four things

SPRING!

it's finally here & the Lord knows we've been eagerly waiting! This four things is about all things spring!

top left: blooms! This week our local Trader Joe's got in some gorgeous ranunculus and they have been bringing in the spring fever into our home before the warmer days came. A favorite part of spring is the flowers blooming everywhere in the city. By may, Michigan Ave should be covered with tulips and I am so ready. // image via pinterest

top right: time outdoors! g & I very much love to take walks outside every night, and during spring time is when we're able to start doing that again. It's a sweet time I cherish to have with him because it's just us in a big city - walking and talking along the lake or through the streets. Maybe this sounds cheesy, but being together always feels like home to me. A time where even if life isn't easy or perfect, I feel so happy. It's the being part I really cherish. Without our phones to distract us or the TV on, being with the one you love is good for the soul. // image via pinterest

bottom left: new adventures! I feel like I'm commonly writing about adventures on this little blog of ours (not that our last two posts have the word adventure in them or anything... lol) and maybe it's getting repetitive, so I'll keep this thought short: adventures bring so many great memories with the people you love, so don't be so hesitant to go on more of them. That is all. :) // image via pinterest

bottom right: color! This past winter I was totally into neutral colors like no other; I felt like I always drawn towards grey, black, brown, and beige. Even though I still love my neutrals, spring tends to encourage us to get more colorful doesn't it? Well today, I bought my dress for a special wedding coming up this May (counting down Jen & Bruno!) and all I will say is that it is as far fetched from neutrals that a color can be! I'm pretty excited about discovering some new hues this upcoming march, april, may, & june! // image by me

cheers to spring! we love you!

SoCal adventuring: part Laguna

A day in Laguna Beach

I remember the first time my aunt brought Michelle & I to Laguna, I was enchanted. The beaches, the flowers, homes on hills, the little boutiques & cute restaurants - this place was gorgeous in every way. During that time "The Hills" was one of my favorite shows so being in Laguna seemed almost unreal! I even thought I saw one of the girls from the show on the beach, which I now realize was probably my imagination hoping I could meet someone from the show there. haha.

This time when we came though, it was once again magical but also saddening at the same time. Now, a little older and with a wider view of reality, it's hard to see how some people live with such wealth, so extravagantly - while others struggle every day to have food & shelter. It's such a sad reality that bothers me, but it also gives me drive to be a part of helping the poor succeed & live better lives in any way that I can help practically. (you can read more about this here)

This is a glimpse into our day in Laguna. It was the warmest day we had in Cali. - reaching 86 degrees! Even though we didn't bring our bathing suits to the beach we had a good time walking along the shores taking in such beauty that was all around us. I felt very blessed and thankful to be present that day.

^ breakfast & photos the morning of  ^

^ one of my favorite photos from our trip ^

lunch in this cute french restaurant overlooking the ocean (when we were here I kept thinking, this is the perfect place to take the girls one day! Ladies, I'm already planing your visits!)

gelato heaven

walking along the Montage Hotel

taking the ferry to Balboa

"The heavens declare the glory of God;

    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

    night after night they reveal knowledge.

 They have no speech, they use no words;

    no sound is heard from them.

 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,

    their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

     It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

    like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens

    and makes its circuit to the other;

    nothing is deprived of its warmth."

Psalm 19:1-6

SoCal adventuring: part one

Biola, Naples & Downtown LA

Besides forgetting what warm air and sand in our toes feels like, we decided to take a short vacation to Southern California this past week because g applied to the Talbot school of Theology (part of Biola University) to start his Masters program next year. So we wanted to check it out and see if this could be our next, new home. Well, even though I was not very excited about waking up early to visit the school the day we arrived in Cali, we both really loved it. The campus is beautiful! Not too large and filled with many outdoor cosy places to study, eat, read, sleep - we saw it all! Plus, the outdoor fireplace sold me. And all the green & trees & flowers everywhere! No tall buildings here, but as I felt that day and by the end of our time on the West Coast I thought, I could really live here and absolutely love it!

What a feeling. Just a few months ago I would literally cry at the thought of leaving Chicago; this city has really become our home. Our relationship as a newly weds evolved here, we've walked for countless miles exploring these city streets & discovering so many good places to see. Living downtown - minutes away from the lake, Michigan Ave, The Loop, countless amazing restaurants and Millennium Park - it's been a dream come true for us. And one we would have never envisioned for ourselves, but have loved more than we'd ever know. Sorry, this is getting a bit sentimental so let's go with the plan before the tears return. lol Here are our favorite memories from the beginning of our trip. More specially, days one & two! Enjoy!

I loved this modern chapel

food truck on campus! yes!

lunch outdoors

Naples

Myra (left) & her friend whose name I can't remember lol

the last time Michelle & I came to visit my aunt (I think 5 or 6 years ago) we made our way through these waters in canoes. Do you remember Michi?

One of Tia Rozangela's favorites

Day two of our trip, Tia Ro & Joe were going to be busy that day so g & I decided to go on our own little adventure Downtown (^^^ is our timercam attempt! lol) 

In Downtown, our first visit was to Santee Alley. It reminded us so much of streets like this is Brasil

we had lunch at the Grand Central Market where you can have Mexican, Chinese, Italian - you name it! All authentic & delish! Of course, we had Mexican!

there was an artist who had a huge space filled with his paintings. They were beautiful! My favorite was all white. I think I was so taken back by it I forgot to take it's picture lol

at the Museum of Modern Art

Walt Disney Concert Hall

the Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels

Olvera St. was our next destination. As you'll see, it's the cutest street that feels like it came right out of Mexico

cutest train station ever.

after Joe picked us up from our stop, he went to a favorite pie shop near home to get a pie "just for us!" lol according to Tia, someone ate most of it a couple days later and I know it wasn't g!

Gosh how much I miss sunny & warm California!