Author Archives: sorellaaglio

Friday: Five Good Things.

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1. That picture. And Kirsten being a new mom, and soon!

2. It is Friday, and tomorrow I am going for a day hike with lovely ladies who are just as excited as I am to frolic in the desert.

3. The sun is shining, Sunday holds the promise of a brunch in a garden, and I feel fine.

4. May Real Simple is here. I plan to spend some time reading it cover to cover in the very near future.

5. No-eating-out-challenge. I self-imposed a Jeff/Jennie challenge of No Eating Out (at the very least for dinner) for 2 weeks. It is day 3. We’ll see how that goes. The idea behind it is this: Jeff and I tend to eat out, and eating out costs a lot of money. It’s weird that in a restaurant, you’ll spend $8 or $12 on a salad, but in the grocery store, I have Catholic guilt if I spend $3 on berries. On BERRIES, people. Why is it that I will spend on whatever when it’s probably LESS healthy for me, but I can’t splurge on those things that make me feel better? I aim to find out just how much I will gain from not eating out. (Or maybe, how much I will lose.) This will also help us with our “Low-sodium” diet, which has been brought on by Jeff’s potential for high blood pressure.

Who’s with us? Can you do the 2-week challenge?

Got a pack of cards, Obama on audio tape, and my fave boy…

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Guys: I leave today on vacay to a cruise. In the Bahamas. With Jeff. and his family. I am so excited. I am excited to have a vacation that is a real vacation: not being home (although I love being home), not visiting people who I miss (and miss me too), not driving, not in charge. I cannot remember the last time I went on vacation to somewhere that wasn’t to visit someone. I think it might have been when I was in high school and my family and I went to San Francisco.

We went to the Galapagos, too, but that was with my dad’s work. Going to San Francisco was the last time that my vacation was about seeing something new, being with people you love, and not, you know, cleaning up the kitchen when we were done.

In college, every break was to home, to Jeff, to babysit. The past two years, I’ve been on a cross-country road trip, I’ve been to Michigan countless times, Chicago, New York, Washington state, China, San Francisco. Every vacation I take is amazing: but all tiring. All work. This one, this is about relaxation. This is about having a good time. This is about the sun, the sky, the water, rest. I will sleep. I will read. I will listen to Obama. I will love Jeff. I will shop, I will visit new countries. I will enjoy Jeff’s family. I will come back tired. I will be rejuvenated. I will be ready for: Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Chicago. I will be ready for weddings, for red eyes, for family, for babies and for loving.

What are all of you doing for vacations this year? Are you going abroad? Staying home? Visiting friends? Perhaps, visiting me? Picking strawberries on a remote farm in Vermont? Do tell!

I still love not camping (unless it's with my BFF, L.)

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This past weekend, Lauren, my BFF, and I did a road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, by way of Route 1 and the 101. It was a long long journey, very fun, and VERY tiring. Some highlights, you ask?

1. I forged a river with our car, in the dark. It was terrifying.

Do you see where it says “Bridge”? There was no bridge. There was raging river.

2. We headed to a beach filled with seals, and spent a peaceful half-hour just being with them.

3. We ate at a restaurant that had a spirit stage and human nests. And lavender creme brulee. Fantastic.

4. When camping, we wore headlamps, extra clothes, and some how magically had our fire rekindle in the middle of the night.

5. We got chocolate covered strawberries from this nice man.

6. I used an outdoor sink, with running water. I found this magical.

7.  We went to an antique store in Half Moon Bay, called Half to Have It.

8. We hiked a little.

9. We took pictures of people taking pictures.

10. We drove 930 miles, all together. Stops in: Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, Monterey, Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and home. Not including all the various stops made in between for coffee and the like.


It was a great trip. But I was glad to get home Sunday night to a bed, and a whole week with Lauren, still to go! What an excellent week. Overall, I think we both decided we like NOT camping — when it comes to 45 degree weather, rocky grounds, and lack of fire-building skills (although we did get it lit, eventually.)

How are you all?

Oh, excuse me, I mean: My 91 cousins.

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Just when I think I have it all together, family and all, one baby has to come and enter our world early. And so, Connor, welcome, and we’re excited to have you.

I have added Connor to the family tree already, so don’t worry about that. 91 cousins it is. Connor James, I’m excited to meet you in June. Until then, be good to your mother, and keep your father in check ;).