Check off on the Bucket List

A dream came true today...I crossed something off my bucket list...I met Giada De Laurentiis today with my sister!!!! I have been a fan of Giada since she first became a star. For those that know nothing about her, she is a celebrity chef on the Food Network who has some of the best recipes I've ever cooked. I have cooked so many of her recipes, watched almost all of the episodes of her show, gone a good way through her last book and I have always said I would LOVE to meet her. So today in Santa Monica, Giada had a book signing event at William Sonoma. I bought a ticket, invited Alla, and we had a 'girl's day' out in Santa Monica and walked away with a signed book and a dream having come true. Giada is so sweet- just like you see on TV. She's gorgeous, tiny, extremely friendly and made you feel like the trip to see her was well worth it. What an oportunity!

Giada wasn't posing with anyone, but here's the closest we could get to a picture together. :)
Nothing better than having a dream come true and having your sister there to share in it with you! Alla and I had a blast together...standing in line taking pictures, sampling the food they had for us, getting all pumped up for me, treating me to a sushi lunch afterwards, and bearing through the 3 1/2 hour drive home in LA rush hour traffic!

Got my next book of Giada recipes to cook through.

Alla's a fan too...

Cousins

My cousin Jason and his girlfriend Alyssa came down to So. Cal on a business/leisure trip this week and we were so excited to meet up with them for dinner on Wednesday night. It was so good to see Jason- it's been over two years since I saw him, and even though we keep in touch over the phone, it's just not the same as being with someone. Jason is like the older brother I never had and I've always really appreciated the way he looks out for me and keeps tabs on me. It felt great to be with family- I'm glad it all worked out!

Ordinary

Life is full of the ordinary these days. With midterms coming up next week for Jared that usually means the week or two before we stick around Loma Linda so he can study, study, study...and I keep busy around the house and with sisters or friends. This last weekend we went out to dinner with some friends at a new restaurant we hadn't tried yet...Islands. Kind of like a Red Robin, but with a Hawaiian feel/theme. We drove to LA on Sunday for church and enjoyed a coffee at Starbucks with Kim and her boyfriend Amos afterwards before heading back home to...study. I appreciate the ordinary this week...which includes:

1. Getting my gift ready for my coworker, Denise, since tomorrow is Secretary's Day. She loves to garden.
2. Making sugar cookies for Secretary's Day.

3. Making sure Jared is well fed and nourished for his hours and hours of studying.

4. Jared's ordinary is looking at Power Point slides like this-studying the spinal cord. P.S. The first two years of dental school are much like the first two of Med School. Even as a dentist, you have to know the workings of the body as a whole. Oral health=Overall health.

5. Studying those Power Point slides at his "home office"-which is really a part of our dining room. See the set up...ergonomic computer and chair set up, ear phones for the iTunes, ear plugs in case he needs to drown out the TV noise (because I have to watch American Idol and Glee...and a couple others in the evenings), two lamps for good light, and of course a cup of water. :) Dental school really is THIS involved and intense. But it is also so FUN and REWARDING.

The only new thing I thought I'd share...I picked up my new glasses today.

And that, everyone...is the ordinary. :)

We Found a New Spot

Jared and I are coffee people. We love to try all different kinds of coffees, coffee shops, coffee "stuff," and sitting over a cup to just talk about...life. This weekend we had a great time exploring more of Redlands (which is a cute, homey, beautiful town adjacent to Loma Linda). Saturday we walked around the University of Redlands campus and threw the frisbee, walked up and down State street in and out of the boutiques, shops and restaurants (we like to go into restaurants and just look at menus/atmosphere and pick places to go the next date night), and then...we found Augie's. :) Augies was just off of State street and the red, brick building caught both of our eyes immediately. We turned and looked at each other with eyes that said, "are you seeing what I'm seeing?" So...we went in...and it's the cutest coffee shop! Unfortunately we had already had our coffee for the day, so today we had to go back and actually have a cup of joe. Let me just say-best soy latte I've had...well, since the one I tried at Intelligentsia in L.A which was THE best I've had in So. Cal. Great coffee...great atmosphere...we will definitely have to frequent this place! We love trying new things. I love that we've lived down here almost two years now and we are still discovering new places right in our own neighborhood!