What Makes me Feel Accomplished:

So, you know those things that you hate to do...and put off until the very last possible moment.  But when you DON'T procrastinate and actually do it as soon as the need arises you feel sooo good.  We all have that list of things.  Here are mine:

-filling the gas tank ("running on fumes" is a very familiar phrase.  Jason hates it and is convinced that a huge earthquake will hit and we'll have no gas to get out of town).
-fold AND put away all the laundry.  I have no problems with folding, it's the putting away part I don't like to do, as in putting it away as soon as it's out of the dryer...not after putting it into the hamper and letting it sit for a week making everything unfold since we're constantly digging through it looking for what we need. :)
-doing the dishes right after dinner (I feel VERY accomplished if I pull this off)
-preparing the crockpot before I go to work
-cleaning the house Sat. morning rather than Sun. night right before work :)
-Costco/Target runs--dislike.
-paying bills
-cleaning the shower/bleaching the shower curtain
-Premaking a meal for the freezer the weekend before
-Pulling money out of the ATM (I know I'm REALLY lazy).
-cleaning out the refrigerator
-cleaning the baseboards
-mopping (can you tell I don't like to clean)
-ironing my work clothes for the whole week (I've done it 3x's and I'm always so glad when I do)
-exercising on the weekend.  I will workout during the week no problem but the weekend?  Meh.
-giving Jason a haircut (don't get me started...he pretty much has to beg me to do it.  As SOON as we have more money I will gladly pay to have a barber do it.  When I'm done though I always feel so good that we saved a good $20).
-finishing any project that I've started within a week of starting it.  (Did I mention I procrastinate?)
-doing recall for the month at work (calling to remind pt's they are due)
-washing the truck
-flossing
-blow drying my hair (I do this every day but I still feel accomplished each time :)
-OH, here's a good one...plucking my eyebrows.  I'm still waiting for the day when it's acceptable to have big bushy brows because I absolutely detest doing this.
-Painting my toes before the previous paint job looks like a french manicure
-Going to the post office
-shaving my legs (apparently I also have issues with maintaining myself...along with my house)
-buying new socks and underwear (really, why do we wait so long? :0)

Ok, that's all for now.  I'm glad I got that off my chest.  :)
Adios.

This Weekend was...

GLOOOOOOORIOUS!

First, it was in the mid 80's, fantastically clear...all.weekend.long.

If that doesn't seal the deal for the perfect weekend, Jason's parents came into town yesterday morning and all we did since the time they arrived was eat.  Eat.Eat.Eat.  LOVE.

We decided to visit Sausalito yesterday which is a beautiful, small town with a heck of a lot of rich people living there.  I found my dream house by the way.  All wood, perched on a hill.  <3  We crossed over the Golden Gate bridge which never seems to get old (obviously I don't have to commute over the thing during the week) and played tourist. 

The view of SF form Sausalito...taken with our little point and shoot.  Sort of didn't do it justice.  :)

Lunch was a place called Avatar Cafe that I read about on Yelp. http://www.yelp.com/biz/avatars-restaurant-sausalito.  It's, get this, Indian Mexican fusion.  I had the Punjabi Enchilada with Sweet Potato and it was out of this world.  The flavors were amazing.  It hit you in waves.  I picked up this hint of Mexican, than the curry, then the sweet potato.  I expressed to Jason how sometimes food just seems...boring.  Like sometimes I just crave something different.  Well, Avatar delivered it well and I would definitely go back in a heart beat.  AND let me tell you.  Their dessert is DA BOMB (oh yes, I said it).  So, first, the menu doesn't tell you what it is.  It literally says, "Picture the most decadent sweet thing in your mind and this is it."  Surprise factor is bueno in my book.  It was a cold dessert with a mango puree/syrup swirled on the plate.  On top of that was a slice of "gelato pie" but the waiter said the gelato had condensed milk in it to make it even creamier and lighter.  The "crust" was a layer of chocolate and the pie was topped with pistachios.  Oh heaven.  It was the perfect flavor, sweetness, texture. It had it all and I'm STILL thinking about it.  Ok, obsessing over it.  But really, you would too.  :)

Also, small worlds of small worlds, while sitting outside of a cafe sipping coffee we ran into a family from Grace Church in SLO.  WEIRD.  We yacked it up with them for a while, parted ways and crossed back over to SF. 

After Sausalito we took the parents to our local dumpling place that Jason and I love to visit.  I could eat there once a week.  Mmmm.  So yummy.  It's a total hole in the wall...as in someone converted their downstairs living room into a restaurant but we love it and its always fresh, and cheap. 

Also saw Moneyball last night.  Brad Pitt is OLD.  What happend?  Where did time go?  The movie was okay.  A little slow at times but I laughed a lot and it was interesting to learn about how the whole baseball drafting/trading thing works.

Jason's Fam

And....today ended with us taking the muni into downtown to meet some of Jason's extended family who live in the east bay.  That was super fun.  Isn't it funny though how fatiguing it is to be "on"?  Sometimes being social is tiring.  It was great to meet them though and Little Star Pizza did not disappoint :)  They do a mean deep dish pizza.

And now I'm done.  I'm going to go eat some leftovers and probably fast for the next two days.  Have a good week everyone! :)

Part 3: A Surf Trip

FIRST--If you are having trouble commenting (because I'm SURE there are like tons of you who are dying to comment but aren't able to.  No really, maybe you're having trouble with other blogs too...I know I am.  Anyways, I JUST found this comment from my mama that she left a couple of weeks ago.  Here's what she said...

Suzette said...

Wow my comment went through!!!! I haven't been able to comment on your blog for awhile. So I finally looked up Comments on the help page. It said to log out and then log in again, but not check the "stay logged in" box. Didn't think that would work, but it did. Yay!  

So, hope that's helpful ya'll.

Anyways, back to the story.

 We're doing the how J met A thing here.  If you missed Part 1 and Part 2 catch up you fool!  Just kidding, I love you, you're not a fool  :)


I had a great time hanging out with Jenny and went home that evening to prepare for surfing. I got my stuff together, pulled the car into the garage, threw my board on the rack, and loaded my car. While doing it though I couldn't shake the feeling that this may be more than just a casual hang out time. I tried to think back to Hume. Did I give him extra attention? Did he give ME extra attention? I don't know...the whole week was kind of a blur. I knew though that I had NO intentions in pursuing a relationship with anyone. So, I'd enjoy surfing. If I got a vibe that he was thinking more...I'd make it clear in my "Anna Way" that I was not interested. There. Settled.

***

The alarm went off bright and early. I jumped in my car and followed the directions to Jason's house (I agreed to pick him up since racks are so much easier with 2 boards). He comes out with two piping hot thermos mugs of coffee. As I see him walking I thought, "Ok, this better not be a way of trying to win me over...'cause I sure love me some coffee."  He gets in the car. I take a sip of the coffee and UGH. blak. I LOVE coffee...but I like it with about 1/2 a cup of cream and 1/2 a bag of sugar (ok, maybe not that much). It was nearly black and there was no way I could drink it. I didn't want to be rude though so I put it back into it's cup holder and drove on to our surf destination. Conversation happened...but rather slowly and probably with a TON of work on Jason's part. I was doing "yes, no" answers. Or, mmm hmm's. Nice. I wasn't going to be my normal bubbly self. Don't want to send the wrong message you know?

We arrived at the spot, pulled on our wetsuits and started surfing. After a bit in the water it became apparent to me. Wait a minute! He doesn't know HOW to surf (although he was annoyingly good for being a newbie). What the heck....oh crud. This is definitely not a "I need a buddy to surf with trip". This is a "I know Anna likes to surf so I will use it as an excuse to hang out with her trip." Ug. This is not good, not good at all.

I tried to ignore all these thoughts going through my head. I was in the ocean, I was on a board, it was a beautiful morning. "Shut your brain up and enjoy this Anna," I kept trying to tell myself. It really was a beautiful morning. The sun had just came up and the beach and water were blanketed in the most beautiful golden, red light. Fantastic. Eventually, I some how managed to ignore all the thoughts and feelings whirling in my brain and just SURF. I was thoroughly enjoying the fact that surfing was a rather independent sport and there was no reason to interact with one another when all of a sudden, there's Jason paddling up to me. He stops, looks straight at me...in a way that I'm pretty sure I have never been looked at before until then and says, "I wish I had a camera right now because you look beautiful in this light.".

uh.

what?

Would you like to repeat that? oh, wait. Please don't.

Who says that?

Who is that direct?

Apparently you are?

Now why did you have to go and ruin the morning?

All these thoughts were rolling through my head. I can't even remember my response. Did I just ignore him? Probably. Seems like that's what I would do.

Ok, surfing trip OVER. "I'm getting cold and the waves are getting lame. Let's go in." I declared.

You TOO can Have Hot, Fresh Bread on a Weekday...

Aight y'all.

I'm here to tell you about my bread making skills.  They kinda rock.  No lie.

As in I'd be jealous of me if I were you (wow, that took some mind power to write for some reason.)

But, I have a secret.

It's not hard and you can rock as hard as me if you want.

And I could be jealous of you except I already know how to do it...soooo, you can find another friend who can be jealous of you instead.

And now my point.

So, Jason and I eat fresh baked bread and pizza every week.  And it's not hard, it's incredibly easy.  Like really REALLY easy.  This idea/book was introduced to me by Jason's aunt.  At first I was a little skeptical because I don't really like "quick fix" food...usually.  If there's a shortcut it usually cuts out freshness or something else that takes away from the recipe.  Now, this isn't always bad.  I make quick fix meals all the time but for my bread....eh.  I like it done right.  Jason's aunt is no novice cook though and so I figured, if she likes it...it's got to be good.

It's all from the book called Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.

I'm going to take you through it to help convince you of how marvelous this book/recipe is.  I'm not going to give specific ingredient amounts though since that seems a little sketch on the whole copyright infringement thing!  :)  Though you can find it online I'm sure.

So are you ready?

Got this sucka' from B.B, & Beyond

First you need to start with a large tub with a lid that looks something like this (I got a little eager beaver and already put some ingredients in, oh well).  You need to have an air hole for it to rise.  You can either buy a tub with a lid that allows for it (what I did) or you can drill a hole into the top of a lid.

After you have the tub you need these ingredients: flour, yeast, water, and salt.





BIG GAP BLOGGER BUGGER WON'T LET ME FILL oh well.  :)

You take that lovely tub and and you barf in it...I mean, dump the lukewarm water right on in.  Then you add the salt and the yeast.  No need to wait for it to dissolve.  You're done.

Then you add the flour.

Then you mixee mixee.  I usually start with a wooden spoon, then finish it off with my hands.  I LOVE the kneading process and since this doesn't involve that I have no qualms sticking my hands in and getting them all ooey gooey.  Whatever method you use though it needs to be fully incorporated.  No stray flour and no stray water.

The dough after you've mixed it but before the rise

When done it will look like that lumpy doughy picture there.

And then you put the lid on (WITH the air hole) and walk away.  "Good bye dough.  I will be back in 4 hours, mas o menos."

Dough after the rise

About 4 hours later, depending on how roasty toasty your house is it should look something like this.  Fully risen and flat on top.

And then it's ready to bake.

Yep, that's it.

From here you can put it into your refrigerator and keep it for up to 2 weeks.  I prefer to use it up in a  week because it slowly starts turning into sourdough.  Also putting it into the 'fridge makes it a bit more manageable to work with...but you can technically use it as soon as it's done with the initial 4 hour or so rise.

When you are ready preheat the oven with a baking stone already in it to 450.  Then cut a grapefruit size amount off (I usually do more) and liberally dust it with flour.  Then put the tub back in the 'fridge. (The dough collapses but it will rise back up for your next use)

Fold it all under making it round and the outer surface area smooth...creating a cloak.

Dust a cutting board with corn meal, or flour.  Set the dough on it and get a sharp knife, cutting deep strikes through the dough at a slight angle.  Let it sit out for 30 minutes ( I almost never leave it out this long since I always run out of time...it still turns out good).

Creating the cuts

*Bing* 30 minutes are up.

Ooooh, look how puffy and yummy it looks.

The dough after the 2nd rise

Take your cutting board and quickly push the dough into your preheated oven onto the baking stone(and yes, your baking stone is supposed to look grotesque)...or if you have mad skills just pick the whole dough thing up and put it in directly...I've tried this unsuccessfully  :)

Now this is the key.

FIRST go back to the step where I said preheat your oven...and also put a rimmed cookie sheet on the bottom shelf, below the baking stone on the top shelf.  There, thanks.

Ok, so, you have a hot rimmed cookie sheet below the baking stone with the dough on it.  Right after you stick the dough on the stone take a cup of hot water from the tap and dump it carefully it into the rimmed cookie sheet, and then shut the oven as fast as possible.  This will create steam which will make the beautiful crispcrust that you see on artisan bread.  And wait 30-40 minutes.

Sit back and chillax.  (Jason hates that "word," if you can call it that, haha.  So I like to say it all the time. :) )

When it's done, it will look like this (well, actually this loaf was from the next day and not the one that I took the pictures of.  Of COURSE this one was not nearly as attractive as the other one but really?  We ate it, we didn't waste time admiring it :)  Anyways, I like to pull it out and here it crackle as it cools and settles.  Oh, crackling bread makes me so happy.  Did you know that you are technically supposed to wait until bread is fully cooled before you eat it?  I don't remember the reason but we ignore that tip and eat it warm...almost always.

And THAT is how we eat fresh bread all the time.  Wasn't that easy???  I'd say go buy the book but I have yet to and have instead checked out and rechecked out the book about 10 times from the library sooooo...go to the library!  :)

**Sorry this was so disorganized.  It's rather amazing how the actual published post looks nothing like the one I just typed once I push "Publish".  Oh well.

Part 2: A Call

**We're doing the how J met A thing here.  If you missed Part I just scroll on down a bit and find it.**

Hume was in the past and one of my fabulous friends from high school, Jenny, was in town. We were hanging at her parent's house updating each other on all the happenings of the last year of college. I heard the phone ring in the background and her sister pick it up. Then she came over to me and said, "It's for you. It's JASON EVANGELISTA" she whisperd. I'm sorry, what? Why? What is he doing calling here? I'm so confused....ok. Weird. I take the phone, "uh, hello?" Sure enough there he was on the other end of the line. He talked about how he was sorry he was interrupting my time with Jenny but that he had called my house and they had said I was at Jenny's and since I didn't have a cell phone that I should just call her house (yes, I was one of THOSE people for a very long time, haha) and how he was afraid he wouldn't get a hold of me in time. blah blah blah. Ok. Point? Oh. There it is. "Do you want to go surfing with me tomorrow morning?" Hm. Ok. Sure! Clueless to any secondary motives I agreed and arranged the time. I hung up, not thinking much of it and when I looked up...two sets of eyes were staring at me. "What?!" I said. Jenny declares, "Uh, I think he liiiiiiiiikes you! Who tracks someone down to hang out?!" I stated something along the lines of, "We're just going surfing. I always surf with guys. It's no big deal."

You see, I love to surf. It's probably one of my favorite sports. It's not really a sport though that I do alone. I HAVE done it. It's just....eh, questionably safe. If you bonk your head mtn biking and pass out, you'll probably wake up on the trail bleeding but alive. If you bonk your head on your board and pass out in the water...you're dead. Buddy surfing is a good idea if you ask me. Because of this I usually surf with my dad. I had one girlfriend in high school that I surfed with all the time which was BLISS. Then we did the college thing and lost touch. After that it was just guy friends...and my dad. So, the thought of surfing with a guy wasn't all that weird. Right? RIGHT? Hmmm.

I kept trying to tell myself this but, the truth was...I was having a little trouble believing it.

Fall is Here and a Bitty Bit of Random.

I am a rock star blogger right now. 

This is two in one week.  Much better than my one every two weeks or so.  Not too shabby don't ya know.

Morsel of wisdom for the day:
Rock climbing DOES in fact make you a better guitar player.  I know, I know, before I typed that you were totally just thinking, "Dude, there's no way rock climbing would make me a better guitar player."  But...it does folks.  I haven't played my guitar in oh...about 3 months.  I've been climbing again for...about 1 1/2 months.  Just picked my lonesome instrument up and I kid you not...I was better just now then when I was regularly playing 3 months ago.  I could nail out those bar codes like no one's biz...and my fingers just moved and moved without getting tired. Apparently hanging all your body weight by your fingertips from the tiniest little crevice does in fact do more than make your mama nervous.  I was thoroughly excited.  Who'da thunk.

I love crafts.

But the crafty, makey thing that I do not like is knitting/crocheting.  I CAN do it...but I use this loosely because what I CAN'T seem to do lately is finish anything.  I think that what is produced from the task is so cool.  Scarves, afghans, beanies, sweaters.  Amazing!  I've made about 20 beanies in my life, plenty of scarves, and 1 1/2 afghans.  (The 1/2 is my mom's that I still haven't finished from like 4 years ago...oops).  But that seems to be the extent of my lifelong knitting/crocheting fruit.  I have tried to make things.  Over and over and over.  I just can't finish anything though.  Poop.  For example, I really want a billed beanie.  I found the cutest pattern HERE  ---->  http://thepepperminttree.typepad.com/thepepperminttree/  (and the blog in general is dang cute)  I knitted 3 rows, made dinner, and now it sits on my couch.  I keep glancing back at it...wishing I had a dog that could eat it or something...anything to make it disappear.  But.  It's.still.there.  *Sigh*  Dumb beanie. 

And can you believe that it's practically mid-Oct?!?  I keep forgetting.  For some reason I feel like it's still August.  Def. not.  Why is my life going by so fast?

I made a fall leaf garland...out of felt.  Awe.  Cute.  Pinterest inspired me.  :) 

It's kinda cheezy and would be way cooler draped over a fireplace mantle but whatever.  It takes up space on our blank wall.

It makes it feel all festive and fall too.  Just like my super cool pumpkins from TJ's...which Jason called pointless because they are meant solely for decoration.  He kinda has a point.  :)  I like them anyways.  And yes.  I put my pumpkins on coasters.  What?  You don't?  Weirdos.

Anyways, I think this completes my Sunday blog post.  Now I shall get ready for tomorrow and play Donkey Kong on Wii.

Good times.

I will leave you with a couple of ever so random pictures.   GG Bridge and Jason's yummy fig pastry.

Driving while on the phone is illegal...but taking pictures is still fair game right?  This was really hard by the way!  It's what I drive by though on the way to the gym...it still makes me smile :)

(Here we Gooooo!) Part 1: Introductions

So, in case you didn't know, I'm not THAT girl. You know, the girl that every guy was gaga over in high school. The one that we were all slightly jealous of...but pretended like we weren't. So, because of this, I've had little "boy drama" in my life. I always did sports, had guy friends, enjoyed the company of guys...but as a whole avoided the mess and flurry of boys and the emotions that go with them...until the summer after my second year of college. Suddenly there were three, THREE guys. One ended up being out of the picture because he was moving, the other 2 sort of fizzled out (none were serious) and when I finally thought I was safe and that it was ALL over...Jason entered the picture, and not quietly might I add. Bold and Real and with no hidden intentions. Oh dear....

***
I was on the Grace Church bus counting heads, calling role, screaming my brains out trying to be heard over the gazzilion overly excited, sugar pumped kids who were about to spend a week at Hume Lake. I was the Summer Youth Intern and I too was excited for the week and what the Lord would be doing in these kids lives. There was a great group of staff that were coming as counselors (as always) and even some newbies. One I recognized. His name was Jason and I knew that he was the older brother of my friend Tyler who I hung out with in high school. On the way up my "girls" expressed to me how cuuuuuute they thought this new staff guy was. One was even doing the math to find out how many years apart they were from each other. Nice. I just laughed and enjoyed the ride to the mountains.

The trip went well, we all checked into our cabins, and settled in for the week. We had opening night and everyone was having a great time. I was enjoying my time with the girls in my cabin, the days went by, Hume was great. The Lord was moving.

Throughout the week I interacted with many different people...including joining in some pick-up games of soccer and ultimate frisbee with Jason and some of the other staff. During a free night I played some fusbol with my girls and Jason joined in. We ended up playing teams and it was Jason and I against my two Bible study girls. Apparently Jason and I were being antagonizing, and one girl prophetically declared..."You should get married! You're perfect for each other." I gave her dagger eyes. Apparently they were "sharp" enough that the crazy girl cried later on. Poor thing. (Oh, to be a young teenager and all emotion-ridden hormones). :-(

The week was coming to an end and Hume was kind enough to give us camp counselors a morning off from our kids. We all as staff were walking down to the coffee shop they had down the road to grab some much needed caffeine. As we were walking I saw Jason and called over to him and gave him an invite to join our group (gotta make the newbie staff feel welcome). We all enjoyed our independent time from the kids and chatted it up over cold blended sugar and caffeine filled drinks. The time ended, we met back up with our kids and finished the week. It was a great week, but it was now time to go home. (I was ready :).)

I felt like I met a lot of new people, new staff, news kids. I saw the Lord move in great ways. I saw kids commit themselves to the Lord and relationships with the Lord be renewed. What I didn't see though was that the Lord was moving in a different way. In a way that involved this new staff guy Jason...in a way that involved me...

I think...

...I might do it too.

What's that?

mmm.  Post J's and my "story".  You know, THE story.  Of how we met, came together, got married, and lived happily ever after.

My friend Jenny did...and I loved it.

My other friend The Pioneer Woman did it and I'm so glad I didn't have to wait to read it as she posted, but was able to read it all consecutively at one time.  Have you read it?  You should read it. (Ok, so we aren't actually friends. :)  )

Anyways, I'm out of things to say on this here blogger-roo and I figured what the hey.  Maybe I'll finish the story by our 3 yr anniversary you know...?

And really.  Our story is kinda ridiculous.  I mean really ridiculous.  Wait.  Let me rephrase that.  I'M really ridiculous.  I think it will be fun for me to relive it all and see God's hand in it...and also...to humiliate myself.  Because this is a story about a girl.  A stubborn, silly, self-righteous, inconsiderate girl who was pursued relentlessly and patiently by a guy who was none of what I just listed.  So there you have it.  Hopefully this won't fizzle out.  If I forget and get distracted, leaving you just hanging there...feel free to reprimand me.  :)