Weekend Getaway

We are house/dog sitting for our friends this weekend in Manhattan Beach.  Nick and Brooke have a cute little backhouse with an enclosed yard. Brooke has taken a page right out of Pottery Barn for all her decor and it's beyond cute.

I'm not the world's biggest dog fan, but Oscar is pretty impossible not to love. He's freaking adorable.

Excellent at posing :P

Even though we aren't far from home...it's always nice to have a little mini getaway. It's great to change it up a bit...see some different sights...try some new restaurants...walk on a different beach.

As much as I just love the neighborhood and apartment in which we live, I can't deny that it's preeeeeeetty awesome to have a yard and a porch.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend :)

A Christmas Tale (In 3 Parts) Part III

Look at me...rolling right along ;) Also...I apparently took NO pictures in Chicago. Sorry Pres!! I was sick!!

Saturday Dec 29

Luckily, we beat the incoming snow storm and got to the airport in DC before the flurries even rolled in!!

As soon as our plane touched down in Chi-town (can I call it that? I'm not really a local. Does anyone call it that? Did I make this up?),  a migraine-like headache touched down in my brain. Owie. I used to get legit migraines when I was younger (thankfully seem to have mostly grown out of that) and I'm not sure this was one...but I was in a lot of pain.

I spent my first 4 hours or so in Illinois laying in Preston's old bed...not sleeping...not doing anything. Just laying silently. Preston's parents are so amazing and sweet and everyone checked on me multiple times. I eventually had to tell Preston to leave because I KNEW he was just itching to see his BFF (and my only competition? Kidding!!) Timmy.

I felt terrible that now that it was Preston's 'turn'...I was incapacitated :-/

I managed to get myself up and moving enough to go over to Timmy's with Preston and hang out with Tim and his fiance Lindsey. Lindsey and Timmy had visited us in LA a few months prior, so it was comfortable just to do very little with them.  Eventually a few other friends came over and we played a game, that I actually ended up being quitttteee good at ;) (Don't end sentences in prepositions screams my 6th grade English teacher and my grandmother!!)

Sunday Dec 30

Some of Preston's family came down from Wisconsin to do a Christmas lunch with us. It was nice to meet Preston's father's sister (still with me?) and her family. It was a nice lunch and good conversation.

Afterwards, we headed to the local bar (have I mentioned what a smallll town Barrington, IL is? Crazy) and I got a taste of what it is to be a BEARS fan. Fun!!

DA Bears!!

We ended the night with Preston's high school friends...listening to music, cooking dinner and lounging around. It's too cold outside in Chicago for much else...I gotta tell ya. Just going to the grocery store was like climbing Everest. I mean, we had to go out into those elements!!

Monday Dec 31

NYE is upon us!! Ugh. I detest this holiday. It's worse than even Valentine's Day. I know, I know...I should be positive about it, but bleh. What a disappointment these kind of things always are. I try to do as little as possible so that I never really experience the let down. This NYE was actually pretty fun, with the exception of the cold that I could feel creeping up on me.

That's right...a cold!! As if the migraine wasn't enough sick time for the Chicago portion of our trip...now I was getting a cold. I kept mum about it all day.  I NEVER get sick in California. Like, ever. It's awesome. I don't know if it's the weather or what. I also use one of the most magical inventions ever invented---the neti pot. I use this awesome thing every. single. day. I have for years. Nothing has ever done more for my allergies or sinus infections or whatever. That and cutting out most dairy (usually, OBVIOUSLY not over Christmas) has helped me tremendously. Unfortunately my neti pot is ceramic and was not brought on this trip. I blame the cold on this fact.  But, I digress...

We drove down into the city for the afternoon. We took Preston's sister Kate out for McDonald's (her favorite!!) and then met up with some of his friends for our own lunch. We had delicious BBQ. It was seriously way way way way WAY too cold to do anything else. I could hardly speak while we were walking outside. I'm not meant for that climate!! Or that parking!! Good-ness!! It took forever to find parking. I couldn't do it. I consider myself a good driver, but I detest parking. I hate doing it. I hate looking for it.There were even trick spots...where it LOOKED like a spot but once you were parked...there was a sneaky little sign "NO Parking. Ever. For NO reason. You'll get a ticket" Ridic. I'm not even bad at parallel parking, I just don't like it. I don't even like pull in parking. I just like to keep it movin ;)


My only request for NYE was that I get to wear comfortable shoes. Preston convinced (read: forced) Tim to throw a party at his place. It was awesomely low key and had delicious meatballs. What more could a party ask for? My cold and I agreed to be the DD, so things didn't get too crazy, but it was a fun night :D

Old Friends

The Guys

The Gals

Tuesday Jan 1

Weird!! 2013!! We made it!! This is the year I get married!! Crazy!!

Preston and I spent the day on the couch at his friend Alison's house. It was great to be low key. I'm kind of thinking Chicago and the surrounding areas just IS low key. Honestly, I'm telling ya...it's b/c it's too cold for anything else!! Also, they watch aaaaa loottttt of football. Like, a lot. :P

Preston's good friend Gavin came up from the city on Tuesday night and we watched "My Idiot Brother" and "Ted". Both were better than I expected.

Wednesday Jan 2

Back to LA we go. Our experience with the airline this time was pretty much the opposite of the start of our trip. They exchanged (without explanation) our awesome seats (2 together-- window and aisle!!) for crappy ones and I had to sit in a middle seat. Grr. What's the point of having Gold Status?? I tell you---apparently, there is ZERO point, b/c the people in the standby line get your great seats and the gate agent will be mean to you. I'm not huge on angry, complaining emails to customer service departments, but I  wrote one as the plane was taking off :P Maybe I'll get some more miles and finally make it to platinum so I'll feel extra dissed next time ;)

A Christmas Tale (In 3 parts) Part II

I figured I'd break this up to avoid sore eyes...and to maintain suspense. I'm sure all 2 of my readers are like...WHAT HAPPENED AFTER CHRISTMAS EVE?!?!

Well, I'm here to assuage that pain. Yes, that's right...assuage. :P

Tuesday Dec 25

Christmas Day melted the snow. Yay. :) Everyone thinks they want a white Christmas...and I mostly blame this on Bing Crosby (ps. LOVE that movie)...but in truth, it's a pain in the a. A "White Christmas" means you are trapped and you don't get to see half your family and you kind of just sit around like it's a Wednesday or something and you have off work. Lame.

Luckily for us, Christmas Day was warm enough to melt the snow...beautiful as it was...and allow us to venture out into the world again!! Horray!!

As per tradition, my dad came up for Christmas morning. It's nice that despite my parents divorce...that this is something that we've continued to do as a family. This year, my dad brought his new girlfriend.  Kind of weird, but whatever I guess. I got lots of lovely gifts.

Dad's puppy Teddy

Presents!!

Nap time.

From there we headed to my mom's sister's house and then my dad's brother's house. It was a nice day and I received so many great presents and got to spend some time with the people I love. Christmas=success.

Cuddlin :P

My momma and Aunt Toni

Zak :)

Haha quintessential Susan (Ps. Look at my hot nana!!)

Wed Dec 26

Snowed in. AGAIN!! I was (again) frustrated...being home for a short time...there were many people to see/things to do, but, in truth, the snow was nice. And I can't even remember the last time I had a snow day. Unfortunately, my brother was back to work, but Preston made a fire for my mom and I and we all watched a movie. It was an easy, nice day with good food and relaxation.

In the afternoon, Preston shoveled the drive way and I 'helped'. I've had a pinched nerve in my neck, so I'm kind of useless for shoveling, but I did a great job of supervising :P Mark arrived home just as Preston was finishing up and I suggested to him that we shovel our neighbor's driveway, since they help out my mom a lot.

Well, Preston was NONE too pleased!! Haha!! Just when he thought he was done...he had another to do.

One of my dearest friends Sandra stopped by with her family. It was just so great to see them all and they give the best hugs!!

We rewarded ourselves for the earlier work of shoveling (ok, ok...I kind of just stood there) with dinner at our favorite diner...Barbara Fritchie...AMAZING club sandwiches. Then we went to see the movie "The Hobbit". It was great and good to be back in Middle Earth (have I mentioned I'm a pretty big nerd? Might as well get that out there now).

Thurs Dec 27

My brother took the day off on Thursday to spend more time with us. Preston, as it turns out, had never seen Lord of the Rings, so a pretty long marathon ensued over the next few days.

We met my friend Naomi for lunch at another Frederick food favorite.  It was great to see her and enjoy some yummy fajitas.

I spent Thursday afternoon cooking chili for a dinner I was hosting on Friday.  Thursday night was spent again with some of my besties....Trisha and Matt. We took a second trip to Roys...had to get all my faves on the menu while I could!! I'm still not sure Preston was overly impressed (seriously?! Should I rethink this??)...but he did get some holster fries.

How's that holster, Cowboy?

If you can't tell...we ate a lot over break :P

Fri Dec 28

On Friday, we got to go see the venue where we are getting married!! It's an old farm and farm house in Walkersville, MD. The house was actually the residence of the founder of Walkersville

Walker's Overlook

We spent the afternoon at the house of one of my oldest friends and played with her adorable baby Ada :) Stupidly, I took NO pics!! 

After lots more eating...my fave pizza for lunch and a chili dinner with my mom's side of the family... we packed up our bags, watched the final movie of Lord of the Rings and tucked in to get up early and beat a(nother) snow storm to the airport.

Chicago...here we come!!

A Christmas Tale (In 3 parts) Part I

 The entire point of this blog is for me to get in the habit of updating it. I want to do some extensive traveling after we get married....and this is the best forum to stay in touch with a lot of people.

So far, it's not looking so good for staying in touch ;) I"ll try to be better...I swear!! It's just a daily habit I need to adopt.

So, our Christmas trip home... 



Friday Dec 21

Trip to MD started off a little frenzied since the Super Shuttle showed up 20 minutes earlier than scheduled. On the way to the airport, the driver narrowly missed a dog that had somehow made it across 6  southbound lanes on the 405 freeway to the middle :-/ I like to think that he made it safely across the other 6 northbound lanes to his destination. But, we swerved pretty hard and it was upsetting. AND...after bragging to Preston that I had the two most important things I needed...my ID and my b.c. pills...I realized in the shuttle (right around the time of the dog), that I had, in fact, not brought the 2nd month pill pack. Fail.

Luckily, by the time we arrived at the airport and had a beer in the bar...I had arranged for my prescription to be transferred to MD and the dog was happily home in front of a fire place napping. And THEN!! As we were boarding the plane...the agent says, "oh. I'm sorry, we had to move your seats to keep a family together. I hope that's ok" and I said, "Of course. Are we still together?" and Preston said, "More importantly, are we in First Class?" and the man said "Yes!!" Awesome!!

We had been at the airport trying to think of how we wouldn't starve to death on a 5.5hr flight that landed at 1030pm...and now we were presented with...champagne for take off, wine to follow, a shrimp linguine starter salad, a green fields salad, pasta in sauce and stuffed chicken breast with a fresh assortment of rolls, more wine!!, followed by an ice cream SUNDAE and fresh cookies and coffee. For real. Add comfy seats  and the service dog lounging in the aisle next to me...and I have to say...what can I do in life to make sure I ALWAYS fly first class??

How we do.

Sat Dec 22

Went to our catering tasting!! It was just my parents, Preston and I. Was a nice time. And the girl who is working with us is so sweet. She knows that Preston loves ice cream and had a little treat for us at the end of the tasting. I wasn't blown away by the food...but I was blown away by the service. :)

We spent the rest of the day with my family and then went out in downtown Frederick with my brother (Mark) and friends: Julie and Jimmy.  Julie has a cute new apartment in town and I just loved it. Frederick has such an old and charming look...I think it took Preston by surprise.  We went out for my favorite beer (kolsch) at Brewer's Alley. Other friends joined us throughout the night and we had a great time.

We ended the evening at my best friend Trisha's house...just relaxing and laughing together.

Julie, Mark and the girl with weird eyes

Trishie :)

 

















Sun Dec 23

It was the warmest day forecast for our time in MD, so my brother and I took Preston to one of our favorite spots in Frederick. Gambrill State Park is just a few miles further up the mountain from my mom's house and has tons of great hiking trails and beautiful views down both sides of the mountain.  Now that I live in California, calling the mountains in MD 'mountains' seems a bit of a stretch, but...hey, it's all relative!!

It was a great hike and (I think) got Preston a bit more excited about the area...and reminded me that I am REALLY not in shape. We checked out the 2 overlooks on the Frederick side and my favorite overlook on the Middletown side. It was so refreshing and wonderful to feel back at home.

Good citizens...clearing a fallen tree from the trail. They failed.

North Frederick Overlook

Pres hanging with the locals

We headed back to the house and met up with my cousin Amanda to head to DC for our annual shopping trip and dinner at CPK. Amanda and I have been doing this trip for years and years. We used to actually shop (cue memories of lugging a robe that, I swear, weighed 50lbs around the mall for an entire night. Word to the wise? Buy heavy items LAST), but since I've moved to California...we really just use it as an excuse to eat copious amounts of BBQ Chicken Salad and pizza.

Sleepy after hikin

We used the jaunt to DC as an excuse to stop by my Aunt and Uncle's new house. It was great to see them and they even joined us for dinner. Yay!! The more the merrier!! Per tradition, we ended the night with a fire that would not light...and "Love Actually". Ah, Christmastime.

Mon Dec 24

CHRISTMAS EVE!! It came so fast!! I'm all about routine and tradition (can ya tell??), so to continue in the vein...we met my dad for our annual Christmas Eve breakfast at IHOP. IHOP is gross. My dad LOVES it there. So weird. Especially with his mr workout man diet.

IHOP

  Next tradition? Making cookies with my cousins!! Jack is getting a little too old and cool to hang out with his cousin baking cookies...so it was just Maddie and I this year. My grandmother stopped by to help. We made our old standbys of sugar cookies (which Mad decorated...she's so creative), oatmeal raisin (my dad's fave) and peanut butter blossoms (Mmm!! MY fave). 

Cookie Bakin

My mom used to work in a wedding boutique...so she has a lot of off the rack wedding dresses. I tried on a few...which was sort of fun, but nothing that I liked. I was very surprised that they all really liked the one I felt naked in!! Scandalous!! There was one awkward moment where Preston loudly pondered (in front of my mother, grandmother and 14 year old cousin) when it was appropriate or not to wear an all white dress. haha!!

Naked.

I know, I know...Preston isn't supposed to see the dress, but trust me. This is not it.

Back on the tradition train...we took Preston to Roy Rogers for lunch.

Roy Rogers. This needs its own paragraph. Now, I don't eat a lot of fast food. It disgusts me...most of the time. I mean, everyone needs an occasional (and I'm talking MAYBE once a year) big mac or mcnugget, but Roy Rogers? Roy Rogers is in a class of its own!! Awesome burgers!! A Fixin's bar!! The best cherry coke in Frederick!! Gold Rush Chicken!! ROAST BEEF!! Mmmmm. It's one of my favorite places...since I was little girl. My parents took me there. My grandfather took me there. I went on DATES there. It's just, awesome. Unfortunately, I don't think Mr. Villers was all that impressed :-/ Maybe I should give this engagement/marriage thing a second look?

I kid, I kid.

Well, while we were at Roy Rogers...snow flakes started falling from the sky. First thought? "Oh, preeettty".  Those snowflakes began to furiously increase with size. Then those snowflakes started really coming down!! Before we knew it...the roads were blanketed. We got my grandmother safely back to her place and headed home. It was really snowing!! Completely uncalled for snow!! It was really really pretty...but had plans!! LOTS of plans!!

Beautiful, but bothersome

My mom lives in a neighborhood on the mountain...and our house sits down in a sort of valley...that you can only get out of by going up one steep hill...or going up another steep hill...both followed by downward (slides?) sloping steep hills. Blasts!! I am not a snow driver. This is 70% of the reason I had to move to California (kidding :P)...I'm immobilized by snow. Thankfully, my brother took mercy on us and offered to drive us the 30 mins to my Aunt's house in his all wheel drive car.

Well, we didn't make it :( It was a gallant effort. The problem was not really my brother or his car. In fact, he does FANTASTIC driving in snow. (I guess I missed that life lesson growing up? I was drinking hot chocolate and sledding while Mark was out doing donuts in parking lots?). The problem was all the other people, who like me, can NOT drive in the snow!! Both roads leading over the mountain to my Aunt's house were completely blocked. Wrecked cars were everywhere :-/

We made it to the grocery store and back and that's about it. I was really sad to miss out on seeing my cousins and going later to my friend's house and then the candlelight church service, but on the bright side of things...it was a lovely snow. It was a very relaxed Christmas Eve...with a reprieve from all the running around. My mom had the house decorated so nice and we had a fine meal of spaghetti all together in the dining room with wine goblets and everything!! The four of us (my brother, Preston, my mom and I) took a walk in the snow around the neighborhood. This used to be one of my favorite things. Walking in our neighborhood...no matter what the season. In the snow, the sky is pink and the ground is all lit up. Some people in our neighborhood ( a sad few :( ) still do the luminera on Christmas Eve. It was magical to see all the bagged candles lining their properties.

My gorgeous mother and her fantastic decorating

Snow walk and luminera

We came home and watched the Christmas Classic "Pitch Perfect". Ok, it's not a Christmas movie at all...but was still nice to be all tucked in.

All in all, it was a great Christmas Eve :)