One of the highlights of our recent Southern California trip was seeing Adam's mom. We've pretty much always gotten along, the bumps of melding families notwithstanding, but things have felt even better post-wedding.

We spent a typical LA heat-wave Monday with her, just hanging out at her place, chatting, having dinner. At one point she handed me a packet of personalized pens that happened to land at her workplace. "They said 'Allison'," she said, "and I said, I have an Allison!"

That made me feel hella good.