Four years, five moves, three pets. Whoa.

I can hardly believe it's been 4 years since Ryan and I were crazy kids who fell in love and moved in together in a matter of two months.

I know, crazy.

But, it has most definitely worked out! These past four years have not always been a walk in the park, but they've been so worth it. I've been in a few relationships previous to Ryan, and none of them have compared to this one.

Not by a long shot.

Ok, enough of getting all mushy.

Each year, we go on an anniversary trip. The first and second year, we went to Cambria, one of our favorite California beach towns (besides Carmel & Santa Cruz, duh!) Our third year, we had recently moved to Washington, we were busy, and we were trying to save money, so we stayed home. This year, we wanted to take advantage of our Washington residency and explore more of the state. We decided on Walla Walla, 5 hours east of us here in Issaquah. It sits very close to both the Oregon and Idaho borders nestled in a small valley, and yes people, it's wine country.

Our favorite. :)

We set off in the morning, and stopped for lunch in Ellensberg, close to where we adopted Moose. Ryan found a "healthy drive thru" near downtown, and it was AMAZING! I can't wait to go back. The owner was such a sweetheart, and the food was healthy and wonderful. 

Further into the drive, it became desolate, tumbleweeds and all. There was nothing nearby. I started thinking to myself

"what did we get ourselves into?!"

"Are we going somewhere...boring?"

Eventually, we arrived, and even though this little town is in the middle of nowhere, it is beautiful, charming, and there's quite a lot to do.

40 wine tasting rooms in downtown alone.
Beautiful historic homes and buildings everywhere.

It's safe to say we had a wonderful time.

We stayed at a bed and breakfast, which was a first for the both of us. It was called The Maxwell House, a home that was built in the early 1900's and was restored gorgeously. The breakfasts were great, the room was quiet & cozy, and our inn keeper was a doll. 

Took a break on our drive to eat at Canyon River Bakers Lunchbox Cafe

in Ellensberg

The Maxwell House. Was a great location walking distance to downtown. This was the day we arrived, warm but cloudy outside.

Flowers of course. :)

Enjoying the garden with some vino

This is across the street from where we stayed, it's Whitman College campus housing

Our walk to downtown everyday took us through Whitman Campus, where there was plenty of lush green areas, streams, and public art

Leaving the house for our second dinner, at T. Maccarone's

Each of us enjoying drinks & dinner at T. Macarone's downtown

We went to a local meat & cheese shop downtown, grabbed a few items and drove to have a picnic at Basel Cellars just outside of town.

Can you believe Basel Cellars used to be a single family dwelling? Geez!

Taking a break in the day to sit & enjoy the porch at Maxwell House

Our last dinner at White House Crawford, an old planing mill. Had a gorgeous interior with a fully exposed kitchen. 

We definitely needed more time there, we didn't hit as many wine tasting rooms as we had hoped and there were so many amazing restaurants we didn't even get to try. We will definitely be going back, soon!

It's been too long...

So much has happened since I lasted posted! Life has been busy, which put both of my blogs on the back burner. 

Since last year, we have moved apartments, gotten rid of a vehicle, and adopted a dog. 

We were previously living in Discovery Heights in the highlands of Issaquah. When we moved in, the place was brand spankin' new, and HUGE. Three bedrooms, three bathrooms, 14 foot ceilings, and 8 foot windows everywhere. It was gorgeous and spacious, but after experiencing one winter in that place we realized it was far too expensive to heat, and was far too large for two people. 

Yes, we had a lovely office, yes, we had a beautiful big & bright master bedroom, but we looked around and there were families of 4 living in smaller apartments than us. When we got a notice that our rent would be raised, that was the push we needed. 

Lets move.

We moved a few blocks away into a much smaller townhouse. We lost the space, the expansive closets, & wood floors, but gained a warmer, cozier, apartment more appropriate for a young couple with no kids. We now live in a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom townhouse with an attached garage. The attached garage alone won me over the first time we saw this place. During these winters here, it's wonderful to have. The new apartment also has many other things our last place didn't: a wood burning fireplace, a larger kitchen, and a larger deck! The only thing I really miss about Discovery Heights is the closets/storage space. We don't have a coat closet anymore and we don't even have a place to put our broom & vacuum! 

Ryan got rid of his car shortly after we moved to our second apartment. Since he takes the bus to work everyday, he hadn't driven his car in months. When it came time to move the car to our new place, I got in, and WHOA! There was mold everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The seats, the steering wheel, the cup holders, the ceiling. The trunk had leaked! Ryan decided to donate it, and away that little red honda civic went. He took me out on our first date in that car...I was a little sad to see it go. 

On to more important things...

We got a dog! 

This event was years in the making. Ryan knew when he met me what he was in for. I'm a dog person, a serious one at that. I love my cats, but I was born a dog lady. I was raised in a family that bred Dalmatians. 

Enough said.

The runt of one of our litters became our family dog when I was 9. Her name was Patch; she was my sister & my best friend. She slept in bed with me every night growing up, we were attached at the hip. After we moved to Washington, I would make my mom send me pictures of her on a regular basis, because I missed her like crazy. This last Christmas, when we left to head back to Washington, I knew it would be the last time I saw her. She was sleeping most of the day, she would stumble and fall, and was at the point where she was wearing diapers in the house. Though she still seemed happy, I knew it probably wouldn't be long.

When I got that call on March 30, my heart broke, but some part of me felt now was the time for Ryan and I to get a dog. I'm sure it was just me wanting to comfort myself, but something came over me and I felt 100% ready to take on a dog. 

A few weeks later, I found Moose online. He was at a rescue center in Eastern Washington. His Mom was brought to them, pregnant & homeless. I showed Ryan, and we agreed we wanted to at least meet him. So on April 12, we drove over the Cascade mountains in a snow storm, to go meet this little one. I had to use the bathroom badly after that long drive, so before I met the pup I used the bathroom. By the time I came out, Ryan was already holding him, and giving me that look, like he was saying, "this is the one." I think we were there a total of 15 minutes mostly filling out paperwork, then we took him home.

His name was Moose, and the name stuck. He had huge paws with these lanky legs, it just fit him & his personality. He's 6 months now, has grown into his paws, he's very well trained, and hasn't chewed on one single pair of my shoes. 

We adore him.

On the car ride home

His first time napping in the crate

Our little beagle-lab mix.

 Puppies mean early mornings. This picture captures Moose's first few nights with us, we were tired puppy parents. :) 

He's grown A LOT since those pictures.

Here he is now, at 6 months!

The cats weren't sure of him at first, but they're coming around. :)

-Sierra

Time Flies

Wow, we've been here for almost two months already! Time has been flying by, probably because Ryan & I are so busy. He's started work, and is thoroughly enjoying it, & I've started school. It's been quite an adjustment, getting back to the College grind. It's amazing how only a few months can recharge your batteries. I no longer wake up in the morning thinking,

"I don't want to go to class today."

It's been a bit of an adjustment getting used to not seeing the sun very often. People live for "sun breaks" here, which is when the sun peeks through the clouds for a few minutes and then disappears again. A couple weeks back we had 3-4 days of pure sunshine, and it was bliss. 58 degrees felt like 70, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The lack of sun doesn't really get to me until I'm reminded that this isn't the norm, like seeing a photo on Facebook of home, or when I was skyping with my Dad the other day and I could see blue skies behind him. So, it's really not so bad. :)

We've also been adjusting to our commutes to work & school. My first few days of school was a breeze. Only took me 10 minutes to get to school, but ever since they added a bridge toll on 520, many people have been taking I-90 instead, since there is no toll on that bridge, which makes my morning commute a little crazier now. What used to take me 10 minutes, now takes me 20-30. Guess that's city life! I hear traffic closer to Seattle is a nightmare, so I'm glad to be out in the country a little.

Our home is in no shape to be showing photos of yet. Slowly but surely though, it will happen! Both of our Mom's are going to be visiting in March/April, so we're both really excited for that. I'm sure our house will be in better design shape before then. :)

Our New Nest

Last weekend we jetted off to Seattle on a mission to lock down a place to live. The pressure was on; with only a month to go until we move our furniture, we knew we couldn't come back to California without signing a lease.

I was lucky enough to find a company called Seattle Apartment Finders. They have agents that find housing for people like us that are clueless and unfamiliar with the area. Our agent was Jen, and we told her our price point, how many bedrooms we wanted, etc. and she sent us a list with pictures and the breakdown of pricing. We then told her what places we liked and disliked, and almost immediately she got to work on making appointments for us.

Our appointments were packed into one day, so it was pretty tiring! We looked at so many, and liked things about each one, but the last one really spoke to us. It is up on a plateau in Issaquah, and it's all new development. There's a hospital adjacent to the complex, and a transit station 1/4 mile away. It's perfect, I could try and get a part time job at the hospital, and Ryan can catch the Microsoft shuttle to work at the transit station. The complex is called Discovery Heights, and we locked down a 3 bedroom town home with a detached garage. The complex itself isn't even done being developed yet, and the surrounding shops haven't all been filled. That's how new that area is, which I love.

This place is perfect for us. Outside of the city life, but close enough to go for the day. It's centrally located between Ryan's work, and Bellevue College for me, and it's also close to a Home Depot, my favorite! :D

We are so excited to have a place where family can finally visit in comfort, and adjust to Washington life with ease. Here are some pictures I took so I could show everyone back in Cali. :)

One of the guest bedrooms on the first floor, which will be our office for Ryan's computer & my sewing machine.

Our amazzzzinggg kitchen with stainless appliances & granite countertops

Kitchen/dining area

More of the kitchen

Our patio. We will have our grill out here. :)

I didn't get a good picture, but we actually have a little bit of a view of the woods from here.

The living room

Up to the 2nd floor

Laundry room to the left, guest bath straight ahead

Laundry room. Such a plus since all of the other places had a laundry closet

The other guest bathroom

A part of the master suite. I LOVED all the windows this townhouse has, in Washington you need all the natural light you can get!

The hallway of the master suite. Master bath straight, walk in closet to the right

Double sinks! 

Master shower/tub

Stairs up to our door (to the right)

Our walkway to the garage

There she is, our wonderful new nest. :) 

With the little free time we had that weekend, we got to head over to Pikes Place Market (famous for where the first & original Starbucks is located). Their market is awesome! They had crazy produce, flowers, and trinkets. I loved these flowers, and when I asked I was told they're called ornamental kale. Absolutely beautiful!

So that's that! We're getting a U-haul and moving all of our furniture the first weekend of December, then flying back for the holidays. We will be permanently moved right after Christmas, since I start school on January 3rd. So exciting, nerve wracking, and awesome. This huge change is going to be such an experience, I couldn't ask for anyone better to do this with. <3

Cheesy Fortune Strikes a Chord

The other day, Ryan and I were conversing with my Dad about the "Seattle vs. San Jose" debate, which led us to talk about career choice. As we're deep in conversation, he abruptly says, "I'll be right back, I have something for you two."

He walks to his room, and comes out with his wallet. Out of it he pulls a fortune that says, "Doing what you love is freedom. Loving what you do is happiness."

This struck a chord with me, and made me almost a little emotional. Even though it's a cheesy fortune from a little cookie, it was still a wonderful reminder to always make sure I'm living my life doing what I love. That's why I decided recently that I am going back to school and applying for another Diagnostic Sonography Program. I want more education, and I want a degree. School has never been easy for me, so I fought myself with this idea for quite sometime, but reading this fortune really solidified that I know I love what I do, and more education will bring me infinite amounts of happiness.

So remember, not only should you love what you're doing within your career and education, but in every aspect of your life.

That's all for now. :)

A Short & Sweet Visit to Beautiful Washington

Just a brief update before I talk about our visit:
Ryan finished off his internship with Apple this summer feeling fulfilled & satisfied with his experience. He came away from his summer with new friends, new knowledge, and a job offer! Apple offered him a position on a great team doing what he specializes in (graphics.) During the summer, the Microsoft recruiter had contacted Ryan about wanting him to apply for a full time position. Previous to summer, Ryan had turned down an internship with Microsoft, because Apple had a graphics internship. So after the recruiter contacted him, he had spoken to me and asked how I felt about him applying in Washington. I told him he had my blessing, as long as I could come with him to see Washington and get a feel for it.

Just weeks later, Microsoft had scheduled his flight, hotel, and interview. I was anxious, and truthfully freaked out. I immediately tried to picture myself moving to another state, and got a pit in my stomach. California is my home, and I couldn't imagine myself moving my entire life so far from my family, and my comfort. But I knew I couldn't stress about all of these "what ifs" until after the trip, so I shelved those feelings for a while.

So Wednesday, Ryan and I trekked over to my Mom's house to stay for the night since we were flying out of the San Jose airport early. We failed to check the exact time of the flight until this night, and realized that we were going to have to leave my moms at 3:30 am to get to the airport ontime! Gladly, getting up that early wasn't as hard as I imagined, since we were both running off of excitement.

We arrived to the Seattle-Tacoma airport at around 8:45 am. We got our bags, and headed for the rental cars. Microsoft gave Ryan a new mustang for his rental car, so that was pretty awesome to cruise around in during our visit. Then, not really thinking again, we headed straight for the hotel. It's amazing how your internal clock gets so messed up even flying for a couple of hours in the morning. We didn't even realize it was far too early to check in! Luckily, when we arrived at the Westin (yes Westin,) we were checked in immediately. So we unpacked, and figured we would go drive around and see Redmond (the town where Microsofts main campus is located.)

We discovered some amazing towns and neighborhoods along the way, one of them being around Lake Sammamish. It was the most beautiful lakefront community I had ever seen. Being from California, you don't see a lot of lakes that have primary residences, so this was refreshing to see. Both Sammamish and Issaquah are definitely where we would aim to live if we ended up moving. It's so close to Seattle, yet seems so remote and far away. Plus its gorgeous and green, but what part of Washington isn't?!

Ryan's interview process lasted from noon to around 7 on Friday, so during that time I decided to check out the public transportation, and get a little sight seeing done, as well as visit Bellevue College and check out their sonography program. Being from a small town, public transportation wasn't as easily accessible, so boy was I confused when I got to the transit station! I decided to wing it and get on one of the busses that would end up at the college and see what would happen.

....I got a little lost.

I ended up in Seattle at the University of Washington, where the bus driver said to get off because this was his last stop. So instead of being a big girl and asking him how to get back to the college, I got off and didn't say a word. I realized if I hopped across the street, that same bus would pick me up and would go the opposite way, so I gave that a whirl. Thank goodness I found my way there! I finally got to the college, but surprisingly wasn't a bit stressed along the way because I got to sight see, and experience something like that by myself, which is rare.

Ryan has a few friends he met interning over summer who live in Seattle, so they volunteered to show us around. One night we went to Capitol Hill, (a neighborhood in Seattle) and had dinner and grabbed some drinks at a cute & fancy bar called Tavern Law. Apparently, that bar has been voted one of the top 25 bars in America in GQ Magazine. We also had one of his friends available on Saturday to show us around downtown Seattle and University District before we caught our flight home. It was nice to have people who know the area, and are honest about the weather as well!

We didn't get to do nearly as much sight seeing as we had hoped, but from what we did see and do, I have truly fallen in love with Washington. But more importantly, Ryan got the offer! We will know the terms of the offer (pay, signing package, moving package, what team, etc.) tomorrow! I am so proud of all of his accomplishments, and I know it must feel amazing to be a coveted programmer after all of his hard work. It's very calming to know that we are going to be making this decision together, because believe me it's going to be a tough one for both of us. It doesn't just depend on where we feel like moving, it depends on where we plan on starting a new life, and eventually starting a new family. Neither of us want to be moving our children around and causing them the pain of leaving friends and their familiar life.  But whether it's to live or visit, I know I'll be back in Washington someday soon. :)

The view from our room

Another view from our room

Another view from our room

Ryan in our room

University of Washington campus

U District, thought this building was cute & funky

View from the Space Needle in Seattle

Up at the space needle

Another space needle view

Taking a picture of the UW campus

Me & Ryan's friend Jared. He was probably explaining what I was looking down at!