Fabulous & Fantastic February

Reading break is almost at a close, and the final couple of months of my fourth year (!!!) are coming quickly. Knowing the pattern of past semesters, the weeks will both come and zoooom by at lightning speed. That, my friends, is why it is vital, imperative, and of utmost importance to enjoy the day we have as today, to look forward to tomorrow with gladness, and to reflect upon the goodness & joy of days past. Negativity has no place in our schedules. And now, I shall return to the world of human physiology studying and Gogi berry tea drinking - see you soon! 

Much love, Vivi

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! 

Christmas Cookies

This evening we had a cookie baking night, and it was equal parts delicious, energizing, magical, and so much fun. We made peppermint pinwheels, orange pinwheels, and chocolate crinkle cookies. The recipe for the chocolate crinkle cookies is from here, and the pinwheel cookies are from a well-loved recipe book. My goal this Christmas break was to make new cookies recipes, and these were all new additions to the baking repertoire. :) It's a strange yet wonderful feeling to not have studies on my mind, and to be able to bake away with loved ones and let the spirit of Christmas envelop my thoughts - oh, holidays are such a blessing. Have a Merry Christmas, wonderful people! I hope you enjoy batch upon batch of cookies, cups of eggnog, and joyous time with loved ones. 

Much love, Vivi  

Snow Capped

Oh, today was beautiful. The snow fell gently almost the entire day, and the house radiated warmth. For the first day of Christmas break, I got to spend time with family, accomplish goals, and take the first day off studying in a long, long time. What made today wonderful?

Terri Savelle Foy broadcasts. This lady is amazing, so inspiring, and has been a huge encouragement to me these past few weeks. I had her messages on repeat while I organized and painted.

Speaking of painting, painting made today wonderful! I sat down with music playing and my water color paints beside me. I painted for almost two hours, letting the colors and shapes of the flowers come naturally. I almost never plan a painting, but let it come together as I feel inspired to add a new color, a new flower, a new element. 

Christmas wrapping. I placed the labels and ribbons on all of my loved ones' Christmas presents this year, and it feels so wonderful to have them wrapped and ready to be given. 

Dreaming big. Terri Savelle Foy talks a lot about letting yourself dream and believing God for those dreams to come to pass. The more I put my faith and trust in God, the more I am led to dream bigger than I ever have. There are no limits on God's goodness! It's up to me to dream it, ask for it, and believe for it. 

Much love, Vivi 

Yours Truly, Winter

The beach during Winter brings
Waves crashing in full force against the shore line,
Brave tourists bundled up, young families pushing strollers up the pier,
Avid runners taking the cold as an invitation to beat their best time,
And two friends,
Laughing, talking, snapping away happily as their hair runs wild and their hands freeze
Exploring under dark bridges, climbing over rocks, squealing in delight over the perfect light
And Winter looks upon them and
Smiles
You're welcome, He says with kind eyes,
For the wind and the waves and the grey, bright, joyous day



Yours truly, Winter




(And of course, Much love, Vivi :)

Friends & Beaches

In the midst of writing a Cell Biology paper, I remembered that I hadn't posted these photos. So of course, a break was in order and these wonderful photos are at last being shared! This day was full of joy, exploring, walking on a chilly beach during the sunset, and some good good food. :) 

Much love, Vivi

Lentil Salad

 This salad is the ultimate cleansing meal after the Christmas season. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you'll be able to relate to the vast quantity of delicious food that Christmas brings with it: dark chocolate molded Santa Clauses, fruit cake, sugar cookies, apple pie, you name it. Enough about treats- back to salad! The best thing about this salad is its versatility. You can add almost any raw veggie to the mix for an added flavor dimension. 

R E C I P E

1. Combine 1 cup of dry lentils with 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs of rosemary. You can also use one tsp. of ground rosemary instead of the sprigs. Add enough water to cover the lentils by one inch in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 16- 20 minutes until the lentils soften
3. Next, drain the lentils and discard the bay leaf
4. Finely chop 1 cup carrots, 1/3 cup celery, 1/4 cup bell pepper, and 1/2 cup cucumber. Optional: 1/4 cup chopped green onion.
5. Add in one 15 oz. can of chick peas to the salad and mix together
6. Finally, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, or 5 tsp. of lemon juice. 

 E N J O Y!

Much love, Vivi 

february air

It's felt a lot more like December than February these past few days! We had a HUGE snow fall that cancelled classes today and gave me time to happily snap the beauty of a winter's day. I'm a cozy knits kind of girl, so any excuse to pile them on, and snow is a FABULOUS one, makes me happy. ;)