Moving

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I'm moving my blog to Tumblr. It's been such a good run here on blogger after being on Xanga for a bit. Why am I moving? I want to keep myself on my techy toes and try to learn a whole new interface. Also, all of my favorite blogs are on Tumblr, so I wanted to be able to reblog and follow them much easier. Their platform is also better supported on my iPad, so I'll be able to blog on the go. How exciting! Here's the new url if you're interested on following me over there: 

http://beatrue.tumblr.com

Marathon

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We've been watching How I Met Your Mother and Cake Boss all weekend. I'm so missing NYC and all of east coast right now. I can't wait for our trip. Can't wait to suit up!

Feliz Navidad!

This year, our good friends, the Esparzas, helped us pick out our Christmas tree. What does that mean? I get my picture perfect tree rather than my hubster's humorous tree. I love unpacking the ornaments and reflecting about our many adventures and memories. I can't wait to share the story behind each ornament with the soybeanitos. 


2007 - I found the ornament that my hubstser's best friend's parents bought us the year that we got married. 


Kimono Girl - One of my first grade kiddos last year gave me this ornament. 


Kartchner Caverns - It was my first trip to caverns with stalagmites and stalactites. 

Throwback Tuesday: Let It Snow - Boys II Men

All I Want For Christmas...

is to hold his hand and wander around doing random things. Maybe, we'll follow our nose to somewhere delicious. Maybe, we'll figure out some interesting places to take photos. Maybe, we'll go for a hike. Maybe, we'll go exploring around the city. Most important, I'm going to forget all about work and the kiddos if only for a few days.

December? Really?

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These past couple of weeks (including the one that just finished) have been a haze of being overworked. Almost every fun thing was plowed over by too many work commitments or being exhausted from work. For Halloween, we forgot to carve our pumpkins. They're still sitting on our porch. (We're thinking about carving Christmas trees on them.) For Thanksgiving break, we were so worn out from work that we spent most of our time napping. It looks like the weeks before Christmas might suffer the same fate. I'm determined to at least have some holidayness to them. Here is my list:

Wrap gifts. 
Drink egg nog. 
Go to a holiday parade.
Watch a Charlie Brown's Christmas. 

Get our Christmas cards made and sent. 
Get a tree! We have too many new ornaments from this year to put up.

Ready, set, go! 

Need a Lift?

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This totally makes sense! I love to look up when I'm taking photos and when I'm on vacay. I'm often happiest in those moments, especially when my hubster's by my side.

Hello Kitty & Postcards

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I've quickly learned how my kiddos will remember me. I'll always be that teacher that likes Hello Kitty and postcards. How have I figured this out? Well, let me provide the adorable evidence. 

1. A kiddo gave me a Hello Kitty pez dispenser.
2. Same kiddo gave me a postcard after she went to Universal Studios. 
3. My kiddo who's still on vacay in China took a picture next to a giant Hello Kitty for me. 
4. Another kiddo got me a postcard from Carmel over Turkey vacay, but she hasn't given it to me because she hasn't written a letter on the back. 


They're too cute for words. I hope the months don't fly by too quickly after winter break.

Catch Up: Only 6 Songs

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While we were in my hometown for Thanksgiving, we would continuously hear the same 6 songs whenever we were out about. It didn't matter what time of day or what pop music/hip hop station. Here is our official Thanksgiving playlist: 

Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO
We Found Love - Rhianna ft. Calvin Harris
Someone Like You - Adele
Rolling in the Deep - Adele

So Cal Thanksgiving

This year, we flipped the holidays, so we spent Thanksgiving with my family. Of course, we had to go for a stroll on the beach. It was seasonably warm and gorgeous. After doing our friend and family marathon and shopping, we also managed to squeeze in a mission trip. We went to see the San Luis Rey Mission, which is  my 7th mission. Only 14 more to go. Fun fact about San Luis Rey Mission: it is the home of the first pepper tree planted in California.

Wrist Ring

Talking about something totally random.

Hubster: You could make it a wrist ring*.
Me: You mean bracelet?
Both: (laughs for a good minute)

*He's so flipping cute like that.

He Makes Me Laugh

Sexiness wears thin after a while and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat.

- Joanne Woodward

*She knows what she's talking about. Yes, hubster. I love how you make me laugh. 

That's a Hyperbole, Mrs. Trac

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Currently, one of my kiddos is in China because his family is adopting an adorable little girl. Instead of having a journal, he wanted to blog. That's how the kiddos roll in the 21st century. I've listed one of his posts below. It's so amazing that he's keeping his class updated in real time. Check out why he has an asterisk. 

Today we got Cailyn!  We got her at thee Adoption Registry Center of Guangdong Province. At first she was crying her eyes out*, but she is still getting used to us.  She likes to play with toys, and likes to stick her tongue out.  I can't believe I have a new baby sister! 

*thats a hyperbole. 

So Thankful

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So thankful for 

my job
my drive
my heart
my kitties
my health 
my books 

my friends
my kiddos  
my hubster
my passion
my mom and dad
my morning cup of coffee

Authentically Me

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Dear Universe, 

Thank you for teaching me the beauty of being me. We must both admit that it wasn't pretty getting here. As you well know, I'm a rather stubborn perfectionist. Of course, I had a well-developed concept of who I wanted to be and how I wanted others to see me. 

Along the way, I learned that being vulnerable in front of others takes incredible strength. Weakness is not synonymous with vulnerability. What was I thinking before? When I lay my heart out there for all to see, I have been graced with so many blessings. My hubster may laugh up a storm in the most charming way. My kiddos tend to echo, "Me too!" The random conversations with my co-workers flow with more ease. My friendships are strengthened by our shared quirks. 

Who am I? What is in my heart? I am person who undoubtedly sees beauty in everything. I stop and stare at trees and clouds. I have to carry a camera around with me because the compulsion to save this beauty overwhelms me throughout the day. My heart feels emotions to such depth and intensity that I have to often remind myself that they are just emotions. I find comfort in words, songs and delicious food. They are the trinity that keeps me balanced and feeling well. I'm learning to love exercise, but it's a slow process. I must remember to be patient with myself. I must also remember to be kind to myself.

*One of my dearest friends has been blogging up a storm lately. She's in the middle of her quarter-life comeback. One of the topics that she's been writing about is authenticity, which has inspired this post. 

Throwback Tuesday: Breathe - Michelle Branch

Yes, Picasso!

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children."

—Pablo Picasso 

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"A Weed By Any Other Name is Still a Weed."

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My hubster and I had a very cozy weekend with movies, blankets and soup. One of the movies that we watched was Gnomeo and Juliet. It was absolutely adorable! I was bit concerned how they would translate the original story line for the kiddos. I thought they did a great job. It kept true to the original story as much as possible with allowing for a happy ending for the wee ones. Overall, I enjoyed how Juliet is such a strong female lead. It's been really refreshing to see animated female characters who are sassy and strong. 

Oh, Autumn

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"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

Throwback Tuesday: Lovesong - Adele