Experience Addict

Our Holiday Card

2011-12-22T21:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to everyone!! What a wonderful winter we are having so far! :-)

San Francisco

2011-12-17T22:29:00.000-08:00

We had a blast on our quick tour of San Francisco! Such a cool city!

Most crooked street

The best Irish Coffee in the world! The best. Ever. Seriously.

Sonoma

Napa Valley!!!

2011-12-14T20:49:00.000-08:00

We have arrived!

Peju Winery

In front of an olive tree holding a bag with olive oil inside

So pretty!

The Round Pond. This had to be our favorite vineyard. The views and the wine are unbelievable!!

Ding!

Karen and Jeff took us out to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America). The food there....wow...there are not words...

Our gracious hosts, Karen and Jeff. Thanks so much, guys!

On the Road Again: LA to San Fran

2011-12-11T19:47:00.001-08:00

We took a little road trip from LA to San Francisco. It was great to get to drive around this beautiful state!

We had to stop in Solvang!

The ostrich farm

Such a great city!

This was one of our favorite places to try wine when were here last.

Happy girl!

We had to stop at our favorite bakery as well.

Then we went to Gainy, where Michele and Dillon were married 5 years ago. We have such great memories of their wedding and the trip around it!

Venice Beach/Santa Monica Pier

2011-12-07T21:12:00.001-08:00

We walked around Venice Beach for the day! So much fun! :)

Drew took this one!

Cool skate park


Laura took these photos of us and I love them!! Thanks, Laura!

A group shot of the 4 of us at sunset. :)

Drew put his feet in even though it was pretty cold!

Laura and Brian being cute

Laura took these too! Love!

We went to the Santa Monica Pier at night! What a day!

Thanksgiving in LA

2011-12-04T21:35:00.001-08:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving in Los Angeles this year and had a great time. Here are some pictures from a walk we took on Thanksgiving day. Our friends live in a cool neighborhood close to Rodeo Drive.

We have so much to be thankful for!!!

Via Rodeo

Christmas time!

The shops were pretty cool. I couldn't afford anything in them, but it was fun to window shop!

Our gracious hosts making dinner

Yummers!

Some baked goods in the morning! :)

Cabin - October 2011

2011-11-22T22:06:00.001-08:00

We took a weekend trip up north and had a great time.Sometimes before we go, I get caught up in running around trying to get everything done and I start to wonder if I should even be going. But, once I get on the road and especially once I get up there, I can hardly remember what I was worried about getting done. It is good to take breaks... especially when working full time, running a small business, and going to grad school. :-)

Anyway, this cabin trip was wonderful. We got in late at night and were so happy to be there when we woke up. The sun was coming up (around 8am) and the lake was foggy and gorgeous. I put on my boots and sweater to walk down to the lake. Just as I closed the door behind me, I heard a loon call and saw an eagle fly over head. I thought, "Ahhh...cabin."

As the sun came up, the lake started to look like it was on fire.

This won't be a big deal soon when there is snow everywhere, but this is the first we've seen of it this year. The ground was full of these little hail balls. They melted when the sun came out.

Stroopie!

Three little birds

Our awesome friends came up for a night to join in on the cabin festivities. :)

Duluth, MN

2011-11-21T21:23:00.001-08:00

I had the opportunity to photograph a gorgeous wedding in Duluth for an amazing couple! Drew and I figured we might as well make a beautiful fall October weekend of it and we had so much fun!! :) Duluth is such a great city to visit. The weather was just perfect and we got to see a lot of the city that we haven't seen before. I love my job and I love my husband! :)

Nonquitt (The place of F. Scott Fitzgerald and of Happiness)

2011-11-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

What did we do to deserve to go to a place like Nonquitt? I'm not sure, but we must have done something right to end up here. This is a place that delivers instant feelings of relaxation and peacefulness. It is like stepping back in time and effortlessly appreciating every little thing that this amazing life has to offer. It forces a person to see more and to feel more. Our time here was short, but even as we experienced it, we knew that it would have a lasting impact on us. We have reserved a place in our minds for memories of Nonquitt and hope to return there someday.

In the distance is the house where we stayed:

We had a lobster dinner. This was a first for Drew and I and it was amazing!

The glass door off the bedroom leads out here. Can I be more content?

Walking around the neighborhood:

Even the dogs are happier and sweeter in Nonquitt.

Boston and Rhode Island on the greatest weekend possible

2011-11-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Drew and I took a trip to Boston to visit Angela during the first weekend of October. The weather was amazing and the trip was unbelievable (it ended up in Nonquitt - more on that later). Boston is just gorgeous. We got to see Harvard in session (Happy 375th Birthday to Harvard, by the way), meet some of the students and dine with them, and see what may have been the coolest art museum I've ever been to (The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: http://www.gardnermuseum.org/).
Then, we went to Rhode Island where we met Angela's boyfriend, made and ate a delicious dinner, and explored Brown. Did I mention the weather? Yeah, it was nice.

Apple Orchard

2011-10-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Right around this time every year, I get a craving for apples! I love going to the apple orchard and loading up on apples, apple cider, apple cookies and/or bread, and anything else apple. This year, we picked raspberries. They were delicious! The day after the orchard visit, Drew made an apple pie. Also delicious!

It still feels like summer, but fall is on it's way. Soon, it will be time for sweaters and pumpkin beer! :)

Women's Weekend Up North

2011-09-29T09:23:00.000-07:00

With Aunt Maryanne in town, a women's weekend was planned up north. Because of my classes, I was only able to go for part of it, but it was so fun and relaxing. The weather was perfect! It's so great to see how much beauty and love is possible in 24 hours time. <3

September Cabin

2011-09-27T21:41:00.001-07:00

We had a lovely weekend at the cabin. It is good to be out in nature. I love it!

Here is Drew and I with our Best in Show trophy for the 9th Annual Island Lake Boat Parade!!

These are from a beautiful walk I took:

A little fishin'

It's always so hard to leave!

State Fair

2011-09-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

I just can't resist going to state fair every year. It is always a good time. This year, we happened to go on a super busy day. Apparently, it set records for attendance, as is evident in this picture of a sea of people.

Sideways: Minnesota Style

2011-09-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

A wine day was in order, so we headed east to the Alexis Bailey Vineyard, the Cannon Falls Winery, and then to Falconer in Red Wing. It was a super fun day full of friends, wine, and just enjoying this beautiful life.

We all piled in Drew's new van for the trip. Meet Van Drew:

Our first stop was Alexis Bailey. This vineyard is a great place to visit. The wine is tasty and the grounds are beautiful. We felt like we were guests in Martha Stewart's backyard. They have very good wine and some really unique flavors.

Back into the van to our next destination:

Ice cream stop at the Dairy Inn:

Our next stop was the Cannon Falls Winery. It is right in town and was quite busy when we were there. Getting a tasting would have required a lot of standing in line, so we went with a wine flight to try a couple. The wine was good, but being in town, it lacks the atmosphere that a place like Alexis Bailey has.

Our next stop was the Falconer Vineyard in Red Wing. I love this place. It is small and adorable, surrounded with natural beauty. And, it doesn't hurt that the wine is great too. There was a wedding going on while we were there, which was fun to see.

Cheers!!

Summertime at the cabin

2011-08-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to get up to the cabin twice in July. Our first trip was over the 4th of July. Island Lake has a patriotic boat parade and we went all out for it. Our flag to boat ratio was unbeatable. SO much fun!

After the big parade and the 4th of July festivities, everyone else headed back home. I stayed at the cabin for 2 days by myself and it was incredibly relaxing. I spent my days drinking coffee and reading Martha Stewart magazines in the mornings, running and swimming in the afternoons, and watching the sunset from the boat in the evenings. I am still feeling the hypnotizing effects of this extreme peacefulness and relaxation. It was a wonderful way to start my summer off.

Our next trip up north was a couple of weeks later when Angela and Nancy were up there. We always have such a great time up there together. I am grateful to have such awesome in-laws!

Drew caught some big fish for a fish fry!

We watched the moon rise across the lake.

These are from the night we left. It was one of those soupy hot days. When the sun started to go down, it looked like the sky was on fire!

****UPDATE: We recently found out the we won the boat parade contest!! It was a unanimous decision that we were the first prize winners!! YES!!!!!

Door County

2011-08-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Near Green Bay is an area called Door County. It's that spot on the east side of Wisconsin that juts into Lake Michigan. It is a popular destination to visit because it is a beautiful peninsula doted with adorable little towns, cherry trees, and vineyards. We visited a few vineyards along the way to taste the local flavor. There was a lot of cherry wine!
This is me outside of "Grandma's" with my very own container of Door County cherries. :)

One of the vineyards had a Cherry Pit Spit contest. We had to participate. ;)

Baby grapes

We stayed at the Peninsula State Park (Minnesota state parks were closed at this time because of the shut down, so it was lucky that we had planned our trip to Wisconsin). It is a beautiful park with so much to do. We camped next to the lake and went for a gorgeous hike in the morning.

You didn't misread that. Yes, we camped. We're campers. ;) Drew and I haven't really tried camping together outside of setting up a tent at my family cabin. I found a tent for sale at Fleet Farm and just went for it. This was the perfect place to try our camping shoes on. It was peaceful and quiet. We couldn't have asked for a better place to rekindle our love for camping. I think we'll have to add it to our travel lives. I don't see us being hard-core campers, but adding a night camping in here and there on a trip seems like a great idea.
Next to our campsite was this beautiful beach:

Here are some images from the hike we went on in the morning:

On the way home we got off the beaten track a little to find our favorite vineyard, Simon Creek. Their wine was less sweet than the other vineyards and more bold. I like my wine bold and spicy. They had music and lovely place to relax and have a glass (or a bottle) of wine outside.

On our way to the vineyard, we saw ol' Cookie here and had to stop to say hello. This a a milk farm that goes out of its way to educate people about the milking process. It was pretty neat and would be a great place to bring kids.

Through the glass, we watched as the cows were milked.

So long, Door County! We'll miss you!

Green Bay, WI

2011-08-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

Drew and I decided to take a Green Bay/Door County trip. He is from Wisconsin, so naturally he wanted to visit Lambeau Field and the trophies. Green Bay is a very small town with a huge stadium. We had a good time there.

My friends and family that are Viking fans are not going to like these pictures...

I got to learn about the history of the Packers. Pretty cool!

We got in the spirit. If they call you a cheese-head, you own it. Own it.

We stopped at a beautiful park reserve for a walk.

And then went to Titletown Brewery:

They have a beautiful memorial for the 9/11 attacks:

There was a trucker parade the night we were there. Our favorite was this tiny one:

DC - Day 3

2011-07-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

1) Brunch with Erin
2) Arlington National Cemetery
3) Korean War Memorial
4) Lincoln Memorial
5) Vietnam Memorial

This was a day full of powerful memorials. The first stop was Arlington National Cemetery:

Kennedy's burial site:

The Tomb of the Unknowns is guarded 24 hours a day. We witnessed a changing of guard. Super cool.

Korean War Memorial:

Lincoln Memorial:

Lincoln rules!

Vietnam Memorial:

One more stop by the White House:

DC - Day 2

2011-07-10T20:37:00.001-07:00

Day 2 in DC. Life is good.

Our accomplishments for the day:
1) Tour the Capitol
2) Walk around the mall
3) Air and Space Museum
4) See the White House
5) WWII Memorial
6) Washington Monument
7) Dinner with Erin on U Street

The tour of the Capitol was great, of course. The main parts that visitors get to see is the rotunda and Statuary Hall. The Capitol has 2 statues from every state. The ones from Minnesota are of Henry Mower Rice and Maria L. Stanford.

Us with Maria:

Air and Space Museum. We could have easily spent an entire day here. There is so much to see! Very cool.

The White House! We were bummed that we couldn't get a tour, but at least we got to see the outside. We also saw the presidential motorcade go by, so I got to wave to Obama!

The WWII Memorial is amazing. It is a powerful and meaningful design dedicated to the people that gave so much in this war.

The Washington Monument:

Meeting up with Erin. We got to go out to dinner and brunch the next day with her. She's living a good life in DC and I hope to visit her again! :)

DC - Day 1

2011-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

I figured that the best way to represent our trip in blog form was to give each full day its own post. The days spent here were long, busy, interesting, fun, and consisted of walking like 12 miles. I felt like I was on a walking marathon. One mistake we made was to pick a hotel a little too far from a metro station. We could take the bus to the metro in the morning (it came every hour or so), but what we didn't know until we got there was that it doesn't run in the evenings. So, we ended up walking for about 25 minutes to our hotel after walking all over DC all day. If you plan a trip to DC, my advice would be to stay very close to a metro, even if it costs a little extra, it would be worth it. Other than the bus thing, the public transportation there was all we needed to get us where we wanted to go. The metro seemed a little quirky at times and we always seemed to have to wait around 19 minutes for the next one when we were in a hurry. But, hey, it's a metro system and I tend to love metro systems. I wish I lived in a place that had one!
I think that the next time we go there, we will probably want to rent a car for a few days and check out some of the surrounding areas (including going to Baltimore and eating crab cakes for every meal). All in all it was a fun trip and a great introduction to our capitol. There is so much to see and do there, I imagine that most people probably leave wishing they had more time to see it all, myself included. My aunt and grandma once spent 3 full weeks there and couldn't see it all. I have a friend that lives there now, so she's got a shot of seeing more than most. Pretty much all the museums and sights are free to get into which is amazing! I thought that they would charge something to get in and was surprised to find that they were free. Some require advance notice and/or waiting in lines, but that's it. We emailed our congress person to be on the list for the Supreme Court, the Capitol, and the White House. We got in the Supreme Court and the Capitol, but weren't able to take a tour of the White House. We'll try again next time!

Anyway, ok, Day 1. Here's what we did:
1) Stand in line to go to the Holocaust Museum and the Bureau of Engraving
2) Holocaust Museum
3) Supreme Court tour
4) Run around outside Capitol
5) Library of Congress
6) Bureau of Engraving and Printing
7) Chinatown

Here are some pictures of the Holocaust Museum. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside most of it. It was a very powerful exhibit. The building itself was designed in such a way that it added to the feel of the place and of the immense loss caused by these horrific events. It was unbelievable. Something that stuck with us, among other things, was a sign that said, "It happened, therefore it can happen again." Let's hope that's not true.
As you enter the main exhibit, you are given a passport of a person alive during the time of the Holocaust. Each guest follows the life of the person in his/her passport and their true story. There is an exhibit where there are thousands of shoes from people who were killed. I imagined the people that wore those shoes and what happened to them. There were pictures of the medical experiments done on the prisoners. It is hard to imagine how people can be so cruel.

After leaving the museum, we traveled to the east end of the mall to the Supreme Court. We all agreed that the Supreme Court was one of the highlights of the trip. Cameras are not allowed in the courtroom at any time, which is why we see drawings of the court events in the news. We sat in the audience and listened to our guide who told us all about the Supreme Court and what happens when it is in session. It was interesting to hear how the court works and what takes place there. They have to hear the toughest of the tough cases and make hard decisions. We felt respect for the highest of courts and proud to be part of this system of government.

Fun around the Capitol!

The Library of Congress is a VERY impressive building. It is gorgeous inside. A must visit!

Our tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was a good time. It was fun to watch them make money and to see such large stacks of cash!

She's a little taller than me... ok, a lot. ;)

Off to Chinatown for dinner!

Washington, D.C.

2011-06-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

Drew, Arianna, and I went to our nation's capitol! It was a great trip and a wonderful place to see. I had been wanting to go here for quite some time and was happy to get to see the D.C. area. This is where decisions are made and politicians rule. The museums, monuments, and memorials are amazing!

Arianna got her wings!
And, Drew and Shannon hug! ;)

The Supreme Court:

The Capitol:

The lovely metro:

The Library of Congress:

Saint Louis, MO

2011-05-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

We were very impressed with Saint Louis! It was such a great city to visit. It has so much character and so many fun things to do. We didn't want to leave!

Our first stop was at the Anhuser-Busch brewery tour. It was quite the place. I highly recommend it.

That's a lot of beer!

After enjoying a couple of beverages, it was time to check out the beautiful city!

We love you St. Louie!!

Maybe it was Memphis

2011-05-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

It's a fun place to visit!

Drew and B.B. King:

See? I'm not short! ;)

Sun Records:

Beale Street:

We saw a couple of great live bands.

Graceland!

2011-05-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

We made the pilgrimage. Graceland! Heartbreak Hotel, Hound dog, Can't Help Falling in Love, Don't be Cruel, Viva Las Vegas, Jailhouse Rock, Blue Suede Shoes... The list goes on and on. Elvis was the King!

The tour of the Graceland estate was the highlight of the tour in my opinion - mostly because of the swank. It was left as he left it.

Here is the living room:

The upstairs was closed off because they want to keep it a private space. It is where Elvis died.

The Dining Room:

A pretty regular looking kitchen:

Then we go downstairs to the fun rooms. Mirrors on the ceilings and walls. And, 3 televisions!!

The billiard room is covered in this funky wallpaper:

The Jungle Room. Elvis put in a waterfall, green shag carpet on the ceiling, and animal skins all around.

He earned a few gold and platinum records.

The outfits... oh, the outfits.

At the end of the tour, we headed outside to the grave site. It is a sad ending to his story.

There is more to see!
...including the Lisa Marie, his private plane...

...and, of course, the pink Cadillac.

Little Rock of Awesome

2011-04-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

We were quite impressed with Little Rock, Arkansas. The Clinton Library and the Capital were great places to visit.

Here is the Clinton Library:

Drew in The Cabinet Room:

There was a pillar like this for every year that Clinton was president. He did a lot for this country.
The Little Rock Nine were honored:

The famous saxophones:

There is a replica of the Oval Office as Clinton had it.

Then we went to the Capital:

Government in action!

The Little Rock Nine are honored here as well. There are quotes from each of them surrounding this area. Brave people!

And who do we run into, but Bill Clinton himself! ;)

Hot Springs, Arkansas

2011-04-19T19:36:00.000-07:00

After leaving Fort Smith, we drove to Hot Springs. Hot Springs has been a special place where people have gone to be healed by the thermal waters for many years. Native Americans knew of the healing power of the water and then Europeans took it over and built bath houses. It was declared a National Park in order to protect it. In fact, it was the very first National Park.

The water that bubbles to the surface is 143 degrees. Rainfall slowly flows underground to a superheated area and then shoots back to the surface. They say that what is bubbling to the surface now is rain from 4,000 years ago. There are over 40 places where the springs come up in the area. It is surrounded by the Ouachita Mountains and beautiful nature. Another wonder of Arkansas, the natural state.

Here you can see the steam rising from the spring:

Drew wanted to put his feet in. Too hot!

Bathhouse row is a street full of buildings designated as such. They butt up to the National Forrest and the thermal waters flow into them. Some are still open as relaxation centers, but some are used as art museums and other things. This one is the vistor center. It was neat to see how they enjoyed the springs.

Parts of the bathhouse seemed more like a torture center for psychiatric patients. Can you imagine sweating it out in one of these things with just your head sticking out?

This was the locker room for the men - it was much fancier than the one for women.

Although this looks creepy, it was used to lower people in the water that weren't able to step in themselves because of physical problems.

This is the rinse off where tiny streams of water would hit your body from all sides. They also experimented with water-electro therapy.

This is one that was turned into an art museum. Very cool.

We took a wonderful walk in the National Park after touring the bathhouse. After such a long winter of being stuck inside, this walk was heavenly. Thank you nature!

Fort Smith, Arkansas

2011-04-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

We made a brief stop at Fort Smith, Arkansas on our way to Hot Springs. I had no idea what to expect of this town, but it was such a great place to visit. It is a town with a deep history and some really great people.

We took a tour of Miss Laura's, which used to be a brothel. It was such an interesting tour and was super fun.
Here is a man with his token to have a lady of the evening:

Issac Parker was known as the hanging judge. He punished outlaws with death because they broke the law. At the time, outlaws would go across the border to Indian Territory to escape their punishment. Parker was portrayed in True Grit.
The hanging gallows:

This was the border between Arkansas and Indian Territory until the land was taken from the Indians.

Part of the Trail of Tears took place on this land. So terrible.

I loved these purple flower trees.

Eureka! We found it!

2011-04-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

About an hours drive from Fayetteville is the cute little town of Eureka Springs. People have come to this area for hundreds of years because of the healing properties that the springs provide. The area is full of hills and beauty. It is full of eclectic shops, treats, sweet people, and sunshine. It was just what we were looking for! :)

The corner of spring and mountain. :)

We're into the show Six Feet Under right now, so I had to take a picture of this.

This is the Christ of the Ozarks which towers over the city at 70 feet tall.

Here is a piece of the Berlin wall. Drew is trying to tear it down.

We stopped to enjoy some views of Beaver Lake. This area was peaceful. I would love to go back and spend some time camping around here.

Fayetteville, Arkansas

2011-04-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

My sweetie was born here in Fayetteville, Arkansas and we thought it would be fun to see the place where he came into this world. We visited the home of the University of Arkansas and the Razorbacks for a few days, enjoying the college town and the change of scenery.

Here is the hospital where he was born:

We referred to this restaurant, AQ (Arkansas Quality), for some homemade southern cooking. It was tasty!

Southern style "over the coals" catfish, creamed spinach, hushpuppies, and fried okra. Mmm hmm.

We were lucky enough to see these beautiful trees in full bloom. They reminded me of the cherry blossoms in Japan.

The razorbacks are a pretty big deal around here.

We went to Penguin Ed's for some more BBQ. This place has a B&B also. Sometimes you really need a nap after overeating BBQ. ;)

Guests are to sit at the table, pick up the phone, and press the button to order when ready. Pretty efficient.

Des Moines, Iowa

2011-04-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Drew and I decided to hit the open road and see some of the country over spring break. Our goal was to see the place where Drew was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, eat some BBQ, see some new places and some old ones with new eyes, and to have a little adventure. I am a big fan of road tripping and this one did not disappoint. The first stop on our spring break road trip was the city of Des Moines. During our brief (and chilly) visit, we got to see the capital of Iowa and some great monuments.

Duluth with my travel buddies

2011-03-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Drew, Arianna, and I took a day trip to Duluth and had a fun time. It is nice to get away, even if it is just for the day. And Duluth is such a nice place to visit.

The Drawbridge:

We went to the snow-covered beach. It was very calm and peaceful. The wind wasn't blowing at all and it was so quiet. A light dusting of snow covered the grass and the chunks of ice scattered on the beach. Soon the tall, jagged hills of ice will melt away and the water will return.

Wait, where have you been? Where's your proof?

Dan's Feed Bin in Superior is a must-stop.

Snow Thank You!

2011-03-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

My friend Alissa took this picture of me in front of snow mountain. We have really had a lot of snow this year. Really, a lot. Melt, baby. Melt.

Still Snowbound

2011-03-10T19:15:00.000-08:00

Meanwhile in Red Wing...

2011-02-12T15:27:00.000-08:00

...Shannon and Drew head to Red Wing for their one year anniversary. Red Wing is a cute, little town on the Mississippi riverfront with an interesting history, at least one fancy, old hotel and a very large boot.

Drew and Shannon go to a vineyard and then out to a fancy dinner.

Back at the hotel, Shannon gets a disturbing phone call. "What! There are ghosts in this hotel?!"

Drew attempts to steal the money out of a very old cash register.
It gets to be too much for Shannon, so she heads across the street the train depot. "Will the train ever come?"
Oh, there it is.
So long, Red Wing!

Winter Wonderland

2011-02-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

It's winter time here in Minnesota and what a winter it has been! We picked a pretty tough one to be back in Minnesota. But, like most things, there is more than one way to view the situation and attitude matters. Winter can be ugly... but it can also be beautiful. It can even look magical at times - just not as often as it does in other seasons!

I've been hearing talk along the lines of, "the worst is behind us," and "spring is coming." We can only hope... ;)

This is what I consider the ugly side of winter. Scraping the car off (this year, we had to actually shovel the snow off the car first), unable to leave the house (well, sometimes that is nice), and cold, cold, cold (never nice). That is our car on the right:

This is our other car next to the bus:

Under there somewhere is our sidewalk and street:

Ahh... here is some sunshine and time spent at the cabin:

Our giant kitty checking out the deer:

Sparkly days at the cabin! We walked out to the island on the fresh show.

The loon's will be back here in the spring:

Hudson, WI

2010-11-15T12:03:00.000-08:00

Arianna, Drew and I went over to Hudson for the afternoon on one of the last gorgeous fall days of the year. It was fun to feel like a tourist and explore the area a little. Arianna and Drew are great travel buddies!

We drove around the neighborhoods by the cute old downtown area and found the octagon house,

went for a walk by the river,

and explored a state park.

Willow Falls was beautiful! It was so nice to get some fresh air and exercise. We could have stayed there all day if I didn't have to get to Minneapolis to go to my class.
Be a tourist where you live! It's fun!!

The Fall in Saint Paul

2010-11-13T13:02:00.000-08:00

Autumn is a gorgeous time of year around here.

There are some unique homes around where we live. I love to take walks and look at the architecture.

We went to visit Drew's Grandma and family in Spooner, WI for the day. Wonderful people!

Fall also brings Halloween! I got in the spirit this year!

Drew and I dressed up (I am a super hero and Drew is a man that is hard to find). We went to the roller derby. It rules! Those women are strong and awesome!

After the derby, we found some gnomes.

Good times!

Apple Orchard

2010-11-13T11:18:00.000-08:00

I love the apple orchard! How could ya not? Most years we have gone to a popular one in Stillwater, but this year we tried a new place. It's a small farm owned by a young, environmentally conscious couple. It's all about the apples at this place. We got to pick our own apples - something I have never done.

When we got home with all of our organic, freshly picked apples, Drew made a pie! It was the best pie I'll ever have! Drew, you are the cutest ever!

A week or so later, he tried his hand at a blueberry pie! Yum!

Summertime Fun! (Part 2)

2010-11-13T10:14:00.001-08:00

We met up with my Aunt Lorraine and Uncle Jeff to attend the Garlic Festival in Hutchinson. It was a great time!

They had a kite making tent. There were only children making the kites... except for me! It was so much fun to make and fly that kite! Seriously, if you get the opportunity to fly a kite, do it! Make it happen. It is so fun. I think I do a little reliving my childhood sometimes, but ya know, having goofy fun is the best.

After we left the festival, we went to Lorraine and Jeff's farm to see all their giant farming toys.

We visited the barn animals too. I just love these kitties...I want to take them all home with me! The cat that we had when I was growing up was from this barn. We named her Hutch after the town of Hutchinson. (We didn't know she was a girl cat when we named her that. I kept that tradition alive when I named my girl kitten Newman. We were pretty sure she was a boy because she just seemed like one. ;) Oh well!)

They have the coolest chickens with awesome hairdos!

Another must visit festival: the Minnesota State Fair!

Why are we so goofy?

MN wine tasting!

Summertime Fun! (Part 1)

2010-11-13T09:40:00.001-08:00

Because we escaped to Hawaii for the winter months last year, it kind of felt like a year long summer for us. There is something magical about Hawaii, but you also can't beat summer in Minnesota. I believe that you can find magic anywhere. We had a great time being back here and enjoyed all the fun, friends and beauty that we could soak up!

Minnesota opened a new ball park for the Twins this year! We went on the most gorgeous evening. It was perfect weather to be at an outdoor baseball game.

I am proud to say that I ran a 5k this summer! My goal was to stay running the whole time and I accomplished it!

My nephew with his many t-ball coaches:
I love this guy so much!

My good friend, Jen, and I celebrated our b-days together. She is such a great person, a talented photographer and a super mom! :)

You can't have too many birthday celebrations! We had our porch full of super friends. Ahh, hanging on the porch in summer...

My nieces and nephews are the best!

Aren't they the sweetest ever?

Getting together with friends!

I got to see some old friends that have moved away too! This is the lovely, intelligent Miss Erin that lives in DC and kicks all kinds of butt.

And this is my philosopher friend that will be earning a PhD in Scotland. Go Brett!
I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of so many special peoples' lives. I hope you all know how much you mean to me!

Summer Cabin Trips

2010-11-12T21:59:00.000-08:00

Trips to the cabin in the summer are the best! Anytime at the cabin is pretty awesome actually. We got to get up to both of our families cabins a few times this summer and we enjoyed every second of it.

My family cabin is so well loved and used that sometimes there isn't room for all of us inside. Pitching a tent by the water is a lovely option. I love hearing all the noises as the world comes alive in the morning.

We noticed a ton of mushrooms around Drew's family cabin this year. They are so cool!

A walk and/or run along this road is a must for me up there.

One of the trips was with Nancy and Angela. Special family time!

Drew decided it was a good idea to substitute chocolate brownies for Hershey's chocolate. Being a s'more traditionalist, I was skeptical. ;)

Peaceful.

Michele and Dillon joined us for a couple days. It's great to have good friends to enjoy it with!

The Millennium and the Bean

2010-08-21T12:14:00.000-07:00

On our last day in Chicago, we went to Millennium Park. Holy buckets, is this place cool! The outdoor music pavilion is amazing. When we stopped by, the Chicago orchestra was practicing, so we were able to hear how great the sound is there. You can sit anywhere in the seats or on the lawn and hear the music perfectly. I was blown away.

Then of course we had to go see "the bean." The proper name for this piece is "Cloud Gate" and it was from the brain of Anish Kapoor. It reflects the buildings surrounding it in so many different ways from different angles. Go art!

This is what you see when you walk under it and look up:

This is the little camera I was using. Photo project!

There is a lot of space set aside for gardens and strolling. It's a beautiful city.

Arianna at her future school:

Before we left, we had to get one last deep dish pizza fix and you gotta make your mark at Gino's East:
Bye, Chicago! We'll be back!

Navy Pier

2010-08-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

Navy Pier is a gathering place on Lake Michigan. It's a great place to walk around and do some people watching, to grab some treats, play some games, go on rides and watch the fireworks! :)

We do love you!

Team Chicago

As night fell, I started to play around with my new little camera.

Fireworks every Saturday night at 10pm!

Arianna insisted that we go on the 150 ft ferris wheel. It was so high! The view was cool, but I noticed my palms were getting a little sweaty. When did I start getting nervous about heights?

Fun in the Windy City

2010-08-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

Chicago is such a fun city to visit! There is so much to see and do (and eat!).

I love walking on Michigan Ave. The old stone buildings and hotels are the greatest. The Art Institute is right there, along with Millennium Park and so much beauty.

I did a little photo project in Chicago. I wanted to see what I could do with a point-and-shoot camera, so I left my big SLR at home. It was fun to experiment.

Buckingham Fountain:

Lake Michigan:

That ferris wheel is on Navy Pier:

CHICAGO!!!!

2010-08-20T14:57:00.000-07:00

Being back in the Midwest, we figured a trip down to good old Chicago was in order. And who better to bring along than my lovely niece, Arianna! We saw a lot of the city and had a blast!

On the way there, we had to stop in Wisconsin for some cheese:

And, some pie:

When we got to Chicago, it was time for some famous deep dish pizza! Yum!

We had to go see the Sears Tower (It's now called the Willis Tower).

The view was amazing! They have this new thing where you can stand out over the edge on a pane of glass. Even though I could see that you wouldn't fall, when I went to step out there, my body wouldn't do what it was supposed to! ;) I held on to the edge kinda froze up - it was scary! I'm such a dork. Drew and Arianna didn't have a problem going out there.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off:

Back on the ground, we walked around a bit and saw the Chicago River. I would love to be there on St. Patrick's Day when they dye the river green!

Chinatown!

Baby Pork Cookies?

Maybe an eclair instead!

Team Chinatown!

Back in Minnesota

2010-08-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

We're back in Minnesota and with our little kitten who isn't so little anymore. It has been so nice to see everyone that we've been missing. We are planning our new life here and it's been going smooth so far!

We got to get up north for the weekend. There is something about being at the cabin in northern Minnesota. It is like no place else and being away for a while makes me appreciate it even more.

A family of loons. They always kept the little one between them to protect him.

Goodbye Hawaii

2010-08-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

Oh, Hawaii. What to say... It was an amazing trip. We learned so much and experienced life and true love. I went to Hawaii hoping to start on a new path in life and a new path is what I found. This magical place showed me how much fun and how rewarding it is to teach. It let me see my sweetie's eyes in front of the deep blue ocean. It gave me a peaceful, simple life. A beautiful, surprising, inspired life. I worked with the most amazing children and teachers. I swam, surfed, hiked, ran, explored and just simply lived. It was good. It is a place that I hold dear to my heart and a place I will continue to be amazed by.

Our apartment on Hakuola Road:

Our Church (Lili'uokalani):

Our favorite (and only on the north shore) Thai Restaurant:

The famous Surf n' Sea:
If you ever need a job:

Shave Ice:

The Duke:

Hawaiian style:

This was on sacred ground near Waimea Bay:

Ka'ena Point. This is a place where souls will join their ancestors.

Me and Kahu Rennie Mau:

Lost?

A sleeping seal:

Goodbye. Aloha nui loa, a hui hou.

My Tokyo dreams come true!

2010-08-16T15:37:00.001-07:00

Back in Tokyo, we spent our last day walking around this great city and talking about how wonderful the trip was.

I mentioned to Drew that the only thing that I didn't do that I really wanted to, was to sit on the floor on the tatami mats at a traditional restaurant. Well, that and to sing karaoke. We had no idea how to find a restaurant like that. As we walked, Drew suggested that I should will it to happen. I saw a building across the street and said, "there it is." There wasn't any indication that the place was even a restaurant, but we walked over there and I peeked in. And, guess what! It was exactly what I was looking for! Not only that, but it had a small menu in English to explain what food they served and how we were to cook it. It was the greatest thing!! I was so happy!

So cool!

Well, we were feeling so good after that meal, we figured we should probably rent a karaoke room! It was probably the funnest thing I've ever done!! I am a terrible singer, but it doesn't matter. It's a chance to let loose!

Thank you very mucho!
I need a heeeeerOO!

We ended the night going back to the Senso-ji to see it all lit up. Wow! Japan, you've outdone yourself.