Highs of 2012

Stills of twenty twelve!:

January: Celebrated the beginning of 2012 in San Francisco; Completed The Green Yogi's annual Yoga Challenge. 

February: Visited my sister in Louisiana and survived my first Mardi Gras experience in New Orleans.

March: Hosted a fundraiser to help send me to Tanzania. Thanks to family and friends, I was able to raise enough money to cover my airfare and program fee. So thankful!

April: Coachella Music Festival with the best of friends.  

May-July: Spent two beautiful months living and teaching in a Maasai village in the mountains of Tanzania, Africa with some of the most hardworking and gracious people I've ever met (this experience opened my eyes and empowered me to live a more simple and less superficial life); Turned 25 Maasai-style; Safari at Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater; Danced and played in the Indian Ocean; Saw the sun rise over the Indian Ocean and set over the Indian Ocean in the same day (perks of tiny Zanzibar).

August: Got hired as a fourth grade teacher at Henry F. Kammann Elementary and moved to Santa Cruz! 

November: Survived Trimester 1; Cassidy visits for Thanksgiving :)

Goodbye 2012! Hello 2013:

kiss slowly, 

laugh insanely, 

love truly

and...

forgive quickly

-paulo coelho

this and that

this and that of early september: 

[latte art from Blue Bottle Coffee located in the Ferry Building Market Pier on Embarcadero in San Francisco]

[edamame hummus and red pepper spread vegan sammy. yum in my tum!]

[super succulent display. want the key to my heart fellas? gift me a succulent!]

[coconut kale chips i'm totally into making right now. got an oven or toaster oven like me? you're half-way there to enjoying these tasty, healthy treats! do it: 1) wash and dry some kale, 2) add a teaspoon of olive oil over the kale and lather - don't use too much or you'll have soggy kale :'( 3) sprinkle on some coconut butter, 4) bake at 225 degrees for 20 minutes or so - check 15 minutes in for crispness, 5) and ENJOY, doy!]

[rosemary marcona almonds from Bin 38 in the Marina in San Francisco]

[sea fog in the San Francisco Bay - taken from the ferry to Sausalito]

[Giant Dipper fun at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk! Sal, you're a legend...]

[favorite food combination at Cafe Brasil, one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Cruz, is (drum roll please....) the Acai Bowl (top) and the Peixe De Baiana (simmered white fish in tomato sauce)]