San Francisco: Day 4

Our last full day in the city was a free day...everyone did what they wanted and when they wanted to do it!  In the morning some of us went on the double decker red bus tour around the city!  We even scored a free extended trip across the Golden Gate Bridge and through the town of Sausillto...what an amazing little city!!  It was apparent that we were all exhausted as getting out of the bus to take pictures was not on anyone's list...we sat and took in the sites!

On top of the double decker bus!

We got off the bus at Chinatown and walked through it to find the other girls for lunch!  We ate a chinese resturant that was reccomended to us from out waiter the night before.  It was tasty and Amanda got her "mall" style chinese food!!!

After we waited over an hour at the cable car pick up with every car passing by too full for us to get on, we were over it and hailed a cab!  A few of us headed to Ghirardelli Square for some ice cream...I had the amazing salted carmel hot fudge sundae and loved every.last.bit!

After an evening of chilling out in the condo with wine, cheese, crackers, and story telling a few of us headed out for one last drink in the big city at an Irish pub!  We listened to live music for about an hour before we retired for the night so that we were able to catch an early flight back to the mile high city!

After getting back to Denver Amanda and I headed out to a sports bar to watch the Chiefs vs. Broncos...and even though the Chiefs couldn't give me a birthday win, I still bleed red and yellow!!!

San Francisco: Day 3

Happy Birthday to me!!!  November 15th marked my 30th year in this very blessed life that I was granted!  I seriously don't think that I could have asked for a better life!  I look back on my childhood, and I was so blessed.  Of course, at the time I would have bet anyone that I had the worst life ever, but in all reality, I had wonderful parents that not only loved me and my sisters with everything they had, they loved each other even more!  And, of course those sisters, they are my best friends in the entire world...not a day goes by that my little sister and I don't talk, text, or snapchat...I would be lost in this world if it wasn't for her!
Then, I look at each chapter in my life...from high school, to college, to my sorority, to nursing school, to life as an adult in the real world...and I have gained a huge amount of acquitances...even better many close friends!  My birthday would not have been complete without the friends that I have from every single aspet of my life!

The day started with some of the girl's heading to Alcatraz because they had never been there before and it is a must see if traveling to San Fran....tons of history and a beautiful view of the city!  Meanwhile, Sabra, Lexie, and I slept in, and awaited the arrival of my cousin to join us for the day!  We went to brunch and indulged in poinsettias...cranberry juice and champange....AUH-MAZING!!!

Poinsettias!!!!

Brunch!!!

A view from the top of a hill as we walked back to the condo!

We joined the other girls for a walking food tour through North Beach....Little Italy of San Fran!  We ate amazing food, learned some history, and had cake!  Now, I have to mention that I hate attention drawn to me...especially on my birthday.  Some of the girl's mentioned that it was my birthday to the tour guide, and the next thing you know the lights are dimming and a cake with candles are being brought my way while everyone starts singing...I was not impressed!  It's not that I did appreciate the gesture, I just hate that!  There is nothing worse than sitting in a mexican resturant on your birthday and here they come with a sombrero.

Parts of the walking food tour…complete with me and my birthday cake!!!

We found a champagne bar called the Bubble Lounge and it was fabulous!  We ordered up the mixed drinks, champagne, and cocktails!  I can't tell you how great the champagne was that I had!  Then I indulged in a pink lady that was just as delish! I loved the lounge feeling of the bar!!!
Later that evening we indulged in amazing seafood at Scoma's and then headed out to a club.  I have to tell ya the last time I went to a club I was probably 27...if not younger!  It was a nice club, but the men were not...well, they were annoying!  We got one kicked out because he just wouldn't leave us alone...everytime we turned around there he was, clapping, trying to dance with us, standing behind us, sneaking into spots where another girl was standing...finally security got him out of there! After lots of trying to convience the DJ to play music in the era of the ealry 2000's a fight broke out and the night was over!  As big as those security guards were you would think they would have gotten this fight under control...oh no, they were the ones that were being thrown on the ground and punch in the face. And we exited…quick!

My flight of champange

Rosa, Sarah, and I with our amazing cocktails!

Love this girl!!!  :)

 It was a great day that I got the spend with amazing girls from every aspect of my life. I loved the phone calls from my little sister's 2nd grade class singing me happy birthday, from my dad while he was gambling in Vegas, and many other phone calls, text, and facebook messages from the rest of my family and friends!

Here's to Thirty!!!!

San Francisco: Day 2

The Winery Tour

Thursday we headed out to our winery tour in Sonoma Valley!  This day was by far my favorite day of the trip!  We had the most fun and many laughs!  However, our tour guide Hampton or Hamilton as Sarah would like to call him, was more than ready to drop us off at the ferry at the end of the day!  

We started at Larson Family Winery, where we had the cutest tour guide that was pouring birthday pours for everyone!  It was a western themed tasting room because the Sonoma County fair used to be held on the grounds of the winery.  The grapes had already been harvested, but what did we care, we just wanted the wine!  After a short tour we did more than indulge in the wine!!! 

I am pretty sure we were the most colorful group that any winery saw all day!!!

Wine tasting!!!!

The second winery was Anaba and had a gorgeous view.  I always associated a Rose wine with sweetness, and we learned at this winery that Rose is not supposed to have sugar in it or be sweet.  The Rose we had here was very tasty….however, I am pretty sure that this is were the learning stopped!  

After the second winery we headed to lunch, and when I saw that we need some substance in our bellies, I am not lying!  We went to downtown Sonoma and had a wonderful lunch at a place called Grapes.  Then we headed to Homewood Winery!  Here we had an outside tasting and had a really good tasting coach!  

Lastly we headed to Gloria Ferrer winery which specialized in sparking wine aka champagne….my favorite kind of wine out there!!!  I am positive that this winery was just about the drinking.  The guy brought us 2 bottles of champagne and we pretty much sat there, laughed, and chugged it!  We had a little mishap when Sarah laughed with a mouth full of champagne and sprayed it all over my face while I had a mouth full of champagne and inhaled the entire mouthful into my lungs…I had never had something burn so bad in my life…after a coughing fit and tears rolling down my face, all was well and we continued on with the champagne!

This is one for my favorite pics if the whole trip!!!!

This was right before the little mishap!

And we survived the wine tour…barely!!!!!  

After the wine tours we got on a ferry and rode across the bay, and let's just say that this girl doesn't remember getting off the ferry and riding a bus to a restaurant….the next thing I remembered was a bowl of clam chowder being sat down in front of me at the restaurant.  I would say we had a more that successful day in Sonoma valley!!!!  

San Francisco: Day 1

As many of you know, I just got back from my 30th birthday trip to San Francisco, CA and literally had the time of my life!  I enjoyed everything and everyone that indulged in this trip with me!  I am not lying when I say that I have the BEST FRIENDS EVER!!!  :)

We arrived in San Fran on Wednesday around 1:30pm, after sitting next to Chatty Kathy for 2 hours when all I wanted was a nap, I jumped off that plane and could not wait to explore this great city for 4 days!  We hitched a ride with a taxi to our condo, which was amazing…had the bed selection, organized our things and were off to explore!  We has dinner planned with my cousin, so we just ventured to a near by pub called Buena Vista for small eats and Irish coffee!  We discussed what we were going to do the next couple of days and got to know each other.  I was the common denominator in all the girls that went, so everyone got to know a little bit about each other as we sipped Irish coffee! After a walk around Ghirardelli Square, we headed to a market and got a few snacks and some booze for the week!

A little Irish Coffee!

Chocolate making at Ghirardelli Square

We met up with my cousin and aunt to have dinner at the Town Hall.  After wonderful food, we headed back to the condo and settle in for the night as we knew we would have a long day at the wineries the next day!

Headed out for dinner, but not before we had a glass of wine! 

Money trap…no more!!!

As I was making my November budget, I saw that my cable bill was out of control, then I opened the new bill for the month and saw that it had increased to $169….and I about lost it!  Ain't no way I am paying $169 for freaking cable….so I cancelled it…straight up cancelled it!  As I was calculating what I would save by canceling cable it came out 2G's a year…2,000 bucks a year….(insert wide eyes and mouth drop here)

This is first time in my entire life that I have not had cable.  We were fortunate enough growing up that we always had cable…god forbid if I missed Saved by the Bell, Hey Dude, or Rescue 911!

However, those that know me know that I am reality TV junkie…and I will still be watching in Hulu Plus and Netflix style!!!!  Streaming it on my TV for the full effect of cable is my plan!

I'm a little disappointed that I won't be able to watch football or basketball, but that is just a great excuse to visit a friend or a bar!!!  :)

Happy November

I know, I am a few days late, but this last week has kicked my booty!!!  However, it's never to late to say Happy November...my personal favorite month of the year.  This year, I was kind of dreading November 1st...I knew 15 days after the 1st, I would try 30 and I am having a difficult time dealing with that.  When I was in high school I never thought I would get to 21.  I wanted to drink without having to sneak around.  When I was 21, I never thought I would be 25...and then I woke up one day, and I was...and my insurance was cheaper...YAY!!!  However, time plays tricks on a person...when you are younger time stands still and you never think you are going to be old enough to to this and do that...then, like a light switch time starts racing and days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months turn into years...and then BOOM, you are 30 before you know it!  I can't wait to join 6 of my girlfriends in San Fran for 5 days of pure shenanigans for my 30th birthday!!!  A little over a week and we will be making our way!!!!

One thing about November 1st that I love is that Halloween has come and gone....I am NOT a Halloween fan...I just can't handle adults acting like idiots, dressing up with masks on.  I am always questioning what they are going to do next and it gives me anxiety.  For some reason they think is hilarious that you don't like, they get in your face, and interrupt your personal bubble...and for that I am not a fan!  The cute little kids dressed up are adorable and I am completely ok with that. I will open my front door a million times for those cuties, but you will NOT find me at any kind of Halloween party....

My adorable little nephews...Owen the Owl & Hudson the Monkey!!!  Love them! :)

I have some big news and I have two months to digest that I will be a grad student in January.  I am having a hard time being ok with going to class, writing papers, and getting A's.  I know that I am not the greatest student...and APA format is not my forte....but I will soon learn to love research, theory, writing papers, and going to class!!!  I have been out of school for 7 years, so I am anxious about getting back into it, but I'm gonna do it and hopefully come out a family nurse practitioner in a couple years!