So… We’re back and it’s 2025!
So… We’re back! A lot has happened since we last posted.
We got married, went to Iceland, got five hens, got two cats, celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary, made several changes to our home, hosted Christmas twice, and lived a lot more life in between. We might go back and revisit some of those chapters of our lives in future posts, but for now we’re focusing on our last adventure of 2024.
To wrap up an eventful 2024, we chose to spend it disconnecting and enjoying a coastal camping trip at Pismo Beach. This decision spurred from a camping trip we took in October, which happened to be Carlos’ first official camping trip. We have camped at a race track before, but does that really count? This time around, we were a little better prepared, and with Ollie in tow, we set up camp at the North Beach Campground.
During the trip, our days started with a routine walk on the beach into town. We would grab a cup of coffee, head back to the pier, and watch the surfers wrestle the mighty waves. We’d spend an hour or so rambling about whatever came to mind, soaking in time well spent together.
Inevitably, the topic of New Year’s resolutions came about. Neither of us care for the idea of “New Year’s resolutions”, however, we’ve decided to reframe it as: “what we are looking forward to in the new year”. It feels more like a loose boundary, rather than a restrictive prescription to life. We plan on investing more time into learning and creating. Shiann intends on diving deeper into her expanding collection of cookbooks, as well as consistently reading (more fiction). She’s looking forward to investing more energy into activities that fuel her creative spirit. Carlos is choosing to take on a more interactive approach to projects this year. This includes building a new workshop table to help kick start several other house projects. Both of us are looking forward to making more time to be present. Our end of year camping trip was an intentional catalyst for this shift.
During our camping trip, Ollie experienced some new things: he got to smell the sea, and feel the sand between his paws, especially when Carlos taught him how to dig in the sand! He seemed to be overjoyed by the fact he was allowed to get away with something he usually isn’t permitted to do. Beyond the campsite, he accompanied us to coffee shops, an ice cream shop, and a beachside bar & grill. He also got to witness a flutter of monarchs at one of their overwintering sites. They’re known to overwinter at the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove!
Beyond our time in Pismo, we’ve firmly established a reoccurring habit of making a detour to Ziggy’s in Paso Robles on our travels through 101. Our go-to order? The “Chicken” sandwiches and fries! Carlos has an additional fondness for the spot based on it’s logo including a pig and the fact he had (endearingly) nicknamed one of the family dogs: Ziggi the Piggy.
The trip was rejuvenating, and a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of life. We’re grateful to have had the time to rest and refuel for the coming year.
Cheers to a happy, healthy, and fulfilling 2025!
