Jack-O-Lantern

Art carved both of the pumpkins into jack-o-laterns. He did a great job! He takes this job very seriously!

The trick or treaters always comment on the great pumpkins that Art carves.

Wordless Wednesday

North Face Jacket

I bought my North Face jacket this past weekend. I wanted a black jacket with a hood. I tried on about 5 or 6 coats trying to find the one I wanted. I found one I really wanted, but they only had it in turquoise. Turquoise was NOT going to work.  I am going to blame my mom on always going with the standard color black. Mom always said you couldn't have enough black clothes. Black is the staple color for any wardrobe.

I will try to take a picture of me in my new jacket soon. I just didn't have a chance this weekend.

Halloween Costumes

I came home on Halloween to find Art all dressed up in his viking costume. He was READY to hand out candy!  Art thought I needed to wear something for Halloween.  I grabbed a flag sweater & Uncle Sam hat.  I am not as festive as Art when it comes to Halloween.

One little kid didn't want to come get candy from Art because he was scared of the horns.  I took the candy to the little kid. A couple other little kids didn't want to cross the street when they saw Art. All the older kids loved his outfit. Some of the parents comment and said what a great costume.

Amazing Group of Friends!

I was fortunate to become a member of one of the most fabulous group of women. We all had one thing in common April 2008 Brides.  We were all knotties and then later became nesties.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think these women would turn out to be my friends.  I have had the pleasure of meeting 12 of the fabulous 50 A08ers.

Four years have passed since we were all planning our fairy tale weddings. We have been through so much over the past 4 years.  Too many life events to even start naming things.  We are all still band together.  One thing I love about my A08ers is we are always there for each other. We share things with our group we wouldn't breath a word to anyone else.  This helps us get through things and has brought us close together.

The girls call refer to me as the A08 Mayor or the mother hen.  They said I'm always the one to keep us all together.  I've always felt it is important to keep us together after all this time.  I do encourage ones who leave to come back.  Try to be positive, encouraging and lend an ear when needed.  I do this because these girls are important to me and my friends.

I told Art I wasn't going to go public with this last miscarriage. I didn't have the strength to hear pity or deal with hurtful things people say when they don't know what else to say.  I had just shared the news with A08 in Oct 2011 that I was pregnant.  Art and I were so excited.  This was going to be the time.  I had lost 50 pounds and we believed this would make the difference.  Two days after I told A08 I started having problems with the pregnancy.  The next 2 weeks were limbo land.  In the end I had a miscarriage.  I felt my heart was going to be ripped out of my heart.

The A08ers were AMAZING and such a rock for me!!!  Some sent flowers and slowly cards started trickling in and they continued for almost 3 weeks.  One day I logged onto our board and they had all taken pictures wearing a mustache!  A08ers, Husbands, kids, animals were wearing a mustache.  That was the best day!!!  Little did I know another best day was around the corner.

This past week I met Krystal in San Francisco for dinner.  She was in town for a big foodie convention. Krystal is 13 weeks pregnant.  I bought her a pregnancy journal and brought it to her that evening.  She said at the end of the evening it is so funny you brought me a gift because all the A08ers got together and bought you a gift.  I was SHOCKED beyond SHOCKED!

All the A08ers had gone together and bought Art & I a gift card to a bed and breakfast.  They also gave me an American Express gift card, so I can buy the North Face coat I've been wanting.  I didn't even know what to say. I felt I was in slow motion. Then she says she is video taping the whole thing LOL.  They all wanted to do something nice for me since I have been through so much this year.

Amazing!!!! My friends are just truly amazing!!!! I feel what I have done is just so simple and they have gone above & beyond for me. Love you girls!!!!

 

You can find the You Tube video HERE.

Thankgiving Pinterest

Foooood Trucks in Nor Cal!

A couple weeks ago I found online where some food trucks were going to be in Nor Cal. I begged Art to go with me after work on a Monday night. Art didn't understand the hype of food trucks. He has one that stops by his work every day and the food isn't just ok. I told him these are NOT your average food trucks. They are gourmet food trucks & AMAZING! 

One time is all it took to get Art hooked! Art bought food from GrillStars and I bought some food from MogoBBQ.  I also grabbed a cupcake from That's Sweet Truck. It was all sooo yummy!

The first picture is of the trucks in the rain. The second picture is without the flash.

Grillstars and That's Sweet Truck

Above is a pork taco & below is BBQ Pork Sliders.

My food while waiting for Art to come.

Here is Art's food all wrapped up.

Fish tacos

BBQ pork nachos. He packed up the nachos for the next day. So much food!!!

This was the most HEAVENLY cupcake! OMG it was soooo delish! Salted Carmel Chocolate Cupcake. OMG just thinking about it is making my mouth water! AMAZING!!!!

Dinner by Art

Art made chicken & couscous for dinner recently. I was sitting on the couch and I turned to my right to see the following:

Art was taking a picture of our dinner.

Above is the picture Art took of our dinner. It was so tasty!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

Mustache Movember

By now you probably are aware of my fascination with mustaches. November has been named Movember to help promote mens health. You can find the entire article HERE. Men are encouraged to help raise awareness for men’s health by growing a mustache. Men can register at Movember.com.

Here is a portion of the article:

The Movember Effect: Awareness & Education, Survivorship, Research

The funds raised in the US support prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. The funds raised are directed to programs run directly by Movember and our men’s health partners, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Together, the three channels work together to ensure that Movember funds are supporting a broad range of innovative, world-class programs in line with our strategic goals in the areas of awareness and education, survivorship and research.

At the end of Movember men & women are encourage to throw a Movember party. Just in time for my birthday! I think I will have a mustache themed birthday party!