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Freedom: the condition of being free.
Freedom: the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints.
Freedom: something I crave and yet do not seem to have the willpower to obtain.

Frustration: the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals.
Frustration: an emotion I do not often outwardly show.
Frustration: a feeling that has consistently filled my soul for quite some time.

Oh, the joy (and pain) of "new days" and fresh starts.
What will my tomorrow be?
A new day to conquer or a day with which to feel conquered.
A new day to change or a day to procrastinate change.
A new day to right some wrong or a day to add to the wrong.
I know what I think I want, but I need the strength, discipline, and willpower to actually get what I want.
I can "go for it" and think that I am trying, but until I succeed, I haven't done anything.

Here's to succeeding and gaining my freedom from (insert the "unspoken" topic).

Superman

Another cousin creation. I love these kids.

Timeout

This is my cousin...she wanted to hide up there for hide and seek...so my older cousin took it as an opportunity to make us all laugh. Classic.

Rain, rain, rain.

Agree or disagree? Santa Barbarans lose all driving sanity and common sense when the rain starts to fall. Agree.
Agree or disagree? True Santa Barbarans don't use umbrellas. We just run for it. Agree.
Agree or disagree? Rain is wonderful because everyone wants to talk about the weather all the time anyways. Agree.
Agree or disagree? All the cool kids have rainboots. Disagree...and agree. Jordan doesn't have rainboots...but I do.
Agree or disagree? Coffee shops are more endearing when it rains. Agree.
Agree or disagree? Wet shoes and wet feet are some of the worst things. Agree...and yet I have seen 3 people running in the pouring rain so far today, so obviously this isn't a universal agreement.

There are two types of people in this world: those who love the rain and those who hate it.
I love the rain.
Today, as I was driving (with all the Santa Barbarans who can't drive) to an endearing coffee shop while wearing my rain boots, I was smiling the goofiest little grin because the rain is incredible! When it pours, it is beautiful. And then, without warning, it will just stop, a slice of blue sky will appear, the sun says "hello", and those who hate the rain sigh with relief...I, on the other hand, politely ask the sun to go away for a little while longer so we can have our beautiful green mountains back and enjoy a little more of the blustery storm.

The best of 805.

I say this often, but I don't think that I say it often enough. I am so incredibly blessed to live in Goleta/Santa Barbara and call this city home.

I have done nothing to deserve this beautiful place, but this is where God has chosen to place me and I am so lucky. Francis Chan reminded me in his book Crazy Love that I need to remember, on a daily basis, how great God is...and I need to praise Him for his greatness. I know that He is great, holy, perfect, Creator, but days go by when I get caught up in life and forget to meditate on this greatness. He is so good. His love is so good. His grace and mercy are so good. His creation is so good.

Kip

Kip (kip) n.
The untanned hide of a small or young animal, such as a calf.

Kip (kip) chiefly British slang - n.
A rooming house.
A bed or a room in a rooming house.
A bed.
Sleep.

Kip (kip) n.
A 1,000 pound unit of weight.

Kipper (kip'er) n.
A male salmon or sea trout in the spawning season.
A split, salted, and smoked herring.

-pered, -pering, -pers
To cure (fish) by splitting, salting, and smoking.

My nickname defined.
My favorite? The 1,000 pound unit of weight. Yep, that's me.

PERSIMMONS...

I could attempt to eat persimmons by the dozen (I really like them), but I would rather NOT turn my skin orange so I turn to baking. These cookies are pretty fabulous.

Persimmon Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup persimmon puree
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. cinnamon (generous, as always)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs. Add persimmon puree and stir until combined.
Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, slowly, about one third at a time. Mix until flour is just incorporated.
Lay out plastic wrap on a smooth surface. Place dough on the plastic wrap, creating a long cylindrical log. Wrap the dough completely with the plastic wrap and freeze for a few hours until frozen or almost frozen.
Remove dough from the freezer and, using a serrated knife, cut 1/4" thick rounds. Place cookie dough rounds on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10-14 minutes (depending on thickness of cookie dough) until cookies spring back when lightly touched.

When cookies have cooled, frost with the following powdered sugar/persimmon glaze:
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. persimmon puree