2012 preparations

CJ and AUD go to a New Years Day Party, 2011.

January 1st, 2011 CJ and I went to his Uncle Johns annual party. 

Sometimes the party is closer to Christmas, but this year it was on New Years Day. 

I love going to dinner parties, and his Uncle's dinner parties are always a good time.

John and Ixiim married in 2010 in Mexico and that was our first BIG vacation together.

This is our first picture of 2011 and like the previous years, it was the first of many to come.

Today I sat and thought about this past year. A time of reflection.

It has had it's highs and it's lows.

and when I say "highs" & "lows," I mean EXTREME "highs" and EXTREME "lows"

EXAMPLES:

highs: graduated and got my RN license, got engaged to the love of my life

lows: moved 300 miles away from my loved ones, my dad's health is declining

As much as I would rather have a year of "highs," I have learned a lot due to the "lows"

I've learned that when times are rough, you shouldn't have to go through it alone.

I've been blessed with loving family, friends, extended family, & an amazing fiance.

NOW, in preparation of the new year I have set ground rules for myself.

1. have a positive attitude every day (& be grateful for what I have, even if it's 300 miles away)

2. love like there is no tomorrow (this includes telling the people I love that I love them)

and 3. save money for my WEDDING!!!

Merry Christmas, Darling

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Merry Christmas, Darling by the carpenters is the song I dedicate to this Christmas season.

Here are the lyrics:

Greeting cards have all been sent the Christmas rush is through 

But I still have one wish to make A special one for you

Merry Christmas darling We're apart that's true 

But I can dream and in my dreams I'm Christmas-ing with you 

Holidays are joyful There's always something new 

But every day's a holiday When I'm near to you 

The lights on my tree I wish you could see I wish it every day 

Logs on the fire Fill me with desire 

To see you and to say That I wish you Merry Christmas Happy New Year, too 

I've just one wish On this Christmas Eve I wish I were with you 

Logs on the fire Fill me with desire 

To see you and to say That I wish you Merry Christmas Happy New Year, too 

I've just one wish On this Christmas Eve I wish I were with you 

exploring like Magellan

CJ and AUD explore Nevada, 2011.

On one of my days off, we decided to explore what the area had to offer.

We wanted to check out Walker Lake and CJ also really wanted to climb a mountain (preferably Mt Grant).

Us all decked out in hiking gear. We would be so cute as Columbia models.

A view of Walker Lake.

Dirt and dirt. Welcome to Nevada!

The mountain we chose to climb. Can you spot CJ?

CJ taking a picture of me while I was taking a picture of him!

Me taking a picture of CJ while he was taking a picture of me!

Look at him go!

...almost to the top!!

Alas! He finally reached the top!

Here are a few of the pictures CJ took when he got to the top of the mountain...

And it wouldn't be a proper blog if there wasn't a corny metaphor to life... 

Life is similar to climbing a mountain. 

You can either be scared or lazy & wait at the bottom of the mountain (like me on this day, unfortunately) or you can work hard to reach the top.

The best part is that when you reach the top, what you find is something that no one could have imagined and you realize that your climb was worth it.

have a holly jolly christmas!

CJ and AUD watch A Christmas Story in Woodland, CA, 2007.

CJ and I got an invitation from The Mears' (who were not yet "the Mears") to accompany them to watch A Christmas Story play in Woodland.

I've never watched the movie and I never knew the story, but I thought it was a funny play!

Not sure if the movie would be quite as funny. It always seems boring when it's on TV.

Afterwards we found a Charlie Brown tree & wanted to take a picture with it.

I'm not positive, but I think that this is our FIRST picture with a christmas tree!

oasis

CJ and AUD go to the "Oasis of Nevada," 2011.

Growing up in a place where your family, friends, and boyfriend live within 10-60 minutes away from you is a blessing. I know & appreciate that so much more now that I live 6ish hours away from anyone I hold dear to my heart.

Living in a city with a shopping mall, target, in-n-out, chik-fil-a, 24 hour fitness, AND a hospital is something that I will NEVER take for granted in my life ever again.

I now live in a city that's small enough to one day become a ghost town.

I miss my hometown.

Today CJ left to go home and it has been an extremely sad 24 hours.

The closest (larger) city to Hawthorne is a city called Fallon and it is an HOUR away.

A FULL hour when you go 10 over the limit. There's no way to get to it in less time unless you speed.

seriously. sucks.

It's called the "Oasis of Nevada."

I used to laugh about this... Now I agree with it.

I can finally say I'm "going into town" when I go to Fallon

We stopped to take pics because it was so funny

Look at this handsome guy. Is it sad that I miss him already?

Sitting on my new couch thinking about how lonely it feels to be one little person on one big couch and I am saddened knowing that I'm back to being alone in Nevada.

Hopefully when I go back to work tomorrow I'll get back into the flow of things and not think too much about how alone I am.

Moral of the blog: sacrifices aren't easy for a reason.

I'm being tested on whether I buckle or whether I persevere.

I will persevere.

cha cha pooh paras

This is a post dedicated to cha cha pooh paras.

She was my grandma's pomeranian & I loved her with all of my heart.

She passed away earlier this year & I often think about her and wish that she was around still.

On days when I get sad, I like to think about her and how she made me so very happy.

 

Rest in peace Cha cha pooh paras. I love you & always miss you.

missing summer

CJ and AUD go camping at Jenkinsons Lake, 2011.

The thing about living in Nevada in the winter time is that it gets cold & it snows.

I have never lived in snow before & so I am a little skeptical about being here.

If you don't know this already, I am a MAJOR sun person, I LOVE warm weather!

It isn't that I hate snow, per se. Let's just say that I have a LOVE/HATE relationship with snow. 

LOVE: It's pretty, you get to drink as much hot chocolate as you want, cool winter clothes... (if you can't tell, all my "love" items doesn't really have me IN snow)

HATE: two words... cold & wet (shudders)

SO, to think positively, I am reminiscing of our summer adventure earlier this year.

A couple of camping trips to Jenkinson's Lake.

first trip was with Christine, Gail, Kevin, Eric, Trevor, CJ & I

second trip was with Eric, Carl, CJ & I

Both were within a couple weeks from each other. Both were fun & relaxing.

As I am writing and reminiscing, I am also looking FORWARD to next summer.

Plank it! Plank it goood.

 

Morning trail hike/run. Nothing like being able to walk around the lake when no one's around. 

So peaceful!

Made CJ a necklace. He loved it!

 

I took a nap in the ever-so-comfortable truck.

 CJ put up a hammock

It was comfy!

Where the REAL fun begins!! Jenkinsons Lake!

CJ coming back in from his nice relaxing time in the kayak

Us in our matching life jackets. A smart purchase for us!

Relaxing back at camp

The boys were cutting up some wood for our fire

Eric & CJ are trying to catch fish, If you look closely, you can see Carl in the kayak hiding behind the little grassy area!

We found a turtle and named him TIMMY!

A shot of CJ on the kayak. He's so handsomely rugged. =)

Below is a video of us canoe-dling on the lake.

ENJOY!

I have never canoe-dled before, but CJ is my favorite person to canoe-dle with. He made a wonderful lunch "picnic" and we ate it on the water.

We also shared with some local wild life.

just a king-sized couch in a tiny world

CJ and AUD's first couch, 2011.

I am soo happy, does anyone know why?

CJ and my daddy are here to spend Thanksgiving with me!!!!!!!

YAYYYY!!!!

CJ drove up in his truck because he brought my NEW COUCH!

It is soo comfy and.... HUGE!

Seriously, it is a "house"-sized couch in my "apartment"-sized apartment.

Note that the chaise portion is halfway into the other room (which is the previously empty kitchen space)

Three comfy blankets, two of my favorite guys, and spinach dip that I made myselfffff!!

techies

CJ and AUD go to the Tech Museum, 2009.

Fun story: Jason & Nicole (one of my favorite married couples of all time) invited CJ and I to go to the Tech Museum with them. 

CJ never knew about it and I've only ever heard of the place but it was a legit good time.

The museum is in San Jose and since Nicole & Jason were going to Monterey afterwards to visit her sister, we drove separately. At this time I was in a HUGE Dave & Busters hype so we went there after the museum for dinner. The Snow Cone drink is AMAZING.

In the lab making our petri dishes. Goggled up!

This is my glowing petri dish. Yup, I got an A in Microbiology.

Enjoying the museum! I would love to go back & spend an entire day there.

My snow cone and CJ with his "drink" (It's 0% alcohol).

Overall, great company at a great museum with great food & drinks afterward

makes me a very happy and lucky girl.

Point Reyes; love at first hike.

CJ and AUD's first hiking trip, 2007.

If anyone knows me, prior to 2007 I did not really do outdoorsy stuff. I went camping with my family every year, but we took our entire house practically so it wasn't "real" camping.

CJ is the opposite. He is Mr. Outdoorsy.

When we first began dating he was planning a "couples hike" to Point Reyes.

Point Reyes has great hiking trails, the one we took was to the coast.

As a novice hiker I had no idea what I was in for. It was well worth it in the end.

When you get to the coast you can climb down the mountain to the beach

& it is just wonderful.

We are up on the mountain. You can climb down to the beach though.

Jokingly holding him from jumping. I guess I drove him crazy from the start.

So our first hike together ended up being our first time at the beach together, too!

Although Northern California beaches are not as warm as Southern California beaches, I love NorCal. Born & raised!

Here's a video of CJ trying to throw me into the water. NOT cool!

My favorite picture of the hike. 

**backstory: we had been following the trail for what seemed like forever and I kept asking CJ if we were there yet (to our destination: the beach). He kept saying, "Just around the bend... Just around the bend" but alas, we were not there after that bend, or the next, or the next. I asked one more time and he said, "Just around the bend" and I replied, "Pinky swear?" He did and he was right!