Awesome Trip

I was lucky enough to take a trip "home" to Santa Cruz at the end of March!!

My Dad's 70th birthday - wow! Where does the time go??

Although it was only for two days, we had such a fabulous time! It was the first time my father, my sister and I have all been together in a very long long time.  Oh man... how I've missed them! Our two days were jam packed full of awesome food, good wine, and so much laughter I thought my face might break! LOL  Nothing like getting family together, and the oddities and personalities play off of each other - and there's just no stopping! :) Did I say it was great? Yah, it truly was!

It's been about 10 years since I'd been back, and I had forgotten how beautiful it really is!

It took me YEARS to get over the homesickness of missing the ocean. Literally. About 6 years of living in Colorado, before I stopped longing for the waves, and the smell of the ocean. There is just something about it... that to me is home. The smell of the seaweed, the crisp clean air, the sound of the waves crashing, the sun glittering on the sea.... sigh. Yes. Now I miss it again!

Isn't it picturesque? 

This is West Cliff drive... I think I spent more time here than I did at home, during my teenage years! And of course, as a teenager, even though I loved it - I didn't truly appreciate how special of a place this was, and how lucky I was to grow up here!

sigh. I can hear it and smell it right now, as I'm writing this!

This is my amazing Dad!!! And yikes I look tres fat in this pic! :(

I'm not going to wax poetic over how awesome it was to see my Dad and my Sis... it'll be a struggle tho, trust me! :)

My father is a pretty incredible guy, and I miss not being able to spend time with him. He is an accomplished artist, hilarious, down to earth, and has more energy than I do!! I get all my weirdness from him! LOL 

You can take a peek into his art here - set aside a few hours to explore, you'll need it! :)

This is my gorgeous sister!!

Man... it's been too long!! LOL!

Did I mention my face and sides hurt from laughing so much? Yah.. between her and my dad I didn't stand a chance! 

She's amazing. I am so in awe of her. I want to be like her when I grow up!!

She thinks I'm silly to say that, but it's true.

We are completely opposite in temperment and life direction. (And yet so the same on all other levels.)

I settled down pretty early - domestic goddess and all that. lol  Had kids, and the last 20 years has pretty much revolved around them.. raising them, teaching them, playing with them, cleaning up after them and running them everywhere. lol  And my sanity has always been in creating. Whether it was folkart dolls, rug hooking or now quilting. Such an exciting life, eh?

But I count myself blessed. I wouldn't have it any other way!! 

My sister, is everything I am not. An insanely successful corporate salesperson, for the best known technical security company around. Very girly and all up on the newest beauty regimes, fashion and and what's in and what's not.  LOL I live in jeans, v-neck T's and flip flops! (yah I know. I could do better in that department! lol but for a mom on the go, that's what works... it's comfy and versatile! lol) 

We actually found out that weekend that she made number one - not just for her region, not just for the united states, but for the freaking GLOBE!!! Yah. SHE ROCKS!!! 

That should give you a hint on how incredibly smart and driven she is!

And that is the environment that she thrives in. Hard core, stressful high level sales. 

I often wonder if we were to have a Freaky Friday switcheroo how long I would last in her world? And her in mine? LOL  12 hours seems like it might be pushing it!! haha!

FAMILY

There is no better word that encompasses all emotions and incredible love that tie us all together!

I am so thankful for my family!!

xo

Bren