Boys Trip

Sam called me on Monday and told me he was taking off on a six-day trip with friends.  I had known that he had a week off and was planning on trying to coordinate something last minute, but I did expect more notice that I was given.

I also expected that he'd accomplish more than 1.5 of the chores I left for him before heading to work.  C'est la vie.

I don't want anyone to think that I'm a tyrant, I actually really encourage Sam to take trips with his friends and leave me home.  My dad has an annual fishing trip, which has evolved a bit over the years and now is a bit less about roughing it and more about relaxing and being man-pampered.  But still, I remember how much my dad looked forward to those escapes... and how excited he was when he got home.  Absence really does make the heart grow fonder sometimes.

This week I've realized that I am overjoyed to be marrying my best friend in the whole world.  He encourages me to push my limits professionally and personally while supporting me and making sure I know what a great person I am.  He's the first person I want to talk to, and maybe more importantly, he's the person I was to sit quietly with in bed reading books or on the couch watching a movie.

I'm looking forward to picking Sam up from the airport on Saturday.  Especially since he's leaving again next Thursday - Saturday and then again the second week of June for work functions.  Good thing he's marrying an independent woman!  And, once again, I'm thankful for our long-distance days in college.

Cooking Class

I decided to take myself up on something I'd been thinking about for a while... a cooking class.  Sam and I have a lot of baking stuff on our registry and I would like to be able to make a really nice-looking cake to go with all of my awesome entrees (lasagna, stir fry, spaghetti and meatballs, salmon, etc.)

So I went ahead and signed myself up on a weekend he'll be out of town for a conference.  Just a little ME time.... and if I can come even remotely close to pulling off the magnificence that is pictured on the sign up page I will be THRILLED.  Ta-da!

Luscious Layer Cakes

What You Will Learn

Who can resist a decadent cake featuring layers of delicious frosting? Not us, that's for sure! Join our hands-on class as we cover the basics of cake making, from preparing perfect batter to proper layering techniques. Our instructor will show you simple steps for making incredible mousses and frostings from scratch. Plus, we'll share the surprisingly easy secrets for making ombre cakes, one of the culinary world's hottest trends. Prepare to wow friends and family at your next celebration.


What To Expect:

Great cooking isn't about recipes—it's about techniques. In our classes you'll work together with other students in a fun, hands-on environment led by our professional chef instructors.

• Learn fundamental skills for a lifetime of great cooking
• Work side-by-side with other students to prepare each dish
• Interact with classmates and the instructor for a rich learning experience
• Classes are 2 to 2 1/2 hours, unless otherwise noted above, and each student enjoys a generous taste of every dish
• Held in our professional teaching kitchens, each class is led by an experienced chef instructor
• Hands-on classes are limited to 16 participants
• Students receive a 10% discount coupon to use the week after the class

Massage

I am a sucker for a good massage.

Sam used to rub my shoulders for me when we first started dating, and my dad used to rub my back before bed during water polo season when I was tight and uncomfortable.

It wasn't until college and really after graduation when I moved to Orange County that I grew to appreciate a really great massage.  And we had massages at least once a week while we were in Southeast Asia three years ago.

Since I took my high pressure, high stress agency job, I have been meaning to book myself a massage... but like all the stuff I do for myself (ahem, blogging, the gym, etc.) I seem never to be able to find the time to make an appointment.

So I finally called up my former masseuse and was disappointed to hear that he's got a great gig working on the NASCAR circuit.  He did refer me to a colleague and I'm going to see her on Saturday.  I cannot wait.

Even Sam said earlier this week that my shoulders are off-center because I am holding so much tension in my upper body.  He must have taken pity on me because he did rub my shoulders a little bit for me that night.

I just want to be able to relax and actually feel my stress melt out of my body.

Hopefully after Saturday I'll be able to sleep better and feel more like working out!

Video Clips - O.A.R. Concert

As promised here are some of the videos from the O.A.R. concert at The House of Blues, Anaheim on Tuesday night.  Sam wanted to buy tickets so we did, even though it was a weeknight concert and I am so glad that we did.  I think they were the best performers I have ever seen live!

O.A.R. at The House of Blues, Anaheim

Sam decided we needed a date night... and he was right!  So last month we bought tickets to last night's O.A.R. concert at The House of Blues in Anaheim.  Sam and I aren't HUGE live music fans... I mean we love a good concert as much as the next guy, but it's not something we do all the time like some of our friends do.  So this was a step a bit outside of our box, especially because we went on a Tuesday night and didn't have any friends accompany us.  It was really just a really wonderful date night without any work stress or wedding planning drama.

It was really good to get out, not worry about work and do something FUN for a change.  The new songs they played from their upcoming album were FABULOUS!  Absolutely fabulous.  I even bought a few of them I liked them so much!  I will try to upload some videos soon too!