Back to Cali

Remember me?

I would definitely forgive you if you didn't...seeing as it has been over a month and a half since my last blog entry....

Shame, shame, double shame.

But, as promised, here are some pics from our trip to California at the end of October.

Obviously, when we were planning our 4-day getaway, most plans revolved around what food we would eat while back in So Cal.  

I am happy to report we had Chick-Fil-A:

Tutti Frutti:

The Oinkster (oooh piggy fries!):

And Crumbs:

And much more.

As wonderful as it was, of course the real reason for our trip was not to re-visit all of our old favourite restaurants, but to attend our good friends Brian and Polly's wedding!

We were honoured to attend their rehearsal dinner and to get to know their families and friends from all over North America a little better.

We were so, so happy to see these 2 incredible people come together in marriage.

The ceremony was beautiful, and Polly was an absolutely stunning bride.

I loved the reception decorations as well, they were so much fun and so creative:

Love this picture of the 4 of us.  What a joyous day celebrating these two.  And how blessed am I that one of my dearest California friends married a Canadian, which means I get to see her again in 2 weeks when they come to visit?!

Over our last few days in California we spent as much time as possible with friends, and soaked up that sun.  It was so nice to go back and visit, in many ways it was like we had never left!   

We already can't wait to go back again!

Excuses, Excuses

{Insert sheepish, shameful grin here}

Remember when we used to have a blog that we updated regularly?  Yeah, me either.........

I do have a few excuses for you though - in the past month we have purchased and moved into a new home, and are still redecorating and renovating that new home.  We're also both working full-time while still trying to lead some semblance of a normal life.  I can honestly say that these past 6 weeks or so have been the busiest I have ever, ever experienced.  But in a wonderful way - what a blessing to have our own home, and one that does not even feel real quite yet!!  I promise to post pictures soon, but for now I just wanted to let my two faithful readers (hello Daniel and Suelynn) that we're still alive.  We're about to head to California for the wedding of two dear friends, so I'll have lots of pictures and updating to do when we get back.   

For now I will leave you with a reminder of what is coming November 2.........

Camping!

Wow, it is crazy to think that summer has come and gone!  As soon as I started working, I swear time began moving at mach speed, and events we were looking forward to all summer have already passed by.  The first was my brother's wedding, which I will post about more once I have some photos.  I will say that it was one of the most wonderful days ever, and that I am still feeling the effects of PWD (Post Wedding Depression).


The second event Mark and I had been anticipating all summer was camping with our friends Brenna-Lynn and Trent.  Originally we had booked a 2 night backcountry canoeing trip in the Haliburton Highlands, but due to my work schedule we were only able to go for 1 night.  We made the most of our 2 full days though, and had an incredible time.  We were glad that Brenna and Trent were able to stay longer and get the most out of their vacation time.

Camping on Clear Lake brings back lots of memories for Mark and I.  This is where we both camped when we did the SALT program at Widjiitiwin, and also where we brought our campers when we directed that program 5 years ago.  It's one of my favourite spots in Muskoka - the lake is true to its name, and the site is on its own island, complete with a rock perfect for sunbathing, and a cliff jump!

It felt sooo good to be back on the water again in a canoe!  We love canoeing and hope to make trips like these a tradition in our own family.  

We only had one short portage, which Brenna and I obviously handled like champs:

Us girls had a blast planning our menu.  Although the boys were skeptical at first and argued that we had brought too much food, I think they were thrilled with our 'gourmet' meals.  Our first night's dinner of steak, veggies, and corn on the cob was honestly one of the best meals I have ever eaten!  Everything tastes better when it's cooked outside and over the fire.

Though the weather was completely erratic, we made the most of any time we had to swim, read, and talk.  Our time was so refreshing and we are so thankful for it!

It was pretty hard to leave these views!!

Until next year...thanks Bren and Trent for a wonderful time in the backcountry!!

Reason #555 438 Why My Sister In Law is the Best!!

I came home after my first day of work at my new job (assistant store manager at Starbucks) to this:

(note the inclusion of the Starbucks Siren on the sign - very impressive!)

Pumpkin bundt cake for dessert after dinner and pumpkin pancakes for a late-night snack....

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

This  girl knows the way to my heart.

Thanks Suelynn!!!!  

So Long, Young D.

My bro-in-law Daniel's time in Ontario after a summer out East has already come and gone.  Hard to believe he is back in Cali, gearing up to start his senior year of college!


To send him off in high style, we had a family dinner on his last night with all of his faves:

Paul Wong's Chinese Takeout

Pumpkin spice cake with maple cream cheese frosting

Hanging with Jet

Roxy Girl

And 2 rounds of Ticket to Ride - Daniel managed to beat us all in both games - a great note to go out on.

This year will be very strange for Mark and I.  It is hard to think about not seeing Daniel for several months.  After 2 years in Cali together, he was like our 3rd room mate, and we will miss his visits, his jokes, his ridiculous faces, even his laundry :).

Peace out D! We miss you already!!

Recipe for a Fabulous Long Weekend

2 Hamburger Happy Meals

+

1 Roaring Campfire

+ 

12 dear friends 

(2 of which just had the cutest little baby boy)

+ 

3 days in the Muskoka sun with family

+ 

1 Good Shave

Mix together and enjoy with at least 3 trips to Kawartha Dairy!

Viva Las Vegas!

My little brother is getting married in just over a month to one of the most beautiful girls I know, inside and out.  My family is so excited to welcome Sarah officially as part of the Valeriote clan, but I already consider her a dear friend and sister.  Because we love her so much, Britt and I wanted to throw a really special bachelorette night for her!

Jord and Sarah had originally talked about maybe heading to Vegas for their honeymoon, which got our wheels turning.  We had already purchased Vegas-themed decor elements when the happy couple opted to go Caribbean instead.  Britt and I decided to go with the Vegas theme anyway, but to give it a vintage flair.  Our theme?  50s Vegas Glamour!  All the glam and glitz of Old Hollywood and Las Vegas, without the unfortunate not-so-classy elements that we so often associate with Vegas nowadays.

We had so much fun decorating my parents' basement to fit the theme, and crafting in the weeks leading up to the shower to add some special touches.

Banners were $6 a pop in the party store, so I decided to make my own instead!

Britt made this awesome water bottle labels!  We got the idea from my friend's blog, check out her tutorial here

Before we knew it, it was time to transport ourselves back to the 50s and get glammed up.  We decided I looked like the typical older housewife sister, while Britt was the young and glamorous hipster sister.

For some reason being dressed like this just makes you want to make this face:

We were thrilled with how much effort all of the girls put into their outfits, hair and makeup.  Everyone looked awesome, but none better than the bride herself.   Doesn't she look like she stepped straight out of The Notebook?  

This look suits her so well!

We enjoyed a lovely dinner together,

And then headed home for games, snacks, and gifts

Here's one last shot of all of the girls together, with the gorgeous bride out front.  

We love you Sarah, and we can't wait for your wedding day!!