Spectacular Spectacular: My September

So its time to wrap up last month, and what a fabulous month it was. September was full of adventures, laughter, spending time with friends and family.  It wasn't all fun and games, it was also a time to say goodbye to a loved one.

Are you ready to get this party started? I am.

• Boyfriend Adventures: Yes, I said it, BOYFRIEND adventures, we're all facebook official now so I can use the title.
• Labor Day Weekend when he came home from school for the long weekend. It began with a Friday night Cook Your Own at the local Elks Lodge for a friend of his family's birthday party... PS I can cook fish on the BBQ like nobody's business.



Boats & Hoes!

• Saturday we took a day trip with the intentions of going to Pfeiffer State Beach in Big Sur, but missed the turn and ended up at a BEAUTIFUL beach in Carmel that we basically had to ourselves, we maybe shared it with 20 other people, tops. After spending a few hours picnicking, watching new scuba divers venture out into the water, and yelling at seagulls (more him than me, can you believe it? I found someone more irritated by those winged rats than myself.) we decided to drive into Monterrey to see Fisherman's Wharf. We walked around the harbor, had fish and chips on the wharf, window shopped in all the tourist traps, walked through a Greek Festival, grabbed Starbucks for the drive home and made our way back to Santa Barbara County.
• Sunday we went wine tasting with his mom and her BF in Tepusquet Canyon, went dancing at Harry's Nightclub and Beach Bar in Pismo Beach, hung out at Mr. Rick's in Avila Beach (word of advice, if your boy wants to give you a piggy back ride, make sure you've got hops, because if you're like me and don't you'll both end up falling down and rolling around the parking lot at the beach), and finished the night with nachos at my aunt's house.
• Monday I introduced him to my parents. Big step right? I haven't introduced anyone I've dated since college to my mom. We met up for lunch at a local BBQ restaurant everything went smoothly and it was a lot less nerve racking as I had anticipated. Maybe I haven't given my parents enough credit over the years, but seriously when a shot gun gets brought out when you're sixteen to intimidate the guy who wants to ask you out, you learn to be cautious.
• Weekend in Fresno:
• That Good Old College Experience: When I was in college I was never really part of the "scene" I lived a half an hour away from the campus and wasn't close enough to the people who partied to trust them enough to play all the games that university students partake in. I never really felt left out or like I missed anything, but I have been assured that I have (LOL). So like any good boyfriend, mine has promised to show me the full experience of reliving my college years, without midterms, finals, or essays (at least on my part, so basically all the fun and none of the work). I learned how to play "King's Cup" (its so NOT my game, I lost both times we played) and learned that I excel at Beer Pong (or maybe he was just being encouraging?). Sunday morning we got up early(ish, okay not really) and went to go watch the COWBOYS! game at BC's... I guess all the festivities of the weekend were too much for me though, because I may have accidentally fallen asleep for a minute in the bar (oopsies! and I was only drinking water).

• Winchester Mystery House and Downtown San Jose: I've wanted to go to this house since I first saw the billboard posters when I was in high school, but never really had an opportunity. When BF found out that I haven't been there he decided that San Jose was the next stop on our journey and I'm so glad he did. The whole experience was fantastic. I do have to say the only disappointment was that the tours are no longer guided by actual docents, you are assigned a headset and a remote and have to listen to the tour. I think it would have been a much more personal experience had we had someone leading us through the house, especially considering the price of admittance. My favorite part of the visit to the house was the wine tasting on the patio, it was such a pretty day and was so relaxing. I was nice just to have a glass of wine (our bartender had a heavy hand, with 4 tastings I practically had two full glasses) and just visit with each other.  Don't get me wrong the house was beautiful, interesting, and not at all scary (I was kind of hoping it would be creepy and haunted). After our tour concluded we met up with my aunt who wasin the area visiting my cousin, and cousin's boyfriend who had just moved into their first apartment together. We spend a few hours with them, had dinner at the Gordan Biersch Brewery in Downtown SJ (their appetizers, mojitos, and lobster bisque soup are amazing, you need to go try them out), then finished the San Jose experience at the Cinebar, a cute little dive bar a few doors down from the brewery.
• Fresno State University: I received a tour of the campus, its beautiful, hung out in the library for a few minutes, and visited the cadaver lab... no dead bodies for me thank you, but I did go inside the lab where the bodies are housed, that counts for something right?
• Zombie Nights: My whole September calendar wasn't filled with boyfriend adventures, I also have maintained our weekly Girls' Night In, although now we call it "Zombie Night" since we've been watching The Walking Dead for the past few weeks. It is getting us in the Halloween spirit (one of my FAVORITE holidays), and the new season starts on October 14th so we've got to get caught up. Sometimes we go to out to dinner, sometimes Karla or her roommate cook, sometimes we order in, what matters is that we're together and having a great time. We all snuggle on the couch together, turn off all the lights, and prepare to be scared by all the brain eating gore. 
• Aunt's Funeral: This September we said goodbye to my great-aunt. She really was a great person, she raised me and other family members, she was always there with a hug and a story to tell. The funeral itself wasn't as traumatizing as many can be, we celebrated her life and wished her well. She is finally with all the loved ones that had already left us, and I know she'll continue to take care of us even though her body is gone.

We'll miss you Auntie

 

There you have it, that was September in a nutshell, can't wait to see what October brings. Keep smiling friends, its the moments that matter.

How Do You Say Goodbye?

Last week I had to say goodbye to a loved one. Sunday night (September 16th) I received a phone call letting me know that my great aunt had passed away, and while I was shocked, it was hardly shocking news. My aunt, Josephine, had suffered from dementia for the past three and a half years, and for as long as I can remember her life had been peppered with various health ailments. She had been mourning the loss of her husband for the past ten years and had been looking forward to joining him.

She was a woman who devoted her life to her family. She raised my father and his sister, my aunt Cindy, so that my grandmother could work. She took care of me and my cousins so that our mothers could work as well. She loved her pets (dogs, cats, birds, and whatever strays wandered into the yard), she was a great cook, collected angels, and was hooked on her soap operas.

So how do you say goodbye to someone who played such a major role in your life? I probably spent 90% of my childhood at her house, she was there the day I was born, she was there when I graduated from high school and college, and every important event in my life. She held my hand when I was sick or scared, and she shared my joy on some of my happiest days.

So how do you say goodbye? Maybe you don't. Maybe you just celebrate the life they lived and know that they're finally where they want to be. You are relieved that they are no longer in pain. You realize that you will miss them and that holidays won't be the same without them, but at the same time they're never really completely gone as long as you hold them in your heart. They're never gone as long as when you think of them it brings a smile to your face. It's never goodbye, it's always thank you for loving me and I'll see you on the other side.

Jubilant July

First I want to say Happy 800+!! We made it today, couldn't have done it without you faithful/new readers.

July was a crazy awesome month so here's the rundown. Slightly out of chronological order but still documented for your amusement.

• Per tradition I spent the 4th of July with my bestie and her husband (she has great recipes and DIY projects on her blog, you should take a gander) at her parents house for an annual BBQ, this is the first year my "other parents" weren't in attendance (they were out of town on business) but we still had a wonderful time drinking margaritas, roasting marshmallows, telling stories around the fire pit, and just relaxing with good friends.
• A weekly Girls' Night was started this summer, we've titled it Hot Tub Thursday, even though we might jot always meet on a Thursday or get in the jacuzzi, it's really just a reason for us girlies to get together and not lose track of each other as our lives get crazy. Always make time for your friends and they'll make time for you. Also if you ever need a karaoke buddy, I'm your girl. One of the girls' nights this month we went to a dive bar in Goleta (old town tavern, in case you were interested) and I brought the house down with the classic Bon Jovi song "Livin' on a Prayer" and before you ask, no I wasn't drunk. I just hit the stage and perform. I think it's all those years of dancing as a kid. Put me on a stage and I'll entertain you.
   
• While my aunt and uncle took a vacation this summer they hired me to watch their house and dog, little did we know my 19 (almost 20) year old cousin would also be home from school for those 10 days. He obviously didn't need a baby sitter but I stayed any way and we had a great time spending one on one cousin time together and I actually was surprised by how much fun I had hanging out with his friends. We had some good talks and I think have a better appreciation of who the other one is. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to do it. I would do it again in a heartbeat without question.

• It's finally happened after a months long dry spell I finally started dating again. Someone I've known for years called me out of the blue one evening, asked me out, and we've been spending a lot of time together since. I can't tell you how great it is to be dating someone who is excited to see you every time you get together, to be involved with someone who can make you laugh so hard that you can't breathe, who can quote all your favorite movies, and who makes you smile all the time instead of making you feel like a crazy person. I'm used to dating the person who makes me insane, I have to say this is such a welcome change.

• While this next paragraph isn't exactly a happy bullet point, it isn't sorrowful either. This month my great grandmother passed away. She was 102 and died in her sleep. Grammy was a fabulous lady and the world is a better place because she was in it for so long. The funeral was the strangest I have ever been to, and in the best way possible. Yes there were moments of sadness, but it was truly a celebration of the long life she lived and loved. There was more laughter than tears. Even the priest was cracking jokes throughout the services. Even though it was under sad circumstances it was really nice to see everyone together on once place and what was even better was to see family members set aside their differences (even if it was just for a few hours) to honor someone we all loved.

• I can't talk about July without mentioning that it is BIRTHDAY MONTH. This year I celebrated the 10th anniversary of my 21st birthday, yes people I am 31. Don't feel weird, it's hard for me to believe too. This year I celebrated by going to dinner in SLO with my parents (the June NOLA trip was also part of the celebration); going to a Brad Paisley concert with my sister, dad, and his girlfriend; going to dinner (sushi) and a movie (The Dark Knight Rises) with friends; wine tasting with friends; dinner with my grandma and aunt; going to a Kellie Pickler concert with my aunt; multiple trips to the California Mid-State Fair; and a mini office party at work. I think it's safe to say I'm loved and very lucky to have such fantastic people in my life.