An unexpected weekend

When it comes to music, I can hardly chose a favorite band or singer, because I am beyond obsessed with any new music that comes my way. However, there have been a few constants in my iTunes library since I got my first iPod back in the 6th grade. 

1. Jon McLaughin: hands down my favorite singer, who I got to see perform live in December of 2011. (One life-completing experience down.) I doubt I could even begin to pick my favorite of his songs, but here are few songs definitely worth checking out: Beautiful Disaster & Maybe It's Over.

2. Matchbox Twenty: from the time I forced my Dad to play their More Than You Think You Are album over and over again in his truck, Matchbox has been at the top of nearly every playlist I've ever made. Their most recent album, North, came out in 2012, and was just as perfect as all the rest (my personal favorite song is Overjoyed-a beautiful, heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, perfect love song). 

So guess what a new album meant?? A TOUR!!!! Yes, Matchbox Twenty going on tour again means that I got to cross off yet another life-completing experience off my list. Two of my friends from Southern California and I decided last minute to meet up for their concert in Paso Robles last weekend and it was beyond amazing. 

Additionally, my older sister and niece happened to be in Paso that same weekend, so I was able to jump start my spur-of-the-moment-weekend with some bonding time with those two crazy kids. We toured around wine country, visited family members, let my niece ride a horse for the first time, and got caught up after too many months of separation.

  

Fairytales come alive

"So this is love...mmmhmmhmm...So this love...So this is what makes life divine...." Now this sounds a little better than your common wedding march, now doesn't it? 

Recently a friend of mine, whom I've quite literally known my whole, got married. Though we've spent several years out of touch, going to her wedding immediately reminded me all that we have in common and why she has always been one of my favorite people. 

Bye bye blue

If you think about it, it is kind of amazing how many different colors water can appear. You have the crystal clear of a clean river, that mossy green of a lake, the stormy gray of the ocean on a cloudy day, and even crazy pepto-bismol pink lakes that take form around the world. My personal favorite though? That true-blue color of the ocean on a bright sun shiny day. That's the blue we got on our last afternoon in Oregon. 

Jewel and I went exploring the rocky eroded bluffs. It was a pretty good spot to just soak in the sunshine and that spectacular view. (And also jump on rocks, dance around, and generally act like silly kids). 

Tree climbing and other shenanigans

If you are not at least slightly inclined to enjoy the outdoors, I do not suggest you visit the Oregon coast. Trees, beaches, rocky coastlines, wildlife, all things outdoor-recreational; these are the kinds of things you find along the western coast (that is until you hit mid-Cali, then it is an entirely different story). 

Prior to actually moving to a city, I called myself a city-girl. Post-move however, it became apparent that while I love living in a big city, I am still, as my mom would say, a "country bumpkin." I like being among tall trees, out in the mountains, camping, exploring, playing with wild critters, and most of all, tree climbing. 

Now I cannot say my tree climbing and exploring skills are top notch, but my adventuring spirit is there and you can bet if I see a proper tree for climbing I'll be up it. Oregon has a lot of trees. 

We went on a walk along the coast our first night back in Coos Bay, and Jewel & I thoroughly enjoyed the foliage. 

Welcome to Oregon

Some things on earth just have a perfect, unforgettable smell. The kind of scent that immediately makes you dreamy and nostalgic. Amongst these divine scents, you may know, are a hot summer nights, christmas trees, your best friends house (everyone has their own distinct smell), and the Oregon coast. 

Ohhh, the Oregon coast. It's like breathing in fresh oxygen, salty sea, and memories. Thousands upon thousands of majestic pine trees explain the fresh, crisp air. The nearby Pacific gives you that salty harbor feel. But the memories? Well breathing in those babies stems from summers spent with the family exploring the beautiful coastline.

It's been over 7 years since we had ventured to our northern coast, but stepping out of the car into the familiar area, it was like nothing had changed. The view and landscape stretched out before us and my sister and I were immediately off exploring the dense forest with great enthusiasm.