{MIY} MAKE-IT-YOURSELF MONDAY! For Adults Only!

This magical concoction is the perfect light, refreshing way to wind down from a hectic Monday, enjoy it as a pre-game drink before a date night, OR it can serve as a great Sunday-Funday beverage to sip on while lounging at home on a rainy day!  My boyfriend and I tested this personally last Sunday on our lounge day and it won an A+  :O)

Here's what you need:

LaCroix Sparkling Water

White wine of your choice

Strawberries

Blueberries

First, pick out some delectable blueberries and strawberries.  

Wash them up and then dice them up really well.  Put them in a bowl and (here's the fun part) mush them up uber mushy.  (confession:  I actually needed my boyfriends aid on this part as I'm apparently not skilled at mushing fruit)

Put a couple spoonfuls of your fruit mix into the glass.

Next pour in equal parts of LaCroix and your white wine, garnish your glass and enjoy!  

I hope you are refreshed with this sparkling glass of joy, CHEERS!!  :O)

Sending you uber loads of Love, Light, and Laughter!

~Cassie

DON'T MISS IT!

Don't miss your opportunities to say "I love you" to those who matter most

:O)

PUMPKIN HUNTING & SEEDS ROASTING

My two favorite loves + good food + some creative time = recipe of a perfect time together.  Several weeks ago we went to Ruibal’s at the Downtown Dallas Farmers Market and picked up a few pumpkins to hack away on.  Oh boy was that fun!  We picked out a large, medium, and small pumpkin; different ones to represent each of us.  When checking out, we grabbed a pumpkin carving kit to aid us in our adventure.  The key to carving a phenomenal pumpkin is the pumpkin carving kit.  Truly, it worked like a dream! 

It was so nice to be outside soaking up the nice weather and fall colors.  After picking out the perfect pumpkins we had a nice dinner on a patio while the sun slipped away to slumber.  Once our tummies were singing from being nourished, we headed to my condo to start de-gutting our pumpkins.  Sounds morbid, but it was so much fun!  After clearing out the insides, I separated the seeds and roasted them in the oven, like this:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

What you need: 

Fresh pumpkin seeds

Olive oil or coconut oil (I used a little of each)

Sea Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Thyme

Rosemary
Garlic and Herb mix (salt free) from Sprouts

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the pumpkin seeds on a foiled cookie sheet.  Coat them with olive oil and/or coconut oil, mixing them together to distribute the oil evenly.  Then sprinkle on the above herbs/spices to your taste.  Some of you might like more of certain spices and less of others.  Gauge it by what you know you like best.  OR, you can just do small pinches of each one.  Mix them all up together to distribute the seasonings evenly then place them in the oven for about 40 minutes.  If you want them toastier just keep them in a little longer and keep an eye on them. 

They are uber yummy, so enjoy!

Our pumpkins turned out uber fantastical too!! :O)

Sending you lots of Light & Laughter!

~Cassie

HAPPY TO BE

Everyone is well aware that Valentines Day is around the corner with the sweet aroma of Love growing or blossoming between two special people.  Some are consumed with what they might, or might not, get and/or whom they might spend it with.  Some gals obsessing for the right outfit and most original, thoughtful gift to give their special person.  Then there are some gals that are prowling for a date, period.  There are guys overcoming the tickles in their tummy to ask out the potential gal of their dreams to spend the National Day of Love with, trying to figure out how to do it big to sweep her off her feet.  Then there are some guys mobile polling to figure out how much needs to be spent in order to get lucky.  Lastly, there are also those of us that are on our journey single and soaking up every good bit of it that we can :O)  Either way, the special day has become overly commercialized and that kinda sucks the magic out of it. 

I believe each day (not just on Valentines Day) should be about growing your love for every person, animal, or situation you encounter and for life in general.  It all starts with growing Love in yourself.  Life changes when you can grasp that.  When you discover how to love yourself, right where you are at, then you can live in freedom to Love others without holding back.  An uninhibited Love that swells the joy in your own heart when you pour it over others and spread a big smile on their face.

 

(Painting by my fave: Katie Daisy)

Remember...being single and happy is far better than being in a relationship that is wrong for you. You can choose to feel love by tapping into your own self worth and doing what you love daily. To cultivate an expression of passionate love...you must first practice loving yourself, fully. This is something I remind myself on a regular basis and my growth of gratitude expands more and more for being in the place I am in today  :0)

 

Cheers to many beautiful days to spread Love to whomever you encounter and wherever you journey to! 

~Cas

A FEW OF MY FAVORITES

Life is multi-faceted and absolutely amazing...there is so much of it that I enjoy...here are just a few...well maybe more than that heehee

I enjoy making art and admiring good artwork from fanomenal artists such as Katie Daisy and Sylvia Ji.  Riding on horses, raising health awareness (go vegan), action packed movies, reminiscing with friends & family, green lights, emailing myself reminders so I don't forget things (or waste paper by writing "lists" that might be lost), flowers, creating ripples in my small sphere of influence, good thriller reads, coconuts, yoga, journaling, good tunes, squirrels, and looong walks along the ocean.  Really,  I do love to frolic on the beach.  I have the privilege of introducing Nickelbug to the beach in about a week for the first time.  If she's anything like me she will fall madly in love with the sand between her toes, the smell of salty air in her nose and sticking her big toe in the water. 

I get uberly tickled when Nickelbug picks up a piece of her chicken nugget with her fork and holds it up to show me the heart shape she sees that formed from the angle I had cut it.  Completely unintentional, as I was in a hurry to feed a hungry 4 year old tummy.  

I enjoy being outdoors, letting the sun rays dance on my skin.  Watching and listening to the birdsongs.  I especially love to feed them and watch them flock, bobble their heads and peck.  They get so close they even eat out of my hand!  They encourage me to enjoy my personal fairy tale of being Snow White and one with nature...only minus the bugs...and the white part....more like Snow Tan.  

 

I enjoy surrounding myself with people who, just by them being themselves and the way they live on a daily basis, challenge and encourage me to pay love forward and serve those around me and help nurture the environment we live in. 

It's okay to smile at people more and you're allowed to not take yourself so seriously all the time.  :O)

Truly, love on others and you will in turn learn how to love and enjoy yourself, the right way. 

Here's a great tune to lighten your heart for the remainder of your day, enjoy!

Savory Moments

It's amazing how many faces inspiration can have.  Some serene, cooky, stunning, scary, perplexing, corky, some that leave you speechless...name it, it's out there.  Any and all of them are interesting in some form or fashion.  Swimming through all of them, there isn’t anything, or any one, that inspires me more than those that absolutely love to fall over an over again in love with life and all the menial aspects of it as well as the grandeur of events.  People that build-up, encourage and challenge their peers-whether friends, acquaintances, passersby’s, or just blog readers-inspiring them to live in the moment and soak up all of the savories in any situation.  By embracing the good, the bad, and all the fun in between I’m able to see the world around me with a fresh perspective that makes my heart lighter and happier!  

God created us to love and enjoy life and to pour that joy over one another just as He does with us.  Life is beautiful!  There’s so much freedom when taking hold of that truth and walking it out!

When I’m older and reflecting back on my life, I want to be proud of the thumb print I’m leaving in this world and in the lives of those around me.  Right now, one step at a time, I choose to be a sponge and soak in all the savory moments I can and to share them with others  :O)  

Soaking in amazing artwork (by: Katie Daisy). Words, questions, and encouragement!

 

Beautiful flowers 

 

My Mini-Me's feet

Nickelbug's goofy faces & laughter

 

 Blue Tongues

 Cranberry Fun

Hide & Seek 

 

Yummie, good foods

Fun times with my bestie

 And of course.........LOTS of Color!!!

Time may not be able to be retrieved, but when I look at glimpses like these I can happily, and proudly say, they are moments that were not wasted....Time very well spent :O)

 We're lovin' life and doing it together!!