my birthday according to my iPhone

Turning 26 was underwhelming. 

I had my mini mid-life crisis on my 25th bday, so 26 didn't feel so strange. 27, however, sounds very scary. I hope this doesn't become a pattern for me.... But I must say, after looking at all of these pictures I had a pretty sweet kick off to my 26th year. 

Even if my husband called me an "old hag" (true story!!).

My birthday was beyond special. The weekend prior we went up to LA & spent the evening with the Spiker fam. Ashley & Joey came, as well as Jacque and her family. It was so much fun! We made homemade pizzas (delish!!) and just hung out. Chris' grandma Rita gave me 2 old vintage turquoise rings which I LOVE. 

Ammon was also in town just a few days before my actual birthday. I love when he extends his trips a day or two to hang with me! We always have such a great time laughing and being dorks. 

Plus, he makes me work out super hard which is good :) The morning he left, he gave me a card with $$ to buy something for my birthday...so sweet! I bought an amazing pair of oxfords (see below). I'm so lucky to have such a generous and kind big brother.

As you know, we went to San Francisco. We had debated this trip for some time. Chris & I decided after an extremely hard year of work and other personal trials that we needed a break. 

Of course we are trying to save $$ so a trip isn't great right now...and of course our work schedules are crazy who knows if we could even do it.

But there comes a time when you just HAVE TO GET AWAY. 

Our sanity became priority numero uno.

My Birthday proved to be the perfect excuse. So we planned a road trip up the coast.

Alone time. Quiet time. Relaxing. No stressing about our present or our future. No work. Just us and the beautiful California central coast. 

The drive was probably my favorite part...well, that and the food. I snapped a million photos with my iPhone and documented our trip via Instagram (so many of you have already seen these photos).

It was unreal how stunning this drive was. If you have not had the opportunity to do this, you MUST. We made several stops along the way, we spent our first night in Monterey, then the remaining days in San Francisco. 

We hiked the big redwoods on my actual birthday which was PERFECT. I love nature, I love hiking, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE trees. It was heaven. 

I wish we could have stayed in a cabin there for a week. I want to go back!

San Fran was beautiful! HUGE, filthy, strange, quirky, and the food was out of this world. 

We ate and ate and ate. 

The highlight was on my birthday, we went to an incredible restaurant called "Foreign Cinema". 

YOU MUST GO if you are ever in San Francisco. 

They play old foreign films and have the most delicious menu. 

Because my birthday is so near Halloween, they were playing

"Shadow of a Vampire"....How freaking cool is that?

We rode the trolley, saw the BEAUTIFUL bridge, went to Sausalito and loved it's charm. We barely shopped at all (shocked?! haha), we just soaked up the city and all of the food it had to offer.

Oh and a major highlight, I was able to wear high heels for the first time in almost two years. FINALLY!!!!

The best part was just spending time with Chris. I know it's cheesy...I'm sorry. 

But we needed this trip so badly. Or maybe I needed it, for us. Whatever the reason, it was exactly what the doctor ordered. I feel so lucky to have such an amazing man as a husband. 

Taking me on that trip just showed me again how truly great he is.

 The night we got home from San Francisco was October 30th...so, naturally we HAD to carve pumpkins!! Halloween is one of my favorites and Chris is always happy to oblige. 

Again, I'm so lucky.