Big News

Big News People...

Yesterday I went to get my usual 8 week trim, and decided to get BANGS.

This is huge for me. Typhany (my stylist) was even afraid and cut them long, just in case I didn't like them. But I did, and even asked her to make them shorter.

Upcoming News: Wedding Shower this weekend, and my mom's inappropriate card. Good Times.

Engagement Photos

After discussion Chris and I felt that we were 100x more likely to have an engagement pic up in our house, over a wedding pic. A wedding is an event, but the pictures we put up are of our life. So we had them done in April, and I picked them up on Monday.

The photographer (who is awesome) took 100 images, and was sure that it would take Chris and I an hour to look thru them all, and get down to 8-10. Ha, I am the master of knowing when I will hate how I look in a photo for eternity. So after 20 min we had chosen 4...4 images out of 100. We were told we were the most decisive couple she has ever met. Hilarious.






I hope you like them.

Daily Reads

Hello, my name is Megan and I am a Blogaholic.
Is that even a word yet?

I am though, I find one I like, and then see who they read, and eventually it's 2 hours later and I am wrapped up in someone else's life across the country. Sometimes world even.

I have a few that I check every morning because they make me laugh almost all the time. I also have a few that I check every week that are wedding related, but I won't bore you with those. I am sure none of you like exploring wedding theme and color ideas. So I figured if you read this and want a laugh check out these ladies.

Kat

Molly

Happy Birthday Robin

Robin, the youngest in the bunch..(almost).

Happy birthday!!

I am only mildly jealous that you get to celebrate your birthday in the big apple...and get to have cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. Actually I am quite jealous. Do you think they might survive in a carry on bag?

I have been lucky enough to have known Robin since the first week I moved to Dallas, and will never forget the TRU layoff morning. I had no idea what I was going to do. I was sitting in my car that morning thinking here I am in a brand new city and I know no one...and my phone rang. It was Robin, calling to see if I was alright. I had known her 3 weeks!! Is it any wonder why I stayed? Great friends, and she is one of them.

Sunday June 15.

The trip is coming to an end. I made brunch reservations for us at the Hotel Del Coronado or the Del as most people call it. However when Chris discovers the cost (because it’s father’s day) he freaks out and we decide to eat our free breakfast at the hotel. We did compromise and go to Coronado and the Del to walk around a bit. I had to show him the best beach in town. When I told him it was where the movie “Some Like It Hot” was filmed he looked at me like I was speaking Greek. He's not into old classics or musicals. I have no idea how he ended up with me. I. Love. Them.



I had given us a cushion (or so I thought) to do some quick shopping and grab a must have beverage. Chris wanted black Reef’s…and I had seen just the place with tons to choose from. After we browsed (and bought) a few pairs we headed to the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf for an Iced Blended. If you have never had one…I feel sorry for you. They are perfection in a cup. I ordered the original blended mocha, and Chris tried the hazelnut. He took one sip and understood why I talk about them all the time.



We headed to return the rental car, and off to the airport. Here is where it gets fun. Apparently…well actually…I didn’t look at the departure time. I thought I had, I had a time in my head that was the departure time…and I was wrong. So we were 5 min late to check in for our flight, and were told we would have to go standby on the next one. I am flexible. I made a mistake, but I knew that we would get home and chose not to stress about what I couldn’t change. Chris, God love the man, is not as flexible. He was so pissed…I had to take this photo while we were waiting in the airport. And he had even cooled off a little.



So I probably should be more detailed about flights…but I see an adventure, he sees total human ineptitude. Fun times. So we made the next flight, were home one hour later, and all was not lost. Lucky for me the wedding is still on, but I will not be the holder of itineraries for a while.

Saturday June 14.

The US Open…the big show. Chris set the alarm on his cell phone and we scheduled a wakeup call…for 5AM! He jumped out of bed and was ready to go in 20 min, and I rolled out of bed to drive him to Qualcomm Stadium in my PJ's. I like to stay classy San Diego.

*side note. I’m not going with him. I never even entertained the idea. He and I get along famously, however we are very different. Take shopping for example. I go in, know exactly what I am looking for, buy without trying it on…and if I hate it I bring it back. Chris likes to browse, shop just to look, try everything on, come out and model it etc. See where I am going with this? Golf is similar. I’m happy going around 9am with some reading material and a hat, finding a seat in the grandstand on the 18th green, and staying put. He likes to arrive when it opens, see the holes and scout the spots before any players are out, watch them on the putting green or warming up, and then walk briskly from hole to hole and group to group. I did it his way at the Grand Slam, and was exhausted after one day. I literally sat down in the shade at one point and took a 20 min nap. I figured for him to have the best possible time, I should stay behind. I would rough it hanging out with Val in the city I miss most.


(Cars at Qualcomm)
Everyone attending the open had to park at Qualcomm and take the shuttle bus. We pulled up in front of the stadium and they hadn’t even opened the gates yet! As they started letting in cars we were the first wave thru. Chris ended up being the 46th person on the grass that morning. Yes, he even knows what number he was. He was at Torrey Pines by 6:30, and walking the holes by 7am.



He decided not to follow Tiger, having seen him play before he knew that 90% of the people would be following Tiger’s group. He did see him play a few holes, but tried to watch everyone else as well. He said that Adam Scott can smack one hell of a drive. He outdrove Phil by 40 yards on several holes, and Paul Casey is like a foot shorter than Vijay but easily outdrove him as well. He said the weather was amazing, the golf was going to be historical, and the course was very difficult.


(18th hole)
In all Chris was at Torrey for 11 hours, and managed to see everyone at least once. He also managed to drop some cash in the merchandise tent. Apparently that tent was something to see at almost 40K square feet. When I picked him up he was wearing all his purchases and carrying a few for me. I love this guy; he knows to come back with gifts!

As for me, I dropped him off and drove the long way back to the hotel. I wanted to see some of my favorite places and memories by myself in the early morning when no one else is out. Well the surfers and the seals are out, but the ocean in the early morning is very peaceful.


After some breakfast and a shower I was ready to meet Val for our “girls’ day”. When I lived in San Diego Val and I had different schedules so we usually spent one weekend day together, and had a routine. It involved going to Fashion Valley Mall, so that was our first stop. They had added a bunch of new stores that I wanted to check out.


After some mall time it was off to PB and the Green Flash for lunch. She and I have been ordering their Oriental Chicken Salad for about the last 7 years. No need to change perfection. Green Flash is a great spot on the boardwalk so if you're lucky enough to get an outside table the people watching will keep you entertained.

(table view at the Green Flash)

Then we head to Bogart Yogurt in the afternoon for a treat. We used to go on a walk on the bay, or ride our beach cruisers to do those things, but this time we traded that for sitting on Val’s patio in Mission Hills in the warm sun, and reading magazines. It was our perfect weekend date.


(the Fish House)

After I picked Chris up we decided to head back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. We walked across from the hotel to the Fish Market. I think it’s a fun restaurant on the water in the harbor. Halfway thru dinner we realized we were so exhausted that if we wanted dessert it would have to be room service because we were done for the night.



We walked back along the water, and ordered in room ice cream while watching highlights on sports center.

Friday June 13.

We wake up early, and he still can’t believe we are in San Diego. We arranged for a hotel and rental car the rest of the weekend but were riding with Val to her work in the morning. She teaches 4th grade in La Jolla and has only 2 days of class left. After dropping her at school and grabbing Starbucks (it is me after all), we head to downtown La Jolla, and the cove at the shores. I show him all the fun places on the cute streets lined with coffee shops, boutiques, and surf stores. We park and walk to the cove and Seal Beach. It’s early so all the babies and mom seals are still lying on the beach. It smells terrible, but is something to see up close. We walk along the shore for some exercise then head for the next stop.



PB….short for Pacific Beach. I love to visit PB. I lived there for 1 year and that was enough for me, but it’s the best people watching in San Diego. Seriously. Although now that they banned alcohol on the beach, it is more family friendly and less Girls Gone Wild. I take Chris to Kono’s for a breakfast burrito. It’s a PB cult legend frequented by locals and tourists alike. The line was about an hour long (normal) so we pass on breakfast, and look in some shops and walk the pier instead.



We decide to go to Old Town. This is something that every San Diegan does with any visitor. It's an area that has historic pueblo adobes, and the history of the city’s origination. It’s also home to some great Mexican food. Old faithful being OTMC complete with women in the window making fresh corn and flour tortillas. Delicious. Until one has had Carne Asada in San Diego they have not had Mexican food. This is only my opinion. I pointed out to the Texan that queso is Texican, not Mexican. I love it, can’t imagine life without it, but living in a CA border town for 4 years I had never even heard of it until I moved here. We stuff our faces and move to the next part of town.



On our way to the hotel I take a detour to one of my favorite parks of all time. Balboa Park. It's huge, and filled with things to do. The zoo, and live music, the Prado, the gardens. I think it's a great place to get lost for an afternoon. We have limited tome so I try to show Chris all the places I miss the most.



We are staying in a wonderful area downtown. We can walk to anything from the hotel, and are directly across from the USS Midway. There is something about boys, and aircraft carriers. Chris automatically begins to sing “danger zone” from Top Gun when he stands on the balcony viewing the ship. They did film most of that movie around San Diego so it’s only fitting.



We had arranged to meet Val and Brian at his barbershop in the East Village and walk to dinner from there. We change, clean up and make our way to the other side of downtown. Brian owns 2 barbershops in San Diego, and not the fluffy kind. The old skool, straight razor shave barber shops. He opened the East Village Lefty’s almost a year ago and I hadn’t seen it. It’s amazing. He has a view into Petco Park, and is in the middle of a very hip part of town.



A few doors down from his shop is a restaurant called neighborhood. It’s upscale bar food. All I have to say is HEAVEN. From the sweet potato fries, to the jalapeno Mac and cheese and the Marsala mushroom and steak burger…wow. A wonderful evening with very special friends, but we have to wake up early to get Chris to the US Open so we call it a night, and return to the hotel.

Thursday June 12th.

I can hardly contain my excitement all day. I'm stuck in a Branding: Increase Retention and Recruiting education class, but counting down the hours until I can begin a surprise attack on Chris.

It actually began 3 months ago before his birthday. I was thinking about what I might do that would be special for him. His favorite thing is golf…so I decided to take him to the US Open. It is (was) in San Diego this year at Torrey Pines, and being that I lived in San Diego for many years, I was thrilled for a weekend visit. I emailed his boss to tell him the plan, and booked all the reservations and tickets. Today months of planning would be realized.

4pm I race out of the training to get home and meet the driver picking up myself and the luggage. I put the US Open ticket, his hat; sunscreen and golf vest into a bag to give him for the big reveal. The driver and I load up, and head for downtown. At the same time Chris’ boss was calling him into his office to let him know he needed to shut down his computer, pack his things and go down to the lobby. Chris of course freaked out, and thought that he was fired. He was assured that he was not being fired, and that it was a good thing he was leaving for. Here is where his anxiety begins. He headed back to his desk, and I call his cell phone to tell him I am downstairs waiting for him. He peppered me with questions because he was freaking out “Why are you here?”, “What are you doing here?”, “Did you win something?” After convincing him to come outside, he saw me standing next to a town car and was totally confused.

I push him into the car, hand him the bag and order him to open it. When he sees the tickets his face goes into total shock. He asks if I am coming with him, and when we are leaving. When he hears me say, “yes”, and “right now”….I could see the total discomfort pass across his face. I could tell he was having this internal dialogue:
“Oh dear…right now…I wouldn’t have worn this for the plane, or this watch, it doesn’t match…I was going to mow the lawn on Saturday…now when will I do that…I wonder if she remembered about the dog…where are we going to stay…how much is this costing”…etc. Until he can look in the suitcase he will worry about what I brought for him to wear.


San Diego from the Air

We get to the airport, check in, board and head to San Diego. The flight is short, and uneventful. When we land and head for baggage my phone rings, and it's our ride. My best friend Val is waiting at the curb. As we drive Chris begins to relax. Once we arrive at Val and Brian’s…he is immediately handed a beer (great work Brian) and he starts to enjoy the surprise. We eat dinner and catch up with the happy couple. This is the first time that Chris and Val’s husband Brian are meeting. They hit it off, and Val and I are thrilled. Chris also has a chance to look into his suitcase, and even though I didn’t pack all that he would have chosen, I'm given kudos for a good job. After a few hours (and beverages) we head to bed.

And that’s only Thursday!


(Val and Brian)

SURPRISE!!

I have been keeping the BEST secret for months, but it was so worth it. This past weekend I kidnapped Chris for a special surprise. I will go thru it day by day because:

a) The blog has been lacking lately

b) The whole weekend is hard to put into one post

Stay Tuned