My Dream Come True

So, this guy. Have I told you he is pretty much the best? I was told about a month in advance to keep this past Saturday open for plans with him. I wasn't given any more details, just a few to try to throw me off.

I waited and waited and waited for Saturday to come, and when it finally did, we got in the car and headed off for my surprise. Once we got a bit closer to where we were going, Dai made me wear a blindfold.

And then.....

We were at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

We had to wait outside for a while once we got there and Dai finally told me what we were doing...

AND I CRIED.

 Because we were swimming with dolphins. And I have wanted to do that my entire life.

I will say this: There were a few kids doing it too, but I was definitely BY FAR the most excited. I could hardly contain myself, let alone stand still.

We had to sit in a short class to learn more about the dolphins, but THEN...

Then I got even more excited.

I had such a great time. Our trainer who helped us get in the water with the dolphins and told us more about them was really upbeat and added to the fun. It was so awesome to get to touch them up close. I've seen them at Sea World several times, but that is so much different! You can't touch them!

When I was younger I always wanted to be an oceanographer and work with dolphins. It was my dream! I would literally have dreams about swimming and playing with dolphins. I was all ready for this career until I realized how many science classes that would take and that I didn't really like science classes. I just wanted to hug and swim with dolphins all my life. Is that really too much to ask?!

But alas, at least I got to swim with them!

I know, I know. These photos are cheesy. And they aren't that great. But, we just had to buy the over-priced amusement park souvenir photos because this special day needed to be documented!

I did not want to get out of that pool. If I were a little younger, I would have loved to throw a fit. Like a "You can't make me leave the dolphins!!" kind of fit. But you know, I'm mature and stuff.

After we swam with the dolphins, we got some lunch and rode some of the roller coasters. It was such a wonderful day and I am such a lucky girl to have a thoughtful guy like Dai! My goodness.

This was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life and I will do it many more times throughout my life. I just have to! I mean, they're dolphins! Ahhhh!!!

My dream come true.

The Third Liebster

The Liebster Award. Yet again! Now, you see, this is my third time getting the Liebster and answering the lovely questions. I am always so flattered to get it and don't even mind that people don't know that I have already gotten it. I am always up for answering questions about myself since people come and go around here, and it is always nice for my readers to learn a little more about me!

So, onward...
For those of you who don't know what the Liebster Award is, it is a blog award given to blogs that have fewer than 200 followers.

I thought about just answering several from both Jess over at Stamp in My Passport and Remi from A Peachy Keen Day, but I like answering questions, so I figured why not answer them all? Plus, I always love reading other bloggers' answers, so I'm sure some of you do too!

First up, Remi's questions:
1. Last song you listened to? It was definitely Hannah Hunt by Vampire Weekend, since I pretty much play that song on repeat in my car. I guess it is just true love.

2. The last thing that made you laugh? I see Dai just about every day and he always makes me laugh :)

3. If you had to change your name, what would you pick? Honestly, I have never wanted to or thought about changing my name. I have several names that I love for possible future children of mine, but I have always just thought of myself as Jessica and the various nicknames that come with it. I connect to it. But, if I were to ever go by a different last name (again, I do connect to mine) without getting married, I would go by my mother's maiden name, Kingaard. It was essentially made up by my family and there are only three generations of it. I think it is kind of cool.

4. Your favorite thing about yourself? I really love my blue eyes. They say I got them from my great grandma, and now that she has passed, that is especially meaningful to me.

5. If you were a cookie, what flavor would you be and why? I would probably be a snickerdoodle because they are delicious. That is all.

6. The most exciting part of your day today? Taking a nice walk with Marly. And this post, of course!

7. What did you want to be when you were little? At one point, I was convinced that I could be a teacher by day, a hairdresser... by afternoon? and then a model by night. After that I calmed down a bit, and wanted to be an oceanographer and work with dolphins for several years. I would still love to do that, but I just don't think I could put myself through the science classes it requires, so that is why I kind of laid that dream to rest. We'll see though!

8. Last book you read? The last book I read was "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. I have really come to love his books and display them all nicely on a shelf above my reading chair. If you have never read any of his books, definitely check them out!

9. Two words that best describe you? This is always a hard question to answer, but I think I am passionate and easy-going.

10. Favorite thing about the place you live? I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and I love the diversity we have here, not only in people, but in what is available to us. We have the mountains, the ocean, major cities, wine country.... I could really go on and on!

11. Last thing that made you cry? Over the weekend, Dai took me for a special surprise (which I will be sharing here tomorrow!!), and I definitely cried when I found out what we were doing. My lifelong dream!!!

(Last week in Dolores Park in San Francisco)

And now, Jess's questions!
1. Describe yourself in 140 characters or less. I am an observer that strives to live a creative life, love others, and see the world. I like New Girl, anything salted caramel, & cuddling.

2. If you could only eat one food for the rest of forever, what would it be? Mexican food, duh. I mean, it is all pretty much just a few ingredients put together different ways, so that counts, right?! But I do love enchiladas specifically...

3. What is your favorite reality television show? No one wants to admit that they watch reality TV, and it really is a guilty pleasure of mine, but my favorite is definitely "Giuliana and Bill" on the Style Network (I pretty much love all their shows!). My dad and I also watch "Project Runway" together (he definitely cries often!). Like I said, guilty pleasures!

4. If the world were ending in 24 hours, what would you do (besides spend time with loved ones)? I would get in the car with whoever wants to come (and Marly of course) and just go. Drive along the coast listening to music, get ice cream, jump in the freezing water, head out to the mountains, get out and roam through the woods, spend the night eating wonderful food and looking at the stars, walk and walk and walk, and just be.

5. Favorite book? I feel like my answer to this changes all the time based on my mood and what I can remember, but right now I will say that it is "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky. It is just such a classic teen book.

6. What did you want to be when you were little? See #7 above.

7. Have you taken the Meyers Briggs personality test? If so what is your type? I did take the test, but it was two years ago now so I am having a hard time remembering my results haha BUT I think I am an ENFJ. Also, my best friend and I got the same results so I thought that was pretty cool!
EDIT: It was brought to my attention (by my best friend) that we are actually INFJ, not ENFJ. Whoops.

8. Where is your favorite place that you have visited? I haven't travelled much, but Austin, Texas is at the top of my list! It was wonderful. You can read about it here and here.

9. Did you move around growing up? I moved around a lot until 7th grade. It is weird now for me to think that I have grown up with the same people since 7th grade, especially since this was the period of time in which we changed the most. Before that, I was usually at a school for one, maybe two school years if I was lucky.

10. Who is your role model? I didn't grow up with a mom around, so I have developed several female role models in my family. My older sisters are all role models to me for different reasons, but my sister Stacy is the biggest one. My Aunt Jenny and a couple of my great aunts are also role models. Oh, and Zooey Deschanel, of course! (I know you're cringing right now, Aunt Jenny ;) )

11. Are you excited for the first day of school or do you dread the end of summer? I was always excited for the first day of school and school in general when I was younger, but now not so much haha. I still love new school supplies and the preparation for the first day of school (new clothes, picking an outfit, having everything ready), but after that... I don't really look forward to going back to school! But, maybe that will change once I transfer to a university and will be taking more classes for my major!

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Now, I nominate Abby of Little City Adventures! You read her Sponsor Spotlight yesterday, right?!
I would also love it if you answered some of these questions in the comments so I can get to know you too :)

1. Are you a cat or dog person?
2. What does your perfect day look like?
3. The sweetest thing someone has ever done for you?
4. Are you a spender or a saver?
5. What is the most difficult thing you have ever done?
6. Do you want kids? If so, how many is ideal for you?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. Favorite childhood memory?
9. Best thing about being an only child or having siblings?
10. Favorite place to shop at?
11. What do you want people to remember about you?

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I hope you enjoyed it and I look forward to reading your answers in the comments!!

August Sponsor Spotlight: Little City Adventures

Hello all! Today I wanted to share someone special with you: Meet Abby! She is sponsoring Foreign Room this month, and I thought it might be nice for you to get to know her and her blog, Little City Adventures.

A little bit about her and her blog: Little City Adventures follows the life of newlyweds, Seth and Abby, and their adventures in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Abby blogs about everything from recipes to style, and even the coolest places to eat in Lancaster. Visit her blog and stay for a while, and prepare yourself for a bit of sarcasm and lots of fun.

Why did you decide to start blogging?
I began blogging when I felt a void of creativity in my life and as soon as I started Little City Adventures it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
If I could live anywhere in the world, I honestly think that I would be right where I am now in Lancaster City. My city has an amazing mix of old and new, crazy historical stuff, gorgeous old buildings, and hipster coffee shops and boutiques. The house we are currently renting is an older house that is completely redone on the inside. THat's one of the coolest things about homes and businesses in Lancaster, that on the outside they have like original brick while the the inside has up to date interiors. Also, the city is so diverse and I've met so many amazing people while working at the cafe downtown.

What is your dream job?
I want, more than anything, to be a mom. Ever since I was a little girl I knew that God made me to be a momma. And now that I'm married I am one step closer. As for a paying job, I want to be a full-time blogger and freelance writer.

Tell us a few random facts about yourself!
Ooooh random facts. I'm such a random person so I love questions like this but it's also hard for me to choose just a few facts.
1) I met my husband, Seth, at our church's youth group in 2010 at the start of my junior year and his senior year of high school. My parents also met in a youth group around the same age. And Seth and I are only about a year younger than my parents when they got married. How cool is that? 2) I am crazy injury prone. In fourth grade I broke both of my arms when I drove a four wheeler into a tree. In eighth grade I fell off a bike on a class field trip and shattered my left wrist and had to have surgery. Then right before tenth grade, I stepped on sewing scissors that were laying on the floor and sliced my foot up pretty good and had stitches. To this day I still have pain and numbness on my scar. And most recently, this winter I dropped a tea pot at work, it shattered, and sliced the palms of my right hand and I had to have stitches because it wouldn't close due to its location. 3) In December 2008, I was diagnosed with a severe anxiety disorder and selective anorexia, and entered partial hospitalization treatment in Hershey, PA. I was there Mon-Fri for breakfast, lunch, and a snack for two and a half months until I was able to go to school two days a week, then gradually back to school full time. It was a crazy hard time, but I learned a lot and I am now very open about my experiences and I also met my best friend and maid of honor in treatment!

What is the best advice you've ever been given?
Be yourself. For a long time I struggled with my identity and only recently have I decided to not care about what other people think. You can't grow into the person you were meant to be if you are afraid to be yourself.

Blog // Twitter // Facebook

A big thanks to Abby for sharing with us and for supporting my blog! I hope you guys like her as much as I do :)

Weekly Wishes #4

Weekly Wishes make Mondays awesome. Be sure to head over to see Melyssa at The Nectar Collective as well, where this all started!

- Go to bed at a decent hour. I could have definitely done better with this! I did (already) procrastinate my homework one evening because I was spending time with family, so I had to stay up until 1:45am finishing it. That's not so great when you have to get up at 6:30am. But the rest of the week went pretty well!

- Create some sort of budget. I think I have found something that will work well for me! Just after I published this post last week, I saw that Chelsea over at Lost In Travels had posted about the "envelope system" and it sounds pretty great! I had heard of it briefly before I read her post, but this really helped explain it all. I will be starting next Monday, as it is a new month and I will have started to get paid for my new job I am starting today :)

- Practice filming things. It just so happened that an opportunity for my friend and I to film a lady to promote her florist business came up, so last week we hung out at her studio and filmed her prepping flowers for a wedding. It was my first time filming anything, and I did make a mistake in the lighting (some of the clips were too dark), BUT the content and flow and composition were great, so that is good! It is much easier to fix those problems than to teach someone to have "the eye." We also got to go with her to the wedding site a couple days later and film her setting up and the ambiance of the flowers! So, check!

Hey, I actually did really well this week! That always feels nice :)

- Enjoy my new job! I start a new job this afternoon and I am pretty excited about it! It will be nice to start working again regularly, and getting to know some new kids.

- Finish buying all of my books and school supplies. Guys, books are expensive. I knew that they were expensive all along, but I have been able to find ways to keep the cost down, like buying used ones online. That doesn't make much of a difference this semester, so that has been kind of a bummer and a struggle.

- Stay on top of homework. Focus and get it done early! Makes everything so much easier and gives me more time to relax and do things I love.

- Blog more! Ever since I got home from Texas, I have stepped away from blogging a bit, but that was not my intention! So, it is time to step back into the game this week :)

Weekly Wishes #3

Hey friends! I am home, back in my beloved California! Last week I sort of just dropped off the map a little, but I think that can be good for the soul sometimes. I missed Weekly Wishes last week, but here I am to fill you in on my wishes from two weeks ago and start this week off right!

Weekly Wishes is one of my favorite parts of the week, and I just love how Melyssa of The Nectar Collective has developed it. Be sure to check out her blog!

- Finish writing a difficult letter to someone. Check! I did this and it felt great. I definitely feel better and I think it really helped!

- Send some photos off to people, like wedding photos and portraits. Unfortunately, this just didn't happen. I really, really need to figure out what to do about the wedding photos (how do you easily transfer over 600 photos to someone?!), but the portraits I can put on discs until I figure out a better way. I may need to ask some professionals for advice on this one!

- Figure out a better way to reply to comments. Done! Notice the new Disqus commenting system I (with help of Twitter haha) installed?! So far I really like it!

- ENJOY my last week in Texas! Double check!! It was a nice week and I felt like I was really able to appreciate it. I did some adventuring and eating and photo taking. Not bad.

- Go to bed at a decent hour. Like by 10:30 or 11pm. I start school tomorrow, so this is especially important for me! I start at 8am, which I haven't done since high school, so I am expecting things to be rough haha how did they ever get me to do that for 12 years?!

- Create some sort of budget. Figure out what my monthly income is, my expenses, and how much I should be spending and saving! I am horrible at budgeting, but I think that is because I have never really tried to come up with any sort of system. I hear envelopes work well? Any ideas?

- Practice filming things. In September, a friend and I are filming a cute couple's wedding! Honestly, I am not quite sure how I got roped into this (I know NOTHING about making videos), but I am up for the challenge! It's always nice to learn new things, plus I love weddings. Win-win, right?

What are your weekly wishes?

Tips for Flying with Your Pup

We are officially back in California! When at the airport with Marly (or even just talking to friends and family), I get a lot of questions about flying with a dog, like "You can do that?" or "How does that work?" Now that we are pros, I thought I would answer some of those questions here and even share some tips I have figured out for stress-free traveling with your pup.

Many airlines these days allow you to bring your dog onboard with you for an additional fee. I know for sure that Southwest (what we have flown) and Virgin America do. With Southwest, it is $75 each way, and with Virgin America it is $100 per segment (which leads me to believe that means that you have to pay $100 each time you get on and off the plane).

At any rate, in order to fly with a pet, they must fit in a carrier that will fit under the seat in front of you. Under seat measurements are available on airline websites. Also, your pet counts as a carry-on! Which, in my opinion, is ultra silly since you have to pay a fee to bring them on board.

Here are some tips and tricks I have discovered that are great to keep in mind to make flying with a dog easier:

- Go to a pet store with your pup and try out many different carriers. It's like buying a purse: you have to compare them and figure out what works best for you and your dog. It was kind of difficult to find one for Marly since he is the recommended weight for the carriers, but is longer than most breeds that the carrier is intended for. But we found a few that worked and that I liked! Also, if you are traveling alone, be mindful of how you will carry your pup in his carrier AND all of your luggage. They make rolling carriers that also have backpack straps, which would have been great except that Marly was too long for those. So, find what is manageable for you and most comfortable for your dog, since he will be the one in it for hours at a time. Then, go buy it online because they are much cheaper!

- Buy a "guaranteed on board" pet carrier. Some even have a printable certificate to bring to the gate with you incase there is a problem. You can find the carrier I got for Marly HERE.

- In the weeks and days leading up to your flight, put your dog in his carrier for small increments of time. You could take him for short car rides, carry him around the neighborhood, or even try going on a longer road trip before your big flight.

- Whenever possible, take a direct flight. Though it may seem like a good idea to have a layover as a break for your pup, it just adds hours to your travel time, not to mention the affects of taking off and landing multiple times. Think about how your ears tend to pop or hurt during this time, and then think about ow your dog must feel since he doesn't know what is happening or how to help it. He can't chew gum like us! Plus, it is much easier to get settled just once instead of having to haul your pup, your carry-ons, and yourself from one gate to the next. Just sit back and relax!

- Bring a lot of water! I always get so thirsty when flying, so only imagine how your dog feels in that carrier! Bring and empty water bottle and fill it up at a water fountain once past security, or buy a bottle of water at a kiosk. Be sure to also bring a small bowl to keep in your purse for easy access.

- Bring a lot of treats! I don't usually want to bribe Marly, but they were necessary for making sure that he would get into the carrier once we were in the airport. Your pup may be nervous, so don't hesitate to give him a little incentive to get in his carrier.

- Use the pet relief area before going through security. Also, be mindful that once you are past security, there will not be a relief area. Additionally, if you have a layover, you will most likely have to exit the airport to find a relief area, which you may not have time for. Because airports are evil places that want to make life difficult and want your dog to pee on their ticket counters. True story.

- Be prepared for people to approach you. People are naturally curious, especially when you are toting a little dog in an airport. A lot of people will probably smile at you, or come up to you and ask questions about what it is like flying with a dog. Marly was really good with people coming up to us and petting him, and was actually pretty excited about the whole thing! But if your dog isn't up for the attention, just politely excuse yourself by saying that your dog is nervous about flying, so it would be best to leave him alone right now. This is better than saying he is aggressive in any way, because you don't want that to jeopardize your flight if someone reports it.

- Tell the people sitting next to you that you have a dog with you. This way, they are aware and if it bothers them, they will be able to find another seat. Plus, this is a great conversation starter if you are the type of person who likes to make friends on planes!

I hope these tips help you when and if you fly with your dog! I really loved traveling with Marly and hope to be able to do it with him again some day :)

I am so happy to be back in California and can't wait to share the rest of my summer adventures with you all!

Austin: Part 2

We started off Sunday morning with breakfast at South Congress Cafe. It was different than we thought it would be, but it was still pretty good!

We then packed up our motel room and got some drinks from Jo's right next to our motel.

We spent the afternoon walking along South Congress and popping in and out of shops. I found some gifts for family members and even got myself a special little something (I will share it soon!).

I fell in love with this shop, Parts and Labour. They had clothing, Austin themed t-shirts, post cards, and other random great things. I will definitely be visiting again next time I am in town!

My beautiful Aunt Jenny.

I was determined to find this famous mural, and we did! So we took photos in front of it, of course.

This is probably my favorite photo from the whole trip! Ahh it just makes me so happy!

We finished our trip off with one last visit to Whole Foods, you know, since it is the original and all. This is not just a typical Whole Foods, but it is a really happening place. It's essentially a Whole Foods on crack. These Austinites take it pretty seriously. It is like, bikes and people and yummy prepared foods galore. We got some gelato and then piled in the car for our drive back to Houston.

It was sad to leave Austin, but I will definitely be back soon! This weekend that we were there also happened to be the weekend of the Texas Style Council blogging event and I was bummed that I wasn't going to be able to go. I mean, it was in Austin! What are the odds that me, a California girl, would be a blogger spending the summer in Texas, and be IN Austin the same weekend that this awesome blogging event would be going on? And that some of my favorite bloggers, like Elsie + Emma of A Beautiful Mess, Jenni of Story of My Life, Jenny and Savannah of Maiedae, and Elizabeth of Delightfully Tacky would be there?! Fate, I tell you.

But, alas, even though I decided not to attend the conference to spend time with my family, I had a blast! I kept my eyes peeled all weekend for these blogging laddies, but I did not see any. Next year, though, I will definitely be at Texas Style Council's conference, just you wait! Any excuse to go to Austin, right?

Two Whole Years

Today marks two whole years that Dai and I have been together! I can't believe how time just flies. Maybe he is sometimes more thoughtful or more romantic than I am (that guy, he just kills me sometimes), but we have made a great team and I love that about him. He is always doing things for others and never minds lending a helping hand. There are things about him that make me wish I were a better person. He loves my crazy, complicated, and sometimes dysfunctional family, and just goes with the flow when it requires it. Looking back through my blog archives, I am reminded of the many adventures we have had, and all the reasons he means so much to me.

Here are a few for your enjoyment:

It's About the Journey

The Unplanned Hiatus

Adventure: Lake Tahoe

Lazy Sunday

So I'm Really 5-years-old

Good Company

Sweet Thursdays

Adventure is Near: Yosemite, CA

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane!

Dai is a very special guy to me and I am so happy to have shared these memories and experiences with him. Here's to many more to come!

Austin: My New Favorite Place

Austin, oh Austin, there is just so much I can say about you and all of your wonderfulness. I know that I have not travelled outside of my beloved California much, but I would leave for you. I could pack up my things and start anew with you. What a dream!

We arrived late on Friday evening and stayed at the iconic Austin Motel. They aren't the nicest rooms, but if you are up for some fun and personality, they are great! Each room is decorated entirely differently for some flavor, vintage, and character. Plus, you can't beat the location! Right in the middle of South Congress, you have access to everything. I loved that about this motel. Also, for future reference, they ARE dog friendly!

We started Saturday off at Kerbey Lane Cafe, where I got the most delicious pancakes I have ever had: Cinnamon roll pancakes! Really, I'm not sure you can call this creation a pancake, it is that wonderful.

We then headed off to Barton Springs Pool, where we had planned to swim, but it ended up not working out. We did get to hang out there for a bit and soak it all in though! Next time, next time...

We escaped from the heat in Waterloo Records, where I decided that I must get a record player and build my vinyl collection. Records are just so cool!

And of course, our motel was right next to the iconic "i love you so much" graffiti! I even got Marly his own little dog tag souvenir with it on it :)

Stay tuned for part two later this week!