Lake Berryessa

A little hike on Monday.

Alcatraz

I have so many pictures, it might take a few posts. This was an incredible visit. The day was beautiful (even though rain was predicted) and the audio tour (which you will see us modeling) was even great.

Alcatraz Part II

Alcatraz Continued

Catching Up

We had a great weekend, but are still trying to catch up, but I hope to download pictures tonight!

I'm also playing catch up at work. Yesterday, I went to a National Standards fair for our biggest client. While that may sound cool, it was in Oakland and some of the seminars were less than interesting.

Last night I caught up with a close friend and two nights ago I talked to my mom and my mother-in-law, both of which I can't remember the last time I talked with on the phone!

So tonight, I need to catch up the blog, email photos and give double J a call to continue my catch up week!

If we had more three day weekends, life would be much more pleasant!

Soccer Run Down

Last night at 9pm, when it was still 87 degrees (yes even though it was dark) there was a great intramural men's soccer game. At 9:30 it was still 0-0. At 9:40 they started a 10 minute, sudden death overtime. At 9:50 the penalty shots started. At 10pm, they were victorious 4-3. The next playoff game is Sunday at 6pm and the high for the day is supposed to be 99.

Here they are! (Mel, Jakub, Miles, Kevin, Jeff (goalie), Paul, Andrew, Davis, Nate, Jordan, Bob, Chirstian and Andy.

Other things to mention...

I can't believe in my last post I forgot to mention my sister and niece visiting (see her blog back in April for details).

Bob and I also drove into SF one evening to see a band called Elbow. Yes, they are British. It was a great show and I'm glad we had purchased the tickets ahead of time, because I would have flaked out otherwise!

It is officially HOT here now. This week we are mostly in the 90s with one day expected to be over 100. I think we'll have to break down and turn the AC on. My office has had it running for weeks now.

Bob's intramural soccer team has made it to the playoffs. Last term they were undefeated, but their low sportsmanship scores kept them out of the bracket. Let's hope they can keep it together tomorrow night. I'll post a team picture next time.

Busy Busy

It seems that since mid April, Bob and I have been so busy that I can't seem to focus on one blog topic so I don't post anything at all, and for that I am sorry. So now you will get a post of random things.

Last weekend was a small version of Cinco de Softball. There were a few other people who managed to get out of the photo... For those of you who couldn't make it, you were missed and you better be there for the 10th annual next year!! Amy even surprised me with a cake!

Here are swimming pictures of Cait and Will and Tonya. They were all so cute! (sorry they are fuzzy)

Back to Davis. My office is being remodeled which makes it even harder than usual to get work done.

Items to look forward to in the future: Spencer, Amy, Ty and Heather coming to visit.

A-

ARCHITECT!!!

R-

Registered and Licensed in the great state of Oregon!

C--

Can you believe it?

H-

Hallelujah!

I-

I still can't believe they gave me this license!

T--

Thanks for everyone's support!

E-

Exciting and scary at the same time!

C-

Certainly felt like longer than a year.

T-

That is all the tests for a while.

Less Than a Week

In less than a week I may be an Architect. I started my exams on April 30, 2007 and each one has been a small milestone bringing me closer to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. With every result we celebrated with dinner or something small. After I finished the ninth one, we threw a pretty big BBQ. But now as my state exam draws near, I am realizing that this one, the end of it all, may be the most anti-climatic of them all. It isn't that this one is smaller or simpler. Part of it is the fact I will take it and then drive myself to the airport and fly back to California. Part of it is there is no ceremony, no swearing in, no acknowledgement except for the 7 members on the Oregon Board, my mom and dad waiting in the parking lot and my husband and sister waiting for me in California. I'm not saying those 4 people aren't important, because they are and have supported me through this, I guess I thought I'd have something planned, a trip a treat, a reward of some type for the last year of forcing myself to study. Maybe I don't really know what to celebrate with. I compared it to our friends that have passed the BAR, they wait so long and then they are an attorney. There is a swearing in, but only family and close friends go (we went), but at least they had that. Why does graduating with a degree seem to be a bigger deal? Was that as hard? No, it just took longer! It is only the first step. Having friends in two (plus) states is also hard, because I want to be with everyone at one big time! So tell me, what should I do to celebrate my license?

Snoopy Dance

That is right let's all do it (see below if you are confused) Because I PASSED my last test! Dance Dance!

Now the issue is when to take my state exam. Sheila and Cait are scheduled to be here in Davis when I am supposed to take my test in Oregon, what a dilemma! It is either that or wait until June.

Book Swapping

I have a couple of friends that we pass books we like around to each other. Who knew we were being so green at the same time? Check out this article form Tree Hugger (a site I try to visit often)
No Foolin'

Work Pictures!

I have been at my 'new' job now for 2 months (yeah only one more to go for benefits to kick in!) Here are photos of a Friday trip to get lunch, bridge building and destroying (check out all the fishing weights it took to bring down my team's bridge!) at our training day and one of the office (I'll take more when the construction is finished.) My desk is in the front of that secion on the right (you can see my bag in my chair.)

In the car we have Shelly driving, Sharlene taking the photo, Vang and Howard in the middle row, and myself, Tim, and Alvaro in the very back.

Whose idea?

We helped some good friends move this weekend (within their complex) along with 13 others! What makes this unique is that just a year and a half ago we all moved here and unloaded all our moving trucks/cargo boxes - ALONE. Now we are a sort of unit, almost a family, and it feels great to be able to ask people for help. Here are just a couple of pictures I snuck in while moving boxes. And yes, it was some one's idea (one of the guys) to lift the bed over the railing. Sorry I don't have a picture of it in action. I can tell you the bed made it safely. The other picture is after the move and Lulu is happy we are finished (before I snapped the photo her head was resting on Ellen), so is Baby Alli (whose mom is ducking out of the photo).

More Spring Pictures

The weather in Northern California continues to be beautiful. Here are pictures of a street I drive on daily, a flower in our yard, and another sunset.

Things I noticed this weekend...

1. I'm borderline obsessed with squeezing in summer time events.
2. I have been bitten by the travel bug and am busy dreaming.
3. I haven't posted in a while and people are reading my old, boring posts.
4. 75 degrees is great to be outside in, but warm to drive your car in on the freeway.
5. I'm tired of cleaning up after my cat and dog - no more poo please!
6. I can't let Bob do the grocery shopping. I'm not sure what I fear, but I just can't give it up.
7. I have A LOT of books I have started and haven't finished.
8. I LOVE the tree outside Bob's study.
9. I still have allergies.
10.I want a spring break too.

Turkey Visit

I hope this works! This is my office and the visit from a neighborhood turkey. My boss is the one that chases it out of the office.

Terrible

It seems to be the word of the week (and it is only Wednesday!):
1. How I felt about my test Monday.
2. My reaction to the finding out about the Governor of New York.
3. My online scrabble games (yes I am addicted).
4. The use of High Fructose Corn Syrup in EVERYTHING.
5. My eating habits when Bob goes away for a conference.
6. How I feel about my parents losing a calf and possibly losing the cow in the same week.
7. The weather forecast for tomorrow (in comparison to the last 2 weeks). I hope Bob took a coat to Boise, it looks even worse there!
8. Measure 13 and what it is doing to the California schools. The 8th largest economy in the world should not have the worst schools (least amount of $$ per kiddo) in the US. (RIght now they are ranked 46th in student spending, and that is before the cuts mentioned this week).
9. The price of diesel went to $4.09 a gallon yesterday. When we bought our car in 2003 we paid less than $1.50.

I want to feel...

Like this! And I did after getting each Pass letter.

On April 30, 2007 I started the painful process of taking my licensing exams. Tomorrow, I take the retake of the one I failed. I feel like I know the subject better than before and I wish I could say that I'll know by tomorrow afternoon. Instead, it will be more like 4-6 weeks before I know. Hopefully I will pass, can do the Snoopy dance, and then move on to the State exam. Check back in a month!

Sleak, Sexy Study

Bob's study gets cooler and cooler. Check out what MAC has come up with for a slim, wireless keyboard. Part way through last year we took a free door and made it into a nice big desk. Then came the book shelves (we had run out of room for the 25 or so more books he has at the end of each term) and then the new laptop and the chair. So now the 22" monitor and the wireless devices complete the setup. I did ask him if he was going to be twice as productive now, and he only chuckled in response. Almost makes me want to me a grad student.

(Here is the study from Fall 2006 when school first started. Now all the book shelves go to the ceiling and have lights that shine down from there.)

Ah Spring

Spring seems to come very early in Davis and with the most colorful sunsets. We've even already had days in the 70s. Here are pictures from the end of February (on a drive home and on a walk with Lulu and Bob in our neighborhood.) Today I was lucky enough to have a site visit in the lovely weather!

PDST

Daylight savings, seems like a great idea. But I really don't want to get up before the sun starting next week :( Right now in Davis the sun rises at 6:35 and it is great, nice and daylight when my alarm goes off.) But starting Sunday the sun will rise at 7:30am, ouch!

Playing House

Most of the time I want to bake, make dinner, have the laundry and dishes (do themselves) done and I feel like I am playing house. I suppose I kind of am. Maybe it feels like playing because I only get the opportunity on the weekend? Sometimes I joke around with Bob about getting my 6 years off (I know he hasn't taken 6 years off, he is working obviously, but this is how I joke, because if I was at home I am sure I would have plenty to do as well.) The thing is though, I like my life pretty much how it is. This is a big step. I'm not sure there is more I am meant to be. Shouldn't I have the burning desire? I'm talking about the 'B' word here. Shouldn't I want one by now? Shouldn't I want to be the 'M' word? Everything in society seems to scream it at me. Please don't take this wrong, I love my friends' kids, my niece, and my nephew. But sometimes I wonder if I'm just different and most of the time it just leaves me feeling lost. Am I alone here?

Deep Thoughts

1. Remember that from SNL in the 90's?
2. Is this really the place to post them? (a friend hinted at a deep blog topic based on the fact that most of us have been slacking in the blog-o-sphere lately.)

There are a ton of questions that float in and out of my head every day (just ask my poor husband, he has to field the ones I mention out load. Once on a road trip he had to ask me to not ask any questions for an hour.) I just can't ever remember what they are when I sit down to type! Instead here is something that came up yesterday that I am still thinking about because of my obsession with food (please note: not FOR food, but WITH food.)

I went to a burger place here in Davis for lunch Friday and my co workers were raving about how the burgers are made fresh daily. Now, you know I'm not a big meat eater, so I had a garden burger that I am pretty sure was previously frozen, but shouldn't all of the meat burgers EVERYWHERE be made fresh daily? It shouldn't be a luxury, but a constant. Believe me this is not a topic I take lightly (food and food sources) and one of my wishes on my past blog probably should have been for my own farm. I guess I still don't know, vegetable, lavender, blueberry or what type of farm I want. I considered telling you also that I want my own commune (and I guess I now am) but it wasn't a wish because I really don't want to give up on society. My thoughts on this are complicated and hard to explain and most of the time it is a little joke I have with some close friends. I just love the idea of being in a beautiful place with friends and family that share the same idea of living and being able to live off the land together. I know, I'm a hippie at heart. Maybe I should go to a commune for a vacation, then I would probably realize how much work it is and change my mind. It may also squash my other dream of a farm, but until then, I love the ideas.

I'm in the midst of studying for another exam, but I hope to also post on spring time in Davis and Bob's new, sweet office set-up, soon.

Picture Time!

We finally went and bought a new cable. So here are pictures of my cactus blooming, the McCabes and our time in Santa Cruz, our trip to Sea Ranch and the meadow that turns into a mini lake!

Tagged

I've been tagged by my dear friend Ruhiyyih for my 5 personal and my 5 greater good wishes. I've been thinking and it comes down to this, I am pretty happy but here is how it works: Post two wish lists: 5 material wishes and 5 spiritual or more meaningful wishes. Invite five other bloggers to play along.

My material wishes:
1. My own green architecture business.
2.To be good at and enjoy one of the sports Bob does so we can enjoy it together (tennis, mountain biking, snowboarding whichever!)
3. My own electric wheel and kiln.
4. Around the world plane tickets to hit all the spots I've dreamed of visiting.
5. For my sister's house to sell so that she may be free of its burdens and painful memories.

My 5 spiritual/meaningful wishes:
1. To be able to help rebuild areas after major disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis.
2. To spend a month in India learning yoga.
3. To travel through Egypt and the Holy lands.
4. For no child to ever know what it is like to be hungry or thirsty.
5. To find a cause and cure for autism.

I don't know if I know 5 bloggers who post and read my blog regularly! I tag Katie Jane, Tonya, Sheila, April and Drew.

Quick Update

Sorry I haven't posted and sorry for once again the lack of photos, but here is a quick update. Things are still going well at the new job. This is now the middle of my third week and I have recieved my first paycheck! I am working on a variety of projects and having fun getting to know my co-workers, who for the most part, crack me up. Plus we have pastry Friday which is pretty cool.

Last weekend we watched the Ducks beat Cal 92-70 with amazing 3 pointers! We also had to say goodbye to a family we became very close to over the last year. We met in Santa Cruz and had a great time. (pics to come when we get a new cable) And I know we'll see them again.

The weekend before I took a trip to Monterey/San Simeon. This weekend looks to be extra fun with soccer, a bbq, and a trip to the Russian River.

I've also been tagged and I haven't forgotten, I'm just thinking hard about my wishes!

Super Fat Tuesday

Voting...A privelidge as an American citizen. Ah, but a sad day and a tough choice for John Edwards' fans. I knew the politics in my last office and the two others before that (although I couldn't guess which candidate they would choose, I knew their general positions). But being a part of this new office, I have no idea what to expect. Today I did learn that the three people I sit with did not vote! One is not registered, one is registered in a party she doesn't like and the other is registered in a county too far away to drive to and vote in - and did not know she could get a absentee ballot. the two registered non voters had opinions, but didn't take action and it makes me sad more than anything. Voting is easy and free, what more can we ask for? We get to decide who makes the final decisions that greatly affect ALL who live in the U.S. So for those of you that still have upcoming elections, please vote. Please re-register if you don't like your party, please request an absentee if you need one, please don't just talk about your opinion, but make it count.