F*R*I*E*N*D*S

During some of the summers of our childhood we had an amazing nanny named Monica. She filled our summers with fun and fit right in with me and my two siblings.

She introduced us to many things, one of them being the TV show FRIENDS,  I was in high school at the time, and had seen various episodes here or there, but had never gotten into the series as a whole... little did I know it would soon become my favorite.

After borrowing a couple of her seasons my siblings and myself were hooked. I had surgery that summer on my jaw and finished 4 seasons in 7 days. Scary, I know, but honestly the show is that good.

After we were old enough to not require a nanny, we bought the seasons ourselves, at black friday, used bookstores, and although we had seen all of the episodes, it became our show of choice to pop in during the evening, or as a background distraction during homework (just kidding Mom!).

It was the one show my siblings and I could agree on, and we would watch it together, laugh together, and use FRIENDS jokes more than normal jokes. It became our thing.

No matter how different we are, we can always quote Joey Tribbiani and be on the same page.

It became a sometimes daily occurrence this spring for me to send a quote and picture from the show to my siblings during school. They would get a laugh between classes, and I would have fun seeking fun ones to send.

It became almost like a comfort. Turn it on if you need a break, a good laugh, or an escape. The show perfectly balanced hardships and humor, making it one of the most successful TV series of all time.

We could all relate to the characters; Me being the bossy and controlling older sister, am like Monica, Annie a mix of the witty blonde Phoebe and the girly girl Rachael, and Peter with Chandler's sarcastic sense of humor.

So as much as I love my Grey's Anatomy, Annie loves her Pretty Little Liars, and Peter likes his Family Guy, we can always agree that popping in a disk of friends is a quality way to spend an hour.

So thank you Joey, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Ross, and Phoebe, for all the kicks and giggles. We appreciate it.
                    
                                              The three musketeers 

Happy Living,
~M

The Ordinary

The other day I woke up, sans alarm, to a beautiful summer morning. So, I grabbed my 12 year old black lab, and we went for a walk (much to her delight). The sun was shining, light breeze, streets bustling... We then stopped at a local coffee shop and I got a non-fat iced chai latte, my favorite, and we walked home. I then did some errands, met a friend for lunch, wrapped a birthday present, danced to a couple songs on the radio, baked a GF cake, and then went to work, which happened to be a beautiful evening of lifeguarding.

It was a seemingly ordinary day, no huge plans, no lavish trips, just, ordinary.. but it was wonderful.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a planner... I plan things in advance, have schedules, love to-do lists, and love to fill my day with activities....  but i've learned something about life..

The days we plan to be the best days, often are not the best days... instead, it is the seemingly ordinary days filled with ordinary activities, carrying no expectations, that turn out to be the best days.

Of course there are days that we plan to be fabulous and they are, our wedding day, birthdays, CHRISTMAS, the usual... but then there are the ordinary days when little things happen out of the blue, making them extraordinary.

The surprises, the un-expected, the lessons learned, the simple text from a friend, reminiscing, that moment when you look around and thank God for all you have in your life. Whether you are a religious person or not, everyone has those moments of awe where you are overwhelmed with happiness and contentment. This is a gift.

We can plan our days to be extraordinary, with the best restaurant, and the best shopping trip, adorable outfit, and the best people... but as great as those are, when we think back, the nights of laughter, the life conversations with friends and family, the smile from a stranger, the breathtaking snowfall, chats with Grandma, spending a day reading a good book.. those are the things we remember.

Those things are truly the extraordinary, they are God's way of telling us what matters in life. To be thankful and to love.

So plan the extraordinary, thats part of the fun of life! But don't forget the ordinary, because it's those ordinary days that often bring the most important things.

Happy Living!
~M

You're My Person

Like many women in this country, I am a lover of the show Grey’s Anatomy… amidst the medical stories, relationship drama, McSteamy McDreamy duel, and heart-stopping story lines, the show teaches us about relationships, friendships, and the point we will all go for each other.

One of my favorite pairs is Christina Yang and Meredith Grey, making up an inseparable duo, and creating the basis of the line “You’re my person”.

This idea is carried throughout the show, throughout their emotional turmoil’s and love lives, keeping the pair woven tightly together through thick and thin.

I think this can apply to any one of our lives. We have the people with whom we are acquaintances, put up with on a daily basis, people we work with, and then there are the people that we can look in the eye and say “you’re my person”.

These people are who shape our lives.... literally.

They come over at 2 in the morning, they become our roommates, they are the people we call when we need anything, and they are the people we place our complete and utter trust in to hold our deepest secrets.

They accept our flaws and love us anyways, they somehow always know exactly what to say, they know what makes us tick and what makes us happy, and they are the ones who will get us through our lowest points.

and they have all of our ugliest snapchats saved in their camera roll...

We all know who these people are, if they don’t come to mind immediately, they aren’t it … and most of us are blessed with more than one “person”.

Everyone deserves to have this relationship, whether it is a family member, spouse, or best friend, I pray that everyone has it in their life.

But more importantly, be it, be someone’s “person”, immerse yourself in relationships and if it isn’t worth it, you’ll know.

My friend Mel said something to me this spring when I was going through a rough couple of weeks. 

I will never forget it.

“Friends are there to kick you in the ass when you are too much of a baby to do it yourself”

Your person will kick you in the ass, they will help you be a better you, and they will help you see things you are blinded too, whether by love, or fear.

So be someone’s “person” heck, be a lot of people’s “person”

Channel your inner Mer and Christina.

Happy Living!

~M

GF Chocolate Mug Cake

After a cold night of lifeguarding, I came home wanting to bake something hot and homey, but also not wanting to clean up the inevitable big mess I would make.. soooooo... here it is 

This cake is heaven... in a mug... actually, i believe mugs often hold happiness.... coffee, hot chocolate, tea... lets just agree that mugs hold the secret to happiness, in the form of hot comfort. This mug cake recipe is an adaption from: http://www.mugcake.com I changed some things to make it GF so we can ALL enjoy it! :)

Ingredients:  4 tablespoons GF flour: i used my silvana's mix from my previous post... i keep a big jar of it in my freezer at the ready... just substitute this or another all-purpose GF flour from the store. 4 tablespoons sugar I used half brown sugar and half white sugar... the more fudgier you want, use more brown sugar. 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 2 tablespoons water (or slightly more, as needed) a pinch of salt microwave oven and of course a mug Add in and top as you wish: Chocolate chips, Nutella, whip cream etc.

Instructions:  1. Mix all the dry ingredients for your mug cake (flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt) in your mug. 2. Add the wet ingredients (water and oil) for your mug cake and stir until no powder is visible. You may need to add a bit more water. 3. Add in your desired additions to the mug cake and mix thoroughly. 4. Cook your mug cake on the high setting of your microwave for 1 minute. The cooking time can vary depending on your microwave, so cook for 1 minute and then try for 10 second intervals until your cake is at your desired consistency. 5. Enjoy with a glass of cold milk and a good movie :)

New recipes and Chocolate Covered Marble Loaf cake

Hey all!! So I am super excited because I bought a book, and not just any book, but a Gluten free miracle.... I have had it for 48 hours and am in LOVE!

I met a mom at work who recommended this book to me... I googled the book and was sold after looking at 1 recipe.... She gives you the easy recipe for her all-purpose flour blend and uses it in most of her recipes.. so make a big batch and bake away! 

Baking this way also saves a ton of money, as buying store-bought mixes and all purpose flours adds up pretty fast.... 

This fabulous cookbook is Silvana Nardone's Cooking for Isaiah

Even though it is a dairy-free cookbook, I substitute cows milk for her "rice milk" as I am not dairy-free

Her All purpose flour recipe is as follows: 

6 cups white rice or brown rice flour

3 cups tapioca flour

1 1/2 cups potato starch

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons xanthan gum

mix all flours together and ta-da! you've got the perfect base! 

Now I would love to be like that girl in the Julia Child movie "Julie and Julia" who makes her way through the cookbook in a certain amount of time, but nursing school is my #1 priority so that commitment may send me over the edge. 

I am, however, going to try as many as I can over the next couple months! 

Today I am going over to a friend's house for dinner, so of course i offered to bring a dessert. 

I chose Silvana's Chocolate Covered Marble loaf cake: 

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons boiling water

2 large eggs, at room temp

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

1 cup Silvana's all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 

3 tablespoons, all vegetable shortening, room temp

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 and grease a 4.5 by 8.5 inch loaf pan.

2. in small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and boiling water

3. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until yellow and frothy, add in water, oil, and vanilla

4. In separate small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, whisk into egg mixture until just combined. transfer 1/3 of batter to smaller bowl. 

stir in cocoa mixture into the smaller bowl of batter, making one bowl of white batter and one of chocolate

5. spoon batters into pan, alternating colors

6. bake until golden, about 50 minutes, use toothpick to test 

7. let cool completely in pan on wire rack and remove when cool to rack once more. 

8. in medium microwavable bowl, melt together the chocolate chips and shortening and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly, then pour over cake and spread with spatula.

9. cool in fridge to help harden chocolate coating faster if needed

Happy Living!

~M

Adventures

The summer is picking up speed, and so is the summer of fun with G and C!
I swear it is going a mile a minute! School supplies are out at target...gulp

Here's some updates on our recent shenanigans.....


Plenty of Beach time:

and pool time

and homemade ice cream time

and craft time

and dress-up time

and froyo time

and blast to the past time

and mini door time

and yummy breakfast time-

Trying to cram in as much fun as possible is a full time job! Literally! But I continue to be thankful for this blessing, spending a wonderful summer with my cousins whom I love dearly.

Always count your blessings.

Happy Living!

~M

The people that come into our life

http://www.someecards.com/friendship-cards/friends-friendship-lazy-funny-ecard

We have all heard the phrase “Things happen for a reason” well I am a huge believer in that statement, but also the idea that people come into our lives for a reason.

To teach us a lesson

For support

For Wisdom

Guidance

To lean-on

To let us know we deserve better

You meet your best friend because you both happened to be sick on the day of a test freshman year.

A shared caribou addiction (A&K)

The privilege of chasing your dream with 75 amazing girls in your nursing program

Meeting that random woman on the light rail who shares her life wisdom with you

Your shared love of Blue Bloods during a freshman year Nursing course.

The beloved family friends who came into your life when your brother wandered off to the pool one summer day by himself.

Visiting a family across the country leads to newly-formed friendships

We meet people throughout life. Some come and go. Some stay.  Some help us love ourselves, and some force us to learn the hard way that we deserve better.

Let those lesson folks come and go real fast. Know yourself and know when your relationship with someone is not meant to be… it’s a hard lesson but never settle for less than you deserve. 

Never underestimate the amazing things that can happen from meeting someone, whether they become a friend for a day, or your future spouse.

God probably put them there for a reason.

So introduce yourself and share a smile, you never know!

Happy Living!

~M

"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same" Unknown