things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ mini coopers
they make me smile everytime i see one on the road.
they are just so darn cute or 'cool' as my guy friend who owns one would appreciate.
i've never been a fan of 'big cars' preferring easy maneuvering and fuel efficiency.
still, i like good design and minis are packed full with great details.
to me, this little car has it all - well almost. if only they had a mini hybrid or
better yet, a plug in. heck, i'd be tempted to trade in my prius!
would have to get a 4-door instead of a cute 2-door like this one.

i ♥ old people
i'm serious. i find them interesting and really entertaining.
i never had grandparents in my life in any real way.
both sets lived far away my entire life, and our family would
only get to visit once every few years. i never had an opportunity to
develop a close bond with any of them, but always wished i could have.
i'm envious of anyone who was or is fortunate to have their grandparents in their life.
i hope they realize how lucky they are.

i ♥ sweet potato fries
i love fries in general but i feel less guilty when i eat these.
i was alway told eating veggies that were orange in color
were super good for me. the package even says it's an
excellent source of vitamin a *grin*. the way i see it, these fries
count as 'grow food' - a term i use with the boys all the time.

i ♥ my commute to and from work
here's why. because i'm on the road early and leave the office early,
i usually don't run into the crazy rush hour traffic like i used to.
i get a 30+ minute window of time to use however i want (sort of).
in the mornings i mostly catch up on the news and on my drive
home in the afternoons, i catch up with family and friends.  it's the
absolute best time for me to talk. the people i call get my undivided
attention (i.e. no kids around fighting for it).
i never imagined i'd like commuting so much.*smile*

the ride of their lives...bonnie and marty

love doesn't make the word go round. love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
- franklin p. jones

this weekend was a whirlwind but a wonderful one. bonnie and marty's big day finally arrived. they officially tied the knot this past saturday, april 24th. this quote reminds me of their engagement announcement. do remember it from this post.  it's SO them and i think it sums up what life is all about - loving and being loved.
 
the wedding was held at the coronado cays yacht club and it was the first time there for both c and i. was a beautiful place - tucked away on the quaint coronado and right on the water.  it all was perfect - the weather (mid 70s), the locale and this love crazy couple.

i don't know what the total guest count was, but it seemed half were the 'pb group' and the other half  the  bride and groom's families. it was like a reunion of friends - even friends who had moved away flew in for the occasion so that made the night even more fun.  before the 'party' started, there was a beautiful and brief  ceremony outside on a grassy knoll overlooking the water. bonnie's sister renee was the officiant and she shared the story of how bonnie met marty - through our group on the dance floor of teo leos during our swing dance craze back in the late 90s. we all met bonnie then and fell in love with her as she started falling for marty who she told her sister, was the best dancer in the group.

later that night, marty was able to show off his dancing skills as the dave petrone quartet entertained us. this band is amazing!!  the dance floor was never empty and the dancing i must say, was damn good! during a break, the singer (dave) came up to a small group of us and invited us to his 'invite only' speak easy club downtown. i'm thinking he was just as impressed with the moves of some in our group as i was.  marty, along with other guys in our group, still had the moves! i think they had done a little practicing before the wedding because they were alot of fun to watch. i got out there on the dance floor too with my buddy jeff. fortunately, he was a strong lead so i didn't make a complete fool of myself (only a little).  *grin*  oh what a night!!

we all left with smiles on our faces and so happy to have shared something special with our dear friends.  i'm excited for them in their new journey together as a married couple.

congratulations mr. and mrs. schmid!  BIG hugs!

a few pixs snapped during the evening.

the photo booth was a hit. we entertained ourselves here often throughout the evening.

things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ tuesday mornings
they always have great gift bags and stationary which i'm
a little obsessed with. i have 2 drawers packed with this stuff,
but i can't seem to keep away from it. their prices are amazing!
i often find cute mugs, books, kitchen items, and gourmet foods
which makes this store my favorite 'go to' store for small gifts.
since time and a little digging is usually involved, i don't go often
but when i do, i go alone. taking the boys with me is never an option.

i ♥ beach cruisers
there's no better way to get around the neighborhood
than a 2-wheeler. with everything so close and with year round
beautiful weather, i really have no reason to drive unless i have to
leave pacific beach. my pink cruiser is over 8 years old now
and though i'd love to get a new one, i can't really justify it.
it works perfectly, so for now, i'll just enjoy other pretty bikes like
this one and wait for the salty sea air to completely rust mine.

i ♥ chapstick
my lips are always dry and simple ol' chapstick with spf 15
is my best friend.  it's one of my essential makeups items.
i keep several here at home and put our initials on the bottoms
with markers so we don't have to share germs. regardless, we all
end up using each others and somehow, they all end up in my purse.

i ♥ GLEE
i've already posted on this a while back but i couldn't
help mention it again today. i love this silly show, full of over-the-top characters
and fun music. the season started up again last week.  i missed it since i wasn't
home yet, but tonight i'm going to jen's to watch two episodes back to back.
soooo excited! (i'm curious - do glee clubs even exist today?)

i ♥ evangeline lilly
she plays kate in the hit series lost
if i have a 'girl crush' on anyone, it's this woman.
though i stopped watching the show regularly, c is still a huge fan
so i'll occassionally plop down on the couch next to him and watch.
this woman is talented, a natural beauty and she's healthy fit.
did i mention she's also a surfer girl. pretty cool.

little bit of san diego

happy birthday jen!!  you didn't you think i'd forget you - NEVER!!

the last time we spoke you mentioned you missed san diego so today I thought i'd sent you a little bit of san diego in pictures to hold you over until your next visit.  since our friendship started here and grew here in san diego, i gathered photos of places we frequented or things we did alot together. here are just a few:

- paddling around the ocean beach pier in surfrider's annual 'paddle for clean water'  so much fun!
- many weekends surfing and relaxing with baby finn on sheets in the sand next to the crystal pier cottages
- riding beach cruisers on the boardwalk (when we didn't have finn in a jogger - rare i know)
- being entertained by 'flash' - pb's rollerblading/speedo wearing dude 
- surf divas surf school (i think you took lessons with them right?)
- taco surf. we stopped here regularly for burritos  (i know you have surf taco on the jersey shore - still have my tee) :)
- watching the seals at the children's pools in la jolla
- spending time at fanuel park
- surfing together (i think it's safe to say we were truly 'surfer girls' )*grin*

oh i miss you jen and wish i could celebrate with you today.
sending our love and a BIG HUG!

ang and the boys

south of the border

it's been hectic since we've returned - as expected work is insanely busy, and on the homefront, we have guests (bonnie's sister and family) staying in the cottage through tuesday. they are here for the wedding this weekend. we are all SO excited!!

since things are only going to get crazier, i forced myself to download the photos from the mexico trip so i could share a few. eventually, i'll burn mom a cd of the 250 other photos taken. since this was our 3rd time back to costa azul, there weren't too many new things to shoot. finn has taken an interest in photography, so he took a good chunk of photos this trip which was nice. we feel like 'regulars' there now, and the many of the hotel staff and surf/excursion guides remembered us which made us feel special.

we are home, but the boys and i are all wishing we were still down south. there are little signs - like scoutie still asking for leche (milk in espanol) for breakfast, and we are still greeting each other with 'hola' when we wake up. we are all missing the country where life is a little slower, where everyone greets each other with a smile and asks how you are,and where family is a priority.

it wasn't uncommon to see multiple generations eating together or walking down the street holding hands.  i bet most grandparents of a certain age either live with their grown children or very close by.  it's so different here in the united states. even those that didn't have alot in the material sense seemed genuinely happy.  it was beautiful to see - a good reminder of what's really important. i love mexico - i'm sure we'll be back again.

this was our view from our room  - top floor (mom's room was right next door).

 

 

friday funny (a day late)

pacific beach has a local paper, the beach bay and press and our friend john fry, a native and long-time resident of pacific beach, writes a monthly column for them.  after his story, he usually includes a little 'funny' and here's one he posted a few weeks ago that made me laugh outloud. 

i was chatting up a young woman at starbucks last week when she smiled and said,
"you don't remember me, do you? it's probably because i dyed my hair and got a boob job."

how do you answer that? i was going to mention my new car, but it seemed to pale in comparison to her purchase.

 

oh and here's one more that made me laugh:

ESKIHOS?  that's the name april porro has given girls wearing the new fashion ensemble - ugg boots and short shorts. *grin*.

the celebration continues

all good things come to an end and i was feeling a little out of sorts when we arrived home from our vacation  on tuesday evening. it was dinner time, we were all hungry and exhausted from flying all day and my work emails had piled up. *ugh* we were back to the real world and we were all rather cranky.

as i got out of the taxi and turned towards the house, i saw a box from proflowers at the front door. 
i smiled and thought 'for me'?  the boys love packages as much as i do and scoutie thinks everything that comes is for him.  he screamed "a present for me".

well, it was actually for ME for a chance. opened the box together and found a beautiful tulip bouquet and a pretty box of chocolates. most of the flowers were still closed which reassured me they must have been delivered that afternoon.  they were from my wonderful m-i-l and  coming home to these pretties, made coming home not so bad afterall.

here's a picture of the lovely tulips.

after we got settled in and had a lite dinner, c picked up our mail from our neighbors and he returned with a big bag of mail. i'm one of those people that absolutely loves getting paper cards,
so i was thrilled to find a nice stash from friends and family. it was like i was celebrating my birthday all over again!

there were so many fun cards - everything from music cards to silly, funny, sweet and even a crown that i am supposed to wear and document with a picture for the giver. *grin*. i received a few gifts that i can't help but mention - the compendium book she from christi which i've read cover to cover already, professional photos of past special events that i was a part of, cds full of pictures of 'fun times' with girlfriends, and a list titled '40 things that make you special to me' from my dear friend karen. i sat there in tears (happy ones) as i read all the kind words and remembered all the special times i've shared with these people over the years. birthdays are perfect for celebrating life and our friendships.

****************************************

i don't want to forget posting the upside to being 40 (even though i'd love to have flatter abs and thinner thighs).

- i am becoming more patient.  i still have a ways to go, but i find that i can now sit with things and i understand i can't always change them. 

- i trust my own judgement more now than ever.


-i try to use my time more wisely - realizing now how quickly it goes by. 

- i think i've learned some things about gratitude that i didn't know at 21 or even 30.

yes, 40 has it's big benefits - even with it's spots and sags. *grin*

flirting with 40 - no more

today's post title comes from a really fun piece of fiction that i have given as birthday gifts for girlfriends over the past few years as several approach their big 40.  i had never read it, but wanted to, and vowed to complete it before MY big 40!  this year, my birthday (april 10th) fell over our family vacation to mexico so i had a week and a half to relax, read and play.  i couldn't think of a better way or place to bring in a birthday - south of the border with some of my favorite people - my 3 boys and my mom.

i read the book quickly over the first few days. it was a super easy read about a divorcee, career woman and mother who decides to take a surf lesson in hawaii from a much younger (and hot) surf instructor. she not only learns to surf, but she learns to take risks in love and in other areas of her life.  this is a feel good book that reminds ladies of any age to live life to the fullest!

so here's how i spent my actual birthday: 

i was up at 6am (the only time i got up early the entire trip) so i could surf with christopher - something i've missed.  for you non-surfers, surf is best in the morning before the wind kicks up. 
my mom tiptoed into our hotel room early to watch the boys who were still sound asleep, and c and I snuck out to spend a half day together.  i grabbed one of the longboards from the hotel, piled into a van, and we headed to chacala - a great surf spot accessible only by boat. 

we surfed for a few hours and i caught some waves - and here, on my birthday i caught the BEST wave of my life! this wave (a left) seemed to go on forever - just peeling and peeling. the planets must have been in alignment because i rode for what seemed like 2 minutes.  i couldn't stop smiling - it felt amazing!! i got applause from the surfer boys out in the water with my hubby cheering the loudest, and i had a cheesy grin on my face for the rest of the day.

the only thing i'm bummed about is we didn't get a single photo of our surf session and me getting my perfect ride. the boat dropped us off and left instead of anchoring outside the surf break like in past years, so no one was able to go back to a boat to photograph.  i certainly didn't want to have a water camera hanging on my arm while surfing - i have a hard enough time with balance. the only memory i have is in my head and i'll just have to keep replaying it over and over so i don't forget it! *laugh*

the day was full of good things - good waves, pretty flowers in my room that c arranged with the staff earlier in the week. it was a lovely surprise and something he can rarely pull off. *grin*
after dinner, the wait staff came to our table pounding on pots and pans singing happy birthday to me.
the restaurant's chef made the cake - which took more preplanning by c (again, very impressed).
this was *the moistest* cake i've ever eaten - sinfully good. since it could have fed a small army,
we shared with all the guests and the staff in the dining room. they were happy to partake. 

the day ended well when grandma offered to take the boys to her room for the night. 
i never asked or even suggested it, she simply offered.  i've mentioned she's an angel. *grin* 

turning 40 wasn't painful at all. i had a wonderful day and this trip allowed me lots of time to think and have many discussions on life and growing older. true, i'll never have the body i had at 21, but i wouldn't go back in a heartbeat.  i am lovin' this time of my life right now, and there are great benefits to getting older. stay tuned and i'll list them in a separate post.  they deserve a post all of their own.  here's to another decade!

scoutie and i pre-dinner (courtesy of finn)

.

things i ♥ thursdays

 i ♥ vacations and since i'm here in mexico and enjoying one,
i thought today's post will be a good reminder to me when this
week is far behind me and only a memory. so here goes:

i ♥ sleeping in.
somehow even the boys sense when we are on vacation
because we all sleep later than normal - knowing there are no obligations,
nowhere to be at any particular time and the only thing that lays
ahead of us is a day of play together. it's heaven for me and something i
so rarely get to do. if only this could last.

i ♥ watching ocean sunsets.
they are beautiful back home in san diego,
but because i don't get to watch them as often as i'd like, i forget.
when i'm on vacation, i make sure to see them every night and savor them.
i've been a bit spoiled this week because this hotel we are staying at
is right on the ocean so i've been watching the sun melt into
the ocean every night. it's wonderful and beautiful.
i feel like i'm stuck in time, living a dream where life is slow and perfect.

i ♥ spending time with my boys
i don't get as much quality time as i'd like with any of them, and on vacations like this one,
where there's no agenda at all, i get lots of time with them. that's all there is - time.
i get to experience all of my boys - their sweetness, crankiness,
silliness, bickering, and i love it all. they are ALL mine right now.
this week i'm feeling like the luckiest woman alive - lucky to have
my mom here with me, lucky to have two little boys calling me 'mommy'
and lucky to be the wife of one amazing man that i can't imagine how
he can put up with me somedays.

easter 2010: the hunt

hoping your easter was a happy one!

the easter bunny visited the boys today and i think i had as much fun as they did!
auntie j joined us which was nice as i had someone else help me eat the extra candy
the easter bunny left.

as for the hunt, the competition is getting stronger between the boys as they grow.
still, finn was pretty good about letting scoutie grab the eggs that were in the open.
he went for the tougher ones since he had mentioned out loud he wanted a challenge. 
(the easter bunny accomodated him)

i wish i could have got video of scoutie throwing the hard-boiled eggs down when he found one. 
he only had an interest in the plastic eggs that he could shake and hear candy in them. *laugh* 
some photo highlights of the day.

buns in the oven

i've been excited to post about this but wanted to get the 'clear' from the mommies-to-be.

so here's what baking:

- my brother todd and his lovely wife heather are expecting a baby in the fall (late oct/early nov)!  this is *very* exciting for all of us and well, you can imagine how exciting it is for them. there's nothing quite like being first time parents.  it's exhilarating, scary and surreal all at the same time. i've got my order in for a girl. our family is due!

- my dear childhood friend karen, who lives in orlando, is expecting as well. she is due in october sometime as well.

- my girlfriend kristen, here in san diego, is expecting her second in august (i believe). 

- my dear girlfriend charlotte has a brother who is expecting twin girls this summer! whew - i can't even imagine juggling two. these babies will be the first grandchildren. she's just a wee bit excited.

babies are baking all over the place and the best part, i get to be an auntie or an adopted auntie to many of 'em without actually having to be pregnant or to give birth.  *grin*

things i ♥ thursdays

i ♥ sundresses
with spring officially here and a tropical trip around the corner
i pulled out my stash of sundresses to pack and am anxious to wear them.
when i put one on, i almost instantly feel more relaxed.
another plus, i can fit lots into my suitcase without taking up too much room.
i'd love to add one or two new dresses to my collection this spring/summer.
i found this one on zappos that is cute. i love the color.

i ♥ old friends. new friends are wonderful and keep things fresh,
but there's nothing like those who have gone the distance with you
have been with you through lots of stages of your life, and you them.
they are like warm fuzzy blankets - cozy and comfortable.
it's reassuring to know they have been there, are there and
will be there down the road.  i cherish them and need to be better
at letting them know this.

i ♥ warm water
a few nights ago i dreamed i was surfing and it
must have been in warm water because there was no
wetsuit in my dream and i don't remember being cold.
i was just sitting on on my board out in the ocean
watching the waves on the horizion.  i didn't actually
catch a wave but i'm sure i was about to. mexico's water
temps are much warmer than so californias so i'm super
excited about getting in the ocean. it's the only time i can
just be out there for long stretches without going numb.
3 more days now (i'm counting). with any luck, maybe i'll be
able to do catch a few good waves like this surfergirl.

i ♥ chocolate
years ago i had self control when it came to chocolate
i remember a boyfriend in high school giving me a pretty red box
full of chocolates for valentine's day and i thought 'ugh so cliche'.
i'd never do that now. *grin*. i love the stuff and have an appreciation
of it - especially the 'good chocolate'. char and shan both spoiled me
by giving some of their favorites from eclipse for my birthday last pm.
i was warned too much of it might induce a chocolate coma.
she wasn't kidding. this chocolate is amazing!!!