Serendipity
{I was running on the beach the other day and apparently forgot to turn off the camera setting on my phone. When I got home, I found this image, which turned out sort of perfect without any effort at all. Love when that happens!}
Glorious
{I rarely miss a sunrise. They’re always lovely here in California, but lately we’ve had some exceptionally beautiful mornings. Seeing the sun come up over the ocean makes me feel all kinds of fortunate, no matter how many times I get to witness it.}
Brilliant
{The other day I finished Quintana of Charyn, the final book in the Lumatere Chronicles trilogy, and I was completely blown away. Melina Marchetta has a gorgeous, effortless way with language, and she crafts layered characters and builds complex worlds — I am in awe of her writing. Full review of this book to come tomorrow. Now I’m reading Chelsea Pitcher’s debut, The S-Word, a YA contemporary that’s fantastic so far.}
Delicious
{Last week when I got over my bout of Kindergarten Plague, I was craving something sweet and warm and comforting. This Cinnamon Roll Cake totally hit the spot. It’s so much easier than making actual cinnamon rolls, and it works as both a dessert and a really decadent breakfast. Recommend!}
Awesome
{I might be *slightly* biased, but my girlie is pretty much the coolest kid ever. While she appreciates a good pedicure and can spend hours dressing up her American Girls, she also loves to get her guitar on and run around on the ball field. She’s not afraid to pick up a snail or go down a water slide, and she’s memorized The Dixie Chick’s Travelin’ Soldier and sings it like she’s been there. Love her.}
Adoration
{Yep. She’s my favorite.}
Tell me: How’s your week going?
katyupperman.com 
My week’s been crazy…but what else is new? 😉
Also – yes. You do seem to have one pretty cool kid there. My 14 year old is both girlie and athletic and I love it! Also, love the pics! I can’t wait to get to the beach! Hopefully this weekend!
Ooh, good luck on your beach aspirations! I hope to get to the beach this weekend too. My girlie has started a beach glass collection and she wants to go hunting. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your week, friend!
Your girlie does sound pretty awesome 😀 And yum, this Cinnamon Roll Cake looks YUMMY!!!! 😀
As always, your pics make me want to pack up and move to California!
Thanks, Elodie! I highly recommend the Cinnamon Roll Cake — so tasty!
Beautiful accidental photo – I only seem to get the ground in mine 🙂 Glad you’re feeling better and your girlie does sound awesome – love that Dixie Chicks song!
Oh, I’ve gotten plenty of ground shots in the past. 🙂 I love that Dixie Chicks song too… So sad, but so sweet, too.
I have decided that the California tourism office needs to start paying you, because your photos are amazing and make me want to take a trip to the left coast so badly!
Nice job with the “Q” read, and I’m looking forward to your review! 🙂
You’re right — California tourism SHOULD pay me! Why didn’t I think of that? 😉 Looking forward to sharing my QUINTANA review tomorrow.
Man oh man I love that top photo–I remember you posting that one on Instagram. Also, that cinnamon roll cake looks fabulous. Sounds like things are going well right now 🙂
Yes, definitely well. Hopefully the trend continues through the summer. Hope all’s well with you too… When do you get to move into your new house? Or have you already?!
Wow, that first photo is SO amazing, Katy! I adore the ocean, and love how that picture just captures the freedom and beauty of it all. Awesome! I also think your girlie is totally awesome too! And I love that you have opened up all those doors for her so that she can have all of these wonderful experiences and become so fully her. So special ❤ I also would like to add the cinnamon roll cake to my growing list of recipes I need to get from you! You find (and make) the yummiest things ever. Hope everything else is going well! Can't wait to hear what writing project you've opened up these days. Hugs!
Oh, you should most definitely make the Cinnamon Roll Cake, Tem, especially if your girlies like sweet treats. Mine had a piece for breakfast the day after I made it. 🙂 Now that my revision is done, I’m diving back into my other writing projects… Looking forward to sharing with you in the hopefully not-so-distant future!
That serendipitous photo from your run is fantastic! How cool is that? What’s so great about it (aside from the circumstances) is that it’s totally focused too. So, special thanks to you for getting me into the Lumatere Chronicles. FINNIKIN was great and I can’t wait to read FROI (though I might read some contemp for a bit first). I’m going to have to give that Cinnamon Roll Cake a try. It looks delicious!
I don’t think you’re *too* biased. Your girlie seems like she’s pretty darn special. And bonus points for being such a cutie. Love the pics and tidbits about her. 🙂
I’m so glad you liked FINNIKIN, and I can’t wait for you to read FROI. It was really fun to read the entire trilogy in a row; I was SO immersed in that world. Actually, I’m *still* thinking about it. And yes, definitely try that Cinnamon Roll Cake. 🙂
Cinnamon roll cake is PERFECT–my husband LOVES cinnamon rolls so his birthday cake is usually a big unwieldy heap of them. I will have to try this out this year! You’re such a great source of baking ideas!
It’d be a fabulous birthday cake, Jess! And it’s WAY easier than making traditional cinnamon rolls — no yeast or rising necessary!
I love that the first picture was by accident. It’s gorgeous!
Thanks, Ghenet! I kind of love it too. 🙂
I have so many thoughts on your post it’s making me worry about how involved in your life Instagram has made me A) I look forward to shots from your run. California is gorgeous and you’re one of those early riser people who’ve actually seen the sunrise and lived to tell about it. So I love those. B) I have FRIO OF THE EXILES on my bookshelf by my bed and I’ve been meaning to pick it up after a self-imposed fantasy hiatus (because, post-fantasy binge, the books started blurring together). I loved the first book and I love Melina Marchetta, so I’m so pleased to hear the series as a whole is great. And, finally, C) Katy, I don’t eat sugar but you’re really trying my willpower here with this cinnamon roll cake.
I am laughing at this… Funny how Instagram makes us feel like we’re living right alongside our friends. 🙂 So, I definitely think you should read FROI soon. I went on a major Lumatere Chronicles binge (all three books right in a row) and adored them all. Melina Marchetta is the BEST. Oh, and if you ever decide to treat yourself to a little (or a lot) of sugar, I highly recommend the Cinnamon Roll Cake.
Art by accident! Love that concept! Seriously, that picture couldn’t have been any more beautiful if you’d planned it. I’m thinking I really need to try that Cinnamon Roll Cake. My boys would have that thing polished off in no time! And as for being biased about your daughter, she seems like a pretty terrific kid. 🙂
Thanks, Erin. 🙂 Let me know what you think of the Cinnamon Roll Cake if you decide to try it. It was a big hit in my house!
Your daughter is off-the-charts adorable, and anyone who will pick up a snail is a friend of mine!
Your photos of your runs and the landscape where you live are always magical. What a treat to live in Cali. And I am EMBARRASSED it has taken me so long to grab the Marchetta books. I have seen a lot of posts on them lately which reminds me I need to remedy this!
I bet you’ll love Melina Marchetta’s Lumatere Books, Kat. Have you read any of her contemporary stuff? She’s one of my very favorite authors. 🙂