"Maybe Christmas," the Grinch thought, "doesn't come from a store." -- Dr. Seuss

CAPES [something empowering] True holiday spirit can't be bought, and it involves more generosity than one is usually willing to extend.  My hope is that you were able to be generous this season, as well as be on the receiving end of unexpected and genuine generosity.  Cheers!

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] One of my favorite gifts that I gave this Christmas was handmade layered scarves.  My friend in Hawaii makes them, and you can check her stuff out here.  

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  My nephew got a Power Wheel for Christmas.  He immediately took his brother for a ride, got in a minor accident, and then proceeded to exit the vehicle saying he ran out of gas.  Look out Redmond, he could be driving in a neighborhood near you!  

stay married

CAPES [something empowering] For all my married friends, as well as those that want to get married someday...the stay married blog is amazing.  

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  "I learnt the art of biting my tongue"  

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  There's a song by Brooke Fraser, featuring Aqualung, called Who Are We Fooling?  I always thought it was about breaking up, but it's actually not.  Amazing lyrics, and the perfect pairing to #staymarried.  

Who Are We Fooling?  
by Brooke Fraser (feat. Aqualung) 

So we're back here again
Tip toeing round the edge of the end
Wondering who will be last to admit
That we're finally over

Turned twenty one on the day that we met
Terrible shoes and implausible dress
It's funny how sad the funny things get as you grow older

Better or worse
But what else can we do?
And better or worse
I am tethered to you
If it's not either of us
Tell me who are we fooling?

I learned the art of biting my tongue
I tired of trying to guess what was wrong
Both agreed on where we should go
But not how to get there

We tried and tried to loosen the knots
Thinking once we're untangled we'll be better off
But it's these failures and faults that hold us together

Better or worse
But what else can we do?
When better or worse
I am tethered to you
If it's not either of us
Tell me who are we fooling?

This beautiful tangle that's bruising us blue
Is a beautiful knot that we just can't undo
Together we're one but apart tell me
Who are we fooling?

Cause real love
Is hard love
It's all we have
It's a break-neck
Train wreck
It's all we have

So we're back here again
Turning away from the edge of the end
Arm in arm

Better or worse
But what else can we do?
When better or worse
I am tethered to you
If it's not either of us
Tell me who are we fooling?

This beautiful tangle that's bruising us blue
It's a beautiful knot we just can't undo
If it's not either of us, tell me who are we fooling?

Together we're one, but apart tell me
Who are we fooling?

I'm too old for this...

CAPES [something empowering] It's easier to communicate with other people when you can lose the passive-aggressive undertone.  Get over it already. 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  This "squishable" sloth keeps popping up on my facebook adverstisements.  If it doesn't leave me alone, I might justify purchasing one.  For my nephews, of course.  

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]   This weekend I'm cutting down my first tree.  My bet is that I can do it in less than 15 seconds.  I'll keep you posted...

winter. spring. summer. football.

UW vs. OSBoooo

CAPES [something empowering]  Forgiveness may not be a natural human response, but the act of withholding it has an outcome that is less desirable.  Read more empowerments about forgiveness here, here and here (apparently, it's is a theme I blog about frequently).     

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  Lately, I've been trying to add more veggies to my daily smoothies.  Kale (just the leaves, not the stems) and carrot juice are delicious.  This week, I think I'll try spinach and avocado.  

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Fall is officially here, and with it comes a few of my favorite things. 
As of November 1st, the pumpkin maple cupcake has arrived. 
The perfect pairing to Seattle rain is my red umbrella. 
With every husky game, I get to wear my cape and watch football.   
I wish fall/football season lasted longer. 

iPhone cases > iPhone

CAPES [something empowering] "You must forgive in order to understand.  Until you forgive, you defend yourself against the possibility of understanding...If you forgive you may indeed still not understand, but you will be ready to understand, and that is the posture of grace" (excerpt from Home, by Marilynne Robinson).  

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Lately, I've been tossing heaping handfuls of organic kale into my morning smoothie.  The magic bullet blends it to perfection, and it's just another way to go green!    

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Anyone else out there spending more money on their iPhone cases per year than their iPhones?  I'm in the market for a dependable, yet fashionable case.  Switcheasy has my vote so far.  

giving outfits a test drive

CAPES [something empowering] As of today, glassybaby has given over a million dollars to charitable causes dedicated to healing.  Their one-of-a-kindness now has a new goal: one million more.  

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  I have a boot problem.  Okay, addiction.  Currently saving up for these.  They look like they are made for walking, and [by this time next year] that's just what they'll do. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Does anyone else give special occasion outfits a test drive?  Translation: I'm going to a garage dance party tonight in honor of my sister-in-law turning the big 2-9 (I love you Afton!!), and I've been testing out dance outfits all week.  Is it just the planner in me, or do other people do this too?  

cupcakes: an indulgence that should not be avoided and cannot be replaced.

CAPES [something empowering] One shouldn't worry about having dessert.  It's an indulgence that cannot be replaced.  

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  I look forward to Cupcake Royale's new cupcake of the month...but no month more than when the pumpkin maple is featured.  In 2010, it was featured in October.  In 2011, it was November.  As September is in its final days, I am less than a week away from finding out which month will be the month that I gain my winter weight. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Speaking of cupcakes...I channel this little girl's spunk and spirit.  I want a cupcake every day.  Seriously...every single day.  

Don't pay full price for fashion.

CAPES [something empowering] I recently heard the following advice: "the key to unlocking where you're currently stuck is thankfulness."  I'm thankful for that reminder.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Evelyn Rose is a new consignment shop in my neighborhood, and I love not paying full price for fashion. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Yesterday I cleaned out my garage, and simultaneously visited memory lane from the past 31 years of my life.  Various hairstyles haunted me as I cleaned out box after box.  Pictures showing hair that was permed, dyed with sun-in, streaked with plantium blond, and cut to a bob above my ears made me extremely grateful for my hair today. 

I will dare to live fully right where I am.

CAPES [something empowering] Feelings of gratitude may come and go, but being grateful is a posture...a state of mind...a choice.  It can be found in the murkiest and darkest places in your life.  Yes, gratitude exists even there.  Today, I am grateful for fresh blueberries, my red corso como flats, the light mist that cooled me off as I went for a run, and a much-anticipated afternoon cupcake date with good friends. 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  Stuffed green olives!!!  Lately, I can't get enough of them.  But while they are rich in vitamins and antioxidents, watch out, because 1 medium sized green olive can have as much as 300mg of sodium.  It's no wonder I've been waking up in the middle of the night thirsty.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  This past week, my good friend (a soon to be a mother of 3!) shared with me that at times, she wishes she could be more independent.  I found this interesting, because the majority of the time I long to be rid of my independence.  Why is it that we always seem to want what we don't have?  Again, today I will choose to be grateful for my freedom; rather than be hindered by my intependence, I will attempt to see it as a gift.  I will dare to live fully right where I am.*

*Inspired by One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, by Ann Voskamp

Just ask.

CAPES [something empowering] If you never ask for what you want, than you'll never know if the answer will be yes or no. 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  I know there's only one more day left in July...but get yourself on over to Cupcake Royale ASAP before this cupcake goes away until July of 2013!  It rivals my favorite (the Pumpkin Maple), and totally deserves a drumroll....Blueberry Brown Betty.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Speaking of blueberries...while my nephew Cooper and I were picking blueberries the other day, he warned me not to step in what looked like a big pile of dirt.  I did anyway (whoops), and it was an ant hill.  The rest of the day I swore I had ants in my pants.  Literally. 

RE: self-esteem

CAPES [something empowering] RE: self-esteem...the bad stuff is easier to believe, but that doesn't mean the good stuff isn't true. 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  A Canadian company has invented the coolest skins for your iPhone/iPad.  They are durable, easy to apply, plus they include wallpaper that coordinates with the design.  Love.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  You know you've reached a certain level of maturity when you can embrace your real-life size (i.e. I'm a medium, not a small...I haven't been a small since my freshman year in HS). 

A good summer read & an impossible ask.

CAPES [something empowering] In all types of relationships, it's important to be aware of your own expectations.  In practicing this, I've realized how irrational I can be, especially when I'm expecting the other person to read my mind.  Wittle down your expecations to the rational ones, and when the timing is right, find a way to express them in a non-passive aggressive way (because contrary to what you may think, being passive agreeisve is highly ineffective and incredibly unattractive). 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  My drinker count is up to 14.  I think I need to have a party.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  I'm in desperate need of a good summer read.  I'm looking for a book somewhere in the ballpark of The History of Love (Nicole Krauss) meets Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safer Foer), with an undertone of To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee).  I know...an impossible ask, but I would love your suggestions.  

Something WA and OR can agree on...

CAPES [something empowering] Dating advice from a grandmother: watch their actions, not just their words.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  Here's a list of TV shows that I've conveniently been exposed to while spinning on my Rodriguez in the garage: Dexter, Downton Abbey, and Revenge.  The [supposedly] nice thing about summer is my transition from indoor to outdoor cycling.  The not-so-nice thing about summer is that I have no shows to watch when it is not-so-nice outside.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Before heading south for the California state line, I'm going to try heading east to Chelan.  Operation "summer" here I come. 

"you complete me" = biggest turn-off. ever.

CAPES [something empowering] Tonight, I watched Jerry Maguire.  And no I did not cry over the whole "you complete me" line.  That line is crap.  You don't want to date someone that thinks they are made "complete" only by you.  Gross.  Ick.  Date someone that has a backbone, please.    

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  Cold pasta deliciousness: orzo, lots of basil, yellow+red+orange pepper, light champagne dressing, and fresh mozzarella cheese.  At least it tastes like summer (though it doesn't feel like summer). 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] However, I did cry when Ron Tidwell dances in the endzone.  Football-happy-ending-stories get me.  All the time, every time.  

rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb

CAPES [something empowering] Jesus said: "Love your enemies."  The extent you treat those who differ politically from you as enemies is the extent that you reveal your atheism.* 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] I haven't even tried it yet, but I know it's going to be a weekly favorite the entire month of June...Cupcake Royale introduces their Rhubarb Crisp Cupcake starting today.  My oh my. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Speaking of rhubarb...I was at Lottie's the other night in Columbia City and had their homemade rhubarb sorbet.  The taste was incredible confirmation of why I need to eat this delicious celery-vegetable more often. 

*I've had this quote saved forever...but I don't remember where I found it.  M.K., is this you?

Silence is golden.

CAPES [something empowering] If you haven't learned this already, here's your chance:  The vibrate mode on your  mobile phone is not equivalent to silent mode.  In fact, vibrate mode is more annoying than that Michael Bolton ringtone you purchased. 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  My new favorite summer salad (before consumption, I remove the red onions.  You can thank me later).  

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  The older I get, the more I use the "zoom" option in Microsoft Word.  I am currently typing papers for my last (LAST! FINAL!!) week of classes at a 150-200% zoom increase.  I will not get reading glasses.  Will not.  Not.  No.  Never.   

don't let yourself be hoodwinked into buying things that you don't need...with the exception of these socks.

CAPES [something empowering] I've been guest-blogging for glassybaby!  You can check out my posts here and then click "from the stores." 

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  Support a local company!  SeaTown LAX has awesome socks featuring the Seattle skyline.  And who cares if the average age of those that wear them is 13?  I'm wearing my pink ones tomorrow.  Proudly. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Words that I would like to add to my daily vocabulary: hoodwink and bamboozle. 

I have come to see all things in the color orange.

CAPES [something empowering] 860 reminded me today that "God's timing is perfect."  I needed to hear that.  And maybe you did too.  

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  The scuba hoodie from Lululemon is one of my favorite articles of clothing.  One morning this past March, I saw an orange hoodie (ORANGE!!) online.  After day dreaming about it all day, I decided I would buy it for myself as a "happy birthday to me" present.  But, it had already sold out completely in the US.  Did that stop my birthday wish?  No way jose.  I tracked one down in some providence Canada that I cannot pronounce, had it shipped to a friend that lives in BC, and then paid her to ship it to me.  Worth the hassle?  Every penny. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] One of my favorite pieces of furniture is my Grandpa Harvey's old butcher table.  It was distressed before distressed tables were hip and cool.    

The perfect companion for toast or spoons.

CAPES [something empowering] Though the words selfish and selfless sound similar, they are two very different mindsets.  Learn the difference.   

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction]  Cookie butter: the obvious choice when deciding what to spread on a piece of toast or simply shovel into your mouth with a spoon.  Who wouldn't love something made from crushed up biscuits that tastes like creamy gingerbread?  

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  The Space Needle is orange!  Orange!  ORANGE!!!

hope will constantly arouse the passion of the possible (jurgen moltmann)

CAPES [something empowering] Let the record show that this is not my company, but oh-so-awesome: Power Capes.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Cold brew continues to be awesome. Way-to-go stumptown. 

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy]  Summer project: visit all the breweries in the state of washington.  

shadows are just as important as light

CAPES [something empowering] In looking at a masterpiece of art, you'll find that the contrast is key; the shadows are just as important as the light. Think of your life as a piece of art: without the shadows, you wouldn't appreciate the light.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Lately, my daily treat has been TJ's dark chocolate almonds. Sprinkled with a touch of sea salt and turbinado sugar = delicious.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] This week, I put my puffy down jackets away. About time.

new uses for powder and lipstick

CAPES [something empowering] Don't show up late to a meeting with Starbucks in your hand. It only reinforces the reason why you were late and decreases the effect of your "cape" persona.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Two make-up items I'm constantly running low on: eyeshadow base color and blush. Two items that work well in the meantime: powder and lipstick. Most eyeshadow base colors are close to powder colors, anyway (and it's probably made of the same substance), and lipstick (when used in moderation) smudged on your cheeks gives a fun pop and glow that I think works better than powdery blush.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Happy Easter weekend, everyone...and in regards to the fun-filled, pastel-colored eggs...you've been warned.

It takes longer to put yourself back together than it does to fall apart.

CAPES [something empowering] For some reason I find a lot of hope in the fact that it takes more time and attention to put yourself together than it does to fly off the handle. Today, I will assemble a few pieces instead of reinforcing the brokenness.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] I can't get enough of Arizona's Arnold Palmer Lite. And don't let the "lite" fool you...it doesn't have the gross fake sugars (with the nasty after-taste), the wonderful liquid simply has less sugar.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] 10 weeks of class and 73 days until graduation. Go.

"Justice is what love looks like in public." -Cornel West

CAPES [something empowering] Love means nothing if there's no follow through. Show it, don't just say it.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] The evolution of smooth - the best lip balm ever.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] I just got my bike back from a much-needed tune-up. Now I'm ready to be put behind bars. Commuting, Hwy2, and RedSpoke, here I come!

how to avoid chat-chattering

CAPES [something empowering] Faith and doubt aren't opposites, but partners. Having faith in someone/something means that, despite a few doubts here and there, you choose to place your trust in them/it. Faith void of doubt isn't faith at all, but certainty.*

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] On the verge of breaking into your spring wardrobe? Here's a trick that I used the other night so I could don a cute dress and not freeze: I wore legwarmers on my arms. How did I pull this off? I wore a cute dress with a lightweight jacket. Underneath my jacket were my unseen hot pink legwarmers. All night long, they helped me avoid chattering through my chatting.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] This past week, I went on my first ride-along with 860. One of my favorite moments was witnessing the following conversation between an arrested individual (AI) and 860:

AI: "Hey, umm...I apologize for my impaired stupidity."

860: "It's alright...and you do realize that's a double-negative, right?"

AI: "Uhhh, yea...never mind. Sorry."

*Andrew Root, "Doubt and Confirmation: The Mentor as Co-Doubter"

good until the last drop

CAPES [something empowering] Sometimes we want to go back to something that we were before. But the past is history. Let go, and focus on your present and future.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 workout video is awesome. I've done it so many times now that I can put Jillian on mute and get ripped while watching the Today Show or Ellen (which makes it that much more awesome).

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Am I the only one that cuts open my expensive shampoos and conditioners in order to get the last ounce worth? Probably.

"Hi auntie I watched Finding Nemo and peed on the couch."

CAPES [something empowering] The last time I babysat for my nephew, we watched Finding Nemo and he peed on the couch, but didn't tell me until I found it later after I had put him to bed. Today when I saw him, he said "Hi auntie I watched Finding Nemo and peed on the couch". Telling the truth is important. Whether it's in the moment, or a few days/weeks/years later...it's important to fess up. Another important lesson I learned from an incredibly amazing and adorable 2-year old.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Lately, I've been really into cake stands and trays. This cake stand is creatively made from a vintage glass and orange plate. Guess who's headed to the antique store?

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] This 2-minute "how to" tutorial for drying bangs definitely beats this dude's video (plus, do guys really consider themselves as having bangs??).

"sometimes I dream bigger than I live" (macklemore)

CAPES [something empowering] It's not okay to dream bigger than you live...give yourself permission to add some life to your dreams.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] I love this new Aveda shampoo and conditioner. Invalti's catchphrase is "keep the hair you have longer"...and not only does it use ayurvedic herbs to strengthen your hair, but it also exfoliates your scalp to unclog pores and remove product build-up. I've used it for 2 weeks, and have totally noticed a difference in my hair.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] I think I've watched this sloth video from the Ellen show 6+ times. KB may have beat me to it, but when I turn 31, I'm arranging to have a sea cow at my party. Boom!

communal hope

CAPES [something empowering] When you don't have the strength or desire to hope, it's okay let others hope for you. Putting your trust in communal hope gets you through until you have the strength to hope again.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] This week, I made Beecher's "World's Best" Mac & Cheese using their own recipe. Congratulations Beecher's, you certainly have earned that title as well as made it to my personal addiction list.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] The website 20x200 is a fabulous resource to help you redecorate or incorporate art into your home! Limited edition prints start at $24, and each week new prints are added to the site. Yesterday, I purchased this artsy map of Amsterdam.

brussels sprouts: the ultimate hipster vegetable

CAPES [something empowering] "Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping we are becoming" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Need some extra shine? Try dabbing a bit of lip gloss on your cheeks.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] Here's my sister-in-law's delicious recipe for brussels sprouts: 1) halve the sprouts, 2) toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper, 3) place them cut side down in an iron skillet pan* and toast them, 4) after they are nice and toasty, mix them around in the pan. Finish with a sprinkle of parmesan. A once socially-hated vegetable is now hipster-cool.

*I don't have an iron skillet, so I broil them in the oven.

say no to crack, and yes to cigarette [cut jeans].

CAPES [something empowering] C.S. Lewis once said that "the heart never takes the place of the head: but it can, and should, obey it." So, it's okay to follow your heart, but don't forget to use your head.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] Tired of skinny jeans that you're constantly yanking up to keep your crack from showing? Here's your remedy: high rise skinny jeans. The cigarette high-rise cut from Urban Outfitters are simply amazing and come in super bright colors.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] It's a sad fact that when it snows in Seattle, my volvo cannot make it out of my parking lot (lame excuse: my parking space is in the middle of a small sloped hill). Luckily, I have two capable legs that can get me to work and back if I need to make a run for it.

fizzy hydration

CAPES [something empowering] Love > Fear

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] I got a Soda Stream fizzy water maker for Christmas, and not only do I love it, but I have actually woken up in the middle of the night craving fizzy water. My favorite additives are tangerines, mangoes, and fresh ginger slices. Hydration has never been so easy.

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] About a year ago, a trooper and a grad student walked into a gun range, and BANG!...a lot can happen in a year.

I Love the Toll Troll

CAPES [something empowering] Real friends say what they need to say. The act of withholding, while it may be easier to do, is actually unkind and unfriendly.

COFFEE [latest trend or addiction] The makers of Words With Friends have their own take on hangman: Hanging With Friends. I dare you to hang with me (username: annievp).

THE COLOR ORANGE [something noteworthy] The 520 Toll has begun...use the application "Toll Troll" to find out rates as well as traffic updates comparing I90 and 520.