Oh, hey there, Monday. Nice of you to come around again. NOT. What kind of stupid name is “Monday” anyways? HAH- loser.
Okay, I’m done being a bully and ready to accept the fact that the weekend is over and it’s back to work! Let’s see what marvelous things I have to share from the weekend!
Marvelous is hiking!
One thing I’ve really regretted so far in college is not taking advantage of the amazing area I live in. I go to college in Santa Barbara, California and my school is framed by the ocean (I can walk to the beach in 5 minutes) and the mountains. I have a bad habit of letting schoolwork overwhelm my life and sitting out when it comes to spending time outdoors. 
Today, though, I decided to leave my organic chemistry where it belongs… Shoved in a drawer all by its lonesome… And headed out with a bunch of my friends and Kyle to explore a great trail!
The other guys that came hiking with us are all exchange students from either England or Ireland, and they deemed it absolutely necessary to find fish and chips for lunch. Typical.
Fun fact, they pronounce “zebra” like zheb-rah. Oh, those silly Europeans.
Since Kyle and I had already eaten lunch on the trail, we decided to share a plate. Let me tell ya, it was deep-fried deliciousness at its best! 
Marvelous is finishing my first freelance article for the site I was hired at and getting positive feedback on it!
Here’s a picture of the recipe I created/photographed for them. I’ll post a link to the site when it gets published!
Marvelous is starting to work with a designer to give Apple of My Eye a facelift!
I recently contacted Tasha from My Cute Lobster to design a new layout. After loving the look of Nikki’s site, I knew she would be the perfect designer for me! I’m going for a clean-cut layout with a few cute graphics to boot. Should be up in a few weeks!
Marvelous is cooking with Kyle!
This quarter, we’re trying to be better about making more home-cooked meals instead of eating out as much. We both are big foodies and LOVE trying/sharing new restaurants a little too much. As you might guess, this gets a bit expensive and eating out can get a bit unhealthy if you’re going 198043284 times a week like we were. Not to mention I own a food blog. So yeah, I have no excuse haha!
Anyways, we started meal planning and have been eating pretty damn well for college students, if I may say so myself. A few meals include Lemon Shrimp Orzo, panko crusted salmon with my Garlic Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and this delicious plate on Saturday night.
The picture doesn’t do it justice, but we feasted on steak with caramelized onions and mushrooms, roasted sweet potatoes, mac and cheese (can’t beat Kraft, let’s be honest), and salad. In fact, I’m about to eat leftovers in 5 minutes and can’t wait! BRB.
Okay, back. And stuffed. I’m a bit like an infant in that as soon as I eat a good meal I get insanely tired and cranky (don’t I sound juuust peachy), so I’m going to end this marvelous post on that tasty note and get to reading a new book.
Have a wonderful Monday!
When you re-design you better not ditch the firagge! AHH HA HA AH AHAH AH AHAHA HA! Giraffe! OMG that was the best typo EVER! 😉
And I am right there with you, I tend to get really into my work, and forget about the beach and the hiking too! GAHHH! I am glad YOU got out there this past weekend!
Hahahaha some typos just crack me up! And don’t worry, the little guy will be in there somewhere, I’ll make sure of it 😉
I’m so jealous–I wish I had easy access to a beach or mountains. Closest beach is an hour away by car and it’s not that great, and closest mountains are…well…not close at all. Also, I was already hungry before reading this, but that picture of fish and chips made me so much hungrier. I could really go for some good fried food right now…too bad it’s midnight and I don’t have a car and I don’t want to get kidnapped. Sigh. Congrats on your article! I’m so excited to see what you do.
Fried food is delicious no matter what the time. Like, I could eat french fries for breakfast no problem haha ;). I’m glad you didn’t get kidnapped <3. Thanks!
The views from your hike look amazing! The hubby and I had to reel in going out to dinner too! We are total opposites, but love eating and trying new foods so that was our go-to date night! We have found it’s just as fun trying new things at home. Well, almost, the dishes part kind of stinks!
Glad Kyle and I aren’t the only ones ;). Hahah I totally agree about the dishes! Usually I have a rule that if I cook, Kyle has to clean up ;). Luckily he’s a trooper and doesn’t complain!
Excellent campaign! I am the student and therefore I understand you 😉 During examinations my day it simply mix from reading the textbook and attempts to force itself to read the textbook… My level of activity the awfully low!
It’s always nice to take a break from school once in awhile and get outside’ I wish I had the same easy access to beaches and mountains tht you have! My house is like that at home but when I’m in school I don’t have either of those things nearby. Bummer, too, since I really enjoy hiking.
Girl, this hike looks so beautiful! One of my favorite ways to be active with friends and I cannot believe how beautiful the weather is. Though it’s sunny in France today I am freezing. What would I give for a trip to California now ;)!
And now I am totally excited for your new design, too. Cannot wait! I would re-design my page every 2 weeks, but I hold back to not annoy my readers, haha.
Jealous that you can still go hiking, it’s freezing in Boston now so no hiking for awhile ugh
Gah I would have killed to go to a college surrounded my an ocean and mountains! Instead I went to school in the tundra…Montreal is COLD!
Going to school in a place like that would seriously be a dream… My school was surrounded by a concrete jungle 😆 But I know what you mean about just kind of taking that sort of thing for granted. I complain about how boring my city is all the time, but there’s actually a tonne of things to do here if I was only willing to put in the effort to do some research. Maybe one day… until then, I’ll just keep griping 😉
Oh I just love hiking! I miss it so much now that our winters are here and hiking is just not an easy thing to do in Wisconsin in winter. Every now and then on the weekends if the weather is decent enough, the hubs and I will take his mom’s puppy for a walk in the snow. That’s about as adventurous as we get. :/
Plus, I love that you and Kyle are cooking meals together. That’s something I really want to start doing with Scott. It’d be a fun way to spend time together and allow us both to make things that we can enjoy together.
You have such gorgeous scenery! I’m totally jealous that you’re that close to the beach. I have to drive an hour to get to VA Beach
That whole steak dinner looks amazing too, now you’re making me hungry!
I’m 99% positive I would have accomplished NOTHING in college had I gone to school 5 minutes from the beach AND mountains!! Enjoy every second, girl!!
I’m glad you were able to get out an enjoy the beautiful mountains! I know what you mean with school work sometimes getting the best of you but it’s nice to forget it, sometimes, and enjoy yourself! Food wise, I would say you et better than most any college students I know.
I totally agree with regretting not taking advantage of the surrounding outdoors! Like, I live in Bozeman, MT which is (apparently) one of the best places in the country for outdoor rec and I’ve done NOTHING. Oh the woes of not having a car! Also, I could totally tell those boys were European. Very fahnnn-cay 😉
You guys are too cute! Congrats on finishing your article and props for getting outside. That is probably my biggest regret from college – not exploring the area I lived in! It’s a tough balance between school work and constantly studying and actually taking some time off
Mondays are sooooo lame. And ahhh I would be outside all the time if it looked like that where I lived.
Looks like a gorgeous area to go to school at. I would love to live that close to the beach. Your food looks delicious!
I adore hiking but live in the most flat part of the world on earth! its really lame 😛 Im pretty sure its 1/128371 chance that people get to to go to a college near mountains and the beach! <3 absolutely wonderful!
Okay you can wear a tanktop outside right now?! SO JEALOUS! I’m super excited to see the new design! I’d like to eventually get a custom one, but as of right now it’s not changing! And I am so jealous how you and Kyle eat. My future boyfriend has to be a foodie!
Ahh I would love to go to school close to a beach!! That’s so awesome that you’re doing freelance work too and I can’t wait to see the recipe! I definitely need a boyfriend who is a foodie or at least doesn’t get annoyed with my obsession with taking pictures of my food haha
That was such a cute intro. It brung a smile upon my face reading it.
I love hiking! It is so refreshing and fun. The pictures are beautiful and I’m definitely jealous of you living in CA!
Being my mom is from England, fish and chips is a delicacy in my household. Never. Gets. Old. Nothing in America can beat it in its homeland though!
The food looks divine. Seriously. Mouth = Watering.
Congrats on the positive feedback and have an amazing semester! 😀
I absolutely love your Garlic Balsamic Brussels Sprouts! I made a whole batch for my self the weekend before school started, and enjoyed them in my lunch every day last week at school!
What a pretty trail! Love that there was a stream and everything wasn’t just all dried up like it can be in California over winter
Oh my gosh, the area you live in is BEAUTIFUL!! What a wonderful hike. I wish I could do that around here!! That is so exciting about your freelance article! I can’t wait to read it!! Congradulations (:
Let’s be real, Kraft is great. When my sister is home from college she demands my mom buy it and won’t use my mom’s nicer pasta, ha!
You hike with some cute guys. Just sayin. Also, from a girl cold and stuck in CT, yes please go to the beach every day in my honor! Take advantage!
Hi there! I just wanted to ask if you ever
have any trouble with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended
up losing many months of hard work due to no backup.
Do you have any solutions to stop hackers?