Christmas memories...

It's a day to spend with family and friends...a day to celebrate the day Jesus was born...a day to show everyone you love that you love them! It's my favorite holiday....makes me think of when I was little and how we celebrated.
I did not spend a Christmas in my home until I was a teenager. We had a "route" to visit....and I loved it. First stop on Christmas Eve was in San Mateo to my Uncle's house. The house was always filled to the brim with people...more food than anyone could consume....lots of laughter and fun! They are the most inviting loving group of people...never any drama...just fun! The one Christmas that will always stick out in my mind is when a salesman came to their front door on Christmas Eve, instead of being annoyed that he was there, he was welcomed in and spent time eating and celebrating with us! These moments are the times that define who we become!!!!

Next stop....Grandma and Grandpa's in Daly City. This is where we always spent Christmas Eve night. My cousins, aunt, uncle and grandparents joined us every year. Someone would dress as Santa (and I could swear it really was Santa) and hand out candy canes, my Grandpa would build a huge fire,  we would sit around and have a family dinner....and open presents. Every year my Grandpa would run to the front of the house and say he heard Santa's reindeer...we would run to look and he would put cotton in the door and say he "almost caught" Santa for us. My Grandma would make sure I had my own can of olives....I would put them on every finger and run around eating them that way. There was always so much love, laughter and fun!
The next morning we would wake up and see what Santa had left for us...then head to my mom's best friends house and then my mom's sister. My Grandma on my mom's side would always buy me a "twirly dress" and I loved to spin in circles!
Time's have changed...now we stay in Modesto...my brother and his family live in Denver...and now we have Gabriel in our life to bring that Child-like joy back to Christmas!
I am so blessed to have Gabe in my life....he is amazing!!! For his Santa letter this year...he asked for Santa to bring all the homeless people gifts and to bless his family ( He did ask for an Xbox too LOL). At 11 years old... he has such an amazing understanding of what Christmas SHOULD be about!

Now Christmas is about watching Gabriel get excited to open presents..bake a cake for Jesus' birthday...and just spend time together. Now my joy in Christmas is seeing Christmas through Gabriel's eyes. I used to think that Christmas was amazing when I was a kid....but nothing compares to seeing Christmas through Gabe and my nephew's eyes!

Family is the most important thing to me...I am blessed to have wonderful people in my life that are loving and supportive!
Merry Christmas to all my friends and family...hope that you get to see Christmas through a child's eyes this year!!!!

Life is ever changing and I am thankful for that!!!!

Change is inevetible...it's scary and exciting all at once. I used to resist all change in my life. I would have rather stayed in a miserable situation because it was comfortable. I did not want changes to disrupt what I was used to. I think I was more afraid of the unknown than of the unhappy situation I was currently in.

It's still a learning process for me...accepting and embracing change. I want to emotionally grow as I get older...learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. That is a lot of the reason why I do not want people in my life who see the glass as half empty or look at the negitive in every situation. If we have a choice in how we want to view things...why would we choose to look at the bad and not the good?

My life has changed more in the past 2 years than ever before....and I think it's because I was more open to the change...I am not as afraid of the unknown as i used to be. It's been the most amazing couple of years!
I am so blessed...so fortunate to have amazing people in my life, a beautiful home,  and 2 jobs that keep me very busy!

Pico de Gallo....

I know that it is a shock that I LOVE Mexican food...I could eat it for every meal....everyday. MMMmmmm brings me to a happy place. Soooo...about once a week, I make a batch of pico de gallo...I eat it as salsa, put it in taco salad, enchiladas....really ANYTHING!!!! So, here is how I make it....
I start with all fresh ingredients...no canned vegis!!!
Tomatoes, Jalapeno peppers, green onion, yellow onion, fresh garlic, cilantro and avocado.

soooooo...it is pretty easy....chop up the tomatoes...

Then all the other ingredients....I use my fillet knife...seems to make the cutting easier...

But....I also use my pampered chef chopper...I LOVE this chopper!

Add all the ingredients together....add a little lime...some sea salt...and WHHHAAA LLAAA done!

Oh yah...don't forget to cut some avocado up and throw it on top....YUMO.

Hope you all enjoy my pico de gallo recipe!

Road Trip...

We all need our time with our girlfriends....time to sing loud...dance in the car...make fun of each other and eat delicious food full of calories! About once a month...I get to do just this! We plan fun trips to places that are known for having great picture spots!!!

August 14th...we headed up north towards Jackson, CA. First stop was unexpected....a small schoolhouse in Angel's Camp. Perfect first picture spot!!!!

Every trip...after about the first hour in the car we are all itching to get out and take a picture of something....ANYTHING....so this was a nice break!

Jess....getting some awesome shots!!!

and sometimes you have to get in some weird positions to get the great shot!!!

Next stop...Jackson...we found a cool church to photograph...we were actually looking for something else and here it was....

We could not stay long...as we were taking pictures..people from church started arriving and a couple of the people yelled at us to move our car....so we left!

Our true destination was Indian Grinding Rock and a town called Volcano. When we arrived at Indian Grinding Rock...I was disappointed...I guess I was expecting more...But we made the best of it by taking some fun picture!!!!

They did have some tee pee's that we played in....

and played a little more.....

Next stop...sleepy NO stoplight town of Volcano....

We were hungry...and thirsty...so of course we went to the local bar...

We had a great time people watching in there and chit chatting with the locals....The bartender Bob was a bit of a perv....but funny!

They let you sign dollar bills there and pin them on the wall...so we did...and check out where we decided to place our bill!!!

This place had the BEST food EVER!!! We all ordered something different and shared. BBQ pulled pork sandwich, Grilled patty melt and French dip....OMG seriously GOOOOOOD food...and Jess and Marcia said their bloody marys were to die for...

We asked some big ol biker dude to take our pic out front!!!

Now...lets play a game with the next pic...it used to be called "Where's Waldo"...this is called "wheres Marcia???"

We like to mess up each others pics by jumping out in front of the camera....

Marcia thought she wanted a picture of the tee pee's..I made sure she knew that she really wanted a picture of ME!!!!! LOL

So....here are a few pics from Volcano...

The town must have known about my "homie status" because they had this sign....

What up Assey?!?!?!

So fortunate to have the GREATEST friends in the world...when one is having a bad moment...the other will cheer you up....we know each other so well...no words need to be spoken when we need something...Yep...greatest girls in the world....

So....since there was not much to see in Volcano...we made it an early day home....BUT of course we stopped again...Jessica wanted pictures of the grape vines...it was HOT out...so Marcia and I stayed in the car...as we are driving down the road, Jess shows us the picture she got. HELLLLOOOOOO...there were grapes on the vines. So, nautrally...we turned that car around and went back to get some grape pics on the vines.....IN THE HEAT!!!!!!

So...thanks for another amazing adventure girls...I look forward to each trip that we take....each adventure we go on....It always starts as a "photography trip" and in the end we create amazing memories...and strengthen our friendship...it's THE BEST TRIP EVER!!!!!!! Love you girls!