Guests and Old Amigas

I love having guests.

French onion soup, sliders, greek panzanella - all from Ina Garten's "How Easy Is That?" cookbook

Growing up my parents were very private. Still are very private. I longed for the day when I could have my own home and fling it open and wide to welcome my friends.

At our elementary art walk

Tasting the brief snowfall

Also, I need guests, visitors, play dates, just so I actually have deadlines to get my home clean. I don't know if it's obvious, I despise expending energy to clean. I always wish I was a wizard when it comes to cleaning.

Wii karaoke

Face painting

I tend to live for deadlines.

Playing Zingo!

Recently, one of my friends, Chastity, from BYU came to visit. She's also married to another of my friends from BYU, the crazy brilliant Jon. She brought her precocious, adorable children with her, and I give her props for doing this all on her own. I get grumpy just sitting in the passenger seat on a forever long car trip... I can just imagine the anxiety and paranoia of doing it on my own.


We had a great time.


I love getting together, staying in touch with old amigas.

A couple weekends ago the girls and I spontaneously, skipped off to the Bay Area to let the girls spend some time with the grandparents. While there we were there we scored a brunch with my friends from middle school (I moved the middle of my sophomore year in HS from Campbell to Cupertino).

Mia with her adorable daughter, preggo with number two! (She calls everyone Sophia...heh) And... Grace's cute youngest (Grace has two older daughters - TWINS!).

Grace and her sweet baby, who is a fan of pancakes.

I hadn't seen them ... in years, Mia I hadn't seen since high school, and Grace I saw while I dated my hubby... it was a long overdue visit. Mia and I found out we lived quite near each other when I was first married - but there wasn't Facebook then... so I am grateful for Facebook to keep me connected to people I am so fond of.

At Stacks in Campbell. Campbell's downtown has grown up! It's so adorable now.

It's so satisfying to get together with friends and discover how wonderful their offspring is, and find them happy and well.

At Toys, Toys, Toys in Campbell. We hit up the gelato shoppe after... great day.

Winning Streak

If most things come in threes... then I am proclaiming my three wins a winning streak. A hat trick... I do pay attention sometimes to my hubby when he's left me for hockey, football or right now... GIANTS baseball... maybe my winning streak will rub-off on them for the final match-up thing... where they get the big giant disco ball, or something.

I know you're actually more interested in hearing about what I've won...

1. Darlybird



I totally won one of the gift certificates for Darlybird's 4th Anniversary. I am saving this for Christmas and am not sure how I will decide what to get as there are just so many, many pretty things. Rachel, the creative genius behind Darlybird, and I met through our mutual friend Bek. Rachel also makes the most tasty cupcakes. If you're looking for unique, pretty gifts, Darlybird is where it's at.


2. Book Shop Talk


My friend and fabulous author JESSICA DAY GEORGE (I don't know why, when I think of her I always think of her in ALL CAPS) and Amy Finnegan (who I like to think is automatically my friend through association) run this fabulous book review site, where we only review books WE LOVE! I've been doing it, you should too. Also... they interview authors. I love authors. And then they giveaway books. HELLO... I would roll around naked in a pile of books, but that might hurt with the sharp corners, and then it might unsanitary to touch the books if I wanted to read them too... but the point is... it's an AWESOME SITE! (quite deserving of ALL CAPS)

Whoops...I got distracted... I won the book Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr


3. Formerly Phread


JUST TODAY... I learned I won a giveaway on my friend ~j's site... I also call her phread...and we've known each other since... '04-'05 I can't even remember anymore. She was one of my first blogging friends...and am grateful for her joy in mothering and wit and sheer brilliance. You should read her... she will amaze you. Also, it's the bom-diggity that I won.

Right... I won Bubbletalk by Pressman toys



ps... I don't know if I need a disclaimer thing...but no one here asked me/paid me to write this post. This is my little online thank you note for the WINS! Plus, they're my friends. It's what amigos do.