Housewarming

About three months ago {I thought I posted this, but it was sitting in my drafts folder!} we had some friends over for a housewarming, even though we still had a lot of work to do and were missing some furniture, we just wanted to share our new place.

The drink table. Most of the alcohol was left over from our Mammoth trip in February!

I made homemade Sangria, from Top Secret Recipes, along with Jello-shots and pink lemonade.

Yummy snacks!

Puppy Chow, cupcakes, chips and salsa, cookies, and homemade dip!

The clean yard and patio before the fun began.

Girls gravitated towards the kitchen and the boys stayed around the grill. I'm glad no one called the fire department because of our smoke!

Nate found a new girlfriend in Stephanie, he was stuck to her side all night! He loved playing on our "spiderweb" aka hammock.

Nate found Chris' ice hockey and football helmets and like the wonderful grandma she is, Patti put one on. Hopefully it didn't smell too bad, since it was Chris' helmet from when he was goalie! 

Me and Nicole

I think Nate might have been a bit scared when Chris put the helmet on!

 

The boys were being adventurous {or dangerous} and trying the jell-o shots. They kept saying they didn't like them, but by the end of the night, these three were standing by the table shooting them down!

We spent the end of the night around the firepit enjoying the company. Hopefully we will be able to have more friends over soon, now that the house is more put together!

I think I have the jell-o shot recipe in my drafts folder too! Stay tuned for that!

Boot camp

Last Friday, I decided to go try out an exercise boot camp in Ventura. I have been majorly slacking lately in my workouts {I'm sad to say, I'm not going to be mud running this weekend, but there are four more that I can do in the near future!}, so when a friend invited me to join her at boot camp, I agreed.

I much prefer to be outside in the fresh air working out rather that feeling suffocated inside of a gym, so the idea of working out in a park at the beach was just up my alley.

We got to the park almost an hour early and decided to walk around a bit. It was a beautiful day!

The class got started and everyone was really nice and the instructor was very encouraging to us first-timers! It was an hour of weights, running, sweat, and exhaustion! It was such a great workout and we felt so good after, other than being dead tired! We decided to reward ourselves with frozen yogurt after making it through the first class.

We are going to try to keep it up, but we were both so sore after the one class, we have skipped out all week so far. Hopefully we can ease back into it and keep it up!

What do you do to keep in shape? {no matter what shape that is!}

Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday! Here is looking forward to a great week full of togetherness, comfort food, and relaxation! Link up and let us know what is making you happy!

1. Brightly colored kabobs on the grill

{these were dinner at work one night celebrating a co-worker's birthday}

2. Company while in the bathtub.

{Jack will dip his paw in, but freaks out and runs away if there is any movement}



3. Progress and healing!

{A fellow AMR medic and Giants fan, click HERE for the story and update}

4. Beautiful clouds over the ocean

{From our anniversary trip to Catalina Island}

5. My birthday and anniversary keeper

{I love to send real cards in the mail and this helps me to remember special occasions!}

What is making you happy today?

 Have a great Sunday and an even better week!



Taco soup

The other night at work was my turn to cook dinner for everyone and I had no clue what to make. Fortunately I have a file full of recipes that I want to try, unfortunately most of the recipes are for desserts!

There was a recipe for taco soup and since the morning started out pretty foggy and cool, it seemed perfect (unfortunately I have no idea where it came from, so if you know, please let me know so I can give credit).

It was SO easy, just pour everything into the crock pot and let it simmer all day {and it was a big hit!}.

Taco Soup:

2 pounds ground turkey

1 chopped onion

2 cans pinto beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can corn (drained)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can tomatoes with chilies

1 can Mexican stewed tomatoes

2 sm. cans diced green chilies

1 can diced black olives (drained)

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg (dry) ranch salad dressing mix

Brown the turkey and onions in a skillet.

Transfer turkey and onions into crock pot.

Add all above ingredients.

Cook 6-8 hours (I did it on high because we have an old crock pot at work, but low would work if you have a newer one).

I topped it with avocado, sour cream, cheese, and Frito's. There was enough for six of us to have multiple bowls.

What's your favorite cool weather meal?

Time for change

I'll be making some changes around on the blog in the coming weeks. Let me know if there are changes you do or don't like!

Thanks for bearing with me as I figure things out!

Girls night dessert

 A couple of weeks ago I was invited over to my friend Nicole's house for girl's night (another post in itself). I was really excited because she told me that they like to get together and try out new recipes. I had the perfect one, a berry tart recipe that my Mom had given to me.

First things first...I had to run up to Home Goods to get the perfect tart pan {and I was proud of myself for not buying much else!}. I'm sure it would have been just fine in a pie pan, but I wanted to put it on a cake platter, so I was being picky.

Back in the kitchen, I assembled all my ingredients (recipe at the bottom of post):

refrigerated pie dough, sour cream, vanilla, cream cheese (I used Neufchatel), heavy whipping cream, lemon juice, brown sugar, lemons, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries

{Even though I poked holes in the crust before it baked, but it still bubbled up a bit, so now I know bigger holes are needed.}

The pie shell came out of the oven and after cooling, I added the delicious filling {or what was left after I tasted it a few times to make sure it was still just right}.

Into the fridge it went and after about five minutes I realized I forgot to put the lemon zest on top. As I took it out of the fridge, the bottom of the pan lifted up and the tart tumbled to the ground! It was definitely one of those slow motion moments as I watched it bobble and then splat!

sigh

It was salvageable enough for Chris to have a taste.

Back to the store I went, because while I had enough of everything else to make another I only bought one Neufchatel cheese. I learned my lesson there, now I will always buy two cream cheeses! 

Fortunately, I started early and had enough time to make a whole new one, refrigerate it for two hours and make it to Nicole's on time.

It was a wonderful evening and every one's dishes were delicious! Thanks Nicole for inviting me to join you!!

Do you have any kitchen/recipe mishaps to share?

Here's the recipe:

1 refrigerated pie crust

1/3 c. sour cream

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese (or Neufchatel), softened

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract (I used a little extra)

1/4 c. heavy whipping cream

to top: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, olallieberries, or any type of berries you want and lemon zest

*Bake pie crust in a tart pan according to package directions and cool completely

*Beat sour cream, and next five ingredients in large bowl. Spread mixture evenly into cool pastry shell. Arrange berries on top and garnish as desired. Chill 2 hours for easiest slicing.

*Don't drop it!

Happy Sunday!

Link up and let us know what is making you happy this week!

1. Good friends that give you little pick me up gifts when they are needed.

I was having a rough week and one of my thoughtful friends left this for me.

2. Cooking with family recipes

This is my Nana's and Mom's spaghetti sauce recipe. It makes me feel closer to them when I use their recipes and see their handwriting.

3. That the weather is cooling off, that fall is coming, and it's almost time to make some of these pumpkin centerpieces.

4. My very thoughtful husband

These were sitting on my bedside table when I got home from work one morning.

5. Brick cuddling with me when Chris is at work.

I hope you are finding things to make you happy today! Have a great week!

Wash my sins away...

Today I washed my hair and when I looked at the shampoo bottle, I smiled a little when I saw that the scent was "Drama Clean". If only it could be that easy: Wash your hair and all the drama surrounding you washes away too.  

Getting into the shower is cathartic for some. I have known others to take a shower just so that they could cry their eyes out; stand in the hottest water possible to ease tense muscles, or take a ice cold shower to ease {whatever is aching at the moment}. I prefer sinking to my nose in a hot, coconut smelling bubble bath; but if there was a wall full of bottles in the shower that could wash away whatever was troubling me in that moment, you can bet I would buy Costco sized bottles and make sure to always have them on hand! How about:

Heartache Hydration: For those days when your heart is weak, broken and crumbling just wash off with this and your heart will be healed, strong and returned to it's full beauty.

Frustration Defrizzer: People and to-do lists and errands to do making you want to pull your hair out? Use this defrizzer and your hair (and mind) will be returned to the carefree, easy-going, sleek look that you need to help you get through the day.

Trouble Detangler: Having one of those days where you can't do or say anything right? Just a quarter sized dollop of this cream will smooth all your words, thoughts and emotions getting you out of those troubling situation in just a few moments!

Pain Purifier: Feeling a little raw after some hurtful words have been thrown at you? Spray this onto wherever the pain is and magically it washes away! No more hearts pierced with little barbs, no more lips chapped from defending yourself, just a spray will stitch, cleanse, and heal.

If only it was that easy. Hurt could be washed away by standing under the spray in twenty minute or less. Forgiveness would be almost instant and everyone could get on with their day. I guess we will have to wait for those to become a reality. So for now, we sit, we wallow, we cry listening to sappy songs, we eat chocolate, we run (away from people, emotions, and places), and we hurt.

Time will have to wash away hurts for now. {But you can bet I'll be one of the first in line when they start offering those magic potions!}

Wishing you a carefree, bright and pain-free day!

Weekend yard work

This weekend was spent working on our front yard. We love the brick walkway that leads up to our front door, but the planter between the walkway and driveway left a lot to be desired.

Before: scraggly roses on the right side of the walkway, grass butting up to the walkway on the left.

Dad chopping away at the grass to create a matching planter on the left side of the walkway. Let me tell you...that was one tough job! The dirt was hard, the grass was unyielding, and it was hot!

The grass is out!

Next, we made a form to create a concrete mow-srip between the lawn and planter to keep everything neat and in it's place. I didn't get any pictures between this and the finished one because we were working so hard in the hot sun!

After: The finished project!

It looks a little sparse because we bought smaller plants that will grow to fill the space. It looks much more balanced and 100 times better (in my humble opinion of course)!

Behind the wall that creates a small area before the front door, we are planning on putting more bricks to create a welcoming patio. Dad, Mom, and Uncle Robert created the form for the concrete while Chris and I were at work. The left side of the form will be a planter and the right side will be bricks, one day!

While we were at work, they also took out the ugly railroad ties on the right side of the driveway, leaving us with one big planter that we get to design. As payment for their hard work, we made them dig through the rock hard dirt gave them a small palm tree that was in the corner.

The scraggly roses that were in the planter in front have found a new home in the backyard, inside the picket fence. I'm looking forward to opening up our bedroom window and having the rose scented air waft in.

This weekend was a lot of work and a lot of togetherness. I learned how to mix concrete, create forms, install sprinklers, what plants work where, and that hard work brings beautiful results. Thank you everyone for your help!

What project is next on your to-do list?

It is September 11th and we all know what that means for our Country.

Fortunately, I personally don't know know anyone who was lost that day, but working for the fire department, we are all one big family and I lost 343 brothers ten years ago.

There are many tributes going on today and every year, I do one of my own.

Every year on this day, I make sure to wear my necklace that has my name in Arabic. I usually wear another necklace at the same time that has an American flag, but it got lost in the move this year.

I choose to do this because not all Muslims feel the same as those who attacked us. It is important that we do not lump all people into one group and blame them.

Take today and remember. Take a moment and say thank you to those who never heard it.

Kindle opinion

I absolutely love to read (see In My Book Bag tab) and I do most of my reading at work. I tend to keep five to ten paperback books in my bag that I carry to and from work, that way I always have a new book handy when I finish one.

We have a wonderful library here in Camarillo; recently redone, large, and beautiful. I go about once a month, walk to the back left corner and walk out with my bag full of books. I always go for the paperbacks because I don't have to check them out and there is no time limit on how long you keep them. Perfect for me because I never know if it's going to be slow or busy at work and how much reading I will be able to do.

When we were planning our vacation, I knew we would be doing a lot of driving and have some downtime where I would want to read. Then I realized that there was a limit on how heavy your bags could be on the airplane and I didn't think that packing twenty books would be a good idea (and paying $50 extra if my bag was overweight definitely made me think twice about bringing books).

So, I {begrudgingly} thought about investing in a Kindle. I was hesitant for many reasons:

~ I get books for free at the library, so I didn't want to pay for them

~ I like having books in hand, turning pages and seeing my progress

~ Technology isn't always my friend and sometimes we rely too often on it

~ I was worried it would be bad for my eyes

~ It shares the name of an ex-boyfriend

After talking to Chris about it, actually looking at it in store and seeing how the prices have come down; I decided to invest in one.

There are things that I really like about it and things I am not fond of.

Likes:

* It is very lightweight (no more carrying around multiple books, making my bags much lighter

* It fits easily into my purse

* I only have to charge it every few weeks

* There is a highlight function that keeps track of quotes I want to remember and files them together

* Easily keeps track of what page I am on (no more losing book marks and trying to figure out where I left off). It opens to the last page viewed when you turn it on

* I got a really cute carrying case from The Pleated Poppy

Dislikes:

* While there are books that are free, the majority of them cost money

* It does need to be charged, using electricity

* It does not have a light, so I need to purchase one designed for the Kindle or read with one on

* The page turning buttons are somewhat sensitive, so sometimes the pages get turned by accident

* I can't look ahead as easily as a regular book to see where the chapter ends

* It doesn't use page numbers, just percentage of reading completed, so knowing exactly where you are if you click ahead to see where the chapter ends makes it kind of difficult to return to the page you were on

* I like to read while taking a bath (tmi?) so I am worried about it falling in and getting ruined

Overall, I'm happy that I have the Kindle (which I have renamed my travel book), especially for our trip. It definitely won't keep me from the library and reading real books, but it is a nice alternative when I have a trip planned, or don't want to carry around multiple paperback books.

What's your favorite new "thing" you have?

Labor Day

Did you all enjoy a wonderful Labor Day? I had the day off, but Chris had to work (liking the holiday pay but not the time apart) so I decided to take a long nap when I got home from work at 7am. When I woke up, I saw it was a beautiful day. I brewed a pot of coffee and played with the cats a bit...then I got to work.

I started out in the backyard. Trimming trees and a bushy hedge that had been hanging over our neighbor's fence,

See! I really did the work myself...maybe I should have worn gloves.

We have decided to slipcover our living room (hand-me-down) couches since they have been clawed by our cats, have some minor stains, and just look a little saggy.

Which color do you like? (clockwise from top left: sage, cream, grey, taupe, blue)

I found these at the market and thoroughly enjoyed one after doing yard work in the hot sun! The mini-drumsticks are the perfect size to curb my craving for sweets.

But, even though I had a little drumette earlier, I wanted to cool off. Since the day warmed up so fast, I didn't have much coffee and had almost an entire pot left. I decided to make a coffee milkshake/frappuccino.

Step 1: Add vanilla ice cream to the blender

Step 2: Add coffee and ice

Step 3. Blend

Step 4: Add whipped cream and enjoy! Very refreshing!

I ended my afternoon like this: wearing my new running shoes (taking the day off of actually running but I put them on anyway to feel like I was exercising), drinking my milkshake, and reading my Kindle {more on my likes/dislikes about my Kindle later} on the back patio.

I hope you had a relaxing, indulgent Labor day!! 

Exercise

I have always been very active.

From ballet and horseback riding when I was younger to water polo and springboard diving in high school and college, I've been involved in over fifteen different sports. I was more of a fish, taking to water sports above anything.

One thing I never got into was running. {I even remember faking an ankle injury in seventh grade so I didn't have to run the mile}. I used to tell people that the only reason I would run was if someone was chasing me and they weren't cute.

Well, lately I have been slacking in motivation at the gym so I decide to hit the pavement while on break at work. Sitting inside all day (even though we have large windows) makes me crave sunshine and fresh air.

One of my friends asked if I would join her in a fun, mud run. A 5k through the dirt and mud with obstacles to get over.

Surprisingly, my immediate thought was YES! It sounded so fun, something different and not just running in circles around a track or on a street. So...I agreed.

I started my "training" four days ago (Friday). My friend, Mark, and I started walking/jogging on our break and we ended up going two miles. It was great to have someone push me into jogging a little further and also take time to walk and chat before jogging again. I felt pretty good after the first day.

Saturday, I spent in the gym on the treadmill. I didn't quite make it the two miles like the day before because my muscles were sore and I've decided that being in the gym makes it easy to give up when I get tired. Fortunately, I lifted a tiny bit of weight and made sure to pass out on the ground stretch afterward.

Sunday, I decided to get outside again. I enabled an app on my phone that tracks how long I've run, keeps track of calories burned, and lets me play music. I started out well but by the time it hit a little over a mile, my shins and thighs were screaming! I started back to work and I was thisclose to calling a friend to pick me up and drive me the 1/4 mile back to work. I thought about crawling, but I made it, upright. After letting water pound my legs in a long, hot shower I felt better.

Then, Hallelujah... I was able to get a 30 minute massage!! Normally I just lay down and let the masseuse get to work on the usual kinks in my back, but today I told her how thankful I was that she was here and 

I asked her to massage my legs. She agreed and told me to tell her if it was too hard.

For a moment, it felt like the above picture!

My legs were so sore, but then it became the it hurts so bad but feels good at the same time so I didn't complain. Now, my legs are still sore, but my body feels energized (even at 4am). I am beginning to see why people run, but I doubt that I will keep it up after the run next month. 

{I don't think I've ever seen anyone smiling while they run.}

I'll let you know how my progress is going!

Have you tried anything new lately?  

Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday All! This has been a wonderful week, I had four days off at the beginning of the week and Chris had two of them off too! Link up and let us know what is making you happy!

1. My new silly shirt.

I wore it out for the first time and got many smiles and a compliment or two. {Why are mustache's so in right now? I have no clue.}

2. Having lunch with a friend.

We spent some time just talking and relating and giving advice, and just listening. It was wonderful.

3. New furniture.

Here is just a sneak peak of our new furniture. Taken with my cell phone so the quality is not the best, but it will just make it better when you see "real" pictures!

4. Driving with the window down, music blaring, and the sun shining.

I am so guilty of constantly driving with my windows up, AC on, isolated inside my car. I electrically unrolled threw open my window and let my arm surf the air waves. Glorious!

5. A fun night out with friends. (you really get two pictures for #5)

Here is Chris and Ish having a good time at another friend's restaurant.

5.1 Having fun nights out with friends that result in pictures like this.

A group of us went out Tuesday night {didn't you know that Tuesday is the new Saturday??} and we all had a blast. Looking forward to more nights like this!

Happy Sunday and have a great week!