5 things this weekend

1.  i watched some of the graduation ceremony on line yesterday. we know a few of the graduates so it made the ceremony more meaningful.  i love the community that we have at nd and i can't believe we are halfway through jordan's time there.
2. bobby took andrew and sofia to the cha family campout. they were in castaic which is close to home. they played with bottle rockets, had s'mores and spent a nice night under the stars. thanks to the pto for an awesome event.
3. we had breakfast with my family this morning. it's nice to spend time with them and always nice to go to brent's. lots of great food, lots of good memories.
4. tonight jordan and i are going to his swim team awards ceremony. this will be the last school event for him this school year. 
5. so thankful that i made it 31 days. i am grateful to every person that read my blog posts this month. i'm hoping to stay on track monday through friday, at least 3 times a week. 

this was a peaceful weekend for us as we get closer to summer.

may goals revisited

project life cards from studio calico

we're at the end of may and i wanted to check back on my list of goals i made at the beginning of the month.

• blog everyday in may - i did it. i am so happy with that i did this. it taught me a lot! more on that in another post.
• i'm running my 5th half marathon gulp - another huge accomplishment that i wrote about here.
• get a massage - i had a decent recovery after this race so there wasn't a huge need but i would still like to get a massage soon.
• cheer sofia and the daring divas on as the softball season ends - woohoo. what a great season for my girl.
• celebrate andrew's 13th birthday on mother's day - we did and it was great. we also celebrated last weekend with a nerdfest. 
• do more hand lettering  - i am practicing and trying to learn some new styles.
• start eating dinner outside - fail. but the weather has been so unpredictable lately.  i'm moving this to my summer goal list.
• continue getting 10,000 or more steps a day after the marathon - another miss. in fact i took my fit bit off for a week after the run. i think i was mentally and physically over it. but it's back on now.
• do something other than run - i've been hiking every week with a friend.  last week we hiked to the top of rocky peak. it was a tough 5.6 mile hike but we did it. now it's time to bring back yoga, cycling and maybe a trx class? my trainer texted me today that i should shoot for running 4-5 times a week!
• use my dslr camera more - i took my camera out a few times this month. there is no comparison in quality but the iPhone is just so handy.
• go on a creative/food adventure and take pictures - i haven't posted my pictures of my pasadena excursion. maybe i'll get to that next month.
• get up to date with my online classes -  i've made it through the one little word class and am catching up on the hand lettering class i enrolled in. 
• go on a date with bobby - did we? can't remember. i know we got to spend time together and we went to an adults only class social, so i guess that counts.
• purge the house of stuff  - i am reading that book and am motivated to get rid of more stuff. it took bobby to get it started. i think too much and he just does it. so we're moving along.
• read - there is definitely more time for this. i am enjoying tiny beautiful things and i have a good summer list going so far. mostly books about food. i know, right?

not bad for one month. i am working on a summer goals list now.  i will share that next week.

have a happy saturday.

some things | 5.29

something that makes me (and him) happy - school's out for jordan. what a year of challenges, accomplishments and real life. he made the most of this year and we are so proud.

something else that makes me happy - watching the kids present at their student showcase today. what a wonderful way to teach us what they've been learning for the last six weeks. the energy on campus today was electric and it's only going to get better.

something to make - i've seen a lot of pictures of shake shack burgers and they look incredible. i would prefer to have them in new york but maybe this recipe will get me through until we can go.

something to add to my trader joe's  shopping list - i have my own list of favorites that i should share sometime.

something to inspire - good life project. i'm listening to their podcast episode called building a living around your creative soul.

something that spoke to me - my sister showed me this commercial last weekend and it got me. exercise is a choice that doesn't get easier. i'm struggling getting back into it but this commercial pushed me to the other side.

something to replace my gatorade - a switchel. it sounds refreshing and perfect for hot summer afternoons.

something worth paying to see at the theater - entourage. at least i hope so. bobby and i watched the tv show and we're interested to see where the movie goes.

something to remember - beer week in la.  who knew? not me.

something to celebrate a birthday - or a graduation or summer or friday? strawberry cookies and cream cake. you know i'm making this soon.

something i had to preorder - it takes day in the life to a whole new level. one week in the summer documented in detail. it's gonna be fun.

one little word | update

i am... moving along in my one little word album. although i am not sure my word full is moving me to change my life or is the center of my thinking, this class is reminding me that i had goals at the beginning of the year that i want to achieve.

on several occasions the word has popped into my head and i've thought, i told myself i was going to live life to the fullest. am i doing that? are the choices i am making reflecting my goals? am i giving this my full attention? it's a little voice in the back of my head. it's not a constant thought but it's enough to sometimes push me in the right direction. and it's just what i need.

for may we got to play with paint and stencils and mist. i had to tell myself to let go and have fun. for me it's ok to follow the leader and not feel like i have to be completely different. i want to complete the assignment and i want to enjoy the work.

the task was to make 9 art cards and describe who i am.

my process followed ali's pretty closely. i cut the paper to fit the pockets. i painted them with gesso to get a heavier texture. i stamped and stenciled with grey paint. then i covered everything with a light coat of white to tone down the grey and make it more subtle.  i misted with more stencils and pink and gold mist. i stamped the "i am" at the top of each card and wrote out my statements.

what i loved about this process was that i had to be patient, something i struggle with. every layer has to dry before you can add the next layer. i had no expectation about how i wanted them to turn out. i didn't overthink or worry about if it looked "right." i just did it. sometimes playing is what it's all about.

i also took some time to finish up a few of the previous months' prompts.

the vision board is the one i get stuck on every year. in fact this is the first time i've completed it. but i didn't make a big board.

i get overwhelmed with all of the images and words. instead i made a smaller scale piece using the phrases and words that stood out to me. and i love it.

march was an action assignment. what things can i do that will help me achieve the goals i set for myself? here are the five i am working on at the moment. making some progress. i'm sure i will add to the list as the year moves along.

the opposite page is supposed to have printed pictures that visually represent my word. i have the photos ready to be printed but need to upload and pick them up at costco. on the to do list.

i'm also filling out these reflection cards every month. it's something new for me and i'm enjoying them.

we will get a new prompt on monday for june.  hoping to get the april photos in the book before then so i am up to date.

here is the post with the first few pages of my book.

i hope you are still in touch with your word for the year if you chose one. it's never too late to refocus and revisit the reasons you chose your word or choose one now.

it's a small thing that can have a huge impact.

our weekend in photos

is there anything better than a 3 day weekend? how about a bucket full of beautifully pink peonies from trader joe's? i grabbed a bunch to start off our weekend.

then i met up with my sister and our friend jen for some mimosas at market city caffe.

when bobby and i lived in burbank we would have dinner here all the time.  it was within walking distance of our apartment and yes, we came for the breadsticks, but their food was tasty too.  i didn't know they had brunch on the weekends, and unlimited mimosas.

they ordered crab cakes, bagel and smoked salmon.

i got the avocado and egg toast.

we spent the morning talking and enjoying some girl time. it was also a little bit of creative time. we are all writers and we want to encourage each other to write, create and take some chances.

we also got together to see pitch perfect 2.

love that the bathrooms have movie quotes on the mirrors.  this is one of my favorites.

i thought the movie was good but not as funny as the first one. great music and some laughs so it is worth seeing.

sunday we went to our cousins' baby's first birthday party. they had decorated in a farm theme and had so many sweet details. i remember when i used to throw birthday parties like this. now we order some pizza and take kids to the movies.

the cake was adorable.

i think he liked it.

it's wonderful to see the cousins growing up, getting married and having families of their own.

monday we hung out around the house while sofia had a playdate. then we went to my sister and brother in law's for burgers

and a movie.  we wanted to show the kids the three amigos. we quote it all the time around here and knew they would love it.  i was in charge of the snacks. i made popcorn and filled buckets with our favorite candy. i tried making kettle corn too but i need a little more practice to get it right.

i feel like this weekend had everything; family time, girl time, movie time, happy time and real good food time.

just a thought

read this quote this morning and had to get it written down while it was buzzing around in my head.  it's simple because i love what it says. doing a lot of thinking lately about strengths and gifts, passion and purpose.

i needed to read this.

2015 weekly menu #22

enjoying the day off today; having breakfast burritos and spending time on the internet this morning.

weekend eats
saturday: pizza for andrew's birthday party
sunday: mediterranean take out

making this week
monday: hamburgers, chips, popcorn bar
tuesday: crockpot turkey chili, cornbread
wednesday: chinese chicken salad (didn't make it last week)
thursday: gnocchi with tomato sauce, salad
friday: pizza

hope you are enjoying some time off today.

5 things this weekend

1. having crepes with nutella for breakfast is how we like to start our sundays.
2. bobby and the kids did some clearing out yesterday.  i came home to boxes and bags to haul off to goodwill and some new space in the house. thanks guys.
3. andrew had friends over yesterday to celebrate his birthday. 5 teenagers at the movies, playing board games, eating pizza and being nerdy. he had the best time.
4. i met my sister and friend for brunch, unlimited mimosas and pitch perfect 2. we talked and laughed and made some plans.   
5. today we are celebrating our little cousins first birthday. looking forward to seeing our family and loving on the little one all day.

hope you are having a nice weekend.

recipe share

i wanted to share a few things we've eaten recently that are worth passing along.

we had chicken pho last week.  the key to this soup is a slow cooking flavorful broth. i found this recipe but didn't have the time to let it cook that long.

i used a box of chicken stock and a box of chicken broth.  i simmered it with coriander seeds, star anise, whole cloves, minced ginger and garlic, fish sauce, sugar, salt and chicken. i cooked the rice noodles separately and strained the broth into each bowl. then i topped it with lime, cilantro, bean sprouts and garlic chili sauce. it was pretty good and close enough to the one i like from the pho restaurant.

this week i tried making brussel sprouts one more time. i'm determined to make them in hopes that the kids will like them.  it's a running joke around here.

these were pretty good. i used this recipe. they were quick and tasty.  the key was cutting them into small pieces and being generous with the seasoning. jordan said they tasted a little like kale. andrew didn't really like them.  i liked the addition of nuts. i used almonds because it was what i had on hand.

a few weeks ago i made chicken tacos for dinner. i saw an instagram post that said they threw some  chicken breasts into a crockpot and added broth and one jar of trader joe's green salsa.  easy.

the chicken was really tasty. i love the handmade tortillas from trader joe's. then you add shredded cheese, lettuce, guacamole and salsa. another great meal.

let me know if you try any of these recipes and tell me what you think.

#sassylovessoftball

on tuesday we had sofia's softball team party to mark the end of the season.  and what a season!

from the moment she started playing with this group we knew it was going to be about learning and working. she was on a team with two coaches who have been with the program for a while.  they had everything under control, perfectly organized and running like a true team.

she was the littlest one on the team but she made her presence known from day 1. she had little experience but was willing to put in the work to get better. the coaches let the team know from the beginning that they were there to work hard; run your hardest, make an effort and have fun.

my favorite story was at one of her first practices the coach told them that if they weren't giving their best effort he would have them do push ups.  he had her run to first base as fast as she could, and she ran but not that fast. so he made her do push ups.  after the practice i asked her about it and she said "i didn't run my hardest. but man, i did some awesome push ups." that's when i knew she was tough enough for this sport.

she worked really hard. there were days she would go from school to volleyball practice, to softball practice or game and then home for homework, dinner and bed. it was a huge sacrifice of her time.  but she did it willingly. it got to her a few times but she didn't want to let her team down and pushed through.

she made friends right away, as is her personality, and figured out how to fit in with a group that seemed to know each other pretty well. she learned the cheers and made herself at home in the dugout. and the girls encouraged her along the way.

she played second base and outfield. and wow, did she improve. at first she didn't want the responsibility of getting the ball, so she would let the other girls get it. yep, she would stand there and watch the ball go by.  there was a lot of yelling, but she figured it out.

during the last playoff game, she made 2 outs in the first inning.

she was a hitter... in the cages and at home.  but when she came up to bat the nerves got to her and she walked a lot. walks from coach's no swing signs, and some from getting hit by the ball and some because her strike zone is pretty small.  either way, she made the most of her time on the bases and would often score. eventually she will get a hit and then there won't be any stopping her.

she wasn't afraid; of the ball, of the coaches or of making mistakes. she has grown to love the sport. when she gets home from school and if it's still light outside she and bobby go outside and play catch, and practice pitching.  she's a fan for sure.

we are so thankful that she was on the daring divas this year. the coaches were so patient with her but also pushed her to do better. we would play with any of the coaches, girls or parents again.

we are so proud of what she was able to do this year and can't wait to see her improve. in spite of everything else she takes on; school play, volleyball, schoolwork, and friends, i think softball is what really matters to her.  at least until the next thing comes along.

the other day she told me she wants to play for the notre dame softball team when she gets to high school... and volleyball, soccer and maybe basketball. dream big sassy!

10 things that make me happy

in honor of david letterman's last show last night, which we haven't seen yet but will watch tonight, i wanted to do a top ten list.

10. paint - i had made time to work on some projects yesterday and had fun playing with paint and stencils. far from perfect but having fun was what i was going for.

9. student showcase - next week the kids will have their student showcase. this is their chance to show us what they have been learning in their units of inquiry. sofia is the mayor of a mini society and will be "selling" yoga lessons. andrew is doing a project on the renaissance - "out of the darkness there is light". excited to see what they have planned.

8. pitch perfect 2 - hoping to see it this weekend. i'm sure it won't live up to the first one but i'm looking forward to seeing it.

7. music - i've been listening to a lot more lately and i love what i'm hearing. like i turn the music up in the car and sing out loud. and the kids do too. our current favorites - uptown funk, honey, i'm good, budapest, shut up and dance, and anything by taylor swift.

6. chef's table - this series is on netflix and i've only seen the first episode but it's everything i love.  getting to know the way chef's think about the food they prepare. my favorite quote from the first episode is "one of the most important ingredients in his food is memory." YES!

5. 3 day weekend - looking forward to everything this weekend has to offer, including seeing family on sunday, a birthday get together for andrew, baseball game and time off.

4. disneyland's diamond celebration - i've been seeing lots of pictures on instagram and hearing details from my mother in law about the fun stuff going on at the park. we'll try and schedule one trip over the summer and then again during christmas.

3. irish knight band - i can't put into words what an incredible experience this has been for jordan, and for us. we love the community within the community. the kids are so talented. it will be hard to say goodbye to the seniors and their parents, many of who helped us get through our freshman year. #goknights

2. peonies - i have a few favorite flowers; ranunculus, gardenias and peonies. i really love the soft colors that these come in. happy to see them at trader joe's this week and i had to buy a bunch. lovely and delicate.

1. end of the school year in sight - always a mix of emotions, but overall it's a happy time. no more schedules and homework. time to be together and relax. jordan has finals next week and the kids get out in june. it's all winding down now and we're ready for summer.

day in the life | 5.14.15

a fun project that i participate in at least once a year is a day in the life. the idea is to capture a day and what life looks like at the time.

i love that this year this project happened right as things were settling down. if i had attempted this project even one week ago the pictures would have been completely different. and when i do this project next year, i'm sure the story will look different as well. that's what i love about projects like this.

the usual wake up time for me. bobby and jordan get up at 6:15. andrew get's up at 6:30 and sofia around 7:00.

i woke up to discover i hadn't put the laundry in the dryer before going to sleep. oops.

i also found a stack of folded clothes on the ironing board. thanks grandma.

jordan's lunch.

and a daily dose of medicine.

packing up his lunch and trying to ignore the lady with the camera.

grabbing his backpack and swim bag from the stack.

carpool buddy is here.

fresh fertilizer and flowers.

sleepyhead comes to the table.

and for the other sleepyhead.

making lunches.

off to school.

morning light, dirty window and carpool drop off.

pto executive board meeting.

rain.

and breakfast.

out with the old, in with the new.

home for a blog post and instagramming.

just one bite.

gas guzzling.

the afternoon wait.

back in the car.

 prepped for a game.

and a school function.

looking a bit different.

rain or shine, it's baseball time.

i hadn't seen the banner until today.  i love it.  can you spot andrew?

 it's all about the snacks at the baseball field.

he got in a pickle.

i made the trek to nd for a leadership dinner.

so many wonderful parent volunteers were honored for their generosity of time. and so many grateful parents for the community they get to be a part of.  lot of goodness here.

thank you gifts.

and a thunderstorm for the ride home.

peace out.

this is just a peek into what our days look like. i ended up taking a bunch of photos mostly on my iPhone.  i'll print these and either put them in my project life album or make a mini album. depends on what i have time for. but i'm glad i have this documented somehow.