Baby Shower.

Our dear friends Rachel & Jon are expecting their first baby in March. There would be NO way that her Oakland family would NOT be throwing her a shower to celebrate their new addition. Since I had never taken on this feat before {let alone planning ANY party}, I thought...who better than me to volunteer? My friends Courtney & Kennan jumped in to help me. Thank the LORD for these ladies. Courtney provided the fabulously lit apartment for the space & did the food and Kennan put together the games. I pretty much handled everything else. It was such a fun experience. I genuinely enjoyed every part of planning this shower.

  

It's a BOY: Naturally, the theme had to be Mustache Bash.

Wet your whiskers with orange mango pineapple punch, sparkling cider, champs, or a mix of all three.

 Courtney's homemade spinach bacon quiches with graham cracker crusts, chocolate & vanilla cupcakes topped with fresh fruits, turkey & roast beef sandwich rolls, piggies in a blanket, spiced pineapple {one of the things Rachel said she has been craving}

 Close up of the adorable pigs in a blanket.

Details...antique chic candles, turquoise straws, ribbons.

The diaper cake I made for Rachel. There are four packs of newborn diapers rolled in there!

 Can't be a Mustache Bash Shower without mustache props for the guests and game prizes {inside vellum envelopes I decorated with hand cut mustaches with ribbon bow ties}.

The fabulous dessert table, cookies {melted caramel chocolate, spiced cinnamon, and white chocolate macadamia nut} by Courtney and pumpkin bars by our lovely Sarah.

Cheese & crackers by Courtney. Other food not shown is Courtney's famous buffalo chicken dip & hand-rolled crock pot meatballs! She is AMAZING!

Baby Price is Right by Kennan.

Guess the Diaper Surprise by Kennan.

I made white and milk chocolate mustache pops for favors.

 The sign is read "Before you 'mustache' {must dash} Please Take One...it's kinda fun once you get it. Ha.

Our Guests...featuring:

Mama L. & Baby L.

Mama L. & Papa L.

{Since our Oakland family is small & close, we decided a co-ed celebration would be more fun.}

Mama L. & Remi L.

After lots of food, beverages, games, and gifts....The End.

Dover Court.

Every time we visit San Diego, our beach cruisers always end up gravitating towards the Court where we  met as next door neighbors.

Dover Court.

{Looking North towards Pacific Beach & La Jolla.}

I lived at 718, and he was next door at 722. Located in South Mission Beach, two houses in from sand and ocean.

{On my old fence, looking west towards the beach.}

 {718 Dover...my old bedroom window on the right.}

{Jack's old entry door in the middle of the picture, lower floor of 722 next to my bedroom window.} 

I was in my junior year of college at the University of San Diego. He was studying microbiology at San Diego State University.  I sort of use the term "studying" loosely...we were focusing on the investment in a different part of our future...each other. And friends. I think that is one of the most important parts about college, actually. Learning to balance it all. Don't get me wrong...we did spend several all nighters in the library together that year...but mostly because we had to. Studying was not going to happen at home. Work hard, play hard...and we did it well. 

Dover Court was was Sept-May dorms at the beach. Students from colleges all around came down to live with roommates in the cute but equally run down bungalows lining the boardwalk. Priorities included: Surfing. Laying out. Running. Playing volleyball. Rollerblading. Bike riding. Laying out. Surfing. Laying out. Priorities did not include: Eating. Studying {I did make 99.9% of my classes, though!}. Seeing MTV filming the latest reality show next door wasn't really big news. And neither was coming home to a complete stranger sleeping on your couch.

My first memory of Jack would be seeing him walk by my door carrying his surf board towards the beach. He was in an all black tank top and board shorts and all I could think was: He. Is. So. Cute.

Later that night, my roommate Ashley was doing my hair & makeup in our bathroom for a party later. Jack was unusually interested. And wanted to join us later. I wondered why.

Dover is also where I snagged my dream internship at the {imo} best boutique tax firm in all of San Diego, which turned into my dream job after I graduated. So, although after living at the beach for a year felt almost as if I had survived a war {exhaustion from always being on the go, heading to a party, working out, getting to class, working my hostess job to pay the rent-which I would not have been able to do without my family's help}, I wouldn't give up that experience for anything. I still am in contact and love almost every friend I made on Dover Court, and I ended up marrying my next door neighbor. Yes, living here probably did play a large role in the only C I earned in my college career {Operations Management...what even IS that?}, but it was beyond worth it. Hands down, Dover Court was epic.

Some other fun facts:

Jack's parents lived on Dover Court as newlyweds.

Dover Court is the only reason I know how to parallel park like a champion...in any vehicle.

Dover Court is where Jack and I discovered that we have the same birthday. 8.3.1984. It was all over from there...why fight destiny?

Dover Court is where my husband proposed to me {years later}:

{Moments after the proposal. Jack's Dad was hiding with a camera to catch our faces...so that's what the growing crowd on the boardwalk was doing.}

Here's to many more of our generations having memories on Dover. I wouldn't trade mine for the world.

Weekend Intellect.

One of the many things that gets me out of bed on a Saturday morning in the winter {besides Sushi & Miso jumping on my chest, announcing breakfast time} is what kind of cozy winter weekend outfit I can put together...Something that might not be appropriate for work, but perfect for something like looking competent for a tutoring session or sophisticated enough for a trip to the bank or grocery store. The latter is probably a more casual version...but because there is a public appearance involved, there will always be mascara & lip gloss. No exceptions.

Oh yeah, I started tutoring in my spare time: http://www.wyzant.com/Tutors/KatelynCPA

I imagine something like this:

Weekend Intellect. by kschnaible

{here is my "grocery shopping" interpretation. for the record, i have red nails.}

A Handbag or Eight.

Jack and I took a last minute road trip over the holidays to stay with his parents at their beautiful home in San Diego. I seriously lucked out with the family I gained in marrying my husband. His parents are among the kindest, most caring, genuine, warm-hearted people I have ever met.

{Noris, John, & Jack on our Christmas Eve harbor dinner cruise in San Diego}

Specifically, I love my Mother in Law, Noris. I can talk with her for HOURS {literally, and we did/do}. She inspires me to be a better person in many ways. She offers me wisdom & guidance in my life as a woman, in marriage, and my walk with God. I could not be more appreciative of her in my {our} life. Not only has she helped me to develop myself emotionally, we also occasionally share a more materialistic side: our love for purses, shoes, nail polish, hair, and putting together outfits.

Between going through dear Grandmother's closet {the lovely Ms. Matty Moffet Davidson has impeccable taste}, random boutique shopping, Christmas & New Years, I think she single handedly doubled my current handbag collection over this last trip. Let's peruse the recent additions to my collection, shall we? {!!!!!!!}

{gorgeous & ultra classy art deco white leather cross body bag by paloma picasso from Noris' closet.} 

{vintage golden mesh evening bag from Grandmother's closet.}

 {not quite a bag, but an adorable vintage rhinestone & satin belt from Grandmother's closet.}

 {opalescent silver & rhinestone clutch from Noris' closet specifically inspired by NYE.}

{a rose gold sequin clutch by white house black market. Noris & I picked up matching bags on our fabulous boutique shopping day in Del Mar, CA.}  

{my handsome husband ordered this hand-tanned leather bag from here on etsy for me as my Christmas surprise. I mentioned to him in passing that I loved it. heart. melting. also, miso couldn't resist being involved.}

 

 {vintage red kate spade wallet in original red box & velvet from Grandmother's closet. love. love. love.} 

{vintage hand beaded floral evening bag from Grandmother's closet - front view}

{back view of same floral bag. no one told miso that he is not vanna white.} 

{i couldn't resist not sharing the inside of the vintage floral bag...it is lined with satin and comes with the original mirror!}

{louis vuitton favorite pm evening clutch. option of shoulder chain or leather cross body strap. from my closet via Christmas & the best Mother in Law & Daddy in Law ever!}

I am so thankful for all the fun I had in San Diego with the Davidson's. This excerpt doesn't even begin to cover it.