Hold on for one more day...

I'm still declaring this blog paused from last week's initial pause.  Why?  Because I can.  And because I need to better spend my time unpacking from California, repacking for Snowy this weekend, doing tons of laundry, wrapping up to-do lists to ensure Saturday goes off as visually appealing as possible, helping Hunter pack up the last of his house, wrapping up my final weeks at work all while maintaining some level of sanity.

Until then, enjoy the song that my life coach aka Amie sent me to remind me to just take a deep breath and embrace the change.

Friday's Letters { vol. 3 }

{ please note: I've been awake since 5am, and am up about 2 hours past my bedtime because I started a new crochet project I simply could. not. put. down. I will reformat this post to match the others tomorrow, but now? Now you get a post from my phone. And an easy peasy post it will be. }

dear mom, dad, kate, joel, jen &
chris.
thank you for a thanksgiving filled with belly laughs, unconditional love, endless memories, simply amazing food yet with an equal mix of challenging and testing moments. i couldn't have dreamed to spend the day with any one but yourselves, and love each and every one of you for exactly who you are. thank you all for being all the wonderful that you are



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

pause.

Pardon my absence / random blog posts this week as I just landed to spend the holiday with my family in CA this morning!  If you do see me around these parts, it will likely be { bragging } posts of wine, wineries, food, wine, family and sun.  Like this. 

Now off to some wineries.  Hi, Phil.

Friday's Letters { v.2 }

Here we are again.  Another Friday, another Friday's Letters.

dear stretchy pants.

you complete me.  thank you for making my mornings and nights more comfortable.  i really can't wait to have a full time relationship with you come 2013.

dear fakesgiving.

are you really this saturday?!    like really really?  as in my most favorite day of the entire year?  as in the 7th annual fakesgiving at jon's house?  and hunter has the day off?  and we are both in town?  dude.  this is going to be good.  sofa king good. 

dear charlie.

you are my favorite.  thank you for sharing your infectious laughter with all of us, all of the time.  oh and for playing giant with me.  even though i wish i caught you laughing in the mirror before you saw us on the back of my camera, you are still cute.  even in a filthy bathroom mirror.

dear camera.

if it wasn't for that photo above, i would have completely forgotten about the photos below.  these shots from our west cost trip in june were the perfect pick-me-up i needed this week.

dear gina.

thank you for still being bubbly, warming and welcoming even on a really, reallyreally crappy day.  i am so thankful to call you a friend.

dear starbucks barista.

you totes mcoates made my thursday morning.  totes.

dear amie.

what would i do if you didn't pee laughing with me over go go gadget photos?!  i never want to know.

dear hunter

remember that time you picked up the entire house, kitchen and dishes when i fell asleep at an embarrassingly early time of 9:30p?  and once i did stir awake you demanded i go straight to bed versus helping you with our dirty dishes?  yeah.  you just keep proving time and time again how bad a of a bf you are, don't you?

link up, peeps!

I really do adore my friends.

We had an impromptu dinner last night filled with vino, delightful food, laughs, guilty pleasure tv shows, and laughs.  Oh I've said that already?  I love these peeps.

The 14th of December.

It's confirmed  peeps.  A month from today, December 14th, is now my official last day of work.
Cue celebration, party, excitement, nerves, changes, anxiety and everything in between.

I find it extremely fitting the confirmation I have a month left came 1 day after:
I got served my severance papers.
I noticed my first real shift from my work, to the new guys taking over my position to taking the PR's.
MY NEW SKI/WINTER JACKET CAME IN THE MAIL!  Can you tell I was more than excited to see it had my favorite thumb holes?! { that sounded so weird when I typed it out, but upon further googling, it turns out thumb holes is the appro term }

notice my cube behind me that at one time was full of fun photos and memories is now down to generic framed photos and books.  it's what i'm calling "detaching".

Jaime sent out such a sweet going away happy hour email on my behalf { not to mention this sweet blog post she wrote last week!  tear! }

30 days.  We can do this.

Capturing good, too.

Watch this and don't smile.  Don't feel good about random acts of kindness, and most certainly don't let it encourage you to go out and help a stranger.

I dare you.  Just let me know how that works out.

Pho at home!

...cont from yesterday's pho rant...

A few weeks ago when I was housesitting for Jon, I was in the maximum stage of moving/job ending/friend leaving overwhelmed stage and was desperate for a quiet night in.  What else could I have asked for than Jon's beautiful house, the two pups, classical music and an entire kitchen to myself for a better pho round 2 making opportunity?!

First I cut up all these little friends.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.  That's a lie.  First, I mixed up this friend:

whiskey + ginger beer + a few cherries = happy beth

THEN I cut up my veggie friends and let them go swimming in about 6 cups of veggie broth.  { Sadly this time I just used bullion cubes, though my next attempt, I'm making my own veggie broth similar to how Hunter and I did our first shot at homemade pho! }

While the broth + veggies were simmering, I baked up my tofu using this very simple recipe using the marinate of soy sauce plus some red chili paste.  { I must shamelessly admit, for a Carnivore Beth who before would eat truly anything that was put in front of her, I'm learning very quickly how particular Vegan Beth is on how her tofu is prepared.  After two failed tofu dinning experiences out this weekend, I'm nearly giving up on ordering it from a restaurant.  That is why I was beyond thrilled when my baked tofu below turned out, and turned out amazingly!!!  I have a block of tofu at home that I want to try this same method with, just sans the marinade to make it more versatile. }

Prepared the noodles.

the noodles are in there, i swear.  note to self: never use white bowls for photographing white noodles

And introduced everyone for a big old fashioned pho party!!

Mmm...just looking at the above picture makes me excited about attempting at cooking it again.  I will say that I learned a few things on what not to do { don't use purple cabbage, rather green so your broth doesn't turn funky colors, and also boil the veggies separate then add them into the broth in the final 5'ish minutes }, but I also learned a few things on what to do { get more creative with veggies in the soup than our first attempt, and always, always buy bean sprouts even if you have somehow talked yourself out of them. }  I have a good feeling my next go at this delicious bowl of love will be the perfect love child of our first and second shot at mastering the pho.  

Phobsessed.

If I would have to summarize Fall of 2012 into one meal, it would without question be The Meal of The Pho.  Anyone...and I really do mean anyone within arms reach of me the past few months knows exactly what I'm referring to.  I talk pho, crave pho, eat pho, make horrible pho puns con.stan.tly.  I was first introduced to pho right around a year ago from a dear friend, Phu.  { Try saying "I had Pho with Phu on Federal" 5 times fast and I'll buy your next bowl of pho. }, and really never looked back.

And by never looked back, I mean am completely, 100%, hopelessly obsessed.

 Full disclosure  if I had a photo for every time I ate pho, I could show you guys at least 1 new photo of pho a week...most times 2.  

be lucky i got a new phone a  month ago.  on my old phone's photo feed there was triple the amount of pho pix!

I introduced Hunter to it, and even though it may be hard to believe { it's not }...he never looked back either.

My favorite coworkers and I have even dubbed our lunch pho dates as TGIP!  Then you enter in the appropriate day of the week.  TGIPhoriday, TGIPuesday, TGIPhursday.  You get the jist.  I would be remiss to mention we plan a pho date at least once a week, and tend to talk about when our next pho date will be as the waiter is clearing our plates...

hi phil!

Remember my attempt at using up everything in my pantry/fridge before moving a few months back?...yeah, I made a poor man's pho out of veggie broth, rice noodles and a few veggies.

I even introduced Mary to it!  Just a side note: eating a pho picnic in the park with your BFF is really, anyway you spin it, the best way to live life.

Hunter and I tried our hand in making it for his birthday festivities, and even though it turned out good....like really good, I'm determined to make it top notch, Pho Duy/Pho 78 good.

Though my plan for this post was simply to share my most recent cooking attempt at pho, it quickly spiraled into more than just a recipe post.  I'll share that tomorrow, but for now just bask in the above beautiful pho'tos while you quickly google the nearest pho restaurant.  I know I am!

This is what you do on days off.

Especially when that day off is a Monday.

Drink home-brew at 3pm and browse Pinterest for longer than anyone should.

Back when I'm doing less relaxing and more 8-5'ing.

Friday's Letters.

I've been reading Adventures of Newlyweds for a few months now, and I think Ashley is totes blogger crush worthy.  One of the main reasons I'm drawn to her blog { besides the bad ass design! } is because her and her husband have been traveling around the US for the past few years with his job as a traveling doctor.  It's been fun seeing her insight to moving, finding apartments, locations, states etc., knowing that adventure is on the horizon for us sooner than later!  Ashley does a weekly Friday's Letters link up that I've been really wanting to join in on for weeks now, and no time like the present, right?  I'm going to carpe the hell out of this diem.  Some of what I have to say could be repetitive from yesterday's thankful post, but I'm not mad.  Here we go!

dear squeaky bean.

thank you for providing the most enchanting setting and delicious dinner for bob and i last night.  sitting on your chef's line is my most favorite on many, many, manymanymany levels, but getting to catch up with hunter's dad, and hear story after story of what hunt was like when he was a kid and all growing up is something i will never tire of.  so thank you.

dear mary.

i don't feel like i properly thanked you for driving to ft. collins and back for me on tuesday.  i know you weren't feeling the best.  i know you had projects to work on.  i know oliver probably should have had a quiet night at home, but you helped me out anyway and i am so grateful to you for that!  thank you 100 times over.

dear snowy range.

thank you for giving me a life to look forward to during these trying days of tediously teaching people how to unzip files, fulfilling last minute irritating requests and wasting away 8 hours behind a computer day after day. i can't wait to get to hang out with you on a daily basis in just a few short weeks!!!

dear mom and dad.

thank you for being your beautifully silly wonderful selves.  we got to chat on the phone this morning, and i had tears in my eyes from hearing the both of you laugh and giggle with me.  i love you two endlessly, and words can't express how excited i am to see you all in a few short weeks!

dear weather.

it sounds like you are going to be changing soon.  thank you and i'm thrilled.  let's get rid of these 70 degree days in november, and bring on the chilly nights, chili dinners, and blankets for days and days!

dear nuggets vs jazz.

you have given hunter and i a date night we've been looking forward to for about a month now.  we get to do our favorite things all in one night.  cook together, drink wine, walk to the pepsi center, watch the nugs play for the first time this season, and win or loose, it's going to be a badass night, i can just tell, so thank you in advance

dear hunter.

thank you for being the baddest ass of them all.  i ruff you.

thxful.

this week, i am thankful for:
dozens and dozens of leaves piled on my car in the mornings.
successful runs.
tv show marathons + roomies.
automatic car start.
naturally curly hair.
sleepy smooches from a particular sleepy nurse.
the giant, cozy, amazeball cowl made by my mary.
unsuccessful runs, and yet being lifted up by your two bwest friwends { i'm looking at you amie and mary! }
giggling, eating, and chatting with one of my most favorite person for an hour in the car while that said favorite person's dog lays it's wet nose on your arm just begging to be let in the front to join in the fun.
vegan pizza.
date nights.
my walk in closet so i can get dressed without having to turn on the light and wake my sleeping nurse.
hot tea, a hot card playing partner and a glimpse at what life could look like in 30 years.
a big fat beaming smile hoping that is what life does look like in 30 years.
silly parents.
less than 2 weeks until thanksgiving!
the ability to visualize, and create.
$2 beer can night.
purple cabbage to make salads extra bright.
my coworkers.  well......most of them. ; >
coffee.
instant messaging.
the promise of a cold, chilly and snowy weekend.

So...it's November.

Whowhatwherewhenwhyhow did that happen?!  You are as confused as I am?  Phew - confusion loves company. I feel like I was kind of a scrooge for the month of October.  And by kind of I mean I ignored any and all blog posts about Pumpkin recipes, apple picking, house decorating and everything in between.  In years past I've done at least ONE awesome fall/October activity to feel like an American.  But this year?  The most Fall/American I got was buying a pumpkin spice latte.  And that was in September.  Say it with me: Ultimate Fail.

Let's go on a little trip together down memory lane to feel more festive.

Mary's 1st Annual Halloween party in 2009

Octoberfest in Breckenridge.  Yum.

Pumpkin patch with my dearest friend Eric who was in town visiting from MN!

I had the best time last year having my girls over with a pot of chili on the stove top, scary movies playing in the background with a fun little arts and crafts project for all!

There were some curve-balls thrown my way this time around that I really didn't see coming, so I don't want to beat myself up too much over my lack of October celebrating.  The good news is even though I failed on the October fall front, we've got Thanksgiving right around the corner, and Christmas following straightaway after.  It's time to start thinking of homemade ornament gifts, my gift wrapping theme and one hell of a list of things to be thankful for this month...because my goodness there is plenty.

November, I commit to you more pots of soup than we know what to do with, snapping pictures of leaves like it's my j-o-b, nights 100% dedicated to holiday card design, finishing crocheting my afghan and starting my 2nd baby blanket, bread bowl making for the gobs of soup we'll be making, Sunday's dedicated solely to football watching and wearing less whites, blues and pinks and more oranges, browns and greens.

Bring it, Nov.  Bring it.

Smitten.

::photo taken in june while in seattle on dear family friend's yaht::

I got 24 FULL hours with this face over the weekend that involved more football watching, couch cuddling, brunch eating, beer drinking and less being on the road, overnight work shifts and general packed to the brim schedules.  I beyond smitten with this man.  Like...beyond.

Me lucky lady.

Today I am going to...

drink coffee.

watch food network.

design. design. design.

take the pups to play frisbee.

design.

run 5 miles.

smooch my boi.

watch a documentary.

giggle at mary's house.

eat/drink carmel apple jello shots.

sleep.

repeat.

Feeling down?

Instant mood lifter thanks to these Emergency Compliments.

No, seriously.  You ARE the best at making cereal.