25 weeks ... and Easter fun!

Posting a day late but we made this week's photo by just a few hours.

The Bun loves wearing pretty dresses.

I realize that I need to wear brighter colors because the dark colors sort of minimize my bump. But I'm trying to wear all the dresses I own while I still fit them. Dresses I bought before pregnancy were meant to be flattering, though, so they minimize and conceal ... for the most part;) Anyway, this is what we wore to church on Saturday so that's why the Bun is gussied up!

In the afternoon, we were invited for an annual tradition, an Easter Egg Hunt thrown by one of the moms from my old Mommy Group! We hardly ever get together so it's a fun tradition. I'm very thankful to my friend who puts it on every year. This year, my contribution was homemade chocolate chip cookies w/ store bought ice cream to make ice cream sandwiches. Nope, I didn't take photos of them.
But I was able to take a couple of photos of The Bun! One of her playing ...

The other with her buds:

She's been pals w/ the two boys on the left since they were 1 month olds. (Moms I met at our hospital's Mommy Group!)
Little fellow on the right is one of the boy's baby brother. 

I'm very fortunate to have this week off. The Bun will be in preschool for three days so those are the days I'm devoting to clearing up The Bean's future nursery which is currently one of two junk rooms. We had two storage units and, bless The Man's heart, he cleared them out. Now those items that were there are in our garage and the two bedrooms we're not occupying. We've sort of avoided those rooms but, according to my pregnancy app, just 98 days to go! I've saved this daunting task for this week. I sincerely hope I get it done. On the two days I do have The Bun all day, I'm hoping we have fun. We've got a couple of play dates and I've got some ideas of what we can do. Again, I'm thankful to have this time off because having time away from work is always a treat.

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The Bun's Easter Weekend

I can't believe it's already Sunday night (Uh, so, I wrote this on Sunday. It is now Tuesday night, nearly midnight. It took a while from completion to publishing - no judgment!;) This three-day weekend flew by. What was nice is that it was all about my daughter this weekend.
On Friday, my day off (whooo!), we went for a morning walk with the pups. Then we spent the afternoon with her Nana getting all our hairdos done! The Bun was so good. She watched Nana get a color & cut, then me just get a plain cut and when my hair stylist turned to her and asked, "Would you like to get your hair cut, too?" The Bun replied, "Yes!" She sat oh so still as her hair was being trimmed.

 

(Bad Mama, I forgot to take a photo with Nana so we could have all three generations. But this is one of the things The Bun and I did while Nana got her hair done so we could stay busy. Next time!)

On Saturday, we went to an egg hunt hosted by a Mom from my old Mommy Group. I have to say that this the biggest reason I love Facebook. I'm able to stay connected with people I might otherwise lose touch with. My mommy group never meets anymore, I guess you could call it defunct, but I feel like we see each other all the time because we're able to keep in touch on FB.
It was so cute to see The Bun with this group because we all remember when we first met and our babes were literally weeks old. Last year, we have photos from their first ever egg hunt. Even though they were all over a year old, they didn't know what the heck was going on their first Easter. It was the first time they all were able to toddle about and actually participate in an egg hunt. (On their official first Easter, they all were only six or seven months old.) Last year was such a funny egg hunt because none of the kids knew what they were doing. But it was touching to see them up and about because, after all, we remember when they were fresh out of the oven.
This year, though - what a change! Sure, they still overlooked eggs that weren't really hidden but they were movin' and shakin'. What a difference a year makes! Rather than drinking from a bottle, being breastfed or eating pureed foods, these kids were eating snacks, drinking from juice boxes and were full fledged toddlers. My goodness. Of course, I took only a couple of photos on my phone which turned out bad. Wish I had a few to post:(
The next day was Easter. The Bun had a two social outings! In the morning, we met up with Jen, her hubby and her son, K. Although they just traveled literally across the globe just the day before, they met up with us on our side of the Bay for coffee and a play date. The kids were so cute. While they're still too young to play with each other, they enjoyed playing in each other's company. They were walking all around the two playgrounds, going down slides, swinging on the swings and just being really cute toddlers. It was a great chance to catch up with Jen. It seems like just a couple of years ago when we lived in the same neighborhood but it's been over 12! When we met, we were footloose and fancy free. Now we're both happily married, have awesome kids and pretty fantastic lives. My how we've grown up:) (Ugh, guilty again for not taking photos. I'm hoping that Jen's hubby captured some precious moments with his camera that he wouldn't mind sharing ;)
Around noon, we said our goodbyes because we both had family engagements to attend. I shook the sand off Ava (that's when you know it was a good time at the playground), put her in a wonderful Spring dress her Auntie Nene gave her and we were off in less than an hour for our next egg hunt!
Side note: I wish I had taken a photo of the cheesecake I made. I was quite proud of it. It was my first plain cheesecake and it was actually pretty!  And by "pretty", I mean it hardly had a crack. Not an easy thing to do with a cheesecake, let me tell you. In fact, changed my mind about decorating it with blueberries and fresh blueberry compote because I thought it was so nice. I decided that if people wanted it, they could spoon it on themselves. In addition to being pretty, it ended up tasting good. Phew! I was really worried because the recipe was for a PUMPKIN cheesecake. I had to switch it last minute because my aunt told me she had bought pumpkin pie already. I'm not an expert baker so I had no idea if removing the pumpkin portion (canned pumpkin and spices) would make it fall, too thick, watery, taste funny or whatever. I searched around for other recipes and just decided to add 2 tablespoons of flour as it was called in another recipe. But I kept everything else the same. Thankfully, it turned out A-OK.
Back to the egg hunt now:) The Bun had a splendid time! Her cousins, and her cousin's cousins, are all so sweet. Most were older than her but there were a few youngsters, too. What I love about these gatherings is that ALL the kids are sweet. Yes, ALL. Not a rotten one in the bunch. Not that I would post about that child if one existed but I just wouldn't write anything. ALL the kids are sweet and kind. The older ones look after the youngsters which I find so heartwarming. I love that my daughter can have a great time and that these kids include her. Often times with older kids, they'll just ignore the little ones. And I get it, they're busy and they want to play! I don't hold it against them at all. But when we go to these family gatherings, they bigger kids want to hold The Bun's hand, or help her with something, like put on her shoes or gather her things. It's just so sweet! She loves kids and her eyes light up when they include her, even if she's a lot slower or doesn't get everything they do. They remember to include her enough that she's happy. And I love that.
Thankfully, The Man was with us and he took his fancy photo machine and took some great photos:

The Bun in her Easter finery. (Piko gave a sniff test of approval.)

Because we have to have a shot of Pili if we have one of Piko.

The kids were lined up according to height so that the little ones had a fair chance of getting eggs. See what I mean? Such sweet big kids because I didn't hear a peep or complaint.

Mama realizing The Bun needed an assist.

These two were the littlest walkers
(We had a few smaller kiddos but the babies weren't at Walker or even Crawler status just yet:)

Look at them go go go.

Look at these smiles. So much fun.

These cheeks are made for kissin'. Don't you agree?

After a fun filled afternoon, we ended her weekend with a visit to Nana & Papa's house. With Papa's knee replacement surgery, they aren't up for any social gatherings. With The Man and me working full time jobs, it's hard to fit in quality time with them. So it was wonderful that we were able to visit, show them The Bun's Easter outfit and just talk.  The Bun loves her Nana & Papa and they love her so much.

The Bun had a fantastic weekend. And being the softie mama that I am, I'm so happy she was happy so it was a fantastic weekend for me too. I love my little family and am so appreciative of my outstanding husband, my amazingly sweet daughter, our two pups and our superb family and friends. My heart is so full.

How is it almost three days until Christmas??

As soon as Thanksgiving rolled around, I pulled out the Christmas decorations. I paced myself but decorations were up by the second week of December. I created a Christmas gift list and completed 90% of it by mid-December. I also had greeting cards out around the same time. I made a TON of cookie dough the first week of December so all I would have to do is take them out of the freezer and stick in the oven.
Then I got caught up in life again. And NOW it's three days until Christmas.
I still have to:
- buy 1 more gift (for my brother)
- cook the rest of the damn cookies I had made last month
- buy more cookie containers because I had low-balled the amount I needed even though I had made a list
- clean the house (vacuum the 2nd floor, clean all the bathrooms, dust, kitchen counter tops but The Man will probably clean the tile)
- deliver the cookie gifts to recipients (Doggie Doc, Chiropractor, Yoga Studio, and my brothers roommates & caregivers)
- cook a couple dishes for our post Christmas lunch w/ out of town family
- buy ingredients for said dishes
- fold a $hit ton of clothes that have been piling up for two weeks (I'm great at keeping up with washing clothes, terrible about folding and putting away)
- pick up Christmas Day lunch (thankfully purchased)

I want to go to sleep and believe a fairy will take care of all of this for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays. I just don't know how time got away from me.
-------------------------------
12/23 update at 10:17 PM.
buy brother's gift - done!
buy cookie containers - done!
bake all cookies - done!
fold clothes - I found out that we have SEVEN loads of laundry waiting to be folded and put away. SEVEN!! I figured this out by the number of dryer sheets I found in the huge pile of clothes. Thankfully, most are done. All that is left is The Man's clothes (I put away his underwear and socks)
cookie delivery - almost all done

Still got to clean house (ughhhhh), pick up Christmas meal and buy ingredients for post Christmas day. Still a lot of stuff but feeling pretty good. Just NOT looking forward to cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming the stairs (I don't mind even flooring but stairs are a pain in the rear) and whatever else neeeds to be cleaned. But I love me some Christmas so I'm gonna get 'er done!

Almost Christmas Season!!!!!!

Could I have anymore exclamation points?!?!?!?!?!?
I love Christmas. LOVE. Never watched the movie but I feel like this is what they meant in How Stella Got Her Groove Back. Minus the Jamaican vacation and sexual exploits. Okay, so maybe nothing like it. What I mean is that my life is really fantastic right now. Perfect, no, but I need for nothing and am very happy and content.
I am so excited for Christmas! I can't wait to decorate. I will say this, though. I never took it for granted but it was pretty awesome to work from home. No wasted time commuting to and from an office and maximum use of time by being able to fit in chores here and there. It's a lot harder getting home stuff done not having that added benefit of a home office. But it's a give and take because I really like my office mates and my career opportunities are brighter now that I work in a regular office. Anyway, back to my main point.
I have to clean house before I feel I can decorate. *sigh* And, for the first time in three years, I will not have our family holiday cards mailed out the day after Thanksgiving. Dammit, that one really hurts. it's not so much lack of time as it is bad scheduling. I thought we would be able to use photos from our vacation but they didn't work out. So we scheduled a local photographer whom we really like. Unfortunately, Her next available appointment was a month out which is the week of Thanksgiving. And we won't get the photos for another week or so which really pushes back the holiday cards because those take a couple weeks to get and then for us to mail out. I estimate mid-December, hopefully. But it's OK. With a toddler and two pups, gone are the days when The Man can take the photos himself. Not only was that very economical ( can't beat free!) but it was comical, as well. He would pose us and then run to his spot, sometimes tripping and often times sweating from the many trial and errors. Of course, he would also have to chuck something at the camera so pups and baby wouldn't stare at him after he ran to his place in our photo. Ah, memories. He took the holiday card photos in '08, '09 & '10, bless his heart. Before then, we used an engagement photo and, in '08, we had included a photo from our wedding. These cards mean a lot to me, if you couldn't already tell.
Yup, I'm the gal who listens to Christmas music as soon as radio stations play it. And now, thanks to Pandora, I start in the beginning of November instead of having to wait for the week of Thanksgiving to get my Jingle Bells & White Christmas! Hope you have a great holiday season:)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Ahh, the official kick off holiday to Christmas season! Love it!
I've been meaning to finish the Birth Story but it takes time. And I realize that the second entry in that little series sounded bitter. Well, it wasn't horrible but it definitely wasn't the most fun I've had. So I want to be in a really positive state when I write the ending. I also had some post partum blues that I want to write about because it's something not a lot of mommies talk/write about.
I want to also write about Sticky Bun. She is getting quite a personality and she makes me laugh, even in the middle of the night when I'm tired. She has so many quirky noises and looks. She recently started giving me this "What you talkin' about, Willis?" look and I have no idea where it came from! She also has these facial expressions when she's pooping. I don't really need those faces to tell, though, because I can HEAR her poop. It's like her butt is percolating but instead of coffee, it's poop. And I'm waiting, well, we're ALL waiting, to see a real smile. Because I think it will be beautiful.
Anyway, those are the things that are in my head but want to write down. But that will all have to wait. Because I need to seize the day (or this moment) and take the opportunity to take a shower.
Happy Thanksgiving, my dear small group of blog friends! It's hard to believe that we've been reading each other for YEARS. And it's one of the things I'm thankful for ... I love you guys!

Goodbye 2008 ... Why helllllo there, 2009!

This blog was started before my birthday. And then I got sick. And then Christmas beat me over with a stick. And then I got lazy and procrastinated. So here we are, kicking off 2009 - with a late, leftover entry :)

In 2008, a couple of big things happened. I got married! I completed one year in my job! (I didn't think this was a big feat until my last job which I hated a mere few months after I started - so now I celebrate completing a year.) I turned the bit 3-0! Let's start with that, shall we?

Sure, being in my 20s and looking kind of young always felt like a handicap in the "real world." I was seen as a kid at times and I hated it. Before anyone slaps me, please know that I have a new appreciation for looking youthful and now treasure it. I also realize that when I make a dumb ass decision now, versus back in my 20s, I'm now going to be seen as just a dumb ass adult instead of being dismissed as being a naive kid or young adult. Just as well.

Oh my goodness ... getting married TO THE RIGHT GUY FOR ME was such a fantastic time in my life. People will ask me, "Do you like being married?" and I feel like I have to add a little detail because, yes, I like being married to The Man. But it wasn't like I was ready to take the first proposal tossed at me. And being a serial monogamist, I have been in a previous relationship that wasn't healthy for either one of us. If my ex and I had gotten married, we would either be in years of counseling (best scenario ... no really, BEST), divorced, or in a terrible marriage and cheating on each other (worst scenario ... and pretty realistic.) Getting married was not a goal. Getting married to The Man was absolutely something I really wanted and feel very blessed that we stumbled upon each other and worked. So having what ended up to be the wedding of my dreams last year was awesome. It probably helped that we were on vacation for two weeks in one of my most favorite places and we had a total of three weeks off from our day to day schedules. It was all around a wonderful and memorable time and my favorite of 2008.

Have I accomplished everything I wanted to do by the time I turned 30? What DID I want to do?

Depending upon which part in my 20s someone would have asked me, the answer regarding my career would have been different. I never dreamed of working in non-profit and fund raising. But when I tried something other than that I realized that this is where I belong. I found out quickly that I was not up to event planning or broadcasting (even though I had three internships and a degree in that field.) Or Sales. Although I am very happy professionally, in terms of my career, I would have to say no, I haven't accomplished what I wanted to do by now. Because, at 30, I would have really liked to already have discovered where my passion lies ... then I could say if I wanted to be in upper management. Or in human resources. Or be in marketing. But at least being in the right industry is a good start. But I need to discover what my passion is so I can steer my career in a clearer direction.

I'm happy that I found the person I'm supposed to be with and started a life with him. I didn't consider it a goal to be married by 30 but I think it was just an expectation that I had. Like graduating from high school. I expected that I would have found the right guy by this time. Wonder if I put more or less pressure on myself? In any case, lucky for me, it happened. Not because I think it's bad to be single. But because I'm a TERRIBLE dater. I hate dating! It was so painful for me.

That pesky yet relevant yearly resolution regarding weight. Oh boy. Well, what's funny is that I'm much more comfortable in my skin now than when I was younger. And I was definitely thinner in my early and mid 20s. Well, it's like this. I wish I had appreciated what I had looked like when I was younger. And I have always done something - hula, yoga, personal training. But I found myself not motivated enough to work out during a period of time last year, using my busy work schedule as an excuse in mid August, September and October. It got to a point where I was disgusted with myself because I wasn't doing ANYTHING. I had been interested in this particular boot camp close to my house but put it off. And put it off. I finally checked it out. I've been going for over two months and it is the best thing I've done for my health and well being in a very long time. Of course, I hope that I will slim down as a result of working hard in boot camp! So while I am content with my body and health, I am in the PROCESS of being where I want to be :)

As for the other things like buying a home or traveling more when I was younger, a little part of me does wish I had done those things in my 20s. But I had/have a happy life. I'm really quite content. I don't think I have any true regrets other than appreciating more the time I had with all the people that I love. It's taken me some time to live in the moment and not wish for things I don't have. That's probably the only thing I would do over.

So hello 2009! I hope you're as good to me as your sista-girl, 2008. Feel free to even be better ... if you want :)

PS: We are putting off taking down our Christmas decorations until this weekend. The Man commented that it feels like we had just put them up! That's what happens when we get sick for a week. Effin' Flu.

A different kind of Christmas

After being together for six years, this will be The Man's and my first Christmas together. With his family living roughly 2 1/2 hours away, it made it impossible to be able to see both families on the same day - so we've always separated. This year we will be together. This makes me happy because Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. Ever.
It probably has a lot to do with my Daddy who loves him some Christmas. And my mom, who is not a big holiday person, just goes along for the ride with her two crazy Christmas fanatics. Anyway, this is also my first Christmas (ever) away from my parents. And I feel funny about it. I also will miss being with Sister, The Boy and WGD this year but we've already has Christmases apart. It's hard to explain because it's not like they were ever truly gung ho about it. The decorations consisted simply of a Christmas tree and lights outside. My dad even stopped cooking so we would pre order a Christmas meal from a local grocery store. But even though Christmas at my parents' house is really low key, being with them is all I know.
So I'm a little sad. What's funny is I probably am thinking way more it than my parents! They're not overly sentimental folks. And I don't want The Man to take it the wrong way because I love him very, very much.
Anyway, I'm still very much looking forward to Christmas and I am very happy to be with The Man during my most favorite time of the year. I know that we will create new Christmas traditions ... like two Christmas trees! :) I just wish I could "have my cake and eat it too" and be with my family, as well.

Ohhh SNAP. Christmas pictures!!

I love, love, love my husband. Our only planned amateur photo shoot (we were going to have his little brother take the pictures) was rained out. I worried because I had no idea how we would have another willing and able person around when we were available to take pictures. But The Man had no doubt he would be able to take care of business with his trusty tripod and our little canon camera.
We woke up this morning and took the pups to Alameda. Poor guy, he was feeling under the weather but he put a brave face on because he knew how much I wanted pictures for our holiday cards. It was colder than a mother effer but by golly, he did it. He's so talented! And I have to add that he was missing the piece that attached the camera securely to the tripod so it was balancing precariously the entire time :)


We could NOT figure out how to get the puppies to look at the camera.


Our dogs couldn't be less interested in what we were doing.


Good enough - we'll take it!


Poor guy, he is sick and shivering the whole time. And if there hadn't been fog, you would be able to see San Francisco and the Bay Bridge in the distance. But there was. So you don't!


Looks romantic. But we're both thinking, "Did the camera take the picture yet?" And again, no San Francisco skyline :(


Hauling the dogs back to the car and getting our frozen rear ends back home! (I think Gil FINALLY understands why I love the car seat warmers so much!!!)

I was hoping to be one of those annoyingly on the ball people who sent out their Christmas cards right after Thanksgiving. But now I'm just part of the normal geeky crowd who loves to send holiday cards made up of pictures of themselves.

I freakin' LOVE this season! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!

PS: Poor hubby. He had cold sweats that night and a fever. He ended up calling sick on Monday ... he thinks someone sneezed in his food when we ate out on Saturday night!

Valentine's Day - take it or leave it

I'll leave it.
I don't hate Valentine's Day. And I certainly don't want to rain on anyone's parade if he or she happens to love the holiday. But I'm not a fan.
No, I'm not bitter. The Man has been wonderful about sending flowers and chocolates (although we passed on this tradition this year as we are going to be spending a GRIP of money in two months.) I've had someone to spend the date with for five years. Before that, I was in a relationship for four years. So, for most of my adult life, I've had a Valentine. It just means something totally different from when I was a little kid.
I visit a lot of schools for my job. The most recent visits reminded me of a time when Valentine's Day was fun. Everyone made cards for everyone in the class so a kid comes home with 30 Valentine's Day cards and a bunch of candy. Now that's a good time. I suppose it's around high school when it became neccessary to have a significant other to be able to truly celebrate Valentine's Day. That's when I start having issues about this little but big holiday.
It seems like it's a day that unintentionally (at least, I HOPE it's unintentional) makes women feel bad if they don't have man. We then have to seek refuge among other groups of women that are in the same boat so we don't feel inadequate. It's just not right. I hate seeing my friends, who are wonderful and amazing women, get this feeling of dread when this day rolls around. In all honesty, when Valentine's Day rolls around, I almost feel more relieved than romantic. Kind of like, "Phewww, thank goodness I have someone." And maybe that's just me who thinks that but it's what makes me NOT a fan of the holiday. I would even argue that it's not truly a holiday because I didn't even get the day off from work.
I don't care about the commercialism. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas because it's a time when I want to surround myself with the ones that I love - family and good friends. And sure, the holidays encourage you to be with someone, anyone ... but it doesn't matter if you're single or taken, it's good times for all! So no thank you when it comes to Valentine's Day. While I love flowers and chocolates, I would much rather celebrate our anniversary and do something special then. So a big BAH-HUMBUG from me to Valentine's Day.
PS: I started writing this on February 14th but I think the new routine of waking up HELLA early in the morning has gotten to me. I am so pooped at night!

In the blink of an eye

Two weeks have passed and it's already 2008! Good lor'.
Christmas was fantastic this last year. Putting up decorations really made a difference. I even invited people over. Seriously, I had different groups of people over the house during the holiday season and entertained. I wouldn't necessarily call them dinner parties but the fact that I entertained is pretty crazy. (I am happy to report that everyone treated my toilet with respect - part of the many phobias that can be read here if one doesn't understand my fear of having people over.)
Anyway, back to the decorations. It wasn't like Christmas threw up in my home but it truly made a difference. I loved the little tree lit up first thing in the morning. OK, an "aww" moment - Jon wakes up before me during the week so he would turn on the Christmas lights on the tree in the bedroom so it would be one of the first things I would see when I woke up. I loved the smell of Christmas trees in the house. I adored seeing all the wreaths, christmas candles, garland, and greeting cards on my curly card holder (which you can buy here. No, I don't get a cut but I think the artist's story is cute and I like the idea of supporting artists.)
Then my sister, BIL & nephew came for Christmas which was a-w-e-s-o-m-e. They were a lot of fun and made the holidays even better. Unfortunately, I got sick and I am pretty useless when I'm sick. I just want to sleep so I didn't get as much quality time as I would have liked. But I was able to enjoy Christmas and hang out with the family. Then Sister planned a little Spa Day with some friends which was very, very nice. I've always liked this particular spa but, unfortunately, hadn't gotten my money's worth with their massages. Until now ;) Nothing like a little Burke Williams lovin', good company, Santana Row still decorated with Christmas cheer and yummy food to make a day spectacular.
Now it's the new year. Sister left a few days ago and decorations have gone down (boo!) except for the little Christmas tree in the bedroom. I'm waiting until the Friday pick up. But the other christmas tree has been put outside and everything else Christmas-y in the house has been packed away. I am a little bit sad but I know that they'll all come back out in 11 1/2 months :)
I also realized that our wedding is in exactly 3 1/2 months. Whoa. Just around the corner. Guess I should put in a vacation request NOW. Guess I should also be hittin' the gym and staying away from everything that is tasty. Damn. But both of us want to lose weight before the wedding and it's seriously and literally down to crunch time. I'm still very put off by the people (who shall remain nameless because it will come back to bite me in the ass if I start naming names even though they will probably never read this blog but I'm still too chicken since these people will be in my life forever) who haven't sent in their RSVP or even bother to contact us. And if you've ever planned a big social event or a wedding, you know what I'm talking about. I just keep telling myself that everything is going to be OK. And my Sister & mom have assured me that there is a certain percentage that the caterers cushion for the assholes that haven't given us a definitely answer yet. Obviously, I'm not quite over it yet and a constant reminder why I don't like to plan events. I also plan to do a little payback when they get married and hem and haw over my decision to attend until the very last minute of their big day. Anyway, as I was writing, we're giving the caterers the definite number and they will be able to add a few people if that's what we will end up needing to do.
But (and my Sister also knows this) I keep telling myself that this shindig is about Jon and me. That what matters most is we are there and that I need to remember how happy I am to be with him. Which is easy until a family member of his or mine tell us that so-and-so thinks they're going but they're not sure and they'll let us know when. Maybe.
So yes, there are many things I'm looking forward to in 2008. I get to see my sister at the end of the month! Then in a few more months we're off to get hitched. Sure, I want to do the other things that I promise to do every year like lose weight. That has proven to be a toughie. But I'm praying for mono so those 15 lbs should come off easy. Kidding. Sort of. I have so much to look forward to and am excited to continue our journey together for yet another year! I've always said how much I love our little circle of bloggers because it's helped me stay close and become closer to many people. I wish all of my friends and family a healthy, happy and prosperous 2008! With lots of love, L

Wish I had been Drunk Baking but I'm stone sober

I made 13 dozen cookies today.
13 DOZEN COOKIES.
Here was my thought process:
"I want to make VS's Coconut Crunch Cookies."
"Hmm, not sure how many people I want to give them."
"I'll just double the recipe."
"Um, I think I doubled it. Or did I triple it? Hm."
Jeezus, that was a lot of baking. Now I remember why I haven't baked in quite some time.
I am giving each of my coworkers six cookies and a Christmas card. Nice huh? I'm also giving my neighbors a dozen cookies and some people who do the same thing as me but in different regions.
There are a butt load of cookies in my house. I think I'll still have leftovers.
On a completely different note, today was my parents' 43rd Anniversary! Isn't that great? Jon and I took them out for dinner. They're so funny - they didn't want to have a romantic dinner for two, they wanted to go out with me/us. Poor things, they're both trying to get over a cold! Anyway, Happy Anniversary, Ma & Daddy! (Not that they would ever be reading this. I hope.)

I'm still recuperating from the 13 dozen cookies.

More of the little things ...

I am a happy gal. We cleaned most of the house and were able to put up Christmas Cheer. YAAAAA-HOOOOOOOO!! You know how I love me some Christmas. What was even better was that The Man helped A LOT. He moved furniture, he dusted and he STEAM CLEANED.
Was it no wonder why I said, "yes"? He is a dream.
We don't have a large house but it can be overwhelming to me. When I lived on my own, I would just clean as I would go along so the times of when I would need to do a major cleaning were far and few between.
Now, with two people and two dogs, I should do it every weekend. But I don't.
So I was really irritable this weekend because cleaning the house felt like such a daunting task. And, because of errands, I wasn't able to start until 6:00pm. I have no idea why but if I clean, it must be during the morning and early afternoon. It's quirky but trying to clean at night really irritates me. But when he saw that it was really important to me, The Man manned it up, picked up some paper towels and Endust, and went to work. I vacuumed my little heart out, cleaned the kitchen counters and fridge and cleaned our bathroom (we have two rooms out of order which is another reason I was irritated but that's a different story.) The Man steam cleaned our carpets and moved around furniture to prepare for a new desk. We finished most of the cleaning and I felt a great sense of relief.
The next day, the Christmas decorations went up. I had gone to town purchasing Christmas decorations last year. Wreaths galore, bows and ornaments. But when I pulled out the bins and put everything up, I was surprised to see that it really wasn't that much. I mean, the house is decorated but it's not as Christmas-y (or crazy) as I thought it would be. Maybe it will be different once we get a tree. And I'm just very happy that there is Christmas cheer in my home.
Anyway, I just had to give props to Jon because he feels like I slam him on this here little blog (I thought I wrote something very nice but he thought I made him sound like an anti-social hermit. Oops.) I think we all know I'm not just a huge fan but the fan club president. So just to make it perfectly clear, I really really appreciate him. And it's the little things like helping his woman clean that makes my world go 'round. And I don't mean pansy, pitiful help but full on, moving-the-furniture, thoroughly dusting, getting-all-up-in-the vacuum-to-take-out-a-nasty-clog-for-me help. Thank you!!!

I adore San Francisco

I am a gal from the 'burbs. I grew up in the suburbs and plan on raising a family there, too. But I've always admired San Francisco, like a pretty piece of jewelry. I could see it from across the bay when I was little girl and it just seemed so exciting and grown up.
I lived, worked, and studied in San Francisco for about five years. I don't pretend to know the city like the back of my hand - the way my native San Franciscan friends do or the ones that have lived there for a long time. But I am a lifetime admirer and today reminded me of that.
Today I visited a friend who lives in the Sunset district. We had breakfast near Ocean Beach. I forgot how much I loved the Sunset district. I was always there because of school and would sometimes kill a big gap of time between classes at Ocean Beach. I forgot how nice it was to be so close to the ocean. I could smell the salt in the air and it was cool without being too cold - perfect for walking around.
Then we drove to the Marina district to walk the pups and window shop on Chestnut and Union Streets. I also forgot how fun it is to leisurely walk and shop in the Marina district. The shops had their Christmas decorations up and it made me so happy! I also love browsing in shops that are only in San Francisco. People were out in their Uggs and stylish sunglasses, eating at yummy restaurants, shopping or walking their pooches :) It wasn't as busy as it usually can be during the weekends so I enjoyed walking on the bustling but not over crowded sidewalks. I also enjoyed how many places let pups inside so their owners can shop. So lovely!
I often forget how much I love being in San Francisco. Living 45 minutes away often feels like a different world and seems to make it too cumbersome of a trip to make. There are so many reasons to stay away - horrible parking, too cold, some places are dirty and funky, The Man isn't a fan of the city, and it's kind of a hassle with two dogs! But it's visits like the one I had today, especially during the holiday season, I remember why I adore San Francisco. It's such a beautiful place with so much diversity among its people, sites, food, and merchandise. I admit, I miss living, working and studying in the city! But I'm very thankful to live in the Bay Area where it's only a 45 minute trek to such a wonderful place.

Hot damn, it's 2007!

It's so cliche but, really, where did the time go??
I noticed that around this time, people get this itch for change. Maybe it's because it's ingrained in us to have resolutions at the beginning of each year, to change something about us for the better. Or for what we perceive to be for the better.

Hey, I'm not knocking it - I feel it, too.
Of course, there are the norms like weight, exercising more, so on and so forth. I won't bore you with those because OF COURSE I would like to lose 15 lbs, of course I would like to dedicate more time to yoga or exercise. But here are the things that I really want to take care of during my 28th year:

1. Buy a home

2. Find my professional home and excel

3. Be more patient and understanding with those I love most

4. Rise above the pettiness and gossip (excluding celebrity)

I could go on and on if I tried but those are the big ones.

On something completely unrelated, Sister has inspired me to want to decorate my home with Christmas cheer. Of course, I know it's too late but I'm seizing the opportunity to get as much 50% off Christmas Cheer I can get my mitts on! Hurray for Michael's, Cost Plus World Market and Longs Drugs. I have two wreaths, a bunch of ornaments and stockings for everyone in the house, even the puff balls! The Man thinks I'm a wee bit nuts but doesn't try to stop me (which is good because I've picked up a bad biting habit from Piko and Pili.) Speaking of which ...

I hope that you have a fantastic start to 2007 and you didn't wake up looking like this -

Can you believe they sleep like this? They look like they've had a rough night.

Lulu Check-In

1. My computer is still kaput (waiting until I have enough sanity built up to deal with the cost and the crowds.) I think I'm going to wait until after Christmas and maybe even New Year's. When I have time to think about it, I miss my laptop.

2. Pups are keeping everyone busy. Piko and Pili keep me, The Man, AL and my Dad constantly on our toes. There appears to be a mysterious pooper (Pili) and, unfortunately, that means both have to be kept on lockdown. Piko is about 99% housebroken (she pops-a-squat in inappropriate places every so often but we're still proud of her) but Pili wants to go wherever Piko goes so they don't cover much territory around the house. I am NOT a fan of mystery poo.

3. The J-O-B is keeping me busy. I work anywhere from 9 to 11 hours a day. But recently, I was recognized for hitting a goal from the time I started working for the company until now and was invited to a special training that only 15 people are attending. (I think nearly 200 people are eligible because of their start date but must meet a goal and be nominated by their managers.) Anyhow, it's a privilege but also means when we are done with our training, we are expected to do much better. Ooo-weee.

4. The Man and I are just dandy. It's nice, especially since I know he's very stressed out at work, I've got a lot on my plate, we both work long hours and we got a mystery poo-er. That can make any couple have some problems. But, thankfully, we're good.

5. My folks and I are going to be visiting my sister tomorrow. I. Have. Not. Packed. But if you've read any past entries, that shouldn't be a shocker :) I'm excited to be seeing Sister, WGD and The Boy but wish I could stay a little longer. Four days is not enough for any vacation. But considering I am in the negative for paid time off, I really shouldn't be complaining. Yes, I owe my company my time off. Well, not really but that's what my pay check says.

6. I sent out over 250 holidays cards. Didn't get one? Are you pissed? They were all for work. I sent out personalized cards to a buttload of people, all work-related. I didn't send out diddly to my loved ones or friends. Believe me, I know it's not right. I'm the type of gal that likes to send out cards. But it just wasn't going to happen after I realized how many I had to send out for work. Next year, I will be sure to have my personal holiday cards prepared by August.

7. I finished (OK, and started) my Christmas shopping last Saturday. I nearly cried when the cashiers would tell me my totals. That alone has made me realize that I need to space out my shopping. Considerably. Sister, I called you because I have no idea what to get The Boy. I am hoping we can purchase something when I get there so that I remain a rockin' Auntie.

8. Despite the fact that the holidays snuck up behind me and beat me with a stick, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!! And, for the first time in my life, I will actually have a White Christmas! I am pysched.

Sweet mary, mother of pearl

I'm back y'all! My computer went kaput so The Man is letting me use his old a$s work laptop. But I'm back!
A lot has happened since last week. Yes, we got the puppy (I. Don't. Want. To. Hear. It.)
Her name is Pili (Pee-Lee) as in "Pili Nut", from the Bicol region of the Philippines. I was quite impressed that it was The Man who thought of that one. Sort of a shout-out to my side of the family (they are the ones from Bicol,) if you will.

"But how do they keep Piko and Pili straight when they sound so much alike?" you ask. We don't. We get it right 50% of the time. Luckily, they just come running no matter who is calling them because they always compete for attention.
I introduce to you - PILI!

Cute lil' bugger, ain't she?? She is 3.8 lbs, pees and poos wherever she pleases and screams (seriously, screams) like a monkey when she is crated at night. Pili also comes when you call her like she knew exactly what her name was the minute we gave it to her. She also makes Piko very happy. For the most part.
It has been a loooong week. Pili was carrying some sort of virus which got Piko sick. My parents, The Man and I have been to the vet three times this week (thank goodness for my folks, they took them while I was at work!) I never thought I'd be so concerned about the texture of my puppies' poo. The Man and I are like feces scientists. NOT something either of us desire to be.

But when we see them nap together, we know we made a good decision. Piko has actually gotten the housetraining down since Pili moved in. Yes, we got a dog for our dog but they are both happy, recovering-from-a-stomach-virus puppies. And because we want to win the "SO FREAKIN' CUTE IT'S SICKENING" award, here is a picture they took with Santa at the pet store yesterday:

L-R: My cousin's dog, Daisy, Piko and Pili

Daisy and Piko were pulling down Santa's beard and Piko was hiding until the photographer pulled out an obnoxious squeak toy which startled ALL of them and that's how we got all of them to look at the camera at the same time.

Other than that, same ol' same ol'. Missed me? I missed you guys.

It's beginning to look a lot little like Christmas

Although I love Christmas, I haven't gotten into decorating my place. Last year was my first Christmas in my home and I didn't put up a thing.

This year, I fell in love with the teeny tiny Christmas trees that I saw at Target but held back. And then, whadya know?! Target also sells minature ornaments, mini lights and even a itty bitty glowing star! I love Target.

So here is the very first Christmas tree I've bought on my own-

Cute, isn't it?? And I bet you wondered where Piko's been. Or not.
Sister called me and told me she couldn't believe I let Piko on the table! But I couldn't help showing off my mini tree and mini puppy!
Excluding presents, this is the extent of my decorations. But I guarantee it even smells like Christmas in my house. The mini tree is mighty fragrant and I have an apple cinnamon plug-in ;)

Love, thanks, and a load of turkey

I adore the holidays. Specifically, Christmas. And Thanksgiving is a great kick off holiday to the big shin-dig that is Christmas!
What's great about Thanksgiving, though, is there are no strings attached. Giving and receiving is AWESOME but Thanksgiving is all about being with loved ones, eating a HUGE meal, watching the Macy's parade and then catching some football. Holy smokes, could you ask for anything else???

LULU GIVES THANKS

1. Parents: My family is the best. I love them to pieces. My parents are so generous and loving. They have a thankless job, being a parent and all, and they would give everything to make sure their kids are safe and happy. I love them soo much. Plus, they are so teeny tiny and cute!

2. Sister: She is my best friend. She was my third parent growing up - she was the hip one - but now I get a best friend out of the deal. What a steal!!! She is so kind and generous (she must have good parents) and funny. She is talented, stylish (did I ever tell you she made me a color chart when I was little because the outfit I put together hurt her eyes?) and just simply divine.

3. Brother: He is our earth angel. If anyone has a non-stop flight to Heaven, it's him. He teaches me patience and compassion.

4. The Man: My other best friend. He knows me so well. He is a dork trapped in the body of a hottie! How can I not love that he is beautiful inside and out yet is humble, bashful and shy? He is truly a good man who loves me. Plus, he be my puppy's daddy. Word.

5. My friends: I'm not very good at keeping friends. It's a lot of effort to stay in touch and before I know it, I haven't talked to a friend in almost a year! Plus, if I am wronged, it's very hard for me to let a person back into my life. So the friends I do have really are super stars. They are kind, funny, supportive, smart, generous and all-around wonderful.

6. Power Yoga: I haven't been to class since April because of my new job schedule. But I'm going to today!!!! I can't possibly convey how excited I am. Just know I am beside myself because I love my nazi yoga teacher (by that I mean like "soup nazi" and not "genocide leader") I am so happy today!

And I'm thankful for a lot more (like my wild Pekatese puppy) but that's the jist of it. So, because I am a pretty cool gal, and I mean, pret-ty cool, I am giving y'all a little gift:

Go to www.sephora.com and shop your little heart out. Buy about $100 worth of stuff. Then get 20% off your Sephora purchase when you enter promotional code "FF2006" at checkout. You should also have free shipping because you spend over $75. And you get the dope discount. Seriously.

Told you I was a pretty cool gal. Happy Thanksgiving!!!! xoxoxo