.)

So I'm thinking about changing the type of cat food I buy our cats. Woah, I know right? Can you even prepare yourself for the awesomeness of this post??? In all seriousness, I am trying to make more of an effort to be more green and natural, switching out our toothpaste (Toms), my deodorant (also, Toms brand), cleaning products (Method). I have always tried to buy pretty healthy foods for us and love shopping at Trader Joes and buying an item or two at Whole Foods. When I go to the bigger chains, I try to buy the cheapest organic or atleast more affordable healthiest options. So now I'm onto trying to buy better food for the furry members of our family. I was a total crazy person at Target the other day, reading the ingredient labels of all the cat foods and I don't know if it is just me but they all look the same? They all seemed to have by product meal as their first ingredient and that sounds like bad eats to me. I ended up buying a small bag of Purina One 'Indoor Advantage'. I don't know if I like the sound of it, with a name like that it seems like it will give my cats super strength and if we got into a fight, they would win.

What do you feed your animals? What do you recommend? And do I have to spend $30/bag to feel good about their food or am I just being silly?

Tinker, Beto and Pirate thank you for your feedback.

droppin' beets.

(found on pinterest, original from here)

The other day my good friend came over to get some vegetables from my garden. It is producing lots these days but too much for just me and Ryan. She took some squash, zucchini and some beets. I have never grown beets before so I was unsure when to pull them (like I am with all root vegetables). I googled it and learned that I can pull them as soon you can see 'the beets' shoulders'.

I thought that was just about the cutest thing I ever read.

If you're interested, I could see all their shoulders.

If you find yourself with some beets, here are some lovely recipes I've stumbled upon: here, here and here.

simple.

(image from here)

sometimes there is nothing as easy, carefree and rejuvenating as a warm bath.

and yes, I stayed in until my fingers and toes were very very wrinkled.


what is your go-to simple pleasure?

what I've been up to (in pictures)

(window cat #1)


(window cat #2)


(first lazy homemade pickles of the season! lazy= store bought pickle juice added to garden cukes)


(summer squash)


(tomatoes)


(beets)


(new custom alligator)


(new whale)

2-8

Today I am twenty eight. I have a pretty good feeling about that. Seems like a great age so far (well, 9 hours in anyways)! I got married at 27, blogged my heart out, started my etsy shop, hung out with good friends, some friends had babies, some friends got engaged, some friends got married and lots of other fun things happened that I'm forgetting. So 28, you have your work cut out for you to top last year, best of luck.

Fun birthday fact: I used to go to parades every year on my birthday when I was younger. Every year I would beg my mom for one of these:


(image from here)

Pardon my language, but these things were the shit. Every single toy vendor at the parades sold them. One year I strayed from my desire for a foam lizard friend and got sparklers. I thought they were some kind of candy. How disappointed I was! I don't think I even knew what sparklers were for years. So anyways, after that snafu, I stuck with lizards. Now my mom's attic is probably filled with them because I was bored with them by the car ride home. But the following year, they would be awesome all over again!

Have a great day today and to my American friends + readers, happy fourth!!



....and to Ms. Bunny: hope yesterday was FABULOUS + happy honeymoon!