children are our future/my bestie is a badass.

While in DC last weekend, I got to spend some quality time with Megalina's kindergarten class + in that afternoon with eighteen five-year-olds, I came to the conclusion that my best friend is an {educating} badass.

You (devout readers) may remember my awesome experience when I visited Megan's classroom in her first year of teaching with Teach for America and since that lovely day where I got to read a book about bones to her class, she has finished her two-year run with TFA {badass}, received her masters in early childhood education {badass} + is now part of a huge movement in education {double badass}!!

Her current school made headlines last year when the entire staff was fired by Chancellor Michelle Rhee and while Megan knew she would be coming in to an inner-city school in the District, she had no idea which school she would be teaching at when she signed on for the job... a HUGE job at that!

Megan's school is following a curriculum + establishing a culture that maximizes the learning to be done + I am certain that in five years (when they benchmark the success of the program!) they are going to see Megan's kinderbabies excelling above + beyond grade average!

Look! It's me, a {finger puppet} nurse! =)

Part of the school's mission is to get kids thinking/excited about college + engraining the idea of continuing their education long past elementary school in to their tiny, spongey minds. The theme of her classroom is FSU (Megan's alma mater) + they sang the entire FSU fight song for me! It was melt-your-heart presh! =)

They built me a "hospital for babies!" Lovesit!! =)

A modern-day Picasso. One little boy drew a portrait of me in Orange + Blue! FSU... whaaat??!! While I'm glad they are excited for college, I had to inform them of a university near FSU that was even more awesome!... the one I think Meg+Danny's kids will chose to go to! =)

Learning how to write stories... I know you're not supposed to pick favourites but if you could only see his dance moves...

soo tired at the end of their long day... I was exhausted too!

I learned a lot in their little classroom. Not just how to add pennies, nickels + dimes or sound out words but the intangible lessons, too. Don't bring toy guns (that look a lot like real guns!) to school. If you want children to learn something, change the words to the latest rap song and your point will be beautifully conveyed. Don't punch people in the eye. Goldfish + animal crackers are perfect rewards. But most importantly, if children are our future... the foundation established in Ms. Lucas's classroom looks incredibly bright!! =)

more cribbage please... sans the gurney.

Words cannot describe how wonderful the friends are that I have in my life... truly, they cannot... but perhaps these photographs speak for themselves, in a way that doesn't need adjectives to do the describing.

... just the best of friends, reading damnyouautocorrect, cracking jokes, dominating board games... completely forgetting that blood is being drawn, IVs are being inserted, diagnostic tests are running...

... a special kind of love that fills the room + drowns out the chaos to make for a very, peaceful emergency... + allows you to keep calm + carry on {smiling} in a sacred-kinship-kind-of-way.
No fever spike or attack of anxiety could ever disturb it. 

Here's to many more cribbage tournaments together... sans the gurney. MALYTAB

thanksgiving tradition.

When I left Winnipeg on Wednesday (more on that in a future post), I was determined to get to spend Thanksgiving the most traditional way I know how ... with good food + great company!... With these simple staples as my prerequisites, there was only one place that could be ... in a (homemade) kitchen with the Gallos!  Lucky for me, Mr. Rick, Barb + Carly had flown up to D.C. to be with Meg+Danny and while it wasn't exactly on my way to Knoxville, it wasn't tooo out of the way either so after battling several blizzards which melted into rainstorms the further South I went, I made it with exactly one hour left of Thanksgiving to eat some of the tastiest turkey my tastebuds have ever known and Barb's infamous pumpkin roll!    

  I have spent the majority of every major holiday the last few years with the Gallos. Sadly, my blog does not reflect this and when I was pondering why that is, I realized it's because when I am with them we do very ordinary things that you normally would not document (eating dinner, watching movies, playing cards). But when in their presence, it becomes extraordinary + while its hard to capture in photographs, its definitely worth documenting, even if its hard to find the words to describe it, so I was trying to be conscious of taking candid photogs to remember this super special weekend.
When we're together, we spend lots of time cooking (most of the time I fall asleep curled up in a ball on the couch absorbing Barb's cooking skills via osmosis)

 Friday, we tackled the crowds of  Black Friday and the five of us did a little bit of shopping at our favorite stores (me = Anthropologie!). When we got home that afternoon, we watched Meg+Danny's wedding video and it was perhaps my favorite part of the weekend. To say their wedding was one of my favorite nights of my life would be an understatement. Carly studies architecture at Florida International University in Miami + Friday night we made a delicious Spanish style dinner while consuming yummy wine and dancing to reggaeton! 

so many laughs ... 

. 

 

 It felt great to be back in the country that reserves every Saturday from September- December for (college football's) Gameday and it just so happened to be UF vs. FSU, both of our alma maters biggest rivalry game! We have spent many games together like this one and after a six year winning streak, the Gators lost (badly) to the Seminoles. Danny was super excited!! I feel so lucky to probably be the only person in orange & blue that Danny (FSU's #1) would hug while wearing "such ugly colors!"

Meg+Danny's closest friends in DC also came over to watch the game (They are LSU alum and watched their game simultaneously on a TV in the next room!) and afterwards we played many rounds of cards (the name of the game we played is a profanity that rhymes with shmasshole) until the "Must only speak in Spanish" rule was implemented and I had to call it a "noche". HA!

I'm not sure exactly what I am doing with my life at this exact moment but I am quite certain that surrounding myself with the people I love the most is at the top of my life list ... the Gallos (all 5 of them) are my "thanksgiving tradition" + I am so happy it worked out for me to be with them this year.

With a lot more inner reconciliation to be had, it was no wonder I hopped back in my car today and drove seven more hours to my sister's to see Kara, Grams + Reese.
  

excerpts of: The Gallo Family.

I found several unfinished posts about the Gallo Family. I guess I found it super hard to put in to words just how amazing they are! From their cooking (read: Gourmet Gallos) to their passion for volunteerism (read: Intertwined.) they are an incredible family and I am incredibly lucky to call them my own.

4/30/09 - Tarara Winery

While in Washington, the Gallos and I went to a fabulous wine tasting at a local winery, Tarara. It was interesting trying all the different wines made here with their interesting bodies and flavors (I don't really know much about tasting wine.) My favorite part of the day was driving through the country feeling so disconnected from civilization, a nice change from LA life.

6/15/08 - Intertwined

Happy Father's Day to the greatest Dad I know! It is hard to put into words the amazingness that is Mr. Rick! He is quite possibly the most selfless person I have ever known. Dedicating countless hours for decades to the March of Dimes, he embodies the true meaning of philanthropist.

12/28/08 - Danny.

When you have had the same best friend since 6th grade, you have had many conversations about your ideal man. And it makes me so happy to know my bestie will be marrying her perfect match!

12/28/08 - Gourmet Gallo.

My favourite part of coming back to Florida is the home cooked meals and Barb definitely raises the bar for good home cooking! She makes the most yummiest meals for every meal of the day.

7/21/09- A random act of kindness.

Just before Father's Day, I received an incredibly touching e-mail from Mr. Rick. He was writing to tell "his daughters" (how lucky am I to be included in that category!) that he already had everything he could ever ask for from Megan, Carly and I just in the young women we are and how proud we make him in the accomplishments we achieve and that all that he wanted for this Father's Day was for us to do something kind for someone else and tell him about it. He suggested we help the elderly or call someone that we would know would love to hear from us or something simple like that that would make a big difference in the lives of those around us. I immediately began searching for the perfect opportunity to commit my act of kindness but being on holidays and working non-stop didn't seem to present many opportunities to do any grand gesture I thought was worth telling about. Never good at giving obligatory gifts (holidays, birthdays, etc.) I decided to approach this gift to Mr. Rick the only way I know how to give gifts ... randomly; when I come across something that reminds me of someone I get it simply because I think they would like it ... not because I have to. It was hard to achieve a sense of randomness when I was so conscious of completing this task, especially since Father's Day was only a couple of days away... but I eventually put it out of my mind hoping the perfect opportunity would come about. I wouldn't say that this is any grand gesture but it was definitely random: I take the same short six mile drive to work everyday. When I get off the 101 at the Sunset Blvd exit I immediately have to stop at the top of the ramp and everyday at the stop sign is a guy who looks hot and weathered. Usually I spend my time at stoplights with homeless people begging at them trying not to make eye contact and anxiously awaiting for the light to turn green. I would never give them money and never have any food in my car. But this guy is young. Probably in his mid-twenties and his sign says "just keep living". There is certain sadness in eyes that breaks my heart. The only way I can stay awake working nights is to eat. Continuously. For 12 hours straight. Always getting so excited for all the food at Trader Joe's I usually just take an entire brown paper bag full of food instead of portioning it out. Today my bag consisted of white bean hummus with whole wheat naan bread, a pear and gorgonzola salad, vitamin water, raspberries, strawberries, a banana, cauliflower/broccoli medley, and the list goes on. I was sitting at the light and I could hear Mr. Rick's voice in my head and I rolled down my window and handed over my entire breakfast/lunch/dinner to him. His stone face never wavered but I felt satisfied knowing he would have a good meal today.

buried friendship.

Friendship must never be buried under the weight of misunderstanding.- Sri Chinmoy

happy birthday to the Mrs.'

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Williams!

Happy Birthday, Mrs. Lucas!

nation's capitol.

For Labor Day Weekend, Mitch(ell) met me in DC to spend the weekend with Megan and Danny. We had a fabulous time! Friday, we metroed into the district and saw all the monuments and memorials. The one thing I learned about US history is that I know nothing about it... and I would be completely content if I never do. We met Danny for lunch and then spent the evening drinking flights of beer in Georgetown. It was perfect.

wino.

I saw a wino eating grapes and I was like, Dude! You have to wait!

- Mitch Hedberg

After spending Friday in DC and the weekend in Virginia Beach, we spent Monday tasting delectable wines at a nearby winery in Maryland.

run like a rockstar.

Rock n' Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon 2009

they could not remember a time -

Until now, that Forever didn't seem long enough.

One year ago today, I was trolling in the middle of Dauphin Lake when Megan called to tell me she was engaged!! Only 25 days until I get to see them again and only 3 months and 13 days until the wedding!! So excited!! =)

blonde bombshell.

Meet Carly. She is Megan's little sister and because growing up Megan and I were inseparable, her parents adopted me and I've spent my summers laughing with her, Carly has always been a little sister to me! Carly attends architecture school in Miami and in her free time puts that stunningly gorgeous face to work! She started modeling when she did a runway show for charity last fall. I can hardly believe the little ten-year-old that always ran around naked (refusing to put on clothes!) has grown up to be such a beautiful, blonde bombshell. Love you, Carlita!!

l.y.t.a.b.

My best friend Megalina was here for an entire week and these select snapshots don't even begin to explain the week we had! From the moment she got off the plane we didn't stop moving... From biking down the Strand in Hermosa, to having drinks with Lauren in San Diego, to going to the SD Zoo, to sea kayaking thru caves in La Jolla, to eating seafood in Malibu, to going to Opening Night! at Improv Olympic, to shopping in Santa Monica, to hiking through hills, to seeing Octomom the Musical, to watching Austin Hartley-Leonard at Hotel cafe, to touring my NICCU, to seeing the Beatles! Cirque de Soleil in Vegas, to watching sunset at the Griffith Observatory ... it was a whirlwind week! =) Amidst the crazy agenda planned to the minute so she could get a feel for my (sur)real life in LA and the endless conversations about our pasts, presents, and futures over sushi, bottles of vodka, thai food, jugs of water, Indian food and on our daily road trips... Megalina taught me a few things about my life I've meaning to figure out... She helped me realize why statues of Greek Gods at the Getty Villa make me blush. She pointed out that the anxiety I associate with LA may just be in my head as she never quite reached the level of angst I constantly felt/feel. She graciously suggested that going off the beaten path isn't always rewarding when the same steep path is the only way back down and highly recommended me staying on the trail when hiking alone. She reminded me that just because I'll be in LA by myself starting next month doesn't mean that I'll be alone. She agreed that despite the glam you generally associate with Hollywood, it's really an overrated sea of fake people where the cost of living is too high and the traffic is not worth the drive...anywhere. She just smiled and sang along when I insisted on playing the same three songs the entire time she was here. She enabled me to compartmentalize my options for where to go from here. She assured me that the movie in my head will one day be a reality. She talked me through the post-childhood fear I developed at the top of the ferris wheel on the Santa Monica Pier. She showed me that no matter how much distance is between us, we will never grow apart.

l.y.t.a.b.

rubberband, man.

Megan, Danny, their friends and I went out to sushi for Megan's birthday. We hadn't even begun to eat our seaweed salad when the nice waitress came up to me and wrapped a roll and a rubber band around the ends of my chopsticks. Apparently she was not impressed with the way I was using them. Thank you, sushi waitress, for not just publicly humiliating me but allowing me to eat my dinner at ease. =)