The Honeymoon is over...

The title of this blog was brought on by the fact that The Callahans have just returned from their Honeymoon (an Alaskan cruise). The blog itself was brought on by the fact that, no matter how hard I try, I can't stop thinking about MY honeymoon. And not just recently because of Chelsea and Ryan's marriage, but because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I got back this past September.

I can honestly say that when life gets you down, you often travel to that "happy place" in your mind. That happy place is now, and forever will be, the entirety of our honeymoon out West. The unfortunate part is that when I think about it, it just makes more sad. Knowing that it was the best time of my life and I will never be able to re-create it. I'm sure someday, when I'm old, we'll be able to go back - but things will be so different then.

There are so many different variables that created the happiness that was our honeymoon. It could have been that I was just high on being a newlywed, or the fact that I was FINALLY leaving the East Coast of the United States. It also could have been the fact that it was beautiful and sunny and warm the entire time we were there - and sun is proven to make people happier. But what I really think it was, was the fact that I have never in my life felt so free before. We had nothing to worry about. Our bunny was taken care of. We had taken the time off work. We had enough money to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted to. Nothing went wrong with our flights, accomodations, transportation, or plans in general. And it was just... us. No one else to worry about or wait for.

Life is just so different out there than it is here. Not only the weather, but everywhere you go, there is either something to do, or something beautiful to look at. The city is as intense as a city should be, and the water views are just as majestic as they are in the movies. The hotels we stayed in made us feel like we were movie stars. And we both had tans and new clothes and were looking like we might actually belong there.


Even the part I didn't so much enjoy, camping at Table Top Mountain in Angeles State Forest, was an experience I will never forget... and I know it made my husband happy.

We were in the car a lot, and although that might sound boring... I wouldn't have had it any other way. Not only did we have a sweet ride (Mustang), we had the freedom of being able to go anywhere we wanted, and stop any place we wanted to. It certainly helped that we rented a GPS to get us around, or else it may have been a disaster. We switched off driving so that one of us could rest or take pictures while the other one navigated. The best part was that the speed limits are like 10 miles an hour faster there, at least! At one point I got up to like 101 miles an hour, just because I could (I think we were passing through part of Utah at the time).

San Diego was our first stop. We drove directly there from the Las Vegas Airport. We were only there for less than 24 hours, but it was awesome just to be there. We had the most delicious dinner in the Gaslamp District at a restaurant called the Yard House, and took a walk down by the train station. The W Hotel we stayed at, had the most beautiful room I have ever slept in. The next morning, we found the ocean, and I was able to stick my feet into the Pacific for the first time ever. It was truly an amazing feeling.



From San Diego, we drove directly to LA, where we checked in to the O Hotel, in the Business District. It was a truly posh hotel, and a great choice to stay for 2 nights. We happened to check in on their 10th anniversary night, so we even got free drinks in their super fancy lobby/bar area. We met up with Keegan's friend Carly (who lives in LA), and she hooked us up with a fantastic wedding present... which just happened to be 3 different types of medical marijuana, 2 different types of medical marijuana baked goods, a small glass piece, a couple lighters, and some papers. We took an awesome walk through the city, down Hollywood Blvd, past somewhere where they were filming a Nelly/Akon performance for the Jimmy Kimmel Show, and then to our first experience at In N' Out Burger... where Keegan had his FIRST fast food burger EVER. The next day, Carly was our tour guide and took us all around LA, where we had breakfast at a diner owned by one of the Beastie Boys, passed by the high school where they filmed Grease, and the area where Mulholland Drive was filmed, onto Griffith Park to overlook the entire city and get the best view of the Hollywood sign. From there, she took us down the coast where we could visit Bradley Nowell's grave in Westminster, and pass through Garden Grove, Long Beach, Laguna Beach, Venice Beach, and a bunch of other great places. We also took a lovely stroll down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and even used the bathroom at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel where Pretty Woman was filmed (best bathroom experience of my life by the way). On the way back, we stopped at the Academy of Performing Arts so Carly could pick up her tickets to the Emmy's!



When the LA fun was over, it was time to camp out for a night. We headed up to Angeles State Forest, to a place called Tabletop Mountain. I was less than thrilled as it got cold and I was not equipped for that... and then of course the minor issue that there were BEARS there. Not only that, we didn't have an aerobed, and I am not a fan of sleeping on the hard ground. I got through it though... it was an experience, and like I said - thrilled my dear husband.



And then, it was on to 4 luxurious nights in a GORGEOUS villa in Vegas! We stayed at Polo Towers, the only hotel on the Strip without a bar or casino inside (which may sound lame, but it was so refreshing to come home to no smoke or loud drunks every night). The villa we had was like an apartment. And don't even get me started on the jacuzzi tub... unreal. Vegas is larger than life. Like, so much larger than life than I ever thought possible. You see it on TV and in movies and it looks so big and flashy... but it is so much more big and flashy once you are physically there. We went almost everywhere and did almost everything we could while we were there, including: the Phantom of the Opera show, the Blue Man Group show, the Bellagio Fountain show, rode the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower, went to the top of the Stratosphere, strolled down Fremont Street, ate at Planet Hollywood, gambled at several of the big casinos, saw the Flamingos, visited Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden, rode the rollercoaster outside New York New York, visited Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, and even ate at Hooters. And somehow, that list doesn't even cover it. The funniest part? We drank while we were there, but we didn't get drunk - not once.


It was sad to leave Vegas, but exciting to head down to Arizona and visit my Condon girls. Arizona was freaking HOT. I don't know how people can live like that! I met up with the lovely oh-so-pregnant ladies, Erin's son Jared, as well as Erin's husband Dane, and we headed to the Hard Rock in Phoenix for dinner. After that, they took us to an awesome lookout where you could see the whole city all lit up. When we departed, we headed to Scottsdale to stay at the 3 Palms Hotel. It was an awesome hotel with very modern decor and a great jacuzzi tub right in the bedroom!


I have to say, one of the highlights of our trip was the long drive from Scottsdale to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We split up the driving, and I even resorted to taking photos while driving. I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing on the side of the road. These big sand and stone structures... some pink, some black... but so colorful and amazing. I had to wonder if the people that live in that area take seeing that for granted. I guess I would.

It started getting a little dark and rainy when we approached the North Rim. Luckily, the worst of the rain was just a sprinkle, so we were still able to cook and eat dinner on the fire without an issue. The air mattress we had purchased earlier in the day (since I refused to sleep on the hard ground again) did not inflate so well - but we made do. The next morning was beautiful. We had a fantastic view of the Canyon from our campsite... and were very close to the little paths you can take for better views. I took a whole bunch of pictures, as to be expected. It was truly majestic, and I'd camp there again in a heartbeat!


From there, we drove back to Vegas where we were going to spend our last night, drop off the car, and fly home. Our last night we stayed at the South Point Hotel and Casino, which was a very short distance from the Strip. Surprisingly enough, this was the one and only night we got drunk while we were on vacation... and we ended up buying a 6-pack of Miller Lite in the gift shop, drinking it all in our room, going to a fancy dinner and getting some wine, then buying another bottle of wine on our way back to the room. Not the greatest decision since we had to be up ridiculously early to return the car and get on a plane.


When we returned, it was like 60 degrees and raining, of course. While I was happy to see my friends and my bunny, I longed for the feeling that I had when I was away. We spent a great deal of our wedding money - and I don't regret it for a second! I knew it would be the one and only trip we take together before we have kids - and boy was I right! Part of me wants to pack up and move there... but I know it wouldn't be the same to live there as it is to visit there. I realize that I feel the same way about the West Coast as some people feel about Cape Cod in the summer! It's truly hilarious to me... because in my mind, the two don't even compare.

I think I will celebrate AK47 (my 47th birthday) on the West Coast... who's coming with me?!