anelieze + franco // the simple life

New Look!

2012-02-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

This year has been flying by, but I'm kind of glad that it has because I'm really looking forward to some events happening here in the next several months. So far, January and February have been filled with cleaning, organizing, preparing healthy meals, a lot of studying (hard school stuff on Franco's side and baby stuff for me), a Disneyland trip with a total of 27 people, many trips to the thrift store, photoshoots, enjoying the beautiful weather, temple trips, homemaking projects, date nights, hockey games...wow, we've done more than I thought!

I've been wanting to do a blog facelift for some time now, but I didn't know what to do so I kept putting it off. Finally I just sat down Monday and Tuesday and worked on it. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would, which is great.

Though it's not completely finished, welcome to the new Life With The Castrejons, now known as "A+F: Living The Simple Life"! We really do lead simple lives. We try not to clutter our days with unnecessary things and believe in living life to its fullest. Franco and I love being together and have many little adventures which we'll share here occasionally.

Thanks, friends, for being a part of our lives!

p.s. I also did a redesign of my design blog a while ago in Wordpress, you can see it here. I haven't updated it for a long time, but I have a lot of posts in the works. Lots to do before baby comes in April!

photo of the santa monica pier

Food, Lights, And Other Happenings In Utah.

2012-01-03T22:11:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist stopping by the Mad Greek Cafe in Baker on the drive up and having one of their delicious gyros! • Franco and I tried some French cuisine at Gourmandise; I had the smashed chickpea and red bell pepper sandwich with avocado. Oh. My. Taste Buds. YUM! • Beautiful morning in Provo • my cousin Ed and Franco eating cereal and browsing the internet one lazy morning.

Whoa! Twice in one day. I may just be getting the blogging bug back again. We shall see :)

Though the pictures may illustrate otherwise, we did do more in Utah than just eat, though we did eat a lot, too. Pregnancy is so much more enjoyable when you actually have an appetite! We joke that Franco is having "sympathy pains" because he eats as much and whenever I do (probably more). Now that the holidays are over, though, we really have to rein in how much we eat and when. We don't want to end up having a twelve pound baby!

Besides being with family, here are a couple of highlights from our December 2011 Utah trip:

Temple Square in Salt Lake City is gorgeous all throughout the year, but especially at Christmastime. I was thrilled that it was only in the mid-40ºs the night we went! We expected much worse. Even if it had been a lot cooler outside, I'm sure it wouldn't have changed the magical atmosphere around the temple.

And finally some pictures of the lovely luncheon/baby shower my sister, aunts, cousins, and Bita, my grandmother, threw for us. I have the best family in the world!

Another Beginning.

2012-01-03T17:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

January is here, believe it or not, and we're back in the regular routine of school, work, and normal life. We spent a wonderful Christmas with our families here in California, and then drove to Utah to spend the week after with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. It was the first trip to Utah where Franco and I were able to have a day just to ourselves to explore--it was awesome!

We had a late lunch in Salt Lake at Gourmandise, a French bakery & restaurant highly recommended by my cousins Ed and Rachel, followed by our first-ever visit inside the beautiful and huge Salt Lake temple. Wow! doesn't even begin to describe the detail in each room, not to mention the endless hallways, stairways, and rooms. We're grateful we could always ask a helpful temple worker which way to go or we very well could still be there trying to find a way out!

Despite the 12-hour-long drives to and from (which should have taken us only 8 hours...) it was a successful and relaxing trip. To our surprise, my family threw me a little baby shower luncheon and our baby boy received so many adorable clothes, blankets, and even some tiny mittens! I'm officially addicted to cute baby clothes. I may or may not have just spent the last few hours hunting for vintage rompers (rompers!) and cardigans on Etsy. It's a curse! But a curse I'm glad to have.

Franco and my mutual goals are simple this year: read the scriptures together daily, attend the temple at least once a month, and prepare our home and our hearts for the third little member of our family coming April 2012. Here's to a fantastical year!

It's Christmas Time!...What?!

2011-12-23T13:39:00.000-08:00

Our mini-tree in the living room.

Above it is a crocheted stocking I ventured to make a few weeks ago.

It's a little wonky but it serves its purpose!

Hi, friends!

I just wanted to pop in and wish you all a Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year since I probably won't be blogging next week either. Being 800 miles away from home in a very snowy place surrounded by family and friends is probably not the ideal situation to update the blog.

Here's to family, friends, love, peace, joy, and the true Christmas spirit--the Spirit of Christ! See you next year!

love,

Anelieze & Franco

It's A Gray Day But Inside I'm All Sunshine.

2011-11-18T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hello, Friday!

Did you have a great week? We did, too. On Tuesday, Franco and I found the best pupuseria in Pomona and I'm still thinking about how good those pupusas were. We ate there in honor of Franco's mom Clara Luz's birthday because she is the best pupusa-maker.(Pupusas are cheesy, fried, and Salvadorian. Need I say more?)

I'm really looking forward to tonight, the weekend, and all next week which will be filled with friends, family, Disneyland, food, traveling, and something else quite exciting which I will share with you later. So let the fun begin! Happy Thanksgiving!

Going Backwards.

2011-11-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

I guess I'll start from the most recent happenings and work my way back. I'm tempted to start here and just go forward, but there are events I'd like to include in this blog, even if they happened two, three, or more months ago.

Brief updates about persons involved:

Anelieze: working very part time doing light office work for North American Health Care, Inc. • getting back into the groove of graphic design/photography after a brief sabbatical (or three months of complete laziness, whatever you want to call it) • serving in Young Women's at church as the secretary and loving it • going to Disneyland as often as our schedule and annual passes permit • planning early (or trying to!) for the holidays

Franco: studying morning til night every day (except blessed, relaxing Sunday) at optometry school and home • going to garage sales early Saturday mornings to search for legos • eating, sleeping, and trying to stay sane amidst all of the pressures of medical school; but he's doing great!

For Halloween we dressed up as a cop & robber. I had planned out my costume almost a week in advance, but Franco's was done in an hour and cost a total of $3. We made a great pair =)

My Teenage Indulgence While In My Twenties: Breaking Dawn

2011-10-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

Don't we all have some "teen age" indulgences? Young Adult books, teen mags, shows on t.v., movies about prom and high school life, etc. Mine is definitely YA books, namely the Twilight series. Mostly because, and I'll say it again, I read Twilight a year before anyone even knew about it.

I still remember going to the bookstore a month after New Moon came out and when I asked the lady if they had it in stock she said, "Hmm, I've never seen this book before. What a pretty cover. Do you want me to backorder it for you?" Yeah.

Anyway, I'm going to watch Breaking Dawn: Part 1 with Franco because no one here in Chino Hills is a Twilighter (so sad) and I'm wearing a one-of-a-kind shirt! Liv Carter from Provo, Utah designed these "Isle Esme" tropical pink t-shirts and is opening up the ordering to anyone if you're in Utah County, or if you're out of the area, you can pay for shipping. They're $14 each, a bargain if you ask me. I already ordered mine, so contact Liv at cowgirlprincess{at}hotmail{dot}com if you want one, too. And believe me, you do!

Deadline to order is November 1st.

Wake Me Up When September Ends.

2011-09-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

(Like the title? It was the only song I could think of with September in the title. Good thing I like Green Day.)
September has been an excellent month so far and it's just going to get better. August was long and a tad difficult, but I'm glad it's behind us now. Franco's back to normal health after a few weeks back at the beginning of school when, well, let's just say nerves and anxiety got the better of him. I'm happy I've had the flexibility to be with him every day to make sure he eats and sleeps well, and to encourage him and convince him he didn't make a mistake by deciding to go to optometry school. Now, he's an exemplary student, getting excellent grades and providing weekly vision screenings at elementary and high schools! They are the blessings that come after the trials of our faith, I strongly believe that.

I won't make this a long diatribe, so I'll bullet point just a few highlights of September:

• the weather has cooled down a bit. It even rained and thundered a couple of weeks ago, it was so refreshing!

• something absolutely amazing happened within my own family. It's been a long time coming and it's brought our family even closer together. Blessings, I tell you, blessings!

• Franco's playing on his school's basketball team and in October they will play their rivals in Fullerton, SCCO.

• I'm the new Young Women's secretary at church! I'm loving it so far and am trying hard to learn all the YW's names.

• I booked my ticket to New Orleans for my uncle's wedding this weekend. I'm excited, I've never visited anywhere east of Utah. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!

There might be something I missed but I hope to update again soon. I've skipped so many events--my sister's Quinceañera for which I planned and made most of the decorations, our family reunion pictures and our big beach outing, Franco's Convocation and White Coat Ceremony, the LA County Fair and the awesome OneRepublic concert...sigh. I'll get to them eventually.

Sorry for the long post! We miss everyone in Camarillo, so if anyone from there reads this, we send our love. Mostly we just miss the perfect weather. Hasta luego!

The Last Little Bit Of Summer.

2011-09-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

I have had no desire to blog these past couple of weeks. Funny, because I thought that working from home and having virtually nothing else to do during the day would give me ample time to do it. But when it's 107° outside and the pool is right there calling your name, you wouldn't have any desire to stay cooped up in front of a computer all day either.

I do spend a lot of time on the computer, but it's mostly to edit pictures I've taken with my sis-in-law's borrowed Canon 40D & lenses (she is so nice to let me borrow it until I find my own camera, I'm so picky!). If I won't make time to share individual posts with you about each outing, at least I'll share a few pictures.

The first pictures are from the weekly local farmer's market when I went last week with my friend Brianne and her son. Lincoln loved the splash pad and it made for some cute pictures!

My brothers & sister came out last week for a few days, one last shindig before school started. We went to Downtown Disney to eat some heavenly beignet's and then cooled down inside the Grand California Hotel's lobby. We spent the rest of their stay at the pool, at the shops, and watching Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix.

I've taken a couple of day trips to new places with new friends, too, like a really cool park in Irvine that has a mini train station. How cute is that?

Have a fun and sunny Labor Day weekend! I'm going to try to convince Franco that 87° really isn't that hot so we can finally go to Disneyland on Monday. Cross your fingers for me! (Though if it doesn't work out, I'm still holding out for October 10, Columbus Day.)

Bread.

2011-08-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

I cannot make bread. Period. Last Monday when I posted about making bread? It turned out rock hard so I had to throw it away. I don't know what I do wrong! I've tried everything. At this point I'll take any bread-making tips, though I've probably tried them all. You would think I'd give up after wasting so much flour, salt, milk, yeast, but I'm determined to make edible bread.

I tried again yesterday and the pictures above show the result. Not too shabby. Not perfect, but it didn't break my teeth. I used a glorious recipe from Betty Crocker which ironically enough starts out with, "Homemade bread doesn't get much easier that this!" I beg to differ, usually. But since it actually turned out this time, I'm willing to agree. Here's a printable copy of this recipe--let me know if you like it. But if your bread looks and tastes better than mine, then please keep it to yourself. =)

Click on the image below and right-click to save

Click here to download a Pdf copy

Baby, You're A Firework!

2011-08-18T21:26:00.000-07:00

All of those dark, blurry dots on the bottom are people on the pier right under the fireworks. They're crazy.

Franco's so lucky. He'll never, ever have to work on his birthday {unless he's out of the country on the 4th of July for some reason}, he usually has a ton of family surrounding him because they all have the day off, and he gets a fireworks show just for him at the end of the day! Talk about spoiled, haha!

This year was no different. It started with a 4th of July breakfast at our church, where we hung out with all my side of the family and a lot of friends. Then we drove up to Santa Barbara in time for the big parade on State Street. We ate some ice cream while we watched and sat on the curb. After that, Franco got his brothers, uncle, and dad together for a game of basketball while my sil Mayra, niece Aaliyah, and I cheered them on. Aaliyah joined in a couple of times, though we had to pull her out quick before she got whacked by the ball!

After shooting some hoops we had cake at his parent's house with all of his family {I took pictures, but it seems I've misplaced them at the moment} and then we were off to the beach to watch the fireworks.

Something really funny happened. My uncle {he's the one in the red in the first picture above} and his family were staying in SB that night so we planned to meet at the beach somewhere. If you've ever been to Santa Barbara on the 4th of July you'll know there are an insane amount of people there! Seriously, tons. Cell phone coverage usually goes out because there are too many people in one place using phones. Well, my uncle, aunt, and cousins were already there and the only clue they'd given us was that they were about 100 yards to the left of the pier. Franco and I parked and walked towards the beach, which was already covered with people, and literally not a minute passed after we stepped onto the sand that I suddenly spotted my uncle's red shirt and black cap a dozen yards away. I said, "There they are!" When we walked up to them they were as astonished as we were that we found them so fast. It was hilarious! And fortunate.

We enjoyed a really cool fireworks show {with music, and yes, they played Katy Perry} and we ended another wonderful day celebrating my honey bunches, I mean, Franco. He had a big, happy smile on his face on the drive home that night, so I think it's safe to say he had a perfect day. It was for me, too.

They're My Friends.

2011-08-17T20:32:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't have fun in Ventura County on a Wednesday night? Rocket Fizz is open 'til 9, and the beach is always open! Well, it might not be the most happening place, but to have a blast wherever you are, it comes down to who you're with. And the craziness they so naturally possess.

Here's to family + friends: may we never be without them!

Yup, we're pretty lucky to have friends like these.

Le Weekend

2011-08-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

To-Do List:
üshopping
ülibrary
ülaundry
üdrop-off and pick up franco from school

üclean house

It's the weekend! To-do list is done, and now we're off to have dinner at another couple's house here in our complex. Ah! We survived the first week of optometry classes. We can do this, I think.

Have a great weekend!

p.s. I like to keep my to-do lists short. I feel more accomplished when I actually finish everything on them in a timely manner.

The End.

2011-08-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

I know it's almost a month later, but we did see Harry Potter 7, Part 2, and we loved it. I broke my tradition (gasp!) of seeing it the day it came out, but it was worth it this time because we went all out and saw it in 3d + Imax. Talk about trippy. My favorite part of the book is when Snape finally gets explained, and it was my favorite part of the movie. We saw it with our friends Kelsey & Bryan, with whom we saw the last one, too. We forgot to take pictures at the movie theater, we were so excited.

What an era! I will definitely miss all of the Harry Potter hype every Thanksgiving and summer. Now on to the next one.

Today

2011-08-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

While Franco is at school, I will be...
-----------------------------------------------------------
...playing this. It counts for exercise, right?
...making bread with this recipe. Won't be ready until tomorrow but it'll be worth it!
...organizing hundreds of computer files with this how-to. Wish me luck that my computer won't crash. Again.
...editing video we took of Franco's White Coat Ceremony on Saturday. It's official--he's been indicted into the health professionals community!
...ignoring the unmade bed, the dirty dishes in the sink, and the piles of laundry in my closet.
..waiting (im)patiently for my better half to come home.

Happy Monday!

California Dreamin'

2011-08-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

The best part about living here is how close we are to some of our favorite places.

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We are:

>> 30 mins from Disneyland

>> 45 minutes from downtown L.A.

>> 1 hr 30 mins from San Diego

>> 45 minutes from Newport Beach

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We took advantage of that fact and headed down to Newport Beach last week. After going to the temple, we drove to the marina and did the Newport Beach thing--took the ferry to Balboa Island, got some frozen bananas, walked along the boardwalk, and watched the waves crash onto the shore. (Apparently there was an emergency in the water so no one was allowed to go in past the wave breaks.)

Ahh, vacation. How I will miss you these next four years!

Prior Newport Beach trip & pictures here.

Come And Open Up Your Folding Chair Next To Me.

2011-08-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

The week after we moved here we hit up one of the community summer events, a concert in the park. Just a few blocks from our apartment there is a huge park where they set up a stage and people bring chairs, blankets, and picnic food to enjoy a little live music. Apparently the concerts in the park are popular here because it seemed like the whole city showed up! It was fun to go and observe people since we didn't know anyone. We played "I Spy" with the rule that the object or person had to be stationary. It was like a Where's Waldo? book, it was kind of fun.

The picture below was originally 5 separate photos, but I just found out how to merge them in Photoshop! Cool, right? I planned to do it manually so I wasn't real careful about lining everything up when I took the pictures, but now that I know I can do it with one click, I'm definitely doing this again!

It was a beautiful night and we hope to attend other events like movies at the park and the farmer's market. Love it here!

Panorama of the concert in the park
(click to enlarge)

Why The World Is Bright With You Here.

2011-08-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

pictures courtesy of Jenea Marie Photography

I would feel bad if I didn't post about Franco's awesome graduation party. We had it in my parent's backyard and everything went smoothly! Seriously, I hope I can have a big back yard like theirs in the future, we've had so many parties out there under the patio and the large grass area. Perfect for gatherings like this. We had another gathering just a month later for 100 people and it was perfect, which I can't wait to blog about. First, Franco's graduation celebration from CSUCI! I was saved from hiding behind the camera as I almost always do nowadays by Jenea, she took some great shots! I couldn't resist taking just a few pictures, though...

I also didn't want to worry about cooking for sixty people so we had the party catered from one of Franco's favorite Mexican restaurants El Pollo Norteño. Yum.

I loved the decorations of blue, yellow, and green, with a touch of gilded silver. I will write a post about them on my design blog soon, they were easy to make and best of all, inexpensive and reusable!

For a personal touch, I printed pictures from the graduation ceremony earlier that morning on my printer and clothespinned them to a green rope from the dollar store. Family took them home after as mementos!

I had to include this picture (above) again. We miss our bosses so, so much! Dr. Freeland on the left and Jay Christiansen on the right are simply the best bosses in the world.

Kept the school theme going with tiny chalkboards and pencils in mason jars for the centerpieces.

It was fun watching these little girls dancing--with themselves, with my mom, and Mariah with her dad. That's what life is all about, isn't it? Dance the night away.

Chances Are What We Make Them.

2011-08-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hello again! I'm just starting to get back in to the swing of things. Blogging? What is that? It's been almost nonexistent for me lately, but I did kind of miss it. We've had a great opportunity the last couple of months to just slow down and enjoy life. I think every person should have a chance to do that once in a while. It gives perspective, time for pondering (who does that anymore, really?) time for planning, and much-needed prioritizing. Ha, I so did not plan them to be all "p" words. Perspective, pondering, planning, and prioritizing. We did a lot of those this summer.

Back in May, Franco and I were living at my parent's house in a small room downstairs, I was working full-time, Franco graduated with his double bachelor's degrees, we had lots to do and lots of family and friends around.

Now, a little over two months later, we're in a one-bedroom apartment in a city we'd never heard of before we moved here, surrounded by people we don't know, I'm working from home (or trying to), and Franco just started his 4-year stint at optometry school. Needless to say we were feeling a bit like fish out of water.

But here's where slowing down and enjoying life comes into play. We had three glorious weeks since moving here where we simply did whatever we felt like doing whenever we felt like doing it. Sleep in? Yeah! Watch a movie together on a weekday in the middle of the day? Sure! Visit Ikea twice in one week? Yes, please! We also attended two temples within 45 minutes from our home, Redlands and Newport Beach and even visited family one weekend. Never did doing nothing feel so wonderful. I didn't feel rushed for one second.

I hope I don't sound like I'm gloating because that's not my intention at all. Actually, we planned for it to go this way months in advance. We knew optometry school was going to change our lives and bring with it stress, anxiety, and those elusive curve balls you just can't expect. And, not surprisingly, it has already, just two days in.

But it's okay. We're okay. You know what keeps us going? Knowing that this is where we're supposed to be, doing what we're supposed to be doing. Sincere prayer will do that for you, I promise. Most of all, it is knowing that we are not alone through all of this. If we ask for help, it will always, always come. Guaranteed. And who said you can't guarantee happiness?

Here are a few snapshots of some of the things we did together this summer.

"Oh, you know, new school, new babe pool..."
{Sorry. Couldn't resist a quote from She's The Man!}

Trying to get an even tan...unsuccessfully.

Concert in the park--One Hot Mess, an 80's band
Yes, they have those here, too!

First time visiting the Redlands LDS temple. It only took us 45 minutes to get there.

Charles Johannes

2011-07-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

Charlie jumping up like my sister and cousin below because he felt left out

Three and a half years after I was born and exactly 22 years ago, my parents welcomed my brother Charles into the world. We call him Charlie, Charlie Chaplin, Charla, Charlza, or Chuck Jones. He's my de facto lifeline if I can't remember what movie a quote is from and I joke with him that he could probably talk in quotes all day if he had to!

He has a strong desire to go on a mission for our church soon, and we are all behind him, supporting him and rooting for him to go. He is 22, a little older than usual for a missionary in our church, but I think he has matured so much and this is the best time for him to go.

Tonight we're meeting our family and a bunch of his friends at his favorite entertainment place Medieval Times in Buena Park. Looks like we're going to have a good knight! (har har)

Charla, I love you! Happy birthday, Bro!

A Sorta Fairytale.

2011-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

Moving has been the best vacation for us.

It's been two weeks since we moved out here to Chino Hills, and so far we absolutely love it! For me, it's been so great to wake up at a leisurely hour every morning and plan the fun things we get to do that day. Yesterday, I woke up and asked Franco what time it was, and he answered, "Who cares?" That's pretty much been the lifestyle over here lately. I know it's not going to last forever, though, and that's why I'm enjoying every last bit of it and have been staying as far away from the computer as possible. But even I can't stay away too long.

Last night at 8:30 p.m. we spontaneously decided to jump in the car and drive 30 minutes to our new favorite local destination: Disneyland. We haven't decided which annual pass to get so we didn't get to go into the park, so we walked around Downtown Disney for a bit. We stood in between the entrances to Disneyland and California Adventure to watch the daily fireworks show, too! Do you see the Mickey head? I think it was better than the 4th of July fireworks we watched in Santa Barbara! I haven't posted about that, have I? All in time...

We still have a week and a half before school starts for Franco, so we're going to enjoy every minute of it whether it's at the pool, at the movies, exploring, sleeping in, or simply snuggling on the couch at home. Hope you're having a spectacular summer, too!

p.s. if anyone ever wants to meet up with us at Disneyland/Downtown Disney, give us a holler! Like I said, we're only a half hour away, and Downtown Disney has free parking up to three hours! Yay!

What A Weekend!

2011-07-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been MIA the last couple of weeks! Honestly, though, I haven't really missed blogging..? But anyway, I could list everything that's been going on {which is a LOT} but I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves! I will break them up into a few posts, because there are so many pictures.

Happy late Independence Day!

p.s. one of the crazy things that's happening is we're moving in two days. i don't expect to blog after that for another week or more, so ta ta for now!

First up, we were able to participate in a Pioneer Youth Conference Trek for our church two weeks ago. It was a total of three days, and about 13 miles of hills pulling two handcarts laden with hundreds of pounds each. The main purpose of this trek was to gain a better appreciation for what our ancestors and leaders sacrificed over a hundred and fifty years ago to escape persecution and bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the west.

Franco and I were a Pa and Ma, "parents" to ten wonderful young men and women. I could go on and on about this trek, which was one of the most difficult yet amazingly spiritual experiences I have ever had, but I won't in the interest of time, since I have already written in my personal journal about it and don't need to necessarily share it with the world. Let's just say it was fun! I have so many pictures, but I whittled it down to these.

One Thousand Four Hundred And Sixty Days...Give Or Take.

2011-06-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

(didn't have time to download the real photo from the cd Jenea gave me,
so this'll have to do, watermark and all! =)

Happy 4 years of bliss!

Franco + Anelieze

June 22, 2007

Franco, I love you for eternity.

New Apartment Decorating Inspiration

2011-06-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

I've been collecting easy decorating ideas from around the web using supplies like paint, frames, and corkboard. Our old apartment had white walls, lots of windows, and black appliances. Our new apartment has white cupboards in the kitchen and we can paint the walls {hallelujah!} so I'll be pretty much starting my design board from scratch. Can't wait!

{credit}

{via}

{lost the credit to these}

{credit}

I love everything about this room {below}: the color palette of mustard yellow, powder blue, turquoise and gray, the white couch, the framed wallpaper, the metal accents, and the print on the coffee table. I also love the fact that the side table is a filing cabinet. Two birds with one stone.

{credit}

{via}

{seen on Decor8, sorry, no direct link}

When Reality Sets Back In. {And Some Recent Design Work On T-Shirts}

2011-06-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

Time.

Have you ever wished that time would go by quickly but then it suddenly seems to slow down, as if it's egging you on, sticking it's tongue out at you, going, "Nyah, nyah, nyah"? That's just about how I feel right now. Not that I'm just laying around waiting for it to go by. Quite the opposite, really.

We found a place in Chino Hills. The application is signed, sealed, delivered. Our move in date is July 8, which is less than a month away, but there is so much going on between then and now that every day feels like a whole week. I'd go as far as to say it's dragging, but I know that I should probably be thankful that it is. I found out recently that I don't like to be hurried. Hello, I had a 2 year engagement, and I've been married for 4 years with no kids. So why am I so impatient to get on with moving?

While I ponder this question, let me show you one thing I am excited about: tshirts! I submitted and idea to my blog friend Olivia's call for tshirt designs for the Lake Tahoe Relay and it was chosen! Liv posted pictures of them on her blog {pictures from there} after the relay was done last weekend and I thought they turned out great! I especially love the blue. Reminds me of the ocean...or of a lake, more appropriately, huh?

Thanks for the opportunity, Liv! It's such an accomplishment to see one of my designs "in print." =)

Our Movie Rating: X-Men | First Class

2011-06-09T17:33:00.000-07:00

X-Men: First Class

4 out of 5 stars

(too many stinkin' almost-naked ladies...)

Me Doctor Recommends A Quiet Summer By The Sea!

2011-06-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks, friendly gals for your comments on the last post. It's funny to me how there won't be any comments for the longest time, not even on important events {like this} but when I post about a glitter d.i.y. they come a-rolling in! Ah, the strange phenomenon that is the blogging world. I think I will never be a Jordan Ferney or a Naomi Davis, so I will need to focus on other things instead of trying to attract readers. That way I can appreciate what these talented ladies, plus dozens more, do from afar and be satisfied with my talents, and try not to copy theirs.

On to the important part of the post. Cute photos of cute kids in their swimsuits.

See more from this shoot here.

Glitter. Not The Movie.

2011-06-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, I tried on these shoes at JCrew, even though they were about $120 more than I could pay for them. {Truthfully, they weren't even all that comfy, so I didn't feel too bad that I had to put them back on the shelf.} Franco, however, gave me the boost I needed as he saw me looking longingly at all of their shoes on display by saying, "You could totally make those." And you know what, I can. And will with this d.i.y. As soon as I can get over to Michael's to get some pretty Martha Stewart glitter. Now the question is, what color?

Say Hello To Summer!

2011-05-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Happy long weekend! My family is planning a day trip to Solvang and I can't wait to get a warm ableskiver in my mouth. Summer officially starts now!

These Memories Are Playing Like A Film Without Sound.

2011-05-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

Why, hello, graduate.

Buddies: Haans, Franco, and Clay

Another buddy, Ishmael

He did it!

Franco graduated last Saturday from California State University, Channel Islands. It was a perfect day, and everything went just as we had imagined, and better. I was distracted taking pictures and didn't hear his name being called, but apparently the announcer misread his diploma and said Franco received a Bachelor's in Biology and a Bachelor's in Psychology! He did get a double Bachelor's, but in Bio and Spanish. Don't know where they got Psychology, but whatever. His buddies joked around with him saying that he got a degree without even working for it...if only, if only.

It feels so good to be finished with undergraduate studies! No more unnecessary "general ed" classes and demanding professors. Well, he may still have demanding professors in optometry school, but it will be the character-building type of demanding. He's going to be such a good doctor. Doesn't he look like a doctor? I think he does.

I'm so incredibly proud of my hubs, he means everything to me, and being there the last few years pushing him along has been rewarding in so many ways. I will be forever grateful for his example!

Congratulations, my love!

Something That Were Like Those Years.

2011-05-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

My family enjoying the show after eating a spaghetti dinner; Franco took the picture

Ruth and Shelby shaking it to the intro of Accidentally In Love by the Counting Crows

I am constantly amazed at the talent of young people! As soon as Cinemagic was over (oops, I haven't posted about this year's performance yet) my sister Ruth & friends immediately began rehearsals for Pastapalooza, a dinner and show fundraiser put on by her school. Ruth sang Accidentally In Love by the Counting Crows, and played the keyboard for Forget You, which her best bud Shelby sang. The guys were great on the guitar and drums, too. Other songs in the 2-hour show included Secrets by OneRepublic (my absolute favorite song), Party In The USA, Fame, and others that I couldn't stay for. Who will be the next Justin Bieber? Heaven forbid any of these guys! =)

Did you ever have anything like this at your middle school? The closest we ever got to this was a talent show. And it wasn't very good; I can't even think about it without cringing.

Whirl, Ballerina, Whirl

2011-05-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

My cousin Emily is an exquisite dancer. She had some photos taken up in Utah and she's letting me share them. Don't these look like individual pieces of art? I had a stint in high school where I was obsessed with ballerinas and it showed in my artwork. I almost wore ballerina shoes for prom...

The red umbrella photo is beckoning me to do a charcoal piece. But I don't think I could do it justice!

photos by vance photography: link?

Saying Thank You Just Doesn't Seem Good Enough.

2011-05-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Franco graduated from university last weekend. {Going for the British way of saying "university" not "the university". Feeling a little overseas pull today.}

Saturday:
We prepared. We waited. He walked. We cheered. We hugged. We posed. We partied. We ate. We laughed. We cried. We danced.

We said Thank You in every possible way we could. We are humbled by the immense outpouring of love and support we have felt and continue feeling every day.

Saying Thank You just doesn't seem good enough, but please accept our sincerest gratitude for you--yes, you, because you care enough to check in on us from time to time. You should know we do the same for you and always will!

Now we're waiting for the next chapter in our lives: Moving.
Stay tuned.

picture by Jenea Marie Photography at the graduation celebration that evening. from left to right: Dr. Freeland (Franco's Boss), Franco, Jay Christiansen (my boss) and me, Anelieze, poking my boss in the eyes.

What Is The Moral Of This Story?

2011-05-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

I don't believe in coincidences.

Friend #1's status about an hour ago: no one knows the exact time of His coming.With a link to: Preparing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. A comment under it said: isn't the second coming tomorrow? {jokingly}

and right below it, there was this update from another friend about an hour ago:

Friend #2: The boss had chinese today and got the best fortune cookie message ever

What would you say the moral of this story is?
I can't help but picture the Siamese cat from Aristocats playing chopsticks on the piano and singing, "Shanghai, Hong Kong, egg foo young/ Fortune cookie always wrong!" This time, however, I know it's right.

Our Movie Rating: The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

2011-05-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Chronicles Of Narnia:

The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

2.5/5 Stars

Bleh.

Our Movie Rating: Thor

2011-05-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

Thor

****/*****

A Taste Of Peru + Pinkberry In Pasadena

2011-05-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

I just realized I never posted about the Peruvian restaurant we tried in Pasadena a couple of weeks ago. As I mentioned in my earlier post, my cousins Ed & Rachel were in town visiting family so we met in Pasadena one night to have dinner and Pinkberry, our favorite place to go together. My friend Beth and her friend were also visiting from Utah so we got to hang out with them, too!

It was 9 p.m. before we started looking for a place to eat. We had tons of choices {hello, it's L.A.}: Vietnamese, Italian, Afghani, Thai, Mediterranean, you name it. We walked around downtown for a bit {it was Cinco de Mayo so we saw many a cop light, too} until we came upon Chozo Mama, this wonder of a Peruvian restaurant. We were greeted warmly by a woman, whom we found out was one of the owners, who ushered us in as if we were long-awaited for family. It was kind of fun =)

Five big stars for the food, service, price, and portions. Just look at the WHOLE chickens on those two girl's plates! It was hilarious when the waiter brought it and set it in front of Kate, Rachel's petite niece. The rest of the food, papas a la huancaina, platanos fritos, empanadas de carne, was fabulous. Finish off the night with some creamy Pinkberry and you can die happy.

What made it so much more enjoyable was the company. Huzzah for family and friends! Food wouldn't be the same without them.

Tryin' To Fit The World Inside A Picture Frame.

2011-05-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Some more pictures of J here.

Our Movie Rating: Soul Surfer

2011-05-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Soul Surfer

****/*****

I watched this with Natasha a few weeks ago and it was very well done. AnnaSophia Robb did an excellent job, especially in the crucial sharkbiting scene.

All The World's A Stage, I'm An Open Book.

2011-05-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Jeez, it seems like all my posts lately have to do with having children but I'm not even close to doing that yet! Guess when something's on my mind, it shows. Here's something completely non-kid related.

Have you read or heard about the Wings series by Aprilynne Pike? They're lovely, original fantasy books with all the things we can't resist: a love triangle, abnormally abstinent teenagers, and lots of faeries fighting ugly trolls. The third book in the series, Illusions, came out last week and I found out Aprilynne Pike was going to do a book signing in Pasadena, so I thought I'd go and check it out. I'd never been to one before, and thankfully Liv the book-signing queen gave me some pointers, and it was a success! There were maybe thirty people there and I had fun listening to her talk about her experience writing a best-selling book. I'd totally recommend going to one of her book signings.

It also worked out that my cousin Ed and his wife Rachel were in town by Redlands, so we met up after the signing and ate some yummy nummy Peruvian food. I'll post pics of that laters. It was a full but great night!

Preparing.

2011-05-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

Pretty girl.

My BIL Randy with my nieces Aaliyah & Shekendra on Mother's Day, making faces through the kitchen window.

Sometimes it's easy to look at life as a series of "to-do" lists, making sure we do everything we want or need to do, marking them off as we go along, prioritizing, procrastinating and perfecting.

~~1. Find Love.2. Get Married.~~3. Bear Children.4. Stay Sane.

I'm the kind of person who likes to think of herself as spontaneous but really isn't. I would have like three kids by now if I was. I've heard many times that having and raising children takes an enormous amount of faith, that you can't do everything to prepare for it. While I agree with that, I also believe a person can do research and have lots of hands-on experience {babysitting} as well as do everything possible to prepare the environment in which the child will be brought up.

I was talking to my cousin last week over dinner about life's plans and I mentioned that I learn something new every day about parenting or childbirth. Literally, every day. And I don't even have children yet, and no I'm not expecting.

Bringing a child into this world is not something to take lightly. I've always known that I wanted to be older rather than younger when I started having children. I think it was half hope that I would grow in stature an inch or two more {they say you can keep growing until you're 25} but mostly it was the immense mental and spiritual preparation I needed to undertake. I didn't want to lack confidence in who I am as a human being and daughter of God while I tried to instill that same confidence into a new soul. I needed to establish my own identity first. But I also know that faith precedes the miracle, so maybe I just need to increase faith?

Whatever it is, I just know that the time is nearing because Heavenly Father is opening my eyes and mind to so many things. It's like he's telling me, "This is the next thing on your list." Before work, before travel, even before service.

Happy Mother's Day, for those who celebrate the Mexican Mother's day! I am in awe at who you are.

Been Wondering Lately...

2011-05-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

...what I would look like as a Disney princess?
...why some people confuse "peek" with "peak" when writing "sneak peek"? I can't count the number of times I've seen this error around the web. "Sneak peak"? It just bugs.
...if I should start a real photography business. I don't want to go through all the hassle, I'd rather just keep it as a hobby.
...if the people in our new town are going to be nice to us?
...what else I can do to help my brother go on a mission this year.
...if I can withstand a natural childbirth. With the birth stories I've heard lately from close friends, an epidural shot sounds real good to me. But my mom had 5 natural births, so...when I get to that point, of course, I will decide what's best. I'm such a weakling when it comes to any type of pain. (This is still in the distant future, it's just been on my mind since I've had like 12 friends have babies in the last few of weeks.)
...if Will & Kate will be married forever and ever?
...if Pandora will find out that we have like five separate listening accounts?
...will I ever spend more than $20 on a haircut?
...whether I will watch The Office ever again. I only watched it before because of Michael.
...will anyone read this?

Let's Go To Disneyland, Right Now.

2011-04-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

Oh, wow. Have you seen these?

So incredibly pretty.
Where we're moving, we'll be within 20 minutes of Disneyland. Hellooooo blessed annual passes, I love you.

photos by Anne Leibovitz, you may have seen some of them in magazines or around the web.

Traditional Easter Dinners

2011-04-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Two kinds of Traditional Easter dinners at the Zurcher's

Traditionally American: orange-glazed ham, mashed potatoes (with skins), roasted garlic red potatoes and green beans.

Traditionally Chihuahense: tacos de camaron en chipotle con nopales or shrimp and cactus in a chipotle sauce eaten with warm tortillas, caldo de camaron seco or dried shrimp stew, and jugo de jamaica or tamarind juice.

Did I make you hungry? It was delicious! We even ate the bunny. Don't worry, it was made out of bread.

Raise Your Joys And Triumphs High.

2011-04-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

The centerpiece for this year's Easter dinner was simple: glass jars and vases, fresh flowers, and candles. It wasn't planned, I just grabbed things I saw around the house that worked together and placed them on the table. Add some colorful nametags and you've got a Spring-worthy centerpiece!

I've been working on my photography skills lately, and I practiced a lot on these flowers, can you tell? The last three pictures are what you call "SOOC--or straight out of the camera." This means I did no editing on the files--I downloaded them straight from the memory card to my computer and posted them on the blog. No cropping, no contrast shift, no temperature change...literally straight out of the camera. I hope I can do it more often!

I've been learning so much about the wonders of digital SLR photography. It's something I've been pretty much teaching myself, and now I know what the difference is between a 50 mm/f1.4 lens and a 50 mm/f1.8! There are many sources I've used to teach myself, and if any of you would like to learn about them, let me know and I'll do a post about it.

This Week + Happy Weekend!

2011-04-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

This week:

-eating lots of meals prepared by my momma. I love coming home from work and hearing, "Time to eat!" almost immediately. It makes me smile a little.

-watching movies on the monster t.v. that takes up half of our bedroom. {We moved into my family's t.v. room last week}

-playing Just Dance 2 for hours on family night {yes, we play that a lot, but remember, we only own like 3 games}.

-listening to my papi play his own beautiful compositions on the baby grand.

-testing out the 50mm/f1.4 lens I borrowed from the CSUCI library and loving it! I'm preparing for a newborn photoshoot this Saturday. I think I'll be all right now that I know how to use this miracle lens. {Guys, the light! It's amazing.}

-cuddling with Cecil da Bunny lots, and lots, and making him totally frustrated that he scratches me and licks me until I let him go.

-living simply with the man I love.

Happy Weekend, and Happy Easter!

G-r-a-y Or G-r-e-y

2011-04-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Seriously considering this lovely color grey for our future {waaaay in the future, not now or anytime soon} boy or girl's nursery. It's a room I would want to sleep in, too, you know? And it can go either way, feminine or masculine. Seen here but originally from here.

What Will This Day Be Like? I Wonder...

2011-04-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

waiting in the truck for the guys to bring the piano

With star, Brock Waidmann!

Sheky buried Franco with her toys

Let's see, this week:

we said "goodbye" to our studio apartment and said "hello!" to living in my parent's t.v. room for two months {thank you to all who helped!} • we celebrated my niece Aaliyah's third birthday at in-n-out • celebrated my cousin Karent's 16th birthday • i read a great recommendation from Liv Carter, "Anna and the French Kiss" which made me long for a trip to Paris even more • i did a trampoline photoshoot with a family i used to babysit for and now the oldest daughter is in college! {which made me feel old}--my friend Jenea saved my life and let me use her amazing cameras again!! • attended a sweet premiere party for one of our friends, Brock Waidmann {he's on IMDb!!}, who guest stars on a new show called The Paul Reiser Show, which we watched on THE BIG SCREEN, complete with a popcorn machine! • had a missionary discussion for one of Franco's fellow institute students, which went well and crossing our fingers she continues to follow her heart • we still haven't even started our taxes {!} but thankfully, Franco's class was cancelled today so he'll be working on them, bless his soul • tonight is opening night for Cinemagic Rocks! • tomorrow, i'm giving a short photography presentation, "photography basics" in Oxnard • and finally, we're celebrating my niece Shekendra's 2nd birthday with an Easter scavenger hunt.

we're tired, to say the least.

Busy, Busy, Busy.

2011-04-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

Another cuuuute picture of my niece Aaliyah. She's going to be three next week!

Last night I put potatoes and green beans in the oven to roast. I set the timer and went back to printing the 250 wedding invitations a friend had me design. A little while later, Franco asked, "What are you cooking?" I answered but didn't ask why he said that. A few minutes later, I smelled plastic burning, and I ran over to the oven to open the door. Through the smelly smoke, I found a blue goo dripping to the floor of the oven, and reached over to turn it off. "What is it?" Franco asked, referring to the gross pool of burnt plastic which appeared to be oozing out of the bottom of the pan. I smacked my hand to my forehead and laughed, realizing what it was. "It's the plastic bag clip I left on the counter! I was looking for it to clip it to the bag of green beans. It had a magnet on it so it must have stuck to the pan before I put it in the oven." I felt so idiotic. Dinner was shot and our apartment reeked of burnt plastic all night. Fun.

To get out of the headache-inducing odor, and as a reward for the hard work we had put into packing and organizing a lot of our stuff, we went to a late-night showing of I Am Number Four at the cheap theater. Pretty ok. I had no idea what it was about, and there were a lot of actors I kind of recognized. Did not expect it to be a series. Bleh. I'm sort of getting tired of those.

But I did watch a movie called Bella today, and it was beautiful. It made me cry.

Now it's back to cleaning and enjoying our last few days with just the two of us. I am happy, though, that the apartment inspector told us we don't have to paint because we've lived here over two years and we've been good tenants. Seriously, can we just clone this place and move it to Pomona? It would make life so much easier...

Our Movie Rating:Tess D'Urbervilles

2011-04-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

Quite possibly the most depressing story I have ever watched. I don't even know how to rate it.

Tess of D'Urbervilles (2008)

***/*****

First Weekend In April

2011-04-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

We had a busy first April weekend!

{Can you believe it's April already??}

First, it was my lovely mom's birthday last Friday.

April Fool's!

No, really, it was.

She had a jolly jump and everything! And great food, as always. I love you, mama.

Franco was getting a little sick, so we were grateful that we could spend the weekend in our apartment watching General Conference, a semi-annual conference held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have to say the entire name, now, don't I? :) Specific prayers were answered and we were spiritually and physically uplifted by the words of our prophets and leaders. Isn't President Monson the best?

Between and after sessions, we packed up most of our little studio.

It's looking pretty bare now and I can't help feeling sad.

We'll be living out of these for two and a half months while we live with my family.
Yay!

While Franco and the boys watched the priesthood session on Saturday night, I got together with my sisters in law and we had a little photoshoot. My nieces apparently love eating those lemons! I love that last picture. It's very "frolicking in the country"-ish!

That was our weekend! This week will be a blur, I know, but I'm excited to get on with the next big step in our lives! Have a great week!

I Hope It Has A Pool.

2011-03-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Weather comparison for Camarillo vs. Chino Hills {the place we would like to live when we move in July}:

Chino Hills looks like it's always going to be a few degrees hotter than Camarillo. Bust out the sunscreen! "Has a pool" will need to be added to the apartment requirements for sure.

It might be a good idea for me to replace my 7-yr-old tankini, too. I was thinking, striped. I found the JCrew one first and was seriously considering shelling out the $82, but a quick search saved me $52.50. Can't wait to try on the one from Old Navy. I've always liked the fit of their swimsuits. Can't wait for summer!

JCrew
$82

Old Navy
$29.50

"Only Problem Is, I Can't Remember What I've Forgotten!"

2011-03-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

quote by Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

I have a few ways to help myself remember things. I switch one of my rings onto a different finger, I put endless memos and alarms on my phone, I email myself all the time, or text Franco's phone so he'll remind me of things. But those methods are usually for out-of-the-ordinary happenings that I don't want to forget. The day-to-day things I should have down pat. These last few days, however, I've had some major memory hiccups.

I lost $100. I forgot my office keys at home and didn't have a car so I stood out in the rain for half an hour until my co-worker came and opened the door for me. I went to a baby shower last night and had to wrap the gift last minute, and then forgot the bag with the scissors, tape, and wrapping paper in the host's bedroom. And that's just in the last few days.

I'm embarrassed to share, but I hope someone can provide some sage advice on how to help my ailing memory. I mean, it's one thing to forget little things once in a while, but when Franco, concerned, asks me, "What's happening to you?" after I tell him of my forgetfulness once again, there's something seriously wrong. Is there any hope for me? What can I do to be more organized, more able to remember things? Or does it just get worse (yikes)?

For Your Wednesday

2011-03-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

Some sweet Penelope love for your viewing pleasure.

Well, They Say The Sky's The Limit.

2011-03-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday!

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to volunteer for Cinemagic Rocks! (last year's here) and help with the cast photography. I only helped the photographers, but between shoots I got to watch the dress rehearsals for all of the performances. The picture above is from the last song, Bad by MJ. My brother Lev is the one in all black...the one that looks like he's fifteen when he's only twelve (sigh). Sarah, one of the YW from church, is the one in red with red hair to match! Kick those legs up high!

I loved watching them rehearse. There were other songs like Dynamite, Ponde Replay, and Rock And Roll All Night by Kiss--complete with Gene Simmons capes and facepaint. It promises to be a great show next month!

Saving Me For Last, But You Better Not Eat Me At All.

2011-03-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

I love going to the grocery store and coming back with a bag full of fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of boxes and bags of gross processed foods. I do still buy processed foods, but lately, it's been more of nature's ingredients like the ones above. Being a print designer, I know that we often pay more for the packaging than the actual product, so I'm weaning myself away from them as quickly as I can not only to eat healthier, but to save money. Aren't we all into saving money?

My friend gave me a bag full of huge, juicy oranges over the weekend and I've been eating at least two a day. I can't wait to make my favorite spinach salad tonight for dinner, and prepare a cucumber tomato salad with lemon dressing for tomorrow's lunch. Who said mealtimes had to be complicated? Think how much healthier it would be if you substituted a baked sweet potato for french fries next time you make hamburgers for dinner. Personally, I feel so much better when I eat raw produce. I hope to keep this up so that my kids will also enjoy eating green beans and asparagus. It can be done, I've seen it. It just takes a little thought and planning.

Out In The Sunshine.

2011-03-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

Isn't Camarillo beautiful? A few weeks ago, the sun was shining and instead of staying inside the office during lunch, I took a leisurely walk to the corner deli a few blocks away to get me a Greek gyro--the best in town! On the way back, my friend Emily passed by in her car and stopped to give me a ride. It was a perfect lunchtime I hope to be able to enjoy again soon: nature, food, and good company.

on my way to the deli, listening to music on my mp3 player.
now i get why teens glue their ears to their headphones--
listening to tunes on a long walk makes it so much more enjoyable!

Sunshine Orange Cake Recipe

2011-03-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

You will love how simple it is to make this orange cake. It's perfect for parties and showers; people will ask for seconds, even thirds, I guarantee it. Please click on the banner below to download the PDF.

Serves 18-24 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Baking time: 30-40

Cake Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 can (11-ounce) mandarin oranges with juice

Mix all Ingredients. Beat two minutes. Bake at 350° for 30-40
minutes, depending on the cake pan you use. I made two 8”
rounds and it took about 30 minutes to bake.

Frosting Ingredients:
8 ounces Cool Whip
1 small box instant vanilla pudding
1 can (8-ounce) crushed pineapple with juice

Mix together and spread on cooled cake. Keep refrigerated.

Ferends

2011-03-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

Moving plans are well under way! We've already begun packing, mostly because our lease is up next month and to renew for a quarter would have put us into the middle of July. Seeing that Franco starts August first, we decided to move in at my parent's house for a couple of months. Anyone interested in a charming studio apartment in Camarillo pending vacancy in April? Let me know!

I'm grateful my family is willing to spare their downstairs t.v. room for a spell while we get everything in order by July. July...that's only three and a half months away. I can't believe it's almost here! It's like our world is turning upside down, but in a good way. I've internet-scouted the area and found an Ikea, an H&M, a XXI Forever, a Target and a Trader Joe's all within seven miles of where we want to live. Everything I need all in one place. I'm a happy woman.

We've been getting together every weekend with friends for dinner and/or games now that Franco doesn't have to study all the time. Last Sunday, we spent all day after church at our friends the Coons' eating delicious panuchos and playing games. The Laws were also there and we enjoyed some laughs as we watched their little ones interact with one another. I spent the better half of seven hours carrying the Coons' one-month-old daughter and observing the expressions she made with her tiny lips and eyes. She's such a doll.

I'm sorry for my lack of pictures lately. I rarely take photos with my point-and-shoot anymore because it never takes pictures the way I want it to. Blame it on the SLR's I've been working with more and more lately. I tried last night and these are the best I got. Thank goodness the subjects were pretty nice-looking. =)

I also found an excellent recipe for Sunshine Orange Cake. I'll share the recipe download tomorrow. It's the simplest cake I've ever made, and also the freshest. Everyone had seconds without hesitation. Now that's a successful dessert if I ever knew one!

'Til tomorrow, then!

p.s. Meghann and Shantel, thank you for your recommendation of Lark Rise to Candleford. I'm halfway through the third episode and it's wonderful!

...Up To?

2011-03-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

As in... What have you been?

Thanks for all your kind messages, verbal or written, about our big news.

Changes, changes, changes are what we've been up to. Good ones, of course. Franco made a page-and-a-half long list of "Things to do before we move" on Monday. I'm letting him take care of most of them because he's just more capable of taking care of things like, "close our current lease," "prepare to sell our car," "get a new car," "find a place to live in july," "and possibly the scariest, "apply for financial aid." Did you know that optometry school costs $30,000 a year? Yep. Gulp, is right.

One of the things Franco asked me to do is to plan how and where I will work when we move. I know what I don't want to do: work at an insurance agency. I may keep doing some remote work at my home computer for a while to help with the transition, but that's still undecided. In my dream world, I'd be a successful graphic designer, mainly focusing on event invitations or logo designs. I am not a career woman. Looking back, I wish I would have taken a business class or two (instead of all the English classes I took instead, back when I was an English major) because I honestly don't know anything about the business world. How to start a business? I have no idea where to start. If anyone has any suggestions or tips, they are most welcome.

But anyway, this post wasn't meant to be all about my petit problèmes.

I've been on a BBC & Masterpiece Theater kick lately and thought I'd share some of the latest and greatest series I've had the pleasure of watching. I assume that a lot of you either have access to a computer with internet, or have a Netflix subscription, or at the very least have a library card and can have access to these great titles, so if you're looking for something to watch alone or with your hubby, these are some great picks.

Here they are in the order I liked them the most:

1. First up is Jane Austen's classic, Emma. (2009)

Light, airy, and romantic. At first, I didn't know what to think about the actress who plays Emma, Romola Garai, but I warmed up to her and really enjoyed the transformation she portrayed as Emma went from a self-possessed, nosy, meddling matchmaker to a forcibly humbled, repentant woman. Mr. Knightley wasn't bad, either.

Available on: Netflix DVD (2 discs, 4 episodes) (It's also available on YouTube) I actually borrowed it from my city library.

2. Next is Sense & Sensibility. (2008) (Sorry, I'm such a sucker for Jane Austen!)

These "modern" adaptations aren't bad at all. The 1995 version with Emma Thompson will forever hold the #1 position for a S&S adaptation, but this one was longer and dealt with the little details and emotions the older version just couldn't get into because of time.

Available on: Netflix DVD (1 Disc, 180 mins) I watched it on YouTube but can't find the link just now.

3. I just finished Wives & Daughters (1999), a BBC production of a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell.

It reminds me of a Cinderella story only because Molly's father remarries after her mother dies and the stepmother, while not exactly wicked, is very annoying. Molly is loyal, humble, and thinks of everyone else but herself, keeping secrets others tell her, even though they visibly burden her. She's very patient, though not a very take-action person, but something in her finally snaps and she takes a leap of faith to win over the man she secretly loves.

I watched it on Netflix Instant, but it's also available on DVD (3 discs, 4 episodes).

4. To continue with the Austen adaptations, Persuasion (2007) is my next favorite.

I didn't know the storyline before watching this, as I've never read the book or watched any other movies, but I liked the character of Anne Elliot. I am a person who is easily persuaded, too, but in matters of the heart, Anne and I are both founded on rock. I related a lot to her and was impressed by her depth of emotion and regret, and then resolution as she finally decides for herself what she wants to do, and then does it.

Available on: Netflix DVD (1 disc, 93 minutes) and on YouTube.

I also watched Daniel Deronda (2002) on Netflix Instant, but I didn't really like it. It was not predictable in some parts, I'll give it that, but I couldn't really relate to any of the characters and it was just not my cup of tea.

Next up on my To-Watch list are Northanger Abbey (2007) Mansfield Park (2007), and Tess of the D'Urbervilles (2008) (starring my doppleganger, Gemma Arterton. Do you see it? =).

I've said it before, but I inarguably spend way too much time watching movies. I hope to change that once we get rid of our Netflix subscription, which is sadly one of the "Things to do before we move" list. I'll miss it, but I'll still have the library and YouTube. Please, don't ever take away my YouTube.

Enjoy your week!

Welcome.

2011-03-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

Even though I've lived in Southern California all my life, I've never been to Pomona, California, a mere two hours away in the south-easterly direction. I think we passed by it when my family drove to Texas several years ago, but my memory does not serve me well in remembering anything about it except a freeway and a lot of bridges.

If you haven't heard already, Franco was accepted to Western University of Health Sciences, School of Optometry in Pomona, California starting August 1. If you were in the general 500-mile vicinity on Friday around 1:30 p.m. you may have heard me shout in exclamation after Franco called me to tell me the news. And news it was! I'll share a few details if any of you are curious.

To provide a little background, these are the events which occurred that led up to last Friday:

*Franco visited the optometrist when he was 11 years old and decided he wanted to be an eye doctor when he grew up
*Junior High Graduation, High School graduation, a 2-year mission, and 6 years of undergrad with two Bachelors degrees later (almost, he graduates in May), Franco studied hard and long (like almost two years) and took the Optometry Admissions Test (like the dreaded MCAT or DAT) last January
*He applied to nine schools of optometry all over the United States
*Started his last semester at CSUCI and waited to hear back from said schools
*A few weeks ago, after going to the temple together one night, he got an email from Western U to come for an interview (An interview is basically a we-want-to-meet-you type of thing, and they generally let you know by mail a couple of weeks post-interview if you've been accepted or not)
*Franco stayed in a hotel the night before the interview and went to the interview on Friday morning

That brings us up to the interview. Let me just say, Franco has landed every job interview he's ever had, and he's had many. I knew he'd nail it. He's always calm, collected, and has a manner of speaking which readily catches the listener's attention. And he's funny and laid-back, so I had no doubt he'd win over whomever would be interviewing him.

Man, did I underestimate him. They accepted him on the spot. Franco doesn't like me to say it was "on the spot", but that's what it was! He's in an empty room completing a survey and in walks one of the admissions people. She says she remembers his application (one out of 600) and wants to let him know that he's been accepted, then hands him an acceptance letter with his name right there. That doesn't happen very often, I don't think. Miracle, I call it. He calls me minutes later as he's heading back to the car.

Needless to say, I was stunned but also incredibly humbled. You may remember that I had mentioned that we were seriously considering other places much farther away than Pomona, not because we were eager to move away, but because California schools are so competitive--we really didn't think we had a good chance to get into one of them. What little faith I had.

This experience had me on my knees immediately after hanging up with Franco, and as soon as he got back into town, we prayed again together. We know it was because of our prayers and the prayers on our behalf that this great blessing came into our lives. Thank you, family and friends, for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We are eternally indebted to you! We knew 2011 would bring many new challenges and changes for our family, and it is humbling to see so many people behind us supporting us through it all.

So, what now? I've never moved away from Ventura County in all my life. I don't know the first thing about moving or finding a place to live or going to a new ward at church. I have a lot to learn. But I'll stop here. Maybe I'll chronicle some of the experiences I have as I'm adjusting to this new chapter in our lives. Heaven knows I'll need help!

Thanks again for your love and friendship, and for reading, =)

xoxo annie

Simply Grateful.

2011-03-04T14:17:00.000-08:00

Something miraculous and testimony-building happened today. Hopefully I'll share soon, when husband Franco and I reunite and hug and celebrate all weekend long, after we get down on our knees and thank our Heavenly Father together for His incredible love and guidance.

Thank you, dear friends! Have a wonderful weekend.

The Bowmans At The Beach

2011-03-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

I've kept this shoot to myself for too long...almost two months, in fact! It's high time I shared because it's one of my favorite shoots. My friends Bonnie & Peter came down around the first of the year and asked if I'd take photos of the two of them and their dog, Prada. Yes, they're married, though at first glance you'd think these were engagement pictures, right? =) Bonnie happens to be an accomplished photographer, so in addition to me feeling slight pressure to do a good job, she was nice enough to give me tips and let me use her different types of lenses...I'm really leaning towards Nikon now more than Canon. But that's a decision I probably won't have to make for quite a while yet. Anyhows, enjoy!

Here's Bonnie showing off her mad modeling skills. Love. Her. :)

Location: Hueneme Beach in Port Hueneme, CA.

Fresh.

2011-03-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

{Maura McEvoy for Real Simple}

My new favorite salad: Spinach, Apple, and Avocado Salad

The trick to this salad is getting the dressing right. I've made it a few times in the last couple of weeks so I'll share my tried-and-true recipe. The springboard for this recipe is from Real Simple, but there are a few things done differently. Here's the Real Simple recipe: Spinach, Apple, and Walnut Salad.

Here's my version of the recipe:

{click on the banner above to download the printable pdf}

Salad Ingredients:
2 Gala apples, cored, and diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice (you'll need more for the dressing)
2 (5-ounce packages (8 cups) fresh baby spinach leaves (I bought a large bag at Trader Joe's for $1.99)
1 firm-ripe avocado, peeled and diced
4 strips of cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
1/4 cup red onion, sliced into thin pieces
Optional:
To add a little more sweet to the sour, add a handful of dried cranberries
To add a little more sour to the sweet, add a handful of crumbled goat or feta cheese

Salad Dressing:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
Ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Toss apples with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Place spinach in a large bowl; remove long stems and bruised leaves. Chop loosely. Toss spinach with apples, bacon, and onion (and other optional ingredients except avocado and cheese).
2. Make dressing: In a small container with lid, mix together the 2 tablespoons lemon, oil, honey, pepper and vinegar. Be careful with the vinegar--add it little by little. I put too much in the first time and the dressing was very bitter. It's supposed to be more sweet than sour, unless you want it to taste sour. Close the lid firmly on the container and shake it to combine all the ingredients.
3. Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing. Divide between four bowls. Top with the avocado and cheese.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

2011-02-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

My cousins Eddie, Kevin and I waiting in line for the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, April 1995
I ran across this picture in my little "growing up" scrapbook a few days ago and I couldn't help but notice that I have the exact same haircut now than I did when I was 8. I still have to take a better picture of my current haircut, not with my mediocre camera phone. Franco still says it looks like I'm wearing a wig. And I haven't had a middle part in about 10 years. It's crazy how a small change like that can make a huge difference!

Have a fun weekend!

It's Your Birthday?!

2011-02-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

The few days before V-day, Franco spent in bed with a 102° fever. I let him rest and went solo to a birthday/V-day dinner the Friday before V-day at D'Amores with a bunch of friends. It was our friend Yenelli's birthday, and she and her husband Josh set up a long red-covered table complete with red roses at a quaint Italian restaurant here in Camarillo. The pizza there is authentic--we know because Yenelli's been to Italy and has had real Italian pizza. I enjoyed a delicious spinach and apple salad that I tried to recreate a couple times over the last week because it was just that good. I'll share the recipe here soon.

The cakes were amazing--chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting made by Natasha and a sinful red velvet cake with strawberries made by Yenelli herself. I wish I'd gotten better pictures of all our friends, but there's only so much you can do with a phone.

I heart friends.

Our Movie Rating: You Again

2011-02-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

Yes, we're back to watching a lot of movies. Franco has a class at Northridge twice a week so I'm stuck at work during lunch time. I'm too much of a wuss to go outside when it's below 60 degrees, so I stay in and watch Netflix instant during my lunch hour. I definitely watch more movies than Franco. I watched three movies in the last week with the same actress, Romola Garai, inadvertently--Emma, Nicholas Nickelby, and Daniel Deronda. Didn't know she was in all three movies until they started to play and she came on screen.Isn't it funny when that happens? Last night we were both so tired, but You Again had come in the mail, so we just lay in our bed watching it on our computer. Clean, cute, funny.

You Again

****/*****

Oh, and we finally saw Tangled on Monday night. A typical, beautiful Disney fairytale-retelling. We loved it. Franco and I talked about how we're living our "Happily Ever After" already. I'm so incredibly lucky. =)

In The Morning When I Wake Up

2011-02-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

We've been trying out different types of {healthier} breakfast options. Frosted flakes* pretty much make me gag so I had to try something better. Apples, cheese, bran flakes, fresh berries, and a yogurt drink are my absolute favorites. Got the ideas and photos from Real Simple's 9 Fast, Healthy Breakfast Ideas.

*that's what I get for letting Franco do the grocery shopping without giving him a detailed list. =)

Vivez Le Langue >> Live The Language

2011-02-17T10:52:00.000-08:00

This video makes me want to
01. return to Paris, badly,
02. buy a video camera.

EF - Live The Language - Paris from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.

Dreaming Of A California Christmas.

2011-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hi, friends!

Today I need your awesome mouse-clicking talent so you can vote for my design on Penscrappers. I did this for fun, but the prize is a bamboo pen {to use instead of a mouse, it helps with my oncoming carpal tunnel!} and I'd really, truly love one! I think I need about 100 more votes, and I know some of you have already voted, but if you can help me, please click on the link and on the "vote" button on the top right.

If you vote for me and I {miraculously} end up winning, I've promised that I'd send out a little digital design to all who helped me out. And it will be a very nice little token of my appreciation, I can tell you that! When you've voted, comment back on this post so I know who to include in my "giveaway" if I win. Thanks in advance!

xo Annie

Please vote here.

Underneath This Adolescent Sky Together, Together.

2011-02-15T12:25:00.000-08:00

These are some pictures I took at the birthday party of a friend's son last month. I was candidly taking pictures, so none of these are posed, per say, but I couldn't help but smile at this first little girl. She knew I was taking pictures of her and definitely put on her modeling charm to work. So serious! ;)

I also couldn't get enough of the pink converse another little girl had on. I love the girly punk look. The last picture is of the birthday boy. He loves the soccer team America so the felt candy bags are supposed to be yellow uniforms. Guess he was feeling patriotic, with his hand over his heart?

Happy Hearts, Love, And Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

It's the holiday of red and pink around our home.

Chocolate roses I made to give as Valentines and a wallet-sized flip book I made for Franco last year. I'm blowing kisses {red hearts} at him as he flips the pages.

Red, pink, and white gumballs in my apothecary jar. Everything I love is in the picture: Franco, Paris, and candy.

Every couple of weeks I write a new scripture or quote on the little chalkboards I made.

Love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:34

Whether you believe in Valentine's day or not, and whether you have a Valentine in the traditional sense of the word or not, choose to spread the love today with a friend, a family member, or a Valentine-to-be. It can't hurt. =)

The talented April Meservy has a love song called "I Like Mondays" free for download for this week only. And if you still need a card, this one's available for download and print. Happy Monday!

All Rolled Into One

2011-02-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

On January 1st, I didn't make the traditional long "list" of new year's resolutions, but instead made one which resounds in my head daily: to take better care of myself. Sound a little selfish? This is how I see it. If I am taking better care of myself, I'm:

*striving to eat healthier, therefore helping my husband, family, and friends eat healthier, because I make food for them too, sometimes. {I've been slowly delving into the 50% raw food spectrum, and I'm loving it so far.}

*trying to go to bed earlier, therefore waking up earlier, getting to work earlier, making my bosses happier, and not rushing in the mornings or bothering my husband when he's trying to sleep at night and I'm typing away on the computer, reading a book with the lamp on, etc.

*taking better care of my skin, hair, eyes, hands, and feet, therefore buying more natural skin/hair care products which not only helps the respective entrepreneurs, but also those around me who can benefit from my product and daily routine reviews.

*organizing my time in a way where I'm not getting late to or missing appointments, idling my time away by watching too much useless t.v., therefore making better use of my time and everyone else's.

*scheduling specific times during the week to work on my little design business, which helps my husband and me, but also my clients who are happy they are getting better, more timely responses from me, which in turn makes me happy and builds up my portfolio.

*letting myself grow spiritually every day by studying the scriptures, listening to and reading uplifting talks and messages, bearing my testimony more often, and praying always to my Heavenly Father, which helps me become more centered and confident in life, bringing peace and warmth to my personal relationships with my husband, family members, and friends.

There are probably a dozen more things I'd like to do to take better care of myself, small things like reinventing my wardrobe and accessories, spending less money and more time creating things, focusing on one thing at a time, spending more time out in the sun, listen to more audio books, etcetera. I hope that this year will bring new meaning to my life, or I should say more meaning to my life. Two-thousand-eleven is a year of changes for our little family, I can already feel it. I want to be ready and prepared so that I can meet whatever comes my way with strength and courage. So I can welcome any surprises with open arms and turn them into countless blessings.

If you want to check in from time to time, I'll be following up on my progress now and then, and sharing little tidbits and treasures I find along the way. I'd also love to hear any tips you have for taking better care of yourself. Heaven knows I can use the support!

*pic from this post, couldn't find the original source, but thought it was interesting that the blog author is making the same resolution this year as me. glad i'm not the only one!

Highlights

2011-02-09T00:46:00.000-08:00

Last weekend:

Thursday: I went with Franco to get his hair cut and decided I wanted bangs. So I got bangs.

Friday: Franco had a scout campout so I hung out with my brother; we fell asleep on my parent's couch watching The Last Crusade, my favorite Indiana Jones movie by a long shot.

Saturday: did a lot of cleaning--the church building because it was my family's month to do it; my friend's living room because she and her family was moving; and my apartment, because it was dirty. Franco came back, and we got ready for a night of Ticket to Ride and Wii games at our friends the Trickey's. I came in last place, but slowly got better...

Sunday: after church (I love having church in the morning now), we visited family and then played a couple more games of Ticket to Ride, because it's just that addictive.

Monday: after FHE, we went to Gamestop to buy Just Dance 2, then came home and danced the night away! It's my new (and only) exercise routine.

Nothing terribly exciting.

We're still waiting for any news on where Franco will get into optometry school; I know he's going to get in, I have faith that he will! He has to get interviewed first, so he may be making a cross-country trip or two here pretty soon. Right now, he's just enjoying the fact that he's finally on his last semester of university! We're having a lot of fun together. One of my goals is to get together with friends at least once a week. We've already got dates lined up for the next few weeks. We'd love to hang out with you, too, so let us know when you're free! And if you're not exactly in the general vicinity, well, we can figure something out. Anyway, I hope you have a great week!

I Love You, Deeply. {A Free Printable For You, With Love.}

2011-02-04T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hi's! If you still need a pretty card for Valentine's day {or anniversary, birthday, just because}, maybe you'll like this one. Head to my design blog to download the pdf files, then have fun printing it out for your sweetie!

Franco is out on a scout camping trip tonight, so I'm spending the night at my parent's house.

Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Keep Calm And Carry On Poster Generator

2011-02-04T10:49:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! Where did this week, and January for that matter, go? Here's something fun for you, your very own Keep Calm poster generator. Choose your quote, color, and image {or just use the default crown image} and it will generate your poster for you. I want to use some for Valentine's day cards! I need to come up with some better lines, though...

KEEP

CALM

AND

BLOG

ON!

Rest Your Head Close To My Heart, Never To Part, Baby Of Mine.

2011-01-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

I had the joy of helping out with my good friend Susie's baby shower last weekend. I had the job of coming up with decorations while the other two wonderful hostesses, Jana and Emily, did the hard parts! I took inspiration from here and kind of went with it the best I could. Susie is very stylish and chic {as you can tell from the pictures} so I wanted to have a somewhat elegant flair using the bold colors magenta and black, while keeping a girly, playful quality since she's having a baby girl in March.

One of the coolest parts was the idea that Emily found for the menu: omelettes in a bag. They were delish and so simple! {side note: I'm going to show Franco how to make them because it would be an easy recipe for scout campouts throughout the year.} Definitely going to try those again.

It was fun, we enjoyed good company, and it went off without a hitch! I love when that happens.

The decorations were pretty simple:

-tissue paper poms and paper pinwheels

-damask wrapping paper and ribbon from Michael's

-crepe paper

-pink silk flowers from the dollar store and a couple branches from a tree in Emily's front yard

The pink and black banner said "It's a girl!" and it was made from the damask wrapping paper and pink fabric I already had. I found the circle letter designs somewhere and glued them on the triangles. Easy peasy.

I scored on these frame decals from the dollar bin at Michael's. I already had chalkboard paper from the dollar store, so I cut it to fit the frame and stuck it on the wall.

Don't tell Susie, but the three wooden plaques I made her cost me a whopping $4.50 at the clearance section at Target. I painted them pink and Mod Podged a design I made and printed out. I hope baby Sofia will like them!

Thanks for joining us, ladies!

Just The Two Of Us: A Few Lists Of Romantic Movies

2011-01-31T12:54:00.000-08:00

By now it's no surprise that I love to watch movies. I say "I" and not "we" because though Franco watches most movies with me, I don't know if he particularly loves to do it. I'd say he mostly goes along with it because I ask him to, and he's just incredibly nice like that.

Valentine's day is coming up, so I put together a few lists of "romantic" movies to give you some ideas if you're like us and prefer to stay home instead of braving the crowds on V-day weekend. Or if you need some ideas for cute and clean "stay-at-home date night" flicks, or even just something to watch while you go about doing your normal duties--folding laundry, sorting mail, unloading groceries, sewing, quilting, painting, menu-planning, what have you.

First, we have my All-time Romantic Favorites: Pride & Prejudice (2005), The Princess Bride, Ever After, and While You Were Sleeping.
I've watched each of these countless times but you'll never find better, cleaner, more heart-fluttering romances than these.

Next is the Cute & Quirky Romantic Comedy list: Penelope (not particularly a comedy but it makes me laugh), Dan In Real Life, Leap Year, When In Rome. With a little touch of magique or some characters with real grace and wit, you can't go wrong with any of these pairs of star-crossed lovebirds.

I couldn't bear to leave any of these Animated Love Stories out: Beauty and the Beast (Disney), Anastasia (Dimitri is still my one and only cartoon crush!), and Corpse Bride. These are great to watch if you're left at home without a babysitter, or for your kiddos to watch with the babysitter. =)

I don't think anyone can resist the innocence of Teen Love (as paranormal or creepy as it may seem): Twilight, 17 Again, and Flipped.

I combined these two lists, Romantic Remakes and Unforgettable Series, since each story was initially either a movie or a book.

Romantic Remakes: Sabrina (the newest one), and You've Got Mail. Unforgettable Series (you may need to plan out from 6-9 hours of watching time for these, but they are so worth it): Pride & Prejudice (A&E version) and Little Dorrit.

And finally, a few Endearing Oldies to make you smile and wish you'd been alive during the era of black-and-white: It Happened One Night, Some Like It Hot, and An Affair to Remember.

And there they are. My list started after I read this post, which also has some great recommended titles.

Did I leave anything out? Let me know what you think!

Things As Of Late

2011-01-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

Days: work, school for Franco, hoping and praying that he'll get into optometry school this year
Nights: family & church activities, not cleaning our home, and watching "Little Dorrit" until really late. Have you seen it? It's the next best series after A&E's Pride & Prejudice, I would say. Mr. Darcy's in it, the one from the newest P&P. Yes, you must see it. We're finally finishing the last three episodes tonight. Can't wait! I got a little ahead this morning while Franco was showering and when he came out, he said, "You're watching it without me? We have to watch it as a family! Wait until tonight!" It was cute.

Hope your rest of the week is fantastic!

French Toast At 10:22 PM

2011-01-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

Franco in 2007 before we got married. How did I get so lucky?

I love my husband.

It has been an epic week. You know, one of those that you've been waiting forever for and never thought it'd come, but then it does and you can't be any more relieved that it's over?

Franco did well on his test. He got his test scores back immediately and has already talked with a lot of the schools he applied for. We'll see if getting into optometry school is in the cards for us this year.

Meanwhile, Franco is enjoying his freedom: no more studying!! He finished his bachelor's in Biology last semester and this semester he'll work on finishing his Bachelor's in Spanish. That's right, a double major. I'm tellin ya, he's a super hero. We've been staying up kind of late the past few nights playing Nintendo games we downloaded on the Wii, watching stuff on Netflix instant, and making breakfast at 10 P.M., which is what we did after we returned from the temple last night. Franco makes the best french toast {no joke} so we cooked up some bacon and sausages and cut some fresh fruit with it to enjoy while we watched August Rush {an exquisitely musical movie}. It was a great date night.

Looking forward to what life brings us next!

Distractions No. 03:

2011-01-18T16:16:00.000-08:00

Finding and bookmarking fun stuff to make with my over-flowing pile of fabric samples {I have developed a fabric-collecting habit but, ironically, I don't have a sewing machine to use it on!} like these felt hot pads from the purl bee. Beautifully simple.

{test update: 45 minutes. i'm about to jump out of my skin.}

Distractions No. 02:

2011-01-18T15:27:00.000-08:00

Post about events from a couple of weeks ago, such as Three Kings Day on January 6. Franco of course was not present due to his constant studying. Each year my family invites a new family to join us for this tradition of slicing the rosca and finding the little babies inside. This year the Trickey family and my brother's good friend Curtis came. As you can tell from the pictures, some people got pretty excited when a baby was found. All three babies were found by the time I got my slice. Phew. Afterwards we enjoyed hot Mexican drinks, champurrado and ponche, and enjoyed some high-quality entertainment from our guests on the guitar.

{test update: 1 hr. 33 minutes to go. but who's counting?}

Distractions No. 01

2011-01-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

I'm trying hard not to think that in just two hours Franco will begin taking the optometry admissions test that will probably determine the rest of our lives...needless to say I'm welcoming any distractions at the moment.

Like this one:

French party for a 1-yr-old. Via You Are My Fave & HM Photography

Troxel Family Pictures

2011-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

Still catching up on happenings over the holidays last year. I surrendered the computer to Franco to use to study every day, so I've been holding off on editing/uploading/posting for a couple of weeks.

A couple days before New Year's, I did a family photoshoot involving 17 people. It wasn't as crazy as it sounds. Mostly because I had my friend Jenea come with me. She suggested a lot of good shots and most importantly, she let me use her camera! I have got to get a camera of my own. Anyways, we went to the orchards where we took our family photos and it worked out like a dream.

Here are some of my favorite shots.

You've Got Mail + The Shop Around The Corner

2011-01-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

"That's a very interesting mixture of poetry and meanness."

"Meanness? Let me tell you something about meanness--"

"Oh, now, don't misunderstand me. I'm only trying to pay you a compliment."

See a video here of the two scenes above back to back and look at the similarities. It's really funny!

I never knew that You've Got Mail was a redo of the Jimmy Stewart classic The Shop Around The Corner in the way that a lot of the dialogue and scenes are exactly the same. Now I can't decide which one I like the most!

Put Your Hands In The Air {And Feet, And Legs, And Everything Else}

2011-01-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

My brother, sister, mom and me at Sky High on New Year's day, a new sensation in our city. We were only there an hour and it was quite a workout!

The foam pit~ a favorite.

Life

2011-01-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

December 2005

My great-grandma, Angelina {my dad's grandma} passed away on Sunday. I saw her last five years ago when my family took a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula during Christmas, and I knew then that I probably wouldn't see her in person again. I'm so glad I took the time to talk with her, take a picture with her just as she was leaving to go home, and ask her questions. She would have been 90 years old this April. I mourn the fact that she lived in Mexico and I can't be at her funeral, but I know that that's not where she is now. My whole family is at peace. We have no reason to be sad. We will see her again. I'm just grateful that I even knew her--I know having living great-grandparents is a great blessing. I am grateful for the life of example she lived, and all the happy memories I have of her, of which I have a ton. I wish she could have held on a little longer so she could meet her great-grandchildren, but that will just make the reunion that much sweeter in the life to come.

Te queremos mucho, Abue Angelina!

Made With Love

2011-01-11T05:45:00.000-08:00

I made these literally the day before Christmas as last-minute gifts. But they still were made with a lot of love!

I thought I'd share in case someone wanted to use it for a bridal shower, housewarming, birthday, or mother's day gift.

Easy & Inexpensive Spice Mix Gift:

{idea from here}

Need:
*small tightly-lidded jars--I used restaurant salt and pepper shakers from the dollar store
*spices and or herbs--find spice mix recipes first so you get the amounts you need
*labels--download the ones I made here
*packing tape or laminating sheets
*ribbon

01. Wash and dry jars thoroughly. Measure out spices and herbs according to recipe into a bowl.
02. Make labels for jars. Make sure they're the right size. Download the circle labels I used, approx. 2 1/2" in circumference.
03. Stick or glue labels to jar, then cover with packing tape or laminating sheet to protect from moisture.
04. Fill jars with spice or herb mix, close lid tightly, and decorate with ribbon. Give as gift or keep for yourself! Homemade spice mixes are the best.

Spice mixes should last about a year if no moisture gets in. Enjoy your spice mix!

It's Gonna Be A Good Year, Good, Good Year

2011-01-10T21:51:00.000-08:00

My family, Franco, his brother Mosi and I spent new year's at Knott's Berry Farm. I hadn't been since junior high and Franco and Mosi had never been. They were having a rockin' new year's eve bash so we decided to crash it. The celebration was from 7 pm to 1 am, and all the rides and attractions were open, including the huge scary rollercoaster that I closed my eyes on the whole time I was on it.

There were concerts, shows, dances, and lots of games. It was cold, but we had a lot of fun. We were sadly scattered into a few groups when midnight came so we didn't get to see each other right then, but we reunited a few minutes later and hugged each other in the new year.

My Buddy, My Pal, My Friendest Friend In The Whole Wide World...

2011-01-10T21:09:00.000-08:00

...is having a baby.

But she lives so far across the universe in Utah, so I can't see her and her constantly growing belly. Thank goodness for holidays that bring us together, even if it's only for a couple of hours.

I heart you, Erin!

Today's Your Day, I Feel It. You Paved The Way, Believe It*

2011-01-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

Last November, {yes, November} my brother Lev's soccer team won first place at the playoffs. I can't for the life of me find the picture from 2009 where Lev is holding his first place trophy, wearing the same purple and yellow uniform, and looking like a total soccer star. Watching the game was seriously like deja vu...I'll have to find the last year's picture somewhere. Anyway, I'm so proud of my little brother!

*lyrics from waka, waka by shakira

My Studious Husband

2011-01-10T14:59:00.000-08:00

Franco's studying all day, everyday for the Optometry Admission Test. I know that you're thinking, "What? He hasn't taken that test yet? I thought he took it a long time ago." Well, I thought so, too. But he postponed it a couple of times until he felt he was as ready as he could be, and he will have to be ready this Thursday morning.

So please pray for us. Or if you're not religiously-inclined, wish us luck. His score will pretty much determine the rest of our lives.*

*okay, I may be exaggerating a bit. But then again, maybe not.

I Have A Family Here On Earth.

2011-01-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

I love Costco. That's where I sent this 20 in by 30 in collage to print to give to my family, and I love how it turned out.

The funniest part was when I went to pick it up, they asked me to sign a copyright release form because the pictures looked "professional." Phft, yeah right.

Draw Me The World.

2011-01-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

For five years Franco has told me time and time again about how he once drew a mural of characters from comics for a friend {after hearing the story a thousand times you would think I would remember which characters}. I think it was of the ninja turtles...or maybe it was one of those superheroes.

A few days before Christmas, Franco remembered there was a huge roll of paper on his side of our closet and he had the inspiration* to draw another mural and gift it to his brother Mosi for Christmas.

Carol from WTWTA, Sonic the Hedgehog, Iron Man, Scooby & Shaggy, R2D2, and even casper materialized onto the paper under Franco's meticulous pencil/pen. He really does have a great talent for drawing characters.

We stayed up very late the eve before Christmas eve trying to color it all in, but we didn't get very far. So we wrapped up the crayons along with the mural and presented it to Mosi. The big unveiling, or more like unrolling, was very exciting. Lots of oohs and aahs and This is so cool's. Now it's hanging on Mo's wall and, little by little, the characters are coming to life.

Work. {Warning: Long, "Explanational" Post}

2011-01-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hard work is a blessing of God. It involves going after it “with all your heart, might, mind and strength.” (D&C 4:2.) That alone is the difference between the average and the excellent.

F. David Stanley, "The Principle of Work"

I don't normally "talk" much on this blog. I usually leave all my "talk" for when I write in my journal. I think people don't have time or don't want to put the time into reading every word on a blog, so they just scan and scroll and look at the pretty pictures. And I'm fine with that. I may be the only person who actually reads my posts all the way through, and that's just because I wrote them! Again, I'm fine with that. This post is mostly for me. So don't feel obligated to read. But you're welcome to if you so desire or if you have the time. It's about work. My work, to be exact, and why I'm grateful for it.

Not many of you know what I do for work. I don't know why you would need or want to know, but I'll tell you anyway. I work at an insurance agency full-time to support my husband while he attends university. I've worked there for five years almost to the day. Now comes the elemental question I ask myself almost every day: Why?

I remember it was December of 2005 and I was a sophomore in college. I was at a classmate's dorm getting a group project final done, when I got a call from a friend and now-boss, Jay. He said he was starting an insurance agency in town and needed an office person, and that he had thought of me because I was bright, hard-working, humble, and a fast learner. I don't know what he thinks of me now, but back then I was keen on getting some extra money to play with, so I said I was interested. Of course, I was a full-time student, so I really could only work about six to ten hours a week. Plus I still had my job at the university library, which, in retrospect, was one of the best on-campus jobs anyone could ever have. I started working for Jay in January of 2006 and continued for a couple of years. Once I graduated in 2008, I prayed to know what I should do about work. I was really intent on quitting insurance and wanted to work as a graphic designer somewhere. But this was around the time when the economy was getting worse, and finding a well-paying job nearby as a freshly-graduated art student was virtually impossible. Jay and I worked out a way that I could work for two agents at once and move up to working full-time. That's how it's been since then.

A little about my boss, Jay. This will probably answer the "Why?" question more than anything else. I've known Jay and his family for a long time. I think I was ten or so when I first met him and his family. He is a member of my church, so I know him as a man of integrity, intelligence, and humor. He buries himself in service and always, always puts family and faith first. I've learned priceless lessons from him and am so grateful for what he's taught me. He IS the main reason I've stayed so long in this job. He's supported Franco and I through everything--our engagement {he drove us to a place in L.A. to buy our wedding rings}, our wedding {he was our chauffeur in his beautiful vintage Buick to and from our reception}, graduation, church events, family crises {if it weren't for his willingness and worthiness to give my mom a blessing minutes after her stroke, I know she would not have recovered the way she has}, and countless other ways.

As I wrote all the above, I felt a rush of gratitude to be working for Jay. {Yes, I am at work right now, blogging. Another lovely perk of working mostly alone in this little office. But don't tell Jay. It's slow right now anyways.} Jay and his family are the reason why I've stayed here. Why I haven't pursued graphic design and photography as much as I want to. Why I put up with insurance underwriters, demanding clients, and faulty computer programs. Why I've showed up every working day for the past five years to sit at a desk in a windowless office all day. Why I'm probably going to suffer from carpal tunnel the rest of my life.

But he's also the reason why Franco doesn't have to work more than a couple hours every week and can study to his heart's content. Why we can live on campus in a three-year-new apartment that has a washer and dryer inside. Why we can take day trips to get to know the beautiful state we live in. Why we have a pretty nice car to take those day trips in. Why we can live in California at all, minutes away from family and, less-importantly, the beach. Why we don't have to worry about students loans, debt, or whether I'll ever get laid off {Jay has said numerous times that I'll have this job for life if I want it. He's so nice}.

I really don't know why I deserve all this. But it's true. Though I gripe more than I should about the "sacrifices" I've had to make--mainly having time to establish my graphic design business--they pale in comparison to what I've been given--countless, priceless blessings I am often too resentful to recognize. And the lessons I mentioned before that I have learned? I can honestly say that I am more confident and able to deal with problems which arise involving narrow-minded, impatient people, and problems with normal people, as well. There are difficult clients who are now eternally loyal to Jay's agency because of how I've handled their problems. There have been some sticky situations, like in every business, and Jay showed me how prayer, faith, and follow-through can solve anything.

So this is why I work. This is why I do what I do for work. And this is why I'll be incredibly sad yet incredibly grateful when I move on to other endeavors later this year. The end of one era and the exciting start to another.

Cancelled New {New To Me, Anyways} Show, Rita Rocks

2011-01-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

I love Netflix instant, but it makes me sort of miss regular t.v. where I could actually watch shows "live" instead of two years after its pilot, and then find out it was cancelled after only two seasons, both of which I watched in a little less than two weeks. Good t.v. shows are so hard to find nowadays. Oh well, I guess we're stuck watching Wizards of Waverly Place once again. I wonder if Modern Family will keep going? Now that Steve Carell is leaving The Office, I'm afraid I will never find anything I like on t.v. again. But that's what I said after Pushing Daisies was cancelled.

Are there any shows you like that you recommend? Preferably ones that we can watch online? And preferably ones that don't involve crime scenes, runways, or dancing? Or singing high school students? I just can't get into those shows for some reason. =)

R.I.P. Rita Rocks

{Yes, that is the guy, Pete, from the show Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place.

Who knew Ryan Reynolds would become the Sexiest Man Alive just 10 years later?}

2011

2011-01-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

Franco and I at Knott's Berry Farm on New Year's Eve

I am so behind on blogging, but have been too lazy to catch up. It's January 3rd and I'm back at work, sad that the holidays are over, but so incredibly grateful for the beginning of another year. I've been really looking forward to 2011. For one, we'll finally find out sometime in the next couple of months where Franco will be attending optometry school, so we'll be moving for sure come summer. That also means Franco will be graduating with his two Bachelor degrees, so I'm already planning a big bash in May after commencement. And who knows? Maybe this will be the year we'll turn our family from a duo to a trio. We haven't felt it's been the right time yet, but who knows what 2011 will bring. I don't want to work away from home anymore either, so I'll need to work hard to establish some kind of design/photography business this year, too. I'm so anxious about that and have no idea how to go about it, but if it's what we're supposed to do, I know it'll happen. We don't really like the idea of moving away from what we've known all our lives--families, friends, perfect Camarillo, historic Santa Barbara, but I welcome change and its challenges. How else would we grow? We think it's time, and we're very, very excited.

Happy, happy new year, family and friends! Thanks for riding through 2010 with us. Hope you'll join us in 2011, too!

Happy New Year! Prospero Año!

2010-12-31T11:54:00.000-08:00

Our Movie Rating: Flipped

2010-12-31T10:48:00.000-08:00

Flipped

****/*****

This is my sister's favorite book. She's read it 49,999 times and was quoting lines from the book as she watched the movie, so I'd say the movie follows the book pretty well. Such a cute and relate-able story, despite some language that pops up in the movie that isn't in the book {hence the 4 out of 5 stars}. Loved it!