Chinese Food & Almond Champagne

Yesterday we got the keys!!! Daryll and I are officially homeowners now! We are incredibly excited to start on the new adventure of homeownership! We broke in the new house in cheesy romantic comedy fashion... with a bottle of almond champagne and Chinese take-out straight from the cartons on the dining room floor. "How weird! This is our house now!" echoed off the walls of our furniture-less home more than once as we sipped champagne from 2 mugs dug out of my starbucks collection. It was perfect.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

We're moving! Daryll and I are mere days away from closing on our first home! It's such an exciting time, with all of these new "firsts" for us! I've found myself day dreaming about rugs and paint colors over the past few weeks and I am so looking forward to making the new house into a home.

As I've started packing up the boxes I can't help but be a little sad that we're leaving the first home we lived in as a married couple. We have had so many great memories in this home, working on projects together (painting and repainting, woodworking, to name a few...), to inviting others to share in our lives through parties and countless dinners.

I'm going to miss watching the dogs peek their little heads over the balcony at us and seeing Ella dart up and down the stairs after her ball. I'll also miss our fantastic and friendly neighbors who have kindly watched our dogs numerous times while we were out of town.

I know that our new home holds a lot of memories that we will spend years unlocking, but I will always cherish the memories that we made in our first home.

The final pictures will come off the wall and the final fall decor will be boxed up on November 19th. Then it's out with the ugly green carpet, and in with the new adventure of home ownership!

The Bahamas!

Two weeks ago Daryll and I got to take a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and fly away to the Bahamas for a week of relaxation! The trip had the perfect amount of relaxation (floating down the lazy river, sipping strawberry daiquris by the pool, meandering through the menage of aquariums, and reading by the beach) and adventure (a catamaran dinner cruise, water park rides, jet skiing, and snorkeling with sharks)! It was a wonderful time for us to recharge and reconnect with each other without any distractions. You know it's a good vacation when you wake up in the morning and your only agenda is to look out over the ocean with a caramel latte in hand before casually asking each other what we wanted to do that day. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the vacation:

Sorry, the upload is going to slow and I've got to get to work! But hope you enjoy the pictures that made it up!

Lately...

 Daryll and Megan conspired to surprise me for my birthday.

I was surprised again with friends at Rockin' Baja Lobster that night.

 We went to Sea World where we ate frozen lemonade.

 And saw the most amazing Shamu show (5 whales in the tank!)

 Daryll went to Cabo on my birthday.

 While I worked with these crazy kids.

 At least we got to eat cupcakes.

 Our mini lemon tree is making lots of lemons.

 And the front of our neighborhood got a makeover.

 I got really sick for 2 weeks with a double ear infection. And I lost my voice.

 We went to Burbank for the weekend and Amy and I took a mustache picture.

We went to see Water for Elephants with Mom.

 We went to Easter Sunrise Service at Brand Park.

 Mom and I took a cute picture there.

 I kissed a fish at Georges.

 Then unwrapped "the box"... George's best year yet with the contact paper!

 After an hour, I finally got it open.

 We celebrated Easter with Daryll's family.

*Not pictured (because the pictures are on Daryll's camera): Daryll's parents came to visit us for a weekend.

My 26 List

Last week I celebrated my 26th birthday, and in honor of the occasion I have created my "26 List" aka 26 things I want to do while I'm 26. Some are easy, some are hard, some are obscure. We'll see if I make it through. In no particular order, I hereby present my 26 List:

1.  Participate in a flash mob
2. Take the bus to work one day
3. Eat fish tacos at South Beach
4. Try to stand up paddleboard
5. Go to a rodeo
6. Spend a weekend out of state with some of my girlfriends
7. Redecorate my craft room
8. Take a woodworking class
9. Visit a museum in Balboa Park
10. Try out for a reality tv/ game show
11. Cook at least 1 recipe from every cookbook I own
12. Throw a jewelry-making party
13. Scan all my old pictures
14. Go to the Bahamas
15. Go to a ballgame at every California stadium
16. Find an organization I'm passionate about to volunteer with regularly
17. Do something that scares me
18. Try a new restaurant during San Diego Restaurant Week
19. Shop at a farmers market
20. Spend an entire afternoon at the beach reading
21. Grow my etsy business
22. Go river rafting with a group of friends
23. Get a group together to go beach camping up the highway
24. Paint my living room
25. Surprise someone with a small delight
26. Start a new tradition

That's it! How many do you think I'll make it through this year? And which ones do you want to do with me? (Flash mob or river rafting anyone? :-)

Gratitude - Weeks 6, 7, & 8

I'm falling behind on these gratitude posts! Here are weeks 6, 7, & 8...

On Baseball- Daryll

1. “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled
by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased
again. But, baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray.
It reminds us of all that once was good, and could be again.” (Field of Dreams)

For as long as I can remember, I have loved baseball. I remember throwing a tennis
ball against our wood garage door, I remember practicing diving for imaginary baseballs while
playing on the Pirates in tee ball. I got to meet Terry Pendleton of the Braves as a 5 year old
and he also played my position. As I grew up, baseball grew with me. The junior high baseball
team, high school freshman, then JV, and even getting cut from the varsity team; one of the
hardest days of my life. (Yes, I realize I have lived a great life when getting cut from the varsity
baseball team is one of the lowest points of my life). As I made it into college and moved to
San Diego, taking my love of the Atlanta Braves with me, I was able to see the great Tony Gwyn
before he retired.

I continued to advance my life, and baseball still remained. Soon I would meet my wife,
an Angels fan herself, and baseball bound us. Baseball reminded me of what was good in my
life and worth treasuring.

Another great baseball memory is playing catch with my dad, my own personal pitching
coach, and as I advanced in baseball he always kept me grounded. We had our own language,
which if I couldn’t hear while I was in “the zone” on the mound, he would remind me by
standing up and demonstrating in the stands. Lift, Lever, Leg!

More than that, baseball can lift friendships to extraordinary and memorable heights.
I’ll never forget watching the 2004 Red Sox / Yankees playoff game and Dave Roberts, when
everyone in the stadium, everyone at home, and the greatest closer in baseball history
knew…stole second base. The Red Sox beating the Yankees was more than just that – it was for
everyone who feels that things are impossible. The one constant through all the years. Though
the Braves will always be my “we” team – I was captivated by the Padres this past season and
said I saw it coming after making my wife and I made our annual mecca to Peoria, AZ and
watched Wade LeBlanc 1-hit the Dodgers for six innings and win the game. Certainly signs of
greatness, right? I tried to will the Padres to the playoffs, tried to personally break the
devastating ten-game September losing streak, but in the end it just wasn’t enough. Which
when you think about, is okay. Because in baseball, you can always wait ‘til next year.

On Leadership - Daryll

“When the leader makes himself smaller and smaller, the people no longer see the leader, only the
vision.” -Shane Claiborne

Reading a great book right now by Shane Claiborne and John M. Perkins called Follow Me to Freedom.
John M. Perkins is a civil rights leader (inspired the Switchfoot song “This is the Sound”) and Shane
Claiborne founded The Simple Way. Right now in my life, the subject of leadership is really coming up
in a lot of areas. It’s funny, because I think I have been poised in many areas to take my leadership skills
to the next level, but only now am I beginning to take the reins if you will and grasp on to my higher
potential.

In marriage, I’ve been married for nearly two and a half years now, but really feel like nearly just now
have we really started to take a breath (despite that not being true on our actual schedules!) and build
our marriage to a higher level. We’ve taken a big step in purchasing a new car for Trish with more exciting things on the way!

At work, though I’ve been a “manager” for over 2 years, I think I’m in a spot now that gives me more
of a growth opportunity than just managing to every month. I also have a great new boss who is
encouraging, listens, and responds to email at the weird/late hours that I send them. This book speaks
to my general theory/motivation of leading as well, in that it’s easy to see the negatives in current
systems – the leaders should be the ones to step up and actually MAKE change in them. You can’t
change things overnight, but I think with the experience I have as a sales rep for three years, a manager
for two, it gives me a unique perspective to really see things from a fresh perspective.

At church, all of a sudden our church is over a year old! Our one-year celebration was such a great time
and so amazing to realize how many friendships I have made through City Bible. Though still a “new”
church, I also feel like it’s time for us to step up our game as well and grow. Leading a small group with
Ray has been a great experience, and great to be back in a spiritual leadership role for the first time
since college really and good old Campus Crusade! It’s exciting to be a part of a small church where my
voice and opinions can be heard.

I think the quote above can apply to really all three areas I’ve talked about here – and I think the vision I
have for each area is clearer than it’s ever been.

PS Also am the “commissioner” in a Yahoo Fantasy League for only the second time in the 50 leagues
I’ve been a part of in the past 7 years. Baseball season back in just over a month!

Please Come to Boston...

Where do I start with this trip...

- 5 Days
- 3 Servillo Girls
- 20-40 degree weather
- 10-12 inches of snow dumped
- 1 Snow Angel made (by my Mom!)
- 3 delicious cannolis
- 2 Italian dinners
- 4 tourist stops: Fenway Park, Cheers, The Kennedy Library, and Quincy Market
- 1 Snowman spotting
- 3 Irish pubs: The Purple Shamrock, Durty Nelly's, and Hennesy's

- 1 AMAZING TIME!