Happy Monday

Happy Monday everyone! Vitaliy and I had a very sweet weekend. The warm weather and time with friends made it feel like summer time here in the Bay. We finished off the weekend with a trip to the Alameda Antique Fair and then came home and made this recipe for dinner. The combination of strawberries and leeks was so intriguing I had to try it. And let me tell you – we found it to be absolutely delightful!

If you are like most people, you’re likely dreading that Monday has showed up at your door this morning. So to get things started off on a lighter note, you must watch this video for a good laugh. I’m convinced this will be Vitaliy and I one day in the future.

Our Life. In Focus.

At the beginning of this week, Vitaliy and I officially completed the 30 Day Vlog Challenge.

It was definitely a crash course in video making. But even more so, it tested our relationship. Our insecurities were exposed and our perseverance tried. But we did it! I am happy that we worked through the difficulties together and stuck to our commitment. “Together” being the key word. There is something so beautiful about struggling through something, refusing to give up no matter difficulty, and coming through to the other side. Don’t you think?

I hope the videos encouraged at least one couple out there. We had an incredible time laughing, crying and fighting our way through them.

This weekend we are celebrating Cinco de Mayo with friends. Not that I need an excuse to eat Mexican! And we are also hoping to find some good treasures at the Alameda Antique Fair.

Cheer, Cheer

My feet sat comfortably on the dash board as the warm sun hit my white winter skin. The breeze was blowing through the window causing my hair to fly back and forth across my face as I leaned back in my chair trying to shield my eyes. I left my sunglasses at home and was paying the price for my mistake.

As I people-watched through squinting eyes, I saw a girl riding her bike in an open parking lot. As we drove closer, I realized she wasn’t a girl, but a young woman, and her boyfriend or husband was filming her. By the way she rode, I could tell she was likely riding a bike for the first time. He trailed closely behind her with his iPhone. I could hear him cheering her on behind the camera.

I wanted to turn back. To somehow capture this sweet moment. But sometimes pictures and videos fall short. And I didn’t want to interfere in any way, so I’m writing it down to remember how it made me feel. It made me smile with sentiments of simple joy. But as I pondered on the memory later, I found myself a little sad. When was the last time I cheered for Vitaliy in this way? I should be his biggest fan and loudest cheerleader. But often times I find myself more like a school principal.

I hope writing this down will help etch this in my memory and remind me to be a better wife. And if sharing it helps one person out there that’d be an added bonus. Happy Tuesday.

And here is a little peek at Saturday’s photo date.

Husband holding his wife in one hand and beach ball in another.