birthday week: candles, cat tales, spices and other things

It's time to write these new memories down so that next year I look back and remember what a great time it was. And because I was too excited to experience all these moments I often forgot to pull my camera out and take photos.. Some things were not pictured, some will make their appearance here thanks to the iPhone camera.

On my birthday after work, we hopped in a car with Ben's parents and all together went for a family sushi dinner. While we were crossing the bridge we saw the sun going down into the lake and covering the mountains in pink gold. Then I blew 25 candles and made a wish feeling extremely grateful for everything at the moment but of course looking forward to more good moments in the future. When we returned home I bursted into tears, I was overwhelmed with feelings and couldn't even express how touching it was to have people in your life who care about you. Not for anything, just because.

And then there was a road trip: we loaded up with cameras and snacks and headed out to Washington on our way to the zoo. We were lucky to visit Cat Tales park when it was sunny and nice between the rain showers. Watching the tigers and lions yawn and a black bear sunbathe was pretty interesting after living in Idaho for almost a year. 

We continued our adventures in Spokane, touring our favorite product spots: the Kiev and Asian markets - for the next few weeks we're cooking and eating only Russian and Korean meals. And of course we couldn't leave without having dinner at Kim's Korean restaurant. 

After the long drive home we headed to the pool and it was just the only possible and perfect ending of the road trip: a few strolls there and back in a nicely cool water followed by soaking and chatting in a hot tub... Typing this makes me want to go there again this week. I'll finish right here saying that right now I'm eating English sweet peas in my bed while blogging and being the happiest person tonight.