Challenge

I decided today that I am in a food rut and I am really not okay with it.  In order to get out of this awful rut, I am going to challenge myself to try new recipes, that have been on the back burner for some time.  The challenge will be to try a new recipe, at least once a week and it must come from the many cookbooks that I have aquired but don't use as often as I should. I will post my meals and let you all, the four of you, know how it goes.

Tonight I am going to make Tuscan Fries from the Salt to Taste Cookbook that I purchased this weekend.

Wish me luck!

Dear Taylor

In honor of my girl Taylor Swifts new album, I am going to post a little shout out.  On her new album there is a song titled, Dear John, that I have to say is so honest, and strong, it always suprises me that she is so young.  I remember those times and that age and those boys, and this song pretty much covers it all.  There is such a strength to her voice, that I hope that girls or women out there everywhere look to her as a hero and an icon.  There will be this person in every womans life and to know that Taylor Swift called out one of the biggest "playboys" out there, is amazing!  You go girl!  To you, I say THANK YOU!  Thank you for your honesty and heart, no matter how hard it was to go through in the first place.

Dear John

Long were the nights when the days once revolved around you

Counting the footsteps, praying the floor wont fall through
Again
And my mother accused me of losing my mind
But I swore I was fine

You paint me a blue sky
And go back and turn it to rain
And I lived in your chess game but you changed the rules everyday
Wondering which version of you I might get on the phone
Tonight
Well I stopped picking up and this song is to let you know why

Dear john I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress cried the whole way home
Should have known
Well maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame
Maybe it's you and you're sick need to give love and take it away
And you'll add my name to your long list of traitors who don't understand
And il look back and regret who I ignored when they said run as fast as you can

Dear john I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress, cried the whole way home

Dear john, I see it all now that was wrong
Don't you think nineteens too young to be played by your dark twisted games
When I loved you so
I should have known
You are an expert at sorry
And keeping lines blurry
Never impressed by me acing your tests
All the girls that you...
Who talk
Cause you burned them out
But I took your matches before fire could catch me
So don't look now
I'm shining like fireworks

Over your...

Dear john I see it all now that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress, cried the whole way home

I see it all that you're gone
Don't you think I was too young to be messed with
The girl in the dress who wrote you a song
You should have known
You should have known



Don't you think I was too young
You should have known

To Paul

As we head off to Vegas to celebrate our second wedding anniversary, I just want to say thank you for the million little things that you do,every day to make me love you.  I thank you for being kind, understanding, caring, loving, smart, and above all, thank you for being you.  Without you, my life would be nothing...

THANK YOU!

A Weekend Away in Santa Barbara!

I realize that I am little behind, well maybe alot behind and I have much to report.  In the last month, we found a new apartment (more to come on that later), my sister got engaged (thankfully) and we celebrated a friends wedding in Santa Barbara.  It was great to see all the ladies that I spent so much time with and share so many fond memories, they are just the best group of women around.  It is so funny to me that after so many years that we can all come together and have such a great time, as if we never missed a beat. 

Anyways here are the photos from our FAB weekend away.

To New Beginnings...

Just a little shout out to my little Sister and her FIANCE!  Yeah I said it, Katie and Rodger are engaged.  I am so very happy for these two, they are wonderful to each other and for each other. 

Congrats to you both!

Just A Note

I just want to mention that the best feeling in the world, at least right now, is showering after a long weekend of camping.  I hate dirt, but I have to admit that I love hitting the hottest shower in the world and then a nice long nap.

Yeah for things that I love!

My Love of Tomatoes

There are few things that I truly believe that I couldn't live without, Moe, Paul, my family and a nice glass of wine, and tomatoes are right up there as well.  I recently found a strawberry farm by our house that sells these amazing Heirloom tomatoes that just melt in your mouth.  I am not going to lie, I am in love and on occasion I find myself dreaming of these tomatoes.  

But tomatoes cannot stand alone, so here are a few photos of recipes that I like to make with my AMAZING tomatoes.

Seattle Part 2

Here are more photos from our Seattle trip in June... Photos provided by Katie Aimone.

More of Seattle

I know, I know... I have been meaning to catch up on good times from Seattle but I have been neglecting my bloging for no real reason, then I had nothing to post.  So in an attempt to get you all caught up on my FABULOUS life, I am going to start with Seattle.

After Emily picked us up at the airport, we checked into the hotel and headed out for some lunch at PF Changs... YUMMO!  Nothing like a little chinese and wine to get re-aquainted with old friends, felt like no time had passed at all.  After lunch we headed back to the hotel to unpack and chill before dinner.  Which was a great time, since Em brought 3 bottles of wine with her and so an afternoon of chilling out turned into a 4 hour happy hour and a little jacuzzi time.

After cocktail and spa time, we headed out to dinner at a great restaurant, that had this amazing bread salad, that I could have eaten 4 bowls of... But alas, I only had a little bit, since we were sharing.  Oh well next time!  But I did get this wonderful shot of Katie with our dinner guest.

The next day we headed out to the Farmers Market and then the Seattle Mariners game against the Anaheim Angels.  The best part of this day, was the great weather.  We had a little bit of cold weather on the first day and it was totally overcast, but on Saturday the skies totally opened up and it was wonderful.

This was Em and KT at the first Starbucks, ever.  Oh and by the way, there are a million of them in Seattle alone... How do they even make money, when there are so many locations?  But they do and there are books to prove it.

This was at the Warf, so cool.  Along our walk, we stopped at one of the best places that I have ever eaten braekfast at, Etta's.  It was wonderful and they make their own chicken sausage, how amazing is that?

After wandering around the Farmers Market, picking up a couple of souveniers, we headed over to the Mariners game.

Heading back from the game and got a couple of shots in front of the Farmers Market and a shot of our beautiful hotel.  Such a great day.

After we got back from our walk, we headed over to Tiffany's to get a little something to remember the trip by and let me tell you, Katie and I made out.  I got a necklace, that I love and Katie got this really cute bracelet.  After all of the shopping, baseball (oh the Angels killed the Mariners), we headed back to the hotel to clean up for dinner at this place called Maximilien.  It was a French restaurant with the most amazing views... I have to say Em is a great tour guide, with just the best ideas on where to eat.

We had a great meal at this restaurant, sharing a cheese plate and then we ALL three got the Crab Cakes, which were phenomenal.  I mean it, the best.

Sadly, this is where my camera battery died, so I will have to bid adeu till I can upload the photos that Katie took. 

That will be part 2 of a really great trip to Seattle.