.This Weekend.

This weekend, we went to Tennessee to visit family and visit the newest little member, Riley Lorraine. G and my uncle were very outnumbered by all the girls in the house at once, but we all stayed entertained by the baby play and warm weather.

Tennessee trips are always a breath of fresh air.

.Shopping Girl.

This kiddo is a natural shopper.  If she gets any closer to walking though, we may have to have a serious talk about what it means to be my "baby."  This mama is not ready to have a little "girl" quite yet.  

P.S. I'm sharing about some of my newborn must-haves here at The Style Stork!

.Friday Insight.

This is the thing: When you hit 28 or 30, everything begins to divide. You can see very clearly two kinds of people. On one side, people who have used their 20s to learn and grow, to find … themselves and their dreams, people who know what works and what doesn’t, who have pushed through to become real live adults. Then there’s the other kind, who are hanging onto college, or high school even, with all their might. They’ve stayed in jobs they hate, because they’re too scared to get another one. They’ve stayed with men or women who are good but not great, because they don’t want to be lonely. … they mean to develop intimate friendships, they mean to stop drinking like life is one big frat party. But they don’t do those things, so they live in an extended adolescence, no closer to adulthood than when they graduated.

Don’t be like that. Don’t get stuck. Move, travel, take a class, take a risk. There is a season for wildness and a season for settledness, and this is neither. This season is about becoming. Don’t lose yourself at happy hour, but don’t lose yourself on the corporate ladder either. Stop every once in a while and go out to coffee or climb in bed with your journal.

Ask yourself some good questions like: “Am I proud of the life I’m living? What have I tried this month? … Do the people I’m spending time with give me life, or make me feel small? Is there any brokenness in my life that’s keeping me from moving forward?”

Now is your time. Walk closely with people you love, and with people who believe … life is a grand adventure. Don’t get stuck in the past, and don’t try to fast-forward yourself into a future you haven’t yet earned. Give today all the love and intensity and courage you can, and keep traveling honestly along life’s path.

.Relevant magazine as seen here, via here.

.Flowers and Romance.

G surprised me with an outdoor dinner date this weekend.  We know that little makes me more happy than good conversation outside.  We spent hours talking, laughing, people watching, and enjoying both our meals so much that we had to switch halfway through just to make it fair.  

Getting to throw on a little something special and smiling your way through a great meal because you're having the best time every now and again... well... it makes it okay when life does gets in the way and it can't always be flowers and romance.  But the flowers and romance part is always welcome too.

.Babies and Showers, Showers and Babies.

On Saturday, Dylan and I attended Alicia's baby shower.  It's another little girl expected for this group of friends... and everyone is awaiting little Madison Kate's arrival this summer.  It was a fun afternoon catching up, eating, and chasing after a very curious ten-month-old that couldn't get enough of chewing on her sandals and grabbing everything in sight.  

Let's just say that by the end of it, I felt I had earned a long nap myself.

.This Weekend.

This weekend we saw off old friends onto a new chapter in their lives, and baby refused to wear any shoes, and we went to the outdoor market early in the morning to devour some treats and buy some handmade goodies, and we played and shopped about, and cooked meatloaf while watching live shows, and laughed as Dylan tried her hardest to clap along in church but was always 5 beats too late, but still such a pro at it, and I did minimal work, and read alot, finally finishing this book and hysterically laughing during this one.  I'm thinking a guilt-free romantic novel is in order next with the warm weather and slower pace.  It just feels right.

P.S. Around this time last year.

.It Has Been A Good Week.

We got a record player! We've been on the hunt for a while, with no luck.  My father-in-law surprised us Sunday with this old beauty that was stored away in some space or another, and how excited we were.  We've been spending the last few evenings relaxing to a few vintage records, and few new ones of our own.  Although just on loan for now, it's made itself at home already in a spot in our living room.

Our goddaughter was born Tuesday!  Isabelle Ardin decided to come four weeks early, but is doing phenomenal so far and we couldn't be more grateful.  I can already tell she is a very special little girl.

I passed my comprehensive exam!  I was sort of an anxiety-ridden lunatic in the days leading up, but I have some good people who kept me together, including my dissertation committee.  Now starts the real fun of actually writing this dissertation, but I've got a pretty good plan, and I feel great about it.  What a relief it is to have everything involving my portfolio finished and over though.

I got my bridesmaid's dress in for my best friend's wedding!  It's a beautiful blush, and I really can't wait to reunite with the girls in June.

Sleep training has been a success this week! Let's just say, mama is finally getting the sleep she's long been needing.  Everything happens when it's supposed to. 

I have been attempting meal planning for the last few weeks, and that has made for some interesting cooking experiences, but we've been feeling much better fed and less stressed in the process.

G is off this weekend and we have some fun plans in mind!  I'm giving myself the whole weekend off of being productive, and just doing whatever strikes my fancy. 

It's going to be the best.

.Sunday.

More days like these please. 

I have a strong feeling they never grow old.

.The Rest of San Fran.

San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. Every home a poem, every dweller within immortal. That is the whole truth.

.William Saroyan as seen here.

1. The Painted Ladies /2.   Me and my girl/ 3.  Amazing burgers and milkshakes (we had this more than once and didn’t regret it.)/ 4. Dylan loving MUNI/ 5.  Alcatraz (reserve your tour ahead of time! We didn’t realize until too late)/ 6. My first time seeing the bay/ 7. Pier 39 fun/ 8. Where G belongs/ 9. Our quaint hotel/ 10. Fisherman’s Wharf/ 11. Breadmaking/ 12. Walking all over and admiring/ 13. Watching the sea lions/ 14. Babywearing all about/ 15. Trollying through the hills/ 16. Ghirardelli/ 17. Walking up and down hills/ 18. Headed to Lombard St./ 19.  one of America's crookedest streets/ 20. The bay/ 21. Gentlemen walk hills too/ 22. San Fran/ 23. My two favorite/ 24. Hello everyone/ 25. Riding around/ 26. Full House/ 27. Union Square