#Vegas #NoFilter #PhenomenallyPretty

Have I told you about how much I love Jess Menard Brown? Jess and I were acquaintance friends in high school, but became real besties in college when we bonded over a shared love of Titanic, Romeo + Juliet, and basically just all things Leonardo DiCaprio. Jess is one of the wittiest, most fun, and most insightful and caring friends I've ever known. She is also my favorite person to go to Las Vegas with. We've been together twice before this year, and we always share the same end goals: dance, play craps, hunt for celebs, dance some more, and have fun fun fun. This is why I made a goal (#74) to go to Vegas with Jess again. Duh.


Our sophomore year of college, Jess and I had the pleasure of living with two of the most amazing women I've ever known - Vic and Amy. The four of us had a super fun apartment full of art walls, Indian accents, inappropriate jokes, and Homestar Runner. Over the years, we haven't been the best at keeping in touch, but have always remained special and close in one another's hearts.

At this point in time, we're pretty spread out all over the country. Jess and husband Andy live in Florida, Amy and husband Mike live here in Colorado, and Vic and husband Justin and children Moriah and Jadon live in California. Earlier this Spring, Vic called me with the brilliant idea of having a roommate reunion weekend in Vegas, and I could not have been more excited. By some miracle, it worked out perfectly that everyone could make it, and it turned out to be one of the best weekends of my whole life. I'm not even exaggerating.

It's hard to explain the amount of love I feel for and from these ladies. We are so easily able to pick up right where we left off, even if we haven't talked in months. Our weekend was filled with nothing but fun, laughter, grace, and joy. No bad moods, no conflict, no tension. On top of that, we had some real treats: an incredible dinner at Tao with a visit from the head chef, a fifth row viewing of Celine Dion in concert (!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and making new friends with Jess's sister-in-law Annie (#bestfriendannie). Not to mention a whole new batch of inside jokes and an ironic obsession with hashtags. #tatas.

Drinks at Tao!

In da club

My favorite photo of my supermodel friends

Pool time #bootyshaking

Delish dinner with #bestfriendannie too

This is how deep my love for Jess goes. Renewed Vows.

One last thing to illustrate how amazing these friends are: 

For my 15th or 16th birthday, my friend Caitlin got me a pearl from an Oyster in Vegas and gave it to me as a necklace, which I then wore every day for the rest of time. A couple of months ago, I lost my pearl. I can't even tell you how deeply saddened I was about this. While in Vegas, I saw a pearl place and told Jess and Amy my sob story. The next day, the three best friends that anyone could have went out to get breakfast while I spent some extra time in bed. When they came back, they gave me a surprise: a new pearl they had picked out for me. It was the most meaningful gift anyone could have given me, and I spent that whole afternoon crying because I love them so much. Goodness gracious, I am blessed. 

Sweat

Goal #59: Take a hot yoga class. 


90 minutes.


105 degrees.


Humidity.


Stinky People.


I honestly didn't think it was possible to sweat that much. 


Seriously.


I want to do it again.

Mississippi Makes Three

I just tried to count, and I think I've been to 35 states now. I don't count layovers in airports, but I do include driving through on road trips. Eventually I'd like to go to all 50, and as a start to this, I made goal #34: travel to 3 new states. In the last year, I completed this by traveling to Maryland, Virginia, and Mississippi.


Last October, my wonderful father took me on a trip to Washington D.C. which was nicely a two bird killer with Virginia and Maryland. We spent four days walking miles miles through the city, sightseeing at all of the typical patriotic places. Want to see some pictures? 

Julia Child's kitchen at the Smithsonian. For Lawrence.

In front of my friend Barack's house

Lincoln Memorial

Mt. Vernon. My dad has a massive man crush on George Washington.

Arlington National Cemetery

This June, I got to check off my third new state with a trip to Mississippi.  I went with about 70 high school students on a mission trip to do hurricane relief work in Hancock County. Let me tell you, I feel like I got to know Southern rural Mississippi pretty well. The first work day of the trip, I went on a little drive to urgent care with a couple of students and another leader, and we may have gotten slightly lost on the backroads. A couple of days later, I drove another student to the ER and got to know the state even better. More pics? Okay.

Cool kids on a roof.

My family group! 

Mississippi beach with my favorite ladies

Okay, great. 15 more states to go. I'm on it.

Learning to Love Colorado

Unlike most Colorado natives, I am not obsessed with this state. I love Boulder with a deep passion because it is my home and the coolest town ever. But as far as the rest of the state... meh. Sure the mountains are pretty, but I'm not much of a mountain person. I'm a water person - give me lakes and oceans and Puget Sounds! After living in green, lush, beautiful, perfect Seattle for 3 years, my disdain for Colorado grew. I'm quick to tell people that I'm just not that into this place, but I live here for my family and friends.

This past Spring Break, though, I learned that there's more to this state than the few places I had been. My life long best bestie, Kara, and I took a 4 day road trip through Southwest Colorado and down to New Mexico, helping me complete two goals: #32: Go on a road trip without a pre-set destination, and #60: Go somewhere new and touristy within Colorado. 

As a big lover of any road trip, goal #32 was one of the goals I was most excited about. But I was also concerned that I wouldn't be able to find a companion willing to go on an aimless trip with me. So when Kara said she'd do it, and could take time off over my Spring Break, I was thrilled! We talked loosely about where we might want to head, packed her car up with clothes and snacks and sleeping bags, and headed out on the open road.

We started with a quick trip through Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs, then headed south to Ouray (probably my favorite place) where we stayed at this beautiful lodge with hot springs. The next day, we saw a bit of the Million Dollar Highway, and then headed through Telluride and down to Durango. After a night in Durango, we went down to Santa Fe (Kara's favorite), and then headed back home. Quick, but beautifully perfect.


Here are a few hot pics:

Garden of the Gods

Million Dollar Highway outside of Ouray

Unbelievably Gorgeous

Telluride

Mesa Verde

Santa Fe

One of my favorite aspects of the trip was that we made a list at the very beginning of things we might see. It was Kara's idea, and it made us both more observant of our surroundings in the best way. 

We saw all of these things except a shooting star. It was amazing how they would just appear in front of us (except for the time where we literally chased a squirrel up a tree). For example, Kara wanted to see a blue butterfly. While we were walking in Telluride, we saw this wall with nothing on it except this: 

Maybe that's not exciting to you, but it was exciting to us. Which might prove why Kara is my perfect traveling companion. 


Kara and I are planning on making this an annual thing - to take an unplanned trip. It's incredible how things just come together and fall into place when you let them, and we always felt like we were in the right place at the right time. I think I'm having a hard time explaining it, but there really was some magic to this trip and in just following our intuitions. Plus it gave me a new found appreciation for my lovely home state.

This isn't about a goal

My friend Laura (former Seattle roommate, maker of pies) has a blog that I like to read. It's about all things creative and delicious. She's far more committed to her blogging than I am (as in, she blogs more often than every few months). Recently, Laura posted a response to a little blog game of tag, and then she made me, and several other friends, "it." In the spirit of email surveys from high school, or the occasional notes that pass around Facebook, I have been encouraged to answer some questions. I have always loved doing these sorts of things, so here you go, whether you want it or not: 


1. What is your favorite meal?
A delicious salad (green or caprese) and pizza. The more cheese that can be involved in this meal, the better. If it's from Pizzeria da Lupo, even better. 


2. If you could only listen to three albums for the rest of your life, what would they be and why?
Here's the only one I know for sure: Interventions and Lullabies by The Format. I know every word of this album by heart, and to me it is representative of college and all things good and happy and joyful. It makes me feel wonderfully nostalgic, and "On Your Porch" is one of my all time favorite songs.

The second album would most likely be Speak Now by Taylor Swift. Maybe this makes me lose some music credibility or something, but I love this album. It is has been my go-to for the last year and a half, especially when I'm cleaning. My most favorite song on this is "Enchanted." It makes my heart flutter.

I don't know about the third. I get obsessive about different albums, but it's hard to see what will pass the test of time. Maybe 21 by Adele, maybe Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons, maybe Music Box by Mariah Carey.

3. What is your favorite item in your closet?

It's not in my closet, but in my dresser: my grey Boulder tee shirt. I used to have another one, but it was stolen and worn ten days in a row by certain bestie, so I let her keep it. I accidentally got a bigger size when I bought my replacement, but I'm happy I did. It's basically the most comfortable thing in the world, and it represents the best town in the world. 


4. When is the last time you cried?
I cry all the time. It really doesn't take much. Most recently, I cried two days ago when I was cleaning my room. I was going through a box of things from my first year of teaching. My sixth graders made me a book at the end of the year where they all wrote nice notes to me. I read them, for the dozenth time, and cried. I miss those babies.

5. What is your favorite tv show of all time? 
I unabashedly love television. I really do. This is a very difficult question for me to answer. So I will give you the top two: 


Felicity. Like The Format, Felicity makes me feel nostalgic and is full of all things good and joyful. I went through a time during college when I thought that I was genuinely falling in love with Ben Covington.

Friday Night Lights. In all honesty, this is the best show ever. The writing and acting and way that it's filmed - this show is genius. I love it so much, I considered moving to Texas for goodness sake. Plus, Coach. Tim Riggins. Matt Saracen. Tim Riggins. 

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose

6. What is your favorite movie? Now, what is the guilty pleasure movie that you could watch over and over again?
Easy. My favorite movie is When Harry Met Sally... It is funny and romantic and I know it by heart. I quote it on a regular basis, and the New Year's Eve scene makes me cry every time. It is the movie that I could (and do) watch over and over again.


My guilty pleasure movie, though, is probably my for real favorite movie, but I feel too silly to admit it. And that is Titanic. Nothing makes me feel the same way Titanic does. Maybe it's because it came out when I was 13, and so those over-the-top crazy teenage feelings never go away. It was the first movie that I was really obsessed with, and I even have a book all about the making of the movie. I own both orchestral soundtracks, and I have a leather bound special edition dvd of the movie. And I am definitely planning to go see it in theaters in 3D on the actual 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic! And I could watch Titanic over and over again, but I intentionally don't, to preserve the specialness. 

Jack Dawson is my ideal man. In every way.

7. What would your dream vacation destination be?
I want to go to Italy. Delicious food, fascinating history, and the Mediterranean Sea - what more do you need?

8. Describe your personality in three words.
Passionate, loyal, and chalant. (Chalant is not a word. But think of it as the opposite of nonchalant. That is me.) 

9. What is the one make-up item you absolutely have to have on your face every day?
In the winter, foundation to cover up dark circles and pale skin. In the summer, mascara. 

10. Dream dinner party guest list! (Three people, living or dead.)
THIS IS TOO HARD!! I get really overwhelmed with this question. Here's what I think, though. As much as I'd love to have some inspiring intellectual people like Bono and Oprah and JK Rowling, I actually would get a little bored of serious conversation and feel like an idiot. So I would go the more funny and entertaining dinner party route. Number One: Ellen Degeneres because she is hilarious and I think she would be really warm and inclusive. I love her. Number Two: Tina Fey. Tina is also hilarious, and she feels like a real person. Number Three: Amy Poehler for all of the same reasons. I guess this is a girl party? And I guess I totally copied Jess on this. I hope everyone brings their significant others to balance this party out, and because I love Will Arnett. I'll bring John Krasinski as my date. Win.

11. Why did you start blogging?
Because I made a list of goals that I have been really half-assed about completing. Ooops.

There's not much to say about #80.

I think it's really precious and charming when a woman ties her husband's tie.


So I learned how to tie a tie.


Soon all the boys will be banging down my door.

When you wish upon a clock...

Goal #42: Make a wish at 11:11 on 11/11/11. Check.


I can vividly remember making a wish at 11:11am on November 11, 1999 in the choir room at Fairview High School, and it came true that day. If that's not magic, I don't know what is.


Unfortunately, I don't think any of my other 11:11 wishes have come true. Maybe it was the magical number combination of the day - 11/11/99 - that made it work. So, in this line of totally logical and reasonable thought, 11/11/11 must be extra, extra magical. It's something that I have (no joke) looked forward to for a long time.


The best part of making my 11:11am wish on this day was that I included my students in it. They are firm believers in magic (as well as Santa, ghosts, leprechauns, and the tooth fairy). We talked about the importance of not sharing your wish with others, and we did a count down when it got down to the minute. It was glorious.


The best part of making my 11:11pm wish was that I was in California. I flew that evening to San Francisco for my friend Erin Johnson's wedding. I intentionally pulled the car over in front of the hotel to make sure I made a wish during that minute. And I took this picture:

I'm not telling you what I wished for. Duh. It hasn't come true yet, but I included a one-year time limit in my wish, so there's still time for the magic to happen.