In a Nut Shell...

Del Cerro Hike

In light of our last wsg meeting, we decided to have a "see you later" activity day~ I'm ALWAYS appreciative of any time spent with these girls! We are so very different, yet so similar in numerous ways~ I love how we have similar passions & how we can easily laugh together! I've only know them for a short period of time, but the level of intimacy shared between our group allows me to feel a tight bond with each individual. Exposing yourself truly opens doors to growth & it defines relationships. I love you all!! <3

taken by CK!

The beginning of the trail was easy & all downhill. The journey back... not so much~ =P 

freeze!... picture time~~

Totally overexposed, but I LOVE this pic <3

getting lost in His beauty

yellow fever

Spoon House! The most interesting Italian/Japanese fusion spaghetti~
(i.e., sea urchin, squid, fish flakes, seaweed, roe, etc... you choose!) 

Falling in love with Chicago

Our little dong seng (younger sibling by blood or relation) visited a few months ago after starting law school in Chicago... She came back SKINNYYYY. My friends and I took notice and thought of a brilliant idea!! We wanted to visit & tour the city, but we also wanted to stock her refrigerator to ensure she's being taken care of... Once we flew in, we realized she was doing GREAT for herself! She basically took care of US during the trip~ hahah

I had such a fabulous time with these three ladies~ Mainly, because (1) we share conversations that feed my soul- there is depth, encouragement, thoughtfulness, integrity, humor, & Christ, (2) we're drama free, & (3) we indulged in music & arts! Hands down, a very memorable weekend!!

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip:

Best breakfast @ Yolk

Northwestern University library

Chicago skyline from the 96th floor of the John Hancock Center

My favorite drink, Jack & coke.

hahahaha!!

coming to life, Lurie Garden

I love the energy of this pic!!! LOL

Isn't this such a calming picture??
Looks like she's deep in thought... never stop that engine~

hamburger festival!

Lighting makes or breaks a pic~

I <3 cherry tomatoes!

A miniature fountain on the sidewalk... tinted blue....
First thing that came to mind: 2000 Flushes =P

Don't you love the horse carriage in the background?!?!

M had to leave early for school & work our last day there.
We placed post-it notes all around her apartment, made a flower arrangement,
& restocked her kitchen.

This one would've looked better w Lake Michigan showing through the window~
Still need to figure out how to do that without compensating the yellow...

Wedding Bells


Joshy Woshy (aka Happy) finally got married this weekend!! Congratulations!!! Some of my fondest memories from college are shared with him~ From dorming in Zapotec, Templo Del Sol to hanging out with him & other friends/roomies @ College Manor. We were a pretty tight knit group of friends, but we branched off after graduating. I realized its been 4-5 years since I've seen some of them! It was so heart warming to catch up with these old friends and I had such a great time being in their company~

Pictures taken with Droid, Incredible2:

2.5 hrs of traffic!!!
I gave myself ample time for traveling, but ended up arriving right when the ceremony ended...
I felt like the biggest jerk!!
Never met the two on the ends, but I wanted a picture of the couple in front of the marina!! heheh

program <3

We had 3 hours to kill... so in light of our college days,
we challenged ourselves to a game of beer pong! hahah

mom-to-be!!!!

dad-to-be getting some practice in =P

2 month old mom?!?!?! omg... I was getting hit left & right with shocking news~ lol

baby Niko <3 <3

the boys with overflowing personalities!

Happy looks so happy =)

The gang! Ahhhh such good times~~

The ladies showing the peanut some love~~

We were soooooo exhausted afterwards!! haha

Costa Rica is "pura vida"


Next up, CR!!! I'm eagerly anticipating this trip!!! I'm a girl who admires mother nature's beauty! I love swimming in the ocean, camping, hiking, taking in views from mountaintops (or helicopters! =P), etc... As cliche as it is, I love "smelling the roses".... we often take these things for granted, but take a second to breathe in the natural beauty of the outdoors~ I definitely find it humbling when realizing how BIG the sky/ocean/mountains are and how insignificant my problems and worries are... anyway, CR is all about lush lands (& big insects!! ewww)... I found this video and it just made me all the more excited about my upcoming vacation!

"and Puerto Rico is another country" HAHAHA!!!

The concept of "pura vida" is accepted country wide. The literal translation is "pure life." It's the country's motto, their way of life (similar to the idea of hakuna matata). Not only does it reflect a relaxed, easy-going lifestyle, it can also be used in salutations. 

-¡Hola Tamara!, ¿Pura vida?              -Hi Tamara, ¿Pura vida?

-Muy bien, gracias a Dios.                   -Very well, thank God.

-¡Diay Felipe! ¿Cómo vas?                  -Hey, Felipe! How’s it going?

-Pura vida, ¿y vos?                             -Pura vida, and you?

-¡Nos vemos mañana!                          -See you tomorrow!

-Pura vida, ¡chao!                               -Pura vida, bye!

-¡Muchas gracias!                                -Thank you very much!

-¡Pura vida!                                         -¡Pura vida!

-¿Usted conoce a María?                    -Do you know Maria?

-¡Claro! Ella es muy pura vida.           -Sure! She’s very pura vida.

A little stress is always good~ I think stress helps us strive, excel, work harder under pressure. However, stress in heavy doses can be harmful to your health. Pura vida is my preferred mentality on life in general~ anything that can promote longevity, prevent wrinkles, & ensure an enjoyable life is MY CUP OF TEA!! cheers~~ =)

My coworker and I coincidentally booked our CR vacations around the same time. He visited a month ago and came back with pamphlets galore for me & my travel buddy!! So thoughtful, right?? =)