Monday, February 02, 2009

Seaside Trip - Day 1

David and I went to one of those dreaded timeshare presentations last year and managed to turn down the "great deal" being offered. At the time it was a bit tempting - an investment that would allow us to travel, but given our financial situation now, I'm really glad we didn't go for it!

I must confess, however, that the real reason we went and listened to the sales pitch was for the free stuff. They gave us a free trip to Las Vegas, which made it totally worth our time, but the only dates we would be able to travel were at the beginning of 2009. Since I'm in my 3rd trimester of pregnancy, we figured Sin City might be a little too faced-paced for me, and opted to trade our trip for a 2-night hotel stay in Seaside, OR. We planned the trip as a combo between a "Babymoon" and celebrating my birthday. So far, it's been sunny and we're having a great time!

David makes a new friend at Camp 18 on our drive to the coast.




The Cinnamon Rolls here are no joke!



Cozy fireplace in our suite.



View from our balcony!



Walking along the waterfront to dinner.



It's a great start to a fun trip!

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Getting Closer...

I can't believe it's already February! Time is sure flying for the Rude family!
Here's our 30 week pic:



Less than 10 weeks now(?) until we meet Baby Rude!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Baby Boy Clothes!

Since my mom found out that she's gonna' be a grandma, she's been collecting baby clothes from our friends and family who are "done" having kids. Here's what she's accumulated so far:



Little Rude's wardrobe is off to a good start!

Also, speaking of baby boys... Eric and Niki Arnette just had their little bundle of joy yesterday. Congrats Arnettes - he's precious!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Joys of Craigslist

I'm sure there are lots of bargain-savvy folks out there who would agree that Craigslist is one of the best things the Internet has to offer. David and I have personally had a lot of success with the site. (...and no, we did NOT meet through one of their personal ads, but that would make for a more interesting story...)

Just last night, we sold our futon to a nice young couple for $80 cash. The uncomfortable wooden contraption had been taking up too much room in our guest bedroom (to-be nursery) and it was time to get rid of it. The buyers said they were planning to put it in their playroom and David happily helped them load it into the back of their truck after they placed a nice little stack of Jacksons in his palm.

Goodbye space-hogging couch/bed!



Here are a few of our other great Craigslist deals:

- sold hideously huge and very loud stereo speakers (we lived in apt at the time)
- sold our first pet, Rufus the guinea pig (and his supplies) to a preschool teacher
- sold David's three-wheeler and trailer
- sold David's little red Honda something motorcycle
- bought "pocket bike" motorcycle and picked-up in CA (stolen the next day, great)
- bought (and later sold) David's blue Honda something motorcycle
- sold David's 1994 Mazda B3000 pickup
- sold set of studded snow tires
- bought 2002 Mazda Protege (that I tragically totaled a few months later)
- bought 2004 Hyundai Elantra (to replace aforementioned vehicle)
- bought 1997 Ford Escort Wagon (my brother says we've now entered our 40's)
- sold 1987 Acura Integra (see post "Adios Leslie")

Also, I found my previous Credit Union job and David found his Hardwood Store job on the site. We used it when we were house-hunting and checked out several of the places we found (but I can't remember if we actually found our current house through the site, or not.)

Currently, I am perusing Craigslist for cheap baby furniture and a rug for our living room. Such fun!

Monday, January 26, 2009

You Gotta' Try It!

I'm not sure how my life was complete before I was introduced to this game...

Luckily, David and I decided to join Randy and Sarah on that fateful trip to Mt. Hood a couple of years ago, and that's when it all began. Little did we know that crammed together in a freezing cabin, we would crack open the board game that would change our lives. Huddled around a crude wooden table (pulled as close to the giant stone fireplace as possible) we entered a world of far-away and long-ago.

I'm talking about a little game called The Settlers of Catan!



For those unfamiliar with this entertaining treasure, here's a little synopsis...
Each player has a group of settlers that compete (in a friendly way) for domination of the island of Catan (no violence involved here, peeps.) The goal is to be the first to obtain 10 Victory Points through collection of a variety of resources and the development of a civilization - settlements, roads, cities, armies, etc.



You have to watch out for the sneaky robber too! (Every island needs a scoundrel, right?)



It's tough for me to remember a time when we didn't schedule "Settlers Nights" with various combinations of our friends. What did we even do back then?

Well, I gotta' give props to the Germans for this one! I may not like their harsh language or care for their beer, but they got it right when they created this game!

Friday, January 23, 2009

The Countdown Continues

Baby Rude and I are now at 29 weeks which means we only have 11 more to go! Everyone keeps telling me that the third trimester drags on, but I think it's going quickly! This is probably because I feel like there is so much to do before he arrives (and what if he's early?!) We've already started getting some hand-me-down baby clothes from family and friends - such fun! Here's the ole' belly:



Those vertical stripes aren't fooling anyone! =)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

No, Really!

I don't think you understand how much I LOVE citrus fruits right now!



I just ate half of a grapefruit and it was basically the flavor of heaven (with added juiciness.)



My other loves include oranges, limes, tangelos, and tangerines! Is that so wrong?

There could be worse things, right?

Tuesday, January 20, 2009



David and I got back yesterday from Winter Retreat at Camp Yamhill. I've been a counselor at several different camps and retreats but this was my first time to this particular event. I really enjoyed it (despite the chilly weather - they still had piles of snow and lots of frost everywhere, brrrr.)

I was in a cabin with junior-high girls and was really impressed with their level of spiritual maturity. The topic of the weekend was Peace (with God, self, and others) and all our classes and activities revolved around this subject. We had designated times to meet as a small group and I loved the opportunity to get to know these girls more. Sure, sometimes they wanted to chat about boys and teenage drama, but they were also able to really examine their lives and share ways that they planned to seek true Peace in their lives. You go girls!

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone." Romans 12:18

Friday, January 16, 2009

Adios Leslie!

I said goodbye to an old friend last night. It was a bittersweet farewell. While we had shared some good times together, it was time for me to move on... and besides, we really needed the cash.


Leslie wasn't my First Car. No, that title goes to my little white 1980 Nissan 200SX. It looked similar to the car pictured here - stylin'!



Nevertheless, Leslie and I had been together since I was a senior in high school (which was, like, ages ago!) and she was something special. Allow me to share some fond memories from our years together...

- Leslie was always reliable in taking me to early morning dance team practice and delivering me home after late-night shifts at McDonald's.
- We took friends with us on many trips in the summer to swim in the Calapooia, and she never complained when we got her seats wet with nasty river water.
- It was together that we traveled to Cascade to brave the mysterious world of college and learned to navigate in the "big city."
- She endured some gear-grinding (and possibly some cursing) when I let my roommate use Leslie to learn how to drive a stick-shift.
- We were pulled over only once, when Leslie's right headlight went out. We were left with a warning and I didn't hold it against her.
- One time driving to my parent's house, Leslie started making some weird noises but I didn't stop to check it out. When I got home I discovered I had been dragging her muffler on the ground for much of the trip. I felt bad about that one, but made it up to her with a shiny new muffler.
- Leslie wasn't really high-maintenance, but I did put some of my Mech Tech skills to use (thanks dad, for making me take that class) when we replaced her alternator and performed various maintenance tune-ups.
- When David and I got married in 2004, he welcomed Leslie into our family too, and he's the one who actually christened her with the name. I guess I didn't really call her anything before that - how heartless of me!
- Old Leslie and I endured rush-hour commuting, traveling in the rain and shine (mostly rain), honking at crazy Portland drivers (until her horn stopped working), passing numerous DEQ tests, and various other grand adventures.

Towards the end of our time together, Leslie and I started to grow apart. I was spending more time with Mr. Bigs (our Hyundai) and Leslie was often left alone in front of our house. While I felt bad about this, what could I do? She just wasn't needed anymore... We decided that it was time for her to find a home where she could be truly appreciated.

Several people come look at her but none of them seemed quite right. Finally, a young guy named Shaun came to check her out and he knew at first sight that she was the one for him. He didn't even take her for a test-drive before he asked us if he could take her home. It just seemed right. We watched, with great hope for their future, as they drove away together into the night.



I hope he'll love her as much as I did...

Thursday, January 15, 2009

One of my Nerdy Hobbies!

I'm not a complete super-nerd, but I enjoy some activities that push me towards the nerdy end of the scale. I'll admit to taking pleasure in things like: reading for hours on end, scrapbooking, filing receipts and paying bills, making lists, and doing Sudoku puzzles (I like to call it Su-DORK-u!) One hobby that David and I both enjoy is Geocaching. Now, if you know what geocaching is, you totally understand why we love it... but if you're out of the loop, allow me to tell you a bit about it.

Geocaching is like treasure-hunting for grown-ups! It combines hiking/exploring with sluething and discovery. All you need is a GPS unit and access to this website: Basically, participants hide a "cache" and then record details for others to find it. The details might be the exact coordinates where the cache is hidden (longitude and latitude to plug into your GPS) or there may be a series of clues or discoveries you must make to find this information. Some caches just contain a logbook so you can sign that you found it, while others are larger and contain little trinkets that you can trade. (i.e. - I'll leave a friendship bracelet and take a pin shaped like the state of Kansas - score!)

One of the best parts about geocaching is that you can do it almost anywhere. They have caches in downtown metropolitan areas, around most neighborhood, way out in the country, and even the Canadians have caught-on to the craze! We bring our GPS when we go camping or hiking, when we go visit friends out of state, or basically any time we travel.

Photo taken while hunting for a cache in a downtown PDX park:


Taking a break while finding caches in the PDX Rose Garden:


You should check it out, and maybe you'll get hooked like we did!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Farewell Second Trimester!



Hello third trimester! I am happy to be in the downhill stretch of my pregnancy now, although, to be honest, I think it has actually gone by pretty quickly. I guess moving my due date up two weeks helped also (April 10th y'all!) I'm still feeling great and don't have any big complaints. Baby boy is healthy and still growing on track which is a wonderful blessing. He is an active little fella' too! As I type, he is alternating between kicking and pushing my lower left abdomen - I love it!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

What Next?

As most of my faithful readers probably know, (hello? mom? are you the only one out there?) our beloved Cascade College will be closing after this Spring Semester 2009. If you are not in the loop with all things Cascade-related, there is information about the closure on our website: http://www.cascade.edu/news.asp?newsid=317&cat=0.

Now that the shock and frustration related to this decision have started to fade for me, I am faced with the fact that I am going to have to eventually move-on. I feel like I have a lot invested in Cascade - 4 years (and so many great memories) as a student, and now over 3 years as an employee. I love this place and I am not ready to say goodbye! Granted, I was expecting to take a 3 month hiatus for maternity leave starting sometime in April, but I planned to have a job to return to! Now EVERYTHING is up in the air!

I've started praying, brainstorming, researching, and dreaming about what might be next for me. Will I be an astronaut, a racecar driver, or a professional chef? I certainly have big-time skills in all those areas, but not a lot of experience. Maybe I should stick with something in the business field...

Here are some options I am considering for my home-based business:

- Selling cosmetics. Forget Avon and Mary Kay, I'm going to develop my own line of make-up for "the woman who only takes 2 minutes each morning to put on powder and mascara." I'll name it Rudimentary Beauty and it will feature (you guessed it!) only powder and mascara products. I'm sold already!



- Professional book reviewing. I really know how to read books, and generally I can offer my opinion of them afterwards. My prices will be competitive, but I will have some limitations to the projects I will accept: only fiction novels, must be fewer than 500 pages (pictures are a bonus), love stories or drama preferred, nothing related to war or violence, and can only make me cry a maximum of three times in its entirety. Oh, and if it sucks, I don't have to finish it. Also, I will not be writing actual reviews, I will just tell my clients what I think - it's more personal that way. As a bonus, I can do the dirty-work and actually select the book I read for you - AT NO ADDITIONAL COST!



- Organization wizardry. I don't do windows, but I'm pretty good at tidying/straightening-up/putting things away. Got a stack of papers? I can put them in folders for you (maybe with labels, maybe even sorted.) Got stuff on your floor (like toys, clothes, etc. - NOT dog messes, baby messes, and the like)? I can pick those things up and put them somewhere else for you (maybe someplace you'll be able to find them later.) Sound too good to be true? Well, for the right price, it could be a reality - especially if you have chocolate chip cookies I can eat while I work!



Well, that's all I've come up with so far. Please let me know if you can think of other ways I can turn my talents into profits. Oh, and if you need any of the above services - don't hesitate to give me your credit card information and we can discuss it further!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Baby Season

There must have been something in the water or some strange planetary alignment at the end of Summer 2008, because it seems like there are a whole lot of babies due to be born in the next couple of months. With a quick count on my fingers, I can think of 6 friends who are expecting between February and April of this year - it's madness. Baby madness. ... and I love it!

I went to a baby shower for one of those friends this past weekend and it was so wonderful to be surrounded by receiving blankets, cozy little outfits, and tiny socks. Granted, all these gifts were pink, but it still made me wistfully imagine how fun it will be to dress our snuggly little guy in such presh items - in manly colors like blue and green and yellow, of course. =)



We have our next doctor appointment this Wednesday and we'll hopefully be able to confirm our due date. We were pretty sure about April 22nd but then baby Rude decided to be larger than normal (growth spurt?) so they moved us up to April 10th. We'll find out how we've been progressing this past month and get a better idea about when he might make his appearance. I'll keep you posted!

Friday, January 09, 2009

Running on Fumes...

Does anyone else ever feel like this little guy?



Yeah... I'm glad it's Friday! Happy Weekend to you all!

Thursday, January 08, 2009

It's a Jungle in Here!

I still feel like there is a LOT to do in preparation for the arrival of our little bundle of joy in April. I'm trying to research and read everything I can about pregnancy, labor and delivery (oh dear), caring for babies, etc. Boy, there is a lot of info out there!

One of the exciting (and low-pressure) decisions we got to make as we embark on this journey toward parenthood is the nursery theme. We considered several options before deciding on Baby Jungle Animals. Who doesn't love a chubby little elephant or snuggly monkey? My mom found us a cute crib set and we're trying to find creative (read: thrifty) ways to coordinate the rest of the room.

Wouldn't you sleep well surrounded by these precious jungle friends?



My mom (being the crafty-type) is crocheting a set of animals to match the ones on the blanket. How awesome is that?!

Sunday, January 04, 2009

My Christmas Belly!

On Christmas Day I was in my 24th week of pregnancy (or maybe my 25th or 26th - depending on which due date I use to calculate it...) and we snapped a pic to capture my growth. I'm about to the point where I'm going to give Santa some competition, but I'm not sure it's ever going to shake when I laugh "like a bowl full of jelly."





Perhaps the growth has less to do with little Rude and is correlated more closely to the amount of Christmas candy I consumed this year...

Friday, January 02, 2009

The Rudes enjoyed a low-key Christmas at home this year. David woke me up at 9:00 on Christmas morning and asked if I was EVER going to get up so we could see what Santa brought us. Although we forgot to leave him cookies and milk this year (oops), the fat man was kind enough to fill our stockings and leave a few things for us under the tree.

How did Santa know we needed a wall sconce for our dining room?



A hand-carved spoon from Wales.



David tries on some baby booties made by his sister.



To keep him busy while the "grown-ups" opened presents, Santa left a nice pig ear for Tucker to chew on. I won't include any pictures, because honestly, it's kinda' gross.

Thanks for letting us celebrate your birthday Jesus. (although it's strange that we gather around a dead tree and eat things out of old socks to do so...)

Monday, December 29, 2008

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, from the Rudes!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Baby Rude's (Almost) 1st Christmas

The holidays are a time for family and I'm excited that our family will be growing in the near future! David and I had an original "three-year-plan" when we got married. We wanted to wait until we had been married for three years before we had children. Well, three years turned into four, and then we started really talking about it seriously. I think he was ready long before I was, but I just wanted to be SURE that it was the right time. I mean, having a baby is a huge life-changing event in my mind.

There were so many things to consider, but when it came down to it, what were we really waiting for? =) ...and now it seems like all I'm doing is waiting - I am so excited to meet our little guy! This will be the last Christmas for just David and I. Next year, we'll have a tiny Rude crawling(?) around, chewing on ornaments(?), and trying to sneak a peek at the presents. It will be such a joy! His due date is sometime in April (originally the 22nd, now the 10th, we'll see what they pick next...) so he'll be born just before our five-year anniversary. I'm looking forward to enjoying these last couple of months alone with David as we prepare to welcome little Rude into our family.

I'm convinced he's adorable already!


Merry (almost) 1st Christmas Baby Rude!!!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

More Fluffy Precipitation

It seems like the snow has been a permanent part of the landscape around here. On Monday we felt that we had been cooped-up in the house for long enough and decided to venture out into the arctic chill. I'm a chicken about driving in the snow (or even being a passenger, for that matter) so we decided to take advantage of TriMet. We walked to the MAX stop near our house to find that because of frozen switches, the train was not in operation this far north. We took a shuttle bus to Gateway and then caught the train to Lloyd Center. There were a surprising number of people there - doing last-minute Xmas shopping and probably just wanting to escape cabin-fever!

We are ready to be out of the house!


We're not taking a car out today!


I can still see my feet!


Making my way to the MAX station.


Outside Lloyd Center.


Waiting for the MAX to take us home.


We're happy to be back to our cozy home!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Mrs. Domestic for a Day

Sometimes I wish I was a bit more of a "Martha Stewart" - type. It would be fabulous to take out fresh-baked desserts with homemade oven mitts in my perfectly organized kitchen. I would feel grand to be surrounded by the scent of my custom candles as I wrote in perfect calligraphy on my personally-designed Christmas cards while snuggled under my hand-stitched quilt. My guests would be impressed by my whimsical decorations and various craft projects, as much as they would be in awe of my perfectly landscaped yard and abundantly productive garden. Alas, I guess that's just not me...

However, I was pretty proud of myself earlier this week. I managed to get all my store-bought Xmas cards addressed and sent out, and included a cheesy photo in each one that I forced David and Tucker to take with me. I also felt pretty clever and domestic when I made some fun treats to take to my office Christmas party on Thursday. I found a picture of some "candy sushi" online and thought I might give it a try. It was fun!



Filling the tray with goodies.


The finished product!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Sniz-oh!

I'm sure everyone in the Portland area is sick of hearing about the snow (I know I am!) I just have to share my report though, and maybe some pictures. I think we are on day 10 now of the Winter Wonderland, but at least we haven't been stuck at home for all of it. David is always excited to drive in hazardous conditions and he says our little Hyundai actually handles pretty well (good thing we bought those new tires!) I don't really mind staying home and doing indoor stuff but David gets a little cuckoo after awhile. As long as we have electricity and can stay warm, I'm content!

Yesterday we took Tucker to the big field near our house to get some exercise. He bounded through the snow and ice and had a jolly good time. As far as dogs go, he's actually kind of a wimpy one (he is mostly poodle, afterall.) He's often startled by harmless noises and will get spooked by things such as his own tail. For these reasons, it was a bit surprising to us that he took such a liking to the snow. He goes crazy in the stuff! Young Tuck has been running and pouncing and eating the beautiful fluff. When we finally make him come in to defrost, he sits by the back doors and wistfully watches the flakes falling in the yard.

David with Tucker at the field.


This pup is ready to run!


Look at his energy!


Time to thaw-out!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Zoo Lights

It is truly a Winter Wonderland here in Portland this week! The snow is beautiful and I enjoy observing it from an indoor location. I'm not a fan of driving at any time, but when there is even a chance of slickness, I'd rather just stay on my couch with a cup of cocoa and a good book. Unfortunately, my job cannot be performed from my couch, so David must be my trusty chauffeur. I will regale you with more about the snow in a later blog (and share some pics when I get them off my camera.) Now, back to the title topic...

Last Friday we had the treat of going to see the Zoo Lights for the very first time with our friends Shaun and Jessica. We bundled-up and drove out to the Westside with expectations of a small crowd. I was surprised how many people were out in the snow/rain/cold at night - many of them with small children! Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable time strolling through the zoo and pondering how high the electric bill must be. They had some great displays and it was a swell way to get into the holiday spirit. Here are a few pics from the evening...

There was a pleasant glow along the pathways.


These are some of the "animals" on display.


There's nothing quite like a hug from a person dressed in a semi-creepy Polar Bear costume!

Monday, December 15, 2008

You Mean I'm Supposed to Shop BEFORE Christmas?

So I guess Christmas is just next week. 10 short days away... I thought I was prepared for this! We got our tree and lights up weeks ago, and the snow is here now, but I really thought I had more time! Guess who hasn't purchased a SINGLE Christmas gift yet this year?

To be fair, it is important to note that David and I agreed to have a scaled-back Christmas this year. With David only working part-time for now and the loss of my job looming in the future, it just makes sense to be frugal. Plus, we've never really been ones to break the bank over "stuff." We've had the opportunity to make donations to different charities and to volunteer our time with some great programs (that have been really fun) so I definitely feel in the holiday spirit. It's just kinda' weird that our tree has a big empty skirt underneath (if you don't count the dead pine needles.) I've told my family that we're just going to do small (read: inexpensive) gifts this year, and we don't feel obligated to send something to every half-cousin or nephew-in-law, so that makes things simpler too. I guess I should have planned ahead a bit more and devised some creative homemade gifts to knock everyone's socks off with my cleverness and skill. I guess there's always next year. ...or is it too late to take up needlepoint?


For your holiday enjoyment, here is a picture of Tucker (our dog) supervising David as he decorates the Christmas Tree.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Preggo Pic

I'm not exactly waddling yet, but Baby Rude has bumped me out of most of my normal clothes. Here we are at 21 weeks...

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Stretchy Jeans and Citrus Fruit

You may have guessed from the title of this entry that I am going to write about pregnancy. It really is the strangest thing - being pregnant I mean. Currently, I am enjoying every moment of it, but some of the early stages have not been so fun. Allow me to reflect a bit...

The day I found out that we were expecting, I couldn't contain my excitement! We had only very recently decided that we were finally ready to entertain the possibility of adding a new member to the Rude family, and then it was suddenly a reality! I took the at-home test during my lunch break and already had a feeling that I knew what the results would be. Sure enough - the line was definitely there! I hid the evidence in the bathroom and planned to surprise David that night. So much for that idea... He got a cut on his hand and went digging around for the antibacterial ointment and came across the test. I heard him in the bathroom ask confusedly, "um...what does this mean?" I raced into the bathroom and said, "it means we're going to have a baby, and it was supposed to be a surprise!" I was really too excited to care about him finding it, and we could talk about little else that night besides the fact that WE were going to have a CHILD - crazy!

As my pregnancy progressed, my excitment never faded, but sometimes my joyfulness did. Morning sickness really stinks. I know I didn't have it as bad as some women do, but basically I felt like I was a helpless seasick blimp for several weeks. Although I only actually vomited on a few occasions, I felt like I was in a continuous state of nausea for days on end. I would generally make it through my workday without serious incident (eating saltines and drinking water like a madwoman) and then immediatly crash on the couch for a nap each evening. I had to eat something every 2 hours to avoid feeling miserable but not many foods sounded good. My sense of smell was crazy-sensitive (helping trigger more nausea) and my digestive system was all messed up too. The fatigue was what shocked me the most though. I could hardly stay awake at my computer, driving, hanging out with friends, - anytime really. Thankfully, these symptoms started to decrease around week 15 and by week 18 or 19 they were gone.

The second trimester has been wonderful! Sure my body is feeling uncomfortable and none of my clothes fit, but I get to feel the baby moving around now and we've been able to experience the wonder of ultrasound. It was hard to distinguish "baby" movements from other bodily movements early on, but around Thanksgiving time I was sure that those jabs were coming from tiny fists and feet. Now I've got a regular little party animal. It doesn't matter what time of day or what I'm doing - there's a lot of movement going on in there! We had two early ultrasounds at the doctor to confirm the pregnancy and check the heart, but our 20 week ultrasound was really something amazing. First, we found out that we're going to have a boy! He really is the most precious thing I have ever seen. He was making little chewing motions with his tiny mouth, he waved his fingers for us (and gave us the thumbs-up sign - cool kid already), he streched his legs, and tapped his little foot. We got to see all his vital organs and I'll admit that I cried as I watched his beating heart. It is so small and fragile, but it's beating strong in his tiny chest. I can already tell that I'm going to be one of those super-protective moms, sorry everyone. *sigh*

Time is already going so quickly, I just know this little boy is going to arrive before we know it. I'm trying to enjoy every moment while I can, and very much looking forward to welcoming him into my life. In the meantime, I'll wear my stretchy jeans with pride and ignore the jokes about how many oranges and grapefruits I manage to consume! =)

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

She's Ba-ack!

I recently had the urge to start writing online and remembered that I had this long-lost blogger account chilling on the web. Well, here I am back at it again! We will see if I can remember to update this thing regularly (or if I have enough excitement in my life to warrant those updates...)

For now, I think I will work on fixing-up my page, and then I'll focus on the content. 15 Days Until Christmas! (in case you don't have a countdown already.)

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Oh yeah... I have this Blog...

Ooops, sorry guys. I guess MySpace has taken over my life. This is where I am these days:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=61457509

Hope that works. See you on the flip side!

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

The Month I Like to Call "April"

Phew! It hasn't been a month yet since my last post. I was a little worried when I logged in... I don't want to be one of those people who just leaves an old outdated Blog just rotting in Cyberspace.

Well, it's April now. To me, it's sort of a ho-hum kind of month. Spring is still trying to drag along but it's not as new as it was last month, and summer isn't really trying to make its appearance yet. All the college kids around here are excited because this is the last week of classes. Next week is finals week and then the lucky seniors get to Grad-u-ate. (*sing-song voice*) Nothing like that for me though, I'll still be working after they're gone and the new freshies make their way here. The old 8-5, though consistent and good for paying bills, does get a bit dull and monotonous at times. (..redundant?)

What's new in my life, you ask? Let's see if I can come up with a few tidbits for you. Well, I forgot about April Fool's so I didn't play any sneaky tricks on any of my loved ones. Also, I am happy to report that I did not have any pranks pulled on me. (I'm not big on practical jokes, so the 1st of April isn't one of my favorite days.)

My guinea pig Rufus seems to be doing much better. After 3 trips to the vet and $300 worth of medical attention - he'd better be! I thought rodents were supposed to be low maintenace! His little neck infection seems to be reduced and he isn't scratching all his fur off, so I think that's a good sign. Plus, he is pleasantly plump now, and that's really the way that all pigs should be. =)

Easter Sunday was nice. Our church put on a special program for the kids and we had an egg hunt after services that David and I helped with. Our friends Shaun and Jessica invited us over for dinner which was nice since we didn't have any plans. (Side story: It's the night before Easter and as we're going to sleep I suddenly remember in a panic that I didn't get an Easter gift for David - not even a mushy card or chocolate bunny or anything! I try to act casual and whisper, "Hey sweetie...did you get me anything for Easter?" There is a long pause before he responds, "Why?" - he takes a good approach there. I hesitantly answer, "Because I didn't get you anything..." I am relieved when he confirms that he too is a bad spouse and neglected to buy me a gift. We're perfect for each other!) Back to Easter dinner now. It was delicious! Jessica is a wonderful cook and she went all out with a Thanksgiving-type spread. Her pnut butter pie is practically to die for!

Let's see... upcoming adventures for me... We are going down to Malibu for the Bible Lectures at Pepperdine University during the first week of May. I think we might make a stop at Disney's California Adventure. I'm such a kid, but I love theme parks. Also, our 2 year wedding anniversary is coming up on May 15th - crazy. I can't even believe it's been that long already! And yet, it kind of feels like I've been married forever. By the way, at what point do you stop being a newlywed? I kind of feel like I'm past that point now, but 2 years isn't that long when you consider people that make it to their 50th anniversary. Hmm...maybe about the 2 year mark is when you make the transistion into oldlywed.

Monday, March 06, 2006

Almost Spring...

Did you know that Spring arrives in just 2 weeks? I am so ready for it, and that means that summer will be just around the corner! I guess I haven't posted since Christmas, and well, that was awhile ago. I do have to apologize to my adoring fans. I'm still alive, I just am not on the Internet very often. So sorry. I haven't even been reading other people's blogs, so I'm gonna' have to go get caught-up after I post this!

To be honest, I really don't know what has happened since December. Lots of stuff I suppose. I'll give ya the highlights I guess... David got a job back in January, and that was a giant blessing. He's working for CrossCut Hardwoods in NW Portland. He started there as a temp, got hired on officially, and then got promoted to warehouse lead - all in a matter of 2 months! Basically his job entails receiving and shipping loads of wood, driving a forklift around, stocking their supply store, and helping customers. He's always exhausted at the end of the day, but he's having fun, and I'm glad he's doing something he enjoys.

My job at Cascade is still going really well. I feel a lot more comfortable with everything now and have been able to reduce my "To Do" pile considerably. It's sort of a slow time of year for us right now, but things will pickup again this summer. We just had a recruiting weekend on campus during February which was a lot of fun. About 30 high school kids came to it and we toured them around Portland, took them rock climbing, spent an afternoon up on Mt. Hood (no Christy, I did not snowboard - I chickened out and played games in the lodge), and basically gave them the Cascade experience.

David and I got a guinea pig! (I know, I know - it's not a chinchilla, and it will never replace that place in my heart that I reserve only for chin chins, but we love him just the same.) The Wagner family purchased Rufus (the guinea pig) and then quickly discovered that their dog was not very compatible with him. Their terrier kept trying to hunt him and it became a stressful situation so they offered him to us. Of course I jumped at the chance to own an adorable little rodent! We have lots of fun with him, but we think a vet visit will be in his near future (more on that in a future blog perhaps...)

I turned 24 last month. It's a big one, I know. My birthday was nice. I honestly can't remember the details - it's been awhile (and I'm getting old, as I mentioned, hee hee) My mom came up and took me scrapbook shopping which is always enjoyable. David threw me a little shindig/Superbowl/birthday suprise thing. (Christy - you were a pleasant suprise!) The ice cream cake was super yummy too. =) Speaking of birthdays...David is joining me in the 2-4 category tomorrow. Happy Birthday Davey! I know, I totally robbed the cradle - a month and 2 days difference. Sheesh.

Okay, what else? Oh Valentine's Day came and went. We neglected to make any dinner reservations so we just had a nice candlelight at home. I think it was better than braving the crowds though. =) I got a nice pot of beautiful purple flowers at my office and a card and chocolates. Nothing too mushy, but just right. =) David just got chocolates and a card, I guess he scored more romantic points than me, but I made dinner so I think we're even.

We took a little weekend break to Seaside a couple weeks ago. We got a nice room on the beach (didn't really matter since the weather was pooey...) It had a nice fireplace, balcony, cable TV (a luxury for us), and a giant jacuzzi tub - so sweet! It was a relaxing mini-vacation, and we took advantage of the great shopping on the promenade and the outlet mall.

Phew, well that's the highlights clip for now. I should probably get back to work since I'm being a slacker this morning. I'll go check out what the rest of you have been up to and then get back to the files. Thanks for faithfully checking my site (despite the fact that I have been letting you down for awhile!) More later, I promise!

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Merry Christmas!

I hope that everyone who reads this blog had a very Merry Christmas - I know that mine was really great! Last week David and I went up to Spokane and visited his family. There was still some snow on the ground up north, but no new flakes fell while we were there. The boys all went skiing one day during our stay, but I'm glad I didn't join them because it was rainy and slushy the whole time. Besides, I got to spend some quality time with my mother-in-law. We went and ate at the Mongolian Grill and did some window shopping together.

David and I spent Christmas morning at our own apartment. He was just like a kid and woke me up early to open our presents to one another. I didn't get the new car and new bedroom set I really wanted, but I was pleased with all of my gifts. (note: I really did not expect those large presents anyway...) We then went to the Christmas service at our church. The kids put on a really cute performance (they all did so well!) and David and I had a reading part during the program too. After church we made some yummy omelets for brunch and then took a long winters' nap. (just like the Christmas poem says we ought to do) We then played with some of our presents and had Eric and Niki over to watch Eight Crazy Nights and play games with us.

On Monday, we braved the malls to exchange some gifts and take advantage of all the great clearance deals. (In case you're curious, we are stocked with Xmas wrap and ribbons for the next several years!) Later this week we will be going to visit my family and will join in our annual Christmas party with all of my extended family too. Man, it really is nice to have such a long holiday break!

Monday, December 19, 2005

So About that Movie...

I'm gonna' have to go see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe again because I only got to see the first half of it. It's a funny story really...well, at the time it wasn't so funny...

David and I took the youth group to see the flick on Sunday evening. We got to the theater and David was waiting outside for one of the kids who was going to be late. I took the other five teens inside to get seats. We entered the crowded theater and found 4 seats together. A couple of us sat in the those while the others searched for more seats. One of the kids went back out to get some nachos and I thought that another kid, we'll call him "Gus," went along with him. Anyway, the previews started, most of the teens had seats, and the one kid returned with his liquid-cheese-covered chips. A little bit later, David and the last teen came into the theater and joined us. We were ready for the movie to start! Except for one small problem...no one knew where Gus was.

Our group looked through the theater and then David left to search the whole building. I stayed in my seat and tried to watch the movie, but I started getting distracted when Gus' parents arrived and started looking for Gus in the theater too. Then I noticed security personnel roaming about and finally several police officers patrolling the aisles. At this point, I gave up trying to watch the film and joined the search party in the lobby. We were really worried because no one knew where Gus was. They started reviewing the security tapes and I was imagining all the things that could have happened to him. I started feeling guilty for not keeping better track of the kid. Did he get abducted? Was he hiding from us? Where the heck was he?

Well, we waited in the lobby and kept searching all the theaters until our movie ended. We searched the crowds of people as they exited, and suddenly we saw Gus making his way out! Get this, the kid had been in the front row the whole time! He didn't even know that we were looking for him and didn't notice the search party that kept walking past him (not to mention the fact that we never noticed him!) *sigh* So at least the story had a happy ending. Although, I really need to go see the movie again - this time without any kids!

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Month-long Summary

I wasn't too quick with that Thanksgiving update I guess... We did have a great time visiting both of our families though. We spent three days with David's family first. His parents moved to Spokane, WA and we got to see their new house and help them unpack a little. Then we went and stayed at the Elkins Resort in Priest Lake, ID for Thanksgiving. His family (extended family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces, nephews, etc.) got together in a big cabin to celebrate the holiday. (And when I say cabin, I use the term loosely because this thing had 7 bedrooms - it was so beautiful!) Lots of good food was had and we even saw a little snow. We were a bit disappointed though because we brought all of our snow gear and there wasn't enough to go out and play in. No snowmobile fun for us...

After our Idaho trip, we drove down to Philomath to visit with my family. They are currently remodeling their house (okay, so they've been working on it for years and years...) so things were in an upheaval, but we had a nice relaxing time. My mom went crazy baking pies and various types of bread and we played lots of games. David went with my brothers to watch the new Harry Potter movie, but thankfully they let me stay home and hang out with my sister. (I apologize if I offend any HP fans, but I'm just not really into it that much.)

Now it's December and I can't believe that it's only 2 weeks until Christmas! That means I only have 14 days to get all my Xmas shopping done. (Yeah, that's right, I haven't started yet...) I'm excited that I will have a week and a half off for the holidays. David and I are planning to have some time with both of our families and also to continue some new Christmas traditions of our own. We got our tree about a week ago and had a fun time putting up all of our decorations. We still don't have any presents under it, but I'll work on that in the next couple of days.

My new job is still going well. I think I am done with weekend training for awhile, and I'm relieved that I will be able to catch-up on some things now that I know how to do them. The stacks were getting pretty large for awhile there... Speaking of work, I got to hang out with some old co-workers last week (not that they are old, but it sounded better than saying ex-coworkers, for some reason.) We had Chinese food at a restaurant near the old CU branch when it was downtown, and then saw Walk the Line. I would recommend the movie - I thought it was really good. I had seen a documentary about Jonny Cash awhile back and it seemed like this film was a pretty accurate portrayal of his life. And Joaquin and Reese can really sing - I was empressed! Tonight we are taking the teens to see The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and I'm excited about that. I really liked the book and the film looks very well done. I'll let you know what I rate it!