Summer Travels....

It has been awhile blogger world – life has been busy and I can’t wait to start blogging normally again and maybe one day I finally be all caught up on sharing everything with you all in blogger land.

I’ll be honest, I don’t travel much.  I have gone on the occasional trip to Las Vegas on a week vacation a couple times – and I make a trip up to Portland a few times a year to visit my best friend and her family. 

That all changed this spring/summer and I’ll admit – traveling is exhausting – but oh so fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I have been to Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Las Vegas, NV and Sacramento, CA all within 6 weeks.  All while trying to squeeze in this thing called work (anyone heard of it?)  and normal life in between.

The trips to Seattle and Sacramento were for my oldest nephew Gage – he has studied and practiced Karate for many many years – and this year the opportunity finally arose for him so utilize his skills during two karate competitions.  My parents, Gage, and I made a mini vacation out of Seattle and got to see some of the sights while we were there! Sacramento was short and sweet – left on a Friday, returned back home the following Sunday… how many sights are there to see in Sacramento anyways? ; )

Gage and other students from his Dojo at the tournament in Sacramento.

Doing his Kata

and again....

All his hard work paid off and he received a SILVER medal for his Kata.

Way to go Gage.

Beautiful Mt. Shasta - located in Northern California.

Then there was Seattle:

Gage ordering room service

The Museum of Flight - Seattle, WA

Gage & Dad

Gage

Gage in an old fighter jet.

Mom & Gage on the way to Puget Sound

Cute little Seagull

Like my Zebra Umbrella? ; )

There are so many pictures from our adventures in Seattle - I am hoping to do a blog just on our trip there - we saw so much and did a lot in those few days we were there!

Students of Scaglione Shito-Ryu Karate

Gage and his buddy Dylan

Gage and his Sensei Pete

All the competitors in Seattle

Ready to get his fight on....

Kata

Gage with his Participation Medal

Proud Grandparents after the tourney.

Then there is Ms. Sydney:

My trip to Portland was a fun, but also shorter than I would’ve liked.  We were on our way home from Seattle, when my very pregnant (a week over due) best friend called me to say the doctor was going to induce her the following day! I went into work that day for a few hours – worked a few hours the next day then drove 4 hours up to Portland to be there for the arrival of my niece.  She was born @ 11:59 that night. I was beyond excited I was there to support my best friend and her husband for the arrival of their daughter Sydney Jayne.  I had a great time hanging out with the grandma’s-to-be while the mom-to-be was in labor! 

Did I mention how happy I was to be able to be there for her birth??? I loved her from the moment I knew that she was in her Momma's belly.  Oh, and I loved shopping for her too, it was fun to shop for a little one again... and a girl to boot.

Sydney and Auntie Lindsay a couple hours after she was born

Adorable as ever....

So Precious

Cutie Pie.

I was able to stay in Portland for a couple days and was even there when they brought Sydney home.  It was hard to leave all of them, especially Sydney.  I may have cried a little when I left.  We are 262 miles away, but I hope she knows she has an Auntie that loves her dearly!!

Sasha sends me pictures via email and text all the time, and I have to say they make my day whenever I get them.  She is growing up so fast, I can't believe she is 3 months already.  I have seen her twice since her birth - she is cute as ever - and her parents are so great with her.  They are the best parents ever - little Sydney is oh so lucky to have them!

I was more than willing to sit next to Sydney anytime we went anywhere!

Me, Sydney, & Sasha

Sydney!!! I just love her to pieces!

Las Vegas

This was a trip I won from a local TV station.  I won round trip airline tickets and 3 nights at the Palazzo Hotel.  My sister and I had a great time – the hotel was very fancy (quite an upgrade from the MGM where I have always stayed before) and the pools were AMAZING.  The trip was shorter than I would’ve preferred – but hey, I was happy to go and I enjoyed every minute.

The had lounge chairs in the pool - yes please!

Our room was amazing....

.....with a sunken living room.

Vegas was fun - I have a lot of pictures to share from that trip too - another post coming soon!

This summer has been a blur; the days have been filled with busy days at work – the evenings filled with baseball games, and weekends filled with birthday parties and a trip to Northern California for All-Star baseball games and a trip to Portland.

I am ready for fall to be here and for things to slow down (but that probably won’t happen with the holidays just around the corner).  But as busy as life gets I am happy and grateful for every minute. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Fall is my favorite time of year... I am so ready for Pumpkin Spice Lattes', Scarfs, and Cute Boots.  I am also so ready to say goodbye to the 100 degree weather and wildfire smoke filled skies that are blocking our views of the beautiful mountains surrounding the Rogue Valley.

Hope you all are having a fantastic Summer.

xo-Lindsay