Last day of summer

I have some sad news everyone...

Summer is over.

Just like that.

It was here yesterday, and when I woke up this morning it was gone.

Good news is...

I knew about summers last day ahead of time

So I was ready.

I called up my friends and told them we had an emergency.

Summer magic is almost gone!

We need to soak in as much as we can.

So we found the nearest lake and jumped in- because lakes as you know- are one of the best places to find summer magic.

I will tell you why...

Because the lake spends all summer soaking in the suns radiant beams of light until its waters are filled with the enchantment of summers magic

Which is why on the last day of summer- the water is the most magical

After a few jumps in the lake-- we could feel summer's magic sinking into our skin.

In sank into our veins and filled our hearts and before we knew it...

We were flying.

Magic.

"Daily Affirmation"

I've been watching this video every morning....


since yesterday...
That makes two days in a row!
And I'm feelin' good! Or at least I do when I finish watching it.
I really want to crawl up on my bathroom counter and do my own little affirmations in the morning- but this whole livin' in a basement thing means you don't get to stand up on top of anything. But don't worry. Low ceilings will not get me down. After all...

I like my whole house!
My whole house is.... GREAT!
I can do anything good!!

yeah yeah...yeah!

Professional baking scientists

You might not know this but...
Mikie and are are basically professional bakers.

I know.
Shocking.
But, as you can see..
We are wearing aprons
And we have flour on our faces.
Which means...
Professional.
Bakers.
Obviously.

Actually...
I think we were more like scientists
Because we were experimenting on all the ways to improve oatmeal cookies...

Mikie did most the work

While I sat around eating the experiments....

NOT!

This picture is much more accurate.
Ok, actually...
I'm not sure who made the cookies
because all I remember is eating lots and lots and lots of dough

But I think we eventually put some in the oven....
See
There's like six cookies in there!

But lets be honest....

The cookie dough tasted way better than the actual baked cookies.

But have to warn you.

The cookies had one severe side effect....

Cookie Coma.

But don't worry
It was totally worth it.

Spring!!

Good news everybody!!

Flowers.

On trees.

And they're pink!

I'm almost 97% sure that it's spring.

3% of me has this feeling that winter didn't get the memo.
Because it's pretty much really cold outside.

Come on winter!
Take a hint!
It's OVER.
Take your cold and your clouds and
Get OUT!

The flowers are freezing!

The lesson of Winter

Something I've noticed...
Something that's happening is this thing...
It's called:
Winter.
No matter how much vitamin D I take
(And I take a whole lotta buncha)
It's still not SUNNY!
Why did I leave California again?
I forget.
Look at this little girl.

I left this!

I could have been sitting on the beach building sand castles
Letting the sand sift through my hands
Laying there forever, just doing nothing
With this little girl.
No wait.
By myself.
I forgot, I don't actually know that girl.
shoot.
Well anyhow, I could have been all by myself on the beach....
No wait.
I forgot. I wasn't going to live at the beach.
I was going to live in some non-castle passing out hot dogs.
Ohhhh yeah....

hmmm.
Thank goodness I came back!
Even if there isn't a lot of sun or sifty sand...
there's still beaches...

and I mean

I know people.

And also...

Come on Mindy
It's SEATTLE!
It's supposed to be like this in January.
And February...
And March
Probably a little of April...

I guess winter is supposed to be like that.
That way, I remember how much I love the sun.
If it was always there I would forget that I loved it so much.
I would take it for granted.
Like I do with everything in my life.
So thank you winter.
For opening my eyes to see that the sun does not belong to me..
It's a gift

Lessons about cupcakes, and love

On Wednesday
Jennie turned 23
It was a big day....
I mean, 23 is a big deal
Jennie is a woman now.
She's a grown up.
To celebrate her transformation into this journey of adulthood, we invited over Jennie's best friend...

Poppy
As you can see
She made Jennie cupcakes.

She even let Jennie help!

After spending some time with Poppy, I realized something...
Poppy has a lot of insight and wisdom on life.

Not only did she teach us how to make delicious cupcakes...

Poppy taught us how to love.

While Jennie and I would have been content to have a party with just the three of us, Poppy saw someone who was being left out, and took the initiative to include him in our adventures.

Mister Kawits!!!

She opened right up to him and made him part of the group.

She did everything she could to make him feel comfortable.

She even took care of his medical needs.

I often overlook those in need of friends.
Recently though, the tables have turned,
And I find myself being the one in need.
And I now see how important it is to be a Poppy.

But you know...
The best part of the whole thing was...

Poppy didn't even realize how wonderful and selfless her gift of friendship was.

She simply opened her heart, and loved.

Beach house blues

I'll tell you about a little place where I live.

No. Not Seattle.

I mean, I suppose physically I do reside in Seattle...

Mentally...

I live at my beach house.

I live in a quaint little town on the shores of an imaginary beach in some other world. The weather is always exactly what it should be, and everyone is happy and life is perfect as I have allowed no space in my imaginary life for troubles or worries.

The beach house is spacious and airy, with wood floors, french doors, and a cozy couches. Every morning I sit on my porch swing and sip hot coffee with this really great guy I married until our scruffy dog begs us to walk him along the beach. We spend the afternoon working on our treehouse, where we hope to sleep on hot summer nights. There's a gazebo with twinkle lights that extends out into the water where we dance on clear nights. And every Saturday we walk down the beach to our favorite cafe and.....
Well. You get the point.
Anywho
Today was especially gloomy, so I went away to my beach house.....
And I suddenly got really sad.
Because
I realized something...
It's not real.

Dang dreams
Keep on ruining reality.