the times they are a changin'

it's true! the times they are a changing and I'm long, long, long, long, long over due for a little blog evolving.  so it's official...I'm closing up shop here and moving on over to the wonderful world of tumblr :).  it's been real, this blog gave me a space to ground myself in all the simple pleasures of life, to meet some incredible people, and let's be honest, it even acted as a therapist through a particularly difficult break-up :). 'nuff said.  But in the name of lifetime learning and evolution, it's onward for me.  Come check me out here instead - http://beatuyisallaround.tumblr.com/

Here's to never losing sight of the beauty that is truly all around!

true

i wish that when i was in my twenties i wasn’t always so worried about how i looked, how i measured up compared to other women my age, whether my clothes were good enough, etc. as soon as i got the courage to really go my own way — and it did take a while — the happier i became.

lynn yaeger

what is fun for me lately?

I took a class tonight about having fun. Sounds kind of cheesy but i actually provided some good questions for reflection. I'm too good and putting off what's fun for what needs to get done and so I appreciate being asked to answer the question, What is Fun for you lately? Not a lot of surprises here, these are the things that usually work my way into my long neglected simple pleasure lists - a good reminder of what to work towards intentionally building into my life on a more regular basis...

1) taking cool pictures
 2) adventure car-ing and stopping for whatever piques my interest
3) Drinking chai tea
4) going to Funky coffee shops
5) yoga
6) blogging
7) trying new, cool things
8) learning new, cool things
9) exploring new cities
10) exploring old places and finding something new
11) finding the perfect gift for someone
12) reading up on yoga teacher training programs
13) watching parenthood
14) reading up on Masters in Public Health programs
15) listening to Dave Brubeck
16) coming across an inspiring quote or passage in a book
17) hearing someone's inspirational life story and then feeling like I could do the same thing
18) getting a facial
19) going for a leisurely walk in our neighborhood
20) mentally pinning cool home decoration ideas
21) organizing stuff
22) making lists
23) lifting weights
24) reading about Buddhism

unapologetic honesty, gracefully

It's the first year in a long while that I didn't carve out time for a New Year's resolution blogging/journaling sesh. I just wasn't feeling it this year - it's not that I don't have a million and one thoughts swirling around between my ears, it's just that I've been working them out in my head a bit more and then trying to take direct action on these thoughts instead of writing about them. It wasn't until this weekend that I had the urge to get something out in writing, but even then I don't really have any strong desire to get into the nitty-gritty, I'm more excited about getting my New Year's thoughts out quickly and concisely this year. I do have a couple of concrete NY resolutions... 1) To be a little less high-maintenance when it comes to getting ready in the morning - that translates into less time applying make-up and wrestling with the hair dryer and straightener to manage my frizzy hair and to just embrace it :). 2) Complete a 30 day yoga challenge - yep, 30 consecutive days of yoga - as a way of determining whether I truly want to get certified to teach yoga and of course, for FUN - you all know how much I heart yoga :). But most of all, this year, I want to work on being unapologetically honest, in a graceful way. Interpret that as you'd like, for me it means being less afraid of being more authentically me - not in an obnoxious, in your face way but in a humbly yet confident way that helps me to share myself and my life more genuinely with others.

Our first married Thanksgiving and other random rambling

I'm experiencing a little bit of deja vu right now - Joe and I are at the airport waiting to board a flight home for Thanksgiving - Joe's off grabbing a beer and I'm finally giving my blog some long over due TLC and I can't help but think about how last year at this time, we were sitting at the airport working on, what else? WEDDING stuff :). I am so thankful that we are just enjoying married life these days and not furiously planning our wedding day.

Thanksgiving, is without a doubt, my very favorite holiday and I feel so lucky that Joe, my hubby of 4 months as of TODAY - shares my love of feasting on yummy food and gushing gratitude! We were definitely meant to be folks, I'm telling you the number of times we express silly gratitudes to each other almost makes ME sick to my stomach :). This year we get to spend Thanksgiving with BOTH of our families - at the SAME TIME! It goes without saying that this is a pretty special occasion. That's right Mom and Dad Farber, Mom and Dad Bielecki, Sister Sledge (Jess), Sissy Clare, Sissy Tara and brother Mike - ooooh and my adorable Grandma and Grandpa, of course - all at one table! I have to get all my gushiness out here so I can keep it calm and cool tomorrow and not overwhelm people :). Here's to remembering to take deep breaths tomorrow amidst the cooking and feasting to truly take in what a cool thing it will be to have this group of people all together.

Two side notes...

1) I'm pretty sure I seriously sprained my ankle running the Big Sur half marathon this past weekend - I'm limping around like a true gimp - I guess that's what you get for running 13.1 miles in one go. Thanksgiving is serving as a good reminder for me to be thankful for the health that I do have instead of dwelling on how my ankle is limiting me - I may be trading in my beloved hometown runs and hikes for movies over the next few days and will be doing my best to be grateful for the forced rest :). Grateful for a long list of good movies out in the theaters now - Lincoln, Rise of the Guardians, Skyfall, Argo, Life of Pi - thank you bum ankle for forcing a movie marathon on me :).

2) I'm experiencing a little bit of deja vu right now - Joe and I are at the airport waiting to board a flight home for Thanksgiving - Joe's off grabbing a beer and I'm finally giving my blog some long over due TLC and I can't help but think about how last year at this time, we were sitting at the airport working on, what else? WEDDING stuff :). I am so thankful that we are just enjoying married life these days and not furiously planning our wedding day.

Happy, happy Turkey gobbling y'all!

can someone please invent...

...a machine that allows me to update my blog mentally? so much to share, so little time. While I'm waiting for that to happen, here are a couple of pictures of a wonderful weekend celebrating one of my favorite friend's in Tahoe :).

i sometimes forget how happy yoga makes me...

I finally got back to my morning lululemon yoga class after a 6+ month absence this past Sunday. And I had to share because it just made me so happy -- just so truly and genuinely happy. There is something about the stretching, the deep breathing, the cheesy inspirational one liners, the quiet, the space, the intention setting, and the collectively healthy and positive vibe in a community of people practicing yoga that moves me. I tried really hard to be present through all the crazy wedding awesomeness of the last year but with sooooo much fun and emotional stuff happening, it was hard. Sunday's class helped me to regain a piece of that solitary yet communal space where I can be present and it just made me happy and I just had to share.

Elephant Revival

Cool band, introduced to me by none other than...my MOM and DAD.  You guys are pretty cool sometimes :).

They're playing at the Freight and Salvage in this video, I'm crossing my fingers that they'll be coming back to the bay soon so Joe and I can catch their show!

re-purposing wedding decorations

the bamboo crane curtain that Joe made for our wedding got promoted from the man-cave to the bedroom this weekend.

reason # 921 that I love my HUSBAND

While I was out having a girls day in the city, the husband was building us a coffee table.  I mentioned to Joe for the first time last week that I thought it would be fun to build a coffee table out of salvaged materials and then today while I was out sipping tea with Kat, Lindsey and Laura, I got a text with this picture....

crate AFTER

When I got home Joe told me that he had picked up a couple of crates at OSH and spent the afternoon, de-planking and re-planking the crates to give us the start to our table!  

crate BEFORE

Seriously love that man.

Friday musings

I made my first stop at the social security office on my name change journey this morning and I have to say I'm feeling a little fired up about it.  I was actually pleasantly surprised by the efficiency I experienced and was in and out in about 15 minutes but as I was sitting waiting for my number to be called, I just couldn't help thinking that this whole concept of women taking on the man's last name after marriage is just plain old-fashioned!  I love Joe and his family and actually think his last name is pretty cool, but seriously, what century are we living in?  I'm predicting a rise in merged last name's in the next 5-10 years :).  Check it out - Antonio Villaraigosa, originally Antoni Villar - merged his last name with his wife's last name - Raigosa to come up with Villaraigosa!  Brilliant! Just sayin'.

Hey Ho!

Song of the day...

likin' these lyrics

"And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears And love will not break your heart but dismiss your fears Get over your hill and see what you find there With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair."

                                                 --Mumford and Sons

"Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found"
                                                --Phillip Phillips

Quote of the day

"I hope one day you see this as clearly as I did in Kerchele.  The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don't.  If you keep saying your slippers aren't yours, then you'll die searching, you'll die bitter, always feeling you were promised more.  Not only our actions, but also our omissions, become our destiny."
                                                                                   --Cutting for Stone

we're a bunch of married ladies!

 kat and erik's wedding - 8.25.12

 sarah and joe's wedding - 7.21.12

 laura and julian's wedding - 5.27.12

lindsey and nate's wedding - 7.9.11

If you're looking for advice on anything wedding related - you know who to call :). What an absolutely amazing year full of celebrations of love!

Simple pleasures - married style!

Well hello little blog o' mine!

1) simple pleasure list making

2) Blog layout updating

3) NOT wedding planning!!!

4) Royal family sightings at the Olympics

5) Catching up with co-workers

6) Getting back into a workout routine

7) Talking to people and having to use the word "husband"

8) A sweet story from my Grandma - My Grandpa has an early bed time these days, he's usually tuckered out by 9pm.  So, for our wedding, my Grandma's brother agreed to leave our wedding at 9pm so he could take my Grandpa home for bed and my parents could stay all night.  Apparently at 9pm, my Grandma asked my Grandpa if he was tired and ready to go and he said to her, "I'm not leaving until it's over."  How sweet is that?!

9) Vivid imagery - I'm sucker for descriptive writing!  - "Mustard seeds explode in hot oil.  She hols a lid over the pan to fend off the missiles.  Rat-a-tat! like hail on a tin roof.  She adds the cumin seeds, which sizzle, darken, and crackle.  A dry fragrant smoke chases out the mustard scent.  Only then are the onions added, handfuls f them, and now the sound is that of life being spawned in a primordial fire."

10) Feeling Joe's wedding ring when we hold hands.

11) This quote courtesy of some guy's t-shirt at the gym - It's always seems impossible until it's done."

Laura and Julian are married :0

Spent the weekend in Dillon Beach at the wedding of dear friends Laura and Julian.  I heart weddings and I heart groups of women standing in support of the bride.  Heading back to work in the morning but will be daydreaming about that beautiful ocean side ceremony all week long :).

Simple pleasures

 Our tomatoes are back!!!!

 Joe made this beautiful trellis out of bamboo from our wedding venue and we're growing bougainvillea and I love it!

 Jasmine is blooming right outside our front door!! 

Cookie taste testing!  Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal and Almond half-dips from the Prolific Oven.  Molasses Ginger and Peanut Butter from Mayfield!  YUMMMM!

my girls :)

By far, my favorite thing about this whole marriage business is all the world colliding going on!  Last weekend Jess plotted out the perfect bachelorette party - I couldn't have asked for anything more.  We stayed up late talking and playing awesome trivia games and watching my adorable fiance answer a few of the questions on video - shout out to Lindsey for that brilliant idea.  We got pampered at a sweet little spa, hung out at the beach, went out to a great dinner on State street and then painted the town red on the dance floor!  I may or may not have danced on table tops and nearly got kicked out of a couple places, intentionally :).  I also may or may not have tried to go home at 11:30pm - which is apparently unacceptable according to Whitney - as is frozen yogurt at 11:30 at night and getting excited about going to bed at that time :).  

Well, all I can say for myself is that I'm old and these days, sometimes bed sounds just as exciting as getting down on the dance floor in the wee hours of the morning - but I'm glad that Whit rallied the troops and that we made it to midnight and that I didn't turn into a pumpkin.  More than that, I just couldn't be happier that a few of my F4lies and my Friend Star got to meet and spend time with one another!  I feel so lucky to be going into this next stage of my life with a group of strong, beautiful, fun-loving and supportive women by my side!

My sister, my maid of honor and the bachelorette party planning master!

The live count down.

Spa time!  And my sweet homemade bride-to-be banner!  Thank you Mom and Jess!

Check out that pink feather boa!

 

Shenanigans!  Free dessert, which we appropriately ate with a knife - way to work the female privilege Laura!

 

a new business plan!

 screw our day jobs - I'm pretty sure Lindsey and I have a future in airCRAFTING :).  crafting on the plane makes flights go by so much faster ;).