Love Of The Journey with Wente Vineyards

I know it’s been quiet in this space for the past few weeks. But as you all know from my last post, I recently got a new job. Although I was prepared for the new challenges and responsibilities I have in this new role, it has still a huge change from my previous company. It hasn’t been the easiest transition, but I know that I these new experiences and skills I’ve already gained are invaluable.

With the new job and adjusting to my new routine, it has given me a lot of time to reflect on my journey. To think about where I am now, and where I hope to be in the future. So when Wente Vinyards asked me to partner with them for this campaign, and talk about my own journey and how I stay happy and inspired, it seemed to align exactly with where I am right now.

We all have different journeys in life, and paths that lead us to where we are meant to be. I believe it’s important to look at every opportunity objectively, and try to find the lesson in everything. The past few weeks, this has been something especially important for me to remember. On the challenging days with my new job, when I’m faced with an obstacle or working much later than I’d like, I try to think about what I’m gaining from this experience. It has really helped me change my perspective.

I know that I am so lucky for the opportunity I have with my new company. It’s an exciting time of growth, and I’m right in the midst of it. I also appreciate that I’ve been given the responsibility of supporting two different, and very important teams within the company. I remind myself on days when it feels especially challenging, that they hired me for a reason. That they recognized my abilities and that I can do a good job. Instead of getting blinded by stress or a lengthy to do list, I try to focus on the positives. I have already learned so much, or added “tools to my toolbox” as my old coworker would say. I know that what I learn in this role will stay with me for many years, and help advance my career wherever it may lead next.

I believe that a part of staying happy and inspired along the journey is to make time for yourself and do what you love to do. This allows us to stay true to the things that bring us joy and fulfillment. I decided after a stressful week, the perfect thing to do was plan a night at home to relax with Andrew. We made a little cheese plate, poured ourselves a glass of wine and sat down to enjoy each other’s company. It’s amazing what a glass of wine and good conversation can do for you after a stressful week!

Like the Wente family, I have learned that it’s important to enjoy the journey. Rather than rush the process, try to recognize that it’s part of a bigger story. Even when the journey can be challenging or difficult, try to remember to stop and appreciate the lessons along the way. All the twists and turns are leading us right where we’re meant to be. 

So have a glass of wine with me, and celebrate the journey!

Follow Wente on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about their story and the history of the vineyard!

This is a sponsored post by Wente Vineyards, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. This post is intended for readers 21+

From Foothills To Fog - I'm Back!

Wow, it's been a while. In fact, it's been over a year. It's hard to believe, but I haven't stopped by this space since December of 2014!

While it was nice taking a step back from blogging, I do miss the creative outlet and blogging community. I hope that you'll welcome me back after such a long absence.

2015 was quite the year! I have a lot to catch you up on in the coming weeks, that's for sure! But let's start by getting reacquainted...

I started this blog as a way of share our life with family & friends, and also to give myself a space to share my creative side. Grab a glass of rosé and stay a while, we have a lot of catching up to do!

// Currently //

As always, life has been busy! This week it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day, so I haven't had much time to dedicate to this blog and create and photograph interesting posts. My friend Kelli did little survey post the other day I thought it looked fun! I always love getting random tidbits of people's lives so I figured you might enjoy it as well....

Making a list of gifts to buy for family and friends this Christmas! I love giving gifts and trying to think of unique and special ideas. 'Tis the season for giving!

Cooking healthy meals. I decided to join Weight Watchers because I've gained some weight and just really want to lose a few pounds and feel better about myself. I know it's going to be hard with the holidays, but I can do it! And all of you can help hold me accountable :) I have a few friends who also joined, which will be a big help. And it's the only thing I've had success with in the past.

Drinking Water! I try to drink at least 32oz while I'm at work everyday, plus a few cups of tea in the afternoon.

Reading your blogs! I'm in between books right now, but my friend and I are going to read Gone Girl and then go see the movie together when she's home from her Honeymoon.

Wanting to start decorating our house for Christmas! I know it's a bit early, but Thanksgiving is so late again this year I want as much time to soak up the holiday spirit as possible. Plus it would be fun to walk in the door to Christmas after Portland. BUT Andrew's family is staying at our house over Thanksgiving when we're gone, so I feel like I should leave the pumpkins out for them...

Looking forward to Thanksgiving next week! I am so excited to spend a few days with my family. It's my favorite holiday, nothing beats spending a few uninterrupted days with family. We cook, eat, drink, laugh, go for walks, visit, & soak up that time together as a family!

Playing Lord Huron on repeat. A friend told me about them a couple years ago, and they're so good. It's so mellow and easy to listen to and something about the dark and rainy weather makes me want to listen to that type of music. I think they're getting more well known too, they have a song in a commercial I keep seeing on TV.

Wasting time online reading blogs and browsing Pinterest. I need to get to work!

Sewing I'm not sewing anything, which reminds me I should bring my sewing machine down from my parents house. I used to make all my friends a baby blanket, I think I should start that tradition again!

Wishing I had more time off during the holidays. At my old company in Sacramento we were off Christmas Eve through January 2nd. It was incredible! I just want to go home and soak up as much time with my family as possible and spend lazy afternoons drinking latte's in my parents cozy living room.  

Enjoying My new part time job as a stylist for Stitch Fix, I am loving it! What an awesome company to be a part of! (This explains why I have no free time these days)!

Wondering if I'll have a new niece or nephew in March! I am so excited for my sister and her growing family. My nephew is the cutest thing ever, so either way I know I'm going to have another little one to obsess over and Phillip will be the best older brother!

Loving plaid! I am seriously obsessed. I just asked my mom to make me a plaid tree skirt for Christmas and there are about 25+ plaid scarves pinned on my style board right now. I want them all!

Hoping that I have a successful first week on Weight Watchers and that I can stick to this and reach my health & fitness goals.

Marveling at the fact that it's almost 2015. Seriously, where did this year go?

Needing to sit down and spend some time making Christmas gifts. I have a few things up my sleeves but they are going to take time, which is something I don't currently have a lot of.

Smelling rain!! California needed this so badly...and we need lots more! As weird as that is, I love the smell of 1st rain. Am I alone on that one?

Wearing My weekend outfit as Andrew calls it. An over sized cardigan with black skinny jeans and flats. Gotta love a casual office!

Noticing that a lot of my favorite bloggers don't blog anymore. It's sad (I miss Young House Love and The Doctors Fleming)! But also, I've kind of had a feeling this shift in the blogging world was coming. I only do it as a hobby, but even still it's hard to "keep up" up with the big name bloggers out there. Anyways, that's an entire post in itself, just something I've noticed/been thinking about lately.

Thinking I need to start making better use of my time. Time management isn't my biggest strength, and something I should work on.

Feeling excited for the weekend. Andrew and I have the whole day together on Saturday! I'm not sure what we'll be doing, but I'm really looking forward to it. We've been so busy, and I've been working on Stitch Fix a lot in the evenings, so I'm ready for some quality time with him!

Bookmarking a few fun things I wouldn't mind finding under the Christmas tree this year.

Confessing that I didn't get up for the gym this morning. I have the hardest time waking up early, but with my new work schedule that is the only time I can make it to the gym, so I need to stop being lazy and just get up!

Opening my new iPad! I got the new iPad Air as a Birthday gift from my office and I still haven't had time to set it up! I'm finally planning to get it set up on Thursday, it's killing Andrew that I've waited so long.

7x7 We Wanna Be Friends With...

A couple weeks ago I saw this fun post based on the San Francisco’s 7×7 magazine column named “We Wanna Be Friends with” where they pick an interesting local and ask them the same questions each week. So I thought it would be fun to play along. Here are my answers to their questions…

1. What neighborhood do you currently call home? Would you ever move or are you happy in your ‘hood?  

We live in the Laurel Heights area. We'll never move because we have such an awesome deal on our apartment (2 bedrooms!) but if I could move our apartment to a different neighborhood, I'd love to live in Cow Hallow or Russian Hill. We're a little further away from all the action than I'd like. I'd love to be able to walk to a variety of shops, restaurants, Crissy Field, and other parks. 

2. What’s your hands-down, absolute favorite thing to eat in SF?

Andrew and I eat at home for almost every meal. But when we do eat out, I love trying new places. My list of "must try" restaurants in the city keeps getting longer and longer. There are a few awesome brunch options, and my favorite dinner spot for nostalgic reasons is Scomas, which you can read more about here. 

3. What’s your perfect night on the town?

One of my favorite SF activities is going to Giants games! Saturday night games with friends are the best. We usually stop for a drink before heading into the park to watch the game. Another favorite evening would be going to one of the many restaurants on my list for dinner and cocktails with friends. Every so often all the girls get together for dinner and we always seem to stay for hours chatting and laughing together. But most nights you'll find Andrew and I at home making dinner together and watching a movie.

4. When you need a low-key afternoon, where do you go for down time

We love to go on long walks in the city. Sometimes we'll drive down to Sports Basement in the Presidio to park (and shop a little) then walk along Crissy Field towards the bridge, or we'll walk to a nearby park and relax with Louis. Something outdoors to take advantage of our beautiful city! 

5. What’s your favorite place to go on a day trip from the city?

North Bay. We love driving up to Marin to go for a hike on Mt. Tamalpias or over on Hill 88. Or a little further north to Sonoma & Napa County for an afternoon of wine tasting! 

6. Quick-fire round

Burrito or Burger? Burrito

Presidio or Golden Gate Park? Presidio. We can walk over from our house. 

BiRite or Mitchell’s? Clearly I need to go get some ice cream, I haven't been to either place!
     *edited to add: I had Mitchell's today at a work party and it was delicious!! 

Bike or MUNI?  Neither? I drive to work, but take the bus sometimes to get around the city. 

Fort Mason or Dolores Park? For Mason. This is making me feel like a bad San Franciscan, I've never been to Dolores Park. I need to get out more. 

The Independent or the Fillmore? The Fillmore. I used to come down to shows when I was in college. 

Baker Beach or Ocean Beach? Ocean Beach. Andrew surfs here and I love running on the beach with my friend Courtney. 

7. Three words that describe your life in SF? 
Busy. Friends. Fun. 

This was such a fun post. I love San Francisco, so it was fun answering questions about my favorite place! One thing I did learn was that I need to get out more, I feel like there is so much this city has to offer and I should be taking advantage of it more. I need to add a few more items to my San Francisco Bucket List! Andrew and I tend to be home bodies, so we should start making more of an effort to get out and enjoy all the parks, restaurants and activities! 

PS I was hoping to have a fun World Series post for you today, but looks like that will have to wait! It was a rough game last night, but I have a good feeling will get 'em tonight!! Go Giants!

Eleven Questions

The lovely Stephanie tagged me in a fun little post called Eleven Questions. I was so happy she tagged me and thought it was the perfect way to jump back into blogging after an unintentional two week break! I'm ready to be back at it, so here it goes...

1. What was your favorite cartoon growing up? 

If you can believe it, we didn't have cable until I was going in to high school, so I didn't spend too much time watching TV. No single cartoon stands out, but I do remember watching The Smurfs and Scooby Doo at my Grandma's house. 

2. If you could live anywhere in the world for just one year, where would you choose?

This is an easy question. Italy. I think anywhere in Tuscany, a small village where I could learn the language and become part of the community. On weekends, I would travel all around Europe. I try to convince Andrew we should do this all the time, he hasn't agreed...yet

3. Who (or what) inspires you the most?

This is a tough one. But at the moment I will say my Dad. This weekend we were home visiting my parents. My Dad recently had a bunch of his old slides and pictures made into digital files and was showing them to us. He has pictures from traveling all over the world; hiking, climbing, & camping. The Abraham Lincoln quote: "It's not the years in your life but the life in your years." comes to mind. Andrew and I were talking about how we want to live our lives not just content in our little "corner" of the bay area, but to travel all over and have new experiences and meet new people. 

4. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I'm proud my myself for moving to San Francisco. It was scary leaving the comfort of my small town filled with friends and family and my great job in Sacramento. I went against the advice of nearly everyone important in my life. But, I followed my gut and knew my desire for adventure (see above) was worth the risk. And I knew, I could always move back if it didn't work out. It turned out to be one of the greatest decisions I've ever made. Plus, it led me to start this blog, something else I'm proud of. 

5. What advice would you give your 16-year old self?

Don't try to grow up too fast. At 16, all I could think about was graduating high school, hurrying off to college and starting a career. I wish I took the time to enjoy being young and carefree. Soak it up a bit more and enjoy each stage for what it was. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time in High School, but I was always looking ahead rather than living in the moment.

6. What super power would you most like to have?

Teleportation. That way, we could go visit our families easily anytime! It would make traveling much easier, faster, and cheaper! :) 

7. What is your favorite junk food item (you know, the one you definitely shouldn't eat but you just can't resist)?

Do I have to pick just one? - I'm not the girl who craves candy and sweets. I LOVE cheese, in mass amounts. Like, don't leave me alone with a wedge of brie and a baguette. And I can't resist Mac n' Cheese or Nachos either (see everything involves cheese)! 

8. What is your hidden talent?

I'm not sure if I have a hidden talent. I can't even roll my tongue or whistle! But I am really crafty, so I guess that's something? I wish I had a better answer for this one, I'm so boring! 

9. What is the weirdest thing you believed as a child?

Hmmm...the first thing that comes to mind is a trick my sister played on me. We loved the movie Steel Magnolias at our house. My sister and I can both quote the entire thing, I couldn't even tell you how many times I've seen it. We always relate things back to the movie. Anyways, my sister told me that Julia Roberts had to die to film that movie! (Spoiler, her character dies). And of course I believed anything my big sister told me. So I thought, if an actor dies in a movie, they die in real life too. Kind of a mean trick, sister! I'm so gullible. 

10. If you won the lottery tomorrow, what are the first three things you'd do?

Invest. Travel. Buy a house.

11. Beach or Mountains?

Mountains. Hands down. I love being in the mountains hiking, camping, & exploring. I love the crisp, clean mountain air, it's so peaceful and beautiful. The trouble is, Andrew loves the ocean. Luckily he also loves the mountains. But I guess we better find somewhere in between. 

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The rules say I need to tag eleven other bloggers to play along with a new set of questions. So I'm tagging: Kasey, Chantal, Cara, Laura, Erin, Kathleen, Kristin, Brooke, The Lane, Amanda and Brandi. 

1. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

2. What is your most prized possession? 

3. What is the best vacation you've ever taken? Why?

4. What did you do last weekend?

5. Do you remember your dreams? 

6. If there was a movie made about your life, what actor would you want to play you?

7. Where is your favorite place to travel to?

8. What is the best dish you make? (bonus: add a link to the recipe)

9. What is your favorite room in your home? Why?

10. If you could have lunch with a famous person, who would it be?

11. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card if you never had to pay it off?

Let me know if you decide to participate, I can't wait to read your answers! :) 

Lesson's Learned: Living With A Girl (Andrew's Perspective)!

I have a fun surprise for you today! Since I had so much fun writing the post earlier this week about things I've learned living with Andrew, I thought I should ask him to join the fun! He reluctantly agreed to write a little guest post about some of the things he's learned the past year living with me. 

“I kissed lived with a girl, and I liked it.

Things I learned living with a girl

CHEEEESSSSEEE!!!

The girl LOVES cheese!!! When you think you’ve cut, grated or melted enough…cut, grate or melt some more.

The Dish Delay

I do most of the dishes around here.  Occasionally when she offers to do them she will, IF she starts within the next 20 minutes.  Otherwise, she will just keep pushing it off.  Then it gets too late and I’ll end up washing them the next night. 

This brings me to my next Thing

Winding down

I like to get things done and slowly wind down for the rest of the evening.  For the most part Theresa does too.  Except for bedtime.  Almost every night, when its time to settle into bed, she has a sudden burst of energy she needs to get out.  This energy is release in the form of aggressive patting, squirming and laughter. 

{This makes me sound kinda crazy. I swear I'm not a total freak, just playful!}

Always carry snacks

Hanger sets in easily so it’s best to be prepared.

{So true. What can I say? I like to eat!}

Easily sidetracked

Whenever she has packing or cleaning to do she gets sidetracked easily.  She starts doing one thing, then sees something else that needs to be done, and switches tasks. So inevitably, it takes her twice as long to finish what she started. 

Looses Everything

She doesn't actually loose things and never find them, she just misplaces them temporarily.  Then we frantically have to search for said item. When we do eventually find it, its either right in front of her face or somewhere very bizarre.  I find myself thinking, “Why would anyone put chopsticks in the medicine cabinet?”  (This never really happened)

{I should probably work on this. I lose my wallet daily, only to find it in my purse}

Today is the official 1 year mark of living together, and we're both still smiling and in love, I'd say that's a good sign! Even though he has to put up with my ADD tendencies, cheese cravings, and temporary memory loss, he still seems to like me. So that's a plus! 

Hopefully ya'll like this post and the little glimpse it gave you into my quirky, silly side :) Happy Friday!!

INFJ or ENFJ

In September, Jenni hosted another blogging link up, Blogtember. I didn't participate this time, since I had so much going on in September. But I bookmarked her ideas because so many of them sounded like fun! I was especially interested in the Myers & Briggs personality test prompt she had.

I had put it in the back of my mind for a future post, then the other day one of my good friends was talking about how she likes to take personality tests and read about the results. So, now I was even more curious. I hadn't taken a test in years, since high school maybe. And I don't remember what the results were back then. I assumed I was an "I" for "Introverted" because I can be quite shy in certain situations. But I was clueless as to what the other results would be.

So yesterday, I sat down to answer these 72 questions so I could see what this personality test was all about. I was surprised to see ENFJ! Me, an extrovert? No way. But when I read about the qualities of people who are ENFJ, I thought, yep, that sounds like me. But still, I was curious, what if I took the test again? So a couple hours later, I went through the questions again. This time, I was an INFJ! Again, when I read the qualities of those who are INFJ, it sounded like me.

"INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals. Artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities. Only one percent of the population has INFJ Personality Type, making it the most rare of all the types."

source

According to the test, I am only a "moderate" introvert, so possibly that is why the first time I took the test I was "extrovert." It seems I'm right on the border of "I" and "E" which I find very interesting. I bet when I took this test in high school, I was definitely an "I" and now it seems I'm right on the border. While I do enjoy going out and socializing with friends, I also re-charge by spending quiet time at home. I need a balance between the two.

As I read both the description for ENFJ and INFJ I found that could see qualities I posses in each description, but I think I connect a little more with INFJ. I should have Andrew read it and see which one he thinks is more fitting. I'd also be interested to know what his results are. I'd guess he's probably something like ESTJ.

These are a few points that stood out to be true to myself and the qualities I posses:

"INFJs are concerned for people's feelings, and try to be gentle to avoid hurting anyone."

"INFJ is a natural nurturer; patient, devoted and protective."

"Because the INFJ has such strong intuitive capabilities, they trust their own instincts above all else."

"INFJs put a tremendous amount of faith into their insticts and intuitions."

"In the workplace, the INFJ usually shows up in areas where they can be creative and somewhat independent. They have a natural affinity for art." 

source

I'm interested to hear what my Dad has to say about my results. He knows quite a bit about these personality tests, and once told me what he thought I would be (too bad I can't remember what he said)!

Have you taken a Myers & Briggs personality test before? Is it common to have different results when you take the test? My friend who was talking about it recently said she always gets the same results. I think I'll take it again in a few weeks, and see if I get "I" or "E" this time!


I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

Where I Come From...

This past weekend was a whirlwind, in the best way possible!

I was off on Friday, so after dinner Thursday I drove up to the foothills for the weekend. Since Andrew would be out of town for a bachelor party, I planned to take advantage of my solo weekend to go home and spend time with friends that I don't see very often.

Originally, both my parents and my sister were going to be out of town. But lucky for me, they both delayed their trips one day and I was able to see them! I arrived at my sisters late Thursday night, and woke up early to play with Phillip on Friday. After some play time with Phillip, we met my parents for breakfast in Colfax, the tiny little town where I grew up.

After breakfast, I spent some time walking around taking pictures. The leaves are starting to turn and it was a beautiful morning. I had never really walked around town that way, just to look around and take it all in. At least three people asked me if I was doing a story for the paper, and wondered why I was taking pictures, there's a small town for you! It was fun to just spend some time by myself and wonder around, thinking about growing up there, and where life has taken me.

Colfax is a tiny little railroad town. People joke, that Colfax is "a small railroad town with a drinking problem" which has of course been edited to say, "a small drinking town with a railroad problem." (Which is probably closer to the truth, I think there are more bars in town than restaurants). But even so, it's a quaint and charming town with a real sense of community. And although at times growing up, I hated how boring it was, it's also wonderful growing up with that sense of community.

Possibly the best part about Colfax is it's proximity to everything else. With a population of barely over 2,000 you would imagine it could feel fairly isolating. Luckily, within an hour one can be relaxing at Lake Tahoe or shopping in Sacramento. It's the best of both worlds.

It was wonderful taking a walk down memory lane. Walking by the movie theater reminded me of all the movies I had seen there growing up (and for only $3)!! I watched Titanic three times in that theater, and when I saw Mission Impossible it was so packed I had to sit on the floor! Walking by the library I smiled and thought of my Mom taking my sister and I to story time, where she met her lifelong friends and created "Playgroup." Or when our family friend had a small bookstore and cafe, The Armchair Coyote, where we'd look through books and eat fresh pastries.  And of course, eating breakfast at Madonna's Cafe before school on special occasions. So many memories came flooding back as I walked down Main Street. That tiny little town, had a huge impact on my life and the person I've become.

An Old Soul

I've always felt like I could have lived in another time. I have an old soul, and appreciate things with a history. I love finding little treasures that tell a story, or learning about my family history. I was inspired to write this post the other day when I heard a Louis Armstrong song. Sometimes I think it would be so fun to live in another time, see how different things were back then. I thought it would be fun to list some of the reasons I consider myself to be an old soul. 

// I love old music like Frank Sinatra and Etta James //

// I love the movie Midnight In Paris. I can relate to the idea of wishing you were from another time, and wanting to get a glimpse into the way people lived back then. //

// Sometimes when Andrew isn't home, I put on my Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra Pandora station and cook dinner with a glass of wine. //

// I recently discovered my love of jazz //

// I hold on to everything I can from my family. My favorite pieces of furniture were my Grams, I have an old CD compilation that was my Granpa's, and vintage broaches I remember playing with as a girl from my Grandma Norene. //

// I was an Art History minor in college. I love learning about art, especially the stories being told in the paintings. //

// I am obsessed with Europe because of the history there. The Vatican and beautiful chapels throughout Italy, and the amazing museums in Paris. It's like a glimpse into the past. // 

// I love tradition, especially around the holidays. I look forward to carrying the traditions I've grown up with on to my family someday. //

// I love browsing flea markets and searching for items that have a history. //

// I love museums //

// My favorite movie is White Christmas //

// Nothing beats getting a hand written note in the mail //

// I believe in writing thank you cards //

// I really want to learn how to make the perfect pie crust (Mom, I need a lesson) I think it's an important skill for any lady //

Such a random post for you on this lovely Friday! I hope you enjoyed getting a little glimpse into this old soul :) 

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Our Mexican Vacation is coming to an end, we'll be home tomorrow. It's been so nice to relax and spend time with Andrew! But we miss Louis, and are ready to come home. I hope you enjoyed the guest posts this week. Thank you SO much to Erica, Erin, Kasey, and 'The Lane' for taking the time to write such great posts! 

I hope you all have had a wonderful week! I'll see you all Monday with pictures and stories of our vacation!

Likes // Dislikes

I got this idea over on Natalie Dressed, and thought it would be a fun post to share a little bit more about myself and all of my quirks. I love reading these types of posts by fellow bloggers, so I hope you all enjoy these random tidbits about me! 

Like // The smell of boat exhaust. I know, it sounds weird. I think it just reminds me of summer and being out on the lake. 

Dislike // Waking up. I loveeee my sleep, and am not a fan of waking up in the morning. I hit snooze at least four times before I crawl out of bed and take a shower. And there is a good chance I'm still asleep for at least the first few minutes of my shower each morning. The only time I like waking up early, is if I'm heading somewhere on vacation.

Like // Flying. I know a lot of people don't like flying or dealing with the hassle of airport travel. But I love to fly. I am sure part of that is because it usually means you're heading off for an adventure, but even airport security lines and delays don't get me too stressed out. I can vividly remember one of the first (if not the first) flights I took, for a family vacation to the east coast. I've always loved looking out the window and wondering about what's below.

Dislike // Spiders. Snakes and other bugs I can handle, but spiders send me into a fit of fear and anxiety. My brother in law actually finds this quite amusing. When I was living with them, he put two BIG, creepy spiders in a glass and left them on the kitchen counter for me. If it wasn't for my lovely sister, they would have been on my bedside table. Rude.

Like // Travel. I can't get enough. If only we could catch up to the rest of the world and have a month+ paid vacation time. There are so many places I want to go! I hope we can get a big trip on the books for next year.

Dislike // Not having a garbage disposal. I'm not a huge fan of washing dishes either, but I've gotten used to not having a dishwasher since living in San Francisco. However, no one should ever have to live without a garbage disposal. Cleaning the out drain stopper has got to be one of the worst chores EVER. First World problems, I know.

Like // Country Music. I can't understand why so many people hate it! I love listening to country, especially during the summer. It reminds me of home. I love how relatable the songs are. So many of them could be written about my life growing up in the foothills.

Dislike // Wedge sneakers. I cannot figure out how these have gotten so popular. I just can't get behind this trend. Actually, the same goes for crop tops and overalls. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I don't get.

Like // Cheese. I honestly can't remember the last time I went an entire day without eating cheese. It's just too good to live without. No paleo diets for this girl.

Dislike // Junk mail. Seriously why do they send so much crap in the mail? Do people really sign up for all of those credit cards? I feel like I'm constantly recycling so much paper, I hate how wasteful it is. On second thought, maybe I should actually be using all those coupons we get...

How's that for a random Wednesday post? What are some of your likes and dislikes?

Happy Hump Day!

xoxo,

Theresa

The Rock Dancer

As a gift for my high school graduation, my Dad gave me this poem he had written about me when I was a little girl. I love reading it and thinking back on the many hikes and backpacking trips we took as a family growing up. It's so special to have this reminder from my Dad. 

The stream in the poem reminds me of a stream river we had to cross on one of our backpacking trips. We couldn't find any other way to cross. It was spring, and the water was freezing. My Dad had to walk back and forth multiple times to carry his pack, my Mom's pack, and mine as well. Then he carried me across because the current was much to swift and deep. And I can remember how worried I was watching my mom struggle to cross. I don't know if this is the same trip that inspired this poem, but it is one of my most memorable backpacking trips. 

I love to reminisce on our hikes together, and how even though he wrote this so long ago, he saw in me a love for exploring the outdoors. I'll always cherish this poem and I wanted to share it will you all. 

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The Rock Dancer

A Poem for Theresa Whitney O'Brien

She trips, stumbles and then glides along the path.

At first, she looks out of control,

Not in sync with the outdoors.

Then we come upon a crashing, broiling stream,

Spanned by a narrow log.

She hops on. One foot carefully

Placed before the other.

Her balance is perfect. Soon she

Skips down the path. Grinning.

At camp, she flits like a humming bird,

Inspecting the pines, junipers,

paintbrush and penstemon.

She is never at rest. Darting to

Shrub, to flower, to boulder to

Flat polished granite slab. Always

She is grinning, the rock dancer...

Looking forward to our Tuolumne Meadows trip in a few weeks so I can do some more rock dancing!


xoxo,


Theresa

Day In The Life

Day 15: Day In the Life - I am pretty proud of myself for sticking with the challenge so far. It's been really fun and I've already met so many great, new bloggers! I love reading all the different posts every day. 

Clearly it's time for a new camera...these iPhone photos are pretty bad. My apologies!

6:15am           Alarm Goes Off - Hit snooze as fast as possible

6:40am          Finally crawl out of bed at into the shower I go

7:30am          Finished getting ready and out the door to work

8:00am          Coffee!

9:00am          Work Work Work.

10:00am        Usually I take a break late morning for breakfast. I try to eat earlier but the mornings are always the busiest part of my day. My go-to breakfast is greek yogurt, fresh fruit, with a little Go Lean cereal on top for some crunch.

12:00noon    Lunchtime! I am so lucky that my office provides such a delicious lunch everyday. And healthy too!

1:00pm          Back to Work.

2:00pm          Tea Time. Usually in the afternoon I'll take a break and make some tea. Sometimes I'll walk down to Walgreens or run errands if I need some fresh air.

5:00pm          Time to go Home!

***                  You can bet there are some breaks throughout the day for blog reading/commenting :) shhhh...

                       

***                  It depends on the day as to what I do after work. I've been really bad about going to the gym these past two weeks (hanging head in shame). But on Wednesday nights there is a late Spin class I like to go to, and I was playing in a grass volleyball league that just ended. Most nights I go home after work and Andrew and I walk Louis then make dinner together and watch TV. We're old and boring like that, but I like it.

10:00pm        Usually I am in bed around this time, sometimes a little later. If I'm trying to get up for the gym in the morning I pack up my gym bag and try to get to sleep by 10:30pm at the latest.

My day to day life seems pretty boring when you break it down hour by hour, but I have a pretty great life here in the city. We seem to keep our week nights pretty low key and our weekends jam packed with fun activities.

This week has been so busy getting ready for the weekend. Andrew's Mom, Grandpa and family friend are coming into town for his sisters graduation from USF. It's our first time hosting them so I've been busy getting the house together and cleaning. The plus side, our house has never looked so good. I used this as an excuse to find a home for some things that have been hiding out in the dining room, and to make our place feel a little more lived in.

So there you have it. A slightly boring look into my daily routine.

xoxo,

Theresa