Dinosaurs!

I've been wanting to go to see the new dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum since I moved down here. Unfortunately, it was under construction until last July. Then it was crazy crowded because, apparently, everyone loves dinosaurs as much as I do or something. Since this is probably my last weekend here, I HAD to go.

 For some reason we managed to walk in through the back of the museum and found our way to the dinosaur exhibit last. Which, in hindsight, was probably better because I wasn't nearly as excited about anything else. 

By the time we got to the dinosaurs, we only got about half way through the exhibit before we had to go to the Butterfly Pavilion for our time slot. Oh boy, I haven't seen people being so aggressive with nature like that since watching The Crocodile Hunter.

Either kids aren't used to being around butterflies in the city, or they don't quite understand the whole "look but don't touch" concept for observing nature. I felt bad for the frustrated staff and the accosted butterflies.

 We made our way back to the dinosaurs, Yano and I stopping to take pictures almost constantly (his are much better than mine). I couldn't decide which dinosaur I had a bigger crush on; the magnificent Parasarolophus or mighty Tyrannosaurus.

It was definitely a toss up.

Seriously, look how awesome they are. 

This was the best adventure to have before I move back up north. Yes, there are museums in San Francisco, but I am trying to do all the things I wanted to do before I leave. So after we had worked up quite the appetite walking around the complicated layout of the museum, I suggested we go somewhere new to eat. Yano racked his brain for ideas and finally came up with a microbrewery in Silverlake.

We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into by sitting down at Good Microbrew & Grill. It started with the giant beer menu. After finally deciding, our beers showed up in giant glass goblets. I had to hold mine with both hands.

Of course we find an awesome brewery to hang out at right before I move away. Isn't that how it always works? I definitely want to come back for Mystery Beer Night one day. $3 pints!

The problem with going out to eat after not eating all day is that everything on the menu looks delicious. I decided to throw caution to the wind and order the mac 'n cheese bacon bit burger. I mean, how could I not? It combines two of my favorite foods. Yes, I can be a food monster sometimes.

It is always fun being the smallest person at the table with the largest meal. 

Changes

Well that was a rather pathetic attempt at updating regularly. It has been almost a whole month! I promise there have been multiple extremely legitimate reasons why I have fallen off the map for so long.

It started when I hopped on a train to Santa Rosa to help my sister out the last week of her pregnancy. She went into early labor the night before, so I sat on the train willing it to move faster so that I didn't miss being at the hospital when our Little Miss showed up. Luckily, she waited for me and I got there about an hour before she was born.

Welcome Lily Eileen!

Photo courtesy of Yano.

She is the most precious baby ever. I even got to name her! It only seemed fair that I would get to name my sister's firstborn since she named me.

So I missed updating that week due to running around trying to get everything ready for Lily and family to come home.

Let's see...what did I do next...

Another reason I went home was to help my mom out at work and make some extra money. Wait. I feel like I am missing something...

Oh! The reason I need extra money is because I decided to be crazy and make yet another big life change.

Yup, it is official boys and girls. I am moving back up north.

Now, before you think that I am completely irrational and impulsive, let me explain my reasoning. After moving to Los Angeles, I've sort of just been floating along without any real goals in mind. So one day after randomly finding my old acceptance letter to SF State, I decided I needed to go back to school. Finally, a goal! Since my heart was still set on the Creative Writing program at SF State, I realized I was in the wrong city.

I swear, one of these days I will settle somewhere. Maybe.

So there you have it! I have been running around trying to sort out plans to move and freaking out about making such drastic changes (again). I've been back in LA for a week now and I haven't packed a single thing. My procrastination has reached pretty epic levels.

Alcohol always helps.