I am My Father's Daughter

Another Fathers Day is upon us and I can't help but feel more like I truly am my father's daughter then ever before. I didn't think so when he was alive but I really do think about it a lot more now. I am realizing that I am more like him that I ever thought before. On difficult days like today, I am grateful for that fact more than ever.

To put it bluntly, my dad was a serious neat freak! Everything around him had to be clean and organized. It's not like everyday at our house we were cleaning but I absolutely despised our actual cleaning days because he became obsessed with it. He literally would get on his and hands and knees and scrub our tiled floor. He took such care in doing so. I guess my problem was that I didn't like being told to clean and I still don't today. I'll clean and clean as long as it's my decision. I wonder where that comes from... haha... But I'll tell you one thing that I realize now is that I take pride in having a clean house and a clean car. It makes me feel good knowing that my things aren't messy and smell nice. I think this is what my dad felt too. He just wanted the things he worked hard for to be taken care of and last a long time. I can't even stand it now when my bed doesn't get made in the morning. I am my father's daughter.

My dad was a very hard worker and felt his best after a long day at school as a principal. Sometimes he had a hard time putting that role on the shelf and enjoying himself. I used to not really understand this. How can someone be constantly thinking about work? That's certainly not healthy. My mom and I were very good at forgetting about our days and decompressing in front of the TV or at the dinner table. Yet, now, I get it. He was so busy at work taking care of things and getting things accomplished that after the day was done, he finally had a chance to sit back and really process through everything. I am the same way now. I am always wondering if I did the right thing, said the right thing and it's tough for me to put those thoughts out of my head. Perhaps, this means that like him, I worry too much. I am my father's daughter.

While my dad was an intensely hard worker, he could also kick back with a beer or two and relax on the weekend. He loved music and dancing. He loved iTunes on his computer and enjoyed collecting old dance hits. He was very organized and methodical about this process. Well, guess what? So am I now. Maybe not about gathering this same kind of music but I definitely am always updating my iTunes and purchasing the latest and greatest. I wish that we could have shared more music together. The Beatles were his all-time favorite group. Since he has passed away, I find more comfort and happiness in their music then ever before. When it comes to dancing, my dad may not have had the best dance moves in the world, but he had such fun dancing. I feel the same way. I may not know what I'm doing half the time out on the dance floor but I sure do feel great out there. I am my father's daughter.

My dad was an affectionate man and was always telling me that he loved me and that he was proud of me. There was never a day that didn't end with an "I love you" and a hug. It is for this reason that I am such an affectionate person today and find myself saying "I love you" at the end of every phone conversation with my sister and friends. It's just what I do. It's such a natural reaction for me. I never for a second ever questioned my father's love for me and I never want anyone I love today to ever question it either. I am a big fan of hugs too and will always be the first to give one. I am my father's daughter.

Well, Happy Fathers Day to my dad! I'm sure that I'll learn more ways we are alike as I grow older. RIP. XOXO

To all the other fathers out there, Happy Father's Day and may your daughters understand you and relate to you a little bit more with each passing day. : )

Turning 2!

My dear sweet nephew, Lucas, turns 2 today and I'm once again overwhelmed with love and adoration for this little man. Never before in my life has someone touched my heart so deeply and stayed just that way.

He really is the light of my life and I cannot imagine my world without him in it. Everything I feel for him today and everyday I wrote on a guest post for my sister over at her blog, so feel free to visit her blog and check it out, Letters for Lucas. My nephew truly did bring me back to life.

Happy 2nd birthday Lucas! For a really adorable slide show of pictures of Lucas, also check out this post on my sister's blog. : )

These are two pictures from his birthday party that his mom and dad threw for him on Saturday at their home in Orange County.

Dear Mother of 6

Dear Mother of 6,

How do you do it? I've passed you and your large family just about every time I go running around my neighborhood and every time I see you, I'm impressed and in awe of your mothering abilities. Thankfully, another man, I presume your husband is pushing one of your double strollers while you push the other one and your two older daughters walk right behind you. I'm happy to see that you have help. I wonder if you also have a nanny a few days of a week... Well, you certainly have a beautiful family.

You never fail to smile at me when I run by you all. This tells me that you either must be perfectly content with your life, that perhaps, this is what you wanted all along OR you are a very good actress. Maybe you even want more children... Who knows?

I wonder if after grinning at me and I pass you by, you become jealous and angry that I have the time to go running. I have this precious time to myself to do something just for me and for no one else. Did you used to enjoy running or are you not a fan at all like I used to be? Maybe you even feel sorry for me since I appear to not have a family... Do you miss your single independent life?
These will all remain questions forever because I can't ever imagine ever asking you them. But I really am curious about all this.

Sure, you aren't like Kate Gosselin from Jon and Kate Plus 8 at all but that just means that you don't have your own reality show thereby giving you plenty of money to support this large family. You also certainly aren't like Angelina Jolie with her 50 kids either and probably a team of nannies and other caretakers helping her out. Not being in the spotlight means you aren't getting a lot of recognition. I hope that your family appreciates everything you do for them and thanks you a lot.

So I suppose my main question to you and mothers like you with all these children is how do you do it? How do you find the time for yourself and also be a great mother? I can't really see myself having 6 kids but I certainly am envious of all the love that surrounds you 24/7. : )
I wish you a lifetime of happiness with your little crew.

-L

One Sweet Weekend

This past weekend had it all. I literally did a little bit of everything. Who knew you could cram in so many different activities in three days-I'm including Friday night as well.

My roommate, two friends and I saw a movie and then grabbed some delicious burgers around the corner from the theater at Stout. Nothing better than a yummy veggie burger(I'm eating vegetarian for the month) and a great beer.








On Saturday I met a new friend about 45 minutes east of Los Angeles in Arcadia. We spent several hours at the Arboretum and stayed till long after closing. For those of you that don't know what the heck is arboretum is, it's like a wild animal park but only for plants, a variety of birds and smaller animals. Normally I wouldn't really have been able to enjoy something like this for that long but I suppose it's all about the company. : ) There were peacocks walking around everywhere which was pretty neat too.


On Sunday, I went on a run around my neighborhood which was awesome but incredibly hot. Not sure how I'm going to run outside this summer... After the run, my sister came into town with her husband and they dropped off their son for me to babysit for the afternoon. They went off to lunch and Lucas and I went off to a nearby park. We had a really fun day together but of course, it's always too short. Luckily I'll be seeing them all later this week. Later at night, my roommate and I headed to a book reading in Hollywood. So all in all, a very busy weekend!


Did you do anything fun last weekend?

Here's What's Been Happening. . .

I'm sorry I've been so M.I.A from my blog lately. I've been busy and haven't been super inspired to post anything.

I went to Phoenix over the weekend and had an absolutely amazing time! I attended a very good friend's baby shower, a song-titled themed party and several fun lunches and dinner with old friends.

Here's a little taste of what's been happening since my post last week:









Last Monday my sister invited me to go to Disneyland with her and some of our family. Despite it being super hot, we had a really good time. I definitely love Disneyland and need to go again soon. We even got on about 6 different rides! My nephew Lucas loved it and enjoyed meeting a few characters. I loved getting a picture with Minnie!

13 Different Houses Built Me

This week's Mama Kat's writing prompt that I chose to write about is: The house that built me.

Before moving to Arizona for college I lived in roughly 13 houses in 7 different countries!

To most people, this sounds totally crazy, but not to me. I can't imagine my life any other way. It's literally impossible for me to imagine growing up in one house my whole life. That just wasn't how I was raised. Somehow I got used to moving. It was fairly normal for us to move to a different house that had better electricity, better plumbing, less cockroaches, and really less problems in general. In the last country I lived in, Myanmar, we moved a whopping 4 times in my 6 years there.

I always knew in the back of my mind that my parents teaching contracts in these countries wouldn't last forever and I was prepared to make the move. It was simply part of this life. Of course, saying goodbye to my friends was always difficult and dramatic but we promised to keep in touch. It is because of this that I'm good at staying connected to my friends now. Facebook and email definitely make that a whole lot easier. I still do enjoy snail mail though. My parents would always make promises of a new and exciting country, a great new school to attend and a brand new batch of neat friends to make. Of course, this would all came true. : )

So, honestly, I didn't have ONE house that built me but many houses throughout my childhood that helped shape the person I am today. I remember bits and pieces from just about all the 13 houses. Oh wow, I just had an epiphany mid-post, I think the reason that I like moving the furniture around in my bedroom so much is because of this nomadic lifestyle that I had growing up. Does that make sense? When I move the furniture around, it becomes a whole new room. How interesting that I just now figured this out....

These houses really did build me.

Time with Lucas

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending a lot of one on one time with my nephew, Lucas. We had so much fun and I was delighted to be able to spend so much time together. We went to a nearby park, ran around the backyard, played with his trains, sang songs, read plenty of books and a whole lot more.

Here are a few fun pictures that I snapped with my phone:

Visitors from Family

My sister Tonya brought my nephew Lucas to visit me yesterday and we had such a wonderful day walking around the infamous Santa Monica Pier and then onto the 3rd St. Promenade right by it. It was an absolutely beautiful LA day with amazing sunshine and a slight cool breeze. Meanwhile the rest of the US is suffering through yet another Snowpocalypse. Did I spell that right? Haha Whatever it is, I find myself more than thankful to be living here on the West Coast now.

Another thing that I'm constantly grateful for is that I do live so close to my family. They are my world and have the incredible ability to cheer me up and brighten my day. I know so many people that live far away from their adorable nephews and nieces and I honestly cannot imagine that. Living in Arizona for just under a year after my nephew was born was hard enough on me. I hope that we will always live close to each other. Ok, Tonya? No moving to the east coast anytime soon!!

Anyway, back to our fun day- Lucas seemed to really enjoy himself and we even got him to ride the renown Ferris Wheel at the end of the pier. We had a very yummy Mexican lunch complete with margaritas and me feeding Lucas rice off my own plate! Haha! It was too funny, he wouldn't accept food from Mom's plate, just from mine. So cute! : )

Sure, the Pier is a super touristy and kind of a cheesy thing to do here in LA but it's still fun and I always enjoy my time there. Next up, I really want to try the trapeze flying that is there! Have you ever done it? My sister did it last year and she loved it. I think I would too!

Hey, remember the cute YouTube video that Gina and I made about the Pier- Sarah Palin... Let's Go Fishing At the Santa Monica Pier!

Here are three great pictures from our day:

31 Day Photo Challenge-Day 14

31 Day Photo Challenge-Day 14: Post a picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

I could never imagine my life without a lot of people! Yikes, how am I supposed to pick just one person?!

Well, I definitely know that I wouldn't be who I am today without my wonderful sister. She is my rock and I know that I can always count on her. We've been through our ups and down this year but I know that in the end, she is going to be there for me. We are sisters through and through and I love her dearly. This is a picture taken of her and my other favorite person, her son and my beloved nephew Lucas at Disneyland last week.

Merry Christmas from LA 'n' LA

Merry Christmas to you my wonderful followers and your family and friends. I hope you spend today with your loved ones and enjoy all that Christmas as to offer you. I'm excited to be with this little guy! Below is a picture of him taken last year! Isn't it the cutest ever? Can't wait to take more like this this Christmas.

Thoughts on Moving...

Last night I had an interesting conversation with my sister about the pros and cons of moving. She moved yesterday and of course has mixed feelings about it. Take a look at her sweet and thoughtful post yesterday about the big move. It certainly got me teary eyed.

Sure, there are so many wonderful things about moving to a new place but you certainly can't ignore all the memories left behind at the old residence. Sappy as this may sound, it can be very hard to leave that behind.

Places have such strong emotional attachments for me. As I looked around her house and took one last look at it before I left her house last night, I felt like I was saying goodbye to those memories as well. One very big event took place in that house; my sister's beautiful and intimate wedding was in August 2007. It was the last time my sister saw my parents alive and it was the last time we were altogether. I guess it was the last time I saw my parents happy. They were so happy that day. I'll never forget the dance party we had in the living room after most guests had gone home for the night. I've always felt comfortable and happy being in that living room. I am sure this memory is the reason why. Thankfully, we took plenty of pictures that night.

I dread the day that my sister and I finally sell our parents Summer home in Arizona. Talk about memories! Whew! Ok, enough about that....

When I moved here from Phoenix almost a year ago I was more excited than anything. Not only was I ready for a change of scenery but also a change of life. I was incredibly sad to leave all my wonderful friends in Phoenix but was excited for a whole new batch of LA friends. Living alone was fun but I was looking forward to having two roommates to spend time with. I was definitely over Arizona in general. I had lived there for 6 years and was dying to get out of that hot desert.

A lot of really great things have happened to me all because I moved to Los Angeles. Here are a few things that come to mind:

• I started running. I really don't think that I would have if I had stayed in AZ. I also ran my first event here in LA, the Disneyland Half-Marathon.
  
• I made two new best friends-my wonderful roomies! Ladies, I love ya!
  
• I have traveled a ton thanks to my roommate Gina and her project, Pin-Ups For Vets.
• I've been nannying/babysitting for a few adorable kids that I adore!
• I've spent a ton more time with my family here in So Cal.
• I have been able to meet up with several middle and high school friends here.
• I've reconnected with two high school friends that live here in LA as well.
  
• I've gone to several very cool concerts and a couple Broadway shows.
  
• There have been some neat celeb sightings here.
• I've had a lot of delicious dinners.
• Spending time at the wonderful beach.
• I truly believe that I've become a better driver since moving here.
• I started this blog about my life here! My blogoversary is coming up next month! Yay!
  
• A fancy/awesome job in the music industry-currently working on this one! : )
  
• Being an audience member on Oprah's Favorite Things Episode..Hello?! Need I say more?!
  

Am I a Grinch? Never!

For the most part, people generally love the month of December. There is always a lot going on and with the new year fast approaching, resolutions can be made and big and small changes can be implemented. There are lots of fun holiday parties, fun family get-togethers, glorious time off work, pretty decorations everywhere, delicious desserts being baked and so much more. In spite of all that, there are also things associated with this time of year that aren't so wonderful, things that are frustrating, stressful and downright annoying.

My #1 December pet peeve is the cold friggin' weather! Yes, I really shouldn't be complaining as I live in Southern California but I'm still cold! It's all relative, right? Another thing that I'm not a fan of about this month is that every store, every mall, every shopping area seems to be jam packed. Parking spaces are harder to come by, there are long lines to buy everything and I honestly don't think that people are in better moods this time of year either. What do you think? I think that people out and about seem even more impatient, bitter and occasionally even rude. : ( I'm also stressing a little this year about what gift to get my Secret Santa. My family and I draw each others names so we are just responsible for that one person instead of everyone. We've done this the past two Christmas's and it works out really well. I just have absolutely no idea what to get my person this year and time is ticking away. . . Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.

With all the chaos of this time of year, I truly think the key is finding balance. I've had this list forever and thought that this would be the perfect time to share it with you on my blog.

Here are 20 Ways to Achieve a Balanced Life:

1. Make Yourself a Priority- Make time for what you enjoy the most, like spending time with family or working out. It's been proven that you'll be more efficient at work doing this.
2. Live by a List- To maintain sanity, write to-do lists. It also helps to include things on these lists that are fun and you look forward to doing.
   
3. Focus on One Thing at a Time- Sticking to one task and continuing to work on it until you finish it will give you peace of mind when it's all done. It also simplifies things too.
4. Be Realistic With your Time- It's important to know just how much time an activity is going to take you.
   
5. Think "Activity" Rather Than "Workouts"- Even short 10 minute increments tone our hearts, minds and emotions.
6. Limit your TV Time- Studies have shown that people that spend more time watching television tend to be more depressed than those who watch in moderation. Make sure to indulge in all your other hobbies as well.
7. Make Time for Meals- Our bodies and brains need regular infusions of nutritious food and water to work at full potential all day long.
8. But Keep it Simple- Eating nutritious doesn't have to mean complicated menus. Find healthy meals that require little preparation so you'll have time for everything else in your life.
   
9. Don't Go it Alone- There is no reason for anyone to go through something difficult alone. Ask for help when you need it. Your family and friends want to be there for you.
   
10. Ask for What You Need- "You can be putting good out into the world because you're trying to be strong, but be unwilling to receive the goodness that the world has for you. You can't be too strong to receive. That's not healthy." -Toby Thompkins; renown personal growth writer.
11. Don't Play Superwoman or Superman!
12. Transform Your Barriers into Boundaries- Don't say that you'll never do something or that you always do something. Instead replace them with "I'll only do this to this point" or "I'll do this part and the rest is yours."
    
13. Train Others to be Less Needy- Telling someone that you need their support is a great way of doing this.
    
14. Don't Drive Yourself Nuts- Be aware that the commute can change your whole mood, so make a conscious choice to stay positive.
15. Take Time to Unwind- After getting home from your work day, change clothes before starting a new activity or conversation. Reflect on your day and make a deliberate choice not to dwell on the things that you can't do anything about until tomorrow.
    
16. Climb- Be sure to climb those mountains, but scale them one at a time.
    
17. Begin Each Day with Purpose- Try reflecting on your purpose for 15 minutes in the morning. This can help eliminate an hour of distractions later in the day.
18. Don't Procrastinate- Plan your schedule to get the toughest or most dreaded critical activities done first.
    
19. Cherish- Cherish those unexpected moments of peace and quiet.
    
20. Remember to Breathe!
    

I've Got a Crush!

That's right, I've got a big ole crush on my nephew, Lucas! : )

This Thanksgiving holiday, I got to spend a lot of one on one time with my adorable 17 month old nephew. I absolutely adore him! I've never really felt this way about anyone before, not my sister, not any friends and not even my parents. Honestly, I don't think I've ever loved anyone like I do him. I would do anything for this little guy. If only he knew how much I cared about him. Being with him makes me incredibly happy and I am thankful everyday for him.

Here's a few pics of him that I got this weekend:



And this one is my favorite! He just walked right up to me and proceeded to sit right on my stomach and then layed down and made himself comfortable. Guess he loves me too. : )

Five Question Friday

1. What is your favorite part of a Thanksgiving meal?

This a tough one.. I think I would say the stuffing! When else do you eat it?

2. Are you a host or a guest for Thanksgiving this year?

I am the guest but it was at my sisters house here in San Diego so I never really feel like a guest here. I'm always doing what I can to help out in the kitchen.

3. When you think of one Thanksgiving tradition, what comes to mind?

We don’t have any traditions. If anything, there's always way too many pies lying around. Is that a tradition? No two people like the same pie. Which leads into the next question perfectly....

4. You have two pieces of pie in front of you and you HAVE to eat one…do you choose pumpkin or pecan?

I don't like pumpkin pie. I'll ALWAYS choose pecan pie. ALWAYS! I absolutely love pecan pie! I love it so much that for one birthday a few years ago, a friend got me pecan flavored body lotion! Awesome, right?

5. Are you a Black Friday Shopper?

Not at all. I think those people that got up at 4AM this morning were nuts! Geez! What could you possibly need that bad that you had to get up before the sun to buy it?! Last year a few of my cousins and I ventured to the stores in the afternoon and did find a couple things but didn't spend too much time. Oh actually, I bought the jeans I am wearing right now last Black Friday! Ah!

The Guest List

While I am absolutely no where near getting married, in fact, I think I am several years away from the big day, it's still fun to think about from time to time with my girl friends.

So, my very dear friend Tracy, over at BrooklynNight was visiting me about a month ago and she suggested that we make our inevitable guest lists right now and see who makes the cut. Pretty interesting, right? I thought so anyway.

Here's the thing, try to keep the guest list as short as possible and keep in mind that people have girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives and partners. Are they also invited? Is everyone allowed a plus 1? Also, you have to decide whether or not you are inviting children to the wedding. You aren't allowed to check your phone for names that you might have missed either. These have to be people that on your mind right now. I thought that this would be easy enough. I was wrong.

Once I got started listing off people, I think I sort of got carried away. Especially since, I'm not even sure I want a typical large wedding. In fact, most of the time, I only want 10 or so people there MAX! Well, that was not what this particular guest list showed. According to it, I want about 60 people at my wedding! YIKES! The spouses are what really brings that number up-honest! Tracy's list had about 40 people on it which I think is much much more sensible. Good for her.

This exercise really got me thinking about my friends and who I really want at my wedding. What people do I truly want to share one of the most important days of my life. If they aren't on my mind right now, then I think that tells me something. I don't know..perhaps not but it certainly seems logical to me right now. It also got me thinking about whether I want people there because they were my parents friends. I care about these people but where do I draw the line?

What about your guest list? If you haven't gotten married yet, try writing down a list right now. How many are you going to invite? Was this an easy or difficult thing for you to do? If you are married, how did you decide the guest list?!

FYI, the first person on my guest list was my 17month old nephew Lucas. : )

I'm Grateful For...-Day 13

Here are my blessings for Day 13:

1. I'm grateful to usually get 6-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night! All my life (so far) I've never been one of those people that tosses and turns and wakes up a million times throughout the night. Thank goodness, cause I LOVE sleep!
2. Breakfast in bed! There's something about eating your first meal of the day under warm covers. I enjoy eating a bowl of cereal in bed especially.
3. I'm able to pay all my bills.
4. I'm grateful that I can completely and utterly surrender to what is and then waiting expectantly for the good that is to come.
5. My magazines and the time to flip through each and every page.
6. Delighting in other people's children.
7. Delighting in my amazing nephew, Lucas. He is definitely my favorite person in the world!
8. The desire for knowledge. I love constantly learning new things. Teach away!
9. I'm grateful for bookstores. I feel closer to my family every time I'm in one.
10. The amazing sunrises and sunsets I've seen in my life.
    

Welcome New followers!!

Since I have so fabulously acquired so many new followers this week (THANK YOU!!), I thought it might be nice to give a little recap of what this blog is all about and a little information about moi!

Hi! My name is Leah and this blog is about my relatively new life here in Los Angeles, California. I moved here in January from Phoenix, Arizona. I wonder how much longer I can keep saying that I'm new here. I get at least a year, right? I am passionate about all things music so I talk about it a lot. I also love going to new restaurants, doing all the LA touristy type things, spending time with my friends and new roommates, reading, dancing, running, going to see movies and now BLOGGING has become one of my new favorite hobbies.

I started this blog right when I moved here and it has quickly turned into one of the most therapeutic things for me. It seriously is like free therapy. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would have my own blog. I've never thought of myself as a writer but it's certainly fun for me now.

Why did I move to LA? Glad you asked. : ) I've been wanting to live here for a long time for a few reasons. The biggest one is that my sister and her family live in San Diego. She has a 16 month old son that I absolutely adore and just had to be closer to. I also want to work in the music industry and this is definitely the city for that business. Specifically, I would like to work in the A & R department at a record label, that is, the artist and repertoire department. So far, I haven't had any luck finding a job in the music biz but I'm still very hopeful. So in the meantime, I've been nannying and babysitting a lot. I also work as my roommate's assistant for her Pin Ups For Vets calendar project, traveling and attending events. Please check out the link, it's an amazing project doing wonderful things for VETS all over the world.

So, there ya go. This is me thus far! I really really appreciate all the new followers that I've gotten recently. I love that people are stopping by my blog and actually reading my posts and commenting. Recently, I have found a lot of new fun blogs too so I know that there are a lot of interesting blogs out there. So, thank you so much for making mine one to follow. Reaching 50 followers was super neat!

Stay tuned for more of my adventures here in La La land!

Weekend Picture Recap

I had a wonderful weekend here in LA with my close friend from college, Tracy. It went by way too fast and I was incredibly sad to see her leave this afternoon. I cannot wait for the day till we live at least on the same coast! I think that this weekend was a wonderful combination of planned outings and events mixed in with down time and relaxing in my living room. Right, Tracy?! Haha!

Here are a few of the highlights:

We spent a few hours hanging out on the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica before taking her to the airport. We also walked over to the Santa Monica Pier. She had never been over there before plus it's a perfect spot for pictures. We decided that I must go there on a date in the near future! : )


My roommate Swati had a speak-easy themed fund-raiser cocktail party for her work, Zocalo Public Square on Saturday night so we attended that fully dressed the part. It was fun to get all dressed up with Tracy (I made her wear a long blond wig, which she loved) and be at a classy event. The picture in the middle is courtesy of Zocalo Public Square.


Since New York isn't exactly known for it's sunny skies, we spent Saturday laying out at the beach. Sadly, Tracy didn't get to wear her swimsuit at all this summer in NY so she was super excited to wear one here. I cannot tell you how amazing it was just to lay out with her and simply talk. It was great beach weather for us and I am happy to report that I DID NOT GET BURNT! I was all about my 100 SPF sunscreen!!


During the day on Friday, I did my best to give Tracy a tour of Hollywood. I got us a hotel room at the W so we were able to park there and just walk up and down Hollywood Blvd. Of course we had to get a cheesy pic in front of the "Hollywood" sign. This was one of the best views we found. We also took several pictures in front of a few stars with our fave celebs names on them.


Then on Friday night, we met up with a few new and old friends for dinner at Velvet Margarita just a couple blocks from our hotel. It was a lovely night full of great conversation and delicious Mexican food.


On Sunday, my sister drove to LA with Lucas so Tracy could finally him. We spent time at Griffith Park lounging in the grass and enjoying the train museum at Travel Town. Lucas absolutely adores trains so he was in heaven there. It was such a sweet day and I loved getting to spend it with three of my favorite people in the world!