A Day In The Life of ...

New Beginnings

2010-09-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Okay everyone, as many of you know for sometime I have been doing some event planning. I left my event planning job about a year ago to pursue school and a number of other things. As we all know things to not always play out how we would like...
After much thought and conversations with friends and my husband, I have decided to put it out there that I am indeed still doing event planning and coordination! I am in the process of putting together the ideas and things that I have gathered along the way over the past few years to be able to work on my own. I actually got a very nice response on facebook yesterday to me adding my event coordinating page which was a great surprise.

So, with that news I would like to kick off this new beginning and the start of something good. At least. I think it is good :) I would also like to thank Jasmine Star an amazing photographer who's blog I have followed for 3 years now and who has been an inspiration on many levels for me to push on and pursue this event planning thing!

Happy Thursday!

Blog Posts and 26th Birthday's, Oh My!

2010-09-01T14:34:00.001-07:00

Today I was at home with Michael all day. He has had this much awaited day off planned for a few weeks now, as we were planning on getting some plumbing work done in our home. I went to bed feeling pretty crummy last night and woke up feeling the same way this morning. I have spent my day going from room to room being lazy, eating, having a headache, trying to get work done, moving out of the 4 workmen in our homes small walkways, and thinking about why I feel this way, and when will I feel better?

As I perused several blogs today that I normally look at felt a sudden pang of desire. A want, a need to have the energy to write everyday on my blog and get excited about updating it. Why is that so hard? I mean, to want to write and share what I have going on? It feels like a chore. Does anyone else have that same feeling about posting on their blog?

Please share your thoughts....

As the week winds down I am thinking to Saturday. My 26th birthday. This one is going to be low key. I do not have major plans, except eating a couple meals with my husband and then family. Which seems to be the norm. Eating. Every celebration is accompanied by a special meal which is something that has always gone on in my family no matter what. We all make time to get together to share a meal... and then we often talk about the next meal at that meal. No joke. Food. Delicious treats, Sunday Dinners, holiday food prep and much much more are all apart of the food eating that go on in my family and I guess my birthday wouldn't be the same without this! So, here is to another yummy meal to ring in my 26th year!

This is a bouquet that my ahhhmazing friend Liz made me for my 24th birthday. I know that was two years ago almost, but this picture makes me smile!

Taking Control

2010-08-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel pushed and pulled in too many directions? Like each person in your life whether it is someone that is so close to you or that you just met at the market is asking you for too much? Like every last bit of you is being taken by one person after another and you just do not have a moment to breath? I do...

I know we all have days like these but it wasn't until I just sat down now and realized that more than a day of this... heck, I have been having a month of this, or maybe more. Maybe.

With each plan, phone call to return, errand to run, person to see, lunch date to keep and chore to take care of, I have less time for me and for the stuff, that when I put life in perspective that matters most. Over the last few days I have been thinking, I am sick of wasting my time on those things... that are not important, whether it is a time waster or something that does not make me happy I am done doing it. I know there are obligations in life and responsibilities to take on always... and that those will be a constant until the end of time... but it is another thing to take control of things that you have some how let others take the lead on.

It's my turn to take the lead, and stop feeling guilty about doing so. Here is to an evening at home, with my husband, doing only what I want and spending some quality time together.

What Matters Most

2010-08-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Last night as I was sitting at Kaiser, I realized how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family. Now this is something that I already knew but it was solidified for me once again. Michael's dad fell last week and broke his ankle. He has been in the hospital since Thursday and Michael and I went to see him last night. He was in good spirits, joking and laughing with us, we stayed for an hour and Gary reminisced about past times at his old job, friends, our wedding and the making of grandchildren (one day)- it was so bad to be in the hospital for once in the past few years when it did not involve something and someone that I love that was related to something potentially life threatening. As we sat for an hour and just laughed and smiled I thanked my lucky stars that Gary was okay and I was reminded of this week, which was a pretty tough one as well. Thank goodness after a stressful and overwhelming week of Michael finishing his last two classes for his Masters program, and good news on a couple other fronts, I was finally able to exhale the breath that I had been holding... pending this news and Michael's stress level dropping as I knew it would come Friday upon completion of his classes. Prior to Kaiser, we joined my parents for dinner at Nicola's. They have really yummy food and it is always fun to hang out with my parents. They really are funny and they make Michael and I laugh, especially my dad, who can be a dork at times. My parents are visiting my Uncle in San Francisco for the next few days so it was nice to see them before they left.

In other things, I had lunch with a friend this past week who reminded me that doing what I want is okay... and not to be hung up on the idea that other people are judging me based on every decision that I make. And if they are... well then I have some choice words for them :)
No, but really... I always get worked up about what other people will think?!? When I really should only be concerned with what I think and what makes me happy. And with that let the new week begin.

Monday, I am ready for you!

Out of No Where

2010-07-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

I woke up today to an unsuspected jolt. It ended up not being such a bad thing, but it did throw my day off a little bit. The funny thing is, I am glad that my day was thrown in such a way. Not because my husband fell of his bike this morning while riding to work - which caused a string of events to play out, but because we got this out of no where time together. As we proceeded to the doctor and to get x-rays, we looked at each other and just smiled because beyond the worry of praying that his bruised leg and swollen hand were okay, was a little bit of unsuspected happiness. Despite his getting hurt and me freaking out, I realized, that it is in moments like these- we lean on each other. I am so thankful that my husband is okay... but more than that I am so thankful to have him in my life, to smile with, to lean on and to laugh with even when time are a little tough!

Happy Monday!

Reflections

2010-07-22T20:47:00.001-07:00

What a day yesterday was - 10 years that I have been with Michael. It really makes me think about life. Reflecting on where I have been, the things I have done and the accomplishments I have made. So much good stuff, but still i'm left with this feeling of wanting more. Not only for me and my husband in regards to personal goals and life goals but for me. Where do I want to go, and what do I want to do? These questions have racked my brain for quite sometime. As I have watched other friends build careers and go back to school I have yet to discover the "right thing" for me. It's kind of hard to admit but at almost 26 i'm still trying to figure it out. I know there is no rule book, no guide to life but sometimes I think it would be so much easier if their was...

In other news I just came home from Europe a week ago and had an awesome time, here are some pictures to prove that I actually went and for your pure viewing enjoyment...

Notre Dame
Top of the Eiffel Tower (well almost)
Stained glass window inside Notre Dame
Delicious Tiramisu in Venice

Holly and I on one of Many Bus Rides that we were on Daily!
Boat ride to Mt. Pilatus in Luzern, Switzerland
The Alps
And no Europe trip would be complete without some nutella...

Going to Europe was fabulous but coming home after a trip like that is always an adjustment. The time that passed each day in Europe felt like an eternity because there was so much stuff crammed into one day. But in LA everything happens so quick. Our lifestyle's here are so different than the places we visited. It was so nice to experience something like that for a bit of time, even if that time was for two weeks. It was eye opening and fun too.

But for now, it's back to the grind. Until next time.

Laura

Where do we go from here?

2010-02-05T22:13:00.000-08:00

Well... here we are in 2010 and I have not written one thing. So, I figure why not start now? The first part of this year has been filled with many things. A new journey in my NEW home, fun family stuff, my own personal path beginning, new friends and old ones, and other assorted changes. But as much good as there has been, there has been a fair share of sadness too.

The good mixed in with the bad is a typical reminder of how life is supposed to be. Things can't always be perfect. But, it is in the times when things are not always the best that we realize how good we really have it. We realize that we need to appreciate the wonderful things - laughing, walking outside in the sun, holding the hand of the one we love, or even something as simple as having a clean house... Life may be full of ups and downs but it is in these moments that it feels just right. This is my year to appreciate the good things even if they are simple.

This year holds the key to my future... as do most years but what I mean is, this is the year I find out about school. I submitted my application for the masters program that I had been looking into and now I am patiently awaiting an answer. If all goes well this time next year school will be in full swing for me. In the meantime I am taking a few more classes to continue with my pre requisites and trying to do some part time work here and there. I am looking forward to what the future holds.

In other things I am finally in my new home... Michael and I have been waiting so long to come home and really be in OUR home. After almost three years of looking diligently, we found it. We moved in december and have been slowly adjusting as the clock ticks by. We are enjoying being out closer to both our family and friends. It is a real pleasure to have my mom one minute away and my best friend in the next building over (literally)! I am looking forward to many wonderful days and nights in this new place and cannot wait for dinner parties and hangouts galore.

For now, I am taking one day at a time. The list of to do's keeps growing, but everyone says that when you finally buy a place there is always something to do. That is true, to my knowledge so far. In between the moments of "doing" I am trying to stop and smell the roses, or in my case - the rose bushes that the gardeners recently pruned on the pathway leading to my door. Because it is in these moments that I am the happiest. Doing some of the most simple things. Have a nice weekend.

Looking through the window...

2009-10-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Today is my fifth day in a row sitting at home. I have spent the last week (almost) sitting on my couch trying to feel better. I came home last friday and was knocked out, literally, by a searing sore throat and fever. Yuck. I hate being sick. Especially when I feel like I have so much to do.
Sitting in my living room with a hot cup of earl grey tea with honey and the constant buzz og HGTV and the food network in the background is nice. Don't get me wrong. But, it is only nice for so long.

The last few weeks have consisted of a constant state of busy. Between school, being a wife, trying to be a student, and still maintaining everything else in between it has been tough. So as much I feel I have to get back into things after being sick for a few days... maybe I should chalk it all up to my body telling me that I need to S...T...O...P and take a break. So I guess in an effort to say thanks I should say "thanks body for making me take these last few days to recoup and reflect on the past few weeks and the next one's that are coming up."

Holiday time is coming fast and I know before I can take another sip of my tea it will already be hanukkah, christmas and then new years. All good things. But in an effort to get things to slow down I am trying to think about where I want to be next year and the goals that I have in mind for the future. Heavy stuff.

Oh well. I guess that's a day in the life of me :)

The past couple weeks

2009-10-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. Almost, a month in fact. I have had so much to write, so much to say, but I haven't been able to put the words in the right order to display them on this blog. But, here I am now ready to say some of the words I have been thinking for the past month or so - whether it makes sense or not.

Sometimes I don't stop. I just keep going pushing through things as if that will help me get through the tough days, but it dosen't. In fact, I think it makes it worse. The grass is in fact not always greener on the other side and lately I have had days where I have wanted to go away from everything and just pretend that I was starting over, wiping the slate clean and beginning that new path that I thought I wanted, somewhere else.

But I realize now that I feel this way because I never stopped along the way, I never thought it through enough and now that I am here I have to make some changes. In my outlook, my thought process, my goals, my life in general. No one ever said that this would be easy, that life... would be easy. But I continue pushing through and doing what I think I am supposed to be doing. I need to trust in myself, do what makes me happy and take a leap without anyone else standing in my way. That is easier said than done.

I want answers, solutions, the final word, the bottom line... I want to look into the future and know that what I am doing is the right thing. But how can I know that? How can I look into the crystal ball and know that this door is the right one to open. I can't. And that is so hard for me. I don't know if it is hard because I am scared of change or if I am just so lazy that I do not want to go through the steps of doing something and then not have it come to fruition.

I have to breath, to step back, and look at what I have and be thankful for it no matter what else may be at the present time.

No one ever said this would be easy...

Now and Then

2009-09-01T23:18:00.001-07:00

I wanted to get on the freeway today and drive in the fast lane. Pull over to the left and just keep on going...

Do you ever want to do that? What do you think that means? Today was just one of those kind of days. Where what I was doing today didn't fully satisfy me or make me happy, I just did it to get through it because I knew I had to do it. Kind of weird.

Today was my second day of school and it was fine. I have been more tired in the past few days than I have been in a while. I think it is a combination of stress and the heat. The fires and the gross weather have really put a damper on trying to go through your day let alone, just trying to function normal. Every day this week I have gotten a headache and been nauseated at some point.... who knows?

That is it for now. Nothing else too exciting. But, my birthday is Friday!

So, this is what life is like in the Big City - or should I say at home in Ventura County...

2009-08-18T09:48:00.001-07:00

Today is my first day with no work... and I have to say with as much enthusiasm as I have had for this day, I woke up with less than expected. Monday was my day off from work typically, as my office was closed. So, yesterday didn't really count. But I got up today and did the things I told myself I needed to do before I went to bed. I have not finished them all yet, but I got a pretty good early head start.

I think I realized that I have to create a schedule. With everyday things that must get done around the house, for me and for school/work. I don't start school until August 31st so I have the next two weeks to organize and get things together before they get really busy.

I am actually going to see Legally Blonde Tonight at a theater in the city so I am excited. I guess my day at this point is really revolving around that...

Happy Tuesday!

New Beginnings- My Desk

2009-08-10T10:42:00.001-07:00

This is the start of some new things. I have to admit, other than leaving my co-workers at my job, I was sad about leaving my desk... yes, I know that is kind of weird. But I love to be organized and although I had that organized vibe at my office, at home was another story...

I have wanted a new desk for sometime but this weekend we actually got one. It works for now and I am quite excited about it. I have spent the good portion of my day setting it up. I will be making a homegoods run quite shortly to get a nice desk lamp and a few accessories. Only four more days until this new desk because my main desk. I will no longer have that work one to fulfill my organization trip, instead I have this one to fill with my own good things!

It's Friday - But not the 14th

2009-08-07T15:57:00.000-07:00

It is getting harder and harder to go out with dignity. As I sit trying to get through the load of work that has been dumped on me I cannot help but think to myself, “Where has all is this work been the past two years?” “And, why now, of all times, when I just want to be done already, is she purposely dumping all of this SHIT – yes shit, on me?"

The answer is because she is an unappreciative, undeserving human being. I have graced her with my goodness these past couple of years and she has failed to see it. That is truly no fault - but her own.

As I was warned by a couple of my co-workers, some of who have been working here for years and who have seen many employees come and go and an x- co worker of mine who recently shut the door on his time at S&R- “She will not make it easy for you.” I was told. It will be a living hell is basically what that translates too.

It is calm right now- my first calm since my notice, but I cannot help but feel that this is indeed the calm before the next storm, or should I say fire that I end up putting out for her. Ach! I am so disgusted.

So, back to that dignity thing. At this moment I am biting my tongue hard and holding back a wave of mixed emotions from flowing out at her. Each moment thinking to myself that this will all soon be over and that the wave of SHIT, yes shit, that I have taken on for the past two weeks will be completely gone when I walk out of the door next Friday.

Until then… happy Friday. I can tell you, next week will be a much happier Friday then this one. Up and on.

The Flood Gates Have Opened

2009-07-30T14:35:00.000-07:00

Ever since I gave notice at work… My mind. Cannot. Stop. Racing. With ideas and thoughts and instances and then more ideas and thoughts and things. It is crazy, I mean crazy. But it’s almost as if the cork has been stuck in my bottle of wine for a long time. And I just now figured out how to slowly pull it out – in turn releasing aroma and aerating this beautiful red wine… to breath and now come to its full potential. That wine, yah, the wine in that bottle, it’s my life. Now, granted I know a few things about wine, specifically red wine. I get that it ages in the bottle and gets even better. So realistically, if I was using this analogy according to that fact, I should stay in the bottle because my life as I knew it would of gotten better as I got older…. But for purposes of this particular comparison the red wine does age in the bottle but needs to come out for one to fully experience it and to be enjoyed. By quitting my job I have allowed myself to realize my potential. That there is something to be said for just sitting and waiting for something to happen vs. going out and making it happen. And in this case that is what I am doing, making it happen. So, with that in mind I think, that is why my head is racing - with all of these things. Ideas for random businesses, the possibilities of going back to school, my future and everything that awaits me…. It’s kind of cool.

Not that you all want to know my plan… wink, wink, J but here it is. My goal is to go back to school for Marriage and Family Therapy. I have thought about this for a long time. I have considered options, almost gone back to school to become an English teacher, worked in the event planning field and once again have pondered the idea of becoming and MFT. So, what has been stopping me? I have been scared – to not have a job in this hard economic time and to think about going back to school has been weird after being out for three years, and to take on a new challenge. But I am looking so forward to it now- I just can’t help but feeling that this is the right thing to do and the right direction to travel in.

I feel weird putting this out there for all of you readers (all 7 of you) to know, but it’s good for me to say it out loud, to hold myself to something and to commit. I have had such a hard time in many avenues in life, committing. Granted, I think I have been a wonderful wife, a good friend, a great daughter and a diligent employee – I have never taken a step like this before. To commit to myself and to my future and to my goals. It feels really good I must say.

For all of you that are reading this do something that you have been waiting to do. Stop making excuses and go for it. Because we only have now – after all, what are you waiting for….?

By the way I have been following this blog for sometime now. I read David’s most recent post today - http://www.jumpdavidjump.typepad.com/, and knew that I had to put this link on my page. Make sure to go back a few posts to understand what is happening. Actually come to think about it, you will probably get it from just reading the most recent post entitled “The Eyes Never Lie”.

Happy Thursday!

I did it.

2009-07-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of the rest of my life…

When I woke up today I couldn’t get over the fact that today was the day. Within a few hours of waking, dressing, and driving to work, I was going to be jumping over my first hurdle of my new journey. And by the hurdle I mean “The change” that I have spoken about in my past few posts-

Leaving my job…

The past few months of my life have been eye opening. I have learned a tremendous amount about myself, my goals, and what I want for me and Michael. I realized that sometimes you have to take the road less traveled, challenge yourself, and do the hard thing as opposed to taking the easy way out. I have taken the easy way out many a time before. But this time things have to be different.

Being in the working world for the past three years has made me realize the following… nothing is perfect, you can love your job so much but there will always be something or SOMEONE you don’t like about it, challenging yourself is vital, being praised for doing something good is always encouraging, passing time on Facebook while getting paid to do a job is nice to a point but becomes boring when you feel you are getting up to go to work just to be on facebook – which I could do from home, I am a hard worker and deserve the chance to grow and to thrive, I sometimes underestimate myself and my abilities but know that I am stronger than I think, I come off sweet but I can bite J, and last but not least – you should never allow anyone to make you underestimate yourself or make you feel uncomfortable. There are so many more things I could write but that would take a long time…

As I was saying before, I have chosen to give final notice at my current place of work. For 2 years now, I have poured myself into this job…first willingly and then unwillingly as things became more unbearable. As I considered my current unhappiness at work between the end of last year and how I couldn’t imaging doing this forever, much alone another month or two - I had to do something. I needed to jump and take a risk.

So, that is what I did. At about 10:02 today I walked into my boss’s office and “blindsided” her with news of my impending resignation. I had over thought her reaction in my head much to my dismay. But as the day wore on the subtle hints and jabs that she made, whether intentional or unintentional is unknown, spoke volumes. The reaction that I thought I overestimated… was indeed, exactly what I had thought it would be. Condescending, backhanded and unappreciated.

But, all worth it…because, for everything that I have been through over the past couple years, I realized I am coming out the better person.

As I sit here typing to you, better yet, from work… I can’t help but smile and think that this is the right thing for me now. And despite the reaction that I got from one of my co-workers and ultimately my boss when I informed them I was leaving - I am really happy that I did what I did and jumped this first hurdle.

May this be the beginning of many open doors.

To better things.

2009-07-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you want to keep driving?

You know, you are on the road to work, or maybe
to a doctors appointment, or even to school, or what about your parents house and you just don't feel like making that left, or exiting the off ramp?

That is how I felt yesterday. Like I just wanted to keep driving on the 101. I did not want to exit Reseda to go to work. I just wanted to keep going, with nothing in my way. That is kind of a metaphor for my life these days. And as I drove to work yesterday, with these thoughts swirling in my head I couldn't help but recognize this resemblance between what I wanted to do and what is actually happening to me. As the weekend approaches and I realize I have little to do I am happy to be able to relax and take a couple days off. Eventhough the last few days at work have been beyond boring and have been a mini vacation within itself, as I have perused facebook, thought about future plans and made a few personal calls.

As I prepare myself for next week I look forward to the weekend and taking a step towards what I refered to in my last post as the "The Change."And then as we roll slowly into Monday I will have to mentally prepare myself to do what I have been waiting to do for a while....

New Roads and Such

2009-07-23T07:28:00.001-07:00

Change is in the air. Some of you know what I mean by that - some of you don't. But, I am going to wait until the change happens to actually post the "thing" that I plan on doing. Until then I will just speak of this thing as "the change".

The past few weeks of my life have been eye opening. I have grappled and thought about things that I never really pondered before.... Michael and I celebrated nine years yesterday. Nine wonderful up and down, crazy and dull, new and old, unmarried and married years. Thinking back on my life really is weird. I have been through so much with Michael - there really is not a recent time where things feel like just mine. Getting married young and doing all our growing up with one another has been a cool experience, but now I am left feeling as if I should of done some of that growing up on my own before we did it together.

But, life takes different paths and this is the one that I chose to walk down. So here I am folks on the verge of a new path and I hope it's going to be a good one. I will leave you a with a few more fabulous picture from our travels to Las Vegas with some of our good friends from this past week! Happy Thursday :)

Time to Scrapbook - Again!

2009-06-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

Okay quick post on a Lazy Saturday. I spent the morning going through old pictures. High school, friends, old trips with Michael, family time and lots more! I am organizing because I am going to start SCRAPBOOKING! I am so excited and so looking forward to my Monday night scrap date with Holly, not to mention dinner and Bachelorette, woo hoo!
Here are some pictures I came across while looking :

Mom and Me on our Wedding Day April 21st, 2007

Mike and I in Hawaii June 2006, right after we got engaged!

Me looking out onto the Lake in Lake Las Vegas... just after we arrived for our Honeymoon stay at the Ritz Carlton - I wonder what I was thinking?

Max, Me, Evan and Mike in our Hotel is Israel, Bat Yam to be exact... more like Butt Hole actually. It was Yucky there. But we looked really cute. We all coordinated - weird!

It's nice looking back at old memories captured by the camera....

Think Positive

2009-06-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

This seems to be such a crucial time in my life. And I think it comes with the age. This is a time where I, along with so many of my friends are presented with big decisions... and I don't just mean kinda big, I mean HUGE decisions that we have to make, and that will for sure impact our path on this road called life.
Lately, I have been struggling with so many decisions. Many that are small, but more that are BIG and I mean big. I have made myself literally sick over trying to figure all of this out and I think it has finally clicked. I think!

A few posts back I talked about a door opening and things falling into place. When I wrote that post I was referring to something that I wanted, that I thought was happening. And, well, things did not go as planned. So there I was, once again back at my drawing board and I asked myself - is this the thing I really wanted anyway?!?

And as hard as it was to let it go and make the decision to push forward. I was able to close that door and in return another one opened. My husband said to me last night sometime a door opens and you are so busy focusing on the closed door that you don't realize the new opportunity is there. He is so right!

So now, on to bigger and better things and success. Or so, I hope!

Max's Graduation

2009-06-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago my brother
graduated from CSUN.
He technically finished in
December but walked
across the steps of the Oviatt
Library in a graduation ceremony -
which in my mind constitutes
actual graduation!

I am very proud of him and look forward to seeing what he does next. I am so excited for you Max and I know you are going to do amazing things!

Pictures - yeah!

2009-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the pictures we took in SLO and for Mothers Day! Check out my skills :)

Michael and I at Apple Farm in our room before our shopping day!

Our visit to Hearst Castle - The Hand carved ceilings of one of Hearst's libraries

The start of the tour - The Grounds of Casa Del Mar. The first house built on the many acres that the Hearst family owned.

The Beautiful marble pool. With amazing views of the valley below and the ocean. What a nice dip in the pool that would be!

Michael shot this one - every where we went there were these awesome vintage cars. There must of been some sort of car rally going on in Paso Robles.

Orchids on the coffee table

One of the kitties smelling the sunflowers

Mike and Evan

Mike and Max hanging out on Mother's Day being dorks!

I finally figured out how to post the pictures. Who would of thought that there would of been a small tool box above the text box to add pictures. I'm a dork!

Enjoy :)

It just kind of.... Clicked!

2009-05-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Isn't it weird how sometimes things click.... for example, you can be waiting for ever for something to happen, a phone call, a new job, an opportunity, you know anything.... and then it just happens. Despite sleepless nights, aggravation and passed time - it just happens. I kind of feel like that is where I am at this moment. I may be speaking too soon but I figured i'd blog about it anyway. I know this post is a bit vague but I will explain when I have more details :)

Latley, I have been enjoying a lot of family time. Not only with Michael and I but with both of our families. My brother Graduated from college last week - sheesh when did he grow up!?! And the week prior to that we celebrated Mother's day. I swear, every family thing centers around eating. For example, the weeks before Mother's day approached my mom and I planned out the food details about what we would consume for appetizers, main dishes and desserts. We came up with a Mexican theme. It was really good, delicious marinated carne asada and chicken from Valarta market, with a variety of sides including delicious corn cake, beans, grilled veggies, and a mexican style salad with avacado cilantro dressing, pepitas, and cotija cheese - YUM! We always make too much food. That is the problem with my Mom and cooking. And now I do it too, I make too much. My grandma always did that too. It's kind of an inherent default that the women in the kopulsky/ginsberg/sack/ and now klein divisions of our families have and will probably always have. So there is always room for more guests because we typically have two times the amount of food to serve the people that we know are coming!

Anyways, back to what I was saying... I have really been enjoying my family time. For Max's graduation my cousin Rebecca came down from SF. My Uncle Jack and my other cousin Jake and Kiah did not accompany Becca. Which was okay, because we all got to spend some one on one time with Becca while she was here, uninterrupted by the boys. I had a really fun time with her. We shared a nice dinner, took a walk around the area where my mom lives, and just hung out. We are the only "girl cousins" in the family so we have to stick together. She is heading off to Montery in a couple of weeks for her Chinese immersion progarm. She will continue to take mandarin classes, (which she has been taking in school in Oregon at Louis and Clarke) and fully learn the language, so in just a few months longer she can head off to China. She is so excited and I am sure she will have a phenomenal time.

So to sum this up family is great, I am lucky to have such a fun, crazy and at time overwhelming group to be apart of. And thank god - Michael fits right in too!

I have some fabulous photos to go with this post and to show off my new Canon Rebel digital SLR camera. But I still have not mastered the picture posting yet, actually I havent even had time to figure it out... but as soon as I do I will post. Until then....

Things to look forward to:

1. Michael's 27th Birthday - OMG when did he get so old?
2. Work - I am actually looking forward to working on Saturday - weird right?
3. Monday at the Peninsula Hotel w/ my mom, tea time!
4. The Item that just clicked, as I mentioned earlier in my blog.

:)

A Much Needed Vacation

2009-05-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

I have not really posted on here since I started the blog... I have had difficulty posting my pictures. Which I still cannot figure out how to do. Does this mean I am an idiot, or just computer illiterate? I am not sure of which one it is but here I am posing again and I cannot add my pictures... Maybe next post.

Despite how hot it has been in the west valley the past couple of weeks, it has been quite nice where I live in the Ventura County Area. Michael and I visited san luis obispo and los robles last week and returned home this past sunday to earthquakes and heat once again. We went away for our anniversary as we did not get to take a trip in April. We did wine tasting, ate good food, and relaxed. I think our favorite thing was wine tasting though. Michael always tends to drink too much which leads him to be all giggly and funny. So I drive and he sleeps as I navigate our way to the next tasting. We have come to enjoy wine tasting over the past few years that we have been of age. We have tasted in a couple places up the coast and have enjoyed it every time. I think there is something about tasting and talking with some of the well versed and knowledgeable people pouring behind the counter, while taking in the the beautiful scenery and interesting architecture of some of the amazing wineries.

I enjoy whites mostly, michael likes white wine as well but also enjoys red. We bought this delicious rose at Rotta Winery. We also purchased a port - Black Monukka from Rotta. It is made from a raisin alcohol which sits in the sun for two years in huge barrels. Then the raisins are smushed and the alcohol is extracted. The taste of this port was delightful. You really just needed a taste to get the full effect of the flavors. But the immediate tastes on your tongue were nuts, caramel, and then this rich delicious aftertaste. We had to have some of that too!

We traveled to Hearst Castle and took a tour. Tour two to be exact. We were able to see the first house that the family built on top of the hill. We wandered from bedroom to bedroom seeing the crazy and overwhelming decor that William Hearst really loved. Gothic style decor, mixed with roman and greek styles filled the house. We also got to see the huge kitchen and two different pools on site. It was awesome. I couldn't imagine living in something like that today. How would you decorate it all? We also took some great pictures of the grounds and just tried to take in the beautiful views from Casa Del Mar which is the main house that the Hearsts built on the property first.

We shopped around in downtown Slo and saw a movie. We visited my favorite gallery downtown, Hands....handsgallery.com Check it out! I got a very delicate pearl bracelet with pearls in variations of pink colors.

On our way home we stopped in Santa Barbara for some more shopping and then to Montecito for a late lunch at one of our favorite mexican restaurants - Cava. If you are ever on your way out there it is totally worth the time!

I cannot wait for another vacation.

Test 1, 2.

2009-05-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

This is me testing my blog....

In The Beginning There Was Light...

2009-05-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about blogging for sometime. I have happened upon many blogs over the past few months that I have followed - and despite much criticism about blogging and bloggers, I have throughly enjoyed reading the one's that have inspired me. So here I am running to the other side of the - to blog or not to blog spectrum, to finally create my own story.

The fews blogs that I have followed have been a combination of personal stories and business related endeavours. I have read blogs that belong to close friends and others of people who I do not even know. But the one's that I have liked the most are from those whom have created a story- something that speaks as to the details of their life's and gives readers a small peak into what is going on. I think that is what I want this blog to be for myself - a place to just write, post interesting things and just kind of have fun.

In this busy life we only have so much time for "free play" so I think it will be nice to be able to keep track of some of the stuff that I do in this blog, so that I can look back later on in life and see what a day in the life of me is like!