June 29th

We signed our house contracts today! We handed over our down payment and could be closing by the end of July!!

June 28th

T and I had some friends visiting Saturda night, so we went out on the town! We had a lot of fun and were pretty hung over today. We treated ourselves to en early dinner at our favorite Chinese Buffet. Nothing feeds a hangover like greasy Chinese food.

June 27th

We woke up to a beautiful day after the ferocious storms. Until we saw this. Somebody ran off the road and then overcorrected into our poor car during the night. The debris field was spread over three parking places and the only clues left behind was the Dodge Ram insignia and a piece of his headlight with some serial numbers. Today is also the anniversary of the day we found out that our wedding venue had us written in for the wrong day. June 27th=negative.

June 26th

This photo doesn't show the power of the storm that hit us on Friday. There were downed trees, power lines, and flooding in our region. Some areas had hail. It was a really fun drive home from work!

June 25th

I was shocked to hear that Michael Jackson has died. I remember him, before the legal issues and a child named Blanket. I remember his moonwalking and falling asleep every night listening to Bad, with my Walkman headphones tucked snugly over my ears. I listened obsessivly to We Are The World, and still have the record with it's worn liner notes. Michael Jackson provided the soundtrack to my childhood and pre teen years. I believe he was a troubled soul and I wish him peace. I also thank him for his amazing body of work.

June 24th

So this picture is from Father's Day, but I didn't want to upstage my father with our defrosted wedding cake! We're just about to celebrate our first anniversary and had frozen the top layer of the cake to save for this big day. The cake was in CA and since we were visiting, we thought it would be okay to dig in a month early. Unfortunately, the cake didn't freeze well and after a few bites for the sake of tradition, we threw it away. We're looking forward to a fresh cake on July 11th!

June 23rd

Back in NY and back to the grind. I had a package waiting for me when I got home, a t-shirt from the 5k I ran a week and a half ago. They ran out of shirts on the day of so they claimed it would arrive in the mail. I had my doubts, but they proved me wrong!

June 22nd

Happy 41st anniversary to my Mom and Dad! This picture was taken on Sunday, so it sort of breaks the rules, but 41 years is very deserving! Thanks to my parents wonderful example of marriage, T and I have a solid foundation as we start our lives together. Mom and Dad have had big ups and big downs through the years. Together they've enjoyed birthday parties, graduations, and weddings. They have faced job loss, family rifts, and the loss of loved ones. They have built an life full of love and taught me about loyalty and true partnership. I continue to be inspired by their love story. Congratulations on 41 years and many more to come!

June 21st

Happy Fathers Day to my dad! I was thrilled to be able to spend this day with him. We took him to the jazz brunch at Scott's in Walnut Creek and ate our weight in food at their delicious buffet. My dad is my friend and lifelong cheerleader and I'm blessed and lucky to have him as a role model. He is a man who loves his family more than anything and he has always done his very best for us. I am a lucky girl!

June 20th

T and I attended The Night of Wine and 65 Roses event in Petaluma, hosted by my amazing friend A and her equally amazing mother. It was the third annual benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. A did a ton of work to make this event come to life and raised over $50k! It was truly inspiring to see, as is A herself. I also had to show off their signature drink, the 65 Roses Martini made with rose infused vodka and garnished with a rose petal. We can't wait to go back next year and raise more money for this important cause.

June 19th

My cousin K invited us to a showcase at a studio where she has been taking classes for the last 6 months. We weren't sure what to expect and headed into SF for the evening. We were completely blown away by these women and the aerial arts that they performed. It was part Cirque du Soleil and part Burlesque, with the women climbing, balancing, and flying from scarves suspended from the ceiling of the SF loft space. Check out their website for more info about shows and how to learn to fly!

June 18th

The beauty of being on vacation in CA, with retired parents and aunts and uncles, and assorted teachers in the family, is spending a 90 degree Thursday, grilling and swimming! We had an amazing day in the sun with the wonderful H family, feasting on portabello mushroom burgers and home made potato salad, topped with eclairs and a dip in the hot tub. It was a perfect day and we all slept like babies that night!

June 17

Our flight left at 7am ET, I popped 2 Tylenol PM's at 7:02 and I woke up over the valley in CA about 9:30 PT. I am such a huge waste of the window seat...but the flight went by really fast!
20 minutes after we arrived at home, my gorgeous nephew was directing the block building activities. We ended up with several fabulous gothic block towers! T is convinced that S is going to be an architect!

June 16th

T and I are packed and ready to leave for California! Since Virgin Airways is now charging you to check bags, we decided to one up the system, pack light and carry on. It doesn't hurt that the weather is supposed to be beautiful and summer clothes take up much less room that winter clothes!

June 15th

We received this gorgeous wedding invitation in the mail today. It smelled like spices and was made of the softest paper. The groom is a dear friend of ours, but with the house closing and the wedding in Chicago, I don't know if we'll be able to swing the trip. We'll see!

June 14th

I used our ice cream maker for the first time! We received it as a wedding shower gift and I finally attempted it and made this delicious strawberry ice cream which is hanging out in our freezer getting nice and frosty. Delicious!

June 13th

T is working this weekend so he left me this note on the coffee maker, wishing me luck in the run. He's the best!

June 12th

In honor of the 5k tomorrow (eek!) I updated my IPOD with an early 90's mix...a little Britney, a little Eminem, and a lot of cheesy techno. hope it helps my time!

June 11th

I had a not so great run tonight. Usually I bring my favorite old sweatshirt to the gym so I can cover up the treadmill screen and just zone out, but tonight I actually had to wear it home. We've been inundated with rain and cool weather the last few days. Race day is supposed to be 60 and sunny!

June 10th

Continuing the healthy eating project, behold my huge, delicious salad. I love chickpeas and need as much protein as I can get because I don't eat meat. I'm loving these tortilla strips that I found last week. They're a great substitute for croutons. Check the produce section for them!

June 9th

T and I went to the library tonight and these are two books that I've been wanting to read. I've been putting off going because I had a fine of $1.30 and no cash to pay it! I rifled through the old piggy banks for 13 dimes. This is what happens when you're buying a house.

June 8th

So, I had a great run tonight, 3 miles without breaking a ridiculous sweat! My time wasn't the best but I'm working on that and feeling very confident about the 5k I am running next Saturday. http://www.mhrrc.org/MHRRCuploads/raceFlyers/2009BFRRFlyer.pdf

June 7th

Since we always come home to some disaster in this awful apartment, I wasn't surprised to see this little friend trapped in between our windows. We can't figure out how to get him out and thus, can't figure out how he got in. Yet another unsolved mystery. Where is Robert Stack when you need him?

June 6th

My brother in law turned 30 and graduated with his masters degree in the month of June! So we celebrated with a wonderfully catered BBQ meal and delicious cake. And as tradition would have, a game of beirut broke out. This is the only picture I took because I forgot to charge my battery. Oops...My brother in law, also A, is the one in the crazy shirt! Oh and by the way, T and I went undefeated again. We haven't lost a beirut game since 2003.

June 5th

And...back to Boston! The Starbucks cup is mine. T drinks the gas station variety of coffee!

June 4th

Since we're totally consumed by this home purchase, this is the view from the living room to the hallway leading to the bedrooms. The front door is to the right and my realtor is trying to get out of the frame!

June 3rd

Holy crap...our offer was accepted! We have our inspection tomorrow afternoon and assuming everything looks good, T & A will be homeowners!!!

June 2nd

I saw this house on Saturday, and took T to see it tonight. He loved the house and we agreed that it was perfect for us. We grabbed a bite to eat on the way home and talked about what our offer would be! This is scary and exciting!

June 1st

I am breaking the rules, once again, by posting a photo that I didn't take. I almost cried at my desk while reading about this horrific tragedy. What terrible news to wake up to. My heart breaks for the families and friends of the 228 lives that were cut short. May they rest in peace and may their loved ones find a way to heal.

May 31st

New Reefs! There is no better way to start off the summer.

May 30th

We looked at 6 condos and 1 house today. This is T looking around the basement..I was looking out the sliding glass door at the lake view! We have a contender.

May 29th

Dinner tonight: Falafel burger with Tahini mayo and grilled zucchini. T is very willing to try my vegetarian concoctions!

May 28th

T gets up for work at 4:45 am every day so he has to have his morning items lined up and ready to go! From the left: juice glass, coffee mug, protein shake glass, and cereal bowl. If they're not set out, he gets very discombobulated!

PS: Happy Birthday Missy!!

May 27th

I wasn't feeling well at work today, so T cooked one of his delicious omelettes for dinner and had it piping hot when I walked in the door. He's so sweet!