Now that the wedding is getting closer (46 days, but who's counting), things are starting to come together nicely. I am checking things of my wedding planning list daily now and it sure feels good. Yesterday, I decided to have an enjoyable wedding day and go shop for my shoes. It was fun, but I did have a bit of a criteria on what I was looking for. Since I am about 9 inches shorter than Dana, the first thing I needed to make sure of is that I have some sort of heel that will give me a little height. And, I also wanted to make sure that they would go with my dress (naturally). I found the perfect pair, but was very dissappointed in the stiletto heal. I walked up and down the aisle of the store, thinking to myself, how am I going to do this? How will I walk in the grass, during the ceremony with a stiletto heel? Every step I take, I will sink into the ground and lose my balance. But, how can I get over these shoes? Argh!

So, I call my dad and said "Hey, can you carry me down the aisle?" and in a bit of confusion, he says "Um, sure. I can do whatever you want." Haha, my poor dad. I laughed a bit and explained that I would have to walk on my tip toes to the end of the aisle, so he would really need to help me keep my balance. And, after getting the A-OK, I immediately bought them. Now, I'm just going to have to practice tip toeing in my new shoes. I hope I don't fall.

Oh, and Rocky is the cutest thing ever, so I had to throw in a picture of him.  Look close, he is sticking his tongue out just slighty.  He's so silly.

At the end of last February, one of my best friends, Natalie came to visit with a bulging belly, and a baby inside! After spending the long weekend with her and feeling her baby kicking inside, i already felt attached. So, as we dropped her off at the airport and was about to say good-bye, I thought, I need to visit her again when her baby arrives. I told Natalie that when I find a really cheap ticket, I will book it and come visit. And, that is just what I did. I flew out last Sunday and got back last night (Wednesday).

Meeting Miss Norah for the first time was such a wonderful experience. She is an absolutely beautiful baby, and looks exactly like both of her parents. Wayne and I would also joke around whenever Norah got fussy and say that is when she looks most like her mom. (Love you, Nat :) ) Anyway, while I was there, Natalie and I got to catch up on everything that we could possibly talk about, and catered to Norah's every little need. It was relaxing to get away from wedding stress for a few days and focus on that precious little baby.

While visiting, Norah seemed to be a little more fussy than usual. We were all a little concerned and didn't know what the problem could be. After talking to the doctor, we realized that she was fussy cuz she was a growing baby and just needed more food!! So, mommy started giving her more formula per feeding--I can't wait to see her in 6 weeks and see what that extra formula does to her size.

(pics below, 1.  Me holding Norah, 2.  Natalie and Norah posing with the stuffed piggy I got for Norah, dedicating it to the pig farm that Natalie grew up on)

Another experience I got to have was waking in the middle of the night to feed Norah. After staying there the first night and listening to Natalie tell me she was up 4 times to feed her, I thought, I have to do it the next 2 nights so Natalie can get some rest. I can't imagine doing that every night. I can suck it up for 2 days and see what it's all about. The first night was interesting. I was so anxious about waking up that I never fully fell asleep. I was so excited when she finally started crying for her bottle. The second night, however, I was so tired from not sleeping the night before that I only woke up to the sound of Norah's cry. I started thinking "No! I was sleeping soooo good." then I would drag my body to the crib, and as soon as I looked down at her, I instantly forgot how tired I really was. I realized she is solely relying on me to make sure she is fed, changed, and can get back to sleep herself. As I rocked with her in the rocker, all I could think about is how my friend, my old roommate, my bridesmaid, it is her (and Wayne, of course), she made this baby, she carried her to term and gave birth to her. It is amazing, it is just, wow! I don't know the words, but when you know someone so well, and love them so much, it is pure joy you feel for happiness in their life. Nothing can show that more than holding that little baby in the middle of the night and rocking her back to sleep.

(pics below, 1.  Zoey their Boston Terrier, 2.  Giving Norah the first bath she ever enjoyed--from what I hear, she usually cries harder than anything else, but seemed quite happy with it this time, I'll take credit for my special touch ;)  just kidding)

Not only did I get to spend time with Natalie and Norah, but I also gained a new best friend, Miss Zoey. She is their Boston Terrier. She followed me wherever I went and waited for me outside my door every morning. I took her for a couple walks, along with Natalie and Norah, and when it got too hot, I would carry her like a baby back to the house because she just didn't want to walk anymore. She was so much fun to be around and did a great job keeping my feet warm. Every time I sat down, there was Zoey, sitting right at my feet, keeping me company. She is so cute!!!

And, I can't end my blog without giving a shout out to Wayne, the big man of the house. I didn't get as much time with him because he was working hard all day when I was there. But, we had enough time together to eat dinner (Natalie and I shared duties in making dinner), and share a couple bottles of wine. I'll be dedicating my next blog to him because he loved my stuffed pork chops so much that I am going to post the recipe to share with all of you.

Ok, usually, once I week I make something that I've never made before for dinner. I like to try new and different ways of cooking and experimenting with things I've never tried before. In most cases, it turns out wonderfully. A few weeks ago, I tried this new recipe of Stuffed Pork Chops, which I got out of the "Southern Living Cookbook" I got from my mother-in-law. It was such a hit that Dana couldn't stop talking about it. While I was in Denver, I talked about it, and Natalie and Wayne suggested I make it for them. Well, I did just that, and got rave reviews from my critic, Wayne. He loved it so much that he asked me for the recipe so he could try to make it himself. I also wanted to share the recipe with all of you, because it was way easier to make than you might think, you just needs the guts to give it a try. I will say, however, that it does take a bit of time. If you are short on time, I would suggest breaking up the recipe by cutting up everything that needs to be cut in one session, make the stuffing and stuff the pork chops in another session, and then cooking it all when you are ready to eat. And, don't be scared of the apples because it only adds flavor and you can't even tell that it actually apples inside. Mmmm, good!

Stuffed Pork Chops

prep time: 30 minutes, cook: 50 minutes, Serves 6

6 bacon slices
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 cup cubed fontina cheese
6 (1 1/2 inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops
1 1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Cook: Bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tbsp drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon; set aside.

Saute: Apple, shallot, and ginger in hot drippings 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, and stir in sage. (I couldn't find fresh sage, so I mixed in 1 heaping tbsp of dry sage)

Stir: together apple mixture, bacon, and cheese. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each pork chop, cutting to, cut not through, other side to form a pocket. Sprinkle both sides and pocket of each pork chop with salt and pepper. Spoon apple mixture evenly into pockets; secure with wooden picks.

Cook: chops, in 2 batches, in hot olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden. Place in a lightly greased roasting pan or large shallow baking dish.

Bake: at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done.

Enjoy!!  I promise you won't be disappointed.  And, you can play around with the recipe a little.  I didn't ever follow it exactly the way the recipe calls and it still comes out tasting great.  I used different cheese once--trying out Havarti Dill.  I couldn't find fresh sage, so I used the dry stuff and mixed it together with the shallots and apples right away.  And, for those of you who may not know what shallots are, they are onions.  They look like a mix between a yellow onion and a large version of garlic.  You find them by the onions, and I have typically found them in those little plastic, wire bags at the end of the onion stand.  If you can't find them, you can substituate with one medium sized onion.

Over the last weekend, my cousin, Jennifer and her friend, Cindy came to San Diego for a long weekend visit. Since Jennifer loves it here as much as Dana and I do, she was excited to introduce her friend to the culture, weather, and the ocean. We had a great visit with them. They went and spent time at the beach the first day while I stayed home and got some rest. The next day, we decided to walk around Balboa Park and check out the scene since the weather was perfect and Jennifer had never been there. We saw so many beautiful flowers, interesting people, and great art. After walking around for a while, we went back home to regroup, then went out to dinner in the Gaslamp District that night. We went to Yardhouse to get their infamous "Hawaiian Poke Stack", which Jennifer and I loved the last time she was visiting. Her husband loves it as well, so we were sure to rub it in his face after we ate it. Yummy!! After, we went to check out a "country" bar/club that many of my friends work at--yes, I stepped foot inside a country bar. It was nice to see everyone and have a couple entertaining drinks with the girls, but the music was enough for me to want to make it quick and get out of there...hahaha! On Sunday we went to brunch and then hit up some wineries throughout San Diego County. We had a ton of fun learning about what different wines we liked and left every winery with a bottle of their best bottle. Yay for visitors!!! The first picture is of the three of us sitting at the Rose Gardens in Balboa Park, the second pic is at the first winery we stopped at on Sunday.

Memorial Day weekend was just last week, and it was our first weekend back from our trip home. Since I knew it would be a busy weekend, I picked up some bartending shifts to make extra money. I worked 4 nights in a row, which took a toll on me. By the end, my knees were killing me, my sleep schedule was off, and I was a bit cranky because I hadn't spent much time with Dana. I was so looking forward to Monday because that meant no work for me, and a day spent with the family (Dana and Rocky). In my head, I was picturing me waking up on Monday, packing a picnic lunch, and us leaving in the Bronco to head to Kate Sessions Park to watch Rocky run around, and we would play with the new digital SLR camera we just bought. The day was mapped out perfectly...Until I woke up.

Dana had told me he was going to grab breakfast 3 hours prior, and he still hadn't returned. I tried calling him, and no answer. I painted this picture in my head of him walking around with Collin and not realizing his phone was ringing in his pocket, which sometimes happens, so I called him like, well, um, like 5 times. Yeah, maybe a little psycho, but I was having a hard time grasping the fact that he wasn't there when I woke up because it wasn't the picture I painted in my head of the day.

Soon enough Dana came home and I was mad, because I knew he would need to work for another hour or so since he was gone for a while. And by the time it was all said and done, picnic time at the park did not sound fun anymore. After trying to figure out what we were going to do, we decided to walk around Balboa Park with Rocky and take a bunch of pics, since there is so much to look at. We got ready, tied Rocky's kennel up in the back of the Bronco, I jumped in the passengers seat and Dana can't find his keys! After 10 minutes of frantically searching, he finds them. So he starts up the Bronco and decides he needs to fix something, which takes another 10-15 minutes. I know, he has to be testing me right? How much longer can I wait around? Finally, we get going.

We drive around the park and it took at least 30-45 minutes to park because it was a very busy day there. Luckily, it wasn't Dana's fault, so I couldn't be mad for that. haha. We find a spot, park the Bronco, get Rocky out, put him on the leash and I look at Dana and say "Ok, grab the camera". And he says, "Uh Oh, its not in here". He forgot to put it in the Bronco!! Argh! At this point, I just have to laugh. We still walked around a bit, grabbed some lunch and kept joking about all the photographic moments we passed. We would say "oh, look! That would've made for a great pic!"

After walking around, we decided we would drive back home and grab the camera, then head to some hiking trails, where we could park the Bronco and get some nice pics. So, we swoop by the house, grab the camera and continue our journey to Mission Gorge Trails. We find the perfect spot with the mountains behind us to park. We get out, grab the camera, put the lense on it, and no battery!!! At this point, it was way more funny than anything else. But, Dana did carry the torch as the official "day ruiner" on our memorial day. And, of course we don't have a single picture of our day, and if you read through all of this, then you know why. LOL

In the end of the day, it actually turned out really nice, even though not a single thing went according to plan.  We were together and did things that we don't normally do, and even if it was just to take nice pictures with the new camera, it got us to go there.  Now we know where we want to go when we finally do get it all right :)

My new mother-in-law and sisters-in-law threw a couple's bridal shower for us in Blissfield, Mi on Saturday night. They put a lot of time into making tons of great food, decorating and putting on a fabulous event for us. Along with all of Dana's family, both of my parents and their significant others were there as well. It was the first time all of the parenst met. It was so great to have my parents there with me.

I got to meet all of Dana's family, which I find is a little bigger than my own, and it was so much fun! Dana got to see people he hadn't seen in years, including old friends and people he use to work with. I got to mingle with the family and finally put faces to all the names I hear about. His family is so wonderful that it was hard to think I was just meeting everyone for the first time, they have a way that made me feel so welcoming that I felt like they were already my own family. That has got to mean something good, right? :)

To add to the entertainment, Heather played a few games with the crowd. Dana and I were involved in a couple of them. The first game involved blindfolding Dana and then lining up a bunch of women on chairs, including myself and he had to feel everyone's forearm and pick which one was me. I was nervous for him, but without hesitation, he chose me!! After that, the roles were reversed and I had to feel a bunch of guys calves and figure out which was Dana. I was so nervous because that would be one part of the body I've never paid any attention to. But, to my discovery, I sure knew who my man was....I got it right too! If you could've seen the look on Dana's face. He said "Honey, how did you know?" in complete suprise and excitement. I don't know how to describe it, but I just knew!!! It felt like the best calf in the bunch. heehehe

Overall, it was a great turn out, everyone was very generous and included alot of gift cards and money for us. We appreciate every dollar, every gift, and everyone who came to celebrate!!

After spending a week in Ashland, I was way too ready to leave for the 14 hour drive to Blissfield, Mi. I wanted to leave as early as possible on Thursday morning, so we would get there are early as possible that Thursday night. But, I was on my mom's schedule, and she was in no hurry to leave. All I wanted is to see Dana again!! And, I couldn't wait to see his family since it had been almost 2 years. With seven nieces and nephews under the age of 10, two years is a long time. They grow and change so much!

So noon came on Thursday, and we were finally preparing for the drive. We left soon after to head through the Upper Peninsula, then cross the Mackinac Bridge and continue heading south. We made a couple stops, but let me tell you, there really wasn't very many places you could stop. Civility, houses, and people were few and far between. But, there was some very beautiful scenic parts where we rode along Lake Michigan...the road was so close to the water I almost thought I could reach and touch it. And, the lake was so big, that it really didn't look much different than the ocean that I am use to seeing.

Mark drove for the first 8 hours, and as it was getting dark, he was getting tired. So, I decided to take over. We pulled at a rest stop and switched spots. I felt freedom and excitement as I got behind the wheel because I knew if I drove, I would drive straight to Dana (where we had maybe considered a hotel to continue the drive the next day). I was just thinking about seeing him waiting outside for me and I would run into his arms and kiss him and not let him go. Then all of a sudden the car just gave out. It didn't make a loud noise or do anything abruptly, so immediatly I didn't realize that there was something wrong...until I put my foot on the gas and my foot went right to the floor. Uh oh, this can't be good. We pulled over and I looked around only to realize that it was midnight and there was not a single building or street light or anything near us. My heart sank, thinking about how just 5 minutes earlier I didn't have cell phone reception, but as I looked down I saw that I had 5 bars! Yay! Immediatly I got on the phone and got road side assistance. We were towed to the nearest Saturn dealership, which was an hour south. We brought the car to the parking lot, got a hotel, and dealt with our problem in the morning.

We had to wait until 2pm to get a rental, for they didn't know how long the car would take to fix because they couldn't find the problem. At this point, I just had to tell myself that this was all a test and keep my patience because it could've been way worse. Everything was taken care of, and I only lost a day in Michigan.

We finally made it and my reunion with my babe was just as I imagined it. He looked as handsome as ever and eager to watch us pull up the driveway. I ran into his arms and kissed him and squeezed him, and, well, I just couldn't let go of him!

After my bridal shower in Ashland, I had the rest of the week with my mom to get as much wedding planning done as possible. Every day we worked on something new. The first day, Andrea, my mom and I went to the reception site and sat down and absorbed the room. We were all on the same page as far as how the decorations would look and how we would do it all. Thank god they are on board with helping, it is going to look so beautiful! We then bought most of the items we were going to use in making the decorations. The following day, I went to the hair salon and did a practice run on what my hair will look like.  My high school friend, Janelle's sister, Julie is going to do it.  It was great seeing her and exciting to see how much I am going to love seeing my hiar on the big day!  The next day that we put into decorating was going to the ceremony site and putting the tressels into the ground where we thought they looked the best. When I was there looking around, picturing my wedding day, I realized it is going to be the most beautiful site ever. Thanks for Mark for making the tressels and putting them into the ground. Then, the last part of wedding planning we did was the "dirty work" in making the centerpeices for the tables for the reception. There was a lot of spray paint used, along with picking twiggs and rocks, and assembling everything. I can't tell you more because then you won't be suprised! :)

The first of my wedding festivities started in Ashland, wisconsin where my Maid of Honor, Andrea and my mom put on a wedding shower for me. It was held at the Visitor's Center, which normally would've been a beautiful and scenic place to walk around, but it was cold, windy, and not very pleasant to be outside. That was fine, though, the room the party was in was perfect. We started it off with great food of all kinds, with everything from cold cuts, to Mark's famous coleslaw, to Terri's delicious cake. While everyone was eating, Andrea started off by playing a couple games. The first was a "how well do you know Brooke" game, with about 10 questions from how many kids I plan to have, to what my dog's name is. If I remember right, my cousin Ashley was the leader, with 9 right? And, second came my cousin, Tara. It was no suprise to me at all, since I am very close to both of them. Then, I opened gifts, which there were so many. It was a lot of fun! I got help from a couple of the younger girls, Taylor (Jennifer's daughter) and Addey (Tris's daughter). They did a great job with teamwork. I received many gift cards, which was really nice since I was traveling so much, and some great gifts. I got a 17 peice pyrex bakeset from Auntie Bev, Auntie Pat, and Aunt Josie, some colorful and beautiful drinking glasses from Aunt Nancy, a coffee grinder from Janice (who couldn't make it), a picnic/wine bag--perfect for a picnic date on the beach from Tris and Terri, a margarita set and pizza stone from Aunt Jennie, a woven hamper from Tracie, Megan, and Katie, and martini glasses from Aunt Cindy. Jenny and Alphia, Ashley, Andrea, Tara, and Rhonda, Melva, Cortney, Jennifer and Taylor were all very generous and gave us cash, checks, and gift cards to Target. Thank you to everyone who came, it was so nice to spend time with all of you!

My journey of hitting four states in 2 weeks started on Wednesday, May 6th. I left Dana and Rocky for a long plane ride to Minneopolis. I was so excited to be there that the plane seriously felt like it took 12 hours to get there. My cousin, Gwenda, picked me up from the airport, which was a perfect plan. Since she was graduating with her Masters that Saturday, she was going to miss the bridal shower in Ashland, so this was a great way for us to get a chance to see each other before I came back to San Diego. Our journey together began with a visit to my grandpa at the VA Hospital, close to the airport. He had been there for 5 months, while recovering from a hip replacement and the complications that came along with it. He was so happy to see us and was quite suprised by the visit. (I am happy to report that he has returned to his home and is now rehabiliating with a walker--and doing fantastic!)

Then, Gwenda and I headed to her apartment since I hadn't gotten a chance to see it since she's lived there. She has a beautiful place with her boyfriend, Matt right across from a golf course. She showed me some things she had been working on for her classes, and we got a chance to talk for an hour. It was great because Gwenda and I are best when we can fit in a good conversation with each other. We love to talk about life and all of its meanings and I always walk away feeling refreshed and so happy to have her in my life.

After that, we headed to my cousin Ashley's house where I got to see Max for the first time!!! He is her 1 year old son. All I can say is that it was love at first sight. He was sick, crabby, and had a runny nose and poopy diaper, and none of that mattered at all. I just couldn't get enough of him. Heehee.

I also got a chance to spend quality time with Ashley (who is 5 months preggers). We stayed up until 1am talking about everything you could think of. If we didn't know she would have to get up at 6am for work, we probably would've kept going. I always enjoy listening to Ashley talk about things because she likes to say it how it is, but she manages to use the right words so that it doesn't come across very abrasive. I love you for that, Ashley! She is always so on top of everything, which reminded me that when I need any advice on weddings, marriage, or babies, she's the girl to go to. :)