just another SoCal sunset...

i guess life has returned to business as usual in the SD... living by the sun cycle and long walks on the beach. i got back to Cali after the wedding that i was in and felt a little off as my plan landed. i think it was due to missing two people at the same time in the same way but different. being back with all my girlfriends who watched me fall in love with matt and attended our wedding made me miss him by my side. the bride was thoughtful enough to suggest donations to the ABTA  as well as put Matt's picture on a table of loved ones lost at the reception. it was so thoughtful but i avoided that table like that black plaque fearing that i would break into tears upon a single glance. i received many comments of how my friends missed Matt and wished he could be there. being so far removed from my old life and old friends it's easy to let the feeling of lose melt away. on the other hand, i missed my new special someone. he couldn't attend due to the long trip and work obligations. i also wished he could be by my side to meet all my old friends. i also received many comments on how happy i looked and thought it had something to do with him. so it was a full weekend of emotions and of course being so happy for my friend and hoping nothing but a long and loving marriage filled with all good things.

after a few days of wonkiness, i settled back into my SoCal life. i was eager to spend the weekend doing whatever i wanted and enjoying the beautiful beach town where i reside. on Saturday my special someone suggested an afternoon of biking around Coronado (swoon). if you aren't familiar with Coronado, its a beautiful island a short bridge drive across from SD and is filled with everything that you think a vacation town would include. we biked around, enjoyed the sites, and of course dined al fresco with a cocktail or two. sunday, i called the shots and dragged him to Temecula where i belong to a wine club. we enjoyed a tasting outside the vineyards followed by another lunch al fresco. we headed back to the city proper and i closed out the weekend with some chores and some freshly obtained wine with a neighbor.

not to continue on with my brag fest but sometimes i really think i have to pinch myself to know that this life i am living is for real! i mean i go biking around one of americas most visited tourist destinations for fun in the place where i live. sunset walks on the beach are the regular. and i have met someone that likes to enjoy all of these things with me. feeling like a lucky lady these days.

just another sunset... 

biking around Coronado with my Special Someone... Kyle 

me and the beautiful bride 

having a couple of laughs with old friends 

lila is pretty spoiled by daily sunsets too

PS. If I didn't have enough already... I picked up another hobby... photography. Just got my first DSLR and these pics are courtesy of! Still a lot to learn but having fun with it so far! 

namaste

Melissa

Recap

It was an extremely busy but fun wedding back in C-bus. I flew out insanely early and arrived in the OH to help run around with some last minute wedding tasks. The jet lag was bad. How did I travel around the world and not feel this bad yet I fly to the other side of the country and I am beat? It was an early night Thursday before getting up to do some yoga to try to make myself right. I found a great little studio, GoYoga, in Upper Arlington. I love checking out new studios! That day was followed with nails and of course the rehearsal dinner. Saturday I was up early to get the hair did before all the normal wedding festivities including lots of drinking and dancing! My bro and his wife looked so happy and I am so happy for them! There were difficult times but I think overall I am better at just not thinking about it all. Not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing so we will just go with it is what it is. Sunday I spent a couple of hours with the fam before the long journey home. I had hangovers and delays to contend with so it was a long one. The ignoring probably added some emotional exhaustion as well. So happy to be back to my happy place in SoCal. Plus my mom came home with me so this week will be filled with many touristy SD activities. Pretty sure I will be an expert at this city by Sunday! Check out the pics from the wedding below. Can't wait to see the photographer's pics! 

The Happy Couple dropping off gift bags 

Gorg!

Kind of my favorite part of being in a wedding... false eyelashes! 

Embarking on the next chapter of their life!

the new Ralston family!  

Me and the other bro celebrating!

Matthew and my Nanny

My little family 

She goes by no other name... Nanny

Rehearsing!

Me and my Mama!

Me and the Bride's sister

So jealous of their cupcake cake!

I am not doing a very good job of only writing about yoga... life is to exciting to limit one's self! 

namaste

Melissa 

Headed back to the Midwest already! Mazel Tov!

I can't believe that I am headed back to Ohio already! It must be something special to pull me away from my Cali love so soon and it is! It's my little bro's wedding! I really can't believe it! I am quite a few years older than him so it seems a little surreal. At the age when I was still torturing him while I was "babysitting", I remember wondering what he would turn out like as an adult. It's weird that I distinctly remember this thought, it must have been the point that I realized all adults were kids at some point because it is a vivid memory. I am happy to report that he turned out to be a very cool guy. He just graduated with his Masters in Nuclear Engineering, found a great new job, and is marrying a wonderful woman. I guess to be honest I am a little sick of celebrating all his accomplishments this year!  Just Kidding! He and his wife are fun to hang with and he always answers my very basic computer questions without making me feel like the idiot I am. He is probably the most chill person I know and defines the absent minded professor. 

I am so happy for him to embark on the journey of marriage. Being married rocks. I miss it very much. There was a lot of wedding talk today and while I am so happy for those getting hitched, it hurts. It hurts my heart so much. I found my one! But now I have to go to these things alone without him by my side. We would have had so much fun celebrating this weekend. I will still have a blast but it would have been better with Matt by my side. 

Can't wait to get back into the blazing humid heat of the Midwest and party with my bro and his new wife! Mazel Tov! 

Me and the little bro, James. Just look at my brace face! 

Let's hope he doesn't do this at the altar on Saturday! 

Just look at those red curls... cutest kid ever... and yes he's still a ginger! 

namaste

Melissa