Day One | On The Road

Life moves swiftly. One day you’re a college student, staying up way too late, playing as much music as you possibly can with a group of people that will forever leave a mark on your life. Then the next, you are waking up far too early, married and making sure that your kids survive and thrive through their lives thus far. Life is now filled with changing diapers, making little meals that mostly go uneaten, and working for the man. Life is also filled with finding little pockets of time to pick up my guitar, usually at nap time or staying up far too late because I feel the need to figure out a lyric or melody that I haven’t been able to shake. 

This is me. I am a creative being that has once again become restless yet hopeful. 

Today, I am setting out from the ordinary in hopes that I can create something of worth once more. Today we are on the road to the northwest, the place that held my heart so tightly for so many years. Those years seem very far away to me now, over a decade has passed since I lived there and immersed myself in the music. Thankfully, some of the friendships I gained while there are still in my life in whatever capacity they can be. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and whoever they are, I think they are correct. 

The life I now live is a very good one, I am certain of it. But, I also know that there is a constant whisper hidden deep within me to create and play music in whatever capacity that I can. I know that I can never fully run away from those whispers, they are a constant companion in my life no matter how hard I have tried to ignore them in the past. I couldn’t stop if I tried. 

We are on the road and heading towards the place my heart longs for more often than not. I am going to record an album with people that have shaped my life in so many ways. I have been working my tail off the past couple of months in preparation for this project, dusting off my guitars and kicking out the cobwebs of my musical abilities. I feel rusty but I am hopeful that once I am back in the swing of things, it will flow from me like a second nature once more. 

It almost feels like we are currently driving into the past. Every mile gets me closer to the person I once was but now I am older, hopefully wiser, and ready to dive in fully with abandon. We are away from our kids for nine days and I hardly know what I should be doing with myself. In many ways, it feels like if I don’t do this project now, I probably never will. But, I know that my children are always watching and they get to see their mom following after her dreams and doing something she believes in. This is important work and I refuse to take that lightly. 

“The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.....So if you’re paralyzed with fear, it’s a good sign. It shows you what you have to do.” 

-The War of Art, Steven Pressfield 

The Great Road Trip | Days 7 & 8

The last two days of our trip were pretty predictable. We were driving and driving......and driving. Overall, from our little home to Portland, it takes about 20 hours to get there or back. I've only driven it straight through a few times in my life and I'm fine with not trying to accomplish that feat yet again. I'm getting to old for stuff like that. All nighters and driving in the dark? No thanks. My eyes just can't handle that like they used to. (I sound old...)

Saturday morning we packed up our bags and hit the road. Our half way goal is always Twin Falls, ID. Saturday was like most days on the road except for one little thing.....It was our 6 year wedding anniversary. 6 years. I found it pretty fitting to be out on the open road the day we celebrate 6 years of marriage together. There's just something about being in a car together, just driving. You can read about our past anniversaries here, here, here. Looks like I failed to blog about it for a few of years.

These past 6 years have been incredible. I am very blessed to have a wonderful marriage. We own our home. We get to do life as parents and raise Marin. We are able to provide for each other and support one another. I cannot imagine waking up every morning and not living life with Ryan.

On our trip, we spoke of what we want the next year to look like. I am very goal-oriented, so conversations like that always get my brain going. We talked about when we would want to start trying to have another child. We talked about jobs. We talked about playing music again and how much we miss it. We talked about health. I want to be able to do life with this amazing man for a very long time.

Over the past few years, we have celebrated our anniversary with pie. It seemed only fitting to find the local Shari's and partake in a tradition while we were on the road. I had the Sour Cream Lemon pie and Ryan has the Smores pie. Add a cup of coffee and I'm set.

The rest of the trip consisted of driving, driving, and driving. We stopped at many questionable gas stations. We ate too much junk. I totally nerded out and started reading the Outlander series. I know...I know....It was very good to pull into our driveway and finally arrive home. Picking up Marin from the Grandparent's house was something we had been looking forward to all week. Marin is making sure that we don't go anywhere for a while. Next time, she's coming with us.

It is good to be back and to slowly get back into the swing of things. I need vacations like this. It helps me focus on all of the other areas of my life. Next vacation though...I want a lot less driving and a lot more beach.

The Great Road Trip | Day 3 & 4

The past two days have been a good blur. Full of friends, super great food, and scenic drives to the coast. Vacation is being very good to us and now we are half way through our trip. As I write this, we are sitting in our hotel room in Seaside, OR. The ocean is right outside our balcony. This is the life. This will probably be a long winded post, so prepare yourselves. 

Day 3 was our full day in the wonderful city of Portland. Aside from the weather being pretty hot, we have enjoyed ourselves. After our pretty decent breakfast at our hotel, we hopped in our car and drove downtown again. The one place we will always stop at while in Portland is Powell's Bookstore. It's a must. It's like a rite of passage when you come to the City of Roses. You have no excuse not to go to this book haven. We bought far too many books and wandered through the isles for a good chunk of time. 

Next, we perused Buffalo Exchange and didn't find a single, awesome piece of clothing. That's a first. For pretty much every thrift store we've gone to on this trip, we have left empty handed. Our wallets are ok with that I guess. 

After the thrift shop, we found the Food Truck Mecca of Portland. After debating about which two trucks to choose from, we decided on some excellent eats and were not disappointed. The first place we went was the Grilled Cheese Grill where we split The Cheesus (two grilled cheese sandwiches as buns with a hamburger and fixin's inside.) Oh my. Our second choice was The Bento Box where we had grilled chicken, brown rice, veggies, and lots of delicious sauces all tossed into a glorious box. We were told that we could go sit and eat at a park a few blocks away. It was wonderful. I'm going to have to detox my diet when I get home. So much goodness. 

We visited a dear friend at work only a block away and got coffee in Pioneer Square. I walked down memory lane so much on Day Three. 

Later that evening, we met many of our wonderful friends at no other place than The Montage. Any place that has amazing mac n' cheese is a place we will go. If you have leftovers, which you usually try to have leftovers, they mold your leftovers into foil sculptures of awesomeness. I loved sharing a meal with people I love and miss so dearly. The night ended with drinks at a pretty awesome dive bar. Good drinks and good conversation. I love this city. I love the people that I call my friends even after all of these years of not living in the northwest. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day Four started with checking out of our Portland hotel and heading to the coast, Seaside, OR. The drive included everything I love about the northwest: cooler weather, lots of trees, and lots of green. We ate delicious sandwiches once we made it to Seaside. Since we weren't able to check into our hotel room until 4pm, we decided to head to Astoria, OR. 

In Astoria, we split a beer flight at Rogue on the Pier. We went to a few more thrift stores and found nothing. We walked around. We drove back to Seaside, OR and walked on the beach, getting our toes sandy and the bottom of our pants soggy. Later we had delicious gelato before finally checking in. (Do you notice a pattern...we eat. We eat a lot of great things.) 

Our room is amazing. We are right on the beach. We have a balcony and a jacuzzi tub. We are planing on ordering in this evening and relaxing since the last few days have been such a whirlwind of craziness and wonderful friends. I can't wait to take a relaxing bath later and look at the ocean. 

We are half way through our trip and I feel the insatiable need to soak it all in. We will be back to reality before we know it. I can't wait to see Marin. I can't wait to take her on a trip like this some day. 

Day 3 & 4. 

The Great Road Trip | Day 1 & 2

Travel always does something within me. I feel like the second we pack up the car and hit the road, all of the cobwebs of my mind, body, and soul suddenly shake loose and I can see again. I can easily get caught up in the everyday, the routine. Don't get me wrong, our everyday is pretty darn awesome. I get to wake up everyday next to a man I love, care for a child that has changed me in ways I never knew were possible, work in a job that I can actually say that I adore. Life is good. But, sometimes, I need a change of scenery. 

I've been anticipating this trip for a while now. The northwest will always hold a piece of my heart from college. In so many ways, I was made in the PNW. I found love, lost it. I found creativity. I found friendship. I found a love for the landscape. the weather, and the people. I love this city with everything within me. It makes me feel alive. It wakes me up. 

We started our trip on Sunday. I worked until 10:30, rushed home, picked up the house (because I like coming home to a clean home...), said goodbye to the kid, and we hit the road. The thing that has pulled at my heartstrings so much in the past few days is the fact that we didn't bring Marin with us. We know that she isn't the best car companion and 20 hours in a car with a 16 month old wasn't the best plan. She is with Grandma and Grandpa Hollen and I know she is having a blast. I feel like I have a missing limb. Next time, kid. Next time, you will come with us. For now, FaceTime will have to suffice. 

We have driven a lot in the past two days. The last time we made this drive, it had either been fall or winter. So driving over passes in the summer has been a nice change of pace. We had some pretty decent gas station coffee along the way. We stayed in Twin Falls the first night and the sunset coming into town was breathtakingly orange and seemed to carry on forever. 

We have eaten breakfast at hole in the wall diners. We have listened to good music and podcasts. I have been reading an excellent book. We have replaced a burnt out blinker bulb in the car. We can't believe how hot it is out in the PNW right now. 90 degrees or more. Seriously???

Yesterday, we made it to our hotel, sweaty and road weary. We freshened up and headed downtown. One beer, one shot, and a burger with peanut butter on it, and I was content. We both agree that that was probably one of the top 3 burgers we've ever eaten in our lives. I love this place. 

 But alas, we have arrived in the city that I love. We have all of today to spend exploring and then this evening we are meeting a bunch of friends for dinner at one of my very favorite places. 

I love vacation. I needed this vacation. 

I miss our kid. 

A Weekend In Montrose: Losing Ones Mind with Family

A weekend or so ago, I went with a bunch of my family to Montrose, Colorado. My Grandma has Alzheimers and even though most of us don't want to think of this: she isn't doing to well. I haven't seen this side of the family nearly as much as I'd like so I jumped on the chance of spending a few days with them.

Listening to John Mayer. Loudly.

My traveling, baby bump.

Alzheimers is a crazy, crazy disease. Seeing a family member go through that makes me wonder if losing my mind or my body first is better or not. That's not really something one wants to think about, but it feels very real to me lately. Seeing my grandma so frustrated because she can't communicate like she once did is tough. I can't even begin to fathom what it is like to literally lose your mind. Do you know? Is she aware? 

At least, I know with complete certainty, that she is surrounded by family and people that love her. This woman carries a legacy. She had 7 kids. She raised them as the strong woman I know she is. My grandpa is also one of the strongest individuals I've ever met. He loves her, even when she might not have any idea who he is, he loves her. He's there. He's taking care of her and himself the best that he can. That's love. 

My Grandpa Triplett

I understand that our lives do come to an end at one point or another. I just pray that when that time comes for me someday that I am surrounded by family, much like my grandma. 

In the end, family and God are really all you have. 

That is enough. 

BITS & PIECES: The Road Trip

This post is inspired by Bleubird Vintage and her bits and pieces posts. Please be sure to check it out. I love the little peeks inside her creative world and her family. These are the odds and ends from our trip. I want to capture these moments. 

one. road trip poncho + sunnies

two. farms and more farms. 

three. classy hotel in kansas. 

four. breakfast at anton's coffee shop.

five. rad bar at the coffee ethic 

six. i have everything i need in this picture. 

seven. the coffee ethic

eight. massive tub