All Kinds of Complicated

May the Odds...

2012-03-02T09:09:00.000-08:00

So are y'all sick of hearing about Hunger Games Posts?

{via}

Well I don't care! I just finished the Third book, and let me tell you I am HOOKED! I honestly am thinking about going back and reading the first one again before the movie....which I WILL be going to the Midnight Showing of, don't you worry!

Seriously. If you have not read it yet, boy or girl, read it! It is not a mushy gushy love story, it is a kick ass book! It is such a good read! I don't want to ruin any plot points (because I hate when people do that!), so just please get your hineys in motion and start reading!!!

And if you have read them, I have two requests:

1. Tweet me, Email me, Call Me, Text me, Smoke Signals, whatever! Let's gush about this book PLEASE!!!!

2. Please observe these images that Mandy showed me today, and just swoon....

{via}

And these too..

{via}

And this too!

The preview gives me chills! I. Can't. Wait.

And Remember...

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Little Bits of Happiness

2012-03-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

This week I am participating in Stephanie's Little Bits of Happiness Post.

This has been a rough week, and happiness is just what I need.

Usually when I watch TV, I ignore the commercials. But when this Target Commercial comes on, I actually stop what I am doing and pay attention. How could you not smile? The happy little song? The happy colors? Just all kinds of happiness!

A Request

2012-02-29T09:36:00.000-08:00

A Prayer for my Grandmother.

I can't really get into what happened, nor do I think I want to on here. But I do ask you guys to do me a huge favor and say a prayer for Grandmother (we call her Mimi), who is in the hospital. She is so important to my family, and to me. I know not all of you pray, but any positive thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated by my family and I.

Usually I am so good at putting my thoughts into words, but today I can't. So all I am left with is a request. A request for a prayer. A prayer for my Mimi.

Free Sponsorship?

2012-02-28T10:06:00.000-08:00

Kelsey has been doing this for a couple months, and she has inspired me to start!

{The Lovely Kelsey, and my inspiration!}

I am going to be doing a Button Swap (and a FREE Sponsorship for you!) for the month of March! If you are interested, please shoot me an email at:

KMercado988@Gmail.com

I will also be doing a feature on each of my lovely March sponsors! Can't wait to get this going! Hope to hear from you soon!

The Oscars 2012

2012-02-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you guys, but I thought the fashion last night was a major snooze fest! It isn't that anyone looked particularly bad, it is just that most everyone looked old.

I know it is the Academy Awards, and by all means, class it up! But, that doesn't mean you can shy away from taking risks in the fashion department all together! Some of the youngest stars there looked the most aged...

But there were some shining stars out there! Here are a few of my faves!

Jessica Chastain: Alexander McQueen

{1 / 2}

I mean, talk about a wow factor! The black and gold together make such a great contrast! She some how manages to look like a Greek Goddess and Warrior all at the same time, and I like it! Not to mention, how perfect does her hair and make-up look???? Way to go Jessica!

Milla Jovovich: Elie Saab

{via}

Wow! There was a sea of subdued tones on the carpet. Whites, Nudes, Peaches, Creams...But none of them rocked it like Milla did! I think the vintage hair and the red lips make her stand out above the others! Not only that, but her confidence exudes from her.

Michelle Williams: Louis Vuitton

{via}

Well hello, pop of color! I am so glad Michelle Williams got it right! Although I am not crazy about her Pink lips with the Coral dress, the dress steals the show. I love the detailing, and the bow at the hip! If you know me at all, you know I am a sucker for bow details. But most importantly, the color makes her look youthful, and fun!

Rose Byrne: Vivienne Westwood

{via}

I think the term is Va-Va-Voom! Everything about this is fierce and flawless! I love Rose, and thinks she always makes divine fashion choices. And her best accessory is her flawless bob! This dress fits her like a glove, and the low back detailing adds an unexpected flare.

Unfortunately those are my only favorites, here are some notes on things I didn't like...

- Natalie Portman tried to be unexpected with Polka-Dots, but I think the cut of her dress reminded me of a punk Prom Dress.

- Kristen Wiigg looks beautiful but WHY has she worn the SAME color for all the Awards shows????? Nude every single time!!

- Gwyneth Paltrow and a cape? I don't get it.

- I usually LOVE Emma Stone's fashion choices but this dress has been done before, and it is way to old for her.

- Penelope Cruz's dress was bland and a typical red carpet dress. There was nothing special to it?

-Octavia Spencer's dress reminded me too much of her dress at the last show...

I swear I am not normally so negative. I was a little baffled with the whole fashion choices...

What did you guys think???

Nerd and Proud!

2012-02-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

Eep! I am being featured on a pretty cool blog today!

Mandy at Chocolate & Cream Cake is featuring me today as her Geek of the Week!!!

Honestly, I couldn't think of a cooler honor....I am a geek and proud! Check out her post, and find out why.

Thanks Mandy!!

Fashion Friday

2012-02-16T23:12:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you, I was so glad to see Blonde Episodes Fashion Friday link-up this week! I have been CRAVING some Summer Sandals.

I need to get my act together and buy myself some more shoes. I always want to buy new pairs, but can never justify the purchase. I suppose Blonde Episodes has just given me a sign to go ahead and indulge a little (if you guys weren't try to give me a sign, just go with it).

Anyways, here are a few open-toed lovelies that I have been drooling over as of late....

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11/ 12

Okay. So a few of these miiiiiight be out of my price range. A girl can dream right? Either way, I think it is time for some sandals!

Blogging

2012-02-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about blogging, and why I do it. First of all, I have read posts like these, and never thought I would do one. I love writing, a lot, but this whole blogging universe comes with a lot of disappointments as well. It's hard not to think the friends you make on here, aren't real friends. But honestly most of the people aren't.They might leave you nice comments every once and a while, but they aren't what is real.

It is disheartening when you think you have made connections, that you really haven't made. I am such a positive and nice person, and I usually trust people way too soon. Maybe that is why it is so disappointing to find out how some people truly value you. I think I just always want people to like me, and it bothers me when some people decide to not include me.

That isn't to say that my followers aren't amazing, and I really do love and appreciate you guys so much! There are SO many great people to meet in this blogging community of ours. But I think at the same time, I need to not let myself get so wrapped up into it.

This probably just looks like random ramblings to you. And most of you have clicked past my blog already because there is way too much writing on this post, and not enough pictures (Honestly I do the same thing sometimes). I promise I will get back to my regular positivity tomorrow. Today I am just pondering why it is I subject myself to a popularity contest of sorts...

Do you guys ever get stressed out with this whole blogging world sometimes?

Dear Nick,

2012-02-14T10:27:00.000-08:00

{via}

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I am sorry that we are not together today.

It breaks my heart when we are apart for more than a day.

You are the most amazing man I have ever met.

I don't know how I got so lucky to have a boyfriend like you.

Thank you for loving me at my best and my worst.

I know I am a handful sometimes, but no one gets me like you do.

You laugh at my stupid jokes.

You make me smile when all I want to do is cry.

You know what I am thinking, even when I don't.

You help me make decisions.

You cook me dinner every night (sorry I can't cook).

You give me a kiss and a hug every single day.

You never forget to tell me "I love you".

You get me.

Thanks for loving me!

I love you so much!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sponsor Post #2!

2012-02-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

The best thing about planning our Meet-Up was getting to work with such amazing sponsors. We were so grateful to have so many companies who wanted to get involved with The So Cal Blogger Meet-Up. Today I wanted to give you a look into our Goody Bags!

We were lucky enough to have Skinny Tees donate 60 awesome totes for our Goody Bags!

{via}

Not only that, but we were able to put some pretty awesome treats for our guest thanks to tons of Sponsors!

{Moo; Livy Love Designs; Red Velvet; Bon Look}

{Acute Designs; Out of Alabaster; The Altered Chain; Electric Frenchie}

{Orange & Park; Reinventing the Ordinary; By the Sea Paperie; Beauty by Dolly}

{Sammy's; Frankie's; Theit; Scentsy}

{Engineered Knits; Amy Cornwell; Maple Boutique; Number A}

{Beauty by Dolly; Fancy Designs}

{The Sweetest Petunia; Davey's Locker}

{Vanessa Gonzalez; Number A; The Cravory; Pura Vida Bracelets}

There also were some things that we didn't get a picture of, but I made sure to include everyone in the post yesterday. Again, thank you guys so much for supporting us, you can never know how much we appreciate it!

Sponsor Post #1!

2012-02-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

And now, for your viewing pleasure,
the oh so important list of

The So Cal Blogger Meet-Up

2012-02-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

This year I was lucky enough to join Kelsey, Tammy, Olivia, Stephanie, and Hollie to help plan The So Cal Blogger Meet-Up! We were so pleasantly surprised to see the amount of people that wanted to participate in our little event. Over 60 local bloggers!!

We all gathered at Roppongi in La Jolla, which was an amazing location. It was amazing to see so many girls, and get to meet a bunch of them in person for the first time!

By the way, since I was so busy running around trying to host, I didn't take many pictures. So thank you all who were on top of it, and took some great shots! This blog would be empty without y'all.

{via Amira at Shades of Gray}

{via}

We played a few games to get to know one each other. The first was the "celebrity game", where you have a celebrity on your back, and you have to figure out who it is.

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There were also yummy goodies provided by Roppongi! And a candy bar, provided from us hostesses!

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We also had some pretty awesome sponsors give us some pretty awesome stuff to give away, but I will save that for a whole different post!

This day was so fun! I loved talking to all the different people, and learning about what makes each one of us unique and awesome! I truly love the Blogger community, and believe it is filled with some pretty cool people.

{via}

I was also lucky enough to have my Mom in attendance! She is a cool cat.

{via}

{awesome images captured by Mandey from Mama and The Dudes!}

{my boo boo. via}

Cheers to my fellow hosts!

Thank you guys SO much for coming! We hope to see you at the next one!

Well Hello, February.

2012-02-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

I am thinking this month is going to be a good month. What do you guys think?

I am participating in the awesome February Photo a Day challenge on Instagram/Twitter! You can see everyones updates here at #febphotoaday

You should do it too!

I might just do a recap on here of all my pictures too....

Follow me on Twitter

and find me on Instagram- complicatedkai

SAG 2012

2012-01-31T08:37:00.000-08:00

I always like to see who wins the SAG's because it is actors voting for actors. It is fun to see the community supporting each other, and everyone having a good time. That being said, let's get down to what we all really care about, the fashion. Honestly I was a bit underwhelmed this year. I don't think as many people brought their A game, like they usually do. But, there were also some surprises for who looked absolutely stunning. Here are my favorites for the night....

Jayma Mays in Reem Acra

{via}

Jayma Mays usually looks so doe-eyed and innocent on the show, it was nice to see her as a total show-stopper in this form fitting Reem Acra dress. Reem Acra knows a women's body, and how to make it look stunning. You can tell she felt good in it, because this is the most confident I have ever seen it. Not too mention the lace cut-out in the back of the dress, that you can't see in this picture.This MIGHT be my favorite look of the night.

Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen

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First of all, I always love Emma Stone on the red carpet. She always makes the best decisions concerning style. Second of all, I am ALL for a vintage look, so this whole ensemble really spoke to me. She nailed the 50's Glam vibe right on the head! Not only is the dress, hair and make-up absolutely fabulous, but those might be the best shoes I have ever seen on the red carpet. I need to find a way to get them in my closet.

Maya Rudolph in Naeem Khan

{via}

I honestly think this is the best I have EVER sen Maya Rudolph look! Not only does this dress make her figure look amazing, but her hair and make-up compliment it so well! I also just adore the beading work on the bust. And black and white is such a classic combination, that you can never really go wrong working them on the red carpet.

Dianna Agron in Carolina Herrera

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This dress is of course a great color, and looks amazing on her, but the real focus here is her beautiful hair and make-up! She looks so ethereal it is kind of unreal. Her hair is just the right amount of unkempt, and her make-up is airy and subtle but still beautiful. I have no complaints about her dress, but it just isn't where the focus was for me.

Jessica Chastain in Calvin Klein

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Although I thought the dress was a tiny bit too long, taking away from the column effect, I still thought that Jessica Chastain looked beautiful! Sometimes you don't have to have the most beaded dress at the show to stand out. A beautiful color, and a dress that fits perfectly, is enough in my book to stand out above the crowd. I don't think that Jessica could ask for a better color to compliment her hair color and skin tone! The only thing I would have wished was too see a bit more jewelry. But besides that, she looked amazing!

Rose Byrne in Ellie Saab

{via}

Now I know that she ended up on a LOT of worst dressed lists, but I kinda like the vibe she went for. I know it is different then what we usually see on the red carpet, but that doesn't make it bad. I know a majority of people couldn't pull this look off, but I think Rose Byrne is totally rocking it! I love the idea of a jumper on the red carpet, and the jewels on it just bring it to another level. Good for you Rose Byrne! You go Rose Byrne!

So those were my favorites for the night! Who did you like? Who did you hate? Let's hear it!

On Your Mark

2012-01-30T08:48:00.000-08:00

{via}

You know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach, when you think things are all about to change, and you are excited but extremely nervous at the same time? (Run-on sentence much?) That feeling when you are at the starting line of a race, waiting for someone to yell "GO!"? Wellp, that is me currently.

You see, life is full of choices, and there is nobody out there to tell you that you are making the right one. Sure, people have their opinions, and they are always greatly appreciated. But at the end of the day, you are responsible for your own decisions. You just have to be decisive and pray to God that you are making the right choice.

But if any of you know me truly, then you know that I might be the most indecisive person on the entire planet. Seriously. Making choices gives me anxiety. I am always afraid I am choosing wrong, even if the decision is what to eat for dinner tonight. It is something I am working on. I just have to learn to have confidence in myself, and not second guess all the time.

We shall see....

SB Part Three

2012-01-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

So. The best part of going on a Road Trip with Four Bloggers, is there are four blogger minds hard at work the whole time. That is why we have to credit Tammy with the wonderful idea of pulling over for an impromptu photo shoot on the beach as we were leaving SB.

{Beautiful.}

We attempted some planned poses...which all didn't turn out exactly how we planned....

{we got ONE where we were all in the air!}

{love}

{Attempting to spell love...}

{yeah YOU!}

{Checkin out the goods}

Then we moved our little shoot to the nearby Railroad Tracks.

{One of my favorite pictures of the day. My love Kelsey Boo Boo}

{Tammy gettin' her Yoga on}

The one thing I love about us bloggers is we never miss an opportunity to capture special moments. We might be crazy kids....but we know how keep them memories!

SB Part Two

2012-01-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

After a night out with these crazy ladies, we were all pretty tempted to stay in bed all day. Instead we willed ourselves up, and the first stop was Blenders in the Grass per my request.

This place has amazing smoothies. If you ever go to SB, please go! And get a Blood Orange, or whatever you please. (Blood Orange is just my favorite, and I have been craving one ever since)...now I am sad I don't have one in my hand right now...anyways moving on...

I was super excited to get this day going because we were going to Solvang, and I had never been before. After the beautiful drive up the coast on the 101 for a bit, we arrived at this little Danish hideaway just in time for some Danish treats.

Honestly guys. These were the best danish pastries I have ever had in my entire life. I don't think I will ever be able to enjoy a store-bought danish pastry again.

We spent the rest of the day wandering in and out of cute little shops, and finding ways to entertain ourselves....

{Yes. This happened.}

{Solvang must know of my love for Jason Segel. I was very tempted to buy this puppet as a tribute of my love for him..}

Oh. Btw. Have you heard of Aebleskivers? They are basically amazing pancake balls (for lack of a better term), and they are the best tasting things on earth...

{Drool...}

{That is me shamelessly getting after these delicious pancake balls}

This town was too cute for words. And we ate....a lot....but that is okay because it was totally worth it. AND we totally walked all the calories off (shhh!). The best part? The day wasn't even done yet....

SB Part One

2012-01-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

Hi. My name is Kai, and I am a week behind on my posts. No matter. I am here now to tell you about a wonderful trip I had with three lovely ladies. You may have heard of them (if not, you should chickity check them out), Kelsey, Tammy, and Olivia.

I got picked up by this crazy crew early in the morning. Once we got to Santa Barbara and checked into our hotel, we enjoyed an amazing brunch at Cajun Kitchen.

{Yum. I want to go back}

{My boo boo Kelsey}

We decided to walk off our breakfast with a bit of shopping on State Street. This is one of my favorite places to shop, mostly for the amazing atmosphere State St. has. I could honestly walk this street for hours...

...but not this day, because we had better things in mind. (a.k.a a bit of wine tasting)

Due to some local recommendations we ended up on a street of three little wineries right in a row: Cork N Crown, Kunin, and Municipal. It was so nice to be able to walk from one to the other, and have ourselves a little wine tasting tour of sorts.

{Not sure what is happening here, but I am not a fan. Anybody see Ruby in the back?}

I honestly couldn't choose a favorite, they all had great wine and a great atmosphere. Most importantly, I was surrounded by amazing people, which makes any event more fun! I have never been wine tasting before, so this was really awesome experience for me!

The we were off to explore State St. at night!

Us ladies painted the town red!

Stay tuned for more Santa Barbara amazingness...

Question.

2012-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

What do you get when you put 4 Bloggers in a Car to Santa Barbara?

Awesome Pictures and Good Times!

I am home sick today, so can't post too much. But stay tuned later this week for the ridiculousness that was our Girls Road Trip to Santa Barbara!!!

Where the Party At?

2012-01-16T08:22:00.000-08:00

These last two weeks have been CRAZY! Starting with a four day stint in Vegas, and then ending with a girls trip to Santa Barbara! I have been a busy bee, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Life is always more exciting when you are out and about!

Now, if you are a friend of mine, or follow me on twitter, then you already know what I am about to say. But, I was told that I would be a crazy person not to blog about this, so here it goes....

I danced AND sang on stage with Nelly!!!!

Yes, Nelly the rapper. As in Country Grammar, Hot in Hurr, Air Force Ones....that guy...a.k.a Junior High Kai's Dream Man! Let me tell you, it was kind of amazing!! Here is a bit of photographic proof:

See that girl in the pink dress? That is me! See that guy in the shades? That is Nelly!

Awesome.

Still don't believe me? Here is a little tidbit of our duet. (When I say duet, I mean I lipsynched so nobody could hear how awful my voice is)

Not gonna lie. This might be one of the coolest moments of my life. Some might even say this was my peak (a.k.a Michael Lastoria!) lol Either way, it sure was epic, and I won't soon forget!

But don't worry. Nelly hasn't asked me to go on tour with him (yet), so I will be back to my normal blogging schedule this week! Oh how I missed you guys!

Guest post: Amanda's Daily Obsessions

2012-01-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I'm Amanda from Amanda's Daily Obsessions and I'm happy to be guest posting here on miss Kai's blog!

For those of you who don't know me I was born and raised (for the most part) in Sacramento, CA and I've recently moved to North San Diego County (with a brief stint in San Antonio, TX in between)

Now I know a ton of people are obsessed with socal. Most people I knew growing up wanted to move down here but honestly, I was never one of those people. I loved norcal (still do) and although most of my favorite vacations were in southern CA (um...hello? Disneyland!!) I never really felt the urge to move here.

...but let me tell you know that I'm here I never want to leave! and since that's not likely to work out (my hubs is is the Navy) I'm going to soak it in as much as I can!

So I thought I'd let you all know some of my favorite things so far about socal:

The beach!

specifically, the dog beach in Del Mar! not only is it a super pretty beach, I can let my little Lulu (the pug above) off leash to run amuck with the other dogs. She has so much fun!

Trader Joe's

ok...this isn't really a socal thing, but I did say I was in Texas for a bit and there were none and I missed me some Trader Joe's!

Ruby's Diner

Ohmygoshsodelicious! their chocolate shakes are seriously the best thing ever! I specifically love the one in Oceanside. It's at the very end of the pier (which is the longest wooden pier on the west coast fyi) and has the most amazing views! you also get to take a nice stroll down the pier and back to get there (which you can then justify getting that milkshake...it's exercise right!?)

Being so close to Disneyland!

Disneyland is my favorite place ever! I mean... it's the happiest place on earth! What's not to love about that? We've gone a couple times already in the 3 or so months we've been here and are saving up for season passes. I can't wait!

Coffee Bean

Oh gosh Coffee Bean is just seriously so much more delicious than Starbucks! Don't get me wrong I love me some Starbs but there is one less than half a mile from my house and if it's open I will go 4+ miles out of my way to go to coffee bean instead

Torrey Pines State Reserve

It's seriously so pretty! normally I'm not a huge hiker but It really isn't that bad and it's a good way to get some exercise and have fun at the same time!

well that's my list so far, let me know what are some of your favorite things to do and places to go in socal. I'd love to find out!

SoCal Blogger Meet-Up!

2012-01-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

Are you living in Southern California, and are a Blogger, like blogs, read blogs, or know what a blog is? Then you should sign up for...

The SoCal Blogger Meet-Up!

February 4th

1:00-4:00 p.m.

Roppongi Restaraunt and Sushi Bar

Tammy, Steph, Olivia, Kelsey, Hollie, and I have been working hard to put together a great event for you! I am excited to be able to help out this time, and let me tell you, it is going to be amazing! We are hoping to have tons more people, and so many fun activities and goodies for all!

If you want to come (trust me, you don't wanna miss it!), or learn more about the even, then head on over here!

20 For 20

2012-01-04T10:12:00.000-08:00

I know I am being lazy, but I just had to steal this from Kelsey. I know it looks like a lot, and there are no pretty pictures, but just humor me and read it. If you are in your 20's and don't relate to at least one thing, then you are probably a lot more sane then the rest of us...

20 New Years Resolutions for 20-Somethings

Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet.

Know which candidate you’re going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and know why.

Enough with the 14-day juice cleanses. If you want to lose a little weight quickly, eat less and exercise like crazy. If you want to lose a lot of weight slowly, do whatever Jennifer Hudson did.

If you really like the person you’re hooking up with and would like them to be your boyfriend/ girlfriend, find a way to tell them, and hope for the best. If you don’t and wouldn’t, stop.

Find a way to save approximately 300 dollars and spend it on a flight to see a friend or family member who lives far away.

Please stop liking the Kardashians, all of them. It’s not helping anyone, least of all the Kardashians.

Spend less than or equal to the money you earn each month.

Wear clothes that fit you, especially to work.

Call someone on the phone at least once a week, and speak to him or her for at least ten minutes.

Start preparing now to get over the fact that Facebook is probably going to change again in six months. You’re not going to deactivate your account. You don’t know how.

Wait 30 seconds before you look up a fact you can’t remember on your phone, and try to remember it using your brain. This is what the olden days were like.

Replace one terrible reality show you’re currently watching with one wonderful scripted show currently available on television. Swap suggestion: Real Housewives of Anywhere for HBO’s Enlightened.

Try that food you think you don’t like but have never actually tried, unless it’s brussels sprouts. They really don’t need any more attention.

Cut one person out of your life who you truly do not like and add one person who you truly do. Note: not on Facebook, on Earth.

If you’re still blacking out regularly, you should stop.

Volunteer once over the next 90 days. You’ll feel really good about it, and probably end up volunteering again over the next 275.

Tell someone who you love that you love them on a more regular basis. To their face, not in a text.

Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos.

Crap or get off the pot. This applies to whatever thing you’re not doing that you should just sack up and do already.

And in the eternal words of Tom Haverford, “TREAT YO SELF!”

Originally from here.

Goals and Such.

2012-01-03T08:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years Lovelies!!!!

{via}

My New Years Eve was AMAZING! Pictures to follow...

This is always around the time where New Years Resolutions are on a lot of people's minds. I always am weary of making resolutions, mostly because I am always not the best at following through on things. It is one of my biggest flaws. I have to write things down, or have someone yell at me, in order to remember to do things. Alright. This is starting to sound like an episode of Dr. Phil....

Anyways, even though I have follow-up problems, I do like the idea of setting fun goals for myself for the year. So I am taking a Pro New Years Resolution stance this year, and creating a list of things I would love to accomplish this year.

1. Become More Organized. (This will help with the whole follow-up problem)

2. Continue my schedule and work out regimen at the gym, and get my booty in shape!

3. Make healthy choices daily with things I eat.

4. Buy a fancy camera!

5. Become more active in my Church.

6. Starting something special with Tammy, Olivia, Steph, Kels, and Hollie (You guys know what I am talking about!)

7. Read more books! (Already have 1 book under my belt...thanks Kindle!)

8. Learn to cook!

9. Make a life changing decision...by myself!

10. Become better at saving money, and handling my finances.

I had one New Years Resolution last year, and that was to read the Bible more. I am proud to announce that I read the Bible EVERY DAY. Take that Dr. Phil! Now I am setting my sights higher with ten resolutions, but I am confident that with determination, and hard work, I will keep these babies going all year long!

What are your hopes and goals for 2012?

Check Ya Later 2011!

2011-12-30T10:22:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that we are hours away from 2012? I don't know about you, but 2011 sure did FLY by! I swear that I just got a new job, but now I have been working here a year. I swear I just moved into my new apartment, but we have been there for six months! I SWEAR Parker was just born yesterday, and by some magical spell he is already SEVEN MONTHS OLD! What is happening to the world????

I want to go on official record when I say that 2011 was a pretty cool year. Good for you 2011, you go 2011! Some pretty important things happened to me this last year, and I am so grateful for every last one of them. Even the struggles that we endure, I know God put them in front of me to help me become a stronger person. I am so happy to have been blessed with so many things in 2011, and I can't wait to see what 2012 holds for me!

As a special little treat, I thought I would gather up my personal favorite posts from the last year, starting from the beginning...

The Top 11 from 2011

Hi. I'm 5.

How Do I Love Thee?

Love Love Love

Dodger Disasters

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Bragging Rights...

A Love Letter

Look Book Numero Tres

Portland Volume 1: Breakfast Wars

So Cal Blogger Meetup!

Parker's 1st Christmas

There you have it! My Year wrapped up in 11 posts! One of the best things about blogging is preserving memories like these forever. I will always be able to look back on the pictures of my first apartment with Nick, or the day I got Hudson, or when Parker was a baby. Turns out this whole blogging thing is pretty useful...who woulda' thought!

I hope you guys all had a fabulous 2011! I can't wait to see what 2012 brings your way!!!

Parker's 1st Christmas

2011-12-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: All photos were taken by my lovely mother. Check her out at Reinventing the Ordinary!

{Are ALL these for ME??}

As you may know, I have an AWESOME baby Nephew named Parker. Oh, you weren't aware? Well let me remind you of his Amazingness...

{You can't tell me he isn't adorable!}

This Christmas was a very special Christmas, because it was this little guy's very first Christmas! Since I am the baby of the family, I never got to witness any one's first Christmas. So, technically, this is my first Christmas seeing some body's First Christmas, so it was big for both of us. You still with me? Probably not...

The festivities began when Shea and Sarah arrived in Bakersfield with little P-Mann in tote (and of course the girlies). We were all excited to have the whole family together! Of course, with a baby in a house, all our attention was on the little guy (as it should be). I could honestly spend hours watching him, and be completely enthralled by everything he does! Plus, he is crawling (actually more of a scoot) now!

{Doin' the Parker Scoot}

{That face...I die...}

And of course, time with Parker wouldn't be complete without some Mercado Backyard photos!

{Please ignore my ridiculous kissy face}

It was amazing to get to see Parker take in all of the Christmas joy! He was mesmerized by all the bright lights, and shiny decorations. One of his favorite decorations was his new Stocking made by his Great-Grandma, Mimi. You are not officially a Mercado until you have yourself a stocking.

{It is official now!}

{Opening his stocking}

{Chewing on his stocking stuffers!}

Then it was time for presents! And who gave him his first present to open? Well Auntie Kai of course! I have to say, this kid definitely is related to me, because he is a PRO at opening presents. It is like he knew exactly what to do! Auntie Kai has taught him well...

{Get this ribbon out of my way!}

{Just what I always wanted!!}

Now the stocking was good, and the presents were great, but nothing stole his attention like Papa's dancing and singing Snowman and Puppy!

{Hello, Mr. Snowman!}

Seeing Parker take in everything reminded me just how fun Christmas is! Sometimes when you grow up, you forget to appreciate the joy in the season, and the fun of it all. Parker is seeing this all for the first time, and is loving every second of it! I wish I could be a little kid again, and appreciate the magic of the season. For now, I will just live vicariously through little Park City!

Hope your Christmas was just as bright!

Christmas Preview!

2011-12-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

Apparently I was a really good girl this year, because Santa hooked it UP! But seriously, all the stuff I got was amazing. My family sure does spoil me! Of course I will have a full-fledged Christmas recap later this week, but for now, here is a little preview of some of the awesome things I got!

{You know you have grown up when you are super excited about a new Griddle. Already used it once! Thanks Bryney!}

{Mimi and Papa got me an amazing apron from Anthro, and my mom bought Nick one to match!}

{Anyone who knows me, knows I have desperately wanted an Enzo Wand Curling Iron for AGES! Well, I finally got one! AND a Kindle? I am one lucky girl!}

{Just had to post my Kindle again. Hunger Games all loaded up. Obsessed}

{The cutest Wine Topper ever!}

Annnnd Finally...

Alllrighhtt. I didn't really get a DeLorean, but I DID see this in the parking lot and thought it was awesomeness. If you don't know what a DeLorean is, (I don't think we can be friends anymore) then go home and watch Back to the Future right now! Great Scott!

I had an amazing time home for Christmas! Like I said, my family sure knows how to spoil a girl. I am so thankful for all the awesome gifts they gave me. More Christmas stories to come. Let's keep the holiday season going people!

Traditions

2011-12-21T10:32:00.000-08:00

Just like Halloween, I watch the same movies every year around Christmas. The best way to get in the spirit is cuddling under a blanket with some hot chocolate, and watching one of my favorite Christmas movies. So, I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you! Who knows, maybe we have the same faves!

Elf

I double dog dare you to watch this movie, and not laugh. It is impossible, and that is a scientific fact! Even this picture makes me laugh! But seriously though, I have seen this movie countless times, and it is funny every single time. If you haven't seen it (I am worried about you haven't), then go watch it riiiiighhht NOW!

The Family Stone

First of all, if you are going to watch this movie, then make sure you have plenty of tissues. I watched this a few days ago and cried three times. It is seriously an awesome movie though. It is full of awkwardness, and a crazy dysfunctional awesome loving family. What more could you want? It is one of my all time favorites, and you should definitely check it out!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Now, I love the classic Grinch story, and I was a little apprehensive when they said they were making a live action version of the story. But this movie did not fail me! I could not imagine a better actor to portray the Grinch than Jim Carrey. He absolutely nailed it, and makes the character lovable and hilarious. Touche Mr. Carrey!

Love Actually

This movie does a great job of telling Christmas stories from all walks of life. Christmas isn't always a happy time for everyone, but it is always an important time. Plus, the scene where the guy is waiting outside Keira Knightly's door with those handwritten signs...amazing....

The Muppet Christmas Carol

If there is any Christmas movie that reminds me of my childhood, it is this one. My grandma had an old worn out VHS at their house, and I would watch it every single Christmas. Let's not even talk about the fact that I LOVE The Muppets. This is my favorite version of the portrayal of The Christmas Carol story...serious, but still funny.

The Santa Clause

No one can deny how good this movie is. It was an instant classic. This movie happens to be my mom's favorite Christmas movie (maybe favorite movie in general), and I would have to agree. I think it does a great job of instilling the spirit of Christmas in all of us grown-up bitter adults. I think sometimes we forget to be happy and embrace the whimsy and joy of this season sometimes. So pop this movie in, and pretend you are a little kid again for a bit!

Nightmare Before Christmas

Yes, I count this as a Christmas movie! So sue me! I mean, it involves Christmas AND Halloween, two of my favorite things ever! How could I not love it? And Tim Burton is strangely awesome. Did you know, that Tim Burton was inspired to make this movie when he saw someone taking down their Halloween decorations, and putting up Christmas decorations in their place? That person sounds like me...

So...what is on your Viewing Schedule this Christmas Season??

Insta- Life

2011-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

True Life: I am addicted to InstaGram

So, instead of telling you what has been going on in my life, I thought I would show you. Besides, I don't know about you, but I am much more of a visual person. So bring on the pictures!

1. New do. In case you hadn't noticed already...

2. The cutest baby in the whole entire world.

3. My boys are a couple of Bums I tell ya!

4. My mom's beautiful Christmas Tree!

5. Nick bonding with P-Mann

6. Nick decorating his family's tree!

7. My favorite new Red Scarf!

8. Decorations at mi casa

9. Hudson passes out everywhere.

10. 80's Sweater from Goodwill....love it!

11. New pair of SeaVees! Preptastic!

12. Mom's Vintage Scarf.

13. Company Christmas Cars. a.k.a. Desk Covered in Glitter

14. Dinner in Santa Barbara!

15. Best. Smoothies. Ever.

16. LOVED the Saks Christmas Display!

What does your Insta-Life look like?

What I am Looking Forward to...

2011-12-15T12:54:00.000-08:00

Going through some of my pictures from Thanksgiving made me think about what I am looking forward to when I go home for Christmas! There are so many things I love about being home for the Holidays with my friends and family, I thought I would share a few with you.

1. Quality time with the Fam Bam

{Family and Football}

{Daddy Mercado!}

{Bryney Boy}

2. Home Cookin'

{Workin' hard in the kitchen...with Blake by her side}

3. Food Comas

{Lol. No caption Needed}

4. Partying with Good Friends!

{Crazy group of Hooligans}

5. Being Comfy Cozy by the Fire!

{Can you guess which feet are min?}

6. Best Friend Time!

{Yeah. We are awesome.}

7. Seeing the Cutest Nephew in the World...Park City!

{LOOK at that face!}

{Momma and P-Mann}

There are seriously so many reasons why Christmas is my favorite holiday! I love seeing everyone, and spending quality time with my amazing family. And even though I have SO much to look forward to, there are two things I am going to be missing this Christmas...

{Nicholas and Hudson!}

{Conked Out.}

{My Love!}

Unfortunately Nick and my pup won't be there to celebrate Christmas because he is going to spend it with his family. I GUESS that is a valid excuse. But I will miss them so much!!

What are you guys looking forward to for the Holidays?

We're All a Little...

2011-12-13T08:43:00.000-08:00

Weird.

But we mean that in the best possible way! Or at least that is what Stephanie, Amanda, Hollie, Kelsey, Olivia, and Tammy decided last week. We all had a mini-holiday meetup at La Jolla Brew House! Several people came up to ask us why we were there, and how we all knew each other. Instead of telling them, we made them guess....Sorority Sisters? All weirdly related somehow? Work together? Circus performers?....Could you believe nobody guessed that we are all bloggers? Maybe it is because a bunch of weirdos (and I mean that in the best possible way) from the internet don't normally meet up and have drinks all the time...but WE DO!

{What other group of girls would all have their Cameras/iPhones out to document the night?}

{Miss Amanda and I!}

It is crazy how I have met some of these girls once before, and yet I click so well with them. We all collectively decided that we all get along so well because we all have that special qualities that one needs to be a blogger...we are all a little weird. Now some of you might think of the term "weird" as a negative, but I personally find it as a compliment. We are anything but ordinary in all the best ways! So say it with me! Weird and proud!

Anyhoooo. We had an awesome time! There was lots of laughs and LOTS of awkward conversations, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Oh and we did a gift exchange, and I was lucky enough to have Miss Stephanie pick my gift out...and let's just say she must be my long lost sister, because her gift fit my personality PERFECTLY! She just gets me. :) What was it you ask?

A freakin' sequined beret! Not only was she aware of my love for hats, but she paired it with my obsession with all things that sparkle! If you know me at all, if you add a little sparkle to something, I am one happy camper. Thanks Steph! I love it!

{Rockin' my new hat!}

I am so lucky to have met such an amazing group of girls through blogging. They are all interesting, smart, not to mention beautiful people, and I am blessed to know them all. Oh and did I mention we have a girls ROAD TRIP in the works for next mont? I am officially stoked.

Love you ladies!

Christmas Quiz!

2011-12-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

{via}

Kelsey got me in the Christmas Spirit so much with her last post, that I thought I would do the same! Here is a little bit about my take on this glorious of all Holidays!

Christmas Quiz!

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot Chocolate all the way! But please don't ask me to decide between Marshmallows or Whipped cream because I will NOT!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? No, no, no. He is much too busy to wrap presents.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love the traditional Colored lights...brings me back to my childhood.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No but what a good idea! Where does one get Mistletoe?

5. When do you put your decorations up? Sometime during the beginning of December. Nick doesn't let me do anything before Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My grandma's Baked French Toast Casserole...I look forward to it every single year! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? When we were little we would be convinced all the presents were done, my family would always bring out one big gift at the end. Usually it was a bike with a big bow on it, or a giant doll house. It was awesome!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I can't remember how old I was, but I do remember sitting in my grandparent's living room and crying. Everything felt like a conspiracy!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? My mom used to never allow us to. But now that Shea and Sarah split the holidays with their families, we do their gifts on Christmas Eve. Woo hoo two days of presents!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? My mom always does a beautiful tree. Very chic. Very designer. She has a great eye for that stuff, and is so good at it! I can't wait until I get my own tree, and start my own decoration traditions.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? LOVE the snow, but definitely would not enjoy living in the snow for long periods of time.

12. Can you ice skate? Heck yes. That reminds me, I want to go ice skating this month! Thanks Kels!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I don't think I could name a favorite. I think my favorite gift is having traditions that I still do with my family each year. Cheesy?

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Coming together as a family and Celebrating the real reason for the season, the birth of Jesus Christ!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream fo shoooo!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love waking up to see the stockings my grandma made for all of us when we were little all filled! And waiting for everyone to get up to go through all of them.

17. What tops your tree? I don't have a tree. But on top of my mom's tree is some kind of feather concoction of awesomeness.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Giving! I love to see people's faces light up when they get something they really want. Plus, I am awesome at wrapping gifts...so the more I give, the more I get to wrap!

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum? Yumm! Although I never buy them for myself?

20. Favorite Christmas show? My favorite Christmas movie of all time is The Muppets Christmas Carol...i used to watch it religiously when I was little. I wish I could own it now, I think my family has the worn-out VHS somewhere.

21. Saddest Christmas song? Blue Christmas! What could be more blue than that?

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Baby it's Cold Outside is probably my favorite one...but there are wayyyyy too many good ones out there!

[ Post Idea from mandy @ mama and the dudes ]

The Family that Parties Together...

2011-12-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

Fun Fact: My brother and sister-in-law have the SAME birthday!

Kind of awesome right? What is even more awesome is the Joint Birthday Celebration that comes once a year! You can always expect something fabulous planned, and a group of amazing people joined together to celebrate these two...

I think you guys know how blessed I feel to have my family in my life, but I am not sure if you know how grateful I am for Sarah. Growing up I always wanted a sister, but lets face it I secretly liked the attention of being the only girl. But something was always missing, and I didn't even realize it until Sarah came into this crazy little family of ours. She is the sister I always wanted, and I am so lucky my brother got his act together and put a ring on it! I love them both so much, and love how they both have been there for me whenever I needed it. Thanks you two!

Alright. Enough with the sappy, and on with the party! We had dinner at this great restaurant in Newport called Sol. If you live in Orange County, you should definitely check it out (tacos=amazing). There was a big group of us, some from Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, OC, and of course, San Diego (me!). I guess these two are pretty popular.

There was good food, wine, and lots of a laughter. I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all. But the night wasn't over yet! It was still early, and we wanted to go out on the town!...take the world by storm!...paint the town red!..well you get the point. Sadly Sarah had to go home early to check on Little P, but we got Old Man Shea to come out with us! (Small victory!)

{A few snapshots from the night!}

{Shea, Tara, and Justin}

Now I didn't think it was possible to find a dive bar in a Newport, but we managed to find a pretty good one. (with live music..bonus!) We ended up at some Irish pub that I can't remember the name of, but I do remember that Moby was performing. You remember Moby right? That techno dude from the 90's? OR it might have been Moby's Doppleganger. The probability for the second option is a lot higher than the first...but I am still convinced it was in fact 90's Techno Legend Moby. Sadly there is no photographic evidence, so you will just have to take my word or it.

Either way, there was music (and a few beers) in the air! And that is all that really matters right?

{Candid Camera}

The night turned out pretty good if you asked me. It would have been perfect if Sarah would have been there though. Next year we will leave Shea at home, and us girls will go out instead!

I am so grateful to be close with my brothers, and be able to join them in their celebrations. Seriously though. For years I thought I was the dorky little sister, that wasn't cool enough to hang out with my big brothers. Truth be told, I probably wasn't very cool at that time anyways. But I am glad we have gotten to the point in our lives where we can all go out and have a good time together. I think we are pretty lucky to have each other, if you ask me. Or they are pretty lucky to have me...yeah let's go with that second one...

Oh. And in case you were really curious what I looked liked rocking out to a drum solo on a bar table...

You are welcome.

New Start!

2011-12-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

Hey! Do you guys remember me? I used to blog every once and a while...on here actually. Well, I have slapped myself on the wrist for being a bad blogger, and am determined to make December my best blogging month ever! To start off the month with a BANG, I thought I would announce the winner of last months giveaway from my very own Momma!

The Winner Is...

Congratulations Anna! I am so excited for you!! Email me at KMercado988@yahoo.com, and I will give you the details to collect your AMAZING wreath!

I am so excited for December, and what I am bringing to the blog this month! My creative juices are flowin', and I have some fund stuff planned. Also, I am excited to be meeting up with my fabulous blogger friends again this month. I am so blessed to have met such an amazing group of girls through this blog. Kinda makes the whole thing worth it! So, moral of the story is if you stick with me, I promise I won't disappoint!

Happy December!!!

Attention!!

2011-11-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

So. I have not given due credit to my AWESOME giveaway that I am hosting from my AWESOME mom. For this reason, I am extending the giveaway until next Monday. That means you have 6 more days to get your entries in. So spread the word! Click on that button right over there to the right! Enter! Enter! Enter!

So Cal Blogger Meetup!

2011-11-17T09:39:00.000-08:00

{Via Olivia}

Due to the planning efforts of Olivia, Kelsey, Tammy, and Stephanie, I was lucky enough to attend the First Annual So Cal Blogger Meetup last weekend at Sip in Del Mar!

{Via Olivia}

Let me just say that I had SUCH a fun time! It was so nice to put a Face to the Blogs that I have read, and meet some truly fabulous ladies. Every single girl there was friendly and full of interesting stories. I had so much fun getting to know everyone, and learning about their lives. And the bonus is they all live nearby, so we can meet up whenever we want!

Olivia, Kelsey, Tammy, and Stephanie (that is a mouthful girls, we need a nickname for your group!) did SUCH a good job planning activities for us to get to know everyone. The first game was you get a pin, and if you say the words "Blog", "Blogger", "Blogging", etc. you get your pin taken away. Needless to say I got my pin taken away in the first five minutes...

{Via Olivia}

{She was on her A-Game!}

But I did come out victorious in the next game! Blogger Bingo!

{Via Olivia}

Each bingo card had facts about all the girls at the Meetup. Our mission to was to find the girl who matched the description, and get her to sign the card. Challenge Accepted! And what was my fact you ask?

"I am a Pint Sized lover of all things Ladylike!"

{Via Olivia}

{Getting to know everyone!}

Love it! So true! Anyways...guess who was the winner of this game?

{Via Olivia}

Me!! Yay me! And a Target gift card was my prize! Seriously, these ladies are genius, because I LOVE Target! I used the gift card two days later, by the way!

Then it was time for the Giveaways! Our lovely hosts did such a great job at pulling in sponsors who donated seriously AMAZING gifts! I think we can just all agree that these ladies did awesome in general.

{Via Olivia}

And here is the most exciting thing! I won something! If anyone is familiar with my luck, or lack there of, they know I NEVER win anything. Luckily, I had my friend Kelsey to help me out. You see, Kelsey has a ridiculous amount of luck. She has one FOUR concert tickets on the radio!! So before the giveaway she gave me a pat for good luck, and it worked! I won the most awesome gift ever!

A 1 Hour Photo shoot with Karina Irene Photography! She is an amazing photographer, and I am so excited to get to work with her!

{Via Olivia}

{One happy lady!}

Overall, it was a really great night! I loved having a glass of wine and getting to know some great girls, who have the same interests as I do. We all had a common thread that brought us together, and that was really cool to see! I am so grateful to Tammy, Stephanie, Kelsey, and Olivia for putting this whole night together, and I can't wait until the next one! A special shout out to one of my best friends Kelsey, for contributing so much to the night. I can see your passion for this stuff, and I am so proud of you! Love ya!

Cheers to our beautiful hosts!

{Via Karina}

p.s. Olivia MAY have caught me using my camera on my iPhone as a mirror to apply lip gloss.

{Via Olivia}

{I'll get you back Olivia!}

Portland Volume 2: All That Other Stuff

2011-11-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

Hey remember that one time I went to Portland two months ago? Well I got more to say about it! Since I have been ridiculous amounts a busy (I promise I will stop using that as an excuse..well probably never), I haven't been able to keep up with my events. What that means, is there is about a month lag between what I do, and what I post. Ah well...

So, Portland! One of my favorite parts of the city was walking around and exploring with everyone. Portland really is gorgeous, and has such interesting things to see.

{Cool funky wall. Which Sarah told me I should take a picture of for my blog. Sheesh I am a bad blogger.}

{The cutest little family in all the land!}

Did I mention the amount of local breweries? I love trying new beers (ales, IPA, stout...whatever I call them all beer), so this was super exciting for me! Our first stop was a place called Rogue.

{Dead Guy Ale. What a cool name for a beer....I mean ale.}

{The Taster. How cute is this display!}

If you haven't caught a trend by now, we did a lot of eating and drinking on this trip. It is a wonder how I could still zip my pants up after this weekend. The next day we went off exploring again, and stumbled upon a local street fair.

{Christa's ridiculously awesome purchase. Well played, Christa}

Did I mention their are a whooooole lot of Hipsters in Portland? Well we hit the mother load at this street fair. A Hipster gold mine, if you will. So, naturally my brother and I decided to make a game out of it called "Spot the Hipster". But, in order to be discreet about it, we decided to yell "Hipster" backwards whenever we spotted one. So imagine my brother and I walking down the street yelling "Ritshep!" literally every two seconds. (Yes we are aware that actually isn't "Hipster" spelled backwards. We didn't realize that at the time though.) I wouldn't say we were proud of our actions, but it definitely was entertaining. I totally won the game, by the way.

{On the prowl for Ritsheps}

Then the big kids went off to their wedding, and I go to spend some time with this guy...

{Cutest. Nephew. EVER.}

Did I mention that not only was I the nanny all weekend, but I was also the official hairdresser as well? I am a jack of all trades really. I had to introduce Sarah to the SJP Bun that we all know so well across the Blogosphere.

{Would anyone like to hire me to do their hair?}

{Presh}

Finally, we ended our trop at another local bar called Life of Riley's, who had the most entertaining waitress/bartender I have ever met in my life. We stayed for a bit and had some good laughs and good beers before hoping on our flight back to sunny California!

{Such a cute couple.}

I seriously had such a fun time, and was so lucky to get to hang out with some of my favorite people in the whole world. I am down to be Nanny Kai for any and all trips in the future (Hint hint broseph). Sorry that was a long post, but I figured I should just get it all out there before another two months go by!

Get excited, tomorrow I am blogging about the fabulous So Call Blogger Meetup from last weekend!!

Man of the Hour

2011-11-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

In honor of Blair's Man Week, I thought I would take a moment to take a moment to talk about the important things in life...men. In fact one man in particular, who happens to be my Celebrity Crush. Who is this man of the moment you ask? It is none other than...

Jason Segel

{via}

Bet you didn't expect that, did ya? Sure I could be like all the rest, and love the Ashton Kuther's or Brad Pitt's of the world, but that just isn't me. But Kai, this is your FANTASY. You could have any one you choose. Now don't get me wrong, I am fully aware that the whole nature of a Celebrity Crush is that it's never going to happen, no matter who you choose. So with that logic you might as well choose someone with chiseled abs, right? Wrong.

It may be just me, but even when selecting a Celebity Crush, he must be someone a bit more well-rounded. A jack of all trades, if you will. While God-like features are important, there are other qualities to which I find much more desirable in an imaginary-never-going-to-happen counterpart. Here is my top criterion for the Perfect Celebrity Crush, or as some of us in the industry call it, P.C.C. (If that is a code name for some kind of crazy drug that I am not aware of, I am sorry for offending those P.C.C. users)

{via}

The P.C.C.

1. Must be Cute (Be aware that my criteria of cute might be different from most of you readers. I don't exactly have a "type")

2. MUST be funny (This is a non-negotiable. Sorry to break your hearts, non-funny celebrities.)

3. Must be musically talented. (I don't care if you can play the triangle, but a guitar or piano is much more attractive.)

4. Must be unafraid to show his goofy side. (a.k.a. going full frontal naked in Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

5. Must be funny. (Did I say that already? Well it's THAT important)

6. Must love Puppets.

{via}

Okay that last one isn't really on my P.C.C. list, but it just so happens that Jason Segel fits the criteria perfectly! Don't believe me? I will prove it to you!

{via}

1. Must be Cute

I mean...for real though? How can you say he is not adorable? Check.

{via}

2. Must be Funny!

You know how most celebrities are funny, but they are reading from a script written by other, funnier people? Well not this guy. He wrote one of my favorite movies of all time(seriously, Top 5 people), Forgetting Sarah Marshall, AND starred in it. He is more than just a funny front man, he is the real deal. I think that means that he passes this category with flying colors.

{via}

3. Must be Musically Talented.

If you haven't seen tidbits of the Dracula Musical, or his Slapsgiving song, you are missing out. Period. End of story. But besides his awesome parodies, he actually is a really talented musician. That talent alone is a favorite of many ladies, I'm sure.

{via}

4. Must be unafraid to show his goofy side.

Hmmm..'nuff said?

{via}

5. Must be Funny. (Made it on the the list twice)

I mean, really. Have you seen How I Met Your Mother? If you haven't, go watch one episode...which will be followed by watching the entire series...and get back to me on how AWESOME it is. K. Thanks.

{via}

6. Must love Puppets.

The man is doing a Muppets movie. You can't tell me that when you were little, that you didn't want to be in a Muppets movie. If you didn't, you are lying to yourself and me! Not only that, but he is a writer on this film as well! Trust me when I say that I am SUPER Stoked for November 23rd, to finally see The Muppets back on the silver screen!

Sorry if this was long and drawn out, but for the P.C.C. I would expect nothing less. Now here is my goal...to actually get Jason Segel to read this post (which I know is highly unlikely.) But now that he has a twitter (@JasonSegel), I like to pretend that I have a chance. So if you are in the Twitterhood, and happen to mention me (@ComplicatedKai) and my P.C.C (@JasonSegel), I would be forever in your debt. For if he even knew I existed, I could die one happy lady....just sayin'....

Word.

2011-11-14T14:33:00.000-08:00

{via}

Seriously though. I am tired. If you couldn't tell what the theme of this post was, now you know.

Traveling to New York, and basically not sleeping for 4 days, certainly put a toll on this body. I am not sure I got out of bed once all weekend. Sweatpants were a big part of my life for about 48 hours.

I did however manage to get my booty out of bed and head on over to the So Cal Blogger Meetup, hosted by Olivia, Kels, Stephanie, and Tammy. (Although I did cheat by putting my hair up in a bun. But shhh don't tell.) Let me tell you, I had an AMAZING time!!!! Those girls did such a wonderful job planning everything. Trust me you will be hearing about it, just as soon as I have energy to blog more than two paragraphs....

In the meantime, one more for the road...

{via}

Tammy's Little Guest Post

2011-11-11T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hellllllooo,

I'm Tammy and I spend way too much working on my blog Lemons, Avocados, and the Bay.

(Is it bad when your boyfriend starts referring to your blog as the the "other lover"? Hehe)
Today Kai asked me to write a little guest post on her blog today while she's busy working away in New York.

On my blog, I write about the sweet boyfriend who understands my blog addictions, happy times I spend with my family and friends, our adventures in San Diego, renovating our home, good food, style, and traveling.

Check it out :)

In other news,

On November 13 at SIP @ Flavor Del Mar I will be hosting the San Diego/SoCal Blogger Meetup with these lovely ladies:

Kelsey of Eat. Drink. Be A Tourist.

Olivia of Olivia.Dee

Stephanie of Polos, Pearls, and Pacifiers

We would love it if you could join us. We already have some amazing sponsors lined up (cough Sprinkles Cupcakes cough) that will be donating beautiful jewelry, fitness and dance classes, baked goods, and even blog design! :)

If you're a local and are interested in attending we would be oh so happy! :)

Visit my site (or click on the button above that will take you to Kelsey's blog), leave a message, and we will happily send you an evite

Kai, thanks for sharing your lovely space with me today :)

A Very Special Giveaway!

2011-11-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Hey all! I guess I am on some sort of Giveaway Roll? But before I tell you the next AWESOME giveaway I am hosting, I am going to announce the Winner from my Halloween Giveaway.

The Winner Is...

Congrats Kara! Send me your info and I will get that over to you right away!

OKAY.

This is a special Giveaway to me because I am introducing you to a very cool Blogger/Etsy Shop Owner, my MOM! Yes that is right, my mom is the Blogger behind Reinventing the Ordinary. Where did you think I got all my writing skills from? She is the original creative mind in the family. And trust me when I say she is way more creative then me! For one thing, I can't craft myself out of a paper bag, and my mom can build or craft almost anything! So now is the time for you to learn a little more about Momma Mercado!

1) Tell us a little bit about yourself and your shop.

I guess to begin with I am a wife and mother. I have 3 children … 2 boys and 1 girl (who you may know). They are all grown up now and live in Southern California. My oldest son and daughter-in-law have a 5 month old son, Parker, who I featured last week in Tuesday Loves.

I’ve always loved DIY projects … mostly home improvement such as building waterfalls, barbecues, laying tile, and things of that nature. I just this summer retired from teaching and found a renewed interest in creating new things and….lots of time now to do them.

My etsy shop is just a natural outlet for all the new projects and ideas I have been working on. It will mainly be items for the home, but there may be some clothing in the future… and I will definitely be including my decorative crates and bedding for dogs.

2) What are some of your favorite color combinations?

Hmm, I guess one color I always am drawn to is red. I like to combine it with a neutral such as khaki…but I’ve been drawn lately into mixing it with purple and yellow.

3) What inspired you to start blogging?

The first blog I read was yours … All Kinds of Complicated. I was surprised how funny it was and how I enjoyed your writing. I decided I have a kind of “irreverent “ or shall we say satirical humor that I thought would be fun to share.

4) What has been your favorite Craft to make so far?

As I said before, in the past I’ve done mainly building … but since becoming addicted to Pinterest, I’ve been inspired to try some other things. I think the Coffee Filter Lantern. has been my favorite so far. I think it looks so soft and rich.

5) What do you think of your awesome blogging daughter?

Of course I am very proud of you. I never realized how funny you were. You’re my blogging guru.

6) What is your favorite item in your shop?

I love some of my new wreaths … and I really like the dog crates, although they aren’t quite finished yet, but I’d have to say the Coffee Filter Lantern….

7) What inspires you daily to create?

At first it was Pinterest….which led me to blogging….which led me to so many creative people and ideas. How could you not be inspired.

8) What is your next on your To Do Craft List?

I have a plan to make a really ornate line of Doggy Crates...I want to incorporate my love of building materials…like crown molding, finials and ornate fabrics.

9) What is you favorite thing about blogging?

I love sharing my experiences and projects…and there is usually a humorous facet to so many of the things I’ve done or gotten myself into. I think I could fill a year of blogs just on my injuries alone.

10) What is the meaning of the name "Reinventing the Ordinary"?

I hate boring! I’ve never been conservative in my style or actions. I remember thinking I never wanted anyone to look at me and say …she must be a teacher. I have an eclectic style and I like the UNEXPECTED. I think it goes beyond just decorating or crafting … it’s kind of a life style and attitude.

So now that you know a little bit about my Mom and her FABULOUS Blog and Etsy Shop, you should definitely head on over to both and show her some love. She is returning the favor by offering to Giveaway one of her fabulous wreaths right here on my blog! Which wreath you ask? Well..

You Get a choice between...

The Burlap Bubble Wreath in Neutral...

...or Red!

These gorgeous Wreaths are PERFECT for the Holidays! Can't you imagine these beauties hanging on your door?? Well one lucky winner will get to choose their favorite color in this awesome Burlap Wreath! How do you win, you say? Well, I will tell you how!

Required Entry:

-You MUST be a Follower of Reinventing the Ordinary and All Kinds of Complicated to Enter. Leave a Comment telling us your favorite Item from the Reinventing Ordinary Etsy Shop!

Extra Entries:

-Follow Momma Mercado's Blog, Reinventing the Ordinary

- Follow me on Twitter (@ComplicatedKai)

- Follow Momma Mercado on Twitter (@Blmarket1)

-Tweet about this giveaway!

"@ComplicatedKai and @Blmarket1 are hosting a very festive Reinventing the Ordinary Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/7s222tq"

-Blog About this Giveaway (2 Entries)

Please leave Separate Comments for each Entry!

The Giveaway is only open to U.S. Residents! (Sorry those abroad!)

Rockin' Halloween: Part 2

2011-11-03T09:20:00.000-07:00

Alright. Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you all have been waiting for! The reveal of my most ridiculous outfit yet. You see, this night was a different type of "Rockin", it was a night of what we like to call "Party Rockin". What's that? You don't know what Party Rockin is? Well let me give you a crash course...

{via}

Here are a few Images of the LMFAO video that inspired our costumes...

If you haven't seen the "Sexy and I Know It" LMFA video, I suggest you do. But just to be fair warned, there are a lot of men in speedos in it.

And here my friends, is the final project...

Pretty darn close if you ask me. Nick looks so much like the lead singer, it was freaking me out all night. And if you are wondering, yes that is a boom box necklace I have on. Maybe you are thinking to yourself that this isn't that ridiculous. But what you don't realize is that afro on top of my head, is actually my real hair. Observe:

{This is the face I make when I am afraid to brush my hair out later.}

Yup. I am officially rocking the side swept afro. I am not sure if that is an actual hairstyle, but if not then I just made it one. Boom! Clearly with outfits like ours, it was a requirement that shenanigans would take place. I don't think you can physically can be serious, while rocking an afro?

{Cheese central}

{Mean Muggin...}

{Quite possibly one of my favorite pictures of the night.}

One of my favorite things about Nick and I's relationship is that we don't take ourselves too seriously, and we aren't afraid to have fun and goof off. And when he sees his girlfriend with a full afro he says "You look awesome babe", instead of "What were you thinking?". We are always so supportive, and no exactly what to do to make each other laugh. You better believe in outfits like this, we were laughing all night.

{Nick and his friends? That is all I got to explain this pic.}

{Afro modeling. Clearly}

{We really do.}

One of my favorite parts of the weekend was having Nick's sister, Danielle, in town for the weekend. She is so much fun, and always keeps me laughing!

{She is kind of awesome.}

But, she does always beat me in the Ugly Face contest, which drives me crazy. No matter what kind of hideous face I come up with, she can always contort her face better! I will get her one day!

I had such an amazing night with everyone. I almost wish I could have an afro every day...almost....

Rockin' Halloween: Part 1

2011-11-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

There seemed to be a centralized theme to my Halloween festivities this year, and that was Rock! Whether it be actual Rockstars, or Party Rockin, I went all out! I was prepared to ROCK! The first night was my girls night out. If there is one thing my friends and I love, it is a theme. I think it might be from our four years of sorority life, and an endless amount of theme parties. Regardless, if there is an opportunity for a theme, we will take it! This years theme...

ROCKSTARS!

{There were a few non-rockers in there, but you get the point.}

{My make-up artist!}

For me personally, any opportunity to have big hair, dramatic make-up (thanks Julie!), and red lips, is okay with me! We had so much fun hanging out and catching up with friends that have moved away. I even got to spend some time with my awesome old roommates.

{We are a bit awkward, but also pretty awesome.}

{Two of my favorite people, who decided to move away from me. :( I miss them terribly.}

{I am clearly very serious about rocking.}

It was an awesome night filled with lots of laughs. In fact, we had so much fun catching up, that we didn't even make it out to the bars until after 11:00 p.m. Turns out time really does fly when you are ROCKING OUT!

P.S. I hope you are all excited to see the shenanigans that was my Party Rock Costume....

Boo!

2011-10-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of Post today! Busy as a bee!! I hope you guys are having a SPOOKY day! Get ready to see the Awesomeness (yes that is a word) that was Nick and I's Halloween costume.

It is Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

2011-10-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

...Halloween!

That is how the song goes right? No? Oh well. This time of the year means it is time to bust out all my Spooky decorations. My mom gave me a bunch of her old decorations to spook up my new apartment, as well as making some amazing things herself. Honestly, I am not sure how my apartment would look right now with out the stylistic hand that is my mother.

Here are a few things spotted around the house to get us in to the Halloween spirit.

Do we love the Witches boot? My mom found it for me on her trip to The Garment District in Los Angeles. It is pretty fab if you ask me. I had to tell her to hold back from buying everything she saw, because she sent me about fifty texts of stuff she wanted to buy me. I love this purchase though. Very Halloween Glam! The boot is accompanied by two Ceramic Pumpkins that have been in our family since I was a little one. Now they belong to me! Muahahahahahaha!

Another hand-me-down is the Monster Mash toy! All the little monsters sing and dance to the song "Monster Mash". I remember playing this thing over and over when I was a little kid! So excited my mom decided to hand it over to me. :)

It isn't halloween without carving Pumpkins! Nick's pumpkin is on the left, and mine is on the right. Nick carved an awesome Storm Trooper, and I carved one of my favorite characters from Mario Party (10 Brownie Points if you can guess the character's name!). Can you tell how nerdy and I are? Our pumpkins are based on Star Wars and video games, and I love it! Nerdy and proud!

We also have a little Witch in the kitchen that I assume is supposed to hold candy and goodies. But the problem is that if we actually kept goodies in there, we would end up eating all of said goodies. Therefore we use this little witch as a pen holder. Thanks Witchy!

And last, but certainly not least, the main attraction! My mom made me my very own Halloween Wreath!!

There aren't even words to describe how FABULOUS this is! I am so grateful my mom is crafty, and loves to make stuff for me, especially stuff as gorgeous as this wreath! I mean, there is a sparkly orange spider! What else could a girl want on Halloween?? Thanks Momma!

That was just a few touches of Halloween around my house. What decorations do you have to get you in the Halloween spirit?

A Seasonal Recipe!

2011-10-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

As you know, I am all about checking things off my Fall Check List. So far I am doing pretty good. One of the things I was most excited about on the list was trying some new, fall inspired recipes. One of my favorite Fall ingredients is pumpkin. Through some pumpkin into the mix, and it is sure to be a delicious treat. So, you can imagine my excitement when i found this recipe...(brace yourself. It is a bit of a mouthful)

Say THAT five times fast! Last weekend I was browsing through Foodgawker (if you don't know what that is, look into it. Pictures among pictures of AMAZING recipes), to find something Fall inspired to bake. I finally stubled upon this recipe, and had to try it for myself. Here is a copy of the recipe from Just Everyday Me for you try for yourself.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Original Recipe from Kirbie's Cravings

Ingredients:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup oatmeal (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper (I used aluminum foil and it worked well).
In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla and egg.
In a medium bowl, whisk together together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon (pumpkin pie spice), and salt. Add the flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. The dough is very wet.
Stir in the chocolate chips and oats, if you so desire.
Using a medium (1 tbs) ice cream scoop, place dough onto the cookie sheet. The cookies don’t change shape much when baking. If you want prettier cookies, shape them a bit before baking them.
Place the cookie trays in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes (this is optional but I like doing this because I feel like it helps the flavors meld more).
Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. It’s a little hard to know when they’re done exactly but about 10 minutes does it.

These were super easy to make, and SUPER delicious! I would definitely suggest this recipe, especially if you are a Pumpkin and Chocolate fan. Let me know how it goes!

Enjoy!

The Great Pumpkin

2011-10-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Wait! Before you read one more thing...have you entered my giveaway yet??? If not, click on that little button to the right, and enter now! Yes. It is THAT easy!

Since last year was kind of a bust (I actually didn't do one thing for Halloween), I was determined to make this year filled with Halloween Goodness. First, and most important, thing on my list was to go to to a Pumpkin Patch. Apparently the very best one near San Diego is close to an hour away, which Nick immediately vetoed. We found one within a reasonable distance from our house, and off we went.

Now, if we had known we would get lost for an hour, then we probably would have just gone to the better patch. But that is besides the point. (But really. We went about 7 miles in the wrong direction.) We finally arrived at our Pumpkin Patch destination, and it was...hot. Did I mention that if you drive inland 15 minutes from the coast, it is like 20 degrees hotter. It is like a different climate over there. I will take my beach weather any day, thank you.

{Finally at the Pumpkin Patch!}

{I swear he was more excited then he looks in this picture.}

There was a pretty sub-par Corn Maze, that probably wasn't worth going through. But if you are at a Pumpkin Patch, and they have a Corn Maze, I am pretty sure it is a requirement to do it. Truth be told, I actually got lost once or twice. But I credit that to my lousy sense of direction, not the difficulty of the Corn Maze.

{I actually kind of love the colors in this picture}

{Leading us to safety.}

Then it was off to choose our perfect pumpkin. But first, a little face in hole photo-opp?

{I don't know why I decided to go with the "offended cat" look?}

I decided that we must choose Pumpkins that match us. Nick's would be tall and lean. Mine would be short and stumpy. And we can't forget Hudson. His would be the littlest of them all. After walking through rows of pumpkins, we finally found the perfect match! Like choosing a Christmas tree, I believe the Pumpkin finds you, you don't find the Pumpkin. There is a cosmic synergy to the whole thing. (I think I just made up the term "Cosmic Synergy")

{Nick and I's Pumpkin Soulmates.}

Quite pleased with our selections, we hurried home to carve these babies up!

Stay tuned for my Halloween Adventure!

A Halloween Giveaway!

2011-10-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

This week I will be going over all things Halloween! I love this time of year, and have been getting extra psyched to celebrate, and check some things off my fall check list.

Before I begin, I want to tell you guys the winner of my last Giveaway!

The Winner Is...

Congrats Jessie!!! Email me to find out how you get your free Canvas Print!

Alright back to business. Nothing gets me more excited for Fall than filling the house with Seasonal scents with an amazing candle. Luckily, my friend Staci over at Scentsy reached out to me right in time for the season. Staci is a Sales Representative for an amazing company called Scentsy, who specializes in Flameless Candles. What you do is put the Scentsy into the Scentsy Warmer, and it melts and smells better than any candle!

Since I am one lucky lady, she sent me one to test and share with all of you! Check it out!

I got to choose any design, and I chose the Casbah Full-size Scentsy Warmer with and Autumn Sunset Scentsy.

These are SO easy to use, and so much better than an every day normal candle. No melting wax. No fire hazard. And it looks a million times more chic. With hundreds of designs to choose from , you can match a Scentsy Warmer to your own unique decor! Did I mention they have Holiday designs??? (Awesome!)

I absolutely love my Scentsy Warmer, and I know you will too. If you want to buy your own (which you should, obvi!), hop on over to the Party Staci is hosting for me.

And if all of THAT weren't enough, Staci is offering to host a Giveaway on this little blog of mine! Here is what you can win!

A Scentsy Scent Pak of Your Choice!

These little babies are perfect to stash any place you want to keep smelling AMAZING. Keep them in your purse, your gym bag, your drawers. They will keep anything smelling spectacular!

Ways to Enter:

1) Be a Follower of this Blog, and leave a comment letting me know which Scentsy Pak Scent you would choose!

Extra Entries:

2) Follow me on Twitter (@ComplicatedKai)

3) Follow Staci on Twitter (@StaciBrener)

4) Tweet about this Giveaway:

"@ComplicatedKai and @StaciBrener are hosting a Scentsy Giveaway! I hope I win! http://tinyurl.com/4x82x4t"

5) Blog About this Giveaway

(Please leave a separate comment for each entry!)

Good luck!!!

Portland Volume 1: Breakfast Wars

2011-10-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

I just recently went to Portland with my brother, his wife, and their beautiful baby boy Parker. We were also joined by three of their closest friends, Wiley, Tyler, and Christa. Let me tell you, they were quite the fun bunch. And if there was one thing this fun bunch loved to do, it was eat. If there was one thing we loved more than eating, it was eating breakfast. Luckily, Sarah and Christa got the inside scoop of where THE top breakfast places in Portland were. And thus began Portland Breakfast Wars 2011.

Round 1: Mother's Bistro

{Just ignore the fact that we are basically twins. I swear it wasn't planned}

As the first stop on our 2011 Breakfast Tour, Mother's Bistro did not disappoint. Quite the opposite actually...it was friggin AWESOME. I would love to tell you what everyone else got, because I definitely had a bite of each thing, but all I can remember was the ridiculousness that was the French Toast. Observe...

I mean, c'mon. It is not even fair. My mouth is watering just looking at this picture. Because, dear friends, this was no ordinary French Toast. In fact, it was the Mother of all French Toast (Mother's Bistro...get it? ha). This French Toast was dipped in Corn Flake batter, making it the ultimate in crunchy, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. I am actually considering going up to Portland again, just for this French Toast.

On the first leg of the tour, we were pretty impressed. Everyone loved their food, and we weren't sure how anything else would top it.

Round 2: The Original

{The Original at night, because I actually forgot to take pictures of this one. Bad blogger, bad.}

While I loved the cool Modern Extrerior/Interior, I was a bit underwhelmed with the food. I will give them credit for originality though. My brother ordered Peanut Butter and Jelly Pancakes, and some others ordered Beef Jerky Bloody Marys (which I heard were amazing). But the thing I remember the most was some form of ridiculous Cheesy Fries, which gaind the reputation of "Cheese Turd"

{Gross.}
Overall, I would say that creativity in a menu matters, but not as much as quality food. I would rather have a delicious classic dish, than a groundbreaking original dish that is so-so.

Round 3: Kenny & Zukes

I have got to hand it to this place, they were pretty awesome. This place had more of a diner vibe, focusing on deli classics such as Pastrami. I ordered an Everything Bagel Sandwich, and it was to die for. Since we got here later, it was more of a brunch experience, so we got to order some lunch items too!

Although I didn't have a bite, because I was stuffed from my Breakfast Sandwich and Mimosa, I heard that the Mac & Cheese was amazing! Kenny & Zukes hit the nail on the head with their laid back New York Deli type menu, focusing on quality food!

The Verdict:

While most of the places we went were good, I can only choose one winner....

Mother's Bistro!!!

Clearly people. I mean, they had me at Cornflake French Toast. Cornflake. French. Toast. I know some of you are reading this and thinking "Dang Kai and her friends ate a lot that weekend", and to that I say that you are correct sir! But it was all for the sake of the greater good (a.k.a. Breakfast Wars), and in no way had to to with the fact that we looove to eat. And if you think that's bad, remember there are two other meals in the day, which means we ate six other meals I didn't even go over....yet....

What Happens in Vegas

2011-10-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

So last weekend was pretty ridiculous. Me and 5 of my closest girlfriends went to Vegas!

We seriously had an AMAZING time! I would love to blog about all the crazy adventures that we had. But you know the rule...

What happens in Vegas...

...Stays in Vegas.

And remember...there are consequences for breaking the code.

Mamma and Poppa Mercado!

2011-10-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

Oh hey! Remember me? Probably not. After three straight weekends of traveling (Orange County, Portland, and Vegas), I am officially exhausted. Pooped. Done. Out for the count. So, I do apologize for being M.I.A. on this lovely little blog of mine. But I am officially on catching-you-guys-up-on-my-life mode! We will start with a little visit from my family to Sunny San Diego!

For those of you who don't know, Nick and I just recently moved into an old apartment (and between you and me, it is VASTLY better then my old place). You might also not know that my mother was an Interior Decorator, and is also the craftiest person I know. So when I asked her to help decorate my apartment, she was all over it like white on rice. But since she lives 4 hours away, she had to lug all of it down to San Diego, and my dad joined her.

Here is a sneak peak of something she made...

The pillow, not the dog. But the dog seems to like the pillow. Everything she made is amazing, and exactly what I wanted! I will show you guys more of what my mom made a little later. Hopefully I can get Momma Mercado on here, so she can tell you herself!

After my mom got all of her designs in, we decided to have a fun Game Night! We pulled out a personal favorite of mine, Phase 10!

{There might have been some Margaritas involved. What is a Game Night without some Margs??}

{Big Winner! Actually I lost, but I am pretty sure they cheated.}

The next day we did some shopping at a few Home stores (The Home Depot employees and I are now besties). Then my brother decided to drive down and join us for dinner. Since my dad is a seafood lover (as am I), we decided to go to the always fun Joe's Crab Shack!

{Isn't he handsome?}

{Oh yeah. We ate crab. And we rocked the bibs!}

It was a great weekend spent with my favorite people in the whole world, my family. Luckily, Nick and I have a spare bedroom in our new place. So hopefully they will be planning a lot more visits in the future!

{All we are missing is Shea, Sarah, and Paker!}

2 Years!

2011-10-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

Nick and I celebrated our 2 Year Anniversary last weekend! It is amazing to think that 2 years have passed since I started dating this man. When I look back and think about when we started dating, I laugh about how crazy we were. Life has mellowed down a lot since then, and Nick and I have been through so much together. We have been there for each other through thick and thin, and have built some amazing memories. Here is to many more years together!

So the morning we woke up and exchanged gifts! I got Nick a watch (a pretty baller one if you ask me), and I was presented with this...

I am pretty sure there is not much better in this world then seeing a little Blue box with a White bow. I was instantly excited, and I hadn't even opened it yet! Nick picked out a beautiful bracelet for me ALL BY HIMSELF! I was so proud. I mean, seriously, what kind of man goes into Tiffany's and picks out a bracelet for a girl by himself? A winner, that is who!

Now this is the best part ladies. This is why I am dating this perfect guy of mine. Do you know what we did for our Anniversary?? Nick took me to see Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Old Globe Theater! Seriously though. He thought of this all on his own. He knew how much I loved to go see live musicals, and how much I LOVE Rocky Horror, and bought tickets for us to go! (I will wait for everyone to say "Awwww") Does my boyfriend get me or what?

{One happy girl!!!}

{I think he gets a gold star...or an award for Boyfriend of the Year}

{The view from our seats. Pretty awesome.}

Guys. Time to get serious. The show was AMAZING. If they are doing the play in your town you HAVE to go see it. Even Nick loved it, and I am pretty sure he despises all musicals. It was funny, wacky, and maybe a little inappropriate. One thing is for sure, it definitely got me in the Halloween spirit!

The moral of this story is that I have an awesome boyfriend, who after two years, knows me better than anyone else. Lucky me. :)

And remember...it's just a jump to the left...

Bloopity Bloop

2011-10-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

No photo shoot would be complete without some bloopers. Some awkward ones....some what the heck was I doing there? Here are a few of mine...

{Look ma! I can bend my body awkwardly!}

{Am I smiling? Am I thinking about something funny? You will never know}

{I think I am preparing myself for the shoot right here. An inner pep-talk if you will...}

{Look sexy...okay look less sexy...}

{This was my "I-will-look-casual-just-rolling-up-my-sleeves pose". Didn't work out.}

{What?}

{My name is Kai. I am very serious.}

I told you. Awkward, party of 1! I hope you like my bloopers...I think it is fun to show the not so glamourous side of Fashion Blogging...trust me there will be many more....

Check!

2011-10-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

Now that is October I think it is safe to say that it is officially Fall! In honor of one of my favorite seasons (a.k.a Pumpkin flavored ANYTHING), I decided to take a queue from Sherry at Oh So Lovely and create a Checklist that I want to accomplish this season!

The goal is to get all of these done before December, because I am sure that I will have a whole new Checklist for Christmas! Wish me luck on my adventures!

I'm Not a Farmer...

2011-09-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

...but I have been to a Farmer's Market. So I am not sure what that makes me? Anyhoo, Nick and I are loving our new neighborhood so much! My favorite thing about moving is exploring all the new areas around you, and getting to know your surroundings. One thing we discovered is that every Thursday there is a Farmer's Market right by our house! Score! We scurried on over to check out the goods!

{I don't care where I am going, as long as it's with you.}

We discovered rows of tents selling all kinds of different foods! Have I died and gone to heaven? Unfortunately we didn't have an abundance of cash on us ( I NEED to start remembering to carry cash), so we just bought enough for dinner.

{I made a slight change of plans and purchased a Strawberry Lemonade as well. It had fruit on the straw, what was I supposed to say, no?}

{Don't bother me. I am drinking delishesness!}

{Fake smile, but I'll take it!}

There was so many yummy food options it was hard to choose! I decided to go with a Crepe with Chicken, Cheese, Avacado, and other goodness inside. Can you believe I had never had a crepe before??

Yeah. It was kind of amazing. I wanted to get a dessert crepe SO bad, but then Nick couldn't get dinner. So then I had a tough decision to face. Dessert crepe or Nick's dinner? I decided to let Nick eat...but only this time! You better believe next time that Nutelle Crepe WILL be mine!

Nicholas decided on some yummy Greek food! The food was delicious, don't get me wrong, but I can't help but be thrown off a bit by how it looks...will someone please back me up on this????

{Looks gross...but surprisingly delish}

We had such a great time walking hand-in-hand down the rows of booth, and taking home yummy food. I am excited to go back, and get to explore a bit more. I really want to take home some fresh local produce, and home made baked goods (and of course my Nutella Crepe) next time. Luckily for me, it comes around every Thursday!

Just a Few Things!

2011-09-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Today is the last day you can enter my giveaway! It also happens to be my birthday...so as a special birthday gift to me, click that little button to the right and enter!!!!

Also, I have another big announcement! My momma started a blog! Yeah, my mom! And it is pretty awesome if I do say so myself....so you should go check it out!!!

Reinventing the Ordinary

If you want to see some pretty awesome pictures of me when I was little I would go check out her latest post. It is a little dedication to me in honor of my birthday, and it is full of baby photos! I am so proud of my mom for taking the step to start her own blog, and put her voice out there. I know she will do great! Make sure you take a second to hop on over to Reinventing the Ordinary, and become a follower!

Friday Fancies

2011-09-23T11:33:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I have done Friday Fancies, so I thought I would throw my dream winter outfit into the mix. If anyone would like to buy all of this for me it would be great.

Friday Fancies by kmercado988 featuring crystal jewelry

Alexander Wang leather lace up boots
$236 - theoutnet.com

Dannijo layered chain necklace
$98 - dannijo.com

Eddie Borgo crystal jewelry
$1,095 - cultstatus.com.au

What is Moorpark Spelled Backwards?

2011-09-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

Kraproom...get it? All jokes aside, I really do love to visit Nick's family in Moorpark! It was so nice getting away for a nice long three day weekend and spending it with amazing people. Nick's family is always warm and welcoming, and a blast to hang out with. Plus, they taught me how to play Phase 10, which is the best card game EVER!!!

One of my favorite things to do in Nick's hometown is going hiking in Wildwood. I had never been before, and let me tell you it was B-E-A-UTIFUL! We loaded up two dogs and three people into my car and headed out into the wilderness (kinda).

{Nick and Hudson...and the gorgeous view!}

{Danielle (Nick's sister) and Dakota. A.K.A. Twinsies}

Not gonna lie...the trail totally kicked my booty. It was a tough little hike. But honestly, I would rather be getting in a tough work-out in the sun with fun people, then in a gym with strangers. Give me the sunshine any day of the week!

{Stumbled upon this cool tee-pee. What a great place for a Family Picture.}

At the bottom of the Mountain (giant hill? I dunno) was a cool little waterfall! It was so perfect and serene. I could probably build some kind of tent, or just live in that giant tee-pee, and never leave this place. They would allow that right? Could they stop me? Who is this "they" I am referring to? So many questions!

We also found a place where Dakota usually likes to go swimming so we let the dogs off the leashes. Dakota sprinted into the water, and Hudson followed behind. The problem was that Hudson didn't realized he was running into deep water (I think he thought it was just shiny blue land)....if it is possible for a dog to look shocked and terrified, that is what poor Hudson looked like. He then proceeded to panic and get out of the water as soon as he possibly could. Needless to say Nick and I could not stop laughing...

{One wet dog. He looks happy because he is back on land.}

{Two Happy Dogs!}

It was seriously a perfect day, filled with sunshine and laughter. Followed by a three hour nap due to exhaustion...I kinda looked like this guy...

My First Tutorial

2011-09-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am a Tutorial Noob (Nick is so proud of me right now for using the word Noob). Anyways there is a whole lot of me in this post...if you don't like it, then click out right about NOW. Are you still with me? Okay good! Today I shall be teaching you all how to curl your hair with a straightener! Who is excited??

Straightener Curls

1. Start with dirty and dry hair. I would suggest waiting a day after washing, because it will hold curl a lot better.

2. If you have a lions mane of hair like I do, you will need to separate your hair. Some people separate into fourths, but I usually do halves. It is personal preference, but usually you will want to tackle sections of your hair at a time to make it easier.

(Depending on how tight you want your curls, take about an inch section of your hair, and make sure it is combed through.)

3. Keeping your straightener perpendicular to your head, start by pulling your straightener downwards. Then flip the straightener towards you, under and back over, so that the hair is facing downwards again. (Making the hair loop around the straightener once) Keep pulling it downwards.

4. Once you have reached the bottom, roll the straightener back up towards the top of your scalp. (Like you were using a curling iron.)

5. Hold that section in the straightener for about 10 seconds, or until your hair feels hot to touch.

6. To release pull the straightener down (so that it would be parallel with your face) while loosening your grip on the straightener.

7. Repeat steps 3-6 on each section of hair. Spraying each curl with a bit of hairspray if your hair doesn't hold curl.

8. Make sure that you are always curling away from the face. If you curl inward, towards your face, you get a funky 80's look. Not cute.

9. Work your way through the bottom section, making sure all one-inch pieces are curled.

10. You think you are done, but you aren't. Release the beast that has been resting on the top of your head while you curled the bottom half. Reactions might be similar to the one above.

11. If you have shorter grown out bangs like I do, curl them a bit differently then the longer pieces.

12. Start at the bottom of the shorter hair pieces, and just roll all the way up towards your scalp, skipping Step 3 in the aforementioned curling process.

13. This creates a looser curl that frames your face a bit better.

14. Continue curling as normal with the rest of the top section of your hair. As you can see I am getting impatient because I have a massive amount of hair.

This should be your finished product! Yay! How did it go?

More importantly, how did my explaining go??? If you have any questions let me know, and I will answer them the best i can! Now get to curling!!!!

Hip-Hop-Anonymous?

2011-09-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Before I begin...Have you entered my giveaway??? If not, click this link below!!

I have a confession. I love Hip-Hop. Not like an "Oh did you hear that new Flo-Rida song?" love, but like an actual affinity for real Hip-Hop. I do believe that I played Kanye West's My Dark Twisted Fantasy on repeat for a month straight in my car (loudly too).

I am sure that I look like quite the contradiction, a typical preppy girl bumping hard hitting rap in my car down the streets of La Jolla, but I don't care. I love it. It has spoken to me ever since I was a little girl. "What kind of little girl listens to rap?" you ask? I will tell you who! A little girl with two much older brothers. It all started with a thing we used to call "The Rocky"

An accurate title, because the brand of the car was a Rocky. This little gem was Shea, my eldest brother's first car. Not the highest end vehicle as you can see, but it was a trooper to say the least. My parents were pretty smart, in that they never gave any of their children super fancy cars when they turned 16. Let's face it...

16 year-old + Brand New (insert fancy brand here) Car= Accident waiting to happen.

Anyways, I digress. The importance of this little car is that it was where my love for hip-hop was born. You see my brother spent all of his summer savings on a ridiculous sound system for this junky little car. Around the same time, my brother was discovering the 90's rap icons, such a Notorious B.I.G, 2 Pac, Snoop Dogg, Mase, etc. Also at the same time, Shea was being forced to pick me up from elementary school. Let's see, my brother is 9 years older than me, so when he was 16, I was 7 year-old.

{Yes that is my brother in high school, and yes he has frosted tips. I couldn't find any pics of me when I was 7.}

The combination of all the above led to a 7 year-old listening to blaring rap music in the back of The Rocky, which was very age inappropriate for me at the time (not that I knew what any of it meant anyways). My mother is probably reading this and shaking her head in disappointment. Regardless, that is where my subconscious love for hip-hop was born.

Fast-forward to today. Yes I love all the new hip-hop, although some of it can be a bit cheese ball at times (I am talking to YOU Bruno Mars, Jason DeRulo, T-Pain, and others). But you do have to give credit where credit is due. Trendsetters like Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem, and Nicki Minaj (among others) are keeping hip-hop alive through the static of corny #1 hits on the radio.

But give me an old-school track by Jay-Z or Notorious, and I am one happy girl. Yes, I can rap every single word to "Just Wanna Love You" by Jay-Z, and I am darn proud of it!

My love for Hip-hop is a fantastic part of me, and I am not ashamed of it. I will keep dancing away to all my favorite songs with pride. So I guess I should take this time to thank Shea and Bryn for introducing it to me at an inappropriate age. I guess you guys knew what you were doing! Pretty good role models if you ask me.