a lot to be thankful for!

So I promise I haven't forgotten about this blog, but this week has been busy!

I had a great weekend (even thought Matt was gone in Vegas) hanging out with friends and catching up on some things. I got to hang out alllllll day with my great friend deedee. we went and got yummy thai food down the street, got our nails done, and i dragged her on all my errands with me. it was wonderful to have the company. (sorry deedee for making you push my shopping cart around target!) we then decided to make some cupcakes....THEY WERE THE BEST CUPCAKES I HAVE EVER HAD. i kid you not. i am going to attach the recipe because i feel like i should share this goodness with the rest of the world, or those of you that visit my blog at least. they were chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes. pretty much a delicious choc chip cookie inside a cupcake with fudge frosting. need i say more?

anywho, the cupcakes were wonderful. k-dubs (aka kelly woodward) came over and we went and saw bridesmaids. it was HILARIOUS. i cant wait to see it again so that i can catch all the silly one liners. we ordered pizza from porky's pizza and then had a wonderful time just chatting. i love when people come and visit the new place. it makes me really happy, because i know it is a bit out of the way, and people are fabulous for making that effort.

sunday was FAJA'S day and i got to spend the day with my dad and sister, her husband, and the beautiful kiddos. it was a fun and easy day. we ate food, watched golf, and hung out, all in my tiny living room. it was fab. matt got back that afternoon, and we went to have dinner with his family. boy, do i love those people. i always have the greatest time with them, and they feel like my own family.

this week i've gotten the chance to see a lot of my bestest buddies. my friend chris was in town for vegas with the boys, and he stayed through monday, so i was able to go to dinner with him and a few of my great friends for sushi in huntington. yummy :) i wish he lived here in california still. i really appreciate our time together. on tuesday, i got to see my morgie girl, who has been missing from my life for three weeks now. NO BUENO. i missed her way too much. she is such a beautiful and faithful friend of mine. i love her so. wednesday was a great day too. i got to go to the beach for the first time since living down here. i got sunburned, took a nap, and enjoyed the many kites flying overhead. I LOVE WHERE I LIVE. matthew and i got to go to dinner together (which is super rare, honestly) and we walked down to belmont brewing co. yummy food and beers. i'm okay with that.

i do have to say though that today tops all of the rest of my great days by a lot. not only did i get to hang out with my girl abby this morning, but i got a GREAT phone call. I AM AN EMPLOYED BIG GIRL NOW! and how blessed do i feel! i will be working at Chapman University as an Admissions Counselor! ChIcKa WhAt?!?!?!?!??! I am so excited about working with everyone in the office. they are great people and wow, i just can't seem to say enough how lucky and ECSTATIC i am. wowzas.

I know you are bored now. this is probably not as fun to read as it is to write it.

to top everything off, i am off to vegas tomorrow for mandy's bachelorette party. i expect nothing but mayhem and fun! so many things to celebrate! by far one of the best weeks EVER.

:) happy weekend! love you all!

chocolate chip cook dough cupcakes: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough--cupcake--the-best-cupcake-ever/detail.aspx

reminiscing

Today is my cousin's graduation, and I found myself thinking a lot about what my life was like four years ago. FOUR. YEARS. AGO. holy moly, where did time go? it honestly seems like yesterday. So many things have changed since June 21, 2007. I was getting ready to go to Texas, and I had the lay d to saantest high school summer of my life left ahead of me. I had AMAZING friends, and a bright future. Things of course have changed since then, like any chapter does, and I just wanted to take a second to thank those people who made my high school experience so, so amazing. Nat, Ali, Kels, Kasey, Katers, Holls, other Katers, slawby,anna, marit, alex, shanny, and so many more. I found my OBEY '07 shirt in the midst of moving and it made me giggle a lot. I remember posing on kelsey's lawn for a picture of all the girls wearing the shirt. the shirt was a little dusty when I found it, but it brought a huge smile to my face.

Here are some pictures that I found while reminiscing. sorry there's so many, i couldn't choose which ones I liked the most.
yearbook signing. i wish we did this in college!

i really, REALLY love this girl. friends since 9th grade.

graduation day!

senior night.

first visit to santa barabara. boots and the german. ;)

old school!

honeymooners at hotel del.

i miss lockers.

pigtails and tp-ing.

sweet 16. limo, dinner, and 70s roller skating. i dont think i would have made it on my sweet 16.

the summers of tans and rides from parents.

i am so blessed to have always had the best friends. not many people can say that they have been so lucky. even though relationships have changed, there is still a near and dear place in my heart for all these people because without them, i would not be where i am today. miss you guys! i have the highest hopes for all my friends futures because they are all the best, genuine people i have ever met. i only choose the best.


it's the weekend! matt is away on a boys trip this weekend and although i will miss him, i have lots of girl time to catch up on. i get to hang out with my good friend deedee tomorrow hopefully get our nails done! so excited. then sunday is father's day which i am going to spend with my pops, sister (and fam) and brother. have i said lately how lucky i feel? oh, right, ya i did.

have the most wonderful weekend! :)

fotos.

Here's a cool quote for the day!

I love this boy so so much.

These two women are my daily inspiration.

The godson that has transformed my life.

I have the best job ever!

bear bear, chicka bear bear.

first dinner at the new place, wine and pasta :)

I know these are super random, but they are things that I am feeling like sharing today. happy thursday! it is almost the weekend party people!

Here Goes Nothing!

So, this is my first attempt at a real life blog, but with a little more downtime these days, sans homework and sorority meetings, I figured I would give it a shot. Post-grad life is such an experience! There is an uncertainty to what's next in my life. Up until this point, I've always had a next move, and right now there is a lot of unknowns. It is hard for me to relinquish control at this point, but I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason. Right now, I am all about appreciating the small things. It seems to be all about the small things these days. The way my dog gets so excited when I get home from work everyday, the fuzzy pillow on my couch that always tickles my nose, my tiny, yet charming kitchen, the caramel at the bottom of my coffee, the song that brings back so many memories, and the smell of the ocean on my morning walks. I feel like for the first time, in a long time, I have slowed down. I am looking at everything around me more closely, appreciating the relationships I have more than ever, and finding the time to stay in touch with all of my friends and family. This is what life is all about. As my best friend once told me, "In the end, you see things with such clarity" and this has proved to be true more than ever. This isn't a morbid kind of end, but the end of one chapter of my life and the beginning of another. For those of you reading this, thanks for listening as I get all "philosophical" on you. I feel blessed, happy, and right where I am supposed to be. :) happy wednesday!

btw, the picture above is a view from my room at my new place. aren't i lucky?