End of 1st quarter

It's very hard to believe, but this is the last week of the first quarter.  This year has just flown by so far, probably the combination of learning a new job and the fact that I'm getting older so every year seems to go by faster.   This year we will be making our way out to Texas over part of Fall Break to visit Jon's family.  I haven't seen the aunts, uncles, and cousins since before we tied the knot, so it will be nice to catch up with them.  Hopefully the weather will be a bit nicer than AZ, too!   We plan to spend a few days in Austin, too, a city both of us are unfamiliar with but excited to see.   We don't have any concrete plans but to see 6th Street and get to know the general area.

Recently Jon and I heard that Disneyland is offering free admission to The Park on your birthday.  We both got very excited at this prospect because we absolutely love Disneyland and had so much fun the last time we were there together about one year ago.  Since the European extravaganza ate away our entire vacation budget and more, I think this sounds like a pretty sweet gig for a much more affordable-yet fun-alternative.  I still would like to get to Hawaii and go on a cruise, but perhaps one of these is what I can look forward to when I turn the big three zero!  

Speaking of birthdays, and subsequently presents, I just found out that Amazon allows you to put items other than those found at Amazon on your wishlist.  This is a fun option I have been wanting for a few years, and there is now absolutely NO reason why anyone should avoid getting an Amazon wishlist.  Whether it is to add items that are indeed wishes or things people could actually afford to purchase for you, I had great fun with this last night.  I got to add some overpriced jewelry from Tiffany's, some gift certificates for spas to be pampered, as well as Southwest Airlines $$$.  Jon asked me who would actually buy airline money for me, but I thought the gift of travel would be very fun and perhaps help us pay for that trip to Hawaii (I mean California!)