Feeling inspired by Jenna's Big Sur video (I don't even want to talk about my slightly creepy love of these videos and those families and how cute those kids are etc etc etc) and by this Verily article about breaking up with your tv. Yikes, preaching to my heart, sister.

We live in Colorado now. I have not climbed a 14-er yet. Mostly because I'm pretty sure I will die. But also because I'm an introvert, I'm a homebody, and I'm lazy. Emphasis on the lazy.

I love the idea of adventures, and hiking, and camping, and the like. And I'm realizing more and more that I want to be able to tell cool stories when I'm old. I want to be able to open a photo album (or scan photos into some eye chip so you can view them on your eyeball, whatever the future holds) and share with (God willing) my children and their children and my friends and their families.

I love the Big Sur video for so many reasons. It's beautiful and Fleet Foxes. But also because it is an authentic and beautiful way to capture those beautiful memories. Like, I'm excited for them to share it with their families in 20 years.

I want to do that. I want to make and create things so I can share life now (with my husband, with my friends, with my family) and in the future.

I printed off some photos via Artifact Uprising thanks to Hannah's recommendation.

Halloween last year (Hot Rod & Dave)

We did it. We survived having house guests. Specifically my brother and his now *fiance* aaaaaaayyyyyyyy!

Like Blake said, we started the trip dating and now we aren't. So smooth. He had some real gems this trip.

We started in Yosemite and hot damn. We stayed in the cutest little cabins ever and we found a Living Social deal online so it was even cheaper! It had just enough room for two nights and then it probably would have caused some fights.

#outdoorsy

We hiked up the Upper Falls trail and, you guys, it chewed me up. I'm not in great shape, like I do a lot of walking and occasional running, so I was thinking it would be okay. It was almost not okay. Thankfully, my husband is the most patient human being and had the perfect mix of encouragement and tough love so I got my butt up that mountain.

My lagging behind also allowed Blake and Laura (they are really in shape) some time to be alone so that he could propose to her. AHHH I still cannot handle it.

We made it to Columbia rock and this was our view.


It looks like a desktop background. It was amazing. It took a long time but it was so worth it. We came back the next day and did some more hiking, because we are crazy. We hiked up to Vernal Falls which was also crazy beautiful.


Almost half of it was stupid crazy steep stone steps. My thighs have never burned so bad. My top butt (anatomical term) is still sore. Also how majestic does my Eagle Scout husband look?

We left our fun cabin and headed to Napa Valley to visit our California mom, Judy, and got an amazing tour of her winery. We also were able to sample their wine and it was so so so good.



So cool. It was the fanciest work environment ever. They have an amazing kitchen staff to make lunches, a lap pool, a basketball court, a soccer field, an ENTIRE gym, multiple theaters, and 12 bars. For drinking. Not during the day. I don't think.

Anyway it was so cool.

Overall the trip was amazing. It was so fun to show off Berkeley, to experience it with fresh eyes, and to check off a lot of things on our CA bucket list. In the end I'm slightly shell-shocked and missing my family like crazy but so incredibly grateful that we were able to spend time together.

Ahh feelings. Anyway, sorry a lot of the photos are just Instagram duplicates buuut I love Instagram. I'm sure I left out a ton of details (like how Edge of Tomorrow is surprisingly good, and that I successfully meal planned a camping trip, and that we named some stray cats Will Smith and Kevin James) but my brain is foggy and a little mushy. In the best way.

Go Gonzaga!