TEN SIMPLE THINGS || EARLY RETIREMENT + LEMONADE RECIPE

 when mitch and I first decided we were coming down here and then found out I couldn't work during our 20-month-long stay in this paradise, we obviously began scrimping and saving and working really hard to pay for the upcoming expenditures that were going to come our way. if you had asked me then if 20 months was too long to do nothing, I would have laughed uncontrollably. with christmas and packing and working, I was exhausted! then, in january, we resigned from our (amazing) jobs and said goodbye to our amazing folks and flew southbound to the caribbean. for me, I call this my early retirement. I thought myself really witty, at first, for coming up with this. now, I'm sort of figuring out why people retire once they're older and have kids and grandkids to play with. retirement can be super boring when you're in your 20s. so as the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make some really fresh and delicious lemonade (recipe below). and eat macarons. poolside. and just try to make the best out of retirement. it's a hard life. but somebody's got to live it :) now, let's toast to a really summer-y ten simple things...

001 :: mitch doing the dishes after a long day in the kitchen. turning on the oven in summer is one of those do-I-have-to? moments, but becomes so much easier when you know you don't have to stick your hands in hot water to wash all of those after dinner dishes. my husband is so great about asking to help in the kitchen. and this past sunday, when he asked what he could do to help, I simply asked if he could do the dishes. he was so steadfast about his task. he just stood in the kitchen and talked to me until he had a dish to wash. I think I chose pretty well for myself in the husband department.

002 :: deep conditioning my hair. this sounds weird, right? but trust me, after months of neglecting it, you can totally appreciate this simple act. my hair is shiny and feels so soft. I love it. 

003 :: trying authentic schwarma for the first time. a dish I've fancied trying since it was mentioned at the end of the avengers and I finally got to devour it monday night. we went to this restaurant called little jerusalem and the owners are originally from the middle east and so friendly. boy, do they know their schwarma. though, I might recommend wearing a generous amount of bug spray. such is eating outdoors at night in the caribbean. that way, it's just suppertime for you. not those vicious mosquitoes.

004 :: going to a real live movie theatre. there is so much local and cultural flavor on this island, which I appreciate, but still occasionally get homesick. then life throws me a pleasant curve ball and becomes so american. stadium seating, overly air-conditioned and the smell of popcorn wafting through the air. after blocks, mitch was dying to see x-men. and for two hours, I felt like I was in america. it was a much needed (and short) trip home.

005 :: puppy planning. mitch and I get in these moods where we sit down and plan our future home or our dream vacation. this week, it was our future puppy. and this one might not even be as far off as the former two. we discussed breeds and where and when and how much we could spend. and we may come to expect this little addition this december. that is a very tentative exclamation as it has everything to do with moving.

006 :: okc dominating the spurs tuesday night. I like the spurs. but I love okc. and they just showed up to play that night. they sort of let me down thursday, but I have high hopes for this upcoming game.

007 :: girls night and being re-introduced to the bachelorette. I remember watching this with roommates in college, but had totally forgotten about it. then a friend suggested we all get together and eat treats and watch it this past week. and, I mean, she had me at treats, but I was happily surprised at how much I enjoyed the show, itself. pretty hopeful for it to become a weekly thing.

008 :: meeting another wife down here who loves a chilled diet coke as much as I do. I always feel like a naughty runner or yogi when I finish a run or a class and then go for a diet coke. like I've signed some declaration that I will only put natural and healthy things into my body, and then commit treason for putting all of those chemicals into my body. but diet coke is my guilty pleasure and I found someone who feels the same way. from that moment on, I knew we were gonna be friends.

009 :: mitch going out to dinner with a friend wednesday. while I was out watching the bachelorette at a friend's house, mitch actually got to go out with a friend as well, and I was so grateful for that. that boy needs a break from studying and from me.

010 :: afternoon walks on the beach with mitch. he got a day off of school, so we grabbed a gourmet cheeseburger (and yes, it did come from a fast food window and I'm shamed) and walked the longest stretch of beach we could find. embarrassingly enough, I think that's the first time we've walked on a beach since we got engaged. which, by the way, was the 3-year anniversary of that amazing event! woot woot!

and here's that lemonade recipe...

ingredients ::
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 packets stevia
2 tbsp honey
2 strawberries, sliced
1 sprig of mint
ice to preference

method ::
combine water, lemon juice, stevia, and honey. slice strawberries and remove leaves from mint sprigs. mix all ingredients together (except ice) and let diffuse in the fridge for 15 minutes. add ice and enjoy! you can also choose mix this in a blender. totally up to you.

wishing you all a happy weekend and hoping that you can venture outdoors and hike. because that's what we are going to be doing! thanks so much for reading!

love, arielle