A Year in Review

Looking back on 2011 brings lots of smiles to my face.  It was a year filled with growing, surprises, changes and love.  Here is my year in review...

 January...

We rang in the new year with friends Mad Men style.

I spent lots of nights with the girls.

February...

I won my work Super Bowl pool! $800 in my pocket:) 

My mom won teacher of the year! 

My sisters BF went to Afghanistan for his first deployment with the Marines {he arrived home safely in September}.  

I threw an Oscar party for my favorite night of the year. 

March...

I started running more, a lot more.

Celebrated Mardis Gras in Hollywood with our best friends.

Learned that my best friend/SIL and her husband were planning on moving back to GA later that Spring.

Kanye West visited my office.

Went to my first work party in Hollywood.

April...

My BIL came to visit us for a week.

Foster the People entered my life and it hasn't been the same since!

We threw an insane Easter party...random I know.

Traveled to Atlanta for my childhood best friends wedding!

Wills and Kate tied the knot!

May...

Booked our trip to Cabo

June...

I made no sew curtains for our bedroom

I put together by top 32 by 32 list

We could finally talk about C&D expecting their baby boy!

July...

My parents came to visit

Celebrated my bday in Coronado/San Diego

Carmageddon happened

My college bestie came to visit

I enrolled in a month of Bar Method classes

August...
We bought a new car
Bar Method and The Help took over my life
We went to Cabo

September...
My BF starred in a new movie, Drive
Booked a trip to SF for Marco's bday
College Football season started
 Ross came back home from Afghanistan
Marco and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary

October...
Participated in my first Blogger Meet-Up!
The Ocean Black went on Kickstarter
Spent lots of Saturday's at C&D's for college games

November...
Marco's parents came to visit
Marco turned 30!
Celebrated in San Francisco
LA Family Thanksgiving
Broncos/Chargers game in SD

December...
Kanye West & Jay-Z concert
Baby Decker arrived on 12/15
Trip to Atlanta for Christmas

Cheers to a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Source: typeverything.com via Julie on Pinterest

A Late San Francisco Treat Part II

Our second day in SF was our only full day so we had to make the most of it!  We walked EVERYWHERE…7 miles total.  Good thing for Tom’s!

We woke up early and headed to Starbucks for a quick bite and then off to Union Square.  It was cool, but I wasn’t in the mood for shopping as stores we have at home.  We did a quick run through and then headed back to Chinatown.  I was on the hunt for some goodies and was successfulJ  We opted to have a nice lunch in Chinatown. It was delish! 

We had to get our own Gizmo

Entering Chinatown

Banksy in Chinatown!

After our over indulgent lunch we headed to Lombard Street.  You have to see it!  It was filled with tourist and was awesome. Flowers we in bloom and it was sunny.  Couldn’t have asked for a better photo opt.

After Lombard Street we decided to head back to the Marina district and walk around the shops.  It was wonderful to enjoy the city and feel like a local.  We saw two adorable Bulldogs outside of a bar, so now we are on a Bulldog kick for a potential dog.  After the shops we started walking home.  It was only about 1.5 miles, but with the hills it took us 45 minutes to get to the hotel.  Needless to say my feet hurt and a shower was in order along with room service.  We spent the rest of the evening watching football and enjoying the view. 

They are so cute!

Sunday we were wiped out and starving.  We headed to Mama’s on Washington for brunch.  We waited outside, in the rain for an hour.  We had to and I am glad we did because it was that good! 

By the time we were done with brunch it was time to check out and head to the airportL  Overall it was a wonderful trip and we can’t wait to go back again.  If you are ever in SF please let me know and I will send you the guide my work friends made for us.

IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I have always LOVED this picture.  

I hope your Christmas morning is as exciting as Virginia's!

God Bless:)

Christmas Eve

{Photo Credit}

Merry Christmas Eve Friends!
I hope you are having a wonderful evening filled with lots of joy and laughter. 

Tonight we will be celebrating with my parents & sisters at my in-laws.

Everyone I cherish together...I could not be more blessed.  

A Tropical Christmas

Sometimes I think it would be fun to spend Christmas in the islands where snow and cold are replaced by sun and sand.  

I would love to rent a huge house, spend the day lounging in bathing suits, sipping margaritas, creating new and different holiday memories.  

Until this dream can come true these pictures will have to do...

Source: google.com via Tina on Pinterest

{Photo Credit}

{Photo Credit}

Source: completely-coastal.com via Shara on Pinterest

Source: fancyhouseroad.com via Ty on Pinterest

Home Sweet Home

Source: catstudio.com via Gale on Pinterest

The holidays can start now!

This week is going to be a whirlwind filled with lots of family gatherings, food, wine, laughs and political debates {M loves ruffling a few feathers with his parents}!

The itinerary has been sent.  

Everyone is on board.  

Let the festivities begin!

A Late San Francisco Treat

I am an idiot.  I completely forgot to recap my San Francisco trip we took over a month ago.  I would blame it on pregnancy brain, but I am not pregnant so that won’t work.

November 18 we headed up to San Francisco for Marco’s 30^th Birthday celebration.  I had never been and M had only been once.  This trip was perfect.  I fell in love with SF and can’t wait to go back again.

Friday morning we woke up early and headed to LAX.  We flew Virgin and it was awesome.  I wish they flew to AtlantaL Our hotel was in Nob Hill which was the perfect location.  Before we left a work friend of mine gave us the run down of must dos while we were there from a locals perspective.  It was so nice to have this cheat sheet to get the true feel for the city.  

Starting the flight off right!

Pretty much the best text ever!

Our room wasn’t ready when we arrived so we left our bags and started walking.  It was sprinkling, of course, but I loved it.  In LA it rarely rains, so I embraced it.  We headed to the Warft through Chinatown.  The first todo on the agenda was Clam Chowder.  We headed to Boudin and it was delish!  At lunch we go the call our room was ready so we slowly made our way back to the hotel.  Our room was amazing!  We had a view of the Financial District and the water.  Perfection!

Golden Gate Bridge during the rain

Hills!

Alcatraz after the rain

View from our hotel room

Another view

Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread bowl-yes please!

Later that night we took a car to the Marina district to the Tipsy Pig.  The food was wonderful and the atmosphere reminded me of an Abercrombie catalog.

If you go here you must try the Chicken Pot Pie!

I wish M was smiling:(

The first day was a total success.  Day two and three coming up next!

Falling in Love

There is nothing like visiting your favorite people and welcoming their new son into the world.  

Congratulations!  You two made one cute kid!

The Most Perfect Day to be a Friend

Today is the most perfect day for me to be a friend to these two women.  

They are both going through major life changes at this very moment and I couldn't be happier.

Congratulations Allie and Brock (her hubby) on becoming homeowners!  I can't wait to see your beautiful castle next week with my very own room;)  I know you both have so many wonderful ideas due to the many hours your have spent watching HGTV.  Your home will be the talk of the neighborhood because it will be styled to perfection.

Corey, Devin & Decker, I love you all to pieces.  I pray your labor is as smooth as possible.  Tonight after work you know I will be there with a bottle of champagne to celebrate.  I can't wait to spend time with your little man.  You are totally going to make me want to have babies;) {just kidding}

What I'm Loving

I'm LOVING a week from today I will be boarding a flight to Atlanta for a week!  There is something about this year where I am super excited to go home.

I'm LOVING Marco and I splurged on Kanye & Jay-Z tickets.  The show was unreal.  Best concert either one of us had ever seen.  The energy in the room was insane.  Rumor has it they will be collaborating again this spring on a Watch the Throne part 2 album.  Please, pretty please:)

I'm LOVING my boss is in Hong Kong this week.  It gives me some time to get ready for the new year, plan travel and take a little me time before the holidays.

I'm LOVING that I have lost 10 pounds since July.  Monday I went to the doctor for a routine physical.  This pretty much made my week!

I'm LOVING our holiday party is this weekend.  My company goes ALL OUT.  This year we will have the best food trucks in LA, the In & Out truck, games for the kids, employee giveaways and they are raffling off a 2011 Toyota Prius.  You have no idea how much I want to win that.  It is my dream car.  I would only have to fill up once a month!

I'm LOVING I am getting my hair highlighted this weekend.  The skank roots are starting to show a little too much.

I'm LOVING my husband!  I am a totally worrier and stress about the small stuff.  He completely balances me out.  Without him life would be one big ball of stress for me.