christmas is here, bringing good cheer

are you ready?

it's nice that we had a week between thanksgiving and december 1st.  it's making me feel like i'm not so behind the game.

our tree is up.  we have tuned the radio station to the holiday channel.  we are sweetening our coffee with peppermint creamer. (we actually started doing that 2 weeks ago) umm, there is a box of peppermint jo jos in the pantry, soon to be 27. i have started the christmas shopping. and of course i'm getting ready to document the season.

i bought elise's holiday mini book at the queen bee market in october and it's been sitting on my work table just waiting to get used.  i also got a few fun things to play with.  some tapes, ribbon, and stickers. i really want to keep things simple because i don't know how much time i will have to dedicate to this project.  buying a pre-made book makes it so much easier to get started.  it's the perfect size and includes lovely paper and tags and envelopes.

again, keeping it really simple this year.

if you're interested in joining in on the fun you will find inspiration here and here.
and here's a look at some of the books i've done in years past.

it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

it's reciprocal

do you know that story?
the one from 20 years ago today.
the one on november 28, 1992, where bobby and i stood beside my car outside of his house after seeing "aladdin".
when he told me that he really liked me.
he said that he loved the times we spent together making our student film about elvis.
where we spent hours working in the editing room until the wee hours of the morning.
the times we would walk around campus getting to know each other.
those moments when he would keep my hands warm, i'm always cold, and i would stare into his green eyes.
listening to him talk with confidence about anything - he is so smart.
writing notes to each other on the clapboard during takes.
going to subway together because he didn't know what he wanted - even though he always orders the meatball sub.
going to the movies as friends.
hanging out at taft high school after filming during a football game.
asking our friends "do you think he/she likes me?" - yes, this was college not high school.

he told me he wanted to spend more time with me.
he asked me to be his girlfriend.

that story.
that day that changed my life forever.
for good.

i answered him with "it's reciprocal."
i don't know why.
it felt smart.
but then it felt silly.
and now that's our thing.

20 years later.
i love him more.
i love us more.

and i bet he would say,
"it's reciprocal".

thanksgiving: in photos

this year for thanksgiving we went to my in-laws house in wofford heights.  bobby and i had planned this trip a few months ago hoping to spend four days away from the city and busyness of everyday life.  it was exactly what we needed.

there's always something to eat.  especially when you have an italian mother-in-law in the house.  we left our house on thursday morning and arrived just in time for appetizers and football.

and then set the table for our thanksgiving dinner.

mike and becky joined us for dinner.  we said grace outside around the indian grindstone.  such a cool tradition.  and then took pictures.

bob bought the turkey at the local grocery store and for $10 more they cooked it for us.  now that's a deal.  we had fresh cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing and green beans.

and for dessert...

bobby made 2 pies.  yes, you read that right, bobby.  he was looking at one of my cooking magazines and wanted to take on the challenge of making the pies.  and he did an amazing job.  they were outstanding and no one complained (or maybe noticed) that they were lightened up versions. they were good and that's all that mattered.  i'll get better pictures and give you the links in a later post.  totally worth sharing.

friday i started my one mile a day challenge.  trying to get in one mile from thanksgiving (or the day after) until new year's day.

it's beautiful to run in this clean and fresh location.

everyone went out for a quad ride while i stayed home knitting, reading, and taking a nap.  not a bad way to spend the afternoon.

dinner was leftovers followed by a game of apples to apples.

saturday bobby and d joined in on the run.  this time we did 2.6 miles.  we were trying to make up for all that food we ate.

we had a wine tasting in the new wine barn.

checking out the cabernet for this year.  still very young but so far, so good.

and then baby anthony showed up and it was all about oohing and ahhing. hugging and cuddling.  we love babies.

sunday we did one last run.  then bobby took the boys shooting (glad i was not there to witness it).  he said they did great.  must be from all of that video game playing.  and mike, who is a police officer, was there to keep everyone in check and using proper gun safety rules.  thank you for that.

we had one last toast to the peaceful and relaxing days we spent here.

then we took some family photos and headed home.

thank you to everyone who made this the perfect weekend.

weekly menu: week 48

feeling so thankFULL for a wonderful 4 day weekend.  it was exactly what we needed and filled our hearts and bellies till we were stuffed.

but today it's back to work.  no time for messing around


making this week:
monday: turkey pot pie soup, biscuits
tuesday: teriyaki salmon, rice, stir fry veggies
wednesday: pasta with marinara, salad
thursday: chicken and broccoli casserole, salad
friday: pizza
saturday: bobby's birthday
sunday: eat out

thankful

today i am thankful.
and so very happy.

wishing you a deliciously happy thanksgiving.

growing too fast

whether he is the prosecuting attorney at the mock trial competition.

or talking to high school teachers on our campus tours.

or helping out with his brother and sister when i need him to.

or running a 5k with me and bobby.

or texting...all...the...time.

or watching the walking dead with bobby late into the night.

or wearing a suit from the men's department.

or taking care of himself when he's sick.

i can't believe how fast he is growing.

how much older he seems.

how proud i am of him.

how amazing he is.

how lucky i am.

weekly menu: week 47

last week was filled with school meetings, open houses, more sickness (so over that), mock trial, a murder mystery birthday party, another birthday, and talk of thanksgiving.

this week jordan will present the prosecution's case at mock trial, it's generations day at school, and of course we will celebrate thanksgiving.  looking forward to some much needed time off.

dinner this week will be simple since we will be out and about most of the week.

making this week:
monday: turkey meatball soup
tuesday: chicken, cashew and red pepper stir fry, rice
wednesday: eat out
thursday: thanksgiving
friday: pizza
saturday: ??
sunday: ??

keeping busy this week so i can relax later.

have a joyful week.

weekly menu: week 46

ground turkey taco bar

getting over a round of illness here at the mitas house.  seems the stomach flu made is making its way through the family.  ugh.

i'm feeling better, sofia's feeling better, andrew's feeling better, bobby is down for the count and jordan has somehow escaped it.  hopefully for good.

luckily the kids have been home since thursday because of conferences and the holiday so we can fully recuperate before going back to school tomorrow. fingers crossed.

making this week:
monday: chicken soup - nothing better
tuesday: spaghetti with turkey sausage, salad
wednesday: grilled shrimp burritos
thursday: pre-thanksgiving dinner
friday: pizza
saturday: birthday party
sunday: eat out

have a healthy week!

race for the cure - san diego

 a week after the l.a. half marathon we joined the brockett family for a very important event.  the breast cancer race for the cure in san diego.

this is an event that we have been a part of for years.  we've missed the last few years because of schedule conflicts.  but we committed to be a part of it this year.

we participate in celebration of aunt becky.  i won't go into the personal details but becky is battling this awful cancer once again.  so this race had even more significance this year.  and we needed to be there to show our support to her and her family.

bobby, jordan and i decided we were going to run it.  our trainer wanted us to take 2 weeks off from running after the 1/2. but i got the ok since it was only a 5k.

we didn't register for the timed race so we found ourselves trying to run among a sea of walkers.  we dodged and weaved, ran on the side walk and at times were forced to walk.  but we definitely got a good run in.

the coolest part is getting to run on the freeway.  they close one section of the freeway for this event. people going the other direction are honking and cheering us on.

once we got to the 2nd mile we ran the rest of the way.  it was tough.  my muscles were tight and that last hill got us all.  but we finished and made a deal to run in the timed group next year.

i loved the chance to get to run with these guys.  jordan did better than me and bobby.  his long legs and endurance from swimming really helped.  it made me happy to have the two of them by my side.

and running for such an important cause, and for someone that we love, made this even more special.

we love you becky!!

la rock 'n roll 1/2 marathon - the details

i put this on my calendar what seemed like a long time ago.  (i laugh because there was nothing else on the calendar at the time. things changed really quick.)

i made the decision to run another half marathon around july.  i don't think i was fully committed until after training started in august.  i knew what i was going to have to endure to make it happen and that made me anxious.  but i wanted to do another one this year.

i also knew i needed my sister to commit.  this started as something we wanted to do together and i couldn't have imagined doing another one without her.  so when she said yes, i was all in.

but this idea grew. my sister in law wanted to run. my good friend wanted to run. her friend wanted to run. and then we had a team.  running every saturday at 7:30 in porter ranch.  then every sunday. and at least three times a week.

i was surrounded by support and encouragement and accountability. (more on that later.)

after 12 grueling weeks of training we were at the weekend of the race.  it was the same weekend of the qbm craft fair. and it worked out well because bobby dropped me off at the hotel on our way home.  we checked in and went straight to the expo in time to get our bibs, shirts and do a little browsing of running gear.

and of course we took pictures:

then we went to the yardhouse at la live for dinner.

it was delicious.  chicken stir fry and brown rice. the perfect meal before a race.  then it was time for bed.

getting to sleep with five restless, anxious and excited girls was like a teenage sleepover.  lots of giggling and whispering, but no pillow fights.

before we knew it, it was time to get up, shower, and head out.

our meeting place was starbucks just down the street from our hotel.  a little hot chocolate, a banana and some last minute tips on goo and drinking water.  i was awake and energized and ready to go.

here's the ymca training group.

and then we split up and went to our assigned corrals - which are based on your expected finish time.
and then we decided to forget our corrals and start the race together as a team.

we got the jitters out. joked around. laughed at the costumes, especially the drunk elvises.  the energy was ridiculous.  i love that about running.  it gets you started with such enthusiasm and excitement.

 we made it to the start and we were off.

the course was not my favorite.  nothing exciting.   it was a loop course meaning we ran to one point and then ran the same course back.  not a fan of seeing others running the opposite direction.  it makes the race seem longer.

it was awesome running through downtown l.a. though.  especially when we ran through the colosseum.  but i was focused on my pace and didn't have a chance to notice some of the landmarks we were going past.  like when we passed the space shuttle?!

one thing i didn't like was this tunnel.  it was fine the first time i went through it but coming back it was stuffy and smelly and it made me want to pass out.

i never looked at my iphone while running so i had no idea how i was doing.  but i felt great.  i never felt like giving up or slowing down.  until i hit this bridge.

this was a tough one.  i decided to take some of the goo to see if it gave me that last bit of energy i needed to finish.  still not sure it made a difference. it was also getting really hot at this point and i just wanted to reach the top and head back through the tunnel and then i was on the home stretch.

crossing the finish line with energy to spare.

i felt so good and ready for more. filled with joy.  it mattered that i didn't finish as fast as the first time.  but it mattered more that i finished and felt stronger than ever.

we posed for pictures and ate everything they handed to us; bagels, smoothies, bars and chocolate milk.

and i was so happy to have bobby and my parents there to support us.

and to top it all off... free beer!

what a way to celebrate.