Bagelmania

as i mentioned in yesterdays blog, someone (me) purchased about a half a dozen too many bagels for breakfast so i was left with an abundance of leftovers. i was hoping to share them with mike's study group when i got home but to my surprise, they finished early.

now, bagels are near the top of my list of guilty pleasures and the idea of wasting such freshly baked doughy goodness really got the best of me. my attempt at waste reduction is why i totally rationalized the number of bagels i consumed today.

it was not healthy. in fact, it's kinda gross. but i will say that low and behold, there are still some leftover! guess i'll be dropping those off in the lunch room at work tomorrow followed by an extra long trip to the gym.

Bagels Anyone?

somewhere in the past couple of years, i transitioned from casually getting together with friends for no reason at all to comparing schedules and planning weeks in advance.

to be honest, it really annoys me.

i mean, how did i get so busy? i'm really not that popular, i swear.

today was a change of pace though. a girlfriend came into town and at the last minute a group of us gathered for breakfast. no planning, prepping or scrumptious spread this time. just five friends a dozen bagels, some coffee and oj.

it was a perfectly (un)planned saturday morning!

Arriba, Abaja, al Centro y Adentro

it was one of those weeks.

in fact, on wednesday i started joking that i was going to have to whip out the tequila come friday night. but by 5p on friday, i realized that my joke had become a reality.

i welcomed mike home with a bottle of tres generaciones and a six pack of modelo. to my surprise, he didn't resist. we drank, ate take out thai, talked about all of the house projects on the horizon, danced in our pj's, played with lola and ended the night with an episode of the buried life.

best part is, no hangover! it's amazing what a difference good tequila makes!

Bringing Out the Crystal Ball

so, we spent the evening with our good friends and their two week old baby boy tonight. we just had some wine, ate some pizza and talked all about the exciting aspects of parenthood that make sleepless nights worthwhile.

after grayson nursed, he settled into mike's arms for a bit. i've never seen such a clear glimpse at our future as i did in those moments. since we married, i've been answering the "when are you going to have kids?" question with my standard, "3-5 years." response.

the timeline is still the same but the excitement for that next stage of our lives definitely increased a bit after this visit.

When it Clicks

there are days when i feel like i get up, shower, dress and drive to work without any real sense of purpose. i don't like these days.

but just as soon as i feel like i've had a series of them in a row, i have a day where everything clicks. well, maybe not everything but even just one moment where i remember why i chose the career i chose. why i work where i do and why i'm really fricken good at my job.

those days make all of the others float away into space and leave me with a great feeling of satisfaction.

Yoga Baby

i've been doing yoga since a good friend introduced it to me back in college. back then, it made much more sense to spend our limited funds on alcohol than a studio membership so we used to gather around the tv in our sorority house and bend, twist and practice all sorts of inverted poses.

over the years, my commitment to my practice has waned at points and there are periods where i can't live without bikram and others where i discover an incredible vinyasa instructor and convince myself that is the only method for me. there are times where i say screw the gym membership, i'm joining a studio and others when i settle for some really great dvd's and a yoga mat in my living room.

whatever the case, i've always found my way back to the practice and that offers me a sense of security in moments of stress.

Proximity

i had a meeting literally around the corner from my parents' house in dana point today. it was so nice because i had just enough time to swing by and have a quick lunch with them before i headed over. i love the mid-week family sighting...in fact, it's probably the one part of working and commuting to orange county that i actually enjoy!

Bring Your Kid to Work Day

i swung into a little nail salon by my house to get a pedicure today. when i say little nail salon, that's exactly what i mean. no huge nail factories for me. i went to the neighborhood shop with four chairs, three nail "technicians" and a little boy.

i watched how everyone took equal responsibility for entertaining the four year old child including the other two women getting their nails done. it made me realize that aside from those rare beings who can't stand kids, who doesn't enjoy a little well-behaved child's play? after all, it's so much more entertaining than reading people magazine and learning which celebrity named their kid apple or adelaide.

Home Depot

we're officially domesticated. how do i know this? because somewhere in the past nine months we started spending our saturdays at home depot...and enjoying it.

i recently watched "he's just not that into you," a really cute movie and even better book. one particular scene stood out in my memory where bradley cooper's character tells his wife that he cheated on her while they're discussing hard wood flooring options in the middle of home depot. i thought this stayed with me because i was so disappointed to see my new celebrity crush act like such a douche (sorry, there's really no better word for his behavior) but today, i realized that it's more than that.

as i watched mike try to differentiate between the four different paint samples i was showing him it clicked...if i was married to another type of guy, that scene could very well play out for me at this stage of my life. overcome with relief, i gave him a big hug and kiss - i'm sure he thought it was because he chose the just right color but i knew it was for so much more than that.

Courtesy is not Overrated!

everyone loves the little wave when they let a fellow driver cut in during rush hour. unfortunately, they're few and far between in la nowadays. so, imagine my surprise when i saw that little flick of the wrist through the rear window on my way home today.

and on a friday no less. what is this town coming to?

Rainy Days

with the storm brewing, i got the treat of adding an extra work from home day to my week. i'm so grateful for these commute free days. i find myself working longer hours and multi-tasking by cooking dinner and doing laundry while building proposals and preparing pitches.

the best part of all? lola and i get a little extra "us" time each week.

a girl could definitely get used to this!

At a Loss

according to the latest reports, last week's earthquake has left 2 million haitians homeless. this statistic is startling but the outpouring of help and donations is what's leaving me speechless today.

i don't know a single person who hasn't made an effort to help those in need whether they've donated $5 or $5,000 or lent their time or talents to the recovery and rebuilding process.

most of the time, i feel very blessed to know that 1% of the population who are really "good" but now i realize that when it comes down to it, most people are "good" and willing to help those in need.

this realization has left me with a very heavy but hopeful heart tonight.

Tornado Watch...Seriously?

i live in redondo beach. i work in orange county. most of my friends and family live either in hollywood, santa monica or the oc. as you can imagine, i can count on one hand the number of times i've been in long beach over the past year.

today was one of those times.

i attended a networking luncheon and during the panel presentation, the mediator announced that the torrential downpour outside resulted in a tornado watch with the eye of the storm in long beach of all places! i sat patiently alongside 100 other people in a 60 year old building as water leaked down the walls. fortunately, by the time the presentation ended, the rain had stopped as well.

still, driving out of the parking lot was crazy. the streets were flooded, ambulances and fire engines were everywhere and pedestrians were literally wading across the street. in that moment, i felt so grateful that my version of a natural disaster was so tame. sure, i got a little wet and traffic was horrendous but if that's my biggest complaint of the day then life is good!

3-Day Weekend Bliss

why is it 3-day weekends are almost more cherished than an entire week of vacation? i feel like that extra day of rest is such a special gift and i really wish they came more often.

and it doesn't hurt that 3-day weekends are followed by 4-day work weeks.

icing on the cake!

Honey Boy

i've been mentioning my friends and there ghanian adoption for a couple of months now. well, they are finally home and this morning, i got to visit them and meet their new son, george honeychild snedden.

he's incredible; loving, adorable, funny and outgoing. you'd never think he was only introduced to his family in november. he's so comfortable and at home in their arms. watching him fall asleep in his backpack with his head resting against his daddy's shoulder was possibly the sweetest thing i've ever seen.

the highlight of my visit though, seeing how much his big brother has grown in these past few weeks. he's had to learn to share his mom and dad's attention (not to mention his toys and clothes) and accept a "new" brother into his household. it's like he went from a baby to a big kid overnight...a little bittersweet for us adults but nevertheless, really really impressive.

Funny Funny

mike and i had a date night today. i wish i could say this was a rare thing but in reality, we hang out quite a bit. still, we had a really great time.

we started out having dinner at this quaint little cajun restaurant and then headed over to the comedy and magic club to see kevin nealon perform. we got there pretty early so we had our pick of any seat in the house. i'm not sure but i was a couple of glasses of wine deep and may have agreed to sit in the front row.

after realizing what i'd done (essentially, setting myself up to be picked on), i was so paranoid that i couldn't stop talking about it before the show. sure enough, i was called on by two different comedians. fortunately for me, they didn't ridicule or embarrass me at all, it was all innocent and in good fun.

as we drove home, i couldn't help but think about how lucky i am. most people go their whole lives waiting for a simple and fun saturday night with their partner and i get to have them pretty often. i never want to take that for granted.

Grayson Emmet Schneider

at 245 this morning, i received a text message. typically, this would piss me off. i hate being woken up more than anything in the world but today was a different story. it was a short note that simply said, "on the way to the hospital. we'll let you know."

12 hours later i learned that one of my best friends delivered a healthy baby boy. mike and i rushed over to the hospital after work to meet the new addition to our extended family and he's absolutely perfect!

i don't know what was better...seeing the little guy sleep peacefully or the way the exhausted mom and dad watched him with love.

Matching Gifts

mike and i each made a donation to the haiti disaster fund today. best part is, we gave our money separately and to organizations of our choosing. he gave to the american red cross and i donated to save the children.

i don't think i could've married a man who wasn't philanthropic and when i imagined how it would go, i guess i just assumed my charities would become his.

but that's not exactly how it worked out.

mike gives quite a bit but rarely to the same organizations as me. his interest lies in the environment and relief while my passion is obviously for children and women's rights.

together, we've got the spectrum pretty well covered.

Thanks, Pop.

my dad and i have formed a new bond all about home improvement and i couldn't be happier. today, he showed up at my office with a trunk full of supplies so that i could start my next "project."

even at thirty years old, my pop continues to take care of his baby. now, he buys me "good, not cheap" paint brushes and instructs me on the proper way to manage a brush stroke - a very important lesson when doing detail work. i cannot even begin to count the amount of money he's saved us by teaching us how to "do it ourselves" instead of hiring help.

better than that, it's been really fun to work together and learn from the master.

Friends in Low Places

considering we have to spend 40+ hours a week doing it, i figure we're pretty lucky if we enjoy our work. if we can find meaning, challenge and opportunities for personal and professional growth, we're even better.

then there are the rare opportunities to actually make a friend or two along the way. i've been blessed to make a few at the alzheimer's association and every else i've worked in my short career. i hold these friends in high esteem because unlike anyone else in my life, they see a side of me, one my girlfriend from college refers to as "business bals," on a regular basis.

it makes the day so much more pleasant when you know you have that ally and lunch buddy just down the hall - even if they make you eat chik-fil-a more than you'd ever opt to on your own!

Sky High

there are those few days here and there where i actually don't totally despise my commute to and from work. today was one of those days.

as i drove home, i noticed the sky was absolutely awesome. bright blue with big white puffy clouds throughout. add a gorgeous orange sunset and you've got a typical january afternoon in la.

not bad.

IMAX

i'm one of those rare people who have never been to an imax movie before. i didn't really realize i was in the minority until everyone i spoke to about it said, "you've never been to an imax? really?"

who knew?

in any case, i had the pleasure of receiving a double wammy in that we saw avatar in imax and 3d this afternoon.

and it was awesome.

Ventura or Bust

i made a little trip up to ventura county this morning to partake in our annual berkeley girls' secret santa festivities - the celebration is always belated due to the craziness of holiday schedules.

highlights include:
- zipping up the coast in the back seat of a mini cooper with your pregnant friend riding shotgun.
- seeing my girlfriend's first house in all its glory. she and her husband have truly created a "home" for themselves, complete with a vegetable garden and his and hers bathrooms, and i couldn't be happier!
- receiving a donation in my honor to friends of el faro from my secret santa.
- empathizing with a girlfriend as she discusses the increased ticking of her biological clock and realizing that indeed, we have hit that age.
- munching on a homemade fritatta and fruit salad and sipping white wine.
- knowing that i'm surrounded by a group of women who love me for everything that i am - faults and bad habits included.

Vodka Martini

every once in a while we end our work week with a cocktail on our patio and i just love those days. it's the perfect way to ease out of the hustle and bustle and into the weekend.

my drink of choice on those evenings is a martini and mike makes the best martinis. most of the time i stick to wine or beer so this is a real treat.

inevitably the night takes a turn and i end up dancing around the living room with my dog and tonight was no different. meanwhile, mike just sits by and laughs at me. that's how we roll.

Love at First Sight

lola is definitely an outgoing dog. no doubt about it. but she's usually a little bit shy when she first meets someone. it takes her all of five minutes to warm up to them and then she can't get enough.

tonight we saw a whole new side of her. one of my closest friends came over for dinner and it was literally, love at first sight. she was attached to her side the entire time she was there; wiggling her butt for attention and sitting on her feet during dinner.

when it came time to say goodbye, she had the saddest look on her face. i've never seen her this attached to anyone aside from our family. looks like she made a new bff...steph, i think that means regular visits are mandatory!!

Tick Tock

as i stumbled sleepily out of my car this morning i noticed that one of our interns pulled into the underground parking lot right after me. she works in our programs and services department so i don't know her very well. in fact, she's always seemed very quiet and shy the few times we've interacted.

imagine my surprise when my car door opened and i heard kesha's "tick tock" blaring through the garage. i looked around for an open window thinking that's the only way the music could be so loud but no. there was none. finally, i noticed that the music was coming from a station wagon parked about 50 feet away.

our intern's car.

her windows were rolled up tight and she was clearly waiting for the song to end before she shut off her engine and headed in to work. i say clearly because she was dancing in the driver's seat.

it was possibly the cutest thing i've seen in a long time and so out of character for the personality i thought this person possessed. seeing her on top of the world so early in the morning instantly brought a smile to my face.

Only in California

it's 75 degrees out and i have the most amazing view from my living room window - the tips of two palm trees against a bright blue sky.

no, it's not july. it's january in la.

what a life.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

we booked our flights to belize tonight!

it's official, we're going on the longest vacation we've taken since our honeymoon and for the first time in a long time, there's no wedding to attend. this one is all about the two of us!

we're going to start out with a couple of days filled with jungle adventures and then hit up one of the tiny islands 10 miles off the coast for the rest of the week.

i cannot wait.

and as mike keeps saying...it's going to be unbelizeable.

Bye Bye Christmas

seconds after we walked in the door from our second trip in two weeks, i was overwhelmed with the desire to take down all of our christmas decorations.

so i did.

it wasn't really how i expected to spend my last day of vacation but i hustled through it and it felt really good to have my house back to normal.

it's funny how we get so excited to bust out the tree, stockings, ornaments and wreath when only a few weeks later, we want nothing more than to box them up for another year. what's that about anyway?

Capture the Flag

if you ever want to see my family at its finest, you must visit us at our cabin in big bear. surrounded by nature, snowballs a plenty, tuaca shots in hand and bundled up from head to toe we are in our winter wonderland.

this year, the girls kicked the boys butts at capture the flag (or capture the pine cone if you will). we tackled the hell out of them although they were clearly stronger. it's all about strategy and secret weapons and ours were mikela and mom.

who knew?

sadly, sis was behind the camera for our family portrait. if only we had a personal photographer to follow us wherever we go.

Napping by the Fire

is there anything better?

really?