Have you ever had a recipe looming in the distance? One you've wanted to make but you're just a weeeeeeee bit intimidated by it? No? Ok, I have issues...
We had a salsa contest at work for Cinco De Mayo. I love me some mexican food so I was all in. Here's the recipe I made. I took ideas from a couple recipes I found online and added my own little twists to it. Enjoy! Make it a day ahead so the flavors really jive together. It is WAY easier than it sounds. Don't let the multiple step deter you.
Shannon's Salsa:
8-12 Roma Tomatoes
1 medium white onion
2 Pasilla Peppers
1 Yellow Chile
1 Jalapeno Pepper
4 Cloves Garlic
1/4 C Cilantro
1/4 Apple Cider Vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp Ground Cumin
3 tsp Dried Oregano
Ground pepper
salt
1) Preheat the oven to 450
2) Cut off the top of the tomato and slice in half length wise
3) Peel and cut onion into quarters
4) Peel garlic
5) Place tomatoes (cut side down) on a baking sheet (One that has a rim around the edge)
6) Please peppers, onion, garlic on the baking sheet with the tomatoes
7) Roast in oven about 30 minutes or until skins of peppers and tomatoes get some black spots and start to bubble a little.
8) Remove from oven and place another cookie sheet over the vegetables for about 10 minutes.
9) Remove skins from the peppers. Now is a good time to remove the seeds if you don't want hot salsa. The more seeds you have, the hotter it will be.
10) Place tomatoes (with skins) in a food processor and puree them to your desired consistency, pour into a bowl
11) Add Oregano, cumin, onions, cilantro, peppers, garlic to the food processor and puree to desired consistency. Add to the tomatoes and stir together.
12) Add lime juice and vinegar and stir until well combined
13) add salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp of each)
14) allow to chill over night.
It has a sweet side to it and a tiny little kick at the end. I don't like really hot salsa so this is perfect for me. I don't think anyone "won" the contest so I will just give myself 1st Place (just kidding... kind of). Enjoy!
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Monday, May 6, 2013
Friday, October 12, 2012
Lauren's Ride Fundraiser
Most everyone knows that i have been talking about Lauren's ride since it began in early September. Sometimes things just grab ahold of your heart and take root. When I heard about what John Byrne was doing, I was impressed and touched. I was all in.
Having two older brothers, I understand how close the bond can be between a brother and sister. Especially older brothers and younger sisters.
I've followed John's journey since the first day.Every day they post a blog or update, I am amazed at how doors are opening and how many good people are stepping up to be part of it.
The Oakland Raiders have been a huge support for the ride and much to my dismay, the Chargers haven't returned any of our phone calls or emails. The original idea came from Dottie, the front office administrative assistant at Monte Vista Headquarters. On September 25th, she mentioned getting a bunch of Charger's fans together and taking a huge picture. I immediately loved the idea. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible for me to do something simple. I suggested we turn it into a fundraiser but we knew cookies and cupcakes probably wouldn't raise much. So my mind started racing. I told Dottie we could keep it simple. burgers, chips, water. Easy. My text to her was : "That's a great idea!! Wonder if we'd have time to put together a little fundraiser. Like sell burgers or something. That's probably too complicated though". Then it was on like donkey kong! Well that lead to cupcakes then face painting. Then someone offered to dress up as Smokey Bear (side note for those that didn't know.. the "the" is no longer in his name). Then someone offered a sound system so we would have music. The water was donated by the fire station on the compound. The Union chapter donated $250 to help with the cost of food. Everything fell into place. We had about 2 weeks to get it all together. 12 days to be exact. Because we were having it at a CAL FIRE facility, there had to be quite a few Chiefs involved and many approvals made. On October 1 we got the final approval we needed and we were off.
Today I went to Costco to pick up the burgers etc. While in line I was able to share with a couple people about Lauren's Ride. One of them made a donation right there.
Rain had been coming down most of the morning and all day yesterday. I was praying the rain would stop. I also kept having this feeling that no one was going to show up. Right there in the Costco parking lot, I prayed. I asked God to bless this fundraiser. I asked that things would continue to fall into place like they had been over the previous 2 weeks.
Tonight was more than I could have ever hoped for. The music was great, everyone was pitching in to help, the kids were having a blast playing with Smokey Bear, the kids got to ride in the fire engine, two engines from San Miguel Fire came over. When San Miguel Truck 15 pulled in, I looked at Ali and started crying. All I could say was "wow". The rain had stopped a couple hours before the BBQ started and people just kept coming. We even got a phone call from John and Tony! I had no idea they were going to call. Dottie knew and thought she had told me but I never got the memo. That was definitely the highlight of my evening. You can hear the deep gratitude they have for everything people have done. I have greatly enjoyed following John on his journey across the country.
Once we counted the money we realized how much we had raised. $1100!! My hope was for $500. We bought enough food for 100 people and we wanted to sell all of it. We definitely thought that was a realistic goal. When this first started I had the number $1000 in my head. I didn't think we would get to that but I really wanted to. My hands were shaking while I was counting the money. That total isn't the final amount just yet. i have a few returns I need to do and that money will go into the donation as well.
Thanks to all who supported this ride, fundraiser and my crazy ideas! And most of all thank you to God. He opened every door for this and blessed it. My cup runneth over.
Having two older brothers, I understand how close the bond can be between a brother and sister. Especially older brothers and younger sisters.
I've followed John's journey since the first day.Every day they post a blog or update, I am amazed at how doors are opening and how many good people are stepping up to be part of it.
The Oakland Raiders have been a huge support for the ride and much to my dismay, the Chargers haven't returned any of our phone calls or emails. The original idea came from Dottie, the front office administrative assistant at Monte Vista Headquarters. On September 25th, she mentioned getting a bunch of Charger's fans together and taking a huge picture. I immediately loved the idea. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible for me to do something simple. I suggested we turn it into a fundraiser but we knew cookies and cupcakes probably wouldn't raise much. So my mind started racing. I told Dottie we could keep it simple. burgers, chips, water. Easy. My text to her was : "That's a great idea!! Wonder if we'd have time to put together a little fundraiser. Like sell burgers or something. That's probably too complicated though". Then it was on like donkey kong! Well that lead to cupcakes then face painting. Then someone offered to dress up as Smokey Bear (side note for those that didn't know.. the "the" is no longer in his name). Then someone offered a sound system so we would have music. The water was donated by the fire station on the compound. The Union chapter donated $250 to help with the cost of food. Everything fell into place. We had about 2 weeks to get it all together. 12 days to be exact. Because we were having it at a CAL FIRE facility, there had to be quite a few Chiefs involved and many approvals made. On October 1 we got the final approval we needed and we were off.
Today I went to Costco to pick up the burgers etc. While in line I was able to share with a couple people about Lauren's Ride. One of them made a donation right there.
Rain had been coming down most of the morning and all day yesterday. I was praying the rain would stop. I also kept having this feeling that no one was going to show up. Right there in the Costco parking lot, I prayed. I asked God to bless this fundraiser. I asked that things would continue to fall into place like they had been over the previous 2 weeks.
Tonight was more than I could have ever hoped for. The music was great, everyone was pitching in to help, the kids were having a blast playing with Smokey Bear, the kids got to ride in the fire engine, two engines from San Miguel Fire came over. When San Miguel Truck 15 pulled in, I looked at Ali and started crying. All I could say was "wow". The rain had stopped a couple hours before the BBQ started and people just kept coming. We even got a phone call from John and Tony! I had no idea they were going to call. Dottie knew and thought she had told me but I never got the memo. That was definitely the highlight of my evening. You can hear the deep gratitude they have for everything people have done. I have greatly enjoyed following John on his journey across the country.
Once we counted the money we realized how much we had raised. $1100!! My hope was for $500. We bought enough food for 100 people and we wanted to sell all of it. We definitely thought that was a realistic goal. When this first started I had the number $1000 in my head. I didn't think we would get to that but I really wanted to. My hands were shaking while I was counting the money. That total isn't the final amount just yet. i have a few returns I need to do and that money will go into the donation as well.
Thanks to all who supported this ride, fundraiser and my crazy ideas! And most of all thank you to God. He opened every door for this and blessed it. My cup runneth over.
 |
| Some of the people that came out to support the fundraiser and Lauren's Ride. |
Friday, May 4, 2012
Boot Drive 2012
Each April members of the fire service in San Diego County line the streets to raise money for the San Diego Burn Institute.
The annual "Give Burns the Boot" drive has always been a huge success. This year I joined my brother, Brian, and his fire fighters in Jamul. It was the same intersection we were at last year. Unfortunately the school at the corner was on Spring Break so the traffic was a lot lighter this year. last year we raised about $3200 at our intersection alone. This year was about $2000. Still pretty awesome! All together, CAL FIRE raised about $25,000 for the Burn Institute. I'm not sure how much the other fire agencies in the county raised.
All of the money goes towards sending burn survivors to "Camp Beyond the Scars". It was a great morning. The guys were especially excited for the coffee and blueberry muffins I brought them.
The annual "Give Burns the Boot" drive has always been a huge success. This year I joined my brother, Brian, and his fire fighters in Jamul. It was the same intersection we were at last year. Unfortunately the school at the corner was on Spring Break so the traffic was a lot lighter this year. last year we raised about $3200 at our intersection alone. This year was about $2000. Still pretty awesome! All together, CAL FIRE raised about $25,000 for the Burn Institute. I'm not sure how much the other fire agencies in the county raised.
All of the money goes towards sending burn survivors to "Camp Beyond the Scars". It was a great morning. The guys were especially excited for the coffee and blueberry muffins I brought them.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Dispatcher Appreciation/Recognition Week
Every year there is a week set aside to honor Emergency Dispatchers and the job they do. It is usually the second full week in April.
I don't talk about my job and its stresses very much. I try to spare my friends and family the details of all we go through.
Let's be real though.. it is a hard job. Sure, I sit there for 12 hours and that doesn't seem tough but that's all we get to do. Our job is to wait for the next 911 call. There is no running to the store, walking outside, working out etc. We are there in that room for 12 hours. Especially at night.
We are the first people that the caller talks to. We are their link to hope when their world is spinning out of control. They are angry at us, scared, frustrated, thankful people. We are asked constantly "why aren't they hear yet?". Every time they ask that I want to say "I wish they were already there too". We hear people beg their loved ones not to die. We hear teenagers that have been in car accidents screaming for their friends to wake up. You don't forget those voices. Sometimes we are the first to hear a new baby cry. It has only happened twice in my career but those are sweet, precious sounds that I love. We have to figure out where you are when you have absolutely no clue. Remember the 911 call that was released in the media last month where the guy shot his girlfriend (by accident) with a cannon. That was a 911 call that I took. The female voice on the line? That is me.
We listen to multiple radio channels and answer in a timely manner. All of us have side projects too. Soon I will be training to review our medical calls to make sure we remain at the national standard. We have to worry about getting every call out in 60 seconds or less and face the ramifications if we drop below that. We have to remain CPR certified and have 24 hours of medical dispatching training per year. We have mandatory ride alongs with Battalions Chiefs so we are familiar with the areas we dispatch for. We are called in in a moments notice when there is a large fire or event. We go to training exercises, work a lot of overtime behind vacations and have meetings.
All this being said... I LOVE my job. I work with 8 other incredible dispatchers. It is the most difficult and rewarding job I've ever had and I am so thankful God opened the door for me to do this job. In honor of Dispatcher Week, I made everyone in the office a mini loaf. Some Banana nut and some Orange Cranberry. They loved it.
I don't talk about my job and its stresses very much. I try to spare my friends and family the details of all we go through.
Let's be real though.. it is a hard job. Sure, I sit there for 12 hours and that doesn't seem tough but that's all we get to do. Our job is to wait for the next 911 call. There is no running to the store, walking outside, working out etc. We are there in that room for 12 hours. Especially at night.
We are the first people that the caller talks to. We are their link to hope when their world is spinning out of control. They are angry at us, scared, frustrated, thankful people. We are asked constantly "why aren't they hear yet?". Every time they ask that I want to say "I wish they were already there too". We hear people beg their loved ones not to die. We hear teenagers that have been in car accidents screaming for their friends to wake up. You don't forget those voices. Sometimes we are the first to hear a new baby cry. It has only happened twice in my career but those are sweet, precious sounds that I love. We have to figure out where you are when you have absolutely no clue. Remember the 911 call that was released in the media last month where the guy shot his girlfriend (by accident) with a cannon. That was a 911 call that I took. The female voice on the line? That is me.
We listen to multiple radio channels and answer in a timely manner. All of us have side projects too. Soon I will be training to review our medical calls to make sure we remain at the national standard. We have to worry about getting every call out in 60 seconds or less and face the ramifications if we drop below that. We have to remain CPR certified and have 24 hours of medical dispatching training per year. We have mandatory ride alongs with Battalions Chiefs so we are familiar with the areas we dispatch for. We are called in in a moments notice when there is a large fire or event. We go to training exercises, work a lot of overtime behind vacations and have meetings.
All this being said... I LOVE my job. I work with 8 other incredible dispatchers. It is the most difficult and rewarding job I've ever had and I am so thankful God opened the door for me to do this job. In honor of Dispatcher Week, I made everyone in the office a mini loaf. Some Banana nut and some Orange Cranberry. They loved it.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day 2012 was mostly uneventful. The best surprise came that afternoon when there was a knock on my door. I was laying awake in bed, assuming it was the postal person so I was going to ignore it. The knocks kept coming so I got up and found my best friend and her 4 darling kiddos standing there with a Valentine's treat. Noah and Jack were still very excited about the parties they had at school and Lucy was her slightly she self. Jess apologized over and over for "waking me up" but I assured her she didn't (I swear! you didn't!!!). Even if they had, it was a perfect thing to wake up to. I just love those LaTours!
How cute is this?!?! She hand stitched that heart! Jess, you are uh-mazing! Jared and I each had one of those YUMMY cookies over coffee that afternoon.
I took the time to make my co-workers some sweet n salty Valentine's. I made "party popcorn". Recipe to follow in another blog. Super duper easy!
I was really wanting to make conversation heart cookies and experiment with piping slightly more inticate designs. I had a couple sweet people in mind while making these.
I took the time to make my co-workers some sweet n salty Valentine's. I made "party popcorn". Recipe to follow in another blog. Super duper easy!
I was really wanting to make conversation heart cookies and experiment with piping slightly more inticate designs. I had a couple sweet people in mind while making these.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ali's Surprise
Ali is my partner at work and a dear friend. She started with Cal Fire in 2008. She became my partner in 2009 when she was permanently moved to night shift. From the moment we met (about 6 months before she started w/ the department), we were instant friends.
Our working relationship is unique. We help each other without even talking. She will answer my radio when needed, I will call someone for her when she needs me to. All without asking the other person to do it. It is pretty amazing.
We work 12 hour shifts so we spend half of our week together. During that time you are most likely going to get to know the other person quite well.
We've celebrated birthdays, her wedding, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and all of the holidays in between. We've talked about relationships and counseled each other. We've cried tears when she filed for divorce and we've stood by each other through it all.
Ali has had a rough couple of years. She's faced a marriage that lacked love and respect. She's had medical problems and gone through a divorce. Through it all she put on her brave face and road the roller coaster of life. She is one of the most loving, caring, giving and kindest people I know. She will put others before herself. Even if that means she must go without. She's hugged me when I cried and squealed with me during the good times. We make dinner once a week for our work crew, watch the Bachelor, Lifetime movies, Biggest Loser etc.
Ali has never really had good birthdays. Her ex-Husband forgot every year. It made her sad but she would just go with it. This year I wanted it to be different for her. She's been through so much and deserved a good birthday. I got into my planning mode and planned a surprise birthday party for her. She thought she was going to our friend's house for a "House warming party". I was terrified that she would figure it out but somehow we all kept the secret from her.
When she arrived, we all yelled "SURPRISE" and told her it was a birthday party for her. She was speechless and had tears in her eyes. That made all of the planning worth it. We laughed ( a lot!!), played Wii bowling (Ali kicked our butts) and had tons of food. It was a great night!
Happy Birthday, dear Ali. I hope you know how loved you are!
Our working relationship is unique. We help each other without even talking. She will answer my radio when needed, I will call someone for her when she needs me to. All without asking the other person to do it. It is pretty amazing.
We work 12 hour shifts so we spend half of our week together. During that time you are most likely going to get to know the other person quite well.
We've celebrated birthdays, her wedding, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and all of the holidays in between. We've talked about relationships and counseled each other. We've cried tears when she filed for divorce and we've stood by each other through it all.
Ali has had a rough couple of years. She's faced a marriage that lacked love and respect. She's had medical problems and gone through a divorce. Through it all she put on her brave face and road the roller coaster of life. She is one of the most loving, caring, giving and kindest people I know. She will put others before herself. Even if that means she must go without. She's hugged me when I cried and squealed with me during the good times. We make dinner once a week for our work crew, watch the Bachelor, Lifetime movies, Biggest Loser etc.
Ali has never really had good birthdays. Her ex-Husband forgot every year. It made her sad but she would just go with it. This year I wanted it to be different for her. She's been through so much and deserved a good birthday. I got into my planning mode and planned a surprise birthday party for her. She thought she was going to our friend's house for a "House warming party". I was terrified that she would figure it out but somehow we all kept the secret from her.
When she arrived, we all yelled "SURPRISE" and told her it was a birthday party for her. She was speechless and had tears in her eyes. That made all of the planning worth it. We laughed ( a lot!!), played Wii bowling (Ali kicked our butts) and had tons of food. It was a great night!
Happy Birthday, dear Ali. I hope you know how loved you are!
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| Mini Chocolate Cupcakes made by Becki! |
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| A special signature drink for the birthday girl |
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| Ice Cream Sundae bar for dessert!!! |
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| The birthday girl and I |
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| The "ladies of the night"... and clay |
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Iron Mountain
Suzy brought her dogs, KME and Layla. The pups were so excited to be out and about. We figured they would pull us up the mountain if we got too tired. Much to our delight the guys in the group, Clay and neil, took the dogs and set off on their fast pace up the trail.
The trail is very rocky and the type of dirt can be somewhat slick. I don't know how anyone could run the trail without tripping and bashing their head open! I tripped plenty of times but never came close to falling. Thank goodness!
The trail is 6 miles round trip, 3 in and 3 out. We were about to the 2.5mi marker when Clay, Neil and the pups came back down the mountain to meet us. In the fire service (namely wildland fire) they do hikes most days. Whoever gets to the top first turns around and meets the person that is last in line, whether they are 1/2 a mile behind or 2. They encourage them to keep going and remind them they aren't alone. It was pretty cool that the guys came down to where we were and went to the top again.
The view from the top of Iron Mountain was beautiful! We could easily see Poway and Ramona.
Here's a view of Mt. Woodson from the top of Iron Mountain
This is Lake Jennings:
The control burn on Cuyamaca Peak that day:
And the boys being... well... boys:
Monday, December 26, 2011
Christmas 2011
Once again, Christmas has come and gone. I had my "Holiday to do list" and I got almost all of the items checked off. I didn't actually attend a toy drive but I did raise money for a bicycle drive we had at work. So I think that one can be crossed off the list. I didn't get the chance to watch any of the holiday movies with my nieces and nephews but that's ok.
Christmas started on Friday December 23rd for my family. I can't remember the last time we celebrated a holiday on the actual day. Sometimes I prefer having it on a different day. Stores are still open, we don't have to rush off to someone else's house and no one has to leave early/come late because of work. The siblings, Jared and I decided to surprise my parents this year with a gift. The adults had "agreed" to not draw names and exchange gifts but we schemed behind their backs. My parents are not prideful people and they would be honest if you asked how things were this past year. Money has been tight and it has been a struggle for them but they have held their heads high, worked hard and have accepted help when it has been offered. They'd be the first to help someone else out. We ordered a food package from Omaha Steaks for them. They were sooooo excited! It felt good to give back to them. They've always done so much for all of us kids!
The youngin's had a great time tearing into gifts. Peyton decided to tear off the wrapping paper one square at a time. It was cute and maybe just a tiny bit annoying. Tyler still wasn't 100% sure what to do but he had fun. Alissa and Justen are old pros at it so they tore into their gifts like champs.
Christmas Day I slept for a whole 2 hours then went to carlsbad to celebrate with Jared's family. We had a great time hanging out and talking. Jared's cousin, Kortney, flew in from New York. It was great to see her. All of the kids played and played, opened gifts then played a little more. It was nice getting caught up with everyone. We also found out Jared's cousin, Kasey, just got the lead in Wizard of Oz. She was sporting darker hair for her role as dorothy. I almost didn't recognize her. We always draw names with Jared's family. Jared drew Nana's name and he got her some DVD sets of a few of her favorite TV shows like Castle and NCIS. When she opened the "Castle" DVDs, she squealed like a little girl. She was SO excited! It was cute.
The I was off to work. The day shift crew made dinner for everyone and it was goooood! My partner, Ali, and I brought some stuff in Saturday night for them to make on Sunday. Early Christmas morning I put fresh cinnamon rolls in the oven and baked them for those working day shift. My partner had laryngitis so I answered the phones and the radios. Poor thing, she sounded aweful. She was a trooper though and made it through the night.
It was a great holiday weekend! I am blessed to have 2 incredible families and a work family. I feel like I really soaked in the Christmas feeling this year. I tried to tone it down on the gifts (I failed) but I had so much joy buying and wrapping every single gift. I know Christmas is not about gifts but I do think part of the holiday is the giving spirit. Whether it is gifts, your time, opening your home, donating, being courteous to people etc; it all follows the Lord's command of "Love one another". After all, it is love that caused God to bless Joseph and Mary with a tiny baby that would eventually give the ultimate gift so we would have eternal life.
Merry Christmas, friends. Here's to a wonderful 2012!!
**And stay tuned tomorrow! There will be a special guest post from my best friend!***
Christmas started on Friday December 23rd for my family. I can't remember the last time we celebrated a holiday on the actual day. Sometimes I prefer having it on a different day. Stores are still open, we don't have to rush off to someone else's house and no one has to leave early/come late because of work. The siblings, Jared and I decided to surprise my parents this year with a gift. The adults had "agreed" to not draw names and exchange gifts but we schemed behind their backs. My parents are not prideful people and they would be honest if you asked how things were this past year. Money has been tight and it has been a struggle for them but they have held their heads high, worked hard and have accepted help when it has been offered. They'd be the first to help someone else out. We ordered a food package from Omaha Steaks for them. They were sooooo excited! It felt good to give back to them. They've always done so much for all of us kids!
The youngin's had a great time tearing into gifts. Peyton decided to tear off the wrapping paper one square at a time. It was cute and maybe just a tiny bit annoying. Tyler still wasn't 100% sure what to do but he had fun. Alissa and Justen are old pros at it so they tore into their gifts like champs.
The adults, alissa and Justen did a chinese gift exchange. We all bought 5/$1 gifts, wrapped them and put them under the tree.
We drew numbers then began choose and/or stealing gifts from each other. We laughed so hard and had a great time switching the gifts around between everyone.
Christmas Eve morning Jared and I spent some time at brian and Katie's house. We had breakfast and visited with a couple friends. I finished up some cinnamon rolls then we headed to jared's best friend's house to hang out. I had to leave for work but Jared was able to stay and hang out. His other friend, Brandon, was in town so the three of them had a guys night.
Christmas Day I slept for a whole 2 hours then went to carlsbad to celebrate with Jared's family. We had a great time hanging out and talking. Jared's cousin, Kortney, flew in from New York. It was great to see her. All of the kids played and played, opened gifts then played a little more. It was nice getting caught up with everyone. We also found out Jared's cousin, Kasey, just got the lead in Wizard of Oz. She was sporting darker hair for her role as dorothy. I almost didn't recognize her. We always draw names with Jared's family. Jared drew Nana's name and he got her some DVD sets of a few of her favorite TV shows like Castle and NCIS. When she opened the "Castle" DVDs, she squealed like a little girl. She was SO excited! It was cute.
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| Nana, Kasey, Kortney |
It was a great holiday weekend! I am blessed to have 2 incredible families and a work family. I feel like I really soaked in the Christmas feeling this year. I tried to tone it down on the gifts (I failed) but I had so much joy buying and wrapping every single gift. I know Christmas is not about gifts but I do think part of the holiday is the giving spirit. Whether it is gifts, your time, opening your home, donating, being courteous to people etc; it all follows the Lord's command of "Love one another". After all, it is love that caused God to bless Joseph and Mary with a tiny baby that would eventually give the ultimate gift so we would have eternal life.
Merry Christmas, friends. Here's to a wonderful 2012!!
**And stay tuned tomorrow! There will be a special guest post from my best friend!***
Friday, July 8, 2011
Loss
I don't understand death. I know it is a real part of life but the "why" is never fully explained. It is a question that only God can answer. It is an answer only God can fully understand.
Yesterday our Unit, City, State and Country lost a true hero. Colby was a fire fighter for Cal Fire and a Marine in the US Marine Corps. I can't say I knew him all that well but I am thankful I knew him. He was part of a family. Not just his wife and kids but the Fire Service family. A family that stretches across the state and across the country. A family structure that isn't always understood by people outside of the fire service.
I've had to shroud my badge many times in my (almost) 5 year career with Cal Fire. Too many times, in fact. But this time is different. This time I know the person, even if it isn't all that well. His will be the first department funeral I will attend, when the time comes.
My heart is so sad for his family and our Cal Fire family. It is a reminder that life is precious and we shouldn't take anything for granted.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Day 115 Thru Day 120
Day 115:
Captain Dan is retiring from Cal Fire. I made a cake for his party.
Day 116:
Apparently there's this "Man Rule" that states you must have a beer while BBQing. So Jared enjoyed a cold one while he made is some steaks.
Day 117:
April 27, 2011 was a bittersweet dsay for those of us that work in the ECC. Captain Dan has been my Captain for the last 4 and a half years. Today was his last day with Cal Fire. Though all of us are excited for him and his new adventures, we are so very sad to see him go. We had a huge party to send him off.
Day 118:
Uncle Jared and I took Tyler to Sea World while Mommy and Peyton went shopping for his "Little Slugger" Birthday party. He was squealing and laughing at the Walrus. Adorable!
Day 119:
I always have a great time putting together cake for my precious nieces and nephews.
Day 120:
Easter Baskets w/ removable liners on clearance for $2/ each? Yes please. 2 pretty white baskets are now resting comfortably in my hope chest waiting for that very special day.
Day 116:
Day 117:
April 27, 2011 was a bittersweet dsay for those of us that work in the ECC. Captain Dan has been my Captain for the last 4 and a half years. Today was his last day with Cal Fire. Though all of us are excited for him and his new adventures, we are so very sad to see him go. We had a huge party to send him off.
Day 119:
Day 120:
Easter Baskets w/ removable liners on clearance for $2/ each? Yes please. 2 pretty white baskets are now resting comfortably in my hope chest waiting for that very special day.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Day 98 Thru Day 105
Day 98:
Sometimes the yarn decides not to work with you. Sometimes it decides that every 2 feet it will get all knotted up. Sometimes I just want to take scissors and cut it to pieces.
Day 99:
The new Karen Kingsbury book is out. I finished it in a day and a half. it only took me so long because I had to sleep.
Day 100:
Cinnamon Rolls for Jared and his co-workers. I am thinking it was a good day at work for them.
Day 101:
April 10-16th Marked "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week". aka Dispatcher Appreciation Week. Our Chiefs bought each shift a dozen Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Shari's Berries. Oh Yum!
Day 102:
My lovely friend, Emily, sent me a "happy Spring" box full of goodies. She's awesome!
Day 103:
Best. Jellybeans. Ever.
Day 104:
Me neighbors dog, Balou, napping in my apartment. He's so darn cute.
Day 105:
Someone has a big appetite
Sometimes the yarn decides not to work with you. Sometimes it decides that every 2 feet it will get all knotted up. Sometimes I just want to take scissors and cut it to pieces.
Day 99:
The new Karen Kingsbury book is out. I finished it in a day and a half. it only took me so long because I had to sleep.
Cinnamon Rolls for Jared and his co-workers. I am thinking it was a good day at work for them.
April 10-16th Marked "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week". aka Dispatcher Appreciation Week. Our Chiefs bought each shift a dozen Gourmet Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Shari's Berries. Oh Yum!
My lovely friend, Emily, sent me a "happy Spring" box full of goodies. She's awesome!
Best. Jellybeans. Ever.
Me neighbors dog, Balou, napping in my apartment. He's so darn cute.
Someone has a big appetite
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