Marchin' into March

I can't believe we're already 3 months into 2009! This year holds a lot of changes for Nathanael and I. We hope to be doing a lot of traveling as we've been doing, but we also want to buy a house.... WHICH IS SO EXCITING! We're being really super conscious with our money, and we hope that the right house will come our way when we're ready! It's a big step but we feel 2009 is the right year, especially the 1st time home buyers $8,000 back, if the home is purchased in 2009. So if you are reading this blog, remember to keep us in your prayers- That we will let God lead us in this new venture.

I'm also stoked because I'll be going down to San Diego the last week in March and I just can't wait to see my sister and spend some time by the ocean... Since our first visit to La Jolla after our last cross country trip, when we had just moved from Atlanta to California, I've been noticing that if too much time passes by I really miss the ocean. Since Nov. we've been down the coast every month- I need that ocean fix. There's a freedom and a different and deeper way of breathing there.

Santa Cruz 2009

Light Sculpture

Multiverse, light sculpture created by artist Leo Villareal, may be seen and experienced by visitors as they pass through the Concourse walkway between the East and West Buildings of the National Gallery of Art. Commissioned by the Gallery and on view until November 2009, the work features approximately 41,000 computer-programmed LED (light-emitting diode) nodes that run through channels along the entire 200-foot-long space.


Villareal "Multiverse" National Gallery of Art, Washington DC from Walter Patrick Smith on Vimeo.

Big Love in Sacramento!

Nathanael and I got into Big Love when it first came on and have been following it (illegally) on the Internet the week after it airs on Sunday, ever since. So we watched it and this weeks episode the Big Love family were doing a road trip through Illinois to New York... and it was all shot in Sacramento and the Woodlands!

They shot a lot in Old Sacramento by the ferry boats (Bill Paxton has a shot on the show while he is on the ferry boat with the pyramid building in the back) and on the new and old bridge and on the railroads! It was so odd seeing 'my home' on TV like that!



Bill Paxton


The Crew

The Three

I tend to 'theme' things up. Recently, I've been thinking more and more of three places I want (and can't wait) to visit.
The theme: Flowers

The Lavender Fields of France
Photo: The Famous Lone Tree

The Tulip Fields of Holland
Photo: Aerial shot of the fields- abstract

Poppy Fields of California
Photo: Poppy Preserve- Antelope Valley, California

Guess which one we will be going to visit this spring? It's a hard guess...

Answer: The Poppy Fields of California

Blue Hue

I have really been getting into interior design and having been doing so, I've come across the most darling things!



These are both photos taken of Ivanka Trump's apartment! I love the blue theme throughout the whole house and the clean-ness of it! And I adore those lighted lamps! If this was my place I would def. change that bed cover to a textured white covering and remove that hairy pillow. i'd probably replace that headboard with a cushioned robin-eggs blue one and add some glassware and mirror wear to the side tables- and those nightstands wouldn't be cherry, they'd be espresso!

I absolutely love the hanging candelabra! I do weekly searches for colorful lighting pieces- so I loved finding this pictured. I would change the table to something more sleek in line and would have different chairs, with either different blue shaded cushions or just have the whole chair in different colors. I really like those vases in the back and the lighting of the room. I might have tinted this room in a light aqua or even and very pale olive. I think the wall art theme through the two rooms is precious but I am no Ivanka Trump and couldn't afford that. I'd just probably make my own. Make my own art that is!

I might be posting more finds.

So sick and so HAPPY

I have been sick for over a week now. It started with a sore throat and just feeling bad and now its an awful cough (that keeps me awake at night) and I am always tired. So, because I haven't been really sleeping my mom offers me a tylenol with some codeine, yes the narcotic. However, this didn't knock me out, it made me incredibly sleepy, but I still coughed every three seconds. The last time I saw the clock was at 4:40ish and from there I drooled in my sleep and had very very vivid dreams.The main dream was the I had a baby boy and he was so precious, and he had blue eyes... lighter than my own in fact and he was new born size the whole dream. It was so realistic, that I missed him all day today. I think that is SO weird! Especially because I dreamt that it was a baby BOY and that it looked different than I did when I was little, and also because he remained a new born the whole dream. Generally, in my dreams if I have a kid or whatever, the baby looks just like I did and it's usually a girl that ranges in age through the whole dream but is never itty bitty infant.

We went to Carmel last week, Thursday and Friday and we caught amazing weather days! The weather here in San Joauqin Valley has been great since Christmas... 70's clear skies, we had three days of rain two weeks ago but before that and since then really really warm and ideal. But the coast isn't always as predicatable and not always so clear... but it really was!!! We had the clearest two days, it was so warm and pleasant! We even hiked Lobos for FOUR hours! We almost conquered the whole reserve! When we went to Monterey for our honeymoon (Monterey/Carmel was the last stop on our honeymoon) it was so cloudy, foggy and cold... the last time we went to Lobos in June I had to wear jeans and sweater and I was still cold. This time around in January I was wearing shorts and t-shirt with a sweater and had to wrap the zip-up sweater around my waist. We loved it, we were tempted to book another night, but we're not rolling in the dough just yet!

Also, Nathanael got a job (Praise GOD!), and not just any job- A GREAT job!! We feel so happy and blessed... that's why we went to Carmel, to celebrate!

Northern Coast Trip

So we finally went to Santa Cruz yesterday and I was so happy for it!!

We didn't end up going earlier this month but waiting was worth it.
We dressed warm, not too warm since the Valley was getting sunny days and low 80 degree weather, but the coast is always a bit cooler so we dressed for the 60's and brought gloves and scarves just in case.

However, it was MUCH hotter in Santa Cruz than we anticipated... it was probably 80 or 81 degrees and everyone was out and about laying out, playing volleyball, guys were riding their bikes shirtless... everyone was in flip flops. I felt so 'east coaster' in my ankle boots, gray cords and black top. Well, there's a first time for everything!
We went up to Natural Bridges and worked our way down the Santa Cruz coast passing the Lighthouse and to the Boardwalk. We then drove around the city, and finally went to downtown. We ate at our favorite place, El Palomar and walked around, checking out shops and galleries.

We left and took PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy aka. the 1) up through San Francisco. We stopped in Davenport to watch the sunset and it was really awesome because we walked down this hill, crossed over some railroad tracks, trekked up a hill (which we actually cliff) and came to the most beautiful ocean view, ever - almost. We saw all these private beaches and what looked like the left overs from an old boardwalk or something. We layed out our blanket and just sat there. These cliffs and hills were covered with these little white flowers, I'm not sure what they're called but it smelled so beautifully and the area was rich in the aroma.

Then we drove up through San Francisco crossing over the Golden Gate and stopping at a well kept secret out look. AGAIN, we thought it was going to be so cold up there but it wasn't... it was so so very very nice!!! And it was so CLEAR! I have never seen the Gate look so clear and the city as well!
It was such a perfect day, and it was spent with the most perfect person!


Santa Cruz




Davenport


Sausalito