random nothings

I thought that this summer I would be able to spend more time adding to my poor, neglected little blog. This hasn't proven to be the case considering I am busier than ever!

I just started my nannying job(s) (a 7-year-old, 5-year-old, and 11-month-old five days a week, a 10-year-old and 8-year-old one evening a week, and an 11-year-old, 9-year-old, and 3-year-old twice a week), and have been spending the rest of my spare time with my friends...hopefully this week this will take us out into the sunshine, but the jury's still out on that one.

My family and I spent this past weekend in Beaverton at various family events. My cousin got married on Friday (it was absolutely beautiful. I've never had so much fun at a wedding, and I've been to too many to count!), and we had lots of celebrating to do all weekend.

I'm already loving this week and am hoping I stay this happy the whole time - I spent the day watching wonderful kids, had a nice dinner with my family, then spent my evening watching The Bachelorette with amazing friends. It's turning into quite a lovely summer...now if only the weather would cooperate!

I've been failing at my fill-in-the-blank Friday...so here's a random question thing-a-ma-bob to kick off the week!

six names you go by:

1. Abbie

2. Abigail

3. Abs

4. Ab

5. Rosebud

6. Seets

three things you're wearing right now:

1. My favorite pair of Joe's Jeans that I bought at a resale shop for only $40 (a steal when it comes to Joe's...I'm a major bargain hunter).

2. A flowered blouse that is ruffly and feminine and so "me"...even though I don't consider myself to be a ruffly kinda gal.

3. A big ol' fatty ring I bought at Target...it's a huge "pearl" surrounded by these knot-looking things. I bought it as a statement piece of jewelry for my cousin's wedding and have worn it every day since!

four things you want at this exact moment:

1. August. The reason will remain quiet since I have no idea who is reading this blog.

2. A warm summer night.

3. All of the boys (my closest group of friends) to be in town at the exact same time.

4. To be in California for my uncle's wedding.

two things you did last night:

1. Texted non-stop.

2. Started to read Loving Frank.

two people you last talked to on the phone:

1. My younger sister.

2. My daddy.

two things you're going to do tomorrow:

1. Go for a run. A long one. I'm feeling ambitious.

2. Nanny all day long!

three favorite drinks:

1. Thai Iced Tea.

2. Ice water.

3. Chocolate milk.

There you have it...more random nothings about me. Look for a happy list tomorrow!

♥ abigail

productivity and peach crumb bars

Today, I felt like getting things done.

For the past few days I've been feeling sluggish due to a sudden onslaught of summertime allergies (the pollen count here has been about four times the average summer amount). Last night I decided that no matter how I felt when I woke up, I would be productive today.

Good thing I stick to my promises I make myself, because today I am feeling just as miserable as I have since Saturday.

Despite my cough and difficult time with breathing, I started the day off with a 2.5 mile run along the river.

After my run, I went to Borders to browse books for an hour before the shoe store opened and I could return a pair. (Did I mention that I went running at 8:30? I was feeling a little too ambitious, if you ask me.)

After the store opened, I returned the shoes, the continued my productivity: I went to a used bookstore to pick up some summer reading (Anna Karenina and Atlas Shrugged, here I come!), found and purchased dress tape to modify a dress for my cousin's wedding this weekend, found birthday cards for two of my best friends who turn 20 this week, unpacked what I brought home from my apartment yesterday, cleaned the house for my mom, picked up my little brother from school, made dinner and dessert, and now here I sit, unproductive (depends on who you ask though - I find Law and Order: SVU marathons to be a good use of time).

But let's backtrack to dinner. I was browsing Brown Eyed Baker's website this afternoon, and the post I found was for 36 summer recipes. I made two of these recipes this evening: the Italian Chicken Sandwich and the Peach Crumb Bars.

I can't vouch for them too well, considering my nose is so plugged that I can't taste a darn thing, but my family tells me that both recipes were delicious. I modified the sandwich slightly because I didn't have any celery (or crunchy vegetables, so I used lettuce), asiago cheese (I used parmesan), or Worcestershire sauce (I just skipped it). I didn't modify the crumb bars, but if I could taste, I might go for a little more nutmeg.

I wish I could tell you how delicious and fabulous it was. I really do. It sure looked pretty. Hopefully the leftovers will last long enough for me to be able to taste for myself!

In completely unrelated news, I got Spring Term grades back today - four As and one A-, which equates to a 3.94. Pretty good for the end of the sophomore slump!

♥ abigail

june eleventh

Yesterday was my twentieth birthday.

I don't really like my birthday. As a middle child, I have always had what have been deemed "birthday issues" (also general middle child issues...but that's another story for another time) by my family and friends.

I've shared my birthday with finals and graduation weekend for as long as I can remember, and I sort of share my birthday with my little brother (his birthday is on June 8, and every June 11 we reminisce how x number of years ago today he came home from the hospital...on my fifth birthday).

I tend to get sad on my birthday because I make a big deal (phone calls, cards, surprises, presents, balloons, etc.) out of other people's birthdays, and it's not reciprocated as well as I like.

I know it's not fair to expect other people to be as excited about celebrating my birthday as I do theirs, so I don't expect it. I don't do what I do for acknowledgment or in hopes of their doing something for me, but I'm always left wishing that someone would make a big deal out of my birthday.

And yesterday, my wish came true.

First, I celebrated at home with my family.

Here I am after blowing out the candles (all 20 plus one for luck in one breath!) and before we headed to my younger sister's graduation Baccalaureate Mass.

We went to Mass, me grumbling all the way, and crammed our way into a tiny pew (there wasn't enough room in the church for all the grads and their guests).

After Mass, my older sister and I tried to make a quick getaway but were detained by the obligatory pictures (both family and friends) of the grads-to-be. This was okay, because I got a birthday hug from this guy...

He also tried to give me a flower he was given by one of his teachers...I informed him to not give girls carnations. I feel like I just saved his life or something. Not really...I wouldn't be mad if someone was trying to be sweet and gave me a carnation, but it's not my first choice when it comes to flowers - I love lilies and daisies.

But I digress.

This is my good friend Ian - we've known each other since I was in eighth grade and he was in sixth. He's in my sister's class, and we've always been good buddies. Also, I was particularly pleased with my hair (more specifically my bow) in this photo.

After Mass, the fam and I headed home where I got ready to go out with my friends.

I went to a fantastic little bakery in Eugene (Sweet Life) and was greeted by this:

I was thrilled. My best friend set it up, and I couldn't have asked for a better evening.

My best guy friends (I refer to them as "the boys") were there (minus one, who is in D.C. for an internship), as well as some other good friends I hadn't seen for a long time. We had a lovely time eating cake, talking too loudly about The Bachelorette and How I Met Your Mother, reminiscing about high school, and talking about our summer plans. It was just what I needed to boost my spirits.

Now I'm sitting on the deck in the sunshine, home for the summer and ready to enjoy my time off from school. My family has scattered to go to other graduation festivities (Kendall graduated this morning), and I am left basking in the sun...not a bad way to start my second decade!

♥ abigail

the lost day planner

Today, I couldn't find my day planner.

I've been bringing boxes and bags and bags of things home over the past few weeks in hopes of getting a jump-start on moving back home for the summer, but so far piles have just taken over my room.

Somewhere in the stacks, my trusty day planner that contains my life went missing.

I panicked. I needed that day planner. It was required for me to handle life.

And as I was worrying about the loss of my day planner, I realized something about myself. It was something I already knew, but I recognized it for the first time in a different context.

But for that story to make sense, I need to give you a little background.

Three months ago, my boyfriend of a year-and-a-half and I broke up. Without going into too much detail, I can tell you that it was entirely mutual (I know everyone says that but in this case, it really was). We reached the point where we grasped the fact that we were completely different people who want different things out of life. This was something we had always known, but never really confronted. We're still friends (I know everyone says that too, but again, it's true).

Back to the day planner.

As I was saying, I really need my planner in order to live - it has all sorts of important things in it...I plan my life in it. Obviously.

I love plans. Love, love, love them.

Every night, I write down my day's schedule on a post-it note and stick it to my day planner. It's a plan on top of a plan. It's heavenly.

I need plans. I follow plans. I feel nervous and stressed out when I don't have a plan, or worse, when someone else is in charge of the plan and I don't know about it.

I have control issues, clearly.

But these control issues are part of who I am.

And today, when I lost my planner, I recognized something really important.

I thought about a lot of things, just remembering...my ex-boyfriend didn't love plans. He despised them. Loathed them.

I was (am) always planning things, and he wanted (wants) to dive right in. It was a nice balance, but slowly it began to eat at me that it bothered him so much that I always needed a plan. It began to eat at me that it bothered me so much that he never even wanted a plan.

So today, I realized that I don't necessarily need - or even want - to be with someone who loves to plan.

I just need to be with someone who loves that I love to plan.

I spent a lot of time trying to be a person who didn't need to plan, but as sad as it sounds, I couldn't relax without a plan.

And that realization made me realize that I spend far too much time trying to people-please. As much as I don't care what people think of me, I do care about whether or not people are happy.

I always want everyone around me to be taken care of, and I take it upon myself to make sure that happens.

And somewhere along the way, I end up trying to please everyone, and I end up losing something of myself...like planning every moment of my day.

And there you have it - my big realization for the day.

In short: I need my day planner to survive, and I need to be surrounded by people who love and accept that about me...and recognize that it's all part of my charm.

Because it is.

Right?

(Oh, and by the way - I found my day planner. All is right with the world yet again.)

♥ abigail

fill in the blank friday

I've come across this sort of thing on a few random blogs, so I thought I'd give it a go...I have about 5 unfinished drafts of posts that are just screaming to be revised and completed, but I'm suffering from a case of writer's block and just can't seem to get my act together.

I'd like to attribute my writer's block to the fact that this past week was dead week, also known as the busiest week everfor college students...my brain has been working overtime to finish homework, speeches, papers, projects, and presentations, so I haven't really had the time to finish any thoughts.

Until I do have that time again, here is my first "fill in the blank friday" for your enjoyment.

1. My absolute favorite movie of all time is You've Got Mail. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks was the most genius combination ever. And I am Kathleen Kelly. Not completely...but we're similar!

2. My favorite movie as a child was The Sandlot. I still love it to this day. I also loved any Mary-Kate and Ashley movie, and owned most of them. Holiday in the Sun was the best.

3. The best movie quote ever is impossible to pick. I am obsessed with quotes in all forms. Love love love them, and I honestly watch movies just waiting for the good quotes to come out. Off the top of my head, here are a few favorites:

"I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you and hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I got to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." - When Harry Met Sally

"We don't know. You can never be sure. But we take the plunge anyway. Sure is for people who don't love enough." - Imagine Me and You

"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave?" - You've Got Mail

4. My favorite actress is Meg Ryan. She is fabulous and I love her. My favorite actor is Tom Hanks. That man could read me the phone book...I love his voice that much.

5. The movie I could watch over and over is pretty much any movie I remotely like. I've seen You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle and Must Love Dogs countless times. They're my go-to, feel-good movies.

6. My favorite movie genre is romantic comedy. Obviously. I don't really like being sad if I can prevent it, and I get so attached to characters that I try not to watch sad movies. Horror movies are out of the question, and I get bored during action movies.

7. A movie I'd like to watch this weekend is Gone With the Wind. I haven't seen it before, but I love the book and want to see how the movie is.

So there you have it, readers! Happy fill in the blank Friday!

♥ abigail

delicious day

I was all about making delicious food today.

After church my mom took me to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to pick out my birthday presents. I was in heaven...my mom and I wandered the kitchen section for ages, looking at everything and trying to pick the things I most needed. Wanted. Whatever.

First on my list was this little guy:

This is a Microplane zester, something I've been wanting for a long while.

My mommy was nice and let me use it this afternoon - and I'm betting she's glad I did (more on that later) - before taking it back so I can receive it properly on my birthday.

It was everything I hoped it would be though...it zested my lemons quickly and with ease, leaving the perfect-sized zest in its wake. I've been trying to zest lemons for years with the smallest grater setting on my cheese grater, which works in a pinch...but now that I've seen the light, I'm never going back.

I also picked out some custard bowls, a few tart pans, two Air Bake cookie sheets, and a complete set of both measuring cups and spoons.

I can't wait for my birthday now...so many things to bake!

Once my mom and I returned from our little jaunt, I took a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients for tonight's food.

First, I made this recipe from The Pioneer Woman. I get intimidated very easily by recipes with that many ingredients, so I've put off making it for a while. I sucked it up and went and bought all the ingredients, and it was delicious. I modified the dressing slightly, omitting a tablespoon of soy sauce and adding a tablespoon of water and an extra pinch of brown sugar, and it was perfect. I'll probably hold off on the cilantro next time (I learned that pretty much everyone in my family except for my dad and I don't like it at all), and keep it separate so I can add it on my own.

If I could marry cilantro, I would.

Not really. But that's what I told my family at dinner tonight. I was trying to make a point. Cilantro is so fantastic. It really should be married to lime forever and ever and ever...don't even get me started on that combination. Yum!

Anyway, the "salad" (I'm not sure it could be classified as that) was fantastic and can serve a crowd. We have a lot of extra in my house after having five people eat a healthy portion. Definitely a good dish for a potluck or something of the sort.

After I finished making the salad, I started on my next project, this little gem from 17 and Baking. I'm not quite sure why she named it "Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake"...I think I'll probably just call it lemon bread.

Anyway, it was fantastic. Light and fluffy and delicious, and a perfect excuse to use my new zester. I doubled the frosting the recipe called for because my family likes things sweet...I put half on the bread and half in a bowl next to it, which seemed to work out quite nicely.

My family loved the recipe too - I pulled it out of the oven at about 8:15, and with five of us here, we've eaten almost all of it (it's 9:37). It will definitely be gone by this evening.

I highly recommend both of these recipes for anyone! They both reminded me of summer, whose arrival I am waiting with great anticipation...it's just around the corner now! Right?

♥ abigail

a happy post

As you all know by now, I think and write and live and breathe and exist in lists. Love them. Need them. Can't live without them.

So here is another list for you...a happy list :)

Why I'm happy right now...

1. I made not one, but two batches of delicious cookies tonight. I've been itching to bake all weekend, and today when I reached a stopping point in my homework, I decided it was time to make something delicious. Especially after last weekend's alfajores fiasco (I was making these traditional Argentinean cookies for my Spanish class, and they turned out how they were supposed to, but were far too cornstarch-y for my liking. My poor family was left with the remnants...don't worry, my Spanish class got a less traditional, far more delicious version made with these cookies plus homemade dulce de leche. Yum!). Anyway, after that I decided I should make something more edible. I made these and these tonight - both turned out well and were extremely delicious. My growing-like-a-weed little brother ate half of the thumbprint cookies already. And the chocolate chip cookies are delicious - big and chewy...the best kind of cookie.

2. It's Harry Potter weekend on ABC Family. Remember how I said I wanted to watch all of the movies since I just finished all of the books again? Well, this weekend, they've been showing all of the movies...I watched all of them over the course of last week (I watched numbers 1&2 on Friday, number 3 on Saturday, numbers 4&5 on Sunday, and number 6 on Monday. I have no life.), but I see that as no reason as to not watch them again. See? No life! Don't worry, I just watch bits and pieces while doing homework. I'm an excellent multi-tasker.

3. I was actually productive with my homework today. I have a decent amount of it. I haven't finished any particular assignment, but I have started and gotten a great deal of it finished. I am just annoyed by the fact that I can't cross anything off my to-do list because none of it is actually completed. Oh well, progress is progress!

4. I got 10.5 hours of sleep last night. I know that's not the best for my sleep schedule...but I was so tired due to my four hours of sleep on Thursday night, that I went to bed at 11:45 (fell asleep right away) and slept soundly until 10:15. That is the best kind of sleep. As a person with a history of insomnia, I truly appreciate the gift it is to fall asleep quickly and sleep well and wake up feeling refreshed. Bliss!

5. My nails are painted a lovely shade of Chanel's Ballerina Pink. I'm not one to splurge quite that much on my nail polish (I'm an O.P.I. kind of girl, and even that is a splurge for my college-student budget), but my younger sister bought it last year in exchange for getting her make-up done at some chi-chi make-up counter, so I decided to test it out. It's very, very subtle...you can barely tell it's there, which is ideal for me, the girl who has to take all the polish off once I notice the tiniest of chips in the lacquer.

6. I'm almost finished with my sophomore year of college. This week is "dead" week (which is such an inappropriate term considering the week is completely alive and filled of homework and projects and the only thing that resembles death are us poor students) and next week is finals week, then it's time to go home for the summer.

7. My birthday is coming up. Less than two weeks now (June 11). Not gonna lie - I'm such a birthday diva. I'm better than I used to be, but I still feel like the day needs to be all about me. What can I say? I'm a middle child! Some of my favorite stores have also recognized the importance (ha!) of my birthday. Good ol' Sephora sent me a coupon remind me to pick up my free birthday gift for being a Beauty Insider (in 6-7 days I will be receiving an eye kit containing liner, shadow, and mascara. Yay!). And one of my favorite stores, American Eagle sent me my 20% coupon to use during my birth month. Advertising tricks totally work on me.

8. I was just hit with a wave of sleepiness and I don't have to put off going to bed. I love that about the weekend...no need to stay up all night to do homework. College...who needs it?! Kidding. Mostly.

And with that, good night!

♥ abigail