Random Acts of the Month: March & April 2015

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I have two months to post this time around. I just never got to March. It's not that I forgot, I just didn't have the time. By the time I could post, it was already April (tossing my hands up In the air). I figured I'd just combine the two. 

March and April were quite busy - from moving to getting a new pup, then from my grandma to my mom. It was busy and emotional.

March 2015:

I'll keep this one short since it was over a month ago now.

Top Row: We got some great spring days in March. I love seeing the flowers bloom. We have a magnolia tree in our yard and cherry blossoms all around. Love it.

Middle Row: Asha entered our lives at the beginning of March. And I've been taking lots of photos of her - see more here. 

Bottom Row: Work was busy. Our company hosted a Women's Leadership Panel and I was in charge of food & drink. My work team signed up for a 5K, showed up, saw it was pouring rain, and ended up getting brunch instead. And Josh and I enjoyed our first fire in our new fireplace.

April 2015:

Now onto April! It was a busy month. It started with Chicago and family. My Grandma Ruth passed away so I went out to Chicago. Since it was over Easter weekend, I got to be with family for Easter. We went to my Uncle Chuck's church, Messiah. I got to see my cousin Jenny and her family.

Of course, there were Easter lilies and I thought the Java with Jesus was pretty funny!

While in Chicago, I saw lots my O'Neill family. We stayed with my lovely cousin Erin and her family (middle). We spend Easter dinner with my Uncle Mike and Aunt Ann (left) & family. And for the first time in a long time, all the cousins were together (right).

And I got to spend Easter with my parents and sister, too! 

We got some Of my favorite Chicago bites. Lindsay, my sister, and I had a few hours to spare one day for lunch, and headed to Top Chef winner Stephanie's restaurant, Little Goat Diner (left). I was sure to grab a tea latte from my favorite tea spot, Argo. (middle). And of course, got some Frango's (Macy's Frango shop, right) - a Grandma Ruth favorite!

As I mentioned, Lindsay, and me had a few hours to getaway to downtown Chicago. Some good sister bonding time.

I just got my camera (I left it in Chicago by accident - ahh, I felt so lost without my camera), so I'm seeing the below photos only now. I will try to post about those few hours sometime soon. They were a fun few hours. 

Josh and I tried some new restaurants this month that were crazy good. We enjoyed brunch at Brunswick & Hunt (left) - we were originally headed to Fat Hen, but the wait was too long for our rumbling tummies. Then we had a romantic dinner at Damn the Weather (middle). We enjoyed EVERYTHING - that includes drinks, salad, dinner, and dessert. We went all out and it was sooo worth it. See me biting that rib? That's me chowing down at Bourbon & Bones (right). The food was meaty and delicious. Oh, and we did have bourbon, too.

Oh course we spent lots of time with little Miss Asha pup. 

And more time with the pup on walks. Plus her escape under the bed. 

And there you have it. Now it's May - hard to fathom. This year is going too fast. Just way. to. fast.

Daily Dinner: Hummus-Crusted Chicken

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I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight! 

Do you remember those Chicken Dinner commercials? For some reason I do, and I find myself singing the song. It's catchy. 

Wait, you don't remember it? Gosh, how embarrassing. Why is it that I remember these random commercials? I *think* my mom bought this stuff and made it for dinner. And I liked it. 

Well, maybe I should have stuck saying the tried & true phrase: winner winner chicken dinner! (BTW, who knows where that phrase came from? I don't, but I think it's fair to say chicken and dinner go hand in hand.)

Actually, I have found a winner chicken dinner for you. It's good. It's easy. It's healthy. Can't go wrong here for a week night dinner. I've had it twice in two weeks, and one of the times was with friends over (and I think they liked it - they ate it all, so that's a good sign). Anyhoo, let's dive into this recipe! 

This meal idea all started with zucchini. I had way too much from my Full Circle box.I ordered it twice in one box - whoopies! I had to do something. Why not Mediterranean? Hummus, lemon, chicken, feta -- all things I love. 

The timing was perfect because I follow Gimme Some Oven's blog, and this recipe popped up. Couldn't have been better timing! So I added it to my meal plan, and the rest was history.

It's really quite good, and I can't get over how easy it is. I really think you ought to try it out.

Hummus-Crusted Chicken with Zucchini and Rice

Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper
  • 3-4 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 cup hummus
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 lemons

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

  2. Prepare a large (9x13) baking dish baking dish with cooking spray.

  3. Pat the chicken dry and season with pinches of salt and pepper.

  4. In a large bowl, toss the zucchini and onion with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. Place the zucchini & onion on the bottom of the dish in an even layer. Then lay the four chicken breasts evenly on top, and cover each chicken breast with the hummus so that the entire breast is covered. Sprinkle the paprika over the top. Finally, squeeze the juice of one lemon over the chicken and vegetables. Optional: Thinly slice the remaining lemon, and place the slices in between the chicken and vegetables.

  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.

TIPS & IDEAS:

  • If one pan seems cramped, then try two smaller baking dishes (8x8). I tried two ways - (1) putting the veggies in one dish and the chicken in the other, and (2) putting veggies & chicken in both dishes just dividing everything evenly. I preferred #2, but both work well.
  • Trader Joe's is your friend with this recipe. I used the TJ brand Hummus Dip - it's quite tasty! If you're ambitious, try making your own hummus (here's inspiration). Oh, you could totally try this with a different flavored hummus - oh my!
  • More Trader Joe's love: I served this with TJ's Basmati Rice Medley, Whole Wheat Pita, Greek Yogurt dip, and more of the hummus.

Other Daily Dinners:

Reading Rainbow #3

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I realize now that my last Reading Rainbow post was January 2013. Say what??? Inconceivable! But it's entirely true and entirely embarrassing. BUT, and this is important, I have not stopped reading since my last reading rainbow (that's a relief). I have gone on ready and yet failed to inform you of all the fabulous books I have read. I have basically two full years worth of books to tell you about. 

Before I share all these books, I have a confession: I'm horrible at ratings. I am not good at giving bad reviews since I really try to see the good in everything. On the flip side, I am not good at committing to a full five star review either. That leaves me with 3.5 to 4 stars as my go-to rating. Luckily, I think everything I have read since last Reading Rainbow is four stars. Seriously. Yes, pinky swear. I have not been disappointed in a book in a very long time. I think I must be a great selector of books. Sure, there have some better than others, but over all they have all be good.

That said, it does take me for.ev.er (Sandlot style) to decide what to read. I generally check reviews a million times. My go-to review resources are friends, Amazon, and Good Reads. I sit. I ponder. Then I download a couple samples, and then read a sample. And then...then I start reading. For realsy.

Okay, enough babbling an let's dive in...

I'm not sure if you want to hear about each one. Do you? Yes? No? Okay then, I'll just do a small blurb for each..

  • Boys on the Boat: Wow, these boys were aaa-mazing. And I loved that I knew most of the places since they were from U-Dub (aka University of Washington). This is along the same lines as Unbroken. They give me goosebumps - the dedication, courage, strength. I learned a lot about crew as well. Man, that's a tough sport!
  • How to Raise the Perfect Dog: This was in preparation for Asha. I frantically read it before we got her. The theory & strategy is great, but not as practical and day-to-day as I may have hoped. Cesar is my hero.
  • The Century Trilogy: This is one of my favorites in the list I have here. Pillars of the Earth is probably one, if not the very favorite books of mine and these didn't let me know. I learned so much about World War I and II as well as the third book that dives into more about Vietnam and more recent history. 
  • All Souls Trilogy: I admit this has witches and vampires, but so much better than Twilight (yes, guilty of reading it!). It's fun and has a bit little bit of history in there. Completely enjoyable. 
  • The Outlander Series: This is the closest I get to reading romance, sappy novels. Claire is just devious and delightful. Jamie is hot and sexy. And it's in Scotland. Oh so steamy! But, it's historical, too. The book are better than the Starz TV series, but I still liked the show.
  • Girl Boss: This was part of Oracle's Book Club and OWL (Oracle Woman Leadership). I liked it, but I felt she kept repeating the same thing. I really just think she made the right decision, at the right place, and at the right time. Luckily girl. 
  • The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Totally different and rocks your brain...in a good way. The way Neil Gaiman tells this story is captivating - magical and real join together. 
  • Tender at the Bone: My boss recommended this book based on my love of food and cooking. He didn't steer me wrong. I'll probably read some of her other books, too.
  • The Thirteenth Tale: Totally intriguing book and a nice twist to it. It has great descriptions and you just keep reading because you've got to know the end!
  • Lost Wife: I'll be upfront with you - this is not a cheerful read. It's sad and beautiful. I really dislike books that have really sad, depressing endings. This is sad, but you leave satisfied. 
  • Coming Home: I loved this book. It's a bummer the cover makes it look so sappy. It it were for my friend encouraging me to read it, I would have waived it off. You just fall in love with the characters. You can just cuddle up on the couch and read all day with this one.
  • Where'd Ya Go Bernadette: If I were a beach reader, this would be as close as I get to a beach read - just totally fun. And it takes place in Seattle so I can relate. A quick read that's totally worth it.
  • The House of Silk: Who doesn't like a good mystery? And Sherlock, well, he's the best detective out there. Enough said.
  • Confederates in the Attic: I really learned a lot in this book about the South and the Civil War. The writing is fun and the stories so crazy and fun. 
  • Shadow of the Wind: Dark and mysterious and lovely. One reviewer on Amazon wrote, "A mystery story, a fairy tale, a love story (actually several love stories), a passion for literature, a treatise on politics, a bawdy tale, with love, hate, courage, intrigue, loss of innocence, humor, cowardice, villainy, cruelty, compassion, regret, murder, incest, redemption, and more." That pretty much covers everything.
  • Unbroken: Louis Zamperini's story is unbelievable. Seriously, it's hard to believe this is a true story after you see all that Louis goes through during (and after) WWII. What an amazing man! Please read this and do NOT watch the movie first! (The movie is fine, but doesn't quite cover the whole story).
  • The Witching Hour: This book takes you through the lineage of a very strange and interesting family - that have a special stone. You will get caught up in the characters and family and the places that go - especially New Orleans. I am just made that it was so long and the end sort of lets off like you need to continue to the next book. More reading to do!
  • The Kitchen House: This takes place on a plantation before the Civil War. There is a Irish orphaned girl that grows up in the Kitchen House. A story of story of class, race, dignity, love, and hope.
  • Killing Jesus: Don't poo-poo this simply because you see Billy O'Reilly and immediately write it off (come on, I know most of you are). I learned a lot about the life of Jesus and the political backdrop of his life. I'm a dork and took notes when I read this one.
  • Who Do You Think You Are?: This was to go along with the sermon series our pastor was doing last year. It was good, but really no need for you to read it unless you want to follow the sermon recordings. 

Not pictured - I'll stop my descriptions now. But all good books!

That was a lot. Like, A LOT of books. I'm going to have to start writing these posts more often so as to avoid bombarding you with so many. But now you have a good reading list on your hands.

Any good books you've read lately that you'd recommend to me? Write a comment and share!!


Stitch Fix Boxes 2 and 3

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Here's something about me: I love to shop. Love, love, love it. I have always loved it. Even when I look back and realize I wasn't always so fashionable or the best dressed (although, I hope/think I've gotten a bit better these days), I still know I enjoyed shopping for those things. I enjoy walking around and touching the soft and smooth fabrics (I swear, my hands are clean!).

That said, when it comes to Stitch Fix, I have a huge dilemma. I means putting aside my love for shopping. BUT, and this is a huge but, I LOVE to get things in the mail. It's like getting a gift in the mail - and it's not your birthday. And when I know I have a box on the way, I'm filled with crazy excitement. What will I get? Will I like it? What will this shopper gal think fits my style? Did I do a good job pinning my style? All this excitement and anticipate, is just so much fun.

I've now officially received three Stitch Fix boxes. Remember my first box? And I have to say, they do a pretty dang good job at finding some cute things. I have yet to keep the entire box, but I've kept a few things each time. I can also imagine what a great service this would be if you just don't have the time to shop (maybe you have a lil' one in the home). Or, you hate to shop (this I cannot comprehend, but I guess there are folks out there). 

Without further ado, let me share my recent boxes.

Box #2 - November 2014

Can you guess what I kept? I'll give you a hint: grey (and pink). Let me show you another angle:

Unfortunately, with the recent move, I lost the sheet with all the names and brands. I'm sure it'll show up and that I put it somewhere "safe" but for now it's lost).

While I liked the jacket and scarf, I wasn't in love when I put them on. I ended up keeping the grey sweater, grey pants, and pink/blue tank. Grey was the winner for me in this box - and with it being February, it seemed fitting.

They grey sweater was completely comfortable, and was my favorite of the box. It has a cute design on the back, too. The tank was a nice layering piece and I didn't have any grey pants so those were a win as well. All and all another successful box.

Box #3 - February 2015

Here's the line-up:

Here's the items:

  • Market & Spruce Chaplin Hooded Anorak Jacket
  • Gilli Auden Ikat Print Dress
  • Moon Collection Shia Beaded Trim Top
  • Kut from the Kloth Emmett Boyfriend Jean
  • Tart Brigette Raglan Top

I kept the least from this box, but not because I didn't like all of the pieces. Mostly for budgetary reasons. If I had all the money in the world, I would have kept it all (sadly, I don't). I kept the blue jacket, which I love now that it's spring. It's not water resistant, but on non-rainy spring days it's great. I also kept the beaded top as it was another great layering piece. You need lots of layers in the Pacific Northwest, my friends. Our days can be bi-polar - starts cloudy, then sunny, getting some rain, and then back to sunny. No joke. 

I actually asked specifically for the Tart top, but I thought I would get it in black and white. I liked the blue, but it wasn't what I wanted/needed and so I passed. 

The boyfriend jeans were also great and I've been pinning them. The stylist did a good job, but I had to make a decision and they weren't top two. 

I'm definitely going to order a fourth box in the next few months. It's just too fun not to. If you want to try it out, then use my referral link (I love you forever if you do!).

Puppy Love

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Asha has now officially been with us over a month now, and we still love her as much as the first day we got her. In fact, maybe even more so! We took her to her first vet appointment the other week, and she has also officially doubled in size. Wowza! She is still such a puppy and full of puppy love (and energy!). I guess they do have to grow up eventually, but we're hanging on to these adorable puppy moments (except when she's gnawing on your hand or running out the door and down the street).

Of course, I have been taking a TON of photos of her. I'm probably annoying the heck out of my Instragram buddies. However, I've asked a few friends & co-workers, and they said that this was socially acceptable - apparently there is no limit to puppy photo sharing. Even with their assurances, I feel a bit guilty posting so many Asha pictures. But then again, I keep posting them because gosh darn it, she's the cutest. So, I thought I ought to get this Asha-photo-sharing out of my system and post just a sh*t load of photos. 

Doggie Cuteness

Those eyes. That face. They get me every time. Isn't she the cutest?

Sleeping Pup

We don't have a puppy webcam, but I'm about 99% sure she is sleeping most of the day. She is pretty much crate trained, which I highly recommend. The times I have worked from home, I glance over and she's just snoozing. 

She also likes to do puppy yoga - she'll do downward dog and frog legs. It's hilarious!

Out and About Pup

When we first got Asha, she didn't like getting into the car. Now, she just hops in and gives us a look that says, "hey guys, where are we headed?!" I'm so glad she likes to travel with us! 

Outdoor Playtime

Asha loves herself some good outdoor playtime. One of her favorite things to do is roll on her back and wiggle all around. She also knows how to play fetch (well, sorta...we're working on it).

Walking the Dog

Asha has a great dog life so far. She gets three walks a day. Needless to say, we're getting our exercise, too. So far my favorite walks have been at Discovery Park and to the Ballard Locks.

Pup and Us

Now that we have a dog, plenty of our time is walking and playing with her. It's a good life change and we're so happy she's part of our little family.

Asha Expressions

Gosh darn it, her facial expressions are the sweetest. It's hard to capture them on camera, though. My favorite is when you make a funny noise and she crooks her head left and right quizzically. 

Asha Kisses

And sometimes she just wants to give you a kiss. 

I warned you. Don't say I didn't warn you...So many photos! And this wasn't even all of them. More will come. Take that as a warning or a treat...you choose.

Grandma Ruth

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I've been debating as to whether to write this post or not. Ultimately, as you can see, I decided to write it. You may have been wondering why my blog has been so silent lately. Well, the reason is that I've been grieving since my grandma passed away the week before last. While we knew it was bound to happen, especially since she's been slowly going down hill, it nonetheless hit me pretty hard when it really happened. 

I was really close to my grandma. She made a point of making such close relationships with all her children and grandchildren. She was the quintessential grandma - sweet, kind, loving, and had that cute grandma hair cut (you know, the one that required going to the salon about once a week). I have such fond memories of our time together over the years. She visited us often out in Encinitas and we spend many hot summer days out in Chicago. She even came out for many Christmas and Easter holidays. So she never really seemed far away.

As she was with me, she was with others - always there. And there was no doubt of the love and connections she made over her lifetime as I witnessed the hundreds that showed up to pay their respect over the course of the two days when I was in Chicago last week for the wake and funeral. I felt so honored to be her granddaughter.

I have some many good memories with my Grandma Ruth. Here's just a few...the list goes on and on. 

  • She taught me how to draw a daisy.
  • She was always joined me for frozen yogurt outings.
  • Her love for Navy Pier and Chicago was totally infectious.
  • When she visited for Easter when I was young, she would play endless rounds of egg hunts.
  • We would take long bike rides together through the park (over crunchy locust, yuck!).
  • I can't eat a Frango without thinking of her. 
  • The time at Heathrow when she insisted on us following her, only for her to turn around moments later to confess she didn't know where she was headed.
  • Driving along in the torture mobile, eh hem, I mean blue Oldsmobile.
  • Her infamous German Chocolate Cake and manicotti - a must when she visited. She always made me a cupcake without the gross coconut frosting. 
  • Celebrating St Patricks Day with brownies that had wintergreen tic-tacs on top as "green sprinkles."
  • Every bit of her was Irish even though her ancestry wasn't really Irish, but she had the last name O'Neill.
  • When she was in town, she's get bagels and cream cheese on weekend mornings and have it waiting for us for breakfast.
  • Johnny Pat, in Chicago when it rains and you have the wind shield wipers on you need to put your lights on as well. Dad turns off the wind shield wipers.
  • On our Hawaii trip, I looked at Grandma and asking why she's wearing the same clothes as yesterday. She gently reminded me that her luggage had be lost. Oh vey!
  • The tiger blankets she had at the Frontage Road home.
  • Grandma told me once that a young man raised his middle finger at her, and then proceed to ask me once if there was road rage in California. I said of course not.
  • While on our Colorado trip as a child, I asked about thunder. Grandma explained it was the angel's bowling.
  • She had no fear of garlic, she would just lather it on at Little Joe's in San Francisco. 
  • During college, she would send cookie packages (with a slice of bread to keep them fresh!).
  • Hooters. We should go there sometime. 

If you knew Grandma Ruth, I'd love to hear your memories in the comments! 

Also, I created a video full of photos of Grandma. As a longer term project (I had to put this together pretty fast), I hope to make a book full of photos of her. If you have any, please send them my way.  

If you'd like to download this video, go to the video on Vimeo. There should be a button to download underneath the video. If you have any troubles, please let me know.

“You are not forgotten, loved one
Nor will you ever be,
As long as life and memory last
We will remember thee.
We miss you now, our hearts are sore.
As time goes by we’ll miss you more.
Your loving smile, your gentle fact,
No one can fill your vacant place. ”

Lastly, here is her Obituary.

Random Acts of the Month: February 2015

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The fact that I'm writing my February Random Acts in the middle of March should tell you something...I can't keep up! The struggle is real people. Life has just been super crazy busy. Yes, super crazy busy. But better late than never, so here we go...

Oh yea, the Super Bowl...that happened in February. I think everyone in Seattle has been trying to forget about that upset. I enjoyed all the enthusiasm that lights up the city; they really get into it. I even went to a rally during the lunch hour. Check out the photo of the guy with the cat wearing a Seahawks outfit. HA! Win or lose, Seattlities are true blue.

We enjoyed some treats - made by yours truly. You're seeing Red Velvet Cookie Bars (recipe) for Valentine's Day and S'mores Cake balls (recipe) for, well, just because. I'm not going to lie, they were both delicious. I guess I need to do a Baker's Corner again soon.

And we also went out to lunch at El Camion, and I ate those gorditas. Yum! 

Most of our month was consumed with the move. We moved into a new rental home mid-February. It was a lot of packing, unpacking, cleaning, organizing, etc. We're still not all the way done (sigh), but we've made lots of progress. Read this post for more.

We meet the newest member of our family for the first time in February. We didn't bring her home until March, though, so more on that later. But, we meet her and feel in love.

With every move, there is always an IKEA trip. Am I right? My treat for making it through the maze alive was a frozen yogurt cone. 

P.S. See my beautiful nails? Yea, I had a manicure in February, too.

Well, the lack of photos makes it seem like February wasn't all that busy. But there is a LACK of photos folks, so that means I was so busy I didn't take as many photos. Sayyy whaaatt? Yea, that's totally unlike me. Usually I'm taking so many Josh is annoyed (shh, don't tell him I said that). Anyway, hopefully I'll catch back up with life and be more normal again soon - and start post more again.

Our Newest Family Member, Asha

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Allow me to introduce the newest member of the Brown family, Asha! We got her on Friday and we've spent the weekend getting to know each other. She is the sweetest, most adorable puppy. Don't you think? 

Photo courtesy of Valerie, Asha's foster mom

It's the eyes that melt my heart. Those eyes! It's so HARD to say no to those eyes.

I first saw Asha when my old co-worker posted a few pictures of her to Instagram - like this one. The cuteness was overwhelming! I didn't realize she needed a home until one photo caption said, "Somebody please adopt this little thing." Of course, I said, "I will, I will!" 

One criteria for our new home was a place that allowed dogs and ideally had a yard. And we got it! Maybe we hurried into it a bit consider she came to into the family after our second week at our new digs (and not quite all the way unpacked), but I've said it already...how can you say no to those adorable, soul-searching eyes?

Asha comes from PAWS, which is a great animal shelter and organization. They were great to work with. In fact, they wanted us to take her last Friday (our first week in the new home), but we felt we weren't quite ready with the house yet. So, they found a place for her to stay an extra week. Then we arranged to meet her to ensure it was a "go," and it was love at first sight! 

First Meeting Asha

She comes from a shelter down in California, so she's a Seattle transport...just like us! When we first asked her foster mom what breed, she said Asha was a lab mix with maybe some pit. Her PAWS papers said mastiff mix. Then her papers from California indicated mastiff/pit mix. I think she probably has a bit of each! Whatever she is, we love her.

Our first, full day with her was Saturday. It was a beautiful, sunny day. We got to spent lots of time playing and walking her. 

Asha with her dog-parents

You might be wondering now about her name. We didn't pick it, but we decided to keep it. Asha derived from sanskrit means hope, wish, or desire. I thought it fitting with my first dog named Faith. And then I was really hoping and desiring a doggie FOREVER. Seemed like Asha was meant to be. 

She was a perfect angel on the ride to her new home. She didn't yelp or bark, but just looked out the window or at us. Our first morning, we took her in the car to a nearby coffee shop. Again, she was just ready for the ride. I have a feeling we'll be taking her around with us...everywhere.

First Car Rides

We've had some great playtimes out in the backyard. She loves her kong and the tennis ball. She been pretty good on walks, but she definitely got some puppy training ahead of her. 

Playtime and Walks

Monday was the first workday with her. I decided to work from home to ease her into the new routine we had planned. It turned out, my assistant just slept on the job the whole time. It's hard to find good help these days.

Sleeping on the Job

We've been trying our best to follow Caesar's best advice for raising the perfect pup. It ain't easy! He makes it sound so simple. We'll be signing up for some training soon. Luckily, her foster moms got her pretty much housebroken and crate trained. We just have to continue the training. And the chewing has been kept to just toys so far (knock on wood). She really is a good puppy.

So this is our life for a while - puppy, work, puppy, eat, work, puppy, work on the house, puppy, sleep. But we're loving it! 

Josh, Asha, and our living room

Knock Knock, Anyone Home?

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Oh hi, yes I'm home. I may have been silent lately on my blog, but I've been waging war here on the home front. It's Josh and me against the boxes. At first I thought the boxes were winning, but we shall win the war. 

Still have no idea what I'm talking about? Well, we moved! We are now in the new (rental) home! A real, grown-up home. With no shared walls, just us and the home....and unpacking. I'm sure as you all know, this is a challenge and a pain. All the boxes scare me. The basement really scares me as that's our hidden, un-organized space. See what I mean:

Luckily, the end result is rewarding. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself. HA! 

But seriously, we're loving the new home. I LOVE that we have a dishwasher. I play this game - pick up an item and then ask myself: "Can this go in the dishwasher?" It's awesome.

We also now have a washer and dryer. When I did the laundry the other day, I took something out of the drier and realized it was still damp. You know what I did? I put it back in. No big deal. It's awesome.

Not to mention, it's a HOME. A real home and a yard. Guess what's next...a dog! 

So we now live in Magnolia. It's darling, quite and just a great neighborhood. There is Discovery Park just around the corner. We also have some pretty darn good views. All in all, I can we are  pretty pleased.

A tour of the house is yet to come. I'm waiting until it's a bit more presentable. For now, enjoy a photo of the front of the house...

Yay! Live is good...and busy...but good for sure!

My Warby Parker Glasses Decision

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So you might recall that Josh got some new glasses last year. I told you all about how he used Warby Parker. I figured after my annual* eye appointment I would skip getting them at the eye doctor's office - they get pretty pricey, even with insurance applied - and try Warby Parker for myself. 

*My mom instilled me in the necessity of going to the eye doctor regularly every year. If you knew her eyes, you'd know why.

I actually ended up getting two boxes of glasses to try - one a few weeks after the other. The first box I ordered included two sunglasses, but then I decided to pass on the sunglasses and just get a back-up pair of glasses. Plus, I figured if I put a pair of glasses in my car and a pair in my purse, I was more likely to wear them. And, let me tell you, I really should wear them more often - it was a secret 2015 resolution of mine. 

Being the indecisive person I am, I had to get a second box to have even more options to chose from. Yes, it seems backwards to give a girl with decision problems more options, but somehow it makes me feel better. I get paranoid that if I don't exhausted every single option that I'll make a horrible, horrible decision - one that I'll regret forever. I mean, I can't possibly buy a pair of glasses AGAIN. Right? Right? Okay, I know. I'm just a bad making the final call. 

Here's what my first box looked like...

Sorry, not the best photos. And don't judge my face, it was night-time and it was poor lighting. POOR LIGHTING PEOPLE. Okay?

The second box, well, I forgot to take photos. I think I was in a hurry to make my decision and didn't think I'd end up writing a post. Silly me. But here's what I ordered in my box. Notice how the At-Home Trial is Free. Yes, you can get a box delivered with 5 pairs of glasses delivered free of charge - even shipping is free. 

If you're more indecisive than me (I'd find that really hard to believe), then you can use their virtual try-on tool. Here's me trying on the Marshall in Rum Cherry. I almost got these...but then I didn't.

I ended up with the Nedwin in Summer Green.  Do you like them? I do! I do! 

And guess what...I AM wearing my glasses more now. Yippee! Here's me wearing them while out for coffee. 

All in all, I had a great experience with Warby Parker. I even got to use my out-of-network to get some money back, so in the end they were pretty cheap glasses (cheaper than getting them at the eye doctor, in fact!). So if you're in need of glasses, give Warby a whirl. 

Win or Lose - Seattle is still 12th Man Fans

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The city of Seattle has been in mourning this past week. Sadly, the Seahawks lost in the Super Bowl last Sunday. It sure was a close one, though, and it definitely was sit-at-the-edge-of-your-seat at the end. It was a good run, and a great way to end the season. Win or lose the city will continue to love it's Seahawks. 

It's all really inspiring actually. Here I am, a girl that barely understands the game, wearing a Seahawks jersey and eating Skittles. The excitement that oozes from Seattlities is totally infectious. A years ago I didn't even know who Seattle's football team was, and now I know a few key players. Of course, it helps that we made it to the Super Bowl the past two years, but still you can tell the city bleeds blue and green. Heck, we even got the title 12th Man. 

Now that the end of the week is here, you can tell it's settling down. There are less posts on Facebook, my co-workers are more cheery, and the city is moving on to other sports. But before it all goes away (okay, it never will) let me share some fun football stuff!

***

This Bad Lip NFL reading pretty much had me in tears. Oh, and here's another one. I die.

There was a Twitter smackdown between Captain America (Chris Evans), a Patriots fan, and Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), a Seahawks fan. The stakes? If the Patriots won the Super Bowl, Chris Pratt would visit Christopher’s Haven as Star-Lord and wear a Tom Brady jersey. If the Seahawks won, Chris Evans would have to visit Seattle Children’s Hospital to wave the Seattle’s 12th Man Flag in his Captain American outfit. We lost, but we also won because got Chris Evans followed through and came to Seattle's Children Hospital.

The game that got the Patriots to the Super Bowl had some controversy around it..Deflate-gate. But, don't worry, it was all Matt Damon -- I am the Locker Room Guy.

Did you miss the commercials? Here's the top 10. The Nissan one almost had me in tears.

This is a bit graphic so beware, but Conan with Marshawn and Gronkowski was pretty hilarious. Marshawn also shows Conan how to do his touchdown move.

I follow the Everywhereist and she gave some tips on how to overcome the sadness of losing. 

***

And here are some photos from the season of the 12th Man Fans! 

Oracle Office - Blue Friday

Hey, I'm In! 

Seahawk Rally

And now...

Go Mariners! 

Go Sounders!

Go Seahawks! (next year, I feel it!) 

Random Acts of Month: January 2015

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Holy Moly! We've already burned through a month of 2015. Eecck! I say this ALL THE TIME, but where does time go? There is no keeping up with it - it flies!!! 

So without further ado, here's my Random Acts of the Month for January 2015! Nothing too crazy this month, but I had some good times. 

We started out the year, and I had some goals for the year - like yoga and trying something new in the kitchen. We'll see how that goes...

Football season was in full swing. The Packer's game was exciting. I'll talk about the Superbowl in February's recap. Maybe the city of Seattle will have recovered a bit by then.

Josh's company had their holiday party. Honestly, after a week into January the holidays were long gone, but the party was still fun. It was at Teatro ZinZanni, which is basically a dinner show slash cabaret show with a Cirque du Soleil twist. We had some good laughs. 

I started a new series that will run occasionally on my blog called Daily Dinners. Two meals have been posted so far: Kale Mac 'n Cheese and Creamy Fennel and Pork. Did you make either of them?

We tried out a new coffee place in Pioneer Square called Elm Coffee Roasters. Tasty and totally hipster.

At work, our neighbors Blue Kai (also recently acquired by Uncle Oracle), invited our office over for lunch. On the way back, we lost our boss. Okay, well, we didn't lose him (he was hiding on another floor), but we thought we were pretty funny.

We have had a LOT of fog this month. There was one day that was really cool, and the fog changed by the hour. I captured this shot with the fog hanging out over Elliot Bay. 

Then that same afternoon, I caught this shot of the fog hanging over the city. There is no picture of it because it would have been just plain white, but the fog also just swallowed us all. When we looked it was just white. 

Josh and I enjoyed dinner at Cafe Turko. Super good and I loved the yam hummus. We also both enjoyed a spot of tea - Josh had sage tea, and I had pomegranate. 

And now we're already in February. Sloooowwww down 2015. Sloowwwww it down. 

Daily Dinners: Creamy Fennel & Pork

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Here we go again with another dinner idea. Trying to write these really made me appreciate all the food bloggers in the world. It really takes multitasking to try and cook and take photos (and not burn down the kitchen - or burn your food). 

This recipe is a bit more time than my first daily dinner post, but I liked the idea of sharing a fennel recipe . Fennel is in season right now and it's often neglected as a vegetable. Plus, it's not as common as broccoli and other such veggies, so it can be intimidating. That's why I'm here...don't be scared! Fennel is scrumptious and healthy too (check out these health benefits). 

I love the floral, herby notes in fennel and adds any interesting layer of flavor. I prefer it cooked a bit, but you could eat it raw (like in a salad!). This recipe pairs well with pork, so that's what we'll use it for today.

I served the pork and fennel on top of whole grain extra wide ribbon noodles that I got from Safeway. I figured this meal has protein, veggies, and a grain - pretty balanced if you ask me!

If you're a visual person, here's the steps in photos...

Creamy Fennel and Pork

Recipe adapted from Better Home and Gardens

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pork tenderloin (like 1 pound)
  • 1 tablespoon snipped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seed, coarsely crushed (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced *
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth or chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup dairy sour cream
  • Sour cream (for topping)

* I am sensitive to garlic so I don't use a bunch. Feel free to add more. Also, love-love-love Dorot garlic cubes, and pretty much only use this when a recipe calls for garlic. I used two "ice cubes" in this recipe. 

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Combine rosemary, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Trim off any silver skin from the pork (optional really, but probably best if you do remove it). Rub the rosemary-salt mixture all over the pork.
  3. Optional Step: I didn't do this, but it's nice to sear/brown the pork before roasting it. If you do, use about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a plan, and sear each side for a few minutes. 
  4. Place the pork on a pan and roast, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly pink in center (155-160 degrees F).
  5. Trim and core fennel bulbs (reserve some of the leafy tops to top with at the end). Cut each fennel bulb in thin wedges. Slice up the onion. 
  6. Add fennel, onion, and garlic to an oven-friendly skillet. Cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Remove skillet from heat; add broth, vermouth, and sour cream. Return to heat. Bring to boiling for 1-2 minutes.
  7. By now the pork is probably done, so take it out and let it rest for 5-10 minutes (don't cut it!). While it's resting, pop the skillet with the onions & fennel into the oven. Cook it for about 5 minutes to soften the veggies a bit more. 
  8.  Serve pork with vegetables and juices. Top with reserved fennel tips and more sour cream. 

Orcas Island Family Getaway

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Let's rewind for a minute, shall we? It may seem like a long time ago now, but really December was just last month. And I have to tell you about Orcas Island. I just HAVE to because it was too beautiful and too fun not to tell you. 

My parents and sister all flew into Seattle to spend my mom's birthday weekend here in the Pacific Northwest. Then we all went together up to Orcas Island, which is one of the San Juan Islands. 

Remember when Josh and I went to San Juan Island (oh wow, that post was pre-blog refresh)? Well, yet again the San Juan's swept us off our feet. We had such a great time, and we lucked out with beautiful, sunny weather...in December...yea, lucky. 

We started out the trip by jamming all five of us into my car. It was a wee bit tight but we made it work. Sometimes it's lucky to be the driver.

Then, like all good Washington trips, our trip started and ended with a ferry ride. Ferry rides are awesome. They make me feel like little kid again - running to the front to catch a mountain sighting or just standing in the front with the wind in your hair. Or, to just chilling inside on your phone - cough cough (ha! caught ya mom & dad).

We stayed the night at Outlook Inn, which was an adorable hotel. With it being the low season, the prices were great. I'd definitely recommend it. It was decked out for the holidays, too. Love it. 

We arrived late in the day, so it was practically dark already. Being more north, it tends to get dark around 4pm in the dead of winter. UGH! Honestly, it's the worst thing about winter. But on the island, it was sort of cool since it was so dark the sky was super clear and the stars sparkled. It was weird to have to use the brights on my car; I do that so rarely so when I do, I get sort of excited. 

Dinner was at Sound Bite, or at least that's the name during the winter. Normally, it's Westsound Cafe. Actually, a fair warning, if you go in the low season, a lot of restaurants close. I tried two other restaurants before getting reservations at Westsound. I was nervous about everyone liking it, but it was really delicious. 

Josh and I capped the night with a drink at The Barnacle. It's a great bar...go if you ever visit Oracas Island. Do it. Do it. 

When we woke up in the morning, we looked out the window to see the fog resting over the water; it was magical. Then the sun started to break through, and the water shone with blues, pinks, and greens. I have to say, it's not a bad way to wake up.

One more photo of the morning fog for good measure.

Breakfast was equally as good as the view at Brown Bear Baking. Oh man, the orange sugar bun was killer. So So good. I'm drooling.

With full bellies, we headed out to Moran State Park and Mount Constitution, which boasts the highest point on the San Juan Islands. Admittedly, the views were awesome.

In good ole John O'Neill style, we stopped at many viewpoints. If you know my dad, and have traveled with us, you know what I'm talking about. I drove, so I had to take on the Captain duties. 

While on the mountain, I convinced a random guy to take a family photo. The sun was a bit harsh (oh boo hoo, the sun was shining), but you can still see how beautiful my family is...we're like models really.

Sure, okay, I'll show one of just the view. It was hard to get the photo to match what we saw. The fog was like blankets in the valleys. 

We went a little photo crazy at this viewpoint. What did I tell you? A good looking family. 

After Mount Constitution, we spent some time at the shops in Eastsound. It's a quaint town with fun shops; my favorite was Darvill's bookstore. Then, we caught a few tastes of wine a the Orcas Island Winery. And that was about it. We had to catch the ferry back to the mainland.

The ferry ride back caught some great views of Mount Baker. Well, that is what I believe it was...definitely not Mount Rainer, though, I know that one.  

As we rode the ferry, the sun started to set. Sooo pretty. Boats and sun and water.

Ah, I almost forgot, on the way to Orcas Island, we spent a few hours in Anacortes. It wasn't really planned, but we had to kill a few hours until the next ferry. My sister found entertainment in taking photos with all the sasquashes. Oh, there are more than just these three my friends. We roamed some antique stores and grabbed lunch at Gere-a-Delis. 

So there you have it. A good weekend getaway to Orcas Island with the family. I can't wait to go back!

Daily Dinners: Kale Mac 'n Cheese

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Week night dinners, le sigh. If you're anything like me you want something homemade, healthy, and tasty...pronto! After a long day at work you don't want to slave away in the kitchen. Your evening is valuable and you want to use as much of it as possible for relaxing, gosh darn it.

I'm always on the quest to find the perfect week night meal. I scour my favorite blogs and Pinterest daily to find the magical meal that checks off all my "perfect meal" requirements: healthy, delicious, easy, and fast. When you come upon a good recipe, it's like gold. Over the years, I've gathered a few keepers. So in the spirit of sharing, I'm starting a new series to my blog called Daily Dinners. 

Have you ever gotten one of those emails that asks you to share a recipe, and then share it with like 10 other people. Gawd. Sure, I want a good recipe, but then it requires you to send it to a bazillon people. So, good news, no strings attached. 

Oh, and I think you'll like them. I usually make enough for four servings. Josh and I eat them for dinner, and then bring the leftovers to work the next day. It's a good system, and my co-works usually drool over what I eat. I hope this series inspires you to make co-worker envy, drool-worthy meals!

Up first: Kale Mac 'n Cheese. I am not totally on the kale love train. People seem to swoon over kale. I like it, but only in certain preparations. Luckily, it works really well in pasta. And who doesn't love a mac 'n cheese. I grew up on the stuff - it's childhood on a plate...but all classed up with kale. And the amount of cheese isn't exorbitant. 

Kale Mac 'n Cheese

Recipe adapted from White on Rice Couple

Ingredients:

  • 10 ounces pasta *
  • 1 large bunch of kale, stems removed & leaves chopped
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 cups milk (2% works well)
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup (more or less) of extra parmesan cheese for topping
  • 1/4 cup bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper, to taste

* Any type of pasta works - penne, elbow, rotini, shells. My favorite brand is Barilla Plus, and I usually use penne on this dish.

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400. 
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta according to instructions. When there is one minute left on the pasta, toss in the kale. Drain it all together.
  3. Heat a large pot (preferably one that can go in the oven) on medium heat and melt butter. Add the onions, and cook until soft, then add flour. Stir the flour so it coats the onions. Add the milk and chicken broth.
  4. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil. After 3-5 minutes, the sauce will begin to thicken. Turn the heat down to low and add the cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. Continue stirring until all the cheese is melted.
  5. Add the kale and pasta to the cheese/onion sauce. Stir it all together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Sprinkle the extra cheese and bread crumbs on top. Add some cooking spray on top, if desired (it helps make it more crispy).
  7. Put the whole pan into the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until nicely golden.
  8. Dig in! 

Adventures in Death Valley: Part 2

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Here's Death Valley Part 2, which I pinky swore in Part 1 that I would share. When I pinky swear, I mean it. I keep my pinky swears. I'm not sure what the cost is if you don't keep a pinky swear, but I don't want to find out. 

We did a lot on our second day. Well, we did a lot on our first day. I guess we just did a lot on the whole trip. But the second day, we took the road more. We met some locals like Mr. Mule below. He had a friend, Mrs. Mule. They told me to say "hey" to you.

Oh man, the roads were crowded, I mean look at all those cars on the road in that picture. Crazy, right? Heh, got you. It was just wide open road folks, wide open. 

The Open Road & Locals

The locals & Open Road

Scotty's Castle

Out in the middle of the desert, there is a castle. It's Scotty's Castle, but it doesn't belong to Scotty (I should turn this into some kind of riddle). But seriously, it's in the desert and Scotty did live there. It's a long, fascinating story and we heard all about it on the tour. Basically, it's about a con-artis, a banker, and their unlikely friendship. Funny how life works out and surprises us. Here's the story as it was told on the tour (there may be some inaccuracies ; hey, I'm not perfect):

Scotty was from Kentucky and at a young age headed to the West to become a cowboy. He joined Buffalo Bill's Wild West Shows. After about a decade with the show, be ventured on his own and started to tell everyone he found gold in Death Valley. He convinced some Chicago investors to support his mining expeditions, but went on to use the money all up in San Francisco pretending to be a rich from all his gold. The investors got smart and wanted to see the gold mine with their own eyes. Scotty took them, but staged an attack before entering the valley. It didn't go as planned and the investors caught on to Scotty's scheme.

Luckily, this didn't phase Albert Johnson, one of the investors, and he went on to become friends with Scotty. When it came time to build a vacation home, Albert picked Death Valley (it helped his health and full of beauty). Albert didn't want to make a ruckus about his vacation home, he just wanted a nice place to relax, so Scotty got to call it his castle. 

Scotty's Castle

Scotty's Castle

There were so many intriquite features of the castle - like the red gate really and the J-S seals. The JS made sense after the tour and learning the history - J for Albert Johnson and the S for Scotty. 

The gates of Scotty's Castle

Funny enough, our tour guide was named Scott - he was sure to clarify that it was not Scotty. The history and the beautiful surroundings made this one of our favorite sites of the park. 

Touring Scotty's Castle

Ubehebe Crater

After Scotty's Castle, we drove to the nearby Ubehebe Crater. Just the name itself is fun to say; try it: Ubehebe. The crater was created from volcanic activity - specifically, a large steam explosion. As a kid, volcanoes both terrified me and fascinated me. I have to say, Ubehebe gave me the hebegebes.

The other photo below was just a random stop on the way to the crater. It's rather funny because there was nobody stopping, but by the time we left about a half dozen cars had also pulled over. People see you looking at something and assume it's cool then they pull over as well. If you ever go to Death Valley, see if it works. Pull over and check if others follow...I bet you it will work. Seriously, though it was gorgeous - the blackened sand was really cool.

Ubehebe Crater & Surrounding Area

Rhyolite

Rhyolite's prime was just a mire six years - from 1904 to 1910. The town sprang up after a prospecting discovery in the surrounding hills. From there it boomed and people from all around flocked to the town. It even had a stock exchange and electricity. But it fell quickly, and is now a lonely ghost town in the middle of nowhere. My pictures show the casino, general store, bank, and a brothel (scandalous!). 

Remains at Rhyolite

There was a random Union Pacific train sitting in the ghost town. It's sort of sad to see a city just die and dwindle to rocks and rubble. I wonder if there are any ghosts hanging around. Oh my!

Roaming Rhyolite

There was even a deserted truck (although, I'm guessing it's not from 1910 - just a hunch). And random cans and rust. But rust is pretty, don't you think?

Rusty Rhyolite

Bottle House 

One place still stands structurally intact in Rhyolite and that's Tom Kelly's Bottle House. No joke, this house is made out of bottles. Can you imagine living in a bottle house? I learned it was made out of about 30,000 bottles, and they were mostly Busch or medicine bottles (you know, Busch as in Budweiser). Pretty crazy stuff.

Bottle House

Borax Train

There are not very many places to stay when you visit Death Valley. There is the Furnace Creek Resort, which if you can afford, looks to be pretty nice (we had dinner there one evening). Or, the Furnace Creek Ranch, which is where we stayed. At the ranch, is the Borax Museum. We didn't go to the museum (there is only so much time!), but we did get a few pictures of the train used to transport the borax. 

Borax Company Train

Red Rock Canyon

It seems backwards, I know, but before we left I grabbed a photo of t he Death Valley sign. Then we drove onto Las Vegas. Quite the change -- nature and nothingness to mega city and everything. We grabbed lunch at Honey Salt. It wasn't in the strip, just outside in one of the suburbs. And oh my it was good. I really loved the decor and the food was great. 

We had some time to burn before our flight, so heck, let's see yet another National park. We did a quick drive through Red Rock Canyon. Yup, it's red. Actually, it's quite beautiful and we all agreed it would require a return but with more time. 

Goodbye Death Valley, Red Rock Canyon

We really fit a lot into two days at Death Valley. I would definitely suggest a visit, but maybe keep it to the winter season. The summers seem a bit hot, to say the least. I was also happy to be proven wrong about it being "just a desert." It's full of beauty and history - two of my favorite things! 

Random Acts of the Month: December 2014

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Dang, December was jam packed with fun and adventure. When I think about all the things we did, I get a bit tired. It was sooo worth it, though. There was lots of travel, cooking, eating, and time with friends and family. I don't think it's much of a stretch to say it was my favorite month of 2014 (of course, my love for Christmas certainly helped).

Here's my new approach to the Random Acts of the Month series. Fingers crossed you like it. 

Okay, I know you're dying to know what all the photos are, so starting with the top left. Then to the right and down by row. 

  • Una Noche en Espana at Hipcooks with my co-workers.  We were stirring up some lovely sangria in that photo. Read the post.
  • Imagine Dragons rocked it at Deck the Hall Ball. Read the post.
  • Exploring Death Valley with my hubby and in-laws. Our after Christmas trip!
  • For my mom's birthday, my parents and sister visited us in Seattle. Together we went on a weekend getaway to Orcas Island, which is part of the San Juans. It was completely beautiful. 
  • You can't have Christmas without Christmas cookies. My favorite cookie this year was the gingerbread macarons made by yours truly. Read the post (plus more cookies).
  • In-N-Out, now that's what a hamburger is all about. We spent some holiday time with my parents in San Marcos (North County San Diego) and ate some California food (and it wasn't avocados).
  • We saw A Christmas Story at the Seattle 5th Avenue Theater with my family when they were in town. The production was really well done, and it was a ton of fun. Don't shoot your eye out!
  • A lovely family photo on Christmas morning.
  • More Orcas Island beauty. Ahh, sigh.
  • Keely, my parent's Golden Retriever! She is such a love. I want a dog!!!!
  • The Sand Dunes in Death Valley. 
  • We stayed at the Outlook Inn on Orcas Island. I would definitely recommend it. It was a great room, and the view in the morning was even better.
  • Scotty's Castle in Death Valley. A post to come as Death Valley Part 2. 
  • Oh, hello there.
  • I had a blast at our Oracle Christmas Cookie Swap. I made the chocolate cookie at the bottom, a peppermint crinkle. Yum!
  • The O'Neill family Christmas tree. Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...you know where I'm going with that...
  • A pot of coffee at our favorite Encinitas coffee shop, Lofty Bean. Oh man, those salted caramel lattes are heaven.
  • Driving to Orcas Island!

See what I mean...a busy month. A fantastic way to end the year 2014! 

Adventures in Death Valley - Part 1

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I want to tell you something...Death Valley is rad!

Hold up, let's back track a bit so you know where this is coming from. 

After Christmas, my in-laws brought Josh and I to Death Valley National Park for a fun holiday trip. To be honest, I always assumed Death Valley was a large desert with nothing much to see - just hot and boring. Silly me! It's actually like a small amusement park with different "lands" (like Disneyland has "Adventure Land" and so on). There is Badwater Basin, Artist's Palette, San Dunes, and so much more. 

I loved it so much I took over 275 photos. Wowza! So lots of photos to share. But, do you know what I have a problem with? Decisions. You know what's not good for a blog? Lots of photos and poor decision-making. I've had a heck of a time deciding which photos to share. Argh! I wish I could show them all, but that's guaranteed to bore you to death. I'll do my best to limit it, but I really want to show you the awesomeness that is Death Valley (not to mention, show the handsome people that visited it - eh hem, that would be the Brown family). 

Because of all this awesomeness and lack of decision on my part, I'll be breaking this up into a two part blog post. This first post will cover our first day at Death Valley. The next post, which I pinky swear will come soon, will cover the last day. I might even through in a third post, if you're lucky, with some other random stuff. So get comfy, here we go...

Amargosa Opera House

We entered Death Valley from the Southeast entrance (map) since we were coming in from Palm Springs. One of the first attractions is the Amargosa Opera House. This was originally constructed in 1923 as a company town by the Pacific Coast Borax Company. It was abandoned and later discovered by Marta Becket who restored the building and turned it into an opera house. 

We didn't see an opera show, but it was an awesome building and we arrived at sunset, so the lighting was just right. This was my first taste of Death Valley, and I was instantly intrigued. 

Amargosa Opera House and Hotel

Badwater Basin & Below Sea Level

Our first full day in Death Valley started with Badwater Basin. It is one of the lowest places on Earth, at 282 feet below sea level, and it's the lowest point in North America. See Josh in the picture pointing up? No, he's not doing a disco move, rather pointing to the sign on the mountain indicating "Sea Level." (see that tiny sign?!)

 Below Sea Level @ Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin got it's name from a pioneer/explorer that was traveling with his mule, and the mule wouldn't drink the water...hence the name, badwater. All around is salt encrusted ground, likely the culprit for the bad water. We broke off a piece of the salt rock, and sure enough it tasted salty. My favorite part of this site was how the water reflected the surrounding the mountains (as shown in the photo below). 

Badwater Basin

Devil's Golf Course

Devil's Golf Course is similar to Badwater Basin except that the salt flat is more jagged and has all these crazy holes. The name comes from a guide that stated, "Only the devil could play golf" on its surface (according to Wikipedia). 

As we looked around, there was a kid that kept saying that it reminded him of Frosted Wheat. I could see what he was saying with the white salt layer and ribbed-like ground. Clever kid, although he got annoying after the tenth time yelling this to his dad...

Devil's Golf Course

Artist Drive & Palette

The colors here were awesome. Unfortunately it was mid-day, so not a photographers dream; however, you can still see the various colors from teal to pin to red. I'm no geologist, but apparently this is due to oxidation of different metals and from volcanic ash.  

We got out and hiked around a bit, but the drive through is also a must. This was one of my favorite sites of the park. 

Artist Palette

Devil's Cornfield

Another "Devil" named place. I guess the Devil comes to mind when you're at a place called Death Valley. Uh, hello, Death. Death...Devil...Hot....so, here's a fun fact: Death Valley is one of hottest (if not the hottest) place on Earth. On July 10, 1913 a reading of 134°F was taken, the world record hottest air temperature. Some other records say it's Libya is the hottest at 136.4°F. Oh snap! 

Back to Devil's Cornfield. These are actually Arrowweed plants. The are left with there roots dangling out after the wind blows the sand away. Poor things; roots all exposed. How embarrassing. 

Devil's Haystacks

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Sand dunes, now that's what I'm talking about. This is how I imagine Egypt and the sand near the pyramids. I love the ripple the wind creates on the sand. Sadly, there were so many tourists stomping around that finding a clean patch of sand was tough. But I found it! 

Get this, people were actually sledding down the dunes. Crazy. How dare they mess up the sand! I hope they got sand in their underwear. Just kidding...it looked fun.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

It was sunset as we explored the dunes, and I thought the silhouettes of the tourists was pretty rad. 

Dusk at the Sand Dunes

Harmony Borax Works

You might have picked this up when you read about Amargosa Opera House, but Borox was a big deal in Death Valley. You might have used 20 Mule Team Borax at home for cleaning. I used it to get rid of fleas once. Yea?

Well, back in 1883-89, Borax was mined in Death Valley by Harmony Borax Works. Guess what they used to haul the borax around? 20 Mule Teams and wagons. Yup, that's right. Borax is no longer mined in Death Valley, but the mines and wagons are around for tourist to view. 

Harmony Borax Works

So that ends our first day. Did you know you were getting a history lesson with this post. No sir ye. I surprised you, didn't I? But, not joke, we did all this in one day. There is still another full day to share with you. And as I pinky swore above, I will share it. 

Bye 2014, Hello 2015

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Happy 2015!

I have a really good feeling about 2015. I usually don't like odd numbers much, but I feel this is going to be a good year. As my mom would say, "I can feel it in my bones." Josh and I have big plans for the year - moving apartments, getting a dog, hopefully a big trip, and so much more. I wouldn't call them resolutions, but hopes and goals for the year.

As for resolutions, well, I really don't like them. I do like to have hopes and goals, though. Some hopes include...

  • Yoga - I started this fall, and I'm really enjoying it. I have a hard time stopping - like stop moving around the house and making my brain just STOP. When I do yoga, my brain just concentrates on the poses & movements which I imagine is good for me. So I'll try to do this more.
  • Cooking/Baking Technique - 2014 was the year of the macaron. And I am happy to report my last batch didn't crack. Of course, I'll continue to make these precious cookies, but I want to take on another technique. I was thinking cinnamon rolls, or something with yeast. Yeast scares me - so scientific. But I think it's good to keep trying new things. 
  • Photography - I want to continue to learn more and take some awesome photos. A co-worker recently complemented my photos, and suggested I enter in an amateur contest. This year I think I might try it out this year.
  • Blogging - Just to keep doing it. It's hard to find the time, especially if I include pictures since they need to be edited first. Finding time can be challenging, but I'm hoping to keep doing at least one post a week. 

Top Posts of 2014

Speaking of blogging, let's take a moment to see what you liked best this year on my blog. 

  1. Christmas Letter - It's no wonder that this is the top post since I basically forced it on you with a blog cover page and having it on my Christmas card. If you haven't read it yet, you should. It fills you in on our whole year.
  2. Baker's Corner: Christmas Cookies - Did someone say cookies? Who doesn't like a good Christmas cookie. These were some good ones this year. I might make that gingerbread biscotti again soon. 
  3. Christmas Flashback - I just wrote this yesterday - dang. It was a good Christmas - filled with the three F's: family, friends, and food.
  4. Merry Christmas 2014 - I am seeing a trend, you guys like Christmas. And food. Christmas and food. Got it, so my 2015 posts should cover these topics. Sadly, Christmas in June doesn't really work. Bummer.
  5. Cooking is so Hip - More food! This was a fun night with co-workers. We took a cooking class together and learned how to make some Spanish tapas. Maybe I'll host a party this year!

2014 you treated me good. 2015, I expected even better.

Happy New Years All!!

Christmas 2014 Flashback

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Dude, Christmas was sooo totally six day ago (in my best beach dude voice). It's like New Years now, dude. Ok, I'll stop the "dudes" but I do want to do a quick flashback to my Christmas. Dude.

Josh and spent Christmas down in California with family. The first half (the days up until Christmas) was with my parents and sister. It was nice to see the fam and just chill out (not to mention, nice sunny weather!). We did lots of fun things like mani-pedis with my mom, walked along the Batiquitos Lagoon, ate some great food (In-N-Out, Q'ero, El Nopalito tamales, Honey's muffins, Lofty Bean lattes!!), played with the pooch, shopped, baked Christmas cookies - never a dull moment with the O'Neill family. It was a blast.

Then Christmas rolled around, and we got to opening gifts. I got some great things this year including a snug, puff jacket, earrings, booties - apparently, I was a good girl. Josh got some gift cards to go shopping (that's like two gifts in one - getting the card, and then using it!), t-shirts, and some other awesome gifts.

My parents and sister enjoyed the gift opening as well. My dad really likes the Geico Hump Day commercial (especially, the "Mike Mike Mike" part), so he got a t-shirt. My mom liked the fox wrapping paper I used (I'm a sucker for cute wrapping paper, darn you Paper Source!). Lindsay also liked the wrapping paper. Yay, foxes!!!!!

Sadly, Josh and I didn't get a Christmas tree for our apartment this year. Luckily, my parent's Christmas filled the hole in my heart and was really quite stunning.

And we can't forget the stockings. They are BIG for my family - both literally and figuratively. We have to go around a circle and open one-by-one. It really is a lot of fun. My stocking was made by my grandma, and I've had it since I was a little girl. 

Around 2pm, we transitioned families. Christmas Day evening was with the extended Brown family in Temecula. It was great to see Josh's aunts, uncles, and cousins. 

All in all, it was a darn good Christmas. Next, I'll tell you about my time with the in-laws in Death Valley. I just had to share Christmas before it turned to 2015! 


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