Seattle to Portland

Hey gang! I hope everyone has had an amazing week. P and I have been on vacation, and its been amazing. We flew to Seattle, and hung out in the city for a few days, then drove down to Greenwood, Washington to a ranch that has no cell service or wifi. Finally, we drove into Portland, Oregon for a few days. At first, I was not sure how I was going to feel about it, but after a few day with no phone calls, no text, no email, and no social media, it was actually amazing.

We were gone for a little over a week, but, I can honestly tell you that it was the best vacation I have ever been on. Getting away, disconnecting, being around family and friends, and being in the mountains, gave me a lot of time to think, pray, and contemplate. I actually feel stronger emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. My heart is full and my head is clear.

Some of the highlights: Meeting my bloggy bff Denise. Laughing a lot. Staying up until 2. Star gazing. Inside jokes. Swimming in a freezing river. Trail running. Hiking. Sleeping late. Eating amazing food.

I feel that for the first time in a long time, I have something to say, and I am ready to share.

For now, while we unwind, unpack, and get reacquainted with the real world, I leave you with some photos from the trip.

Sometimes...

Sometimes life takes you to places that you never expect.
Sometimes in life, you bump into someone who becomes a life long friends.
Sometimes in life, you meet those people because of a little blog on a big Internet.

Friendship is a funny thing. It ebbs, it flows, and it changes. Relationships that you held so tightly to in one phase of life slowly drifted away. Other times, people come into your life unexpectedly and stick around for years and decades.

The Internet has changed friendship. People from different walks of life, who under different circumstances would never have met, are suddenly thrust together. Friendships are formed through comments, through emails, through social media platforms.

And occasionally, some of those Internet friendships transform themselves into something more, they become real life friendships. Friendships forged over years of communication through a screen.

But on that rare occasion that you find a friend amongst all those voices on the web that is honest, true, and real, you hope and pray that one day you will get to meet.

That happened to me last night. I got to meet my very first Internet friend.

My husband and I are in Seattle, WA this week on vacation. It just so happens that one of my oldest and dearest bloggy friends lives 20 minutes outside of Seattle.

We met for dinner at an amazing restaurant called Odd Fellows. We spent several hours eating good food, laughing, talking, and getting to know each other beyond the screen.

Thats us. Meet Denise--she is the one on the left. I'm the one in the pink on the right, obviously.
My mom is probably freaking out because I met someone in real life that I met on line. Denise's mom was worried too. 

If you have not had a chance to read her blog, go there now! She is always posting about life in the PNW, her family, her dog, her amazing cooking, and best of all, her photo's. Magazine worthy pics!

Denise, thank you for the years of friendship, and to many many more!

Tell Me: Anyone else met friends in real life that you have met online?

If your going to San Diego, please let me come with you.

California is awesome, but you already knew that. P had a business trip to Cali last week, and I decided to tag along for a few days. It was a win win win situation because his company was paying for his flight, food, car, and fun! All we had to pay for was my flight and meals. Score!  I took a 1/2 day off of work on Thursday, and we flew out on Friday. Unfortunately, I am already back home, but it was a fun and busy weekend. 

I could do what ever other blogger does after a trip and give you a recap, but I won't do that. I will however show you a ton of pictures, and tell you what I learned. 

California is beautiful. I know this, and so do you. But there is something about standing on a cliff, overlooking the ocean that takes my breath away every time. I could sit and stare out into the ocean for hours, and relish those moments where I felt small, vulnerable, and insignificant  I walk around acting like life is all about me and my situation. The sun does not rise and set because of my life, according to my schedule or needs. Life moves forward with or without me, and in the grand scheme of things, I am only a second in a trillion year story. It was refreshing to be reminded that the world does not revolve around me. 

 I crave beauty. The hardest part of being in Dallas is living in a concrete jungle. This trip reminded me to seek out the beauty in life. Find it. It may not always be so obvious, but its there.

There are many people who are nothing like me, and that's ok.  Call me naive  but sometimes I go through life thinking that everyone is just like me. They believe what I believe, think how I think, and agree with my world view. That could not be further from the truth. California is very different from Texas. I live in a very Southern, conservative, wealthy town, and there are many people who have the same world view as I do. It was refreshing to be in a place that was different than my every day experience. It challenged me, and at times made me feel uncomfortable, but its those times of uncomfortable that lead to growth. I want to grow and need to grow. I didn't love when I saw a guy shooting drugs up his arm. It scared me, it saddened me, and it made my heart cry out for him. So often, I am quick to judge, and write people like that off. I tell myself "If he were strong, he would quit." "If he had discipline, he would pick himself up on his own." "If he were more like me, he would not be such a loser." That was hard to write. That was even harder to admit to myself. The last thing anyone needs is my judgment. The first thing I need to give is love. There is not enough of that to go around.

I hope you have a chance to get out of town this summer, even if just for a weekend. To go somewhere beautiful, to feel inspired and challenged. I hope you have a chance to step out of the norm of life and ask questions to yourself, even if they are hard, and you know the answers are ugly.  I hope you get to feel uncomfortable, and small. I hope you give yourself the gift of really living and dreaming. I hope you turn of your phone, and forget about email for a few hours. I hope you turn off the t.v., the music, and the distractions, and tune into life.

So often I am so caught up in the day to day that I forget to live. I forget to dream. I forget that this is my one shot, I don't get any do overs. I need to enjoy life more, and focus less on my to do lists. I need to hug my husband more, and kiss in public. I want to walk hand in hand with him everywhere. I want to be warmed by my toes in the sand, and the sun on my face. I want to continue to be shaped, molded, and challenged. I want to be better tomorrow than I am today.

This Wine is Making me Awesome, Weekend Edition

This weekend was in a word, Awesome. It was not exactly as I planned it, but it was refreshing. 

P and I needed to get out of town. These past few weeks have been nuts. P and I have been busier than ever, and we needed a weekend away from work, away from our house, and away from life. To say that work has been crazy would be an understatement  P has been working non stop these past few weeks on some huge projects. 70-80 hours a week have been the norm. He would leave the house before 6 AM, come home about 9 or 10, then spend a few more hours doing paperwork and getting organized. He was burning the candles at both ends. 

P and I were able to hit the road early Friday. We packed the car and hit the road to drive down to central Texas, the beautiful hill country. We managed to hit traffic and the 2 hour drive suddenly became closer to 4. NBD. Bumper to bumper traffic for a fun filled weekend in the sun could not get me down. 

I MADE PLANS. Fortunately, we have family that lives near a beautiful lake, and I have spent the past 3 weeks looking for a stand up paddle board to surprise P with on Craigslist. I could not find a board, but found a shop to rent them. The plan was to sleep late, eat bad food, then spend hours each day playing on the lake. Ol' mother nature had different plans. On the drive down, we hit some serious storms, and when I checked my trusty Iphone, she confirmed the storms were going to last all weekend. I got bummed for about 10 minutes, got over it, and started looking for other things to do.

First up, Saturday morning, we ran a 5K. If you remember I have been really struggling with my running. Between my whore foot (that is the precious nickname I have given to the wart on my right foot, because according to my podiatrist, if I were less of a slut, I would not have contracted the disease that causes warts), and some really bad runs, I needed a confidence booster. I got it on Saturday. I ran a hilly 5K in 26 minutes. That is a whole minute and a half slower than my PR, but I proved to myself that I can in fact run more than 500 yards without dying. What made it even more fun was that my mom and P decided to do the run with me! P rocked it! He has been working so many hours that he has not had a ton of time to work out, so the fact that he did it, made me so proud. And my mom, who has lost around 25 pounds these past few months did a combo of run and walk--her sprint at the end was awesome---she killed it. 

After a very sweaty run, we showered and went wine tasting. Never done this before, but it was a blast. We went to 2 wineries, tried some funk nasty wines, and then has some killer good wine. The point was, we had a good excuse to day drink, and laugh, a lot. I asked the lady in the 1st place if she had any good boxed wine on hand, I think she almost punched me in the face.

The rain stopped for a bit, while we were wine tasting, so we took a stroll through town, went to a friends house for a dip in the pool, but it was pretty chilly so we got out, then went out for dinner. 

I ate way to much, and it was all bad. This weekend, I didn't care what I ate. I just enjoyed being with family, not paying any attention to my growing inbox, and eating a ton of greasy burgers in between double fisting M&M's. 

The weekend was not at all what I had wanted to do originally, but it was wonderful none the less. I left feeling free, clear headed and happy. 

Different Christmas

I guess I should tell you that traditions are sacred to me, especially the ones that we have been doing since my childhood. Heck, some traditions that I started last week on a whim are sacred and important to me. They give me a sense of stability and focus in a world that is ultimately out of control, that changes moment to moment, with very little to count on. P does something once, and if he never does it again, I freak and think he is bucking tradition and withdrawing his love. See, one thing you need to know about this family is, we kind of kill it at Christmas. Our traditions are great, the food is awesome, and we have been doing things exactly the same since the 80's. We eat the same food, go to the same places, the only things that change are the outfits, cars, and hairstyles. Imagine how distraught I was when I came home to find, Different Christmas.

Last year, my parents moved their Christmas tree. For more than 20 years, the tree stood in the same place year after year. Then suddenly, last year, they willy-nilly moved the tree without any respect to my feelings, my objections, or pleas to leave it where it had historically always been. That is strike 1.

This year, my 86 year old grandmother moved her tree. I walked into her home on the 23rd to visit and the first thing I asked was "Grandma, why did you move the tree?" She replied, "I told J (my cousin) to just put it up anywhere this year."  Strike 2 family.

Every year, my grandmother gives everyone money for Christmas. It always comes to us in bank envelopes with our names on it. Those envelopes are folded and put into small Christmas bags that grandma circle grandma's tree. And after we open our present, she says "Give me back those bags." I have been getting my Christmas present out of that same bag since I started talking. This year, no bags. Grandma just went to her closet and passed out envelopes to everyone. WTF I want my bag grandma.....you just earned this family strike 3.

This year, there were more people around grandmas kitchen table for Christmas Eve lunch than ever before. Did you catch the first change? More people. Cousins brought boyfriends, and sketchy man friend/maybe fiance friends. And uncle brought lady friend/promise ring/girlfriend/possibly wife number 4 to lunch. Second change, Christmas Eve lunch. Lunch I tell you. Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Christmas Eve lunch at Grandmas? Gumbo is good, but not as good when you have it at lunch rather than dinner. New people, that's strike 4 and early food, strike 5.

And we went to the afternoon service at church. We have never gone to the afternoon service at church in my entire life. We have always gone to church at midnight, each and every single year of my existence. Even in my asthma filled, croup having, nearly getting pneumonia life, have we ever skipped church at midnight. But this year, my mother flippantly told me we are going early this year. I really want to call this one strike 6, but I am positive, that if I call out my Lord and Savior, it would be me that got the strike, both literally and spiritually. So, no strike for you Jesus, but I wont forget this one.

And, the nativity scene was moved this year. No giant baby in the nativity scene on the left side of the church this year. Again, I hesitate to give a strike on this one. See above for rational.

Hold on where, are we?
WTF?

Why is everyone monkeying around with our traditions? Why is everything suddenly changing? Why is it this year we decide to unlove everything we have loved about Christmas for decades? Why do we keep calling it Christmas? We should probably change the name to Winter Solstice, lets eat a bunch of food and sit around Day.

To say I have been losing it mentally these past few days would be an understatement. But, I have put on a happy face and kept trucking on.

But, I guess I have to give myself some perspective, because even though those changes are upsetting, I know that the big traditions are still the same.

I know how fortunate I am to still have my grandmother. She is aging quickly, but I still get to go to her home where she has lived since 1950 and eat a Cajun feast with my family. That is the most important thing.

I am also fortunate to have my parents. They open their home to anyone all year, especially during the Christmas season, so I guess I can forgive them for moving the tree and changing church times.

I am blessed with a husband who has allowed us to spend every single Christmas since we have been dating with my family. That's a tradition that I take for granted every year. I know he does it because he loves my family, but I also know he does it because P puts me and my needs before himself everyday.

And, minus one sketchy manfriendpleasedontlookinmydirectionortalktomeorsaymynameandfortheloveofGoddontsitnexttomeguy, those new people were really nice and fun.

I guess the little changes don't matter in the grand scheme of things do they? What matters is that I get to stay up late and hang out with people I love and that love me. I get to celebrate the birth of my Savior. I get to sing, pray, and eat birthday cake for Jesus. I get to come to a home where I feel safe, loved, and be around all the people that mean the most to me in the world. I get to drive around town, and every single turn I make, I am thrust down memory lane, and smile as I drive by the street where my childhood best friend lived.

All in all, its been a good Christmas. Not the best, I mean, with all those strikes how could it be. I would give this a 9.64 on the Christmas rating scale. I was hoping to be WOWED this year and have a Christmas that was off the charts like 2 years ago, the last year when everything was the same. That year was awesome. It was like a 25 or something. Even though I didn't recognize how good I had it at the time, I should have.

Merry Christmas y'all. Go hug your families, eat good food, and don't do anything new. And if you  watch the news and find out about a girl that was struck down by a lightning bolt, that will probably be me.

What are some of your tradition? Anything new this year?

Not Good

P and I are not good travelers. Wait, scratch that, we are great travelers. We are fun, adventurous, up for anything kind of people. We will go place on a whim, and we always want to explore and see whats out there. We will try most anything once.

We are good travelers, we are not good packers. NOT AT ALL. Our luggaage is cheap and broken. As a result we pack using bags. P has 2 backpacks, one small one that is actually a camel back holder and 1 large one that I can fit into. And that man can load those puppies up.

When traveling, I usually carry my backpack, my purse, and then another bag, all of which are bursting at the seams. There is crap shoved into every pocket. A change of clothes in our carry on, and last minute crap we grabbed going out the door. Needless to say, it aint a pretty site when we drag all our crap in 18 different bags into the airport.

When we drive somewhere, it is actually worse. I am a bag lady. I buy bags all the freakn' time and I don't know why. Not purses, but big ass bags. The kind that hold a ton, but don't zip. Yep I am that girl. I have so many bags. I take those when it is a road trip. I have also been known to pack using a laundry basket. I just throw all my junk in there, throw it in my trunk and go.

On road trips with P- his motto is--we have the car, load er' up. Back seat- open for anything-just throw it back there.

Plus, we each over pack. Once, when we went skiing for 7 days, P brought 18 t-shirts. (Honey, sorry to throw you under the bus, but you did!) That is a lot of t-shirts given that we were in 8 degree weather.

I over pack undies and socks. I have this fear that I will run out of fresh/clean panties. For a 2 day weekend, I tend to pack 8-10 pair. Do I ever use them all, of course not. And books. I have being confised so I have to bring a ton of stuff to read or entertain myself.

But it ALL ENDS TODAY. Today we become good packers.

In my mind, upon making that announcement there is some triumphant music playing in the back ground.....just go with it....um k.

Today I scooted to REI during lunch and bought this case.

Then I ran to Target and bought a small carry on bag that zips up.

The they don't match at all. At least it is luggage. I am driving to Austin for a girls weekend and I did not want to roll up into the hotel with 18 bags and a laundry basket, and my foam roller.

These bags give me the paramaters I need to avoid over packing.

My packing is going to be beautiful. Can't you see it now--I will be the picture of travel efficiency. I will be just like those people in the movies who carry one small carry on that holds 16 outfits and 5 pair of boots somehow. Yes, I will claim victory today over this travest of travel and become an organized packer. Victory will be mine.

Hey, I can dream...

Regrets

I am not one of those people who lives with out regrets, are you?
Those people who say they don't, well I admire them.
I have done some stupid things in my life, as well as some smart ones, but I still have regrets.
My biggest regret is that I never moved to Paris, which we all know is a place I long for.
Here is what I did:

I graduated college in December and I did not have job. I moved home, lived with my parents, job searched, saved some money, applied to grad school, and worked as a substitute teacher. I was accepted into grad school, and would start the following August. 8 months at home. While at home I worked out a ton, hung out with my parents, shopped at Target entirely to much, and probably annoyed my mom and dad enough for them to be thankful that I was their last child. To this day, I swear I hear anxiety in my moms voice when I tell her I am coming home for more than a week at a time. Apparently, they are concerned that I will try to change their eating habits, and throw away all their crap, and live a more minimalist lifestyle. What, you wouldn't like that? As we know, I am always right, as is my mother.

Here is what I should have done:
I wish I would have moved home and had a huge garage sale. Just put all my junk out in the driveway and sold everything that people would have purchased. I should have taken that money, pocketed it, and work like a dog in about 18 different jobs.
I should have saved all of that money. Once I had enough funds, I should have booked a one way plane ticket and short term apartment and moved to Paris for as long as I could afford it.
I should have spent that time eating, reading, and exploring the city. Taking it all in and just live the life of the ex-pat.

That is my biggest regret. I should have taken the chance, and ran with it.

What is your biggest regret?

Uhh..should we be scared???

Calling all Regulators......uh stewardess.....el capitans, we have a problem.

P and I flew home from vacy today. I don't want to call out the airline that we flew home today, but is starts with a D, ends with an A, and there is a large area near the Mississippi River that goes by the same name.

We are sitting there, and I look over and see a piece of the plane hanging on the wall by the thinnest of threads. Seriously. See picture number 2. Humm....

Behind this covering was a "safety line" a threaded rope with a carabiner for the flight attendant to secure to the wing in the even of an accident.

So I sat for 3 hours staring at this. SCARY.

But, we are not done yet---

2nd flight, same airline:

Board the plane, look straight to the wall, and nothing is hanging down, nice.

I sit back, relax, and get ready for the flight.

First, there are some lights that will not turn off, so they power down the plane and they go off, great. Lets fly.

Then, we go to take off, and we are about 3 rows behind the emergency exit in the middle. One we get in the air, there is a really strange sound coming from the emergency exit. The guy sitting next to the door starts looking around kind of nervously.

The people in all the rows around me, start looking at each other. The flight attendants come by, and they don't do or say anything. My heart starts pounding, so I close my eyes, and just pray.

Clearly, we made it back safely, but, not without a few scares.

P and I pretty much made a decision that we are not going to fly with this airline any more if we can help it.

One more day of spring break, then it is back to work. uhhhhhh. I think I could be a full time vacationer, vacationite?

View from the Top

Our ski vacay is winding down. Its been a fabulous week, despite all the horrific eating I have been doing. I am not looking forward to what is waiting for me when I get back to work, it will be a long hard week, but I still have 2.5 days left on this break, and I am going to soak in every last minute.

How to

How to make your stomach hurt at midnight---eat white powdered donuts every time you enter the house

How to feel full all day---don't stop eating when you are in the house

How to feel sluggish and tired--- don't eat any veggies for 4 days straight

How to feel so full, you want to pass out--go for seconds on every single meal, even if you are not hungry at all

How to put on weight, while skiing 8 hours a day on vacay---eat continuiously when not skiing.

As you can see, this has been a fab vacation so far, it really has. I have not so much fallen off the healthy eating band wagon, as I have thrown myself off into a sea of white powdered donuts, that I inhale by the bag full.

I was up last night with the worst stomach pains ever. It was horrible. I need to stop with the junk foods ASAP! Can someone please pass me a carrot, or some cabbage? Please?

Swoosh, swoosh, swooh

Vacay!!!
In T-3 days I will be on Spring Break.
P and I are headed up to Maine with some friends to go skiing. This is a much anticipated, and much needed vacation. Life has been hard. We have been apart for 2.5 months now. I have been working crazy long hours, and going out of town, almost every weekend.
I am so ready, I am already dreaming of snow.

Christmas Recap

Cake.Pie. Cookies. Gumbo. Grandma. Presents.Laughter.Fried Chicken. Spin Class. New puppy.long drives.movies. Church at midnight.hugs.arguments.more laughter.too much food. feeling full on food and love.

Ate too much food. At too much bad food. Will someone please pass me a carrot?

Resting

There are some perks to being a teacher--not many, I grant you, but there are some. To be specific, the schedule. I get more than 3 months off every single year, and I get paid for it, in my book that equals AWESOME!

The last day of school was Thursday, and I have spent the last few days just hanging out. I have been on a bit of an Internet hiatus, and it was great. I have not checked email, facebook, blogs or anything since Thursday afternoon. I have spent the weekend with family--eating an insane amount of good food, going on a spectacular hike, and reading good books. I have read 2 books in the last 2 days, and it was totally refreshing to have the t.v. off, Internet off, radio off, and just sit in the sunshine and read. Fabulous.

I was not reading anything particularly, lets say---mentally stimulating--just good funny, sweet, "beach reads." These were the perfect books for me to read and just relax.

First up we have My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster,

This book is sarcastic, snarky, a bit inappropriate, and completely hilarious. So, its right up my alley. If you have never read Jen Lancaster, go out and buy any of her books, any one, and you will laugh so hard, you might pee in your pants. My favorite of all the books she has written is Bitter is the New Black. This girl is fully of spunk, sass, and and a must read.

Then I went the sappy route and read Safe Haven. His books are predictable, yes, but they are such good reads. I have read all of his books, and I always know whats going to happen at the end, but he just writes really great love stories.

Now off to get some errands done before heading out of town.

Paris Dreaming

For some reason the last few weeks I have been dreaming of going to Paris. Not the Paris of today, but Paris in the 1950's. Paris after the war, when a surge of relief was sweeping through Europe. When life was hard, but still full of possibilities. Paris that was full of expat writers sitting at the small cafe's drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes hour after hour. I can just imagine hob-knobing with the struggling writers, meandering through the streets, in and out of the shops looking for everything, yet buying nothing. Living on the cheap in the greatest city in the world.
I have not been many places, yet I have been to Paris, once. It was amazing. Walking the streets, seeing the majestic buildings, the cobble stone walk ways, strolling along the Seine, crossing bridge over bridge, it was magic. There was magic there. The best part was touring the city at night, with the lights ablaze from the apartments, seeing people eat dinner, and entertain guests, it gave me a slight glimpse into their lives. The only souvenir I have from Paris is a scarf I bought from a street vendor. I wear it all the time, and each time I wrap it around my neck, I am transported, even for a second back to Paris.
I think I just have the travel bug. I ache to travel right now. I want to hop a plane and jet set around Europe. Or stroll through Central Park. I want to go. I long to go. I hunger to go. But, alas we can't. Not this summer. Be have prior commitments and a commitment to our financial situation. So I will continually dream the Paris dream. I will get my fill by watching old movies, reading books, and dreaming of old Paris.

City Life

I awoke this morning to a city view. Looking out the window, I have been watching people rush to work, cabs being hailed, and vacationers unloading bags for a long weekend. P and I have the day off work, due to Battle of Flowers!! (What prey tell, is that, I will tell you later.) This will be the last time that P and I will be able to get away and relax until the end of August, so we decided to book a room downtown and stay the night. I love city life, I do. The rush, excitement, grit, smog, power, the dichotomy of it all never ceases to thrill me. How can the poor and homeless coexist on the same streets as the wealthy investment bankers? How can the artists and poets scratch out and existence seeking inspiration in the midst of an urban jungle, when surrounded by brief cases and suits? I woke up early, and as I lay in bed I watched the early morning routines of food deliveries, and laundry services make their rounds. Shortly there after I laced up my shoes and hit the pavement. Despite the heat and humidity due to the rain yesterday the run was awesome. I ran downtown near the capital then I hit up town lake.

I ran the dirt path and contemplated my competing desires. I have grown to enjoy the quietness of country life. The past 3 years, I have gripped about it, but somewhere along the lines I realized how nice it is to come home and be away from everything. But, at times, I often feel the calling, the urge of city life. Can I have both? Can I have the slow quite of the country, and the excitement of the city? I don't know. Will I ever live in a downtown loft on the 27th floor? I don't think so, especially not as a teacher.

For now, I will just have to keep enjoying my jaunts into the urban jungle.

Maine Thoughts and Pictures

I had to have one of these pictures on the ski lift. Every set of pics I have ever seen from skiing has one of these! I was so excited

The view I woke up to every morning! It was beautiful when it was clear out.

The Yourk!!

On the slopes!

O Yea, I am a snow bunny!!!

Getting ready to roll!

The view was beautiful.

It has been a week since we returned from Maine, and I have had plenty of time to process the trip. It was amazingly fun. That is the first time I have traveled with a big group in a few years, and it was divine. The light hearted mood, lots of laughs and smiles, while sitting around watching the fire, made not only a warm hearth, but a warm heart, which was starkly contrasted by the cold, harsh weather outside. There is something haunting about being in a cabin tucked away at the top of a mountain side in the dead of winter. Silence abounds, and the darkness is cut by whipping wind, falling snow, and mountain peaks jutting out in the distance. Maine is beautiful in both the winter and summer. We were in one of those quintessential New England towns, filled with so much quirky charm and character, that at times made me feel as if I were transported to a different time. That, coupled with the fact that we had no phone or internet service for 4 out of 6 days, helped as well.

Skiing , which I have never done before was a blast. I kind of like going on vacation and getting a workout in as well. I picked it up the first day, and by the second I was off the bunny slopes and doing the blues. It was thrilling, scary, and nerve racking all at the same time. I left the slopes each day, tired, but excited, and wanting more. It was thrilling zooming down the mountain hearing nothing but my own breath, and feeling a burn in my legs, and the pounding of my heart as I pushed to go harder and faster.

There were several times this past week that I found myself telling P, "I wish we were still on vacation." I guess that is what retirement is for!

New York, New York

I worked from home today! I was working on a project for school and my Principal gave me the day off to finish, so it was great being at home all day on a week day!! I woke up at 5 A.M, yes, the day that I can sleep in I actually wake up earlier than normal--awesome. Anyways, I was up and at it by 5:30 and I worked non stop and finished by 9!! AHH, pure relief.
Anyways, P played hookie from work to hang out with me, so we ate a big breakfast, did some laundry, visited the mother ship (target) and then rented a movie.
We watched Phelm 123. The movie was simply alright. There was a ton of cussing and that really turns me off.
The part that I really liked was seeing New York city in the background. I have never been to New York city, and I am longing to go. I want to see it all. I want to experience the rush of New York city. Seriously, when I see New York city in movies or on t.v., I just long to go there. The excitement, energy, history of it all just makes me dizzy thinking about it. I have read so many books and seen so many movies with the city as the backdrop, and I just want to go there.
But, alas, we wont be going very soon.
P and I are saving up to go skiing with friends in December. My bff's parents just built a vacation home in Maine, so P and I, along with my bff and her hubs will be flying out the day after Christmas to go skiing for a week. I have never been skiing, and I am super excited about going, yet still part of me can't help but long to go to New York. One day I will go, and it will be amazing, but for now, I get to eagerly await my winter escape!!!