{travel recap} japan

Back in October, {mike+I} had the opportunity to travel with his family to Japan. We visited Tokyo, Kyoto and lastly, Okinawa for the Okinawa Festival. It was a great experience and I can't wait to go back in five years for the next Festival!

Some highlights...

{japan+I} are obviously meant to be...

Seriously... my name? Spelled correctly? In a random foreign country. Meant to be!

{travel recap} sedona

A little side note re: yours truly...

I have a serious case of relocation-itis. It is accompanied by an ever more dire disease I have coined as "travel fever" - a situation that cannot, unfortunately, be cured by more cowbell.

As of this year, {mike+I} have developed a pretty consistent pattern: every two years or so, we move.

Sometimes less, sometimes more, sometimes near and sometimes far, but we are always looking forward to where we're going "next." This month we're moving 70 miles northwest of our current location (where we have lived approximately 18 months. Not that I was counting...) Last time it was 2000 miles south. Before that, 700 miles west. You get my drift. It's become our m.o. Lately, most of our discussions have centered around where we would be willing to go next - because there will be a next. Durham, North Carolina and Ohio have been on the list. The former might be a fun change of pace, but the jury is still out on Ohio. I like to think I'd be game to live anywhere, but Ohio? Hmmm... (no offense, Ohio-ans. By the way, is that what you are? Ohio-ans?)

Anyway! Basically, the only remedy we have discovered to assuage both of these terrible* problems is to go somewhere (read: anywhere) on a regular basis. It is also a much more manageable (read: affordable) option. It might be a road trip 500 miles west to L.A. to visit family. It might be a plane ride to the Northwest. It might be a stay-cation. It is basically anything to keep us busy, but also let us experience where we currently live and everything it has to offer. Besides, curing travel fever does require, um, traveling. So, for one of our April trips (and for my birthday), we decided to visit Sedona.

Sedona is a beautiful little artsy-fartsy town nestled among the Red Rocks of Northern Arizona. It is only a half-hour from Flagstaff and two hours from Phoenix, but feels like a world away. It is paradise for rock climbers, hikers and outdoorsmen (or women). There are mountains! And rocks! And get this: WATER! I can definitely see why it was a spiritual location for Native Americans (and still is). The beauty is stunning, and so very different from anything else you find in Arizona. Also, if spiritual things float your boat, it is supposedly a vortex mecca. Not really my thing, but the hiking was great!

We spent the majority of our weekend in Boynton Canyon because it was dog-friendly. Slide Rock State Park is supposed to be pretty dang awesome, but alas, super busy and no dogs allowed. Here are a few photos** from our hiking extravaganza.

*Sarcasm very much intended. Please do not take offense. If you suffer from any sort of actual "dire disease," my heart goes out to you and I wish you the best.
**Disclaimer: I am not, nor will I ever claim to be, a great landscape photographer. I love trees, but they don't love my camera. I'll stick to taking pictures of people - and my dogs. Cheers!

I do, occasionally, get a great landscape shot. Love this.

Hike #3: We hoofed up to this mesa in record time to see the sun set. Awesome.

{travel recap} here, there & everywhere!

Whew!

It's been a whirlwind ten days, but I was able to sort through some of my photos today and do a quick edit to share a little bit of my trip with y'all...

First stop was Missoula, Montana for my big, little brother's graduation (he's tall, I'm short, therefore "big, little bro.") While we were there, he asked me to help him prepare for the big, bad real world with some headshots. He has a really hard time keeping a straight face, so I had to add in the "bloopers." I also snuck in a few of his roommates adorable daughter.

The next leg of my trip involved a second stint as an intern for Justin & Mary Marantz - this time in my hometown of Seattle. Despite an argument with a certain virus called the flu (grrrr!), I'd say the week was a success! Some of my childhood friends were gracious enough to come model for us, and I'd say they knocked it out of the "Water for Elephants" ball park. Not to mention a big shout out to my friend Bunn Salarzon, who drove all the way up from Portland to help us out!

And just for fun, here's a shot of the whole fam-damily after my big, little bro gradu-muated from college!

From left: Papa+Mama Bentz, "big, little bro," yours truly+hubby