Update (in photos)

Hanging with Adam & Linz!

Looks who's in the shopping cart now!

Our adorable niece and me.

Such a cute pic!

At an NLDS game

In Vegas for Mark's birthday

Lucky guy!

With a random relic at the House of Blues Foundation Room.

Having a good 'ole time!

Mark & the Strip

We wandered through the closed restaurant and found a collection of empty wine buckets, a perfect place for Mark to relieve himself!

Self-Portrait!

Welcome to the world Joshua Leo!

Karen and Scott's first baby was born on Monday! After 41 hours of labor and an eventual c-section, Mom and Baby are doing well. Congratulations Diegels! We are so thrilled for you!

"Teachers are Born, Not Made."

I just read an article that argued no matter how wonderful the university program, people simply can't be taught how to teach unless they were born with the "teaching gene." I tend to agree. Mark tells people all the time that I could not get paid and I would still do what I do. I love it that much. And it's true. I really do love what I do.

I've had some difficulties of late with one of the teachers in my department. It seems that, because I am more eager to try new things, ready to take on new challenges, and in a position that seems to have authority (as department chair) I can do nothing right. It probably doesn't help that I'm thirty years younger than her either! Truly, no matter what I do, it's wrong. And she has no problem telling me how wrong I am and how thirty-five years of teaching has made her an expert on whatever teeny-tiny little decision I have to make.

So, since my last blog posting, school has started and boy is the ball just a-rolling along! Which, incidentally, is why I haven't posted anything since September 4th. I have a new classroom, which is great! It's also a big change and has thrown everyone off, including me. My co-teacher and I have five new paraeducators which is almost like having five additional students at times. While completely necessary and totally invaluable, teaching five people how you want/need them to work is a huge undertaking. I also have a couple of new students who are really great kids but also very involved behaviorally. To add to the craziness, I have a ton of extra paperwork and evaluations to do this year. And to top it all off, I had this teacher upset with me this afternoon.

But, despite my ranting and jumbled thoughts, it really has been a great year so far! I'm looking forward to things settling down a bit so that I can actually enjoy what it is I was genetically pre-determined to do...teach.

Week in Review

After being a "new" WW member again this week, I'm supposed to weigh in tomorrow morning. I had a really rough time getting into a routine this week for several reasons. A run down of my week...

Saturday night was our annual Albanian party in which our family celebrates with other families from the same region of Montenegro their ability to defeat the Turks and remain Catholic. We had two lambs roasting on a spit all day long plus all kinds of other food and wine.

Sunday we went to a friend of Mark's place for a BBQ. I managed to do okay here but did have a couple of beers.

Monday was our big night on the town! I had way too much to eat and drink.

Tuesday I was super hungover so didn't eat too much but what I did it were my typical hangover remedies - french fries, ice cream, and an egg sandwich. I know, it sounds gross and weird but it really does seem to help me!

Wednesday I managed to actually count my points and log my food into my online journal.

Thursday I went wedding dress shopping with Lindsay and she took us out for appetizers and then for dinner as well. I tried to be good but it was so difficult, especially since we were celebrating.

Friday, today, I've done really well.

Part of me really, really wants to skip my meeting in the morning since I know I didn't have a successful week and it's just embarrassing for me at this point. But, Mark is being really supportive and insists that I go. My leader is super positive so I know she'll celebrate the fact that I came back more than make me feel bad for not following the plan this week.

Next week will be better. I go back to work which will help a ton since I'll be back into a routine.

(Sigh) Wish me luck. I definitely wish it were easier.

A Step in the Right Direction

After reading my last post, it probably doesn't seem like I'm doing anything to help myself shed some pounds. However, yesterday was a special occasion. In fact, I re-joined WW on Saturday morning. I've had a decent week but, of course, last night made it difficult. I have three full days until my next weigh-in though, wish me luck!

Reaping the Rewards

Since July, Mark and his management team have been working so hard in order to make BJ's in Downey a successful restaurant. Their hard work and dedication definitely paid off when they beat the opening week sales record! As a result, the big wigs from corporate took the entire team and their significant others out to dinner last night at Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. Mark and I have been so excited about this dinner and night on the town and it the night definitely did not disappoint.


We all met at the restaurant between 4:30 and 5:00 where we met the limo that would take us to Beverly Hills. I was a bit disappointed that the limo was not stocked with champagne, as I had anticipated; however, I ultimately had plenty to drink. We met the top five guys from the corporate office for dinner and two of their wives joined us as well. Mark and I ended up sitting directly across the table from the CEO and one of the VP's. I sat directly next to the wife of the 2nd in command. She and her husband are planning their daughter's wedding so we had plenty to talk about. I kept leaning over to Mark and apologizing for not socializing more with him but he was thankful that I was getting along with the mukity-muk's wife. We also chatted a lot with the CEO who just seems like a really, really nice guy.

The conversation was great but the food was to die for! I had a bone-in filet, which I had never seen on a menu prior to last night. It was so thick and juicy and delicious! All side orders are served family style so everyone was able to order what they wanted and we all had plenty to sample. My favorite was the creamed corn. Mmm... The au-gratin potatoes were delicious as well. Then came the dessert! Mastro's has a signature butter cake on the menu so, of course, that's what we got. I love sweets but I'm not too much of a cake person (unless it's from Meijer) but this cake was indescribably delicious. Words can't even express how yummy it was. And it was served with fresh berries. Just divine.

Great conversation and one of the most delicious meals of my life were complemented wonderfully with lots and lots of drinks. Lots of drinks. I started with a smoking lemon drop martini and then really, really wanted a glass of champagne. After asking Mark who asked his GM, I ordered a $25 glass! Then the wine came and an after-dinner S'mores martini with a graham cracker rim. In all, the tab on dinner was around $4500! Talk about a perk of a job well done.

After leaving Mastro's, we swung by Sky Bar in Hollywood. Now, I have wanted to go to Sky Bar since Becky and I first went to L.A. for the night back in 2002. I'm not sure how I had heard of it or why I wanted in so bad but I was so thrilled to have made in in the door that I asked just about every person in the place what the name of the bar was! I kept thinking they were all just messing with me. I don't know, blame it on the a-a-a-alcohol! We ended the night at the local karaoke joint that we went to last week. I butchered "Dancing Queen." Or, I'm assuming I butchered it because I couldn't even hear myself singing it. Mark and I ended the evening with our own rendition of "Redemption Song."

In all, we has an absolutely fantastic time and can't wait to go back to Mastro's and enjoy the food again. I wonder if it would be just as delicious if it wasn't free!

A full-length shot of us before leaving the house. It's kinda dark but you get the idea. I love to watch as we get more and more relaxed as the night goes on...

In the bar before dinner.

Gotta get a pic at the entrance! This was after dinner.

At Sky Bar. Definitely getting a little faded.

In the limo. Nice cleavage.

Our self-portait attempts!

The Lajci's do Bob Marley!

One last self-portrait for the night. I think it's pretty obvious that we're having a great time!

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.