today is a day to celebrate all the mom’s out there!
a job that is never ending. a mother’s love never fails. a mother’s love is always giving. a mother’s love is sometimes all you need.
i celebrate my mom today because of the unconditional love she has always given us. through good times and bad, she was and will always be there. i look back at my life and cannot even fathom how she was able to do what she did! even though i lived it! she worked full-time, raised five kids, and always, always had a full dinner on the table!!!!
i love my mom and i am grateful for all that she has done for me. i must say that one day isn’t enough to say i love you and thank you. celebrate everyday as if it were mother’s day!
love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
i got up early {gasp!} and did many tasks! it’s always so satisfying to check things off my list {i know, i’m a list kind o’ gal!}. i think i was trying to fit too many tasks into my morning, as the clock was ticking, i was feverishly rushing to get things done. i needed to get out the door before noon to go see my dad! yikes! i’m so tenacious and steadfast, i let my determination get the best of me!
i finally completed my projects and rushed to get dressed. ugh. i still had to throw out garbage, recycling, and carry some obtuse items down to my car! i finally made {just a little past noon!} and was on my merry way to the ‘burbs.
i picked up lunch for thuy and my dad. we ate, we conversed, and then we just hung out. it was fantastic to be able to lounge around outside in the warm sun! after lunch, thuy left back to work and i just hung out with my dad for the rest of the afternoon. i waited for my mom to come home to say hello and then off i went to meet kim for dinner. of course, you can’t let a day off go by without a stop at target!
i met up with kim at her place, hung out for a bit, and then we headed on our way to dolce to meet up with thuy and then eventually terry and the boys {reagan had his first baseball lesson!}. drinks, apps, pizza for the boys, and delicious meals for the adults. it’s always a pleasant and relaxing time here!
[we didn’t even realize we all had a nautical theme going on until terry pointed it out!]
[the rich and delicious mushroom, spinach ravioli]
reagan and bennett just love being there! it’s like they own the place. they are too funny and cute. they totally get lost in their own world. it’s so cute to see them so engrossed in their conversations…and most of the time you just can’t understand b! but always too cute to watch!
well, it was another successful and fulfilling warm day! tootles.
sometimes you just crave some home cooking. when it comes to my mom’s cooking, it is hands down the best! it was on my agenda to come home to visit mes parents but i was super excited to find out my mom was cooking bun rieu!!! i love, love bun rieu!
it’s chock full of flavor. my mom sautéed the tomatoes {it’s hidden in her homemade broth…they were flavorful but i piled too much stuff on top of the noodles to see it in my bowl!}, she makes her own shrimp paste, it’s mixed with thick rice noodles, tofu, crab meatballs made from scratch, i added in shredded cabbage, sliced green onions, fish sauce, sriracha, red pepper flakes…oh em gee!
i couldn’t wait to eat. it is so amazingly delicious!
it was a whirlwind week! gosh, it went by so fast! i was so happy hubby charming was home {yay!}. i was excited it was almost easter. i was glad it was holy week. it was a whole lotta church this week {whoa}!
not much else going on this past week but going to mass every night. the easter vigil was a beautiful service and it is always so exciting to see people baptized or confirmed into the catholic religion.
our easter sunday was filled with a lot of eating + traveling. first on our agenda, picking up miss grace. we traveled up north, got the little lady, and traveled back down south to meet my family for brunch.
the brunch was delicious! we ate at the reel club. a brunch buffet filled with a variety and copious amounts of eats {what it should be like, right?!}. from endless amounts of seafood, kids food, breakfast, lunch, and yummy desserts choices {the chocolate mousse cups were divine!}. i personally chose a menage of breakfast treats. the croissants were delish! so buttery and flaky! who can pass up bacon and flavorful breakfast potatoes?! not moi!
after a fun filled time {crazy nephew antics included!}, we headed back to kim + terry’s for some more family time and photos. after a quick hang out, lots of gifts for grace {holy easter baskets! lucky gal!}, we embarked on our next adventure ~ to hubby charming’s parent’s house we went!
we met up with the fam as they were enjoying their brunch meal. we sat, we chatted, we nibbled, we hung out. it was relaxing and calm. it was great to catch up with hubby charming’s side of the family. grace played with daniel, aj, jake and she ate a lot of candy {oh boy}, there was no monitoring of that! it was a free for all {hey, it’s the holiday for the kiddo}. after much imbibing + noshing, the family soon trickled out one by one.
as everyone dissipated, aunt wendy really wanted to play farkle. yes, that wasn’t a misspelling, you read that correctly…it’s called farkle. i’m sooo not a game player. it’s not because i don’t have fun, it’s because i just don’t like learning how to play, amongst other reasons {hehe}. lazy, non? anyhoo, aunt wendy assured me that it was easy, and yes it was! i was completely amused and had a lot of fun!
soon, it was just the four of us; me, rich, dick and jane {grace’s step-dad so graciously picked her up from grandma’s, phew! one less road traveled for us!}. we chit chatted until the early evening and finally hit the road to our journey back home…a long, traffic filled journey {ugh!}.
all in all, it was a marvelous day! a day filled with family, laughter, fun, yummy eats, tons of candy, and lots of love. i hope everyone’s easter was just as great!
[flowers from daddy // basket by us // hat by grace]
[soeurs]
[bros]
[opening frenzy]
[r’s clown hair]
[leather sperry’s + b’s chubby feet]
[silly b // he kept asking everyone “can you see me?!”]
i love my dad. so, so, so very much. the greatest man alive.
growing up, as children, we never realize how much our parent’s do for us. we never realize the sacrifices they make for us. you never appreciate it until you get older and your ass gets kicked with reality.
growing up, having 4 other siblings, life was crazy. we ran amuck. we relied on each other. you always had a play partner. we always fought. we had fun stay up late nights. we watched fred astaire and ginger rogers movies. we played ghost in the graveyard. we always went to church and we always hung out with family.
my dad is a family man. he was meant to be a dad. as a little girl, i grew up obsessed with him. i still am. he means the world to me. he did and has done so much for us. he instilled in us the mentality, family first. everything he did was to ensure his family survived, that we were always taken care of.
when he tells me stories of vietnam, i listen in awe of the hardships of the war. what amazes me is how it just seemed so ‘normal’ to experience such immense, egregious situations. i look at my dad and cannot even fathom the things that he saw. when the war ended and the north invaded the south, removing his family from that environment was a duly choice. my parents fled by a small boat, then an american ship, the day after the fall of saigon.
the amazing stories continue on and on. their journey to america, country after country with very little personal belongings, no shoes, no food, not much of anything. my sister, thuy, was only a few months old and kim, just over a year and half old. crazy, right?!
my love for my dad is immeasurable. he means the world to me. he has taught me so much in life {although it took me forever to really listen to him}. the last couple years have been tough for us and i hope to never have such trying times like that again {everyday i pray for my family’s health}. there’s always a silver lining and the light at the end of the tunnel {sorry for the cliches but they are fitting!} in every situation. i cherish every moment we have together and love him more and more everyday {is that possible? i might burst with so much love!}. this story does no justice to sum up my emotions and no words can truly describe the love I have for him.
as you probably have read in my previous post, about my mom + her cooking and her mom duties of making sure her children are fed, we had frozen some food she had us bring home the other week {a copious amount!}. we were waiting for our schedules to align [a time where we are both home + an open dinner slot] and of course, not having this land on a friday [no meat lent friday!].
so that time was now. i was very excited to break out the bánh bao {to die for!}. it’s a favorite of mine, amongst a huge variety of other things my mom makes {honestly, everything is my ‘favorite’}. hubby charming then created his own recipe for fried rice. adding his own pizazz as he stir fried the white rice to perfection! voila, a delicious meal created by my love, hubby charming, and my loving mother dearest! it can’t get any better than that {right?}!! it was the best of both worlds, combining their skills, and a damn good meal as a final result…yum, yum, yum.
here’s a recipe for some yummy fried rice. not exactly the one hc used {he improvised} but very close! enjoy!
DIRECTIONS
*In a saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. {hc says to use old rice, or let the rice sit for a day for best results!}
*In a small saucepan, boil carrots in water about 3 to 5 minutes. Drop peas into boiling water, and drain.
*Heat wok over high heat. Pour in oil, then stir in carrots and peas; cook about 30 seconds. Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with vegetables. Stir in cooked rice. Shake in soy sauce, and toss rice to coat. Drizzle with sesame oil, and toss again.
the new anthropologie in lincoln park just opened up!
i was very excited to attend the grand opening ce soir [i mean, who doesn’t just love that store?!]. drinks, appetizers, music, and shopping…a perfect combination! we sipped cocktails {signature drink – moscow mule: vodka, ginger beer, + lime juice!}, ooh’d and ahh’d over the merchandise, did a lot of people watching, and some folks in our group spent some moolah {not me! *wink* to hubby charming}.
my favorites? rifle paper goods, the best candle ever: volcano, every necklace, every set of earrings, ag denim, and pretty much every dress they sell 🙂
soeurs
cheers!
planters
dana, thuy, + leyla
paper flowers
i heart green glass
ombre fringe bag
i see you
love!
art installation (spoons!)
all shopped out!
seriously, i could buy every ceramic piece in that store! all the textiles, paper goods, and accessories {love the accessories!!} are to die for!
such a dreamy place, right? until next time my lovies.
we kicked off our day with a lovely start at church. for some reason, mass today just flew by…it was weird. it felt very ephemeral. like i was in fast forward. maybe it was because we didn’t sit in our usual ‘spot’?? it was quite packed by the time we got there {um, maybe it was because i was totally running late…causing us to be late, therefore causing hc a very difficult time in the parking lot because it was filled to the gills…oops!!}, most of the pews were full, so i was ushered all the way up to the front side rows. hubby charming almost didn’t find me! so, therefore {phew! am i longwinded??? nah!} mass was over before i felt it began!
anyhoo, after that, we did our usual run to starbucks & off we went, over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go [literally]! brunch, presents, cake, oh my!
we met up with the famille for a lovely dinner at dolce! a cozy, delicious restaurant tucked away in a downtown ‘burb. i love my famille. i really do. we grew up together in such crazy ways {five kids! but who wouldn’t say life is always crazy?}, but i wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world. my dad has always taught me, family first. they will always, always be there for you. we are lucky that we are and always will be. having that many siblings is something i cherish and feel so blessed to have 2 brothers and 2 sisters that are amazing {we are missing our eldest brother, the hipster who lives in l.a.}. to top that all off, we all turned out to be damn good kids. shout out to our p’s!!! xoxo
my other major loves, my darling nephews. i just adore them [seriously love them]!! they are the sweetest, cutest, most lovable little people ever. i love being around them, i love playing with them, i love listening to them, i love being a good aunt to them. they are so stinkin’ precious {i could just squeeze them and pinch them all the time…although i don’t think they would really enjoy that}. they make the world brighter with their laughter, smiles, and innocent charm. j’adore beaucoup, les petits enfants.
