My Weekend in Photos

Posted on August 5, 2013 by phjiao

Hi everyone –

Much of my happiness comes from spending time with family & friends! I am truly blessed in so many ways!

It was a very busy & long work week, so by Friday evening, I was ready to party! I say party because my sister-in-law organized a small birthday party for my niece. It was nice to celebrate my niece, spend time with my family, laugh & relax! It has been a pleasure and honor to see my niece grow up all of these years! Next year is the big 15th birthday….her Quinceanera!!

I was looking forward to Saturday because I was going to spend time with one of my closest friends, Lizeth! She is like a sister to me! We went to the baptism of our friend Xochitl’s son, Maximiliano. The baptism was held at the beautiful Holy Spirit Church in Tijuana and the reception at the Campestre Country Club. In Xochitl’s words, it was a “Fabulous Baptism!” She did not forget any detail, it was beautiful! From the dessert table, the centerpieces and decor, the view, the baby’s baptism attire, Xochitl’s outfit, everything was exquisite! Baby Max is growing so fast, he is a cutie! I carpooled with Lizeth and her husband, and we chatted the entire time, from the drive there, to the time at the reception, to the drive back, haha! It was nice to catch up with her!! I’ve missed spending time with my friend – we talk on the phone often and each time we get together we simply continue where we left off. I am lucky to have her as a friend! When we arrived back at her home, I was able to visit with her mom and aunt for a little while, and see baby Mauricio, he is precious, just two months!

Today, I did something I have not done in about three years! My hubby was out of town, so I slept in until my body woke up, then read in bed and caught up on my Facebook friends posts! Ahhh! I used to sleep in on Sundays when I was single, but hadn’t done it in a long time! I spent a much needed relaxing day at home and started editing a video for my vblog (video blog – coming soon)! I enjoy our social, active lifestyle, but appreciate at least one day a week to relax and get some down time!

How was your weekend and did you do anything fun? What do you have planned for the week?

Best wishes for a wonderful, productive week! Let’s go out there and make things happen!

Hugs,

Paola

My Weekend In Photos

Posted on July 29, 2013 by phjiao

It’s hard to believe another weekend passed! It definitely felt like summer time because we went to the Races in Del Mar, and to visit my grandmother and aunts in Rosarito, something we do each summer!

Friday, we went with a group to the Races in Del Mar, it was fun, nice to see the beautiful horses, and to spend time with my hubby & friends!

Saturday I woke up excited, felt like a little girl! For a few weeks now I had been anticipating this weekend because I made plans to to go visit my Mamita (grandmother) and aunts in Rosarito! They spend some time there in the summer. We’ve had plans the past few weekends, so this was the Saturday I had reserved to go visit my beloved Mamita! She is very, very special to me, as close as a mom, one of the wisest people I know and has shared her advise with me over the years. Fortunately, my nieces were able to go with me, so it was like old times (when I was single), and we took a day trip to Rosarito! Just the three of us! It was a treat to spend time with my nieces! I still see them often, but don’t get much one-on-one time with them! They are growing so fast! We chatted during the entire drive and while visiting my Mamita. It was nice to see my grandmother, aunts, cousins, and mom was also visiting, so it was an extra nice time with family!

Sunday was a relaxing day at home! Finally! We’ve been busy lately, with all kinds of fun plans & outings, but I was looking forward to being at the house & enjoying our home! I made myself a cappuccino, ok two cappuccinos to start my day, and enjoyed the day with my hubby! We did not leave the house all day….ahhhh, I needed a day like this! The car search continues, so we spent time looking for cars on-line. I decided I wanted to make my own homemade baked plantain chips, which ended up becoming a four hour process. They came out yummy, but I decided I will just stick to buying them at Trader Joe’s. Their plantain chips are quite healthy, low on fat & sodium, and natural with only oil and salt. Plus, they keep longer. But, at least I tried it and realized they are probably just as fattening due to the oil the recipe included. I’ll write a separate post of the recipe I used (found it on-line) and steps I followed.

We got to spend some time with the kitties! They are so cute! My husband showed me a trick Blackie does – when he climbs on his back. I must admit, I’ve become quite attached to the kitties! I was not much of a cat person when we first got married, but I have become attached to both of them!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend too! What did you do?

Best wishes for a great week! Let’s get lots done this week!

Hugs,

Paola

My Weekend in Photos

Posted on July 23, 2013 by phjiao

Another fun weekend! I feel fortunate to have friends and family that include us in their festivities! My career also keeps me busy and provides opportunities to attend interesting events!

What did you do this weekend?

Mine was packed with fun outings:

Friday, after work, I went to the The Family Health Center’s – Spirit of the Barrio Fiesta. It was a fun event! They had an “Elected Officials Tamal Making Contest.” I spent time with my friend Carlette Lewis at the event, we used to work together eons ago at the Workforce Partnership and have remained friends. It was nice to catch up with her!

Saturday was a very anticipated day – my nephew Andrew’s 5th Birthday Party! It was nice to celebrate this amazing, cheerful little guy that brings so much joy to our lives! I love my nephew so much, he is very important in my life! It was nice to see family and friends!

After the party, we went to my sisters home to unwrap the gifts. It was a fun day with family and friends as we celebrated one more year in our beloved Andrew’s life! He is a true blessing in our lives!

A funny story about my outfit that day is that I tried it on with about three pairs of shoes, all wedges, to decide which one’s I would wear. When I arrived at the birthday party I was handed a pair of socks to wear – instead of my shoes. I had forgotten about the “no shoes” rule at this location 🙂 I felt like Carrie in Sex & the City, from the episode where she is asked to take her shoes off as she arrives at a child’s birthday party, haha! I was fine with it, I just laughed because I had put some thought into which shoes looked best with my outfit.

Sunday, we went to Long Beach for baby John’s baptism. John is my friends Susana & John’s son. He is a cutie! Susana and I have been friends since college. She has been a good friend to me throughout the years, always lending an ear when I needed career advice. I was meeting baby John for the first time, he is adorable! I have remained in contact with Susana and had seen many pictures of him. He is a beautiful baby, even more adorable in person! He could be a Gerber baby!

By coincidence during our drive to Long Beach for the baptism we got a call regarding a car we had looked at on-line (I am considering getting a different car). Since we were going to be in the area we drove a bit further north to Los Angeles after the baptism to see the car. By that time, I was in need of coffee – and we searched for a Starbuck’s! I drink coffee every morning, either at home or work, but rarely go to a coffee house to get one. The coffee was a nice treat! I really enjoy road trips with my hubby because we chat about a million things, from plans we have, to our thoughts and opinions, to stories about our past. My hubby in one of the smartest and wisest people I know (and I know some smart people!), which leads to interesting conversations. My hubby’s previous boss describes him as MENSA due to the amount of knowledge and level of retention he has. After a long day & the road trip, I was ready to hit the sack by the time we got home! But, as we say in Spanish, “La bailada nadie me me la quita!” Which means, “no one can take the dancing away from me” referring to the “good time I had”!

Happy Monday to everyone – and best wishes for a productive week! Make it a great one!

Do you have any big plans for the week?

Hugs,

Paola

My Weekend in Photos

Posted on July 16, 2013 by phjiao

This was a fun weekend…it went by too fast! Hope you had a great weekend! What did you do? Share your pictures with me! Here are some pictures from my weekend.

Friday evening, I did some power shopping in three hours! Found a few more gifts I needed for my hubby’s b-day and my nephew’s birthday party is coming up, found more gifts for him! I also bought gifts for two baptisms I have coming up. This should get me through shopping for the next few weeks, phew! I still want buy a Sulley stuffed animal that my nephew would like for his birthday. I managed to wrap my hubby’s & nephew’s gifts Friday evening. I will wrap the baptism gifts this week. I used to spend hours wrapping gifts in boxes and with gift wrapping paper – they do look nice, but lately I’ve opted for using gift bags 😉 They look nice, are practical, and much faster to wrap! I still wrap a few gifts…but, not all the time.

We bought this playset for my nephew on one of our trips (as a birthday gift), hope he likes it!

Saturday, we headed to the Bastille Day Celebration with my compadres! We had a wonderful time! Lots of laughs, good food, excellent wine, and most importantly great company!

Sunday was my hubby’s birthday celebration. We went to dinner with family at his favorite German restaurant (pretty much the only one in San Diego)…..Kaiserhof Restaurant. It was nice to see family….especially my nieces and nephews, and of course, to celebrate my hubby! My nephew selected the cutest birthday card for my hubby. He knows we have cats, so he got him a card with cats & even wrote a message inside himself (he is 4, which makes this super cute). My other nephew helped blow out the candles! We had a fun time and my hubby enjoyed his little celebration!

Best wishes to everyone…have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

Paola

Friendships That Warm Your Heart

Posted on July 14, 2013 by phjiao

One of my closest friends is my comadre Marissa (comadre/compadre is what parents call their children’s godparents in Spanish). We went to college together, were roommates one summer, have traveled together, we know each other’s families, and have remained friend’s for about 20 years. She is family to me. We have been through many stages of our lives together, we were in each other’s weddings, and I was honored when she asked me to be the baptismal godmother to her beautiful daughter. My goddaughter has become a niece to me. I will never forget the words Marissa used when she asked me to be the godmother, she said “I selected you because you are one of my oldest and closest friends, and I value your friendship. I want us to remain friends and involved in each other’s lives, for the rest of our lives.” She may not recall those words, but I do. They warmed my heart and have stayed with me since then. It was a special honor because in our culture and religious beliefs baptismal godparents are an important decision.

With our family commitments, careers, and busy schedules, we aren’t always able to see each other as often as we would like. Unlike with my other friends, Marissa and I don’t speak on the phone very often. We catch up on the phone a few times per year and those end up being about one hour conversations. We get together a few times per year, usually for our family birthday parties, holidays, and we schedule gatherings with our two families, to visit and catch up.

We are each individual and different types of people. Every friendship is different and how we nurture and maintain that relationship is different as well. I have learned over the years, that true friendships will be with you for a long time and to nurture each friendship differently. Not all my friends like to speak on the phone, not all my friends can change plans spontaneously, not all my friends are able to get together often, and that is ok. I have a handful of close friends and accept them as they are, just as they accept me as I am. I value the love, happiness, and sense of belonging they bring to my life and I value that. They have been there for me in good times and bad, and I for them. It is nice to know these women will be a part of my life, for the rest of my life….I hope they will! These friends are the family I choose.

Yesterday, we attended the Bastille Day Celebration (charity event) in Rancho Santa Fe. We had a wonderful time, so much fun! I also saw my friend Lucy at the event and we got to catch up! Here are a few pics of our outing. It was nice to spend time with my hubby, my compadres, and to see my goddaughter…and the memories of the laughs and good time we had will stay with me forever!

Who is your closest friend? Have you had a friendship that has lasted more than 5, 10, or 20 years? Tell me about it…stories about good friends are always fun!

Now, go call your close friends and wish them a happy Sunday!

Hugs,

Paola

PS – Creating Memorable Experiences with Friends.

This is the basket my hubby won in the Silent Auction bid, a package for a round of golf at La Costa Resort and Spa. All to support a good cause!

PS – Fun getaway with another Silent Auction Prize we purchased: Weekend in Las Vegas!

Birthdays / Cumpleanos

Posted on July 2, 2013 by phjiao

We all have birthdays. If you are like me, your days are pretty full and when asked about celebrating your birthday you may say, “not planning anything really big.” But, our friends and family want to celebrate us. So, every year, I end up having a four to five day celebration of my birthday, it’s become a tradition – between dinner with my hubby, a gathering with family, a dinner party with friends (thanks Lola!), a cake with work colleagues…and we have the best time! Times that create great memories of moments with friends and family, those moments that are priceless! It is nice to know you are loved and people want to celebrate you! Next year, just accept it and let others celebrate you….you will create wonderful memories that will last a lifetime!

What did you do on your last birthday? Do you have a fond memory from a birthday celebration?

Hugs,

Paola

Español: Todos tenemos un cumpleaños. Si eres como yo, tus días quizas esten llenos – entre el trabajo y compromisos, y cuando te preguntan si vas a festejar tu cumpleaños dices, “no estoy planeando nada en grande.” Pero, nuestras amistades y familia nos quieren festejar nuestro cumpleaños. Así que cada ano termino teniendo un festejo de cuatro o cinco días, ya se ha convertido en una tradición – entre cena con mi marido, reunión con mi familia, cena con amigos (gracias Lola), y pastel con compañeros de trabajo….y siempre la pasamos super divertido! Son momentos que crean bonitos recuerdos de convivencia con familia y amigos, esos momentos que no tienen precio! Es bonito saber que te quieren y la gente te quiere festejar! El próximo ano simplemente aceptalo y deja que otros te festejen….crearas recuerdos hermosos que te duraran toda una vida!

Que hiciste en tu ultimo cumpleaños? Tienes algún bonito recuerdo de un festejo de cumpleaños?

Un abrazo,

Paola

Exercise Buddy

Posted on June 28, 2013 by phjiao

Exercise is an important….and necessary part of my life. I have battled with my weight my entire life. It is not easy to maintain my weight, I gain weight easily and have to watch what I eat, as well as exercise regularly, otherwise my weight goes up quickly! I do not consider myself overweight (nor do the medical charts). Every year it gets harder to stay at my weight because well, as we age our metabolism get slower….fantastic, right? Luckily, I do like to exercise….but am not one of those people that wakes up with the desire to go for a jog….I have to talk myself into exercising. Exercise has many health benefits, physical and emotional, it helps me de-stress, feel more energetic overall, and I sleep better when I exercise regularly.

Over the next few weeks, I will share with you strategies that I use to stay fit & not gain weight. Trust me, it is not easy for me. Wish it was….wish I was naturally thin, wish I did not have an appetite for sweets & tortilla chips, wish it was easy to lose weight, wish there was a secret pill to stay thin…..but, that is not the case, haha. I can’t wish to be thin, I have to work at it….all my friends and colleagues tell me they have to work at it.

Meet Lola (pictured) – you will hear lots about her in my blog, she is one of my closest friends and the one I spend the most time with! I love this gal! She is not only an excellent friend, the best I could ever ask for, she is also my exercise buddy and helps me get motivated to exercise! We have been walking together for more than six years! We take long, speed walks, usually downtown by the bay. Our route doesn’t change much, but it is a wonderful, fun time, every single time! We call it “our therapy”- haha! It is our “amiguita/friend time,” we chat, we vent, we laugh…all while we exercise. The walk goes by fast, sometimes we walk around the block a few times at the end of the walk because we still have things to talk about. Before I was married, we used to walk together about two to four times per week, now we both make an effort to at least walk together once a week. It is our time to catch up and we value it. Every week we touch bases on Monday and set a day to walk that week. Once we set the day, we rarely change it and pass on other invitations which may seem more fancy (like dinner out)….because this is our time! I joke with her that if Jim and I have a baby (when we do), I’ll probably bring the baby along in the stroller on the walks with Tia Lola (aunt Lola)!

So, if you can, exercise with a friend…..it does wonders for the soul! The calories you burn are just extra….better said – part of the benefit!

Do you have an exercise buddy?

Hugs,

Paola

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Tag Archives: friends

My Weekend in Photos

My Weekend In Photos

My Weekend in Photos

My Weekend in Photos

Friendships That Warm Your Heart

Birthdays / Cumpleanos

Exercise Buddy