BOND

1) to connect or bind
2) to place a bonded debt on or secure a debt by bonds; mortgage
3) to join (two materials)
4) to lay (bricks, stones, etc.) so as to produce a strong construction
5) to hold together or cohere, from or as from being bonded, as bricks in a wall or particles in a mass
6) to establish a bonding

Last week marked the end of Sebastian's first year in law school (now just need to get through finals!). Although I am not the one putting in the endless hours of reading, writing, and studying -- I can say that this academic year flew by.

It seems so recent that Sebastian and I first checked out Seattle U together, as he was Law School shopping. And now here he is 1/3 of the way done. I am so proud of his hard work and involvement in and out of the classroom -- but I am even more impressed with the amazing people he has surrounded himself with in the process. 

My favorite memories from Sebastian's first year of law school, always include his two new best friends and the bond they have created together. These guys are not only inseparable, but unstoppable -- and luckily for me, they each come with an amazing girlfriend!

These guys keep Sebastian sane and these girls are always there to commiserate with me as we navigate our new role of Law School Girlfriends together. 

But best of all -- these couples were the most outstanding company that one could have when attending the Barristers Ball (aka Law Prom). Barristers Ball was one of my most favorite nights of this year! The dancing and laughs were endless. The food was delicious, drinks were cold, and the company was perfect. I wish I could do it all over again. 

I know boys don't get all mushy -- so I will say this on behalf of Sebastian: THANK YOU guys for being the best friends Sebastian and I could ask for. There is a lot of new territory that comes with Law School, and I am so thankful that we are in this together. Law school may only be three years, but I can see that this friendship will last beyond that and grow into a lifetime BOND.

TANGO

1) to dance the tango
2) to execute movements of the tango, a dance of Latin-American origin, danced by couples, and having many varied steps, figures,and poses
3) to move the body in duple time, characterized by long gliding steps and sudden pauses

Although Valentine's Day was a month ago, I still have to share how much fun I had Tango Dancing! 

This year, Sebastian and I celebrated our 6th Valentine's Day together -- and when we were thinking about what we should do, we knew it had to be something outside of the box. Going out to dinner was just not going to cut it. We wanted adventure! Our top three ideas were tango dancing, indoor rock climbing, or a trampoline park. Since we still wanted things to be on the romantic side, tango dancing won out (but don't be surprised when those other ideas make their way into future posts).

I follow a lot of blogs, especially ones that keep me up-to-date on things happening around Seattle. Through this, I found out about Century Ballroom hosting an Argentine Tango and Wine night for Valentine's Day -- perfect! 

So after receiving two dozen roses, and going out to dinner (spoiled -- I know), Sebastian and I headed over to Capital Hill with our dancing shoes on. 

The first hour was a Tango lesson. We were taught the basics of upper carriage, traveling footwork, and connecting steps. The room was packed with couples -- so the practicing portion was a bit difficult. After a few tries, better communication (yes, I was trying to lead too much), and a couple of questions to the instructor, we had it down!

After the lesson, there was a break for an Argentinian Wine tasting while the band set up. We tasted some wonderful organic wines, but opted for champagne since this was an occasion to be celebrated (and champagne is my favorite)! 

Once the Tango Band was set up -- it was time for open dance. This is where we really had fun because we were not limited by space or instructor. It was so fun having live music and people around us who REALLY knew how to tango. Seeing them perform the basics and build upon them into fancier footwork really made us wish we took more lessons. 

All in all it was a wonderful evening and I would highly recommend any/all classes at Century Ballroom (salsa, swing, waltz, etc.). If you and your beau are looking for something new, get out there and TANGO!

FLY

1) to move through the air using wings
2) to be carried through the air by the wind or any other force
3) to float or flutter in the air
4) to travel in an aircraft or spacecraft.
5) to move suddenly and quickly; start unexpectedly

The first two months of 2014 have truly flown by -- or maybe I am just doing a great job of sticking to my New Year's Resolution of staying present? Either way it has been almost 2 months since my last post so it is time to get a little update going. 

For my birthday this year I received entry to the Quarter Century Club -- you know, turned the big 2-5! And the weekend I spent celebrating was one for the record books...literally. 

To kick off my birthday weekend, some of my wonderful co-workers surprised me by "decorating" my desk. It was a huge surprise, not only that my desk was decorated, but more so the extent to which they decorated it. I mean...see for yourself: 

That evening, Sebastian took me to see Pacific Northwest Ballet's opening night of The Sleeping Beauty. Now, I have to tell you when he took me to PNB's opening night of Swan Lake for my 18th birthday, I feel asleep in the 4th act (and no the irony of the fact that I fell asleep in a ballet and also the name of this year's ballet is not lost on us). So it REALLY meant a lot and he would give the ballet another go with me this year. Anyways, the ballet was absolutely stunning (as always), and definitely made me miss my good ol' dancin' days.

The next day was my actual birthday and I spent the morning indulging, you know coffee and giant stawberry nutella crepe for breakfast, followed by mani's and pedi's, then mexican food/happy hour for lunch (who doesn't love a sombrero?!). 

From then it was time to head to iFly for Indoor Skydiving! I will be honest, I would have loved to go outdoor skydiving for my birthday -- but due to the fact that it is February, it did not seem the most feasible. Indoor skydiving was the next best thing -- and I LOVED it. The best part was the fact that I had a group go with me, and my Dad did it! Such a hoot to share this experience and fly with my Dad. Also, could this shot be any better?! Check out that beautiful 12th Man flag! 

After iFly, I met some friends at Capitol Cider. A few months ago, I read a Seattle Met blog post about this new cider bar, and I wanted to try it out -- what better time than my birthday, right? The main floor is dimly, romantically lit restaurant that includes gluten-free food options -- perfect for a future date night. The lower floor has quite a different feel -- a bustling bar with tons of seating and games for everyone. We set up camp by the shuffleboard tables, playing any game we could get our hands on (Battleship!) and tasting the delicious ciders. Thank you to all who came out to celebrate with me! 

Thankfully, I had distracted myself all weekend with birthday activities -- because the moment I woke up on Sunday, the butterflies wouldn't stop (well...I think they were butterflies...). The day was finally here. The day I had anticipated almost as much as my birthday: SUPERBOWL SUNDAY, SEAHAWKS vs BRONCOS. This is the first Superbowl in a looooong time that I couldn't care less about about the commercials -- this year Superbowl was about FOOTBALL (and Bruno Mars!). Now that we are so far past the game, the details are irrelevant but one thing remains the same, the Seahawks were untouchable that day -- absolutely perfect. What a game to end the season on. From the girl who spent halftime crying tear of joy and who only wanted a Lombardi Trophy for her birthday, I say THANK YOU SEAHAWKS! It was an epic ride, for the record books. (Also -- thank you Sylvia for letting me wear you autographed jersey from THE BEST CORNER IN THE GAME, since he is #25!)

I still can't get over what a wonderful time I had on my birthday weekend: the love, laughs, food, company, experiences, gifts, and memories. And if the beginning of this year is going to set the precedent for 2014, this year is going to FLY.