Category: Angel’s Life

May 14, 2014

Amidst a very busy week, my sweetie took a half day from work to take us to Cambria and Cayucos: two of my favorite towns on the California coast.  We usually go to Cambria on Mother’s Day but our plans were foiled on Sunday with Olive’s late nap.  So, this outing served as a belated Mother’s Day adventure.  🙂  Everything closes around 5p in Cambria so we got there at 3p, with just enough time to peek into my favorite antique and garden shops and grab an olallieberry lemonade at Linn’s.  I usually can’t get out of there without having some pie but the 90+ degree temps just didn’t seem pie-compatible.

Olive’s dress is from dot dot smile and my dress is from LuLaRoe!  We’re twins in our twirly skirts.

From Cambria we made a quick detour in Cayucos to get — what else? — some bites of heaven at the Brown Butter Cookie Company.  Did you guys know they just opened up shop in Paso Robles, too??  These little shortbread-style cookies are melt-in-your-mouth incredible and they come in a variety of scrumptious flavors.  My faves are coconut lime, citrus (with cayenne!) and the original.  They will be savored one at a time this week to make them last.  😉  If you aren’t local, you can order online!  You’re welcome in advance.

With the heart of wedding season just around the corner, I am grateful for little escapes like this one with my family.  We are so blessed to live here on the coast of California, in close proximity to so many charming towns and local getaways.  We tell people we live where most people go on vacation.  It’s the best!!

When we got home, we realized my restaurant of choice was closed on Tuesdays (random, I know) so part 3 of my Mother’s Day celebration will take place on Saturday night.  How’s that for making the most out of the holiday??  Thanks Erik!

Hope you all are having a wonderful week!  I’m busy prepping for two packed days of meetings with some clients (Hi P&S!) to take me into the weekend.  See you all again soon!

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May 12, 2014

Thank you SO much for the incredible outpouring of love and support following my last post.  I was overwhelmed, frankly, by the number of texts, emails, messages and comments I received from friends and strangers alike.  A lot of the messages came from my current and past clients going back 8+ years and that really blew me away.  I want to thank each of you for taking the time to reach out in love and support.  It means so much to me and I truly appreciate it.  I have made it over the hump, so to speak, and my heart and body are healing everyday.  I continue to remain hopeful for the future.

Mother’s Day was a little bittersweet this year — celebrating my blessing on earth but mourning those in heaven — but I still had a wonderful day with my family.  We went to church, had In-N-Out for lunch (just like every Sunday!), and put Olive down for a nap.  Our plan was to leave right after her nap for Cambria — our “traditional” destination for Mother’s Day.  As we began driving that afternoon, however, I realized that we would get there after all of my favorite antique shops had closed.  So, we made a detour and simply enjoyed the beach, a park, and some takeout for dinner.  We have plans to get to Cambria this week so I’ll share about those forthcoming adventures soon.  🙂

Love this pic of us.  I’m wearing my new fav dress from LuLaRoe — so comfy and feminine; I’m obsessed!

Our simple little afternoon and evening together reminded me to be thankful for the little moments that we often take for granted.  I loved having Erik with us at the park since he is usually working when I take Olive to play.  He got to hear her say, “Whee!!” two dozen times as she rode down the slide.  He helped her hang from the monkey bars and chased her around in the sand.  We laughed with each other as we admired her quirks, her energy, her silly and playful nature.  We had strangers take our picture so we could get a group shot.  Unfortunately hey turned out horrible but I’m glad we have them.  🙂

Erik wrote me the most beautiful card and of course, it made me cry.  I am so thankful for him in times of joy and sorrow; he is always a source of wisdom, strength and unconditional love.  It is so crazy to think we met when I was 19 and look at us now, being adults and raising a daughter and what not.  😉  Love you, babe.

oh Olive!

And Olive.  I gave her a pass this year but expect a card or something next year.  😉  She is amazing and I thank God everyday for her.  After years of praying and crying and pleading for a child, she was the one who arrived in our arms.  I She surprises me everyday with her thoughtfulness, her natural affection, her tender heart.  If the Lord only gives us one child, I am grateful it is her.  I cherish every moment with her knowing that this life is fleeting.

Olive — I am so blessed to be your mama.  You are my favorite gift and the perfect addition to our family.  You have changed my life in every way for the better; I can barely remember what it was like before you arrived.  Every Mother’s Day I will be reminded of how my prayers were answered in you.  And everyday that I am on this earth, I will be loving you with all my heart.  xoxo, Mama

On a final note, I want to send lots of love to the two moms in my life…

  • my mother-in-law, Delores, who raised an amazing son and is someone I could sit and chat with for hours (and I often do!).  She’s a friend to everyone she meets and is so devoted to her family.
  • my umma, Grace.  She epitomizes sacrificial love and she would do anything for her children (and now grandchild).  When she was a single mom raising two daughters, she slept on the floor and I slept on a bed.  She worked three jobs to send me to the programs and events I wanted to attend and always found a way to be generous with us when we had so little.  If I tell her I like something she’s wearing, it frequently goes home with me (haha I promise I don’t take advantage of this!).  After Olive was born, we stayed with her for a week so I could rest and recover.  When I stay with her now, she still makes me a gourmet breakfast and packs me a snack for the car.  🙂  Staying with her is better than staying at a 5-star hotel.  She also sent me a big box of han yak today (Chinese/Korean herbs) to take post-miscarriage.  If you know you know — it’s a big deal, even if it’s the nastiest stuff on the planet.  We are opposites in many ways but one thing that is clear is that she loves her children passionately.  I will always be indebted to my Umma and am so grateful for all that she has done, and continues to do, for me.

Hope you all are having a great start to your week!

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May 7, 2014

It happened.  Again.  I got pregnant and we lost the baby, this time at 8 weeks.  This  makes 3 miscarriages for me, with the last two in a row.

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pregnant with Olive, 2011 // photo by Jose Villa

The first time I had a miscarriage, in May of 2011, I was unprepared for the grief.  I had never been pregnant before and was actually amidst a very intense journey with infertility.  There were doubts as to whether or not I even *could* get pregnant, medically speaking.  So when I saw those 2 lines for the first time and received the good news from the doctor’s office via blood test, I was on cloud 9.  It was inconceivable to me that I might not make it to full-term.  I felt like my prayers had finally been answered and I was invincible.  So when I received the crushing news that my HCG levels were plummeting and I would soon miscarry, I was devastated.  I got the news at the worst possible time: while driving to San Diego for a party I was working on.  I was going to have to see dozens of people that night and put on a smile and try to socialize.  I ended up crying with many friends that evening as I couldn’t hold back the grief.  I cried all the way home (probably not that smart to drive in that state, looking back…).  It was a dark time.

But after that time of sorrow, an immense joy came into our lives when I got pregnant shortly thereafter with the baby who became Olive Iris.  I had a perfect pregnancy.  It wasn’t just normal, it was amazing.  I felt great, she thrived, the delivery was smooth and we ended up with our miracle.  Although the pain of my miscarriage was still somewhere deep down inside, Olive’s arrival healed so much in me.

With our fertility struggles in mind, we never planned to ‘wait’ to get pregnant again.  To the contrary, we hoped and prayed we would get pregnant again somehow, anytime.  When I was checked out of the hospital with a 2-day old baby the nurse asked incredulously, “Are you SURE you don’t want the pill?  What if you were to get pregnant right away??”  I laughed and said, “I would gladly take another baby right away.”  I meant it.  I still mean it.

Time passed by but we had the sweet distraction of watching our daughter grow and flourish.  Last fall, however, I learned I was pregnant again.  You couldn’t imagine our excitement.  But once again, just a few weeks later, we learned I was going to miscarry a second time.  I ended up having my miscarriage the week before Christmas and I began the emotional & physically-painful process at a wedding, of all places.  I remember the night before the wedding, crying on the floor of our hotel bathroom and mourning the loss of that child.  Once again, however, God gave me the strength and grace to lean on Him through the painful ordeal.

The first time you have a miscarriage, you are devastated by the unexpected nature of it.  No one thinks that it will happen to them.  No one could prepare themselves for it.  But I soon learned (from sharing my experience with friends) that many around me had suffered a loss as well.  Although this did not diminish my own pain, it served to encourage me that there were others who had walked in the same valley and found healing on the other side.  I felt hopeful.

The second time I had a miscarriage, I was confused.  What did this  mean?  Why was this happening to me again??  Was there something wrong with me?  Would I ever be able to carry another child?  With time, the fears faded away.  I remained hopeful.

But now, three.  The third time.  I honestly cannot explain how it felt to get the news a third time.  This time was different.  We found out I was pregnant and I had concerns right away.  The levels were low so we had repeated blood tests (four over the course of a week).  We were amazed (BLOWN AWAY) by how the levels begin rapidly and miraculously rising.  I went from having alarmingly low levels to having above average numbers.  I thought I just had a slow starter in there!  I felt like that week *was* my test.  I felt like in some way, God was showing me that I had a fighter in there and that we would make it with this baby.

At my first ultrasound, we saw the gestational sac.  And it was small.  It was actually really small, but the doctor suggested I could be earlier than we thought.  I could tell, though… I could tell by her voice and her very intentional phrasing that she already saw it coming.  When she left the room, hot tears started flowing down my cheeks and I just stared at the screen, staring at that tiny black sac and prayed that somewhere in there was a healthy tiny baby.  I hadn’t had any cramping or spotting or any other worrisome symptoms to make me suspect miscarriage.  Erik had packed our ‘good camera’ for this visit and was prepared to shoot video of our baby’s blinking heartbeat.  But instead, he slipped the camera back into his bag and prayed with me as I laid there, weeping on the table.  We scheduled another ultrasound and went on our knees, praying desperately that week.  I told a few close friends about the situation so I could ask for their prayers as well.  We all had a glimmer of hope.  We all wanted that miracle.

We told Olive about the baby in my tummy and at nightly prayers, she would say in her tiny voice, “Dear Jesus, Thank you for Mommy.  Thank you for Daddy.  Thank you for baby brother.”  I don’t know why she always insisted that the baby was a boy but she did.  Thinking back on these prayers is bittersweet.  I know Olive would make a wonderful big sister.

On the morning of my last ultrasound, Erik and I prayed in the car and we prayed again before the doctor came in.  He still brought the good camera, hopeful in his heart.  I knew the moment that the screen went up that it was over.  I could see the sac right away and while it had grown, it was far too small.  No yolk sac, no visible fetal pole, no heartbeat.  The doctor gently explained my options and discussed genetic testing and offered words of comfort about how young I still was, and how she felt like I still would be able to have another child.  I just nodded politely, the tears streaming down my cheeks and hitting the crinkly paper cover on the table.  I remember the doctor’s look of horror when she accidentally said “baby” instead of “fetal tissue” while discussing genetic testing.  Although Erik and I would call my loss a baby, I know most in the medical community would not use such a personal, emotionally charged word when it comes to a first trimester loss.  She offered her condolences and left us alone in the room.  I laid there for 5, 10 minutes, not saying a word.  Erik prayed for us again.  We left the building quietly and drove home in mostly silence.  I cried on and off.  I didn’t make a sound.  It was actually very reminiscent of my labor with Olive (one day I’ll share her birth story), when I just wanted to be silent and alone.  The tears seemed to come without any effort, spilling down my cheeks in constant rivulets.  I looked out the window as the landscapes whizzed by and I said farewell in my heart to the hope and the dream of this second child.  My fourth pregnancy, my third miscarriage.  I said goodbye to the baby who was going to be due the week before Christmas, who was going to be due right around the time I miscarried the last pregnancy.  It seemed so poetic when we thought about the timing.  Still poignant now, but in a painful way.

You would think that the third time you go through a painful experience, it might hurt a little less.  Grief has no such familiarity.  It is a new grief each time.  In fact, with this third miscarriage, it is a little more terrifying.  I have now entered the 1%, the extremely rare group of people diagnosed with recurrent pregnancy loss.  I take the best prescription prenatal vitamins on the market, I had daily omega 3 supplements and organic food and no caffeine or alcohol or smoking and plenty of vitamin D and rest.  I have a perfectly normal uterus and am “only” 30 years old.  It is sort of baffling.

But then, it isn’t.  Because I believe that everything, including these painful miscarriages, are part of a plan: God’s plan for my life.  I know that the pain, the experience, the growing that has occurred because of these miscarriages, has been for good.  That sounds crazy, right?  How could losing 3 babies be good?  I know all 3 babies are safely in heaven, where there is no pain and no suffering.  I know that I will see them there one day.  I know that I have become stronger, more resilient, more dependent on Christ, more trusting in His will, through these experiences.  I know that I love and cherish Olive more because of these experiences.  I know that Erik and I have been strengthened in our marriage through these experiences.  I have even been blessed to see some others around me say they have been blessed and encouraged watching us walk through this trial.  That is so humbling because I do not handle things perfectly but I know that anything I am able to do, it is because Christ strengthens me.

I also want to remind those who may not share my beliefs that prayer is not a magical incantation or spell.  Some might wonder how or why I would go through these painful experiences when I prayed so hard for the babies.  Why weren’t my prayers answered?  Well the short version is because God is sovereign and His will is perfect.  Sometimes prayers are not answered the way we want them to be, but God is always there and His plan is perfect.  I want His will and not my own.  I am grateful for all the prayers that went “unanswered” in my life that ultimately were demonstrated to be answered later, in much greater ways.

So now.  I am still going through this miscarriage.  It took Olive a few days of our gentle reminders that there was no longer a baby brother on the way.  She looked confused, but has now phased that phrase out of her evening prayers.  Erik is giving me incredible support and love and encouragement.  My friends and family have been amazing as well, checking in on me and sending their prayers on our behalf.  I know it will be a while before I can think on this without fresh tears, but I know that time will come.  Writing this post helped, even if a few new tears were shed.  🙂

I want to thank each of you for taking the time to read this post.  I know it may seem oddly placed here, amongst happy photos of Olive and gorgeous images from weddings.  But this is a part of me and my story.  I pray that none of you will suffer the same loss but if anyone reading this has gone through the trial of miscarriage, I pray you know that there is hope on the other side.  I am assured of this with everything I am.

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May 2, 2014

A simple Friday was just what I needed.  Today I woke up, took a refreshing shower, gave Olive a bath (her absolute favorite thing lately — she’d stay in for an hour if we let her) and made us breakfast.  She sat in my lap patiently while I braided her hair into two fishtail plaits.  I let her watch an episode of Super Why and I annoyed her the entire time by staring at her beautiful profile and snapping dozens of photos of her.  Because, well, she is ridiculously beautiful.  I could totally see her as a teen rolling her eyes and saying, “Ugh Mooooooom — no more pictures!”  😉

first fishtail braids

cozy feet on the couch

We played on the floor of the sunroom and sang silly songs.  We went to the children’s museum and played for over an hour in the marvelous air-conditioned facility.  It was the perfect way to escape the heat.  Olive made friends with everyone she met, excitedly delivered the mail to all the mailboxes in the pretend city, prepared a dozen imaginary meals for me in the diner, and became obsessed with the shadow wall (she finally “got it” this time and started posing and kicking her legs to create funny silhouettes).  No photos to show for it, though.

After spotting a young mom on her phone in the museum, completely ignoring her adorable 2 year-old son, I just had that pang of guilt.  How many times have I been glued to my phone while Olive pulls on my leg or asks for something, even if it was in the privacy of my own home?  In this case, the boy kept trying to show his mama something, asking for her attention, hoping to interact with her.  He noticed me chatting excitedly with Olive and came over to play with us.    We made a 7 tier plastic cake and dined on imaginary pizza and swept the play kitchen and his mom didn’t even raise her eyes to glance at us.  I tried to speak to her myself, asking about her son, and she barely looked at me while returning one word answers.  Before we left, the little boy hugged my leg and said, “I like you” and kissed my knee.  I told her how sweet he was and she said, “Yeah, he does that a lot lately.”  Now let me say this: I have no judgment for this mama; I have no idea what she was going through, what kind of day or week or month she is having, or who she is.  I only witnessed a brief snippet of their lives today.  But, what I saw was enough to impact me and make me reflect on my own presence in Olive’s life.  I want to always be engaged with Olive when I am with her; I don’t want to be too busy to play and sing and dance and be silly.  I don’t need to take a photo of everything we do; the experience and memory is enough.  Maybe it’s even better, without the pressure and need to capture it.  So the phone stayed in my purse all afternoon, and the only photos I have from this perfect day are from this morning.

love this photo… even the thrashed floors the previous owners left for us. (to be refinished this summer) But in this photo, all I see is my magical Olive.

Olive hugged and kissed me more than 5x during lunch (out of nowhere) just saying, “Mama, I love you.”  It’s as if she knows exactly what I need and when I need it.  It blows me away, how God has blessed me with this little one.  Oh Olive, I love you too.  More than you know.

A simple Friday was just what I needed today and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

Have a great weekend, loves!

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April 29, 2014

I know time is always whizzing past us but seriously… is it really May in a few days??  May is the calm before the storm around here, as I prepare for a very busy summer of weddings.  I’m on top of my inbox (thank you Lord!) but still feel like I could use 3 extra days just to pause and reset.  Anyone else with me?  While I gather my bearings and prepare for the month ahead, I thought I’d share some recent “everyday moments.”

menu tasting at Bacara Resort.  I need chèvre crostini, stat.

we had sweet friends staying with us a few weeks ago, and they brought us homemade challah!

a fresh initial mock-up for a summer wedding client!

Olive and that scrunch nose!

always exploring.

We are grilling multiple times a week and I love it!  These simply grilled clams were amazing.

antiquing alone on a Sunday afternoon = such a delight.

endless park days.

Today.  I really needed this today.

I napped Olive early today so I could prep for a Skype meeting (Hi R!) so I’m about to wake her up and run to the market for a few last-minute items for dinner.  I’m going to whir up a frothy banana milk for some natural energy first, though!  Yummm.  I hope you’re all having a great week.  See you soon.  😉

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April 18, 2014

This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of checking out the brand new Santa Barbara Public Market for their Friends & Family Preview Day.  It has been a long time coming so I was excited to finally see the plans come to fruition.  I have always loved Public Markets… a cross between a farmer’s market and a gourmet food court.  From Oxbow in Napa to Granville Island in Vancouver to Quincy Market in Boston, I have visited quite a few of them.  I love the stacks of stunning produce, the exotic scents, the stalls with unique food purveyors and the energy!  A public market also reminds me a lot of depachika in Japan: the basement of a department store, lined with stalls offering bento lunchboxes, fresh fish, delicate mochi and more…

The beautiful new SB Public Market is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, just a block off of busy State Street.  The beautiful white building seems quiet and calm until you push through the doors into the bright and bustling activity inside. Natural light streams in through the windows, the ceilings are tall with exposed pipes for a modern industrial feel, and reclaimed wood is used prominently throughout the design of individual shops.

My invitation to visit the SBPM was courtesy of my dear friends Amber and Kevin of Enjoy Cupcakes.  They are one of the shop owners at the SBPM and I am so excited for them!!  Clearly, my first stop was at their stall to pick up a strawberry basil chardonnay cuppie and give my congratulations.  If you ever wanted to try Enjoy Cupcakes but haven’t had the occasion to drive out to Los Olivos, I hope you make sure to visit them in SB.

I also sampled some incredible pistachio ice cream from Rori’s (a Montecito favorite), cold pressed juice from JuiceWell and organic olive oils from Il Fustino.  I could have roamed around all day, just taking in the sights and tastes.  I can’t wait to return later today to pick out some special gourmet gifts for the foodies in my life, as well as local treats for Santa Barbara wedding welcome bags!

If you find yourself in SB, make sure to swing by and visit; they officially opened on Monday!

Enjoy your evening and see you all again soon!

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April 11, 2014

Happy Friday, everyone!  At this time one week ago, I was fluffing pillows and chopping veggies and preparing for a sweet little weekend with our dear friends, the Kaisers.  I met Nate and Jaclyn (photographers behind The Image is Found) in 2006 when we were all young and fresh-faced in the industry, as we worked with some amazing clients on a posh Hollywood Hills estate wedding.  We had an instant click that night and over the course of the last 8 years (!) we have made some awesome memories together.  They have photographed us multiple times, most notably for this bride & groom session we shot in a dried out lake bed in the rain in early 2007.  😉  My friendship with Nate and Jac has always been so natural and easy.  We just get each other.  We can go months without seeing each other and then boom — we get together and laugh until we cry like we never were apart.  Jac has also been such a loving and supportive friend to me through hard times.  When I had my first miscarriage in 2011, she was the first to send me a little love package, an encouraging book, and a heartfelt note.  To know the Kaisers is to love the Kaisers and I am so grateful they are in my life.

circa 2010??

When we used to live in LA and they lived in SD/Oceanside, we would meet in Orange County for catch up lunches.  Now that they live in the mountains and we live further up the coast, our visits have been fewer and farther between.  So, I was thrilled to have them stay with us for a few days while they shot a wedding in Paso Robles last weekend.  They arrived on Friday and we shared a scrumptious homemade vegetarian meal (butternut squash ravioli and sundried tomato soup!) together before staying up late giggling and catching up.  On Saturday, we had a delicious brunch at The Natural Cafe in SLO before Nate and Jac headed off to shoot their wedding.  Erik and I took the three kiddos (Grace, Jasper, and Olive) to Avila Valley Barn where we visited adorable animals (including alpacas and goats), enjoyed saltwater taffy and local honey, and took a requisite hayride.  Back at home, Erik took Jasper and Olive in the backyard to hunt for four-leafed clovers (we found 7 in under 15 minutes!  Isn’t that amazing?!  I don’t think I ever found one as a kid.) while Grace and I made a batch of homemade caramel ice cream.  You guys — it turned out to be the most decadent and luscious ice cream ever.  Recipe coming soon!!

While Olive napped, Erik and I played Monopoly with the Kaiser kiddos.  We had heard Jasper was a fierce competitor (and he was!), but Erik took no prisoners and destroyed us all (typical).  Around sunset, we headed to one of my favorite local parks (overlooking the vast Pacific) to run off some energy and explore the shores as the tide came in.  Then we picked up some delicious local pizza and ate it on a blanket spread out in the living room, picnic-style, while watching Frozen.  It was such a sweet and simple day.  The kids got along SO well.  I think I pinched Erik a few times throughout the day and whispered how much I’d love to have three kids one day.  😉

Nate and Jac got home after the kids were tucked in, and we sat up late (again), devouring caramel ice cream and cracking up over hilarious stories about our awkward teen years.  Oh geez!

They set off for Solvang on Sunday so I had Grace snap this quick photo on our steps before church.  I love hosting guests in our home but even more than that, I love nourishing enduring relationships with wonderful friends.  Thank you, Kaisers, for such a wonderful time!  We love you and can’t wait to come see you in the mountains!

I hope you all have a great weekend!  I’m speaking at the sold-out Enjoy Events Co. workshop on Sunday and will be up tonight putting the final touches on my presentation.  Yay!  If you haven’t entered our blog/site launch giveaway, make sure to do so before Sunday night!  Thanks for stopping by — see you again soon.  🙂

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April 1, 2014

No April Fool’s jokes here… I am honestly just excited to see this month arrive.  Once April unfolds, I feel like the entire spring and summer come tumbling behind at super speed.  I glance at my spring/summer wedding calendar and know that all of these dates will be here before I know it.  I can’t wait!

tulips and muscari in our mailbox planter

Today I have been cleaning house (literally), having been recently inspired by Clean My Space.  I found Melissa on YouTube this weekend and was instantly hooked on her fun cleaning videos (I know it seems crazy, but stay with me).  Am I the only one who gets major clean-spiration from watching and reading things like this??  You give me a cleaning checklist or show me a new trick for organizing and I’m totally energized to tidy and mop and scrub.  Anyone??  Well today I tackled four loads of laundry, overhauled Olive’s closet and vacuumed two rooms… and dinner is already in the works.  I’m feeling unstoppable!  😉  My toughest task is purging.  I’m not a hoarder by any means, but I’m certainly nostalgic and I find it difficult to let go of mementos.  Thankfully I am getting better at it but I still wonder if one day someone will rife through my stuff and find it odd that I kept all my high school drama production playbills.

In other news around the house, Erik spent most of the weekend leveling and filling in our side yard with float rock (a light colored landscaping rock).  I love the look of it and can’t wait to add some outdoor furniture, a grill, and maybe a hammock??  He also built another raised bed planter to add there.  We picked out four heirloom tomato varieties for planting and we’re nearing harvest time for some of our leafy veggies.  It’s amazing to see how beautifully everything has come up, when all we did was plant and water.  Next up, he’ll be putting up a new wooden fence and gate for that area.  I’m hoping that by the end of the month, we will finally get to refinishing the hardwood floors inside the house and tackling the kitchen cabinets.

from two recent site visits // dallidet adobe & saddlerock ranch

Our busiest time of year for weddings is just ahead so I’m handling lots of walkthroughs, timelines, stationery design, floor plans and design presentations right now.  Seeing things fall into place for each event makes me so excited.  I’m also working on my presentation for the Enjoy Events Co. workshop next weekend in Santa Barbara.  I am honored to be a guest speaker and hope to share lots of useful information with the attendees.  I think a couple seats may still be available if you want to check it out!

And perhaps most exciting of all: my completely new website and blog will launch very soon!!!  I cannot wait to share them with you so stay tuned.  😉

meal plan + shopping list from a few weeks ago // LOVE this meal planning pad from my friend rachel of heart of light

For now, I’m off to pour myself a glass of home-grown lemonade (yum!) and finish my weekly meal plan before we go to the grocery store this afternoon.  How was your day??

requisite photo of Olive 🙂

See you again soon!

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March 26, 2014

Just a few weeks ago, I turned 30.  You won’t hear any whining over here about it — I am embracing 30 with open arms and am grateful for each day on this earth.  I don’t fear or mind getting older, probably in large part because I know that there is more ahead beyond this life on earth.  🙂  I thank God for the joy and lessons He puts in my life in the meanwhile.

So far, 30 has been incredible and I have to say the year was kicked off in style by a heartwarming 30th birthday party thrown for me by my husband, my sister, and my best friend, Kristin.  I’m not going to lie and say I was 100% clueless.  If you know me, you know I’m really difficult to surprise.  On this particular Saturday (the day after my birthday), Erik told me we were going to go hang out with my sister and brother-in-law at their home before heading home from a busy week.  I found this quite odd because: 1) they live 60ish miles south of where we were, and we were going to drive 170 miles north that evening.  Going in the opposite direction just to hang out seemed weird and 2) they told me we were just going to hang out and we had no real plans.  I’m all for spontaneity but it seemed extremely sketchy that we were going to make the drive to their house just to “hang.”  😉  Well even if I suspected something was up, I could not have dreamed of what was in store for me when I rolled up to their home that morning.

When I walked in the door, I was greeted by some of my dearest friends and family who had traveled all over soCal to join me for the celebration.  I was so touched and moved to know each of them had made the drive and taken the time to be with me.  I say it all the time but I am thoroughly and richly blessed by the people in my life!

Growing up, birthdays were never a big deal in our home.  We celebrated simply with things like a new pair of shoes or a special homemade dessert.  I can’t remember ever having a genuine birthday party as a kid (I know that sounds sad but I promise  my childhood was great!).  So, Erik ran with that and threw me a throwback kids’ bday party complete with Hello Kitty plates and décor, balloons, streamers, the whole bit.  He also got Jamba Juice for everyone, which was a nod to my love of smoothies.  There were games (like his ridiculously goofy word scramble, and pin-the-bow on Hello Kitty), pizza, ice cream and my favorite banana cream pie.  Kristin made beautiful decorations and floral arrangements and Anna prepped the food, made a delicious salad, and of course lent her beautiful home to host the occasion.  I loved seeing so many of my favorite people in one place, and watching them interact with each other!  I look back on these photos and just smile.  Erik jokingly said (in a welcome speech) that the party wasn’t going to be up to my fancy wedding world expectations.  How silly!  🙂  The party was perfect because it was planned with love and populated by an amazing community of people I love, too!  Thank you, Erik, for such an unforgettable day.

Me and Krissy, being goofy as always

two of my faves: Eden from Sugar and Charm and Mara from M Loves M

Tina & Brian — clients turned friends turned clients again!  Their insane vow renewal is coming up this summer!

My sunshiney Koko

my gorgeous little sister, Anna

my (engaged!) sister-in-law Megan, me, my wonderful in-laws and my sweetie

Trista and Evie <3

Jess, another client-turned-friend who is now renowned for her macaron making skills at Sweet and Saucy Shop!

Christina and Grant!

Carlie and Melody!

Thank you again to each of you who came out to celebrate with me.  You made me feel like the luckiest girl in the world (and often, I think I am).

With the weekend approaching, I am currently: working on invitation designs for two summer couples, prepping for two site visits two days in a row, putting out a new contract for a September couple (hi M&S!) and getting my new website and blog prepped for launch in just a few weeks.  Whew!  I hope you’re having a lovely Wednesday; see you all again soon!

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March 20, 2014

Just a couple weeks ago, Olive had the time of her life visiting Disneyland for the very first time.  As longtime Disney-philes (Erik and I have been to Disney World in Florida 2x, Tokyo Disney, and are previous Disneyland annual pass holders), we had been eagerly awaiting this milestone with her.  But, I am glad we ultimately waited until she was nearly 2 to make this special trip.  I think she was at the perfect age to really soak in everything around her, interact with some characters and remember (in the short-term, anyway!) things about the day.  If we ask her about Disneyland, she can recount to us the rides she went on, the characters she saw, and on and on.  😉  It was a perfect first Disney experience.

Our visit was facilitated by our dear friend Jackie whose husband, Brendan, (Erik’s longtime friend — he was in our wedding and Erik officiated Brendan and Jackie’s wedding!) works for Disney.  That means she can sign us in (woohoo!) when we are in town.  😉  A biggggg thank you goes out to Jackie (and baby X!) for making our day so special; we can’t wait to revisit with Brendan joining us!

her Mickey from home had to join us!  She didn’t love her 1st visit button so this is the only pic of her wearing it.

Erik and I weren’t sure what to expect with Olive’s first visit.  Would she be terrified of the characters?  Would she be overwhelmed by all the sights, sounds and activities?  Would she be too scared (or too small) to go on any rides?  When would she nap and where?  Would we push her in the stroller or let her walk?  Would we have any fun?  Well, here’s a recap of our adventure and a few suggestions I’d offer to anyone planning their own child’s first Disney trip!

We got to Disneyland about an hour after opening and it was just right.  We didn’t have to stand around waiting for the park to open and we didn’t have crazy parking drama from arriving too late.  We parked quickly, grabbed a stroller and got straight to it!  We decided to do both parks that day (Disney CA Adventure + Disneyland) so we started at DCA.  Olive’s first ride was Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.  The Little Mermaid was my favorite Disney movie growing up so I thought it was only appropriate.  😉  Olive was fascinated overall but did find some parts (with Ursula) “too scawy.”  Other rides we hit in DCA were:  The Golden Zephyr (maybe a little too fast for her.. she got nervous toward the end but luckily the ride was already winding down at that point), Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train and Francis’ Ladybug Boogie (a teeny version of the teacups).  Our lunch stop was the Lucky Fortune Cookery at DCA.  Their rice bowls are pretty yummy and filling.  (My other quick DCA fav is clam chowder in a Boudin bread bowl!)

After lunch, we headed over to Disneyland.  As we were walking through the gates, we spotted Mickey Mouse in front of the Main Street Cinema.  It was perfect timing as we only waited about 5 minutes to meet the mouse.  Olive’s initial Mickey meeting was better than I could have dreamed.  She walked up to him slowly, then held both of his hands and asked gently, “Mickey??”  They hugged, she kissed him on his nose, and they cuddled some more until I realized we probably should let the other families in line have a turn.  🙂  As soon as we had finished, we bumped into both Donald and Pluto so we had to meet them, too!  Since we were able to get photos with 3 characters in one place, we decided not to spend any additional time that day standing in line to meet other characters.  We’ll save Minnie and co. for next time.  😉

Rides we went on in Disneyland: Dumbo (2x), the carousel, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (I love the nostalgia of it but it is a pretty disturbing ride!  Olive deemed it “too scawwy” as well.), Storybook Land Canal Boats, Casey Jr. Circus Train (a must for my Dumbo-loving girl), Pirates of the Caribbean (Olive was half asleep for most of it, haha) and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.  We also made a requisite stop for Dole Whip (which resulted in a near meltdown when Olive got a taste and wanted to desperately shovel the rest into her mouth.  Erik took her for a walk while I finished it off!).  What did we expect?  Everyone knows Dole Whip is irresistible.  😉  We chose the ubiquitous Mickey ears for her first souvenir and she still can’t get enough of them.  Even with the personalization, they were quite a bargain and well worth the price.

Olive usually runs on a very normal schedule.  She naps like clockwork everyday for 2-3 hours.  So how did she do with all the stimulation at Disneyland?  Well, she fell asleep in line for Casey Jr. (at her typical nap time) but we chose to wake her up when we finally got on the ride because we knew she’d love it.  And of course, she was completely enthralled when she heard the song cue up and we began moving.  Unfortunately she never truly fell asleep again, aside from another quick catnap in the evening.  Erik and I decided to take a chance and go on Pirates with her on my lap and it paid off.  I’m glad we got to enjoy one of our favorite rides together.  I think Olive did really well sans nap (aside from the Dole Whip incident, no other meltdowns occurred) but I know this will vary from kiddo to kiddo.  If we were visiting the resort over a few days, I’d probably return to the hotel in the afternoon for her nap to keep her happiest.

We ended up staying until closing (at 8p) but skipped World of Color (the spectacular nighttime show in DCA) this time.  It was a fantastic day filled with so much laughter and joy and wonder.

getting sleepy on the Storybook boats

Dole Whip, pre-incident

Here are my tips for anyone planning first trips with their little ones:

  • Start early — I’m glad we began our day early when Olive is generally the most energetic and happy.  It also meant we got to ride a lot of rides without much of a wait, avoiding the burgeoning afternoon and evening crowds.  And although we skipped World of Color, we did get Fast Passes for the show (which run out very quickly in the day) because we arrived early.
  • Pack snacks — Disneyland is great about letting you bring in your own bottled water and snacks.  We brought a bunch of goodies including Plum Organics pouches, almond crackers and fresh fruit.  It helped us keep Olive content and well-fed throughout the day, especially when she suddenly needed a snack and we were smack in the middle of a line.
  • Rent a stroller — we went back and forth about bringing our own nice stroller but ultimately didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of leaving it at the entrances of rides.  Instead of buying an umbrella stroller (which would never use again), we rented a Disneyland stroller.  It was roomy, comfortable, had a better height than most umbrella strollers (Erik is 6’4″ so pushing short umbrella strollers is awkward for him!) and had room for storage under the seat.  The canopy is also really big which was great for sun protection and some extra storage (we put Erik’s backpack on top of it).  We still carried our valuables onto each ride but it was great to not worry about our stroller in the park.
  • Let your kiddo set the pace — We knew that taking Olive meant going for her.  We are both huge kids at heart and we love rides so it was different going to the park and not hitting any of our favorite attractions.  But, we ended up riding things we had never gone on before (!) and enjoying the experience in an entirely different way.  With adjusted expectations, we were able to enjoy our visit so much more.  That said, I still can’t wait until Olive is tall enough to go on the “big rides” with us!
  • Be flexible — We didn’t have a real plan or list of things to do or see.  We went with the flow and never pushed the pace.  I felt like we were never rushed but we were still able to do and see a lot!

last pic of the night!

I hope you all are having a great week!  It has been such a busy few days that I am in disbelief that it’s Thursday.  Wasn’t it *just* the weekend??  I’m off to run errands with Olive; see you again soon!

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