Vida

5 year journals seem to be a popular topic right now and I am going to jump on board! I asked for a 5 year journal for Christmas and my grandma was nice enough to give it to me.  I'm not generally excellent at doing anything like that every day and here we are the 21st and I only missed a couple days and it was easy to fill in the small space with details from that day afterwards.  Win! Basically each page has space for five entries: January 1      2016      2017      2018      2019      2020 I can't wait to use this journal in 2020 and have a glimpse back at my life in 2016.  I'm sure there will be a lot of changes by then. I'm just so excited about this project.  Maybe it isn't a project, but that's how I'm looking at it.

We all have those weeks.  You know those .  Last week was one of those .   I had a VIP committee coming in town to work Friday-Saturday and I was in heavy prep all week.  It wasn't super enjoyable.   Luckily, it's my birthday this week so I had a little get together Sunday afternoon to lift my spirits.  I should note it was 6 degrees outside and I completely accepted that as an excuse.   We went to Revolution in Avondale and it was perfect.  Super laid back, people came and went when they wanted.  We hung out to chat and have some good brews. Karen also supplied pretzels (my request), veggies, cookies and cake.  Party - check. my perfect cake:  sweet and salty that last candle almost got me thanks guys!

I remember when I learned plastic bottle caps cannot be recycled .  Often recycling plants will throw the entire plastic bottle away if the person who is recycling it didn't remove the cap. Over Christmas, my dad mentioned his Rotary Club was collecting them.  The company they worked with will accept donated plastic bottle caps and make them into park benches ( see here ).  Sounds like a win, win to me! Here's their bench from the caps they collected: Read more in the town newspaper article. P.S. They also make other things from the plastic bottle caps too.

Four days to see Mexico City (for Mike) with a wedding in there too. Mexico City is a big city. We did our best and at the wedding towards the end, Mike said  he felt like he saw a completely different part of my life.  Which is pretty accurate. We crammed so much in, the four days felt like a week. If you read nothing else in this post, read this:  use uber.  Typically if you take a taxi in Mexico City, you barter with them.  They will always  rip you off.  Always.  I paid for almost all our trips on my uber during the weekend (and yes, we took buses and the metro too) for four trips, averaging around 30 min each, in total, I paid $15.30.  See why I say use uber.  It makes getting around that city so much easier. With that you may be asking about your cell phone.  AT&T had a free plan I used and Verizon had a $2/day plan others on the trip used.  It's probably more affordable than you think to use your phone in Mexico. So here you go, our quick visit last weekend.

I hadn't been to a wedding in Mexico before.  (Only many  quinceañeras .) So this was not only a new experience for Mike, but me too.   I felt like the wedding was completely different than US weddings, but Mike didn't feel it was all that different.  So take that as you will. Let me start off with one of my favorite pictures from the trip and some introductions. Left to Right: Carlos & Maggie:  this was actually the first time I met Maggie although I've heard of her a lot.  She is originally from Australia and studied abroad with Jess in Mexico City during college.  She mostly stuck around Mexico as well and is living there now.  Carlos is her boyfriend from Mexico City. Vero:  Vero was one of my best girlfriends in Mexico City.  She is amazing and so kind and she was my savior at the reception...more on that. Me & Mike - you know us Jackie:  Jackie was in our volunteer program in Mexico the year before Melissa and I came.  We actually only met last year