Pearls & Scrunchies

This is the posture to which I am currently approaching my life. 

There are so many emotions that I find myself feeling and facing with each passing moment that it seems it might be overwhelming; that at any moment I could be swallowed whole lost in the deep abyss of emotional overload.

That hasn’t happened though. I confessed a couple of days ago that I knew this journey would be blissful and gut-wrenching; exciting and terrifying. I have yet to be proven wrong. The passing of a family friend, friend heartache at home, and a general longing for the comfort of familiarity at moments have all been unexpected on this journey.

However, in reflecting I have decided that the emotions are simply a sign that I must be doing something right.My favorite, Brene Brown, writes that, “What most of us fail to understand…is that vulnerability is also the cradle of the emotions and experiences that we crave…..Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy courage, empathy, and creativity.” And that’s where I am at, right? Right in the middle of a gigantic funhouse of vulnerability. 

With that has come great excitement and deeper understanding of myself….amidst scary and more negative emotions as well.

Yesterday signified the completion of 25% of my YTT {yoga teacher training}. I can’t believe I only have 18 more days left in this program! Wow. 

My new friends Kelly and Matthew and I quickly fled the studio and headed out to Queen Anne where we stuffed ourselves full of pizza, beer, wine, ice cream, and pie. It was indulgence city…and it was bliss.

We ate pizza at a local joint called the Masonry where we sat at steel counters tucked in close to a brick oven fire pit. We ordered a pizza per person and split them all. We ate fermented veggies while the breeze from the open wall caused the skirt my friend was wearing to dance underneath the table. 

We retreated to Matthew’s apartment to attempt to bake a pie–a recipe that he and I had serendipitously found while walking through the bookstore/cafe where we eat lunch everyday–Brown Butter Honey Pie Heavenly Goodness. That was it’s name…well, at least it should have been it’s name.

We danced to bad nineties music, did yoga in small spaces while belting out Disney movie ballads, and we even ventured outside to climbed the hill in Queen Anne to get a view of the beautiful full moon from Kerry Park. {We huffed and puffed our tooshies up and down that hill. Even the most fit yogi may huff and puff after all of that bread and wine consumption. Completely worth it.}

I slept in and then had an epic brunch burrito with Dawn. Fresh eggs from the chicken ladies out back, locally made corn tortillas from down the street freshly made yesterday…avocado, tomato, and spicy local salsa. Hm…I’m nostalgically salivating. Are you? You know you have an authentic corn tortilla when you pile on the goodness and it breaks not a pinch. There was no buckling, no leaking, just a thick envelope securely holding all of your brunch goodness inside. Yum.

We then made our way to a local market nearby where we bought fresh salads with edible flower blossoms inside, crates of fresh berries picked just hours before our arrival, bouquets of beautifully packaged fresh flowers, local oysters, and more. It was heaven. 

We later ventured out for more practical and long-standing grocery staples and then enjoyed all of our wise and scrumptuous purchases. I have more studying to do and then it is bed time. Week two begins tomorrow. I wish you all the very best and most beautiful Monday. 

xxxoo.

[In other news…My computer has chosen that now is the perfect time to die. I am unaware yet if it is a battery issue, a charger issue, or a computer issue. So until I figure out what the problem is…the pictures here may be minimal. My sincerest and deepest apologies. :(]

“In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration.” 

{Ansel Adams}

We spent at least 30 minutes playing with magnetic mustaches. #win #kidsatheart

You cannot imagine how amazing this was.

Speechless.

Most epic brunch burrito EVAAA.

More beautiful pictures of the market coming soon. Until then…succulents.

Dog parking outside of the grocery. Henry would fit in well. #pampered

Love getting to send love out from WA.

This is Herman. He is a ginormous oyster. He was grilled over fire, cracked open with a knife, doused with lemon juice, and slurped into my belly. Herman, RIP. Your short life was well spent. Plump, succulent, and delicious. We shall be life long friends even as you have passed on. 

When you have arguably the best salmon in the states why would you stray? Also…I ate flowers. They’re delicious. 

The symphony to our dinner. Thanks, God. It was the perfect accompaniment. 

(((hugs)))