A Year Later... and Better...

So there have been many changes since I last wrote (skip ahead about 12 months)... the Parsons gig was great but (fortunately) I discovered something or someone better. So I am living in Vancouver and married to Mike. I couldn't have imagined a more different or better change. So, because of this I thought that I have a great reason (although I probably could have started posting when I got married but have been too lazy/busy to blog.)

*Side note - I am apparently in love with parentheses. I don't know when this love affair started but someone please stop me!

Yesterday was my 26th birthday (even though I still think of myself at 19). I thought that I would be spending the day away working but Monday afternoon Mike walked into my office with flowers and my favorite White Chocolate Reese's. I was utterly confused. My first thought wasn't even HOW he got there (we share a car) but rather, what the heck he was doing there!

The flowers that are still at work.
I already ate the Reese's... it doesn't last long around me. 

Mike was trying to figure out where I had parked the car - apparently he thought that I just pretend to go to work everyday - when in fact I just park across the street. He told me that I was to talk to my manager and tell her that I was leaving, luckily she came out and told me to leave and "see you on Wednesday." I kept checking with her to see if I could actually go. I was so confused. Mike wouldn't tell me where we were going but I knew we were headed south. I thought maybe a concert, zoo, but those all passed by. The only place left was THE COAST!

We got to the hotel at Cannon Beach and there was a gorgeous view from our window:

We went to Mo's for dinner and sorry Dad, I did NOT get the clam chowder. Mike did, you can ask him about that experience another time.

Our creature friend that we met along the beach.

Later that night we lit a bonfire on the beach. For all of my times going to the coast growing up, this was the first time that I had a fire on the sand! Mike surprised me with marshmallows to toast (no S'mores for us).

Mike very proudly displaying his golden marshmallow.

The excellent bonfire that Mike built (he became enthralled with the
lighter fluid, couldn't put it down)...

On my birthday morning we went to my mom's favorite breakfast place - Pig N' Pancake. Probably wouldn't think much of it, but believe me, it's delicious. 

This trip seemed to involve A LOT of food... on our journey home we decided to take a detour south to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Many of my roommates or those of you who know me well would remember that I would only buy Tillamook butter (it's the best). We had ourselves some delicious ice cream... but when we came out of it, somehow we felt different. Almost like we were transformed...

It was a really good birthday.