Bridesmaid Profile: Miss Caroline J. Rutenbar

Yesterday, I had the absolute JOY of hanging out with one of my friends and bridesmaids; the lovely and talented, Miss Caroline J. Rutenbar!  I can hear the roar of applause now!


While burning ourselves to a crisp sunning our skin , we caught up on life, ate Gushers (an all time favorite snack and NOT part of The Clean Program) and read Tina Fey's new book, Bossypants out loud to each other.  Out loud-like when your mom read to you before you fell asleep at night-out loud.  


This is why I love Caroline!  Caroline makes me feel like I am the funniest person on the planet, she is always up for an adventure and, at times is my partner in crime.  


Like when we had an incredibly long work day during The Bachelor Season (with Jake the pilot-ugh) and we took these gems...

 Tenley (please note Carol praying and me singing about rainbows and Carebears)

 Vienna (so realistic, right?)

  Gia (her lips were NOT real.  Fortunately, ours are.)

Caroline also is incredibly wise, thoughtful, loyal, trustworthy and caring.  She has an amazing way of making anyone feel comfortable and welcomed into any situation by diffusing nerves and asking questions that make you feel known by her.  The best part about it?  That's who Caroline is!  She doesn't have to try to be a safe harbor or good friend, she just is!


Carol and I have known each other dating back to the days of Saddleback where my dad was Saddleback Sam (from The Purpose Driven Church) 

and she dreamt about one day purchasing a denim jacket from the Saddleback Church Resource Table.  

Rumor has it, it ended up on her Christmas list one year.  

I was especially blessed in my two years of working with her at The Beach Pit BBQ.  We worked in close quarters the majority of the time, so when we needed a break from the everyday huslte and bustle, things like catching up on the Bachelor and 30 Rock would happen.  Amongst an exhaustive list of other things we entertained ourselves with: catching up on love lives, personal lives, creating different types of food tossing contests, etc.  


But I also learned a lot from Carol.  In the two years that we worked together, her heart and convictions shined through.  She told the truth when it was really hard, she stood up for herself even if it meant she sweated for two hours before AND after, she worked very hard and and chose joy-even when the situation didn't really call for it.

Together, we...

put on catering events for 1,300 people

opened a new restaurant in Orange

organized a Haiti Disaster Relief Fundraiser at three of our restaurants in under three days, planned a company Christmas party...the list goes on and on!

Oh yeah, and we played college volleyball together!  Totally not realted to Beach Pit, but a good part of our friendship!

Please direct your attention to the similarity in my face in box #1 and #4.  Also, please note that my favorite pic of Carol is box #4.

Awesome.

Do you see now why she is one of my bridesmaids?  Love her and am so thankful for her in my life!