yummy to my tummy
lots of good snuggle time on the couch with my sweet
UGGS
UGGS
and more UGGS
endless episodes of this magnificent show
the pumpkin patch...
...with my punkin'
delicious pumpkin and pecan pie
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Fabulous Fall Favorites
While summer is my favorite season by far, I do relish in a few fall treats...
yummy to my tummy
UGGS
endless episodes of this magnificent show
the pumpkin patch...
delicious pumpkin and pecan pie
yummy to my tummy
UGGS
endless episodes of this magnificent show
the pumpkin patch...
delicious pumpkin and pecan pie
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Cooking 101
Because I enjoy planning, planning, and more planning, I love to make myself useful during family and friends' life-changing events. I am already envisioning engagement parties and bridal luncheons for the recently engaged people in my life. But in the immediate future, I was able to help ease Meissa, Josh, and newly-born Anabelle into their home.
With such a good group of couples friends out here in Cali, everyone was excited and anxious about the first arrival of a new addition. Oh and finding a babysitter shouldn't be a problem for the Lee family. But until those services are needed, the women are getting to work in the kitchen to provide meals for the family.
My opinion about cooking has always been: practice makes perfect. Back in college, the extent of my cooking was an easy bake meal which you literally moved from the box to the oven. Making the transition into my adult life required a bit more thought and effort, and I discovered that I wasn't so bad at cooking and rather more I thoroughly enjoyed it.
So it was no surprise that I was first on the band wagon to start making meals for them. I spent a good 4 hours Sunday in the kitchen preparing some delicious treats for them (I know what you are thinking, NO I refrained from trying the dishes, but they smelt glorious). I do, however, intend to recreate these main entrees in the near future to enjoy myself!
Take a peek below...you might find something that gets your apron out of the cabinet and into the kitchen!
With such a good group of couples friends out here in Cali, everyone was excited and anxious about the first arrival of a new addition. Oh and finding a babysitter shouldn't be a problem for the Lee family. But until those services are needed, the women are getting to work in the kitchen to provide meals for the family.
My opinion about cooking has always been: practice makes perfect. Back in college, the extent of my cooking was an easy bake meal which you literally moved from the box to the oven. Making the transition into my adult life required a bit more thought and effort, and I discovered that I wasn't so bad at cooking and rather more I thoroughly enjoyed it.
So it was no surprise that I was first on the band wagon to start making meals for them. I spent a good 4 hours Sunday in the kitchen preparing some delicious treats for them (I know what you are thinking, NO I refrained from trying the dishes, but they smelt glorious). I do, however, intend to recreate these main entrees in the near future to enjoy myself!
Take a peek below...you might find something that gets your apron out of the cabinet and into the kitchen!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Weekend Wonders
For the first time in a long time, we did not have anywhere that we just had to be. In our typical fashion, we did have plans and a slight agenda, but the overall feel of the weekend was one of relaxation. Most noted, we were on snail-like pace with our movements which (even for me) was fabulous and extremely needed.
Those of you who know us (specifically me), know that we operate at a fast pace with an on-the-go-always mentality. Since, oh say January, we have hardly had a free moment to catch our breaths, and we are gearing up for a fun-filled plus rather hectic fall/winter (to be kicked off with JL & Davis' wedding this coming weekend).
I began the weekend with a few balls at the driving range followed by a casual dinner + drinks date with Nik. I came home to find my honey lounging on the couch munching on stir fry, baby Beau curled up next to his dad, and a fully stocked fridge. We watched an epidose and a half of Criminal Minds before tucking each other in.
Staying true to my promise to Nik, I slept in until 10:30am. I cannot even tell you the last time I got this much sleep, and to be honest, I only woke up to let the dog out. As soon as I realized Ryan had already taken Beau for a morning stroll, I quickly whipped up some scrambled eggs and then dozed off to college football on the sofa.
Our big event for the day: USC Trojans versus Washington Huskies.
We headed down to campus around 3pm. Grabbed a 6-pack of Miller Lite and met up with B & V to "tailgate" for 30 minutes. FYI, our tailgating skills are pretty lame these days. Kicking the center pole as we crossed the train tracks, we trotted through the rose garden and into the coliseum. We were upgraded about 40 rows this season putting us 22 rows from the field and right off the center of the infield. Boom. Halfway through the 2nd quarter, Ryan treated me to a Pink's foot long hot dog complete with ketchup and mustard. Cheering and clapping, we felt pretty confident after a biffed attempt at a field goal that USC had the game in the bag so we got a head start on the traffic (in case you aren't a crazed freak who stalks ESPN during college football season, USC lost by 1 point with 15 seconds to go). Before joining our friends for a birthday celebration, we stopped off at Chipotle to do our weekly dinner ritual. Bonnie hosted the crew until about midnight when we decided to call it a night.
Now in case you didn't put this all together, I slept in, watched TV, snugged, went to a football tailgate and game, drank beers, ate a hot dog, dined on Chipotle, and spent time with friends all in one day in a low stress environment. I literally could have died Saturday and would have been in ultimate heaven.
I mentioned earlier that we had a slight agenda, and no weekend would be complete if I didn't squeeze something in from the ole bucket list of Whit & Ryan. So we decided to attend church at the LA Cathedral: a modern yet stunning building that attests to the architecture greats. The pastor delivered a delicate yet powerful message, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday community downtown as well as the artistic beauty within the walls of the church.
The rest of Sunday was spent lounging, cooking, packing for Kentucky, eating, and lounging some more. I'm happy to know that we can indeed entertain ourselves and enjoy one another's company...a good sign for when we are old, gray, and unable to go-go-go!
Those of you who know us (specifically me), know that we operate at a fast pace with an on-the-go-always mentality. Since, oh say January, we have hardly had a free moment to catch our breaths, and we are gearing up for a fun-filled plus rather hectic fall/winter (to be kicked off with JL & Davis' wedding this coming weekend).
I began the weekend with a few balls at the driving range followed by a casual dinner + drinks date with Nik. I came home to find my honey lounging on the couch munching on stir fry, baby Beau curled up next to his dad, and a fully stocked fridge. We watched an epidose and a half of Criminal Minds before tucking each other in.
Staying true to my promise to Nik, I slept in until 10:30am. I cannot even tell you the last time I got this much sleep, and to be honest, I only woke up to let the dog out. As soon as I realized Ryan had already taken Beau for a morning stroll, I quickly whipped up some scrambled eggs and then dozed off to college football on the sofa.
Our big event for the day: USC Trojans versus Washington Huskies.
We headed down to campus around 3pm. Grabbed a 6-pack of Miller Lite and met up with B & V to "tailgate" for 30 minutes. FYI, our tailgating skills are pretty lame these days. Kicking the center pole as we crossed the train tracks, we trotted through the rose garden and into the coliseum. We were upgraded about 40 rows this season putting us 22 rows from the field and right off the center of the infield. Boom. Halfway through the 2nd quarter, Ryan treated me to a Pink's foot long hot dog complete with ketchup and mustard. Cheering and clapping, we felt pretty confident after a biffed attempt at a field goal that USC had the game in the bag so we got a head start on the traffic (in case you aren't a crazed freak who stalks ESPN during college football season, USC lost by 1 point with 15 seconds to go). Before joining our friends for a birthday celebration, we stopped off at Chipotle to do our weekly dinner ritual. Bonnie hosted the crew until about midnight when we decided to call it a night.
Now in case you didn't put this all together, I slept in, watched TV, snugged, went to a football tailgate and game, drank beers, ate a hot dog, dined on Chipotle, and spent time with friends all in one day in a low stress environment. I literally could have died Saturday and would have been in ultimate heaven.
I mentioned earlier that we had a slight agenda, and no weekend would be complete if I didn't squeeze something in from the ole bucket list of Whit & Ryan. So we decided to attend church at the LA Cathedral: a modern yet stunning building that attests to the architecture greats. The pastor delivered a delicate yet powerful message, and we thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday community downtown as well as the artistic beauty within the walls of the church.
The rest of Sunday was spent lounging, cooking, packing for Kentucky, eating, and lounging some more. I'm happy to know that we can indeed entertain ourselves and enjoy one another's company...a good sign for when we are old, gray, and unable to go-go-go!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
A Blistered Kind of Love
Pre Mt. Whitney, Ryan and I cruised the Mt. Whitney Portal store for odds and ends we thought we might need as well as souvenirs for the trip. A small book with a pair of dangling boots on the cover caught my eye, and while he swayed through the aisles looking at postcards, I began reading the introduction. Before we left, I was halfway into Chapter 1 and signs of me putting the darn thing down didn't look good. We bought the book because I just couldn't fathom not getting to the end.
A Blistered Kind of Love.
Based on a true life love adventure, the authors share the story of how they hiked the entire Pacific Coast Trail (from Mexico to Canada), triumphed in challenge, and grew to love one another. Angela & Duffy Ballard felt inspired by a wilderness book; so inspired that they planned to quit their jobs and hike the 2,600 miles from country to country. After planning for a year, they set out to become part of history and to test the strength of their relationship.
Along the way, they encountered trail angels, harsh weather, slimy creatures, and growing pains. They sweat, fell ill, shed tears, became delirious, experienced extreme weight loss, and nearly killed one another. But most importantly, they encouraged one another, picked up the others slack, and faced the trials of the trail together.
I highly suggest this read. Whether you are a hiking enthusiast, outdoors lover, or simply enjoy a good book, A Blistered Kind of Love will satisfy what you are looking for. And after reading about their life changing experience, I am ready to tackle the PCT. Who's coming with me?
A Blistered Kind of Love.
Based on a true life love adventure, the authors share the story of how they hiked the entire Pacific Coast Trail (from Mexico to Canada), triumphed in challenge, and grew to love one another. Angela & Duffy Ballard felt inspired by a wilderness book; so inspired that they planned to quit their jobs and hike the 2,600 miles from country to country. After planning for a year, they set out to become part of history and to test the strength of their relationship.
Along the way, they encountered trail angels, harsh weather, slimy creatures, and growing pains. They sweat, fell ill, shed tears, became delirious, experienced extreme weight loss, and nearly killed one another. But most importantly, they encouraged one another, picked up the others slack, and faced the trials of the trail together.
I highly suggest this read. Whether you are a hiking enthusiast, outdoors lover, or simply enjoy a good book, A Blistered Kind of Love will satisfy what you are looking for. And after reading about their life changing experience, I am ready to tackle the PCT. Who's coming with me?
Friday, October 1, 2010
The Detouring Moment
Due to an increase in unruly traffic on my glorious 35 mile drive to work, I have been forced to take a detour in order to maintain my sanity and make it to work at a somewhat reasonable time. By reasonable, I mean only 25 minutes late as opposed to an hour late.
This specific detour was gifted to me via Kate as she ran into a similar scenario when coming from La Canada one morning. It requires less highway and more city driving which clearly means more stop lights, slower speed limits, and a better chance for me to run into massively unskilled drivers.
For the first few detours, I mumbled a few choice words under my breath. My patience seemed to be running pretty thin. But as the days pass by, I realize that the serene drive along the PCH is far more soothing than the 405. So I decided to embrace my morning adventure rather than fret about the inconvenience.
For the past two mornings, I have enjoyed watching the waves crash against the shoreline. I see the sun peaking up over the far off yachts cruising the Pacific. I notice the early am surfers wading in the water, just waiting for that perfect break. Neighbors jog on the path, and dog owners play frisbee with their pets.
I realized that I might not have many of these amazing beach setting escapades left (in case you didn't know, San Fran is not beach friendly) so taking advantage of these little moments actually brings me peace.
This specific detour was gifted to me via Kate as she ran into a similar scenario when coming from La Canada one morning. It requires less highway and more city driving which clearly means more stop lights, slower speed limits, and a better chance for me to run into massively unskilled drivers.
For the first few detours, I mumbled a few choice words under my breath. My patience seemed to be running pretty thin. But as the days pass by, I realize that the serene drive along the PCH is far more soothing than the 405. So I decided to embrace my morning adventure rather than fret about the inconvenience.
For the past two mornings, I have enjoyed watching the waves crash against the shoreline. I see the sun peaking up over the far off yachts cruising the Pacific. I notice the early am surfers wading in the water, just waiting for that perfect break. Neighbors jog on the path, and dog owners play frisbee with their pets.
I realized that I might not have many of these amazing beach setting escapades left (in case you didn't know, San Fran is not beach friendly) so taking advantage of these little moments actually brings me peace.
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