face meltingly cute.

Summer has finally decided to actually show up, and we’ve been stuck in a Dante’s Inferno-esque Hell for the last week and then some. I’m talking the “I-don’t-want-to-leave-my-house-because IT’S SO HOT I WANT TO DIE” weather. Saturday morning for example, I’m freshly showered and in my car making the 7 minute drive from my house to my Aunt’s. Let me emphasize, SEVEN MINUTES. In the whole seven minutes, my body managed to completely sweat out every ounce of lotion I had just put on post-shower. I felt like I had mixed-up my bottle of Jergans with a bottle of Astroglide and smeared it all over my body. Seriously. And that type of mixup hasn’t happened in… well, a really long time. Let's just leave it at that.

The only saving grace are the nights. Around 7, things start to cool down and pave the way for a perfect and glorious summer evening. On Friday’s, this means that Music in the Park downtown is the place to be. There’s something about sitting around with friends (and family), listening to live music, snacking and drinking in public.

Yeah, I can’t lie. The whole drinking in public thing is my favorite part.

However, surprise appearances by babies name Maggie totally trump the whole drinking thing.

weekend in pictures.

Friday morning I recieved a demand invitation via text to take a little girls-only day trip with M-Squared to Santa Ynez on Saturday for Live Oak 2010. Considering it's pretty much just one huge group of people hanging out, listening to music and drinking / eating all day...of course I wasn't going to turn that down. I've never been (and neither had Maggie) so we had our first Live Oak experiences together! S and K were already set up there camping for the weekend, so it was all good. If I had any outdoors-y bone in my body (or, a badass RV maybe) I'd totally be down for camping. But since I don't sleep outside, use port-a-potties or function in any way without electricity...keeping it to a day trip is where it's at. I'm no Bear Gryllis is all I'm sayin'.



The only bummer? Josh Ritter was playing on Sunday night. I knew this going in, and had kind of succommbed to the fact that I wasn't going to be able to see him so I didn't let it ruin my day. Positive thinking? Maybe. Though I'm sure the 12 beers I slammed had something to do with said "positive thinking" as well.



On Sunday, I saw Toy Story 3 (in 3-D) with B. Who is 22 years old and sobbed her way through pretty much the whole last half of the movie? THIS GIRL. I'm borderline embarassed for myself but IT WAS SO SAD. Who would have thought I'd be able to relate so much to a Pixar movie. NOT ME.

We then went over to our friend Alicia's to hang out and pretty much decided that Sunday's are now going to be pot-luck dinners with everyone. This idea excites me way more than it should, given that I don't cook...ever. Yeah, I'm that girl who obsesses over Rachael Ray (and uh, has had a subscription to her magazine since it first came out) It's not that I don't like to, I'm just horribly lazy and never do. However, I did get down on cutting those carrots and tomatoes for that salad though. My backlog of issues of ED w/ RR will sure come in handy this summer, I think.

But Monday, oh glorious and wonderful Monday. Normally, I hate the day. And this one didn't start off any differently, other than the fact I had to get up earlier than usual to water plants and ended up SHOOTING MYSELF IN THE FACE with the hose. I honestly don't think there's any scenario in the world that's a worse way to be forced to wake up. And this was pre-coffee too so, let's just imagine how well that went over for a second... It's was UGLY.

So, flashforward. I'm driving to work, still flaming pissed / hating the world for the cruel wakeup call I recieved two hours earlier (because you know, it's the UNIVERSE'S FAULT for leaving the hose upturned from the previous morning) and I'm just about to get on the freeway when I see the George's getting off the freeway and motioning for me to turn around and pull over. So, I do. And greet them with some sort of horribly sarcastic and rude remark because again, it was all Kevin's fault I got shot in the face because they were HIS plants that I was watering. The conversation went something like this:

K: "We have something for you"
S: "Yeah, we couldn't wait to give it to you."
Me: "It better be like, 'you got Josh Ritter's phone number for me' good considering I got up early to water your plants this morning and took a shot from the hose STRAIGHT TO THE FUCKING FACE."

I honestly don't know how people can even stand to be around me sometimes, with my charming and polite demeanor and everything.

But then, oh THEN, they pull out this little number:



...and I just started screaming. I mean SCA-REAM-ING. Full on, jabbering incoherantly, can't get out of my car because the door is locked and I don't realize it, OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD SHUT UP. IS THIS HAPPENING BECAUSE THIS CAN'T BE REAL LIFE, I THINK I MIGHT BE DEAD.

Total and complete freak-out ensued. In public. At 8:30 in the morning. And I DIDN'T EVEN CARE. Hearing them talk about his set (it was amazing, he was so good) and how NICE Josh was to all his fans (he's a big hugger apparently, shoot me now) was just awesome. And how they both knew they'd have to go over and get him to sign something for me. It's just, really cool. I didn't expect it and I'm just glad that even if I couldn't be there, they could be to appreciate how awesome this guy is. I can't thank them enough for thinking of me that night.

Suck on that, Monday.

the post in which I have an Oprah moment.

Saturday started with a 6am wake-up call to meet Bethany, Chelsea and Monique and drive up to SJC to drop Chelnique off so they could go on their Rufus-Fest 2010 in good ol' Canada. [Fun fact: they were flying from SJC to DTW and going into Windsor. My old stomping grounds! Made me a bit nostalgic] So, after we dropped them off, B and I made our way to Santa Cruz for a little while. Other than wanting to die driving to get there (I still don't do well on windy, mountain-esque roads. Don't do well meaning NEED TO PUKE) it's was beautiful. Found an estate sale, saw downtown, had lunch while watching the USA vs. England game, and went thrifting. On our way home, we stopped in Gilroy and hit a Salvation Army when I found a new knit dress THAT HAS POCKETS. FOR FIVE DOLLARS. Needless to say, it was a pretty successful day trip.

...other than the fact that I was so tired when I got home, I felt like I was stoned. No seriously, even a dinner of In N' Out didn't register on the delicious scale when I ate it. All I could think of was the cool underside of my pillows and when I finally did get home it was faceplant into bed, clothes still on and didn't stir until about 10:30 the next morning. Glorious bed! OHMYGODI'MNEVERGOINGTOLEAVEYOUEVERAGAIN BED!

However, the fact that it was about 90 degrees outside, and I was laying in a nest of sweat and drool when I woke up the next morning (AT TEN THIRTY) meant that I needed to get the hell out of dodge and oh, you know, HAVE to go down to San Luis and while I'm down there, just HAPPEN to see Maggie. And when I say "see" I really mean spend the whole day hanging out. It was fun, as it always is.

I really cherish the relationship I'm building with Megan at the same time. It's funny to think that, aside from a few (maybe two) visits to Michigan and two trips here...we didn't really know each other. Now that I'm here and she's here (and um, my incessant need to see her and Maggie just about every weekend) we can finally hang out and get to know each other. I've always said that one of the best things about me moving here was the fact that I could finally get to know this side of my family that I really didn't know for the greater part of my life. Now that they're in my life (or, they allow me to be in theirs, whichever way you look at it) I can't picture them NOT being in it. I constantly learn more about them and our relationships always seem to be enriched and growing. And have I mentioned how much I love being a part of it? Yeah, that horrible noise heard from the rooftop? That was me screaming how much I love it.

Or, it was me scream laughing in a drunken stupor...both scenarios are very likely.

Ok, that's the end of my "ohmygod my family is so cool" Oprah / Dr. Phil ramble. SOMEONE GET THIS GIRL SOME TISSUES, PLEASE.

Oh wait:

This works just fine.

weekend del sol.

Summer is here.

Don’t get me wrong. I love, LOVE Summer. If I could throw a Bradley Cooper-esque face and body on it and wrap it up in an Armani suit, I would marry it. Everything about it, pretty much rules but lets be honest: it really just gives me ample opportunity to justify why I feel the need to drink at least three times a week and allows me to wear cute summer dresses while doing so. Yeah, I may be that vain. Only a little though.

HOWEVER, there is only little issue that has arisen...

SUMMER, WHERE IN THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM?

Ok, I live in California. I get that. It gets hot, H-O-T, hot here. Accepted. But we went from 70 degrees to 100 in less than a day and it’s been like this for a week. A WHOLE WEEK OF 100 DEGREES ALREADY. Need I remind Mother Nature that it is only the SECOND WEEK OF JUNE. I am not equipped to handle living in the fiery pits of hell quite yet, as I thought we would get a gradual warm up. Something to ease us into the blistering summer months that we all know and detest (and maybe sometimes secretly love) but nope. We get raped by M.N. herself. Thanks a lot, bitch.

Whatever. I got a new dress out of it. And decided that when it gets too hot to stay up here, I’ll drive down to San Luis where it’s cooler and I get to see this face:



Yeah, I don’t think that’ll bother me too much. And by that I mean NOT AT ALL because just, LOOK AT THAT FACE.

dream a little dream

I got to spend a good chunk of the weekend with that cute face (sans bink, sometimes) and I think I went a little bit overboard with the photos on Saturday but I'm blaming it on my newfound love for the Hipstamatic App for my iPhone. No seriously, the possibilities seem to be endless and I can't stop taking them. It just so happens that Maggie is the perfect subject to test it out on since, if it's not obvious, I can't stop taking pictures of her anyway. So I'm putting them all in a seperate set on my Flickr. But who could resist this face?

I always laugh because she looks SO SERIOUS in most of the photos I take. But I've realized that it's just due to the fact that when she smiles and is generally being the most adorable thing in this whole world, I lose control over all brain functions other than squeeing, laughing, smiling and planting kisses all over those perfect cheeks! To even think about trying to snap a photo in those moments is hilarious because you know, I'm trying to remind myself to keep breathing and not die. And while this girl has perfected the serious face, she also smiles and grins and drools all the time...and it is absolutely my favorite thing in the whole world.

My second favorite thing that I really probably love just as equally?

Holding her while she sleeps for so long, my arm falls asleep and shoulder starts to burn. But not realizing it because she's in such a blissful world of awesome baby dreams and I can't look away from the cuteness. I'm only reminded the next day when the ache is still there but I don't mind because it's pretty much the best kind of pain ever. Yes, it does exist.

So, other than going gaga over my Maggie filled weekend, it also included drinks and dancing at the Kilt on Friday night, tequila shots with my roommate on Saturday night for her 21st birthday and the Lost finale last night. The last of which, I am still processing because I haven't quite accepted the fact that it is gone forever. I'm working on that one.

weekend update.

I had a very fulfilling weekend, complete with spring cleaning, big hair and summer dresses (or, dress considering I wore said dress the entire weekend), UFC fights, spending time with the cutest kid in the whole wide world (read, Maggie via above) and making an insane amount of jello shots for Keith's birthday barbeque.

But really, catching this adorable smile from Maggie after she woke up from her nap and we were playing while her mom and I were chatting at Starbucks just totally made my weekend. I love this photo, so much. She's the most perfect & adorable child to ever grace this planet.

Or, as my mom put it (via text, after I sent her this picture): "she's a Gerber baby, the cutest thing I have ever seen! she could be a supermodel...only baby sized"

Inspiration.

I got to spend all Saturday afternoon with miss Maggie and mommy Megan! We had a fun little adventure downtown until they sky decided to open up and pour down on us and I had to sprint to get my car and pick them up, which ended up being okay anyway because Maggers needed to take a nap and was getting really fussy (which, is unusual for her) so we stopped and got sandwiches and picnicked in the living room while Maggie faux-napped. After which she woke up, ate and gave Megan a hell of a time trying to get her back to sleep.

So, here is where I swoop in and pick her up to try and get her to take a nap which really meant that I was praying she would at least settle down and put my mind at ease of the fact I fear I have no maternal instincts whatsoever. And guess what? With a little butt-patting and soothing, she KNOCKED OUT. It was the best feeling ever when she curled her little head right up under my chin on my chest and finally let sleep overcome her tiny body. I could have held her FOREVER just like that (and um, kind of almost did) until I realized that her mama was so tired and needed a nap too. It was just a really, really good day.

I needed something like that to happen. Lately, I've been questioning a lot of things. My motives, intentions, thoughts, everything. How I love blogging and sharing my thoughts with, pretty much, anyone who feels any inkling of desire to read them but lack the inspiration (and well, talent and adventures) to do so on anything more than a weekly (or, bi-weekly) basis at most. I thought about giving it up because, well, frankly people don't really care. And I've been having a hard time with the fact that I feel so willing and open to share my thoughts and feelings with people that I don't even know but have been recoiling at the thought of actually sharing the same feelings with people that I have and see in my daily life. Not that I'm a closed book by any means (I'm actually quite terrible at hiding my emotions 99% of the time, so everyone knows something is wrong when it is) but... I don't know. I've just been feeling weird about it. So I guess I blog partially in hopes that they'll read it and kind of have an "A-HA!" moment and kind of understand where I'm coming from. Who knows.

But whatever, moral of this story being that since the afternoon I had on Saturday, I've had a DESIRE to keep writing. Not exactly because I want to express my thoughts and feelings to the world but because I want to have a place that I can go to and look back at a week, month, or years from now and be able to remember certain moments and feelings such as Saturday where I, for the first time in my whole life, thought that I could actually do the whole parenting thing. Not now, obviously, but eventually. And that maybe, just maybe, I won't be terrible at it once that time comes. And if that feeling ever changes, then I can go back and reread what I thought and laugh at my foolishness. But as of right now, Maggie has changed the way that I think about a lot of things and I just want to document that and the other moments in my life with such significance.