Like a vacation

Mark had Monday and Tuesday off this week and, boy, does that make today feel like a Monday! I go back to school (at the university) next week so I'm very thankful to have felt like we were on vacation.

We woke up somewhat early on Monday with a list of errands to run. We dropped Mark's car off at the dealership to get his a/c fixed (it hasn't been working for a few weeks) and Mark got a haircut. We then went to Home Depot and ordered a door with a doggie door already installed in it rather than having Mark's dad saw the hole himself, which was the original plan. We also got a new toilet seat as I had broken the last one by standing on it and cleaning the walls. Apparently, I twisted one way and the seat went the other, causing the screw that holds the lid to the seat to break.

After lunch, we embarked on our major endeavor of the day: purchasing a new suit for Mark. We went to an outlet mall not far from us to get an idea of prices then headed to Hollywood, a suit outlet mecca. I must say that, even though we are SoCal residents, walking the star-lined streets of Hollywood is still pretty cool. We went to an additional four stores and Mark had decided on a classic black suit until he tried on a super-sharp grey, pin-striped Hugo Boss. It was the suit that fit him the best all day long and he really looked handsome in it. He was a bit afraid that grey, pin-stripes don't go with enough colors of shirts and ties but I reassured him that, according to Stacey and Clinton, it would be considered a neutral and that he could wear any shirt and tie with it. We left the store for a minute to discuss and then he called his friend Andy to gets the man's perspective. He decided to get it and I think it guarantees that heads will turn when he walks into a room (as if they don't already!).

Being that we were in Hollywood and it was already close to 5, we decided to get some food and drinks and wait for traffic to lighten up. We went to this really neat German bar where the bartender and the regulars are all from Germany. The food was great - even better than Frankenmuth! After braving the freeway, we took a short nap then met up with Mark's GM, Will, at BJ's then closed down The Powwow Saloon, where they have karaoke every night! We finally crashed close to 3:30.

Tuesday morning we forced ourselves out of bed early and went for a quick greasy breakfast since I was feeling a bit queasy from over-indulging the night before and he was moving pretty slowly. We then hit the road to meet up with our friends Dave and Robin and their adorable daughter, Riley, in Del Mar (about an hour and a half south of us, close to San Diego). Robin's brother is the deputy chief of the life guards on his stretch of the beach so we had a prime spot close to the tower. The water was beautiful! So clean. And the waves were totally within my comfort zone, which is really great! After a quick, hangover-curing dip, I got comfortable with Robin, her sister-in-law, and the baby (who was safe under an umbrella) and caught some major rays. Mark, on the other hand, went boogie-boarding for a bit then went out with Robin's lifeguard brother, his 7-year-old son, and Dave for his first surfing lesson. He had a wonderful time and came back to shore exhausted but super excited to try it again sometime very soon. We all then went for a fabulous dinner and margaritas and drove home, where we fell into a deep sleep no later than 10:30! It is almost inconceivable that Mark be asleep by 10:30. I guess the surfing really did take a lot out of him!
This morning, as Mark was getting ready for work, we were talking about how nice the last two days were and how much like a vacation they felt like. We felt rested and he felt ready to deal with the restaurant for the next few days.

Hilarious?

The neighbors are having a party and their music's been loud all night. No biggie, right? It's only 9:30. Besides, we're having a party next weekend so we'll get them back. The funny thing? They just busted out a karaoke machine. I can't help but laugh. I just can't.

Wretched time of year

I know that I really shouldn't be complaining about having multiple weeks off every summer and I know that I'm truly, truly going to appreciate having summers off once we have babies. BUT, this time of year is always SO tough when it comes to weight loss, or even just weight control. I, of course, have put on a few pounds since summer school has let out. I know that some of it will naturally come off when school starts again, it always does. Mark has put on a few pounds this summer and we are now both to a point where we're ready to do something about it. He has been really encouraging me to go back to WW, since history shows that it works for me but I'm feeling really embarrassed to go back into the meetings heavier than ever. I know I'm probably not going to be the only repeat enrollee but I need to get past it and just do it. Chelle recently shared the best BMI and waist measurement that her doctor indicated are ideal for conception. My first goal will be to get my numbers below that level. From there, we shall see. Wish me luck!

See what I mean!?!?!?

You'll notice that I've posted about my week with my mom. You'll probably also notice how crazy the formatting is. Sorry. It's the best I could do. I'm not sure what exactly caused the issue but something obviously did. Hmmm...

Frustration!

I just spent over an hour recounting my week with my mom but when I tried to add pictures everything got messed up! Stay tuned. I'll try again tomorrow. I'm done for tonight.

A Wonderful Week

When Mark started working in the hiring center and putting in twelve and fourteen hour days, we decided that I was going to take a little vacation and spend a week in Michigan. We've yet to spend a night away from each other since we've been married and, while I know it'll happen eventually, I just don't want to yet. So, instead of spending the money on a ticket for me, we decided to spend the money on my mom so we flew her here for a week. We had a really fantastic time and, as always, it was very hard for me to see her go home. After taking her to the airport, I did some running around, got a pint of Ben & Jerry's FroYo, and laid in bed for a couple of hours.

She arrived last Wednesday around noon and we immediately took her for some delicious, authentic Mexican food. We spent the evening watching home videos, Mamma Mia!, and finishing up the invitations for Erin's baby shower. A nice, relaxing evening together.

Thursday we went to breakfast and then to the Warner Brothers Studio for a VIP Tour. A teacher at school had given me a couple of free passes a couple of years ago so I was finally able to turn them in. It was a great, two-hour tour. We saw Stars Hollow, Connecticut fro Gilmore Girls and Central Perk from Friends. We were also able to walk on the set of Chuck. The magic of movies really is fascinating to me and something that I've always shared with my mom. We went to Mark's restaurant for dinner where I think my mom found a new addiction in the parmigiana encrusted chicken, which is delicious. After dinner we watched the newest Nurse Jackie on demand and I watched my first episode of Weeds, seems interesting.

On Friday, I made cinnamon rolls (something I seem to only eat at my mom's) and we went to my new classroom. I'm moving to the room next door so my co-teacher and I have a much larger space for our program to run in now! We spent hours getting furniture moved around and making my new office seem comfy and cozy. Friday night we had popcorn and chocolate for dinner and saw Orphan, which was really creepy.

Saturday was a very relaxed day. We went to BJ's for breakfast to check out their weekend brunch menu then went dress shopping. (A side note: Mark's restaurant beat the BJ's opening week record so the suits are taking all of the managers and their spouses/significant others to Mastro's in Beverly Hills on August 31. We're getting a limo and everything! The CEO will be there. It's kind of a big deal.)

So Saturday afternoon my mom and I started our quest for the perfect dress. And I proceeded to throw my PMS-induced attitude full force at my mother. I'm sure deep down Mark was thankful that it wasn't him. :) After dress shopping, we went home and each took a little nap. Waking up feeling much better, we went grocery shopping and my mom taught me how she makes mostaccioli. After dinner, the three of us met up with Adam and Lindsay along with her mom, step-dad, and sister, who just happened to be in town this weekend as well. My mom and I ended the evening by dipping our feet in the Pacific.
Sunday was Mark's mom's birthday. We had Chinese food and birthday cake for lunch and relaxed and watched the Dodgers game. We BBQ'd at Adam and Lindsay's place for dinner and enjoyed a great night of discussing wedding plans and playing Cranium.

On Monday, we had a wonderful, albeit hot, day sharing our absolute favorite coasters with my mom at Six Flags Magic Mountain. We went to BJ's for the third time this week. I mean, why not? Mark doesn't get enough of it when he working, right? But it is really good food and we do get it for free.

Tuesday, our last full day together, we went back to my classroom to finish up a couple of projects and my mom was able to meet my co-teacher and all of the administration. They were really great and talked me up a lot which, of course, made me feel good but I know had to make my mom feel pretty good too. She told them that it's nice to know that people love me when she's so far away. I then took her by Cal State Long Beach and showed her where my classes are and we went to pick up the dress that I decided upon. We stayed at home the rest of the evening and relaxed.

Wednesday morning was clouded by the sadness of her departure but it really was a very good week and it was so nice spending time with her. It was great to have her helping me in my classroom and even better to have her helping me pick out a nice dress - both things that I've gotten pretty used to doing by myself.

It's always hard to leave one another but we talk so often that I feel very close to my mom even though we're physically apart from one another. I sure am one lucky girl.

Mistrial!

After spending six entire days (well, really only 3 hours a day) at the courthouse going through the jury selection process, listening to testimony, and deliberating, the jury that I was on was unable to come to a unanimous verdict. It came down to a 11-1 vote, in favor of a conviction and we spend a good five hours explaining, bickering, and not budging the final juror. It was extremely frustrating to me to have been through it all and not finish with a verdict. I do commend the one person though for sticking to their guns and not budging simply because eleven people were, basically, begging them to; however, being one of three jurors who ended yesterday after voting "not guilty," I thought the facts presented and discussed today made it very clear that the defendant was, in fact, guilty.

Being that this is a public blog, even though nobody but those who know me read it, I don't feel right disclosing too much information. The case was regarding a DUI conviction. The defendant had just turned 20 when he and a friend lost control of his vehicle and ran it off the side of the freeway. Neither person was in the vehicle when the police arrived but the defendant admitted that he had been driving, attempted all of the field sobriety tests, and agreed to a blood test. He was, unquestionably, drunk and that fact was never in question. The issue was that nobody witnessed him driving and, even though he admitted to driving at the scene and proceeded to get arrested without attempting to explain that his friend was actually the one behind the wheel, the defense's argument was that he was not, in actuality, driving the vehicle.

It was a very, very interesting experience and an extremely thought-provoking look at how people relate to one another. It was also a fascinating glimpse into the workings of our justice system.

Appreciation

Mark's new restaurant had its grand opening this past Monday and they beat a BJ's sales record for an opening day, raking in upwards of $25,000 for the day. It's been an incredibly hectic, exhausting, and stressful couple of months since he started working in the hiring center. Even the guys at the restaurant have begun to get on each others' nerves. All of their bosses from corporate have been there all day breathing down their necks and their team members are all still learning the ins and outs of the restaurant. Mark's shift yesterday exemplifies how his job has been this summer. He went in at 4:00 pm to close the restaurant. When he closed any of the last four BJ's that he has worked for, the latest he has gotten home without having stayed to socialize was just after 3. He came through the door at 4:30 this morning, exhausted and pissed off. Time will definitely ease these pains and I'm estimating the restaurant will be working the way it should be by about February.

So, here I am, the wife of a restaurant manager who is opening a new restaurant. The only wife of all the managers involved in the opening. I've shared countless hours with Mark and his management team discussing the new hires and the kinks and glitches over beers. The guys have started to refer to me as an honorary member of the management team. I've begun referring to the restaurant operations as "ours" and talk about the things "we" do. Mark comes home upset and I've been there, of course and unquestionably, to try to calm him down. I've tried my best to always have food ready when he gets home from work and I've been doing all I can to hold my tongue when things just don't need to be said at that exact moment. I've been patient and he's been stressed. Mix the new restaurant opening with his quitting smoking (almost 2 months now!) and it's easy to see why we've had our fair share of squabbles this summer. While the guys were in the hiring center, I brought them lunch at least twice a week and I spent two whole afternoons pounding the pavement to hand out free take-out meals to local businesses, just so nobody (namely my husband) would have to do so after working ten, twelve, even fourteen hours in one day.

By no means am I complaining. I am so unbelievably proud of Mark for quitting smoking, especially during this stressful time. I also think that the experience of opening a new restaurant is one that will help him grow exponentially as a manager. Being that the restaurant is just over a mile from our house, he is planning on remaining there for the long-haul. This will be the restaurant where I take our kids to visit dad at work, where we, as a family, celebrate birthdays and baseball games and dance recitals (until BJ's decides to open in Michigan, of course). And, by no means, would I ever expect anything in return from Mark or from the restaurant. My job, as his wife, is to be there for him and to do whatever I can to support him and the restaurant.

I came home from jury duty today to find a bouquet of beautiful yellow and white daisies and white lilies with a card attached that read: Thank you for all your support, understanding, encouragement, patience, and lunch delivery! Mark is lucky to have you and so are we. - BJ's Operations Team

I was at a loss for words at the thoughtfulness that went into that thank you. Mark and I were just discussing how we don't do things because we expect to get something in return or, at least, we shouldn't. If that's the reason why a person does the things he or she does, then they really shouldn't do it in the first place. But, boy does it feel nice to be appreciated.

My Civic Duty

I've been sitting on a jury all week and have found the entire experience absolutely fascinating. We have to go back in tomorrow morning for deliberations but we are all hoping to be done tomorrow. After that, I will gladly go into more detail about the case.

Another perfect day!

Mark and I had another great Sunday off together today. Today was the last day that the restaurant is closed, grand opening is tomorrow! So, all managers and team members were off today to get their heads in the game.

We woke up when we felt like waking up (one of my absolute favorite things about having the day off) and went to Subway for lunch. We then headed back down to the beach that we went to a few weeks ago. It was so beautiful then that we thought we'd try it again. Well, several things weren't right this time around. First, seaweed was EVERYWHERE. Now, I know that the ocean is a natural body and seaweed a naturally occurring thing but, really, it's gross. I hate the way it feels wrapped around my ankles and thighs. Second, the waves were HUGE. Finally, the rip tide was super strong. A lifeguard actually swam out to us to tell us to get our booties closer to shore or else we'd be carried out to sea. That's all I really needed to hear. We swam in a bit closer then headed to shore. Mark then took our boogie board out to show me how it's done. He caught a few waves then we laid out for a bit.

When we got home, we BBQ'd with Mark's parents and his sister, Tina. There was lots to eat and I drank almost an entire bottle of champagne myself! Needless to say, it was a really great dinner.

Finally, to top it all off, Mark and I got our beach cruisers that hadn't been ridden in almost a year and took off to Blizzberry. Blizzberry is my new addiction. You serve yourself soft serve frozen yogurt and top with whatever you want and then they charge you by the ounce. It's similar to Pinkberry or Yogurtland or some other derivative of the same. My favorite concoction has been strawberry and raspberry yogurt topped with strawberries, blackberries (my absolute new favorite), raspberries, and sprinkles. Delicious. After we ate our yogurt we rode our bikes around Downey for a good hour or so. Maybe even longer than that. It was the best bike ride of my life, I felt 13 again!

We are now choosing a movie to watch while we enjoy a bottle of wine. A perfect ending to a perfect day.

Break open the bubbly!

Adam proposed to Lindsay this weekend and she said yes!!!

We are so thrilled for them. They are, absolutely, hands-down, our best friends here in L.A. and the couple that we spend holidays and special times with. We are so excited to be a part of this amazingly special time for them. Congrats you two!