Running and reflection.

We got back to Seattle yesterday after spending our last day laying low- going to the gym and then spending time with family who came over to celebrate my grandpa's 92nd birthday (which happens to be today-WOAH! 92 years young!)

It's always hard for me to leave Kansas City, I guess because I do have so many fond memories there as well as so much history. And, of course, friends and family. I feel perpetually guilty when I'm back there because I wish I WAS there more- for my family, friends, and just because I do miss all that the midwest encompasses. This time in particular I was moved by the thunderstorms and just the pure essence of summer in the midwest that takes me straight back to my childhood...it's like a giant warm fuzzy blanket that you never want to forget- the smells, the warmth, the feel of it around you. But then, I'm back here in Seattle and though very different from the midwest, I realize that I DO love this city. It DOES feel like home. I WOULD miss it if I were to leave.

I'm not sure if I'll ever not feel guilty about not living in Kansas City but I do know that I made the best decisions I could for my life and so far, they've worked. I have a good life, a good job, and I've met incredible people along the way. And even though I'm physically far away, it's really not THAT far... a measly 3 hour flight, right? I was thinking about all of this today on my run on a gorgeous Seattle day after leaving one of my favorite clients, a day where I appreciate all of the beauty that is Seattle and really enjoy what I do up here. I don't know what the right answer is and if it's normal to always feel this sort of internal conflict or tug between choosing where you sometimes feel the pressure to be versus where you want to be (and sometimes you really do want to be in both places!) but I do and I guess I'll just embrace it. It is difficult to live away from a place where you do have history but you also have to make the decisions that are best for you...and visit "home" as much as possible. Anyway, enough reflecting.  Pictures from the run:

On my run, I saw little kids running around in bathing suits. It was 60 degrees outside. Now THAT is a true "Seattle-ism" that will always crack me up, especially after my Phoenix summers of 115 million degrees. 60 degrees = brrr no matter how you slice it. Oh well, I guess it is at least evidence or a hope that summer is truly around the corner up here in the pacific northwest.

First time golfing. June 13, 2011.

On Monday in Kansas City after a long walk/run in the woods that morning, we took Justin to his first round of torture, er, golf with the Baker family. We do this to all the boys I bring home just to make sure they are tough enough to hang with this fierce crowd. Kidding. Sort of. He's gotten out of it so far as it's been too cold everytime we've been back. But, he should probably get used to it as it's a fairly common activity for our family. And in all reality, I think he's completely on board. After spending 3 hours at the driving range with my pops, I think he's got the golfing bug. And, he's actually not too bad! (Shocking *sarcasm* given his competitive nature). Here are the shots from the day:

Ta da! All in all, it was a great day, as always (even though my mom, Justin and I lost the scramble to my still rockstar dad. How is he SO GOOD? Oh wait... practice... I, however, SUCKED due to lack of practice. Or perhaps, I just subconsciously wanted to kill several squirrels with my line drive chips and out of control drives?)

Trip to the midwest #2. June 12, 2011.

Again, completely miserable title. So sorry. It is what it is.

Before I launch into this fabulous day #2, a couple of forgotten pictures from day #1:

COWS. Cows, cows, cows! Spotted as we were pulling out of the wedding celebration that was in the middle of nowhere and PROOF that it was in the middle of nowhere.

And Justin riding along in the hoop-de-van (he gets great amusement that I drive a mini cooper in real life and a mini van when I'm at home-HILARIOUS, I say, with sarcasm). And, here- pasture out his window, again, PROOF. It was literally farmland. A great experience for Mr. V to have.

Ok, so day #2. After an exciting day the day before filled with weddings (ok, one wedding) and friends and family, we got up Sunday morning to go to church with my parents, where we saw more friends and family. Above- photo shoot after shoot. Below- I like to call it "the many faces of Jenn" (aka: embarrassing- Why must he take so many?? And how did he do it so fast without me knowing?)

And oh, finally, a cute one of us! After the mini photo shoot, we ate lunch with my parents then my mom and I headed out to shop while the boys (my dad and Justin) headed to the driving range for Justin's first official "Dave Baker golf lesson." They were gone for about 3 hours and didn't want to come home so I'd say it was a success. I think we may have another golfer on our hands....

After golfing and shopping, we headed to my brother and his roommate, Jon's, new house in downtown Kansas City (sort of by Westport). I LOVED this cute little neighborhood and was completely jealous. Their house was so cute inside. It was actually a decent size, too!

The above is a shot of the guys as we were walking down the street to dinner- fric and fracs, an old school Kansas City joint. And with that, we wrapped up the end of another great day in KCMO.

Trip to the midwest. June 11, 2011.

Perhaps the most boring title ever, I apologize.

We got into Kansas City at around 10pm Friday night. And then listened to an incredible thunderstorm around midnight. It was like a welcome back present to me from my hometown. I do miss a good thunderstorm. Though with the Joplin tornado fresh in everyone's head, it was a little freaky.

After a bit of sleep, we woke up the next day ready to hit the gym. And let me just say, if I haven't mentioned it before- gyms in the midwest are HILARIOUS. I did not KNOW it was possible to work out in carharts and cowboy boots. I also did not get the memo that I should be working out in carharts or cowboy boots (or both!) OH, and average age of people there? About 88. And I'm pretty sure they could have kicked my ass. Justin and I stick out like sore thumbs when we go to this gym.

After the gym we OF COURSE had to get root beer milk.

I think this root beer milk might be one of the top three reasons (if not the top reason) that Justin agrees to come back to the midwest with me. He's in love. With the milk. "It's like a root beer float." (and Jenn gags). Root beer = nasty Milk= nastier and the combination = gag. But, I'm glad you love it baby!

Did I mention how incredible the weather was back in Missouri on this day? It was PERFECT. About 80 degrees, sunny, no humidity. We agreed that everyone that was complaining about the heat back there in the prior week was lying. No way could it go from sticky hot to perfect. Oh wait. We are talking about the midwest here. Sorry, had a quick lapse of memory on the fickle midwest weather.

Anyway, regardless, we took the opportunity to sit out on the back porch to enjoy the weather for a long while before we had to be at our next stop...

...which just so happened to be a picnic wedding celebration in (I have really no clue where but somewhere remote and rural) Missouri for one of my best friends from college, Miss Jill and Kyle (who had been married earlier that morning!) Wow, overuse of parenthesis- sorry.

A shot of our spot for the afternoon. I do miss a good midwestern picnic on a farm. Nothing quite like it.

And above- a shot of all of the girlfriends from college with the beautiful bride in the center. PLUS, there are THREE babies in tummies up there too! (NOT MINE). Although, I swear everyone we know is pregnant so hopefully that baby virus doesn't hit me too soon... More pictures of the pretty girls to follow in our little photo shoot:

After hanging out for a few hours visiting with old friends, Justin and I took off to head to Lenexa, Kansas where we went straight to my aunt and uncle's new house. They just moved back to the midwest from San Francisco (I KNOW). Their house is gorgeous and we spent the night sitting on the patio, chatting, drinking wine and eating. It was great to visit with them and even though I know it was a tough move, it's great to have them in a place that I know I'll see them more frequently. Of course, I was so wrapped up in talking with them, I forgot to take pictures. Oh well.

After spending several hours with my aunt and uncle, we headed home... it was a day full of fun- one of the 10 days of perfect weather the midwest has a year, good, old friends, happy occasions (congrats Jill and Kyle!) and catching up and spending time with family. Doesn't get much better.

Stress relief.

What does a girl do after an extremely stressful week of work coupled with classes for work, plus trying to get to go on vacation FROM work (takes an act of god, I tell you!), not to mention packing and all that crap? Squeezes in a 35 minute run for 3.74 miles.

Followed by what might be one of the best things ever: wine night with girlfriends. (See Stacie's post here since I neglected to post pictures). Even though I didn't get home until 9:30pm and had class (again) bright and early the next day at 7:30am, packing flew by since I was a little under the influence. And I didn't even care that I might be missing my favorite jeans or running socks. I must be a pro at this stress relief thing. Or maybe I'm just a procrastinator?

Si take #2

On the second "official" day of summer following the previously glorious 78 degree, sunny day, we headed out to hike Mount Si. Again. Second hike of the season, check. We had recovered fully from the hike the week before and decided on Si again as it's challenging enough and, again, doesn't have snow still. This time the group was me, Justin, Katie, and Jen. Justin and I flew up this time (apparently Jen had strep throat- she found out the day after we did this- so felt like crap. Obviously. I'm telling you, we aren't wimps here). So, Justin and I broke off and flew up and shaved 10 minutes off our time from the week before. We did it in about an hour and 20 minutes. Awesome. And HARD.

Our view at the top. So gorgeous, especially considered to our mystic, foggy non-view from the week before.

And one more.

Here we are.. please excuse us, we look like hell (or perhaps, we look like we are on drugs? Or got beat up by a mountain lion?) as we just managed to kick our own asses.

And Justin at the top. We decided to be awesome (er, stupid?) again and run down. We did great and shaved 10 minutes off our time there, too. AND! Bonus! We weren't even that sore this week! We did, however, feel like complete ass after the hike all day. There's no doubt it's a great workout.

It's June, what?

It's June and this was my view this morning:

When I was sitting outside in VERY warm temperatures, in the SUN, on our way to well over 70 degrees. Like 78. Blink blink. Blink. Really? 

It took a while for us in Seattle to realize that we weren't dreaming about the awesome weather. I mean, JUNE. June is ALWAYS the worst month here. Think 50 degrees and rain. But, it's June and we had our first "official" summer day. Sun, beach, BBQ's.... Now, we're just crossing our fingers that we aren't digging in to our quota of nice days that we get for rest of the summer.... (seriously this is how people from the pacific northwest think).

National running day

Today is national running day!

In honor of this day and all runners out there, I decided to go on a run. This was a bit of a complicated decision seeing as how I could barely WALK on Monday after the first hike of the season (see here) and just BARELY squeezed in a 2 mile run yesterday. But, today, I sucked it up, told the old legs to screw off and decided to run. (ok, hold your horses and stop throwing things, I KNOW it is this attitude that gets me injured- BUT I've been injury free for 3 months... that counts for something, right?!) And somehow, at the end? I managed to do 5.5miles averaging at a 9:30 pace. Pretty good for sore legs, I'd say. And I got to contribute to this day of running, the sport that has grown to mean so much to me in our endless love/hate relationship (only hate when it doesn't cooperate and makes me injured...)