Picture Recap of Chicago and Texas, I'm Back!

23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.
24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.


5 Hobbies:

1. Amateur crafting, it's so exciting to see something you've made yourself.
2. Cooking/baking, it's not only fun to create yummy things, but then you get to enjoy them.  Who doesn't love food?
3. Attending festivals, I can't get enough festivals.  Whether it's a beer/wine tasting festival or just a street fair, I always find new things that I love and you get to be social.
4. Traveling, even if it's just a weekend trip to a new area, I love everything about traveling (well except long plane rides.)  I love the idea of seeing new things and exploring new places.
5. Blogging, well no explanation needed:)

Family Time:

My family has always been really close, holidays including monthly birthdays were something to look forward to.  Lately it feels like the family has acted more obligated to get together, and the frequency of parties has been reduced.  Sure, back then I looked at things through my fun loving, childhood eyes, but I don't think I'm imagining things.  Perhaps it's because my grandparents are gone (with the exception of my grandpa on my mother's side.)  My immediate family is still fairly close, we all fight and have our issues, but we did when I was a kid too.  I value my family probably more now than I did when I was younger, I'm sure I took them for granted.  Now I understand how important and amazing they are.

Picture recap of my trip - I was in Texas for a wedding reception then onto Chicago for a Packaging Expo.  It was so great to catch up with friends and then hang a bit with my bestie in Chicago, since we were going to the same show.

My nephew, Lino, enjoying the toys at the pumpkin patch.

Renee and Lino, she's got my niece or nephew in her belly! It's a surprise.

Best babysitter ever!!  IPad

The way the beers are served at Red, Hot and Blue! I always enjoy that presentation.

Guts and brains and things at the Halloween themed reception.  

This just made me laugh.  What do people try to use the dispenser for?

Grossest costume ever!!!  But, I couldn't stop staring. The front was worse.  

Me and Mama!

Oh Michael, how I've missed licking your face.

I was right down the street from my old house that I owned in Texas. I had to take a pic. I was pretty excited that it didn't look any better than when I had it.  Grass wouldn't grow in that yard.

I love that everywhere you go in Texas, you can get Dos Equis on tap.

Margarita from the taco stand, so dangerously tasty.

Tequila lime chicken bowl.

Mike and I enjoying a pre-flight brewski.

Mmm, delicious sausage pasta with vodka sauce.

A metal detector that is so patriotic, kind of cracked me up a bit.

View from my hotel room.

Went to a swanky party (a bit snooty) at the Museum of Sciencea and Industry.

A ginormous U-Boat.

My second party of the night was at Dave and Buster's way more up my alley. Beer and video games, yes please.

Like gambling but for kids, the prize being tickets.

I kinda sucked it up at trivia, but I always have to give it a go.

I traded in all my tickets for this amazingly cute owl corkscrew.

View from the McCormick Conference center.  The water was so choppy and intense, effects from that bitch, Sandy.

Only person I saw that dressed up for the Pack Expo, and it wasn't even Halloween. I was cornfused but loved it all the same.

Fannie May is selling chocolates now, what's Freddie doing?

Amazing burger from Bandera!

I didn't have a party invite for night #2, so Mike got me a bracelet to get me into the party they were going to. Yay for free Micro brews, Goose Island Brewery.  I just had to act like I might want to purchase a rotary filler at some point, okay.

I had an amazing time in Texas and Chicago.  I love you Amy, and congrats on your marriage to Russell.  I miss all my Texas peeps greatly.  The Pack Expo was a bit underwhelming, and somewhat boring by myself.  But, I got some ideas for projects for 2013 and I got a ginormous number of steps in.  That center is huge!!

Missed all my blogger buddies, I forgot to bring my charger, whoops.

Vineyard Painting with Kathleen and Stuff (Baseball Stuff)

Painting with Kathleen
I bought a Living Social deal for Canvas! Paint & Sip in Kirkland.  As you know from my blog, I do events like this quite often these days.  I've been raving about it to Kathleen and she was definitely interested in joining.  This company and venue is a stand alone studio, based on my last experience I was nervous it might suck.  Oh no, it was actually a really great place to paint.  The environment was just right, lots of drink options, friendly staff, appetizers, really upbeat music and the freedom to create.  Unlike the other companies, the artist showed multiple steps and just let you go for it.  It's nice because you have free reign to put your own touch on it.  The Living Social deal came with a bottle of wine, yay us!  The painting was a bit confusing, still not sure what the yellow/orange thing is but oh well, it's pretty and colorful.  I'll definitely go back to this place, especially if I can snag more deals.  It is funny the difference between the painting options here and at Corks and Canvas the company I'm more familiar with.  They are more bold, where as Corks and Canvas are more blendy and less defined.  Yup, I love making up words.

The masterpiece.

I told Kathleen how wild it usually gets, so she spilled in order to not let me down.  What a great friend.

 After finishing painting around 9:30 I realized I had signed up to make a dessert for my company's potluck today.  So I had to stop at the store and then go home and make it.  As a consequence, I'm a zombie today, especially because I had to be in at 6am for a test.  Perfect dessert success, well I'm assuming.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars (w/ buttercream frosting)

Getting to Know Alicia

21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?
My super power would be to compel people to be self aware, even if it's as simple as making them realize they are stupid.  I would definitely abuse this power.  No one would be safe, bwahaha.

22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

• 5 Years - Pretty much the same, although I will have finally figured out my love life (shut up friends and mom!)  I know certain people in my life think I'm hopeless, have too high of expectations, am a little too crazy, etc.  But, I don't agree, so there.
• 10 Years - I will be snuggling with my cute kids, one adopted, one biological.  I will be working part time in order to spend time with my babies (a girl can dream right?)
• 15 Years - I think again, more of the same.  Having fun with my family, still loving my career.

Sorry, that was kind of boring.  It's really hard to say where I'd be, but I do know I love my current life.  I really love my career and it provides enough variety to keep me entertained, and really to move up I'd have to stop doing technical fun things and be a manager and sit behind a desk.  No thanks!

Linking Up Linking up with some Friday Chaos, I'm hoping it wakes me up.

It's OK Thursday, Random Thoughts

Yay for Thursday; so close to the end of the week!  Thanks Neely for the fun link-up! It's OK.....
That I overuse exclamation points!!!! That I haven't packed or done laundry in preparation for my trip to Dallas and Chicago; I fly out early Saturday morning That although I have sworn to stop shopping online for myself, I signed up for a Living Social for Cross Fit classes.  My body needs it. That I've been not cuddling my kitty, Lucy enough.  She just attacks me to pay me back. That I haven't bought my wig for my Halloween costume yet. That I have overbooked my next 6 weeks, who needs time to relax? That I had to fight with my contractors, because I won. That I scheduled something for late Friday night even though I have to be at the airport for a 6am flight on Saturday morning. That I'm jealous of my best friend Mike because he's in France. That I got black stuff all over my face today at work, because it looked like I was working hard. That I have to sit in hardcore traffic after work because the end will bring me painting, drinking wine and hanging with Kathleen.

How I feel from time to time.

Weekend Wanderings (Halloween Edition) -- October 26th-28th

The weekly post that provides my readers with all the cool happenings around Seattle for the upcoming weekend.  You will have no excuse to not get out and make memories.


Until Halloween
Nightmare at Beaver Lake – A haunted house and frightening nighttime walk in the park you will never forget.

Details:

• Sammamish, WA
• Family Scare (7-7:45, nightly) - $10
• Full Scare (8pm-11pm Friday-Saturday) - $16
• 21 and over event
• Free parking off 244th Ave SE, just South of SE 24th 

Through October 28th
Senseless - A Mercer Island Haunted Forest – There are people trapped in the forest, lurking within the shadows.  What stories will they share when darkness falls?  They call out for your help but beware.  If you fail them, you become them; lost on a twisted path, stumbling in blindness, deaf to the sounds of life and forever desperate for someone to touch.

Details:

• Island Crest Park, 5500 Island Crest Way, mercer Island, WA 98040
• Appropriate for ages 8 and up
• $15, multiple show times, click here to purchase tickets

Friday, October 26th
Marigold and Mint - Mask Making Workshop – Complete your costume with a woodland-themed disguise courtesy of the mask-making workshop.

Details:

• 6-8pm
• 1531 Melrose Ave (206-682-3111)
• Email to reserve your spot (info@marigoldandmint.com), $30

Friday Night - Sunday, October 26th & 28th
Halloween Festival - Children's Museum – One night of pumpkin carving and then all day festival on Saturday and Sunday.  There are tons of spook-tacular activities planned throughout the day.  Costumes are highly encouraged.

Details:

• Seattle Children's Museum, 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 
• Check out the event calendar to see what's going on each hour.

Friday & Saturday, October 26th & 27th
Snohomish Brew Fest – Come out to the cute town of Snohomish for food, brews and tunes.  Tons of breweries will be present.

Details:

• Friday, 6-10PM, Saturday, Noon-8PM
• Snohomish Center, 506 fourth St, Snohomish, WA
• $25 for One Day (5 tastes, 4 oz each, and a Brewfest sausage dinner)
• $35 for Two Days (10 tastes, a Brewfest sausage dinner and a commemorative cup)

I'll be in Texas celebrating the marriage of two of my friends at their Hallowedding reception.  I also get to see my besties!  I wish I could go to the Brewfest, but I'll just have to hear about it from my mom.

Have a great weekend!