Great Friends, Great Sausage

Last weekend, Mike and I packed up the 4 Runner and drove the hour and 15 minutes or so to Newport Beach to see our friends Kathleen and Martin. Boy am I glad we bought the 4 Runner! We were able to fit a surfboard, two beach bikes, a beach chair and our over night bag all in the back! It was so nice to have our bikes there, since the last time I was there I was riding an extra bike that was way too big for me, which proved to be somewhat dangerous, particularly after alcohol consumption.

We had a great beach day just relaxing and hanging out. What Martin claimed to be "great learners waves" ended up being a bit more difficult (and bigger!) then he originally thought.

After showering up we rode our bikes to a YUMMY Italian dinner at a place called Sabatino's. I loved it! Sabatino's makes it own sausage, both mild and spicy, and it was amazing...probably the best sausage I've ever had. The whole time I kept thinking that my Dad would love this sausage! It was a really nice dinner with lots of laughs, some red wine, great friends and great sausage!!

Bike Riding

Kat and Kara at Dinner

This weekend will be pretty laid back...maybe some beach time, maybe a little riding around Pacific Beach and of course preparing for the Giants game on Sunday. Go Giants! :)

Too Cute Not To Post

I just can’t even stand the cuteness of this picture. I love Josie and K-Dog’s matching PJs!!

So a little back story on K-Dog. On my 21st birthday, Mike got me a Coach purse and he did a Build-A-Bear (more specifically a Build-A-Dog) that looked like my beloved dog, Cassie. As many of you know I always got teased because Cassie and I looked alike, so he named the dog K-Dog, complete with a little birth certificate and everything. Not a bad present for having been dating for like one week!

Anyways, K-Dog kicked around for years and I just couldn’t bring myself to get rid of her, based on sentimental reasons. Finally I gave her over to my niece, Josie, who took an immediately liking to her. Apparently Jes had some baby pajamas that no longer fit Abby and….BAM….an insanely cute picture was born!

Birthday Girls!

The blogging has been a bit slow lately due to the lack of camera. Blog posts just aren't really that interesting if there isn't any imagery to go with them! We will get a new camera soon; we desperately need to!

In the meantime, I thought I'd mention three special ladies in my life that have recently celebrated their birthdays!

On September 7th one of my best friends and rapping bridesmaid, Jaime Tomkins, celebrated her 27th birthday! Mike and I were sad to not be there with Jaime, as we've always considered her the best third wheel a relationship could ever have :) We've spent a lot of time together the three of us, and Mike and I are very grateful for her wonderful friendship!

(Note: for some reason it won't let me upload a picture! UGH!)

Second, my wonderful mother celebrated the big 6-0 on September 8th! She is really living it up for this big birthday, as she should! She is having a girls weekend down at the beach house with her sisters/cousin AND traveling to Chicago with her best friends the Beach Babes (aka 60-year-old version of PIAB). My Mom really is the most generous person I know, as I'm sure many of you reading this have benefited from shopping at "Stephanie's Place". I appreciate my Mom so much more than I probably show it. Happy Birthday Mom!

Also celebrating a big birthday is my Grandma Zanzal, turning 85 years young on September 12th. She is a true matriarch of our family and one of the smartest ladies I know. I've really admired my Grandmother's strength and perseverance in the last couple years, but most of all I look up to my Grandmother for the wonderful example of love and loyalty that she has set for our family. She and my Grandfather were married for over 50 years, through good times and bad, sickness and in health. I always enjoy talking with my Grandma and of course getting advice on good books to read. She's so hip, she even follows this blog!

Happy 85th Birthday Grandma!

Hey people going through traffic circles: CHILL OUT!

Although Mike and I love our location in the middle of Bird Rock, there is one slight down fall. Our apartment is located right at one of the several traffic circles going down La Jolla Boulevard. Traffic circles really aren't too difficult- if there is a car coming all the way around the circle, you yield, if not you continue through without stopping. Well apparently people don't know how this works and because of that we often hear angry people not so kindly trying to tell them how it works. Most commonly heard yells include "It's not a stop sign!", "Come on!!" and "Keep going!"

I know it is annoying when someone stops when they shouldn't...but really the yelling out your car window, within feet of our open balcony door...not needed.

Not a huge deal, I'm just sayin'...CHILL OUT!!

PS. Also turn your radios down.

PPS. RIP camera. There is no coming back from sand damage :(