Halloweens Past

Happy Halloween!!

The day has come! It is officially Halloween. You would think I had extravagent plans for this special holiday, but alas I stayed inside all weekend. Shea and Sarah(broseph and wife) went to Vegas for a Halloween wedding (jealous), so I stayed in Orange County all weekend and dog-sat their girlies, Saylor and Sophie. 

My mom came down from the homeland Bakersfield to watch my other brother, Bryn, and I play in a tennis tournament. (I would give you details, but we lost. haha) Yet, even with my exponential love for this day, I was content hanging out with the family and watching Iron Man and Hocus Pocus.

So because of my lack of Halloween-like plans or costumes, I decided to dedicate this blog to some Halloweens Past.

Before I was born, my mom dressed up as an angel. (I couldn't think of a more appropriate costume)

Daddy Mercado as Raggedy Andy back in yester-year.

Me and the broskies! Of course, I was always the cutest one. :) P.s. how cute is that tutu? I wish I still had it, and I could magically fit in it.

The Sassy Sisters! (My sister-in-law and I) We were quasi-hippies. My mother would argue that hippies would never wear heels, but I still protest.

Last year's Halloween. Nick and I went as Pebbles and Bam Bam. We made our costumes by hand, and I must say it is the ONLY way to go. Who wants to pay 80$ for a cheaply pre-made costume? Not I!

And now, ladies and gentlemen, my FAVORITE costume of all time. Are you ready? I don't know if you are, but here you go:

Just in case you don't get it, we all went as Sesame Street!!!!!! Here is our order, from right to left: Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch (ME!), Count Dracula, Big Bird, Rover, Bert and Ernie, annnd Elmo. I know, you are jealous. You can steal it for next year if you want. 

I absolutely loved this costume! (handmade once again, thank you very much) My favorite was the trash can hat!

I had so many great times in all of these costumes, and I am so grateful for all the people I have spent past Halloweens with. Even though I didn't dress-up this year, I definitely have so GREAT ideas for next year. Always thinking ahead...

Until Next Time. :)

Simplify and Smile

First of all, please observe the cuteness....

He shall now be referred to as BloggerPup :)

So, I have definitely had my hands full with my little bundle of joy, Hudson. Sorry for the delay of posts. He is definitely a lot of work, and causing a lot of sleepless nights, but it is okay because I absolutely love him!

Anyhoo....I've decided that with all this stress in my life (puppy, money, job, food, etc.), I need to take a second to breathe and simplify. I feel like sometimes we all get so busy and stressed, that we don't take a second to actually appreciate where we are and what we have.

I encourage you to take a beat right now and relax and smile. :) If you need inspiration, I hope this image will help:

I captured this moment while babysitting this adorable little munchkin Isabelle. There are so many things about this picture I love and that make me smile.

1. She is holding a flower, that she picked for me thank you        very much.

2. She is jumping on a trampoline. (If I had room, I would def. buy one! How could they not make you happy?)

3. She is wearing a tutu!!! I would wear a tutu everyday if I could.

4. The sun is shining! What a great day!

5. She is a lucky little girl. Children are so amazing, and they teach us so much if you let them!

I hope you took a second to simplify your life, even if it was for 2.5 seconds before the craziness begins again. 

Until Next Time. :)

The NEW Man in My Life

That's right....I just couldn't take it anymore! I had to find a new love! Sorry, Nick. I've moved on....found someone else...it's not you it's me....


World, this is Hudson!!!!!!!

Handsome, right?

Alright, I didn't leave Nick. In fact, we took a step in the other direction, we adopted. :) This is my new baby boy Hudson! And let me the first to tell you that he is CUUUUUTE. And I know, as a mom I might be a little bit biased, but I think I can state with absolute confidence that he might be the cutest puppy in the whole wide world! Observe:

First of all Hudson, you can trick me with those eyes. I invited the sad puppy dog look, and its been workin for me since i was little. So sorry, but your adorable "I'm innocent-and-would-never-do-anything-wrong eyes" won't work on a pro. Okay, MAYBE it'll get you out of one chewed pair of shoes, but that is it mister!!

So, Nick likes to think of himself as the Dog Whisperer, because every dog seems to magically love him. I mean, it is kind of absurd how dogs just flock to him. (Do dogs flock?) 

Anyhoo, me and Nick have a running bet going of who Hudson will love more. Nick seems to think that Hudson will love him the mostest, which is absurd. 

Nick is gonna lose, but please observe Hudson's cute lil belly.

Match made in heaven :)

So there you have it, the new man in my life. And I think it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. (I feel like that is a line from a movie, no?)

First family photo.

Until Next Time. :)

Who Needs Sunshine?

What a great thing to come home to! But before I get there, let me recap my day..

I had an adventure filled day with my friend Alexa. Since it was raining we decided to make Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup. DOUBLE yum! 

Then off to Hillcrest for some intense thrifting....

I can't even begin explain how many 80's sequined dresses I saw, and wanted!! But alas, I held back. I mean, where will I wear 15 different dresses covered in multicolor sequins and shoulder pads? To work? I don't think that is part of the dress code for a tennis instructor...maybe casual friday?

Then, I walk into my apartment and what do i see?

 

Flowers? For no reason? Is there anything better?

My love, Nick, got me roses! So again, who needs sunshine when I have a man who lights up my life everyday?? He never ceases to amaze me in how happy makes me. I am truly lucky to have a man like him in my life. 

Lucky Me!

Until Next Time. :)

Fall Obsession: Volume 2

Although I am not a fan of the laziness that gloomy weather instills in me, especially because I am a lazy person to begin with, I do enjoy other things about Fall. Nothing makes me quite as happy as happy as snuggling up in a fab sweater with a cute scarf, and, of course, boots boots boots!

So I would like to dedicate all the boots I want, but sadly can't afford....so if you would like to oogle with me that would be great!


I will categorize by the coolest trends this year...

Ankle Boots

Image from: Nordstrom

Hello, lovely. I might have mentioned this before, but the girliness in me is obsessed with ANYTHING with a bow. I think it can make anything a little more lady-like. And how lady-like are these beautiful shoes? I want. I need. 

Images from: Sole Struck

Oh Jeffrey Campbell, you may not be for everyone, but you are absolutely for me! The wedge bootie is the definition of hip, and no one quite pulls it off like Jeffrey Campbell. Pair these with some opaque tights, and your lookin' fly for fall!

Military Inspired

Image from: Bloomingdale's

I love the shearling around the ankle, SO fall! I have been seeing these military boots everywhere this year. They are a little extreme, but if paired with something a little girly, then it will keep the outfit from looking too themed.

Cold Weather Boots

Image from: Bloomingdale's

Um, these boots make me WISH that it rained here more often. If it did, I would wear these babies every. single. day.(Note the bow) This will be one of the few times that I sigh and say "too bad I live in Southern California".

Over-the-Knee

Image from: Bloomingdale's

Yes yes, I know, ANOTHER bow! I am sorry, I can't help myself, I am drawn to them. I have been wanting over-the-knee boots for a very long time. But the problem you see is that they are a statement boot, so you must be careful of the style you choose. (We don't want to come off as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman) These are casual enough to look fab but not trashy!

Riding Boots

Image from: Nordstrom

I used to have brown riding boots, but I literally tore them apart. The soles of the shoes fell off before I was forced to throw them away. These are the type of boots you can wear everyday with absolutely everything. They are the Everyman of the boot world. 

Prettttyyyyy

Image from: Nordstrom

Haha. OKAY. I know these aren't boots, but I waannnttt. Every woman should have a pair of nude pumps (they make your legs look miles long), and this pair is FIERCE.

Okay, since I am no more wealthier then I was at the beginning of this post, I will go on the hunt for a complete replica of these shoes for 95% less then they cost. Those exist right? right?

Until Next Time. :)

Ummm Can You Say EXCITED????

Hello all! Today is a good day, and let me tell you why. One of my favorite blogs It's Simple Love has an a vintage store on Etsy called Ande Monster. (and you ALL must know how much I love vintage clothes by now right??)Her stuff is amazing, and I am kind of obsessed...


Anyways...This other A-M-A-Z-I-N-G blog Wild and Precious is doing a giveaway with Raechel (It's Simple Love)!!! What are they giving away you ask? A vintage Polaroid Camera!!! I know! I KNOW! 

Image from: It's Simple Love

I have wanted a Polaroid Camera for SO long, so I am crossing all my fingers and toesies (you can too for me, thanks!) to hope I get this camera! We shall see......


Until Next Time. :)

Sppoooookkyy!!!

In case you didn't know, it is now officially Halloween season! I am proud to say that Halloween is one of my FAVORITE holidays (Okay, besides Christmas, who doesn't like Christmas?). 


Anyways, I am a HUGE scary movie fan, and Halloween allows me to embrace my inner crazy person and watch all the scary movies I want. I am always looking for cool new scary movies to become obsessed with, but I also have favorites that I watch every year.


These favorites include, but are not limited to the following:

Image from: Valley Drive-ins

This is THE quintessential Halloween movie, and it is a must every year! It combines two of my favorite thing, spookiness and musicals. Genius! It is a bit out there, but if you take a chance, you will not be disappointed. 

(p.s. How excited are you for Glee to do Rocky Horror Picture Show?)

Image from: Movie Forum

Before there was Bella and Edward, there was Brad Pit, Kristen Dunst, and Tom Cruise playing some freaking cool vampires! This movie might be one of my favorite movies of all time, it is so well done. 

Image from: LAist

I am a sucker for a good monster movie, and Cloverfield is just that. It is filmed in the "mocumentary" standpoint, so you feel like your right in the middle of the action. What would you do if a giant monster attacked your city? Is it weird that I think it is romantic that Nick said he would come get me, no matter what?

I could go on about all the different scary movies I LOVE (I am talking about you Paranormal Activity, The Strangers, Nightmare on Elm Street, Night of the Living Dead....shoot got distracted).


Not only are all the movies too legit to quit, the decorations around Halloween are so much fun!! There is a restaurant down the street called Barbarella who literally decorates their whole restaurant, and the the whole block around it. Awesome. 


So random, but I am kinda sorta obsessed with the Picasa feature on Blogger! You can do awesome things to photos! I even upgraded to 2 dollars a month, so that I can do even cooler features to my picture. So here is a few extra spooky that I created (or did I?) just for you!

Just posin for a picture...oh no...what's that in the background?

Oh no! Someone has crossed our faces out with blood! What does it mean????????????

Some kind of creature scratched us out....it must want us dead!

Oh you know, just some of my zombie friends and I, enjoying some drinks and...eyeballs?????

Haha! Okay, I am not officially a Halloween nerd, and proud of it! Get excited for updates on my spooky festivities throughout the month in celebration of this amazing holiday!

Until Next Time. :)

Yum Yum Yum!

If you know me at all, you know that I love LOVE LOVE to bake! Although, my increasingly growing belly would disagree. But thats okay, because baking and all baked goods bring me joy. And I can always go to the gym later to work it off right? Riiighhtt....

Anyhoo, nothing makes me quite as happy as cupcakes!! 

Image from: http://glutenfreeinsandiego.blogspot.com/

Let me break this down for you....

A cupcake brings all the gloriousness of a cake right to the palm of you hand. But there is something about the cupcake that is 2987398347 times better then a slice of cake. In my opinion, the cupcake brings the perfect cake to frosting ratio that a cake just cant give you. You may disagree, but I am not ashamed to say I love cupcakes!

So, I love finding new cupcake places in different cities. I just recently moved to La Jolla, and found a place called Cups to try out! 

How exciting is this?? I decided that I must go immediately, and off I went! Let me tell you, I fell in love!

Image from: http://secretsinsandiego.com/category/la-jolla-2/

Image from: http://korporatekelly.wordpress.com/category/giddy-cosmetics/

Although I am not partial to modern design, Cups is pulling it off! It brought the feel of swanky lounge and combined it with the deliciousness of cupcakes. They even had a DJ playing music when I walked in! I loved the concept of this place, and had never seen anything like it before. Good job, Cups! I approve!

Now, lets get down to the nitty gritty...

Image from: http://www.ucsdguardian.org/focus/site-seen/cups/

Image from: http://spoonandchair.com/2010/08/19/cups-cupcakes-la-jolla/

First of all, Cups has hundreds and hundreds of interesting and amazing flavors. I suggest going to the website, Cups La Jolla, and looking through all of them. They have a few classic flavors that they have every day, and then they have new flavors that they make depending on the day of the week. 

Here are the flavors I decided on:

Old School Vanilla: 

Vanilla cup topped with sweet vanilla American buttercream

Nuts Over Chocolate (v): 

Chocolate cup topped with peanut butter frosting, chocolate syrup and peanuts

Not-so-Red Velvet: 

Southern style chocolate buttermilk cup topped with sweet cream cheese frosting

Better with Bacon: 

Vanilla bean cup flavored with rich maple syrup topped with maple buttercream and crisp maple sugar-cured bacon

Yup, you read that correctly, Bacon!! So me and fellow cupcake judge Nicholas give Cups an A+! These cupcakes were DE-LIC-OUS!!!!!! My favorite was surprisingly the vegan cupcake, Nuts Over Chocolate. The peanut butter frosting literally melts in your mouth. 

Not that I have any certification, but as a self-proclaimed cupcake expert, I would definitely Cups La Jolla!

Until Next Time. :)

Doldrums

It's officially YUCKY outside. That, among other things, has put me in a state of doldrums. I am just "blah", "eh", "ack", "ugh"....shall I go on??




Since my monetary problems have not improved, and I still haven't found a job, and its bad weather outside, I supposed I have to be somewhat creative. Usually, I just go shopping when I am in in a "blah" mood...but I'm broke. And the whole filling a Cart up at the Forever 21 website, but then not actually buying anything is starting to get a wee bit depressing.




So, I can either sit here and pout (lets not glaze over how tempting this sounds...), or do something about it! But, what you ask? Well, I will tell you...


I need a change..something new...so my decision to get me out of my doldrums was a new haircut!


drumroll pleeaassee.....

Alright, alright! Hopefully this will kick me out of this yucky state of mind, and push me to do something new and exciting. I will let you know!

Until Next Time. :)

La Jolla Cove!

Do you know what I realized today?
I live in SAN DIEGO!!!
Life sometimes get so hectic and glum that I forget to look around and smell the metaphorical roses. So, I made a vow to myself to appreciate this B-E-A-UTIFUL city that I live in. I mean, seriously though, if I took a second, I would realize that San Diego is the place to be, and there 2874745983329408378 things to do here.


This recent realization has inspired to me to *GASP* walk outside and *GASP* explore the city! First stop, La Jolla Cove!


So I turned to my fellow adventurer and love of my life, Nicholas, and told him were going exploring! And off we went....

Ummm cave? Yes where do I sign up? We went to explore and discovered that it cost money to go into the cave...disappointment....

Unstable cliff? Sweeet.... You will observe that the picture is of Nicks back because I was to terrified to go to the edge of the cliff. I will stay back on the part where I can't die thank you very much!

We went down to the beach part of the amazing Cove to see all the cool sea life! Little did we know we would be getting a work by skipping from rock to rock, trying not to kill ourselves. 

This guy has it all figured out, fat and lazy, and everyone still thinks he's cute!  

The deadly rock-maze, oh yeah, the moss covered ones are slippery too..ggrreeaattt....

We got to walk through a mini-cave!

There were so many little tide pools! It was so exciting what cool creatures were lurking in each one!

Pondering all of the lovely exploring adventures we just had!

SO moral of the story was that San Diego is kind of amazing, and I can't wait to explore more parts of this city!! Next up, Nick and I have some lovely Halloween-esque plans coming up this month...pumpkin patches, Scream Zone, Costume shopping, etc. 

Until Next Time. :)