What a Week...It Continues!

OMG...is this week over yet?!? Yesterday, I met Mom and Meema for lunch to pass off the rice cooker and we did some more rehashing/complaining about all the tension this family stuff is causing. Mom was most upset by the fact that there was a plan, but it did not include celebration of Meema's birthday. Saturday, Meema will turn 87. Because of her family status and age, we try to make all of her birthdays special. Mom's point was that just because we are doing family pictures doesn't mean we need to forget the birthday. We got it all out of our system and decided to go into the next few days with a positive attitude.

After lunch, I went back to work while Mom trekked Meema to the doctor. After their appointment, they headed south to see Baby E. From all reports, Baby E was a champion traveler. He slept through takeoff and most of the flight until descent into San Diego, which is no small accomplishment (they live in Philadelphia). His mom was cranky, tired and hungry, but he did fine. While I was running my errands after work, Mom called to share that Baby E was as cute as promised and that dinner plans had been made for Saturday. Meema's birthday celebration drama...done!

A little while later, I get a call from Mom asking if I know if the insurance company is open. Apparently, after leaving Uncle Banking Mogul's, she hit a pole in the street from all the construction. I guess the sun was in her eyes and she did not see it. Fortunately, she was not going fast and she and Meema are fine. The Beetle is not drivable...minor body damage, but mechanical damage. Uncle Banking Mogul has an extra vehicle (truck), so he loaned it to Mom and the Beetle was towed to the shop. Mom called me later after getting home...D said that we could loan her one of our cars (we have 3). Until last night, Mom did not know about the 3rd. It was purchased (as a minor impulse, but really great car at a good deal) last summer, but we have kept it low key. It looks similar (make and color) to our other car, so it's easy to see how she wouldn't know. We thought for sure that she would make the connection when she was at the house during the October fires and at Christmas. I was nervous about sharing this purchase with the family...it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do at the time, but it's done. So, we'll see if she want to borrow one of our cars or if she'll keep driving the truck.

Last night was one of those moments where I felt like one situation had been resolved, but another happened. Well, just another moment to reflect on the importance of family...while they may drive me crazy at times, I love them a lot and would be upset if something had happened to Mom and Meema last night. So, to the people in my life, thank you and I love you all!

Mid Week Recap!

Happy Hump Day...it's Wednesday. It's only the middle of the week and it has been a jammed packed week already. The recap...

• Monday: I had an interview panel at work, but one of the members was called into a mandatory meeting. So, I had to fill in. It was a nice break from my normal day, but I was tied up from 10:30 until 2:30. Instead of taking lunch at 2:30, I just worked another hour and left. D left work and met me for an early dinner before I headed to campus for Chapter. It was great to see the girls again. Our meeting ran smoothly and I was home so much earlier than I thought (10:30). Instead of crashing immediately because I was so wired from the evening, I parked on the couch to watch my Monday night guilty pleasures (The Hills and Jon and Kate Plus 8).
• Tuesday: The day started with D and I in crabby moods about really random and stupid things. It was another busy workday...I'm on a staff development task force at work and it was our first meeting of the new school year (4 hours of business). Got of it just with time to check email and trek to my next meeting. While I was in my afternoon of meetings, the Nastys continued to play their same game. I got emails (with copies to the boss) about things that I hadn't done. At first, I was angry, but then I responded with the facts (hello, I've been tied up in meetings/panels for the last two days and I'm sorry that your things have not been done) with copies to the boss. He even responded with a thank you. After work, we made a stop at the dry cleaner/tailor (run by a former Korean pop star) to pick up D's pants for matchy matchy day. We went home with intentions of being productive, but our child came over for a while...he was making me anxious because he kept asking questions and would not sit still. It must be the New York lifestyle in him. Dinner was breakfast...bacon, eggs and hashbrowns for D and baked potato with bacon and salad for me (I wasn't feeling the egg thing). After our child left, we spent the evening on the couch watching the Padres game (yeah, they won!).
• Wednesday: The work day is a little less stressed (no meetings or panels), but still lots happening. I'm meeting Mom and Meema for lunch and to pass off the rice cooker. D is playing softball after work...I'm going home following a stop at the grocery store to relax.

Speaking of matchy matchy...the drama is ramping up! My aunt sent an email reminding us of the family photo event and included a comment from the photographer about having clean and neat fingernails. I guess this is a concern since we might be photographed holding Baby E. Mom then sent an email responding to the fingernail directive saying, "Enough with the fingernails. Do you think we are all idiots? This photographer seems to be too anal for this family,". My aunt responded saying that it was a joke...do I hear a bell signaling the end of Round One?!? I think that we should start a pool of who in the family will melt down first and at what time. Right now, I'm thinking that it will be close race between Meema and Baby E. Meema has already stomped her feet and told us that she was leaving if the photos weren't done by 7:00, which made us all laugh. Oh well...we'll see what else this crazy week will hold for all of us!

Isn't She Pretty?!?

So, as frequent readers know, I had a meltdown of epic proportions last week. It was over the most random and stupid things. As a cure, D and I went on a quest for a new dish rack. We found the Mercedes Benz of dish racks at Bed Bath and Beyond and bought it. I am embarrassed to admit how much it cost (which was helped a little by the 20% off), but I love it! We should be making comments similar to those we had around the trashcans made by Simply Human, but for some reason, this was different. Yes, for the price, it should wash, dry and put away my dishes, but sometimes simple things are the best things regardless of cost. Who knew that a dish rack could evoke such happiness?!? I smile each time I see it...I love my new "toy' and it looks pretty in our kitchen! Since I did not have time to take a photo of ours, here is a link to it...isn't she pretty?!? http://www.simplehuman.com/products/dishracks/steel-frame.html

Here we go again...Monday!

Monday, Monday...after a busy weekend, here I am! We had a great and busy weekend...the recap...

• Friday: Spent the evening on the couch cuddled watching the Olympics. Who knew that water polo, platform diving and ping pong could keep us so riveted?!?
• Saturday: I met the girls for breakfast at Mimi's in honor of Pilar's visit. We had a great time catching up and talking about things. Then, I headed to Mission Valley to get my 20% back from my previous Bed Bath and Beyond purchases. I also walked around and found some really great brown boots (one dressy, one funky) at Nordstrom Rack, but I restrained and left empty handed. But the funky brown pair is calling my name...and they were only $40. Who knows...maybe they'll somehow end up in my closet soon! Went home and waited for D...finished My Sister's Keeper. Again, it was another Jodi Picoult book that had me torn throughout and I'm not sure how I feel about it. D and I did a mini date stop at Costa Brava...tapas, wine and good talks before we headed to our friend's annual summer cocktail party. Unfortunately, their daughter (7 months old) had already gone to bed. It was nice to hang out with them for a while. Then home for more late night Olympics viewing...the Redeem Team men's basketball for a bit before falling asleep.
• Sunday: Our "child" (aspiring banking mogul, but chef in denial who lives in NYC) is here for the week and came over. We went to breakfast before spending lots of time with Mom and Meema. The boys ended up disassembling and moving Mom's treadmill back downstairs to the garage. We were rewarded by Meema with a dinner at L&L. We talked and caught with plans for the week...it's matchy matchy photo and family visiting and party week. Mom has her to do list ready and D and I have marching orders to help get her ready.

This week has lots filling it...tonight is first meeting of the semester with the girls. There is a lot on the agenda, so I know it will be a late night. I think (hope) that the girls have their proverbial act together and this should make my life a little easier. Have a great week!

I Melted Down!

So, yesterday, I had the ultimate meltdown! We're talking butter melting on hot pavement, your favorite lipstick melted in the car on a hot day, meltdown. I really can't pinpoint the exact cause of said meltdown, but I can tell you it was bad! It had been one of those days that grates on my last nerve (whistling and humming incessantly adding to the ever present headache)...I got a call from Mom about moving something and her needing some photos as proof for reimbursement. Then, D wanted to workout, but the headache was too nasty to think of doing any physical exertion. So, we headed home...the ride home was an out of the blue picking match (everything you say is taken wrong...I hate these!) and ended up with me a sobbing runny nosed mess at home. It was so stupid and was brought on by the stress of the insurmountable process of life! After wallowing in our separate spaces for a little while, D came in and in his own way, made me laugh and brought me back to the "one day at a time...things can't be solved instantly" reality. We then decided to head out to look for a new dish rack (I threw ours away on Saturday because it was old and could not be cleaned again).

First stop was Target...nothing that we loved, would look good or last longer, but we did come out with my book for book club, two Tide stain pens (I always get stuff on me) and a game for D. Then, it was off to Bed Bath and Beyond. We found what we wanted, but it was way more than ever should be spent on a dish rack, but with our 20% off coupon, it was a little less. So, we are now the proud owners of a Simply Human Stainless Deep Dish rack. It's so pretty! Then, we walked around looking at other things. But the best moment happened when we were looking at the Simply Human line of trashcans. We need a new one and saw one (actually 2) at Uncle Banking Mogul's place. They are a great shape, but cost about $140 for the one we like. While we were impulsive in spending more that we should have on a dish rack, we held off on the trashcan. D saw the price and commented (loud enough for others to hear and chuckle). "For that price, it better wipe my butt."

After stopping for a quick bite, we headed home to handle the photo ordering for Mom before heading into bed. At the end of the night, as I fell asleep, I felt so much better than I had during the meltdown. I also came to the conclusion that I talk about making changes, but don't move as quickly as I should. So, it's time to move my feet and get things done. I also realized that the meltdown was a result of me not dealing with anxiety and letting it build up. Lots of lessons learned at a potentially expensive price...

My Head...the Weekend!

Happy Monday! Things are good with me...still have the massive headache from hell. It's been a week since the vice wrapped itself around my head and gets tighter and looser throughout the day. I think I've really jacked the shoulders and back full of stress and that's what's causing the headache to take root in my head. It's so bad that caffeine, water, sleep and pills do nothing to make it go away...it only dulls the pain. It's not uncommon for me to get a headache every day, but they are usually gone within a little while or by the next day. So, I have an appointment for a massage on Wednesday to see if that will knock it out of my system.

The weekend was good...after work on Friday, D and I went on a shopping expedition. Costco (to pick up some photos and get gas), Carlsbad Outlets (to find matchy matchy outfits...we did, but found out that the men are wearing khaki pants). We bought D khaki shorts, but found that we had bought a pair of nice khaki pants a while ago. We had dinner at Bruno's Italian Restaurant in San Marcos (twice in one week...yum!) and made a quick WalMart run before heading to bed.

Saturday, the elusive Khalil Greene was signing autographs at Cox Cable in Chula Vista. So, being the amazing wife I am, D and I headed to the signing 2 hours before it started. There was a line, but I camped out in a chair reading my book while D socialized with his "cronies". Khalil is pretty shy, but he did smile at me and responded when I commented about how bad it is to have a cast. We hung out a bit before going home. D's friend had tickets to the game that night, but I really wanted to be a homebody. So, I gave D the free pass to hang out with the boys. Our friend, Sam, took D up on the offer to join him at the game and hanging out after. I dropped the, off downtown around 4:15 and then headed to the opening weekend of Fresh and Easy in my neighborhood. If you've never been to one, you should check it out. It's a cool idea of a grocery store geared to the busy life...lots of smaller packaging and ready to eat (healthy) meals at decent prices. Since I had a $5 off coupon, I walked around and bought some things. They rainchecked me on the reusable tote...due to the overwhelming response, they ran out. I went home loaded with groceries, cleaned the kitchen (threw away our nasty dish rack...now on a quest for a new one), got a package together and relaxed. Since I knew that I was going to pick the guys up, I just camped on the couch dozing. I woke up around 1:30 and thought that I'd be hearing from D soon since the bars close at 2:00...wrong! 2:00, 2:30, 3:00, 3:30...I sent a text with no response...4:00, I started thinking something had happened (jail, injury...who knows at that hour?!?) 4:30, I finally called (I waited because I didn't want to be that kind of wife, but really started to worry), but it went straight to voice mail. 5:00...I hear a voice at the front door (door open, screen locked), "Hey babe, it's me." D was finally home...turns out the cell phone had died (but don't your friends have one you could call me from?) and they hung out at the friend's house and then the friend took him home. So, after chatting about the evening, we went to bed when the sun came up.

Sunday, we slept most of the morning (gee, I wonder why?!?) and didn't rise until noon. After showering and dressing, we headed to Pipes for breakfast/lunch. Since our original Sunday plan was the beach, this became the closest thing to it for the weekend. We made it home for a quick nap before dinner at the Deluxe Apartment in the Sky. We did our video conference with Baby E, who is now the owner of a tooth...he's getting so big and we can hardly wait to see him in 10 days. Dinner was procured by Uncle Banking Mogul from Pat and Oscars. They don't really cook and take advantage of their great cooking and rely on easy, takeout meals. We had a good time at dinner and spent more time there than originally planned. Cousin Cleveland was heading home on the red eye and needed to get to the airport. He'll be back in 10 days also for the big family weekend.

This week should be pretty good...school starts tomorrow (where did the summer go?!?) and it may get a little busy with sites asking for help and questions. Tonight, I meet with the girls to get things organized for the new semester. They start school next Monday and this is our pre-school meeting. I'm picking up pizza for them...I hope tonight doesn't go too late.

Hope everyone had a great weekend...take care!

Cranky, Addicted and It's the Weekend!

I am just cranky and feeling blah this week and really have nothing to blame it on. Maybe it's the humidity getting to me and throwing my balance off...or it could be the headache that has resided with me since Monday that ranges from throbbing to dull, but refuses to vacate.

This week has been relatively smooth, but I must make an admission..."I am Mrs Big D and I am addicted to the Olympics." I didn't really watch the opening ceremonies, but I have watched so many events I've lost track...swimming (men's and women's, individuals and relays), men's synchronized diving (yes, I think Thomas Finchum is a doll...even though he's only 18 and looks a lot younger...it must be a carry over from all those high school crushes I had on swimmers and water polo players), beach volleyball, boxing (as I passed through...D was watching it), softball and women's gymnastics. I've been so entertained that I've been walking into rooms throwing my arms up like a gymnast at the start and end of her routine...it keeps D quite amused. I've been so addicted that even though I knew the US would not win the gold in women's gymnastics, I had to stay up way past my weekday bedtime to watch it to the bitter end. And, I've cut myself off cold turkey the last two nights, bypassing the couch and D for the bedroom and a book and usually falling asleep early.

I'm glad it's the weekend...we have lots of little plans, but nothing too major. Today is our mini date/spend time together evening. Right after work, we're heading to the outlets in Carlsbad to do some shopping (still on the quest for matchy matchy navy shirts) and have dinner somewhere. I have a strong aversion to making dinner on Friday night...it's my reward and relaxation for a long week. Saturday is running around with D before I drop him off downtown. Tomorrow night is his "boys night out" at the Padres game and then hit up a bar or two. My plan for "girl night in" is a massage (that will hopefully knock out the never ending headache) and some other random tasks around the house. Since I've been feeling domestic lately, I might bake something. Sunday, we're hoping to make it to the beach for a while. Then, it's back east video conference and dinner at the Banking Mogul's Deluxe Apartment in the Sky...heir apparent (Cousin Cleveland) is in town for his 10th (OMG...he is not that old because that means I am that old) high school reunion. Originally, dinner was to be at Ruth's, but the responsible adults in us (when did that happen?!?) vetoed our participation. Meema's birthday is in 2 weeks, so we knew that dinner would be a Ruth's run and we needed to be prepared for that. So, it's dinner at the apartment with the family.

Well...I hope everyone is doing well...have a great weekend!

Monday, Monday!

Happy Monday! I cannot believe how fast weekends go...if only the work week went as fast. This was a pretty mellow weekend for us and it felt good...so, today's weekend recap will be a little boring...

• Friday: We watched a Rachael Ray episode about the olympics and creating a menu around it. Because I have nothing else to do in my life (not), I decided that I would (again) be that dorky (yet lovable wife) that makes a theme dinner in honor of an event. Dinner consisted of "Pit-zas" (pita pizzas layered with greek ingredients) and spanokopita meatballs (ground chicken mixed with spinach and feta) served with a yogurt cucumber sauce. (I took pictures and will post them with recipes soon.) They are both definitely keepers and D enjoyed them also. The rest of the evening was spent "geeking out" and watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.
• Saturday: I woke up in kind of an unexplainable funk and could not get my butt moving that morning. It was one of those days where everything frustrated and irritated me. D headed off to meet his friend at the card shop. I stayed on the couch watching the DVR...Hopkins and Tori and Dean before switching to the regular bad television. Finally, I snapped myself to life and showered and ran some errands. I needed a gift for an exchange and some other things. After running my errands, I came home to bond even more with my friend the couch. And, there I stayed for the rest of the day and evening (except for some snack and potty breaks). We watched the Padres game and then the Olympics. I am so hooked on the Olympics for some reason.
• Sunday: We met Mom, Meema and Alicia for breakfast. Then, we went to Mom's to do laundry and help her do some things for the party at the end of the month. We were slated to attend an alumnae barbecue that afternoon, but neither of us felt very social. Instead, we did a Target run and had some dinner before finally getting home with our clean laundry around 9:00. More time spent on the couch watching the Olympics and then we headed to bed.

This week looks like it will be busy for us. Tomorrow, I get my "snaggletooth" fixed. I chipped my tooth (I did it originally in 3rd grade and the bonding gets loose) about 10 days ago and am getting it fixed tomorrow at the dentist. Plus, there are lots of other random things to be handled and taken care of. Hope all is well...have a great week!

Random Things...

Yes, two posts in one day...I have some random things to share...

• I stream AOL music at work via my computer...today, I am listening to the 111 worst songs. And, to be honest, there are some (not all) songs on that list that I like and have on my iPod or now want to download. Bands/artists like Captain and Teneille, Shaggy, Rupert Holmes, OTown, LFO, and others playing cheesy songs are just my thing. Although, I'm sure that there are sucky songs that will get stuck in my head (The Ketchup Song had me bopping my head side to side even though I hate that song.) Is that bad?!?
• Enough with the Brett Favre talk...this morning, I was about ready to scream because the local sports station that we listen to while getting ready could only talk about that. They even resorted to getting reactions about Brett's relocation to the Jets from Chargers' players. I finally had to turn it off.
• Padres...my dear sweet Padres what am I to do with you?!? I am a die hard fan that has stuck with you through thick and thin. I start out my seasons with great hope. This year, I even made a baseball themed dinner on opening night so we could settle in to watch the boys play. Plus, I've supported them through the end of many ugly games and not been the fair weathered fan who stays when they win and leaves when they lose. For heavens sake, I've been to caravans and signings in extreme heat and almost got pushed to the ground by the ravaging Adrian Gonzalez fans. I know that this season has gone to the toilet and there is no playoff hope, but must we rape and pillage all the players that can do something. This morning, I learned that Brian Giles and possibly Greg maddux were put on waivers (rumors say that Brian is going to Boston) and no longer part of the team. Yes, Scott Hairston, Chase Headley and Jody Gerut can handle the outfield, but what about that veteran leadership. Saving money by unloading players this season does not mean more in the payroll coffers next season. It only means more money that can be disputed in the ugly Moores (owners) divorce. My suggestion (arm chair coach) to the team is to stop renting players and give some of these boys a chance to develop (can you say X Nady and Jason Bay). While I am usually sad at the end of baseball season, this year I can only hope that this one ends soon without too much more bloodshed! In the end, I will still wear my hat with pride and look forward to another happy day at the ballpark.

I'm Going to Be Late...

D and I have been trying to do our share to help the environment (and our wallets) by carpooling to work a few days of the week. Since we work so close to each other, it's less wear and tear on the cars and makes sense. D usually drops me off (it just works better that way) and will text me when he is on the way to pick me up. This week has been the dreaded monthly close (aka extra busy during the day and working at home in the evenings) and against my better judgment (with D's reassurance of leaving on time), we carpooled yesterday. So, around 4:25 (he's supposed to be here around 4:35), I get a text from D saying, "Hey I just got done with the close. Can u hang out for another 30 minutes?". My response: "I guess so if that's what you need But you owe me". My thoughts were that I could get a little extra work done and it would be no big deal. Then, the Boss left at 5:05, still no D. Finally, around 5:30, I get another text saying he had to do two more things and would leave soon. I texted him that another 30 minutes. So, finally at 6:25, D pulls up at work to pick me up. He knew that I was upset (I wasn't really because it's out of his control) and tried to make up for it. He told me that he had thought for a moment at lunch about giving me the car in case something like this happened, but felt confident that the afternoon would go smoothly (not).

Since we were both a little wound up and the weather was nice, we decided to head out somewhere...Fashion Valley on a quest to find navy blue tops for the family pictures at the end of the month. Yes, my family is going to be that matchy-matchy group taking photos in Balboa Park over Labor Day weekend. With Baby E in tow, we will be the small (all 11 of us) group wearing navy blue tops with khaki bottoms. D and I both have the navy top, but they have faded enough to require purchase of new ones. We walked around Fashion Valley and ended up having dinner at the Nordstrom Cafe...for D, it was tomato basil soup and angel hair pasta; for me, it was chicken soup and salmon nicoise salad. Pretty healthy and I didn't have to cook. Then, it was a little more browsing, before heading home empty handed. At home, it was a relaxing night and early bedtime for us. Today, after work, I'm heading to see Mom, Meema and the boys. Hopefully, the boys will be around me...I was the "evil one" last week by dispensing their monthly dose of flea medication. Have a great day!

Lessons from Vacation!

So, while on our "vacation slash honeymoon" (as D would tell everyone who asked why we were there), D and I had a great chance to spend some quality time together. It was our chance to "reconnect" which sounds odd for only being married less than a year. With life around us so crazy busy, it's easy to see how couples lose touch and grow in different directions. We really make the effort to stop and spend time together, but it is amazing how the calendars fill up with other commitments and obligations. So, today, I share with you lessons from vacation:

• We LOVE cheese! We went to several places that had cheese shops or tasting plates. As previously noted, we spent our last night on a hill eating cheese and some meats while sipping wine. Since we've been home, we have bought some cheese and meats and spent an evening together eating cheese and drinking wine. I think the cheese plate and a bottle of wine may be our new "date night" concept.
• In fact, we LOVE food period! We sought out good restaurants and boarded buses into other areas because we'd seen them on TV or read about them in Lonely Planet. I am also becoming obsessed with all things culinary and am always trying new recipes on D. Fortunately, he is not a picky eater and will eat what I make. I always ask his input on what he wants.
• Stinky people are everywhere and if there is a stinky person to be found, he/she will sit next to or near me! This started with the woman at Convention (from Minnesota, I later found out) who sat behind me during a keynote speech by the Lt. Governor of Oklahoma. It was so bad I almost walked out from being so nauseous. The worst part about this woman is that she went to college at one time and wouldn't her friends say something. After all, it was over 100 degrees every day in Scottsdale...I took a shower everyday and still worried about myself. Then, it continued in my travels with the man who sat in front of me on the way to Vancouver with the flecks in his hair. Each day of my vacation was incomplete until I experienced the stinky person of the day...it became quite the quest (not on purpose) and source of hilarity for D and I.
• Drama is useless in any form. Whether the drama comes from work, friends or family, it offers nothing positive to one's life. Hence, my decision to not take the actions of others personally and let it effect my life.
• We both have jay oh bee issues and need to do something about it. We talked about this at length and what goals we have in our careers and how best to achieve them.
• I really like what I do as a Chapter Advisor...as frustrated and annoyed I am with the girls, I feel like I am making some kind impact in their lives.
• We really want to buy our own home (to live in and not a rental) and are more focused on that goal. Before, we knew we wanted a home, but were not focused on how to get there. Now, it's become clearer and we will do whatever it takes for us to do that. Scary to say, but we both have evolved and grown into adults! Plus, we want a baby someday and don't want to displace D's memorabilia for a baby's room :)
• And the most important lesson...enjoy each other's company and take the time to do so! We have so much fun together and love being married, but we sometimes forget to stop and spend uninterrupted quality time together. Being on vacation for so long made us realize how important we are to each other and that we've got a good thing going!

All By Myself...

So, the great thing about being married is having company around. Yes, there are times when you want space, but then there are other times when you need that warm body home. Even if it's in the other room, it's still comforting to have that around. Sunday nights are that last quiet night for us before the crazy work week starts. Well, tonight, unexpectedly, I'm all by myself! It's the start of close week for D at work...usually, this involves him spending a few hours working remotely on Sunday night. However, thanks to his incompetent IT manager, D was unable to log in to work from home. So, off he went to Poway to see if he could fix the problem and come home quickly. Instead, it didn't get the problem fixed at home. So, at almost
10:00 on Sunday night, D is diligently working in Poway and I am home. Hopefully, I'll stay up a little longer so we have a little Sunday night cuddle time...good night!

Travel Stories!

So, we are finally home from the whirlwind travel experience. I started out with a weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona for Convention. It was an awesome experience, but I haven't uploaded my photos yet, so I can't blog about it yet. But D created a photo album online with pictures from our Seattle and Vancouver adventure (see link below). Here is a recap of our trip:

Wednesday 07/16: Got up and ran the last errands (including a stop at Costco) before treating ourselves to lunch in Old Town (Cafe Coyote). Headed to the airport and had a quick check in and security screening. We had some time to relax before boarding our Jet Blue flight to Seattle. The flight was nice...they have Direct TV screens at every seat with 20+ channels of programming. This was enough to keep up entertained on the flight. Arrived in Seattle and made our way to our hotel for check in. We then walked down to Public Market (aka Pike Place) for a quick survey of the city. Dinner was at 13 Coins which is a 24-hour restaurant with great food. We had some really good clams in a pesto broth plus dinner. It was more than enough that we had leftovers to snack on.

Thursday 07/17: Got up and ate some of the free breakfast offered by the hotel before heading to Pike Place. Pike is a really cool place...like a farmer's market on steroids. We wandered through the stalls taking in the sights and sounds. We made the obligatory stop at the original Starbucks and bought Mom a mug with the original and current logos on it. After we'd done all we wanted there, we took a bus out to the UDub (aka University of Washington). Our first stop was the bookstore...I have a thing for college sweatshirts (they are the most comfy to wear), but was unable to find anything that I wanted to buy. We found greek housing and I took a picture in front of my chapter's house...my advisor in college was an initiate here. We headed back for a quick rest and went to dinner at Shiro's Sushi, which is supposed to be the best. It was good, but I'm still a Sushi Ota fan. We then met our friend, Kristen, for drinks before heading back to the hotel.

Friday 07/18: We were both tired, so after a late rising, we headed back to 13 Coins for lunch. That afternoon, we took the bus and headed to the ballpark for the Seattle Mariners game. It was Felix Hernandez bobblehead night, so we got our bobbleheads and our hand stamped before heading out to the Pyramid Brewhouse. They sell cheaper beers and food before the games while hosting entertainment. We then headed into the game...after a few innings, we were tempted by the ballpark food. We found a Japanese food kiosk that looked really good. I ordered a bento box (filled with chicken, rice, edamame, sushi) and D ordered an Ichiroll" (sushi) combo. The food was great, but we missed the Seattle grand slam. The game was good, but we weren't so invested in it since we aren't fans. After the game, we met Kristen and her friend Lunchbox (he has a real name, but this is what everyone calls him) for some beers and late night grub at 5 Point Cafe. D and I shared a plate of sliders and tater tots (so good!) before heading home for the night.

Saturday 07/19: We cruised around the city and ended up at the Experience Music Project Science Fiction Museum. This was so cool...we spend several hours in there playing instruments and looking at the exhibits. That night, we decided to take a bus out to the suburbs to find Beth's Cafe which we had seen on Travel Channel. It is a total dive, greasy spoon place complete with 6 and 12 egg omelets. D braved the 6 egger, but didn't make a dent in it. I ordered the chili burger with tater tots (again, so good!). After dinner, we went back and packed.

Sunday 07/20: We left Seattle and headed for Vancouver...we thought we were on a train, but it was a luxury motorcoach (bus). It was a pleasant ride (I slept a lot) except for the stinky man in front of me. We got to Vancouver around 3:00 and checked into our hostel. We had a private room which reminded me of a college dorm. We walked around our area and had dinner. I was chastised about my iced tea (it was presweetened) by the waiter. We then relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Monday 07/21: Had breakfast at the hostel before heading out to explore the city. We walked around the downtown area for a while and then headed toward Gastown. We went in search of a place we had seen on Giada's Getaways and found it...Salt Tasting Room. The concept is meat and cheese platter with various condiments and bread that can be paired with wine tastings (we went for a bottle). It was so good and opened us to the cheese concept (we now crave it). Feeling a little buzzed after lunch, we continued to cruise around the city and into Chinatown. We accidentally fell into a bad block with the "hypes" (aka drug users) and had one woman (with 3 teeth and ratty looking) trying to get D to give him money. That night, Tracey and Sean (D met them last year) took us to dinner at Bridges on Granville Island. Dinner was great and the view of the city and harbor was amazing. Plus, sunset is not until 9:30 so it adds to the views.

Tuesday 07/22: I was a little tired and not feeling too well, so we got a late start. We went to lunch at Stepho's Greek restaurant. We had walked by and seen lines for dinner. The food was really good. We then took a bus to English Bay and went in search of Stanley Park. We found it and were amazed at how big (larger than Central Park in NYC) it is and how beautiful. On a recommendation, we took a horse tour around the park. Then, we took the free shuttle back to the spots we wanted to see (the totem poles and rose garden). That night for dinner, we took the ferry back to Bridges for dinner. D laughed at me for demolishing my dinner (not a bite left).

Wednesday 07/23: We were lazy again and then took a bus out the commercial area of Vancouver in search of another place we'd read about for belgian fries. It was good and filling. On our way back, we took the bus to the end of the line, but it was the wrong way. So, we hopped on another bus and headed back into the right direction. That night was the first of 4 nights of the HSBC Celebration of Light fireworks show. We decided to go and see it also. After a quick bite to eat, we walked (no buses running in that direction) to English Bay. It was so crowded that by the start of the show, there was not one empty space on the ground to sit. It was an amazing show! Afterwards, we headed back and ended up taking the long way home.

Thursday 07/24: We had a late lunch and headed toward downtown. We did some souvenir shopping and last day sight seeing. For dinner, we decided to go to the Granville Island Market (like Pike Place) and buy some cheese, meats, and a bottle of wine. We took the ferry back and sat on a hillside people watching and seeing the sunset our last night.

Friday 07/25: Time to head back to Seattle and then home...took the bus back to Seattle. At the border, the Customs guy asked how we knew each other. I was tempted to say that D was my random vacation hookup or some other smart ass response, but jail does not appeal to me. We made it back to the station with less time to spare than originally planned. The taxi driver got us to the airport in record time (in rush hour traffic) and we got checked in with some time to spare. We went through security and I hear someone ask about a bag and D says, "That's my wife's." and then TSA says "Bag check". I get summoned over and then realize that in all the rush, I'd forgotten to take out the butter knife we used for our leftover cheese on the bus. I immediately start explaining to TSA what it was and started panicking on the inside about what will happen to me. TSA was really nice and offered to mail it to me if I wanted (no) and we were off to the gate. Our flight home was uneventful and we were entertained again. Finally, we arrived home safe and sound around 11:30 (following a late night dinner stop).

We had an AMAZING time together and we learned so much (another blog, another time). It was exactly what we both needed...it's good to be home, but I miss that time together!

The link to D's photo album of our trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dv82u/sets/72157606453740041/