the hills are alive.

i'm so good at NOT blogging, it's really a shame that i try and break that cycle.

i need to just take the leap and not put so much pressure on myself to be this awesome blogger, when in reality, i just want to show off fun stuff i find.

ANYWHO.

we got this notebook in at the store recently, and it caught my eye. now i can't wait to buy it.

{she climbed until she saw composition book. $5.95}

i know, i know, we all need another cute notebook like we need a hole in the head, but there is something about this that really strikes me.

firstly, it's nature-y...which, i love. (in my head i'm really nature-y.) as a result, it reminds me of camp, which is always ideal/essential on rough days.

secondly, i feel like it really speaks to how i approach many things in my life. i climb until i see. i have climbed, i do climb, and you damn well know that i'm climbing in my future. and even if you're not to the top, even if the peak seems eons away, the view doesn't seem all bad from here.

thirdly, this notebook reminds me of one of my greatest accomplishments. it also happens to be the inspiration for my hypothetical future tattoo -- which would be the longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of the peak of mount whitney. i backpacked the west side of whitney with a group of diabetic 16 and 17 year olds in summer 2004. at 14,505 feet, it's the highest peak in the contiguous united states. we did it in ten days, hiking over 110 miles. when we started, my pack weighted nearly 90 pounds, and i think it was the sixth time i had ever backpacked. not too shabby, eh? it was truly one of those "i'm just flattered to have been asked [to be staff on this trip]" moments. it was so much fun, and so challenging, and an experience i look forward to repeating. soon.

when cancer is over, i'm doing it again.

so, here it is...the hypothetical tattoo:

36 34'42.9 N

118 17'31.2 W

it will be in honor of past accomplishments and future goals.

now i just need to figure out all those "minor" details including how to get over my crippling fear of needles and whether or not i want to commit to something for the rest of my life.

man, for a notebook that's only $6, i've done a really good job of justifying the purchase.

(the website for the parent company, compendium, has some really cute books and paper goods on it.)

hello stranger.

well, here i am world. back in action. okay, okay, so maybe it has been eight months. but, ya know. what are you going to do? sometimes life gets in the way of chronicling it all on my laptop to update the world (in theory) on the ins and outs of my life...of which there have been many.

since june 5th, my last blog post, there has been so much that has happened, and all i can say is that i'm so glad that it all did.

has it been perfect? of course not.

has it challenged me? most certainly.

have i loved every moment of it? hell yes.

so, let's give this a try - eight months in a hundred and fifty words or less:

bearskin. leaders-in-training. bed rest. chelliot. fresno. fake boyfriend and girlfriend. bridesmaid business. my best friend’s wedding. drinking. dancing. cuteness. giants games. “let’s make friends” party. sixty coors light. s’mores. rabbit. more lits. norovirus. lits again. red roof. drama. more lits. crystle caves. justin bieber. closing circle. missing camp. visits. giants games. oakdale. krystle. holly. santa cruz shakespeare festival. more giants. business law. giants fever. clinical trial. tumors disappearing. birthdays. lions pub. surprise lits. magnolia. lions pub, again. carrie underwood. beach blanket babylon. hardly strictly bluegrass. fake breakup. jack johnson. teen ed retreat. giants win nlds. sharktoberfest. phillies. palm springs. sisters. black. orange. pennant. rangers. WORLD SERIES! parade day. mixed results with trial. bernardo. thanksgiving. palm springs christmas party. finals. boulder. graduation. new iphone. “damn girl.” work. della santina’s. christmas. new years eve. scott. breanne. 2011. hip pain. goodbye mackensey and nardo. radiation. new treatment. sick. 26. birthday brunch. school.

smiling.

so. that is what life has been like. once again, ups and downs, but as usual, one day at a time. loving it as i go.

i do have to say that the giants being in the play-offs, followed by the world series was beyond exciting. the city was a-buzz, orange was everywhere you went, and everyone had a spring in their step.

the day the san francisco giants won the world series is a day i will never forget. we laughed, we cried, and we kept trying to pinch ourselves to wake up from this dream. still, now, just thinking about it makes me tear up a bit. honestly those were some of the most exciting, happiest, and completely unforgettable days of my life.

(here is my outdated homage to my favorite team in the world.)

in short, i guess that is what's up.

watch out blogosphere, i'm back.

the look: summer 2010

okay, okay. so...this isn't really THE look, it's more like MY look for what my summer is going to consist of.

i pretty much hold it down with all the classics: a well-fitted tee, a little sun protection and my go-to j.crew khaki shorts. i like to consider it the middle ground between the staff that are unshowered in sweatpants, and those that look ridiculous in full hair and make-up, thinking that the middle of the woods is a place where accessories and perfume are required.

for me, i tend to be satisfied if i find a clean shirt, slap some deodorant on, and wash off my feet before sticking them into my sleeping bag. at camp, it really is all about the little things.

1. giants hat 2. rainbows 3. american apparel {sheer jersey short sleeve women's summer t}

4. j.crew {9" chino short} 5. ray-bans {large aviator} 6. straw fedora

7. tom's {ash canvas classic} 8. j.crew {broken-in boyfriend chino short} 9. merrell {siren sport}

flicker of the campfire.

well, it's official. summer 2010 is upon us and i could not be more excited.

this summer, i'm headed up to bearskin meadow camp for the 19th year.

when i was 16 & 17, i was a counselor-in-training at bearskin and can confidently say that it was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. those two summers influenced me to challenge myself and better my life through friendships, teamwork and leadership. it lead to my employment for six of the past seven summers, college admissions, an internship and experiences i never would have pursued otherwise. most significantly, my experience at camp has led to some of the most meaningful relationships i have ever had.

i could not be happier to say that i will be returning this summer. i was offered the position of leader-in-training (the updated cit program) coordinator, and i immediately knew that i had to take the position. it has been my dream since i was 16 to be able to influence teens the way my cit coordinators influenced me (thank you jeff, suzy and tracy). with careful medical schedule planning, and perfect timing for MM & TM's wedding, i was able to make it work. none of it will be easy. i have been interviewing teens for the past few weeks, and the expectations are high. more than anything, my expectations for the program are the ones i have to worry about. because this program has made such a difference in my life, i want it to mean the same thing to the participants.

i will have to take a break at some point during a session to come down the hill to get treatment back here in the city. knowing that, i told JG (my camp boss and previous fellow 2001/2002 cit) that i will need strong support staff that i can rely on when i have to return to the real world for 36 hours. luckily for me, after nearly 5 years, i have reunited with EW, a dear friend from my first summer as cit. i am so happy to have him back in my life, and the even better news is that he has decided to work the program with me, and "inspire the next generation of us" as he likes to say.

i am incredibly excited to spend six weeks of my summer in kings canyon national park and at the place that i will always be able to call home.

take me out.

with baseball season coming to a close, my heart grows weary with how i'll be spending my evenings. i'm sure i'll spend quite a bit of time looking forward to next season, possibly planning a trip to spring training and getting my orange and black wardrobe ready for april. in the meantime, i've managed to find some cute finds that i'm pretty stoked about, and i'll find some sort of excuse to get these all in the future.

i think these are absolutely fantastic, and i really look forward to my future mister (in my hypothetical, fantasy world and imaginary wedding) sportin' (pardon the pun) these down the aisle.

found on etsy.

i also really like these pens. if i had any vested interest in any of these ballparks, (which include yankee stadium, fenway park, wrigley field, busch stadium, and dodger stadium ) i would make sure to snatch one up. they are made of repurposed old wooden seats that have since been retired from the stadiums. they would make a great father's day present for a true fan.

found on red envelope.

my third and final tidbit of baseballness is something for the truly dedicated. these awesome cuffs are made from genuine leather baseballs. i think that they'd be really cute as a coach's gift. a perfect fashion statement? possibly not -- but once again, i believe in brownie point to concepts.

also, a couple months ago i briefly mentioned that i was the lucky recipient of a wonderful baseball wardrobe item (code for badass, super warm jacket) this season. this three-year-anniversary gift from my dear CP had managed to keep me warm at the ballpark and at home. not only is it official, authorized MLB merchandise, but it's also what the PLAYERS wear in the dugout! so awesome. i'm such a gamer. loves it.

found on sfgiants.

and last but not least, i need to mention one last thing:

GO GIANTS!

WE'RE IN THIS!!!

national trail mix and toasting marshmallows day.

a veteran s'more maker myself, i can tell you that there are some essential tips to the art of the s'more.

down and dirty, old skool:

warm mallow. between two graham crackers. add chocolate as desired.

fancy pants s'more, martha style.

found on martha stewart.

 a little trick of the trade, consider this investment for true s'more efficiency.

found on rei.

the banana boat

(another personal camping favorite)

1. slice a whole banana, peel on, lengthwise. 

2. leave peel on, and carefully separate, making room for fillings.

3. put marshmallows into the opening.

4. put hershey's chocolate pieces into the opening.

5. sprinkle some brown sugar on top.

6. wrap the entire banana in tin foil.

7. stick on campfire coals (or in the over) for about 7 minutes.

8. check to see if goodies are melted.

9. enjoy!

(other topping ideas: peanut butter, reese's, nuts, m&ms, fresh fruit, whipped cream)

seattle swag.

after a week of vacation and a couple days of re-grouping, i am back and excited to show off some of my great souvenirs from beautiful Seattle. though i didn't return with rain, fresh fish or polar fleeces, i did manage to find some fun stuff.

one of my much-anticipated and most satisfying stops was de medici ming fine papers on 1st ave. the shop owner was there and not only attentive, but very present and proud of her shop. and very excited to share that they have been there 26 years and that all of her business is either in-store or by phone -- the store is computer, e-mail and website-free, which is very commendable in today's retail world. it is truly a store that i am glad has survived and i plan on continuing to support it, even from afar.

among the gorgeous flat papers, from marbled to shiny gift wrap, i found some adorable greeting cards and various bit and pieces that i couldn't live without.

found on elum

i love this thank you card as well. especially for when you're REALLY thankful.

found on two piglet letterpress.

and now off to canada! we spent the day in victoria where i found a little shop appropriately called the papery. it was fantastic and i thoroughly annoying chris with the amount of time i spent in there. 

how adorable is this tissue paper?!

found on gallery19.

these labels caught my eye immediately, only after purchasing them i realized that they are a chronicle books product -- fresh out of san francisco.

found on chronicle books. 

my favorite favorite favorite find of the trip was from the seattle art museum (sam) store. i could have bought about a million of these for everyone i know and love, but of course, i didn't. that would have been too logical.

found on dci gift.

sneak some zucchini onto your neighbor's porch day.

yes, it is a holiday, and yes, it is today.

i'll be leaving this yummy treat that i found on Martha Stewart's website, on my neighbors' porches:

• found on martha stewart.
• Zucchini Fritters
  
• 1 pound (about 2 medium) zucchini
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (1 lemon) plus
• 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges (optional)
• 10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, stems removed and leaves finely chopped, plus more sprigs for garnish (optional)
• 1 medium clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate zucchini into a medium bowl. Add the salt, lemon zest, chopped parsley, garlic, pepper, and eggs. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour, stirring so no lumps form.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of zucchini mixture into the pan. Carefully drop about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture into pan; repeat, spacing fritters a few inches apart.
3. Cook fritters until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat to medium. Turn fritters, and continue cooking until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fritters to a plate; set aside in a warm place. Cook remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired; serve.

national watermelon day

i wish they had this in grown-up sizes.

found on gymboree.

though i'm glad that these tequila-soaked watermelon wedges are for the grown-ups.

a perfect poolside treat.

found on martha stewart.

adventure.

this month is indeed "American Adventure Month" and with that in mind, i made a recent purchase. as a self-proclaimed travel book junkie, i knew i had to pick this up when i saw it. 

Lonely Planet does great books and is always my go-to when it comes to travel, though for my past couple trips i've taken liking to the Fodor's guides.

found on lonely planet.

now, when there is a day of boredom or a few hours to kill, we can pick up the book and go on a little adventure. more things to add to our summer to-do list!

i scream you scream.

my next summer adventure?

this cute little ice cream shop called Ici Ice Cream in Berkeley.

i'm sure it won't take much convincing to get some travel companions.

found on ici ice cream.

ruffle.

my dear KM went on vacation this past week and brought me home a bag i've been 

pining for over the past year. 

i am honored to say that i am the new owner of the adorable green version, 

though mine is in the more practical tote bag size. 

thank you!

found on india rose.

must have.

this is really cute. 

i wish i could guesstimate my size. 

found on fred flare.