A Quiet Heart.

When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.

:: Psalm 94:19

He must be my Everything.
or i have Nothing.
How quickly it happens. A busy life. Busy world.
No.
He calls me back to quietness.
To rest.
To love.
Abundant Life.

Sit and let it in. Love Everlasting.

Restart.

our perfect little kitchen home.
(and homemade pot rack.)

Sometimes I underestimate the time it takes to restart life in a new place.

I want everything all at once... And for life to feel natural.

But I find it's a constant redesign. Redo. Figure it out. 

Every.day.

Part of that I like. But part of it I'm still waiting to feel like home.

(And maybe it feels strange to be restarting in a city I've always called home.)

Either way...

These things take time.

And I don't always give it the time it deserves.

On Repeat

b/c it's just that good.


Little brother Mikey is my source of music these days.  I can't help but think of him with every Jon Foreman song... he's starting his European adventures this week, and all I can do is smile. I can't wait for the stories, the photos, the mishaps, the documentaries that are up and coming. He has a unique way of finding delight in the details of life - he will return a person full of the story he creates as a young learner abroad!

And I think of my Daniel... and the legacy he is building as he restarts life in Nashville to pursue the pull on his heart to do big things. He is a world changer. I see his dreams becoming reality - and feel inspired to do the same. He is brilliant, he can do anything he puts his heart into, and I can't wait to write his memoir someday!

Yes... JF reminds me of my precious brothers, sweet memories over Christmas Break, and the blessing that family is... bringing peace and comfort to my soul.

Din + Good Company

Last weekend, I hosted my very first dinner party at the Lily! - and have nothing to show for it except for a recipe I barely followed.... (where was my cam?!)

Good friends, wine, food, games... I felt so full of love and laughter by the end of the night, I didn't want it to end.  I'm inspired to host again soon!

Here's the recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken 
...that I used as the base for what I actually made ;)


Serves: 8
4 thin skinless/boneless chicken breasts
3 T veg oil
6 green onions, chopped
3 T curry paste
1 c chicken broth
1-1/2 c coconut milk
3 T fresh lime juice
2 T chopped fresh cilantro


*added: 
minced garlic
basil
potato - both sweet and regular
red and green bell peppers
seasonings
brown jasmine rice


1. Heat oil in skillet, fry chicken 4 mins each side, transfer to plate and cut into squares
2. Slice and dice into squares the sweet and regular potato - can either cook these in boiling water and add later, or cook in coconut milk (takes longer)
3. Reduce to med heat, stir green onions and curry in skillet - cook 1 min stirring frequently. Pour broth in skillet.  Bring mixture to boil, cook until thickened into glaze (mine never got to a glaze b/c I used 2c broth instead of 1c)
4. In separate pot (I recommend a deep soup pot), pour coconut milk, bring to boil w/ rest of vegetables. Combine the chicken and the curry/onion mixture into the coconut milk pot.  Mix in lime juice. Serve over brown rice. Adorn with cilantro.
*Note: can make it spicier depending on curry paste, and can also add chili powder for extra spice :)

That was (more or less) my version of the recipe!  As a newbie to the dinner party world, I was slightly nervous about a group consuming a meal I had never made before - but it turned out great! If you put your own flavor in and are willing to take a few risks - I highly recommend!

Girls.

Nodding, laughing, agreeing with Aimee's stories.

Southport Grocery bfast. Heart talk.
Still swooning for bread pudding pancakes.

As crazy and complicated as we are - it's fun being a girl :)

The Lily Goes DIT

The day started with the renowned Ann Sather cinnamon roles, coffee, and a chilly walk down Southport.

(And okay, we have an apt name...)

Soon we were covered in Manhattan Mist paint and singing to good tunes...

all-day pajamas, antique and thrift.

reupholstering, revacc'ing, and removing... 

DIT (Do It Together, not Yourself...) Day was the best yet.

We may or may not have fended off rodents and old men at Salvation A's half-price MLK sale... (not recommended.)

Enduring blood and injury...

and walking blocks in the icey snowstorm.

Though the day ended with dust and dirt, 

we sat in our new little living room 

and smiled.

Happy, happy day.

Ann Sather's in hand.

yummmmm.

we should get an award for making a 1/2 quart last an entire living room.

Our apt = a simple game of Don't Touch The Floor.

Early morning. Energized and Motivated.

Love the Lily.

When you don't have ladders... use windows.

gross cantaloupe is gone!!

Lazy Dog... we can't afford you.

which is why we ended up here. In MLK Salvation Army chaaaaos. with the rest of Chicago.

Kitchen Frames. Fighting with the level'er. Dirty and tired. Almost done for the night!

When you get things for free off craigslist, you need a shop vac. Best $45 investment of life.

The best part is... our entire living room only cost a grand total of $20.

....Talk about DIY.

The "After" photos to come!

This City.

Our partly finished hallway entry... finding new ways to reconstruct daily.
Since taking this photo I have added a few items...
A vintage globe coming soon.

I am in love with living in the city.

My whole world has shifted... 

finding new ways to do old things.

Local restaurants, used bookstores, antique shops, city walks.

Daily gems of discovery.

I love the vintage appeal of our flat - even if it means not having a dishwasher.

And living/decorating with Betsy has been a dream.

Salvation Army runs, free craigslist ads, endless DIY chat,

movie nights (on the dvd player we installed ourselves!!!)

Sometimes I stop and think "I live here," then get a giddy smile on my face.

I couldn't be happier :) :) :)

Well... maybe if we had a piano in our apartment. 

But no worries - that's still in the works...

Good Year 2010.

January: backpacking Italia with Mikey

New Years 2009 : high-fives at the Trevi Fountain. We did it!

Rick Steves guides us through Italy...

Ruth, Cris, Carolina... roomies in Spain.

Hiking the Spanish Picos

Learning how to work my new camera...

Teaching English to the ninos

Portugal with Ruth

My first castle

Spanish snowboarding / multiple near death experiences...

bus trip to Salamanca with girlfriends in Spain

Alicante and Valencia w/ Laura

Rerouting adventures due to Icelandic volcano.

My dear compi Ruth. Vino, fiesta, siesta, vida.

Larry and Pine Cove visit Spain... "un poquito"

Solo travel to Barcelona

Sagrada Familia

Living the travel dream in Morocco

A photographer's Disney World

Traveling Spanish countryside with Mom. B&B's, boat rides, long walks..

Daily life on the ocean.

Falling in love with the south of Spain. Flamenco, tapas, and sun! (Semana Santa 2010)

Sevilla with friends

Roadtripping to France

Biarritz: beaches, sundresses, freedom, time with the girls

End of Spain: Leaving behind Galaxia video fines...

Soaking up final moments in Santander

My favorite spot to sit on the pier in my city: journal, read, reflect.

Bye bye Rio de la Pila : our favorite spot to fiesta

Kate & I meet in London to backpack Europe for 3 weeks! Favorite memories of life.

Day 5 : Como, Italy. Like a dream...

We sat in some of the most beautiful places in the world (Switzerland)

Tandoming, singing, frolicing in Salzburg

Final European Goodbyes... I sometimes miss RyanAir.

4th of July and my return to the US of A!

Time to be a grown-up: new car.

Sweet summer with friends

My Chitown summer sisters

Adventures with Heather in Chi!

Visiting Mikey in Estes Park, CO

Daniel = surprise visitor. Best family time.

Caught my record of 6 fish at Devil's Lake

Cannie + Patrick drive across the country to surprise celebrate my birthday in Chi!

Turning 24. A new season.

Jenny visits Chicago. Stripes & lace. Laughing, dancing, playing with my some of my faves.

Boating with Britters

My Whitty is engaged!

Kate + Jordan engaged!

little cousin Brayden enters the fam: 9.23.10

Long breaks with friends and sweet reunions

The best family time at Christmas

Moving to Chicago... let the new adventure start now.

2010 was one of the best years yet. 

A favorite for sure.

And it only seems to get better.

A new chapter has started in 2011...

 new apartment. new roomies. new life. 

I know it already: It's going to be a good year.