Friendsgiving to Thanksgiving

For the Thanksgiving season Tim and I thought it would be fun to throw a Friendsgiving at Tim's house! Both of us had never done a turkey dinner ourselves so we thought no problem we could handle it...hmmm what a production. I decorated and cleaned while Tim labored in the kitchen over a 30 lbs turkey. In the end it was a fun party with 30 of our closest friends enjoying a pre-thanksgiving together. The Shell Shack girls even made the drive for the party! Wouldn't be a party without them! The next weekend my parents rented an A frame cabin in Big Sur for Thanksgiving. Tim had never been to Big Sur, so it was a fun experience to share with him! Highlights included Tim consistently losing at Goodday Queen (card game) and getting the nickname Ace, the fam smoking cigars while strolling the campground at night (what rebels) turkey bowling and naps on the beach!! Thanks Mom and Dad for making the Thanksgiving trip so special from making homemade chocolate chip cookies to coffee at Nepethes and a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner!!


(These are pictures from the first annual turkey bowling! yeah that's right i made up the game with a 15lb turkey that you had to bowl with and knock down 8 soda liter bottles!! It was Ry, Tim and me (our team name The Gizzards) against my mom,dad , and aunt Gundy (the wise ones)! The wise ones won!

Seek Wisdom

Ever since I moved to Santa Barbara I have wanted to start a woman's bible study, but was unsure of how to go about it. Back home, being involved with woman's ministry was such a big part of life that when I moved I felt like I had a piece of me was missing. Starting at a new church has been hard and even harder when people only know you as Tim's girlfriend, but I was determined to start a group similar to Homebuilders. The woman of Calvary Slo are so amazing we would meet every Thursday morning and pray and read God's word together, these woman were such a huge part of my life. When I was going through trials, they spoke truth and encouragement to me. One of my favorite things about homebuilders was the woman were of all ages, some engaged, married for years, woman with kids, empty-nesters, woman in all different seasons. Being at Santa Barbara Community Church I was craving woman's bible studies. So I called the church and told them that I wanted to start a bible study that was inter generational, that was in June and in the fall the studies started up. I went and did announcement and was scared to death because I didn't know a single person. I gave announcements at 3 services and as I spoke I felt my throat tighten up as I looked into the big church of unfamiliar faces. I was used to giving announcements at Calvary looking into the faces of my roommates, April Garcia, Jenn Avila, and Sherry Stupar. I frantically searched the sanctuary for someone that I knew, no one. God gave me peace and I spoke about homebuilders and how my desire was to start that at SBCC, I left not knowing what to expect. I prayed that God would bring at least one woman, He brought 17!! We meet on Monday nights and are going through Beth Moore's Psalms of the Ascent. The woman are all ages and the first couple of nights people were quiet and were probably wondering who I was, but now we have been meeting for almost 2 months and I couldn't be crazier about them!! Our group is growing and being honest and vulnerable, it is such a true joy! I can't wait for Mondays! I feel so blessed to be a part of these woman's lives and look forward to growing in God's word. My heart is full!

" Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4

I am an Auntie to Sweet Amelia

Never in my life have I experienced something so amazing that I am still trying to find words to put to. My friend Luna asked if I could be in the delivery room with her when she gave birth to her daughter Amelia, I felt more than honored to see such a miracle. It hasn't even been a year that I have known Luna and I felt so blessed that she asked me to be apart of it. I was with Luna when she found out she was pregnant. We drove to CVS in a panic scanning the aisles of the pregnancy tests. Neither one of us has had to that, so we didn't know what the trendy brands were. I pulled out a test that was $7.99 but then I stopped and decided this would be the one time in life you don't want to get the sale one, so we went with the most expensive one thinking it would be the best. I was reading the directions to Luna while she was in the bathroom and before I was even done reading the directions she yelled there is already a line! I said wait a minute and shake it and it might go away. Not the case, Luna was preggers! My first reaction was upset because I was loosing two of my dear friends, no more late night hookah and house concerts, but then I realized I was going to be an Auntie and that was even better! I got a call from Miguel on September 26th at 8:05am telling me to come to the hospital, I was at work and dropped everything and came to the hospital practically running every light from State to Bath. I was there for the first exam while Miguel went to grab something to eat, I was holding Luna's hand and all the sudden her water broke right in front of me! Then the nurse asked if I wanted to see the baby, so I looked and the nurse was all excited and she said can you see it? I lied and said yes everyone was so excited that I couldn't bring myself to say i didn't see anything !! After the exam I felt a little dizzy and had to step outside I didn't know if I could handle it, but luckily I got a hold of myself. I have never even seen a birth on TV or a sketch, I don't know what I was doing in sex ed but obviously not paying attention! I had no idea what to expect but I was ready. From 2pm on, I ran getting ice chips and wet towels and holding Luna's hand and counting, I couldn't tell you how nervous I was for what was about to come. At one point I pulled the nurse outside and said I have no idea what I am doing in here, how am I suppose to help? She laughed and gave me some tips. Luna was a trooper she barely broke a sweat and didn't even cry when she was pushing. At 4:05 pm Amelia Grace Bowser was born 6lbs 14oz and 21 inches long, with one and a half dimples and big feet! She was amazing, the most beautiful thing I have even seen, I wept as they handed her to Luna and looked at Miguel in disbelief. I know they will be wonderful parents!!

Prayer for Amelia..dear Lord I lift precious Amelia up to you, thank you for her life and the joy she brings. May she come to know you at a young age and grow into a beautiful woman that you created her to be. Lord thank you that she has parents that know and love you. I pray for guidance and wisdom in the years to come. In your precious name, Amen

Summer Fun In a Snapshot

I know summer has been long gone but I feel like it just became official because Santa Barbara has had it's first rain. As the rain comes I look forward to the fall with anticipation and excitement.

But for now here is a recap of my summer.

(Fiesta Days....my first Fiesta Experience!! It was fabulous, all week in SB you crash confetti eggs on people's head and have Mexican food for 3 meals a day!)











( Tim surprised me one day and we went blueberry picking and to my favorite restaurant American Flatbread. As you can tell I was working hard!! Jaime- I would never make it as a WOOFER)










(Every Friday during the summer they have Jazz cruises at sunset so Tim and I made it a regular thing throughout the summer. It is great they have a live band on a 50ft catamaran and you have wine and cheese while sailing to Montecitio and head back as the sun is setting. Most nights we would see dolphins and batrays swimming right below us!)







( For Tim's birthday I surprised him and took him to Monterey and Carmel for his birthday, we went to the aquarium and hiked around point lobos it was wonderful!)

Summer Of Concerts

I have been fortunate enough to have been able to see 2 of my favorite artists in concert this summer. Jack Johnson and John Mayer, now if I could see Sade, Van Halen and Def Leopard that would be awesome!! 

 Anyways I saw Jack Johnson last week at UCSB, with my friends. Jack was great, while he was singing they had pictures of Santa Barbara on the jumbo screens. During the song "Better Together" he brought out his grandma and grandpa and they danced together it was precious!!

Lake Weekend

Two weeks ago Tim, my brother and me headed up to Lake Isabella to chill at the lake with my aunt Jan and uncle Jack. The lake was beautiful and my aunt spoiled us with great food and wouldn't let us help with anything. It felt so good to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The first day we went out wakeboarding early in the morning, I was quite nervous!! I have never done any sort of lake activity and felt very intimated by the idea of it! So I opted to try the tube.


I got toted around the lake behind the boat and screamed at the top of my lungs the whole time. Ryan did the tube and I couldn't stop laughing at him because he was holding on for dear life and wouldn't let go for the life of him and he was squealing like a little girl. My aunt and uncle are pro's at wakeboarding and made it look so easy that I thought it would be a piece of cake to get up.
Um not the case, I tried and tried the first day and couldn't get the hang of it, I just kept yelling I feel awakard!
However the next day I was victorious! I wasn't going to try it again because I was so sore but I thought what the heck and I got up on the second time! I didn't manage to stay up long but I yelled " I am the woman.." before doing a faceplant. Tim tried the wake skate and my uncle surfed behind the boat!! My aunt gracefully waked behind the boat as I scrabbled to stay up but all in all I think if I went again I might be a bit more graceful at it. It was a so much fun and we hope to go back before I loose my game!(Notice how when I fall off Tim keeps going while I struggle in the water and my brother is laughing and yells "yeah Tim") where is the love?

Friends, Family and a Man

I have moved twice in my life and each time it was a hard transition and hard to find friends...so needless to say I was prepared for loneliness when I moved to Santa Barbara. Within a month I found friends with the ladies of the Pedregrosa house, Abigail, Kristin and Chrissy. I feel extremely blessed to have met these girls. It was one of those rare moments when you become instant friends. These girls are fun, love life and enjoy each other, it was a perfect fit! 

They introduced me to Luna and Miguel. I like to refer to Luna and Miguel as my Santa Barbara parents, even though they are the same age as me. They watch out for me and make sure I eat my vegetables. Luna is like the sister I never had and Miguel is such a warm spirit you can't help but feel like family with them. On a separate note Luna is pregnant with a little girl....Amelia Grace Bowser,  I eagerly await her arrival and am 

looking forward to playing Auntie Devon!! Some highlights over the past couple of months with the girls have been Santa Barbara Film Festival,dinners every week, going to the beach, Saturday breakfast at Jeanine's with Kristin, inappropriate talks with Abigail, house concerts with Luna and Miguel and cocktails with Chrissy!

I had been in SB for two months and feeling very content with where I was at in life and boys where the last thing on my mind.... low and behold enter Tim. It was the day before New Years Eve and I was running late to church, I usually sit downstairs but there was no room so I moved to the balcony. I was looking for a seat and Tim scooted over (according to him it was planned.) 

 

After church was over I went to leave, oblivious to what was going on and Tim stopped me. We ended up talking after church for a while and then he invited me to In & Out for dinner with friends. I ended up at a separate table and didn't talk to him the whole night, his roommate actually got my phone number before he did!! I was about to leave but then we ended up talking for a couple of hours, and he invited me to New Years. To make a long story short there was a wink and a baby wave and he was hooked. (Caution girls the wink will make some men weak in the knees) Six months later here we are, completely unexpected and a true joy in my life. Some highlights with Tim are a four course meal on the beach for V-day, the fair, Carmel, the sailing accident, jazz cruise on Fridays, blueberry picking, hot fudge sundaes at Hope Ranch, and golfing. There is alot more but I won't bore you with the details. God has been so faithful to me and I feel humbled with such wonderful people in my life.

Time Flown By.....

I find it hard to believe that I have been here for nine months already!! To try to catch you up on everything would be close to impossible so I will give you a snapshot of my life in Santa Barbara thus far. I will break up the posts with different aspects of what has happened (ie job,friends,home away from home.) 

Where to start....I will start with a warm October morning when I found out I got the position of visual merchandiser at Anthropologie. 

(Here is our spring concept 

Peggy's hothouse)

Little did I know that by accepting this job my life would be turned upside down and would be a turning point in my life. To be in a season where I am truly experiencing God's blessings in ways that were much unexpected, is a complete joy. I came from a place in my life in which I was frustrated in what I wanted to do and was at a crossroad. I thought of what I ultimately wanted in a job and have always dreamed for working for Anthropologie. Anthropologie's  inspiration and creativity has always been my passion, I am amazed at how they can create an atmosphere that takes you to a different place. My job starts at 6am and I get off at 2:30 which is nice. I wouldn't be able to do my job without Starbucks, which is weird because before my job I didn't like coffee. Every job has it's ups and downs but to be able to be in a creative environment and merchandise with beautiful clothes is one of my favorite things. Every morning I get to run to the basement to look through the new boxes for the day (it's like Christmas every day!) Each portion of the store is broken into concepts, each concept is inspired by a certain woman. My job is to portray that woman through merchandising and outfit styling, following a color palette and thinking aspirationally. I also get to brainstorm ideas for display in the store and help construct them. It is neat to see how the store transforms and sets an atmosphere. Getting off at 2:30 is great although I still haven't adjusted to the early mornings, I take a nap til 4 and then start my day over and play til 10 when I go back to bed!! My job is why I moved to Santa Barbara, little did I know the adventures to come....

Here is Ozzie the store dog!!