So Long 2009

Let the music tell you the rest...

last day in Washington

Sadly friends, it has come to an end.

My flight leaves at 9:30am tomorrow... meaning I need to wake up at 6am.

So, I should be asleep right now.

Naturally, I am not.

Luckily I was able to spend part of the day with Miss Katie Pwoatahhh.

Remember her from here?

We went to Cheesecake Factory for a lovely little snack, where our server managed to talk without moving her mouth.

We noticed.

And then shopped at Bell Square...

Where I met my mom's best friend,

Shaun.

I am sad to leave. I really am.

Every time I come home to Washington, I always feel like it's home and where I belong. I hope and pray that I will end up here.

It was a great trip. I was able to see so many of my close friends and spend good quality time with my family.

Farewell Washington... but not for long.

Hopefully.

Trip to Washington... Continued.

Today started out with lunch in Highlands at a new place called Agave. It was quite delicious I might say, and the chips and salsa were to die for.

We tried to take some pictures as a family and this is the best we came up with.

It was a bright afternoon... don't mind the glares, closed eyes, and shadows. We don't claim ourselves to be professionals here.

Then I went to visit Brandi and her little guy, Cade.

He is such a cutie and so fun to play with!

And he is SUCH a ham! Every time I pulled out the camera, he would stop what he was doing and smile so big!

Cade is so funny. I'm pretty sure I spent the evening laughing because he is so entertaining!

Sionara 2009!

Hello friends and fellow bloggers.

2009 was a ride, let me tell you.

For my close friends and family who know me, they know that 2009 was LAME.

I'm just going to be frank here:

2009 SUCKED!

I am so ready for 2010 to begin. This is the year. This will be the year of great things.

Of the achievement of amazing goals.

My intuition is speaking to me...

though, I choose not to listen to it sometimes, it's almost always right.

Well I'm listening to it now!

This year will have happiness.

This year will have passion.

This year will have excitement.

It's out with the old and in with the NEW.

The new page of life!

Rejuvenating.

That's how I feel.

2010 goals to come.

Christmas Day

The next morning, we woke up to the beautiful tree and some presents!

Dolly's loot

Bebe's loot

We only stayed up until 3 am setting everything up and then finally went to sleep and SANTA finished the job.

Merry Christmas 2009!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was so fun this year!

I spent the beginning of it with one of my FAVORITE friends, HEATHER!

Since she has moved to Pullman, WA, I have not seen her since JUNE and I have missed her dearly!

We went to lunch to Frankie's (a Redmond fav) and pretty much sat there for about 3 hours catching up, eating, drinking diet coke and of course, laughing hysterically! I love how every time we get together, it's almost as if nothing has changed and we are back in high school and acting like everything we do is the funniest thing ever. I love this girl to death and I am so glad I got to see her and her family even though it was only for a little bit.

Here are some pictures from that afternoon.

Thank you Jason for supplying us with the most amazing holiday background.

(Sorry Heather, don't kill me for posting this picture.)

K... he is seriously the cutest kid ever! I love being his fairy godmother!

P.S. We are in the market for a new fairy godfather. Any takers? haha

Climbing for the camera. Look at that charming little face!

Then, we continued our holiday tradition of making tacos for dinner only this year we decided to switch it up a bit and make some of these delicious enchiladas. Recipe found here.

We took some pictures and spent some quality Christmas Eve family time together.

Such a fun and relaxed Christmas Eve for the family and I am so glad I was able to come home to Washington to be with everyone!

Shiba Inu

Went shopping with the fam on Monday and someone was carrying a baby one of these.

So cute.

Doesn't get very big,

Very clean,

and cuddly.

I want one.

christmas 2010

Next year,

I will be starting my Christmas shopping early.

Like in January.

I hate that I am still shopping days before Christmas to get gifts for people.

If I space it out just perfectly, I can get gifts for people before Thanksgiving and call it good.

I just need to be strong and not shop after I get all the presents I need. I just need to keep telling myself to STOP.

But it's hard.

I love shopping.

And Christmas.

And shopping for other people.

But, that's my goal for next year.

2010.

Acapulco Fresh

hello friends.

I am home now... in the lovely city of Sammamish and I am so glad to be back and enjoying the TRUE holiday weather:

cloudy:

With a chance of rain.

I was excited to come back home and experience the food and the scenery.

To see old faces and friends. To catch up and make appearances.

One place brings so much joy to my heart.

If you know me, you know that I absolutely LOVE mexican food and furthermore, I love Acapulco Fresh. A hometown favorite.

I was so excited to come home and eat here and reminisce about the good times when I ate there.

While discussing all the fun things I wanted to do while I am home in Washington, little sister, Dolly told me that Acapulco Fresh is out of business.

I laughed at this comment thinking she was playing some sort of sick joke with me.

So I turned to my mother and said, (and I quote),

"Ha Ha! Dolly just said Acapulco is gone! Ha Ha!"

Note the laughing... which soon turned into tears when I found out that what I thought was a joke was actually a reality.

Shoot.

Seriously!?!

What the heck?

Thank you Sammamish.

You let me down.

sweet tooth.

I actually really don't have a sweet tooth.

I rarely like to eat candy.

I sometimes skip dessert.

I would rather enjoy a salty/savory treat than anything sugary.

I'm crazy, I know.

But, let me tell you some candies that just make my mouth water.

My guilty little pleasures if you will.

MOOSE MUNCH. Kirk brought this over a few nights ago and I'm pretty sure I ate the entire box. It was AMAZING. Such a delicious and purely heavenly snack. And it has dark chocolate in it. MY FAVORITE!

Not just ANY Laffy-Taffy... WATERMELON Laffy-Taffy. We discovered it at the 7-11 and now every time we go there (which is almost on a daily basis) we have to get a handful. These are SO good and definitely bring joy to my heart.

This little number is vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce topped with cinnamon sugar pecans.

This is found at Carrabbas as the "John Cole" and is absolutely DELIGHTFUL.

I generally don't enjoy any sort of nut in my dessert but this is just SO good, I don't even CARE!

Last, but certainly not least, caramel apples. My favorites are the ones from Kneaders or Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and the flavor is called caramel apple pie. MMmmmMMM. I have dreams about these babies. They are tart but very very sweet. I don't have the power to turn these away...

What are some of your sweet tooth divulges?

Mi Casa.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Lovely lady and friend, Becca (check out her blog here)has asked to see pictures of the humble abode.

And here they are.

Enjoy.

the red front door.

the view from the inside.

the living room.

the living room again. LOVE the fireplace. LOVE it.

Kitchen.

my bedroom!!

my desk/work area. Kirk hooked a sista UP.

another view of the bedroom.

my getting ready/reading nook. that mirror, that's where i get ready. those books, i read those.

the bathroom.

So there you have it! It isn't exactly to par but it will have to do for now! I like it and find it cozy!

My favorite place to be is sitting at my desk working on my blog and feeling professional.

What's your favorite place in your home?

more purple.

Remember this color?

Well... it is now...

THIS color.

Purple.

I enjoy.

Do you?

The 2nd of December.

Well, for those of you who are not aware, yesterday was the first of December.

(yes, I did start this post yesterday...)

Now it's REALLY and LEGALLY time to celebrate the Holidays and spread that Christmas cheer.

In honor of this fine festivious time (yes, I do realize this is not a word),

Sister blister Ani and I have put up the tree.

It only took us about 15 long laborious minutes and the tree looks GLORIOUS.

some Christmas decor... I made the candy dish and painted the frame on the picture!

And Kirk and I...

For kicks.

ENJOY!