Sweet Sunshine

Wow. What an awesome day.
It started with an early morning. I woke up extra early to prepare myself for work, had myself a cup of iced coffee with soy creamer and just sat with my thoughts and Pandora radio.
I went into work with a smile on my face and a little extra jolt from the caffeine and just enjoyed working with awesome co-workers.
I love working Saturdays.
I had a short shift and went to Feel-Rite for some reverse osmosis water and then was home by 2:30.
I was greeted at Sunshine with a hug from Maria and the invitation to go run some errands around town.
Before we left, I begged Maria and Chris to take a photo because we all had matching color palettes on...

Then the three of us left.
I brought a bunch of clothes to Plato's Closet and made 35 dollars!
We went to the new giant Premier wine store and I bought some cheap champagne to enjoy later with my fresh new 21 ID! (Happy Belated Birthday to me)
Then we decided to go out to lunch on Elm Street at Acropolis. Mmmm.
We walked around and enjoyed the sunshine and the positive atmosphere of the glorious day.
And we stopped by a little dessert place called "Dolci".

Now, Let me tell you...
They not only had vegan dessert options, but they also had Organic coffee and Espresso.
Soooo... I got two desserts because I couldn't make up my mind.
Mmmm! They were SO DELICIOUS!
The first was called a Chocolate Treasure.

It had a powdered sugar coating over a crunchy chocolate cookie with some kind of nut inside. Absolutely delicious.
The second was called a Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcake.

It had a vegan cream cheese frosting and real strawberries in a yellow cake base.
It was so sweet and fluffy.
I HAVE to find this recipe.
It was to die for.
I highly suggest a visit to this lovely little shop.
Thanks everyone who contributed to making this day so lovely.
I am truly honored to have awesome friends with positive energy and the willingness to just enjoy the little things in life with me.

Chester

From where I left off:

Every day is a new day and I am ready for the adventure.

In my quest to reinstate myself and become the real, true me to my fullest potential...

I found Chester.

Chester is a dieffenbachia plant, or a dumb cane plant, named for the fact that if you or any animal eats this plant your throat will swell up and you will become "dumb," unable to speak.

And I am absolutely in love with him.

He is gorgeous, with speckled leaves in a vibrant green. 

Not only are his leaves a gorgeous color, but they are large which let off a lot of oxygen and take in toxins from the air...

That larger he gets, the healthier and purer the air in my room will be!

So, why am I posting about the new love of my life?

Because not only is it HEALTHY, but I also decided that there are no rules to this blog... 

I don't just have to post about cooking and baking and healthy and blahblahblah...

Annnnnndddddd I have other talents, too! 

Like Painting!

And Chester was in a tiny, ugly, plastic, shipping pot.

So I painted him a new home... and I wanted to share that with you... whoever you are.

I bought the pot at AC Moore and used acrylics.

I used a white primer for the first coat, since the pot was originally terra cotta colored. 

I measured around the pot at different heights and then taped lines down for the stripes... I messed up a lot, but he needed to be replanted in a timely fashion, so I didn't mind much.

I used the cap of an old pain bottle and dipped it in pink paint for the polka dots on the bottom and then filled them in with three coats to cover the green.

I cut makeup sponges into triangles for the yellow triangles,

and I used little dandelion leaves that were growing in my backyard for the purple leaves on top.

I free-handed his name and sprayed the whole thing with a matte finish, moisture resistant spray.

Then I replanted him...

Tucked him in with soil, 

Watered him thoroughly, 

Sprayed his leaves and gave him plant food.

And Voila!

Chester has a new home.

And I have a new friend!

...I'm so lame...

Thoughts

The more I think I know the less I understand.

I'm baffled by right and wrong and what people think those two things are.

Why can't people just be satisfied with happiness?

Why think so hard about it?

I know what makes me happy. I know what makes me feel good.

And I love those moments that I literally cherish them with every cell of my being.

Sometimes I am confused, and need guidance... but I am still so young. 

I am still learning.

I accept that I am not perfect and that I am growing.

I embrace other people's imperfections, but I can't accept how those imperfections negetively effect me.

Honesty is more than admitting something.

Honesty usually comes with a series of events in story form and truth comes with facts.

Everything happens for a reason. Chance and fate are one in the same.

But you determine your destiny. 

And you have the choice to accept or deny any offer that is given to you.

You can't choose to love. That happens for you.

You can choose who you involve yourself with, but feelings just simply happen.

Love. Simply. Happens.

It's chemical.

It's scientific.

It's fact.

Like the fact that we are living, breathing, feeling, cerebral beings.

We learn.

We create.

Life is beautiful.

"Life flows within and without you."

Thanks Beatles.

Tomorrow is a new day.

I'm ready for the adventure.