Redskins Game

Last week Russ and I went to see the Redskins play against the Seahawks. Russ got us tickets in Section 108 (right behind the Redskins' bench) front row! It was amazing! I have never sat that close for any event.

Russ and I before the game started.

Clinton Portis getting worked on during the game. (He was literally right in front of us!)

Portis talking to Betts during the game

Us after the game ended. Redkins won!

Grandpa Mickey

Before heading to San Francisco Lauren and I visited my Grandpa in Sacramento who had a stroke about a month before. I know the first pick is really blurry but we could not get a good picture with the two of us in it so that's the best I have.

San Francisco

I posted about a month ago about my sister Lauren running the San Francisco Marathon. Here are some pictures from the trip.

This was down at Fisherman's Warf. Cutest fricken thing I've ever seen. It's a cat sitting on a dog while licking a mouse. Later on we saw the dog walking down the street while the cat and mouse were still laying on top of him!

Lauren and me posing like the statues on Fisherman's Warf.

(Above) Lauren and me on the boat before our tour of the bay. (Below) Pictures from the tour. Golden Gate Bridge/Alcatraz

Lauren about fifteen minutes before the race started.

Lauren at teh half way point.

Lauren and me after she finished.

After Lauren finished the marathon we went back to the hotel and took a nap. Then we went to Cheesecake Factory for dinner. It was on the top floor of Macy's. We sat outside and this seagull sat on the ledge begging for food. I thought it was funny so I took a picture.

California Trip

Back in September Russ and I went down to southern California to vist my dad and do all the touristy things.

We started off by going to a Dodger game.

The next day we were able to visit first my uncle, aunt and cousins from my dad's brother (Uncle John, Aunt Cindy, Stacy, Mike, Jill, Amy and all of their families. Then we met up with my cousin Denise (from my mom's side).

The next day we went to the Huntington Beach and then to Dave and Buster's for dinner. We always see comercials for Dave and Buster's but don't have any around us so Russ was really excited.

On Tuesday we went to Disneyland and it was so much fun. A little tip going to Disneyland on a Tuesday toward the end of September = awesome! It was great weather and all the lines were at most a five minute wait.

My Sister Is Amazing

*I have been waiting to post about a few things because I wanted to attach photos. I don't know when I will ever get around to loading them on the computer so I at least wanted to get this post on. I will add pictures later.


When I was young I was the "athlete" of the family. My swim instructor (who I think was an ex-Olympian) wanted my mom to put me in training for the Olympics. When playing tag in my cul-de-sac I could outrun the junior high neighbor boy and I won all my races on Field Day. My sister Lauren had asthma and would sometimes need to use her inhaler after recess.

Fast forward about twenty years and I was exhausted and my body ached after walking around San Francisco for twenty minutes. Lauren was exhausted and her body ached too. The only difference she had just run a marathon. That's right a fricken marathon, that's 26.2 miles. She didn't walk this marathon, no, she ran her ass off and finished in four hours and thirty eight minutes. Take away fifteen minutes she waited in line at mile six and that's under four and a half hours (I told her she should have peed before the race started).

It's safe to say that she is now the "athlete" of the family and I couldn't be more proud of her. She is seriously amazing. She put her mind to it and trained hard and it all paid off. Lauren, I love you so much. I hope you know how proud I am and maybe even a little jealous of you.

Self Reflections From Insomnia

As I laid awake last night unable to sleep (my new Sunday night ritual) I had some moments of self reflection. You always hear that the first step to solving a problem is to admit you have a problem; however, you never hear what the next step is.

I've come to realize over the last few months that I am in a sense a very selfish person. I unrealistically believe that I have had more problems/bad things happen to me in my life and at a younger age than most people. At one point I made a list of everything bad that has happened to me since I was 14 years old. The list was a page and a half long and realistically looking at it I knew that there were a lot more people with a lot longer of a list or at least a lot worse of things on it. Inside though I still want to believe that I've had a hard life.

Because of "all the horrible" things that have happened to me when things go wrong I internalize it. I feel like nobody else would understand and even if they did I don't want to bother them with my problems. It's almost like I want to keep these bad things to myself like it was a special gift for me and only me. I push everyone away, especially the ones that love me most.

I know that logically speaking all of this is crazy. That I'm crazy and yet I can't change it. I know when I am acting stupid and being "selfish" with my pain and yet I can't stop it. I've been working on "me" for about four years now and I think I've come a long way, but these little things just won't go away. There is really few things worse than being crazy and being able to identify that you are being crazy but not being able to stop it or change it. It's a very helpless feeling.

I don't want anyone to worry about me. Nothing has changed, I've been dealing with these feelings for a while now. I just figured that my blog isn't only for the happy moments but for all moments of my life.

Going Back to Cali, Cali, Cali

I feel like I accomplished more today in four hours than I normally do all day. I woke up at 8:30 got ready and headed down to Lynnwood for my final chiro appointment before I leave tomorrow. Then I drove down to Redmond where I stopped by the bank and took a few deposits for work and dropped off mail at the post office. Then I went to my doctor so I could have a blood test done. My doctor asked me in January to have the test done for Factor V (blood clotting gene) since my family has a history of it. I finally got around to it today but then I think they may have done the wrong test. I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be for Factor V-Leiden and they just did a regular Factor V. Then it was back up to Everett where I stopped by the store for some last minute supplies. Now I'm waiting for the laundry to get done so I can start packing.

We get in LAX tomorrow around three and then we'll pick up my dad at the train station before heading over to Dodger Stadium. I'm not sure what we are going to be doing on Sunday or Monday but one of those days I want to go to the beach. Tuesday it's Disneyland! I'm so excited! I think the last time I went to Disneyland was with my cousin Jill when I was fifteen. Then Wednesday we'll head back up to LAX and head home.

I guess it's back to getting ready. I need to pack, clean up the house, and put my itinerary together.