Happy Birthday Dave!

After a rough week of football upsets, we decided to celebrate Dave's 24th birthday with friends, family, and food. In my usual fashion, I didn't utilize my camera as I should have, but here are some highlights -

Jay, Elliott, Dave, Lee, and Zeb in a game of poker:

I'd love to say I made this cake:

...but I'm not that talented. Thank you Dad and Marti for opening your home to us and being such great hosts!

bye bye KMC, helloooo Kaiser

This week is the last week of my 1st rotation. The clinic is finally starting to feel like home, and it's already time to leave. Good thing I'll be returing to KMC in just 6 short weeks! Next week, I will be starting at Kaiser (my 1st elective), where I'll learn a thing or two about Medication Therapy Management and Advanced Ambulatory Care. I have a feeling my patient population won't be as...interesting...as KMC's.

Sports Update

I was raised a Trojan. Some of my earliest memories involve me in a USC cheerleader outfit, standing on my seat in the coliseum and singing along at the top of my lungs to the Beach Boys, and "awoooawooooo"-ing along with the Trojan Marching Band. I learned early on that the Trojans pretty much set the mood in my house for the week. Many Saturday nights we would drive home from the games in absolute silence during the Trojans years of struggle. However, when they pulled through, we would go out and celebrate after the games at El Cholo's - the adults, with their margaritas, and us kids with our Shirley Temples. Luckily, in recent years, we've had more El Cholo's nights than silent drives home after games. I thought every other sport just stood still during Trojan football season. Then, I married Dave.

He was raised a Dodger much like I was raised a Trojan. Today, we went to our first Dodger game at Dodger Stadium together - we've gone to Dodger games together before, just never a home game... How we've been married for 4 years and not attended a single Dodger game at home is beyond me. I blame Stockton (mostly because I blame everything on Stockton).

And now that Dave's coaching Colonel football, it seems as though another sport has entered into Trojan territory. To be perfectly honest, I'm feeling a little sports-overwhelmed. Don't get me wrong - I love USC and watching my husband's football team, and I like baseball - I just don't know that I like it all at once. While I'm excited for what this football season brings, and I am anxious to see how the baseball season turns out, it's a lot of intensity crammed into a short time! I think I'm ready for a break...

dodger dave and me

weekend fun

After working way too many hours during the week, I am in need of a fun, relaxing weekend. This weekend did not disappoint. To kick it off, I got off of work early and headed to Dave's 1st official football game at North High. I think I was more nervous than he was. The guys played a good game, but North pulled ahead in the end.

Coach Mack in action - I'm so proud :)

As soon as the game was over, I picked up my cousin Kiki and headed down south to meet my aunt and uncle at the Hollywood bowl to watch the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring the Trojan Marching Band in Tchaikovsky Spectacular, complete with fireworks. The show was fantastic.

Aunt Diann, Uncle Steve, me, and Kiki at the Hollywood Bowl

We got home late on Friday, so I spent most of Saturday sleeping. However, Dave and I decided to become true Shafter-ites again by visiting our old friend, SnoFun. I have to say, of all the things I've missed about home, SnoFun would have to be in my top 10. Nothing completes a summer like a 1/2 pina colada, 1/2 mango SnoFun.

YUM.

Correction

This past weekend I spent a couple of days with my best friends in Santa Barbara to celebrate Allie. I forgot my camera, so hopefully I'll get some pictures from the girls soon so I can post them. Our weekend was made even better by the addition of FUDGIEBROWNIECOOKIEBARS.

I may, in fact, have a favorite food. Sharon Wiebe's FUDGIEBROWNIECOOKIEBARS are the most amazing creation, hands down. I was reminded of their fudgie-oatmeal goodness this past weekend, when I experienced the best batch yet. So, THANK YOU, Sharon, for sharing this amazingly perfect food with me :)