A cook I will be, yes, a cook I will be!!!

I had such HIGH hopes 9 1/2 years ago after I got married... I pictured myself this wonderful gourmet chef :) Or really, just a wonderful wife making some kick ass food for my husband!

Over the years, I have bought over 24 cookbooks!!! I mean WHO needs that many! And to find out I had TWO sushi books... what is wrong with me :)

I guess I'd be telling a different story had I actually opened them!! Oh, I take that back... I do like to open them! I love to see the beautiful pictures of all the fabulous food I would make if only I had the time.... But of course between working, being w/Tati, trying out all the most delicious restaurants San Diego had to offer and having a husband who like to cook us gourmet meals ... The whole cooking thing never took off for me! Excuses, excuses :)

Well, 4 months ago, I was just sooooo excited to take on the cooking world! Not having to work outside of the home and having no friends in this new town, gave me TONS of time on my hands!

Such high, high hopes I had... BUT, unfortunately it just hasn't worked out as I had envisioned :( I didn't know that you should NOT put chicken in the crock pot for 8 hours... or that 30 minutes in the oven for the smallest pork chops will dry them out into leather... and really, how do I ruin instant potatoes??? The list could really go on and on and on...

So my poor, poor husband has been living off the picture on the bottom instead of the one on the top...

BUT NO MORE! New Year, New Beginnings...
I'm dusting off the dust of those beautiful books today!

Start of a journey...

Is the grass greener… hmmm… Had you asked me that question 4-6 months ago… YEP without a doubt!! I was one of the jealous mom’s that has always worked and would have given my left hand to be able to stay home and care every day for my little girl!!!!!

It’s funny how life works out and it’s funny about how you always think “if this happens or what about that or if only”…

Given, a lot has changed since I thought that way and now I realize, I really NEED MY LEFT HAND!!!!!

Let me take you back a bit if I may… I loved my job about 90% of the time~ I had been doing it for a little over 13 years… I mean, I should really love it, right????

I enjoyed seeing my patients, really getting to know them and was always super excited to see their beautiful smiles at the end of treatment!!!! What better job than to have someone cry and tell you that you “changed their life” I mean…WOW!!!!

I always dreamed about the day I could quit my job and stay home w/my baby! I thought about singing, dancing, cooking (all the things I really am no good at) but I thought that it would all change once I was a mom! Like a pill you take while leaving the hospital…

POOF… “You are now qualified to be the most amazing mom ever and be the envy of all that you encounter, with the most beautiful little daughter in the whole world”

Yep, felt like it for a minute or two, but reallllly, I’m not that crazy!

I remember moving to San Diego 6 years ago…

Jason had never been there but being such a wonderful husband that he was, I convinced him after I had spent an amazing weekend with my 3 sisters, celebrating by sister Ginny's Birthday that this is where we need to be and because it was going to be a new adventure for us! What an adventure it turned out to be!!!!!!

I HATED my 1^st job! Seriously, it was wretched! The horrible doctor threw dental instruments when he was mad (which was ALL the time) Jason, thank god worked at a golf course just within walking distance and we would meet for lunch and cry about how crappy our jobs were… The sweetest, most awesome husband that he is, would leave me cards on my car to find… Encouraging me to make it through another day at a place he knew I hated… I love him more than I can express for those cards…

Anyways, I/we NEVER, EVER, EVER thought we would EVER move to California! Jason spent his Freshman year at Whittier College in East L.A. and just HATED IT! So, never in a million, billion years would I ever think that we would end up in California and “LOVE” it for 6 years!

Grass greener?? Well.... I mean San Diego is mostly BROWN!!!!

But it just wasn’t the time for us to be in Oregon and I am sooooo happy we followed our hearts and jumped in completely blind to find such an amazing family of friends in San Diego and a truly wonderful adventure :)

Maybe it's the glasses...I'm just sayin...

Well... Yes... I am a HUGE fan of the Twighlight series of books and secretly fell in lust wth the most beautiful vampire... I see a resemblance... Don't you? :) Ha Ha, Perhaps I was drawn to those cute sunglasses from the Gap on vacation for a reason...

They sure have GROWN!

Tatianna, Anna & Elijah...

1 month old, 5 months old, 3 months old

2 years...ish...

3 years...ish...

Such beauties and awesome cousins! I pray that they will continue to have a close bond as they grown older! We may have to always keep this chair and have a picture for whenever they get together, even if it's when they are in their teens :) I can't believe how big they have gotten is such a short time...

Blog Drop Out?!? :(

Yikes... I realize it's been over 2 months since my last post... I really am a "Blog Drop Out" I hope to catch up and get my "poop in a group" soon :) .. Too many things have happened in the past couple of months... It feels like forever... More to come soon!!!

Meeting some "special friends"

Rock Stars to a 2 1/2 year old=.... DORA & DIEGO :)

There was a special screening for the "Latin Film Festival"
of Dora & Diego!!!!
Tatianna knew that we were going to see a special movie... BUT, she did NOT know that she was about the meet Dora & Diego!!! She screamed like they were rock stars and it was sooo cute!!!

Tatianna & Luke have missed each other soooo much and it was so cute to see them together again :)

The anticipation for the special movie to start was almost
too much for these little ones to handle :)

Happy Valentines Day!

what to do.... oh what to do!!!

Tonight I said goodbye to both of my loves for a whole week!!! They are off on an adventure to Grandma & Papa's house! Tatianna is sooooo excited to see them and Jason is sooooo excited to get a brake from work and relax a bit... and of course see his parents! They are staying at a hotel tonight and Tati kept saying "we're going to see Rick at the hotel"...because that's were he works of course! Kids really have the best memories :) I'm going to miss them sooo much! I had a few "projects" I wanted to work on while they were away. I am happy to say that I have finished my pregnancy scrapbook tonight! Yep, that's right, Tatianna is 2 1/2 and I just finished... such a procrastinator :)
I am sooo happy we will be able to talk on the computer and see each other! I love our web cam! I think anyone who has family far away should seriously invest in one! They are great :)

Legoland :)

After a fun filled weekend w/Isabelle, we ventured out to Lego land to meet my sister Ginny! We were sooo lucky to get some free passes w/preferred parking :) It was a lot of fun and A LOT OF PEOPLE!!! Tatianna & Elijah had fun running around while J.J. and Isabelle chased them :) Ha ha... J.J. & Isabelle did go on a fun ride that they waited in line for over an hour (while we tried to entertain two 2 1/2 year olds... J.J. was a little disappointed that the ride lasted "like 2 seconds" :) There was a lot to see and do... I think Tati will enjoy it a bit more when she's a little older... or maybe mommy will enjoy it more when there are not 100,000 people there on Christmas vacation :0 One of the highlight was visiting Mini land, USA. It was amazing to see all the detailed cities and fun to see NYC!! Tati and I reminisced about our trip this summer for a minute, until she wanted to jump on the carousel in central park...

Fun Game?!?

Tatianna came RUNNING into the living room tonight w/a trail of toilet paper behind her?!?! She thought what a fun, fun game until.........

Putter (our cat) saw it and wanted to play... Oops...
The smile/surprised look on her face was precious :)

Tatianna was loving on her baby... don't mind the food stains on baby from a dinner feeding... one day she'll realize that her baby can't really eat all of her leftovers :)

Santa Came Early This Year....

Tatianna is sooooo lucky to get to celebrate Christmas TWO times this year :) Papa & Grandma came over for the weekend to celebrate Christmas with us and we had soooooooo much fun!! Tati sure loves her grandparents and they sure love their little "sweet pea"!

Santa came a little early this year for the Basney's and we put out cookies, carrots and eggnog for his arrival! Tati was so excited that she went to sleep without a peep!
I think I need to tell her Santa is coming every night :)

It was fun to see how excited she was to open every gift. She wanted to take her time and play with each one, instead of racing to the next one... which will most likely happen in the years to come!

Christmas craft time

Tatianna & I were getting into the Christmas spirit with a little craft time this weekend!
I dyed some noodles green and red and had her sort them! She loved it. I had to keep reminding her that she couldn't taste them :)

Turkey Time

Well, who the heck would have thought that little 'ole me would be doing the turkey this year!?!?! My cooking skills are what one would call amateur!!! I guess I have been a bit scared since the "turkey incident of '98"..... My sister Ginny and I hosted Thanksgiving and well, we forgot to remove 1 of the bags of inerds before baking!! Oops!

So you can see how one would NOT want to attempt this again. Well, 10 years have passed and I am going for it! I have to admit I dry-heaved removing the neck, THANK GOD I had some gloves to wear!!! I'm also being a little creative this year and i'm "brining" the turkey. Basically soaking it for several hours in a salty/yummy mixture. Then I am going to be puting it in the oven at 2:00 a.m. to bake all night :) I can't wait to wake up to the most delicious scent in the morning!! I just hope it tastes good!!!!!

The brine mixture: courtesy of Mr. Alton Brown :)

kosher salt, brown sugar, sage, rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, ice, water

Doesn't that look beautiful :)

Keeps getting better :)

A little over 2 years ago I joined an amazing Mom's Group! I'll never forget how excited I was to get out of the house and meet new friends for Tatianna & Myself! She was just 6 weeks old at our 1st event. For the first few months of playdates, Tatianna was asleep :) It was a great opportunity to bond w/amazing women and get wonderful advice.

Now it is... 2 years later and I feel like these moms and children are family! How lucky & blessed Tatianna and I are! I can't wait for our children to grown up together... even if not in person, I know that the friends we have made, are lifelong friends and I pray we never loose touch through the miles that may one day seperate us...

Silly girl!!! Have a great weekend everyone :)

Mmmmm Mmmmm Good

Tatianna and I had a fun "date" yesterday at McDonalds :~) It was sooooooooo hot outside and I decided to treat ourselves to an ice cream sundae! I let Tati just have at it.... She wouldn't even share :( Glad I thought to get one for myself! The look of pure joy on her face was priceless. It was a moment I will never forget. She kept looking at me and giving me the look of "is this really o.k. mom"

SHHHHHHH

Well I was tagged along with every one of you that reads my blog about "Secrets" At first I thought, hmmm if I tell you them, they WON'T be a secret anymore... HA HA!! But here are a few of my many (just kidding) :)

1. I remember shoplifting candy w/my sister Lisa when I was only 5 years old (she was 7) It was a little market by my Grandma's house.
2. I LOVE Country music and Rap music equally... soooo weird I know!
3. I've been planning my boob job since Tati took her 1st drink of milk from me :)
4. I'm obsessed w/celebrity gossip... I have to check TMZ.com and People.com every night before bed or I can't sleep right... Such a complete dork I know...
5. I slept with a special stuffed rabbit I got on a vacation in Mexico when I was 12 until I was 18....
6. The only fake purse I own, is a Kate Spade purse that I bought 6 years ago in Boston and I feel too guilty to use it and hate seeing it hanging in my closet...
7. I remember taking my 1st puff of a cigarette at the age of 5... Again thanks to my sister Lisa!

Well thanks for tagging me & the therapy girls... I feel much, much better!! xoxo

Battery's NOT included :(

I have been planning my sister Ginny's 35th Birthday in Palm Springs for MONTHS!!! I have been sooo excited about getting away w/just the girls and you would have thought that I was soooooo prepared... Can you even believe that I somehow managed to leave my camera charger at home along with the camera card that allows me to take TONS of pictures...

I know it's not the end of the world... I was sad for a few minutes, laughed at all the "extra shit" I had brought instead of the essentials... and realized it was NOT going to ruin my awesome weekend with my sisters!!!

We had an amazing time and am so thankful for these moments when it's just the girls! Sleeping in until 10:00 this morning was the highlight of my year :)

"Strike a Pose"

Last night I had such a fun night enjoying "The Material Girl" w/some girlfriends from work!! It was a little too political at times...but Madonna really knows how to put on a show!! Hard to believe she is as old as she is... :~) I would give anything for the amount of energy she has!!!