Jenn and Justin's Wedding Weekend

Geez, finally I make time to writing about Jenn and Justin's awesome wedding weekend. Talk about a delay. 

Well, more than two weeks ago we headed up the coast a bit to Ojai, California. I had never been to the small town, so I was excited to check out a new place, and of course I couldn't wait to celebrate this perfect couple! We arrived on Friday, checked into the Hummingbird Inn, changed, and headed to the rehearsal, where Terry dropped me off.

(I loved Jenn's rehearsal dress!)

The ceremony site was so serene and beautiful. I loved being surrounded by nature. I'm a big fan of wedding venues that require virtually no decor because they're so naturally stunning, and Bodee's fit the bill. Jenn ran through the ceremony with all of us before we headed to the rehearsal dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.

My dates

And after dinner the party continued at the bridal party hotel. Jenn and Justin both have a lot of family from the East Coast and throughout the country, so the Friday night cocktail party was a great way for everyone to meet and catch up.

Saturday morning my parents met us at our hotel (they came into town to babysit Marshall for Friday and Saturday nights so Terry and I could enjoy the wedding) and the five of us walked through the town to breakfast at Ojai Cafe Emporium. It was phenomenal! Everything looked SO good, so I would definitely want to go back.

I think this was my dad's first photobomb.

Then we wandered around Ojai and found this awesome bookstore, Bart's Books, which is an outdoor bookstore! You can see in this photo that there are books all around the outside, and they stay there overnight too!

Then the "inside" (through a gate) is still outdoors. The books are all used, and my parents treated Marshall to a bunch of kids' books. His library is really growing!

Then it was time for me to start getting ready to head over to the wedding. I was a bridesmaid for the wedding, and I knew I wanted to be able to be 100% present for Jenn. It was nice to leave Marshall with Terry, who then left him with my parents, so I wouldn't have to worry at all. It was my longest time away from him (nine hours), so I missed him, but I knew he was in good hands.

We got ready in Jenn's room, finishing our hair and makeup and chatting a bit before traveling together over to the venue. Jenn seemed so calm and looked to be enjoying herself throughout the whole process! (By the way, Jenn's gorgeous hair and makeup were done by her cousin.)

Jenn's dress was STUNNING!

We each got to choose our own dress; Jenn asked for them to be coral and above the knee but otherwise let us go to town.

They looked awesome together!

Jenn with her maid of honor, Sarika. Gorgeous!

Thanks to my awesome husband for taking some pictures while I fulfilled my bridesmaid duties.

The groom, Justin (left), and his best man

Jenn and her dad

Nice shot of the back of Jenn's dress, which was my favorite part.

Me and my walk-back-down-the-aisle-partner Trevor

Cocktail hour

More cocktail hour

The wedding itself was awesome and so very Jenn-and-Justin. Jenn walked down the aisle to "Marry You" by Bruno Mars (<--fun flash mob proposal video). The vows were touching and sweet and lovely. The venue felt intimate and rustic. The food was terrific, too! And Jenn and Justin performed an incredible first dance (<--check it out!) that they choreographed themselves.

I'm so happy for Jenn and Justin, two people I truly respect and love. They are such a fun, loving, kind couple, and they complement each other perfectly. I wish them a lifetime of happiness together! Congratulations, Jenn and Justin!

(My dress looks weird here, but oh well. Jenn looks amazing!)

The Long Road Home

I loved reading all your comments on Sunday's post, Last Weekend in My Hometown. I, too, said goodbyes yesterday when I drove away for the last time. Lots of tears and hugs from Mom and Dad made it easier (or harder?), and I was thankful for Scout's presence because focusing on him proved a valuable distraction.

Scout has always hated car rides, but being away from him for several weeks while I was helping my parents just wasn't an option. So we brought him along, and I knew I would have to drive back with him on my own (Terry is still on a business trip). But he actually did alright and even snoozed a little on the way down. We tried using a ThunderShirt, recommended by a few other pet owners I know; I'm not sure if it worked, but it certainly didn't hurt, so we'll keep trying it. (If you're curious, the ThunderShirt is supposed to help animals calm down during thunder, travel, etc.)

Don't worry; once we got home he managed to calm down juuuuust fine

On the way back to LA, I stopped at the jeweler who crafted my engagement ring (<--you can read Terry's version of his proposal!) because I had somehow managed to twist not one but two of the prongs around the center stone. Amazing. But the jeweler polished 'er up real nice and now my rings sparkle like new! I joked with the jeweler that I was worried I'd get distracted by the shine on the way to LA.

After the long drive (about five hours, not including a super quick stop in Kettleman where I scarfed a KIND bar and ran to the bathroom--I didn't want to leave Scout alone in the hot car for more than a few minutes),

Okay, apparently it would have been longer in the other direction

I hauled in my luggage, showered, and turned right back around to grab dinner. Given the lack of groceries (which you'll also notice in tonight's WIAW), cooking sounded ridiculous. Chipotle to the rescue!

The traffic gods smiled upon me, I got into the parking structure before the flat-fee started at 6 pm, AND there was no line; when I walked into Chipotle five workers were lined up at the service bar to greet me and make my bowl--it was hilarious. I told them I felt like they were a little welcome committee and that I was tremendously impressed with the 30 seconds it took for them to make my meal.

I went with The Food Babe's suggestion for Chipotle--lettuce, black beans, tomato salsa, cheese, SO MUCH GUAC, and sour cream (on the side). I usually get brown rice, but the meal was still delicious; the only difference was that I ate the whole bowl instead of half like usual.

I'm off to get the day started! I created a new Tabata workout and tried it this morning--super tough but quick and efficient! I'll post it tonight along with my WIAW. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Visiting My Hometown

Today turned out to be much busier than yesterday. I started out with some kitten cuddles. 

Then I headed out for a lovely run. I haven't run in a few weeks because my back has been achin', but today I felt fantastic and decided to try it. I ran 3.25 miles with plenty of walking breaks, and I felt terrific the entire time! I stretched plenty afterward and plan to stretch again before bed tonight.

Next up: my haircut! My sister-in-law, Ashley, is the greatest stylist ever. She has cut and colored my hair and even styled my hair for my wedding. 

Here I am checking out her handiwork for the first time. :-) 

Whenever I'm in the Bay Area and in need of a hair cut, I try to make it up to see this lovely lady. Today she even took me to lunch for an early birthday treat!

We had a blast catching up, though the visits are never long enough. 

Next I dropped off my wedding gown at the bridal shop where I purchased it, J'aime Bridal in Pleasanton. When I walked in, Jaime (the owner, who actually picked out my dress for me) remembered me immediately and said, "Oh my gosh, I have to show you your picture! You're on the wall!" I couldn't believe it, but sure enough, she chose a photo from our wedding to put up in her shop!

(Photo by Rhee Bevere)

And here are some more photos of my dress, because that's always fun:

(Thank you for indulging me.)

I dropped off the dress and veil so they could clean and preserve it (only took two years...), and I'll get it back in about a month or so. Meanwhile, I'm still amazed at the level of customer service from this small but incredible shop. If you're a Bay Area bride, I highly recommend it!

The final stop of the day was the park in my hometown with my parents to see East Bay Mudd perform. They were fantastic! It felt like the entire crowd was up dancing, and the music kept me singing all evening. We also enjoyed pizza, wine, and running into a few local friends!

Yep, that's me hanging out alone with my cake while my parents dance in the background. I'm super cool. 

Off to bed--Mom's taking me to two tough classes at the gym tomorrow. Part of me feels like I'm at some sort of week-long fitness retreat instead of just visiting my parents. Have a great Friday!

What are your favorite hometown activities? Does it feel strange to visit (if you moved away)?

A Wedding and a Stomachache

And I'm back! This weekend flew by, and so here's a super speedy recap:

Saturday
I started the morning with a hip hop class with Jenn, and it was TOUGH! I danced for about ten years as a teenager but haven't found many opportunities to continue. But this class was challenging, fun, fast-paced, and high-energy. I was already a little sore from our In the Park Workout, and now I'm still sore from that class! Plus, I don't think I've ever sweat so much in an hour. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do it again.

After the class, I showered up and got a little housework done before heading out to Irvine for a wedding. I know Eileen from the teaching job I just left; she was my first friend at the job. Eileen taught in the classroom next door to mine, and she invited me to join her for lunch every week. We both lived far from the school, so we often went to dinner together when there were late night meetings on campus. She has been a wonderful friend and coworker, and it was so fun to be there as she met Sam (I remember her telling us about their first date!), got engaged, and planned the wedding.

The wedding ceremony was at Concordia University, a gorgeous campus in Orange County. I attended this part of the day alone, and it was great to catch up with some other former coworkers. I'm definitely going to miss working with them! The ceremony was stunning, very moving, and perfect for the two of them. Everyone agreed that the most touching part was when they thanked their parents for being so supportive of their relationship. Not a dry eye in the house!

Eileen's brother walked her down the aisle and was all smiles!

A gorgeous ceremony

After the ceremony, I scooted over to the local airport to pick up Terry, who was flying in from my brother's Vegas bachelor party. Since the ceremony was at 3 and the reception at 6, we worked it out so that I would pick up Terry in between and he could attend the second portion. It worked perfectly! In fact, we had about an hour to kill after I picked him up, so we stopped at Irvine Spectrum Center, a really nice shopping/dining center. We enjoyed some appetizers and drinks at the Yardhouse, Terry changed into his suit, and we headed over to The Hills Hotel for the reception.

The beautiful couple

Dress from Kohl's

The rest of the night was really lovely. We had a blast chatting with my old coworkers at the cocktail hour, celebrated and toasted the couple, ate, danced, and took photos at the photo booth.

Terry and I really love weddings, and we were shocked to realize that this wedding was the first we attended since our own, over a year ago. Everyone says your mid-twenties are crazy for weddings, but we haven't attended more than two per year. The next one is my brother's in two months!

Sunday
Terry woke up early for his very first official lesson as a professional scuba diver. That's right, he's a pro now! He's qualified as a Dive Master, which means he can assist instructors, teach refresher courses (for folks who are certified divers but haven't gone in awhile), and lead certified divers as needed. He is working toward instructor status, where he would actually be qualified to certify people to dive.

While Terry was in the pool, I enjoyed a quiet Sunday filled with reading the paper and walking to our farmers' market. Once we were both home, we enjoyed a quick lunch and then, for some reason, suddenly felt inspired to clean our entire patio. We threw stuff away, swept, reorganized, and hopefully got rid of any spiders that may have been lurking out there. Some of you are aware that we had a black widow sighting this weekend, and I was determined to make sure that thing is outta here!

Almost immediately after our little cleaning party, I got a horrible stomachache. I've talked about my stress stomachaches in the past, but this one brought pain to a whole new level! It pretty much killed the rest of the afternoon, including my plans to go to church with Jenn (sorry, Jenn!). A heating pad, a nap, some Pepto, and lots of water later, I managed to get up and get ready for one more weekend gathering with a few friends from college I haven't seen in awhile. It was so great to catch up, and my stomach behaved nicely enough to let me enjoy some sushi. The evening was so nice!

So that's the weekend! I hope yours was fabulous!


What are your stomachache remedies?


What was the best wedding you've been to?

Bolognese and WIAW

Despite going to bed early last night, I slept terribly and woke up feeling pretty awful. I woke up to see Terry off to work and then snuggled up on the couch for another hour or so of tossing and turning. I decided to just make it an easy, relaxing day and thanked my lucky stars I didn't have any pressing errands today.

Check out all the other WIAWs!

9:30 am - Breakfast

Overnight oats

I spent the morning in my little spot on the couch, getting some blog work done and writing to a friend. Scout and I played a little, but he was quite content to toss his toy mouse in the air and chase after it. Who needs a playmate?

12:30 pm - Lunch

Leftovers were the name of the game today! Last night, I made a delicious, spicy version of my Mexican Casserole, and there's plenty left to enjoy for the rest of the week's lunches. Terry took a chunk for his lunch, also. I also think this meal would be delicious with an egg on top as a breakfast. Perhaps tomorrow... I also snacked on a cookie from yesterday.

Today's project was one that allowed me to take it easy, so I tackled a big stack of papers on top of our filing cabinet as well as the box we used at our wedding to collect cards. I also cleaned out and reorganized two bookshelves. This household is getting cleaner and cleaner!

I managed to start dinner fairly early today, which was great because I love letting sauces simmer as long as possible. I used Ina Garten's Weeknight Bolognese as inspiration but made a lot of changes.

Bolognese with Gnocchi

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion*
• 3 medium carrots, unpeeled*
• 1 head of celery*
• 1 pound ground turkey
• Italian sausage (optional, but adds tons of flavor) - 3 links, casings removed
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
• 2 cups water*
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve 

* = Optional; only use these items if you are completing Step 1. 

Step 1 (optional). Finely chop the onion. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan and saute the onion. Meanwhile, grate the carrots and celery, and add them to the pan. Saute the vegetables until browned, about 10 minutes. 

Step 2. Brown the turkey and Italian sausage in a separate pan. Crumble the meat as it cooks, and mince the garlic while you wait.. Once browned (about 10 minutes), add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir, then add just the seasoned meat (leave the fat behind) to the vegetables (if omitting the vegetables, you can drain the fat and continue the rest of the sauce in your meat pan). 

Step 3. Add the wine and tomato paste (and water, if you completed Step 1) to the mixture and simmer for at least 15 minutes (more if you can swing it! You can leave the sauce on the stove for a few hours if you're able, or you can leave it in the fridge overnight and reheat the next day). 

Step 4. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook your gnocchi according to package directions. Any pasta will work, though, of course.

Serve with a green vegetable of your choice, and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

4:15 pm - Afternoon snack

After all that cooking, I was hungry! I ate a peach (every time I eat a peach, I recite the line from "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot that says, "Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?"--because I'm a serious English nerd), then settled back in for another hour or so of work before Terry got home.

I may have stopped my work today to scroll through the 50 Cutest Things That Ever Happened. My favorite was 48. Or 31. Or 25. Or just all of them.

We took a nice walk before dinner to catch up on our days and get some fresh air.

7:30 - Dinner

Well, I suppose it's no surprise what we ate for dinner! We paired the Bolognese gnocchi with roasted asparagus and the rest of the bottle of wine used in the sauce (one of many reasons I love cooking with wine!).

9:00 - Dessert
We watched Jeopardy!, worked on a crossword puzzle, and ate two more triple chocolate cookies from yesterday, plus a glass of milk each. Married life rocks.


I forgot to mention that we recently got to see my parents on their way home from Palm Springs and were able to surprise my dad with a birthday gift and a little cupcake celebration.

Brought some candles to the restaurant

Dad with his card, cupcake, and candle

 Okay, to be completely truthful, we all ate our cupcakes before I took a picture. So this one is staged and was promptly returned to its tupperware.

Opening his present

Checkin' it out

The gift is a frame with multiple photos from Terry's and my wedding, including:

Shockingly, he didn't cry. (Dad is gaining a reputation as one quick to become teary-eyed, and, adorably, my big brother is following in Pops' footsteps. They both cry at the drop of a hat. We're all excited for the tear-fest at Chris's upcoming nuptials, this September.)


What is guaranteed to make you cry?
I'll probably always cry anytime I hear "Hallelujah," the song I walked down the aisle to.