Today marks the 10 year anniversary of when Jake's brother, Michael, passed away due to a cancerous brain tumor. He would have been 25 next month. It is especially hard for me this year because Michael is my future brother-in-law. I wish more than anything I could have met him and seen him and Jake together. It kills me to see Jake and his parents grieve for their special Michael.
I honestly think he might have been an angel on earth. Every story I've ever heard about him surrounds Michael in innocence, bewilderment and excitement. He was a lover of all holidays, especially Christmas and Halloween. The pictures of him and Jake when they were younger are amazing. Obviously they look alike because they are brothers, but you can just tell how much Michael adored and looked up to Jake. It is the most unimaginable thing you can ever think to happen to a family unit to lose a child with such zest and curosity about life.
I know Michael is looking down on his family today and always.
Love you future brother.
xoxo
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Oh Friday!
I just love being able to veg out alone on a Friday night. Jake is at the Dodger game with his fellow USC MBAs (I went to our company's suite last night. So cool!) So I'm home alone and veggin' out. I didnt really have high hopes for tonight but was really looking forward to watching my DVR'd episode of Bethenny Getting Married! I came home from work at an actually decent hour and made myself a delciously healthy meal of baked salmon, brown rice and steamed vegetables. Poured myself a glass of cranberry juice and pressed play!
Bethenny Frankel-Hoppy is my absolute guilty pleasure and is probably my newest woman-crush at the moment. I dont know what it is about this show, but I am obsessed with a capital O! Bethenny is so freakin' hilarious and her new husband and baby bump just put me over the edge. They are so darn cute together, I cant even take it. Jake and I got engaged right around the time the show started so I have had so much fun watching her plan her wedding (with a much higher budget than mine!) and start to figure out our own process. I get sad when the show ends and I can't watch her anymore.
Last night's episode showed Bethenny going into labor. Her baby came 5 weeks early and her and Jason were nowhere near prepared. But in true Bethenny fashion, she seemed to pull it off flawlessly with her jokes about going to a bar to get drunk one last time and telling Jason he was soooooo lucky they had sex this week! She's hilarous. It made me so happy to see them so excited to be parents. I am truly just very happy for them, even though I don't know them. Ahhh! I want our experience to be as good as theirs.
Honestly, when I watch positive, happy shows like this, I think how I will be when those life moments will happen to me. I know when we get married and eventually have children, I will be the happiest, most proud wife and momma ever. I've waited my whole life to meet my husband and children and now its FINALLY getting closer! I cannot wait!
I was having my typical hating LA and traffic conversation yesterday with Jake and he kept telling me that all of our maladjustments and uncomfortable feelings about this new life are just sacrifices we have to make for our future and our new family we will create. I love when he talks about that. He is truly my best supporter (and now I'm crying). I know he is right, but its hard to wait for things you want so bad. I just want to be successful, and be a good wife/mother/friend/daughter/grandchild to all my loved ones. Anyway, I'm ranting, but at least in the meantime I can live through my guilty pleasure/stupid TV shows! Happy weekend everyone!
Bethenny Frankel-Hoppy is my absolute guilty pleasure and is probably my newest woman-crush at the moment. I dont know what it is about this show, but I am obsessed with a capital O! Bethenny is so freakin' hilarious and her new husband and baby bump just put me over the edge. They are so darn cute together, I cant even take it. Jake and I got engaged right around the time the show started so I have had so much fun watching her plan her wedding (with a much higher budget than mine!) and start to figure out our own process. I get sad when the show ends and I can't watch her anymore.
Last night's episode showed Bethenny going into labor. Her baby came 5 weeks early and her and Jason were nowhere near prepared. But in true Bethenny fashion, she seemed to pull it off flawlessly with her jokes about going to a bar to get drunk one last time and telling Jason he was soooooo lucky they had sex this week! She's hilarous. It made me so happy to see them so excited to be parents. I am truly just very happy for them, even though I don't know them. Ahhh! I want our experience to be as good as theirs.
Honestly, when I watch positive, happy shows like this, I think how I will be when those life moments will happen to me. I know when we get married and eventually have children, I will be the happiest, most proud wife and momma ever. I've waited my whole life to meet my husband and children and now its FINALLY getting closer! I cannot wait!
I was having my typical hating LA and traffic conversation yesterday with Jake and he kept telling me that all of our maladjustments and uncomfortable feelings about this new life are just sacrifices we have to make for our future and our new family we will create. I love when he talks about that. He is truly my best supporter (and now I'm crying). I know he is right, but its hard to wait for things you want so bad. I just want to be successful, and be a good wife/mother/friend/daughter/grandchild to all my loved ones. Anyway, I'm ranting, but at least in the meantime I can live through my guilty pleasure/stupid TV shows! Happy weekend everyone!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Helllllooooooooo
Hi! I've been meaning to post for days, but my new life in LA has got me really busy. Well, actually just the traffic and my work hours, but I'm adjusting!
Since I've last blogged, I had surgery on my right hand which paralyzed my typing for awhile and made for a real awkward first day of work when people wanted to shake my hand. I learned I could do much more with my left hand than I originally thought possible, and others not so well, but thank god I am fully functioning now. (I think Jake had the worst end of the deal because he single-handedly, no pun intended, moved us to LA!)
My new job is pretty intense and different. I've been working basically 7:30 to 6:00 everyday, which doesn't seem like much, but add in the traffic and the fact that I'm only just training, and you have a recipe for a very busy life ahead at Canyon. The other major adjustment has been lunch time. At PAAMCO, I would normally go to the gym on my lunch hour at Equinox downstairs. Now, Canyon caters lunch everyday and people bring it back to their desks and work all the way through lunch. I have made a few friends who I eat with a couple of days a week, but its still a big adjustment. The food has been pretty amazing though. We're having sushi tomorrow!
Other than adjusting to LA and starting my new job, I've been missing my family and friends a lot. The last few times I've been at home, I feel like my relationships are already changing and life is going on without me. Its a hard concept to grasp. Jake and I have been planning this new chapter in our lives for the past few years now. I always knew this time would come where we would both have to put our heads down and work very hard to attain our dreams. I know it will pay off in the end. I feel very lucky to have my man by my side and especially someone so dedicated to bettering himself. Everything has fallen into place very nicely for us, but change is not something I do very well. Jake tells me all the time, I need to learn to love change. I'm still struggling with that concept. He truly helps me each and every day with my fears, hopes and dreams.
Mostly, I feel like nothing will ever be the same in my life. The past few years have been such great times with friends and loved ones and it has all been so comfortable. Now, I am in an uncomfortable and new environment where I will need to establish a new routine that revolves around longer hours at work and LA traffic. Its not going to be glamorous by any means and its definitely going to be different.
Looking ahead.....I want to make the most of my time in LA because who knows where we will end up moving once Jake graduates and we get married (more on that later). With that in mind, I made a sort of "Bucket List" for our LA adventures. I want to accomplish most, if not all, of these items in the next 2 years. I know its ambitious, but its worth a try!
1. Get a Pink’s hot dog at 2am
2.Eat from a famous food truck, like Kogi’s
3. Watch an outdoor movie at the Hollywood Cemetary
4. Go to a live taping
5. Go to as many USC football and alumni events as possible
6. Shop on Rodeo Drive
7. Go to Venice Beach
8. Go clubbing in Hollywood
9. Frequent “The Hills” hangouts
10. Become a “regular” at a local bar
11. Brunch at the Standard
12. Drinks at the Ritz
13. Dinner at our usual spots, Nik and Stef’s, McCormick’s Happy Hour, Hotel Fig
14. Go to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl
15. Attend the Taste of Larchmont (famous street near Beverly Hills)
Since I've last blogged, I had surgery on my right hand which paralyzed my typing for awhile and made for a real awkward first day of work when people wanted to shake my hand. I learned I could do much more with my left hand than I originally thought possible, and others not so well, but thank god I am fully functioning now. (I think Jake had the worst end of the deal because he single-handedly, no pun intended, moved us to LA!)
My new job is pretty intense and different. I've been working basically 7:30 to 6:00 everyday, which doesn't seem like much, but add in the traffic and the fact that I'm only just training, and you have a recipe for a very busy life ahead at Canyon. The other major adjustment has been lunch time. At PAAMCO, I would normally go to the gym on my lunch hour at Equinox downstairs. Now, Canyon caters lunch everyday and people bring it back to their desks and work all the way through lunch. I have made a few friends who I eat with a couple of days a week, but its still a big adjustment. The food has been pretty amazing though. We're having sushi tomorrow!
Other than adjusting to LA and starting my new job, I've been missing my family and friends a lot. The last few times I've been at home, I feel like my relationships are already changing and life is going on without me. Its a hard concept to grasp. Jake and I have been planning this new chapter in our lives for the past few years now. I always knew this time would come where we would both have to put our heads down and work very hard to attain our dreams. I know it will pay off in the end. I feel very lucky to have my man by my side and especially someone so dedicated to bettering himself. Everything has fallen into place very nicely for us, but change is not something I do very well. Jake tells me all the time, I need to learn to love change. I'm still struggling with that concept. He truly helps me each and every day with my fears, hopes and dreams.
Mostly, I feel like nothing will ever be the same in my life. The past few years have been such great times with friends and loved ones and it has all been so comfortable. Now, I am in an uncomfortable and new environment where I will need to establish a new routine that revolves around longer hours at work and LA traffic. Its not going to be glamorous by any means and its definitely going to be different.
Looking ahead.....I want to make the most of my time in LA because who knows where we will end up moving once Jake graduates and we get married (more on that later). With that in mind, I made a sort of "Bucket List" for our LA adventures. I want to accomplish most, if not all, of these items in the next 2 years. I know its ambitious, but its worth a try!
1. Get a Pink’s hot dog at 2am
2.
3. Watch an outdoor movie at the Hollywood Cemetary
4. Go to a live taping
5. Go to as many USC football and alumni events as possible
6. Shop on Rodeo Drive
7. Go to Venice Beach
8. Go clubbing in Hollywood
9. Frequent “The Hills” hangouts
10. Become a “regular” at a local bar
11. Brunch at the Standard
12. Drinks at the Ritz
13. Dinner at our usual spots, Nik and Stef’s, McCormick’s Happy Hour, Hotel Fig
14. Go to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl
15. Attend the Taste of Larchmont (famous street near Beverly Hills)
16. Go to The Grove's Christmas tree lighting ceremony
17. Hike Runyon Canyon
18. Go camping in Malibu
I will try to update this as they are complete. We already went to the food truck last week and they are having a food truck festival this weekend that we might check out!
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