Gerardo's Birthday-Camping @ Sand Hollow

This year we have been lucky enough to experience warm weather really early in the year. This is a perfect opportunity to start one of our favorite summer activities, CAMPING! It was Gerardo's 25th birthday and we wanted to be outside soooo badly. We drove to Red Cliffs and of course it was full and we were in a group of 20 year olds and there were mostly families and we didn't want to disturb everyone. We drove a little further south to Sand Hollow to find a nice spot on the beach to set up camp.

Let's just say that we were not disappointed in our decision :)

Beautiful sunset on the beach before hopping in our tent!

Sunglasses for 2012

Color:

The classic black and tortoise shell will always be classic and never go out of style. This season there are some exciting new trends with bright colors and patterns. Some of the top trending colors are pinks, reds, and yellows. 

 Shape:

Retro-influenced shapes are all the rage. The cat eye, circular, the aviator and many more are ruling the trends and making the oldies forever long "goodies".

 

Pairing the bright new colors and the bold shapes you will have the hottest sunglasses this season!

Louisiana Bound!

The time has finally come and my family will be traveling to the SOUTH, more specifically good ole' Louisiana to visit our family. Obviously LA is going to be humid and hot so we "tried" to get down there as soon as possible. May 31-June 4 and we are planning on jamming it packed full of exciting things to do down there. 

 WE WILL BE REUNITED :)

It's Official!

Leg	Date		Flight	Depart	Time	Arrive	Time
1A	Thu, May 31		472	LAS VEGAS,NV (LAS)	07:50 am	SHREVEPORT,LA (SHV)	12:40 pm
2A	Mon, Jun 4		473	SHREVEPORT,LA (SHV)	01:30 pm	LAS VEGAS,NV (LAS)	02:35 pm

Favorite Quotes to Live By

Everyone has their favorite quotes, montra, motto, etc. The one that has personally stuck with me from my favorite movie "Blow" with Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruise.

"May the wind always be at your back and the sun upon your face. And may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars." -George Jung

One of my new favorites is light-hearted and exciting!

This one is a little more straight forward and may seem a little more cynical, but you gotta be strict with who you let in your life. 

 These are some of my favorite quotes to live by. What are some of yours that you live by or try to implement in your life?

Easter, Farmers Market, etc.

Easter weekend could not have had better weather here in southern Utah. It finally felt like we were in the midst of the spring season. My mom had the idea, since we are all a lot older than the typical child getting an Easter basket that we would get Easter goodies for those that really needed it. She said that everyone is thinking of others around Christmas, but sometimes Easter gets forgotten. We spent the day shopping together, which is always a good time instead of for ourselves for others. 

 On our way home we saw some delicious fruits and could not help ourselves. My favorites are the mangoes!

 Taylor and Haley were busy picking out the oranges. Haley being a dancer is always ready for the "action" shot.

PW's Shrimp Scampi

One of the best blogs on the whole internet is the one and only Pioneer Woman. I trust that her recipes will turn out great and she even gets me to try things I normally wouldn't she takes pictures step by step of each recipe. I wanted something light and easy so i went with her 16 Minute Shrimp Scampi.

The Pioneer Woman 

The Pioneer Woman-16 Minute Meal: Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients

• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 4 cloves Garlic Cloves, Minced Or Pressed
• 1 pound Large Shrimp, Peeled And Deveined
• 1/2 cup White Wine
• 2 whole Lemons
• 4 dashes Hot Sauce (I Used Tabasco; More To Taste)
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 8 ounces, weight Angel Hair Pasta
• Chopped Fresh Basil To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Boil water for pasta; have it ready.

Heat olive oil and melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for two or three minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add shrimp, then stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Squeeze in lemon juice. Add wine, butter, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Stir and reduce heat to low.

Throw angel hair pasta into the boiling water. Cook until just done/al dente. Drain, reserving a cup or two of the pasta water.

Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta and toss, adding a splash of pasta water if it needs to be thinned. Taste for seasonings, adding salt and pepper if needed.

Top with grated Parmesan and minced parsley and serve immediately.

Finished Product :)

My pictures aren't nearly as good as her's haha

Mexican Casserole

One of my boyfriends favorite dishes is my mom's recipe for Mexican Casserole. Super cheap and easy, which makes it one of my favorites. And on top of everything else it tastes delicious.

      

      Recipe:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
• 1 (10 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 3/4 cup Mayonnaise/Miracle Whip
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
• 2 cups cheese

Favorite Sides:

*fresh tomatoes *ranch *lettuce *sour cream

Putting it together:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring to crumble, until evenly browned. Drain grease. Remove from the heat, and stir the salsa, corn, mayonnaise and chili powder into the beef. In a 2 quart casserole dish, layer the ground beef mixture, tortilla chips and cheese twice, ending with cheese on top.
3. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and dish is thoroughly heated. 

 **No final images (sorry) we were hungrier than I thought ;)**

Bachelorette Party...Viva Las Vegas

Livin' it up in the city of "sin" due to the timing of the wedding and hectic schedules we went on Thursday night. No worries though we can have a good time no matter what night of the week. Of course we decorated the room.

At this age in our lives a lot of us are getting married so rather than re-buying and throwing away the decorations each time, these decorations have seen many parties and more in the future. To make sure the bride feels as special as possible make sure she has things to set her apart a sash and a crown are the best. The day after the party when everybody is ready to leave still make sure she is special we had a bride "bedazzled" tank to wear around on our way out of town. 

Brooke and I ready to go out!

Always looking for a reason to buy a new dress

Vegas is always fun to visit and more fun to leave, I wonder when I'll be the one wearing the sash?!

Shreddin The Gnar

My uncle and his fiancé came to visit from California to take part in the "Greatest Snow on Earth" at our local ski resort Brian Head. They had recently gone snowboarding in Lake Tahoe and I was hoping that we could prove that Utah deserves the snow title. The drive up was beautiful and gave me hope for a great day of boarding. Not to mention that the prices here made the entire trip worth it, especially to the Californians. We had a ton of 50% off coupons making a full day lift ticket only $25. The runs were sunny and not busy at all. Now I've been going to the gym for one of my classes and was expecting that would play to my advantage about not getting sore using the awkward muscles of snowboarding. Well the next day I was hurtin stairs became my biggest enemy. I used to snowboard every weekend had a pass and loved every minute of it. We were all hanging out I was thinking that everyone would be in my same boat, apparently not at all I was the weakling. All in all the day was awesome and the hurt was worth it!

Taking a breather on the hill!

On a side note we stopped at a gas station to get some snacks for the day and ran into these beauts...Double Sided AIRHEADS!!!

grrr baby very grrr!

So my sister looks like a super model all the time in this occasion I actually assisted with the look. She has ridiculously long beautiful hair and long legs. She was getting ready for "Sweethearts" a high school girls choice dance, I had the day off and had to be a part of process. I never like to miss the moments that 20 years from now will be a memory we talk about. Anyways to the good stuff, I got the honor of doing her HAIR! She is very particular about her hair and didn't go through the experience without a fight.

 How do you think it turned out? I feel pretty proud :)

Her dance team went in a group to the dance and they all wore they cheetah fedoras in their pictures she looked so grown up and lovely!

Love...was in the air!

Valentine's came and went and I never got around to showing you the fun things I did to celebrate. I used some ideas from Pinterest to make something heartfelt for my boyfriend. I love the microwave popcorn I found at Wal-Mart for only $1. It was perfect to hold all the goodies I gave him. So much convenience and I always love a new great idea!

Whats in the box:

*52 Reasons I Love You Playing Cards

*Love Coupons

*2 Red Bulls 

*Mike and Ikes

*Milk Duds

*Red Vines

*Nerds

*<3 Card

Heartbreak at Candlestick

**Patrick Willis pumping us up before the game!**

Sunday, bloody sunday. The San Francisco 49ers have broken my heart. They came a long way this season and gave me more hope and bragging rights than I have in years being a forever faithful niners fan. I was wearing red and getting loud, but they must've needed something more than I could yell at the TV because in overtime they submitted to the dreaded NY Giants. Many people may think "it's just football", NO! It's not just football it is in fact something that brings my family together, links me to where my roots are, and gives me a reason to scream for joy and agony all at once! I love my 49ers and I will never back down to anyone that talks smack about them. I can honestly say that this is the proudest they have made me. Next season we'll be back with revenge in our hearts and experience to back it up. I love my niners that will never change just thought after years of them showing up for me I could give them a shout out on my blog!

**Jim Harbaugh leading with intensity**

**Vernon Davis TD Pass**

Thank You 4 A Great Season!

Ciao!

Benvenuti!

(welcome)

I am so excited to start this blog about the things I love. Eating well in college can be tough, but not taking care of yourself during school can be even more detrimental so it's a matter of balance and making time for something that will save you time and keep you from being sick at the most inconvenient times. 

I love my crockpot and I think that it is under utilized in many homes. My belief is that it was designed for college students leaving in the morning for classes to have a nice meal right when they get home. Don't worry I realize how hectic the mornings can be. I personally have to drag myself out of bed and barely run into class on time only to not stop rushing the rest of the day. Someone once told me that the more time you make for yourself in the morning relieves stressful mornings. If you get up 15 minutes earlier have a meal planned out and put it together in the crock pot that's one less thing you have to worry about throughout the day. The crockpot has encouraged me to truly think about time management and makes the transition a lot smoother. 

I can't wait to discover new recipes perfect for college students and their schedules and share them with all of my followers. 

-Cale'