Happy 150th Valentine's Day!

Today is not only Valentine's day but Oregon's 150th birthday. We celebrated proper Oregon style, outside!





















Shannon and me










Lulu outside the window while we eat lunch


Bob and Chuck standing on the frozen lake

I've been tagged to blog about 10 things I love that start with the letter 'P' and I've been thinking about it for a while now.
So in no particular order:
Portland! Love it, lived there twice, visit often.
Public Radio - I listen to it daily and when I commuted it was my best friend.
Planting. I love gardening and planting flowers and vegetables and then nurturing them until they reach my kitchen.
Parties :) You name it birthdays, weddings, I just love to get together and have a reason to celebrate.
Pools, the kind you swim in. I loved teaching swim lessons and the smell of chlorine to this day is a bit nostalgic.
Planning. I drive Bob crazy planning for trips and events.
Performing Arts, not me, but going to them. From concerts to plays I really enjoy live performances!
Pottery. I love wheel throwing and our house is cluttered with it!
Puppies! Ok just about any baby animal.
Parks. National ones, State ones, sno ones. What an amazing system we have that preserves and maintains these amazing places for us to visit.

Things I considered,the Pacific Ocean, phones, planes, people, pictures, peaches, pilates, pampering, painting, playing games and posting to my blog.
Thanks to Roo for assigning me a letter, although I am curious how you picked it! Anyone else want one?

My Late b-day

It snowed on my birthday back in December, so I celebrated this weekend with some girlfriends. Thanks ladies!











I took the train










To Portland, on a beautiful day


























Katie made a Pink Lady Cake
Thanks again girls!

Hippie at Heart

Yep, that is me and for most of you, it isn't news. Here is a site I stumbled on that I am day dreaming about. I could live on a commune and build a straw bale house!

Jeanne's B-day

My good friend Jeanne turned 30 last week and some girls headed to the coast to celebrate.

Ski Trip

This last weekend, Hunter and Cait took skiing lessons and then after we went sledding. I think we all had a lot of fun and I can't wait to see the rest of the photos! Check out Sheila's blog for more.

Inaugural week!!!

Today I watched the inaugural concert (online) and it was so incredible to see and hear the crowd and think of the change that is possible. I listened as the celebrity speakers mentioned Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr.; as they talked about being one. I very much look forward to January 20th and the change I hope is coming. It was easy for the 2 hours to forget how much Americans are hated, how many steps backwards were taken int he last 8 years, and how much of a recession we are in now. Thanks, I needed to forget more than I realized.

New Year's Week

This NYE, Bob wanted to snowshoe and have a fire and toast under that stars and we tried. The fire didn't really get going and it was COLD! We did enjoy the long weekend playing games and Wii though.

Make up Christmas

'96 Cascade Girl's Christmas, make up brunch (in January) pictures.

Each year the ladies I went to High School with, get together for a holiday brunch. This year because of the 'Artic Blast' we had to postpone and some of the girls that were in town for Christmas, were no longer in town so our group was a little small. The kids are Anthony, Kohen, Kelson and Ella. The ladies are Jen, Julie, Amber, Tonya and then myself, Cassie, Kristina and Sara. Jen's girl wasn't there and Tonya's boy isn't pictured either (for those of you keeping track).

Christmas '08

I know I'm a little behind, snowball effect and then after returning to work I learned of two layoffs and I've just been down. But here are some pictures to wrap it up.












Our Tree











Christmas Eve Dinner (Indian food for Bob and I)










Christmas Morning

(The pictures below are from the weekend after Christmas. We pumped insulation in and then repainted. I still have to finish touching up and the headboard, but many thanks to my dad and Bob's mom for their help!)

Artic Blast continues

So the freakish winter weather goes on.









Lulu staying warm (Usually I am right next to her).











The fountain at my office earlier this week.










My Parents' gate and fence with ice from yesterday.











Zoom in and see the squirrel eating an apple.

(below) My Christmas cactus is blooming for its second year, right on time.

Am I a vegetarian?

A friend asked me recently if I was a vegetarian and at first my answer is always no. Bob calls me a convenient vegetarian, meaning that when it is convenient, I choose to not eat meat. Because the truth is, I just don't care for meat. My friend then commented that it was like saying someone doesn't like all vegetables when they are all so different and to that I couldn't really respond. Now that I have had a few days to think it over I think my dislike for meat is like someone saying they don't like jam. Sure there are different flavors, but the basic consistency is the same. I've also been thinking about which meats I like more than others because I will eat some things occasionally. Here is the list:
Any kind of fish or shellfish - love it!
Stew meat all soft and tender falling apart (from my parents')
Hamburgers (from my parents', I know I am spoiled) and there have to be nice toppings and condiments
Chicken Strips
Orange Chicken
Marinated Chicken
Sausages, BBQ/Grilled chicken or turkey ones
Bacon, pepperoni
Pork chop with Applesauce
But the truth is, no one should waste their favorite meat product on me. I am more than happy to eat side dishes!

The beginning of the transformation

This weekend we started turning the back porch (you could hardly call it that it is so small) into a green house. We still have to finish the walls and insulate the floors and of course get lights and plants,) but at least we started it!












We also had a little dessert party to celebrate it and my birthday. Here are some of the desserts, including cinnamon creme brulee!

Artic Blast 2008

I think that is the name of the storm stopping western Oregon right now. I also think this is the first time it has snowed on my birthday.
































Mill Creek, blocks from our house











A fat squirrel on the fence post

How you know cows are not smart.

Mom and dad are eating breakfast. Dad leaves the room and before coming back into it hears mom yelling, "Hey stop that! Shoo, go away!" followed by a funny crunching noise and eventually the window closing. Who knew cows liked to eat light bulbs? The Christmas lights still work and the cows appear unharmed. I don't know if they have been back for seconds yet.

Birthdays Past

Ah my birthday is getting close once again and I'm a little crazy about them. Looking through the past Christmas card photos, led me to birthday photos. Maybe I should have saved this for Monday, but by then I hope to have this year's photos! Again, this only goes back as far as my digital camera. I'm not digging in boxes, yet.









26th, Roller Skating and Pizza (that is Caitlyn)

27th, involved swimming at an indoor water park, no pictures :(.











28th, Cocktail party










29th, House full of Dessert and Friends (that is Alden)










30th, Surprise Party followed with a weekend in Disneyland

Christmases Past

A friend had a great idea to post Christmas photos from the past years and it inspired me to look ours up. We got our digital camera in 2004, and I'm not sure we even sent cards the first couple years we were married.











2004 (Hawaii)













2005

I guess in 2006 we were still getting settled in California and didn't take a picture in time. I remember the cards were glittery.










2007 (Lake Tahoe)

2008 - still not taken, might be more glitter. I think one year we may have sent Happy New Year cards because we were so late!







2004 2006 2007