Nothin' gives me GOOSEBUMPS like..... NASCAR!

I Love NASCAR, old news, right? BUT I LOVE NASCAR!!! Todd and I went to the final race of the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season to watch Jimmie Johnson take the Sprint Cup for the third year in a row. You hear about "the roar of the engines" and I gotta tell ya, when that green flag drops for the first lap and the cars take off at full speed, there's nothing that gives me bigger goosebumps. Watching the three-and-a-half hour race was exillerating and thrilling and exciting and just FUN! My driver, Jeff Gordon and the #24 Dupont Chevrolet team raced well with some late race tactics that paid off and got Jeff a fourth place finish. No win but not too shabby. So now what....Daytona's not until February....so i'll go back to napping on Sundays until then...and dream about a championship for the #24 car...

Tina Turner LIVE

Todd and I took my Mom and Dad to see the Tina Turner show in Miami. Much to my surprise, it was a blast! We read on wikipedia on the way to the show that Tina is nearly 70 years old but let me tell you, she can still shake it with the best of 'em! Her voice got better and better as the night went on. She did take a 45 minute intermission in the middle of the show; we guess she needed a break to nap or literally catch her breath. That was a bit annoying but in all seriousness, she was fantastic! And my Mom LOVED it :) which made it all worth while. One by one, she is seeing all the major artists...so far we've hooked her up for:

Cher

Rod Stewart

Billy Joel

Elton John

Tina Turner

She's got quite a list going now and we're looking forward to who's next!

I Lu-lu-lu-LOVE N-n-n-n-n-Nor-Cal!!!

Seriously, and I know you probably thought you'd never hear this sun-worshipping temperature whimp say that but....well....

"Hello, my name is Kristin and I love Northern California!"

I DO! Maybe its because pretty much everyone I've met from Northern California has been AWESOME or maybe it's because I've had some GREAT TIMES in the NorCal. My most recent trip was to Santa Rosa; Todd and I went to Kat and Janelle's wedding there in mid-October and, although it WAS chilly, it was fabulous. The mountains, the vinyards, the colors, the sun, the good friends...it was beautiful all the way around. Funny thing...I actually raced in Santa Rosa earlier this year and didn't notice ANY of this beauty...I didn't even realize I had been to Santa Rosa before until Todd and I arrived. I guess I was blinded by race nerves...I mean my fierce focus. Life Lesson: stop and smell the roses every once in a while...especially the Santa Rosas!

Above left is a nice view of a vinyard right outside our hotel. Above right is a snapshot of Todd and I with Carmen D'Aluisio, a NorCal lucky-local! This is Todd and I; we're at Kat and Janelle's wedding, which was just as beautiful as the setting itself :) Thanks to Meredith for the fabulous photography...