I'm seriously behind in my 30 day challenge.  I think the last post was Day 21 A recent picture and that was LAST WEDNESDAY!!  As much fun as I'm having researching a bio fuel production company and analytically deciding the value of the risk of this business.... I need a break.  Like a serious one from insurance...so here it goes.... **note this could be a rather long post.......I have A LOT to catch up on**

So here it goes....

Day 22 - Favorite City
Day 23 - Favorite Vacation

I think I can wrap these two up into one post....

Honestly my favorite city is probably Dallas..... I love it here!  There is so much to do!  It probably helps that I grew up here and can find all the fun "local" things.... but it seems that the fun never ends.

There is always an interesting exhibit at the Museum of Art (if you are into that), ALWAYS a Broadway play at the Music Hall, plus more restaurants per capita than any other US city. (seriously!)

It's my home... my family is here, my life is here, and although I'm not opposed to moving if opportunity should take me, I love DALLAS and I love TEXAS!

Seriously.... how pretty is this? (I captured this on my 10 miler yesterday at White Rock - keep reading for that recap)

My favorite vacation is a total toss up.... I loved when Cayla and I went to Hawaii... Seriously LOVED it...no better time than spending a week with your bestie in a tropical paradise, but my two absolute favorite vacay's were Bill and I's first vacation EVER - San Fran and Napa Valley and then one a few years later to Boston and NYC.

I wish I had pictures to share on here (not even an old blog post I can link you to) but those two vacations were amazing.

First - San Fran/Napa - for the obvious reasons.  This was our first get away together after four months of dating.  It was a SUPER romantic trip -- fully complete with lodging at the wineries in Napa.  Bill worked on the wine side of his business at the time so it was total VIP treatment the entire time. Our bungalows at each winery were secluded and private and totally kick ass.

We stayed on property at Fetzer in Mendocino County then headed south to stay at Korbel.  This one was an AMAZING tour/tasting and vineyard.  Seriously if you have time to take a vacay to Napa - it's worth the drive over to Korbel.

After Korbel we headed to Napa and stayed at Franciscan and then headed to San Fran for a two night stay downtown.

It was an AWESOME trip - and one where I completely believe we fell totally in love.  Awww... I know grab a Kleenex.

Secondly was our trip to Boston/NYC a few years later.  For obvious baseball reasons.... going to a game at Fenway was unreal.  Even if you aren't into baseball - you should go!  The have THE BEST stadium food and just being in a historical park is pretty cool.  We didn't have a chance to make it to a Yankees game.  Bill had been to Yankee stadium previously and it just didn't work out in our schedule that year.  Hopefully I will be able to see Yankee stadium one day.... kind of sad I didn't get to see the old one but oh well.

NYC was super fun...Bill surprised me with AWESOME tickets to Chicago on Broadway - we had amazing dinners, went sight seeing, and the typical NYC Shopping.

In Boston we did a complete walking history tour which was so interesting.  That afternoon we rested our feet at Cheers!  I'll never forget that day - Jess was having her second surgery for her brain tumor and Bill and I sat and drank to keep me from being sad the whole time.  I didn't get good cell reception in Cheers because we were in the underground part - as soon as we left I had a text message that she was out of surgery and in recovery and was doing great.  It was a relief!

We could do a stay-cation and have fun together!  Actually last night we were talking about our vacation in 2011.... I think Europe may be on the horizion in the fall of 2011... I sure hope so - we've been DYING to go!

Yesterday I ran 10 miles.... 10 freakin' miles!  Each weekend I surprise myself by going longer distances.  I had a hankering yesterday that "why stop at 13.1 miles next week...."

Can it be true....do I have the desire/will/determination/and self discipline to train for a FULL MARATHON???  I know I do have all of those - but do I believe in myself?  That is the true question...

Maybe after the 70.3 in April I can think about a full marathon...until then I'm enjoying the little accomplishments I make every weekend at White Rock.  Who knew that I would enjoy running so very much.  Can a triathlete become a runner?

7 mile Sunday

I have to run 7 miles today... I'm not looking forward to it - I'm not motivated(AT ALL), I'm tired and am super excited about the Ranger game tonight.

I know it's an hour and fifteen minutes out of my day, I will feel WAY better - and WAY accomplished when I'm done...but I have to get off this couch first....

Plus I ate WAY too much at the Ranger game last night.... pics and post to come later....just use your imagination: a 6 hour tailgate + a 3 hour baseball game = a lot of food

Never ending pasta bowl at the Rangers game???

You are probably wondering what in the world this post title has anything to do with, well, anything... BUT... keep reading you WILL be pleasantly surprised!

Last night Cayla, Bill and I went on a date.  You read that right... my boyfriend, my best friend and me went on a date...to a baseball game.  The FIRST PLACE TEXAS RANGERS to be exact.  Did you read that <---- I said THE FIRST PLACE TEXAS RANGERS!!!

I've waited my entire life basically to be able to say that.  I.heart.thefirstplacetexasrangers.  I've grown up going to the games when tickets were like a penny.  (Maybe not that cheap - but when s.u.c.k. they will drop prices like hot potatoes to entice a crowd) So when we actually started spending money (thanks John Daniels) and acquired some talented players, it warmed my heart to see something other than a goose egg in the win column.

But I digress....

Bill loves the Rangers as much if not more than me... Cayla is creeping up on us.  The only reason she isn't up at the top of the list with Bill and me is because she's still a Spurs fan and she hates the Dallas Cowboys... so is she really a TRUE fan if she can't root for her other home town teams???? She loves the Rangers (C.J. Wilson and Mitch Moreland especially...anyone know them??? Let's get her a date people...)

Yesterday Cayla and I were on the phone and decided we wanted to go to the game... called Bill he was up for it (as if you have to twist his arm to go to anything baseball related) and so we went... the three of us... on our date.

It was the last dollar hot dog night of the season.  Once a month on a Wednesday home game the Rangers host dollar dog night at the ballpark.  It draws a crowd.... 34,964 last night to be exact.  (Seriously that was the attendance).  Bill, Cay and I got there, promptly got into the concession stand line and waited patiently as the mob of people in front of us sweated and made hunger sounds equivalent to what I thought would sound like savage dogs awaiting a meal.  Not really....but it was hot and crowded.

We waited about 20 minutes with no movement in the line.... Gave up and said we'd come back in a few innings and try again.

Bill (such a sweet and loving guy and he knew he had two hungry girls on his hands) left to go grab dogs a couple innings later.  While he was gone, I was watching the game/crowd.... I don't know if it is b/c the rangers are in first place (did I mention that??? They are in first place...hahaha j/k) or if it was $1 dog night but the people who were at the park last night were interesting to say the least.

I looked at Cayla and said (verbatim) "Dollar Dog night sure reminds me of "the Never Ending Pasta Bowl at Olive Garden".... go back with me will you....

Jessica used to work at Olive Garden (OG).... she HATED and I mean HATED the never ending pasta bowl promotion b/c it would bring people out of the woodwork.  Less than presentable, less than classy, less than able to tip people out of the wood work.  I try to be a nice, honest, person ... but seriously these people were dirty...anything for an all you can eat pasta bowl right? 

The Ranger game last night was a direct transplant of those OG never-ending-pasta-bowlers…. Except it was the $1 hot dogs that tickled their fancy.  Now – it could be that these people love the Rangers as much as Bill, Cayla and I do - BUT I think the $1 dogs had something to do with it… I’m just sayin’.

The scraggly mullet/ponytails, exposed jiggly boobs, and cut off denim shorts were incomprehensible and frankly too many to count.

When Bill returned (empty handed – they were on a 25 minute hot dog wait) we weren’t grumpy but had cramps from laughing so hard at the comparison between OG and Ranger baseball….

Did we get our Hot Dogs…YES – we found a guy fully loaded with $1 dogs that only took cash… we ordered our 6, loaded them up with ketchup and mustard, got our garlic fries and peanuts and were happy as three little clams on a date.

If you care…the Rangers won… HELLO PLAYOFFS!!!