Alaska

I finally made it to Alaska to visit my cousins. My cousin recently deployed to Afghanistan, so he was MIA. But I did get to meet the newest addition to the family. I also made a running trip out of it that you can read here.

I flew in at midnight just before the summer solstice. This is what midnight looks like. It's such a trip to not see darkness.

Everyone eats reindeer. Poor reindeer.

 At a chocolate factory.

 At the zoo with my cousins.

 Sweets!

 50 degrees on the first day of summer. Reminds me of Seattle.

 My cousin's baby, just 5 months old and playing with Seahawks toys. How can you not love that?

 Finishing the race. Really out of shape.

 Just before it started. Feeling good.

 Best running sign of the day.

During the race 

We actually had to hike part of the race and battle thousands of mosquitos. I have bites all over. 

 

At the zoo with my cousin's kid.

 

Good-Bye to You

I spent the weekend in Los Angeles once again visiting my uncle Bryant. Two weeks ago we were told he had just a few hours to live, but he pulled through and came home. During the weekend, we ate out at a fancy Pasadena restaurant watching him eat a big steak followed by chocolate cake and ice cream. He made plans for the future and spoke candidly and vividly about his life with a fully functioning brain.

We returned Sunday night and I felt hopeful he'd be around for a while.

The phone rang early this morning and I knew it was bad news. My uncle Bryant passed away. This is the last photo I took with him. I loved visiting him in LA and going to Hamburger Hamlet. I spent nights at his place before early morning races and drove him to Trader Joes and Gelsons Supermarket on errand Saturday.

RIP.

Los Angeles Part Deux

I spent the weekend in LA once again partaking in its culture, humidity and smoke from the forest fires. I did visit family and ate a very sweet breakfast of rice crispie French toast with nutella, maple syrup and candied strawberries.

While it sounds delicious on the menu, it was just too much for me. As a recently diagnosed pre-diabetic, I shouldn't eat this way.

I actually just took a diabetics test at the doctor two days prior to this. I'm waiting for the results. Finding out I'm diabetic is a death sentence.

My Birthday--A Post Almost a Month Late

 I had a birthday last month, but haven't blogged much this year. I went to LA and tried my first umami burger, voted best burger in America by many outlets. I disagree.

 I sped through the Hollywood Hills on a Star Homes Tour--a very cheesey way to spend a birthday afternoon. I saw Lance Bass, Mark Feuerstein, Casey Affleck and I think a car driven by Tyra Banks.

 My friend focused on my adoration of macaroons and gave me a macaroon-themed celebration.

My mom came with me to Tinseltown and we walked down the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Boston Marathon

My thoughts on the tragic events:

http://www.firsttothefinish.com/blog/what-the-events-of-the-boston-marathon-mean-to-me/

Salt Lake City, Utah

I spent a week in my favorite place: Salt Lake City, Utah. Here are a few of my newly created memories:

1. Surprising my cousin for his birthday, above.

2. Seeing my brother's new place and crashing there a few nights.

3. Seeing my first snowfall in more than two years.

4. Staying in on a Saturday and watching a movie with my brother. I really miss him. I want to move there. 

5. Seeing my aunt for the first time in years. I really miss her. 

6. Seeing the amazing growth of SLC. It's really come a long way just even in a few years. 

I want to return. I didn't mind the snow one bit. 

Cancer

Zach Sobiech is battling cancer of which there is no effective treatment. He wrote this catchy little tune and his dying wish is for 1,000,000 people to hear it.