The Bledsoe Blog!

Catalina Island & Sprint Triathlon

2011-11-10T08:51:00.000-08:00

Hi folks! We took a fun trip to Catalina Island this past weekend. The trip getting there was the worst part. Bare with me as a I try to explain our adventure.

In the beginning (10 weeks ago), I decided to train for a sprint triathlon. I've been inspired by Jill. She is a beauty & a beast (athletically speaking of course). Anyway, so I have been training for several weeks. I've been looking so forward to this weekend. I have been swimming, biking, and running. The training has been fun! I made the mistake of training on a spin bike instead of the real thing. Working out in the morning is easiest on my way to work.

Last week, I came down with a terrible cold and flu like symptoms. I had to miss the Halloween party. :( Anyway, my plan was to train on my REAL bike, however, I couldn't breathe well, much less bike. So, I took the bike to the shop to get all fixed up. The only day I had to ride the bike was Friday morning. FAIL. It stormed ALLLLL day. Seriously? It NEVER rains in San Diego.

Moving on. I bought a real cheap car trunk bike rack for the ride to Long Beach. Um, never buy one of those if it cost less than 2 cheeseburgers and a coke. Yea....

So, we ended up leaving later than planned for several reasons. We inhaled 6" subs and hit the road.

Stop #1 was on the interstate. Mind you, it is like 40 degrees, raining, and cold. These aren't the best weather conditions for a cheap bike rack and heavy mountain bike (with road tires). Allan had to get out in the cold to fix the bike. Literally, I thought it was going to FLY OFF THE CAR. Not kidding. I was driving like 30 mph for this very reason. We are NEVER going to make it!

Stop #2 was at a gas station to fix the bike again. We have been approximately 12 miles.

Did I mention that we needed to be in Long Beach by 4:30 pm? Well, at this point, it is like 3:00 and it is raining. What do you get when it rains in San Diego? HORRIFIED DRIVERS. Others around me have their windshield wipers like 90 to nothin'. Also, the traffic towards LA does not have a good reputation.

Once we barely made it to our destination, we had like 15 minutes to board the boat. It took roughly 20 minutes to untangle the bike from the car. I packed WAAAAYY too much. Who knew you had to CARRY ALL OF YOUR STUFF TO THE BOAT?! Not me..and certainly not Allan. There is not a drop off for luggage. No mam. Whatever you bring the the island, you carry yourself. Allan had his backpack (50+ pounds) and our huge bag. I was carrying a gym bag, camera bag, bike, purse, helmet, AND THE BIKE. Just please imagine.

At this point, we are starving. We aren't really talking much because our goal was to GET ON THE BOAT and get a drink and a snack.

Allan is wearing shorts and a t shirt. We accidentally left his jacket in the car (oops). I am nice and cozy bundled up in jeans, boots, and even a jacket with a hoodie! It rained on us as we waited to board the boat.

Destination: boat. We made it! YAA!! Allan watched the stuff as I waited in line to get the goodies. This was our only goal at this point. FOOD! I waited 15-20 minutes in line only to find out they accepted CASH ONLY.

Seriously? We have no cash.

(perfect picture for how we were feeling. I may or may not have been laughing in this picture)

After digging through our multiple bags, I managed to collect $1.25. YA. We could afford some salty chips. No water or drink.

(He is smiling now, but in a few minutes he will be thirsty)

It took about an hour to get to the island. By this time, it is dark. IT WAS FREEZING. Allan managed to change into jeans, socks & tennis shoes (this is important to remember).

We followed the crowd to the van for transportation to the hotel. The first shuttle came by and wouldn't take us because I had a bike. The second shuttle came by and loaded the van then told us he took cash only. The third shuttle FINALLY took us to our hotel. 45 minutes later.....no food.....no drink......FREEZING in the rain.

We made it to our hotel. Got our room. Threw our stuff down. THEN, we realized dogs were next door. Not just small dogs. LARGE BARKING DOGS that were locked in the room. At this point, we are not very happy. We asked to change rooms. In the meantime, Allan accidentally stepped into a MUD PUDDLE. He came back, stood in the doorway with water up to his knees, and we just DIED laughing.

Could it get much worse? O yes.

After returning from dinner, we finally laid our heads on the pillow and THE FREAKIN' FIRE ALARM GOES OFF. Not kidding.

Fire. THE ROOM BELOW US!!! Omg, what should we grab?!

So we had to evacuate the building. IN THE FREEZING COLD.

Finally, after 1 hour, we were able to go back to our rooms. We went to sleep around midnight.

I forgot to mention that we missed the safety meeting for the triathlon. I don't even know what the course will be like! Here goes to a fun day of racing!

WAFFLES?! Yes, please. Actually, Allan indulged in waffles and syrup while I ate a nice hearty yogurt parfait and OJ.

RACE TIME!

I suited up and got ready for the triathlon. Well, actually... I'm not sure if I was exactly ready.

The water was freeeeezing cold. The swim was a challenge. a.) I have never swam in ocean water b.) I have never swam in a wetsuit c.) It was bizarre swimming next to 20+ people!

After 1/2 mile swim, I booked it to the bike and rode for 9 miles. The bike was fun but also uphill!

Allan was my biggest fan! He waited for me at every corner and took some good pics!

After the bike, I ran 3.3 miles. I must say I was happy to be on my feet! It was a beautiful run through mountains and I was able to see more of the island.

After I finished, we ate lunch. Would you like some carbs with some carbs? Yes, please.

The island was so quaint. The homes were small and unique. The town on the island is only about 1 mile in length. We were able to see the entire town in no time!

I treated myself to a pedicure while Allan took an online test!

We parked it at a bar to watch the AL vs. LSU game.

After the game, we walked around the town then hit the hot tub!
We were hoping for a more successful journey on the boat ride home.

We ordered yummy breakfast bagels and coffee.
It was cold and dreary but I love that kind of weather. =)

Here is a nice visual of all of our bags!

Allan spent 15 minutes on the phone with Lewis.
Obviously, Lewis was telling jokes or something.

Bye Bye island!

Catalina Expess

Despite our crazy travel experience, we had a really good time. We will forever remember the fun we had on Catalina island. This is all part of our "California Adventure" together!

Santa Barbara

2011-11-07T17:19:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago, we hopped in the car and traveled to Santa Barbara. The road trip was much needed. We had a wonderful time! We had no plans.
Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Enjoy!

MSU game!

The End!
I fooled you because I didn't take very many pictures.

And this is what you missed!

2011-10-08T14:08:00.000-07:00

Where in the world are the Bledsoes? We are alive and well all the way out West. I'm tempted to write April on my checks. Who still writes checks? Me. And where did May, June, July, and August go?

Allan had a nice break from school this past summer. This was my first summer in the workin' world! Thankfully, I love my job and I enjoy going to work. If you knew my coworkers, you would feel the same way.

Mississippi was calling our names. We headed South for a week to see family and friends. We were pulled in a million different directions but managed to see all of our family!
I referred to our time in Mississippi as the "Allan and Jane Gray Tour".

Dad experimenting on his new grill.

We spent time talking on the porch in the blistering heat.

I miss the scenery of the South.

I cherished every minute with Mamaw and Papaw.

I aspire to be just like Mom and Mamaw :)

A typical southern meal in Mamaw's kitchen

Mr. Ernest sure knows how to cook a Shellmound breakfast!

Allan slaved for hours over the biscuits. ~~Not.~~

Grandmama was so happy to have her grandchildren for the day.

I wish everyone could meet Grandmama.

You would love her!

We headed north to Memphis to meet little Allie Trezevant.

She is a miracle and a picture of God's grace.

Allan worked as a park ranger at Dixon Lake this summer. You don't believe me? Below is proof. Also, the highlight of my summer was when he accidentally got a "high and tight" haircut. Y'all know how he is about his hair..

Between the two, he looked like a marine in a ranger suit.

smokin' hot ranger husband

Allan and I learned how to surf.

It has always been in our wildest dreams. (kidding)

We can officially cross surfing off our bucket list.

It was an incredible experience.

We were both able to ride some waves.

Another highlight of the summer was attending a major league baseball game.

Padres vs. Kansas City Royals

We cheered for the Kansas Royals to support our good friend Louis Coleman!

Next time we will cheer for the Padres!

We entered through the VIP gate and were led to our seats.

We felt pretty cool......I'm not gonna lie.

If you know anything about me, you know that I strongly dislike hotdogs.But.......you have to get a dog at the game.....right??

So, I settled for a veggie dog and it was pretty good!

iPhone photography above

Instagram-ed.

After the game, we met at a local bar and talked about the good ole days.

It was such a treat to have Louis in San Diego!

July came quickly with many visitors.
My parents stopped in CA to see us on their way home from Australia.
Allan's family vacationed with us in Encinitas for a week.
I'll have to dedicate a whole post to those pictures!

A few weekends ago we went to Santa Barbara.

I'll update the blog with some pics!

:)

Sweet Home

2011-04-27T20:22:00.000-07:00

Nothing sounds better than a tall glass of Mamaw's ice cold tea and front porch swingin'. People, I miss the South. I miss runnin' into Mrs. so-and-so at the grocery store and talkin' for hours. Southern California is fun and all, but it ain't the South. The only smocked dresses I have seen out West are worn by two sweet little girls from Louisiana who attend our church. Gotta' love them smocked dresses and big hair bows! Okay. Okay. I don't have to prove to you that I have not lost my accent. I love the question, "Where are you from?" They can keep on askin', honey, because I love to tell them I am from M-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-crooked letter-crooked letter-I-hump back hump back-I. Oh yes! Sing it with me.

Speaking of hair bows, two of my best friends (ages 4 and 7, mind you) surprised me the other day. They saw the pictures of my adorable cousins and wanted bows of their own! When I went over for a visit, this is what they looked like. How stinkin' cute?!

Expect the bird when you wave to thank the person who let you over in the car lane. Maybe, just maybe you will get a wave back. ROtel is not a common appetizer in this neck of the woods. Our first invitation to a barbecue did not involve pork sandwiches. I once asked the grocery clerk where the grits were, and he looked at me like I was on fire or somethin'. Storms are few and far between out here and your lucky if you get a rain drop or two. Aaaaand it's safer not to drive when it rains. My coworkers marveled at the idea of a lightning bug.

These are only a few things that I miss about the South. I have been compiling a list of things that I will share with you after we have been here a year. The reason I titled this post "sweet home" is because I actually am home here in California. We have made our one bedroom apartment nice and cozy. It suits us just fine. Home is wherever me and Allan are together. We are making Southern California our temporary home. Lord willing, we will be back in the south in no time! During the next three years, we plan to live it up out here. We are having the time of our lives. As much as we miss everyone (and gosh darn it, i mean everyone) we are enjoying this chapter in our lives. Allan once told me (on the bridge between campus and University drive to be exact) that as long as we are together, we will be okay. I believed him then and I believe him now.

On a completely random note the funniest thing happened today during one of my outpatient counseling sessions. The conversation went like this:

Me: "Because you are on dialysis, it is very important that you limit the amount of phosphorus in your diet."

Patient: "Okay, well I started limiting high phosphorus foods one month ago after I went to the doctor."

Me: "One of my goals is to help you see which foods you can eat instead of focusing so much on what is restricted. I want to help you have variety in your diet, while complying to the nutrition guidelines."

Patient: "What about cheese? I heard it contains alot of phosphorus so I completely cut out the cheese."

Me: "Yes, you are correct. There are a few cheeses that are okay, but if you have eliminated cheese out of your diet, then I would just recommend continue cutting the cheese."

Y'all know me. I don't handle awkward situations well. I laugh hysterically until I cannot catch my breath. I am a professional------------I promise!

Love y'all!

Let's go hiking!

2011-04-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

We have been taking full advantage of the Spring weather lately. Yesterday, we headed for the mountains to go on a hike. We packed a backpack full of hiking necessities and hit the road. It took about an hour to drive to the top of the mountain. One of our favorite things to do is ride and talk. We listened to some good tunes, rolled the windows down, and cruised up the mountain. It smells of wild flowers and honey suckles in the air.

Wanna join us? Come on!

The mountains are green green green this time of year.

I had second thoughts about our hike after seeing this slithering snake cross the road. Then Allan reminded me that this was all part of the adventure!

Let the fun begin!
The hike to the waterfall was about 2 1/2 miles.

The flowers were wild and bodacious.

Our shoes were covered in dust by this time.

And the water felt so good on our feet!

We camped here for lunch. We had turkey and cheese sandwiches with an apple and a granola bar. We worked up a pretty good appetite by the time we got to the waterfall. I sure was excited about my sandwich!

We spent a few hours resting by the waterfall. It was amazing to enjoy God's creation.

That's me jumping off the cliff!!
Don't worry, I made sure there were no random trees in the water. The bottom was only sand. It was so much fun! I am glad Allan caught it on tape because I only did it once.

Isn't this just beautiful?

I spent the majority of my time in the water. I just love swimming! I am like a fish! It was VERY cold but after a while I was used to it.

Allan rested in the shade.

He loves posing for pictures.

After a few hours, we decided to make the 2.5 mile hike back up the mountain!

Boy, this was fun! I put my Iphone ears in and listened to some good music for motivation. It was a great work out. I am so happy that we found this golden trail. We plan to do something like this every weekend in the summer. Since Allan will be out of school, we plan to take full advantage of our Saturdays!

This is one of my favorite pictures!

A few pictures from the Iphone!

I hope you had a restful weekend!
Have a great day!

Champagne Party Pasta

2011-03-28T21:23:00.000-07:00

Heeeeeeeey friends! So, I have decided to challenge myself in the kitchen this week. I love to cook good food. I love to cook real food.

Grocery shopping is something that I really enjoy. It's true, I spend waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much time. At least I admitted it! I browse every aisle. It is a good thing that Trader Joe's only has 5 aisles. Aisle is a weird word.

This evening as I was cooking, I decided to challenge myself and cook everything that is in our freezer and cupboard. Also, I decided not to plan my grocery list. I just don't have time, people! I used to love to sit down and read cooking light, southern living, and browse the net for new recipes. Lately, I have had stacks of magazines to be read and recipes to be cooked.

The challenge is to write down the recipes. They will not be precise because I don't measure my ingredients. This is a blessing and a curse.

Cut to the chase.

Champagne Party Pasta!

Ingredients:

artichoke hearts

Roma tomatoes

fresh minced garlic

diced onion

fresh broccoli (diced)

olive oil

bow tie pasta (whole wheat or white)

sharp cheddar cheese

Parmesan cheese

Champagne vinaigrette

leftover shredded chicken from whole chicken

Directions: Saute garlic and onion in olive oil. Cook until onions are caramelized. Add roma tomatoes, broccoli, and artichoke hearts to the mix. Cook for 20 minutes on medium heat. Boil pasta. Add a champagne vinaigrette dressing to the sauteed veggies and cook for 5 minutes until bubbly. Add shredded chicken to champagne mix and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Pour mix over cooked pasta. Add cheese and enjoy!

Every cook should have fresh garlic and onions as staple ingredients.
It is also important to have a good quality olive oil.
Spend the money and trust me.

Grass fed cheese is affordable in California.

Ya for me!

I saw this while browsing the aisle. I thought it would make for a nice marinade.

Saute and simmering.

Voila!

It sure smells good in the kitchen!

Stay tuned.

If it's not good, i'll be sure to let you know.

Winter or Spring?

2011-03-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been trying to decide what to wear. Some people are wearing winter pants and boots while others are wearing spring clothes and flip flops. Oh well!

It feels like springtime year round.

This year is just a flyin' by. Allan is in his second semester of seminary with only six more to go! We have been swimming in paperwork. Taxes. Scholarships. Homework. To-do list. Etc.

In other news, I am now working as a part time employee at Scripps Green Hospital! Before this week, I was working 40 hours a week to help cover for a RD on maternity leave. I knew when I took this job it would be temporary but thankfully it opened into a part time position! The best news is that we now have benefits. I am now working as a clinical dietitian AND an outpatient dietitian for total organ transplant patients. I love. love. love it! I have always enjoyed one on one counseling. Also, I am consulting to a skilled nursing facility a few hours a week. It is a nice rehab facility located in the heart of La Jolla. The sweet little old people are just adorable. They seem like they are in college all over again. You know, hanging out in the hallway, drinking coffee, and dating! To sum up my job, I am a clinical, outpatient, and consulting dietitian! Needless to say, I have been buuuuuusy.

The "winter" has been warm. Here are a few iphone pictures from a date to the beach.

Gas prices are soaring.

$3.79/gallon.

We had to double our gas budget for this month.

Learning to sew is harder than you may think!

I have a few ongoing home projects that I am working on. =)

I will share them with you when they are complete!

                     Did I mention that it is LUSCIOUS STRAWBERRY season in California?

                                                                The fruit is a-m-a-z-i-n-g.
                                                  I'll post about my home projects soon.
                                                                    They are fun!

                                          Goodbye and goodnight from the west coast!

From Mississippi to California to Australia

2011-01-30T17:45:00.000-08:00

Morgan came to visit us a few weekends ago. We had been looking forward to his trip for a while. Anytime the three of us get together, we have a grand ol' time. For Morgan's first trip to California, the weather was perfect.

On Friday, we hit the beach and soaked up the warm California sun. It was quite a treat to sunbathe in January. Give me an ice cold diet coke on the beach plus 75 degree weather and you won't hear me complaining.

Mom and Dad joined us via Skype for the afternoon sunset . I Phones are fascinating machines.

We had an appetizing dinner on the beach.

All of the fire pits on the beach were taken so the Weber kept me warm.

Allan's beach recliner.

We introduced Morgan to an In & Out burger. It is a burger joint that makes everything the old fashioned way. There are only 3 menu options. If you know anything about me, you know that I detest fast food. That being said, this is a yummy place and you MUST visit one if you are on the West Coast. You will not be disappointed.

Our next stop was the La Jolla Cove. We enjoyed God's bountiful and beautiful creation. This is one of Southern California's most beautiful attractions.

The flowers are in bloom! :)

Seal watching was the highlight of my day. These lovable animals are so chill.

Sunbathing Seals

San Diego Bay

We went to Coronado Island and had a refreshing drink.

Sometimes I get caught taking pictures of Allan. :)

It happened to be restaurant week in San Diego! Woop-de-doo! We went to a nice italian restaurant in Little Italy!

I fell victim to the I phone.

Morgan flew out of LA so this gave us a good excuse to tour Hollywood. OH YES, we definitely were those people. I mean why wouldn't you hit the touristy hot spots for your first time on the town?

The Chinese Theatre

We strolled through BELAIR!

What you see is what you get. We drove through Beverly Hills and Bel Air for a nice view of trees. I do not blame the stars for this because of people like ourselves who cruised through the neighborhood just to catch a glimpse. The stars can't live normal lives. I guess I will understand one of these days when I am ~~rich and famous~~. =)

We took a long walk down the Santa Monica Pier.

Morgan's bags were packed and ready to go. He was excited about boarding the plane to Australia. We were sad to see him go after such a fun weekend in Cali.

We are soooooooooooo excited that he gets to spend a YEAR in Australia! It is going to be an awesome experience for him.

"You'll come back when it's over. No need to say goodbye."-Regina Spektor

We love you Morg!
:)

Hello!

2011-01-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

Allan spent an extra week in Mississippi to hunt for food.

I was so proud of him when he called to tell me he killed this buck with his bow!

Jane Kimmel made a special appearance in camo to see the hunters!

While Allan was hunting for food, I was busy making our clothes.
Life in seminary is tough.

KIDDING.

Actually..........I came across this incredible sewing machine at a thrift store and could not pass it up!

I have always wanted to learn how to sew.

Now my dream is coming true! Woo-hooooooooooo!

YES, ladies, this is a SINGER sewing machine. It cost a wopping ten buckaroos.

My first project was this rice bag. I found the tutorial here.

In other news, Allan is trying to decide on a new look.

A. Goatee?

B. Fu Manchu?

C. Mustache?

What do you think????????????

72 hours of Christmas!

2011-01-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

When I got off work on Christmas Eve, Allan and I boarded the plane in San Diego, caught the red eye flight out of LA, and landed in Mississippi on Christmas day.

December 25th

8:00 am- Mom and Dad greeted us at the Jackson airport
with hugs and presents!

We loaded the car with Christmas gifts and hit the road to the Delta.

Event #1- Christmas with the Bledsoes

Allan was SO happy to be back in Mississippi!!

Jane Kimmel welcomed us with hugs and kisses! I sure was happy to see a little girl in a SMOCKED DRESS and a BIG BOW!!!! :)

Jane Kimmel loves her Uncle Allan time :)

Our camera bags! Thanks BaBa!

Words cannot describe how much this gift means to me!

Let the feast begin!

2:00 pm- Davis Family Christmas

Lexington, MS

Mamaw's beautiful Christmas tree!

I sure was happy to be around these little munchkins!

They miss Jane Jane sooooooooooo much.

Anna Kate missed this photo opportunity!

This is what I call organized chaos.
love it!

We gave Papaw this MSU egg bowl t-shirt.
Go State!

Mom and GG gave us a mini concert after dinner. They are hilarious!

8 pm- Christmas with the Bledsoes #2

We traveled back to Greenwood for Christmas with Allan's family.

Hello cute camera strap and new lens for my camera!

Mr. Ernest got a MSU shirt, too!

December 26th

Julia's BIRTHDAY celebration.

8:00-We had a Shellmound breakfast with birthday cake!

12:30 pm- Shackelford Family Christmas!

Grandmama loved her coffee mug and scarf that we gave her.

6 pm- Wiggers Family Christmas!

Grandmama joined us for dinner and gifts. We had such a great time!

Dad made yummmmmmmmmmmmy homemade gumbo.

Dad got some cool cowboy boots!

Beau!

Grandmama thought it was funny that it said "Age Defying".

The men made a fire and we sat around and talked all night.

Merry Christmas until next year!

Tis the Season

2011-01-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed a wonderful trip home in early December. I got to spend time with my family and I was honored to be the matron of honor in Kimbrell's wedding!!!

Here are several pictures from my trip home.

Dad did a great job decorating the house this year!

The Richardsons hosted an ornament party for Kimbrell and Erick and it was a blast!

Here are a few of the maids!

The bridesmaids luncheon was so elegant.

We had a brunch at the Fairview Inn in Jackson.

Kimbrell gave us bridesmaid moni angels!

I will cherish it forever!

The Bride and Liza Bean!

She was the most beautiful flower girl!

Here is Jac getting ready for the wedding!

Kimbrell and Jimmy!

That's all folks!
Kimbrell and Erick were so happy and the wedding was beautiful.
CHEERS!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-19T20:23:00.000-08:00

It was our first thanksgiving away from family.
It was my first Thanksgiving meal to cook.
We celebrated by having a few seminary friends over.
I cooked a good ol' southern thanksgiving meal.

My Mamaw mailed me her Thanksgiving recipes so I would know what to do!
This was so special for me and I followed her recipe to the exact cup!
I will cherish it forever.

Homemade cornbread

Sweet potato casserole!

Turkey!

Homemade dressing!

Unfortunately, I cooked the turkey TOO low and it did not completely cook!

It took about 1 hour to finish cooking after our friends arrived.
OOPS!

Mac and cheese, dressing, and sweet potato casserole!

Is your stomach growling?
Mine is!

Bella and Jac brought this a-m-a-z-i-n-g pie over!

We are truly blessed with the friends we have made.

Happy Thanksgiving!

NOLA in November

2010-12-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

What: Kimbrell's Bachelorette Party

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana

When: A weekend in November

i handmade the cutest bachelorette party invitations!

Props to Katie for ideas! :)

We had a great time celebrating Kimbrell's last few days as

Miss Kimbrell Clare Spencer!!!!!

---------------------------------

Mom and Dad came to visit me before I flew back to Cali!

We had a very fun visit for several hours before I boarded the plan to Cali.

October

2010-12-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

October came and went! The weather was very nice. I was so happy to go home for a friend's wedding the last weekend in October. I had such a great time catching up with friends and family. Here are several pictures from my trip to Mississippi in October.

I was in Starkville for less than 24 hours!

I had bundles of fun seeing these two!

I even got to wish Gray a happy 29th birthday!

A few from the Tuesday night crew.

I love this picture of Steven. Mary Esther is due ANY MINUTE with Harvey!

We are all waiting on his arrival!

I stayed with Meredith and Lewis that night. I have no proof that I was there but we stayed up talking until about 2 am! Jane Kimmel was so confused because I was only there for a few hours! I woke up and met some friends at City bagel and then scurried to Greenwood to have lunch with Allan's Grandmama and Mom. It was so much fun.

After lunch, Grandmama and Mrs. Jamie took to me
Mamaw and Papaw's in Lexington.

Grandmama and Mamaw are best friends and
were so happy to see each other!

Mamaw and Papaw still make each other laugh.

Papaw loves to sit here and watch the cars go by.

Papaw was so proud of his greens this year!

I finally made it to Jackson where I spent valuable time with my family. The wedding was a blast and Leisel (the bride) was beautiful! I had fun seeing so many friends!

This is my other Grandmama. :) Aunt Ann treated us to a yummy dinner at Primos!

Thank you Aunt Ann!

After church, Ella Wesley and Lucy came to give me hugs before I went to the airport.

I was so happy to see them!

It was bittersweet leaving Mississippi but I
was ready to see Allan!

________________________________________________________________

October in Cali

Our church recently celebrated 5 years as a new church plant!
We had a chili cook off and Allan was a judge.

Allan, Aaron, and John

Also known as "The Interns"

They were so serious!

Here is a picture of our church family!

I might have eaten one just like this.
MMMMMmmm good!

On my day off I took a trip to Bate's Nut farm with the Bernard family!

I had JUST as much fun as the kids.

I had so much fun with them that I went back again!

We fed the animals.

They pushed me around in this wagon barrel, too!

Here is proof that a few leaves changed colors!
I gave the girls chalk one day and we drew ALL OVER the tennis courts.
I hope this was okay with the landlord! :)

Can you tell which drawing I am? HAHA!

One weekend, Allan and I went on a five dollar date to the
Old California Coffee house in San Marcos.
There was good music and we enjoyed a nice evening outside by the fire.

That's all folks!

Happy Fall Y'all!

2010-11-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Fall! :) Life has been busy lately. Allan is busy in school and I am busy with work. I looooooooooooooooooooove being a Registered Dietitian. I have been enjoying the cold fall weather here in CA. It has been around 45 degrees in the morning and 60-70 degrees in the afternoon!

Some of our best friends, Jeannie and Gray, came to visit us in October.
We had a blast!!!!!
We did so much while they were here.
I cooked some yummy meals and Jeannie and I whooped the boys in spades several times!
:)

I love this picture of Allan!!!!!!!!

HA HA.

Leftover salmon with gouda cheese and grapes for wine tasting picnic!

Beautiful, bountiful grape vines!

CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jane Gray's Homemade Spiced Pumpkin Bread with Almond Brown Sugar Topping

2010-10-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

Jeannie and Gray are coming from Mississippi this weekend! We are soooo excited. We sure will miss the rest of the crew (you know who you are!)

I decided to cook some pumpkin bread for our enjoyment. I documented the process since I formulated the recipe myself. (I based my recipe off of this recipe which is from Bon Appetite)It is baking now as I start this post. I will share the recipe with you!

Part I: Making your own pumpkin puree

Time: 30-45 minutes

(fyi: I made the puree last night to cut the time in half)

Start with a small round pie pumpkin.

Stare at it for a few minutes because it is so cute!

Cut it in half and dig out the gumpy goo.

Place the seeds in a colander and rinse thoroughly.

Cut the pumpkin in fourths and roast the pumpkin on 350 for about an hour.

(I forgot to take a picture)

Place the dry seeds on a baking pan and add a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

As your pumpkin cooks, roast the seeds in the oven for 30 minutes.

Hello amazing roasted pumpkin seeds...............I'm gunna eat you!

The pumpkin will be tender just like squash or zucchini!

Dig out the pumpkin flesh and place in a food processor.

I added a hint of sugar, milk, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon to the blender.

Part II: Making homemade pumpkin bread!

Time: 30 minutes

Jane Gray's Spiced Pumpkin Bread with
Almond Brown Sugar Topping

3 C. flour (I used 1 C whole wheat and 2 C white)

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

2 cups homemade pumpkin puree (or 16 oz can pumpkin)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 tsp. pumpkin spice

3 tsp. baking powder (or 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp. baking powder)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup almonds, crushed

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions!

BAKE ON 350 FOR 1 HOUR OR UNTIL DONE! :)
(thanks kate for the reminder!)

Smell the bread.

Slice the bread.

Eat the bread.

*Note to self: Add almonds/brown sugar after bread cooks*

The bread sunk a little in the middle, but never-the-less it is wonderful!

Here are some pictures of my lovely kitchen!

Flood Advisory

2010-09-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

BREAKING NEWS

There is an "urban and small stream flood advisory" for San Diego county.

Thunder with heavy rainfall has been predicted.

It has been predicted that there will be 0.04 inches of rain!

Oh. my. goodness.

People are driving 20 mph in a 65 mph zone.

People are honking their horns.

I see flashing lights left and right.

This is hilarious!

It has thundered 3 times.

It is barely sprinkling.

Don't worry about me.

I have survived the great Nashville flood.

I think i will survive this "flood"!

Happy 100th post celebration!

2010-09-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

Congratulations to myself for my 100th post!

California has not fallen off the face of the earth yet.........

...........but I did for a few weeks!

I am bread-winning and homemaking.

I am also enjoying the working world.

I have made some amazing friends at work!

We are doing really well....thanks for asking!

Allan's classes are going good.

His library is exploding and I feel like I am drowning in books!

The first day of Fall was last week.

It felt like the first day of summer yesterday.

The leaves are just ~~dying~~ starting to turn colors.

I don't need to expect much change in the color of my tree.

I miss Starkville, football, and tailgating.

I miss the beginning of the Fall season.

My favorite time of the year is Fall. Click that link to see what we were up to this time last year.

"I really miss my friends who have moved to various cities in the US. I know they are keeping up with the beloved Bulldogs." --Me on September 21, 2009.

I still miss my friends.

Oh, and we certainly didn't think that we would be moving!

Hail dear ol' state!

Scratch the computer and smell the lovely pumpkin spice candle!

Mom and Dad to San Diego Part #2!

2010-09-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad in San Diego: Part #2!

I started my new job so things have been busy!

I LOVE MY JOB! :)

It seems like Mom and Dad were here yesterday but it was almost 2 weeks ago!

We went to the beach a few times!

Here are some random pictures from our FUN FUN FUN FUN week!

Can you believe this?

Dad walked to the water and picked up some tar on his heel!

We fed the seagulls!

We froze on the beach!

Dad found some lovely rocks from the Pacific Ocean

Torrey Pines Golf Course!

It is absolutely magnificent!

The PGA tour was held here.

We ate a brunch at the Torrey Pines Lodge.

Dad had a cappuccino!

Practice swing!

He didn't actually play the course.

A few pictures from the inside of the Lodge.

The next day we took a ferry to Coronado Island!

We hopped aboard the trolley!

Hotel Del opened in 1888.

Click here for more information on this luxurious resort!

He sure is strikingly good looking.

;)

Inside the hotel was GLORIOUS!

The architecture was just amazing.

Please take time to read about it online.

It has a very neat history!

aw!

We dined at the Fish Market.

It was tasty!

We headed back to the beach!

Dad and I got in the ocean!

and froze!

We drove up the mountain and then turned around!

We hiked here at Torrey Pines Park. It was sooooooooo pretty!

Our one and only picture as a group!

Breathtaking views!

The hospital I work is only about 1 mile away!

Some of the patients watch the sunset over ocean.

3-3-3 cafe!

Our last night of vacation in CA!

I was sad to see them go.

Thanks for such a wonderful trip, Mom and Dad!!!!!!

Exploring San Diego with Mom and Dad!

2010-09-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

I will quickly update the blog with some photos from yesterday!

We are about to head to the beach for the entire day.

We had a delightful brunch at the Broken Yolk.

We all ordered Eggs Benedict.

Mom looks so pretty in pink!

Check out my amazing iced latte to the left.

We enjoyed walking around downtown San Diego after our brunch.

We also violated the law.

We were 4 minutes late to our parking meter!

For $0.25 more we could have saved $30.00.

OOPS!

We made our way to a park overlooking the San Diego Bay.

It was quite windy.

Check out our hair!

If you look past the bird poop, you will see a nice map of the Bay!!

After the park, we headed to the zoo!

Our "arctic snack"!

It is impossible to get a nice picture through glass windows but here is a polar bear!

We watched the polar bear play basketball for a long time!

It was very entertaining!

The panda bear is just chillin'.

We had a blast at the zoo!

For more zoo photos, check out this post.

After the zoo, we drove the the beach to watch the sunset.

I sure was happy to see this fellow!

His first day of class was yesterday so he met up with us after the zoo.

The sun set behind the clouds.

But it was still worth the drive!
:-)

Off to the beach!

Jane's California Pizza Kitchen

2010-08-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

The title is catchy.

In my spare time, I have been reading and cooking.

I am trying to be "clinically" prepared for my new job.

I have not been in the hospital scene in a while, so I

am reading through some notes from my internship.
Allan's last day of Ελλάδα (Greek *Wikipedia) is tomorrow!
Woo-hoo!

In other news, I cooked a homemade whole wheat pizza tonight.

Shing and the girls came over to learn and help me!

To say we had fun would be an understatement.

The kitchen got "flour-er-y" and we laughed a lot.

The girls were precious.

Shing tells me that people don't bake much in Singapore.

I may not be the best teacher because I usually

just toss this here and throw that there in the kitchen.

Having fun!

Forming the crust.

I decided to make the sauce from leftover roasted Parmesan Roma tomatoes.
Y.u.m.

Since you asked........of course I used my fresh basil !
:)

Simmering the sauce.

sauteed onions
sauteed garlic
jalapenos
sweet-n-spicy sausage

Fresh cheese from Henry's market!

I was bakin' some banana bread too!

Mmmmmmmmmmm good!

I couldn't resist.
I had a slice of banana bread and decaf coffee after dinner.

Now I will leave you with a banana nut bread craving.

Good day!

75 and sunny

2010-08-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I got a J.O.B.

Hold your applause, please!

The background check takes a long time!

My job will begin as soon as the paperwork is complete! :)

The start date is set for August 30th.

I will be working at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, CA.

The hospital overlooks the ocean. It is beautiful!

Scripps is located on Torrey Pines Road.

Torrey Pines golf course is famous for hosting the PGA.

I am super excited, thankful, and ready to work!

I have been able to play since the hunt is over!

A few activities I have been enjoying include......

CHINESE COOKING

This is known as LAKSA.

It is famous Malaysian dish.

It's a spicy noodle soup.

It is spicy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is fiery hot.

I am thankful for my friend, Shing Lee, who is teaching me these skills.

SITTING UNDER OUR TREE

If you were looking for me, you might find me outside under our tree.

I have been catching up on some reading under our tree.

This is the view under our tree if you were to look straight up.

I love sitting under our tree because it is nice and shady.

Won't you come join me for a cup of tea under our tree?

BEACH BUM

I have become a beach bum.
My friend Bella (from South Africa) took me to Encintas, CA last weekend.

We walked on the beach and went thrift store shopping.

Meet Bella!
I bought 5 books for $7.00!
She bought a pretty jewelry box.
We had fun :)

Allan and I went to the same beach yesterday.

I swam in the ocean for a long time.
It is freezing cold.

Allan ~~loves~~ sunscreen.

Can you tell by the look on his face?

The drive home is gorgeous!

We drove by a beautiful lake and big mountains.

I am about to go meet some girlfriends at the beach, again.
I am going to live it up until August 30th!
:)

2010-08-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Allan and I took a day trip to Sea World this past Friday.
Mom and Dad sent us tickets for our anniversary.
We were so excited!
It was a lot of fun!!!!!!!!!!

Allan meeting SHAMU!

The view from where we ate lunch!

sharks, sharks, and more sharks.

We went to the SHAMU show!
It was fascinating.
I had deja vu of when my parents to me took Sea World when I was a child.
Shamu ruined Mom's camera!
The whole show was just amazing.

It fascinates me that a whale this big can fly out of the water!!!!!!!
Does it fascinate you?
I hope so!

KILLER WHALE FACTS:
Killer whales are the top predator in the ocean.
Killer whales usually weigh between 8,000-12,000 pounds!
Killer whales can swim at speeds of up to 45 kph (28 mph), but probably only for a few seconds at a time.

We had fun touring Sea World.
I promise to take more pictures of us next time.
HAHA.
:)

A birthday celebration!

2010-08-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Today was fun!
We invited our friends from Singapore over for lunch.
William is a fellow seminary student with Allan.
He has a lovely wife and two precious girls!
The girls both had birthdays this week.
Jael turned 4 and Deborah turned 7.
I wanted to make them a birthday cake!

Funfetti, of course!

Homemade strawberry cream cheese icing.
Mmmmmmmmmm.

It is a good thing I sent the cake home with them!

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

They love Allan.

aww!

Jael (pronounced "Jill") on the left.
Deborah on the right.

This is a frame-r!

Notice it says: Aunt Jane

They brought over some gifts for me.

How sweet!!!!!!!!!
They call me "Aunt Jane"

It is traditional in Singapore for a child to call an adult "aunt" or "uncle".

It is just like how we say "Mr." and "Mrs."

Y'all know I loooooooove this!

Our hair is lovely and blowing in the wind.
:)
Allan got left out of this picture.

I will end with this picture.

Allan is on the left.

I am on the right.

And there is a baby in the middle.

It looks like a baby in a purse.

How FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 3 year old drew this one.

I guess she thinks we should have a baby.

hahahahahahahaha

sneak peek

2010-08-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek of our new humble abode in CA.
We are so thankful for this apartment.

Before:

After:
Here is a sneak peek of our living room!

This view is taken from me standing in the kitchen area.

I LOVE my Walter Anderson frames.
Julia gave them as a bridesmaids gift.
Mr. Ernest handmade the frames from cypress wood from Shellmound!

love. love. love.

I found the cute lamp shade at Dirt Cheap for $2.00.

The black end table is Mr. Ernest & Mrs. Jamie's first kitchen table!

Julia gave us the couches when she graduated college.

They are the best couches ever!
Mom gave me the chaise lounge in college.
So happy that it fit!

The view from sitting on the sofa.
We have a great patio!
Please take a moment to notice the Mississippi magazines on the coffee table.

The view from our balcony and bedroom!

Well, I better get back to job hunting ~~and decorating~~.

So long!

Lately

2010-08-04T22:52:00.000-07:00

Allan hit the ground running last week with Greek I!
I have been running on the ground as I search for jobs!
I have a few possibilities. Ya!
In the meantime, I have been able to blog more than I ever have.
Also, I have unpacked almost every box in our apartment- woo hoo!

Allan's study corner where he spends most of his time.

I am still working on getting some bookshelves for his office space.

In other news, we have been playing tennis!!! Allan has won everytime.
He has been bragging to me about it.
I will win one of these days!

Our friends (katie & eric) invited us to a wine and cheese evening.

it. was. fun.

Would you like some chevre cheese?

We played a VERY fun game!
I really loved it!
I can't tell you the name because I forgot.

Katie is shooting me. Aaron looks suspicious. I think he was the outlaw.

Fresh, yummy, juicy strawberries!

Lime for you?

Mmmmmmmmmmm........
In case you can't tell, I am enjoying being back in the kitchen!!!!

I just made Allan some coffee.

It is 11:00 pm.

ttyl

8.2.10

2010-08-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

Since today is our anniversary, I have been watching our wedding video

over and over and over again.

How fun!

Saturday, we went to the beach to watch the sunset and drink a glass of red grapes.

Following the sunset, we went to Joe's Crab Shack.
It is always a fun place!
Allan's attention focused away from me and onto these:

I am not sure why we didn't get a picture together.
Oops! :)
We sure had fun!!

Happy 2 years, Allan!

2010-08-02T11:12:00.000-07:00

CHEERS!

We are celebrating our two year anniversary today.

Awww......!

We still consider ourselves newlyweds.

This time last anniversary, I never dreamed we would be living in California.

Here are some photos from our very fun wedding day.

Early morning photo of Jill and me.

She came over to go with me (and Kimbrell) to get my hair and make up done.

K, Jill, and me driving to the church!

Pictures before the wedding!

We did not see each other until the ceremony.

Kimbrell (MOH) and me! :)

I miss her!!

All my bestest friends!

The Fam!

Mamaw and Papaw. How sweet.

I love this picture.

The Flowers.

MY GROOM with glasses.

We joke about our wedding pictures because Allan is wearing his glasses in all of them.

I just wanted to make sure he could see me when I walked down the aisle! :)

In case seminary doesn't work out................he could be a model!!! (haaaaaa)

Allan's family! :)

Allan and Grandmama.

She is a jewel!

I will always cherish this picture of Bsyl and me.

We miss her.

Waiting for the wedding.

Mom and me!

Love this picture :)

Grandmama and sweet Whitney.

How sweet!

Kennedy is giving John Davis a pep talk before they walk down the aisle!

They did soooooooooooooooooooo good.

I love these 3 charming kiddos!

Daddy and me :)

Allan gave me his hand upside down to put his ring on.

We laughed.

Finally Mr. and Mrs. Allan Bledsoe!

Gerry, me, and mom!
this is "my Gerry"

I love you, Gerry! :)

Have I told you lately that I love you?

Party time.

Greg!

Ben!

This is a great photo!!!!!

One of the best surprises!

Butterflies!

Happily Ever After!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:)
:)
:)

2010-07-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

Visiting historic Julian

We saw a beautiful orange orchard on our drive up the mountain.

We stopped to see!

Mrs. Jamie spotted this deer!

Julian Town Hall.

It was tiny!

We ate at the Julian Grill. It was yummy!

We wanted to go on a hiking trail, so we asked our waitress to suggest one for us.

She told us to hike the Stone Wall Trail.

The trail was a few miles from the restaurant, but we had a hard time finding it.

We found this sign to be interesting.

Let the fun begin!

The waitress told us the view from the top was breathtaking.

Beginning the trail!

We didn't think it would take long so we didn't bring water.

uh.........we were wrong!!

I took pictures of everything.

It was beautiful.

It was rocky and hilly

Naked trees from one of California's wild fires.

Taking a break.

Two long miles later, we finally made it to the top! Allan starting running!

From the top of the mountain we could see the ocean.

A-mazing.

With 0.1 miles left, Allan started running!

We were so proud of ourselves!!!!!!!!

I hope to do the trail again soon!

Harbor, Orfilia, and the Pacific Ocean

2010-07-31T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Harbor

Look how pretty!

We ate lunch at this harbor.

We got fish and chips!

Allan and Mr. Ernest spotted a seal in the water.

He was getting lunch too!
___________________________

Orfila Wine Vineyards!

We took another tour of the Orfilia wine vineyards. They were beautiful!

______________________________________________________________________

Pacific Ocean

We want to ride our bikes here soon!

I really like this photo. You can tell how much fun we were having!

The sand is not as pretty here as it is in Florida.
But that's ok!

Handsome photo of the Bledsoe men!

Someone had caught this sting ray while fishing over the pier.

Surfs up, dude!