• 1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup water

Let the above ingredients simmer on low heat until well combined.

I keep it simple and do a bed of mixed leafy greens topped with corn and diced tomato. Add the black bean mixture, top with salsa, and enjoy!

Life. So beautiful. 

I've been living in Kansas now since November 2014, and have not taken the time to update this blog at all. Shame on me! The good news is, life is GOOD! I'm happy, healthy, and well loved.

Quite a lot has happened as I've settled into my Kansas nest. We've travelled, explored, and in April 2015 we brought our sweet Emmy into our lives. Emmy is a Yorkshire Terrier who brings joy to all who meet her. Patrick and I have been building our life together and it has been a blast. Those who follow me on Facebook or Instagram have seen that we spend a lot of time on the lake during the summer. We've also made numerous trips to St. Louis to see Patrick's family, Minnesota to see my family, and several pleasure vacations - California last summer, and Cancun, Mexico this March. Such fun!

I'm wrapping up my second semester at the University of Kansas' School of Business. It's been a challenge, but one that I aim to conquer! My last day (for this semester) will be May 11th, and I've pretty much decided to take the summer off...time will tell for sure.

I'm working for Walgreen's Pharmacy and passed the National Pharmacy Technician Exam on April 12th. This spring has been a rather heavy load, but I was able to find the necessary balance to make it through without suffering a complete nervous breakdown (at times, I felt close).

It hasn't all been "happy happy joy joy," of course. I have a young cousin who is in the midst of a terrible battle with cancer, and my childhood best friend was also recently diagnosed with cancer. We're waiting to hear any news for Emily - fingers crossed that all is positive.

On that note, I'll close this entry.

Chins up, smiles bright.

Sending love to all. 

Gosh, it's been ages! Why do I allow my busy life to get in the way of certain things? Alas, it's happened again.

What's new with my friends? I hope that life has been treating each and every one of you well.

I've moved south! Well, that may be a slight exaggeration...I've moved south a few states to the great state of Kansas! I was accepted to the University of Kansas and lined up a job with UnitedHealth Group. Patrick flew up November 14th and we drove down the following day. I've spent a week and a half getting settled in and start my job next Monday. Woo-hoo! Life is good here with Patrick. We're currently halfway through a 5 hour drive to spend the holiday weekend with his family in Missouri. Should be lots of good eatin!

We've got 2.5 weeks left of the semester, cruising right along! Classes are going well. It'll be nice to have a month off over Christmas.

Sending love and warmth to all, and wishes for a happy holiday season!

Hello, hello!

We're now rounding off Week 5 of 17 for fall, and all is well in my world of academia. It's a challenging semester, but I embrace the challenge and am getting by. I've learned that I work well under pressure (deadlines, due dates), and that sometimes submitting a paper at 11:53 pm works out, and I can even be proud of the early submission--it wasn't due until midnight! All laughs aside, there are definitely moments of intense stress, and remembering to breathe, take time away from homework, and repeat the simple mantra, "I'm paying ridiculous amounts of money for this pain but I do so because it will be worth it," helps get through those moments. Stay strong!

In other news, I was accepted to the University of Kansas for Spring 2015, starting in January! Looks like this girl is going to head south (a few states, anyway). I'm way excited! Lots of details to iron out (job, etc.) but the wheels are turning. Yay!!!

Life is good, keep on smiling!
Peace and love! 💜

It started again. Every fall comes the start of school and I seem to--yet again--be underprepared. This summer I took my courses online only and learned that it takes dedication and the ability to keep one's self on task in order to succeed. This fall I am taking all four of my college classes online, and am feeling (more than) slightly overwhelmed. I know that within two weeks I'll feel much more on top of things but the initial "feeling out" of what the expectations are can be a lot. I'm coping with this mainly through procrastinating on getting started, but also by attempting some serious organization. I have each week laid out with what is due daily for each class, when tests are scheduled, and the like. I hope that this will help me stay on task and avoid forgetting anything important!
Good luck to my fellow sufferers, know that it will be worth it, and that time always flies when you're this busy! Finals week will be here before we know it! Oh joy...
Peace and love! 

Hello, hello! As I was buying books for fall semester (over $450 worth!!!) I realized that I really haven't blogged much this summer. I'm sorry! It has been quite the whirlwind summer for me with much of it being unplanned. 
I started 2014 off by moving in with my friend Mariah, her husband Beau, and their 3 year old son Owen in Glencoe, MN. I then travelled to Washington and Oregon for a week in January before taking off to study in Costa Rica for 10 weeks. I've been planning to move out of state this fall (still don't have anything nailed into place) and decided to travel a bit to figure out where I want to go. Following a little research I decided to check out Wilmington, North Carolina. I believe it was 23 hours of driving each way, traveling through 8 states and covering 2,900 miles round trip. It was an interesting solo road trip that was good for me. 
In June I met five of my girlfriends in Las Vegas. A serendipitous moment at a bus stop turned the meeting of a stranger into my now boyfriend Patrick...life is so full of mystery. He lives in Kansas so I flew down to see him for the 4th of July weekend. I missed my return flight so we ended up spending six days together--it was wonderful! I was home for several weeks and back to Kansas again the last week of July. We spent the weekend chunk of both trips on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri having a great time with great people. It's been fun seeing new parts of the country, and a joy spending time with him. I've also been working full time and completed 2 summer classes, and Patrick was here to see me last weekend! It was short but sweet, with time spent at the MN Renaissance Festival, Walker Art Center & Sculpture Gardens, the Mall of America, and random wanderings and good eats. It was a quality weekend. 
School starts Monday the 25th already and it's going to be a heavy load so I've been trying to get organized. If I vow to stay organized the entire semester do you think it'll happen??? Wish me luck! 

Peace, love, and wishes for a great semester to all of my fellow students!
xoxo


Tips/Tricks/Randomness:

Airlines (according to my most recent travels): 

• Southwest Airlines is extremely flexible with missed flights and/or itinerary changes giving full credit towards future bookings. They allow 2 checked bags AT NO CHARGE, as well as one carry-on bag at no charge and serve a complimentary beverage along with a snack of peanuts or pretzels.
  
• Delta Airlines charges $25 for your first checked bag, with one carry-on allowed at no charge. They serve a complimentary beverage along with a snack of peanuts or pretzels.
  
• Frontier Airlines charges $25 for your first checked bag, and $35 per carry-on! This surprised me. Snacks and beverages are available for charge, there are no complimentary items served.
  
• ALSO: Check flights on Wednesdays!!! Airlines post their new flights Wednesday mornings at 12 am. I searched Southwest flights to Kansas City this Tuesday and they were $300+ each way. I rechecked the same flights this morning (Wednesday) at 1 am and they were available for $94 each way! That's a MAJOR price difference! Upcoming trip??? You got it!

Traveling alone:

• Be prepared and do some research ahead of time. It's easy to become flustered when encountering unfamiliar situations and you'll feel much more confident if you're aware of what to expect.
• If driving, be sure to do fluid/maintenance checks on your vehicle prior to leaving and check your gas gauge frequently! You don't want to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere, especially if you're alone. Staying on top of things will help prevent dangerous situations.
• Be hyper-aware of your surroundings at all times. Especially if you are a girl traveling alone you can be seen as an easy target. It's better to keep the headphones out and other distractions tucked away; if somebody sees that you are distracted they may be more likely to make a move.

Packing smart:

• I stick to a carry-on suitcase when able, even when traveling somewhere for a week or longer.
• Avoid overpacking! Plan one outfit for each day of your trip. Jeans, black slacks, and other nondescript items can be used with several different outfits. I love dresses for summer because it's a one-piece outfit! Easy-peasy and takes very little room.
• When flying, keep your liquids in a separate Ziploc bag and remove it from your suitcase when going through security. You'll need to remove your laptop from your bag, shoes off, and remove any jackets or sweater you are wearing. Efficient travelers make lines move faster which makes happier travelers. Yay!

June 1, 2014 marks a happy first year of this blog, and what a great year it has been. An enormous thank you to all who have shared this year with me, I am blessed and forever grateful to have you in my life! Paths cross for a reason, that I truly believe.

This year more than ever I have lived, learned, loved, and laughed. Travelled, seen, listened, been heard. Grown, taught, experienced, and reveled. It has been a wonderful year, and I hope that in sharing tidbits I have shone the light on someone else. A positive attitude takes one a long way, and as my life continues to unfold before me, I'm learning that simply following my heart will take me where I'm meant to be in any moment.

Peace, and love, and a million blessings!
xo

I cannot imagine a world without laughter. It is such a vital part of our lives, and I make an effort to get at least one healthy belly laugh a day and more are always welcomed. I achieve this mainly through good-natured silliness (I have friends who can attest to the random voice messages I leave, for example), but also through fun conversations (again, there are many random ones), reminiscing about good times with friends and family, and comedy. Whether through movies, TV, YouTube, or books there are so many sources of it. Make it a point to search these out for a smile, a chuckle, or an all out belly laugh. You owe it to yourself! :)

What brings me to writing this post is an incident that had a friend and I laughing uncontrollably. That pure joy, bubbling over, as you're holding your stomach can become nearly agonizing, but in a lovely way. Moments like those are worth as much as any therapist, antidepressant, or other form of medicine available. Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE believer in therapy, and medication, and WHATEVER it takes to keep us mentally healthy. Mental health is such an issue around the world, and the fact that there still exists a stigma for so many is heartbreaking and wrong. I have a therapist who I saw regularly (weekly or bi-weekly) for a year (and still see her as needed). I learned so much from her. For those who feel funny about going to see a therapist, think of them as being your teacher, mentor, friend, or life coach. And if you don't feel like you connect with a certain therapist, find a new one! I knew that my therapist Kathy was the one for me the second I met her. We connected instantly and I felt totally at ease. She has taught me how to deal with specific unfamiliar, how to recognize and cope with my own emotions, has guided me in life decisions, and has been a total support system for me. She has never pushed me into anything, and has been there for support and as my voice of reason whenever I've had questions about something. I am grateful to have her in my life, grateful for her many teachings, and know that I would not be where I am today without her love and guidance.

There's been a situation recently in which a friend has really been going through a rough time. I am not nearby and I (and her family) feel so helpless! For anybody who is going through a rough time, or if you know of anybody going through a rough time, please, please, please seek help! Help is available, I beg you to reach for it. Even in your darkest hour, know that there are loved ones willing to lend a hand, a shoulder, very likely a bed in their home to you! 

Some resources are available at: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 800-273-8255 with people available 24/7 to help you out. Again, please, get help. You are loved!

I leave you with that. Some hope, and peace in your hearts.

Love, always. ♥

Sometimes, after a 16 hour shift you're feeling a little blah
and then you're driving home,
and you have it all to yourself.

You watch that golden orb rising,
erasing the night
You worship the sky, the birds rising from the rushes--
such beauty, such glory
You feel, you rejoice, you are happy
to be here
in this moment.

Peace.

This is the best broccoli recipe I've ever tasted, absolutely divine.

You'll need:
-3 heads broccoli
-minced garlic
-1/2 cup olive oil
-2 lemons
-salt
-pepper
-parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:
-Cut broccoli into (slightly larger than) bite-sized pieces and put into mixing bowl.
-Drizzle with juice of two lemons, and olive oil. Mix.
-Add minced garlic, salt, and pepper--all to taste--and stir.
-Let rest 5-10 minutes.
-Stir once more before laying on baking sheet (I line mine with tin foil for ease of clean up).
-Bake at 425 for 20-30 minutes. Remove from oven when browned and tender.
-Stir in cheese, if desired.

Enjoy!