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Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travels. Show all posts

December 03, 2018

My Birthday + Disneyland + Chatbaby

We got back last night from four days in southern California, because Disneyland! Actually, because Stephen won a trip to Disneyland on the radio. AGAIN. I seem to have failed to blog about the trip he won last year, but we took my two youngest brothers last year and had a great time.

The timing of the trip ended up being the same as last year, where we went during my birthday week, but this time, my mom and youngest brother came, as well as Stephen's parents, one of his brothers, and his sister and her cute family.

It was a fun but tiring four days, because, well, Disneyland, but also a little extra tiring because... I'm pregnant! We are SO thrilled to be welcoming our little Chatbaby to the world and into our family next June.

Of course, we had to take advantage of being at Disneyland on MY birthday to share our good news on social media.


I know. It's a little cheesy, but I couldn't help it. :) We flew to California on my birthday, which meant we only had about four or five hours in the park on the first day, but I was so tired by the end, it was actually just the right amount.

A few more Disney photos from the weekend:



May 31, 2018

Whale Watching + Lahaina Banyan Tree (and some food, of course!)

So excited for whale watching! 

One of the first things we did in Maui was to take a whale watching cruise. We were told peak whaling season ends in February, but the Pacific Whale Foundation (through whom we bought our cruise) also guaranteed us a whale sighting or we'd get to take another whale watching cruise for free within a year, so we figured why not book it?

And boy, were we glad we did! (Travel tip: you can book your whale watching cruise in advance. You can cancel without penalty up to 48 hours before your cruise, so it's a good move to book as soon as possible. As your trip date gets closer, you can check the weather to make sure you'll have good weather on your cruise. While I'm on a travel tip, I learned that they only offer sunrise cruises during peak season, which is why we took our cruise in the afternoon. Word on the street is that a sunrise whale cruise is an awesome experience. Oh, also, we booked our cruise leaving from Lahaina. If you do this, remember to leave plenty of time to find parking, most of which is in paid lots!)


Whalewatching in Maui

So excited to see whales! whalewatching cruise

We saw not one, not two, but THREE (maybe four?) whales! Our guide said it looked like a love triangle: two males fighting over a female, which seemed especially probably at the end of mating season when the pickings are slimmer. ;)

I'm not sure what I was expecting to see, but the first whale sighting came from a fellow passenger and was sort of underwhelming. In fact, I didn't even see it! The whales were far from our boat, and the only way we could tell they were there was because of the stream of water from their blowholes every time they came up for air. Our captain told us to scan the horizon to see the blowhole spouting better, and that definitely helped. See blowhole spouts below! (Note that the photos below were taken once our boat was closer to the whales.)

whale blowholes
whale blowholes spouting water

Our captain steered our boat as close to the whales as legally permissible, and then he turned off the engine. And then the whales got closer (there's no law governing how closely the whale can approach the boat), and one of them even swam RIGHT UNDER OUR BOAT!! See its back and blowhole in the photo below?? That's how close we were. It was amazing! I'm actually shocked its tail didn't whack the bottom of our boat as it swam.

Whale blowhole

Two whale videos from our cruise:

whale watching video whale tail in Maui

We had an amazing experience. I would highly recommend a whale watching cruise to anyone heading to Maui! Stephen and his parents have done whale watching cruises before, and they said this was, by far, their best experience ever. I guess my bar is set pretty high now! We decided that next time we're in Hawai'i, we'll try a dolphin cruise. :)

After our whale watching cruise, we spent some time in Lahaina Square. We stopped to snap a photo with the famed Lahaina Banyan tree, of course. It was originally planted in 1873, and its canopy spreads out over 2/3 of an acre! It's the largest banyan tree in the United States and the oldest banyan tree in Hawai'i.

Lahaina banyan tree With the in-laws at the banyan tree

And then we had some fantastic burgers (voted Best on Maui 13 years in a row) at the Cool Cat Cafe across the street. Our favorite was the monthly special, which included a burger patty, lettuce, tomato, bacon, a fried egg, and two glazed donuts in place of buns. It was so good! (Of note: I wish we'd known this beforehand, but the Cool Cat Cafe will validate parking!)

Donuts are better than buns any day

Oh, and I can't end this post without mentioning one of my favorite food discoveries from our first day: Dole Whips! AND, even better, I learned they are DAIRY-FREE! Woot woot!

Dole whip in Maui!

We headed back to our resort after dinner to wind down and relax. It was a great first day in Maui!



May 22, 2018

Maui Trip: my first time in Hawai'i!

Maui sunset

Stephen and I had the opportunity to travel to Hawai'i a few weeks ago. His parents have a timeshare and were gracious enough to invite us to tag along for a week-long adventure. Stephen has been to Hawai'i several times before, but this was my first time, and I was NOT disappointed! We spent our week in Maui relaxing, snorkeling, whale watching, road tripping, and eating delicious things. I'll have to cover our trip via several posts due to the insane number of photos I took, but for anyone looking to plan a similar trip to Maui, below is the basic rundown of what we did.

Made it to Maui!

LODGING

We stayed at the Sands of Kahana resort, where we were lucky enough to have a fully stocked and working kitchen. For that reason, the first thing we did once we left the airport was to make a pitstop at Costco. Hawai'i is expensive, so buying a few basic groceries helped us keep our money spent on eating out to a more reasonable amount and allowed us to enjoy our meals out guilt-free.

Sands of Kahana
View from our balcony
Sands of Kahana
The beach at our resort.
TRANSPORTATION

My in-laws arrived the day before we did and rented a car for the week, so we were lucky to get a ride from the airport. The island isn't that big, but it's big enough that you really will need to rent a car to get around. Photo below of the leis my cute mother-in-law brought to the airport to welcome us to Maui, since it was my first time in Hawai'i. So thoughtful!

Welcome leis Leis in Maui

DECIDING ON THE DAY'S ITINERARIES

I learned very quickly that the weather in Maui is quite fickle. We had laid out a tentative itinerary before our trip, but we had to be flexible because it was rainy and grey nearly every day we were there. So, unfortunately, we didn't come home with Hawai'i tans, but we had a good time anyway! I will say that while it is more work upfront, it was helpful to call ahead to some of the sites/venues we wanted to see so we knew their hours and cancellation/refund policies. For example, we booked a whale watching cruise but learned that we could cancel in advance for a refund. And we learned that they guarantee you'll see whales, or you get your money back! We also scheduled a luau that had a generous cancellation policy (you could cancel right up until the morning of). And since we had a rental car as our mode of transportation, it was easy to pack an assortment of supplies (snorkel gear, rain jackets, etc.) and clothing to suit the day's agenda.

More photos to come in other posts, but suffice it to say that Maui was amazing, everything was gorgeous, and we had such a wonderful time! 10/10 would recommend. :)

Maui rainbow
One pro to having rain on vacation: Maui RAINBOWS!!

September 29, 2017

The Last Seven Months

The last few months have been a wild ride, such that... I haven't even blogged since February. 😅😬 I suppose the quickest way to give an update is via bullet points. In no particular order, here's a recap of my last seven months:
  • In February, I got laid off. :( Naturally, we were super bummed about this. Applying and interviewing for jobs is THE WORST!
  • A few weeks later, we got engaged! I knew Stephen had bought my ring at the end of January, and he didn't propose until MARCH 3rd. 😵😱 It was the longest six weeks of my life!
engaged! engaged!
  • My Tío Jose passed away at the end of February. :( He had been sick for a few months, and I know he had been in pain, but it was still really sad. I'm glad I was able to use sky miles to travel to his funeral in California. And actually, Stephen proposed just a few hours before I flew out. It was really lovely and comforting to be gathered with family to celebrate my uncle's life that weekend. And it was nice to have some happy news to (tactfully) share amid our sorrow.
  • We celebrated our one-year dating anniversary!
symphony date one-year anniversary date
  • I learned how to ski! Two winters ago, I had purchased a lessons + season pass package to Snowbasin. The silver lining to getting laid off is that I had more time to actually use my pass. I updated briefly on this two posts ago, and I'm happy to say things improved after that post. I'm definitely still a beginner, but I felt a lot more confident towards the end of the season and even managed to make it down a blue run (albeit very, VERY slowly)! AND I didn't run over any more children.
  • I moved out of my little apartment! This was harder than I imagined it would be. I was so excited to be marrying Stephen. My lease ended at the end of April, and we decided it made sense both logistically and financially for me to move into our duplex first (Stephen bought a duplex last fall, and we'd spent the previous few months fixing it up, so he hadn't moved in yet). It was hard for a few reasons. 1- I loved my little apartment. I'd put so much care and effort into fixing it up and decorating it just so. It was hard to let that go. 2- While I was beyond excited to marry my bestie, I was concerned that I would have a hard time adjusting to living with someone else again. Living alone had been such a treat! (I'm happy to report that living with Stephen is an even more delightful treat!) 3- Stephen is amazing and always kept a "we" mindset about things, but part of me still felt a little bit like a mooch living in "his" house by myself? I've definitely gotten over that, but it was an adjustment. I've had an entire life before this chapter. I'm used to being on my own, taking care of myself, etc, and while I know I wasn't giving that up, part of me felt like I was. (I wasn't. I just had to get over myself a little bit.)
sad face: moving out
  • We spent months and months and months working on our house. We're still not quite done, but we're hosting family for a birthday brunch for Stephen this weekend, and we're at least to a place where we can mostly do that. Ha. :) If all else fails, we'll just shove everything into the second bedroom and shut the door. ;)
Home Sweet Duplex
  • We planted a little garden, and it's still alive! I've never successfully kept plants alive for longer than a few weeks, but so far, we've eaten cucumber and zucchini, and we hope to have some tomatoes soon! We have a watermelon plant that might not have anything for us, and we planted a baby nectarine tree that will hopefully bear fruit in future years. Our lime tree got moved to my office yesterday, where it will live out the winter next to my big windows.
  • I started a new job in July! I was grateful to a good friend who passed along the job link to me shortly after I lost my job in February. It's a great opportunity for me, and even though the learning curve has been steep, I'm really enjoying it so far.
  • I free-lanced this spring/summer, and I learned I am not cut out for being an entrepreneur. (I think?) I also worked as a Matchmaker for a hot second, mostly because it sounded like fun. What I learned is that being a paid matchmaker is the WORST. Matchmaking for fun is, well, fun! 
  • Two weeks after I started my new job.... WE GOT MARRIED!! :) Wedding planning is one of the worst and most unenjoyable things I've ever done, but our wedding was SO much fun! We were actually a little sad to leave at the end of the night, because we were having such a great time. It was so wonderful to have the people we love most gathered in one place to celebrate with us. I loved meeting people who love my Stephen and have played an important part in his life, and I loved getting to introduce him to my people. It meant so much to have so many of our loved ones travel from so far to celebrate with us. We were married on July 21, 2017 in the Ogden, Utah LDS Temple. I'd love to write more about our wedding day in a separate blog post, but it is the most wonderful thing in the world to be married to my best friend. I count my lucky stars every day to have found him and to be his wife forever. The actual wedding day felt like a blur (I can barely even remember our sealing), but these last few months have been the greatest adventure.
first dance IMG_1127 Ogden Temple wedding day
  • We just got back from our honeymoon! This deserves its own post also, but we went to London and Paris and just had the best time. :) 
Honeymoon recap

October 29, 2015

Carpe Diem or Impulse Shopping Gone Wrong? (Harry Potter & the Cursed Child)

Screen Shot 2015-10-28 at 11.32.51 AM

Sooooo... It looks like I'm going to London! I signed up last week for VIP earlybird ticket access for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (the 8th installment in the Harry Potter series, but in play form), which will be playing in London starting next summer. Of course, I wanted to buy tickets, but I didn't make time to think things through.

When I realized yesterday how IN DEMAND tickets were (at one point, there were almost 35,000 people ahead of me in the ticket queue!), I sort of just... went for it! I bought four tickets! Which means.... It's time to save up my pennies for a plane ticket/hotel/transportation/etc. next fall! Annnnnd I need to recruit three adventurous friend to come with me! (Or one adventurous friend, and I'll sell the other two tickets?)

In conclusion... Woo hoo!! London/Harry Potter/Prince Harry, here I come!

May 18, 2015

#ATXyall (Part 1) + I found an apartment!

Helllllo, blogging world! I'm popping in tonight from the comfort of my very own.... apartment!! That's right; my OWN apartment! It's my first time having an apartment all to myself (the tiny private room + bathroom I had as an RA in college doesn't count!), and I couldn't be more excited about it. (Though it was kind of sad this morning when I was getting ready for church and had no one to consult about which heels I should wear? But overall, it's been great!)

There's not much to see yet, but... in time! :)

so many boxes!

I also wanted to take a moment to preserve for time and all posterity the photos from my recent trip to Austin! My friend Jordan was planning a trip home (she's a bona fide Austinite!) and invited a few of us to join her. The group consisted of Jordan, Maddy, Addison (another Austinite), and moi; I couldn't have asked for better travel companions!

travel buddies!

I booked this trip after I'd accepted my new job in Utah, but before I actually left DC, because A- I've been wanting to go to Austin for foreverrrr, B- I was afraid I'd be experiencing DC withdrawals a month into my new life in Utah, and I wanted to make sure I had something to look forward to in case things weren't going so smoothly. Plus, honestly, I was worried I'd feel claustrophobic and landlocked. One of the BEST things about the East Coast is it's SO incredibly easy (and relatively cheap) to travel, whereas in Utah, you can drive for FIVE HOURS and still be in the same state. I'm going to sound super yuppie and spoiled, but I became accustomed to traveling at least once a month, either for work or for pleasure, and I definitely already miss it! Though, actually, between Arizona (a post for another day) and Texas, I've managed to maintain my one trip a month quota thus far! :)

OK, so the most important thing to know about this trip is we essentially ATE our way through the city of Austin, with a few activities squeezed in between meals. (Gotta work up an appetite somehow, right??)

We started our trip off right ... by eating at every breakfast taco place within a few miles of Jordan's house. Let the record show that the BEST of the tacos was The Democrat from Shaky's.

breakfast tacos!

Next, we explored a bit of our Mormon heritage at scenic Mt. Bonnell. ;)

Mt. Bonnell IMG_0037 Mt. Bonnell
Mt. Bonnell #samegender

Aside from the amazing view of Austin and the water, Addison's hair in that last photo was a highlight. ;)

Then, we were off to Barton Springs!

But first, a quick pitstop with some Texas wildflowers! Little did I know at this point that this would be my only wildflower photo of the trip. *sniff*

Texas wildflowers

OK, back to the story. Barton Springs is a set of, well, natural springs (ha) that has sort of been partially turned into a pool. The coolest part about this place was how perfectly clear the water was. As you all may know, I'm VERY much afraid of water, but it was just so pretty, even I ventured in! (Not to swim – let's not get crazy here – but just to say I at least went in the water.) Maddy lent moral support while Jordan and Addison were catching some rays (and some zzz's). :)


Barton Springs Barton Springs Maddy & Yándary at Barton Springs! Bathing beauty at Barton Springs

After a healthy lunch of Amy's Ice Cream, we went home to clean up and change in preparation for the most luxurious dining experience at Paul Qui's new restaurant, Qui! It was voted GQ's Most Outstanding Restaurant of 2014. Jordan's generous parents joined us – and then treated ALL of us to – this amaaaaayzing dining experience! Maddy and I ordered the vegetable option (I'm so glad I did, because several of the courses were seafood, and I don't particularly care for seafood. Mostly because of the smell... Have I mentioned here yet that I'm a very smell-oriented person? I once went out with someone whose cologne I didn't like; things did not work out.), and the others ordered the regular menu. We all just ended up sharing, but ALL of my courses were amazing! If you're ever in Austin and feel like spending $55-70 on dinner, try Qui!


Qui Austin IMG_0095 Ladies at Qui Austin Chicas at Qui Austin

After dinner, we killed some time at THE original Whole Foods, and thennnnnn we went to...

IMG_0077 Whole Foods HQ


GOURDOUGH'S PUBLIC HOUSE!!

Of ALL the incredible places we ate during this trip, this one was my FAVORITE. I'm super picky with sweets, but the donuts here were to DIE for! I will DEFINITELY be returning to Austin, if only to eat the Glory Daze donut (+ vanilla ice cream) one more time.

Gourdough's Public House = Best. Donuts. Ever!

And guys! This was JUST the first day!! I now realize I took WAY too many photos to share this entire trip in one post, soooo.... Stay tuned for Day 2 with these crazy kids probably later this week! :)


crazies in Austin

And