Five Years

Posted on September 11, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

Five years ago today I piled up my car, said teary goodbyes to my best friends, and began the long road trip from Los Angeles to Dallas. I was moving to Texas for my job at Touch A Life and though I was totally daunted by the transition and anxious about what lay ahead (I had only been to Dallas a handful of times, and I knew hardly anyone besides my coworkers), I knew that taking this step would allow me to live out the plan that God had set out for my life. And now, looking back, I see how vivid and rich that plan was, and I truly can’t imagine my life any other way. By moving to Dallas, I furthered my career, came into my own as a woman, and, most importantly, met my husband and made some of the very best friends in the world, establishing community that I truly could never live without, regardless of where I live.

Of course, I know that September 11th marks a very sad time in our country’s history, and I’ve been thinking about and praying for those affected by the terrorist attacks continually throughout the day; nothing could ever change or trivialize what this day means to us as American citizens. But as far as my personal journey goes, September 11th has come to mean something else, something about trust and hope and promise. I’m reminded to live every day with intentionality, following in the path that God has laid out before me. I’m reminded to never take a single second of this sweet life for granted and to trust that everything, indeed, can be redeemed and made beautiful in His time.

Photo via Heather Hawkins from our engagement photo shoot last year – click on the link to check out more photos from that fun session!

Taco Stop

Posted on September 9, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

This morning was one of the really great ones. I felt invigorated and all sorts of hopped up on endorphins, thanks to an early personal training session with one of my City Surf instructors (who took pity on my measly ankle and offered me some one-on-one time to get me back into action). While on my way to the training site, I spotted a pretty little taco shop that I’d never visited (or heard of) before, and I knew that my post-workout breakfast plans were set. My instructor confirmed that the place was delicious, so after getting my sweat on, I excitedly drove a few blocks to Taco Stop.

Let’s pause and take a moment to appreciate the fresh, bright decor at this lovely little place. Doesn’t it look pretty in the morning sunlight?

I ordered two breakfast tacos – one with bacon and eggs, and one with potato, cheese, and eggs – and one of each of the salsas (green and red, of course). I added a bubbly, refreshing Topo Chico to the mix and the kind gentlemen working in the kitchen threw in a fresh black coffee for free (!!!). The tacos were piping hot and, as expected, totally delicious. I liked that the tacos were on the smaller side, too – you know that I love me a beast of a taco like the ones that are served at Good 2 Go but I usually reserve those treats for weekends when I can take a nap afterwards. The smaller tacos are certainly way more conducive to having a productive workday (as is the black coffee, which I am slowly but surely acquiring a taste for) – they’re filling but not so rich that I enter into a food coma immediately after consuming them.

I took a minute to reflect on my morning as a whole while I noshed on my tacos. I felt invigorated by doing something out of the norm, even though it was something as simple as trying a new local spot. I savored the quiet time I had to sit and enjoy my breakfast as the world hurried on by. It’s nice to pause in the middle of the work week to treat yourself to some peace and quiet (and coffee and tacos) every now and then, isn’t it?

P.S. I am going to continue bookmarking all of these recipe & restaurant-related posts in my Taste & Try folder on the sidebar but I’m going to remove the T & T verbiage from the blog post’s titles (just to keep things simple and clean). I hope you don’t mind! All of the content and foodie goodness and Taste & Try vibes will remain the same, I promise.

Fall Reading List

Posted on September 8, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

I have always loved to read but there’s something particularly special and invigorating about the beginning of the new school year that causes me to line up a bunch of new titles to devour. I was so thrilled when I recently learned that my favorite author, Shauna Niequist, is working on her next book, Present Over Perfect – even though it won’t be published until 2016, you can bet your bottom dollar that this spurred on my passion for gobbling up a whole shelf’s worth of books while I wait for her next creation to come out. She’s also releasing a devotional next spring that I can’t wait to get my hands on. In the meantime, here are some books that I’m looking to add to my reading list this fall (plus, see the rest of the books I’d like to read [and have read!] here on my Shelfari profile):

A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live, Emily Freeman – I admit, we were supposed to read this for our book club in January but I only got through the first few chapters. The content is so good but I got sidetracked by a really delicious novel and didn’t ever get back to the rest of A Million Little Ways. As I seek out inspiration heading into this new season, I can’t think of any better way to dive right in than by reading this book.
I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai – My sister-in-law gave me this book for Christmas, so it’s been on my list for a few months now. I’m so excited to dig in to this inspiring memoir.
The Circle, Dave Eggers – I love all of Dave Eggers’s books so The Circle definitely makes this list. This novel, set at the world’s most powerful internet company, is described as a “heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge” – intriguing, no?
Rework, Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson – I have heard so many great things about this book and the way it transforms the reader’s concept of work, business, time management, and efficiency. I definitely think it will give me a kickstart, work-wise, as we head into our busiest season of the year and corresponding fourth quarter donation push.
Speak: How Your Story Can Change the World, Nish Weiseth – Speak is “a book about the power of telling our own stories and hearing those of others to change hearts, build bridges, advocate for good, make disciples with grace, and proclaim God’s kingdom on Earth today.” Boom.

What’s on your back-to-school reading list? Got any great book recommendations?

Image via Pinterest

Week & End

Posted on September 5, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

Three cheers for short work weeks! We are putting in lots of hours helping with the garage sale that my friend Jessica is hosting to benefit Touch A Life this weekend, so we’ll certainly be celebrating with some ice-cold cocktails after our hard work is done tomorrow evening. Our small group took a summer hiatus and we’ll be starting up again on Sunday, so I’m definitely looking forward to getting back into a routine of getting together after church for lunch and fellowship. Other than that, there’s not much else on the agenda! Do you have big plans? I hope your weekend is wonderful!

Just for fun, here are some great links from around the web:

This post and this post make me want to take a trip to Big Sur as soon as possible. Like, tomorrow? I’m craving some ocean air in a major way.

These fresh peach and yogurt biscuits look so delicious! They’d be perfect with a hot cup of coffee for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

I love reading the blog Sugar & Cloth, so I am super obsessed with this tour of her studio space – it’s so gorgeous! This is totally the look I am going for in my own office at work, which you may get to see online soon and very soon…(teaser!).

I am stoked about the impending release of Camille Styles’s entertaining book! I’m also hoping she’ll come to Dallas during one of her book tour dates.

In the mood to do some Christmas shopping in September? We just posted our Christmas wish list for the Touch A Life children in Ghana! Visit our list on Amazon.com and select a gift to send to a child in West Africa. Your contribution will truly make a child’s Christmas a memorable one!

Image via Glitter Guide

Life Lately

Posted on September 2, 2014 by coffeeandtacos

WHOA. September 2nd already?! I’m so sorry for my lack of posting recently. Two weeks ago I broke my ankle and have been recovering at home in a haze of aches, pains, and medication, and I’m finally on the mend! My recovery process has actually gone so swiftly and well, thanks largely to my amazing husband, family, and friends. I’ve been so grateful for the encouraging words, the thoughtful visits from loved ones near and far (including Mom’s three-day journey to Dallas from Chicago when James had to make a last-minute trip to Ohio!), and the fun, uplifting gifts (wine & candy included, natch). I’ve always known that my people are the very best, but these past few weeks have really reaffirmed that.

After lots of time snuggling on the couch with Callie, watching TV marathons on Netflix, reading lots of books (This Is Where I Leave You was an instant favorite), and snacking on delicious treats, it feels good to be back in the swing of things. I’m thankful to have a job that allows me to accomplish tasks remotely, but it does feel nice to be back in the office today – there’s something motivating about having an office space to go to and get work done in, I think.

I love this time of year. Even though I’m no longer a student, I’ve always felt more refreshed by the entrance of fall than I have by the coming of a new calendar year. I still find myself living according to the timeline of a student, planning my schedule and calendar accordingly (spring break, anyone?). I appreciate that my favorite season, summer, technically still has a few more weeks left in the limelight, meaning that there’s more time for cocktails on patios, swimming, barbecuing, and evening walks (pending the removal of my cast, of course), but I still can’t help but be invigorated by the entrance of a new school year, a chance to start fresh, to re-evaluate goals, and to make more plans (and, naturally, to stock up on new “school” supplies, like these amazing sushi erasers). In fact, I love this time of year so much that you’ll see me writing about this very topic on Darling Magazine’s blog soon, soon, soon – so stay tuned. (And in the meantime, check out my most recent post about planning the perfect staycation.)

I really and truly appreciate your patience. I’m officially back and at ’em, so I’ll see you here tomorrow. Thanks for reading!

Image via eHow Crafts

Coffee & Tacos

Monthly Archives: September 2014