mustachio bashio 2011 vol. 2: drinko de mayo

Soul-crushing heat aside, I really do love the summer time. I'm still waiting for the weather to warm up enough for pool time, but it will come soon enough.

Most of all, I love kicking off the season with my crazy, wonderful friends. And their mustaches.

Mustachio Bashio/Drinko de Mayo is the best. There's always delicious food and drink, including brisket tacos, Corban's famous guacamole, margaritas, jello shots, and of course a keg. I even did my first keg stand this year! Normally this is not something to brag about, but I kind of missed out on all that high school/college craziness, so that's one more life experience that I can cross off the list.

A wonderful first taste of the summer, I can't wait for more!

mustachio bashio 2011 vol. 1: cake flag diy

Every year Kenji and Jimmy host a mustache-themed Cinco de Mayo party. The men grow out silly facial hair and the women are made to wear those creepy synthetic stick-on mustaches.

Yes, we are adults.

Also, at the risk of sounding like a total elitist, I would like to add that we were doing this way before mustaches were cool. Just sayin'.

This weekend also happens to coincide with one of the hosts birthdays, so I thought I would make cupcakes for the occasion. Mustache cupcakes. Obviously.

I made cake flags in the shape of cute little mustaches. Bonus, these could also be used as fun party favors or a mustache alternative to those opposed to spirit gum! Here's how:

1. Create your mustache template or download mine here and print (I printed 12 mustaches per sheet, enough for 6 total mustaches)

2. Color and cut out your mustaches (I used good old fashioned Crayola crayons)

3. Use craft glue to glue two mustaches together, back to back, with a toothpick in between

4. Pretend to have a mustache

Simple, yes? I was able to do most of this work while watching Community. Win, win, win.

Next up, Mustachio Bashio 2011 Vol. 2: Drinko de Mayo!

wide angle lens

I'm getting a little more adventurous with my photography lately. I even added a (gasp) wide angle lens to the mix! The lens actually belongs to Corban, but I am, ahem, borrowing it for the time being.

Thanks, babe. :)

We took the following photos when we went to Austin over a month ago. Least dedicated photographer of all time. Sigh.






Hopefully my photog skillz will continue to improve. Until then...

lazy summer afternoon

Wow, it's been a (comparatively) long time since I posted! Five whole days, what is this world coming to?

To make up, here are some pictures from this weekend!

Sangria/Margaritas with Ash at Gloria's, delicious brunch at Whiskey Cake with Corban (crusted trout with shoestring squash and tomato sauce = heaven), napping under a tree at the park, and lazing around at Astoria. It's a hard life, but I'm willing to sacrifice.

Coming soon, photos from this weekend's Cinco de Mayo/Mustachio Bashio party and recordings from last month's choral concert!

who has two thumbs and just got into grad school?

THIS GIRL




That's right, I got the letter yesterday! I was so excited that I made a little squeaking sound and skipped all the way home. Then I went out and bought flowers for myself. :)




Next step is registration and begging for money. Huzzah!

life lessons: slowing down

I love all the little unexpected lessons in life. We go about our days, doing what we do, and then BAM! Lesson.



I had just started a new yoga class when a lesson hit me like whoa. This class was slower than I was used to, which was good because it gave me time to really feel what my body was doing and learn the poses more thoroughly (don't be fooled, though- I was definitely breaking a serious sweat.) About ten minutes before the end of the class we started cooling down, and the instructor told us to lie down and completely relax our muscles. And then...nothing. We just kept lying there. Doing nothing. Breathing. Probably no more than a minute into this disturbing repose, I started thinking.

It feels like we've been doing this for a really long time. How long are we going to lie here? Did she leave the room? What's going on?

After a while I finally was able to strong-arm myself into relaxation. After we all sat up and namaste'ed I looked at the clock. It had only been five minutes.

This made me wonder. Why is it so hard for me to just lie still for five minutes? What about my life is so urgent that I can't relax and release tension for a measly five minutes?

Danielle over at Sometimes Sweet recently expressed a similar sentiment when she wrote about the value of "unplugging" from social media. I feel that we as Americans have become so used to constant over-stimulation that we have difficulty slowing down and enjoying simple things. It's like food: if all you eat is chemically processed, MSG-laden "food products", then it is unlikely that you will be able to appreciate real, natural, healthy foods. Similarly, if all we experience is television, twitter, flashing lights, garbled noises, and instant gratification, how can we expect to recognize the small moments of natural awe?

So, for the past few weeks I have really concentrated on slowing down and experiencing my life instead of just trying to get through it. I have tried to actually enjoy moments of nothing instead of becoming bored and apathetic. I've been able to focus more on specific tasks, like reading and doing housework, and have been in a much more consistently positive mood (no more road rage! amazing!)

This has made a significant positive difference in my day-to-day happiness. It is a beautiful thing.

Sorry this post was so long, I've just wanted to get this off my chest. Being generally happy is still kind of a new thing for me, so I'm pretty much bursting at the seams with the novelty of it all. Has anyone else experienced this sort of realization? How do you slow down and enjoy the little moments in life?

sweet surprises

I know that I am an incredibly lucky gal because I have a husband who brings home daisies and sorbet, lights candles, and rubs my shoulders when I've had a bad day.



Being married totally rules.

business

Business in the etsy shop has been super slow lately, and I'm wondering if I really want to keep it going. Selling online has always felt somewhat inorganic to me, and I must admit that I have never grown comfortable with the process. While I have no delusions about my work being "high art," I also find it a bit demoralizing to think of it as a simple consumer product.

However, there is also no attraction whatsoever in the alternative. Submitting to galleries or being juried for art shows costs way more time and money, not to mention the personal beating of the constant rejection, which I know that I am not emotionally stout enough to handle.

The brief moment in my life when I thought that I wanted to be a professional artist has come and gone, now I just enjoy the thought of my work being enjoyed by others. The money isn't an issue; as long as the expense of making a piece is covered, I don't care about making a profit. I just can't think of a way to get my stuff out in the world without making it into something it's not: either head-up-my-ass-high-brow art or a throw away online product in a sea of other throw away online products.

Of course, this could all just be a side effect of a constant stream of head aches I've experienced this year over the "business" side of owning a business. Noooooo fun.

bloglovin

So, I just created a Bloglovin account. I personally use Google Reader, so I'm not sure why I did it. Maybe because I think the name "Bloglovin" is pretty much the cutest thing ever. Anyway, if you use Bloglovin, here's a link that they are making me post in order to prove that this is my blog:

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Huzzah!

sportball + easter

I could really get used to not working weekends. Unfortunately, this was my last free one for a while. No worries, I made good use of it.

Sportball Saturday:








Easter Sunday:



Yes, I eat the ears first. Because the ears are the best part. Obviously.

I made vanilla cupcakes (recipe here) with buttercream frosting for the family, but I can never seem to find an icing recipe that I like. They're always way too sugary, even when I used less than the suggested amount of confectioners sugar. Does anyone have a great non-sugarcomainducing icing recipe?

a life of great passion

I read a great interview today on Yes and Yes (such a great site, I highly recommend you give it a read) with a woman who discovered true happiness through the questioning of her faith in Christianity.

Unfortunately, searching for one's own spiritual truth isn't a lesson that is exactly taught in high school or college. Why not? We are encouraged to be self-motivated, eager to learn, and independent, but if this does not include self-reflection then we are still just sitting idly by believing exactly what our parents  taught us to believe and never contributing new ideas or growing beyond our adolescent selves. Having been brought up in Christian churches, I am familiar with the idea of not being complacent, of passionately reaching for God. What I want to understand is why no one is encouraged to passionately reach for themselves? To hungrily search for their own beliefs and ideas. A meaning that will make them complete. Although I have been comfortable with my own particular spiritual beliefs for several years, it is only recently that I have been actively trying to understand myself and what my own "meaning" in this world is. Without a spiritual imperative, it's easy to become lost in the daily grind and live a life without purpose.

Maybe the trick is that we have to create a purpose. Find that thing to live for. It could be God, family, or work, but whatever we do should be done with vigor and abandon.

Great passion does not have to be restricted to religious zeal! I may still be searching for my own meaning, but what I do know is that I want to live a life of great passion, wherever that passion may be directed.

DIY: chipotle burrito bowl

Like most decent Americans, I love me some Chipotle. Love, love me some Chipotle. However, there are obvious downsides.

1. 1,000 calories per burrito = fat Michelle
2. $6.50 per burrito = poor Michelle
3. 110% recommended daily sodium per burrito = heart attack Michelle

So, I have devised a way to have my burrito and eat it to, so to speak. And, you can too.

I used:

1 can diced tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can corn
lettuce
shredded cheese
Herdez medium spicy salsa



First, I drained the tomatoes, beans, and corn, and combined them in a baking pan. Then I sprinkled them with e.v.o.o. and salt, and roasted for 10 min.



Second, I made a cup of rice in my handy-dandy rice cooker. Best Christmas gift I have ever received. Ok, that is an exaggeration, but it's definitely in the top 20.



Third, I mixed everything together. That's it. I served mine up with lettuce, salsa, and cheese. This recipe makes lots of left-overs, which keep really well for several days and are good either warmed up or straight from the fridge. Today I had some with yogurt, and tomorrow I am going to try it wrapped in a tortilla and garnished with cream cheese!



Anyone else have any fun waistline/money/heart saving recipes? We're trying to be a little more economical here in the Casa de Johnson, plus swim suit season is upon us, and I definitely need a little more work before I have shed my winter coat.

the weekender

I feel the need to devote an entire post to my favorite jeans. Because, let's face it, jeans are a big deal.

Behold, The Weekender!



Date: April 16, 2011 / Occasion: doing nothing
Details: shirt-??? / jeans-Frocks

These are like boyfriend jeans, only about 10x more awesome. They are the perfect sweat pant replacement for lounging around at home on the weekends. I think it's true love. ♥

putting a thing in the mail

Oh my god, you guys, I finally mailed the rest of my grad school application. I spent at least three hours proofing every last form, and I am still terrified that a typo got left in there somehow. Of course, before I could walk the 100 ft to the mailbox I had to change out of my pjs and do my full hair and makeup.

Because, you know, they might see me.

Obviously, then I had to take pictures of myself because, damn, I look good.




I must have stood in front of the mailbox for a full three minutes willing myself drop in the envelope. But now I can finally say that it is done. :)

warning: extremely positive thoughts ahead

No photos or fanciness today because I must leave for work in mere moments. I just wanted to stop by and comment on how good life can be (get ready or some serious cheesiness!) I don't know if it's the yoga, or the emotional/mental exercising, but these days I feel like I can take on the world. Certainly, I have bad moments and am often disappointed by people and events, but knowing that I can handle these disappointments is the difference between happiness and hopelessness. It's a weird feeling, being happy with the right here and now...but I like it!