Jaime's Journeys 2011

2011 is promising to be a year of travel.....not necessarily glamorous travel but travel nonetheless. The months of April/May alone promise at least 3 excursions. The following posts will be my attempt to overcome my lackadaisical attitude toward blogging in the hopes that I might retain some recollection of my fascinating, exciting, mundane, challenging, whimsical, poignant, entertaining, awkward, ridiculous, nostalgic, mysterious, predictable, ludicrous, introspective, pragmatic, and romantic adventures.

Happy "Glad it's not Felicia" Day!!

This weekend we enjoyed the social event of the year thanks to my sweet niece Felicia!! The day started out pretty low key and casual- no stress this morning!!


We started our evening with a celebratory dinner at Il Forniao in Pacific Place and we were joined by the ever fun and entertaining Karen.


Isn't she glowing!?


Once we stuffed ourselves with dinner it was time for dessert....Red Mango- Yum!!



Time for a movie.......what should we see?



Should we see Salt?? (as an aside, judging from my choice of "tough girl" pose, it is probably good that I am not any kind of spy, cop, body guard, undercover agent, ect...)



Of course we are all dying to see Harry Potter....to bad it doesn't come out until November...



So we finally decided on the appropriately anything-but-romantic Vampires Suck...Kimo you are a saint for going along with us on this one!


Special Thanks to Grandpa for watching out for his grandson by taking Jack to The Last Airbender, although I've a sneaking suspicion that they both enjoyed it better that way! (Sorry about the eating pic but this is the only one we caught of you that night.)



Thanks for the fun night and memories Felicia!! We Love you!!

The Lying Down Game

OK- I know this is an improper use of the word "lying" but apparently this is the name of the game- which drives me crazy!

A LAZY-J POST

OK- I would be shocked if anyone is actually reading this but.....you have to admit I have lived up to the title and mission of my blog!

SO....in my ever enduring quest to be the favorite aunt, I have run into a few challenges that have seriously threatened my goal (namely, my sisters). I found myself losing serious ground at the family Christmas Party last month. As the youngest niece, Kiera is the latest pawn in this game of mine. She makes you work for the title and honestly, I just haven't been around as much as I should have been. The whole evening I had to endure her letting Aunt Lysa, Aunt Rebekah and Aunt Allison hold her while she smiled and laughed at them.
Me...lets see...she saw me eating M&Ms and since I didn't think she could have any I tried to hide them behind my back. Of course she was too smart to fall for that, which she let me know by pointing to my back and crying. Minus points for Aunt Jaime!
I was feeling disheartened. I couldn't take her shopping like I did with Kaleigh. A sparkly purse just wasn't going to impress her like it did Olivia. She didn't seem as taken with the princess stuff as was Janelle. And at this age I didn't think a trip to see the helicopter would mean as much as it did to Jack. What was I to do?
Just when I was about to despair my sweet little niece threw me a little bone. She grabbed on to my empty Diet Coke bottle and wouldn't let go in her efforts to drink it. It was then that I realized that we had a connection that no one else could appreciate. This is my girl! I am so proud!




Don't worry Lisa- I didn't really let her drink it- I'll save that for her 21st B-day!

Don't worry- I'm not actually doing a new post and in so doing disregarding the title message of my blog - I just got so cold looking at the last post and thought I would put up some warmer pics from Hawaii in AprilAhh... the waves were so warm, the sand so fine...
Believe it or not, it was poring rain so hard right now, we got drenched the second we stepped off the covered patio.
Kimo, Felicia and Dad enjoying paradise!
Felicia is so fun on vacation- glad she was able to come!Sorry Rebekah- the only shots I could find of you were either you chauffeuring us around or a close up swim suit shot!Yum! Nothing's better than shave ice on a hot day!
Can you guess who's feet are who's?
Okay, after posting these I think it is time to plan the next trip-- Hawaii 2010? Or maybe Hawaii Fall 2009? Hmm.....

Gotta love that Seattle weather!

Yes, I am a true Seattlite in that I savor my dark, rainy days. During the few years that I lived in Utah I would find myself strangely exhilarated and happy on the rare rainy day. It touched something in me that reminded me that home was somewhere else. However, the last month or so has pushed the weather extremes, even for a born and raised Seattle girl.

First, THE SNOW

Generally speaking I do not like the snow- long gone is the potential of a snow day and spending the day sledding and making snowmen. No, now snow means the stress of wondering how long it will take to get to work, will I actually get there, will I slide into someone in my car, will someone slide into me, etc... This time around I do have to admit that it really was a magical, just before Christmas experience. Yes, my car got snowed in at work but there is nothing so pretty as real snow that falls for days and isn't a sloshy mess a few hours after it falls (the typical Seattle snow.)

Next: THE RAIN

I love my Seattle rain so I can't complain, but that led to.....

THE FLOODING

It was amazing how a little rainfall can cause so much damage and devastation. I was working the during the flooding and had the chance to fly in the helicopter over some of the flood areas. I could see house after house literally surrounded by a lake.

Next, MORE RAIN

Then of course THE FOG

I truly love this weather. There is something very comforting about a dark, misty day! I want to curl up with a good book and enjoy some hot soup..... Good thing I have months of this yet to come to enjoy!

All this said, I've found myself more that once thinking back to last June......

THE SUN:

Aah... the bright sun, the warm sand, the surf, the sandals, the lazy days....

Oahu April 2009, Here I come!!

Just to Clarify

Lest anyone think for a moment from my last post that my ultimate loyalty lies anywhere in the rocky mountain region...... Here I am on the worst day in Washington Football history- still in my purple, donning my W necklace (you can't really see it in this pic but I am wearing it) It was such a dark day that I was getting condolences from strangers as I walked the isles of Fred Meyers.

That's okay though- when we're back in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl I won't just be on the band wagon- Please Steve S.-help us!! (even if you do hail from my old Alma Matter)