During the second part of our week in California, Adam and I took a couple of days to ourselves to explore a bit of the coastal region. We went to the Muir Woods, passed through San Francisco, visited Santa Cruz, and spent an afternoon in Monterey. It was actually our favorite part of the vacation, because we had some time to relax. We spent a whole evening in our hotel room, eating pizza in bed and watching TV for three solid hours. We’d never do that at home, but what’s a vacation without a little rest and relaxation, right? Especially after three days of Disneyland, it was really nice for this mama-to-be to have some down time. We drove down highway 1, which runs right along the coast. I’m really glad we took the time to see the Pacific Ocean, even if it wasn’t quite beach weather. Here are some pictures from those last two days!
The Happiest Place on Earth
We went to Disneyland! And it was glorious. Aside from a few minor mishaps, like a crazy shuttle driver and a trip to Urgent Care for the two little ones, we had a great time. It was a lot of fun to watch Beau, our three year old nephew, see his favorite characters in person and ride Goofy’s rollercoaster six times in a row. Paige, our niece, is just over a year old, but she did so well and enjoyed meeting the characters, too! Here are a few pictures–we made some good memories. I also shared a few pictures on my Instagram while we were on the trip!
A Family of Three
Center of the Universe Festival
This weekend, my brother and I headed to downtown Tulsa for the first annual Center of the Universe Festival. A lot of great bands were playing, but we went Friday night to check out One Republic. We both love them but hadn’t seen them live until Friday night. It was insanely hot, ridiculously crowded, and so, so much fun. We got there in time to walk around a bit, grab some Andolini’s Pizza (yum!), and get a good spot before the show started.
A Weekend in Dallas
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Senseless spending spree! |
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I was excited and obviously nervous! |
Currently
Reading: nothing, yet. I just finished re-reading Wuthering Heights. I love that story. I always forget how insane all the characters are in their own, proper sort of way. I read the Harry Potter books every year, so those might be next, but I am thinking of finally reading the Lord of the Rings series for the first time. I hear they are tough to get through, but very worth it! I think I can handle them. 😉 Thoughts?
Feeling thankful for: the time I got to spend with my family this weekend. A few of us went to Dallas (more on that later!), and it was so good to spend a couple of days together.
Oh, the cute!
Hey ya’ll. I know I haven’t posted in a while, but what better to bring me back to the blogging world than our new, sweet, adorable, perfect, darling beagle pups? I think it’s official; I’ve become one of those people. I am obsessed with my dogs. But you know all those things people say about dogs–about how they’re so loving and loyal, always thrilled to see you, and they really think you’re the greatest? Those things are true. These puppies have changed my mind about dogs. They may be a little stinky after swimming in the pond sometimes, but they love me, and I love them back. They each have their own personality. Jimmy is sweet, jealous, and so smart. Ruby is mischievous, brave, and affectionate. They are a ton of fun, and I have loved becoming a mama to these two. Here’s an idea: let’s share some puppy photos, mostly because it’s Monday. This hasn’t been a particularly bad Monday, but still. Monday. Without further adieu, welcome to Monday Funday, featuring Jimmy and Ruby!
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Jimmy: I wonder if Mom will give me more of those “organic” treats. What is organic anyway? Is it the same as bacon? I love bacon. |
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Jimmy: She is always asleep. |
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Jimmy: Mom! Ruby ruined my close-up! |
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Jimmy: Okay, here’s my most charming expression. More treats, right? |
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Ruby: Well, here’s my most charming expression. I get all the treats! |
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Ruby: MOM! You were gone for like three minutes! I thought you left forever! |
Hope these pictures put a smile on your face. Sorry if they made you roll your eyes. If that was the case, you should probably go get a puppy for yourself. 🙂 Have a great week! I’ll be back soon with an update on what else has been going on at the Warren homestead.
xoxo,
Bekah
*cheesy/dumb captions by yours truly–the puppies don’t actually talk or call me Mom, to my disappointment
Remembering Kim
Okay, people. Hi. So I had originally meant for this blog to be a happy-go-lucky, lighthearted place (like me! whee!), but it’s also here so I can write, which I love doing and miss doing. Plus, writing helps me breathe sometimes. It helps me sort out thoughts and understand them more thoroughly. So, a warning: Today is a little bit of a sad post, but I’ll consider it writing therapy and get back to happy thoughts next time.
Some of you may have known Kim Green, a sweet lady who lost her battle with cancer December 27, 2011. Kim and her family were basically family to me growing up. She and my dad had been friends since junior high, she was in my parents’ wedding, and I spent a lot of time with her boys when we were young. I grew up calling her Aunt Kim and didn’t realize she wasn’t my blood relative til I was thirteen or something ridiculous. When she passed, it definitely felt like losing an aunt. Kim was feisty. She wasn’t afraid to state her opinion, and I respected her for that. She was very lovely. I always thought she had the prettiest smile. Even in the late stages of her last round of cancer, whenever I saw her she still had a big smile on her face. Kim had a strength that was bigger than anyone I’d ever met. She fought cancer multiple times, and stayed positive until the very end. When she passed, it came as a shock to most of us around her. That sounds kind of silly or even ignorant, because she had cancer. That’s huge. But, she’d won it out before, and I don’t think we truly realized how bad it was this time. It was right in the middle of the winter holidays, and Adam and I were on the road to Alabama for the Church of Christ New Year’s Meeting. Of course, we turned around and came straight home, but it didn’t really hit me until the day of the funeral.
After something like that happens, you jump right back into your daily life; back to work, school, home, and you think about it, but the busyness of life takes over. I was still grieving but you can’t just stop your life and heal yourself; even if you could, it takes time. For some reason, in the last few days she has been weighing heavily on my mind. Even though it’s been over three months since her passing, it sometimes still hurts like it was last week. If I see a car like hers around town, my breath catches. At church services, Adam will sometimes lead the prayer. During his prayers, along with mentioning others who were sick or ailing, he used to pray for another lady and Kim in the same sentence. Now, he does not say Kim’s name. That void is hard to hear. I wish so much that she could see our new home; she was so excited for and proud of us, and I know she would love it.
I loved Kim very much, but I wasn’t prepared for how much her passing would affect me. I’m not this sensitive about it all the time, but I still think of her often. I’m thankful because God has comforted me immensely, and I know He will continue to do so. I’ve learned that it just takes time. I still pray for her family, and my family, and her other loved ones that she left behind. Kim was a very loved woman, and I know many people miss her. If you knew her, or if you know them, I ask that you say a prayer for them, too. People are really good about that at first, but it’s easy to forget people don’t always heal quickly.
Thanks for listening. Again, I apologize for the sad post, but it helped me to get that out. Also, this is my blog and I’ll do what I want! Just kidding. Really, though, I’ll have some fun things to post about next time. I hope everyone is having a great week (tomorrow’s Friday!)
xoxo,
Bekah
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Kim and I the day of my college graduation . |
Housewarming Love
Can I just talk about something here? Seriously, aside from popcorn, chocolate birthday cake that you get from the Wal-Mart or Reasor’s bakeries is the best thing that has ever happened to this earth. Sounds silly, but I LOVE that chocolate cake. I love the moist cakey part. I love the too-sweet buttercream icing that comes in all different colors and stains your teeth. I love that there is always enough left over to eat for a week straight and to add about forty inches to my waistline. And, obviously, I love it enough to devote an entire paragraph to it on my blog. [End obsessive cake rant.]
So, we all headed back inside to eat cake.. Glorious, delicious, chocolatey cake. Oh, I’m sorry. I’m really done talking about it. Then we opened gifts. Adam, because he is spoiled, was a bit bummed because all we got was “woman” stuff; kitchen goodies, bath towels, and more kitchen goodies. He’ll get over it. Overall, it was a lovely afternoon, and we were so happy to have family over to see our new place. I now know why it’s called a “housewarming” party. Having everyone there immediately made the house feel like home, and we really enjoyed it.