Monday, July 25, 2011

July 24

Get outta bed!!
Needed to get out of the apartment today. Needed to be anywhere but inside. So I grabbed lunch at the nearest Togos and sat outside eating, listening to my iPod on shuffle, and reading. Let's just say THIS MAN and his new album are amazing. That is all.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

July 23

Grats!
Since I've got nothing for this day, I want to take a minute (or a post) out to congratulate my friend, who climbed Half Dome in Yosemite for the second time in a year. She and I, along with some other crazy friends, got a wild hair up our behinds last July and made the 14 hour trek up and back down the trail. For the record, I almost didn't make it up to the top of the rock. This is the girl who literally held my hand and talked me up with each and every step. No joke. This is my story, if you're ever-so-interested. So congrats to R, who made the ridiculous journey a SECOND time this past month. When asked if it was easier the second time around, she said it was scarier because she didn't have to concentrate on getting my pansy behind up the rock. My friends are rad.

July 22

Friggin back
So I hurt my back at CrossFit a few weeks ago. I did a lift wrong and ever-so-slightly arched my back. That was over three weeks ago and it still bothers me. Since I don't really want to mess with a back injury, I've been going to the chiropractor and staying away from the actual workouts at CrossFit. Which is killing me. Literally. So, instead of sitting around doing nothing, I've been rowing a 5K at the gym so that I can at least keep my endurance up. I'm glad to report that I rowed a 5K on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. In those 3 days, I've cut a minute off my time, which, to me, is huge.

Monday's time = 24:31

Thursday's time = 23:34

July 21

No, I'm Mexican...
"...But I am partly Italian, " I said to the Mayor.
I spent the day at the pool with a friend. I really don't need to get any darker than I already am. You see, I'm one of those people who go out in the sun and I turn black. It's fun for the first few times I'm out there, but then I get REALLY dark. I'm getting to the REALLY dark stage of my tan now. But I can't NOT stay out of my bathing suit and near water. I love the summer because of the weather. I love to be near water. It's part of who I am. So I guess I'll just wear a hat to protect my face and a ton of sunblock to try and minimize the cancer.

Notice the almost-black shoulders

July 20

Baby Cheeks
I'm really slackin on taking pictures. However, I'm pretty sure that on this day, my Baby Cheeks said, "Aunt Brandi." Although it sounded a lot like, "Happen," my parents swear that she's been saying it a lot and that they know it's my name. So here's an oldie, dedicated to my Baby Cheeks, who has stopped being stubborn (for the time being) and FINALLY knows who I am. Phew. Oh, and she gives high fives, especially when she poops in the toilet. It's kind of a big deal to us grown-ups.

July 19


Me vs. the couch
Pretty sure I spent the day on the couch so I'll provide you with yet another one of my favorite moments from the DMB show in Chicago. Apparently he's played this song a few times, but I had never heard it until this show. Here's the actual song from the show by someone who could actually film close up.

July 18

A whole lotta busy
I ran a ton of errands on this day and really have nothing important to announce here. So instead, I will post the videos I took of parts of one of my favorite DMB songs that he FINALLY played for me (yup, alllllllll for me) at the Chicago show. One of his best. songs. ever.


Warehouse opening


Warehouse chorus (bouncy, because I was groovin)

July 17

Laughlin, out
Headed home on this day. After two weeks of traveling, I was ready to be home. I needed to not be living out of a suitcase, I needed my own bed and shower, and I needed some down time. On our way home, we took this picture. The diesel in front of us changed lanes and the driver laughed. We all looked up and freaked out for a second, until we could wrap our minds around the fact that we weren't about to die. Good thing.

July 16

Laughlin, day 4
Bowling day!! The reason we planned the trip in the first place. Good times had by all, for the first part of the day at least. I kicked some serious butt bowling, at least the first game, and won me some money!!

High score game = 171

The ladies of the trip

Me and Gina "makin it rain" at the awards meeting

Most of the gang, after bowling

July 15

Laughlin, day 3
By this day, the boat was running like a champ. There was some wakeboarding, some more beer (not vodka drink) pong, and some visiting with other river-goers.

Safety first while our wakeboarder is in the water

Beer (not vodka drink) pong

July 14

Laughlin, day 2
Oh, Lord. I used to go to the river back when I was in my early 20s and I would party. You should know that I'm not a big partier to begin with, so when I party, it doesn't take long for the party to start, if you catch my drift. So on this first day out on the river, we had some boat issues and were stranded in a cove for most of the day. With lots and lots of alcohol. And a beer pong inflatable table which turned into a vodka drink pong table for my team. Needless to say, we had some fun and I pretty much was asleep on the scoot back to the dock.

The cove we were taking refuge in.

The 3 boys trying to fix the boat.

July 13

Laughlin, night 1
We actually didn't do much of anything but drive there in the evening on this day. We stopped in Barstow to wait for the other car of friends who were staying with us. And when we stopped, we shopped. Ok, I didn't shop, but there was some shopping done. And during our shopping, one of us came across this shirt, which made us giggle. Don't worry, no one actually bought it.

July 12

Like we were 22-years old, alllllll over again....
I don't have a picture of this night.
That's completely untrue. I do. But I'm not posting it. Let's just say that one of my oldest and dearest friends and I went out to a restaurant/bar and had dinner this night and what conspired was nothing short of crazy and funny and surprising and fun, all rolled into one awesome night.
But for my memories, and for the memories of those who were honored enough to hear the story, I will post some random clues. I warn you, the regular reader may not know what the heck any of these mean. But the rest of us will giggle.


 I can only imagine....

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

July 11

Chicago, out...
It was a short trip, but it was a ridiculously fun one. Our flight didn't leave until later in the afternoon, so we still got to do more sightseeing. We did the Chicago River Architectural Boat Tour (it always makes me think of Vince Vaughn in The Break-Up) and then we drove around a bit and had some Chicago-style deep dish pizza.



Part of the skyline. Rad.

SNL skit, apparently?
I don't watch it enough...


Burnt cheese around the edges... amazing. And although I'm a bread person, 
I prefer the New York/thin crust-style over this.

July 10

Chicago, sticky day 2
Sightseeing, humidity, and Dave... oh my. We walked around the city and saw some of the well-known highlights during the day. In the evening was the DMB Caravan. Here are a few pictures of that:

A little view of the city.

 A little Ferris Bueller.

A little Bean.

A little "Love and Marriage...."

A little Dave in the evening.

A little more Dave with the ladies.

A whole lotta dirt and grime. Yuk. No, that's not my cigarette butt. 
I didn't notice it until after the picture was taken. Gross, I know.

July 9

Chicago, night 1
Aside from the bumpy flight over, with hot employees and real-time TV, our first night in Chicago was a complete success. Define success? Well, let's see... we had a run-in with an ex boyfriend (not mine), met a few cool Minnesotans, chipped a tooth (not mine), poured a beer over a guy's head for chipping a tooth (not me), and got in as the sun was coming up. This, all within the first 12 hours of touching down in the great state of Illinois.

The game where Japan knocked out Germany. I got to see it live, 
while flying at 33,000 feet above ground.

Michelle on the left, who lives out in Chicago and was kind enough to show us 
a local's point of view of this amazing city.

Friday, July 8, 2011

July 8

Tejas, out
Flew home from Texas today. Now I have a few hours to do laundry and pack before I leave for Chicago tomorrow. Here's what my suitcase threw up.

July 7

Tejas, Day 4
Megan's hubby was kind enough to take the kids today so that she and I could go out galavanting around Frisco, TX. Without the kids, we could drive the "big kid car," aka the RoRo, as her hubby and his friend apparently call it. I kept seeing guys look at us and after about the third time, I realized they were looking at the car. 


Cheese fries has become another staple in my visit to Texas. Good thing I can't work out because I hurt my back. Oh wait...


Our annual GNO picture. We went to dinner with Meg's sister, who recently moved to Frisco, Texas, and another friend of mine who I met randomly in Vegas, and who later moved to Frisco, Texas. Small world.


When we got home that night, the house was dark, but her hubby left the light on in the hallway that leads to the room I was sleeping in. How cute is that??

July 6

Tejas, Day 3
Meg kept telling me that she wanted to take me to Sam Moon when I got to Texas. I had no idea what it was, but said I was down to go. Today we went.


Apparently Sam Moon is the purse/jewelry/hair accessory MECCA. This is what I saw when I walked in. I think it took us a little over an hour to get through the whole store. I bought two rings and a purse, in case you were wondering.


Model house exploring kinda became our thing, ever since the first time I came out to Texas. You have no idea how big and beautiful these homes are. And how ridiculously cheap they are in comparison to California. We didn't get to go in this home (my dream home) because people actually live there (bastards!), but we went in the model next door. 

When we got back with dinner, Grady kept wanting to go outside and play "bubbles." So I stepped in and helped the kid out. He kept saying, "Beanie! Bubbles!" Apparently Brandi in Gradyspeak is Beanie. I love it.


Grady loves Charlotte, or Chachi, as he calls her. He loves her so much, he thinks she's a horse. God, he's cute.


This is the smile I kept getting from Wyatt, who just had his bath in this picture.

July 5

Tejas, Day 2
Grady asked for about an hour for a cupcake. So after lunch, we went to Dimples and got him his cupcake. I think most of it ended up on his face, hands, the table, and the floor. But he was a happy kid.


Wyatt loves me. Every time he sees me he smiles and then comes over to me. This is one of the many times he crawled over, pulled himself up, and hung out with me.


I got me a new, sparkly watch. I've been wanting a watch for a long time. Finally found one that I liked.

We also stopped by Sonic (who has a happy hour, in case you didn't know) and got Meg her Diet Cherry Coke. I wanted some tots (who doesn't love tots??), but asked for cheese on the side. I assumed it was dipping cheese when I asked for it. Apparently I was wrong.

July 4

And so it begins...
For the next 5 days, I will be in Texas, visiting my BFF. Then I will take off to Chicago for 3 days of awesomeness. Then I will round out my traveling by going to Laughlin for 4 days with some friends. Rad.
I took off or Texas today. Here are some fun pictures from my flight. Most are from the magazine inside the seat pockets where you can buy random, but well thought out, stuff.




Pay close attention to the pictures: You flip, you blow, you rest. Of course!!

Travel weights that inflate with water! GENIUS!!!!

Can you find the grammatical error??

I'm sorry, my who?

Fluffy clouds