Wedding Plans

Things are moving right along with the wedding plans.  Sarah already has her dress and they are looking at a late August wedding.  They are thinking about having the wedding at the lake in Irvine where Sarah lives.  If you remember, we took Ryan and Jacob there a couple of summers ago because they have a mini-waterpark there with waterslides into a pool-like area.  They have a couple of  large gazebos that you can rent for occasions.  The area is very similar to Westlake which is near us.  Here's a photo I took when we were at the area in the past.  There is a big lake where you can sail and ride on non-motorized watercraft off to the left.

As I mentioned before, Sarah's main emphasis will be on the honeymoon rather than the wedding.  She is such a world traveler so they've agreed to have a 2 part honeymoon... Justin wants to go somewhere luxurious like an exotic beach so they will do that and then they will go to something more unique to satisfy Sarah.  Justin said he didn't want an all Third World honeymoon.  Interestingly, our plans to travel would be in early September as well for our 40th Anniversary.  Justin said maybe we could meet up somewhere but I said I doubted they would want their parents on their honeymoon!  He said with the hectic travel schedule Sarah plans, there wouldn't be time for romance anyway on her part of the honeymoon.

As usual this time of year, Jeff and I have been busy seeing all the potential Academy Award nominated films.  I'm writing this before the Golden Globes on Sunday night but that should give us more of an idea of what's likely to be nominated.  So far we've seen Gravity, Captain Phillips, Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle.  Coming out on DVD this week is The Butler so we will rent that.

The other fun news is that Ryan and Jacob have both signed up to play soccer.  They went to tryouts on Sunday and their games will begin next Sunday so Jeff and I will be going to their games and cheering them on.  We had such fun for many years going to Jessica's softball games.    

The Proposal

I never asked if it was okay to post this but I don't think Justin ever looks at my blog anymore so shhh!  The video and color is not good because the room was a little dark but you can hear the words.  The recording didn't begin until a minute or so into his proposal.  What you missed is how he began by telling Sarah how beautiful and amazing she is and how smart...too smart as he put it... she is.  I'm so glad we have this recording!  Thank goodness our cousin Matthew had the presence of mind to grab his cellphone and begin recording once he realized where it was going!

Kitty Meow Meow

Here's a photo of Jacob with one of his very favorite Christmas presents.  This was taken by Robin on Christmas morning just after he opened this present.  Before Christmas, I had to hide it's box way behind the tree because any movement near it would send it off purring and meowing and scratching around... and loudly!  When I picked it up from Toys R Us, it meowed all the way home.  Freakishly realistic!  You can see though how much Jacob loves it!

  He wanted to name it Kalani like his favorite cat of ours but I suggested he pick a different name and he decided on "Kitty Meow Meow" which is what it does all the time.  His dad is allergic to cats so this is the next best thing for him to have at home.

No one ever knows what to get me for Christmas as I really don't have a lot of things I need.  When you are an adult, if you need/want something, you usually go out and get it.  It made shopping for me very frustrating (so I'm told) so I came up with an idea of something I could "hint" for in the future.  Jeff bought me a starter Pandora bracelet and it's going to be my "traveler charm bracelet" with charms of places we travel to.  I can ask for an Eiffel Tower charm or a London Double Decker Bus charm, etc... you get the idea.  Here's a photo of it as it is right now with only a pineapple charm representing Hawaii.  The other beads are part of the starter set except for the pinkish charm which is an opal- my October birthstone.

The next charm I plan to get is the "Passport Charm" which looks like THIS.  But first I need to actually get my passport which is hard because the photo I took is so awful but I may just have to make the best of it and send it in.  Or maybe I need to find a better place than Costco to have my passport picture taken! 

If I don't get back here before the 1st, Happy 2014!

  

Christmas Miracle

Just kidding... not really a miracle but a long time coming!  Justin and Sarah are engaged!  Saturday night at our family Christmas party, in front of all our loved ones, Justin proposed to Sarah and she said yes!  Justin had told us a few days earlier so it wasn't a surprise for Jeff and I but we kept it quiet not even telling Jessica.  Sarah's parents were at the party and they knew, too, as Justin had gone to their home the day before to ask for their blessing.  Everyone was very moved by Justin's proposal and cousin Matthew had the presence of mind to pull out his cellphone and begin recording a video once he realized where it was going.  He says he will try and get the video to me so when I get it, I'll post it if it's okay with Justin and Sarah.  They just had their 2 year first date anniversary this past week so I think this is good timing for them... long enough to know each other well but not too long to wear out Sarah's patience.  Here's a photo of them taken a little after the proposal.  You can spot the ring on Sarah's finger... it needs to be resized as he did all the shopping on his own.  I'll try to get a better photo of the ring when they are here Christmas Eve.

   Happy Couple!

Merry Memes

Wanted to pop in here quickly to do a couple of memes courtesy of Annie and Kim.  The first is from Annie.  Housekeeping Meme: 
1. Do you enjoy housework?  Enjoy would be an overstatement but I do like a clean, organized house
2. What chores do you dislike most?  The constant battle with pet fur/hair and paw prints
3. Which chores do you enjoy?  Changing decor seasonally
4. Do you have a favorite cleaner?  Spraywell Glass Cleaner from Costco, Bona for hardwood floors and the always amazing Magic Eraser!
5. Household appliance you can't live without?  Roomba/Scooba, dishwasher and washer/dryer
6. Powder, liquid or new drop in?  Liquid
7. Softener? favorite brand?  Dryer Sheets
8. Softener sheets or liquid?  Sheets
9. Dryer or clothes line?  Dryer
10. How often do you change bedroom linen and bathroom towels?  whenever they need it
 11. What one thing would you just love to have to aid in your housekeeping?  A maid

And a Christmas meme from Kim:

1 Eggnog or hot chocolate?  Hot Chocolate 

2.Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?  Wrap 

3. Colored lights on the tree/house or white?  White

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Yes

5. When do you put your Christmas decorations up? After Thanksgiving

6. Favorite holiday dish?  All our favorites but Honey Baked Ham for our Christmas Party 

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?  That we actually had an aluminum Christmas tree with a color wheel! 8. When did you learn the truth about Santa?  Maybe six?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?  One gift on Christmas Eve

10. How do you decorate a tree?  Lots of special ornaments for our pets, grandkids, Li Bien Ornaments, ornaments from friends... a lot of meaningful decorations that we've had many years 

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?  Love to visit it

12. Can you ice skate? Yes 

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?  No 

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you?  Being with family 

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?  Anything chocolate 

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?  Our stocking tradition where we all buy a gift for each other's Christmas stocking

17. What tops your tree?  A very fancy bow

18. Which do you prefer-Giving or Receiving? Giving because I never need anything

19. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

20. Candy Canes-Yuck or Yum?  Yum

21. Favorite Christmas show?  Love, Actually followed closely by The Holiday

22. Saddest Christmas song?  I'll Be Home for Christmas 

Christmas Memories

Do you remember this photo of Jacob and "Mini-Cooper?"  Cooper was 3 months old and Jacob was 1.

And now Cooper is 3 years old and Jacob is 4.  Seems like just last year when Jeff and I were picking up that cute little puppy at the Burbank Airport.  Now Jacob is not as fond of the dogs as he's had a few times where they have bowled him over but he is in love with our cat, Kalani.  He calls Kalani, "My Kalani-Kitty."  It's hard to capture a kid and a kitty but this shows their bond even if it is a little blurry!

We are freezing cold here in SoCal.  On Sunday, Jeff and I went with Chris and Liz to a local theater production of Spamalot.  We are all big Monty Python fans and loved the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail on which this play is based.  The play got a good write-up in our local newspaper and since the tickets were only $20.00 each, I thought we should take a chance on it.  Everyone agreed it was $20.00 well-spent.  I was surprised at the quality of the actors and it was full of fun and good laughs.  Makes you wonder how many talented performers there are in little theaters everywhere that could be big stars if only they got the right break.  Next year around the holidays, they are doing "Shrek, the Musical" and I may just take the boys if I think they are ready to sit for a couple of hours.       

Cyber-Monday

Hoping to get some more shopping done today online.  I'm not getting a lot of cooperation from people on their "wish lists!"  I remember the days when Justin and Jessica were little and they would rattle off a list a mile long.  I didn't go out shopping at all, either on Thanksgiving evening or Black Friday.  There are no deals good enough to make me want to go through that!  So many of the "doorbusters" are products I wouldn't want anyway.  We had an excellent Thanksgiving and I did really like the White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse cake that I mentioned in my last post so I'll probably get another for our family Christmas party later this month.

On the 1st, we decorated our Christmas tree and changed over a lot of our decor to Christmas.  I'm saving a few ornaments for Ryan and Jacob to add today.  From what I hear, they are both sick with colds so that's always a challenge for Jeff and I not to get sick, too.  I did really well last year avoiding their germs so hopefully will fare as well this holiday season.  Here's a photo of our tree:

Here's a close up of the ribbon that Mr. Jeffrey so tastefully adds:

   Can't remember if I showed you my latest Christmas pillow cover from Pottery Barn?  It's a woody.

We have a couple of warm days ahead- in the 80's- so Jeff will hang up the outdoor lights while the weather is nice.  By Wednesday, the temps are dropping into the 60's so it will start to feel a little more Christmassy.  Even though it's warm, I still made a Southwest Turkey Chili with some of our leftovers.  That'll be nice to have later this week.  Happy December!