P.P.S.

Speaking of Canada pictures, I just found this one on my desktop, too. We were being the tilting head pugs. Dad could barely make it through one tilt without cracking up completely!

So funny. I love this picture.

I left my heart in the Pacific North West...

Okay, maybe it's exaggerating to say that I left my heart in the Pacific North West. But man oh man, did I love it up there! We spent three days in Seattle and three days in British Columbia on Vancouver Island (with two days of traveling in between there).


It was pretty much the most perfect weather with gorgeous views of downtown Seattle and Lake Union from our condo.

And then perfect weather in BC, too. I was awestruck by the Olympic Mountains off in the distance, across the Juan de Fuca Strait. Yep, we were lucky enough to stay RIGHT on the ocean with that as our view. I stared at it a lot.

A highlight of our time in Seattle was our Pike Place Market food tour. Could there be something better than learning about the history of a new place while sampling food all along the way? I think not. Plus, we started with donuts. STARTED WITH DONUTS. You know it's going to be a good afternoon when you eat dessert first.

While on Vancouver Island we visited Butchart Gardens to see their amazing gardens. (Family photos were a stop on the tour.)

I also enjoyed strolling around downtown Victoria, which was super colonial and cute.

While on the West Coast we traveled twice by ferry and both were fun trips. A combination of a great view and a great place to play cards is hard to beat, right?

I can't wait to go back to Washington State and BC, because there is so much more to see! I hear the city of Vancouver is really cool, so hopefully that will be a future stop on my world tours.

P.S. It's wicked hot in Chicago. I've got the fans on full blast and I'm hoping to sleep better than last night...

Birthday Week, pt. III

We're going to have to skip part II since I don't yet have the pictures. I have to get them from a few people...

On the day of my birth, April 21, I awoke to sunshine. Sunshine! (It had been, and continued to, rain all week. All. week.) I got some fun presents from my roommates, including a cast iron griddle that will take my pancakes up a notch. (I used it on Saturday and it was definitely an improvement! Not to mention I felt super official.) My parents had sent me a birthday package so I ripped it open (in 5 year old style... I can't help it! I love birthdays!) and found a gorgeous new blouse. Birthday outfit, donned.

After work I had planned to take the bus to Dave's house where we would have dinner together. As I walked out the door and started walking to the bus stop, I saw from behind a person sitting on a bench. I thought to myself, "The back of that person's head doesn't look like anyone I normally see here." And then, "That person's jacket looks a lot like Dave's jacket." And then, "Omigosh! It's Dave!" He surprised me and came to pick me up from work! (This is one of my highest luxuries. As a takes-public-transportation-everywhere person, getting a ride ranks up there with a bubble bath or a chocolate dessert. Seriously.)

Dave -- surprise in Hyde Park!

We made stir-fry for dinner (my favorite) and watched 30 Rock (my favorite!) and ate strawberry shortcake (my favorite!).

Vanilla Bean macaroons -- this one was my favorite

He gave me some fabulous gifts as well. A lovely bag from a vintage shop in Chicago (I've been on the bag hunt for a while!), macaroons (I've been itching to try them for months), an awesome ceramic travel mug (such bright colors!), and a bouquet of flowers that are brightening up a dreary last few weeks of April.

Modeling three of my birthday gifts -- blouse, bag, bouquet

It was a lovely birthday and I'm so thankful to my friends and family, near and far, for how special and loved they made me feel. I've got long thank you notes coming to all of you!

At work on Friday, feeling very colorful

Horse days

 The first weekend of 2011 found all of the Hepburns -- ALL of them! -- in Kansas for my cousin's wedding. It was a very special weekend since I hadn't seen some of them for several years. As life gets busier (and more grown up?) it seems like weddings are the things that always bring everyone together. My Aunt and Uncle and family live on a big plot of land with lots of animals, so we all enjoyed a Hepburn reunion complete with horses and dogs!

Dave bonds with the dogs

 My cousins were nice enough to get their horses groomed and saddled for a trail ride. We walked (and occasionally trotted) around the property and I saw two deer running across the field!

Holly & Scout

 We also took a turn out to the clearing so we could try cantering. It felt so fast and a little out of control (I'm a green cowgirl, I suppose) so I reined my horse in. She wasn't so happy about this and in a fit of miscommunication (equally both of our faults I think) started bucking and I landed squarely on the ground. I'll spare you a picture of my bruise (fear not, I documented it!), but I will tell you that it was large and nasty and I spent the next few days hobbling ever so carefully. My whole body hurt, to say the least.

Me and Queenie before our "miscommunication

 

 

Of course, the wedding that we were all there for was a beautiful affair as well. Everybody got dressed in their finest wintry attire (the boys all donned ties!) to witness Taylor and Kaitlyn's vows.
 
Here are the bride and groom. Aren't they a cute couple? The lucky lovebirds got to honeymoon in Hawaii!

After the wedding festivities in Kansas, our family hopped in the car and headed South for Oklahoma where we saw 2/3 of our Hintz family, too! I don't have any pictures from that on my camera currently, but know that it was a fun filled 24 hours! :)

Old library books...

...become a sweet desk! Pretty cool, huh? My brother kindly passed this on to me. I love books. Thanks Dave!

P.S. I dropped my computer this morning... I think it's okay but we shall see if the CD drive works... I'm going to add a New Years resolution to my list: back-up my computer on an external hard drive.

It's Aloha Friday...

Okay, it's Thursday. But it's sort of Friday because tomorrow is a holiday! Wooooo! Three. Day. Weekend. Even better is that I get to see friends who are home from all over the world for the holidays. E.g. home from Bangladesh and Moldova. As well as far flung states. Reunion!

I found this column about adjusting to winter in the NYT today and thought it was spot on. I can totally relate. Enjoy!

P.S. It's my mama's birthday today.  
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Las Vegas Weekend!

Last weekend we had a family vacation to Las Vegas to watch my dad play some softball! His team flies out once a year to play in a tournament with teams from all over the country. This year, the whole family joined in as a birthday gift. So Mom and Dad flew out from Hawaii, David and Holly drove over from San Diego, and Dave and I flew in from Chicago. It was pretty epic.


Also very hot. Very, very hot. 100-110 degree hot. I suppose it is the desert. I'd also like to say that I was pretty surprised at the beauty of the scenery. My expectations were... low. It was gorgeous. So nice to see some mountains.



Dad's team got second place! I got a tan. We only lost $8 to the great state of Nevada. Our condo was AWE. SOME. (Read here: waterfall shower, jacuzzi tub, and flat screen TVs in every room awesome.) Dave had his first In-N-Out and BJs dining experiences. Played cards, took naps, watched baseball, walked the strip, ate snacks, played in the pool, had handstand contests, etc. etc.



To sum it all up: had fun. FUN!



I'm already planning the next vacation for California in 5 weeks. Yahoo!

One Week!

Til this:

And this:

And this:

Oh, and THIS:


Eeee, I can't wait!