My Apologies

For being such a horrible blogger lately. To be honest, I never realized how much of my life would be consumed with wedding details during the last month and a half. So much stuff going on that it was necessary to take a "personal day" off from work yesterday - it was fabulous!! I'll be back soon.

I must love confess...just a bit...

I'm ecstatic to celebrate my upcoming wedding at my bridal shower and bachelorette party with most (almost all) of my girlfriends this weekend. I honestly feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been able to surround myself by such amazing women throughout my life. I've put together a bit of a collage to give you an idea of who these incredible women are and who will be celebrating with me on Saturday. Thank you all so much for your friendship - each of you mean the world to me.













I apologize if I have left any of you out of these photos. And for those of you that aren't able to make it, I'll be thinking of you.
I love you all!!

Cabin in the Woods

When I think of a remote cabin in the woods, I have a million different thoughts of what it might all include. After spending New Year's in Seaside, Oregon at our friend Todd's family cabin, I now have the perfect image to fit my description. It was the coziest cabin, (just steps from the river) with all the cabin-like necessities and most importantly, a wood burning fireplace. We weren't in complete seclusion in the woods, but it sure felt like it.



Late Tuesday night, we drove down to Seaside - we had only planned on staying one night and then continuing on to visit the Blyth's cabin in Detroit Lake (which is where we spent the last NYE), but the drive was just too long so we ended up staying both nights with Todd and Kristi at the cabin which is 2.5 miles east of the ocean.

The river before and after a day and night of pouring rain



I hadn't been to Seaside in years so it was fun to see how the small town had changed. (For those of you that are familiar with Seaside, the arcade is exactly the same except for rearranging of a few of the games.) While the guys spent a few hours fly fishing on the Necanicum River, Kristi and I walked a few miles along the beach. That afternoon, we drove down to Manzanita, had a drink at the local bar and then ate dinner at The Lumberyard in Canon Beach. After eating a delicious dinner, we headed back to the cabin, played a few rounds of Clue, and celebrated midnight with champagne - the perfect NYE in my mind.


Manzanita

On New Year's Day we checked out a potential wedding location for Kristi and Todd at Gearhart by the Sea - since our visit, this location has now been confirmed and wedding plans are in full-swing for the two of them! I'm so excited for their summer wedding on the coast! On our way out of Oregon, we stopped by Fort Stevens, to check it out for a potential future camping locaton - it's perfect...in the Summer.



Ceiling of the cabin - Maybe it's just me (wishing we had sunshine), but I thought the ceiling looked like the sun.

:: Congratulations ::

to my dear friend Kristi and her wonderful fiance Todd on their Christmas day engagement. We're all so happy to have you both back up in Washington and can't wait for your wedding!

My wish is that you two will continue to always make one another laugh...I have a feeling that won't be any problem at all.

Onward to 2009

2008 was an exceptional year, but I am ready and willing to embrace the new year! For many reasons, I am more excited about 2009 than any past year. For one, I will be getting married NEXT MONTH and a second major milestone is that I will be turning 30 and like my dear friend Carrie, I am learning to accept (and maybe even like) the idea of turning a year older.

Here are a few of my goals/resolutions for 2009:

1. Try out new recipes. I love to cook, but too often will find an excuse to make the same familiar dinner or appetizer. My personal favorite cookbook, introduced to me by my dad (who I consider an excellent chef) is America's Test Kitchen - endless recipes and includes very detailed instructions and tips.

2. Learn new crafts. I've realized over the past year (especially with the wedding projects I've taken on) that I truly enjoy crafting. It relaxes me and forces me to focus on just that one thing rather than the millions of other thoughts I have going through my mind.

3. Read more often. Rather than consuming my evenings with TV, I want to start reading more. Currently enthralled in the Twilight series.

4. Make use of our trailer. (preferably in the warmer weather months) This is a joint goal with Steve. He spent the money and many long hours to perfect our "second home." Therefore, we must get out and enjoy it. I received this book for Christmas and can't wait to finalize the plans for our next destination. I was shocked to realize during our drive to Oregon this week, that there are quite a few cities and towns in WA that I've never even heard of i.e. (Arctic and Brooklyn...huh?). I need to get out there and explore my home state!!

5. Take more photos. As a Christmas/early wedding gift from my future-in-laws, we received a new camera that I am now officially obsessed with. I would love the opportunity to take more photos of families and children - please contact me if interested ☺

This list is only a snippet of what I plan to accomplish this year, but like Jamie and Shelby, I hope that publishing this list will help remind me of a few of my goals throughout the year.

I am raising my water bottle (unfortunately at work, otherwise it would be a glass of champagne) and toasting all of you and wishing you each a fabulous year full of LOVE, Adventure, Health and Happiness.

And to wrap this up, I'm including one of my most favorite images we captured this year, which happened to also be taken during one of the most memorable moments of my life.

Haleakala sunrise, Maui

Wedding Invitations

I mentioned a while ago that I would share my (mostly) homemade wedding invitations and then it completely skipped my mind. I have to say that I am definitely not the craftiest person in the world, but with the help of a few of my girlfriends and the girls on the Hawaii knot.com message board, I was able to come up with quite the creation. I realize the quality of these images isn't the best, but you can get the idea of what I was trying to come up with. Faux airline tickets was fitting for Steve and I considering we met in the airport security line, we love to travel, we're having a destination wedding, etc.



The temporary crafting area (aka our dining room table)



Ticket/Invite holder



Two ticket stubs included in each invitation - most of our guests don't know this, but the 15A and 15B are the seats we sat in the night we met.



RSVP/Response cards :: Vintage Hawaiian postcards - 20 different designs



And my favorite part :: the personalized postage for the outside main envelope. We had asked out parents for a wedding photo and didn't tell them what we were going to do with it. Through stamps.com we were able to get these made and I love the end result. My side got my parents stamp and his side got his parents stamp. Needless to say, both sets of parents were shocked and very excited when they received their official invitation.

:: Merry :: Merry ::

We hope you all have have a wonderful and safe Christmas (especially for those of ou that are traveling) and are able to enjoy the snow outside (mainly for those of you in Seattle).

* photo taken at the Seahawks vs. Jets game this past Sunday

*Love*

The Soon-to-be-Rinabarger's

Annual Holiday Party

Every holiday season I look forward to our Friends Christmas Party. Due to the snowstorm on Saturday night, for a split second, I thought we may not be able to make it to the party. However, once again, we braved the weather - I felt like we were in the twilight zone driving across 520 from Bellevue - and made it to the party. The only thing I'm sad about is that I missed out on the sledding extravaganza down the side streets of Eastlake Ave. On Sunday morning at our girlfriends gift exchange, I voted this year my favorite party thus far. Kristos on Eastlake did an awesome job and I would recommend this location for any group get-together.

The Spears Family

On Saturday morning, Steve and I braved the snow and headed east to Salish Lodge to meet up with the Spears family for a winter wonderland photoshoot. I would have loved to have been able to take more photos outside, but with a baby (turning one this Friday), below freezing temperatures and blustery winds, it made for a 90% indoor shoot, which ended up to be perfect because as most people know, The Salish Lodge is absolutely beautiful, especially during the holidays. Nichole, Jay and Ayva were the perfect/adorable subjects - I don't think we heard one peep out of Ayva the entire time, she is was quite content and happy to have her photo taken.

Passionate

About photography and my fiance. I adore Steve for many reasons, but one thing in particular that I love is the fact that he enjoys venturing out and taking photos just as much as I do. He had to go out an buy a second camera (still learning to use as it's much more complicated than our d40x) because we would bicker over who had the better eye at any particular moment.

Snow Day!

I don't think I have been this excited about a snow-day since elementary. Something about the snow is so calming to me - calming when I'm NOT driving in it. With so few cars on the road, I love the silence outside. I walked to the post office and then to the grocery store to pick up a few extra items that I need for baking as I'm planning on making the following today: Jamie's /Grandma Amy's Ginger Cookies, Margie's chocolate covered pretzels, Chex Mix and Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies. I also picked up some pork to make BBQ pulled pork in the slow-cooker.

Waiting Game...

Just sitting here in Bellevue anxiously awaiting this "snowstorm" that the weathermen have been warning us about all week. I had dreams about staying home today and baking Christmas goodies - so much for that plan...maybe tomorrow? I'm sure a couple of the school districts are now questioning the decision they made to give the kids a "snow-day" even though there isn't any snow on the ground. I guess it's smart to take precautions, but this seems a bit crazy to me.

We took this photo a year ago while visiting some friends in Sunriver, Oregon. Central Oregon always gets the best snow - I'm dreaming about it now.

It's (finally) beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Between attending a Christmas party and cheering on the Cougs to a victory at the Cougar Hardwood Classic, we finally found time to buy our tree and decorate the condo. I love that the day we decide to decorate, there is snow on the ground - snow always makes being indoors that much cozier. We've been having fires in the fireplace a couple of times a week and I have to make the recommendation NOT to purchase the Duraflame XTRA - they burn horribly and take way too much effort.

Happy Friday to all...

...And to all a good night

* This coral was in place, just like this, on the end of the jetty at Olowalu - from what I'm guessing, the wedding the night before. I would love to believe that it just suddenly appeared this way out on the rocks...

Recipe Swap 2008

Thanks to an idea from my wedding photographer/friend Shelby, I've decided to join in with a few of my other friends and post one of my favorite recipes of the holiday season. The first recipe that came to mind was Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, but I've already shared that one, so the next recipe on my treat list is one that I know Stacie and Avery share my deep love for - the ever original and famous, Chex Mix! I realize this choice seems a bit boring, but I'm telling you - homemade Chex Mix is much more delectable than the store bought stuff. I make this every December and usually share a bit with my family and friends, that's if I don't devour it all myself (eek).

There are obvious variations (I nix the Cheerios) one may make this recipe, but this is how I enjoy it best:

Ingredients:

3 - cups Corn Chex cereal

3 - cups Rice Chex cereal

3 - cups Wheat Chex cereal (these are my favorite part)

1 - cup mixed nuts

1 - cup pretzel sticks (for some reason, the least favorite ingredient)

6 - tablespoons butter

3 - tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 - teaspoons seasoned salt (I prefer Lawry's)

1 - teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 - teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, and pretzels; set aside. In an ungreased large foil baking pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. I usually add more Worcestershire and Lawry's (on top of the mixture) about half way through the baking time. Store in airtight container.

I have yet to make a batch this year - photo via

As most of you are aware, this recipe is posted on the side or back of most Chex boxes, but I add a little more seasoning. One day, I'll make a a personal batch with only Chex pieces.