a quick pre-christmas catch up

First of all my dear friend Kelley finished college!


She also finished her first drink all my herself!


Then Natalie got home from a long three months away in Chicago.


And the Thom family finally got their Christmas tree.


And we decorated it all in the same day.


Picking our Christmas tree used to be a big family event. When we were younger one night in early December we would get all bundled up and head out to the local Christmas tree lot. We would run through the trees and play hide and go seek or tag. While the kids and my dad were goofing off my mom would search for the perfect tree, she had requirements that none of us really knew.

This year, we waited for everyone to be home and then ended up at a Home Depot lot, where I picked up one tree and we bought it.It has gotten so simple. Well some traditions begin to fade as we grow up.
Well someday Tyler and I will start our own traditions with our own family (no worries, it is still years away!!)

technological advances

This week I stepped up in the world of technology...

A new computer. It am so excited that when I click on the internet it actually opens. I don't have to wait 10 minutes any more!

Andd an iPhone.

Long story short, I came into a barely used iPhone 3GS this week, thanks to my wonderful Tyler.



Now all I have to do is study for my finals, and then Christmas break can actually begin! Which really means wedding planning.

thanksgiving

Better late than never!

So this thanksgiving my mom and I were in charge of stuffing and dessert for thanksgiving dinner (which really means just me!)

So we made the Pionner Women's stuffing from her Throwdown, and her pecan pie! Both were quite delicious.


that's a lot of bread- cornbread, ciabatta and italian bread


the apples and onion cooking up for the stuffing!


the pies in the oven! 2 Pumpkin for my Tyler and a Pecan!

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I spent the lunch time meal with Tyler and his family and he came to my aunt's house for our family's dinner. It was so nice to spend the whole day with my husband to be. I am so thankful for the chance to marry my best friend.

It was a year of many blessings and much to be thankful for.

Then I headed back to school to decorate for Christmas at work... we went a little overboard.





So now for the last week of classes!

a little thing called painting class

My semi-autobiographical still life



A interior exterior painting... this is where it began



And this is where it finished



We have just begun our last paintings of the semester, I am so glad to be almost done with painting. i have learned a lot and grown as an "artist" however I am done. There has been enough art for me.

Pioneer Woman

So I am a creeper and the side of her face on a Throwdown with Bobby Flay commercial and knew it was her. So I quickly went on foodnetwork.com and found out it was The Pioneer Woman. She has challenged Bobby Flay to a Thanksgiving Feast throwdown.I have been counting down sense Monday night.

She is so amazing and all her food is so down to earth and delicious. How can you go wrong with a oven roasted turkey, yukon gold skin-on cream cheese butter mashed potatoes, pan dripping gravy with giblets stock, cornbread stuffing with pancetta and vegetables and homemade pecan pie with a maple whiskey cream sauce..... is your mouth watering yet. You should watch the next airing of the episode :) I'm sure it will play 50 more times this week.

Before I find out who wins... how can you not make mashed potatoes for thanksgiving, Bobby that may be your downfall.

SHE WON!! I just screamed with joy... I was nervous for a second there.

I am content now... I can go to bed happy tonight.

The Save the Dates are out!



And this one to some of our closest and funny friends!



There is no going back now! :)

Phoenix...here we come!

So last Tuesday was a day of celebrating and a some disappointment. I was accepted to Teach for America in Phoenix to teach elementary school. The sad news is Tyler was not, however over this last week we are both very excited about where life is taking us.

So we are moving to Phoenix right after we get married. There is so much for us to figure out but it is together, we are starting our lives as a married couple all on our own, we have no one but each other to lean on. That is such a wonderful thing.

So here is a little preview to our May/June
May 13- Rachel graduates from college
May 21- Tyler graduates from college
May 29- We get Married!!
June 3- Leave for our Honeymoon :)
June 10- Come home
June 12- Rachel starts training in Phoenix

So the question is how and when do we find a place to live and move to a new unknown place!!

Tyler is amazing and is such a planner and organizer I have no reason to worry.

Who Doesn't Love Presents

This weekend Tyler and I registered for our wedding presents. It was a strange, new, fun and tiring day. We got to pick all these things we want but did not have to spend a penny on any of them. It was like no other experience I have ever had. It was very fun, we walked all around Macy's for a few hours, scanning, discussing, asking questions, touching things and deciding. By the end I was done, I could not handle any more decisions. Tyler was absolutely amazing, he has way more shopping stamina than I do. And he let me register for all the crazy kitchen things I want!

The next day we ventured to Target. We had a little more fun there, it was less stressful. We just scanned away, from picture frames, to blenders, to towels, to PS3. Yes we registered for a PS3, Tyler was very happy about that. It is a home entertainment system not just a game console!

The major stuff we still need to decide on is knifes (I'm thinking Wuesthof) and dishes... we need to find some that we like.

But it was a total blast planning for our future together. It was very exciting that in just a few months we are going to be starting a home together. This was a cool step in that process.

(Thank you in advance if you buy one of those things I scanned this weekend!)

October 20

On Wednesday October 20th Tyler and I will have our final interview for Teach for America.

It has been a very exciting week, Tyler finding out he got the final interview and then all the things that need to get done. The TFA to-do list has like 20 things on it and less than 2 weeks to do them all. But I have begun crossing things off which is great.

ALSO-

I got to see my dad testify in court. I was the first one in the family he has ever let come watch him. It was very cool to watch my father do his thing on stand. He even called the opposing lawyer "devious". It was quite a fun experience.

dresses!

So today was very excited not only did I get to show Kelley around home and church. I bought my wedding dress!

It is perfect, so beautiful and comfortable and so me! It was very fun. My to be mother in law or Jenny, cried. My to be sister in law or Chelsea, laughed and smiled and thinks it all because of her that Tyler and I are getting married :) The wonderful Colleen and Tiffany ditched the church picnic to be there and were so supportive and fun. And I dragged Kelley along all the way from school.

I could not be more excited and happy with the purchase. The dress is absolutely perfect. And the great price makes me love it even more!

Sorry no pictures for the blog, you will have to wait until May 29!

Also we retried on some bridesmaids dresses and we all still love them and the color, vibrant bright blue.

And the mothers began dress shopping for the wedding, and planning what colors will match or clash.

Such an exciting and productive day.

Only 238 days to go!

TFA update

My amazing fiancé got a phone interview for Teach for America. YAY!!!

He is interviewing this Saturday afternoon, so very quick. No waiting on TFA's part.

I also realized today that in less than 2 months we will be making some big decisions about what we want to do next year. A decision to possibly move to a new state... wow, that is big!

painting class

so for some unknown reason i decided to take a painting class this semester. it has turned into my most time consuming class. it is fun at time and stressful at times and i am learning a lot every time i walk into the studio. which is is so bright and cheerful, full of easels and tables.

we started with black and white painting a ball or a cup. i choose a ball since it was easier. this is the first stage


i do not have a picture of the final product (another layer of paint and a way better shadow)

our next project is an exploration of color
we painted 3 signatures using one primary color for each while exploring secondary and tertiary colors... basically to play with color.
i painted "rachel thom", "tyler nazarian" and "rachel nazarian" so excited!!!


Rachel Thom

Tyler Nazarian

Rachel Nazarian (the paint is still wet)


and my palette of paint

final interview!

So I opened my email this morning as this was waiting for me!

"Dear Rachel,

Congratulations! It is with pleasure that I invite you to Teach For America's interview day. We enjoyed learning about you in your application and would appreciate the opportunity to meet you in person. You have advanced directly to the final interview stage and will not be participating in a phone interview. For more information about our process, please click here."

Needless to say, today has been a great day. I feel blessed and excited. I feel honored to be considered. I think this is a good sign for me and TFA. I will continue to leave this in God's hands, I will try my best and work hard in the next steps, but it ultimately up to God.

God is good, all the time and all the time God is good.

wedding

We are getting married on Sunday, May 29, 2011 at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Redondo Beach. It is not only the place where Tyler and I met, became friends, worked together, but also where he proposed to me! It has a special place in our hearts and I am very excited to say "I do" in a place that means to much to the both of us.



Our reception is going to be at Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach. It is going to be one big celebration with water, sand and palm trees as a background!

applications.. senior years

On Friday I turned in my application for Teach for America. I hit submitted as I gave it up to God. I completely trust Him to use me and put me where he wants me. I guess I should say use us, put us... since I am getting married on May 29, 2011, I can no longer make decisions for me they are not decisions for the both us. That excites me to no end.

Tomorrow marks another beginning or more like the beginning of an end. My first last day of school (as a student). I am starting my senior year of college tomorrow. It feels weird, like I am too young or not ready. But then again I am not too young and I have to be ready because it is here. I am a senior!

engaged!

On Friday Tyler proposed to me and I said YES!!

We are getting married. I feel incredibly blessed to marry my best friend and the love of my life. We are beginning the process of planning a wedding but more importantly starting a life together. We could not be more excited.

K + C

Congratulations K and C. You guys are getting married.

I cannot stop smiling because of the love I have for these two people and the love I know they have for each other and Jesus.

Maybe the Skip and Steve jokes can die down now.

Once again I am so happy for you too!

green water bottle

So this green water bottle (or one very similar) is now the marker of my journey with TFA. the wonderful TS and I had an amazing conversation about TFA and all the little details I had questions about and a few insider tips for applying.

1. apply early to get your location preference (and you'll find out before Thanksgiving)
2. know TFA's mission and goals (read the website)
3. be real and honest in your application (why TFA and not another program?)
4. focus on the first and the last point in the online application (because that is what TFA looks at)

There are many ways to demonstrate leadership qualities, and we view applicants holistically by looking for evidence of:

• Demonstrated past leadership and achievement: achieving ambitious, measurable results in academic, professional, extracurricular, or volunteer settings
• Perseverance in the face of challenges
• Strong critical thinking skills: making accurate linkages between cause and effect and generating relevant solutions to problems
• Ability to influence and motivate others
• Organizational ability: planning well, meeting deadlines, and working efficiently
• Understanding of and desire to work relentlessly in pursuit of our vision

I am now even more excited about this process and hopefully future plans.