Running just as fast as we can...

Day 18, Saturday: Tell a story from your childhood. Dig deep and try to be descriptive about what you remember and how you felt.

I'm a true child of the '80s, born and raised. So of course "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany was one of my all-time favorite songs. Go ahead, sing along, you know you know the words...

I loved it so much, in fact, that I would organize with my sister and my cousin to dress up and perform coordinated, costumed, lip synced dance routines for our family. Yeah.


Above, you can check us out mid-performance. It's summer time and we're in the backyard at the house I grew up in. I can practically smell the freshly cut grass that my dad probably mowed that morning. We used to steal pick the neighbor's raspberries through that fence behind us. The tree on the right was my absolute favorite to climb, but I actually fell out of it on my dad's 30th birthday, splitting my chin wide open. Happy birthday, Dad.

We were probably having a family backyard barbecue with my aunt and uncle, cousins, and grandparents, and they're probably all sitting on that hideous mustard-colored blanket, trying not to giggle at our pathetic attempt at rock stardom. That's either my little brother or cousin on the right (I love the bow-legged, still in diapers walk/run/stagger).

See the coats behind us? We wore them at the beginning of the performance and then threw them off a few notes in, revealing bikini tops underneath... I have no idea why this wasn't somewhat concerning to our parents.

Mom and Dad had just returned from a Hawaiian vacation, which is why we're wearing souvenir grass skirts, flowered bikini tops, and shell necklaces. I have no clue why we're wearing neon pink and blue surf socks, but aren't they awesome? I remember feeling so fantastic and sure of myself at this moment... what the heck happened to that pure, unabashed self confidence?

Let's move this party inside, shall we?

Um, heck yeah we were willing to do an encore!

At this point we had traded the shell necklaces for plastic leis and lost the grass skirts (for a more casual, risque look). Again, what the heck was my dad thinking?! We're obviously dancing and belting out the words without shame. Again, there's my bro in the bottom right corner, looking adorable and oblivious in his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt.

I love the decor in our house. The chair at the left is where my mom rocked all her babies to sleep. The photo in the pink frame is my dad as a child, and to the right of that is a framed cross-stitch that my grandma made with my parent's wedding date. The hallway is lined with family photos and you can see more albums in the cabinet on the right. In the kitchen beyond you can see homemade wall hangings that my mom made by hand. Every detail in this photo reminds me that our house was a home.

And seriously, let's take a moment to take a look at the entertainment center behind us and remind ourselves just how far technology has come.

We never made it as a pop stars (or strippers... you're welcome, Dad), but we sure did have a lot of fun back then. I really miss those innocent childhood days sometimes.

I'm not sure I really interpreted today's prompt exactly as Jenni intended, but when I was looking for photos for today's post I found these and just couldn't resist sharing them. They showcase some of my very favorite moments from my life. And don't lie, you know you clicked on the link above and sang every word... Which is totally radical.

A Frozen Moment

Day 17, Friday: A favorite photo of yourself and why.

I know I've shared a lot of wedding photos on this blog, but frankly our photographer was awesome and it was the happiest day of our lives, so sue me. 

I love this photo because I feel like it captures exactly how we felt that day. All the wedding party and family photos had already been taken, and we had a little while to spare before the ceremony, so our photographer took us out behind some warehouses near our wedding venue. I thought it was a strange location at the time, but those turned out to be some of our favorite photos from the entire day.  I remember Stew looking at me and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world.  The brooch in my hair belonged to my great grandmother, and my sister bought me the earrings as a surprise specifically for our wedding. Stewart gave me the necklace as a 30th birthday gift, and my mom bought my wedding dress. The bracelet is for Stewart. In English wedding tradition, it is customary for the bride to be given a decorative horseshoe, which she carries on her wrist. The horseshoe is given for good luck. I felt like we really showcased my Irish heritage at our St. Patrick's Day wedding, so I wanted something to represent Stew's English roots as well.  Not only do I like the way we look in this photo, but I remember exactly how we felt, and I love that so many important people in my life are represented in this single, frozen moment.

It's the hard knock life

Day 16, Thursday: Something difficult about your "lot in life" and how you're working to overcome it.

Stewart is probably going to kill me for this over-share, but let's get real, okay? I think people appreciate honesty. And frankly, Stew and I have been very, very lucky, so there isn't a whole lot of real "difficulty" in our lives beyond a few first world problems.

However, one thing I do struggle with, that I don't have a whole lot of control over, is my IBS. I live with chronic abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and let's just say very irregular bathroom habits. On any given day you will find Tums, Imodium, and Pepto-Bismol in my purse. I always have a stomachache. Blech.

My mom says I've been like this since I was a baby. I've been tested for lactose intolerance, food allergies, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis... Basically every digestive problem possible. I've seen doctors, dietitians, nutritionists, and specialists. But when you continue to be a medical mystery after extensive testing, you are ultimately diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, i.e. "we're not quite sure what's wrong with you." Yay.

So I just deal with it. If you're ever out and about with me you can be sure I've already located the nearest bathroom (in case of emergency). And if you suffer from heartburn or indigestion, just let let me know and I'm happy to share from my plethora of over-the-counter remedies. I'm so used to having an upset stomach that it doesn't even really phase me anymore. And frankly I think one of the only reasons I'm able to maintain my weight pretty consistently is because half of the things I eat don't get digested properly. So I guess there's always a silver lining.

Sorry for getting so up close and personal today. Let's return to our regular programming, shall we?

One Day

Day 15, Wednesday: A day in the life.

For today's challenge I decided to go the "mostly photos" route to show my typical day... enjoy!

And there you have it... a fairly typical day!  

Viva Las Vegas!

The happy couple on their wedding day
(image courtesy of Simon's FB page)

Stew and I went to Vegas together for the first time years ago, and we've been back for quite a few trips since then.

This time, we were headed down to see Stew's cousin Simon and his new wife Lisa on their honeymoon! Simon and Lisa got married in England the weekend before, and since Vegas has always been on Lisa's bucket list they decided it would be the perfect honeymoon destination. And since it's just a quick two hour flight for us, we popped down for a few days to say congrats and see the sights (and get some much-needed sun).

Sometimes I'm in a photography mood, and sometimes I'm not, and for some reason on this trip I just felt like enjoying myself, rather than documenting every single moment. However, I did manage to get a few shots... Enjoy!

Hangin' on the strip with the beautiful bride.

The last time I went to Vegas the pools weren't open, so this trip we were super excited to spend quite a bit of time poolside.

Temps in the 90s the whole time we were there, and I couldn't get enough!
This cheers was for Brett and Haley, who were supposed to join us on this trip but
had to cancel at the last minute due to a death in the family...
we missed them so much!

Tropical paradise, complete with flamingos outside our hotel. I love these guys!

Cool firefighter tribute on the strip, and check out this shirt I found from my home town!

On our way to see Cirque de Soleil's Zumanity, which we've been dying to check out!
The show was absolutely FANTASTIC, definitely a must see (adults only).

Fountains at the Bellagio, obviously a Las Vegas staple.

Notice my flip flops... I would normally be wearing towering high heels in Vegas, but I got
some monster blisters on the first night so I had no choice. Sigh.

I finally made it to Fremont Street, the original Las Vegas strip! I just loved the vibe out here... super old school.
Stew and I did the Flightlinez zip line over the crowds, and then we had dinner and just wandered around,
checking out the sights and doing some cheap gambling. I liked it so much I think I would honestly consider
staying here in the future! As long as the Golden Nugget has a decent pool, of course.

Friday night we checked out the Sirens of TI show at Treasure Island, because Stew and I remembered it being really
good on our last trip. Unfortunately it seems things have changed. What was once an exciting pirate show has turned into
a dance number with moderately talented, scantily clad girls. Meh, I'd skip it.

New York New York has always been one of my favorite hotels; we really need to stay here on one of our trips.

On our way to Excalibur to see Zumanity. This was a super long walk; I always forget how long the Vegas Strip is!

And Paris, an all-time favorite. I've still never been to the night club that's halfway up the tower, but
it seems like it's always hoppin' when we walk by.

And finally, our Las Vegas home-away-from-home, the Flamingo.
Stew and I have stayed here on our past three trips, and it's always been awesome. Even though it's an older hotel, the rooms
have been renovated, the pool is nice, and the rates are cheap. They also have $5 black jack in the casino... sign me up.

We saw some shows, ate some food, did some gambling, and soaked up some much needed sunshine. I was hoping to win enough money that I wouldn't have to go back to work on Monday (or ever) but unfortunately Vegas got us again... why does the house always win?!

I can't really tell you about anything else, because, well... what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, duh. But it was a fantastic trip and we always have a fabulous time with Simon and Lisa... it's unfortunate that we live so far away from one another, but we make the best of it and see them whenever we can. Hopefully the next time will be sooner rather than later.

Cheers to the newlyweds!

Happy

Day 14, Tuesday: Ten things that make you really happy.

I haven't had time to consult with Stewart on these, so the following are ten things that make ME super happy, in no particular order:

My husband. When you get right down to it I'm just a silly, lovesick girl who completely adores her husband. I love the simple, thoughtful, day-to-day stuff he does for me, like carrying my suitcase through the airport, building bookcases in the den, and cuddling with me on the couch. Every time I see him I think how happy it makes me that we are spending our lives together. I mean come on, how can you not just adore that face?!

Our home. On our way home from the airport Sunday night I told Stew that I wasn't even bummed that our vacation was over. Because these days I'm just so excited to spend time at our new house. I dreamed about our house for so long, and even now sometimes I can't believe that we actually live there. Sometimes I just wander through the rooms with no particular purpose because it seems so unreal that it's all ours.

Family. Stew and I are lucky to both have absolutely amazing, loving, supportive families. I know a lot of people who don't get along with their parents or siblings and that makes me really sad. Our families are everything to us, and I don't know what we would do without them. We look forward to every opportunity we get to be together, and we always have an amazing time.

A good workout. Ugh... the gym. Bet you didn't think you'd see that one on this list! But really, finishing a good workout makes me super happy. If I can just force myself to take the first step and get out there and sweat, I always feel energized and rejuvenated afterward, pumped full of endorphins I desperately needed. It always makes me feel happy and good about myself.

Completing a to-do list. If you saw my post about a week ago, you already know that I am a bit of an organizational/planning freak. I absolutely love getting organized by making lists, and there's nothing better or more satisfying than completing the tasks on a list. In fact, I can't wait to finish this blog so I can cross today's post off!

Surprising someone. I absolutely love doing little things to surprise the people I care about, whether it be planning a party, sending flowers for a birthday, or mailing a card for some random holiday. I think people really appreciate these simple gestures, and we're all so busy that sometimes it's nice when on a random Tuesday afternoon you realize someone is thinking about you.

Sibling relationships. I have two amazing, gorgeous sisters and a pretty radical, handsome brother. We are separated by age and geography, but somehow manage to stay super close and always have the absolute best, most hilarious time when we're together. I don't think this is the case for every family, so I feel incredibly lucky.

Music. Good music can totally change my mood and turn me into a completely different person. I'm not picky; almost any genre will do. The best is when I'm by myself in the car and I can turn a song up really loud and sing along (even if I don't exactly know all the words). And there's nothing better than a good impromptu dance party.

Friends. Stewart and I are incredibly lucky to have a life absolutely full of amazing friends. Without these people our lives would be super dull and boring. It makes us so happy to have friends near and far who even if we don't see them often, we know that when we do we can pick up immediately right where we left off.  

A sunny day. Perhaps people in other parts of the country take this for granted, but here in Seattle a beautiful day can be fairly rare. But when the sun does decide to grace us with some warmth, it always revives my soul and puts me in an amazing mood. The Pacific Northwest is absolutely breathtaking, and I'm always reminded of that when the sun comes out.

What are some of the things that make YOU happy?