Field Trip

Chris and I had a wonderful visit to San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences yesterday. Here we are cleaning the pacific reef exhibit:

Ha!! Just kidding. I wish it were true, I have always fascinated about diving at an aquarium as a volunteer to do maintenance and help teach. I think you probably have to be a SERIOUS volunteer to get to do that! But, we did have a great time at the Academy.

We got up early and managed to get there right as it opened for early entry for members (I signed up for membership when I visited with my Mom and her husband Bob in January). Chris had never been before, so it was exciting for me to waltz right in with him (and over 100 other members, popular place) and get right in line for planetarium passes. We got passes easily and went right over to the first show of the day which was un-real. It is an I-Max dome theater and at the beginning of the show it feels like you literally fly out of your seat, go through the roof, and are floating and looking down at the living roof of the academy. Then you feel like you float higher and higher seeing all of the neighborhood, then the city, then the bay, then California. You fly around the globe to destinations like the Galapagos Islands, the Philippines, and Madagascar, then zoom out to space to look down on earth as 'an island in space'. Then fly around the solar system, to other star systems, out of the galaxy, and back again. It was a completely addictive experience and that I am sure I will be going back again many more times.

Afterwards, we walked through the four story rain forest exhibit with all the plants, birds, frogs, fish, and butterflies. A quick 'butterfly check' and we were allowed to get onto the elevator to take us down to the aquarium where we wandered around in awe looking at the jelly fish, sea-horses, fish, and reef exhibits (divers and all). Then we made our way up to the 2nd floor for the 3-D 'Bugs' movie with MUCH larger than life 3-D bugs such as centipedes, praying mantis, and butterflies crawled and flitted before our eyes. Then up to the roof to gaze across the living roof landscaped with self-sufficient native plants like poppies, yarrow, and strawberry bushes.

Chris and I decided to call it quits before we got completely overwhelmed, so we left prior to becoming burnt out by the crowds and found a shady patch in the grass of Golden Gate Park to lay down and relax/people watch. Then it was off to Park Chow, a fantastic restaurant within easy walking distance to the Academy for a late lunch. I was completely wowed by their special which was a fried whole soft shell crab sandwich (yum) and though I was tempted, resisted ordering another one because yes, it really was that good.
We did not however resist pie, and shared half slices of pecan and chocolate cream pie for dessert. Then it was back home to crash. We were completely tuckered. Chris was so whipped that he actually napped for 3 hours. It was an incredible day, one of the best I can remember in San Francisco, and I would highly recommend it to anyone that gets the chance.

5th Anniversary

August 14th was our fifth wedding anniversary. We headed up to Chris's grandparent's wonderful 1940's log cabin in Bass Lake, CA where we honeymooned to celebrate for a long weekend. It was absolutely ideal. The weather was perfect, we were in the midst of the Perseids star shower, and the cabin awaited us in all of it's homey glory.

We had a wonderful time. We stayed up late and slept late every day. Chris always managed to sneak out while I was asleep to fetch a newspaper from the nearby village. We had quiet mornings reading the paper, making breakfast, and sipping hot coffee on the deck.

The afternoons were devoted to the lake, either lounging under the umbrella and reading on the dock, or in the water bobbing with our floaty 'noodles' until we were too chilly to stay in any longer.

Chris was a grill 'Maestro' and whipped up a supreme Tri-tip with grilled veggies and corn for our anniversary dinner. I set up a table with candles on the deck and we opened a bottle of wine from our wedding for dinner.

After dinner we went down to the lake and motored the boat to middle of the lake to watch for shooting stars. We were pleasantly surprised by a fireworks show from the shore at the 'Pines Lodge' that went on for quite sometime, reflecting off the waters of the lake, and were rewarded for our patience later with several brilliant shooting stars.

Before leaving on Sunday, Chris looked up our entry in the guest book from 5 years ago, read it aloud - bringing tears to my eyes, then added another entry for us to look up in the future. We are so very lucky, the two of us, to love each other more deeply and understand each other more fully as time goes on, to have shared such a wonderful past, enjoy the present, and look forward with such excitement to our future together. I love you Chris, you are a incredible and amazing person, and I am filled with joy everyday to share my life with you.

Singing Chicken

Mom, have I thanked you enough for my singing chicken?!? Not only does this cheerful fellow keep me company while I'm cooking, but he is also gentlemanly enough to hold my wedding ring for me when I am mixing up messy things with my hands (like tonight's turkey meatloaf, a favorite around here). Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Wedding Bliss

My good friends S&J got married yesterday. It was a lovely ceremony in a very rustic catholic church. I got there early and though not really religious, went and lit a candle for my friends and concentrated on all of my well wishes for the couple. I hoped that the happiness and love they felt on their wedding day would grow even deeper as time went on. That they would succeed in supporting each other in jobs, kids, and times of stress, and that there would be laughter and smiles through even the tough times.

The reception was a blast. Chris saw many, many friends from High School (both the bride and the groom went to high school with him) and reconnected over stories of the past and of the present. We danced for hours (even the funky chicken) both together as a couple and in a circle of friends until the DJ called it quits. We hugged our friends goodbye and packed our car full of gifts and cases of leftover wine to drop-off at the bride and groom's house on the way home. Once home, shoes were kicked off and we crawled into bed.

We slept in this morning, until a late for us 9:30. I persuaded Chris that really, nothing would do for breakfast except a fresh donut, and set him packing for a 'Happy Donut' run (not that I had to twist his arm or anything). We then watched an hour or so of Looney Tunes with our donuts, coffee, and fruit salad while in our PJ's before starting the menial tasks of the day (homework, grocery shopping, etc). Chris laughed when I took the picture below, but really I think it captures the heavenly, lazy feeling of the morning perfectly!

Missing in Action

Hmmm... for someone with 14 posts for the Month of June, it is really sad that it is July 13th and this is my first post of the month.  I have been busy.  Very, very busy.  So here are some highlights from the past couple of weeks.

- A leisurely drive down to San Luis Obispo, in the daylight, for a visit with Chris's family over the long weekend.

- Sitting on the back deck looking out to the vineyards and chickens all afternoon on July 4th, hanging out with family, and smelling ribs smoking on the BBQ.

- Playing fetch with the Dog.

- Farmer's Marketing and loading up with fresh fruits and veggies, then going and pigging out on great pizza by the slice at Speederia Pizzeria with friends.

- Happy hour sitting in down-town Mountain View slowly drinking a Blue Moon beer and people watching.

- My first Bikram Yoga experience with friends D&R at the Funky Door in San Francisco.

- A free set of season tickets for the Giants vs. Padres game on Saturday night, witnessing a home run and a double play in person, smoked braut dog in hand.