Schtuff.

So many jobs out there.... so few calls to me! What gives? Oh well. So it snowed like 2 inches yesterday... after 3 weeks of sun. Vancouver weather is just as weird as Boise. 

Our good friend Celia goes into surgury today, (i think, celia if you are reading this right now, correct me please) Please help me pray that things go well for her.

My grandfather got admitted to the emergency room yesterday for lack of salt in his blood after having a plural sac drained. Please help me pray for him too. I'd like him to be around to see his first great-grandkid. 

Was in a crappy mood yesterday, and I think today might be about the same. Although I was up at 8am for some insane reason. Thats a record considering this past 2 weeks 10am has been considered early.

I am kinda missing home today, but I am thankful that ive got internet and a phone. Cecelia is due to have her baby any day now... technically the due date is the 30th, but we all know babys have a mind of thier own as to when the decide to drop in. 

Alright, i need to check blogs now, perhaps they will cheer  me up. Usually they do.

More new treasures

A couple new finds that are in my faves list.... my sis just started her blog... hope she keeps up on it... 

The Vintage Housewife, a rockin' kittin whose lovin everything 1950's

 Destination 1940- Awesome lady who brings us into the everyday life of a 1940's woman

Like a Warm Cup of Coffee - This is just a fun site

I take Joy - a lady with a ministry, very nice atmosphere

All of these plus many other great ones are on the left side of my page. 

This is the most awesome thing ever!

I love this group called Improv Everywhere. YouTube has a ton of their stuff, this one was just cool. Also, got to www.improveverywhere.com

Rambling on

Today is a random post day. I dont have a topic, or a theme. I just want to write, so bear with me. Slept in until 9:30 this morning. Could have slept in until noon, but I had some business to take care of while the day was still early. In case you're wondering, I got it done in 1/2 hour. Its only 10:03 now. We got our mold situation figured out, they replaced the sheetrock and repainted, they must use low odor everything because I cant smell a thing which is a blessing. I hate paint fumes.

 I have been so forgetful lately. My brain is one big fuzzball. I miss my dance girls too. And Stinky. I dont miss Idaho at all, just the people and the homes that are in it. But its not a homesick feeling, I just get a little down when I think about how easy it was to go visit mom and dad 10 minutes down the road, and now they are 8 hours away. Thats doable, but not unless we stay for a week. Oh, we are thinking about coming back down to Idaho this spring, in a couple months. Figure spring rather than later in the summer when we'd be driving 8 hours with a larger pregnant belly and overactive bladder. Not to mention the Idaho summer heat. Ugh.

I havent wanted to do much lately, all I really want to do is kick back in my pjs and watch cartoons all day long. YouTube has all the old cartoons (GOOD cartoons) I used to watch growing up. Cece, you'll know what Im talking about. Not like that crap on cartoon network. And we wonder why our youth is retarded. They are all subject to Ed, Edd and Eddy. (stupid.)

I am glad I have been working out consistently. I feel good. I wish I had someone to work out with, but o well. Zac had started, but then he started working so early for awhile that he was waaay to tired to exercise. I dont blame him, if I had to put in 10 hour days, you wouldnt be able to get me out of bed on Saturdays. And it is nice to while working out, I have some time to get through my book. Usually I would have raced through it by now, but life calls and apparently so does dinner, so time isnt really in book-reading favor. 

So far, I havent had any cravings, but I just cant stand anything sugary. The thought of sweets and cookies and stuff really are turning me off and even taking a bite of cookie yesterday was disgusting. I hope it stays that way. I have wanted lemongrass chicken and asparagus though...maybe next week. 

Alright, enough for today. Have a great one!

Can I go to sleep yet?

Ok so it has finally really hit home, were having a baby. Ofcourse, the excitement hasnt worn off, and I dont think it will until I've got a rugrat smearing lipstick all over the walls.  Anywho, I am feeling fine, just tired. Make that TIRED. So far some days are better than others, but forcing yourself to work out when you feel that sluggish is HARD. But I congratulate myself afterwords because then I feel good. 

Havent had morning sickness, just the gamut of other things like, oh i dont know, eating everything in sight and starving right afterwords?  Just cant get enough. Right now I am trying to figure out our insurance, technically it doesnt start until Feb1, which is fine, because docs dont generally want to see you until 8 weeks or so, but in order to make an appt, I have to be insured so I am trying to push my paperwork along more quickly than usual. Still cant get ahold of the stupid lady. It will work out. 

My family is really excited too! The best reaction was from my grandma Mary. She is a hoot. Although my sister about had a coronary and an asthma attack. Im so excited!

Babies: Part Two

IM EXPECTING! We just came back from the doc's with a POSITIVE certificate. I am 4 weeks along... I think its a girl. :)

Mold.

My bedroom looks like I've left it in the back of the fridge for months. It looks worse in person. Yes Ive got the maintenence guy here to fix it. They have to remove the wall to see what is going on. the Photo in the middle, if you can see it, was 1 inch white fuzzy stuff.

I finally figured it out!

If any of you want a signature on your blog, here is the easiest  http://mylivesignature.com

At the end when you get the code, just copy it, then go into blogger Settings, then Formatting, then scroll down to the Post Template box and paste and save!

BABIES!!

Congratulations to Mrs Anna T. at Domestic Felicity, she and her husband just welcomed a healthy baby girl. 

Everywhere I go lately, I am surrounded by pregnant people and newborns! My best bud Cecelia is due very very soon  to give birth to the boy* I know she is going to have. (Ok, i dont know it, but I'd like to think I'm right) Anna at Domestic Felicity just had hers. A good friend of ours we met when we moved up here is 6 months with a girl. Everyone who decided to sit around us in the pews very close to us at church on Sunday has newborns! (counted them... 5. FIVE!) We've had baby blessing after baby blessing after baby blessing. 

Baby baby baby!!!

I have to laugh at myself though...ask me a few years ago what I thought of babies? Ugh. Yuck. I dont know how to hold it, you take her. What a funny looking creature. Ok, waaaay to loud. You want me to change what?! And so on. 

Now in the past year, and I do attribute most of this from actually seeing my nephew brand new, and just how sweet of spirit he had just coming into the world, and being able to be around him and help my sister in law out with him, kinda changed my mind. So now every time im next to a new little guy/girl, I cant help but be the adoring fan.  (unless it is the 100 pound toddler that throws VERY LOUD fits in church and NO ONE WILL TAKE HIM OUTSIDE, then it rakes my nerves)

Cece, thanks for the photos on your blog, i left you some comments. Check out how cute her nursery is! Man, if I were to look like anybody pregnant, it would be her. She is making even 8 1/2 months pregnant sexy! She did everything right, eating right, excercising regularly and Im sure getting enough rest. My hats of to ya Cece, you look great, your gonna be a great mom. I am sooo excited to see her baby, even if it is only in potos. Boo. :( 

Its funny, I used to never ever ever want kids. Well, it will happen when it happens, not really rushing it. Alright, my day is calling me, actually needing me to get out of my oh-so-luxurious bathrobe and slippers. Sigh. Have a wonderful day!

New Treasure Discovered!

http://ruespeanutbutterandjellylife.blogspot.com/

I found this blog yesterday... love it.

Do I have to?

So I have made my list of what to do today.

1)Library

2)Unemployment Office

3) Food Shopping

4) Post coats on Craigslist

5)Find other things to post on Craigslist

Does any of this require a shower? Really? Ok, yes I know. It does. I have just been so tired lately, and not sleepy tired, just blah tired, everything seems to be wearing me out lately. But I know that with a shower, the world welcomes you a bit more than if you walked out into it all stinky.

It certainly doesnt help the fact that it is 10:30am and I am still in my bathrobe contemplating the next course of breakfast. As of yesterday I could eat the world, nothing seems to be satisfying. And it sucks because I have nothing left in the house to eat that doesnt require thawing, sautee-ing and spicing. Why cant I ever bring myself to buy pop tarts or something? Why?

I also have a dang hall closet to clean out... you know, the kind where you have to literally run from the kitchen and slam into the door to close it? (keep in mind this is the only hall closet we have) But that isnt a project for today.

Tomorrow, we are going to walk the docks of Portland and hang out in the harbors. Unless Zac has to work overtime, which I wont complain considering it means easier bill paying. We were supposed to speak in church this Sunday, but it was so up in the air whether he had to work this weekend or not, so we declined. Usually he finds out if he has to work overtime the night before. 

Ok. Shower is calling. Kinda. So is more toast. Hope y'all have a great day.

I need your input.

Ok, I need help. I want to do something insanly nice for my husband to let him know just how much I appreciate him as a husband and as a working man. I want to do or give him something that says I love everything about him  and am so thankful that he is my other half. Any ideas?

If this were 3 years ago at the beginning of our marriage, all I'd have to do is suprise him with two

40 oz Miller Hi-Lifes and Papa Johns cheese pizza with extra garlic butter. However, that was three years ago, we dont drink and my stomach doesnt do pizza. 

Sooooo.... flowers? Chocolates? Stuffed animal? If the weather would turn icy again, he'd be forced to take my car and i could detail the truck for him, (while freezing my tushy off.). Any good ideas? Oh, and he is not a sports fan. He enjoys going to college football games for the fun of it, and watching it on tv, but ask him what BCS or WAC stands for or who Coach Hawkins coaches for now, well, he'd die if it were a life or death question. 

Please let me know if you have anything. Anything! Thanks!

Its been 4 days already?

Huh. time has flown by. Zac is having to work weekends now too, so that makes 7 days a week he has to get up at 3:50am to get to work at 4:30. Which is totally throwing me off schedule. And is making me a bit tired, getting him out the door so early and then going back to bed. I should just stay up, but bed is so warm, and if i were to take a nap later in the day, I'd crash for too long. Cant win. Although it is nice that he gets time and a half every day and double time on Sundays, although I did miss him at church day before yesterday.

So I went to my job interview... I thought it went well. Well enough I suppose. He said that they are interveiwing a few people and he would call me back in a few weeks. So my search continues. 

Made turkey burgers last night... why? because ground turkey is cheaper than ground beef here. Ground pork is cheaper than turkey, but they were out of the good kind. Weve taken to eating a lot of ground pork. It is a waaay better flavor, and lighter than beef. Anywho, turkey burgers. They are good for women. Dieting women. Women who care about calories and feeling empty. NOT good for husbands who work 10 hours a day. After the 3rd one, yes 3, you feel kinda sick. Why did he have three? Because turkey just isnt as dense apparently. It really felt like I was eating ketchup-ed air. It was good tasting air, but hardly filling unless you have more than 2. Oh well. I saved on calories :)

Oh ya and my husband drug me to see the movie "the unborn" on Saturday..... dont see it. I hate scary movies, so does he, but he enjoys the torture for some reason. The girl in it looks alot like the girl from Transformers, but it isnt. Its her brown eyed twin. 

Today I am feeling very sporadic. I want to go work out, but then I keep thinking about the chicken that needs to be cut up and what not  and im just not getting anything done. I know a shower would help, but what good is a shower when your going to get all sweaty? I dont know. 

Sorry for such randomness, my wires arent connecting today. Oh and Cece, if you read this one, would you please give Stinky and extra squeeze for me please? I miss him. Hope y'all have a great day!

I cant think of a title.

So today was day 1 of job interviewing. I had one at 10:30 today at Modern Day Mommies, a site from women for women offering women empowerment services. (by that I mean dula's, healthcare, perinatal care, etc.) It turned out to be a position in sales, which wouldnt be so bad, but the company is so green, and it is commission, and I need a job now that is either salary or hourly. So that didnt work out. The lady who heads the company is super nice though, I'd love to work for her. Perhaps down the road. 

Monday is my other interview at Miyamoto International, Structural & Earthquake Engineers. As an admin. assistant, not an engineer. So far this position sounds more like what I am used to and where my skills lay. If they offer it to me I am going to take it. Minimum wage is 8.95 here, and they are offering $12-14 DOE. $14 an hour would be nice. 

I have plastered Vancouver with resumes... exhausting. So I have not ceased praying that the Lord would bless us with a second income, be able to pay off some debt. Not that we have a lot, but it is more that I would prefer to have. I have been really gung-ho after Christmas to find a job and was pretty upset about not finding one last night. So I prayed, and fasted yesterday, and prayed some more. And during the last prayer I heard, "Is it really all about money to you?"

Huh??

Then I heard "You're not looking at the big picture."

What big picture??? (yes I was frusterated at this point.)

So I decided to start looking at the blessings I have. Ok Lord, I said, I have a wonderful husband who has a good job. I have a roof over our heads. I always have food sufficient for our needs.

The small voice continued "Keep going. Your still missing the big picture."

Okaaaayy..... YOU got us up to Vancouver on your will. YOU provided us with everything we need to be safe and comfortable. 

And then it came to me, flooding over me. I have HIM. He who cares so much for us, that He knows of our troubles and our stresses, and even though I am praying to Him, I was still only praying for things that I need in this material world. I needed to pray for the spiritual, to thank Him for being such a loving God. To know that I am a child of His and that when I am in tune with His flow, that the things I need to accomplish will come to pass because I let my guard down and let Him do His thing. 

Dang guards. I get so caught up in the whole mess of the human world that even though I never doubt Him, I still forget that he is my lifeforce and the drive behind my life. 

So needless to say, I am a bit more relaxed, still a little frusterated and stressed, but not nearly as bad. Tonight we are going to a church get together, which maybe will get my mind off of things. Please pray for me. 

In Defense of Us Crazed Arteeests

I didnt write this, but as a poet, artist and imaginist, I agree with the reasoning, or rather lack of reasoning this passage gives.

"Let us begin, then, with the madhouse; from this evil and fantastic inn let us set forth on our intellectual journey. Now, if we are to glance at the philosophy of sanity, the first thing to do in the matter is to blot out one big and common mistake. There is a notion adrift everywhere that imagination, especially mystical imagination, is dangerous to man's mental balance. Poets are commonly spoken of as psychologically unreliable; and generally there is a vague association between wreathing laurels in your hair and sticking straws in it. Facts and history utterly contradict this view. Most of hte very great poets have been not only sane, but extremely businesslike; and if Shakespeare ever really held horses, it was because he was much the safest man to hold them. Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom. I am not, as will be seen, in any sense attacking logic: I only say that this danger does lie in logic, not in imagination. Artistic parternity is as wholesome as physical paternity. Moreover, it is worthy of remark that when a poet really was morbid it was commonly because he had some weak spot of rationality on his brain. Poe, for instance, really was morbid; not because he was poetical, but because he was specially analytical. Even chess was too poetical for him he disliked chess because it was ful of knights and castles, like a poem. He avowedly preferred the black discs of draughts, because they were more like the mere black dots on a diagram. Perhaps the strongest case of all is this: that only one great English poet went mad, Cowper. And he was definitely driven mad by logic, by the logic of predistination. Poetry was not the disease, but the medicine; poetry partly kept him in health. He could sometimes forget the red and thirsty hell to which is hedious necessitarianism dragged him among the wide waters and the white flat lilies of the Ouse. He was damned by John Calvin he was almost saved by John Gilpin. Everywhere we see that men do not go mad by dreaming. Critics are much madder than poets. Homer is complete and calm enough; it is his critics who tear him into extravagant tatters. Shakespeare is quite himself; it is only some of his critics who have discovered that he was somebody else. And though St. John the Evangelist saw many strange monsters in his vision, he saw no creature so wild as one of his own commentators. The general fact is simple. Poetry is sane because it floats easily in an infinite sea; reason seeks to cross the infinite sea, and so make it finite. The result is mental exhaustion, like the physical exhaustion of Mr. Holbein. To accept everything is an exercise, to understand everything is a strain. The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in. The poet only ask to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits."

--G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Fun Stuff

Found this on a blog I frequent, One Thing. Thought it'd be fun. You're supposed to go through the list and BOLD everything that you have done.

1. Started your own blog 

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I’m throwing this question out because I don’t like it)

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain.

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29 Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33 Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41 Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45 Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie (do home movies count?)

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia (does Kazahkstan count?)

60 Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Gotten flowers for no reason

64 Donated blood, platelets, or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66 Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67 Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79 Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book (are they trying to make me cry?)

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (ew!)

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life (not to my knowledge)

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby 

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a lawsuit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Job stuff and Squirrel Nut Zippers

Well so far this year has been fairly uneventful...lol for the first 5 days anyways! Zac had time off for New Years, which was nice. But I think he was happy to go back to work, because up here it is really hard to do anything without spending money. We used to just go hang out at our parents house and bum out with siblings which was always fun, but we dont know anyone here. I think I am getting a package... the mail man just stopped infront of my door.

So I have my first interview on Friday, it is at Modern Day Mommies, Im not entirely sure what the position entails, but it is a part time stay at home position, not to mention the only interview I have, so I figure I will run with it. Ive applied for so many of the other chain stores too, ie: Macys, Nordstroms, etc... I dont understand why job applying is such a big ordeal nowadays... Ive had to fill out 45 minutes worth of application, 90% of which are answering these psychiatric evaluation questions. They have you rate the statements 1-5, and then give you the same questions over and over again, only worded differently. Are we all just a bunch of psychopaths that we need to screen people so much? Its killing me. 

I've found a new band I like too... The Squirrel Nut Zippers... Cecelia if this band doesnt remind you of Nick Brewer, it should. Its so completely Zoot Suit style, with a underground modern-esque to it. The girls voice reminds me a bit of a higher pitched Rosemary Clooney. Reminds me of something I'd see in the jazz bar in Downtown Portland. 

Ok Ive got to continue cleaning so my break is over. 

back

Hello again. I am back and feeling better. Thanks for all the concern... I was not feeling well at all!! Sorry if I alarmed everyone, but life really did suck for that day or two. 

Cecelia, I am so so glad Stinky loves you. Thats all he really is, a cuddlebutt. When Zac doenst piss him off, he is the sweetest furball I've ever had. I am a bit suprised he and Joey get along. But that is a very good thing. 

So it stopped snowing the day after Christmas, rained like crazy, and this morning we wake up to..gues what... snow?  The weather here in Vancouver is even more weird and unpredictable than it is in Nampa. I just dont get it. Oh, and I should put, after the last day it snowed? It went from 16 degrees to 40. How? 

New Years was uneventful. We are New Years apathetics. We havent watched the ball go down in years, although mostly thats due to being at a family friends house where there is so many people you cant see the TV. So this year we went back to O'Shanahans in downtown. It is a little sports pub, neither of us drink, but man do they have good food there!! And happy hour food goes until 8pm, so by the time we get out of there, the place hasnt had a chance to fill up or get loud. 

I have completed Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, and did watch the made-for-tv movie and love both. The movie wasnt oscar worthy, but well enough for my taste.  I think I may like Northanger better than even Pride and Predjudice. The book that is. So now I am about 112 pages into The Canterbury Tales by Geoffry Chaucer. It was written in the 1300's, and it is quite alarmingly funny!! Albeit so far having two words that we see in this day and age as undesirable, back then it was perfectly normal speech, but it was quite shocking to see them in a story from seven hundred years ago. If you enjoy the middle ages, this book is quite insightful and very good. 

So, and this is mostly for you Linda, (wink) as of yesterday and today I have been and will be scouting out jobs. Part time, wherever. Yesterday as nothing was open, I ticketed the chain stores since I could apply online. Today, I will be going around to the coffee shops and the bagel shops and stuff. I hope something comes up soon. I hate job searching so much. Pray for me please. 

Oh, update on my mother and her ankle...she is off the heavy pain meds, but still in her cast. Doesnt get moved to a boot until March I think. She has sequestered herself in my old room on a recliner and I suppose she is quite comfortable considering she's spent plenty of nights sleeping on it when dad got to snoring too bad.

Alright, I've tried to pay a few bills online this morning too, and they dont seem to be working so I am giong to have to call them. Hope you all had a wonderful new years!

Bear with me...

Life is sucking a little bit right now and writing just insnt on the forefront of my mind at the moment. I should be back in a day or so. 

4 days until 2009!

Well, Christmas came and went without incident...well, here in Vancouver anyways. Back home, I get a call from my sister who tells me that mom snapped her ankle in half. Yes, you heard right... in half... as in her foot is dangling to the right, while her ankle is on the left, and her leg is still somewhere actually attached to her body. Ofcourse it was the first Christmas that I am away. Why not? Anywho, she is doing just fine, on pain meds. She had surgery Christmas eve and received one plate and 4 screws (yuck.) .  She is on a walker right now, and after about 6 weeks she will get a boot and a crutch. Every year it is tradition to have a big yummy seafood dinner Xmas eve... dad and Shannon got treated to green beans at the hospital cafeteria. 

We, on the other hand finally got a digital camera! However as of right now I dont have any photos that dont involve suprise shots of me in my bathrobe and morning hair groping for the lights first thing in the morning, so no photos today. 

It has started to rain in the past couple of days, so after 2 weeks of being cancelled, we finally get to go to church!! It does get old when it is snowing and automatically schools shut down and church is cancelled and everyone completely freaks out. I just dont get it. Although now that we actually get to go to church, do I feel like going anywhere? Do I feel like taking a shower? Ahem. No. I feel like a cup of tea and sitting with scripture perhaps. Actually, make that a couple cups of tea to wake up, and then maybe breakfast so that I might comprehend what I would be reading. 

Oh well. I am looking forward to 2009 and the events that will take place. I am looking forward to starting the year again and be just a little better than I was in 2008. I dont do resolutions, but changes for the better. I just pray the Lord helps me remember them. Hope you all had a great and wonderful Christmas!

Its too early to think of a title for this post.

It is 6:30 am. In the morning. In the early freakin morning. And Im not sleepy. Why? I ask aloud. I was dreaming the most awesome dream, it was an encore presentation to the book I was reading last night. In my dream the castle actually got stormed by the bad guys and the entire land was thrown into darkness... I, nearly escaping death a few times, got in close with the enemy ranks as an undercover being, leading on as if I truly were subverted by the Dark Lord to his followers, and yet always going back to my band of good guys with the knowledge I gained to try to break things apart from the inside and restore happiness and sunshine to all the land. The detail was so good and the dialogue was awesome, and then Zacs alarm jarred me awake. So I sent him off to work, fully intending to go back to bed to finish off saving the world, and now I cant sleep. I know if I forced myself to, I would wind up with a huge ol' headache and then be sleeping until 11:30. I know this because every other time I go back to bed that happens. I just cant get up at 8am. Ever. Here is the kicker.... IM YAWNING LIKE CRAZY but Im not sleepy.

Anywho, today, somehow, is Christmas Eve. (already?!) It is definitely not as eventful as years past. Christmas will be opening gifts, breakfast, going to a movie and then slugging out the rest of the day. And then its over. And then a whole new year is upon us, the one where I will turn 24. The one where starting a family will come into play. The one where hopefully God will grant us a home of our own. It will definetly be a year of firsts. I am excited, albeit a little apprehensive.

I really do wish that we were home for Christmas. I miss my family. And my kitty. And my best friend. It really is amazing how much we take for granted and then realize just how much everyone means to you when you leave. 8 hours away isnt bad, its not like I'm in France or anything, but winter time here is ridiculous. (Oh and the best part about the weather? This year we move up here is the worst winter they have had since 1968.) The interstate is closed throughout Oregon, to even get on the I-205, chains are required, to drive even into Portland, chains are required. And yet nary a snow plow to be seen. None. Nobody even shovels the walk. It is a bit ludicreous. But I am enjoying the snow, however it does remind me of plopping Stinky in the snow last Christmas and watching him zoom around in it. He would put his front paws out straight and then just snow plow down the driveway. He'd chase snowballs too, and then get confused when they dissapeared into the snow, then I'd toss a little snow ball onto his butt and the poor thing would get so confused, so he'd plow through the snow again looking for it. Thanks for permitting me a small memory. 

Zac might only have a half day today, so that means that if I go to bed, he would come home at 10:30 and I'd be asleep. Maybe I will force myself to get up at 8. (I say that every time) If anything, the house is chilly and my bed is warm, and if logic serves me right, then theoretically.... I should go back to bed. Good night.

Its a good day.

I had a dream last night that I went to visit my best bud Cecelia and actually got to sit down with her and talk, and to visit my kitty Stinky while there. She had a gazillion baby kittens too... like 4 week old little fuzzballs. It was such a relaxing and deep dream it felt like I was actually there. I woke up so refreshed and happy that I was able to hug my kitty again and to just hang out and talk with my friend I hardly ever see. I love it when dreams are that good. It was better than the dream I had before that, I think I was in Las Vegas or something and the people I was with kept shifting and somewhere was scenario where I lost my purse, and the only person helping me was a girl named Jess from A Path Less Followed blog...(Ive never ever met her let alone talked to her), but then she got whisked away by a flood... I think I prefer the simplicity of the first dream. It is indeed something I have been wanting to do anyways.

It stopped snowing. I am stuck at home again, Zac had to take the car. So I am making jam thumbprint cookies. (oh darn.) I do have to go to the store however, before they all close Christmas eve. I am getting excited about Christmas coming up... I hope all your holidays are coming together nicely. I have to go try to not burn some cookies..

Snow Beanies

It hasnt stopped snowing. Yesterday we went out side, 5 inches of snow, with 1/2 inch solid ice on top of it. Every where. Even on the other side of town. (We had to go buy more sand bags for the truck. Yes I know it was Sunday. Church was cancelled by the way, 2nd week in a row.) Look at the distance between my fingers. It took 45 minutes to chip the ice off my car. It looked like someone dumped water on my car just as it was freezing. My lock had 1/2 inch of ice on it. So a bathtub of hot water later....

So then this morning, I wake up to this: Those are steps by the way. It snowed about another 3 inches last night, and we have snow drifts in a few spots.

So Zac took the car today, has better snow abilities and the sand bags 

never got out of my car and into the truck...hehe... so I am stuck at home today. There is no way I am driving that truck, even with sandbags in the snow again. So I woke up with Zac like usual, made him Breakfast and his lunch and set to work on my first time crocheting a beanie. I am so pleased!! It worked!

Its 8am now... got a disaster calling my name. Seriously, if ya didnt know any better, you'd think 5 people lived here on the weekends. I've gotta stop taking weekends off. Mondays are just a disaster!

Ponderings of the Christmas Sort.

Thanks to my dear parents, our little tree doesnt look so lonely anymore!! I am not sure who the Crate & Barrel package is from, there was no return address, but I am assuming it is from an aunt and uncle that go for the pre-packaged gifts every year.

I am finally getting into the Christmas mood...now that my packages will be mailed out today and mom sent dads Christmas cookies. Zac is even getting into the spirit a bit now that we have gifts under..well.. next to our tree. This season has been a hard one, with everything I have ever associated Christmas with so far behind me... it is really making me start to think really what this whole Christmas schtick is all about. 

Here in Vancouver, I dont have a roaring fireplace. I dont have the laughter and warmth of parents and in-laws. I dont have the dinners dad makes us. I dont have the stockings that are normally hung. I dont have the comfort of being 10 minutes away from either set of parents. Among other things....

So sitting here with my baby Christmas tree, with the thoughtful gifts my parents sent, I am beginning to wonder why we even bother celebrating Christmas anyways. Yes, I am a church going person, yes I believe in Jesus and the virgin birth. But why then, now that all I hold familiar is stripped away, why o why does it just feel like another day? Have I really not focused on the fact that Christmas is really the celebration of the good news that Heavenly Father sent us? I was pondering this thought yesterday. I suppose up until yesterday, the only way I ever really felt the Christmas spirit was through all those material things that kinda helped it along. It never once was really about Jesus. Until Yesterday.

And the thing is, is now that I contemplate it more, it is such a different feeling to have the Christmas Spirit in Christ than the former feeling I was looking for. It is more quiet, complacent, reverent. It is warming from the inside. It definetly isnt as hectic, as chaotic as the other kind of Christmas spirit... Having the spirit in Christ is, gosh I dont even know the words. I guess what I am trying to say is that finally realizing that Christmas stripped from its wrapping paper is pure love, well.. that is a miracle. That Our Lord sent his only son to save mankind, even thousands of years after His mortal death, from the mortal sins we create and posess, that we may progress to be as He was.  That through Him we are saved from Satan and his wiles, that we are offered eternal life in His house, that we do have the chance to repent and be forgiven. What a loving God we have.

It sure makes Christmas seem alot more peaceful. Christmas in Vancouver may just be the best one I've had yet. 

Lord I am so thankful for thy presence on this Earth. I am thankful that thou hast chosen us to share thy good news and that we might be saved. I ask Lord, this season to please bless those who need thy word, and also those of us who know it, to please impress it upon us once again and I say these things in the name of our dear savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

I finally have a tree.

Its almost a 12 incher. I couldnt stand not having a tree for the third year in a row, so I went to Craft Warehouse and got me one. 

I feel a little more Christmas spirit-y. Tomorrow the gifts will be mailed.. yes I know there are 8 days until Christmas. 

It feels like I can relax a little bit now. It stopped snowing for a bit, but man its cold. And myself, being the genius that I am, caught my lunch on fire this afternoon, set the fire alarm off, and had to open the patio door, the window and the front door. I froze.  I am starting miss being 10 minutes away from my moms house this time of year. I know she has her fire place roaring, their tree with all our ornaments are up, Dad has baked cookies and mom has put up the decorations. Its becoming really hard to realize that I am 8 hours away. 

Oh well, I am enjoying the snow at the very least.

Snow

It snowed. It hasnt gotten over 28 degrees all week, and we are supposed to get hammered by another Alaskan storm all week. Freakin brrrr.

So far we havent gotten that much, but it has been a steady snow all morning. That means because Vancouverites are weenies, I have to go to the store now before they close on account of snow.

Just in time for Xmas... maybe this will get my head on straight.

 

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Gift bags make it look like you got more than you actually did.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. The woodstove wont dry that sucker out!
3. When do you put up the tree? Well, in the days when I had trees, 3 weeks before Xmas. I dont have a tree this year. Or last.
4.When do you take the tree down? 3 days after Xmas. No point in having a tree in the house otherwise.
5. Do you like eggnog? You mean to ask if I like sludge scraped from the drainpipe? Uh, no.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I was spoiled rotten, so I dont really remember any favorites. Fave adult gift: hubby gave me a gorgeous pearl necklace with diamonds last year.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Grampa chuck or hubs.
8. Easiest person to buy for? Me.  
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Never had one. my life is bleak.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I try to mail them every year. They are still sitting on the desk in front of me.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Used bath lotions and sprays from my dead grandmas house. 
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Its a show really: Claymation Christmas.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? LoL. Im just starting that, thank you.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Maybe I did, maybe i didnt.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Christmas eve seafood buffet, Christmas breakfast, everything else that goes with it.
16. Lights on the tree? I prefer all white. But our tree growing up was a mess of blinking lights and aluminum foil. We could have landed a few UFO's.
17. Favourite Christmas song? O come O come Emmanuel
18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home? HOME!
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes. I can even recite the night before Christmas by heart.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I prefer stars, but once again.... there is no tree.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning Christmas? Immediate family gifts Xmas eve + 1 random gift.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? How not into it I feel. 
23. What theme or color are you using? I have a figurine of an xmas bunny. That is the only decoration I have put up. I'd put up more, but there is no place for them. Boo.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? As always, Mexican food.  
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I dont know. Fisrt Xmas without the family. So far, I think I am going to get a tiny little tree from the craft store.

Ok, well that didnt help. Oh well. Tomorrow I will git 'er dun!

Quick update cuz I feel like poo.

We got our first snow yesterday. *Ahem. Did I say snow? I meant skiff of white stuff that flew over the road. Minute amounts of white flurry that didnt stick. They cancelled church. Because of the snow. Because Washington doesnt even OWN snow plows. When it snows here, and these are the words of a Vancouver-ite that has lived here all his life: "the city just shuts down and waits it out."

Anywho, today was sunny, this week though we are supposed to get slammed with some nice snow storms straight in from Alaska. Ok I feel like crapola so I am going now. 

I. LOVE. MY. BED.

No that is not code for anything... today I slept in until 10:30 because I was so gosh darn comfy!!! 

My sleep number is 35. I woke up this morning so late, half because hubs went to bed at 9pm, so ofcourse after we read, I was a little tired... I was awake in bed for 3 and a half hours. But I just couldnt get up... oh no... I was snug as a bug in a rug. Normally when I wake up, it is at 8 or 8:30 and I have no problem doing so because I hurt like h-e double hockey sticks and the need to move around and pop all the joints in my body trumps staying in bed and sleeping. But now... oh now! The second love of my life has arrived! (Yes I realize that 2nd position will be replaced by baby #1 eventually) but for now, ahhhhhhhh.

Its raining out, finally a full blown rain. Latley we've either had sun or mist. That means that I am certainly not going anywhere. So far my big plan today was to go check out the ENORMOUS Cost Plus down the street, because ofcourse, Cost Plus just isnt the same anywhere you go. Not to mention it is 11:30 and I am still in my robe trying suck down a cup of tea. 

Man I love having a camera on this phone. I still want a camera though. So todays plan of attack is a good thorough cleaning, and to finish up Christmas cards. Zac still hasnt gotten paid yet, so I cant do Christmas shopping yet. Boo.

Oh we went to see the Twilight movie, I absolutley refuse to read the books. So gathering what I could from the movie, I still dont want to read the books. Apparently the movie is a ton cleaner than the books, but the main girl Bella is made to be a complete stuttering idiot that is confused by everything and just cant comprehend anything either. Complete blithering idoit. Not to mention, she always has a look on her face like she will vomit at any given time...it goes back and forth between that and having dog poop under her nose. And also not to mention, she is supposed to fall in love with Edward...to my understanding like head over heels I-would-kill-for-him in love.... the most she gives him is half of an awkward smile and some more stuttering. Edward, the main vampire, is as equally as retarded, just in a different way, the way Bella stutters when she cant get something out is about the equivalent of Edward being silent and opening and closing his mouth like a fish when he cant get something out. There are scenes in the movie that you would just looove to punch either of them a few times. T-t-t-t-today, Bella!!

It wasnt a bad movie though, just frusterating at times. Im still undecided if I will watch it again. Probably not. So there you have it folks, an unofficial guide to the latest vampire hype. I honestly still dont understand why the movie was such a big deal. Wasnt that good. Perhaps its because I havent read the books. I still refuse. Oh well. 

Alright, I am off to go make another cup of tea and catch up on some blogs. 

Ow. Owww. (Oh..and my phone camera is working!)

YYEEEOOOWWW!! Yes folks, that was the lovely sound I made in my head this morning upon rising to make hubs breakfast at o'dark freakin thirty am. It may have felt better to scream it out loud, but I felt my hamstrings were doing for me already.

So Monday, worked out as normal. Added in arm weights and then did some quad and hamstring lifts. Now dont get me wrong, I dont do the gung-ho approach to weightlifting. I did a set of 12. As in I bent my legs 12 times. Thats it. Felt fine afterwords. 

Tuesday hit, and ok, I was a little sore, no biggie. So I decided to forgo the workout and just do yoga. The program I found was to open up you hips, which was amazing feeling! And also just general stretching yoga too. I felt great and lengthened.

And then comes this morning. My hamstrings feel like, well, lets just say it took me about an hour this morning to be able to walk on them without bending my knees. Ow. It has been awhile since I did leg weights, and somehow, now, after the fact that my legs hate me, I am remembering that it was always the 2nd day after doing weightlifting that always killed me and I had vowed to never ever do it again. (I was 15? 16? at the time.)

So nothing a bath and some Ibuprofen cant help. Geez. I hate it when body parts rebel. So on the good news side of things: Our bed comes tomorrow between 1-5pm. I am thankful that it is not like the Idaho cable guys who say to expect them between 8-5pm Monday Through Friday- Sharp. I always hated that. You were prisoner for a dang week in your home, making sure you didnt miss them.  

Along with our bed, we also got 2 free bathrobes,

 combined total value of $190! (people would actually pay that much for a bathrobe??) Although they are VERY nice. They quilted, with that soft fleecy stuff inside. And they are heavy. It feels like you are wearing an old fashioned drap with a sash. Oh and they are monogrammed HIS and HERS. And I see why now, because I accidently threw on Zacs and it is HUGE. It may as well be a blanket. But holy crap they are warm,  which is nice, I can keep the heat to a minimum. 

Oh, and I finally figured out how to get the photos off of my phone, so here are the pics Zac took on our trip to Lucia Falls.

Oh, and I've officially admitted Im a complete nerd.

So there is a lady in our church named Ginny Potter, right? They announced her name in church on Sunday, and Zac didnt hear it very well, so he asked me to repeat it. Went something like this:

Him: Did they say Germy Potter?

Me: No, they said Ginny Potter.

Him: Oh.

Me: Which is funny because ya know in those Harry Potter books? Ginny Weasly ends up marrying Harry Potter, thus becoming Ginny Potter! So she's Harry Potters wife! 

(ive got a big grin on my face at this point, marvelling at how clever I am.)

(insert huge eye roll from hubs..)

Him: WOW. You are such a nerd. 

Then he said something about me bringing up Star Wars... but I dont remember what he said. Fine. I admit it. Im a Nerd and proud of it. At least we nerds can put two and two together.

Monday morning

Good morning all. This morning was especially hard to wake up, I kept thinking I heard Stinky meowing every so often, then I'd move to go get him, but then remembered he is back in Idaho. So I didnt get much sleep. We didnt do much this weekend. Saturday Zac didnt have to work so we bummed around the house, no cleaning happened...hehe... (yes I am paying for it today!) I made sketti, and thats about it. Sunday was about the same, just insert church some where in the middle of it. 

There is an awesome website that has waaay cute long skirts, denim, khaki, you name it. I couldnt remember the name of it to save my life! So I searched. And searched. And then finally decided to look through all the comments on this girls blog I read, where I had thus clicked on another blog and found the website link. And I found the blog! And she had made it private. With no means of contacting her. So I gave up and found one for $20 on ebay. That is way more that I would prefer to pay, but I do realize that you cant really find anything like that for any cheaper. Not to mention NO stores sell them. Hardley any do even on the internet!! Apparently we are anti long skirt nation!! 

Im not really ready to tackle the day today. Sunday was such a nice relazing day. It was pouring, so we took our umbrellas with us on our 15 second walk across the street to the building. I havent used an umbrella since I was like, 8. One of the neighboring churches was holding that nativity all last week and als Sunday so thier congregation was invited to join our congregation... it was a full chapel!!! But I have never heard such beautiful singing! The voices were so loud and joyous that the organist had to play a little extra loud, as in we could hear the re-verb of the speakers. It was nice. 

Ofcourse being the christmas season, all the talks were centered around Christ(which is normal anyways) but also around making the holidays stress free. Huh? Whats that? I just only realized that we have19 days until Christmas, Zacs first check doesnt come until the end of the week, I have to get stocking stuffers out ASAP, which then means I have to figure out what to get who... I dont think we will be able to fly back home, it will be about $500 round trip for both of us. Airlines dont do Christmas specials apparently. I havent even thought about a tree. I do have a small xmas village, but I have no furniture at the moment so there really is no where to put it. I will figure it out. 

Good morning

Zac drove me down the street last night to finally see mount hood. It is seriously this big in front of you, and yet it is a loooong ways away.

Oh I cant wait for our bed to get here!! I am so dang achy and migrainy. Our last place wasnt to awful, it had wood floors underneath the carpet, underneath our foam pads. Here we have some lovely concrete under that carpet. Owwwie. Our bed comes next Thursday. Perhaps it will help my dreams too, lately they have sucked. My alarm woke me up this morning in the middle of getting screamed at by my husbands female boss. (I havent even met Zacs boss. And I know he isnt a woman.)

I am not working out today. Last night was night 3 in a series of days that have given me perhaps 4 hours of sleep a night. My brain just wont shut off! And no, I dont drink caffeine or eat before bed. Not to mention every prominent bone in my body juts out onto the floor... oh yea, I think I finally lost a few pounds. i dont have a scale anymore/yet, maybe I will go and try one out at Target. 

Since we got Verizon, I cant talk to the one person I yak at everyday anymore - my mother. But she got me onto Yahoo Messenger, and apparently if you have a microphone and speakers, you can call PC-to-PC and talk like a normal phone conversation for free! Who needs a phone? Whichever party wants to talk, presses call, then the other partys computer rings! You pick it up and yak away. I really like Verizon, but their service is so gosh-darn expensive. O well. The phone is cool.

I am excited for Sunday night too.. every Chistmas up here apparently all the different churches in the Gorge get together and make a HUGE recreation of ancient Bethlehem. Apparently they have camels, and lepers and whatnot and so forth. I think that it is really cool that all the different denominations can come together and put such a loving effort into bringing the community together. 

So todays plan of attack... uh... yeah. Well... I woke up at 9:30... and here I am still at 10:18. I think I will go take a bath and try to loosen up my aching muscles. Then take a nap. Who am I kidding, I'll probably get ready and then go take my rent check down, then clean the house and then go on a scouting mission for a broom. I think mine got left behind in my parents garage. I only discovered that I didnt have one after a pail of black eyed peas dumped its contents on top of me and all over the kitchen. I love picking up beans by hand. 

Now that I got paid, perhaps I will actually go get some food items. Hehe... I also discovered Zac hates eating vegetarian. Now we are not Veggies by anymeans, we were just strapped for cash for the past week, so I made bean soup because, well.. thats what I had. And the first thing out of his mouth? There's no meat in it? So my main mission today is to get ahold of a hamsteak. I will do my regular food shopping when he gets paid. I keep telling him we should just become ranchers, then we would have no shortage of red meat. 

Ok, I've got to hit the shower, well, bath to be more exact. Have a great day!

A long update.

Well,we made it. Today starts day 3 of housewifing, and I am thoroughly loving every second of it. It is so fulfilling to be able to get what needs to be done, done! Here is an account of what has taken place since last wednesday:

Wednesday, November 26th: We scrambled to finish cleaning our apartment, had the property manager nose through it. He even checked for dust on the top of the cabinets. Really?? Zac cant even reach those. Oh well, dont have to put up with him any longer. So while this was taking place, I had stuffed my poor kitty in my car so he would be out of the way, and boy was he unhappy. (poor schmoo) So Zac had everything loaded into the pickup and he left for my moms. I had Stinky and left for Cecelias, albiet late, but she was awesome and stayed for me. Then I left for moms bawling my eyes out all the way there. Got to moms, and ate a wonderful early Thanksgiving dinner. Needless to say we were stuffed to the gills, ( surprise?) and then Zac went to go hang out one last time with his family and I stayed at mine... all 4 of us just slugged out on the couch and watched TV. Good times. Then it was bed and 6am came mighty early.

Thursday, November 27th, Thanksgiving: 6am we were up dangit. I actually got to sleep in a bed that night so I was sleeping very well. I decided to be a bit selfish and I took my time to get ready and shower while Zac went to help my dad pack the vehicles. I went out there to help them, but anyone who knows my dad and packing, well... you just dont get in the way of his "art". He is the master packer if I ever saw one. So I went in to help mom with breakfast. Which was fine, because it was freezing outside and I had to snitch a few sausages anyways. (tee hee) We left the driveway at 9am, and went to Grandma and Grampa Young's house (Zacs g-parents), then to his parents. Then finally, we left for the freeway about 10-ish. My grandparents are in Ontario, Oregon which was on the way so we stopped in to see them as well. Then we were really off. Granpa gave us his 3-mile walkie talkies, which made the drive sooooo much better. Since we were driving separate cars, we had no one to talk to and only country as radio stations. So having those little gadgets were very nice. Especially when we hit fog. Well, I should say cloud. Going up the blues was fine until we hit the summit and there was a cloud on top of it. Couldn't see a darn thing. But right ast we hit back to ground level, it was clear. Was a little scary though. We just got behind a semi and stayed put.  

The trip up I-84 through Oregon is so freakin ugly and desolate. It looks like a freezing version of nevada with sparse, and I mean sparse trees. We stopped in a tiny town called Arlington to gas up. This place was kinda cool, was built into a hillside and looked like a Christmas Card. And then through more desolation. We were by the river the entire time, but it just was sage brush. Then, we hit the Columbia River Gorge.... BREATHTAKING!! It was so beautiful, and we got there right when the sunset hit... oh the photos don't even do it justice. It got dark as soon as we got towards our exit, and ofcourse started to rain. Nothing is better than fining your way in the dark and rain on a HUGE freeway where exits turn into exits. But we made it. 

We unloaded our stuff, and then decided to drive the main drag, Mill Plain Blvd, which is a block or two away from us. There is so much stuff here!! We discovered we are in the upper-crust section of town, and there is everything you could ever want here in our little bubble. The little "quadrant" we are in is called Fishers Landing and Cascade Park area. So being Thanksgiving, nothing is open and we were starving so we went to Sharis. (yeah, I know) But get this... Shari's up here is a far, far cry from the ones in Nampa. The food was actually AWESOME!! and it wasnt just cuz we were hungry. 

Friday, November 28th: Slept in until the late ol' time of 8am. We got ready and hit the town again. This was also Black Friday. Well, we figured out that our Tmobile phone does not get service up here at all. So we went to the Verizon store and got an awesome Black Friday deal on a Venus LG. I love this phone. Mostly because you can hear out of it. We were so excited to go check out the town, we had forgotten breakfast. But every wonderful place has a Pita Pit, right?? Oh yeah baby! Right across from Verizon. Nothing makes you feel at home like a Wal-mart and a Pita Pit. :)  I had a gift card to burn at Target, so we went down a block and got Zac some new work pants and myself a new purse, and a hot water maker. We drink a lot of tea in this house, so hot water needs to be always on demand and a tea kettle is just too slow. (we're not americans, are we? lol) Our new phone has unlimited GPS, so used it. All day long. We found Walmart, and plenty of other things. It was a fun day.We GPS'd our way to down town, which kinda looks like downtown Payette. Kinda dumpy, just old. Went to this Irish Pub and Grill O'Shanahans and got there in time for Happy Hour. We had AMAZING fish tacos, a HUGE plate of cheesy fries, and marinated steak bites and probably between the both of us the equivalent of two 2 liters of coke. Pop refills are free at bars, I didnt know that. Then home it was.

Saturday, November 29th: Woke up and unpacked a bit. Went to meet the LandLady to sign paperwork and get aquainted with the fitness room and laundry center. Went back to the house and GPS'd our way to the mall. It is called Shoppingtown. And I thought Boise Town Square Mall was kinda dumb.. So we wandered around, there are a few stores we dont have in Boise, but for the most part everything was familiar. Except the Sleep Comfort store. Oooohhh.....heaven on Earth. So most of you know that we got rid of our bed about a year ago because it was causing Zac to have back trouble and migraines right?? Well we have been sleeping on foam camping pads for the past year. Not exactly comfortable to someone (me) who likes sleeping on cloud-like objects. So the second we laid down on the sleep number beds, it was like a chorus of angels were above us singing the cliched "Halleluyah!".  I felt nothing on my hips, my spine, my shoulder blades, nothing! Zac loved it just as much as I did! So we decided that this was going to be an in-the-near-future purchase, just not right now. But then we went back to bed on our foam. Both of us after feeling the bed and then waking up from the floor, decided in an instant that we needed a bed. (YAY!) So it comes in a week or so. My sleep number is 35, his is 55. Im excited, I've already picked out a bed set. (Im such a woman)

Sunday, November 30th: Slept in and ate breakfast. Called Cecelia to see how she was, give her my new number and see how schmoo-bug was doing. Apparently he is liking Cecelia and was ready to go outsided, so that makes me feel at peace. Went to church at 1pm, got home at 3pm...Oh thats the other awesome thing! We timed walking to the church and it took :37 seconds! We can see it from our house. Then we just slugged out and unpacked and I made dinner. 

Monday, Tuesday: Zac went to work. I stayed here on Monday... Went and talked to management about our mailbox key, then worked out for an hour, then came home and finnished unpacking. Zac came home at 3, which I wasnt prepared for, but I didnt mind. We went to Wal mart. Tuesday I worked out, then ran errands and then discovered that Zac is supposed to come home at 3, not 5.  

I love having the time to slowly wake up and have my tea, make breakfast, fit in a workout before getting the errands done. I love having the house clean and myself put together. And I can wear jeans!!! In Boise, every day I had to wear office attire except weekends when it was church clothes for a few hours and then I was so worn out it was just sweats and no shower.  Oh! And it smells like pine trees, there are so many trees!!! It is cloudy 99% of the time and misty/rainy. It is absolutly gorgeous up here. I really like this relaxing thing. I got a late start today, usually I am up at 8:30, but today I slept in an extra hour. Just couldnt get to sleep last night, rather couldnt get comfy.  So that has been my week in a nutshell... I am happy to finally have the internet again. Oh and another great thing, Washington doesnt tax food. I bought lunch stuff for $15.26 and it was $15.26. Amazing.