::Tuesday's Tea With Me::

If you could have been born in any time of history to any race or family what would you choose?

I would want to be a Native American Indian princess. :) I really think I would have enjoyed running around in animal skins and exploring mother earth. Minus the whole exposure to the elements factor, I'm sure I would have greatly enjoyed being outdoors and not being confined to buildings all the time. And not having to clock in and clock out all the time. What is with our whole clock deal? Like do I really have to "take a minute." Or can I have a "moment" please! Like if I'm supposed to be there at 5pm. You know that is only a 60 second window right? Golly.

Anyway, those thoughts just randomly popped in my head as I was pining for autumn leaves and the smell of fresh rain. I know I'm born and bred Californian, but maybe weather makes us feel more alive. Like maybe seasons help people pace themselves and live in rhythm with Earth's heart beat. With God's heart beat. 

Anywhoo, come out on the patio with me and we can sip tea and dream about being Indians.  

Bakersfield!

Had to go to Bako today. And guess what they have... 

A Barnes & Noble!

A small interesting fact about me... I have a slight addiction.  I've known this for a while but I figured it was minor... and so far it hasn't caused any major lifestyle dysfunction. I am totally addicted to journals. I do journal a lot, but I'll admit I usually have more journals than words. A seeming impossibility I know.

So just to show you how into journals I am... 

I photographed my newest purchases. :)

Self-Analysis

I don't know why this picture makes me chuckle so much. The look on my face just cracks me up. Do I really do that with my eye brow? I wonder what that expression means? I don't normally see the expressions on my face I just make them. But Jen's husband Guido was playing with the camera and was able to capture this shot. This was just before I did a little jig on the grass because I was so excited at how pretty everything was.

Wait I think he got me doing my jig too.

Yep. Ahhh ha ha ha! Look at Jen's face. That's hysterical. 

This is the good stuff in life is you ask me.

Mmmm...

The evenings are finally turning cooler and its beginning to actually feel like fall. YES!

Thank you Becky for the inspiration. This cool weather gave me the itch to bake and when I saw your evening spread I knew just the thing.

Avila Barn

 Well we had a nice trip to Avila Barn today. We did it Jeff Gough style. Upon arrival we promptly purchased a pie. Of which we all received a very large slice and ate before the yellow jackets could discover our treasure. 

I'd love to show you the kids lovely faces but we're not supposed to post photos of them, which I totally respect so call my brother if you'd like to protest. ;)

Fortunately Grandma and Grandad were willing to pose for me.

 Next we went down to the maze (created with bales of hay), where the kids delighted themselves by getting lost over and over again. I still can't remember if they actually made it all the way through. We then went back up the hill for ice cream. Hey it was hot, so what do you do when it's hot? You eat ice cream. Again we found ourselves at the picnic tables lapping up sugary treats.

Here's Grandad cutting in front of the poor children to make his way through the maze. 

(Ha ha... I'm just teasing Grandad would NEVER cut.)

After fueling ourselves for another activity we decided to check out the farm animals. Hailey pretty much summed it up by exclaiming, "It smells!" (With a fabulous expression on her face.)

 This little girl is explaining to Hailey and I that the pony on the left is a unicorn.

Hailey was in heaven when she discovered this woman's puppy "Dexter."

Where art thou?

So I have been growing a lot, in case no one has noticed from my posts this year. And growing/maturing, has a way of bringing about subtle changes in you.

Take yesterday for instance. As I was checking out with my groceries the lady in front of me turned around and we recognized each other, chatted, hugged, she called her boys over, I admired them... It was a very normal grocery store interaction UNTIL... the checkout lady says, "Oh I didn't even realize you were in line. Let me just check this man (and his very FULL cart) out and then I'll be with you." 

[Insert the new Jenna here:]

"You mean the man with his cart BEHIND me in line!?" I won't even try to make myself look good I said this with such disgust I didn't even recognize myself when the officers made me watch the footage on the security cameras.

She starts pulling his cart up in front of mine and setting his items on the conveyer belt. 

With a hug scowl on my face I said, "So let me get this straight. You are going to check HIM out?!" She stopped, froze for a moment,  and began putting his items back into his cart. I vaguely heard the man saying it was okay and it was no big deal... 

(Well of course its no big deal you moron, I'm in front of you in line and I have been waiting patiently while she finished checking out the woman in front of me whom I was just talking to.  NOW... it is MYYY turn.)

My eyes were locked on the cashier...

"Interesting!" I said very loudly as she began scanning my items. It felt really good to demand I receive proper service. 

Can somebody please tell me what happened to the nice Jenna that would normally have just said, "Oh it's not a big deal. I'm not in a hurry. Go ahead. Shoot... why don't you let the whole line go ahead of me. (While I stand there with frozen goods melting.) 

[DEAR GOD PLEASE LET NO ONE RECOGNIZE THIS STORY AND OUT ME.]

::Tuesday's Tea With Me::

Sooo... I've been in a fog lately. I pulled out my iPhone and used the compass unfortunately that didn't seem to give my life direction either. So I have been mentally sitting and waiting. Then this morning as I sat feeling miserable I thought, "Well maybe I am thinking of this whole fog thing all wrong. Maybe I shouldn't see it has a heavy dark cloud in which I am stuck without control, but MAYBE I could get to a place where I see it as more of a playpen." You know like those pack-N-plays that they put babies in? 

How many times have I wished that I could be childlike and worry free. Remember the days when your greatest concerned was how much longer you could stay in the sand box before mom called you in for dinner? Maybe I'm just in the sandbox. Maybe I don't need to worry about how its all going to work out or what direction I'm headed. Did I just SAY that? Who is this typing? I think I'm having an out of body experience. Lol. 

Attempt at not worrying and letting go of the whole notion that I need to see what I'm doing and where I'm going... coming right up.

I mean look at Kia. You think she worries about if I've got enough cat food? She trusts me. Ohhh I see... It is her trust that eliminates anxiety. Apparently they are directly tied. Does anyone know of a switch that you can flip to turn the trust on? Cuz I am sick of worrying about tomorrow.

Garden Games

Breaking news from the front lines. We are getting reports that Team Snail has sustained massive casualties due to an air raid earlier this morning. Witnesses say colossal birds dropped bombs with deadly accuracy rendering Snail tanks and troops ineffective.

::Tuesday's Tea With Me::

You guys thought I forgot about you huh?

 Nope. I brought you with me on a walk through the Canadian forest and to the cutest freshest little grocery. 

Enjoy!

Granville Market

If this doesn't make you hungry I don't know what will. I absolutely loved this market in Vancouver, it was full of life, foreign languages, color, culture, and ohhh the options.

Friendship

Jen and I have been friends for nearly 10 years. I hadn't seen her in EIGHT years and I was so excited to spend time with her and her husband Guido this past week. I just have to say that I am so grateful that I have a friend that I could not see in 8 years and pick-up as if we've been neighbors the whole time. That kind of friendship is priceless. 


Love you guys! 
Xoxoxo

Giving Leoncito a kiss.