Julianna and Shane got married at the General Potter Farm in Pennsylvania and the pictures were taken by Lauren Fair Photography.

 I am totally in love with this wedding cake. To die for...

I can't believe it. I am so excited to enjoy my son's first summer! He is almost 7 months old. He just got his first little swimsuit and we have already been spending much more time outdoors. So far he is loving the warmer weather.

We just moved into a different house and the backyard could use a lot of help. But I have so many dreams of enjoying BBQ, warm evenings with friends, and twinkle lights in that backyard. I am taking it one step at a time.  I have been feeding my dreams by browsing all the neat summer items in stores right now. Even  my local Raley's grocery store is carrying cute little paper straws with polka dots on them. Cute stuff is everywhere. 

To inspire you with your own backyard parties, lazy evenings, and sunny sieastas, I am sharing some of the summer items and recipes I have found.

The West Elm in my neighborhood, Roseville, CA. has been hosting some fun teaching events where they feature some of their products, recipes, and more. I recently went and saw some awesome stuff. I wish i could buy it all. 

They have these great bright colored dishes that would make any get-to-gether festive:

I am also loving their white outdoor metal line

Williams and Sonoma has some fun tools that I want to add to my kitchen:

They have these new quick pop makers. You can make all sorts of fun frozen treats with them.

I also would love their soda stream maker. You can make anything from sparkling water to a tasty base for alcoholic beverages. Its so quick and easy.

Here are some fun recipes you can try as well:

With the Soda Stream you could make these herb- infused cocktails (or you can do them without it).

Mint-Ginger Caipiroska

Ingredients

• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar
• 5 mint sprigs
• 4 ounces vodka
• Ice

Directions

1. Muddle ginger with sugar in a glass. Add mint sprigs. Muddle until fragrant. Add vodka and ice. Garnish with mint. Stir.

Basil French 75

Ingredients

• 5 basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• Ice
• 4 ounces Champagne

Directions

1. Muddle basil leaves with sugar in a shaker. Add gin, lemon juice, and ice. Shake, and strain. Add ice and Champagne.

 Here are some delish dishes to grill:

 Orange Mojo Pork Tenderloin

 Ingredients

 For the Latin spice rub: 

• 1/4 cup ground cumin
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 Tbs. ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 3 Tbs. freshly ground pepper 

For the orange mojo: 

• 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 
• 4 jalapeño chilies, seeded and finely chopped 
• 12 garlic cloves, minced 
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano 

Directions

To make the Latin spice rub, in a small container with a tight-fitting lid, stir together the cumin, sugar, coriander, salt and pepper. Cover and shake vigorously to mix. Use immediately, or store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month. You will need 2 Tbs. of the spice rub for this recipe. 

To make the mojo, in a fry pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds, shaking the pan often, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the olive oil and heat until warm. Add the jalapeños, garlic, salt and pepper and heat for 3 to 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat. 

In a blender, combine the orange juice, cilantro, oregano and sherry. Pour in the warm oil mixture and blend until smooth. You should have about 2 3/4 cups. Divide the mixture in half and let cool. The mojo can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using. 

Rub the pork tenderloins evenly with the Latin spice rub. Place the pork in a large sealable plastic bag and pour in half of the mojo. Seal the bag, squish the marinade around the tenderloins and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight is better. 

About 30 minutes before you are ready to begin grilling, remove the pork from the refrigerator. Discard the marinade and lightly pat the pork dry with paper towels. 

Prepare a medium fire in a grill. Brush and oil the grill grate. 

Place the pork on the grill directly over the heat and cook until nicely grill-marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Roll the tenderloins about one-quarter turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Continue to roll and cook in this manner for a total of about 15 minutes for medium. The pork is ready when it feels fairly firm to the touch, or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145ºF. 

Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 5 minutes. Cut the pork on the diagonal against the grain and arrange the slices on a platter. Serve immediately with the remaining mojo. Serves 4 to 6.

 Grilled Steak Tacos

 Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 jalapeño chili, seeded and minced
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and thinly sliced Salsa for serving

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, onion, garlic, jalapeño, oregano, cumin, chili powder, cilantro, tequila and salt. Using a sharp knife, score the steak a few times across the grain. Place in a baking dish and pour the marinade over the top. Cover and refrigerate, turning the steak occasionally, for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.

Prepare a hot fire in a grill and generously oil the grill rack. Preheat an oven to 300°F. Divide the tortillas into 2 equal stacks and wrap each one tightly in aluminum foil. Place the tortillas in the oven and warm until ready to serve. Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Grill the steak directly over high heat, turning once, until well browned on both sides, 9 to 10 minutes total for medium-rare. Move the steak to a cooler part of the grill if flare-ups occur. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 15 minutes.

Slice the steak thinly against the grain.Remove the tortillas from the oven. To assemble the tacos, place the meat on one side of a tortilla, spoon a little avocado and salsa on top and fold. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Okay, I hope you got some great ideas. What are your summer plans?  Start planning your own summer entertaining and let us know how it goes. And if you are really lost, just hire us and we can plan it for you! :)

Everyone loves love. <3 

Even people who say they hate love are only saying that because romantic love has not panned out for them yet. But, this Valentines does not just have to be for lovers.  You can show love to everyone you care about this Valentine’s Day. And to help inspire you, below are some great ideas on ways to show your love to your mom, your children, your great aunt, or your soul mate.

And for all of you locals reading this blog, I have posted some fun date ideas that you can do in the Sacramento Metro area.

So, have fun this Valentine’s Day and don’t be afraid to let everyone you love know how much you love them.

This link has tons of great free printables and projects for everyone to enjoy! Along with ideas and inspiration to get you moving. Like how to make a matchbook or wrap chocolate in a personalize wrapper. I can't wait to go on here and print out some cute unique valentines for my love:

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2012/02/great-ideas-21-valentines-day-printables.html

How does a Valentine's Smoothie sound? here is a link with some fun ideas like healthy Valentine treats, how to make recycled heart garland, and some other fun Do-It-Yourself ideas.

http://thepeacefulmom.com/valentines-day/ 

 One of my go-to sites has some great ideas this yea,r like photo keepsake crafts and how to make easy felt coffee cup sleeves.  Thanks, Martha!

www.marthastewart.com/276967/valentines-day 

Local Valentine’s Day Fun (Sacramento Metro Area):

·         Take the whole family to see Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream! Wednesday, Feb 13 7:00p at the Sleep Train Arena.  Visa www.DisneyOnIce.com for specific show times/dates

·         Enjoy a good laugh and see Our Love Story: an Improvised Comedy at the BlackTop Theater in Roseville Thursday, Feb 14 8:00p. Visit www.blacktopcomedy.com for more information.

·         Take your children to decorate cookies (ages 6-12) February 14, Thursday, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Head over to Sylvan Oaks for Valentine's Day crafts and cookie decorating! www.saclibrary.org/Locations/Sylvan-Oaks/

·         Take your date to the theatre. The B street Theatre has multiple shows on Valentine’s night. Check them out. www.bstreettheatre.org/the-shows

·         Go listen to some live music. Visit Harlows: Close To You - The Music of the Carpenter's Thursday 02/14/2013 5:30 Doors / 7pm Show www.harlows.com/live-music

·         Take all your gals to the Vagina Monologues at Sierra College Thursday, Matinee at 12:30 PM or that evening at 7:00 PM. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/316228 or buy tickets at the door. www.sierracollege.edu/events/upcoming/2013/02/vagina-monologue.php

·         See Sacramento from the Sacramento River on the Hornblower cruise. They have a singles cruise, brunch cruise, and a romance cruise. Visit here for details: www.hornblower.com/hce/port/category/sac+valentines

·         Go someplace special to enjoy food and wine: Valentine's Night Prix-Fixe Dinner Feb 14 5:00p to 10:00p at Revolution Wines Winery, Tasting Room and Bistro Sacramento, CA Revolution will be offering a four course prix-fixe menu with wine pairings for your Valentine's Night. There will be two seatings for dinner, 5:30pm & 8:00pm. Reservations & pre-pay required. Limited Seating Available, Call NOW!  (916) 444-7711

·         Check out www.opentable.com to see all the fun valentine’s dinner specials in the area. There are 23 restuarants listed with special offers. www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?m=35&ref=2138&pid=102

·         Take a romantic ride on the Sacramento River Train. Feb 14, 6:30p. This 28-mile trip last 3 hours. Ticket price includes 3-course dinner, trip, premium seating, bottle of wine/champagne per couple, complementary soda & coffee, and rose for ladies. http://www.sacramentorivertrain.com

• From the Station:Valentine’s Dinner & Dancing for Two Wine, Dine, Dance and Romance,Thursday, February 14, 2013,Reservations are now being accepted! Valentine’s Dinner & Dancing for Two: Rib Eye Steak with crispy breaded Shrimp, Champagne Toast, 1/2 liter of house wine, Dessert & Coffee, $59.00 (+ tip) per couple, Then dance all night to Swing, Salsa and a dash of Country, Private Message The Station with number of couples/people in your party, include your reservation arrival time between 5:30pm – 9:30pm and include your email address.We will email your reservation confirmation number to the email address provided by you and then bring that confirmation number with you.Walk-ins are welcome after 6:30pm and as space becomes available…

Happy Valentines and may love find you in one way or another! 

Today I want to share with you more on the backyard wedding that we coordinated and decorated.

Melissa and Derek are great friends of ours. They had a whirlwind romance and wanted a simple sweet backyard wedding. And in December they welcomed their beautiful baby boy into the world. When you are around this couple you cannot help but feel their love for each other.  They are madly in love with each other and their new son.  It was a privilege for us to be a part of their love story.

Derek wanted the wedding to bit of a surprise for Melissa so we had free creative license to do whatever we wanted within the budget. We knew that Melissa’s favorite colors were purple and orange so we started there. We worked with our favorite florist, Bonnie from Florals by Flory, and got some beautiful flower arrangements.  We mixed in burlap, satin ribbon, and the theme for the day was “oh, Happy Day”.   Lunch consisted of delicious BBQ, sweet tea, mojitos, and yummy cupcakes.  Check out some of the pictures below and you can see a few of the cute details and what a happy day it really was.

See more of this beautiful wedding in our gallery...

Photography by Kiem Nugen, Flowers by Bonnie of Florals by Flory Cake by Mirabelle Cafe, Catering by Still Smokin BBQ

 Here is something fun to do for someone you love. It's called the 12 days of Christmas Gift Giving and each day you  give a give correlating gift to the 12 days of Christmasverses. For example: On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me a patrige in a pair tree...well you could give a pear or a bird of some kind (below is a link that has some other suggestions as well). This causes you to be creative and think about the person you are close to and give little gifts from there heart for the 12 days leading up to Christmas!  If you want Christmas to be your last day of gift giving then start this Friday, Dec. 14^th.  It’s not too late to plan! 

The “Fiesta Night Silent Auction”, sponsored by NF Endurance, will benefit the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Attendees will enjoy an entertaining evening including the auction of several premium items (Vacations, etc.)  This evening of fun includes Salsa Dancing, a Mariachi Band, a Photo Booth and Chef Alex Dyer, who catered the event last year, will be returning this year and is taking the food to the next level. “This is our third annual Fiesta Night.  Last year we not only accomplished our fundraising goals, but since then continued to increase participation,” said Kendall Burley of Cherry Kissed Events, director for Fiesta Night.  “With the help of Placer & Sacramento region businesses, we anticipate doubling event attendance in 2012 for this exciting event.”

For more information or to register online, please visit http://fiestanight2012.eventbrite.com  

About NF Endurance Team- Ava’s Angels

Founded in 2010 and based in Granite Bay, CA, Ava’s Angels was created by Andrew & Dawn Lowell, parents of Ava Lowell, a three year old girl battling NF1 (NeuroFibromatosis). NF1 is a genetic disorder known for causing tumors to grow throughout the nervous system. There is no treatment or cure for Ava. She can suffer any number of complications at any time. Ava has NF1 due to a change in her DNA structure which only happens in about 1 out of 3,500 births. Ava endures MRI's every 4 months, NF clinics & countless doctor appointments which is not only a disruption in Ava's life but causes her and her family great stress. By participating in the Fiesta night silent Auction or joining the NF Endurance Team you can partner with The Children's Tumor Foundation to raise money for a cure which is the only path to help Ava and the many other families affected by this condition. In Ava’s case, she was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis or NF1 at the age of 6 months. It was then that doctors discovered Ava has a serious tumor wrapped around the C1 and C2 nerves in her upper spinal cord. Ava is now 3 years old and recent MRI scans continue to show the tumor growing slowly. This tumor is dangerously close to compressing her spine & she has shown some beginning signs of compression. If Ava should suffer damage to the nerves in her spine, she cannot regain that back. It is for this reason NF Endurance runs and holds its annual Fiesta Night. Come join us. For more information please visit their website at: http://ctf.kintera.org/nfecim2012/dawnlowell

Special Thank you to our Sponsors: Paramount Equity, Ken Style Productions, Alex Dyer Catering, Golds Gym, and more to come! 

First off, we are helping Kendall’s dear friend with her wedding in September. It is going to be adorable!  She is having it at Stone Bar Ranch.  Check out the location site: http://www.stonebarnranch.com/ 
 

Second, we are starting to plan Kendall’s baby shower in August.  It is her first baby so we want to make it special. I will share all the details soon. They are confirming the gender next week and then the real planning begins.  

Most importantly, we have planning an amazing 3^rd Annual Fiesta Night Fundraiser, benefiting the Children's Tumor Foundation.  We are partnering with a local family who have a 3 year old with a tumor on her spine. This cause is very near and dear to our heart. It’s going to be a blast and it’s for a really good cause.  We will be having a live auction, dinner and drinks, a mariachi band, salsa dancers and more!  Please visit our site for more details on the event.  If you would like to help let us know. We are looking for volunteers, people to buy tickets the night of, businesses to donate auction items and more. Check out our site for details:  www.CherryKissedEvents.com/UpcomingEvents  

Here is sweet little Ava; the Lowell's daughter, click to hear her story

For more information on the Children's Tumor FoundationBlessings everyone and thank you for all your support you give us! ~Nicole 

 Decorating for Easter.

 Easter Crafts and Favors

The Hunt is on...

63 ways to dye an egg including natural ways, like these eggs:) !

Looking to get out on a hunt? Here's what is going on locally in Roseville for Easter! http://roseville-ca.patch.com/articles/easter-in-roseville

Hope your Easter is blessed and full of fun surprises!  Happy hunting in this humble time ~Nicole

Second, we have quite a few events in the pipeline.  We have a dessert/auction night on March 23^rd we are planning for a non-profit, Ultimate Wilderness Adventure.  UWA is an awesome program that takes people out into the wilderness to see God’s beauty, put aside their busy lives, and meet with God.  I, personally, have gone on 3 trips with them and I have sent my church youth group 2 years in a row. We are excited for this evening and are anxiously preparing.  Check out their website here: http://uwalaketahoe.com/ If you would like to come to the event let us know.

Third, the week after that we are catering dinner for a volunteer appreciation dinner at Redeemer Church in Roseville. http://www.redeemerchurch.me/

We are very anxious for this event. Curious as to how smoothly the night will go. It is also interesting to feed 100 people at once in a sit down dinner.

The menu will be:

·         Fresh lemonade spritzer

·         Butter Lettuce salad with fresh fruit, nuts, cheese, and homemade Dijon dressing

·         Grilled tri-tip on top of garlic mashed potatoes and a side of asparagus.

·         And for dessert, chocolate mousse with fresh berries and mint.

Luckily, my wonderful husband will be grilling and helping us.  We will let you know how it goes.

April 1^st we are helping with a tea party Bachelorette party that Marci from Sacramento Vintage Crockery is hosting. http://www.sacramentovintagecrockery.com/

And, our next big events are a few months away but we are busy getting ready. We believe we have 2 weddings in September. We are VERY excited to help with these weddings and we expect them to be gorgeous.  They will both be held at our dear friend’s property, Stone Barn Ranch. http://www.stonebarnranch.com/

And Lastly, in October (hopefully on the 19^th) we will be hosting a HUGE fundraiser for Children’s Tumor Foundation. http://www.ctf.org/

It will be a Fiesta Night full of food, drinks, great prizes, music, and more.

We are hoping to host it at Whitney Oaks Country Club. We are working on booking our Salsa dancers and Mariachi band now.  If you would like to attend this fantastic event or donate an item for the silent auction, please contact us.

So, as you can see, Nicole and I have our plates full!  On top of that, I am pregnant!!!!  I am due October 1^st (right in between our many events)!  So, we are trying to plan and organize as much as we can now so that we will be ready for our events-even if I go into labor!

We will keep you updated!  Have a great day!

-Kendall