March Recap & April Goals.

I almost ignored this post this month; the goal setting process can sometimes bring out the perfectionist AND the rebel in me, which can be a recipe for disaster—something along the lines of "well, if I can't do exactly what I set out to do 100% perfectly, then I'M NOT GOING TO DO ANNNYTHING." And on top of that, the prospect of recounting my "failures" publicly on this blog (to my 4 readers, lol) made me want to forget about it altogether and just go to bed with a pint of ice cream instead. 

But when I sit down to think about my month and work through these posts, what I'm reminded of again and again is that the point is not perfection. Getting where I want to go in terms of my health, creative life, or in my relationships is about a series of small choices each better than the last. It's the grit to keep trying and the grace when I inevitably trip and fall (or just sit down on a park bench for a momentary breather). Even when my goals aren't achieved 100% perfectly—which is the vast majority of the time, let's be honest—I am always learning more about myself and my needs and motivations. 

MARCH GOALS RECAP

BODY | Daily physical therapy stretch routine, a minimum of 5 times a week. 

This continues to be a work-in-progress and not without its setbacks, mostly in the form of other discomforts and pains that pop up along the way. But I will continue to work at it. I did learn that what really helps me is giving myself something to look forward to in regards to my exercises and stretches—especially prior to it becoming a habit where the activity is its own reward. For me, uninterrupted podcast listening time is enough to make me look forward to doing my routine, and it is also a convenient distraction during the more painful moments ;)

MIND | Cut back on social media. 

Aside from engaging with/lurking on social media less frequently, I went forward with my plan to cut who I was following by about 50%, although I did add some new accounts to the mix that are more pertinent to my current interests. For example, started following a small handful of new-to-me hand-letterers and illustrators on Instagram, and found a few YouTubers making well-edited and thought-provoking content. For me, social media "balance" is partially about quantity, since I'm easily overwhelmed and overstimulated by too much content, but it's also about quality and variety. It's been good to cut back because it's helped me to see what direction I want to go in creatively, and not just blindly following the trends of the communities I'm a part of. 

SOUL | Find a tutoring placement.

I finished up my literacy tutor training, received my certificate, and filled out an availability form, but I learned that I now have to wait to hear from the tutoring coordinator before I can jump into a placement. Hopefully my availability corresponds with their needs and we'll be able to work something out, perhaps for summer or fall semesters. 

LIGHT | Where did I find "Light" in March?

To be honest, March felt heavy. It was not a happy month for me personally; I felt a bit lost and rootless in my life and out-of-touch with myself, which are feelings I'm no stranger to. And when this happens, it can feel like trying to climb out of quicksand. My daily gratitude practice remained, but the things I was able to notice and record were obvious or simple, like a rare good night's sleep and remembering to take my vitamins. But looking back on the month now, I can see a few other bright spots: the rainy weather beginning to break, buying some outdoor furniture so that we can take better advantage of our balcony this spring and summer, returning to a way of eating that feels fresh and lighter (and mostly avoiding the coffee drinks that make me feel gross), and being able to have dinner outside. When my anxiety flared up, I was able to handle it a little bit better than in the past, mostly by facing the damn things without giving myself too much time to worry about them. Baby steps.

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APRIL GOALS

BODY | Daily physical therapy exercises/stretches AND start getting up earlier in the morning.

Keep doing those PT exercises! They will get easier and they will eventually help reduce the persistent physical pain I feel. Aside from that I want to gradually wake up earlier. While I am a morning(-ish) person, I have found it difficult to actually get out of bed (I have a feeling this has more to do with my mental health than, say, the amount of sleep I'm getting). I'd like the early morning hours to eventually be a time to write and/or meditate, before the day's to-do's demand attention.

MIND | Work on developing a new portfolio website.
It really bothers me that I don't have one central place online that acts as a portfolio for my diverse work, mostly because I've never been entirely comfortable with identifying as a renaissance woman—in my case a hybrid graphic artist/writer/content creator. I think I saw my jack-of-all trades skill set as a detriment, and it was easier for me to communicate what I do to employers, potential clients, or acquaintances when I only focused on one compartmentalized part of myself. Only recently have I begun to embrace a more holistic approach to my creative pursuits. While I don't know where it will lead me in the future, it feels more true to myself, and I'd like to  re-vamp my sites and portfolio accordingly. 

SOUL | Socialize!
First up will be a visit from my mom and step-dad next week! They will be our second visitors in Portland, and I'm excited to show them the gorgeous nature spots and to just hang out with them for the first time since Mark and I were in Illinois for Christmas. Aside from that, it's *really* time for me to focus on growing my community in Portland. A few ideas: I have an online acquaintance I'd like to meet for coffee, there are two bookclub Meetups I could attend, I should probably find a yoga/pilates/barre class, I want to go to at least one Unitarian Universalist service, etc. I'd like to stay away from situations where socializing is based on drinking, but I think I'll be able to find at least a few things that are more my speed. I'm not expecting fast friends—that's not my style anyways—but more so I just want to get in the habit of talking to new people, and any new friendships will evolve from there. 

Link Love : March

Medicine - A Dance Film from Carlos et Marcus on Vimeo.

♥ Why keeping a travel journal is more valuable than any photo. I totally agree, though I do like a hybrid approach (which the author advocates at the end of the article). I also love sketches/illustrations incorporated into travel journals, and I'd love to do more of that myself.

♥ Lady Gaga on how she took her happiness into her own hands and learned to say no {video}.

♥ Ten natural ingredients for DIY cleaning products. I use some homemade cleaners, but I really want to start incorporating more into my cleaning routine and I liked all the ideas provided here.

♥ A powerful story about the impact strangers can have on us. We have the power to be angels for each other.

♥ For the book nerds and/or designers out there, this is a fascinating collection of female book cover designers. I found it especially interesting to look for stylistic similarities in each designer's work. I'm glad that it seems like cover design is an increasingly important part of the book creation process. Go ahead, judge a book by its cover! 

♥ F*ck changing yourself. Change is really about becoming more of who you already are and shedding the layers of expectations, judgement, and societal norms. See also: this Ask Polly column, which I think can apply to all human interaction, not just the pursuit of romantic relationships.

♥ Five authors and chefs share recipes for vegetarian one-bowl meals—Camille Becerra's looks almost too pretty to eat!

♥ An appeal to your humanity: "Unlike a reality show, this is not a game. There are no take-backs. No way to edit out an undesirable ending to this story. What we’re doing right now is playing Russian roulette with our country’s future. As a new mother, I cannot fathom that the discourse being played out on live TV  is actually reflective of the world my child might grow up in." PREACH IT. I am driven nearly to tears when I think too hard about what certain candidates' popularity says about a significant number of people in this country. I don't think DT will win the election, but I also don't think the hate he's perpetuating and normalizing will go away either, and in many ways that's the worst part of this whole thing.

Wanderlusting.

Note: I wrote and scheduled the following post prior to the terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday (and in Turkey last week, which the media has paid much less attention to). Brussels is a city I've visited and really enjoyed, and my thoughts are with all the people affected by these acts of violence. My heart genuinely hurts each and every time an event like this occurs, which seems all to frequent lately.

I think a lot about what it means to be a traveler and a citizen of the world, particularly in light of terrorist attacks and civil unrest. Almost immediately we begin to hear advisories against traveling to Europe, or avoiding public places if we do. I ran into people in the US after the Paris attacks who said they scrapped their plans to visit Europe. My cousin recently spent two months in Cambodia through her college, and I'm fairly positive that my grandmother spent those entire two months praying non-stop (and shaking her head and saying, "Bless her heart"). I even had to face my own overwhelming fear while my husband was in Israel during the air strikes and ground invasion of the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict.

But despite the warnings and the fear and the people who'd rather I stay holed up in my bedroom, I will never stop wanting to see the world. If anything, events like these underscore why travel is so important, especially when the world seems so divisive, hostile, and violent—even more so if your primary vantage point is from your couch in front of the nightly news. It's so easy to be afraid. In many ways, that's what people in power want. 

And while safety and practicality are always wise, it is more important to travel in spite of any fear you may have (provided you have the privilege, opportunity, and finances to travel, of course, which not everyone does). What you will learn again and again from travel is that the majority of people are good, particularly on an individual level; they have families and jobs and hobbies just like you. You will find strangers who are kind and generous, so eager to share their cities with you even when you don't share the same language or background. To be a student of the world is to break down cultural and racial stereotypes and to build understanding and compassion, both within yourself and between each other. Mark Twain worded this well: "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on those accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."

And with that perspective, I decided I still wanted to share the following post. It's not just about beautiful places. It's about reminding myself that we're all citizens of the same glorious and maddening world.  

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Between our whirl-wind family trip to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland in 2014, and making our move to Portland in 2015, my brain has been entirely incapable of entertaining the idea of travel, as much as I'm a wanderluster at heart. For the last several months, I haven't felt the pull to explore beyond my new and immediate surroundings. Putting down roots before I stretch my wings, if you will ;)

But a few weeks ago in my literacy tutor training class, I met a young married couple who is hoping to join the Peace Corps. We got to talking about travel, culture, and languages—proving once again that fellow travel-lovers are some of the most interesting and enjoyable people to talk to. I couldn't help but reflect on the amazing places I've been so far and all the places I have left to go.

Perhaps it was this particular conversation, or maybe it's the sense of wonder and possibility that the spring season unearths, but daydreams of new places are pricking at the corners of my imagination. Here are a few places at the top of my travel list.

Mexico : I'm very interested in seeing Mexico someday, especially given my husband's heritage (and, let's be honest, the food). However, I'm not at all interested in overly touristy party locales nor spending all my time on resort property, so I still need to do a bit of research into cities that balance culture with beautiful scenery. This particular image is from Tulum, Mexico (photo via The Selby).

Spain : We spent a week in Barcelona a few years ago and absolutely loved it—the food, the architecture, the culture. But Spain is a huge country and there's so much more to see! I'd love to explore Granada, Valencia, and Seville in particular, perhaps via cross-country train. The photo above is from Frigiliana in Andalusia, Spain (photo via Tomo Kohsaka on Flickr).

Iceland : After our time living in Ireland, I am enamored with countries in which a road-trip is the best way to get a lay of the land. Iceland's natural beauty looks just stunning, and it's always been a dream of mine to witness the Northern Lights (photo via Peter Rolf Hammer/The Daily Mail).

India : While my interest in traveling to India has been present since college, it's also the place that I imagine would be most outside my comfort zone. I've heard that while it's a visually stunning country, it can be an almost overstimulating experience between the crowds, traffic, and pollution. It would be one of those places that I'd absolutely want to go with a guide or as a part of a travel group (photo by Amos Chapelle via The Guardian).

Norway : This is another country that appeals to me for its road-trip potential, hiking opportunities, and natural beauty. I've seen a few videos from people who have traveled to Norway, and there's something really charming about a tiny cottage rental on the fjords, and Trolltunga looks like quite the photo opp—if not a entirely dangerous for a clumsy person like me! (photo via Pinterest, source unknown).

Japan : I think Mark wants to visit Japan slightly more than I do, but I could easily be convinced to visit if we were able to see the cherry blossoms (sakura) in bloom! There are several cities recommended for viewing the trees in the springtime. Also count me in for a ridiculous amount of sushi, my favorite food. Mark recently discovered that from Portland it's a shorter distance (and often cheaper) for us to get to Japan than to fly to Europe—so this is trip might actually be a possibility someday! (photo via pon-ko on Flickr).

Glacier National Park : This might be our next trip! It's about a 9.5-10 hour drive from Portland to Glacier National Park in Montana. Glacial formations, waterfalls, forest hikes, scenic drives—we want to see it all. We've just started to think about planning this trip for this summer, so I'm not sure if we'll camp or if we'll stay in a lodge or B&B. I'll be sure to share more details as we decide! (photo via Dustin LeFevre)

Dubrovnik, Croatia : Dubrovnik is often described as a wonderful and affordable alternative to popular coastal cities in Greece and Italy. It's one of the few remaining Medieval walled cities, and it looks beautiful with its labyrinthian marble streets, baroque buildings, and seaside views. It is a popular cruise ship port, so it can get crowded with tourists during the day, but if I were to travel there I'd be happy to settle down and explore for several days. I've read that Dubrovnik's charm comes from the feel of the city and serendipitous discoveries you come across while spending hours wandering—and that's just the way I like to travel. (photo via Great Wallpaper HD, original photographer unknown)

Utah National Parks : Before we got word that we'd be moving to Portland last year, we had been in the early stages of planning a trip to The Mighty 5, Utah's most notable national parks. I'd still love to visit someday. There's something about the natural landscape in the West that's unlike anywhere else. (photo via Wikipedia of Arches National Park)

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So those are some of the top places on my Wanderlust List, although I might have to create a part II, since I realized that I left off my long-time fantasy of spending Christmas in Europe! Until my next trip is on the books I'll just be over here watching Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown and re-reading this and this.

What's the #1 spot on your Wanderlust List?

Moving To Portland : Eight Months Later

I CANNOT believe we've been in Portland eight months. No way, not possible. I find myself counting the months out on my fingers in disbelief every time I think about it. As a point of comparison, we were in Ireland for seven months—roughly from February to September—and somehow that time felt ages longer than the past eight months. At least to me.

So how is Portland treating us? Mostly good.

Mark's job, the catalyst for us moving here, is going well. He feels more challenged and invested than he did in his previous job, and he'll soon be able to watch a building project he was in charge of come to life. And I continue to do a mix of freelance design and writing, pursuing ongoing creative projects, and training as a literacy tutor. And keeping an eye on what's next for me, as always ;)

A big part of our interest in the Pacific Northwest was the nature and outdoor opportunities, both of which were severely lacking in Illinois. We've been taking advantage of the mild winter/early spring weather and hiking whenever we have free weekends. So far, we've stuck pretty close to Portland with lots of treks around Forest Park, but we are looking forward to some Gorge hikes like Eagle Creek Trail and taking trips to Crater Lake and Bend when it gets warmer. The natural beauty of this area is incomparable—the mountains, hills, evergreens, moss, ocean, rivers. Even when we're not in the mood to hike, there are plenty of places to drive—we've gone to the coast for a few hours one afternoon and driven a loop around Mt. Hood. Oregon's nature definitely feeds a part of my spirit in a way I haven't been able to in the past.

Then there's the food. It's probably silly to some, but to a food lover it's really enjoyable to live somewhere with great food everywhere you turn. Maybe you heard that Portland was named the #1 food city in the US? What I love is that the food is great at every spending level—it's not just fancy-pants small plates places with good eats but also the food carts and counter-order places and bakeries. Not to mention all the coffee and breweries. (Side note: I hope to start a new series soon sharing my favorite spots in the Portland area.)

Portland has also been good for Mark and I as a couple. We're a team (duh) but since starting over in a new city we've had to lean on each other even more than before. It feels like we're really focusing on ourselves as a little family unit, and I think that is—and will be—good for us, even while it's challenging at times. Our free time together is more enjoyable as well, since hiking and exploring gives us more shared interests than we had in Chicago.

But it's not all great.

While I haven't really dealt with any homesickness (sorry, fam), there is an unsettledness at the lack of a social circle. I literally didn't know anyone here in Portland when we moved, and getting to know people is a long game, particularly given how I'm slow to warm to new people. I've met some people, but I haven't felt like I've met MY people. It will continue to be a work in progress and a good opportunity for me to grow.

While Portlanders are generally friendly, there is an occasional attitude once people discover that we've recently moved here from the Midwest. Portland is (and has been) experiencing a lot of growth and changes over the past few years. I can't help but feel like I'm part of the problem of the area—and in a way, I am. I currently live in one of those expensive new apartment buildings that are part of what's driving up rent (because it happened to be easiest for arranging a cross-country move). Heck, my husband is part of what is building and expanding Portland, quite literally. Portland's charm came from it's quirky characters and artsy atmosphere, and a lot of that is is being driven out as the city grows. I obnoxiously want to tell people that I wanted to move here long before it was the cool place to be, and certainly not BECAUSE it's the cool place to be. But I don't think that would help win me any friends, lol.

With Portland's growth has come ridiculous housing prices. I wrote about that a bit in my post about selling our Oak Park condo. It's crazy; like, how about this one for $420,000 sold AS IS? Yeesh. At least be CUTE if you're going to cost that much! Even condos go for $400k+. It's depressing, and forecasts estimate that it'll only get worse.

Not that real estate prices matter too much in the short term—we're not looking to buy for at least a few years until we're sure we want to settle down here. But we will most likely be moving out of our current apartment at the end of our lease this summer. Our apartment is nice and in a walkable location to explore downtown and learn our way around the city, but 1) it's expensive, and 2) it lacks the neighborhood feel that I love.

My only other complaint about Portland is the noticeable lack of diversity. This city, this state, is WHITE. We were aware of that fact moving here, but I think diversity is something I took for granted in Oak Park, where my condo neighbors were Latino, African American, Indian, and white, and interacting with a variety of people in terms of age, nationality, and socioeconomic backgrounds was just a regular and welcome part of life. There's something about Portland's progressivism and forward-thinking that rings false given the lack of cultural diversity. I'm at the point in my development as a human where I'm not entirely comfortable when I'm surrounded by people who look just like me, and I think about the people being left out and why. If and when we have kids, it will be even more important of an issue for me, although there are no easy solutions.

So that's my 8-month update. Things are good, and I hope they'll improve even more over time, as the other life pieces fall into place. It's definitely an adventure.

March Favorites

Bon Appetit Magazine : I was gifted a subscription to Bon Appetit this past Christmas, and I'm in love. Of course, I'm drawn to it as a food lover, but as a designer I am obsessed with the layout and style of the magazine. Great typography, black & white aside from vibrant photos, and lots of hand-drawn elements. It's just such a pleasure to flip through.

Houseplants! : We didn't bring any houseplants with us when we moved, so we recently decided to invest in a few bits of greenery for our apartment. We got a large Majesty Palm and a potted jade plant, plus Mark was gifted with an Arrowhead plant by a co-worker. It's making me so happy to have green around me again, and I sort of dream of covering every spare corner and empty surface with even more plant babies. Basically, these are my plant goals.

Running on Om with Julia Hanlon : Running on Om is a twice-weekly podcast with running, yoga, and wellness pioneers discussing the mind/body/spirit connection. I discovered ROO through the inspiring Nicole Antoinette (whom I will talk about below). Julia and Nicole are real-life friends who share a love of running and honest conversation, so Julia has Nicole on her podcast once a month for "real talk reflections." And these ladies really dig in and it's super inspiring. Even though I started listening because of Nicole, I've continued to listen to other ROO episodes because Julia seems really lovely and her personality resonates with me quite a bit—calm, thoughtful, centered, affirming. I'm literally the exact opposite of a runner, but I'm still loving this podcast because it has so many thoughts and lessons on health, goal setting, and intentional living that can be applied to the rest of life.

Tejava Iced Tea : In order to stay away from coffee (*boohoo*), I'm drinking more tea, both hot and iced. Someone told me they really liked this Tejava tea that you can get at Trader Joe's, and while I don't typically buy iced tea and won't make a regular habit out of it, I found it pretty delicious and clean tasting, especially after watering it down just a touch. The label made me laugh because who knew "handpicked, microbrewed" tea was a thing? Mark calls it my hipster tea, lol.

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Honey Mints : My curiosity for these chocolate mints was piqued when I learned that these contained only 3 ingredients—dark chocolate liquor, honey, and oil of peppermint. And I'm all for less junky junk food :) These definitely have a bitter bite from the straight dark chocolate, but eaten all together it tastes fairly close to a York Peppermint Pattie. Yum.

Real Talk Radio with Nicole Antoinette : I've probably discussed Nicole before since I was a longtime fan of her former blog, and I've continued to follow her work as she radically changed her life to a healthier path. Nicole's podcast takes her typical style of "real talk" with a variety of different guests, mostly in the health and entrepreneurial world. To me she seems to go a lot deeper and bring out more honesty than a lot of typical interviews. Varying from the standard podcast schedule, Nicole releases new "seasons" of the podcast with eight episodes each at the start of every other month.

Skillshare : I'm SURE I've mentioned Skillshare before (eta: yup, I reviewed some of the classes here)—it's one of those sites I go through phases with, and right now I'm all about it. If you're unfamiliar with it, Skillshare is an online learning platform offering a wide range of short (1-3 hour) video classes on pretty much any creative topic. I've been taking advantage of the free weekly classes, but I have plans to start exploring hand lettering and illustration a bit with classes like Inky Illustrations, Waterbrush Lettering, or even Chalkboard Lettering. I love how quick and digestible the classes are, but they still really fulfill my desire to learn new things and be creative. (If you'd like to try Skillshare yourself, you can sign up for 3 months for $0.99 through my referral link here.)

Mason Bar Company reusable lids and straws : As we approach cold-drink weather, I wanted to mention Mason Bar Company. They design colorful lids and straws that turn plain ol' Ball jars into on-the-go drinking vessels. You can order just the straws/lids if you already have some jars on hand, or you can get a complete tumbler set. I use my wide-mouth lid literally every single day; it makes it so easy for me to keep up with drinking water while I work. I also own a regular-width lid, but I find it's not as useful to me since the corresponding jars are too small for my needs. I love that they now offer glass straws as well, so I might be placing a new order soon!

Coffee Chat // March 14, 2016

It's cherry blossom season! *Heart eyes* for daaaays.

A few random thoughts for today...

1. I think I have to give up coffee and I am MAD ABOUT IT. For some reason, I get terrible coffee-coughs—something about the caffeine and/or milk (dairy or otherwise) produces a lot of phlegm (TMI! SORRY!) and I get a stuffy nose and cough non-stop. At best it's an annoyance and at worst it sometimes feels like I'm drowning and can't breathe. I've tried to adjust how I prepare it (with almond, coconut, dairy milk) without much of a difference. Sometimes iced coffee is better, but other times not. As a last ditch effort, I might try decaf or switching to black coffee to see if that helps, but if not I think we have to break up. I LOVE the ritual of making coffee, the smell, and the warmth and energy it gives me, but if my body doesn't like it, I have to listen :(

2. Speaking of rocky relationships, I'm feeling a bit unsure about the future of my booktube channel. It's not something I've talked about out loud yet, but the thoughts are there. A lot of it has to do with feeling unbalanced between consuming and creating content. When I try to put out more videos, I read a lot less AND the (very) time-consuming process of video-making takes me away from other creative pursuits like writing and art. To really be a part of the booktube community, a certain amount of engaging with other people's content is necessary as well, and that's an additional time commitment. I've been left wondering how the pieces fit together as my priorities seem to be shifting. In some ways I've used online communities as a substitute for face-to-face interactions—almost every booktuber states that they joined the community because of a lack of fellow book lovers IRL. For me that feels like a cop-out, especially when I know of local book clubs I could join. There's a pull to focus on my physical community, and I think the payoff of that would be greater than whatever the long-game is for my channel. But maybe it doesn't have to be either/or, which is a thinking trap I often fall into.

3. My latest edible obsession is Trader Joe's Field Fresh Chopped Salad with Grilled Chicken and Sweet Basil Dressing. Which is weird, because basil is probably my least favorite fresh herb (blasphemy, I KNOW). Despite this, I think the salad is delicious—sweet and chewy and filling with lots of good stuff like dried currants, corn, red pepper, Israeli couscous, and pecans in it. After three consecutive weekly grocery store trips in which the salad ended up in my cart for lunch that day, it occurred to me that I should probably just figure out how to make it myself (and it'd probably taste better fresh anyways). Luckily some other people have done that for me already here and here, and I'm excited to see how a DIY version compares.

4. Does anyone have a good notes app to recommend? I've found that an essential key to keeping up with writing is to capture all those fleeting thoughts and ideas before they evaporate. I currently use the native iPhone notes app, which is fine, but I wondered if there was a better option out there. I've dabbled in Evernote (mostly through the desktop version not the app) and tbh I've found it sort of... overwhelming? But I probably just don't know how to use it effectively.

5. There's nothing like Daylight Savings to remind me that I'm such a delicate flower. I am DRAGGING today. It doesn't help that it's been raining most of the past 2 days (or 3? 4? You lose count in Portland). Plus, I'm avoiding coffee as I mentioned above. No amount of tea and vitamin D pills are helping me today, but hopefully with an early bedtime tonight I'll get my schedule back on track shortly.

A Weekly Meal Plan {02}

We had a crazy week recently where Mark was working 12+ hour days towards a deadline, so when I did our meal planning I picked out a full week's worth of recipes we've already tried and know we enjoy (and could prepare with minimal time and effort). Since these recipes have withstood the test of time in our house, I thought it would be a good meal plan to share here on the blog as well.

This particular meal plan was a bit chicken-centric, but that's because I had a bag of frozen chicken breasts on hand. We often add chicken to other dishes like pasta and stir-fry, and in those cases we usually split one large breast between the two of us. This saves money and stretches the bag of chicken even further. I think I ended up spending only $68 or so this week on groceries (though I did already have a lot of items like tortilla and pasta on hand, which was an additional factor in picking these particular recipes).

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Monday: One-Pot Creamy Garlic Angel Hair Pasta with Grilled Chicken
This is a super simple recipe that reminds me of those Pasta-Roni boxes that I used to eat in college, minus all the preservatives. This time I used whole milk instead of cream, but I did have to adjust the other liquids accordingly so it wasn't too runny. It's great with either grilled chicken or garlic shrimp. I do wish I would have had some broccoli as a side dish/mix-in to make it a little healthier ;)

Tuesday: Mango Black Bean Quinoa (with jalapeño chicken sausage instead of beans)
I've made this many times per the recipe, but Mark doesn't LOVE black beans so I swapped them out for Trader Joe's Jalapeño Chicken Sausage this time. I also added a little lime juice and honey to the dressing. It made enough for leftovers, though the diced onion got a little bit strong and stinky overnight in the fridge.

Wednesday: Pan-Fried Cod with Bacon Brussel Sprouts Salad
For the salad I used Trader Joe's Cruciferous salad blend (it worked fine) and apple cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar (that just makes more sense flavor-wise in my head). Fresh diced apples would actually make a nice addition to the salad. The cod breading was a new recipe and I felt it was okay but needed more salt and spice.

Thursday: Spicy Kale-Coconut Stir Fry with Grilled Chicken
A staple recipe that I've made about a hundred times. It's really tasty and not too spicy despite the name. It works with almost any kind of meat protein—chicken, pork tenderloin, pork belly, and shrimp are all varieties we've tried, as well as vegetarian per the recipe. I usually make it with freshly-made rice, but it works even better with leftover/previously-cooked rice. I used half a bag of Trader Joe's kale for this, and the other half I used in the pesto later in the week.

Friday: Out to Podnah's Pit BBQ for Mark's belated birthday dinner
Mark had the meat sampler plate and I had the cornmeal fried catfish special. So good!

Saturday: Sweet Potato and Bean Enchiladas (casserole-style)
This is another recipe I've made many times, but we now make it more like a lasagna than enchiladas by cutting the tortillas into strips and layering the filling, salsa, and cheese between tortilla layers. It just saves you the time of having to roll the tortillas and makes the process a touch quicker. Corn and flour tortillas both work. Again, Mark doesn't love black beans, so I often use chickpeas instead, and it tastes fine provided you like chickpeas :)

Sunday: Kale-Pistachio Pesto with Brown Rice Pasta and Grilled Chicken
This is a tasty variation of pesto, particularly for me since I'm not a huge fan of basil. I think toasting the pistachios makes a big difference. For gluten-free pasta, I've been enjoying Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice Fusilli (the one in the blue bag).

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Check out my previous meal plan here, and if you're interested in more of the recipes I've tried and (mostly) liked, I have a Pinterest board where I put all the dishes I've made and what I thought of them. 

February Recap & March Goals

{Snapshots of my February via Instagram}

Last month was a bit of a wash since both Mark and I ended up getting sick, one right after the other. Over the past year, I've managed to stay healthy whenever Mark came down with something, but this time I accidentally kissed him goodbye one day and I'm positive that is what doomed me. And I got irrationally mad at myself for getting sick. I'm not a very good sick person, mostly because I hate feeling out of control in my own body. But eventually I gave in to the need to rest and spent a few days watching episode after episode of Grey's Anatomy, and I'm just now starting to feel better.

I still wanted to take a look at my goals for last month for the sake of reflection, but I'm being careful not to beat myself up for not doing as much as I hoped to.

FEBRUARY GOALS RECAP

BODY | Get back on the workout train -- three times per week in February 
Nope, this did not happen. I believe I did three separate workout videos, plus we got out for a few hikes and long walks. I think the key for me going forward will be setting a specific schedule rather than trying to squeeze a workout in when I have the time.

MIND | Read four books. 

I finished three books in February (though one of those was mostly read in January, so I'm not sure if that should count). As I talked about at the end of January, I moved my phone charger out of the bedroom to avoid starting my mornings on my phone, but a positive side-effect of this has been that I've been picking up a book before bed. I don't often get through many pages before falling asleep, but I'm finding I'm sleeping SO much better than when I spent time on my phone. I'm really enjoying winding down my day this way. Now I just need to head to bed earlier so I have MORE time to read.

SOUL | Practice daily gratitude. 

I was about 75% successful with this goal. There's a spot in my planner each day where I write my gratitudes, so the times I forgot to record my gratitudes were the times when I wasn't using my planner as much (on the weekends/while I was sick, since my planner lives on my desk). But the important thing is that I'm feeling more thankful and positive in general, not that I'm recording something everyday just for the sake of it. 

LIGHT | Where did I find "Light" in February?

I found light in my gratitude practice. In donating a few extra household items to Goodwill. In buying some plants for our home. In reading Shonda Rhime's Year of Yes and being inspired to face my own fears. In signing up for literacy tutor training and finding a room full of helpers—a powerful moment for me given how careless and hateful much of the world seems at the moment. In taking care of some niggling tasks I'd been avoiding. In pushing myself to express outwardly how I feel to someone I care about, despite my usual tendencies to keep it in. 

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MARCH GOALS

BODY | Daily physical therapy stretch routine, a minimum of 5 times a week. 

While I do want to do more regular workouts like I mentioned last month, I'm realizing I have to start with a good foundation. So that means really committing to the core-strengthening and stretching routine that I learned in physical therapy a few years ago to manage sciatica/piriformis syndrome. When I was in PT, I had to focus solely on building strength and flexibility and reducing pain before moving on to workouts that are more demanding on the body, and I should do the same now. I plan to make it an actual routine with a specific time and specific moves. In relation to this goal, I might also want to look for a massage therapist or a local PT.  

MIND | Cut back on social media. 

This is a bad goal in the sense that it's not particularly specific nor measurable. But I do have an internal sense of what balance feels like for me around social media, and I currently do not hold that sense of balance. I've already been doing thinks like cutting down on who I follow by 50%, only using the platforms that don't drain me, and asking myself if I'm really spending my time in a positive way. At the core of this goal/intention is the desire spend more time as a creator than a consumer of content—so as time on social media decreases, I would like to focus on writing, hand-lettering and art/illustration practice (side note: I'm currently debating how reading fits in with my consume/create balance...). 

SOUL | Find a tutoring placement.

As I mentioned above, I am in training right now to become a literacy tutor to work with English language learners. If all goes well as the training wraps up, I want to pursue the next step and find placement. 

Happy March to you! 

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{Blog photo: Image via Death To The Stock Photo, text via Cocorrina's 2015 Calendar}

Link Love : February

A Taste of Vienna from FilmSpektakel on Vimeo.
(I've visited Vienna twice and loved it both times!)

♥ I needed this: a 10-minute chair yoga routine for stress relief. Perfect for mid-work breaks.

♥ The smallest of actions and acts of kindness matter more than we'll ever know. It all matters.

♥ Did you know face oils don't actually add moisture to your skin your skin? This article all about beauty oils has some interesting info if oils are a part of your beauty routine.

♥ These simple sketches a husband created for his wife were surprisingly poignant and touching.

♥ Saw a lot of truth in these career warning signs. I've definitely been there in some previous jobs. (And read the comments for an additional suggestion for how to determine if it's just one job/employer or the career path that's the problem.)

♥ Date nights in are sometimes just as good as date nights out. Here are 15 recipe suggestions for a cozy evening at home with your love. 

♥ TED staffers pick out 45 of their favorite podcasts.

♥ My favorite book from last year was Everything I Never Told You. Here is an insightful interview with the author, Celeste Ng.

♥ Mark and I have both been sick for the past few weeks so I'm glad I bookmarked these 10 Natural Cold Remedies.

♥ It's common for introverts to dread small talk, so I liked this article re-framing it as a social ritual.

♥ Some good ideas for dissipating jealousy triggered by the internet. (We've all been there.) 

♥ "I refuse to be the ashes." A surprisingly good interview with Jennifer Garner about her life post-Ben.