my cup runneth over

Well, hello there.
My blog posting patterns are quite different in the US of A than they are in Cartagena.
Probably because I've just been soaking up all there is to enjoy here...

...like these girls



and these folks

Kath & Minnie were here Friday through Monday.
My cup feels a lil empty without them, but it had runneth over so much
 while they were here I've got plenty to keep it full.
We enjoyed some time in Nashville, a winery, and the Pour House...







I've got lots more pictures to share and lots more love, laughter, & fun to keep my cup running over.
All the details of my solo American adventure will be shared when my Cartagena lifestyle is back
{meaning when I get some more time on my hands... these Americans are real go-getters}

Then I can tell you the story about my lost luggage.
{as in currently. still. lost.}
Excited for that?

bucket list|tennessee USA edition

a} mi perro, Bella
Can't wait to cuddle the bella boxer baby. a lot. Although we see each other once a week and last week she sat for me, when I asked her to over skype, which makes me hopeful that she will remember me I haven't felt her velvety boxer ears since March 11.

This was our reunion after our McDisneyristmas. after one week. Imagine 5 months.

b} mi familia
I intend to spend lots of quality time with the these people



 at this place

And as an added bonus I get to see Aunt Betty over Labor Day!


c} cocinar
I can't wait to eat some of mom's home cooked meals. My mom is an amazing cook. Unfortunately, I did not fully inherit this gene. The other gene I can't claim is her ability to substitute ingredients in recipes and make them her own. She is also one of those people who cooks&bakes without recipes.  So, when you ask her how to recreate it's, 'a little of this, a pinch of that, and about a half cup of that'. I promised myself I would pay closer attention this time and learn, that way I can bring some of those skills to Colombia.

d} comer
while we are on the subject of food, I plan to eat. a lot. This includes, but is not limited to
*sushi
*Panera
*a mixed up nutty salad from Jason's
and last but certainly not least...
*dad's margaritas

e} beber
speaking of alcoholic beverages... i am overdue for some Cakebread. Chardonnay please.


f} mirar el television
Television. Don't act like your surprised. Subtitled free television.

These are just a few of the things on my list. The list goes on and includes, but is not limited to:
Target {several times}
Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks
and a
haircut.

As exciting as all of the above is...
                                                  ...I am gonna miss this guy.


I set out to touch American soil on Saturday, complete with a 5:00 am ride to the airport.
I'm excited.
See ya on the flip side.

holiday|celebrate

If we took a holiday

Took some time to celebrate

Just one day out of life

It would be

It would be so nice

We celebrated another holiday here in Cartagena.

And Sr. McQueen got to celebrate it too.

{totally aware I just spelled our last name wrong... The [i] sound is a long [e] here so often Matt is called Sr. McQueen}

{It's kinda fun}

Matt had a real weekend. Like 2 whole days. The first since we've been here.

And it was so nice.

We spent a lot of time hanging out.

at home. the pool.
It was a perfect weekend for us to lounge together
because I am preparing to
step on American soil soon!

Before I move on to some random pictures

I have to brag.

I know my husband is super smart.
And really good at what he does.
But it's really nice when someone else notices it too.

Saturday night we went to an event held by a contractor on the job that Matt works closely with
Someone stopped by to tell me what a
treasure
Matt is.
{Charlie & Betty, are you beaming? You should be!}

They spoke about his
work ethic & knowledge
his attitude
and personality.
I know he is a priceless treasure,
but I'm glad Colombia knows it now too.


Now for some random pictures.
The Old City is a beautiful touristy part of town.
I can wonder around aimlessly there.
{literal}
I love the colors, the history, the sights
not so much the smells.
Last week after lunch a few of the girls just walked around
taking pictures like a bunch of tourists.
Forewarning: I am sorta obsessed with the doors in la Ciudad Antigua.

an american girl in cartagena

today while doing my laundry I watched the 

final episode of Sex and the City:

Season Six

{obsessed with this gown}

I know like 75% of girls announce their love

of SATC 

is this an exaggeration?

but I really do have a special place in my heart 

for this series.

In high school, on Sunday nights the girls 

would come over to my house and my mom 

would cook us dinner or snacks and we would watch

4 fabulous woman navigating their fabulous NYC lives,

wondering what our lives had in store for us.

In college our tradition continued.

One year for Halloween, we dressed up as the cast.

I was Carrie.

Not sure if I forced this or if it was a unanimous decision

I probably forced it.

We put on LBD's and even decorated some special martini

glasses for our cosmos

Who were we kidding, we were poor college students,

there was no way we were drinking cosmo's...

we likely had Keystone topping off the glasses

The final season of SATC 

we went all out.

We could hardly let such a momentous occasion

pass us by without a proper celebration.

My college roommates and I

{same gals who are coming to Colombia in 3 months}

each dressed up in an old prom dress,

did up-do's and all out make-up

and said goodbye to SATC.

We made appetizers and even

scrounged up enough money to serve cosmos.

We sat and watched

cried & laughed

and talked under our 

'Goodbye Sex and the City'

banner.

Yep. 

{totally wish I had the picture to place here, but sadly I don't}

In the final episodes Carrie relocates to Paris with her 'Ruski' boyfriend.

I probably should have watched this season earlier in my adventure

because I identified with a lot of the emotions and things she experienced.

Having one zillion questions about this change of location.

Language barriers.

Lots of alone time.

Being the foreigner, {also known as the joke}.

One thing that I didn't experience is 

friends second guessing the decision 

to start an adventure far away.

Now, I know this is a drama series and it would be too perfect if her friends 

just waved goodbye and everyone lived happily ever after.

But, that's kinda how my story went.

My friends have never doubted the adventure we have taken.

They embraced it. 

With their full hearts

and they have really BIG hearts

which has made me that much more excited.

They also do such an amazing job of keeping in touch.

BBM's, emails, phone calls over lunch hours, Skype

I don't feel like 'I'm the friend who moved out of the country'

I feel like I am still,

very much,

a part of their lives.

When Carrie and the girls are at her 'good-bye' dinner she says:

'Today I had a thought....

What if I had never met you?'

Well, thank goodness I did.

as I turned off SATC to write this 

I turned the tv directly to 

a Dixie Chicks concert.

I think my girls are with me today:)

happy birthday bella

If I were to receive an award it would be:

The Most Horrible Dog Owner

I forgot my Bella's Birthday.

My parents reminded me

as they had a birthday party set 

up for her on Skype.

We got to watch her enjoy her Frosty Paw

with her friends.

{i promise I will make it up to her very soon}

i like to be in america

We had an American weekend... pretty much as American as you can in Colombia. But it started out on a Latin American foot. Friday night we headed to the bar across the street to watch the Under 21 World Cup {soccer}. Colombia was playing and it drew quite the crowd. Due to our Colombian choices Friday night, our American weekend began Saturday morning. I received an email from Mr. McQuinn, Saturday morning stating his intention to crawl into bed after his work day was through.  I figured I would just wait for him. We had a very leisurely relaxing afternoon.
Somewhere in the midst of all that relaxation I managed to cross another canvas project off my to-do list.


It's home is in our master bathroom. It certainly has a hand-painted feel, but that adds character {right?}
After we lounged our day away we had to do some serious work to do... what's for dinner? After a lot of discussion, we decided it was time.
Time for McDonalds.
And...
It.Was.Good.
Our Sunday continued the theme and after Matt's haircut at the mall we ate Subway
{Yum. We lived off Subway the months of January|February, so the fact that we can still eat it, in Colombia, must mean we like it. And for all you Jimmy John's luvahs out there... I haven't lived in the proximity of a Jimmy John's since college dramatization.}
We enjoyed our Subway {& Doritos...whoot whoot} while waiting for our movie. Matt and I went and saw 'Horrible Bosses' which is known here as:
'Quiero Matar a Mi Jefe' - I Want to Murder My Boss
Subtle.
After a good laugh we perused the athletic shoe stores, {Matt's developing a 'thing' for vividly colored Nikes. And I am totally okay with it} the married couple weekend must do: the Colombian version of 'Lowes' and a few other stops.
The most exciting purchase {besides Matt's Nikes} was some necessities for the living room.

Can you spy them?
We got some pillows that you can actually lay your head on and a tray that I've been searching for to transform that ottoman into more of a 'coffee table' ottoman.
It's beginning to feel a lot more like a home...
... which brings me back to America...

{As the song 'America' from West Side Story plays in my head, 

my American countdown is officially on....12 days: I will be in America}