Thanksgiving 2009 – Chicago & Michigan

This was the first Thanksgiving that I’ve ever traveled, and what a whirlwind trip it was.  My uncle recently purchased a house in Niles, Michigan, and we wanted to go out and visit him before the weather turned too cold for us wimpy Californians.

His house is so cool, especially the 2-acre grounds.  I imagined huge garden parties in the summer, my nieces running with wild abandon in the backyard, and sipping cocktails in lounge chairs.  At least, that’s what I’d do with the place if I had it.  Not sure if my uncle has those same plans, but maybe I can convince him.

The city of Niles, Michigan is very quaint, especially the downtown area, which is peppered with funky stores, antique “malls,” and old-time businesses.  They city is so much smaller than the one we’re from, so it was very interesting.  My uncle seems to be making some friends which is good.  The main thing that I noticed is that the people are much more conservative there than they are in the Bay Area.  Then again, I think most small towns in middle America are much more conservative than the Bay Area.  😉  The one example I have is that we went to a converted mansion in South Bend, IN for Thanksgiving dinner.  When we arrived in the dining room we ordered two bottles of wine – one white and one red – for the table of four of us.  You should have seen the stares!  The woman at the table next to us nudged her husband and sat there agape, as if we were slugging back wine by the gallon.  I looked around and saw that every other table in the room had either iced tea or water – no alcohol of any kind. So weird!

After a day and a half in Niles, we left for Chicago.  I had seen pictures, heard stories, but nothing compares to actually being there.  Chicago is a stunning, immaculate, architecturally gorgeous city!  I still think San Francisco is more beautiful, but I do love Chicago.  I wish we had more than two days in this fun, lively city.  I’ll definitely be back.

I could fill many more paragraphs with all of our adventures in the two day trip, but for now, I think I’ll let my 200+ photos speak for themselves.  I tried to get some artsy shots, so I hope you enjoy them.

Thanksgiving 2009 – Michigan & Chicago

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THIS is why I don’t do desserts

As you know, yesterday I spent the 4th of July by myself.  I didn’t deal with it very well.  I mean, it’s not the same as being by yourself on Christmas, but it is a holiday that’s meant to be shared with people.  Laughing, bbqing, drinking, and celebrating our nation’s independence. Instead, I was reminded of my own independence and got a bit depressed and down about it all.

After I took a 30 minute walk, I felt much better about my singledom and decided to spend time reading and watching the last few episodes of The Wire, which I had gotten from Netlix. (How AMAZING was that show?!  I’ve now finished the series, and wow, I loved it.  Yes, it was hardcore, but it said so much about city politics, policing, and how easily people can fall between the cracks.  If you haven’t seen it, I’d highly recommend it).

Anyway, back to the real reason for this post.

My parents, my uncle, and I are getting together today to have our 4th of July BBQ, a day late.  I’m going to wear the shirt I found on Cafepress.com.  The one that I thought I would wear on the actual 4th of July (until the plans changed).  I figure that I might as well wear it today, since I spent the money on it and I don’t want to wait a whole year to wear it:

I just love this shirt, and I think it captures the true spirit of this holiday.

As far as the food for the BBQ, we’re going all out – guacamole and chips (appetizers), turkey burger sliders, deviled eggs, pasta salad, and a green salad.  And for dessert?  Well, my mom found “the cutest recipe” in one of her online recipe websites (something along the lines of Family Circle, I’m sure).  It’s Rice Krispy Treats made to look like the American Flag.  Easy and adorable, right?  I said I’d make it, because it seemed easy, and I’m usually bringing some sort of appetizer to these events, so I wanted to change things up by bringing something for dessert.

I went grocery shopping on Friday and got the marshmallows and Rice Krispy cereal.  Then I went along the baking aisle to find some sort of icing that could be used for easy decorations.  I found “easy squeeze” frosting in red and blue ($4.85 each) and then I found an aerosol can of white frosting ($5.50).  This was going to be one expensive dessert.  But, convenience is something I don’t mind paying for.

I thought the easy squeeze packages had some sort of decorating tip on them.  They didn’t.  That was sold separately.  I should’ve gotten the aerosol can in all three colors (the aerosol can came with 4 different tips included.  I guess you do get what you pay for).  I imagined making the blue square in the upper left hand corner, then putting little white stars on it.  Then, I thought I’d make waves of red and white frosting for the rest of the flag.  Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans…

The blue frosting wouldn’t come out of the package!  Easy squeeze my ass!  I was using all of my muscle in both of my hands just to get the stuff out.  At one point I thought I was going to have to go to the store and buy the aerosol can of frosting, but then I told myself that I’d already spent way too much on this dumb dessert and tried to make it work.  I finally got the blue out.  Then I started on the red, giving as much force as I could – well, wouldn’t you know that the red came flying out?  In big red globs.  You would’ve thought someone was bleeding to death, from the looks of things around my kitchen.  Sigh.  Luckily, the aerosol can worked beautifully, and I used two different tips to decorate the stars and then the stripes.

With the creative use of a butter knife, I was able to salvage the look of the flag, but man, I am NEVER making this damn thing again in life.  There is a reason that I stick to savory cooking – I’m good at it.  Baking isn’t really my thing, and while I do make good cupcakes for my classes from time to time, anything that requires any level of real cake decorating skills just isn’t my thing.  Plus, I should’ve stayed away from any sort of recipe that would be featured in a middle America bake sale – Suzy Homemaker I’m not.

Anyway, here’s the finished product.  The camera wasn’t able to capture all of the mistakes.  Let’s just say that I hope it tastes better than it looks:

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Too much independence?

Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Usually I spend the 4th with friends and/or family at BBQs and beach parties.  There was the one year that Neece got married on the 4th of July, and I was in her bridal party.  There was another year that I went out on a first date with a guy I met online on the 4th.  And then there’s this year.

This year I am spending the 4th of July by myself.  And I don’t like it.

I don’t mean to sound full of self-pity at all.  My life is amazing and filled with wonderful people who show me how much I mean to them in thousands of ways throughout the year.  It just so happened that today all of those people have other plans. My parents are going wine tasting with friends so we’ve delayed our usual BBQ until tomorrow. LC is going to spend the day alone with her family.  Ish is off with her hubby for their annual 4th of July Reno trip.  Not sure what Neece is doing, but since it’s her anniversary, I’m sure it involves couple-time with her husband.  The rest of my friends all have boyfriends or husbands or families.

Spending the 4th of July alone really highlights for me that I am sick of being single.  If I were dating someone, he and I would be spending the 4th of July together, and no matter what we decided to do, even if it was just to stay home and watch movies, we’d be doing it together.

The question that’s come up a lot for me lately is how the heck am I going to meet someone?  I would never date another teacher at school because if things didn’t work out, it would be so awkward, plus can you imagine the field day the teenage girls would have with gossip like that?  I’ve tried the online dating website thing and never really met anyone worth knowing.  I’m fairly social, but it’s rare that anyone would come up to me in a bar or restaurant.  And I’m not really a member of any sort of social club or organization where I’d meet someone.  I guess my best bet is somehow being introduced to someone through a friend?

Yesterday I was thinking a lot about being 38.  About how it’s so close to 40, and am I really going to get married someday, or is that just a pipe dream?  Again, I’m not trying to sound down on myself or self-pitying, but it does weigh heavily on my mind sometimes.  Luckily, my family never puts any pressure on me to get married.  They know that I wish I were dating someone great.  They also know that I think my weight affects my ability to meet men.  Which I believe it does.  Whether or not it should, if I believe it does, than it must.  It’s like a self-fufilling prophecy of sorts.

I think I’ve come to the point in my life where I am really open to meeting a nice guy.  I’m not going to put a ton of effort into meeting someone, because they say that you find love when you’re least expecting it.   So, I’m saying I’m open to the possibility of meeting someone great.  I’m putting it out there in the universe.  And that’s all I’m going to do.

I’m going to keep living my life like I have been.  Enjoying time spent with friends and family.  Keeping active and losing weight.  Relishing who I am and what I’ve accomplished.  And if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen.

And now I’m going for a walk to get outside of the house (and out of my own head) to enjoy the music on my iPod and the sights, sounds, and sun around my neighborhood.

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Holiday Cheer Abounds

It’s been a fun few days in Bellaland.  Lots of present giving and receiving, great food, good times, and a moment or two to realize how lucky I am.  Truly, very lucky.

I have amazing family and friends who love me and are always there to offer support, encouragement, and a kick in the ass, if necessary.  My life would be nothing without them. And as cliched as that sounds, that really is the best gift of all.

I’m looking forward to going to my great uncle’s house for dinner with all of the extended family – there are going to be over 50 of us there this year, and it will be so much fun to catch up with all those relatives I haven’t seen in a couple of years.

The rest of this week and the next is spread out before me, and I can’t wait to see what I make of it.  It’s so nice to have 2 weeks off with nothing in particular planned.  This way, it gives me the chance to do some things I’ve been wanting to do, but without a strict schedule.  Freedom!

Merry Christmas to All!!

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Simple Pleasures

I’ve been thinking a lot about the simple pleasures in life.  Relishing the little things in life that make it special or fill it with joy.

I just finished teaching my classes about Transcendentalism, which is one of my favorite units of the year.  I like teaching the students about philosophy, because most of them haven’t read any before this unit.  Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were masters in reminding us how to live a simple life, unfettered by materialism.

Yesterday was a day filled with simple pleasures for me, and although none were as profound as those espoused by Emerson or Thoreau, they still made me happy.

Comfy yoga pants. Ideally, I would’ve gone to a yoga class yesterday, but I guess I did the next best thing.  Last night I lounged in my new yoga pants that my sister gave me for Christmas. They’re soft, comfortable, and oh so cozy.  I love taking off my more restrictive clothing and putting these pants on.  They’re symbolic of relaxing to me.

Uggs boots. Along the lines of soft, warm, and comfortable, these boots are perfect for the wintry weather we’ve been having lately.  Again, these were a Christmas present from my parents.  Even though I asked for some knock-off brand, they splurged and bought me the real thing, and I couldn’t be more grateful.  It’s so nice to go out in the rainy, cold weather and know that my feet are completely warm and dry.  Cuz when your feet feel good, everything feels good, right?

Fresh, clean, high thread count sheets. I’m on a roll with these warm, cozy Christmas gifts, right?  My parents also gave me a new set of 620 thread count sheets for Christmas (don’t I have a generous family?).  I washed them yesterday and made my bed with them.  All day I was looking forward to climbing into bed and sleeping in these luxurious sheets.  Nothing is better.  Well, ok, maybe having someone to share the sheets with would be nice, but hey, I’m making the best of my singledom.

{If you’re wondering why I’m talking so much about Christmas presents and it’s only the 23rd, that’s because my family celebrated our “Christmas Eve” on Sunday night.  My sister and her husband thought they would stay home on the 24th and get things ready for Santa’s visit to my nieces.  It was nice to extend the holiday this way.  Oh, and in case you’re thinking, “You shouldn’t open presents until Christmas Day.”  We don’t do it that way in my family.  Well, of course we did when we were little and Santa brought the presents, but once we got older, we always opened them on Christmas Eve.  Late at night, after we returned from Midnight Mass.  It is a wonderful tradition that we continue today, minus the Midnight Mass part, most of the time}.

Listening to Christmas music. I know quite a few people who are so inundated with Christmas tunes that they can’t stand to listen to another song, but I am not one of these people.  I love Christmas music, and I think my playlist is awesome.  I have a nice mix of old standbys and newer, lounge music.  My favorite of the moment is Michael Buble singing Grown Up Christmas List.

What are your favorite simple pleasures?

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Break Time!

The past two weeks have been really busy for me.  I’m always busy at school, but the two weeks before break were CRAZY.

It just so happened that I had a journalism deadline AND a yearbook deadline within days of each other.  I’m really strict with my students about meeting the deadlines, no matter what.  In this case, “no matter what” meant staying in my room for the past two weeks, staying at school until 6:30 last Friday (Dec. 12), and going a little nuts when we ran into some technical difficulties.  But, I’m happy to report that both the newspaper and the yearbook deadline were met.  We got rave reviews on the paper, which always makes us feel good.

Couple these deadlines with the fact that I had a set of essays and 2 sets of research papers (think essays, but longer) to grade.  I was determined that I was going to grade these papers before I left for Christmas Break – no matter what.  There’s that phrase again.  This time “no matter what” meant staying up until 2:30AM on Thursday night, waking up at 5AM to continue grading, and still not finishing.  So, I stayed on Friday evening until 5;30 to get them done.  I may have been the last car in the parking lot (teachers clear out early when we have a long break like that), but I am so proud of myself for completely finishing all of the work I wanted to.

Which means I have two weeks off and ABSOLUTELY NO GRADING OR SCHOOL WORK OF ANY KIND TO DO!  (Ok, sorry for the ALL CAPS, but unless you teach high school English, I don’t think you can imagine the feeling of elation I have right now).

So, what am I going to do with myself?

• Read books. For pleasure!  Books like Sundays at Tiffany’s, Pledged: The Secret Lives of Sororities, and A Lion Among Men.  Looking at those titles, I know they sound like quite an eclectic mix, and they are.  Recent books I’ve checked out of the library.  I’m a voracious reader even when life is hectic, but especially when I have some time on my hands.  To see more books that I’ve been reading, you can click on my Good Reads Shelf to the right.
• Catch up on the stacks of magazines that are threatening to overtake my living room. That might be overstating it a bit, since the mags are all neatly placed in a magazine rack, but when I see 4 months worth of Vogue, Vanity Fair, Self, Real Simple, Prevention, and Women’s Health in front of me, I know it’s time to do some light reading.
• Workout or “be active” everyday. Today’s activity was cleaning the house from top to bottom (electric broom and mop the kitchen and bathroom floors, empty the dishwasher, do two loads of laundry, change sheets, clean the bathroom, and vacuum the whole place).  Whew!  I know I probably didn’t burn too many calories, but I did all of that in under 3 hours, and I am sort of sore as I sit here tonight writing this.  It’s been cold and rainy here, so I’m afraid that most of my working out will have to take me to the gym, but that’s ok.  It gives me a chance to catch up on my elliptical and treadmill time.  I am going to start Couch to 5K and see how it goes.  I have a few other activities planned for the new year, but I’ll discuss that more on my weight loss blog.
• Go to the movies. I love movies, but don’t find myself going to many lately.  I think part of it is that my schedule is so busy that I have to pick and choose which movies I have time to see.  There are two movies that I think look very interesting that I’m definitely making time for this vacation: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Seven Pounds.  Seven Pounds hasn’t gotten great reviews, but it intrigues me, and I think it’ll be worth $10 to find out what it’s about.
• Spend time with family and friends. There are so many people I can’t wait to see and spend time with.  I’m sure I’ll post about all the fun ahead.
• Go through my cookbooks. I have lots of healthy cookbooks that I’ve bought or been given in recent years, yet I find myself making my tried and true recipes more often than not.  I want to go through these cookbooks and mark several new recipes to try out in the new year.  I’m hoping to make at least one new recipe a week, just to keep things interesting.

So, there you have it.  Some rough plans for how I want to spend my Christmas Break.  I look forward to this 2-week vacation every year, and yet it always seems to fly by without very much getting accomplished.  I’m hoping that this year, I’ll make it a vacation to remember.

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Holiday Cheer

This weekend I decided that it was time to decorate my house for Christmas.  Over the past couple of years I’ve grinched-out, not really doing much for the holidays, in terms of decorating around the home.

This year, I’ve been really in the spirit of the season, much earlier than usual.  I think it might have something to do with all of that online shopping I did last Friday.  🙂

I pulled out my holiday decorations, but didn’t find too much that I could work with.  Yes, I had some great ornaments, but I’d decided that I wasn’t going to go through the hassle of putting up a tree.  (Hey, I’m in the spirit, but not enough so to get pine needles all over the place).

Plus, I had these trees, that I bought on sale last year after Christmas:

In this picture you’ll also see the hurricane and candle I found yesterday at Michael’s, but I’ll get to that in a minute.  Aren’t these trees beautiful?  I took this picture with my iPhone, so the quality isn’t great, but I think you get the idea.

Once I started looking at the few decorations I had to work with, I asked my mom to come over to help me figure out how I should display things.  I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that my mom should be an interior decorator – she has impecible taste, and has taught me a lot of decorating ideas that I am so thankful for.

After surveying items I had placed around the room, she gave me her stamp of approval, but said that I should probably hit a few stores to get some items with a bit more color.  For some reason, all of the stuff I had was silver and gold – no red or green anywhere to be found (except for the trees).

So, I hit this great marketplace near my house that has lots of stores to fit my holiday decorating needs, including Cost Plus and Michael’s.

At Cost Plus, I found these adorable reindeer: They have little mosaic-like tiles of metallic material on them that glimmer when the candlelight hits them.

I didn’t see anything else I really liked at Cost Plus, which was surprising.  So, I headed to Michael’s to see if I could find a few more items.  Now, some people absolutely adore Michael’s.  I am not one of of those people.  Call me a snob, but I’ve always thought of it as cheesy, trite, and a bit too bargain basement for my taste.  Plus, I’m not all that crafty – creative, yes, but not very crafty.  But, boy was I wrong!  I found so many great things, and everything was at least 50% off; some of the items were 60% off or more. I got a set of 12 red and 12 green votive candles, a bunch of berries on stems to put in my Pottery Barn vases, and a red hurricane and two white pillar candles to go inside it (the 2nd one just in case the 1st doesn’t last too long).

After the marketplace, I went to Safeway to buy some poinsettieas, because my local nursery was already closed, and I didn’t want to wait.  Have I mentioned how impatient I can be?  I bought 1 variegated poinsettiea for inside the house and 2 small red ones for outside in my windowbox.

I think it all looks beautiful, and I’m definitely in the holiday spirit. In fact, last night I put on my Christmas music playlist and enjoyed a glass of red wine, while just taking it all in.

This morning my dad dropped by to put the lights up outside my house – something I’ve never done before, but makes such a difference!  I couldn’t wait for it to get dark today so I could turn the lights on and admire them.

One thing I’m sure of is that decorating for the holidays really does have a positive effect on me.  I’ve felt really happy and lighthearted all weekend.  There really is something to this holiday spirit thing!

Here are the rest of my pictures, enjoy!

The outside of the house, all aglow

The windowbox with the new poinsettieas

Living room wall, with candles lit

Close-up of candles

The variegated poinsettiea

My "mantle"/entertainment center

Pottery Barn vases with "berries" from Michael's

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Ahhhh…a 4-day weekend

One of the perks of being a teacher is having long weekends and other vacations from time to time.  This weekend was one of those times.  Unlike so many of my friends and family who won’t be getting even 1  day off for Veteran’s Day, I got 2.

So what have I done with my glorious 4-day weekend so far, you ask?  Not a whole lot of anything.  Which is exactly what I needed.

It seems that for the past month, every day of every weekend has been jam-packed with parties, dinners, events, etc.  Which is all fun and great and everything, but once in a while it’s nice to just be at home doing NOTHING.

Well, not nothing, exactly.  So far this weekend I’ve:

• Completely reorganized my closet to move out my warm weather clothes and replace them with cool weather ones.  The problem with this is that I don’t have a whole heck of a lot of clothes that fit me anymore.  But this is a good thing!  It means I’m quite a bit smaller than I was last year at this time, which is exciting.  I have quite a bit of clothes that I’m thinking of swapping/giving to someone.
• Done a ton of laundry.  I had so much to do that the washer and dryer have been on for the past two days, practically without end.
• Finally finished reading American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld.  It was supposed to be my book club book that we were going to meet and talk about last Sunday, but since no one had finished it yet, we put off the meeting until this Wednesday.  The only probably is that now AM and I are the only ones who can meet. If you’re looking for a good, long book you can sink your teeth into, this is the one.  I absolutely loved it.
• Spent too much time and too much money on QVC.  I really don’t order things from QVC ever, but somehow I got on some list that sends me emails about when Bare Escentuals or Philosophy is going to be featured on air.  Saturday night happened to be when Bare Escentuals was on, and being such an admirer of their cosmetics, I had to tune in.  I ended up buying a great holiday collection of colors for a really good price.  And I ended up getting some Amazing Grace items as well.  (These weren’t featured, but I started clicking on QVC.com and, well, $70 later….).  I have to say, it’s DANGEROUS!  They make everything sound so good that you’re tempted to buy way more than you should.  Thank goodness for “easy pay” and for the fact that I’m smart enough to only buy products that I know I love.  Otherwise I could’ve gotten into even more trouble.
• Begun grading some essays.  Yes, I know, I said that with my new plan, I wouldn’t need to bring any work home.  Well, the plan has been working really well, but I have gotten a bit backed up with essays because I have an essay on The Crucible and then we also had a district-wide writing assessment in the same week, so I’ve had 6 sets of essays to grade.  I figure taking one day of this 4 day weekend to grade isn’t so bad.  Plus, it helps so that next weekend (the weekend before grades are due) I’m not so stressed.
• Almost finished Thin is the New Happy by Valerie Frankel.  I have mixed reviews so far for this book.  There are parts I love and can totally relate to, and then there are parts where I feel she has completely overshared.  And that’s saying something, coming from me.  I’ve been accused of “oversharing” myself.  Overall, though, I’m glad I’ve been reading it, and I’m equally as glad that I got it from the library rather than paying for it.
• Caught up on all my t.v. shows.  Last week was such a crazy week that I hadn’t really watched any of my normal shows.  I had episodes of Desparate Housewives, Gossip Girl, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty, and Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style to watch.  Now, many of you may be saying, “you watch too many shows,” and you’re completely right.  But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop.  🙂

The plan for the rest of today is to finish grading, finish the laundry, go to the grocery store, and get in a workout.  Tomorrow I’m meeting my sister to go shopping and have lunch, since she has tomorrow off.

It’s been so nice to feel like I’ve had enough time to get everything done.  October was such a long, busy month that it’s nice to be in November, when we get two longer breaks.  Finally a bit of breathing room.

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4-Day Weekend Plans

Without irking those of you reading this at work, I’d like to point out that I get a 4-day weekend! The company where I’m working this summer is closed today and tomorrow, and my boss told me that I’d be paid for both days! How nice is that?

Since yesterday was my birthday, this just extends a wonderful birthday/4th of July weekend for me. Here are the plans:

Thursday
Wake up late (done)
Clean the house – laundry, dusting, vacuuming, mopping, etc. (so, you see, I will be working, just not in the office)
Get the car washed
Go to the library to pick up more books that I have on hold
Go to the mall to get some new clothes (in smaller sizes!!) with some birthday money
Go out to dinner at Red Lobster with BFF, so we can celebrate “our birthday” (she and I do this every year, so it’s become a really fun tradition).

Friday
Go grocery shopping for the food for a bbq I’m having later at my house
Go for a bike ride
Get food ready for the bbq
Have a bbq at my house – appetizers – chips & salsa, hummus and veggies, dinner – chicken and beef kabobs, corn, caprese salad (mozzarella, tomatoes, basil)
Watch a movie?

Saturday
Go to BFF’s mom’s house for zucchini flowers This is a truly southern Italian specialty that those who aren’t Italian may not understand.  The zucchini flowers are edible, and BFF’s mom puts them into this wonderful batter of flour, cheese, salt, and pepper and then fries them.  A truly delicious delicacy.  The things that makes them even more special is that they are only around for a few weeks of the year – in late June/early July, so this is a once a year treat and tradition that we have.
Nail appt.
Bike ride/gym – I’m thinking I’ll ride to the gym, since it’s not that far.
Get together with friends for a post-birthday celebration

Sunday
Spend the morning reading the paper/drinking coffee, as per my Sunday morning ritual
Go for a bike ride
Read and relax
Call friends
Go to Campo di Bocce for BFF’s birthday celebration.  I’m really excited about this one because bocce is the one “sport” I’m really good at.  I usually win, which makes my competitive side very happy.  I’m not sure if it’s because others don’t really know how to play the game or not, but whatever works, right?

By getting the housework out of the way today, I free myself up to really enjoy the rest of the weekend.  I’m so happy to have so many fun plans this weekend.  How are you planning to spend your 4th of July weekend?

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Happy V-Day!

My mood is considerably brighter than it was the other day. Time and perspective help so much.

Today is Valentine’s Day, and I am so happy. Not that I have a Valentine, but that doesn’t stop me from loving this holiday. I have always thought of Valentine’s Day as a time to show the people around you that you love them. Not just a romantic partner, but everyone — family, friends, co-workers, etc.  I was sure to send Valentine’s Day cards to my parents and to my two nieces (5 and 7 months).  There have been years when I sent Valentine’s Day cards out like I would Christmas cards.  It’s unexpected, fun, and a nice thing to do to brighten someone’s February day, I think.

Ever since I was little, my mom always made Valentine’s Day a really fun day. The heart-shaped waffles we would have for breakfast, the beautifully decorated kitchen table that told us she loved us, the heart-shaped sandwiches she’d pack in our lunches, and the Valentine’s Day gift that she’d always give us. How many kids grow up getting a gift on Valentine’s Day? To this day, my mom still gives us gifts. This year she gave me a set of Monopoly inspired cocktail plates that I can use “when the girls come over for drinks.” My mom is really too cute, and I’m so lucky to have her.

I’m not doing anything too special to commemorate this V-Day, although I had originally planned to have a girls’ night in at my place, but after the week this has been, I begged off. I’m glad my friends allowed me to flake on this one.

I have decided (about a minute before I started writing this post) that I’m going to buy myself something for Valentine’s Day. Sur La Table is having a special sale on Le Creuset baking pans, and I think I’m going to have to treat myself. I think I’m going to get them in red, even though my kitchen is peachy orange, because it is Valentine’s Day, after all.

I hope that you have an amazing Valentine’s Day, no matter what you end up doing. I’d love to hear your plans for today in the comments.

_______________________________

Update: I didn’t end up getting the pans…yet.  I have to see if I really want these pans, or if I was just in the mood to buy something for the sake of buying it.  I’m bad about that sometimes.  I think I may hold off and save up for the real Le Creuset pots&pans that I’d like to have — the dutch oven, heavy fryer, etc.  Still, I had a great Valentine’s Day. 

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A Swingin’ Good Time

Friday night CBCB, BeachGirl, and I had planned to go ice skating and soak in a little holiday spirit by looking at the displays at Christmas in the Park. I had written an email a month ago to all of our teacher-friends asking if they wanted to join us for the holiday fun and drinks/apps that would surely follow. Being that Friday was our last day of school before Christmas Vacation, all of the teachers had other plans — getting ready for holiday plane travel, finishing up Christmas shopping, spending time with family, and all the other odds and ends that come with this time of year.

Since it looked like it was just going to be the three of us, I put an email out to some of my non-teaching friends, telling them that I would once again be able to be “human,” and spend time with them, if only for these next 2-weeks. The girls were ready to leave the kids and hubbies at home and come out and have a fun Girls’ Night Out.

We decided to meet up at The Fairmont at 7ish. CBCB, BeachGirl, and I abandoned our plans to go ice skating (mostly because I got nervous that I might fall and break something, even though it was originally my idea), and decided to put all those Starbucks cards our students gave us as presents to good use. It was so relaxing to sit there, sipping my grande, nonfat, no whip, sugar-free gingerbread latte and talk with these two women who are becoming two of my closest friends. We talk all the time, but this night it felt different, lighter somehow. I think for me it was the fact that I had the next two weeks off and I could leave the stress of school behind me. We all seemed calmer and ready for some fun.

At this point, CBCB had to leave, as she was taking her roomie to the airport. It’s too bad, because CBCB would’ve loved what happened next.

BeachGirl and I met up with my friends who had found a great spot in the Fairmont’s bar/sitting area — a perfect grouping of comfy chairs and a loveseat in the middle of the room. I hadn’t seen these girls in at least 4 months, but it was just like no time had passed at all, which is why I love spending time with all of them. DRMK was there, looking as beautiful as ever. She seems to have this light that comes from within, and whenever I’m around her I feel such a sense of friendship and warmth. AM seemed so happy to have a night off from being mommy and being able to be an adult for a few hours. I love AM because she is so real, honest, and fun to be around. CJ was there, too, ready to have a fun night out with the ladies. And finally there was MAPB, who I haven’t seen in about a year and a half. She’s so busy with two little ones and I’m so busy with grad school and work that we just haven’t had a chance to connect.

MAPB had brought a gift for me. This wasn’t a Christmas gift, but a birthday gift from July 2006 — I told you we hadn’t seen each other in forever! She was so excited to have me open it, and when I did, I found the most gorgeous martini glasses. It was an ideal gift because I was just thinking that since I only have 4 martini glasses, I should really buy some more, just in case I wanted to have a martini/cosmo party at some point. The glasses she gave me are so classic, and sort of retro, which is perfect for me. I knew that the night was going to be a great one. I mean, how can a night that starts out with a great gift be anything but fabulous, right?

Soon after we sat down, a band started setting up — right next to us. We weren’t sure if it was going to be too loud, but we were kinda stuck where we were, since there were no other seats to be had. Shortly after, the bandleader comes to the mic and tells the audience that swing dance lessons are about to begin — right where we were sitting. How cool! We were going to have a front row seat to the fun. I was so disappointed that CBCB couldn’t be there with us, because she loves to swing dance, and I know she would’ve been out on the dance floor cuttin’ a rug with everyone. Since I’ve never taken swing dancing lessons, I opted to sit this one out, but AM and CJ bolted to the floor. They were so cute to watch — two sisters dancing together. AM leading, because she is the older sister, after all. Suddenly the bandleader/dance instructor grabs CJ and tells her he wants her to be his “demo girl.”

The funny thing is this guy was a great dancer but looked like the biggest dork — coke bottle glasses, comb over, and all. CJ is a terrific dancer (she used to be on the dance team in high school and even danced for a local indoor soccer league in her early 20s), so she was a natural choice as “teacher’s pet” for this evening. She was amazing out there as the instructor spun her this way and that, never missing a beat. “She’s so in her element, ” AM announced gleefully. It was so much fun to watch CJ and all of the other people out on the dance floor. Little kids, tweens, married couples, older couples — all there enjoying life and having a ball. I was so happy that I couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear. This is the type of pure joy that I don’t want to miss out on — spending a night with friends, drinking wine, and watching people dance with such blissful abandon. It really warmed my heart and made me so glad to be alive.

After the dance lesson, the band started playing all sorts of songs, and I knew it was time to get out on the dance floor and move. It was so fun, dancing like a crazy girl with my friends. It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time, and it reminded me how much I love to dance. I think the thing that deters me from dancing is the smarminess of some of the dance clubs. I hate that whole scene, but if I can find a way to dance without needing to be surrounded by hootchie mamas and thugs, I’m there. (As a side note, CBCB told me about a swing dancing studio that she wanted to start going to again — they have lessons several nights a week and then afterwards, they have an “open dance” time where everyone just has a great time. I told her that I’d love to take lessons with her in late May/early June, once I graduated from grad school. I’m really looking forward to it).

The night ended with us kissing and hugging, and stopping to pose in front of a huge gingerbread house. I can’t wait to see those pictures of all of us enjoying our time off. It was a perfect night out, and one that I hope becomes a tradition for all of us.

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Tacky Christmas Sweater Party Leads to a New Crush

CTLB invited a few of us to go to a Tacky Christmas Sweater Party that her friend was throwing. It sounded like a great reason to have a good time, and a nice way to celebrate the end of a long week.

Not owning any tacky sweaters, especially tacky Christmas sweaters, I scoured a nearby thrift store to see if I could find something that would work. The place was dirty and disgusting, and they didn’t have anything. I should’ve checked out the Goodwill, but I didn’t so I headed to Mervyn’s in search of something. I figured that if worse came to worse, I could just buy a red sweatshirt and then go to Michael’s and get some sort of Christmas-y iron on appliqué.

I headed to the men’s section to get a sweatshirt that would fit, but on my way I saw a display of fleece pjs. I was so happy to see that they had some holiday ones. I found one that had a red background and snowman snow globes all over it. It came as a pj set for $20 and they had my size — XXL. Not only was it holiday, it was soft and comfy. Perfect! (And no, I didn’t wear the pj bottoms, only the top, with some jeans — BeachGirl asked about that!)

So on Saturday CBCB and I headed up to SF to meet up with CTLB, her fiance M, and all of their friends.

The house was in the Marina district, and for an apartment rented by two straight guys, it was really clean, nicely decorated, and well put together. It was also pretty big, by SF standards. I’m sure the guys pay a pretty penny for the apartment, but since they both work with stocks, I’m sure they can afford it.

It was great to see CTLB and M, and to meet some of their friends. One of M’s old high school buddies was in SF for the weekend, on leave from the Navy, and he was so fun. I have found that I love the personalities of people from Boston — the phrases, the down-to-earth nature, the fun-loving spirit — they just seem so warm and welcoming.

One weird part of the party was that I felt like everyone was staring at me. Granted, I was wearing a bright red pj top with snowman globes all over it, but then again, everyone was wearing crazy Christmas sweaters. Also, I was one of the oldest people there, by far, since most of them were in their mid to late 20s. I’m not usually paranoid, nor do I usually feel self conscious, but there was something about the way that some of the girls were staring that made me sort of uncomfortable.

Nothing a couple of plastic cups full of red wine wouldn’t cure, though. 😉 (Don’t worry, red wine is allowed on Phase 2 of SBD, so I’m fine).

All of the people who are CTLB and M’s friends are really cool, especially A, a bartender who works at their local bar. She is one of the sweetest girls I’ve ever met, and I hope I get a chance to get to know her a bit better.

I had a great time at the party, and at a couple of bars we hit afterwards. I always have a fun time whenever I hang out with CTLB and M. Add CBCB and a few Bostonians to the mix, and that’s all you need for a party worth blogging about.

Another highlight of the night was that I found a new crush. G, who is co-owner of the place M works. He’s from Boston, 1/2 Italian, and so much fun. He’s enthusiastic, really personable, and is very cute. Dark haired and from Boston? He may be in contention for becoming my FBBF (future Boston boyfriend). Some funny “gossip” about him is that all of his friends think he might be a virgin… at 32 years old. Apparently he was with a girl for a very long time, but since she was a devout Christian, they didn’t have sex. He hasn’t been with anyone else, so they think he’s a virgin. I told M that G may have had a one night stands or something, who knows? Just because he hasn’t dated anyone doesn’t mean he’s still a virgin. Does it? I admit, it’s kinda strange. But I don’t really care about that, he’s cute, sweet, and nice. I told CTLB and CBCB that I’d “pop his cherry,” and they both got mad at my use of that phrase. Blame the crassness of the language on the amount of alcohol in my system at the time. I also said, “I’ll see him again in about 50 pounds, and maybe something can happen.”

He’s going to CTLB’s wedding, so you never know…

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What a great day!

Yesterday was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time.

First of all, even though it was a Monday, I woke up with plenty of time to get ready and start my day. This seems to be an essential factor in whether or not I start off in a good mood. (I’m usually fine by the time I arrive at my classroom in the morning, but sometimes if I’ve had to rush around too much, I stay grouchy for a little while).

I was dressed nicely, if I do say so myself, because later in the afternoon/evening CTLB and I had our final exhibition presentation for grad school. There’s something about dressing well that just puts me in a great mood. I guess it comes from the extra effort I put into how I look. When I choose my outfit and accessories with care, I just feel good about myself. I know that I look my best, and I project that to the world. This year there have been many more days of looking schlupy than looking nice, and I want to change that. Maybe that should be my New Year’s resolution?

Back to why it was such a great day… At the beginning of my first class one of my students came up to my desk with a present in the most adorable snowman bag. He said, “Merry Christmas, Ms. Bella.” I was so touched. You see, teachers in high school rarely get presents, so when we do, it’s really special. I thanked him for the gift and told him how much I appreciated it.

And then I opened it! Inside the bag was a 1 lb. box of See’s Candy, which I promptly decided to share with the teachers I eat lunch with, so as not to be tempted to eat even one piece. (Hey, I’m not blowing my 7.7 lb weight loss last week for a decadent piece of chocolate, even if it is divine chocolate). Then I saw two other small envelopes. One contained a $25 gift certificate to Starbucks (oh, the kids know me and my coffee addiction too well) and the other was a $25 gift certificate to Macy’s. All from one student! I was floored, and so appreciative. I’m not sure what brought on such extreme generosity, but I am really grateful.

Getting a gift like that put me in a great mood all day. It wasn’t even the amount of the presents that was the special part — it was simply thinking that I had touched this kid’s life enough that he (or his parents) wanted to thank me in such a lavish way. At lunch as I was sharing my See’s Candy, I mentioned the other gifts he had given me and all of the teachers were floored. A few of them had him last year and said that he had never given such nice gifts. This made me feel even more “glowy” than I did before.

After school CTLB and I headed to a great little coffee spot not far from where grad school meets so that we could practice our presentation. We did really well and I knew we were going to rock it.

Boy, did we! We were the best group that presented of the 5 that were together in our room. And we’re only a little 2-person team. Other groups had 5 and 6 people in them and didn’t seem to take it as seriously as we did. My mom said that maybe it was a matter of “too many cooks in the kitchen with the other groups.” CTLB and I just work so well together, and it showed in our presentation. It flowed so smoothly, and I was so happy as we presented it.

When we finished all of the students in our group complimented us on how well we did, saying that our time and effort really showed. The written comment cards they gave us all had rave reviews. Our professor also loved the presentation and gave us high marks in every category. What a great way to end a really long and arduous semester!

All in all yesterday was one of those days that makes me happy to be alive. Here’s to more days like that!

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‘Tis the Season…to SHOP!

I told myself there was no way I was getting anywhere near a mall on Black Friday. Who needs the hassles of finding parking, fighting crowds, and then waiting in line for hours just to purchase something at a slightly discounted price? What person in their right minds was at Mervyn’s or Kohl’s at 4am on Friday morning? Really? Are the sale prices that important?

Even though I didn’t set foot near a cash register for most of the weekend, I did spend $250 on some new clothes. I went online and found some nice, new sweaters that should fit well and serve their purpose until I start dropping sizes thanks to the South Beach Diet.

I also bought a few Christmas presents. In fact, I only have a few more to buy, which is a great feeling. Before you think I’m super organized, I should admit that my Christmas list is very small. I only buy for a few close friends, my sister, my 2 nieces, and my parents. It makes it pretty easy, really. Plus, my sister and I already gave each other our presents (both yoga related, but more on that later) and BFF and I decided that our gift to each other this year would be to start taking yoga classes at a cool spot near our houses. My sister and I went in on gifts for my parents together since they were fairly big ticket items. I even found some great (small) gifts for CTLB, CBCB, and BeachGirl. (I won’t mention what I got them, since they read this blog). Let’s just say that their presents have a “C” theme this year.

(I should say that I’m well known for giving themed gifts. I love trying to come up with a theme and making all of the presents in the bag or box go with that theme. I’ve come up with some pretty innovative themes over the years, and it’s become almost like a little game of my own creativity to figure out a new theme).

Yesterday I even made the trip down to Target. I didn’t go in there planning to buy too much — a few cleaning supplies, some eyeliner, personal care items, etc. I walked out with a receipt for over $124. How do I do it? I can never walk out of Target for less than $70, it seems. Yesterday the Christmas decorations were calling my name. I have tons of ornaments and other Christmas baubles in boxes in the basement, but for some reason, I just HAD to have some mini balls in fun colors. You see, I decided against a tree this year, because I just didn’t want to go to the trouble. I’m not having any parties, and since it’s just me, I wanted to keep things low key. Sure, I want to decorate a bit, just to get in the Christmas spirit, but nothing too time consuming or costly. I’ll try to take some photos when I’m finished decorating.

Today I’m headed to IKEA with my parents to purchase my long awaited bookcases for my room. (They’re buying the bookcases for me as an early Christmas present). I’m hoping they have what I’m looking for and that they look as good in person as they do in the catalog. No doubt I’ll find a few more can’t-live-without items in the housewares section of the store. I think the wine glasses and tupperare containers will be calling my name. Oh, and maybe some new coffee mugs?

For someone who tried her best to avoid the malls like the plague, I sure did my share to help contribute to the national economy.

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A revelation via home movies

Last night after the fabulous dinner had been eaten and the orgasmic pumpkin pie had been devoured (seriously, the pumpkin by was the best pie I’ve eaten in my life!), my dad decided to show some old home movies.  He had been fooling around with the computer and had made my sister and I our own personalized DVD of home movies that featured the first drive home from the hospital all the way through high school graduation.

It was pretty special really.  So nice to see so many relatives who had passed away.  Looking back on a more innocent time and realizing how far I’ve come, how much I’ve gone through, and how I had survived.

I saw myself as a precocious, chubby baby, who turned in to a chubbier toddler and then a chubby grade schooler.  Sensing the pattern?  This is what I remember — being heavy since I was little.

The most shocking revelation of the evening was that in high school I wasn’t as big as I remembered.  In fact, I was pretty slim.  So, no, I was no size 2 by any means, but I was probably about 150-160 pounds, which is more than 100 lbs less than I am right now.  I looked good.  Curvy, feminine, but very fit and healthy.  And back then I  thought I was so fat compared to all of my friends.  In reality, I was the same size that they were, and in some cases, my waist was a lot smaller, thanks to the hourglass figure I have.

What happened to make me gain so much weight since then?  18 years and lots of eating, I guess.  But there have also been some really emotional things that I’ve gone through and while I came out a stronger woman, I guess I also came out a fatter one.  With each major emotional upheaval in my life, I think I turned to food for comfort.  Not that I’m an emotional eater, because I’m not.  I mainly eat when I’m bored, or hungry, obviously.  The problem is that I eat too much, and lately, the wrong things.

Looking at myself 19 years ago was interesting.  I wish I could’ve somehow told my younger self that I was going to turn out to be an intelligent, funny, sarcastic, well liked person who had a major weight problem.  I would’ve warned my  17-year-old self that I really needed to workout more often and take what I was eating more seriously so that I wouldn’t be in the predicament I find myself in now.

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