Heather Pepin

Garrett & Elysia | San Diego Engagement Photography

2012-01-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

Garrett lives in the heart of Encinitas and it's no surprise that it has become the place of many dates, adventures, and memories for the two of them. Encinitas is the cutest, most quaint, pretty beach town and is quite a fitting place for love to blossom. The 101 runs right through it and is lined with amazing restaurants and unique little shops.

When Elysia and I were talking about locations for her and Garret's engagement shoot we planned on going to a whole different spot. She mentioned that they may want to stop at a few places on the 101 that we're special to them. I started to ask more about these spots and learned just how special this little strip was to them and their dating memories. That's when we came up with a better plan:)

We went on a date! I had so much fun seeing all of their spots and exploring Encinitas with them. Garrett and Elysia are quite the pair, complimenting each other in every way.

Join us for a cute little date on the 101!

Colby & Whitney | San Diego Engagement Photography

2012-01-16T10:10:00.000-08:00

He's a talented surfer and she's a gorgeous, blonde, beach babe. They're head over heels in love and getting married in less than 5 months! Ladies and gentleman, may I introduce you to Barbie and Ken:)

Brett and I have been friends with Whitney's family since we started dating. Whitney's dad married us! She's one of the sweetest people you will ever meet. Her heart is sold out for the Lord and I am so excited she found her match in Colby. They're a wonderful pair. I just can't wait for their wedding this June!

San Diego Portrait Photography | Hutter Family

2012-01-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

I met the Hutter family at Scott & April's gorgeous wedding in Carlsbad last summer. Since then I have gotten to know them better and just love their sweet family. A few months back I took their beautiful daughter, Kailey's, senior portraits but there was one Hutter I still hadn't met, their son. Their son son is in the military and hadn't been home in quite some time. They were ecstatic to have him home for Christmas and wanted some portraits with him to keep around while he's away and while they were busy missing him terribly.

I was touched by how proud this family is of their son and brother and how much love they have for each other. It was hard to keep momma from tearing up when she looked at her little boy in his uniform. I just don't know how military families do it ...they have all my respect.

Jeremy & Jenn | San Diego Wedding Photography

2012-01-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Jeremy and Jenn live in Chicago but met in San Diego. Growing up, Jeremy was that cute boy that hung out with Jenn's brother all the time. Unfortunately Jeremy's family ended up moving and Jenn's crush was gone. They both grew up and didn't keep in touch ...until one fateful day on the internet. Jenn was planning a move to Chicago and needed some more information on this new city she would call home, so she wrote Jeremy. Their friendship sparked and, well, the rest is history.

Jeremy and Jenn got married at the beautiful Thursday Club in Point Loma. It was a perfect San Diego day. When Jenn started telling me about her wedding details I just knew it was going to be fun. They knew they wanted to get married in San Diego but were determined to incorporate the city that they call home, Chicago. What better way to incorporate Chicago than with food? Their dinner was a mouth watering assortment of deep dish pizza, wings, pasta, and delicious appetizers (catered by Chicago on a Bun). Yum! I LOVE true Chicago style deep dish pizza.

Jeremy and Jenn, I am so happy to have had the honor of meeting you two. I already miss our little dates! I am so excited for all that's in store for your marriage and hope you're enjoying a gorgeous winter in Chicago!

And, of course, thank you to the magic makers that made this day everything that it was!
Catering: Chicago On A Bun
Florist: Kriselle Evans (www.flowergirls.biz)

2011

2012-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

I love remembering. It's so fun to remember all the little things that happen over time and it's so easy to forget them! Here's a little recap of the big and little moments that made 2011 ...an absolutely wonderful and fantastically blessed year! I have a feeling I will remember 2011 for a long time.

January
- We brought the new year in with much excitement as we began dreaming and planning our goals.
- I witnessed and photographed my first labor. What an experience!
- I took a lot of long bike rides with my sweet little brother.

February
- We drove to a photography conference in Las Vegas for the second year and I was reminded of why I am doing what I do and came home with fresh perspective and loads of inspiration.
- We got our first big snow up in the mountains so we put our new Jeep to the test and drove up to have a play day with friends.

March
- Not too much happened in March. We did make a fun trip to Disneyland but other than that it was fairly slow. Which was probably good because God was teaching me a lot again that month.

April
- I turned 24!
- Between doing some hiking in Torrey Pines and camping for a full week in Borrego Springs with my family for Easter, we spent a lot of April in nature. Perfectly appropriate for the birthday month of this girl:)

May
- Brett graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University with his Masters Degree and my sister got her Bachelors! So proud of my Master P and sis;)

June & July
- JUNE AND JULY. Oh June & July, how you will forever be engraved in my heart and mind. Those two months could have been the only thing that happened in 2011 and it still would have been one of the most amazing years. We spent 6 weeks traveling and learned so much about ourselves, the world, and our creative God in the process. We explored England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, New York, New Jersey, Boston, and Yosemite. Also, Brett turned 24 (in Venice) and we celebrated our second anniversary (in NYC). What a magical two months.

August
- We spent a lazy few days camping at the beach and sleeping in the sand with my family.
- I had some sweet time with my little sisters.
- Brett planned a super sweet date and took us to see Mary Poppins. We loved it!
- We moved in to our very quaint, very simple, very small, very money-saving new apartment!

September
- We planned a spur-of-the-moment trip to Yosemite with a few friends and hiked half dome (our second time). Training schmaining.
- We spent the last days of summer lounging in the grass before B started his new job!

October
- We started out October right with a perfect fall weekend of apple picking.
- We picked pumpkins at the farm that we got married at and dressed up as Bert and Mary! I told you... we really liked that play ;)

November
- Brett had some time off and, not wanting to waste any opportunity to get out and explore, we planned a last minute trip up to a cabin in the mountains. We did a whole lot of nothing and learned a valuable lesson about the need for retreating from the world and being still, together. This will definitely be happening again in 2012.
- We spent an awesome week camping with my family for thanksgiving. Our yearly tradition!

December
- December! Who doesn't love December?! We filled every spare moment with all things festive and enjoyed every last second of that joyous month. It was so fun to give and receive such sweet and thoughtful gifts from family and each other.

And that's 2011. A crazy beautiful year. I look forward to 2012 with so much anticipation! God is moving, we are dreaming, and our hearts are surrendered and ready for another year of adventure. So excited for this next year!

A date with my Maddy girl...

2012-01-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Last week I went on a date with my Maddy girl. It was a wonderful day ...they always are with that little one. She came with me to run a few errands then we went to balboa park to have a picnic and visit some museums.

I was a few weeks away from 16 when she was born. Old enough to know where babies came from and young enough to be totally weirded out by the thought of my parents conceiving. They were in their mid 30's for crying out loud! Old!!! ...Well, according to my 16 year old idea of what old was.

But then life with that little freckled blondie started. We would watch her tv shows together. She would sit in my lap and eat Cheerios and I would smell her head. She would eat yogurt and in her high chair and I would cheer her on as she poured it on her head. She would sit on the counter and bounce up and down with her little nose scrunched. She became the subject of all of my photo projects and she expressed her own creativity by drawing on my dresser, comforter, walls, and sometimes even the dogs. I wish I could say I was mad but I loved it. I left the drawings on my unfinished wood dresser until the day I moved out.

She reminds me so much of me in certain ways and I just love her. I love her heart. I love that she's stubborn, feisty, and loud but in a quick second will turn shy, tender, and incredibly sensitive. I love that part of her because I understand it. I love that she's not afraid to be creative and I love how giving her heart already is of her passions and talents. I love the way she thinks and the questions that she asks. Like, "why is there a wall between us and Mexico?". She teaches me to be patient and reminds me to slow down. She brought a whole new, fun, excitement to our family and we're all better because of it.

Sometimes when she sleeps over I'll watch her little eyelashes flutter while she dreams and I can't help but feel my stomach flop and a lump form in my throat at the thought of how old she's getting. At the thought that our slumber partying days may be numbered and that I may not be fun and cool to her forever. She's already transitioned from Dora and Caillou to iPods and Justin Bieber. I just don't know how parents do it! I'm only her big sister and I feel a strange resistance to her Bieber crushing ways haha. Shouldn't her only crush still be Mickey Mouse? Man, what a wild wild ride parenting will be some day...

2012-01-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years folks!
hope you kissed someone cute...

Hello 2012. Nice to meet you.

This is life.

2011-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

My head rested gently on your back. The warm sun on my cheek and the cool grass beneath me, I closed my eyes and soaked up every ounce of the perfect moment we found ourselves in.

Today was nothing spectacular by any standard of the world. B is still on Christmas Break from work and we spent most of our morning in bed. Mornings in bed have become normal for us the last couple of weeks. I usually awake first and start to stretch and roll and readjust my pillow and B usually opens one eye and mumbles something sweet and indiscernible …but sweet I’m sure of it. Our toes touch and we fall silent and sleepy for a few moments more until one of us bursts out with some early morning thought or silly antic. The silly antics are my favorite.

This morning was no different. After we awoke we spent a few hours laying there, together, in our own warm world of blankets, fluffy pillows, belly laughs, bed head, and dreams (the awake kind, the best kind). We acknowledged the creeping guilt we were feeling for still being in bed at 11 but we pushed it away deciding that we just didn’t care. What else could we possibly be doing that is better than this?

After some time we finally got out of bed and made a plan for the day. Our plans didn’t involve much, just a few errands here and there and a good bout of house keeping. After our responsibilities were finished we headed to the park. The sun was low in the sky and you tossed our blanket on to the grass at the top of the little hill. We plopped down and begin eying all the cute dogs walking by. You pulled out your pad of paper and began writing. I watched you watch the sky and I savored every handsome feature on your face. I pulled out my book and began to read, changing positions every few minutes in an effort to find a comfortable spot. My head rested gently on your lower back and I settled in. The sun was warm and turning everything it touched to gold, the grass was cool, kids laughed nearby, dogs were playing, and we were together under the trees. That’s when I felt it. The feeling that told me that this was the kind of moment that I was going to remember. The kind of moment that is going to pop in my head someday when I’m feeling overwhelmed or when we find ourselves in an inevitable stormy season of life. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep as I locked away every sound and smell of that moment in my heart. I smiled and thought to myself, this is life.

Today was a good day.

James & Jessica | San Diego Engagement Photography

2011-12-13T23:27:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to spend the next year getting to know James & Jessica better! I see many double dates in our future and can't wait for their wedding next August:) They have let me in on some of their plans so far and I just know their wedding is going to be so fabulous and so them.

We had a fun afternoon shooting in one of their favorite stores, the very lovely, Mixture. This store is RAD. It's in Little Italy and you should definitely go check it out. So much eye candy. I can't wait to go back and browse!

Art & Becky | 60 years of love

2011-12-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

It was 1951. She was the beautiful new girl in the office and he was the handsome, convertible driving, sweet talking, musician that worked at the desk nearby. On her first day she walked past him in a pretty dress and he was awestruck. Art knew he had to make this new girl his.

His desk was a few feet away from hers and they quickly became friends. After work the people from the office would get together to play cards and she started to join them. He began to look forward to card nights because it meant getting to spend more time with her. He found out she was taking the bus home from these late night card sessions and pleaded with her to let him give her a ride. He had to know she was safe and he had to have more time with her. It was on these drives that they would laugh together, talk about life, and got to know what made each other tick. They were getting close ...but there was one little problem, she was already engaged. She had gotten engaged straight out of high school and her fiance had immediately left to Connecticut. Her engagement had been one of little contact and no love. During lunch breaks at work, Art watched Becky call her mom to see if any letters had come for her ...but they rarely did. He knew that if this girl was his he would write her every day. Becky knew in her heart that her fiance was not the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with but it was just a matter of doing what was hard and ending things.

In the meantime, the ladies in the office were planning a surprise bridal shower for her. They knew Art had become Becky's friend and had asked if he would bring her to the shower and to keep it a surprise. Art, knowing Becky's heart about her engagement and unable to deny the feelings of his own, said yes to the ladies but had a different plan. He picked her up and took her to the top of El Cortez in downtown San Diego. There, they laughed together and talked for hours that seemed like minutes.

He kept his word to the office ladies and took her to her surprise shower ...but he dropped her off 3 hours late. The ladies from the office were livid but Art didn't care one bit. It wasn't their hearts he wanted to win. Art was in love and Becky was realizing for the first time not only what it meant to be in love but what it looked like to be loved. She knew it was time to break off her engagement. Her fiance was, of course, not happy to hear the news but Becky knew what was right.

Art and Becky spent the next year getting closer and closer. On a cold December night they were at a friend's Christmas party and it was getting late. Art turned to Becky and asked if she would marry him. She said yes and she knew, more than anything else, that it was right. They were in love and wanted nothing but to spend the rest of their lives together.

And that's exactly what they've done for the last 60 years. It wasn't always easy but they were committed to each other. He spent every day falling more in love with that girl in the dress and she that man that made her feel like gold. They made time for each other when life got busy. They stuck together and worked as a team when the storms hit. They spoke words of love to each other. They made communication a priority. They forgave quickly and chose to let go of the little things ...simply because there was nothing ever so important that it was worth losing each other.

On December 16, 1951 Art & Becky vowed their hearts to each other. On December 16, 2011 they celebrate 60 years of life and love together. A life and love that produced 3 amazing children and a wonderful example for generations to come. Congratulations you two! It is such an incredible honor to be a part of your beautiful, beautiful lives and my greatest privilege to be married to your 'sweet talking musician' grandson ;) In 60 years we hope to be just like you.

Leave these two some love or a simple congratulations in the comment box below. They read this blog often and I'm sure they would love to hear from you! :)

Jason & Brittney | San Diego Engagement Photography

2011-12-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

Chocolate and vanilla, salt and pepper, pen and paper, black and white, Jason and Brittney. These two are the sweetest blend and the perfect pair. His quiet smile compliments her infectious giggle and with a whisper in her ear her attention is his and she melts.

Jason & Brittney, thank you for the pleasure of spending a wonderful afternoon watching the beautiful balance that is you.

Rawr! Brittney is gorgeous.

How lovely are your branches.

2011-12-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

It's December! And I could not be more happy about it. I spent Wednesday preparing the house for our tree and waiting impatiently for B to get home. When he finally walked through the door I practically pounced on him and began to list off everything that I had planned for the evening. I quickly and excitedly explained dinner, a quick visit with friends, the tree lot, Starbucks soy gingerbread steamers, Elf, decorating... and in between squeals I took a few breaths.

We were on our way. Two burritos and a stroll around the tree lot later, we were back home and ready to decorate. When we first got married we realized we didn't have any Christmas stuff so we began to collect ornaments from our favorite spots and places we traveled to. We had a blast going through all of the ones we've collected so far. This year we were able to add all of the ornaments we collected during our trip to Europe! We're super excited to one day have a tree full of sweet memories and stories.

At the end of the night, after some jumping up and down and more squealing, I slipped in to my comfy Christmas pajamas and watched the tree be its lovely little self. I'm pretty sure I fell asleep smiling. It was the night before December 1st but it may as well have been the night before Christmas to me.

The tree is now up, my advent chocolates are waiting to be eaten, and the presents I started buying in October are ready to be wrapped! It's December! Happy December, friends.

Oh, and Brett and I made a fun video! Check it out! ...and watch for the occasional butt grab and random bad dancing ;)

Emily & Mason | San Diego Wedding Photography

2011-11-28T22:49:00.000-08:00

When you first meet people have no idea what kind of lasting impression they will leave on you until they do. Since Mason and Emily's wedding I have found myself thinking often about their genuine love and their golden hearts.

Mason and Emily have hearts of gold. Pure gold. Everything about them is radiating; the way they love each other, their joy, their caring and humble spirits. It all spills over on to everyone around them. It's impossible not to feel warm, fuzzy, and alive around these two. They are the kind of people that make you want to be a better person.

(Check out Mason and Emily's adorable French restaurant engagement session: HERE)

Their wedding day was perfect. Emily's dress was pure elegance, Mason was handsome as ever, they said their vows in the backyard of a beautiful estate, and they danced the night away with all of their loved ones. But the perfect part was in the way Mason ran to Emily during their "first look" because he just couldn't wait to hold her, it was in the way Emily's dad had tears in his eyes when he saw his daughter in her wedding gown and when he danced with her later that night, it was in the way Mason whispered in her ear during their ceremony and wiped her tear while they sang Amazing Grace, it was in the way Emily's sisters toasted to and spoke of the character of their new brother's heart, it was in the way they locked eyes and exchanged wordless love from a distance. It was perfect, and moving, and blessed, and so incredibly beautiful.

Mason and Emily, thank you for the honor of photographing your wedding and being a part of your beautiful lives. Congratulations!

The dad-daughter-bride relationship is so incredible to me. It gets me every time. In fact, I'm tearing up again. Look at his face.

Mason started out waiting for Emily back by that white fence but as soon as she turned the corner he couldn't contain himself and hurried towards her. Love.

hee hee ;)

This wedding was a celebration of the joining of the Blue and the Greene families! How fun is that?! I love fun last names. Emily used their amazing last names as inspiration for their wedding. Their colors were blues, greens, blue-greens;), and a pop of copper. I think it turned out perfect!

Emily is an avid knitter and brought her love for yarn in as wedding inspiration as well. I want to make one of those cute yarn wrapped letters for our house.
Again, look at this loving, proud, poppa. The relationship between a father and daughter, I'm convinced, is one of the most special relationships. Beautiful.

Family and friends of the happy couple:
Look for yourself on the dance floor and see all of the photos from Mason & Emily's big day by clicking HERE!

______________________________________________________________________

And, of course, thank you to the magic makers that made this day everything that it was!
Videography: Aqua Vivus
Catering: Artquest Catering
Makeup/Hair: Flawless Beauty
Coordinators: Exquisite Designs by DLS (exquisite_designs@sbcglobal.net)
Florist: Karen White (flowersalacarte@gmail.com)
DJ: Collin Elliot (collinelliott@me.com)
Linens: A Perfect Table (irene@aperfecttable.com)

Thankful.

2011-11-23T15:18:00.001-08:00

"That my soul may sing praise to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever." Psalm 30:12

Right now I am camping with my family. It's thanksgiving morning, I'm cuddling with my pup, the smell of coffee floats in the air, Brett has 5 days off, my heart is full, and I'm feeling so thankful. Here's what I'm thankful for this morning...

- My stud muffin of a husband.
This man is incredible. Sometimes I just sit in thankfulness and wonder at who he is. He's sweet, thoughtful, smart, kind, patient, and full of love. He never complains and is always encouraging. He sees the good in everyone and has faith in the impossible. He's my encourager and my best friend. My life would be grey without him.

- My special family. ;)
I am so thankful for the family I was born in to. For each sibling, for my parents, for every amazing memory, for the support and encouragement, for the grace and love, for the way I was raised, and the experiences I've been given that have helped shape me. I love them. I LOVE THEM. :)

- My rockstar friends.
I have the best friends. I seriously believe this. I am so thankful for the kind of people that have been placed around me. Genuine, caring, authentic, honest, selfless, fun, good-hearted people. I love them like family.

- My incredibly blessed "job".
Can I even call my work a "job"? I get to meet amazing couples in love, I get to be a part of one of the best days of their lives, I get to document their stories for future generations to witness, AND I gain wonderful friends in the process. I cringe at the thought of doing something else... I've been so blessed to be doing something that means something, that reaches into lives beyond my own. Seriously blessed.

- My poops <3
I type this post as I cuddle my Samba boy:) I love my dogs. I love their snuggles, their playfulness, their presence. They bring so much fun, and lightness, and love. I love dogs! Love them, love them, love them.

- Creation.
I'm a nature gal. Put me in the city for too long and I get dry. I need mountains, trees, water, dirt, flowers, fresh air, leaves, and wide open skies. I see God out there. I am recharged out there, refocused, my creative juices get juicier, my heart gets full. I am so thankful for the work of His hands and the majestic ways he is revealed through it.

- Storms.
Ok maybe not literal storms (although I love those too) but more like stormy seasons. The hard times, the trials. I see now how they've shaped me, grown me, refined me, humbled me, and put my heart more in line with God's... and I am thankful for that. (James 1: 2-4)

- All that is to come.
I am thankful for where I am now and all that God has for me in this season. It has been such a wonderful wild adventure so far and Brett and I are only 2 years in to marriage. We have so much ahead of us, so many memories to be made, and experiences to still experience. I am excited and hopeful for all that is in store for the future!

What are you thankful for?

Beauty as well as bread.

2011-11-18T12:56:00.000-08:00

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."

-John Muir

This time last week we were in the mountains. Doing nothing. The more of this life I walk, the more I realize my need for solitude and retreat. Last week was indeed restful... but it was much more about quiet than rest. Long mornings in the Bible, speechless walks hand in hand, collecting our favorite leaves, marveling at sunsets, watching clouds dance on the face of mountain sides, cooking meals together and savoring the food we prepared. There was deep laughter, there were late night talks (that weren't cut short by the threat of an early morning alarm), and there was dreaming... lots and lots of dreaming.

On Friday we celebrated 11/11/11 by coming up with 11 things we were thankful for, 11 things we hope and dream for, and 11 things we love about each other ;) What a good practice. This week I have found myself, still, so thankful for last week's time away. I am refreshed. This week has been a crazy one... and I love it. Time away reminded me of my purpose, it re-aligned my heart, it opened my eyes. It softened, strengthened, and healed. I know I wasn't made to live a life of solitude and retreat but it does have it's place and one of my new goals is to take it more seriously.

Oh! And friends came to visit one day... Such nice friends. Notice the size of the snow ball in her hands! And the look of satisfaction after it hit my head! ;)

Kailey | San Diego Senior Photography

2011-11-17T13:58:00.000-08:00

I met Kailey and her family a few months back. They are family friends of Scott & April and opened up their beautiful home for April to get ready and take portraits in. They were the sweetest people then and have just gotten sweeter as I have gotten to know them. Kailey is stunning, charming, funny, talented, sweet, kind, and full of life and faith. She loves to read, play music, and has the cutest clothes. I want to be her when I grow up! ;) Kailey is graduating this year and I have no doubt she's on to GREAT things.

Am I the only one that thinks Kailey resembles Miley Cyrus? Now I know they're not identical, Kailey is much more beautiful... But tell me you see the resemblance too?! I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

Just a few peacocks checking out the action:)
I got to the shoot early and walked around. One of these bad boys popped out of a bush and scared the heck out of me! Little devils.

And as if Kailey already hadn't won my heart... she loves her pups too! This is my kind of girl!

Rich & Lisa | San Diego Wedding Photography

2011-11-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

Internet, meet the Bacons! How cool is their last name?!

When Lisa emailed me about photographing their wedding I had a feeling we were going to click. Between our mutual love for frozen yogurt and email responses dotted with smiley faces and exclamation points that matched mine, I knew Rich and Lisa were our kind of people!!! :) :) :D

As I sit and remember their wedding day I clearly remember two things:
- The way person after person spoke of Lisa's big, loving, genuine heart
- And the way Rich tenderly, steadily, and deeply loves his bride.

They are truly a perfect pair.

Rich and Lisa, thank you for the honor of capturing your special day and for letting us be a part of your beautiful lives.

R+L chose to see each other and spend some memorable time together before their ceremony. Their first look was priceless:)

Rich designed these! We've got a talented groom on our hands!

These two killed me with their cuteness. Wait until you see some photos of them on the dance floor below... tutus, you kill me.

I loved their colors.

This was my favorite detail from their wedding. What a brilliant and gorgeous idea for a guest book! I want to make one to hang in my house. Whimsical.

ANOTHER brilliant detail! Get it?
Rich and Lisa Bacon... Bacon crowned cupcakes... Such a fun and personal touch!

I love billy balls... They're just so perfect. I want vases and vases of them.

Billy balls and succulents may just be a match made in heaven.

It really turned in to a party when the mother of the groom busted out "the stanky leg" on the dance floor!

And, of course, thank you to the magic makers that made this day everything that it was!
Coordinators- Events by J and C
Venue- Ellipse Chapel and Marina Village
Flowers & Table Decor- Cristina Pacheco
DJ- Sean Sand
Cupcakes- Grove Pastry Shop
Catering- El Indio Catering
*If you were a vendor and I haven't listed you here, please email me at: heather@heatherpepin.com*

Pumpkin Cookies

2011-10-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

I love pumpkin! And so does B. We are pumpkin freaks. Pumpkin shakes, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin seeds.... We love it all.

Brett mentioned a few times last week that I still had not made pumpkin cookies. He was right. This was just not acceptable, considering we're already 3 weeks in to October! (Is this freaking anyone else out?). We only have so much pumpkin time!

Here are our pumpkin cookies...

Preheat the oven to 350:)

First you sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt

Throw the pumpkin, sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla in to a mixer and beat until blended.
Slowly add the dry ingredients.
Then add those dreamy creamy white chocolate chips!

Place cookies on a baking sheet.

Here's the thing about pumpkin cookies. They don't spread out. I have no idea why but they just don't. You don't need to leave much room between the dough balls and if you're alarmed by a ball shaped cookie just press them down a little:)

Bake for 13-15 minutes.

Even if you bake these things simply for the amazing autumn smell that will fill your house, do it!

Here's my pumpkin cookie... and my hairy pumpkin headed man:) He's cute. He needs a haircut.

Tips: Don't forget to add the baking soda. If you do.. well, I don't know what will happen. I forgot to add it and they didn't seem any different. Also, I cooked 2 sheets at a time and my bottom rack ones got a little too dark. Next time I will cook one at a time and keep it on the top rack:)

Ingredients:

3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of softened butter,
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup of canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 package of white chocolate chips

A day of rest.

2011-10-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Today is Wednesday. Wednesdays always seem like one of my more stressful days. Maybe it's because it's the middle of the week and it's the day I re-evaluate my to do list. Re-evaluating the to do list is either invigorating because of all that I have crossed off... or, more often, it's just a realization of how little I've gotten done and 10 more things I forgot to put on it!

Today is Wednesday and I feel stress. I feel stress but I am not stressed. Instead, I'm choosing to re-evaluate my to do list. What can wait until next week? What can't? What can I do with today, this day that I will never get again, that will be worth something. I'm realizing more and more that a full life has absolutely nothing to do with the weekends or big plans. It has everything to do with the small moments. The in-between. The bundled bouquet of wheat from my love that I came home to last night. The conversation with a stranger. The cuddles with my sick dog. The loving text from a close friend. The next few hours I will spend with my little sister.

Brett and I have been a little over-scheduled lately. We let Sunday be our day of rest and did absolutely nothing, together. Drinking from a warm mug, reading by a crackling candle, painting my toes, and napping.

In the past I would consider this day a waste but it is now time I cherish and am taking more seriously as necessary. My to do list will always be there, and it will get done, but I am not willing to spend my days as a slave to it. There's too much God has for me every day to spend it obsessed and blinded with my own plans. I want to remain sensitive to His direction, tuned in to His voice, knowing of His heart, getting a deeper understanding of His love. I want to love the way He does. I want my heart to break for what breaks His ...and I want to actually do something about it. I want my God to be glorified because He is a glorious God.

So, here's to turning down the noise of life and choosing to rest more. To learning about weeding out over-commitment and leaving room for the work of My Savior's hands.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." Philippians 3:12

Take something off of your to do list today and put it on next weeks! ;)

Pumpkin Picking

2011-10-17T11:08:00.001-07:00

One of the many many reasons that Brett and I decided Bates Nut Farm was the perfect place to have our wedding was because it is a place that we can continue to visit over the years. We're excited for the day we can take our kids to the farm to pick pumpkins or for a picnic and tell them about our wedding day, show them where we said our vows, or take them to the oak tree we met at before the ceremony to pray together.

I look forward to our October trips to pick out pumpkins. It's a long drive and it's often crazy busy but it's us, walking through fields, hunting for perfect pumpkins, feeding donkeys, shopping at the general store. Oh how I love our own little family tradition.

Here are some photos from our trip on Saturday! It started with pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin cream cheese muffins and it ended with an awesome night of pumpkin carving with dear friends. I love October!!

Oh, and if you want, you can check out the fun little video we made from our trip last year (HERE) :)

B gave his pumpkin a love tattoo! ... And I left a dangling booger in the nose of mine :)

A Perfect Fall Weekend

2011-10-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

I am so excited that fall is here! ... but where did it go?

We celebrated our first fall weekend in all of the right ways. Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland, Oktoberfest with friends (caramel apples included, of course), and on Sunday Brett planned a whole date DAY.

Why the date day? Well, because we celebrated our dating halfiversary! 6 years and 6 months. How in the world has 6 and a half years passed?

He went out early in the morning and brought home (one of our favs) Con Pane cinnamon rolls and pastries, we jumped in the car and he popped in a special music mix, then he took us to Julian for a day of apple picking and window shopping. Just when I thought the day was over and we were on our way back home he informed me that we had dinner plans too!! (Dinner plans that involved eating cactus!) What a guy:)

My cactus burrito! This was our second time eating at El Comal and I loved it even more the second time around.

It's fall, it's fall, it's fall! And although it doesn't feel like it today, I am so excited for more fall days! These next few months are my FAVORITE time of year.

Scott & April | San Diego Wedding Photography

2011-09-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

I have been dying to post this wedding! It's picture heavy but so worth it. I absolutely adore Scott and April. Ever since the four of us adventured through Julian for their engagement session (check it out HERE) I have been smitten with these two GORGEOUS people. They both have such sweet hearts and are a joy to be around. I should have know their wedding was going to rock my socks off.

If weddings were people, Scott and April's wedding and I would totally be BFFs. I LOVED everything about their day. I loved the romantic Spanish ranch setting. I loved April's steady, peaceful, joy that morning. I loved the look on Scott's face when April walked down the aisle. I loved the Story behind April's stunning dress. I loved April's sweet, sweet bridesmaids. I loved the magic of peacocks roaming, lace flowing, mason jars, and bright fun colors. I loved that they had gourmet taco's for dinner. Seriously the best tacos and wedding food I have EVER had. I loved that every inch of their wedding was filled with personal sentiments. Scott and April's wedding oozed love, personality, and the Lord. I am so incredibly thankful that I had the honor to be a part of it.

Cheers to Scott and April! Congratulations again and thank you for sharing your life and love with us.

**Be sure to check out the amazing vendors at the bottom of this post that made this day so special**

April's dress was completely handmade by Chris Gennaro. Chris is a husband, father of 6, incredible dress designer, oh and currently a missionary in Lesotho, South Africa with his family of 8! Absolutely INCREDIBLE!!

I love the look on Scott's face.

Scott and April's tables were named after places that are special to them.

I loved their wooden silverware!!! Yes they are eco-friendly, but seriously how cute are they?! Double bonus.

If you are looking for FUN, relaxed, mouth watering catering that still has tons of class... Check out SOHO Taco. My mouth is watering just remembering those tacos.
LOVE.

The magic makers:
Venue- Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park
Makeup- Brides By Brittany
Catering- SOHO Taco
Dress- Chris Gennaro
Suits- Macy's

*If you were a vendor and I haven't listed you here, please email me at: heather@heatherpepin.com*

The little things...

2011-09-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Life is all about the little things... Here are a few little things I'm loving right now.

1) Vegetables.
I love them. They're magic. A seed, dirt, cow poop, and some water and sunshine later and boom.. you've got gorgeousness. We're trying to eat healthier and eating more vegetables and less processed dirty things is part of the plan. This week I made a eggplant lasagna for dinner. Oh my, it was delicious! Check out the recipe: HERE. I added onions and portrabella mushrooms. Don't be thrown off by the blog's name... No, we're not going vegan:)

2) John Mark McMillan.
His voice, his heart, his concert next week! Brett and I are going to see David Crowder, John Mark, and Gungor next Friday at the House of Blues and I absolutely can not wait. His album has taken over my car's speakers. Oh, I can't wait!

3) Hosea.
Hosea has me wrapped around it's little pinky finger. I haven't studied Hosea before and I still have like 10 chapters to go but so far but it has gripped me deep and I can't put it down. I'm so moved by God's relentless, passionate, deep, unending love for us. How he continues to faithfully pursue us even though we are so often like an unfaithful wife turning to our other lovers in life. Mm mm mm. God is good.

4) Terrariums.
Terrariums are so cool! It's like a whole pretty little world in a pretty little bubble. I first noticed them in a shop window next to my camera store in North Park. Every time I walk past that store I peek in. They have the cutest stuff in there and the cutest terrariums. I totally want to make one! I looked at the shop's website and found that they have kits. I think I could make it myself for cheaper but they do have the cute glass orbs for only $10. SOLD! http://www.shoppigment.com/

Luke & Krista | San Diego Wedding Photography

2011-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

Luke and Krista are married! Luke is Brett's cousin and we had a blast getting to spend a whole day celebrating with family AND doing what we love. Their day was gorgeous, they were gorgeous, and their last name is awesome! Ok, so I'm a little biased.

It took everything in me not to run away with this hanger!

A night of dancing and cake is enough to knock anyone out;)

Venue: Shadowridge Country Club
Makeup: Bellezza by Betsy
Hair: Kristin Benson

Half Dome

2011-09-06T13:16:00.000-07:00

This weekend we took a little road trip to Yosemite and hiked Half Dome! It was Brett's last weekend before he went back to work so we decided to go out with a bang. Not that we were lacking on any adventure this summer but we figured why not! :)

This was our second time hiking Half Dome and I have to say it was better than the first. I don't know if I was in better shape this time or if it was because I had already done it before and was better prepared mentally for what I was about to face. We took a lot of breaks and really enjoyed our time on the trail. Even after seeing a lot more of the world this summer, Yosemite still stands as one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. It is absolutely majestic.

*** Disclaimer: We did not bring our cameras with us and resorted to our trusty iPhone's for these pictures:)***

We started before sunrise and were immediately struck by how gorgeous the stars were. We walked the beginning of the trail in the dark but sunrise quickly came and lit everything up.

It was such a good time for making memories, pushing our bodies and minds to the limit, and really enjoying God's creation. We saw a lot more animals on the trail this year. Deer, a coyote, marmots, and a rattlesnake!!!!! A very sluggish, very recently fed rattlesnake. Yikes!

The cables were just as shocking the second time around. I'm telling you no picture or YouTube video can properly prepare you for what those cables are like in real life. Although I had conquered them before I still sat and wondered if I could or even really wanted to still do this. My tip: stare at your feet, take your time, and don't let go. After catching our breath, wondering why in the world we were doing this to ourselves, and stopping to pray, we made our way to the cables. Once at the top we explored and took lots of pictures before we made our way back down. There was a traffic jam on the way down and it took forever before we were back on solid ground. I have never wanted to kiss and hug the ground so bad in my life.

The moment we got off the cables and sat down on the top of the dome:)

We did it! We were hot, sweaty, exhausted, sore, and we had an 8 mile trek back down the mountain before we could be done. Brett and I did this same hike with friends three years ago. In the 3 years since then we have gotten married, settled in to our careers, lived in 2 apartments, seen some of the world, gotten a new car, and gotten OLD. I didn't know about that last part but my body decided to let me in on the ugly truth. I knew if I wanted the pain to stop and for this to be over then I had to get down that mountain, even if my knees were giving out below me, and that's when my body and mind divorced. My mind was hiding far away, in the deepest corner of itself, rocking in a fetal position, sucking it's thumb... and my body turned in to a machine, a broken machine. Ok, so maybe that's all a bit dramatic. Actually, no that's precisely how it happened. We hobbled in to Curry village and ordered pizzas. We feasted and grunted and groaned while covered in dirt and smelling like animals. I'm sure we were quite the spectacle but we didn't care. After our pizza we piled in to the car, thought everything was funny for a few dazed moments, then passed out asleep on each other. That's pretty much all I remember about that night. You could've set our tent up on a cold pointy rock and I still would've slept like a baby.

Oh Half Dome, you destroy me and I love you like crazy. We are quite the dysfunctional pair. XOXO Heather

Nick & Stephanie | Wedding

2011-08-16T15:21:00.001-07:00

Brett and I flew straight from London to New Jersey for Nick and Stephanie's beautiful day and it was the perfect way to end our time in Europe.

Nick and Stephanie got married at the Eagle Ridge Golf Course. Their flowers were beautiful, their cake looked delicious, and the bridal party looked great!... But more than all of that, their day was beautiful in a more unspoken way. Nick and Stephanie have a unique kind of love. It's the kind that's not flashy, not diluted, not influenced. It's pure, it's real, and it's undeniable. Their love is steady and strong. It was hard to ignore that there was something different about that day. Something unseen. Something steady and strong. Something that penetrated the hearts of everyone in that room. It was the same something, someone, that wove Nick and Stephanie's hearts together. Nick and Stephanie walk together in faith and their love for their Lord is strong and steady. Their day was beautiful, their hearts are beautiful, and I can't wait to watch their love for the Lord shine through their marriage.

Congratulations Nick and Stephanie! We love you from the bottom of our hearts.

See a few photos from Nick and Stephanie's big day and add us on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Europe Trip: Tips

2011-07-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'm sure we have a ton more to learn about traveling the way we did but we did learn a few things along the way that will make our next adventure like this much easier. I'll save you from learning the hard way and give you my....

7 ways to an awesome summer living in Europe:

1) Savor!-
Obviously I'm a shutterbug and wanted to pull out my camera at every moment but I always kept it put away at first and I'm so glad I did. "Savor the flavor" is what I called it:) I forgot about photos and any expectations and simply observed and absorbed when we arrived in a new place. Too often so many tourists arrive at a place, pull out their cameras and get the stereotypical picture, check it off their list and move on... but I tell you this I never would've have noticed or remembered the perfectly red little jars of cherries in the blue window of an alley in southern France, I never would've noticed that the entire front of the ancient church in our little Tuscan town in Italy was made up of thousands of tiny little glass tiles smaller than my thumb nail, I never would've met that man who started a fire and cooked us bruschetta while telling us about his family history. Stop, put your camera down for awhile, and look around. Live out the moment your actually in... don't let the camera tell you about it later. Oh and I bet the pictures you do take will be a thousand time better because of it:)

2) Rest-
Don't be afraid to lose sleep. You'll make up for it later:) If a night walk is just calling your name and you have an early morning the next day... well, sleeping is for babies! Go take that night walk you're in Europe! Oh and don't be afraid to get sleep. You're in the land of siesta! At first we thought a "siesta" was a waste of precious sight seeing time so we bull dozed through it. Then we quickly realized that in a lot of places everything is closed and there is nothing to do... and maybe, just maybe they're on to something with this siesta thing. We LOVED our guilt free siestas. Europe on high speed like we did it would've been a completely different trip if we didn't siesta.

Rolling carry ons for days on end is not pretty. You and your hands need rest!

3) Expectations-
Oh expectations... do yourself a favor and lose them. Yes, dream about your travels and plan and research but hold them loosely once you get there. Things will cost more than you expect some times. Things will happen that you didn't plan for. Some places will be nothing like you imagined them. Sometimes food will be nothing like you wanted it. And it will all be easier if you just let go, roll with it, and except it for what it actually is:)

4) Being A Tourist-
Be one and don't be one. You are not at home, you are a guest in someone else's country, don't expect everyone and everything to cater to you and what you're used to. Isn't that part of the adventure? That's what I would think but after meeting a handful of very unpleasant tourists (*cough* Americans *cough*) who cussed out, laughed at, ordered around locals or got angry that they wouldn't speak English... I beg you don't be a tourist. People will speak other languages in other countries and a smile and learning a few very basic words goes a long long way. If you are worried about tap water watch other tourists to see if they're drinking it. Don't be lazy. You can figure out a lot of your questions if you just take some time to be observant. I promise you, thinking a little and familiarizing yourself a little first is a lot easier and goes a lot smoother than trying to ask a jumbled question to someone who speaks a different language. I know being a tourist can be frustrating and overwhelming which is why I also say be a tourist. Accept that you will be frustrated, that people may get frustrated with you, that you stand out, that you are confused 90% of the time, that some days you are just sick of how much work it all is, that you may cry on the corner of a street in Paris because you've been lost and rolling your luggage through a crowd of drunk, high, and naked people for 2 hours. You are a tourist and that's ok:)

B giving in and embracing his tourist role at a very confusing bust stop. McDonalds drink, Rick Steves book, Farmer's tan, neck pouch and all!

5) Traveling with your spouse-
Traveling like we traveled for as long as we did it is not a vacation and it is often not relaxing. It is living day to day life in another place. People asked if we won the lottery because we were taking such a grand vacation. I think people picture a month in Europe as a swanky affair. I'm sure it is for some people... awesome to be them. Unfortunately we're not them. For us to take a trip like we took it involved eating off the street, sleeping with 12 other strangers in dirty hostels, rolling our luggage with us for miles and miles, going un-showered for days... it was not easy and it was not glamorous. It was the best adventure we've ever had together don't get me wrong but it takes some learning and time to figure out how to make it work. Your patience is tested, your comfortability is ripped away, you're hot, you're dirty, you're lost, and sometimes you get grouchy... and sometimes you take that grouchiness out on your partner. Accept and expect that things will get tense and attitudes will flare and extra grace will be needed. Because the search for food can be grueling start it early before you ever get hungry. Also, don't be afraid to call a time out before your conversations get too grouchy. It's ok to walk in silence for awhile... especially when you're together 24 hours a day and are often the only people you can communicate with. Forgive quick and easily so you can move on and enjoy the amazing adventure you're on together:) Traveling with your spouse can be one of the best things you ever do together! This single trip has brought us closer, has taught us so much about each other, and has turned us in to a great team!

6) Safety-
Relax! Not everyone is out to scam you or steal from you. After hearing horror stories I was a little too paranoid at the beginning of the trip and was often paying more attention to who was around me than what I was looking at. Don't do that. Yes there is real danger. Yes you need to be smart. Yes watch your back and belongings. But confidence, awareness, common sense, and eye contact works wonders:)

7) Packing-
Lastly, pack light! No, seriously, I mean really light. No that's still too much, cut that in half, go even lighter. Only take what you know you will need beyond a reasonable doubt. You don't need a first aid kit. You don't need more than 2 pairs of shoes. You don't need tweezers. We lived for a month out of one carry on each. Yes we stunk sometimes. Yes we bought some more toiletries there as we ran out. Yes we had to do laundry once. But we never needed anything we didn't have and trust me if you're going to be hopping through 6 different countries you do not want to be paying all those checked baggage fees! My best tips for packing: Bring clothes that are all in the same color family so everything can be mixed and matched. Bring clothes that can be worn multiple ways (dress in to shirt, leggings in to long johns, sweater in to long sleeve under jacket). Bring a pashmina scarf shawl thing (one of those thin trendy scarves everyone wears). That scarf was the most useful thing I brought! Keeps you warm on a plane, shades you, covers your shoulders so you can go in to a church, fans you when you're sweaty, wipes your sweat, can be used as a glove to keep from touching gross things... the list goes on and on. Pack light. It's so much better to have less to worry about:) And it's fun to realize how little you really need to live off of.

That's it! Those are my reflections and tips. I suppose this is the closing of our Europe chapter. If anyone ever has any questions or wants any advice please ask! We love talking about all of this stuff:) Thanks for following our adventure!

Europe Trip: Reflections

2011-07-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

Our feet haven't touched European soil in 12 days. I just looked through all of our blog posts to refresh myself for this summary and I now have butterflies in my stomach and a knot in my throat. Sometimes you just don't know what you are in the middle of until you are out of it.

We were warned by multiple people before we left that a trip to Europe like the one we took will change you. I didn't believe them... until we got home. We may not have accents (unfortunately) but seeing the things we've seen, meeting the people we've met, and doing our best to learn and live like and with the cultures we visited totally puts a new spin on everything else. The morning we woke up at home the adjustments began. I was shocked by the size of my closet, I was relaxed by not having to worry if my belongings were being stolen in the next room, I was thankful for the magic-like ease of a washing machine and warm shower, I wondered why our American eggs are always white, I was happy to go to the bathroom and not pay for it, I felt rich because we own two cars then wondered if we really need two cars, I reflected on how spoiled and selfish I often am. And all of these thoughts are just the ones that happened in the first two hours of being awake. Many more have come since then.

Most people have been asking us what place was our favorite, and I will answer that, but one friend asked what impacted us the most from the whole trip and that question made me think. I think the most impactful thing that happened (to me) was a huge shift in perspective. Perspective on the world, perspective on people, perspective on the gospel, perspective on cultures, perspective on my own culture and life. This world is so big yet so unimaginably small at the same time. Time is so long and slow yet so incredibly fast and short at the same time. We are all human, we all love, we all hurt, we all sin, we all feel, we all have anxieties. Whether here, or in a rough town in Greece, or in a wealthy town in France you will find moms caring for babies, siblings playing together, someone begging on the corner, and someone heading off to a hard day of work. It's so easy for me to think of the rest of the world as such a different place, and it is in some ways, but on a human level we are all very much the same and that simple truth has me feeling like this world is a very very small place and it has my heart feeling extra big for the people in it.

Another perspective change was time. I'm understanding so much more about both our world's history and country's history after seeing the places we've seen. It's a little clearer why certain things have happened the way they've happened over time, I'm a little prouder of our country's forefathers, I'm amazed by how civilized civilizations really were 2,000 years ago, and I'm shocked at how recent 2,000 years ago really was. Standing in front of ruins or artifacts dating back to 3,200 BC is a very humbling thing. Us advanced technological aged people, we're babies in this world! And after seeing centuries of civilizations a lot like us rise and fall... I think we're a little cocky. To stand where Paul stood almost 2,000 years ago and preached in a city with an already abundant amount of history to it's name is sobering. The "Good News" is not old, it is not a thing of the past, it is not out of date. It is very much alive, it is more relevant than ever, and the urgency Paul felt and the words he spoke were not spoken very long ago.

I don't know where my brain was in school. Probably on some smelly boy or what dress I was wearing to the dance. I remember hearing about these events and I remember loving my history classes but that's about it. I guess there is just nothing like standing in the middle of where it all took place; seeing the remains, understanding the people, becoming familiar with the geography. It will change you... well at least me.

As for our favorite place... this, of course, is a multi-layered answer:) We both agree on this and this is how we feel: If you want to go to Europe and see one thing you MUST see Italy. Italy is the complete package. It's for everyone. It's romantic, beautiful, adventurous, fun, relaxing, and delicious. We saw Venice, Tuscany, and Rome and loved all three. Italy is great because it is easy to travel around the whole country. We also loved that it had so much to offer. You get your history and a taste of the city in Rome, you get absolute beauty and relaxation in Tuscany, and Venice... there is just nothing like Venice. It's an old, romantic, sinking city straight off of a post card. The food everywhere is great, a lot of words are easy to recognize (especially if you know a little bit of Spanish), and I have to mention that the tap water is better than bottled water. This is worth a mention because you would never believe how much money has to be budgeted if you're going to be buying water as you go. Anyway, Italy is our recommendation and somewhere we know we will go back to some day.

Now... for the layers:) Italy is what we suggest everyone see but Ireland has completely stolen our hearts. We spent a day in Dublin but spent the rest of our time in the west (near Cork and Dingle etc). Brett really liked Dublin and I did too but next time I could go straight to the west and never leave that area. From the moment our feet touched that green green grass we were smitten. Seriously, we just stood in that field with our mouths hanging open saying "I can't believe this" over and over. Our first night in the pub had the same effect. As the whistle played and the tapping of feet grew louder and louder I felt a big knot in my throat forming. I guess I don't really have great words to express exactly how we felt. God's gorgeous Ireland just did something deep and inexpressible in our hearts. We simply adventured by day, taking in every gorgeous view and soft blade of grass, and became one of the locals by night. I kept telling Brett "I had to have been born here. How does this place feel so much like home?". I even wondered if a country could adopt you and let you change your heritage to Irish... at least on paper. How could I not be? Somehow I must be! My name is Heather, isn't that their famous hill-covering flower? I have to be Irish! :) And not the American version of "I'm Irish" but the Irish version of "I'm Irish". The Irish (the one's in Ireland) are the most unique people I've ever met. Not just a few select ones, but every single one we came across all had the same spirit about them. All helpful, all grateful, all positive, all take a second to stop, all ask how you are. If you've been to Hawaii and heard of and felt "the Aloha Spirit" then you might understand a little bit of how Ireland is. That place has soul. I count the days that I can be back there with my feet in the grass, Brett's hand in mine, and walking in silence as we listen to the heart beat of that, very alive, very beautiful land.

Tomorrow I will post our hard learned traveling tips!! :)

Summer Adventures: Boston

2011-07-25T00:45:00.000-07:00

I have always had this unexplainable desire to see Boston. No one I know had been there, it hadn't been in any of my favorite movies, I hadn't read about it somewhere... I have no idea why I have always wanted to see it so bad but, still, I did.

We were already on the east coast and already in adventuring mode so we figured we may as well add it to the itinerary. How could we not when the 4 hour bus ride only cost $11?! I am so glad we did. I had an idea of what I thought Boston would be like (from my own head). It was both similar to what I imagined yet completely different at the same time.

Due to some flight complications we weren't sure how many days we were going to have there. We knew it could be anywhere from less than 1 to 3 so we treated our first day as our only and did what we were most excited about at the beginning. We started with The Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 hour walk (Or more depending on how nerdy you are. We are very nerdy and like to read about and discuss each stop). It is a walk that takes you through all of the major historic sites in one organized and scenic fashion.

I know we just came from some of the most ancient sites in the world but I was still blown away by the vast amount of history in Boston. There is something historic or fundamental to the building of our country on every corner! Stuff I had only heard about in childhood history books came to life and had so much more meaning.

First we had to replenish our strength so we stopped in at a restaurant we read about and grabbed some Boston Cream Pie, of course. we enjoyed reading about the history of the place as we ate that delicious thing. Famous authors had written novels there, writers had written plays there, Malcom X bussed tables there, JFK proposed there, JFK had his bachelor party there, JFK announced his candidacy there. The list goes on. After our pie we snuck up to the top floor of the hotel, per the suggestion of our waiter, where found the mirror. This is the mirror from Charles Dickens room where he worked on A Christmas Carol. Supposedly if you stare in to it long enough you can see his ghost;)

After our pie we headed to the cemetery where we saw the graves of a few American heroes.

Legend has it that Elizabeth Pain's grave marker was the inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne's, Scarlet Letter. He frequented this cemetery often. Brett and I love visiting cemetery's, especially while we're traveling, so we thought Nathaniel got some cool points for that. Also, in the picture on the right, notice the old smack dab in the middle of the new! So neat.

After visiting the site of the Boston Massacre and a few other famous spots we stopped near Paul Revere's house for some of Mike's Pastry's famous cannolis.

HOLY CANNOLI!!! I thought I had had a cannoli... until I ate one here. These things are so delicious. We each got one and could barely finish them. If you go to Boston and don't eat a cannoli here then shame on you! These are the real deal.

Next stop, a famous statue of Paul Revere (he's kinda a big deal here... obviously). And we also stopped at the church where the famous lanterns were lit to warn that the British were coming on the night of Paul's midnight ride. CRAZY. This stuff just blows me away.

We took a short walk over the river and saw the USS Constitution (I've never been so excited about a ship). We finished The Freedom Trail at the location of The Battle of Bunker Hill. We sat on a bench as I read about the battle and were filled with such pride for our country and thankfulness for our brave forefather's.

After we left the hill it was time to find somewhere to sleep for the night. We had gotten news that we would definitely be here one more day so we needed a place to stay. We found a hostel with empty beds so we made our way there. Gross. This place was nasty. That was our only American hostel experience and it was not a good one. Everything felt dirty and it was HOT inside. I always tend to be cold and enjoy a nice warm room. This room was a sauna with no fan or airflow of any sort. I considered sleeping outside on the side of the freeway.

Up until our last day in Boston I was totally not ready to go home. I wasn't upset about going home but I just didn't have the feeling that I needed to get there yet. That all changed when we woke up in that gross hostel on our last morning. We were hot, we were in dirty beds, we didn't know when we were going home, and we were even possibly stuck there another night. Something clicked and I wanted to go home BAD. We had our carry-ons with us and wanted to get to the airport early to try and get an early flight out so we decided to take our last morning in Boston slow. We visited Cheers, we walked the beautifully bricked Beacon Street, and we sat on a park bench under gorgeous trees for a few hours while we remembered all of the wonderful things we had done and seen in the past weeks. It was truly wonderful.

If we wanted to get home that day we had to fly in to LAX, which was kind of a bummer but at least we got home! Brett's awesome brother drove all the way up to get us. We got in the car and I noticed, for the first time, how many palm trees line our streets. I was in California and I was as happy as a clam. A Boston clam in a bowl of delicious chowder! Yum.

We were home for one day, ate real Mexican food, and then packed our bags for the next adventure. We are currently camping in Yosemite for a week with family! Yosemite is one of my favorite places and being here with family is the perfect way to end all of these travels!

Summer Adventures: New York City

2011-07-24T00:28:00.000-07:00

I never thought a place like New York would feel like home but after lots of hours on planes and buses in the middle of the night to get from Ireland to London to JFK I could have kissed that dirty ground. We shot our friends wedding in New Jersey and their family welcomed us in like we were long lost cousins. To be around friends, and English speakers, and familiar food, and clean beds, and clean toilets was a dream. Our first night we had a homemade dinner in their back yard and shared stories and laughter until the firefly's came out. Yes, I said firefly's. They are real! I guess I knew they were real but I just never really believed it. "It's those things!! Those bugs that are in the lagoon on the pirates of the Caribbean ride!". Then I proceeded to run across the yard and catch them. I caught 3:) We laughed and talked late in to the night. For the first time in weeks we completely relaxed and just basked in the presence of our amazing friends.

We spent some time before and after the wedding in "the city". New York was funny to me. First, it's nothing like what I thought it would be. It's not dirty, it feels completely safe, and nobody was mean to us. Second, I felt like I had been there before. We all see New York in so many movies and television shows that it all just felt so familiar.

Our first day in the city we stopped at Rockefeller Center, saw the FAO Schwarz toy store, visited the ( tarped:( ) Apple Store, saw Time's Square, and spent a very long time in Central Park. Central Park may have been my favorite thing about New York. It is HUGE and beautiful and is just so New York. We layed on a bench forever just people watching and relaxing. If I lived in NYC I would spend all of my time there:)

Oh, I forgot! We started our day with some New York bagels. Yum!

In San Diego we go to the beach to lay out. When you live in a giant concrete jungle of a city you lay out in Central Park... Obviously. It's hard to imagine that this sea of flesh is a field of snow in December.

Shake Shack!!! Frozen custard shakes! Why do we not have frozen custard on the West Coast?!?!

Our second day in the city was our last day in NYC, our 2nd wedding anniversary, and was spent with friends! It was a hot and humid day but we had so much fun.

We walked the Brooklyn Bridge. Walking that thing was fun in theory but near torture in humid reality. If there wasn't the promise of Grimaldi's Pizza and "the best" butter pecan ice cream on the other side we never would've made it.

Brett wasn't even hungry but had to get a NY hot dog from a street cart.

Seeing the World Trade Center was shaking.

Whoever decided the Staten Island should be free is a wonderful person. What a gorgeous view and great way to see Lady Liberty!

After NYC we stopped in Boston! More on that in the next post:)

Europe Trip: Ireland Day 3

2011-07-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Ireland was PERFECT. We did things a little differently than we have the rest of the trip. We spent more money than we normally would and we took a tour.. *gasp* a tour! We've been a little anti tours because they're expensive and they force you to stick to a time table and, being fans of exploring, we don't like time tables. But we have fallen so hard for Ireland that we just had to see more and the best way to see more the most efficiently was to take a tour. So a tour we took!

We went west and saw the cliffs of Moher. One word: breathtaking. I'm putting this on my bucket list and then crossing it off. This should be on yours too. I gasped when we saw it. The tour took us to the cliffs but stopped at a lot of little places on the way there and back. Our guide was extremely sweet and knowledgeable. He felt like our long lost friend by the end of the day. I learned so much about the culture and history of Ireland. That tour was worth every last euro cent!

(Our guide told us we were not supposed to go past the wall to the cliff edges... but that that's where he would be *wink*) ... notice the Hodad's sticker between the words "do not" :)

Brett giving me a heart attack...

The trip there and back took us to the river Shannon and Galway Bay

We also stopped by Burren. Burren was so intriguing. It has no water, no trees, and a solid rock floor. Burren is barren and beautiful. In Burren is a portal stone. A portal stone is a stone structure that ancient people made and used to pull their dead through as a symbol of the body going through a portal to a better next life. Archaeologists did a dig in the recent years and carbon dated the bones on the bodies they found. The people that used this portal stone were alive around 2800-3200 BC!!!!!!

(picture on the left is the portal stone, picture on the right is Bunratty Castle)

Exploring on the drive there...

There were so many of these abandoned houses in the country side. It was so sad. Our guide told us that during the famine families would just leave their house and everything they own and jump on a boat in hopes of docking anywhere with a promise of a better life. Fun fact: the first person on Ellis Island was a 15 year old girl from Ireland.

If families couldn't leave then parents would give every bit of food they had to their children and would often end up starving themselves. Many children were left orphaned and had no where to go but work houses. Many of those children are believed to be the ancestors of the many gypsies that still travel through out Ireland today. I am so intrigued by the gypsies. Our guide told us that they like to call themselves travelers and live in caravans and just live from place to place (in Ireland). They usually park anywhere, the police give them a 20 day removal warning within hours, they stay for 20 days, destroy the property, and leave before they can get in trouble. It's a huge game of cat and mouse. The gypsies make a living by collecting scrap metal (which is often obtained in questionable ways). What a trip!
Not a great picture but an awesome moment.. rolling in the green grass of Ireland:)

We are currently sitting in the Cork airport and by the time this posts we will hopefully be in New York. I can not believe how fast this trip has gone... yet how incredibly long it's been at the same time. I want to write a little recap of the past weeks here but the adventure is not over yet! We fly in to JFK, shoot a wonderful wedding in New Jersey, explore New York and Boston... THEN we fly to San Diego, but only to leave to camp in Yosemite for a week with my family. Life is grand and we are living it to the fullest! Cheers

Europe Trip: Ireland Day 2

2011-07-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up early and took a bus from Dublin to Cork (another Irish city but more west). It was a 4.5 hour bus ride but it was the perfect time to catch up on some podcasts and watch the Irish country side out the window... My heart just fluttered thinking about that gorgeous country side.

We arrived in Cork and dropped our bags at our hostel. We did a little bit of researching and made our way back to the bus station to catch a ride to Blarney. Today brett and I received a gift... the gift of gab! Yes we hung upside down, 90 feet up, over the ledge of a 600 year old castle, and kissed that germ infested rock... and it was awesome. I will probably get cold sores or something now but it was awesome none the less. I mean, really, how could we be in Cork and not do it?! The ticket price to enter the castle grounds is a little high if you are just going to kiss the stone but it is well worth it if you take full advantage of the grounds. There are all kinds of hikes and things to see if you just get away from the castle and do a little exploring.

Brett picked me a flower:) <3

This was a poisonous garden we found on the castle grounds. Beautiful but deadly. You couldn't touch or even smell any of the flowers as you walked through. It was so interesting!

Heather playing in the purple Heather!! :) I have a whole new pride for my name!

Cute Irish farm house surrounded by cows, horses, and a lake... I think I could handle that!

After exploring we took a bus back to Cork and started our nightly hunt for food. We are surprised at the non-existence of Irish food in Ireland. I'm sure there is plenty of it in other areas but so far in these two cities the pickings are slim, catered to tourists, and expensive. So... we split a dominoes pizza. When in Ireland... ?

After we scarfed down our pizza we took a little stroll to find a pub that jumped out at us. We ended up at The Corner House. This place was the cutest thing and was very different from our place in Dublin. Candles were lit and dripping everywhere, the windows were stain glassed, pictures covered the walls, and the place was filled with locals. It was so charming! We just relaxed, tapped our feett to the "trad" music, and soaked in life with the locals. Perfect.

Tonight was our last night in Ireland. We have a FULL day here tomorrow but we fly back to London tomorrow night. I feel the way I felt a few days before I left home. I have a knot in my stomach, a lump in my throat, and I already feel the homesickness. I do not want to leave this place. I really do not want to leave this place.

Europe Trip: Ireland Day 1

2011-07-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

We spent our last day in Rome by taking it easy. We walked through the flea market, ate, sat by the Trevi Fountain, and did our best to stay cool. Sunday was a scorcher! So we did what the Romans do... we bought the cute hats that every other Roman was wearing, stood in the shade of a building, and ate gelato. When in Rome.

We took a flight to Ireland that night and arrived at our hostel super late. I could not wait to wake up and see what Ireland has to offer. Out of all the places we planned for I think I sat and stared at google images of Ireland the longest.

Oh ya... our flight to Ireland. The airline we used has crazy carry on luggage weight restrictions. Our solve? Wear all of our clothes. We made it through! Hahaha... Very sweaty, but we made it through. Take that RyanAir. They checked Brett multiple times at security. I think they thought we might be crazy. We are.

The next morning I woke up early because I was sticking to my plastic hostel mattress and I just couldn't stand being in bed longer. I needed to explore! I started planning our day while B got ready. Our original plan was going to be a little more difficult than expected and we were going to have to improvise. We figured out a new plan and if we were going to make the last bus to Glendalough we had to run. So, we ran and we made it with 2 minutes to spare. We're getting good at this fly by the seat of our pants thing.

Glendalough lies within the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Some of the most beautiful landscapes in Ireland (Wicklow is also where the country scenes in P.S. I Love You were filmed). As we drove out and away from the city of Dublin and in to the unbelievable green we started seeing flocks of sheep, Irish farmers, and quaint cottages with billows of white smoke floating out of the chimney. I can not believe it is July. We went from scorching hot Rome to cozy, cup of tea, sweatshirt weather in 3 hours. As the scene turned more and more in to what I had dreamed of the bus ride became more and more unbearable. I wanted off that bus and in to that green. I had the strongest urge to jump off, run to the field, and press my face in to the green just so I could breathe it all in.

We arrived at Glendalough and were immediately greeted by a sweet helpful Irish man. That seems to be customary here. Everyone is extremely polite, genuine, and always says "hi" and even "how are you" in passing. He gave us a map of the walking trails and off we went.

Brett had to stop and wonder at the "perfect stream" :) He's cute.

In the picture on the right, those little white dots are sheep by the stream. CUTE!!!!

We made our way back and jumped on the bus back to Dublin. We stopped at our hostel to grab jackets and went back out to look for dinner. What did we have for dinner? Noodles. Chinese noodles. When in Dublin. No, seriously, when in Dublin. Dublin itself is kind of expensive and not that great (if you ask me). I read that it is actually known more for it's Chinese and Indian cuisine than anything Irish. Noodles were the cheapest thing we found so noodles we ate. When in Dublin.

After our noodles we went to the Temple Bar district to look for "our" pub. We stopped in a few. Some were rowdy 20 somethings (not our crowd). Some were fancy modern clubs. The one we found and made "ours" was above a restaurant, small, filled with a good mix of people, wood floors, brick walls, and wooden beams. We heard singing and clapping from out side and made our way up. We didn't plan on staying long but 4 hours later... :)

If you didn't see the video I posted on Facebook you can see it below:

Pubs in Irealnd (at least ours) are so unique. They're not clubs, people are not falling on the floor drunk, no one is there to "hook up", and you can meet and have actual conversations with people. It's wonderful. I did not want to leave. I can't wait for our next two nights.

Ireland has absolutely taken my heart. I am smitten with it. Like, seriously, I may not come back home. We are already planning the next time we can get back here. It's funny because everywhere else we have visited has been wonderful and rich. I have been changed by these unbelievable places but I also know that I'm ok with waiting some years before I return to them. They aren't home but they are truly a treasure.

But that's not at all how I feel about Ireland. Ireland feels like home. If I didn't know better I would think I was born and raised here by how deep of a grip this place already has in the roots of my heart. I read somewhere that Ireland stills your mind, opens your heart, and fills your soul. It has. Oh, it has. This place feels alive and it has gotten under my skin.

As we walked in silence through the green I took deep long breaths letting the clean cool air fill every inch of my lungs. God, thank you for that breath. Thank you for this beauty you have created. Thank you for sustaining me one more day. Thank you for this land that has touched the core of me and made me love you and praise you even more.

Today my eyes have seen and my heart is full... oh ya and it was only day 1. I really don't know if anyone will be able to get me home after two more days of this.

Europe Trip: Rome Day 2

2011-07-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

Ok that's it... Rome and Italy should be on your must see list.

First off, Rome is the city that never sleeps. We took longer than expected on our night walk the night before and were nervous there would be no buses running to get us home. Not only were the buses running but the streets, fountains, and campos were all still bustling at 2am when we turned in "early".

Then next morning we slept in to avoid early morning crowds at Vatican City and headed over a little later. Vatican City is such an interesting little place. It's its own country within a country. They have their own police force, their own postal system, and their own little world inside their giant city walls. We grabbed a panini and headed to the Vatican museum ticket line. We were surprised that it wasn't very long after all the warnings we were given. We followed Rick Steves' suggested route through the museum and saw a plethora of wonderful things. Honestly I think the Louvre in France was a hundred times better as far as paintings, tapestries, and sculptures but we were super excited to see Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and especially the famous portrait of Adam and God (the fingertip painting) on the roof. The Sistine Chapel was beautiful all together. This is the pope's personal chapel. You are absolutely not allowed to take pictures inside, flash or no flash. They have very attentive and loud screaming police that will remind you if they see you using your camera. At first I said I decided I would follow the rules... until I saw about 5 other people take a quick pic from their hip. Temptation got the best of me and I brought my camera to my hip and boom.... Picture:)) How cold I not post a picture of that famous panting?!

Next was St. Peter's Basilica. This is one of the largest churches in the world and very important in the Catholic faith. It was gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. No detail is overlooked and the place is full of history. In the center of the church is a large and ornate bronze canopy over Peter's famous tomb. It was extremely cool but I was a little disappointed that you couldn't get close. The canopy and ornate details keep you far away. You can see the "Here lies Peter" sign but his actual body is actually about 6 stories underground. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting haha but it was still really cool. A lot of other popes were also buried within the walls and had big ornate altars to mark their tombs. Lots and lots of ornate things in this church. One of my favorite things was the sculpture done by Michelangelo of Mary and Jesus. I was mostly blown away simply because he was commissioned for the sculpture when he was 24!! I didn't realize how young he was when his career started.

We don't know why you're supposed to kiss Peter's toe but we did. Well, Brett did. I thought it was gross haha.

Our Panini and the most amazing coffee thing I've ever had. Coffee granita con panna. Oy.

After St. Peters we got out of Vatican City. It's very crowded there. We then headed back to the main city of Rome and left the rest of the day for exploring:) We did a little shopping and a lot of walking around.

One of the coolest things about Rome is that their tap water is not only drinkable but good! We saved so much money on water by refilling the same bottle over and over.

I loved this Egyptian obelisk. Marcus Aurelius took it from Egypt as a trophy in a battle with Cleopatra and Mark Antony. What a trophy! How did he even get that thing back?!

We decided that night would be about taking it slow and savoring our last full evening in Rome. We decided to get a light dinner so we could snack as we walked through the city the rest of the night. We made a quick stop at a little pizzeria and then made our way to the Trevi Fountain. Ok let's stop and talk about a little about food in Italy. It's wonderful... when you can actually get it. Finding places to eat in foreign countries already has its challenges. Can I read the menu? Is that the final price? Are there any extra charges? Is the tap water safe to drink? Do you charge for tap water? Do you charge for this bread you put on our table? Does this country tip? etc etc. But in Rome you must also add on the question of... was this food frozen and microwaved? I am still shocked at the vast number of seemingly authentic restaurants that are serving tv dinners at very high prices. And you won't know if that's what you're eating unless you ask. We've had to get up and leave a restaurant after already being seated so we can go to the restaurant next door and pay the same price for real food. I loved this restaurant.. they gave it to you straight right on there menu board outside. But of course this kind of authenticity came with a price tag.
Our next stop was the Trevi Fountain, again. We could've sat there until the sun rose. How cool can a fountain be? I didn't think very cool until I found Trevi.

After the fountain we went back to our little gelateria from the night before. So far our favorite gelato flavor has been Noccioli (Hazlenut). Rick Steves mentioned something about cinnamon so Brett tried it. Oh wow. Gelato for me comes down to a rough intense battle between hazlenut and cinnamon... everything else falls by the way side.

We took our gelato the the steps of the Pantheon and spent the rest of the evening sitting on the steps there. Rome at night is MAGIC. You have to see Rome even if it's for a night. All you really need is a night... but then you will be hooked and need to come back. And that's where the coin toss at Trevi Fountain comes in;)

We started walking to our bus stop but made a quick left turn to go see the Colosseum one last time. We sat in silence trying to absorb every last drop of this place.

We got home late, again. And the city was still fully alive, again. We slept in, again, and are now spending our last day in Rome. First stop: the Porta Portese Flea Market. I'm excited! Our flight to Ireland is tonight and we can't wait to see that beautiful land. I don't know why but going to Ireland feels like we're going home.

Europe Trip: Rome Day 1

2011-07-09T18:04:00.000-07:00

Rome, Rome, Rome... I've decided there is just nothing else in the world like it. We ended up hopping on an earlier train out of Orvieto and got to Rome sooner than planned. We decided to that we would just start going and checking things off of our list. We bought our Roma Pass (if you ever go to Rome you must get this) and headed to the Colosseum. The Colosseum was one of my top 2 favorite sites. It blew my mind to stand in the middle of it and play over in my head the reality of what happened in that amphitheater. We learned a lot of the history behind gladiators and death matches, the architecture behind the Colosseum itself, and the misunderstood Nero who was the man in charge during the Colosseum's time.

The amphitheater floor has disintegrated over time revealing the design of the pathways and rooms that were behind the scenes... or under the scenes I should say. This ancient amphitheater could fit about 60,000 people. Seriously mind blowing.

After the Colosseum we headed to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill where all of ancient Rome's "government buildings" and important decisions took place.

Oh ya... and on the left is a picture of some frescoes that have survived through the years at the Colosseum. They're super hard to see but I thought they were awesome! (They depict the crucifixion.) And on the right is a chunk from the Roman Forum. I thought it was pretty:)

We also visited the Arch of Constantine. Constantine played a huge role in legalizing Christianity and making it a wide spread faith.

After doing some site seeing we started to look for a dinner spot. We knew we were going to do our Rome night walk after so we picked a place in Campo De Fiori (our starting place for the walk). This campo was awesome. It was full of life and full of history. We people watched over spinach and ricotta stuffed ravioli in a butter sage sauce and of course a pizza! The ravioli is the best pasta I've had in Italy.

We walked around the campo after dinner and took a look at the haunting statue of Bruno. Bruno was a heretic who was burned on the spot in that square for false teaching. Creepy!

Then we began our night walk... which I already have a feeling is going to be my favorite memory of all of Rome. Rome is wonderful by day but magical by night. It really is a whole different place. We stopped at another campo and took in the gorgeous fountain and work of the street artists. Oh and we also had world famous ice cream! Talk about a double whammy... this one ice cream dish is famous in both the chocolate world AND the ice cream world, separately. Yes please!

Next we headed to the Pantheon. I thought the first place was good, the Pantheon is better. We sat on the steps and just took it all in. The columns of the Pantheon are each made from one solid piece of granite. Amazing!!

Next we got some gelato at a famous little gelateria and as expected it did not disappoint! (The Salumeria is not said gelateria... I just thought it and the butcher man were cute:)) Oh and yes this was our second dessert in one night!! :) When in Rome.

After gelato, the next stop on our night walk was the Trevi Fountain!! I was excited about this one. We got there and were a little surprised by the large amount of people that were also there but we found our little corner and tossed our coins. It is said that a coin tossed in to the fountain guarantees a trip back to Rome AND you get to make a wish:)

We've been taking lots of video but haven't been posting any because it takes too much time but here's a little clip of our toss:)

The last stop on our walk was the Spanish Steps. We didn't know much about it but we heard it was great at night. We made our way there and were met by a large group of Romeos and Juliets tangled in each others arms. We had obviously just stepped in to Italian romance at its best!

Here's the view from the Spanish Steps..

Day 1 was incredible. We just finished day 2 and it was equally as amazing. I will work on getting those pictures up tomorrow some time. Tomorrow is our last day in Italy then we're off to Ireland!!! Talk about opposites. Ciao!

Europe Trip: Orvieto & Civita Di Bagnoregio, Italy

2011-07-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

Finding our perfect spot in the Tuscany region of Italy was hard. Everything was beautiful and had something unique to offer but we kept coming back to a magical ancient little village called Civita Di Bagnoregio. It was almost too gorgeous to be real. We knew we had to see this place but staying in the village itself we heard can be a little boring. It is a magical place but better done in a day trip. So we found a quaint Italian village down the road (Orvieto) and had the best of both worlds!

After arriving in Orvieto we, as usual, began our hunt for food. We ended up at a restaurant that looked like it came straight out of an Anthropologie catalog. We ordered gnocchi with a pecorino sauce and a pizza. YUM. We decided to explore the tiny town a little and do some window shopping. As we were walking down the cobblestone street I heard a strangely familiar voice. I looked around and that's when I saw her... Sarah Jessica Parker! Haha. I'm not her #1 fan or anything but it was kind of fun to see a celebrity! Supposedly there's a film festival happening near by and she's in town for that.

This is the Duomo:) The big church in Orvieto with a ton of history. I was amazed at how intricate the details were on the outside. This church glitters in the sunlight. I couldn't help but think about that poor person who laid each of these teeny tiny tiles that cover the Duomo!

Boar is a pretty big thing here... notice the hairy leg

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The next morning we woke up early to catch a bus to the magical village of Civita Di Bagnoregio! We arrived and it was just as perfect as we imagined. Once again, we invited the trusty Rick Steves along and learned a ton about the ancient ground we were walking on.

After the hike up you enter the village by walking under a 2,500 year old carve out!

Then you meet a lot of cats:)
Brett is the cat whisperer.

We also met the sweetest donkey. I didn't know a donkey could be so affectionate and responsive! And his nose was the softest thing ever.

We explored. Exploring is key. Walk farther than the map tells you to and turn those corners that look boring... that's when you find treasure!
We found this ancient Entruscan cave that was built as a shortcut for woman carrying jugs of water. It was also used for safety during World War II. Imagine a little village all huddled in there!

We explored a really neat church. Supposedly there was a time when it was the cool thing to have bright white church interiors. All of the churches whitewashed over their ancient frescos on the walls. This church was no different except that after a large earthquake the whitewash chipped off and masterpieces were revealed below. How neat!

Cute B was just taken with this view. Every time we came near the outer edges of the village he had to stop to go get another look. He sat silently and just let the Tuscan scene wash over his soul. Something about places like this grips you deep.

My favorite moment of the whole day was in this bottom left picture. We were exploring the back alleys and a little cave with an ancient olive press. The friendly owner of the press ushered us in for bruschetta and a glass of his house wine. We sat down at the table and he got the fire going to toast our bruschetta. He spoke as much English as we speak Italian but we made do and somehow were able to talk about life a little. There were lots of old pictures of his family on his walls. He told us that descendants of his family have been occupying Cavita Di Bagnoregio for 1,500 years!!! I was blown away by this man, his tasty bruschetta, his family history, and couldn't help but step back and be thankful for where I was sitting and what I was experiencing in that moment.

The guest house we're staying in in Orvieto has a full kitchen a giant bathtub and two bedrooms. We are living it up! This is a mansion compared to some of the hostels we've been in. We cooked ourselves dinner and shamelessly spent a ton of time relaxing before the next few weeks of craziness. Cooking for ourselves left us way under our daily food budget so we went and got big gelatos for dessert! We ate our gelatos on the steps of the church and watched the local kids play in the square. When we were finished we took a night walk around the village. Italy just gets more and more beautiful.

We are about to head out and spend our first FULL day in Rome:) We are getting a late start this morning because we got home so late from our night walk last night. (I'm not sure if this city sleeps.) I can't wait to post pictures from this amazing place!

Oh and we're all caught up on posts now. yay!

Europe Trip: Venice, Italy

2011-07-08T01:00:00.000-07:00

Venice was pure romance. It was exactly as I expected it to be from the moment I stepped in to it. We walked through all of the alleys in disbelief that it was all real. I told Brett multiple times that I felt like we were on a movie set. It blew Disneyland out of the water in it's quintessential perfection.

We arrived by train and couldn't wait to start exploring. We were staying in the guest house of a local resident and had a hard time finding the address until another local and her cute dog joined us on the search. What a great first impression of Venice! We unloaded and were out the door again. The best advice we were given for Venice was simply to get lost (which is not hard to do on the ambiguously marked, tiny, almost identical, maze of streets). Get out of St. Marks square and just get lost... you're on an island. We had a blast getting lost! I think we found a new way home every time because we could never find the way we went before, again. There were sites to see but we didn't plan on seeing them. Our plan was to go with out a plan, get our hands dirty, and savor each drop of what ever Venice had to offer us. Italy is proving to be a rich culture. Rich in passion, rich in flavor, rich in beauty, rich in history, and rich in romance. We just can't help but to fall in love with this place.

As usual, our first item of business was to find food. We were lent a Rick Steves Italy book from our friends and we cracked it open to see what dear Rick had to say about a good place to eat. As usual, he didn't lead us astray. We picked a restaurant he suggested and we still haven't had pizza better than that place any where else in Italy.

In a normal post I would run through all of the things we did each day but Venice was just not like that. We woke up late, we took advantage of the "siesta", we walked, we ate, we talked, we kissed, and we just let Venice swallow us whole. Here's a little taste...

Pigeons would just fly in to your hands if you held them out long enough... kind of gross yet kind of awesome.

There's a little open air fish and produce market open in the mornings. It was so cool!

Gondola rides are a HUGE rip off. If you asked me 6 months ago if I would ever go to Venice and not do the gondola ride I would have said no way. But once you're there and you see how gorgeous it is a gondola ride just doesn't even matter. We took the slow vaporetto (line 1) down the grand canal after sunset and felt like we got the same if not a better experience. We would recommend the vaporetti over the gondolas any day!

The deuling orchestras in St. Marks Square may have been one of my favorite moments of Venice. We had a blast running from cafe front to cafe front in the square listening to such talented musicians and moving compostitions.

B also celebrated his 24th birthday while we're in Venice!!! Here he is with his birthday gelato:)

Europe Trip: Santorini, Greece

2011-07-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

Santorini was a little bit closer to the Greece I had dreamt of. White buildings, blue roofs, gorgeous water, donkeys, and feta. Lots of feta.

We took an overnight ferry from Athens to Santorini and Brett being the gentleman he is booked me a bed in a cabin with 3 other girls and him the cheap airplane seat on the deck. What a guy:)

We docked and took a bus to our little town, Fira. We checked in, dropped our bags, and began the grueling search for food. Finding food on your first day in a new place is always the hardest. We hadn't eaten breakfast and were super hungry... which also means I was super grouchy:/ We decided on a cafe and Brett got a Greek salad and I ordered a bowl of "yoghurt" with honey and walnuts. This bowl of yogurt was no doubt one of my favorite food experiences. So good that we went to the market and bought everything to recreate it at our hotel room for breakfast the next few days. If you haven't tried Greek yogurt do it! It's nothing like American yogurt.

After eating we did a little research and made a plan for the rest of the afternoon. We decided to go visit the old port at the bottom of the cliffs our town was built on. We read all kinds of warnings about how steep it is and how difficult the 579 slippery steps were but we wanted to do it anyway! If you don't want to walk you can take a lift or ride a donkey. We decided to walk down and choose which way we wanted up once we got to the bottom. We explored the port and marveled at the clear blue water. When it was time to go up we decided a donkey would make for the best memory and adventure and at 5 euro each we couldn't say no. So off we went on donkeys. Slipping, sliding, coming dangerously close to cliff edges, running in to other donkeys and groups of people... Yes, we definitely got the adventure we wanted:)

We spent some time exploring the rest of Fira before we hopped on a bus over to Oia to end the day watching one of their world famous sunsets.

That is one lucky stray dog!
We definitely had a bit of a language barrier in Greece. It was only frustrating when you didn't know what food you were ordering! P.S. Look at that patio on the right. JEALOUS.

Another stray... Greece is covered in stray dogs and I loved it!! Every one we met was friendly and most of them have collars but none of them have owners. It was so funny to see them scattered about staring out at the ocean.

And some of them were doing other things... tell me what doesn't belong in this picture

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The next morning we slept in then drooled over our yogurt breakfast. Our favorite thing about Santorini was the lack of site seeing. Site seeing is absolutely awesome but aimlessly exploring is a thousand times better. We rented a questionably safe ATV for 15 euro grabbed 2 extremely dented old helmets and hit the road! Santorini is a small, skinny, steep island that is really the lip of a volcano. You can stand in the middle and see ocean on both sides of you. We couldn't get lost so we just drove taking whatever turns we wanted... And getting sunburned. If anyone knows me they know my disdain for sun burns and excessive sun exposure in general. I sunscreened 3 times and still came out a lobster! That Greek sun is unforgiving of my vampire skin.

We found some black sand beaches.

We found a little beach town with cheap gyros served right on the sand. Where else can you get a meal for two so close to the water I could've thrown my pita in it... for 4 euro?

We stopped to take in the views.

And we headed to Oia again for another sunset and some more exploring of the alleys. Oia is absolutely beautiful. I've decided that the Greek islands or Italy would be the best honeymoon. The perfect balance of relaxation and things to do. Someone better do it!

It truly was the perfect day.

I did a little driving too:)

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.....and then it was time to leave and the real adventure began. The ride home from Oia is on a winding, steep, unlit skinny road. It would've been scary enough alone and then the headlights on our ATV wouldn't turn on. We panicked. We got a stern speaking to by a Greek cop. I was freaking out and Brett was trying to stay calm. "This is how people die Brett!!" "We're going to be on one of those we shouldn't be alive shows." "We're going to get hit by on coming cars". "What if we drive off the edge." "We need to pray." "We need a plan."

So we made a plan. Brett drove the whole way carefully with our left blinker on to light up the road and I waved the video light on my iPhone to try and catch the attention of other drivers. People must've thought we were so stupid haha. Once we turned the corner in to our town we both breathed for the first time and laughed about what just happened. It was the scariest part of our trip for sure!

... Oh by the way, did you know that if you turn the key to the third notch on an ATV the lights become functional? We didn't.

Brett's birthday in Venice is coming soon!!!

Europe Trip: Athens Exploring

2011-07-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Whoa! We're a little behind. Wifi was on the fritz in Greece and Venice but seems to be a lot better now. I don't want to be behind because I want to tell you about the fun stuff we're seeing right now so I'll probably just pump these posts out as quick as I can:)

Athens was such an interesting city. For years when I thought of Greece I thought of white buildings with blue roofs, gorgeous water, donkeys, people saying "opa", broken plates, and feta cheese. Athens was none of that. At all. It is a very large city and is sometimes compared to New York City. Gobs of buildings, busy streets, and a fast pace of living. So fast in fact that trying to get a smile returned to you is pointless. That makes Athens sound terrible but we actually loved it. White buildings, blue roofs, gorgeous water, and donkeys are only found in the islands... especially Santorini. Santorini was our next stop and with the promise of the Greece I had dreamed of being just a few days away I could enjoy Athens for what it is.

As I mentioned in the last post, we spent a lot of our first day just getting to our hostel from the airport. Oh and getting caught in a little rioting too. The strike was planned to be over our second day and public transportation would resume back to normal. Even though the buses and metro were up and running we ended up walking the entire day anyway and loved it. I think Athens is a city better experienced by foot. It is the most historical place I have visited so far. We were shocked by how much history was literally on every corner. The skeletal remains of societies long gone, half dug up, and left to decay are everywhere.

Brett studying the map and the city of Athens in the background.

WARNING: Walking a whole city in one day is fun but it does come with consequences. I laughed so hard when Brett took off his sock to inspect "a little pinching" and found this monster blister!!! I mostly included this photo just for Allie.

After we visited the leftovers from the riots in Syntagma square we headed to the Acropolis and began our ancient archeological site seeing. My favorite site by far was the Areopagus. Supposedly the Areopagus or "Mars Hill" is where Paul gave his speech in acts about the Athens people's foreign god's. "Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands." Acts 17:24. We sat on the top of that rock for a long while. What a trip to stand where Paul stood. He is one of my Bible superheroes and it was totally a life moment to stand where he stood and preached. I learned that Paul actually spent quite a bit of time in Athens. He was originally only stopping through on his way to Corinth but felt moved by the vast number of gods (and unknown gods) that he saw the Athenian people worshipping. He ended up converting Dionysios!!! (Whose theater we also saw). It was just so crazy to see the Bible come to life in this way.

The Aeropogus. "Mars Hill"

The slippery walk up.

My rock from mars Hill!!! :) It looks like a heart and I love it.

Dionysios' Theater

The temple of olympian Zues (with the acropolis in the background). Imagine this place in its hay day!
The acropolis!
Archaeologists

After all of our archaeological site seeing we headed to the Monastiraki flea market for some shopping. I knew quickly after we decided to go to Greece what I wanted to get as a souvenir. I had found information and stories on the internet about a man. His name is Stavros Melissinos and he is a successful poet and 2nd generation sandal maker. His sandals are hand made and custom fitted to your foot. He has made quite the name for himself with past clients such as The Beatles, Jackie Onassis Kennedy, Sophia Loren, etc. I totally wanted some handmade Greek Stavros sandals and I could not wait to get to Monastiraki to visit the shop!

After shopping we headed back to the hostel to take advantage of siesta time. We spent the rest of the day taking it slow and relaxing... and we also ate out first Gyro in Athens! A few things about gyros in Greece. They go under different names so you mostly order by looking for the stick of meat roasting. They are the cheapest and tastiest way to eat in Greece. They are sometimes made from lamb but are usually offered in chicken or pork. I was surprised. Also, we decided that the "gyro pita" is the Greek version of a California burrito... except that I like it.

We finished seeing more than we anticipated our first day in Athens and had originally planned on visiting Corinth the second day but chose not to after researching more and figuring out pricing. This left us with an entire day in Athens and no idea of what to do. A few nights before we had met an awesome couple at our hostel. After chatting for a bit we realized that we had a mutual friend. What are the odds?! They offered to let us tag along with them and our awesome flat mate Lorenzo to the special Olympics happening in Athens. We were really excited to get a taste of the Olympics in Athens. But more than the taste of the Olympics we got a taste of inspiration. Watching those young athletes with disabilities compete in one of the largest world events, do it well, remain focused and committed, and accomplish in their short lives more than I ever have was extremely humbling. What dedication, responsibility, and drive!! Wow.

After the Olympics all 5 of us headed back to the hostel to eat together before we had to split up. I can not tell you how full my heart was having friends around. They say distance makes the heart grow fonder and I believe it! I don't know if I have ever loved my friends back at home more!! I miss them like crazy and have realized how much I appreciate and love them. Friends are such a gift.

This is Shaun, Lindsey, and Lorenzo. Shaun and Lindsey both left Hawaii to travel the world... literally the world. They've been gone since April and don't get home until the beginning of August. I thought we were taking a long trip! Lorenzo is also on a long term traveling adventure! We're quickly realizing how different traveling is from vacationing and how much longer a lot of people take to do it in other parts of the world!!

After dinner Brett and I took one last trip to the cafe and then made our way to the port for our overnight ferry to Santorini!!! My blue roofed heaven!

Europe Trip: Athens Riots

2011-07-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

**Athens will be split up in to a few posts because there's lots of fun stuff to write about. First post: Riots**

We arrived in Athens the day before yesterday but couldn't get around to see anything until yesterday when the riots were over. Our flight was delayed due to the strikes and all public transportation was shut down. Walking from the airport to our hostel wasn't an option so we made friends with the couple behind us in line and split the taxi fare! Perfect. Arriving in a striking rioting Athens was hectic and a little scary. While Brett went and looked for a pay phone I made my way to the taxi line to hold us a spot. My whole walk there I prayed specifically that we would meet another English speaking couple in line that would split a cab and help us pay for the expensive taxi ride. After much pushing and shoving my way in the giant cluster of a line I was in started to become organized. Moments later we were in an organized single file line and behind me was a nice couple speaking English. We immediately bonded over our current predicament and common language. They were from Canada and are in Greece to watch their niece compete in the special olympics. The husband asked if we would like to split a cab before I could even mention it. Total answer to prayer... God is providing in such clear obvious ways on this trip!! It's awesome!!

We finally made it to our hostel and checked in. We still had half a day in Greece and we didn't want to waste it. We asked around and devised the safest plan we possibly could and went on our way. We walked to a very wealthy area and planned on finding a cafe to order a frappe (something Athens is known for... imagine a cold cappucino). The rioting was happening in Syntagma Square about a 15 minute walk away but we assumed if we didn't walk straight to the square we would be fine. Wrong.

We got a few blocks out and started noticing burnt piles of trash on the ground and smoke in the distance. We assumed the riot had come and passed so we kept moving forward and actually liked that we got to see some left overs from all the action. We reached our ritzy neighborhood and found an outdoor cafe. We ordered our drinks and waited for them. As the woman handed us our drinks we heard screaming and yelling getting closer and closer FAST. I turn around and a stampede of white tear gas stained faces were coming towards me screaming. I saw the terrified look on our baristas face and went in to panic mode. So, I grabbed Brett and we ran in to the building part of the cafe until the stampede passed. As soon as they did we got out of there and started walking in the opposite direction in an attempt to avoid any angry, tear gassing, police that may be following. It was thrilling and quite the rush but i must say I was absolutely terrified in the moment! haha

We spent the next day checking out the archaeological sites but before we did that we wanted to walk to Syntagma Square and see the left overs from the 2 days before. We hadn't been there yet but knew we were close by the stinging in our eyes, throats, and nose. I started sneezing and seriously could ot understand why until I looked around and noticed others wearing gas masks. Apparently it takes awhile for tear guess to dissipate. As we got deeper in to the square it got stronger and I sneezed more times in a row than I ever have! Brett and I were laughing today at how familiar the sting of tear gas and the sight of riot police has become. Here are some photos:

This is the parliament building that stands in the center of Syntagma Square. (Very guarded of course)

This is Syntagma Square and some of the rioters that seemed to have reappeared last night as we got off the metro.

This is where a little fire had been.

This is/was a McDonald's!!

I felt so sad for this old man as he surveyed the damage of his store.

These are/were ATM's at the metro station underneath Syntagma Square. The metro station was had the strongest gas left overs. Every one was coughing and covering their face.

This is a collected pile of the tear gas cans... another strong gas area.

These are the faces of their politicians spray painted on the ground. Would hate to be them!

I wish these photos showed just how crazy and destroyed this place was. I am so glad I only got caught in one of the small out skirt riots. I woould've hated to be at Syntagma the night before!! Thanks for all your prayers for safety. We truly felt and appreciated them<3

Europe Trip: Germany

2011-06-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhh Deutschland! Deutsch must stand for beautiful. Beautiful Land. We loved Germany. We spent most of our time in Bavaria and it was perfect. This is going to be one long post about Germany. Wifi has been sparse so far in Greece and I want to catch up while I have it so I do't fall behind:)

We took an overnight train from Paris to Frankfurt and other than waking up with "train legs" (like sea legs) it was one of the best night's sleep so far. We planned to road trip our way through Bavaria so we rented a car. It was significantly cheaper to rent a manual so that's what we did. Brett learned and practiced (ahem.. twice) at home and we figured it would be fine. We picked up our car and spent about 10 minutes in the parking garage trying to pull out of our spot. Apparently it's very difficult to go from park to THIRD with your emergency break on. Finally we figured it out and were on our way. First step of the directions... get on the Autobahn. Joy. If you don't know what the Autobahn is it is the freeway system in Germany. Notorious for no speed limits. Anyway, we got on the Autobahn. Brett became very focused and serious on driving and I also became very focused and serious... on praying. Good Lord get me out of this car!! I seriously reconsidered the value of a bargain and whether it was worth it to save money when it involves being trapped in a fast moving, inexperienced driven, metal death cage. I prayed again. Then I decided I was going to commit to being positive and encouraging and not let my fear turn me in to a screaming, yelling, nagging, negative, discouraging, hyper-ventilating wife. Even when Brett was going 92 mph. Germany... where I learned a big lesson in self-control.

The death trap.
Our first day we spent road tripping through Bavaria on a little stretch called the Romantic Road. It's a convenient little road that takes you through all of the old Bavarian villages that weren't destroyed in world war II. If you think of Germany and you think pretzels, lederhosen, Pinnocchio looking houses, wind mills, and giant beers then you're thinking of Bavaria. That all came from Bavaria and is not what other parts of Germany are like at all. We stopped at a few villages and absorbed all of the cuteness. Our favorite village was called Rothenburg.

Schnee Ball!!!!! Supposedly a Rothenburg original this little ball is amazing! Crunchy, flaky, sweet, yum!

When planning Germany Brett and I kept talking about how wonderful it would be to see Germany during Christmas time. Apparently it is so wonderful that they have year round Christmas emporiums devoted to the season. They were the best!! Christmas in June, I love it. We totally got a German ornament.

All of the village churches were open to letting people walk through them. What a crazy experience. Church was so different back then. The pulpit was usually above the congregation somewhere in the middle-side of the pews. A few of the churches even buried some of their dead inside the church, under the floor, next to the pews!

This darling, quaint, super old village church... was straight up CREEPY! We couldn't read the German telling us who this extra special guy was but we're guessing some sort of priest. He's so special in fact that they buried his body in a glass case. Yup, right next to the pews. The poor children in that church. Sunday morning a time for worship, fellowship, and watching our beloved priest decay. Gross.

We finished the Romantic Road in a place called Fussen. Where we stayed in a hostel much nicer than the last. We got there late in the afternoon so we went to dinner, came back, and went to bed. I have had a few authentic German plates in the past and wanted to try a home favorite in it's home land. We found a cute and fair priced little restaurant. Traveling tip: Sometimes when the prices get lower it may mean you are eating where the locals eat. This is both awesome and intimidating because they expect you to know what you want and don't have any interest in trying to explain things to you in English. I ordered sauerbraten and spatzle and was happy to find out it tasted exactly like home!! Way to go mom! 2nd travelers tip: don't order "water". In Europe if you order "water" and don't specify "tap water" they will bring you a tiny glass bottle of extra fancy extra expensive mineral water. It's the biggest tourist trap around. I got so caught up in ordering my meal properly that I completely forgot and fell in to the trap:( Here's my very extra special, I swear they just filled the bottle with tap water, extra fancy water.

Our hostel... the itchy one.

Our second day we went up the road to the Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the castle that Walt Disney used as inspiration for his park castles. It was the castle of "mad" King Ludwig II and was only occupied by him for a few months before he died. It was then turned in to a museum a week later. He was known for being crazy. Attentive to every detail, a lavish dreamer, and spending every last dime of his family's fortune to build his dream house. Shortly after moving in to the castle a doctor came and diagnosed him as mentally unhealthy ("mad"). A few days later both "mad" King Ludwig and the doctor were found dead in the shallow waters of a small lake nearby. No one knows what happened but there is a lot of speculation. So interesting!!

This is the view from one of the castle windows. The little town off to the right in the back is Fussen, where we stayed. The mountains in the background are the Swiss Alps! Talk about a view. I'd want this bedroom window.

Ausfahrt and Einfahrt mean exit and entrance. On the freeway the Ausfahrt signs are GIANT.
We took this picture because we are extremely immature and laughed at these signs every time we passed them! We think farts... err fahrts are funny!

After leaving Fussen we drove to Munich (avoiding every hill and possibility of rolling in to other cars that we could along the way). Once in Munich we headed to the Dachau concentration camp. We drove silently there. Half because Brett was focusing on driving and I was focusing on not screaming when we almost rolled in to cars and half because I was mentally prepping myself for what I was about to see.

We walked up and were greeted by the gate. Dachau was the first concentration camp in Germany and for awhile was the largest. It was known for it's cruelty and would cause both Jewish people and non Jewish people to shudder at the even mention of it's name.

The little sign on the left told us that prisoners were brought in on the train, lined up on the brick road, and marched inside the camp where the disinfection and checking in processes began. In this picture you can still see remnants of the train track, the train platform, and the same brick road.

Every concentration camp had this above it's gate. It says "work sets you free". I imagined what it must have felt like the moment you stepped off the train and your feet hit the brick pavement. Who and what your thoughts must be on as you walked through the metal gate knowing that you may not and most likely will not ever walk back through again.
We walked through everything. The check in center, we looked at desks that were used to hold prisoners files, we looked at personal items that were confiscated from prisoners, we saw the propaganda that portrayed concentration camps to the rest of the world as safe and human work camps, we saw where the prisoners were disinfected and the bolts in the wall that held the hooks where they were hung to dry, we walked through the gas chambers, the bullet holed walls that prisoners were lined up against and shot and the blood trenches that were dug to carry all of the blood from the shootings, the "showers" where prisoners were doused in acid then carried to the incinerators in the next room. It wasn't cutesy and it wasn't fluffed up. It was raw and sobering. It was more real than any book, speaker, or history lesson could've ever made it for me. I felt like I understood these prisoners, these people that were not very different than me and who lived not too long before me more than I ever had. I walked through the camp fighting tears and swallowing hard the growing lump in my throat. Everyone needs to see places like these. To see the possibilities of our human flesh when we lose compassion, justice, and love. To see just how important it is to love our neighbors and raise our kids to do the same. Dachau was a life changing experience for me and it alone was worth a whole trip to Germany.

I was too captivated to take many pictures but I knew my little sister, who has a huge heart for this period of history, would want to see so I snapped a few.

These are the gas chambers. The soldiers denied ever using them to kill anyone. They were supposedly only used for the disinfection of clothing but the prisoners testified to different uses.

These are the "showers". Large groups of prisoners were brought in to a locked room next door so that they couldn't run away. Once in the room the doors to the showers were opened and the prisoners were forced inside. Again, I couldn't help but imagine myself in there and what that experience must have been like.
The very next room was the incinerator. How convenient. This building was a killing machine. A few bodies could fit in each one at one time making mass murdering quick and easy.

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After the concentration camp we headed to the house of our couchsurfing host for that night. What should've been a 45 minute drive turned in to over two hours. We were super lost and were very busy avoiding hills and battling stop and go traffic in the city streets of Munich. We got there much later than we would've liked and unfortunately we didn't get to spend much time with our couch surfing host. But he was really sweet and made us feel right at home:) We had to wake up super early the next morning for our flight to Athens! (which ended up being delayed because of the strikes). BUT we did get there to there and just finished our first day. This place is absolutely nuts. Between the riots, the history, the big city feel, and my new familiarity with the sting of tear gas... there is much to tell. Can't wait to post! Love and miss you all:)

Europe Trip: Homesick

2011-06-29T16:40:00.000-07:00

OK, so, I am a very "homesick" person. I love home. I love the familiarity, I love my family, I love my pups, I love my job, I love my friends, I love my church. I love home.

I've been a homesick girl since I was little. It wasn't unheard of for me to call home from a sleepover to have my parents come get me because I wanted to go home. When we were planning this trip I worried about my homesickness. I could buy Dramamine for motion sickness but they didn't sell anything for homesickness. I checked. I've been shocked this past week that I hadn't felt homesick once. I tried not to think about it much for fear I'd jinx myself. I was confident that I had defeated homesickness! Or at least left it at home.

Until yesterday...
Yesterday was a day of madness. Brett learning how to drive a stick ON THE AUTO BAHN. Getting lost a million times. Sleeping in a strangers house. Finding semi normal food to eat on a German menu. Lack of water. And a very busy schedule.

Come dinner time all Brett heard me talking about was Estradas and laying on my parents living room floor with the dogs. I wanted home and I wanted it BAD. I didn't want German food I needed something I know. So, we found an Italian restaurant and I got mushroom pizza. We laughed and unwound over the familiar and my homesickness melted away.

So folks, I found the pill for homesickness. It's not next to the Dramamine. No, it comes in mushroom pizza form. Sweet deal!

Europe Trip: Paris

2011-06-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

Our last morning in Gordes was wonderful. We took it slow, sat on the steps next to the fountain, ate pastries, listened to the clock tower ring every half hour, and people watched.

This is me waiting forever for our train.

It was a perfect day.... until we got to Paris.

Paris and I had a little bit of a rough start. A little bit is an understatement. I was ready to get back on the train and leave and I am not joking.

In Paris' defense our first impression had a lot to do with bad scheduling, poor location researching, and terrible directions. We got off the train and were told to walk in one direction to find our hotel, then we got lost, asked someone new, were told the opposite direction, then we got lost, wash, rinse, repeat. After 2 hours of being lost we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of some form of a woodstock festival... but crazier. We kept getting seperated, everyone was drunk or high and touching each other in ways that I can't even mention here. After being lost for the millionth time we found ourselves up against a wall, burnt out, and sandwiched in between a cross dressing bride and a couple making out. I lost it. I looked at the ground so no one would see me and then I bit my lip hard to make the tears stop. Brett knew better than to ask if I was ok. He went in to super hero mode and we found our hostel before we knew it.

Oh, our hostel. I am so thankful for the gift of our beautiful bastidon in Gordes... God knew we'd need some pampering before we reached Paris. I don't even have words for our hostel. Except that I couldn't decide if it was better to sleep in the bed or o the street outside. We knew we had booked something outside of the city but we didn't realize how "outside". We were in the slums. We unloaded our stuff and took a late train to the Eiffel tower. The actually city of Paris was much better. We grabbed a quick dinner at a cafe and took a baguette to the tower. We found an empty little park and layed on our backs in disbelief, once again, of what where we actually were. It was a "big ben moment" as we now like to call it. I know we'll remember that night laying in the grass below the eiffel tower forever.

**Paris can be a little scary so Ididn't bring the big camera out to play... these are all little camera shots:)**

Oops I uploaded a blurry one! :/ :)

The next morning we woke up and headed back to the city. We went to the Louvre and had our minds blown. It's a shame you have to go all the way to Paris to experience the Louvre. I was truly awestruck. I think my favorite parts were the sculptures and the Egyptian art. Also, we were told not to expect much from the Mona Lisa. There's a crowd in front f it and it looks exactly like the pictures. Both of those statements are true... but I got the chills once we got to the frnt of the crowd. It was like meeting Santa Clause. I just couldn't believe it was real!

These are the best shots we could get with the crazy crowd

This is a mummy!!!!!!!!!! Egypt is insane. Next trip? I think so.
After about 4 hours in a museum you start to go a little nutty and everything becomes funny...

After the Louvre we decided to simply explore the city for the rest of the day. Exploring is my favorite. We walked around Notre Dame and spotted gargoyles and got ice cream. Then we sat and talke on the Seine River for a long time before we walked to the beautiful Luxembourg gardens. We had about a half hour before our train so we got a nutella and almond crepe and went back to the river to sit and talk. Another "big ben moment" :)

Center of Paris!

Europe Trip: Gordes, France II

2011-06-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our second day in Gordes exceeded the first by a million. I couldn't have even imagined that was possible on our first day. We slept in late and started exploring the city center about noon. First mission: food. Breakfast is not a big meal in France. Usually just a pastry and coffee will do. I do not have a French diet and need more than a pastry for breakfast unfortunately. We stopped at the cafe on the corner and split a ham, cheese, basil, and tomato sandwich. How could something so simple and so cheap be so good? After our sandwich we began to walk the tiny town. You can walk the every inch of the center of Gordes in about 20 minutes tops if you're not ogling at every little detail. We stumbled across a patisserie (bakery) that had a window filled with mouthwatering things. We went in and ordered two things: a sacristain and pan au chocolat. We've had pan au chocolat (chocolate croissant) at Starbucks before but obviously this was a whole different experience! What we hadn't had was the sacristain (which I will be eating again in the morning no doubt). I have no idea what this thing is but I do know it's divine. Almonds, pastry, sugar, mystery ingredients, and hard to the touch but shatters in to a million soft flaky little pieces when you take a bite. It had every perfect texture and flavor. Drool.

We spent a good portion of the rest of the day exploring the city. We probably made our way through it about five times. Gordes is truly not for everyone. I think some would be bored out of their mind here. There are only a handful of restaurants and shops, there are about two semi-interesting museums, and most people there are a bit older. Fortunately for us.. we're not those people. We LOVED it. We touched every inch of that city at least 5 times and it was new and exciting every time. I swear it would change every time we started a new lap. There was a new vine covering on the wall we hadn't noticed, a new window, a new door, a new view. We just kept going round and round shifting from stunned silence to chattering disbelief. It was almost time for the village to shut down so we made our way to the very little market on the corner and found a bottle of wine made down the road. We took a new route back home and found some new treasures. Once to our bastidon we relaxed and simply enjoyed the provencial breeze coming through the shutters.

Before we knew it it was dinner time and we made our way back to the same restaurant. We had experienced pizza so we tried something new. Pasta and scallops in a truffle cream sauce. The food here is killing me. DROOL. Tonight we were rested and enjoyed the drawn out dinner experience, sitting at a table less than a foot away from your neighbors table, and waiting until whenever the waiter decided to bring the check. It was lovely.

Speaking little to no French is an interesting thing. It forces us to talk less and listen more. I've loved watching the French be French. It's very different than being American in so many ways. There are plenty of stereotypes about the French and I can already understand why they've gotten them. But if you watch closely and leave drawing conclusions behind you will begin to understand them more. Gordes is a well visited town but not often by Americans... I think it's too far off the map and too far from Paris. 95% of the tourist that we are here with are not American and do not speak English. Most tourists in Gordes are French! The other 5% are English and are still very different than Americans. We've run into about three Americans and it was very eye opening. Spending so much time around non-Americans makes an American suddenly stick out to you like a sore thumb. I hate to admit this and I know everyone is not the same (as I would like to think Brett and I are not the same) but in general we are noticing that Americans are loud, rude, expectant, prideful, and selfish. We've always heard an American before we've seen one and cringe at the things they have said and the way they have treated people. It's embarrassing and makes us extremely conscious of our actions. There's nothing like traveling to give you a dose of clarity.

That's kind of a sad note to end on haha! We are American and extremely proud to call our country home!!! It's just very interesting to see our own culture through different eyes. We are leaving for Paris and are excited to see what it's like. Can't wait to update you next time we get wi-fi!! ... or weefee as our French friend likes to call it:) Friends, we're bringing that home.

Europe Trip: Gordes, France I

2011-06-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

The moment our plane landed in France... was not magical at all. In fact, it was a little stressful. French public transportation is not very reliable and the language barrier is more like a language brick wall, reinforced. In my first 10 minutes of being in France I grew such an understanding and heart for foreigners in our own country. It is hard to be a foreigner... and awfully humbling. I'm sure we are quite the spectacle learning French on the fly, stumbling over words adding our own funny accent, and staring blankly when we are asked questions.

Our first destination in France is in the south. A small, quaint, perched medieval village called Gordes. Gordes is in the Luberon/Provence region of southern France and is quite remote. After studying bus schedules we came up with a perfectly devised, multiple connecting, public transportation plan to get us to Gordes. Unfortunately, we found out the hard way, France doesn't always stick to the plan. Busses that are printed on the schedule sometimes decide just not to come. Fortunately, a very helpful French man was waiting for the same bus and offered to get us a cab and split the fair with us. Yes please!!

Finally we arrived in Gordes. We turned a corner and the view I had dreamed about for so long became real. It literally took my breath away. I just kept mouthing "oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh." We were dropped off in the city center and I think I stood walking in circles with my mouth hanging open. How could this possibly be real? This can't be real. The perfectly imperfect wearing of the stone walls. The Parisian cafe on the corner selling croque monsieure. The medieval church bell ringing over the little village... I could've died right there. I have never seen anything more picturesque or perfect. We began to explore as much as we could around the cobblestone roads but we quickly realized it would be impossible with our little rollie carry ons. So we began to look for our hotel. We found it shortly and were surprised at how nice it was. The owner showed us to our bastidon and it's 2 bedrooms, full kitchen, private veranda, and backyard. All of the windows are shutters and open up for fresh air and a gorgeous green view. Again, perfection. Excited to get back to the city, we changed and put our suitcases away. We arrived in the city at about 4 and did some more exploring. It had been a long day and we were starting to get hungry so we looked for the perfect restaurant to have out first French dinner. NOT. France (or at least small town in southern France) completely close down around 5 and do not reopen until about 7. I had heard of this but assumed something would be open. There was nothing. If I didn't know better I would've thought the city was just told that they needed to be evacuated. We waited and eventually ate at the cutest little restaurant. We split a pizza fromage (cheese pizza. Not mozarella...but multiple kinds of fancy french cheeses. YUM.) Pizza in America comes with red pepper flakes. Pizza in France comes with red pepper infused oil. I don't know how I'll ever have flakes again. We are still dreaming about this pizza. We finished and waited for our check. The restaurant got busy and the check never came. We made subtle hints through eye contact and stacking our plates. The check still never came. We eventually asked for it "L'addition, s'il vous plait." Still never came. We asked again and awhile later it arrived. I fought my American ways and forced myself to embrace the French dining experience. An experience that involves: we have what we have, we do it our way, you wait as long as we want you to, and service doesn't involve always involve a smile. Don't get me wrong.. it is actually an awesome experience. Just not when you are extremely tired and literally falling asleep in your empty plate of food waiting anxiously for your check so you can get to your bed. Haha. Embarassing. Dinner is something to be savored and enjoyed not a rushed, selfish, bossy, customer is always right event like home.

We got home and were very excited for our first, real, full nights sleep in days. In fact, we were so excited that we passed out with our clothes on, the light on, and no blanket on the bed. I slept like that for about 7 hours before I got up, changed, brushed my teeth, and washed my hair and then went back to bed for another 6 hours. Oh, sleep, how I've missed you.

Gordes is just too awesome to fit in one post. Another one is on its way!!!

Europe Trip: London

2011-06-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it! We are in Europe. It's all so surreal and I don't know if I really believe it yet! I feel like I'm going to wake up from this dream at any moment.

We were so excited that we were able to get both of our standby flights to Chicago then to London. The flight from Chicago to London was quite an adventure all on it's own. We spent 5 1/2 hours on the runway due to storms. It was so wonderful to experience a REAL storm. Continuous lightning and 95mph winds! The winds resulted in every plane being inspected for debris damage, thus the delay. After being told our flight was cancelled, then back on, then cancelled again. We were told to put our bags back in the overhead, buckle our seat belts, and get ready for take off. What a whirlwind! We made our flight (ultimately 13 hours after the delay on the runway).

We awoke on Wednesday with about a half hour to go until we reached London Heathrow Airport. Before we got to the UK we flew over Ireland... that was the first time it hit me that we were here! I was looking at Ireland from above! I could not take my eyes off the perfect puzzle of green. All kinds of green shades lay next to each other in a beautiful quilt that covered the land. As we made our way over Ireland we eventually reached the south west coast. I had studied this area extensively and got butterflies as my eyes traced the edges of the familiar shape of the coast line.

Mesmerized by the green, my ears popped and I knew we were descending and very close. It was cloudy and we could not see below but I knew we were very close. The cloud was like a curtain waiting to reveal what was below. We eagerly awaited our first view of London. After landing, we found an airport restroom to make a quick change. I slid in to my jeans in disbelief that I was standing in another country.

We scheduled a day in London simply for the fact that we may have not made our standby flights and we didn't want to throw off our itinerary. To be honest,, we really never had a huge desire to see the UK.... that is, until we got there. I had seen London in movies and always expected it to be a grey, cold, drab, city filled with sky rises. It was not at all like that. It was beautiful!

As soon as we came up from the underground Big Ben filled our view. We couldn't get far from the stairway because we stood in awe of where we were. It was the most surreal feeling to be standing there. We had no agenda for the day. Our only plan was to grab a map and explore as far as walking and rolling our carry ons behind us would allow. We saw the London Eye ferris wheel, the house of parliament and its famous protestors, we explored back streets, saw Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and walked through Hyde Park with the creamiest ice cream cone and "flake" around. We continued simply walking and finding adventure as we went for a bit. It began to get late and we were staying that night with a couchsurfing host that we were really eager to meet. We stopped in a restaurant called Shakespeare's and got some traditional British grub. I ordered a meat pie and Brett ordered fish and chips. We quickly made our way to the bust stop and waited.

We arrived in Luton (a small town area in London near the city). We were greeted by Niall, our gracious host, and hopped in his car. We pulled up to the cutest row of English cottages I've ever seen. The blue door was his and we made our way in. We dropped our stuff and he offered to take us to his favorite local pub. We happily agreed and were excited to see no other tourists there. We found a spot in the corner and swapped stories, talked about life, and had a few laughs. Once back at the cottage we continued our conversation much later than we should have (considering we had a 6am flight to France the next day). But how do you stop such an awesome conversation with someone who lives on the other side of the world and has invited you in to their house for the night? You don't. You enjoy it... these are the rich moments of life. Besides, sleeping is for babies.

Eventually we made our way to bed and got a little bit of rest. We awoke the next morning to tea and crumpets and a bowl of delicious English cereal. (Yes it is different than America cereal). It was the perfect start to our day and the perfect end to our little visit to London. We made our way to the airport and almost missed our flight. It could've and should've been extremely stressful. I prayed literally the whole time and by the grace of God we made it on our flight at the last second!!! Next stop FRANCE!!! And not just any part of France. A part of France that single handedly inspired this trip to Europe 3 years ago. Just wait until you see it and you will know why!

Luke & Krista | San Diego Wedding Photographer

2011-06-17T11:04:00.001-07:00

Caught in the busyness of college, the fight for classes, and working hard towards two separate career goals... Luke and Krista found themselves in one common class. At the beginning of the semester their professor warned them that couples had met and married in his class in the past and he was expecting the same thing from that year.

Luke and Krista were paired up for a class project and started spending more time together. Their project was to come up with a dance together to teach their class. Krista started visiting his house, meeting his family, and teaching him the basics of line dancing. Once he got good enough he started joining her and her friends and, well... the rest is history!!!

I can't wait for their August wedding... I hope to see some line dancing!!

To see more of Luke and Krista's photos visit us on: Facebook

Luke & Lauren | San Diego Portrait Photographer

2011-06-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

Whew... the blog has been neglected! I guess that is what happens when you plan a move, a month long trip far away from home, and a busy portrait season all at the same time. BUT you will find no complaints here:) Life is grand and one week from today my feet will be planted on the cobblestone roads of a quaint town in the south of France. Yes, no complaints here.

Here is a shoot from a couple weeks ago. Luke and Lauren are two of our closest friends and they are sweet enough to let me experiment on them when I need it. I wanted to shoot in a location that forced me to focus on posing and the subjects. Nothing too ornate or flashy... We found a perfectly simple yet beautiful location, they got all dolled up, we made our way down there, and bam! it fell apart. Haha. It was actually perfect because it forced me to think fast and focus. Light was fading (quickly), it was getting cold, and we didn't know the area... so, I just found a spot and made it work. A grey, cold, grey, flat, grey, concrete library:)

It was perfect! Well, perfect for what I was trying to force myself to accomplish. Focus.

Here are Luke and Lauren! Our beautiful, caring, genuine, fun, loving, sweet, amazing friends. AND they are talented! Lauren just unveiled a beautiful song she wrote for her mom yesterday. Check it out:

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://laurenherrington.bandcamp.com/track/side-by-side"&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Side By Side by Lauren Herrington&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Seem more of Luke and Lauren and "like" us on: Facebook

Jesse | San Diego Senior Photography

2011-05-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

He's smart, he's musical, he's athletic, and he's handsome!! Watch out world... Jesse is graduating!
And if that that gorgeous girl in pink looks familiar it's because that is Megan from Monday's post. Jesse is quite the catch and Megan caught him;)

Kristin & Megan | San Diego Senior Photography

2011-05-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

I was a TRUE full house fan. I'm almost positive I have seen every episode and I, like every other girl, grew out of Full House and straight in to the Mary Kate and Ashley phase. Olsen movies, television shows, and even lip glosses. My goodness were they cool! Then I grew and forgot about them for a period of time... but only for a short period!! I am still so intrigued by those two.

Meet Megan and Kristin. They are graduating!! No you are not seeing double. Megan and Kristin are twins, they are a ton of fun, and they are gorgeous! I had to stop mid-shoot and come clean about my Olsen twin love affair. Have they graduated college yet? I wonder if they need senior portraits...

Congratulations Kristin and Megan!! I think you're cooler than the Olsen twins. I can't wait to watch you shine!