Friday, December 31, 2010

A full holiday season

What a great holiday season this has been! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I felt especially spoiled this year - as well as especially grateful for all the oppurtunities to spend time with those I hold dear this year.


The highlight was most definately spending time with my family and my sailor. He was able to come down for 5 days surrounding Christmas. Though exhausted from all the running around,we had a great time. Disneyland, Julian, Pacifica Del Mar, TRON:Legacy, happy hour at Hacienda De Vega...

All great times.






Some part of me is mildly surprised on how much fun My Sailor and I have together , then again, a larger portion of me isn't surprised at all. Afterall, after 12+ years of solid-through-thick-and-thin friendship, nothing could be more natural. To sum it up, I love that he accepts me for me, takes an active role in supporting me,  and keeps me sane when I've needed it most. I've been on high gaurd for a long time. It feels good to finally let it go.
(And the fact that my friends AND my family practically want to adopt him is a completely new and awesome experience for me too!)

More photos to come of the holidays later. While I'm sorry he couldn't be here for New Years, thanks to my parents we're spending this New Year's Skyping and on Netflix. Hopefully next year's will be together (unless he's deployed). Here's to hopin' and cheers to a new year!

Monday, December 20, 2010

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree....

Though I don't live in the official "Sunshine State", California is known for being in the 70's and sunny on Christmas day. While it may warm up before Christmas, it's been raining steadying for a week. Not hard downpours, but just a steady drizzle. At first, it felt odd for it to be cloudy all day, but I must say, I've adjusted. Now, I'm enjoying this little taste of winter.

But my blog isn't about the weather. It's about this crazy journey that is my life!

My roommate and his girlfriend helped me pick out a pine tree, but we didn't look close enough at the trunk, so it took a lot of doing to get it standing. While I was happy to do it myself, I really appreciate his need to feel like a man -because it saved me a couple of hours with a handsaw! My Sailor offered to do it when he comes out, but I prefered not to wait until the 22nd to get it standing.

So here is my first (and only) Christmas tree in the condo!

I've learned something from this experience too.
People obsess way too much about their tree.

So my tree has a couple of little bald spots in the bottom.

Who cares?

I've never heard of someone honestly going over to someone's house for the holidays and said, "You know, your tree has a gap there."
I mean, seriously - It's a tree. It's one of the most stunningly complex systems in nature. It makes my home smell awesome piney fresh. The lights look like little droplets of magic sparkling away. I'm sure it will provide lots of fun and great memories as my Sailor and I trim it in a few days.

Sure, it's not "perfect". But define perfect? Even Charlie Brown's tree is heartwarming to most.

Since there is a very good chance this will be my last tree in California for a while, I'm loving every minute of it.

Thanks to my friends, my house has already been filled with laughter, love, and warmth this holiday season. I'm looking foward to what the rest of the year has in store as I make plans with my family.

And as for the bike - I'm hearing rumors that it might be my birthday present!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Merry Christmas, Mr. Bike thief...

To whoever stole Sally - 
As you clean up your ill-gotten-goods, there are a few things you should know that you probably don't.
   You probably don't know that the 2 stickers on the bike are from completing Triathlons - the first of which changed my life forever.
You probably don't know how many trips to the grocery store that bike assisted me with.
You probably don't know how many good times it provided with gal pals on Bike and Brunch weekends.
You probably don't know that it helped me get to work on National Bike to Work day.
You probably don't know how I took a header off of it, flipping the bike, while traveling down a steep mountain trail with GreenGuy.
You probably don't know that I named it "Sally" after the Porche in Cars.
You probably don't know the new level of fitness my $60 walmart special, pink and white Hyper bike helped me achieve.

I hope you needed it more than I did.
 
So here's to you, Bicycle theif.
I hope the $60 you saved was worth it.
Merry Christmas.
- Me

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

It's the week before Christmas! Duck and Cover!

It's nearly Christmas and I can hardly believe it! So much to do, so little time!

This year, I have a special guest over Christmas! FlyBoy (who will be often refered to as my Sailor now, since he's in the Navy) is joining me and my family for Christmas this year! I couldn't be more excited, but I feel like I have a thousand things to do before he arrives. In fact, this time next week, I'll be finding him in the airport.

I'm sure it'll be odd for him. He's used to a Michigan Christmas, and we haven't seen snow since 1967. Christmas will (hopefully) at least be a little chilly (for us) - which means a high in the low 60's most likely. But it should be a fun change of pace for both of us! I'm looking forward to Christmas light hunting, spending time with my family and friends, and just enjoying a peaceful Christmas weekend.
Especially since the next 7 days will be so busy!

So here is the run down for the next, say 7 days:

Today - Work, go to Riverside for a friend's graduation from Nursing school, work again
Tomorrow- Work a full day, hang out with another friend to Christmas movies.
Friday - Work and finish with the tree stuff
Saturday - Work and help some friends finish up a holiday care package they are throwing together for my Sailor and his buddies.
Sunday - Work and finish any last minute cleaning.
Monday - Work and finish gift wrapping.
Tuesday - Work work work!
Wednesday- Work and pick up my sailor!

So it's bound to be a super busy week!
Hope you all are having fun getting ready for the holidays, and finding ways to have fun and spend time with friends and family in this wonderfuly hectic time of the year!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Being in a good place

So it's nearly the end of another year...

And I really can't complain.

I'm in a really really good place right now.

Financially - I'm finding that I'm naturally more concious about my spending and doing a great job at paying things off one step at a time. I've taken trips I've paid for in advance, instead of putting them on a credit card. I've been able to afford a few little spurlges here and there.

Artistically - Well, this area has been lacking just a tiny bit, as I'm saving money by not performing currently and working A LOT. But I'm actually okay with it because I've been able to explore my craftiness when it comes to making care packages for Flyboy and other friends. I plan to share some of my projects on this blog after the holidays.

Emotionally - I'm at peace and feel a freedom to be myself that I don't think I've ever felt before. I'm used to feeling under a lot of pressure to change or be something that I'm not (almost entirely self-imposed, I admit). Maybe I've turned a corner in my life. Maybe I had to struggle to be something I wasn't to accept who am I really am, but I'm finally okay with not being all things to all people. I'm enough for the people that matter to me - and that's a beautifully freeing discovery. I'm still challenged to grow, and I still am, but it's a wonderful feeling. And feels remarkably healthy. I'm at peace, and remarkably happy right now.

Physically - I could stand to lose some weight still. I've developed a plan, found motivation, and am enjoying getting back on the horse. But not the insane work outs and then insane time off horse. I'm developing a more healthy balance of work, play, work-out, and celebrate. However, my body is no longer fighting itself, with a crazy amount of hormones from a diseased ovary.

Spiritually - Yeah, I still have some questions, but I feel at peace with where I am right now with my spiritual relationship.

In so many ways I'm discovering a now normal and I'm loving every minute of it.