Hula hooping

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Work has been extra stressful for me the last month or so. I really do not like myself when I'm stressed! I get cranky, mean and just plain unpleasant to be around. 

Oh, and lets not forget the worst part,
I cry!  

Luckily it has not come to tears quite yet, and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the addition of a wonderful new assistant and some great, patient and quick learning doctors!

I have never been the person to train someone. In my mind, I can get the job done faster and with no mistakes, so I should just do whatever it is in the first place. It's hard for me to let go of that "I'll just do it" mentality and delegate duties to other people because if they do it wrong, I'll end up doing it anyways!

Despite, or maybe even because of all the craziness at work, I've been pushing myself the go ahead to go out a little more than I usually do.

Nothing crazy (although, I did have a couple crazy nights that are a little fuzzy!), but fun things to get out of the house, or to make me not go stir crazy in the house! 

I've been taking my 2 little monsters on some nice walks around the neighborhoods. I usually take them to Mission Bay, but you can't walk there with dog's until 6:00PM. By that time, I've lost all motivation!

I've been working in the garden a lot more. Our grapes are growing in like crazy and they are oh so delicious!

I've been learning how to crochet! I made my friend a crochet hanger for her wedding dress, and now I'm hooked! Thank goodness for YouTube and Pinterest! I've noticed more and more that my family likes to be doing things with their hands. Be it crocheting, embroidering, playing a hand held game, playing on a phone, eating... We can't just sit and watch tv, we have to be doing something! 

My first flower that actually looks like a flower!


I went hiking for the first time in months! My girlie and I made pretty good time too! Only 1 rest stop going up, a 10 minute break at the top and we jogged down. It took us an hour! Yay us! That explains why I'm walking like a 90 year old woman 2 days later ;).

My hunny and I went to our friends little housewarming gathering up in Del Mar last weekend. He moved into this HUGE old house and he has 6 or 7 roommates (they all have their own rooms and there is MORE than enough space for everyone in this house!) so he had a few friends over for a little party. This house has a billiard room, a gigantic kitchen, a Smush room (guest bed tucked into a cute little nook!) and the coziest living room complete with a bed full of fluffy pillows and HULA HOOPS!!!!

(I can actually remember the last time I hula hooped. It was in 1998 on an 8th grade field trip to Knotts Soak City.)

I didn't think I'd still be able to do it! I guess it's like riding a bike though :). All the girls had so much fun!

It took a minute, but she finally got it!!

We totally got this :)

I'm down 15 pounds!! Woo hoo!!

How's that for getting your mind off work :).

I hope you all are having a wonderful start to your week! Until next time my friends!

t.Don



A great week of firsts!

This past week and a half or so has been so busy for me and the hubs!

We went to our first Padre's game together <3

I love going to baseball games, I don't really care who's playing! It's just fun to be there with the crowd, doing the wave, eating GIANT ice cream cones and cheering on our home team.

I was finally able to take our newest addition, our handsome sweet heart Milo, to get groomed for the first time! We brought him home over a month ago already, and the poor thing was so sick with kennel cough that we couldn't get him all beautified until just last week. He got his nails done, hair cut and smells absolutely divine!

I went SUPing!!! That's stand up paddle boarding, just in case you aren't in the know ;). What an awesome time that was! I had so much fun paddling around Mission Bay with out a care in the world. It was so relaxing, but such a great workout at the same time! I was sore for 2 days after!!

I went to my beautiful brides first wedding dress fitting. In true t.Don fashion, I cried when I saw her in her dress! I am so happy to be a part of her big day!

Because of a mistake by the dress shop, my bride lost a very sentimental hanger she had for her dress. I have taken on the challenge of learning to crochet to attempt to make my dear friend a new one. I know it will in NO way make up for the one she lost, but I hope it will at least make her smile! Like Kristi always says, a pretty dress needs a pretty hanger!

I got to have a fun, spur of the moment bestie afternoon with the bestie and her sweet little man! We had a nice lunch at BJ's and a fun stroll around the mall. I also got spit up on BIG time for the first time! Hahaha! I was covered and so was poor Liam! I didn't mind, and my hubby didn't even notice a smell when I got home ;). How could you get mad at this sweet face! He was such a good boy for our entire bestie afternoon :).

The hubs and I got to try a new restaurant yesterday with our awesome neighbors. It's called the Linkery. You may (or may not!) know that we are attempting to follow the Paleo diet to try and achieve a healthier lifestyle. I found this great restaurant by googling best paleo restaurant in San Diego.

It was so good! The atmosphere was so laid back, the widows were all the way open and the food was amazing! I had the poblano link on a board (basically a la carte). All the meats and fruits and veggies this place serve are from local farms! As an amature gardener, I appreciate things that are home grown so much more!

A not so great first (and second!) this week were the awesome parking tickets I got! Yes, TWO!!! What a drag to have to pay almost $100 just for parking in the wrong place :/. Oh well. Hopefully I got THAT out of my system and won't have another one any time soon! 



I've been in great spirits lately and I'm so excited for some super fun things coming up in August! I hope you all are cheering on Team USA! I know I am!!

Until next time my friends!

t.Don

Life Decisions.

As you probably know, my hubby and I have been trying to have a little one of our own.

It's been 19 long months of trying.

Back in March, I was referred by my doctor to see an infertility specialist to do more fertility specific testing to try and understand why we have not gotten pregnant. After loads of blood work (and a quite unpleasant dye test) I found out I have hypothyroidism and need to take one little pill every day now for the rest of my life.

My initial reaction to this:

Great.

I'm 27 years old and to take this pill for the rest of my life. Whoopee.

Can you feel my sarcasm? 

At least there was a reason for not getting knocked up seeing as all the hub's tests (you know, that one easy one he had to do ;)) came back normal.

I spoke with the specialist again in May, and he told me that all of our test results were good (now that I'm on my medication), and that our next step will be an IUI (google it). The only bad thing about that is there is a nice long list of people ahead of us for this procedure, so expect a call sometime in July to schedule the procedure.

June came and went so fast.

When July was right around the corner, the hubby tells me that he'll be leaving for some work trips the next couple months. The first thing I thought of was this stupid IUI, and I had an epiphany!

Why am I letting this rule my thoughts? He's going to be gone for a few weeks each month until at least September.

Why not .just. wait.

What a concept, huh ;)

It was like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders!

Just wait!

For how long?

At this point, who cares!

I have such an amazing husband, I'm healthy, I have 2 sweet dogs (yes 2!!), a nice home, 2 jobs that I enjoy, an amazing family and some equally amazing friends. I have a wonderful life! I don't need to dwell on what I don't have. I have so much more than so many others. I need to be more aware and thankful for all I DO have!

I came across a quote soon after this, I had seen it before, but it really hit home for me this time.

"If something is not happening for you

it doesn't mean it's never going to

happen.

It means

you're not yet ready for it".

I must have some growing as a person to do before I can bring another beautiful life into this world.

On a positive note, thanks to the thyroid medication (plus a healthier diet AND the addition of some braces!) I am back at my wedding weight! Yay! 

I am really going to try to be better about writing here! Our laptop kicked the bucket when Sadie chewed through the charger a few months ago. All we have now is an ancient (you know, from 2005!) laptop with no wireless connection.

Until next time!

~ t.Don

Update!

So apparently I'm horrible at keeping my blog updated!

I have been SO busy the last couple months that I haven't been able to sit down and write.

I can't believe that it's already May. Where has the year gone!

March seems so long ago, but that's where I last left off!

I helped plan my best friends baby shower. It went off without a hitch and baby Liam was more than spoiled!!

I used my yearly free pass into Sea World. I really should go more often, but then I would have to pay for it!

I went to Washington for a week! I had the BEST time with my Ludy family! We explored Seattle, toured the Tacoma Glass Museum, partied at Chopstix and fought off water buffelo at the Olympia Game Reserve!!

Sadie was spayed.

I went to the midnight showing of Hunger Games. P.S. I'm way too old to be doing that!

Went rock climbing for the Down Syndrom Climb to New Heights fundraiser at Vertical Hold and won free tickets to go back!

I started a new part time job!

April was just as busy.

I finally got to see a specialist (more on that later).

The fam went camping in San Onofre, with the puppy! She did not enjoy the tent!

Went to Pantages Theatre in Los Angelas to see Mama Mia!

Ran (well, walked mostly!) the Gladiator Rock and Run. I still have bruises, just FYI!

 Went to 2 local Pacific Beach restaurants with my bestie. We have so many amazing local restaurants in our neighborhood so we decided to try them out!

I learned how to steam milk and how to pull a perfect shot of espresso.

My best friend had her baby!!!!!!!!!!

Went to a Padre game with my new job. In a limo!

I worked... A lot :/

May is starting out just as crazy as the last couple months.

Today marked 18 straight days working. Thankfully I have the next 2 days off! I get to spend all day Friday with my widdle baby Liam and his beautiful mommy!

Tonight I am snuggling with my puppy and vegging out on the couch and enjoying EVERY minute of it!

I promise to be beter about updating! Until next time!!

~ t.Don

Catch up!

Can you believe it's almost the middle of March already? Where has the year gone!

I've been meaning to write more (as I usually do), but I get so busy and don't think about sitting down to write until the most inconvienient times. Like say when I'm washing the dishes (anything to put that off!) or as I'm falling asleep!

Here's my update :)

I hiked up Cowles Mountain for the first time EVER in February! I love hiking, and I can't believe I hadn't been up there before. I have beem trying to go at least once a week, but you know how that goes. Life happens, and there's a week you don't get out there. The puppers loves it too! She has this quirk where she has to be the "leader" as you walk up. I know it's a dominance issue and I shoulden't let her do that, but when I try to make her heel, she pulls on the leash so hard and dosn't enjoy herself. I want our outings to be pleasant for both of us, so if that means she walks ahead a little bit and isn't pulling, I'm ok with that! You gotta pick your battles, right?

Speaking of my sweet puppy, I finally set up an appointment to have her spayed. I am so nervous about it! The thought of putting her under and having her cut open makes me so sad! I know it's the best thing for her, but that dosn't take my mommy worry away! AND I think she would have the cutest puppies! I don't want her to have puppies, but if she did they would be beautiful! I know I sound crazy, but she's my baby. I don't want her to be in pain!

We've had quite a few puppy play dates recently. She got to meet her BFF Levi up in Temecula. They had lots of fun at the dog park and fighting over a yummy bone!

She also got to go to Crest to play with her auntie Tucker and Uncle Henry and Waltzing Matilda (Maddie!). She absolutly loves it up there. The lovely Miss Kate has a beautiful big yard complete with fruit trees and tonns of space for 4 crazies to run! Sadie even got to meet 2 alpacas! She dosn't know what to think of them yet, but I'm sure she'll learn to love them.

Sadie and I also like to spend as much time as we can at dog beach. She LOVES chasing other dogs, and being chased! She will actually steal another dogs toy to get their attentition so they will chase her. It's very cute! She will go into the water, up to about her elbows, but isn't really fond of swimming. She can swim, but she preferrs not to! She'd rather run!

As you can see, lot's of my time is spent trying to tire out my dog! I really think a tired dog is a happy dog. Anthony and I knew when we got a puppy, especially such a high energy breed, that we'd be spending a lot of time exercizing her.

I do get some people time too ;).

I've been obsessed with Pinterest lately, and I've been putting that obsession to good use! I have made some super delicious recipes that I find there. I've also found some really cute hair styles that I can actually recreate on my uncooperative hair. Anthony has been loving my new passion for cooking! I love that there are so many delicious, easy recipees that I can't screw up!

We've had quite a few visitors recently as well. The beautiful Mrs. Kippers graced us lucky diva's with her presence this past week! It was so nice to see her, and to catch up! She was only here 1 night, but we were all just happy to see her!

The Kotz family come down from Ventura to visit this weekend! We had such a great time (as usual of corse!) with all of them.

Us girls spent Saturday afternoon showering my very best friend, Julie,  in love and gifts for her baby shower! Baby Liam will be here so soon! I can not wait to hold him! Jessie and I hosted the shower along with Julie's sister, Amber, and niece, Elena. It was a great success. Amber did an amazing job with the decorations. Elena's games were a hit. Jessie was the brains of the whole operation, and I bought the prizes. Easy day for me ;). It was a great party, and Julie got just about everything she needs for Liam. What baby dosn't need 5 bath tubs? Haha!

That brings us to today! I spent the day with the Kotz family at Sea World. What a great day it was! The shows are all so much fun. Our favorite is Pet's Rule :). I still can not believe you can train a cat! It's amazing what they do with the animals. Especially since most of the performers are rescue animals! It's so much fun for me to go with the kids :). I appreciate everything so much more seeing it through their eyes. I can't wait to have days like today with my kids some day!

Such a busy bee I've been! I'm also still working 3 days a week, so it's been a fun whirlwind of a couple of weeks. I do have some relaxation planned this week. I'm heading up to Washington for a long weekend with my Ludy family! I'm so excited to see them!

I'll try to be better with my updates, I promise!

Until next time!

~ T.Don



Another year of FABULOUS!!

I turned twenty-seven yesterday!

 

I found a quote to help put this awkward age into perspective for me:

"Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many"

~ Unknown

How true is that!

I had quite the busy birthday. I was surprised at work with a fun balloon on my chair and a delicious cake! I had the best patients all day too :). I even got out early! 

 I celebrated my 27th year with some of my favorite people with an amazing happy hour at one of my favorite restaurants, Crab Catcher! I had been craving their crab nachos and key lime pie martini the entire week leading up to my birthday! I was not disappointed :).

I was showered with some fun presents! My hubby got me the new iPhone! I'm so excited to have Siri! And to facetime!! I also got a groupon for a canvas photo that I have been wanting for my living room, some amazing lotions, body wash and candles, a couple super cute shirts, and some fun jewelry. Oh! And a bottle of Chocolate Shop wine. I can't wait to try it!! And of course, there is the fabulous giant balloon! Oh, and a surprise call from my sissy love! Hearing her voice was such a great gift :).

After happy hour, the divas and I actually found a bar with some people in it in La Jolla. It was quite the task, let me tell you! I have the blisters to prove it ;). We ended up at The Living Room Lounge, which turns out is a hooka bar! We got a bottle of wine and a rose flavored hooka. It was a perfect night!

I am so lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life, and it's always so fun to be surrounded by them at the same time.

There is so many fun things coming up the next couple weeks! I'll keep you all posted!

Until next time!
~ T.Don

Happy Valentines Day my beautiful friends!

I have had the urge to bake lately. I gave into the urge this morning and baked some delicious peanut butter cookies from scratch. They turned out amazing if I do say so myself!

I did have a little bit of an ulterior motive for the baking... I mentioned my dental visit that was coming up in a previous post, well I went and sure enough, I had 2 cavities! Boo!! I brought a bunch of the cookies in to make sure they didn't hurt me ;). My dentist is awesome though, and it was a piece of cake!

(Side note. It is really weird going into a dental office that I don't work in! I had a nice conversation with my hygienist about prophy paste and I was able to diagnose my cavities before the doctor came into the room!)

If anyone in San Diego needs a good dentist, let me know!

While I was waiting for the numbness to wear off, I took my puppy dog to visit her papa bear at work. I absolutely love being able to visit my hubby in the middle of the day! I wasn't able to the whole time he was at Port Hueneme (you pronounce that why-knee-me!), so I go as often as possible! I brought the rest of the cookies for his office mates (I can't have them sitting around he house! That's why I don't bake very much). My hubby surprised me with some yummy white chocolate covered strawberries when I got there! He's so thoughtful :).

After we visited for a while and Sadie made her rounds, we headed out to dog beach. Sadie LOVES running in the waves and chasing/herding the other dogs, but she wasn't really feeling it today! She ran off and almost ran into the parking lot with out me. Almost gave me a heart attack! We didn't stay long :/.

I made Anthony his new favorite meal for our Valentines Day dinner, Chili. In the 7 years we have been together, I JUST found out that chili is one of his favorites! Silly boy :). After dinner, we headed downtown for some yummy dessert at the Ghirardelli Ice Cream Shop. Mmmmmmmmm! I had a scrumptious banana hot fudge sunday and Anthony has a root beer float! We both are in a food coma right now!!

  I hope you all were able to spend today with someone you love, be it a friend, a lover, your parents, anyone! I had a great day with my husband! 

Until next time folks!

~ T.Don

Guess who went to Vegas!!!

I did!!

Jessie, Julie, Jolee and I drove to Vegas last Friday for the baby shower for our dear friend Kim. It just so happened that the shower was the weekend after Jessie's birthday, so we got to celebrate that as well!

It was an easy drive out, and we got to our hotel off the strip around 12:30 in the morning. It just so happens that the hotel was less than a block from one of the country bars Jolee likes to go.

Joy.

If you didn't know this, I do NOT like country music! Icing on the cake is you can smoke inside, so not only do I get to hear my favorite music, I get to inhale second hand smoke the whole night.

It actually turned into a really fun night out! After a couple drinks (our bartender Mike made the BEST lemon drops we have ever had!), I was uninhibited enough to learn a couple line dances and even how to 2 step! And besides the lingering cough, I came out unscathed!

Kim's shower was Saturday afternoon. Of coarse I got us lost on our way there so we were late! I didn't realize how emotional I would be when I saw her! I feel like I've been going through her pregnancy with her! We talked about trying for a baby early last year, and now here she is! A month away from welcoming her baby boy to the world! Go figure, I cried! Haha!

We had a great time! We even won the nursery rhyme game! I don't know how I remember so many nursery rhymes, but it came in handy ;).

Saturday night was our GNO. Miss Julie stayed at the hotel and relaxed while Jess, Jolee and I went to the Mandalay Bay for some Vegas fun!

Our only plan was to check out the Ice Bar called Minus 5*. We did, and it was AMAZING! We rocked our awesome coats, mittens and boots and sat in a bar made completely out of ice and had a couple drinks! I feel like I got my winter experience in there. Who needs snow when you can sit in a bar made of ice!

We also were wrangled into going to the Foundation Room, which is the rooftop bar at Mandalay Bay. We called it the 40 and up bar because, well, we were probably the youngest ones there! There was an amazing view up there, but it was too cold to be sanding on the patio (we didn't have our snazzy coats from the Ice Bar!).

For Vegas, it was a low key night! We were ready to hit the hay by 1:30 and were snuggled in bed by 2!

Sunday, we met back up with Kim and her crew to have lunch at Margarittaville, then hit the road to head home. Lucky for us, we left right before the Super Bowl started so we missed all the traffic!

All in all, it was a great weekend with wonderful friends!

Now I'm off to take my puppers to the beach so we can enjoy the beautiful weather we're having!

Until next time!

~T.Don

 

It's February!!!

A.K.A the BEST month ever!!

That may just be because it's my birthday month :).

And it's already off to an amazing start!

So much fun stuff is happening soon, starting with celebrating my besites birthday tonight at one of my favorite places! Happy birthday to my bestie of 13 years! We had an amazing time at Wine Steals in Point Loma celebrating all that is Jessie. I don't think tickets to Mama Mia in Los Angelas can be beat as the greatest gift ever!

Friday is our next big excursion. Jessie, Julie, Jolee and I are headed to Las Vegas for a baby shower! I'm so excited for a weekend road trip with my besties :). There should be some amazing memories made!

I have my first dental appointment in an office that I don't work in next Thursday. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous! Nothing says "Hey, I work in this field" like gagging during your x-rays :/. It's also been almost 2 years since I've had a check up, so I hope I don't have any cavities!

My hubby and I will probably celebrate Valentines Day the way we normally do, which is cooking an AMAZING dinner together with a great bottle of wine. It's sounds so lovely! I can't wait! We don't exchange gifts for Valentines Day because in my hubby's words, he shows his ever lasting love for me every day of the year ;). He really does try! Valentines is just another day that we can have some special time, just the two of us. Well, three of us with the puppers! She likes to be included when we cook too! 

The week after that, I'll be ringing in the big 2-7. Yup... Dirty thirty is knocking on my door! Lucky me, my birthday falls on Ash Wednesday. You know what that means??? Oh yeah! Mardi Gras is the day before my big day! Guess who's FINALLY getting to celebrate a Mardi Gras? This girl, that's who! Supposedly the Gaslamp has a pretty amazing celebration, so I'm going to ring in my almost birthday getting some beads ;).

The last week in February is the LEAP YEAR! I don't know why, but I've always loved February 29th. I used to secretly wish it was my birthday! I don't have anything exciting going on besides work, but maybe I'll look on Pinterest for something fun to celebrate the last day of my favorite month :).

I am trying to be mindful of all the things I have to be grateful for in my life, and tonight I was so grateful to be around so many people I love! I have so many amazing friends in my life, many that I've had for over half my life! I love them all and am SO thankful to have them!

That's all for now folks!

Until next time,

T.Don

Time flies when you're having fun!

Where has January gone?

It seems like just yesterday was New Years Day, now February is just a day away! The mister and I have been keeping busy the last couple weeks with some really fun events! We went to a wedding in Ventura, ran in Shape Magazines first annual Diva Dash, cheered on my mumsy and auntie as they walked the Carlsbad Half Marathon, finally took the puppers to Dog Beach, attended the mast amazing baby shower (check out operationshower.org) and got to go to our first PGA tournament!

I've been meaning to get on here, but have been suffering from some writers block. Usually at about 11:00 at night when I'm curled up in bed falling asleep, I'll think of something brilliant to write about, then forget what it was in the morning. Such is life, right!

Here's what I came up with today.

I didn't really make any resolutions this New Years. I do; however, have some things I'd like to do before the year has passed us bye once again!

Take advantage of everything San Diego has to offer! There are so many places to see and restaurants to enjoy!

To visit the Ludy's in Washington.

Cook more! A great complement my hubby could give me would be to say I'm a great cook!

Run more. I love it! I need to do it more, not just for the exercise, but for my sanity! I want to do at least one race (either a 5K or an obstacle and run) each quarter.

Remind myself of all the things I have to be grateful for in my life. I can very easily dwell on the things I don't have, that I forget to be thankful for all the amazing blessings I do have.

Write more.

Be more organized.

I believe all this is completely do-able and now that I've got in in writing, it'll be easier to stick to!

Until next time folks!

T.Don