lovely reminder at the farmer's market

• In order to get my mind off of the test rather than overstudy the day before, I scheduled dinner with my family on Friday night. We went to this pizza place and it did just the trick! As usual, it left me feeling super grateful for my family. 
• Next morning I woke up at 6:00 and was out the door at 6:30. Managed to get to the testing center in half an hour then ate a quick yet nutritious quiche + veggie breakfast in the car before heading in for my test. 
• Right after I got out, I went grocery shopping at two different places. I typically go to 2-3 stores for my weekly groceries because I prefer buying specific products at specific stores. Is anyone else that way??I know that's not the most efficient way to shop but it works and is fun for me. 
• Since I was already in the area, I stopped by this local bakery I had been meaning to try and bought myself a lemon-ginger scone. Seriously, scones are my go-to. If there is a scone, you better believe I'll be trying it. Hit the post-test spot especially with the rainy weather that has been plaguing us recently.

• My mom treated us to a manicure for a post-test celebration. After much contemplation (what's new) I got a burgundy/wine-ish color, which I am really happy with right now. Also loving the fact that they squared off my nails!! 
• Luckily though, the sun did come out on Sunday; the weather turned out gorgeous! In the morning, I went to the farmer's market for some produce shopping. Then stopped at Target for much needed cleaning supplies.
• Squeezed in a load of laundry. And put it away on the same day! ✔️
• Later in the day, a couple of friends and I drove to go to a used bookstore about 45 minutes from my school another city over. They also had used board games and music.Room after room of books. It was endless. I didn't end up buying anything but it is always fun for me to peruse. We also went for some Thai food for dinner afterwards! 

It's a strange feeling, feeling content with where your life is at. I am still learning to trust my happiness. Let it be without second-guessing or self-sabotaging. Though I don't have many pictures from the past week to share, which I personally don't think is a bad thing, a sign of being more present perhaps, linking up for another week in review!

• My week started off rough. On Monday morning, my apartment's fire alarm was going on and off every couple of hours due to a faulty switch (there was no real danger!!) from the weather. It started at 2:30 in the morning and sometimes last for a whole 30 minutes. I would finally get to sleep only to be awoken yet again by the darn fire alarm. Maybe because of this my sleeping patterns throughout the remainder week were messed up too. For example, sleeping at 2:00am and waking up at 5:00am on Thursday. I just couldn't stay asleep, tossing and turning all night. 
• Despite this, I made it through the week feeling surprisingly energized! 
• Took a nap on Saturday. Albeit only a 20-minute one, naps are an unusual occurrence for me so it's an accomplishment
• Inspired by Naomi, I've been placing my phone on airplane mode overnight. Also, one of my monthly goals is to go x2 a week sans phone (or at least for a few hours), leaving it at home while I am on campus, which I have found to be really refreshing! The only reason I miss it is for listening to podcasts and music while walking. 
• Made the tough decision and phone call to postpone getting a dog. As much as I loved having her for the weekend, I don't think I could've given her what she needed right now. 

• Went on all the dates ever: with my aunt for Chinese food (Gong hei fat choy!!!) and the bachelor (per the usual), with my former roomie and good friend (late Galentine's dinner), with my mother dear for supposedly productive afternoon of work and studying (which ended up being just us talking the entire time) ... to name a few 🤫😉

• Also had this literal hot date--pistachio, chocolate date bites. Literally hot cuz I tried to toss them in some cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne 
• Posted something special for Valentine's Day as well as a late must-reads post yesterday
• Finally got around to watching one of the Oscar-nominated movies. This one was The Post! Hoping to squeeze in one or two more before the ceremonies next next week. 
• Did a test drive downtown for my test next week to plan the time i should leave

Questions:
How do you deal with not being able to sleep?
What was the last date you went on whether it be platonic, romantic or even alone?

"And with self-esteem will come stronger self-assurance, the termination of insufferable indecisiveness, the wherewithal to just do. "

- How indecision & self-esteem connect

- Especially with the CPA exam around the corner (less than a week away!!!) and as a perfectionistic ruminator who inflicts stress on herself in general, really needed to read these stress reduction tips 

Self-care isn't all about spending $$$ on yourself

I love infographics and charts so this one on the statistics of happiness naturally caught my eye

100% agree with this frustration of some people at museums

❤️❤️❤️ the message of Amy Schumer's new movie, I Feel Pretty 

A few Valentine's Day specials, like this New Yorker piece on dating (long but worth it!)

And this photo essay of real love portraits, which was a great reminder that we should celebrate more than just romantic love, showcasing besties and a parent-child relationship

Questions:
What do you wish you did before you turned 30? Or if you're under 30, what do you wanna do before then?
What are your pet peeves?
What movie(s) are you looking forward to? 

Happy Hump Day / V-day!!!

Popping in this morning to bring you a semi-recipe post as it's been a long time since I shared one and also to remind you of something v, v important!

Though during 'normal' days I tend to take the time to make myself a nourishing breakfast, every year on Valentine's Day I try to be even more intentional about doing so. For me, this typically means pancakes! It may also be because a) yesterday was pancake day and you may know I really really really really love my food holidays b) I have this appropo silicone heart-shaped pancake mold, a reminder from my childhood that my mom gave to me when I started college. Weekend mornings growing up, waking up to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes in the shape of flowers and hearts. For some reason the shapes make such a difference despite being the exact same batter. I think it's the care and thoughtfulness put into merely using it that creates intention. 

and more for the freezer!!

Whether you are single AF (🙋🏻‍♀️ ) or have an S.O. or it's complicated, remember to be your own Valentine first. And not just today on this contrived holiday but all days of the year. 



I also just saw this on my Instagram feed and just had to share because it was pretty magical:

For the pancakes themselves, I adapted this recipe from Cookie and Kate -- using APF + Kodiak cake mix for extra protein, honey and soy milk -- filled it with frozen blueberries and fresh strawberries, then topped all off with leftover cashew cream I had from this Well & Full apple cake. They are so ridiculously light and fluffy!!!

If you want more pancakes, check out these older posts on the blog:
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Questions:
What are you doing for yourself today?
The deciding battle: Pancakes or waffles? 

• Early on in the week, Monday to be exact, first I volunteered at the animal shelter then went out for a Peruvian dinner with my parents and aunt. Got this chicken tamale with pickled onions and also had some fried plantains and toasted corn. 
• Made it through another cold front here in Dallas. Yes those are icicles hanging off the bare tree branch. To make matters worse, Google Photos reminded me that this time last year I was enjoying the sun at the arboretum. I was even wearing shorts!!! 😢

• Got free oatmeal at school for breakfast! Taking advantage of free food while I still can. 
• Managed to stay on top of all my studying. Just gotta keep chugging along...  
• Because of a free week pass at a local yoga studio, attended 3 classes, which actually felt pretty intuitive. Even if the classes weren't necessarily as physical draining as I thought they would be, I didn't feel guilty. A refreshingly different feeling than where I was in the beginning of my recovery journey.  
• Kinda a weird accomplishment but grocery shopped during the week as opposed to the weekend. 
• Subsequently, meal prepped for the upcoming week the Kaylee way aka mostly just mise en place-ing because I am a terrible meal prepper.

• Celebrated National Pizza Day the right way. On that note, ordered delivery for myself basically for the first time ever... (yes I know how sad that sounds)
• Tolerated with this nonsense on my computer without throwing it on the ground. Also, several abrupt shut downs. Real talk though, is 5 years a long time to have a computer?? Is it reasonable to replace it yet? 

• However, the biggest accomplishment by far was that I survived a weekend with a dog!!! The greyhound adoption agency I am going through is super accommodating and allows potential adopters to do trial runs to see test compatibility and to see if you know what you're getting yourself into (see below for the verdict!). Coming into this, I was doubting myself. So this experience did help me trust myself more. It made me realize that I actually can do this dog ownership thing. 

Questions:
How do you feel about meal prepping?
What is a 'weird' accomplishment of yours? 
Have you ever had decide between your heart and your head? 

• One of my absolute favorite Filipino dishes is mango float. Layers of graham crackers, mango slices and condensed milk all frozen together in dessert form. I have been meaning to recreate this here but need to a find the best mangoes to use! Until then, I will savor the memory of its deliciousness.

• For a New Year's day, my family and I celebrate with a brunch buffet. Gotta love mini desserts at buffets. Chocolate bread pudding (life-changing!!! Why have I not done this myself?!) and a play on a carrot cake.Split these two with my mama but got another round of dessert after plates of actual food. 

• The first thing I dug into when I got back to the states was a slice of a gingerbread spice loaf + yogurt topped with raisins. Craving satisfied ✔️ ☺️

• Bowls and bowls. Now this is my kind of super bowl. On the left, one of the last meals with friends before leaving Manila. It was an anti-sibo (though thankfully I don't suffer from sibo!) dish filled with all the fermented veggies. On the right, back in my kitchen again. I made this tempeh and quinoa bowl with bright turmeric hemp and cashew dressing. That's a mouthful. 

• Then just last week I had this delicious bowl of vegetarian ramen with my family before watching that play I mentioned. Loved how customizable this restaurant was. I got mine with buttered corn, seasoned bamboo shoots and mustard greens. Didn't get to finish all the noodles though because I was stuffed.

Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Questions:
Have you had ramen before? What are your favorite toppings?
What are you looking forward to in February? 
Did you watch the Superbowl?