Dana Point

In November, we did a little vacation getaway to Dana Point, Ca.   It was a much needed vacation full of rest, relaxing and delicious food!

One of the places we visited was the Mission San Juan Capistrano.     It was fascinating!   So much history and the architectural detail was amazing!

No Visit to CA would be complete without a meal at Rockin Baja Lobster!!   Bucket full of shrimp, lobster, carne asada and chicken.  Oh help I need some more now!!!

 And my absolute favorite thing about visiting the coast, is well the coast!!!  

We took a walk on the beach at least 2x a day every day we were there; day and night!

Anyone have tips on how to make your husband smile 'normal' for the camera?  This is the best one we could get.   I guess I will just keep posting the awkward ones until he cooperates!

Donut Donut!

The annual fall donut party was a blast!   Its one of my favorite things to do every year.  I love coming up with new toppings to try.   This year I added strawberry frosting and cereal to the mix!

Purple and Green

My Sister in Law Julie is about ready to have her first baby!   

I made this super soft quilt for the little lady.

The fabric is from the Sonoma Collection designed by Franchelle Contreras for Henry Glass Fabrics

 I lined the back with super soft minky fabric!    

Looking forward to meeting the new owner in a couple months!

LUV

I'm not one to dwell on every anniversary of everything Adam and I have ever done.  But this year, I was thinking a lot about our first date and wanted to do something special to celebrate.     So I tried to recreate it (albeit more romantically) at home.

On our first date, we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner.  So I picked us up some DELICIOUS steaks from AJs (seriously, haven't had a steak that good in a LONG time).  And I created this lovely table setting.

Complete with a bucket of peanuts just like at Texas Roadhouse!  I found a copycat recipe for their rolls that turned out pretty good and we had a nice little dinner together.    Thanks Adam for taking me on our first date 3 years ago!!

You can take the girl out of the small town but you can't take the small town out of the girl.

One word..Maurices.

I grew up on your clothes; Not sure if it was based on the cuteness factor , or if it was because you were  the ONLY store in Ontario that was consistently around.   Many stores came and went, but not Maurices.  You were always there for me.   You were there when I need sweaters that looked like a guy should be wearing them, you were there when I needed a lime green book bag.  You were there when I needed the perfect jewelry to match my homecoming dress.   You were there when I got older and discovered that jean shopping is the worst thing in the world... and you made these...

Ahhh... The Taylor Boot.   You have been there for years, every time I get frustrated in shopping for jeans, I always come back.  You always fit!  You are always the right price (seriously $29?  How can you beat that!)  Why do I even try anywhere else?  Well thats actual quite simple.  You see Maurices, you were ALWAYS there for me until.... you WEREN'T.

Never did I imagine that when I moved to the big city of Phoenix that there would be no Maurices.  I mean every city I have ever lived in (I know a big total of three, Ontario, Logan and Boise) all had you.  But nope, not Phoenix.  What gives?   Seems, you only want to be in small towns.   Really?  I thought we were friends?  Where were you when I needed you?

But did I stray?  NO!!!  Every time I come back to my hometown, I visit you.  I have even made the Husband take a detour to visit you in Casa Grande!  I just had to have the Taylor Boot!

So whats a girl today when she desperately needs jeans and there is no trip planned remotely close to you in the near future?  Well, this girl wants to give you a BIG THANKS for finally bringing your store ONLINE!   You made my day, my week even.   Yes, you can take the girl out of the small town, but you can't take the small town out of the girl.  And this girl will be proudly rocking the Taylor Boot just as long as you keep making them.

Let him make cake!

This is what you get when you let a 2 year old decorate a cake

Focus

Determination

Creativity 

Eventually you just get on the table

Sneak a piece of candy

 

And prepare to dig in!

(P.S. as background to this post, it seems Brycen has developed an obsession with the show Cake Boss.... What else is an Aunt to do but provide one for her favorite nephew to decorate himself!)

And the winner is....

Ok, not me!  But, it was still way fun!

Saturday I took part in the first Cupcake Contest at the AZ State Fair.  It was also their very first live competition.  The contest was modeled after the tv Show Cupcake Wars, only modified since there aren't a plethora of kitchens at the fair!

Instead, the contestants had to bring 1 dozen unfrosted, unfilled and undecorated cupcakes.  Then we were given 1 hour to complete the cupcakes.

All our cupcakes had to be Citrus themed; everything had to be citrus: the cupcake, filling and frosting.

 

Here I am at my station working on my cupcakes

Time out to smile at the Camera!

. Almost done!!!

The whole time we were working, there were people walking around checking out what we were doing; both spectators and judges.  It was kind of fun telling people what I was making and then hearing them declare MMM and want to try them!

Here they are on the judging table ready to go!   I was contestant number 3.

 Very blurry side view

 Yep, thats a Popsicle stick in my cupcake.... My cupcake was an Orange Dreamsicle cupcake, so it works!

 Here I am describing to the judges and the audience what my cupcake is. 

And the judges tasting my cupcakes!

And ta da!   I get a big red ribbon!!

I was so please with second place!  I couldn't believe it!  Now I just have to wait to get my ribbon and my $50 check in the mail! (The fair kept my cupcakes and the ribbon to display through the rest of the fair)

All the winners! 

Yep, both 1st and 2nd went to men!  So funny, their wives also competed and at least one of them was SOOOOO mad her husband placed and she didn't.  Hilarious!

The contest was a lot of fun and I might just have to do it again next year!

What we did this weekend...

In addition to the typical weekend household chores, this is what we accomplished:

Canned 12 quarts of Salsa

Random Organizing.  I went to The Container Store... It was my first time, and well I got a little crazy!  The whole time I debated, ask permission first, or forgiveness later, in the end I went with forgiveness later!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this rack!  Since we don't have a real pantry, we turned our coat closet (cause really who needs a coat closet in AZ) into one and this cleaned up stuff so much.

Also grabbed a bunch of magnetic containers to hold some of my most used spices (I discovered many that I had 3 containers of because I was almost out, bought a new one and then forgot I bought a new one and bought another!  Well no more!  All right there for me to view on the Fridge!)

Baked 2 1/2 dozen cupckaes... from scratch.. not one, but TWO kinds with not two but THREE types of frosting!

First ones were more practicing for the state fair cupcake contest - Orange Creamcicle Cupcakes! Orange cupcakes with orange and cream cheese swirled frosting.  The second was a first, completely Vegan Cupcakes!  My bro in law has a food sensitivity to dairy so I made these for him to eat.  Chocolate Cupcake with Strawberry frosting.  They were actually good and the frosting was amazing!

Went to our Sacrament meeting this handsom young man was sustained as a counselor in our Bishopric; then got to hear him be ordained to be a High Priest and set apart in the Bishopric.  

Then RACED to Mesa for another Sacrament meeting where this little lady was blessed.

And our big weekend project, Kitchen Cabinet Painting!

Heres the boring before pictures

And here is the After!  

 LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!   We painted the walls red about a  year ago, but didn't do the cabinets because I couldn't bring myself to since they were new when we moved in.  Well, I finally decided they had to go!   So happy with the way it turned out! 

 

What a great weekend!

Conference morning, how do we roll?

With Cinnamon Rolls!

And here we go - Part 4...

Of course I saved the best part for last!  This brought back some really great memories of crazy adventures!  I actually already have similar picture taken from either Alaina or Sara's camera, but we'll start with a few from my newly developed film:

Yep Skydiving time!!!!  Oh my gosh this was one of the funnest things I have ever done!

This one cracks me up... well mostly because I was cracking up at something when it was taken.. What was so funny?  We will probably never know but it appears to have come from Dan's mouth, so could be just about anything.

Alaina getting all checked and ready to go!  Nice goggles girl!

And I walk away to my death, err I mean adventure!

OK, since I actually do have more pictures of this, I thought it would be fun to share more!   First off, I must say Skydiving was amazing and it was so fun to do it with good friends.  The whole thing was part of a fundraising event that a friend was promoting.   Dive for Diabetes.  It was raising money for a group that plans activities for those with Diabetes to encourage them to get out and try new fun things.  Well since Sky Idaho had significantly reduced the price, and I couldn't stand the pressure I was getting to go, I finally gave in and signed up!   I am so so glad I did! (NOTE: there was something wrong with this camera and all the pictures have a fuzzy middle... don't know why!)

Here is our group before getting on all our equipment, Sara, Me, Some girl we didn't know, and Alaina.  All smiles before!

Sara getting all fitted up

And ready to go!

And my turn!

Here I am receiving instruction on what to do in the air!  Arch your back!!!

Thats our plain!

Getting up there!

And here I come

Nice landing!

This is me saying please get me out of this harness!  When you are in the air, they adjust the harness so your legs are up, only problem is when you try to walk back on the ground, it doesn't work so well!

And look!  All smiles after!!

And 1 year later I would do it all again!

This time Family style!

PS... I am feeling slightly nostalgic lately.. so just watch out, more flashback posts may be coming your way!