Quality Friday: Every Day is a Celebration

We love our new home. Although the boxes are not quite unpacked, we feel settled and content here, and can't get enough of our surroundings. The scenery - endless miles of rolling hills, lush green trees and breathtaking views - will never grow old. And our new town has a great downtown area with cute shops and fun restaurants, so different from the area we left.

Seems like every chance we get, we're hopping in the car to explore the area around us. Its been much easier to do so given my light travel schedule the past two weeks, and that Mark no longer works on weekends (yay!).

Last Saturday afternoon, with me in a celebratory mood after a good, long, training run, we decided to head towards the neighboring town of Guerneville, and found ourselves at the world famous Korbel Vinyards for champagne tasting and a delicious lunch at the Korbel Delicatessen.

The view was amazing,

the champagne - thoroughly enjoyable,

and we brought home our fair share for future indulgence.

Wasting no time, we opened a bottle that evening, enjoying it with a decadent meal of smoked salmon, served on crackers with red onion and capers, and fine cheese. And like so many moments during these past weeks, we've found ourselves toasting and celebrating life.

Hope that you have had cause to celebrate recently! Cheers to you this Quality Friday!

Quality Friday: Calm Before the Storm

On Monday and Tuesday, we took a break from the craziness of our lives and enjoy a short little trip to Monterey Bay. I had to do a little bit of work there, and love that Mark had both days off to join me on the drive down California's famous Coastal Highway.

We enjoyed some lovely meals, got a chance to walk around Monterey's wharf, and especially appreciated this ocean view from our hotel room.


That, and the fact that the room was tidy and neat, quite unlike the disaster zone that our home has become. Why, you ask? What has taken over our lives, and turned our apartment upside down?

If you answered "Because You're Moving", then you guessed correctly! Seems that we can't resist the opportunity to pick up and move more often than we say put:)

Funny think because I actually hate moving. HATE IT. But as much as I fought the notion with every fiber of my being, I couldn't deny that this move will make a great deal of sense. Mark will only have to travel 10 minutes to school each day, rather than the hour plus (80 miles round trip) commute that he suffered through last year. Imagine the gas that we'll be saving!

Yes, my commute to the airport(s) will take a little longer than they do now, but the reality is that only make the trip once or twice a week, not every day. Plus, I drive a company car with my fuel paid for. The rest of the time I work from home.

In addition to the gas savings, our rent will decrease significantly, another huge bonus. We'll be living nearer to the coast in the heart of Sonoma wine country, in a cute town, with bookstores. Which is significant because we currently have to drive 15 miles to a Borders or Barnes and Noble, since our town only has an adult bookstore. Classy. But I digress.....

Right now, I may or may not be starting to panic about Just How MUCH needs to get done before we move TOMORROW. Which is why I'm going to take a deep breath and remind myself of the peaceful ocean view we enjoyed just a few days ago.

Happy Quality Friday! Back to work I go:)

Quality Friday: Sweet Home, Chicago

There is no doubt in my mind that Chicago is, and always will be, home.

Last weekend, Mark joined me on my business-trip back (as I promised he would!), and we enjoyed packing in every free moment of our six day visit spending time with family and friends. It was exactly the vacation that we needed, and our time spent with loved ones was refreshing and rejuvenating (though never quite long enough).

Even weather in Chicago was absolutely perfect, so similar to the amazing California weather that we enjoy on a daily basis. Last weekend almost made me forget that there are terribly cold winters and stifling hot summers to contend with:)

We were graciously hosted by Mark's dad, allowing the two of them to spend time quality time together while I worked on Monday and Tuesday. Here's a brief recap of our visit:

Friday afternoon, and after settling in and enjoying lunch with Mark's dad, headed out for an evening with my family at Brandon's girlfriend Shruti's parent's home. BJ and Nimmi prepared an amazing feast of Indian cuisine, which we enjoyed immensely, along with their warm hospitality.

Saturday afternoon, we met Mark's family at our traditional meeting spot, Carson's, where we got to spend a few hours enjoying their company. Afterward, we headed out for an evening of fun and games with Mark's poker buddies - a truly fantastic crew.

Sunday, we went to church in the morning, then to Brandon's for a quick lunch, to the Grafton for a few drinks, made a quick stop at Melissa and Steven's to give Mark a tour of their new home (and to meet Cosette) and finally to Orlando's for the rest of the evening.

Sadly, my camera only made its way out on two occasions, both on Sunday, so here are the few photos I have to share:

Daniel, all grown up at 18, and getting ready for his first year in college!

Grill-master, Brandon, whipping up lunch at his place.

Me and my Jonny. I can't tell you how much I love every one of my brothers.

Michael, Audrey, Kjersten, Melissa, Esther, Mark and Steven at The Grafton.

I love these ladies!

Monday night we enjoyed a huge dinner at Randy and Vivian's, and Tuesday, met up with Mark's cousins for dinner, drinks, and some outdoor Olympic viewing in Wicker Park. And on Wednesday we had lunch at our Greektown favorite with Mark's dad before spending our final afternoon and evening at my parent's house.

Just like every trip back, it was over far, far too soon. This Quality Friday, is dedicated to the the moments spent at home and the memories created with our favorite people on earth. WE LOVE YOU, CHICAGO!

Quality Friday: Sleep - It Does a Body Good

Since early April, I have found myself working much longer hours, sometimes tearing myself away from my computer after 8 or 9pm at night. Working from home can be challenging, because it is difficult to create boundaries between work-life and home-life when there is no physical difference between where they take place. My "office" is the couch. My relaxation spot is also the couch. I can effectively keep working and allow myself to think I'm relaxing without even realizing in.

When it does occur to me that the balance in my life has been severely tilted towards work, I find myself getting frustrated and looking for more things to "do" to physically force myself away from work. Case in point, I signed up for a marathon. Don't get me wrong - I'm very excited to be training, and am thrilled to be doing it for a great cause. Still, part of my reasoning for doing so was a bit flawed.

One reason for a marathon training program? Having something else to do will force me to stop working earlier in the evenings so that I can "do something for myself". The reality? Now I have one more (hugely time-consuming) activity to try to fit into an already crammed work and travel schedule. My solution lately? Stay awake longer. Well, who needs sleep anyway?

Me, I'm learning.

Last Monday night, as Mark and I were sitting on the couch enjoying our evening before my whirlwind week of travel, I found myself mentally working down the list of things I needed to get done before I left. I picked up my computer to check into my flight. Mark asked me to please put it down and please try to spend some time with him - we were in the middle of a conversation, and it was obvious that I was barely listening. Worse, I found myself getting increasingly frustrated that he was still talking to me when I clearly had so much to do and was obviously already tired. I could feel my pulse racing until as we started to argue, and finally I snapped at him.

I immediately found myself fighting back tears, as I buried my face in Mark's shoulder. Why can't I just get it all done? I cried. I'm exhausted, and obviously have not figured out how to manage my time. I have so much to do, and don't understand why I have to have a limit. I don't want to be limited. You know I hate it when I feel like I can't do something, and right now I'm pretty sure I'm not doing anything well, I sobbed to him.

Lovingly, my husband comforted me. He reminded me that I needed to be a little easier on myself, get more rest and put less pressure on myself. He told me that how much he appreciated me and promised to be more understanding and less demanding of my time. He said all the right things and was an absolute Saint.

Fast-forward to 11:30 pm Thursday night, when again, I was a completely exhausted wreck, having traveled to Seattle and then LA in the previous 2 days. Barely surviving on less that 4 hours of sleep per night, I still forced myself to get up early that morning to run at the hotel gym. Intermittently, I was crabby and snapping at Mark, then falling asleep on him, as we tried to talk on the phone for the first time that day.

Finally, he begged me to just go to bed already. When I complained that I needed to get up early to run, he told me that I was bing ridiculous and reminded me that I desperately needed sleep. Please sleep, he pleaded. Just catch up - you'll feel so much better. Don't set your alarm until you ACTUALLY need to get up tomorrow.

Thank God for his persistence, and that I had the sense to listen. Immediately, I crawled into bed, and surprised myself by waking up ahead of my alarm, well rested.

My day on Friday was wonderful. Amazingly, I am a much calmer and happier person when I get enough sleep:) I truly believe that just one night of solid shut-eye made the entire difference for my weekend. Instead of going into it exhausted, I was well rested and de-stressed. On both Friday and Saturday nights, I followed suit, going to bed early and waking up feeling wonderful, able to truly enjoy (and focus on) the time that Mark and I shared together.

I hope that this is a new leaf that I'm turning over. Away with the crabby, unbalanced person that I've been. Here's to Sleep - a key component in my quest towards balance and proper boundaries in my life!

Quality Friday: Making Every Minute Count

Last weekend's trip back to Chicago was as Jam Packed as could be. Really, is there any other way to do it, when you only have a few brief days to spend with family and friends?

I'm amazed at the number of people I was able to see and the number of things I was able to do in the short time between Saturday evening and Tuesday afternoon. My spirits were lifted, my belly was full, and my eyelids were heavy by the time I headed back!

Saturday night, after dinner and wine at home with Dad, Jonathan and Casandra, I briefly stopped in at Melissa and Steven's to hug and spend a few moments with Orlando and Esther.

Sunday morning began early with brunch at Starbucks/Tre Kroner with Melissa, Ann-Marie and Kjersten, followed by church at Edgebrook.

The Original Brunchettes.

Immediately after church, I picked up Leslie and we cruised downtown to the Greek Islands where we met Norman for a lovely lunch. I wasn't even remotely hungry when we arrived, but who can resist a plate full of taramasalata and an order of pastitsio?

Just a few hours later, I had my third meal of the day at a restaurant - dinner at Garcia's with my parents, brothers, Shruti and Casandra to celebrate Dad's birthday. I've missed so many family events in the past month - Jonathan's college graduation, Mom's birthday and Mother's Day, Brandon's birthday on Wednesday, and Daniel's high school graduation tonight - opportunities that I'd have to spend time with my fantastic family if we didn't live 2000 miles away.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

After allowing the day's worth of food plus cake to settle, Jonathan and I even went for a run at 11pm on Sunday night!

Monday and Tuesday were filled with meetings at work and a chance to gather hugs from friends at the office, enjoy snippets of their lives and a few minutes of face time. And on Monday night, after a team dinner (yes, another one!) at Carlucci's, Melissa and I headed out to see SATC, followed by cosmos at the new Velez Luce home (where I also spent the night in their chic guest room)!

Chicago, I love you. I miss you when I'm gone, and enjoy every moment when I'm back. The only thing that could have made the weekend better is if Mark had been there, too.

Next time, I'm bringing him back with me. Period.

Quality Friday: Team in Training

In my brief stint as a (self-proclaimed) runner, I've participated in a few of events that have challenged my endurance and have tested my will. Usually, the reason I've participated in these events has been to push myself to new limits, to prove something to myself. From 8K to 10K to half-marathon to marathon, I've tried to run faster, run longer, run further. Admittedly, the focus has usually been me and my ability to run.

On a few occasions, I've coupled a fun running distance (5K) with raising money for a charitable organization, and these have been fulfilling for a completely different reason. Perhaps it had something to do with a shift in my focus. On those days, my running - the whole event - was to honor, remember or benefit someone else.

I imagine that the disappointment I experienced after last year's marathon would have paled in comparison to the joy I would have felt for the steps I'd taken to strengthen a cause. And as the miles of training wore on me, had I been thinking of someone else's struggle (rather than my own), perhaps I would have been uplifted and inspired to honor them or uphold their memory.

I was reminded of this again after failing to be selected for the Nike Women's Marathon earlier this spring.

This year, through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program, I'm hoping to re-define why I run. I'm healthy - one of the greatest blessings God could ever give me. There are many people in this world who aren't as fortunate. Maybe my health, my ability to run, can help make a difference in their lives.

Team in Training is celebrating their 20th Anniversary in 2008. In the past 20 years, they have raised more than $850 million to support patients with blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, by working with doctors and scientist to find cures for these diseases.

Did you know that leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20? That every 5 minutes another child or adult is diagnosed with a blood-related cancer? The research is working, though! Twenty-five years ago, only 5% of children diagnosed with leukemia survived. Today that survival rate has increased to 81%!

This training season, I'm hoping to do a small part to keep that survival rate rising. I'm both excited and nervous to be taking on this challenge - a large fundraising effort and the dedication needed to succeed at another marathon.

I hope you join me on this adventure! I'm sure I'll share my training updates here on my blog, and I've also included a link to my Fundraising Page where you can check in on my progress. Whether you're able to support me through donations or through your prayers for a injury-free season and encouragement along the way, I am grateful.

Happy belated Quality Friday.

Quality Friday: Bag It!

Lately, I have been very conscious of how many plastic bags we bring home with us. A few months ago, while at the local Safeway, I picked up one of their reusable bags, and we have been making an effort to use it regularly. In instances when one bag isn't enough, we've opted for paper over plastic, but I recently learned that paper bags aren't the answer, either.

On a recent grocery shopping trip, Mark mentioned that we might want to buy a second bag for $1, but I pushed back, saying that we didn't really need it. What I probably meant was that I hadn't yet found the right bag to purchase.....

Last week while in Vancouver, I decided to stopped in at a fun home and housewares store to browse a bit during one of my lunch breaks. (Downtown Vancouver has GREAT shopping, for those of you who like that sort of thing. Yes, Why I Love Vancouver, Part 3.)

What I found was a fantastic bag by Reisenthel that I just couldn't resist!

This City Shopper is larger than the Safeway bag, and made of sturdy polyester with a reinforced bottom that I'm convinced will NEVER break. Its the perfect shape for me, because it carries like a large purse (and even has an inside pocket for your wallet and keys, and a small cell phone pocket). Notice the little rectangle clipped on to the handle? This is a second bag that can be unfolded to use when the larger one runs out of room!

Have I mentioned that its also cute and stylish? Why would anyone want to carry plastic bags, when they can carry this? Admittedly, Mark laughed at me when I came home with it. "The $1 bag wasn't necessary, huh?" he commented. ;)

I know it sounds silly, but I realize that I'm just more likely to use it for multiple purposes because I actually enjoy carrying it around. My new bag has made its way with me on two quick grocery trips, to Target, and even to the pet store. And the old grocery bag now lives in Mark's car for when he needs to pick things up on his way home.

Last week, we also made great use of another reusable Reisenthel bag, given to us by dear friends as a Thank You after their recent visit. We took it wine tasting with us, and in addition to saving from having to toss two more cardboard carrying cases, also got many a compliment along the way.


I know its just a start, but I hope that in this small way we can help to keep from generating more unnecessary waste - one bag and box at a time.

Quality Friday: Green Thumb

A bit of earth,
She wants a little bit of earth,
She'll plant some seeds.
The seeds will grow,
The flowers bloom,
Their beauty just the thing she needs.

- lyrics from "The Secret Garden"

Some day, when I grow up, I want to have a garden. A house, on a pretty street, with a yard, a swing set, and a garden.

There is something very appealing about the thought of having fresh vegetables at arm's reach. Imagine being able to simply step out your back door to pick out the perfect bell pepper, tomato and fresh herbs for your meal, and not having to wonder how they've been grown. Wouldn't that would be wonderful?

Truthfully, though, I have no idea if my thumb is green or black - I've never grown a thing in my life.

So why not try it out, I thought?

Our balcony is currently home to our stainless steel grill, two white chairs with beige seats, and a little white glass-topped table. With spring in full gear around here, this weekend Mark and I decided to swing by the gardening section at Target and to try to infuse a little bit of color into our lives.

After much deliberation, searching through the selection of flowers for the few that might survive in the shade, almost giving up because I had no idea what I was doing, and then running out of soil half-way through transplanting them, I was finally able to successfully (I hope) plant my first flowers ever! Here's what's blooming on our patio:

Think I can manage to keep them alive? I sure hope so!

***Any suggestions would be more than appreciated!***

Quality Friday: Back on Track

Its always a challenge for me to get back into the groove of exercise after letting it fall to the wayside. The most difficult part for me is mustering up the motivation to start over again.

As I've said before, I have a tendency to be an all-or-nothing type of girl when it comes to exercise. As much as I've tried, I still haven't learned how to make it a consistent part of my life. I either work out like crazy, going to the gym for hours a day or I sit on the couch for months thinking about starting again. Kind of like I've done this winter.

Over the last few weeks, my business trips have taken me to lovely hotels with nice fitness centers - and I've made a point of using them every morning of my stay. They certainly got the ball rolling, but it wasn't until this past weekend that I finally felt like I was back.

On Sunday, the 70 degree sunshine coaxed me into my very first run outside since October. The weather was perfect, I discovered a new waterfront route, and as hard as the four miles [also the longest distance I've run in 5 months] were for me physically, I felt AMAZING. It wasn't until that moment that I realized how much I've missed running.

As a goal-driven person, I've found that the thing that makes the most sense in my quest for consistency is to sign up for an event. Races are concrete endpoint to work towards, which helps to motivate me. With these inklings floating about in my head, in early February at my company's National Sales Meeting, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet, listen to, and be inspired by Sarah Reinertsen - an amazing athlete and the first woman with a leg amputation to complete an Ironman.

Sarah shared the story of her first attempted to finish the Kona Ironman World Championship in 2004, and how she was disqualified when she failed to meet the qualifying time for the bike leg by 15 minutes. Her dream was incomplete that year - a story that resonated deeply with me as I reflected on my own first marathon experience.

"To Audrey - The marathon is waiting for you. Run strong!"

Even with her inspiration, until this week, I hadn't even CONSIDERED another marathon for 2008. And then all of a sudden, my run on Sunday had me thinking about doing one again soon. And thinking, and thinking.

Wouldn't you know it? Yesterday, I found myself signing up for the random drawing for the San Francisco Nike Women's Marathon. [I know, even as I type this my heart is racing. Am I really doing this again?!?!] On April 1, I'll find out whether my name was selected. AHHHHHH!

For now, though, its kind of nice not knowing. I can spend the next few weeks continuing to work on consistency and getting back on track.

Quality Friday: Celebrating Together Time

Busy season is upon us again, and the past few weeks have been filled with challenges as Mark and I learn to re-adjust to the lives we've chosen.

From Thanksgiving to mid-January, I had a nice long hiatus from extended travel for work. And from mid-December to mid-January, Mark enjoyed his long winter break from classes.

I think we got so used to the time together that we let ourselves forget that the change in schedule was only for a short season.

For me, the travel began again in the week preceding my trip to Morocco. Then, I spent last week in San Diego. Next week I'll be in Vancouver. And the list continues.

For Mark, starting his spring semester has meant auditions, adjusting work schedules, and re-learning the art of Study After Midnight.

Suffice it to say, we've struggled to balance our own responsibilities with the dedication and time needed to nurture our marriage. Sadly, at times we have found ourselves resorting to communicating in frustration and anger, rather than love.

Thankfully, it wasn't to late to re-dedicate ourselves to joyously celebrate in the physical time we spend together while continuing to learn how to best love one another when we're apart.

Celebrating our birthdays (29 and 31!) together with a delicious Japanese dinner at Yoshi's....

...followed by a few more birthday drinks at the Sheba Lounge.

Happy Quality Friday (weekend)!

quality friday: getting organized

our pantry has been in utter disarray, and its been driving me CRAZY.

i have to admit, i really didn't realize how terrible it was until my recent efforts to spend a little more time in the kitchen. we have quite the collection of herbs and spices, condiments and sauces, but they were near impossible to find in.

thanks to the help of two extendable helper shelves (and getting rid of a few choice items), we now have some semblance of order.

before...

...and after.

quality friday: just being here

earlier this week, i was pretty sure that my quality friday post was going to be about how i've finally (after years of saying i intended to do so) starting to pay closer attention to politics and the upcoming presidential elections. i've watched recent debates, followed the results of the first caucus and primary, and have found myself stopping to listen to cnn updates and polls regularly. i'm learning a lot.

but then thursday night happened, and with it my perspective for the week changed, too.

i was in the middle of making dinner, when i got a phone call from mark at work. he was calling from his cell phone rather, which in unusual, and the first words out of his mouth were "honey, i've had a little accident."

in an effort to not be overly descriptive (which is also why this post has no photos), let's just say that i learned that he had just cut his finger while cleaning a deli meat slicer. it was bleeding badly and had been doing so for about 10 minutes, during which constant pressure had been applied but was doing very little to stop it.

within a few moments, i was in my car, talking to our healthcare provider's nurse hotline as i hurried to get to him. thankfully, but the time i got there 20 minutes later, the wound had started to clot. and although my stomach turned when i saw it, we both realized that it could have been much worse. MUCH worse. thank God he didn't loose his finger.

although mark was able to drive himself home thursday night and chose not go to the emergency room, i was still thankful to be able to be there. SO thankful. what if i had been traveling, as i so often am on a thursday night? what if i was hearing the story from a city far away? i would have felt awful and completely helpless.

instead, i was able to clean and dress the wound at home, give mark pain medicine when the shock started to wear off, and on friday, was here to go with him to the doctor and hold his hand as they gave him a tetanus shot and applied a chemical cautery to the area. mark was tough and kept it together through the whole experience (although the look on his face told me it was much worse than he had expected), thoroughly impressing me with his tolerance for pain. afterwards, the doctor said that he had never cauterized a finger without local anesthesia. i take back everything i've ever said about my husband not being able to handle being hurt.

truth is, i'm sure mark could have taken care of himself and done it all without me being there.

but i'm glad that he didn't have to. thankful that i was nearby. grateful that God was watching over him, and making sure i was home so i could be there for him, too.

quailty friday: there's no place like home for the holidays

a song couldn't be more right. it was such a treat for mark and i to be back in chicago - together - and to celebrate the week between christmas eve until new years eve with family and friends.

christmas eve
despite beginning the day 2000 miles away, we were able to keep with tradition, and celebrate christmas eve with mark's dad and sister at norman's home in hyde park. it was the first year we have ever had pizza for christmas eve dinner, but low key and easy also equals stress free and fun!

we continued the evening by heading to our dearly missed church for a beautiful candlelight service. the scriptures and music celebrated Jesus and the true meaning of christmas. and walking through the doors felt like coming home, and the warm and tender greetings from our dear friends touched us deeply.

and it didn't end there. we then joined melissa and steven's at their home for late night catching up with melissa's mom, lillie.

christmas day
we have always spent christmas day with my family, and since we stayed with them all week, this year it was fun to be able to sleep in. we spent an enjoyable morning and early afternoon preparing the meal together. in fact, the day was so laid back that we didn't even get to opening gifts until the sun had already gone down!

that's how you can tell we're all grown up. no one's begging to open presents on christmas morning:)

the cute couples. and yes, that's a mojito glass in shruti's hands. who would have ever thought in a million years that there would be drinks served?

brandon, shruti, daniel, casandra and jonathan

i think this is such a cute picture of casandra and jonathan. and have you noticed the cute haircuts on shruti and casandra? both recently donated their hair. i'd like to think i inspired them:)

gift time!

the highlight of the night was definitely enjoying dessert after all the presents were opened. the conversations and anecdotes got so funny that i tried to capture them on video, and would share them with you, but they just don't do the night justice. all i can say is that brandon attempting to put cooling eye drops into mark's eyes had me laughing so hard that i literally fell out of my seat and was rolling on the floor crying.

love those times.

the rest of the week

we tried to pack in as much as possible during the days that followed.

we played board games a few times (and yes, the boys did beat us twice at cranium). my mom and leslie and i spent an afternoon downtown in the snow. i laughed till i cried at the movies. mark reconnected with a close high school friend. we saw many loved ones. the list goes on and on.

and from trips to friends homes, to poker and xbox games, to brunches and lunches and dinners with any and everyone that would come out to play with us, we had a great time.

lunch group at fogo de chao. talk about over-indulgence.

dinner crowd at carson's. (l-r: norman, leslie, stacie, reggie, burton, kim, audrey, wylene, mark)

the week flew by, and by the time we left we were tired (exhausted, really) and extremely content.

we headed back to california on new year's eve (sadly, missing out on the fun at "4133"), and got home just in time pop open a bottle of champagne, turn the tv on, and countdown to the new year. and then collapse into our extremely-wonderful-and-very-missed bed!

quality friday: christmas traditions

Christmas time is here
Families growing near
Oh that we could always see
Such spirit through the year







with christmas just around the corner (yay! hooray!), the week has brought with it a few christmas traditions for mark and i...

christmas trees

since we've been married, we have only ever purchased fresh christmas trees for our home. we love the smell of pine and the festivity that it adds to our home.

last year, our rogers park apartment didn't really have room for a tree so sadly, we didn't have one. and this year, since we'll be traveling to chicago for christmas, we briefly considered forgoing one again.

we quickly discovered, however, that although mid-50 degree weather doesn't make it feel like christmas outside, a tree, decorations and candles lit inside will do just the trick! off we went, found ourselves a fresh tree, and smiled at the cheer it brought to our home.

that, and the little ceramic tree with tiny colorful lights, that's pictured above. as a little boy, mark loved decorating this mini-tree, and although the bright star on top broke many years ago, and a few of lights have been lost over the years, we hope that some day our children will love doing just the same.

that very first gift

although i didn't realize it as a tradition until this year, i now recognize that opening the very first christmas gift in our home deserves its own place on the list.

you see, the earlier we finish christmas shopping (for each other, that is), the sooner this tradition surfaces. some years it finds its way into our homes on the morning of the 24th, just after all the gifts are wrapped. and on other years - like this one - it happens even sooner.

inevitably, my dear husband (who loves christmas and presents very much), will look at me with sweet and innocent eyes, and ask, "can we open just one?"

"please?", he asks. or worse, "i really want you to open one. i don't care if i do or not."

i've never been able to resist the pleading, so why start now? officially, its a tradition in our home - one that we celebrated on thursday this year.

and my gift? this lovely wristlet that i'd been wanting. thank you sweetie! more traditions will follow as we make our way to christmas day. until then, happy quality friday to you!

quality friday: afternoon breaks

some days desperately call for a little something extra to break up the monotony or busy-ness of the day.

back when i worked in an office [i know, i'm saying that like it was ages ago], i would enjoy a lunch-hour run with my workout buddies, as a way to clear my head and rejuvenate for the afternoon ahead. it worked wonders, and now that i work from home, you'd think that these types of breaks would be easier to take. in fact, they're not.

when i'm on the road, there are definitely days when my lunches are either highly condensed or completely non-existent. on the days i'm working from home i either find myself forget about lunch, or i spend the hour checking my personal e-mail, friend's blogs, or other such stationary activities. sadly, at the end of the day, i look back and realize that i've just spent 8+ hours sitting on my couch with my computer on my lap and a phone to my ear, having done almost no physical activity at all.

not only do i end up feeling sluggish, lethargic, and just plain gross, but my back and neck have also started to ache from my poor posture.

this week, i finally determined that i was going to make an effort to do something active, something enjoyable or at least something that didn't involve a computer on my lunch hour. on tuesday, it was a trip to the bank and a walk around the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner. on wednesday, a run on the treadmill while watching martha make fudge [and have i mentioned that my knee no longer hurts when i run?!?!?!]. on thursday, some pilates and stretches at home, because the rain was coming down something fierce.

and friday break certainly topped off the week!

i took the day off so that i could enjoy mark's end-of-semester vocal recital [he did a fantastic job, by the way!!], and we got to his campus about an hour before the performance, leaving me with a little time to wander about. i found this lovely spot, cracked open my book, and basked in the sunshine on my face and the warmth of the mid-60 degree day, enjoying the gorgeous clouds that the rain left behind, fluffy in the bright blue sky.

it was perfect and refreshing, as all afternoon breaks should be.

what do you do to break up your day? to relax after a busy morning? or to clear your mind and prepare yourself to take on the afternoon? i'd love to hear from you!

quality friday: broadway, baby

orpheum theater - photo from theaters of san francisco

since we've moved, we've tried to make it our mission to take in all that we can of our new surroundings. of course, that can sometimes be difficult with my work travel schedule, and mark's equally busy school and work combination, but when we have the chance to do something unique or fun we certainly attempt to.

last weekend, mark happened to flip on the tv, and our cable company was listing an advertisement for a great deal on theater tickets to see the color purple, presented here in san francisco (and all around the country) by a popular chicago icon, no less! we quickly looked online, and found that the deal was only for 2 weeks, with the first show option that following tuesday.

knowing that i had a day trip to seattle planned for wednesday, and thus that i could pretty much guarantee i'd be in town on tuesday night, we jumped at the chance and purchased tickets for 4 days out.

tuesday night, we had fun getting dressed up and heading to the historic orpheum theater to see this wonderful show. the music was a beautiful mixture of jazz, gospel and blues, the story inspiring, and i'll certainly have to watch the movie sometime soon, at mark's recommendation.

if its at a theater near you, take the opportunity to enjoy this story of hope and testament to the healing power of love.

the view of city hall we saw from union square tuesday night

quality friday: warm and fuzzies

i consider myself a relatively creative person. through the years, i've enjoyed projects that involve sewing, knitting, crocheting - and crafting in general - and have loved wrapping myself up in the process of creating. from choosing the materials to work with, to deciding what pattern or layout to use, i've poured myself into each project and have been known to spend spend hours-on-end working on this or that.

that's why when we've moved into new apartments in the past, i've usually enjoyed the opportunity to sew curtains for our windows or make dinner napkins to match our decor. and for years, christmas gifts of hats, scarves, blankets and purses have been lovingly made for my family and friends. i've crocheted many a baby blanket for the beautiful bundles of joy that grace my friend's lives, and have made items [mittens and scarves were my specialty] for the crafty angels, a group from our church in chicago, to be donated to those in need - both in our community and around the globe. and i've also found scrapbooks and photo albums to make wonderful gifts for loved ones on special occasions, such as 30th birthdays and bridal showers.

so, then, why have my creative juices dried up, as of late?

i'm sure i can find a million reasons [and even more excuses] for why this has been the case, but the bottom line is that i'm fed up!

projects - like re-lining my wicker laundry basket [so the clothes don't snag], or making curtains for the living room [so the neighbors can't see in]- have made fleeting appearances in my thoughts, but never seem to find their way to fruition. or to state it more accurately, they've never even been started.

its time for a change.

which is why this quality friday post is dedicated to the knitting needles and crochet hooks that i've pulled out of hiding and have actually started to USE this week. i've uncovered a few old projects that are begging to be completed, and have even made my way to my favorite crafts store for some new supplies. the photo above is one of the knitting projects that i started many moons ago, and i've got another one sitting next to me right now, that can't be shown because its recipient just might read this entry:)

PLUS, and i'm on vacation next week [hooray, HOORAY!], so the timing couldn't be more perfect. i've got lots of warm an fuzzy things on my adjenda [and maybe a few practical ones, too], and hope that i'll have some completed projects to share with you soon.

happy quality friday - hope you have a wonderful and creative week ahead of you!

quality friday: searching

how long has it been since we moved to northern california? the days seem to be flying by, quickly adding up into weeks and months. life has been busy for both of us.

whereas i feel that i've adjusted to the constant travel of my job, i still often find myself exhausted by it. long hours, time changes, and what feels like constant mental stimulation monday through friday find me more-than-ready for relaxation and regrouping when i'm at home. still, the weekend arrives with its own set of responsibilities - cleaning and laundry to be done, errands to run - as well as my desire to spend as much time with mark as possible.

for mark, his weeks are filled with school during the day, and work many evenings. he often is up at 7am, and not home until 10:30 at night, and his weekends are much shorter than mine with a work shift both on friday and sunday nights. somehow, he fits studying, practicing, and a little relaxation into the mix.

so the weeks have passed - along with them, many a sunday morning - and i'm ashamed to say that until this week, we hadn't visited a single church or worshiped God amidst a community of believers since leaving chicago.

not that we hadn't thought about it. we've prayed many evenings for a church like the one we left - warm, inviting and compassionate, where God's word was preached with vigor and strength, and where the amazingly wonderful people shower you with love from the moment you set foot in the door. what we realized long ago, and were reminded of again last sunday, was that that having been so blessed with all these things back home was going to set the bar high here. but how much good does it do to ask for something when you don't follow up by actively looking?

the hardest part was even knowing where to begin searching for a church home. we began by searching for a local covenant church, but found that there really weren't any in the towns nearby, and knew that driving long distances to church would keep us from getting involved the way that we wanted to. so where turn to next?

one sunday a few weeks ago, we were enjoying lunch at a napa favorite and found ourselves chatting with two couples that had just come from church, and invited us to come for a visit. sadly, weeks later, neither of us could quite remember its exact name, but looking in that area seemed to make sense. being close to mark's work meant that he could easily get there after the service, and being only 20 minutes from home worked nicely too.

interestingly enough we did much of our research on-line, found a few options, and headed to one of them last sunday. it felt wonderful to be worshiping in church and to actually hear a sermon preached, and we're thankful that we've finally gotten through the awkward nervousness of not quite knowing where to go first.

although we're not sure that the church we visited is where we'll make our home, at least we've finally started searching.

quality friday: miami's best

business travel last week took me about as far outside of my standard west-coast territory as is possible. admittedly, i wasn't thrilled with the prospect of heading to miami - i knew that the long flight and airport travel time would fill up an entire work day, that the three hour time change would be difficult to adjust to (especially since my daily schedule started at 7am EST), and that the weather would be hot and humid (and BELIEVE me, it sure didn't prove me wrong).

i also knew that having colleagues there with me would make lunches and dinners enjoyable, and they certainly were. yet the thing that made the trip worthwhile for me on a personal level, was an opportunity to visit with a dear friend whom i haven't seen in years.

chryso and i formed a wonderful friendship during the many (manymanymany) hours that we spent in lab together doing our undergraduate independent research projects, and as teachers for a fantastic program that brought local grade school students into a university setting to learn to love biology.

six years later, we were able to pick it up right where it left off. we talked about our families as though no time had passed, and i felt thoroughly welcomed into their home and their lives. i was quickly reminded of the warmth and love that chryso and her husband lambros share, as we enjoyed a delicious dinner together and shared stories and much laughter over coffee afterwards. they are amazing, these two! not only in their professional lives where labmros is a lawyer and co-founder of a charter school, and chryso is completing her residency in pediatrics, but as parents as well. their beautiful, charming and sweet daughter, zoe, is clearly the pride and joy of their lives.

i don't think that a happier family exists in miami, and it made my week - and thoroughly brightened my trip - to spend an evening with them!

chryso, zoe and lambros in their gorgeous new home

quality friday: mountains majesty

this past week, travel for work took me to the beautiful city of calgary, alberta for a few days.

immediately, the city welcomed me with the beautiful colors of autumn [which i miss, dearly] , an abundance of tall evergreens, crisp cool and refreshing air, and with unbelievable clouds filling the vast expanses of sky [no skyscrapers, no tall bridges, just beautiful blue sky].

the surroundings were a treat to my eyes and as i took in the countless golden poplars and picturesque cumulus cloud, i found myself wanting more. needing more.

thursday night afforded me some free time, and so, on the recommendation of a few locals, i quickly hopped into my rental car and headed west on trip to the nearby mountains.

as i drove, enjoying the beauty of God's marvelous creation, i filled the time with self-reflection and prayer. minutes turned to hours, as i placed my heart in His hands. enjoying every moment of the solice i found, there was a song on my lips and tears in my eyes as i realized that this was what i had been wanting. it was more of this - time with God - that i had been longing for and needing.

each person has a different place where they find themselves closest to God. for me, its the glory of His creation that draws me neigh. calming waves lapping against rocks. trees displaying the fiery colors of autumn. snow-capped mountains, pronounced and majestic.

enjoying clouds like these, all the way to the mountains

banff national park, tucked in the canadian rockies, is full of wildlife including elk and caribou

the road to the town of banff, a welcoming path lined with evergreens