This will be my last post for this blog.

When I started this blog it was a way for my family to stay up to date with what I was experiencing on the west coast. Years later, so many things in my life have changed. I live much closer to my family and can catch up with them on the phone more regularly since we are again in the same time zone as well as see them more often in person. This blog served its purpose and more. I shared food I made, projects I was attempting, thoughts, feelings and opinions. In short, it is a mishmash of all things Erin. I always wanted to narrow it down and only blog about one subject. I just couldn’t focus on one thing. It’s still a problem, and not just in blogging, in my life. I have so many ideas. I need to work on my follow through. So, until I can do that, I’m going to refrain from blogging. I really appreciate everyone and anyone who stumbled upon my blog and read anything.

Thank you.

Kale Chips

Kale’s popularity is at an all time high right now. And that’s a great thing! It’s an excellent source of vitamin A, C, B-6 and important minerals our body needs to run. One of my favorite ways to eat it and curb my unhealthy snacking is to make kale chips. It’s so easy and the delicate salty snack always hits the spot. So…go for it, make some!

 

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh kale (organic preferably)
olive oil
salt
garlic powder

• Pre-heat your oven to 275 degrees
• Tear the leaves into bite size pieces being careful to avoid the rib (stem)
• Place the kale into a mixing bowl and give it a couple good swirls of the olive oil
• Use your hand (I like to leave one hand dry for emergencies) to massage the oil into all the pieces of kale
• Give a couple generous shakes of salt and garlic powder and continue to massage
• Place on a baking sheet
• Bake for 20 minutes

You will be surprised how is shrinks down. You’ll be wishing you made a double batch! Enjoy this healthy snack and let me know how yours turn out. Enjoy!

Top Ten of 2013

For myself and for others around me, 2013 was a trying year. It wasn’t all bad though. Here are 10 of my favorite things about my 2013:

1. New Places.
In 2013 I drove way North and way South to two places I had never been. Lido Key in Sarasota, Florida and Quebec & Ontario, Canada. They were both amazing journeys and can I just say, I LOVE MY SUBARU for getting us both places.

2. Moved into a new home.
My house was built in 1915 and I think happy people have always lived here. As soon and I moved in I felt safe and protected. I even saw a huge change in my dog’s anxiety. I’m thankful to be in a great location and have shared some really memorable moments here in 2013.

3. Discovering more of Asheville.
2013 I really made this place my home and I am so proud to live in such a unique city. We welcomed so many great businesses into our community this year and I think we have done our part to help support them. Some of my favorite Asheville moments were just walking the streets exploring little nooks and crannies.

4. Floating.
Floating down the French Broad River was a huge pastime this summer. So many friends joined us and we had a blast!

5. Learning to Ski.
I’m not that into sports. They stress me out. But skiing was exhilarating. It was one of those experiences that I really didn’t know if I could do it, and when I did, I was so proud of myself! It also helped that I had the best teacher in the world. 😉

6. The Garden.
This past year I had the biggest garden I have ever tended. There was tons of trial and error learning and I can’t wait to give it a go again this year. We may even step it up and get some chickens.

7. More DIY in my life.
I am notorious for have a million ideas. In 2013, I completed a lot and I am so happy I did. Same as with the garden, there were some fails but there were some great successes as well.

8. Friends.
Long distance and local, I love all my friends. I made new ones and reconnected with old ones. It was a great year for friendship.

This was a sweet note left from one of our guests at Friendsgiving.

9. Taking time for me.
In 2013 I learned how important it is to do things for yourself. I learned a lot about myself and what good habits I need to continue on into 2014. Acupuncture, therapy and lattes are just a few places I find enlightenment.

10. Family.
One of my reasons for moving from California to North Carolina was family. I love being driving distance from everyone. In 2013 we all put forth effort and had some very memorable trips. I even got to meet some family for the first time.

When I look back at these times, the bad seems to melt away. I’m ready for 2014. How about you? xoxo

Thoughts and Ideas

It’s the end of November, and December brings thoughts of the new year and how it will be different from the current. But before I get ahead of myself and slap you in the face with all my resolutions I have two goals to accomplish before January 1.

Goal #1: Pass my Real Estate Test!

Since I was able to dream a dream, my dream has been to be my own boss. To live under my schedule and my rules. I was closer to this goal as a child. I started baby-sitting when I was 12. Today I wouldn’t think of letting a 12 year old watch a newborn. But I did. And I was damn good. I had many customers and contacts. If I could have had my own business Facebook page, I would probably own an agency by now. But alas, I did what you are (were) supposed to do. I went to school and got my bachelor’s. Throughout my college years I dreamt about tons of businesses I could open and run. Yoga Studio, Wedding Planner, Given Clothing (a t-shirt company that allows you to donate a portion of your payment to your choice charity), and an Online Baby Boutique…and I still have all the business plans for these. The only problem, I don’t have and never had the funding. Real Estate can change that for me. I’ve been around the business my whole life, thanks to my mom…and all her friends. I have assisted agents and been great, and happy. I love homes, I love working with people one-on-one and building that relationship, I love design and marketing. I hope to one day flip houses with my significant other and be a landlord. I think this is in my near future.  Scratch that. I don’t think, I know. “Get busy living or get busy dying” right? (I finally saw Shawshank. 😉 )

Goal #2: Make a rug for my bedroom

That’s right. I’m going to make a rug. A large one. We are in need but the ones on the market are terribly expensive. I am not into the whole buy a million small rugs and sew them together thing. I have a plan and I have lots of time these days, so I will make a rug and post about it here.

Short term goals are good to have. They make you realize again that you are capable of anything. And I need that right now.

<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11278473/?claim=rs3w7qwnbt9″>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Fall in the Mountains

This October has been great! It’s my absolute favorite month and not just because it contains my birthday. I love it for everything it has to offer. It’s the kickstarter to all the holiday months to follow. I vowed that I wouldn’t let anything get in the way of all of the following:

My Grandmother, Mother and Beloved Aunt came to Asheville to celebrate my 29th (ouch!) birthday.

Pumpkin Carving. The same night I finally got to experience a corn-maze!

Apple Picking.

And we drove to Chattanooga to see my sister’s band Kids From Across The Street preform at The Honest Pint.

It’s been a great month so far and it’s not over yet. Halloween is still to come… (insert the laugh that’s at the end of Thriller here).

 

All Good Things Must Come to an End…BUT WHY?!

Why do I like things that get discontinued? Magazines, restaurants, products, etc. It hurts and I wanted to take a moment to appreciate some of my favorite television shows that only made it 1 season (sometimes 2 seasons).

 

These shows come on air, I love their characters and then, POOF! They are gone forever after the season is over. In most cases they don’t get an ending that is wrapped up. So I’m just left wondering how these characters lives play out with the situations I’m left with. It sucks. I’m happy there is so much creativity in the world but can’t we just stick with some things to improve them or at least see them out to an end? And I’m not going to stop trying new shows…because you never know when your show is going to be the next Friends and be on for years and years. 

Since it’s summer and not much is on, you may want to watch one of these great shows:

Accidentally on Purpose
Notes from the Underbelly
Best Friends Forever
Up All Night
Pan Am
Life Unexpected
The Secret Circle
Private Chefs of Beverly Hills
1600 Penn

On a side note, it’s kind of weird that some the actors in the above shows overlap. 

Enjoy your Sunday!

Oh July. It has been raining WAY too much for my taste this summer. Areas around me have been flooding like crazy. The one, and I mean one good thing about this much rain is that my garden is going crazy. My tomatoes are as tall as me! I am beginning to see the fruits (or vegetables) of my labor.

Have a great weekend world! Go grow something!

In the beginning. Everything has tripled in size.

 

 

In Bloom

With all the warm weather and things starting to bloom, I myself have been more productive. I’ve been motivated to make positive improvements to my surroundings.

We resurrected last years garden. It’s new facelift has made one fabulous beast of a plot.

This is my first time starting with more seeds than plants. It’s going really well and I can’t wait to see how it evolves. After learning to save seeds from tomatoes a couple years ago, I’m super pumped to learn how to save from other plants. I was able to share those tomato seeds with a good friend this year and it made me really proud. I’m finding calm in pulling weeds and watching the changes that occur daily in the garden.

I’ve also been busy inside the house. Mini makeovers are taking place here and there. Painted the bedroom (In one day. That’s great for me.), breathed some new life into an old head board and dip-dyed a quilt. I’ll share photos once I get the whole room together.

Things are on the up & up and looking really great. Can’t wait to share more soon!

 

Let’s get real for a moment.

It’s April 4, 2013. I haven’t written since last August. Maybe it’s because I’m a little embarrassed, or maybe it’s because life has been moving rather quickly, whatever the reasons…this is where I’m at and I’m ready to share.

I am head over heels in love with Asheville. This is where I am meant to be. I knew it a while back and my gut couldn’t have been more spot on. The journey here was rough though. And I’m not just talking about the popped tire I had on the trailer in New Mexico.

People change and they don’t change. Love evolves and you have to face the music. As soon as I hit North Carolina soil I felt something. I felt like me. I had a renewed sense of self. As I settled in, my lifestyle changed. Because of the changes all around me, I made the decision to let go of the partner that had been by my side for many years. It wasn’t easy and I think I can say that it was painful for both parties. There I was, 27 years old, ending my marriage days away from it’s one year anniversary. I was embarrassed and scared. I was able to push through because of my family and friends. They support my happiness and I am grateful.

I am so happy. Things don’t always go as planned. But that’s ok. That’s what makes life interesting. When I was in high school I thought I was going to be married and have a kid by twenty-two. And that’s what I thought defined happiness at that time. My current state of bliss is not solely dependent on my lover, my label or if I’ve had a child yet.  It comes from so many more places than I could ever imagine when I was seventeen. I’ve said it a million times to the people I love, but I’ll say it again. I am finally living an intentional life and it feels AMAZING!

 

New in Town

I have been a very bad blogger recently. Sorry I’ve been so aloof. The move took a lot out of me. We were in limbo way longer than expected. When I finally got a job I had to jump in and go. So the blog dropped to the bottom of the priority list. But hopefully once things balance out I will be back in full force with tons of fascinating this to share.

We have settled in Asheville, NC. We have a cute little house where our cute little dogs can run in the backyard and play. The house is currently lacking some furniture, so if you like to dance, now is the time to visit. There are tons of wide open danceable spaces.

I love that when I drive around town to do my errands I see mountains everywhere I go. They keep me in check. I am just a blip in time. They will be here long after I am gone. But hopefully I will get to spend enough time with them that they will remember me.

I am happier than I have been in a long time.

Eating tacos to this view.