Tiny adventures so far: 103
03.26.26 | Maui Caramacs
Straight from Hawaii - a souvenir from one of my sweet students.
03.23.26 | Churro KitKat
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Tried a new Kit Kat flavor with my after-school kiddos today. I love trying new things with kids - always a hoot. 😂
03.17.26 | Sugar & Sage Orange Lavender Refresh
I hate driving to Sugar & Sage, but I love eating there. My sister, Kerissa, was kind enough to drive us both and treat me to breakfast. I wish my favs weren’t seasonal, and I was disappointed that I didn’t find the jalapeño cheddar sausage pastry that I was craving, but the pastries we did find were also delicious. The real showstopper today was this orange lavender drink - 10 out of 10 would recommend.
03.13.26 | Ube Coconut Macchiato
Late-night Starbucks meet with old friends who occasionally write. I love that even with all the adulting (career shifts, moves, kids), we can still manage these rare moments. As for the drink, I am here for it - it’s unlike any other drink I’ve had before, and honestly, in rare form for Starbucks.
02.05.26 | Cat’s cradle
When my after-school kiddos learned about my “something new challenge”, they wanted to join in. They brought me a little book of string tricks and invited me to try the “Cat’s Cradle”.
02.02.26 | Bibigo Seaweed Chips
Seaweed snacks just got an upgrade. Instant delight - crispy and light, sweet n’ salty n’ spicy - delicious. This will now be a regular part of my snack rotation.
01.28.26 | Dandelion Tea
In my first year of teaching one of my very sweet students - let’s caller her E - told me about dandelion tea - up until then, I had no idea that dandelions could be used for tea. She kindly made me her own little dandelion tea bag. Tonight I tried store-bought dandelion tea and upon reintroduction, I determined it was not for me. Still, I’ll always think on it fondly, because of E.
01.21.26 | Ramen Crunch
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My sister always finds the coolest snacks. I tried this one after school, and a couple of my after-school friends observed. It was fun, different, and a little spicy.
01.02.26 | Mango Sticky Rice
Dinner and a movie with my sister - we are fans of Thai food. My go-to is red curry with shrimp, plus a Thai tea. Tonight, I tried dessert too - mango sticky rice. It’s an interesting combo, and I probably won’t make a habit of it, but I’m glad I tried it.
12.30.25 | Taqueria & Tamaleria Nuevo León
I eat tacos (or maybe “tacos”) pretty often, but this is my first proper taqueria plate. My friend, Devra, invited me to do lunch at Taqueria & Tamaleria Nuevo León, and it was a fun, rather different taco experience. The load of onions and cilantro went mostly untouched, because that is not my jam (I did try a couple of onions on one taco, to honor the plate as it was served). I learned the difference between carne asada and barbacoa, and finally learned what the red meat is (trompo, spit-roasted shaved pork), though I’m still not sure why it’s so red.
12.20.25 | Snake!
I am not an animal person, and I am certainly not a snake person, but I try to be a brave and adventurous person, so today, I did a thing I thought I’d never do. After a fabulous morning trail ride at Cathy’s Critters, my friends and I explored the interesting little zoo and came across this golden opportunity to try something new.
11.27.25 | 1127 Cranberry-Cookie Butter Cheesecake
At my humble suggestion my brilliant sister made this delightful dessert (courtesy of NYT recipes) for Thanksgiving dinner. We enjoyed it, but we’d also recommend toning down the cookie butter sweetness/richness and upping the tart cranberry flavor.
10.10.25 | Utah Visit for Book Club
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Book club took me all the way to Utah this weekend — my first time there and my first time reading Pride & Prejudice! 📚 Easily one of the best new things I’ve tried this year, and in the perfect season.
08.24.25 It's Time Challenge
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Per my student’s request, I tried the “It’s Time” Challenge, a challenge in which you attempt to hit one of Mariah Carey's whistle tones. I affirmed that while we share a name and a love for singing, our similarities end there. I considered whether or not to share this, but I concluded that trying and failing is just as important as trying and succeeding; it’s how we learn. Now I can add whistle tones to my #goals list.
08.01.25 Affogato
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Tonight I made affogato. I read somewhere that this word means drowned, because the ice cream is drowned in coffee. It's giving Anne Shirley levels of romance and drama. My favorite dessert is ice cream, and adding coffee makes it an Italian dessert, and adding amaretto makes it a grown-up Italian dessert. It's all upsides, and I'm here for it.
07.31.25 | Book Loft Candle
Cozy evening reading vibes brought to you by Bath & Body Works.
07.30.25 | Hues
Midnight was near, and I had not tried anything new, so I looked for a game to try and came across this one. I chose it because it looked pretty. It was alright - not the most fun, but kind of mindless and calming.
07.29.25 | Watercolor Practice
Trying out a few watercolor techniques turned into a page of doodles, and while it’s giving first-grade results, it’s the trying that counts. *nervous chuckle*
07.28.25 | Amateur
Summer is coming to a close realized I need to get in a few more movies before the school year is underway. I enjoyed this one well enough - it’s always nice to see the underdog have his day.
07.27.25 | Virtual Escape Room
Tried my first virtual escape room today. My sister and her husband love escape rooms, and they’ve done pretty much every local escape room available, so for her birthday party today, we brought the escape room home. The experience cannot quite compare with a physical escape room, but the option was nice, and so was the comfort of home.