freedom

Yesterday was a fun day. In fact this whole week has been great. Starting last Friday, Matt and I biked miles and miles of Tilden Park, enjoying beautiful weather and scenery. Saturday and Sunday we spent at Pebble Beach enjoying the U.S. Open and spending time with family (pics to come). Monday after Matt got home we played tennis, got slurpees (as is tradition after tennis), and watched a movie.

Yesterday, Matt went to work as usual, and I had an appointment with a sports producer for one of the local networks. It was exciting to find my way alone on bart and then hoof it through the city to find their station. When I was finished at the station and was headed back to the Embarcadero center to meet up with Matt, I noticed my phone battery was flashing and was about to die. Awesome. I hurried and text Matt what street I'd be on. We connected for about 6 seconds, phone died, and then it was a waiting game.

Honestly it was exciting to be stuck on a bustling street corner in the city trying to spot Matt walking down the street. Remember when cell phones didn't exist and people had to be accurate and on-time? Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to go back to that once in awhile.





Anyway, we did meet up and went (again on recommendation by Matt's brother Dan!) to The Unicorn for some delicious Asian cuisine. We were the first of the dinner rush so we had the whole back corner of the dimly-lit restaurant to ourselves and it so was nice after a long day of rushing around.


This morning I've just been feeling really lucky. Lucky to live in a beautiful and energetic area. Lucky to be healthy and happy. Lucky to have the freedom to explore and go on adventures with my husband at a moments notice. Lucky to know Matt and I are where we are supposed to be, doing what we are supposed to do. Then I realized lucky should be replaced with the word 'blessed'.

I know that our lives won't be like this forever. We won't always have this kind of freedom so I plan on taking full advantage of it.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Utah for some MUCH MUCH MUCH needed time with the twins! Oh man I am so excited it's ridiculous. AND it works out that I will be able to see my sisters, my Dad, and my Grandparents.

Good week.

Matt informed me that yesterday marks the 6 YEAR anniversary of the day he entered the MTC. Wow. 2 years in Peru.



I met Matt 4 months after he'd been home from his mission--he was still a little weird but right away I knew he was different from other guys I had dated. This picture is from our very first date. Little did I know that almost 4 years later we'd be married, living near San Francisco, still learning about each other.



Life is good.

The House That Built Me

I find that I am quite a nostalgic person. I like to reminisce and relive memories, events, sights, smells, and sounds from my past. In talking to friends I realize more and more how lucky I am to have had a "magical" childhood and young adulthood. Everyone has good and bad times, but not everyone gets to really be a kid and live it up.

Lately, I've been thinking about how rare it is for people to have one house that they do all of their growing up in. Being the oldest my parents bounced around until I was 4, but then they lived in this house until a couple years ago. I love their new home, the freshness of it all, the spacious field for a yard, the breathtaking view, and the memories we are making now.

But it is not the house that I have my secrets tucked away in. It's not on the street where I got my first kiss. It doesn't have the driveway where I learned to ride a bike or shoot a basketball. It doesn't have a grape vine in the backyard that sweetens the air in the fall. And it doesn't have the room(s) where I spent time alone reading, writing in my journal, waiting for Santa or the tooth fairy, crying over lost friends, cooling off after fights with my sister, or quietly talking on the phone late at night.
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(this photo just makes me laugh--we hadn't met chloe or c.j. yet. little did we know what was in store as our family grew:) also-notice the beat LA in the car window. someone must've known I'd marry a Celtics fan )



I've noticed I've replayed this song quite a few times when using my iPod recently. Music is very important in my life and some songs just resonate for different reasons during different stages. I'm sure you can relate. This one's on my "life" playlist for the time being.



The home that built me isn't just the one on North 'E' Street. It's also the ones on Buena Way, Stimel Drive, RiverPark Drive, and "Z" road. More than that it's the people who live or lived in them.

Right now, dealing with the constant anxiety of the unkown, I enjoy closing my eyes and going to a time when I wasn't concerned with what the future held. My only concerns were catching tadpoles in the ditch, sidewalk chalk, grandma's candy cupboard, trampolines, Thursday's volleyball game or Friday's football game, watermelon bursts, cliff jumping, and swimming pools.

It might be outdated and unlikely, but I hope that I have one home that my kids do their growing in. I don't want the newest. nicest, best decorated house on the block. I want a good place for my kids to run wild, make a mess, sing loud, and get into some healthy trouble. I want the constant in their life that they can always feel safe in, and later think fondly of. I know the saying, "Home is where you make it," and I fully believe it. I just want to provide the same magic and curiosity that my parents gave me.



This is quite a post. A little overload, I know, but I like to share a song once in awhile. I feel like everyone can use an opportunity to open their mind and tap into a forgotten experience or feeling.

Mr. Cook

Matt is a real business man now and I am quite proud of him. These pictures are from his first day of work a couple weeks ago. I snuck these pictures as he was walking to the car---he still hasn't seen them so we will see if he ever checks this blog...doubtful since I rarely update it.

There is just something great about a guy (who you usually see in basketball shorts and t-shirts) all dressed up and looking sharp:)



Now, the quest for MY job continues...

Birthday Weekend

My lovely sister Stacie decided to come visit us over Memorial Day weekend and it was fabulous! As is she (see picture below).



We took bart into the city and met up with Matt after work for lunch at Osha (great Thai food--thanks Dan for the recommendation!) and then we walked the Pier, got some salt water taffy, and then took the muni to AT&T Park for Giants vs. Diamondbacks. It was my first time at a Giants game (the Oakland A's are my family's team)--don't know if I can choose GIants over A's but the park was pretty sweet :)


We also celebrated Stacie's big 23!!!! She's done with college and off to an exciting life! In fact this very moment she is en route to the Philippines for 2 weeks with my other favorite Stacie (Jensen) on a humanitarian trip. Jealous:)


We also HAD to stop by my Grandparent's old home in Concord. It's where my Dad grew up and where I have many, many magical childhood memories. I get a little emotional every time we drive by. This time I had to get out and take a picture for Grandma and Grandpa:)


Oh, and maybe we walked down to the park to play on the toys...and have timed obstacle course races:) Classic.


On her last day in town we got up and went to Tilden Park and hiked around. It's such a beautiful area and you can see the Golden Gate Bridge from on top of the hill. Wonderful weather and a wonderful weekend with my sister.





To top off the day we picked up Aunt Shelley from the airport and went to Fenton's for lunch and ice cream. Oh Fenton's, that is a post for another time. Now we just need some more visitors!

Spontaneous

A couple weeks ago before Matt started work we were sitting around talking about how crazy busy this summer was going to be, and about how he gets like zero vacation days for the first several months. We called our Mom's on Mothers Day and my mom was just plain sad that she and my dad are becoming empty nesters. Matt and I talked about how nice it would be to get away for a couple days and out of nowhere Matt just said "Let's go. We can pack and leave in a day." I was floored because we had barely moved into our new place but I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to go home! We didn't tell anyone and it was fun seeing my parents that surprised.

This is the view out their front door. It's always very therapeutic going home. I love my hometown and all of it's quirks and character. I love the city and our new neighborhood but I am definitely a small town girl.


Had to stop by my old place of employment. I worked as a lifeguard and then pool manager. 6 Summers at this place. Oh the stories...


We also got to see Chloe and C.J. and my cousins Gavin and Lucas compete in Tennis Districts! It was so fun to watch them compete since I'm not around very much anymore.




I was horrible with my camera this trip but we also spent time with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins AND celebrated Chloe's 18th Birthday! She just passed her Senior Boards and graduates next week! It was a much needed trip and I can't wait for them to come visit me this summer!