Hometown Weekend Snaps

Let me just be honest by saying that I seriously miss San Diego. With that said, I really am enjoying our time living in LA--but I still find myself thinking fondly of my old stomping grounds. It's not like LA is an entirely different world than SD, but it definitely has it's moments. To me, San Diego just feels so relaxed and comfy--like I want to kick off my shoes and curl up for a while.

We recently headed down to San Diego for a baby shower (glimpse here) and it was a delightful weekend -- no shoes and all. :) 

[my beloved boogie]

[baby shower crafts]

[early morning golf with the rents]

[night at the Robesons]

Saying goodbye to SD is never easy, but necessary. We've been spending so much time outside of LA, it's sometimes hard to really think of it as "home." But that kick off the shoes & curl up feeling is growing--and I like it.

Max Mania

Matt and Jenny are having a baby! I'm pretty pumped about it. The Randles {like candle} are such dear friends of ours--Matt and Rich were roommates in college, and as their wives, Jenny and I struck an immediate friendship.

Jenny's baby shower was a couple weeks ago, and it was a blast hanging out and celebrating with her friends and family. To make the weekend even more awesome, the Osbornes cruised down for the party and stayed with me in Culver City (Rich was out of town for work, poor guy!). Saturday, Sara and I got in some quality girl time--shopping around town and getting last minute gifts together for Maddox, while Matt and Brad caught some surf. On Sunday, Sara, Jamey and I headed down to Costa Mesa for the shower.

[baby mama]

[playdough baby game]

[jenny's owl necklace, a gift from matt]

Okay so who loves my sunburnt surfing baby?! We all had to make babies out of playdough, which was pretty entertaining. I was amazed to see how many fancy dough babies Jenny had to judge for the contest... clearly I wasn't even in the top 5. Regardless, the shower was so much fun and I can't wait to meet baby Randle! He is already one LOVED little guy.

And Obsornes, thanks for kickin' it at the Millard abode. Come back again soon!

Glimpse - Baby Shower for Zoe

Had a lovely time this weekend down in San Diego celebrating Bebe and Markee's little baby girl, Zoe. I'll share more fun details on that later, once we've caught up on all the laundry and cleaning at home. :) Phew, it sure has been a crazy summer!

Current crush

Pendleton blankets.

I'd take mine to the park for a picnic. 

hint hint, husband.

Framed Chalkboard - Kitchen DIY

Since discovering the wonderful world of blogs several years ago, I've loved tasking our little family of two with DIY projects wherever possible. We successfully completed many special projects for our wedding, and have since been trying new things whenever we can find the time. Luckily, there was no time to dilly dally with our chalkboard project for the kitchen, as Rich needed something hanging on the wall for a spec commercial he was directing at our home.

The weekend before the shoot, we stopped by the Melrose Trading Post to find a cute frame for the chalkboard. We lucked out and found a great option for only $7. Once we had our frame, we headed to Lowe's and bought a piece of wood for the backing--which a handy Lowe's employee cut to size for free. Love that! We finished up the project by painting the wood with primer, then a couple coats of Chalkboard Paint (also from Lowe's).

It was an inexpensive project with a lovely result! We were amazed to find chalkboards at the Melrose Trading Post similar to the one we made for almost twice the amount we spent DIYing. A good reminder that flea markets don't always have the best deals.

Isn't chalkboard paint the best? Em and Jimmy used it recently on their coffee table--so cool, right?!

Wedding at the SB Zoo

A couple weeks ago, Rich and I attended Pam and Ryan's wedding at the Santa Barbara Zoo. Yes, I said ZOO. And you know what? It was awesome! Listen up folks, if you're looking for a wedding venue in Santa Barbara--you should totally check this place out.

Prior to heading up for the wedding, we met Rich's family in Port Hueneme for some beach action and family time. After the beach, we ate yummy pizza for dinner and played Apples to Apples back at the hotel. The following day we visited a little street fair and then headed up to Santa Barbara for some wedding fun.

The wedding began right as the park was shutting down, so there wasn't a problem with onlookers. It was a nice lush setting for the ceremony, followed by a reception on a hill with a view of the ocean (past the giraffes!). Plus, there was a lovely view of the SB countryside as well. But back to the giraffes--as part of the wedding package, guests were able to feed the giraffes in between the ceremony and reception. How fun, right?!

Obviously, I'm kind of smitten with the whole thing. Not that I didn't LOVE my wedding, but I'm totally crazy over A) animals, B) ocean views and C) Santa Barbara.

I just want to say that since I saw these pictures, I have SERIOUSLY cut my bangs. Why didn't anyone tell me I had curtains over my eyes?! Whoops. Warning to the ladies: bangs are high maintenance!...but so worth it. Thanks Em!

Since the wedding I've been craving a trip down to the San Diego Zoo. Rich and I used to go all the time when we were dating--we were even members! It was one of our favorite things to do together. Perhaps when we have little munchkins of our own we will become members again and take them to see all the animals! One day... :)

Bass Lake Summer 2011...Video Coming Soon!

In July we headed up to beautiful Bass Lake for our annual summer trip with Rich's college roommates and their wives. Despite getting a late start on our drive Friday night, we had a great time catching up with dear friends. The weekend was full of good chats, delicious food, boating and sun, and much more fun. It's weekends like this that make us realize how truly blessed we are to have such wonderful friends--life wouldn't be the same without them!

As per usual, I snapped a few pictures on my phone throughout the weekend--but the feature presentation you're all waiting for is coming soon! Hold tight while Rich works his magic and crafts a fun video.

Clearly the boys got creative with their life jackets. :) And how adorable is Wy guy? Hoping winter comes early this year--can't wait to see everyone again soon!

Bennett is here!

WOW! I still can't believe my dear cousin, Catie, gave birth to a little baby boy. It's surreal to think she carried that sweet little guy in her belly for nine months, and then brought him into this world. It's so crazy and so amazing. July 13th was such a special day--Bennett finally arrived healthy and handsome as ever. Mom, dad and baby all did a great job. Rich and I had the honor of visiting them in the hospital that first night, and made sure to get some great footage of all their lovely moments together. I can't get over how much I absolutely love MY GODSON (yep--I'm a godmother!) and can't even fathom what it will feel like to have a child of my own. 

So, without further ado, here is a little video Rich and I put together for the new parents. We love you Anaya family!

Ladies Night

For Lauren's Bachelorette party, her sister planned a Harbor Cruise in San Diego. It was a blast cruising and celebrating with Lauren and all her girls. We were pop, drop, and lockin' it like nobody's business! Well, at least we thought we were.

I only snapped a few pictures on my phone, but thankfully Lauren's friend Andrea brought her camera along to capture the fun.

Man, those dance pictures are pretty hilarious. Lauren, thanks for being SO much fun!


PS, did anyone notice my lobster legs? Some things never change...

Lauren's Bridal Shower

This post is coming a little late (especially considering these two are already happily married!) but I couldn't resist sharing about this special event. In June I helped host a bridal shower for my dear friend, Lauren. Her wedding vision was very rustic, organic and vintage--so I tried to plan with those things in mind. With the help of wonderful friends, I tackled crafts and baking for the shower while down in San Diego. The Robesons graciously opened their home the days leading up to the event, where we crafted pennant flags and baked desserts (and, of course, lots of snuggle time with baby Thatch).

The morning of the shower was a little hectic, but it paid off. It was a wonderful day--the food was delish, friends and family buzzed about with excitement, and Lauren was the most beautiful bride-to-be. The best part of the shower, in my opinion, was when we surprised Lauren with the Newlywed Video that Rich and I made with Lauren's fiance, Brandon. Lauren was genuinely surprised and the guests loved learning more about Brandon and his relationship with Lauren. 

Lauren, I hope you had a great time and that you felt SO loved! And be sure to show your future kiddos that Newlywed video--they'll definitely think their father is "the most interesting man in the world!"