Summer Happenings

This summer has been jam-packed with fun! My cousins from MA visited at the end of July and we enjoyed having time to catch up. On August 28, my family and I saw John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl. The venue was amazing, and of course hearing John Williams conduct is movie musical scores such as Indiana Jones and Star Wars was unbelievable! Labor day was also full of fun, as I had the opportunity to return to San Luis Obispo and attend my college roommate Christina's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding and I'm sure they will have a lifetime of happiness.

Farewell summer, hello Fall! It's been fun, but I'm excited for colored leaves, holidays, and brisk mornings!

Weekend Visitors!

This weekend my mom's cousin Carol was in town, as was my friend Seth with his girlfriend Cheryl. It was a wonderful chance to catch up with old friends and family, and I really enjoyed meeting Cheryl! She is such a sweet girl and I loved having the opportunity to finally meet her in person :-). My mom's cousin is always fun to talk to, as she shares many fun stories from her life as a teacher and her childhood with my mom. Good luck with the rest of your travels everyone!

Meeting Patrick Otto

Last Saturday I was able to catch up with the DeMatteo family (en route to their new homestead in Minnesota) in Santa Barbara and meet new baby Patrick. What a cutie pie! It was such a treat to see Dominic and Margaret before their big move. Good luck on your journey :-)!

Memorial Day in The Windy City!

Memorial Day 2010 was full of adventure and so much fun! I visited my Cal Poly friend Emily in Chicago! She is just finishing up a year of service as an Amate House volunteer. She works full-time at a Catholic school where she shares her vast knowledge of science with the students. On Friday I was able to visit her school, volunteer in a kindergarten classroom, and watch her in action as she worked with the students. We spent Saturday with her Amate volunteer friends on the shore of Lake Michigan, at a barbecue, at a happy hour, and strolling along the waterfront. We began Sunday with Mass at a predominantly African American church. It was fantastic! I very much enjoyed the gospel-style music and enthusiastic "peace be with you" at the beginning of Mass. After that, we pounded the pavement in Downtown Chicago and soaked in the sights. Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile, and a Chicago-style hot dog were only a few of the day's highlights. A thunderstorm set in on Sunday night, which we wandered around in on Monday while visiting Millennium Park, Grant Park, beautiful fountains, and enjoying deep-dish Chicago pizza. I bid farewell on Tuesday morning, boarded the El to Ohare, and flew back to CA with wonderful memories of Chicago and valuable time spent catching up with Emily. Enjoy the pics from this once-in-a-lifetime weekend :-)!

Tim "The Master" Bristol, and Beer

This weekend was full of excitement and an array of activities! Friday night I attended Santa Clara de Asis's 2nd annual Brewfest with my friends Dan and Erin. It was fun to see many members of the parish having a good time and I enjoyed tasting a variety of beers without having to order a full glass :-).

On Sunday, my brother-in-law graduated from Cal State Fullerton with his Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. With the ceremony in the morning and a celebratory barbecue in the afternoon, the day proved to be full of excitement! Great job Tim!

Virginia Visit

What a wonderful week I've had! It all started back in February when plans to visit my Cal Poly friend Seth fell through thanks to the blizzard which buried the East Coast in record amounts of snow. Since then, I've had an airline credit full of potential but no travel plans in the works. About two weeks ago my mom called and mentioned that my dad was being sent to VA on a 3 week business trip! She planned to visit him for part of the trip and invited me to use my airline credit to tag along as well. Within 48 hours I had plane tickets, approved vacation from work, and plans to leave in a week-and-a-half. Yikes! That's a lot to take in for someone who's a planner by nature :-).

We had a fantastic time, as evidenced by this sprinkling of pictures from our trip. We saw a variety of sights around D.C., both new to us and ones we had seen before. While Dad was at work (boo hoo), Mom and I pounded the pavement and used the area's slick transportation systems to our advantage. Among many other sights and activities, we strolled through Georgetown, visited breathtaking monuments, paid a visit to George and Martha's estate, delighted in the tulips blooming throughout the city, and of course made our traditional pilgrimage to Dorothy's ruby red slippers. Fortunately we were able to share our adventures with Dad over dinner most nights :-).

On the weekend, the three of us drove south to visit Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. It was truly fascinating and I could feel the magic of history pulsing through me as I stood at the site of the first permanent English settlement in America (think John Smith, Pocahontas, etc.), the most decisive battlefield of the Revolutionary War, and a charming early-American town.

To top all of this fun off, I got to see Seth! A reunion long in the making finally came together despite the weather's frigid attempt to spoil our plans. Attending Theology on Tap with Seth and his friend Dave at a pub in Old Town Alexandria was definitely a highlight of the trip for me.

Enjoy the pics!

The Most Important Room in the House

I'd like to introduce everyone to the Guest Room! It is the most important room in my condo because it is here to welcome anyone who wishes to visit :-). Consider yourselves invited...there's even room for a Pack-N-Play!