Easter Magic

I love holidays for a number of reasons, but uninterrupted time with my very favorite people is probably the #1 reason I love to celebrate anything and everything.  Easter weekend was no exception.  I saw everyone on my Fresno must-see list, which rarely happens these days.  I spent every single night catching up and being silly with my sisters.  I hung out with my doggies and kitty cats.  I felt peace in my heart on Easter Sunday.  I ate an enormous amount of delicious food, and was grateful for wonderful cooks with every bite.  My mom, baby sister and I spent a day in San Luis Obispo for sissy's softball tournament, and mama and I soaked up the sun and went shopping afterwards.  I've gotten really good at this whole being a grown-up thing since college, but I may have teared up a bit saying good-bye today.  I am so thankful for the four fantastic days I got to spend catching up, laying low and sharing lots of love. 

Clockwise from the kitty in the upper left hand corner: Our sweet Pookie, who provides us with countless hours of entertainment; my dad's adorable garden in our front yard; lunch date with my mom and some friends; ducky Easter basket, Jelly Bird Nests, and a strawberry pie (yum!); box of old home movies that we watched this weekend; early birthday celebration for me; opening presents that included lovely clothes, an emergency kit and all of my sorority composites framed (so grateful); hitting the road; watching softball; teeny (almost invisible) lizard; fro yo from my favorite place in SLO; Mission San Luis Obispo; eating at a SLO institution, F. McLintock's; scary bear watching us at dinner.

Easter, and anytime I am with my family, always makes me think of these song lyrics: 

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.  

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Preserving Memories

Most of my childhood memories are captured on VHS tapes, living somewhere in my parents house in Fresno.  I've been saving all my pennies to try and convert these tapes to DVD as soon as possible.  It'd  make it so easy to watch them, even though we do have a cranky ol' VCR we could use.  You know how folks like to ask what you would preserve  in a fire?  I guess it'd be my lappy (since it houses all my college/post-college pics), but if I was at my home in Fresno, it would definitely be my parent's wedding album, my baby book, our Easter pictures, and on and on.  Captured memories to me are priceless.

My amazing uncle managed to bring a fun family memory to YouTube.  Isn't it amazing how technology allows us to do awesome things like upload a decades old video (taken with who knows what kind of camera!) to YouTube?  Preserved, forever, on the world wide web.  It's a goofy little moment actually, a tree chopping bet that happened in the 1960's in Rainbow Oaks, CA.  Much like the moments I share with my sissies, it's a fleeting moment most wouldn't consider important or monumental; but often it's those little slices of life that end up making the best memories.

 

My Papa is the strapping, (almost) bald guy in the brown/orange-ish shirt.  He passed away in 2008, making this video even extra special.  Love ya fancy schmancy tools of the 21st century!

Have you had success bringing your family memories to the 21st century?  Do share!

SF Saturday

My aunt and uncle visited the Bay this weekend, and I went to San Francisco on Saturday to meet up with them and a cousin of mine that lives in SF.  My cousin Jeannie arranged for us to take a tour of the TCHO (pronounced CHOE, apparently) factory on the Embarcadero, and it was like a comedy show, a science class, and a chocolate tasting combined into one.  I  highly recommend taking the tour if José can be your guide, not because the chocolate isn't reason enough to visit, but because he was one of the most outrageous guides I've ever had in my life.  From his stories about wielding a machete during his childhood in the Philippines, to his encounter with an elderly lady who orders Coca (cocaine-infused) tea on Ebay, to his vast amount of chocolate knowledge (seriously, so brilliant!), he made this tour so so fun. 

After learning how chocolate is made and nomming on a ton of samples, we walked down the Embarcadero to Delancy Street Restaurant for lunch.  I hadn't been here before, but the food is delicious (and decently priced for SF!) and all the funds from this restaurant go to their foundation.  My cousin also let me know that the folks that work here are very much in need of a fresh start.  Good food and a great cause?  Definitely going back (especially considering the price of their mimosas). 

It was such a beautiful day by the water, and we also had a chance to walk through the Ferry Building and the Farmer's Market. My aunt and uncle have always made an effort to visit their nieces and nephews that live across the US, and it was great to see them and catch up with my cousin.

Ferry Building.

Beautiful flowers at the Farmer's Market. 

Jeannie and I trying to be cool like Lucy and Ethel.

Learning more about how chocolate is made.

TCHO flavors; all delicious in their own unique way.

Yummy chocolate.

I Lovely Love My Family

I love that Valentine's Day can be about all kinds of love.  Like love for your family.  I think this kind of love it my favorite.  Whether it's the family you were born into or a family your created, there is really nothing like it.

"From the outside looking in, you can't understand it. And from the inside looking out, you can't explain it."

Yup, that just about sounds up my family.  I have two little sisters (one of which I've forbidden from growing up), the most supportive parents a gal could ask for, and an extended family that includes my BFF Nan, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends that have become family.

Want to meet them?
 

My BFF Nan.

Aloha cutie pie parents.

25th anniversary of parentals' nuptials.  A beautiful day.

 Baby me with the best dad I could ask for.

Whether it's bad hairstyles or bad boys, these are the only two girls I need by my side. (Seattle 2009).  I love that we have our own inside jokes, text about our pets constantly, and that they visit me as much as they can.

I am so proud my my middle sister.  She always stands up for what she believes in, and I love how close we've become in the last few years.

I wish my baby sis wouldn't grow up.  She just got her license; yikes!

Some of my cousins.  So lucky to have such a kind, generous extended family.

Two little boys (my godfather's babies) who will always be considered family.  

  
 

I think the thing I love most about my family is the constant laughter.  Sure, we've had our fair share of hardships, but these are the folks that not only inspire me, but make me smile every day.  I may or may not have called my mom homesick through my senior year of college (no shame ladies), but I think it's because I knew that my time with them would become less and less frequent.  Thank you for loving me, supporting me, and helping me be so successful.  Happy Valentine's Day to all my family that make me a better person every day.

PS: Big internet hug if you know what the title of this post refers to :)

Thanks to Casey, Neely and Amber for such a great excuse to link up.

 

Happy Birthday Nan!

Round two of my trip home to Fresno was an amazing birthday party we threw for my mom's mom, my Nan.  My mom has two sisters and three brothers, and they all made the trip to Fresno from all corners of California to celebrate!  Over a delicious dinner, a tres leches birthday cake and yummy wine, we shared all of our favorite memories of Nan, and everyone shared how she's inspired us.  This lady makes me think I can do just about anything... she raised six kids while working full-time, supporting her hubby, volunteering, and more. 

My cousin Jake and I.

Cousins + Nan.

Love that I can wear slippers instead of shoes with my fam.

Those little birdies spin around a hum the tune to happy birthday.  Love you Nan!

Babygirl was having a really fun time.

Everyone was so sad to go home after our fun parties, so the rain was totally appropriate.  The weekend was "officially" over when I dropped my other sissy off at the BART after we drove back to the bay.

Aren't family celebrations the best?

From One Party to the Next

This weekend, I was lucky enough to head home to Fresno for not one, but two, family parties.  Saturday morning we celebrated my baby sister's confirmation.  I love love love family parties where both my mom and my dad's side of the family come together.   And since both of my parents were raised Catholic, it was really special morning celebrating my (growing up waaaay too fast) sissy.  Between birthdays, sacraments and other holidays, there is so much to celebrate in our big family!

Babygirl and I both wore black dresses, black nylons and black heels.  Great minds think alike?  At least hers was Ralph Lauren and mine was H&M.   She chose me to be her sponsor, and I was so touched to be part of her big day!

My mom, Nan (front), our dear friend Claire (back) and my sis.

My beautiful cousin Ally and my cousin--in-law Katie.

Our favorite first grader had a basketball game during Mass/confirmation, so here we are watching him play on his Dad's iPhone.  Isn't technology amazing?

My "Uncle" Mikey, a dear friend of my parents'  from college.  Friends that become family are priceless.

Gorgeous sissy and a friend.

 

 

 

My other sister took BART and Caltrain and then carpooled with me to make it back to Fresno.  Obsessed!

 Linking up with Life Made Lovely.  Check back for details about party #2 tomorrow :)