Italian Ice

Tangy with just the right amount of sweetness.

Definitely a new favorite for us. I love the "cherry Capone" flavor.

The kid couldn't let her mango Italian ice sit for 2 seconds!

Friday's Five

 I've come to talk to you again...

I am finally breaking the sound of summer silence. Been busy, you see. So let's jump back into things with a Friday's Five:

1) New tradition with the extended family. On Friday nights, we head over to a weekly food truck fest where 2 dozen+ food trucks set their parking brakes & fire up the grills to feed the masses. Delicious!

2) Shakin' our money makers. The kiddo started hula lessons last weekend. Then I got all weepy with jealousy & started lessons mid-week. I'm still sore and popping ibuprofen like it's going out of style but I loved it. Polynesian dancing (Hawaiian hula & Tahitian ori) was a big part of my life in my early 20's. I even earned an official Hawaiian name bestowed upon me by my kumu hula: "Ha'ale Ikawai Akamanu". The calm water where birds gather. Deep.

3) Homemade ginger ale from Canele in Atwater Village. Wowza. Packs a punch of flavor. Wakes you up. Alas, taking a gallon to go wasn't an option but I can daydream about it. Like right now.

4) On a whim, the extended fam cruised over to a local park for movie night. "How to Train Your Dragon" was great but the natives got restless halfway through. They had had their fill of pizza, free popcorn, and running around the park.

5) Hoarding & purging. Free toothpaste and disposable razors are piling up from the couponing scores I continue to get. But more stuff is also heading out the door as we try to whittle down things from our closets, pantry, and cabinets. Feels great!

Coupons Are Cool: Blinkies

This one is for Blondie who has been asking me for PROOF that it doesn't take hours of clipping coupons to save or to find freebies.

Venturing out for a few provisions while sick was not my idea of fun. But I managed to walk away with 5 tubes of toothpaste for absolutely freeeeky-freeeeky-FREE (pretend you knew that was supposed to be turn-table sound effects). Have a gander at what I spotted as I headed toward the checkout lanes:

Super-sale on Aquafresh. Just $0.99!

Nearby, eagerly blinking its little red light at me

was a "blinkie" automatic coupon dispenser. 

"$1.00 off Aquafresh" coupons!

I wanted to give others a chance to get the

freebie deal so I only took 5 tubes of toothpaste.

Now I wish I had cleared them out! Sigeeee-sigeeee-SIGH.

Keep your eyes out for those blinkies &

happy couponing!

Friday's Four

To celebrate the kid's soon to be 4th grade status, these are the top 4 things I loved this week:

1.  Strike a pose! She showed me her muscles (which are ready to take on 4th grade).

2.  Amoxicillin. I was hit HARD, knocked down, & dragged through zombieland by strep throat this week. God bless Fleming for discovering that first 'cillin!

3.  Naps.

4.  Air conditioning. Because having a high fever on a 99-degree day would not have been fun.

I have some catching up to do so see you soon!

Coupons Are Cool (by Blabby McBlabster)



That's seaweed hair conditioner, folks. Cropping
this photo a bit more on the left & it would've
looked like I was at a very special store!


Blah-blah-blah. I feel like the office blabber-mouth who terrorizes innocent cubicle drones with mundane stories that nobody-but-nobody wants to hear. Blabby approaches. You freeze and try to locate the nearest exit. Too slow, sucka! You're trapped. Within minutes, your eyes glaze over and you're smiling and nodding at regular intervals to feign interest in Blabby's monologue.

Now that I have you cornered, I must tell you that using coupons for freebies and supersized savings has been fairly easy. Watch a few episodes of Extreme Couponing and peruse the internet for tips from coupon experts. I like this coupon blog (click here) for its 'lazy couponing' how-to series and frequent updates of the week's best deals. At CVS on Sunday, I got a few freebies that even generated CVS extrabucks and coupons worth $19 (which I promptly spent today for big savings on pricey conditioner).

Updated this post with another coupon success to share with you:

I wanted to give Revlon Colorstay lipgloss ($11.79) a try after hearing rave reviews from someone. I used a CVS register coupon for $6 off any Revlon product. Before heading to checkout, I scanned my CVS card at the store's CVS card kiosk and received a $3 coupon for any cosmetic product. Revlon special this week: Buy $10 to earn $4 Extrabucks. I spent $3.65 in cash and earned $4 Extrabucks!

I liked the staying power of this lipgloss. Although I did miss the creaminess of my usual Korres lipstick.

Friday's Five



Flowers inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe.

 5 things I loved this week:

1. School art show. Three of the kid's art pieces made it into the school's art gallery.

2. Free toilet paper (Charmin 16-pack) thanks to my burgeoning interest in couponing. My goal is to cut our paper goods/ cleaning products/ toiletry expenses.

3. Spending a weekday afternoon with my husband - lunch at an Italian deli & then Hangover 2.

4. Feeling more organized (thanks to ongoing efforts to de-clutter & simplify).

5. More money saved - used 3 Groupons this week at a bowling alley, local bakery, and ice cream parlor. $120 total value for $38!

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Pop-up Card

Who knew that pop-up cards are so easy to make? A family member's birthday celebration was this past weekend & I didn't have a card for our gift of booze. I saw a great tutorial (click here) & within minutes, this little card was done. I just cut out the shapes by hand and used Sharpies for the text. It's pretty simple but I did try to add something of interest - see the little bottle of Blue Moon beer with the orange slice? It's a nod to the beer of choice at recent gatherings. I can't wait to make more!

30 Day Double Challenge

I know my lasso & bracelets
are somewhere under this mess!
Time to de-clutter! 

Clutter. Chubster. Curses to both of you!

I am challenging myself to 30 days of action. Each day, I will de-hoard by removing at least one item from home and I will exercise. As I prepare to battle this dubious duo, I feel like I should don some Wonder Woman Underoos. Although they would be quite snug since I was 9 the last time I wore them (along with my awesome high-top roller skates, of course). That was back when I had normal-sized feet. And normal-sized thighs. But I'm getting side-tracked again. Please check back for updates. And if you could use a little less clutter and/or a little less jiggle, then won't you join me?

Clutter Buster update days 1-23:  Woot! 12 bulging bags of evil clutter have been deposited into the trash or donated to Goodwill. Wall art, gardening stuff (we don't have a garden), a helium tank, hairdryer, clothes/shoes/purses, blankets, a tent, books/magazines. So much more room to breathe! But I know there's still more I can do. Clutter lurks. Oh, it lurks! Just threw out 2 big bags of kitchen stuff this weekend. Gotta hit that garage soon.
Chubster Buster update days 1-23: Exercising more than I was but still not good enough. There's been 4 days of Zumba, 3 days of 30-Day Shred, 9 days of walking or weights. Missed 7 days. Ouch. Gotta move it to lose it, sister! Definitely need to do more.

Friday's Five

Today's Friday's 5 is brought to you by the number 9

1. The super-sweet, ultra-smart, ridiculously-silly little human being who lights up my life turned 9.

2. My parents and brother drove down for her birthday. They helped me with a ton of last minute to-do's before the party. Seeing my family recharges me so it's great that we see each other every couple of months.

3. The Keroppi-themed party was a hit. Games, crafts, bounce house, taco guy, big chocolate Keroppi cake. The birthday girl and her guests had a blast. I'll post photos in a few days.

4. The kiddo & I are planning a home spa day this weekend. We have recipes for a sugar scrub and face mask.

5. I was able to celebrate mother's day with my own mama. Very special indeed.

No Pressure!



Homemade Keroppi goody bags.
All the planning & prepping is worth it to see
how excited she is about her upcoming party.



The kid is having a small-ish (school friends & immediate family) birthday party at the park. To reduce party-planning stress, I have been methodically tackling a little party prep each night.
Then, yesterday:

"Mommy, I asked my Magic 8 Ball if this is going to be the best party ever & it answered, DEFINITELY!"

Oh yeah. No pressure.

"All Growns Up"

I love that line from Swingers. Vince Vaughn delivers it perfectly, "Our little baby is all growns up! All growns up!" Wait. Does he say "growns" or does he say "groweds"? In any case, it's awesome.

A couple of years ago, Blondie reported that her 7 year old daughter no longer played with toys. I wondered how that could possibly be for a child who was still so young. My own kiddo was still knee deep in all kinds of cutesy toys. There seemed to be no end in sight to her toy-playing days. There was also no floor in sight because of the enormity of her toy collection!

This past Christmas, she got new Littlest Pet Shop toys with Blythe dolls and played with them for hours. On almost any gift-giving occasion over the last 5 years, when asked what was on her wish list, she'd inevitably reply, "Littlest Pet Shop!" Those bug-eyed, big-headed bobbleheads really had a hold on her. Her birthday is coming up soon and when I asked her what she'd like, she rattled off a list of books. And a game. But no Littlest Pet Shop. What?!?!?!?!

Tonight, as we tidied up to prepare for my parents' visit this weekend, she announced that she would donate some toys to needy children. I've heard this before and the toy donation "haul" barely filled a sandwich baggie.

But this time was different. She very thoughtfully and thoroughly looked over her toys and decided that there were many that no longer held her interest. Bye-bye, My Little Ponies and all your miniature accessories. Ciao, fairy dolls with interchangeable wings. Adios, Pokemon playsets. Get to scootin', Zhu Zhu pets! Loads more various cuties were chucked into the donation bags. Her toy bins were left quite bare. *sniff*

Luckily, some survived the purge. She's not yet bidding adieu to dozens of Littlest Pet Shop toys, stuffed animals, the dollhouse and its inhabitants, a play kitchen, and a few other favorites. So I'll continue hoping that this kid of mine will be a little girl for a long time.

Weight Watchers Update - Week 5



Matching mom & munchkin manis.
We'll do it again for my 10-pound reward.



As of this morning, my total weight loss after 5 weeks is:

7.5 pounds!

I got on and off the scale about a dozen times this morning just to be sure. Sooooo close to my mini-goal of 10 pounds. So close! 

I'm happy to report that BFF Blondie has joined me in a back-to-better quest. She's using a free iPhone app called "Lose it". You enter your starting weight, goal weight, how many pounds each week you want to lose (from 1/2 pound to 2 pounds). It then gives you a daily calorie allowance. Enter your food choices just like you do with the Weight Watchers app. She's been using the app for 1 week and has lost 3 pounds. Congrats! So proud of you!

Much Too Much

Tomorrow is my grandma's birthday. 

She always used to say to me, "I love you much too much!" And isn't that exactly what we all need to hear now and then?

Weight Watchers Update - Week 3

 

Spotted these vibrant tulips while
grocery shopping recently.


Has it been another week already? Let's get right to it:

I lost 1 pound!

For a total of 6 since I started 3 weeks ago. Slow and steady wins the race, right? This week was better than week 2. I left about half my extra weekly points unused. I was trying to avoid carbs (especially at night) and found that I wasn't able to resist nighttime snacking. Adding a serving of whole grains to dinner definitely helped to abate my craving for late night munchies.

4 more pounds to go until I reach my first mini goal of 10 pounds. For week 4, I am going to make it a priority to go to bed a little earlier so that I can get up for some morning exercise. I have a couple of exercise DVDs ready & waiting: Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred and P90x (which my husband and I have dubbed 'PFChangs').

The Great Snail Rescue



When you are 8 years old, nothing can interrupt the fun of zipping around the house on a toddler-sized car with your little cousin, taking turns being the pusher and the passenger. Not your mother hollerin' at you, not the aroma of pizza hot from the oven, not the yelp from your little cousin when you accidentally run over her foot... nothing, that is, except for the sight of a microscopic-sized baby snail in your path. How it somehow survived that car turbo-ing around and little feet running past it at a hundred miles an hour, we'll never know.

The kid immediately launched herself from the car, enlisted the help of her cousin, picked up the snail, ooh-ed and aah-ed over its cuteness, contemplated keeping it as a pet, then finally took it outside to release it into the wild. Under the lemon tree? Too exposed- birds might see it as a snack. Around and around they went until they found the perfect spot. Then back inside to terrorize the adults continue the fun.

Weight Watchers Update - Week 2

Greek yogurt (100 calorie size), hard-boiled egg, & an apple.
My weekday go-to breakfast. Keeps me full until lunch.

Week 2 kicked my double-digit-teetering-on-the-edge-of-having-to-shop-in-plus-sized butt. In Week 1, most of my weekly 'extra' points went unused. But this week each one of those suckers was obliterated! Poor points - they never saw it coming.

When I stepped on the scale this morning:

I lost 1 pound!

Phew! Not bad considering that I happened upon some yummy Filipino-style empanadas this weekend & didn't stop at just one... or two... or...

I'm halfway to my first mini-goal of 10 pounds. I have a lot to lose so this 5 pound weight loss isn't reflected in my mirror just yet. I wish I could say that my clothes are fitting looser. But I know that will come. And I can't wait to finally go shopping for new clothes when I go down a size... or two... or...

Weight Watchers Update - Week 1

Hmm.. probably not ideal  for a
weight loss update but this was so
dang delish that I just had to share!

I survived my first week on Weight Watchers! I stayed within my daily point allowance without snatching food out of other people's hands & I kept the crying to a minimum. Fairly easy & guess what?
  

I lost 4 pounds!!!
(4.2 but I don't want to brag or anything)

I'm using the Weight Watchers iPhone app to enter food selections and calculate points. A little Zumba action, a couple of walks, & resisting late night snacks... now there's a little less chub in my world. Hooray!

By Saturday, I hadn't used any of my extra weekly points, so off we went on a foodie adventure to Umami Burger. Pictured here is the Umami Burger with parmesan crisp and shitake mushrooms... burgasmic! Totally worth the 45 minute wait to get a table. Thank goodness the burgers are normal sized (not like the massive monsters at some places). Check out their website & try not to drool on your keyboard.

Blondie (that's the BFF), will you join me now?! Let's see how much closer I can get to my first mini-goal of 10 pounds. Please check back next Tuesday for my second week's results.

Friday's Five

5 things I loved this week:

1. Celebrating another trip around the sun!

2. Deciding to join Weight Watchers online. This is Day 4 and it's been smooth sailing. First week's results coming soon.

3. Stayed home with the (sick) kid & played Monopoly again & again & again...... I didn't love that she wasn't feeling well but I do love spending time with her.

4. Painting little fingernails neon green for St. Patrick's Day.

5. Laughing & commenting with my husband while watching our guilty pleasure tv show... Jersey Shore! Yeah, that's right. Jersey Shore. G-T-L & shirt-before-the-shirt mean something to me. Love it!

Weight Watchers - Day 1

The lemon tart that pushed me over the edge.

After various birthday celebrations this past week, I've had more than my share of Hello Kitty banana-filled cake, parisian chocolate cake, & a lemon tart (or two). That'll be enough sugar, fat, and carbs to last me 'til Winter!

Yesterday, a friend told me that she's been using Weight Watchers online for a few weeks with good results. I've been going at this Back To Better goal on my own and while I have lost a couple of pounds, I know that I need more structure in order to be truly successful.

So here I go... I just signed up for Weight Watchers online - the 3 month plan. I can then continue month to month as needed. Day 1 is underway. I'm one hour into it and, so far, doing great! Haha! I like the online tools offered by Weight Watchers - there's a point tracker for the food you're eating, it also calculates your exercise for the day, and keeps track of your water intake, etc.

I've set my first goal at 10 pounds. My BFF is thinking about joining but has challenged me to have a perfect first week on the program so that I can give her a good sense of what following the program can do.

Challenge accepted!

A Burger & Booty Shaking Weekend

As I took photos this weekend, I thought... perhaps you've all (and by "all" I mean all 9 people reading this) been wondering about my photos. Shouldn't blogs be replete with beautiful, natural-lit photos taken with DSLRs? Sorry, folks. You've wandered into the wrong neck of the blogosphere if that's what you're looking for. I'm a rebel, you see, and use my (gasp!) iPhone for convenience. Had a quiet weekend - no traveling, no parties. Here's a snapshot summary:


Friday night:  Wishing at a fountain (above was after a particularly long coin toss), 

breath-holding contests, enjoying cool evening races in the grass, & a delicious Mexican dinner.

 

Saturday:

Art lessons.  Rango. Then Father's Office. 

My husband had been raving about their burger so we

ventured over to Culver City to try it.

Oops! Other families were also turned away.

What to do? Tether the kid to the railing while we scarf down some grub?





My husband to the rescue! He placed a to go order,

I grabbed a spot on a shady bench, & the kid played on the grass.

15 minutes later... hooray!

Sweet potato fries with garlic & a bleu cheese aioli.

Nom nom nom.

Spanish mushrooms. These were so good.

The Father's Office Burger with caramelized onions, bacon compote, 

bleu cheese, & arugula. The plate's a mess because I had started disassembling 

the burger so I could share with the kid. The flavors worked so well together.

One warning - do NOT ask for ketchup. They don't have any almost take

offense at your request. Besides, it really doesn't need it. In fact, if you are

anywhere near Culver City or Santa Monica, go now to Father's Office.

Don't bother reading the rest of this blog entry. Please just go.

After our fill of burgerliciousness, we spent a little time at this 

fountain which reminded us of Rango's adventure. 

Sunday:

Errands, chores, a movie. Then an impromptu family get-together - we shook our rumps to Zumba for wii.

Lively Latin beats, fun moves, & graphics like Just Dance. Definitely broke a sweat (which is good because

 you saw the burger & sweet potato fries from Saturday, right?).

Kiddo Loves Her Mama

This cheery little card appeared on my nightstand recently. Colorful hand-cut paper confetti hearts spilled out upon opening it. The kiddo confessed that her big plan was to build a micro machine that would make the paper hearts explode like fireworks when I opened the card. To her dismay, she wasn't able to figure out the making-a-machine part of it, so I received a slightly lower-tech version. Don't you just love lower-tech?

The 4 o'clock Battle Plan



Cupcake-sized turkey meatloaf for Tuesday's dinner



My new plan to avoid the what's-for-dinner panic is to cook at night for the following day's dinner. I'm only 2 days into it & love it already. While watching the Oscars on Sunday evening, I made pasta con tonno e spinaci (pasta with tuna & spinach) - an easy, flavorful recipe I learned to make while in Italy. With Monday's dinner ready to go, there was no dinner planning panic. Hooray!

When we got home Monday, I made a quick side of asparagus. Reheated the pasta & dinner was ready. Later that night, I made Tuesday's dinner. I've never made "real" meatloaf but since we occasionally make meatloaf-style burgers, I felt confident that I could wing it. I don't have a loaf pan so I used a cupcake pan. I meant to add a couple of tablespoons of ground flax seeds (great source of soluble fiber & omega 3 fatty acids) but forgot to include it. Next time for sure.

Mini turkey meatloaf:

1 1/2 lbs lean ground turkey
1 egg, beaten
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup shredded carrots (I used bagged shredded carrots then diced them)
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
3/4-1 cup bread crumbs
parmesan cheese (a generous palm-full)
salt & pepper
red pepper flakes (a generous pinch if you like a little heat)
1 small can tomato paste (for topping)

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together all ingredients (except for tomato paste) until combined. Fill each opening about 3/4 full with meatloaf mixture. Spread a tablespoon or so of tomato paste on top of each mini-meatloaf. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through (I used a meat thermometer to check for doneness). A quick taste test proved these are yummy. Instant portion control too. I'll simply add a side of veggies and a dinner roll tonight.

Take that, 4 o'clock! 

Friday's Five

5 things I loved this week:

1. Laughter & libations in the Bay Area - a fabulous long weekend visiting family.

2. Unplugged time with the kiddo - 4 straight hours of Monopoly, anyone? She loved that I went to jail a dozen times.

3. Delish dinner of Louisiana-style crawfish from Rockin' Crawfish in Oakland - if you like spicy, get their rockin' combo sauce. 

4. Finding a cute pair of shoes for my gargantuan feet in my hard to find size - thank you, Nordstrom Rack!

5. Uncontrollable laughing with my husband - awwww, I'm such a sap.

Have a great weekend! 

The 4 O'clock Panic

It's been said that if 4 o'clock rolls around and you are wondering what to have for dinner, you've already lost the battle. That just about sums up most weeknights for me! I can usually figure something out, pick up the kiddo from school, make the hour-long commute home, pop into the grocery store if need be, then frantically prep and cook. Sure, this gets dinner on the table... but this way of doing things unnecessarily adds to my stress level. Why do I do this to myself? Plan, woman!

Meal planning is going to be an essential part of my Back to Better commitment. So I'll have to start making menu plans and shop accordingly. Now back to dinner tonight - what can I make with ingredients that I already have at home?

Update: We had boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin & lightly breaded with panko breadcrumbs. Sauteed in a wee amount of olive oil until cooked through. Plus pan-roasted asparagus & red onions. Dessert: strawberries & mango. Tasty, quick, & easy!

And Called It Macaroni

I splurged on a little me time by getting feather hair extensions. Yup, feathers. As in tweet tweet. 10 minutes in the salon & it was done. They can easily be hidden or fully exposed to reveal all their feathery coolness. 

An uberstylish young friend led the way. Of course, she's rockin' those feathers as an age appropriate 20-something. But one has to live a little, right? If you haven't seen these before, head over to your favorite search engine and do an image search for feather extensions.

Doing this has made me feel like I'm in a permanent state of the giggles. Definitely successful me time. Love it!

Back to Better

As I make the climb to the big 4-0, I'm determined to get back to better. "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." Mark Twain's words couldn't be more true. I don't want to complain anymore. I don't want to claim that I'll try. I just want to do.

I wrote in my first blog entry that pretty paper can instantly lift my mood. I don't know about pretty, but this journal's happy organs sure are cute! Come on, kidneys playing badminton? Gotta love it.

By committing to eat healthier, move more, and take time for myself, soon my own organs will be just as happy as these little guys. The first entry in my "back to better" journal reads:

I am in good health.
I am at a healthy weight.
My blood pressure is at a normal level.
I have great energy.
I am rested and get enough sleep.
I enjoy exercise and being active.
I take time for myself.
I am living a long, healthy, happy life filled with love and peace.

Stay tuned for updates...

Ciao, ragazzi!



A sampling of hoarded letters from the Italians

My grandma used to tell me about her decades-long "pen friendship" with a woman from a land far, far away. It fascinated me that she considered this woman a friend even though they had never met.



In college, I saw a flyer for a penpal service and decided to give it a whirl. Soon my mailbox was bursting with a jumble of letters from around the world. What a wonderful time I had peeking into daily life in England, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Egypt, & the West Indies. Most of these penpals fell to the wayside after a year or so. But not those Italians! I had a real connection with both of my Italian penpals.

Through only ink & paper for years, we revealed much about our lives to each other. I found that writing to someone half a world away allowed me to open up more than I might have in person. Almost 20 years later, I call them "sister" and "brother". I've been in one friend's wedding, visited Italy twice, & hosted visits by "the Italians" (as my family affectionately calls them). I'm delighted that our children get along like best buddies - language barrier be damned! This summer, we'll share a new experience together - vacationing in Hawaii.

Investing a book of stamps & a little of my time has allowed me to reap the rewards of these two very special friendships. To my grandma who inspired me to reach out to strangers across the sea... grazie mille!

Valentine's Day Lollipop Photo Cards

On Valentine’s Day, my daughter will be… wait for it… handing out lollipop photo cards. Ha! See what I did there? Anyone, anyone? Is this thing on? Oooooweeee, sometimes I crack myself up. I stumbled across an unbelievably cute Valentine's Day card how-to while perusing blogland last year. Thanks to a creative mom (click here) for this clever idea.

Photo taken with my phone turns into...

this utterly cute 3-D effect lollipop photo card!

We headed out the door this morning with the kiddo in yet another non-Valentine-y outfit. I grabbed a red trench coat, she added her dimply smile, & I snapped a picture with my phone. A quick upload to CVS' one hour service and I had a set of photos by lunchtime. 

No photo editing needed. Just take photo with child's arm outstretched toward the camera. To make these cards sturdier, we will tape the photos onto heavy paper. That way, the kid can write a Valentine's Day message on the back. Then simply cut two small slits at the top and bottom of the fist, in goes the lollipop, and you're done.

Easy peasy Valentine's Day cuteness!

Staying Connected

When the kiddo was in pre-school, I began including daily notes with her lunch. Not only did this serve as a reminder that I was thinking about her, it also provided an opportunity to strengthen her reading skills.

Fast forward to 3rd grade. I continue to pack lunch notes a few times each week. I've told her that on days when she doesn't find a note, I've blown kisses into her lunchbox. Sappy, but it works for us. On lunch note days, one of the first things she says when I pick her up is, "I liked the note today!"

I want the extra special people in my life to know that they are always on my mind. So I also keep in touch daily with my...

Hubs: texting little love darts a few times a day,

Baby Bro: snarky random emails to make each other laugh,

BFF: hilarious no-holds barred online chats or phone calls,

Parentals: nightly phone calls that give me & the kiddo a chance to recount the day's adventures with them.

A few minutes each day is all it takes to keep us feeling connected. After moving from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles 5 years ago, I initially felt quite isolated. I was angry at the heat, angry at the traffic, and angry at my homesickness. Developing these daily check-ins kept me going through that rough patch. What's better than sharing a daily dose of laughter & good wishes with your family and friends?

Bright, Sunshiny Days

I love people who exude lightness and joy. Thank goodness for these bright, sunshiny people who make being happy seem so effortless. They don't allow others' negativity to stick to them and weigh them down. Why shouldn't it be that way for everyone? The world has too many crazy-makers and drama-lovers. While I may not be one of those lucky sunshine people (can you tell I lived in Berkeley for awhile?), I strive to become more like them and I am lucky to have many people in my life who are this way.

Besides bright, sunshiny people, what things instantly lift your mood? Here's my first-5-things-that-come-to-mind list:
1) meyer lemons from my in-laws' tree
2) a brisk walk in not-too-warm weather
3) ice cold water
4) pretty paper
5) happy music

After visiting my in-laws yesterday, I have pounds & pounds of freshly-picked lemony goodness waiting to be transformed into minty lemonade & mini lemon-ricotta cakes. Last night they brightened up our guacamole and marinade. Bonus: they look so pretty in a big white bowl on my kitchen counter!