Birthday Shenanigans

My BIG birthday this year was on a Monday and... I've noticed that the past big ones have been on weird days as well. On Friday, September 7 I went to Dargan's Irish Pub (one of my favorite places in Santa Barbara) and had drinks/ dinner with friends. 

Love me some Stella

Saturday I went hiking with two great friends and that night A. and I had dinner with some of our closest friends and their adorable kids.

On Sunday, September 9, my favorite man and I went sky diving and it was incredible!!! I've been wanting to go for as long as I can remember and I am so grateful it happened.

Skydive Santa Barbara, Lompoc Airport

And of course I treated myself to a Starbucks on my birthday, I LOVE Sbux hot chocolate.

On my actual birthday I worked a lot and went straight from my main job to tutoring and this beautiful flower was outside of his house:

Anyone know what kind it is?

This is what campus looked like when I arrived the morning of my birthday, pretty awesome!

I've been trying to enjoy my lunch breaks in SB since I know nothing is permanent. You can't tell in the picture, but the wood fish have the fish specialties written on it. Creative!

My parents came into town for my birthday and this was the delicious combination appetizer plate:

Overall I am so thankful for being able to bring in a big bday with such a bang, definitely one for the record books!!

Recent Trips

I LOVE traveling and I LOVE driving places. I have my best ideas when driving, thus I always carry pads of paper and pens within in reaching distance while I drive. (Don't worry, I never look down, I scribble and decipher later)  :) 


This weekend A. and I got to go on a wonderful trip up north. The first day we went to Hearst Castle:

This is the front entrance to the main house. It was a beautiful day!

One of the many statues and tapestries on the wall.

Neptune Pool

We got to see elephant seals on the way up!

Sunday we went to the Monterrey Aquarium

Appreciating the Little Things In Life Part Dos

I am over-flowing with gratitude :)

amazing desserts with my favorite man

living in downtown Santa Barbara

living in downtown Santa Barbara 2

I never knew cats lied heaters

we fostered Sookie in December/ January, she was so cute!

my favorite pair of shoes

old school books

fun lights (Portland, OR)

Polar Bears at the zoo

lunch break at the beach

Gratitude List

I never thought I'd be someone who would write a gratitude list, but lately, I've been driving/ walking around just thinking about the many things I'm grateful for. And, I thought I'd share, in no particular order.  *picture heavy post*

[1] The view from the building I work in.

[2] Being so close to mountains and water

Photo courtesy of Google images

[3] Being able to go home and visit:

December 2009, still one of my favorite photos I've taken of the Space Needle

Pike's Place Market never gets old

 [4] Traveling, though I would always love to travel more :)

Drinks in Key West and South Beach, Florida, February 2012

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France 2010

Leaning Tower of Pisa, 2010

England 2010

[5] Sicily: everyday she doesn't something cute/ adorable/ entertaining/ funny and I love even the most basic things, like playing the "search for the cat game" once I'm home. 

Sicily, day one, August 16, 2005

Sicily sleeping on the couch

[6] Crossfit, 2.5 years later I still love it, so grateful I found it.

Old t-shirt from high school I still love wearing. I LOVE lifting weights at Crossfit!

 [7] Halloween, getting to dress up like a goof. Teaching kids.

Disco Diva, Halloween 2011. I went to one of my best friend's classrooms and helped teach the kiddos.

[8] Making my own traditions for holidays.

[9] Flowers and nature, of which I love taking pictures of both

[10] Finding funny/ entertaining things on the Facebook

[11] Being able to see shows with friends and family

La Boheme, Los Angeles, 2012

[12] Friends and Family (too many photos to post)

[13] Being able to walk to the beach from my apartment and being able to walk to do almost everything

[14] Our apartment, I love the size, location, and we have minimal neighbors

[15]Our landlords, their efficiency, and the benefits of living over a plumbing business

[16] Having a reliable car that I enjoy driving. (Countdown for less than two years left to have it paid off!)

[17] Surrounded by good friends, new and old (duration of years I've known them, though age range is applicable here too haha)

[18] Random experiences

Opera Santa Barbara, Trouble In Tahiti, 2011

 [19] Random encounters with new/ nice people

[20] The wedding I've been privileged to be in the bridal party of or played in.

Megan's wedding, October 2010

[21] Old photos that still make me laugh and smile

More to come later!

PS. Since I haven't received permission from friends to post their pictures on an open blog, I'm sorry that most of these photos are of just me :)