December 31, 2011

recap: the 12 days of chula vista

it was a whirlwind beyond whirlwinds

you know,
heading back home
to our beloved san diego,
at the peak of the holiday season
along with every other holiday traveler across the nation...

oh but it was a long time coming.

the girls would say 
2 years was a wee bit long to wait 
before heading 'home'...
for a reconnect.

so here is the recap
(grab some joe, 
i might have been a bit wordy with this one)

stick with me...


team estrogen at the front end of our venture
across the coast.
the girls after our first leg,
ready for what is on the other end.

hey look.
simply books...
if only they had remembered the 'r' and the 'e'

arrived safely in sd
with only one delay.
lived to tell the 1am tale.


first stop on home turf...
mexican food.
any local san diegan knows there is a limited menu when home:
mexican food
in & out burger
and 
mexican food.
need i say more?

first social visit:
the old hood

would you look at the look on michael's face?
it was a kid reunion beyond kid reunions.


i think miss kim might have even cried a little bit 
when she saw the girls.
aaah.
we were together again.


the kids played all night, 
as if not a day had gone by.
delightful.
purely delightful.


it was a bonus seeing our cousin, izzie, play in her
ayso soccer playoff game.
and lo and behold,
ran into an old friend from elementary school.
why do the children keep growing up on us?


one of  my oldest and dearest friends
and  liv,
her beautiful daughter


i got to hang out with my 
old, old neighborhood
(that means two moves ago)
why didn't i take a picture of the whole gang?
duh.
this is amy 
and les 
(les is also known as my sister in law)
love them both


have to share this most amazing tree
see those silhouettes?
we all got those when our kiddos where in preschool
how smart is she?
framed them all and hung them on her most amazing tree.
do i tell a lie?
and you should see the rest of her house...

next day,
girls met grandma, 
grandpa and cousins for a sleepover


and while the girlies went to the local movies...


i got to help celebrate this little lady's birthday,
so why do i get to leave with a shopping bag too?
have i mentioned how much i love my husband?
he a good good man.

never will i forget this day.
thanks for letting me in on your special day, corine.
love you, lady.

off to dinner
with dear dear friends.


look familiar?
you might recognize this rising star
she's on her way to big big things...
trust me on this

yes, i know.
where are all the boys?
apparently our sole boy skipped out on this picture.
 oh ben?
where are you?

 
  maddie and tess measure
looks pretty even, girls.

 
you can not see the running shoes,
oh but they have them on.
one more playdate with the old hood.
bring it, boys.

 all duded up.
ready for our annual fete at g & g's.

in front of the infamous tree

 
 the men in my life who shaped me

 
and their wives

 
one very special g&g tradition:
christmas dresses ala grandma for the girlies
on christmas eve.

 
this year 
plum

and girlies weren't the only
ones showered with adornment this year.

yet another trip to 
our favorite otay ranch mall.
no anthro in fayetteville,
or gap,
or banana,
but who's keeping track?

another check in the block
while in chula.
can you say filled up?
let's just say i had no mascara left after the first worship song.
patriece and marcus rocked it as usual.

gosh, i miss that place.

finally,
 one of my favorite moments while in sd.
see my most beloved grandma
(now suffering from final stage alzheimer's)
grandma doesn't talk much anymore,
but after showing her a picture of her young self with grandpa,
she did.
she said, "mom and dad" clear as day.
not a dry eye in the house.

i know she recognized her grandson even if she couldn't say it.

one of the greatest  moments for me:
showing the fragile circle of life to my girls
and seeing the tender care they showed their great-grandma
as she sat helpless in her chair, 
talking to her, 
holding her hand
and engaging her memory.
unforgettable.


another unforgettable:
trying on prom dresses from 1962,
watching the girls flitter around playing dress up,
asking if they could wear grandma's dress to their formal.
finally,
one last trip to the  mall.
do you think they are spent?

great visit back home.
chula vista most defintiely delivered.
but  more than chula vista, 
it was the people who live there
that completely  made this trip for me and my family.
i thank each and every one of them
for opening up their homes and 
allowing us to feel their love.

we are rich in friendship and family.

we thank you.


December 15, 2011

on our way: america's finest city

today 
we 
are 
off

going to hang out here

san diego
america's finest city

and hang out 
with these lovely ladies


and definitely head here 
a couple times

 chula vista

and celebrate this 

with the people i love.

so if you don't hear from me 
for a bit...
you'll know why.

tell me about any travel plans you might have?

as always,


December 14, 2011

happy anniversary: 19

it's been 19 years

19 years

wonderful
fruitful
character building
reaffirming

wish i could  lean over and  
squeeze my man
tell him all this
and then give him a big smoosh

not going to happen.

at least not for a few more months.

needless to say, 
i celebrate 
the day i became his wife
the day i said 'i do'  
the best single decision
to shape who i am today

thanks to him being dateless for this event.

 tomcat ball
san diego
june 1992

which is when he asked his sister
to find him a date.


 thank you, li.

you knew my hand
couldn't have been any higher
to volunteer for this gig.


little did i know
that this venture
would turn into this



will you look at the smile on my face?

little did i know...

happy anniversary,
honey.
i miss you dearly.


so tell me about
 your kick off?

December 8, 2011

wardrobe wednesday on thursday: blazer meets vancouver

remember this post?
my latest inspiration?
this is 
how i've incorporated 
the new look

 blazer: forever, 
skinny  jeans: gap, 
shoes: vancouver, canada,
lips: red, 
belt: targ, 
gold jewelry: forever,  
button down: new york & co

pulled these bad boys off the top shelf in my closet.
have to say, they don't see the light of day too often.
but thought they were an appropriate pairing for todays duds.
(remember  these, heath?)

 so 
what do you think?

hope i pulled it off.
do love the versatility of a well fit blazer.

tell me about your latest wardrobe staple.