Homemade guacamole!

Guacamole is very delicious no matter where you have it, but there is just something a little extra and special when it is homemade. The taste of it is so amazing and it goes well with many different things. I appreciate food more when it is homemade, and one of the best recipes is guacamole.
" Live by your own words." -Brandon Zornado

A good wine!

A good wine is something to cherish. There are many out there, but when you find one that you really enjoy it is amazing. Wine goes well with many food dishes and it also is great by itself. Here in Oregon there are many vineyards in the Willamette Valley. You can go there and do wine tastings and sometimes if your lucky you can do a barrel tasting. Red Wine is very good for you, that doesn't mean to drink multiple glasses everyday. Maybe just enjoy a glass with your dinner.

" Live to the fullest and enjoy all that you can." -Brandon Zornado

Use your day wisely!

Like I have said in many posts, "Be productive." If you have a plan then that is more than half the battle. The days don't have enough hours in them to get everything done, but why waist time when you could be accomplishing things. Today was so beautiful and it felt like a summer day. I actually think it was the best day weather wise we have had in a long time. We woke up early and Shelley went to coffee with her Mom and then to get dresses with some of her bridesmaids and I ate breakfast and played the guitar. After that I continued writing a song that I am working on and very excited about. Shelley got home and brought me lunch which was very nice of her. She is the best! We ate out on the porch and enjoyed the sunshine, then we went on a walk down by the rive which is right near the apartment. After that we went and saw some friends at their work and hung out for a bit then went to 24 Hour Fitness for a work out. She did legs and I did arms. It was a great workout. Then when we were finished we got delicious smoothies at " Booster Juice." I know it seems a lot so far but were not even close to being done. After that went went to La Rog Jewelers and I made a payment on her ring and we looked at some rings for me. Then we went grocery shopping at Winco and got a ton of good and healthy food. Today is Ash Wednesday so no meat. When we got home we put away the groceries and for dinner Shelley made Parmesan noodles and amazing Bruschetta. We now are enjoying some white wine and watching the news. She has a little hw to do and then the Snowboarding event is on tonight for the Olympics. We will be watching that, American Idol and then our favorite show Nip Tuck. Now that is a productive day. I find that the more productive you are then the more energy you have and you will also feel better about yourself.
" Make the most out of everything." - Brandon Zornado

My Grandpa! King of the Ice!

My Grandpa is a very special person. All my life he has been there to watch me grow up. Him and my Grandma have been to so many of my sports games and I consider them two of my biggest fans. My Grandpa had 5 kids with my Grandma, and they were all born in Canada. He played professional Hockey in the NHL for many different teams. He was an amazing player and also a very good fighter on the ice. He didn't take anything from anyone, and he stood his ground. Tonight the Portland Winter Hawks are playing against Seattle at the Rose Garden. Before the game starts, my Grandpa will be recognized with some of his former teammates when they played on the Portland Buckaroo's. That was the name of the team before they became the Winter Hawks. The whole family is going to support him and then watch the game. It should be a great night and I dedicate it to my Grandpa. I love him so much and he is a big inspiration to me. Go Hawks!

" Don't ever stop believing in yourself." -Brandon Zornado

The trip to Nashville!

Hello everyone! We are back from our trip to Nashville TN. It was honestly one of the best trips of my life. We had such an amazing time and we saw so many different things. Downtown is awesome and full of many different country boot stores, bars with live music all day, cafes, restaurants, guitar shops, Hatch Show Print shop, Rhyman Auditorium, Soubert Center where they have the CMA's and where the Predator's Hockey Team plays, the Convention Center,the Country Music Hall of Fame, and much more. Right across the river from downtown is Titans Stadium, where the NFL team plays. We checked out surrounding cities as well and they were all different but great in their own ways. Right outside Nashville is, "Greenhills," which is full of shops, writers cafes, a huge mall and really nice housing. When we move we are going to rent a house in Greenhills and then save up for a house a little further out into the country. We took many pictures and you will be able to see them on facebook. The city has so much going on and everyone there is so welcoming and nice. People always have a smile on their face and it seems like everyone is loving life. The music scene there is absolutley amazing. Everywhere you go there is music, which is perfect for me. We went to Vanderbilt University which is a mile from downtown Nashville, and it is a beautiful campus. We went to the city of Franklin which is such a pretty little town and a perfect place to start a family. We took a drive out in the country and saw some amazing land and houses and then ate at a little cafe where I played a Gibson guitar on the stage. We went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and that place is a must go if you are ever there. We went to the Donnelson Mansion, Hilsboro Village, The Blue Bird Cafe where everyone starts there career in music, the Gibson Showcase where they make all the expensive Gibson Guitars, the Grand Ole Opry, and probably my favorite place which was the Gaylord Opryland Resort. The resort is the most amazing place I have ever seen in my entire life. It covers almost a mile of property and inside there are gardens, waterfalls, a river, boat ride, amazing restaurants, fitness center, 2 pools, bars, dance halls, penthouse suites, and so much more. The whole resort is inside but it feels like you are outside. All of the plants are real and they have people who work there and their job is just to take care of the plants and flowers. It is so beautiful and there was a wedding that was going to take place yesterday at 5:00pm inside the resort. It was such a pretty setup and the perfect location for a wedding. While we were in TN it snowed which made the trip even better. Nashville is a great place to go on vacation and I cant wait to call it home.

" Appreciate everything, you never know when you will have nothing to appreciate."
-Brandon Zornado

It's Snowing!

Today when I was eating lunch I looked out the window and I saw that it was starting to snow. There is 2 inches of snow now at my place in Tualatin. It is coming down hard, and it is awesome. The traffic is horrible today and there have already been a lot of accidents. The snow won't be here for long, so let's enjoy it when it is. When you get home tonight, make a fire and have some tea and look out at the snow. It is a wonderful sight and we should be thankful for it's beauty. Enjoy your day and drive safe.

" Life is a journey, live it." -Brandon Zornado

A work of art!

Today after a work promotion I met my girlfriend downtown and we went to the Benson Hotel. The Hotel is decorated to look just like Christmas. At the hotel there is a Gingerbread display done by Chef Dave Diffendorfer. He has done this annual display different every single year for 15 years. This year was a replica of the Benson Hotel. The display took 300 work hours,and was made up of 75 pounds of gingerbread, 25 pounds of marzipan, and 20 pounds of chocolate. It was absolutely beautiful.
It is amazing what skills people have. To think that this gingerbread display was done by just one person is insane. Every little detail was outstanding and it is truly worth seeing.

" Use the skills you have to make your own masterpiece." -Brandon Zornado

Love!

Love it the most beautiful thing in the world. It is so amazing when you fall in love with someone. The way they make you feel is out of this world. Infactuation is when you are focused primarily on just looks, but love is way deeper. You have a connection with another person that goes way beyond anything else. The feeling I have towards my girlfriend is unbelievable. She it the best girl a guy could ever ask for. Not only is she beautiful inside and out, but she is talented in so many different ways and I absolutely adore her. I know that she is the perfect girl for me because of the way I feel about her. I could sit in a empty room with her and I would be completely satisfied because the only thing I need would be right there with me. I love her so much and she makes my world complete.

" Love is something special, so when you find it never let it go." -Brandon Zornado

Cherish your life!

Ever sinse I was a kid I have wanted to make something of my life. Never has there been a dull moment with me. I like to keep everything exciting and adventurous. When I was young I never wanted to miss out on anything. I would stay up all night with my parents and then wake up bright and early. As I got older I always loved meeting new people and getting to know them. My life has been great and I have made the best of it so far. There are so many things that I want to do and see. I know that when I die one day I will have lived an amazing life.

Everyone should have excitement in their lives. You can find it in so many ways. Go shopping, hang out with friends, take a vacation, go to the movies, cook a new meal, make a bucket list, learn how to play an instrument, or just sit down and read a book. Whatever you do, try to have fun with it. Life is to short to not do the things that you want to do. Do not ever tell yourself that there is no meaning to life. There are so many beautiful things that surround us it is unbelievable. I am very thankful for the life that I have been given and everyone else should be thankful for their life as well.

" Enjoy the natural wonders of life, they are everywhere." -Brandon Zornado

Get a hobby!

There are so many things that I enjoy. I am always trying to do things that are exciting and interesting to me. I have always been so busy with everything and lately I have had some free time. In the last 6 months I have really focused on learning how to play the guitar. I took lessons each week for 6 months and I gained a lot of useful information. I became better every single week and noticed a lot of improvement by the end of my lessons. I am now taking it a step further and teaching myself the rest. I am focusing a lot on finger picking right now and next I will learn how to actually read the music notes. I want to become the best that I can and the only way to do that is practice and keep learning. Playing the guitar is honestly the number one thing I like to do by myself. It is so relaxing and I have gained such an appreciation for it.

Everyone deserves to have a hobby that they can enjoy. There are so many different things out there to try and learn. It is amazing when you start doing something you have never done before. It feels so uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it the better you will get and the more fun you will have. No matter what it is, if you practice enough at something you can get good. Find something that you think would be interesting to do and try it out.

" Nothing is too big to accomplish if your heart is in it till the end." -Brandon Zornado

Spending time with the one's you love!

Last night I had dinner almost ready when my girlfriend got home. We had fish fillet, rice pilaf and a dinner roll. The meal was delicious. After dinner we cleaned up and then she rested for a little bit because she had a long day at school. I watched the blazer game, which was a great game by the way! After she got up from a nap we talked about what we were going to do. Usually on a Friday night we would meet some friends somewhere and maybe grab a drink. Last night we decided to do something just the two of us. We went to Bridgeport Village and got coffee and apple cider and walked around then we went into Borders and looked at a ton of different books that were very interesting. I grabed a couple books about guitar to look at and she walked around and looked at various types of books. Then after a bit we sat down together and looked at a book called, "Nashville TN Insiders 7th Edition." We want to move to Nashville within a year and this book was very helpful. We learned a lot about the different areas and places to visit when we go in the spring for vacation. I ordered the book today on amazon so we can figure more out and have a plan before we get there. After that we went home and looked at places to get married when the day comes. Last night was an amazing night and I spent it with the girl that means the world to me.
In life you have to spend time with the one's you love and show them that the time you guys have together is special. You do not always have to have a plan of what you are going to do. Sometimes things are the best when they are decided at the last minute. Do something with someone you love. No matter what you do, cherish the moment and make the best of it.
- " Cherish your loved ones, the best feeling in the world is being with someone you love."