Love for Espresso

I am not a coffee drinker. Never have been.

But something has happened.

White Chocolate Mocha.

Creamy and hot.

$4.50 per cup.

I loathe this new love because it's just unhealthy. On so many levels.

We may have to part soon... tear.

Or

We may have to give up food instead.

I'm for the latter.

Food Wreck

I have always dreamed of owning a restaurant or cafe. Not being the chef, but just running it and putting a little stamp on the menu. Little town in the boonies or somewhere in the downtown hip part of the city.

I've been hooked on the show - Kitchen Nightmares. I've never really liked watching anything by Gordon Ramsey because his middle name is the F-bomb, but this show bleeps it all out really good. Anyway, I was watching an episode recently and remembered eating at a so-called fine dining restaurant in the mountains. The restaurant was nice enough, the prices said that the food would be excellent.

This is what came out...

Don't the pictures speak for themselves? Who knew fish and chicken grew flowers. There should be a blog about Food Wrecks. Hmm...

Be'be' Time

Paris has been on my mind. Paris and Babies.
We have a little bundle on the way, the stork is sure to drop by any day now...
A couple of weeks ago (I'm late in posting), My aunt and I planned a baby shower for my cousin Eileen. As I've said before, Eileen is like my sister so this had to be a special one since she was packing up the baby making machine and throwing away the key.

The shower had to be girly, all pink and feminine. I found a tea rental service in our area and put in an order for tea cups, tea pots, tea spoons, creamer and sugar bowls/pots and food stands

The Tea menu consisted of Raspberry Green Tea and Ginger Peach Tea. I think I drank 10 cups of the Ginger Peach Tea it was that good.

The Food - Fruit was skewered, tea sandwiches made, cookies purchased, cheese tray assembled and salad mixed. The highlight was my mom's homemade baked potato soup.

I pulled out my craft skills and made little signs for the food and last minute Parisian cards from an old calender I had.

The Favors were little teapot measuring tapes with a little message from Eileen and baby.

The Guest Book was a children's book I found at Target. It was called Fancy Nancy Tea Parties and shows little girls how to do their own tea parties. Each guest signed a little note for mom and baby girl.
I procrastinated (not unusual for me) so I was like a crazy woman trying to put this together. I ran to Michael's (our craft store) and had a big idea to make topiaries. I have never attempted to make topiaries and just bought what I thought I would need.

• Styrofoam balls (way to expensive if you ask me)


• Stems of pink silk hydrangeas


• Green moss


• Long Dowels (which were cut in half)


• Clay pots

Purchased the following last minute:

• Ribbon


• Pink tissue paper

Pulled out the hot glue and my mom and I tackled the job. A massive mess later, this is what came out...
Everything came together so beautifully. I was so happy with the outcome and was told several times that I should do party planning... sparked a little idea in my head and I quickly put it out.

Here are a few of my favorite parts of the shower...

Full view (this was at a friend's house)

Gorgeous tea pots and little cards I made

(you'll notice I mixed up the pot tops... oops.)

One of the outfits I bought for my niece. I want this sweater for myself! :)

Mom's incredible Baked Potato Soup

The Baby Girl will be here any day now!

A Good Day

I was looking back over 2009 and was overwhelmed with the scary, bad things that happened... but for every bad day there has been a good day. There are so many good moments and of course there are those moments that make you cringe, want to pull your hair out and forget your name. Those insane minutes make the happy as a clown moments all the more wonderful.

I can narrow down the absolute most wonderful day I had this past year. How often does that happen unless you get married or have a baby? Neither of those happened to me, but this one day was just perfect. This memory brings warm fuzzies and makes me get lost day-dreaming of a day like this.

Years ago my dad bought the girls in the family spa certificates. The spa he bought them from was an hour away and we just never made it down there...

It was the beginning of Summer and my sister-in-law, Sonia, and I wanted to plan a day for my mom's 60th birthday. We had no funds to "do it up right" and I had a bright idea. The gift cards. I booked our spa packages and we surprised my mom on her birthday, June 25th.

June 27th, we got up early and drove out. The minute we walked in it was like we stepped into our mini vaca. We got our glasses of ice cold water and our big fluffy robes and slippers and lounged around until our names were called for our full body swedish massages. We would met periodically in the lounge and then got whisked away to a European facial.

We had lunch served to us by the salt water pool and drank our iced tea in the hot sun and chatted about nothing important. The smoothies looked so good in the 100 + Degree heat wave and I had to have one. Heaven.

We were called for pedicures and sat there drinking more ice tea and chatting as our feet got a massage.

It was late afternoon by this time and we were ready to go to our next destination. After showering in the glorious showers (they seemed extra nice after those fully body massages) and washing our hair with the signature shampoo... mmmmm it was wonderful, we headed to Pechanga.

Those of you that are not familiar with Pechanga, look here. It's a casino on an Indian reservation. I have always found it boring since I hate to play the slots, but my mom likes to go here so I figured we should do what she wanted to do since it was her birthday, right?

We met my mom's sister and her husband who were there celebrating my aunt's birthday. My uncle sent Sonia and I up to their room to relax and they played some slots while we waited for our dinner reservations.

Dinner was delectable! Shrimp Scampi, Calamari, Fresh Oysters, Caesar Salad... My favorite menu (minus the oysters). My sweet (favorite) uncle treated us all and made the night even better for me. ;)

I am loving this day-memory so much that I want to replicate it again in 2010!

(On a sidenote - these storms are getting bad... we're right in the middle of one and it's ugly. Praying for everyones safety here!)

Have yourself a stressful Christmas

No, Scrooge did not high jack this blog. It's just me, venting to you.

I want to sit down, sip some hot chocolate and just take a deep breath. Sigh.

I'm not sure what it is about this year, but Christmas isn't the same. I look forward to Christmas all.year.long. This week it hit me that I'm just not ready.

I've purchased very few gifts and have not done anything I've wanted to do. I am determined to do the following this weekend and I will squeeze it in no matter what.

Bake goodies to give away
Bake cookies to eat ;)
Snuggle in my parents car with a hot chocolate and look at Christmas lights in Laguna
Send out Christmas Cards (this is a huge iffy)
Go through Starbucks and order a hot chocolate (a must)
Do a blog tour of our Christmas setup at home
Actually POST the blog tour
Send out my sister's Christmas goodies
Finish Christmas shopping (hmm)
Thank the Lord for being my Redeemer (absolute must)
Watch Home Alone 2 (I love it)

Christmas shouldn't be stressful... why do we make it stressful? Just let it come and everything will fall into place. (not really but that sure sounds good.)

Bring it on, Christmas. I'm ready for you!

Happy Stressing and Merry Christmas.

Deb

Photo courtesy of (Jay Birdie)

When I grow up I want to be her...

Okay, so it's a little late for that. The growing up part that is... or is it. Considering I do still have my moments when the crazy 18 year old in me comes out but I quickly draw it back in and act my age. Ha.

Do you know her? No? Well, you are depriving yourself. She is known as the pioneer lady. Married to a cowboy (have I told you I like cowboys? I do.), She cooks with your taste buds in mind and she takes exquisite pictures of anything and everything. AND she loves Nikon. Need I explain more?

I'm sure you're wondering why in the heck I'm talking about the Pioneer Woman like she's the newest celebrity out there or Colin Firth. I find myself turning on my laptop, opening my Explorer (not a Mac girl)and going straight to my favorites and there before me is what I am aiming for - http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/ . Treat yourself to a few minutes on this site and maybe you to will want to grow up to be her... trust me. Her recipes are mouth watering with full photo details and her writing is sarcastically funny.



I think the below is one of her easiest recipes, it doesn't hurt that it consist of chocolate and peanut butter. Two of my favorite combinations. I'm going to throw this one together tomorrow and not share. Okay, so I have to share since once the house smells peanut butter they'll come running.


Now I'm headed off to roam the Pioneer Woman's site do some much needed cleaning.

Deb

*Photos from The Pioneer Woman and Southern Living

Another Wedding

I've been busy planning another Bridal Shower and helping with wedding preparations, again. Two weeks after we got back from my sister's wedding, my cousin,who I've mentioned on here several times, started planning her wedding ceremony. Her and her long time boyfriend were planning on getting married by themselves on a tropical island resort, but have decided to have a small home ceremony.

I for one am happy, since I'll be able to see and participate in her special day. My sister was to be her maid of honor but since she just got back from her honeymoon and is already planning on being out here for my cousin's large reception, she can't make the ceremony. I was more than happy to step in as the maid of honor instead of bridesmaid. I am so excited to be apart of her wedding planning and all the things that come with the days approaching her big day.

Today we went to do some cake tasting... that was hard. Who wants to taste pastries and fillings and butter creams? Someone has to do it... :)

So, yet another thing to keep me from blogging... but I'll do my best to not let it get in the way too much!

Take Me to the Fair

Have you ever come home from a long day of work and felt like doing this?


The newest member of our family does this often. She sprawls out and takes her naps like this. Ah to live the life of a pup!

I gathered all my energy and went to one of my favorite places... The Orange County Fair. I love it. Every year I look forward to the food, people, smells and sights.

This was calling my name.


Calorie filled deliciousness. Fresh Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting. A staple at the OC fair. The minute you walk into "building 10", where all the cool trinkets are, you can smell them in the oven. Mmm Mmm good.

I don't only go to the fair to eat, partially true, I also love the craft building. I love the table scapes. The judges critic each one and type it up for all one million OC residents to see. I cringed at 99% of them and figured they were the work of a sweet elderly lady and really didn't know that the table cloth was stained. (*cringing* again)

But there was one worth mentioning. You wouldn't find this table scape in Martha* Stewart's* home... no siree bob. This was a unique one and, according to me, the Blue Ribbon Winner.

The IRS table.
How clever is that?

You can't go to the fair and bypass the animals. No matter how bad the stench is. I'm so glad I didn't... I found the next character to be on Dr. 90210... he needed some dental work.

Oh the joys of the fair. I am going again because it's so big you can't cover it in one visit. Plus... I didn't get to eat an onion blossom or turkey leg. Maybe I shouldn't go back...

Southern Wedding - Part Two

My sister and I are very close; it's been a big adjustment not having her around all the time. Even talking on the phone is different since it's always the important things that have to be talked about and not just the basic day to day things. The couple of days I had with her were rushed and full of wedding stress. I didn't expect to have my sister back for a couple of days, I really did expect all conversation to be "wedding talk", as it should be. But deep down I wished for my sister back, the one that would listen to all the things that were bothering me and put it all in perspective. The one that would laugh with me and carrying on as only sisters can do. Sometimes changes in life are no fun. This being one of them for me.

Day of the wedding, we had lunch at a little Shrimp Shack with our Pastor and his family. Tons of fried food! So yummy... but you can only take so much! I could hear Weight Watchers calling my name after every bite.

(Fried pickles and a fried shrimp poboy)

After lunch we rushed to the house to get ready. NINE people with one bathroom. Bad news. Lots of arguing about who's going to get in next. Wasn't pretty.

I drove the bridesmaids and my aunt and nephew to the wedding site... we were already about 30 minutes late and I couldn't get into the parking lot and passed the location and drove about 3 miles with all screaming, "Turn here!" "I can't turn!" "Hurry!!!" "Make sure we don't get there before Cath!!"

Oh boy.

As we got ready to walk down the "aisle", things got harry again. By the time I scowled my way down, kicking sand as I went, all I could think of was, why did I wear shoes? and this dress is making me look pregnant...

It was all forgotten, almost, as my sister walked down... then the tears came. This was really it... she was getting married.

My incredible Pastor and his wife.

Dad smiling, mom crying

The wedding party... the bridesmaids didn't get the "sunglasses" memo

My big sis and I

My nephew Cristian... miserable and ready to "Goo hoooome"

Mr. & Mrs.
After being friends as kids, and having a secret crush on each other, 20 years later they found each other on Face*book and here they are...

After the reception, which I don't have any good pictures of since I was running around buying more cups in a hectic tourist town, my Pastor took us to Lamberts, "home of the thrown rolls". What an experience, I loved it!

We got caught in a rain storm. I'd never seen rain like this. It looked like rain from all over the world was being dumped out on this one area. I felt like a kid again and wanted to run and jump in the puddles. My first warm rain experience.



Here is my sister-in-law, soaked through. Lamberts is such a fun restaurant. I remember seeing it on Food* Network* and wishing I could visit. Wish came true and it is just as good as they described. Hot rolls being tossed around and so much food you don't know what to eat first!


I ordered the famous chicken fried steak... and got a whole cow! ha-ha
I barely made a dent in this thing... but it was so very good.
If I could bring the Southern food here, I'd be one happy camper... of course if they included a free visit to the plastic surgeon for some liposuction, that would help too! Who can eat like this every day?

My sister and her new husband are on their honeymoon in Costa Rica! Starting a new life together...

This Southern wedding was a good experience and best of all, family time. I love them and spending time with them is not something I dread, it's something I look forward to!

Fab Friday / Happy 4th of July!

Today's Fab Friday is all things 4th of July. If you want to join in the fun, go to Well, That's Just Fabulous and leave a comment and grab the fun little header and share what makes your 4th of July fab.

I love everything about the 4th of July. Everything!

We sleep late, swim, bbq, and swim again until it gets dark out. Everyone grabs a chair and makes their way to the front lawn for fireworks.

As a kid we used to have big parties, all the family over and tons of friends. I would sit on the bed of my dads truck and watch the fireworks... lots of fireworks... hours of fireworks.

We make a special 4th of July dessert every year, like this yummy but sloppy looking cake. Ugly but so good!

Every single year we wait until the last minute to buy fireworks. Why? I don't know, it's just something that's been done for the past few years. We don't buy as many fireworks as we used to since the thrill isn't the same as when we were kids, but we do still get up and run around when the flashers are going off. If you don't know what the effect is, look at the below picture. Flashers have a way of stopping time and making you seem like you're in slow motion like an action movie. My sister and I usually are the only ones that will get up and run around in the street like crazy people!

This is what makes me love the 4th and all it's fab traditions. I love America!

Happy 4th of July bloggy world!

Blessings today to you and America!