Birthdays

Today is my other halfs' birthday! I can't believe how quickly time is flying by.This year is going to be just as fast if not faster with this new job of his. 

Time flys when you are having fun. 

And being the ambassador is pretty dang fun, so far :)

This next year of life will be one for the books. I foresee; graduation from college, recording time in the studio, babies, SLO living (and lots of it!), more sky diving, setting world records and many more adventures! I am so stoked to spend it with you and experience it all by your side.

I am SO, terribly glad you were born!

This year we went on an early picnic for lunch since I thought he a business meeting later in the day. The meeting was canceled and we ended up with a long beautiful day to our selves, in the sun, with yummy food.

Tough life ;)

Our little picnic reminded me of when I was a kid and would go exploring with my best friend caitlin until we found THE spot to set up our 'club' house. Well it is safe to say that today we found our spot and will return as frequently as possible! Rolling lush hills, with a creek nearby, and tall oak tree! heaven on earth I tell you!

Plus this time of year is gorgeous. The wild flowers are blooming, butterflies are swarming, the breeze is light, and the sun kisses my skin luring my freckles.  

Inaugural Dinner & Ball for the Officers of the Elks

Over the weekend we got some spring cleaning done and regular chores around the house. Nothing too exciting, but definitely more relaxing than work and the daily grind.

However, Saturday night we were invited by our landlord to attend a ceremony for the swearing in of new officers in the Elk's Lodge. Not just invited, Bentley was asked to be the Master of Ceremonies for this event. Now, I have to admit I had NO IDEA what the Elk's Lodge was or what they did before Saturday night. 

All I knew was that there was an Elk's Lodge in the town I grew up in.... I grew up in a mountain town near Yosemite and my idea of what the 'lodge' was, consisted of a huge tavern filled with hunters, hanging around a bar swapping hunting stories and tips, with high ceilings and elk heads hanging from the walls from past hunts. Not to be rude or anything, I was just really ignorant and hadn't the slightest clue!

I am pleased to tell you that I learned a lot Saturday night. The Elk's are a nonprofit organization built to support their community through service. 

How awesome?! 

What a far cry from hunters bragging about their biggest kills over drinks!!!

 There is an annual fee to be apart of the Lodge and you have to be invited by other members. So it may seem a little stuck up from the outside looking in. But really, it is full of wonderful people looking to serve in their community and find their niche. 

Our landlord is one of them, she was actually one of the new officers being sworn in. She is such a doll. Sweet to the core, that one! We really lucked out in the landlord department.

San Luis Obispo has one of the largest, active Elk's Lodges in the state. 

SLO is full of serviceable locals, so eager to give back to their community.

Just one of the many reasons why SLO is so happy. :)

It was a great way to spice up the usual weekend routine and get all gussied up. 

Now I'm on spring break and get to celebrate Bentleys birthday tomorrow and welcome some of the Murdock family to our neck of the woods. What a wonderful Tuesday it will be.

This is our first time having them on the central coast!!!

AND it is just for fun, no weddings, births, or baptisms needed to get them here ;)

Spring is here

Well technically it is still 4 days away, but with this gorgeous weather I wouldn't know the difference! It has seriously been just a dream here the last week. (knock on wood) There was a little bit of rain the week before, but since then it has been 70 - 80 degrees with a light breeze to blow away the morning fog. The fields of wildflowers in full bloom are just around the corner. Mustard flowers EVERYWHERE!

I love this time of year :)

I am counting down the days until spring break! A nice long week off work, 

one of the joys of working for the school district. This time we are expecting family to visit! I have been hoping more of Bentleys family would be able to come down to our little paradise on the central coast. And here we go, some family guests just a week away! Cant wait to show them all over, and experience the things we love about where we live with them for their first time.  

With a family as big as his it's hard to visit everyone. Which basically means we chalk it up to weddings and holiday gatherings. 

But our goal is to get more and more of his family to vacation here. 

It's a win - win

Here is to rising spring temperatures and family visits :)

View from hwy 46 overlooking Cayucos and Morro Rock, luscious green rolling hills on the central coast with a peak of the ocean.

SKY Diving

I jumped out of an air plane 10,000 feet above the ground!
with Sky Dive Pismo

My home looked like a little ant on a beautiful picnic blanket.

I still can't believe I did it. 
I was SO scared, literally. My fear was all over my face. My facial expressions actually made sky diving look painful. I am sure all the guys back at the sky dive shop are having a good laugh! 

You better believe I will be claiming guts and glory from this stunt for quite a while.

I dont even know how to begin to describe what it feels like... 

but I will try

Sky Diving was not what I was expecting what-so-ever. I was waiting for the most insane  tummy tickles the entire plane ride up, but as soon as my Lucky Jeans left the side door of that plane the only thing I felt was adrenaline. 

The rush of a lifetime. 

And pressure, lots of pressure from the wind. 

It felt like the wind was pushing my entire body up into the clouds but my weight was resisting it, or falling into it. Gravity was pulling me back to earth but the wind was pushing me up. My heart was racing almost as quickly as my thoughts, and if it wasn't the jump that took my breath away the view of the central coast was enough. The Pismo Dunes and the foothills are gorgeous from any angle but I have to admit there is nothing quite like real life arial view! 

A few tips from my first jump

1. If you are reeeeally nervous dont drink too much water the day of.... I think thats what saved me from peeing my pants :)

2. open your eyes THE ENTIRE TIME!

3. Keep your chin up, look out at the horizon. My tandem mate said that multiple times beforehand but my mind was going too quick to remember. Looking back on the pictures I really wish I had...

4. Go with a group, nothing like peer pressure ;)

5. Pretend the plane engine went out and the cock pit is on fire! Everyone is jumping off that ride!!!

6. Just think BANANA 

7. Hakunamatata

Now I can't stop thinking about being a bird and want to go again!

But this time HIGHER!!!

I was shaking with fear, nerves, and excitement. 

 

Half way up!

I can do this I can do this I can do this

Oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear oh dear

Eyes finally open 

Here I go taking the reins

    Hmmmm So many turns... what to do, what to do...

 

At the time I didn't know he was also holding the billows just above my hands. Thats how mesmerized I was!  Bahahaha thanks for the allusion of total control during the coast down... probably safer this way!

So thankful for a safe soft landing! Pat ROCKS!!!

Glen Lauterbach is like a second father and one big teddy bear!
He and Leslie went before Bentley and I. I knew that if they went first and didn't back out there was NO WAY I could chicken out.

SLO International Film Fest : Opening Night

I didn't know exactly how big this whole film festival thing was in San Luis Obispo, until opening night. So many people of all ages went and the festival director and president got up and explained what would be going on throughout the rest of the week. 

The first film of the Festival was called Industrial Light and Magic. ILM is a company founded by George Lucas that does special effects and CG for alomst ALL the movies we watch today. It is the leading company in its industry and continues to grow and try new thing. Learning about that process and a little bit of the history of film production was fascinating. We have come SO far from the tornado in the original Wizard of Oz :) 

Robin Williams was in it and was of course hilarious, and Tom Cruise narrated. 

It was amazing!!! 

If you even get the chance to see it I highly recommend it. 

I am not a huge documentary film watcher, but this one I can easily say I loved.

The best thing about Bentleys new job is definitely the free tickets to all the local events. 

I am going to enjoy this SO much.

This year is going to go by faster than usual :)

Stay tuned for more SLO Living....

Ambassador- the first 3 days

Well it literally feels like life for us has changed over night!

In the best kind of way :) 

Bentley has been busier than I have ever seen him before, and it has only been 3 days since announcement of his Ambassadorship. I thought that was impossible for Bentley, he always has projects going on and he works so hard. He has been going 100 miles per hour from celebratory dinners, organizing hundreds of new business cards he has received, local News interviews, radio interviews, telephone calls, Full Sail, running 5k's with me, putting together some of his ideas for the new job and being an excellent husband of course. 

It is sort of funny how hard we have tried to make other things work out in the past and it just didn't come together. "The timing just wasn't right", I would always say. I used to wonder if I actually believed that... or if it was just a comfort thing. 

But now he was asked to open for a local band at Slo Brew and got a call to work with the youth through the School District doing music workshops (or something along those lines) 

We were trying so hard, we got a little discouraged at times. 

And now they are just falling into place. 

(fingers still crossed, prayers still loaded)

All in Gods time. Right?

I only wish I could remember that during my most impatient moments. It's times like these that remind me whose plan really is governing everything and teach me to have a little more faith.

My favorite part about his job is the free tickets to local events!

The first one I am really looking forward to is the Film Festival. It starts this wednesday and goes until Sunday the 10th.

Opening Night Gala, red carpet evenings, movies, and fancy soirées here we come  :)

If you are curious about the SLO Film Festival 2013 click HERE 

Stay tuned for more SLO living :)

That DELICIOUS chocolate cinnamon cake brought to you by The Madonna Inn Bakery 

The Ambassador of San Luis Obispo is....

Bentley Murdock

Congratulations honey, you work so hard, all the time- but extreme effort was put into this campaign the last TWO months! Out of 40 + contestants, 3 weeks of voting, an hour and a half long interview in front the mayor, Rosetta Marketing reps, city reps and so many more...  YOU have proven yourself to be the best representative for Share SLO.

Boy the anticipation has been brewing like no other 

This has been such a fun experience so far. I can't wait to watch my husband in action representing the city. They really chose the right person for the job. 

I am one proud wifey!

 HUGE THANK YOU 
to everyone who voted, wether it was one time or once a day for the entire campaign! This was a very demanding process, one that we felt hesitant about pushing too hard for fear of annoying friends and family, eventually running them off. 

But here we stand because of your support and enthusiasm!

WE really appreciate it.

I wish I could hug each and every one of you.

You can go here to check out what he will be doing as this adventure continues!

My Valentine

Last year consisted of a cozy night in with heart shaped pasta and a very fun photo shoot.

This year started out with a very quaint, romantic evening in Mitchel park. Bentley ordered take out from my favorite restaurant Big Sky Cafe and set up this little dinner for two under the Gazebo. He is such a sweetheart. when the power didn't work quite as he had planned, he rigged a flashlight onto the string of white lights he had originally hung so we weren't eating by very dim candle light. What a Murdock :)

Our Valentines definitely ended up  a whole lote more energized and public than last years... 

Bentley won most enthusiastic AKA most 'crazy person' at the 5 k run we did to help support the calpoly triathlon team and the local food bank here in San Luis Obispo.  

We had such a fun Valentines this year :) 

I am one luck girl!

I seriously love where we live, there is always something fun and healthy to do. My goal for the rest of the year is to do at least one running event per month, possibly 2 and by October do the City to Sea half marathon!

Hope you had a wonderful Valentines!

Much love 

XOXO

365 days of happiness

Our first anniversary  

wait, what?!?

this has been the fastest & funnest year of my life so far-

Thanks Bent

for all that you do

all that you are

all that is

ours

you wash the dishes... all the time :) seriously thank you for that!

rub my feet

take care of A LOT of busy work I don't like to do

go above and beyond to show me your appreciation

tickle my back

play with my hair

bring home flowers for no reason, often :)

you sing me to sleep- LOVE LOVE LOVE that!

remind me to be nice to myself when I am being too self critical...

leave me sweet nothings in the form of love letters and art all over the house

you open my eyes everyday to this reality we call our life, I still feel like is a dream

How did I get so lucky?

typical bentley and michelle right here. 

G. Brothers Smokehouse BBQ to go (they catered for us), fortune cookies, and limonada con soda under the Gazebo at Mitchel Park. 

Our little space in SLO, the one where we held our ring ceremony.