San Fran as we know it

Hi there! We have currently been making ourselves at home in the Golden City (aka San Francisco) for the next few weeks. I know I had mentioned it on my instagram...but I never got around to posting about our vagabond-ish lives for the next few months.

Because of a few changes with my husbands work...we decided to sell our home in San Diego and go where we were (or should I say will be) needed. I was so sad to leave San Diego for so many reasons, it's one of the greatest places to live in the whole world! We have family, and so many dear friends that we left behind.

It's funny, right when me and my little family started feeling very comfortable and settled, almost complacent with the way life was going...it was turned a little upside down. However, I am slowly realizing that change is hard, but a lot of times it is good. It has forced me to be comfortable with living much simpler...I mean living in a hotel with two little ones and a suitcase for each of us has most definitely forced me to simplify. It's actually kind of relieving to live with so little of things. I am sure when the time comes to start unpacking boxes I'm going to think, "why in the world do I have all this?!"

So now that you're caught up a little with a fraction of my happenings...my sister Whitney, and I, went on a little weekend getaway to the city and then to Napa. Both such amazingly beautiful places that could not be more opposite.

Even though it was a very short time, I thought I'd share some of my new favorite finds:

breakfast:
-- Mama's  (like mamas cookin'...need I say more?!)
-- Mr.Holmes Bakehouse (the cruffins and stuffed doughnuts are pretty amazing...get there around   
   8:15 am so you get the first morning batch that comes out at 9 am)

lunch:
-- Souvla (if you like Greek food...oh my)
-- Split Bread (great soups and sandwiches)

dinner:
-- the French Laundry (fancy but worth making a reservation way ahead of time for this place!)
-- Farmstead (I don't even know how to say this but this has hands down become one of my favorite spots to eat...its in Napa and everything is organic and grown in their garden behind the restaraunt. Everything is so fresh and the flavors are ridiculously good. This is a must!)

***My new favorite place to shop in downtown San Fran is the Hayes Street Shopping District. So many eclectic little shops with so much character! (ie: Marine Layer, Fiddlesticks, Acrimony)
***Culinary Art Institute in Napa is worth seeing...there are only two in the United States. One is NY and one in Napa. The Chocolatier was my favorite, making chocolate is no joke people! :-)

 ^^^there was this crazy structure in the middle of Hayes Street, that people would write/color on^^^

 ^^^this was just one pic I took at Farmstead...I died over all of it. This burger was one of the best I've ever had...oh and so are their cheese biscuits and meatballs!

a trip to the blue grass state...

A couple weeks ago me and my sister went out and visited my other sister who lives in good ole' Kentucky. It was so fun. We ate good food, we laughed, we walked around the town a lot looking at old charming, amazing homes; we thrifted, boutique shopped, slept in, I mean geez suddenly I'm wanting to go back. Like right now.

Kentucky really is such a beautiful state. The people are so warm and welcoming. There are fields of green with the most beautiful horses you've ever seen. Their markets are pretty awesome (I get really excited when I step into pretty food markets) and their pace of life is something I need to implement in my own. People take their time, they are gracious, they are laid back and in no hurry. It was kind of refreshing.

I have to say, I use to feel guilty when I would plan a trip away from my husband and kids. But I am slowly realizing that these trips are good for my soul every so often. Plus, the best part of going away is coming back home and embracing my lovies again. It really is a good thing to take a breather and recharge your mother batteries.

Photographed below is when we went to Shaker Village  (super interesting place!) and then took a boat ride down the Kentucky River.  The other photos are from the Lexington cemetery.  It was one of the prettiest burial sites I've ever laid eyes on; with head stones dating back to the 1800's! The history, the trees, the overall ambiance was just amazing.

 ^^^ honey testing ^^^

^^^ jet lag sort of took a toll the first day we got there ^^^

 ^^^ I kind of look pregnant in this picture, but I am not. Nope. Just looks like it. :-/ ^^^

^^^ Our thrifty finds...which we didn't buy ^^^

Hello Again...

Hello again. It's been a while. It's nice to get back to posting, even if lately it's been far and few. Thank you to those who read this blog. Thank you for those who are regularly checking back, or who are new.  Thank you for your emails and concerns. It really does make my day and warms my heart when I hear from those who I have never met, but who I feel I know because of this little space. So from the bottom of my heart thank you.

Life is great, just busy. That is why I have taken much longer in between posts. Finding time for everything can be quite the juggling act. There are some days I feel like I can juggle with my feet, and  then other days I drop every dang ball that comes my way. So that is why yesterday I fed my "to-do list" to the birds (figuratively speaking, because well, I really need that to-do list) and set out for a fun afternoon with the kiddies.

We went to The New Childrens Museum downtown and it was just what the doc ordered. This place has so much color, and creativity. Everything is from recycled material which I think is so amazing!

At the end of the day I asked Sage (4 yrs. old) what her favorite part was. She paused and replied, "Oh gosh that's a hard one. I'd say making our own paper." and then she asked me what my favorite part was. I thought for a second and said, "watching you make your own paper." She just smiled.

To watch these little girls of mine learn and create is hands down one of my favorite things to see. I love being their mom, so much.

^^^ no those purple balls are not part of my ensemble. I was a grape. 

Then a strawberry to my left and a pineapple to my right***

^^^ you can see a video of this process on my instagram***

keep Portland weird...

Supposedly the motto for the City of Roses (aka Portland) is "Keep Portland Weird" which I found pretty ironic considering there was nothing weird about it. Well, I mean, unless gorgeous trees and vegetation, delicious food, amazing waterfalls and landscape, a great skyline and pretty awesome thrift shops...is weird?! Occasionally we saw some "interesting" people, but thats anywhere you go, right?

My sister and I flew up to interview Katie (the mind behind  Puj) at her amazing new warehouse/office for my desire to inspire series which I will talk ALL about soon enough...

But, anyways we were only there for two days so we had to fit as much in as we possibly could! I promised myself that next time I go to Oregon, I have to venture out to the coast b/c supposedly the beaches are amazing! We just didn't have enough time.

So within those 48 hours (thanks to my traveling partner Paige, who wrote out a whole itinerary) we got a lot in and I thought I'd share some of my favorite spots we saw and ate at!

-roast beef sandwich at knuckles sandwich 
-Lan Su Chinese Garden
-Japanese Gardens (two different gardens both so gorgeous and serene...)
-Multinomah Falls (bring along your camera, you'll want it!)
-drove around Kingston Avenue and drooled over all the beautifully charming homes
-toured the ever so interesting Pittock Mansion
-and you have to hit up Voodoo donuts just because it's a Portland staple and they're pretty yummy!
-Screen Door for breakfast (get there early because there was a nice long line waiting for use and supposedly it's always that way)
-Portland LDS Temple