I'm a Baking Gal

Months ago I heard Morgan Thomas on KSON talking about "Operation Baking Gals". It is an organization that sends cookies to men and women in the armed forces that are deployed. I finally took the leap this month to start a team and get baking! Team "Fire and Icing" is ready and waiting to make a gazillion cookies. (Thanks to Dan LaTour for the team name idea. He originally suggested it for my cake business but I already had a name for that. )

It sounds complicated to send stuff over seas but it really isn't!

1.) Sign up at http://www.bakinggals.com/

(check out the FAQ section on the website for really good tips)

2.) Get some flat rate boxes at the post office (11.95 to ship no matter how much you stuff in it)



3.) Gather your Baking Supplies


4.) Bake

5.) Package and Ship


Easy as that! I have 4 people to send packages to. I am SUPER excited about it!

A Sweet Moment

My neighbor's daughter, Raley, is the sweetest little girl. She was outside playing outside w/ another little girl and this is what happened when I was leaving for work tonight:

Raley: Are you going to work?
Me: Yep, I am
Little Girl: Where does she work?
Raley: she work for the fire department, she's a dispatcher
Little Girl: Cool!

I couldn't help but smile as I walked away. Feeling proud that I have the job that I do and that kids actually think it is a "cool" job.

One Life, One Love.. One Year

A year can seem long yet seem so short. Jim and Jessica got married a year ago (tomorrow, Sept. 20). They are such a great couple. Always full of laughs, banter and most importantly, love.
Jim is my oldest brother. Sometimes we are so much alike it is scary. We used to fight a lot when we were kids. He's been through a lot in his life but he has become a stronger person because of it. He's pressed on and overcome some obsticles that would destroy most people and/or their family. Not Jim, though. He went back to school a couple years ago for massage therapy and graduated. I've never been so proud as the day I saw him walk up on the stage in his cap and gown. He's not just a brother though, he is one of my best friends. He's tall, strong and protective. I have to stay on my toes around him because he is always armed with some kind of joke. He does have a serious side that comes out when necessary. A serious side that loves his baby sister and wants to take care of her. I love seeing him with Jessica. His love for her runs deep and is unconditional. He's the happiest I've ever seen him.

Jessica is smart, beautiful, funny, creative and sincere. I'm so thankful to have her not only as a sister-in-law but sister. She makes my brother so happy. She loves him with her whole heart and it shows. Jessica knew from the start Jim had two kids. It was a lot for someone to take on but she did! I've sat their in silence watching her interact with my niece and nephew and I am constantly blown away. She loves them like her own. There are no words to express the gratitude I have for that. I love going to coffee with her, texting her at 3am when she is also at work, baking for family holidays. She is really an incredible person and our family wouldn't be complete without her.

Jim and Jessica met when they were in High School and both worked at the Wild Animal Park. They dated for a while but eventually grew apart. Years later they found eachother again, I believe on MySpace.

Jim had been in a previous relationship for years and was very unhappy. He loved his two children but didn't see marrying their mother just because of the kids. We supported him in that decision because we knew he was basically miserable. He certainly wasn't looking for a new relationship but Jessica had just unexpectedly walked back into his life. The love was instant for both of them. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled at the fact Jim had started dating someone so quickly after ending the other relationship. In the end though, they are perfect together.

One night Dad, Brian, Katie, Jim, Jessica and I went to the Padres game. I don't know how long Jim and Jessica had been dating but it was so fun to watch them. We were walking to our cars and they were playing around... Tickling eachother, laughing, pushing eachother off the curbs. Brian looked at me and said " It is so great to see them together. They bring out the fun, kid like side of eachother." I couldn't have agreed more.

Most say the first year of marriage is the hardest. Jim and Jessica have been through a lot but it has made them stronger.

Jim and Jessica: Continue to love eachother from the depths of your heart. You're a beautiful couple and a great example of love prevailing. Stay strong and look to eachother for comfort. I love you both beyond words. Happy First Anniversary!

Wilderness Tales

Last week I thought it would be fun if Jared and I went to Mt. Laguna for a picnic. A friend of mine told me about Graffiti Rock. It sounds snazzy but really it is just a large turn out with one random picnic table. The view, however, is supposed to be breathtaking. It over looks Pine Valley.

We made the trek up the mountain only to find someone already occupying our spot. Ok fine, it isn't technically our spot but come on! I planned this date and I was excited about it. I wanted to kick them out of the area and tell them I thought of it first. We went with Plan B since it might have been slightly awkward to join the people already using the picnic table.

We continued up Sunrise Hwy to Desert View. It is a picnic area that over looks, you guessed it.. the desert. On the drive we joked about the number of trees and that maybe, just maybe, Sasquatch, a Yeti or some other terrifying creature lived among the foliage.

We found our destination without getting lost (a mirale in itself since I was driving), unpacked and settled into the quiet of our surroundings. The sunset was behind us so we didn't really get to see that. The desert was in front of us but trees were sorta blocking the view. The stars slowly appearing above us were really pretty though.

Jared pointed out the bats flying overhead and was fascinated by how small some of them were. Babies maybe? I secretly worried that one of them would decide to take up residency in my hair. The dusk slowly turned to night and visibility decreased. There was no moon that night. The darker it got, the creepier it got. Thoughts about our Sasquatch and Yeti conversation came screaming back to my mind. As did every.single.horror movie I've ever seen. People in ski masks, all black, freaky striped shirts... I wondered if anyone would hear our screams if something happened (Morbid, I know).Then is occured to me that we had food. Bears like food. Bears follow the scent of the food. I tried to just relax and enjoy the quiet.

Then we heard a noise. A screech, howl..s0mething ..
Jared: Did you hear that?
Me: Yes. Maybe a coyote?
Jared: Kinda sounded like an owl

We continued with our conversation then heard something else.
Jared: Did you hear that too?
Me: yeah
Jared: That kinda sounded like a screen door slamming shut
Me: We're outta here!

I've never packed up a picnic so fast! My nerves couldn't take it. I was sure some serial killer was on their way to claim one or both of us as their next prize. We got in my car and I hauled tail back down the mountain. Back to the city where there is civilization, lights, no bears, no mountain lions and no coyotes. We found refuge at the movie theater.

Regardless it was a great date night but I am thinking a trip to the Zoo or a County Park is about all the wilderness this girl can take.

Remembering

As I mentioned in my previous post, I met more of Jared's family on Sunday. They were all great but one stood out more than the rest.. his Grandma.

She's a tiny woman with curly hair and that wonderful, inviting "grandma smell". She gave Jared a good scolding when we walked in because she was, apparently, the last one to meet me. I couldn't help but laugh because that's exactly what my Grandma Covey would have done to me had to roles been reversed.

When I was leaving for work his Grandma wrapped me in a hug. My breath caught in my chest and tears sprang to my eyes. She pulled back and said "I am so happy for you and I am so happy for Jared". Her eyes were watery and sincere. She hugged me again and I found myself never wanting to let go.

My Grandma Covey passed away a little over 2 1/2yrs ago. She was on a mission to find me a nice guy. Even when she was having serious medical problems and had to go to the hospital, she was trying to set me up... Paramedics, male nurses, doctors etc. Somehow I always ended up as the topic of conversation. Lord only knows what stories she told them.

That moment with Jared's Grandma made me think about how happy Grandma Covey would be for me and how much she would love Jared. It also made me miss her more than I ever have in my life.

UH.. OOPS!

I enjoyed an afternoon with Jared's family on Sunday. Good Company, good food, good times. When I got to work I was super hungry so Jared's Mom, Lynn, and Stepdad, David, offered to bring the ECC "Ladies of the Night" some leftovers from the shindig. Now, if you know anything about dispatchers, you know we like to eat. So really, how could I refuse such a generous and tasty offer? I couldn't.

We chatted for a while..about work, life and of course.. Jared. :) David decided to tell Ali and Staci about the day the ECC staff called to grill ask him questions about this guy I had just started dating....

David: So Chief white called me up and I was thinking "what next"? Then he starts asking me 20 questions about Jared. (reciting the phone conversation):
Chief White: How Old is He?
David: 26
Chief White: Does he go to church?
David: yes
Chief White: Does he smoke?
David: No
Chief White: Does he have any tattoos?
David: No

Me:(interupting the story) Yes he does.
David/Lynn: He DOES?!?
(cue cricket sound)
Me:....
Ali: (practically rolling on the ground laughing)
Staci: (laughing) way to throw him under a crew bus
Me: Guess I will be single tomorrow..
David/Lynn/Ali/Staci: (Still laughing hysterically)
Ali: (gaining some composure) you threw him under the bus big time!
Me:... oops

Why am I always the last one to get these memos? I do a great job putting my foot in my mouth on a regular basis without someone helping me along!
**Side note: I did tell Jared the story and he didn't break up with me (whew!). He simply laughed**

Twitter?

So I dove in and signed up at Twitter. I simply wanted to see what it was all about. Ummmm.... I don't get it. Am I supposed to get twitter updates from all 3 people I follow on twitter? Are the tweets (is that what they are called?) supposed to come to my phone? Maybe the 3 people I decided to stalk follow on Twitter haven't tweeted (huh?) lately.. Anyone know how this is supposed to work?

Plain Jane

How do these ladies get that fabulous wavy hair look??? I want to know! Ignore the fact that they have personal stylists at their beck and call 24/7 and that they are absolutely gorgeous. How does a Plain Jane like me get hair like that?

At My Fingertips

Labor Day has passed, school has started, the heat waves have subsided a bit. I can feel everything changing and I know it is right at my fingertips. FALL. I love it. Everything about it...
Just a few more weeks until my favorite season is officially here.. I can't wait!

A Real Reunion

As much as I enjoyed my High School Reunion, there was another reunion planned that I was even more excited about....

The "BARF" Girls. (Boys Are Retarded Freaks). Sure, it is a silly name but it was who we were. If I remember correctly we weren't boy bitter (more like boy oblivious!). We came up with the name to make fun of another girl group in choir that were somewhat umm obnoxious..

We spent every.single.day together in high school. As we have gotten older, we've spent less and less time together but we are still very much a part of eachother's lives. We get caught up when we can.

Monday was full of good food, laughs, an old homemade video, a little bit of gossip and lots of memories. Only one nearly disasterous moment when I spilled my margarita allllll over the counter. It headed straight for Summer's blackberry and Sarah's answering machine. From my experience electronics and liquids don't mix well. I calmly turned to Jessica and asked her to take Lucy from me so I could clean up my mess. I'm thankful that I didn't have the outward panicky reaction that I was having on the inside. Lucy may have taken her first (and hopefully only) flight across the room, the stool I was sitting on wouldv'e gone straight through the sliding glass door and I'm pretty sure someone wouldv'e ended up with a black eye.

It was a great afternoon and I hope we can turn it into an annual event. They are a great group of women and I am blessed beyond measure.

Jess,Mary,Sarah,Jen,Summer,Me.

Not Picture/unable to attend: Vanessa, Janelle, Stephanie