the graduates

i've had the blessing and privilege to watch these two go from spunky little 10 year olds - (rachel, always eager with a hug and a snuggle; brad, always wanting to talk my ear off about a book, or a knife, or a gun) into incredible young adults (some things never change). and, as i prepare for the next chapter in my own life, i am so grateful to have been included in a few of theirs. technically, the twins (and their brother and sister) are my first cousins, once removed, but i claim them as nieces and nephews... which makes me one proud aunt!

There was also a really touching moment where two former students were finally able to receive their diplomas.  Brad makes an appearance at about 1:05.

the sunday-family-fun day

one of the things i have loved about living in southern california, is that, largely due to it's beaches and the little amusement park called disneyland, people are always coming to visit!  this week it was my cousin russ and his family, in town for some vacation time with mickey.  on sunday eve, i headed over to the 'local' cousins, where it had been determined that we were all going to do some evening sight seeing.

the plan was to swing by the newport beach temple, and then a stop at the beach.  the irony, is that it was a nearly identical repeat of my very first day living in california.  it was october, 2007, and my cousin-in-law, jenny had some of her own cousins visiting.  as a part of the intro to socal, we went to visit the newport beach temple and then to the beach in corona.  nearly eight years later, and just a couple of months before moving out of the state, sunday night had me feeling like i had come full circle - reflecting on my time here and how many amazing opportunities and blessings it has given me.

here we go again...

i think this is the longest i have ever gone without posting.  ever.  so, since there is way too much catching up to do, let's just hit the highlights and lowlights of 2015 so far, shall we?

january:

knowing that i will be (if all goes according to plan), moving to north carolina at the end of july, california bucket list items have taken on a new urgency.  for the first time, i joined my donahoo cousins in visiting the post-showing of the rose parade floats.  amazing! it was particularly enjoyable to experience it with my cousins, who've also never done it, and whom i'm going to miss terribly when i leave!

with three months to design and build a brand new booth, as a part of the parent company's strategy to align all of their umbrella companies to "one-brand", the 20X30 launches at the north american veterinary conference and wins the booth of the year award. (february, multiple articles would be published about it in various exhibit trade publications). i'm particularly proud as the design concept was entirely my idea, and we were fortunate to be paired with the perfect exhibit house to execute it.  the booth features a life-size tree stump that doubles as a phone charger, a convertible meeting space in the interior of the doghouse, as well as astro-turf carpet and ambient "yard" sounds, giving visitors a break from the hectic conference pace.

extended the navc work trip to spend some time with melissa (n.) at universal studios florida, primarily to indulge our inner wizards and check out the new(ish) wizarding world of harry potter.  exhaustion was a prominent feature, but, so was spell-casting! there is something truly magical ( i know, i know) about the harry potter world and the way it has become such a cultural phenomenon.  i still remember being in high school reading my dragonlance books about wizards and warriors, and fearing that i would be made fun of as a result.  the times, they have-a-change-ed.

capping off the month was the (ahem)th birthday celebration for my good friend larysa.  it's fair to say that the circle of those who i would truly consider friends, here in california is very small, but i have known and liked larysa for almost my entire eight years here.  it was a privilege to participate in honoring her (mumble) years on the planet, and while i won't reveal her age, i will say that it was a big one, and celebrating at the huntington library & gardens (truly one of my favorite places in cali) with an afternoon tea, was quite perfect.

february:

the month kicks off with an unexpected sleepover not too far from home.  my friend and co-worker (who i rarely get to see anymore), melissa (r.) was in anaheim at the grand californian for a company training.  she invited me to come for a slumber party, so, why not!  we met up with another friend and co-worker for late night girl talk and spent some lovely post-training afternoon time at the pool the following day before returning to 'real life'.

i take a work trip to vegas where the new booth continues to impress. i get to spend my off-time with melissa (n.), as well as visiting with my old roommate, heather. this time the visit with heather includes five more dogs!  and while the puppy energy is a little nutty, i especially appreciate fur babies when i'm away from my own.  i also get a chance to spend some time with my freeman cousins.  i loathe vegas, but now that i have "people' there, it makes my frequent visits much more enjoyable.

march:

the month begins with a trip to williamsburg, va for work.  originally, julie and kids had planned to meet me there for a day at busch gardens. until we realize that it's not open yet!  instead, i drive to raleigh to spend a day with them, and to get a bearing on the place that will serve as my temporary home when i arrive in nc.  then it's time for some actual work... but my co-worker greg and i did find a little bit of time to explore the historic town.

from williamsburg, i'm headed directly on to the next event in tampa, fl. but before i get there, i get some terrible news.  my old roommate calls (i send her to voicemail, as i'm boarding a plane), she calls again. voicemail again. then she texts.  a mutual friend of ours has passed away.  she had been living with heather in las vegas, and heather's husband had found her that morning.  initially, they didn't know exactly how long she had been gone or what had happened, but we would eventually learn that, at age 41, holly jarvinen died unexpectedly from congenital heart failure.  it was devastating news, and though my first response was to try and be strong for heather - her closest friend - i went through my own kind of shock.  it would take a couple of weeks before it felt real all the time, as opposed to that weird ptsd mode of feeling real one moment and not real the next, where your brain just can't process.  holly is the third friend of mine to pass in the last five years, and i still can't quite wrap my head around it.

but i had to get on the plane.  it's been about fifteen years since my last visit to tampa, and i had been excited to see a relatively 'new' city.  maybe that was just what i needed to avoid falling down the rabbit hole of sudden loss.  instead, i made myself readily available to heather and other friends via phone, while i tried to get my job done, and see what tampa had to offer.  i remember thinking that it was the only city in florida i had ever really liked, and it turned out, my memory was correct.  the food was amazing, and i was incredibly impressed with the consistently good service.  i also got a chance to spend some time with melissa (n.) as we took in a spring training baseball game (braves v. yankees) and explore the ybor city area via trolley and foot.

shortly after returning home from tampa, things went even more sideways.  still emotionally wounded from the loss of a friend,  i'm in a car accident, the victim of a red-light runner.  while my body and health are fine (for which i'm grateful!), my car is totaled.  my 2004 saturn was meant to last another year or so, giving me a chance to make the big move and get settled in before investing in a new car and committing (for the first time in years) to a car payment.  but the universe had other plans, and i found myself wading through the soul-crushing bureaucracy of insurance company rules, rental car restrictions, payouts, and loan-getting.  it's an overwhelming week as i began to feel the weight of all the change and loss that seems to be coming at once.  i want to just wallow for awhile, but i don't have the luxury of time.  the one thing (aside from my physical health) that i have going for me in regards to the car, is that i have driven A LOT of rental cars.  so many, in fact, that i've known for years what i wanted the 'next car' to be.  which, since i had a really limited amount of time to make decision and act on it, was a huge blessing.  i go look at a couple of cars, knowing i've found "the one" before i even see it in person, so after the test drive confirming it, i put a deposit down, sign a contract, and leave - without the car - hoping that they will honor the contract until the loan check arrives and clears.

still driving a rental car, which i am now paying for out of pocket (since it turns out that the insurance company will only cover three days if your car is totaled), i head to ontario to finally meet up with my friend vicki for an evening out. we've been trying to get together for a year, and were finally able to make it work.  i'm feeling particularly grateful for the timing as it now seems so much more important than it did a week before to spend quality time with people you care about.  vicki has season tickets for the local hockey team, and before heading there, we enjoyed breaking some bread and getting caught up.  perfect girls night!

not long after, i'm headed to salt lake city.   i planned the trip in february when the world was all sunshine and daisies. on one hand, the timing seems semi-inconvenient since i'm still in car-limbo, but i have a sense that the trip is an unexpected tender mercy -- a time, when most needed, to take advantage of the natural healing power that comes from being with people you love.  it's been several years since my last visit, and i know that it will be harder to do from the east coast, so i take full advantage of every opportunity. my visit includes some really phenomenal time with cousins, catch-up time with my old friend scott, a visit with brandon,  a friend who used to live in california (which includes an epic haircut and shave -- his, not mine), attending the general women's session at the conference center, spending time with corey & jill, checking out a salt lake real game, and reconnecting with a high school friend.  sadly, this trip was also supposed to consist of a reunion with houston, my ex-boyfriend's son, to whom i played mom for several years, but a family health emergency arose and he had to leave town.  all in all though, it was exactly what i needed.  i continue to be so grateful for my family and good friends. i adore them, and they have no idea how much peace came from spending time with them.

originally scheduled to fly home late monday evening, i maneuver my way onto an earlier flight so that i can (finally) go pick up the new car!  while in utah, i was driving a version of my car, another equinox, but a more basic model.  my four day "test-drive" left me feeling like the car was ok. it was fine.  it was an improvement on my last one, for sure.  and then, upon concluding the final details, when i finally got into MY car, it was so much better than ok.  it was perfect.  though it is a 2012 model, it feels like new.  there are so many bells and whistles and it was clearly well taken care of.  i just love everything about it!  which will make it a little easier to swallow the car payment thing.  and, of course, it's probably a blessing in disguise having a safer, more comfortable car to drive cross country in.  that's what i keep telling myself anyway.

there you have it, 2015, so far, in a nutshell. there has been good, bad, and ugly, and i have to confess, i'm holding my breath a little about what the near future has in store...

august

i am woefully behind.  i'll just acknowledge that and move on.

this is what my august looked like:

me finally getting to try cotton candy grapes .  yes. i said cotton candy grapes.  grapes that taste like cotton candy! they are only in season for about two weeks each year, distributed by only one grape grower, in california, and they are hard to find! i’d learned about them last year after they were already out of season, and have been waiting to try them. they were delicious! i still have 4 pounds sitting in my freezer so that i can continue to enjoy them.

this collage is from my work trip to kansas city. melissa, her husband nick, and another colleague, david, went to see the MLS soccer team, sporting kc play dc united.  dc united totally beat them!  and what made it an even better night is that the team was staying in our hotel and we ended up spending a little time with the head coach (the guy in the white shirt in the bottom right photo).  but of course, the highlight is just always getting to see melissa.:)

august also saw my 38^th birthday. yowser!  i am usually traveling on my birthday and was excited to be home this year.  i invited a small group of friends and the donahoo cousins to join me at the iconic (lots of movies have shot here) griffith observatory in los angeles.  they were hosting a public star party so many many local astronomers brought their telescopes to share with the rest of us peons.  i love the observatory and it was a great way to celebrate with some of my favorite people!

it's sunday evening..

...and it's time to start wrapping up a great weekend.

friday night, i joined a group of friends in my old huntington stomping grounds to watch the olympic opening ceremonies.  it's no secret that i love the olympics (favoring winter just a bit over summer), and it was especially enjoyable to experience them with so many other olympic obsessives.

the crowd included my friend kristina who worked at the olympic village during the salt lake games and my ukrainian/russian friend larysa, who provided a lot of helpful and insightful cultural background information.

it also provided an opportunity for me to try a new recipe, and in honor of the olympics, i chose the buffalo chicken crescent ring (representative of the olympic rings), i'd come across on pinterest.  wow! did it turn out yummy! the receipe can be found here and the only change i made was including the cilantro IN the mixture.

saturday morning came way too early as jami and i made an attempt to secure our tickets to this year's comic-con.

as previous attendees we had the opportunity to try our luck during a pre-registration sale.  only a certain number of tickets are made available and all 2013 attendees could participate.

in previous years, our experience has been EXACTLY like this:

(thanks to melissa for tipping me off to this scene, since i don't watch the show)

this year though, they 'randomized' the process and refreshing was a big no-no.  we had to log in early with a special registration code, then hope we would be randomly sorted in a registration 'session' that was high enough to still get tickets for each of our desired event days.

we waited, staring at our computer screens, hoping every two minutes (when they auto-refreshed) that we would be allowed to buy tickets, and that the tickets we wanted would still be available.  after an hour and a half of nervous anticipation, jami finally got in and was able to purchase all of our tickets. YAY!  so relieved that i can rest easy until july when i'll have to play the "big bang game" for nerd hq tickets (still a first come first served scenario).

late nights and early mornings make for an exhausted tara, but after an hour power nap, i headed to the cousins, to meet up with jenny before heading to a nearby karate studio in support of rachel and drew in their belt testing.  rachel, going for her brown belt, and drew going for his black.  it was interesting to watch the testing and i was honored to have been included in what was a great achievement for both of them!

walking dead is back tonight (yay!) and i can't get enough of the olympics, so february is off to a good start!

december

as seems to happen more and more, december just seemed to slip away when i wasn't looking.

it started with the final planning and execution of my last event of the year -- our biannual all employee meeting.  with a few added elements, this was our most 'complicated' employee meeting yet, and, to add insult to injury, i was also tasked with presenting.

those who know me well know that speaking in front of people is my all-time greatest fear. it's a nausea inducing fear that i try to avoid at all costs.  not to mention that there were a thousand moving parts (usually by me) that had to be handled while i was supposed to be on the stage in front of my 500 co-workers.  

the good news is that it all went off without a hitch.  and, i even learned yesterday that in the post-event survey sent to employees, my presentation ranked the highest of the event.  while i'm pleased and grateful for the result, i'm mostly just glad it's over!

fortunately the first couple of weeks weren't all fear and nausea.  my friend vicki invited me to join her at a minor league hockey game, where i had my first 'up against the glass' experience.

and i joined my roommate and another friend in los angeles for las posadas on olvera street.  not only was this my first time using the metro here (i still can't believe there is one), but it was also an interesting educational experience.  the event commemorates the journey of mary and joseph from nazareth to bethlehem, and their search for shelter. there were pinatas, and nativities, and singing. and, there were churros.  i don't know that i would do it again, but it was a new an interesting experience.

only a couple of days after my big work event, i headed to savannah, georgia.  

in november, i received a job offer from a company based there.  the offer was completely unexpected and created a lot a lot of internal conflict.  on one hand, i would really like to be back east, closer to my family.  on the other, i just wasn't sure savannah would be a good fit for me.  

my long weekend there was a bit of a rough one (travel problems, terrible weather), but ultimately it confirmed what i had already begun to feel. the job would have been a good fit, as would most of the people. but the city...is great for being a tourist in, but not to live in. at least not for me.  

the decision was not an easy one, and it occupied the majority of my free-thinking time in november and early december.  but turning it down also made me realize that i'm not ready to leave california just yet.  and there is a certain peace in that.

only a few days after returning from georgia, i was back on the east coast.  only this time, it was to meet my brand new niece and spend the week with my family.  

usually my visits home involve a lot of going and seeing. visiting with old friends, undertaking various activities.  this trip though, we all just kind of hunkered down and spent the week with each other. and it was perfectly lovely.

it nearly kills me to have say goodbye each time, and i still wish i could snuggle in with the new baby, but i was back just before new year's to celebrate in california for the first time.  

despite my reservations, i opted for the big local mid-singles celebration. and, while i have nothing exciting to report, it was an enjoyable evening spent with friends, which is really all i could ask for. 

back at work now i'm trying to get up to full speed preparing for my biggest conference of the year, while managing a nasty sinus infection.  

at this rate i have a feeling that my next post will appear in february and i'll be talking about how quickly january flew by.  seems to just be the way things go these days!

12 days

in the summer of 2012, my mom's side of the family had a big reunion -- our first in more than ten years.  it was an awesome weekend that provided a lot of opportunities to 'get to know' these extended family members -- some of whom were very young the last time i saw them.

one such example was my cousin wyatt, who was 7 or 8 (to my 25 or 26) at our last reunion. it was a neat experience to get to know him a little as a young adult and i was even a bit surprised at just how connected i felt to him and vice versa.  over the course of the long weekend, he felt more like a little brother than a cousin i hadn't seen in a decade.

shortly after our reunion, he departed on an lds mission for our church.  i had every intention of being a great letter writer and staying in touch, keeping up with his adventures in the mission field. but, as sometimes happens, i have fallen miserably short of those intentions.  with the holidays approaching, i have felt like i have some catching up to do (18 months later!), so i decided to send a '12 days of christmas' care package.  full disclosure, it has not actually been sent yet. i just completed it today, so here's hoping i can motivate myself to the finish line.

it was a fun process for me, finding the scriptures and coordinating items, designing and creating the tags... i found myself trying to imagine his response to each of the items (and which ones will elicit the most surprised laughter), and i hope that at the very least, the package serves as a reminder that his much older mostly non-communicative cousin has been keeping him in her prayers.

if you're interested, the full list is (and there is no rhyme or reason to the order):

1st day - swedish fish
jeremiah 16:16 - behold, i will send for many fishers, saith the lord, and they shall fish them; and after will i send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks

2nd day - shout pen/wipes
psalms 35:27 - let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, let the lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

3rd day - flashlight
acts 13:47 - for so hath the lord commanded us, saying, i have set thee to be a light of the gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

4th day - candy canes
1 nephi 8:19 - And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

5th day - calendar
alma 34:32 - for behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet god; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

6th day - gummi worms
d&c 111:11 - therefore, be ye as wise as serpents and yet without sin; and i will order all things for your good, as fast as ye are able to receive them. amen.

7th day - something you suck on
mosiah 4:16 - and also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.

8th day - cheerios
d&c 68:6 - wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for i the lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even jesus christ, that i am the son of the living god, that i was, that i am, and that i am to come.

9th day - socks
isaiah 52:7 - how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that publisheth salvation

10th day - chapstick
proverbs 20:15 - there is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.

11th day - hand sanitizer
psalms 24:4 - he that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

12th day - tums
d&c 9:8 - But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

thankful

thanksgiving can be a difficult holiday for me.  i lost my dog cyra on my first thanksgiving here in california, and, with only a couple of exceptions, have spent most of them (since i moved here) flying solo.  it always seems to be a reminder that my family is far away.

this would be the year to change all that, however!  my cousin and her family recently moved to las vegas from utah.  initially, i thought this would just help make my dreaded work trips there a little sweeter, but i didn't realize there would be a holiday bonus as well!

laurie and her husband shawn were hosting thanksgiving for her siblings and their families, and were kind enough to invite me to join them.  i just couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend the holiday with so many people i love.

the long weekend consisted of everything a good thanksgiving SHOULD consist of; great food, great conversation, games, movies, sleeping in, staying up too late, pool and hot tub time (i mean, it's vegas after all), and a 15 passenger van.

growing up, i only saw these cousins about once every other year, but i have always felt a deep connection and abiding love for them.  they are people who i would choose to spend time with even if we weren't related, and based on some of the families i know, that is the highest praise i can give.

labor day

the weekend was dominated by sleep. blessed sleep. sweaty hot sleep. but sleep nonetheless.

sunday night found me spending time with my donahoo cousins, which i try to do as often as possible.  with nicole off to byu it did feel a little different, but rachel and i made sure to drown our sorrows by doing what we love best -- taking selfies!

today brought more opportunity for sleep, but also an opportunity to catch up with some old friends.


i have several friends from high school who migrated out here (before i did) and unfortunately we don't take nearly enough advantage of our close proximity to get together.  i'm ashamed to admit that it's been a couple years -- which, given that we live only 30 miles apart, is truly ridiculous!

i'd reached out to brandon and michelle to see if they'd be in town this weekend, and they mentioned our friend bronwyn and her husband were having a cookout--which would also be attended by our other friends andy and kevin.  a perfect opportunity to see some old familiar favorite faces:)

the man of the house was quite a skilled grill-master and my creamsicle fruit dip was a huge hit.  the breezes were a welcome relief from the weekend's hot hot temperatures, and it was awesome to be able to catch up with friends who have known me since i was 16.  a little taste of my east coast home is always appreciated in my west coast home.

east coast swing, the final movement

with kendyl set to head off to her dad's, i got up early on day 5 to make sure i had some time with the girls -- particularly since they had already complained that they weren't getting to see enough of me.  so we spent the morning goofing off, dressing up, taking photos, and doing lots of giggling and snuggling.  eventually and sadly, the time came to say goodbye to kendyl, and then it was time to get our sightseeing for the day.

day 5 was a day that matt had been eagerly awaiting.  time for our journey into the nation's capital.  i still believe the washington metro is one of THE finest public transportation systems anywhere, so of course, i opted to take advantage of that rather than driving in. it was another first for my friend and we rode in washingtonian style, ear buds in, listening to our audio book.

when we arrived in the city we had two objectives; the air and space museum, and anything else we could fit in after that. and that's exactly how it worked out. i can't say that i have ever spent as many hours in a single museum as i did that day, but i was happy to indulge my companion since he was the impetus for the trip, and the reason i got to see my friends and fam on the right coast.

we closed down the museum and headed out for our walking tour of the monuments.  this was semi-strategic as there are several monuments i prefer at night. i had forgotten that the washington monument was under renovation post-2012 earthquake. fully under scaffolding, the monument took on a completely different look and we snapped a few pics before heading on to the vietnam, lincoln, finishing off with two of my favorites, the korean and the world war 2.

the rain held off and the cool temps were a blessing.  we made our way home and found ourselves awake 'til the wee hours of the morning chatting and looking at photos and finishing 'the maze runner' (which, btw, was underwhelming).

day 6. our final day.  and more aerospace on the agenda. after getting a nice and proper sleep-in morning, we got ready and headed to the udvar-hazy center - the air and space extension built near dulles airport.  this place will always be special to me as i planned a large companyevent there in my former (pre-california) life. and it seemed to resonate with matt as well.  the sr-71 blackbird and space shuttle discovery can't help but be impressive, but it's more than that.  there's just something about the collection and the staging in an enormous airplane hangar that sets it apart from other museums.

the bonus for me was that my friend anne and her husband (and baby adele) had recently landed in the area after doing their 'welcome back to the us' tour, and joined us for an afternoon stroll through the museum. adele was darling and reminded me a little of my niece with the same name. talk talk talk and all smiles.  and apparently the snuggles and kisses she gave me are an extremely rare commodity!

anne and brian departed a little early (so excited i will now get to see them when i'm visiting my folks!), and matt and i finished perusing the various avionic displays before finally heading to the airport where i dropped him off to catch his flight back to california.  since i would be heading on to kansas city for  work, we gave the trip a good review and said our farewells.

all in all, it was a pretty perfect road trip. the timing and activities worked out as hoped for or better, and  i could not have asked for a more perfect traveling companion. my sometimes-crush will remain my sometimes-crush (and only that... i asked), i'm grateful to have had a chance to spend some time with some of my favorite people, and i'm excited to have discovered a kindred spirit in california.

east coast swing, second movement

day 3 arrived and not only were we still speaking to each other, we were still laughing and telling stories and enjoying our audio book.  the plan for the day was a leisurely one.  we'd be making our way up to my folks in northern virginia, but we'd me making a pit stop at the other willises (brinn and fw) for a birthday party.

since that pit stop would already alter our normal driving route, and i knew the likelihood of my being in greensboro, nc again in the near future was slim to none, we may have gone just a little further out of our way to visit the guilford courthouse national park. what was most interesting to me is that it was a revolutionary war site.  most of the historic sites i grew up visiting were civil war, so it was a nice change of pace.

the rain made a full exploration a non-option (which matt probably appreciated), but we followed the driving tour and made a few quick photo stops.  it did not, however, diminish our need for food.  and this is where greensboro, nc became one of my favorite places EVER!  thanks to yelp, we went hunting for the big burger spot.  it took a couple of tries, some alternating sweet and stern talking to the gps, and an absolute refusal to be thwarted, but it turns out this tiny, tucked-in-next-to-a-gas-station burger joint was a hole in the wall to match all other holes-in-walls.  i mean, they have a french fry menu (in addition to their burger menu), and this would easily fall in my top 5 burger/fries nationwide.

time to get a move on though, so onward we went to buena vista, va, where we re-joined colby and julie at brinn and fw's home for georgie's birthday carnival.  fw's mad building skills coupled with brinn's mad creativity were on full display, and even though our morning activities made us a little late, we still enjoyed some chicken-catching, funnel cake, and good company.

after getting our fill of some experimental shaved ice flavors, making plans to see the willises at christmas, and bidding adieu, we continued on to ashburn.  our late arrival ensured that most of the family was already asleep, so i got matt settled in and we called it a night.

day 4 dawned with some new realizations.  the first was that we weren't seeing a lot of 'dawn' anymore. our later and later bedtimes made for later and later wake up calls. ah, finally, a vacation!  the second was that matt and i had survived three full days of continuous and close quarters, and we were still having a blast!  i wish i hadn't been so shocked by this, but i've lost friends as a result of traveling together, so i'm a little paranoid.  but our time on the road was somehow perfectly balanced by conversation, dashboard drumming, audiobook listening and critique, and site seeing.

with the impending doom--i mean, rain--i suggested we push our dc day to day 5 and opt for my last minute back-up plan.  he was curious and interested when i suggested luray caverns as a great 'inside activity', and after spending the waning morning hours with my darling nieces, back into the car we went!

another couple hours of good conversation and we were just outside front royal, va,  visiting the fourth largest cave system in the country.  though i have visited many times, it never fails to impress, and matt repeatedly praised both my idea and the caverns themselves.  it also provided him some phenomenal opportunities to play with his new camera.  so much so that we ended up in three different tour groups.  apparently we were having too much fun and continually found ourselves at the back of one group as the front of the next was coming up behind us.  we did ultimately find a synergistic group with some kindred spirits - which made taking non-self portrait photos a lot easier! ;)

after returning to the surface, we made our way across the parking lot to the car and carriage museum that has never ceased to seem random and weird. but, admission is free and boys like cars, so i hung in there while my traveling companion perused the wood and chrome mobility machines.

a few photos and a few miles down the road later, matt asked me about the 'ice' place i'd mentioned.  i couldn't believe i'd almost forgotten but i was back in rita's territory.  i quickly referred to my rita's app, identified the most convenient location, called mom to let her know we'd be late for dinner (at which point she asked me to pick up a couple of pints), and spent the next hour on the road, mouth watering,praying for pineapple-coconut.

i was out of luck.  but fortunately there is always a good second choice at rita's. i teamed up with a store employee to educate matt on the art of ice and custard, and he made his selection.  i'm not sure it was quite the earth-shattering experience i had led him to believe it would be (and that my roommate and other friends have all enjoyed), but i'm sure that somehow it's his own fault.  regardless, i was satiated.

my family had opted to hold dinner for us, so when we arrived back at the homestead, we got to spend the rest of the evening enjoying their company.  it was one of those nights where no one left the kitchen table for hours, and i was so glad to be home.

east coast swing

when my friend, and sometimes crush, matt, said that he'd never been to the east coast and asked if i'd be willing to take a trip with him, i jumped at the opportunity.for one thing, you can learn a lot about someone when you road trip with them. and for another, visiting some of my closest friends and family? sign me up!

preparing for the trip was a breeze.  i was grateful that he trusted my many years of travel and planning experience, letting me dictate the flow and order of our week long vacation.  and given his professional and personal interest in aviation, i made sure there were plenty of 'flight' stops along the way.

day 1 had us meeting at 5am for our shuttle to lax. me at 5am is enough to send any man (or woman) running, as i can be a little grumpy that early.  maybe it was the adrenaline, but we pleasantly survived that first hurdle.  and after the six hour plane ride to raleigh, nc, we were still friends.  off to a good start!

we headed to julie and colby's for an evening in and enjoyed playing with the kiddos and catching up with the adults.  we were fortunate that it was overcast with temps in the low 70s (as it would be for the duration of the trip) so we spent much of the evening outdoors before calling it a night.

day 2 was 'day-trip' day, and maybe the day matt was most looking forward to.  he had suggested that a motorcycle might be a fun way to make the trip, but with the threat of rain, we opted to stick with the car, and made the 3 1/2 hour drive to the outer banks of north carolina to check out kitty hawk.  it's been 7 or 8 years since i had been there, and frankly, i hadn't remembered it that well.  we spent a few hours exploring the national park (guess who got a stamp?!) learning about the flight-brothers.  and once again, i was grateful for the cool temps since being outside on a normal nc summer day would have been painful!

despite those cool temps and on and off sprinkles, we made our way to the beach, where i was dying to get my toes back in the atlantic!  i had bragged about how warm it is (matt had never been in or even seen the atlantic before) and it wasn't long before we turned the car into an awkward changing room, had our suits on, and were wading into the ocean.

man, i miss that ocean.  granted, it was high tide and a bit rough due to the offshore storms, but warm enough to enjoy without a wet suit (take that pacific. yeah, i'm talking about you!).  we attempted to dry off a little before heading to dinner, enjoyed some grub, and began the journey back to raleigh where we spent another evening with the willises.

the calm before the storm

may went out with a whimper, a lovely whimper. in a life full of 'bangs', the respite was much appreciated.  which, of course, is not to say that there weren't some fun things going on.  but they were mellow fun things. at home, even. or mostly, anyway.

i spent a little time helping jami get settled and into her new house (my future new house) and am really excited to see how she is putting it all together and thriving in her new role as homeowner.  i've enjoyed getting the updates on paint and wallpaper and appliances, and i love that she has had so many visitors and helpers, and that it feels like a place where people will gather in warmth and laughter.

i caught up with my friend ben to get the low-down on his recent trip to china (side note - i have no interest in ever going to china), and enjoyed chinese take-out from next door, accompanied by butterscotch beer (think 'harry potter') and lion bars (european candy bar that somehow combines twix, kit kat, and krackel). the company was as good as the chocolate.

i had planned to spend the memorial day weekend at home, but tania, my co-worker and friend, invited me up to big bear where she and her sister had rented a ginormous cabin for the weekend.

since my roommate was out of town, and the dogs in need of looking after, i could only make it a day trip, but the four hour drive (round trip) was absolutely worth the fresh mountain air, scenic vistas, and total relaxation.

back home, i celebrated the actual holiday with a bbq at the cousins, and was reminded once again, how grateful i am to have family here!

jami and i closed out the month by catching up on some movies, and i finally saw star trek and the great gatsby.  both were awesome!  my only disappointment came during gatsby when i realized that i was robbed of some really great literature by been forced to read it a little to early.  in high school, fitzgerald's work did not resonate with me at all, and my interest in the movie came largely from baz luhrman's previous work.

after the movie, i immediately downloaded the book on my kindle app.  i mean, with quotes like this:

He smiled understandingly-much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced--or seemed to face--the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.

how did i almost never read this as an adult!?

mother's day

sometimes the sacrifices of the road warrior life are balanced by the perks of the road warrior life, and being able to spend mother's day with my mother (and father, sister, brother-in-law, and nieces) was a definite perk!

though our time was short (about 18 hours) it was packed full of chill family time -- something i never get enough of.

wednesday

i'm grateful for technology, and i'm grateful that i have the cutest nieces on the planet.

leg 1: new york

being home for two full weeks was blissful, but a price had to be paid, and leg 1 of my two week road trip found me in ny for 36 hours.

determined to make the most of my time,  i had reached out to my friend deb, who has been out  of town for my last couple visits, and my cousin melanie, who recently moved to the city, to see about getting some girl time.

both agreed to join me for my second viewing of 'sleep no more'.  lucky for me, i had been upgraded to first class on my direct flight from lax to jfk, so i wasn't a total zombie when i arrived. 

deb and i met for dinner before the play and began the business of catching up.  since i haven't seen her in about two years, there was a lot to talk about! we enjoyed some tasty pizza, until my boss (who was also joining us for the play) arrived, and we headed over to the theater together. 

melanie and her roommate joined us shortly thereafter and i was excited for them all to participate in one of the most unique theater experiences of my life. interestingly enough, it was completely different then the first time. in fact, every scene was different with one exception, and i was glad to end the night feeling like i had seen much of what i missed the first time.  

after the play, melanie and i made brunch plans for the following day, and i headed back to deb's apartment with her to finish her catch up and say hello to her husband.

saturday afternoon found me heading to meet up with melanie and her roomie (in the snow!)  441/2 - a place i'd highly recommend in the hell's kitchen neighborhood.

i dined on some delicious french toast while hearing all about melanie's decision to move. i can also relate to and appreciate just how much she's experienced in her short time there. it made me a little nostalgic for my early california days when i had the energy and time to do and see so many of the tings there are to do and see here!  it seems she is settling in quite nicely, and though i never doubted it, i was glad to see just how well the city, and her roommate seem to suit her.

and, all too quickly, it was time to head to work.

luckily, 'work' was fun.  once again my company has sponsored a series of award shows, and tonight was the first.  a highlight was getting to meet the cast of 'smash' (who were all darling and gracious), and actor, john leguizamo, who, despite being in the middle of what looked like a semi-serious conversation, still make time to snap a photo with me.

unfortunately, the show ran REALLY long. madonna pitched a fit and said she was leaving if they didn't put her on (how often do you get to say that?!?) so our portion of the evening got cut.  we finished the night pretty angry at not having gotten what we paid for, but there wasn't too much time to dwell as i had to be on a plane the next morning for the next event.

it was a quick trip and though i was exhausted, i made every one of my 36 hours count!

if you're interested, here are a few 'articles' about the event...
dan stevens
madonna
anderson cooper
smash