#194: Chipolte

Steve Ells is a personal hero of mine. Since reading Fast Food Nation a few years ago I've nearly quit fast food, except for in a few rare moments of weakness when McDonalds fries are irresistible. And then I found Chipolte.

Chipolte operates under the slogan "Food With Integrity". They primarily use locally and organically grown produce as well as meat from naturally fed-livestock. This allows for the convenience of fast food without the guilt and concern that what you're eating might not actually be food. Plus you can get guacamole and a fountain coke with every meal. Sold!

Ironically, Chipolte is owned now, in part, by the McDonalds corporation. While I struggle sometimes that a chain that is somehow "anti-fast food" in nature is merely a cog in the industry kingpin, I have hopes that Chipolte is the new generation of fast food, and that other chains will follow in foot.

With that optimism in mind, I am thankful for Chipolte, the countless barbacoa tacos I have consumed, and days like today, when I can get lunch there without waiting in a 20 minute long line to do so. It's the little wins, sometimes...

#193: Grace

Yesterday my niece, Grace, turned 11. Grace is my brother Don's youngest child and my first goddaughter. We celebrated her birthday at my brother's house last night, and I spent a lot of my time there thinking how fast she's grown up and how thankful I am to have her in my life.

Since she was a baby Grace and I have had a special bond. For some reason, I was one of the few people she would let hold her without fussing. She had this funny habit, when you would hold her, of holding your ear. I'm sure it was some comforting gesture on her part, but I came to associate that with comfort for me, as well. When she was a baby, I loved little more than to curl into my brother's recliner with her, her tiny fingers clutching my ear, us looking silently but knowingly at one another.

Years later, Grace laughs when I reminisce about these moments between us. She's so on her way to being a young teenager, that it's just humorous for her to think of herself at all as a baby...and I'm finding it's hard for me to think of her that way, too. She's grown up a lot, and really has her own, defined personality, even at 11. There are so many factors of that personality that I admire: she has unbridled enthusiasm, and finds joy in even the simplest of moments. She's a wisecracker, and can be silly by being goofy or through making astute comments. She has a heart of gold, and loves to love. No one gives better hellos or hugs than Grace.

When I asked my sister-in-law for gift suggestions for Grace this year, amongst her ideas Kate suggested that I take Grace out to lunch, because she really does just love time with family. Selfishly, I knew right away that this would be my gift to Grace, because it would in turn be a gift for me. Even if she doesn't hold onto my ear anymore, I am so thankful for all the time that I get to spend with and in the presence of my wonderful niece.

#192: Lunch Dates

Maybe more than going out to dinner, I really enjoy going out to lunch. Today I had the pleasure of meeting up with Brianna and her boyfriend Tony at Panera for lunch. I'm grateful to have had that time to catch up with them (and eat a kick ass Fuji Apple Chicken Salad! at the same time). While I'd never truly want to be a "lady who lunches" as an identity marker, I can't lie...it's nice to lunch.

#191: Post-Clean Up

The downside to the wonderfulness that is the promise of summer? Feeling like you have so much time that you do nothing with it. The craziness of the end of a school year, coupled with the invincibility of the start of summer, led me to let my house go. That's not to say I've been living in squalor, but I haven't been picking up after myself so much...or doing laundry...or dealing with the mail...you get the picture. I made a promise with myself that today would be the day that I would clean up, because it was just time to do so...a messy house creates "mental clutter" for me, and I hate that stress. Now MTV reairing old Laguna Beach episodes did not help my productivity, but eventually I motivated myself to excavate my beautiful house under my piles of stuff.

One way that I motivate myself to get started-- and maintain-- a clean up project is that I set a time limit. I started a load of laundry, and told myself I would clean up for an hour and a half. I tackled everything in sight...and once an hour had passed, I had most of it finished. But I maintained my commitment to the full hour and a half, and just kept plugging along.

I'm often energized once I am in the throws of a clean up; there's something that just feels so good about throwing stuff out, putting stuff away, organizing the chaos. But beyond that, I am thankful for the post-clean up state. It's nice to know my house is in good order, and I will wake up refreshed, able to enjoy Laguna Beach in a clutter free house.

Now if I could just keep it like this, for always, then that would be something to be thankful for...

#190: "Save Your Scissors"

When Shanna made me my Dave & Tim bag she also gave me a mixed CD she made me. I love the whole compilation; we have very similar tastes in music, so that came as no surprise. The song that I have been replaying most from it is "Save Your Scissors" by City & Colour.

"Save Your Scissors"

#189: The Promise of Summer

I am officially on day two of summer vacation: one of the major perks of being a teacher. Now, if you asked me from an educators' perspective, I would tell you that I do not think summer vacation is the best for kids. The calendar is an antiquated one, and what would likely increase student performance would be "year round" schooling-- students in school for 2-3 month stretches with 1-2 week breaks in between (granted that means I also believe educators would need to be paid as 12 month employees, as well). Many of my fellow educators reading this are nodding their heads, while many are likely shaking their heads at disgust at this viewpoint. It's definitely a controversial topic in my field.

That being said, if you asked me from a personal perspective, I would tell you that I LOVE summer vacation. Who wouldn't?! I get 10 interrupted weeks off from my job, time that I get to do whatever I want with. Thatis one of the aspects I appreciate most about summer: the promise of the time this season blesses me with. Their are so many projects I want to complete, books I want to read, naps I want to take, people I want to see, things I want to do...unfettered by my job, it is all within reach. Will it all come to be? One can hope. Regardless, I have the promise of achieving it all, because I have the promise of summer.

#188: Crafty Friends

I love Shanna for so many reasons, and she will inevitably have a post dedicated entirely to her. But today I am particularly loving her for her craftiness! She repurposed a teeshirt I bought at the Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds concert that I went to in November into a totebag for me, since the shirt ended up being too small. This is something I never would have been able to do myself, so I am so blessed to have amazingly talented, generous friends who will do it for me. Not only is it a great bag. but the added plus? Every time I use it, I get to think how lucky I am to have such a good friend.

Thanks Shanna!