Tahoe and snow shoeing

Today, I went to Tahoe with Cara and we went show shoeing! It was a lot of fun. We were up early because we brought Heather to the airport who moved back home to New Hampshire. We got to the sno-park around 12 and walked to the beginning of the trail. I had never been before but had heard it was pretty difficult. It certainly was. It took a little bit to get used to the snow shoes and the whole area is very hilly. We got a great workout and also saw some beautiful views. It was nice to get out of Sacramento for the day and get to see some snow! The day of snow was enough for me though, I wouldn't want to be back home in multiple feet of it. Here are some more pictures of our day.

A New Bicycle!

I got a new bicycle! I've been thinking about getting one for a while now but just hadn't done it yet. The final straw came when I was driving the car and it stalled. This is normal for a manual car but I drive an automatic. I'd been driving the past few days because I've been really sick. Not just a cold sick but double ear infections and strep throat sick. I don't know if I'd ever been so sick. I even ended up in the hospital because I almost passed out in the shower and scared myself. I'm feeling better now but because I've been sick, I haven't been riding my old bike as much and have been using the car. Seeing that the car isn't so reliable, I would have to use my bike. This is what I had.
It's hard to tell from the picture but it is a mountain bike. It is extremely heavy so difficult to get to my second floor apartment, the tires are always somewhat flat, no matter when I put in air, and only the front brakes worked. I decided that a new bike would be a very good investment so this is what I now have.

Again, hard to tell from the picture but it's teal and black, super light and...both brakes work! It rides really smoothly and I have a feeling my ride to work will be cut down quite a bit. It certainly helped me cheer up after being sick for so long.

Lazy Weekends

The weather has been wonderful out here! Yesterday, I went for a run (the first in waaayyy to long, which I am now paying for) and then went to Starbucks to use the internet. For my birthday, Heather, Cara and Andrew took me out to dinner and then out for drinks. It was a lot of fun to just hang out. It was a pretty low key night where I got to play Yahtzee! It was on a computer thing at one of the bars we went to and because it's my new obsession, I had to play.
This morning has been really nice as well. I went to church this morning, after biking all over Sacramento because I got the times confused at different churches. Then I went to the local art museum to see an exhibit on Warner Bros. It was cool to see how each character was created. I didn't realize however that they stopped making Warner Bros. in 1969. Now I am again sitting in a coffee shop using the internet. It's nice to have the weekends to do whatever I want...although I will be heading home soon to clean my apartment for the housewarming with the Sisters of Mercy on Tuesday night.

Overdue update...again

So I went home for 2 weeks for Christmas and had an awesome time. The first week was busy, doing some last minute shopping and catching up with everyone. Christmas came and went pretty quickly. We had family over for dinner and dessert and it was really nice to see everyone. On the 26th, the four kids took Mom and Aunt Nancy to the Boston Pops symphony Holiday show. First we made them dinner at Stephanie's house and then went to the show. Afterward, the four kids went out in the city for our annual kids night. We went to one bar and then to another where we played pool. It was a pretty laid back night but fun to just hang out. The next day, our whole family went bowling, another annual tradition and had a blast. I bowled a 109, which I think is my best score ever and then went downhill in the next two games.
On the 28th, my birthday, we were having Wooden shoe (our traditional birthday breakfast) when Stephanie came in, with my birthday present! My family had flown out Sean from Cleveland as my present! It was very exciting, I hadn't seen him since August! The rest of the next week flew by. Sean got the tour of Boston, hitting all the tourist sights and we had a nice New Years at Stephanie's in Boston. On Friday, Traci came from NY for a visit. It was great to see her again. We went to the art museum during the day and then dinner in Porter Square. Saturday, after running some errands, she headed back home, while I began packing. My parents took Sean and I out for dinner Saturday night where the restaurant sang him Happy Birthday, an event he had never before experienced. We caught a movie after dinner and then headed home to pack some more. We got about an hour of sleep before heading off the airport to return home. It was a great trip home, although it went a little too fast but it's also been good being back in Sacramento.

Advent Calendars

This year, while shopping at Trader Joe's one day, I found an advent calendar in the check out line. It's one of those kind that has chocolate in each door so each day, you get a little piece of chocolate (not very good but still fun). Even though it's such a little thing, it's been fun opening the door each day and getting a little piece of chocolate. This may be something I start doing again each year!

Change

Life on the West Coast has been busy, busy, busy recently. I'll start back at Thanksgiving, because I haven't written since then. I cooked at my house and Cara and Andrew came over. After dinner, we went to Manny's sister's house which was a lot of fun. He has a big family and they were all very entertaining. The weekend after Thanksgiving, I moved...again, the 4th and final time! I'm now in a single bedroom apartment downtown. It's great, it's a lot closer to work and to people I know and it's really cute. It's all just redone so it's nice that I'm the first one to live in it. I'll post pictures later but I want to get it all set up first. It's almost there but I've been moving a few things around.
December has been good so far in the new place. It's getting colder out here to the bike rides to work in the morning are a little rough but I still like to be out in the fresh air. Nothing else too exciting has happened in the past few weeks, just preparations for the holidays at work and unpacking/rearranging at my place. This week we'll have a Christmas party for Clean and Sober and then for Loaves and Fishes the following night. Then Saturday, I go home for Christmas! I can't wait to be back home for 2 whole weeks, it'll be so nice to see everyone and hopefully see a little snow while I'm there!

Truckee

This past weekend, I went to Truckee with Heather (an old JV), Andrew and Angie (also an old JV). We stayed at the house of someone who works at Maryhouse which is absolutely beautiful. It's in a ski resort area so it's right near the ski slopes and there's also a recreation center with a gym, pool and jacuzzi. It was a very relaxing weekend, nice to get away from Sacramento and see some snow. It was a much needed weekend after this past week. It's been rough since my mom left, it's been lonely living in my house by myself. I'm trying to stay busy but it's hard being unsettled, knowing that I'll be moving again soon (hopefully December 1st). I'm trying to stay positive so the next few weeks will be easier so send me good thoughts and wishes!