Wrapping up the Year!

So today was my office party at the magazine. We went to a nice lunch at the La Costa Resort and Spa and exchanged gifts. Right before we left for lunch we had to take a picture for our company cards. The picture was taken at the owners house and every year her house is decorated to the extreme. Hope you like the picture!

Christmas Crazy

So this weekend was a very holiday weekend. I finished up the last minute shopping I had to do. Made and mailed my Christmas cards and had a wonderful date night! Ian and I went to a nice dinner and then raced over to La Mesa which is a little inland from here we live to see the lights on Pepper Street. This neighborhood is equivalent to Seven Oaks in Bakersfield but on steriods. It took us about an hour to go through the whole way and all the kids were hanging out of the cars as the parents escorted them through the winter wonderland. It was so much fun! Below are a couple of pictures from years past...I was so excited that I left the house without my camera.

Thanksgiving

I absolutely LOVE coming home! Even though it is always jammed packed, we love spending time with the family. I helped my mom decorate for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year which was really fun. Molly was here this year and not in Spain and we had more time to spend with Ian's side which was nice. We started out Eating at my side then went to Ian's dad side. I love hanging out with his cousins Neil's family. Neil and Jill have three girls who are absolutely precious and have one on the way...so much fun. Then we left and went to Ian's mom side and played with Jordyn...that kid is crazy!

My brother's football team was in the second round of play-offs and so everyone got up early Saturday morning  and met at Starbucks. There were so many people traveling to watch the big game. Below are some pictures I took of everyone following each other up the Grapevine. I also took picture of the snow on the mountains, it was beautiful!

 

B.C. ended up losing that day but the had a great season...can't wait for next year! It was also nice because Karen and Joel also went with us and they are always fun to have on a little road trip! After the game, Ian and I headed home...I cried because that is what I always do and we went straight to the tree lot to get our Christmas tree...we are getting ready for Christmas!

Dane Cook

So a couple of months ago, Ian and I went to see Dane Cook, "Isolated Incident." We absolutely love comedy and is probably one of our favorite things to do. Anyways, one of our Friends asked us to go last minute and so we went to dinner and met up with a group of friends at the Sports Arena in San Diego. We loved Dane Cook in "A Vicious Circle" and couldn't wait to take our seats to watch the show. There were three comedians that opened for Dane, one of them being Robert Kelly. He was sooo funny. We were so excited to watch Dane cook but the show turned out to be not so good. He talked about his mother who had died of cancer and ended talking about an angry fan which left the audience so quiet  you could hear a pen drop. We were really disappointed but thought it was still worth it. Next on our list is to see Kathy Griffin!

WARNING: If you have little kids around..tell them to leave, the video is not for kid ears!

Coming Home

I just wrapped up doing all my work and started my packing. I can't wait to get home. I am so excitied to see family members and eat good food. Ian and I get so tired of the big city sometimes...I know it sounds crazy but the mentaility of every little thing is so different in Bako.You have to eave to see the difference. Everyone is so happy to help or be polite and San Diego is not sometimes. WE MISS BAKO! If you hear a roaring engine coming down the Grapevine, please don't be alarmed it's just me and Ian! Oh, and by the way, Happy early Thanksgiving! I will not have time to blog but I will be eating!

It's that time!

Just letting all friends and family know that I am taking Christmas cards orders now. Since I am doing it by myself it is taking me a little bit. I figured I would cut it off at twenty orders so I still had time to enjoy the season, I LOVE this time of year! Currently I have nine orders so contact me and give me a heads up!

CHAMPIONS!!!

This last weekend BC played the Santa Clarita and won! They captured the conference championship. I am so proud of my lil brother. He has always taken his football so seriously. He has always worked so hard and has sometimes found himself playing with players that didn’t care as much as he did. He had a very crappy season his senior year of high school but I am so glad he is apart of a team where pulling your weight is crucial or you just don’t play. BC is undefeated and is playing in the first round of playoffs this weekend at home. I wish I could be there but instead I get to visit with my sister. Molly is running in the San Diego mud run. No, I’m not running in the mud run but I am getting my hair done instead! Woohoo! 

Charlie is number two!

 

Turkey Coma

It's official...it's the Holidays! I love, love, love this time a year. I cannot wait to see my family at Thanksgiving. Not only do I see my side of the family but we also always make it to at least Ian's mom or dad's house...sometimes both! Ian and I literally have to train for this day...think about it...up to three Thanksgivings! It's a good thing that I shop with my mom and sister all day the next day. It's always fun to leave early in the morning, grab our Starbucks and then return later in the day to find what my dad, husband and brother have done to the house. I swear the neighbors are so irritated because we are always the first to get the decorations up and put on the pressure to get on it. This go around we will have my Uncle Andrew and his family staying with us along with the B.C. Football team. My dad is a big softy and felt bad for all the kids who couldn't afford to drive home so we're cookin for everyone! I CAN"T WAIT!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween night, Ian and I had a little date night which was so needed! We have been so busy these last couple of months that it was so nice to drop everything and just hang out together with not a care in the world. We went to a dinner and then went to see the movie, "Paranormal Activity."  It was easier to watch knowing that it wasn't based on a true story. We didn't have that many Trick or Treaters, which made me a little bummed...I really wanted to see the little one in cute costumes. By the way, doesn't it bother you when grown adults bring along their seven month old baby and actually have a bag of candy they are collecting for the baby as if the child is going to eat the candy...really?

Head over Heels

I don't know what it is but I LOVE fall clothing so much better than summer. I love the boots, sweaters and I think just the cooler weather in general. I was at the mother ship the other day, Nordy's and I was looking through there shoes....SO CUTE! Usually when talking with other women you know who is a shoe girl, purse or jewelry girl and I hate to say it but I am an everything girl! I love these shoes so much that I had to dedicate a post to them. I don't know where I would wear them but those little details can be worked out later....sorry Ian, the most patient man in San Diego!

 

I met the Creator

I can barely get this blog out because I am still so excited from last weekend’s event.  It all started last Thursday when Dena, my boss, ran through the office to tell us that she heard Martha Stewart was coming to town. All the girls in the office nearly fell out of there chairs except for myself, I thought it might be a nasty rumor that I wouldn't  get my hopes up for an even bigger fall. So I did what any other girl would do...I took it to the twitter while at work; someone had to know something. I never heard anything and so I put up my protected guard as if I never heard such allegations. Then, early Sunday morning I get a text from Dena..."MARTHA IS IN THE BUILDING!" This was all that I need to hear before I found myself speeding to Carlsbad Costco to come face to face with the woman who gives us so much inspiration. I get there and of course the parking lot is full with babies and Gucci purses. I get in line and right when I get to the door I can see a shining light...Martha, and yes we are on a first name basis now. I found it so funny that they put her in the meat section at Costco...literally next to the beef! I took notice of her choice of beverage as well...Costco mocha, Fate or product placement? I was at the front of the line and asked if she could sign my cook book, addressed with a special name. Right then her PR person steps in front and says, "Martha is only signing her name." Well o.k. I took my cookbook and walked away...she wasn't very talkative but I just chalked it up as I gave her an inspirational moment and she was in deep thought of her next big idea! I posted some pictures below for you to check out. Enjoy!

People at Costco

 

 

 

Backup Johnny

I get a phone call a couple Saturdays ago from my friend T.J. that he was in town with Backup Jonny, best band from Bakersfield. If you are from Bako, it is the band that you have definitely heard of especially if you have been to Fish Lips! Ian and I are so there! We met up for sushi at the best kept secret place in San Diego, Chiba’s, and if you are in the area we recommend the Dynamite Roll. After catching up since the last time we saw them perform, we headed downtown to Hennessey’s Bar. We waited for the band to set up and start playing. I really love Bakersfield in the fact that we travel in groups. A lot of people from Bako made the trip down to support the band. We also are the life of the party. Everyone really likes to be around us as a whole, it is hard to explain but you have to be there. Some people in the bar can be so uptight and well I guess we really don’t care what some might think. By the end of the night, everyone else who is not from Bakersfield, wants to be…that’s funny, can you imagine dropping them in a field somewhere in the middle of a hot summer afternoon. Anyways, once the place really started to get rockin, my guy T.J. got up on the mike to rap his “California Love.” The place went wild. After a couple of beers and paying the overpriced parking in San Diego, $30.00for 4 hours; my hubby and I went home. I really miss some of the gang from good Old Bako!

The Album

T.J on the Mic and some drunk sailor who really was excitied

Matt and Julia

Happy Birthday

This last weekend was my niece Daisy and my Aunt Tina's Birthday went off. Both had birthday parties, one in Bakersfield and one in the Bay area. I just wanted to send them much love and let them know that Ian and I love them SO much!

Halloween

Halloween is coming up so quickly. I really am in denial because I feel like I just got use to writing the correct year on my checks, and yes...I still use my checkbook but I'm not the lady in the grocery line using them. I think Ian and I are going to host a Halloween Dinner with some of our closes friends. I did decorate the mantle in our apartment using these big glass vases I have, fake bones and water with red food coloring. I took black tool and cut out black spiders as well. I did look at Martha Stewart’s website because she so great. I glittered these skull heads like below and the posted some other pictures that I got inspiration from. Now we just have to get costumes...it is always so hard to pick couples costumes and I don’t know why. For now, we are going to be Dog and Beth the Bounty Hunter but we will let you know if things should change!

Another Addition

I’m happy to welcome another family member into the Franklin Mafia. For those of you that don’t know, my family it absolutely HUGE. One of my thirty plus cousins, Nate and his wife had a baby a couple of weeks. We are so happy that William Easley Franklin V is here.....YAAAYY. In a couple weeks we should be adding to the yearly quota with my cousin Zan and her son. It doesn't stop there...Ian's cousin Neil and his wife are expecting their fourth...really hoping for a boy on this one otherwise it is up to Ian and I to carry on the Galyan name...no pressure!

Big sister Sofia doesn't seem to sure about sharing the spotlight.

Magazine Launch Party

Sorry it has been a while since I blogged last. It has definitely been a year to remember and in some ways not for the better. I will do my best to catch you up. A couple of weeks ago, the magazine that I work for had the launch of our new issue. Every year for the past six years, Ian and I have gone to these parties. So much work goes into the magazine, especially over the summer, when we are trying to get ads in, update information and drop in the ads for proofing. I definitely like the sale aspect of the magazine better but anyways, this year the launch was at a very hip and chic hotel in Coronado called Loews. These parties are always over the top. This year we had about 530 advertisers and friends show up. My boss was nice enough to get Ian and I a room so we didn't have to drive home after the party and so I took pictures of everything. I really got a lot of feedback from all the people saying this was the best year that they have seen the magazine. This made myself and Kailyn the other production manger very happy, we put a lot of time into this thing. Here is one of the covers that all the vendors voted on for being the best…I was happy because it was mine!

 The most popular cover

 

Toys for Tots

The Band

The Favors

The Donuts at the end of the night...so good!

The flowers and the view from our room

the room

the bathroom...it had a huge tub

and finally.....us!