Coffee Break

 
The older I get, the more I feel like life constantly speeds along on fast forward. Didn’t 2025 just start? How is it already June?? Where did all of the days and weeks and months go???

I could really use a pause button in life… Or at least a way to slow things down. So much has happened, especially in the past few months, and I’d love to stop and catch my breath before summer flies by in the blink of an eye!

But until someone brilliant figures out how to do that, perhaps the next best thing is taking a few moments to simply sit and chat. Trading stories, sharing highlights, talking about what’s been going on behind the scenes… And maybe, just maybe, avoid the massive mountain of baking dishes currently piled up in my sink.

So pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea — or even water, if that’s what you’re craving! — and pretend like we’re sitting across from each other at the local coffee shop and catching up. If we were, these are the four pieces of fun news that I’d share…
 

 

LOCKS OF LOVE

Two years ago, while driving home from the salon, I thought it was the last time. Five seemed like a round number and good place to stop. But then… My hair grew faster, longer, and healthier than I expected, which led to Locks of Love haircut #6 this spring!

I originally wanted to wait until I could see my usual stylist. Upon realizing that wouldn’t happen until August at the earliest, I called another shop. They offered to squeeze me in that same afternoon, so I hopped in my car and headed over before I had time to chicken out.

An hour later, I walked out with a very long ponytail in a zip-topped bag and a smile. I felt lighter — literally and figuratively!

Although completely unintentional, I seem to be on a Locks of Love biannual donation plan. 2019, 2021, 2023, and now… 2025. (Plus my very first one in middle school and the second in high school!)

I think this truly is the last time I donate my hair, but seeing as I said that two years ago… I know better than to make any promises!

Quick Tip: If anyone you know is planning on doing a haircut for Locks of Love, I’ve learned to expect that my hair will end up 2 to 3 inches shorter than I originally planned. Part of that is from cleaning up and evening out the ends after the initial cut, and part is because my hair naturally “shrinks” as it dries. (It’s not completely stick-straight and flat!) Cutting off 10+ inches of hair can be an emotional experience, if my full range of excitement and joy to elephant tears and despair after some of these haircuts are any indication, so reminding myself that it’ll likely end up shorter before leaving for the salon has come in handy!

Also… Bring a ruler, hair ties, and a plastic bag. It always helps to be prepared!
 

 

DISNEYLAND

My mom and I rediscovered our love for the Happiest Place on Earth a little while ago, so we booked another trip this spring. It ended up feeling more like the unofficial kick off to summer… Temperatures reached nearly 90°F during our mini vacation!
 

 
We split our days between Disneyland and California Adventure, and we checked off almost all of our favorite rides (plus even more!). Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, the Incredicoaster, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Silly Symphony Swings, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, the Mad Tea Party…
 

 
And yes, I always take control and turn the teacup’s wheel as fast as I can. Mom sits back and enjoys the ride while I (happily!) do all of the work — or she at least tries not to get too dizzy from our rapid spinning!
 

 
We mainly missed the Matterhorn and Tiki Room (both closed for refurbishment!), along with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Soarin’… With the rather warm weather contributing to the long queues for the water-based and indoor rides, we didn’t exactly feel like waiting in line for 90 minutes!

As a twist, we also hopped on a few attractions we hadn’t ridden in years. At the top of my list? Dumbo and Autopia — neither of which I had been on since I was about five years old! We laughed our entire way through my horrible driving on Autopia, and I loved the bird’s eye view of Fantastyland from the flying elephants. The cast members even picked us to help carry the special red card to the front of that line for a more accurate wait time reading!
 

 
Of course, we needed fuel for our long days… We ended up walking over nine miles every day! Although we love Pizza Planet in Tomorrowland, we branched out and dined at Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree in Disneyland and Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta in California Adventure instead.
 

 
With our massive sweet teeth, we also saved plenty of room for treats! We sampled the 70th celebration churro in Frontierland, the 70th celebration sugar cookie and Pluto whoopie pie from the Grand Californian Hotel, and the strawberry and giant churro Mickey Mouse cookies found at Pooh Corner and the Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen on Main Street. Life is all about balance, right??
 

 
We both agreed… Our next trip can’t come soon enough!
 

 

BOOKS

I was a complete bookworm growing up. I devoured stacks and stacks of novels from the library, Barnes & Noble, used bookstores, and our own shelves at home. That changed during college, where I traded fiction for textbooks, and I only rarely read novels in my very limited free time. I continued reading nonfiction after graduating, but finally, three years ago during our Kauai family vacation, I picked up a novel in what felt like forever. And then…

I couldn’t stop.

The floodgates reopened, and I’ve been regularly reading fiction ever since. I consume many of the books via the Kindle app, mainly because I love how handy it is. I can pick up my phone and finish a chapter or two whenever I have some down time, like while standing in line or waiting in the parking lot for an online grocery order pick-up (or even walking on my new treadmill!), and I don’t have to worry about clutter or remember library book due dates. It also syncs with my iPad, so I never lose my place or even need a bookmark!

Right now, I love lighthearted stories with happy endings (life is stressful enough as it is!), and Shari Low and Maxine Morrey are two of my newfound favorite authors. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every title I’ve read by both of them!
 

 

BASEBALL GAMES

During one of their visits, my parents and I bought baseball tickets. If you’ve been around my blog before, then you probably know… I love baseball just as much as baking — if not even more!

Although we regularly enjoy watching the games on TV at home, we haven’t attended a game in person together at this particular stadium in… Twenty years.

Time to change that!
 

 
Right after entering the ballpark, I led them over to a small plaza with palm trees to show them my brick. (My grandparents bought it as my birthday present one year when I was in middle school. The replica still sits on my bookshelf!) Saying hi to that brick before every game I attend has turned into a tradition… And so has snapping a photo, often with my feet in it.
 

 
We wandered around the concourse a bit afterward, said hi to my favorite usher in the stadium (she’s the sweetest and always greets me with a hug!), and settled into our seats as the pregame festivities began. I love sitting in a very particular row on the third base side. It has more leg room, which comes in handy for the taller people in our family, and it’s also slightly elevated… Which means that I can see over people’s heads, despite my rather short stature! (And for day games, it’s in the shade, unlike the first base side. Win-win-win!)
 

 
We saw an incredible game, the home team won, and we had a blast… So we returned the very next day for another game — and the same thing happened all over again!

We also enjoyed some delicious food while at the ballpark. My parents ordered burgers the first night, complete with steaming hot thick and well-seasoned fries, which they generously shared with me (one of my big weaknesses!). The second day, they picked birria nachos and loved those just as much. Both came from local restaurants with stalls at the stadium!
 

 
As for me? All winter, I had spent the entire off season craving my favorite ballpark snack… A giant, soft, extra salty pretzel!
 

 
And yes, we already plan on squeezing in another game during my parents’ next trip — if not more than one!

But now, back to baking… My oven timer is about to buzz — more new recipes from me coming soon!

In the meantime, you can find the rest of my recipes here. If you’d like to continue procrastinating on washing dishes (like me!), you can find more of my Coffee Break posts here!