April Commitments

Spring cleaning. I love making new space in my life, and spring is the best time to do that! (Plus, I know I have clothes in drawers I'm not wearing, that are in good condition, and will probably make someone else happy.)

Manage my stress better. This includes taking deep breaths, drinking herbal tea (I'm a big fan of Traditional Medicinals organic blends right now), nature walks and/or singing. (I don't have the best pipes, but I can't deny that I LOVE singing. It makes me feel good!)

Cut back on caffeine and sugar-- and junk foods in general. Working in a cafe where I'm surrounded with freshly ground beans, sugary drink flavors, cookies and ice cream is going to be quite the challenge! But I really need to start eating healthy again. I've had my reckless-winter-health hiatus and I'm ready to be back in control.

Exercise more. Yoga, long walks, cycling, maybe even some weight lifting. I've been feeling very skinny lately and I want to see if I can't tone up and get some extra pounds on me this summer and be a little more curvy!

I've had a lot of support and encouragement from my friends and family lately. I can't express enough gratitude to them for continually inspiring me to be the best me! I know I'm stronger than I give myself credit for most of the time. I'm ready to embrace my power :)

the simple things make you feel alive

I'm not used to completing so many of my tasks quickly [see here for my change of habits], so I have lots of time to relax and do what makes me happy. Here are some simple pleasures I'm enjoying today:

*delicious orange spice tea

*a hot bath infused with tea tree and lavender oil [my skin is so soft!]

*the leaves rustling in the wind

*gallopinto with eggs and avocado for breakfast

*reading a good book next to the window

*a bike ride around the river with my brother

*sleepy kitties

cold toes

Today is beautiful. The sun is warm and the air is fresh and crisp.

My good friend was on vacation for a little while and today we met at the coffeehouse I used to work at. She brought me back some really pretty sea shells and coral that I might try to work into a painting or a picture frame, or something. They're so cute that I have to create something pretty with them! I also saw my old boss today, and that was nice. She's such a nice lady and I'm glad her coffeehouse is still successful. I think they have the biggest assortment of teas in the city and I'm very, very grateful for that.

So, readjusting is taking some time. I'm mostly settled into my new room, I've been spending a lot of time with my family, and I hang out with my friend whenever our schedules match up. But it is really nice to be in a place where I feel comfortable. The air is different here; it's not dirty or stinky, it feels fresh and clean against my skin. I know this transition is probably going to last for a while, but the beautiful season helps cushion it. It was great to sip a warm drink and catch up with my friend while feeling the cool air. It's so reassuring to me. Although I don't know what's going to happen next, or even where I'll be in a few months, it's nice to know that right now I can relax and enjoy my time, with no pressure to do anything.

Teasicles

I had surgery today. The inside of my mouth could easily rival Frankenstein's monster, it's that tacked up. I have orders not to eat or drink anything hot. My Dr also recommended that I keep some icey treats on hand. I'm not a fan of the super sugary, flavored colored ice pops at the grocery store so I decided to make my own treats.
My love of tea and refusal to give it up during this healing process spurred some creativity today. Of course, I could always ice my hot tea, but sometimes I get a little bored with that. So I made teasicles!

First, I picked my tea. I figured green tea might be a tad bland in icicle form and I really love the cinnamon flavor in Yogi's Kava blend.
Thus, Kava won.
I brewed some water and steeped 2 bags to ensure maximum flavor.

 

I let the tea steep and cool for a while before I poured it into regular ice trays. I put them in the freezer for about 20 minutes before I stuck the sticks in them. The theory is that the semi-solid state will hold the toothpicks upright, but the meds made me a little hasty and sloppy. That's okay though, I'm not really going for aesthetics right now. Then I just waited until they were frozen all the way through.

My toothpicks are all willy-nilly!

Ta-da! Now I have two trays of deliciously iced tea in a miniature form! Have I mentioned I love mini things? Well, I do. These are especially great during the summer, too, since it's blazing outside. I'll keep making and refining these. I think next time I'll try to make an icicle-smoothie treat, complete with brewed tea and blended fruits. Yum!