On the 16th Day of Christmas

On the 16th Day of Christmas, my true love and I are giddy about our:

10 Anderson San Francisco Traditions!

We are heading to Northern California on Sunday for an Anderson Christmas Vacation and we cannot wait for our annual San Francisco trip.

I love San Fran! It is a gorgeous city with so much amazing history.

Our traditions include:

1. The Japanese Tea Gardens
2. Ghirardelli Square
3. Paddle Boats in S.F. Park
4. Scoma's (delicious!!)
5. Union Square
6. Bike Rides in the park
7. Farmers Market Place
8. Food Tours
9. The Cliffhouse
10. The Botanical Gardens
    

I cannot wait! And this year, we are trying something new...a Segway tour!

I'm doing my happy dance right now...

On the 15th Day of Christmas

On the 15th Day of Christmas, my true love listened to me for:

11 hours a day! (this is an estimation...maybe)

If you don't know this...I'm a talker.

If one song describes me, my dad would say, hands-down, Toby Keith's "I Wanna Talk About Me". I can't help it. With a psychologist as a mom, you learn to vocalize your feelings and thoughts. Plus, I think I was a talkative person in my past life.

When Mike and I first started dating, Mike realized, "Wow, this girl talks alot", but since he is more of a listener...it is a match made in heaven. Now, if I'm not home to greet him and talk about my day, he gets lonely with all the quiet time.

I trained him well... Muhahaha!

Just to prove my point...this picture was taken by Mike while I was talking...

I'm a talker...and I use my hands while I speak. It's best just to embrace it. ;)

On the 14th Day of Christmas

On the 14th day of Christmas, my family blessed me with

12 Anderson Animals (9 horses, 2 dog and a kitty in a pear tree...)

I'm so sad I don't have any pictures of our animals...Bummer! But you get the idea with the picture below.

I'm so grateful for the plethora of animals we had while I was growing up. Taking care of our animals taught me so much responsibility and I really cherish the life-lessons I learned while taking care of another life.

Plus...our wrinkly dogs were so much fun to cuddle!

On the 13th Day of Christmas

I am so behind this week in my blogging. There have been a smorgasbord of holiday activities, parties and gift prepping that has totally drained my time.

But, with that said...on to my Christmas Countdown.

On the 13th day of Christmas, my true love and I counted the:

13 Appliances we LOVE!

This one is a little silly, but as newlyweds, you really appreciate appliances that make your life easier. When Mike and I were first married, we were professional dishwashers and we had to lug our clothes to a laundromat every week. Not fun.

Once we moved into our little house, our first purchase was a stack-able washer and dryer along with a dishwasher. I cannot praise these machines enough! I really took these things for granted when I was living at home. But now, I count these blessings twice! Especially since I have a husband that is 6'3 and has 20 pairs of jeans.

So, the appliances that have made my life easier are...

1. Washer
2. Dryer
3. Dishwasher
4. Portable air conditioner (a necessity in the summer in LA)
5. My Cuisinart food processor
6. Cuisinart blender
7. Gas stove (it heats so quickly)
   
8. Our awesome heater (yes, we use the heater occasionally)
9. Large fridge with a huge bottom freezer
   
10. Scentsy Wickless Candle (a house necessity)
    
11. Super Sharp Martha Stewart Knife Collection
    
12. BBQ
13. Griddle

Yay for little life helpers!

Birthday Breakdown

It was my 27th Birthday on Saturday and it was an amazing birthday weekend! Mike really out-did himself this year.

We started my Birthday Weekend on Friday night by going to this awesome restaurant in San Pedro called Think Prime. Amazing steak and seafood!

My favorite part about the restaurant though was their live jazz band. They played songs from Frank Sinatra to Louis Armstrong. Just a great environment. We sat in a secluded booth, listening to great music and enjoying wonderful flavors.

When we got home, I opened my birthday present which might sound odd to some people, but it is exactly what I wanted. Vintage Donkey Kong Nintendo games!

These games take me back to my childhood and I felt like a kid again while playing with Mike. (I'm still pretty good too...)

On Saturday night, we went to dinner with our good friends, Melissa and Jeremy, but first...Melissa took a few Christmas pictures of Mike and I around Los Angeles.

The pictures are still being edited, but I snuck this one from Melissa to show on my blog as a little preview.

Let me explain why I love this picture so much. When Mike and I were dating, he would hold my hand every time we prayed. It quickly became a tradition for us and we have always held hands for every prayer since that first prayer together. It is the most basic form of affection, but it always reminds me how much Mike loves me, how much I adore him and that we are each other's for eternity.

After our fun photo shoot, we headed to Noe Restaurant with Melissa and her husband Jeremy. It was such a great restaurant and it was the perfect birthday!

I feel so blessed and I'm excited for what this next year will bring.

Thank you all for your calls, emails and Facebook Posts! I felt so loved.

On the 12th Day of Christmas

On the 12th Day of Christmas, I counted my:

14 amazing, life-changing friends! (not all pictured below)

I've been truly blessed with some amazing friends. From my childhood friends to my high school friends to my college friends; these individuals have definitely changed me for the better.

I wasn't able to picture all the friends I hold dear to me heart, but just know I love you all.

And, as a special shout-out, it is my very best friend's birthday today! Happy Birthday Holly! Love you.

On the 11th Day of Christmas

On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love and I appreciated our:

15 minute commute to work. (Well, my 15 minute commute to work)

Mike's commute to work is about 30 seconds since the computer store is down the street from us, (one of the reasons Mike wanted to rent the house) and my commute is pretty simple as well. Not as simple as Mike's, but honestly...who's commute is better than Mike's?

In L.A., having a simple commute is a huge blessing.

When I worked for NBC Universal, I had a 2 hour commute into work. And let me remind you...that 2 hours was just one way. I would spend 4 hours in the car every single day.

So, this Blog Post is a tribute to our amazing commutes to work!

On the 10th Day of Christmas

I'm a little behind due to my Birthday Weekend, but...I'm getting back on track with my Christmas countdown.

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love and I fantasized about the:

16 places we want visit.

I love to travel! I think traveling is so good for the soul. There is something magical about traveling the world and seeing Heavenly Father's creations first-hand.

Every time Mike and I travel, we reconnect with each other and our fun sides! One day we will have the time (and the funding) to see the all the places on our Vacation List.

On the 9th Day of Christmas

On the 9th Day of Christmas, my true love and I enjoyed...

17 AMAZING Holiday candles from Bath & Body Works

I feel like Bath & Body Works should pay me for how much I gush about their holiday candles! I am slightly obsessed, but with good reasoning. Their scents are so warm and inviting and perfect for the holidays.

My fav's:
Twisted Peppermint
Snow Apple Mint (burning as I post)
Spice
Frosted Cupcake - the absolute best scent ever!

If you haven't tried any of these candles, go out right now and get one. You won't regret it!

My Favorite Brother...

Since I'm finally caught up in my "25 days of Christmas" countdown, I thought I would take a break and pay tribute to my favorite brother on his birthday!
(Pretend this is published on the 8th)

I love Adam's sense of humor, his life advice and his infectious laugh! He constantly amazes me with his talent and knowledge and I am truly proud to be his sister.

Even though he lives far, far away in Boston, I love that we can pick up the phone and feel as though no time has passed.

I love you Adam and Happy Birthday!!

On the 8th Day of Christmas

On the 8th day of Christmas, my true love comes home at:

18:00 (6:00pm)!

I know this one is lame, but in the 24 hour clock, the 18th hour of the day is my favorite. Mike comes home from work and we sit down and talk about our days before we do anything else.

Mike is just a happy, positive person and his personality is contagious!

Plus he is a great listener! I just love him.

On the 7th Day of Christmas

On the 7th day of Christmas, my true love puts up with my:

19 comments a day about getting a dog.

We rent a 2-bedroom house which is perfect for our needs, but our landlord won't allow any pets. I am just dying for a little bulldog! I don't know why, but I think they are the cutest thing ever!

I mean, come on...who can say no to that face?

Thankfully I have a patient hubby who just nods his head and keeps telling me, "one day Baby Girl".

I even have a name picked out...Toby the Bulldog!

Sigh...one day.

On the 6th Day of Christmas

On the 6th day of Christmas, my true love bought me:

$20 worth of Elephant Poo Poo Paper Ornaments!

These Christmas ornaments are my favorite elements on my tree. I think it is hilarious to have Christmas ornaments made from 100% recycled paper made completely from elephant poop.

I think everyone needs to go to their website to appreciate the essence of the Poo Poo Paper company! They also sell stationary for those acquaintances that deserve a poopy letter from you.

And don't worry, they smell surprisingly clean.
www.poopoopaper.com

On the 5th day of Christmas

On the 5th day of Christmas, my family blessed me with:

21 Top-Secret Family Recipes!

I'm so grateful to have great cooks in my family lineage.

From my dad's Divine Peppermint Chocolate dessert to my grandma's amazing dinner rolls, our family has some great recipes (and thankfully, awesome taste buds!)

Some of my family favorites:

My Mom's Zesty Parmesan Chicken, Maple Chicken, Squash and Zucchini Casserole, Dinner Rolls and her amazing Salads.

My Dad's Tri-Tip, Chocolate Peppermint Dessert and all his great sauces.

My Grandma Anderson's dinner rolls and My Grandpa Anderson's baked beans.

There is nothing better than sitting around the dinner table with people you love and great food.

Also, a fun fact, my Grandma Anderson is the one that taught me the "magical bean" song over Thanksgiving dinner when I was 8. Love it!

On the 4th Day of Christmas

On the 4th Day of Christmas, my true love lets me:

Play my favorite 22 Christmas songs all the time!

The poor guy is probably sick of my Christmas songs, but they get me in the holiday mood and I always feel like dancing when I hear my songs.

Jessica's Christmas Music List:
1. Baby It's Cold Outside
2. Marshmallow World

3. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas
4. Sleigh Ride
5. Let it Snow
6. The Carols of the Bells
7. Joy to the World
8. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
9. The Christmas Song
10. I'll Be Home for Christmas
11. Merry Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
12. Winter Wonderland
13. Santa Baby
14. All I Want for Christmas is You
15. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
16. Happy Christmas (The War is Over)
17. White Christmas
18. Jingle Bell Rock
19. We Need a Little Christmas
20. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
21. Where Are You Christmas
22. Mr. Grinch

On the 3rd Day of Christmas...

On the 3rd day of Christmas, my true love bought me:

23 fuzzy socks for my freezing feet.

Mike thinks my feet are unusually cold. The weird thing is, my feet only get cold at night.

I have cold feet. I can't help it, I get it from my mom.

I also saw a solution thanks to my mom...just place my freezing feet on Mike's warm thighs. This warms my feet right up!

This isn't something that brings joy to Mike though, so he bought me 23 pairs of socks to save his poor thighs.

See...with a little motivation, I get awesome fuzzy socks from my true love!

On the 2nd Day of Christmas...

On the second day of Christmas, my true love watches with me:

24 entertaining shows! (Well, half of them at least)

I love cuddling with Mike on the couch on a Saturday night watching our favorite shows. TiVo is the best invention ever!

And for those shows that Mike won't watch with me, I usually pull out my crafts and enjoy some "me" time.

Either way...these little things bring my life joy.

25 Days of Christmas - Slightly Delayed

For the month of December, I thought it would be fun to list of few of my favorite things each day as a countdown to Christmas!

There are so many things to be grateful for in life and I want to highlight the people, places and things that bring me joy.

Some things are sentimental and others are quirky, but they all have special meaning to me.

So, in the spirit of '12 Days of Christmas'...

The first day of Christmas, my Heavenly Father blessed me with:

25 Amazing Quotable Movies

My family loves quoting movie lines!
I admit, it is an odd tradition we have and when you marry into our family, you have to bulk up on our movie classics or else you will never understand any of our jokes.

I know this is a weird "blessing" to be counting, but I love laughing with my family and our favorite movie lines always bring back great memories.

(From the top to bottom; left to right: Joe vs. the Volcano, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, The Proposal, The Rundown, Young Frankenstein, Dave, Mickey Blue Eyes, Bandits, Showtime, Speed, My Best Friend's Wedding, How to lose a Guy in 10 days, Miss Congeniality, Notting Hill, Sabrina, You've Got Mail, Elf, Emperor's New Groove, Hitch, Ice Age, America's Sweetheart, Runaway Bride, The Burbs, Better off Dead, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

So much to be Grateful For...

I don't have too much to report, but here is a little Thanksgiving update from the Pless Household:

We had 3 Thanksgiving Dinners with friends. (whew!)


I missed these 2 like crazy

And I had the perfect day with 1 cutie

My heart was full this year as I counted my blessing and even though it has been a stressful year, I'm so thankful for my family and all the love they give me.

Love you all!

A Late Halloween Treat...

I know it is a day late, but here is a Halloween thought from me to you.

If our dog Pooh Bear were still alive...

this would be her Halloween costume this year:

"I pity the fool who messes with my Kibble and Bits!!"

Maybe it was for the best she missed this Halloween...

The Birthday Cake

When is comes to Mike's birthday, he is always excited about one thing...

His birthday cake.

When we were first married, I thought it would be nice to make Mike a themed cake from scratch. When I was little, my mom always make me a themed cake and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I mean, come on...who wouldn't love a personalized birthday cake?

Mike absolutely loved this idea and it has become his birthday tradition.

For his 24th birthday, I made him Lego Cakes (there were 5 different shapes and sizes).

For his 25th birthday, I made a guitar cake which was surprisingly easy to make.

And this year, for his 26th birthday, he got a karate gee

They are not professional and there is always some kind of mistake, but no one seems to notice (or care).

To add to the specialness of the day, the cake was Nutter Butter flavor; which happens to be Mike's favorite cookie.

And since Mike is a black belt, I figured I hit the jackpot this year.

I know...I rock.

Also, as an update...

Mike finished his semester on Friday and (as usual) he got all A's!

This semester was extremely hard for him since he was working full time, maintaining his church calling and dealing with 19 credit hours. It's safe to say that we are both extremely happy this semester is over. He is heading into HIS LAST SEMESTER on Monday!!!

WooHoo!!

Thank you to everyone who helped and supported us this semester! We love you all!

One Year Older and Wiser Too...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to MIKE!!

Mike is officially 26 today!

I threw in this last picture to embarrass him...
How cute is he as a kid in his little button-up shirt?
And who would have thought he ever had straight hair?

Happy Birthday Baboo! I love you!!

Yummy Food!!

I really love to cook.

At first, I only focused on desserts (since that is what most people love in my opinion). But I have broadened my horizons and stepped out of my comfort zone lately and I can honestly tell you...

It feels great!

I'm use to baking - which means I measure the perfect amount of ingredients and play by the rules at all times to get my result. Deviating from the recipes always made me uneasy!

But thanks to Mike (who will eat and 'love' anything I make - eatable or not) I've really been committed to trying new flavors and dishes and it has really payed off!

One of the blogs that I love to follow is Two Peas & a Pot written by my friends Jana and Cindy. They always have great recipes that just hit the spot.

Like this one...

Sweet and Sour Chicken

The recipe is super simple and SO good - especially if you are craving Chinese Food!

They have such a great variety of recipes that keep my mouth watering!

My next dish I'm going to attempt to make from their archive is THIS.

Wish me luck!

Family & Memories....

This year has been a tough one. We lost two great women from the Armacost side of our family. My Aunt D.G. lost her battle with cancer recently and my Grandma just passed away this afternoon. Both women were great inspirations to me and possessed qualities that I strive for in my daily life.

With my Gram being 96 years old, we knew her time on this Earth was coming to an end. I was so grateful for the chance to sit by her side, tell her how much I love her and say goodbye for now.

A few of my favorite memories were finding her loose change with her metal detector in her back yard, helping her with crossword puzzles and trips to the San Diego Zoo.

She did such an amazing job raising her 5 girls and loving her 21 grandchildren.

D.G. was my mom's 2nd oldest sister and a prefect example of a loving, patient person. Each of my aunts have been a great influence in my life and it is so hard to see one of them pass away. Even though we were happy to see D.G. free from pain, we can definitely miss her sweet smile and warm laugh.

The great thing through all of this sadness, is the truth that we know Families are Forever. I'm sad that D.G. and Gram are no longer with us in this life, but I'm excited to reunite with them in the next. For now, we send our love to them and remember the happy memories.

To all my aunts (here and there), I love you!
To Gram, you were the best grandma ever! I love you forever and always.
And to my Mom, I love you "just a little bit more"!

Best way to describe how I felt this week...

But then I came home to this cutie...

...and I'm a happy camper again.


Have a good weekend everyone! xoxo

If I may say a few words...

This year has been a doozie so far! And yes, I know it is not over yet, but saying I've been overwhelmed is an understatement.

With that said, there is nothing better in this world (to me) than these last two days. I've still been overwhelmed, but let me shove those feelings aside and let you in on a little secret to my happiness.

I have a fabulous family. Plain and simple. Heavenly Father has completely blessed me with a great parents and a great husband. So, really...what is there is complain about? Sure there is chaos, but all of that seems to melt away when I get to plan a Girls Weekend with my mom, or spend time with Mike making Chicken & Shrimp Kabobs (they are cooking on the BBQ right now and smell amazing!), and have great, insightful talks with my Dad!

They really are the best team I could ever ask for.

So, it may not be glamorous, but it is what makes me happy!

Food's ready! See you next post!

About Last Night...

I was in the mood for cooking!

I've been wanting to expand my cooking resume for awhile now, but haven't found inspiration in this summer heat.

Thankfully, Mike set up a trio of fans in the kitchen yesterday so I wouldn't die from heat exhaustion and I rewarded him with the prefect summer dinner/dessert combo.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas and...

Lemon Cream Pie

Both dishes were so light and flavorful...perfect for the hot summer nights we have here in Southern California!! Plus, my kitchen stayed pretty clean when making these dishes, so that is always a plus in my mind.

I owe all credit to Just Cook Already blog and the MADE blog since that is where I found the recipes.

You can find the recipe for the Enchiladas here and the recipe for the Lemon Cream Pie here.

Now, onto my next conquest...

I hope you all are staying cool this summer! xoxo

Updates & Desires

So this post will be a smorgasbord of thoughts and updates.

First, Mike finished his semester with 4 A's and one B+ in Advanced Physics. I married a hard-working genius! Mike has a little bit of a break before his next semester starts, but he will be filling his time manning the computer store while his boss in out of town. No rest for him...

I am thrilled to announce to the blogging world that Mike officially has 2 semesters left of school and then we graduate!!

I know, I know...I've already graduated from college (it will be 5 years in May! Eeek! Getting old!) but I really feel like I am back in school with the late night papers and prepping for final projects and exams! I might not be the one physically taking the tests, but I am right there with Mike emotionally-speaking. Plus, I get to be on the other side of this equation... paying the tuition! So I get a glimpse into what my parents went through for me!
Not that much fun.

For all of my followers who want to know the "Bottom Line" for this post...here it is.
I'm cutting to the chase...this means in February
(which just happens to coincide with our 3 year anniversary)
we will be starting fresh and moving out of our little bungalow in Lomita, CA.

Where will we go?

Good question...I have no idea!! And for me not to know where we will end up is torture! But I keep hearing my Dad's voice in my head repeating the words he told me when I was 12...
"Moving is an adventure...you can either face it and find the excitement or you can pout and moan and miss out on all the fun"

I choose fun!

So, I would love to hear what you all think...Where do you think we will end up? And for those who need a refresher course...Mike is graduating in Computer Engineering, so basically we can move anywhere.

My Mom & Dad are voting for San Francisco area. Mike's parents are voting for LA area. Adam & Marci are hoping we are East Coast bound and my BFF Holly is wishing for Northern California

(and I'm secretly hoping we can move to Italy and buy a villa and spend our days watching the sunset and riding bikes through the small town near us...)

Hey...a girl can dream! But in all seriousness, I am pulling for San Francisco area but in case that doesn't work out, I have to go on the record saying that I'm happy with whatever.

Now, since this post is labeled Updates & Desires...here is the desires section of my ranting - besides the Italy blurb...

When we get the luxury of no longer having to pay tuition, I've casually mentioned a few additions to Mike that I would LOVE to make as soon as our budget will allow. Take a look at these beautiful pieces from Pottery Barn...

I swoon over amazing furniture and perfectly designed rooms...

I love this bed frame with white curtains draped on either sides

I adore these sheets! And I've already received Mike's blessing since I thought they might be too girly for him. Shhh...don't tell him if they are, he hasn't seemed to notice yet!

Lastly, I love trunks!! I have one in my living room as we speak, acting as an end table for my Reading Chair. But this trunk is fabulous and it comes in 2 sizes...

Oh Pottery Barn...you are such a tease!

Well, some people may think I'm crazy...but these little gems will get me through the next 8 months of saving all my pennies for tuition!

And then saving more pennies to pay for the gems! Haha!!

My Mom...

My Mom is awesome!

She is the strongest person I know & she taught me to believe in myself and help me see that I can conquer any obstacle.

My mom is a genius. She helps people that can't help themselves and helps them find peace.

My Mom is my hero because her life is a perfect example of how I want to be.

So, I just have to say:

I love you Mom! Happy Mothers Day!

Thank you for dancing in the living room with me, for making me Minnie Mouse-shaped pancakes every Saturday morning, for singing me to sleep every night, for curling my hair Sunday mornings, for teaching me how to apply make-up, for standing on the rail during a horse show to coach me and calm me down, for hanging your heels with me on the stairs, for those little hand massages you give during Sacrament Meeting, for spending hours listening to me talk about nothing, for prompting me to bear my testimony, for teaching me to overcome my fears, for wiping away my tears, for understanding that my bratty teenager phase would end, for doing the silly dance with me when I knew Mike was the one, for helping me plan my wedding and a billion other little things you have done for me.

I love you!

Onesie Banner "How To"

For the Onesie Banner I made for the Sip & See here is the tutorial I found on the cute blog
"Crap I've Made"

http://crapivemade.blogspot.com/2009/03/appliqued-tie-onesie.html

Here is my attempt:

I did the bow-tie ones myself...no tutorial for that one, but it is all the same.

Once you finish the Onesie, get twine and clothes pins and...TaDAA!!

Have fun and post any questions you have!

My Random Husband

I was searching through my camera's memory card and found some interesting pictures.

About 7 months ago, our washing machine started making crazy sounds...almost like it was going to launch itself into orbit.

Since Mike is such an amazing handyman
(one of the many reason why I love him so much)
he took the machine apart and tried to fix our little "astronaut" of an appliance.

While trying to fix our machine...apparently he and our friend Sean had a little fun of their own.

Yup...your eyes are not tricking you. That is my husband and it looks like he is locked inside our washing machine.

Before anyone freaks out, Mike disassembled the machine and kept the front part intact. He is just hiding behind the door.

Ever since I was a little girl...I wanted my future husband to have a sense of humor.

My wish came true...

Rach's Sip & See

One of my very good friends, Rachelle, just had her fourth child, Quinton and since I love any reason to plan a party...we had a Sip & See.

A Sip & See is a "fancy" name for a Baby Shower for a friend that has just had her second, third or fourth child.

Apparently it's taboo to throw a Baby Shower for someone who is not having their first-born.
So, change the name and....BAM, you have a Sip & See.

Our Sip & See was "Tea-Party" themed and we asked all the girls to wear cute hats and join us for brunch to Sip on refreshments and See the new baby.

The event was a hit and it was so much fun to see all our friends and get together with just the girls...and to dress-up. I never realized how many hats I had until I loaned out 5 (yes, 5)
hats to friends....plus one for myself.

Here are some pictures of the party. Take a look and let me know what you think...

The Onsie Banner - I added a little pizazz to the onsies so Quinton could
attend church in style.

The Gift Table...

The food table - I love making party food and desserts!
So, I made yummy Spinach/Artichoke Puffs; an amazing Brownie & Chocolate Trifle and these to-die-for Oreo Truffles thanks to Jana's blog!

The lovely ladies that attended to party

More of the food table spread

For party favors, I made Chocolate Facials for each of our attendees
and packaged them in Sippy Cups

More pictures

And {drum-roll please} the man of the hour, Quinton Hutchinson in
an adorable tuxedo his grandma made for him.

Overall, the event was a smashing success and I am seriously considering changing my career to Event Planning. Who wants to be my next victim...I mean, client?