Friends
Ellen
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
“Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”
-Anthony Bourdain
Eggplant Parmesan
Family that are Friends and Friends that are Family
“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.”
– Tim Cahill
Hey friends!
Yesterday I got back from a whirlwind trip to New York to spend time with friends and catch up on lots of times and adventures that we have all had. Everyone talks about New York as if it is this land where dreams come true; and it is. However, for me, New York means good friends. I told one of my friends that I would be just as happy sitting in her apartment and eating donuts…not going to any attractions or doing whatever a typical New Yorker or tourist does. And I meant it. There is something so special when you find friends that you know will be in your life forever. People tend to come and go in life and thats just part of the rhythm…but I deeply value those who are part of my life and who allow me to part of theirs. Nothing is more special or magical. Money will only buy you so much; but it will never be able to buy you time or friends or family.
Turning Over a New Leaf
“I am so glad that I live in a world with Octobers”
-Anne of Green Gables
I will keep repeating this for a long time…but October is my absolute favorite month and fall is my favorite time of the year. It is filled with pumpkin spice and everything nice and has some of the most gorgeous scenery. It is a very nurturing time of the year that I like to especially spend with friends and family, soaking in the fall leaves and new cycle as everything turns over. There is also something that seems to be in the air; a magical and whimsical wind that brings a smile to my face. This summer has been magical in its own right; starting off with such a personal transformation that was the best possible thing to happen to me. It transitioned to a fun month of new people, places and experiences that gave me lots of perspective on not only my life, but the infinite world we all live in. And as August crept up on me, I returned to school. This year had a very special energy like no other and set the tone for what I hope to be the best year yet. And as the weeks have gone and time has passed, I feel at peace more than I have in a while. Despite the ups and downs, the doubts and revelations we all have, I feel settled and am relishing in the ability to stay somewhere.
It turns out that staying is quite the adventure…
Happy October!
-Kaila
Feel, Trust, Love: Lessons from the Past Week
It has been a fairly wonderful past week that was filled with learning to ride a scooter…on a roof, biking up to the Boulder Falls (painful incline), some amazing rooftop dinners with friends, sunsets and sunrises and overall beautiful times with great people. Oh and then I got sick and went into full blown hibernation mode and also realised that I had two exams this week. Classic.
My favourite part of the past week was yesterday where I listened to a beautiful message about learning to
Feel, Trust and Love
especially when the world feels broken. In honour of September 11th, we will all never forget.
-Kaila
Favorite Pastime: Cooking and Baking
I decided to add another page to my site/blog about only of my favourite topics in life! Food! Growing up with a grandma who made everything from scratch and a family that made sure I knew how to cook was such a blessing. There is something so special about being able to cook for other people and yourself. Not only does it taste better and is healthier, but it is very nurturing and a great way to relax and connect back to yourself and the world.
I have never understood people who eat to live and don’t live to eat.
I guess that there is a healthy balance between the two, but food is amazing! The myth that eating well is more expensive is so false. I plan on having a long, healthy life which means taking care of myself mentally and physically.
So here is to food. Lot’s of it.
-Kaila
Naturally Cool? Or Nature is Cool?
What a Labor Day holiday weekend it was, spend with total weirdos kicking back and enjoying all the amazing wonders of life in the wilderness. My long weekend started with a hike in the Flat Irons/NCAR area of Boulder with the ultimate homie, continued with watching CU smash CSU, a day of homework and running around Boulder and ended with a camping trip up to Nederland that will go down in the books as one fantastic weekend.
You are who you surround yourself with. I guess that makes me a nerdy weirdo.
wouldn’t have it any other way.
Looking Back:Costa Rica
A electrifying and educational trip that I took the summer before my senior year of high school was to Heredia and Monteverde, Costa Rica where I lived for a month with host families and attended a spanish language school for five hours a day. Immersion is the only way to effectively learn a language and I had the best time with my host family and international friends that were also at the language school. Shoutout to my mother for forever installing my love a travel and sending me out in the world to independently explore, knowing that I would come back a better version of myself! What an amazing role model I have.
Kaila in the World 