San Francisco {part-two}

On to part two today. If you missed part one yesterday, you can read it here.

I left off telling you about 17 mile drive. On our way back to San Francisco we stopped at the Artichoke Capital of the US, Castroville. Pretty big stuff.

Pezzini is the stop to make. They sell freshly fried artichokes. They are to die for.

You read that right...artichoke cupcakes!!

We bought this soup to go with our dinner that night!

Fresh crab!!!

I had to throw a picture in of my god daughter.
I am not a cat person but I like her a whole lot :)
So for you cat people who read my blog, and have had enough Emma pictures, meet Lilly :)

{Day Three}

The next morning we got up and toured Alcatraz.

I really should have had Jacob guest post about Alcatraz, because he could talk about it all day. 

The history of this place is amazing. I only thought it was a prison but it was so much more.
This is a MUST if you ever visit CA.

The views are pretty great too! 

This is a straight view of San Fran from the island. Can you see the crazy streets!
They are so steep they look like waterfalls.

A former prisoner was there while we were & he was signing his new book. 

I looked him up (see link below)! I think I might have to pick up his book. How crazy right??
 http://www.examiner.com/article/former-alcatraz-convict-now-free-at-age-78

The tour on the island is pre-recorded. At first I wasn't sure if I would love that but it was pretty awesome. Prisoners and officers are the narrators and you can pause whenever you want & go through at your own pace.
It was pretty impressive.

After Alcatraz we needed some food. So we headed to the Wharf for clam chowder bread bowls :)

{Day Four}

The next morning we headed to Napa Valley with Lauren & Kyle.

Our first winery was Castello di Amorosa. 

It was beautiful. They only sell their wine there but it is very well known
and they have a close relationship with Disney/Pixar. 

You kind of feel like you are in a story book when you walk up to it
OR that you have been instantly transported to Italy. 

I would be happy to be locked in this dungeon :)

Our private tasting room.

Next stop was Freemark Abbey.
This is where Jacob and I did the most "damage" Freemark's merlot is heaven in a bottle. 

I wish this was an acceptable diet :)

Markham Winery was our third stop. We hit two more after this. BV and Franciscan. Also GREAT stops. 

Please laugh at how ridiculous this picture is. We packed a bag not knowing whether we would stay the night in Napa or not but we ended up going with it. We picked a little inn on the main road and it worked out wonderful.
Check out those cheesy headboards! 

For dinner we hopped around the town of St. Helena. I think we ate calamari 6 times in 6 days :)

{Day Five}

The next day we headed back to the city. We had lunch at Pier 23.

Check out Jake's seafood sandwich !! 

We had some afternoon drinks and the sadness started setting in...we were leaving the next day :(

Our last stop of the evening was Chinatown. 

Jacob got some egg rolls and we all helped devour them.

We had our last dinner together in the Italian section of the city. I have never heard much about this part of the city but it is wonderful and another great place to walk through.

Honestly, I think the best part of where our friends live is how close they are to so many amazing places. On our last full day, we woke up in Napa and by 6 pm we were eating egg rolls on the street in Chinatown. For a Midwestern girl that is pretty exciting. 

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Tomorrow back to running on this blog! I have some good ideas for the rest of the week. I might actually fill my gear tab and let you know what I use :)

San Francisco {part-one}

No surprise here kids. This will be a major photo dump of our trip last week.... and not too many words. 

Basically if you missed it, my best friend...my right arm...my sista from another mista, left me last June to live in beautiful California. It was cruel. There were a lot of tears. I try to tempt her back here with copious amounts of beer, cheese, and crappy weather, daily.

AND because I know her soul, she always contemplates the first two promises but then she realizes she can buy beer and cheese in California & now I am forced to visit her & enjoy the sun. How unfortunate, right?

So I had a wonderful trip out there over Labor Day but Jacob couldn't come. Something about money doesn't grow on trees or whatever. But boy did we make up for it this trip. Jacob got the full Northern California experience! We had wonderful weather and made tons of new awesome memories. It was one of those trips that leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy and pretty lucky to have great friends (minus the travel issues).

{Day One}

It was kind of a longer travel day than we expected but
it started out right in the airport! Smoked salmon cream cheese pizza!!

But eventually we got there and the first thing we did was picnic at Alamo Square.
Easily I think it is my favorite spot in the city.
& when I say first thing I mean, we got off the plane and went straight there. 

Champagne and SUN.

It really works out for Lauren and I, these two love each other.  

Alamo Square.

Then we did a little driving to show Jake more of the city.

We drove across the Golden Gate.

We stopped at Ghirardelli Square

& then the Buena Vista!!! if you ever go to SF you need to go here.
BEST Irish Coffees. It is what they are known for.

Jacob's first Irish Coffee, Ever.

SADLY I have to pause here and say that dinner was not documented. Jacob and I tried IN & OUT BURGER for the first time. Holy Sh**
If you live near one, I don't know how you could NOT eat there everyday??? Maybe you do? & then I am completely jealous.

{Day Two}

Our second day there started with
6 happy miles in SHORTS!

With views like this :)

Then we headed to Carmel and Monterey for the day!

& We did 17 mile drive.

I love these pictures of Jacob <3

&&&&&& we made the cutest friend. This place makes going to the zoo lame.

That island out ahead of her is just full of seals.
You could hear them all barking.

Besties :) Jacob gagged a little when he saw this.

{Part Two} coming soon...

twenty-six

Oh boy.

Tomorrow I turn 26. 

Yep its my BIRfffDAY!!!

I am officially on the back end of my 20s. That feels weird. 

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I wanted to share that I feel sad that I have lost my habit of coming here everyday and I hope you will stick with me. 

I made a list of things I wanted to do before I turned 26. You can read them here. I didn't do a great job. I mentioned that here. 

We have had a busy couple of weeks. Busier than the holidays have been, but I am ready to get back on the wagon in all aspects of my life & that includes coming here daily and doing a better job of planning my posts. I really enjoy being a part of this little world. 

So this brings me to my next point. I have some new thoughts for this year. I want to actually really accomplish some changing & since the new year has been veryyy very busy and it is already the 10th I figure I will just start my new year tomorrow. A fresh age. 

Instead of numbering these things I am going to categorize them. I am sick of numbers!!!

HAPPINESS.

I don't want to be unrealistic here (because everyone has bad days, I am bound to have bad days) but there are some simple things I know I can do to make me a happier person. 

First, I want to take a new outlook on my job. I want it to stop affecting me so much and dictating how I feel about other parts of my life. I work with great people and I really enjoy parts of my job but it is just a job. It isn't my life. I work hard and I KNOW I try my best and as with everything else it is all I can do. I need to find a switch this year. When I leave the office I want to "leave".

Secondly, I need to sit down and shut up SOMETIMES :) I need to stop trying to control, plan and figure everything out. I won't even say be present in the current day...that might be even too hard for me! I need to be present in the current week. 

As I have gotten older I feel like the days are just flying by. Recently that has really weighed on me. Probably because I wish half my weeks away planning some other month or figuring out our life plan because of Jacob's choice to go to law school. Everything always works its way out & it will, so I need to just let life be. 

HEALTH. 

Run as much as possible and never take a single day over the temperature of 30 degrees for granted again!!!!!! Anyone with me ??? GEEZ it is 28 degrees today and I am HOTT. You think I am kidding??? I am not. 

This year I will record every mile I run. I am excited to see the grand total!

I have started getting the side eye from people (i.e. my family). They think I am a running nut even though this nut isn't running much lately and I get it. To other non runners running is weird. But I am done apologizing to people or justifying it. It makes me a better person. Period. I am not apologizing for that. 

SPIRIT. 

I have sat here for 20 minutes trying to think of what to say here. I typed these categories before I filled them in. Being stumped here is kind of sad. I am a little embarrassed. 

I guess finding more ways to connect with my feelings and finding more peace with myself is a goal. I want to forgive myself more and I am not sure if that means going to church, or praying at night, or even ditching the ipod on a run to just really connect with my thoughts but I want to figure out what makes me feel more grounded. That's the goal. 

RELATIONSHIPS.

I want to rock this year as a wife. I bet Jacob will be shocked but tomorrow morning I am going to ask him to tell me three things he would love if I worked on. He probably will say video games and cooking and video games but if he can be serious with me I am kind of excited to know. Have you ever straight up asked your spouse? How bout your best friend? "What would make me a better friend/wife/sister/daughter?" 

I guess its risky. I guess they could hurt your feelings but honestly I already know a lot of my flaws. I think about 'em all the time. I guess I just want to know which ones really bother him. I think that conversation will really stick with me and hopefully I will catch myself more often doing things he doesn't love. 

Lastly, I just want to focus on being more present in my relationships and not being too busy for them. 

How does all that sound?? DO y'all think more about resolutions/goals in the new year or on your birthdays?? 

XO

a sad story...with a happy ending

I really wanted to start telling you all about our trip to San Francisco today!!!

But instead I have to tell you the saddest story in the world first.

The other night, after I wrote my last post about packing and leaving my friend, the four of us, Lauren (my friend) and our husbands started talking about all the  money we spent during our time together. We were laughing about it, but I think sitting around justifying all the fun we had together which was A LOT made us all feel better. Let me clarify....

We had A LOT of fun and spent A LOT of money.

It's okay. Sometime life calls for you to act like a total baller. Whatever.

Anyways we had SO much fun in fact that we had to borrow a third suit case to bring home all of our "fun"

i.e. WINE from NAPA

Well on Monday morning we got to the SFO airport plenty early. 2 hours and 15 minutes early in fact. But because of this freaking ridiculous weather, Chicago Midway Airport was closed. We were flying to Milwaukee but I guess 90 percent of people were flying to Chicago because the line to check our bags took us...WAIT FOR IT...I KID YOU NOT! two hours exactly to get through.

We had about ten minutes exactly to get through security and to our gate.

Throw in the fact that we had yet to eat anything that day, and our flight had one stop which we were not allowed to get off the plane for----so we would be flying for 6 hours, eating only miniature bags of peanuts. I thought I might die if I didn't get a real sandwich.

Turns out we made it to the gate in time and had about 60 seconds for the coffee place next to the gate to ring up our 30 dollar sandwich lunch (mind as well go out with a BANG! huh?)

So we get home to Milwaukee around 10:45. My dad is there to pick us up and the three of us chit chat while the luggage comes around. I needed to tell my dad every detail of the trip because the anxiety I get from watching the luggage go around is insane. If I don't have to I absolutely will never check baggage.

Well low and behold, Jake's bag comes up...then mine... but NO borrowed suitcase. The freaking baggage belt stops. People melt away and the three of us are just standing there. I can feel the tears start. The borrowed suitcase was by far the most expensive. Between the wine and souvenirs in there it was a lot. HUNDREDS a lot.

So I start crying...
I have had one lousy sandwich to eat.
I am so tired.
I probably have exactly twenty two dollars in my bank account till Friday.
It is almost mid-night and my dad has to work tomorrow. Major guilt. 
I have to work tomorrow. Major bummer. 
And I probably just lost a buncha money.

It was then that I realize the immense amount of luggage all over the place, unclaimed. Obviously something was going wrong because I have never seen an airport baggage claim look like this.

I stand in another line (probably the 5th line of the day) for another 20 minutes only for the lady to give me a phone number to call in the morning.

I was so pissed when I left the airport that I didn't even realize that it was -35 degrees. Legit, it was -35 degrees One day my children will ask me how -35 degrees felt and I will have to tell them I was too busy crying over wine and making bad financial decisions to remember. 

So anyways I call the number the next morning at work, while I have pens holding my eyelids open and I am stalking the airline website looking for some more information, while on hold....WHEN I flippin' read that in order to have a lost luggage claim you need to make that claim IN THE OFFICE AT THE AIRPORT with in four hours of your flight landing. THE EXACT OFFICE I WAS AT when the lazy lady gave me a phone number.

Oh boy. I knew I felt bad in that very moment for the sweet individual who answered the phone.
Turns out being nice helps you a whole lot in life so I sucked up every ounce of anger I had and the person helped me. She told me they were really sorry we didn't receive more help the night before and did what they could to make me feel better.

Well after a few more calls and leaving a few more messages. I got this text from my husband today.

There is a bit more to that story but because the nice people at this airlines did find my bag I would like to refrain from totally throwing them under the bus.

I will say I learned three life lessons.

1. Spend money. Live it up, but maybe stop when you have had 5 glasses of wine.
2. Get to the airport early. I may be at the airport three hours ahead of time now. Also pack snacks. Lots of snacks. Maybe even a gourmet meal if you can when traveling.
3. Try being kind before being demanding, mean, or rude if you are frustrated or angry with service. I know I got 100 percent better help because I was nice to the first person on the phone. This is so hard to do. I need to remember this.

ANYWAYS! more happy stories to come about the trip. But I want to say a quick Happy Birthday to the sweet guy who decided he would live with me the rest of his life and try to enjoy it. I think he is a major stud and I love him a lot. Happy Birthday Jake!!! :)

Worst blogger

Gosh. I promised to keep you guys updated/journal our trip to San Francisco this weekend and to probably no one's surprise, I failed miserably. 

Currently I am packing and looking  at a sad friend. I guess at first I came on here to post a quick photo dump of our trip to try and redeem myself from being so MIA since the first of the year, but like usual I started typing and I realized there is a different purpose I am here tonight.

As you get older relationships are a really complicated thing. They shouldn't be but they are. Any way you slice it. Sometimes in such a crazy ass-backwards busy world we just find it easier to not foster, build and nourish great relationships even if they benefit us in so many ways. Sometimes it isn't even a choice...things just change and people fall apart. 

Then there are those people who no matter the miles and days/months/years that pass you will always call eachother family. No blood shared. No like physical appearances. No shared names. It is just purely love that holds you all together and you know that the bond runs deep...Through layers you probably didn't even realize existed. You know for certain you couldn't explain it to anyone else. 

There was a moment earlier today when we were just sitting in a room surrounded by two people who undoubtably are exactly the kind of "family" I just described and I felt so lucky. Although it hurts more than words every time we conclude our time together it is worth every ounce of sadness.

I'm sure you have all heard ... "Friends are just family you choose." 

Well sometimes I make amazing choices...

My "sister"

More to come on our trip :)