Meet our CA hosts - Part 1

We arrived in beautiful San Francisco to gorgeous weather and our hosts (DoLoris & Doug) picking us up from the airport.  DoLoris is my dad's 1st cousin... but for some reason I've always called her my aunt or great aunt or even grandma.... cousin just doesn't really fit.  We've been really close ever since I was little and when she would visit MN we would always find an adventure to go on.  She was the 1st person I ever knew that would buy half of the inventory in a store in one shopping trip ;)

Meet DoLoris & Doug... a lovely (MN nice) couple.

The first full day in CA we went to see the Muir Woods.  

The redwood tree's were stunning and the park was so beautiful.

We also took a tour around some beautiful country side, visited Stinson beach and ate at a cute cafe.

Picking oranges... I was overly excited about this and finding a huge cactus.

Sorry Mark about accidentally picking your solo oranage!

DoLoris & Doug live just south of Napa Valley.  This was a place that has always been on my bucket list.  It was beautiful and the wine was awesome!  Definitely a place I would like to re-visit in the fall when the grapes are in prime season.

Robby's #1 thing to do in CA was see the redwood's and mine was to eat fresh crab!  So we went & got fresh crab thew out newspaper on the table and cracked away.  It was yummy!

We concluded our lovely time in SF with D&D by a game of dice and waking up to Doug's homemade breakfast!  Thanks for the fun time in SF... it's a trip we will never forget!

Now off to drive down the beautiful pacific coast highway to LA for a wedding.  More on that later...

Worse than a bad hair day

Robby & I had a terrible evening a few weeks ago.  We got food poisoning at the same time... with only one bathroom.  You can imagine.  It was awful.... so awful that i began throwing up blood.  It was really scary so Robby took me to the ER.  It turns out I was throwing up so viciously I tore something in my throat causing it to bleed.  Anyways, we are both fine now.  We don't know exactly what caused it but my gut says baaaaaad guac dip.  I don't want to believe that though because I love guac dip!

Life Update

Hey-O!  I turned 30, traveled to sunny CA, was in the ER and painted my finger nails since I last posted anything.  I know crazy!  I'm overwhelmed with all of my photos so soon I will get something fresh and exciting on here.  But for now here is a glimpse of my 30th birthday bash with my huz.

Starting the day out right with my FREE Caribou!

A fun surprise from my sweet co-workers!  Dark Chocolate? Yes Please!

Birthday lunch with Robby at Outback - they have a yummy crab appetizer!

An awesome ski after work - the trails were the best all season just for my birthday!

When I got home this was on my doorstep.  There is only ONE person I know who covers a box in colorful printed tape.

Thanks for the treats Mary - you know me so well!  A Bianchi mug?!  I mean seriously.

We wrapped up the night with dinner at the New Scenic Cafe.  

(Yes, frugal Robby took me out to eat twice in one day!!!)

I had the lamb meatloaf and it was "fall off your chair" good.

We topped it off with millefeuille for dessert which means "cake of 1000 sheets"  

It was incredibly good!

Thanks for all of the Birthday wishes.  It feels good to be 30!