Sunny With a Chance of Everything

I have been absent for a bit. So let's play catch up shall we? In no particular order here is life as of late:

-Joe was hooded for his PhD. It was awesome and also way too hot outside and I had to nurse Finn and we both were sweating and got a bit crabby. But it was great.

-Finn & I went to Michigan and my brothers (minus one) and sisters and my aunt and my cousin and my grandparents and some friends got to meet Finny. I got to meet my older brother's new girlfriend and he seems so happy so I am SO happy. My grandma was in the hospital and it was sad but I am so glad she and my grandpa got to meet Finn. They both loved him so much and it meant a lot to me. And my aunt & cousin loved him too and that meant a lot to me. I got to see my nephew and the poor sweetie broke his leg and it broke my heart. I spent some amazing time with my siblings and my parents and I am SO, SO, SO glad we went back for the week with them. I got to see so many good friends and introduce Finn to them and it was amazing. Such an amazing trip and I realized how lucky I am to have so many wonderful people in my life who love me and now my son.

-I have been working as much as I can and Joe has too and we're still broke. Frustrating but we will make it through.

-Joe keeps job searching like mad and we are waiting to hear back and hopefully get some good news.

-I chopped 14" off of my hair and donated it. It felt really good to finally be able to donate my hair and it felt really good to lose all of that extra hair weight! My hair is so thick and it was so long it was giving me migraines so this helped me out a lot and I get to gift my hair to someone who wants and needs it. Plus my sister cut it into such a cute faux-bob and I love it.

-Joe completed his defense of his thesis and was officially given his PhD with his expertise being on Hopf Algebra. I am so proud of him. He is amazing and I am so glad we made it through this journey to doctorhood together. He is now officially Dr. Joe!

-The little gal I help babysit had her 4th birthday party yesterday and it was adorable! It was Pixar themed and there was a cute Mike Wazowski piñata and a little show with music from Cars, Nemo, Brave, Toy Story, etc. It was adorable. We also had a birthday dinner with her on her birthday last week where she requested that Joe make "Tiana's Gumbo" which was really vegan jambalaya and then she hated it. It was kind of hilarious. All of the adults and her 2 year old brother loved it but she ate turkey and cupcakes for dinner instead. Haha!

-I finally signed up for more classes at Second City Hollywood. Starting next week I take Long Form Improv 1 and Writing a Pilot. I'm super excited to get back into imrpov and I'm excited to start a writing class so I can get better with that and maybe (FINALLY) write the movie & tv show ideas out that have been swimming in my head for years and years. Hooray for classes!

-My grandma is not doing well. She was in the hospital for a week when I was in Michigan, she came home and was falling a lot due to her blood pressure bottoming out, she went back to the hospital for 2 days this past week, now they are saying it may be renal failure which means she doesn't have much time. I am honestly so sad. We reconnected about 5 years ago and I'm so glad we did and I am just so sad. I feel like it hasn't been enough time to this new-found relationship with her and my grandpa. I just want her to be well. I want Finn to know them. My heart is honestly so sad. I just really hope she feels better. She sounds so exhausted now talking to her and my heart just breaks. I'm just honestly really, really sad about it.

-Another loved one of mine is waiting for testing to find out if she has ovarian cancer. This is so frightening and worrisome. My heart is breaking for her. I have no idea what to do or say but I just want to envelope her in a huge hug until all the testing is done. My heart hurts for her. A lot.

-Someone I helped get a reservation on my restaurant sent me a 50 minute massage as a thank you, it was such a lovely surprise! I am so grateful to get a little relaxation sent my way after this very hard past 2 weeks. I need it!

-Joe submitted his thesis this morning so there is officially nothing left that he has to do for his PhD. WOOT.

So that is about it. I'm just really sad lately thinking about those I care about hurting and suffering in medical doubt. I have lived that too long myself and it hurts me knowing they're hurting and scared. I just wish I could make it all better. I'm really looking forward to the massage tomorrow, I am just sad and stressed and worried for those I love and I know it is affecting my back, shoulders, and jaw. It'll be good to get that release. Hope you are all well dear chickens! Enjoy some pics of my little nugget.

 

Sunny With A Chance of Winter Love!

I love winter, love it! I love snow, icicles, cold noses, mittens, warm scarves and hats, snuggling in blankets, fires in fireplaces, holiday feel good movies, hot tea in giant mugs, warm dinners like stew or soup or jambalaya, warm cider, fake nog (a.k.a. vegan egg nog), and so much more. I just wish we had all of those things here in L.A.-it's a little too warm to be real winter to me. I need snow. Lately it's felt like a nice fall day here but nothing to get winter excited about. Le Sigh. But we put up our tree and wreath and stockings and our little apartment just feels so festive and cozy!

We're not traveling back to MI this year for the holidays as I am in my 8th month of pregnancy and am not allowed to. We were a bit bummed not to see our families but now we're getting excited to stay at home in our PJs all day, watching movies, and just keeping it low key. It's going to be a very nice Christmas and a very nice New Year. We're desperately wanting to go watch our MSU Spartans in the Rose Bowl but we don't have $1000 for the tickets so we may just watch them play on t.v. We might try to go to the parade though!

Our little man is coming so soon so we are trying to get as prepared as possible for him. All of the clothes and blankets we've received have been washed and put into his little dresser, we've picked out his crib and my folks are getting that for him, we're putting loads of our extra stuff into storage so we have room for our little guy, and we're looking for a nice glider/rocker that we love so we can sit and rock our little man to sleep. We're excited he is almost here! Only one more month-so crazy! This has been quite the journey for us. Some major downs and some really great ups, we're just so happy he's almost here. I can definitely use a break from all the kicking and punching that seems to be happening 24/7 and a working bladder would be great. This almost peeing my pants every 2 minutes is trying my patience. All in all though I'm so glad that I've had this experience and I'm so, so, so excited to meet Little Dude!

Also coming in January is my show's opening. This is the capstone to my Conservatory program at the Second City Hollywood Training Center. My classmates and I have improvised all the material, re-improvised all the material, scripted it into sketches, edited the crap out of those scripted sketches, and are now putting together our final show. I am very excited for its debut on January 6, 2014 at 7PM! If you're in Los Angeles please come see and support us! Here are our cast pictures from our photo shoot, look how weird we all are:

You can purchase tickets to the show on laughstub.com or at secondcity.com-be sure to click on the Second City HOLLYWOOD venue! Cannot wait for January 2014-big, big, BIG things are happening for me! A show opening, little man arriving, and I am sure so much more!

Hope your December is going amazingly so far-it is the very best month dearest chickens!

 

Sunny With a Chance of Thanksgiving!

So our Annual Friendsgiving was a blast! Great friends (old & new) came out to play and we served a feast for everyone. We like to provide all the food and just ask guests to bring beverages to share. And share they did! We had loads of wine, beer, spirits, juice, cider, coffee donated to the party-it was lovely. We served the following menu (all of which is 100% vegan):

Apps:
-sundried tomato dip with homemade bread
-herby tofu dip with homemade bread
-grilled cheeses (made with 3 different kinds of Daiya and homemade bread) & tomato basil soup shooters

Salads:
-Caesar salad with homemade dressing & croutons from scratch
-warm spinach salad with a maple balsamic dressing

Mains & Sides:
-vegan short ribs in & red wine sauce
-vegan pork chops with spinach, sundried tomato, & soy goat cheese schmear with gravy
-mashed potatoes and gravy
-Cuban style sweet potatoes
-sweet potato, banana, & pecan casserole
-garlicky green beans
-brussell sprouts with granny smith apples & red onions
-cranberry chutney
-chestnut stuffing

Desserts:
-homemade pumpkin pie with homemade crust & coconut whipped cream
-apple crisp with vanilla soy ice cream
-peach & blueberry crumble with vanilla soy ice cream
-almond thumbprint cookies with homemade raspberry jam

Needless to say EVERYONE was STUFFED. And it was all animal friendly & I adopted a turkey named Gable this year from Farm Sanctuary that everyone loved. We posted her story on the dessert table so everyone knew who they were supporting by eating a vegan Friendsgiving. We also have a tradition where you have to name at least one thing you are thankful for before you can eat and let me tell you they were wonderful things to be thankful for. I teared up a few times. I am grateful for such a wonderful holiday with friends! It was a blast and we cannot wait to do it again next year! :D

 Here has been my week of gratitude posts:

Today I am thankful for officially being on Joe's insurance and submitting it to the doctor so the surgery can be submitted to the insurance company for approval. One step closer. Day 20 in my Month of Gratitude. [SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!]


Today I m thankful for silliness. It saves my life everyday to be silly and have silly people in my life. Anytime things have been hard (hello all year) the thing that makes me feel betters SILLY. Day 21 in my Month of Gratitude.

Today I am thankful for family & friends near & far, of this earth & those who have passed. I am thankful for the health of those people still here. I am thankful for the feast Joey has been preparing like mad, I am thankful for the turkey I adopted named Gable who was saved and now lives on a Farm Sanctuary. I am thankful for my pups who woke me with snuggles and kisses. I am thankful to be having surgery soon. I am thankful for a nephew due any day now. I am thankful for so many reasons today. Happy Thanksgiving to you all and know I carry my gratitude of you with me throughout the year! Day 22 in my Month of Gratitude.

Today I am thankful for days in bed, setting up our tree, watching White Christmas, snuggling my pups tight, and a husband who loves me. Pretty great day! Day 23 in my Month of Gratitude.

Today I am grateful for someone who indulges my love of all things Christmas. I bought 6 new holiday movies & he is supporting me about more from Amazon & Disney.com, buying a tree skirt, 3 stockings, more ornaments, bought snowflake placemats & and getting a wreath. Thankful he is patient with me about this obsession... Day 24 in my Month of Gratitude.  



 It's been a pretty great week off of a previously pretty great week (thanks to an amazing shoot with the one and only Michael Madsen and some amazing friends & crew mates). Cannot complain my dear chickens. Hope all is well with you in your worlds. Joe and I are now gearing up for our big birthday week (12/1 I am 28 & 12/5 Joey is 30!)-Disneyland and a big USO themed party. It should be a hoot of a time. I am excited for what this next year is bringing: surgery, healed back, a vow renewal, adventures, and who knows what else! Grateful gal here, really and truly.


 Xs and Os dear chickens!

 

Sunny With a Chance of AMAZING!

So here is the deal, I am shooting as Wardrobe (and a sometimes actor) for my dear friend's web series and today is EPIC. Like mega-star epic. When the pilot is ready I will post it and you will crap your pants with excitement about the fact that I got to work with this person! I am just really excited and grateful to be starting to live the way my dreams in my head are. So very thankful!

And to continue with that thankfulness:

 Today I am grateful to have found where my passion is and to be able to pursue my dreams as an actor. Got to shoot today and it just reminds me that I get to play for a job. Makes my heart happy! Thanks for the fun start today 2 Hopeful Spinsters. Day 14 in my Month of Gratitude.



Today I am grateful for opportunity. Past, present, and future. Day 15 in my Month of Gratitude.

 Today I am thankful for the community I've found at Second City Hollywood. Great performers, teachers, staff, students, interns-I'm glad to know all of you! Day 16 of my Month of Gratitude.

Today I am thankful for my brothers Jason, Marcus (happy birthday!!!!), & Dominic.  You are the best big & little brothers a girl can ask for, even when you're punks. Love you fools! Day 17 in my Month of Gratitude.

Today I am grateful for my sisters Sam & Gabby. You two are great sisters and even though you both are hooker faces I love you more than I can say. Thanks for being obedient when you were super little to teach me my passion for acting (and directing-oh Blueberry Muffin & Chocolate Lottie), for being brats when you were tweens to teach me patience, for being argumentative as teens to teach me to debate the hell out of any topic & to learn fabulous curse words in 3 languages, and for being great friends as adults to teach me that we all grow up (well mostly). Love you both so much. Day 18 in my Month of Gratitude. 

Today I am grateful for BIG dreams and dreamers! On set with good pals, great crew, fabulous talent, & the amazing Michael Madsen! Day 19 in my Month of Gratitude.

  

 


 

Too Hot With a Chance of More Gratitude

So more being grateful! Here are my day 3 & 4 in my Month of Gratitude!

Here was my post from Saturday: Today I am grateful for the wonderful friends Joe made through his first play, Ghost Light. I am grateful to have a shared experience, theatre, with him now so he and I can talk about the love of my craft with mutual understanding. I am also grateful to have seen most of Ghost Light's production team do some interesting karaoke last night! Day 3 of my Month of Gratitude. I am so grateful Joey got to be an "actor" and got to see what I do from the inside. I am also glad that he loved the experience and that I now get to call him "The Diva". Such a hilarious process but he & I loved it and we got to share it with our family the night after our wedding and they loved it too!

Here is today's post: Today I am grateful to be on the set for 2 Hopeful Spinsters, doing the things I love to do with some flipping delightful friends & people! Day 4 of my Month of Gratitude. My 2 pals are writing, producing, and starring in this series. I get to be an actor, Head of Wardrobe & Hair Dept., and all around helper. It is a blast to be doing what I love with friends & a great crew. I am so excited to see how the pilot turns out. :D

Hope y'all are doing well dear chickens! 


 

Sunny With a Chance of Red Carpet?!

Hello dear chickens! So today is a big day for me-my show Why We Have A Body is opening tonight complete with a red carpet, photographers, celebs, champagne & finger-foods, good friends, and my fiance! I cannot tell you how excited I am to be opening! I hope if you're in the LA area you come see me alongside legendary actress Barbara Bain, our fearless director & costar Tanna Frederick, and the divine Cathy Arden. I cannot tell you how amazingly grateful I am to be apart of this production and to my dear friend John for being my champion to get me the audition!

Hope to see you tonight or tomorrow on our red carpet! It's opening weekend galas at the Edgemar every single day this weekend! :D