North Carolina

It's no secret that I have serious homesickness.

I miss Bojangles, SWEET tea, rain, the outer banks, dogwoods....

So, I expect NO ONE to judge when I got a little misty when I saw this Lilly Print. 

via

Yeah, I made it huge,
so you can fully appreciate Cape Hatteras, the Wright Brothers' plane,
dogwoods, evergreens, even a wee cardinal.

 What else do you see?

It's also no secret that if a scarf makes me cry, I'ma buy it. 

I call it my "CONGRATULATIONS! You made it 6 months in California" present.

27th and Weekend Wrapup

Since my birthday this year was on a Thursday, 

we drug it out to last through Memorial Day.

Ok, fine, I do this every year. Shush

I did come home to a big stack of packages on the front stoop. 

One of those was this NC necklace my parents got for me. <3 

Then, I made myself a birthday-rita. Complete with floaty sea animals.  

Mike popped a bottle of champagne after dinner,  

and we spent the night watching Pop-up Video and old boyband videos. 

Mmmmmbop!

Friday night, we opened a bottle of Chateau Montelena,

and watched Bottle Shock. 

On Saturday, Mike had sat up a hydrotherapy session & couples massage

that really melted any residual 26 stress right off. 

Then we headed out for great steak. 

Great steak and great desert. 

Sunday morning was the perfect time for us to finally check out Psycho donuts. 

Fan.Tas.Tic.

AND THEN. 

THEN!

We went to Winchester House. 

Y'all. 

I've wanted to go here since like 1993.

Full post to come.  

We wrapped up the night at Tied House,

for $0.50 beer and Sharks Hockey. 

Monday was Memorial Day. 

We spent it together, as a family, with our psycho pup.

We went to the park, played with bubbles outside, 

grilled dinner, and I even made a cobbler out of amazingly fresh berries.  

I'd say 27 got off to a great start. 

:)

27 in 27

Since last year's list was a hit, and a success,

 I decided to give it another whirl. 

So, without further adieu 

27 in 27

1.       Get married

2.       Go somewhere we've never been before

trust me, with Mike it's easier said than done..

3.       Drive Hwy 1

4.       Go to 3 major sporting events

(1.Mets/Giants)

5.       Lose 27lbs

6.       Make more diy projects.

no limit or guidelines, just keep making. 

7.       Use my SLR

at least learn to take it off auto..yeesh.

8.       Go to Renegade SF

it's a big craft fair i've wanted to attend since forever. 

i also plan on buying lots and lots of stuffs. 

9.       Purge the unused

clothes that we dont wear, random knickknacks that havent seen the light of cali, 

unloved bits have to go away. 

10.   Back up the computer!

11.   Learn to paint

i loved it in raleigh. i miss it now.

12.   Buy nothing but essentials for 1 month

13.   Finish the upstairs gallery wall

14.   Go to Hearst Castle or Biltmore House

15.   Send more letters, cards, packages

16.   Do something that makes me nervous

but not move 3000 miles again

17.   Take a couples class in -something-

18.   Do something big for Mikes 30^th

19.   Use or toss the kitchen gadgets

20.   Update the blog with all the unblogged trips

theres my parents trip to cali, apesnjeds trip to cali, europe 2012, etc

21.   28 in 28!

22.   host a party/together at our house

23.   Get a large monogram made for us as a couple (or DIY it)

seriously, so exicted to use my (and our) new monogram

24.   Become a better dresser

25.   Take Shiva to the beach

26.   Get back into Yoga

27.   Get a new passport

What do you think? 

Encouragement, thoughts, questions, alternate ideas?

Eeny Meeny Miney Moe

                                                      Which one should I get?!

via

to me!

26.

So, yeah. 

TODAY is my very last day of 26. 

True fact, I just typed 25. Alas, NOT 25. 

I can't figure out a way to round myself down to 20 or even MID20s anymore. 

About this time last year, I created a list of 26 things I wanted to do while I was 26. Then we went and decided to move to California and a LOT changed. I remade the 26 in 26 list to accompany the new change.  Below is the final list, that I worked on. So, let's see. 

1:   Order a boat of sushi
2:   Go to a beer dinner 

Before we left NC, we made it to a New Belgium dinner at the NC Nat Sci Museum. 

I wish we would have been able to attend a more complete one, 

but it was a great experience that we'll definitely do again. 

3:   get a California license and license plate

Done and Done. 

4:   Be in a wedding 

Yessssssssss. 

5:   Attend something out of my ordinary. 

So, maybe I didnt attend a roller derby or zombie festival, 

but, I made this goal to get me to do something that made me uncomfortable. 

I moved 3000 miles away from home with no job and no permanent place to land. 

I think I did something that made me uncomfortable. 

So, I'm calling it complete. 

   6:   Host a cocktail/dinner party 
7:   Climb Cape Hatteras 

Fin. I took my broken little knee all the way up. 

8:   Reunite with the fourple

This could have been one of my favorite moments. 

It really proves that REAL friends are not affected by time or distance. 

9:   Add a stamp to my passport

Quite a few actually. 

10:   Learn basics of a new language
11:   spend a weekend in wine country

a weekend. two weekends. I quite counting

12: deck the halls for christmas, and the 2013 holidays

I must say it made the holidays a bit more enjoyable. 

13: Visit Biltmore during the Festival of Flowers 

I don't think I accurately describe how much I adore Biltmore. 

14:  Get a puppy!

I think you know Shiva

15:   introduce my parents & Mike's parents. 

Success

16:   Do 12 DIY projects.

Between baby shower art, cards, decor, bridesmaids gifts and more, I crossed em off. 

17:   Make a 27 in 27 list. 

Stay Tuned.
18:   Learn a new hobby.

I'm counting a new love of baseball and hockey. 

I care more about players and stats and schedules than I ever did. 

Mike also says my new hobby is wedding planning. 

19:  Visit 3 tourist attractions in San Fran &/or San Jose.

I think we have this one covered. Between tons of wineries, fishermans wharf, 

pier 39, ghiaradelli, all over the bay, sports stadiums and famous restaurants, 

c.h.e.c.k.20:   Learn to unwind and relax

I'm able to stop, turn off, and not feel so guilty or bad that I'm not doing SOMETHING or ANYTHING right that second. I credit Mike, Shiva, the kittens, and ok, maybe some champagne. 

21:  Reduce my diet coke consumption 

And by reduce, I mean, none. I dont even like how it tastes anymore. 

It's ok. I'm a little disappointed in myself  too. 22:   Buy something from a home shopping channel and something from etsy.

The first thing I bought of etsy (which started a bigggg love affair) were koozies for the fourple trip. I also bought some kitchen gadgets from HSN back in December.

 I kinda enjoyed calling in. I'm so strange. 

 23:    Lose 26 lbs (total)
24:    get a hot stone massage &/or reiki
25:   Add to my tattoo collection
26:    Find the PERFECT red lipstick. 

Nars Misbehave or Bee Sting.

Now I just need to get brave enough to wear it more than once a month.

So, I got 77% finished. 

I didnt order a boat of sushi, 

learn a new language (though sometimes I think Californian counts), 

or lose the pounds. But, I'm ok. 

Like I already said (and you know), I moved to California from North Carolina. I got a job that I love, which makes me feel challenged and respected and even occasionally refers to me as an expert, and has yet to make me cry. My bad days at my new company are better than good days at my old. Last year I saw Asheville, the Outer Banks, California, drove through 5 states, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Florida. I got engaged to my best friend. I continue to be shocked at how disgustingly happy we are and how Mike is just..it. I got a puppy, a new extended family and overall happy. 

26, I liked you. 

---

still wanna get a dang boat of sushi though. 

Insta Roundup

Pardon me if you've already seen these on instagram. 

If you haven't, (or don't have an insta), 

I'm going to try to start doing a weekly roundup. 

Here ya go. 

Mint & Gold

Breakfast of Champions

Stacked

Represent on a Rainy Day

Coral & Gold. 

Pain in the arse. 

See that last pic? That'd be Shiva's new trick. 

She can reach up to the bathroom sink and turn it on, 

ya know, for when she wants a drink of water 

and none of her bowls are good enough. 

Weekend Update

Friday

After work on Friday, Mike and I met up for some dinner and drinks, 

with a side of "Learn How to Write Your New Name."

Mike had to teach me the ins and outs of such a long last name.  

Then we came home, 

to my new collection of Harry Potter Ultimate Editions, 

and let Shiva and the kittens play together. 

Or, let Shiva play, while Olive and Oi hid. 

Saturday

I FINALLY found a new salon!

 Pualani at Bigsby House is amazing. 

It was about time. 

Mike asked me last week if I was ever going to do it again. 

(Not a subtle hint)

I met up with Mike for lunch,  

then we headed over to his office for a bit.  

Finally, twas out to watch the Sharks/Giants/Knicks/Boxing match.  

Sunday

Since Mom wasn't here to make me birthday biscuits and gravy, 

I made my own. 

Then, it was such a gorgeous day we played with bubbles,  

and took Miss Thing to the dog park.  

This is the face of a successful park day. 

Finally?

A wee ice cream cone. 

Why? Cause it was awesome.  

Not bad for my last weekend of being 26.