SLS for our 5th Anniversary!

Since our anniversary is December 30th, a Wednesday this year, we decided to celebrate the weekend before... FIVE YEARS! I feel like it's our first major milestone together! This called for an extra special celebration so we headed to LA for the weekend and stayed at the new SLS resort in Beverly Hills... what a beautiful little gem.

We worked out in their really nice gym (or Ryan worked out while I sat in that fun chair and read magazines!)

We got upgraded to a "Studio Suite," it was so modern and lofty and when we got to our room, they had delivered champagne and strawberries with chocolate viles- so clever and different!

We enjoyed lunch in our room and then went to the spa and had a couples bath and couples massage... what a perfect anniversary gift! Definitely needed and well-deserved after 5 years!

We ended our night at the hotels "new & hip" Bazaar Restaurant... the chef is very playful and we had lots of different small plates, it was great tasting a little of everything. We had a great time celebrating our milestone, I am so thankful for Ry, each day gets better and better with him and I'm excited for many, many more celebrations together!

Christmas 2009 in Laguna

This year, we celebrated Christmas at my parents home- it was nice not having to travel anywhere! We arrived to my parents just in time for a meatless lunch (Czech tradition is that you can't eat meat on Christmas Eve.. don't understand why not but we observe!)

We then went to Mariner's Church for a Christmas Eve service, we got to Christmas Carol sing our hearts out!

We came back home and my mom started putting together our traditional Christmas Eve dinner- mushroom soup, breaded white fish, and potato salad. We literally wait in anticipation for this meal all year! Every bite was delicious.

After dinner, we opened our gifts. Santa was very generous and we all received practical things that we needed!

What a relaxing Christmas and Christmas season, our wish was to take it easy and to enjoy each day- I think our wish came true!

My Company Holiday Party at Montage!

I was asked to plan our company's Holiday Party this year and after weeks of planning and preparing, we finally got to celebrate my company's success with a night at the Montage for each of our employees and an amazing dinner at Studio... definitely a special night to remember!

Ry and I arrived at the Montage late Saturday afternoon and were greeted with flutes of Schramsberg Champagne upon check-in, the perfect touch! I ran around making sure everything was perfect in the dining room and we quickly got ready for our cocktail hour before dinner.

Dinner was stunning, 5 courses- each one better than the next! Definitely a treat, our boss is beyond generous.

It was so fun hanging out with my co-workers outside of work, we all had a great time laughing, drinking, talking, drinking, eating, drinking... you get the idea.

We definitely didn't hold back one bit, we partied ourselves out for the rest of the year... haha!

I'm so grateful for my company, I hope we can have another great year.

Kelli & Jason Visit and a Xmas Walk around Balboa

Another busy holiday weekend! Saturday we had Ry's Work Christmas Party and Sunday we had Kelli and Jason over for a holiday lunch. We spent the afternoon drinking champagne, eating yummy food and Christmas cookies, and playing Scatagories!

We finished off the weekend by taking a walk around Balboa Island and seeing all the homes lit up and decorated to the nines... one home even had a snow machine blowing out snow! Only in Newport!

Disneyland, Mikulas & Charlie Palmer's

Friday I took the day off in observance of our Czech Holiday called Mikulas, or Saint Nick's Day. Ry and I decided to go to Disneyland for the day, since we have never been during Christmas time and what a great time to go!

We rode all of the rides worth riding in both Disneyland and CA Adventure and came home exhausted! It was totally worth it though, we will definitely try to visit Disney during this time each year.

Saturday my mom prepared her famous dough for baking Saint Nick's and Devils, a tradition for little kids in Czech... if kids are good throughout the year they get a Saint, if they are bad they get a devil! Kim came over, it was so fun to have her at my mom's, we drank egg nog, chatted and each had a Saint AND a Devil!

Sunday Kim and Jon met us at Charlie Palmer's for drinks before their Christmas Party and Ry and I shopped at South Coast.. never a good ending! We had a great holiday weekend with our dear friends and are looking forward to more to come!

Christmas Prep & Tree Lighting Ceremony

Since Ry had to work Saturday morning, it was nice to have the entire weekend after Thanksgiving at home! I decided to start the Christmas season early by decorating our home and after Ry got home from work, we went and got our tree! We put up our ornaments while sipping on Pinot and after dinner my parents came for dessert and tea, the perfect start to Christmas.

Sunday we went over to my parents and from there we went to the St. Regis for our annual tradition of watching their tree lighting ceremony and reminiscing on where Ry and I got married around this time... FIVE years ago now!

We sipped on hot apple cider and even met my co-worker and his family, such a festive event!

Afterwards we went over to my parents and my mom cooked a delicious meal (Thanksgiving part Two!) Our wish is to slow down this Christmas Season and spend time with the people we love most, so far we haven't slowed down but we are sure planning to see many special people this month :)

Thanksgiving 2009 in Sacramento

This year was the Conkle's turn for Thanksgiving so we flew up to Sacramento early Thursday morning for the big Turkey Day. The girls cooked away in the kitchen preparing all the traditional fixings and the boys played with Benson, watched James Bond and sipped martini's!

At 5:00pm we had appetizers and champagne and afterwards we managed to get everything on the table.. still warm.. the most challenging part!

Our cute turkey carver carved our delicious turkey... everything turned out perfectly. After dinner we went over to the Jamison's for dessert, it was great seeing everyone and being together.

Friday morning we went over to Gabe and Diana's to meet their newborn, Aleczander.. what a cutie!! We are so happy for Gabe and Diana and their new dwelling!

After visiting with Gabe, Diana and the baby we went to lunch with Ry's parents and sister at a new Italian spot in downtown Sacramento and afterwards we went and saw The Blind Side.. GREAT movie.. a must see! Then it was time to head back to the airport because Ry had to work on Saturday- a nice, short but sweet Thanksgiving!

Rodger's Gardens, R&D and Bowling Night

Christmas is definitely in the air! This weekend we kicked-off our holiday spirit by going to Rodger's Gardens to look at all the beautiful decorations and ornaments... one of our favorite Christmas traditions!

After walking around, we cozied up at R&D's bar with a nice bottle of Pinot followed by a delicious winter meal ending with their Carrot Cake.. the best Carrot Cake EVER!

After dinner, we were just in time for the Fashion Island Tree Lighting! Although it wasn't as big as usual, it was still fun to celebrate the beginning of the holiday seas.n.. my favorite time of the year!

Sunday we met Kim, Jon, Christa and Eric at Strike for a night of bowling!

None of us had bowled in so long, it was a blast re-living our teenage years! As usual, the girls chatted up a storm and the guys racked up some serious scores!

What a great weekend, now it's time to get ready for Thanksgiving... here we go!

Oklahoma!

What a quick, short-but-sweet weekend! Friday we took a half-day and headed off to Oklahoma City to visit Paw Paw (Ry's grandpa) who just turned 91!! Talk about some good genes! We arrived late Friday night, were picked up by Ry's parents and sister and caught up over a round of drinks before crashing into bed.

Saturday morning we had a nice birthday breakfast for Paw Paw at his condo, while he opened up his cards and gifts.

We then gathered ingredients for our tailgating party and headed off to Norman, home of Oklahoma University (where Ry's parents both attended and met!) Ry's dad showed off his fraternity house and room and Ry's mom showed off her sorority house and room. It was so neat to see "where it all began" and you could tell it was special for them to reminisce!

They gave us a tour of their campus and showed us where all of their classes were.

Seeing Paw Paw was the obvious purpose of our trip but the main reason we chose THIS weekend was because Oklahoma University was playing Texas A&M in college football and our Paw Paw was chosen to be honored after the 1st quarter for having been one of the longest season ticket holders in history! We were invited as his family to support him in his honor so we knew it would be a special event not to be missed! So before the game, we tailgated- had a great picnic and sipped on our favorite beverage... Rombauer!

After tailgating, we walked around the campus, looked at all the great shops and fed off all great OU energy... they have such spirit and patriotism there!

We then made our way to the game and right before 1st quarter was to end, we were escorted down to the field for Paw Paw's announcement... in front of 80,000 people and projected onto the big screens! It was so great being on the field with Paw Paw and the entire family... he was besides himself and glowing with happiness! We were so thrilled to be there with him!

Sunday morning the entire family went to church and then we went to brunch at Paw Paw's country club. Soon after, it was time to go home! What a fun weekend seeing Ry's family in their element, nothing like some pure college spirit!

Meeting Terezka in Malibu & Crazy Girls Night!

A weekend filled with girlfriends.. nothing could be better! Saturday I met Tereza (my Czech friend from my Grateful Palate days) and her baby!! I haven't seen her since she had Stella a couple months ago so it was so fun to finally meet her!

She was so good, not even a peep from her while Tereza and I caught up, sipped coffee and had lunch. I pray that one day my little one will be as good a she is!

Saturday night called for a girls night... and what a girls night is was!!! Kim, Jenn, Crista, Noelle and I met up at Tannin's Wine Bar and danced our butt's off.. until some of us got a little sick... which is definitely to be expected after a successful girls night!!

Although we had to end the night a little early, it was a blast being with the girls and partying like we were college girls again. However next time, we decided we will be taking it a little easier!