Time flies!

Sorry I have been so long in blogging again! Life down here has been so busy! Here's an update!

August 25- September 3: We went to Oregon to see my family! It was so good to be home again, and we had a great vacation! I finally got to introduce Doug to my younger brother Warren, and see him again after nearly 2 years! It was a great time! We spent time helping my dad with his many projects, this one being creating a retaining wall in the backyard and moving lots and lots of dirt with a Bobcat! Those things are so fun to operate! We also got to go to Central Oregon and go rafting on the Deschutes river again- a family LaborDay weekend tradition for as long as I can remember! It was also Doug's first time rafting and I think he's hooked! We also got to do some fishing and were able to relax and spend some quality time with my parents! The weather was perfect, and Doug and I both realized how much we were ready to get out of Florida and get back West to the beautiful mountains and evergreen trees! It was really hard to come home, but as soon as we did we made a deal to start looking for jobs in Oregon and get outta FL!

September 9: Our 1 year wedding anniversary! We did it, we made it through the "hardest year" as some would say, and it's been wonderful! We had a nice dinner together and enjoyed spending time relaxing! Doug suprised me with 3 dozen roses- pics to come for sure! Here's to many many more!!

September 17: After years and years of constant tonsilitus I finally got my tonsils out, and WOW, what a miserable experience!! I don't think I have ever been so uncomfortable! What's really funny is how the doctor sugarcoats the procedure, saying "oh I'll be in and out in 30 minutes, and you'll be just a little sore after but its really no big deal!"

Yah right! I felt like I got a cactus shoved down my throat! I took an entire week off work, and attempted to sleep (harder to do than you think) and watched lots of tv. Popsicles- Ice cream- cold drinks: miserable! It was so hard to eat or drink anything I lost 7 lbs, and lived on a liquid gatorade diet for 6 days! Doug took good care of me and all, but everything- breathing, swallowing, drinking, were all very difficult. Im finally starting to get back to normal, but the dr says it will be another week or two before I am back to normal! Oh how I wish I would have been a little kid when I got them out- it really is a lot harder the older you are!

Today October 2: Well, as luck would have it, Doug was extended 2 offers to interview for jobs in Bend Oregon, where we are planning to move to! I took him to the airport today to fly out to Oregon and interview, and hopefully he will come home to me on Thursday with an offer! This would be especially nice since we are MOVING TO OREGON ON SUNDAY!!! We made the leap, and 2 weeks ago Doug gave his 2 weeks notice, we told our landlord we were moving, and Sunday Oct. 7 is the big day! My last day at work is friday, and I am so excited!! Our house is in total shambles trying to pack and organize everything within such a short timeline! We don't even have a place to live yet, but we are both confident we can find something when we get out there. Crazy! We are insane, but if there is ever a time in our lives when we can make this big of a move we want to do it now when we can and don't have longterm obligations like a house or kids to complicate things.

We will spend 5 days getting out there. Our first night we will be staying in Lafayette Louisiana, then Edmond Oklahoma (with Doug's parents) then Pueblo Colorado, then Provo Utah (with my brother) and finally in Bend Oregon! Ya!

Why Bend? Well A.) it's 4 hours from my parents, so close enough for us to see them often but not see them and have our own little family. B.)Its surrounded by the Cascade Mountains, which means lots of camping, hiking, rafting, fishing, rock climbing, skiing, boating, etc. and for us being outdoors people this is really awesome to us! C.) It;s got a population of 75,000 people, which means its not too big and not too small and perfect for planting roots and starting a family. D.) It has 4 seasons- fall, winter, spring and summer, and that is so wonderful because we are tired of having only one in florida- summer, all the time. Believe me, it does get old! There are many more reasons why this is so perfect, but those are a few and we couldn't be more excited! Lots of pictures of the adventurous car trip and new place to come once we get settled! Ya for adventures!!

A survey- Thanks Shmee!

A- Attached or single: Attached to the greatest guy out there- Doug!
B- Best Friend: Definately Doug, and Jill
C- Cake or Pie: Cake all the way!
D- Day of choice: Saturday!!
E- Essential Item: flip flops! I can't remember the last time I wore socks and shoes!
F- Favorite Color: pink
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: worms for sure- I like to bite their heads off first
H- Hometown: Portland, Oregon!!! The best place ever!
I- Indulgence(s): candy, shoes, purses, makeup, and getting pampered.
J- January or July: July all the way- january always seems like a hard month with the holidays over and nothing to look forward to.
K- Kids: not yet, but someday!
L: Life is Incomplete Without: my family, Doug, and my cats!
M- Marriage Date: September 9, 2006
N - Number of Siblings: 2 brothers, 1 sister
O- Oranges or Apples: apples, I don't like the texture of oranges
P- Phobias or Fears: drowning, or losing doug early in life
Q- Quote: not sure!
R- Reason To Smile: warm weather, love and friends
S- Season: winter-Christmas is the best holday ever
T- Tag Three: I don't have anyone to tag! Sad!
U- Unknown Fact About Me: i don't like being underwater
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: i love meat, but I get sad thinking of that poor animal dying so I can eat it so I try not to think about that
W- Worst Habit: I am lazy after work at night
Y- Your Favorite Food: chicken lettuce wraps at PF changs
Z- Zodiac: Cancer

OUR first new car!!

"well, im sorry but she doesn't have long. She could go any day, really. It's just a matter of time. However there is ONE thing that can be done to keep her going if you're interested.... it will cost more than she's worth though... I'll give you folks some time to think it over."

No we WEREN'T in a hospital and no one is dying except my beloved Nissan!! Sad! So with that news we decided to bite the bullet and put her down. We searched long and hard, and last night bought OUR very first car together!! A BRAND NEW (17 miles on her) Honda Accord V6 EXL!! Meaning- leather, lotsa power, dual climate controls- important!! Im always cold, he's always hot! Seat warmers- again- LOVE IT! 6 CD changer, warranty, its got it all!! and we talked them down to a very reasonable price!! So as sad as it was to leave my baby at the lot last night, I am loving how safe and comfortable I feel in our new car!! Pics to come soon!!

What's New? Harry Potter!

Life down here hasn't been too eventful as of late. We go to work, we come home and relax, and do it all over again. However, Doug bought me tickets to see the midnight showing of Harry Potter in IMAX 3-D opening night! It was such a great movie, probably one of the best of the series so far. Plus getting to put on the fancy 3-D glasses for the final battle scene was pretty cool too. Seeing that movie brought me right back to that awesome world, and so I headed over to Barnes and Noble a few days later to reserve my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Don't get me wrong, Im not one of those people who went to the midnight release dressed as Hermione or anything, but I did want to be sure I would get to read the book without it being sold out everywhere. So yesterday was the day I headed down to pick it up and I have since torn through five hundred of the seven hundred some odd pages, and am totally addicted! It's going to be so sad when I get to the end and know that I have no more of these amazing literary wonders to look forward to reading again. But so far... oh sooo good!

The weather is pretty hot and steamy lately, so for us wimps it makes it impossible to go out and do anything active without overheating within 10 minutes. 98 degrees every day, with nearly 100% humidity, makes it feel like a steamy shower being outside and it's downright gross! We hide out in air conditioned wonderment as often as we can and look forward to the day when we can be outside ANYDAY of the year and not feel like we're in an outdoor shower!

Our baby cat is getting so much bigger! He is a monster at times. He loves to jump really high and scratch imaginary things on the wall. It's pretty comical to watch. He purrs nonstop and is the ultimate love. He and Mr. Sanka are best friends and do just about everything together. Partner's in crime is an understatement.






At the end of the day we still love the little rats...

A Very Happy Birthday Weekend!

Well Friday was my 24th Birthday! Yikes- I am getting old! :) Doug and I both had to work, so the day didn't feel any different than the others, but thats ok. We went out to eat that night, and hung out at home and watched a movie. Saturday I had to take our baby kitty to the vet, again, but while I was out Doug made me a birthday cake- which was sooo yummy! And then he whisked me off to the unknown- I had no idea where we were going. I had a suspiscion it was Busch Gardens. We have annual passes there, and we were headed toward Tampa so I was pretty sure thats what he had planned. BUT we later passed that exit and then I got really confused. We later ended up in Clearwater at the Belleview Biltmore Resort Hotel and Spa. I first thought- SWEET! We are getting massages!! Then we pulled through the security gate, and Doug told the man "yes, we have a reservation for tonight" and I thought, "WOW! We are staying here! But wait, I have no clothes!" Sure enough, my honey had been sneaky that morning and packed my clothes and toiletries and everything I could have needed! The hotel was built in 1897, and it is said to be the largest occupied wood frame structure in the world. It has also hosted many famous people including U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the Duke of Windsor, and celebrities such as Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford. The hotel is thought by some to be the site of ghost sightings and other paranormal events. So I was pretty nervous and excited.

We had a fun and relaxing time exploring the place- there are many doors left unlocked that creak open and lead to dark hallways- spooky! It had lots of charm though and we would, if we had millions, love to have bought it and resored it to its original splendor!! It was great to get out of orlando for a day and such a sweet suprise from my man!

What I'd really like to be doing!

So lately Doug and I have been talking and getting frustrated with our jobs a little. We both are very independant people and having bosses, and making someone else millions of dollars isn't what we really want to be doing longterm. Doug would love to be a financial advisor, and on the side, make fine woodworking projects. I would love love love to own and run my own dessert shop. Those who know me, know my addiction to sweets- candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, I LOVE IT ALL! And they know I never need a reason to bake, or a reason to start my day off with one of last night's brownies or some left over treats from the day before. But more than my enjoyment for EATING the sweets, is my enjoyment of making them! And I would just love to open a dessert shop/cafe in an old victorian style house in downtown of where-ever we end up living, and bake, bake, BAKE! Ideally I have to start somewhere, and I consider that being getting my name out there by doing small parties or selling my treats at local shops and stores. When I can get enough money and clientel built up to know I won't fail, oh yah- and an investor- then i would go about getting a business license and a loan and all that and get the ball rolling.

If things went really well I could hire others to run the shop and do the bussing and serving and running of the shop, and I would have the luxury to supply some of the treats to it, and still have the time and energy to devote to my family. I have a real interest in it, and would love to provide a charming little place for people to come enjoy a big piece of cake or pie together in a cozy and cute atmosphere.

My interest in this is really growing lately. I've started wanting to learn about cake decorating and how to design the tasty treats. I know how to make them taste good, just not necessarily look good. So if I can get that going too, I think I'll be set.

speaking of cake... it's my birthday today so im going to go see about getting me some...

A new look?

I was looking back over the weekend of pictures of me over the last 4 or 5 years, and I realized a common trend- my hair always looks the same!! Here I am, turning 24 on Friday, married, out of college, and I still wear my hair the same way I did in my high school senior pictures!! Aside from a few more grey hairs (YES- IT'STRUE) I look just the same as I did in high school! I think it's time for a change, no?

I keep managing to go back to layers, that frame my face, shoulder length, with quasi-bangs that are parted down the side and it's always a version of brown. (See photo- that's me and my mother in law in September 06)



Here are some things I was considering doing- Which do you think would look the best?

Option A- A chin length bob, dark brown- I can't pull off blonde or even blonde highlights. Even with a pro my hair pulls the orange out of it and it goes brassy.



Option B- Bangs! I haven't gone this route in like, ever, so it may be good to do. I also like her cut but Im wondering- is it too old looking?



Option C- Grown out of the layers, do something blunt and straight with Bangs. The florida heat and humidity would make it so hard to do this, but it may look oh so cute?



I'd love any thoughts you all have!! It's time for a new look!

bored, Bored, BORED!!

So I'm at work, and one would think that would mean I was working, right? WRONG! I am so very very bored! Why do you ask? Well, because I'm a desk sitter. I sit at a desk. This is what they pay me to do. AND IT SUCKS!! Don't get me wrong, I have the occasional project come through the ropes down to lil ol me, but most of the time, I don't. And so I sit here. And wait for 6:00pm to come so I can go be PRODUCTIVE! Well... not exactly. Because by the time I battle downtown traffic to get home, make dinner and catch up with my husband, its 8:30 and we're too tired to do anything! So I get up, I go to work, I sit at a desk for 9 hours, I leave, I do wifey things like make dinner and wash the dishes, and then I'm too tired to do anything else, and it starts all over again. What a routine!

I've been looking for a new job for a few months now. Secretly. On the side. Like, I sneak out on my lunch break to go meet with a potential employer, or have an interview, and then I sneak back to my desk and pretend I was just at the post office, or waiting in line at the bank. I pretend Im the most valuable employee they have. Even though I secretly wish they would fire me sometimes to put me out of my MISERY! But then I realize how blessed I am to have a job, not only a job, but one that pays well, provides me health benefits and a laid back atmosphere where I can listen to music all day. I just wish it wasn't SOOO laid back. It's boring. Uneventful. Dull. Here I am, fresh out of college- full of eagerness and excitement to join the workforce and learn and climb that corporate ladder. Instead my college degree is put to use as a desk sitter. And unfortunately for me, I don't think that postion is in high demand anywhere else.

So as I ramble off I realize ONCE AGAIN how horribly ungrateful I sound. What a scrooge I have become!! HELP!!

Our new baby!

So Doug and I have been feeling for some time now that our cat, Mr. Sanka, needed a friend. He is alone 9+ hours a day with both of us at work, and gets pretty lonely when we aren't around. And for selfish reasons too, we both just wanted another furry love to snuggle and play with. So after a couple of trips to the SPCA and the County Animal Services and lots of kitty holding and petting, yesterday we found our new baby! We adopted a little 9 week old male kitten, who we have named Jackson. He is a dark dark brown, almost black with darker brown tiger stripes on this sides and tail when his fur hits the light. He has the sweetest disposition and is both very playful, and also very loving too with the loudest purr out there! We think he and Mr. Sanka will get along just fine after a little bit of adjusting to each other. I get to pick him up on Wednesday afternoon after he gets "fixed" and cannot wait!! There is nothing more adorable than a baby cat! I will post pictures of the little guy on Weds so check back to see our new little family member!! Yay Jackson Cat!

Fire Coral drama continues

So as I mentioned before I got a pretty hefty dose of fire coral hanging onto that rope for 6 minutes waiting for doug to descend. My hands stung pretty bad when I got back on board and the vinegar the dive master poured on them didn't seem to help much, but in a day or 2 they were back to normal... or so I thought.

Saturday I woke up and my left hand was itching really bad. I couldn't figure out why. I thought I may have been bitten by a spider, but that wouldn't explain why my whole hand hurt. As the day progressed the itching preceeded to get worse. Sunday morning my left AND right hand were covered in small blister like bumps and the itching was worse that ever. I decided to look online and see if I could figure out what was wrong. I had an inkling it may have been from the Fire Coral, but doug thought it had been too long. Come to find out, after you're exposed to Fire Coral, the inital pain will subside but the poison will still be in your system and depending on length of exposure can reappear in a few days in a raised rash. Well there it was! Sunday I was knocked out all day on Benedryl tablets and smeared my hands in benedryl cream, but it only felt like it was lit on fire. Yesterday, I could hardly bend my fingers they were so swollen and in pain. So I went to the doctor yesterday and he prescribed me some Cortizone pills to take to kill the infection. Today I woke up at 4am to get up and rub them on the carpet. Sounds crazy but it helps the itch so much. The swelling is starting to go down, but ow ow ow!! It feels like a second degree burn as far as pain goes. ugh.

My advice- if you ever are crazy enough to go scuba diving in the Keys or any other tropical place, wear some gloves. Fire Coral burns are no fun!!

Key West 5/12- 5/15/07

So since I got Scuba certified down here last August, Doug and I have been dying to do a dive. Florida has some of the best diving in the country, and we totally wanted to take advantage of it being so close. And after 3 attempts at matching up schedules we finally grabbed our friends, threw way too much stuff in the car and drove through the night last Friday for our Key West adventure. We got into Key West about 7am Saturday morning, hit up the hotel, and made our way over to the beach for a few hours. We really weren't too impressed with the beach we found- it was pretty rocky on the shore and there were zero waves, but the cool part was how shallow the water was. You could walk 300 yards out from the shore and still be waist deep. We managed to knock a few coconuts down from the palm trees, and bust them open only to discover how bitter the "sweet cocomut milk" was. We later went back to the pool and then took a nap. That night we went down to the infamous Duval Street to check things out and grab some dinner.

Sunday morning we went to Dog Beach and went snorkeling. The water was pretty clear but there wasnt much in the way of sea life to see. We then went back into town to rent some mopeds to cruise around on. Where better to do it that somewhere small like Key West?? They were awesome!! We took them out to Fort Zachary Taylor State park to another beach and enjoyed the blue water some more. That night Doug and I borrowed our friends scooter and he and I cruised around the island together and raced around before heading back to the hotel pool to hang out in the amazing night.

Monday morning we were scheduled to scuba dive with Southpoint Divers at 8:30. We headed down to the dock, and got on the boat and learned we would be diving first, a wreck called the Cayman Salvage Wreck- an old boat from 1936 that was sunk by the navy in the 80's to be an artificial reef. The dive would give us 20 minutes bottom time, and would hit a maximum depth of 93 ft. I was freaked out. Not only was that my FIRST real dive, but it was DEEP, a scary old boat, and in the middle of the atlantic ocean. I sucked up my fear and dove in. The descent down was long, and slow to equalize my ears. I finally made it to the wreck and it was intense. But I couldn't find Doug. I started to feel myself panic and I looked up and down and all over for him. Meanwhile I am clutching onto the descent rope like its my saving grace all the while forgetting the Dive master said not to hold onto it, because it has fire coral on it from being down there all the time. Finally doug arrived and we swam around the wreck for what seemed only minutes before we noted our air was low and it was time to ascend. I was still so panicked I ascended faster than I should, and really was concerned because of how much my hands were burning. Back on board I was told I got a good dose of fire coral on my hands and was told it should go away in 20 minutes. We arrived at our next dive- the 3rd largest natural reef in the world. 20 feet deep and 1 hour bottom time. It was amazing. I have never seen such clear water or so many beautiful fish- eel, grouper, shark, barracuda, brain coral. It was awesome!! Toward the end I got lighter and began to not maintain a depth and ended up snorkeling the rest of the dive but it was amazing!! We all had a great time, but were really exhausted when we were done. We rested up that day and had our last dinner downtown. The weather turned rainy and by the following morning we were ready to head home. It was an amazing vacation... and being back at work is oh so sad!!

The better to keep in touch with...

Since we all know I am terrible at letter wrtiting, emailing, calling and visiting, this is another one of my hopefully not too futile attepts at keeping you guys informed on what's happening in my life. Hopefully it works out better than the other attempts. I love you all and hope you will enjoy keeping posted on all the different things going on down here. Cheers!