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Coconut-Banana Oatmeal

Eating oatmeal for breakfast is one of my favorite things about waking up each morning (although Michael would disagree :P). To avoid getting bored with the stuff, I am always trying to come up with creative new combinations to maximize my oatmeal's flavor and nutrients. I just tried a new "coconut-banana" combination this morning, and it is absolutely delicious! Plus it's low in fat and void of any added/processed sugars - making it a healthy breakfast choice.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry oats (I use Full Circle Organic or Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/4-1/2 coconut milk, depending on how creamy you want it
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced into pieces 
• 2 squirts lemon juice
• 3 drops liquid stevia (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook oatmeal on stove-top according to instructions on your package. 
2. Transfer cooked oats to a bowl, and slowly pour coconut milk over the oatmeal. 
3. Add lemon juice and liquid stevia.
4. Stir to combine. 
5. Add sliced bananas. 
6. Enjoy!

Thoughts on Getting Married Young

A lot of people who don't know Michael and I tell me that 21 is too young to be engaged.

"You should be out there living your life!" they say. But what they don't realize is that I am indeed living my life to the fullest - only instead of going it solo, I get to have my best friend right by my side the entire time.

Choosing to get married young is definitely not for everyone, but Michael and I know that we are ready to share our lives together. Sure, we don't have steady careers, but Michael and I aren't really the type of people who would chose money and security over happiness. No, we do not have a house, but we plan on building one together from the ground up. It is true that we will certainly experience personal growth and change as we grow older. Lucky for us that we have the opportunity to grow up together instead of growing apart. Yes, we are young, but Michael and I know who we are as individuals. We also know who we are as a couple. We know our strengths, and our weakness. We have seen the best and the worst in each other. We have laughed and cried together. We have fought on multiple occasions, and have always made up a few moments later. We talk about the future, and look forward to its endless possibilities. We understand that our marriage will be an endless cycle of up's and down's, but that the joy we bring to each other will always outweigh the hard times.

The most important thing about us is not that we are young. The most important thing about Michael and I is that we are so deeply, madly, and truly in love with each other, that there is no way our marriage could ever fail. I cannot imagine my life without him, simply because he is the biggest and best part of my life. He is my other half, my soul mate. My sun and my stars. And I simply cannot wait to marry this amazing, patient, handsome, and wonderful man next September.

Ipswich, Massachusetts

The barn at Russell Orchards. Inside were mini horses, ponies, piglets, turkeys, and "Big Darryl."

Michael and I woke up this past Saturday morning craving ocean waves and salty air. I called up my Dad after breakfast to see if he wanted to hit the beach, which of course, he did. My Dad and I are really fond of Crane's Beach in Ipswich, MA. It's a beautiful, 5+ mile stretch of coastline in northern Massachusetts. Not only is the beach itself spectacular, but there are miles of trails through the dunes. Michael and I went hiking through them when I first took him to Crane's Beach last September. Of course I am also fond of the place because they do a lot of tern/plover conservation. Most of the beach is roped off so that terns and plovers can use the area to nest without being disturbed by human activity.

Once we piled into my Dad's little white beemer, we raced towards the highway that would take us north. Unfortunately, I think everyone had the same idea as us of going to the beach, because the highway was packed. What should have been an hour drive took us nearly two hours. When we finally arrived in Ipswich, the parking lot at Crane's Beach was completely full. Park rangers weren't letting any more cars in until some people left the beach. Luckily, my Dad suggested that we try biding our time at a little "farmstand" a few miles down the road. What turned out to be a rather disappointing trip actually turned out to be an awesome day. The "farmstand" - known as Russell Orchards - was actually a fairly large working farm and orchard.

As soon as Michael, my Dad, and I sent foot in the barn-style farm store, I fell in love with the place. There were all sorts of local goods, produce, and treats for sale. The scent of homemade pies, scones, cookies, and breads filled the air. Local honey, maple syrup, and soap stocked the shelves. Freshly picked raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, kale, lettuce, and herbs lined the walls of the back room. Michael, Dad, and I even did a wine tasting for $5 a person. At first, I was hesitant because I noticed they were mostly dessert/fruit wines, which are normally a bit too sweet for me. But damn, did those people make a fantastic wine. My favorite was the raspberry-peach wine, which probably would have made a great sangria. Michael and I my Dad favored the blackberry wine. We also tried strawberry, blueberry, and red currant wine. My Dad ended up buying blackberry wine, and a few berry scones to go with it. Michael bought half a dozen apple cider donuts. Once we were satisfied with our purchases, we went outside and had a great little picnic by a field of sunflowers. The berry scones were definitely the best scones I have ever eaten in my entire life.

Hanging out by our picnic site. Unfortunately, you can't see the roaming guinea fowl that were to the left of us.

Ew gross!

<3

After a picnic lunch, we decided to explore the farm a little bit. Michael ran into some rather large, hungry geese, but he was able to avoid their clutches (LOL, bird joke). 

The farm had a ton of animals. Chickens, geese, and ducks roamed through the fields. A shetland pony was out grazing in the clover patch. Goats and sheep were lounging in the shade of their wooden shelter. In the barn, there were two of the cutest piglets I have ever seen, turkeys, mini horses, a pony, and of course, "Big Darryl."

Just chillin'

Just eatin'

Just being adorable <3

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Around 4pm, we figured we might be able to get into the beach parking lot without starting any drama. So we left Russell Orchards and headed for the beach. As it turns out, we were able to finally get in! The rest of the day was spent relaxing, reading, bird watching, laughing, and swimming. Yes, swimming! Although the Atlantic was still freezing, it was definitely refreshing to take a dip in the cold water. Michael carried me out pretty far, but it wasn't long until my legs lost feeling and I nearly ran back to shore. Overall, it was one of the best days I have had in a long while.

My main squeeze

Love you big head <3

Photolog: Summer So Far

View of the Thimble Islands in Branford, CT. Taken at a S.H.A.R.P. site location.

Taken at a local brewhouse somewhere near Brattleboro. The beer and overall vibe were great!

A photo of the dinner Michael and I made for my Dad on Father's Day. I went back to our Southern Roots... Strawberry Fields salad with homemade bread, mint juleps, and Derby pie for dessert. Delicious!

My first little baby - who finally stopped peeing on Michael's carpet THANK GOD. She now has two litter boxes, one for peeing, and one for pooing.

A gorgeous dead tree that I found at one of the S.H.A.R.P. sites. I think Ellie and I were in either Branford or Guilford.

A Spicebush Swallowtail... I actually found this dead on the side of the road and just placed it on my Mom's gerranium for a nice picture :P