Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! I'm so excited to get to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom this evening in Seattle. She is flying in for my surgery, which just one small example that shows how absolutely awesome she is. 

I love you, Mom!

Mom and I right before my high school graduation

Surgery, moving, and other stressful things

Today I was suddenly faced with the fact that I have several stressful life events right around the corner.  I've been so busy up until 8 p.m. tonight to even notice that a lot of change is upon me. I'm having surgery on both legs on Monday, leaving me off work for two weeks and on crutches for six, I'm moving to a new state on June 3rd, and I'm looking for a new job. Eek!

It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that I will be on bed rest for two weeks with not much to do besides read books, watch movies, and twiddle my thumbs. Okay, I exaggerate. I do love watching movies and reading books, but not when that is practically the only thing I am able to do.  Once off painkillers, though, I will be working remotely and applying for jobs in earnest. But I am still not looking forward to the hours of being reclined. 

I went to yoga tonight to try and clear my mind, and I dedicated my practice to being mindful of and grateful for a body that bends, moves, and feels strong. Even though I am not perfect, I am so thankful of what I do have. Soon I will not have the capability to move about as freely as I am used to, so I will focus on cherishing these last couple days of mobility and be appreciative of all the great things in my life. 

Washington Coast

This past weekend I went camping with friends on the Washington coast. It rained. The entire. Time. Basically non-stop rain. Luckily, our friends are very outdoorsy and knew what to do! A tarp structure was set up above the picnic table and with extra room to fit some chairs. 

After a morning of not-so-successful clamming in the pouring rain and howling wind, we nestled together under the tarp contraption and passed the time playing games and drinking delicious beer. 

Saturday night we cooked up what clams we had procured and made a delicious stew. Bonus of sticking it out in the rain: our camp neighbors called it quits and gifted us about 10lbs of steak complete with a grill to put over our campfire. Huzzah! We ate like kings and queens.

Good beer, good food, and rain. This pretty much sums up the weekend. Below are some of the photos I took on our last day camping. We had a small break from the rain and hiked out to a lighthouse and fantastic views. I hope your weekends were sufficiently drier but equally fun!

Denver: the first chapter

Preston and I are in Denver and successfully procured an apartment to rent come June! Yesterday was a whirlwind looking at one apartment community after the next and then racing to submit our applications against four other couples. We won! 

Today we've been bopping about checking out our new neighborhood and we tested Preston's commute to school. We had a quick tour of his med school and it looks like an awesome place to learn! I'm so excited for him. 

My next move is to find a job. Hopefully something will work out in the next couple months! 

Portland weekend

This past weekend, I road tripped down to Portland with Preston and our friend Caitlin to visit our favorite Portland locals (see my dear friend Kelsey's blog, Ladies in Navy!). The weekend was filled with good food, great beer and cocktails, and so much laughter. 

Kelsey is a master at photography, and she gave me a hands-on lesson with my new DSLR (I recently purchased a Canon Rebel t3i and am having so much fun experimenting!). Below is a very small collection of my photography experiments and evidence of weekend well spent in a lovely place with even more lovely people. 

Blossom at Pittock Mansion

Frisbee in the park

Spring is everywhere! 

I am looking forward to the end of this week when Preston and I will be flying to Denver to find a place to live. It will be so exciting to have this important detail figured out and to catch a glimpse of what my new city looks like in the spring. 

Here is to warmer days and to new adventures! 

A festival of colors

Today I headed out with a couple friends to check out the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. We made sure to leave early in the day as traffic is a nightmare starting around noon - make sure you don't make the mistake of heading up after lunch! 

Tulip Town was our destination, and what a beautiful place. The three of us walked around the fields of color, taking photos at just about every row. They had every color imaginable in bloom, and at each new row of color we couldn't help but gasp, "they are so pretty!" 

The Tulip Festival is certainly a sight to see and happens every April. Disclosure: bring cash and patience! They do not accept credit cards (at least at this location) and there was certainly a line around every corner. Well worth it, though! Check out some photos below and enjoy.

The three of us ended the day with a late lunch on a rooftop in Seattle, soaking up the sunshine. All in all, it was a fabulous spring day in Washington!

Fun, friends, and flowers

The last two weeks have been full of "F" words: fun, friends, and flowers. And also brunch.

Last weekend, I had a delicious Sunday brunch with friends at DOA. Most tasty! They have fabulous Bloody Marys and really good Eggs Benedict, among other delectable options. If you are ever in Tacoma, this is a must!

Preston surprised me with my favorite flowers: daffodils! Washington is in full bloom and I am loving every minute. The sun is out, it is getting warm, and summer feels like it is just around the corner. 

Mmmmmm beer. That is all. 

Nothing like Saturday morning Shakabrah! Another brunch favorite. 

Time is speeding by and I can't believe I only have seven weeks left in Tacoma. Before I know it, I will be Denver bound. I'm taking advantage of my time and seeing friends, keeping active, and eating at my favorite places. There is so much more to come!