Updates.

I'm sorry it's been forever since I've updated this. I'll try to update you with the quick snapshot version of what's been happening.

First off, I got a job. The BEST job. I love it and am learning GOBS and slowly realizing that I will eventually be able to do this job better than just well. I am the Operations and Development Associate at Able Works, a non-profit in East Palo Alto. Check it out, www.able.is. I'm really excited about working for an organization that is really working to break the cycles of poverty and to see first hand what that might look like.

Secondly, we LOVE our church community. It is fantastic. I really feel a part of it instead of feeling like the newbie and we have really bonded with some awesome friends. We went camping with them a couple of weekends ago at Sunset State Beach then went to Carmel sometime after that for a day at the beach complete with a bonfire and s'mores. We also have a regular night of watching the Bachelor Pad with some hilarious friends. Having a community makes all the difference in the world.

Thirdly, Ben loves his job! He's been working CRAZY hours lately but their game seems to be really coming along. For fear of saying something I might not be allowed to, I'll just leave you with this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TihhyhVEMAc

I'm working on some paintings so hopefully I'll get those finished and posted soon but with my job I've gotten a lot of books to read and the library is just too stinkin' exciting to me. So yes I have a pile of FIVE books to read. I'm also listening to Bossypants by Tina Fey and signed up on this cool website through our library to learn Spanish.

So that's the quick update of our lives. We feel richly blessed by our life out here. I will try to keep you all posted more regularly.

Loves loves loves.

santa cruz for the fourth

For the Fourth of July we were invited to a going away party for a new friend here. She is moving to Philadelphia for law school and we were invited to share in the time to send her off on a beach in Santa Cruz. It was a chilly day on the beach but we hung out, learned a new card game (that was created by this group of people) and then watched fireworks.

And by watching fireworks this can include but not limited to: watching them in the sky, watching them aim straight for where out stuff is, watching the drunk morons shoot large fireworks horizontally instead of vertically and watching people shoot of giant fireworks right next to us then move into our area to shoot them off. Needless to say it was a hilarious experience to share with a fun group of people and we all were safe and made it home safely. Here are some pics of said fireworks. 

whale watching!

We were lucky enough to get the chance to go whale watching!

Ben's 2nd cousin, Jeff and his wife Nicky, took us out to dinner a few weeks ago. We then made plans to check out Santa Cruz the following weekend. Well, we got an email the night before saying change of plans, we're going to watch whales. And holy wow, was it cool!

Not only, did we get to see the humpback whales (which is typical) we got to see GOBS of blue whales (crazy rare we're told). We even saw a humpback jump completely out of the water right in front of our boat. It was one of the coolest experiences I think I've ever had and we were so so grateful to get to do that.

After whale watching, we ate some lunch then explored the pier of Santa Cruz to get some ice cream. :) We have yet to see and do all that the boardwalk entails but hopefully soon. Here are some pics:

 Jeff, Nicky, Ben and me before setting off on the boat. The fog was still in so it was a little chilly.

 Sea lions on the buoy (I can't remember if this was the mile out buoy). You can see the fog has totally cleared, which aided in Ben and me getting very sunburned faces.

 These sea lions were hilarious. There was a giant one circling in the water, trying to find a place to get on. In the meantime, these guys looked straight at me as if asking for their picture to be taken.

 You can see the big guy finally made it up, which is why there are a few small sea lions in the water.

 Humpback whale.

 Two blue whales.

 This was the splash the humpback whale made after jumping completely out of the water. It was one of those moments I was too shocked to capture the jump but managed to get my brain working quickly enough to capture a little part of it.

 Humpback tale.

 On the boat it was CRAZY windy.

 A look at the Boardwalk from the Pier.

 I love these seagulls. I feel like they are slowly replacing my adoration for pigeons. :)

 This guy was taking fish from a guy's hand! I was afraid the hand was going to get crazy injured. Apparently the human does it pretty regularly.

And to top the day off, as we were leaving the pier we saw this seagull with its two babies. Adorable.

All in all it was a fantastic day. There are more pics of whale humps and ocean on facebook but I figured for here I would just post my favorites. I have a few more posts that I have yet to blog about so hopefully I'll be getting around to those too.
Happy Friday!

i've been busy.

Hello friends,
Sorry I've been a little non-existent. Last week I took up applying to four jobs a day again which was quite the challenge. I've also been walking A LOT. It's gorgeous here and I love being outside.

Which is the perfect transition to our trip to San Gregorio Beach. Our friends from church had an impromptu beach trip and we went along. We first saw the Fitzgerald Tide Pools up north of Half Moon Bay then drove south to San Gregorio State Beach. It was fun. However, I wasn't expecting the beaches to be so different. I had been told how cold the water is, but I didn't realize it was THAT cold. Seriously, like ice cubes were in it. Despite that, it was very fun to relax and spend time with really great people and soak in the gorgeous landscape out here.

If you go, just take a sweater. Once the sun starts going down it's get cold quickly. (That's actually the biggest difference I've noticed between Denver and the coast - the temperature drop here between day and night is much greater.)

 Here are some pics:

 Tide pools.

 Close up.

 More of the view from the tide pools.

 San Gregorio Beach, notice GOBS of driftwood. Much different than Southern California beaches I'm told.

 With the hubs.

 And again.

 Somehow I managed to get zero pics of our group, but managed to get a pic of Jonathan's sweet dog.

 Route 1.

And the seagulls started arriving as we were leaving.

All in all it was a fun day and I can't wait to explore more of the beaches. Maybe head a little further south next time? Who knows.
Happy Tuesday!

things to do and see: the cantor center for the visual arts

On my list of things that are free and awesome in this cool new town is the Cantor Center for the Visual Arts on the Stanford campus. It's a FABULOUS art museum that is completely free and has this collection of Rodin sculpture that made me want to cry. It was so great. I spent the afternoon yesterday wandering around this museum trying to take it all in. If you're in Palo Alto on days that aren't Monday or Tuesday (they are closed this day) then you should probably go take a peek, even if only to see the Thinker. The landscape art and portrait art was fantastic too, there was almost too much to see all in one go. Here are a few pics. 

 One of the Rodin galleries

 The Thinker

The Gates of Hell

 The Burghers of Calais

 Andy Goldsworthy piece slightly hidden. So cool.

Well I'm sure I'll go back and get inspiration for much more. I started a painting yesterday but today it's been especially warm in the apartment so we've just been a little lazy. It's nice. More job searching tomorrow.

Happy Sunday!

Another painting.

Here is one more that I did for my cousin by request of my aunt.
http://lauragross.blogspot.com/2012/06/vinnie.html
Loving the yellow lately.

Some work.

I've been catching up on commissions here and there and I'm excited to share a piece I did for my sister. http://lauragross.blogspot.com/2012/06/thomas.html
Check it out!

cloudy day.

Today the weather is cloudy and gray and I must say I'm enjoying it. I'm taking it a bit easy today, searching for jobs still but saving the applying for tomorrow.

I have a few more projects to get caught up on today so while I drink my coffee this cute little face is purring

right next to me.

Happy Monday!

a great weekend

This place more and more is starting to feel like home.

On Saturday, I found a Palo Alto chapter of PEO and attended a meeting. (PEO is a lovely women's organization that I was blessed to be a part of in Colorado, luckily there are chapters all over.) It was so great to get out and spend time with fantastic women getting to know them. It made me miss my sisters back in Colorado so badly my heart ached but I am hopeful that similar relationships to those back home will soon develop here.

Then this morning Ben and I went to the church that was second on our list. We had found A BUNCH on Yelp and Google and made a list of those that looked promising. Last week wasn't so good but this week was a completely different and awesome experience. We sit down and are almost immediately welcomed by a pastor who recognized us as not usual members. He was so nice and it really started the service out on a good note. The worship was great, not quite as loud as Flatirons but still good and we really enjoyed the teaching. After the service we took our visitor card to the welcome table to be met by a friendly guy who ended up not only introducing us to many people but inviting us to the Post College group lunch that happens after every Sunday. It was AWESOME. Going to lunch with people who are the same age and at similar life stages as us was so fun and they do a lot of things together. During the summer, every Thursday they have a BBQ and they regularly lunch after church and have dinners together and board game nights. Needless to say, we're pretty stoked and feeling especially blessed.

Having both days of this weekend filled with meeting people who are excited we're here was really good for my heart. And I got THREE paintings done this weekend (I'll put those on the other blog soon.) so I'm feeling super productive and excited about the week ahead. Still praying to hear back from the gobs of applications I sent out but today I'm more okay with being unemployed. :)
Happy Sunday!

things to see and do: the baylands and free ice cream

Hello friends,
Something that I always think is a fun challenge is finding cheap (or free!) things to do - wherever I am. I will try to keep you all posted of these things as I find them so if you're ever out and about this area you will know about them too. Today was one of those days of finding a gem. In East Palo Alto right on the San Francisco Bay is the Baylands Nature Preserve. I went there today after reading about the great birding you can do there. I was excited but didn't know what to expect. It was so lovely. There are GOBS of trails including a boardwalk over a marsh to the bay shore and a dock that leads down to a sailing station where wind surfers were taking off. SO cool - almost an unreal experience. I also saw some beautiful birds! I need to get out my guide and identify them but I was able to snap a few pics. Ben and I will definitely be going back there with our walking/running shoes. In addition to my trip to the Baylands, I went to Ikea (it's right across the road.) Did you know when you sign up for their member card you get a coupon for FREE frozen yogurt? It's pretty delish and you don't even have to go through the entire store to get it, which was AWESOME! So a neat walk outside followed by free ice cream - today was good. Here are some pics from the Baylands:

 A song sparrow (I believe)

 The interesting landscape.

 Some shorebirds...anyone know what they are? (If I find out I'll update this.)

 A close up of the song sparrow.

 The boardwalk out to the bay.

 Windsurfers.

 Streakbacked Oriole.

 Again, up in the tree. A chit-chattery little bird.

Pretty gull.

That's it for now, off to start cooking some dinner.
Loves,
Laura

unpacked!

Hello all,
Well, the movers came on Thursday. Though it wasn't nearly as long as it could've been we felt like it couldn't have come sooner. Bless their hearts, these two guys parked a SEMI (with ours and others' belongings) in our tiny street parking lot and lugged our belongings up to the THIRD (basically fourth) floor of our building and to the VERY END of the hallway to our apartment. If (ha, when) we move I don't know how we are going to do it without movers. Needless to say, Friday was crazy for me. Unpacking, boxes everywhere and then finally hanging. We put finishing touches on stuff tonight. It feels good to feel home. I want to do a mini movie of a tour or something to give you the feel of our place but we'll see how that happens. For now, below are some pics of what it looks like. I want to take some more during the day tomorrow so you can see just how much sunlight we get, it's glorious! Also, we are in the process of couch hunting and saving so if you know of any good places around here please advise. (We checked out Ikea today.)

 Before, YIKES!

 Midway through the unpacking (yeesh!)

 There are still a few things that need to be put in place but this is looking towards the corner by the kitchen with our table and my desk. (and a few light sabers and a dyson.)

 Our kitchen with a little piece of Colorado, painted by Ben's amazing grandma.

 Ben's corner, next to the entryway.

 The tv and bookshelves. On the wall adjacent there's an awesome picture collage but that one turned out blurry so more tomorrow. :)

And then the bedroom, nice and cozy.

I'm pretty excited about how it's turning out. We are visiting a church tomorrow, hoping to find one that will be a good community out here for us. So for now I'm off to bed, more pictures tomorrow! Also, the magnolia tree out front looks like it's going to bloom A LOT tomorrow. Hopefully I can get some good ones of that too.
Goodnight,
Laura