Luggage is packed!

Love you all, see you in a few weeks! 

Addio miei amici

We are super excited  and blessed to be taking part in ministering to third culture youth who live all over Europe next week. For those of you who have known Mingo and I for awhile know that when we first got married we packed up all of our lives and moved to Southern Germany where we ran youth programs for the military through an organization called Cadence. We had the time of our lives. Ever since we moved back, Mingo and I go back to Europe every year to help run a camp for the military youth, like an outreach/Spiritual emphasis week. Keep in mind that there are 50,000 American military living in Germany alone. After the camp is finished we are catching a flight hop from Venice and are going to stay a week with some of our best friends who live in Dublin...Ross and Suz! Ross was one of the best men in our wedding and we are so ecstatic to spend some time with them! We cannot wait to spend some time with the team in Europe, traveling in Venice, Florence, Amsterdam, Ireland, and exploring Europe with my Hubbs! So this is what we are looking forward to in just a week....

{ Sipping Espresso on the grab canal in Venice at night }

{Taking a Gondola Ride with Mingo}

{Seeing water Cathedrals}

{ Climbing to the top of Cathedrals in Florence }

{ Strolling the canals in Amsterdam }

{Shopping on the pointe de vecchio}

{ Spending a day hiking through old castles in Ireland }

{Most of all  Running Rec for the military kids!}

{Listening to Irish music and eating potatoes in old Cork}

{Spending time with this AMAZING this couple}

{Going to see where Ross is getting his PHD @ Trinity College}

{Getting cheese in the street markets in Italy}

{ Getting lost at a cafe in Amsterdam }

{ And most of all...getting to spend quality time with my Husband!}

Cant wait to share all the fun stories when we get back at the end of April!

Vi vogliamo bene e arrivederci

 {we love you and goodbye}

Rummage Treasures

There is one this that I definitely look forward to every year! Its the annual Thursday club rummage sale at Balboa Park in the activities center. Its HUGE, pretty well organized, and always fun to find a few treasures. This year I met three of my girlfriends 2 hours before it opened, got morning lattes, and made our way over to get in line. We were roughly number 600 in line...and we were over an hour early! As my friends know I am a sucker for old vintage items for my house, I guess I not only love the quality of how items were made back then, but also love how every old piece has a story. I love that my house it full of good memories! This was defiantly the place to find em. I came prepared with flat shoes, a bag to carry everything in and cash. Made a few good finds this year...I was happy!

{The Girls...fuzzy...:(..Jess, Linds, and Nova}

{ Silver Serving tray! love the beveled edges} 

{ I love the character in the base...tea please?}

{ Yes...always feels like a dinner party when you have silver }

{ Love Books...}

{ A 20's fur fashion collar...i fell in love with it }

{ Great condition and quality silk stitching }

{ Will def find a little nook to place this }

{ Cheese Please? }

{ A few more vintage rolling pins to add to the collection }

{ Loved these old storage bins...but way to expensive }

{ Now to sit and see where to put it all }

If you havent gone yet it is open tomorrow too! See what fun things you can find! 

USS MIDWAY! Ahoy!

Mingo and I have always marveled at the USS Midway aircraft carried that is permantly docked in San Diego's downtown bay. We have wanted to tour it for sometime, but never really took the time. This last weekend we finally decided to tour it. HU-Mazing. It was so neat to walk the decks, sit in the airplanes, and see a little more of San Diego's history. 

{ USS Midway Aircraft Carrier }

{ War Plane }

{ Mingo in the Jail }

{ The Island }

{ Mingo controlling }

{ Status...fo Real }

{ Flight deck level with the city }

Fun Day with the Hubbs..if you live in San Diego should def make this on a must see list! 

Antiques and Apple Pie

Mingo and I, a few times a year, try to make it up to the mountains outside San Diego to a little town called Julian. Julian was founded right after the Civil War and many farmers migrated there to grow apples and mine for gold....we love it's old charm. Mingo and I love to head up right after the snow falls and get hot apple dumplings from the famous Mom's, rummage for treasure in their antique barn shops, grab hot apple cider, and take home their yummy pumpkin butter and natural honey. We had a great time and I was so excited to find a few antique 40's and 50's era rolling pins that I am trying to collect! I saw them in a design magazine and love the idea of how many good treats and memories were made from these old kitchen solid wood pins.

{ 34 Degrees....brrrrr }

{ Love finding Vintage Treasures }

{ SO glad they had a wood stove in here }

{Old Barn Sale...this is where I found my Vintage Rolling Pins}

{SCORE!}

{Time for some famous Mom's Apple Pie}

{And Cider}

{Their Hand Made Dumplings are the BEST}

{ Off to Get Some Candy}

{ And Honey}

{And then I made Mingo pretend Like he was in Jail...not that fun in freezing temps.haha}

{ Mingo took me to this hole in the wall diner for breakfast...$2.50 breakfast...Luckys}

{ On our Way home...Mingo took this}

If you live in the San Diego area it just snowed up in Julian this weekend and if you have the time to make it up there this week it should be sparkling white. Take time to get away and make little adventures for yourself in the midst of life business. 

Valentines Day @ Spalacios

So every year since  Mingo and I started dating we decided to challenge ourselves to only make our valentines day gift or surprise...we love the challenge it brings!! So this year I was totally blown away. At work I recieved a card at my desk that said (tonight i gift you...monsieur)..i had no idea what this hint meant.  I walked into the house after work to find a beautiful table set and dinner made from scratch! After the yummy dinner was over Mingo blind folded me and took me in the car for my V-day surprise. When we finally arrived and took the blind fold off I was standing in our back yard looking into our detached spare guest room (to my surprise I thought we were at the park). Mingo had dismantled all the furniture and taken it out to create a Spa in our guest room!!! He branded it all *Spalacios* haha. It was complete with my fav magazines, fav chocolates, spa socks, aroma therapy candles, flowers, sparkling water, and a hand designed pamphlet for all the spa treatments I could choose from! I was BLOWN away at the time he took to create something so special...I defiantly have an amazing Husband who I am so thankful for.

{ Hint Hint }



{ 365 days of things I love about my hubby, words of encouragement, and fun memories }

{ Surprise Surprise ! } 

{ Spalacios }

{ Spalacios Treatments }

{ Pretty Flowers }

{Another Angle }

{ Hot towels when I walked in }

{ Monsieur }

{ This is from my AMAZINGLY talented friend Nicole..who made me this beautiful piece of art for Valentines day...Im in love with it } 

I hope you all had a GREAT Valentines day.. loved celebrating it with my friends, family, and of course my Hubby!