catch up

Sometimes life gets crazy, and when that happens . . . I don't really blog.  Much.  At all.

But I don't want to forget about Thanksgiving, so let's go back to last weekend and recap.  Wednesday night we grabbed the red eye to Columbus, Ohio and got in to our hotel at 6:30ish in the morning.  Crazy?  Yes.  Worth it.  Of course.  It's also worth mentioning that we got some great marriage advice from the friendly Delta employee who checked us in, security at LAX felt it necessary to pat down the huge bun on top of my head, and David's sinuses almost exploded when we landed in Ohio.  It was quick an eventful night.

After stumbling in to our Resident Inn, we grabbed a quick hour nap and then David headed off to the turkey bowl and the girls and I started making Thanksgiving dinner at Brendan and Megan's house.

The next day (after only a handful of hours of sleep again), Brendan and Megan showed us around some of the quaintest part of Columbus including Powell and German town, which were wonderful.  I've been a big fan of the mid-west since Christopher and Kristin moved to Indiana, but I'm officially a huge fan after this trip.  Maybe it's just because I'm missing the seasons down here in California, and I really loved getting to wear my boots, coats, and scarves again, but Ohio is pretty great.  We explored cute little boutiques, drank hot chocolate, wandered through a huge maze of a bookshelf, and took LOTS of pictures.

After a day of exploring Ohio we went to COSI, Columbus's science museum, and saw Body Works, which our boys, both in medical school, more or less geeked out over.  The rest of us thought it was pretty cool too.

And then the next morning we played a few more rounds of Carcassonne, the boys studied for their upcoming boards and midterms, and we all just enjoyed the time we had together.

And that was our weekend!  It was too fast, too tired, and too much fun.  I wish we could go back and do it all again.

Family is the best.

BFF's

A few of our favorite people came in town this Sunday and we were tickled to spend the night with them eating pork tacos, talking about good times, and chasing a couple of Daschunds around the house.  I haven't seen any of my best girlfriends since this summer and I'm missing them!  I had the best luck in college to find a couple great girls to live with (until David came along of course), and I'm pretty excited for the day when we all buy a house on the same cul-de-sac and all our kids play together.

Some day . . .

Roomies for life!

P.S. I'm still figuring out Instagram - don't judge

issues

Getting a new phone is like getting a new haircut.  At first you look in the mirror and every morning and you ask yourself why in the world you told the lady to lop off 6 inches and how on earth will I ever style these layers?  But two weeks later you end up loving it.

Right now my iphone and I are giving each other a little space.  I've been fiddling with it for the last hour plus and I'm not making much progress.  David is currently asking Siri to help us/ tell us jokes/ does she love us?  We can't figure out how to do much else.

Turns out Apple went and got ahead of me.  I used to think I was a Mac girl . . .  but I have no idea how to use this thing.  I guess that's what happened while I was happily typing away on my cordie LG env for the last 4+ years.  And I was perfectly content with it, until it decided to start turning it off when I touched it.  Kind of a problem.

I'll figure out this iphone thing soon, but tonight it's been pretty funny.  Apple ID passwords have been forgotten, lost, and remade.  Downloads have decided not to work.  And my sanity is running thin, but mostly it's resulted in us almost rolling off our chairs laughing.

It probably didn't help that we had Mirror Mirror on in the background while we were trying to figure out this mess.  I'm pretty sure it turned half of my brain to mush by the end of it.  I know it's on Netflix, but that doesn't mean you have to watch it.  Lesson learned.

Dear iphone, lets decided to be friends soon.  I'd like to have a phone that works again.  And my contact list too please, if you don't mind.

UPDATE: the contacts have been imported and I have a date with the Genius Bar this afternoon.  I think we're becoming better friends already.

Picture via Diviant Art

highlights no. 57

It's Wednesday!  Somehow it never comes soon enough for me . . . Mondays and Tuesdays I work til 8:00 and Wednesday-Friday I get off at 6:00, so you can imagine how much I look forward to the middle of the week.

This week's highlights list is short, sweet, and to the point.
Enjoy:

the truth
 
some darling books

printables I will be using soon

this cake made me look twice

and everything about this video is amazing, yes I'm a sucker

xo

the news

Noteworthy happenings from a Tuesday:

My scrubs came this weekend (which I didn't realize til this morning), so I got to wear my new pajamas to work today for the first time.  I'm pretty sure it will get annoying not having any semblance to a waist everyday, but right now it's amazing.

According to FedEx, my Iphone is in Burbank, CA right now.  The anticipation is killing me.  I can't wait to have a phone that won't turn off when I touch it anymore.

We tried a new recipe for dinner tonight for crockpot orange chicken.  It was a miss.  I'm still working on building up my stock of slow cooker recipes.  All recommendations are appreciated.

All my coworkers have adorable little puppies (more or less) - and I'm going crazy with puppy-fever.  Keep me away from Pet's Mart - I might not be able to help myself if I get to close.

It's in the 50's outside right now, and it makes me smile.

We're currently burning cinnamon spice candles at work and they smell like Christmas.  I love it.

I went on Pinterest for the first time in a least a week today!  That must be some new kind of record.

And I can't wait for next week to get here already so I can see some of my favorite friends and have the whole Tobler family together in Ohio!  It'll only be for 3 days, but we're going to milk it.

xo

Left via Etsy
Right via Pinterest

better together

Since we already had commitments this Saturday night, I decided to surprise Dave and take him out for a date . . . morning.  It doesn't quite have the same ring as date night, but it was just as fun.  We had breakfast at a cute local place we've been wanting to try out for a while and when we arrived the line was out the door!  Definitely a good sign.  It was a chilly fall morning, for California (it was in the 50's ok?), and we easily put our names in for seats on the patio and were quickly seated - our Utah skin hasn't worn off yet!  I'm sure I'll be eating my words when we're in Ohio for Thanksgiving later this month though . . .

Honestly I'm not a huge fan of going out for breakfast in the morning  - you have to get up and look nice before you eat something!  Most of the time I'd rather eat my bowl of cereal on the couch in my PJ's, but every once in a while I don't mind.  It was rather charming eating next to all our fellow Santa Claritians, kids in their AYSO soccer uniforms, and a guy playing guitar for us in the corner.  Plus it was crisp enough outside to wear my boots!  I've been waiting to pull these babies out since September 1st.  David thinks I'm crazy, but Utah got me hooked on cold weather . . . something we're rather short on here on the west coast.  I guess that's why we pay the big bucks to live here, huh?  Lame.

Since we were eating at Egg Plantation where they offer 101 omelet options we felt obligated to try one on our first time there, even though David and I both admitted afterward that we aren't big omelet fans.   It was for the experience - next time I won't feel guilty and will just order the French toast like I wanted.  P.S. they had omelets with fillings of apples, pineapple, and honey in them!  Maybe I'll be brave and try one of those sometime.  But probably not.

For the second part of our date I took David to see Wreck It Ralph - we were probably the only people in that theatre without a toddler in tow, but it was stinkin' fun.  I love getting up and doing things in the morning and then feeling like you've been so productive by noon - Saturday was one of those days.

Cheers to a fun weekend!
Is it Friday yet . . . ?

invites

I just made the invitations for our upcoming Young Women in Excellence program . . . and I'm kind of proud :

                                                      (front)                                                                                                                (back)

Thank you for indulging me.

I'm right in the thick of planning out this whole event and I just have to say - I have a whole new-found respect for my Young Women leaders.  This is a boatload of work!  I'm sure it will all shake out in good time, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tossing and turning a little at night thinking about all the little things that need to be done . . .

Wish me luck!  I know the 28th will be here sooner than I'm ready for it!

moo

I sent David to the market yesterday to pick up some milk . . .  and he grabbed two gallons of 2%.
I've been getting 1% for the last, I don't know, year or so of our marriage.

And now 2% tastes SO creamy. 

I didn't notice it too much last night when I poured some on top of my ice cream, but this morning?  Cream overload.  I grew up on 2% for heaven's sake - shouldn't I be used to this stuff?  My taste buds are disagreeing with me.

I think I'll got back and get us 1% next time, because, lets be honest I'd rather eat my extra calories than drink them in the morning.

Picture via Pinterest

highlights no.56

It's Wednesday!  Happy half-way through the week!  This is going to be a crazy month - lots going on at church and getting ready for the holidays (Christmas music in T-minus 15 days)! 

Here are some fun posts to get us to Friday :

some good parenting tips

the BEST Halloween costume (take notes for next year)

I want to make a book like this

apple art

yummy cookies!

some FABULOUS dresses (click the pictures to go through them) - wish I was in London to see them!

looking into the past

and, just for laughs

xo

lately

Remember when I used to be so good at blogging?  These last two weeks have been craziness upon craziness and I get home only with the desire to eat, put on comfy pants, and cuddle.  I barely even get on Pinterest these days . . . what???  What is happening here?!  I'm sure I'll adjust eventually and get right back to blog stalking/ pinning, but for now I am relatively un-plugged and it's feeling kind of weird . . . good thing we just ordered me an iPHONE!!!  Now I can officially be a part of the 21st century.  Thank you very much.

Please note that my LG enV has served me well, but has now, more or less, bit the dust.  The time has come to move onward and upward.

My latest adventure to date was going to the fabric district (above) down in LA this past Friday (sometimes I work on Saturday and get that Friday off - pros and cons to that).  I needed to get some fun fabric for a certain young women function coming up at the end of this month - aka: Young Women in Excellence, which I am basically in charge of (yeep!).  I'm no seamstress and I've never been down to the garment/ fabric district before, so my mom and her sewing-savvy friend, Maryorie, were kind enough to meet me there, usher me around, and validate my fabric choices.  They were a world of help - honestly I would have been there hours longer without them.  Pictures of my little finished projects to come! (they are going to be SO cute, by the way)

This Saturday was also my mom's birthday and, happily enough, we were able to run down and spend Sunday afternoon with her, my dad, and Brooke.  It is still such a treat whenever we are able to spend time with them and we are sure milking it.  I honestly can't think of anything sweeter than always living close to family. . . now if we could only get the Nemrows and the Toblers to live in the same state . . .

Picture via Me and Him
Found via Pinterest

new traditions

Halloween might not be my favorite holiday (I don't much like being scared and it always seems to smell like dry ice and cheap plastic - am I right?), so I'm always on the look out for new ways to celebrate it, and David was the mastermind behind this year's idea.  Actually, he got it from his mom : throw a Frankenstein party!  Oh, I mean, a Frank-and-Stein party - where you serve hotdogs and root beer!  I love this idea.  I think it might become a new Halloween tradition for us.

Last night, for David, we made Chilean hotdogs (aka: completos) topped with avocado, tomatoes, and mayo.  Dave loves these things, but I've never tried them before - and they were good!

As a more solid nod to the Halloween holiday we Netflixed Nosferatu and enjoyed a whole lot of creepy organ music and blood sucking.  And, if that wasn't enough, we turned on the TV when it was over and found Hocus Pocus was on!  It's still just as good as it was when I was little - maybe better.

Happy (day after) Halloween!