I have realized how boring life is without Taylor around. My evenings are pretty pathetic and basically goes as follows:
-check email
-make dinner and eat in front of computer while I...
-look at blogs
-check email
-read the news
-watch the O'Reilly Factor
-desperately search for some new show I could watch online
-talk to myself
-read
-pack a few boxes
-go to bed

At least I made one new discovery that takes me back to a little after school t.v. growing up- NBC has put up episodes of Charles in Charge. How weird is that?

2 years

I still can't believe you're gone Dad, and I can't believe it's been 2 years today. I love you.

and the winner is...

I have to take a moment to brag because I'm so proud of my husband and all of his science nerdiness. Those brains, and his mad presentation skills, won him 1st place for his poster(shown a couple posts below) and $5,000 to do research in any country of his choice!

I love my ceramic making scientist.

reality bites

After anticipating a move for almost a year, reality has kicked in and I'm starting to feel it. After a sob fest (by yours truly) on Saturday because my husband is leaving for 3 months and I can't stand not having his warm body in my arms any time I want, he took off Sunday morning for a week long conference in Florida. I get him for Memorial Day, and then it's officially off to China. But in spite of all the drama, we have the greatest friends who threw us a going away party. I didn't take any pictures because I plan to steal theirs, but you can see it all here. Thanks friends for such a good time.So...if anyone likes packing boxes and cleaning behind refrigerators, I have just the place for you during the next 3 1/2 weeks. And you'll just have to ignore me if I suddenly burst in to tears.

200th post! Taylor goes to a conference

I'm heading to the International Center for Materials Research Spring School on Thermal Conductivity and Related Transport Properties of Oxides (longest name in history) at University of Florida this Sunday.
I have to do a poster presentation. Here's the final draft. My advisor told me at least 3 times in previous drafts "more color, it needs more color." sooo... here we go.

taco bell folk song

mullet safari

Jodi forgot to mention to coolest part about Disneyland- that we captured on film the sweetest mullet known to man.
Thanks Casey for pretending to be the picture I was taking.

there and back again...

I believe wishes really do come true. Just a month ago I was wishing I could be back in Hawaii swimming with turtles, and a week later my sister calls and says "Do you want to go to Hawaii?" And when I found a round trip ticket for only $198 I said YUP. One sister still lives there, only for a couple more months, so me and my other 3 sisters took a little sister's retreat.

What a dream.Love you girls.

Disneyland

Taylor and I had to get in a trip to the happiest place on earth before leaving California- and probably being the last time to get there without kiddos. Plus Taylor hasn't been there for like 13 years. We had a great time. I've been there so many times that nothing is new to me, but it was just as exciting to watch Taylor do everything that was new to him. And the new Toy Story ride in California Adventure, best thing ever.

These are our sleepy faces at the end of 2 long, fun-filled days. I just realized we didn't get a single picture with any characters.

Jesusita Fire

it's baaaaaack...
As if the Gap fire and the montecito fire weren't bad enough (remember?) we now have our third fire within a year. This one is right inbetween the other two, about 10 miles away from where we live. It is the closest to downtown, Santa Barbara. Many homes have already been burned!
It started out looking like this:
until the famous Santa Barbara "sundowner" winds kicked up late afternoon and it became this:
but on a pleasant note, the above picture was taken from right outside my lab. I am really gonna miss this place.


Update: It has gotten even CLOSER! look at this picture from where we live!
I found this picture in apnews, it shows the aluminum hubcap from a car parked at a burned down house here melted off!Here's the map. Gray are is burned, red is mandatory evacuation, yellow is evacuation warning. It is only 6 miles from us now...

View Jesusita Fire map in a larger map