2013: Travel, Transformation and Love

 

Grace and Santa 2013

Grace & new kitty Nigel

I'm getting this done late (I already mailed my cards!) but better late than never, right? Anyhow, 2013 was truly a remarkable year full of adventure and lots of travel, concerts, self-exploration, health and fitness, transformation and a surprise happy ending!

Here are the highlights:

January- We joined Grace's cousin Addie at the Lady Gaga "Born This Way Ball" in the Tacoma Dome on January 14th- we had so much fun so we are going again next year! (but shhhhh Grace doesn't know yet, that's a Christmas present)

Grace turned 9 and had a birthday party at the snow tube park in Snoqualmie. And an awesome Birthday gayke from Corina Bakery featuring Nyan Cat

February- I ran my first 5K with two friends- the "Knock Your Socks Off" 5K in Gig Harbor. I walked parts of it but overall I did better than I thought! 
Grace and I spent her Winter Break in the Bay Area to see P!nk in San Jose in her "Truth about Love Tour". We went to the Winchester Mystery House, the aquarium at Fisherman's Wharf in SF and visited with Auntie Jenni in Cazadero.

Auntie Jenni at work

Exhausted after the concert!

March: We went to a basement house show with Kimya Dawson and made banana pancakes and smoothies. 

We took the train to Portland to see Morrissey

Grace sold some Girl Scout Cookies

April- I FINALLY bought new truck! We now have a BACK SEAT! 

I went to Seattle to see Jillian Michaels speak in the "Maximize Your Life Tour", super inspiring!

May- I was lucky to be able to volunteer with ISNN again on a spay neuter campaign in Ocho Rios, Jamaica then spend a few days in Negril. I love spaying and neutering and I love Jamaica. I got to work with some awesome volunteers and can't wait to go back!

My mom, Grace and I took the Victoria Clipper to Victoria for Mother's Day and a book reading/signing with Cheryl Strayed (if you haven't read WILD yet, go get it!)

June- School got out and we took a once in a lifetime vacation to Orlando and a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas!

these ended up expensive and painful, don't do it!

fun on the rafting ride at Animal Kingdom

hard to take selfies in the water!

ready for the pirate party- aargh!

July- We took our friend Mia to her first concert for her birthday- Bruno Mars

I finally got to run the Warrior Dash!

I hiked to Tunnel Falls in Oregon with friends. It was amazing. 

Aaron stayed in camp with the kids while the mom's hiked

I bought a 69 Ghia from a guy on Craiglist. Isn't she cute?

August: Grace ran her first kids tri at the YMCA with Kaitlyn.

Grace wasn't thrilled about the running portion!

We made it to Wildwood for four days of fun with cousins at the beach!

Cousin Jay

Cousin Marj

Cousin Bob

Cousin Dave

Cousin Mare

Sea Shell Ice Cream

Cousin Billy and Dani

Our friends came to town and we goofed off in Seattle

September- I got invited to see DMB at the Gorge with Kim!

Grace started 4th grade

First Day of 4th Grade

Grace continues to excel in swimming on the YMCA Seals Team

I went to the IVECCS conference in San Diego then flew Grace down and stayed for a few days of vacation. I ran a 5K

My friends in Old Town

Dog beach with Finn and Lady Shade

We had professional portraits taken by a talented high school classmate of mine- Carolyn of CePhotography

Back in Tacoma we ran the Color Run with Erica and Taylor

Post run trip to the Puyallup fair

 I got an amazing new tattoo by my friends husband Kiwi Matt of Slave to the Needle. It features Kipper and Peanut as Russian Nesting Dolls.

October- We went to our first Sounders game!

Halloween Angel

We saw P!nk again- this time in Seattle

I reached my GOAL WEIGHT and started CrossFit! Go me!

November- - Admittedly I went a little crazy planning fun stuff in my birthday month. It started with a long weekend in the UK where I hiked with my friend Esther in the Yorkshire Dales and saw Marc Almond in concert in London.

The top of Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales

me, sheep, england = happy

scones, jam, tea and clotted cream = heaven

Bolton Abbey

I ran for miles around London before catching my flight back home

Veteran's Day Weekend we flew to Riverside to run in the Mission Inn Run with the Standerfers. I ran the 10k and Grace ran a 1k. Steph and Jackson ran the 5k and Mimi ran the 1/2k

We're all winners!

Me & Jeremy- the 10k runners

 We flew home out of Long Beach and got to see Roger for the first time since vet school graduation

I celebrated my birthday in Seattle with my long distance boyfriend (an awesome guy I dated 21 years ago and reconnected with this year through Facebook). Our birthdays are one day apart and he proposed to me at his birthday party! In 2014 we will get hitched and hopefully live on the same coast (the WEST coast!)

My birthday gayke- party with friends at the 1111

I GOT ENGAGED!! (yes, I do believe Hell may have frozen over)

Riding bikes on 5 mile drive, Point Defiance- I got a new cyclocross bike!

Thanksgiving weekend Grace and I flew down to San Francisco to visit Auntie Jenni. We went wedding dress shopping, ice skating and ate pie in Petaluma.

wedding dress shopping!

Ice Skating with Snoopy in Santa Rosa

pretty lights of Berkeley

Union Square San Francisco

Fancy dinner at Farallone.

Painting with Cat

A special surprise visit from Kiki and Papa Tom

December:  I flew to Philly to see PJ race in the SSCXWC (single speed cyclocross world championship). We stayed in Adam Wallacavage's house (so incredible!), we biked around the city and checked out the Italian market, went to the Mutter museum, ate cheesesteaks, and it SNOWED!

Adam's House

Mutter Museum

cycling in the snow

on a cheesesteak quest

Back home Grace and I went to the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert with Katie and Gus. SO MUCH FUN!

I still love my work on the Spay Station

Grace helped out on board a few times this Summer

On December 6th I celebrated my one year health-iversary! I lost a third of my body weight, discovered a love of fitness, and feel 1000% better physically and mentally. I ran four 5k's and one 10k in 2013, the goal for 2014 is a half marathon (or two, or three!) and continuing to kick some CrossFit booty!

I take selfies now!

And hopefully it just keeps getting better and better!

SNOW IN DECEMBER! (it melted within hours but still fun)

Concerts not highlighted in this blog but also attended this year included- Cyndi Lauper, Prince (at the Showbox!), The Uncluded (two or three times), Jon BonJovi, MC Hammer, Kimya Dawson, and Taylor Swift (yes, that was for Grace). Whew! 

Until Next Year!! Love, Suz & Grace