Leaning in for a kiss...



More from our sunset drive down to Big Sur...



We went on another long hike, this time just North of San Francisco in Stinson Beach. Look closely and you'll notice our gnome is in-tow!





One of my GreenHouse kids got on a plane for the second time in her life and came out to spend a few days with me in California. I will post more pictures from Mary's visit (right now they are on another camera) but here is one of her in front of Alcatraz. I told her she better be good!



With Christie Cunningham at the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge. She and Mary were scared to ride across, but they faced their fears and had the time of their lives. (Please excuse the hairdo; it's ridiculously windy up there.)

Catching up on the past few weeks...

I've been a total slacker about updating the blog lately (actually just busy enjoying California, entertaining friends, traveling and spending time with my hubby). Nonetheless, I have managed to do some serious photo-documentation so get ready... This is going to be a rapid-fire update of everything that has been going on in our lives!

A couple pictures from our drive down to Big Sur...







I bet Rebecca never imagined that the bag she made me would become Addie's favorite mode of transportation. Mike took this picture of us just before heading into Costco...



Mike and I live in an apartment complex called Domicilio, located directly across from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. I recently heard a neighbor refer to it as DORM-icilio and had to laugh because aside from the fact that it's pretty darn expensive (far nicer than anything my parents would have ever even considered letting me call home during my undergraduate experience), it has been a total flash-back to freshmen year dorms. My "favorite" part of this collegiate excitement has been living through the (false) fire alarms that tend to occur weekly and at ungodly hours in the night. The pic below documents the first time Mike and I were awoken to the screeching, twilight alarm. After realizing it was pulled as a prank or set-off by one of my neighbor's illegal use of smoky substances, I decided to document the experience. As you will see, even Addie was annoyed by the whole thing.



The flash is broken on my camera so this is a little fuzzy... A good memory from Craig MacDonald's wedding though. It was a night filled with Scottish dancing!

woes me

It is never good when you get back to your hotel, jump on the elevator, and then realize you have absolutely no idea what floor (much less, what room) you are on...

You are left with no other choice but to go up to the front desk and admit your travel dementia...

Then, to make matters worse, you have to restrain from doing the pee-pee dance (as if that wouldn't be torture enough) all they way up to the 7th floor, all the while making small-talk with the strange man who is riding in the elevator with you.

I am in room 758 in case I forget again.

Cali Adventures

It cost me $71.48 to fill up my gas tank in San Jose, CA yesterday… $4.16/gallon. I just about fainted.

Speaking of fainting… If you don’t like scary movies, say “no” to No Country for Old Men. I lasted for all of 15 minutes, ten of which were spent with my fingers in my ears, doing the 7 year-old hum thing. Absolutely terrifying!

Did you know that people still ride skateboards everywhere in Cali? It’s just like in the old Pauley Shore movies and on 90210 (the original) where they zoom around campus, the mall, the airport... You name the place and there is someone on four mini-wheels.

Inspired by this culture, I told Mike I wanted to learn to skateboard while we are here. He thought I was joking. I also mentioned it to my mom who immediately went into a long safety speech. Their pessimism only makes me want to learn to skateboard that much more! I think I might ask my neighbor for lessons next week!

XOBNI (Inbox spelled backwards)

If you use Outlook as an archiving system, you have to check out this new social utility tool: http://www.xobni.com/

I promise it will revolutionize the way you email!

Must Rent Movies:

P.S. I love you
Dan in Real Life

My traveling gnome:

Reid just sent this picture over. I thought it was memorable enough to share. Addie, after a drive over the Golden Gate and just before reflexology treatments.