yurts & palapas.

This week I'm going to be sleeping in this...

And this...

All to ride these...

AND I CAN'T WAIT!

Scorpion Bay. My heaven on Earth.

PS. I miss my husband. Thanks for working so hard, babe while I venture to Baja Sur! I love you.

Scorp.

Guys, it's probably annoying to some of you how much I love me some Mexico.. but I can't help myself! And right now, given the current weather outside... well, I'm REALLY itching to get down there. I miss it so much! The culture, the food, the colors, the patterns, and of course.. the OLAS! The photo below on the left is a Flickr find of Rosarito (a city just north of my parent's beach shack).. and it nails so much of what I love about Baja.

1.Talavera Emporium dolphin 2.Mexican glass blue cobalt rim tumbler 3.Talavera tiles
4.Mexican blankets 5.Stone-washed twill Toms

PS. I actually own some classic cobalt rim glasses and I wouldn't have it any other way. Viva Mexico!

PPS. Countdown to bringing home Hippo = 13 days!!

1st & 2nd Point.

It was a week ago. I ate crap and fell in my driveway on the most ROCK SOLID - I'm talking.. INSANE PIECE OF FREEZING SMOOTH GRANITE/LIMESTONE/WHATEVER - gnarly hard surface you can imagine, and landed precisely directly exactly on the smallest square-inch of my patella (knee bone). And in that moment I transported myself in my mind to my piece of heaven. The getaway. The 18 hour drive - WORTH it - sanctuary. The trip to the best tacos de pescado, y olas, y siestas (fish tacos, waves, & naps for you non-mexi travelers).. you could ever dream of. A place where the sun kisses your skin and leaves you feeling like melted butter. We'll pretend that feels amazing.

THIS PLACE..

via surfforcast

This is my heaven. I'm there in my brain right now.
If you've seen that first picture in real life... then you KNOW the breath taking feeling I'm talkin about. It's of "1st point", and the other shot is of "2nd point" at Scorpion Bay.. and they are both a dream come true. Eventually, Andrew is going to do a canvas oil painting of Scorpion for me. It's going to be jynormous.. and it'll live in our living room. I can't wait. But I guess I will have to... while I also wait for my bulldog. If they came at the same time I just may poo myself.

In other news, school started today and I am just not ready. I'm still squeezing the last drops from the fruits of my vacation time. I'm trying to pretend that Andrew really hasn't gone back to school (although I'm BEYOND MYSELF excited that this is the LAST TIME he will "start" school EVER AGAIN), and instead I imagine us building puzzles tomorrow with my sisters & brothers in law, doing the most retarded things to get the most beautiful human on the planet to laugh (the human also known as Beckett), playing ping pong, and going for a drive close enough to SEE the ocean. Seeing is enough for me. Every time I leave my parents home, my heart skips over the speed bump.. while I cross my fingers that the marine layer is non-existent for that moment, just so I can SEE IT. And I kid you not, the wet air got the memo this last trip, because the whole vacation I got to fill up my "ocean view from the hill" cup. And it is definitely HELPING.

It was wonderful.. but, I can't help but wonder when I'll see it again next. Until then, I'm going to enjoy the ice rink they called 'roads' here. Because this most likely will be our last.winter.ever. in Utah (shock & awe, followed by high fives all around). So I'll be sure to sneak a peak at as many 1am silent snow storms as I can (those are my favorite.. the ground SPARKLES!), and then file them away in my memories somewhere happily. Or in my Christmas boxes, to be pulled out each year from now on, to turn my house into a white-winter-wonderland. (:

So there you have it. My wanderlust self. Life just feels kind of surreal right now, and I'm trying to take it all in. Where we are, where we've come from, and where we'll end up. I've decided though that I'm going to try to just think in the now. Enjoy the journey, right? So what am I most excited for THIS DAY? These next few months? (that counts as now, right?) A design internship. A fun one. Wish me luck!

Oh, and I'll be sure to take advantage of my sorels while I still can these next few months. They definitely add to my love of winter.

I should have been wearing them the day my knee made out with the floor outside.
Most likely could have avoided that.

Spanish Vibe.

My sister is in Mexico on her honeymoon. Boggles my BRAIN. But I'm so happy for her. Her wedding was tender and beautiful and she really is madly in love. I was so glad to be with her the week before. It was such a good time.

Anyway, thinking of Mexico always brings so many different memories and images. Currently my mind trails to the times we've spent in a little private community known as Las Gaviotas. It's got one of the best northern Baja surf breaks, a pool, and a spa. What more can you ask for?! You rent (or buy if you're super awesome) their little attached homes that are usually so visually obviously Spanish in style it's incredible. One of things that comes to mind about these homes is usually very festive bathrooms covered in decorative ceramic tiles and even a colorful sink. I love that about Mexico. I would totally throw that style into a guest bathroom, or half bath just for my own bliss.

Possibly use this bathroom sink...

And maybe a tiling similar to any of these...

This tiling company is in San Diego, how appropriate. They know what's up when it comes to producing Mediterranean/Hispanic tiles, and they've definitely beautified various parts of the city that my heart belongs to.

Whatever I end up doing in the distant future with our home's bathrooms, this look is something that I consider fairly regularly. The look is chaos and harmony in one. I just love it. I love Mexico, and wouldn't mind incorporating a lil somethin to say, "I love you."

Mexican Embroidered Dresses

Yes. I love Mexico. Yes. I LOVE bold colors & patterns (Andrew says I can be a bit overboard at times with my wardrobe, but I just can't help myself!). So, YES. Once ill seen, ill said posted about these tunics/dresses, my mouth was watering. Then Frolic! so kindly reminded me of their splendor, so I just HAD to share! They are SOOO exquisite! I would love to wear them. (:

{via ill seen, ill said}
{purchase here}

Tide Pools

Baja has LOTS of volcanic rock surrounding most of their cliffs. The ones by our house down there are no different. These are a couple diddys I took while down searching the little water caverns. ..One of the benefits of being able to dunk your camera in liquid. (:
I love anemones. (:

Greetings..

We're back! ..and yes, we had LOTS of fun (and yes that's my ninja foot on the ol' Ezra). (:
More pictures to come soon..
PS. Sorry if I don't blog a whole lot this week, it's gonna be a busy one!
Cheers & adios!

South Of The Border

Adios, amigos. To Baja, Mexico we go!
Time to catch some good 'siestas y olas' (naps and waves) at our beach house. (:

Have an epic weekend!

{photo via Flickr}

'Swine Weeks'

{photo via Flickr}

NOTE: This is not your typical 'Swine Flu' post...

So, my little sisters (grades 9 & 12) were called out of school for 2 whole weeks. In fact, the WHOLE HIGH SCHOOL was called out for 2 weeks.
Last Friday, a boy at their school threw up on campus (excuse the raw terminology.. I don't know how else to put it), went to the doctor, got tested, & tested positive for the 'swine flu'. Mission Hills High School went up in a frenzy & announced that school would be out for the following 2 weeks. I imagine students were ecstatically jumping in the halls like "HECK YA!" Although, when they said canceled.. they meant CANCELED. No athletics, no AP EXAMS, ..NOTHING.
Now in my opinion (and many others).. this was going a bit overboard. I hate to break it to you folks, but more people die from the 'regular' flu each year & the only advice anyone has to give if you come in 'contact' with the virus, is to 'rest & wash your hands'. ..Awesome, thanks for the help & all the proactive advice..
Anyway, this all lasted 2 days for the poor kiddos. The school called everyone back last night and said something along the lines of, "Syke! We cleaned the school and have now realized how screwed we'll be if we don't finish the STAR testing this next week!" Haha. Gotta love the education system. Well, the teens are crushed, and currently in school.. but there are SOME who have lucked out. My sister Abby booked a cheap (and when I say cheap, I mean KILLER INEXPENSIVE) cruise with her friends next week to Canada. ..CANADA? Yes, the Mexican Riviera ships are currently unable/not allowed to travel south of the border, and therefore have left them no other direction to travel. So off to Canada the ships go, for around $300 & a week long trip. Way to milk the cercumstances Sis.. hope you have an awesome time next week while you technically 'ditch' school to "Swine and Dine on the Cruiseline..er."

High schoolers, I'm sorry your 'swine weeks' have come to a scretching hault..
Cruise lovers, now might be an ideal time for you to cruise to a new place..
And my friends, wash you hands and get some rest. (:

Tile & Ceramics

{image via Apartment Therapy}

I like this photo. I don't know why, I just do.. Perhaps it has something to do with the awesome colors, or the fact that it reminds me of Mexico. It actually makes me want to go. Even WITH the current swine-shmine issues. Okay, okay.. maybe I'll wait a little while longer before we head to the beach house in Baja, but until then.. a girl can dream right?

Week 1.. Scorpion Bay

So of course, the beloved Scorpion Bay was heavenly as always. This time was the first year dad and I had the privilege of sharing the vacation with the whole family. It was great because not only did I get my year's stock up of surfing, but both Abby & Andrew caught their first real waves and Abby caught 'the stoke'. Also, I had decided to bring my Twilight series for a vacation re-read, and got Abby addicted. :) People (Ah hem.. Ashley), it's not a "FAD" for no good reason! Stephenie's a dang good writer! Anyway, moving on.. we were spooked by stingrays & jelly fish.. but when the water is so warm, and the waves are so flawless... you can't resist. Also, we didn't get any pictures of it, but our friend Dustin Smith shaped an old longboard into a short board for the local kids to use, and he got Andrew to do some stencil artwork on the nose of a scorpion. Ha, how appropriate. Overall, it was such a great trip. I'll have to post some of Andrew's sketches he did of the scenery while we were down there. Anyway.. next adventure post coming soon.

Scorpion Bay

I just thought I'd share with you some of the joyous pictures that come from Scorpion Bay. We'll have a fresh batch in less than 2 weeks! Yahoooo! Goodness knows I could use a break from reality..


Fabulous 400 yard waves.. who can complain?!

Breezy tropical evenings (sad that brother won't be making the trip this year.)

The fact that it just looks like a dirt hole makes it that much better.. it's trickery, and it keeps the place uncrowded. Just the way we like 'er. :)

We like to see piles of these bad boys.

The best beach camping around.

CAN'T WAIT!