Grizzly Bear follow-up

They were haunting, stunning, and a little creepy. Simply put, they were amazing. Despite the fact that there was a couple making out right next to my butt for a good portion of the night, it was one of the best (early) birthday gifts I've ever received...thanks Sara!

Plus, eating breakfast food at midnight with good friends was a pretty good way to end the night.

sister

I miss this girl A LOT. She's starring in a play and applying for colleges and taking a million classes all at once, and I have no idea how she does it. She's amazing, and I can't wait to see her this weekend!

Less than a week!

That's right. Six days from now, I will be hanging out with three of my favorite people in the world (I'm talking to you Sara, Phil, and Noah), AND I'll be watching Grizzly Bear perform. How did I get so lucky??

And it just so happens that they are the perfect music to fit this rainy, gray weather.

What's that you ask?

What else have I been listening to lately?

Great question!

(Gloomy)* Rainy Day Playlist:

Deep Blue Sea (Grizzly Bear)

Fake Empire (The National)

Cello Song (Nick Drake)

Jesus, Etc. (Wilco)

Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths)

These Days (Nico)

Brackett, WI (Bon Iver)

The Dress Looks Nice On You (Sufjan Stevens)

Say Yes (Elliott Smith)

Girl From The North Country (Bob Dylan)

*Sometimes, it's fun to have music fit the mood of the weather outside. But other times, I like listening to something to contrast it. In the near future, I might be making an upbeat rainy day mix....hold on to your butts.

changes

I’m sick and tired of being a Christian in name only.

For a while, I’ve been afraid to follow God - to really and truly follow Him. Observing the world for the first time has made me very aware of the way Christians are viewed, and I’ve been oh-so-careful not to slip into that mold that others have created. For a long time, I was so vigilant about being the “right kind of Christian” that I forgot what I really believed in. I became this watered-down and lukewarm believer that I would have been disgusted with, not long ago.

Tonight, I came across Galatians 1:10, where Paul says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?...If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

As God tends to do, He used those words to get into my little brain and and reinforce the message that I've needed to hear for a long time: you are not living for the world!

If I'm going to be a follower of Jesus, as I say I am, I want to follow Him body, mind, and soul. There are things in my life that need to change, and it’s time I not only listen to God, but time I actually start obeying. It's a scary thought. I have no idea what this could entail, but I've selfishly lived for myself long enough to know that I'm nothing without God.

What I'm trying to say is that I can no longer be afraid to live openly for Christ. If that means being viewed as a religious nut, so be it. I just pray the Lord starts working in me as only He can, and that I may be an honest example of His love.

colors and flow...

I'm still in love with this spread from V magazine I saw months and months ago.

There's just something about flowy colorful fabric that makes me want to be 8 years old again, if only to spin around my living room singing Disney princess songs.

My New Kitchen Life

Hello hello, cyber world. How long it's been!

Maybe it's because of my abundance of time, or maybe it's just because I'm just a huge fan of food, but I've taken an interest in cooking and baking as of late. I know, I know - we all thought the day would never come. It's that housewife in me that's finally trying to establish her place, I guess.

Here's some things I've whipped up in the last few months:


Fantastic ravioli I found on 101 Cookbooks.

The New York Times' 36-hour chocolate chip cookie...well worth the wait.

Simply delicious brownie/chocolate chip cookie mix that Bakerella inspired me to make. Seriously, people, AMAZING.

And lentils (first time making 'em) with mustard and bacon from Amateur Gourmet. You have to trust that they tasted way better than they looked!


So is this going to be a new chapter of my life? A food-filled, calorie-heavy, and extremely-satisfied-stomach chapter? We'll see. All I know is somebody better have some holiday parties pretty soon, because I've never made pumpkin pie before, and I'm feeling adventurous.