Christmas Album 2013

CHRISTMAS 2013

A Chicago Weekend

Never fails. We are sad leaving Chicago but for a quick short weekend, we had a wonderful time especially when the perfect fall weather sets in. Sunny and in the high 60s. Crisp cold air and the smell of early fall, glorious weather indeed!

how was your weekend? 

Our First Grader

 Today is a classic first day of school, rainy and gloomy (just as I always remembered as a kid). We just got back from California yesterday but we are all ready up and bright this morning for first day of school. 

Aston will be in first grade and we are excited for him. We met his new teacher (who's wonderful!) and classmates last week and it was nice meeting parents as well! 

We were the first one there today in the classroom and we get to snap a pic of him and his teacher!  

Never fails. I cry every year when I drop him off on the first day of school (notice how small my eyes are?). I was a total mess while he's all embarassed. Year after year you get to realize that he's all grown up. A bit more responsible. Slightly reliable. Is that really our baby boy? 

Do you moms feel the same way? 

Father's Day Weekend

We had a wonderful time celebrating the special men in our lives this weekend. We took my father out saturday for lunch and shopping (nordstrom still have their half-yearly sale!). They had some really great sale at the men's department. Ben scored a pair of really inexpensive driving shoes and a couple of shirts at amazing discounted prices. For their gifts, I was lucky to chance upon free engraving at macy's with purchase of any calvin klein scents, so i thought that was really neat. On top of that, the gifts with purchase is always a great plus (in this case, koozies and a canvas duffel bag)! 

Earlier in the week was also my father's birthday so we had a nice dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. We are so grateful for his good health and strength. Yesterday we also celebrated my niece (and goddaughter) Jillian's  high school graduation party. She was our flower girl thirteen years ago and surely it was surreal that she's heading off to college this fall! 

Summer camp and activities is wearing out this momma and this boy. The heat is too much to handle and I have the honor of driving him around. I'm already tired just thinking about it. BUT, i wouldn't want it any other way :) 

It's monday again and I hope you all had an amazing father's day weekend celebration! 

Our Family's Easter

It was a nice long weekend Easter break for us. Spent with family, it was simply perfect. Here are a few images to recap the weekend. 

We discovered baby bunnies in one of our flower bushes. Three of them were cuddling and keeping warm under the leaves and our landscaping lamps! Super cute! 

Aston with his grandparents. Love that he can spend most of his time with them. They're not getting any younger and I know he treasures all his moments with them. My sister-in-law also flew in from Indiana and he get to play with her! 

After early Easter mass, we bribed him for a series of Easter poses before heading out for brunch. This is how it turned out. Ha - crazy boy! 

There was a good amount of spring rain Sunday afternoon that left a cooler early evening cast. So, we took advantage of it and had post-dinner dessert outside with this funny little man. Check out the random house shirt and fancy jacket he refuses to take off way after Easter mass :) 

I hope you all had a great Easter! 

Midweek Musings

Well, let me just start this post by sharing some unforeseen events in our little home. right before the new year, my husband discovered a leak in his closet from our masterbath shower and needless to say, we are in the midst of having this fixed right now.

It's not what i wished our 2013 to kick off with but i know there are other people with far more problems than us, so i can't help but still feel blessed that we have found out about this issue at an early stage. It's just such a hassle and as you can see (pic below) there is no way we are hanging around ~ we have relocated upstairs in the meantime. 

In other lighter news, our friends and blog sponsors, skincare rx sent me a few goodies last week. these are definite 2 must-haves : oscar blandi dry shampoo spray and nars super orgasm blush (highly pigmented and lots of glitter than the regular orgasm blush). These are my new daily products i use before i head out the door!

In yet another recent trip to target, I discovered this really adorable mug and more colorful paper straws (like i really need them....). Oh well, they're cute!

and more target finds, these pretty in pink craft items went home with me in the hopes of starting valentine's day crafting.....

and more paper goodness at the target dollar bins. They are rolls of wrapping paper in these beautiful trellis and tiny hearts pattern! 

People, Valentine's day is just a few weeks away! 

and remember those notebooks i blogged about last week? See how pretty they are together? Not to mention the tempting sprinkles cupcake? Can't resist! 

and finally, it's my birthday month - so I stopped by sephora and picked up a tube of dr.jart bb cream and my birthday gift, a duo set of mini benefit products! 

and that benefit fine one one (another new favorite - a lip and cheek tint) is from birchbox that also came in the mail that same day! What way to kick-off my birthday month! 

So like i said earlier, I still feel lucky despite us having to deal with a major setback due to unexpected house repair. I still can't stop counting my blessings everyday. Our family is healthy, I've got them and my friends and these little treats are just added bonus we get to enjoy! 

Here's hoping your wednesday is off to a good start!

Missing You

I am getting a little personal today on the blog, just skip this post if you're quite not into that. 5 years ago today we lost a sister. Not a day goes by without thinking of her and missing her terribly. Our little Aston was just a few months old then and he never had the chance to get to know her. Our family holds dearly all the fond memories we had with her. I miss her giggles, smiling eyes and contagious laughter. She passed right before christmas and ever since, our holiday celebration were never the same without her. 

It reminds us of how precious our lives are and how swiftly it can be taken away from us. Everyday i get to give our boy a tighter hug and blow lots of kisses for that extra dose of love. Everyday is a moment treasured with our loved ones. 

Source: prettystuff.tumblr.com via Lili on Pinterest

Vegas Report

Hello friends! 

We just came back from a very quick visit to vegas. It's always fun to witness the extravagant colorful fare that is las vegas and especially at this time of the year, it was over the top fancy to say the least. We accompanied the husband to his annual conference there and for a short visit, we all had a great time. Unfortunately, I had to endure travelling with a severe head cold and congestion and despite my foggy head, we had fun! 

While the hubs attended his meetings, me and my sweet sidekick aston had the perfect time bonding over brunch, shopping and treating ourselves with delightful desserts over coffee for me and milk for him. Although I'm sure he was disappointed we were not in Disneyland, on our way home he had the time of his life meeting our plane's pilots and crew - he was so excited and can't stop talking about it! 

It's great to be back home. I've got my to-do list on pause-mode because of our trip but I am determined to cross those out this coming week!  How was everyone's weekend? 

Bike Riding Nights

Bike riding nights are back! 

The cooler nights with crisp fall air is perfect for bike riding in the neighborhood and we are excited! 

Snapshots From the Weekend

I hope you all had a wonderful three day weekend with friends and family. We surely did. in a whim, we decided to take a long drive trip to san antonio-hill country for the weekend and i'm glad we did. it was a great way to unwind and quietly celebrate our wedding anniversary. 

We stayed at this beautiful resort and spa and they are never out of engaging kids activities, poolside fun, spa luxury treatments, family entertainment and great hotel restaurant dining experience. 

For the labor day weekend, they even had foodtrucks come park in their sprawling lawn area and had live band entertainment to the delight of everyone. There is just something magical about dining on rustic tables and benches enjoying texas BBQ under the gorgeous sunset and then the sparkling stars!

 

We totally enjoyed the lazy river and pool slides and spent an early morning there to witness the fun
lazy river rubber duck race. At night, it was nice to hang out at the lobby lounge, had a quick bite and a cocktail and enjoy the live music provided by a really talented musician.  
The weekend was full of laughter, hugs and kisses and a short window shopping to scout holiday weekend sales. overall, it was what we just needed ~ a quiet laidback celebration of our wedding anniversary and the labor day weekend!

Oh, and i still owe you our Disneyland adventure post! Stay tuned!

Las Vegas according to my iPhone

We are still traveling this morning and should be back home at the end of the day. Let me share some images from our las vegas weekend. We all had a grand time and i'm not looking forward going back to the routine work grind.

Have a great Monday all!
And if you follow my other blog, don't forget to join our summer faves giveaway. It ends this Wednesday, july 25th!

Father's Day Weekend Recap

We actually started celebrating father's day weekend Friday night as we went out for dinner with my folks. We again hit the lunch scene for some steaks on Saturday and I cooked corn and pork bbq for dinner on Sunday night. After Sunday mass, Aston and I treated daddy to a movie and we watched Madagascar at the fancy Star Cinema Grill by our house. Great food and chic swanky interiors - the movie was great too! 

 It was a great weekend celebrating the men in my life - my father and my husband. I had to search for some really memorable photos that truly meant a lot to me. This was heartwarming looking back at old photos. 

My father walking me down the aisle on my wedding day, Sept. 2 2000

 Ben holding Aston the first day he got home from the hospital. So precious. May 2007

Daddy and baby Aston, he's about 3 months old here

And big boy Aston (looking like he's 6 months while he's only 3 months old) with my father. 

How did you spend your Father's day weekend? 

Merry Month of May

It was surely a merry month of May last month. We celebrated Mother's day, Aston's last day in school and 5th birthday and Memorial Day weekend with a quick getaway to San Antonio. The month was packed with joyous celebrations! 

For Memorial day weekend,we stayed at the charming La Cantera resort up in the hills of San Antonio close to Six Flag's Fiesta Texas. The place is about 13 years old but the facilities and grounds are still beautiful with a nature trail, lagoon-style pools and endless activities for kids. 

The San Saba Plaza where they held wedding ceremonies & receptions. It has a Koi pond with layered landscaping of rocks and stones. It's lovely up there overlooking the hills. 

View from our room - we are just steps away from the jacuzzi via our sliding glass doors. So convenient! 

The grandparents at the old-world charming lobby with an exhausted Aston. We just arrived from our long 3-hour drive. 

This is a gorgeous view by the tennis courts. Sprawling golf course and lush trees! 

Every weekends this summer (and holidays) the Looney Tunes characters are there at breakfast! 

Aston trying hard to ignore the dynamic duo of Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny! 

Every night you get to roast your very own s'mores by the pool! So much fun! 

At San Saba Plaza

Check the resort's calendars as they also have petting zoo on Saturdays! 

Too hot to go outside? The kids can have fun inside the Kid's Club where they will enjoy coloring, crafting and so much fun activities that are geared for all kiddos! This is the same place you drop off the kids for childcare when the adults want some alone time (fees applies) for dinner or adult-only outing. Otherwise, it's free if they just want to hang out while you're in the area with them. 

For older kids, a video area/room with big screens are also available. Aston tried a hand with a video kinect game. He was so good at it!

More fun at the Kid's Club at Westin!

What are your plans this summer?