From Clackamas to Conan

Some time last year I was browsing iTunes when a familiar name caught my eye & I did a double take. Diane Birch?! It was the same girl I went to elementary school with. She lived down the street, and I still remember her 5th grade birthday party that featured fancy food that I had never seen, including fruit meringues that her mother had made (the same ones that I tried to replicate afterwards, but failed--do you remember umma?). Anyways, she's been on everything from Letterman to Conan to Ellen (which airs tomorrow). Here's her recent video of my favorite song, Valentino... I remember that she played piano by ear, but I don't remember her voice being this good.

Oh Tsao Wedding

This weekend was the much anticipated wedding of Jen & Dave in SF!

Friday:
Lunch at Kokkari--DELICIOUS greek food. Then a mini-shower for Jen. Cookies by Esther Choe Lee. Aren't they adorable?? (She's booked for Rebecca's Dohl!)
My sister-in-law knows her man.
You know when you attend a shower with moms/aunts/grandmas and you think it has to be all kosher? This was NOT one of those showers. Haha:). Hope you had fun Jen.

Saturday:

My mom w/baby

Getting ready to leave for the Saturday night wedding. Saturday evening weddings are a splendid idea. Me & the baby in our faux furs. She had hers first, I admit.
My adorable niece the flower girl. Love her expression!

Joey officiated again. I think he's improved from wedding #1 to wedding #3, bc I don't remember this many people coming up to me to tell me how much they enjoyed the homily. Yes, I'm a proud wife.

The bride! She looked beautiful in her shimmery dress w/rosette detailing and her birdcage veil. Tres chic!

Jen singing "Lucky I'm in Love" to her hubby at the reception

Congrats Jen & Dave! I think you're soaking it up in Bali as we speak!

Sunday:

It was a jam-packed weekend with lots of family time...

laughter...and girl-bonding time. Michele--wish you lived on the west coast w/the rest of the cousins!!

The sad thing about coming home?? I miss my family even more....=(

Meow & Forever

My friend over at Meow and Forever got married a few weeks ago! It was at La Jolla Scripps Forum, which was just a few yards from the beach. We had so much fun Haeli! Congrats to you & Malcolm:)

Fiber, roughage, & all that good stuff

I like brown rice and Kashi cereals. Joey, not so much. I used to sneak lovingly make a 1/2 brown rice, 1/2 white rice mixture....but there was no point bc Joey wouldn't eat it. So I only cooked white rice.

Until very recently. He attended a conference meeting & came home with The full plate diet. All of a sudden, I am now getting requests to cook only brown rice. And buy only high fiber foods.

Who are you & what have you done with my husband?

My grocery list now includes: Lentils, beans, avocado, broccoli, artichokes, cauliflower, quinoa, sweet potato, whole grain bread/cereal/etc, almond butter + flaxseed, potatoes, bananas, oranges, among other things.

It's been good, everything we grew up hearing from our parents about the NEWSTART way, but in an easy-to-read format.

The basic premise? Eat fiber. Every day. 40 grams of it. No calorie counting.

So far, so good. Especially Trader Joe's 3 Minute Brown rice.

Supermom

My husband just informed me that he's going out of town next week for a Pastor's Conference. I am slightly panicky. Just me & the baby & working full-time?

It startles me how much our parents did & how much I complain for no reason. We have it so easy nowadays. My supermom:

Anyone up for dinner next week? On me @ my place?