this and that.

This summer is shaping up to be nutburgers!! But it's full of really fun things, so who can complain? Lets see if I can remember everything that's going on...

Well memorial day kicked off our spa opening back up to seven days a week, so my life of leisure has come to an end :) I was working about 3.5 days a week (blissful!), but I gotta be an adult and go back to five days a week now. I welcome the business, but I did love my four days off a week, hahah. My favorite boss-lady Leah came back from a 3 month stindt in New Mexico, and it's wonderful having her back. Things are operating so smoothly, I love it!

Here's me and my good buddy, Sayaka, out for a night of salsa dancing one night. Have you ever been? I'm mystified how it was my first ever experience, at nearly 27 years old! It felt like it was straight out of Dirty Dancing Havana Nights! Most fun dancing I've had in soooo long.

Our hat business continues at a moderate pace, which is all we can really handle for now. We had a little table at a jewelry show, which was fun...but I dont think it produced any business :) It's fine, though! We've still got a list of hats we need to crank out (including a cute one for Baby Plumb!) Here are some of our baby models...cute cute cute!

this next one is my college roommate's new little girl, Ruby. How cute is she?!

OH YEAH. Amy gets married in one week from today! I can't believe the day is almost here, and it's going to be a whirlwind of fun, old friends, dancing, my heart being full....I know this is her party and all, but I feel so spoiled to be a part of it!! So excited for her and Nelson!!!

Soccer games are in full effect! Sayaka is showing off her Japan jersey, getting her mindset right for the upcoming world cup! Because it's in South Africa, most of the games will be broadcast in the U.S. at 6 in the morning! There's some pubs around here that will be open and showing the games, so Saya and I are planning to show up in pajamas with our coffee and breakfast, watch the games, then go to work :) We'll see if it happens.

This little pea celebrated 1 year of life a few days ago!!! What a sweetheart, no? I wish so badly I could have celebrated out there with the fam, but I'll marvel at the pictures, steal them from my mom's facebook, and show you guys :)
A champion.
cutest ever!

a few extra tidbits.... Jon and I are in week #2 of P90X. hooooley moley. Will I ever not be sore again? It's kicking my butt. Still very excited about it, keeping up with the diets and the workout dvds every day, but it's definitely a commitment. Maybe if you're lucky I'll put up some before and after pictures at day 30. We'll have to see.

My brother is flying out to stay with us in less than a month! He'll be here for a week, and is getting scuba certified while he's here. There's a chance we'll get to go on a weekend dive with him...if I can work up the nerve to take the Polar Plunge again. We also have a whitewater rafting trip scheduled for Jon, Myself, my bro, and Sayaka! We're going down the Wenatchee River over near Leavenworth, and I'm soooo excited, as I've never been rafting before. And I'm going with amazing people, so yeah. Best ever.

having friends over tonight for a wii super mario party. I hope I never grow up :)

here comes the sun...

a view of our cabins from the pier...

there are so many blue jays around here! I've only ever seen three in my entire life, but we have a family of them living outside our balcony. One perched a few feet from us this afternoon...really the most awesome birds ever.
we drove around the lake yesterday....a pretty sweet drive.

expectations

I dont know why we got it in our heads that Lake Tahoe was going to be warm & sunny for our vacation! Ha, I can't help but chuckle...two yahoos that never checked average temps or anything before booking our trip, so it serves us right what we were met with today on our second half of the drive there.

SNOW!! lots and lots of snow.

tahoe received 11" last night, in fact. It was a surprise to even the locals here, and it's supposed to be 67 degrees starting tomorrow for the rest of the week, but it has been a shock as we wove our way deeper into california.

But everything is beautiful, the hyatt resort here is awesome. Hyatt does a good job of tailoring their properties to the culture & environments where they are located, so it really feels like we're at an upscale summer camp.

the sweet employees here bumped us up to a personal lakeside cabin, but we can't shake the summer camp feel :) Loving it though!

anyway, some shots quick. (is it weird that I update from vacation? I dont care. I looove technology, and being able to edit photos and blog to my heart's content IS a vacation for me!)

truly felt like home on the range the whole drive here. tons of free range cattle spread over miles, tumbleweed bushes, wide-open plains, bluffs, windy rivers, cowboys herding cattle....awesome.

at a lookout. so cold!

my hubs :)

and we just stared as the snow got thicker and deeper. glad to enjoy the views from inside our warm car!

ha, this is the beach outside our cabin. there's a long pier out onto the water that is part of a restaurant. I'm not sure how much of this we'll get to soak up, but my fingers are crossed nonetheless.

oh man, of couuurse I gravitated to the cute little mini bar in our room. I immediately picked up the cute gummy bears, and self-talked myself down from breaking the seal and going for it. I put them back on top of the fridge where I found them, only to realize the food is all motion sensored! Anything you move will immediately be added to your room bill!

Ashamed, I called room service to explain the situation, and promise I had not mauled the little bears. They were very understanding.

lesson learned.

old friends

this is Jacoah. I've seen so many pictures of him, heard hundreds of stories....he's the son of one of my dearest friends....AND I HAD NEVER MET HIM!!!

I corrected this appalling mistake today, and I was filled with so much love for this sweet little guy!!

Look at that smile!

beautiful de with him...he has the most expressive eyebrows :)

from the moment I walked in the door, it was as if he knew me, not kidding you! he went right up into my arms and snuggled me all afternoon. It was like seeing each other AGAIN, not for the first time. So glad I'll get to see him in a month at Amy's wedding!!!

he loved my cubbies hat...

and as a side-note...Jon was supposed to have a roommate as part of his business trip, which is why I was staying with friends. But with no explanation, his roommate never showed up! So I moved on into the swanky hotel PwC put him up in, with amazing views of the city, and an amazing pool/rooftop deck for lounging. We've even been provided with leopard print robes, so we'll see if Jon lets me get a shot of us wearing those :)

felt like a real city-girl, riding in a taxi to dinner tonight.
Had so much fun with Stacia & Stuart, good friends of ours. They are trying to convince us into going on a Jamaican getaway with them in September...haha. I would love that, but we'll have to see if that fits with our 2010 plans or not. We, in turn, are trying to get them to come to Hawaii with us in November for jon's 30th birthday. Our plan is to get little Savannah & Owen together finally, and have an official betrothal ceremony...

ha. anyway, jon is done with his homework for the night (yes! homework!), so I think we're going on a night city stroll!

more friends and fun tomorrow!

Vacay 2010 ("The Windy City")

Hello from chicago! Can I just say how much I love vacation? I love vacation!

Originally supposed to be Italy 2010, airfare never dropped below our acceptable price range, so Jon & I revamped our plans for our vacation. Our FIRST real vacation since our honeymoon, yes.

A few days in Chicago, a few days in Wisconsin, and then a roadtrip/five days in Lake Tahoe. Wahoo! Life was getting a little hectic back in Seattle for me, and I didnt even realize how much I needed to get away.

But now that I'm away....I am in heaven. I am playing hard, and seeing so many people I love...I can't even contain my excitement.

We have been blessed with PERFECT weather (high 70s, gorgeous sun, even now I sit here...slightly itchy from the mild sunburn I got today. LOVE it.)

But alas, for our chicago portion, Jon has to attend a bit of PwC training....and we weren't able to fly here together. Ha, he was minutes behind me on a different plane, but it's okay. I'm staying with one of my closest buddies from college, Cathleen and her hubs Eric.

I'm riding all around chicago transit like old times, and enjoying doing whatever I want! Today Cath met me on her lunch (grabbed some chicago-style pizza), and ate at a cute restaurant out in the sun. And while we were basking in the good times, a different old friend from college just strolled on by! It was awesome to see Jason, just one of those people you never expected to see again.

Then I made my way thru the loop via the L, to lake michigan and the Shedd Aquarium. I hate to admit it, but Seattle's got NOTHING on chicago in the way of museums. absolutely nothing. I hadn't been to the Shedd in almost four years, and missed it dearly. So I went back!

getting used to the trains again (with the slightest odor of urine, of course)...

this was our first night in town. favorite greasy burger spot, Portillos. Here we are, devouring italian beef sandwiches...

I know it doesnt look appetizing, but trust me when I say it's the food of the gods...

missing our old stomping grounds...

not as pet friendly as Seattle...

always miscellaneous art around the city...

I met a girl on my walk to the aquarium. She helped take my picture, and I helped her...

Her name was Cheryl. We became friends quickly, but parted ways as she went to the Field Museum...

the shedd...

view from the museums. nothing better!

so excited :)

I hung out all evening/night with Cathleen. She toured me around her neighborhood, and I was awesomely surprised to learn that a street with a bunch of Frank Lloyd Wright houses was a mere STREET over from her. A super fun & informative stroll.

cathleen- yes, the girl I got my tongue pierced with in college :) Some bonds last a lifetime.
we rounded off the day with frozen yogurt, went to see Disney's Oceans (all the sea life today has got me determined to get back into scuba diving this summer!!), played wii, and just laughed all evening. I love it when my face hurts from smiling and laughing. I love this girl.

so that was the first real day of my vacay!! I know I'm hopelessly addicted to the internet, but it's my vacation, and I'll do what I want!

Tomorrow I hope to meet up with an old camp buddy for coffee, hang out with Samara, De & Jacoah (Finally get to meet my dear friend's baby!!!!!!), maybe swing past my massage school for a massage at the ol' faithful student clinic, and then go out for yummy chicago food with some more dear friends of ours. More pictures to come!