Last Thing Thing Thursday

I am actually organized enough to write a Last Thing Thursday post this week to link up with the sweet Miss Jenna. It's a miracle. 

The Last Thing....

{THAT PISSED ME OFF}

I was pulling into our apartment complex and this lady just CUT me off even though it was my right of way and then guess what she did? She shook her head and me! Like I did something wrong and I am the idiot. Ugh I was about to jump out of the car and rip her head off. (Figuratively, of course).

{MADE ME SAD}

Reading the article that Gunner, the real Navy Seal, died. He was actually the very first Navy Seal and he knew how to use a screw driver and he used to dive to the bottom of the ocean to retrieve objects for the Navy. He was a real serviceman and a cute little seal. RIP, Gunner. 

{READ} 

Fifty Shades. Duh. Just like every other girl around these parts. Evan calls it my "sexy stories". Right you are, sir. 

(Ok yeah.. I can see this one right here)

{BOUGHT}

My PHR exam study book. I know, I am so exciting. 

{GOT EXCITED ABOUT}

Maui in 4 weeks. Cannot wait. I need a vacation so bad I can't even stand it. This rain in June is making me crazy and I just want to lay on the beach/by the pool and read my trashy sex novels! And drink lots of margaritas with my family. 

This is what I plan to do as soon as I drop my suitcase

{WATCHED}

You guessed it- Teen Mom - my favorite!

{PINNED}

Spicy Spinach Queso Dip

Happy Thursday!

puppies

Our puppies were born last night. I am so excited I can barely stand it. I've been e-mailing the breeder all day and last night and I'm sure she thinks I'm a crazy woman, but she sounded just as excited as I am. I demanded asked nicely for pictures as soon as the puppies were born. 

I mean I think it is perfectly acceptable to be excited about a puppy. It is basically a baby and ask any girl who has a dog, I highly doubt she will disagree.

I am not even sure I will be able to pick out just one. 
Cuteness torture.  

 via

Last year's litter

via

lately

This weekend flew by and I never got the chance to relax. 

I just feel like I've been on the go for so many weekends, I am so looking forward to no plans and some time with Evan. Where we actually see each other for more than 45 minutes. 

Next weekend we will be laying around, eating and drinking wine in our sweat pants, watching movies. 

With wine, lots of wine. 

***

I went to happy hour with a girlfriend a few days ago and apparently getting to this wine bar at 6pm is a terrible idea if you are trying to find a parking spot in the world's smallest garage. I am not even sure how these spots passed an inspection. Honestly, you couldn't whip a Smart Car into this spot. 

This tiny car has a TERRIBLE turn radius so with a little help from my friend airport style, we managed to back it in. It only took about 30 minutes but I thought it deserved a picture. 

Talk about skills. 

***

I just moved into a new office at work and it started out like a a closet (despite the yellow walls which you'd think would be a cheery color) and I have been trying to think of things to spiff it up, since I do spend most of my life in this space. 

I brought this orchid to work because I thought that my desk needed a plant. Now it looks kind of small...

This weekend I'm going to go get a tree and park it in my office. I hardly think that will look dinky. 

For now, I started with a few picture frames, candles and my pink orchid. 

The walls definitely need some help. 

Ideas?

***

Emily, Emily, Emily....

I just do not understand. 

So she is all pissed off at Arie because he dated an ABC producer 10 years ago?! 

I mean she is so perfect, how dare he do something so malicious! I guess she forgot to mention that she dated Dale Ernhardt Jr., Jeremy Shockey and some NASCAR billionaire's son. 

I seriously cannot stand how fake she is and I really think if she is such a sell out to a little bit of fame and money, she deserves whatever is coming to her. I really do feel bad that she is parading her daughter around for the sake of reality television. 

I'm not saying she is a bad mom, I am just saying that there is probably a reason she is still single and that good looking. 

If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck...

Just sayin. 

Friday Letters

Dear weekend: First of all, thanks a whole hell of a lot for being rainy, secondly, it feels like you took 2 weeks to come around this time. 

Dear messy house: I have been neglectful lately but in my defense, being out of town every weekend doesn't exactly allow one to stay on top of chores. I promise to clean today. Later on today. 

Dear vacation: 5 weeks away now! Hurry up. I am dying for some reading/drinking/relaxing time. 

Dear Emily the Bachelorette: You are a dumb, fake slooter. You put on this fake front like you are this sweet southern belle but you, sweet cheeks, are no such thing. I have read all of the stories of your boob job, dating athletes and Botox 50 times a week. You aren't fooling anyone and frankly, you deserve one of these losers. I'm sure someone like Arie will make a fabulous father for your child. Good luck with that. 

(Let's be real- I am still going to watch the rest of the season)

Dear Teen Moms: I actually do feel very sorry for your situations. I can't begin to imagine what you are going through. I also don't know how I feel about you parading your children around and making money off of your mistakes since MTV will pay for any car wreck that will make them a little money and some ratings. Oh well, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. 

Dear Kristin: I am excited for you to visit this weekend. I am so sorry that you expect a sunny, nice weekend and it will be raining the whole time. We will still do a lot of fun things, I promise. 

Vegas 2010 with Kristin

Happy Weekend, friends!

my SUMMER bucket list

Seattle is quite possibly the most unpredictable city when it comes to weather. Ever.

I know that I complain a lot on this blog about the weather and for that I am sorry but you have to understand where I'm coming from. 

I am used to 100 degree+ summers and sun every. single. day. 

I just don't think I'll ever get used to RAIN in June. And July. 

The joke up here is that everyone plans outdoor BBQ's for 4th of July and it ALWAYS rains.

June is supposed to be summer. We are supposed to be worried about sunburns and how there just aren't enough light hours at night after work, not about making sure that you brought a sweater and worrying that the traffic will be a hundred times worse because a little water is falling from the sky. It still blows my mind that people aren't prepared for the rain. People, it rains 364 days a year.

OK. That isn't true. It only rains 226 days a year. 

(Yesterday was sunny and I think that today is supposed to be sunny all day as well. Cross fingers and toes). 

I made a life bucket list a few months ago (that I actually need to update. Update list. Added to my list) but I was thinking and I want to create a doable summer bucket list. I need something to pick me up from this constant rain, so I'll just hope for sun and jot down a few things that excite me about summer, namely, THIS summer.

 I'd like to think of this more as a to-do list. 

1. Finish the "50 Shades" series. I just finished book #1

2. Try one new recipe a week

3. Try a few new hiking trails in the Seattle area

4. Fix our bikes (well, put air in the tires) and go for a bike ride

5. Send a written card/note/letter every week. I am on the right track with Lovely Letters. Andrea, if you are reading this, I am sorry for being a terrible pen pal. Your letter is on its way, girl.  

6. Rent kayaks and paddle around the lake or the sound

7. Actually try paddle boarding with the girls from work like we have been talking about for months

8. Take a weekend trip to Cannon Beach in Oregon

9. Take another trip to Canada (maybe Whistler this time?)

10. Have one too many margaritas with my family in Maui in a few weeks

11. Buy a fedora 

12. Paint my toes a neon color. Maybe even paint my nails to match

13. Go to a concert outside. Preferably Dave Matthews

14. Go back to Tahoe at least once this summer

15. Keep fresh flowers in the house every week

16. Work on my photography 

17. Work on my editing. Be a pro at Lightroom and PS Elements

18. Start working on the crafts/decorating for our new place

19. Plant the herbs that I want to grow for cooking (and don't kill them)

20. Write more

***

What are some things you want to get done this summer?

birthday flowers

what do you want to be when you grow up?

My brother is transferring to CSUS in the fall after being at a community college the last few years. 

He has been really excited about it for the last while, and my parents and myself have all been excited for him. 

Last night, he texted me, a little bummed out because he just isn't sure what he wants to do. What he wants to DO with his life, career, etc. 

How cruel that the world/colleges/corporate America makes you decide at 18 years old what you want to do and be for the rest of your life. The pressure is on their shoulders to pick a major, get good grades to get into grad school, be in the top 10% of your class and get the best job. 

If you ask me, it is a lot of pressure for a kid and most just don't have it figured out and society tells them that they are wrong and they won't make it in this world if they don't have all of this figured out. 

I told my brother that first of all, it is OK that he has no idea what he wants to do. 

It is actually perfectly normal to feel this way, but for now, lets break this down. 

He works in a preschool and has for the last few years. These little kids just EAT him up. 

They love him, the big, 6'3" bearded man boy who, deep down, is just one of them. 

They love him so much that the parents ask him to babysit and he even drives a few of them to and from daycare. 

He has 2 pink and blue car seats in the back of his car like a baller. 

So logically, he doesn't want to be a teacher (even though we all think he would be the best teacher). 

That is OK- there are a lot of different options. Occupational therapy, Counseling, etc. 

I was an Interior Design major in college and now I am in HR. I was 100% sure I'd have an amazing design job in San Francisco or LA by now, designing amazing buildings- but that just wasn't in the cards for my life. I look back and I can't help but laugh at myself for trying to plan it all out. 

What I told my brother is that he has to do a little research and understand ALL of his options. There are some great occupations out there that he doesn't even know exist. He needs to get good grades now because when grad school does become a reality, he needs to be in a good place to be accepted. 

He needs to try his hardest and control what he can control but beyond the small part that we control? 

Sometimes you just have to live life and embrace and be grateful for how things do turn out because it always turns out OK and sometimes even better than we could have planned for ourselves.  

weekend recap

This is the first weekend that I haven't been on a plane, flying to California, in a whole month. 

Needless to say, I didn't really want to do anything this weekend. 

My sweet boyfriend wasn't going to let me get away on my birthday weekend that easily. 

He planned a nice day at the wineries with friends and lunch. We don't usually taste at the places we go since we frequent the same 3 every time. The wine is just so good and I am definitely a creature of habit. I like what I like. 

He bought a little cooler and a picnic blanket because he wanted this to be a true picnic. Well, I was not interested in sitting on the wet lawn so I decided to scratch the blanket idea. I do appreciate the effort, though. 

We bought a few bottles and spent the day outside, eating lunch, drinking wine and talking. 

Later on, Evan took me to dinner and we met up with some friends for a drink in Seattle. 

I still can't get enough of the city lit up at night. 

taken on my iPhone while walking- not the best quality, i know

Overall, it was a wonderful, semi relaxing weekend with friends. I just can't seem to actually relax. I feel like I had a million things to do from being gone so much and I only got about 3 of the things from my list checked off. Oh well, I guess there is next weekend?

Happy Monday!

birchbox

I got my Birchbox on my birthday- what perfect timing that was!

This month wasn't bad although definitely not the best box yet. 

I am not much of a "self tanner" (I have never really had this problem until my relocation to the RAINIEST CITY IN THE WORLD).

I am not sure about the self tanning wipes. I am not really confident that I wouldn't mess that up and then it would result in orange streaks all over my body. I'd definitely be the girl with orange palms because no one told me that you have to wash it off of your hands immediately or you will look like you have jaundice. That would be me. 

I am totally in love with the Stila samples. Last month was a liquid eyeliner and this month is this bronzer. Stila actually makes a good product and I love trying their different makeup. 

The Taylor Swift perfume smells really good and since the last few perfume samples have smelled like old lady stank and I was not impressed so this is a nice surprise. 

Still not sure about the self tanning wipes. Just seems wrong. 

birthday

Today is my birthday but it really just feels like another day. 

I am at work. I have meetings and conference calls. 

Sometimes I wish that birthdays still felt as awesome when you get older as they did when you were a kid.

You know, when the weeks before your birthday, all you can think about is all of your friends coming over for a party.
And cake. And presents!

Evan is making me dinner tonight and we are just going to relax. 

Apparently he and my friends have something up up their sleeves for Saturday though... no one will give me any hints.

So for today, the normal birthday day, I will just be thankful for another year. 

birthday shots with my dad a few years ago

Current events we all don't care about

Emily. C'mon girl. 

These guys are all a joke. 

Sean is probably my favorite but not by much. I mean even he said that he hasn't been on a date in 5 months. LIES. Ask him when the last time he got some was- I'd bet my bottom dollar it wasn't five months ago. 

I mean look at him. 

He isn't exactly a dog. Surely he doesn't stand in the corner at a bar worried that no one wants to talk to him because he is so awful looking.... 

Its like choosing the best prom dress from the selection at Walmart. You just can't. 

I am still going to watch the rest of the season. I can't stop now. 

***

These turtles are breaking up after their 115 year relationship. Bibi, the female tortoise started biting Polti's shell and can't stand to be around him anymore and the zookeepers at their Austrian zoo tried everything- aphrodisiacs, couples counseling and games. I guess nothing was going to work to try to bring the spark back. Hey, at least they took all of the steps to try and salvage the relationship. You can't blame them for the effort.

***

David Arquette and Courtney Cox are getting divorced after 13 years of marriage. 

I'm not sure which one is worse, this or Polti and Bibi's split. Terrible. 

***

Lindsay Lohan had booze in a water bottle hidden in her Porche that she totaled a few days ago. Initially, they didn't think that she was under the influence. Seriously? Did they think she just slammed into the back of an 18-wheeler on PCH because she was rocking out to Call Me Maybe and didn't see that he was stopping? Why is this train wreck allowed to leave her house?

***

The cast of Jersey Shore is making disgusting amounts of money per episode of the show. 

This literally makes me sick. 

Snooky, Pauly D and The Situation earn $150K EACH EPISODE. That is more than $2.5 million each for the whole season. I just can't justify watching this trash. Plus, who has time to watch this when there is so much Teen Mom to keep current on. 

the city by the bay

Best friend. 

Lots of champagne. 

LOTS of food. 

San Francisco. 

No plans. 

This was basically our weekend. 

I snuck out of work early on Friday and hopped on a plane to visit my sister best friend from college. 

We never skip a beat. Ever. I mean we really pick it up right where we left off. Friends like this are a real gift and are few and far between. We are most certainly cut from the same cloth and I miss her everyday. 

Excuse all of my gorgeous pictures- iPhone + lots of wine does not make for amazing photos

We had absolutely no plans which is exactly what I was looking forward to. I grew up not far from the city so I am no stranger to the tourist ridden SF. I wasn't interested in being a tourist all weekend. 

I basically just wanted to eat, drink and spend time with my friend. 

The second we walked into her apartment, she immediately handed me some champagne. The girl knows the way to my heart. 

You can't have champagne without cheese and prosciutto. It just isn't right. We are firm believers that this is a well rounded meal. 

This is how most of our weekend was spent- sitting on the roof of her building, drinking wine and eating cheese. We did shower and get dressed up to go to dinner at one my my favorite restaurants and that was the highlight of my trip. Gamine is this perfect little French restaurant in the marina neighborhood. It is a tiny, hidden gem that would have trouble sitting 20 people and you will wait an hour to be seated. You will then spend 2 hours eating your dinner and it will be the best meal you have had in a long time. The owner is this sweet French man and he and his wife are always present, running around, waiting tables, serving drinks. You can really see the passion between them and their love for food and this restaurant.  Tisa has been here so many times that she knows the couple and we spent quite a bit of time during our dinner chatting with them and drinking amazing wine. 

We were talking about having to wait so long for a table (although he gave us some poor couples' table so that we didn't have to wait). This particular couple didn't seem to mind waiting. In fact, they were sitting out front with a glass of wine, laughing and talking, not a care in the world about how long they were having to wait. The owner said that people who don't like to wait for tables are only concerned about the wait because they have nothing to say to each other. How true is that statement? 

Yes, that is a whole head of garlic. Yes we did eat all of it. 

The rest of the weekend was spent sleeping and watching HGTV. We really know how to do it up big. 

How could you ever get tired of this? 

Beautiful city by the bay. 

Friday letters

Dear Tahoe: I miss your blue water and warm sand. I miss the crisp air that smells like nothing else. Be back soon. I promise.

Dear boyfriend: Sorry that you will be on your own this weekend. There is plenty of Mac n' Cheese in the pantry and I will be back before you know it. Enjoy the silence. If I came home and the house was magically clean, I will assume you love me so much that you took it upon yourself to pick up the place before I got back. 

That was so sweet of you! (I'm practicing my reaction).

Dear aching body: How does it take a week for you to heal? Come on, I'm not 70 years old. Although the massage helped greatly, I'd really appreciate it if you would stop hurting so that I can sleep/walk/sit down for extended periods of time. 

Dear 50 Shades of Grey: You are kind of a disgrace to good literature everywhere but somehow I (and seemingly the rest of the female population) just can't stop. So for that, we thank you.

Dear San Francisco: Hello, beautiful. See you in a few hours.

Dear Tis: I cannot express how extremely excited I am to see you. I miss you and I am so looking forward to drinking wine and eating and talking and most importantly, drinking wine. I think this is when we come up with out best stuff. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

taco wednesdays

When I come home from work, making dinner is probably the last thing that sounds relaxing to me. 

I love cooking and exploring new recipes and ingredients but after work and a workout, I'd rather come home and make Mac n' Cheese. Evan would be completely happy with this arrangement. And we would have scurvy. 

(Obviously we don't have Mac n' Cheese for dinner. Ok. Only once in a while). 

I am always on the lookout for easy, weeknight dinner ideas. 

When we were in San Diego, we went to this little Mexican restaurant in Old Town called Old Town Mexican Cafe and it was amazing. They make all of their own tortillas and I'm always game for some cheap margaritas and baskets of tortillas with butter.

I ordered a shrimp taco and a lobster taco. 

Let me tell you- they were a sweet, sad reminder what I'm missing living up in the land of no ethnic food.

I have been craving fish tacos all week so I decided to whip up some shrimp tacos for dinner last night with a mango salsa and a chipotle sour cream. 

They were so simple and I tried to make it as easy on myself as possible. The tacos were on the table in about 15 minutes. 

I started with a pound of shrimp (cooked- this is the time saver) and heated them up in a pan with lime and garlic powder. 

I mixed some Taco Bell chipotle sauce with sour cream (don't judge me- T-bell sauce is the secret ingredient. Don't believe me? Try it). 

For the mango salsa, I diced mangos, added a little red onion, lime juice and LOTS of cilantro. 

I chopped up some cabbage and mashed an avocado and voila! Easy peasy shrimp tacos.