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The Wonder Luster

For Those Of Us Whose Dreams Won't Die Between 17 and 65.

Life is wondrous! Feed your lust for life with the tools & inspiration to help make it a great one.

A Trip To Big Sur & Northern California

Travel | January 21, 2015

When I visited Big Sur and other gorgeous northern California cities, I almost cancelled my flight home. I was so tempted to stay. See why!

When I visited Big Sur and other gorgeous areas of northern California, I almost cancelled my flight home.  California is a big, big state.  I was born and raised in California for 24 years, before heading off to Chicago- and while I’d been up and down the state, everywhere from the Coachella Valley to Eureka in the far north, I had never headed over to Highway 1 to see Big Sur and the beautiful beach cities of northern California, luckily though, I had an opportunity to remedy that.

Big Sur California

If you’re driving along Highway 1 in Big Sur, you can stop at Nepenthe Restaurant.  Admittedly, the food is really expensive and it wasn’t that good- but, as with many tourist spots, you know you’re paying for the view.

Honestly- the ambiance is amazing and the staff were pretty nice. (One was pretty stoned, so I’m guessing that’s why she was so nice?)…below is the view from the Napenthe restaurant, so grab a beer and enjoy!  The gift shop below was pretty fun too!

Napenth at Big Sur California

Seriously, no filter on this one..it was just that gorgeous. 

One thing I love about California is the color. The sunshine, the bright hues, the colorful people.  You slow down in California, but it’s worth it.  Oh yes, and then there is the wine. I love wine.  I tried so many good wines during the trip- namely, Carmel Ridge that makes an awesome Moscato.  Enjoying that bottle on the balcony of the Carmel Mission Inn with a friend, watching the sunset will be one of my favorite memories from the trip.

image1In between galavanting in Big Sur & Monterey, we stayed at the Carmel Mission Inn (read my hotel review).  It was colorful, fun and relaxing after a long day of coastal driving and photo taking.  I even snagged a bottle of sparkling wine to enjoy in the room…let’s just say this was the *only* bottle I got my hands on while in wine country….Wink, wink.

Shannyn Loves Bubbly

Palo Alto is also a fun area, perfect for morning jogs on the Stanford campus, sun bathing and wine tasting.  I will let the pictures speak for themselves…talking about it only makes me miss it more right now!

image2image3A trip to Northern California

I love California, and I’m debating if a move back out there is in my future.  The cost of living is quite high, but honestly- not much worse (depending on the area) than Chicago- and I would not have to dig my car out, or bundle up to survive 5 months out of the year.  I love Chicago, but man, when you spend a few days in California while your apartment pipes are nearly freezing over- it’s sort of tempting! Can you see why I almost cancelled my flight home?

California - A Photo from Monterey, CA

 

 

Life is wondrous! Feed your lust for life with the tools & inspiration to help make it a great one.

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Follow the adventure on Instagram

Some people just make the world a more vibrant pla Some people just make the world a more vibrant place, simply by being in it.  I can say that about these people- who make life more colorful, brighter and true just by being themselves. 

Grateful we could slow down to capture a little snippet in time for our family before we grow again. ❤️
IYKYK, bath time edition. 🛁. #bathtime #travelb IYKYK, bath time edition. 🛁. #bathtime #travelblogger #travel #familytravel #travellust
3 years since this photo was taken and my former k 3 years since this photo was taken and my former kidney became this guy's kidney. ❤️

I can say, I've grown to appreciate this moment a lot more as time has gone on.  It hasn't been an easy road for my recipient, he and his family have had a few health scares and ups and down, but I'm so grateful we are in each other's lives.

Chances are, you may know of someone in need of a kidney. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S., over 80 million people, are at risk for kidney disease.  While not every diagnosis leads to kidney failure, there are millions of people in this scary limbo hoping for good news.

I didn't know my recipient before this process started, but when I found I could live healthfully with one, I knew I had to try.  Donation is low-risk, my costs were generously covered by my recipient (both through insurance and the kindness of others) and I was back at work in 4 weeks.  Needless to say, it was easier than birthing a baby.

Candidates for kidney donation are thoroughly vetted to ensure the surgery, and life with one kidney are a good fit.  Trust me, your team will not ask you to donate if you have any risk factor of being in need of a transplant yourself down the road.  Testing took months and was incredibly thorough.  Your remaining kidney can do the job of two, and my kidney levels are normal and healthy 3 years later.

Even if you don't personally know someone who needs a kidney, please consider living kidney donation.  You can anonymously donate, be paired through a registry or find someone on social media who is in need, like I did.  There are literally thousands of people using Instagram and Facebook to try and someone who is even willing to get the basic tests.  You could be their person.  Have questions? I’m here for you! 

Being a living kidney donor absolutely enriched my life beyond imagination and has blessed my little family with a beautiful extended family to celebrate with.  Grateful for this day.
Life’s moments are made better with our pets. ❤️

Joey had been with us for nearly 4 years, made possible by the kind folks of South Texas Boston Terrier Rescue. I picked him up, intending on fostering him for a few weeks and ended up falling in love with his sweet spirit, exuberance for anything food related and his lovable derpiness.

Previously, he was kept in a small cage with two other terriers, all day every day and used as a stud. When he was no longer profitable, he, like plenty of others, was surrendered to rescue.  He was blind in one eye, needed teeth extracted and had skin lesions from life in a cage. 

Life hadn’t been easy for him, but I’m glad a rescue was there to give him a second chance, and they trusted me to give in his second chapter.  He was a well travelled dog and he was the Best Pup on our wedding day in Marfa.  Last night we said goodbye. Hubs and I will miss him dearly, but savor the moments and adventures with our little tank. 

Adopt, don’t shop.  Support your local rescues and give your fur kids an extra squeeze for Joey tonight.
“Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked “Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked me this before. To which, I answer- life is full, wonderful, and I am grateful. 

I believe he asks because before kids, I had a very different lifestyle. I traveled to Europe by myself, started businesses, donated a kidney, ran half marathons, got my master’s degree.  I lived a full life, then too. I was fiercely independent because I had to be.

I’m still that person, but fortunately I have more people to share it with. I also have to be more vulnerable than ever.

I had years to find myself and don’t plan on losing that woman I forged. Being a mom has also helped me heal some of the hard parts of the experience I had with my own mom. (I didn’t see that last part coming.)

Being a mom can make you lose yourself.  For me, it’s helped me discover myself once more. Grateful for this day and so many days - I’m just happy to be here. 

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I hope you discover yourself, heal what you need and feel the love today and everyday.

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