Tag Archives: week

fabulous friday #17

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Happy TGIF, friends! I hope you have fun plans in store for this spring weekend!

Here are 5 things I’m loving right now:

1. My incredibly supportive, thoughtful and generous friends and family. I’m still on Cloud Nine after my Steinbeck Fellows reading on Wednesday night! My mom and grandparents came, as did Dana and her sweet mom Lynn, and Allyn took time out of his busy schedule to be there.

me and gparents reading

with dana and lynn

with allyn at reading

2. My dad. Yeah, he gets his own number 🙂 Some of you might remember when I had my first Steinbeck Fellows reading back in December, and he drove up with me after Thanksgiving to be there {and we also went to a wonderful talk by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns the next night!} Well, the arrangement was that he would stay home this time to take care of Mr. Mur-dog, while my mom came to the reading to support me.

Looking back now, I probably should have expected him to do what he did. Here are two facts about my dad: 1) He loves surprises; and 2) He has never missed a single performance or big event of mine, not even back in second grade when I was the lead in our class play and he came to ALL four performances even though it meant he had to miss a big event for work.

mom and dad reading

So there I was on Wednesday night, chatting with people at the dinner in the Steinbeck Center before the reading, when I felt two familiar hands over my eyes… I turned, not able to believe it. My dad! That was one of the best hugs of my life.

My dad drove 5+ hours to surprise me and be there for my reading! And then after the reading he turned back around and drove the 5+ hours home so Mr. Mur-dog wouldn’t be left alone overnight. He said simply, “You know I couldn’t have missed your big night!” It was such an incredible surprise — a memory I will always look back on and cherish. I love you, Daddy!

with dad steinbeck reading

3. These beautiful flowers that Dana and her mom gave me. They are brightening up the kitchen, making me smile every time I walk by!

flowers from dana

4. This video made me cry in a good way: http://www.upworthy.com/a-pregnant-woman-learns-her-baby-has-down-syndrome-people-who-have-it-answer-her-one-big-question-2

5. And this new Ingrid Michaelson song always makes me smile & dance in the car: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsvKT8vsgF4

Today is shaping up to be a “taking care of business” workday, which will balance out the all-play-and-hardly-any-work plans I have for the weekend. Looking forward to spending time with friends, putting in quality time on my yoga mat, and soaking up some sunshine at the A’s game on Sunday!

Questions of the morning:

  • What are you loving right now?
  • What are your plans for the weekend?

goals + recipes for the week of 3/30

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Aaaaaand just like that, it’s Sunday again! And the end of March! Where does the time go?

My mom is here! My mom is here! 🙂 I’m so happy to see her. Yesterday evening we had a nice, low-key celebration of my grandma’s birthday with the fam. Tonight we are going out for a fancier dinner to celebrate.

grandmas bday

me and gma

The cake turned out wonderfully! It was a big hit! Confetti cake mix + white chocolate chips stirred into the batter + homemade cream cheese frosting + rainbow sprinkles expertly sprinkled by my cousin Bianca.

bday cake

Before I head off for the day, it’s time for goals!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 12 pages
– send out newsletter
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three! woooot!}
– finish reading through three lit journals from my AWP stash
– connect with three friends
– bake an amazing cake for Grandma’s birthday! {perhaps this one?}

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 12 pages
– send out newsletter
– go to two yoga classes
– prepare for my Steinbeck Fellowship reading
– connect with three friends
– have a wonderful time with my mama in town!

And here are some recipes I’m drooling over this week:
– these 3-ingredient recipes via Buzzfeed
– black bean pumpkin soup via Sarah @The Pajama Chef
– crock-pot salsa chicken via Danica @It’s Progression
– flourless pb & j snack cookies via Robyn @the real-life rd
– pumpkin toffee chocolate-chip muffins via Two Peas & Their Pod

Questions of the morning:

  • How has your weekend been so far?
  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What recipes are you drooling over lately?

a year of Wooden: week 12

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Happy Monday, everyone! Time for this week’s year of Wooden challenge! This month we are focusing on Coach Wooden’s creed to help others.

a year of wooden

  • January: Drink deeply from good books.
  • February: Make friendship a fine art.
  • March: Help others.

Last week, the challenge was to help a family member. Sometimes, we are so focused on helping others outside our family that we forget about the people that mean the most to us, those who do so much for us every day. I helped my grandparents with chores around the house, gave my brother a shoulder rub after his long car ride up to see me, and had a long conversation with my cousin over mugs of peppermint tea.

This week, the final week of March, the challenge is to help someone less fortunate than you are. Some ideas: volunteer at a food pantry or soup kitchen; donate books, clothes or toiletries to a shelter; give blood or join the bone marrow registry; give a sandwich to a homeless person. What other ideas do you have?

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from my friend and mentor Wayne Bryan:

wayne bryan quote

Have a marvelous Monday, friends!

Questions of the morning:

  • Have you ever had a meaningful experience volunteering to help someone less fortunate than you are?

goals + recipes for the week of 3/23

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Happy Sunday, friends, and welcome to new subscribers! So happy to have you here. I’m very grateful for everyone who takes time out of their day to visit my little corner of the blogosphere. Thank you all! ❤

I had a wonderful visit with my dad and Greg … my heart is filled with love for these amazing guys! And my cheeks hurt from laughing whenever we are together. They crack me up. Here are a few of my favorite pics from their visit:

me and dad

dad and greg

me and gb

silly cousins

with my boys

They left yesterday morning, and I miss them so much! Fortunately I’m keeping busy today with good things: church this morning, then a long-overdue catch-up visit with my friend Emy {slash work-sesh at our favorite coffee shop}, then an afternoon walk with Dana, and finally dinner with my aunt Annie’s family.

But before I head off for the day, it’s time for goals!

weekly goals 
Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 12 pages
– submit essay to Chicken Soup for the Soul
– go to two yoga classes
– finish reading through three lit journals from my AWP stash
– connect with three friends
– have a wonderful visit with my dad and Greg!!

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 12 pages
– send out newsletter
– go to two yoga classes
– finish reading through three lit journals from my AWP stash
– connect with three friends
– bake an amazing cake for Grandma’s birthday! {perhaps this one?}

And here are some recipes I’m drooling over this week:
– slow-cooker chicken chile verde nachos via Two Peas & Their Pod
– avocado chicken salad zucchini boats via Julie @PB Fingers
– peanut butter avocado chocolate chip cookies via Whitney @sometimes.always.never
– chocolatey freezer fudge via Robyn @the real-life rd

Questions of the morning:

  • How has your weekend been so far?
  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What recipes are you drooling over lately?

MPM-Spring

This post is linked up with Menu-Plan Monday.

goals for the week of 3/16

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Hi everyone! Hope you’re having a lovely weekend so far! I’m heading out to drop off my friend Michelle at the airport {I’m going to miss her a LOT while she’s gone the next three weeks for a work training! boo!} and then I’m heading out for lunch with this lovely lady and our men to try a new-to-me burger place called The Counter. Apparently they give you a clipboard and you get to select from all different choices of meat, cheeses, and toppings to build your own perfect burger. Here’s predicting there will be guacamole involved in my order. {And, knowing me, there will probably be guac on my face as well.}

But before I take off … it’s goals time!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 15 pages {perhaps 15 was a bit too ambitious, but I did write a solid 10 pages, so I’m still counting it a win!}
– submit three pieces to journals
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three, hooray!}
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends
– take Arianna out for a coffee date

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 12 pages
– submit essay to Chicken Soup for the Soul
– go to two yoga classes
– finish reading through three lit journals from my AWP stash
– connect with three friends
– have a wonderful visit with my dad and Greg!!

Aaaaand, bringing back the meal planning… here are some recipes I’m drooling over this week:
– black bean quinoa enchilada bake & spinach artichoke quinoa bake via Two Peas & Their Pod
– paleo peppermint doughnuts w/coconut frosting via Davida @The Healthy Maven
– strawberry chocolate-chip cookie bars via Sarah @The Pajama Chef
– pretty much all of these things rounded up by Robyn @the real-life rd

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What recipes are you drooling over lately?

goals for the week of 3/9

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I have one question for all of you: where did the weekend go??? Hard to believe it’s already Monday. I hope you have great things in store for the week! On my agenda: a fellows meeting in San Jose, a reading to celebrate the launch of the latest issue of Arroyo Literary Review, some church events, and hopefully lots & lots of writing! I came back from the AWP conference last week feeling super inspired and bursting with writing ideas, and I’m trying to harness as much energy and time as possible to get words down on paper.

Speaking of which, it’s time for goals!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– send AWP thank-you notes
– go to two yoga classes
– read & comment on story for fellows workshop next week
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 15 pages
– submit three pieces to journals
– go to two yoga classes
– finish reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends
– take Arianna out for a coffee date

Before I wrap this up, I want to give a birthday shout-out to my wonderful friend Erica. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWEETS! ❤ I love you more than our sixth-grade selves loved Johnny Depp & Britney Spears.

baby photobomb

The infamous photo-bombing baby shot from Ghiradelli Square!

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this week?
  • What were your highlights of this past weekend?

goals for the week of 2/23

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Happy Sunday! My friend Janet is in town and I am so excited!

me and janjan

I love soaking up time with this pretty lady! Last night we went with my cousins Makena and Bianca to see a production of Guys & Dolls. So much fun! Today we have plans to go into the city and have dinner with some of Janet’s friends from graduate school. I’m looking forward to meeting them and checking out some touristy spots with Janet beforehand. And, of course, City Lights is on the agenda!

city lights

But before we’re off, time for a quicks goals recap!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– prepare for new tutoring job
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three, hooray for a good yoga week!}
– finish copyediting project
– begin reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends {plus I completed my year of Wooden action step for the week}

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– have an amazing time with Janet! go into the city, see a movie, take her to my favorite spots around town, and talk our faces off
– write 5 pages
– prepare for my new tutoring client
– go to one yoga class
– read fifty pages of The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– have a blast at the AWP conference! {and I guess be sorta productive and learn something too} 🙂

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

goals for the week of 2/16

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Hi everyone! How was your weekend? Mine was busy with lots of fun things … time with family, friends, church, shopping, reading and writing! On Saturday I had an amazing time in San Francisco participating in the Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt. Have any of you done an “urban sleuthing adventure” before? This one is an annual scavenger hunt that happens on the day of the Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco. The hunt takes you all around Chinatown and North Beach looking for clues, competing against the other teams to solve mental puzzles and test your observation skills. It was such a unique, fun way to explore the city and see the parade at the same time! And our team did great, solving 12 out of the 16 clues before we ran out of time. Woo hoo! Afterwards we went to a Mediterranean restaurant for dinner, enjoying excellent food and conversation. Definitely one of my favorite experiences since moving up here in August!

chinese dragon

chinese new year

me and allyn

allyson and henry

Today the long weekend fun continues: we are celebrating my beautiful aunt Mary’s birthday. She is such an amazing person, so full of laughter and love. She tells the best stories, always builds people up with encouragement and support, and inspires so many kids every day as a middle school English & History teacher. I’m so proud to be her niece.

seesters

My Mom, Aunt Annie, and Aunt Mary

Happy birthday Mary!! We love you!

Now, on to goals…

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on {This goal seems to keep being put on the back-burner. Maybe my story needs to percolate more before I put the words down on paper…}
– go to two yoga classes {I did yoga on my own, but only made it to one class because I took a friend to her doctor’s appointment on Thursday, during the time I normally go to back-to-back yoga classes. I’ll have to make it up this week!}
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– submit to the I Am: Twenty-Seven project
– send in final fellowship application
– finish reading Power Ballads by Will Boast
– connect with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– prepare for new tutoring job
– go to two yoga classes
– finish copyediting project
– begin reading The Empty House by Nathan Oates
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

goals for the week of 2/2

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Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I hope you have fun plans for today. I’m off to church soon, but before I go … it’s goals time! 🙂

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three!}
– complete two chapters of copyediting project {It was a great copyediting week… I made it through four chapters!}
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox {read five of these stories + got into two excellent short story collections, Orientation by Daniel Orozco and Power Ballads by Will Boast}
– connect with three friends

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes
– mail Valentines
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– start final fellowship application, due Feb. 28
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox and Orientation by Daniel Orozco
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

goals for the week of 1/26

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First off…

arianna bday

Today is my dear cousin’s “sweet sixteen” birthday and we are all getting together as a family tonight to celebrate. Last night I got to help chaperone/drive a bunch of her friends as part of her birthday party. It was a blast and I felt happy to be a part of it!

This weekend has been filled with lots of great friends & family time and lots of time spent outdoors taking advantage of the gorgeous sunny weather we’re being blessed with {even though we are all praying for rain … California needs rain very badly!} Yesterday I went hiking and out to lunch with new friends Emy & Sam, and today I checked out a food truck fair with some old friends I hadn’t seen in a while. Have any of you been to a food truck gathering before? It was my first time, and I was impressed by the variety and quality of the offerings! I had gourmet spaghetti & meatballs and a decadent s’mores cupcake. Then stopped by Trader Joe’s on my way home to pick up some nom noms for the week … and now here we are, Sunday afternoon already!

weekly goals

Here’s how I did on my goals from this past week:
– write 10 pages
– go to two yoga classes {I made it to three!}
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox {I underestimated how many stories I had in my inbox! Got through quite a few, but still have more to go! These are some great reads.}
– connect with two friends {It was a terrific week for feeling connected with friends, by phone and in person! I’m always happier when I make this a priority in my life.}

And here are my goals for this upcoming week:
– write 10 pages
– finish new short story I’m working on
– go to two yoga classes
– complete two chapters of copyediting project
– finish reading all of the old Narrative Stories of the Week in my email inbox
– connect with three friends

Questions of the morning:

  • What are your goals for this upcoming week?
  • What have been your highlights of this weekend?

MPM-Winter
This post is linked up with Menu-Plan Monday!