ode to my love

me and trev, March 2012

happy Valentine's day!!! i know it's been a while since i've written so i wanted to write a few words about the one i love the most. you've heard about Trevor in many of my previous posts and on this day it's fitting that i tell you just how much that love means to me and my world.

best friend forever, my dear Brooke

we always hear about "the One" and how "you'll just know" when you find him (or her). when i first met Trev i knew he was something special, so we took it slow. part of the beauty of finding the one person you love the most is the romance, the spark and the special connection you share. when i first felt that spark i knew i didn't want to screw it up, so i made sure to always be on my best behavior. time went on, we grew closer, and ultimately we discovered just how deep our love was.

once you are comfortable with someone it can definitely be hard to maintain the romance and spark, so we always try and make a point of doing it. even if it means doing a small favor for your partner, or maybe a big surprise, romantic dinner, there's always an opportunity for romance. to this day, we do not let the other person use the bathroom in front of the other. even when we are camping. it's the one sacred thing we have left!! it's different for everyone and that just happens to be one way we keep the spark alive.

my nephew Emmett, who always makes me smile

i hope that everyone finds the people in their world who truly make them happy, feel special, feel loved and supported, without question. maybe its your best friend, your partner or your dog, but we all have someone in our life that just makes everything better. love to all.  xoxo

holidaze, travel and sanity

this week we are in the midst of the annual holiday season. Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and the New year co-exist during the month of December and give us a good reason to get together (being with the ones you love shouldn't be reserved for a few days out of the year, however). this year we traveled to Wisconsin to be with my family for Thanksgiving, so we made the even longer trek to Michigan to be with Trevor's family for Christmas. after working so many years at the ski resorts and not having a "real" Christmas, this one's been a doozy!

we drove about 11 hours to get to Northern Michigan (a very beautiful, quaint place on the north shore of Lake Michigan) and have been making the rounds to see family members and friends, all while trying to enjoy our first holiday season together. to maintain our sanity, we make sure to do a few things:

1. don't burn yourself out. I REPEAT: DO NOT BURN YOURSELF OUT. this is crucial to maintaining your cool when faced with any potentially embarrassing or offensive situation. give yourself time and space to cool off so you can be on your best behavior with everyone around you. even your servers and retail workers who are spending time away from their loved ones to work (speaking as an experienced server, of course).

2. travel with your necessities. we always make sure to pack healthy snacks for the road so we don't have to eat gas station crap while traveling. this has saved us many times and we pack a small cooler and/or grocery bag with food that will help us maintain our sanity. i also always pack a box of assorted teas, since i have my own preferences.

3. indulge, but don't OVERindulge. it's the holidays, there are sweets everywhere and lots of meals to share with family. it's certainly OK to indulge, but i try to at least limit myself somewhat. reward yourself for all those yoga classes and days at the gym!!

4. always stay POSITIVE. we all have people in our lives who challenge us. it is always important to stay positive, but especially during a time when you are surrounded by family, some of whom may be the very people who challenge us most. family gatherings can be overwhelming, so be sure to take time for yourself when you need to re-charge and see the bright side again. your family loves you!


...and with that, i wish you well during this busy but joyful time. i'm off to enjoy my organic peppermint tea that helps with digestion (see numbers 2 and 3 above) and take some time for myself with a good book. Happy Holidaze!!

more love for dogs

remember when i told you how much i love dogs and how much joy they bring me? well i want to add to those sentiments now that i'm living with Datsyuk and my parents' dog, Bettie White. Bettie came from a farm in Iowa and never had a good home until this past July. for a lot of the time she was in shelters, she missed out on a whole lotta love and support. my parents aren't necessarily "dog people,"  but they wanted a companion and some new life in their home (my step-dad is semi-retired and has the time to watch a needy puppy).

Syuky and Bettie White playing in the fresh snow

let's get one thing absolutely straight: Bettie White is totally crazy. i mean, she's CRAZY, always getting into mischief, running every which way, tearing apart toys and now that Syuky is here, terrorizing him. even though i know he is often annoyed, Datsyuk also likes the attention (he is still a full-on male, testosterone and all). imagine a teenage girl living in the same house as her handsome, older man crush. yah its like that.

Datsyuk being so gracious as my
cousins dress him up as a wizard

what else is special about Bettie is the way she loves. she is a little behind, she doesn't always behave, but she always, always wants to be loved and will love in return.  as crazy as she makes me some times, i can never be too upset, knowing that where she came from was probably much worse than our nice home in calm Northeast Minneapolis. it's hard for me to describe what its like to have my boyfriend and our dog here with me while i go to school, but if you can think of the best possible situation for yourself at this moment, you can relate. i have all the support in the world and for that i am forever grateful. Syuky and Bettie can always put a smile on my face, even when i want to smash faces after a tough day with over-pretentious grad students. their simple joy and love is contagious.

full of thanks

my belly is still reeling from the insane thanksgiving meal i had on Thursday and the following meals on Friday that only added to my fullness. finally, today (Saturday), i am feeling like my body is digesting. now that i am living in the Midwest again, i was able to join my family in Wisconsin for these meals and bring Trevor with me. it's been so great spending time with both sides of my family and seeing how they welcome Trev into the family.

Trev and I at Squaw, 2012

after being in California for 4 years and working every holiday through the winter it's like a breath of fresh air to come back to the Midwest and be with my blood family. i am so lucky to have a huge, warm, loving family here in Wisconsin and also a non-blood family in Tahoe that loves and supports me no matter what.

i am thankful for:
my family
Trevor
our dog Datsyuk and his unconditional love
good, healthy homemade food
art
art
art
community
mountains

homegrown eggs

forests
the Great Lakes
the ocean
my education
...and much more

even though the holiday of thanksgiving is over we can all appreciate and be grateful for everything in our lives, even the things that challenge us most. it is then that we learn from our past, our mistakes and our surroundings and become content with our world.

practice gratitude and everything else will follow.

my sister Erin and her son Abel

the joy of dogs

my whole life, i've been a dog lover. i remember my grandma's dogs from way back when i was a little kid, and everyone in my family has had dogs that i've bonded with also. Chester, Worthy, Molly, Abby, Bailey and Sophie have been some of my favorites. when we were kids, my sister and i got a puppy from the same dog-loving grandma (Dorothy), but he was unhappy and wild and we eventually had to put Teddy down.

Syuky resting on our West Coast road trip,
April 2012

 since losing our own dog as kids, my sister and i have always been nostalgic. she and her husband adopted Oliver almost 8 years ago and he soon became my doggy nephew, who i lovingly ran with and showered with attention until Erin had the first baby 3 years ago. now, i am lucky enough to be with someone who loves dogs the way i do, and has a beautiful yellow lab named Datsyuk (named for Pavel Datsyuk, the Detroit Red Wings player and general badass. yes, Trevor has an obsession with hockey and the Red Wings).  not only did i fall in love with an incredible guy and partner, but i love Datsyuk as my own. we have even started to call him "our" dog! from the time i wake up in the morning and he stares at me with excitement with those big brown eyes until i cuddle with him for a little bit at night, Syuky brings me so much love, joy and happiness i feel sometimes like i might explode. dogs have unconditional love for the people who love them and treat them well, and that is a powerful feeling.

Trevor and Syuky walking through the
Portland Arboretum, April 2012

studies have shown that dog owners are generally happier and more fit people, and rightfully so. i try to take Syuky for a run and/or hike at least 3 times a week, and he knows when its time for that. he is so much like a cute little kid sometimes it kind of just kills me. he makes me laugh, he makes me smile and when i'm sad, he comes to comfort me. i have so much gratitude for him and having him in my life; the kind of gratitude that comes with really special people, animals and places. oh and i guess having Trevor around is good too ;).


if you don't have a dog of your own, hopefully there's a dog in your life somewhere that brings you joy and smiles.