Oh rental car, how I loathe thee...

The first time I ever rented a car was in Philadelphia when I was nineteen years old. I know what you're thinking, "Isn't the minimum age 25 to rent a car from most companies?" The answer to that is yes. But when two cute girls approach you, one with an awesome fake, age limitations become a non-issue.

While we were in California, I rented quite a few vehicles for the business. Delivery trucks had been ordered, but were taking longer than expected, and product needed to make its way into stores. Originally, we rented one box truck, and one Saturn Vue. I drove the box truck around for a couple of days, and we loaded up the Vue for the driver working the San Jose area.

After Aaron had been working up in the Sacramento/Reno/Lake Tahoe area for only a day, I got the call that they needed more product up there. Because J, one of the other drivers, was responsible for the lower Sacramento area, we decided that I would take over the Vue for the next couple of days, drive extra product up to the boys, and would meet J up there to clean all the stores in the area that she hadn't made it to yet. This was a fantastic game plan.

After working my area all day on Wednesday, I loaded up the Vue with product for the boys. The mid-sized SUV was so weighed down, that I would have probably popped a wheelie driving out of the parking lot if I wasn't on a downhill slope. Needless to say, I picked up some items from the hotel, and headed out towards Sacramento.

I didn't know the exact location I was driving to when I got on the freeway. Aaron had not decided on a hotel yet, but it would be somewhere in Sacramento, we figured by the time I got close he would be settled, and let me know. I was chatting with my mom for a while, when I noticed that my battery on my cell phone was starting to get low, so I found my car charger and plugged it into the rental car's power outlet. Around this same time, Aaron called to let me know the hotel and exit to take. Then, my cell phone beeped the 'low battery' beep. I looked at the car charger and noticed that it wasn't lit up. I looked for another outlet, but had no luck. Awesome. I don't know where I am, and now my only form of communication and navigation is dying. Since my mom was still on the phone, I asked her to Google the location Aaron had given me. She read me the basic directions and I made notes, just in case my phone didn't make it all the way. We hung up so that I could save battery, and I continued on.

My phone died. A two hour drive turned into a four hour drive. My mom, bless her heart, had given me directions to the wrong Hilton Garden Inn. I got off the freeway in the UC Davis area about four times, trying to get back to the freeway I thought I was supposed to be on. I was near meltdown, when I finally saw the exit that Aaron had told me to take three hours prior. I didn't get to the hotel until 11:00pm, and when I got there, the hotel clerk thought I was some crazy girl, and wouldn't give me a key, or let me go up to the room until he talked to Aaron. When I finally got to sleep that night, I had to wake up four hours later.

Oh Saturn Vue rental car, how I loathe thee and your non-working power outlet.

Tune in!

I remember riding with my parents over to Ocean Shores for the weekend when I was younger; I always knew when we were getting close, because the radio station would become all static. When that happened they would pop in my cassette tape of Ritchie Valens, and we would sing "La Bamba." Three non-Spanish speaking Americans rocking out to "La Bamba," now that's comical.

Nowadays, when the radio station turns to static, I either press seek, pop in a CD, or hook up my ipod. The ipod is convenient, because I know that I am going to hear a selection that I previously chose for myself, and will most likely enjoy. Because my job in California entailed hours of driving from location to location, I would sometimes opt for the more fun method of music selection, which is pressing the seek button.

A lot of the radio stations in Cali are the same as in Washington, just a few clicks of the dial away from each other. When I didn't feel like seeking, this was very nice, because I at least knew the genre to expect. However, I loved when I would press seek, and land on an oldie that would bring back fun memories of my mom driving my sis and I around, belting out lyrics I was never corrected on.

Pressing the seek button in California is like roulette. Some days the radio stations would be playing awesome songs, and other times it would stop on a song I loved the beat of, but would soon realize the lyrics were in Spanish. The awesome thing now is, after taking three years of Spanish in high school, I can at least catch a few phrases!

Everything is scarier in the dark!

When I was eighteen and drove down to SoCal with my friend Meagan, Dad armed me with some pretty serious pepper spray, while Mom armed me with a AAA membership. As you go through life, the importances of some things stick with you, while others simply do not.

After being in the NorCal region for a little over a month, we had four established drivers with routes, and two independent distributors (one being in Hawaii). A fifth route driver had just been brought on to cover the Sacramento/Reno/Lake Tahoe area, and Aaron was responsible for getting him trained. Sacramento was a little over two hours away from our hometel in Dublin, and Reno/Lake Tahoe was approximately 5 hours from there. Needless to say, Aaron would not be returning to our crazy hometel for a couple of days. I solicited for someone to come and stay with me, but had no takers. With no pepper spray, no AAA membership, and no one staying with me, I had to rely on my trusty guard dog. Right.

Aaron left at 1:00am to head to Sacramento and begin training. He would usually have taken Sugar out to do her thing before we left for work, but that responsibility now fell on me. If we were in Washington, I would simply open the back door, tell her to go potty, and when I saw her back at the door, I would let her in. They have pretty serious leash laws in California, and we were on the second floor, so there I am at 4:00am with Sugar leashed up, doing her thing. Until something scared her and she started bolting for the hotel door. Up until that point, I was feeling pretty secure. I have never seen Sugar act that way. No barking, just sprinting for the door. At this point I was a little scared.

I put Sugar back in the room and headed down to our car. I practically jogged to the car and hopped in. I continued the rest of my day a little jumpy, hoping I wouldn't freak myself out when it was night time again. Because everything is a little scarier when it is dark outside.

No ID? No Problem!

I started flying as an unaccompanied minor when I was seven or eight years old. Back then, your friends and family members could walk back to your gate with you, I didn't need a state or government issued ID, and suitcases always flew free. Post 9/11, so much of that has changed in order to keep us safe... Or so I thought.

After "Walker Family Thanksgiving," we rushed home to pick up Sugar and wait for our ride to the airport. Everything was going well. The bags were pre-packed from earlier in the day, and we had a little extra time to get through security.

The wonderful thing about traveling these days, is that you can check yourself in online, and if you don't have time to do that, you can still just as easily use a kiosk at the airport. Having Sugar with us made the process a little more lengthy, because although we had a confirmation number for her, you can't check a dog in at the kiosk. When we were ready to give the travel agent our confirmation numbers and show our identification, I noticed that something very important was missing from my wallet. Yep, my driver's license. I couldn't believe it. In all the years that I have traveled, I couldn't remember a single instance that I had left my ID behind. I didn't even have time to work up a minor anxiety attack before the travel agent assured me that it would be okay, and that I would have to do some additional screening, but I could still get on the flight. Unlike some travelers who get all huffy and puffy about this additional screening, I honestly don't care. Just because I look all sweet and innocent, doesn't mean I'm not bomb making savvy with a stone cold heart. Plus, with my ID being absent, I would hope they would do a little something extra.

As I mentally prepared myself for this additional screening, we approached the desk where they verify your ID with the name on your boarding pass. I explained to the gentleman that I did not have my ID, and understood that I would need to go through some additional screening. He asked if I was traveling alone, and I told him that I was traveling with my husband. Once he verified that we had the same last name, we were good to go. No pat down, no going through my carry-on, no scanning Sugar for drugs. A matching last name, that was my additional screening. Hello people! Do you know how many Tara Walkers there are in the world!?!

Needless to say, I was happy to not miss my flight out. But, although I know next to nothing about explosives, I am a little disappointed that the airport security didn't take a few more precautions.

Thanksgiving before Halloween!?!

Every year, it feels like stores are putting out decorations for holidays before the current holiday has truly even begun. Well, this year, it wasn't just the decorations in stores that were early, the 'Walker Family Thanksgiving' was on October 18th.

This celebration happened to fall almost exactly one month after we moved down to California. Aaron's aunt & uncle were very kind, and purchased our plane tickets to return home for the festivities. I have to admit, although Washington was rainy and dreary when we arrived, it was so nice to be out of the studio hotel room and back into my own comfy bed.

'Thanksgiving' was scheduled to be on Sunday, which was the same day that we were headed back to California. I had it stuck in my head that it was beginning at 2:00pm, and that we would have to leave there by 4:30pm to catch our flight. When we arrived at 1:45pm, everyone was already sitting down eating. I couldn't believe it. Someone told me once, that if you are the type of person that is always late, you think that the world revolves around you. With that being said, I never like to be the one that people are waiting on. So, although I'm usually the person who is very 'together' in front of others, and wouldn't dare cry (unless viewing a sappy movie of course :)), I lost it. I couldn't control myself. I was 'that' person. The part that drove me even more crazy, was that being late was my breaking point. Seriously!?! I'm pretty sure I was the only one that cared we were late.

After I halfway pulled it together, we finished up the Thanksgiving feast and headed home to grab our bags and fly back to Cali.

Some things in life, you can't miss...

When I was in first grade, I met a girl that I would call my best friend. Twenty years later, I call the same girl my sister. She is a truly amazing woman. She has a contagious smile, a huge heart, and a zest for life that is unmatchable. She was my maid of honor, and as Aaron says, "She's my person."

The thing about living in a different state from the ones that you love, is more often than not, you will be unable to physically be there during important times. My sister had some very important news that was scheduled to be available the day Aaron and I arrived home from California. We decided that she would come over to the house, log on to get the info, and I would read it to her. I was super nervous, because although I had very positive thoughts about the outcome, no one likes to be the bearer of bad news. The time came, we logged on, and she had read the dates incorrectly. Results were to be mailed that day, and available online three days later. This would have been fine under normal circumstances, but I was going to be back in California three days later. I was very disappointed.

The amazing thing about God, is that He knows exactly what you need and when you need it in your life. The very next day, I was driving to the store after dropping Aaron off to get his haircut, and Vanessa called. She had already received the letter in the mail. I wasn't close to home, so she put me on speaker phone as she and her mom opened the letter and read it over the phone. She passed the Washington State Bar! We were all screaming with joy and excitement over the phone. I had tears rolling down my face for the shear happiness I had for my sister. She accomplished what she set out to do in first grade. Not many people can say that.

That night we went out for a champagne toast to celebrate. And I thank God to this day that I was able to be there for her, and that He gave me such an amazing woman to share life with. I love you V!

Sugar's First Plane Ride!

When you are a child, the things that you relate to are those that surround you in your everyday world. I grew up with a big, lovable, black lab, that was my personal bodyguard. He was amazing. Because I grew up with a big dog, whenever people talked about taking their dogs on the airplane with them, I always imagined huge dogs in their kennels, traveling in their own area on the plane. Well, for our 'Walker Thanksgiving' trip back to Washington, we decided to bring Sugar on her very first plane ride. Seeing as that boarding her was basically the same price as flying her, we thought, why not?

I looked up all the info online for what steps we needed to take to bring her with us. She got her very own confirmation number, and had to fit under the seat in front of me. I have to admit that the dimensions were a little intimidating to read, and they wanted her to be able to move around in those dimensions with 'ease' was near impossible. Thank goodness for soft sided travel bags! The night before our trip, we went to the local pet store and purchased the largest doggie travel bag we could find within the airline's guidelines. We made sure we could at least zip it around Sugar, and it was a done deal. Sugar traveled very well on the way to Washington. She didn't wine or bark on the plane. The girl next to me didn't realize I even had an animal. When she did notice, she thought I had a cat. I knew Sugar wasn't super excited about this traveling in a bag idea, but once we reached home, her excitement told me that it was all worth it!