One Year Ago.

One year ago - almost exactly - I published my last blog post. I can't really say how or why, but I just didn't feel like blogging anymore. I suppose part of it was that I started working and had less time to come up with witty things I thought you would want to read.

However, a major part of it was that it was becoming more about my readers than it was about my family and the things I love, which was the intention of this blog from the start. There was so much "game" in blogging; who has the biggest readership? How can I make mine grow? How much money am I spending on sponsorships and hosting giveaways? I just got tired of playing.

So I'm back. Probably with less incentive for those who perhaps like the giveaways and such (no judgement here!), but this time, it's about - truly - the things I love. The things I see and do. At least for now, because really, who knows how long this motivation will last...

To give you an update, here's a quick snippet:

• We continued with book club and are on The Goldfinch, which for the life of me I can't get through.
• Gabriel started and finished preschool at his new school, a private Catholic school, which he loves.
• We held a murder mystery party at our house with the theme of 1920's Prohibition.
• I started and quit a job with this amazing organization.
• I dressed up as Amanda Bynes for Halloween.
• And then we went to another murder mystery party.
• We got a puppy named Bella, whom I love and adore (despite the fact that she likes to chew on ONLY my shoes).
• Went spent a weekend in Lake Arrowhead with a wonderful group of families in January.
• Jonas turned 2 and then became the biggest chatterbox I've ever met, only challenged by Gabriel.
• I went to New York for a social media conference, then got to visit my very best friend who shared the very special secret that she was pregnant. It made me feel so special to be one of the first to know.
• Adrian and I committed to coaching and team mom-ing for t-ball. That was "fun."
• Gabriel lost 3 teeth.
• I introduced myself to a mom of one of the kids at our first t-ball practice and found out she lived across the street from me (because I'm a nimwit and didn't realize it). She has since become my walk/running buddy, fellow Starbucks fiend and too much wine enthusiast, and one of my very best friends.
• Gabriel went horseback riding for the first time and loved it. 
• We decided that we would have a summer of camping and ended up going 4 times. More to come on that.
• I quit crossfit and bought a crap ton of weights that I use in my garage while saving $100+ per month. I miss it everyday, but such is life.
• The weekends in which we did not camp this summer, we spent paddleboarding on Mission Bay.
• I started a new job at the same company as Adrian. It gets interesting.
• Gabriel learned how to ride his bike without training wheels in less than 24 hours.
• Jonas decided he no longer likes sleeping and as such, stays up until 10 pm playing with toys in his room while Gabriel sleeps peacefully in his top bunk.
• We decided to list our condo in Ventura for sale and are waiting very impatiently for it to sell.
• Gabriel started kindergarten. WHAT. Jonas is now telling us he is ready for school as well.
• We are hoping to purchase a home by the end of the year and I don't even know. It's crazy.
• I will be attending my 10-year reunion in 2 weeks. Yes, 10 years. Let that sink in.

So that's it! In a nutshell, that's what has been going on. There's plenty more to share, it's just a matter of getting it out on the computer screen!

Our first book club meeting: The Night Circus

I'm one of those nerdy girls who has always wanted to be in a book club. A lifelong reader, I am instantly drawn to others who share my passion for the written word. Several years ago, I read a book called Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, a book about several women in the 60's who start a book club and chronicles their lives together. Long story short, I was so intrigued by the idea of meeting up once a month to take time out of our schedules and dedicate it to each other and good discussion.

And wine. 

Anyway, fast forward a few years to this past June. For some reason, I got this wild hair that it would be a great idea to start a book club. My friends read. I read. It would be perfect. So I did what any millennial would do and posted my proposition on Facebook, offering to host the first one.

We picked a book (well, Random.org did because we were so indecisive) and settled on the Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. 

“The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands. True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.” (Excerpted from: http://erinmorgenstern.com/)

In my opinion, it was a good opener. It was intriguing, magical and had a decent story line. Compared to our second month's pick which we just finished (Let's Just Pretend This Never Happened by The Bloggess), the Night Circus was the best book ever. AKA, our second book was TERRIBLE. No offense, it just wasn't my style and totally unrelatable. 

So, in case you're all interested in what I did to host, I thought I would give a little recap...I may or may not have gone a little overboard. The theme colors were white and black for the circus and of course, red for the reveurs. I tried to sprinkle little bits of circus in without going too crazy.

The front door --

The discussion table -- I removed the cards as it was mostly irrelevant to the story line.

Pre-food set-up -- [Welcome to the Night Circus FELLOW REVEURS]

Post food set-up: crackers, nuts, cheese, apples, carrots, crackers, chips//dip, chocolate mice, kettle corn and fruit kabobs [pictured in other photos].

Apple ginger ale, wine, and champagne were on the drink menu. 

Oh, and chocolate mice. Cannot forget the chocolate mice. If you would like, you can find the recipe here.

And of course, the discussion questions. No book club would be complete without a set of discussion questions, so I pulled mine randomly from different lists on the internet. If you happen to be hosting a Night Circus meeting, you can find an array of provoking questions to pose to your friends with a simple Google search.

I designed the questions and all the framed quotes that you see lying around. Our overall impression of the book was good and if I had to rate it, I would say it would get 3.5 out of 5 stars. The ending was sort of predictable in that I assumed what would happen, even if I didn't know exactly how it would pan out, but it was a nice read. I prefer a little fantasy mixed in so this was a nice mix for me. 

I'll admit something to you guys, most of the things I used to host were actually from the Dollar Store! The popcorn holders, table clothes and ticket stubs were DS finds, straws and string were Target and food from Vons. Very basic, very easy. All of the printables were created by yours truly and that was it!

Our second book was a horrific flop, but our third book, which we just chose on Monday, is the Secrets of Mary Bowser. I will give you my thoughts at the end of the month!

Have you ever been in a book club? Any desire to participate in one? On that same note, have any books you would recommend we add to our queue? 

San Diego Fair and Beer Festival

We have been busy taking care of items from our Summer Checklist these last few weeks! So far we've camped in the backyard, been to the zoo and attended the San Diego Fair and Beer Festival, all of which I need to post about!

On Saturday night, we ended up going over to the Beer Festival and then made our way into the fair. We had a group of 8 and it was so much fun! There were over 400 beers on tap and food galore...

Happy Summer Solstice

via

This is my idea of summer. This is my idea of heaven. Some mags, a refreshing dink and a view. 

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!

What's your idea of heaven? How do you like to spend your summer days?

San Diego Summer Checklist 2013

Last year I made a summer to-do list with the kids and it was a hit! Gabriel and I would "check" things off our list as we completed them and he loved knowing that we had a plan for this summer. This year, as long as I'm still working from home, I would like to do the same.

I know I've said it before, but I will say it again. We are so happy and lucky and happy happy happy to be back in San Diego. Not only do we have our friends and family here, but the area is so rich with unique things to do, you can hardly say you're ever bored living in this town.

Without further ado...