Spring Break in New York - Part 1

We had an awesome Spring Break this year! I'm sure many of you know that Dan has a goal of attending a game at every NHL arena during his lifetime. So last week, we took a trip to NY, NJ, and PA that was organized around hockey games. No, I'm not that much of a hockey fan (or any sport for that matter), but I love our "hockey trips" because they often take us to areas of the country I've never visited before. And going to the live games is way more exciting than watching them on TV, so it's lots of fun for me, too.

We kicked off this trip in the perfect way - at a New York Islanders game!! Dan grew up on Long Island and became a die-hard Islanders fan during the 80s when they won 4 Stanley Cup Championships in a row. Their arena isn't getting any younger, and there's talk of moving the team to another city, so we figured we'd better get out there before everything changes!

Dan's happiest place on earth - the Nassau Coliseum, home of the NY Islanders!

After 9 years of watching their games on TV, I finally got to see one live!

Ahhh, the glory days

After the game, we spent the rest of the day driving around Dan's old haunts. We stopped to take a picture of the house where he grew up. His parents moved to Williamsburg, VA a few years ago, but they owned this house for almost 40 years!

We also saw his elementary school, Lee Road

Dan drove me around some of the neighboring towns & showed me where his family used to attend church, the high school where his dad worked, and some of the restaurants & movie theaters where he'd meet his friends on the weekends. We saw most of his old workplaces and drove out to the beach to make sure the Jones Beach tower was still standing (it was). He said it felt like coming home, and it was fun for me to hear all his stories.

We ate dinner at Cafe Bacci, an Italian restaurant he remembered, and then stopped for dessert at International Delight Cafe. They had about a million gelato flavors to choose from!

Fact: Gelato on a warm waffle is delicious!

The next morning, we continued driving along the NE coast of Long Island, and saw the cutest towns along the way.

The Grist Mill in Stony Brook

Most of the trees were still bare, but we saw beautiful cherry blossoms everywhere

Port Jefferson was my favorite town of the day

We stopped for about an hour to hike around Wildwood State Park, where Dan's family went camping when he was a kid. His memory astounds me! He took me to the exact site where they pitched their tent, then led me through the woods to a secret trail he remembered leading to the beach. I can't even remember where I parked my car when I go to a store.

This is the unlikely-looking trail that leads to the beach.

Found it!

Hello, Atlantic Ocean!

Then we hit the road again and drove to the very NE tip of Long Island to see the Orient Point Lighthouse. Isn't that the perfect East Coast scene?

At Orient Beach State Park

We saw a sign for historic Horton Point Lighthouse which is now a museum, and decided to check it out.

The next day, we drove along the SE coast of Long Island. This is where the famous Hamptons are, and Dan had never driven that far out. I think we enjoyed the NE coast more with their picturesque yet normal towns with schools, churches, & parks. The SE coast was more sparsely populated and touristy. When you did see neighborhoods, they were mostly the gigantic mansions near the water that come to mind when you hear about movie stars vacationing in the Hamptons. Most of them were gated for privacy, so we didn't bother taking many pictures.

We made it all the way to the SE tip of the Island to see Montauk Point Lighthouse.

We also found the Big Duck in Flanders! It's got a museum inside that sells...(wait for it)...duck souvenirs.

For once, Dan was the one wanting to stop for ice cream. :) He really misses Carvel, so we made a point to stop there on our way out of Long Island. Then we were on our way to New York City!

Half Crazy (Again)

I ran my second half marathon this weekend! It was the inaugural San Diego Half Marathon, which my coworkers Janeece and Sammy convinced me to run with them. Janeece has aspirations to run this race every year starting from its inception, so she'll get lots of recognition when she's 100 years old and still racing it. :) Anyway, they talked it up so much that it started to sound like fun to me, too. This is the 2nd race that the three of us have done, since they ran the Rock 'n' Roll last summer, too. It's becoming an annual tradition!

Dan knew that he couldn't run with me because of his bum knee, so he took his bike and rode the entire race. It was fun to have him there! Not only did I have my emergency contact available at all times, but he got to experience the race with me and encourage me when I looked close to death. And he took some videos (they're at the bottom), so if you want to experience a half marathon from the comfort of your chair, this is the time.

We kicked off the weekend with dinner together. Lots of pasta was consumed. From left around the table: Sammy, her parents Lynn and Bob, Rudy, Janeece, me, and Dan.

The "before" picture of the runners: Rudy, Janeece, me, and Sammy.

Dan and I spent the afternoon at Petco Park (the San Diego Padres baseball stadium) on Saturday so I could pick up my race number & other goodies. They had vendors giving out free samples & advertising their wares.

After we left, we took the race map and drove the course so we'd know what to expect the next day.

On Sunday morning, we woke up at 5:00 (it felt like 4:00 because of Daylight Savings...ugh!) and got to Petco Park by 6:00.

It was finally getting light outside by race time at 7:15. I was in the 5th wave of runners (out of 10 waves total).

From the start line we ran down the middle of the streets in the heart of downtown, which was a cool experience!

A nice photo along the harbor with downtown behind us. Dan cracks up because I'm the only one who looks like I'm having any fun. What can I say, I smile every moment of the race because it feels so awesome!

Okay, this is what I look like when I'm not posing for the camera - like I'm about to throw up. My first thought was "Aha! THAT'S why my shoulders were so sore the next day!" Second thought was "Yay - you can see Dan on his bike in the background!!"

BEST PHOTO EVER, kissing the guns. hahaha! I am not dorky at all!

During the last sprint, we entered the tunnel into Petco Park and ran on the field toward home plate to the finish line. They showed us finishing on the big screen and announced our names over the loudspeaker. It was the closest I'll probably ever come to feeling famous!

My finish time was 2:05 - over 5 minutes faster than my Rock 'n' Roll time! I was stoked about it since I blew my goal of 2:10 out of the water! The course was flat with only one soul-crushing hill at mile 9 and then a downhill slope for the last 2 miles, so it was conducive to a fast pace.

The medals were pretty. I wish it was acceptable to wear it in everyday settings. Maybe I can make it into a belt buckle or a very large earring.

Sammy and Janeece ran the whole race together and they beat their time goal, too! It was a good day for all three of us.

Half Marathon #2, done!

And here are those videos. The first two are right before my wave started running. My parents need to see this because otherwise they'll never believe I was excited to run at 7:15 a.m. Wonders never cease.

*Warning - you might want to turn your volume down.* It's exciting at the beginning of the race. And by exciting, I mean there are air horns.



We're happy because we don't feel any pain yet.



And they're off!!

Running along the harbor at mile 3 or 4. Okay, now just keep imagining that for about 2-3 more hours and you have experienced the magic of a half marathon. :)

A Servant's Heart

For President's Day weekend, we took a quick trip to TX to visit my parents & Paul. Paul was living in the rehab center during our Christmas visit, recovering from a fractured pelvis. We made the best of it and trusted that God was providing the right solution for him, but we sure did miss him being with us at home!

Since Dan & I were both off last Monday for President's Day, it was a great chance to make up for lost time since Paul's back home now! He's been through the wringer for the past few months with multiple changes in his pain meds (due to adverse side effects), and there's an adjustment period for his mind & body to get used to any new prescription. But he's much less anxious at home, and he's slowly getting his strength back. An occupational therapist comes to the house 3x per week to exercise with him, and he's working on regaining his independence. One small step at a time adds up, so keep at it, Paul! We're cheering you on!

We got to treat Paul to lunch out - only his second time to eat at a restaurant since before Christmas!

My parents are truly amazing. Their lives have changed just as drastically as Paul's has, and they exemplify Christ's love and humility on a daily basis. I think a person's true character and strength are revealed in the most difficult, stressful situations, and it is clear that my parents are rock solid in their faith, their relationship, and their willingness to serve in any capacity needed. My Bible study leader, Chris, sent me an excerpt from John MacArthur's teaching on footwashing (in John 13:1-17) recently, and I think it describes my parents perfectly.

"When he washes his disciples' feet, Jesus is saying, "Behave in the same manner as I have behaved." Jesus' humility is the real lesson--and it is a practical humility that governs every area of life, every day of life, in every experience of life.

The result of that kind of humility is always loving service--doing the menial and humiliating tasks for the glory of Jesus Christ. That demolishes most of the popular ideas of what constitutes spirituality.

Some people seem to think that the nearer you get to God the further you must be from men, but that's not true. Actual proximity to God is to serve someone else.

In terms of sacrificing to serve others, there was never anything Jesus was unwilling to do. Why should we be different? We are not greater than the Lord: "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed [happy] if you do them" (John 13:16-17).

Do you want to be blessedly fulfilled and happy? Develop a servant's heart. We are His bondservants and a servant is not greater than his master. If Jesus can step down from a position of deity to become a man, and then further humble Himself to be a servant and wash the feet of twelve undeserving sinners, we ought to be willing to suffer any indignity to serve Him. That is true love, and true humility."

Belated Birthday Post

I've been meaning to post some pictures from my birthday for a while now. It is, after all, one of the best days of the year! I was showered all day with phone calls, cards, e-mails, and Facebook messages from people saying they were happy I was born. What's not to love? :)

Also, Dan woke me up with some gorgeous flowers, which I took to work so I could enjoy them all day.

They smelled amazing, and the bouquet got even prettier as all those buds opened up.

Since my birthday was on a Wednesday, we went out to dinner by the beach & had a low-key, relaxing evening. It was perfect! We tried the Firehouse Restaurant in our neighborhood, which shares a building with a firehouse (go figure)

Dan ordered this dainty morsel of halibut

And I got this enormous platter of fish tacos, chips, & beans. :)

And of course no birthday is complete without ColdStone's ice cream!!

Over the weekend, I got to celebrate with friends, too. My friend Cynthia took me to the Aubrey Rose Tea Room in La Mesa for a formal afternoon tea. It was really girly & we had the best time enjoying the ambiance and sampling all the teas & foods. I've read countless historical fiction books set in Victorian England, but this was the first time I've experienced a real "tea time" for myself.

I loved all their personal touches & the pretty decor.

Cynthia & I had three flavors of tea with plenty of cream and sugar. Some of the tea tasted like dessert by the time we doctored it up. :) We also ordered a three-tiered platter of delicious foods. The bottom layer was sandwiches & pastries, the middle layer was fresh fruit, and the top layer was an assortment of desserts. Everything was sample-sized so it didn't look like much food, but we were full by the end!

As a sidenote, while I was sipping tea with my pinkie in the air, Dan went trail biking. He underestimated a downhill slope and ended up flying off his bike! Thank God he had his helmet on, but he's pretty sure he was knocked out for a little while after he hit the ground! After the world stopped spinning, he was able to bike back home sporting a bloody knee, an swollen hand, and a lump on his head. Men ... *sigh* He's been forced to rest for the past few weeks, since he can't play hockey with an injured wrist/hand.

That night, we met one of my old coworkers from Denver, Bob, at the Brigantine in Del Mar. He was in town for a company sponsored event, and it was great to catch up with him! (Sorry the picture turned out so blurry - my camera battery was on its last leg and the lighting was low.)

Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe that we're well into 2012 already! We celebrated New Year's Eve with our friends, Dave and Cynthia, and their daughters, Olivia and Kailey. It was especially exciting to visit their house since it was Kailey's first week home ever! She's had surgeries on her heart and esophagus and other related procedures since her birth day. That little girl has been through more in her 4 months of life than most of us adults have! But God has blessed her and she's doing really well at home. We're so thankful!

As opposed to most nights (ha!) we were not wild party animals on New Year's Eve. We drank sparkling cider and watched the ball drop at 9 pm, which is midnight in NYC. :) But we had a blast catching up with Dave & Cynthia and playing with the girls, and then we headed home at about 10. I'm not too crazy about driving late at night on New Year's Eve, anyway, when there's a good chance of drunk drivers on the road.

Dave & Cynthia, ready to ring in 2012!

Dave & Kailey were happy to sit back and enjoy the live entertainment

Which consisted of Dan & Olivia teaming up to torment their cat, Kobie, with a red piece of yarn. They'd shake it in front of him until he went crazy.

And then Olivia would run in circles around the kitchen to get Kobie to chase the yarn. It only worked sometimes for Kobie, but it successfully wore Olivia out for bedtime. :)

Olivia went to bed before 9:00, but Kailey was right in the middle of our party after the New Year's countdown in Times Square

Dan & I are toasting Kailey's milk (she has a feeding tube for now, since her esophagus is still healing). Happy 1st New Year, Kailey! We're so happy you're home!

And while we're on the subject of babies coming home, we got to meet Chris and Adessa's two-day-old baby, Owen, on Friday night! We drove up to Anaheim for the Ducks vs. NY Islanders game that night. Chris, Adessa, & Owen had just gotten home from the hospital that afternoon, so we bribed them to let us come over by bringing them dinner before we headed to the game.

Owen is so tiny & sweet! He was really alert when we were visiting, so we hope he slept for a good long time that night.

Brand-new dad & mom, Chris & Adessa! Congratulations, guys!

Then we headed to the hockey game, where I had the worst seats in the arena. Seriously, this was my view, and Dan's wasn't much better. And they didn't even warn us that the seats had an obstructed view when we bought tickets. Bad form, Anaheim! The game wasn't sold out, so we moved down a few rows after the 1st period, which was a lot better.

Despite our support for the Islanders, they lost their lead during the 2nd period and the Ducks won 4-2.

And in other news, Dan & I have been making strides towards some New Year's goals. I'm hoping to run another half marathon this year - hopefully in March if I can build up my mileage that quickly, but if not, I'll try for a summertime race. I got a new pair of running shoes from my parents for Christmas and dug my older shoes out of my closet. They'll become walking shoes - one pair to keep at work and one pair for home. Dan thinks it's hilarious that I have three pairs of the exact same shoes, but I hear it's good to buy new shoes every year, and I'm afraid if I change styles I won't like them as well.

We also bought a recumbent bike for Dan! He watches hours of hockey every week on TV, and his New Year's resolution is to work out during the games. It took us 1.5 hours to assemble this baby, but it was well worth it.

This bike was perfect - reasonably priced (at Costco) and it's super quiet, so he doesn't have to crank up the TV volume at all. It also has a book shelf, so I can read while I ride it. So far we both love it!