29. States I have been to:

California-
Born and Raised. I have been all over the state and seen deserts and blizzard, mountains and valleys. 

San Francisco, CA
A peek at the Golden Gate Bridge

Quincy, CA
Fresh snow in the morning

Oregon - 

I have driven all the way through Oregon, (from bottom to top and vice versa) on Hwy 5.  I have stopped and stayed in Ashland. But I have not explored much of this state.

Washington- 
Oregon/California State Line

Winston, OR
Wildlife Safari

 

Washington- 

Washington might be my favorite state that I have been to.  I know I was there when I was young but don't really remember.  But I have been three times in the last couple of years and can't wait to go back.  If I were to move out of California I would probably choose Washington but I don't really plan on moving out of California.

Seattle, WA
Space Needle behind Autumn leaves

Olympia, WA
Fall

  

Hawaii - 
I went to Hawaii on my senior trip.  We were in a very busy area of Oahu. I had pictured a lush, green, and tropical place, but we were staying on the city side.  We did take a bus tour that took us to the other side which was what I had pictured.  

The city busy side wasn't that impressive.  

Oahu, HI
Pretty water on the pretty side

Oahu, HI
The green lushness I imagined

Nevada- 

The state line of Nevada wasn't too far growing up so we found ourselves in Nevada every so often.  I have driven through Nevada (left to right and vice versa) several times traveling to Utah to see family.  That is one long brown road trip. 

Somewhere in Nevada

Stormy drive through Nevada

Utah- 

Visits to see family.  I even got to go skiing in Park City many years ago.  Most visits kept us in Salt Lake City until my cousin moved a little more East to Kamas.  Salt Lake City is surrounded by beautiful mountains and Kamas is in the mountains.   

Approaching the mountains of Utah

Where some of the winter Olympic
games took place.

Montana- 

Another really beautiful state.  I have only really been in the Northern part of the state.  Lots of green foliage, lots of blue water and skies.  Lots of snow and lots of beautiful days. 

Horse and a big blue sky
Montana

Lake MacGregor, MT

Colorado- 

If you count the airport.  I have had lay overs in the Denver Airport twice (round trip so that makes 4 times). 

 

I think this is Colorado.
From the plane window.




New York- 

I have seen the busy-ness of New York City and the calm of the country.  I had blisters from walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in the rain. Another state I want to go to again.

Busy City

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge
New York

Skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge

Connecticut- 

Another one that might not count.  We accidentally drove into Connecticut while in New York.  The guy in the front with the map, doesn't know how to read a map.  We made the most of it by going to a pier and an aquarium but on the way back out were rear ended, by a guy on his cell phone.

The pier in Connecticut

The closest I got to touching water
that may or may not flow into the
Atlantic Ocean

New Jersey- 
A day trip while in New York.  
Just a train ride away. 
No Photos

28. Describe my ‘perfect day’

My perfect day would be a day off for both me and Kyle.  We probably wouldn't spend the whole day together.  If it is my perfect day it should be his too.  He would probably prefer to go fishing over some of the things I would want to do. But I am sure we would spend parts of the day together.  
My perfect day would be waking up to the sound of rain instead of an alarm clock (or an annoying cat.)  

I hate to sleep the day away, so I don’t want to sleep in really late.  I just want to sleep in an hour later than I normally do on a work day.  I would bake something yummy for breakfast, like chocolate chip scones. 

I just might skip the morning workout.  Once I was ready for the day (shower, hair, makeup and dressed) I would have a crafting hour.  This would of course take place in an amazing crafting room like these I found on Pinterest.

 Then I would make myself a chai latte and cozy up by the window, (it would still be raining), and read a few chapters of whatever book I was reading.  After making my favorite day off savory treat, I would decide it was time to get out of the house for awhile.  I love driving in the rain during the day and since on my perfect day it would still be raining, I would go for a drive. This would be a great thing for Kyle and I to do together because he loves going for a drive. Then I would realize it is just about time to go for a massage appointment. Like I would forget and not be counting down the minutes.

Pinterest- Yes the massage table is surrounded by water.

Apparently I would be transported to this tropical place to enjoy my massage.
On my perfect day I would have no need to do errands or even go to the grocery store.  And the house would already be so perfectly clean, there would be no house work.  Since I love to cook a great dinner on days I have time, I would look forward to doing that.  Actually, now that I think about it, I would have a private chef come and make my dinner for me on my perfect day.  I wouldn't want a fancy dinner, probably just my favorite dish, pasta primavera.

I would also give the chef a handful of dessert recipes to choose from and surprise me with dessert.  You see right now I wouldn't be able to choose which one. 
Dessert would be served during a movie.  The house would be nice and warm while it was still raining out.
I just realized that if it was raining all day because it was my perfect day that would not make for good weather for Kyle to go fishing.  I guess he would have to travel a little distance to get past the ran. 

Some might think my perfect day would be kind of boring and too calm.  But for me that is just perfect!

27. What is under my bed

I don’t like a messy space under the bed.  As smart as it is to use this space for storage, it just isn’t for me.  Under my bed is half a rug. (The other half sticks out of the foot of the bed.) 

A few dust bunnies and maybe a cat.  The only thing I store under my bed is wrapping paper and gift bags in a storage container.  Oh and a few pieces of clothes that Kyle has kicked under the bed.
Pretty simple.  Just don’t ask me what is on the top shelf of my closet.  Haha.

26. One thing I am excited for

I am super excited that by the end of April one of our cars will be paid off.  That’s right, our Mazda has one more payment and then it is OURS.  A few months ago I was excited for this day because it would mean we had both our cars paid off, but then mine died. So for the last few months we have had two car payments which has been very tough and I am looking forward to that being over.  We bought the Mazda new.  It was cool to buy a new car but we learned that we would probably never do it again.  Just not worth the extra money.  But it is nice to have a car that will be paid off and be only 5 years old and have lots of life left in it.  Sometimes I can’t believe it is already 5 years old.  We have taken it to Utah, Washington, and down some of the steepest streets of San Francisco.

Kyle likes to take pictures of the car in front of different things and places.  I think he got this from his grandparents.  They have photo albums with lots of pictures like this:

I started gathering pictures of our car in different places and was surprised to find so many.  I put a few collages together.  I didn't use all our photos but I thought the ones I used gives a pretty good summary.  

Let me assure the world, we will take a picture of it the day it is paid off.  The first paycheck after it is paid off will probably treat us to a bit of a celebration.

25. Talents I Admire (In Other People)

Don't be surprised if some of the things I admire in other people are things people would consider as qualities.  I think they go hand in hand. 
1.  Anything creative: art, music, writing
I often find myself looking at something artistic and saying "I wish I could do that."
2.  Patience
I feel that I have a good deal of patience but I see others who have more and I am like "wow."
3. Calmness
I am usually not calm.  Some people just always seem calm, however some are calm and drive me crazy because they are just so calm anything goes. That is the wrong kind of calm.
4. Doing math quickly in their head.
Give me a piece of paper and a pencil and I can do some hard problems, but sometimes you just need to add and subtract quickly.
5.  Speaking more than one language
I recently met a girl who can speak Spanish, English, French, and is learning two other languages.  Super jealous. 
6. Dancing
I watch Dancing With the Stars sometimes and think, "HOW do they get their body to work like that."  I have never tried.  I wish they taught you how to dance in high school.  I have heard awesome stories about my grandparents dancing.  
7. Creative Cooking
One time my sister just looked in her cupboard and threw an amazing dinner together.  I have to plan my dinners big time and usually eat the same things.  I love trying new things but I have to rely on recipes rather than creating my own stuff.
8. To be thought upon.....

24. A Song That Inspires Emotion

My choice for a song that inspires emotion might be because the first time I heard it was in a very touching commercial. I just love the song. I can listen to it on repeat again and again. I have heard it so many times now that I don't always get choked up but at first it always brought tears to my eyes. And the commercial gets me every time.
The song is called "Broken Chair" by Chris and and Thomas
Grab and tissue and watch the commercial.

23. Something I Want To Learn How To Do

SO MANY THINGS!!!!!
This month we have figured out that I have a really hard time picking just one thing, like a favorite.  It has been pretty much impossible.  I feel the same way about picking one of the things I want to learn how to do.  But I am GOING TO DO IT!
I thought about cheating and talking about all the musical instruments that I want to learn how to play but I am going to just pick one for the sake of the title someTHING not someTHINGS.

I want to learn how to play the guitar.  Kyle was going to show me once.  I even cut my fingernails really short so they wouldn't be in the way.  But I didn't want to LEARN how to play I wanted to KNOW how to play so I didn't practice.  Kyle said I had to practice or he wouldn't show me.  I haven't picked up the guitar since.

Me and a guitar about 12 years ago.
Someone was letting me play with their
guitar.  I liked this photo because
it looks like I know how to play.

I want to know how to play the guitar because it is a great sound. It sounds great by itself or with other instruments.  It isn't big like the piano so you can take it almost anywhere.  
I love when Kyle pulls out his guitar.  A lot of times he plays when he goes to bed.  I have fallen asleep to the sound of his playing many nights.  Sometimes he even brings it camping.  Listening to his strumming while sitting by the campfire is delightful.  Who knows, maybe one day I will actually practice and get to learn.