kimbap {Seoul Food}

Kimbap is Korean sushi. My mom came up with this delicious kimbap recipe and I seriously can't get enough of it. Its such a yummy and fresh twist to it. I love to eat all the vibrant green colors! It is so easy to make too! 

the ingredients:

asian Chives {called buchu in Korean}

perilla {also called sesame leaves}

shrimp tempura {just do your basic salt, flour, egg batter fry}

imitation crab meat {most Korean kimbap is made with it, unfortunately}

avocado

brown rice

dry unsalted sushi seaweed

sesame oil

put thin layer of brown rice on the seaweed. About 3/4 of the way.

add a layer of the imitation crab meat right on top 

add avocado

add the shrimp tempura 

add the buchu or chives

add the perilla

carefully roll up the kimbap and paint a thin layer of sesame oil on the outside

carefully cut into 1/2 inch pieces

enjoy!

bits and pieces

There's been a lot going on around here and I don't get to share everything, so I thought I'd continue on with a new series called "bits and pieces" (inspired by one of my favorites Ms. James!). I used to do a happiness post on my old blog and loved doing that, but I also wanted to share other bits and pieces of good ol' reality around our home too. All the memories are good and I want to document and remember all of it...the good, the bad and the ugly. 

So here are some bits and pieces of our life lately: 
1. Sidecar doughnuts! The vanilla glazed was my favorite!

2. Mexican popsicles! We found a local ice cream shop that makes authentic Mexican popsicles and its going to be a summer staple around here. I love the coconut one...because it has chucks of real coconut! 

3. We have been picking sweet organic peaches from my mom's garden this summer. The girls and I have been mildly obsessed with them! 

4. Anytime your baby wants to cuddle is a good time. Those bangs of her's still catches me off guard. She looks so grown up :(

5. This gal is loving summer, i think ;) 

6. My husband does the dishes around here, a lot (i'm not sure if i should  either be proud or embarrassed to admit this). This is usually what it looks like when he does the dishes. Birdie likes to help. 

7. Playing with the water spouts in public. yep...summer is here.   

the b is for...

 blogger. team blogger that is. 

Everyone has a color. A color that makes their skin look good and brings out the best in their eyes. My color is red. Whenever I have worn the color red for as loooong as I can remember, I have always heard from people around me that the color looks good on me. So, its become my go to color. The color I wear when i want to feel a little bit more extra special. That and also black eyeliner! I never wear eyeliner nor any eye make up (besides a bit of mascara!), but whenever i put a tad bit on my normally hazel color eyes they have been mistake for being the color green. An illusion, but a fun one at that. 

Everyone has a color...figure out whats yours and wear it often! :) 

bits of our weekend

This weekend was a good one. 

We spent most of it in the places we love! On Saturday, we spent the first half of the day attending the 8th grade graduation of my former 2nd grade students. Most of the students I have not seen since they were wee little second graders and they were only tall up to my waist. They too remember me with my maiden last name and without children. The reunion to see how much they have grown and how much my life has changed was a emotional and beautiful one. I prepared these children once for their first holy communion and to see them walk down the same aisle at mass with their graduation robes was so beautiful. I am so proud of them and it was so sweet to see how the awards that I gave to some of the students back in second grade were the same ones they were also receiving in the eighth grade. Not much has changed and what they were good at when they were seven years old still reflected at age fourteen now! 

After that, we had a delicious dinner with a good friend. It felt like summer was here with good fresh seafood tacos, a bed of raw oysters, cold beers in mason jars and eating outside smelling the ocean air nearby. Bliss, right?! We ended that evening with letting our girls run loose on those plastic quarter machine cars. As my mind wanders about how germ infested those cars may be, my children are endlessly entertained...so i continue to let them play. I even stuck in two quarters to watch them screech with joy and shake the car faster. If only this mama had more than two quarters in her wallet, the night might have never ended. :)

We celebrated and honored our dad's around here on Sunday! It proved to be another fulfilling day as we started our morning with mass at one of our most favorite church and then continued to fill our bellies with delicious food the rest of the day. After all a way to man's heart is through his stomach, right?!  

las vegas wedding

So last week, we packed the kids up at 4:00 in the morning and headed to Las Vegas for one of my very best friend's wedding! May was my maid of honor at my wedding and one of the best gals i know! Sophia and I got to be part of the wedding party and it was truly such an honor to be there for her this time around! I've never been to a Vegas wedding before but honestly it met all my expectations on the energy level, because I am one entirely pooped lady this week with another mild case of mastitis (just call Zaylee the vampire baby from now on).

^we had an incredible suite at the 38th floor!^

^ We had lunch at Bachi burger! Hands down best burger ever! This place sort of reminded me of Umami burger here in CA but waaay better. On the right is a picture of Ox tail fries with a runny fried egg on top. Your welcome.

^our first mani pedi together!^

^ you can always find her sitting on steps ^

^ we love our may may! ^

^getting ready on the big day!^

^isn't the bride incredibly stunning! that's her gorgeous mom getting glammed up next to her :)

^these two boldly walked right to the empty dance floor and started the party!

^i couldn't get these girls off the dance floor, literally!^

^ peace out LV!^

Congrats to my dear friends May and Emerson on their marriage! They got married on the hottest day yet this year (115 degrees!!) but through all the sweat and tears we had such a wonderful time! We love you guys! 

my new favorite...

face mask! 

So a couple a weeks ago, I walked into Sephora to buy some mascara and an hour later I walked out with a full facial done, a basket of Boscia goodies, and no mascara! Story of my life. 

Since I have purchase the Boscia bright white mask and the blue mask, I have seriously seen a good difference in my skin! I saw an immediate difference after using the blue mask in the store. The blue one is for hydrating and my wrinkles almost disappeared as soon as the mask was peeled off. Its even preservative free! 

Everyone deserves good skin. Do yourself a favor and go get some! I promise you good results ;)

*this was not a paid advertisement. All opinions are of my own.