So instead of doing another general life goal list for this year, I decided to make a list of things that we (I) want to do while we're living in California. Some of them are local to San Diego and some of them extend to the south western portion of America, some are touristy and some are unique, but they're all things I want to do in the next 3-4 years.
In no particular order, here is my list.
1. Hike to the Hollywood sign (or as close as we can get without being arrested)
2. Camp at Big Bear Lake
3. Visit Mexico
4. San Diego Zoo
5. Redwood Forest
6. Overnight hike part of the PCT
7. Learn to Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP)
8. Napa Valley
9. Yosemite
10. Hike to Cedar Creek Falls
11. La Jolla seacaves
12. Carlsbad Flower Festival
13. Children's Pool/Seal beach
14. Point Loma tide pools
15. La Jolla cliff/coast walk
16. Salvation Mountain
17. Watts Towers
18. Salton Sea
19. Nazi Camp
20. Hike at Torrey Pines
21. Hollywood walk of fame
22. Ride the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
23. Ride the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (Santa Monica Pier & Venice beach)
24. Grand Canyon
25. Slots Canyons of Anza Borrego Desert State Park
26. Sand sculpture competition
27. Sunbathe on the beaches of the Hotel del Coronado
28. Take a surfing lesson
29. ?
30. ?
Have you done any of these? What would you scratch off this list, or what would you add?
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Funkalicious Birthday
I have been in some kind of funk lately. Blogging funk, photography funk, job hunting funk, just an over all life funk. I think this happens every time we move. There is so much built up excitement and anxiety over leaving behind friends and the familiar life we have created and the unknown we're about to face. Then the nervous/excited energy fades away and that leaves me in this funk. I haven't made the awesome group of friends (that I'm sure we'll find eventually), I haven't found the best way to occupy my time (usually volunteering, this time it means finding a job which I haven't tried to do in over 8 years and y'all, this is harder than I remember but that's another post for another day), we haven't found our church home and we haven't found our routine yet. Once this all happens, the funk will end and I'll continue living life with the passion and gusto I usually do, but for now, it's a funk phase.
This does not, by any means, mean that we are not enjoying San Diego, we are. We've reconnected with friends and family in the area and we're loving our new neighborhood, I just feel like the spark of life is glowing really dim at the moment. To be living in this ill lit world during the week of my birthday (which, if you remember, I typically celebrate for more than just one day) was not ideal but I didn't let it completely ruin my birthday. My cousin, husband and I attended the San Diego Restaurant Week kick off party at Broadway Pier. We had a fabulous night tasting many dishes from local San Diego restaurants and beverages from local breweries & wineries. It was the perfect way to get to try a sampling of what is offered at some local restaurants.
Of course we got all dolled up, that's how we like to celebrate in our house. I posted this photo on Instagram (if you're not following me, you should be @bleudressjes) asking which outfit I should wear, thinking that everyone would vote for the black dress and I could not have been more wrong. You guys voted 14-0 for the orange dress and I'm so happy you did. I felt a little pumpkin/traffic cone-ish when I first tried it on but you guys gave me the confidence to rock it and that's exactly what I did.
With my husband before dinner.
With my cousin, Tina, before dinner.
We were hungry by the time we arrived so we wasted no time diving in to the food. This was a piece of freshly baked bread stuffed with pesto pasta, one my my favorites of the night...and the restaurant is just 5 minutes from our house!
Sitting on the windy pier with my cousin.
This is my "it's my birthday so I'll eat more of those delicious baked beans if I want to" face. Seriously, I went back 3 times. BEST. BAKED. BEANS. EVER!
It was a spectacular evening to be on the water.
Tina and Jason enjoying...I don't remember what it was, but I know I didn't try it so it must have been steak or pork!
This is what I get when I hand the husband my camera and ask him to take a photo for me.
Tina and I trying some flavor crystals. The combination of cream and mini flower crystals on the spoon started out awful then evolved into something...delicious. It was quite possibly the strangest thing I've ever put in my mouth, and not in a bad way. It would be really fun to incorporate these into dishes for a dinner party.
Tina tried her first ever oyster.
We even managed to find me some "birthday cake" and a "candle".
As you can see in this photo, we enjoyed ourselves (and the food) so much that I had to ditch the belt! If that isn't the perfect way to end a birthday celebration, I don't know what is!
Next week our HHG arrives (HOORAY! 7 weeks to the day that it was picked up from our house in Japan, not too shabby!), the couch we ordered will be delivered and we're flying back to Cincinnati for my baby brother's wedding. It's sure to be an exciting week! Hopefully I'll have some good content to share with you all when it's all over.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
30 while 30 {the end}
Today is my 31st birthday. I cannot believe an entire year has passed since I was celebrating my 30th birthday with my family!
In an ideal world I would have 30 tasks checked off my list at this point, alas, I prepped for and executed a move across the world over the past few months which left little time for my 30 while 30 goals. I am happy with the 22 goals I did accomplish though. I'm not going to do a 31 while 31, instead I'm working on a very exciting list of goals to accomplish while we're living in California. Hopefully I'll have that completed and ready to share with y'all in a few days.
22/30
18} print, frame and display at least one photo from each of our trips {DONE 15Mar}
22/30
Health/Fitness {2/4}
1} take a yoga class {DONE 10Jan13}
2} do 1 unassisted pull up
3} pass the Army PT test for my gender/age group
4} try something new {DONE 14Feb13, spin class}
Food {4/6}
5} eat one week strict paleo {DONE 1-7Jan13}
7}learn to cook 5 Japanese dishes from scratch {4/5 1. Nikujaga 2. Yakisoba 3. Sukiyaki 4. Nasu Dengaku}
8} master 5 go-to last minute meals (ie. quick to prepare & no need for a recipe using ingredients we always have) {1. ratatouille, 2. pretzel chicken, 3. stir fry, 4. crunch wraps, 5. stuffed peppers}
9} try 5 new foods {1.Snakeskin fruit 2.Mangosteen 3.pistachios 4.quail 5.Chai tea}
10} meal plan every month {12/12}
Japan/Travel {6/9}
11}visit at least 3 new sites in Japan { DONE 1.Tokyo Disney 2. Tama Hills 3. Okinawa}
12} visit Tokyo Disney {DONE 23Oct12}
13} ride an elephant in Thailand
14} see the Great Wall of China {Done 19Dec}
15} put my feet in the Indian Ocean {Done in Bali}
16}volunteer somewhere outside of the US {DONE 8-12Nov12, Ishinomaki, Japan}
17}take Jason to Red River Gorge AKA my favorite place in the world
19} visit at least 3 new countries {2/3 Indonesia, China}
Random {10/11}
20}watch all 100 movies off the AFI {American Film Institute} top 100 list {56/119}
there are actually 2 lists, we combined them and there are 119 different movies on the lists
21} contribute to savings every month {12/12}
22}volunteer somewhere at least once a month {12/12}
23} have new photos taken of Jason and I {DONE 16Sep12}
24} send 12 personalized "just because" gifts/cards {Done}
25} revamp my resume {DONE 11Jan13}
26} complete a year long photo project {DONE 28Feb13}
27} attend an Army sponsored marriage retreat {DONE 22-24Oct12}
28} get a college degree {DONE 10May13}
29} VOTE in the Presidential election {DONE 17Oct12}
30} blog 100 times {DONE 26May13}
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Labor Day
I spent my Labor Day searching for a job. How's that for irony?! We did however enjoy a great Labor Day weekend with some family. The last time we spent Labor Day weekend with our family was during our "big" wedding in 2009 so this was a nice treat for us.
My cousin and I started the morning by making our great grandmother's potato salad. We had a blast in the kitchen together and we can't wait to try out some more of her, and our grandmother's, recipes together. It doesn't look like much but it's the only potato salad I've ever liked!
Jason picked lunch, California Kebab and Beer Garden. The food was delicious and there was a nice little view of the beach. We'll be back for sure!
After lunch we spent a few hours on the beach with a million other people.
I get to call this handsome fella my husband! He saw this photo and said "that doesn't even look like me". That is because 1, he has a beard (I have to say, I feel like I'm kissing another man with that thing...it's weird!) and 2, I caught a genuine smile, not the fake smile that he usually gives me in photos.
My cousin, Tina, and I at Pacific Beach.
Jason's dad lives about 2 hours away so he came down for the weekend. It is so nice to be close to some family again.
After the beach we went back to our place and grilled then introduced Tina to the awesomeness that is Settlers of Catan.
I hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
August 30x30: Days 25-30
Well folks, the August 30x30 challenge is officially over. I wish I'd gotten photos of every day but it just wasn't possible this go around. I'm not sure if I'll do this again in the fall or not. It'll probably depend on how settled we are and what's happening during that time. So here are my final 6 outfits for this challenge.
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
(This dress is navy, not black like it looks in this photo)
Day 28
Day 29
Day 30
Be sure to check out what the rest of the awesome challengers wore by clicking the links below!
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