Thanksgiving 2014 recap

As many of you already know, Thanksgiving is a big deal for me. Every year my family (all 40 of us) travels to celebrate together. This year I also spent some time with Jesse's family as well.

Snuggles.

The selfie we sent to Jesse's uncle

So many dogs!

Facetiming with the rest of the family.

Putting a diaper on a dog.

Massachusetts was snowy.

And full of turkeys

TeeJay had 35 followers within an hour of joining Instagram.

Normal.

Exploring Salem.

A game of memory with the family's faces.

Suddenly it was raining in the kitchen.

What did you do for Thanksgiving this year?

Connective Tissue

Tammy over at Rowdy Kittens posed the question, "What does your connective tissue look like?" Connective tissue, she writes, is:

"The aspects of your life that support you, help you function in highly specialized ways, nourish your core and give you strength — that’s your connective tissue — the intangible ways in which you feel connected — the fibres that bind your being to those you share the planet with."

For me it's taking goofy pictures with my siblings, making delicious food with a friend, genuine compliments from people I respect, sleeping outside with people who love the outdoors as much as I do, looking at Chris and not being able to keep a smile off my face, cuddling with Ein, trading Doctor Who theories with my dad and brother, a concert in the rain with my sister that nearly killed our electronics but we didn't even worry, my mom hugging me and helping me solve my problems, my future brother-in-law taking me for a ride on his motorcycle, my sister's boyfriend making me breakfast because I always end up sleeping on his couch, ridiculous discussions with Trista via social media, ridiculous plans with Sammy at the branch, the smiles and shrieks and giggles from my kids on swim lessons, the enthusiasm of my campers, seeing my extended family on a regular basis, and friends who enjoy spending time with me as much as I enjoy spending time with them.

What does yours look like?

San Francisco Part 5: The People

This whole trip couldn't have been possible without the generosity of my awesome cousin Steph. I really had fun hanging out with her, and she helped us make the trip amazing.

We also met a few neat people.

Rainn Wilson and Steph.

Cooking up an awesome dinner.

Lars Rasmussen, one of the guys behind Google Maps. Also a really rad dude. Be still, my geeky heart.

I can't wait to go back.

San Francisco Part 4: The City

We explored San Francisco in the best ways: walking and eating. The weather was beautiful, so when we weren't riding the cable cars or with Steph, we walked and explored.

Steph took us to the market where we had the most decadent, luscious hot chocolate ever and a delicious Mexican-y breakfast plate. 

Wandering around SF at twilight.

The famed cable cars.

The most un-straight road in the world (or so they say).

You haven't been to the West Coast until you've had an In-N-Out burger

We walked across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Then we kept walking.

Then we walked even further.

Hanging on to the side of a cable car.

I fell in love with this city.

San Francisco Part 1: Google

Update:  Check out my more recent posts here on Chocolate and Bacon. I write about travel, crafts, education, history, books, and more! If you're looking for recipes, check out my other blog, Feeding My Love.

This post has been a long time coming. Last Thanksgiving Chris and I made plans to visit my cousin Steph in San Francisco. When we got back to school we booked our flight out. 

Early one January morning, my future brother-in-law drove Chris and I to Newark. We left behind a New Jersey winter and said "hello" to the mild climate of Northern California.

Our first adventure was touring the YouTube and Google offices. It was better than Disney for a Google fan-girl like me.

My sister was in Dubai, so we thought we'd visit, too.

The last time Steph and I were on vacation together, we went to Disney World. Ten years later we revisit my favorite ride.

Spacecraft hanging form the ceiling, nbd.

Oh yeah, Rainn Wilson was there, too.

The food alone is reason enough to visit. We opted for an Asian-themed lunch.

Bikes to help you get around the campus quickly.

Where are we?

Yes, I could name all the desserts.

Bonus! Tour of Stanford University. Very Sunnydale ;)

And that was all just the first day!