MEMORIAL DAY FESTIVITIES

This past weekend was all about friends, good food, and classic San Diego destinations. It started out by attending a Padres game with a good friend on Thursday who scored free tickets from work. After downing a hot dog each, we snuggled up (it was freezing!) to watch the game. Saturday, I met up with my high school bestie for the best stack of pancakes of our lives and the best conversation. After that, I swung by another favorite to pick up dinner so Derek and I could enjoy a picnic at the Bay for the evening. We also babysat for some friends and had the best time spoiling this little one at Sea World. Her requests were babbled "Elmo Ride & Turtles", so that's what we did. The holiday greeted us with warm weather, but sadly no beach because of a emergency surgical case for Derek. Luckily, we were able to enjoy a BBQ with friends to kick off the start of summer and some of my favorite foods. I would call it a relaxed weekend, which was exactly what I needed after a busy few weeks.

BRUSCHETTA

Hardly anything makes me more giddy and excited when it comes to food then to eat then to treat my taste buds to a fresh and delicious helping of bruchetta. As a child, we would go to Italian restaurants and my parents introduced me to my love of bruchetta. My taste buds would do flips for the crusty bread and tomato and basil topping. For me, this can be a stand alone dish for a light lunch, or served up with grilled chicken for a summer time dinner. That being said, it's so easy to make and includes some of my favorite summer time flavors.

CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT

Last weekend in San Diego was almost a fluke-- we had rain and really cold wind making for a somewhat "cold" day. Derek and I decided to trek out to Cabrillo National Monument for a few hours in the morning and fell in love. It honestly might be one of my new favorite places in San Diego. The picturesque park is set against the staggering cliffs of the Pacific with one of the last standing lighthouses along the West coast. (The lighthouse is under construction currently, but we can't wait to go back and hike the winding staircase to the top!) We were in for even more of a treat when we found out the old WWII bunkers used for spotting Japanese aircraft and boats were open to the public to tour. We climbed down what seemed the oldest ladder into a bunker with the most gorgeous view I had ever seen. After, we ventured to the tide pools for a little exploring and critter watching. It's amazing what treasures you can find in your city when you get out and explore. I think it is safe to say, Cabrillo completely stole my heart.

GRANOLA NIGHT

This month for Enrichment, we were lucky enough to have the pleasure of hearing about essential oils and herbs in the home. Mary is very skilled in this area and thrilled us all with the many uses of these natural products in our everyday lives. To go along with the topic of healthy living, we set up a granola parfait bar with Lela's delicious granola. (I make this recipe every week or so and we love it at our house) There is just something about fresh berries, yogurt, and a little bit of chocolate that makes everything seem so right. Coupled with good conversation, education, and food, this activity was another great night had by all.

EASTER WEEKEND

This Easter weekend was packed full of enjoying beautiful weather, yummy food, and spending time with family. We started off by dog sitting for some friends, which made our weekend extra fun to have a furry little cuddle bug with us. On Friday we walked to dinner for date night and puppy was pleased when Derek slipped him some meat from his burrito bowl. On Saturday, we attended an egg hunt and party with friends from church. It never ceases to amaze me how talented my friends are! Jordan did a fantastic job and had the perfect yard for a hunt. Sunday was spent at church celebrating the real meaning of Easter and having dinner with our family. I would say the weekend was worth 1,000 pounds of mini cadburry eggs and jelly beans.

THE SAN DIEGO ZOO & SAFARI PARK

It probably goes without saying, but the San Diego Zoo is one of the greatest zoos out there. We like to consider ourselves "zoo connoisseurs", meaning that we have visited a zoo in every city we have lived in and (almost) visited. Clearly, you won't see us on any anti zoo picket line. That being said, now that we live in San Diego, with about a 7 minute car ride to the zoo, we have season passes. One of our favorite things to do is go right when it opens in the morning and basically have the park to ourselves. We can walk the hills up to the top of the park and then meander down by the bears and the new Australian exhibit with koalas. The Safari Park in Escondido is also part of the Zoo, just in a different set up. At this park, you can ride a safari tram around to see African savanna animals. When we visited last month, a plethora of baby animals were making their appearance and it was just that much more fun to sit and watch two baby lion cubs playing with each other for the good part of an hour. Both of these parks are well loved by all who visit, and definitely a "must see" on our San Diego list.