Hello, Calistoga!

This weekend is the Napa trip that my work is putting together for us. We're going to Solage in Calistoga. I'm sooooooo excited. Does anyone have any fun tips for things to do in Calistoga or Napa?!

Hubby Gave My Car an Owwie

My poor car. Last time we went to SLO, I accidentally backed into my sister's car. Good thing it was just her tail light, and good thing it was her beater car. Fast forward 4 weeks, and Ryan got in an accident this last Saturday night. He was sober but took out a gate. The gate (and its post) totally won. Steep decline + gravel + curve in road + darkness/no street lights = very bad. I now have to take my car back to a body shop...I'm still having nightmares from being rear-ended last year!

Most importantly - Good thing he turned out okay without a scratch!

I heart Sophie Tucker!

The below makes me want to cry. In a tears-of-joy sort of way. I found it on Yahoo! News. This dog is awesome AND ridiculously cute.

A handout photo by Jan Griffith shows cattle dog Sophie Tucker, a pet dog that fell overboard in rough seas off Australia that has been reunited with its owners after surviving alone on an island for four months

(AFP/Jan Griffith)

Mon Apr 6, 4:21 AM ET

I feel stooopid

I clicked on this Yahoo story tonight: Cosmic Hand Reaches for the Light.

Can I just admit that it took me about 3 times to read it, and I still don't understand what it's saying? Crap, sometimes I feel so damn stupid. When it comes to science, I just can't cut it. Ask me to edit something for grammar or write a paper, and I'm all over it. But understand a science news article that was posted on Yahoo? Over my head.

I had a flashback to my very first quarter in college. I took Astronomy 101, because let's face it - the Planetarium is freaking awesome. I found that it was so not as simple as it was in 3rd grade. Our teacher, though, would give us study guides before every test. And he was pretty awesome, because he would then pull from the study guide to make the test. So, of course, I would memorize the study guide. One time Ryan was quizzing me. When I gave him the correct answer, he asked me "Hey, what is that anyways?" I told him, "I dunno. All I know is it's the right answer!" Thus was my entire Astronomy 101 class.

Then another flashback to the ACT's in high school. If I remember correctly, the scores are out of 36. I think I got like a 32 or a 33 in English...and like a 17 in Science and a 23 in Math. Does that tell you something? So bad.

When it comes to science, I think I'll stick to watching Fringe and Bones...

Munchkins

My mom and I met my cousins Amy & Erin up at Nonni's in Brentwood this weekend. I had such a blast!

Some highlights:

Erin's pregnant!! A little under 3 months. All bets are on that it's a boy. We'll have to wait until October to find out...

I got to see my little nieces (not officially, but whatever) Lily and Mia.

Mia was such a little ham with the camera. She keep posing, saying "Cheeessseeeee" and then running up and asking to look at the picture!

Amy's new boyfriend Matt came into town in the afternoon. We got to meet him! And we like him a lot!! When he came, Mia ran up to him and started jumping up and down - "He's here! He's here! Everyone, he's here!!!" It was just about the cutest damn thing I've ever seen. She even ran into the other room and pulled Nonni by her hand to come meet him.

Lily was her typical adorable angel self. She's such a beautiful little girl.

Auntie Sis and Mia Bella. She has Amy & Erin's eyes.

My New Obsessions

My current obsessions

1 - EO French Lavender body lotion. I just love, love, love the way it smells!

2- Yogurtland in Cupertino. I drove out there twice in the last week for fro yo!

3- Finding a way to get Ryan to go to Disneyland after Vegas in September.

4 - Getting rid of my fugly, puke green drapes (even though they are super expensive from Pottery Barn) and getting considerably less expensive, yet just a nice-heat-insulating drapes. And convincing Ryan that it's a good idea.

5- Figure out how to get my mortgage modified. Even in the mortgage industry, it's hard to even know what to do. Sigh. I'm now have to go pop a Tums...

6- Either keep reading or drop my current book - I've been stuck on page 250 for 3 weeks. It's not uninteresting (double-negative there, I know...) but I am just not devouring it, like I normally would.

7 - Get my booty back in the water - swimming AND surfing. It's supposed to be in the 70's here this week - I love Cali!

8 - Keep my weight where it's at. I like my current weight. Present Nikki is just fine! If my body wants to lose some, fine. But that's it. Down, not up. You got that, scale?!

My Everest

Christy says that I don't post enough, so here I go :) I feel like I am such a mondane person, so it's hard for me to blog. Let me know if this is boring and if I should just stick to posting pictures!

Yoga is rapidly becoming one of my most favorite things in the world...it's right up there with swimming and surfing. My yoga classes in Los Gatos are Power Yoga classes - they are heated to an average of 90 degrees, full of energy, and you sweat like crazy. There are two teachers in particular that are absolutely amazing. I can push my personal boundaries with yoga. I am not a competitive person, but I find myself trying to do more and more each time.

I am absolutely addicted to arm balances. Addicted. The more I learn, the more admiration I have for break dancers. I see a lot of yoga in break dancing. Those dorky guys from the 80's suddenly aren't so dorky anymore - they are completely awesome. I'm proud to say that I can do some pretty cool things now. For about four years now, though, I've had a personal Everest that I just cannot overcome. It's called Forearm Balance (http://www.sunandmoonstudio.com/Poses/forearmbal.shtml). I've been trying to do this pose without a wall for a long long time.

Today, I was able to hold it away from the wall for about 5 seconds. Can I tell you how happy I was? I'm slowly but surely on my way. That's right. Today was a good day :)

So Proud!

Christy has 3.5 months to go, and she already raised the minimum amount of money for Team in Training! Go Chris!! You officially rock!!

The universe was pointing its way toward us going - Christy raised the money, her knee is holding up and her training is doing great, our family friend Sue is going and was able to use some points for the hotel room, plane tickets were only $132 on Alaska Air...we are set to go and super excited!

I officially got the time off work today, so we're all set!

Whee!!!!!