I could highlight a lot of events that happened in 2012, but I am going to break it up through our travels this year...it has become really important to Jimi and I to take weekend trips, and explore our local places and then get far away when we can.
January 2012
Ranch #1
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| Sunset on the roof |
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| Love this bike! |
We spent a lot of time on friend's ranches in 2012. This one backs up to the SD Wild Animal Park. Only ones for miles and you can hear the coyote pack at night. Great for hikes in the hills and little motorcycle rides in the dirt. This was a really special weekend...Jimi and I love a good weekend on a ranch with friends.
February 2012
Valentine's Day + Afternoons at the Ranch
Jimi and I like Valentine's Day a lot (we are even considering it as a possible wedding date ;)). We always splurge on this day (maybe even more then on our anniversary). This year we went to the Lumbar Yard in Laguna...a special place for me since my dad was on the job helping build and restore the site...the now restaurant is named after its former glory...a lumbar yard.
Our family friends have a ranch out in Trabuco Canyon, where when the days are warm, it is the perfect place for a fun, sunny afternoon. A little bit of sun, a little bit of food and some Cook's Corner never hurt anyone. I will miss those afternoons, because they warm my skin just thinking about the sun.
March 2012
Palm Springs, Craftcation and Lake Arrowhead
March is always all about the company trip and this year it was in
Palm Springs. We look forward to this trip every year and this time it got rained out, but we still had a ball. Dinner and drinks, a tiny bit of sun, a movie and breakfast in bed on a rainy morning and dinner out at a little french restaurant to bring a little bit of Paris back into my life. But we also had to stop and get one of these...
Craftcation....there are just so many amazing things that have come from that conference. This is something that is so close to my heart and I can't wait to go this year! I have learned so much and have grown a ton since last year's conference, it has just been insane.
My friend
Kelly (check out her blog
here) has a family cabin out in
Lake Arrowhead and we went out there for her birthday at the end of March. There was still little piles of snow, it was cool, the air was crisp and we took a lot of walks to explore the area around her cabin. We went into town for a good, warm dinner, to view the lake and check it all out. A good little weekend in the woods with friends before paddling season takes over! ;)
April 2012
Canning 101 for Mom's Birthday + Paddling Season Start!
For Mom's birthday we took a canning class through the Road Less Traveled with Delilah Snell (of Craftcation!) One of our favorite craft celebrities. In an old house in Old Town Orange in a kitchen that anyone would love to be able to cook in. My Mom, my sister and I were Team Strawberry where we made two different types of strawberry jam while Jimi's Mom, Cathy, tackled the pickled carrots! We can away with 4 types of Jam, a syrup and some pickled items. Well worth the class to know how it all works.
April always marks the
paddling season's start...as far as practice goes. The days are longer, the nights are warmer and we finally get back together for the start of another summer. It is a good time of year.
May 2012
Joshua Tree + My Aunt came to town
My first time to
Joshua Tree and we went straight for back packing into the back country and it was HOT, but it was a gorgeous night. The only ones for miles, a full moon as our own personal night light and a tent to call home.
My aunt Mary came to town in May and I love it when she does. She is one of my only visitors and I get to have the house all ready, the guest bedroom made up and I get to enjoy her company! Love this time with her.
June 2012
Costa Rica with the Spoto Clan!
This trip was truly amazing because Jimi's family got to come see what my Aunt is doing down in
Costa Rica and experience the wonderful place of Playa Negra for Cathy's birthday. Lots of fun, discussions, and drinks were had on this trip! :)
July 2012
SanO Sundays + Florida in a weekend
We were able to get a lot
SanO Sundays in down at Dog Patch with the canoes in July. These days are always mellow and fun! Beach, BBQ, Good Friends, Surf and Sun...cant go wrong there!!
Florida went by in a flash and undoubtedly so..we were only there for one night! Delayed flight, almost missing our connecting flight, quick nap, big family reunion, little get together with Jimi's cousins, finally some sleep, flight cancellation, a Tampa tour, back yard Spoto band party, and finally a flight home was all packed into one crazy weekend.
August 2012
Birthday + KONA!
My birthday landed on a practice day so naturally we didn't really practice, we paddled but we stopped along the way for some good food, drinks and cupcakes (made by
Molly Bishop) at Woody's Wharf. Truly a great night!
Kona was a blast! We had a oh so fun crew, an awesome, fast boat, no drama and placed third in our class! This was my first long distance Kona race and it was perfect, coming into Honaunau was really a site to behold! Thanks to these girls for a fun, beautiful race!
September 2012
Catalina + Riding Giants in Molokai...literally.
Catalina, we had a good race, and it was a nice day out (not always the case). Mom's crew got second (which is basically first) and Jimi came in 4th, which was great considering the competition.
Molokai was a huge experience and I am so glad I went to have experienced it first person. We were literally riding giants coming out of the harbor entrance, facing gnarly conditions for 8 hours, had a lot of first timers become masters and the everyone else gained a ton of experience. Everyone was so positive, and that is how it needs to be to get through a race like ours. Thanks to these girls for a strong, challenging and unforgettable crossing!
October 2012
CAF and End to a good season
CAF was good this year. I always do the swim. It was warm and I just had a rash guard so I was so comfortable and free to move without the restriction of a wetsuit. I did my personal best improving 5 minutes form last year. My uncle and cousin came down to watch and my parents were by the phone for updates. Love a good ocean swim.
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| My cousin, Jenna! |
October marks the end of the season in our house. Jimi has gone to Molokai for the past 4 years so I am always ready for it. It is really exciting to watch this race and be involved through him. He has got talent and a passion for steering that is fun to live vicariously through. Come October there are all the end of the year parties and it is great to get together one last time before some us start to go into hibernation for the winter.
November 2012
LA + Thanksgiving at home.
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| Coffee and Breakfast at The Mill |
Last year we were in full swing preparing for France. But this year we got to have a fun weekend in LA for Lily's birthday, a wonderful
Thanksgiving at home and a fun dinner for Dad's birthday. This is probably my favorite time of year, right behind Christmas. Lots of things to celebrate and be thankful for!
December 2012
Los Padres, Joshua Tree, Mexico, and the best Christmas present ever!
I have to say I didn't notice how much we traveled in one month until I just wrote the sentence!
Los Padres National Forest was a weekend trip at the beginning of the month that really set the ton for the month of December for us. It was amazing! Even with the rain, it was filled with bright exploration and fun times.
Joshua Tree was equally amazing...the perfect day trip. We went out to celebrate our best friend, Chris' last weekend in California before he headed out to Germany. This was not the happiest of things to be celebrating but we sure as heck made the best of it with some great hiking, scenic views and crisp desert air!
Mexico - what a whirlwind of a trip. It came barreling down right with Christmas and all the sudden we were off. It took me a second to realize what this trip was about, what it could be and how much we had missed Baja. It was a perfect weekend and we were the happiest of couples after Jimi popped the question.
Christmas was great with lots of celebration with our families...it will be one that we will never forget.
Thanks for being apart of 2012! It turned out to be a great year in the end...looking forward the fun to be had in 2013!
Enjoy!
