La Chasse Au Bonheur - Le Fin

#5 Gorgeous Hair and Good Music

These two items don't necessarily go together... other than the fact that your hair is on your head which also happens to be the location of your ears. But I needed to wrap up the series somehow!

Let's start with HAIR. I'm not a huge hair person. I love my curly hair but I have little patience or time to spend doing my hair. Heck, I haven't had a hair cut in months. I'm long over due. I do, however, enjoy these photographs of gorgeous hair! I follow this gal on instagram who posts pictures each day of hair cuts, colors and styles that are utterly inspiring. Check out the ones below...

The blonde hair is a dream wedding up-do.
I love the colors in the bottom left. Think I could pull that off?
I also really like the bow of hair. That I could definitely try to do.

The other night when I was home, my mom started playing with my hair. What started out as just playing around turned into a really beautiful hair style that mom coined the "Swedish Twist".  Isn't she amazing?! Makes me wonder why we paid big money to have someone else do my hair for prom....

The Swedish Twist (with bangs!)

Now, onto MUSIC. I have been listening to music CONSTANTLY lately. I always have the radio on in my car, but now I'm hooked on Pandora. For those of you living in the dark ages, Pandora is a FREE website (and iPhone app) that plays music. You type in a song, artist, or genre and it generates an infinite playlist based off your one suggestion. The best part... Pandora remembers every playlist you ever create! All you have to do is make an account and ignore the ads that pop up on the screen while music plays. 

Lately I've been hooked on country music.
This song reminds me of being @ Saddle Up!
[This image is a screen shot of the Pandora app]
 

You can create countless numbers of playlists.
This reveals the variety of my playlists on Pandora.

My friend Jenny sends me songs every now and again. I love it because it diversifies the music I listen to. When she sends me a new song or artist, I sometimes start a new playlist based on her suggestion! Check out this video/song below that she recently sent me....

La Chasse Au Bonheur - The Hunt for Happiness

Le Fin!

La Chasse Au Bonheur - Chicago

#4  Chicago

I have been SO blessed to have a job in Chicago. I like to complain about traveling there from Peoria but once I'm there I'm IN LOVE! So much so that Ross and I have even started talking about the possibility of moving there after graduation. Crazy? Absolutely. But we're playing the "What If" game and loving it. 

I'm a huge fan of public transportation!
This is my brand new 10 ride pass on the Metra

Lake Shore Drive at 12am  = No traffic!

Sky Scrapers are mezmerizing. 

The sunrise over Lake Michigan... It never gets old.
This is the view from my unit at the hospital! 

Lake Michigan

La Chasse Au Bonheur - The Hunt for Happiness

La Chasse Au Bonheur - Family & Friends

#3 - Quality Time with Family & Friends

Sleepy Boy :)

Since I work nights this summer, Ross and I are often on different schedules. The photo above is proof of our goofy sleep schedules. He's sleeping at 6 am (like a normal 21 year old). I on the other hand was bright-eyed and busy-tailed! I still like to consider moments like this "quality time" because we get so little of it. 

Every once in a while, Ross and I will be awake at the same time. Usually we opt to laze about and spend quality time together talking/giggling. The picture above is from the 90 degree day we decided to go on a run. Needless to say it was rough. We hadn't run in about a month and it was SO hot. I had mental images of us passing out after five minutes into the run. After we drank some water and rested, though, we were VERY glad we got out there. We really love running and being active. We need to force ourselves into a running routine.

Last weekend I worked in Chicago at Lurie Children's Hospital. Ross was sweet enough to drive the entire way there and back. On Friday we opted to stop in Naperville for dinner home. He went to his parents' house I went to mine. The impromptu family visit was awesome. I miss them so much! I enjoy working and living on my own, but there's nothing quite like coming home. My dad had some good news to share, I got lots of hugs from Adam & Halle, and Mom & I had great quality time at the end of the night :)

My Girlfriends 21st Birthday :)

Ross and I in Downtown Naperville for Kim's B-Day

Ladies Night for Kim's Birthday 

Celebrating Amy's Birthday!

June and July were filled with 21st birthdays with friends from back home! Kim and Amy were two VERY good reasons to come home and celebrate. Thanks to Kim, we all now have a new favorite bar: Saddle Up Saloon and Dance Hall. It sounds super goofy but TRUST ME, its a BLAST! We went there for both Kim's and Amy's birthdays. They teach you how to line dance, play great country music and then play an awesome mix of pop and country after 10:30 p.m.  I can't wait to take Ross there!


This post wouldn't be complete without mentioning these great girls that I miss SO much! They are the ONLY reason I am excited for summer to end and for school to start. I would never be where I am today with out their amazing support and love in nursing school. We've all gone our separate ways for the summer and sometimes it's difficult to keep in touch. Even if we don't talk every day, I still know they have my back and I've got theirs. I can't wait until we're all reunited again!

Old picture from my last visit to AZ!

One of the coolest and most surprising visits of the summer was getting to see Jenny a couple of weeks ago! She was working at Eagle Lake Camp in Colorado when the wild fires threatened the safety of camp. She ended up coming to Illinois to visit her extended family and was able to visit Alexa for a few days. I made sure to swing by on my way to Naperville/Chicago. It was great to see her even if it was only for a few hours.












La Chasse Au Bonheur - The Hunt for Happiness

La Chasse Au Bonheur - The Farmers Market

#2 Going to the Farmers Market & Cooking with Farmers Market Produce

Week 1 Produce

Week 2 Produce

Previously, Ross and I had been shopping at Aldi for groceries. They have great prices but recently we've been very disappointed with their produce. It was all going bad just ONE day after we went shopping. That is just not right. 


I had been wanting to go to the Peoria Farmers Market all summer. Our bad luck at Aldi provided the encouragement I needed.  The farmers market had the most delicious and affordable produce I've ever seen! Not to mention, it feels great to support local farmers. The selection and variety were wonderful. Organically grown produce was also available.

Hummus and Pepper Wraps

Sweet Iced Tea and the best nectarines I've EVER had.

These nectarines completely sold me on farmers market produce. I'm not kidding you.... Farmers market produce is so much more delicious than anything store bought. I have never tasted anything so sweet and delicious in my life. 


Why does farmers market produce taste so good? I'm sure it has a lot to do with the way they farm, but it also has to do with the fact that they are selling what is in season. Often, food is shipped across the world to the U.S. so that we can have fruit and vegetables all year round. For that, I am grateful. BUT, food (especially fruit) tastes SO much better when it's fresh, just picked from a local farm. 

Patty Pan Squash and Purple Sweet Bell Peppers

Patty Pan Squash: This squash looked so quirky I had to buy it. I got it home and thought to myself, "Now how do I cook this thing?!" I of course whipped out my iPhone and found THIS link to give me some guidance. 

I ended up slicing the squash through the diameter. The scalloped edges are so much fun. Then I just heated the rounds up in a frying pan with a bit of cooking spray. I like my veggies a little undercooked so it didn't take long at all to warm up these bad boys. 

I learned early in life that squash can easily be over-cooked because it continues to soften after you take it off the stove. I always try to remove it just before I think its ready. By the time I sit down to eat its the perfect texture. 

As far as flavor goes, my mouth was watering over the delicious-ness of the patty pan squash. I seasoned mine with just a bit of garlic salt, but the natural flavor of the squash was unmistakable. 

Purple Sweet Bell Peppers: These purple peppers caught my eye from 10 feet away. Their purple color is so vibrant! I've never seen anything like it. The sign said "extra-sweet peppers" and I was hooked. Not to mention it was 5 for $1!

These peppers, although shaped like a normal bell pepper, are smaller in size and have a thinner flesh. The inner color is light green (you can see this in the image above that has a plate of sliced peppers).  

La Chasse Au Bonheur - The Hunt for Happiness

La Chasse Au Bonheur - Sunsets

The Hunt for Happiness!


I came across this French quote in the book I'm currently reading, "The Geography of Bliss" by Eric Weiner. I'm only 42 pages in and I already love it!


I've said it before and I'll say it again.... For me, it's the little things in life that bring the most joy.


Stay tuned this week for a series of posts about my hunt for (& success finding) happiness lately.

#1 Sunsets - There's just nothing better than a sunset walk with the man you love

The End

La Chasse Au Bonheur - The Hunt for Happiness

50th Blog Post

Today marks my 50th blog post! I honesty wasn't sure if I would stick with blogging this long... I'm happily surprised :)

The blog hasn't turned into a sad sappy diary and it definitely has not gained an international audience of thousands. But that's just OK with me.

Every day, I read other blogs with authors who are insanely awesome writers. I am willing to admit that I am not one of those insanely awesome writers. First of all, I'm inconsistent with my posting. I'll go weeks without a single post and then blog for five days straight! Second, I haven't quite found my niche  for blog content. I usually just post about whatever is on my mind or the pictures I find on my iPhone.

And once again, that's just OK with me.

This is a place for me to exercise a bit of creativity. I aspire to write with the wit of Joy the Baker or to be as interesting as Joanna at A Cup of Jo.  I may never get to their level, and that's just fine with me!



Stick around if you'd like. I'd love to have you!

Lake Shore Drive - Chicago, IL

Top Five

A list of my top five finds in blog world as of lately....

1. An inspiring story... found HERE at Tea & Cookies

2. For the love of cheese!

3. THIS HOME is a dream come true....

4. Cabbies in England - Just Here's Fine.com

5. 20 of the most beautiful, quirky and awe inspiring bookstores in the world. CLICK HERE

This bookstore makes me swoon...

Oh Wait! There's more.....

A few helpful articles about finances

• How to Cut Your Spending by $400 a Month!
• Did you know Illinois is a "deregulated" state and therefore you can shop for the lowest prices on  electricity?! [SOURCE]
• When is the best time of the year to buy a new washer and dryer? CLICK HERE to see a buyers guide of "The Best Time to Buy" 

Fresh Perspective

   

I could make excuses as to why I haven't made time to blog.
I could tell you I wish there was more time in the day.
I could write about how busy I've been.

I could tell you all of these things, but I won't.


I seem to sound like a broken record most days. My posts are constantly peppered with "I'm Sorry" and "I'm so busy". Yes, life is busy, but I know that I am not the only person who has a lot going on in life. Sometimes, I let myself become overwhelmed in the world of busy that I created.

Ross wrote me a beautiful letter the other day and he so eloquently wrote about how we ought to stop wanting more. To do more, to be more, to own more. Instead, we should want less. Less stress, less worry and less energy spent on the superfluous.

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Psalm 23

In light of this fresh perspective, I resolve to focus more on the countless blessings, deep gratitude and pure joy that I already have. Please enjoy the following pictures and links of happiness, positivity, creativity, and humor... the true fabric of life. It sounds so cliché, but it really is the little things in life.

Egg Carton Morning Inspiration

Thrift Store Finds: Antique Foreign Edition of Scrabble!

Family, Sangria and Father's Day

   

   

I have travel to Chicago a lot lately for my new job... I loved this mural I saw on the train ride in! Where the Wild Things Are is a classic! I'm learning to navigate downtown with my trusty iPhone.

Look at that view of Lake Michigan!
This is the view from the family center

Watching the storm roll in from 20 stories up.
This is the view from my unit!

I epically failed at making cake in a jar :(
I love the neon food coloring, though.

Reading has regained its rightful place in my daily life!

The joy of a good beer or glass of wine. Even better when enjoyed with the company of a good friend :)








 

Joy the Baker says: "YOU’RE ALLOWED a maximum of one freak-out per month.  After said freak-out, get it together… call your mom, text your sister, walk it off, dance it out, massage it away, buy a new lipstick, fax your accountant, write your grandmother, and eat as many Tootsie Rolls as necessary. Exceptions include:  the nine months of pregnancy, tax season, and any month that contains one or more days of jury duty."
[Source: CLICK HERE]

I totally need to try this dip dye look...

Tips, directions and more can be found by CLICKING HERE  to visit the blog called Take a Megabite.

"No one looks stupid when they're having fun." 
-- Amy Poehler
[Image and quote via Cup of Joe. CLICK HERE.]

Did YOU know this?! -------------->



















Oh wait, there's more!!!

1. CLICK HERE or HERE to see what I look like when I wake up for work at 5 pm.
2. Can you say GORGEOUS?!  CLICK HERE to see the most beautiful family photographed by Alea Lovely.
3. The Quiet Revolution... Yes it's a real thing. CLICK HERE to learn more about it.
4. CLICK HERE to read 17 tips and tricks to make life easier.
5. To bring things full circle... An article about being busy. CLICK HERE