January-June 2016
January-June 2016
Connor Comes Home
The bliss of our vacation didn't end after coming home because Connor would fly in from his 2 year mission in Mexico only a few days later! The funny thing it, Jaime and Connor had never met in person! They talked on skype for a few minutes but my baby brother would finally meet my husband, weird. Anyway we were all excited to get to the airport to welcome Connor but unfortunately traffic was a pain in the rear. My parents all drove from MI in one car and Jaime and I drove from Shoreline. I think my heart was racing the whole time and I kept telling Jaime I was so worried Connor would show up and no one would be there...how depressing. We got to the airport and as soon as Jaime parked I started running. We saw his plan had landed and tried to race to the location he would come out from customs. As I'm running through the airport I see this very familiar face come up the escalator in his suit with his black briefcase, do a couple circles looking around him, shrug his shoulders and then continue up the next escalator. At this point I knew it was Connor (though I was still far away) and I started sprinting and crying all at the same time. I see him make eye contact with me as I'm yelling "CONNOR!" and he squats down to look at me as the escalator continues to take him up. He laugh and quickly runs the opposite way down the escalator, drops his suitcase and runs toward me. I pretty much jumped in his arms and wouldn't let go. Tears were streaming down both our eyes and it was one of the best days of my life.
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| Tried to kiss Connor, but it looks like he grew! |
I've always had a special bond with my baby brother. The funny thing is he was a wild child growing up and we butted heads a lot because we are so similar. We are very outgoing, very direct and don't let anything get in our way of a goal we are set to accomplish. At some point, Connor went through this drastic stage of maturity and we noticed we loved each other's company and advice. In high school one of my favorite things to do was watch Connor play sports. His athleticism and dedication to being the best athlete and leader is remarkable. He has so much energy when he plays and I loved being there for all of his milestones. I would rarely miss his games even when I was in college and working two jobs. I would choose a Friday night football or lacrosse easily over a college party...and I knew that meant a lot to him. I can't wait to watch him play for the BYU club team soon. Anyway...back on track. When Connor left I really missed him. I would cry to Jaime a lot about how much I miss talking to him. Even though Connor is my baby brother, I think I lean on him more for advice now. I love that he is still the outgoing and direct person he has always been but he means what he says and says what he means. He tells me things other people are probably "worried" to tell me. He tells me things I need to hear. While he was gone for two years I often thought, I want him to come back and be proud of me and the growth I have made. A lot and I mean A LOT has changed since Connor left. He asked me to "figure out" one thing by the time he got back when he left and I'm glad to say that I was able to accomplish the one thing he asked and I know I'm a lot happier now then I was before.
Jaime would always tell me that he was so excited to meet the last sibling. As I was hugging Connor and apologizing that we were all late because of traffic he kinda laughed and said it was partly his fault because his plan was a half hour early. After I finally let Connor go Jaime hugged and kissed me and said he was happy I was so happy. Then Connor looked at Jaime and said "HERMANO!" They finally got to meet in person and I couldn't have been happier. Connor kept saying "You look good Nana" and I had to credit getting in shape to Jaime. So of course Connor had to thank Jaime for the loss of my thunder thighs...he always makes fat jokes at me out of his brotherly love. We then ran outside to meet Mom and Dad and there was so much love and energy. After we went home and talked for a while and then headed off to bed.
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| I think it's' clear who he missed the most... |
Connor gave such a heartwarming talk in church. He had so many friends, family and even parents of friends come to support him which only shows how much he has impacted those around him. He talked about how he was a "sign seeker" and always wanted a big sign that the church was true. Through various experiences on his mission and a talk with one of the general authorities it was clear to him that he had always had a testimony all along. Connor's dedication to his mission filled each week of my life with joy. He sent the most inspiration e-mails that would uplift and motivate me to be a better human and follower of Christ. I could hear his voice, his humor and his quotes as I would read his letters. One of my favorite parts of Connor's talk was when he told us his story called "I Fear No Man." He talked about how he would look in the mirror or say this to himself while he was going throughout his day. He said we shouldn't be fearful of sharing the gospel or loving others because Christ has promised to prepare and strengthen us. We are often fearful of how we will be perceived or treated when often there are good people out there who are receptive to messages of love and joy. Often, there are many waiting find their connection to God or a higher power. My Dad spoke briefly and asked everyone who had coached, taught, befriended, or even just fed Connor (lots of his friends and their parents) to stand up. He said thank you for being part of the village that raised my boy, this wonderful man. He then said to everyone else in the ward "To everyone else you know I love you and that's all I have to say about that." Everyone kinda laughed but my dad wanted to be short and sweet to give Connor more time to talk. Connor's talk was so impressive the mission president, President Johnson asked him to speak at regional conference and everyone in our stake was able to hear his talk. It's just amazing to me how he captivates everyone attention and he doesn't need to look at his notes. He knows his talks so well and prepares. He always prepares, studies and perfects whatever he does.
One of my most favorite things about Connor's mission was that he came home and LOVED SINGING. He wanted to sing a duet with me in church and I even started to tear when he was singing in Spanish to "Nearer My God to Thee." I applaud him for having the courage to sing in front of people and wanting to work on his voice. He even made me come up and sit next to him at the end of sacrament just because he wanted to harmonize. It was really cute. Mom also played the violin beautifully and was a good sport about being thrown in last minute. After church we went to Mom's and she made a delicious lunch for us.
I tried to drag Connor everywhere with me. He stopped by my unit at work and talked to my co workers, met my assistant manager (who of course all knew he was home because I told everyone in the excitement leading up to it), he came to Jaime's office and met his family and we ran a bunch of errands to get his phone set up and of course to update his wardrobe. Connor is so humble and I respect his humility. He kept saying "I don't need this, I don't need any of this. This is the equivalent cost of food for a family in Mexico for a month!" I forced him to buy some necessities anyway.
We also took Connor to one of his favorite places (ours too) Thai Tom.
Connor's Open House
Mom also hosted an open house for Connor and he was, once again, supported by a lot of friends and family. Didn't get a lot of photos but here are a few.
Anjelah Johnson with Ryan and Mandy
One of Jaime's favorite comedians is named Anjelah Johnson. She is absolutely hilarious and her comedy is clean which I love. If you are latino or like going to get your nails done you will especially like her, just google her videos and you will understand (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o). Anyway, I saw that she was doing a show in Yakima, Jaime's hometown. I bought tickets to surprise Jaime and also found out through FB that one of my good family friends was going. Mandy actually used to babysit the Bernal kids when we were little and she was also my Sunday School teacher in church. We all love her so much and I have looked up to her when I was little for as long as I can remember. We planned to meet up for Mexican food and Ryan treated us to dinner before the show. It was so nice to catch up and hear about their life! They have 5 kids and boy they both look awesome! Mandy could pass as my sister! Too bad we aren't closer, I would love to double date more! We stayed the night in Yakima at a hotel and grabbed brunch in the morning at this little diner before making the drive home.
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| Mandy and Ryan |
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| Sporting the scarf Cassie got for me |
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| Forget the name of this place but it was awesome! |
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Mom's 50th
My beautiful mother turned the big 5-0. I cannot believe how good she looks. I hope I look this good when I'm half a century old. Jaime and I went to the store and bought her some flowers and I wanted to embarrass her with a big balloon that I made her carry around the U-village. We took her to Liam's for a wonderful brunch and she was so happy.
Las Vegas for Jlo
The only time you will see a pregnant woman, newly married woman and 70 year old woman together in Vegas. Ha, no joke we were quite the trio. I met Jan and Ma (Jaime's mom) at the airport to head to Vegas to see Jlo. Ma was gracious enough to invite us and we had a blast. I'll admit this was the first time I left Jaime and I really missed him. I was worries a little about leaving him (lame I know). Anyway, we arrive and went to grab a quick bite before the shoe. I got my ticket later than Jan and Ma so I had a single seat on an aisle and decided to try and sneak up front. It worked out perfectly and I got up to the 10th row! It was amazing to see Jlo's energy that close! The concert was amazing, the music was amazing and the dancing was to die for. I've always been a big Jlo fan and I had to much fun dancing next to random strangers, haha. After we went to find this amazing whole in the wall pizza place Jan new about and scarfed down some pizza. Then Jan and Ma went to gamble and the 25 year old grandma (me) wanted to go to bed. Go figure. The next morning we woke up and got breakfast at our hotel. We stayed at the Monte Carlo. Then we hit the mall. Pa (Jaime's Dad) and Ma gave us some spending money, they are so generous and I ended up buying a few things for our upcoming Mexico trip. We also stopped by Michael Kors and Jan made me try on this leopard dress I knew I would love (so I didn't want to try it on because I knew I would want to buy it). Well I'm glad she did because it fit perfectly and I did love it and Ma told the sales associate to grab the dress from me and she bought it before I was even dressed! Jan looked at some stuff for her wedding and in the evening we went back to our hotel to change for dinner at one of my favorite places. We went back to The Cut which is Wolfgang Puck's restaurant where you will have the best steak of your life. The food is to die. Jaime and I recommended it to Ma/Pa when they came for Ma's bday. We got the approval from the "jefe" of Silva Financial to dine on the company and we kept laughing and saying "Thank you Silva Financial" for our very expensive and delicious tab. Jan was nice enough to talk the waiter into giving us extra left overs to take which I ended up bringing back to Jaime. The Cut is his all time favorite restaurant and he was so happy to have some even though it was a day old, ha. The next morning I snuck out early to head home to my man and work in the evening. When I got out of the elevator some random group of Russian dudes were singing the song "Please don't go." I just laughed as I was running out to catch my cab.
Valentines Day
Vday fell on a Sunday. Sundays are actually our favorite days anyway so it all worked out. We had regional conference and go to go hear Connor speak then we rushed home and I happened to make an amazing crockpot chicken and noddles recipe. We then lounged around and exchanged cards but mostly just enjoyed each other's company. Nothing big. We are saving for a few things if you know what I mean.
Vday fell on a Sunday. Sundays are actually our favorite days anyway so it all worked out. We had regional conference and go to go hear Connor speak then we rushed home and I happened to make an amazing crockpot chicken and noddles recipe. We then lounged around and exchanged cards but mostly just enjoyed each other's company. Nothing big. We are saving for a few things if you know what I mean.
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| Paleo cashew chicken with noodles |
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| Paleo Peach Cobbler |
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| Ground beef, brussel sprouts, apples and onions |
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| There's always time for our favorite ice cream though |
Nike Employee Store With Connor
I used to go to the Nike Employee Store with out family friend Brett Ogata in high school. Luckily Jaime's brother has been able to hook us up with passes the past few years. Every year I have gone I have always thought of how much Connor would love to go. He couldn't in high school because he was a "recruitable athlete" but now it wasn't such a big deal. I told Jaime when Connor got back I wanted to try and take him. Saul ended up getting us a passess so Connor slept over and we surprise him and told him we were headed to Oregon the next day. We woke up at the crack of dawn and I made the boys breakfast then we headed off. We went to one of our favorite Brunch places called Tasty and Alder and ended up squeezing our bums into two bar seats to eat somb bomb brunch. We even ran into a friend we met at a crossfit gym in Seattle who was from Oregon who recommended us to that very same restaurant, small world. We drove to Nike and of course there happened to be a new Air Jordan release so we waiting in a long line to get in. There happened to be an issue with the pass Saul got for Connor but miraculously the employee gave us the benefit of the doubt and let us in. Connor didn't end up having to hassle about a pass and it was a blessed coincidence. We spent hours in the store and Jaime took Connor around and helped him pick out some swag. Connor was still accustomed to the white shirt, tie and suit so it took him a little bit to warm up. After we went to HM to get Connor some pants and Lulu lemon to get Jaime some boxers. We then went to a burger joint the Lulu guy recommended and ate some bomb burgers then headed back home. Jaime told Connor that I talked about how much I wanted to bring every time we went to Nike and he was glad it finally happened.
Delfinos
Jaime and I finally got out on a date night for our favorite pizza at Delfino's and my scount mint ice cream at Molly Moons.
Turning the Tide
One of my favorite events to attend is called the Women of Courage Gala. It's hosted by the University of Washington Women's Center and it raises awareness of women and men who have shown dedication to making the future bright for for women in an array of background. It's always so inspirational to hear about women in the workforce who are making advancement, empowering other women, doing research and inspiring others. There are so many powerful speakers, CEO's, student volunteers and money raised to support women from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain their education and realize their dreams can become a reality. Here's my favorite quote from the night "Feminism isn't about making women stronger, women are already strong. It's about changing the way the world sees their strength." The event raised over $200,00 dollars and I was able to sit at a table with some women from the Alene Moris National Education for Women's Leadership conference I went to. I was also able to see Azita and her husband who have been great friends over the years. It was fun to update them on my marriage and life since. Dean Emami said "When are you coming back to the UW." I said "When are you getting a nurse anesthetist program?" We talked for a while and then I headed out. It was such a wonderful night.
Oscars and baking
We finally got some of the "old gang" together to go to Annicka's to bake and watch the Oscars. We have been trying to get together for the longest time. Annicka is the best and showed us how to make her personal cinnamon rolls. We also got to enjoy the Oscars and I was so happy Leonardo finally won his Oscar. I made Jaime was The Revenant with me the day before and I loved it.
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| (Missing Duy) |
Crossfit
I'll admit I have been working on my weak points. I have nailed my pull ups and am still working on my toes to bar but I finally did some double unders. I usually get angry when trying to learn these because I apparently have a lack of coordination but they are finally starting to click. Jaime has been helping coach at his friend's gym called Paramount Crossfit. It's so much fun to see him in his element. He such an inspirational coach and really knows how to tailor teaching to each member's needs. He makes classes fun and I respect how hard he works at his job. Coaching is a high energy job and he comes home exhausted because he puts his heart and soul into it. I'm just happy that he is doing what he loves and it really impacts each person who walks in his gym.
CCRN certified!
I passed my CCRN certification. I'm officially a critical care registered nurse which means I get a raise and hopefully am a lot smarter. I studied my booty off for a month. I was at the family office early in the morning, all day, would only leave to workout and then would come back for a late night. Jaime was so supportive to clean the house and keep up with everything while I was stressing and freaking out. He was so loving and supportive. The morning of he reassured me and said how proud he was of me that I had worked so hard and he knew I would do great. He then said "Babe you look like crap." Ha, I was a bit of a nervous train wreck. Anyway I passed and did way better than I ever would have thought I would. I ran out to get my phone from the car and called him right away and he said he knew I would pass and that he was so proud of me. His support means the world to me. Unfortunately I have to go to work two hours later because I lumped my shifts at the end of the week to be able to study and be on a normal sleep schedule but it all worked out and I was so relieved.
Date Night at Kickin Boot Whisky
We finally got out for a date night and went to one of Jaime's favorite places for friend chicken in Ballard. I even bumped into one of my best friends from the UW nursing program. After we went to one of my new favorite spots for dessert called Hot Cakes. Check out this s'mores hot cake! So delicious but I recommend sharing it because it's pretty rich.
Easter
This Easter was pretty laid back for the Silva. We taught a Sunday school lesson in church and then headed over to my mom's for an Easter dinner with Dallas and Amanda. We then rushed over to Jaime's parents for some steak tacos and Carter decided to take some mug shots on my phone. Looks like he's already mastered the iPhone.
General Conference
We got to listen to general conference this year with Devin and Stacey and we decided to do brunch on top of it! We may have been in a little food coma after but I swear I have this amazing ability to look like I'm sleeping while listening to conference...but I'm not. I'm really listening, I swear.
Venue Open House
We finally set a date to celebrate our marriage with family and friend: 5.6.17. We got to take Ma and Pa to tour our venue and are staring to collect ideas. They loved it and I must admit Herban Feast did a great job decorating the venue, organizing the menu and bringing in multiple vendors for the night. I'm having so much fun planning this event I get more and more excited as the days pass.
Respiratory class
Continuing my nursing education is always a priority and goal. I took a respiratory class at Overlake Hospital by Nicole Kupchick and they had a lung demonstration that was so awesome to see!
New Favorite Restaurant with Duy
The Asian introduced us to one of the best "Mexican" restraunts in Seattle. I tagged along as a third wheel on Duy and Jaime's double date and I'm so glad I did, just look at this food!
New Barbecue
We had been thinking what we wanted to "get" each other for our one year anniversary. After a lot of thought we agreed that we love food and love to cook at home. Jaime had been wanting a BBQ for a while and we spent a few weeks pricing around and researching different brands. We settled on a Weber and based on feed back from our friends that was a solid choice. It should last 15-20 years. Jaime loves shiny things too! It had been sunny off and on for a week and the moment we had the BBQ delivered it started to rain. Jaime was so excited her got it all set up and said " I don't care if it's raining I'm still grilling!" I have to admit I've been a pretty happy wife...Jaime has been a grilling machine since we got our BBQ. Chicken wings, chicken breast, steak, kabobs, pork rib....mmmm my mouth is already water again. We are extremely satisfied with our early anniversary gift and glad we added another piece to our home.
Gloria's 70th bday
Ma planned a pretty epic 70th bday celebration for her sister Gloria. Jaime and I made the drive over to Moses Lake on a beautiful sunny day to his parent's home (use to be his grandmas) and we got to relax in the sun and celebrate with family and friends. Of course there was a mariachi band and lots of amazing tacos. I was able to meet 101+ more of Jaime's family members and I officially give up on linking everyone together. I just smile, hug, kiss and embrace having a wonderfully large and crazy latino family. But for real he has second cousins that are practically older than me, I love it.
Kevin Comes to Visit
It's always a treat whenever I get to see Kevin. He works so hard back east in NY and I love any time Jaime and I get to spend when he comes home. It means a lot to me that Jaime cares to invest in the people that are important to me. Kev has been a best friend since 6th grade and always makes an effort to reach out. I'm so grateful to have a friend like him. He's always so supportive and encouraging and I know our friendship will only continue.
Richmond Beach
Jaime surprise me and took me to the newly remodeled Richland Beach. I love this place because he took me here almost a year ago and it turned out to be an adventure. The place was being remodeled and we snuck over the fence and crossed the rickety pieces of wood that were what was existing of the old bridge (slightly dangerous) to make it to the beach. This time is was all remodeled and sunny as can be. It was so relaxing to lay in the sun next to my man. I'd take the opportunity any day.
Nursing
I've was on the student leadership board called "PONS" at the University of Washington School of Nursing and got contacted by Liz who works on the Public Relations Board to be interviewed for an article that they are writing on the simulation lab. Nate Dreesmann and I helped tour some potential sponsors while we were in school that ended up lobbying for the UWSON which ultimately resulted in a large grant to remodel it.
This is pretty exciting news! It's probably comforting for everyone to know their nurse has access to updates resources and equipment so they are more prepared when they get out in the real world and start working with their patients. Our lab was a pretty outdated but the TA's and instructors definitely made up for it and helped us become great nurses. Anyway, here's the headshot that was taken for the article which should come out soon. Luckily I had time to shower before running out the door and heading back for another night shift!
Carter's 2nd Bday
We got to treat Carter to a delicious cupcake for his 2nd bday before we headed out to Mexico. We had so much fun rolling around and hanging out with his Tio. He kept howling like a wolf if was so adorable.
New Nephew!
Garret and Cami have brought the most adorable and first Bernal grand baby into the family. His name is Hamilton Frost Bernal born on April 21st and he's already the most chill baby alive. Just look at him. They had a home birth and I'm so proud of their strength and confidence in their birth plan, that's tough stuff and I admire them so much for going through it all. We can't wait to meet him this July!
Nurses week
We celebrated nurses week. Here are some pictures of the goofy and incredible caring people I work with.
Skype with Izzy
We got to Skype with our favorite person on Mother's Day. We miss her dearly. Her smile lights up the world wherever she may be.
Regionals
We decided to make the trek to Portland to cheer on our friends at regionals. We tried Airbnb for the first time and loved it! We saved money and were super close to some great restaurants. We watched the amazing athlete compete and decided to eat our faces off for the whole weekend. We also met Josh and Emma for dinner at one of our favorite places, Portland City Grill. We also met up with Duy, Tam and the whole gang to say hi. Of course we hit of Top Pot Donuts for a late night snack and pretty much gained 5 pounds.
UW Alumni Event
UW hosted their first all class alumni event. I met up with Jo from work and we checked it out. It was pretty cool to see so many grads dating back to the 1960's. They told stories when they had to wear dresses and a cap on shift a got paid $200 a month! INSANE. We enjoyed some light hors d'oeuvres, said hi to professors, met some students and got to say hi to Dubs while we were at it. I also got to see my not so mini me Deirdre who is graduating this June and got a Job at Swedish on the NICU. I remember when I met with her before she took her proctored essay in the second round of applications for the UWSON and now she's all grown up! It's really cool to "pay it forward" and help others follow their dreams and achieve their goals. Most of us who have "been there" know we never do it alone. Sumi was my mentor and was there every step of the way for me. Giving me pre-nursing advice, helping edit my application, cheering me on in school and referring me to her manager for a potential job. I'm really grateful that I have been able to help mentor others in their same pursuit. It's really comforting that such amazing people like Deirdre and Clare are going into nursing. I always try to give 110% at work with the mindset that I hope someone else would do the same if my family member or friend was in the hospital. After all, you never know who may be your nurse or the nurse of someone you love...point being I'm all about helping kind souls into this career.
Jaime's date
The only person I will let use my husband as a date is Ma. This pic is cute and deserves a post.
ONE YEAR
I honestly can't believe I have been married to this man for a whole year. Jaime woke me up with beautiful flowers from Pike Place Market which happen to be a favorite. You can't top their flowers and prices. We worked out at the gym and after I got to lounge around and watch my favorite team in the Copa America.
On Saturday we have been traveling so much we decided to keep it simple and stay in Seattle. We decided to get a room downtown at the Hyatt and they attendant upgraded our Amor package and room upon arrival. We headed up to our room which had a cool view of the rooftop greenhouse which supposedly is the largest in Seattle.
We quickly changed and headed off to our spa appointment. We got to enjoy the steam room and sauna before meeting up to soak in a Japanese tub with Epsom salt for a half hour with drinks and refreshments. We just ended up laughing and talking the whole time like we alway do.
After we enjoyed a deep tissue couples massage followed by a pedicure. It was Jaime's first pedicure ever and I think he's hooked. He was so shocked how much he loved it and after admitted he thought he was going to be tortured!? Not sure where he got that idea.
After we went back to the room and showered and headed off to explore and do some shopping downtown. Jaime treated me to my favorite place downtown for lunch: SERIOUS PIE. This place forever has a special place in my heart. We both admitted we realized how nice it was to be walking downtown without a car and the stress of parking or time.
After lunch we went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We took an UBER to El Gaucho and enjoyed a romantic dinner with our classic favorites: steak, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, salad and bananas foster for dinner which is one of my absolute favorites. While we were finishing up Gary Payton and a few of his friends walked by our table and I told Jaime "That was Gary Payton." He teased me and told me he thought I was wrong but we asked the hostess when we walked out and BAM who was right? So much for being a die hard Sonics fan Jaime! After dinner we decided to walk back to our hotel and enjoy the fresh air. When we got back we had a gift from the hotel waiting for us on our bed.
Here's what I had to say about my amazing husband.
The next day we woke up and enjoyed brunch as part of our package. I got Skype with my Nephew who wished us a happy anniversary.
I told Jaime my only wish was to get the back up to speed for our upcoming BBQ and with the help of his Dad and Uncle he outdid himself. Here's a sneak peak minus our hammock which will be set up tonight! We have a grill, fire pit, lounge furniture, lights and Jaime's only request...the pink flamingos in the back, yes more flamingos. If you have been to our place you have seen them in the front and now the back.
Date Night at Kickin Boot Whisky
We finally got out for a date night and went to one of Jaime's favorite places for friend chicken in Ballard. I even bumped into one of my best friends from the UW nursing program. After we went to one of my new favorite spots for dessert called Hot Cakes. Check out this s'mores hot cake! So delicious but I recommend sharing it because it's pretty rich.
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| Alternatively, sometimes we do date night in the outdoor home dept. at Fred Meyer |
This Easter was pretty laid back for the Silva. We taught a Sunday school lesson in church and then headed over to my mom's for an Easter dinner with Dallas and Amanda. We then rushed over to Jaime's parents for some steak tacos and Carter decided to take some mug shots on my phone. Looks like he's already mastered the iPhone.
General Conference
We got to listen to general conference this year with Devin and Stacey and we decided to do brunch on top of it! We may have been in a little food coma after but I swear I have this amazing ability to look like I'm sleeping while listening to conference...but I'm not. I'm really listening, I swear.
Venue Open House
We finally set a date to celebrate our marriage with family and friend: 5.6.17. We got to take Ma and Pa to tour our venue and are staring to collect ideas. They loved it and I must admit Herban Feast did a great job decorating the venue, organizing the menu and bringing in multiple vendors for the night. I'm having so much fun planning this event I get more and more excited as the days pass.
Respiratory class
Continuing my nursing education is always a priority and goal. I took a respiratory class at Overlake Hospital by Nicole Kupchick and they had a lung demonstration that was so awesome to see!
New Favorite Restaurant with Duy
The Asian introduced us to one of the best "Mexican" restraunts in Seattle. I tagged along as a third wheel on Duy and Jaime's double date and I'm so glad I did, just look at this food!
New Barbecue
We had been thinking what we wanted to "get" each other for our one year anniversary. After a lot of thought we agreed that we love food and love to cook at home. Jaime had been wanting a BBQ for a while and we spent a few weeks pricing around and researching different brands. We settled on a Weber and based on feed back from our friends that was a solid choice. It should last 15-20 years. Jaime loves shiny things too! It had been sunny off and on for a week and the moment we had the BBQ delivered it started to rain. Jaime was so excited her got it all set up and said " I don't care if it's raining I'm still grilling!" I have to admit I've been a pretty happy wife...Jaime has been a grilling machine since we got our BBQ. Chicken wings, chicken breast, steak, kabobs, pork rib....mmmm my mouth is already water again. We are extremely satisfied with our early anniversary gift and glad we added another piece to our home.
Gloria's 70th bday
Ma planned a pretty epic 70th bday celebration for her sister Gloria. Jaime and I made the drive over to Moses Lake on a beautiful sunny day to his parent's home (use to be his grandmas) and we got to relax in the sun and celebrate with family and friends. Of course there was a mariachi band and lots of amazing tacos. I was able to meet 101+ more of Jaime's family members and I officially give up on linking everyone together. I just smile, hug, kiss and embrace having a wonderfully large and crazy latino family. But for real he has second cousins that are practically older than me, I love it.
Kevin Comes to Visit
It's always a treat whenever I get to see Kevin. He works so hard back east in NY and I love any time Jaime and I get to spend when he comes home. It means a lot to me that Jaime cares to invest in the people that are important to me. Kev has been a best friend since 6th grade and always makes an effort to reach out. I'm so grateful to have a friend like him. He's always so supportive and encouraging and I know our friendship will only continue.
Richmond Beach
Jaime surprise me and took me to the newly remodeled Richland Beach. I love this place because he took me here almost a year ago and it turned out to be an adventure. The place was being remodeled and we snuck over the fence and crossed the rickety pieces of wood that were what was existing of the old bridge (slightly dangerous) to make it to the beach. This time is was all remodeled and sunny as can be. It was so relaxing to lay in the sun next to my man. I'd take the opportunity any day.
Nursing
I've was on the student leadership board called "PONS" at the University of Washington School of Nursing and got contacted by Liz who works on the Public Relations Board to be interviewed for an article that they are writing on the simulation lab. Nate Dreesmann and I helped tour some potential sponsors while we were in school that ended up lobbying for the UWSON which ultimately resulted in a large grant to remodel it.
This is pretty exciting news! It's probably comforting for everyone to know their nurse has access to updates resources and equipment so they are more prepared when they get out in the real world and start working with their patients. Our lab was a pretty outdated but the TA's and instructors definitely made up for it and helped us become great nurses. Anyway, here's the headshot that was taken for the article which should come out soon. Luckily I had time to shower before running out the door and heading back for another night shift!
Carter's 2nd Bday
We got to treat Carter to a delicious cupcake for his 2nd bday before we headed out to Mexico. We had so much fun rolling around and hanging out with his Tio. He kept howling like a wolf if was so adorable.
New Nephew!
Garret and Cami have brought the most adorable and first Bernal grand baby into the family. His name is Hamilton Frost Bernal born on April 21st and he's already the most chill baby alive. Just look at him. They had a home birth and I'm so proud of their strength and confidence in their birth plan, that's tough stuff and I admire them so much for going through it all. We can't wait to meet him this July!
Nurses week
We celebrated nurses week. Here are some pictures of the goofy and incredible caring people I work with.
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| I'm sorry who said nursing is easy!? |
We got to Skype with our favorite person on Mother's Day. We miss her dearly. Her smile lights up the world wherever she may be.
Regionals
We decided to make the trek to Portland to cheer on our friends at regionals. We tried Airbnb for the first time and loved it! We saved money and were super close to some great restaurants. We watched the amazing athlete compete and decided to eat our faces off for the whole weekend. We also met Josh and Emma for dinner at one of our favorite places, Portland City Grill. We also met up with Duy, Tam and the whole gang to say hi. Of course we hit of Top Pot Donuts for a late night snack and pretty much gained 5 pounds.
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| Twins |
UW hosted their first all class alumni event. I met up with Jo from work and we checked it out. It was pretty cool to see so many grads dating back to the 1960's. They told stories when they had to wear dresses and a cap on shift a got paid $200 a month! INSANE. We enjoyed some light hors d'oeuvres, said hi to professors, met some students and got to say hi to Dubs while we were at it. I also got to see my not so mini me Deirdre who is graduating this June and got a Job at Swedish on the NICU. I remember when I met with her before she took her proctored essay in the second round of applications for the UWSON and now she's all grown up! It's really cool to "pay it forward" and help others follow their dreams and achieve their goals. Most of us who have "been there" know we never do it alone. Sumi was my mentor and was there every step of the way for me. Giving me pre-nursing advice, helping edit my application, cheering me on in school and referring me to her manager for a potential job. I'm really grateful that I have been able to help mentor others in their same pursuit. It's really comforting that such amazing people like Deirdre and Clare are going into nursing. I always try to give 110% at work with the mindset that I hope someone else would do the same if my family member or friend was in the hospital. After all, you never know who may be your nurse or the nurse of someone you love...point being I'm all about helping kind souls into this career.
Jaime's date
The only person I will let use my husband as a date is Ma. This pic is cute and deserves a post.
ONE YEAR
I honestly can't believe I have been married to this man for a whole year. Jaime woke me up with beautiful flowers from Pike Place Market which happen to be a favorite. You can't top their flowers and prices. We worked out at the gym and after I got to lounge around and watch my favorite team in the Copa America.
On Saturday we have been traveling so much we decided to keep it simple and stay in Seattle. We decided to get a room downtown at the Hyatt and they attendant upgraded our Amor package and room upon arrival. We headed up to our room which had a cool view of the rooftop greenhouse which supposedly is the largest in Seattle.
We quickly changed and headed off to our spa appointment. We got to enjoy the steam room and sauna before meeting up to soak in a Japanese tub with Epsom salt for a half hour with drinks and refreshments. We just ended up laughing and talking the whole time like we alway do.
After we enjoyed a deep tissue couples massage followed by a pedicure. It was Jaime's first pedicure ever and I think he's hooked. He was so shocked how much he loved it and after admitted he thought he was going to be tortured!? Not sure where he got that idea.
After we went back to the room and showered and headed off to explore and do some shopping downtown. Jaime treated me to my favorite place downtown for lunch: SERIOUS PIE. This place forever has a special place in my heart. We both admitted we realized how nice it was to be walking downtown without a car and the stress of parking or time.
After lunch we went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. We took an UBER to El Gaucho and enjoyed a romantic dinner with our classic favorites: steak, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, salad and bananas foster for dinner which is one of my absolute favorites. While we were finishing up Gary Payton and a few of his friends walked by our table and I told Jaime "That was Gary Payton." He teased me and told me he thought I was wrong but we asked the hostess when we walked out and BAM who was right? So much for being a die hard Sonics fan Jaime! After dinner we decided to walk back to our hotel and enjoy the fresh air. When we got back we had a gift from the hotel waiting for us on our bed.
Here's what I had to say about my amazing husband.
"Our first anniversary today on June 4th and I never fathomed how happy I would be. The amazing thing is it wouldn't matter if we traveled the world, had nice cars, lived in a mansion or had endless amounts of money. It wouldn't matter if we had to live by humble means, shop at the thrift store or work long hours for the rest of our lives. I treasure his unconditional love more than anything else. His love makes me happy and you CAN'T put a price on that. Love is free. It never has and never will cost money. A smile, a hug, a simple act of kindness is more powerful than anything money can buy. I'm grateful that love is the foundation of our marriage and that I found someone who has made me happier than I could have ever dreamed. Cheers to one year with the most beautiful soul I'll ever know."
The next day we woke up and enjoyed brunch as part of our package. I got Skype with my Nephew who wished us a happy anniversary.
I told Jaime my only wish was to get the back up to speed for our upcoming BBQ and with the help of his Dad and Uncle he outdid himself. Here's a sneak peak minus our hammock which will be set up tonight! We have a grill, fire pit, lounge furniture, lights and Jaime's only request...the pink flamingos in the back, yes more flamingos. If you have been to our place you have seen them in the front and now the back.
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