A Pleasant Surprise Luncheon

We recently had our 2nd annual Pleasant Surprise Luncheon. This is a time when we can catch up with past clients and get to know our current clients better, while doing what we like to do best - eating yummy food. It's really nice to reconnect and see how everyone is doing. We've had a lot of additions to our PS family in the last year and we're expecting a few more little ones to join us for our next luncheon.

Chrisma and I came up with the 4 Seasons theme while having lunch at Belmont Shore a few months ago. We set the tone with our invitations which was totally DIY. The mailable boxes were from Paper Source and the paper and embellishments were from Michael's and Joann's.



We wanted our tables to reflect the invitation so we went to Fusion Linens and Veronica helped us put it all together. She effortlessly pulled just the right linens to make our tables from Create-a-Party beautiful. We used the kids' favors as centerpieces and also had books to keep them occupied. We kept the centerpieces on the adult tables simple so there would be ample space for the plates with all the delicious food.






Speaking of food, Colette's Catering came through with flying colors. It tasted even better than it looked, and it looked amazing! Everyone loved the food and many went back for seconds, it was SO good. We will definitely call them again.






Our assistant Jessica deciding what she's going to eat first


Mmmmm. Jessica enjoying her food along with some of our little friends





Our guests left with cake pops from Perfect Treats. I can't decide which one I liked better the red velvet or the chocolate and banana. They were both deeeelightful!






The perfect accessory to this cute little face


We have the best clients in the world! Thank you everyone for taking the time out of your busy schedules to come to our luncheon. A special thanks to our husbands, who support us, who hold down the fort while we work, who help us carry heavy things and who love us unconditionally.



And a big hug to our photographer, Eddie Zhao. When he becomes famous, we will proudly say that he shot the photos for our luncheon.

Retirement Tea

I love my Bible Study! I love how God reveals new truths every time I study. And I love all my sisters in Christ that I study with! They inspire me and encourage me. One of those very special ladies retired this year from her position as class administrator. We had to throw her a party, so we decided to make it a tea party.




The original plan was to have it in my backyard but it was misty and wet that morning and so we had to change the plan and bring it indoors.



Boy, am I glad we have the room. 33 ladies filled my family room with laughter and tears as we shared stories of what God has done through our class and in our lives.




It was a beautiful spread. Every time we have a luncheon, they always bring the yummiest treats. The flowers added the perfect touch, and they were provided by our dear Debbie of Anything But Ordinary Event Flowers and Holiday Decorating. Tables & chairs were from Create-a-Party .







What a perfect group effort to make it a perfectly lovely tea for our beloved friend.

What did you do for Mother's Day?

We went to Disneyland!!

Last Sunday was my 14th Mother's Day. It's so cliche but it has gone by too fast and it does seem like only yesterday they were born. I see my kids everyday and it's hard to believe that my son is taller than me by 5 inches and my daughter is well on her way. But when they're not with me and I think of them, they're still my little babies. I still remember when they used to pronounce their words wrong and when they used to want me to hold them, our fun outings that I used to pack the car with extra diapers, extra wipes, extra clothes, extra snacks, extra everything - those were really good times.

People used to say to me, "Enjoy them while they're young because once they hit the teens, they're going to be nothing but headaches." So far, my kids have proven them wrong. If I could hand pick my kids, these would be the kids I would pick. They are well mannered, well behaved, well rounded individuals. My son is the perfect blend of butt-kickin' athlete and bookworm nerd. My daughter is the dancing princess who is at the top of her class at school, can beat anyone in a staring contest and keep up with the boys in a game of Nerf dart wars. I did enjoy my kids when they were young and I'm still enjoying them.

Many people ask us how we got our kids to behave so well. First of all, we believe that God made them really special, especially for us. God also gave us instructions on how to raise them. The more we read the Bible, the more we find practical applications through timeless illustrations. This made it pretty simple for us, we didn't have to figure things out as we went along, we just followed the examples that were set before us. One thing we know to be true is God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, so we are as consistent as possible when it comes to rules in our home. The kids know exactly what to expect, good or bad, they know there are rewards or consequences. Another thing we know to be true is that whatever God says will happen-does happen, no empty threats. I've regretted saying "if you do that one more time, we're going home" a few times because I didn't want to go home, but I had to follow through. I've also threatened to throw toys away if they did "it" one more time, and I've thrown away a few good toys. But these things only had to happen a couple of times when they were really little, and after that, a warning did the trick because they knew mom wasn't playin'. One of the most important things is that God is our Father, he is our friend but not so much our buddy, and as our Father, he loves us and wants the best for us. As much as we like our kids and want them to like us, we love them more. We want them to be well equipped, independent, competent, respectful people who know the value of hard work and appreciate everything they have. Sometimes our decisions are not very popular with them, but they know that our love for them is greater than material things or one fun day.

Things aren't always perfect, we fall, we mess up, we get frustrated and even argue, but those experiences helped us be who we are today.

My kids always ask me what I want for Mother's Day (or Christmas or my birthday) and I always say "Kids that listen." Whether they know it or not, I already have the best gift ever!


Me and the kids at Disneyland 10 years ago


Me and the kids at Disneyland last week

Sweet Sixteen

The morning of April 9, 1994, I left my house in my friend Beth's car on our way to L.A. to get my hair and make up done for my wedding, as rained poured down on her little car. Before I left, I kept looking out, hoping God would see my sad little face in the window and send a little sunshine my way. Every chance I'd get, as I sat in the chair at the salon getting pampered, I'd look at the same puddle in the parking lot through the window, hoping it would start drying up.

Meanwhile, my fiance and his friends were trying to set up tables and chairs in the lawn of our little church, wiping away the water, doing their best to make it look the way I wanted it. This was long before I knew anything about coordinating weddings. We had no plan B, it was church lawn or ????

We continued to get ready, trusting that God would give us a beautiful day. Did He ever! He sent the rain just to wash away the smog and the dust. By the time we got to the church, the sky was a beautiful blue with just a few fluffy white clouds, the sun was out and the lawn was not even damp. 400+ people packed into our little church and watched as Young and I promised to love each other till death do us part.

That was 16 years ago. It was the beginning of a beautiful life together. God did see my sad little face in the window and while I thought about what we were going to do if it continued to rain, He was teaching me to trust in Him and to put my focus on the marriage, not the wedding day. God took care of that for me, I couldn't have asked for better weather. He is so good.

So as I look out the window this morning, the day, and my life, is even more beautiful than it was on our wedding day. Happy 16th Anniversary honey!


(Check me out rockin' the puffy sleeves!)

April Showers and Parties and Discounts

Baby showers, Bridal showers, graduation parties, birthday parties ~ we love them all!! If you'll be hosting one of these celebrations soon and would like to give your guests a little pleasant surprise, check out our online store. We're offering a 10% discount on all merchandise for the month of April.
Happy shopping!

Beachside Wedding

What a great day we had yesterday! Judy and Mike got married at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa in Huntington Beach. It was a gorgeous day, the weather was perfect. The stylists from Salon 9 made the already beautiful bride, bridesmaids, moms and flower girl even more beautiful. The ladies had a great time in the parlor while getting ready. They needed a little help getting laced into their wine colored dresses that complimented each of them perfectly. Then we had the "take my breath away" moment when Judy got into her wedding gown. She looked exquisite. While the ladies were getting photographed by Mike's friend and co-worker Edgar Hoill, the guys showed up ready to go in their formal wear from Friar Tux, looking rather dashing themselves. They found a nice shady spot near the courtyard, enjoyed a few cold drinks while Mike tried to avoid seeing Judy before the ceremony. The lively ceremony was officiated by Father Charles Ara and one of our favorite string quartets with the greatest name ever, Fiddlestix, provided the ceremony music.

The staff at the Hyatt worked at record speed to turn over the ballroom from the previous event. I enlisted the help of my husband to transport the wedding party's personal items and set up the ballroom while Chrisma assisted the photographer to make sure he got all the shots Judy and Mike wanted. The flowers for the ceremony and reception were provided by Paradise Delight Floral and Event Design. I know I keep using the word beautiful, but I can't think of a better word to describe how beautiful the flowers looked. Not only did they do a great job, they were a really nice team to work with. Actually, all the vendors were great! The videography was done by Marc Lehman of Ashley Video. I met Marc one other time a few months back, but it felt like we had known each other for years. He just has a way of making people feel comfortable. Oh, I want to be one of the first to promote his new venture, check out iDocam - it's such a great idea! After cutting into the yummy cake from Tomgirl Baking Co., DJ Jason Wagers knew just how to get everyone on the dance floor and keep them there. The music was exactly what the crowd wanted to dance the night away. I couldn't resist a little moonwalking myself to "Billie Jean" and a short stint on the dance floor with my husband waving our hands in the air as we joined everyone in a little "Hip Hop Hooray, Ho, Hey, Ho" (Is that the title of the song?). As our daughter would say; good times, good times.

We had a wonderful time as Judy and Mike celebrated with their family and friends. The guests had a great time and we just know that Judy and Mike are so loved and cherished. Lots of hugs and kisses, laughter and smiles. We are so grateful to have been a part of this special day. Thank you Judy and Mike for giving us the opportunity. Thank you to the Santos and Karting families. It was our pleasure to meet all of you. A special shout out to the awesome bridal party and their significant others - what a fun bunch!

We'll be sure and share some images from their weddings soon. In the meantime, we're going to put our feet up and take the rest of the day off.

Julia & Eugene

When I think "Cute Couple" I think of Julia and Eugene. You can just see the love and the mutual respect they have for each other. We got to spend the evening with them a week ago for a meeting to go over, in detail, all their vendors' contracts. We had Italian food for dinner and got better acquainted with them. They also got a chance to meet Chrisma and my family. It was as if we had been friends for years. I love getting to know my clients over a meal, there's just something about breaking bread with people that brings them closer together.

I can't wait for their wedding. Their ceremony is going to be at Trinity Baptist Church in Santa Monica and their beautiful reception is going to be at Hotel Casa Del Mar. The church is totally in tune with their light pink color scheme and it's a quick drive to the hotel from there. The wedding coordinator at the church is a dream to work with. When I met with Jeanine a few months back, we hit it off right away. Our catering manager at the hotel is also a great part of this awesome team. We had a great time with Michael at the tasting, which made the yummy food even yummier! Julia's mother especially enjoyed herself because the view was just gorgeous!

Check out some of their engagement photos, taken by the talented Taek from Taek Photography. And be sure to check back to see this stunning beauty and her handsome prince at the wedding of their dreams.






Photographer: Taek Photography
Julia's Hair & Make up: Joyce Luck Style