Friday Favorites

Eh, life is crazy.

Catch you up soon.

In the meantime, Babycakes continues to win the world over with his ridiculously happy demeanor, sleeping through the night, I'll go to anyone" attitude.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

Aimee, Blane, and Cole left today. We had the best time. The weekend in picture review.

Hope yours was awesome too. Happy Tuesday!

Friday Favorites

It's been the best week. Aimee, Blane, and the little guy flew in and the five of us are happily squished in our one bedroom apartment. Cole's sleeping in our room so we've been spending quality time with him each morning...at 6:15. :) What a treat!

Have a fun and safe memorial day weekend.

xoxo, J

2 In Review: Part II

Yay! Go us!

This year I'd say we graduated to the big leagues. Last year we played in the minors and then through this circumstance and that thing we found ourselves having to be adults and deal with real stuff. Say what? The kids have to grow up? There's a sweetness when the two of you are standing in front of each other with absolutely nothing to hide. 

He is so beautiful, I can't stand it. He does the right thing. He does things well. He is caring. He is thorough. He is faithful. He provides for us. He makes decisions in our best interest. And I trust him completely. Can you honestly say that about many people in your life? 

He is my sweet, sweet gift. 

Thank you Jesus. All glory and honor to you.

For nostalgia sake, our one year dating anni, the faces of our wedding, and what we learned about one another our first year of marriage.

2 In Review: Part I

Stronger

I worked this weekend so I'll keep this short and sweet.

My highlight was Sunday night dinner with Josh's grandparents. It has been a real joy getting to know them as people. Our move here has gifted us with one-on-one time with them which is a real treat. With each meal comes some old, but mostly new stories from the past and that helps me to piece together who they are.

After hearing some tonight I concluded on my way home that they are stronger than I am.

Until I moved up north, I lived in Los Angeles my entire life. Los Angeles, the place where the weather hovers yearlong around 72 degrees. Whenever I go somewhere that's just a bit too hot or a bit too cold, I'm downright dying of heatstroke or practically frozen through. In the same way, life has been kind to me and I must admit, I am weak to difficulty - war, racism, poverty, hardship, you name it. Many things that encapsulated a generation and which my generation never experienced. As each generation goes.

So, they are stronger than I am. But I am stronger by hearing their stories. Little did they know (or maybe they did) they were teaching us how to be stronger.

These are the things I cherish.

Friday Favorites

xoxo, J

32 hours and 4 momma's

I love surprises but am rarely able to keep them. I just get too gosh darn excited, dang it! But this weekend we pulled off a surprise trip to LA to see the mommies. Blane brought A to LAX Saturday on the ruse of picking up a co-worker, so we surprised her there. Then we surprised my mom later that day when we knocked on her door. She gave me such a great reaction that it startled the little big guy and he started crying. Can always count on mom for a good reaction. :)

Saturday night we had dinner and dessert with my mil and fil. We haven't seen them in a while so it was great catching up. 

Then on Sunday Aimee, Josh, Blane, me, and the babe sat with mom during church. 

The little big guy sucking on his big toe during the service.

Afterwards my side did a mother's day luncheon which turned out perfectly. I was so excited to be with Aimee on her first Mother's day. She's done such a great job. I mean, I root so hard for the girl you know? Loved that we were there on her first one.

That night we had dinner with Josh's side and caught up with his bachan, jichan, sister, and auntie. And before we knew it, it was time to head home. We took this while waiting to board our flight home after a whirlwind 32 hours. 

P.S. He is my favorite and I'm so lucky I get to live life with him. Also, I am envious of the amount of hair he gets for his eyebrows. :p

Have a wonderful Monday!

Friday Favorites // SHINE //

After thirty five years of teaching, my mom is finally laying down the chalk. Last night she had her last Open House. Aimee and Boo went, as did my dad. I wish I could have been there to celebrate the sweetness of a lifetime of achievement.

When I was younger, once in a while my mom would bribe me with an increased allowance to come help her in her class. I would go and grade papers, tidy up the room, help one of the groups do something or the rather. To tell you the truth, I never really enjoyed it that much. Those buggers were exhausting and all encompassing and I never knew how she managed to go back day after day and still have the energy to be her. 

My mom was one of those teachers you go back to your elementary school just to say hi. She believes in using creativity as a means of teaching. She is firm but still fun. She brought excitement into an insect lesson and joy into learning. She saw through immaturity and could identify real gifts in kids. She worked tirelessly each year to be an advocate for her children. She loved them so much. Each class. 

And boy, did she shine. 

Kids loved her. Parents loved her. Teachers loved her. Faculty loved her. She wouldn't tell you but parents would request her for their kids and would throw a tantrum if they didn't get her. 

Mom, I'm not sure I've ever told you my perspective of you as a teacher. But I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that you are one of the greats. I don't say this because I'm your daughter but because I witnessed you in action, teaching young lives to believe in themselves, to see their talents, and to be greater than they ever thought they could be.

You have always been one to invest your time in other people and these kids were no exception. I know without a shadow of a doubt the hundreds of kids that you taught and the thousands of parents that you have worked with are better because of you. 

/ /  Y O U  S H I N E / / 

oh, and happy mother's day.

I mean..

Surprise in the mail! Our friends Neeka and Dave got hitched last month and the word just leaked. Last month they hightailed it on over to Catalina Island with 12 of their dearest and tied the knot. How cool is that?

I love the romance of it all, and the simplicity of it. The last month before we got married I was so stressed. The idea of leaving all that behind and just focusing on marrying the person you love is so appealing. I didn't have the guts to do it and I love that they did. 

This is what Neeka said about it, "I enjoyed absolutely everything about the whole day. It couldn't have been more perfect."

Studs!

Congratulations to our friends! God's blessings to you.

xoxo,
J

The Met

The Met Gala, ahhhh!  Don't you think the red carpet has been so predictable and blah lately? The Met punked it up this year and I loved how edgy the girlies were (SJP owning hers, as always. Am I right or am I right ladies?).

With the winner, winner chicken dinners there were also an insane amount of utter failures (uh, Olsen twins wha..). Decide yourself here. 

Good Doing Good

Josh and I went to the Freedom House Gala this weekend. Fancy and huge! MPPC bought a few tables so we were some of the lucky ones who weren't on the wait list.

Freedom House is a nonprofit that houses girls who have been victims of human trafficking. They run one house in south San Francisco and are looking to open another one in Santa Clara county for minors.

The evening was quite an experience. I met Francis Chan. He was one table away from me and I couldn't help myself. I decided to be more like Blane, less like me, and went over to talk to him. There was a performance by Mickey Cho that far exceeded my expectation. What, an asian hip hop artist? He defied logic. There was a moving testimony from a graduate of the home, a word from the founder, and a live auctioneer. Watching the auction was exciting. Someone at my table spent $4000.00 on a Paella dinner for 50!

The (not so) silent auction and cocktail hour

Ack, he is just so gosh darn handsome. My arm candy =)

One of the auctioneers is there standing in the back with the tux on. I'll tell you right now, 283 didn't get used. Sorry Freedom House, but it was out of our league!

Good people doing good things in a good way = an all around good weekend.

Friday Favorites

Had dinner with these two this week. Cole hasn't yet figured out the whole screen-talking-back thing. He just stared at me the whole time, barely made a peep.  =) hehe

This weekend Josh and I are going to a gala. Fancy us! I can't wait to see Josh in a suit. Man o' man, can that man wear a suit. =) Have a great weekend!

// Web Favorites //

Tech from Josh's co!

One of the perks of my job is working with volunteers. Shelley came to us just in the nick of time since I was swimming in prep work for Compassion Weekend. What would I have done without her? She is detailed and wonderful and has a heart of gold.

Now that the big event is over we met up so I could thank her proper like for her help. I went to her hood, she picked a Chevy's and we sat at the bar. I learned all about her life and in the process the gal knocked back two bourbons on the rocks without batting an eye. Who knew?

Kids these days... ;)

Poolside..Kinda.

Three of my coworkers are going on vacation this month, one to China, the other to the Philippines, and the last to Kauai. All this talk of travel is getting to me. I mean, our last real trip was last year almost to the day actually.

Knowing this (and coupled with the perfect weather we've been having), maybe you'll understand me when I say my body is at work, but my mind is poolside in Greece. 

Iffy if I get anything done today.. ;)