Chasing the Sun

Yesterday was a bit of a last-minute trip to the beach to take my aunt and uncle while they're visiting.  Normally, we like to leave first thing in the morning, but my mom worked and didn't get off until later, so we waited.  Our first stop was Pismo Beach. We parked and walked quite a distance and took in the salty air as we dug our toes into the sand. I feel so alive when I stand next to the ocean. My mind is free and I'm not worried about what comes next, what I'm doing tomorrow or what's going to happen five years from now. I feel closer to God in those moments. I like feeling small when I stand next to the ocean. Or when I look up at the sky and remember I'm only a tiny part of the grander plan. It's not all on me and it's okay to not know the next step. There's beauty in that. I would've stayed there forever if I could. The air was breezy and the perfect sweatshirt weather.  As we walked closer back to the shore, we decided to ...

This past week has been one of my very favorites. Last Friday night, my aunt, uncle, cousin and her daughter came to town and Sunday night, my other aunt and uncle got in. This past week has been nonstop family fun. We went to breakfast at one of my uncle's favorite spots in town:  We saw Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom!  We went out for lunch together another day, and even went to the new arcade in town. I played ski ball, Guardians of the Galaxy pinball, Star Wars pinball and foosball. We had a great time. I also made plans to come back with friends, because that place has everything from a karaoke room to a bowling alley to a restaurant and arcade with large video games.  We also had plenty of dinners at home, just hanging out with one another.  Some of my family left on Thursday morning, but my other aunt and uncle stuck around. We went out for dinner at an Italian restaurant for my mom's birthday.  We also went to the ...

Last night, my coworker and I drove to Kernville for our vice president's wedding! It's a gorgeous little town about an hour away from us. There are antique shops, restaurants, inns and lodges, and bars right near the river. There are also plenty of outdoor activities, like tubing and rafting in the river, especially during these summer months. The wedding didn't start until 5:30 p.m., so the sun was setting around the hills as we drove. We were pushing it on time and kept crossing our fingers we'd make it! And we did, with a few minutes to spare. We found a couple seats near our other coworkers and the ceremony began shortly after. It was one of the sweetest ceremonies I've ever witnessed. They wrote their own vows, the trees practically humming from the wind and their love for each other was very evident with every glance and touch. I definitely cried. Because weddings make me emotional like that. We grabbed a table, and the sun was just beating on us...

Last Wednesday afternoon, I left for San Jose with a few coworkers for a PR conference, and it was one of the best experiences. Wednesday evening, we checked into our hotel, freshened up, then went out for dinner as a team. I have a couple of friends who live in the area, so I asked for food recommendations. We decided on Santana Row, which is similar to The Grove in Los Angeles, with a cornucopia of shops, restaurants and more. We went to Pizza Antica, which I would describe as rustic chic. It's a like New York City meets Nashville with a fancy bar area made of wood, tile covering the floors and wooden tables and cloth napkins. I went with the calzone, because they are the best and it was large and tasty. Everyone raved about their food, and the conversation was great. You couldn't ask for more. Our waiter offered us free dessert since it was our first time visiting, but my friend had recommended an ice cream place to try around the corner. So we passed. Crazy, I know! ...

If you know me at all, you know I'm a big Chris Pratt fan. I almost kind of met him at Paley Fest a few years ago (JUST before the movie star pandemonium), but wasn't able to get a photo or autograph. With the release of Jurassic World 2 comes a premiere. So, yesterday afternoon, my friend and I went down to LA to see what we could of the movie's red carpet.  We arrived around 1:30, grabbed Subway for lunch, used the restroom, then secured our spot in line, where we would stand for the next five or so hours. We were surrounded by many collectors, who print out oodles and oodles of shots from movies and photo shoots and sell them on eBay. Most are not very nice and once the celebrities come out become even more pushy and rude. They will do whatever it takes to get that autograph, because this is their full-time job and how they make money. One was nice and gave us helpful hints about meeting Chris Pratt and how to be prepared if he came down the line. He also shared ot...