Hello Summer!

Our first BBQ and wine on the balcony...

Jena and I had never really BBQ before and decided to make a Tri-tip. My mom got Ry this little propane BBQ for his birthday and we put it together and went for it.

Cheers!

It started out looking sooo yummy!

And then I burnt the shit out of it!!!

But OMG it tasted sooo good! Not going to lie one of the best dinners!

Here's to a summer hopefully full of many more BBQ's! If only the weather will warm up!

YAY Disneyland!!

Yup it is true...

Friday marks a very important day.

The girls are road tripping to LA for my Grandma's 80th Birthday.

I've actually never been to Disneyland with my Grandma and my mom said that her and my Grandpa used to go all the time.

I guess my mom would try and get her to take us kids with them but they would only take one of us and my mom couldn't pick who.

Long story short we never got to got with our grandparents.

So for the first time we are getting to go with our Grandma, bummer is she cannot walk as well as she used to so we will have to push her in a wheel chair.

The cool thing about that is we get to go to the front of lines, but I wouldn't mind waiting forever to have my loved ones be able to be healthy and walk forever.

I'm so blessed to have loving family and God bless Girl trips!

They are what make the world go round, sorry Men! (Ryan)

So YAY Disneyland I'm so excited to be going to the Happiest Place on Earth

A feel good thing

So this evening Ryan's little sister Nicki called me because for school she needed to interview someone in her family, and she picked me!

Wow can you even believe it!

I trumped all three brothers. Jay, Just and even RY!

And I had a hard time not rubbing it in Ry's face.

So Nicki asked me around nine questions and the one that I hard the hardest time answer was, when was a time that you were really proud of yourself.

And the truth is I never really stopped to think about what I've done that makes me proud of myself but yet I know that I am proud of myself for many things.

I ended up telling her the day I got my full time job, because it was the first thing that I truly felt I got all on my own with no ones help. And that made me proud.

But it was kind of crazy that I actually had to think about what I was proud of myself for and that I didn't have an instant answer.

It really touched my heart to be picked for Nicki's Family interview and the truth is I'm so very blessed to be part of the Andrade family.

Not officially with a ring or something but from date one they welcomed me with smiles and open arms.

They are so loving and I could not have asked for better inlaws! :)

Side note my first memory of meeting Nicki was when Ry and I went the Winter Ball, Nicki put on her prettiest dress and came done from her room to take pictures with us.

I love you Nicki from the bottom of my heart and soul!

I'm so lucky that you consider me your sister and part of your family.

Party in the bathtub up in Tahoe

Tesching Nicki to have a Wild side!

Big Hugs!

Memom's 80th Birthday!!

Last week we celebrated my Memom's 80th Birthday!

We had a party for her and 60 of her close friends and family were there.

It was so great to see her beaming with joy and smiling to see her loved ones all in one place.

This is a picture of my Memom and her four children: Uncle Dave, my Mom, Memom, Auntie and Uncle Joe.

My Memom was a nurse and was an RN for many years. Some of these ladies worked with my grandma out at the hospital. My grandma is so social and had so many friends from different things in her life.

She sings in the choir at our church and has done that for as long as I can remembe. She is also a part of the YLI which stands for Young Lady Institute. Above is a picture of her and her ladies. She is also a part of a bible study group that meets once a week. And many more organizations that I don't know the name of.

I have a special place in my heart for older people. As many of you may know I used to take care of my other grandma who we called Avo. She moved in with us around January 2006 having Alzheimer's and slowing getting worse. My Memom was a saving grace and helped me twice a week with my Avo so that I could go to school. She would make me breakfast and get me off to school on time. I had a very hard time trying to get through Jr College not only watching my Avo, but working at Jamba juice every weekend, nannying 3 five year olds 2 days a week while being my Avo's primary care taker. My Memom was one of my Angels and Inspiration through it all.

I've always felt a very close to my Memom, I think we are very similar in the way we love and our out look on people and life. At her party I put together a slide show for her and it came out really well. I thought about getting up there and saying thank you to my Memom for all the times she helped me with my Avo and one of the reasons I didn't loose my mind during that tough time is contributed directly to her. So much of me wanted to get up but I knew I'd just cry, hard to believe I know, but I'm totally sensitive! When I love someone so much putting words to do justice to the amount of love I feel is really difficult for me.

She is a gift from God and touches the life of everyone she meets.

Memom, You will probably never know how much I love, respect and look up to you!

Thank you for all that you do!

I LOVE YOU!!

Alena & Matthew's Wedding

This weekend we spent the weekend in Napa Celebrating my cousin Alena's Wedding.

The wedding was beautiful and it was so fun to have everyone together.

After going to two weddings in a row its made me think so much about what I want at my own wedding.

Not really sure when that will be. :)

I'm just happy to have a boyfriend that loves me and that makes me laugh everyday.

Although at both weddings think we got asked about ten times, "When's the wedding?" "Whats taking so long?" "What are you waiting for?"

I think we are next in line for Ry's side and maybe next on my side.

I'm just realizing much money and time that goes into a wedding and it is so crazy.

All the girls got ready at the country club locker room.

Uncle Joe and Alena (Alena Looked so Beautiful!!)

Nothing better than family!

My Roomies!

I love my siblings!

Me, Matt, Jill and Nick

Lake Tulloch

The weekend following the 4th of July, my family and Ry's family were invited to La casa de Perricone. The weather was beautiful and the water was perfect too. We had fun on all the water toys and just hanging out. We definitely got good at floating!!

Sara and I floating on a noodle drinking a pina colada.

My favorite Men in my life. My dad, Ry and Ry's dad Joe.

A very fun toy! The huge trampoline with the blob off of it.

Nicki and I riding the tube. It was Nicki's first time and she had a blast.

What we all do best! Sit around the table talking eating and laughing.

Thank you Sandi and Steve for sharing your gorgeous house and fun toys with all of our family. Couldn't have been a more relaxing vacation. Thanks again! Love you!

Second Family wedding to come

This August, my cousin Alena is getting married. She is the second of the cousins to get married after my sister Jill (she is to the left of Jill). She is getting married in Napa and I'm sure it is going to be beautiful. We are in the wedding and being in the wedding we feel it is necessary to have a bachelorette party for her. Yup that means penis cake and all. Think we are just going to have a Spa day with all the girls on our side. Should be amazing and just what a bride to be needs. I'm so excited for the wedding and I always like and excuse to all get together and dance. And how can I forget we will get to meet Nicks new girlfriend. FUN!!!

Family, Friends & Faith

The most important things in life are your friends, family, health and a positive attitude towards life. If you have all those things then you have everything!

What to say about my family other than I love them so much and am so blessed to have been raised in a home filled with so much love and laughter. I am the youngest and love being the youngest. No I'm not spoiled by any means! On the left is my brother Nick (30), my sister Jill (28), Me (22), my boyfriend Ryan (23), my mom Adele, my dad Manny and my brother Matt (24). I've learned numerous things from all my siblings and can say that they all motivate me in different aspects of my life. I hope that someday I will be as great of a mom as my mom and I give my children siblings that they can love like I love mine.

These are all my girlfriends from High School. We continue to keep and touch and all have grown and changed over the past 5 years. WOW!! I can't believe we have been out of high school for 5 years already. I'm so proud of my friends and what they have accomplished thus far in their lives and have all grown into beautiful women... Love you girls!

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can fly only by embracing each other."

C and K all the way! Crystina and Kristina! My childhood best friend and as of today my room mate in Sacramento. We have been nothing but trouble since our days at Sacred Heart. We met and became friends at sleep over party in the 3rd grade. From then on out we continued to play on sport teams together, go to the same school, share secrets and our hearts. Crystina and I have shared so many experiences and have countless memories. We are the Krystina's and when May comes I will be really sad that we will not be living together but I will smile knowing that was a once in a life time opportunity and dream come true!

"When it hurts to look back and your scared to look ahead you can look beside you and your Best Friend will be there."

I met Sandi when I was 15, through my church, when me and a group of my peers wanted to start a youth group after receiving our confirmation. Sandi was the youth leader and I was part of the youth. Being involved in this youth group it lent Sandi and I to share a lot of our hearts and feelings while continuing our faith journey together and as individuals. Sandi is my soul sister and has been there for me throughout the biggest hardships I've faced in my life. When I need anything Sandi is always there with open arms. Sandi is one of those friends that once in your life you cannot imagine how you ever function before. Sandi makes me laugh like no other and has helped me in my later teen life and into my life as a young adult and will continue to FOREVER! We are are like one soul in to bodies 21 years apart. Sandi is my Angel Friend!

"Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they are meant to be there; they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or help you figure out who you are."

Ryan is my boyfriend going on 7 years in October. We have gone from acquaintances to friends and from friends to lovers. I've always known who I was and what I stood for but like the quote above Ryan has taught me so many life lessons. Ryan and I are a team and partners till the very end. We have not only grown as individuals but together as one. Ryan has shared his heart with me and many other things ;) Our relationship has gone from together in Hollister in High school to long distance with Ryan in Davis and me in Hollister. Then I moved to Davis and we were together for a year and now we are long distance again, me being in Sacramento and Ryan in Stanford. But NOT for long... We just got word of getting a condo in San Jose where we will be living as of the end of May with my cousin Jena. Can't wait! Ryan is my Best friend and Buggle snuggie! Love him! And could not be more proud of him for going to Stanford and doing his best to open all the doors he can for himself and for us as a couple.

I thank GOD everyday for my family and friends, without whom I'd not be me!

I'm so very lucky and blessed!