Dear France,

I might be coming to see you again!

I came across a photography class on one of the blogs that I frequently read and just about gasped at how wonderful it sounded. 3 days of learning with two super-creative photographers, teaching us how to photograph portraits, landscapes, and the beauty that is France. Beynac, France to be exact. Castles built into cliffs? Oh my, that is Beynac! The movies Chocolat and Ever After were filmed there. Oh my heart is racing.

Photography is my favorite hobby, my passion I suppose. I love being behind the camera and capturing little things that maybe no one else notices. This trip would be combining my deep live of France and my creative side of photography. Should I go? eeeek!! I can't stop thinking about it! Now I just have to talk with the others that are going. Where are you fellow French-loving photographers? Let's chat!

This photo is from our hotel balcony on our amazing honeymoon. That's me....big smile and in awe of where I am. Kinda feeling like Carrie Bradshaw in Season 6 where she goes to Paris with the Russian and opens the french doors and looks right at the Eiffel Tower.

Its moments like these that make life so amazing.

vernal equinox

Happy first day of Spring!
I look forward to this day every year. Thankfully, the sun is out and little flowers are sprouting up every where.

Enjoy the day!

Los Angeles.... I love you

I don't know what it is about Southern California, but I just absolutely LOVE it. My first trip to California was in February 1988. I was sooo excited to see Hollywood and movie stars. We took the Amtrak train from Cleveland to Chicago then Chicago to Los Angeles. By far, the best trip I think a family could take. I was a very easy going kid and entertained myself for the whole trip. An active daydreamer my whole life, I think I starred out the window the entire trip and watched the beautiful American landscape pass me by. We traveled all throughout the Southwest and it felt like I was in a different world. We had a larger room with bunk beds and my mom and dad and me would play Go Fish and other little card games.

Since that trip in 1988, I have wanted to move there. Los Angeles is my favorite city and I think it will always be my favorite city. I know a lot of people who hate it and can complain for days about traffic and all that other stuff, but I love everything about it.

On sunny days like today here in Cleveland, it makes me miss L.A even more. I guess the sun makes me think of sunny California!! I'm by no means unhappy here in Cleveland, and I will most likely live here forever (unless my husband and I can persuade each other to move!). My family, small but lovely, predominately live here. I would miss my mom too much if I left...and my grandma, my little cousin, my aunt, my uncle, and so on. I truly enjoy their company and see them every week. I have no idea how some people move away from their families and only see them on holidays. Must be hard. Now tell me I would of said that when I was 17 and I would of laughed in your face! Amazing how time and age makes you treasure and appreciate all that you have.

I have traveled back to Los Angeles just about every year after that. Fortunately, I have family that live there so it gives me more of a point to get out there. I still have those moments where I just want to pack up and move out there. It's the sun. When I see sun, I think of L.A.

I still love you Cleveland. You are my home, my family....

Oh and back in 1988 when I was so excited about going to Hollywood, I did. And I saw the Hollywood sign and I remember seeing "rock stars" and one had a blue mohawk. I was in heaven.

tea time

Saturday afternoon and a snow storm = tea at my favorite tea house, Algebra in Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood. It's a small, cozy, tea house that looks like you have stepped into a true hippie's liberal lair.

And yes, the furniture really is made out of wood or old thrift store-esque chairs and ottomans. Oh and the wood burning stove is real too. Oh and so are the handmade ceramic mugs that are all trippy and wild with random paint splashes. Truly unique.

Love it.

the most important part of our Mexico trip...

This is where we got engaged. That is my pearl ring that my husband bought from a small jewelery store on the board walk.

Even though I didn't hear enough real Mexican music or eat enough delicious enchiladas, I came home with a fiance and that's the best souvenir I could of ever expected!

dreams

I used to keep a dream journal back when I was 12 or 13. It seemed like almost every night I would have the most colorful and awe-inspiring dream. They were always very weird and quirky and I always woke up excited to record last night's adventure.

I still have some crazy/weird dreams here and there. Sometimes I have dreams where I wake up and I am really happy because my dream was so peaceful. That is what happened this morning. My dad was alive and we spent the whole day together. We took some karate class (weird) and hung out at home and watched movies because my husband won a plane ticket to Salt Lake City through work (weird again). I hit the snooze button at least 5 times this morning because I didn't want to wake up from my dream. It was so nice to see my dad and know that although dreams don't always come true, they are always there in your mind and heart.

Kind of a cheesy post, but I woke up feeling good and that inspired me to write!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I was awakened this morning by my husband who was already up because he was the one who got up to get the door when my flowers were delivered. I was out cold and never heard the doorbell. So, I didn't see my BEAUTIFUL Valentine bouquet until an hour later when he woke me up. I will take some pics later and post some time this week of my purple roses. I'm not a fan of red roses and I hate baby's breath, so this bouquet is quite perfect. Dozen purple roses and lots of greens. Very me, very "not typical blah cliche red roses". I truly do have the best Valentine ever :)

So anyway, I woke up this morning from a dream that we were getting married again. I'm very adamant about renewing our vows at a few specific locations. Our wedding day was so fun, so beautiful, so loving, so perfect that I want to live that day over and over again.

First stop for our vow renewal....VEGAS!

I want to go to one of those insanely cheesy wedding chapels that are so beyond tacky with the fake flowers and pillars around the altar. I will even accept the garter that they give brides (I refused to wear one at our real wedding). I plan to wear a mini white dress, maybe my favorite red patent leather heels, and possibly even sunglasses to add to the Hollywood/glam/spontaneous Vegas wedding charm. Hey, why not? It's LAS VEGAS and you can do whatever you want there. Since I don't like red roses, I plan to bring my own bouquet (they give the brides a bouquet of roses...I researched the details). I love anemones, and black and white ones would look perfect. After the ceremony, which I would like to be at midnight, we will hop in our limo and drink lots of champagne and go play lots of Blackjack.



Vegas chapel photos from littlechapel.com
flowers from wedcincinatti.com

best chocolates in Cleveland

who would of thought that combining red grapes and chocolate would be so amazing?

Malley's Chocolates... I love you. Thank you for bringing me my favorite dessert (well one of them...I have many). Whether you love Valentine's day or hate it, make it special with a box of these grapes! That is if you live in Cleveland. If not, then your Valentine's day might not be all that lovely.

:)


http://www.malleys.com/

in need of sunshine

I could really use some sunshine and warmth. My least favorite months are approaching and I start to get really anxious for spring. Usually we have snow here and already had a nice snow storm. So far, there has only been a dusting of snow. Everything else is cold, rainy and lots of wind. Either give me a nice peaceful snowstorm, or let's go on vacation somewhere south!

the first pic was taken back in June 2006 from our hotel balcony in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

second pic was taken in January 2007 in Newport Beach, California

third pic is from our trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina in March 2008