The Heat

Question: Why do the Heat get so heavily criticized? On my Facebook news feed people are constantly trashing them, calling them "cocky, overconfident, punks, egocentric." The list goes on. Why the hate? Geez. Lebron gets booed wherever he goes like if he has insulted the honor, families, dogs, and ancestors of these people. He did nothing wrong to anybody. I understand why Cleveland fans would be disappointed but everybody else needs to calm down and be quiet. And now the booing has expanded to Wade. Why? No clue. Why can't we all just acknowledge the great athleticism of these people as a team and as individuals? They're entertaining to watch! If you're a Heat fan or not, you can't deny it. So stop. I am sure that if any of us were 1/100th as good as Lebron, Wade or Bosh, we'd be the most cocky, overconfident athletes out there. There's nothing wrong with being confident and knowing that you're good when you are among the best. The adjectives that are being used to describe these people also attack them as a person. We don't know who they are or what they're going through. We all have imperfections - celebrities and athletes included. Sports is one thing but getting personal is another and absolutely ridiculous. 

And even more recently, people have been criticizing and creating stereotypes of Heat fans. I'm a Heat fan so when I hear people calling Heat fans "classless", it hurts. Yes, there are some "classless" Heat fans - the same way that there's classless fans of all sorts in all sports and teams! And yes, there are also those fans who jumped on the bandwagon this past year. But then there are those fans, who, like myself, have been Heat fans since the beginning. Basketball has always been my favorite sport. I'd play for hours on end with my little brother growing up. I had an Alonzo Mourning Heat jersey before Wade was even in the NBA and before the Heat ever won a championship. I went to Heat games with my family when we sucked. So all I'm saying is that generalization and stereotypes are just that - nothing more. 

And I also believe that there's nothing wrong with getting excited about your home team winning. I know a lot of people who weren't huge Heat fans before but now are. Who dictates when it is the appropriate time to become a Heat fan (or a fan of whatever team period)? Whether the Heat win the championships this year or not, I know that in the midst of it all, life-long Heat fans were created in the process. And I think that's pretty cool. It creates a sense of camaraderie and unity among friends, family, and a whole city! I find that to be a rather impressive and beautiful thing. My grandma was excited to see the Heat doing good back in '06. She passed away before they made it to the finals but she enjoyed cheering with us and watching the games. Was she a huge basketball fan? No. Was it fun? Yes.

And there are FEW people in this world that can really be called fans of anything. If we were all the loyal fans that we should be, why aren't the arenas sold out every game - regular season or post season, if we're doing horrible or amazing, whatever the situation may be? I feel that the whole sports industry is becoming less and less classy because of all the hating that goes on. Sportsmanship is diminishing."Fans" are taking it to a whole other level by feeling hatred and being vengeful instead of treating it for what it is - a game. 

Last year, the Heat obviously didn't make it to the finals. The Boston Celtics did instead. We watched all the games, just like if the Heat were playing, and cheered on the Celtics because they're fun to watch (and cause they're from the East Coast :]). We even made Celtics cupcakes. It was just a fun experience. Did I hate on the Celtics for being a better team than the Heat that year? No. Did I watch the finals just to see another team fail and experience joy from it? No. I don't love the Lakers and my brother is a Kobe fan. Do I hate him? No. If you truly do love basketball (and any sport for that matter), you can root for any team or individual and have fun doing it, whether it's your home/preferred team or not. 

I married into a family that loves to "smack talk." But it's a friendly, gentle type of "smack talk." In the Dawson family, there is a huge Eagles-Redskins rivalry and it's all in good fun! I love it! So all I'm saying is that these horrible feelings that people are having against the Miami Heat is pretty ridiculous and immature. 

Anyway, we had a tough game last night but I can't wait till Sunday! Hopefully we can pull through how we have in the past. Hope you all have a good weekend! 

GO HEAT! 

Hard Things!

So here's a link to a cute printable that I found while perusing the blogging world. It's so addicting and totally a good way to waste time (is there such a thing?). But anyway, I really like the idea of putting positive quotes or pictures in the home. It reminds us of what's really important (family, temples, Christ, etc). I found an old 4 x 6 frame that wasn't being used and placed it in the corner of our bathroom counter top. Now when I wake up and stare at myself in the mirror wishing I didn't have a test or didn't have to go to work, I have a little motivation reminding me that "I can do hard things!" Although I know that I can do hard things, sometimes it's easy to forget and complain. We have all gone through our share of trials that were indeed hard and have learned important lessons along the way. And we survived! It's easy to lose the eternal perspective and big picture. I know that we were sent here by a loving Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to become just like Him! And there's no better way to do that than by accomplishing....hard things!

They have different color combinations. This one just so happened to
 match my living room and bathroom!

P.S.
I'm on the waiting list for Pinterest. I'm sure that won't help me reduce wasting time on the net! Anyway, I'm excited :)

Convolvuluses

Growing up, I hated house plants and any type of plant really. I've always loved flowers, especially when they were given to me after a dance recital or when they were fresh in a vase in my room. But other than that, I always complained about my grandma's and mom's house plants. I felt that they brought creepy-crawling things inside the house! Yuck. Anyway, my mom also did the landscaping in our front yard. She was great at it. But the only thing I remembered was how much hard work it was! Hence the dislike for gardening. 

But now, I am becoming more and more "domesticated" (as my brother-in-law Chris would say). A couple of weeks ago, I decided I wanted some living thing adorning the outside of our apartment...since Blaine hasn't proven to be the flower-buying type of guy. Joke joke. Everybody in our apartment complex has some sort of plant outside. So I had to choose between buying a beautiful flower already in bloom or trying to grow some myself. I took the road less traveled. Ha. So brave.  

So I bought three pots (black, white & red to match our living room :]), some potting soil, and some of these seeds at Lowe's. I really didn't know what to do. I just put the seeds in there and have been watering them everyday. The packet of seeds claims that buds appear between 7-21 days. I watched and watched and even talked to my flowers a little. Weird. I know. I felt like Horton talking to his speck. But my boss at work does it and her plants are beautiful! Anyway, I was becoming a little discouraged. When I returned from our trip to San Diego, I spotted teeny, tiny green things in MY pots. Oh the joy. I never thought I'd be so excited about planting anything in my life. But, I must admit, there is something relaxing and nurturing about planting and the nurturing that comes along with it. So I'll be posting pics as they continue growing. Hopefully, I'll be successful in this new endeavor. Abuela would be so proud. She had a beautiful orchard garden along the side of our house. 

I wish I had some space to do some square-foot gardening or something. Not only is it super cool to eat things grown out of your backyard, I'm sure it's better than what we buy in the store and also a counsel from our latter-day prophets! One day I'll be able to do that. Stacey & Chris have the nicest little garden in their hot and dry, Vegas backyard. Every time we're over, we have something from the garden at dinner! I love it. 

So stay tuned for more updates on my little blue convolvuluses!

The ones in the black pot seem to be doing the best. 

Memorial Day Weekend

Devin, Blaine's cousin with Down
 drew this for us. So sweet! 

Thursday, Blaine and I said goodbye to Provo and were on our way to sunny San Diego! This was our first trip together to California. We had too much fun. The drive itself was fun. We had the time to just chat about whatever without worrying about school, taking out the trash, work, etc. Also, we were able to listen to the Heat game against the Bulls. We were sad because the Bulls were killing us the whole game. And by some miracle in the last minute and 15 seconds, the Heat decided to step it up. I was able to hotspot Blaine's phone and FaceTime with my family while they were watching the game. It was so intense and SO much fun! GO HEAT!

We stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites in Point Loma thanks to the Culvers. It was a really nice area and we had complimentary breakfast everyday. Our first day we were able to go to the San Diego Zoo. It was a beautiful day and seeing so much green was refreshing. Also, being at the zoo with kids always makes things even better. My favorite part was the panda viewing. They were adorable! After, we went to Mission Beach. It wasn't a Florida beach. But it was a beach! It felt so good to just lay in the sun and take a nap and TAN! It had been too long. The water was too cold to get in but the sound of the waves was wonderful. Playing in the sand with the boys was fun...Watching Tytee eat sand like it was some delicious candy was also entertaining. After the beach we visited Old Town. It was, well, an old town. It had a ton of little shops and authentic Mexican restaurants. We ate at Cafe Coyote. Good stuff. The tortillas were so good. I could eat them by themselves. After a long day, we went back to the hotel to shower. We played Monopoly Deal with Stace & Chris once the kids were sleeping. That game is so addicting. We love it! That night, Blaine and I were able to meet up with one of his old mission companions - Alex Riggins, and his girlfriend. We met at Golden Spoon for frozen yogurt that they treated us to! It was so nice of them. We had a great time.

The next day we went to Sea World. I hadn't been to Sea World since I was in pre-k. It was another beautiful day. We saw multiple shows that were so entertaining. We were actually there for the "premiere" of One Ocean - the new show with Shamu. It was legit. The park CEO or something came out and did the whole big scissors thing. Blue Horizon was a show that focused on dolphins. It was beautiful. It's amazing how intricate, smart, and unique animals are. To think that we  all came about by the same Creator is mind-blowing. Anyway, the sky tower and sky ride were free the day we went and Miles enjoyed the "sky tram" or "buckets" a lot. It all started out at the zoo. Instead of staring at the animals, he was looking up observing the "buckets." When he saw the sky ride at Sea World, he was so happy! It's funny how kids see the fun and goodness in the simplest of things. I almost forgot...we went to a delicious seafood restaurant - The Brigantine. I had a 3-course meal: clam chowder, prosciutto wrapped tiger prawns, monster-looking asparagus with roasted potatoes and a raspberry vinaigrette. And for dessert, crème brulée. It was so so good. Everybody loved their food.

Sunday was a great day as well. We woke up and found the nearest chapel and attended sacrament meeting. Afterwards, we visited the grounds of the absolutely GORGEOUS San Diego Temple. Although we couldn't do any sessions, it's fun to visit temples in different areas. You can just feel how important they are when you are near them. Blaine and I have a goal to visit every temple in Utah. So far we have Provo and Salt Lake City... not doing so hot. But we have gone to the Orlando Temple together! Anyway, I really do love to see the temple! 

For lunch on Sunday, we were able to visit Aunt Dinah Bates in Fallbrook California - just an hour away from San Diego. She is Blaine's maternal grandfather's sister. Phew. Anyway, I have heard about how wonderful this woman is. She always sends Blaine a birthday card and she also sent us a nice wedding gift! She cooked us a yummy lunch and we were able to spend some time together. She is just so nice. She also resembled Poppy a whole ton. They look alike, talk alike...they're totally related. Aunt Dinah showed us some old pictures and her mother's china. We were able to talk to her about her Puerto-Rican heritage. Poppy is full Puerto Rican but you'd never tell. He came to the U.S. when he was way young, stuck to English (to avoid discrimination), and has become totally Americanized. It's funny though. He still drinks "cafe con leche" and has a huge sweet tooth. There are traces of his Puerto Rican side in him. Aunt Dinah still makes "arroz con pollo" among other traditional, Hispanic dishes. I am just glad that I was able to meet more family. I was also surprised that she was so spunky. She's 85 years old and doesn't look it. We had a great time with her. Hopefully we can visit again soon! 

Although we were sad to leave San Diego, we had a great time in Vegas. It was nice to have the long drive split into two and to have down time with Stace, Chris and the kids. Sunday night Stacey showed me how to make hair flowers. I've been dying to ask her to show me and she offered before I gathered the courage to ask! She also showed me some of her latest projects. She is so creative and crafty! I wish we lived closer so that we could do things like this more often.

Monday, we changed our tires at Walmart and ate at Farmer Boys. It was so good! I had a chicken club sandwich while Blaine killed a half-pounder. We also ordered a yummy shake and funnel fries. We just found out that they opened one in SLC! Yum! We hung out a little bit more and finally decided it was time to go. Another great thing about this trip is that Stacey gave me one of her Cricut machines! She has a larger one and doesn't use the smaller one as much (or at least that's what she told me). I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning or something. On the way home, all I thought about was my new toy. I am so excited to use it! Thank you Stace! 

BUT before going home, we encountered some obstacles. We were on the highway and the car just felt weird. It was rattling a little. So Blaine pulled off to a safe spot and checked out the tires. Some of the bolt-looking things were a little loose. We had to go back to Walmart and they said that they really couldn't do anything and that it wasn't that important or something like that. I just sat in the car while Blaine talked to the mechanics. I know nothing about cars since my dad was a mechanic. Car stuff was always handled by him. I don't like dealing with it! Anyway, one nice guy offered to balance the tires again for free although they were supposed to balance them anyway when they put the new tires on. Well, they didn't. So that was the problem. It was a pretty big setback. We were delayed by 2 hours. We were extremely tempted to just stay the night but I had work early in the morning! We prayed that we'd have a safe trip through the night and arrived safely at home around 1:30 AM. 

The only bad part of our vacation was the end. We didn't want to leave. The weather was so nice. Once we passed St. George, the temperature dropped to like 40 degrees! Yikes! But the hardest thing to leave was our family. We are so happy that Stace and Chris are near for the time being. We love spending time with them. I wish we were closer! They are just great people. I'm so happy that I married into a family that I absolutely love and feel comfortable with. Also, by far my favorite part of the trip - putting my little 3 year-old nephew to bed. Blaine and I read him two books and then read a scripture story to him. Afterwards, Blaine helped him say his prayer (his usual routine). After all that, he came up to me and simply said "Can we cuddle?" I about melted right there. So we cuddled. And I was the happiest person ever at that moment. The best part is that he asked me instead of Blaine! That kid has been and continues being obsessed with his uncle (the obsession is mutual). So this was a big deal for me. All in all, we had a great time. I don't know when our next vacation is (other than the cruise - 74 more days! Excited much? YES) but I hope it's sooner than later! Vacations and traditions make memories and bonds between families that are stronger than anything else!

May 26

It's my sister, Damaris', birthday. She's turning 23! And this year is the first birthday that I won't be with her to celebrate! So sad. But anyway, I just wanted to share 23 things that I love about my sister. [I saw this on my friend's blog. She did this for her husband's birthday and I just loved it. So I stole the idea :) Thanks Erin!]

1. Sometimes, she leaves me voicemails singing to whatever song is being played in the car on her way home from work. It's hilarious.

2. She understands the ridiculous things that go through my mind. I can talk to her for hours on end about shopping and decorating, etc. - the frivolous things of life.

3. When we go shopping together, she dances in the clothes that she tries on. Again, hilarious. Damaris came up to Provo back in August of 2009 to wedding-dress shop. I had so much fun. Not just because it's one of the funnest experiences you can have as a sister, but because she danced in the dresses she tried on! We had a blast.

4. She's a wiki-face. She wiki's everything and anything. And therefore knows everything. Yes. Everything.

5. She plays the piano. She doesn't play Clair de Lune or anything, but she picked up piano to play hymns. Although we had some piano classes when we were younger, she basically taught herself after our piano teacher sold us out. I find it pretty amazing. I had too much pent up anger towards our piano teacher to continue playing. Jay-kay.

6. She inspired me to love cooking. When she was engaged to Bruce, she always said that she would never have to cook. "Bruce is happy with bagels and cereal." After the wedding, next thing you know, she's into cooking and making all of these yummy meals. It's fun to talk to her about different recipes and, our favorite Food Network chef, Rachael Ray.

7. Damaris keeps me updated with what's "in" on the East Coast. From fashion to music, she's my personal informant.

8. This may be ridiculous but it's the truth. I have trouble going to one particular class and Damaris makes sure that I am awake and on my way to class. She looks out for me 2,557 miles away. Our relationship has managed to go unchanged regardless of the distance. If anything, it has gotten stronger. She contacts me at least once a day. I really appreciate it.

9. She finishes my sentences and understands my jumbled thoughts (not any easy task).

10. She loves Blaine and treats him like a brother!

11. Something that I've recently noticed in sister-sister relationships is that there are sisters who don't agree on the same things or don't have the same interests. Well, Damaris is the coolest sister out there because (literally) we like the same exact things. Music, fashion, food, hobbies, shows, movies, goals...minus the math.

12. When we were young, I'd want to play "casita" (being a mom) and she always wanted to play banker. She has always been motivated and dedicated to school. She is graduating this August with a BA in Accounting and going straight into her masters program ::applause::

13. So not only does she dance in dressing rooms, she dances all the time (randomly). I wish I had access to the pictures of us on a trip to D.C. when we were 10 and 12 years old. There are several pictures of her dancing on the sidewalk and one where she's in an elevator doing the moves in the video "Everybody" by the Backstreet Boys.  Eleven years later, she does the same thing.

14. She's a great example to me and supports me in everything.

15. She buys me things I need/want. I have to be careful when talking to her about these things. I just casually mention that I need/want this or that and next thing you know, I have a package a couple of days later.

16. We share clothes (still). There have been times when I have taken a shirt of hers back to Utah (not purposefully) and left something of mine in Miami. We like to wear each other's newest articles of clothing/accessories when we're reunited. It's fun.

17. She threw the coolest Bachelorette party for me! And was the best Maid of Honor ever.

18. Damaris is extremely giving and aware of everyone's needs. She is a big help to all those who surround her, especially family.

19. She would always be on my side when I was being chastised by Mommy for anything 0:)

20. On the nights that Blaine works, she stays up to talk to me or Skype so that I won't be lonely.

21. She makes life fun.

22. She's beautiful - inside and out.

23. She's my best friend.

Although I won't be with her this day, I hope she feels the love and appreciation that I have for her. She deserves a great birthday! Happy Birthday to the world's greatest sister!

(I'll be there next year!)

Stores that Don't Exist in Utah

So in exchange for the thousands of temples and an awesome university, Utah stole several stores from my life.

Publix: Neatest and cleanest grocery store out there. Their produce is extremely fresh. Their bakery is amazing as well as their deli. My sister's favorite ice cream cake is from Publix. It's this deliciousness of cookies n' cream and I don't know what else. But it's good. It is a shame that they only exist in Florida - North Carolina. Also, all Publix buildings are cool-looking. Maybe it's all mental cause it reminds me of Florida and I'm just biased. Finally, my grandma shopped there and she cooked amazing. I guess I just associate the greatest food ever with Publix - "Where Shopping is a Pleasure." Literally.

Crate & Barrel: Well for any of you who have been to Crate & Barrel, you would know why I'm so disappointed that Utah doesn't have a single store. It's classic yet modern - they have the perfect combination. One good thing about this store not being in Utah is that they're a little pricey. So I'm glad Ikea is here instead. But I wouldn't mind a Crate & Barrel Outlet! That's the best!

The Container Store: Alrighty. Confession - I'm a neat freak. Sometimes, Blaine thinks that I might have some sort of OCD. I wasn't this bad until we moved into our tiny, 500 sq. ft apartment. Because it is small, I have to have a perfect system in order for everything to fit! If something is out of place, the whole apartment can look like a mess in no time. And no dwelling place of mine is going to be messy! So, I really miss The Container Store. They just have EVERYTHING that you could possibly imagine to be organized. They have these little cord/cable organizers that I'm just obsessed with. I hate cables. Anyway, it's just heaven for anybody who is even slightly interested in organization. I highly recommend it, unless if it will worsen your OCD. Although their online store will suffice for now, it's not the same as actually seeing the products in person. The nearest ones would be Scottsdale, Arizona or San Diego, California. I'll see if I could go to the one in San Diego this weekend!

Zara: Zara is a quality, European clothing store. I was first introduced to it at my favorite mall in the whole world - Aventura Mall. The last time I bought something there was February 2009. My mom and Damaris took me on a little shopping spree for my birthday.

H & M: Well, thank goodness they have one  in Vegas. It's like a quality Forever 21 - cause let's face it. Forever 21 is not quality. Also, Blaine really likes it! And I like how their clothes looks on him too :) The lame thing about my H & M experience is that I came out to BYU before they finished building the one in Miami. So I went to the ones in Orlando, Vegas, Delaware and New York City. I feel that I don't have a store like H & M near. The closest malls to me have like either crappy stores or really high end stuff that, although I love, can't pay the price at this point of my life! So H & M would be perfect in this little college town, but I guess corporate doesn't seem to think so.

Farm Stores: Ok so really, this is called La Vaquita in my book. That's how everybody calls it back home. It's the only drive-thru grocer in South Florida! And, honestly, I've never seen a drive-thru grocer anywhere else. Basically, I grew up going to La Vaquita with my mom whenever she just needed something really fast and didn't feel like going to the grocery store. For example, you're going to make this recipe and realize that you just ran out of eggs. You would just get in your car, drive up, and get some eggs! I must sound like a lazy bum but oh well. This would be great in Utah, especially during the winter! I also have good memories of just passing by and grabbing a Snickers ice cream bar after school with my mom.

Marshalls: This is the store that I'm most upset about. How could a Marshalls not exist in thrifty Utah?!?! Ross and TjMaxx are good, but Marshalls is best! The funny thing is that I could've sworn that there was a Marshalls in Utah and that I had actually gone to one before. The other day, I wanted to go to find a dress and I realized that that was just some crazy illusion in my head. What a disappointment! And the frustrating thing is that there are commercials for Marshalls out here! How torturous! I feel that I always find something good at Marshalls. They have beautiful brand (modest) dresses and church skirts for great prices! My whole family shops at Marshalls and always find amazing deals. Well, not me. CAUSE IT'S NONEXISTENT HERE. Also, the Ross' and TjMaxx's here aren't as good as other ones that I've been too. I always feel that the racks and shelves are empty. Lame.

Well, that was my little rant about stores that I miss and would really like to have in good ol' Provo. If you're in the Provo area, what are some stores that don't exist here that you like?

Cuban Cuisine

So, as you all know, I'm Cuban. I admit that although I absolutely LOVE Cuban food, I do not know how to make many Cuban dishes. I just never learned from either my grandma or mom. Shame on me, I know. How could I. And my poor husband, having served in Miami, craves Cuban food all the time. You'd think that being married to a Cuban would guarantee a yummy Cuban dinner at least once a week. Well, that's not the case. 

One of my goals for the year was to cook more Cuban food. I really do love it and find it delectable. It's also a pretty simple and basic cuisine. Last week, I tried making tostones. It was my first time making them, and therefore, fried them for too long. Although they were a little burnt, it tasted like heaven to me! I haven't had tostones in forever! I'm confident that I will nail it next time. (Here's the recipe.)

Last night, I made something that I was more comfortable with - batido de trigo. Basically, it's a wheat shake and my favorite shake of all time. The way Cubans make shakes is interesting. They have a "master recipe" and then just add a few different ingredients to make different shakes. It's usually just the master recipe with one fruit. We don't mix fruits too often. It's really simple and really delicious. So I'll share the master recipe with you and you can add whatever fruit you like to make a traditional, Cuban shake! 

Master Recipe

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

1/2 cup crushed ice

Basically, the sweetened condensed milk is what makes it Cuban. We love it! It's not the healthiest thing in the world but I don't care!  I mix it in my oatmeal sometimes. If you don't love sweetened condensed milk, then decrease the amount or just omit it all together. So for the wheat shake, all you do is add 1 cup of puffed wheat cereal and a pinch of salt. You put everything in the blender except the ice and process until frothy. Add the crushed ice and process until the ice is ground fine and the batido is thick and rich. And voila...you just made yourself a Cuban shake! 

Traditional Cuban fruits to add are mamey, banana, guanábana, mango, passion fruit and papaya. But like I said, you can add whatever fruits you'd like.

I'll be posting more of my endeavors to become the Cuban chef I ought to be! 

Enjoy!