and we're back!

... from FLORIDA!

we had a grand time, relaxing on the beach, trying to catch some shade sometimes and basking in the glory of the sun for most of the time. the first day it rained like crazy but we didn't mind. this gave us lots of calm, down time to nap and read in the afternoon followed by a nice evening stroll (read: 3 mile walk - sorry mom!) to a yummy restaurant.

the second day was absolutely gorgeous! we were on the beach by 10 (after a super long wait in the hotel starbucks) and didn't move until 2 for a quick lunch of edamame and hummus and then back to the beach and then headed up to the pool at 430 where we stayed until 6. that night we headed to SUBLIME which was the BEST VEGAN food i have ever eaten. yes, i am yelling IN CAPS because it was that good. i can't even explain. it's getting it's own post.

the third day was another long round at the beach followed by a few hours at the pool. my mom ordered some drinks and carried them down on a tray, laughing about how she was working at the resort now. i am a big dork and did not drop a drink of alcohol on the trip but i don't love drinking and i hate it even more in the hot sun. i have to realllllly be in the mood for a drink and i'm already so deliriously happy on the beach, why would i need anything to lift my mood?

we were up at the crack of dawn for both flights and neither was particularly pleasant but these were minor details to our delightful days in the sun. it was strange to relive some memories from the other times i've been there. the last visit was while i was performing in the fall when i ended up being rushed to the ER in an ambulance and spent a full day facing my biggest fears otherwise known as lots and lots of needles. the time before was when i was roughly ten minutes from ft lauderdale in hollywood while visiting my college roommates home in miami. while we were in miami, we drove to hollywood to hang with a bunch of my roommates hometown friends (read: lots of cute boys who were worth the hour long drive to our 19 year old minds). one of those friends ended up being someone who has played an incredible significant part in my life over the past 5 years and is still ridiculously important to me. this person has taught me things that i'm not sure anyone else would have had the patience to teach me and has helped me in ways that i still can't explain. he has done all of this with an open heart and in a way of caring about me that i still don't understand. so naturally i couldn't help but think about him especially with all the commercials advertising the very place i met him :o)

this is what i learned on my trip: vacations are important.

sometimes you really need to take a break for a few days and do nothing but think, read, lay and eat. it is totally and completely okay to skip working out for a few days. the sun can cure any and all of your problems. time with your mother spent talking and learning things you didn't know is really fun and important. AND for heaven's sake, leave your computer at home! what a freeing feeling! i was surely aware of my addiction though as i missed my computer the way one might miss a pet or friend. i think i should work on limiting my time spent with it from here on out.

it's back to tour for me next week and i'm heading to washington DC where i haven't been since i was 13. i'm excited to have the chance to explore the area again as an adult. until then, there are more adventures to be had here at home and in the city --

xox

leavin on a jet plane ...

and will be back on this very beach in a few short hours!

i can't wait to lay in the sun, read without interruption & hang with my momma.

the beach really is my favorite place in the whole world.

in fact, i love it so much that i'm not even bringing a computer!

see you in a few days -- xo

photo by me/october, 2009

i came home to find these ...

all over my computer desktop!

guess that's what happens when you leave your laptop out and your sister is bored.

everyone should download poladroid, it's the best :o)

but be careful of sisters with boredom!

xo

all photos taken by me & created with poladroid, 2010.

babies courtesy of Jenny + Jimmy.

LOVE is...

... a tiny two year old seeing how you are sitting and copying it to be more like you.

... a little dude knowing who you are and busting out smiles when the last time you saw him, he was still a little mush of a baby and now he is a small person with thoughts and ideas.

have i mentioned i love these babies?

my cousin Jen is the mommy to Ryan & Cyrus and has a super amazing 8 year old step-daughter named Brooke, too.

i need to get me some new Brooke photos, stat!

my cousin is the coolest of cool. just a few years ago she was still a wild child, out adventuring in the world and in the past three years she has gotten married, become a mom and moved four hours away. the cool thing is that she is still totally herself. she still has the same sense of humor and way of being but has all these new traits, too. i love that she's maintained herself throughout all of these life changing, amazing blessings and challenges.

i like her a lot :o)

who is your favorite family member?

xo

Today I got to see my favorite people under the age of three and it occurred to me that the last time I posted was a very special day as it was the birthday of a certain favorite tiny person of mine,

Miss Ryan Faith

who turned TWO on March 14th.

Ryan is the coolest. Not only is she a girl with a name usually reserved for boys (which automatically puts her in the coolest people ever group) but she is a feisty, adventurous, intelligent, spirited little thing who will tell you what's what any day of the week. She picks up the phone when I call her mom now and can have a real conversation with me. Today she pointed at me and said "my Kerry!" and I almost melted into a puddle of mush. Mind you this was because she is clearly possessive of all people and things that are hers just incase a certain little brother of hers was having any ideas that these items were his. That's alright, the girl just knows what she wants. She is just the cutest. I really love all the new babies in my family in a way that I never thought I would love babies but Ryan and I have a connection that I can't really explain yet. Maybe it's because I know she's the next girl in line after me in the trouble making section of our family and I can't wait to see what kind of ruckus she causes over the years and how she will take on the world and make it a better place. Maybe it's because I see a lot of myself and other women I really love in her. Maybe it's just something inexplainable. Whatever the case, I'm proud to know her and willing to admit she's got me wrapped around her little finger.

Happy Birthday, RyRy. Here's to a new year of adventure.

photo taken by me/July 2009

As I mentioned before, my momma and my sister came to visit me in San Fran.

We played tourist for the day (mainly cause we are, uh, tourists..)

and rode around on one of those giant red buses with the open top from place to place.

We stopped and visited the Japanese Tea gardens, went across the Golden Gate bridge and then back over it much to my mother's delight, explored Fillmore St where we had that delicious lunch at the plant organic cafe, saw places like City Hall and various museums and, drumroll please, went to Alamo Square park where six gorgeous victorian homes line one rather famous street.

To most normal people, they are known as the Painted Ladies.

To my family, they are known as the houses from the Full House theme song.

This is basically my sister's mecca. The place she had aimed to see her whole life.

(well, that AND the actual house they used for exterior shots but we won't bring that up. oh and it's 1709 Broderick Street for all those out there wondering and/or googling it for an hour whilst sitting in Alamo Square park. oh. just us?)

Mockery aside, the houses were beautiful and it was neat to see them in person.

I never actually feel like a tourist despite the fact that I am constantly a tourist since I don't live in any of the cities that I "live" in (did ya follow that?) but I have a really fast ability to adjust to new places. However, once in awhile it is great fun to run around with maps in your hand and looking lost and confused and excited all at once and ask for directions from strangers who will absolutely roll their eyes once you walk away. Plus, it's always nice to have people come visit you. Life on the road is really tough sometimes and once in awhile I need to see a familiar face or I think I may not make it.

Here are some shots from their time here. Happy exploring to you, wherever it is you are. xo.

mom and amy at Alamo Square/Painted Ladies/Full House theme song.

Momma and a statue of Beethoven.

Me in front of the Painted Ladies.

aka: a new facebook profile picture.

the Golden Gate bridge!