Our (Gingerbread) House

This house - which we bought at Trader Joe's in kit form, and planned to bring to the trial team party - was unfortunately too unstable to transport so we were forced to keep it (and eat it!)... 

And it got me thinking about all the different ways that a person's house becomes a home.  Sometimes, this is accomplished through infusing the space with personal touches (painting the walls, hanging lots of pictures, and decorating) and sometimes by virtue of simply living in a place long enough.  Over the last seven + years, I've lived in two dormitory rooms (a triple and a double), in a house with five other girls, in a studio apartment on my own, in my own house with a roommate in Helena, Arkansas, in a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate, and here, in a pretty tiny one-bedroom apartment, with Todd.

Most of the places I've lived have felt more like spaces I happen to be inhabiting at the moment.  I walk around, make meals, sleep, and leave, and throughout the experience, my attitude to the surroundings is neutral and fairly indifferent.  I never really had an impulse to really make a place my own - even the house that I bought - or at least an impulse that lasted longer than putting up a pretty shower curtain, and hanging a few picture frames.  I never really took on a cooking experiment more challenging than noodles, or learned how to properly vacuum and dust.  The places were more like temporary stopping grounds in which to change, eat, and rest before heading back out into the world again.  I never felt completely at home.

With this apartment, it's different, and I think it's in large part because of the fact that this is the first place that I've ever shared with someone outside of the roommate context.  Although a couple's decision to live together can bring up all sorts of issues with family members, luckily, ours didn't.  And gradually I realized, as Todd built bookcases,  and installed a key shelf and I arranged paintings and photos, as we chose sheets and comforters, towels, kitchen supplies, and a nice TV, that this was not just another place to live; this is our home, and we are building it together.  The thing that makes it a home is the love for each other that encourages both of us to care for and enjoy this place.  Lately, when I'm baking a loaf of bread, or at night, when the candles are softly glowing and the Christmas tree fills the room with its wintery scent, I don't feel as if I'm just spending time in the apartment until it's time to "go home" to Mom or Dad on a visit.  

This is home in which we love and share with one another, and I come back to it every evening with a light spirit and happy heart.  

Ivy-Covered Letters

So in my quest to be crafty (in small, easy ways) for our wedding, one of the first ideas I had was hanging three initials: E, T, and R, on the door to the Pavilion or on an easel at the entrance to the Rose Garden.  It was an idea I'd seen in several Martha Stewart Weddings and on the Knot.  Some weddings featured letters covered with flowers, others with leaves, others just exposed wood.  The letters were hung by twine, ribbon, yarn, and other materials from doors, easels, and arches.

With many ideas in mind, I went to several craft stores to find supplies.

First, I bought several yards of 3/4 " light blue and dark blue satin ribbon, to use to hang the letters.

Next, I found three white wooden letters, about 1 foot high each, at Beverly's.  I chose these over the cardboard ones at Paper Source and the unpainted, more rounded wooden letters at Jo-Ann's.

I also picked up several long vines of faux English garden ivy.  The leaves were easy to snip off and apply to the letters using my industrial strength hot glue gun.

I placed and glued the leaves from the bottom up, creating a layered, natural effect, and using small dots of glue to minimize the gauzy white strands created by it.

Et voila!  We'll hang the E and the T on either side of the R, which will be raised about a half foot above them.  I'll attach the light blue ribbon, in thoroughly secured bows and lengths, to the E and T, and use the  contrasting dark blue ribbon to hang the R.
Completing this project is just another reminder that Todd's surname will also become my own in less than eight months - I can't wait! :-)

Our invitations are here!

If you want to be surprised when the invitations come in the mail, look no further!

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Here's what I saw when I opened the box from InkyLivie, a custom wedding invitation designer on Etsy:

Beautiful textured invitations with two layers of cardstock backing, one light blue and one navy blue.  The writing is in light blue, surrounded by the artist's own drawings of flowers and a butterfly.  The invitation envelopes are cream and the reply card envelopes are raspberry.
Here's the original listing I fell in love with on Etsy:

Although the invitations cost a little more than I'd expected to spend, I think the result is definitely worth the expense.  They feel heavy and luxurious, but also summery, which is perfect for our summer garden wedding.  All in all, I'm very pleased, and cannot wait for Ann to calligraph the envelopes and send them out.

Next up, which stamps to use? 

Rancho 3

Heading home on the twists and turns of Highway 1:

First glimpses of trimming - an ornament Chrissie and Matt gifted us from Disney World!
The stage-coach ornament Mom bought for me at the Wells Fargo museum last spring in San Francisco:
Our beautiful little tree, all decked out, and with presents!

Rancho 2

Todd enjoying a post-sawing marshmallow:

Phew!  The tree has been felled:
Pre-felling, our Quick Silver fir:
View of the hillside behind the field:

Rancho Siempre Verde =

Ranch Evergreen!

Home of many acres of Christmas trees, with over fifteen species:

High-flying swings hanging from almost every Eucalyptus:

A roaring campfire with unlimited marshmallows to roast on long sticks thoughtfully placed on the stumps:
And wreath-making (with a little snarkiness thrown in):
Up next: our search for the perfect tree

Second Fitting

Fits like a glove!  Now, I'm gonna need to work on those tan lines...

From the back - it's partially bustled.  Leila's going to do a part-English, part-French bustle because there are so many layers of satin...
On the mannequin:
You can see the bustling a little better in this view, although the mannequin's bigger than me so the top won't close!
Am itching for another opportunity to wear it! Todd's mom and mine both plan to visit us in the spring, which will be an ideal chance to head over to Persepolis and twirl around in it some more :-)

The Weekend of Accomplishments

Todd and I managed to get about a million things done this weekend, starting with his company's holiday party on Friday night (bonus: meeting the President of the Giants!).

Behold:

- attended second cousin Rhea's birthday party (she's two!)

- second wedding dress fitting

- wonderful Chestnut and Union Christmas browsing extravaganza (not so much with the buying, but did find Todd a lovely little present at an antiques shop owned by a quite crazy British woman!)

- moved most wedding registry gifts from the huge corner of the living room that they previously occupied to the storage room in our garage

- traveled to Rancho Siempre Verde, an AWESOME Christmas tree farm in Pescadero, where we chopped down our own tree (Todd's first!)

- situated the tree, put multitudes of presents under her, strung her with twinkling rainbow lights and trimmed her boughs with ornaments - including the one purchased last weekend by Todd's lovely mom from the USC bookstore --> our tree is officiously a Trojan!

- got the car washed {it needed it}

- went grocery shopping

- had a great linner (or dunch, if you prefer) at Joe's, a restaurant straight out the fifties, where I ordered rigatoni al pesto, got penne al pesto, and was told that at Joe's, penne is called rigatoni. Obviously. We loved it. Todd's entree came with the Best Steak Fries Ever. and that's saying something. I didn't even put ketchup on them! {Yes, I stole a few...}

- took care of our bills, so we'd start the week not having to worry about it :-)

All in all, am going to sleep tonight in the knowledge that as soon as my evidence exam is over on Tuesday, there will be a little time for relaxation and reflection before my last final, in family law on the 17th, and heading to Vashon Island, Seattle for the holidays...

For now, here's a snapshot of me at the second fitting, which was on Saturday afternoon:

More to come!  Hope everyone's having a good holiday season so far! :-)

Thanksgiving

Historical Thanksgiving:

Modern Thanksgiving (at least for us, since we'll be celebrating at Knott's Berry Farm this year!):

There are so many things that I am thankful for but here are the top twelve, in no particular order:

1) imagination - it makes life infinitely more interesting

2) love - what would be the point of almost anything if there wasn't love? i feel so grateful for the love of my friends, family, and my dearest, Todd.

3) rotten San Francisco days - they make the sunny ones seem that much better :-)

4) the way that Todd and I can have a rip down, drag 'em out debate about something and still be able to kiss and say "I love you" afterwards

5) mom, for always being there even when she's 3,000 miles away

6) surviving law school (thus far), and having some fabulous professors to boot!

7) our apartment, with its misty valley views, its pine trees in the crisp cold air

8) setting out on a Saturday drive with no plan, just a sense of fun and adventure

9) books - for being such fine companions on my walks, and for suggesting new paths to my thoughts

10) kids that I tutor at the after-school program - there's nothing quite like the high that comes from connecting with and teaching children

11) the exhilarating feeling of arguing in court 

12) the myriad ways in which Todd shows his love to me each day - even if it's just by doing something as simple as watching an episode of "Bridezillas" with me, and not complaining!

Bangs and Christmas!

Exhibit 1:  Me, looking rather bleary-eyed about 10 minutes ago at midnight after working on my minor's counsel paper for a solid seven hours.  Todd got home from work (Sharks match in San Jose) and he took a picture of my new bangs in all of their disheveled, tired glory.

But it's nice to take time - once in awhile - to get a cut and color, and just relax in a chair with a tabloid magazine and a very chatty stylist who is an expert at scalp massage, and happens to be three and a half months pregnant.  Thursday afternoon was very enjoyable.  Even though it meant that working on my paper is what I'm doing Saturday night!

Last weekend, before seeing Quantum of Solace, we took a loooong walk all over San Francisco (Chinatown! North Beach! Financial District! Ferry Marketplace Building!) and everything was becoming so Christmas-y.  There was even quite a nip in the air!

We gazed off across the Bay behind the Ferry building...

Saw the just-opened ice-skating rink in the middle of union square (with scads of youngsters lining up to skate before it opened!), which is reminiscent of Frog Pond on Boston Common...
And saw a brave team of tree lighters/ trimmers attempting to corral the massive Christmas tree, shape it, and put millions of small white lights around all of its branches... 
Next week is Thanksgiving and as of Monday, when I turn in my final paper (at least until December 5!), all I am going to be thinking about is Disneyland, Thanksgiving at Knott's and at the apartment with the most wonderful Mr. and Mrs. Enlow (can't wait to help with those Gocco-ed menus! and Todd found a great recipe for a spin on cranberry sauce in the new Food Network Magazine!), USC football with Todd's family, and cruising down PCH in a Mustang convertible (we feel slightly guilty about diverging from our usual Prius-renting ways, but hey, being able to put the top down is just too tempting!).

Oh, the things we do for love...

This is a BIG SECRET from Todd, but since he never reads this blog, I have little to fear from writing about it here.

Yesterday, in between the final revisions of my (now 42-page) paper on California's juvenile justice system (turned in today, triumphantly, to Professor Bloch), I was looking at the fabulous selection of garter sets on Etsy when I found this one:

Now, being a loyal UCLA alumna, normally it would be anathema to wear anything even vaguely referencing the merits of USC football.  However.  When I saw this set, I thought about how Todd's face would light up when he saw the garters.  I imagined how happy he'd be.  And so I decided that his expressions of delight far outweigh the minor traitorous activity of wearing USC-emblazoned whozeewhatsits...

And, I have to say, the set IS pretty snazzy.  Especially the pouf of marabou on the "keepsake" (top) one.   Am I being mildly sarcastic? Perhaps.  But garters are just a bit of fun anyway, and I'm happy that mine get to incorporate something that Todd holds near and dear to his heart.

Coincidentally, Todd and I, his parents, and his sister and her husband, are all going to the USC-Notre Dame football game next Saturday!  I can't wait to see everyone :-) And I also hope that Traveler manages to make several appearances...

Inhabiting a Painting

The painting below is called "Le chateau des Pyrenees" and it was painted by Rene Magritte in 1959.

Right now, a huge reproduction of it is resting against the wall in the breakfast room of our apartment. (I think I've written about how it came to be in our place...suffice it to say, it's all to due to Todd's unerringly sweetness)

Every time I sit at my MacBook, I can't help looking at it and smiling. 

Sometimes, I smile because I'm standing on top of the rock, wandering around the mansion, feeling the wind whip through my hair and feeling thisclose to the clouds.

Other times, I smile because I'm underneath the rock, letting the waves slosh up to my shoulders and buffet in frothy layers over me.  I smile because the rock remains, hovering above me, but somehow - miraculously - never with any hint that it might fall.

And finally, sometimes I find myself nearly out of the picture altogether, sailing away on a small, swift boat off into the horizon, marveling at the wonder of it all - the sea, the sky, the rock and the house atop it... 

Today, before taking my first final - Professional Responsibility - I definitely found myself in the second situation.  Except instead of a nice, refreshing swim, it was more like: seaweed in my hair, salt water in my nostrils, and a pretty strong riptide pulling me under... 

But now, I can take a long, deep breath of relief and sail off - at least for a day or so!

Todd and I are planning to see Quantum of Solace tomorrow.  I'm also trying to convince him to go ice-skating at the rink the city's just erected in Union Square, and to browse in the seven floors of Christmas-ified glory at Macy's flagship store in San Francisco.  

It's been so beautiful and warm here lately that it doesn't even feel like almost Thanksgiving!

Woo-hoo!

Todd and I have just begun the process of ordering our custom invitations through a fabulous designer on Etsy! The sample we received was great, and now it's just a matter of tweaking a few things here and there, and deciding on the wording... :-)

Wedding Nightmare

Last night, I had my first bonafide wedding nightmare.  It was awful while it was happening but when I woke up and started explaining it to Todd, I kept bursting out laughing!

It went like this:

We decided to have a tropical destination wedding instead of a Disney wedding and so the dream began with us taking a tour around the island with our families on the morning of the wedding.  But we all got so involved in seeing the sights that when we checked the time, there was only an hour until the ceremony was to begin at the hotel!

So we raced back and I said goodbye to Todd and went to change into my gown with my mom. For some reason, mom and I decided to turn on the TV in the bride's dressing room.  And before I could start to put my dress on, an episode of 'Law and Order' came on, and we both became so engrossed in it that we didn't stop watching until it was over!  Suddenly the phone rang and it was Todd asking "Where are you? The ceremony was supposed to begin half an hour ago!"  So mom helped me dress extremely quickly and we ran down to the covered area on the beach where the wedding was to take place.

When we got down there, I felt so rushed that I just immediately began walking down the aisle.  And then I noticed two things: that I wasn't wearing shoes, and that none of the members of the bridal party had walked down the aisle yet!  So I sheepishly continued walking and I heard some very loud, crashing music.  I looked up to the altar where Todd was standing and behind him, there was a huge drum set and a long-haired guy pounding out a drum solo.  This wasn't what I'd imagined as the 'processional'... When I got to the altar, I realized that our officiant was nowhere to be seen.  Before I could say anything, Todd leaned over and whispered "The cellist and the officiant both dropped out... but don't worry, the drummer can also perform the ceremony!"

And when he said those words, I began to cry.  All the guests, seeing my tears, thought they were out of happiness.  But all I could think was "The drummer?!"

Then I woke up :-)

While explaining the dream to Todd, I was cracking up at the final bit... I was laughing so hard I was crying.  It seemed really funny in retrospect!

Yes we can.

I have never been so proud to be an American.

New York Wedding Weekend! - Fall Foliage Walk

Todd and I took a long walk on the winding roads around his parents' house on Sunday morning.  There was spectacular fall foliage everywhere we looked, starting with our own backyard:

Such deep reds, all sun-dappled and dripping with color

And such dazzling yellows, making the sun seem weak by comparison

It was a great way to start the day and even though it was very brisk when we started out, by the time we walked up the hill towards home, we were both quite toasty!

New York Wedding Weekend! - Other Fun Times

We also managed to have some non-wedding-related fun!

On the morning of Aaron and Djamila's wedding, we met up with the lovely Alison and her husband Saul.  We also got to meet their fabulous recently adopted Cocker Spaniel, Harry!  Although our visit with them was short, I'm so glad we got to catch up...

We also got to see Bree and Marc's house, which they are moving into this weekend.  It looks great - from the lovely front living room to the brightly colored TV room and office room to the upstairs rooms, with their massive amounts of closet space, and beautiful bedroom furniture... I'm jealous!  They also have a lovely backyard (with included barbeque).  I just wish we were around to help them move this weekend!

And we went to Tiffany's restaurant, where Todd got to have his long-awaited ribs, and we all had a chance to kick back and relax.

New York Wedding Weekend! - Ceremony and Reception

The reception was at the Picnic House - a wonderful brick structure with huge windows, a crackling fireplace, and a large dance floor.

Todd and I right before the ceremony
Aaron and Djamila walking down the aisle together - a nice twist on tradition.  Aren't the flower girls and ring-bearer adorable?
The gorgeous yellow tree under which Aaron and Djamila were wed as we looked on.
They each wrote vows to read to one another, and performed the ring ceremony on their own.  They also wore leis to represent Djamila's ties to Hawai'i, where she grew up, and stood on a rug that several generations of Aaron's family has used in weddings. 
The ceremony was a great combination of old and new, modern and historical.  The readings were short and sweet, and a friend of the couple's officiated.  There was a beautiful cello performance as well, and the whole vibe was loving, relaxed, and happy.

New York Wedding Weekend! - Pre-Wedding Pics

While we were standing in beautiful Prospect Park, near the Picnic House (where the reception was) waiting for the ceremony to begin, we decided to take some photos.

The kids - Todd, Marc, Bree, and me

Bree & Marc - already married for over a year!
The girls :-)
Mother and daughter
The guys - notice Marc's gang hand signs!