Italiana Signorina

farrell's for the februarys

2012-01-29T21:42:00.000-08:00

there happen to be quite a few february birthdays in our family. this sister (and the one in brazil) are included. so where did we go??? farrell's ice cream parlour. have you ever been there??? 2 words . . .

heart. attack.

because of the food? maybe. but i'd say it's the constant noise, beating of drums, yelling, shouting, running through the restaurant. let's just say it's a birthday to remember and something you have to experience for yourself! LOL.

a banana royal. divineeee.

i love starting iv's

2012-01-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

and it helps that he's super vascular. i wish i had veins like that.

archangel records

2011-12-22T20:45:00.000-08:00

i know, i know

i'm the worst blogger ever

boy oh boy have i been busy

this past week not only did i work six 12 hour shifts in a row, but i was performing in a 2 day concert in Orange County for archangel records.

victoria and gary produced an album featuring multiple artists. it's even on itunes.

how cool is that??

so, the first day of the concert was Friday, December 16th

we sold about 250 tickets. not a bad turn out.

Saturday, December 17th was day number 2.

around 500 tickets sold. a very nice turn out.

even got to see my very favorite high school choir teacher, mr. elg (i'm kicking myself for not getting a picture with him. what a joy it was to reunite)

overall the concert was a hit. not only did i get to sing, but i got to see tons of people who've supported me over the years. love them all.

a huge thank you to those that came to the concert. my sister, blupid blore, for doing my hair and make-up for both days. she even stuck with me through my rehearsals. david, for taking us all out to dinner afterward, and aldy for driving all the way from temecula and bringing me flowers.

outfit #1

outfit #2 (a bit more casual)

duet with tandy shields . . . "put you under my tree"

haven't seen ms. alison in over 6 years. she's the exact same. . .cute as ever!

david, me, and blupid blore. they're the best.

aldy drove all the way from temecula to come support me. best branch member ever!

beautiful lillies.

so so tired after the concert. this was at like 11 pm. probably shouldn't have had a full meal at bj's that night.

our dessert

thirty seconds after the dessert came to the table

and ps. . .

here's a little video for those who couldn't make it to the concert. it's almost like you were there :)

special sister presents

2011-12-22T20:38:00.001-08:00

emma gave me her surprise xmas present.

a special card and a dollar bill.

"merry xmas and a happy new year"

how special.

my sister knows me too well

2011-10-13T09:42:00.001-07:00

gigi knows the way to my heart

best brother of the year award

2011-09-26T21:55:00.001-07:00

this letter was waiting for me to come home from work. so sweet.

my 15 seconds of fame

2011-09-24T20:39:00.001-07:00

padres v. dodger game

vip field seats near dodger dugout. ps. field seats are definitely the way to go.

kemp hit a home run on his bday giving the dodgers a win.

and. . . . look who was on t.v!

can you see me?? blue striped shirt and padres cap? that's my brother sitting on my right, and one of our friends.

p.s. i am obsessed with baseball hot dogs. i swear they taste better at the game than anywhere else. i had to physically stop myself from getting another because they were just that good.

day 1 of career job

2011-09-13T20:24:00.000-07:00

of course i have to document my first day of work like a 1st grader would do.

7 am - 7 pm.

not bad right?

i'm still pinching myself that i actually got the day shift. how on earth did i get so lucky?

off to save lives, i go.

uhhh scusi, bopadaboopi?

2011-09-04T22:57:00.000-07:00

my sister picked out this italian chef's hat from a local italian store so of course we had to perform the infamous family guy episode of "scusi bopadaboopi" . . . needless to say i can never do anything without laughing. the videos are proof.

08.28

2011-09-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

had such a good and relaxing time at maggiano's for my birthday dinner. there's nothing like enjoying family, delicious food, and amazing weather at the end of summer.

me and blabs

duck face. i can't do it without cracking a smile. she's a pro.

profiteroles and the big 2-5

linguine con vongole

chicken parmigiana e rigatoni

birthday boa from gram

my brother's a model :)

the boys

g-ma and the cousins

this describes me so well

2011-09-02T19:17:00.001-07:00

the cat's out of the bag now

2011-08-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

I GOT A JOB!!!

I thought the day would never come. After applying to literally 40 different new graduate positions I finally was hired by PPH in Escondido, CA.

I work the DAY SHIFT (still don't know how I landed that!), and I am full time on the Medical/Surgical Oncology Floor!

here's the story for journal purposes . . .

***About four months ago I was having breakfast at OHOP with a friend. As we were about to leave, I hear a voice say, "Rachel?" I turn around, and it's my previous preceptor from PPH who helped me during my days as a nurse intern. She helped me gain confidence as a nursing student with my skills. There was some small talk and she asked me if I had found a job. I told her about my difficulty in finding a position because most hospitals stated that I had not enough experience (even though I was applying as a new graduate). She told me to not worry, but to focus on studying for the NCLEX. She asked for my number and I nonchalantly handed her a napkin with my name and number written down, thinking that she wasn't going to call....(i don't think it was by chance that I ran into my preceptor on a weekday at a local restaurant at 8 AM. I definitely see the importance of me being at that restaurant at that specific time. I'll never forget how helpful she was in my quest for a j ob)

About a month and a half ago, I received a call from my preceptor saying that her nurse manager had sent out an email to the staff notifying them of 4 open new graduate positions on their med/surg oncology floor . . . the same floor that i had been a nurse intern. My preceptor told me to go on the website and apply, and that she would talk to the nurse manager. Sure enough my preceptor, as well as some of the other day shift nurses that I worked with, talked to the nurse manager and spoke about my time as a nurse intern on their floor. My preceptor and the nurse manager told me to apply to all four positions online. There were 3 night positions and one day position. Once the positions were available to the general public, I went online to apply only to find that there was 1 night shift position available. I was so bummed. Night shift? Oh well, I guess every new graduate has to put in their dues with a night shift position. So I applied to the only night position available. After I applied to the night shift position, I called the nurse manager to ask her why the other positions were not available online. There was some technical error. I asked her how I would be able to apply to all of the rest of the positions and she said, "Oh don't worry about it! I already put you down for the day shift position because your mentor is going to be your old preceptor and she works days! So just come in to the hospital tomorrow and we'll have a quick interview and I'll tell you all about the program!" Shocked I told my dad that I thought I got a job, but the manager didn't say the actual words "You have the job" so I didn't believe it.

The next day I went in for the "interview" and the nurse manager said that she received so many good referrals from the day shift nurses on the floor and they said that the nurse manager had to hire me onto the team. She mentioned the dates that she would like me to start working, and sent me on my way with her business card in case I had any other questions. She was such a pleasant lady and I'm looking forward to working with her more.

After hearing from HR today after receiving a generous offer, I can actually officially say that I have a full time job as a registered nurse at a hospital. It's going to be a new change and experience for me, but I'm excited to start my career. I've worked so hard in school for this, and I'm ready to get started. I'm working at the older facility currently, but in 6 months our floor is moving to the brand new hospital (PMC WEST) in Oceanside. It's going to be incredible and is already labeled as the "hospital of the century". So neat.

if there's one thing that i've learned from this experience is the importance of patience and perseverance, and TIMING. this is the most perfect timing.

picture this . . .

2011-08-12T10:38:00.000-07:00

(this picture doesn't do it any justice)

you're styling your hair 30 minutes before you're about to leave for work

you've just blow-dried your hair and now it's time for the round brush

you section off some hair and roll it around the round brush

as you try to remove the round brush . . . it does. not. come. out.

so in order to remove the brush in T Minus 15 minutes, your dad decides to spray detangler.

not working.

mom thinks pouring the whole bottle of conditioner will remove the knot right?

not working.

mom thinks vegetable oil. . . of course! why didn't we think of that? so now at this point I have in my hair. . .

1) detangler

2) conditioner

3) vegetable oil

not working.

by this time i'm going to be late for work. so what did end up removing the knot?

breaking the handle of the brush, cutting the brush, and chopping off quite a bit of hair.

never again will i be round brushing my hair.

papa's cimenos (chee-main-oh-s)

2011-08-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

(gram tells me as a little girl I couldn't say "tomatoes" so I said "cheemainos")

you can seriously get lost in these plants. grandma threw a tomato party for family and friends this past weekend. she told me that we have been having this annual party for at least 20 years. what happens is once the tomatoes are ripe enough, we pick them, clean them, and package them up for people to take home and make a marinara or insalata. i've never been a fan of fresh tomatoes, but i'll make a fresh sauce any day. there really is no comparison to the store bought tomatoes. they're just not the same.

the menu must always include a pasta with marinara sauce to showcase the tomatoes. this time we did a baked penne with tre formaggi. buona let me tell you. we also had red pepper, onion, and sausage sandwiches (a typical food item that you can get from a street vendor in italy), swiss chard and cannellini beans, an insalata del balsamico, and some biscotti.

basilico. mamma mia, there is no question that this plant is flourishing.

pepperoni

have you ever seen a hot pink and orange cactus?

bodaboopi's bj's party

2011-07-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

the gang at bjs

mr. bodaboopi had a going away party at bj's. he is relocating to utah to attend the U of U, and is currently single fyi. message me if your interested. LOL.

the "married couple" and nicky

love these boys

bodaboopi, sefra, and bodaboopi

bodaboopi's book of remember moments and a carrot cake bundt cake

i think he loved it

in boca al lupo in Utah!

it's official!

2011-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

all that hard work sure has paid off because. . .

I'm a REGISTERED NURSE in the state of California!

jigga's wedding

2011-06-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

the wonderful thing about going to salt lake city for your friend's wedding (besides the wedding) is eating at all those places that you've missed and loved so much.

take for example kneaders. my word i don't think i've tasted better french toast in my life. i even went back for seconds and that never. happens. oh well. sooo worth it. then i got to try moochies (guy fieri's fav in slc) and ordered a philly cheesesteak. . . the bomb. of course we also had some costa vida and the cocoa bean. best cupcakes EVER. i swear im sounding like the biggest fatty, but im a foodie. . . what can i say :)

jigga 1 and jigga 2 (by association)

amanda and brad

love this one of her. totally captures her personality.

it's always a joy and honor to be asked to sing someone's wedding song.

pizza out of a vending machine???

2011-06-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

did you know that you can now get a freshly cooked pizza of your choice in only 2.5 minutes??? genious. this product let's pizza was on how it's made and how it works is purely fascinating. the machine kneads the pizza dough, adds tomato sauce, cheese, and select other toppings and then cooks all under 3 minutes. plus, the pizza only costs about $5. you can even satisfy your pizza craving in the middle of the night. sounds like a deal to me. i'd like one of these in my area. so far i think these machines are only in europe and asia...

http://letspizzaamerica.com/

poochie the skater

2011-06-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

my 8 year old brother going on 18 dressed like a skater today.

csusm graduation

2011-05-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

i'm done! the cap and gown ceremony was held at the school for the very first time on friday may 20th. the smith's came to see me walk and then took me out to my very favorite bbq place (phils) and then we went and saw pirates 4 in 3D (which was actually pretty good).

i of course have more graduation photos, but this is what i could salvage for now. . . a nice graduation proof :)

the photographer took individual shots of us also, but she failed to tell me that my tassel was covering my eyes and in fact you couldn't see my eyes, or that the stole on my right side was covering my diploma. thanks, but no thanks.

a gorgeous day in OC

2011-05-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

blabs and i

after the pinning ceremony the family and i drove to il fornaio (one of my favorites) in orange county. it was just as good as i remembered. i think i stuffed myself to the brim and look about 4 months pregnant but it was so worth it. thanks to g-ma for being so generous and taking us out to dinner! we all had way too much fun :)

number 2 baby!

2011-05-15T21:05:00.001-07:00

love these girls. rin, jam, and mel.

phew! i'm done! well for a little bit at least. who would have thought this day would have ever had come? not me that's for sure. i was just thinking about how i've been in school for 6 years straight. i think i'm in dire need of a nice vacation.

today i had my exciting and wet pinning ceremony at a winery where i was "pinned" a nurse. it's so great to graduate with 45 of your friends who you've spent everyday with for the past 2 years. it just had to rain though. . . seriously?? the rain didn't make for a good hair day.

my bestie reiko (mel)

look at the familial support :)

just pinned as a nurse!

passing the flame

hello have you seen such pretty flowers?? they're in my room right now and they smell wonderful. thanks g-ma :)

video chat/birthday/graduation party

2011-05-15T14:11:00.001-07:00

the fam video chatting with patty in NC

mema's 9th birthday and my graduation at g-ma's casa

singing happy birthday to mema

bored in the car

2011-05-10T15:44:00.001-07:00

strawberries from g-ma for some jam :)

gun show

some kiddies

duck face

a great mother's day

2011-05-08T16:00:00.001-07:00

look at her long red hair. here's some of the family skyping.

the tag :)

patty's duck face!

thank you to whomever developed SKYPE. chatting with patty on mother's day was the greatest ever. we got to chat for 51 minutes and we could have chatted for even longer!

she said she LOVES the area and hopes her brazilian visa gets lost on the way to to North Carolina :) the visa IS on it's way to NC and she should be off to Brazil very soon. she mentioned that they've had a lot of scary weather storms and was even caught in a small tornado.

shogun love

2011-04-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

bree bailey had a special birthday (the one in the middle). we got a group of her friends and went to shogun for dinner.

you know you're a foodie when. . .

2011-04-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

you save pictures of food on your desktop from a show that you watched on a popular restaurant and have it on your bucket list as one of the places to visit. . . heaven help me. . .

if someone ever goes to denver, co make sure you stop by the restaurant "colt and gray" and make sure you order the sticky toffee pudding. just do it for me please because i can't stand to look at these pictures without salivating!

temple night and phil's

2011-01-30T22:50:00.000-08:00

one of the perks of going to the sd temple is having phil's approximately 10 minutes away. that means everything bbq. and we all know how much i love bbq.

so pretty at night

my FAVORITE bbq joint ever.

keithy, bro and sis smith

some of the gang

.hannah.

this is about where we were ready to eat whatever we could get our hands on. because phil's is so popular the line is usually way out the door and this was around 10:30 pm.

"come on cinderella! we've gotta get you ready for the ball!"

2011-01-22T15:58:00.000-08:00

my brother is going to prom and is wearing the SICKEST suit!

and david is eating the best red velvet cake ever!

who knew my dad was such a poet?

2010-12-28T15:37:00.000-08:00

this was sent to patty who is currently on a mission. who knew guato was this good of a poet?

(Repeat as often as necessary to remember why you left on a Mission)

A Lamanite Lymerick

There once was a Mia Maid named Bub

Who filed her small toe to a nub

Cananites always Rap

"________" she did slap (name omitted for privacy)

Sasquatch really loves "Circus Crap"

When she left she needed a big hankee

Because waiting at home was her blankee

Pechanga was scared

The Bubster was prepared

I love Joseph Smith! she'd declared

To Brazil comes Bub, "The Thong Fightin Sister"

Because wearing them can cause "a big awful blister"

Evil Doers will run

Because she looks like a Nun

Portuguese is a real "Tongue Twister"

Her family is minus the second child born

Her Mom, her Dad, her family is torn,

Why the Bubster did leave, and cause them to mourn

But waiting they will, and the Devil will burn,

The greatest Missionary ever,

Soon will return!

Written by the Quorum of 9.5

(carried to the nearest decimal point)

just another day at williams-sonoma

2010-12-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

who knew that i lived in a town where you could see two celebs in one day. i sure didn't.

i saw 'the power of love' crooner (he also sings 'cruisin' with gweneth paltrow)

huey lewis

and...

#30 terrell davis. former rb for denver broncos.

(nicest/most handsome guy ever)

he even signed a ws gift card (lol).

this is what you do when you need a break from studying

2010-12-12T22:05:00.000-08:00

and the other one . . .

patty's bom viagem party

2010-12-03T11:04:00.001-08:00

before patty left for her mission, our family wanted to throw her a 'bom viagem' party or a going away party in portuguese. we were able to have her party at the castle, a previous b & b in wine country.

patty. sister borcherds. keith.

sister borcherds has to be the sweetest most courageous woman i've met in a long time. she went through the most horrific event of her life, but she still continues to carry on and put a smile on her face. she was so gracious enough to let us use her home with such short notice. she also has the cutest accent (she's south african).

dad and some of the kiddies

some of the desserts.

i ordered 4 different kinds of cupcakes from a local bakery that i heard was outstanding.

well, they seriously didn't disappoint because they were AMAZING.

we had red velvet, carrot cake, boston cream pie, and strawberry shortcake

my g-ma also brought beautiful edible arrangements that were so delicious! they added the perfect touch to the table.

and onto the cake. . .

this cake was a.maz.ing. i am not a cake lover, but this was definitely worth every penny and mile driven. the bakery, flour power bakery, was all the way in el cajon which is really far from my house. the cake is a soft white cake with bavarian cream and a thin layer of raspberry and lemon. the frosting was whipped cream with shaved white chocolate. i had them put the brazilian flag on top and have it say "boa viagem irma ricchio!" or "good journey sister ricchio!"

2 of the kiddies eating le lasagne. for the food we had two large lasagne trays, sandwiches, pasta salads, antipasti trays, and salads.

the bar

we had to add the brazilian flag

she'd kill me if she knew i was posting this

2010-12-02T22:03:00.000-08:00

we all miss her already and it's been a whopping 2 days.

when she quit her job, one of the gifts that she received was an amazing ipod touch

well, as a missionary, you can't bring something like that on your mission.

sooo....someone has to inherit it right? yep, that would be me.

i was trying to figure out how to work it when i stumbled upon this video.

now, most of you will think she is completely retarded. i don't. it's a family quirk of ours and it did nothing but make me laugh.

i'll go where you want me to go

2010-12-02T21:50:00.001-08:00

in front of the mtc

12.1.2010

a beautiful day in la

2010-12-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

spent the afternoon in LA today with some friends. the best we could do with celeb spotting was this guy. . .

.larry king.

i have to admit, i was hoping for someone better. lol.

on the other hand, this was a pleasant surprise to stumble upon. it took me a second to realize what it really was!

the la temple. so pretty.

d-land during x-mas

2010-12-01T22:49:00.000-08:00

i can't believe this is the only picture we got while at disneyland. all the kiddies, david, and dad.

have you ever been to disneyland during x-mas? it has to be the best time of year to go. stay for the firework show at the end. they even make it snow! make sure you also grab a $3.50 churro . . . really? how can they be that expensive? i guess everything at d-land is. i could seriously eat more than one if they weren't each 500 calories LOL.

patty made it to slc

2010-11-30T21:57:00.001-08:00

at john wayne airport getting ready to send off sister ricchio!

here's patty in the slc airport. tomorrow she enters the mtc!

can't wait to hear all about it!

a couple surprises & a little skatin'

2010-11-30T17:18:00.001-08:00

we love our brown boots!

cute little mel had a birthday in october and so we all had to celebrate! we wanted the whole day to be a surprise.

first we took her out to lunch: panera

then we blindfolded her and drove her to an ice skating rink where one of the employees was going to hand mel her personal skates. sadly this didn't work very well because there was not an open skating session. our mistake. so we handed mel her own skates and drove to another rink.

this girl was in hea.ven. she couldn't stop smiling! mel also used to be a figure skater so i think it was a job well done. it felt so good to be back on the ice. the next day i was so sore! it's amazing how much of a workout skating really is.

the best bbq i've ever eaten

2010-11-28T21:43:00.000-08:00

so i heard about this place in san diego from a couple friends of mine. since i absolutely love bbq, i wanted to go with patty and try it before she was shipped off to brazil.

we had an opportunity to go for dinner since we were already in san diego.

best decision ever.

can i tell you how good this place was??? i think it's been ranked for years as the best bbq in the city. it definitely lived up to the hype. check out what i ordered.

big broham. omg. AMAZING. smoked pulled pork shoulder doused in bbq sauce on a special bun. i was in hea.ven.

patty ordered these amazingly large beef ribs with sweet baked beans and colossal onion rings.

i think this was definitely worth every calorie and mile driven.

bom viagem irma ricchio

2010-11-27T10:28:00.001-08:00

.naples ristorante & pizzeria at downtown disney nov 2010.

the time has come.

she is now a missionary for the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints and will be serving the people of sao paulo brazil. she'll even be speaking portuguese.

let's hope these next 18 months fly by really fast. really, really fast.

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”

(Mark 16:15)

visit here for more info on missionaries

beautiful fall morning

2010-11-22T17:12:00.001-08:00

one of the cool things about living near the wineries is the plethora of hot air balloons that fly around our house. they take off really early in the morning and then fly over the multiple vineyards and end with a delicious breakfast at South Coast Winery. i have yet to take a trip in one of the balloons, but it's for sure on my bucket list!

quite a sight!

it was so worth it

2010-11-22T17:08:00.001-08:00

just one of the advantages of driving with your sister to get her international travel shots.

cafe rio was so worth every calorie and mile driven.

john legend concert

2010-11-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

well how do i begin . . . let's start with the fact that we were 8 rows from the stage and i was sitting on the end of the isle. i traded seats with my sister because i was in the middle. BEST decision i made that night. why?

oh because once the concert started, john legend came from the back of the theater and made his way to the stage. on the way down i just happened to stick my hand out and he grabbed it for about 5.2 seconds. ps... i know i was wearing high boots, but john legend is LITTLE!

so, back to the concert. AMAZING. the guy seriously didn't hit a flat note. everything was live. super good pianist.

me and david getting ready for the concert to start

of course i didn't take any pictures of the concert, however david shot a video so i may post that if it's good quality.

siblings

literally 5 minutes after this picture was taken, we were waiting outside for our car when i turn around and see this guy and his family. . . .

barry bonds

he was surprisingly not as tall or big as i had thought. his publicist was going about 90 mph trying to get people away from taking his picture because he was with his family. didn't grab a picture but saw him nonetheless.

kitchen notice

2010-10-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

funny note that i stumbled upon as i was making some breakfast.

always wondered where the toothpicks were in our house?

well now you know.

thanks brandon!

happy halloween

2010-10-29T20:41:00.001-07:00

happy halloween!

love, the kiddies

the summit house

2010-10-17T21:42:00.000-07:00

we celebrated my uncle's birthday at the summit house in orange county...

me.patty.nicoli.

they had a live piano player the whole night. we were in the restaurant for 3 hours eating and chatting.

the restaurant was very quaint and felt like home. fireplaces, dimmed lights, comfy chairs...loved it.

patty. me. snooki.

this was the front door. you can't really see, but there's a lion door knocker on a red door. it was so cool.

k & t rehearsal dinner

2010-10-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

what do you do when you have no time to shop and search for a cute outfit for a rehearsal dinner and you have t minus 24 hours till that time? you consult your friend who should be a designer instead of a nurse. she can hook you up with everything from earrings on down for less than $100. thank you mel ono project.

trev & katie

it's seriously crazy to think about the fact that these two have dated for 7 years. i knew them both in high school and i still love them to death. i still have to post pics from the wedding, but trev barely got through his vows. he was in tears the entire time! it was the sweetest thing to watch a child hood friend marry her best friend.

for dinner we went to rose cantina back in my hometown. it felt so weird to be back in my stomping grounds! i felt like it was just yesterday that i lived there.

katie and i

we first met while in grade school. i was the four-square queen and she was challenging me for my square. i lost and i didn't like her for about a week. then, we became best friends. it's so weird how things like that happen. we did everything together after that. we shared clothes, shoes, computers, food, etc. she was even the one who drove me 7 1/2 hours to the american idol tryouts in san francisco! i love her!

il tempio

2010-09-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

the temple on a dark friday night

my 24th birthday festivities part I

2010-09-01T21:18:00.001-07:00

for my 24th patty, me, and some friends of mine went to l.a. for dinner to go to one of my favorites, ketchup.

mel, me, jami

patty. . .i mean sister ricchio (she's going to brazil on her mission) and I

me and mel

my DELICIOUS red velvet 'nothing bundt cake.' have any of you had these? they are seriously the best cakes i've ever had. the one i have is called a bundtini. they all come with flowers in the center . . . kind of like in my big fat greek wedding. lol.

if you don't have french fries, it's not an american meal. their fries are the bomb. i've talked about them before, but seriously with the multiple flavors of ketchup they have (chipotle mangoe, barbeque, ranch, wasabi, etc.) you could not stop eating them! we thought this 3 ramekin french fry appetizer was called the 'trio,' however the waitress scorned us and said it was called a 'threesome.' i think i prefer the other name.

this time around at ketchup, patty and i shared the 'shake n' bake' which was breaded chicken over garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed carrots/string beans, and mac and cheese. for dessert we had banana bread pudding with carmel ice cream and ice cream cookie sandwiches. sisters are the best because you can order two things you like and share them :)

the food was a.maz.ing. ketchup is all about american classics with a little gourmet flare. take for example the mac and cheese . . .

mac and cheese

dungeness crab

white truffle oil

with panko breadcrumbs

. . . seriously the BEST mac and cheese I have ever had

next time we go, we are heading up le petit four on sunset

patty's mission call!

2010-08-23T08:40:00.001-07:00

on friday, August 20, 2010 patty's mission call finally arrived in the mail!

i went to the mailbox, called patty at work, and she told me she was about to throw up because she was so nervous.

she called everyone she knew in our area to come over our house to watch her open up her call.

we bought food, made dessert, and had a little party before she opened it up in front of family and friends.

we don't look it, but we're seriously all so nervous.

korea?

russia?

colorado?

who knows.

(please excuse the screaming, crying, and shaking. . . what can i say, i was a little excited)

. . . . . . . .

look at how cool. brazil sao paulo interlagos mission! does anyone know someone who served there? i need to know what i need to send my sister while she's away!

i can't believe she's going to be speaking portuguese. amazing. i'll have to learn via rosetta stone while she's gone.

personally signed by the big man himself. tommy.

accordion toppers

2010-07-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

i learned the coolest fact weeks ago. my great grandfather had his own accordion group that would perform during the parades. he's the little blonde guy on the left conducting the group.

pottery barn

2010-07-17T09:27:00.001-07:00

i remember seeing this picture at work and loving it. who wouldn't want this as one of their doors?

these wall pieces are so much fun. every time i see the fork i just want to say "buona forchetta!"

edible art

2010-07-14T21:43:00.001-07:00

how cool is this picture?? i made this all out of chocolate! tonight we had a little RS activity where one of our girls who went to le cordon bleu in london taught us how to make chocolate pieces for cakes, pastries, sculptures, etc. more picts to come. the chocolate has to be tempered correctly before you can make your design. it's a tedious job to outline every specific detail in your picture, but obviously the outcome is so worth it.

la famiglia

2010-06-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

it's a rare occasion when you have all 8 kids in one picture

so nautical and perfect for summer

2010-06-09T23:16:00.001-07:00

knotted satchel

bad omen?

2010-06-01T20:57:00.000-07:00

i think it's slightly broken? let's just say i thought i was a pro softball player and jammed the finger while catching the ball. not a good memorial day. this thing hurts and it's so swollen i can't even bend it. plus, it's on my ring finger . . . is that bad luck? wish me a speedy recovery because i started a new semester today! impeccable timing right?

sunday brights

2010-06-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

love this time of year! we get to wear bright summer colors :)

whitney's and paul's wedding

2010-06-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

mr. and mrs. paul davis

washington DC temple. gorgeous.

having some fun in the amazing women's locker room at the country club

it was so hot and humid there that we needed a 7-eleven stop for some slurpies

it was such a beautiful day . . . and then all of a sudden it got cloudy and started raining! supposedly that's good luck. here are all the bridesmaids, sue, and little graybaybay.

miss my shannan. lovely canterwood brought us together.

my shoes were killing my feet. i sat whenever we weren't taking pics!

beautiful wedding. beautiful bride.

the reception was so much fun. i've never seen people that partied as much as the tendall's!

davis rehearsal dinner

2010-06-01T16:41:00.000-07:00

all the bridesmaids

the rehearsal dinner was held in the coolest barn in the middle of the MD countryside. beautiful!

shannon and her sister. ps look at our plates . . . we devoured the yummy fajitas from some popular joint in MD and even went back for seconds!

obsessed

2010-05-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

the "wendy" dress

semester 2 complete

2010-05-05T22:21:00.000-07:00

my instructor pam (she's a dream), mel, and me

my buddies

semester 2 clinical group med/surg

we were obviously caught off guard

mel and me

(no lie, the person that i've had the most crazy nursing experiences with. she's always there when i'm in need of a helper and trust me, it's always the most unpleasant of experiences! )

i think our last day of clinical for this semester was the most eventful because of how busy we were with our patients. what a way to end the last day let me tell you! i think we were all looking forward to going out to an early dinner by then.

here's to next semester in the ER/ICU and hoping for more crazy experiences!!

ketchup!

2010-04-26T21:02:00.001-07:00

i'm so glad that i was able to go to Ketchup in LA. the weather was so gorgeous! going for lunch was the best idea for sure. we ended up getting to sit right on sunset and enjoy the loud construction going on down the street. we were all so hoping to run into audrina or lc while we were there, but to no avail :)

the interior was so unique and there was not a soul in the restaurant

me and mel

right above sunset (rin, me, mel, and jami)

these are the parmesan, cajun, and sweet potato fries that they serve (the sweet potato fries were covered in cinnamon sugar!) you can try the different kinds of ketchups they have such as chipotle, bbq, ranch, banana, and wasabi ketchups. it was so good! i'm totally going back.

yard house

2010-04-14T21:37:00.001-07:00

sharin' some laughs, and eating some din din with the nursing girls.

BookBook

2010-03-16T11:59:00.001-07:00

how cool is this?! it's a macbook hardcover that protects your computer, yet looks like a 18th century novel. So pretty.

http://www.twelvesouth.com/products/bookbook/

ina soltani

2010-03-09T16:24:00.001-08:00

anyone watch molly's and jason's wedding on tv? the only part i cared about was seeing what dress jillian chose and in my opinion she was the prettiest girl there. she wore the little green number, but i'm also lovin' the yellow one!

taking a trip down memory lane

2010-01-31T21:10:00.000-08:00

thought about this lady tonight and how my roommates and i were convinced that she knew how to speak english yet told us she didn't. i was reminded of how she had a bee culture (apicultura) in her large backyard. i remember her feeding us a brioche filled with apricot jam every morning for breakfast. italians love apricots. i got sick of them pretty fast. she loved that i loved her cooking. my roommates used to say i was her favorite. they told me once rita always said "rachele" this, "rachele" that. haha. i swear it's just because i was the italian one in the house. i remember her love for her cats. not my finest memory. she used to make my bed while i was at work, and when i would come home her cat would be sleeping on my pillow. i'm getting grossed out just thinking about it.

this was the street we lived on. strada di pian del lago. we used to have to walk up a beautifully long hill to make it to the bus stop where we would wave our hands for the nice man to pick us up. he loved us. i wanted so bad to blend in with the rest of the group on the bus, and by the end of my trip i was chatting it up with neighborhood ladies that were going to pick up some groceries. we became good friends.

don't you hate how your mind fails you sometimes? i was just thinking about how many things i am beginning to forget about my trip. i've got to start writing my thoughts down when they come to me.

-photos by rique stone-

nyt chocolate chip cookies

2010-01-31T20:39:00.000-08:00

photo by 'to paris and back'

this is by far the best chocolate chip cookie recipe i have ever tried. the key is using the best chocolate. no not nestle tollhouse, i'm saying like 75% bittersweet chocolate. the real bitter stuff that i love. i used to be a fan of milk chocolate, but due to certain circumstances i can't eat it anymore and i actually don't mind because i think dark chocolate is way better. plus it's even better for you.

this is now the only recipe i will use. it requires the use of cake flour and bread flour which makes for a crunchier outer crust, yet a chewier inside. so you basically get the best of both worlds. the other thing that i love about this recipe? the salt content is more than normal. i was a little hesitant about adding more salt than normal, but the salt brings out the stronger almost berry-like flavor of the dark chocolate. i'm craving a batch right now!

you want to know a funny/weird thing i love to do when i make cookies? i love making a huge batch yet only cooking 6 at a time. i can't stand dry, old cookies. they are only good warm. so i will only make them if i am going to eat them immediately! my family can't stand it. i love it.

i really want to buy the bittersweet disks that you can find at whole foods, but i haven't made it over there yet. i think the disks would be much better than chips because you have more chocolate surface area. plus, chocolate chips have a stabilizer in them which gives them their shape even after baking.

NEW YORK TIMES

July 9, 2008

RECIPE

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

canoodling in the christmas castle

2010-01-01T22:15:00.000-08:00

this is the home of a family in our stake that they turned into a b and b. it's 12,000 square feet and goes on for miles.

the dinner table. seated 24.

this mural was hand painted and went up the stairs as you walked in.

are these not the coolest locks you've ever seen? they were on each one of the doors and everyone had an antique key.

this was the venetian room. my favorite.

two pattys.

we did a little gift exchange. patty's white elephant gift was a mini personal flash light. my gift was a little star alarm clock.

good company and good cinnamon rolls!

ugly sweater party

2010-01-01T22:09:00.000-08:00

some of the ugly sweaters

patty's playhouse.

when the patty's throw a party...we do it right.

1st semester as a student nurse

2009-12-17T17:09:00.000-08:00

i can't believe i just finished my first semester of clinicals as a student nurse. it was filled with everything from tests and care plans to taking care of sick and dying patients. i met some really cool people at the skilled nursing facility. i learned a lot about life and how important it is to take care of your body. this was my instructor Barb. she was with us from the start. she was there on our first day at the hospital when we were so apprehensive and nervous to get out on the unit. she was there when i passed meds for the first time frightened that i was going to give the patients meds that would affect their health drastically. or the time when i gave my first insulin shot, another scary day. however, overall i learned so much from her. she taught us what to really expect in the acute care setting and to that i am grateful.

i spent everyday with these girls and we all became so close. there were times where we would all die laughing during post conference discussing our experiences, and there were times where some would cry. if there was one thing we learned together it was that we could count on one another. after all, we are a team.

adi's one year

2009-11-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

sweet adi celebrated her one year with some good friends, definitely good food (thanks kehoes), and some good stories. it was such a wonderful evening. i know i'll always remember it. she was so sweet and got everyone some cozy socks. congrats to adi for making it this far.

the lion king musical

2009-11-08T17:39:00.001-08:00

last week i saw the lion king with some friends in san diego.

this is to show you our amazing seats. yes, we were the 2nd to last row from the very top. take my advice and don't buy the cheapest tickets.

overall i think i've decided that i'm not a musical person. i've seen other musicals before, but i don't enjoy sitting in one spot for three hours watching people sing and dance. i feel i may be the only one who feels like this. it could have been because i was just at the hospital the entire day and my feet were aching, or the fact that i could barely see anything because we were in the nosebleeds. it is a good show though so if you haven't seen it i recommend it.

it's all about the baby part II

2009-11-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

there's still time.

get your copy here.

http://vixmusic.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5719802

halloween bash

2009-11-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

some of the gang

patty's plethora and my sweet candle holders

true or false the best pumpkin you have ever seen?

san diego boat party

2009-10-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

funniest kid to watch dance

pechanga pirate party

2009-10-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

the invites to this party were adorable. we received a box and inside was a bottle filled with sand and sea shells....just like what you would find floating in the ocean (message in a bottle).

me. bree. emily.

prez and sis arnold

seriously by far the coolest costume i have ever seen on the left. he looked like he was pulled out of the pirates movie. and that's no mask he's wearing....miss pinson did his make up!

the pinson family that threw the bash.

patty. bree. brig. me.

patty looked so cute in her costume AND she won best female costume (mainly because of my loud voice)

isn't the cake adorable? patty said it was the best cake she had ever eaten.

the souvenir. the mug says "pinson tavern." too cute.

free people

2009-10-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

i LOVE this free people military ruffle jacket

in the bleak midwinter

2009-10-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

never had i heard this song until victoria. i have to admit that this is now one of my favorite christmas songs. i recorded this song on the second take. it's raw, unedited, and lacking that extra something because.....it will be perfected for the cd!

i'm definitely not the first one in the world to expose my talent, but for some reason this song is different. i normally can't STAND to hear myself like any normal person, but i want to share it because of the feelings that even I GET when i hear the song. when victoria and i recorded "In the Bleak midwinter", i think i can vouch for her that we both felt something powerful. now, i have recorded and sang with victoria since i was 15 or 16. i have sang tons of songs, and with the exception of "Evening Lullaby," I have never been moved by a song like I have with this one.

i'm giving a little sample for all of you who won't buy the cd because you haven't heard any songs. it may be a little early for christmas songs, but i don't think you'll mind.

visit here:

http://vixchristmasmusic.blogspot.com/

it's all about the baby

2009-10-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

check out

http://vixmusic.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5656868

here you can purchase a christmas cd featuring tons of great artists (one you just might recognize :)

the cd is only $11 and trust me is worth it.

i can't tell you how hard victoria has worked

this lady writes ALL of her songs....let me say that again....ALL of her songs.

Do you know how hard that is?

i find singing all day long extremely exhausting, but imagine sitting at a piano for months writing one song, trying to get the lyrics and melody perfect.

so in need of a christmas present? head over to her website to purchase this dream of victoria's and i promise you, you won't be disappointed.

midori satin ribbon

2009-10-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

i would love this ribbon, if it weren't $64 per roll.

halloween food labels

2009-10-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

'Putrid Pumpkin Pie'

'Catastrophic Caramel Corn'

'Rancid Rootbeer'

i am having the greatest time with this adobe illustrator program. honestly, it's amazing at what this program can do. i took a regular martha stewart halloween label and made it my own. aren't these to die for?!

my new littmann

2009-09-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

look what came in!

this pretty much only applies to those who understand how amazing medical tools are. this is my new littmann stethescope. i have already been putting this thing to good use. take for example this...

everyday i get home i ask to listen to everyone's heart beat. they definitely get a kick out of hearing their own heart. it makes being alive just that much better. can't wait to start using this to hear abnormal beats!

brain cupcakes

2009-09-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

aren't these martha brain cupcakes for halloween to die for? i don't think i could be that creative and think of all those brain names. the only name i could think of to add the mix is....Abby Normal.

destination charm necklace

2009-09-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

my sister's friend came over to our house tonight wearing this...

- PARIS -

urban outfitters also makes this necklace

- VENEZIA -

i think i have to have both.

patty's birthday

2009-08-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

went and did some shopping (bought a pair of jeans i love and were on sale!), ate at macaroni grill for lunch, and had a little pf changs for dinner followed by 'Julie and Julia' to ring in the new b-day year. cute movie and totally made me want to visit france again, and maybe go to cooking school.

bellini glasses

2009-08-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

(photo found here)

aren't these bellini glasses so pretty? these french pretties can be found here and are so cheap!

ice cream social

2009-08-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

how cute are these invites? just having these would make me want to throw a little gelato get-together.

rehearsal dinner in laguna beach

2009-07-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

after the wedding rehearsal at seven degrees, the bridal party headed to k'ya in laguna beach. the view/food/atmosphere was phenomenal. we had a private dinner on the rooftop overlooking the ocean during sunset. of course i could go on about the food, but all i'm going to say is the dark chocolate fondue was out of this world! such a fun evening with the girls!

Samantha and Cameron Creer Wedding

2009-07-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

7-11-09

sam and i have been good friends since we were young. i met cam when they first started dating and it's crazy to know that they have been dating for 7 years, and now they're MARRIED!

sam looked literally amazing. her dress had beautiful pleats in the back.

her very sparkly bouquet

our bouquets

bridesmaids minus one (alex, nicole, britt, katie, me, and cam's sisters)

the wedding ceremony was at 7 degrees in Laguna Beach. it was ranked the best venue or 2009 by 'the knot'

this was where we all stood in a v-formation

right before walking down the isle!

the reception center at 7 degrees. the place looked awesome.

where the bridal party sat. i loved how we weren't one large rectangular table at the front like traditional weddings. instead she had us right in the middle facing each other. round tables were all around the outside.

her delicious cake. it was from Heidelberg Cake Bakery in laguna beach (also ranked best bakery by 'the knot'). the three layers were chocolate with cappuccino, banana with fresh strawberries, and lemon cake.

bridesmaids katie and britt

ad-hoc pineapple upside down cake

2009-07-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

umm....this recipe for the all-american favorite from ad-hoc looks delicious.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

( serves 8 )

Thomas Keller writes: Here is another slightly zany entry from the American tradition, pineapple upside-down cake. I have some affection for canned pineapple for nostalgic reasons, but we use fresh pineapple here for a more elegant dessert. Again, think of this as a general template that you can use for different fruit — apple, blueberries, and the like all work wonderfully. We make what we call a “pan schmear” of butter and brown sugar, top it with the fruit, and pour the cake batter over the top. The recipe makes more schmear than you need, but it is difficult to make less. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, ready when you want to make another cake, or it can be frozen.

For pan schmear:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon dark rum

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

Kosher salt

1 Gold (extra -sweet) pineapple

For cake:

1 1/3 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle, combine the butter, honey, rum, sugar, and vanilla, and beat until smooth and well blended. Spread 1/3 cup of the schmear over the bottom of a 9-inch silicone cake pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt. (The remaining schmear can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 1 month; bring to room temperature before using.)

Cut top and bottom from pineapple, and cut away peel. Cut pineapple lengthwise into quarters, and cut off core from each section. Cut each piece crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Beginning at the perimeter of the pan, make an overlapping ring of pineapple slices with the curved side facing out. Make a second ring inside the first one, overlapping the slices in the opposite direction, working toward the center of the pan. Reserve any pineapple for another use.

Sift flour and baking powder together; set aside.

Put butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and mix on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating until the first one is incorporated before adding second and scraping down the sides as necessary. Beat in milk. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating just until combined.

Pour batter into pan and spread over pineapple. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan for even browning and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 to 30 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of the cake, invert onto a serving platter, and serve warm. (Leftover cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

sour cherry strudels

2009-07-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

gourmet mag. featured a recipe for sour cherry strudels that looked amazing! now that summer is here, you can find sweet bing cherries at almost every store. i love this recipe because the phyllo dough makes the pastry light and flaky. if you're in a pinch and can't pit all the cherries, williams-sonoma makes an amazing all natural cherry compote.

wedding festivities

2009-07-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

got another wedding this week. bf sam is going to marry cam in laguna this weekend. so much to do before the big day. can't wait for this party!

xooro: spanish fritters

2009-06-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

so happy to find out that there is going to be a location in san diego.

xooro is a company known for their churros (aka premium spanish fritters) that are filled with custards and topped with a bunch of sweet treats.

wake me up when we get to beaver

2009-06-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

while driving home from the grad party, my sister says, "wake me up when we get to beaver". i will never forget these words for as long as i live. beaver? where is beaver? the story begins....

once i finished byu, i had to move out of my apartment and drive all of my things home. this picture just about explains how much stuff i had. my car was literally packed to the brim. my sister and i had a deal that i would drive the first half of the trip, and she would proceed to finish the rest. a couple of hours into the trip my passenger of a sister tells me, "wake me up when we get to beaver". period. that's it. no explanation, just a statement. so i proceed to travel down the I-15 listening to music, everything peaceful, UNTIL.....

i had just made it over a hill to see 2 cops parked on the side. i immediately felt a pit in my stomach. he didn't even have to turn his lights on. me, being the leader of the pack of cars, pulled quickly over to the side, saying something under my breath only to see my sister waking up from a deep slumber. "what's happening? where are we?" she says. "i have no idea, but i'm getting a ticket" i angrily apply. before the cop got out of his car, i had my license and registration already handy. as he was approaching my window, my arm was perched out with documents in hand. "wow, where are you going?" the officer asked.

"ohh, i just graduated from BYU....i'm driving home"

"well i clocked you going 91, and it's a 70 area, but because you just graduated, i'll knock it down 5 mph"

-i paused for a moment with my jaw to the floor because he is writing me a ticket, yet trying to be the nice guy at the same time. this is when my sister nudged me in my side and told me to say thank you for what he had done. and me, gritting my teeth, said thank you.-

"okay go on your way now, drive safe, and happy graduation!"

i hate beaver.

graduate party part due

2009-06-14T22:41:00.000-07:00

grandma, mom, child

who knew nicoli was so good at being a florist. i taught him well.

the party was an absolute blast. gram went WAY overboard. thanks for everything! love you!

graduate party part uno

2009-06-14T22:37:00.000-07:00

my party planner of a grandmother decided to throw us grads (me and ash) a little get together with tons of food (delicious pasta...a staple in our house), gorgeous flowers, and wonderful friends and family

grandmama and girls

cousins sean and joey

my adorable cousins jord and morg

miss sassy

goodbye high school

2009-06-14T22:24:00.000-07:00

little sister graduated from GOHS this week.

how precious

-ash and dave-
(quite the kodak moment)

dave's sweet native american dance

-kids minus little boys-

congrats from one grad to the other. looking forward to going to the same school as you. go cougars.

Newsweek's Top 1500 High Schools

2009-06-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

so excited to see my alma mater, Mission Viejo High School, make Newsweek Magazine's Top 1500 High Schools nationwide. we just so happened to be ranked #325!! go diablos.

went to ash's graduation from Great Oak this week. more on that later....

la cafetiere

2009-06-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

wouldn't mind this lovely french platter added to my kitchen collection.