Coffee n Conversations Link Up with some Bucket Lists!

So I am trying something new this week and linking up with Lauren at Simply Free and Kalyn at Love, Laughter, Happily Ever After and their Coffee and Conversations Link Up. I have never participated in a link up before but this one seems like its a good one.


This weeks question is: What are you most thankful for this year? Even though this year is still relatively new, I am so thankful for my husband and my family, including my extended family and friends family. They continue to remind me how wonderful people can be. All the memories that have been made already this year will last a lifetime and I am thankful to have their support! My husband truly is the best! I couldn't ask for a better man to share in this journey. And even though we continue to try and start our family.... each month that passed he's ready and willing to do what it takes! And for that I am truly blessed. Hopefully as the year progresses I will have much more to be thankful for, but for now it's the memories that we make and the people that have helped to make them! I love you all!

In addition to being thankful for all those in my life, I am thankful that we checked off two, well technically three, more items on our bucket list this weekend!!!! If you know, my hubby and I have a lifetime bucket list (listed at the top under Lifetime of Memories) and also a yearly bucket list which we try and accomplish little things around our area. We live in the touristy area of Los Angeles, and there are many things that we have not done so its a fun way to create memories and see all that California has to offer. This weekends task: City Walk, Saddle Ranch and riding the mechanical bull. We have both been to City Walk, but not really together.....yea there was that one time we went to Tokyo Delves and walked to Howl at the Moon, but we never went to City Walk to see what it's about. Granted....it's just food and shopping, but its something fun to do on a Sunday afternoon without breaking the bank with theme park prices. Our friend's The Morr's joined us with their little one. We walked around and decided that we were going to eat at Saddle Ranch, ride the bull and then go and do the indoor skydiving.

The Infamous Globe

Lunch was great and the boys partook in the bottomless Bloody Mary's (D) and Mimosa's (R). Every so often a waiter would pass with the biggest cotton candy tower I have ever seen and we all were drooling so we ordered one and between the five of us packed that bad boy away! James was a little perplexed by it's size, but once he had his first bite of sugary goodness he was hooked. We then signed our liability wavers and went to ride that bull. We were a little intimidated as the girl said "In the year I have worked here I have only seen 5 people get seriously injured." Um.....yea. Not something you want to hear when you are willing doing something like that. We each had our turn and R and James thought it was thoroughly entertaining watching us ride the bull. Did we get video.....heck ya! Check out D and I below!

3 Feet of sugary goodness!

Save a horse, ride....a mechanical bull?

After all that fun had ended, we made our way back over to the indoor skydiving....only to find out it was a three hour wait cause we didn't have a reservation. :-( The guy was super helpful and even gave us a tip to come back on Wednesdays after 6pm.....half price! So much better and worth the trip back! On the list to do! We went and did a little shopping and then went into Jillian's to play some arcade games. We did a little ski-ball and James won a water gun! Yea! We had such a blast with them and can't wait to go back and do the indoor skydiving! It looked so fun! Hope your weekend was fun!

Here's us on the bull! HAHA!

DIY Changing Pad Tutorial

A couple years back I made a bunch of items for a girlfriends baby shower. I blogged about all the things I did and you can read about it here and you can see the photos from her shower here. I realized after linking to Pinterest that I never went back and did tutorials for the changing pad or diaper and wipes totes. So here I am updating you all! This is SUPER simple and quick. A perfect handmade addition to any baby shower gift.

What You Need:
1/2 yd fabric for changing pad (I used 2 different fabrics for mine)
1/2 yard vinyl (you can use a mattress pad. Frugal Hint: They sell them at the dollar store!)
Lightweight batting or fleece
1/2 yard for bias binding and closure tab
1" of 5/8" velcro tape
Wonder Under or any type of iron on material (Optional)

Cutting Requirements:
Cut (2) fabric pieces 14" x 23" (I cut one out of each the front and the back fabrics
Cut (1) vinyl piece 14" x 23"
Cut 2" bias binding strips to measure 75"
Cut (2) closure tabs 4" x 5"
Cut (1) batting piece 14" x 23" and (1) 2" x 5"
Applique designs (Optional)

Directions:
1. Note: This is an optional step. Follow package directions to attach your wonder under to your applique designs and trim. Place your applique piece in your desired areas on your front and/or back fabric pieces, keeping in mind you will be trimming your corners and adding binding to the edge. Follow the package directions of the Wonder Under to attach applique pieces to your fabric. Machine stitch your applique pieces, around the edges, to the fabric using contrasting fabric.

2. Trace a rounded corner to each corner of the changing pad, you can use a round plate to create a template. Pin together the changing pad fabric, right sides out with the batting and vinyl in the middle, and cut out the rounded corners.

3. Pin your bias binding, pressed in half wrong sides together, to the edge of your changing pad and machine stitch your binding down using the machine binding technique.

4. Fold the closure tab in half, right sides together along the 4" side. Pin the batting strip to the back and stitch the edge opposite the fold and across one end. Clip corners, turn and press. top stitch 1/4" around the tabs 3 edges. Center the loop side of the Velcro tape 1/4" from the end of the closure tab, sew around the Velcro to secure.

5. Fold the changing pad in half lengthwise (like a hotdog, with the back on the inside) and then fold it again into thirds. Center the closure tab with the raw edge 1-1/2" from the bound ends of the folded pad, making sure the velcro side is up. Pin, unfold the pad and stitch across the open edge of the tab through all layers. Flip the tab over to conceal the raw edge, press and top stitch across the flap to secure.

6. Refold the changing pad (hotdog then in thirds) and mark where the other half of the velcro needs to be placed along the back side of the changing pad to hold it closed. Pin the velcro to the changing pad, unfold and zig zag stitch around the edges of the velcro to secure.

Admire your work!

Front of the pad

Back of the pad

Folded and ready to go

Family and Birthday Shenanigans (Weekend Update)

I am blushing over here! I realized that it has been a whole week and a half since I posted! *Slaps wrist!* I have had so much going on that my time and brain has just gone poof! I have several tutorials to write and even a big post with tutorials for quick and easy baby shower gifts so stay tuned for those. Also I have the recap of our Catalina Trip, it was such a blast! All this and more will be coming soon! I promise.

Until then, I thought I would update you on my weekend shenanigans. I (me myself and I) drove up to Fresno/Coarsgold this weekend for a birthday bash celebrating our God-daughter who turned 2 in January and our niece's 1st birthday on the 23rd. D had to work so unfortunately could not make the journey with me. (Which would have been nice to have him there when I got stuck in 25 minutes worth of stopped traffic on the Grapevine, but I digress.) Once I arrived safely I was welcomed with open arms by my cousin's and little Charlotte. We conversed for a couple of hours then it was bedtime. I went to set up the air mattress (a new one that I borrowed from my mom) and Charlotte came bounding in the room and on top of it. She started jumping on it like it was a bounce house and it was thoroughly entertaining.

We love Rugrats

Oh Yea!!! Bounce House!

Saturday we woke and had to get 8 people ready for the party before noon. Not an easy feat considering 4 of the 8 were children under the age of 6. We managed, picked up the cake and made our way to my aunt and uncles for the joint party. It was Winnie the Pooh themed, with honey flavored snacks. I forgot how good Honeycomb cereal was and gladly munched on that all afternoon, even after my lunch of lasagna, garlic bread and salad.....we are Italian...we eat carbs! Yummo! Maggie slept away most of her party and mom finally woke her up to have cake. She was quite unsure about her hunny pot cupcake, but finally figured it out and dove face first into it! The parents opened gifts and I held Miss Maggie just playing with her until she needed another cat nap.

Charlotte ready to party

The cake

Maggie face first into the cupcake!

Full of cake and ready to play, or suck my thumb!

After all the party guests left. My cousins and I decided to play some cards. My grandfather taught a friend of A.J.'s how to play cribbage and I played gin with my other cousin Matt while talking to his girlfriend, and eating Honeycomb of course! We left around 11pm, dropped off his friend and had a great evening of laughter watching Dane Cook on Netflix. I forgot how funny he was and we were all rolling around on the ground holding our stomachs with barely any sound coming out.

Sunday we awoke and just enjoyed the morning and early afternoon together. I packed up around 2:30 and said my goodbyes. It's always sad to leave family, but we made plans to try and get together more often and definitely in July to go to Mammoth. New lake trip to plan! Yay! It was nice to come home to D and the little miss. I did miss him a lot, even though it was only 48 hours!

Hope all of you in blogger land had a wonderful weekend!

A Love Letter

To the love of my life; my honey and Babie.

This is our 10th Valentines Day together. We met almost eleven years ago and jeez it seems like only yesterday. We were young and so in love and I can admit that I am still so very much in love with you, although not so young anymore. As each year passes, we may change a little but you still mean the world to me! You always know how to make me smile and are always there to support me and even push me to my limits and try new things! This past weekend was an example of that! Not a day goes by that I don't appreciate you and love having you in my life. I could probably show it more and I will work on that! Every call you make to me and leave me wonderful voicemails; and your warm and loving embrace at the end if each day just makes me feel all the more special. I can truly say that I married the man of my dreams! Thank you for being you and loving me with all of your heart as I do for you.

Today isn't about candy, dinners, or flowers. It's about appreciating you. All I can say is I love you!! Thanks for a great and romantic weekend and I look forward to many more years of loving you!

Your Babie

On vacation and on Island time!

So we are here in Catalina island and have already walked around and seen a lot. It's a little chilly and overcast but we can handle it! We booked our zip line adventure for tomorrow too!! *insert scared face here!* We plan on just relaxing and going with island flow! See you later mainland!

Michael Kors Watch Giveaway!

Shanna at Because Shanna Said So and a bunch of her blogging friends are teaming up to give away one of the below Michael Kors watches! Even though I am not a part of this giveaway, who am I not to share this great opportunity!!!!! Seriously, look at the white and rhinestone one at the bottom! Drooling!!!!

Pop on over to her blog to enter and check her and all the other lovely ladies out!

Oregano Chicken on a bed of veggies

Ok, so it's the start of a new year means healthy eating....well at least for the next couple of weeks right? Well in our house we eat a lot of chicken. After a while your chicken recipes become a little boring. So I thought I would spruce up our traditional chicken meal for a Friday night feast with a couple of friends.

Oregano Chicken on a Veggie Bed!

What you need: 
4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Small/Medium potatoes
1/2 pound fresh green beans
2-3 garlic cloves
1 Can chicken stock
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried Oregano
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Table Salt

Skillet
Oven Safe pan

Directions:
1. Slice your potato's. Cut the raw ends off of your green beans and cut in half. Place the potato's in the bottom of your oven safe pan, then place the green beans on top. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over all the veggies. Throw in some garlic cloves as well. Set aside.

2. Take your chicken breasts and lightly coat both sides with olive oil. Then sprinkle pepper, garlic salt and dried oregano on both sides. Not a ton, just enough for some flavor. Place in a skillet over medium heat and cook until chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clean. Tip: keeping the chicken covered will make sure that the moisture stays inside the meat.

3. Take your cooked chicken and place it on top of your veggie bed. Pour in about 1/4 of the can of chicken stock for added moisture and drizzle the juices from the pan over everything. Sprinkle a little more pepper if desired. Cover your pan with tin foil and place in a pre-heated 430 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove tin foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy!