Free time.

So Pat and I have been getting to spend more time together lately. We were so busy and had conflicting schedules when the beginning of this semester started. We are finally starting to figure them out, which is amazing because that means we have more free time together. With this new freedom, we have been walking around downtown Fullerton, trying new restaurants, and cooking up some tasty recipes. This past Monday, I tried to make something I had never attempted before. Pat and I love Thai food (obviously) and a favorite dish of our is Param. Basically its tofu, spinach, and peanut sauce with rice. So, I thought I'd give it a go before Pat got home from work. I looked up a couple recipes for the peanut sauce and was lost. The only ingredient I had was peanut butter which was one thing amongst the list of soy sauce, sugar, etc. So I got a little creative. I basically just used peanut butter, agave, apple cider vinegar, and some salt. It ended up tasting great and I was shocked at its success. Although, I guess it's kind of hard to mess up peanut sauce right? Anyways, here's a picture of our kale, tofu param and our twice baked sweet potatoes. Delish!

This weekend the pumpkin patches open and Pat and I are excited to go and pick out a couple of pumpkins to spice up our home for the fall. Hopefully we get some time to carve them and then bake the seeds. I am thrilled that October is here--it's my favorite month of the year. Holidays are right around the corner which means a lot of family time!

---

This is a picture of my nephew at our wedding. I miss his adorable face so much. We're so excited for my sister, brother in law, and this little guy to come home for the holidays!

---

Congratulations to my other sister (Summer) and her fiance (Patrick) for setting a date for their wedding! So many exciting times ahead!

 

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

XO

The best time of the year!

Honestly, I think that fall is my favorite season of the year. Spring is runner up and is so beautiful--but there's something about the fall where the weather is getting colder, the pumpkin spiced drinks are everywhere, and the holidays are creeping closer and closer...and all of that really puts me in the best of moods. I am a huge holiday girl and I love getting together with family to celebrate life and thanksgiving, the birth of Jesus, the new year. One of my favorite things about the fall is the bright colors that emerge on plants, trees, etc. 

 

Just looking at this picture makes me smile and excites me for the gorgeous foliage that is on its way (even though I know it won't get this colorful where I live--I can dream!)!

---

With the weather changing, it is time to pull out those old sweaters and scarfs and bundle up. I found this sweater on Anthropologie's website--it looks so comfortable and warm!

---

So my sister is starting to look at wedding dresses for her wedding in July. I am so excited for this and I know she is going to look absolutely stunning in whatever she decides on. I can't wait to start and help out on her wedding planning journey! 

---

School is crazy as always and Pat and I are still getting things together in our cozy home. As soon as we are settled and are happy with the way things look, I will post some pictures. Anyways, stay warm and positive and have a great rest of the week!

XO

All Smiles.

This is a picture of Pat and I on our wedding night getting ready for bed in our hotel. It's an image that makes me smile every time I look at it.

I love my husband!

Home & New Beginnings.

So my family and I got back home from our trip to Thailand this past Saturday. It was a bitter sweet feeling. We all really enjoyed ourselves there but Pat and I were ready to come home to our new place (as we have been traveling around this past month). We are really enjoying ourselves in downtown Fullerton. We are still in the process of moving in and decorating our house and are excited for it to be finished. We have been exploring and walking around the city looking at shops and restaurants. The other night, we were walking home when we heard some banging off in the distance. When we looked up, we saw the Disneyland fireworks! We were so excited that we could see them from our street that we stood there and watched them in the middle of the road. It was amazing. Anyways, when things settle down we will definitely be doing more exploring and relaxing. 

---

School just started for me this week. It is the last year of my nursing program--which is exciting but also scary. I feel so safe in school and when I graduate, I will be out in the real world nursing people back to health! I am in my mental health and rehab clinical rotation and I am also taking leadership/management and nursing research. I am a bit nervous for my mental health rotation as I only have a small amount of experience in this field. It will definitely be a busy semester and one step closer to the end. Pat is busy working away at the restaurants and he is interning at UCLA's Fowler Museum on campus. He worked the day after we got back from Thailand at an event in the museum for a well known donator and art collector. He had a great time and is looking forward to more events. He also just got an internship for an exhibition at The Bower's Museum in Santa Ana. He hasn't started there yet but is looking forward to all of the opportunities. 

---

Married life is blissful and I have no complaints what so ever. Every day is a new surprise and I am really enjoying the spontaneous adventures. Waking up next to my husband is one of the greatest feelings in the world. After a long day at work when I walk in the door, I know my honey will be there with a big smile on his face. God is so gracious to bless us with the opportunity of relationships and marriage! Pat and I have been cooking a lot at home together. We have only been to the grocery store once since we have been back but we are becoming very creative with the meals that we are preparing! We have made multiple meals--all different versions of the same ingredients! Once we get settled in with our new home and our new schedules, our kitchen will be the most popular spot in the house as we already have so many recipes that we want to try out. 

---

The new thing that Pat and I are into now (obviously because we just moved into our new, unfurnished place) is home furnishing! We really like the vintage, industrial style decor (at least that's what we have been calling it). We want to incorporate raw materials like wood, metals, etc. while keeping it warm and comfortable. Here are some pictures of inspiration for our home:

Metal night stand from CB2

 In the running as a potential coffee table

 Love the light fixtures in both of the above pictures

Amazed by this storage piece-- without the teddy bears of course :)

I can't wait to save up and find killer deals to make our house a home. I will add some pictures of our apartment when we have a mostly finished product.

---

Have a great weekend & keep the families and friends of 911 victims in your prayers!