Smell Ya Later!

Hey guys!

Last night was our going away party and of course I want to document it and share it with you all!

Patrick and I have a lot of travelling to do this month (first we will be headed to the D23 convention in Anaheim and from there we go straight to Pasadena because Patrick will be working at a client in that area all week. When we get home, Patrick has just two days before he's off to New Jersey, where he will stay for nearly two weeks. When he gets home, we will have just two days to get everything finalized before we leave for Oregon) so we decided to have our going away party on a day and at a place that it seemed everyone could attend.

So not unlike most other get-togethers that we go to, we ended up at Cameron's Pub in Half Moon Bay (side note: did you know that Daniel Radcliffe was there just a few weeks ago rapping an Eminem song on karaoke night?). The party was a complete success and almost everyone we love and invited was able to make it! At a grand total count, Patrick determined that besides the two of us, 39 people showed up to say goodbye! It was incredible and we are so, so grateful that we were able to see so many of our loved ones before we left. We had people who were moving house all day, people who were moving house all day and leaving to move down state today, people who had worked all day, people who had just flown in yesterday, people who drove over an hour just to get there, people who had spent the entire day in the car driving up state, people who were in town from a different country, and people who I had never ever seen show up at Cameron's Pub for a Bawdy Caste related party.

We had an amazing time and we are both paying for it today with exhaustion, nausea, and a headache, but we wouldn't have traded that time for anything. We left with multiple gifts including a bottle of Polish vodka, a bottle of champagne, a beautiful flower arrangement, a cheesecake, a pie, and obviously very full hearts, all of which we are so, so thankful for.

Without further ado, allow me to insert a bunch of photos from the party.

Our beautiful and very sentimental cake

Photo courtesy of Shannon Wilke

James & Nate

James with the tequila and shot glass that we brought him and Nate as a parting gift. They also received a tangerine tree named Fergus the Ficus, which they will be nurturing here in California because we could not take him to some place that gets cold in the winter. 

Jackie, Siobhan, Zach, and Jack (with his brand new light up glasses!)

Fiona and Matt!

Sancho (Blake) and Delfino (Mike)!

The only normal photo that was taken all night. Kris, Delfino, Jack, and Jeb.

Team Brad Team! (minus Matthew)

Patrick with Kitten Mittens (Lisa)

Lena, Jack, and Milly!

Lena, Siobhan, and Jack

A mess. An absolute mess.

So that's it. That's what the last two years of my life have looked like because of these amazing people that I've met and come to love and consider family. Each and every one of them have changed my life and I will miss all of them more than they will ever know. Thank you all so much for coming to send us off and wish us well.

Weddings, Masquerades, & a Blog Name Change

Hey everyone!

The first thing you may notice about this post is that my blog's name has changed. I decided that instead of trying to keep the same name the entire time I run this blog, I'm alright with it evolving. My time here is evolving me, too, and the blog is essentially about me and my life adventures, so as I change, so will things about the blog. It started out as me being an out of stater-- a total stranger in a state that I've only ever been to once before. Things are changing-- even now. Though I no longer feel like such a stranger here, my mind is still stuck back in Michigan, and I struggle to adjust to a different way of thinking. So prepare yourselves for name changes, because I already have some picked out!

So we've had a busy couple of weekends, and next week will be even busier, so let's recap! On Sunday, October 13th, we were honored enough to be invited to the wedding of our two friends, Peter and Angela. I've never been to a Jewish wedding before, so I was really excited. Plus, as soon as Patrick told me we were invited, I begged him to make sure nothing work related came up so that we could go. I wanted an excuse to get out and be fancy, and fancy we were! Prepare for a drop of some really awesome photos! I mean, honestly, isn't that we all suffer through this text for? ;)

I found a tiny crocheted Yamaka that I'm going to try to make a copy of!

The radiant, stunning Siobhan

I don't look as classy with the bubbles

One of our littlest cast members, Trishalana! She is the daughter of one of our cast members, Diane, and her husband Brian. She is absolutely precious.

Even she has a little hat!

One of our other mini-cast members, Cameron! Cameron is the adorable son of our friends Kelly and Richard! I can't get enough of those cheeks and that smile :)

"Dad, the ladies like the skull and crossbones. You should try it!"

I loved this picture of the happy couple with their parents!

The blushing bride with her new stepson, who had a yamaka with tiny tardises on it (or are they tardi?)

Our ridiculous friends, Master Delfino and Jack

Guys, it finally happened. After a BILLION weddings where I've tried to catch the bouquet with no progress...

I finally caught it! And guess who caught the garter belt...

Trishalana was so tired by the end of the night that she ended up falling asleep in my arms while I sat on the floor. I was so sad when Patrick told me it was time to leave. I love her!

Next up, we had a full work week and two parties that we had to get to on Saturday! Unfortunately, I didn't get off work until almost 3pm, and with the first party being an hour away, it was way unrealistic for us to have thought we could make it. I was really looking forward to seeing Trishalana's adorable face and her wonderful parents and finally getting to get up close and personal with Diane and Brian's PURPLE HOUSE. However, we were at least able to make it to Brook (yes, BROOK! The first Brook I have EVER known without an "e") and Mandy's masquerade! Another excuse to get fancy? I'll take it! 

Patrick booked us a hotel room because the party was almost an hour away and we would definitely not want to drive home after such a long day. We arrived at the hotel and headed out to have some dinner. We stopped at B Dubs (which, for you silly people, is short for Buffalo Wild Wings). Unfortunately, Patrick had no idea what a B Dubs was, so when we went in there, he was quite shocked about the number of TVs that were playing sports games. Patrick also did not know what I was talking about when I wished him a happy Sweetest Day. Apparently it's only a holiday in states like Michigan and Ohio because it was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1921. Look it up, Californians! 

After dinner, we headed to Target for a quick stop so Patrick could get shoes, because he forgot his at home. We headed back to the hotel and discovered that he forgot cuff links, so he headed out again while I got ready. We looked smashing! And Mandy and Brook sure know how to throw a party. The snacks were delicious and their house is awesome! The highlight of the night? Mandy screaming like a little girl when she found a black widow in their bathroom, and then Brook doing the same later when a moth flew at her face. Hilarious! I love those two! We had an awesome time and I really wish they lived closer.

I wore the same dress from last weekend. So what? It's fancy and multi-occasional! But this time I classed it up with some lace tights.

Just look at this delicious spread!

Mini pumpkin pies, Queso de Muerto (which is actually the most delicious soup that I've ever tried that we ate on tortilla chips), stuffed mushrooms, and spider web cookies. Yum!

Master Delfino as... A Cereal Killer. AH!

This is a new development-- since I've lived here, I've actually been learning to talk with my hands. Not on purpose, but just from exposure because Patrick does it. It's something I've never done before and did not notice until I saw this picture. How strange!

Their house was super spooky!

I did not know until I was writing this post that Patrick captured this moment. Just look at Brook coming to Mandy's rescue with her electric bug swatter!

AH! Get me out of California, I didn't know these lived here!

On Sunday, we rearranged the house. Jackie and Dan finally found a really nice place for themselves and were moving all this week. Now that Jackie's room is empty, we got to do quite a few things that we've been itching to do ever since we found out those two were planning on getting a place together. We moved my desk from our room and Patrick's desk from where a dining room table would normally go, plus a large red cabinet and both hamsters. Now I can shut the door on them when they have seeds in their wheels and are making all sorts of noise! So now, we have a spare bedroom/office and where Patrick's "office" once was, we have a reading nook. I love our nook! I adopted it. And as for the room? It's no longer Jackie's room, so we were trying to come up with a new name for it. Patrick was enthusiastic about "The Office" but I chose "Charles." So Charles it is. 

That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned for a gigantic post about the following week... ROCKY WEEK. In addition to a show this Saturday, we also have a show in Reno that we will be doing on Tuesday, a show on Halloween night (Thursday) and then another show next Saturday! Four shows in six days? Pour me a tall glass of energy drink! 

It's the 80's!

We've been quite busy lately, what with Patrick and I both working, so finding time to get out and do things is getting more difficult. I know everyone knows what I mean when I say that going out is the LAST thing we want to do after a full day of work! But we still continue to try!

This past Monday our friend Lindsey came over to cut my hair. I've been wanting to try something shorter for quite some time now. My main issue with hair cuts is that I'm always handing my stylist a picture of something super cute and I (usually) say "I want this, but a little longer." I don't know why I have always been so afraid of short hair! And the sad part is that, all these years, I've probably prevented myself from having some super cute hair cuts, just because I was too afraid for it to be too short. Well no more! This time, I handed Lindsey a picture, and said "Cut it off!"

Before/After

Bye bye, hair!

I couldn't be happier! The first night, after we first cut it, I was very apprehensive. However, the next day-- after I went out and bought some styling product for it (something I've never done because I hate having "stuff" in my hair, but I'm getting used to it)-- I was in love! I wish I had done it sooner! It's an asymmetrical cut, meaning it's longer on one side than the other, and it is awesome. Lindsey did an amazing job and I'm so so thankful!

It also really worked out for this weekend! It was the weekend we've all been waiting for... Jared's birthday party! I've been anticipating this for so long! They decided on an 80's theme for the party-- and I have always loved dressing for that decade-- so I was super excited to go out in my get up and have some fun!

Too bad they didn't have smart phones in the 80's!

I wore my new jean jacket that Patrick bought me (one with sweater sleeves and a sweater hood-- thanks babe!), skinny jeans, white nikes, a red bandana tied around my knee, a Night Ranger t shirt, a nose hoop, a long dangly earring in only one ear, an original Swatch (that I borrowed from Patrick... until it got randomly sticky), a pair of red plastic sunglasses, hot pink lipstick, a ton of blush, and bright blue eyeshadow. I would honestly dress like this every day (mostly... I think I would go without the bandana and the crazy eyeshadow)!

For Jared's gift, Patrick decided on something really awesome... A Kraken Gift Box! Jared loves Kraken Rum and also loves the Kraken (so much that he founded Kraken Appreciation Day, which is June 13th). You can pre-order them from KrakenRum.com. They come with the following: A Kraken T Shirt, a Kraken tooth, a Kraken laptop decal, a Kraken scroll, a Kraken lore book, a DVD about the Kraken, and a letter reassuring everyone that the Kraken IS REAL (beautifully sealed with a wax seal & Kraken stamp). The box is all laid out very nicely and comes with a slot for the bottle of rum to lay in, however, they cannot ship that across state lines, so we added that ourselves. Jackie and Dan, Julie and Doug, Victoria and Delfino, and Patrick and I all chipped in for this awesome gift. It was really cool!

Jared's Kracken Gift 

(because I forgot to take pictures beforehand and 

my phone was dead during the present opening)

Patrick leaves for Florida on Monday on a business trip, so I will be mostly alone for the next week or so. Thankfully Jackie still lives here so I won't be alone the entire time! Empty houses at night are not my thing. Overall I've had a great week!

Rock on!