Its Time for Dodger Baseball

So I've learned a few things lately… 1. I love using my camera with the intent that i'll load the pictures and blog but that doesn't happen and 2. This little bloggy takes a lot of time and I totally neglect it.

Anyways… Its Dodger season which means I am a very happy girl.  I love baseball, dodgers, and especially Matt Kemp.  Another thing I love about Dodger games is going on Fridays for Firework Night but this year the universe is apparently against me seeing fireworks.

2 Weeks ago Derek got last minute tickets to a friday night game. I was beyond excited for fireworks. The game was so fun and every inning closer to fireworks I got more excited. Long story short, 3 extra innings later they cancelled the fireworks because of the noise ordinance! WHAT?! So, the next Friday I decided to get tickets for Derek and I to try again…half way through the game the rain starts. RAIN. It has rained maybe twice this whole year and it decides to rain the night I go to see fireworks? So the lady working at the game (who we became friends with by the 4th inning) knew how excited I was and told us the fireworks we still happening!! Yay! Then came extra innings and my heart sank. Then came an announcement that "if fireworks didn't start by 10:50 they would not happen. So, after sitting in the rain for hours and giving up 3 runs in the extra innings and the fact that it was 10:47 with only 1 out… we left.

We get in the car, turn on the radio to hear the end of the game… and it was over. The NEXT play was a double play and fireworks started right after.

So, i officially won't be attempting to see fireworks at a Dodger game this season….

But, before the firework drama we did we to go and see Lupe Fiasco perform!

Since i'm the worst blogger ever I here are the pics from that awesome night with Lupe (and none from the lack of firework nights)

Liebster Award

A week or so ago (I'm officially the worst blogger ever...), Brooke over at Blissful Blonde sent me an e-mail nominating me for the Liebster Award! I recently met Brooke through blogging and could not me more thankful that she has been not only a reader of my blog, but a person to e-mail vent with when life's questions drive us a little crazy...

Here's how it works: Share 11 facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions from your nominator, ask 11 questions for your nominees, and then nominate you favs. 

11 Facts:
1. Dress up Character (Micky Mouse, Goofy, etc.) scare me and I hate masks.
2. When I like something (like a type of food or candy) I crave it and eat it non-stop for weeks and then will wake up one day and never want to see or eat it again.
3. I want to get a dog and name him/her Pancakes (and I'm hoping it will happen soon!)
4. I played soccer for 16 years. (Goalie mostly...)
5. I was adopted. Me and my middle sister were both adopted (at birth) from the same birth parents!
6. I could eat sushi every day for the rest of my life and never get bored of it.
7. I'm double jointed in my arms and thumbs....and sometimes it freaks people out.
8. I don't skip like a normal person... mine if more of a frolic (spelling?)
9. I fall asleep every night watching murder shows (Derek comes into bed way after I'm asleep and hates that its always on)
10. I hate black and brown together.
11. I have an obsession with scarfs (even though I live in LA and rarely wear a scarf!)

Brooke's Questions:

What made you start blogging and how long have you been at it?
 I started "blogging" on 10/12/12. I was bored one day with my girlfriend and having loved reading blogs I decided on that day to start my own.  I may not have a million followers or even a clear idea of what my blog is, but I'm OK with that.  I use this as a place to be me. I can vent about a bad day, talk about things I love, make myself wish-lists or list of things I'm interested in.  Its almost like my little diary, but public, and I love it.

Do you prefer popcorn or candy at the movies?
Wait, people actually make this decision? One OR the other? Damn. I'd pick popcorn. Why? Because I usually don't like the candy at the movies and bring my own anyways....

Who's your favorite celebrity that has your same name?
Allison? No one? Not that I know of anyways...

What do you have in your fridge door?
Beers and condiments... the usual.

Could you ever be a medical guinea pig? 
Nope. Not unless I (god forbid) had a fatal disease and no other options. In that case, if there is some random medical thingy they want to try to use and save me... sign me up!

What was the last thing you ate? 
A bagel sandwich and it wasn't even good. Bummer. 

Who was your first kiss?
David. At sleep away camp. Boom.

If you could breed two animals to defy the laws of nature, what animal would your create?
Puppy and rabbit... so puppies would just bounce around!!! Too cute.

What's your favorite accent?
I wish I had an English accent. So dreamy!

If you could learn any language fluently, what would it be?
Spanish. Mostly because I would be able to actually use it. Also, I've heard that if you know Spanish fluently then there's a good chance you can learn a few other languages easily. (Note: Its never going to happen... I got 2 C's in college Spanish classes and gave up...)

Do you prefer straight or bendy straws?
Straight if there is either a lid on the cup. Otherwise, I'm OK with bendy (but do NOT hand me a drink w/ a lid and a bendy straw.... its just awkward)

My questions for my Nominees:

1.  If you had to choose one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
2. What is your favorite part of blogging and why?
3. What is the most embarrassing moment of your life thus far?
4.  High heels or flats?
5.  What is your favorite time of year and why?
6. If you could go on a trip (for free!) anywhere in the world where would you go?
7. What inspires your blog posts?
8.  What is the meaning behind your blog name?
9.  Favorite flavor of ice cream?
10.  What is your idea of a perfect date night?
11.  What is your favorite movie?

Nominees - make sure to check your inbox because you have a special email waiting from yours truly <3

Wine Tasting in Ojai

Last weekend Derek and I had a little stay-cation at his parents house in Oxnard.  There is nothing more relaxing than waking up with a view of the water. love.

Saturday we went Wine Tasting at the Old Creek Ranch Road Winery in Ojai. Such a perfect day to sit outside with a glass of vino.  It's a small winery but so gorgeous and peaceful.  I obviously took the opportunity to add 2 bottles to my personal stash.

Wine makes me happy. Time to go pop a bottle…. Yum. Happy Hump Day to me!

Colorburst

I may have a new slight obsession with Revlon ColorBursts.

I love them all. I can't get enough.  They have become a staple in my morning routine.  I started to realize that taking the time to do eye makeup in the morning just wasn't going to happen anymore.  Plus, by the time I got to work I'd forget about the time spent on my eye makeup and give my eyes a good "i'm still sleeping, leave me alone, where is the coffee" eye rub. damn.

Solution? Lip color! Its so easy and adds a little sass to any outfit!

google: via.

Simply Balanced

Nothing about life is simple or balanced.  Recently, I've learned to take a moment and relax with my simply balanced cup to tea and everything seems to be calm for a minute.

Life doesn't come with a handbook (although these days I wish it did).

Each day, take a moment to stop, breathe, and be grateful for all that you have... It's too easy to focus on the negatives and not enough on how great life truly is.

A few things (of many) to be grateful for today:
my mom and how amazing she is

that its Thursday and almost the weekend

the weather is perfect

my family (related or not..)

blogging; connecting with new people and hearing new stories

overtime pay (because lets be honest, it was worth the extra few hours)

and lastly, my simply balanced tea... because it is a little reminder to be calm and remember.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundrasing

My friend Courtney is one of the nominee's taking part in the Man and Woman of the Year fundraising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

A few years ago, my mom won her battle against stage 4 lymphoma only to find out she would shortly after be diagnosed with another form of Lymphoma called Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL).

On top of the medications, my mom sits at the hospital 2 days in a row, once a month, for hours, cleaning her blood of this awful disease.  There is no cure for this.  There is only a way to contain it.  It takes away the awful itching and scabbing and other side effects on the outside due to the disease inside.

Courtney, among others, is raising money for research grants for different blood cancers.  Although this money may not go directly to a research grant for the type of cancer my mom suffers from, each dollar will be going towards grants for blood cancers that effect families the way that mine has been.
Please help by spreading the word and taking a moment to donate HERE.  Every dollar counts in our efforts to cure these awful diseases that have hurt so many.

"If you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life" - Marc Anthony

I had an interesting "water cooler convo" with my boss yesterday.

Background:  I work at a small law firm.  I have my paralegal certificate but at this firm I'm the "Client Service Coordinator / Assistant"... one step away from the Paralegal position I'm patiently (OK, I'm not so patient about it..) waiting for.

Somehow we got on the topic of dream jobs and he had mentioned how its so rare for people to actually have a dream job, or even to be passionate about anything.  He pretty much said these days people just find a job that pays the bills that they "don't mind going to every day" and if there is a chance to work your way up then, well, good for you.

Lately, I've been so confused about life, especially with work.  I've been at this firm for almost a year.  Its looking less and less likely that a paralegal position will be available any time soon.

Did I make the right choice working here?  Why did I ever leave retail? Is this what I really want to do? Will I disappoint my parents if I decide to change career paths?  Should I switch to another firm and start all over from the bottom hoping that there is more opportunity?

The questions are endless and my answers confuse me even more.

Sunday Funday: Six Flags Magic Mountian

I've been begging to go to Six Flags with Derek for at least a year and Sunday was finally the day we decided to go! It was sunny and hot and we were a little nervous to have to stand in lines.  This was the first time Derek and I have been to a theme park together alone and it could not have been more perfect.

The park was EMPTY. In fact, we walked the whole park, went on the rides, played a game and stopped to get a soda, in 2 hours!  We got to the park at 10:15, right before they opened.  Derek had a layout of how he usually walks the park (this may have been the first time I've ever seen Derek plan out anything in advance!). We went straight in and walked right on to the first ride.  We thought we got lucky with the first ride but then we started realizing it was happening on every ride! 3 rides down and we had only been inside the park 20 minutes!

If you don't believe me, here's a little proof:

We ended up leaving the park and went for lunch and margarita's just in time for Derek to watch the Lakers game while I looked online for puppies I want to adopt... it was the perfect day.

Neverland Dreamin'

Remember what it was like to not have a care in the world? Me either; It was too long ago.  Life gets so stressful sometimes and its hard for me to take a step back and look at the big picture and all the positives.  Why can't I just go to Neverland and never grow up?!

Friday night was rainy and cold. It was the perfect night to not have a care in the world. Obviously, this means Derek and I had a pajama party for 2 at our Casa.  I picked up some red wine and a 6 back of Blue Moon and couldn't WAIT to jump into PJ's. Since it had been raining all week, our balcony furniture cushions have been sitting in our kitchen. Derek decided to make a fort in front of the TV and it was heaven.

It was so nice and relaxing with the fireplace on just not having to care about anything that had happened this week.  We rented The Internship (which was not as funny as I had hoped), cuddled with all my stuffed animals (yes, I have multiple and I love them too much), and had the most perfect night.

Is it Friday yet? I miss my fort. and the weekend.

Don't mind the awful iPhone photos...

(yes, that it a grown man in a onesie...)

Colder Weather

The rain finally made it's way to LA! It's finally foggy, cold, wet, and a little gloomy. It's cuddle weather and I'm loving every second of it. 

"Some people feel the rain.  Others just get wet."

Hiking in Ojai and a Giveaway!

Sunday, Derek and I went hiking in Ojai with my dad and some of his friends.  Don't mind my dad's dorky hiker's outfit...He is "preparing" for a trip to Switzerland to hike the Swiss Alps with my oldest sister in June (testing out his walking sticks, breaking in new hiking boots, and he has weights in his pack to get used to carrying the weight he will have on the trip). It was a great day spending time with Derek and my Dad in the 80 degree California winter.

Sidenote: its FINALLY going to rain here in L.A. this week! I.Can't.Wait.

GIVEAWAY

If you haven't blog-met Erin over at Living in Yellow yet, I highly suggest you click that little link and read away.

The lovely group of ladies below teamed up with Erin for this month's giveaway. Enter to win $150 paypal cash, ad space, and blog design.

Total Basset Case // Small Town, Big Wardrobe // Being Mrs Beer // Life Style Love // Glori Online 

My Breezy Room // Mommy In Heels // The Charming Blog // Green Fashionista 

Let Me See You Sparkle // Pink On The Cheek // Behind Blue Eyes // A Dash Of Gold

Denim and Daydreams (use promo code yellow2014 for 30% off all ads) // Back East Blonde  

We Took The Road Less Traveled 

Design Your Dwelling (use code LIY10 for $10 off a custom E-Design)

Love, Fun, And Football 

Simply Clarke

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