I just booked my flight to California!!!
At the end of January, Corbin and I are going to take a quickie extended weekend trip to visit my family.
On the agenda:
1) a stop at Pink Berries. Like as soon as we leave the airport.
I'm going to need it after 6 hours of flying with an angry elf on my lap.
I'll probably insist that we hit In-N-Out burger on the way to Hollister, as well. Since we'll be passing a few of them anyway.
2) Mi Familia! My parents (hollah!) just moved into a new house. I can't wait to get my hands on my mom's closets and cabinets and organize them for her. I love arranging other people's furniture. It's like playing dollhouse for grown ups. I'm actually planning to spend most of my weekend helping them get unpacked and tucked into their new place. I also can't wait to get my hot little hands on my Grandma Lawrence's antique iron and convex glass picture frame. I'm saving room in my suitcase for both of them, Mom. Don't worry.
3) RUN! It was freezing here, today. Freezing. And on Facebook, all of my Ca peeps are whining things like "dang, I can't run today. it might rain." I love to run in the rain. Know what's not fun? Running a 1 mile lap around a shopping mall 8 times, because that's all you could find that didn't have any ice on it. Ok...that's sort of fun, too. But I'm really looking forward to running in short sleeves. maybe even shorts, if I'm real lucky. Shorts! No gloves, no hat, no underarmour, no jacket, no tights under my pants. no water bottles that start to turn into ice by the end of a long run. Just gimme some California sunshine! Everything is super green in Ca at this time of year, because it rains so much. I'll take rain. I'll definitely take green scenery.
I'll take anything if my family is there.
We're running the Rotary Club San Juan Bautista Mission 10 miler.
The San Juan Mission and grounds are gorgeous, and I have some great memories singing there. I'm super excited that the start and finish line of the race will be this rockin' building. Fabulous scenery. And 10 miles is a perfect race distance for me. I'm stoked, and hope to hit a PR at this one. San Juan and Hollister friends, come run with us! Or come watch and cheer so we run faster. Or just come to show support for Rotary and their worldwide efforts to fight Polio.
4) Super Taq will be consumed post-race. I can't risk eating there beforehand, because....well I don't live in Ca anymore. Sadly, this means I no longer have the necessary tolerance built up for a pre-race super taco. I'll make up for it by eating there several times on Saturday. I'm sure this is also a risk, since I fly home Sunday...but I'm willing to sacrifice the comfort of everyone else on my flight home to get my carne asada on.5) The Oakland Temple
I've said this 1,000 times before, but I'll say it again.
I've said this 1,000 times before, but I'll say it again. Driving 4 hours each way to our closest temple is not easy. The winter months make it a particularly difficult trip to plan. Two of our temple trips that we planned last year were shut down because of inclement weather. At best, the drive to OKC is an exhausting trip to make, but once we attend the temple....wow. The service that is done, the Spirit that is felt, and the feeling I leave with confirms my testimony that any sacrifices I have made, and more, are worth it. I love the temple.
My family is SO lucky to live only an hour and a half away from a temple. Local friends, can you imagine?! That's close enough to go and be home with time to spare before the kids are home from school! Amazing.
The Oakland Temple was closed for renovation the last time I was there, so I really hope to go this time, especially since I'll have unlimited access to a fazillion family members who will be begging to watch little Corbin for me while I sneak away for a few hours. That alone is a huge blessing in and of itself.
6) Color my mom's hair.
I am 100% certain that this will somehow end up on my agenda, so I'm just going to add it now. Mom, you should be prepared to A) color my hair in return, and B) have your picture taken whilst your hair is full of solution and you look like CindyLou Who. I can't resist. Plus, you have a birthday coming up, and I'm out of embarassing photos of you to post on this here blog.
Correction: I'm out of embarassing photos of you that don't also include an embarassing photo of me in them. We need to work on that.
Yay for California.
I really love my running buddies. I don't feel safe running alone (watch Dateline much?), but I am blessed to know many girls to like to run and I'm surrounded with wonderful, inspiring personalities. We have a great time together, motivate and support each other, and keep each other entertained with stories while we run. We stopped today and posed for this picture after about 5 miles, I think. 