Wedding Weekend

Our good friends, Brandon and Lainey got married this past weekend. It was so fun to be able to get together with friends and have a fun night of hanging out and dancing. Lainey was truly one of the most gorgeous brides I have ever seen and the ceremony was so special as the priest read letters that the both of them wrote one another.

I love spending time with Jason and his friends from high school. I look back on the 10 years we have been together and so many of them include wild and crazy memories with his friends. I feel so lucky to have all of them and their significant others in our lives. Each of them are so unique and I know how much their friendship means to Jay.




Ryan and Lauren spent the weekend at our house and it was so fun to be reunited with our best friends. They are such special people to both of us and we miss having them around daily. I cherish the time we get together and I can't wait to visit them this summer in Denver.

Weekend In Tahoe

We just got back from a weekend away in Tahoe with Amy and Chad. It was so nice to be able to escape and enjoy the amazing weather and beautiful scenery. I am always amazed and feel so blessed that we live so close to such a breathtaking place. I am someone that loves Tahoe in both the winter and summer, so I'm always up for going.

Saturday we went to Kings Beach for a day in the sun. We loved our island coozies that Amy bought and Jason made a new friend in the lake. This man had a waterproof metal detector that he spent hours combing the lake for treasures. It was very entertaining.

Later that night we went to Sunnyside for dinner. Amy and I realized that we both enjoy pressuring our husbands to try our food or drinks against their will. I think it is because Jason and Chad are just so nice.

Make sure when you visit that you get a piece of Hula pie. It is enough to share with 4 and so delicious!

After dinner I persuaded everyone to play Balderdash (a old favorite) and we had a so many laughs at everyone's answers. Amy dominated the game with her creativity and Jason kept us laughing at his ridiculous answers.
Today we went to breakfast in Truckee and then were back on the road. Of course, I did need to make a stop to get a carmel apple. It is a ritual whenever I am in Tahoe. Don't ask me why.
Thank you Amy and Chad for a wonderful weekend. It was so much fun.

Betty and Bob's 40th Wedding Anniversary

Jason and I were honored to be able to host Betty and Bob's 40th Wedding Anniversary Celebration at our house this past weekend. We did a Hawaaian theme since they honeymooned there 40 years ago and are also heading back to vacation there this week. It was so special to have their friends and family at our house and be able to enjoy quality time together in our backyard.

Congrats Betty and Bob on a wonderful 40 years together. We are so lucky to have your love as an inspiration to us all. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful in-laws that I truly consider a second set of parents.

Cheers to a lifetime of happiness!

Dinner for 40? No problem with some help from my parents and carefully choosing some dishes that were able to be prepared ahead of time.


My Dad made a beautiful wedding cake that was delicious. We did a little ceremonial 1st cut.


Some pictures on display from their wedding.


Friends and Family










A Special Thanks to Danny for all the beautiful photos!

Sushi...Rookie Mistake

Jason and I like sushi, but are not very daring when we order.
Our standard order is:
California Roll (Jason)
Shrimp Tempura Roll (Heather)
Chiken Terriyaki (Share)
Edamame (I eat whole bowl to myself)

Well...last night we went somewhere new and I got a little confused. I asked the waitress what hand-rolled meant. She pointed to a picture and it looked like the type we like.

Minutes later our sushi arrived and it was not what we typically get. The sushi was like an ice cream cone made of seaweed filled with the contents (see picture above). This was not what we thought we had ordered, but both of us were too embarassed, so we smiled and pretended to be excited. Once the waitress left we started laughing wondering what had happened. When we looked at the picture, we realized right next to the picture we thought she had pointed to was actually the sushi cone.

Jason ended up being a good boy and trying his, while I refused and simply ate the shrimp out of it.

LESSON TO BE LEARNED: Don't order hand rolled sushi, unless you are expecting the seaweed cone.

Sex and The WC City

Tonight was opening weekend for Sex and The City and we ventured out on the town for a little ladies night out. We started off the night with some martini's and then headed to the movies. It was crazy! I've never seen such a site. Woman were everywhere and in large groups. The line to get a seat had to be about 300 deep. The movie was great, but more importantly loved the scene. It truly was great to be sitting with so many different groups of girlfriends that were all there for the same purpose...to have some fun.

Two thumbs up!

YEAH! We got seats together. All 13 of us.

Bubbly Anyone?


Nothing but ladies in the house!

I HAVE BANGS!!!

I needed a change. And so I visited Heidi this afternoon and insisted, "Give me some bangs!" After debating (with myself) for about a 1/2 an hour and also looking through current magazines, I realized it was the way to go. I got quite an stylish cut (that I'm hoping I can duplicate on my own). I feel that I can best describe it as Cleopatra. Hope you like it! Hey, at least it is something different.

Jason's 1st reaction (since he didn't know what I was doing), "Is it a wig?" Not sure how to take that, but soon he will realize the wig does not come off.

Cut In Progress


New Do

Yes, I know it is a little shocking!


Melissa also got some bangs today.

New Hair Do or Do Not

So, I'm just a few minutes away from heading out to see my good friend Heidi for a little dye and cut action. I'm contemplating if I want a new "do" for the summer. Everyone laughs at my excitement with my last cut when I claimed I now had bangs and truth be told they were really just short layers. So we will see what I end up with. At least I know it will turn out great since Heidi is doing it.

To be continued...

And yes Mom, I know you are probably reading this and ready to pick-up your phone to tell me to cut it short. I know you love it that way!

The Bachelorette

So, my favorite show premiered last night and it did not disappoint. Here is a re-cap on why I (and Jason, but he probably won't admit it in public) love this show so much.

Deanna "The Bachelorette" has got to be the cutest, most geniune person they have ever had on this show. She is absolutely beautiful and the men are already completely smitten by her. It is refreshing to see someone who really wants to find true love (if that is even possible on a TV program).

I like "The Bachelorette" much more than "The Bachelor" since it is hilarous to watch grown men compete over one woman. You rarely see a glimpse into what men act like in groups and this show gives you an inside look. I loved seeing the men try all their different techniques of getting her attention. One even jumped in the pool and when he stripped down it revealed he was wearing a speedo with her name on it. Another did a Kung Foo flying kick to knock a lemon off another guy's head. Now that would actually scare me a little.

Truly a guilty pleasure...I can't wait for next week.

Here are predictions and picks for the Final 3.

Graham

Pro: HOT, SLY and FLIRTY
Con: His profile says he is a professional basketball player, however when Deanna asked him what he does he said invests in bars. Seems a little suspicious.

Jason

Pro: Adorable and an all-around nice guy
Con: He has a child. I don't think it is a big deal, but will Deanna?

Jeremy

Pro: HOT, HOT, HOT
Con: Was a little quiet last night, but maybe because he got the 1st rose.

If you watch, did you have any favorites?

Frozen Yogurt

Is it just me or do you love Frozen Yogurt? A few of us just took a break from work and headed down to Yogurt Park (the very best place to go!!!!) I got 1/2 lemon chiffon, 1/2 vanilla with yogurt drops added in. YUM!!! Am I making you crave it too? Frozen Yogurt is always such a good snack and satisfies so many cravings. Whether you are in the mood for something fruity, a little bit of chocolate or both it is the very best!

Marley's Trip to the City

A few weeks ago we brought Marley to Baker Beach in San Francisco. If you are looking for a dog friendly beach this is the best spot. Dogs are everywhere! She loved the whole experience and we were so blessed with amazing weather for the city. Sadly, she stayed on leash since she is still quite the rascal and I don't quite trust her to not eat everyone's food. But we had a nice retractable leash which allowed her 16-feet of independence which came in handy in the ocean. We then headed to Sausalito for a drink with the most amazing ocean view. It was the perfect day. Sometimes you forget how many places we have to visit here right in our own backyard. Marley makes us get out and want to experience all of them with her.

I love this dog so much! She means so much to Jason and I and I always think about what an amazing family pet she will someday be. She is the best addition in our lives.

Seascape Escape

Last weekend I headed to the beach for a much needed night of relaxation and rejuvenation with some friends. Alix, Melissa, Monica and I headed down to Aptos to a gorgeous resort on the beach.

It was the perfect trip with the girls: plenty of celebrity magazines to read, in-room massages, sunny warm weather, smores down at the beach, sitting around the bonfire, friendship, laughter and more.

Sitting on the deck and looking out to the beautiful blue ocean made me realize how relaxing the water is. The whole weekend was amazing and if you are ever looking for a quick trip to get away and unwind, I highly recommend this destination.

Seascape Resort

Spirit Week

This week, Diablo held Spirit Week, which was a chance for employees to get excited and recharged for work. Here is a re-cap of the events. It was truly a blast, but I can't even think about how much work I've got to make-up next week.

Monday - Pajama Day
Our Operations team started off the week by serving the entire office a gourmet breakfast buffet. We even had flowers on the tables, tablecloths and nice dishes to make it feel like a real restaurant. At lunch we had a "slumber party" where we served girlie snacks and played board games.


Tuesday - Green Day
In honor of Earth day, this day was centered around educating the office on being more Green-friendly. We were served fresh smoothies in the morning and a hike took place in the afternoon.


Wednesday - American Idol
Randy, Paula and Simon made a special guest appearance to give the routines some harsh critiques. Our group did a Village People mega-mix to YMCA, Macho Man and In the Navy. We were able to throw together our routine in about an hour and I will say it was pretty impressive (even included a kick-line).



Thursday - Office Olympics
OK...this was the best day! We competed in teams of two.


1) 3-Legged Race: Anyone who has been up our work drive-way will understand it is quite a work-out. Well...we had timed races where we were tied to a partner and had to run up the hill and unlock the front door. My partner and I got 3rd!


2) Chair Race: This consisted of pushing your teammate through an obstacle course while they sat in their office chair. Lots of knees and fingers were almost lost at the high speeds. This was the funniest event to watch. You can't imagine how fast these chairs go. It was a true adrenaline rush.

3) Waterballoon Toss: Brought back some good childhood memories.


4) Tug of War: The rope gave everyone severe rope burn, so this event was short lived. I think I let go 30 seconds in due to my hand on fire.


Friday - BBQ and Secret Buddies Revealed
All week long we had secret buddies that we would leave fun notes for. We reveavled our identities today.

Can you believe they call this work?

Happy Birthday Heidi!

Wanted to wish my sister Heidi a very Happy Birthday. If anyone deserves a good one, it is her. She has been through quite a year, but has handled everything with such grace, optimism and courage. I feel so lucky to be blessed with such an amazing sister and she inspires me daily to be a better person. We always find a way to laugh together, even at the hardest times.

Here are just a few of my favorite things about her:
-Her contagious laugh and smile
-Her strong faith
-Her relaxed attitude
-Her trust
-Her amazing parenting skills
-Her generosity
-Her competitive spirit
-Her willingness to always help anyone in need

Growing up, we were kind of opposites but as we grow older we begin to become more and more alike. I am so appreciative of all the support she has given me through this difficult time in my life. I look at what she has been through and it is always a reminder for me to keep looking forward and never give up. I thank her for blessing me with amazing nephews and allowing Uncle Jay and I time to have such fun times with Scott and Tyler.

Happy Birthday Heidi! Wishing you a year filled with nothing but happiness.