Fulfilment through minimalism

Fulfilment through minimalism

Monday, September 11, 2017

I'm on a perpetual mission to find myself and connect with all of the many things that fuel my passion in this crazything called life. In this phase of my early adulthood, I have been completely entranced with the concept of simplicity and minimalism. I am in an active pursuit to rid my life of hodgepodge and disorder in all things; spiritually, mentally and physically. 

Most recently, my husband and I have relocated back to the beautiful and reserved town of Walla Walla, Washington in pursuit of finishing our degrees. We had just recently moved to the Portland area to be near family and landed in Battle Ground, Washington. We had scored ourselves a small state of the art 2 bedroom apartment for nearly two times what we had been paying prior. Over priced rent, I can handle but when it rains so much that you cant ever see the blue in the sky that is when the price tag doesn't match what your taking home.  We lasted 8 months and ran back so fast we left skid marks. Can you taste that sarcasm?  Having to downsize and adapt however forced the realization that less is sometimes so much more, especially when your trapped inside trying to stay dry around the clock. 

"Convenience" surrounds us and presents constant opportunities to buy more than we will ever need. It is nearly impossible to access the internet without an add being generated promoting a product that is marketed to be desirable, BOGO sales that are "limited time" creating an urgency to act fast and of course keep current with styles as they are evolving. I am not saying that it's a bad thing to take pride in personal vanity and present yourself well but that can be done in many ways other than rotating your closet with the trends and living what society would deem a "lavish" life. Living simply isn’t about not having at all, it’s about not having too much. Even the richest in the world only get a grave at the end of their days. Whether your home is 6 stories tall and all 20 rooms are furnished, your drive way is lined with classic cars, and your bank account has ten 0’s tagged to the end, all of that stays behind when your number is called.

So many of us try to impress by the things they own instead of trying to inspire by the life that they live. It sometimes seems difficult to incorporate a new mindset into a daily regimen that you’ve become accustom too especially when it is an ingrained way of thinking. Instead of letting that be the excuse to not change, let that be the reason why!

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Lemon Squeezy

Lemon Squeezy

Lemon Squeezy Loaf makes you say, "Oh Baby!"

I recently went through this phase where I would venture into the kitchen and bake lemon pound cake every other night around 11pm for nearly a week. I was in the process of moving and this was an excuse for me to try and use up all our "perishables" to spare us having to pack our food. Part of me was upset to find that the fruits of my labor tasted like that of heaven.
The first night I thought I was kinda insane, slaving away like Betty Crocker on a mission to make a pound cake but after the first bite it was game over. I stayed up for hours waiting for it to cook and cool and then sat on the counters and devour all but a few thin slices that I could manage to save for my daughter the next morning.
NO SHAME! (:

This is our "Lemon Squeezy Pound Cake" recipe.
So delicious, if you aren't convinced to try it now, it's one to save for the future. 

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 4 cups sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 8 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup milk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon

INGREDIENTS FOR GLAZE:

• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

 

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch (or larger) loaf pans and set aside.
2. Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder two times and set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Stir only until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in the zest.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pans, making sure to divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Level tops with an offset spatula. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
6. Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners' sugar to desired consistency.
7. Pour glaze on top of cakes and serve.

           

       Eat it all. Love it. Share it... or dont ;) 

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Magnificent Venture

Magnificent Venture

This is my very first post as I embark on this blog journey of mine!!!!

            As embarrassing as it may be to admit, it has taken me months to finally gather my fortitude and establish this site. Not that I am at all one to put things off but...... the saying goes, "Perfection is the mother or all procrastination." I do however believe that much of that "down time" was me gaining confidence and gathering my footing; taking it upon myself to learn basic programming and creating an artistic outlet that best represents my soul & spirit.  

            I will be the first to admit of being a complete novice to the blogging society, however, I am one for taking chances, especially to better one's self and pursue self-expression passionately. I was once told, "Never give up on a dream because of the time it will take to accomplish it, the time will pass you by anyway." at the end of the day, if I don't make a dime from blogging, even after all the generous amount of nights invested on Pinterest with "blogging tips" in the search engine, so be it! I hope to truly connect with the world in a way that will captivate and inspire, even if my audience is minute.

Below are ideas of some awe-inspiring topics, I hope to incorporate in the sunshinelab

                           Food for thought!!! Varying in content all meant to be comical, uplifting & inspiring, yet packed with the opportunity for all to laugh at my expense :)                         

                           DIY Crafts/ Hacks / & How To's follow me through my minimalistic "attempts" and evolving styles as I embark on projects around the house and find hacks along the way that make you ashamed you didn't think of yourself! haha
                           "Girl Talk" of course!! I'm here to spread kindness like wildfire. Doing all I can to put out uplifting & inspirational content that is real and relatable. Through my own vulnerability and full transparency, I will share my struggles, trails and lessons learned. My hopes are to share my journey as I rise and lift those around me as I chase my dreams fearlessly. :)    

                           SunshineLab Photography Join my journey as a free lance photographer. I hope to share tricks and tips of the trade and provide a page for my clients, post sneak peeks, share pricing information, and send my thanks to those who choose me to capture their memories in the moment.. This portion of my page will be under construction continuously as i build a revolving portfolio that will come with experience.

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