So Long Sweet Summer

so long sweet summer

i stumbled upon you and gratefully basked in your rays

so long sweet summer

i fell into you, now you're gracefully falling away...

Even though it doesn't feel like fall here in Texas, I would still like to take the opportunity to make a toast to my favorite season. I must admit that I was very jealous when Deirdre told me that she was in jeans and a sweater this weekend while I was still sporting my summer dress. But whether fall arrives this week, next month, or in November, I will welcome it with open arms. Open arms that are hopefully covered in a cute cardigan.

So long sweet (and sweaty) summer... looking forward to a few of my favorite things...

Pumpkin Spice Lattes

Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt

Pumpkin Pie... Bread... Muffins... Pancakes...

Fall Coats, Sweaters, and Scarves

Halloween Costumes

Falling Leaves

The Final Countdown

In 10 days (give or take a couple, depending on the Nugget's plan).... I will be a first-time Aunt! But what's even more exciting is that my sister will be a Mom. As she was always meant to be. I must give her credit for being the calmest, most relaxed pregnant woman in the world. She has only complained about being tired and having swollen ankles, but I had to practically pry it out of her. She has handled her pregnancy with such grace, and I am so proud of her.

We had her baby shower in early August and I believe it will always be one of our family's most memorable days. Dad was there in spirit, of course. Mom had planned out and perfected every little detail for the shower -- cheesy, I know, but it was evident how much love had been poured into this celebration for Nicole and Nugget.

Deirdre and I spent the day before the shower running around DC and taking care of last minute details. Best part of the day, besides spending time with my family, was definitely picking up the cake. I was making my way over from the champagne to the bakery when Deirdre shot me a, "Oh my God, get over here and help me" look. I understood her panicked expression when I made it to the bakery counter. Written on the cake was, "Girl or Boy, Bundell of Joy!" Seriously? Bundell? That's not even an easy error to make. We're not the most assertive girls, but there was no way of getting around this slight confrontation. I spelled "bundle" for the employee.... twice.... and we finally walked away with our neon yellow cake for Nicole and her bundell of joy. And why, why, why did they feel the need to write "BABY" floating in what appears to be a cloud? Couldn't they at least have written "Nugget"?

There's nothing like coming together to celebrate something so exciting... the first grandbaby of the family. We enjoyed a delicious brunch, played a game of "Name That Baby Tune" (thanks to DJ Deirdre), and helped Nicole open up her mountain of thoughtful baby gifts. The sweetest gift of all was a surprise to all of us from my Mom. She had a christening gown made for the baby out of her own wedding dress. They will have the baby's initials monogrammed inside the dress, and the initials of future grandchildren will follow. It was such a meaningful gift and a keepsake that will always remain in the family.

I cannot wait to be home to celebrate and meet my first niece or nephew!

We love you Nicole, and you too Nugget!

Bicycle Built for Two

You know those moments in life where you think, "I will never forget this..."? This was one of those moments:

The idea of riding a tandem bike had always seemed so simple to me. Socially awkward, but simple. If anything, I thought it would be easier than riding a standard bike because there are two people pedaling instead of one. Not the case for me and Deirdre. I think it was more of a balance issue for us... and the fact that the boardwalk was crowded with pedestrians, cyclists, and joggers, not leaving much room for our ginormous yellow tandem bike. Firas and Will found our situation to be very amusing, laughing at our multiple stops and my feet dragging on the sidewalk in fear of falling over. Once we got the hang of it, we were able to enjoy the ride alongside the beautiful Pacific Ocean. It is something that I will always remember.

You know those moments in life where you are laughing so hard that your body is almost convulsing? This was one of those moments:

...as if we were going to let them get away with taunting us while on the tandem bike. We quickly claimed the one-seaters, and left them with the bicycle built for two. I wish I could have filmed the attention that this special little bike ride received.... people were pointing, staring, laughing, shouting, and telling their friends, "OH MY GOSH, LOOK!!!" Deirdre sped along to keep up with them in order to document this glorious ride, and I rode behind shouting ridiculous things while trying not to fall off my bike from laughing so hard.


And the best part is that they totally milked it. I was proud of them for not being completely mortified and throwing themselves off "their bike" and into the bushes. When Firas's hands went behind his back and Will's legs went up on the handlebars, I knew that they weren't going to kill us for making them ride the banana boat. They clearly enjoyed it. Some girls swoon when given jewelry, flowers, or chocolate. I swoon when I see Firas on a bicycle built for two with my sister's boyfriend.

It was a biking adventure that I will never, ever forget.

Let There Be Rain

Thank you to all who have checked up on me during these terrible fires. It has been devastating to hear of co-workers or friends of friends who have had to evacuate their homes, or even worse, heard news that their house is no longer standing. I cannot imagine the feeling of loss that they're experiencing, but at the same time thankful that it was only a structure they lost and not a life. It always amazes me to watch a community come together during a difficult time with a common vision or goal. It's unbelievable what can be accomplished when people work together to help those in need. Witnessing a tragedy such as these fires, and with 9/11 upon us, changes my perspective on what truly matters. On living a life that counts.

Please.... pray for rain!

More Bounce in California

We definitely picked the right city to kick off our vacation. San Diego's weather is unbeatable, even in August, the month where most cities reek of high temperatures, humidity or rain. We found it easy to cope with 75 degrees at Noon and 65 degrees at night. That is my kind of weather... shorts and a tank top during the day, jeans and a top at night. Love love love it. It goes without saying that it was a welcomed break from the Texas heat. Oh, did you hear that we beat the record for number of consecutive days over 100 degrees? Take that, 1925. Glad to be making history my second year here.

Here's just a piece of our Cali vacation....

We enjoyed breakfast at a small joint called Lahaina Beach House. The service was questionable, but who's taking notes when you're eating on the beach? Tough to be negative when you're eating breakfast with only 50 yards separating you from the Pacific Ocean. I finally got my hands on a standard breakfast sandwich, which is surprisingly hard to find around Austin. Breakfast tacos? We got 'em. Breakfast sandwiches? Not so much.

We enjoyed the view of the ocean right outside our hotel. Motel. Crackhouse. You take your pick. We got an amazing deal, but amazing deals sometimes come with seedy characters and/or less than luxury accommodations. We didn't feel that our lives were threatened... but man were we happy to settle into our Las Vegas hotels. I will never again take for granted the ability to reach for the shampoo without my butt swinging open the shower door. Sorry for the TMI, but that's how small the shower was. We knew it was worth it to stay here, as this motel had a prime location and cost hundreds less than the others... plus, we saved money for drinks on the beach and slot machines in our near future. No complaints here.

We spent a few hours in La Jolla on our first day in San Diego, which was absolutely breathtaking. The seals, as goofy as they are, were just a sweet add-on to the incredible views we took in. I was surprised to see people swimming across the cove (must have been some kind of race or special event), and even more surprised to see the seals bobbing along right beside them.

We made a pit-stop at George's on the Cove, a well-known restaurant in La Jolla for their location on the hill which overlooks the water. We were demoted to the second floor because we were not ordering entrees.... or maybe it was because we looked like second floor material. Ouch, George! The restaurant was flocking with rich Mom's in white linen pants and martini in hand, so I'm not sure that Firas's neon green tank top was subtle enough for the third floor seating. Was he wearing his tank top that day? Either way, we enjoyed our delicious, overpriced cocktails with a beautiful view of La Jolla. And as you can see from the picture, we kept it classy on the second floor.

Fish Out of Water...

....and into my mouth. Hard to believe that my first post about our trip to San Diego and Vegas is about food. But is it really? If you've spent time in San Diego, you'll agree that their seafood is undoubtedly deserving of a blog post. Nicole recommended that we try Zen 5 in Pacific Beach if we were looking for good sushi. Firas and I are always looking for good sushi, and even Deirdre has warmed up to it over the last few years. As it turned out, Zen 5's Happy Hour = jackpot. Not only did they feature discounted Japanese beers and sake, but all sushi rolls (I repeat, ALL sushi rolls) were half-priced. Sake it to me, baby.

As you can see, we did quite a bit of damage. The rolls were unbelievably fresh and the combination of ingredients (tuna, salmon, avocado, and mango.... sure, why not?) sent my taste buds to heaven.

Eating a boat of sushi can be exhausting.

The following day, we enjoyed a late lunch at Blue Water Grill. It appears to be a small dive from the outside, and is located right off the highway.... not exactly a prime dining location. But like I've said before, don't judge a book by it's cover. Blue Water Grill served up the best fish tacos I have ever had. I think all four of us would agree on that. Firas learned of this place from the show "Diners and Dives", on the Food Network. It was the one special request he added to our San Diego "must-do" list, mainly because their fish is never frozen. It comes fresh to the market where they can sell it to you as is, or prepare it in a number of mouthwatering ways. We opted for the fish tacos and clam chowder, and we definitely didn't regret our decision. They give you the option of choosing two different kinds of fish for your tacos.... tilapia, red snapper, ahi tuna, halibut, swordfish, shark, yellowtail, salmon, and the list goes on... nom nom nom.

Eight thumbs up for Zen 5 and Blue Water Market and Grill.

This picture would be cooler if we were all giving two thumbs up.