Love

At what point do you realize you love somebody in your life?  I'm not talking about falling in love, but the family or closeness kind of love that you feel for a new family member or a best friend.

I feel like I want to tell people I love them a lot.  Maybe that's because my heart is so open and full, I have a lot to give in that department (I owe that to my Gma).

I have friends whom I've had forever and I truly love them - I know this to be true.  Not sure at what point I crossed over into that world of love, but my feelings for them are so deep and true.

Then you have people who come into your life through family measures - maybe you have a relative who begins dating someone and ends up getting married to that person, when do you form a love with that person, again, not being in love with them, but just having love for them?

How do you know what love is when it's not being in love?

Cooking Class

Back on December 16 I turned 30... the BIG 3-0!!
My wonderful aunt told me that her gift to me was a cooking class at a little store here in MN called Kitchen Window - I posted about it here.

Well... somewhere along the line that class was cancelled because of low participation.  lame.  Because it was bound to be amazing.

We rescheduled and last night was our class.  I don't have pictures (dirty hands don't take good photos!), but I do have the class description:

Whether it’s a hearty swordfish steak or the local catch of the day, fish is wonderful on the grill. But cooking it takes some care. Because fish cooks quickly, it’s easy to overcook, and to lose delicate flavor and texture. This hands-on class will show you the way to fabulous fish every time – and you’ll get some great recipes as well. You’ll learn how to use different smoking woods to add flavor to your fish; the merits of gas vs. charcoal grills; and how to build a sauce. To kick things off, we’ll enjoy SMOKED SCALLOP TOSTADA with PICO DE GALLO & CREMA FRESCA. We’ll learn how to shuck oysters for BLACK PEPPERCORN SMOKED OYSTERS. We’ll follow that with SUGAR CANE SHRIMP with FRUIT SALSA and STUFFED CALAMARI – whole calamari filled with a savory stuffing and grilled to perfection. We’ll cook two kinds of fish: GRILLED ARCTIC CHAR with VERMOUTH COMPOUND BUTTER & GRILLED GREEN BEANS; and CRUSTED MAPLE-PLANKED HALIBUT, which will show you how much flavor a simple piece of wood adds to your cooking. For dessert, we’ll make STRAWBERRY-ORANGE S’MORES – grilled shortbread with Cointreau, strawberries and charred marshmallow.

The class was a 'grill masters' class, so they focus more on the grilling vs that basic chop some onion now type of thing - all the ingredients for our sauces or stuffing were pre-measured (which I like because going to a class to chop onion does not sound like a good time when I cry 5 seconds into cutting an onion).  We just mixed everything together and go about grilling the stuff.

It was an absolute wonderful time!  We drank wine while we cooked, mingled with the other cookers, and enjoyed being together - aunt and niece.
Not only do I have wonderful memories of the night, but now I have a good seafood market to go to when I want to get some good stuff :)  oh, and the skill to grill it :)

Shannon & Joe - MARRIED!

My little cousin got married this past weekend, as I may have mentioned in the past, I was in the wedding.  It was a great time; happy it's over and life can get back to normal for everyone!  Here are some photos from the night:
a sneak peak from the photographer was on facebook at like midnight that night... now THAT is what I call service!

They also had a photo booth - tooooooooo much fun!

Steve, my mom, my brother, SIL, and me.  I love these pictures!

Steve and me with my mom and her boyfriend

My auntie Jayne and Bob (my favorite co-worker)

cousins

cousin Michelle

MSA - Michelle, Shannon, Angela

Other randoms throughout the day/night:

after the ceremony

auntie Jayne

On the bus, party rockin'

BOB!

TONS of dancing

The highlight AND low-light of the night... the bouquet toss.
I'm in the photo booth and someone comes over "Ang, she's going to throw the bouquet" "Do I have time to take these pictures?"  "No."  I take the pictures anyhow.
Once finished in the photo booth - which took like 10 seconds - I ran to the dance floor and jumped in front of all the girls out there and started sticking my butt out in order to say 'I plan on catching this thing, so back off!'
Then my mom comes running over in quite the same fashion as I did.  She says "It's okay, we're a team, if I catch it, I'll give it to you"
(quite some time before this, Steve made a joke about if I caught the bouquet I really would be the next one to get married)
Shannon throws the bouquet, I feel it hit my hand and fall to the side, with my 'teammate/mom' next to me I don't panic we're a team... she catches it and runs SO FAST the other way with the bouquet in hand.  I've never been so bitter in my life.  That was the low-light of the night.
Steve said I stood on the dance floor with my hands on my hips like WTF?!
From there, we went right into the photo booth to capture my feelings.

Steve took this as we were getting ready to take the pics

These pics make it the highlight of the night - I think they are so funny!

There is a video out there on my mom's boyfriends phone... I need to get it, because people tell me that my mom ran over a stiff armed me to catch it... I feel like I might pee my pants laughing when I see it.

Anyhow - that's that.

Year 2011 in Pictures

If you've been with me for a year or more, you know that I've taken to review my years in photo form.  Click these links through to see my photo reviews from 2010, 2009, and 2008.

So... prepare yourself for a long and picture heavy post!

First let's look at the trip Steve and I took to Hawaii back in February - what a beautiful place!

Then let's talk about great friends and great times:

Linnea's bachelorette party

Milwaukee and Six Flags with Krysten and Izzy

Jeff and Linnea's wedding!

Amanda and I at the Vikings game

Shotgunning my first beer EVER!

Second annual pumpkin carving

Monthly girls dinners with my best friends from way back when (me, Amanda, Pamela, and Abbie)

Dinner's with these wonderful ladies (some more than once this year!!)

My best friend, Pam, being preggers and throwing her a wonderful shower!

Natalie Marie - born 11/14/11

Continuing to develop a close friendship with my cousin, Shannon

Steve buying a house shortly after returning from Hawaii and him asking my to move in with him:

One of many shopping trips to Home Depot for the house

First big project - taking down wallpaper in the bedroom and painting it to suit us

painting our dining room a BEAUTIFUL shade of deep red

under cabinet lighting!

My wonderful brother and sister-in-law - and their amazing daughters, my nieces:

Doing a boudoir photo shoot!

Random photos of my year:

Diamond earrings for my 30th Birthday

One of my favorite photos of the year - taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

Found me a nice little red barn to photograph

Grand Marais Lighthouse

Winning first class tickets to fly somewhere!

My sweet kitty Boomer, though he had a bit of a rough patch, I feel like he is doing well now, he eats bland food only, but at least he's eating and keeping it down.

Cuddling on the couch

Fun drawings on the white board wall:

Getting a new baby brother - Wyatt Lewis, born 10/19/11

Good times with my amazing outcast cousins

Saving the best for last - this year of my life has been simply incredible and I owe that entirely to one person; Steve.  He has been my rock when I've broken down, he has loved me without question, he has expressed his love for me in ways I never knew possible.  If 2011 is any indication of how the rest of my life with this man will be, then bring it on!  My dear sweet boyfriend, I love you with all of my heart and soul; thank you for being with me and sharing in my joys and sorrows all of 2011.  I know 2012 will bring some difficult times, as we're already preparing for, but together I know we can get through it - you lean on me and I'll lean on you.  In the end, we have each other, and that's a lot.  I love you Steve.