There is something magical about eating outside. First I met up with my mother dear for lunch during her break on Wednesday. Unfortunately, parking was absolutely terrible where we had planned on going and ended up at Central Market (kinda like a Texas-only Whole Foods).

I also realized that there are gorgeous parks hidden in the midst of my suburb city. So I went out to picnic by myself. Brought Greek style sweet potatoes slightly inspired by this recipe and walked around with Katie Dalebout's podcast. By the way, thank you again Cora for always being my forever inspiration. (I hope you don't mind my constant "copying" you 😉)

Finally, my dad's cousin was in town so we took him out to true Texas brisket. They have a giant woodshed smoker and everything. But boy was it hot! I realized I could never work there, could never handle that heat. Coming from me who LOVES the heat--I shower with hot water even during the summer--, this is definitely saying something!

I am more basic than I thought. When your Saturday consists of: yoga in the morning, a quick visit to the farmer's market where and buying a growler of kombucha, work at a vegan bakery.

On that note, free pastries are a perk of working the closing shift especially before a long weekend. I started training at my new summer job as a cashier. I continue training this week by shadowing others then officially start on Saturday!

I tend to accumulate reads I've loved over the weeks in one blog post. Then I go back and select a handful to share. But there have been so, so many good links lately that my indecisiveness (and let's be real, partially laziness) can't deal. So instead of eliminating them, I've got a number of things I wanted to share with y'all and will share them all. Also, rather than explain each with my own little blurb, I'm going to let the article speak for itself.

Rest ≠ recovery. The key is to resilience is in the recovery. So in short, make time to recharge.

The Donut Eating Dietician's of body acceptance.

Some common misconceptions of intuitive eating.

Did you know that the daily energy your heart produces from pumping--just by doing what it naturally does--could theoretically power a truck for 20 miles? Here are 16 other random facts about our bodies. 

It may not be the body you desire, but the body you have is more than enough.

A cute yet accurate cartoon on the reality of communicating with others when you're depressed.

Source

Becoming content with being alone.

If you're on the verge of an emotional breakdown, read this.

A take on self-care versus self-indulgence from the Kitchn.

Barbie is telling it like it is. 

Questions:
What have you enjoyed reading on the web recently?
How are you showing yourself self-care this weekend? 
What is one thing you are loving about your body today? 

• After much back and forth, 2 emergency transcripts, various phone calls and unnecessary stress, I sent everything in for that scholarship app. Crossing my fingers that it all gets in on time. 
• Had my fingerprints scanned and some documents notarized for my CPA exam app! 
• Picked up my allergy med prescription refill with no speed bumps. Bless the Costco Pharmacy 🙏
• Went to WF's just to buy my Siggi's on sale (only $1 each!!!) the day the sale was ending.

• Took the train downtown to a bookstore/coffee shop called Serj that I had be meaning to try. Their walls are full of unique/offbeat books, the baristas tell jokes and the you can draw on the tables. For breakfast, was torn between getting a chocolate zucchini muffin or a lemon poppyseed scone. Who am I kidding? I got the latter as I'm a sucker for scones. 

• Whilst there, I finished reading Isabel Allende's book Eva Luna before my monthly book club gathering on Thursday....which ended up getting postponed to this Tuesday instead. Siiigh. At least I finished it, yeah?
• Began and finished the new season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt on Netflix with my sister. That Boobs & California song has been stuck in my head ever since. 
• Posted another recipe on the blog! Yay for more bread! 

• Spent Sunday afternoon cleaning out our apartment refrigerator. Feels so good to get stuff done.
• Also started cleaning up my computer desktop. This includes sorting pictures from pre-college Kaylee. Here's one quote that I saved back from my Tumblr days to echo those thoughts ^^^: 

• After  months and months of living in this apartment, I FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY hung up all my wall decor 

• Made 2 cakes. The first was a blueberry bundt cake to use up the aging blueberries at my parents'. The second was a sad looking chocolate cake because chocolate. It still tasted moist (sorry!) and delicious though. As I say, it all goes to the same place right? 
• Funnily, my dad's birthday was last Friday but neither one was used as his birthday cake. We put on a candle on a Hostess cupcake (his favorite) and sang to him on Thursday evening. Since my mom went out of town over the weekend, my sister and I spent the weekend with him instead. 

Questions:
Does  having a free day make your feel anxious?
Did anything in your week not go as planned? 
What was your most recent shopping score?