Tanning Trauma

I teach second graders.  We spend weeks discussing the importance of following directions.  I guess I'm a hypocrite.  I did not follow directions when spray tanning for the first time last night.  Mistake.  

Let's backtrack.  L, A, and I decided to go get pedicures (because I have a gift certificate, otherwise I wouldn't have spent the $25).  It was wonderful!  Next door was a tanning salon and A was going to get spray tanned.  I've always been a tanning bed type of girl, but I am getting older, wrinkles are already appearing (Botox in my 20s??) and I'm trying to be smarter about the sun.  Plus my mom told me yesterday that people my age are 3 times more likely to get skin cancer (my old response used to be, "Well I'll just get it removed.)  I've wisened up and decided to try this spray tanning too.  

The lady goes over the directions and reiterates to me the importance of putting on this protective lotion on my hands, feet, knees, and elbows so I don't get really dark spots and tol also stand and wipe down a certain way.  Well, I didn't.  Too confusing.  So I woke up this morning (because it takes about 8 hours to sink in) with hideously dark elbows and streaks all over my arms and legs.  

Now it was 95 degrees today.  I couldn't exactly wear pants and a sweater.  I opted for a long skirt and a t-shirt with careful consciousness of the way I turned or raised my arms to avoid the questions of what happened.  On the plus side I did get quite a few compliments on my skirt and newly pedicured toes though!  Fortunately this will fade in 10 days.  I might just have to go back to my trusty tanning bed.  Just for wedding purposes though.  Promise.

Sadness

Is anyone as sad as J and I are over watching the season premiere of Jon & Kate?  I'm addicted to celebrity gossip with daily readings of Perez Hilton and a subscription to US Weekly (thanks mom!)  and I had been reading about them.  When I saw them interact on TV together though was just depressing.  Awful. 

Bachelorette Baseball

Our "latte" love coffees to start our day

The 2 brides...being that we were in San Francisco, people probably thought we were marrying each other.

View from our seats.

My cousin on the ferry home

J and I on the ferry ride home

Yesterday J, L, H, K, and I went and watched the Giants play the Braves.  I had such a great time!  The weather was perfect, our seats were great, and the company was the best!  Thank you girls for a perfect day!  31 days to go!

These Will Get You to Where You Need to Be

Highway 1

Elephant Seals

Front of Hearst Castle

Shell Beach, CA

Where we got our flat tire.

B and I just returned from a little getaway to San Luis Obispo/Pismo Beach/Hearst Castle to celebrate our 3 year anniversary (wow, time flies!)  What an adventure we had!  Here's how our trip went down:

       - Got a flat tire in Soledad aka middle of nowhere

      + AAA came to our rescue

      + Went and had an amazing BBQ dinner at McClintock's in Pismo Beach

      + Arrived at Embassy Suites where Brad reserved the presidential suite (almost as big as

         my apartment, with a bathtub you could swim in)

      + Free drink coupons at the bar

       - The bartender saying to us, "These will get you to where you need to be tonight."

      + Did he really just say that?!  We had a good laugh.

      + Went to Pismo Beach and enjoyed a yummy lunch outside in the sunshine until...

       - ...B got pooped on by a seagull.  Right on his head.

      + I enjoyed a good laugh.

       - B did not.

      + Went on a tour of Hearst Castle

      + Began our drive on Highway 1 and stopped to see elephant seals - so cute!

      - Stopped at a gas station in the middle of nowhere...

      - ...The attendant tells me that we're on Highway 1 for another 76 miles until Monterey

      - B was sick from all the twists and turns and ups and downs.  I'm holding the "oh shit 

        bar" in the car the whole way, afraid we're going to die. (B's driving 30 mph).

      + We can say we drove on Hwy 1 and never will again.

      + Made it home in one piece!

      

Around the Bay in a Day

View of the bay from the Presidio

On the phone with my mom trying to get directions to Stow Lake

...meanwhile B's wanting to take pictures...

Some Toronto Bluejay players

Burrrr

We needed to go to S.F. to pick up my bridesmaid dresses. Now I'm not a fan of driving in the city (and never had before!) because people just drive so erratically and all the pedestrians, vendors loading/unloading, one-way streets, etc. etc. it about gave me a panic attack! Well, we made it to the store! I LOVE the dress color (I was a little worried, after only seeing a small swatch initially). Only 49 days until the wedding!
I wanted to make a day in the city and all I knew was Pier 39 and Union Square. So I called my mom and asked her for activity ideas. She told me to go to Stow Lake and we could rent paddle boats and do lunch (plus it's where my dad proposed to my mom 30 years ago!) Because I'm a planner, I had googled this place, written directions down and *thought* I was prepared. Well we drive from the dress store to where Stow Lake was supposedly supposed to be - no lake. We drive up and down the streets and nothing. We were right next to the Presidio (where my grandma grew up) so we decided to tour that - it was really fascinating. While there, I call my mom up asking her where in the heck this "lake" was?! She said she hadn't been in 30 years, but to go look again. Long story short, no luck. Maybe it got filled up with dirt and built over?? We'll never know....
So we leave the city and head home. B suggests we look and see if the Oakland A's are playing and they were! So we spur-of-the-moment bought tickets (5th row from the field!) and went to the game. I had so much fun! B's not much of a planner but it was nice to finally have him think of something to do!
All in all a great day around the bay!

Tour de Cure

Before we left, getting ready to ride 25 miles through the Napa Valley

Rest stop and picture break about 15 miles in

We finished!!!!

I've had Type 1 diabetes since I was 5. Looking at the positive side, I was fortunate to get it at such a young age. I have grown up with it all my life pretty much, so no major changes were ever needed in regards to what I ate and my activity - taking shots and eating at certain times was just the norm. I'm lucky now to be on an insulin pump where it's not so stringent.

I became involved with the Tour de Cure as a volunteer back in high school, working the registration table. I was always in awe of the support and number of people that showed up to ride. The Tour de Cure takes place all over the nation, with the biggest one being held in Napa Valley. It's open to all levels and they have 10, 20, 50, and 100 mile rides. I rode my first Tour two years ago with B, riding the 25 miler. B and I got into cycling and 25 miles was nothing. Fast forward 2 years with a new job, wedding planning, thesis and I hadn't been on a bike in well over a year. When J told me that she was going to ride the 25 miler and wanted me to do it with her, I was a little nervous. How was I going to survive?!?! But....WE DID!

I had so much fun today! I rode with J's fiance, two brothers and a group of his co-workers. It rained for the first 5 miles or so but then dried out - we were fortunate to not have it be too hot. It's amazing how great you feel after completely something that you didn't think you'd be able to do.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports diabetes!