Monterey Get-a-way

Another work week of 2013 in the books.  It's been pretty slow at work, compared to the pandemonium of December.  It still feels odd to have nothing planned for the forseeable future, after being out of town for almost every weekend last month.  Husband and I do plan to head down to Monterey this Sunday to celebrate my uncles B-day and hang out with the family.  I feel so fortunate that Monterey is where my family is from.  People plan destination weddings and spend tons of money on trips just to see and be in Monterey.  The fact that we have a free place to stay and can buzz down there for a weekend trip is something I take for granted until I stop and think about it.  I'm SO bias, but I think it's easily one of the most beautiful and charming places in the world.  Added bonuses include my Grandfather working for Pebble Beach, which has gotten us in, for free, to some of the best golf tournaments and events around.


With no major events taking place this week, or reflections to continue, I'll move on to how my resolutions are going:

1. Completing weekly blog now!

2. Not counting today, because I used my lunch break to drive home from work to beat the traffic, I got up and did something (substantially) active every day this week at lunch.

3. Last week Steve and I walked around Coyote Hills park, so if I can do that again this week, I'll have met my goal since I went to bootcamp Monday and Wednesday.

4. I'm happy to announce that we finally finished off the last of the junk food that we got for Christmas.  In general this week, though, I think I did a lot better.  I went to Wendy's and ordered ONLY a salad and a lemonade, and I only had FroYo on Saturday.  I did eat my fair share of the chocolate box this week, though.

5. I did floss every other day again.

6. We didn't eat out last week, but I'm heading over to Palo Alto shortly to meet Husband, so I'm sure that I'll have a least one new place to Yelp about this weekend!

7. The 2012 Rose Bowl trip backblog is complete!  I plan to get started on the next one-- our first Napa trip shortly!

And so, with that, I'll leave you with a picture of what I plan to be looking at this weekend.  :)

BACKBLOG: Jan 2012 Trip to the Rose Bowl

Note: As part of my 2013 resolutions, I'll be compiling a BackBlog of all the trips my Husband and I took in 2012.

I know that I'll be shunned for this by some, but I'm not a fan of roadtrips.  Some people have this idea that they'll get in a car, tunes blaring and laugh and smile their way to their destination miles and miles away, while seeing amazing sights and having great adventures.  Here is what I have found is more the case:  You get in the car, excited for the place your going, listen to your music, chat with your companion(s) and then, as soon as the 3 hour mark hits, you're bored out of your mind, wishing that you were there, already.  Maybe it's just me.  :)  If the final destination is over three hours away one way, you'll see me on Kayak.com looking for flights.  For serious.

Husband is of the ilk mentioned previously.  Something about the open road calls to him-- and that's fine for me, as long as it's not TOO long of a drive.  Which brings me to our longest roadtrip of 2012 (well, it actually started Dec 31st, 2011).  He had just, that year, sold his 1998 Mustang GT (the car that pretty much sealed the deal for him being a candidate for my serious boyfriend :)), and bought a 2004 BMW M3, which is as fancy as it sounds.  Naturally, he was still looking for every excuse to drive it, and we hadn't really had a chance to take it on any long trips yet.  So, and ONLY because plane flights were too pricey by then for even me to consider it, we took to HWY 101 to have a "roadtrip" down to crazy town Los Angeles, to watch our beloved Oregon Ducks play Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

Those of you who have been on Interstate 5 know that it is not the made for a scenic roadtrip.  But, HWY 101 is.  So, that morning, we followed it down, wandering our way from Fremont to the first of our destinations, San Luis Obispo.  By then it was lunchtime, and not wanting to weigh ourselves down with heavy food, we Yelped a sandwich shop called High Street Deli that was kind of out of the way.  It was actually in the middle of a very residential neighborhood.  But, the sandwiches were huge, and delicious, and we left feeling like we had conquered a SLO landmark.

We then strolled downtown to Bubblegum Alley, which has been featured in many travel channels if you're into such things.  It's literally a narrow, outdoor passageway with millions of wads of chewed gum lining the walls.  It'd be gross if it wasn't so intriguing.  On the other side of the alley, you'll find downtown SLO, which is as cute and tourist-trappy as you can get.  We wandered in and out of the shops, took in the local sights, and then hit the road again for Solvang, our next stop.

I had been to Solvang many a time, as it was a nice stopping point for my family on the way to or from Disneyland.  But since this was Husband's first time down 101, I really wanted to share the odd little town with him.  For those who don't know, Solvang is a little Danish (as in Danes from Denmark) town randomly placed close to halfway in between LA and San Fran.  They have old style architecture, bakeries and a antique store on every corner.  It's really like stepping into another land.  I love every minute of it.  Husband, was perhaps not so enamored, and although he enjoyed another chance to stretch his legs, take in Danish culture and visit the shops, it was getting dark and he was anxious to hit the road.  

My cousin, very conveniently, lives in Torrance, California, which was only a quick jaunt away from where we needed to go to get to Pasadena and the Rose Bowl (aka, UCLA's football stadium).  We made our way down to her house, and promptly got our "New Years Eve" on, by heading to the Bowling Alley and bar where her and her husband worked.  We had a blast-- it was one of the most fun New Years Eve's I've ever had.  We bowled, danced to loud music, sipped amazing drinks and even did a round of Shania Twain Karaoke.  Husband and I both slept until about 1 pm the next day, and that night we went to dinner with my cousin and had some amazing fish in Redondo Beach.

January 2nd, we were on our way to Pasadena.  We missed the Rose Parade, but were happy to arrive at the stadium early and take in all the splendor of a big Bowl Game.  The Ducks ended up winning in an exciting shootout that had me watching through my hands several times, but I couldn't think of a better way to end our last day down south.

It was then that the trip dragged to a close, as we both had to be back that night because of work the next morning.  I think we got back to Fremont near 1:00 am that night, and were so completely exhausted that I wished we had spent the ungodly amount of money to have flown out after the game.  But, Husband had his roadtrip, and I secretly hoped it was enough to satisfy him for a long, long while.  :)  Cheers to 2012, indeed.

Steve at BubbleGum Alley in San Luis Obispo.

Walking around Downtown SLO.

Me, enjoying the sights and sounds of Solvang.

Driving through the cute, Danish town.

We arrived at the Rose Bowl!

Let's Go Ducks!

VERY Happy Duck Fans!

 

Let Go of the Worry

"When you are in tune with the unknown, the known is peaceful."

That little gem appeared on my Yogi teabag just now as I was getting ready to write this Blog.

Now, I know in my heart that quotes and fortunes and horoscopes such as the Yogi Tea ones are supposed to be vague and all-compassing so that those of us trying to find meaning in something can do so easily, but this really applies to my identity as a worrier.  I don't sweat the small stuff too much, usually, but the BIG stuff, I worry about constantly.  Jobs, family life, income, debt, age-- I'm constantly comparing and worrying and researching and worrying again.  I know it's has and will affect me in ways that I'm not conscious of.  I wish I could let more of it go.

We've been in Fremont two years now, and I just found a church that I really like-- Fremont Community Church.  I was pretty involved in church in my child and teen years-- my mom is a church secretary.  Since I moved from home though, I'd go every now and then, but I'm not "involved" per se.  I've never really had the "aha" moment that others have had where their life was changed forever by knowing God.  But, I've known God since I was 5; my heart knows he's with me.  I feel him in nature, in the love I have for my family and sometimes, even in the saddest of moments.  After a few months of searching, I finally found a church that I feel is close to what I knew as a kid, and feel good about going to.  I feel that I can find some answers to calm my mind, reassurance for some of my Christian doubts, and gain some inner peace of knowing that I don't have to hold it all on my own shoulders.  Learn to let some of the worry go.  It's a work in progress.  :)

Anyway, he's a look back on how I did on my resolutions this week:

I am completing my weekly blog, so YAY!

I did get up for every lunch break this week and do something active, save for today, when I finished the episode of Nashville I started last night.  But, I'm promising myself to do something active right after work.

I went to Bootcamp both Monday and Wednesday this week, so if I can finish the weekend off with a run, or hike, I'll be in businesss.

I had my fair share of junk food this week.  But, at least it was less than last month.  :)

I did, though, floss my teeth every other night.

Husband and I went to the restaurant "Town" this past weekend, and I still need to write my Yelp review about it. I WILL do it, I will.  :)

I didn't complete my first back blog of our 2012 trip to the Rose Bowl.  I need to get on that!

 All in all, not bad.  I'm so looking forward to this weekend after my first week in a month that I actually had to work 5 days in a row.  :)

-Lindz

Revival and Resolutions

Well, WELL...if it isn't my long lost BLOG.

I could sit here and type a thousand excuses or awkward reasons why I stopped blogging, but that's boring, so I won't. The fact is that I convince myself somehow that I don't have time or desire to Blog, which is totally nonsensical, because I like to write. I should MAKE time instead of planting myself in front of the TV every night when I get home. So, I'm hoping to change, starting now, in the Revival of my Blog. I'm pretty sure that the last time I actually wrote down any kind of News Year's Resolutions was in the second grade, because it was REQUIRED. Since then, I've seen them as something people think up, stick with for about a week and then forget, until the next year when the process starts all over again. I guess in a sense, that's what I'm telling myself (and you) that I'm not going to do.

But I'm serious this time. Doesn't writing a blog about it make it so? :) I just feel like this year, I have so many things that I want to do swirling around in my head that I better write them down, and hold myself accountable in a weekly blog.

2013 Resolutions:

1. Blog at least one a week. This should not be hard to do. I have plenty of time to watch TV shows at night, so a night of blogging instead should be easy. I just have to convince myself I really do want to do it.

 2. Get up during my work lunch break every day and do something active. Willpower is SO key here. Sure, there are days where a lunch break is a luxury I don't have, but there are others where I'm like...eh....what I if I just eat lunch at my desk and read or look up stuff on the internet? NO MORE! When the weather is nice, there is a great park to walk to, and when it's not, there is an office gym.

3. Do a vigorous, physical workout at least three days a week. I've already got this two times a week by going to my gym's Bootcamp on Mondays and Wednesdays after work. To get a third, I need to take up racquetball again, go to Zumba at the gym on Fridays, or be serious about hiking around Coyote Hills with Husband, and/or walking an entire Frisbee Golf course with the Fam on the weekends.

 4. Eat less Junk food.  This one is SO vague I know, but I can't really think of a way to make it more specific, because Junking Out for me is sometimes random. I HEART dessert. I would eat frozen yogurt all three meals if I could and I'm never one to pass on treats someone makes for a gathering, party, office function, etc. I don't by or make copious amounts of sweets for the house-- just a few things to satisfy, like fruit snacks or hot chocolate. But when it's available, I eat it. Like now, with gargantuan amounts of Christmas goodies in my house. Sometimes I even go out of my way to find dessert, or do something like order a salad at Wendys, but then also get Fries, or a Frosty.  If someone suggests an unhealthy food option, I dig right in, too. Since I know, I KNOW, I am never going to be one of those people who works out every single day to keep the calories of what I eat at bay, I have to cut out some of unhealthy food. I know the willpower needs to be mine alone.

5. Floss my teeth every other night. This one may seem silly, but I've had enough cavities for about three people's lifetimes (see Resolution 3). And I already use ACT wash and my Sonic Care toothbrush every day. My dentist says I need to floss, and I mean to.

6. Write a YELP review once a week (if applicable) about a new restaurant. When I was in Chicago, I LOVED doing this. I think it was because I was in a big city and felt so "in the know" and frankly, ate out a ton because of all the good places I read about. But, SO WHAT if I live in the "Suburban City to Rule Them All" now? There are still great places to eat here. I know-- I've eaten at them. And I will write about them to aid the 200,000 people of Fremont (and anyone who visits) in their dining choices.

7. Complete a Blog back-log of all the trips that Steve and I took together in 2012. I mean to get on this ASAP. I read back in my posts about New York and when people came to visit in Chicago and was just amazed at all the details that I had forgotten from my own recollection. You really do remember more when you write it down. And although I might not remember every detail from our Napa trip in Feb of 2012, but I'll remember WAY more now than 10 years from now, when I actually want to remember. The good thing is, I have pictures from most of our trips to help me along the way.

Seven resolutions. Totally doable, totally obtainable. I'm ready, 2013. Let's go...

~Lindz

The Newly Wedded Mrs. Lindsay of Green

It's a good thing blogging isn't my job, because my work ethic would be seriously questioned. :) To say the least, everything "extracurricular" in my life was put on hold when wedding planning went into full swing—around the end of January (and also, oddly, the time I bought my dress, did that make it official!?). But, August 6th came and went like any normal day does, and on the other side, I am calling myself Mrs. Green. It feels pretty freaking awesome to be married. Another awesome feeling? NO WEDDING PLANNING! Aside from a batch of Thank You notes, waiting for our pictures and video and planning our honeymoon, life after wedding is blissfully dull.

Our special day was just beautiful. It was so surreal that everything that I planned came together to make a wonderful day that I'll remember forever. Our colors were dark green and bright yellow, to represent the Oregon Ducks and the college were we met and fell in love. Aside from our family, we had people from all periods of our lives—Sisters and Malta High, the U of O, and Chicago. Our ceremony was held on the first tee of Laguna Seca Golf Ranch in Monterey, and our reception was inside the restaurant there—Balesteri's. The flowers, the arch and chair cover rentals, the food, our choreographed dance and everything that I had spent countless hours planning for months had finally come together! And I really did enjoy every minute of it!

There were a few hitches—the biggest being that the videographer got stuck in traffic coming from San Jose and missed the ceremony, but luckily I have a family that is religious about bringing video cameras with them everywhere, so our ceremony did get recorded. It's a good thing, because I was on a cloud the whole time and need to be able to watch it again to really take it in, I think. But, all wedding days have their hitches and I was so glad that for the most part, everything went as it should. We even go to extend the fun a bit by celebrating with another reception in my husband's hometown of Malta, Montana. It was great to visit with his family and see the people who couldn't make it all the way to Cali for the wedding. I am sharing some pics below taken by Steven's family. Hopefully we'll have the professional ones soon! I'll be sure to post everything on Facebook once I get the chance.

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Green!

Our crazy, beautiful wedding party.

My husband and I at the reception in Malta, Montana the weekend after our wedding (how cool is that cake?).

And so, now I'm a newlywed-- the newly wedded Mrs. Lindsay Kelly Green. It doesn't really seem like much has changed, but I get super excited every time I think about it. Marriage is going to be an adventure, the next step in our lives! We'll have our very first adventure as a married couple when we head to Hawaii on the 3rd of September for our Honeymoon! It feels so weird going to back to normal life after that humongous occasion, so I am so glad Steve could get some time off to head out for a whole week! We're going to Oahu for three days and Maui for three days and I plan to enjoy every minute!

So, hopefully I'll have more time now to blog with some frequency, and share all the hopes, dreams, struggles and experiences that newly wedded life throws at me. Onward… :)

A Routine for 2011

I can’t remember a time since college that I had been soooo busy. When I look back to my last blog and realize it was after Thanksgiving, I am dumbfounded at how long ago that was. Let’s recap the holidays and adventures I had just before and after:

Early December is a blur. I am not entirely even sure what I did. I know a two weekends were spent in Monterey getting a quote for flowers and making cookies. Another was spent in LA with my cousins and aunt for wedding and bridesmaid dress shopping. Major props to my cousin who has already ordered her wedding dress. I wish I could get that together, but now that things have calmed down, wedding planning should resume in full force.

For Christmas, I flew up to Oregon to spend it with my family. It was really odd not to be in Monterey and have tons of snow on the ground, but we had a really nice little Christmas with just the four of us. I saw some friends and caught up on old times, and got to spend some lazy days hanging out with the fam. Highlights of some gifts – an awesome wireless printer, first dance lessons for our wedding and an Xbox kinect, which I am in LOVE with. The Dance Central game is so fun and a really good workout as well.

I flew back down to go to work for two days that week following Christmas, and then was off until the 3rd. My parents came down to Monterey a few days later to visit. Mom and I went dress shopping, and I am really hoping I am one-step closer to finding the ONE. I’ve been in and out of so many dress shops that they are all starting to run together, but I think I have narrowed it down enough to where I am prepared to choose. I have a few more appointments and go-backs, but I am making a decision by the end of this month. I just HAVE to.

We also celebrated my 26th Birthday, which was on December 29th, by going to dinner and having Fro-Yo afterward. New Years came WAY too quickly and we celebrated at my aunt’s house. It was great to ring in the New Year with the family around.

If all that vacation time wasn’t enough, Steve and I flew to Arizona on January 6th, to attend the BCS National Championship game that following Monday. I am so, so, so sad to say that the Oregon Ducks didn’t win, but I think that we are both happy we went. We had a good time exploring, visiting friends, taking in the festivities and even hiking Camelback Mountain…which I am still tired from.

Next week will mark my first full week of work in a little under a month. I am going to have some SERIOUS vacation withdrawal. With Steve starting work at the firm next Wednesday, I imagine that our vacationing days are going to be over for a while. That really is okay with me, because it’s time that we settled into a routine—a process that I think was interrupted with the holidays and all that came after them. Losing weight, working out, eating better are all the list for the next months, and I’m going to try to force myself to make good choices and stay motivated so I can keep my self esteem up and give myself enough energy for the necessary wedding planning (and look the best I can in my engagement and wedding pictures).

So- Happy New Year! Here’s to establishing a healthy routine and making 2011 the best year yet.

It's Holiday Time!

Despite the snow and cold, Steve and I had a really great Thanksgiving in Montana. The flights all went as planned, and even the four-hour drive to his hometown from the airport was better than expected. The weather must have held out because it knew we were coming.  When I woke up on Thursday morning, my phone alerted me that it was -17 outside. Um, Brrrr. Needless to say I didn’t go outside. At all.

We had about 18 or so people for dinner, so it was a good group and much different from the last three Thanksgivings we spend on our own in Chicago. We spent the day eating, of course, and playing the Xbox Kinect the Green family had bought. It was AWESOME. I love the fact that you do not even need a controller. I totally want one now, but I am not sure we have enough room in our townhouse to make it work. You need a pretty good-sized space.

The rest of the trip was spent visiting family and being lazy. It warmed up a bit, but not enough for me to enjoy time outside. It was good to see the snow, but I was so glad to be leaving it when we got on the plane to Oakland on Sunday. Hopefully, depending on Steve’s crazy job schedule the next few years, we’ll be able to back again for the holiday.

Speaking of holiday, my family has decided to have Christmas in Oregon this year. Oregon has been my parents’ home for about 20 years, and we’ve NEVER spent a Christmas there. Not one. We’ve always gone down to Monterey to be with extended family. When I lived away, it was a tradition I insisted on, because I wanted to see my grandparents. But, since my bro can’t or doesn’t want to get work off for too long, it looks like it’s going to be a white Christmas. I find it a little odd and ironic that the year I come to Cali is the year we spend Christmas elsewhere, but that’s just how it goes. So, I bought my plane ticket and will be spending the 21st-26th in Central Oregon. There is no doubt that it’s going to be different with just the four of us. I think my parents are planning to come down for my Birthday (29th) and New Years, so they can spend some time with the grandparents and rest of the fam down here.

With all the stuff I have planned this December, I know it’s going to wiz right by. I’m looking forward to all the month has to bring!