UPDATE:So, a quick post that accomplishes a few different goals:A) I need to start writing again. I enjoy it and I like keeping y'all up on what I'm doing/where I am.B) I need to let everyone know where I've been and where I'm going. C) I like to innundate y'all with what I'm doing 'cause I KNOW it's the most interesting thing you'll read each day... ;-)So here's where I've been/what I've done (longer descriptions later...):Road Trip West with Mandy - We left Chicago on June 23rd and arrived in Seattle on June 27th. We drove through the Badlands National Park, Big Horn Mountains, and Yellowstone National Park. We saw the Corn Palace (tourist trap), Wall Drug (yup, another tourist trap), and the Columbia River (definitely worth the pull-off). And we didn't get tired of each other!
Alaska Trip with the Pisters - After we spent a few days in Seattle, Mandy, her family, and I headed up to Alaska. The trip up deserves its own story and the weeks in Alaska are almost indescribable. I've tried to write about it a few times, but it's hard for me. There just are not enough superlatives and it's hard to say anything except that it's my favorite place EVER. And it was with some of my favorite PEOPLE ever. :-)
Home to Hurricane - After flying back to Chicago, I basically unpacked, did laundry, and re-packed. Then I headed home to Hurricane for Brooke's wedding.Brooke's Wedding - Gorgeous. And she looked so happy. I now understand what it means to say she glowed. And it was great to see some high school buddies and spend time checking up. Although, I must say, every conversation I have with people from home has at least a five minute conversation about who is marrying who. It's crazy. What I'm currently doing:I'm chilling out at home, waiting for our family vacation, which we leave for on Sunday. I've updated my podcasts, downloading NPR segments and National Geographic episodes. I'm currently listening to Frommer's Four Essential Pieces of Travel Advice. It's good to have something on in the background - especially educational stuff. I've also downloaded a new webbrowser called Slimbrowser (http://www.flashpeak.com/sbrowser/dlpage.php). This allows me to put a few websites into a group and open them all at once. This helps me keep updated on news sites that I like because I don't get distracted. So I get my NPR, CNN, and National Geographic news fixes each morning. I'm also visiting friends from childhood - Charlotte, Heather, and I put together Brooke's wedding album for her on Tuesday, yesterday I spent time with Mark, Carla, and Tyler (family friends from waaaaaay back), and tonight I'm going to dinner with Brooke's parents and, potentially, Charlotte. Brooke is in Ireland for her honeymoon or I'm sure that I'd spend time with her too!What's in my PDA:From August 6- August 13 I will be cruising the Carribbean with my family: Dad, Bridget, Ramey, and Heath. We'll be stopping in Grand Cayman, where we will snorkel with stingrays and see a turtle farm - we may even be going to Hell! Then it's on to kayaking in Cozumel and snorkeling a coral reef in Belize. And lastly, we'll tour some Mayan ruins in Costa Maya. Hopefully, I will not return lobsterfied. Then I drive home to Chicago for a Dixie Chicks concert with Ashley on the 15th and, again, enough time to unpack, do laundry, and re-pack before heading to...PARIS! From August 17th (Happy Birthday Ramey!) to August 23rd, I will be exploring the City of Lights. I have no idea what I'll end up doing, but I've enjoyed looking through one of my favorite tour guides (Eyewitness Top Ten Travel Guides) for the city and imagining all I could do. I'm definitely hoping for an evening at Moulin Rouge and, of course, a view from the Eiffel Tower. Other than that - so many options, only five days! Guess I'll have to go back...Then, I'm finally in Chicago! :-P*Whew!*What a great way to end a year off. :-)
UPDATE: So, a quick post that accomplishes a few different goals: A) I need to start writing again. I enjoy it and I like keeping y'all up on what I'm doing/where I am. B) I need to let everyone know where I've been and where I'm going. C) I like to innundate y'all with what I'm doing 'cause I KNOW it's the most interesting thing you'll read each day... ;-) So here's where I've been/what I've done (longer descriptions later...): Road Trip West with Mandy - We left Chicago on June 23rd and arrived in Seattle on June 27th. We drove through the Badlands National Park, Big Horn Mountains, and Yellowstone National Park. We saw the Corn Palace (tourist trap), Wall Drug (yup, another tourist trap), and the Columbia River (definitely worth the pull-off). And we didn't get tired of each other!
Alaska Trip with the Pisters - After we spent a few days in Seattle, Mandy, her family, and I headed up to Alaska. The trip up deserves its own story and the weeks in Alaska are almost indescribable. I've tried to write about it a few times, but it's hard for me. There just are not enough superlatives and it's hard to say anything except that it's my favorite place EVER. And it was with some of my favorite PEOPLE ever. :-) Home to Hurricane - After flying back to Chicago, I basically unpacked, did laundry, and re-packed. Then I headed home to Hurricane for Brooke's wedding. Brooke's Wedding - Gorgeous. And she looked so happy. I now understand what it means to say she glowed. And it was great to see some high school buddies and spend time checking up. Although, I must say, every conversation I have with people from home has at least a five minute conversation about who is marrying who. It's crazy. What I'm currently doing: I'm chilling out at home, waiting for our family vacation, which we leave for on Sunday. I've updated my podcasts, downloading NPR segments and National Geographic episodes. I'm currently listening to Frommer's Four Essential Pieces of Travel Advice. It's good to have something on in the background - especially educational stuff. I've also downloaded a new webbrowser called Slimbrowser (http://www.flashpeak.com/sbrowser/dlpage.php). This allows me to put a few websites into a group and open them all at once. This helps me keep updated on news sites that I like because I don't get distracted. So I get my NPR, CNN, and National Geographic news fixes each morning. I'm also visiting friends from childhood - Charlotte, Heather, and I put together Brooke's wedding album for her on Tuesday, yesterday I spent time with Mark, Carla, and Tyler (family friends from waaaaaay back), and tonight I'm going to dinner with Brooke's parents and, potentially, Charlotte. Brooke is in Ireland for her honeymoon or I'm sure that I'd spend time with her too! What's in my PDA: From August 6- August 13 I will be cruising the Carribbean with my family: Dad, Bridget, Ramey, and Heath. We'll be stopping in Grand Cayman, where we will snorkel with stingrays and see a turtle farm - we may even be going to Hell! Then it's on to kayaking in Cozumel and snorkeling a coral reef in Belize. And lastly, we'll tour some Mayan ruins in Costa Maya. Hopefully, I will not return lobsterfied. Then I drive home to Chicago for a Dixie Chicks concert with Ashley on the 15th and, again, enough time to unpack, do laundry, and re-pack before heading to... PARIS! From August 17th (Happy Birthday Ramey!) to August 23rd, I will be exploring the City of Lights. I have no idea what I'll end up doing, but I've enjoyed looking through one of my favorite tour guides (Eyewitness Top Ten Travel Guides) for the city and imagining all I could do. I'm definitely hoping for an evening at Moulin Rouge and, of course, a view from the Eiffel Tower. Other than that - so many options, only five days! Guess I'll have to go back... Then, I'm finally in Chicago! :-P *Whew!* What a great way to end a year off. :-)
