Adam and Brittany

Graduation Celebration

2012-03-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Monday night at ten o'clock, I had officially finished all my classes and earned my master's degree. And by Monday night at 10:30, I was sitting at The Cheesecake Factory having drinks and cheesecake with my friend Albert in celebration. Albert is my friend in the way only someone you have shared two and a half years of group presentations, last minute papers, and internship woes can be.

This last class we had to take was pretty insufferable. It was a class that most people in the counseling program take in the very beginning, but because of how our particular program progressed we had it at the very end. So we were in there with a bunch of wide-eyed, excited newbies (God Bless Them We Were Once Just Like Them) to the program, and we were the oldies suffering with massive senioritis. And to top it off, the class was only offered in Pasadena, which is an hour and a half drive through downtown L.A. traffic.

Albert and I carpooled together every week, and we manged to get lost every week. Don't ask how, I still can't figure it out. It wasn't that complicated. On the first night of this class, we saw a Cheesecake Factory while driving around and we almost skipped class completely and went out to eat. But we decided to be good little children and go to class, but we made a promise that on our last night of class, we would go there to celebrate.

I'm so glad that we kept that promise. Because we had a blast reminiscing, taking tequila shots, drinking pineapple mojitos, and eating the best cheesecake ever! (And we did the sweet thing and brought home dinner to our respective spouses). Although I think the alcohol was a bad idea, considering I already had a killer cough, and the next day I was diagnosed with bronchitis. So yeah, I spent all day yesterday on the couch watching redbox movies.

In fact, I'm so sick that when I picked Adam up from work yesterday he told me, "I looked pale like a potato...". I had no clue what that really meant, but it sounded offensive. So I pouted for a hot second, and then said, "It's not really nice to tell me I look like a potato." He was confused, "What are you talking about?" We finally figured out he had told me, "You look pale, like you don't feel well." LOL. Funny misunderstanding.

I still can't believe I have my Master's Degree. I'm so proud of myself, but at the same time it just doesn't feel real! Now I just have to get out there and put it to use. Which is the truly scary part!

Song of the Day: How Lucky We Are by Meiko

Wetsuits, Waves, and Sun in La Jolla, California

2012-03-12T14:11:00.000-07:00

When Mike was here, he and Adam went to La Jolla to do a little ocean kayaking. I am so jealous looking back at the pictures they took, and listening to the stories from their day that I couldn't be there (I was at home writing a paper. Boo.). They had a blast. Plus, they looked so cute in their wetsuits and life jackets!

Apparently, the surf was unusually high that day, and it took them quite a long time to get out to the calm seas (and many, many, many flip overs of course). But after fighting the surf (and the urge to give up), they got to explore some beautiful caverns and see a lot of wildlife (Don't you just love the pictures of the seals?).

And I have to say Adam took some gorgeous photos. I'd like to give myself a little credit for his newly acquired photog skills! Since I'm always making him retake pictures of me at different angles and zoom settings because I'm so picky about how pictures look that I am in! My apprentice has learned a lot. Or he was already pretty good on his own....

Song of the Day: Sittin at a Bar by Rehab

Three Recent Reads

2012-03-09T23:09:00.000-08:00

1. Fairy Tale Interrupted By Rosemarie Terenzio
I was really thrown off by the title of this book when I first came across it. I had no clue what it was about. I thought maybe it was a fictional love story. But then I read the bio, and found it was written by the personal assistant and friend of JFK Jr and his wife Carolyn, and covered the five years before their tragic deaths in a plane crash. This book is not scandalous at all, nothing in it could become tabloid fodder, and it does not read like a book from someone who is trying to cash in on their relationship with a celebrity. This is just a story of what it was like to be best friends and an employee of a man and wife who just happened to be American Royalty. I loved reading about the stress that went into planning their secret Georgia wedding, and I cried when she wrote about finding out she had lost her two best friends in a plane crash. Plus, I'm kind of obsessed with the cover photo of JFK Jr, Carolyn, and their dog Friday. Beautiful just beautiful.

2. A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson
I have read several books by Joshilyn Jackson, and because I love her style oh so much, I pre-ordered this book months before it came out. Which was a really bad idea, because amazon does not charge you for a pre-order until a book actually is available. And since I have the memory span of a fly, and our bank account occasionally gets as low as 10 cents, I am really lucky this book did not bounce our bank account when it released. This book is a mystery about a household of women who find the bones of a baby buried under a tree in their yard. I realize that sounds incredibly morbid, but it is not really that morbid I promise! What I love most about this book is it is not just a mystery, it really dives deep into the thoughts and the lives of the three, Southern, women characters involved (the author even writes some from the perspective of a stroke victim). It is just a really touching novel and a interesting mystery that is not answered to the very end.

3. A Tree Grows Brooklyn by Betty Smith
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is of course, a classic. Although I had heard of this book, and I had seen it sitting on my mother's bookshelf, I had no clue what it was about. A few weeks ago, I was browsing audio books on iTunes, so I could find something to listen to on my way to work, to keep L.A. traffic from stealing my soul. Not only did it keep traffic from stealing my soul, it kept me entertained too! I fell in love with the detailed descriptions of Brooklyn life in the 1910's, and I related to Francey Nolan's conflicting feelings of love & shame toward her father. In a way, I think I would have liked to have been Francey Nolan. This book is just the perfect mixture of sadness and hopefulness.

Song of the Day: Breakfast at Tiffany's by Deep Blue Something

Wine Tasting in Temecula Valley

2012-03-06T11:26:00.004-08:00

Adam's friend from high school, Mike, came into town last week to spend a little time with us and take in the sights, of course. Mike really wanted to go Wine Tasting, and that is on my California Bucket List, so we piled into the car and drove down to Temecula (which is Southern California's Wine Country).

I've drank some wine in the past, but honestly I knew absolutely nothing about wine before going. So I was a little intimidated at the first winery, when picking wines to taste. At first, I was jumping around randomly from wine to wine. But soon I learned that you are supposed to go from the whites, to the reds, to the desert wines. And along the way I learned my personal tastes. I prefer white wines to red wines, and just like with food, I love the DESSERT wines!

We went to four wineries (Callaway, Churon, Weins, and Leoness). I felt A-OK after visits to the first two wineries, but after the third I felt a little "floaty" and the floor seemed uneven. And by the time we left the fourth, I was ready to nap all the way home. But no naps for me, because we grabbed some delicious dinner at this authentic Italian restaurant, Francesco's. I died over their Lobster Ravioli. In fact, I'm surprised I didn't lick the plate.

Wine Country was so Beautiful! Now I just want to go back during the growing season to see the grapes on the vine.

Song of the Day: Pictures of You by The Cure

Life Recently According to my iPhone

2012-02-27T02:09:00.002-08:00

A Beautiful Sunset in Manhattan Beach.

Cafe Marmalade.

Strawberry, Banana, and Blueberry French Toast @ Cafe Marmalade.

Marilyn Monroe's Grave site. (Note the Lipstick, People Kiss It).

A quick Starbuck's Run.

One of the Last Paper's I Will Ever Write. (3 weeks till I get my Masters!)

My tutoring client's dog Chico. Usually he is sweet, but he recently bit the heck out of my wrist when I was leaving.

A bad case of finger tendentious I got by strenuously opening my car door? So random.

This post was linked up over at A {Little} Dash of Ash.

Song of the Day: Specks by Matt Pond PA

New Recipe Every Month of 2012: Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo

2012-02-22T22:19:00.000-08:00

In my quest to fulfill my New Year's Resolution of cooking one new recipe every month in 2012, I decided to make Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo based on this recipe from KevinandAmanda.com for February. I love her recipes because even when they are kind of complicated, they way she writes the steps, and her beautiful pictures simplify everything! Especially since I'm just a novice cook!

This one definitely is one of the most complicated recipes I've ever made. First of all, umm I'm not sure if I've ever even eaten gumbo, I have never cooked anything but minute rice, never cooked any shrimp, and dealing with two skillets and one pot all at the same time? COMPLICATED.

I cooked this for my mother and stepfather while they were here on a business trip, and I got to cook in a kitchen that wouldn't be mistaken for a closet like mine! Oh, the luxury. Surprisingly, I pulled it off with no mishaps along the way! And my mom and stepfather enjoyed it a lot, so I guess I can call this a success.

I have to say I'm pretty impressed with myself. Two recipes down, ten to go!

Song of the Day: To Be Surprised by Sandre Lerche

Weekend at the Museum

2012-02-20T10:15:00.000-08:00

This weekend we took a little road trip down to the NAT (Natural History Museum) in San Diego to check out the Titanic Artifact Exhibit. I love history, and the Sinking of the Titanic is one of the things I've spent a lot of time reading about and researching on my own (I'm such a dweeb).

Some of the best bits of the museum were seeing the recreations of the the first class and third class bedrooms, being able to feel a iceberg replica that is the same temperature of the waters the night the ship went down (miserably cold just to touch for a second), and all the stuff they were able to bring up from the ocean floor (how was that stuff even preserved)!

What was really cool is at the beginning of the exhibit, they give you a boarding pass with the name and information of a real passenger on the ship, and at the end of the tour you see if you survived or not. I was Mrs. Wilhelm Strom (Elna Matilda Persson) a third class passenger traveling with my daughter and brother. I did not survive. Adam was Mr. Frank Thomas Andrew, a second class passenger, who didn't survive either.

I couldn't take pictures inside the exhibit (sadness), but I did take some pictures of/around the museum with my shiny, new, fancy DSLR camera. Yay, for no longer having to depend on my little, dinky digital camera all the time (Thanks, Mom).

Song of the Day: Part of Me by Katy Perry

Valentine's Day Via Instagram

2012-02-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

We had the best Valentine's Day over here at the Manor, and I was completely spoiled. When I first woke up, I saw a chocolate rose in a Packer's glass (lol) and a really sweet card on the coffee table. Although I had to laugh because the front of the card said something about all the years of parenting we did together, and how our kids had moved on now and it was just the two of us again? Apparently, Adam had only skimmed the front of the card, and had read the inside, because that totally didn't apply. And maybe I should have been mad about that, but it was too funny to be mad about. I guess it really is the thought that counts?

I gave him a special Valentine's card that I had gotten off Etsy that was in the style of Dr. Who!! Which is a kind of geeky, British, Sci-fi series that Adam has gotten me addicted to this year. Of course, I wrote a really sweet message as well. And inside the card, I had hidden a Game Stop Gift Card.

After the exchange, Adam surprised me by making me pancakes. Which everyone knows is my favorite thing ever! Plus, he never cooks, and he has certainly never made pancakes. He even had bought me my favorite toppings: Strawberries, Chocolate Chips, and Macadamia Nuts. I didn't even try to choose which ones to use, I just piled all those suckers on there together. They were delicious.

Later that day, I brought in some of the cutest cupcakes for the teenagers I work with and all around it was just a fantastic love day. I hope everyone felt the love from someone on Tuesday. Be it a husband, a child, a parent, lover, or friend!

Song of the Day: Moon River by Audrey Hepburn

Scenes from Manhattan (Beach)

2012-02-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

This Weekend We:

Stayed in a Beautiful Three Bedroom Beach House Mere Inches from the Beach (that my mother and stepfather rented for a two week visit)

Played Midnight Badminton on the Beach

Walked 1.7 miles to, and 1.7 miles back for the Best Pancakes I've Ever Had in My Life (Pancakes Just May Be My Favorite Thing Ever)

Got my Butt Handed to Me in a Game of Checkers

Jumped in the Frigid Ocean in All of Our Clothes (which seemingly scared some little girls)

Flew a Transformers Themed Kite

& Watched Some of the Most Beautiful Sunsets Ever

Yeah, it was a fabulous weekend.

Song of the Day: Smooth Criminal by Glee Cast

Mr. and Mrs.

2012-01-30T01:48:00.000-08:00

Me and the Flower Girl. My Cousin Chloe.

Bridesmaids Robyn and Amanda

Love this window.

My mother and Me.

Getting Ready with Tina and Adam's Mom and Dawn.

Girls and Me on the Stairs.

My Mom with Flower Girl and Ring Bearer.

Adam and His Mom.

Us After Ceremony.

Candid Shot with our Mothers.

Love this man.

Cutting the Cake

After Cake Fight

1920's esqe Amanda

Smile.

Boys Getting Ready for the Dollar Dance.

Dancing with Amanda and Chloe.

Latern at Night.

I've been married three years come April, and it took me that long to finally get some professional pics from my wedding. It really is a long and sad story as to why it happened that way, but really it doesn't matter (but I will say even if a family member is going to take the pictures for you, draw up a contract no matter what because if you don't get those pictures you will be DEVASTATED). I'm so happy to finally have these pictures now that I want to cry. And I wanted to be able to share some of my favorites. They are beautiful and they remind me how beautiful that day was. But I did kind of "steal" them from the owner, so they are unedited. Ha.

We got married on the grounds of a historic home in Texarkana, Arkansas, on April 4th, 2009 at 4 o'clock. (4-04 at 4, that was never planned by the way). The girls got ready upstairs in the antique rooms of the home, while I watched Adam pace outside my window with his boys. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was a blast. It was all I could have asked for. I just remember being overwhelmed by all the love from our family and friends being in that one place. Love is a beautiful thing.

All of the professional pictures are here, and all the pictures from friends are here (which are fab too).

Song of the Day: We are Man and Wife by Michelle Featherstone

New Recipe Every Month in 2012: Sausage Balls

2012-01-29T23:19:00.000-08:00

The other day I couldn't stop craving Sausage Balls. I love Sausage Balls, and I hadn't had any Sausage Balls in years and years. I had never even heard of Sausage Balls until I moved to Alabama at age 11. Once we moved to Alabama, I joined the Youth Group at a local church, and after every Sunday Morning service, they would serve a huge pot luck breakfast. The most popular item was always the Sausage Balls, and we would all fight over those little heavenly things. So I thought for my first new recipe of 2012, I would whip up something that is kind of nostalgic for me.

They turned out perfectly and I swear nothing has ever smelled more heavenly than they did when they were cooking. So here is the recipe. Depending on how big you make them, this can make about 30-40 balls (I keep giggling when I read that, I wish I was mature enough that they didn't sound dirty).

Ingredients:

1 lb Spicy Sausage (non-spicy if you don't enjoy a kick)
8 oz Cream Cheese (Softened)
4 oz Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 1/4 Cups Bisquick Mix

Directions:

1. Thoroughly Combine All Ingredients (I used the dough hook on my kitchen aid mixer)
2. Form 1-inch Balls and Place on Greased Cooking Sheet
3. Bake at 375 degree for 25-30 minutes or until Fully Browned

Song of the Day: Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People

Dave & Buster's

2012-01-24T22:34:00.000-08:00

Monday morning, I woke up 30 minutes before our alarm was set to go off, and discovered it was raining. Not just a friendly little drizzle, nope, it was raining buckets! Buckets, I tell you. Typically, I love the rain, but this was not a day that I wanted it to rain. This was the day we planned on going to Disneyland, and I had been excited for weeks. Like little kid, could hardly sleep the night before, excited. And you know that old song, "It Never Rains in Southern California?" Well, apparently, that is a lie. It only rains in Southern California when you want to go to Disneyland.

I shoved Adam awake (hard too, I might have left a bruise) and exclaimed, "It's raining, I can't believe it's raining!" And maybe I sounded a little bit like I was going to cry, because sometimes disappointment makes me want to cry. But I didn't cry, not even when we decided not to go at all because it was going to rain all day, and a day at Disneyland looking and feeling like a drowned rat just isn't the way to go. Because a day at Disneyland is expensive, and if I'm shelling out the dough, I want pretty pictures and dry tennis shoes. Is that too much to ask?

I asked Adam if he was going to go ahead and go on into work since we weren't doing anything, and he whined, "But I already took the day off, and I don't want to go to work." And then he threw himself onto the bed as if he was pouting. I told him that was cool, but we better do something fun with our free day because otherwise I was going to lose my mind sitting around the house. So we spent the morning watching The Price is Right like a pair of Old Fogeys, and feeling nervous as we watched this poor girl on crutches try to spin that big old Price is Right wheel (we figured that was an accident waiting to happen). And for lunch we went to Dave & Busters to play some games in a near deserted arcade, which was awesome.

I kicked Adam's butt in skee ball, lost all my tickets gambling on a game of Deal or No Deal, and we had some fun playing two player pacman. All in all not too shabby of a day, and we plan to go to Disneyland after I wrap up my internship in February to celebrate. And this time it better not rain. OR ELSE.

Song of the Day: White Houses by Vanessa Carlton

An End of The Season

2012-01-22T23:53:00.000-08:00

This year was my first full season as a true blue, live and die by the 4th quarter, football fan. And to celebrate that, Adam surprised me by bringing me home my very own Cheesehead, when he went home last year to Wisconsin over Thanksgiving. Although, I almost wish he had made it a Christmas present because I would have loved to have seen what a Cheesehead would look like wrapped under the Christmas tree! I never would have thought I would be so proud to wear a a slice of cheese on my head.

I can't say that last weekend was a very happy one for our little household, watching our beloved Packer's lose in the playoffs, after such a stellar season really hurt. I guess no matter how many superstitions Adam followed and talismans he wore, it just wasn't meant to be.

After the game, we hung our jerseys in the closet and our Cheeseheads were stored away until next season. We drowned our sorrows in a homemade spaghetti dinner, moped, and went to bed. After a good night's sleep, it didn't seem so bad. Although if you think we are going to watch this year's Superbowl you are dead wrong, we are not that UNBITTER. Boo, Giants. Maybe instead we will just watch last year's Superbowl (which we still have saved on the DVR, RECOGNIZE) and pretend that it is happening all over again.

But I am really sad that I can't have another Superbowl party this year.

Song of the Day: Dreams Go By By Harry Chapin

Tale as Old as Time...

2012-01-16T00:29:00.000-08:00

Friday, Adam surprised me by taking some time off of work to take me to the 3D showing of Beauty & The Beast, because he remembered that Beauty and the Beast is my all-favorite movie from childhood. It was really sweet of him, and we had a blast. Even though I hadn't seen that movie for years and years, I could still recite almost every word and sing every song.

Seeing Beauty & The Beast again just totally reaffirmed my belief that living in an enchanted castle would be totally amazing. Oh, and I also think the Beast was more handsome as a Beast than as a man. Just saying. I even think Adam enjoyed it.

It really was a thoughtful and totally unexpected surprise. So I guess even though I have a husband who doesn't understand why I would ever want a hamster as a pet, or why I'm obsessed with all those reality shows, he is still a pretty great guy to have hanging around the house. So, yeah, I kinda love him.

Song of the Day: Beauty and the Beast by Celine Dion

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

2012-01-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

On the last day of the Christmas holidays, we went up to Simi Valley and visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. I have a deep love for history, I always have, and one of the types of history that I'm obsessed with is Presidential history. So like a true Presidential history nerd, I love going to the Presidential libraries, and luckily so does my family.

The drive up to Simi Valley is enjoyable and pretty, and the library sits on a sprawling ranch in the hills. The library is really huge. My favorite exhibits were definitely the replica of Reagan's oval office, the Berlin wall piece, and all the stuff about Ron and Nancy's relationship. But the best part was seeing the inside (and outside) of the actual Air Force One plane used by six presidents (from Ford to George W.). The plane was amazing! I would kill to travel like that. Later, Adam and I were talking and decided if he (or me) became president we would just shrug off all presidential responsibilities and just use Air Force One to travel the world and vacation for the whole four year term, and then step down (because who would re-elect us after that). Sounds like a good career plan to me.

Song of the Day: Calling all Angels by Train

Just A Few Shots & Notes from Hollywood

2012-01-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

One of the things we did when my family was visiting over Christmas break was take the metro down to Hollywood because everyone always wants to go visit Hollywood when they come to Southern California. I really do enjoy going to Hollywood every few months because it definitely is an experience. Hollywood is great for people watching and general shenanigans, and I love me some shenanigans! But it can also be very crowded, and I get a little bit too claustrophobic in big crowds. So you know, you take the good, you take the bad, you take em both, and there you have that facts of liiiiiiiiiiiiiffffffeee. HAHA, sorry, I just had a total 80's kid moment.

While in Hollywood, we did possibly one of the most touristy things you can do (and definitely the most stalkerish) and went on a tour of the celebrity's homes. It was night time, so I didn't take a lot of pictures. But I was uber impressed by all the homes (especially Jennifer Anniston's and Tom Hank's) and uber surprised by how close their homes were to the streets, You could just drive right by them! If I was a really rich celebrity, I would live on a private island and commute by private jet. Yeah, I'd be THAT kind of celebrity.

No, we didn't actually see any celebrities, although it did look like Madonna was home, and we did get irrationally excited when we saw a man taking out the garbage at Tim Mcgraw's and Faith Hill's house. On the way back from the tour, we got to see some of the sights of Hollywood, and we happened past High Voltage Tattoos also known as L.A. Ink (which is the picture I posted of the mural featuring Kat Von D), and I got kinda of excited because for some reason I have an unusual obsession over tattoo shop reality shows like L.A. Ink.

Once the tour was done, we went and stuffed ourselves silly on delicious butterscotch shakes, juicy burgers, and hot fries at the historic Mel's Drive-Inn. Which was a perfect way to end the day, before taking a very sleepy & long metro ride home.

That is until we actually arrived home to discover that I had lost both the car keys and the house keys, which was an EPIC FAIL (To top it off, Adam had forget to take his keys earlier that day, so Adam had to go through our duplex neighbor's attic and drop down from our attic to unlock the house, he said he felt very James Bond like. He was proud of himself). And then Adam had the nerve to try to lecture me about responsibility, and what I should have done to not have lost my keys. Until I was like, "OH NO, don't go there mister because let us talk about about all the cell phones you have lost or washed. And let's not forget that I have been driving for ten years and have never ever lost my keys before." That pretty much settled the issue, although it does suck that I lost the keys because they are expensive to get made. But what can you do? Such is life.

I have tons of pictures of Hollywood trips on flickr if you want to see them here, here, or here. And I blogged about it here and here before! So just look at that, Hollywood overload.

Song of the Day: Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows

Breakfast @ Park's Pantry

2012-01-08T02:51:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, just as we were waking up, I was struck by a moment of brilliance, and turned to Adam and said, "Hey, what do you think about going to get some breakfast?" It had been eons since we went out for breakfast, so Adam recognized my idea as simply genius, and we dragged our butts out of bed, and headed over to our favorite little breakfast place, Park's Pantry. Park's Pantry is a small, dinerish restaurant that is historical here in Long Beach, and they serve up simple but really delicious food. Plus, their pancakes are better than IHOP, and believe me I love me some IHOP.

Breakfast was amazing, of course, but this whole day has been pretty lovely all around. We did some used book store shopping, took a long nap, caught little bits of the NFL playoffs, played with some sweet neighborhood dogs, and watched The Art of Getting By (which I adored). I really do love days like this, where you don't do much of anything except for the things that you really want to do.

Song of the Day: Expiration Date by Pomplamoose

New Year's Eve, New Years Resolutions, & Taking Inventory

2012-01-06T16:05:00.000-08:00

We did absolutely nothing on New Year's Eve. In fact, I think the exact play by play involved eating dinner, browsing the web, and playing video games.We were so socially exhausted and plain worn out from the fab Christmas holidays, that going out was so unappealing. We did surprisingly manage to stay up to watch the Ball Drop at midnight on the West Coast. And it may or may not have just been in my imagination, but I swear Mayor Bloomberg looked terrified of Lady Gaga, and Lady Gaga hit the button to drop the ball a second too early.

I didn't realize that this New Years Eve was spent almost identical to the last New Year's Eve, until I was doing my 2011 recap. Oye Vay. We are not totally turning into old fogeys yet I don't think, and we've sure had some amazing New Year's Eves in the past. We've spent New Year's Eves watching fireworks on the beach, and New Year's Eve partying with friends in beautiful rooms at resort hotels. So I guess we will just have to make up for the last two years by making the next New Year's Eve uber dazzling.

The one thing I love about New Years is making goals and resolutions, I just can't help myself. I know that everyday is technically a day you can use to start over and try to better yourself, but there is just something that feels so fresh, new, and hopeful about a New Year.

Last year, I simply resolved to do 5 items off my life list, and I actually did it. I was able to learn to make sushi, take my mother on vacation, tour the winchester mystery house, see a broadway play on broadway, and pay off my credit cards. So you know, Yay Me!

This year I resolve to:

1. Try a New Recipe Every Month.

I really love cooking and baking and giving new things a whirl. So I just wanted to commit myself to trying new things. They can be simple recipes or complicated ones (but I refuse to to be intimidated by harder recipes). And no matter what the results, I will not apologize for making mistakes and just enjoy the process.

2. Work on Expanding my Wardrobe and being more Fashionable.

I have never had much of a fashion sense, and have never had a lot of clothes. Because I will be job hunting and working in a professional atmosphere this year, I want to work on developing my own sense of style. So I'm talking the whole nine yards-more dresses, more shoes, and more jewelry. And learning how to match them all!

3. Get My Scrapbook Up to Date.

I've done a lot with the scrapbook this year, but I want to work on getting all the back pages complete so that it will be really simple to keep up with in the future.

4. Complete the Couch to 5k.

I don't like to make weight loss goals, but I think fitness goals are good. And I've always wanted to be able to run a bit, and I've done well with the couch to 5k before. So this is as good of a plan as any!

5. Land a Job in the Counseling Field.

As excited as I am to graduate and as tired of school as I am, and believe me I'm really tired of school (the other day I was bribing myself like a dog to get my homework done), I am terrified. Terrified, I won't be able to get a job, and then my school loans will come due, and then we will go broke and then we will lose our house, and become homeless and end up on the streets. You think I'm kidding, but I'm totally not kidding. These are the thoughts that go through my head on a daily basis.

6. Quit Cussing.

I wouldn't say I cuss a lot, but it has gotten somewhat worse since I started working with the teenagers last year at the rehab, they just rub off on you. I don't necessarily have an issue with people cussing, but I don't think it is the best way to communicate, or how I want to express myself. So I'm trying to put a stop to it, I've enlisted the help of people at work and Adam to call me out on it, and it is already getting better.

7. Live Pinterest!

I'm as obsessed with pinterest as the rest of the blogging world is (follow me here). But I rarely do the things that I pin, so I want to do at least 6 projects from pinterest this year. That can be anything from there that inspires me: recipes, crafts, or travel.

8. One Top Secret Resolution.

I have something very special in mind, but I can't share it because it is for people who read this blog, and I don't want to ruin the surprise! But I will share it once the mission is complete.

9. Accept Compliments.

I have always had the bad habit of negating a compliment when someone says something nice to me. If someone tells me I look pretty, I might say I'm having a bad hair day, etc. But I want to learn to accept compliments about myself. Plus, it is annoying to other people when you don't accept a nice thing they say to you.

10. Stop Biting My Nails.

It is a bad habit. It is kind of gross. I want long, beautiful nails. Enough said.

Song of the Day: My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year) by Regina Spektor

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

2012-01-02T01:41:00.000-08:00

This year was a great year for us. We rang in 2011 at home on our couch eating breakfast casserole, and watching Toy Story 3 because I was nursing a bit of a cold. We celebrated when Adam got a promotion, and we celebrated again when I landed my internship. Our Green Bay Packer's won the Superbowl (mainly due to Adam's superstitions). I learned to make sushi, successfully crossing another item off my life list. On Valentine's Day, I set up a scavenger's hunt for Adam, and on Easter we dyed Easter Eggs.

On April 4th, we celebrated our Cotton Anniversary by renting a room at the historic Hotel Roosevelt in Hollywood. Swimming in the gorgeous pool and ordering in room service. In May, Adam turned 27, and I turned 25. We took a spring time trip to San Francisco, and in the summer, I took my mother to New York City. We had a blast when my nieces came to visit for a week, and after taking them to Hollywood, Santa Monica Pier, Knott's Berry Farm, and Disneyland, we were exhausted.

While walking Sarah one night, Adam found a stray puppy in the street, who we named Oliver, that went to live with our next door neighbor. And now we get to see him all the time. We went to the Long Beach Street Food Fest, attended a L.A. Dodger's game, got our presidential history nerd on, stalked the Ferris Bueller house, saw a live taping of Conan!, and ate deep fried oreos at the O.C. fair. And I lost my lobster virginity at the San Pedro Lobster Fest.

We bought a new car, naming it Felix, bidding adieu to my first car, Homer. We decorated our house for Christmas by trimming the tree and building a gingerbread house. During the actual week of Christmas, my mother and stepfather came to town, and we went to Catalina Island, did a home of the stars tour, and went to the Reagan Presidential Library.

While the year was full of highs, we suffered the lowest of the lows when we lost our furbaby, Sarah Lee, on black Friday to bladder cancer. Everyday is better but we still miss her dearly, and I think we always will.

I don't know what 2012 holds. Hopefully, it involves getting a paying job after my internship wraps and I get my master's degree in February. And of course, I want to go on lots of new adventures with the hubs. So here is to health and happiness in the New Year everybody!

Song of the Day: Never Give Up by Melissa Ferrick

Catalina Island

2011-12-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

My mom and stepfather flew in last week from Sweet Home Alabama to spend the Christmas holidays with us. On the day after Christmas, we took the one hour ferry ride to Catalina island, which is 26 miles off the coast of Long Beach (and just so happens to be a place on my California Bucket List).

Catalina is such a beautiful place. It is beachy and mountainous, and full of wildlife and uber friendly people who all drive golf carts because very few cars are allowed. And in a funny coincidence, I served on a jury a few years back for Tommy Flanagan (from the TV show Sons of Anarchy) who was accused of drunk driving and crashing a golf cart on the island (we acquitted him for the record).

One of the first things we did when we got off the ferry was take a bus tour. The bus tour took us up these really narrow roads that are literally hanging off the side of the mountain. With no guard rails! It was scary and thrilling all at the same time. The views were breathtaking and the ocean was so calm it looked like glass. At the top of the mountain, there is a really quaint airport where we we were let out to take pictures, get snacks, etc.

When we were riding back down the mountain, our tour guide spotted a little fox that had been run over in the road. Because the fox was still breathing, the tour guide asked everyone if they would mind if he stopped the tour so he could call animal services and get some help for the fox. Everyone on the tour was kind and very concerned about the little fox, so of course we all decided we didn't mind. After about five minutes of waiting, the fox sat up and everyone started cheering, "Come on Little Fox, Come on." The fox manged to completely get up and run back into the forest! It was amazing, a true Christmas miracle (or a day after Christmas miracle). The little fox had a tracking collar on, so animal services was going to come find him and check on him. But he looked like he was going to be okay! It is moments like that you remember most when you are thinking back to the trips you took. Watching that fox trot off was truly uplifting.

After the tour ended, we grabbed some lunch at a really good restaurant called The Lobster Trap, and played some Miniature Golf. Adam kicked my butt in the game, but I was in the lead for a good long while before I started choking. Next, we shopped a little and before we knew it, it was time to take the ferry back to the main land. But we really enjoyed our day in Catalina, I only wish we could actually live there!

Song of the Day: This Ain't a Love Song by Scouting for Girls

A House Made of Gingerbread

2011-12-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know what typical married couples do on Thursday nights after long days at work. But we as a couple put on our pajamas and built a ginger bread house. And I think it is pretty adorable.

I once built a gingerbread house in college with my friends (in the middle of February), that my we named The Lonely Bush. So I told Adam we had to name our masterpiece, and finally we settled on the name, "Ginger-topia." And just in case you are wondering (and I know you are) that charming little snowman with the odd looking nose is named Leonard. He just looked like a Leonard.

Song of the Day: 1,2,3,4 (I Love You) by The Plain White T's

Bits n' Pieces

2011-12-19T02:45:00.000-08:00

Just a round up of a few photos that have been sitting around forever from various happenings that didn't really merit their own post but put them together and walaah! You have a post (Plus, I have nothing better to do since Adam is totally enthralled in some Modern Warfare 3 mayhem on the PS3, why did I get that for him again?).

I just have to ask the question, is anyone else this messy when they bake/cook? Because my kitchen always looks like a disaster after I'm done. I would like to blame the messy kitchen on the fact that the counter space you see in the picture is honestly the only counter space we have. But no it's just me. I get a little crazy in the kitchen. And then some how Adam always ends up cleaning up after me. He is pretty boss like that. This picture is from Adam's birthday baking preparations. And why yes that is my famous homemade peanut butter frosting.

A few months back my cousin Alicia, her husband, and adorable youngest two kids (Chloe and Joey) made it all the way out to Cali, and I met them at the Rain forest Cafe in Downtown Disney for dinner one night after work. Downtown Disney is a really cool area close to Disneyland, that has a lot of stores and restaurants. Plus they have live music and awesome decorations. After dinner, we waltzed over to the Build a Bear, and my little cousin Chloe built a pretty rockin' Disney bear. I have to admit that I was kind of jealous of that little bear with those cute Mickey Mouse ears. I snapped this picture of one of the lights at Downtown Disney because it caught my eye.

A quick and beautiful snapshot of an amazing sunset in Downtown Long Beach at The Pike.

One of our favorite restaurants is The Cheesecake Factory, although we don't go there often because it can be a little on the pricey side. But I have a life mission and that life mission is to try all the different cheesecakes produced by the factory. And so far I've had about ten different kinds. The best definitely being the white chocolate chip macadamia nut cheesecake. This is the pumpkin pecan cheesecake I had over Thanksgiving break, which is to die for and totally amazing!

I already wrote a memorial to my old car. But I have not yet introduced you guys to Felix the Honda Fit. Honestly, we bought Felix out of pure desperation, and we weren't too happy about that at the time (but I wasn't a happy camper in general that day because I had bronchitis, and we had to ride the bus to the dealership and walk a half mile in the cold. So Miserable). But Felix is pretty snazzy, and we have grown to like him a lot. Sure, he doesn't exactly have that new car smell, but at least he doesn't harbor the smell of ten years worth of dropped McDonald's french fries, stinky dogs, and those scented pine trees that hang from the visor. And with Felix we have a driver's side window that will actually roll down again! Oh, the luxury.

On my 21st birthday, my mother, Adam, and myself took a trip to Las Vegas to celebrate. While we were there, we visited the M&M factory/store. Which is the cutest store, and it has all sorts of quirky souvenirs. So when my mother and I happened across a M&M store last summer in New York City, we had to stop by. I snapped this picture of one of adorable statues hanging on the wall.

Song of the Day: Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? by She & Him

Tree Trimming

2011-12-10T00:27:00.000-08:00

I think my very favorite part of Christmas time is decorating the Christmas tree. Or more specifically unpacking all our ornaments. Almost all of our ornaments have special memories attached to them, and some are even older than me! So when I unpack the ornaments, I can't help but get really nostalgic. So I wanted to share just a few of our favorite ornaments.

We got the little San Francisco trolley ornament from our trip to San Francisco earlier this year, and I colored the little bear when I was eight years old (I have this most vivid memory of sitting at a table coloring that ornament with my best friend). I had forgotten all about the Golden Retriever ornament we had bought the year we brought Sarah home. Finding this ornament made me a little sad because we miss her so much, but I'm so glad we have something to remind us of our precious Goldie every year.

The little Green Bay Packer's kid is Adam's ornament. But we both love our Green Bay Packers! My mother got me the little mother/daughter coffee ornament a few Christmases ago, and I just love it because it reminds me of sitting around with my mom drinking coffee. And last but not least, we got the little snow couple ornament for our first Christmas together living in California. The ornament actually says, "First California X-Mas 09 (although the too thick marker and my terminally bad handwriting make it almost illegible)."

Do you have any favorite ornaments?

Song of the Day: Do You Hear What I Hear? by Christopher Cross

Ode to Homer my Honda

2011-12-07T22:38:00.000-08:00

My mother brought you home the month I turned 15. She named you Homer the Honda, a name I really didn't like at first. But when I told her your name should be changed, she threatened to name you "Harvey," instead. As in Paul Harvey. She did this only because she knew how I hated Paul Harvey's mono-toned daily radio broadcast. So I digressed, and the name Homer was here to stay.

My mom first tried to teach me to drive you after she picked me up from a friend's sleep over in a cemetery, where there was no living thing I could kill. Just expensive tombstones and dead people who might choose to haunt me for the rest of my life for disturbing their peaceful slumber. This was a horrendous idea because my mother has never been able to teach me anything without me having a major meltdown (a point proven every time I ever brought home math homework).

You were with me when I failed my first driver's test. My nerves getting the better of me, causing me to put the car in reverse instead of drive, and making me jump the curb. An automatic failure before even leaving the parking lot. But Hey! A lack of a driver's license didn't keep me from driving you (without my mother's knowledge or permission). And it certainly didn't keep me from wrecking you outside of Hardee's, after dropping off a job application on one of these joyrides (I didn't get that job-apparently car stealing and car wrecking teenagers aren't great prospectives employees). Having to tell my mom I stole the car and wrecked it was possibly the worst thing I ever had to tell anyone. But for years afterward, anytime I did something wrong and had to tell my mom, I always was able to tell myself, "It won't be as bad as the time you wrecked the car."

You were my constant companion in college. Accompanying me on my many adventures and misadventures. You took me on that clandestine trip with that boy I liked to New Orleans. And you brought me home early the next morning after the boy had dumped me and left me wondering up and down Bourbon Street all alone. You were there to cart my friends and me around that one time we got the notion to buy a pair of water frogs from Wal-mart at 3 a.m (we named them Bonnie & Clyde). And you were there when we would decide there was nothing more we needed than Olive Garden and Krispee Kreme donuts, so we would pile into you and drive two hours to Tuscaloosa. In fact, it was on one these trips that you earned the nickname armadillo extinguisher, as we hit an unsuspecting armadillo in the middle of the night on a dark country road scaring the bejeesus out of everyone.

The day after graduation, I loaded you up with almost everything I owned, and Adam and I drove you cross country to our new home in California. Along the way, we stopped at the home of the UFOs, Roswell. N.M, Flagstaff, A.Z., and the Grand Canyon. And on the final leg of the trip, your front tire sprung a flat, and we were helped by the kindest old man who worked with Triple AAA, who gave us the best marriage advice.

The other day we took you to the shop, and we found it was going to take $2500 dollars in work to keep you running. Being that you were ten years old, it seemed like an awful lot of money to put into you when we weren't sure how long you could continue to run. So we did what we had to do, and we went to the Honda shop and bought Felix the Red Honda Fit. I couldn't bear to tell you we were trading you in for parts because that would be like telling a child there is no Santa Clause. You know, frown upon.

So I guess the reign of the Homer the Honda is over, let the reign of Felix the Honda Fit last just as long (and be involved in less accidents).

Song of the Day: Christmas Wrappings by The Waitresses

Sarah Lee

2011-11-29T14:39:00.000-08:00

On Friday morning, we lost our beautiful dog, Sarah Lee. I wasn't sure I would write this post or what it would even say, but it felt wrong not to say a few words about the special little animal that was such a big part of our life. Sarah had been diagnosed with an inoperable bladder tumor a few months ago, and we knew eventually the tumor would get so big that she would no longer be able to function. But she had been trucking along just fine recently, and we had hoped that would last till Christmas.

But last week she started getting sick, bladder infection we thought. So we gave her medicine, it didn't help, and she just got worse and worse. By Thursday, she couldn't pee at all, and she literally spent all night outside trying to pee and throwing up. It was pitiful. And that night, I just knew it was over. I knew when I took her to the vet in the morning, she would be gone. The worst part of it all was Adam was out-of-town, so I had to be the one (although we talked about it, and he even said goodbye to her over the phone, she was so excited to hear her daddy's voice) to make the call. And I was the one in the room with her, holding her, when she drifted off.

During the whole process, I stayed upbeat with her because I didn't want her to pick up on my sadness and be upset. But after she was gone, I couldn't believe I could cry so much or so hard. I couldn't believe Adam could cry so much or so hard.

Although there aren't that many tears left that I can cry, there are few moments when her absence isn't noticed. There is no one to wake me up way too early in the morning because she wants to go on a walk (something that used to annoy me, but now I miss desperately), there is no one to feed, no one to give belly rubs to, no one to laugh at because of the way she scratches her back, or talk to in annoying baby voices. Sometimes Adam and my's mind will trick us for a split second, and we will look up to see what she is doing only to be faced with the reality that she is gone.

She was the sweetest, gentlest, kindest dog, and anyone who ever got the pleasure of meeting her couldn't help but fall head over heels in love with her.

So rest in peace our Sarah Lee. You were our baby, our precious goldie, and you will be forever missed.

Life Recently According to My Iphone

2011-11-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and enjoyed the food and the family. And now that thanksgiving is over it is time for the best season of all, Christmas! I just can't wait.

Here are just a few snaps from the previous week:

1. I took this shot just outside my office. I found it oddly beautiful.

2. Gorgeous tree inside an Orange County Mall!

3. Adam and I went to see The Muppets. It was fantastic. Worth the wait.

4. Eggnog Gelato from the store. There are just no words for this wonderful treat.

5. One of my favorite things about Christmas is the poinsettias. Love the bright red.

6. A chicken salad sandwich and an orange juice from my favorite little cafe, Vie de France. Love, Love, Love the packaging. They also have amazing sweets.

Song of the Day: Christmas Wrappings by The Waitresses

Thankful

2011-11-23T23:05:00.000-08:00

(via)

Little Things I Am Grateful for This Thanksgiving:

Spiced Apple Cider

Kindle eBooks

Christmas Decorations & Christmas Music

The Packer's Undefeated Season

Marcel the Shell

Re-airing of 90's shows on Teen Nick (Love Kenan & Kel)

Fleece Blankets

Freshly Scrubbed Hardwood Floors

Puppy Kisses (from Puppies who are now 11 years old)

Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake

Funny Text Messages

Starbuck's Red Cups

Cooler Weather

Clinique Happy Perfume

But most of all I am grateful for my family, my friends, a husband who never fails to be there for me, and a dog who is thriving despite all her health issues. Happy Thanksgiving Y'all. I hope you eat until you can no longer walk!

Song of the Day: The Luckiest by Ben Folds

A Little Scrapbooking

2011-11-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

This week I have some much needed time off work (thank you Thanksgiving break, you are lovely). I used the break to go to my own personal mecca, Michael's. I can spend hours roaming the scrap booking aisles, in fact it took me two hours to pick up supplies for four scrapbook pages. But the best past of today is when I got to the register I found out they were having a huge sale and everything ended up costing me $15 dollars instead of $30.00. Score.

When I got home, I put on one of my favorite movies, My Life in Ruins, and got to work scrapping a few events that happened this year (the New York City Trip, L.A. Dodger's Game, San Francisco Trip, and our 2nd anniversary). They are not perfect, but I love the pages oh so much, and I enjoy looking back through the scrapbook and seeing everything we have done in these last few years. If you want to see more scrapbook pages go here and here.

P.S.-It is seriously difficult to photograph scrapbook pages, I need to invest in a scanner!

Song of the Day: Telephone by Lady Gaga

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

2011-11-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

As a child born in the 80's, who came of age in the 90's there are certain things I hold near and dear to my heart. Like pop-up music video (and pop-up Brady Bunch), fruit roll-ups, beanie babies, tamigotchas, the game dream phone (which I played in college with my girls occasionally), and the phrase "Da Bomb." By the way, do you know that the kids from the 90's totally started the phrase "Da Bomb." And now the teens I work with have shortened it to "Bomb," and they try to pass it off as their own personal contribution to society. No respect for the ones that came before them I'm tellin you.

But one of the best things about this time period was definitely the movies! We had The Goonies! Pretty in Pink! The Breakfast Club! And one of my all-time favorites, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I mean who can forget the hypochondriac Cameron Fry? The German American Parade Scene? The annoying sister? The Save Ferris campaign? The young Charlie Sheen sighting? I know I can't.

Last week I watched Ferris Bueller's Day off with the teens at work on a VHS tape. VHS, baby. Does that blow your mind? It blows mine. Before that day, I don't even remember the last time I saw a VHS tape. And the sound of the the tape rewinding in the tape player was really nostalgic for me. I don't know if the teens really enjoyed the movie like I used to. It is not as in your face as comedy movies are nowadays. Which makes me a little sad, but oh well. There is no accounting for bad taste. Just kidding. Sorta.

When I got home from work that day, I decided to Wikipedia the movie just for fun. One of the things I learned is that while most of the film was made in Chicago, Ferris Bueller's house was actually a home here in Long Beach! I had to go see it! So after some long hours of stealthy googling (OK, it was really easy), I found the address. It is located in a swankier part of Long Beach. And last Sunday, we went to check out Ferris Bueller's house, which looks exactly like it did in the movie!

I didn't pose in front of the house because obviously someone was home, and I didn't want to appear like some crazy person cheesin' in front of their house on a seemingly random Sunday (although I'm sure they have seen their fair share of those). But I thought it was pretty darn cool to see a little glimpse of Hollywood history.

Song of the Day: Diet Mtn Dew by Lana Del Ray

Life Lately According to my Iphone

2011-11-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

1. A beautiful sunset I saw while I was sitting outside Adam's office waiting to pick him up from work. It sure made those 30+ minutes (he was running late) stuck in the car a little more enjoyable.

2. I used the money I had save that I was going to use for something for myself and bought Adam the new Modern Warfare Game. And then I lied, and acting really sneaky, and made him think we couldn't afford it for a long time, so I could surprise him with it :) It was just a really big deal to him and that just makes me uber happy.

3. The best and cheapest Chinese take-out in all of Long Beach. Maybe in all of the United States. I'm not even kidding. Although, I think I go there way too often because they always recognize me and know my order. And that feels less friendly to me and more like a judgement on my lifestyle choices. But it is not, I'm just slightly neurotic like that.

4. Adam in the kitchen! Cooking! In a Hug Hefner style robe! Be still my heart! I showed Adam how to make the really simple recipe I have for breakfast casserole, because he wants to wow his family back home in Wisconsin next week by cooking them breakfast. But oh my goodness did he need guidance every step of the way, you would have thought it was rocket science. God bless his little non-cooking heart. May we never separate because then he may starve to death.

5. Sunday we had lunch at Stacked with our friend Luther. A place where you build your own burgers on little ipad tablets on the tables. It's one of our fave places. And these are a pictures of their coasters. Just cause.

6. Our goldie, Sarah, being a ham and horsing around.

7. This really blurry pic of Adam and me was taken to prove that we are one of those annoying couples who even dress alike. Yes, we did go out to eat in our matching Green Bay Packer's Jerseys. It is like we are the wonder twins! Everyone knows that after you have been married a long time you start to look a like. And being married two and a half years is a really long time! I mean we have been married 953 days, which is 850+ days longer than Kim Kardashian!

8. A pumpkin ice cream/snicker doodle cookie ice cream sandwich. Can you say amazeballs?

9. The house where Ferris Bueller lived in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off!! I could say so much more about this, but I'm pretty sure that deserves its own post. So stay tuned.

Song of the Day: Only Prettier by Miranda Lambert

Oh, For The Love of the ...

2011-11-10T01:57:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've been walking our dog in the evenings more and more on my own. I don't exactly know how it happened, but over the years it has just become Adam's "job" to walk the dog. You know just like it became Adam's job to wash all the dishes because one time he overheard me telling someone dishes disgust me (and he is sweet like that). Also in his job description? Hanging pictures and killing any spider I see, even if I see it in the middle of the night and he is dead asleep (it is not like he is going to stay asleep through all that screeching anyway, let's be real).

I decided to start walking Sarah because I could use the exercise, and it is nice to give Adam the occasional break. However, I feel like for the entire 45 minutes or so I'm gone this is Adam's thought process:

(via)

I always take my tunes with me when I'm walking with Sarah because there is no interacting with her on the walk. Sarah considers her walks her time. Meaning she doesn't want to be talked to, she doesn't want to be petted, and she for sure doesn't want you to walk ahead of her. No, she just wants to sniff, to hunt for cats, and to search for abandoned chicken wings on the side of the road (by the way, how in the world are there so many chicken wings to be found?!?)

Now before I continue this story, I want to assure my mother who reads this blog (hi mom!), that I walk Sarah fairly early in the evenings, when there are tons of people around and it is perfectly safe. Because if I don't say this, I will have a million texts and one long phone lecture about how what I'm doing is not safe! And how I'm going to get killed! And how she heard of someone who got killed walking their dog! So mom this won't happen to me, I promise.

One night last week I was walking with Sarah, blasting my really deep, mind-opening music (e.g.-Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson). I was stopped at a traffic light when I could tell this young man was trying to get my attention. I am not one to talk to strangers, heck I don't even like talking to my friends on the phone. Plus, most people in Long Beach only gesture at you like that when they are homeless and want money. Which is always bad news for me, because I am notoriously bad at giving away my money out of either guilt or the want to just stop talking.

So I was very skeptical and very, very trapped. I couldn't pretend not to hear/see him because I was stuck at a traffic light. But I sized him up, he was well-dressed, and there were tons of people milling around. So I slipped off one of my ear buds and he simply asked, "Could you love a man as much as you love your dog?"

I don't know what his motivation for asking me this was. Was he flirting with me? I'm never good at recognizing flirtations unless they are REALLY direct. Basically, a guy has to actually tell me they are flirting with me for me to get it. Or had he been burned by an ex-girlfriend that chose her frilly-dressed, pocket-sized, miniature chihuahua over him and he was looking for answers? Or is he some kind of anonymous, secret, underground Sex in the City type blogger working on his next story? I guess I'll never know. I just answered, "Of course, I could love a man more than my dog." And then I added, "But I'm already married.." Just in case he was flirting and walked away.

I thought about the question on the rest of the walk. I could see why some people might find it easier to live with a dog rather than a spouse. I look at it this way. If it was only the dog and me, I would never have to worry about someone not putting their clothes away right after they wash them, which is my ultimate pet peeve, like some people do in this household. *Cough, Cough. Adam* And I'm sure Adam would say if he lived with only the dog, he could play video games all the time with no judgement.

But no as much as I love my dog, and believe me I love Sarah. In fact, I'm quite obsessed with her. I could never love her more than Adam. And I know Adam could never love her more than me! Or at least I think I know that. But maybe I better ask him....

Song of The Day: I Am Not The Robot by Marina & The Diamonds

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! What are everyone's plans? We aren't doing much of anything tonight. We aren't passing out candy, we aren't dressing up, and we aren't going to party all night long. And yes this is kind of sad. There was a lot I meant to get around to this Halloween season. I wanted to go to a pumpkin patch, I wanted to go to a corn maze, and I wanted to carve some pumpkins. But time just got away from us, I mean tomorrow is November 1st! Where is this year going?

But I did want to carve some pumpkins. I even asked Adam if he wanted to yesterday, but he was being a fuddy duddy who didn't want to do anything at all, and it is no fun to carve pumpkins all on your own. So we didn't. But next year he owes me. Next year we will carve pumpkins and visit haunted houses and dress in cutesy, couple costumes. So help me Bob.

But for now, my Halloween celebration will include FABULOUS spiced apple cider, character lollipops, my orange jack o'latern t-shirt, and dancing to the songs Monster Mash and Thriller!

Song of the Day: Thriller/Heads Will Roll by Glee Cast

Catchin' Up With Oliver

2011-10-31T01:38:00.000-07:00

So who remembers this adorable little guy? Oliver is the stray we rescued who ended up living with our next door, duplex neighbor. We are so lucky this little booger lives next door to us because we absolutely fell in love with him, and now we get to see him everyday. Anytime we walk past Oliver's house, he stands up on his hind legs, and barks and cries and flips himself over backwards until we acknowledge his presence and say, "Hi Oliver." And if we walk by the house with Sarah in tow, forget about it, he loses his little mind.

Today I was doing laundry. Six hours worth of laundry. And y'all that's a lot of laundry. Our washer and dryer are outside in a shed we share with our neighbor. And on one of my never ending trips outside, I heard a little whining sound. But I couldn't place it, and finally I looked over to the fence and saw his little face peering out at me.

Of course, I stopped everything I was doing to play with him. Who couldn't? I tried to pick him up like I used to. But I no longer can because he is grown into quite the little tonka trunk! But there was still tons of head pats and kisses to go round. He is quite possibly the cutest thing ever.

Song of the Day: Little Bird by The Weepies

Conan Live Show Taping!

2011-10-23T03:12:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I updated the blog! We've been really busy around here lately, and plus we both had colds this weekend. So we had a pathetic weekend full of napping and not leaving the house other than to walk the dog. And by the way, when I got married, I knew there would be some sharing involved, but I didn't want to share everything (e.g.-colds). But the vows do say, "In Sickness and In Health...."

Last Monday, Adam and I went to a live taping of The Conan Show on TBS. Adam LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Conan O'Brien, so for months I'd been trying to get tickets so I could surprise him. Finally, we won the free ticket lottery, and we were so excited. For weeks before the taping, we wondered who the "celebrity" guests would be. And the weekend before the taping we learned it would be Kaley Cucao and Dr. Drew Pinksy.

We were kind of disappointed about Kaley Cucao, only because we already saw her when we went to a taping of The Big Bang Theory! I mean out of all the celebrities in Hollywood, what are the odds we would see her for a second time? It is like she is stalking us. But Oh Dr. Drew! I was so excited about Dr. Drew! Because I'm kinda, sorta in love with him, and I promise Adam knows and he understands. First of all, he is so handsome in that distinguished, older man kind of way. Second, I work in the mental health field and I really admire his therapeutic skills. Seriously, I'm not making that up. Therapy totally revs my engine.

As excited as I was, when I found out Dr. Drew was the guest of honor, I got a little nervous. What if I got to talk to him and I got all starstruck like I did when I met Princess Belle at Disneyland? You see, when I met Princess Belle at Disneyland, I got all excited and fawned over her like she was really Princess Belle and stuttered, "You're My Favorite Princess!" As if she was not just a lady in costume!

When the day of the taping rolled around, we drove down to Burbank, went through security, and received our snazzy wrist bands. We got to hang out with other crazy Conan fans (and I do mean crazy), and we bought matching Conan T-shirts. Eventually it was time to head over to the studio. Walking to Conan's studio was a lot of fun too because we walked right through the old set from my all-time favorite show, Gilmore Girls.

Actually entering Conan's studio was surreal because it looks exactly like it does on TV, except it was like a miniaturized version. It was so cool to see how the show is made and to see the celebrities. (And yes, Dr. Drew is just as cute in person as he is on TV, and NO I didn't make a fool of myself. Probably only because I never talked to him). When we watched it back on TV, we noticed that they do edit somethings out, and also they tone down the laughter and hollering that goes on in the studio (probably so you can hear what everyone is saying).

It was a really fun day and a great experience, and being able to do things like that is one really cool thing about living in Southern California. And seeing Conan was on my California Bucket List, so I'm happy to to mark one more thing off that list.

Song of the Day: Insensitive by Jann Arden

Weekend in Instagrams

2011-10-16T23:21:00.000-07:00

1. Friday night dinner at Famous Dave's Famous BBQ. I had little BBQ mini sandwiches with a side of possibly the best macaroni on the planet. Not pictured? Our appetizer of corn fritters dipped in honey. Yummy. I think honey just might make everything a little bit better. Raise your hand if you feel me.

2. I don't know why I love this picture of Princess Sarah's backside and tail so much. But I just do.

3. A picture of our BEAUTIFUL nieces at the pumpkin patch. No, I did not take this one, being that they live 1,500 miles way. But that doesn't stop it from being my one my favorite pics from this weekend.

4. I have now lived in Southern California for three and a half years, and I can't remember ever having seen any fog. But on Friday, the buildings downtown were disappearing into the fog! We were actually experiencing weather, instead of 365 days of the same old, same old.

Song of the Day: November was White, December was Grey by Say Hi

Miss. Sarah Lee

2011-10-10T01:45:00.000-07:00

I've never talked a whole lot about our dog, Sarah Lee, on this blog. Which is surprising because Adam and I are practically obsessed with her. Sarah is a big & beautiful golden retriever (sometimes we call her Goldie for short). She enjoys sleeping 21 hours of the day, chasing cars, playing coy with the next door neighbors, taking out entire civilizations with her massive tail, and receiving tons of love from her mommy & daddy. Her dislikes include thunder, fireworks, and drinking water from anything but her designated bowl. And she is a loyal companion to anyone who will occasionally slip her a Mcdonald's French Fry.

Sarah has lived with us for three and a half years and is 11 years old. We adopted her from my older brother when he was losing his house and he could no longer keep her. I had just moved in with Adam at the time, when I found out Sarah needed a home, and I begged him to let her come live with us. There was a lot of tears on my part because he hates change and thought it was a bad idea, but because I'm me and he is him, she came to live with us (he has trouble saying no to me). Hehe. And we road-tripped to Phoenix to meet my brother and brought her home, and Adam fell in love with her within seconds (like I knew he would). And the rest is history!

Over the last few months, Sarah has been slowing down and not feeling the best. We just chocked it up to her getting older. But eventually we took her to the vet, and got some pretty bad news about her health and how long she will be with us. And we spent a lot of that week crying and feeling really sad. Then, we just had to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and decide to make our time with Sarah that is left, the best time with Sarah. So we've been taking her to the beach for long walks every weekend and giving her tons of tummy rubs and treats (screw the diet!).

But the funny thing is Sarah has been acting more youthful than ever lately due to the medicines she is on. She is sooo playful and sooo active. When we took her to the beach this weekend, she was running, chasing squirrels, rolling around on the grass, and fighting us when we decided to turn back toward the car (she always wants to go farther and farther because she always forgets there is a return walk).

Both Adam and I were beaming after that walk because seeing her like that was such a joy. It totally made our weekend. And it really hit home that no matter how much time we have left with her (and who really knows how much time that is) we are just blessed to have had her in our lives and are grateful for every single day.

Song of the Day: Trouble is a Friend by Lenka

Things Making Me Happy This Week

2011-10-06T23:48:00.000-07:00

1. My New Anchor Necklace Made By SerendipityLicious

2. Waking Up to a Rainy Day after a Long, Hot, Southern California Summer

3. Walks at the Bluff overlooking the Beach with my Husband and Doggie Sarah

4. Sleeping in on Saturdays

5. Watching Old Seasons of Big Brother on Youtube

6. Fortune Cookies from my favorite Chinese Takeout Place

7. Acing my Client Presentation for Class

8. My Fuzzy, Polar bear Socks Protecting me from our Cold, Hardwood Floors

9. Playing the Spy Mouse Game on my Iphone

10. The Green Bay Packers Stomping the Denver Broncos

11. New Fall Flavors at Starbucks (Salted Caramel Mocha. Yum)

12. Daylight Savings Time being just around the Corner

13. Going through Old Photos on Old Memory cards

14. My Nieces' Funny Facebook Statuses

15. Reading The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

What is making you happy?

Song of the Day: Fix You by Coldplay

A Cold Stone Tragedy

2011-09-26T00:24:00.000-07:00

The other day I picked Adam up from work, and we decided to go grab some ice cream at Cold Stone as a little treat. My mother had sent us a gift card for ice cream and just like real money it was burning a hole in our pocket. And just like I always do every time we go to Cold Stone, I started ribbing Adam about something that happened on a previous trip to Cold Stone....many moons ago.

You see we officially started dating the fall semester of my Junior year when Adam was living in California, and I was still going to school in Mississippi. So obviously we weren't spending a lot of face to face time together. Which was hard and annoying, and every other adjective you can possibly think of to describe a long distance relationship. To fix this, Adam invited me to spend the summer between my Junior and Senior year living with him in California. And I agreed.

That summer was definitely an interesting one. Adam was living in a teeny, tiny studio apartment overstuffed with way more furniture than he needed (my opinion, not his). So there was absolutely no privacy and all we could do all day was sit around and stare at each other. You had to hang out in the bathroom to get a little privacy. And just like the place we have now, it had no air conditioning. So while he was at work, I was at home (without a car) sweating tremendously and worrying that the heat would cause me to be overcome with the "vapors."

And can we discuss how he didn't even have cable? I mean he had a few basic channels, half of which were in Spanish and Vietnamese, and somehow the Oxygen channel was miraculously, accidentally given to us. So I spent all day watching The Bad Girl's Club and Snapped! marathons. I watched so much Snapped! that I think Adam worried that I was taking tips from the murderous women and planning his demise.

The first weekend after I stepped off my plane at LAX to embark on this summer long adventure, we found ourselves at a Cold Stone. Adam was sitting across the table from me, and out of nowhere he says, "I just realized that for the whole summer you are going to be here every second of every day." He didn't say it in the, "I'm so in love with you and this is going to best summer ever!" kind of way. No, he said it in the "This is totally going to cramp my style," kind of way.

Of course I handled his words with grace and understanding, and it's not like I would ever freak out in the middle of a Cold Stone or anything. Yeah right! I am so not that level headed, and I totally started crying in the middle of Cold Stone. I only have vague recollections of what happened after this. I'm pretty sure Adam piled my hot mess of a self into the car, and we headed back to the studio. And at that point, totally convinced we were going to break up, I was whipping out my emergency credit card and trying to book my flight home.

Obviously, Adam talked me down off that ledge and we are still together all these years later. Now I understand that this comment came from a fear of the unknown and losing his lifelong "bachelor status." But Adam still feels really bad about this whole thing, which makes it all the more fun for me to tease him about.

Song of the Day: Why Can't I by Liz Phair

Lobster Fest

2011-09-19T01:44:00.000-07:00

See Bernard? Bernard was my lobster. See me eat Bernard. This weekend Adam had to stay home and work, meaning he was making boring, long conference calls every few hours. And these conference calls were making my weekend extra boring as well. So our friends Albert & Rianne offered to in essence "babysit" me. Meaning they invited me to come hang out with them and some of their family and friends at the Lobster Fest in San Pedro.

I had never had a lobster before because I typically shy away from food that has faces. I developed a bit of a phobia of food with faces because once when I was on vacation in Israel, a guy in my tour group ordered fish and it came out looking like this:

Hairy Arm was not Part of the Meal, Thankfully

And that is just plain scary. But everyone promised me that the lobster would taste amazing. So I was gung ho to try something new. I got my lobster, and just to make it a little weirder for myself I decided to name it, and I named it Bernard. I was told to name it Sebastien like the crab from The Little Mermaid, but I figured that was too cliche.

Once I figured out how to eat it (hey, it's complicated), I dug in. I have to say it was pretty darn amazing. So soft and so tender. And the butter sauce? I wish I could swim in it. I even ate the green stuff inside the lobster. I still don't know what that green stuff was and I probably don't even want to know. But I am definitely a lobster fan!

We spent the rest of the fest eating other fair style foods, shopping, and playing carnival games. I was so happy that they invited me and gave me an opportunity to get out of the house this weekend!

Song of the Day: Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond

Pin-Interested

2011-09-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

So just like a million other bloggers, I'm just a tab bit obsessed with pininterest. And lately I've been pinning some pretty tasty/pretty/random things on pinterest. Such as...

The Perfect Table Setting

(via The Sweetest Occasion)

A Recipe To Try

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

(via Hot Polka Dot)

A Fun DIY Project

Darlin Mini-Poloroid Magnets

(via Ambrosia Girl)

The Kitchen in My Dream Home

(via Cote De Texas)

Something from My Wishlist

Recycled Globes

(via See Hear Say)

Song of the Day: Men & Mascara by Julie Roberts

Football Season Opener!

2011-09-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Football made its official return to our household Thursday night. We, of course, were uber excited because as a couple we celebrate five seasons yearly: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Football! And we love our Green Bay Packers! To celebrate, I baked two chocolate cakes with peanut butter icing. One for Adam's co-workers and one for a little get together we had for the game. And I baked these when the temperatures were sweltering and I thought I might pass out. That is how much I love my husband, and how much he loves my peanut butter cake.

Everyone loved the cakes, I got so many compliments on it. In fact, one of our friends who had a piece on Thursday night called us the next day and asked if he could swing by again because he wanted another piece! I love getting compliments on my baking. It makes my day.

We had a blast watching the return of Superbowl Champion Packers and enjoyed it even more because they won! Boo-yah, take that Steelers! And I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store. Hopefully, it is a repeat of last year!

To see how Adam gets ready for a Packer's Game check out this entry.

Song of The Day: Dani California by Red Hot Chilli Peppers

Ten Years Ago Today

2011-09-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

On September 11th, 2001, I was 15 years old and a tenth grader in high school. That morning started just like every other morning. My mother woke me up, I ate breakfast, and left for school. My first class of the day was U.S. History with my all-time favorite teacher Mr. Jones. In the middle of his lecture, one of the football coaches stopped outside the classroom door, and said we should turn on the news because a plane had just hit a tower in NYC.

There was a small TV behind the teacher's desk, and we all turned our desks around to watch the broadcast. We saw the smoke billowing up from the tower and the gaping hole the plane had made. And only a few minutes after turning on the TV, we saw the second plane hit the South Tower.

At the time, I didn't know what the twin towers were and "Terrorism" never crossed my mind. I thought it was just some terrible, terrible accident. I had no frame of reference for terrorism. I had no frame of reference for war, Bin Laden, or Al-Qaeda. And I only had a vague notion of unrest in the Middle East.

But once it came out that it was indeed terrorism many students, including myself, were worried for our parents. In the town I am from in Alabama, many people work for a huge government base, which could potentially have been a target. Teens lined up at the pay phones and tried to call their parents, I tried to call my mother. No one could get a hold of anyone. Later, we learned this was because they were all encouraged to take shelter.

The rest of the day went by in a haze. We continued on with our classes, but did no work in any of them. We watched TV in every class, and in German class the teacher led an in-depth conversation on what it all meant. The news just seemed to worsen as the day went on-the towers collapsed, a plane hit the pentagon, and one had been crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

I remember being most disturbed by the footage of some people in the Middle East dancing in the street and celebrating what had happened. That was really hard to comprehend as a 15 year old and even harder to comprehend now.

On my trip to NYC last summer, I visited Ground Zero with a tour guide that had been there that day. And even staring at the site and listening to his story, it was hard to imagine or comprehend the horrors that went on that day. Yet, I will never forget where I was on 9-11-2001.

Ground Zero, June 2011

Song of the Day: American Pie by Don Mclean

A Little Note on a Little Date

2011-09-07T23:48:00.000-07:00

(Via)

Dear Husband,

Thanks so much for taking me out to eat tonight just to get me out of this over-sized, Dutch oven (A.K.A air-conditionerless sweat box) we call our home. Because the heat was making me behave as if I had Charlie Sheen's tiger blood racing through my veins, and the thought of turning on the oven to cook dinner was about to put me over the edge. Even if it was only Subway, sitting in an air-conditioned restaurant after this scroching hot day with my tuna sub and sharing a large Dr. Pepper with you was pretty much the bee's knees.

Love, B

Song of the Day: Brick by Brick by Katy Perry

Richard Nixon Presidential Library

2011-09-06T00:17:00.000-07:00

Because Adam and I are two geeks mixed with a pinch of nerd (and big old history buffs at that, heck we went to Washington D.C. for the HISTORY for our honeymoon), we decided to check out the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda this weekend. I love presidential history, and I can spurt out so many random factoids on the presidents. Did you know that George Washington was a brilliant dancer? Or that Ulysses S. Grant received a speeding ticket for riding his horse too fast? I bet you didn't, but if you did know that I think we should so meet for coffee sometime and revel in our combined history nerdom.

The museum was huge, and it took us three hours to get through it all! But of course, it was because we had to read absolutely everything. Adam's favorite exhibits were Nixon's Marine One helicopter (the one he left the White House in after he resigned) and all the space stuff. There was also an exhibit which housed all the keys to the cities Nixon was given, and when Adam saw that the key to the home of his beloved Green Bay Packers was there, he was uber excited. I enjoyed seeing the home Nixon was born in, a piece of the Berlin Wall, and the Watergate exhibit.

I hope everyone enjoyed their labor day weekend as much as we did!

Song of the Day: Soldier by Ingrid Michaelson

A Perfect Match

2011-09-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

(Via)

When I was a wee third grader, my teacher had all of her students read The Boxcar Children books. If you haven't read The Boxcar Children books, you obviously had a deprived childhood. The Boxcar Children books were about a family of orphans who take care of each other and lived together in an old, abandoned train boxcar. Well, at least the early books in the series were like that. The later books in the series kind of jumped the shark because they found their older, wealthy grandfather and moved to his orchard. As an adult, I think that is wonderful because the kids needed that kind of a security. But you have to admit it kind of screws up the plot line. Anyway.

One day I was sitting next to this little boy in class, and I finished my chapter long before he did. When he noticed I had finished before he did, he accused me of not reading the story at the all, basically calling me a liar. He said that no one could read that fast. I was so upset. How dare he accuse me of cheating? And I started to worry that I was some sort of super, mutant, speed reading freak. And this brief conversation in third grade has stuck with me my entire life.

Last weekend, Adam called me over to the computer to read something he found interesting online. As we were reading, I recognized that we were finishing each page at the exact same time! Adam is just as fast of a reader as I am ! With this realization, I felt less alone in this world, and the years of shame that that little third grader placed on me began to fade away.

Somewhere in our house I plan to place a sign, "Welcome To The Home of The Super, Mutant, Speed Reading Freaks."

Song of the Day: Shine by Anna Nalick

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

2011-08-30T20:36:00.000-07:00

Adam won free L.A. Dodgers tickets a little while ago from a raffle at work. I wouldn't say we are huge baseball fans, and I don't really like to watch baseball on TV. But I think going to live baseball games is fun because of the down home, laid back atmosphere at baseball games. So we were excited. Friday was the game and we invited a great friend of ours Luther, who brought his ADORABLE four year old nephew, Braylon.

I got to sit in the backseat with Braylon as we drove to the stadium, and he was so amazing at the games on my iPhone. Much better than me. How is that possible? He's four! His favorite was definitely the game Flight Control. And every time he would crash a plane he would just laugh and laugh. After we got home from the game that evening, I told Adam I was not interested in having a baby right now, but I definitely would love to have a four year old.

When we got to the game, we were shocked by what good seats we had! I mean we were field level right behind home plate! If you are going to go to a game, that is definitely the way to go-Executive style. To complete the Dodgers experience, we grabbed some Dodger Dogs for dinner. Well, actually we had the Super Dodger Dogs. Because at the concession stand, The Super Dodger Dogs were labeled as 100% beef and the regular Dodgers Dogs weren't. So I didn't know what I would be eating if I had a regular Dodger Dog. Which is slightly terrifying, even though when you eat any hot dog you are basically putting your life on the line anyway.. . But the Super Dodger Dogs tasted delicious.

The Dodgers were playing the Colorado Rockies. And the Rockies got a home run really early in the game and held on to the lead until the 7th inning stretch. And then all of a sudden the Dodger's just kept getting home run after home run. It was super exciting and I was glad that we attended a game where they won.

We had a great time at the game, and it made for a great Friday night, and a great kick off for the weekend.

Song of the Day: Cheap Seats by Alabama

To Market, To Market

2011-08-29T00:22:00.000-07:00

Angel's Flight

Chop Suey

I Love the Old Men with the Fruit

Inside the Market

Peanuts!

Economy Meats

Dessert Bar

Beans

View from Metro Station

I went on a little adventure on Thursday, I decided to take the subway to Historic Downtown L.A. to check out Grand Central Market. I had never been down there, and I had heard it was a very fun/interesting place to hang out. It is and I loved it! Grand Central Market is L.A.'s oldest open air market, and it has been opened since 1917.

When you first come out of the Pershing Square Subway Station, you get the prettiest view of some of the skyscrapers on what is known as Bunker Hill. Then, you come across the beautiful Angel's Flight Tram, which was built to take you to the top of this very steep hill. You can ride it for just 25 cents. But when it was first built, it only cost .10 cents. Darn, inflation!

After checking out the Angel's Flight, I headed over to the market. The market was so much fun and there was so much going on. There were people haggling over prices, butchers dressed in traditional uniforms, business men catching a quick lunch before going back to work, and little old ladies trying to lure you into their fruit stands, whispering in your ear that their bananas are better than the other people's bananas. That's what she said.

I took a bunch of pictures, and I had a slice of raspberry and lemon cake from a dessert bar, that was AMAZEBALLS, before heading back home.

It was so good for me to get out on my own and have a little adventure. When I first moved here three years ago, I was so intimidated by this big city. I was scared to drive the freeways, and I was scared to take the subway on my own. One by one I conquered all those fears, and if you ask me that is pretty darn cool.

Song of the Day: Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette

The Creamiest Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe Ever

2011-08-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

Adam's favorite cake of all time is chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. And in the years before Adam and I moved in together (also known as the pre-historic years) all I ever heard about was how his family made the best peanut butter frosting ever. So two years ago, when Adam's birthday rolled around, and I was throwing together a little surprise party for him, I knew I had to make him his favorite cake with his favorite frosting.

I got the recipe from my mother-in-law, and the frosting turned out pretty well. But to me it was a little sticky and missing a little something. So I doctored it up just a little and came up with the perfect recipe for this frosting. And let me tell you it is AMAZING. It is the simplest, creamiest, and tastiest recipe ever. I swear to you! Try it now. You won't regret it.

I asked Adam if he liked mine or his mother's frosting best, in a totally teasing way, but he refused to answer. Boo, Adam. It is totally mine by the way. And if my mother-in-law is reading this, I'm only kidding!

This recipe is enough to frost one two layer 9 inch cake or one 9x13 inch cake. But I usually double this recipe because I end up eating spoonfuls out of the mixer, and Adam loves to have leftovers in the fridge!

Ingredients:

1 Cup Creamy Non-Generic Peanut Butter (The Recipe is Only as Good as the Peanut Butter Brand! I suggest Jiff!)
2 Cups Confectioners Sugar
2-3 Tbsp of Cream or Milk
1 Stick Butter (Not Margarine)

Directions:
      1. Cream the Peanut Butter & Butter Together in an Electric Mixer until Well-Combined.
      2. Then, Add the Sugar and Cream (or Milk) and Mix Away Till Smooth.

The Pike at Rainbow Harbor

2011-08-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

The Pike at Rainbow Harbor in Downtown Long Beach is one of our favorite places to spend the weekend or meet our friends for dinner. It is really nearby and it has lots of restaurants, bars, a big movie theatre, an aquarium, and a lovely pier. Not to mention it is just a pretty place to hang out. Historically, The Pike was an old amusement park in Long Beach complete with rides, games, and junk food. But eventually Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland became uber popular and the Pike became less and less profitable. So it was eventually re-tooled to what it is today. But they still honor its reputation as an amusement park with a Ferris Wheel, Cardboard Cuts Outs, and a huge walking bridge shaped like a Roller Coaster. To me, this place is awesome.

Song of the Day: 18th Floor Balcony by Blue October

A Perfect Sunday Treat

2011-08-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those perfect Sundays. The Goldie (also known as the boss of the house and the dictator of the morning wake-up call) let us both sleep in a little bit on the later side. And then I decided to head out by myself to catch an early showing of the movie, The Help. Yes, Adam would have come with me if I asked him to, but sometimes I enjoy going to movies by myself, and I knew it wouldn't have been something he would be really interested in. The movie was absolutely fantastic, everyone in the theatre was laughing and talking back to the screen.

When I got home, Adam told me he was going to cook us some dinner. Adam never cooks dinner, mostly because I am so much better at most of the dishes he is WILLING to eat. I can rock out some spaghetti, and even though Mac-n-Cheese is pretty foolproof, I have some tricks up my sleeve to spice it up a bit. Secrets that I won't share with Adam because then maybe he will no longer need me to make his Mac-n-Cheese, and then where would our marriage be? Our very union hangs in the balance, you see.

But hamburger helper is one of those really easy dishes that he makes so much better than me. And I don't know how he does it, but maybe it is because it takes him over an hour and a half to prepare. Which is a ridiculously long time, but whatever works for him, works for me. So who am I to complain? Although sometimes I do anyway, I mean when you're starving an hour and a half is a long time!

So I got to go off and take a nap while he was cooking, and when he woke me up dinner was ready. Imagine! What a treat not to have to cook our traditional Sunday night dinner for once! So I have to say thanks to my wonderful husband for a fab end to a lazy Sunday.

Song of the Day: Raise Your Glass by P!nk

This Weekend...

2011-08-15T02:43:00.000-07:00

We grabbed lunch at a new place, Stacked. At Stacked, you build all your food totally custom on an iPad. I built a blue cheese burger topped with caramelized onions on a pretzel bun. And Mr. Picky, A.K.A Adam, had a plain old turkey burger with ketchup, which apparently was the BEST THING EVER. Actually, my burger was pretty much the BEST THING EVER as well. Then, we took part in our favorite past time, used book shopping, and devoted much of the weekend to thumbing through our new treasures.

I cooked our customary, delicious spaghetti dinner. And together we watched three episodes of Dr. Who on the DVR (which Adam has gotten me hooked on unfortunately, and I say unfortunately only because he sucked me into something so wonderfully dorky). Together, we bathed a very stinky, yet very water phobic golden retriever. Who spent much time hiding from us behind the couch, once she caught wind of our devious, master plan.

We donned our Green Bay Packer Jersey's for the first pre-season game and were disappointed in the loss, but thrilled just to have some football back on the TV.

We love weekends.

Song of the Day: Forever & Always by Parachute

Little Green Under the Sea

2011-08-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is my beautiful green ipod chilling in a ziplock bag full of rice. And it is not just in there because I thought putting my ipod in a bag of rice would be a cool photo opportunity (it totally is, by the way). Nope, it is there because my poor, beloved IPOD decided to go for a swim in the toilet the other day. Yeah, kind of gross I know.

You see, on Wednesday mornings I get up extra early because I have to be at work at the butt crack of dawn. When I get up on Wednesdays foggy and tired, Sarah and Adam are always dead asleep snoozing away. Honestly, I'm always kind of resentful that morning because I want to be in bed too! But that thought isn't fair since I get to sleep in almost every other day of the week, and Adam is super sweet and walks Sarah on those mornings (which is usually my job) because I don't have the time. But you know, I'm not a morning person, and a tired Brittany knows no logic.

I like to rock out to music when I'm getting ready for work, it is just a good kick start to the day. So even though I'm resentful of Adam sleeping, I do the respectful thing and listen to my ipod instead of the stereo (umm,wait, who has a stereo anymore? I meant I listen to the speakers on my computer), while I straighten my annoyingly, stubborn and thick, blonde curls and put on my make-up.

So as I was rocking out, I knocked my ipod off the sink and into the toilet. I momentarily thought of leaving my ipod there or just trying to flushing it. Because even though the toilet was totally clean, the idea of putting my hand in there totally skived me out. But ultimately my love of my ipod won out and I fished it out. And of course it was totally busted and water logged.

But I had a light bulb moment and I sent off an SOS text to my niece who is just as clumsy as I am, who once dropped her iphone in a lake. AND IT SURVIVED. She put it in a bowl of rice for five days and it rose from the dead like Lazarus! So that is what I'm doing. Chilling my ipod in a bag of rice that I got from a ready made risotto mix that I had sitting in my cabinet. I doubt it will work. Maybe my ipod is picky like my husband and prefers a less fancy rice like Uncle Ben's ready rice? Maybe it doesn't like rice at all.

If it does not survive it will join a long list of technological items I have manged to destroy over the years including two cell phones, numerous lap tops, and two previous ipods.Technology and me obviously don't mix.

Song of the Day: Grace Kelly by Mika

Orange County Fair

2011-08-07T00:18:00.000-07:00

Saturday, we headed out to the Orange County Fair for Fun, Food, and Frivolity. Look at that alliteration! The first thing we did at the fair was feed the goats. And those goats were rather sweet to us, but I think that had more to do with the fact we had food more than anything else. Duh. And man oh man were those goats hungry (or greedy)! One goat tried to eat my shirt and another grabbed the feed holder out of my hand!

We also checked out the rides and decided to race down the Goliath Slide. That slide was was so high and when I was actually sitting at the top, I actually started to get freaked out! I don't know what I thought was going to happen to me on that slide, but I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. I survived the slide obviously, and I even won the race (because I'm just a tad more awesome than my husband. So there).

One of the coolest things at the fair was the Ice Sculpture tent. They had so many detailed and colorful handcrafted ice sculptures. I couldn't help but feel I just stepped onto the set of The Little Mermaid. And it was freezing in there! They offered us blankets before we went in but Adam and I wanted to tough it out. I mean he is from Wisconsin, so he can definitely take a little cold. And me I just wanted to prove myself!

Last but not least, we indulged in a little artery clogging fair food. Burgers, fries, and of course Deep Fried Oreos. And the deep fried oreos were definitely a master piece. Ooey, Gooey, Soft, and topped with chocolate and sprinkles, I mean how can you go wrong?

For more pics from our day at the fair, check out our flickr set here.

Song of the Day: Bullet Proof by La Roux

ScrapBookin' All Night Long

2011-08-03T01:07:00.000-07:00

In between the internship, class, taking Sarah for walks (& talking to her in an obnoxious baby voice), watching unhealthy amounts of reality TV, and napping, I manged to squeeze some scrap booking in. I'm still way behind and I can't wait to the day I'm up to date because then the task will be much much easier.

My main reason for scrap booking in the first place because I'd like to think years down the road our kids will love looking at this scrapbook to see that their parents were once a lot of fun and did stuff and weren't always old fuddy duddys. Because don't all kids think their parents are terminally unhip and old as dirt?

1. Bridal Shower
2. Bachelorette Party
3. Our Nephew Caden
4. Our Superbowl Party
5. Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt

Song of the Day: Halo by Beyonce

Moments from the Week

2011-07-31T23:30:00.000-07:00

One day I was sitting at work, fifteen minutes out from lunch time, dreaming about what I would grab for lunch from the 7-11. When someone placed 100+ envelopes in front on me, and asked me to stuff them and close them. My first thought was why couldn't they have given me this when I arrived four hours ago? And all my visions of 7-11 slurpees vanished from my head. My second thought was I'm going to stuff these envelopes like no one else can, and they will keep me around forever and forever because of my awesome envelope stuffing skills. Amen. So I stuffed and licked 100+ envelopes, wishing they had an envelope closer. When I finished I triumphantly plopped all envelopes in front of my boss, and said man oh man my tongue is sure numb (thinking this might emphasize my awesome skills). And she said, "You licked all those? I had an envelope closer in my office." Ouch.

One afternoon, I was headed to Downtown Disney to see my cousins who were visiting California from Arkansas. I was in wall-to-wall traffic on the 5 and listening to the radio. And George Strait's song, "Here for a Good Time," was on the radio. And the lyric, "I'm Not Here for a Long Time, I'm Here for a Good Time," struck me as highly ironic. Because I was pretty sure I was there for a long time and not a good time.

Thursday, I was off of work and had a few hours before I needed to go to class. I had a few dollars left over in my portion of "fun money" as allotted on our weekly budget spread sheet. And I thought it would be a sweet thing for me to pick Adam up from work and take HIM out to lunch for a change. So I whipped out my handy dandy cell phone and dialed him at work. I said, "Let me take you out to lunch today." And he said, "But I packed a lunchable today." How third grade is that?

Song of the Day: King of Anything by Sara Bareilles

Summer as Captured by Pictures on My Iphone

2011-07-25T00:45:00.000-07:00

1. Empty baggage carousel at JFK Airport, New York.
2. Target Shopping for Beach Gear for my Nieces' Big Cali Trip.
3. Lobster Pizza from Red Lobster. Yum.
4. Ferris Wheel at the Pike.
5. Trolley Cut Out at the Pike.
6. RockStar! Energy Drink of Champions and Therapist's in Training.
7. Adam at the movie theatre seeing Captain America.
8. Beautiful house near the grassy knoll by the beach in Long Beach on one of Sarah's weekend walks.

Song of the Day: Summer Girls by LFO (totally going old school today)

Rewind: South West Road Trip 2008

2011-07-18T03:01:00.000-07:00

The Grand Canyon

Light Pole in Roswell

UFO Museum in Roswell

Meteor Crater. Winslow, AZ

New Mexico Sign

Cows in the Road. Somewhere, Arizona.

The day after I graduated from college, Adam and I packed everything from my dorm room into my little Honda civic and headed off to California. It was the best road trip ever. We meandered through Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. We drove through desert and desert, and just when we thought it was over, we found more desert. We stopped in Roswell and loved the quirkiness of the UFO museum and the Alien lampposts. We stopped to see the Meteor Crater in Arizona. We got lost somewhere near Flagstaff, as we were trying to get to the Grand Canyon (which was gorgeous by the way). And on the very last leg of our trip, we got a flat tire. This should have been a totally frustrating part of our trip because of the money and inconvenience it caused. But the Triple AAA man who came to help us out was the sweetest old man ever. And after he found out we were engaged, he gave us all his secrets to a successful marriage. It was a truly beautiful moment.

Looking through all these pictures, and thinking of the trip we took really has me jonesing for another road trip!

Song of the Day: The Captain by Kasey Chambers

Cafe Tu Tu Tango

2011-07-14T23:22:00.000-07:00

I grabbed lunch all by my lonesome recently at this little cafe called Cafe Tu Tu Tango, in Orange, California. Its motto was, "Food for the Starving Artist." The restaurant was charming, and I loved how all the silverware was placed in a little paint brush holder on the table. It also had famous paintings on the walls. And the food was literally to die for. I had roasted pears on pecan strips, and the Cajun chicken egg rolls. I do think it was some of the best food I've ever had in Southern California!

Song of the Day: Her Diamonds by Rob Thomas

Hollywood & Highland Instagrams

2011-07-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

When our nieces were here in June, we took them shopping at the Hollywood & Highland center in Hollywood. And one particular store, named Varga, had some of the coolest vintage style things. If I were rich and had more space, I would decorate my home with everything in their store.

Song of the Day: Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore by Bon Jovi

Long Beach Street Food Fest

2011-07-11T02:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday, Adam and I met some friends at the Street Food Fest in Downtown Long Beach. I was super excited about the fest because I have been obsessed with food trucks since I watched the Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network. But most of the food trucks typically hang out in Downtown Los Angeles, which is a long way to drive for some food from a truck. But a food fest in Long Beach? I am totally down for that.

One of the trucks I was obsessed with trying was the Nom Nom Bahn Mi truck, which almost one won the TV show competition last summer! So, of course, they were the first truck we stopped at. I grabbed a delicious Lemongrass Taco and Grilled Pork Taco. Nom Nom. That is all I have to say Nom Nom. Or in other words, amazing.

Next, I hit the Crepes Bonaparte truck. Crepes have always had a special place in my heart because we would often make up crepes in my French class when I was earning my undergrad degree from MUW. The people working the crepes bonaparte truck had the cutest little uniforms topped with berets. I ordered the Spicy Bottom Crepe, which had cooked cinnamon apples, caramel, and whip cream. It was a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

After finishing the crepe, we stopped by the chunk-n-chip cookies truck for dessert. Basically, they have really fancy but amazingly tasty chipwhiches. I ordered the Moo-lan Rouge. The Moo-lan Rouge is warm Red Velvet Cookies with White Chocolate Chip Fudge Ice cream. Adam got the Chocolate Haven, which was chocolate brownie cookies stuffed with vanilla ice cream. They were both terrific and I really think they were the best thing we had all day.

I tried a lot of other foods from other people's plates as the day wore on and all of it was great. The only thing I didn't get to try that I really wanted to was the grilled cheese truck. The line was humongous. But I would have loved to have tried their macaroni and rib grilled cheese or their smores melt. Oh well, there is always next year.

Song of The Day: Grey Street by The Dave Matthews Band

New York, New York

2011-07-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

My Next Husband Yee Haw!

Pancakes & Bellini's at Bobby Flay's Bar Americain

Strawberry Fields-Central Park

Central Park

Found Love and Hearts on the Avenue of the Americas

Me and Mom Before Tour

The Orginal Tiffany's

Lady Liberty

Brooklyn Bridge & Brooklyn Heights

The "Freedom Tower" Under Construction

Coconut Creme Cake with Fresh Fruit in White Chocolate Shell @ Blue Fin

New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street

Our Times Square Hotel

Manhattan Skyline from Hudson River Firework Cruise

I have been back from NYC for a few days now, and I am just now getting around to sorting through pictures and blogging about the trip because it has been so bloomin' hot out here in California. And we don't have A.C., so the only thing I have managed to do is whine, complain, whine some more, and sweat. OH Lordy, the sweat! But wait I'm supposed to be telling you about NYC, and not my heat induced sloth like behavior.

New York City totally exceeded any and all expectations I had about the trip. Even if those expectations were only formed on the longest domestic flight I have ever been on, where I sat by the window listening to "Empire State of Mind" on repeat like it was my job. And it wasn't even the cool hipster Jay Z version, nope it was the Glee version. And of course I think Glee is cool, and I will happily label myself a gleek. But something about Artie, the most white kid on the show, rapping "I'll be hood forever," strips the song of any street creed. Not that I ever had any.

It is hard for me to decide what my very favorite thing about NYC was. It might have been seeing Chicago on Broadway. (Hello, I can totally cross that off my life list now). Or it could have been staying in Times Square where it looked like the middle of the day in the dead of night. Ohh, and the food was amazing too. We had Pancakes and Bellini's at Bobby Flay's Bar Americain, Sushi at Blue Fin, Burgers at Shake Shack, and amazeballs NYC hot dogs. The shopping was fab, and the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park were stunning. It was thrilling to hail a cab in the middle of a busy street, and to see the best fireworks show of my life from a cruise on the Hudson River. Lastly, it was humbling to see where the Twin Towers once stood and all the progress that is being made.

But I really think the best part of the entire trip was simply strolling the NYC streets, never knowing what we were going to find or who we were going to see when we rounded a corner. Just soaking up the the city. I can't tell you how many sites we stumbled across just by chance. And that is why I love New York.

To see all my NYC pictures check out my flickr.

Song of the Day: Stay Here Forever by Jewel

Empire State of Mind...

2011-07-01T02:44:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow or I guess technically today, I will be in NYC! I am meeting my mother there for a Fourth of July Big City Extravaganza! And in all coincidences to end all coincidences with no pre-planning on either parties' part, my mother-in-law will also be in NYC at the same time. I guess it truly is a small world after all.

We have some fab restaurant reservations, a hotel in Times Square, Broadway tickets, and a Fourth of July firework harbor cruise booked. But really I'm excited about spending some time with my mother!

I can't wait to share it all with you guys! Have a happy and safe Fourth everyone!

Song of the Day: Empire State of Mind by Jay Z and Alicia Keys

Nieces in California, Day Four: Disneyland

2011-06-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

For our last day with the girls, we decided to go to Disneyland. Because how could we not? I have never been to Disneyland or Disney world for that matter. Although I have been to the Disney World gift shop in Orlando. How sad is that? And Adam had told me years ago when we first started "talking," that he hated all things "Disney." Don't ask me why, I don't even know. I think he just wanted something to have an irrational hatrid of? But this made me figure Disneyland wasn't in our future. So I think Adam's willingness to go to Disneyland had a little bit to do with showing my nieces a good time, and a whole lot more to do with the reopening of the Star Tours rides...

Aww yes, the Star Tours ride. I married a geek. I knew he was a geek before I married him and that is one of the things I love about him. But for the many weeks before we went to Disneyland, all he ever really wanted to talk about was that Star Tours Ride. And I'm a really good listener and I good at indulging him in whatever his new obsession is. But man oh man, there is only so many ways to say, "that's interesting." So of course, the first thing we did at Disneyland was ride the Star Tours ride. And I have to say it was awesome! We all loved it. It was amazing how realistic it was. I knew we were safe but I swear I kept freakin' out, thinking we were about to crash into the ground and die! All you must really know about the ride is C3PO is in no way fit to be a pilot. Once we were done with the ride, Adam built his own light saber, which is like build a bear but for boys. And he has been torturing Sarah with it ever since he brought it home.

Our next ride choice had little to due with pre-planning or excitement. No, it had everything to do with it being right across from Star Tours. And we were like, "hey that means less walking! Let's go for it." Astro-blasters happens to be my favorite ride. It is based on the Toy Story movies. You ride in these little green carts and shoot at targets, whoever gets the most points wins! I did not win. But that is because I was riding with a cheater. Every time I had a good shot, Adam would rotate the cart thwarting my efforts. Totally lame.

After realizing we had spent most of the morning in Tomorrowland, we headed down to Fantasyland. If I had to label Fantasyland's design scheme, I would call it medieval mixed with a little bit of Alice in Wonderland. The first thing we did in Fantasy Land was ride the teacups! With Kayla & Cassie in one teacup and us in another, it seemed like a good time for a little competition. I don't know how you would declare the winner of spinning teacups but we were determined to win! But if there is anyway to actually win at Teacups, Adam and I definitely lost. At what age do you become less immune to being dizzy? Because when I was a kid I used to spin around for hours in the front yard just to make myself dizzy. But being dizzy on the teacups, nope couldn't handle it.

After the teacups, Cassie and I wanted to go to the Princess Fantasy Faire to meet the princesses. The line was very long but Cassie and I decided we would wait all day to meet the princesses. It was like we weren't even aware they weren't real princesses. In our mind, they were real princess. But my youngest niece, Kayla, God bless her heart, is not one for waiting in lines. And she really wanted to go meet Mickey! So Adam took her to toontown to see Mickey, and Cassie and I waited and waited with growing anticipation. The funny thing is the girls were texting each other from their various lines....

Aww can't you feel the sisterly love?

Kayla made it back just in time to meet the princesses, and she and Adam even met Pluto on the way back. The first princess we meet was Moulan. I didn't pick up on this, but the girls said they got a weird vibe from Moulan. Which I just thought was hilarious. We decided it was because no one is quite certain if she is a real princess. Her legitimacy isn't as clear as say Snow White's. We also met Snow White and Belle. Belle has always been my favorite, and I made a fool of myself gushing over her and telling her,"Your My Favourite!" So embarrassing, I was so star struck. By the way how awesome are my bedazzled Micky ears?

We were just in time for a show, once we met some of the princesses. So Cassie participated in a "princess induction" ceremony. She learned to curtsy, dance, and other princessy endeavors. After she was inducted, they wrapped a May Pole, and it was hilarious watching my 16 year old niece get so in to it. After the ceremony was done, she posted on her facebook, "I just became a princess sup."

The next thing we did was get on the "It's a Small World" ride, which is supposedly the happiest cruise on Earth. The small world ride was one of the few rides I kind of knew about before coming to Disneyland. I loved the outside of the ride, but I found the inside of the ride pretty amusing. First of all, the song is permanently etched in my brain, and Adam was traumatized by the ride. He felt like all the children were staring at him and the song was getting to him. So for Adam, the world is just not quite short, or small enough.

Next, we headed down to New Orleans Square to ride the Pirates of Caribbean ride and see the Haunted Mansion. Pirates was so great and didn't disappoint at all. It had a few surprises along the way and Jack Sparrow looked so life like that it was freaky! And the Haunted Mansion wasn't so much scary but more more like funny/interesting scary. The funniest part was at the end of the ride because Adam was riding in his "dooms buggy" by himself and there is a part where a holograph of a ghost appears on top of you, and because Adam was riding alone it looked like he was sitting next to him. So he just put his arm around him as if they were long lost buds.

Other than the Star Tours ride, the only other thing that was a must do for Adam was the Indiana Jones ride. Now Indiana Jones is a ride I can get behind! And that was the craziest, most exciting, pee your pants ride of the day. I mean I really thought I would be crushed by that boulder or thrown out of the car! But I was most worried about losing my bedazzled Mickey ears. I loved those things.

These are only some of the highlights of the day believe it or not, I know this post is already way too long and I couldn't possible talk about everything we did. But it was a fabulous day. And Adam and I loved it so much, that we got so wrapped up in what we were doing that we were late meeting the girls after they were doing shopping (yeah, we were totally riding Star Tours again). We are so going back. Having the girls out here was an amazing family trip for all of us and dropping them off at LAX was hard. But I'm so hoping they can come back next year. I'm going to end the post with just some of our favorite pictures that really didn't fit anywhere else.

Song of the Day: Something There from the movie Beauty & The Beast

Nieces in California, Day Three: Santa Monica

2011-06-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

Santa Monica Pier Entrance (Sign from Forest Gump)

The End of Route 66

Beach and Pier

Cassie on the Beach

Kayla on the Beach

Pacific Park on the Pier

Cassie and Our Kite

Kite Way Up High

Bird and Sun

On our third day in California (which I like to pronounce CAL-A-FORN-NI-A), we hung out at Santa Monica Beach and Pier. Most people know Santa Monica Pier, even if they don't know they know Santa Monica Pier. It is constantly pictured in movies and TV shows. And it is one of the locations Forest Gump ran to when he decided to just keep running and running and running. I was excited to go there because I love the beach and it was listed on my California Bucket List. But what I didn't know is Santa Monica is officially the end of the famed Route 66!

Santa Monica beach is gorgeous and so much better than the beaches in Long Beach, if only because I didn't get stung by a sting ray while I was there. Cassie and I spent a lot of time in the water, while Kayla hung out mostly on the shore. The water was a little cold but the longer we were in it the better it felt. I purchased a boogey board and had fun riding the high waves in and floating on it near the shoreline.

After some beach play, everyone decided to head up the the pier. There are a lot of fun things to do on the pier. There is a mini-amusement park with a Ferris wheel and roller coaster. Tons of goodies to eat like burgers, funnel cakes, and snow cones. And of course places to pick up souvenirs or get a psychic reading if you are so inclined (I was not). I had the best funnel cake for lunch that was topped with strawberries and frozen yogurt. And the girls played some games that are typical amusement park fare.

Later on in the day, we decided to head back to the beach and do some kite flying. We used the Toy Story kite that Adam had given me for our cotton anniversary. The kite has a cotton string, dig? The kite was very easy to get off the ground because it was so windy. But Cassie and I decided the kite just wasn't high enough. I had brought along some yarn just for that type of emergency. We tied the end of the kite to the thread and let it rip. The kite was so high in the sky that you could barely tell what it was! I was even a little worried about it messing with airplanes (however I'm just really neurotic). When we finally decided to bring the kite in, I swear it took us over 20 minutes to get it back. That was quite possibly the best kite flying experience ever.

Cassie and I left the beach badly sunburned, while Kayla just looked more like a a Hawaiian beauty. Curse my fair skin. But it was a fantastic day at the beach regardless!

Song of the Day: In Christ Alone by Owl City

Nieces in California, Day Two: Knott's Berry Farm

2011-06-26T22:30:00.000-07:00

Knott's Berry Farm Entrance

Statue

Kayla & Cassie @ Knott's

Snoopy is Happiness

Screamin Swing....Barefoot

Train in Ghost Town

Saloon in Ghost Town

The Silver Bullet

Ketchup at Johnny Rockets

Me, Cas, & Kay on Carousel

I gave the girls a choice of what they wanted to do for their second day. I had several options picked out, fabulous options. Trips to San Diego Zoo or Safari Park and shopping. But no Adam decided to stomp all over my well thought out plans and suggest Knott's Berry Farms. And of course they jumped on Knott's Berry Farms. But I didn't really mind because I wanted them to do what they wanted for vacation.

Knott's Berry Farm is one of the oldest theme parks in America and it has lots of themed areas like the ghost town, the fiesta village, and the boardwalk. The girls and Adam rode many of the roller coasters but I'm kind of a wimp, so I just rode safe rides like the Mexican Hat Dance (like the teacups at Disneyland except you are in a sombrero) and a Carousel. Nothing can happen to you on a carousel right? Unless your horse stops at the highest possible height and you nearly fall off jumping from it. True Story.

For lunch, we ate at Johnny Rocket's. When we walked into the restaurant, the staff was doing a dance to "Working at the Car Wash." And while they were giving it their all, I couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit sorry for them. At Johnny Rocket's, we filled up on shakes, burgers, and cheese fries before riding a few more rides and leaving the park. But not before walking through Camp Snoopy and meeting none other than Schroeder from the Peanuts. He was always one of my favorite peanuts.

After leaving Knott's Berry Farms, we went to Dave & Busters to play some games. And we played a ton of games! Trivia Games, Deal or No Deal, Basketball games, Racing Games, and Football games. We all earned a ton of tickets. Kayla also had won a stuff banana in one of those crane games. We spent the rest of the trip torturing Mr. Banana when Kayla would be in the backyard talking to her boyfriend. We would tie his neck with some thread and dangle him out the window as if we had hung him just to get a rise out of her. And then we would repeat the process, but this time Uncle Adam would hold a pizza slicer up to him as a threat. It was incredibly silly but so hilarious. No one could stop laughing.

Song of the Day: Rhythm of Love by Plain White T's

Nieces in California, Day One: Hollywood

2011-06-25T23:44:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Sign

The Road to Hollywood

Beverly Hills That's Where I Want to Be

Princess Kayla on her Perch

Kayla and Her Man...Mickey Mouse!

Cassie & Kayla @ Grauman's Chinese Theater

Cassie Filling Donald Duck's Shoes

Gentlemen do Prefer Blondes

Rocking Hard at the Hard Rock

Awards from Uncle Adam

On Friday, we put our nieces on a plane back to Texas after a fabulous week with them. After we dropped them off, Adam went on to work and I went home and took a four hour nap, only to stumble out of bed for a few short hours before returning. I was exhausted! Still am. But I can't tell you how much fun we had with the girls. We spent the week taking them to new places, playing Mario Kart (very competitively), watching movies, and laughing non-stop.

For our first day of vacation, we drove down to Hollywood. We walked the "Walk of Fame," and tested our feet and hands in the cement blocks outside of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. As you can see, Cassie fit perfectly in Donald Duck's shoes. I was also excited because on this trip I finally found Marilyn Monroe's hand prints! After doing the "Hollywood" thing, we grabbed some lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. While we were there, Adam ran out and bought us some surprise faux Oscar awards that proclaimed me "Best Wife" and them "Best Nieces." It was so delightfully cheesy. We loved them.

After lunch, we grabbed some fresh cookies for dessert at the Nestle Toll House Cookie shop (so warm and delicious). And we had some fun shopping at the Hollywood & Highland Plaza. (Although it was a slightly too rich for our blood, and we soon made our way to a much cheaper mall later that afternoon). After shopping, we took a quick drive to Beverly Hills, just to see how the other half lives, and to take so pictures of course. All in all it was an awesome first day! To view all of my Hollywood pictures you can check out my flickr set here.

Song of The Day: Honey Bee by Blake Shelton

Happy Weekend!

2011-06-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Over here at the Manor, we will be spending our weekend and week with our two lovely nieces. I can't wait to spend some time with our lovely family. It is sure to be a fantastic next couple of days! I'm just dropping by to wish everyone a great weekend, may it be just as fun as ours!

Song of the Day: "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele

Things I'm Looking Forward to This Summer:

2011-06-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

1. Disneyland
Or more importantly my nieces are coming to visit us out here in California! I haven't seen them for a year and a half, and I have missed them like crazy! They are truly the smartest, funniest, and best girls in the world, and I'm not biased at all. They get here on Saturday, and we are going to do so many fun things that I've never done before like go to Santa Monica Pier, San Diego Safari Park, Venice Beach, and best of all DISNEY LAND (most of these are on my California Bucket List)! I have always wanted to go to DisneyWorld or Disneyland. I've seen Disneyland and Disney World from a far but have never made it inside. So who better to share the experience with than my girls? Plus, there is a new Little Mermaid attraction where you ride in clams that is totally calling my name. Not even kidding.

2. New York, New York
Just about a week after my nieces leave, I am hoping on a flight to meet my mom in NYC for a mother/daughter July 4th weekend. I have never been to the Big Apple and I couldn't be more excited. We are staying at the Hilton in Times Square (Puttin' on the Ritz) for four nights and three whole days. I can't wait to soak up the city environment, hail myself taxis, take a stroll in Central Park, and see The Statue of Liberty. But best of all we have Broadway tickets to see Chicago, and we have booked a harbor cruise to see the fireworks. I'm am squealing on the inside (and sometimes outside) every time I think about it.

3. Long Beach Street Food Festival
I have a secret. I have been obsessed with food trucks since I watched the Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network last year. But I have never actually eaten from a food truck. So when I saw Long Beach was hosting a street food festival with all sorts of food trucks, I knew I couldn't miss it. I'm sure I'll get to try all sorts of new, tasty things while Adam will do something boring like order a plain cheeseburger. But I've long ago accepted his picky ways and will have fun regardless. Plus he can just hold my purse and mind the picnic blanket while I make the rounds! I mean what are husbands for anyway?

Song of the Day: Brighter than the Sun by Colbie Caillat

Moments from a Saturday

2011-06-13T00:22:00.000-07:00

I talked Adam into buying the Lego Pirates of the Caribbean video game this weekend. Usually I could care less about video games, but I really love the Lego games. And when there is a video game we can play together, we have so much fun. Plus I really wanted something to do because the last few weeks I've been kind of bored. That always happens after I haven't been working a while. I loved to be one of those women who loves to be home everyday, but there is only so many times I can mop the floor. So as much as I'm worrying about it, I'll probably be happier when I'm interning.

I rode along with Adam to Gardena this weekend to check out a used bookstore. Used books to Adam are like Manolo Blahniks to Carrie Bradshaw. And I guess the bookstore would have been a great book store if Japanese language was our strong suit. They did have one SMALL English language section, which consisted of a few young adult novels and four copies of Harry Potter. Apparently, we stumbled upon some hidden Japanese community we had no idea about. I thought this was hilarious, but Adam who takes his books as serious as a heart attack did not.

After we got back from our little Japanese book store adventure, we were exhausted, and we both decided to take a nap. Oh, do I ever love my naps, but Adam is only an occasional napper. So I was thrilled when he wanted to take a nap with me. But he insisted on setting the alarm. SHENANIGANS. Why would anyone want to limit their napping? But I allowed this craziness, and when I woke up a full thirty minutes after the alarm should have went off, I woke him up to tell him he had set the alarm wrong. And he kinda gave a look that said, "What Do I Care?" And rolled over and went back to sleep, so I did too. A full two hours after we had planned to get up, I am being violently shaken awake by Adam as if the bed was on fire. His eyes were as wide as can be as he said, "We Overslept!" I was just like, "I tried to tell you dude."

Song of the Day: "You Lie" by The Band Perry

I Make Movies: San Francisco Edition

2011-06-05T20:34:00.000-07:00

I have a flip video camera, and sometimes I take a few little videos and string them together and add music. And waalah, I'm a director! I had put together a little honeymoon video when we went to Washington D.C., and I wanted to do the same for our trip to San Francisco. When I'm making my little movies, I like to run around town saying, I HAVE A VISION. Even though folks, let me tell you, I had no vision.

It was cloudly during our entire trip, so it was not as bright and sunny as I would have liked for my artistic endeavors. But all in all it is a nice little momento from the trip. The song I used is "You Always Make Me Smile" by Kyle Andrews.

Song of the Day: You Always Make Me Smile by Kyle Andrews (check out the video duh)

Life Lessons Learned Over Memorial Weekend

2011-06-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

1. One piece of cake ordered at Claim Jumpers is enough to feed an entire army.
Adam's Aunt Ronda is in town from Wisconsin to catch some sun and some waves. On Monday night, she took us out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, Claim Jumpers. Claim Jumpers is known for its huge slices of Motherlode Chocolate Cake. It was even voted the most decadent desert by the Food network. Recently, they started to make a red velvet version. And that magically delicious, decadent monstrosity is pictured above! It is even missing an end because we had already had a slice before this picture was snapped! We've all been chewing on that for a few days and we still have a third left!

2. Just because I love pistachios doesn't mean I want them in my ice cream.
I really do love pistachios, a lot. I love popping open those shells to revel the little pieces of crunchy goodness inside. So a year ago, I tried Ben & Jerry's Pistachio, Pistachio ice cream. Thinking that my enjoyment of it would be a no brainer. But it was more of a some-brainer because I didn't like it at all. It tasted vaguely like tree bark. And even though I trust my judgement and my taste buds, every time someone says they love Pistachio, Pistachio ice cream, I decide I will magically start liking it! And I try the tree-bark ice cream yet again and come to the same conclusion. But this weekend, for some unknown reason, I decided I would like Pistachio flavored Gelato. You know since it's not technically ice cream. MAJOR FAIL. I have accepted pistachio ice cream is not for me, and I will stick with my tried and true favorite flavor, which is Ben & Jerry's Vanilla Heath bar Crunch.

3. You can take your husband to a chick flick, but he will spend the whole movie analyzing unimportant things.
I have seen every guy movie that Adam has ever wanted to go to. I have seen a half million super hero movies, midnight James Bond flicks, awful Indiana Jones fourth-quels, and Pirate Adventures. And I can count on one hand the number of movies he has gone to with me. Mostly because I never really suggest it. But he did agree to go see Bridesmaids with me and two friends this weekend. The movie happened to be set in "Wisconsin". So after the movie finished, he had a whole diatribe prepared to tell us why the movie wasn't actually representing Wisconsin well. I.E.- the amount of British people in the movie that are supposedly from Wisconsin, and the lack of Green Bay Packer pride represented in the movie (like there was none). Yes, he makes my head spin.

Song of the Day: Back to Black by Amy Winehouse

Life Recently as Captured by My Iphone

2011-05-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

1. Mirror Love Notes
2. Adam's Birthday Cake
3. Our Baby
4. Original Coca Cola Bottles
5. Root Beer Braised Pulled Pork Sandwiches
6. Birthday gift from Anna
7. Homemade Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles
8. San Francisco

Happy Weekend Y'all!

Song of the Day: We Turn it Up by Oh Land

25th

2011-05-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

On our last day in San Francisco, I turned 25 years old. We celebrated by probably having the most expensive meal in the nicest restaurant I've ever been to. It also happened to be the best food I've ever had. I guess you get what you pay for? My mother had pre-told the wait staff it was my birthday, so every time I turned around I was being wished a happy birthday. And when I ordered dessert (vanilla bean creme brulee), it came with a candle on top. I don't really remember what I wished for but I'm sure it was amazing.

Honestly, I feel like last year I had a whole lotta reasons to be sad, but a half a million more reasons to be glad, and I choose to be glad and celebrate the abundance of good things in my life. And I have a sneaky suspicion that this year will be even better than the last.

So here's to my 25th trip around the sun, may it be even better than the last.

Song of the Day: Que Sera Sera by Doris Day

Winchester Mystery House

2011-05-23T01:36:00.000-07:00

On the second day of our vacation, we drove down to San Jose (do you know the way to San Jose?) to tour the Winchester Mystery House. The Winchester Mystery House is a 160 room mansion built in the 1900s. It was built by Sarah Winchester, who was heir to the Winchester Rifle fortune. So legend has it that after the untimely deaths of Mrs. Winchester's daughter and husband, a psychic told her she was being haunted by all the people who had been killed by her husband's Winchester rifle. And to save herself she must move West, build a house for the spirits, and never stop building the house or risk being killed by the spirits. So that is what she did. The house is full of maze-like features with twists, turns, dead-ins, stairs to the ceiling, and a door inside the house that leads to a 13 foot plunge outside. All meant to confuse the spirits. The construction on the house never stopped until the day she died.

I first learned about the Winchester Mystery House on the history channel years and years ago. I've wanted to see it long before I even dreamed I'd be living in California. And we had so much fun at the house. Even if we couldn't take pictures of the inside (fooey). It was beautiful and odd and everything and more than I expected it to be.

Song of the Day: Defying Gravity by Glee Cast

The San Francisco Treat

2011-05-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hotel View

Hyde St. Pier

Me and a Boudin Sourdough Mini Turtle

Ferry Building

Peanut Butter Gold Rush Gharadelli

Adam on the Balclutha

Painted Ladies

Salt Water Taffy

Palace of the Fine Arts

Golden Gate in Fog

I always have the hardest time getting back into the normal routine after I get back from a vacation. As soon as the return flight touches down, I'm all like homework? What homework? What is the purpose of this homework? Oh and you have to feed you pet so they can survive? And walk said pet? All those tasks just seem so unimportant when I know I could be enjoying hotels with stunning views, good food, and seeing new things. Which is exactly what happened this week when we spent three glorious, although not very sunny days, in San Francisco with my mother and Stepfather.

This trip we spent hours roaming fisherman's wharf, stepping aboard the old ships at Hyde St. Pier, eating Sourdough Bread Mini Turtles from Boudin, and watching the fat and lazy sea lions at Pier 39 (which really, really reminded me of Sarah. No joke). We also got to do some things that we didn't get to do last time like see the beautiful painted ladies, the palace of the fine arts, Golden Gate Park, and even spent some time in the charming town of Sausalito. And can we talk about all the fabulous food I ate? Clam chowder in bread bowls, dungeness crab pizza, pecan danishes, peanut butter gold rush sundaes from Gharadellis, Salt Water Taffy in Sausalito, and Sea Scallops good enough to sell your soul for. Also I tried Baklava for the first time. The verdict? Delicious.

But by far the very best moment of the trip was the night drive I took with Adam across the Golden Gate Bridge. We decided to drive across the bridge spontaneously once we got back to the hotel after dinner by ourselves. I really love doing things spontaneously, but my spontaneous streak is limited. So when we decided to go, I wanted to use our GPS. But apparently Adam was insulted by that idea because he just wanted to drive toward the bridge and see if we would just stumble upon it. Say what? That sounded dangerous to me. What if we ended up careening off a mountain into the Bay? Then we would be live testing (not to be confused with live tweeting) the hypothesis of whether or not the Alcatraz Escapees could have survived in those frigid waters. Or what if we got lost and were kidnapped by Columbian Drug Lords? Both were likely options in my not so humble opinion. But because it meant so much to him, I agreed to forgo the GPS, and we took off toward the Bridge. And we found it!

We were insanely giddy driving over that bridge. And it was more breathtaking and detailed than I thought it would be. And once we got across the bridge we sat at the vista point for 20 minutes, huddling together for warmth, and enjoying the lights from the bridge and the San Francisco skyline. And it was just one of those moments in life that you are aware during that moment that it is going to be one of your favorite memories.

I really do love San Francisco. It is such a unique and charming city, and I would always jump at the chance to get back there. But if I never make it back to San Fran, I truly feel that I got to do all I wanted. You can see all the photos we took in San Fran on this trip over here.

Song of the Day: Sushi by Kyle Andrews

San Francisco Dreamin'

2011-05-13T11:22:00.000-07:00

Polka Dotted Luggage

Tomorrow I will drop my dog off at the kennel, load the suitcases into the car, get to the airport, battle with the TSA, and board my quick flight up to San Fran with my husband, to meet my mother and stepfather for three full days in San Fran. And although I am currently overwhelmed with the fear that I will never finish my 7 page paper that is due before I come back home, that this MASTER master procrastinator managed to put off for a couple of weeks, I couldn't be more excited. I've been to San Fran before with Adam's family for a really enjoyable and quick day trip, but through a series of odd circumstances I never really got to see the Golden Gate Bridge. I typically don't even tell people that. It's just embarrassing. How can you go to San Fran and not see the bridge?!? I mean really. I will miss my return flight home this time if I don't see that darn Golden Gate bridge. Mark my words. That bridge will be my biotch by the time I come home. Other things on the itinerary include the Winchester Mystery House and dinner on the bay at a nice restaurant to ring in my 25th birthday!!!

I can't wait to share all about it when I get back home. Now its back to the writing the paper grind (ohh yeah right)!

Song of the Day: I'm Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance with You by The Black Kids

Wedding Song Art

2011-05-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

The last piece of art that I wanted to hang in the living room arrived this weekend. On this canvas, the lyrics to our wedding song are printed. The song is Feels Like Home by Chantal Kreviazuk. It is a song that has always resonated with me about how I feel about Adam, and there is no other song that I would have chosen to be our song. So I just loved the idea of having it printed up on a canvas, along with our names and wedding date. Adam says now he will never forget our anniversary! HA (Like I would let him anyway). I bought this canvas from Geezees Art.

Song of the Day: All for You by Sister Hazel

Adam's 27th Birthday

2011-05-09T02:42:00.000-07:00

Adam's 27th birthday was Friday, and last year I threw him a surprise birthday, so this year we thought we'd do something a little bit more low key. So we decided to invite our friends Albert & Rianne over for dinner, and then we would go out for a movie. We had spaghetti and yellow cake with peanut butter icing. The cake was delicious (even if I did have to make it twice, don't ask), and I finally hit upon the right combination of ingredients for the best, totally non-sticky, and creamy peanut butter icing. After dinner, we went to see Thor. I really enjoyed Thor although sometimes I had trouble following it. It was like a crazy mix of Hercules, The Sword in the Stone, Mythology, and Rip Van Winkle!

We all really had fun celebrating Adam's birthday, and in a week or so we get to do it all over again because it will be my 25th!

Song of the Day: Kiss with the Fist by Florence and the Machine

Oliver

2011-05-06T02:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I was sitting in the parking lot of the grocery store, when I glanced down at my iphone and realized I had missed several calls from Adam. I let out a groan because he always manages to call me after I've finished checking out, and then I have to go back inside to buy the item. ANNOYING. So I called him back, expecting him to tell me that he needed some Mountain Dew, and it was dire emergency! However, he told me he needed me to come pick up Sarah because he had picked up a small stray on the walk, and he was having trouble juggling them both. He was going to continue to try and locate the owner, but if he couldn't, he wanted to know if he could just bring the dog home.

I was, of course, totally fine with him bringing the pooch home. But I was pretty shocked by the situation because Adam has never been pro bringing another dog into the home. Heck, he wasn't even pro having one dog in the home. But I won the "Adopt Sarah" battle with my blood, sweat, and tears. OK maybe no blood or sweat, but there was a lot of TEARS. But now he adores Miss. Sarah. Which just proves my point that I always know better. I have to admit a small part of me was hoping Adam wouldn't find the owner, so we could bring that handsome little shih tzu home with us. Adam did ask around the neighborhood about him, but he had no luck and he brought him home. I started running through possible names we could call him, and originally I thought maybe Princely or Wills (because it was the royal wedding weekend after all). But those names just didn't suit him, so finally we decided on the name Oliver. Doesn't he look like an Oliver?

Sarah was fine with Oliver when Adam was walking with him, so I never imagined that she would care when we brought him into the house. But boy was I wrong. The minute she saw Adam bringing Oliver through the door, she went and grabbed her bone, and hid it on top of the couch. The bone she hasn't chewed in weeks. The bone we thought she had totally forgotten about. But apparently she hadn't forgotten about it, and she wanted him to know that bone was hers.

Even after the bone incident, I really assumed Sarah would be indifferent to Oliver at worst. I do I think she probably would have been unfazed by Oliver if he had greeted her differently. Oliver has yet to be neutered, and he behaved "amorously" toward Sarah several times, despite her incessant growling. And God bless Oliver because Sarah must have looked like a lion to him, and yet he showed no fear. But for his safety and Sarah's nerves, we separated the two. We put Oliver in the kitchen, fenced in by a couch, a bunch of pillows, a fan, and Sarah's dog food. But he consistently tried to jump over it anyway, and Sarah kept hopping up on the couch to look at him, and they spent a good deal of the evening just staring each other down as pictured above.

When it was time for bed, we decided I would sleep in the bedroom with baby Oliver, and Adam would stay with Sarah so she didn't feel jealous. It took him a while to settle down because he much preferred running around the bedroom and barking at dust balls underneath the bed to sleeping. But eventually he settled down, and slept as pictured above. Spread out like a human, with one paw flipped over, and a whole lot of snoring. How does such a little dog take up so much room in a bed and snore so loudly? I don't know the answer to that, but I can't tell you how adorable it was to cuddle with this little guy.

I believe that Sarah had forgotten all about Oliver by the next morning, because when I carried him into the living room she proceeded to hide her bone again. She would also not let us pet Oliver if we weren't petting her too. Major jealously. We really did fall in love with Oliver though, but for many reasons we knew we couldn't keep him. First, we just don't have the fiances for a second dog. Vet bills, Shots, Food, and Boarding, it all really adds up. Also, while I think Sarah would eventually adjust to Oliver, she is an older dog and would only be tortured by living with a hyperactive pup. She was just so unhappy about the whole situation, and I want her to enjoy a relaxing life in her "golden years."

We were both sad as we patrolled the neighborhood again, looking for the owner, and fearing that eventually we might have to take him to a shelter. We never found the owner, but I remembered our duplex neighbor had been looking for a new dog as a playmate for his labradoodle, Tequila. We thought we would take Oliver over there, and simply ask if he had seen the dog around the neighborhood, and see what happened. He asked if he could adopt him! We were so excited, he gets a new dog, and we will still get to see him occasionally. He even sort of kept the name we gave him, but he calls him Ollie. Although I have to admit, that little guy wormed his way into my heart, and I'm still a little sad that he couldn't be ours.

Song of the Day: Hummingbird Heartbeat by Katy Perry