WHOA lansi

Here I am again, feeling the familiar mix of emotions I experience every time I’m about to head home. On the one hand, I love my home. Alberta is an amazing province, full of my favourite people. On the other hand, I’m sad to say goodbye to this place I’ve come to know over the last couple months. It’s a little bittersweet.

I’ve lived in several different cities in my 32 years, & I’ve loved them all in different ways. The funny thing about California is I didn’t expect to feel at home here. I really didn’t. Maybe that’s strange to some people, but I never once considered the US as somewhere I’d live. Nothing against American or the US in general – I have plenty of perfectly lovely American friends & I’ve spent time in many great cities in this country. I just never expected to feel this way about the US, especially in light of recent politics.

But here I am, absolutely loving California, & feeling a bit silly. I mean, what’s not to love? Beautiful weather, decadent dining options, & an impressive array of sights. Add a healthy dose of the loveliest people, & you’ve got the recipe that makes this place so enchanting. Honestly, Californians are wonderful.

I thought two months would feel like a long time, but it truly flew by. & with good reason – we did A LOT. We tried to cram as much into my stay as time would allow. I think we did a pretty good job, & if you look at my Instagram from the last couple months, I think it will tell that same story. Here are a few of my favourite moments from this September, according to my IG feed.

1. N’s sister came down to visit with her boyfriend & we had the best week showing them around SF & the area. We saw the Giants win a baseball game, rode cable cars, wine tasted our way through Sonoma, biked the Golden Gate bridge, saw SF from the ferry, & toured the East Bay.
2. Bagel stop at Beauty’s with N on a lazy Saturday in Oakland. I’ve barely put a dent in my restaurant list for the East Bay, never mind SF. There are some seriously incredible places to eat here!
3. We witnessed another win for the home team at the Cal State vs Ole Miss game. They weren’t expected to bring home a win, so it was especially exciting.
4. Exploring pockets of Berkeley with the Path Wanderers Association one evening. Such a cool way to see the city.
5. The boys enjoying an afternoon at Muir Beach. Odin loves going to the beach & chasing his dad around, & we love watching how happy it makes him.
6. I’ve been going to November Project SF for the last month & it’s been so fun getting to know this tribe, especially my friends in the East Bay.
7. The view from Alcatraz is so cool. We had a great time exploring the island & touring the prison.
8. N’s coworker sent us home with an amazing bounty of fresh produce from his garden. This is just one small example of the generosity we’ve experienced down here.
9. We spent part of our last weekend in Carmel, touring around Big Sur. It’s an incredible place. We loved it so much, we stayed an extra night. We just weren’t ready to leave.

It’s been a busy weekend, & possibly an even busier month! N’s sister & her boyfriend spent the last 6 days with us in the Bay Area, & we did not hold back. We did good, seriously good. They checked everything they wanted to do off their list & are headed down the coast for more, while we recover. It honestly feels good to sit still today. I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend with N & O in the Bay. I honestly thought that two months would feel like a long time, but I’m almost halfway through my leave & it’s flying by. Time is constantly throwing me for a loop. Anyways, here’s what we got up to this month according to Instagram.

1. We headed out to Water Valley for a Family Reunion over August Long Weekend. We hadn’t seen a lot of people since our wedding so it was fun to reconnect with people as well as meet some new faces.

2. Zo & I ran the SeaWheeze Half Marathon again. I have some crazy stories & a Go Pro video coming your way, but the most important point is that Zoe broke 2 hours for the first time & I am so proud of her.

3.  Odin swam in the ocean for the first time on our trip down the coast. He’s now played on more sandy beaches than I can count. My car has sand in every crevice, but he’s one happy boy.

4. The Pacific Coast is a dream: the beaches, the twisty highway roads, & the changing landscape were better than my wildest dreams.

5. You can absolutely never go wrong with dinner at Pok Pok, even if you have to get takeaway & eat in a random park in NW Portland because you’re with your dog. Trust me.

6. N lives less than an hour from Napa, so we spent our first weekend doing a little wine touring.

7. We brought Odin along on our little wine tour & were so happy with how easy it is to find places that are totally cool with letting your dog hang out while you try some wines. California is totally winning when it comes to the dog friendly game, & we love it!

8. A little Sunday lunch stop at Vik’s chaat on our Berkeley bike tour. Tucked in beside the Aquatic park & the train tracks, it’s been a local fav for 25 years for good reason!

9. We are huge fans of Fieldwork Brewing in Berkeley. In the few weeks that I’ve been down here, it’s become our go to for beers. With a great patio, friendly servers, & a completely dog friendly atmosphere, you can’t go wrong!

I took an unintentional break from blogging there, it seems. May turned out to be a pretty busy month for me. N’s & my time apart became longer (a shift from two weeks to three weeks). This resulted in a slight adjustment period for me, something I wasn’t really expecting. For the most part, I don’t miss him working in Fort Mac – his quality of life is far superior in the Bay Area. One thing I do miss is having him home for a full week instead of a measly weekend. It gave us time to divide & conquer some of the everyday tasks. Most of those things fall on me now, which isn’t really a big deal, but I do sometimes wish I had a little help with them.

In addition to all the boring stuff, travel planning has taken up a lot of my time (& it’s much more exciting!). I just got back from the most incredible extended weekend in the Bay Area with N & we’re heading to Europe in a few short weeks. I can’t wait to share more about both of these trips, as well as some of my tips for planning a big trip.

Until then, here’s what we got up to in May according to Instagram (it took all my willpower not to just post San Francisco photos…).

1. Odin taking a swim with the lovely instructors at Pawsitively Pooched. He’s come so far since last summer & now loves swimming!
2. Tailgating after working Beer Fest for Whistler Brewing & Hey Y’all. Everyone at our booth was so awesome – I had a great weekend on the other side of things this year.
3. Second hike of the year under our belts! We did a quick one to White Buddha in Bragg Creek. Easy little 4 km loop with a view!
4. Celebrating N’s 30th year with lobster, of course. Happy Birthday, babe!
5. Went a little blonder for summer thanks to Ashley at Hedkandi Salon. She’s a gem, & I’m loving this summer colour.
6. Pizza night at the lake on one of the most gorgeous May long weekends I can remember. Family, friends, delicious food, & sunny skies made for the perfect evening (the wine helped a little too!).
7. Odin loved every minute of being at the lake. We went swimming every day, took long walks, & relaxed in the sun. It was a real treat!
8. Biking across the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito is something I won’t soon forget. I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in San Francisco.
9. Drinks on the beach with my favourite guy, in California. We crammed a lot into the weekend, but I wouldn’t have it any other way, or with any other person. Thanks for spoiling me rotten, babe.

I love looking back on the photos from this past month. I know I way over shared my San Francisco trip (& Europe will be worse), but I love it so much. From Berkeley to San Francisco to Sausalito, there wasn’t a bad moment of the trip (except maybe that Sunday morning hangover!). Can’t wait to share more – it was a whirlwind! & June, I know you’re gonna be a real beaut!

I think this is the earliest I’ve posted an Instagram recap in years. Success! If everything goes according to plan, I’ll finally get my SeaWheeze post up this week too. Registration is coming up pretty quickly, so my goal is to get it finished before that. Sometimes I just need to give myself deadlines! The new bullet journal moleskine I picked up this week is really helping in that department too. I am a sucker for a new notebook, & I even got some coloured pens to keep it fun! We’ll see if these doodles last. They’re fun right now, but one of the best things about bullet journaling has been its simplicity. Only time will tell!

Anyway, here’s what we go up to in October according to Instagram:

1. At the beginning of the month, I took a roadtrip out to Invermere with my favourite Paralympian, Morgan Bird. We helped out (& swam a little) with their training camp & fun meet. She gave a fantastic talk to the kids of CVSC & GGSC.
2. This slow cooker chili has quickly become a favourite of mine. It’s like eating hot wings, but it’s paleo. Throw everything in the slow cooker the night before & come home to this delicious chili. I’m obsessed.
3. Our first snowfall came pretty late this year, by Calgary standards. Odin didn’t really know what to make of it, but I think he ended up loving it. I can’t wait til we get a really good dump so he can play more. It’s hilarious!
4. I made my second turkey all by myself. This year, I went over to my parents & used their incredible kitchen. Seriously, their range is a dream. Thanksgiving dinner turned out fantastic too. 😉
5. I’m totally hooked on November Project. What started as part of my Healthy Living Challenge in September has turned into something I look forward to every week. If you’ve been on the fence about checking it out, I’m there every Wednesday (& some Mondays). Come drink the kool-aid!
6. Some version of this sausage & vegetable noodle “pasta” in on the menu every week at our house. Usually it involves tomato sauce (my go-to recipe here. Sorry about the terrible photos!), but this time I simplified with roasted red pepper, goat cheese, & herbs. Simple & delicious!
7. Our Bitches be Brunchin’ crew hit Batl Axe this month. We had a great time! If you’ve been thinking about trying your hand at axe throwing, I’d highly recommend it.
8. We made huge strides with our house this month & it’s really looking like our home. We painted a lot of the main floor, hung vintage shelves from my grandparents, & bought a media console for the record player & our games. I love how it’s coming together.
9. For Halloween this year, we dressed up as characters from the Wizard of Oz. I made my costume from scratch (putting my grade 8 sewing skills to the test) & N pulled a tin man costume together on short notice. Odin went as himself, our little lion man. It’s going to be hard to top this year!

Do you like to dress up for Halloween? Do you make your costume from scratch or buy one from a store? 

& just like that we’re halfway through the summer. How does this time of year always go by so quickly?! I think it’s likely because there is so much going on in the beginning of July. We kick things off with Canada Day & then it’s go go go from there, with Stampede & my own birthday as well. It was a fantastic month, & I’m a little sad it’s already over, but here’s what we got up to, according to Instagram.

1. Celebrating the lovely Karla with a wine tasting, brunch, Banff Springs spa day, dinner, & party bus bar crawl. Such a fun weekend with a great group of ladies!  #gettinghutched
2. Odin got his first haircut & looks adorable. Since his cut, you can really see how long his legs are. He looks like a gangly teenager instead of a little fluff ball!
3. We kicked off Stampede week by spending the first Saturday at our favourite tent, Nashville North. Dancing, great friends, & many rounds of drinks made for a fun night!
4. Week two of Stampede, we were back at it. This time we met up with more of N’s friends & his sister & her friends. It was a hilarious (& ridiculous) night at the tent!
5. Our delicious birthday (x3) meal at the Nash with my family. My birthday this year was all about great eats.
6. Another birthday dinner, this time with my girl friends. We shared an incredible assortment of wine & small plates, & the totally spoiled me. My friends are fantastic!
7. Dog Party! My best friend bought a house & it has this INCREDIBLE backyard. It’s seriously the best! We’re excited for many many dog parties. I love watching our pups play!
8. Backyard wine dates with my work wife. She’s a member of Kelowna Female Family Photos, an awesome cancer fundraising group. We love their apparel. These tanks are the softest & comfiest I’ve ever worn! Check ’em out – it’s for a good cause so you don’t even have to feel guilty.
9. We took little O out to the lake this weekend & did some swimming. He jumped off the back of the boat twice (to save me, of course), but isn’t super stoked about it. It’s a little high for him right now. He really enjoyed swimming for sticked off the shore though. He’s gonna be a water baby!

August & September are a little bit slower than July, which should be nice. I’m running the #Seawheeze next weekend, but the rest of the month is really chill. I think we will likely celebrate our wedding anniversary with a nice dinner, so if you have any suggestions, let me know (maybe Royale?!). Then in September, N gets knee surgery & we head to wedding in Kelowna. I can’t wait to pick up some more wine & celebrate a lovely couple.

Did you find this month flew by, or was it just me? How are you making the most of the rest of your summer?