Weekly Review

Fiesta Pink nails, the first farmers market of the year, summer sandals I resisted, the lamp we finally got around to painting, and the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've had in months. But the highlight of the week would have to be the hot dog roast we had in the back yard. Warm weather, friends, fire, marshmallows, and a new baby to swoon over. It was a great preview of the summer nights to come.

Life is better at the Beach

Montara Beach

Last weekend I surprised Alden with a get away to the beach. Lately work has been over the top stressful and I knew it wouldn't be warm enough to swim but if we could just get to the beach and embrace all that the ocean represents somehow it would make things better, at least for that moment.

Getting to the ocean was a trip in and of itself. Apparently everyone had the same idea I did because the roads were PACKED and the beaches were PACKED. By the time we made it to the ocean we only had an hour. So we laid out the towels and crawled under my sun hat and hid. There were people all around us but somehow we were able to tune them out and take in the smell and feel of the ocean and RELAX. I mean REALLY relax. We kissed and laughed and were reminded how the beach can breath life back into you.

Oh... and then we ate Mexican food, like any good Californian would after going to the beach.

Wear//There//Switzerland

cape | sweater | pants | necklace | boots | scarf | braid | switzerland

Well for the past week we have been doing research like crazy on going to Switzerland. Our trip that we are going to take will most likely be in the winter which means if we decide to go to Switzerland we will be skiing in the Alp's and getting cozy next to a nice big fire.

Check out my other wear//there posts.
Thailand | Ireland

Retro Swimwear

I'm talking about retro swimsuits over at Say Yes to Hoboken.  Click here and check it out.

The Wear/There post is moving to Thursdays so be sure and check back tomorrow!

Mothers Day Gift Guide

Do you know what you are getting your mother for mothers day? Here are a few of my favorites ideas to fit any situation.

Sentimental: Is there an easier way to win your mothers heart than with photographs? I think not. Now you can take your favorite instagram photos and have them printed into stickers, tiny little books, t-shirts, or prints. And all for a reasonable price.

Homemade: Whip up your mom's favorite dessert and surprise her on Sunday afternoon. My mom's favorite, red velvet cake.

Simple: Some mom's like it simple. Like a beautiful card filled with meaningful words.

Traditional: Flowers are pretty fool proof. But keep things more meaningful by picking up a bouquet of your moms favorite flower.

Far Away: Is your mom far away? Have ice-cream delivered to her door still frozen, ready to eat. They have lots of fun flavors like gooey butter cake, lime cardamom, and salty caramel.

Weekly Review

Purple
My weakness. The Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
Garage Sale Find
Picnic to the park
First A's game of the season
My second weakness. Baseball nachos.
Enjoying the beautiful weather
Surprise trip to the beach
Pit stop for cream puffs at Beard Papa on the way home.
What happens when you eat your cream puff in the car.

I think its safe to say I need to evaluate my diet after seeing all these food pictures. Thank goodness the Farmers Market is opening up again this week.

It has begun

Alden and I have an obsession. And with the warmer weather creeping in I feel it coming to the surface. Getting out of bed in the morning on a weekday is a battle, but getting out of bed before 8 on a Saturday in the spring..... that is like Christmas morning, every Saturday.

We are avid garage sale shoppers. And we aren't the only ones, I will tell you that much. Although we are by far the youngest and dare I say, the hippest? I had a meeting last Saturday and I came home to Alden unloading this beauty. He told me it was kind of a lot of money but he really liked it so he just had to get it. I asked how much it was to which he replied, two-fifty.

TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS?!
Nope. $2.50. TWO DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS.
The man selling the credenza talked himself down from $5 to $2.50.

Quite a bargain that boy of mine.
Now....where to put it?

Wear//There//Ireland

picture via here

sweater//boots//button up//beanie//purse//pants

Lets be honest. One look at that picture above and you want to go to Ireland too, right? Rolling green hills, castles, cliffs, and apparently wild roaming horses. Whats not to love? Seriously though, its at the top of our list (mostly because we keep finding good travel deals to Ireland).

Anyone out there been to Ireland? Is it worth the shot?

Also! I am contributing on Say Yes to Hoboken today. Don't forget to check out my post on anoraks here.

Click here to see last weeks Wear//There post, Thailand.

Week Review

Last Weeks Highlights included

Lots of delicious food, like oatmeal with a dollop of whip cream, the yummy pancakes I told you about here, shish kabobs on the BBQ with our friends and homemade créme brûlée. Wow, that dessert is so much more satisfying when you make it yourself. Thank you Beards for bringing the flame thrower.

I tagged along with Alden on his weekly bouldering trip to the gym and watched him test out his new longboard (go jaseboards!). But I think my favorite thing to watch this week was Alden holding sweet baby Vivian. I think Alden is going to be a baby whisperer, I can just feel it.

I started Nie Nie's book "Heaven is Here" and I'm having a hard time putting it down. And last but not least spring is upon us! There are blossoms and flowers everywhere and our backyard is green and lush. Summer come quick!

Weekend Breakfast

Alden and I go through phases. When we were dating it was waffles. EVERY WEEKEND. The first appliance we ever bought was a waffle maker. Bought at a garage sale only after a few months of dating. Good thing we never had to decided who got to keep it!

Lately we've been into pancakes. Alden's sister Addie makes the most amazing pancakes. The consistency is a mix between a pancake and a crépe batter with a yummy tangy sour cream flavor that goes well with a drizzle of maple syrup. I finally got the recipe from her and we tried them out. DELISH. I know what we are going to make this weekend. What do you make for breakfast/brunch on the weekends?

This recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen

EDNA MAE'S SOUR CREAM PANCAKES
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Ree says this makes 12 4-inch pancakes; I got 8 that were closer to 5 inches

7 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (I swapped some with yogurt when I realized I was short, to no ill-effect)
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter
Maple syrup (or perhaps some Cranberry Syrup)

Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; you want it to slowly get nice and hot.

Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in the bottom of a medium bowl. Dump the sour cream in on top and stir it together very gently; it’s okay to leave the texture a bit uneven. Whisk the eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and stir them into the sour cream mixture, once again, being careful not to overmix.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in your skillet or griddle and pour the batter in, a scant 1/4 cup at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, or until bubbles appear all over the surface [See Pancakes 101 for this and other tips], flipping them carefully and cooking for about a minute on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve in a stack, topped with a pat of butter and a cascade of maple syrup.

Say Yes To Hoboken

I am thrilled to be contributing on Liz Stanley's blog, Say Yes To Hoboken. I will be doing a fashion post every week so be sure and check back every Wednesday! Click here to see today's post about printed pants.

And welcome to any Say Yes To Hoboken readers out there!

Wear//There//Thailand

Thailand picture via here

1. Chambray Shirt 2. Summer Straw Hat 3. Neon Swimsuit 4. Print Scarf 5. Patent Sandals

Alden and I have had a serious case of wanderlust ever since we left Hawaii. We want to do a big trip together before we really have to settle down and grow up. We've talked about going everywhere from Africa to Thailand, Ireland to Australia. Until we make a decision and buy a ticket I figured I would do a new weekly series here on the blog called Wear//There. I will pick a place we'd like to go and what I'd wear there.

To start things off I chose Thailand for a couple of reasons. First, its spring break and those beaches in Phuket are calling my name. Second, Thailand has been on our list for a LONG time. We would love to go to eat authentic food, play on their gorgeous beaches, visit ancient temples and MOSTLY play with baby elephants.

Have you been to Thailand? What do you recommend?

Easter

Holidays are fun when you get married because you get to share and start your own traditions. Growing up my mom would fill our baskets with goodies and hide them. They weren't your typical hiding places either. It took us HOURS to find them. I didn't really give Alden a choice of what tradition we were going to do this year. We were hiding baskets! Poor Alden doesn't have the years of experience like I do. I found my basket the VERY first place I looked. He probably would have looked all day for his if I wouldn't have given him a big fat clue too. (Do you want to know my secret?... Tie the basket to a hanger and pick a big heavy coat to hang around it. Then just hang the coat back in the closet!)

We spent Easter with Alden's family. It was a nice day full of strawberry rhubarb pie and blueberry tarts. My mom bought my sister and I Easter dresses while I was home (thanks mom) so naturally we had to get an Easter picture in our pastels.

We went to Church and pondered on the real reason for the season. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of a loving Savior who knows me personally and died for me. What a beautiful time of year to celebrate the resurrection of Christ and the rebirth all around.

What are some of your fun Easter traditions?

ps. Alden and I became hooked on Hello Panda cookies when we lived in Hawaii so when I saw them at Target I had to get them for his basket. If you come across some BUY THEM RIGHT AWAY and then EAT THEM RIGHT AWAY. And buy an extra box too.... because you might not want to share.

A Trip Home

Last week I flew home to go to one of my best friends wedding. It was a special day and I was glad I went home to be apart of it.

The rest of the trip included a quick trip down to Salt Lake City for General Conference and visiting with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

It wouldn't be a trip to Idaho without an evening by the river roasting hotdogs and making homemade ice-cream in a tin can, no matter what time of year. I love being in the outdoors and now that I live in California I appreciate the peace and quite of Idaho so much more.

Then of course there was shopping, watching movies, crafting, and delicious food. I wasn't surprised to wake up to snow on my last day there. In Idaho you learn to expect unexpected weather. I am pretty sure it snowed in June once.

It was strange to go back to California. As we were flying in over the rolling green hills there was a little twinge in my heart and I realized that California is taking a piece of me. Especially when that's where my boy is. Love him.

Miss Vivian

I don't have any nieces or nephews, or children (obviously), so being able to witness the miracle of life through the entire nine months till this little darling made her debut was something special.

Thank you Dale and Elyse for asking me to take pictures of your precious girl. And Miss Vivian? You are a lucky lady to be born to such loving and natural parents.