WEDNESDAY

this morning started out like any other day, cohen painted while i made breakfast and we chatted about our dreams.  only this time when i opened our blinds this morning, we didn't see any snow on the ground and it was sunny! and warm! 45 degrees was the warmest weather i've seen in months.  it felt like fall, and it smelled like fall.  we declared today an outside day and we got ready as fast as we could and set out become reacquainted with the town.

first stop was meeting up with our friend kevin, he and i got to catch up while coco chased the pigeons. then we walked to the far end of town and i got some bath salts and melts for us, followed by a trip to h&m (omg so many cute spring clothes out, i can't wait to buy cohen his summer clothes) i wanted one of everything but my will power is strong so we left with nothing but dreams.

a trip to the 'mall' was next even though its basically one interesting store in a two story building that holds like five stores.  not even a mall but whatever, we browsed the endless rows of legos and toys and tried out so many new perfumes.  i really had my heart set on buying the new chanel noir but after testing it in real life, no thanks.  such a bummer.  at least i got a puppet show by the mini me.

we found ourselves in the dollar tree except its a euro store here and it was a super let down, i miss the real dollar tree but i did find the cutest store next door and it had all kinds of wines and ciders and pastas and it was in the cutest packaging ever.  i must go back asap.

more aimless wandering worked us up an appetite so we got sushi to go, and a mango bubble tea for mama and babe to share and as soon as we finished eating i remembered that we needed eggs and bread so we had to go out again.

do you see that adorable valentines day themed basket cohen has? its a reisenthel and everyone here has one since you have to use your own bags literally everywhere, its amazing especially when you have to go to a separate store for everything a basket to carry is way easier than a bunch of little bags.

ah, i enjoy cohen's company so much.

DIET PEPSI, I'VE MISSED YOU.

i've been spending my night googling study tips.  i'm studying for my german drivers license and i don't know how to study so that i retain information.  in fact i'm so bad at studying that i only passed the written test in america because i guessed, literally guessed and i guessed so well that i passed on my second try. (don't worry, i'm an excellent driver and i know all the rules now, i promise!).

oh, but there is good news. fantastic amazing fabulous news. i, shaka jamee dana was able to eat my first real meal today of semi normal texture foods.  not only did i get to drink my first diet pepsi in 5 days but i had TWO read em TWO honey and peanut butter sandwiches, i think i heard angels singing.  i got so much accomplished around the house today now that i'm back to my old routine, never underestimate the power of an ice cold soda in the morning.

ps... dance moms.  how have i never seen this?!?! obsessed.

RAMBLES ABOUT NOTHING

tmi post but do you have any idea how horrible it is for it the be that time of the month and you can't eat any of your favourite period approved foods?!  i have so many cravings but because i had my wisdom teeth out i can't eat any of it.  it's like double torture!  i would kill for some toast right now.  i just want something crunchy.  i'm planning a whole smorgasbord of hard foods when this is over.

its really hard for me to relax.  dan has banished me to the bedroom and i just want to be up and cleaning.  i'll be the first to admit that i'm a major control freak and its frustrating to be in here knowing nothing is getting done the way i would do it out there.  i just need to let go and appreciate the help but its hard for me.  i'm so bored but i've had lots of time to catch up with my shows (real houswives of beverly hills, supernatural, vampire diaries, american horror story and new girl) and lots of time to read (nylon and us weekly), and lots of time to watch movies (when harry met sally, you've got mail).  i've had lots of time to daydream and make plans and visualize.

i've also come to the realization that maybe i say i love you too much. i love my dad, i love my sister, i love my friends, i love the sweet old man who sells eggs at the market.  i end 98% of conversations with a "love you!" and i'm pretty sure that i really do love everyone, i have a deep appreciation for everyone i come across and i have way too many feelings.  part of me wonders if its just a habit, like a sign off "love ya!" and then i worry that i'm like one of those people that hug too much. i don't want to be a source of unwarranted lovingness, or do i? apparently i'm just an indiscriminate lover, but that isn't so bad right? the world needs more love anyway.

ps. i always find photos of the prince on my photobooth, he goes crazy with it when he's left alone with my macbook, and right before bed last night he snuck on with princess kitty.  i don't think she liked it.

the previous night he became the worlds most unimpressed roller coaster rider

GARLIC SOUP

i survived my dentist appointment!

since i'm starving and my food choices are super limited during my recovery we decided to make garlic soup, which is velvety and amazing because not only does it taste good but it also boosts your immune system and warms you up. oh and its made from stuff you probably always have lying around so its a good emergency meal plus its frugal.

2 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon of evoo
1 half of a small onion, diced
4 cups of vegetable stock
5 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese plus more for each bowl
salt and pepper
optional: sriracha, thyme, parsley

-roast your garlic by preheating the oven to 375.  drizzle the garlic with the evoo and wrap them in parchment and then foil and roast for about 40 minutes or until tender.  then you're gonna squeeze them out of their papery skin

-bring your stock, potatoes, garlic and onions to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes and then add the cheese

-let it cool a little and then puree it in the blender in batches until smooth.  then you'll season with salt and pepper to taste.  add the thyme and parsley for colour.  you might want to reheat before adding the rest of the cheese, but i prefer mine at room temperature.

COCO THE COMEDIAN

i walked into the kitchen and i saw cohen sitting on the window sill, with his arm around a jar of honey.  i asked him what he was doing, and he said super casually "oh, just sitting with my honey"

i love him and his sense of humour. (now get your feet off the counter!!!!)

STYLE BOARD: LIVING ROOM EDITION

now that we're all settled, i can finally start focusing on how i want the flat to look.  my first stop is the living room and i need to brighten the space so i made a fast little style board to get me started.

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DENTAL WOES

you know how maury used to have those people with extreme phobias on his show and the women would run away from cotton balls and cry over aluminum foil?  that is me right now.

after dealing with my first serious toothache on and off for the past month, i broke and went to the emergency dentist.  i'm proud to say that i'm 25 and still have yet to have a cavity (yay me) but i do need to get my impacted wisdom tooth on the bottom removed, and the one above it which is actually broken.  i literally have never been so scared of anything my entire life and i keep on crying about it.  like full on panic attack sob.  it didn't help that i got the brilliant idea to youtube wisdom teeth extraction and i'm horrified.  i keep hearing that the only time you feel pain is during the recovery, but my only concern is the actual procedure, i can't be lucid during it at all.  i have to see a german dentist and i found one that does hypnotherapy so hopefully i can be hypnotized into caring about nothing during the extraction.

on two side notes:
 - i am super addcited to big rich texas, i can't believe i've never watched it before.
 - i know everyone is on the no 'poo kick with their hair, so i kind of decided to do the same thing except i'm co-washing.  which means just using conditioner.  i'm determined to have super healthy (and long) hair that isn't chemically treated!

on farmers markets

i'm so lucky to have a farmers market twice a week just a five minute walk from my flat.  i'm trying to really utilize it and get everything down to a science so i can rely mostly on the market instead of the grocery store with the exception of a monthly trip for staples.  coco loves to go because he gets so spoiled, every stand we stop at gives him free food, today he got a sausage link, a roll of bread, a pretzel and a pear.  it kind of makes me wish i was a kid again so i can be doted on constantly ;)  i was using totes but everyone else uses baskets, which makes sense because nothing gets squished that way. i love knowing that the food i get from here is fresh and supports local families. love it here.