Indulge me today while I recap how much fun I had at my bachelorette party

I’ve been wanting to recap my bachelorette party for the past 2 weeks! You guys, it was better than I even expected.  Just like it should be, I guess!  My sister and I planned it at a Napa Valley winery- Coppola- it’s a winery that also has an enormous, Vegas-like swimming pool for guests.  We’re so lucky to have amazing Napa Valley so close!  Wine, sun, pools, pool bar, and friends…I have been excited about it for weeks.

I got to my sister’s house around 8:45am for the carpool.  I was just laying on her bed hanging out while she finished getting ready when the doorbell rang.  Holy moly, it was the surprise of my life– in walks my bff from college (and bridesmaid)!  She lives in Jersey and I was totally okay with her not being able to come to the bachelorette– she supposedly had to work that day.

I wish I got a photo of the surprised look on my face!

But oh my goodness, she flew in the night before and wanted to surprise me.  YES, I was so surprised. I kept repeating, “No way!” over and over.  It was so awesome. I’m usually the worst person to surprise because I’m nosy and often find out beforehand.  But not this time- I was so legitimetly surprised!  It was such an amazing way to start the day.

My sister had decorated the car with all these cute “Bachlorette Party on the Loose” cheesy decorations.  It was so cute of her. No photos of it I guess

And she decked me out in bachelorette stuff too

We picked up 2 of my other friends and 5 of us headed up to Napa.  There was another car full of 5 girls on their way also.

And voila, an hour and 15 minutes later, we were at the winery!

We reserved cabines and lounge chairs and spent the first thirty minutes laying in the sun waiting for the other car to get there.  Then, we all went inside to wine taste.  We tasted a few reds and a few whites…and then the bartender was so nice, he gave us some pink champage as well!

No photos of wine tasting either apparently….I failed!

But we did get free pink champagne poolside too.  These little Sophia cans are so cute and really good!

Yes, Coppola winery is owned by “the” Coppola (Francis Ford Coppola) and there was memorabilia everywhere including severing of his Oscars and the desk from the Godfather movies! Really neat to see.

After wine tasting, it was almost 1pm and we were all starving.  We ordered food and drinks from the pool waitress.  I got a sandwich and this really yummy lemonade slushy cocktail that was perfect for the warm day. We got into our bathing suits and enjoyed the sun.

My sis made it so special for me and for all my friends (I lucked out in the Maid of Honor department!).  She got cups for all my friends filled with party favors and made a really cute “Bride” cup for me too.  I mostly drank water out of it, but it was fun.

I felt so special all day.  My other east coast friend made me a video and Jared made a few funny videos for me to watch too.  I felt so loved.

After lunch, we played some games.  My sis had asked Jared a series of questions and I had to answer.  If I got the answer wrong, I had to put a piece of bubble gum in my mouth.  Before I knew it, I had 12 pieces of bubble gum in there and was drooling and laughing!

My favorite answer of his was:

Q:  What is your favorite  of Rebecca’s bodyparts?
Jared’s A:  “Her left ring finger”   Haha, cute answer!

Then, my friends spoiled me with lingerie and I opened all my gifts.  Wow, I lucked out!  I honestly liked every single thing they gave me!  It was so sweet of them.

My sister made each friend sign an anniversary card and she will mail them out to Jared and I every month for the first year of our marriage. I thought that was such a cute idea.

After the games, we spent the next 3 or so hours swimming, lounging, and talking.  It was such a neat feeling to have many of my friends there, and all there for me!  I seriously had such a good time.

 

The pool closed at 6, so we all headed back into the cars and caravanned over to a restaurant for dinner.

I meant to go out afterwards- there was a fun 80s band playing- but I guess we’re all old! A full day of drinks and sun was enough and we were exhausted by the time dinner ended at 10pm or so….and instead of going out, I just hung out at my bff’s hotel and we passed out before midnight!  A good day! and loved the unexpected time spent with my college BFF

And now just 9 days until the celebration continues and the wedding is finally here!!

– Tell me about the last bachelorette party that you’ve been to!
– Have you ever been totally surprised?  Tell me about it! 
– Do you have any close friends that live across the country?  I have several
– What’s a fun bachelorette game you’ve played?  My sis isn’t engaged, but I know I’ll plan hers someday, so give me some other game ideas!

On Sunday, Jared, Charlie and I opened up our “Hikes With Dogs” book, randomly picked a page, and then ventured 20 minutes down the coast to Montara for an Easter morning hike.  Wow.  This turned out to be one of the prettiest hikes we’ve gone on in a long time!

Even the view from the parking lot was gorgeous!

Spring wildflowers are in bloom!

We parked at Montara Beach, which is one of the big surfer spots in the area.  They sometimes hold the famous Maverick Surf Competition here, I think.

There was a short path to the beach…

And some rickety wooden steps.

Charlie, who is obsessed with the beach, ran as fast as he could down them.  I’m pretty sure, he was thinking in his furry little head, “The Beach! We’re at the Beach!!!!!! I can’t believe we’re actually at the beach”
He ran right onto the sand where he rolled around and ran for a solid 8 minutes.  The cliffs were gorgeous and the weather was perfect.

We were anxious to start the hike though, so we headed over to the other side of the road. We were greeted by this sign…

I love that, “The view from the top is worth the walk with lots to see along the way.” 

So cute!  And were they right? You betcha! 

The path went up and around rolling hills…..

The ocean and bright blue sky were always in the background….

There were really pretty wildflowers (I heart Spring!)

Charlie found plenty of “good” smells….Unfortunately.

He ended up rolling in horse poop, which was DISGUSTING and he smelled terrible for the whole rest of the hike and car ride.  We tried to towel him off, but it didn’t work very well.  The little guy was so happy and proud of himself and we ended up just throwing him in the tub the second we got home.
But boy was the pleased with himself! Happiest puppy ever.

We hiked about 4 miles up to the top of the hill/mountain…..and then about 2 more miles back down for about 6 miles total.

The sky started turning gray towards the end of the hike, but we stayed dry and warm enough.  We stopped back at the beach for a few minutes before getting back into the car, dirty but happy.

This was such a perfect way to start the day.   I can’t get enough hikes these days.  I just want MORE!

Favorite things about hikes:  1) Fresh air  2) Exploring new areas   3) Always good conversations on hikes  4)  Always feel so accomplished afterwards! Like we conquered the mountain.

About 2 minutes after we got back into the City, it started POURING rain.  We got lucky!

And then since it’s kinda-sorta almost summer and because they were having a sale, we popped into REI.
And Jared bought me a sleeping bag!

Now we can go camping this summer!  I had been using my sister’s sleeping bag that she bought for a camping trip to the desert in high school….meaning it is a “summer bag” and does not keep me warm at all.  Every time we’ve been camping in the past few years, I’ve brought multiple blankets to stuff in the bag, wore 18 layers of clothes to sleep in, and was still freezing and miserable.

Charlie had to wait outside and was very excited when we came out

Yep, it’s bright lime green.  This is the first sleeping bag I’ve ever bought as a grown up.  I am really excited to test it out.  My work gets really busy in the summer and it’s tough to go away, but we’re planning at least one weekend camping trip and I already can’t wait.

It poured rain for the rest of the afternoon and we spent it cozy indoors.  I caught up on work stuff, did a yoga video, and cooked dinner.

stay cozy inside

and eat yummy food

And that, my friends, was my Easter Sunday.  It was really fun to spend it just the two three of us. I’d rate this day a 9.5 out of 10. 

All for now….Have a fantastic Tuesday!

– Tell me about the last hike you’ve taken.
– Spring flowers in your area yet?
– Do you own a sleeping bag?  Do you like camping?
– Does your dog roll around in things often?  Charlie does it at least twice a day…

Last month, I was nominated by two fabulous bloggers– Meghan and Cinnamon for a Leibster award!  We all know how much a love these questionnaires and filling out surveys, so I was all about it….except, it took me like 3 weeks before I actually got to it.  But no more delay– here it is!

Here are the rules:

• Write 11 random facts about yourself
• Answer the 11 questions given by the blogger who nominated you
• Create 11 new questions
• Nominate 11 bloggers and mention them in the post
• Thank the blogger who nominated you and tell the bloggers you’ve nominated

Instead of posting 11 things about myself….I thought I’d combine the two awards and just answer the questions that both of them asked. They both chose fun questions!

Here we go!  First round from Meghan:

1. What is your favorite brand and style of jeans?
Right now, I’m obsessed with a pair of Gap boyfriend jeans.  Since it’s cold out though and I’ve been wearing boots constantly, I’m usually in skinny jeans…esp the cheap ones I buy at BP at Nordstroms.  A few years ago I wouldn’t be caught dead in GAP jeans or anything other than $200 7 or Joes, but those days have changed and my bank account is much happier now.

2. What is your favorite “secret” guilty pleasure tv show?
Definitely the Housewives and lately, I’ve been into Say Yes to the Dress and Four Weddings (wedding on my mind so I can’t help it).  I change the channel whenever someone else comes into the room though.

my say yes to the dress experience

3. If you could have one thing for free, no matter how big or small, what would you pick? 
A 2 week vacation somewhere amazing!

4. Do you get dressed up even when you stay at home for the day?
No way.  The more days I can spend in yoga pants, the better.  My mom always gets dressed nice, even if she’s the only one home, but I didn’t seem to inherit that gene.  I would be happy staying in yoga pants and not brushing my hair.

i would be very happy wearing leggings and a zipup sweatshirt every day if i could

5. How many blogs do you read on a daily basis?
I would say 20, but it really depends on the day.  I’ve cut my reading down lately

6. What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
Mediterannean/greek.  I can always go for a chicken kebob, greek salad, or some pita and hummus. Yum.

7. Why did you start blogging?
I think my story is probably similar to many…I needed a creative outlet, wanted a new hobby, loved reading blogs, like writing and an excuse to take photos and so it seemed like a natural fit.

8. What do you think is worth spending good money on?
Organic meats and fruits/veggies.  Quaity dog food and dog treats.  Doctor visits just to make sure everything’s ok.

9. Is that your “natural” hair color?
What a timely question! I don’t really dye my hair but this past weekend, I wanted to get rid of a few grays and used a supermarket dye…..UMMM, my hair is now JET BLACK.  I left it on way too long.  I can’t wait until it washes out.  We have engagement photos next weekend and I hope it’s not super noticeable.

10. Favorite day of the week and why?
Sunday.  I spend Saturday doing errands, cleaning, catching up on stuff, etc and so by the time Sunday rolls around, I feel like I can actually relax and mellow out.

11. Pets? Do you have some and what are they?
Yep, Charlie, the canine love of my life.

sleepy charlie

Next set from Cinnamon!

1. If you could visit any country, where would you go?
Another timely question!  Jared and I are trying to figure out where to go on our honeymoon…we both insist on getting our passports stamped, so we’ve been reading a lot of travel guides.  We haven’t figured out our destination, but if money, time, and monsoon season weren’t influences, I’d say- the Maldives, the Seychelles, the Cook Islands, Greece, Thailand, and Italy.

this is a photo of the Maldives…how amazing does this look? Unfortunately, it’s monsoon season when we want to go

2. Do you like to plan things or be spontaneous?
I’m a planner.  Too much spontaneity and unexpectedness  stresses me out.

3. What is your favorite joke?
Eek, I can’t think of anything!

4. How do you like your steak cooked? (if you eat steak that is)
Medium….not too bloody, not to tough.

Meidum, please. I can’t wait until it’s warm and bbq season again!!!

5. Favorite number and why? 3 and 14.  I have no idea why….14 was always my soccer number, but I’ve always chosen 3 “just because”

6. What is one website you go to everyday? Facebook, Huffington Post, cainer.com

7. How do you feel about public speaking? Love it! It doesn’t make me nervous at all.  I’m more shy in small group settings, but am so happy presenting in front of a crowd.  I got the highest grade in my speech class in college.

8. Would you ever sky dive or bungee jump?
Nope, never.  I hate heights and this would be a nightmare for me.

9. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A second-grade teacher.

10. What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Taking risks, bouncing back from hard times, persevering.

11.  What is your favorite movie/book?
Movie- Everyone Says I Love You and Love Actually.  Book—too many! Gone with the Wind is high up there and the first to come to my mind.

Happy Friday!!  And for my February Thanks– Gourmet Club was so much fun! I missed girl time…and I am so grateful to haev fun girlfriends and a monthly excuse like Book Club or Gourmet Club to get together

Answer some of the questions for me!   And the ones I’m particularly intersted in are….

– Are you good at public speaking?
– Favorite book/movie?
– Do you dress up if you’re just home for the day?
– If you could have one thing for free, what would it be?
– Or answer another one from above!

Are you in the mood for another survey?  I am!  I know we’re already two weeks into 2013, but I always need a little time in January to put closure on the past year and think through everything that happened.  This survey is all about 2012.  Many bloggers did it the first couple days of Jan, but I wasn’t ready to fill it out until now.   I love filling out these surveys!

But first, an update–  Holy cow, the Dog Toy event was so terrific last week!  70 people came!  The bar I picked was way too small-ish so it was packed.  We collected a whopping 172 dog toys (!!) and $180!  Jared and I went to the pet store earlier this week and bought 40 toys with the money…..the drive is up to almost 300 toys now! It’s so amazing and a lot of exciting things are in the works for it.  Yay!

On a side note, Charlie has not been happy that there are all these fun toys that he’s not allowed to play with sitting in our living room.  Poor guy.  I bought him 5 new toys just to make him feel better because he spent a good part of the weekend crying at the box.  I have to donate them to the shelters by the end of next week so I can stop torturing him!

And awful thing of the week— a man died at my gym while I was there Wednesday night.  He had a stroke in the pool.  They pulled him out, gave him cpr for 10 minutes until the paramedics came.  The paramedics gave him cpr for another 40 minutes….until they called it and put some blankets over him.  It was just horrible.  I was at a kickboxing class, but the pool is in the center of the gym and there’s windows everywhere so we felt like we were right there with them.  I felt horribly guilty staying in the class and working out, but there was no use in standing around watching and I didn’t want to go home.  I spent the class silently praying, silently crying a little, and just unfocused (even though it was a great class and I still felt like I got a good workout).  I just feel so bad thinking how he probably left for a regular workout at the gym….and had no idea it was his last few hours of life.  Still really sad about. Life is short people. You never know what the day has in store for you.

Okay, now on to the survey! 

1. What was your greatest personal accomplishment in 2012? I feel like I’ve grown sooo much as a person in 2012. I’d say starting my blog, starting the dog toy collection, and getting engaged were highlights (though I’m not sure getting engaged is considered an accomplishment, but process of working in a relationship to get to that point is…)

2. What’s the best thing you did for your health? Joined a new gym! In the beginning of last year I was really hating my old gym and not wanting to spend time there.  Even though Jared and I weren’t living together, I joined his gym (in his/our building) and finally got access to a swimming pool, sauna, etc– it’s been sooo nice!   Rooftop yoga was also an awesome part of 2012…I hope I go many times in 2013 (as soon as it warms up a bit).

this isn’t my gym, but rooftop yoga was a really nice part of 2012

3. List a few things that you experienced for the first time at some point over the last twelve months. Blogging. A blog conference. Arizona. Apple picking/fall foliage.

4. What was the coolest place you visited? Arizona—the tall cactuses were really neat to see in person! And strangely enough, I’ll say Folsom….we had fun near the lake and it was this area of California that I’d never been to before! We took other great trips- FL, DC, NJ, Boston, Sonoma/Napa, Tahoe, etc but those are all places I’d been before.

5. What is the best meal you ate this year? Ooooh tough question! I have no clue. I’d say my birthday cake. It was awesome.

6. Tell us about a new friend you made. Well, all of you blogging friends, of course! It’s been so amazing getting know all of you. I’ve also started going to my book club more regularly and became closer with a lot of the girls—one of my goals last year was to make more girlfriends—and that really helped me succeed!

7. Share something you learned in 2012. I learned to open up a little more—I am often kinda shy and private, but I’ve gotten much more open through sharing stuff on the blog, just through getting closer to Jared, etc. I’ve also learned that things don’t always go quite as you’ve expected….but they still do work out for the best.

8. Share an odd and unexpected thing that you experienced this year. I really thought Charlie was going to like being a therapy dog and was all excited about starting the program….but then we went through the training and he had his “test” at the nursing home….he hated it! He hid under the table. At first I was disappointed, but then I realized I didn’t really enjoy it either and that it wasn’t what I was expecting at all.

Did you think I’d do an entire post and not throw in a photo of Charlie?! No way

9. How do you think 2013 will differ from 2012? I think 2013 will be so different! I think getting married will change life (so excited). I have some new side projects in the works that I am so excited about and if they continue to grow, I think that’ll change my daily life tremendously. Jared and I are considering moving out of SF in 2013 (just to the ‘burbs), so that will change my day-to-day. I hope that the blog will grow and change too…I’m trying to figure out how to focus it better- sometimes I feel like I’m all over the place in what I write about, but I hope to get that sorted out a bit more. 2012 was full of uncertainty in so many ways and I spent much of the year working them out and thinking through things….and I think 2013 will take what I’ve learned and run with it!

So here’s to 2013!!  Life is so unexpected, I think about how I had no idea what I was in store for last time this year….but I promise to stay positive, move forward, and be myself….and hopefully that’s enough to make this year move in the right direction!  I always worry about the health and well-being of my friends and family– the happier and healthier they are, the better I am…and so I hope this year brings mostly good things for all of them too.  And if I learned anything after my gym experience tonight, it’s that life is really short so we’d better all make the very most out of 2013.

– What’s something you accomplished and are proud of in 2012?
– What’s a goal you have for this year?
– Have you ever had someone die or get really injured while you were at the gym or a sporting event?
– Help– My photo uploads are acting weird…are the photos in this post big or small on your screen?

I was in a survey mood today!  Since it’s Thankful Thursday as well, I’ll tell you want I’m especially grateful for today– generosity.  My dog toy  happy hour event is tonight and WOW, the response has been terrific and I’ve been getting dog toys in the mail left and right.  So excited!  Will let you know how the event goes!

Okay and back to the survey…..This was a fun one that made me think.

1.     First thing you do when you wake up in the morning.
Turn off my alarm.  Grab my phone, check my email, and read a blog or two while still in bed with the lights out.  Get up. Splash water on my face.

2. First thing you reach for when you open the fridge.
The water pitcher, almond milk, or sparkling water.

Sparling water from the weekend….no booze for me this month

3. First things you do when you get to the gym.
Claim my machine! (if I’m using one).  Figure out if the tv is working on the machine….it doesn’t work on a few, so I always make sure before I even start my workout.  I like to watch tv rather than listen to music when I’m on the treadmill or elliptical.

4. First thing you do when you get home from work.
Put on comfortable clothes.  I can’t wait to put on sweats or  just get out of what I’ve been in all day after a day at the office.  Then, I immediately start dinner.  I’m usually really hungry by the time I get home.

5. First car.
A 1985 red Volvo!  It was safe, worked well, and I didn’t have to pay for it—but it was a huge boat!  I couldn’t parallel park for years because I was so scared after driving that huge car (it wasn’t even a station wagon, I just thought it was huge).

6. First car accident / traffic violation.
I don’t know if this counts, but one night when I was 17, I was driving home from meeting my best friend and some boys we had crushes on….I thought one of the boys was behind me, so I was trying to be “cool” and was driving faster than I should have (lame, I know, but it was high school).  Turns out it was the police behind me, not the guy….and I got pulled over.  No ticket though, just a lecture from the cop.  Nice perk of being a girl!

7. First thing you wanted to be when you grew up.
A teacher. I was going to have a farm with lots of animals too and bring my class there for field trips.  I did get my teaching credential and though I didn’t pursue working in a classroom (and won’t ever have a farm!), sometimes I still think I would have been happy as a teacher.

8. First beverage of choice.
Water, straight up, no ice.  I drink a ton of water every day and prefer it over anything else.

9. First choice breakfast.
I’ve been eating eggs a lot lately.  Otherwise, I’d say a green smoothie.

10. First choice dessert.
Gooey chocolate cake.

11. First song that comes to mind.
Ahhh, I can’t think of anything, weird.

12. First major purchase.
My car.  After college I bought a new Honda civic.  I was so proud to have bought something so expensive.

13. First job.
A “scooper” at Ben and Jerrys.  I made sundaes, milkshakes, waffle cones…..and ate way too much ice cream in that 9 months.  My family and friends loved me though because I’d bring ice cream home for them regularly.

We went to Ghiradelli a few weeks ago….this was a mint and dark chocolate sundae..and it was amazing!!

14. First time you flew on a plane.
Hmmm, I don’t know.  We traveled a lot when I was a kid, so my guess would be that my first flight was down to LA when I was a toddler.
…

And that’s it!  Your turn! 

– Pick one and answer
– How old were you when you flew on a place, what was your first car, what was the first thing you wanted to be when you “grew up” etc

Hola! Okay, okay, first things first….I teased you with good news yesterday, so I might as well just come out and tell you….though I bet half of you already guessed….

JARED PROPOSED ON SATURDAY NIGHT!!!!!! yahoo!

I was surprised and thrilled and stuck on cloud nine and everything else. We had a date night planned (i thought we were going ice skating….), but anyways to make a long story short, we rode a cable car, then went back to the hotel where we met and got a drink (we first met at a fundraising event at the Fairmont Hotel in SF), then he took me to the park across the street and got down on one knee, and then to continue my surprise, my family was waiting across at this great lounge with views of the city and we met them to celebrate with cocktails and dancing. So excited and so happy.

We re-enacted it for my dad later that night so he could take pics….

And nope, no clue when or where we’re getting married (since that’s always the first questions… , but I’m sure I’ll keep you posted eventually.

Whew.

Aaannnddd, on to the next thing. I didn’t feel like doing a What I Ate Wednesday post this week. I took some photos of my food on Tuesday, but frankly…it just wasn’t very interesting one bit.

Instead, I think it’s time for a survey! I saw this one on a few blogs a long while back….15 Questions:

Favorite ice cream flavor? That’s a toughie. Truth is, I’m actually a little boring, but I really can’t ever go wrong with just plain chocolate or strawberry. Never gets old for me. Cookies and cream is a good third though.

Favorite dessert? Ice cream probably. Or a brownie sundae. My mouth is watering just thinking about them!

Favorite meal? Depends on my mood….but I would say barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, and a slice of watermelon hits the spot any day (sigh, it’s a long time ‘till summer!)

What did you major in? I majored in Political Communications, which is a cross between poli sci and journalism (a lot of people in my major became press secretaries to members of congress). I worked in politics for a few years after college.

Who is your best friend? My sister, 100%. And Jared, of course.

Do you have any siblings? Yep, I have a fabulous younger sister who is the best sibling anyone could ask for.

my sis in a photo from when we went to vegas last year…we had fun at the dessert buffet

Single or taken? Taken!! Officially so and sporting a shiny ring as of last weekend.

Favorite TV shows? Always changing, but at the moment: Good Wife, How I Met Your Mother, Long Island Medium, Seinfeld, and Monk. I don’t have much patience for tv lately so just watch whatever is on the dvr

Where have you traveled? Parts of Europe, lots of South America, not enough of the US (I’m up to 20 states), Tahiti (best vacation ever), Caribbean, Israel, Canada, Mexico, etc. So many more places on my list….but not enough money or time right now.

Do you work out? Of course! But not enough lately…I still haven’t been able to find a consistent routine that gets results. It’s really been bothering me. But my go-to exercise is: Treadmill, yoga, swimming, elliptical, hiking, etc.

Currently reading? Just finished Gone Girl. Read it! Trying to find a new book…

was a perfect vacation read

Pets? Charlie, my pup….but I’m sure anyone who has read this blog for even a second already knows that.

Hobbies? Blogging. Hiking. Baking. My dog toy collection drive. Reading (books and blogs). Ummmm, what else…I don’t feel like I’ve had much time lately for anything but friends and work and family, but I need a new hobby…probably in the workout realm (kickboxing? Pilates? Hmmm)

Mac or PC? I thought I was a Mac girl, but I just bought a new laptop PC and am LOVING it, so maybe I switched back.

Staples in your kitchen? Almond Milk, bananas, eggs, frozen veggies, and rice crackers are ALWAYS there.

my typical shopping cart at Trader Joes

Past jobs? In no particular order….Political fundraiser, lobbyist, scheduler for an elected official, “scooper” at ben and jerry’s, retail person at pottery barn (yuck, hated this job), helped start a fab nonprofit, camp counselor (best job ever), and Kindergarten/Third Grade teacher.

And that’s it! My 16 questions and 16 answers!

Okay sooo…I love taking surveys and reading people’s answers.

– Answer one of the questions above! What are your hobbies, favorite dessert, staples in your kitchen, etc?!

– For those who are married, were you surprised when you were proposed to or did you sort of already know how and when he was doing it?

This morning, I drank red, white and blue inspired coffee…..

sorry for the mug that looks a little dirty!

And voted!

No lines at all over here- I got there at 7:10am and there were probably a handful of other people.  There was a steady stream of people coming in, but no wait for your ballot.  I can’t imagine what it’s like for the people in Florida and Ohio who are waiting hours and hours at the polls.  It’s insane.  Think we’ll all be able to vote via email by 2016?  Doesn’t seem like it’s working too well in New Jersey today, but maybe they’ll get their act together in 4 years.  That will really change the voting population, don’t you think?

Anyway- back in the day when I worked in politics, I’d spend election day campaigning like crazy and then party hop all night from candidate victory party to victory party.  Tonight, I plan to watch the returns while on the treadmill. Oh how times have changed!  I’m way more excited about watching it on the treadmill than the “up for 24-hour adrenaline exhaustion” I’d feel at those victory parties.  I def had some amazing election day experiences though.  If you’re curious, ask me, otherwise, I’m digressing….

In honor of election day, here are some Election Day Fun Facts! (from here)

1. If Obama wins reelection, we’ll have had three two-term presidents in a row. This event is so rare, you’ll have to go back 200 years to find the last consecutive winning streak (Jefferson, Madison, Monroe).
In fact, Americans born after 1980 have seen only one president seek reelection and lose: George H.W. Bush.

2. This is also the first election since 1976 that no Bushes or Clintons were running for president or vice president.

Remember Socks, the Clintons’ cat?

3.  We’ve never had a president whose name starts with the extremely common letter S.
We have, however, had one with an S first name. Give up? Stephen Grover Cleveland. Harry S Truman’s middle name was just “S,” and Ulysses S. Grant was actually named Hiram Ulysses Grant. Those are the only two with “S” middle names, and in both cases, it’s not quite legit

4. John Tyler, our 10th president, born in 1790, fathered more children (15) than any president in history. He also has two living grandsons: Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., born in 1924, and Harrison Ruffin Tylerborn in 1928.

5. Only two men have appeared four times on a winning presidential ticket: FDR and Nixon.

6. We’ve only had one election in which someone lost both the popular and electoral vote, but still won. Who was it? No, not George W. Bush: John Quincy Adams, in 1824.

7) Some fun Presidential firsts: Benjamin Harrison, No. 23, was the first prez to attend a baseball game. In 1910, Taft began the presidential “first pitch” tradition. FDR was the first to fly, in 1943. Richard Nixon was first to visit all 50 states. And Martin Van Buren, born in 1782, was the first president who was a U.S. citizen.

8. Not many people know that we’ve had a Native American vice president. Charles Curtis, veep to Hoover, claimed Kaw, Osage and Pottawatomie ancestry.

I had never even heard of Charles Curtis! but here he is…

9.  President William Henry Harrison caught pneumonia after giving the longest inaugural speech in history- 1 hour, 45 minutes- on a cold, snowy day.  He passed away exactly one-month later.  Poor guy was only president for 30 days!

10. Here’s one that’ll knock your socks off: When George H.W. Bush was elected president, it was the first time since Van Buren that a sitting vice president had been elected without the president dying.

And who knows, maybe in a few years there will be some “Fun Facts” about today’s election day!

So no matter what today, JUST VOTE.  Your voice counts.  We’re making history today. 

– Were there lines at your polling place?
– Do you vote every year or usually just in presidential years?
– In general, are you very interested in politics, sorta, or could care less?
– Think we’ll be able to vote via email sometime in the next few years?

Happy October!  Pumpkins are everywhere, we’re having amazing Indian Summer weather in San Francisco, and it finally feels like fall.  I’m loving it.

I started the first day of October with some pumpkin, finally.  Why did I wait?  So yummy.  I added a bit to my smoothie and not a bad combo, I must say.

Speaking of good combos……I tried this Kombucha flavor this weekend and – YUM! It was really different and good.  There are only 20 calories for the whole bottle too (instead of the normal 70 per bottle of the other brand).  I wonder why so many less than the regular?  Kombucha calories don’t bother me, I just thought it was interesting.

In addition to pumpkins, Halloween prep has exploded around here too. Haunted houses, costumes, etc. Speaking of spooky fall stuff (sorta) and because it’s October 1st….

Did you say “White Rabbits” when you woke up this morning?   I meant to– I even made a mental note last night when I was falling asleep– but then I totally forgot this morning.  Instead, I think my first words this morning were something groggy like, “What time is it?”

Years ago (probably when I was in high school), I bought a white magic book at Urban Outfitters.   It was full of little things like how to attract love (light a pink candle, say their name three times, write it on a piece of paper, burn the paper, and then blow out the candle….or something like that), have good luck, or attract more money.

My sister and I just read it for fun, probably tried the love tricks (they didn’t work- ha), but little things in it– like the superstition of saying “White Rabbits” on the first day of every month (if you’re not familiar with it, if you say it, you’ll have a good luck all month) stuck. Out of habit, I still think about it on the first day of the month!

Or maybe those spells did work, because now I have a really awesome guy who bought me really pretty flowers this weekend….hmmmm….

As I was driving to work this morning, I realized that I have all sorts of superstitions.  Do you too?

My Superstitions….

– I won’t walk under a ladder

– I won’t put shoes on the bed (even if they’re in a bag, etc)

– I walk the other way if a black cat crosses

– I won’t open an umbrella inside

– If a bird is pecking at the window, comes inside, or is just trying to get in, it means someone you know is going to die (an omen)

– You must blow out all your birthday candles in one breath.

– You should always have salt in the house (this was something my grandma used to say)

– If a light turns on by itself, it’s a ghost/spirit

– Seeing dragonflies symbolize new beginnings

I did break a mirror once (it was a full length mirror and I put it in my car to move to a new apartment….and it broke).  I was horrified about the 7 years bad luck thing.  Truthfully, the 7 years after that really weren’t the best at all, but I don’t really think it had to do with the cheap $10 mirror I had bought at bed bath and beyond.

But other than that, they’re mostly for fun (no, I won’t freak out if shoes are on my bed or there’s no choice but to walk under a ladder), but it’s part of my inherit consciousness and I’m assuming that since I learned them as a kid, they’re sticking with me for life.

Okay, how about you?  Superstitious?

– What are your superstitions?
– Same as mine?  None?
– Are your parents or grandparents superstitious?  My grandmother was and so I “inherited” a lot of it from her.  My mom is too a bit.  My dad isn’t at all.  My sister is sort of, but less than me.

It’s true that I insist on sleeping with the windows open,

If Seinfeld’s on tv, I’ll usually watch it….even if I’ve seen the episode 12 times,

I spoil my dog,

I eat ice cream straight from the container,

I drink too much water– don’t think that’s possible? It is…my doctors make me stop (habit, I guess?),

I usually prefer to eat at home than at a restaurant,

I’m in two book clubs, yet we rarely read. We just drink wine and talk,

It’s true that I talk to my parents once a day,

my dad took this…sunset from their house this wknd

I wear flip flops every single day,

I can’t handle flakey people or too much traffic,

I hate snakes,

I count the days down till summer,

recycled pic from a wiaw

I fall asleep in movie theaters,

I struggle to stay positive sometimes and can be really hard on myself,

My car has a dent that I refuse to fix….city living, what can I tell ya,

I have no willpower when it comes to cookie dough,

And it’s true that I believe we are supposed to make a difference in the world….even if I’m still figuring out what my difference will be!

First things first. This month, I am making an effort to appreciate the simple things in life and show my gratitude. Today, I am thankful for the public library. Last week, I went online, reserved 4 books I was dying to read….and voila! They were already ready for pick-up today! It’s so nice….free….and easy. Thank goodness for libraries….and for summer reading too! (btw I just read sweet valley confidential- it’s sweet valley high ten yrs later, lol. random but I used to love those books! Ha)

And now onto A MINI SUMMER VACATION MEANS……

This past weekend, Jared and I took a mini-vacation. The thought behind this weekend was that it would be for pure-fun…no weddings, no races, no friends….just us and summertime. We also only wanted to be gone one night, so had to pick a place that was only a couple hours away. SOOOO….we spent the weekend in Santa Cruz!

It’s about an hour and a half from San Francisco. There’s a beach, there’s mountains, there’s sunshine, and there’s a really fun beach boardwalk. Even though I came home exhausted (was a go-go-go type weekend still…we forgot to relax), it still felt so much like summer….and I must say, I think I finally have a tan.

To me, summer vacation weekends means…..

1) The beach
Ah yes, we got plenty of beach time in this weekend. It was 83 degrees, which was perfect.

Beach boardwalk=summer

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2) Eating meals outside…and drinks too

This doesn’t look very appetizing, but it was AMAZING! Tofu with peanut sauce, spinach, and broccoli. I’m def making this at home.

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Look at that huge pour!

3) Ice cream on the beach

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4) Rollercoasters and carnival games!
a kid at heart…

Log ride= soaking wet

Roallercoaster

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Post roller coaster….check out my huge eyes!

My prize….souvenir for Charlie

5) Hotel breakfasts

I’m really weird (admittedly) in that I absolutely love the crappy free breakfasts at little hotels. Jared and my parents think I’m crazy and would much rather go out for a nice brunch (think belgian waffles and omelets), but I have a weird thing for hotel breakfasts. Can’t explain it. Don’t judge.

6) Going somewhere new and touristy

We went to Roaring Camp Railroads, which is an old 1880s style town with trains that take you through the redwoods. I grew up in Cali so am used to the redwoods, but it’s a really nice thing to do especially if you’re not from here.

This dog loved the train rid

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Uh oh, what’s going on here?

Our train got held up by some wild west bandits!

There was even a shoot out…..

and a few dead guys…

But pretty soon, we were back on our way

hiking in the woods

and eating bbq

Anyways, we spent two full days on our summer mini-wknd and got home sunburned/tan, tired, and happily exhausted. My weekend didn’t include working out, sleeping in, or eating enough veggies…..oops.

—What things do you like to include in summer vacation weekends?
— Do you use the library? Or prefer to buy books?
–Any weekend trips coming up?