Swimming With Dolphins!

I got to be a dolphin trainer for the day at Sea World!  

Don't Maggie and I look like we belong together?

My friend Laura and her boys gave me this gift for my "fake birthday."

I know, my birthday isn't really until January.  Most of you know I don't really know when I was born so when I was adopted, I got assigned a birthday ( January 10th).  I have never enjoyed my birthday because of this.  As a joke, I said if I could pick my own birthday, it would be October 4th because 4 is my favorite number and October is in the fall which is my favorite season and I want to be a Libra.  So, some of my friends now celebrate this day as my birthday.

Maggie trying to catch the fish I threw at her.  

Dancing to my own beat with Maggie

Pacino, taking me for a ride on his dorsal fin.  I successfully hung on the entire ride!

Petting and feeding the momma dolphins and soon-to-be mommas in the "maternity ward."

I had sooooo much fun swimming with the dolphins.  It was an amazing experience, one I will never forget.  Dolphins have been my favorite since I was a little girl.  I asked for a dolphin for Christmas after visiting Sea World when I was a little girl.  Santa never brought me one and I have been always so very disappointed.  I have always dreamed of what it would be like to swim with them.  They are such beautiful creatures.  I think I had a silly little girl giddy smile the entire day I was with them.  I will never forget this.  Thanks for the dream come true Laura, Elam, Miles and Jack.  It was the best present ever!!!!!!!

Book Recommendations?

I am at a loss at what to read now that I have finished the Twilight Saga.  I have discovered that I will stay on those cardio machines longer at the gym if I am reading a good book.  Please recommend a good book you have read!  I love reading books that I know are going to be made into movies just so I can say, "Oh ya, I've read the book!"  I also love a good chick-flick book, books about interesting people and the classics.  Here are a few books I've already read so it will give you an idea of what I like.

Twilight series (Loved it!)

Harry Potter series (Love it)

Jane Austin books (my favorite)

I've read a few Nicolas Sparks books (they're ok, I get bored)

To Kill a Mockingbird (hence, my sons name)

I have read a lot of your more popular classics

Let me know a good book you've read so I can get skinny!!! 

Chicago

     

The view from top of the Hancock building.

Graham and I just back from Chicago yesterday.  We decided to go for a quick weekend trip to celebrate our anniversary.  Our first time ever to leave the kids and our first time to the windy city of Chicago.  The weather was fantastic we didn't witness any wind but the beautiful city made quite an impression on us.  We packed  our  2 full days site seeing, eating and exploring.  I am going to give you a review of our weekend so if you are ever in Chicago, maybe some of the places we visited might be of interest to you.

Our hotel

First, we got to Chicago Thursday at midnight.  We took a cab to our hotel.  We stayed at the new and beautiful Dana Hotel and Spa.  It's chic and modern and so very luxurious and comfortable. We stayed on the very top floor and I think we were the only guests on our floor.  The hotel is in downtown in the Magnificent Mile. We had amazing views of the city and the roof top view was breathtaking.  When we arrived at our hotel we were famished so we decided to go to the little bistro across the street called Bijans.  I was really surprised to see the place packed at 2 am.

The night we went to Wicked

Wrigley Field and the Navy Pier

The view from our hotel room and roof of hotel

On Friday, we woke-up fairly early (we are so used to waking up so early with the kids) and had a yummy breakfast at the hotel.  The best croissants I have ever had!  Then we walked down 2 blocks to Michigan Avenue (tons of shopping) and made our way to the John Hancock building.  The view from the Hancock building was spectacular.  It was clear so we could see everything from the 95th floor.  Then we took a short cab ride to the Navy Pier.  It's a long pier with shopping, eating, carnival type games and rides.  Graham and I rode on the ferris wheel.  Also, very good views.  Then we ate at the famous Billy Goat Tavern where we ate our delicious "cheezborgers."  I guess there is a legend this billy goat got kicked out of Wrigley stadium and that is why the Cubs haven't won the world series since.  When we got back to our hotel, Graham surprised me with a couples spa appointment from our hotel spa.  He received a swedish massage and I got the hot stone massage.  It was so amazing and relaxing, we both fell asleep. Then later that evening we ate dinner at the Chicago 312 restaurant.  It was very delicious.  Then, we went to see Wicked at the Ford Theatre.  Second time for me but first time for Graham.  He loved it too!  We walked back to our hotel.  By-the-way, Chicago is a very romantic city at night!  With all the hustle and bustle from all the cars and cabs, it still somehow felt so peaceful and dreamy with all the city lights and Michigan river flowing under the bridges.  Anyway on our walk home, we discovered the most yummiest treat, the Berry Chill frozen yogurt.  So delicious we went back Saturday night to enjoy it again.

On Saturday, we went to Lincoln Park where they have an organic Farmer's Market.  It's actually a beautiful park next to the river with lots of trails for running and walking.  We saw teams playing coed flag football, lots of birthday parties and lots of families hanging out.  We then took the bus to see the Wrigley Field where the Cubs play.  We asked around to see where the best pizza place was and everyone said  D'Agostinos Pizza was the best.  So we tried it and loved it.  Then we discovered another yummy place called Molly's Cupcakes.  A shop just for cupcakes.  What could be better you ask?  A sprinkle station with all your favorite sprinkles for your cupcake!  We took the bus back into the heart of downtown again which was a mistake.  I never want to take the bus anywhere again.  We should have taken the train, it would have been much faster.  We rode a water taxi to Sears Tower.  That was cool to see the city from the water's point of view.  That evening for our anniversary dinner we ate at an mediterranean restaurant called Alhambra Palace.  This was a cool place.  It had yummy food and also entertainment like flamenco and belly dancing.  It was loud, dark and crazy.  We loved it!

Eating at Billy Goat Tavern

Millennium Park & Hancock Building

 

The welcome home sign Emerson made

We loved our short stay in Chicago.  Chicago is beautiful with so many interesting buildings with wonderful architectural interests, it's clean and full of life.  I can't wait to go visit again. Maybe with our kids next time....or not!

Happy Anniversary!

So, Graham and I are celebrating our 11 year anniversary this Saturday.  Wow, I can't believe it. I know everybody always says "wow, I can't believe we've been married for so and so many years," but when I think about it it does seem like we've been married that long.  We've done a lot in those 11 years.  We've moved 4 times to 4 different cities, owned 2 houses, produced 2 kids, adopted a dog, several job changes, owned 8 different cars, 5 traffic tickets and 3 jury duties.   Knock on wood but we've never had any hospital stays except for me giving birth.  I can't complain, life has been pretty good to us.  It hasn't been perfect.  We still have our ups and downs but as long as we have more ups I consider us lucky!   

I look at our wedding picture and think how incredibly young I was when we got married.  I wasn't even 21 yet.  I met Graham when I was 19.  I had just moved to Los Angeles to attend fashion school.  I moved in with 2 roommates who were strangers and didn't know anyone else in LA.  I decided I should start going to church, I looked up an LDS church in the yellow pages. I thought I was dialing the UCLA ward but accidentally dialed USC's student ward.  I met Graham at a family home evening that first Sunday.  He introduced himself to me but I thought nothing of it.  He, on the other hand says, "As soon as she walked into the room, a choir of angels sang and I knew she was the one."  I went out with him on a couple of dates but repeatedly told him I was not interest in him.  He thought I was playing hard to get.  I continued to date other people, he continued to find excuses to come over to my apartment. He won my roommates over immediately but I took much longer, I just couldn't shake him.  I don't even know how or why he stuck around for so long but I was finally convinced that he was the one.  To tell you the truth, I knew early on that I loved him but I was really trying hard not to admit it.  

For a long time, I thought how could I be so lucky to end up with such a great man but you know what...he's pretty lucky too!  We've made a beautiful family and a great life together.  I look forward to many more years ahead of us! Happy Anniversary, Baby!

Wicked Awesome!

Brenda, Laura, Amy (the birthday girl), Andrea and Me

My girlfriends and I surprised our friend Amy with tickets to "Wicked" for her 30th birthday. All we told her was dress nice and meet at my house.  She had no idea what we were doing.

I went to L.A last week to see "Wicked".  Everyone I talked to who has seen this play said it is amazing!  Let me say, it did not disappoint.  It was amazing.  Everything from the stage to the singing to the costumes was awesome.  It is by far my favorite play I have seen.  I wish I could have taken Emerson to this play because she would have loved it too but it was nice to dress up and have a day with the girls without kids.  I highly recommend it to everyone to go see it!

First Day of School!

7 Pairs of school uniforms + 2 new shoes=$250

school supplies and classroom supplies=$120

new haircut=$15.00

happy to go back to school=PRICELESS!

Emerson started her first day of 1st grade on Monday.  She was very excited to start school, which makes me have a little less anxiety.  She is still going to EJE Academy.  Her instructions will still be in 90% Spanish this year.  I was nervous that she wouldn't remember her spanish because we haven't practiced this summer but she said that she understood.  

She has a male teacher this year, Maestro Venegas.  He seems like a really fun teacher.  Her two best friends are in different classes.  I thought she would be super sad about that but she says she sees them at lunch and at recess and she is making new friends.  

I was much more nervous about her going into kindergarten but we are pros this year.  I looked at all the new kindergarten kids in line this year.  They look like babies.  It made my heart ache to look at them looking so nervous and some of them crying for their parents.  

Don't you love Emerson's new haircut.  Graham and I really tried to talk her out of getting her hair cut so short but she wouldn't listen.  My girl definitely knows what she wants.  I call it her Katie Holmes haircut she calls it her Madeline or Dora haircut.  She is sad that all her blonde highlights are gone but she really likes her new look.  She could have green hair and I would still think she is the most beautiful girl.

Celebrating 5 years!

Graham received his 5 year recognition in Lemon Grove.  Look how cute he looks up on the podium with the council members.  This was my first time at a council meeting ever.  I can promise you that I will not be going to another one for at least another 5 years.