Cole Valley Walk

It was SO nice out on Saturday. The weather was back up in the 60's where it usually is. We are finally thawing out after our few weeks of 30's and 40's weather. Our electricity bill definitely felt the extra heat we used this month, that is for sure!! It was sunny, warm, and Evie and I went on our walk WITHOUT a coat which is amazing. 

We did about a 2 mile hilly walk through Buena Vista Park and Cole Valley. She did great although I think she was a little tired at the end. 

 We snapped a bunch of photos of plants and flowers on this walk. Starting with some clovers growing in our very own urban garden that Erik planted out back.

Hmmmm what season is it? There were yellow leaves falling off some trees and buds blooming on some others!

Also saw a funny sign outside a cafe for brunch, referring to the whole Lance Armstrong debacle, that said "Bacon has been taken off the banned substance list. Thank you Olympic Committee." Funny stuff.

After our walk, I got a mani pedi at a new place near by. They were super nice & it was only $25!! I will probably be going back since it's closer than my usual spot.

We went down to Kezar Pub to watch some NHL. The NHL is finally off their strike and the games are back on. We met up with some of Erik's hockey friends for some drinks and hockey. Fun time, as it always is!

Our night took an exciting turn on our walk home though.....

Funny Friday

To start our Friday night, I hit up IKEA to pick something up for my new project. As I previously mentioned, I want to learn how to sew and get back into scrapbooking. To do this, I need some type of dedicated space. The reason the scrapbook stuff has been in storage for approximately 4 years is because there is no room to put those supplies so that I can easily take them out & put them away when I feel like using them.

I decided to get rid of this little chair in our bedroom and get a desk/table situation so IKEA was the best place to go. I looked everything up online and knew what I wanted so the trip was short and efficient! I got my desk and a little chair. I am soooooooo excited! I'll show you what it looks like soon!

Once we got home, we ordered some dinner and I started going through the old scrapbooks we have here in SF. Most are still in CT at my parents house (the REAL good photos starting from the late 90's). Out here we had 2006, 2007, 2008...Found two funny pics:

Erik and I - Halloween 2006

Evie and I in 2007. This was just before we left for CA!

 After eating and laughing over photos, we ended the night like this:

Very excited to go to Goodwill to drop off that chair and also to Storage to get some of my scrapbooking stuff. I realized that my old scrapbooks are missing something ---the story! The pictures are in there and I used to say, "I'll journal the details later." Well, If I don't journal soon, I will forget the story. There are some funny things I want to capture so I realized that scrapbooking is fun and worth it to look back on all the good times in your life. I think I'll start with 2013 and work my way backwards to catch up. Woohoo!

Evie X-Ray Update

 Today, Evie and I headed up to Mill Valley for another check up x-ray. She now can do unlimited physical activity and her bone is healing nicely BUT it's not 100% yet. It's a solid bone at this point, but the doctor still sees some area where the bone is fusing together. So, we'll be back in another 8 weeks. I have a feeling we will be doing this until August, which would be one year to her surgery.

I told the doctor that she is a little stiff in the AM and he recommended she start taking fish oil from here on out. We bought the fish oil pills at the office but he said she can have any brand that is for humans, too. 

Here is Evie on the ride home, resting her head on the arm rest of the car. Tired for her drive back over the bridge...

Traffic light photo. She was happy we were out of the vet and heading home. 

Evie's birthday is coming up on Feb 1st (yep, we made up that exact birthdate). She is turning 7 years old!!! We just found out her Auntie Kimmy will be out here in Feb for a weekend visit so she will get to be at Evie's family birthday party :-)

Potato Growing

Back in August/September, Erik grew his own potatoes! He actually bought this special bag to grow potatoes in where you fill it with dirt and they grown in the dirt. He put the bag on our apartment building roof and checked on them frequently.

We actually got quite a few potatoes out of the bag! It was pretty cool to see & actually eat them. 

Farmer Erik was at it again! The potatoes were really good and it was fun to eat something that he grew.

Wipe Out

Something nasty happened to me today. I was walking out of the parking garage to head into work and....I FELL!! I slipped on something and literally was sprawled out on the sidewalk. The contents of my bag were all over the place. A nice woman asked me if I was Ok, which I was. I did cut my finger somehow but that was it.

I got into work and realized something horrible. I think I slipped on homeless person pee. I re-checked it out as I was walking back to the car later on. I was in that area near the signs. I thought it was dried car oil or something. I didn't even THINK about what it could be...

I didn't think about what it COULD be until I got into work and said, What is that smell!?? Ick!!!!!

I went home an hour or two later to get out of those pants!! Yuck. So, I worked half the day at home which was nice. Evie could not sit still all day though, which was a pain. 

Ohhhh well. I organized a bunch of stuff in the bedroom today and posted a chair on craigslist. I want to get rid of it and get a small table so I can craft again. I think I want to pick up scrapbooking again AND I want to sew. I want to get a sewing machine and figure out how to make some simple things like pillow covers. I keep saying that I'll wait until we move to a bigger place but why wait!?

Tomorrow, we go to Evie's surgeon for what is **Hopefully** her LAST x-ray. Yippeeeee!

Lemon Chicken Orzo

Work was so busy for both of us today. I was in meetings all day and so tired when I got home. Erik rushed home and went off to do something fun - a Home Brewer's Meet Up! It was a group meeting of a bunch of SF Home Brewers where they shared their beer with one another. They meet once a month to do this together and also have professional Brewers come in to speak. Sounds fun!


Tonight, I made a yummy dish called Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.  I used about double the orzo and double the chicken. Mine came out less soupy, but I prefer it that way. It's more filling! We had a lot of leftovers for lunches tomorrow too which is always great.

So good!

All You Can Eat and Costco

Yesterday after work was SUPER fun. Kelsey, Tiffany, and I went to an all you can eat salad buffet AND Costco. I drove out to Pleasant Hill after work and we went out to dinner. I have heard about Sweet Tomatoes and heard it was an all you can eat salad place. Ummm, yes please!!

In addition to the salad bar, they have a hot bar of soups and another one of pizzas and macaroni & cheese. They also have a dessert bar and self serve ice cream. I had two plates of salad, it was soooo good. Also some turkey soup. And a few bites of mac & cheese. And a piece of corn bread. Haha. I would totally go there every week, if we lived closer!!

After dinner, Kelsey & I went to Costco. I have been wanting to go and check out prices. We eat a LOT of certain things and while it's just the two of us, it might be cheaper at Costco. We got a bunch of stuff and shared a car. Look how big it got:

Haha. We got those two packs of pillows for $10!! I got 30 rolls of toilet paper for $15!! 5lbs of oatmeal for $10!! I got some really good deals. I came home to compare some prices I found to Amazon and Soap.com. They simply do not compare - Costco beat those two sites for every item I looked into. 

We are going to get a membership to hit up Costco every few weeks or so. Yippeeee!

Fun way to spend a Monday night!

Inspiring

Erik posted this video today and I just think it's so awesome. How inspiring that this 9 year old has more sportsmanship than most professional athletes have!

Low Key Sunday

Sunday was another low key day for us. It started off like this....

Evie loves to cuddle up RIGHT next to you after she wakes up in the morning. She has her breakfast, goes the bathroom, and then wants you to sit on the couch so she can snuggle buggle. She usually likes to put her head ON your lap so you can't use the computer, too!

Our self portraits together

 Got the laundry done, Erik surfed, and then I went downtown. I had lunch at the mall at my fave spot, Buckhorn Grill. The roadhouse salad is the best! I specifically went downtown to go to the mall to get my 2013 wall calendar

I know we have a lot of calendar technology but I just LOVE filling out my calendar for the year and seeing it all hanging up. I also love paper planners. haha

After the errands, we took Evie out for a walk. Erik came with us, which we always enjoy!

We had an impromptu dinner last night at Nopa. We were in the mood for burgers and figured this hot spot restaurant might not be that bad of a wait if we got there quickly. We walked over 5 minutes prior to them starting to seat guests with dinner reservations. We easily grabbed a seat at the bar. It was perfect!

From Foodspotting

Nice way to end the weekend... Here's to a good week!

Sand Eating Saturday

Saturday started off with having a lovely breakfast with Betsy & Sierra up at Betsy's house. She made us these awesome blueberry muffins which were SO good!

Yesterday, Evie and I took our walk up to Buena Vista park. We love going up here because there are so many different paths to take. We decided to take the route around the park and end up at this playground we  like to go to. Here was our view from the top of Duboce Ave.

She loves to run and dig in this sand. We only come here when no one is here because technically....

Here is a video of her digging and EATING sand. So gross!!


While we were out walking, Erik went surfing. We also NEVER watch football but we put the 49ers game on yesterday just to see who won. Well the 49ers killed the Packers . It would be cool to see the 49ers win the Superbowl because we already won the World Series. Then we would have two winning teams here!

Anwyayyyyyyyyyyy, we stopped by the new wine bar in our neighborhood last night. It is literally around the corner from us.


It was packed and the wines were pricey. What do you expect from a wine bar though, I suppose. I feel like our neighborhood is definitely developing into a hot 'hood and this place seems a teeeeny bit out of place right now. Like it's just a little too upscale for its location. We'll see how it goes. It could be a sign of things to come!

Hakuna Matata

 Last night, I saw the Lion King and it was AWESOME! Erik bought me a ticket for Christmas and I was sooooo excited to go! The show was really amazing. The actors were all pupeteers because they had become the animals. The show is based on the movie and was great!

The show was about 2.5 hours long and the theatre was PACKED. I'm so glad I got to see this show. I've wanted to see it for awhile and it did not disappoint!!

Oh I just can't wait to be King!

This week has been a good one. Just working, working out, chillin out like usual...

On Tuesday, my friend Nicole came over and we made pizza for dinner. Evie was thrilled to see her. She loves Nicole! This was her excited look when I told her Nicole would be coming over after work. Haha

It has been so cold here. I mean in the low 40's and that is cold for us. I know everyone else in the country is truly freezing but remember, you all also have central heating and storm windows unlike us with our rickety windows and no insulation city apartments. We have had to put BOTH space heaters on in the house. haha.

I'm so excited because tonight, I am finally going to see LION KING!!! Erik bought me a ticket for Christmas and I can't wait to see it.



Jersey Boys and Mary Poppins are also coming to SF in the next couple of months & I can't wait to see them, too.

  

Runnnnnn!

Saw this on Pinterest today and had to post this. This tough dog is terrified of the vacuum.

Evie totally does this. Barks and RUNS from the vacuum. She tries to bite the vacuum but if you take the hose out - look out. She will runnnnn away. haha. I Think it is because she has put her mouth on it and her tongue got stuck to the hose.

Together Again!

Verrrrry exciting news. Not only am I doing TNT but so is Erik!!! We are going to be co-mentors together!! I'm sooooo excited.



We had so much fun on the last team together. It's so great having him there for our early Saturday mornings and after our long runs. This will be so much fun!

We're so excited to help other people get involved in fighting cancer and having a great season.

I was going through old emails from the first time I joined TNT. It was in 2008 and I had emailed someone who wanted to donate and told them, "I just ran 4 miles for the first time in my life. I don't know how I'm going to run 13.1" Too funny.

Last night, I went to a Mentor training meeting where I got my Mentor shirt and packet. We will get our group assigned to us this week. Very exciting!!

More Team In Training!

I am so excited to say that I have been chosen as a Mentor for the Summer Team In Training team here in SF! Woohooo!



A team will have a number of Mentors on it and each Mentor is assigned a small group of runners within the team. The purpose of a Mentor is to help your run group through any questions they have about training and fundraising. Some run teams can be huge, so having a small Mentor group allows a few people to know each other right away and have some people to lean on.

When I first joined TNT in 2008, I had a great Mentor (who is the wife of one of Erik's hockey friends!) and group of ladies in my group. I am still friends with them today!


I can't wait for the opportunity to help people new to TNT with their fundraising and provide support. Kick-off is January 26th and I think the season starts in Mid-February!

I'm going to sign up for my first Rock N' Roll half marathon in....San Diego!


Since I just did TNT and fundraised, I actually do not have to fundraise this time around. It will be great to be a part of the program without that added pressure and just have fun!

Can't wait to share more info about the team and training!

We recognized...

Yesterday felt like a long day. We went to storage to return the Christmas boxes of decorations, drove up north and looked at an apartment, AND looked at a car. Whew. 

We looked at a cute place in San Rafael, north of SF. 

It was a THREE bedroom, 2 bathroom place with a yard. It was an older house but it had a lot more room than we have now, a washer & dryer, and a driveway. Ahhhh to not have to get quarters to do laundry or search for parking any longer seems like a dream. The owner said he had just taken a deposit from someone before we came in. Oh well....

We also went to test drive a car for Erik. WE loved it but we didn't love the price. We also had a big realization. We HAVE to buy the car before we move. If we moved north and only I had a car, Erik would have to take public transportation and only surf on the weekends. Its doable, of course, but not ideal. We want to feel good about moving, not wishing we were back in SF where not having a 2nd car isn't a pain. 

So, we are going to prioritize getting the car. Then, move on from there. 

We stopped for some much needed burgers on our way home from Marin. We stopped at Roam on Fillmore and it was delish. 

We rested when we got home from our exhausting day. hah. Finished the weekend out with more Khloe and Kourtney take Miami and Californication!

More Jamber Time

After our walk on Saturday, we went to storage to put the Christmas tree and decorations away. Then, we stopped at 21st Amendment brewery for a drink. Erik tried Red IPA, Back and Black IPA, and a Five South IPA. I had a Trumer Pils. I don't really care for the beers there all that much. We did have some wings which were yummy!

After the Amendment, we went back to Jamber for dinner. When we stopped in for drinks last week, we saw their delicious menu and wanted to try it. First, I had a wine flight of two Zinfandels, a Petite Syrah, and a Granache. 

  This Zinfandel was my fave!

We had these awesome "tater tots" of potato, parmesan, and rosemary with an aioli dipping sauce. So good! We also each got chicken pot pie which was great. The only thing we didn't love was the dessert that Erik had. It was an apple crisp but more like half baked apple bits with granola over it. Oh well!

We headed home to watch more Californication on DVD. Another series we got sucked into but it's crazy/pretty good. Hope you had a good Saturday!