Simple Joys of the Week, August 14th Edition

Well, hello there! Another Friday, can you stand it? This summer = fastest summer on the books. Lets slow things down a bit by pausing to reflect on the past 7 days (which flew by like no other), shall we?

Here are a few of the simple joys that brought me pleasure this week: 

HEAR: Karuna Sigari Ma by C.C. White
I am #obsessed with this song. I know I say that a lot, but it's true. It's on my yoga class playlist this month, and every time that it comes on I just get a rush of energy and happiness. If you're coming to my class at Love Yoga Fest this weekend (you can buy a pass for just 1 class!), get ready to hear it there and flow to it...you can listen below:

SEE: This article -->When Close Friends Live Far Away (A Request)
OMG, this article made me cry! The writer says everything that I feel and want to say about living far away from so many of my dear friends, but in a much better way than I could have articulated. Beautiful, spot on, and true for so many of us, sadly. Worth a read if you have a long-distance bestie (or a few!).

TASTE: Pizza Barbone
Last weekend, Ben and I had our first date night in a while, and it was much-needed [as explained in Monday's post]. We ate outside at this local wood-fired pizza joint, and it was DELICIOUS. There's just something about wood-fired pizza, amirite? And when it's enjoyed outside on a summer night with a glass of cold white wine? Perfection! 

SMELL: Meal cooking in the crock-pot (sounds lame but hear me out!)
As embarrassing as it is to admit, I've never made a meal in a crock-pot before. I mean, you guys know that I don't cook (Ben cooks and I'm his sous chef) so it's probably not that surprising to you, but there you go. That being said, I've really been wanting to start learning some super easy, healthy meals that I can prepare if Ben isn't able to make dinner for us (eek!); enter the crock pot. And um, it's a miracle machine!?!? How fun to have something cooking without having to do hardly anything! I'm a convert. 

{Also, I'm getting old. Who gets this excited about a crock-pot?} 

TOUCH: Paintbrushes, watercolors, + afternoons spent in the studio...
This summer, finding time to paint has been challenging. But this week--finally!--I found some time to really get down and dirty with some of the commissions that have been waiting for me/begging to be finished. It was *SO* lovely to spend a few afternoons working in my studio, and I'm so excited to ship out the finished products today!

Other #SJOTW? An afternoon at the beach with Ben, hearing this new rap song that all the kids are listening to these days, painting our front stoop (updated pics coming soon!), and a lovely dinner by the water with new friends last weekend.

What made you smile this week? I hope you can find the time to pause and reflect on your simple joys sometime today!

Before I go, a few notes:

• Today is the last day to enter my Lenovo Bluetooth Speaker giveaway! Details here. 
  
• Love Yoga Fest tickets are still available! If you want to join me for my workshop, Get Into the Groove: Mandala Flow, you can register here. I'll be yoga-ing all weekend and I cannot wait.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!