A beautiful love...

Sammy & Steven. Wow. I just love them. I utterly love both of them. Their wedding was perfect. They were both beaming with love. Samantha may just have been the most beautiful bride I have ever seen. Steven surprised us all when he turned&dipped Samantha for their first kiss. Sammy's grandfather married them and her huge South African Family was there. It was a wonderful Christmas wedding, it felt like Narnia with all the white silk, crystals, and lights strewn everywhere. Sammy & Steven are just one of those couples you look at and think "How on earth did they get so lucky as to find each other?" They complement each other beautifully. You look at them and are sure that their love will last for years to come. All I can think when I look at them is "My, what a beautiful love." So here's to you, Sammy & Steven. May your love continue to grow as you two embark upon this journey.

Nathan & Andrew sang this song during the ceremony. It was perfect. (Pls. disregard the cartoon images...HA!)

Christmas

I woke up this morning and made Christmas Biscuits via Smitten Kitchen. MMMMM. so light and buttery. and...so easy to make! They went wonderfully with my tomato basil soup.

I love Midnight Mass. There is just something about starting out Christmas in a beautiful church with tall ceilings. Though I'm not Catholic anymore, I still take my Grandma to mass and still enjoy it. I love the atmosphere of Catholic churches, I love it when we great others with "Peace be with You," and I love kneeling down before entering the church. As I stand in front of the large sculpture of Jesus, I can't help but realize how unworthy I am of His love and how grateful I am of all He has done. I found myself terrified of my future last night. Because I am such a planner, it is so difficult for me not to know where my life is going. I am so unsure of my future and it's so hard for me to trust that He has a bigger plan for me. I don't know exactly how to do that. It is so hard for me to....trust. So I think that is what I am going to work on this year... trusting.

1 lb of chocolate and 5 hours later...

My, this is the besttttt chocolate cake ever. Perfect for a birthday, a party, even a breakup. Light & moist, but still very, very rich. It's a chocolate layer cake, with raspberry preserves between the layers, topped off with chocolate ganache. MMMMMM. It was worth the $23 worth of ingredients. It would have been less had I had some of the ingredients at home. Recipe available via Love & Olive Oil.

Where did this week go? Finals, work, clinical orientation for next quarter, shopping, errands....my word. I haven't even been able to go to yoga this week. I watched Once last night. It was full of beautiful, beautiful music. I want the soundtrack badlyyyy. I am exhausted and hoping to have a wonderful day tomorrow. My mind has been going a million miles per hour and I have not taken the time to sit and think. However, escaping in a old book instead sounds like a better idea...

Current favorite: Green Eyes by Coldplay

I'm beginning to understand.

"So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be."

Stephen Chbosky | Perks of being a wallflower

I wish I didn't have to sleep alone tonight.
& that I didn't have to work these next two days.
& that I hadn't procrastinated.
& that forever was guaranteed.

I will be grateful for this day

Yes, yes I will. While I was looking forward to making a pretty decent amount of working on Thanksgiving, I am sure glad that I didn't work tonight! I got put on call...and never called in. YAY! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my crazy family. Sometimes I forget just how much I love them. After dinner we put up our Christmas tree and stockings and drank hot cider. 'Twas wonderful!

The image above is from a wonderful esty shop vol25. They do wonderful work.

This Christmas there are really only 3 things that I want.

1) To get car serviced. May not sound exciting, but it sure is expensive. Luckily for me, my mom has already agreed to give that to me as a Christmas present!!! I'm thrilled.

2) Wool & Rubber Riding Boots. Jcrew. Size 10 pls. They're beautiful. practical for all types of weather and just plain gorgeous. AMAZING. I love them. I really do think that I love them. Except their price, $89. Which is why I plan to ask for them from Santa. And by that I mean save money to buy these gorgeous boots and pray they don't sell out.

3) Linea Paolo "Fae" Flat. s-10. Nordstrom. Blue. perfecttttttt round toe. On sale for $49.

Here's hoping!!!! I'll have to write my letter to Santa soon!

I just had to share!

I was reading through Purpose for the Pain, particularly the acknowledgments and I just had to share this:

"Above all people, places or things my heart longs to acknowledge my Savior, without whom things like hope, love, redemption or purpose cease to exist. It is my daily blessing to wake up and know that He is responsible for this new life that I have, and the beautiful people in it. For all the days that started dark and rainy there have been rainbows. For all the tears that have been shed, something has grown. For all the wounds that have been made, there is a beautiful scar to be shown, and for the hundreds of nights my soul has wondered He has welcomed me home a thousand more."

Here's to a wonderful Sabbath...

SO excited!

1. SO excited to make pumpkin butter cake bars from baked perfection, carrot cake cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese frosting, and meatballs with spicy cranberry sauce.
2. SO excited to shop in December.
3. SO excited to make presents for a couple of people. I went to Hancock's (after a quick study sesh at Stel's of course) and found some AMAZING sherpa lined suede. it's beautiful. and i found this great violet silk that would be perfect for the lining of some sort of purse. Can I just say how much I love the ladies of Hancock Fabrics? They are so incredibly helpful.
4. AND... i just got a cookbook by martha. lovely.
5. also, SO excited to try out chipotle cheddar biscuits! mmmmmm.

CarKristaCole adventures

pumpkin patch fun

wedding dress shopping for Krista!

"Hello, Seattle..."

we sure do love our crumpets =]

the 1st starbucks!

we'll miss you, seattle!

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away." -d. mullock

Little Update

It started out as a rough weekend. One of the hardest I've been through. But luckily everything is okay. This week is turning out pretty well. Despite the numerous midterms to take and projects to present, I am enjoying my time at PUC. LOVING spending time with the boyfriend, laughing with my BSN-mates, and seeing my wonderful friends and girls I used to RA. It's going pretty well... at least until I get back my grade from my Professional Issues Midterm. Yikes!

One of the girls I was an RA to a few years ago requested to talk to me, said she felt as though she was drowning. I jumped at the chance. Number 1) I think this girl is adorable and incredibly sweet. Number 2) Lets be honest, i love to be needed. I went and spoke to her and her roommate and had a wonderful time. I think that they needed to be reminded that they could it. Remember when we were little and our parents used to tell us that we could do anything we set our minds to? Well, I think that we often forget that. We all need to be reminded, once in a while.

cheyenne & i....NOT doing homework.

The Commute

Though I thoroughly hate driving an hour and a half to work and back once a week, I have almost begin to love the commute. Which is crazy because I use about a half of a tank for one day of work and I am fighting to stay awake when I drive home!!!

It's begin to be that time of year where night is eager to fall and the sun is late to rise. And I can honestly say that I love driving at that time of day/night. To me, everything just seems right. I feel as though everything is going to be okay. I am reminded of my blessings, my worries, my fears... and yet somehow I know it's going to be okay. And I have a feeling that God has something to do with this....

This week's playlist:

1. Winter- Noah Gundersen
2. Your Hand in Mine- Explosions in the Sky
3. Dream- Priscilla Ahn
   
4. Fireflies- Owl City
5. Great Expectations (acoustic)- The Gaslight Anthem
6. I Melt With You- Modern English
7. Lamundernodisguse- School of Seven Bells
   
8. Everything'll Be Alright- Joshua Radin
9. Let it Be Me- Ray LaMontagne
10. Little Victories- Matt Nathanson
11. Blue Eyes- The Cary Brothers
12. Lisztomania- Phoenix
13. I and Love and You- The Avett Brothers
14. Just Like Heaven- The Cure
15. The Guide- Borne

2009

Sometimes I get lost. I forget what my goals are, what my values are, what I'm ultimately striving for. Luckily for me, I found my 2009 New Year's Resolutions today and it reminded me of things that I had forgotten.

1. This year I am going to try to stop worrying
2. about losing 15 pounds or
3. saving more money each month or
4. whether I'm good enough or
5. smart enough or
6. pretty enough or
7. If I will pass my boards or
8. succeed
9. Instead, I am going to spend my year
10. trying to make life more meaningful
11. and learn to love
12. others, as well as myself,
13. like You love me.

current music love: noah gundersen - winter

Sunday secrets and everything in-between....

week favorites:

1. Krista + Claudio= ENGAGED! Congratulations Krista & Claudio!!!! So excited for you guys to start a new adventure together!
2. I'm a bridesmaid....chhhhhhh yes.
3. BURRITO NIGHT! what a blast. great people. great food. on a wednesday. who knew you could have a good party on a wednesday! and we had TWO types of pie. fabulous!
4. Coffeestencil.com - I think the ROCO should get some!
5. Where The Wild Things Are comes out soon. I found this picture of this boy who looks EXACTLY like max. so adorable. wish I could wear HIS halloween costume.
6. Thaifest, pizzafest, piefest with K & C twice this week! It is rare that our schedules coincide.
7. Ronald McDonald Dinner went well! New people, good chili. I am always so impressed by the people that are staying there, as well as the people who come and help out!
8. And last but not least, congrats Kristina and Dave. It's been a long time coming!

week un-favorites:

1. foster care nursing. I can handle diseases that hurt kids. That is NO problem for me. However, I cannot take it when parents/guardians hurt kids. CANNOT. therefore, foster care nursing is NOT for me.
2. should've done more of my assignments, but I was just not feeling it this week!
3. Waiting for sunday secrets. I check postsecret each Sunday...but I sure wish secrets were posted daily.
4. I didn't get to craft this week....LAMEEE

Happy Sabbath. Hope today brings you rest, comfort, joy, and Jesus !

I want...

So cute!!! I would love to make pies in these.
Williams & Sonoma-$17 for both!

I love Built by Wendy. Her clothes are just lovely!

Maybe I should open an Etsy Shop?

After about 2 hours of working on my Child Abuse assignments today, I decided it was time to leave Stel's and head home. However, Hancock Fabrics caught my eye. I sure do love going through their remnants bin! Look what I found:

Such fun, right? And... instead of completing my assignments, I spent an hour or two on the sewing machine. Look what I made:

It's a wonderfully soft suede.

I am a HUGE fan of the lining.

It's a really small snap-button closure, but it was all I had at home. Hopefully it will do!

What do you think? Not bad for spending $8 at the fabric store, right?

and then I proceeded to make that wonderful fringe into a headband. Only 79 cents/yard!

Not a very academically productive afternoon, but certainly a crafty one. Maybe I'll open an etsy shop? Then I would have a reason to spend hours sewing!

move.

I stumbled upon Renee Yohe's blog a few years ago and was immediately drawn to her writings. Such honesty, such pain, such determination. I was elated when she came out with a book (Purpose for the Pain) full of writings from her journal.

My favorite has got to be Move.

"I have been trapped. put on hold. placed carelessly on layaway, a moment of indecision, confusion, and then i'm left hanging on a wire, suspended...

How cruel, I say, how unfair! my heart is not mechanical and i don't have a switch to flip. i was not meant to pause, to stop. i am a force that drives and moves and shakes. i am uncomfortable. i am uncertain of many things.

i am uncertain when to flight or flee, when to test or roll over and bare my neck for your teeth to tear to shred or caress. I am uncertain when to stay or take my pieces or go. i am unsure of how this works, how it fits and which parts to discard and which things to hold onto for later. i am unsure of you, your heart and mine and if they match or if i have been coloring outside the lines again.

if i am five and i have dressed myself in all confidence to be laughed back into my bedroom to try again.

or if by going i am burning.

what i am sure of is what my heart is for. the only clarity i find is my drive to move for people. for dirty ditches and reaching hands and shelter in the storms. for setting broken hearts and loving scarred up arms. for building and restoring and tearing down and starting over.

and so that is what i will do. i will move. with or without you. i will walk on and forge this path and let go. open my hand, so sweaty, clenched tight to my chest, and give it back to the one who give to me in first place and trust. in my plans for the future, for hope, for a love that will stay.

i will allow you to be removed from me (simple but not easy) and continue forward. and. if, i look over and someone is there, i will run with them.

happily ever after is not always what we thought it would be. is not always guaranteed. is not always...is not...is...

so this is me hanging up the phone. not sure if you have heard, or if you are only listening or if you have again fallen asleep. this is me taking a step forward refusing to turn my head to see if you will choose. to see if you are following me. this is me and my heart determined to move."

isn't she amazing? I think so.

camping

I have been craving a beach camping weekend.
Summers of surf camp have spoiled me and I can't believe I didn't live at the beach this summer.

My newest find on etsy is Leannegraeff. She has these adorable camping tea towels and totes. They just make you want to go camping. And...she's doing a giveaway!

anyone want to go camping????

the one

I found it.
THE one.
The one I’ve waited for all my life…

MY PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE.
Not too thin, not too big…justtttt perfect.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. in a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.
• beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Chill dough in refrigerator for an hour or so.
• stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. drop rounded balls of cookie dough, about a spoonful at a time, onto the prepared cookie sheets. cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
• bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

I also added some orange zest! Sounded good at the time. Even though I’m not that much of a fan of orange and chocolate…but my co-workers liked them!

Thank you’s to heartoflight & milk eggs chocolate!

Finally

2009



Getty Day!



i love these girls.

"hey mickey, you're so fine...so fine you blow my mind...HEY MICKEY!"

Sundays with Lauryn...

I feel like all I do is drive to glendale, work, sleep, and drive home. It's kind of depressing! Luckily this weekend, though glendale was burning up (!!!), lauryn and I managed to make a fabulous desert! Perfect for those hot summer days. Tart, sweet, and really just tastes like summer. And...SO easy to make.

Here's the recipe from baked perfection, and a picture I stole from her as well, because I forgot to take a picture before we consumed the pie!

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container whipped topping, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In medium bowl, combine cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar, and the melted butter. Press firmly on bottom and up sides of pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy. Pour mixture into the pie crust and freeze overnight. Garnish with lemon peel.

Sunday night, we went to the Hotel Cafe for Songwriter Sundays. I almost forgot how much i love live music. My, oh my! We sure did get lucky. Everyone we saw was terrific and the best part was that we only paid $5! What a steal!My favorites from that night were Carlee Hendrix, Nikki Lang, and Susannah Crowley.They were all so adorable. Lauryn and I sat to Nikki's proud Grandma Monica... she was such a kick! Well, I officially fell in love with the Hotel Cafe. Nice venue, though really, really small. I'll have to go back again.

Beach day with my AMG girls tomorrow...and hopefully Selphie. And maybe bake some cookies beforehand.

Random...

Today I made Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese frosting (from Joy the Baker)....yum!!! The cupcakes were just your ordinary cupcake...but with the frosting....SO delicious! And...just so the cupcakes weren't so ordinary, I added several drops of red food coloring. Hope my co-workers like them! Here's the recipe if you want to try it!

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

8oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

4-6 cups powdered sugar

2-4 tablespoons milk, depending on desired consistency

Cream the cream cheese in an electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and add the butter, beating for 1-2 minutes, or until incorporated. Add the brown sugar, pinch of salt and vanilla extract, and beat until incorporated. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on a low speed so the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Slowly add more sugar alternately with the milk until you reach your desired consistency

I have fallen in love etsy.com. I've started to check it daily. There's everything from clothes to furniture. Most are handmade and there are quite a few vintage things for sale, as well. I fall in love with different things each day and today it was this card...

I was browsing through some blogs and found what I think Carli will make her bridesmaids wear when she gets married.

Chalkboard Cupboards....what an ADORABLE idea!

oh, p.s. i miss you.

look what youngin's we were.

we had only been dating for a month!!!