09.17.09

We're Moving...

09.16.09

New A/C

Our air conditioner stopped working on Wednesday of last week...today, we got a whole new unit. It's been a week of extremely uncomfortable nights with fans blowing directly on us and the window wide open. I usually don't feel very secure with the windows open at night, but it had to be done if we wanted to sleep at all. We got this new unit right in time too, the temperatures are supposed to be up in the 90's this week...what happened to fall?!

09.15.09

Retirement Car

I saw this car in the parking lot of the insurance office today. I keep telling Anthony that a Mini Cooper is going to be my retirement car...I sat in one a couple years ago at a car show and I loved it. It's super small inside, for my small hands and feet...everything is all compact and perfect. I think I like this cream color, but no convertible please because something about a top down on that tiny little thing seems dangerous.

09.13.09

Wedding Favor

We went wedding number 2 of the 3 we have this month. Heather and Holly have been friends since high school, thanks to Hot Dog on a Stick...and Anthony was friends with Heather's brother in school. It was so nice to be invited and the day turned out perfectly. Since Gareth, the groom, is Irish (he was born there!) they gave out these wedding favors...key shaped bottle openers with the Irish Claddagh on them. Each table was named after a county in Ireland too, I thought that was a cool detail. It was so nice to spend the day celebrating with them!

09.12.09

The Bar

Tonight we partied with Anthony's family to celebrate the end of summer. It was really just an excuse to play volleyball and sit around the bar his cousin's built in the barn. We were there pretty much all day, with my Orzo pasta salad that turned out really good. We drank, played Things, drank some more, and played volleyball in hurricane winds. Such a good time.

09.11.09

Orzo Salad

I had a salad similar to this at Heather's bridal shower a couple months ago, but I haven't been able to get the recipe from her. We are going to a BBQ at Anthony's uncle's house tomorrow and I decided to bring this along. I hope it turns out good, the ingredients sound great and it seems easy so I don't know where I could go wrong.

09.10.09

Broken A/C

Last night we realized that the air conditioner isn't blowing cold air. It was on for a good hour without making our apartment any cooler. So today, I called the office and they told me to change the air filter...still no luck. Until they can come out to fix it tomorrow, we're stuck with windows open and fans blowing directly on us. You never realize how much you love the A/C until it's gone. Why does September have to be so hot?!

09.09.09

Property Inspection

We met with our realtor today to sign some paperwork and she gave us our property inspection report. One more thing that tells us this home buying thing is getting more real! There are little things that the inspector suggested to us to change once we move in, but nothing major and nothing that is going to cost us too much money. I really feel like we are getting such a good deal with this house, it's perfect for us and we're so excited!

09.08.09

Time Sheet

All of these signatures equal dollar signs for me. The sub time sheets are due on the 15th of every month, and so far I have two pages full of jobs. Most of them are from my long term job, but I have three others this week alone. It's nice to know that even if I'm not technically working full time, I have enough jobs to make up for it.

09.07.09

Ortega Chili Burgers

Tonight we decided to have these burgers for dinner. I think they might have won the spot as my new favorite...super simple to make and just the right amount of chili flavor. We used Monterey Jack cheese, mild Ortega chilis and burgers we bought at Costco last week. The onion rings definitely topped off the meal nicely.

09.05.09

Mr & Mrs

The entire wedding was gorgeous...Annette looked amazing, the flowers were perfect, the weather was nice. We spent the day being pampered by getting our hair and make up done, took some pictures, watched guests arrive from the balcony above and stood at the alter to watch our favorite people tie the knot. The entire weekend was amazing, one for the memory books for sure.

09.04.09

The Night Before

After the rehearsal dinner (which included amazing food!) we headed over to a sports bar on Sutter Street to have some drinks. We lasted for about an hour before we decided to head back and relax by the pool...the entire night was so much fun, but nothing compared to what was in store for us the next day!

09.03.09

Pampered

I spent the day with my mom, getting manicures and pedicures for my brother's wedding this weekend. It was a nice way to start off a fun weekend!

08.29.09

Peanut Butter Brownies

This is what happens when you have left over peanut butter chips in your fridge! I made brownies to take to my parent's for dessert and decided to melt peanut butter chips to liven things up. Definitely worth it, they turned out super delicious!

08.28.09

Chicken Enchiladas

08.27.09

Grandma

All week I've been thinking about how two years have already passed since my Grandma left this Earth. I can't believe time has flown by so quickly, I can't believe everything that has happened since then. I finished school, I got married, I got a job (and lost it)...all of these things I would have called her to talk about. This picture of her hangs in our hallway, so we get to see her face everyday....but it doesn't make me miss her less.

08.26.09

Now Reading...

08.23.09

Wedding Gifts

We have three weddings this September, so we decided to get all the gifts out of the way today. Luckily, all the couples registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond...and look at the cute paper they have now. It used to be this bland, gray flowery stuff and now it's way nicer. Except for the mishap in the towel section (think 18 towels in the cart, all the wrong kind!) I found everything I needed. Now we just have to wait for the big days to get here.

08.21.09

Wine & Pasta

Tonight we had dinner at Anthony's cousin's house and I definitely drank my fair share of wine. We had pasta and garlic bread, and the best frozen mozzarella sticks I've ever had..."little pillows of heaven" I called them. It was great to hang out, relax and talk to adults for the night...we even got a game of Catchphrase in. Next week is Fiesta themed so stay tuned.

08.20.09

Fall is Around the Corn-er

I drove home after being stuck in town with a dead car battery and noticed all the corn growing. Either I haven't been down this road in awhile, or I really don't pay attention when I drive because it was a shock that it had grown this fast. It means fall is getting closer, which means the weather should be getting cooler.

08.18.09

Must Read

I am totally obsessed with this book! Thanks to Renee for suggesting that I read it, I can't put it down and don't want it to end. Definitely one of the best books I've read in a long time, and now that the movie is out I am excited to see how it compares. The main character's stories are amazing, their relationship is amazing...so good, really. Oh, and don't let the time traveling thing fool you, it's totally not SciFi...it actually makes you think more than anything else.

08.17.09

Summer Grapes

The last couple times I've been to the store I've bought grapes. They are the perfect thing to take to work, refreshing to eat since it's been so hot lately. I prefer purple over green..I know, such a technical name!

08.16.09

Harley Davidson

Since Jen and Steve were here visiting, we decided to drive over to the Harley dealership and check out the promo they were doing for the FX show Son's of Anarchy. We never thought there would be so many people there, but it was packed! Motorcycles lined down the street for at least a mile, maybe more, and a huge crowd out in front. We decided not to stop, but it was definitely cool to see all the bikes lined up like this along the road.

08.15.09

"Whiskey River take my mind..."

Tonight we got the awesome chance to see Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Bob Dylan in concert. There were 11 of us there, all in club seats, with drinks flowing. Definitely a good time to be out with the whole family, listening to some classics!

08.14.09

Zills Tile

Anthony got this shirt from his uncle's company, and since it was too small for him..I get to wear it! I put it on tonight to lounge around the house and it was super comfortable. Gotta represent the family businesses!

08.13.09

Today's Homework Is...

Tonight was Back to School night and I told the "real" teacher I'd be there to talk with the parents about how the year will go. It's definitely not something I get paid extra for, but to be honest it makes me look good as a sub (which hopefully shows the principal she should consider me if she needs to hire someone!). The teacher next door came over after school to help me get this agenda put up on the board, so that homework assignments are always up for the class. I love these in classrooms, they help me and the students stay organized instead of trying to remember everything in my head. Definitely a must when I have my own class....

08.12.09

Back to School

I started a long term sub job today, for a teacher who decided to take a couple extra weeks off after having her baby a month ago. I was super nervous to start the year off for her since it's definitely the most crucial time for a classroom, but the students are doing really well. They are old enough to know how to act appropriately, old enough that I am able to joke with them and have fun, and old enough to understand that their "real" teacher will be back soon enough.

08.11.09

Grocery Time

08.10.09

Wedding Album

About a month ago I went over to our photographer's house to put together our official wedding album...I only say official because it's from her, we technically have 3 others. It turned out so perfect, I love it! It's engraved with our names and the date on the cover, along with "Our Wedding". Now I just need to find room for it...

08.09.09

Dip Your Feet In

08.08.09

Party Games

Whitney gave us a really fun game to play for Annette's bachelorette weekend in Tahoe. Each person brings the bride a pair of undies: naughty, nice, funny, cute...whatever. You throw them in a bag and she picks out one at a time, trying to guess who bought them for her. It was super hilarious, super fun to see what everyone bought, and a great way to get our second night in Tahoe started!

08.07.09

Bachelorette & Maid of Honor

08.06.09

Packed for Tahoe

08.04.09

Shark Week

08.03.09

Taco Bake

This is a super easy dinner! Just layer flour tortillas, then refried beans, cooked hamburger seasoned with taco seasoning and shredded cheese. Bake it at 350 for about 20 minutes. The beans help it all stick together in layers, and the taco seasoning makes it taste, well, like a taco. We like to top it with a dollop of sour cream and maybe some taco sauce.

08.02.09

Just Add Ice

Found this at Costco today..it says you just add ice, but I'm thinking it needs a splash of coke and a lemon wedge too. I'll let you know how it tastes after next weekend.

08.01.09

At the Movies

Today we finally went and saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I have seen all of the Harry Potter movies in the theater, so we knew we had to go before something took it's place. It was definitely not my favorite out of all of them so far, but I also don't think this book was one of my favorites. Not as much action as the others, and for as surprising as the ending was in the book...it was really uneventful in the movie. No matter what it was good though because, well, it's Harry Potter. I'm excited for the last installment now!

07.31.09

Feb 2009

I didn't take a picture today...which always happens on the days when I'm actually doing something eventful and exciting. Annette and I went shopping for her bachelorette party next weekend, and even though we didn't find any cute outfits to wear...we still had fun. So here's a picture of us from earlier this year, enjoying a fun night out in SF with friends. I'm super excited for the weekend in Tahoe that's coming up, and I'll make sure I take a picture then!

07.30.09

Shoe Shopping

Today I went shoe shopping with my mom for my brother's wedding. We drove to San Jose, found a perfect pair of shoes for her dress, and then had lunch with Aunt Margaret. I wish there was a Happi House where we live, because it was delicious teryaki. Great day, spent with great people, and I may or may not have talked my mom into buying me a Christmas present in July. Don't worry, I walked away as she paid for it so it totally counts when I open it in December.

07.29.09

Oahu

I decided that everytime I forget to take a picture, you'll at least get to see something worth looking at. Enjoy the view!

07.28.09

Thunder in July

Last night we got some thunder and lightening, and a little bit of rain later on. There was a huge cloud right above our building, which really made the sky look pretty cool.

07.27.09

D-List

07.26.09

Heather's Bridal Shower

07.25.09

Super Soakers

Today we celebrated Alyson's 3rd birthday...it was a genius idea for them to have water guns and a slip n' slide, because it was definitely hot. Darren and Anthony had fun soaking the kids with their cold as ice water, and from this picture can you see why Sabrina and I get confused about who's who sometimes? They definitely look like they could be related in this one!

07.24.09

Fantastic Friends (minus a few)

Tonight we all met Rebecca, Ryan & Lydia for dinner...they are in town visiting family, and us of course! We all caught up on what's going on in our lives, but really we watched Lydia be her cute self. She has such a great personality and I know she was super tired, but she did an awesome job of being well behaved. Bonnie and Austin were able to show up too, so it was nice to see these two little people interact with each other. As someone at dinner said, "We need another baby in the group!"...it's true, all of the babies are growing so fast it feels like it must be time for someone to add another awesome kid to the mix.

07.23.09

Vanilla Cream Soda

The first time I had Henry Weinhard's Vanilla Cream soda was July 4, 2001. It's pretty ridiculous that I even know that, but I remember it because it was my first summer with Anthony. We watched the fireworks in Milpitas, after playing touch football and BBQing with friends. They bought these sodas and I really thought it sounded gross, but I tried one anyway and it was delicious. It doesn't feel like summer unless we buy a six-pack..and trust me, we only buy one because they are ricidulously priced.

07.22.09

Orange Chicken Bowls

This is another one of our favorite dinners. I buy the Foster Farms Orange Chicken, found the in freezer section, then I add white rice and broccoli. The chicken comes with it's own sauce, so all you have to worry about is baking the chicken, cooking the rice and if you get the pre-packaged broccoli (like I do) you just stick that in the microwave. Super easy, really delicious, and easy clean up.

07.21.09

Delicious Dessert

Since it's been so hot, we've been having pudding for dessert. It's super easy to make and definitely refreshing...oh, and low fat. Gotta appreciate dessert that doesn't do too much damage!

07.20.09

Costco Muffin

I really love the Costco muffins but we hardly ever buy them. The last time we were there though, we got Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Apple. I can't eat this with anything other than a huge glass of milk, and I always have to cut them into fourths. Yum.

07.19.09

Great Breakfast
Photo Credit: www.Scramblz.com

Holly and Sergio took me to this great restaurant for breakfast, and of course I didn't take a single picture. I wish I would have though because my Banana Pancakes were delicious, with sliced bananas and homemade whipped topping that really tasted more like ice cream. Holly had crepes, and I'm not a big crepe fan but they looked super good. I actually can't wait to go visit them again just so we can go there!