HAPPY BIRTHDAY EM!

{This post is coming a little late but I just want to make sure you ladies and gents know it's still Wednesday 9/28, even if it's 11:30 at night!}

Oh my, where to begin? Today is such a special day! 26 years ago from today, my best friend Emili was born. Yippeee for that! I literally don't know what I'd do without my girlfriend.

Emspice and I have known each other since middle school, way back when. We became instant friends in Spanish class, gabbing our faces off about anything and everything. But the true magic really happened in high school, when the junior girls got together and formed an Airband team. Em and I became really good friends while preparing for Airband, and her parents even allowed me to sleep over on a school night. It was kind of a big deal--I'm pretty sure I was the first friend of Em's that got the green-light on a school night slumber party. Holler! Our friendship continued to blossom throughout high school and soon enough, I was practically a part of the Andrews family. I even got to go on family vacation to Hawaii!

Em and I stayed close in college, despite me moving to Arizona for a few years. Eventually I moved back to San Diego, and shortly thereafter we became roommates. We had the best time together, always running around town and having adventures--like late night McDonalds runs for ice cream and apple pies, which we'd sit in the car and eat in the parking lot, mind you. Classy, we know. Emili and I experienced so much together this past decade and have grown up tremendously. We've been there for each other through thick and thin, good and bad--always available for a much needed laugh or cry. And although we both traded in for new roommates (our husbands!), I've never felt closer to my amazing friend. Thank the Lord for such wonderful friendships!

And now, some snapshots of our friendship over the years..

Em--thank you for being such an amazing friend. Love you so much girlfriend, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

A Delightful Site

I've officially fallen in love with Spoon Fork Bacon. 

Lovely, drool-worthy photos and great recipes make for a delightful site. 

How yummy do those jam straws and cinnamon rolls look? 

I need to start cooking, pronto.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Life these days has seemingly become our own again. With the summer madness long gone, the hubs and I have been making the most of our time at home in LA. To kick off our newfound freedom, we purchased season passes to Universal Studios Hollywood--Rich's favorite theme park. We agreed it would be a fun place to visit when we had nothing going on, whether to dine on City Walk or check out the new park attractions for the holidays. A couple years ago we purchased memberships to the San Diego Zoo, and ended up using them a lot--so this sounded like a good idea for our next adventure!

[He was a little excited]

[Cooling off in the shade]

[Studio Tour]

[City Walk]

We had a great time at Universal Studios, despite it being what felt like the hottest day of summer! I have to admit, we were pretty disappointed with the new King Kong 3-D experience on the Studio Tour. Honestly, the commercial was way cooler than the real thing. Oh well, at least they gave it their best effort. We enjoyed the Shrek 4-D show, and had a few good screams on the Revenge of the Mummy ride. Of course, we didn't make it to everything--but that's where our season passes come in! After leaving the park, we hung around City Walk for a bit and stopped at Buca Di Beppo for some bomb pizza and salad. We also dropped by an outrageous candy shop and pretty much drooled the entire time. I guess lucky for me and my waistline, Rich didn't notice the drool--so we left with nothing but an unsatisfied sweet tooth. We'll save the candy binge for next time!

Current crush

Hunter rain boots. 

Red, green, & black please.

Three pairs for three whole days of rain. 

bring it, socal.

Rock-A-Bye Zoe

This post is long overdue--but who am I kidding, all my posts are! In August, Rich and I helped throw a baby shower for our dear friends, Bebe and Markee. Several months before the shower, Bebe and I brainstormed ideas over some frozen yogurt, and with the help of good ol' Papa Joe, we decided on a music theme. Bebe loves to sing and it's no secret that little Zoe is already getting a taste of mom's sweet vocals in the womb--so we thought we'd kick things off on the right note. :)

    [yummy cupcakes by Jenni]

 

[diy pom poms]

                                     [mommy Bebe demonstrating the stroller race]

                                          [daddy Markee really going for the win]



                                                    [nursery rhyme game]


As you can see, hanging out with the Lashleys is always crazy fun and full of laughs. These days, it seems as though we never get enough time with them... so needless to say, it was nice catching up and celebrating the pending arrival of little Zoe.

Bebe and Markee--we love you guys and can't wait to meet your baby girl!

Sunny days + MIA

It's been a couple weeks since my last post, and to be honest--I've just been enjoying our slow, sunny days in LA. Though our calendar has calmed down, we've managed to stay pretty busy catching up with friends and family. I'm really looking forward to this weekend--the hubs and I are heading up to Ojai for a little getaway! I'll be daydreaming of fresh air and lovely landscapes til Friday :)

Bass Lake - Summer 2011

Hooray! It's viewing time, friends. After this post, I'm sure you were all waiting on the edge of your seats with anticipation. Enjoy this video Rich put together after a really amazing trip to Bass Lake with friends.



Now I'm off to celebrate my birthday with the hubspice... 25 years, WOW!