Loved...

So yesterday was my 29th birthday and I have to say it was a pretty awesome day... From the moment I came down the stairs to the time I went to bed I was surrounded by people who love me and took a second to say they care. It really felt nice...

It started with Monday night, Shelly took me out for a delicious dinner at Red Robin - we grubbed down then went shopping - it was great just to hang out and relax with her...

Then on my birthday I got non-stop phone calls and e-mails all day long and my co-workers brought in a slue of delicious food (Mimi's humus & Barbs Cherry cheesecake were my favorites). Needless to say we ate all morning long! There was also chips and salsa, numerous cookies, cinnamon rolls, veggies and an array of dips.

Then as if I wasn't full enough; my buddy Mark came up from San Diego and we all went for Souplantation (my favorite restaurant). Eight of us in total and of course Bob started a very loud and obnoxious birthday sing along in the middle of the packed restaurant - I was so red!

After an OK work function I had to go to, I made it back home to find my house DESTROYED! My small group from church (GOD SAVE THEM) completely wrecked my house by moving all of the furniture around, strategically placing 50 dinosaur sippy cups all over and hanging balloons, ribbons and signs. I had to sit down in the living room and breath and relax for quite some time before I could see the humor in the whole thing. In the end I thought it just perfect, they knew me well enough to get my goat; and in a clever way. I joined them after the shock wore off for an awesome kit kat cake and ice cream.

I went to bed full of food and with a full heart - God strategically places people in our lives and if we take a second to look around we can really appreciate the blessing that our friends are.

The fiesta continues tonight with a delicious family dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ (yes, they finally built one in Rancho!)

300 Days...

Wow almost a year... Today is 300 days since I quit smoking...

الشرق الاوسط

So I woke up on Saturday in a middle eastern mood.

I had to work at my Dad's so on the way to work I listened to my Tomer Yosorf CD and stopped off to buy all of the supplies needed for a delicious kebab lunch.

I thought a do it yourself kebab assembly would be fun so I laid out all of the pieces (pre-cubed) in little bowls with sticks and the appropriate seasonings adjacent. There was pineapple, green bell pepper, grape tomatoes, onion, mushroom, chicken breast, cumin, cinnamon, garlic, and salt.

Everyone got to take a pre-soaked skewer and design their perfect kebab.

They were then sprinkled with the yummy seasonings and cooked on our make-shift grill.

They came out chary and juicy (especially the grape tomatoes)

I gobbled down too many to count - they were fun and deliciously healthy...

wow... my forehead seems to be growing...

It's over...

They officially closed Mt. High yesterday... so sad - no more skiing this year... but what a great season

寿司マスター

Or for you Lee: 壽司師父

Yes - I am now the self proclaimed Sushi Master. After much Internet exploration and a trip to my local Asian market I have mastered the fine art of making makizushi - or rolls.

First you start out with a sheet of yummy seaweed paper:

Then you place sticky rice and yummy things inside

(the first one I made was tempura chicken, carrots, zucchini, and spicy kung pao sauce)

Then you use your handy dandy sushi rolling mat and roll it up!

Then you slice it and eat it!

Super fun time! and ohh so yummy! The second roll was with avacado and crab:

WOW! SUSHI MASTER!

The obligatory catch up entry…

Ugg I know I know - all I have been hearing is "ohh, your not blogging anymore?" so here we go...

My trip to Northern Cali...

First Stop: Stockton California

I have to say that Stockton was not as bad as I thought it would be... Lots of new development and trendy shops... I guess the central valley is trying to come up in the world. Still not much to do at night - I mostly overate at outback and applebees and slept in my hotel which was nice (what I expect from a courtyard)

Second Stop: San Jose California

2 days in the bay... I spent the last part of my trip in San Jose - which was uneventful - I stayed in the very cute and efficient TownePlace Suites in Campbell - I have to say that if I lived in a big city this is what kind of little apartment I would want to live in. There was a living room/bedroom area, small fully equipped kitchen with a fridge (to keep the vodka and leftovers cold) and a nice size bathroom. I will definitely put the TownePlace brand on my Marriott radar when I travel again.

I was good this time and actually rented a compact car; a Hyundai Sonata - after a week I'm not a fan - it was full of cheap plastic and had a very small engine with no pickup...

WOW - those models really add a lot to the car... hi pretty ladies...

The highlight of my trip was a fun excursion on the BART (I have a love for anything public transport) So I got on the train in Union City and took it up to Oakland - it moved so much faster than the Metrolink, but was ohh so dirty - here is a little video of me getting on the northbound train: