West Seattle's Best Kept Secret

I love love love living here in Seattle. I don't mind the rain and we have the BEST summers. My favorite thing about summer is laying out, swimming and getting tan. My biggest complaint about Seattle is there is no where to go swimming. Since it is only nice for three months (swimming weather that is), there are not a lot of public pools, and the one's I have found are indoors. And, the Puget Sound is dirty, I'm not about to swim there. Lake Washington is okay, but I really like pools. However, thanks to this guy at work, my friend Nicole and I stumbled upon Colman pool. I am in love!!! It is set right on the Sound with a huge clear wind screen so the view is gorgeous. It is an olympic sized pool, has two diving boards and a water slide, and only costs $4 to get in! ($5 if you want to go on the waterslide.) It was crowded, but not too bad. And, to get there you have to go on a little hike through the woods. Basically, the whole thing was amazing, and I cannot wait to go back. So, now this city is not lacking anything, at least for me. :) Oh, and did I mention this pool is only 10 minutes from my house? So, now I know the real reason people don't ever want to leave West Seattle. Haha :) That's a whole other post, but West Seattlites are different than the rest of Seattle. They NEVER want to leave West Seattle, they usually only go out in West Seattle, and while they may work downtown, they hurry back home to the safety net. :) We have our own parades and festivals over here, and it is just different than the rest of the city. Check out this http://westseattleblog.com/... we even have our own blog! Haha...I love it here too. I have been converted to a West Seattlite, and I love our little community over here! I forgot to get pics of me and Nicole until after we got wet, and then I didn't want to. (Me looking like a drowned rat is not that pretty.) Here are some pics I found on line to show how great this place is!

The trail to get there...

The pool and the wind screen overlooking the sound

I can't wait to go back... oh and it's purified saltwater instead of chlorine for a taste of the Pacific!

My Trip in Words

So... the pics may make it seem like I had an amazing time, and I did, but here were the things that happened that weren't caught on film.

Both of my cousins have boyfriends, so I spent a lot of the first weekend being the fifth wheel. It was okay. Both of their boyfriends are great guys, so it was not too hard to hang out with them all, just the ever present feeling of being alone. So, I was excited to see my friend Kate and hang out with her for a couple days.

Also, the most surprising part was the amazing time I had catching up with Kristen. I say surprising because we really weren't that close in high school other than the heart to heart we had one day under a slide while we were "working" at Roaring Springs. Don't really remember too much of the convo, just thinking, this girl is sweet and I wish I would have gotten to know her better. I am really glad eight years later, I have! :)

Some girl tried to fight me at a bar one night. She walked in and sat down on a pool table where my cousin and her friends were in the middle of the game. Hello?!! What are you doing? Well, apparently, I gave her a look, which I don't remember but I'm sure I did b/c really pull it together girl. She walked over and said something like, "What is your problem?" I was like, "Excuse me? What is your problem?" To which she says "Your face is my problem!" Oh, to be so intoxicated you can't say anything better! So, I said, "Oh, really?" And she said, "I don't know you and you can't look at me like that!" I said, "You're right, you don't know me, so why don't you turn around and walk away." She asked the standard, "You want to take this outside?" I looked at her swaying body that had clearly been overserved that night, and decided I would save her the trouble of falling over as she attempted to hit me (Plus, really, I may act tough, but no one really wants to fight, especially when you realize how lame it really is at 26!) So, I said, "I don't think that is a good idea, why don't you and your pajama pant boyfriend just walk away." (Okay, so I got a little rude, but I was annoyed. I also later found out that there was a pajama party nearby which explained the bf's ensemble.) She made me "cheers" to her glass. I tried to explain that I didn't have a drink b/c I was not hittin the bottle that night like she was, so she insisted I pick up an empty glass to cheers with. I obliged and it was over. Apparently, then we were friends b/c she started telling me how they got cut off and kicked out of the last bar they were at. I was like, hmmm, I'm not surprised! I started talking to someone else, and was happy to see her get escorted out by security a few minutes later. Oh man! This is why you shouldn't drink too much. You end up looking dumb and being a part of someone's blog. Haha...

That same night, I met these guys, and told them, "I'm visiting from Seattle." They said, "Oh, we can tell you are not from here." I was a little taken aback b/c I had blond hair and had worked on my tan. What they said to my, "How?" was quite the surprise and kind of a complement (or a burn to all the girl's he was referring too, sorry!) They said, "Well, you are nice... you smile...and you began a conversation with us, as if you are not better than anyone." Wow... so sweet! Apparently, girls there (and not all, my friends down there aren't like this, but I am assuming they meant single girls they meet in the bars), have "an edge" and just aren't very nice. Score one for being raised in Boise and living in Seattle now.

In general, the trip was pretty good, but I couldn't live there. It just seemed very unnatural. Fake boobs, cement everywhere, no grass, sporadic palm trees that have been planted to make it look better, did I mention the fake boobs? I hate fakeness and feeling like you have to look a certain way through surgery. I am all for working out, eating healthy, being healthy, but not using surgery to obtain perfection. What I have learned this past year of really trying to get in shape is how important it is to love yourself. If you look in the mirror and are forever picking at the imperfections, you will never be happy. I am still working on this, but this trip showed me how important it is.

I also learned how grateful I am for my friends. I am so happy with the people I have chosen to surround myself with. While I met a lot of nice people down there, I love love love my friends up here. Seattle is my home, and going on vacation without at least one of my friends was a little tough. Next vacation I am taking my girlfriends and we are going to have an amazing time... now where should we go, I'm thinking maybe Vegas???... and P.S.... Kristen... you are invited! :)

My Trip in Pictures

I went to LA last week to visit my cousins. Here was my trip in pictures:

I layed on the beach...

Got a little sunburned!

Met a guy with an amazing mullet... yes it's real!

Hung out with lots of new people, such as these guys

And Lindsey, who is so sweet!

I caught up with the cousins...

And met up with some amazing friends from high school...

Such as Kristen, who I love and hope to see again sometime soon! Seriously, if you don't know her get to know her. She is an amazing person, and I am so glad to have reconnected with her!

And Kate... the bestie from back in the day! I love this girl more than words and know we will forever be friends... sorry Kate... you are stuck with me :)

Went to Laguna Beach, because I am a reality tv slut...

Met Kate's boyfriend, Adam there.

Decided to squeeze into a phone booth with them both. :)

Took a pic of the old Beverly Hills: 90210 beach house...

Put my feet in the ocean... because it was a bit too chilly to really swim

Had lunch here...

With her, my amazing cousin. Erin, thank you so much for being such an amazing host. I could not ask for a better cousin, and I had a great time with you!

And all in all had a pretty good trip. I will write more on the specifics/funny stories later!

Not So Random Thoughts...

What is it about seeing a picture of your ex that brings back all your insecurities? Does that happen to anyone else, or is this another reason I am in therapy? :) I can be so confident in myself, and know that I don't belong with this person and he was so wrong for me in so many ways, but I always go back to, "Why didn't he want me? What's wrong with me? Why am I still all by myself?" I know it is partly by choice, and it's not even about just being single. What is it about that one guy you thought you would be with forever, and seeing them reminds you that once again life is just not like you thought it would be.

Really, I am not trying to make anyone feel sorry for me. I'm just putting it out there. I am happy with so many things, I have to stop letting the little things get me down like this! I layed out in the sun today, got my hair cut, had a good workout and ran the whole day on my schedule. If I had a husband and family, I would have had to plan time to do all those things, instead of just doing them on a whim. And not that I would at all mind making the transition to that, it is just that right now, it's not where I am and I have to be content with that!

So, that's all for now... Hope I didn't bring anyone down who reads this. I'm running a 5k tomorrow. Hopefully, those endorphins will put life all back in perspective. That, and getting to hang out with one of my best friends ever! (She lives an hour away, so it's always great when I get to see her!) Yay for good friends... they keep me going when I'm feeling down. :)

Don't worry about him... he's fine!!!

This is one of my favorite stories...

During my sophomore year of college I came home for Christmas break, and on the first night of being home I had a horrible dream. I dreamt that someone was doing surgery on my stomach with a sharp knife and I was wide awake, but they couldn't hear me saying I could feel everything. I woke up terrified, and was like, oh good, that was just a dream. But as I layed in bed, I thought to myself... but the pain is REAL!! I couldn't move out of my bed and I was terrified I was dying! (I always go worst case scenario!)

I tried to yell out as loud as I could, "Mom!" but with my parent's door shut and the mass amounts of pain I was in I couldn't yell very loud and they couldn't hear me. I always have my cell next to my bed and lucky for me, that night was no different. I called my house phone but only heard it ringing in the kitchen. Dammit! They turned off the ringer in their bedroom. I called 4 times and on the 5th time, I decided if they didn't answer I would call 911 and the paramedics would wake them up!

My mom finally picked up the phone. It was 4 am, and she was like, "What's wrong?" I told her to come to my room, I was in pain. She kept saying, "Where are you? Why are you calling me?" I'm like, "In my room, get off the phone and come in here!!!" (Later, she explained in her sleepiness she assumed I had gone out and she thought she had to figure out where I was before she got off the phone. When she came in, I told her I couldn't yell loud due to the pain!)

Anyways, I told her something was wrong, and she tried to help me up to go to the hospital. I started to move and the pain got worse. I was like, "I can't move!" She told my dad to call the doctor. He went to the kitchen and was looking up the doctor's number, when we heard a crash.

My mom yells, "Steve? STEVE????" No response. She runs down the hall and sees my dad collapsed on the floor, blood rushing out of his head. Apparently, he had passed out and hit our french doors and bashed his head open. When he came to, he kept saying, "4612, 4612." My mom was like, "What?" Apparently, those were some of the doctor's number he had tried to dial.
Meanwhile, I can't see a thing down the hall, I'm leaning out of my bed, and saying, "Mom? Is he okay? What is going on?" My poor mom, overwhelmed, said, "Jessie, it's fine... stop yelling!" My mom got my dad a towel for his head, and decided it was time to call 911. Me she could maybe handle. My dad and I both down for the count was too much for her.

She called 911 and as always the firemen show up first. They saw my dad on the ground bleeding from the head and rushed towards him. My mom said, "Don't worry about him, he's fine!!" They gave her a look like, "Are you sure? That's a lot of blood!" My mom was like, "She's back here," and started down the hall. They were probably thinking, "What are we going to find back there if the guy bleeding is "okay"?" Haha.

They found me in my room and started to check my vitals. Me being the girl I am still noticed that one of these guys was pretty attractive. I remember talking to him about his sister going to the same school I was about to go to. I whispered to my mom when he left, "I don't have my glasses on, was he cute?" She was like, "What? You are supposed to be in pain, not trying to meet boys!" I was like, "You obviously don't know me very well! :)"

My dad and I both went to the hospital that night and were admitted to our separate rooms. He got bandaged up and I got to go through tests for kidney stones and ovarian cysts. I also got an IV from the moment I got there (as most do). At this time I was still new to my thyroid disorder and was not as used to needles as I am now. I freaked out. I started crying and begged them not to do an IV. But they had to, especially if I wanted any pain meds, which I did. They got the IV in and gave me some morphine. Life got a lot better after that! :)

I had a fun examination which I remember the doctor (a guy, and I had never had a guy doctor down there before) state before he began, "I'm touching you now." I still think that is weird, and maybe it was because he was an ER doc and not a gyno, so this was not common ground for him. :)

Anyways, the result was an ovarian cyst that ruptured. Since that time I have been on good ol' BC. I hope one day all will function well on it's own down there and I can successfully have babies. But for now, I have a good story, and my dad has a scar on his forehead to forever treasure the memory of this exciting night. :)

And if the cute fireman/paramedic who talked to me is still single and wants to live in Seattle, feel free to leave a comment as I'm still waiting for the guy to have these babies with. J/K... kind of :)

Story Tellin'

I'm going to start telling some of my stories on here... cause let's face it, I have been told my life could be a reality show... and maybe someone will read it and want to follow me around with a camera... Hopefully, that person gives me a big paycheck and a show, and doessn't just end up being a STALKER! :)

But seriously... here is my first story.

A couple summers ago I went with my parents to visit my aunt and uncle in Montana. They live in a small town. It didn't even have cell service. Now, it's not like I'm miss city girl being from Meridian, Idaho, but we had cell towers! And, I have lived in Seattle for eight years now, so I am not used to small towns anymore (at least this small). Anyways, not complaining, just setting up the scene for how "out of my element" I was.

My mom kept saying how she wanted to see a bear. I thought she was kidding, until she said it repeatedly, and then I finally asked my uncle, "Do you see bears around here?" Yes, he told me. What? From that moment on, I was terrified to leave the house. BEARS??? There was a bear scare one night during the summer I lived in McCall, and let me tell you I did not leave my cabin from dusk till dawn, literally! And in the morning when I did leave the cabin, I looked every which way to make sure no bears would be sneakin up on me!

So, the fam forced me out of the house and one day we went hiking and it was beautiful. No bears were seen on the hike. Thank God! After the hike, we were all driving back to my uncle's house in my grandpa's van; me, the 'rents, my uncle and grandparents. It was a long trip, and being an only child and having no one my age to talk to, I did the only thing I could think of, and took a nap! Soundly sleeping enjoying the ride, when all of a sudden I am shocked awake to these words...

"A BEAR!! A BEAR!!"

I bolt up and say the only words, I am thinking, "Shut the fuck up!!!" I don't know about your families, but swearing in my house is about the same as fornicating on the kitchen table. So, at that moment, the car goes silent, and my mom, says, "Jessie!!!! I can't believe you said that!" Well, seriously, who wakes up from a dead sleep to the words, "BEAR" calmly? No one I know! So, there we are pulled over, admiring the bear, while my mom continues to yell at her 25 year old daughter about how disappointed she is that I said the F word. I finally said, "Look mom, I got scared, that's what I said, and it is not a reflection on how you raised me!!" Somehow, everyone else managed to conjure up a laugh and realize I was just a bit freaked out!

So, now I can say I've seen a bear and have sworn like a sailor in front of my entire family. Not a big deal to most, but in my home, it's pretty much up there with the worst things I could do.

Here are some pics from better times on the trip. My uncle is a hunter, so the whole trip was just a whole new experience for me. I'd much rather be at Nordstrom than the woods, so we have a lot in common! :) I love my aunt and uncle so much, though. I love that they are different from me, and because we are family they still have to hang out with me and accept me and all our differences.

At the top of the mountain, right before we saw the infamous bear!

Still can't believe we crossed this!!

Is 26 too old to go on a mini-vacay with the parents?

I don't think so! We went to Port Angeles this weekend. It rained, rained, rained. We had an amazing dinner in town. Saw the Juan de Fuca Festival (sounds so much more impressive than it was... think one row of food and one row of "specialty items" at the Puyallup or Western Idaho Fair...for all you readers who can't reference either, sorry!) My parents did get a marshmallow/hot dog stick which was made out of a fork sodered onto an old golf club. Cute idea, but other than that, there was nothing worth purchasing. :)

The town (along with Forks, which we also hit up), have really tried to capitalize on Twilight taking place in their town. Entire stores are dedicated to Twilight... it's pretty funny. Don't get me wrong, I love Twilight (Team Edward!), but only the book happens in these places, none of the movies are filmed there! That's the kind of stuff I want to see.

We went to the Rainforest, and hiked along the Trail of Mosses. Hopefully my pictures will show how mossy the trees really are. It was pretty amazing. The whole trip was great. I'm pretty lucky to have great parents I actually want to hang out with! We may fight and have our moments, but we have fun together! Thanks mom and Steve for a great mini vacay!

On the Ferry!




Liberty Bell Replica in Port Angeles




At the Rainforest




Under a Tree


My Cute Parents