Yo Michael Michael!

Hump Day Dump | 06/19/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:27:00 +0000

The morning weather in southern California is perfect. We've been taking advantage and going on stroller walks almost every morning. Usually though, once our 2 miles are done, we're packed and ready to go run errands. Or back home to shower. Not this morning. Instead of rushing out of the park, we decided to hang out a little. And explore. Go treasure hunting. Get our knees dirty. Water the plants. Say hello to fellow walkers, dog walkers, elderly couples, runners, and soccer teams there for their morning practice. Take tons of pictures and videos to send Daddy. (Even though he forgot his phone at home.) Run down hills. Run away from bugs. Look up at all the airplanes. And birds. Explain each and every part of nature. Bask in the sunshine. And enjoy each other's company. Because these moments in life are truly rare. And it was a reminder again to slow down, even for just 20 minutes. And not rush on to the next.

~Kristina

Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:48:00 +0000

These last 2 weekends have been a blur. We've been so busy, we actually forgot to unload the photos off our camera. (I didn't even realize this until I had a few minutes today to blog and realized that there were no new pictures in our online photo album.)

More often than not, as I lay in bed at the end of the day, I feel a sense of confusion as to where the day went. And while I do not regret a single minute of it, I am realizing that the days are going by far too fast.

But lesson learned, we all need some time to breath. And blog. So that the memories of the day aren't ever forgotten. So here's to catching up.

Hope you enjoy these photos!

Din Tai Fung: Possibly the best dumpling house in southern California.

After a 45 minute wait to be seated & more waiting for our food, this was the only thing that could keep this kiddo still.

The beautiful Grove.

A weekend wouldn't be complete without a trip to the D.

Can you spot me?

Thanks Mom for my graduation dinner!

Happy Father's Day to the best Dad we know!

~Kristina

Currently | 06/13/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:57:00 +0000

THE DEAL:

Use our themes or use your own - just share what you're "currently" up to!

Please remember to add your link below and to copy and paste the button code into your post so others can find us and link up too.

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that are participating and say hello - especially my lovely co-host Lindsey from Ot and Et!

THIS WEEK'S THEMES:

Building, Forming, Sharing, Dreading, Singing

We're currently....

Building confidence. Michael has been amazing at school drop offs and pick ups lately. He's actually been leading me to drop off his stuff into his cubby each morning, gives me a kiss, and proceeds to play with his friends. But with that, come different challenges that we as a family must work on. That includes taking turns and not being so rough during outdoor time. Life of a parent.

Forming Father's Day plans. Thanks Ot and Et for the inspiration on this theme.

Sharing what he learns at school with everyone. Last night, Michael proudly shared what he's been learning at school with some friends who came over. Everything from his ABCs and 123s, to different Montessori jobs, to pointing out who is who in his class picture.

Dreading my graduation on Saturday. Don't get me wrong. I'm very excited, happy, and proud of myself. But there's just something about these events that gives me anxiety. The thousands of people, the one parking entrance and exit, making sure myself and my family gets there on time, saving 8 seats, etc.

Singing in the shower. My husband usually takes a bath the same time Michael does, but in separate bathrooms (since Michael loves to hog up all the water.) My husband loves singing in the shower, which we know since we can hear him from our side of the house. Long story short, Michael imitates this by shouting at the top of his lungs.

NEXT WEEK'S THEMES:
Capturing, Releasing, Sending, Mending, Recommending (Recommend some of your favourite blogs for us to read!)

~Kristina

Wordless Wednesday | 06/12/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:22:00 +0000

His new thing: gasping in surprise, amazement, joy.

Movie Monday | 06/10/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:35:00 +0000

Via digital spy

Movie- Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream

Rating- !!!! (Out of 5)

Upside- I thoroughly enjoyed this. So much, that we could've finished it in one night if I wasn't so tired. Seeing her & Jay-Z interact candidly was fun to watch.

Downside- I honestly could've done without all the concert footage. Beyonce's personal life is that much more interesting.

~Kristina

Currently | 06/06/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:11:00 +0000

THE DEAL:

Use our themes or use your own - just share what you're "currently" up to!

Please remember to add your link below and to copy and paste the button code into your post so others can find us and link up too.

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that are participating and say hello - especially my lovely co-host Lindsey from Ot and Et!

THIS WEEK'S THEMES:

Coveting, Imagining, Asking, Saving or Saving For, Fearing

We're currently....

Coveting nothing at the moment. Haha Did anyone else have to Google the exact definition of this? I thought it was "want" at first and had something written out, but I can honestly say that I don't feel "blameworthy desire" for anything right now.

Imagining what life is like now for the 84 year old woman from Florida who won the $340 million Powerball jackpot. Okay, let me think of something better. Michael's been imagining he's a monster. I have this to thank:

Asking for Pocoyo! I swear, each week, new obsession. Michael was first introduced to Pocoyo when he was a weee little baby. We purchased an episode on iTunes since he seemed to like it, but it quickly found its way buried under a whole bunch of episodes which too were forgotten about. But suddenly this week, he's loving it again.

Saving For our future home renovations. My husband & I are kinda obsessed with our house right now. We want to change it all: put in some recessed lighting, paint, remodel our bathrooms, put in new doors, etc. It's endless. And I partly blame my new favorite blog: IHeart Organizing. This obsession though comes with a heavy price tag that we're currently saving for.

Fearing indoor pollutants. I blame the blog mentioned above for my current obsession with air purifiers and cleaners. After much research, I've learned that our indoor air may actually be more harmful than outdoor air. But, its nothing that some fresh air and a plant can't fix. (I need to tell myself that I don't need that $150 Winix Air Cleaner.)

That's a lot of obsessions for one week. Can't wait to see what next week has in store for us.

NEXT WEEK'S THEMES:
Building, Forming, Sharing, Dreading, Singing

~Kristina

Our Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:28:00 +0000

We planned on having brunch out in LA, but when we got to the food spot and noticed the many people waiting to be seated, we immediately changed our minds and headed to Bottega Louie, one of my all time favorite restaurants. And believe it or not, we were immediately seated. We enjoyed lemon pancakes and the salmon benedict. Of course, with the portobello mushroom fries and their delicious green juice, which Michael loved.

We then checked out the Urs Fischer exhibit at both MOCA's in southern California.

That evening, we braved the heat and headed out to the Valley, for church and a family get together. You can tell by Michael's red rosey cheeks that he couldn't escape the heat by being indoors. Or maybe it was because he was having too much fun running around with his aunt & uncle. Yeah, the 2 other kids pictured are his aunt and uncle

Sunday was a more relaxed day filled with grocery shopping, lunch with friends, and shopping at the mall. This was followed by a nice 2 hour afternoon nap. We honestly felt like a bunch of teenagers. Up until we had to cook dinner, clean the house, and prepare for the work week ahead.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

~Kristina

Movie Monday | 06/03/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:19:00 +0000

Movie- The Breakfast Club

Rating- !!! (Out of 5)

Upside- We must've enjoyed this movie, as we started and finished it while in Chicago. My husband & I couldn't stop laughing at Emilio Estevez's dance moves and kept repeating them on our trip. Til now.

Downside- Although this movie is film history, we can't help but ask ourselves why it's called The Breakfast Club.

~Kristina

Currently | 05/30/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Thu, 30 May 2013 15:48:00 +0000

THE DEAL:

Use our themes or use your own - just share what you're "currently" up to!

Please remember to add your link below and to copy and paste the button code into your post so others can find us and link up too.

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that are participating and say hello - especially my lovely co-host Lindsey from Ot and Et!

THIS WEEK'S THEMES:

Borrowing, Dancing, Building, Throwing, Buying

We're currently....

Borrowing nothing. Honestly, I dislike borrowing things from people. I'm actually peeved by it. (Especially when people ask, "Can I borrow Michael?" Wait, huh?) Now if someone asks me to borrow something, I'm more than willing to hand it over to them.

Dancing and being good at it. Michael's class is practicing their song and dance for their spring concert & every afternoon when I receive his Daily Report, his teacher ALWAYS mentions his good dancing.

Building and Throwing K-cups. You know, those coffee/tea pods that you put into a fancy schmancy Keurig machine. My husband and I bought this huge box of k cups at Costco and Michael is taking joy in it as his new play toy. He's been taking them out of the box, building tall walls with them, & throwing them back into the box, only to repeat it once again.

Buying flowers for our home. My husband and I are trying to not only add color into our home, but life as well. I decided to make a pit stop at a florist on the way home from dropping Michael off this morning and picked up some of my favorites: tulips.

NEXT WEEK'S THEMES:
Coveting, Imagining, Asking, Saving or Saving For, Fearing

~Kristina

Our Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 28 May 2013 17:06:00 +0000

Michael's 102 degree fever didn't stop him from escorting his favorite cousin in the Santa Cruzan.

Luigi's Flying Tires

Our New Favorite Ride: Toy Story Midway Mania

I had to actually Google this ride's name. It's the Golden Zephyr aka shortest line for a ride ever.

Just one example of my husband's awesome camera skills.

A relaxing wagon ride to end the Memorial Day holiday.

~Kristina

Chicago 2013 | Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:24:00 +0000

I have to admit something. And that's this post is the one I'm most excited for you to read. Even during our trip, I told my husband that I couldn't wait to blog about this. So without further ado, here is Chicago Sports!

United Center

This is home to the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, & the famous Michael Jordan statue. This was the only place on our entire itinerary that we were excited about, honestly.
When the Bulls won Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, we realized that Game 6 would be in Chicago on the weekend we were planning to go. So we hoped and prayed and even purchased the tickets prior to our trip. We were left so disappointed as the Bulls pulled a monumental fail and the Heat won the next 4 games straight.
That didn't stop us though from wanting to finally take a photo with the Michael Jordan statue. My husband was completely starstruck by it. It was like actually meeting Michael Jordan, but not really. We must've made a scene since an employee who worked for the Bulls organization noticed us. She was kind enough to offer a photo op where our entire family could be in one photo. So nice of her. But the best part comes next.
We chatted for a bit & we voiced how our plans changed because there would be no Game 6 that evening. She then offered to give us a personal tour of the Bulls administrative offices in lieu of the loss. To be honest with you, I would've taken that tour any day over a game. We were able to see where meetings happen, decisions about trades and signings were to be made, & even got to view their memorabilia room. We got to sit on the actual bench the Championship Bulls team did! I know, we don't have many pictures. Because to be honest with you, we were speechless the entire time.

Soldier Field

After the United Center, we headed straight to Soldier Field. Now there wasn't a game or some statue we could pose in front of. But I'm a huge Jay Cutler fan, so this place holds a special place in my heart. This has to be the most beautiful football stadium we have ever visited. After a quick Google search, I understand why- it was rebuilt in 2003.

Wrigley Field

Remember what I wrote about Yankee Stadium from our New York trip last year? Now imagine that feeling 10 fold. That's exactly how I felt about Wrigley Field. From the moment we stepped on to the train and were sardined between Cubs fans & Mets fans alike to actually sitting down in our seats to watch them play, I was in pure awe. I could not believe that we were actually watching a game here, one of the oldest baseball stadiums to date.

The stadium has that old, historic feel which I love. Everyone again was incredibly friendly and we were even given a "First Game at Wrigley" memento for our family. The backdrop of Wrigley was also so beautiful. The train ran frequently giving Michael something to anticipate and the fans on the rooftop seats were entertaining.

The ticket prices were not bad at all. And it definitely helped that we didn't have to pay for parking. We ordered your typical ballpark foods: hot dogs & nachos. Doesn't it seem foods like that are more delicious when you're watching a ball game?

Oh and the Cubs won.

~Kristina

Chicago 2013 | The Basics

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Thu, 23 May 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Virgin America

I've said this before & I'll say it again: Virgin America is our favorite airline. From their friendly staff (both at the airport and on the airplane) to the fact that they have a TV for every passenger, it takes away the stresses of flying. The flight attendants did not hesitate to give us as many water bottles or cups of ice as we requested and always gave Michael a smile as they passed through the aisles. It was also good to know that both planes that we took were amazingly clean & didn't wreak of the flight before. The only thing we were peeved about was the not so smooth landing into LAX.

In Front Of Our Place

Rooftop View

Airbnb

I'm really glad that our experiences with Airbnb keep getting better and better. Now, I must admit, I'm probably not the easiest person to deal with when it comes to booking your place. If you say you want me to ask as many questions as you want, trust me, I'll ask. Eileen, our host, was amazing when it came to this. She did not hesitate to answer any of my questions, as silly as they seemed, and always responded within an hour of me asking. Booking a place in a city you've never been in can be intimidating, however, Eileen along with other hosts we dealt with in the past, have always been so gracious and patient in answering or providing info to us. For that, I'll always be a fan of Airbnb despite the fact its being outlawed in some cities. Anyhoo, her place was so spacious. It's actually larger than our home, in square footage. It was also probably the cleanest place we have ever booked. It was situated close enough to the train and to catch a cab, if we were feeling lazy. It also had a great view of the city.

Chicago Transit Authority/Public Transportation

I'm so proud of ourselves for the risk we took in not booking a car rental for this trip. However, I know now that I need to hop on Groupon deals fast, as a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) pass was only $9 for a 3 Day Pass. Because we purchased this at the O'Hare Station, it came out to $20. We took the train everywhere. And Michael thoroughly enjoyed it. If it wasn't a train, we took a cab, which I have to admit, were the safer and friendlier drivers of any trip we've taken. And if it wasn't a cab, we walked. I have to say, traveling this way for any trip is the best way to go. Just being in the city without the luxury of a car was an amazing experience.

~Kristina

Wordless Wednesday | 05/22/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:03:00 +0000

Please enjoy our Chicago sightseeing photos. You'll see the Willis Tower, Millenium Park, The Bean, and museums, to name a few. Warning: Picture Heavy!

~Kristina

Chicago 2013 | Food

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Giordano's

Now don't get me wrong. I love pizza. And what better place to get a deep dish pizza than Giordano's in Chicago, right? But, our experience here wasn't the best. We were incredibly hungry after our day of traveling and wanted what we thought was going to be the pizza experience of our lives. First, there was only outdoor seating available, which we didn't mind since Michael would be able to roam around the outdoor patio while we waited 45 minutes for our pizza to bake. The upside to this was that my husband got to take Michael to Niketown while I waited and people watched. The downside, it took an hour to bake. When it finally came out, it was mediocre at best. Maybe we were just overwhelmed by the size of the pizza. We had ordered a small and between the both of us, could not finish it. (It did make for a good leftover meal the next night.) Now Michael's food was pretty damn good. We ordered him some buttered noodles which came with some bread. I could've settled for that bread instead.

Kuma's Corner

Again, we opted for outdoor seating here since the restaurants in Chicago seemed much smaller in size than those here out in Los Angeles and they were full to capacity. But as you can see from the size of my husband's Kuma Burger, restaurant size is not indicative of meal size. I didn't get to try his burger but my husband definitely enjoyed it. And remember how I mentioned the best mac & cheese in yesterday's post? You'll find that here. Portions? Again, shareable like Giordano's. And that's really all I can say about that.

Halo Asian Mix

We had lunch earlier that day at Wrigley Stadium. After pizza and hot dogs all trip long, I was seriously craving some Filipino food. After a quick Yelp search, we found this gem. I seriously loved my longsilog plate. (Lonsilog is a Filipino brerakfast consisting of longanisa, a sweet sausage, eggs, and rice.) My husband settled for a chicken katsu plate, which he again, split with Michael. I was a bit disappointed though that they were out of spam that day. (Seriously, what Asian/Japanese/Hawaiian mix place doesn't have spam?) It was a great last meal to a great trip.

~Kristina

Friday's Letter (Monday Edition) | 05/20/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Mon, 20 May 2013 16:24:00 +0000

Dear Chicago,

I Love You. And that says a lot because I don't throw around the word "love" that often to people. Or things for that matter. But I Love You.

You treated us so well this past week. From blessing us with great weather, to the friendly people, to being a great sports town.

And the food. Don't get me started on the food. Even the Filipino food here is amazing. And the mac & cheese. Wow. We found the world's best.

You've taught us so much. That walking from point A to point B should be the norm. That taking public transportation is doable. (This coming from someone who can't live without her own car.) That 103 floors is nothing. That a bean is a more than just an edible seed.

Every single place we visited, we were welcome with open arms and a smile. When I thought our trip couldn't get any better, it did.

There haven't been many trips where I said I wasn't ready to leave. Chicago, I wasn't ready to leave you. And although I'm glad to be home, I can't wait to see you again.

~Kristina

Our Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:47:00 +0000

Last Friday, Michael's school hosted a Mothers Day tea. Michael's Grandma (my Mom) joined in too & so did his favorite cousin, Jazlyn. I never hesitate going to these things, because, well that's what being a parent is all about. I still can't believe I'm already attending Michael's school events. On the upcoming agenda is his Open House AND concert. What happened to our baby???

My husband had to work Saturday. That meant more quality time with his cousin. He spent the majority of the time learning to drive an Escalade & blow bubbles. We also celebrated Mothers Day with an at home Korean BBQ lunch.

That evening, after Mass, we went to an Avengers themed birthday party at The Coop. So fun! This place was pretty cool: just the right size with plenty of entertainment for the kids AND adults. We wish that this place could host at least one of Michael's birthday parties, but its too far from us. Not to mention it was 90 something degrees on Saturday, and the ventilation system here pretty much sucked. I can't imagine a hot September afternoon.

We don't have any pictures from Sunday, Mothers Day. Why? Because we spent the day pretty much relaxing and enjoying each others company. With In & Out and cupcakes of course. My perfect day.

Hope all you moms, grandmas, and dads being moms had a great holiday!

~Kristina

Movie Monday | 05/13/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:14:00 +0000

Movie- Premium Rush

Rating- !!! (Out of 5)

Upside- Okay, the movie in itself was pretty entertaining. You can't go wrong with Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Downside- But everything else was all sorts of wrong. The story became wacky as you watched more and more. My husband and I actually kept repeating horrible lines from the movie to each other for a good week, as an inside joke. The acting was horrible too. (I can't believe Joseph Gordon-Levitt signed on with this project.) I'm being really generous with the 3 !s.

Movie- Broken City

Rating- !!! (Out of 5)

Upside- This movie was pretty entertaining too. You too can't go wrong with Mark Wahlberg too.

Downside- But the ending just dropped like nothing. Where was Mark Wahlberg going? Or his girlfriend, ex-girlfriend, whatever she was? What happened to Catherine Zeta Jones? And Russell Crowe? So many questions left unanswered.

All Images Via Rotten Tomatoes

~Kristina

InstaFriday | 05/10/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:42:00 +0000

Just some Instagram photos from my husband's account that never made it on the blog. Have A Great Weekend! :)

And some from our friends:

~Kristina

Currently | 05/09/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:02:00 +0000

THE DEAL:

Use our themes or use your own - just share what you're "currently" up to!

Please remember to add your link below and to copy and paste the button code into your post so others can find us and link up too.

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that are participating and say hello - especially my lovely co-host Lindsey from Ot and Et!

THIS WEEK'S THEMES:

Learning, Gathering, Giving, Working, Playing

We're currently....

Learning how to cut, trace, and color. Each afternoon, Michael's teacher writes a report for parents about things that their child does everyday and what to continue to help them with when at home. I really appreciate these reports since Michael is only in school 2 days, giving me the rest of the week to practice with him. It's pretty amazing if you think about it: having to learn how to cut, trace, and color all over again.

Gathering small toys. As in, this small. Michael has never been the type to put toys in his mouth, so we've introduced him to the wonderful world of Legos. (Also thanks to our Legoland trip.) Each afternoon, he would gather every single mini toy that he has and line them up against the window, while they wait for all the lizards to come out. It's pretty cute.

Giving all sorts of Mothers Day & Teacher Appreciation gifts. Mothers and Teachers, some of the greatest jobs in the world.

Working on school work. Michael's not the only one in school. I still am. It's crunch time, as my graduation is approaching in a month. I couldn't be more excited but the workload is still just as demanding. My husband has been working crazy hard too, since there have been some moving and shaking in his department.

Playing all the time. And really rough too. We've been wrestling and jumping and just going crazy. (Hey, it burns more calories right?) We've also been pretending we're super heroes. Michael's choice? You guessed it. The one pictured up top.

NEXT WEEK'S THEMES:
Hoping, Reading, Wearing, Making, Planning

~Kristina

10 WAYS TO GIVE MOM THE BEST DAY EVER

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Reblogged from The Neighborhood. They have a fantastic giveaway going on right now for a ticket to the sold out Alt Summit NYC next month. I had to take a chance! It's a post so fitting for this blog and the upcoming holiday- How to give Mom the best day ever. Enjoy.

6 MAY 2013

10 WAYS TO GIVE MOM THE BEST DAY EVER

When I was little, Mother’s Day consisted of me making my mom breakfast (probably cereal) and giving her a card covered in glitter and glue. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but now that I’m a little older I have a different version of planning an awesome day for mom. Read on for a few perfect ideas on how to plan a Mother’s Day that your mom (or any mom!) would love.

Let her sleep in. Get the day started and ready while mom has a lazy morning.

Get outside. Go for a walk together (or a bike ride, or a swim!), and enjoy spring outdoors. I love walking and talking—take the opportunity to catch up with your mom if it’s been a while since your last great conversation.

Take her to (or make!) brunch. Mom’s choice! Does she have a favorite restaurant? Or a favorite dish? Make a reservation or get ingredients ahead of time to avoid the rush. Settle in to have a beautiful meal together.

Get girly. If your mom is a girly-girl, indulge her! Take her window shopping or get your nails done together. If budget is an issue, collect your manicure tools and do home mani-pedis together.

Relax. Massages, anyone? Meditation? People watching? However your mom likes to relax, whether it’s napping or a coffee break, give her the afternoon to do it, guilt-free.

Get everyone in on it. After you’ve spent some quality time together, make it a big celebration! If your mom loves a party, invite the whole gang to dinner.

Go out on the town. My mom loves to go to the theatre. Think about what your mom loves and make it happen! Be creative—concerts, movies, sporting events, and shows are all fair game. Just be sure to tailor the event to your mom and you can’t go wrong.

Give her a little something. It can be as simple as a handmade card or you can go all-out, but it’s so sweet to have a little something to present to your mom on her day.

Don’t let her lift a finger. No matter what you choose to do on Mother’s Day, be sure your mom understands that it’s all taken care of! Moms are the best when it comes to caring for others, and it’s so wonderful to return the favor.

Tell her thank you. You may not be the best with words, but find a way to say thank you to your mom for . . . well, for being your mom.

~Kristina

Our Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:58:00 +0000

This weekend flew by. Probably because on Saturday we were out and about from sunrise to sunset. We debated what we actually wanted to do this weekend since we had no plans whatsoever. As soon as we got up Saturday morning, we laid out all our options and decided to head to Manhattan Beach.

Our sole purpose of heading out there was to try Manhattan Beach Post. But, we were surprised how much fun we had just roaming around the city. I'll get to that in a minute. We've heard from all of my husband's co-workers about how we needed to get to this place. After probably 3 failed attempts in making reservations, we were about to give up, when an 11a reservation freed up that morning. We took it.

While the photos look appetizing (all thanks to my husband & his camera skills) the food was mediocre at best. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating. It was good. But not great. The restaurant had booth style seats, which are the best kind of seats for a toddler. But other than that, we didn't get what the big deal was. The crowd seemed a bit snooty. We also couldn't believe the price of the meal when we got the bill. But overall, it was a great place to go to, but not go again.

The best of our trip was the walk on the beach after. After devouring most of our meal, we needed to go for a walk and burn some calories. The day was perfect for a beach walk.

We couldn't believe that we'd never taken Michael to the beach. I mean we've driven by it, flown over it, and even went to it but never had Michael touch the sand. He was a bit hesitant to walk on the sand at first. But quickly warmed up. Now the ocean, that will take another trip. We weren't prepared to go into the water either.

A Lemonade pit stop on the way home:

After freshening up at home and going to Mass, it was time for our weekly Disney adventure. (This week it was actually our second time.) There's nothing much I can say, but that you NEED to check out the Iron Man 3 exhibit at Innoventions. NEED to. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

We hope you all had a great weekend too.

~Kristina

Astro Orbitor

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:29:00 +0000

The Astro Orbitor in Disneyland's Tomorrowland is hands down, Michael's favorite ride. Every time we went to Disneyland, Michael would immediately point to this ride, which basically spun around guests who sat in mini rockets. But being only a year old, we thought he would cry the entire ride.

Once you pass Main Street, you can see the Astro Orbitor. You can never miss it. Michael never did. When we went passed Sleeping Beauty's castle (to grab a churro of course,) he would point in the direction of Tomorrowland, where we would divert our route and just watch the rockets spin for a few minutes. This was enough time for a group of guests to enjoy the ride. We always thought this was enough for Michael.

That was until a few months ago, when we passed by the Astro Orbitor and realized there was an incredibly short line. We decided on a whim to ride it.

And what fun we had.

You can imagine the tight fit, as my husband, Michael, and I crammed into one rocket. Although we felt like sardines squashed in a can, the feeling couldn't be compared to the joy we felt being together for the first time on the ride. It was those feelings of happiness where you can't even grab a camera because you're just having that much fun.

The next few times we've gone on the ride, we've taken turns riding with Michael. I can't tell you that it's gotten better from a "health" perspective. The ride makes me want to vomit really. I don't know if its the speed, the circles, the time of day we've gone on it (dusk), or even the chilly, cloudy weather but I end up really dizzy. I was never afraid of roller coasters either. My husband gets a horrible headache from the ride too.

We still have fun though. Because as a parent, it's not about you, it's about them. This IS still Michael's favorite ride. And as much of a weak sauce my husband and I are now, we love Michael that much more and can't say no to this ride. Isn't that what true love is anyways?

~Kristina

Spring Into Cleaning | THE To Do List

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

To catch up on the series, you can visit the following links:
Intro
1-In-1-Out Rule

Multi-purpose Items

The 2 Minute Rule

Part of spring cleaning is to have a plan. Cue to do lists.

We all make to-do lists. Everyday. Every week. Sometimes multiple times a day. We cross things off. Add more to do's. To do lists are endless, ongoing, and can make everyone and anyone feel good when they get things done.

But why do we sometimes feel like we get nothing done? Or we end the day with more things on our plate than when we woke up?

Today, I'm sharing a few pieces of advice that I've stumbled upon that has helped me create effective lists.

1. Choose 1 To do list.

I have a friend who has a different app for personal to-dos and work to-dos. He is constantly on the search for the latest and greatest program, with the coolest features. I have another friend who does the same thing, in addition to her notes that she writes on receipts AND a planner. Long story short, they are always overwhelmed with their daily obligations because they have so many places to find their to-dos.

Have 1 venue for your to do lists. Whether its on one app (I use Evernote,) on the Notepad feature on your iPhone, on one piece of paper, stick to one.

I used to be guilty of this. I had a paper planner, a daily to do list which I wrote on a scratch paper every morning, and a to do list app. I thought I never got things done because I had things written everywhere. Stick to one. You can categorize your lists for work, school, personal, etc. but stick. to. one.

2. Determine what belongs on a calendar and what belongs on a to do list.

While it's great to remind yourself of events, it becomes tedious to keep writing things on both your to do list and calendar all the time. If calendars are the best way to remind yourself of what you need to do that day, then use the calendar to time when you need to get certain tasks and errands done. Or set alarms and alerts for yourself on it so you don't have to put even more things on your to do list. Your calendar will remind you. This is especially helpful when you have recurring tasks and events. Utilize the calendar features so that you don't find yourself using priceless time writing things over and over again.

3. Have realistic expectations.

It's okay not to get certain things done every single day. You only know your capabilities. So make your to do list realistic. Put the most important things on top. Leave space on the bottom if you finish tasks and can do more. But don't be so hard on yourself when you don't finish it. And definitely refer to

The 2 Minute Rule.

4. Take breaks between tasks not within them.

This is so, so, so important. How many times have we decided to take a break from something WHILE doing it? Finish tasks. Then take a break. The gratification of crossing a task of will help encourage you to keep going but give you the satisfaction for all that you've gotten done. You also won't lose momentum and steam when you're actively in your task.

I would love to hear about your to do lists. What are your favorite apps? What did you find that worked?

~Kristina

Currently | 05/02/13

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Thu, 02 May 2013 15:48:00 +0000

THE DEAL:

Use our themes or use your own - just share what you're "currently" up to!

Please remember to add your link below and to copy and paste the button code into your post so others can find us and link up too.

Be sure to visit the other bloggers that are participating and say hello - especially my lovely co-host Lindsey from Ot and Et!

THIS WEEK'S THEMES:

Admiring, Caring, Loving, Cleaning, Creating

We're currently....

Admiring my husband/Michael's Daddy. I know I say this all the time, but I wonder sometimes how he fits a full time job, the gym, his business when he gets home, being Michael's Dad, being my husband, finishing books, watching sports etc. etc. all in one day. While getting 7 hours of sleep most nights. (The others are more like 8+.)

Caring about all of his toys. Since Michael was younger, he's never been the type to want to destroy his toys, meaning, throw them at the wall or eat them. Hah. I feel he's always cared about his toys and made sure they're in the right place. Even when he creates a "mess" it's a clean mess. (See picture above.)

Loving Michael's school. I'm surprised every day by the activities that they come up with, the daily reports his teachers give us, and the progress he's been making. I also love how his teachers put emphasis on how he has to continue to master the lessons Michael learns at school, at home. They also have a computer check-in, where events are posted, his teachers leave me even more messages, AND the Director leaves notes for parents too.

Cleaning everything. All the time. Hey, it's Spring time, which means, Spring cleaning.

Creating tons of colorful works of art. I really give credit to Michael's school for bringing out his creative side. Not only is he loving the coloring activities at school, but he's really enjoying it now at home. Thank goodness I saved all those crayons that restaurants give him.

NEXT WEEK'S THEMES:
Learning, Gathering, Giving, Working, Playing

~Kristina

Graco FastAction Fold Click Connect Jogger Event

noreply@blogger.com (Kristina) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:43:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Graco.

Last week, I posted a photo from the Graco Jogger event. The event was hosted by another southern California blogger, Wendy from Whimsy & Wise.

Here are more photos from the event. Despite the cold & gloomy weather, it was an amazing event. I was able to meet other local mom bloggers and talk about the stroller. I learned so much more about it and was able to share my experiences with having already ran with it. The park that the event took place at was also pretty awesome, as it had a perfect trail to take the jogger out for a spin as well as a playground, equipped with ducks!

Wendy did an awesome job decorating, crafting, setting up, and making us bloggers feel really special at her event.

Before the event, I was fortunate enough to receive the jogger and try it out. And I must say- I LOVE it. When we first had Michael, we had initially purchased a jogging stroller. Long story short, we ended up selling it because we were dissatisfied with it. (We opted for an umbrella stroller.) Since then, I've been toying with the idea of purchasing another stroller, when this opportunity presented itself. And I'm so glad it did.

The Graco FastAction Fold Click Connect Jogger Stroller is the perfect stroller for the active mom. And by active, I'm not just talking about moms who do half marathon runs. This is perfect for any mom who just wants to take their kids out for a stroll without having to worry that they won't be able to take anything with them BUT their child and stroller. The feature that had be absolutely sold is the storage space. Not only does your child have a removable tray with 2 cup holders and a snack tray, but YOU the parent have a deluxe tray with 2 cup holders, an iPhone holder, and a covered tray. Whew. This is in addition to a huge storage basket at the bottom.

Seriously, look at it:

That alone would've sold me to purchasing it. The jogger not only has a peak through window above the sun shade but multi-position seats, making for a comfortable toddler. The jogger also has air filled tires, making it easier to repair.

We Love Our Graco Jogger!

~Kristina

Graco’s NEW jogger is the ultimate crossover stroller, combining all the comfort and convenience features of a traditional stroller (FastAction Fold and Click Connect Technology) with performance and maneuverability of an all-terrain jogger.

As an added bonus, Graco’s innovative one-second, one-hand FastAction™ fold automatically locks & is self-standing.

This post is sponsored by the Graco.