Summer Memories Out On The Boat

I've recently been going through old photos, trying to organize both my printed and digital pictures. It's overwhelming! But I know I will be so thankful to have everything organized and in scrapbooks that we can enjoy for years to come.

As I was looking through pictures I came across a bunch from the many summers out on the boat back home in the foothills. Throughout high school and even during the summer in college and years following I used to spend a lot of time out on the boat with friends and family. They are some of my best memories. Andrew and I would love to have a boat of our own someday.

Something about the early days of summer makes me want to turn up the country music and spend time out on the lake. Sadly, San Francisco isn't exactly one to show off in the summer. It's usually gloomy and cold with a blanket of grey fog. Andrew and I have started escaping the city on weekends during summer months so we can get a little taste of sunshine. Seeing these photos made me want to try and spend as much time out on the lake as we can this coming summer! Luckily, my sister and brother in law have a boat, and are actually members of the boat club at Lake Clementine up in Auburn. We went with them one weekend a few summers ago, so hopefully we'll get the invite again!

I thought it would be fun to share a peek at some of my favorite photos I uncovered from the many afternoons spent out on the boat!

* the picture on the inner-tube we were anchored in a cove, so life jackets weren't necessary.

It's funny how life ebbs and flows, there are different seasons when some things are a huge part of our lives, and then somehow it becomes less a part of it. It's interesting looking back, how not that long ago I spent countless hours out on the boat. I would rush home after work to meet friends and get a few hours of boating and wakeboarding in. And now, I think it has been nearly 3 years since the last time I was wakeboarding! I suppose a lot of that has to do with my move to San Francisco. But I do miss it! There is something about being out on the water that is good for the soul. I especially love the evenings out on the boat after a hot day. Hopefully this year we'll make it out to the lake at least one time!

In addition to going out on my sisters boat, we were talking with our friends recently about planning a day to go boating here in San Francisco. You can rent sail boats and spend the day in the bay, sail under the Golden Gate Bridge, then end the day in McCovey Cove for a Giants game! On a warm day in San Francisco, it would be incredible! We tend to have Indian Summers here in the city, so hopefully we'll make that happen in a few months! Who knows, maybe we'll even plan another sailing trip like we did back in 2011!

All this got me thinking about the many reasons I love boating. Because really, what's not to love?!

Spending Time with Friends & Family // There is nothing like spending an afternoon in the sunshine with your friends and family. Some of my best memories are summer days out on the boat! 

The Great Outdoors // during the summer, it's especially nice to spend time outside. For those of us that are cooped up inside all week at the office, it's so nice to kick up your feet an relax on the water during the weekend. 

Wakeboarding // one of my favorite things about boating are the water sports! I learned to wakeboard back in high school and it's still something I really enjoy. 

Wake Surfing // this is another fun boating activity, one I have yet to master. Andrew is a natural, and loves wake surfing but I still have to hold on to the rope or I can't stay up more than a few minutes. 

Travel // it's so fun to travel and see new places. There are so many amazing places to go boating. I am lucky to have grown up so close to a number of beautiful lakes including Lake Tahoe. But I think it would be so fun to rent a big house on a lake somewhere with friends or family and rent a boat to use while you're there. We've talked about doing this with Andrew's family and I think we should make it happen! 

Swimming & Exercise // not only is it fun and relaxing to be out on the water, swimming is also great exercise. And water sports like wakeboarding are also a good workout, I'm always so sore after the first time I wakeboard each season. 

SUP // stand up paddle boarding is another fun activity for a day on the lake. My cousins have a boat they often take to Lake Tahoe in the summer and we usually take turns going out on the boat and using the SUP in coves along the lake shore. 

Tradition // another thing I love about boating is the family time and tradition that you can create. My sister and brother in law are members of a boat club and each summer they do a camping trip with everyone for a beach clean up. The families that go have been a part of the lake community for generations. They have built friendships to last a lifetime, and the memories for both my nephews growing up with summers at the lake is priceless. 

Camping // some of my favorite memories at the lake have been camping trips. As I mentioned above, going with my sister on the boat club annual trips. As well as a few weekends with friends. If you ask me, boating and camping is the perfect marriage of summer activities! 

FUN // of course, the best thing about boating is it's just so fun. There are so many beautiful places to see. A different types of boating activities for everyone. 

Do you spend time boating in the summer? Do you prefer boating in the ocean or a lake?

** A special thanks to Discover Boating for sponsoring this post. As always, the opinions expressed here are 100% my own.  

Julie's Olive Tapenade - Holiday Memories with Mezzetta

There is nothing like the Holidays and spending time with family. As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I'm overcome by the Christmas spirit. I love listing to Christmas music, watching my favorite holiday movies, and decorating our home. I can't really explain it, but Christmas just fills me to the brim with joy. I can't help but smile as I drive through the city and see Christmas trees lit up in the front window (San Francisco has the perfect architecture for this)! Being in the city makes this time of year feel extra festive, but there is no place like home for the holidays.

Growing up, we had so many wonderful traditions. Of course, they've evolved over time, but one thing that hasn't changed is the importance of family. I think I got my love of tradition from my Mom. She works so hard to make sure that everyone is happy and feels extra special during the holidays. She goes the extra step to make the house feel festive, spending an entire day baking a variety of fresh cookies, making a gourmet dinner - this explains her nickname, "Everybody's Sweetheart."

One of my Mom's favorite holiday traditions is the Playgroup Christmas Dinner. "Playgroup" is what we lovingly call my Mom's best friends. When my sister was born, she met a group of women at the local library during story time. Since they all had children around the same age, they decided to schedule play dates with each other. Over the years, as their family's grew, they became the best of friends. And as a result, I grew up with an extended family, almost like cousins. We went camping in the summer at Donner Lake, met once a week after school for "playgroup" and had a back to school picnic each year. Even after the kids grew, our Mom's continue to meet once a week (or as often as possible) for coffee and pastries. They've shared nearly every experience life can throw at you, and created an amazing little Playgroup family. Every Christmas for nearly 30 years, they leave the kids at home for a Christmas dinner party. Each year, they rotate houses and everyone brings a little something to contribute. They drink wine, enjoy dinner and celebrate the holidays and their friendship.

Playgroup Christmas Dinner 1993 - my Mom thinks this is the first year Julie made the Olive Tapenade

Playgroup Dad's are pretty cool, too :) 

One of the favorite recipes from this event has been Julie's Olive Tapenade. Everyone loves it so much, and now my Mom makes it for many of our family gatherings. It's become one of my favorite appetizers, synonymous with the Holidays. It's a delicious and simple recipe, the perfect contribution to a holiday party, and sure to please a crowd.

When I was asked to participate in the Mezzetta Campaign and share a favorite recipe, I knew exactly what I wanted to share with all of you. I already have Mezzetta jars overflowing in my fridge and pantry, but this is my favorite way to use their products! (They're pretty handy for the perfect Bloody Mary bar too)!

Mezzetta makes cooking a breeze, which is especially nice during the busy holiday season! I know my to do list this month is a mile long, and having a simple go-to appetizer recipe that's ready in minutes and can be made ahead of time is exactly what I need!

Julie's Olive Tapenade - makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups drained pitted kalamada olives (you can substitute black olives or a mixture)
1 Garlic clove
2 Tbsp Pine nuts
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Directions:

Coarsely chop 1/2 of the olives and set aside. In a food processor whirl remaining olives and garlic, pine nuts and 1 Tbsp olive oil. If too stiff, add remaining oil. Stir in chopped olives. Cover and refrigerate, it will keep for 1 week. Serve at room temperature with toasted bread slices or crackers. 

Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe! I loved making it and reminiscing on my fondest holiday memories. I am so thankful that my Mom gave me an appreciation for holiday traditions, I think it's a big part of what makes the holidays so special. 

As I wrote this post, it was so fun recalling memories of Playgroup and the relationships it brought into my life. Although all of us 'kids' have moved on from our sleepy foothills town, we have a bond that I think is pretty special. And we have our amazing mothers to thank for this! What wonderful role models they've been for each of us. While we don't see each other all that often, I love getting updates from my Mom about what everyone is up to. And thanks to Facebook, I'm still in touch with those my age who I was especially close with. My friend Katherine just sent me a few photos the other day from a camping trip when we were about 9!

This Christmas season I am thankful for these holiday traditions. It's not the gifts under the tree, but the traditions and memories we share with our friends and family that make this time of year so special.

If you'd like to make this recipe for a holiday party, Mezzetta is offering a downloadable $.50 off coupon on any Mezzetta product. The coupon is located on the campaign landing page and is available until December 31st.

And while you're there downloading your coupon, don't forget to enter the Daily Holiday Gift Basket Giveaway! The giveaway will run through the end of the month, so there are still 24 prizes available!

What is your fondest holiday memory?

And just for fun, a few more vintage Playgroup pictures for you!

Playgroup Camp - Donner Lake (1984?)

Playgroup Camp - D.L. Bliss, Lake Tahoe (mid 1990's)

Tuolumne Meadows (1995?)

Many thanks to Mezzetta for sponsoring today's post & inspiring me to sit down to reminisce on my favorite Holiday memories & recipes.

Also thanks, Mom for scanning these old Playgroup pictures for me!

Linking up with these ladies:

 

Mandy's Recipe Box

A Gift For The Bride to Bea

As you know, one of my best friends in getting married in a few weeks. I wanted to do something extra special for her to celebrate this important time in her life. Gift giving is always something I've prided myself on. I love thinking of unique ideas that are especially meaningful for the recipient. And of course, this was no exception. 

In the past, I've made a sort of "brag book" for friends getting married. Which is basically a completed scrapbook filled with everything except pictures. There are pages for each event from the engagement, leading up to the wedding and honeymoon. All the bride has to do is add pictures as the events happen. However, I knew I wanted something more personalized and special for Erica. And I wanted it to be complete when I gave it to her.

I decided what better way to celebrate the bride, than to compile a book of memories from her closest friends. And what better time to present the gift than at her Bachelorette Party when almost everyone was together. 

Now, this gift isn't for the faint of heart! It takes a lot of prep time, and then of course time to assemble the final product. But the completed book, and the look on the brides face when she opens it, will be completely worth it! So, I'll walk you through the steps I took in case you'd like to create something similar for a bride in your life!

First, I used the email list for the Bachelorette Party, and added a few family/friends I knew were close to Erica. Then I sent out an email, explaining the gift and requesting that everyone please share a few pictures and a message to the bride. The message could be anything from a quote, to marriage advice, to memories shared with the bride if they wanted to be included in the book. I knew that it would take some time to get this back from everyone, so I sent the request a few months in advance. I sent periodic updates to those who I hadn't heard from, and kept a list of those who had replied. 

Many of the girls had trouble finding pictures, but thankfully our friend who had organized the Bridal Shower had a ton that she shared with me. I'm also a picture hoarder, so between that and what I could find on Facebook and Instagram, I gathered enough pictures for everyone. 

I organized the messages the girls sent in a word document, and sized them and used different fonts so each page was unique. I also organized all the photos and had them printed in a variety of sizes. I used to scrapbook a lot, so I have a lot of supplies laying around. And luckily, I even had a scrapbook, pages and page protectors to use for this project. But you can get everything you need at a craft store like JoAnns or Michaels. I did make a quick trip to the craft store for cute paper and stickers to embellish each page. 

Once I had all the pictures and messages printed, I cropped them down and used a corner cutter to round the edges. Since I mostly wanted the focus to be on the photos and messages, I selected a simple paper for the background, and arranged the photos and messages on top. Then I just added a sticker or two, and the name of the person that page was from. Each girl had their own page, and then I did a 2 page spread for the bridesmaids. Mostly because I am indecisive and have so many photos of the five of us, I couldn't fit everything on one page. 

I decided I wanted to start the book with something special, not just jump into the pages from friends. So the first page highlights their engagement. You can read more about their engagement on Erica's blog, but Corrie proposed in Utah while they were snowboarding on Christmas, and the ski resort photographer captured the whole thing! I also included a page of their engagement photos, which were taken by the lovely Stephanie at AT&T Park! Perfect for these two Giants fans! After the Engagement photos, I jumped right into the pages from all the Bride's friends and sisters. 

Missing a caption  on the right because she's a new mamma :) so I left a space to add it in later! 

I hope it's something that Erica's treasures forever! It was so fun looking over all the photos, and reminiscing. Most of us have been friends with Erica since high school or even elementary school, so you can only imagine some of the old pictures and memories! Hopefully this book reminds her of how many people love her, and how excited we all are for this new chapter in her life! It's proof of all the support she and Corrie have as they start their lives together!

One of the best parts was watching Erica open this after breakfast one morning in Palm Springs. No one had seen the completed book yet so all the girls were eager to see "their page" and laugh over the old pictures and memories we've all shared with Erica. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

If you have any questions about how I made it let me know! It's pretty straight forward, but I wanted to share the idea since I can't think of a Bride who wouldn't love receiving a gift like this!