Be Organized.

Dear Reader, 

I am an organizational freak! 

When I was 8 I would dump my already organized beads onto my hardwood bedroom floor and proceed to re-organize them.  I never really made that many necklaces or bracelets, I just organized the tiny beads. 

As an adult I do the same thing, you should see the drink closet at my work, everything has a place and a plan and when people get in the way of the neatness, evil comes out of my mouth. 

It turns out I am not only like that about drinks... I am like that about my life. I always freak out when whirlwind weeks happen. I have difficulty seeing how I am going to make it to the end of the tornado placed in my path, crushing all my organized plans. 

At least that's what I say but in reality I know how to handle each problem placed in front of me.  I just have to let go of the pride that prevents me from seeing it clearly. 

Cordelia's tip to being organized:

• Don't look at the whole mess, look at the tiny parts of the mess.  
• If you have projects and papers and assignments due, do them one at a time.  
• If you have clothes all over your room but not order to them start with the hanging items and move to the folded items. 
• Each big problem has tiny little ones intertwined with it and if you can see that you can be organized!

Take it one thing at a time and remember to do what is most important first. 

Good luck,  

The sometimes-unorganized-organizational-freak

p.s. never forget to relax.  

Another Day... Just Breathe...

Are you aware of those days, you know the ones where you might as well put your butt back in bed and start over?  Do those days set your mood meter to crabby or just down-right-mean?  Do you feel like at any moment you might chuck your cell phone and the next sweet stranger who speaks to you?  Well, I'm here to tell you that a healthy dose of peace is all you need to keep from blowing up at the next car horn. 


How does one find peace, you ask? Well look at that picture, you know, the one up there(okay maybe there is another way).  


Peace is in you, even if you don't believe me I know it's there.  It just takes a matter of mind over emotion.  In fact, it is extremely easy to obtain if you set that mind to it.  


Recipe for Peace (you can do this anywhere at anytime)


Step one: Breathe (there you go, inhale and exhale)


Step two: Shake a little and breathe again  


Step three: If you aren't in a public place do a backbend, or toe touch or lay flat on you back and close your eyes. Repeat step one and two if you have time. 


Step four: Turn on a little tune that you can clear your mind too (like the one below)


Step five:(this is the mind part) Tell yourself: "self, come on, is this tiny thing worth spending your life in jail? Do you really want to clean up the coffee you are about to throw at your computer? Really self, is this something that is even going to matter in 10 minutes? Okay, how about an hour, or week? Doubt it.  You don't need to waste the precious time you have being mad, it really won't help you be more efficient anyway.  You should think of how you really want to feel, like you are tough and can get through anything. I know you and that means I know that you can get through this day."(Caution: you might not want to start talking out loud in front of others, that might be a little weird...)


Step six: Move on with your day and repeat this as many times as needed. It can't hurt to continually tell yourself that you have better things to do besides be mad that your pencil keeps breaking. It's breathe, it's another day...


p.s. you can always switch up the dialog, just remember what is really important to you and how you really want to feel. If you want to feel peaceful tell yourself to man/woman up and feel peaceful.  If joy is what you have in mind they by all mean kick yourself into a joyful place.  Your mind is a bit stronger than your emotions and in situations like this (terrible, no good, very bad, days) your emotions need to spend a little more time on the back burner. 


Good Luck!

Sunday.

Enjoy each day as it comes.  Do not expect too much or do to little.  The time we have on earth is precious, making the most of it requires balance of work, rest and play. Happy Sunday! 

1.farm fresh eggs. 2.cinnamon iced coffee. 3.reading with my lady. 4.re-decorating my room. 5.getting new chairs for my dining room. 

Mix Tape: Summer 2012

  

Summer is here which means sun bathing, music festivals, wonderful friends, dinner on the deck, photo adventures and relaxation. I am a huge fan of music...you know the soundtrack of my summer. This summer is starting out with some of my current favorites...take a listen while you kick back with a lemonade or iced coffee and enjoy your summer!  

Summer Food Obsessions

This summer I am looking forward to eating fresh blueberries from the farmers market,

getting eggs fresh from the farm, 

& scrumptious macaroons for garden parties with friends. 

One of my goals for the summer is to bake without using added, processed sugars.  I am looking for some healthy options for dessert like the unbelievably delicious frozen banana 'ice cream' recipe seen here

Have you heard of any delicious desserts?  I'd love to know what makes your sweet tooth craving disappear.

-cordelia-

Even when your life is crazy never forget to give yourself some time to do a little of what make you happy.  Here is a little glimpse into what I love doing...

Photo Log

Here is a collection of pictures I've taken recently

 Kayla and coffee

 Jes and Coffee

An army of energy 

 Girl things

Room things 

 Kid snack

Longing 

The center of the mess 

Coffee at my feet and guitar in hands

Life.

Being part college student, part nanny, part worker, part daughter, part girlfriend and part friend does not really leave much time to be part blogger/photographer.  I recently went to El Salvador and spent 10 days with my wonderful family.  I took WAY to many pictures to edit but here are a few to share, the rest will be on my Flickr

Up with the Birds

Someday I want to learn to be as graceful as a bird.  I want to soar over my world with the feeling of freedom.  I want to float through the clouds and feel the sun, warm and comforting. 

Really loving this song... take a little listen!

Virtue #5

Simplicity is straight-foward, not complex or complicated

It is possible for life to be this way, all you have to do is change your thoughts from thinking that all the things you do, need, and have, are stressful.  Don't think of life as stressful, when you say that you create conflict with in you.  Stress is a negative word.  When you think of life as a learning experience you lessen the negativity.  Simplicity does not remove conflict and problems it just helps us view them differently.  Creating simplicity will help us feel more balanced.  

Simplicity can be seen in our clothes, relationships, work places, and even diets.  The less we require our minds to think complexly about tasks the more simple doing things becomes.  Getting dressed in the morning, stressful, especially when you don't know what to wear.  Creating a more simple wardrobe means less time thinking about what to wear.  Telling your boyfriend you can't make it to dinner because you  once again overloaded your plate, stressful, especially if you do it all the time and he's fed up.  Honest, straight-foward communication means less time preparing a speech on why you are not going to be there.  Telling work you can do something you just can't do that extra thing, stressful especially when you are a people pleaser.  Once again a straight-forward 'no' will mean less time balancing every activity plus extra work.  Eating a meal of completely unhealthy items because you were too busy to remember lunch, stressful, especially when you know spending $10 on food you could make for $5.  Making healthy food the night or weekend  before work and packing it makes for a somewhat more simple afternoon (and guilt free!).  

Simplicity can come in every part of your life if you allow it.  Start noticing the beauty of simple thinking, maybe you will find that you are in a place in your life that is exactly where you are meant to be.  Life has its complications but you have to power to view them differently.  

Try and be simple today.

Vegan/Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Cookies

First off, I must say I am not vegan or gluten free.  I am simply someone who enjoys being healthy.  I choose healthy options when they are given but if there is no other choice I will choose to eat food.  I really just love food.  The girls I nanny for are both vegan and when I bake I try to keep it gluten free, hence Vegan/Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Cookies.

 Meet the girls, and Mandy. (the cat)

 Here are the ingredients I used. (I forgot the agave in this picture) 

 My favorite part of these cookies is the sea salt.  I added a bit on top which gives it a sweet salty taste.

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour (I used all purpose gluten free flour)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened coco powder (I used raw cacao powder)
1/2 cup grape seed oil
3/4 cup agave nectar (I used organic raw blue agave)
1 tbsp organic vanilla extract
1 cup chopped dark chocolate (I used vegan carob chips)
1 cup dried cherries (In a hurry I accidentally grabbed cranberries in this batch, not bad)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper
In a large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and coco powder.
In another bowl whisk together grape seed oil, agave, and vanilla.

Fold wet into dry mix and combine thoroughly.  Add cherries and chocolate

Spoon the dough into table spoon size balls onto the cookie sheets.  Press down balls and flatten (this is when I added a sprinkle of salt).  Leave about 2 inches between them for baking room.  Bake for 10-15 min or until tops are dry and cracked.

ENJOY!

PS if you are vegan, for more yummy recipes check out
Waking Up Vegan