"My favorite pastime is letting time pass, having the time, taking my time, wasting my time, living out of time- against the current. " -Francoise Sagan

Sunday, November 30, 2008

AUSTRALIA!

A total must see. Now if you know me, you know what a big Moulin Rouge fan I am... when I saw MR it topped my love for Romeo & Juliet (by Baz Luhrmann of course) and I loved Strictly Ballroom. However Australia trumps even Moulin... BELIEVE IT! I loved it and recommend it. Baz keeps making better and better movies and I can't wait for what he'll direct next!!!



The funny and really great thing is... Hugh Jackman is my favorite actor, or better yet- If I would have to say who my actor crush is, it would be Hugh Jackman. Maybe he reminds me a bit (or a lot) of Nathanael, but I think he is fantastic. On top of that he's in this new (and totally brilliant) Baz movie... so maybe that's a small little part why I thought the movie was great. However, bias aside- Jackman did a great job in the movie, for sure! Nathanael agrees! Not about Hugh Jackman being his actor crush too, but that Jackman did a great job in the movie... and that he too loved the movie! Ha!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

~Ralph Waldo Emerson




Saturday, November 22, 2008

I love Gas

Gas prices that it!! We hit $1.89 in Roseville at the Chevron by my the house and it makes me excited because now it's cheaper to travel, and I mean WAY cheaper, to go places we want to go. Like to visit Em and Raz in San Diego, or to go to Tahoe. Tahoe and San Fran. aren't too far anyway, but it's nice to know the fill up won't hurt much!


It's getting colder here, so Nathanael and I unpacked all of our winter things! I am so excited to wear my boots, and sweaters! I am really lusting over a pair of riding boots which I probably won't get but still want! "Dear Santa, I really really really want..." YA right.


I am excited for Thanksgiving and speaking of... Thankfully I am working Sunday- Saturday with a paid Thanksgiving Day off, and that is GREAT! It's crazy going from no real schedule and no work to everyday of work. It's more tiring than when I was always working a ton. Anyway, about Thanksgiving, along with my famous Pumpkin Rolls, Nathanael and I will be attempting to make a Milk Chocolate Crepe Cake (only ours will probably be a Hazelnut Milk Chocolate Crepe Cake, since we do love our Nutella!) and we are excited!



Friday, November 14, 2008

Pasta a La Checca

While living in Atlanta, my sister in-law Alina took me to this really darling Italian Restaurant called Figo Pasta. I so loved the Pasta a la Checca I had there that I designed my own recipe, and it tastes just as good! Expect of course the Penne... Figo has me beat there, because I cannot and will not attempt to actually hand make pasta.

Here is my recipe, and I am not good at writing out my own recipes because I do NOT measure or count anything- I try!

Dice 5 campari tomatoes into bite size pieces
Chop 4 large basil leaves (don't mince)
Chunk Mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup
Garlic is optional - add to taste

Boil Penne (I use whole wheat) 'til al dente
Drain water from Penne and add hot to cold diced tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Add olive oil, salt, pepper to taste and mix!
Served hot or warm.

Voila !!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Recently

I really can't wait to go up north for some hiking! I feel so blessed that we don't have to go too far for some real mountain hiking... not that the air in the foothills isn't clean and crisp but the trees in the forest really add punch. Nathanael and I feel so blessed to be back in California!

** I got a job!!** It's really not a 'big deal' job, but it's something and I am so happy for it! On top of that this week I've been doing some temping for our family Acupuncturist... No better environment to work in, seriously.

So we are enjoying the fall weather tremendously. When we're not searching for jobs (which we consider our jobs) we're taking 4-6 mile long walks, and they are brilliant! The sunset tonight was intense and the colors didn't just fade away after the sun went down- I guess the typical sunset colors were hospitable and called upon uncommon colors to the sky and the colors grew stronger a good hour afterward. And before the sunset, the moon was HUGE! It was peeking over the Sierra Nevada's and looked eerie just because of it's size! God is GOOD! We always say we have to bring the camera next time, so... next time!

Prop. 8 passed! The people of California spoke again for the second time and again gay marriage was banned. I really thank God for this... this prop. was on my heart more than the outcome of the presidential race. Some people think Pres. Obama will in the end allow gay marriage but I hold out hope and am just so happy. It makes me proud that California stood up to all the bullying (and boy was there bullying) and voted YES!
It gets me fusterated when I would hear out-of-staters say 'Oh those crazy Californians allowed gay marriage'- FALSE. We never voted it in, 3 judges in SF overturned the states majority vote against it, and that's why we voted for it again this election year. Anyway!

Here are some pictures from our Hawaii trip that I promised! Just a few...

Kailua Beach, Oahu

Near the Volcanoes, Hawai'i

Waimea Canyon, Kauai

Polihale Beach, Kauai

Zip Lining, Kauai