moving is making me unstable

4 days and I will be walking through LAX to meet my family, Mike, little Tay and Manda. I can't believe it. I've said it before, but its true.

The past week has been crazy. This move has got me feeling like an unstable person. There are all kinds of emotions going on in my life.

view from Pere Lachaise cemetery

In a given day I feel...

HAPPY to go home and see my friends and family
SAD to leave the friends I've made here

HAPPY to be back to the comforts of home
SAD to leave my little Parisian flat

HAPPY to have had this amazing experience
SAD that it is over

HAPPY to start a new future
SAD that the economy is trying to ruin my life and keep me unemployed forever

HAPPY to know that in-n-out in waiting for me
SAD that i won't be able to have pain chocolat and crepes anytime i want

Its a roller coaster to say the least. I'm trying my best to stay calm and reasonable. Any tips on how not to lose it?

And I can't leave this post without wishing a HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my amazing father! He is a great reason to be excited to come home. I can't wait to see you Dad! Joyeux Anniversaire!

Thankful Thoughts Vol.2: Famille

Wow, so much is happening back home today. It is strange feeling so distant from the elections but I'm excited/nervous to see how it unravels today. I'm definitely not one to talk politics (it gets nobody nowhere!) so today I am focusing on something I am very thankful for in addition to the beautiful U.S.of.A.

Family. Famille. Familia.

I love my family, they are what made me who I am today. They inspire me everyday and make me laugh and want to smack them around all at the same time. We are all so different but we are a perfect group and I could never ask for a better, stronger or more fun family to call mine. 

My parents are incredible people. They are high school sweethearts and have been through all kinds of struggles and successes together. They not only raised four kids but built a successful business at the same time. My parents are such an inspiration to be happy, enjoy life, work hard and love. I am so thankful to have such strong and incredible role models and parents. They have blessed me with such an extraordinary life and I am ever grateful for them. 

My brother Brandon is fresh out of college and enjoying the pleasures of his first real office job. What a pleasure! Haha he might be realizing that college was the best years of your life like the rest of us but he is on to big things I know it. I am so lucky to have a close relationship with him. It wasn't always that way but we can grown to become best friends and I can always count on him. My favorite memories with him are probably from our Eurotrip in 2008... Or 2012. Both were way too much fun.

 My brother Ryan is one of a kind. He has a free spirit that I haven't seen in anyone else. He has the biggest heart and even if he tries to act tough (sorry bud) he is a lover at heart. Even when we have our differences Ryan will always be the first to defend our family. He is going to be famous and successful one day with his big, awesome personality. I can always count on him for a good laugh and a great friend.

 Jenna is the baby of the family. She is starting to apply for college which just blows my mind and makes me feel super old. She is beautiful and crazy smart and I can't wait to see what life has in store for her. Already she is a very strong young woman and I'm happy to say she holds strong to her morals and beliefs even when times get tough. You all know how brutal high school can be. She is a feisty little girl so I pity anyone who tries to stop her. I can't wait to watch her grow up and for us to become even closer friends. 

Boomer. Boom dog. Boomer loomer. Stinky butt. He has many names but he is hands down the world's greatest dog. Boomer has been there for us through and through for 14 awesome years. He is one of a kind and I can't begin to explain the intense LOVE our family has for him. All those lunches of ours he ate, brownies and trash cans he chewed up, times he ran away thinking it was a fun little game of tag, and so much more... Those will forever be some of our family's greatest memories. We love you boomer to the moon and back!

 One of the perks of leaving Paris is a short six weeks is that I will get to spend the holidays with my family. I am very thankful for them and their health and happiness.

What are you thankful for today??

Paris: best day trip

If you are in Paris (especially in spring or summer time) then I highly recommend heading out of town and spending the day in Giverny. I've been there twice now and I loved it so much both times. I've also been to Versailles which is beautiful and magnificent but I like Giverny just a little bit more. I think it is more unique.

My mom saw my photos from when Stephanie and I went to Giverny and she wanted to go so we spent one of her days there and it was still just as beautiful as it was in springtime. We took the train and then rode bikes into town. Halfway through our visit to the Monet house and gardens I discovered the beloved "flower" setting on my mom's fancy camera. It was over. I went to town taking pictures of flowers. Literally, its embarrassing. I have more photos of flowers than of our entire trip I think.

So, now that its out in the open I am going to post the gallery of floral photos in another post because its just too much for one.

Tomorrow my friend Megan and her hubbs get into Paris and I am so happy! I haven't seen her since January! Cross your fingers for us that this miserable rain takes it easy on us.

What have you all been up to lately? Are you ready for fall?
Can someone please send me a pumpkin spice latte? Many thanks :)

France: Marseille & Cassis

From Bordeaux we made our way further south to the little port town of Marseille. This town gets a bad rap among the French and I can sort of understand why. The town itself is not taken care of by its residents and I've heard rumors of major crime happening there.  That being said, if the port was not under major construction, I still think it would be really nice! They have an incredible cathedral that stands atop of hill overlooking the city and it is gorgeous when it is all lit up at night!

We spent our first day there taking a boat ride over to see the Chateau D'if which is the prison that the Count of Monte Cristo was based off of. If you were in prison there, well, at least you have one incredible view!

it was just a littttle windy..

We spent the rest of the day laying out on one the little islands with a nice view of the city. This is where I made the mistake of turning down the sunscreen thinking my skin still could handle the sun like it did when I was exposed to it everyday in California. WRONG! I turned into a l-o-b-s-t-e-r and am still paying the price for that.

The next day we went over to the lovely fishing village of Cassis. What a beautiful gem this place is! I remember seeing it on the train when Mike and I went to Nice and thought "WOW, that coast looks gorgeous!" and I was right! I would definitely recommend this as a place to see. We took a boat ride into the "calanques" or "creeks" and it reminded me of a way more beautiful idea of Havasu. People just hanging out on their boats, in the water, jumping off the rocks (eek!). We didn't have too much time so we grab some lunch and a glass of white wine - a specialty of the Cassis region! It was crisp and delicious and I really didn't want to leave!

We almost didn't leave, but not on purpose. We got on the wrong bus! After a few blocks I asked the driver to make sure the bus took us back to Marseille and he said NO! Oh man, just picture me and my mom straight RUNNING down this hill to try to catch the RIGHT bus. Literally, wanted to throw up the lunch and wine we just had. Thankfully, the bus was behind schedule and we made it just in time. I wouldn't mind not doing that ever again. Phew.

When I think about home...

I think of San Diego. Even though I grew up and spent 17 years of my life in Orange County, California I really identify more with that beautiful city down south. I moved there to go to college (aka: best four years of your life) in 2005 and fell in love.

It is big, beautiful, casual, sunny, happy, free, new, old, exciting, relaxing..everything you could ever want. I have not found a city that I feel such a strong connection with as I do with Sdeezey. I have found myself really reminiscing about life in SD lately. I can actually feel my body longing for it. I think I'm just looking for some comfort and familiarity, maybe? I hope that one day I will be able to build my life there, we will see! Until then, I will be visiting it as much as possible when I am back in the US.

A friend of mine posted this on facebook this morning and I thought it was a great video and it made me miss this city even more! It really captures the energy and beauty of San Diego and shows you some hidden gems like one of my favorite parks - Kate Sessions. Click here to check out the world's finest city in hyper-speed! It's a beautiful video, worth the click, promise!


A quick little skip down memory lane? Okay, if you insist! ;)