.updates.

I’m a slacker, but that’s okay right? I’m allowed to slack in my own little world. Although, it seems that my blog is turning into a review blog… but that’s okay too. So there’s been a lot going on, but not a lot at the same time. We’ve moved. I’ve officially unpacked 95% of all our boxes, there are still some stashed away that I don’t even want to think about as I don’t know what to do with them. It still is mind boggling to me how I fit all this stuff into our little town home by the Bay – but yet I’m still at a loss where to put it – maybe I have too much storage space… :) but I’m not complaining. As a simple update to play “catch-up” so to speak so I can just start from where we left off..

We had Christmas at my parents – before everyone leaves (missions, marriages, who knows)…

We had a TON of snow to deal with – which I love, but everyone is reassuring me that I won’t love it much after we’ve lived here a few years…

We installed my new light in the dining area, which I love!

I didn’t take my Christmas décor down until we had to leave for CA – it was so nice to be able to spend a month with my spouse :)!

We had a great time in SF with my wonderful Sister in Law and her great family, which included the must go to Ghirardelli Square for the best ice cream ever trip! We also walked more than 4 miles this day, uphill, so it was worth it – and deserved.

Then there was my trip home, in the snow with beautiful views. It would freak Mr. B out to know that I take pictures while driving but I do… it’s really easy and not really distracting I just kinda aim the camera and click… lol I love how the mountains reflect in the water.

And last but not least 2 out of the 6 deer that have been living in our yard…

So there is our little 'sum up’ of the time we’ve been away, but I promise more and more regularly…

Just as a side note, I’ve lost 28 pounds total! :D

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (Minus the Trains)

I’ve been away, around, up, and down. Back in January I was able to visit my family in Utah, and had a fun improve photo shoot in the snow. It was a blast! Here are a few shots from that fun visit.

Aren’t they the cutest children ever?! Look at those cheeks on that little guy?! S3 was so funny when it came to the snow, every time I turned around she was squatted and licking the snow - she didn’t like to touch it, so this is what she looked like doing it:

We went to the 2011 Car Show downtown and enjoyed the new car smell, I could smell new car/leather smell all the time! Maybe there is a candle out there I don’t know about ….

 

I never wanted to leave that car, one day I’ll own another SHO, I would have love to left with that one… I had one when I was younger and it was my absolute favorite car (that I owned) - my dream car will always be a 68 Corvette Stingray. Ever since I was a little girl I’ve wanted a Corvette, I believe when I was around 4 that started? Feel free to correct me mom/dad. I wouldn’t mind any older Muscle Car either. As for modern car? It would be that above… I sat in it a long time.

I’ve gone to go visit Mr.B a couple times. I always love going to the south, I’m such a transplant on this west coast and do not belong here. My skin, hair, and mind all love it when I get that fresh dose of humidity and soft water. Then it hates me when I get back to the dry climate out here. He’s been gone too long, hopefully he’ll be home soon for awhile, but we are so blessed to have great jobs, and to be in the wonderful area we are in with the great friends we have made, sometimes I don’t think I could do it without them.

In this time away I’ve lost 26 pounds. I’ve started running, eating more whole/pure/natural/raw foods - and am feeling well, other than the fact I’ve had this awful pain in my side/back for the past couple of weeks went to the doctor and like usual they slap you with a prescription and send you on your way. I have a friend who suggested that her doctor was excellent so I’m going to go see him to get a second opinion.

I’ve also signed up with Shelf Reliance, a food storage web site that offers a monthly shipping program - somewhat like Netflix except it’s for food storage. I love that I can get fruits and vegetables, soups and desserts to help supplement the grains and baking supplies from the Church Storehouse. I’ve also added meat and dairy from them as well - so far there isn’t anything I haven’t tried that I don’t like. The only thing I wish is that they had more instructions of how to cook, etc. on the can - but I’m figuring it out via trial and error.

I’ll try to be back more often than once in a blue moon. I should be in bed, so have a happy evening/day everyone.

-Mrs. B

Shopping

This morning a good friend and I decided to go to the Farmers Market, it’s in my sweet little town EVERY Saturday, and it’s been WAY TOO LONG since I’ve been. Mr. B and I usually go every weekend, well we did until we fell out of the habit, but I think I’m going to start going back I spent about $40 and got a TON of wonderful fresh, in season, organic, beautiful produce.

 

 

Cherries, these were the most juiciest, richest, wonderful cherries I think I’ve ever eaten, and mind you I don’t like cherries, well I thought I didn’t like cherries, obviously that’s changed.

 

 

I picked up fresh picked green beans and some wonderfully sweet little bell peppers - I’m going to steam the beans and roast the little peppers, serve with Quinoa and some type of protein either chicken or pork, probably pork as it is my favorite meat.

 

 

 

BERRIES!!!! Raspberries, Logan Berries, Strawberries, and then the randomly thrown in Apricot - they were so delish as well.

 

When my family was out last summer my mom picked up some sauces from this one lady and they were so good so I picked up some Peach Pepper, what are the ingredients you ask? All that’s in this little beauty is Peaches, Red Pepper, Sugar, Gelatin, Cayenne, and that’s it, no water or things I can’t pronounce… and it’s sooo yummy!

I also picked up some wonderful hand jarred Bread & Butter pickles, I remember when my mom used to make her own pickles, I loved them - and swear I’ve never had as good of a pickle, I wish she would make them again.

 

I’m so excited to eat this produce this week! I also picked up some corn for .40 cents an ear LARGE & FRESH ears; a little butternut squash; and some yummy Gouda Cheese Curds.

If you have a Farmers Market by you I highly suggest you check it out! If you do, what’s your favorite thing to pick up each week?

Happy Easter

Other than the Easter’s I’ve had at home when I was young and spoiled (okay, maybe I’m still pretty spoiled) this Easter was probably the best I’ve had. Mr. B and I have gained some fantastic friends in the area we are living presently and every Sunday we go over for game night and a mini potluck. This Easter it was good friends, great food, fun games, good entertainment, and all around it will be one that I remember for quite a while - I was too busy ‘partying it up’ with the Martenellis (which for some reason I almost drank straight out of the bottle, thankfully I caught myself - but not before most everyone else noticed) they always say they can count on me for their entertainment, which for some twisted reason of my mind I don’t mind providing it, back to my original train of thought - I was too busy partying it up to get very many photos, but here are the few I took - I love how my pictures come straight out of the camera now, they make me smile.

Hope ya’ll had a fantastic Easter, and celebrated in the true meaning - Remembrance of our Saviour and His Resurrection.

My Town

Do I love where I live? Yes. Did it take me awhile to feel like I fit in? Yes. When Mr. B and I were first married we lived in a hotel, odd? Yes. But in it’s own way it was fantastic, only because I had a maid once a week and a luggage cart to bring in all my groceries at once! I really despise making more than one trip, I will stuff my arms so full of items that it makes it IMPOSSIBLE to walk taking me forever to do so, and then once I finally make it into the house/office/etc. fumbling items and sometimes ending up kicking them partially through the house, I realize that it took me longer to do it the ‘impatient’ way than it would have been just to make a couple of trips… Moving on.

We lived in a hotel in Sacramento CA - I stayed in the motel, cooped up with nowhere to go and nothing to do. After about a year we moved to a dinky little apartment with hardly any light on the third floor in a SUPER busy city. This I did not like. I’m from a little town in the South, there’s not a lot of people - the ones that there were there I knew. I didn’t go out after dark (I’m a wimp, this I am aware), I hated going shopping by myself. Then we got (in my opinion) the best offer, one I had been praying for - to move to this great sized home (with a garage and a little patch of grass, that is our yard) in a wonderful safe beautiful town. We jumped on it! It took about 2 years but I can honestly say I LOVE IT HERE. Do I like the cost of living here? No. Do I like my commute to work? No. Do I love the people here? Yes. The hometown feeling? Yes. I also finally feel like I have a place in our ward. There is a farmers market EVERY Saturday morning. There are concerts in the park every Friday in the summer. It’s great! We live less than 1 mile from the main downtown with all the little adorable shops, etc.

So here is my town, and some pictures of why I love it here.

There are amazing little flowers on every wall, in the sidewalk, on the roofs, in the beds, just beautiful and refreshing!

  

 

 

The parks are beautiful

  

 

The details people have on their homes, the cleanliness of the streets, the beautiful sunsets - it’s my town and I love it. (It also has a drive thru dairy, only the coolest thing in the world) it’s charming, and it’s my town. 

 

Beautiful day

Today was such a fantastic day. This morning was wonderful and cuddly with Mr. B. We left for San Francisco, so I could see where I was going to be taking my classes every Wednesday for the month, let’s just say it will be an interesting walk. I’m nervous about it, yes I’m in my late 20’s and I’ve never walked anywhere by myself really, unless it was on the college campus (that really doesn’t count). But it will be good for me and fun, and I’m extremely excited.

After finding where I was going to go (I’m still a little unsure of this) we found a little ‘hole-in-the-wall’ Greek restaurant where we had the most fantastic Gyros, I’ve ever had - I brought enough home to last for the next 3 days there was soooo much! It was so good though. We decided we were going to drive the ‘triangle’ home. For those of you who don’t know this consists of the Bay Bridge, Golden Gate, and the Richmond bridge. We arrived in the city via the Bay Bridge so we drove across the Golden Gate - and as far as I knew we were headed to the Richmond to head home, well, Mr. B had other plans.

We waited to pass through the 5 min tunnel, which is only one way, hence the 5 minute wait. After a beautiful drive through an old army lot, up and around some beautiful bends - we ended up at the Point Bonita Light House. It was a beautiful walk, and beautiful sight. After taking a gazillion pictures and me finally learning shutter speeds (not fully, but a little more that it has finally clicked, apertures are next in my brain to tackle). We spent all day in the city and it was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time. I can’t wait for the next adventure with Mr. B - he sure does know how to plan them.

After coming home and doing a water test on our tank we decided we could add another set of fish!! So we went out and bought a little school of Neon Tetras! Our little aquatic community is growing little by little. Only a few more additions and it will be done.

I am 5 days behind in my 365 project, I have them all ready to go they just need marked and posted (tomorrow) I’m always saying tomorrow, but tomorrow they will be up. Good Night Cyber World.

I Get To See Palm Trees Everyday

Even when it’s freezing outside (okay in CA it doesn’t really freeze, but 58 degrees is freezing to me) I get to see palm trees in every shape and size. I took this while waiting for my car to get washed with my little mini (my point & shoots new name after getting ‘The Big One’). I was debating between this one and the one I took of my feet showing you that I wore Pink socks with glittery silver kisses on them and my burgundy flats… obviously I decided on the first.

Longing For.... Flowers

Spring is my favorite time of year, aside from fall... Right now here in Northern California we're not having either lately. If we are going to consistently have 80 degree weather, can't I have things like this to look at??

The Start Of A New Season

Welcome Fall! Granted it is still 100+ degrees outside but it’s September and it’s time to get ready for my favorite things about the fall: Changing leaves on trees, Warm drinks in the morning, Cute fuzzy socks, Candles at night, Smell of crispness and coolness in the air, and the Warm rich colors of fall!

I have been reading The Nester for the past little while and last week she has totally inspired me to get off my hiney and make my house a home, “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” If you get the time you should go check out her site it’s FAN-TAB-ULOUS-TIC!

Anyway, here is the first improvement for the month for my house:

Welcome to my house! Not a great first impression huh? I mean you have the really thin ivy, black drain tubes and sprinklers, and well the phone book that we have obviously been too lazy to take to the trash can (that will serve as my reminder that I have announced to the whole world that I leave a phonebook on my patio for well, I will leave out the specific time frame, but if you ever need a number you know where to come!). This weekend I will be planting some Hyacinth and Tulips so they can bloom in the spring, and if you look closely in the bottom right hand corner you can see some Bearded Irises growing, these were given to me and left in my car for a little over a week I can’t believe they are actually growing! (This post is making me sound like a horrible procrastinator, trust me I’m really not, at least I don’t think that I am). So anyway, while in Joanne Fabric Store yesterday I found the best thing to lighten up my front door ‘space’ for now! I’m so excited, it looks more like a home already:

Welcome Autumn, and Welcome to Our Home



Won’t my husband be super weirded-out excited when he comes home tonight?!? I also found a nifty box to hold my sheet music for the Cello and Piano as well as a wall-hanging I am so excited to do, and not to mention the color I’m going to paint the walls (I’ll give you a hint, it’s not green or gray)! Are you as excited as I am?! Well, if not you should be! So welcome to our house that will soon be a home.

Wordless Wednesday

Updating To Come

Off to Los Angeles! Family Reunion, Cousins Wedding, and LA trip updates to come when I return! Have a wonderful weekend, and for those of you that celebrate the 24th - Pioneer Day, Enjoy the all the parading!

For The Love Of The Game

{I Love Baseball}

Scars & Pickle Skin

The other day while sitting out poolside with Cinderella reading, I noticed that I had a lot of scars, it got me thinking about where they all came from, what caused them, and the memories behind them. I am grateful to my scars, for without them I would probably forget a lot of things that I have experienced, my memory is horrible, but a rush of things I thought I had forgotten came rushing back as I studied my scars.

• A Jelly Fish stung my foot when I was 9 {of course this was before I was SCUBA certified - so snorkeling it was} in Panama City, FL, I honestly thought I was going to die. I remember the morning before my parents just woke me up and said we were leaving and I could sleep in the car, we drove forever no one telling me where we were going and we ended up in PC. I was so excited, it had to be one of the best trips and vacations I think I can remember. But I'll never forget the pain and my dad thinking I was crazy screaming for no reason in the middle of the ocean.
• I have one on my left thigh from scraping up against Fire Corral while participating in my certification dives in Okinawa, Japan. That one was painful, but the image of underwater when it happened is ingrained in my brain, probably the most beautiful place I've ever dove.
  
• On my left knee I have a large California shaped scar from when I was 11 riding one of those dangerous Big Wheels down the large hill in our subdivision. I was standing on the back when I slipped and was dragged down the hill. I remember I had just learned the words 'dermis' and 'epidermis' in school and kept telling people that I had ripped off my epidermis. I was such a dork. :)
• On my right shin is the scars from my freshman year of highschool. We stayed at the Marriott in Atlanta before our state competition {Top/Coach didn't want anyone to be at any risk for not showing up} and we were all at the pool and hot tub and I got pulled into the hot tub and the rocks scrapped my shin. Good friends, good times. I wish I could find some of the members from the team that year that I have lost contact with.
• I have a scar right underneath my bottom lip from when I was 2 {i think}, I was standing in my highchair watching the popcorn pop in one of the old school popcorn poppers and got excited, slipped, and fell - on the way down I pushed my tooth through my lip. A while after that I was in Wal-Mart playing on the metal railing dividers {mom always told me not to, I apparently never listen} and busted it open again, putting my tooth through it yet one more time.
• One of the most recent scars I have is now right above my foot on my right shin. This would be from snorkeling in Hawaii in March. The lava rock on the beach going out and coming in cuts you up pretty bad if you're not careful. I'm not used to beach entries into the ocean, that's a benefit of diving off boats, you just jump in, although if you read above you can still get scars.

There are many many more scars that I have but I am indeed thankful for them, for helping me to remember little pieces and memories of my life.

Completely random but I feel the need to share, I don't like pickle skin. I LOVE pickles but would much rather scoop out the pickles innerds and not eat the skin. I know I'm strange...