Tourist In Our Own Town: Labor Day Weekend

Without realizing it, seems we've made a tradition of spending Labor Day Weekend as tourists in our own town. This year we slept in and then headed out for adventure time. We did some country and city this year and it was a perfect mix.

We started out at Wildlife West Animal Park. It's a small wild animal refuge. There are often fun events throughout the summer here and on Saturdays they have a chuck wagon dinner during the summer season. There are great birds and large beasts there. We came in the afternoon so at the end of our visit the animals were becoming more active after sleeping through the hot day. 

We really enjoyed seeing how the gray foxes dangle in the trees to sleep, watching the elk from just a couple of feet away rubbing and smacking his antlers into fencing and trees. It was very interesting to see that up close. That is one big rack!

We also saw two cougars up quite close and a black bear which we were glad to enjoy behind a fence instead of in our yard. I guess I haven't mentioned it here but we have had a lot of bear visiting our yard this summer. We had heard there had been no bear sightings in our neighborhood for a few years. Well this year there had been quite a bear problem on the east side of the city. We have seen at least three bears up close to our house, one even opening our back fence and coming very close to our back door just as my husband stepped out to see what had moved the gate. Scary. So we enjoyed watching this bear from a distance!

Our visit seem to last just the right amount of time and we were really pleased with all the animals we were able to enjoy. We had brought a nice little picnic with us which we enjoyed in a shaded shed/pavilion on the property. It was nicely cool in the shade and after being out in the sun for a couple of hours, having cold drinks, fruits, veggies and crackers and cheese were the perfect small meal to enjoy while we sat and relaxed for a while. By this point the park was just about to close, so we had the space all to ourselves which was nice.

We drove back to the city and then went to ABQ Uptown. Some of the shops were closed for the holiday but we had a nice time wandering around, made a few small purchases and then stopped in to try Frost Gelato. We were not disappointed. I tried Marbled Dark Cherry and Creme de Biscotti. The Man tried Avocado and caramel coconut something. Kiddo tried coconut and vanilla. We all tried each other's and had a peaceful time sitting outside as the sun set over the city.

We wandered a little while longer and then drove to Winrock Center, which is next door, and had dinner at Red Robin. By the time we got done with dinner it was 10 p.m. It was a fun day and we were all ready for bed by the time we headed home. It was fun to adventure around our city. We still have so many fun things to see and try. Days like this are great reminder for us to get out and learn fun things about our city and spend time in places that feel like us and that we enjoy.

Grand Designs: A Refreshing "New" Home Design Show

I first heard about Grand Designs from the Young House Love Has A Podcast hosted by John and Sherry Petersik a couple of weeks ago. It's new to us here in the U.S. but in the U.K. many seasons have aired. I checked it out and have to say I binged all the episodes within two weeks...I realize that's not really binging in the "didn't leave my house for three days until I'd watched every episode" context, but for someone who is quite busy, I got through them pretty quickly.

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Here are the reasons I really like this show:

1) The host and writer, Kevin McCloud is completely likable. There is nothing annoying to him. He is curious, kind, generous, and asks the right and often obvious questions viewers want to know. He makes the show better in every way.

2) The homebuilders are dreamers and risk takers. No one is whining about granite countertops and stainless steels appliances here. (Little HGTV joke.) The homebuilders on this show are doing remarkable things and sometimes it works out and sometimes there are some major disasters and yet they all make it work the best they can. Some of the biggest doubters are often family members.

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3) Every story doesn't wrap up perfectly every time. Sometimes the homeowners run out of money and the homes don't get all glamorously and magically finished. There are disagreements between spouses and mother nature certainly has taken her toll in a few episodes. But there is still a warm, hopeful, upbeat feeling to the show.

4) There is always an element of attempting the impossible in each episode. These builders are really trying to do new things and envision new ways of doing things.

5) There are some amazing homes features. Some are very expensive and some are not. But they are all very unique.

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6) You get some great lessons on architecture. This show is more about building the house than furnishing the house. You can learn a lot about different building techniques and materials. You do get to see the decorated or at least partially decorated house at the end but there isn't a lot of time spent on the furnishing aspect.

7) The build locations are often unbelievably beautiful spots all over Great Britain. If you like lush, green meadows and ocean cliffs, you'll definitely get that here.

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I thought initially that there were two seasons available on Netflix, but later noticed that it's episodes that bounce around between the many seasons that have been made of the show.  Hopefully at some point Netflix will add more episodes of Grand Designs and perhaps put them into chronological order. Most of the episodes featured right now are from 2009-2012. So there is a lot of talk about "the bad economy" and situations that now seem to have been a long time ago now. But those elements don't take anything away from the enjoyment of the show.

I'm recommending this show! If you check it out I'd love to hear what you think. Leave a comment below or comment on other social media. Happy viewing.

Tourist In My Own Town: Old Town Albuquerque

We were supposed to be in California for the holiday weekend but all signs pointed to postponing our trip, including the giant rainstorm event that hit out there at the end of last week. We had a few stumbling blocks in the way and when Southwest gave us the option, due to storm-related flight delays, to change our tickets anytime in the coming two weeks without penalty, we jumped at the chance.

So unexpectedly Saturday morning we had a long weekend ahead of us. After reading The Magnolia Journal, spring issue, on Friday I was very energized to make more progress on the house. I've mentioned before that it's been a struggle to pull the house together and figure out how everything will work best. It's been about a year since we moved in and we're still figuring it all out. Of course, I have to remind myself that six months of that was the family in crisis mode while I was on crutches and recovering from my broken foot and working more than full-time, so we really didn't get much accomplished.

After breakfast and rearranging our travel plans, I jumped into continuing to clear out our family room and organizing the large closet in that room. Our family room started out as a storage room, just based on necessity when the big truck from California brought our stuff and we put a lot of it in the garage and family room until we could figure out what to do with it all. My goal originally had been to have that room set up last fall. We desperately needed more family space. Even though our home is not small, we have found  that it lives very small with a large kitchen and weird space allotments that are very hard to use well. It's a surprisingly challenging house to decorate with angled walls, lots of doorways and very little uninterrupted wall space that isn't windows, cupboards, closets, fireplaces, light switches, utilities control panels, etc.

In January we made some significant progress when we set up half the room to be a TV/lounge space and got a sofa, coffee table and tv console area set up there. We are starting to use that room more and more. I moved some furniture back into our dining room/kitchen area where it was intended to be but was moved to allow for floor repairs which we're still waiting on. I decided to take a Murphy's Law approach. The contractor wasn't getting back to us fast enough while we had everything moved out of the way, so I figured if I put all the furniture back they'll be back to fix the floor right away because I'll have to end up just turning around and moving it all out again. Ha. But in the universe, action begets action so maybe just making something happen is a good thing.

We got a lot done on Saturday and ended the day with some deliveries to the thrift store and recycling, a great big closet with a few things nicely organized inside, furniture out of the way and a much better looking family room. It's nice to look from the kitchen towards the family room and actually be able to see in that room instead of staring at a big armoire that was shoved in there from the kitchen.

We realized that probably 1/3 of the stuff in that room was just empty boxes and packing paper, so it was nice to get rid of that stuff and open up the space. Sunday was church and a lot of resting. It seemed like no one felt very well that day so we took it easy. By Monday we were really ready to get out of the house, get some fresh air and be around other people. We decided to spend the afternoon in Old Town Albuquerque.

We had all been there a few times but never to really wander around the shops and main plaza. It was not very crowded for a holiday weekend. I wondered if we'd miss some of the crowd earlier in the day since we didn't arrive until mid-afternoon. It was nice to wander from shop to shop, get a feel for the types of souvenirs available in our city and visit with some of the shop owners. We looked at all kinds of jewelry, clothing, baskets, rugs, Native American crafts, art and visited some sweets shops too.

 

San Felipe de Neri Church

We stopped in at Steve's Ice Cream and enjoyed a trio of ice cream cups that we shared: fresh peach vanilla, cookies & cream option and coffee, along with a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. The weather in winter here is often pleasant enough that you can dine or enjoy treats outside during the day. It was nice to be able to sit in front of the store in the fresh air and look around and watch the happenings around the streets.

We also visited The Old Barrel Tea Company where we saw that great sign "Life is now in session" from the photo at the top of this post. I think we need that for our house. It's such a great reminder that we need to live in the present and enjoy every day. Not only did they have a nice selection of teas and honeys in stock but also had some fun gifts, small home decor items and a large selection of beautiful tea cups.

One of the things I enjoy about New Mexico is that it still have the flavor of the Old West (and sometimes the WILD West) about it. Cowboys are not uncommon in these parts and I always smile when I see one dressed up in his cowboy finest at an appointment or restaurant. The Old West flavor still abounds around town and there are plenty of places to experience it.

We wandered through a lot of touristy gift shops, enjoyed taking photos, examining the old architecture and more. If you visit Albuquerque, there are a lot of different tours you can take around Old Town. There are some pretty incredible ghost stories about the area too! There is a nightly ghost tour that I've heard a bit about that sounds pretty awesome if you can handle ghost stories in the dark. I'm not sure I could.

Old Town Albuquerque is a fun place to learn more about Albuquerque, being the heart of where it all started. It's down-to-earth, filled with lots of good food and snack options, and there are some great souvenirs you can find there too in every price range so you can take home a little treat from ABQ.

One of the things that was important to me when we moved here is that we take time to really get to know the city and enjoy what is here. Being a tourist in our own town and state is important to me and I try to make time to see new things at least monthly. Not only does it give our family a breadth of experiences but it also helps build the local economy, support small business owners and give us the background to be good ambassadors for our city and state.

Yesterday I got the 2017 tourist guide for the area and I went through it this morning and circled lots of things we'd like to do that we haven't yet. It will be fun to get out this year and do more of those things that we couldn't do last year with my crutches. I'll look forward to our next tourist in my own town experience soon.

10 Tips To Make The Most Of Your Visit To The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

The excitement is high here in Albuquerque. Tomorrow is the start of The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. As the days lead up to fiesta you see more and more balloons in the sky each morning. This morning, always the Friday before the opening weekend, balloons launch from the public schools all over the city. Families gather to get up close and personal with the balloonists and to get a close up view of the balloons before they take off from each school's field. It's amazing to see from our house, balloons taking off all over the valley.

This year, for the first time, we are running a little AirBnB venture from a rental unit. We posted the opening a week ago today and by the time we woke up the next morning the reservation requests were coming in. We were solidly booked by Sunday and we are looking forward to having guests from around the country and even the Virgin Islands. We're rushing over there in just a few minutes to finalize everything. Our unit is available for rent long term or short throughout the winter so if you are thinking about a trip to ABQ for the fall, holidays or just for a quiet weekend getaway, check out our listing.

Last night I made some fun guest baskets with snacks and treats and later today I am going to wrap up a little guest book with all the info they will need for the rental as well as fun information about some of our favorite things to do in the city. We're kicking ourselves that we didn't decide to "Turo" a car and sign up to "Uber" during the next 10 days. As entrepreneurs and Balloon Fiesta enthusiasts it's a great opportunity to have some fun during this annual 10-day event.

So I thought it would be a great time to share some tips for guests coming to Balloon Fiesta. Balloon Fiesta is an early morning event. It is pretty much wrapped up for the day by 10 a.m. until the evenings when there are night activities. Let's start with my most important tip.

1. Plan to be on the field early on the weekends! Last year there were people turned away and stuck in traffic unable to get to the fiesta field during the 6-7a time window. I would suggest leaving for the park by 4:30 -4:45 a.m. depending on what part of the city you are coming from to get easier parking and relax rather than stressing about getting there, being stuck in traffic and missing out.You can relax once you get there and there is already stuff going on and food available pretty early in the morning so you can bring a blanket, and even take a nap on the grassy edges of the field before things get going. Just don't miss the experience by sitting in frustrating traffic. For more information on Ride and Share, parking and more check out the official Balloon Fiesta website.

I had local friends last year you couldn't get in and were stunned, saying this has never happened in their lives. The fiesta continues to grow each year so that problem is only likely to get more prevalent. On the last Saturday of fiesta last year it is estimated there were 120,000 on the field. That is a lot of people trying to get to one part of town. Make is easier on your group by getting there early. Here's a link to traffic and parking info.

*Added note from 2016 Fiesta: The final Saturday traffic again proved to be immense. People sitting in their cars not moving for a couple of hours. My recommendation is to leave for the park by 4:30 at the latest. You do not want to come all the way to Albuquerque to sit in your car and miss out on all the activities on the field. If you come early you can get a leisurely breakfast and hang out. The time actually goes by very quickly.

2. Dress for the weather - both warm, cold and possibly rainy. While the daytimes highs are still in the upper 70s to 80s at this time of year in Albuquerque, it is chilly in the mornings. Wear layers and anticipate being cold early in the morning. Also plan on potential rainshowers. We're at the end of our monsoon season but the possibility of an afternoon or early evening thunder shower is high. Be prepared. Here's a link to the local weather report.

3. Bring your sunscreen and sunglasses. Albuquerque is a high altitude climate and the sun is bright! Easier to get sunburned too with less atmosphere to filter the sun's rays. You might want to bring a blanket or lawn chairs to sit on as well. 

4. Be ready for good food. There are some awesome food vendors at the fiesta, take advantage all you can. For breakfast, consider the official breakfast of New Mexico - the Breakfast Burrito.

5. Anticipate traffic when leaving the park. Traffic can be much heavier than normal as crowds leave the park. It's a great time to grab some food and just sack out on the big empty field at the end of the day. No need to sit in traffic. This is a great time to visit the Balloon Museum on the same property. It is beautiful and has some great new exhibitions this year.

6. Enjoy all of Albuquerque. Since the ballooning all takes place in the early morning there are tons of activities planned throughout the city for the rest of the days and evenings. There are also great coupon books available with all sorts of discounts available at the Visit Albuquerque booth on the field at Balloon Fiesta. Here's a link to Balloon Fiesta and flavor of Albuquerque Flipagrams I made recently and you can see lots more of Albuquerque's beauty on my Instagram feed.

7. Look for the giant Albuquerque Frame - where you can also get your photo taken on your phone for free in the giant frame with the balloons in the background. At the booth are the coupon books and great staff and volunteers who can help you learn all you need to know about Albuquerque. You can also visit the Visit Albuquerque website for coupons and discounts as well as lots more information on events happening throughout the fiesta.

8. Don't miss a Balloon Glow and Special Shapes Rodeo. On several evenings during fiesta there is a glow, which means balloons cover the field and inflate, lighting the night with glowing balloons. The sound and sight is quite beautiful and there are usually fireworks shows and other events, as well as all the good food again. A fun event! The Special Shapes Rodeos are an opportunity to enjoy all the unique balloons beyond the traditional balloon shape. There are all shapes and sizes and so many fun and recognizable characters. One of my favorite activities.

9. Plan in an afternoon nap. Getting up so early in the mornings, it's likely you'll want a nap or to head to bed pretty early. Planning that into your schedule, especially if you're traveling with kids makes life a little easier.

10. Have Fun! Albuquerque is so beautiful this time of year and the people here are so kind. The crowds are only big for short periods of the day so you can really relax and enjoy yourself and have some fun here. It's so easy to get around the city and for a pretty big city it doesn't feel crowded.

There is so much to see and do. Take a bike tour with my friends at Routes Rentals, ride the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, visit Los Poblanos and see their beautiful Farm Shop, have some good New Mexico food at Sadie's or El Pinto. Enjoy the outdoor seating for great meals at Backstreet Grill, The Grove Cafe or The Standard Diner. Check out the art scene at one of the many galleries in town and visit all our fine museums too! There is no shortage of great things to do here in our city.

If you have other tips or recommendations I'd love to have you leave them in the comments below. It would be great for this post to have a variety of opinions and suggestions for the best ways to enjoy The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta!

*One more quick bit of info that can be very helpful. Because Balloon Fiesta is a weather dependent activity things can change or be cancelled if there is an issue with wind, rain, etc. For the most up-to-date activity and weather information, follow @balloonfiesta on Twitter or Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on Facebook. Twitter is the most up to date source of information.  A couple of events have been cancelled this year (2016) and you can get a raincheck for a follow up event when that happens. You can save yourself the drive and parking and all if you are up to date on what's happening on the field if things are cancelled.

Now Is My Time #38: Miramar Air Show & G-force

Recently we had the chance to go to the Miramar Air Show in San Diego. Having attended my first air show a couple of years ago, I was totally game to go see this famous air show at the home of the movie Top Gun.

If you have ever seen the movie Top Gun, you have seen a little bit of Miramar. An air shows require a lot of walking and this one was on one of the hottest weekends of the year. Despite the blazing heat, we had a great day. The Bug had a crazy good time starting a Humvee - put the pedal to the medal on her third opportunity, climbing into the cockpit of many kinds of aircraft and into several tanks.

Watching the air performances was quite amazing. It was mind-boggling to hear the amount of G-force pilots under go to pull tight maneuvers such as barrel turns, tight arcs and dives.

It is no doubt these pilots love what they do. I believe they are living the full amount of their joy when it comes to developing some of their talent. You can hear it in their voices from the cockpit. But they undergo tremendous G-force in order to make these moves happen.

I thought about how that also happens when we go for our goals. We feel pressure and intensity as we reach for the things we see are possible and that we dream of. When seeking our goals and reaching new heights, we are pushed into uncomfortable environments just like jet fighter pilots.

I started thinking about how that applies to my own goals. Sometimes when we get in the process of taking ourselves apart so that we can rebuild ourselves in better, stronger ways we come to a point where it feels like we are just a pile of parts lying on the floor, completely disassembled. In this moment it can be terrifying.

"What have I done? I was comfortable and now I'm not. I could deal with the way things were. Now what if I can't put myself back together in this new, better way. What if I'm never the same? What if I am worse than I was before? At least before I could get by."

From conversations I have had this is not unfamiliar to people who have worked to overcome challenges, fears and situations that have held them back. There does come a point in the supreme bravery of it all where this paralyzing fear will hit. What if I fail?

And yet we see from story and story, again and again, that striving to become better generally does end up being better. It will probably not always be the exact outcome we imagined in our minds, but chances are it may be far better.

Yes, we can survive the G-force. It's what brings the good things in life. Healing to our souls, change, new adventures, letting go, having more.


all images by kalanicut

Labor Day Weekend Recap

I think I'm still recovering from our power packed Labor Day Weekend. What a hangover I had Tuesday morning - not of the alcoholic variety but of the tired variety. The four-day weekend was a little bit "play it by ear" but it worked out better than perfectly.

School was out on Friday so we headed to San Diego on Thursday night. We pulled in about ten and immediately got cozy, had a snack and headed to bed. The Bug has her customary tent set up in our lodging. This works out so well because we can stay up, have lights on and she is sheltered in her dark little cocoon of a tent fast asleep.

Friday morning we got up and headed to Old Town San Diego. We've been there lots of times but we always get requests for a visit to The Mormon Battalion visitor's center. It's such a fun place for children and families and anyone really will enjoy it. It's a great San Diego historical site. We were there for a long time while The Bug played and played. It's easy to make it a nice 45-minute visit. If the kids are interested in the play areas you can easily stretch it to another 45 minutes.

Then we walked all around Old Town and had lunch at an outdoor cafe. It was nice and peaceful, but the food wasn't so amazing or beautiful that I would recommend it excitedly. Friday night we had two appointments to catch, then by the time we got home we were tired out. So we grabbed a sandwich and had a lovely picnic in our room.

Saturday morning we headed to the beach and spend quite a lot of the day there. There was a family with a girl The Bug's age right next to us and they played in the water for hours. Due to the high tides and probably the time of the year, the shallow beach water was filled with seaweed.

It took two full showers to wash all the seaweed off of The Bug and out of her clothes at the end of the day --- and still I was combing bunches of it out of her hair after that. Wow, seaweed is a wicked little beast.

Once we got her cleaned up we headed to the base movie theater and caught the early evening movie. When that got out we headed next door for two lines of Disco Saturday Night Bowling. A big, long, fun day.

That night we headed home to take care of a couple of responsibilities here. Sunday we spent they day catching up on rest. A great nap and walk to the neighborhood park was just the ticket.

Monday was had another whirlwind day. Taking advantage of military family museum programs we visited The Peterson Automotive Museum and then went up the street to The La Brea Tar Pits. I had never been to the Peterson so that was a great first time visit for me.

I was really impressed most by the realization of how much the 20th Century was impacted by the creation of the car. How cities were built changed immensely once cars became plentiful, from the width of city streets to how buildings were built to accommodate cars. This had a huge impact on city life and created the possibility for tract housing to flourish in suburban neighborhoods.

Not only did community life change but it also changed how homes and neighborhoods were created. Adding carports and garages to homes became a major change in the history and evolution in the architecture of single family homes.

It was also interesting to realize how Hollywood and the Automotive industry grew up together and how much they impacted each other. World War II also had a major impact on the development of the automotive industry, post-war, as well. California, while far from Detroit, played a major role in the development of the auto industry in the United States and globally.

We still had a little steam in our engines when we got done at Peterson so we headed a couple of blocks east and made a quick 1-hour visit to the La Brea Tar Pits. This is one of The Bug's favorite places on earth. Since she was tiny she's been calling it "The Dinosaur Museum" even though there are not any dinosaurs there. But there are lots of skeletons of many other extinct but more recent animals. Right in the middle of Los Angeles sits this amazing and world famous fossil find.

At the end of our day we stopped in for a burrito at one of our favorite local haunts before we came home tired and ready for bed after a very fun-filled weekend.

What did you do for the holiday, friends? Rest and relax? Family barbecue? Big travel plans?

Thanksgiving 2013 Style

Thanksgiving Day is here again. I am hoping our day starts out with a lovely bike ride at the beach. These are the days when I am happy to spend the holiday in a warm climate. Yesterday we had the most lovely afternoon at the park, our little family, playing soccer, basketball and on the playground in short sleeves. The leaves were falling, the sun was low in the sky and it was just beautiful.

I was sitting on the side of the basketball court taking it all in and asking God to help me be thankful for every bit of such a beautiful day. When we got home I got cooking for Thanksgiving Day and for dinner. It was quite a feat to try to figure out how to bake four pies and a pizza from between five and nine in the evening, but it all worked out perfectly and thanks to a snack after the park, eating dinner a little later than normal was totally fine. The biggest distraction was that The Man decided to start the Star Wars series just as I started cooking. I'm guessing the marathon will continue tomorrow as well.

I destroyed the kitchen a few times over yesterday and ran the dishwasher three times. The final time it was only about three quarters full, but I figured I would rather have everything clean and all the tools and utensils washed and ready to start the day today.

Today shouldn't be too crazy. The Man and Bug are on table setting detail. We are going to spatchcock the turkey -- hello only 70 minutes cooking time! Then we'll whip up stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, carrots to go with it. Shouldn't take too long at all. I have everything pretty much prepped and ready to go.

The pies look really delicious so I can't wait to cut into them. This is the first time I have ever made pie for Thanksgiving, that task has always gone to someone else. But I have been a long-time pie maker so it wasn't too much of a stretch. There's a carton of vanilla ice cream just waiting in the fridge for a hot slice of pie. Tonight we'll have family holiday movie night which sounds like the perfect time for a leftover turkey sandwich on a dinner roll and another piece of pie. 

Here is my wish to you that this Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful one for you, filled with people you love, good food and safe travels. I'll see you back here on Friday ready to jump full on into the Christmas season. It will already be December this weekend. Unbelievable.

Life Without Cable or Satellite TV

So we have been without cable or satellite, which basically means without TV since May. I know there are lots of people out there who are considering how they will adapt their entertainment expenditures in light of the constantly rising costs of cable/satellite service. Plus there is so much new technology available for home entertainment viewing. I thought it might be good to put together a post with a realistic evaluation of how it's been.

First I'll start with the Cons. I have to say that we have never been big TV viewers, but I did work in the TV industry and at one point having a great cable package was a great tax write off. We were a clan that watched mainly eight to ten of the several hundred stations stations and I think I can honestly say we really still miss those channels. We also missed all the stuff we lost on TiVo that kept for quite a while when we had satellite TV service. It's a bummer when there is a big event on cable, like a sports event, season premiere, etc. I still have a season of a cable favorite show I'm hoping will become available free sometime soon somewhere. We have definitely missed TV in some ways.

The other big con is that an antennae does do much in the way of reception when you live in a crowded urban area. It's impossible to get good antennae reception even with it in the window. So we really don't watch regular free TV. The other con is that the big TV in our living room is an old one. We were kind of waiting for it to die, which it seemed like it would at any moment, before we invested in a new large TV. It still hasn't died, but to watch anything other than DVDs on it we would need a converter box and an antennae, which is totally not a great investment at this point. I'd much rather put that $75 towards the cost of a new TV. So we rarely every watch anything in our living room.

We did invest in Netflix, which is just $8 a month. We have access to a lot of television series and a decent number of movies. If we are going to view anything, it's usually on Netflix. We have an HDMI cord that we can use to attach the laptop to the TV in the bedroom, which is only a couple of years old and has all the update technology.

Watching TV shows on network websites has proven to be frustrating because there are so many interruptions/commercials and there are often an annoying number of breaks in the connection and buffering. I have also found that even with the big networks their online video is poorly organized. For instance I was trying to watch one TV series and at the end of each episode the previous episode in chronological order would load, meaning one you watched before, rather than the episode that would come next. Annoying.

I've taken the opportunity to watch a few series on Netflix that I would recommend like Parenthood and Friday Night Lights. The Man has seemed to find enough entertainment on Netflix to fill his viewing and relaxation time as well. The Bug has access to all the kid shows she likes on Netflix, PBS kids or YouTube.

I really miss HGTV and Food Network, I'll say that. There are a lot of episodes online but it's not the same as knowing you can turn in on a certain night for your favorite show or catch a marathon. I also miss catching movies on satellite. Watching everything on the computer screen or the small, newer TV in the bedroom is a bit of a let down. But other than that, I'm not missing much having no TV access. We definitely don't miss the $80 or more a month satellite bills.

I do like that we are less inclined to turn the TV on and just sit in the living room watching TV for hours. It doesn't get turned on and then stay on at night. I think we do more with our time and having nightly kiddo homework and bedtime come just at that time of night after dinner where the TV often gets turned on in most homes anyway.

So we've saved a lot of money and are no worse for wear. It's a hard thing to let go of, but in the end I think it was a great decision and hasn't been that missed. How about you? Have you  "cut the cord" or are you thinking about it? What motivated you to do it or what is keeping you from pulling the plug? I find it is such a personal decision and I enjoy hearing other's perspectives. Where are you in the TV or no TV universe?

Inspiration For Building Your Life

image via PicsToPin

I heard a little inspiration from Drew Barrymore that got me thinking. She was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for OWN's Next Chapter series. I loved what Drew said and I was so inspired by what a survivor she is. She's come a long way from being a pre-teen drug addict! If she can survive that and find peace, happiness and success in life it should inspire the rest of us about what we can do too.

She talked about buying a house that she envisioned someday having a family in. This was before she met her husband, they were married or had a child. She said it was kind of a Field of Dreams "If you build it, they will come" moment for her. So she began to build that life she wanted. I love that. I have tried to live that way but perhaps over the past few years have wobbled a bit in my resolve.

So with a few things I really wanted to accomplish in the coming year seeming a little far-fetched at this point, I resolved to plan for them anyway and let them come to me without knowing exactly how or when that will happen. She said you can set up your future without knowing how or when it's coming. But putting yourself in a position to be ready for it is amazing I think.

images via OMG Yahoo

Barrymore began to make lifestyle changes that would be more in accordance with the life she really wanted.  She said she wanted a quieter life. So she began to shift her priorities, began to focus on creating a home and being at home more. I love how she expressed it, she said she wanted life to quiet down. She wanted a healthy, safe family environment. It was sweet to see Barrymore with her baby Olive, happily married to a kind man and settled down just as she'd hoped. 

Another thing that really inspired me is that she had this very clear idea that "It's not going to be perfect, but it is going to be GOOD." I think that's a fantastic way to look at life. Too often we hang on to these ideas about our future that are pure fantasy without any reality. It will never be the perfect picket fence life we conjure up in our heads. How could it ever be? But no matter what, it can be GOOD!

Great inspiration from Drew Barrymore. You can see video clips of Drew and Oprah here.

Something For My Birthday List: Ray-Ban Aviators

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I think you may have already gotten the hint this week that I have Friday Night Lights on the brain. Yes, I am a little obsessed with Tami and Eric Taylor, their gorgeousness, their amazing marriage, their wit, sass, and fortitude. Another thing I can't get out of my head is Tami Taylor in her gold Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses with that amazing hair of hers.

The Man actually has a pair of these and boy howdy wouldn't I love to steal them. But I know he is very protective of them and in fact I think he has them with him now. So I think I'm going to need to acquire a pair of my own. I thought they would make a great first item to add to my little birthday gift list. Maybe they will be my gift to myself.

I lost an amazing and very expensive pair of prescription sunglasses last Christmas. I'm still totally heartbroken about the loss and still hoping that someone I visited over the holidays will find them in their house or car. I know it's a pretty big longshot at this point, but you never know.

So I'm definitely ready to get a new pair of favorite, go-to sunglasses. The only problem with these is that when you have long hair and put them up on your forehead your hair gets caught in the nose piece and you end up losing a lot of hairs that get yanked out that way. So I am going to have to consider that.

But Tami Taylor, with that fabulous hair and sass sure makes Ray-Ban Aviators look hot.

A Few Things From These Parts

Credit: Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times

This post is for my aunt who worries when I don't post according to my regular schedule. haha. Thought I would share a few fun things from the past few days.

• Sunday was my dad's 70th birthday. His three siblings surprised him with a visit here in California. It was so fun to get to spend the day with them all on Saturday. We went to the Reagan Library and then sat out at the pool at their hotel all afternoon which was so fun and relaxing. I also got to see one of my mom's sisters and her son too. Great family day for a girl who never has any family near where she lives

• I've been watching Friday Night Lights on Netflix. I had heard so much talk about how great it was and for years I've been thinking about getting into it. A few weeks ago I finally started that first episode and late at night when things quite down and I have a few minutes to myself I've been watching episodes. I pretty much just want to be Tami Taylor, married to Coach Eric Taylor at this point. I swear I'm just going to break out with their accent at any moment. Tami's hair is just too fantastic and good grief Coach Taylor, he's just one awesome, kick arse, handsome man. Here's a link to an LA Times Article saluting the marriage of Eric and Tami Taylor. If you haven't watched Friday Night Lights there are some amazing characters developed in that show.

• I finished a part of a portion of a big journey for our little family on Monday. I realize a huge weight is off my shoulders suddenly. It's rather shocking because I didn't anticipate things would happen as they did. I am really excited to move forward. Looking ahead to doing a bunch of writing and maybe even a creative project. I haven't done one in a while. Always good for the soul.

• I've been loving spending time outside lately in small bits and pieces throughout the week. Swings at the park under big blue skies, dipping feet in a swimming pool, walking on the beach, staring up at the stars or a full moon. I always remember that if I spent time outdoors in the Spring and early Summer I always enjoy the entire Summer more. Some years I don't get that tradition going until well into the Summer season and then I am always so sad when it feels cut short a few weeks later. I am determined to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible this summer.

How about you? What special things have you been enjoying lately?

Getaway Day At The Getty

Last Saturday I got to go on my first school field trip as a mom. It was my first time on a school bus since high school and I don't remember it being such a tight fit. I had to sit sideways because my knees would not fit in the seats. Ouch. But I was so glad we didn't have to drive or park, we just walked to the school and hopped on the bus and were there in just a few minutes.

We are so lucky to live in a big city with so many amazing things to do and places to see within minutes of our house. The Getty Center complex is visible from our neighborhood and one of the best places to visit in Los Angeles. The gorgeous architecture, gardens, world-famous art, great food, and fantastic views of Los Angeles guarantee a fantastic day, rain or shine. We got lucky and the weather was quite amazing. The lighting was great for photography too. Thought I'd share some of the lovely views.

The Getty is a fantastic place to take visiting friends, in fact I just took our house guests two weeks ago. It's also a great place for a date. It's where The Man and I went on our first date on a Saturday afternoon in May 2008. It's also a wonderful evening destination and open late on Fridays.

Kids love The Getty too, because right off the bat you get to take an awesome tram ride up the mountainside to the museum. The Getty has a great family space where kids can wander through a maze of fun interactive activities and a charming Children's Museum store where parents can buy a little something for the kids without breaking the bank. Prices there start at about one dollar and there are lots of cool things for less than $10.

The trees were still pretty bare but the flowers are starting to bloom. The tulips look like they are just a few days away from their glorious, but short-lived blooms. It was so gorgeous outside.

We started with art, then the deck views of Los Angeles and Santa Monica Bay. Then we wandered the gardens, dodging bees, inhaling the wonderful scent of the Angel's Trumpets and enjoying the meditative circular path walk. A stop at the kid's museum store landed us a small treat for The Bug, then we enjoyed a fantastic lunch on the cafe terrace. I have to say Getty Center, you make a killer Rice Krispy Treat. Wow.

We had just enough time to visit the Family Room for a few minutes and then pick up the fun free gift they gave to the school kids at the front desk and then walk back to the tram for the fun ride back down the hill. It was fun to see The Bug sit next to two cute boys from her class while they ooohed and aaahed at the views all the way back down. It makes me so happy to see her so happily settled here now and so enjoying her life.

Hope you enjoyed coming along on our field trip. I was so glad we went. It was just the right amount of time. It was so easy and I am so pleased with the new school, staff and families.

all images by kalanicut

10 Ways To Have A Day Of Silly, Relaxing Fun

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The weekend is a great time to let loose and have some silly fun. Sometimes running away from home and acting like a kid can refresh the soul in the most fantastic ways. Here are 10 silly, relaxing things you might try doing this weekend to shake off adulthood and all its responsibilities for a while.

1. Go fly a kite.
2. Go to an amusement park.
3. Build a sandcastle at a park or beach.
4. Visit a quirky museum in your town.
5. Go to a nature center.
6. Find a swing and pump and kick your way high into the sky.
7. Play tag, kickball, or with soaker water guns.
8. Rollerskate or iceskate.
9. Have a slumber party in the living room.
10. Plan a play date with friends and do any of the above.

Taking a real break from our every day stresses is so healthy for the mind, body and soul. The days we have run away from home and something totally unexpected have been some of the most fun memories I've had with The Man and The Bug in the past few years. They are the days that stay with us, revive us and bond us together. So run away this weekend and do something amazing that will surprise you, make you laugh and revive you. Then I want to hear all about it! Leave a comment.

Upcycled Thrift Store Wicker Basket

You might remember I found this basket at a thrift store a few months ago. It is so perfectly organized for napkins and cutlery. I initially got it thinking it would be great for a wedding weekend barbecue, but now that we've delayed a bit, I have other ideas for it until then. I liked the yellow but it's just not in my color palette so I decided to spray paint it white and upcycle it a bit.



So I went to work with a can of semi-gloss spray white paint out on my patio. If you spray paint anything and aren't using this handy clip on handle, you have to try it. I promise you it will change your spray painting life. Not only does it save your fingertips, but it also makes spraying evenly a breeze. That said by someone who has always been crummy at even spray painting! Now it goes on perfectly every time and I don't even have to think about it.

I painted inside a box, hoping to contain the overspray as much as possible, It was a little tight but it worked. It's a trick when you live in a breezy, beach area to keep paint from floating all over. Lessons learned the hard way on that one. Oopsy. I used my fan out on the balcony to speed up the drying process. 

Then I painted this wood anchor I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts a few weeks ago. Seemed perfect, especially since I am loving navy, white and orange together this summer. This basket would look fantastic on a bright orange tablecloth.

It took some time to make sure all the nooks and crannies in the basket were covered with the new paint at all angles. That took most of the afternoon. Spray, let it dry, spray again, etc. etc. etc. I also gave the anchor a few layers of paint.

Now I have a pretty cutlery basket for parties, barbecues and buffets. I decided I would temporarily attach the anchor to give myself the freedom to change the logo depending on the party. Can't you see it with a pretty pink something for a baby shower or a football for a viewing party, or a red, white and blue flag for patriotic holidays. I'm happy with my new basket and can't wait to have a a little party to try it out. It's perfectly me and the only one around. That's what I love about thrift shopping and DIY.

10 Tips For Planning A Summer of Fun

Have you ever had summers where you find yourself in late August finally having some fun and regretfully feeling like you just let the summer slip through your fingertips? I definitely have. There is something so bittersweet about having a great Labor Day weekend and realizing fall is coming and you didn't have a cookout, didn't go to the beach or lake much, didn't go camping, see friends, take a roadtrip, roast a marshmallow.

Here's the recipe to avoid all that guilt. Plan your summer now. I always find that there is nothing that helps me enjoy life as much as having things to look forward to. Having a fun outing or trip to look forward to always makes the every day must-dos feel much less burdensome to me. It's a great time to pull out the calendar and start planning in fun events for the summer months.

1) Start with your vacation and holiday plans. Maybe your family has an annual trip or tradition you take part in each year. Schedule those in first.

2) Check out local community celebrations. Many of these are free and family friendly. In the area where I grew up there is a parade, rodeo and fireworks weekend in every city within a 10 mile radius at some point over the summer. Every city has their celebration: Strawberry Days, Pioneer Days, Steel Days, Onion Days, there's no shortage of fun things to do. A great way to enjoy your local area.

3) Look for free concerts, outdoor movies, etc. Online you can usually find a community or city calendar for your area. You will find all kinds of events available nearby especially throughout the summer. Many parks, beaches, piers and mountain resorts will host free public events.

4) Look for free talks, classes and workshops. Many business will host bike repair workshops, talks by specialists in different areas, and offer other free learning experiences to the public. The summer is a great time to take advantage of these opportunities.

5) Plan a little roadtip or campout. In most places in the world you don't have to go too far from home to find a great little camping spot or an interesting historical town or new neighborhood to adventure to. Find inexpensive lodging and enjoy a night away from home.

6) Plan to host a party at your home or a local park. Most people longingly wish they spent more time with their friends, but very few make the effort to plan something. If doing something at your home sounds like too much work, a potluck at a park can be accomplished with just a little planning and perhaps reserving a pavillion for your group. No housecleaning or slaving over a hot stove necessary. Plan something. Your friends will thank you and you'll be glad you did. Summer gatherings with friends are those summer events you remember.

7) Schedule in nature time. Find hikes or nature walks in your area you'd like to explore. Think about an evening hike to enjoy a sunset or get up extra early to catch the sunrise from a beautiful peak. Make sure you are prepared with water, food & emergency needs and you let someone know where you'll be then enjoy the fresh air.

8) Visit an amusement park. Rekindle the spirit of your child inside with a silly day at a local amusement park. Nothing says summer like the crowds, the cotton candy, the roller coasters and paddle boats.

9) Organize some craft activities. The warmer weather is a great time to work on craft projects that require drying time and can be done outside. Paper mache, wood projects, dying fabric, creating concrete garden tiles and many other projects are very conducive to warm summer weather and you can make the mess outside instead of indoors. Get your supplies in advance and make something fun.

10) Plan a sleep out in your backyard. This was one of the most memorable things we did as kids in the summer. When we were younger we would make a blanket fort on the deck off of our kitchen and sleep under it. Once we got the mattresses outside it was hard to get us to come back and sleep in the house again. Plus I think we just dreaded the idea of dragging all the mattresses and blankets back in the house and putting them away. Later my parents built a covered deck at the back of the yard and I remember an Independence Day sleep out with movies and late night fun back there one year.

Hope these ideas will sparks some creative ideas and help you plan a summer full of fun this year. What are your must do summer activities and family traditions? Are you doing anything new this year? I'd love to hear your ideas to help inspire our future summer plans. Have a great Thursday!

image by kalanicut

A Llama From A One Room Museum

I caught my little llama finger puppet looking very lifelike the other morning. This little beauty came from the Museum of Craft and Folk Art in San Francisco. If there is one museum in any city that most catches my attention it is a craft and folk art museum. The one here in Los Angeles, Craft And Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) is one of my favorites and a spot I used to go to during lunch when I worked in the area. I also have a real soft spot for the American Folk Art Museum in New York City.

A funny story about the museum in SF. We had walked quite a ways in the rain to get there and it was a little tricky to find. Once I had paid our entrance fee, the cashier informed us that the entire museum was around the corner from the front entry and it was only one room. I realized this was a let down she gives people only AFTER they've paid the entrance fee. We were a little shocked and once we walked around the corner out of her sight, we looked at each other, a little shocked and giggly. How could a museum be one room?

But it was interesting because we were definitely intent on getting our money's worth, so we really delved into every one of the pieces that we found in that room. We looked at everything, then read every description of every piece then went and looked at all of them again. We had a fun time of it and took the opportunity to truly appreciate every piece. I still remember many more details about the pieces we saw there than things I've seen at other museums.

Museum stores, I love even more than the museums themselves. MOCFA in San Francisco was no disappointment either. There was a fantastic collection of hand crafted items of all kinds and purchases were made. We spent as much time in the store as we did in the museum itself.

If you are looking for something to do this holiday weekend, look for some undiscovered museums in your town or city. I've made a list of museums I still have not seen after many years in SoCal and I'm making a goal to see the ones I have long been interested in. Do you have any great recommendations for SoCal museums you feel are must-see? I'd love to add them to my list!

Have a fantastic weekend. So nice that there are 24 extra hours in this one for us here in the States. Thanks for coming by. See you next week.

Recipe For A Heartwarming Holiday TV Movie

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Today I thought I would share a laugh with you. While I have been working on projects over the past few weeks I've found it quite entertaining to have a holiday movie on in the background. Hallmark and Lifetime channels have been more than happy to oblige me in the evenings.

This is a comedic take on everything I have learned about what it takes to make a holiday TV movie over the past six weeks. A few necessary elements required:

1) A heroine- lovable but too headstrong (usually blond)

2) She either:

• lives in a small town & works for family business or
• went to the big city because she's too good for the small town & has come home for the holidays

3) Her rich, arrogant, jerk boyfriend/suitor (usually blond with a name like Steven Edward James III) - he always wants to take her away from:

• her small hometown or
• her family
• the job she loves or
• her kids' dad

so he can shower her with worldly goods and let her know all she's been missing in her simpleton world.

4) A potential dark haired suitor who is helplessly smitten by her. He is a kind, lovable:

• neighbor or
• lifelong friend or
• former military man
• and/or possibly a stranger who has suddenly appeared in town.
• Usually a manual laborer or someone who has left "success" for a simpler life who fixes things around her house and/or helps her with her kids or parents.

5) Her parents who are:

• big time meddlers or
• overly calm & full of wise advice or
• dead or
• being taken advantage of by some evil power often the evil boyfriend/suitor.

6) A proposal from Evil Suitor which she half-heartedly accepts

• always in front of a large crowd at his family's extravagant holiday party or
• her office party or
• at her family Christmas dinner
• and always in front of Kind Suitor

7) Her realization of true love with Kind Suitor often realized by:

• the holding of a candle
• singing of Christmas carols
• bad behavior by Evil Suitor as he asks her to marry him
• Kind Suitor leaving town on his motorcyle or by hitchhiking and
• her finally, finally realizing Kind Suitor has always had her back & loves her family

Throw in some B, C and D list actors and VIOLA you have a heartwarming holiday classic! Stay tuned, maybe another day I'll break down the "Family Divided" holiday movie where mom and dad are splitting up and the kids have to get them back together OR the kids are fighting and mom, dad and mischievous grandparents have to pull the family back together and save Christmas. Haa-haa. I kid, I kid.

Hope you're having a great day. I'm scrambling. Hope you have a very, very Merry Christmas!