Happy Christmas Eve!

Surprise!

Ben and I bought a time-share a few years ago on our anniversary trip to Florida. I know... I know... we are idiots suckers!!

Anyway, in two years we have yet to use our three week vacation. So, this year we decided to get a little cold weather fix during the holiday season. We got what we asked for!!

That is snow on my left eye. It was snowing!! 6-8 inches of beautiful white snow! Though, I was just as happy to drive out of it as I was to wake up to it. This girl loves her warm weather; Not gonna lie!

Leaving this on Tuesday...

To wake up to this on Wednesday...

and this...

Was traumatic.... but, we took our lemons snow and made lemonade ice cream!

We decided, last minute, to shorten our trip to Colorado and surprise everyone from home. We stayed at our time-share in Steamboat Springs for two days, packed the car back up, and headed for Saint Louis!!

Jenny-Bug taking a potty break in the Colorado mountains before the snow storm

First on our list of victims family to surprise were Grandpa and Grandma Mac! They were shocked and extremely surprised to see us at 1:00 am (woops!) We hugged and went strait to bed but woke up nice a early to get in some good visiting. After hanging with them all day we decided to go to our favorite Lake of The Ozarks restaurant, JB Hook's.

Okay so thats a bit of an exaggeration. It's not necessarily our favorite but it is the place that Ben took me to impress me with his fat wallet I mean, spoil me on the night he proposed. It is, hands down, the yummies place to eat at the lake however, it is not light on the pocket book which we half laughed/half cried about when we got the bill. It was worth it though, this was after all suppose to be our anniversary vacation!

After dinner we went back to the lake house and played some Skipbo with the grandparents and headed back to bed to rest up for our next drive. We woke up, packed up yet again and headed for Saint Louis.

Three short hours later we were crossing the good old Lewis & Clark bridges to our little river town.

Next on our list were my parents. We picked up the nephews on our way over and had it all planned out that Owen and Turner would show up at the front door holding the girls and say that they just found these puppies wondering around the front yard and then we would pop out and surprise whoever answered the door. Unfortunately, Mom saw my freakishly tall husband running across the yard and yelled, "BEN'S OUTSIDE!!" before we could hide.

Nonetheless, Mom and Dad were both super excited to see us. Though, Mom scolded us for not giving her proper time to plan a Tuesday Thanksgiving dinner since we would have to leave, to drive the 32 hours back to San Diego, on Thursday morning.

After my parents we took off to surprise Ben's family. The only problem was that we could not find Ben's family!! We finally found his brother, Brad at the family business who told us that Bev was at her best friend's house cuddling her best friend's new grandson and Bob was at the Rams/Bears game with their friend Steve.

We wondered aimlessly through Wood River and East Alton for awhile and then decided to go see Ben's friend Tommy and his new baby girl but they were packing up to leave for their Thanksgiving festivities. So, we headed over to Ben's Grandma Melba's where we ran in to his Uncle Brian and Aunt Karen who we have not seen since we moved to California.

We had a good chat with them and then headed to Maryville to surprise Bev at Steve and Nancy's house. Surprise her, we did! She was shocked and elated to see us at the front door. We waited for Bob and Steve to get home, stayed at visited for an hour or so and then headed out to meet a small hoard of our friends and family that had gathered at one of our favorite pizza joints, Roma's Pizza, for dinner.

The following night a bunch of our friends were gathering at Fast Eddie's to visit with our friend John who moved to Alaska last year. So, we took that opportunity to surprise them as well!! It worked out perfectly!

Now that the surprising was over Ben was on to his next goal. Eat at as many of our favorite places as possible!! We did pretty well I have to say.

Mini Corral

China King

Imo's Pizza

Roma's Pizza

Fast Eddie's

Los Tres Amigos

Not bad at all!!

On Wednesday night we joined in on what I have now been told by Brad's girlfriend is called, "Skansgiving" to catch up with some old high school friends and of course hang out with the bestie! We made our rounds at Bossanova, Mac's, and Chez Marilyn followed up by a 2am drive through hit at Jack in the Box. Perfect Night!

After all of our belly stuffing we headed on out and started the 32 hours drive back to San Diego.

To give ourselves a break from driving we stopped at the Grand Canyon for a little site seeing. It was just like everyone says, simply breathtaking. Photographs just don't do it justice. The puppies really enjoyed the short hike and crashed out on the rest of the way home so that was a plus!

Our munchkins cuddling in their new bed they got from Grandma & Grandpa Mac

All in all it was a great little Thanksgiving trip but, I have to say I am happy to be home in my slightly less frigid warmer weather!

Happy Holidays! We will be packing and moving to our new little beach cottage during our holidays!! So excited to get away from the college dorm/frat house/apartment life that we have been living in!!

Happy Almost Halloween From Mini Miley

Suggested Listening: Wrecking Ball, By: Miley Cyrus

My bestie is quite possibly the coolest person ever....

Standing at 5 feet and 1 inch tall, I give you Mini-Miley!!!

The One Without A Title

Suggested Listening: In The Garden, By: Royal Wood

Today was the day that I was suppose to hold you. The day that our lives would forever change. The day that our first little girl was born. October 20, 2013. I remember thinking about the cosy little halloween costume I would put you in for your very first Halloween. I knew that we would just sit at home in our fabulous costumes but that would be okay because we had you.

Today, my little girl, I miss you so very much. Brendon was blasting his rap and R&B today while we readied the store to open. Biggie's, "Big Papa" started to play over the loud speakers and I had to laugh as tears came to my eyes. I knew in that very moment that you are still here with me and you just wanted me to know it. Your daddy was so cute trying to rap that day when we saw your little heart flickering so bright and your little body just a wiggling there on the screen.

In my heart I know that it was just not our time. That we were not ready for you. Still, my heart aches for the little girl that almost was. No little boy or girl will ever replace you in my heart, my Cora, my first baby girl.

Love, Mommy

Image credit: mayboro / 123RF Stock Photo

Taco Tuesday: Ground Beef and Cheese Double Layer Quesadilla

Ground Beef and Cheese Double Layer Quesadilla

Heat: 350 degrees

Time: 17 minutes

Calories: 1,012 for entire Quesadilla (2 Servings) 506 in half (1 serving) 

• 3 - Quesadilla wraps (I use Mission Medium / Soft Taco Super Soft Flour Tortillas)
• 6 oz - cooked ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning (I used Pantry Essentials Taco Seasoning Mix)
• 3 tbs - Ranch dressing (I use Hidden Valley Ranch Original)
• Taco Seasoning (I used Pantry Essentials Taco Seasoning Mix)
• 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican style cheese (I used Kraft Mexican Four Cheese Blend)
• Sour Cream (I used Sprouts Farmers Market Light Sour Cream)
• 1/2 cup - Shredded spinach
• Vegetable Oil (I used Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray)

Mix a small amount of taco seasoning with ranch dressing and set aside. I mix 3 tablespoons with an entire bottle of ranch using the ranch bottle as a container.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Lay your first tortilla on the aluminum foiled cookie sheet and then lightly spray the tortilla with oil spray.

Spred 1 tbs of taco ranch on your tortilla. Add 1/4 cup cheese and 3 oz of ground beef.

Place second tortilla on top of first tortilla and toppings. Spread 1 tbs of taco ranch on top of second tortilla and add 1/4 cup cheese and 3 oz ground beef. Place third tortilla on top of second tortilla covered in toppings. Spray top of tortilla with vegetable oil spray.

Bake quesadilla at 350 degree for 10 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from oven flip quesadilla over using a spatula and return to 350 degree oven for 7 more minutes. 

Remove cookie sheet from oven and place quesadilla on a cutting board. Cut quesadilla into eight pieces using a pizza cutter. Spread 1 tbs of taco ranch to top of quesadilla.

Move quesadilla to a serving platter. Top with 1/2 cup shredded spinach and a drizzle of sour cream. Serve and enjoy!

Taco Tuesday: Chicken, Bean, and Cheese Double Layer Quesadilla

Chicken, Bean, and Cheese Double Layer Quesadilla

Heat: 350 degrees

Time: 17 minutes

Calories: 920 for entire Quesadilla (2 Servings) 460 in half (1 serving) 

Side note: 3/8 of this fills up my belly and that is a 345 calorie serving

Ingredients:

• 3 - Quesadilla wraps (I use Mission Medium / Soft Taco Super Soft Flour Tortillas)
• 4 oz - Cooked sliced or shredded chicken breast (I use Trader Joe's fully cooked chicken breast w/rib meat)
• 4 scoops of beans (I use Trader Joe's Black Beans)
• 3 tbs - Ranch dressing (I use Hidden Valley Ranch Original)
• Taco Seasoning (I used Pantry Essentials Taco Seasoning Mix)
• 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican style cheese (I used Kraft Mexican Four Cheese Blend)
• Sour Cream (I used Sprouts Farmers Market Light Sour Cream)
• 1/2 cup - Shredded Lettuce
• Vegetable Oil (I used Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray)

Mix a small amount of taco seasoning with ranch dressing and set aside. I mix 3 tablespoons with an entire bottle of ranch using the ranch bottle as a container.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Lay your first tortilla on the aluminum foiled cookie sheet and then lightly spray the tortilla with oil spray.

Spread 1 tbs of taco ranch on your tortilla. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 2 oz of chicken and two scoops of beans.

Place second tortilla on top of first tortilla and toppings. Spread 1 tbs of taco ranch on top of second tortilla and add 1/4 cup cheese, 2 oz chicken and 2 scoops of beans. Place third tortilla on top of second tortilla covered in toppings. Spray top of tortilla with vegetable oil spray.

Bake quesadilla at 350 degree for 10 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from oven flip quesadilla over using a spatula and return to 350 degree oven for 7 more minutes. 

Remove cookie sheet from oven and place quesadilla on a cutting board. Cut quesadilla into eight pieces using a pizza cutter. Spread 1 tbs of taco ranch to top of quesadilla.

Move quesadilla to a serving plater. Top quesadilla with 1/2 cup of shredded lettuce, a sprinkling of cheese and drizzle with sour cream. Serve and enjoy!

Truth

Suggested Listening: True Colors: Cover By: Craig Cardiff

I love Kelle Hampton so very much! Especially when she is obviously irritated and trying so very hard not to flip her lid. Read this post. You will smile. And if you don't. Then you are probably one of the haters she is trying not to flip a lid on...

And because Kelle and I are in complete agreement that every post must have, at the very least, one photograph. I leave you with this little gem. You're welcome...

Chasing Dreams in The Rain

Suggested Listening: Riptide By: Vance Joy

It rained today in San Diego. That does not happen very often here. We don't even own an umbrella. I took the the puppies out to use the potty and there were several people running into their apartments like they were running for their lives. A girl was complaining that her hair was going to be ruined and a man was trying his hardest to cover himself with his briefcase. 

Me... I was dancing like a five year old; so excited just to see rain. I actually ran into the bedroom, jumped on top of Ben with both knees and yelled, "Wake up! It's RAINING in San Diego!!" Ben was laughing at me because "who else have you ever met that rain makes ecstatically happy?"

Okay, so I am completely aware that this is a total over reaction to rain but, dude, this girl loves her some rain! Some say that the suicide and depression rates are much higher in Seattle because it rains all the time. This girl says, "LET'S MOVE THERE!" Seriously, I have had an obsession with Seattle since I can remember. Never being there even once in my life does not matter. Seattle is the best city on Earth! This I am convinced of. 

After high school I almost moved there. Getting excepted to the Seattle Art Institute was my life's goal and I did get excepted but I didn't even tell anyone. I was too freaked out. Well, I did tell my best friend and we had it all worked out that we would live together in a little walk up while I became a world class photographer and he became a huge music producer. Ahh Young ambitions!! He bailed after he fell in love on a Summer trip to Germany and being too afraid to move across the country alone The Academy of Design Chicago is where I settled on for Graphic Design and Fashion Marketing... Not sure what I was thinking there but we all have our paths and mine has definitely been the long way around. I wouldn't have it any other way!

Maybe it was "Sleepless in Seattle" maybe it was something else, who knows, but Seattle is it for me. I will live there someday. Even if it is just for a short time.... Me in Seattle will happen. Rain + Dreaming of a Seattle walk up = One excited five year old version of myself. Heres to making wild dreams happen!

The puppies and I drying off on the porch after playing in the rain

Taco Tuesday: Taco Flatbread Pizza

Taco Flatbread Pizza

Heat: 450 degrees

Time: 11 minutes

Calories: 964 for entire flatbread (2 servings) 482 in half flatbread (1 serving)

Ingredients:

• Vegetable Oil (I used Trader Joe's Coconut Oil Spray)
• 1- Flatbread (I used Sprouts Farmers Market Garlic Tandoori Naan)
• Taco Seasoning (I used Pantry Essentials Taco Seasoning Mix)
• 3 tbs Ranch Dressing (I used Hidden Valley Ranch Original)
• 4 oz Extra Lean Stew Meat (I got mine at Sprouts Farmers Market)
• 1/2 cup Shredded Mexican style cheese (I used Kraft Mexican Four Cheese Blend)
• Sour Cream (I used Sprouts Farmers Market Light Sour Cream)

Mix a small amount of taco seasoning with ranch dressing and set aside. I mix 3 tablespoons with an entire bottle of ranch using the ranch bottle as a container. We use a lot of taco ranch!

Slice the stew meat very thin and lightly brown in a skillet pan on the stove top. Do not cook through; just enough to take most of the pink out. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Lay your flatbread on the aluminum foiled cookie sheet and then lightly spray the flatbread with oil spray.

Top your flatbread with three tablespoons of Taco Ranch.

Top your flatbread with 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and 4 oz of stew meat.

Bake your pizza in a 450 degree oven for 11 minutes then transfer to a cutting board and cut into eight pieces. Top with a drizzling of sour cream and serve.

Enjoy! Ben and I sure did!

Is it just me...

Bangerz looks just like Cocktail

Did I just show my age??

Happy Sunday Funday!

Suggested Listening: Young Blood By: Birdy

Firework

Click here to see love, hope, and inspiration!

Mrs. Barton (in the red shirt and kakis) is none other than Ben and my sweet little niece's TeeTee (Grandma). Chloe and Reese are so lucky to have such an amazing person to look up to. Tee Tee is an absolute firework!

Exploring California: Catalina Island, Avalon, California

Suggested Listening: Off We Go (feat. Erin McCarley) By: Transition

Momma and Daddy are traveling in California for two weeks starting with San Diego and heading up to San Francisco and then back to San Diego. Ben and I decided to take a week off and show them around San Diego and also took a little mini-vaca to Catalina Island. Let me tell you... the part of Catalina that we visited; called Avalon, California; is absolutely gorgeous.

Ben and me high above Avalon, California on Catalina Island

Momma and Daddy married 40 years this August

We started off our day on the Catalina Express witch was actually quite an adventure on it's own. Having no idea what to expect we took off in the car for a two hour ride in horrendous traffic to Dana Point to catch the boat which in my mind would be a little ferry boat taking us over to the island. In fact it is more like going to an airport but we'll get to that part later.

So, we pull up to the Dana Point Ferry Landing and realize that the boats only leave every three or four hours or so and that the next one is leaving in 20 minutes. So, we haul ass over to the ticket booth to buy a parking pass and boat tickets but as we get to the gate the parking guard laughs and says that we will never make it time and besides that boat is sold out for the next two weeks!! Super!!

So, Ben runs to the ticket office to pick up a schedule and see when and where we can catch the next boat and we were off to Long Beach to catch the Catalina Express. I decided to call and make reservations on our way since it would take at least another hour to get there in traffic and it is a GOOD thing I did. The guy on the other end of the line actually laughed out loud at me when I said I needed tickets to Catalina for that day with a return of the same night. In the end he worked some magic and got four tickets on the Catalina Express with an upgrade to the Commodore Lounge. So we paid a little more than we wanted but we were rollin like ballers in the open bar over the Pacific Ocean.

Ben and me in the Commodore Lounge

Daddy and Momma in the Commodore Lounge

Momma sippin on her margarita 

The views when we arrived were amazing and the views from above were simply breathtaking. We rented a four person golf cart and took a self guided tour of the island into the mountains. It was so amazing. The photographs simply to not do the views justice. They were simply unreal. Catalina is definitely our new favorite place. Ben and I will be visiting a lot in the future. We have actually already decided that this is were we will go for out anniversary in November. If ever you are in SoCal, Catalina is a must visit. It is so totally worth every penny!

The Catalina Island Golf Course

Best name for a restaurant EVER!