banana pancakes

My blogging updates are off...now that I'm not working, I'll likely make my updates in the evening. I may also try a weekend update - otherwise my Monday recaps are so long and they take me forever!

Friday after I left work (for the last time), Rob and I celebrated my last day with a movie date. We saw Evan Almighty and absolutely loved it! Afterwards, we were starving and I was totally craving breakfast food so we went to our local Hof’s Hut and ate cinnamon french toast and banana nut pancakes. Both were delicious!

Saturday was spent with the Tuckers in Orange County. First we visited Rob’s Uncle Howard in a nursing home. He’s thankfully recovering from a bout of pneumonia. Afterwards, we went to Rob’s parent’s house in San Clemente for lunch. We also met Laura’s new boyfriend, Jeff. He was a trooper, actually everyone was, as we sat through a bunch of our wedding photos. A few are always fun, but we went through way too many, per Rob’s mom’s request (bless her heart). I’ll post my favorites soon. Laura and Jeff also returned from a recent trip to Wisconsin to visit Jeff’s family, so we watched a picture slideshow from their trip too. As usual, it was a wonderful day with the family!

Sunday after church we had a house project to complete. Rob bought the condo several years ago, but there’s still plenty of work to do. We learned rather quickly that we are not the DIY’ers that we had hoped. The weekends are really the only time to be productive and who really wants to do that? Before Rob quit his job, we (or I) were very close to hiring a handyman. Once he gave notice however, we decided that wasn’t the most economical option. Rob has become very handy around the condo over the years – replacing countertops, sinks, faucets, toilets, doing electrical work... Sunday, the project was installing a cabinet in the master bathroom, easy enough we thought. Our place has very limited storage space, so we’ve had to get creative. In order to make room under the sink, we needed to install a cabinet. I’ve wanted to do this for years, literally! We finally bought the cabinet a few months ago and it’s been sitting in our guest bedroom collecting dust. Sunday was finally the day. After 2 trips to the local hardware store, a few small expletives, and a Diet Pepsi Max, we got the cabinet installed! I am always so proud of Rob when a house project is done. I know he’d much rather do a slew of other things than install something. The day didn’t stop there, surprisingly…(I was so tired at this point). After our weekly Bible study, I was hyped on Skittles and watched Because I Said So with Mandy Moore. It was really cute! I would highly recommend this chick flick! My husband of course had nothing to do with watching it, but I enjoyed it.


Today, the first day of my unemployment, I woke up early with Rob and drove up with him to Santa Monica. He had a meeting with a former colleague about some potential work and I wanted to walk around 3rd St. Promenade. It was so fun to walk around at 10am! As Rob sat in a business meeting, I visited the Coffee Bean and Old Navy. I haven’t been to an Old Navy in a long time and walked out with a few items that I’ll add to my new teacher wardrobe. I love the comfy dresses and blousy shirts that are in style right now:





While part of me wants to be super lazy, I’m also really looking forward to being active with Rob and doing things that we normally wouldn’t be able to do together on a weekday. After Rob's meeting and my quick, somewhat guilty shopping excursion, we met up for lunch with Daniel, a friend Rob used to work with, at The Counter and enjoyed delicious gourmet burgers. Seriously, this place is yummy if you like a good burger! Even Gayle, Oprah’s BFF, added The Counter to her list of the “20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die.” She’s totally right too!

This week at our church is Vacation Bible School, VBS. We’ll be there each afternoon to help with snacks and also so Rob can sing a couple worship songs with the kids. It’s really fun for Rob and I to help together. In the past either he was able to leave work early to help or I was able to leave work early to help. We’re excited that we both get to help together this year. After VBS, I was exhausted, but we already committed to one another that we’d do something active each day, so off to the freakin’ gym we went. It was the hardest workout I’ve done in a long time. All I wanted to do was take a long nap (isn’t shopping and eating a burger enough?). I think what got me through was thinking that I didn’t have to work tomorrow…Speaking of tomorrow, I’m really excited! After we run/walk at the beach in the morning, we are going to this little restaurant, Eggs, Etc. to try their banana pancakes. Jack Johnson’s song, Banana Pancakes, has been in my head when I realized that Rob and I would have some time off for a few weeks. Here are a few lyrics from this song:

But baby, you hardly even notice
When I try to show you this song
It's meant to keep you From doin' what you're supposed to
Like wakin' up too early
Maybe we could sleep in
I'll make you banana pancakes
Pretend like it's the weekend now
And we could pretend it all the time
Can't you see that it's just rainin'
There ain't no need to go outside

I’m so excited to pretend like it’s the weekend…