A Wee Hike

A week ago Monday was my 26th birthday. Birthday's are a big deal in our family, as are Christmases and random "Happy Tuesday, I got you this present day!" days.

We like an excuse to celebrate in our family basically. It probably has something to do with being Irish. Anyway....

We generally go all out. We swear on our lives and pinky promise that we won't, but we can't help it. The birthday person gets to pick whatever they want to do, and then the whole fam damily joins in. Down through the years we've gone parasailing, hiking, camping, shooting, swimming....you get the idea. We have fun. Eating an enormous amount of food is par for the course as well.

I decided to wanted to go hiking and rock climbing....so that's what Adrian and I did! Our hike was...well it was a tad long and we didn't make it to the summit before our legs gave out. I am determined to go back and reach the top. Next time I will start earlier in the morning and take more water!! The info I read on the trail we took (The Tunnel Trail) said it was either a 4-mile hike or a 11-mile hike. Adrian used a GPS thingy on her phone and said we hiked uphill for much longer than 11 miles. I'm glad, because I was a bit worn out from our "wee" hike and I would have been really upset with my level of fitness if I was that tired from a 4 mile hike!!

How do you celebrate birthdays in your family? Do you have any long-standing traditions? Let us know, we'd love to hear about them!

You know how I'm obsessed with Marvel comics? My sister got me Avengers paper plates and plastic cups....swoon. There's no way I'm 26.

My mother sent our dogs Happy Unbirthday presents......horse toenails wrapped in tissue paper. Bam.

At the beginning of the trail head, before the sunburn and the mountain kicked our butts! 

Tunnel Trail 

Los Padres National Forest 

Hiding from the sun and devouring protein bars. 

A beautiful day for a hike...you could see all the way to the ocean. 

Sisters that hike together....

 Stay together. :) They also get sunburnt together. Oops. 

"You want me to climb THAT?" 

Learning the basics. If you are in the Ventura area and are looking for a climbing gym, check out Vertical Heaven! They're the best! 

Adrian had a gluten free chocolate cake made especially for me!! Thank you so much sissy! 

xo xo Liz 

A Forestbound Birthday

Today is the mum's birthday. 

Like every morning that we are all home together, we sat outside and enjoyed each other's company and coffee. It's difficult to say which we enjoy more;

the company, or the caffeine. 

;) 

And then we made the mums open her present. 

She is a very difficult woman to shop for because she is so unique and it's hard to find just the perfect gift for such an amazing woman! 

But this year I think we did pretty darn good.

Forestbound Bags are all hand made and one of a kind, because the lady who makes them picks for the canvas that they are made from. Many of the canvases she finds are WWI and II era. Each has had a previous life and if only we could hear the stories they've lived through....

I found her on Instagram, which I freely admit to being obsessed with. 

Here's her account name if you have one, go follow her and enjoy looking at all the handmade, one of a kind goodies! 

Mum's bag is made from salvaged canvas from WWI and leather straps. It smells of old stories and saddle butter. It's awesome. 

In a world of fast and easy, plastic and cheap gadgets, it is truly refreshing to find someone who takes the time to put their talents to use and produces beautiful and useful gear. 

Happy Birthday Mums. We love you. 

xo xo Liz & Adrian 

6 Days On the Road and I'm Gonna Make It Home Tonight

We’re throwing our first party at the little blue housie tonight. Our best friend Katie, who is more like our sister than a friend, is turning 19, which is kind of a big deal. We’re going to barbecue some tri tip, rope the dummy, open presents and generally have a good time. Adrian has a show not too far from home this afternoon and as soon as she gets back the festivities will commence!

This coming weekend we’ll be headed to Fallon, NV and then we’ll be in Winnemucca the weekend after that for a benefit concert for ranch women against breast cancer. Somewhere in the middle of all of this we are going to go home and ride, meet up with friends old and new and somehow sneak in a day at the Californios. If you’re at any of these places and you follow either of the blogs, stop and say hi!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Saturday so far!

xo xo Liz