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. 

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! 

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.

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

Happy Native American Day!

Happy Father's Day!

Dear Daddy,

Thank you for teaching me about the beauty of the ocean. Whenever my soul is restless, it is by the sea that I find the most comfort. Thank you for reminding me to stay positive. Most important, thank you for telling me, "You're going to make your kids so smart." I love you! 


Love,

Bea

Chalk It Up

One of my favorite Memorial Day traditions is going to the I Madonnari festival. I love how the artists turn a piece of ordinary pavement into the most extraordinary canvas. The size and the details always take my breath away.

Happy Mother's Day!

 Dear Mommy,

Thank you for teaching me the beauty of appreciating myself for who I am. Most important, you've taught me that I should be nothing less than what I'm meant to be. You've helped me become the strong individual who still believes in the art of dreaming. Love you!

Love,

Bea

If You Celebrate Easter

Happy Easter!

Happy Anna Howard Shaw Day!

We had a very foodie Valentine's celebration this weekend. We started our day by dessert shopping. After perusing a few bakeries, we finally settled on a mocha roll and raspberry shortcake delight. Next, wandered around our favorite garden store, waiting for it to officially be lunch time. Then, we had the most delightful Greek lunch. At the end of lunch my hubster said, "I guess we have to go to Greece."

p.s.

Cool points if you know where the Anna Howard Shaw Day reference comes from. 

Happy Dr. MLK Jr Day!

Source

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

Catch Up: Car Show

Every December, we go to the San Diego Car Show. My dad gets us tickets. Then, we wander around Little Italy and have a divine lunch at Buon Appetito. It always surprises me how many supportive wives I see at the car show. I love hopping into cars and checking out the interiors. I also love the swag that we can pick up. We got some sturdy reusable bags to use for our groceries and insulated bag for test driving a Hyundai. A few years ago, the boys got Skyline posters. 

p.s.
My hubster took 4 of the amazing photos.  

A First

This is the first holiday-related day off that my hubster has that I don't have. Boo!

Enjoy a nice cup of coffee with chicory and watch some movies while snuggled in our heavenly sheets for me. Yes, I'm talking to you because you'll probably stop by my blog today. Heart you.

p.s.

I'll be doing the exact same things in two weeks. Courtesy of MLK's greatness.

Here's to a Sweet New Year

After college, all of the years have started to blend together. This year has been full of ups and downs. The ups have been wonderful. Some of the best yet. It was our traveling year because I had more free time than I've ever had before. We went to Costa Rica and New York. I've permanently fallen in love with both. Then, I went to Chicago with one of my most amazing friends. I still crave Chicago dogs ever so often.

Even though I love traveling, I'm so lucky to love where we live. We've spent the year being everyone's getaway spot. Our little home is where all of our friends come to get away from it all. I know. It's so cliche but true. I adore sharing all of the best things in our slice of the country. We share amazing organic flatbreads, the best whole wheat donuts, and fresh picked apples. As my hubster's best friend says, "This is your playground." Huge compliment from such a city slicker. 

For 2011, I'm looking forward to more adventures with my favorite travel buddy, my hubster. There are many good eats to eat and good books to read ahead. Here's to a sweet New Year!

He Made Dinosaurs Too

With every Photojojo purchase, we get a cute dino. I sneaked it into my mom's nativity scene to see what she would say. When she found it, she asked why I put it there. My excuse? Well, God made dinosaurs too. She got a good laugh out of it.