Yeah yeah yeah, I know, it's almost the end of August and I'm FINALLY writing about the Fourth of July. I've been slacking on my blog posts lately. I take all the pictures, but I just don't feel like actually putting them up. Well, I figure I should do so now while I have the time, before I start school and my new job. More on that in another post, though.

For the fourth, Dawson and I were invited to his grandparent's annual Fourth of July party, only this time, it was at their new house! I made dessert and my mom & I made salads. Dawson had fun, swimming and visiting with the other side of his family. He looked dashing in his fourth themed American flag jumper and flip-flops.



I bought a huge tray of strawberries at Costco because I was planning on making a whole bunch of strawberry things for the 4th. I made strawberry cheesecake, which was absolutely delicious, as well as white chocolate covered strawberries.



The biggest strawberry I've ever seen in my life!



Normal strawberry, and the HUGE one!



Cheesecake ingredients.



Mix mix mix.



Pre-baked.



Baked.



Strawberried.



Strawberry-glazed.



Sliced.



What was left after Dawson's grandparent's party and my family dug in.



White chocolate covered strawberry ingredients.



Decorated. Cute, right?



Pasta salad.



Potato salad with crab.



Dawson being cute.

On my 21st birthday, I didn't really do anything extraordinary. Many of my closest friends don't turn 21 until after me, so I pretty much wasn't able to go out, because who goes out alone? So, I ended up going to dinner at Sugar Factory, which was so yummy! And then I just walked the strip, leading to my first legal drink being a pina colada at Mandalay Bay.



My silly face & first legal drink.

Then, that weekend, my family took me out to a birthday lunch at Red Robin.







Mai Tai!



My fave! Spinach & artichoke dip!



Dawson's chicken fingers.



My burger. MMM provolone cheese!



I swear, the lighting makes it look pinker than it actually was..





Dawson loved the crayon.

Last week, I was craving some chocolate! Instead of snacking on a Snickers or Hershey's bar, I decided to at least attempt at staying healthy.. so I covered some strawberries in chocolate, haha!





(I also covered some oreos, per my brother's request)

And here is my even healthier alternative which I use for quick snacking

Yesterday, Dawson & I visited his Nana & Pop's new house. They moved more towards our side of town and they now have a pool! Dawson went swimming for the first time and he totally loved it! Afterward, we went to Kabuki for some sushi during Happy Hour, and let me just say, it was DELICIOUS! On the freeway on the way home, we noticed a huge black cloud of smoke and while driving closer, we realized it was right by my house! I freaked out, thinking it was either my house, or my biffle Cristina's house. But it turned out to be the recycling plant right by my house.

Anyway, onto the pictures!









Daddy ordering sushi, while Dawson points at what he wants.



He's a little monster.





I love iced tea.



Dawson's "kid's meal". Really?! This was like an adult meal! Not bad for only 6 bucks!



Rainbow Roll.



Vegas Roll.





Rose Roll.









Aftermath. My tummy was SO full. Yuuummy yummy sushi!




The smoke from the fire coming off of the freeway.

I swear, everyone in Vegas needs to try this buffet at least once! We went again, taking my Mama from Hawaii along with us.



First plate. Didn't get much because the syrup from my Macadamia Nut French Toast was getting on everything!



Total diet KILLER. Haha! No I didn't eat it all, just about half. I have the bad habit of grabbing way too much food at buffets. I'm one of those people whose brain is hungrier than their tummies.



Dawson's plate of Macadamia Nut French Toast. He loved the first one so much he wanted more!



Dessert plate one.





This was so YUMMMMMMY... that I had to get two more. One for me, one for D.


See? A bunch of sugar-free cookies for Dawson.



He loved the cookies most.. Couldn't even tell they were sugar-free.



They even had cappuccinos!



Aftermath.