Happy New Year!

i had the best new year's eve countdown that i've had in years. hands down.

surrounded by my most favorite people in the world, my family, we shouted 10, 9, 8...and then we cheered together as we watched the ball drop in times square. it was snowy outside the cabin, our champagne flutes were full and everyone was in good spirits.

it was the perfect end to a wonderful year and start to an even better one.

Bret Michaels

i could barely pull myself off of the elliptical at the gym today. you see, after stepping on, i realized that the tv right in front of me was airing the bret michals "behind the music."

now, i loved loved loved poison back in the day but realized as i was watching, that i actually knew very little about the band. for instance, did you know that they're from a small town in pennsylvania called mechanicsburg? or that all but c.c. deville are original members? or even that slash actually auditioned for c.c.'s spot in the band?

so good.

Santa Baby

mike and i celebrated a little belated christmas and decided to open our presents tonight rather than hauling them all the way to virginia.

well, santa gave me a travel book to belize and folded neatly inside was a voucher for round trip airfare in march! i have been wanting to go to belize since i read some article about it years ago and we're finally going.

it wasn't a total surprise but it was still a really awesome christmas present and my honey gets extra points for wrapping it so uniquely.

Puppy Love

i woke up and went straight oc to pick up my puppy this morning! six days away from her was really difficult and i missed her so much - kind of scary to imagine how i'm going to be with a kid, huh?

i had grand expectations of our reunion and i just knew she'd be as excited to see me as i was to see her. she was happy but imagine my surprise when she ran straight into my mom's arms and not mine!

wtf?

before i got too disappointed i remembered that her new found loyalty was just a result of how well taken care of she was while we were gone. how lucky we are to have such great dogsitters - even if lola kinda loves them more than us!

Southern Charm

after breakfast, mike and i decided to take one of ellen's dogs for a little power walk around the golf course. their community is so peaceful and we barely ran into anyone along our stroll.

we did meet a man who was walking his dog as well. we exchanged pleasantries - a "good morning" here and there - but then he just kept talking. he asked where we were from and then commenced to tell us how his son lives in southern california as well. how he was visiting him and how much he liked it "out there."

as we walked away, mike and i couldn't help but comment on how rare it is to have a conversation of that length (a whole three minutes) with a stranger in la. it just doesn't happen.

southern charm, what can i tell ya.

Colonial Williamsburg

mike and i spent an hour or so tooling around colonial williamsburg this morning. it's really incredible to see how people lived "back in the day." it makes you appreciate all of the small things that we take for granted in our lives - hot water, good food, private bathrooms, heat and a/c.

it was a good life lesson on maintaining perspective - one that i usually only get after a visit to the orphanage. but it's been a while since i've been down there so i suppose it was long overdue.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

growing up, my mom always used to start off christmas morning by hugging me and whispering, "happy birthday, jesus." in fact, we'd say it together.

this morning, when my eyes popped open, i couldn't help but reach over to mike and repeat our tradition. it felt good to know that hours later, my mama would be doing the same thing back in california.

And Then Came the Tears

maybe i'm not all grown up after all.

a quick phone call to my mom and dad and sure enough, the water works started. i've heard the first christmas away from home is a toughy and i can attest that it certainly is. the reality that "life goes on" is never easy and knowing that those you love and are clinking glasses and sharing hugs thousands of miles away is a tough pill to swallow.

fortunately, minutes after hanging up the phone i was greeted with hugs, laughter and a full glass of wine by my second family. change is hard but it doesn't have to be "bad."

in fact, my first christmas eve in williamsburg is quite lovely!

Welcome to Williamsburg

after a painless red eye flight from la to newark and newark to richmond, we arrived in virginia safe and sound this morning. it's beautiful here and i thought for sure my blog posting would have something to do with the endless trees, rolling rivers and vast lakes.

that was until ellen got teary-eyed in the car on the way home from the airport. she was so happy to have her baby boy home for christmas, she couldn't help but get emotional. i'm so grateful that i could play a small part in making that dream come true for her.

Tearless Fairwell

my mom came by to pick up lola today and we had to say goodbye for the holiday. i thought surely i'd start crying during or after her visit but i held it together.

i guess i'm becoming a big girl after all.

Bring your Puppy to Work Day

lola came to work with me today. i had to visit some sponsors at our local assisted living facilities and thought who better to cheer up the residents and staff than my sweet puppy?

and she did.

i have to say, there's something about animals that instantly brings a smile to people's faces (unless you're one of those weird people who dislikes animals altogether and to you i say, so sorry). i seriously think all offices should be dog friendly. i know the typical argument is that they're a distraction but seriously, once the novelty wears off, they'd just be a great morale booster everyday. plus, i know i'd willingly work later if lola was with me.

someday, when i rule the world (or run my own company), my employee handbook will look very different than most.

Nap Time

i took a really great nap this afternoon. it was one of those unexpected, wake up in a pool of your own drool kind.

simply the best!

Date Night

every year, mike and i have a holiday date night. it started when we were dating because we used to spend christmas with our respective families. now that we're together for the big day we still like to have one night all to ourselves before we celebrate with the whole crew.

we went to see the new christmas carol movie. we have a little tradition where we try to see the play every year but this year decided to mix it up a bit. afterward, we went to our favorite hole in the wall sushi restaurant for dinner and then home for a glass of wine.

it was the perfect kickoff to christmas week!

Boats, Lights, Lamb Chops?

my dad's birthday is on sunday. being a holiday baby, he's always a little apathetic when it comes to his birthday. this year though, he seemed to have a great celebration.

tonight, my mom surprised him with a little party at the balboa bay club. she invited only their nearest and dearest friends. we had a great suite overlooking the bay with a perfect view of the annual holiday boat parade. the appetizers were delicious and company even better.

i love my family.

Staff Appreciation

holiday work parties are always interesting. back in the day when i worked at fox, they were lavish to say the least...one of the many benefits of working for a movie studio. it's different in non-profit and in some ways, so much better.

this morning, our boss hosted us to a staff appreciation breakfast at the daily grill. we had the restaurant to ourselves; the food was good and the company better. best part is, he did exactly what a boss is supposed to do at a holiday celebration. he got up, said a few words about the year and how hard everyone's worked, wished us a happy holiday and sat down to enjoy the celebration.

Accounting 101

i have officially had all of the accounting i can take for one lifetime! i took my final tonight and between you and me, i think i killed it. there may be a future for me in finance but we'll never know because the the topic kind of bores me to tears (don't tell my husband).

still, i feel very accomplished that i learned something new! yay me!

Talkin' the Talk

i got to talk about one of my most favorite topics in the world tonight...orphans!

i went to a charity event where friends of el faro was the benefactor and spent the whole evening telling interested people about the 120 children holding my heart over the border.

being around people who just "get it" fires me up like nothing else in the world. tonight was one of those nights where i left inspired and confident that we are indeed, changing the world.

slowly but surely.

A Case of the Mondays

for the first time in five months, i spent a monday night with my honey! he's officially done with school...for three weeks!

we didn't do anything special and to be totally honest, i had a "case of the mondays" but it was still nice to have him around.

Oh, Christmas Tree...

i've had all of these strange "you know you're officially an adult when" moments since i turned 30, or maybe it was since we got married, i'm not sure. either way, today was another one.

we "invested" in a fake tree. as tempting as it was to go to the christmas tree lot and pick out a fresh one, we determined that it was just more "rational" to go the fake route - it's environmentally-friendly, "economical" and easier. Not to mention, we won't have to worry about lola eating it, cleaning up a mess or the risk of fire.

i love our tree and i really am happy that we made this decision. still, hearing the words "invested," "rational" and "economical" come out of my mouth during a conversation scares me...just a little.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

mike was out tonight so i took advantage of my "alone" time and started decorating the house for christmas. even though we're going to be out of town this year, we had to decorate.

it's our first house after all!

even better, i had company the whole time. my sister chatted away in my bluetooth for nearly three hours. we so rarely have uninterrupted time to catch up anymore...we have to get creative.

so, between the two of us, we downed a bottle of wine and had some overdue sister bonding. and...my house got decorated at the same time! talk about a good saturday night.

Work from Home

i love working from home. i don't think i could do it everyday but once a week (maybe twice) is absolutely perfect.

i know a lot of people complain about being unproductive at home but not me. i actually get more done and work longer hours when i'm not commuting two hours a day. even more so, i'm mastering the art of multi-tasking. there's nothing better than sending out a proposal while the laundry is drying, dinner is cooking and the dishwasher is running.

my biggest obstacle...managing to type with one hand since lola insists on posting up right on my lap - all day long.

See Jane Laugh

at a research reception this afternoon i met a delightful woman named jane.

she had hollywood starlet style, red-rimmed eyeglasses on and her hair was freshly styled. she wore a house dress and pink and white ankle socks and she spoke with a southern accent.

jane has dementia and lives in an assisted living facility.

she is such a socialite - greeting everyone who walked through the door and even asking our speaker some questions. she took an instant liking to me and me to her.

i think i'll have to go back and visit jane again sometime soon.

Mountains to Climb

i received some really great advice today. and by great advice, i mean a poignant, thought-provoking suggestion that came at the moment i needed it most.

i frequently get caught up in the noise between my ears (notice i said "noise" not "voices") and lose sight of reality. every once in a while, it's absolutely vital that someone help me see things from a different perspective.

best of all, it came from my pop.

he really is one smart old man!

Tamalada

i went to a fundraiser at lunch for latino health access - a local health services agency. it was a tamalada - a traditional party where families get together and make a plethora of tamales for the upcoming holidays.

i didn't actually partake in the preparation however i did my best to support the consumption of homemade tamales. they had chicken, rajas and veggie and they were all fabulous! so much so, that i ordered 2.5 dozen to go - one for my mom, one for my sis and a half for us.

mike's response when i got home tonight, "you only brought home six?"

god, i love my husband!

A Room with a View

i'm one of those lucky people who has an office at work. i'm even luckier because i have a wall of windows in my office and i actually sit facing one of them.

typically, this gift is sort of bittersweet. you see, so cal weather being what it is, i usually find myself gazing pathetically at the sunny day wishing i was anywhere but here. today though, i get a first row seat at the rain pouring down outside! it's beautiful, necessary and such a great kick off to the holiday season.

at least that's what i keep telling myself every time i think about how it's going to take me two hours to get home from work this evening.

Light it Up

we were out walking the dog last week when we came across a family who transitioned out their malibu lights with red and green bulbs for the holidays. as we passed, i commented on what a cute and creative idea they had.

wouldn't you know that mike scoured the racks at home depot, target and walmart today trying to find the right bulbs or lenses to recreate the look in our front yard? he struck out but being the big brain he is, he discovered that he could doctor heat resistant plastic cups just as easily.

he brought me outside this evening to show me the finished product and my oh my, if our landscaping isn't shrouded in a haze of red!

Isn't She Lovely?

my dear friend is nearly eight months pregnant. i swear, it was just yesterday that she told me she was expecting and here she is with a baby bump for the whole world to see.

i watched in awe as she opened presents at her baby shower this morning the whole time thinking, isn't she lovely? i don't know if i buy into that whole pregnant woman's glow thing but she certainly has something going on.

i think i'll chalk it up to...happiness.

Baby Stuff

who says buying gifts for a baby boy isn't fun? sure, the stores don't offer aisles and aisles of dresses, bonnets, ribbons and mary janes but what does exist is pretty darn adorable.

there are outfits printed with every theme imaginable - dinosaurs, race cars, jungle animals, trucks, stripes, polka dots and teddy bears. and don't even get me started on the shoes - sneaks, moccasins, sandals...oh my.

i even came across the most adorable newborn christmas suit for a little guy. as i turned it around in my hand, i realized that the baby in question isn't expected to arrive until january 22nd. clearly, this suit would be a tad bit too small for his first christmas - a year later.

so, i'd really appreciate it if someone out there would start trying for a baby boy in the next few months. keep me posted so i can run back and snatch up this red velvet number before it's gone.

Man Chiu

we have an art program at the alzheimer's association called memories in the making. it's specifically geared towards individuals with alzheimer's or dementia and it's proven to be incredibly successful over the years.

our facilitators offer no assistance other than helping put paint on the brush. what happens on the paper is completely up to the artist. we've had families view their loved ones' work and comment on the similarities to occurrences or locations from the past. the crazy thing is, often times, the artist is no longer speaking at all so the fact that these memories still exist in their subconscious minds is pretty breathtaking.

every december, we host a holiday open house where we unveil the new year's collection. every once in a while, we are graced by the presence of one of our artists. tonight, man chiu - a local celebrity around the association - joined us for the party. he spent the evening flashing his toothless grin to all of our guests. he waved, took pictures with his paintings, signed autographs and soaked up the limelight.

his son explained that he loved painting (in his previous life) but worked so hard, he never had the time to focus on it. well, here he is painting his heart out and receiving more recognition and praise than he ever could've imagined. i'd bet my life he never wanted or expected to be a part of an alzheimer's art program but isn't that the way life goes?

god really does work in mysterious ways.

The Big O

i love seasonal treats - from flavored coffees at starbucks to specialty bagels at panera. half the time, i don't even end up liking it after i've bought it. i think it's more the idea of a "limited time" something or other that i love so dearly.

today, it's peppermint oreos.

i don't know the last time i had an oreo cookie yet i managed to scarf down three in about thirty seconds this afternoon.

yummy.

Chicy Rice

my friends spent thanksgiving in ghana eating "chicy rice" (spicy chicken and jollof rice). more importantly, they're getting to know and preparing to bring home their newly adopted son.

i've been receiving updates over the course of their travels and feel so included in their journey - it's almost like i stowed away in their suitcase. "mom" has been writing the most honest, heart-warming/breaking and vivid descriptions of their experience. there are moments when i find myself laughing and then crying but throughout each, i'm cheering for them and feeling proud to have this family in my life.

they have the courage to march to the beat of their own drummer, to throw caution to the wind and say to hell with what everyone thinks. sure, they've taken risks over the years and they've made choices that others may not agree with but one thing has remained certain - they've never doubted themselves or their family.

they look around their dinner table every night and say, "thank you god." pretty amazing considering most of us sit there and think, "i want more...(money, clothing, cars, toys)."