before moving to CA, this summed me up pretty well:

and while the above is still true, i have to admit that california is growing on me. in texas, nobody went on hikes. what is hiking anyways? aren't you just walking? but here, everyone goes on hikes. so, i wanted to see what the fuss was all about. last weekend, nicholas and i walked from our apartment to the trail that runs thorough town. and that took us all the way to the lexington reservoir and then we followed the trails into the surrounding mountains and back to town. let me tell you... my legs were SO SORE the next day. but, i had so much fun hiking! so, we went again this weekend. it's great! we get to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise, have quality time together and have fun exploring.

enjoying the view at the reservoir.

i think i'm addicted!

red wine, rummikub, and relaxing.

... that's what our saturday night consisted of. we had originally planned on going to a wine bar. but, then decided instead of spending $8 on a glass of wine, let's just buy $8 bottles of wine and enjoy them at home! so that's what we did. i made homemade pizza and of course, we love playing games... so ever since we got rummikub for christmas from my grandma, we've had an ongoing competition. (i'm winning, by the way!) and even though i don't look like i'm having fun in the picture of me, i am! though i had just realized that when nicholas looked at the camera after I took the picture of him, he could see all of my tiles! he's so sneaky. we ended the night by snuggling on the couch and watching when harry met sally - one of my favorite movies! such a great saturday night with my love.

oh, to be in college again.

i just saw this video on moose and lulu... apparently, these university of arkansas frat bros were a little bored when classes were cancelled for a snow day. haha, so funny! ah, it brings back so many fun memories of college...

ps. did i ever mention i used to be blonde? yep, that's me in the middle.

blonde and TAN :) 

(i'm the 2nd from the left in case you can't tell.)

...oh dear!

texas on my mind.

OPI's new nail polish line for spring/summer 2011 is all based on TEXAS! i especially love the names of the colors.

Clockwise from top: Do You Think I'm Tex-y?, Houston We Have a Purple, To Hot Pink to Hold 'Em, Y'all Come Back Ya Hear, Big Hair... Big Nails, Guy Meets Gal-veston, I Vant to Be A-lone Star, It's Totally Fort Worth It, Austin-tatious Turquoise, San Tan-tonio, Suzi Loves Cowboys, Don't Mess With OPI

is it thursday yet?

yesterday we made a quick trip up to san francisco for lunch before I had to take nicholas to the airport. i'm so happy for his new opportunity at work, but his new position requires him to travel to our company's different divisions quite a bit. i really miss him when he travels. believe it or not, i actually like having him around! ;) thank goodness for email, texting and cell phones. and, he'll be back home on thursday!

until then, i'm going to catch up on the bachelor!
(ps. is anyone not on team emily?! she's so cute and sweet.)

president's day holiday.

we have the day off from work today in honor of president's day! aren't three day weekends so much fun? and, despite that it was pouring rain for 48 hours straight, this turned out to be a fantastic weekend.

things I loved about this weekend:

old fashioned cheeseburger + fries + chocolate shake at johnny rocket's

snuggling on the couch watching the girl with the dragon tattoo while it was pouring outside

a relaxing manicure and pedicure

watching old episodes of sex and the city while shoe shopping online

eating a week's worth of calories at the cheesecake factory

savoring every last bite of the fresh strawberry cheesecake we ordered to-go

6 mile hike to the lexington reservoir and around St. Joseph's hill (to make up for all of the unhealthy eating!)

walking around downtown los gatos, knowing that even though we pay an arm and a leg for our tiny apartment, it is a GORGEOUS town and we are really lucky to live here

enjoying the King's Speech with a bucket of buttered popcorn

... and the weekend's not over yet!

happy monday!

{image via tinyprints}

want want want.

dear tweed jacket,

you are so cool. i'd really love for you to join my closet. you'd be perfect for our chilly california nights. and, i'd even take you to work with me. please go on sale.

mille baisers,

lacey

ps. i love your buttons.

in a wedding magazine.

nicholas and i have a page (sponsored by our jeweler) in the spring/summer 2011 issue of brides of north texas magazine. i'm so happy to have this story of our wedding as a keepsake. all i had to do was fill out a bridal questionnaire and send the editors links to my post about the proposal and wedding pictures. the writers at the magazine did the rest! i think it turned out lovely.

here's the text enlarged in case you're interested:

take two.

remember when i posted this youtube video of home by edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros? well, i think i like this version better...

so cute, huh? :)

dads are the best.

thank you for my beautiful tulips, dad! 

i love you very much and miss you tons.

cupid was here.

this is my first valentine's day as a wife and let me tell you... nicholas spoiled me this weekend! it was so fun. we had a couple's massage at a local spa, lunch al fresco, and did some shopping. as if that wasn't enough, we even strolled around downtown los gatos with pink and red balloons. (on our way out the door for ice cream, our property manager was closing up her office for the day and gave us this glittery heart and balloons.) nicholas was so embarrassed walking around downtown with me and my balloons, but oh well... it's valentine's day and it's not like we really know anyone is this town anyway!

at work today, we are passing out old fashioned valentine's like the ones you had in second grade. and i'm so excited!

happy valentine's day everyone! 

my go-to dinner.

do you have a go-to dinner? you know, when you're on your way home from work and all you want to do is put on sweats and you don't want to eat out again (mainly, because its only the 2nd week in february and you've already spent your dining out budget), so you stop at the grocery store and pick up something that's easy to make and you have the recipe memorized? well, this is mine...

chalupas/tacos/nachos. or really any combination of ground beef, taco seasoning, tortillas (in the soft, chalupa or chip form), refried beans and cheese. avocado and jalapenos, too, if i'm lucky. i love this meal and i never get tired of it. but, nicholas does. :-/ so i'll need to start thinking outside of the box!

ps. it goes really well with a corona and last nights DVR'd glee.

i've got the world on a string.

our beautiful california weather is proof that spring is early this year! i guess the groundhog was right! :)

on saturday, we drove 50 minutes to half moon bay. we went to the beach, watched the boats in the harbor, ate fish and chips, explored the tide pools at moss beach and watched a gorgeous sunset on a patio overlooking the ocean wrapped up in blankets. it felt like we were on vacation! i wish the weekends were longer...

half moon bay

oh, i don't think i ever mentioned that i won my awesome shirt on busy bee lauren's blog! i love it! (the shirt and lauren's blog)  :)

we ate lunch at barbara's fish trap.

it was a little too touristy and a little too expensive for being a mom and pop/hole in the wall type restaurant... but, it was fun to be right on the water.

after lunch, we went to moss beach and explored the tide pools. we saw hermit crabs, sea urchins and harbor seals. it was so neat! i really want to go back there when it's even warmer and i wear a bikini and swim. (it's still to chilly for that.)

sandals in february. (which also means its time for a pedicure!)

after exploring the tide pools, we stopped at moss beach distillery for some cocktails. their patio was on a cliff overlooking the bay. the temperature usually drops quite a bit a night here, but no worries! they had fire pits and blankets that you could cozy up in. 

it was perfect.

wednesday night verbs.

staying up later than nicholas because he's going to work on east coast time tomorrow - 4:30 am is just dreadful.

waiting patiently (or, not so patiently) to see what happens before and after this scene from breaking dawn...

{photo via here}

daydreaming about our tropical vacation this summer that's in the works!

feeling very honored and excited that my sister-in-law and her husband chose nicholas and i to be baby emma's godparents. how cool is that?

disliking that our coffee maker decided not to work this morning, especially since i just ordered a new coffee bean grinder.

loving everything in the new j. crew catalogue. (especially all these!) but, that's a given.

and, tempting myself on this website... well, wearing more skirts is one of my resolutions!

bursting with happiness that the weekend is almost here!

springtime in california.

in california, we may pay 4 times what we did in texas to live, but a least its not snowing! here's what we're looking forward to this weekend...

not too shabby for the first weekend in February!

hope everyone else is staying warm.