The Cutest Lion-Dog I Know

This is Puppy. <3

Puppy is a member of the Kat family (my in-laws). He protects his family by being an adorable guard dog. I first met him shortly after Chadsen & I started dating. When I first saw his fluffy cuteness you can imagine how he immediately stole my heart! Now that Chadsen & I are married I can say that we are officially family! :))

Can you absorb this much cuteness!?

When we take him out on walks, we hear people exclaim, "Look at that lion!" or "Is that a lion?" Sure looks like one, but he is a Chowchow (dog). :)

Out biggest reward from taking him on a walk: This adorable smile that always follows afterward.

Hesitant.

My cute husband, with cute Puppy.

He is so lovable.

So lovable.

This is pretty much my reaction almost every time I see him.

So A-sian.

:))

Puppy definitely brings rays of sunshine into my little life. Do you have a pet that you love? :)

Masumi

Internship struggle

Last week was the most difficult week out of this quarter. It was tough, but I'm so grateful for that week. I've learned and grown so much from it. It was mainly one particular day, an intern day. While interning, I experienced something that will be one of those things that will never be forgetten. I already feel it imprinted in my mind. Never have I felt so much compassion for a child while at the same time feeling just the same immense amount of pain and sorrow for him/her. You can say that I've never seen so greatly the impact of decisions that an adult makes on the child. This child was the one who I do counseling with. I know and have talked to people who have come from different backgrounds & situations but there was something about that experience last week that made most likely a forever impression on me. Maybe it was that my role is to help the child, and be his/her advocate and encourager. Perhaps it was that my sole focus in working with the little child is for him/her to attain happiness and instead I saw the utter opposite.

One particular thing really helped me grow from these experiences this week. It was a certain passage that I read. During this week there was a phrase from the scriptures I studied which really stood out in regards to the things that I've experienced this week. There was a noble leader named Mormon who witnessed his people become very wicked through continuously making bad decisions, went into warfare and got murdered in battle. In response to grieovously and mourfully watching his fellow men die, I noticed how he didn't disdain them, didn't laugh at them, scorn them or lift himself up. Instead he addressed them as "O ye fair ones" instead of saying something along the lines of "That's right, you (insert your own demeaning phrase)" Even after seeing how evil his people have become, Mormon still had respect for them and saw them as people of potential.

After studying that passage from the scriptures, I've been challenging myself to see others how Mormon did. I'm learning, growning, striving. .

Spaghetti for a Veggie

Yesterday I tried a simple spaghetti recipe from again that magical Japanese easy cooking book.

It tasted amazing. For those who feel like eating an extra healthy dish, or for those who are vegetarian, please give this one a try. Satisfaction definitely guaranteed.

The Japanese name translates to: Cold Tomato Spa(ghetti)

Ingredients (for 2) :

Thin spaghetti noodles ( I chose angel hair) - 200grams

Tomatoes - 3

Basil - As desired. I cut up about 7

Sauce 

Olive oil - 3 Tablespoons

Salt - 1/2 Teaspoon

Pepper - a few shakes

Lemon juice - 1 Tablespoon

Directions:

1. Cook spaghetti according to the instructions on the box/bag.

2. Take off tomato skin. Cut into 1cm cubes then mix with the sauce.

3. Cut the basil into thin slices.

4. After draining the spaghetti, place onto dish. Sprinkle the basil on top & finish by adding the tomato sauce.

I found that adding a little more lemon juice made the dish just right! :)

Little sunshines

Chadsen took this picture! Nice huh?

Caitlyn dropped by to give us custard cakes today. Thank you! :)

Masumi

Quote about Loving Less

I read a quote that struck me very deeply yesterday :)

"Can we be content with loving less?" - Glenn L. Pace

Have a wonderful Friday!

Masumi 

Relieving Career Advice

For the past months I've been thinking of possible careers to pursue and what Masters program I should go for. It has been driving my mind a little crazy.

Today, I finally saw a career counselor.

While meeting with her, she told me something that my ears very much needed to hear.

She recommended that I find the career that I want first, and then find out if 

1. I need a Masters degree

or

2. What Masters degree to pursue.

When she said that, my ears must've expanded and sucked in every little word she said. Not to say that everything she said was golden, but that advice was something definitely felt relieved to hear.

Thank you CSULA career counselor lady. :)

Masumi

Special Valentine's Dine-in

Last Saturday night Chadsen & I did a late Valentine's in-home dinner. 

He set a up our little apartment, got cute Italian music playing, set the table with cute candles and pretty flowers, and made a delicious meal. :)

He made our house look like a little Italian restaurant, and served the food just like it too.

I'm grateful to be married to such as sweetheart :)

Appetizers: Mini heirloom tomatoes with basil & mozzarella cheese!

Main course: Shrimp Scampi

Masumi

Schabarum Park

Chadsen & I took a morning hike to Schabarum Park today, right next to Puente Hills mall :).

Since we just recently got an upgrade for the camera, I had lots of fun testing it out!

On the hike I thought about a quote from a site that I stumbled on via StumbleUpon that struck me really hard. The impact of that statement hasn't left me since.

"We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature. We’ve lost our connection to ourselves."

Thank you http://synapticstimuli.com/. 

This lizard must secretly be a model. It stayed there for several minutes, patiently letting me take one shot after another!
After moving closer to it several times, I must have only been 1.5 feet away from it, yet it didn't even flinch.

Masumi