August 28 // Fire[s].

My first day back at MHS was today
(doin the assistant photo teacher gig again).

Our plan was to take the kids outside & let them shoot their first roll of film.

But since there is currently a massive fire in the mountains of one of our surrounding cities (actually, there are about 4 different fires in LA right now) & the air quality is, let's just say, less than stellar; we were banned to the classroom.

August 27 // Salads for My Mommy

1 1/2 Handfuls of Romaine Lettuce
1/2 Heirloom Tomato
1 Hard boiled Egg
Some Blueberries
1/2 Avocado
Some Chicken
Top with balsamic vinegar & goat cheese
=
my lunch of choice this week.



See Mom, I CAN eat healthy.

August 26 // Slowly but Surely.

4 girls.
2 bedrooms.
lots of boxes.

=

chaos.


BUT, slowly but surely, our boxes are clearing away and our apartment is feeling like home!


I spent the afternoon accomplishing a few tasks:

(repainting our bookshelf & unpacking my book box)

(cleaning our couch)

(potting some plants!)

August 25 // First Day of School

My Mom's favorite part about the first day of school (besides getting Hunter & I out of the house) has always been the first day of school photo.
Of course, Hunter & I have never been big fans of this tradition.

But I decided to be a good daughter this year & take a really special one.

Hope you like it, Mom.

August 24 // Brace-less.

August 23 // Manal & I are in the Market for a New [Used] Dresser...

But sorry Angelika, my car is about as unreliable as yours.

August 22 // Full Day with the Trips.

Aren't they just the cutest?

August 21 // Tradition.

We got end of summer mani / pedis because tomorrow Kate moves back to school & I won't see her again until I visit her in October :(

August 20 // Becoming Handy.

Manal, Danielle & I started moving into our new apartment today.

There were no guys around, so we put our handy skills to the test by putting up curtains, constructing fans, painting dressers & hanging cork boards.

August 19 // Ask Doobie.

Our Wednesday:

Kate, Matt, Matt & I went to the taping of Chelsea Lately.

Then we picked up our friend Becca & went to CPK for dinner. We surprised Matt Q with a sundae for his birthday (it's tomorrow).


After, we went bowling...


We played 2 games...
I won the first one by a landslide.
& lost the second one by a landslide.


Then we competed in the Rock Band competition as the band, "Ask Doobie".


It was a good day.

August 18 // My Mommy.

August 17 // Birdhouse.

The Bbachers brought this back for me from Spokane, WA.
I can't wait to put it on the porch in my new apartment!

August 16 // We Miss You, Hunter & Dad.

[My dad's cousin] Lenny came for a visit today
(she's in town from Arizona).

NOW it really feels like everyone is here except
Hunter & my Dad :(

Since we had the extra hands & since Lenny wanted to see my apartment; she helped my Mom, Austen, Logan & I move my new mattress to my room.

WHEN WE GOT HOME:

We decided to invite my Dad & Hunter to the party via ichat.

It was way too fun.

(My mom was present behind the camera)

August 15 // [Really] Good Day

When we (the grandkids) were little, one of the traditions we had with our Papa were early morning visits to the donut shop.
...................

We continued the tradition this morning & it was as delicious as I remember.

LATER....

Papa taught me how to drive stick shift in his

1974 Datsun 260 Z.

I've been wanting to drive that car since I was 6...

It was a freakin' great day.

(how beautiful is this car??)
(how awesome is his license plate?)


P.S
The countdown is on:
less than 1 month (29 days) until 365 Days comes to a sad end.

(but I'm still taking suggestions for what will come next)

August 14 // Fun with the [Extended] Family.

MY MOM IS IN TOWN!

...so we're spending the weekend with the family!



Our friday started with a car drive to Lancaster.



We drove by "Karen's Kitchen 3"
(but what we've always wondered is, where is 1 & 2???)



The kids enjoyed the trampoline...


& the adults spent the evening chatting over fatty dinner & delicious pie.

August 13 // Decoy.

When Matt met me for sushi today, he arrived with a brown package.

I thought it might be a present for me...

but instead it was a decoy to make his Macbook look less desirable during his Metro bus ride.

August 12 // 12 hours.

I worked from 6:30 AM - 6:30 PM

and all I wanted to do the whole time was play with my new toy:

August 11 // Meteor Shower.

Meteor Shower.
10 PM-5AM.

1AM: Kate, Matt Q & I drove up Angeles Crest Hwy to get away from cars/lights so we could get a better view.

Everyone seemed to have the same idea.
It was still pretty amazing.

I saw 5 big ones & tons & tons of tiny ones.

August 10 // Her Last Visit from the Tooth Fairy??

With Bose headphones to kill the sound & not enough general anesthetic to kill the pain, Kate braced for impact as she got 2 wisdom teeth yanked [without going into a deep coma] by Dr. Taylor.

The only way I was given permission to post her "post-surgery face" was to promise that I'd show my chipmunk cheeks from my surgery last summer....
Brace yourself, it's pretty embarrassing...

[I looked like I had a tumor in my cheek]

August 9 // Eleven 1/2.

This is Captain and unfortunately he's getting old.
He's 11 1/2, I think.

Mama B's wish of having a "Captain Masterpiece" will soon be granted as Matt began work on it tonight.

.......

He says he has a lot of learning to do to give Captain justice.
I think he knows more than he thinks.

August 8 // Container Store : Heaven for the Extremely Organized

My mom made the mistake of emailing me a promo code for a discounted price on everything in the Container Store...

Why was this a mistake?

Because I spent about 2 hours online this morning (Kate can verify). I took full advantage of the online sale & spent a little too much on storage containers [& other fun stuff] with the hope of utilizing what minimal space my side of the closet has to offer.

Why is it that you can justify spending more money than you otherwise would, because there's a sale and it's somehow saving (?) you money...

It makes no sense.
But it totally got me.

August 7 // Ben & Abby Turn 6.

Ben & Abby were only a few months old when I started babysitting them.

They turned six today.

I'm having one of my first "I'm getting old" moments.

Matt & I joined in the fun as the kids went crazy for the
Star Wars / Hello Kitty theme.
Face paint & balloons were the name of the game & the kids ate it up!

If I remember correctly my 6th birthday party was at a gymnastics studio? I don't know why this would be since I never took gymnastics, but maybe my memory is deceiving me...
Any help, mom?

August 6 // One Person's Trash = My Treasure

I found this bookshelf in a street awaiting the trash man.

I knew [Logan &] I could save it from the landfill.
And after destroying the black widow nest, cleaning, sanding & painting...

I'm pretty pleased.


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