Celebrating Easter

This year, Easter was spread out over 2 days! Mike and I went to his parent's house on Saturday morning to have brunch with his grandpa and grandma and the rest of his family! Grandma and Grandpa Ese from San Clemente!

We stayed the night at my parent's house that night and had a very nice brunch with my family and Mike's family on Easter morning!

My mom loves to spoil us all! YUM!

We had delicious french toast, breakfast caserole, salads, etc. for brunch! A mix of everything!

This little one had a blast and couldn't stop running around...NON STOP!!

Well....note the love between us...haha...just wait....

I was being the nice auntie that I always am and opened up her toys from the Easter Bunny and all of a sudden tears started to come and this was the end result....ugh! My sister obviously thought it was hilarious and needless to say, caught the moment!


Makena did have fun hiding eggs with Mike's mom! =)

Ah ha! I caught him in the act many times like this through out the day! Candy Monster!

We all had a great time together!!

Fresh Strawberry Muffins!

Since Strawberry season has hit, I have been craving sweets, sweets, sweets (hence the whole Jamba Juice craze!)!!! I made these delicious strawberry muffins last year and everyone fell in love with them! I haven't made them since and thought they would be a perfect addition to Easter brunch! I used my favorite Carlsbad strawberries (when you come to visit, stop by the stand off of Canon...these berries are to die for...you can pick them yourself too!!)...I would recommend using fresh strawberries...I'm not too sure how frozen would taste. 1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup whole milk (I used reduced fat and they still turned out fine...your choice)

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract (I always add just a touch more)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour (King Arthur flour is the best and can be found at Stater Bros., Ralphs, and Henrys)

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cups sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 375. Line cups with liners. In one large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time and blend until fluffy. Mix in the milk and almond extract. In a separate bowl, sift together both flours, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture and blend until just combined. Fold in the strawberries. Bake for 30 minutes or check with a cake tester to see if they are done before that. Makes 12 muffins.

***One strawberry basket usually equals 2 cups of sliced strawberries.

I would love to give credit to the recipe blog where I got the recipe from, but I didn't write it down!

Enjoy....They are sooooo yummy!

6 years and many more to go...

Since time got away from us this last month, we finally were able to squeeze in a day to celebrate our 6 year anniversary! WARNING! This post is a looooong one! =)

We began the day with a delicious breakfast downtown San Diego in the Gaslamp at the Broken Yolk (one of our very favorite places to have breakfast...you must try!)! We completely stuffed ourselves full of delicious food!

Since the Padres are just about to start back up, we checked out the Padre store and stopped to take a long view of the stadium! =)

Can't wait!! Looking forward to a great season! Go Padres!

We ventured over to Seaport Village and walked over to where the Midway is. What a neat place to go!
This statue makes me smile every time I see it! Mom, memories?! Ha!

The weather was absolutely more than we could have asked for! It was gorgeous! Well we didn't stop there...we ended up traveling to Point Loma and up to Cabrillo National Monument! It was such a breath taking view from up there! This was Mike's first time up there (to Cabrillo) so I got to be the tour guide!

Don't you just love San Diego? What a beautiful place! Look at that view!

Before we left the Cabrillo Monument, we drove down to the Tide pools. Not much to see because the tide was way too high. We hiked down to the cliffs anyway. Beautiful scenery!

The rocks were very interesting...they literally looked like big pieces of wood!

We searched and searched and found nothing! =( Wish I could have seen something!

We traveled down the coast to La Jolla because I kept talking about wanting to see the sea lions! They were so fun to watch...

Don't they look comfy?! They were making Mike tired and lazy just watching them sleep! Haha!

We couldn't leave La Jolla before going back to the spot where it all started! =) On our first date we stopped at this random beach spot, which is surrounded by beautiful million dollar homes. We stopped and took a picture of course!

I looked around and kept finding names etched into the rock...I was sad because the rock was far to tough to do it with anything that we had...so funny how I turned around and found this etched into one of the rocks...ironic! I know someone was spelling "me", but how perfect...our initials! =)

We ended our "Tour de San Diego" by grabbing a bite to eat at Phil's BBQ! Such a great place...yet another recommendation! =)

Thanks for the amazing day, Mike! You are truly the best! xoxox!

Beach Break!

Horray! Spring Break is here! No vacations scheduled, just plenty of beach days ahead!

You can't beat our little beach spot...it's a secret one! ;)

I can honestly say that Mike and I are secretly obessessed with Jamba Juice smoothies and Pirates Booty as our beach snack! Better than chips, right? Please say yes! =/

You would think since he surfs he would learn to ALWAYS put sunscreen on...NOPE...uuuugggghhhh! My lobster!

It was such a beautiful day on Sunday and Monday...we spent the whole day at the beach here in Carlsbad and couldn't have asked for nicer beach days! Unfortunately they aren't going to last that much longer because of the icky weather! Oh well! Hope you all are having a nice and relaxing two weeks!

P.S. 6 years by the way (this month)...6 amazing years! =)

Where will you be May 1st?!

My lovely friend Chessa told me about this http://thequeenbeemarket.blogspot.com/ (so close to home...had no idea)...I will be there ...mark your calendars! I will need others to make me feel better about emptying my walet at every place I stop! =( Fun times!

Party Favors

I worked a bit over the weekend making birthday "treat bag" favors...

TTES Carnival Basket

I WILL NOT take all of the credit for this basket! My room mom and her friend are amazing at creating things...this was the end result of our basket (not a good picture, I know....Mike was rushing me!)! The basket luckily went up for silent auction...I am curious to see how much it actually sold for...last I saw it was $405...I could be wrong! Anyway, I am so fortunate to have such a great room mom this year! Thanks Amy for all you do! =)

Also, if you or anyone you know wants to order clips or onesies (no ETSY account just yet...hopefully over summer it will be up and running...Darla, I really do mean it this time!), please let me know and I will make you as many as you need....email me at ewright213@gmail.com! =)

Legoland

Since both my sister and I had a furlough day last Friday (yeah a day off...I guess you could say good, but when you're not getting paid...bad!), we headed to Legoland with my mom and Makena....we left the guys to work! ;) Since I had a free teacher pass burning a hole in my pocket and considering the fact that we live a few miles from Legoland (and I've never been to the park itself), that day was a great day to go! It was a perfect day (perfect weather in sunny Carlsbad)...what more could you ask for!

This little lady is going to have her princess mermaid birthday party at the aquarium next month...she cannot wait!

My mom, sister, and I cracked up while watching her drive around the track...I think we were only bracing ourselves for the furture when she is actually driving...yikes!!!

Keeping Busy Crafting...

I have been busy here and there making LOTS of hair clips for our class raffle basket for our school carnival...theywere sure fun to make! =)

The Craft Room....

I finished! After a few months of procrastinating, I made my space complete! I still have to add some finishing touches (I plan on using chalk board paint and painting one in between the two wall units...If you know where I can find cute white vintage frames (cheap ones!) to frame my board, please let me know!) here and there, but for the most part my "cave" is complete!

I broke out the Cricut machine and the vinyl and made a name for my room (perhaps a business name?)!

I stuck with a red, black, and white theme...I'm all about the colors matching...weird, I know!

2 chairs...one for me and one for a guest! Ha!

Those little jars aren't full enough!

I crack up when I find Mike hanging out in my little room...he always seems to find his way in there for something even though he laughs at it....all in all, it is a perfect place for me to try and get some projects done! We'll see! =) By the way, thanks mom and dad for this wonderful christmas present! I love it!

Valentine's Day

Mike and I had a very nice day together...loved the fact that it was also a 3 day weekend! We started off the day by heading up north to the Irvine Spectrum. The movie theatre was packed...of course we just had to see "Valentine's Day". How could I resist! I can honestly say, it is by far one of my favorite movies now! After the movie, we made our way to Zitos. Zitos is by far our very favorite Italian food restaruant in Orange County! Every time we are in Orange County, we don't even think twice about going anywhere else...it's that good! After that, Mike and I truly realized that we are complete dorks! We witnessed a crash before getting on to the 55...yah that's the bad part...anyway, we waited around to see what was going to happen and sure enough the fire department was called...could we have left? No! Mike had to wait and see if his dad's old fire crew would be on their way...sure enough they were! We waited over 45 minutes just to sit in the car and watch the fire department come and go! Valentine's Day was spent how? Ahh!

After 45 minutes of watching (by the way, no one was hurt...thank goodness!) we made our way closer to home and stopped at our favorite Yogurt Land in Mission Viejo! What a great day it was...despite the fact that we wasted 45 minutes, it truly was a nice and relaxing day that we both really enjoyed! =)
While shopping at Urban Outfitters that day, I could not resist buying this for his Valentine's Day present...it was just toooo perfect! =)

2-7...another year older

Last year, my BIG present was going to Oahu...that is where Mike and I spent my birthday and Valentine's Day...(oh how I wish we could go back...I'm waiting...patiently....)

(Pipeline)

So sad to reminisce about how beautiful it is there...my eyes get teary just thinking about it =(


Enough about me missing Hawaii....This year my family and Mike's mom (his dad is a little too far away right now to have joined us...we sure wish he was here to enjoy the fun!) came down to our house to help me celebrate...

Every year, my sister and I always ask my mom for her famous chicken tacos...instead, this year she made delicious enchiladas!! Yum! I was one happy girl!

Makena LOVES birthdays! She couldn't wait to help her auntie with all of the birthday activities...


Of course she helped blow out the candles (yes, another mom creation...homemade oreo cookie cake with buttercream Oreo frosting...now who is the lady that should have a blog?!)! =)

Thank you for making my birthday VERY special everyone!!

ONE LAST NOTE...... If you are ever on the North Shore, I HIGHLY recommend you go to Ted's Bakery in Sunset Beach...this was my birthday cake last year...a chocolate cream pie...seriously the best pie I have EVER had... (not homemade by my wonderful mom, but it sure was DELICIOUS!!)...

A few Valentine's gifts...

The little clip is to hang a photo on...

I sanded the edges and used distressing ink

More to see!

I know, I know...it has taken me a while to get pictures up of "the room", but I promise I will (hopefully by the end of the weekend!). In the meantime, I provided you with some great "eye candy" (a.k.a. awesome ideas!) by adding more links under "Ideas, Ideas, Ideas"....hope you enjoy!