Maybe that's a sign of a good marriage. No matter how long you've been married, it seems like it's been forever, and yet like it just happened and you long for more.

Our second anniversary was a week ago today :-D And like I said, it feels like we've just always been together. But not in that omgYOUagain? kinda way ;-) More in like that cantimaginewhatmylifewouldbelikewithoutyou kinda way :-D

So back in JUNE we booked my best lil sister and her new hubby to mind the kids for a weekend so we could get away for our anniversary. Now since our LOVELY Terrible Two was born we have exactly TWO nights away from her, she's apx 2 1/2. And that included our wedding night. For US, that is just not enough. We have so much fun together and just enjoy being alone together SO MUCH and it makes ALL the difference in our relationship. We need time ALONE OUT OF THE HOUSE to relate to each other as a man and a woman, a couple, to remind ourselves why the HELL we got together in the first place!!!! I believe all couples need this time. We have had some trouble securing said time though. So back in JUNE we booked our sitter for NOVEMBER and on Nov. 16th we were OFF!

We left at around 6:30 or 7 on Friday to return at about 7 on SUNDAY! HOW AWESOME, I KNOW! So we high-tailed it outta there and stopped for a delicious sushi dinner on our way to Monterey. As I have mentioned before, we are TOTAL beach babies. We LOVE the beach, the ocean more specifically, and spend as much time as we can there. We got into our hotel kinda late and the fireplace, WE PAID EXTRA FOR, was broken. Now the only reason I wasn't too upset about it was because as of THAT morning ... my body betrayed me. FOUR DAYS EARLY my . started. >:-/ Needless to say, we were both pretty DAMNED upset about it.

But we pressed on. Since we got right to bed when we got to the hotel >:-/ we got up nice and early. We went and had a lovely breakfast in our hotel by the fireplace, a pretty romantic way to start our day :-D Then we ran back to our room and finished getting ready.

We decided to start out going south on highway 1. This was our first stop. Basically what we did was run around beach hopping all day! It was SOOO fun! And amazingly beautiful! This was in Carmel, so pretty, SO going on my wall somewhere :-D

This was just another spot we stopped at along the road. The waves were breaking so big that day and yet the weather was PERFECT. It was warm but not hot, no wind, and completely crystal clear, that's mist on the cliffs not fog :-D

This was one of our next stops and one picture of about 5 that my DH took trying to get the perfect shot for his next painting - again - GOING ON THE WALL!

Then some nice folks took our picture there and we were on our way south to Big Sur, the only spot DH REALLY wanted to see. They have a water fall from the cliffs down to a beach so we were pretty STOKED about seeing it up close!

However, we found that the fog beat us there. I can't explain how awesome it was to be here. The fog was so THICK, and so CLOSE that it looked like you could walk right off the cliff and land on a pillow! It was so weird though because you couldn't see a THING but you could HEAR the wave crashing on the rocks right below! It was an eerie feeling but so beautiful!

Now after that we were pretty far south so we turned back around. We found a little deli type place to stop for sandwiches and took them to this stop right there ^^^^ We sat on that little dirt patch right at the edge of that cliff and had lunch :-D

It was VERY romantic :-D We had a glass of wine with our lunch and listened to waves just soaking it all in. It was just amazing how relaxed we were and how different if felt! It was like the longest best day ever! And it was only half over!

After lunch heading north on highway 1 we took the totally touristy trek of 17 mile drive. I don't know if you've ever heard of it, but its the 17 mile stretch that goes out on the Monterey Penninsula and includes some of the most famous golf courses like Pebble Beach, Spy Glass, and Spanish Bay - and also the most AMAZING homes I have EVER SEEN - OH and they charge you $9 for it ;-)

Also along drive is one of the most well known scenic photos ... The Lone Cypress. As you can see it's a lone cypress growing out of a rock in the ocean. It's actually pretty neat and that's why this is ONE of like 6 pictures we have of it ;-) WALL!

We spent about 2 hours on the beaches out there, drank another glass of wine, and were back on our way to Cannary Row in Monterey. It's basically a LOT of cute little stores and restaurants, oh and WINERIES! = HEAVEN. So we went to a few stores and a winery THEN we found the MECA of wine tasting ... of us anyway ;-) A wine bar, overlooking the ocean = MORE heaven :-D After we tasted some wines we ordered a glass of their Merlot and sat in their seating area.

Our table was right in front of a HUGE wall of glass over the ocean. SO ROMANTIC! Now we got a few of these pics and with the exception of the classy bird poop, the whole scene was perfect :-D In fact, we ended up eating at the restaurant right there on the right. After soaking in the ambiance and relaxing with our glasses we went back to hotel to get ready for dinner.

Ok, we don't get out much together alone these days so we decided to have dinner a NICE restaurant and get nice and dressed up. And boy did we :-D We looked GREAT. Did I get a picture of it?!?!?!?! Sigh... However I did get a nice picture of our view from our table :-D And while we were waiting for our patio table we walked and kissed on that beach right there. It was so fun and romantical ;-) We were all dressed up and I still just took off my shoes and walked in the sand, my DH said that was one of the things he loved most about me, how spontaneous I was and how I could still be so beautiful and classy but not above taking off my fancy shoes to walk in the sand :-D

Dinner was over too soon, and since it was FREEZING outside we waited until EARLY morning to go to a real beach. I love pictures of words in the sand, I take them EVERY time I got to the beach. But this time I was having trouble coming up with a phrase so I asked DH what he thought and "He said "TRUE LOVE" baby, that's just ... us" So there ya go :-D We walked up and down the beach for a long time, trying to drink in every moment before heading back home. After we packed up at the hotel and had breakfast by the fire again :-D We decided to head north on highway 1.
Along the way we did more of the beach hopping. The weather was again in our favor and we came up with some AMAZING shots. This was - again - one of like 7 of this exact spot, gotta get the right collection of breaks or something for his painting ;-) We were heading for "our spot" in Half Moon Bay.

The Moss Beach Distillery is one of the most beautiful and romantic places I know of, GO THERE, if you get the chance :-D It's a nice restaurant with a BEAUTIFUL patio area down below over looking a beautiful beach. Now, the awesome part of this patio that set it apart for me, was the fire pit, the bar, and the awesome wooden 2-seater benches with big warm blankets

VERY cozy and VERY romantic :-D Now we found this place just over 2 years ago when we came down to the ocean looking for a place to get married. We came in for their Sunday brunch but couldn't enjoy the patio because we had Terrible Two with us at the time, she was only 3 months old back then though ;-) SO, we said "NEXT TIME, we are SO getting a bench seat!" So when we got there, we didn't even ask for a table, we just ran downstairs for the patio. When we got there, all the benches were taken, as I guess I figured they would be. So we waited inside deciding what to eat. THAT was when these four old people came down stairs. They were looking at the patio and plotting out where they wanted to sit and then proceeded outsite to basically wait for someone to leave! I was all "OH HEEEEELL NO BITCHES!" So then they started organizing chairs for them all to sit in, when 2 couples got up and headed inside.

Through my very keen peripheral vision, as I leapt from my chair and RAN to the door, I could see the old people, as if in slow motion - look over, look at each other, motion that they should come over and take BOTH of these spots as there were 4 of them. I knew that if I was not quicker than them we would lose the only spots that would come open before we had to leave to go home. SO I SAID OH HELLLLL NO. Before Brandon could even ask what I was doing I was out the door and walking to MY seat. I sat down in the comfy bench in front of the fire and grabbed the warm blanket. Then as DH finally joined me I looked over at the old people who shot me a look, and I said to my DH, nice and loud, "They may have been waiting 5 minutes, but *I* have been waiting 2 YEARS" ... and besides ... WE WERE THERE FIRST ANYWAY! :-D

We sat there for a LONG time sipping our champange and thoroughly enjoying every moment. Then it was getting later and later and we kept thinking of how we had to head back soon. So we decided to head back up and get a late lunch. This was the vew from our table window.

After lunch we had a LITTLE bit of time left we so went down to the beach in front of the restaurant. The waves were amazing and we watched them for the last time on "our best weekend ever". Now, you might think nothing much of this shot, but let me tell you! It is VERY hard to take a picture of the back of your own head! But I wanted to document how we spent out time and that was gazing out at the ocean and waves together basking in the warmth that is our love ... hehe ;-)

And this was the last of our 80 pictures. The sun setting on our perfect weekend.

Ah. I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was to spend so much time with my wonderful hubby. Sure we missed the kids and it was great to get back to them. But we NEED that time alone, or we lose that magic we have amidst the chaos that is our life.

SOOOOOO, after the longest post EVER ... I am just lucky if any of you are still THERE! So thanks for visiting! TNT!

One of my oldest and dearest and bestest friends moved very VERY far away about a year ago. She has made the trip out here and I got to see her but it's been different since she's been so far away. SOOO, one day on the phone we said for the eleventyhundredth time "I wish I could visit you." and she said back "I wish you could too" - and then we decided to make it happen. I really do my best to live my life that way, if it's something I want then I WILL find a way to make it happen. That includes enlisting the help of MANY other people :-D The dates worked out (THANK YOU VETERANS DAY!) and so did child care (THANK YOU HONEY! I LOVE YOU!)as well as some much needed help with the financial part (THANKS AGAIN GIRL!) and so November 9th at 12:27 I was in my car on my way ...

OUT OF TOWN BABY! w00t!

My plane didn't actually leave until like 5:30 but you know airport security these days! And I did have to park really far away and I DID have to drive really far to get there so 'I think I should leave about 5 hours, you know, to be safe!' ;-) And what EVER will I do with the THREE HOURS I had left after getting to my gate you ask...


Hehe . . . WHAT ELSE?! ;-)

It's funny cause I was enjoying my $12 cosmo (!) and trying to take a picture of my happiness, several times in fact, and then a nice guy sitting across the bar from me came over and asked "Um, would you like me to take a picture of you?" and I said "Yes, I need to make sure my airport drunkenness is saved for all posterity" - or something like that ;-)


And in addition to drinking my $12 cosmoS (!) I found that they have WINE on the PLANE! w00t! And it was only $3 (!)

My BFF picked me up at the airport VERY VERY late at night and after taking a tour of her BEAUTIFUL home I finally crashed out. The next day she had planned a BUNCH of fun activities. I started the day out early, well actually sleeping in til 7 is LATE for me. That's right ... I.AM.FUN! :-D I had coffee while she got the kids set up, then we were off to our pottery class!!! These are our mostly-finished products! And I am proud to say that we made them with our own little hands :-D Mine are the ones on the left - and that one that looks like a 3 year old made it ... yeah I did that on purpose ... :-D

After that we went to lunch in this great little country restaurant and a friend of hers joined us. We had so much fun, the place was all decorated for Christmas and carolers strolled through the shopping area. After lunch we did a little shopping and then it was off to one place I HAD to go to ...

THE SKETCHERS OUTLET - AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH :-D

{and NO I did NOT buy all of those shoes, I WISH, cute pic though right? ;-) }

But I DID buy these :-D I do love them :-D


After our fun day of pottery and shopping we went back home for dinner with her family. We had thought about a movie cause out there in the liberated state of Texas - ok are you ready - YOU CAN DRINK in the MOVIE theater! I KNOW I KNOW! AWESOME... but none of the movies were working out so we rented one instead. But first we had to run out for some 'refreshments' ;-) This is when I got to experience the HEB! That's pronounced HEEEEEB, just so ya know ;-) HEEEEEEEB is the ONLY grocery store out there! It was great though, huge and cheap, perfect :-D Now some will tell you that it's actually pronounced H.E.B but I really think it's HEEEEEB

The next day we started EARLY! We were up and out by like 8 or something! We were going out of the city to a cute little town called Fredriksburg that's little and cute and quaint and a little more Texi-fied ;-) We started out the day with a pedicure! A 2 and 1/2 HOUR pedicure! The place was a little, um ... different, but our pedicurist was GREAT and we left with very pretty tootsies :-D

Next we had lunch at a brewery. Their Red was great and the food was awesome! I had to take a picture of my BFF and the admiral - BET YOU DIDN'T THINK I WOULD PUT THAT UP DID YOU ;-)

After lunch we did some boutiquing ;-) That means shopping in tiny little stores that sells the same stuff you can make or buy at Target but they charge 100% more because it's a BOUTIQUE, you pay for the ambiance ;-) Really though they had some great stuff and OH the CHRISTMAS STUFF!!!!! Now, I ask you, what is a trip to Texas without a cowboy hat?! I don't look half bad in that hat either! I didn't buy it, but I DID buy something ...

Hehe, I mean really, need I say more?! {In case you can't read it because of my huge rack, it says "He hunts, I shop" - so true so true ...

We also found a cute little Amish store there and appearently there are really Amish people working there abouts, and that they too must pay for parking just like the rest of us ;-)

After all that good shoppin fun we grabbed a coffee and headed back home. We got all gussied up and headed on down to the local waterin hole for a big ol Texas size dinner! ;-) Actually we got dressed up, grabbed her hubby and went down to this very nice restaurant and had a GREAT time! They made some great cocktails too! The food was FANTASTIC. I had the best pan-seared Ahi I have EVER had!

But the company was the best part :-D

The next morning my plane was to leave at 7:30 so we had to get up VERY VERY early and hi-tail it down to the airport. Her sweet aunt got up early though and made coffee so I could have one last cup before starting a very VERY long day.

There were about 1.5 MILLION people in the security line at 6:00 in the morning. I did get to my gate with plenty of time though, and it's a good thing because they were late! I also found out that what was supposed to be a nonstop flight from San Antonio to Sacramento now had a stop over in Tucson or some such crappy city {no offense if any of you are from said crappy city, and I'm sure it's not crappy :-D} So the flight that was normally supposed to be a little less than hours and would put me in Sacramento at 8:30 in the morning, actually took 6 hours and I think I got home around 4 or something since I had to spend awhile LOOKING FOR MY LOST LUGGAGE. Sigh... I guess SOMETHING had to go wrong just to really make the rest of the weekend SHINE! Well no it didn't but that sounds good ;-)

They did end up getting my luggage to my by about 11 that night, so it all ended up ok. And I had the best weekend ALONE in a VERY long time. My BFF went out of her way to make sure I had a great time and I was thoroughly entertained at all times, and I was. It was great. She and her family are wonderful, very sweet, giving people and I loved spending time with them.

Thank you again you guys, it was a great great weekend.

OK, that's it for me tonight! See, I totally followed through with the pictures! And next will be my Monterey post, I know I know I can't sleep either ;-)

TNT! Thanks for coming by!

OK, so it took a LITTLE longer than I anticipated to get back to this whole BLOG thing...

I was very busy though! I went to Texas, unpacked just long enough to wash all my cute non-kid clothes and repack them, went to Monterey for the best most romantic wonderful weekend of my life, came back to Turkey WEEK, cleaned and had company Monday, play dates Tuesday and Wednesday, shopped and cooked for Turkey DAY, cooked more, CLEANED LIKE A MUTHA after all these fools up in my house, had some chicks over for drinks, started Christmas shopping, decided to NEVER drag my husband out for shopping AGAIN, cleaned the couches and the carpet, and other random things youcouldcarelessabout :-D

So we shall start from the beginning, of where I left off anyway. Monday, October 30th we FIN-DAMN-LY painted our pumpkins!

We decided this year that carving was just way to messy and complicated for our big little family. So we collected some paint and pumpkins and went to town!


LittleMAN painted his and I took this picture just before he left Tuesday morning. He was with his mom this year for Halloween so he wasn't able to go with us.


This wasn't actually Terrible Two's pumpkin, it's mine, but she was LESS than cooperative so I just took the damn picture...weird I KNOW! She was a soft cozy little monkey this year.


Princes was a Spider Witch this year and also painted a cute little witch on her pumpkin.

Boss was a Buckaneer {or whatever} this year and she painted a bat and 'Happy Halloween'.


Our pumpkins ended up SO CUTE! Do you love the hay bale? I thought it really said "FALL" ;-)


Halloween was so freakin fun this year! It was our first year in the new neighborhood, and it's a great neighborhood so we were all super excited! Terrible Two REALLY picked up on what was going on this year too! She RAN up to the doors, pushed her sisters out of the way, and SCREAMED 'TRK-R-TREA!" Then if they let her take candy, she was taking 2 and 3 HANDFULS! Then she RAN back down the sidewalk and yelled "PANK YOU!" SEVERAL times. It was so cute, I just can't explain it. I wished so badly I had a video camera! There was just this sound in her voice and this joy that it special to 2 year olds I think. Then I started thinking about how this will be the last 2 year old I ever have so I won't ever hear that from another one of my kids again. THEN I started thinking about how old my kids are getting and blah blah blah and WOW I totally just brought all {3} of you down didn't I?! :-D


The following weekend we only had Terrible Two so we took a trip up to our winery in the foothills to pick up our 2 or 3 shipments - it takes a WHILE to get there so we can't go too often, but when we do it's always so much fun. We did our wine tasting, grabbed our bottles and decided to sit a spell. They had a little lawn area all enclosed so Terrible had a great time running from one end to the other while we sat and enjoyed a glass.

They are just too freakin cute...

But do *I* get that kind of cuteassohiloveyoumommyireallydo kinda picture...that would be a no...

Then I just took a few shots trying to find a good one for DH to paint for my dinning room. The place is just so beautiful! The whole area that surrounds it is just rolling hills covered in vineyards. In this area there are like 30 wineries! We usually only make it to 1, MAYBE 2! I'm also now on a hunt to find the perfect pictures to print out and display in our house.

As you can see, I have quite a bit to use for inspiration! That's one of the things I love so much about living in California. It's just stunning sometimes the beauty that surrounds me. I love so much that my wonderful husband feels the same way I do and that we take little trips, and BIG ONES, and love discovering how amazing California is. OH and this is NOTHING compared to our Monterey pics! {coming to a post bear you soon!} I just love the idea of decorating my house with pictures that are personal, places we've been, stories we have. It just makes me happy :-D I love how 2 of my BFFs have their houses decorated with pictures and frames and stuff and I am TOTALLY copying them :-D

Ok well, that's it for me tonight! I have SO MUCH MORE to come though! Texas and Monterey and Thanksgiving - OH MY! Thanks for dropping by!

TNT!