Bridal Question, Please Help!

Hello blogging world!

I need your help! My cousin is getting married (and my friend on FB so I'm hoping she doesn't check my blog). Her wedding is in April and the bridal shower is in a couple weeks. I bought a gift from her registry for the wedding and my question is, should I get her a gift for the bridal shower from the registry as well?

If yes, thanks! If no, what the heck do you get someone for a bridal shower?




AND this leads me to my next question! I am getting married in December and we are not planning on registering. We've been together a long time and don't need anything (well... there are a few things but not enough that I want to register). Instead, we're planning on asking family and friends to help us fund our honeymoon. My wonderful bridesmaids are planning a bridal shower for me, should I register for things? Basically, what the heck do you get someone for a bridal shower gift?

Thanks all!

January Is Here!!!

Do you ever have an idea for a blog post but you haven't posted in so long that it's intimidating?

Well, life has been happening, moving forward with full speed. As I'm sure most people will agree, once Halloween occurs, the next few months are a blur. While I love my job I am also very glad to know that long weekends are ahead as I usually work 6 days a week and my evenings, once home, are pretty packed.

The last week or so, I keep thinking, wow, "today I'm grateful for X," and I realized I should write them down. I like this blog so I can vent if I need to or be able to review the great things that have happened.

Sunday: I'm grateful that I can usually plan something with friends. This past Sunday I was able to get lunch with a friend I haven't seen since last summer. That's way too long! We live pretty far from each other and it's hard to get together when you work 6 days a week. Whenever I can, I try to *not* set an alarm.

Monday: I love working out and I'm grateful to see my trainer Monday mornings, bright and early. I love seeing my kiddos, my flute students, on Mondays. This week was more challenging than usual (key signatures people, oh, and let's count those rhythms too...), but I LOVE seeing them and if kids don't keep you in check with your own behavior or practice habits, then I don't know what will. ;)

Tuesday: I have quintet rehearsals Tuesday mornings and there is nothing better than beginning your day creating music, especially when it includes good people who are also talented musicians.

Wednesday: More personalized training and I have a later shift at work so when I drive home the drive isn't *as* horrible. It's nice to get home before 9pm too.

Thursday: Tap class!!! I absolutely love this class and I'm so grateful I get to take it. I've been wanting to take a dance class for years but didn't have the money or resources. Now, I'm taking tap and it's perfect for me. While I love Zumba too (dance like no one is watching!), I love learning and building skills.

Friday: I've almost made it to the weekend! I get home most Fridays before 7:30pm (wahoo!) and I usually talk to my parents so it's nice catching up.

Saturday: I survived another week and it's finally my "Friday." I try and get as much done around the condo as we can as I like having things done before the 'weekend' actually starts. 

So, there it is! What do YOU look forward to each day? The consistant things for me that I wouldn't list each time are Aaron (but of course!), cuddling with Sicily, and practicing.

Birthday Weekend

The funny thing is, I started this post the weekend of my birthday. I haven't posted yet for a few reasons, the main one being, near the end of my bday weekend, Aaron proposed and I said yes! It was  the night before my birthday, in the evening and the few photos I was able to get of us, didn't turn out very well. So yeah, that was the best part of my birthday and these other things happened too :)

In my family, we celebrate birthdays all month. I love having fun events scheduled all weekend.

My iPad finally came!!! I've been saving up for a year and it's amazing, and yes, I'm posting from it right now :)

My school hosted a wellness day and we got free samples of things. Have you tried Yerba Mate? It's delicoius and they have an unsweetened version that I love.

Another healthy snack we got were SeaSnax. I didn't think I would like seaweed but it was delicious and the whole package was only 15 calories!

A colleague of mine and I are co-captains for Relay for Life through the American Cancer Society! We have until June of next year to train (thank goodness as I am NOT a runner) and I'm excited to help raise money for such a good cause. Way too many people have been affected (effected??? I never know), by cancer.

Friday night, Aaron and I went to the Greek Festival in West Los Angeles. The good was really good and a nice change from our normal dinner. Here is the mussaka mid-meal:

I grew up eating lamb so of course we had to get some!

The Sunday before my birthday we went mini-golfing with some friends, pictures to come soon!

New Orleans: August 2013

This is what I've been up to lately, captions to come soon!

 

I was lucky enough to go to New Orleans August 5th-August 11th for the National Flute Association's annual convention. I love going to these though it's expensive and it's hard to know if you can a) get the time off work b) afford everything and c) afford to get back home ;)

 

One of the coolest parts of my trip was who I met at LAX and ended up being on my flight. He was the nicest man and I am so grateful to have met someone as inspiring and positive as him.

Yes, this is Richard Simmons!!!!

 

The first night there, we went to the Bourbon House Seafood Restaurant. The food was good and it was very nice to be out of the muggy, crowded streets.

 

 

 

 

 The next day, we walked around the French Quarter and found the Cade du Monde which, apparently, has world famous beignets. I didn't try them but I was told they were good. The restaurant service was very different from what I was used to and their menu was pretty much soda, basic coffee, and beignets.

 

We got to go a paddle boat and it was so worth it. The view was beautiful and

 

I found this gem on one of the walls in the paddle boat. I love Dolly Parton :)



 

 

The funny thing is that I'm not a Hard Rock Cafe die-hard fan, and yet, somehow I almost always end up eating there on trips.

Hard Rock Cafe: New Orleans

Friday morning I saw a guy dressed in a red dress in the hotel lobby. He didn't look like he'd been to bed yet and I remember thinking "wow, that must have been some party, he came back wearing a dress!" Nope, we went outside and there they were: the Red Dress Runners! Maybe it's because I life in Los Angeles, but I was thinking how great it was that despite the unhealthy eating in the south, they could rally so many people to do a big run. Wrong again ;)   It was more of a "let's wear my sister's red dress and get wasted" than an actual running event.

Red Dress Run

Paying It Forward

Paying It Forward

I'm a strong believer that you have to stretch what you have to make it work for you. Do what you can with what you have. Things may seem greener on the other side, but there are always good things to your current situation, even if it isn't your ideal place to be. I never seem to have enough money to do everything that I would like to do: travel the world, buy a bass flute, continue my education, repair my instruments, and all the little things that add up over time. I know I'm not at the bottom of the barrel but I'm reminded of times when I was much closer and friends/ strangers did nice things just because they could. They had a few more resources than I did and their friendship and generosity will not be forgotton.

I was at Starbucks today and when I went in for my free tea refill (yay Gold Card bonuses!), there were about 20 young highschool students mulling around. After waiting in line, I realized that many of the students were just their accompanying their friends who were ordering drinks. Anyone else remember being that kid in school? Going on a field trip and either not having the money to spend, or the money you had was allotted for something specific. I asked the girls if they were in line (I hate being that person who unintentially cuts in line!) and they said no and politely moved out of the way. Before I knew it was coming out of my mouth, I offered to buy three girls near me a Starbucks. They turned me down, which I thought was very sweet but I insisted. I have found that the "I'm going to buy you one anways, so you might as well order what you want" line works very well. The girls were so sweet, saying "really?" I appreciate that they were polite, trying to stay out of the way of other people. Polite people should be rewarded more often than giving attention to those who demand it.

I asked them if they were downtown for a school trip and they said "yes." They go to Jefferson and were there to hear the live band at the Grand Events on Fridays. They get to meet the band afterwards which I think is so cool. Those are the kind of events kids remember years after it has been experienced. I told them how I'm a flautist and one of the girls said she played saxophone. Nothing better than random people connecting over music!   :)

Be the example, show people that strangers can be nice for no reason, no strings attached. Words are more powerful when followed through with actions.

In honor of those sweet girls, go Demos!

 

 

What About You?

If I were [happy], I would want to get married. There are a lot of verbs/ nouns that can be placed within these brackets and continue to make the sentence true.

Thinking about my friends and family that have gotten married over the last decade, I tried to think of some of the things they've said when they were talking about marriage.
If I were: [in love]... I'd get married.
                [ready]...I'd get married.
                [smitten]... I'd get married.
                [financially stable]... I'd get married.

It makes me so sad that some people had to say [legally allowed to]... I'd get married. I know there a lot of people that don't agree with me, but I also know that there a lot of people who do. I want to share my ideas so that my friends who are LGBT.

Is change easy? No, not usually. But guess what, if you don't want to, don't marry a gay person! Pretty simple I would say.

Tutoring: Saying Goodbye

Monday was my last night tutoring one of my students. I've been tutoring children who are in foster care for 1.5 years now and he was my first student and the only student I have worked with throughout this entire span of time. He is a great kid and it has been wonderful seeing him mature. I love his humor and his willingness to learn. Yes, it's difficult at times, he's young after all and would rather be running around outside playing sports. I am really going to miss seeing him every Monday evening.

I have seen this little kid transform. When I first started working with him, if he thought anyone was disappointed in him, he would shut down, completely, and it would take hours to get him to talk/ function. He has taught me so much, not only regarding different ways people learn but fun ways to approach subjects kids don't gravitate towards.

A few weeks ago, I warned him that after this school year, I would not be able to work with him anymore. He seemed so sad, it broke my heart. He said he didn't want me to leave because I was his best friend. It makes me sad, he has a hard time fitting in school, he's moved a lot. He's definitely had some huge gaps in his knowledge and I wish him the best. He's so smart, and he is sweet, attentive, hyper, active, creative, and thoughtful. He's good at reading me and it's been fun to see the things he could come up with to try and make me laugh. I am going to miss him and I wish him the absolute best in life. It frightens me to see him without guidance, limited parental help, etc. He has my contact information but given that he's so young, I'm not convinced he will contact me. Who knows :)