Happy Birthday!

Christina may or may not be celebrating another decade of life ;) 

Happy Birthday!! 

We go back to my years in college when I used to sit in her office while I was in between classes or when I didn't want to go to practice. She watched me compete at Nationals. She is my mentor. She is my hiking buddy. She is a master planner. We are members of suppa club. We play bingo together. We karaoke together. We laugh (I often laugh until I cry when we are together). Did I mention that she is loving, caring, kind and all of the qualities that come with a great friend? Well, now I have!

Both Pictures: Suppa Club!

                     
                         

       1. LMFAO Concert. Dressing up was obvious, to us.                2. Winning  big money at Bingo!!!!

1. Buying a beach cruiser at a yard sale in Isla Vista (perfect Sat morning activity) 2. Vegas babyyy

And some Pine Mountain pictures...for old times sake!

Supporting my yet-to-be-discovered music talents!

House Picture from 1991

Pine mountain brought out the best in us!

Roboting in the kitchen. Always classy. 

And for the office..

Tomorrow might be the day that my music talents are discovered. We will sing and be merry. Because Christina deserves all the best!

I made this one of a kind, hand crafted plate...just for you!
*pretend it's not backwards, bad picture

Funfetti Cookies and cream filled vanilla cupcakes

Happy birthday, Christina! You're a great friend with so many talents and a great personality!

My favorite quote is...

So, come on, folks....

Let those you love know how much you love them. Call someone who's been on your mind lately, just to see how they're doing. Stay up late with someone special, and cherish every moment of it. Do something out of the norm, because "you've always wanted to do it".

I'll be making some phone calls and setting up some skype dates tomorrow. We have one chance at this life here on earth. Make the best of it! 

Sea l Mester

My dear friend Kelly and I met while sailing around the world last spring with Semester at Sea. She couldn't get enough and just had to go abroad again. So she's embarking on another trip! But this time her journey will be a bit different. Kelly is sailing with a program called seamster. She'll be working and learning how to sail (can't wait for the sailing adventures to come)!! There are 24 students and just a couple staff/crew. There is no internet while at sea so she'll be using internet cafes and bumming off free wifi anywhere she can. Join me in following her blog!


Here's to Kelly having a safe, fun and exciting next 4 months of traveling and excursions!!

Me, Kelly and our friend Rolando sleeping on the Great Wall in China!
The best way to describe it? Freezing cold, but fun..in a very unique way :)

Kelly and I at the Terracotta Warriors in Xian, China

Cooling off under a tree in Hawaii after walking on hardened lava from an active volcano

Lilly, myself, Kelly and Jamie having Singapore Slings while in Singapore 

I've logged onto skype (so she can call me when she bums that free internet) and don't plan to log off until she returns! Just in case you are wondering why I'm always on these days ;)

Have a blast, my friend! Have a blast!

Labor Day Weekend!

I love holidays. Any holiday. 

I love having an extra day off of work to do whatever I want. 

I love spending time with my sister and doing things that we love. 

Like...working out, eating, doing our hair, going to church, having lunch with friends, sleeping in (and taking naps) and laughing until we cry because our stories are that funny!

All of the above is what I did this past weekend and I loved every single moment of it all! I flew out to Arizona on Sat morning on a steal-of-a-deal nonstop flight from SBA to PHX!! I had a voucher that I used towards an already low fare so my out of pocket expenses weren't bad at all. Man oh man, I love a good deal!

So Kristen, who is working out in Orange County for a couple months, met me out in Phoenix on Saturday morning and we went rock climbing. A while back I bought a groupon (who would have guessed haha) for a day pass of rock climbing and Cold Stone Ice Cream!! I'm alllll about working out and eating..as stated above..so obviously we enjoyed ourselves.

After rock climbing and ice cream it was nap time. I haven't taken a good long nap like that in a while so you can only imagine how refreshed I felt after that one :)

Then we went out for a late happy hour with one of Kristen's friends and dancing at Sandbar. We called it a night before the crazies were let out {aka when the bar announces last call then closes for the night}, got home and passed out. Phew I was tired!

Me, Annett and Kristen: fun night out!!

Sunday morning was hair time and church. I absolutely LOVE this church that Kristen belongs to! Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church is fabulous. I'll say it again...I just Love going to church there (yes, capital "L"). After church was lunch with friends and a trip to Apache Junction!!!!!!!

Apache Junction is a town that's...well, out of town. We toured the trailer parks and called on a couple that were for sale to see how much it would cost for one of those beauty's. $28,000. Yep, that's it. Best part? It had a new solar roof, double pane windows, double wide trailer, 24x52 (I asked about square footage and was given dimensions), 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, close proximity to community center (who knew that there would be a community center) and...the best part...it was fully furnished!!!!!

As it turns out, this establishment is in a 55+ community. I'll have to get a golf cart and grow some grey hairs before making the move. 

After our trip to AJ we had dinner and wine with Sarah then girl talk. A lot of it. We drove back to Kristen's and, once again, were out like lights when our heads hit those pillows. 

Monday came and we slept in. That is a common theme that I reallllyyyy enjoyed. We got up and went to lunch at a fun cafe in town then I got a pedicure. A much needed pedicure. Then errands and frozen yogurt followed by some window shopping/browsing. We finished the night with dinner and catch up with friends. 

My time in Arizona was just what I needed to finish the summer. A nice 3-day weekend with a vacation where I actually relaxed. Sometimes I go away and don't really rest. I'm busy planning, organizing, worrying and doing as much as possible in the couple days allotted. So, this trip was heavenly. And the best part, my flight landed in Santa Barbara this morning at 9:10am and I went right to work. Made it in by 9:20am. 

Thank you, Kristen and AZ friends, for such a fun-filled weekend. I needed that :)

About Me

I grew up in Orange County, CA but moved to Santa Barbara, CA after high school to go to college. As a student-athlete at UC Santa Barbara, I found myself busy with school, sports and life...but I loved every minute of it. 

I sailed around the world with Semester at Sea and then began working in the Athletics Department before returning to school to earn my master's degree. I'm a Gaucho through and through; enjoying life and taking it one crazy adventure at a time.

Great Wall, China

Taj Mahal, India

Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara

Great Wall, China

Yellowstone, Wyoming

Grand Canyon, Arizona

Favorites

There are SOOOO many things that I love in life that it's hard to narrow it down to just a few. So, I'll start with these and probably add more as time goes on. But hey, it's my blog and I can do that, right?!

My family..

Nana, Papa, Aunt Kim, Me and Kristen at (my cousin) Chandler's baseball game

Taking it back.

Family at Christmas 2005.

My mom and I before skydiving! My 21st and her 50th!! Wouldn't have wanted to celebrate any other way!!! 

Loved this cake my Dad {hand}made for me for my 21st birthday. Yellow cake and chocolate icing, just the way I like it!!

 My brother Lewis! Handsome freshman in High School!!

My brother Lenny..needed to shower, hence the stench face. Senior year in high school! Big man on campus! Go get 'em!!

My sister Kristen and I at a wedding earlier this summer! 

I really do love us and all the fun we have together!! 

 My grandma, Audrey! On a walk during her {fun-filled, action packed}visit here in Santa Barbara!!

My loving grandpa. My partner in crime. My co-signer. Love ya ;-)

South Africa..

 Love this flag. So simple. So neat. So nice!

 Langa township in Cape Town.

Waterfront in Cape Town.

Cape Point. LOVE this view!! 

Ready for Great White Shark Cage Diving!!! Afraid of the cold water..but the water wasn't cold. Thanks, wetsuit! You did me well. 

...And. we're. in.      

We saw sharks. Lots of them.  

Shopping, like always, in Green Market Square.

It's raining...but I don't care. I {surely} HAD to buy something ha! 

 Robben Island. Enough Said. 

Nelson Mandela, you are a brave man. Thank you for fighting (silently and vocally). You da man, Madiba!

Santa Barbara..
This is where I live. The place that I have grown to call home. A place that I am still learning about. A place that I love!

          

University of California, Santa Barbara

Supporting friends/celebrating birthdays!

Trolley Party(s) 

Riding my beach cruiser around town.

Riding my road bike like I'm in a ferrari.

Kayaking with the brother. nbd. 

Horse back riding to a stunning ocean view <3

Santa Barbara Festivals and window shopping up and down State Street. 

{Summer Solstice pictured above}

I'm Backkkkkk!!!

Get Excited, blogging World! Kayla {that's me!} is back to blog about all of the events that make up my life...my life that I love!!

My previous posts were from my trip around the world where I sailed from the Bahamas to San Diego, Ca on a 4 month voyage with Semester at Sea in the Spring of 2011. I used to have a heading that read...

Semester at Sea is much more than another semester at school; it is a life-changing learning experience. As I travel the world I will learn about different cultures and the world in which we live. I am grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to share it with you!

And now I have a motto/purpose that reads...

This blog is my way of capturing {my} life's finest moments and sharing them with all of you. Enjoy!!

YOUUU...should read my blog ;-)

It's good to be back, people! Good to be back!