Letters For Lucas

Wonders, Mishaps, Blunders and Joy.. commentary on my life as a mom in the form of letters to my son

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A New Year

Posted on January 2, 2011 Written by Tonya

2010 was a year of highs and lows for our household. Luckily the highs outweighed the lows and in many cases I shared them on Letters For Lucas

Here are (just) the highlights:
January – Leah moved to Los Angeles.
March – I got my third tattoo.
April/May – We took a very memorable trip to Australia and New Caledonia, where I got to see my dearest and oldest friend, Sophie again after 10 long years.
May – A fun girl’s weekend to San Luis Obispo.
June – Lucas turns 1 year old.
August – Lady Gaga in concert with Leah.
August – A very intimate backyard BBQ featuring my all time favorite singer, Dave Matthews.
August – Letters For Lucas turned one.
September – Todd started his new business, European Classic Cars on PCH.
September – I gave Seattle another shot, fell in love and got to see my friend Siobhain again after 25 years.
October – I participated in my third Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk, second with my sister and I got to cross ‘walk over the Golden Gate Bridge’ off my Bucket List.
December – We moved to Orange County.

December – Leah and I took Lucas to Disneyland for his visit time.

Looking forward to 2011, but not a big proponent of New Year’s Resolutions per se, my goals tend to be very similar from year to year:
  • Exercise more
  • Read more
  • Cook more
  • Be present no matter what I’m doing or who I’m with. Be in the moment.

And this year, I am on a mission to declutter our home starting with Lucas’ toys and books, but more on that in another post.

What’s on your agenda for the next 364 days of the year? Let’s make ’em count!
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Filed Under: aunt leah, DMB, friends, holidays, list, milestones, move, new year, sophie, travel Tagged With: 3-day, aunt leah, DMB, friends, holidays, list, milestones, move, new year, sophie, travel

Project Smile – October

Posted on October 31, 2010 Written by Tonya

October has become a notoriously bad month for me because it is the month my parents died three years ago and my plate right now is very full with lots of other stresses, but thanks to Alicia’s (A Beautiful Mess) Project Smile, here are 31 reasons I found to be happy this month:

1st – The kindness of strangers along the Susan G. Komen for the Cure route.
2nd – Walking across the Golden Gate Bridge. I got to cross #23 off my Buried List!
3rd – A celebratory dinner with Leah. We just walked 60 miles!!
4th – Home sweet home, coming home to Lucas. This was the longest I have ever been away from him.
5th – Pink toe nails.
6th – I made dinner!
7th – Blind (lunch) date with @surferwife.
8th – An impromptu overnight trip to Palm Springs.
9th – Coming home. Lucas didn’t fair very well in the hotel room, so none of us got any sleep.
10th – Watching Lucas’ face light up at all the trains at Travel Town in Griffith Park.
11th – Just a regular ole day where everything goes exactly according to plan.
12th – A great two-hour long workout! I love to sweat.
13th – After being in 102 degree heat at the pumpkin patch… air conditioner!
14th – A much overdue date night at one of my favorite restaurants.
15th – Five grown women making silly faces, funny noises and dancing around trying to get two toddlers to smile for pictures at the pumpkin patch and a champagne toast to two very special people.
16th – Finding a darling house with a nice big backyard and plenty of room to grow. Unfortunately, we had to let it go because we want our current house to sell first. But I know another one just like it or better is out there!
17th – Manicure, pedicure, lunch and shopping with a BFF.
18th – A jammy day! We played hookie from music class and spent the day in front of the TV.
19th – Leaving my therapist’s office after an eight month long hiatus and knowing that I’m going to be okay…eventually.
20th – Mommy & Me group mommies only get together. Where would I be without these women?
21st – I FINALLY got the oil changed in my car.
22nd – Finished one book and started and finished another!
23rd – A family bike ride. Lucas loves his helmet.
24th – We spent all day shopping for Lucas! He got new pants, shirts, shoes, bibs and a Thomas the Train set.
25th – A gift from a far away friend. Thank you, Sophie for the soap, it smells too pretty to use. xoxo
26th – A three hour long nap! Mommy was very productive today.
27th – Wine, wine and more wine with friends.
28th – Playing cars with Lucas. An entire hour flew by and I didn’t even realize it.
29th – Seeing Steeping Feet, a Dave Matthews Band tribute band.
30th – A husband who lets the mother of his child sleep in.
31st – My little Superman. And candy corn.

Be sure to link up at Alicia’s (A Beautiful Mess) Project Smile, or check out her reasons to smile this month. Her photographs are some of the most boo-tiful you will ever see. πŸ™‚
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Filed Under: DMB, friends, list, outing, project smile, TV, warm fuzzy

BBQ With Dave Matthews – Update

Posted on September 2, 2010 Written by Tonya

Two weeks ago, Todd and I had the pleasure of attending a backyard BBQ at the home of Kim and Rob Cavallo, producer of the Dave Matthews Band album Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King, among others.

The evening’s entertainment was my beloved Dave Matthews.

No photos were allowed at the event, but the following shots were taken by professionals.

We were two of roughly 300 people, so needless to say, it was a magical evening.

Obviously no photos of Dave’s face were allowed either, but I happen to think this one is outstanding!

For any of you who may be wondering what he played, here is the set list:

Bartender
Stay or Leave
Crush
Baby Blue
Lying in the Hands of God
You and Me
Little Red Bird
Don’t Drink the Water
Rye Whiskey
Gravedigger
Eh-hee
The Needle and the Damage Done (
Neil Young)

Sadly, there was no encore, but I was floating on air anyway.

All ticket proceeds went to support the Tuition Assistance Fund at Heschel West Day School in Agoura, CA.

All photos courtesy of GoldWong Photography, Jonathan Lipking Photography and Stephanie Jacobs Photography who donated their time to capture this once in a lifetime concert.

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Filed Under: DMB, photos, update

A Whirlwind Weekend

Posted on August 19, 2010 Written by Tonya

Ah, it’s finally Friday!

I am so excited about my weekend that I could pee in my pants. We have not one but TWO Dave Matthews Band shows with my husband’s 20 year *gulp* high school reunion in between.

The first concert is tonight in San Diego and these tickets:

have been on the refrigerator staring at me for months!! I love Dave and the boys and look forward to seeing them every summer. This will be my 18th and 19th show, much to my husband’s chagrin. He has fun, but he’d never admit it.

I can’t really explain why I love the Dave Matthews Band so much. Their music livens my soul, lifts my spirits and makes me believe in hope, peace and harmony for all mankind. Oh, and I think the lead singer is an amazing talent and in the words of my new favorite blogger, Roxanne at Days, “I’d lick his teeth”.

Tomorrow morning, we leave bright and early for the Bay Area for the reunion. Lucas grandparents will watch him while we mix and mingle and then we head home for show #2 in LA.

This second show is not on DMB’s tour schedule because it’s being hosted in someone’s – wait for it – BACKYARD!! Talk about peeing in my pants!! Can you say: once in a lifetime opportunity?! The event benefits the Tuition Assistance Fund at Heschel West Day School in Agoura, California by providing need-based scholarship to students. Heschel West teaches children in preschool through 5th grade “how to do things right and to do the right thing”. I cannot wait to report back on this. πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚ Unfortunately no cameras or videos are allowed. πŸ™ πŸ™ πŸ™

If you’re still with me, I bet you’re wondering what on earth I have to Flip Off today. Well, true, my life is pretty damn good right now, but I can ALWAYS find something irritating. This was a great week so I only have one teensy tiny flip and that honor is bestowed upon:

PACKING!

I hate packing.

I hate packing for a weekend, a long weekend, a week, even an overnight. It was bad enough when it was just me, but now that I have to pack for a 14 month old as well, I want to pull my hair out.

I pride myself on my ‘To Do’ lists and being uber organized, but when it comes to packing… ugh! Forget it! FLIP OFF!! The difficulty for me lies within the question: How am I suppose to know what I’m going to want to wear there based on what I feel like wearing today? And don’t even get me started on shoes! For Lucas, it’s: What if he has a blow out or gets sick, are two outfits a day going to be enough? Will it be chilly, will the hotel have sheets and blankets for the crib, etc. etc. etc.

If there was a company that would pack for me, I would seriously hire them, without even blinking an eye!

Thank you to Gigi at Kludgy Momfor this fun and very necessary (some weeks more than others) meme. This week she is taking her flips across the Atlantic to Pumpkin and Piglet in the U.K.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe weekend and please be sure to come back next week as I celebrate my one year blogoversary!

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: DMB, friday flip offs, grandparents, list, music Tagged With: DMB, friday flip offs, grandparents, list, music

Cruel Summer

Posted on July 26, 2010 Written by Tonya

It’s summertime? You could have had me fooled. It’s already the END of July and I feel like I’m missing it completely.

We haven’t been outside nearly as much as I thought we would this season and haven’t done any of the other things I had planned in mind.

So far there has only been one trip to the beach and just a handful of visits to the park. The BBQs have been minimal and trips to the pool have only been for swim lessons. There haven’t been any baseball games, sundresses, Popsicles, rides on beach cruisers, strolls on the beach, boat rides, sunburns (which I’m actually grateful for) or lemonade.

The weather had a lot to to with it. It’s been unseasonably overcast, rainy and even chilly this summer in San Diego and while I’d rather be cold than hot any day, it’s just not summer without the sun…

…or a Dave Matthews Band concert!! 25 days until we are sitting at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre listening to my favorite band on the planet. I really do hope that it starts feeling like summer for me before August 20. I really need to get my act together or I’m going to regret it!

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: DMB, outing, summer, weather

I Am A Sucker For Awards Season

Posted on February 1, 2010 Written by Tonya

I love watching the Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys and the coup de grace…the Oscars! I just love the red carpet. I’m the girl captivated in front of the TV watching the arrivals to see what everyone is wearing; the designer dresses, who’s with whom, the extravagant jewels, the hair, the makeup, all of it!

Thanks to my dear friend, Lindsey, I have been lucky enough to attend both an Emmy award ceremony (2007) and a Grammy night (2005). What a complete thrill!! Two nights I will never forget. There really is nothing like being there live.

Last night, I had to settle for watching the 56th Annual Grammy Awards from the comfort of my bed (which isn’t a bad place to be at all these days) and it was best Grammy show I had seen in a long while. There were, of course the multiple wardrobe changes and all the glitz and glamor of previous years, but the performances were breathtaking.

I was floored right out of the gate by Lady GaGa and Elton John’s opening medley of Poker Face, Speechless and Your Song and then BeyoncΓ© kicked it in to high fierceness with If I Were a Boy and her rendition of Alanis Morissette’s You Oughta Know, and the Michael Jackson tribute was very touching, but it was Pink that had me with my jaw on the floor.

USA Today described her performance best: “The famously feisty singer/songwriter showed her dreamier, more buoyant side. A vision in white (until she disrobed, revealing a flesh-colored body suit), Pink sang sweetly and surely, even while suspended by wires, twirling in midair and soaked in water.”

If you weren’t a fan of Pink before this, I bet you are now. It was a beautiful performance and the lyrics to the song she sang, Glitter In The Air are too good not to share:

Have you ever fed a lover with just your hands?
Close your eyes and trust it, just trust it
Have you ever thrown a fist full of glitter in the air?
Have you ever looked fear in the face and said I just don’t care
It’s only half past the point of no return
The tip of the iceberg
The sun before the burn
The thunder before lightning
The breath before the phrase
Have you ever felt this way?

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?
Your whole life waiting on the ring to prove you’re not alone
Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?
Have you ever invited a stranger to come inside?

It’s only half past the point of oblivion
The hourglass on the table
The walk before the run
The breath before the kiss
And the fear before the flames
Have you ever felt this way?

There you are, sitting in the garden
Clutching my coffee,
Calling me ‘sugar’
You called me ‘sugar’

Have you ever wished for an endless night?
Laugh so the moon and the stars and pulled that rope tight
Have you ever held your breath and asked yourself
Will it ever get better than tonight?
Tonight

Of course, another huge highlight of the night for me was seeing my all time favorite, the Dave Matthews Band perform. Dare I say that Dave even looked rather dapper. Unfortunately, they lost out to Taylor Swift for Album of the Year, but I still heart DMB, their music always makes me smile.

The best is yet to be and I’d be lost without music.

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Filed Under: awards, DMB, lyrics, pastime Tagged With: awards, DMB, lyrics, pastime

My ipod Has Schizophrenia

Posted on October 14, 2009 Written by Tonya

I believe that everything is better with music and I love all different types; from bubble gum pop and jazz to Jay-Z and Radiohead (okay, Radiohead is one of your dad’s favorite bands, not mine, but I do have a two of their songs on my iPod).

Music is an incredibly powerful thing; it has the ability to uplift and motivate like nothing else. Just the right tune can put a smile on my face, a spring in my step, a wish in my heart or tear in my eye. It can make a long boring car ride more bearable and household chores dare I say, more fun to power through. It gives me that little extra something to go another few minutes on the treadmill.

I play music for you everyday. I have 15 days or 5316 songs on my iPod, so there is A LOT to choose from. My Essential playlist (otherwise known as the playlist of music I would have to have were I ever to find myself stranded on a deserted island and could only take one playlist), which you have probably listened to the most, includes 100 of my all time favorite songs. It is as eclectic as the rest of my music library. The first 10 songs are:

1. Ghost In You – The Psychedelic Furs
2. Rump Shaker – Wreckx-N-Effect
3. Melissa – The Allman Brothers Band
4. Anna Begins – Counting Crows
5. Love – Matt White
6. Peek-A-Boo – Sioxsie and the Banshees
7. Theme from “A Summer Place” – The Lettermen
8. Hallelujah – k.d. lang
9. Pig – Dave Matthews Band
10. Crazy – Patsy Cline

Each song is gorgeous, haunting and fun in their own special way. I think you can figure out which is which. πŸ™‚

Music to me is like the sense of smell for others. It helps trigger a memory and hearing a certain song can bring me right back to that moment in time. For example, “Drive” by The Cars was my first slow dance, “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star was the song playing on the radio when I got into my first(!) car accident, “Just Like Heaven” by The Cure will always remind me of dancing the night away in Newport Beach with my college roommate and our boyfriends, “You are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder is the song my sister sang at my wedding and “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer will always make me think of my dad. Actually, a lot of songs remind me of my dad, but that one in particular. He couldn’t get enough of the video featuring the scantily clad long legged chicks.

I am not a very good dancer, but I can carry a tune and you sure seem to like it when I start to move and groove and belt out with the chorus. I hope I am instilling in you an appreciation for music, if not a move or two you may bust out later in life.

The best is yet to be.

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Filed Under: aunt leah, college, DMB, family, friends, happy thoughts, list, memories, MSA, music, pastime, TDA bio, wedding Tagged With: aunt leah, college, DMB, family, friends, happy thoughts, list, memoires, MSA, music, pastime, TDA bio, wedding

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