Haiku Friday

Last day of August.

Always a long month. This time,

it flew by quickly.

Oh adverbs, you stink.

She said, laughingly. Maybe

I've really lost it.

Ready for work now.

Got all the essential stuff.

Starting on Thursday!

Vacaciones

As you may know, Buddy's day care is closed and my job doesnt start til next week. How genius is that?

So, this week we're on vacaciones juntos!

On Monday, we played played played and went up to Ox for the evening so Buddy could play with Queso and I could chill with BFF. It took us less than an hour to get and the drive was epically beautiful.

On Tuesday, we ate through two plums but we were still hungry.

(a very hungry caterpillar, anyone?)

Tues we were home by 11 and we watched Dora and took a nap.

Yesterday we walked to the library and played there. We also took a dip in the kiddie pool. And went to the park and got popsicles.

Today I think we're gonna head over to the Farmer's Market to walk around for awhile.

Maybe this all sounds very boring to you. To me it has literally been the best week ever.

Dora the Movie

I am on vacation with the Buddy this week. So, I've been watching a lot of Dora. Anyways, here is Dora but not for kids.

Wknd Pics!

playing with stickers

Buddy in a bowl!

Buddy in the bouncie house. 

Slightly out of focus baby with balloon. 

Watching the present opening show.

Watching TV!

At the museum of natural history. 

With the professor. 

Haiku Friday

Queso's beeday, hoy!

He is two, just like Buddy.

Happy beeday, Bud!

 You are so little.

But also such a big boy.

And very gentle.

One day, you'll fight back.

When Buddy takes all your stuff.

Just not for some time.

Numbers

1. On Friday, Babe and I celebrated nine years of marriage by going out and having a nice dinner. We chatted, we ate, we drank. We were home by 10. Ha!
2. On Saturday, we drove down to see the familials in San Diego. We've gone down about once every other month since we got here. Sometimes more frequently, so let's say 12 times in the past year. Each and every time we have gone, it has taken us two hours to get there. We roll down at nap time and Buddy falls asleep as we hit the 405, then wakes up about a minute from Grama's house. Well, this time, we got on the road as usual at 1pm. Buddy was asleep in minutes. Then, my phone rang and she woke up after an hour of sleeping. Okay, so that's no big deal, right? Except we had three hours to go. It took us more than three and a half hours to get to San Diego. Outrageous. 
3. On Sunday, we kept pushing our trip back to wait until traffic died down. We usually leave from my sister's, which only takes 1 and a half hours to get home. So, we usually leave at 7:30 and get home at 9. Enough time to have a beer and unwind before the work week. This time, at 7:30 GPS said it was going to take 3 and a half hours to get home. We waited until 9:00 to leave and got home at 11:30. SIGH.
4. But, while there we had a great time. We hung out with my peeps and ate good food. We took my nephew to his first baseball game. The Padres won which was a pleasant surprise. It was my first time at Petco Park, which is lovely.
5. I have three days off this week. I am getting ready for my new job. So, today I cleaned out my closet from top to bottom. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. I have four bags of clothes to give away and a whole bunch of room for my brand new wardrobe! To shopping I go! 

Los fotos de la fin de la semana

Buddy has a tendency to hang on to stuff. Ha! That's not true. But she loves to hold her posse when she falls asleep and this time, she also wanted to hold her water.

My first time to a game at Petco Park! We had great seats and the Padres won! There were so many Giants fans there, like maybe half?

We took Ben for his beeday. He likes making this face. Cuz he's 7.

Me and Ben.

Me and Babe at the game.

Me and my cute nephew.

Auntie and Ben.

Boy, was it super hot in San Diego this weekend! And all over Southern California. So, my Ma watched Buddy while we took Ben to the game. And here she is, enjoying her little boat.

She has so much fun in San Diego, playing with her cousins and aunties and grama and grampa.

Anniversary!

Nine years we've been wed, today.

Muchas gracias, Babe!

You're a super fun 

husband. And awfully cute, too.

Here's to many more!

Miss my choker, huh?

I really, really like you.

And your curly hair.

ME

oh hey guys,

i got the job.

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

start date: not sure. a few weeks, definitely.probably early september.
salary: negotiating, but good either way.
job title: director of a whole bunch of stuff
location: just this side of downtown
mass transit potential: definitely
hours: unknown
coworkers: seem rad


i get to (in no particular order):

turn off my idealist job alerts
buy a new purse
get some new clothes
select new benefits
close out my consulting project for awhile
hang out with my buddy for a week while her daycare is closed
start a new career at a new place with people who seem really smart and supportive

speaking of supportive, thanks for all of your support these past few months!

BOOYAH. 

Wknd Pics! Sorry I am late!

This isn't from the weekend, but it's cute. This is Buddy enjoying the public library!

Ang and I went out for a drink on Friday night. We walked to downtown Culver City and had a round at the old hotel.

Babe and I just said no to the Santa Ynez wineries, opting instead for the breweries in the area. What fun!

The line for this spot was super long, so we didn't go, but I wanted to take a picture for my MA.

Danish Soldier Babe.

Little vines outside our hotel room.

Our hotel, with requisite wind mill.

Where's Buddy you might be asking? She stayed with her Auntie this weekend and as you can see they had a great time!

Here she is with her first pair of boots. Man, she is cute.

Ben's Birthday

Happy Birthday, Ben!! (Yesterday was his actual birthday.)

Ben is SEVEN years old now!

Haiku Friday

Thanks for the wishes!

It was a pretty tough one.

Interview I mean.

The guy was friendly.

The conversation went well.

My answers were good.

A waiting game now.

Well, after a thank you note.

I'll keep you posted.

Last interview today.

UGH.

Nervous.

Hey listen, if I don't get it maybe I'll get a job at Tanner's, working as a barista.

UCLA

The things I will miss about working at UCLA:

• The little cholula packets of hot sauce you can get at the cafeteria. They make even the most boring lunches delicioso!
• The free starbucks coffee in the morning. 
• My co-workers are very lovely.
• My lunchtime walks around this gorgeous campus. 
• My terrific healthcare benefits.

The things I will not miss about working at UCLA:

• This job.
• He Who Shall Not Be Named.
• The traffic on that little stretch of Wilshire right before you get to the 405.
• Getting emails from people who shall not be named ALL IN CAPITAL LETTERS, SCREAMING FOR NO REASON.
• Being bored at work.

Misc. Media Tuesday

Technology

• Due to GUS's insistence, I've been using Spotify lately. It is amazing. I don't know how they do it, but you can play any song, ever, and when you listen to one of their radio stations, you get all sorts of great songs. We will eventually purchase a subscription so we have it in the car. For now, I listen free at work.

Music

• Because of awesome Spotify, I was able to listen to the new Fiona Apple album and I love it. If you don't like Ms. Apple, then I don't recommend this because it sure is one crazy album full of her crazy singing. But, if you like her, you'll love this. 

Television

•  All Olympics, all the time. I miss baseball. We were also getting into Breaking Bad before the 2012 Olympics started, but that has gone along the wayside. What can I say? Babe loves his Olympics. I think they are good. 

Books

• I finally started reading a good book instead of the load of crap (excuse me) that I've been consuming for the past two months. I am reading "Cutting for Stone"  by Abraham Verghese about a doctor who is born in a hospital in Ethiopia. It's an incredibly interesting story about a part of the world I know nothing about. But, there are lots of things I find familiar and interesting and it is very compelling.

Wknd Pics!

I thought about my Granny a lot this weekend because she's not doing so well. Here she is the last time I saw her, more than a year ago holding the Buddy. Heh. Buddy.

On Friday after daycare, we went to GUS's parents to play on the swing. They also have a trampoline in their backyard. As you know, Buddy is completely fearless. This is her first time on a grown up swing and she loved it. Obviously it was 2 inches from the ground, but still!

This is Buddy and GUS's mom playing music together.

We had a bar b que and all of the parents who came left their children's shoes behind. Sign of a good BBQ? I think so.

Here's Miss Perfect Posture eating Sun Chips watching the Olympics.

 

Haiku Friday

The terrible twos.

Everyone warns you about them.

So far? I love them.

Hilarious twos.

Funny faces and giggling.

Lots of playing hard.

Sometimes monsterly.

But so creative and fun.

I can't get enough.

Walking

 

Moving from NYC to California, obviously one of the biggest changes was going from having no car to having a car. Leaving behind an excellent and affordable (and safe) public transportation system to having almost no option for public transportation (that's not quite true). 

Anyways, it was important for me to keep us walking as much as possible because that is my favorite form of exercise. We found a daycare for Buddy that is a ten minute walk from my house. One day a week, I walk her there and three days a week I walk her home. 

Every day, I take a 20 - 30 minute walk at lunch. And I try to take two ten minute walks also during the day. I set a little alarm on my calendar. Because really? Who doesn't need to stretch a little bit after sitting at a desk all day long? It certainly helps that I work on a breathtakingly beautiful campus. 

On the weekends, we walk to coffee and the store. We also just go for walks on the Culver City bike trail. The weather is always nice and buddy loves to be in her stroller and looking around.

Now that she is getting bigger, I like to let her walk a little bit too. And of course, she loves it. So, on my Thursday mornings when I walk her to daycare, we go to the corner and she walks in front of me. Here is she is this morning.With Barbie.

Better late than never

That's my motto.

Member that trip to NYC we took more than a month ago? Here are some pictures from the flight on the way there.

I love these.

Here's one of Buddy's Best Friends, Little Avery.

Fuzzy but worth in, Avery in the Bath.

This next series could have happened anywhere, they didn't have to be in NYC. But I love them. These are Buddy learning to shave with her dada. 

Maybe one of my favorite pictures of all time.