Random Reflections

2010 by the numbers

2011-01-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

2010 was a pretty fabulous year in my opinion...... Here is just a quick rundown of the year by the numbers......

1 new kitty - Penny joined our family in January and has provided a lot of entertainment and a lot of love.

2 Adirondack chairs - new additions to the balcony and the majority of where we spent our summer..... sangrias in hand of course. :)

3 new babies - our darling niece Aven, Chrissy's new baby James, and Kat's new baby Graylon.

4 years of marriage to Bryce - it has all flown by so quickly and I couldn't have asked for a better partner in life.

5 weddings - Danced, ate cake and celebrated the special days with five of our closest friends this year.

6 rooms painted in our house - it took a lot of time but was well worth it!

8 girls only slumber parties - and some of the best memories ever!

9 day trip to beautiful Oahu - got to eat fabulous food, swim and tan all day, and even caught up with one of Bryce's old housemates!

15 credits that I have completed towards my Master's degree

28 years old - celebrated my 28th birthday in July and this has been my favorite age so far :)

50 miles that were ran and/or biked per month from May - August

75 years of the University of Portland School of Nursing - what an honor to celebrate 75 years of excellence on the Bluff!

114 miles roundtrip for a couples cabin retreat in Cougar, WA over the summer. The weekend was full of Scattegories, horseshoe and beer.

573 total friends on Facebook

628 nursing students that I am currently advising and overseeing.

1160 miles travelled to Sacramento and back in two days to help celebrate Christa's wedding. Was a fabulous trip with our dear friend Stevie full of good food, rockin' music, cupcakes and magazines.

My best friend's wedding

2010-10-06T10:15:00.001-07:00

Sigh........ what a wonderful weekend. One of my very best friends in the world (the lovely Ashley Cantlon-now-Simonson) got married. It was such a special weekend full of laughter, tears, and delicious food. Here are some of my favorite highlights:

Friday - Ashley's bachelorette party. We went out to Lola's room to go dancing and it was 80's night. They had three large screens up playing the videos from back in the day so that we could all dance along. It was such a fun time and the music that was being played was so great no one could sit still for long despite how much our feet hurt. Favorite moment - all 25 girls forming a circle around the bride as she danced to Madonna's "Vogue".

Saturday - Dinner with family and friends at Lucky Lab. Delicious pizza, salad and dessert included. Afterwards, 10 of us (Ashley's closest friends) headed out to Edgefield to hang out in the soaking pool and get to know each other better. It was so much fun because all 10 of us have been in Ashley's life at different points (grade school, high school, college) and have all heard of one another and this was the first time all of us were in one room together. We had a slumber party with the bride and laughed until tears rolled down our faces. Favorite moments - 1) Talking to Ashley's dad about the wedding and how proud he is of her. 2) Hanging out in the soaking pool and sharing stories about who we are and how much we love our dearest Ashley.

Sunday - Ashley and her sister woke us up with mimosas and muffins. Afterwards, the two of them started to get ready while the 10 of us headed out to the site to help with set up. Ashley's parents and Joshua's parents greeted us with coffee and large smiles. We frantically helped set up chairs and set up the tables with centerpieces. Afterwards, we headed back to Edgefield for a nice relaxing brunch before we dolled ourselves up. We then headed back to the site (Bridal Veil Lake) for the wedding. The wedding was fantastic with the bride and groom doing their own vows, Ashley's father saying some kind words about marriage, Joshua's dad reading his favorite prayer, and then the bride and groom finally canoeing off towards the reception site. The food at the reception was delicious, the wine flowed, and the dancing was entertaining. Favorite moments: 1) Ashley's sweet vows. 2) Seeing Ashley's dad and Joshua both tear up. 3) Ashley's 5 year old nephew Brady grooving to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" at the reception.

Below are some snapshots from the big day........ Congrats to Mr and Mrs Simonson! I love you both!

What a great September so far!

2010-09-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

Magic Mile Sky Ride at Mt Hood

Bryce and I rode the Magic Mile Sky Ride at Mt Hood and had glorious weather to hike around and check out Timberline Lodge as well. Despite years of living in Portland, that was our first time visiting that area and we had a wonderful time. The view was spectacular and the wind felt great as we hiked around.

Such a big kitty

Penny is officially a big, adult cat now and is eating "big girl food". She's been a great addtion to the house and has been getting along really well with our other cat Sydney. The two will frequently take cat naps together and even give each other little kisses now and again.

New addition to the Marquardt family

Chrissy and her husband CJ welcomed their first child on September 1st. Welcome to the world James Elijah! Bryce and I were fortunate to be able to go and visit the little guy when he was just 4 days old. He is absolutely precious and I couldn't be happier for my friends. I've known Chrissy for 10 years now and just know that she is going to be a spectacular mom.

I love this picture of Bryce and CJ cooing over baby James. Between the arrival of our cute niece and now sweet little James, Bryce and I are getting lots of time to hold and play with darling little babies.

Nehalem Bay Camping trip
Bryce and I took a nice little weekend trip to our favorite spot, Nehalem Bay. We had a great time sitting on the beach reading, warming up around the fire, strolling on the beach, eating delicious clam chowder, and just spending time together. Below are some of my favorite snaps from the weekend.

Family Camping Trip 2010

2010-08-17T20:30:00.001-07:00

This last weekend we had a wonderful time at the annual Majors/Bates/Grimm family camping trip. We hiked, ate yummy food, enjoyed the sun, and oohed and aahed over sweet Aven. It was a wonderful time for everyone to be together, laugh and share stories. Here are some highlights..... all featuring Aven naturally. :)

Sacramento Road Trip

2010-08-08T16:56:00.001-07:00

Just got back from a weekend trip to Sacramento. Bryce, my friend Stevie and I took a road trip down to California to attend our friend Christa's wedding. We accomplished a lot in 3 days. We were able to have breakfast with the Southern Oregon family, celebrated Bryce's and my 4 year anniversary, toured Sacramento (including the capital and Old Sacramento), got to know Stevie's mom and grandma, attended Christa and Greg's wedding and then made it all the way home. Below are some snaps from our brief but fun filled journey.

End of July re-cap

2010-07-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

July has been a fabulously busy month. First my cousin Jon came and paid us a visit for the 4th of July. We had a fun time showing him around Portland and then on the 5th of July Bryce and I went up to Tacoma with Jon to watch the Seattle Mariners game. Here are some fun shots from his weekend visit......

Jon rode the train down so we picked him up at Union Station and got this awesome shot.

Then we went and visited Pittock mansion - it was a gorgeous day and there were tons of people having a picnic up there and taking in the fantastic view of the city.

We took Jon for a walk along the waterfront and got some cool pictures of the bridge.....

The required St. John's bridge/Cathedral park shot :)

Here are the three of us waiting to ride the brand new train over to the Mariners game. Then there are some pictures of us at Safeco.

A couple weeks ago Bryce and I, along with our friends Russell and Rachel, went out to Cougar, WA to spend a weekend at Karl and Noelle's cabin. It was a super fun couples weekend. The six of us relaxed, ate amazing food, drank good wine and beer, played countless amounts of horseshoe and Scattegories. It was an incredibly fun weekend. Here are a couple shots of us on one of the hikes we took - pretty amazing view of Mt. St Helens. :)

I love summer time. It's the best time of year because Bryce and I get to ride our bikes and go play tennis. I'm so grateful that Portland is such an active city because we truly do enjoy biking around town, running down the bluff, and playing tennis up at the Rose Garden.

Our sweet kitty Penny also enjoys all the warm weather. She has really taken to curling up in the sunshine and taking a quick nap.

Painting project 2010 is officially done! I'm so proud of us and all the changes we made. The room I'm most proud of is the bathroom. Not only did we paint, but we replaced the mirrors and light fixtures and hung up an awesome medicine cabinet. Check out the handy man.

Dessert at Papa Haydn in the summer sun - could there be anything better?

And of course - how could I not wrap up my July re-cap without mention of the 2010 World Cup Soccer Champions? VIVA ESPANA!!! I had such a blast watching the games with our friends the Dunns (who by the way always host themed parties) but Spain winning it all really was the icing on the cake. After spending 6 magical months in the splendid country of Spain I have a strong connection to it for a variety of reasons. I can't even express the number of times I screamed "Vamos Espana!" until they won. I hope that your summer is treating you well and that you are enjoying this weather as much as I am.

What have I been up to?

2010-07-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on the things going on lately......

I just finished up my summer school class and am now enjoying my official summer break until class starts up again in the Fall. I took Organizational Communication and Collaboration for Sustainability. It was a phenomenal course focuses on learning how to identify the many different stakeholders involved in decision making and how to get them involved. The other fantastic part of the class was that it was focused specifically on creating a sustainable future which I absolutely loved. My classmates were amazing and we all grew very close after 6 intense weeks together.

My co-workers and I threw a bridal shower for our former student worker Christa who is getting married in August. Bryce and I will be going and taking along with us my friend Stevie for the very long road trip. Christa is getting married in Sacramento and I am super excited for her. She is incredibly happy and is entering an exciting point in her life - not only is she getting married in August, but she will also be starting law school as well! I couldn't be more proud of her!

I just turned 28 and have a feeling that this is going to be a fantastic year. I loved 27 and am looking forward to what the next year will bring. I've had a wonderful birthday month so far. I've gotten a chance to spend time with friends and family and have also had the chance to have some alone time between running and reading outside. My hopes for the next year are to exercise a lot, do more yoga, eat healthy, try to lighten my footprint on the earth, take the time to read for pleasure at least an hour a day, and to continue to do well in school.

I had a super fun slumber party with my friends Erica and Christy. We spent the night at Christy's house and made cupcakes and smoothies, made friendship bracelets, face painted, watched movies, and just had a blast laughing and sharing stories. I remember how much I used to love slumber parties growing up and I was so excited to be able to have 2 slumber parties in the last month. They've each been a ton of fun!

We've been watching a lot of World Cup Soccer - particularly with our soccer pals the Dunns. We watch UP Women's soccer games with them during the year and so it only seems right that we watch World Cup soccer with them. They are a lot of fun because they are amazing cooks and for every game they always have a theme. For example, when we watched the USA vs. England game we had a tea party with scones and cucumber sandwiches. Delicious!

And now the most exciting part of what has been going on..... Bryce and I have a new niece (Aven) who is absolutely adorable and we are both completely in love with her. Here are some pics of the sweet little babe......

My Favorite Things 2009

2010-05-21T08:14:00.001-07:00

I do realize that this is long overdue (considering that it is May) - however, I do enjoy acknowledging what things made 2009 a little bit more special for me......

The Amazon Kindle - Oprah was right, this little device would change my life. I love my Kindle - it's small, light, and can carry thousands of books. It was especially handy when Bryce and I were travelling in Spain. I loaded up several books and didn't need to worry about making my bag even heavier. I still love actual books and will continue to collect them, however the Kindle is fantastic for travelling and also for saving on paper. In addition, there are always numerous free books available through Amazon and you can have several people on one account so that you can share books altogether. Bookclubs for the digital age!

Keel's Simple Diary. I love journaling however I don't always have the most fascinating stories to write about. However, this is the beauty of Keel's Simple Diary. With multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and boxes to doodle in, this diary will prompt you to search within yourself for depth, silliness and wit you may have never thought existed. I've grown to really enjoy journaling right before bed in this incredibly simple diary.

I love Pandora. I really do. It makes my work day go by a little faster, it makes my life a little sunnier, and it helps me discover new artists on a regular basis. Even though it has limited the number of hours that I can listen to it for free, I have diligently created additional email accounts in order to continue to have access to this amazing website.

Cha Taqueria - I don't have a picture but this was my favorite place to eat in 2009. Amazing happy hour, great service, and a delicious $5 tequila feliz too! By the way, that is a shot of tequila with a Dos Equis beer - delicious. This has ended up becoming one of our go-to places for when we want to eat outside in the sunshine, or had such a bad day we just need some delicious mexican food to make it a little better.

A long overdue update.....

2010-05-20T12:26:00.001-07:00

I have been a very bad blogger..... here's just a quick update of what has been going on:

Bryce and I have a new niece! We will be visiting her (and the entire Bates family) next weekend and we are incredibly excited to meet her.

Bryce and I are also in summer school - 6 intense weeks of school.

We started to paint our house which is super exciting. So far we have done the entire downstairs. Here is our living room with it's new red accent wall. I love it. It took several coats to get it just right but we are incredibly pleased with the way it turned out.

We also painted the kitchen a wonderful sunny yellow and added drapes over the sliding door leading out to our balcony. It's so nice and bright in there - I love it! Especially since we spend so much time eating it's great having something cheery to make food in. :)

We have new kitty! Her name is Penny and she gets along very well with her sister Sydney. Here she is enjoying one of her favorite views.

Just for fun - two girlfriends (Stevie and Christy) and I held a slumber party. It was a lot of fun. We cooked, ate, had show and tell which was INCREDIBLY entertaining, went out for gelato, watched movies, and bedazzled some shirts.

The University of Portland School of Nursing (where I work) celebrated its 75th anniversary and held an amazingly fun gala. Here is the staff looking lovely..... I don't think we've ever seen each other that dolled up and doubt that we'll look that fancy anytime soon.....

We've had two weddings so far in 2010. Stuey and Danielle got married in February and Zach and Hannah just got married this month. Both weddings were a lot of fun and it was great catching up with old friends. Here is gorgeous Hannah - she was an amazing bride. She even left me a 6 pack of PBR tall boys on my chair at the reception as a surprise. What a cool bride.

One last thing......

2009-06-09T19:17:00.001-07:00

If you get a chance check out Matt Kearney's new album "City of Black and White". I've had the thing on repeat since I bought it a few weeks ago. Even my husband likes it. And my husband is a notorious song skipper. He likes one song, skips 6 songs, likes that song, ejects the CD. Check it out.

Sorry old blog.... I seem to have forgotten about you.....

2009-06-09T19:06:00.000-07:00

It's so sad how easily I have forgotten about my poor little blog. I started grad school and suddenly I had no time for it. Homework became the big priority. Sigh..... well just a quick list of the latest happenings in my life.....

Allergy season is here - I spend most mornings sneezing so loudly that I frighten my poor cats, wake up my poor husband, and begin the day with a Rudolph red nose.

Biking season is here! Bryce and I are fair weather bikers.... meaning that we really only bike when the weather is dry and sunny. Nevertheless, we are biking to work and continuing our daily runs during the workday so we are in pretty darn good shape.

Work is incredibly busy - lots of new projects to take on. I'm going to spend my summer trying to create a user friendly website for our faculty advisors and am currently helping out with our Summer Immersion program which is launching this summer. We are going to have 36 incoming freshman come to campus, stay overnight for 3 nights, have an opportunity to follow the upper division students out in the clinical setting, play in the lab with faculty, as well as attend seminars led by UP faculty and staff. I hope we have a good turnout because it should be a really fun event.

Getting ready to go to Mexico for Venessa's wedding in August. I have the dress, have the shoes, have the plane ticket..... now I just need to go have some fun!

I've been serving as a Research Assistant for the Communication instructor that I had in the Spring semester and it's working out really nicely. I get to make some extra money on the side and get to do a lot of the work at home which is awesome. Any extra money definitely helps!

The iTouch has become my new, absolute favorite toy. Who would have thought that I would be such a tech geek?

I just got my new planner - this is probably really only exciting to me sadly.

Other than that - this is going to be a very busy summer full of time with friends and family so I'm looking forward to it!

Some things I know for sure.....

2009-02-23T21:32:00.000-08:00

1) It's really difficult working full time, making time for friends, exercising and staying healthy, and going to grad school......

2) ....... in the long run it will be worth it.

3) Apple can do no wrong. Bryce and I are the proud owners of one iTouch and are completely fascinated by it.

4) It's important to always have snack food easily accessible. I've started carrying granola bars around with me and my grumpiness level decreases..... Coincidence?

5) Coffee is my saving grace and will continue to be my saving grace until this semester is over.....

It's been awhile......

2009-01-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

I've been slacking and I really haven't meant too..... just a very quick list of what is going on right now......

Started Grad school - working full time, staying on top my homework, and still finding time for friends and date night with my husband is proving to be very challenging. It seems like I'm doing homework every night but I must admit that it does feel good going back to school.
Threw an engagement party for friends - Zach and Hannah just got engaged so my husband and I threw them a surprise engagement party this last weekend. Hannah's parents even flew down from Alaska for the party so that meant a lot to her. It was a fun evening full of wine and cheese, laughter, and a few rounds of Apples to Apples. Side note: At one point there were 12 of us playing the game and I can safely say I've never played a game with that many people but it was a lot of fun. :)
Work..... work...... work......
Planning for our trip to Spain - because of school and work Bryce and I haven't spent as much time as we would like planning for our trip in October. However, I do know that we'll be able to pull it together. I've always been a huge planner so I feel like I should be checking things off our to-do- list but lately I'm learning that not everything can be checked off. It will in time - but it doesn't need to be taken care of right now. Right now we just need to focus on breathing......

My Favorite Things - 2008

2008-12-12T15:40:00.000-08:00

Just the list of things that made 2008 all the more special......

Oh Papa Haydn - the most amazing dessert place in my mind. I salivate just thinking about the delicious dessert - the Panna Cotta, the White Chocolate Mint Torte, the amazing hot chocolate with a dash of meringue flavoring...... I have an incredibly sweet sweet tooth and whenever I go to Papa Haydn I continue to believe that I have died and gone to heaven.

Trek Bikes - Bryce and I finally got road bikes and I couldn't be happier. I feel like such a good friend to the earth everytime we ride our bikes in to work or to church or to New Seasons. Not only that - but I feel oh-so athletic even if I am pedaling like a grandma the entire time. Safety first!!!!!

Our new president - 'nuff said.........

Lulu lemon athletica - as someone who runs year round I am grateful for Lulu lemon. They have the most amazing workout gear. While some of it borders on ridiculously expensive, I have purchased their winter running gloves and running headband which have worked out amazingly well for me during the colder weather.

New Orleans Candle Company in North Portland is absolutely amazing. They sell yummy soy candles and a percentage of their profit actually goes to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Just another reason why I love the St. John's/North Portland neighborhood!

Oh the weather outside is frightful......

2008-12-12T12:59:00.000-08:00

Just a few things that are making me happy today......

I went for my first run since I got my wisdom teeth pulled and I still ran my 3 mile loop around the Bluff in fairly good time. Granted - I almost got blown off the Bluff because of the wind and rain..... but it felt so good!
Date night with hubby! Dinner and yummy desert - can't wait!!!!!
Organizing my office and finally cleaning out old, unnecessary emails
Coffee with hazelnut creamer..... mmmmm ........
Checking stuff off my to-do-list in preparation for Hawaii next week!!!!!
Finally feeling like I'm starting to heal after the whole widsom teeth removal ordeal
An awesome Christmas CD from my Secret Encourager
Silly emails from silly friends :)

Things that make me happy and things that don't make me happy....

2008-12-08T10:49:00.001-08:00

Things that make me happy.........

Listening to Christmas music all the time :)
Looking at our Christmas tree
Borrowing books through our school library
Deleting unnecessary music off my iPod - if I haven't listened to it in the last couple years, I'm pretty sure that I never will
The Christmas decorations strewn all around the university
Funny Christmas sweaters
Giving presents

Things that don't make me happy........ (please note that most of these are related to having my wisdom teeth removed)

The pain of having your wisdom teeth removed :(
Vicodin - I've stopped taking it because I was not feeling very well after a couple days of taking it
Not being able to find my gloves to go for a walk outside
Not running daily - I just don't feel as strong or as healthy
A liquid only diet - I miss solid food. Although today I did have mashed potatoes so that was exciting
My planner is falling apart - dang it! And I like a very specific type of planner so it definitely needs to hang on until August 2009

A Grateful Gal

2008-11-28T09:15:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My Thanksgiving was full of food, wine and the sweetest messages from friends. It was a tough year, but Thanksgiving is always a wonderful reminder to acknowledge the blessings in your life. I would create list of all the things that I am grateful for but I don't know if I'll ever be able to fit it all in one blog! :) So here is just a quick catch up on the upcoming things in my life.......

Christmas - the most wonderful time of the year. I love Christmas for so many different reasons and I'm really looking forward to the long two week holiday break that we will be having.
Trip to Hawaii - In just a few weeks Bryce and I will be in Hawaii, playing with dolphins and puttering around Oahu. I'm so excited - I'm particularly excited because I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed in a couple weeks and I need something to look forward to.
Trip to Europe - Bryce and I just booked our trip to Spain for next year! I'm so incredibly excited because Spain is such a huge part of my heart and I can't wait to share it with my husband.
Camping trips - We've just booked our camping trips for next year and although our friends make fun of us for always planning so far in advance - we are very fortunate because as a result we are able to have exciting things to look forward to.
Trip to Mexico - Ashley and I just booked our flight to Mexico next August for Venessa and Raul's wedding and we are so excited!!!!! Although I wish Bryce were coming with me, I'm very much looking forward to a girl's weekend with a close friend.

I hope the holidays are treating you well and that you are looking forward to 2009 as much as I am.

Daily Gratitude

2008-11-11T17:53:00.001-08:00

I'll be perfectly honest - this is probably the most stressful time at my work due to registration and then planning for Junior Orientation. Today the system was running so slowly I was registering one student every 20 minutes. I didn't have enough time to eat my lunch because of a Visitation Day presentation. So today I'm grateful for two things that are making my day end a little bit better....... my husband and a good bottle of wine. :)

Daily Gratitude

2008-11-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

I actually am grateful that the Trailblazers won last night. :) Yay!

I'm grateful for discovering amazing music. I just created a new playlist full of new musicians that I'm quickly becoming fans of.

I'm grateful for my bright orange jacket. I feel like when it comes to color, particularly outerwear, I've become a bit of a baby. Evidenced by the fact that all of my jackets are black or grey. Now I have a bright orange jacket to bring a little bit more color into my life.

I'm grateful for Sundays. Today Bryce and I will go to church at UP and then begin a Sunday full of chores. It always consists of going to New Seasons and picking up some yummy organic food, cleaning the house, and blaring lots of really good music while we clean. It may be boring to some people, but it's routine to us so we enjoy it. Plus if we move quickly we might be able to squeeze some time in to watch the newest season of CSI...... yay!

Daily Gratitude

2008-11-08T13:31:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for the delicious grilled cheese and brocolli cheddar soup Bryce and I made for lunch. I'm grateful for delicious eggnog lattes and rainy day walks. I'm grateful for the fall leaves on the University of Portland campus. And hopefully - by the end of today, I'll be grateful that the Portland Trailblazers won their game. :)

Daily Gratitude

2008-11-07T11:09:00.000-08:00

Okay - I stole this from my sister-in-law Vale and I really like the idea. Post one item daily of what you are grateful for. I think that with how busy I've been sometimes I focus more on how stressed out I am rather than all the good things in life. So here are just a few things for today......

Friendships. I got to see Ashley last night and anytime I see her it becomes hours full of laughter. Plus I really appreciate that Ashley has just as much hope as I do. I have a few friends who tend to stifle my optimism and I truly appreciate that she sees the world through rose colored glasses just as much as me. And even though I don't get to see friends like Venessa and Chrissy as much - they are always so good about staying in touch via email or even Facebook. Until our schedules line up at least we still have an idea of what is going on in each other's lives. :)
Our new president and the change that I truly believe is coming.......
Kind emails from students thanking me for helping them through Registration. When I get really annoyed and frustrated, just a simple email saying thank you makes me realize that the students do understand how much work goes into planning their curriculum.

New President...... New Start.......

2008-11-05T12:18:00.000-08:00

Last night my faith was renewed. I'm so excited that Barack Obama is going to be our president and love that with this election everyone's hope for change has come true. Everyone who voted and helped make this happen should be very proud of yourselves. I've never been more proud. :)

Confessions from St. John's

2008-10-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

1) Over the weekend Bryce and I went out to Karl and Noelle’s new cabin in Washington. It was absolutely gorgeous and the fall leaves were amazing. We went for a nice hike and did some star gazing. But most of all we played some really fun games – the highlight of which is a game called Rummikub. I was an only child growing up so I never had much exposure to games. However, they are becoming more and more fun as I play them with good friends. Rummikub is absolutely addictive. On our way home I made Bryce stop by Target so that we could pick it up. My name is Elisa and I’m 100% addicted to Rummikub.

2) Bryce and I had our old housemate Zach over for dinner and he was showing off his brand new iPhone. They are pretty neat and now I really want one. It’s amazing how phones have transformed from huge ones with the antennae to small, sleek ones that allow you to access the internet and take pictures of all your really cool friends.

3) My best friend Ashley introduced me to the world of “live food”. Basically this is food that is all soy, all natural, and all kinds of crazy. However, I was surprised to find that I actually really liked it. And the live fudge? Oh so delicious…….

4) We’ve been going to a lot of UP women’s soccer games. They are now on a 13 game winning streak. The amount of school pride I have at times borders on obnoxious. My husband and I truly bleed purple - right down to our matching UP sweatpants and hoodies……

5) This whole election is incredibly interesting and people are getting so incredibly worked up and passionate about it which is wonderful to see. What is driving me crazy are not the McCain/Palin supporters, but the people that are not going to vote. I know several people that don’t believe their one vote will count and that truly frustrates me. One of my favorite quotes of all time is from Ghandi – Be the change you wish to see in the world. I wish more people would adopt this philosophy and believe that they can be a part of the change.

6) I didn’t think it was possible but my addiction to highlighters has grown. Seriously – every color has a meaning. In addition – fine tipped Sharpies are quickly moving up the ladder as one of the best creations in the world……..

7) My most brilliant Halloween costume idea at this point is to dress up like Angelina Jolie. Wear a bunch of black, slap on a bunch of fake tattoos, steal at least 6 simulation babies from the lab at work and carry them around the whole night.

Oh what a weekend.....

2008-10-12T16:13:00.001-07:00

Just a glimpse into my weekend and all the fun things that were accomplished......

1) Had a nice date with Bryce on Friday night. We went out to happy hour, had some drinks then came home and watched Entourage - I'm ashamed to admit how entertaining this show is. It's about Hollywood and superficial celebrities..... yet we can't stop watching......

2) Grocery shopping at New Seasons - there is nothing better than getting freshy, yummy and healthy food and supporting a local business.

3) Anastasia's wedding - My co-worker got married and several people from work (one even rode the train all the way from Seattle!) and I were lucky enough to get invited to the blessed event. They are such an adorable couple and I wish them all the love and happiness in the world.

4) Drinks with the co-workers at Portland City Grill. Mmmmm - I had a lemon drop and a Spice Long Island iced tea and was pretty much done for the evening. I love Portland City Grill because of the amazing views of the city and the delish drinks.......

5) Shopping at Target - after Portland City Grill four of us went to Target and bought a variety of things. A couple people bought some really cute heels and I decided to go with a book and Season 9 of Friends. I just need Season 10 and then my collection will finally be complete! Yay!

6) Spent Sunday with my friend Ashley. Went to Powell's and stocked up on books, sat at Peet's coffee and had a long conversation, wandered all over the Pearl district and then up to 23rd. Really took advantage of the beautiful fall day and walked around Portland. Then we had some food an extremely healthy restaurant where all of the food is raw and amazingly, surprisingly delicious.

In honor of the Vice Presidential Debate.....

2008-10-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

A sneak peek into my life at work

2008-09-30T12:51:00.000-07:00

I just glanced around my office and realized that I probably have the strangest assortment of decorations. But I think that what I enjoy the most are the stories behind the items in my office. Here is just a sneak peek into my life at work.......

Pumpkin man - my co-workers and I are currently doing a Secret Encourager thing at work. We each drew a name and for the rest of the school year that person is who you will be secretly encouraging with little notes and simple gifts. Pumpkin man was a gift from my Secret Encourager and he sits on my desk watching over me. :)
Silly mug shaped like an owl - a prize from a White Elephant gift exchange last year
The book "Never Hit a Jellyfish With a Spade" - One of my old student workers who just left at the end of September got this for me as a going away gift. Before she left I would constantly whine, "What am I going to do without my Sallie????" This book is one of the most entertaining things anyone could read. There are short excerpts in there about how to eat with a knife and fork. How to fully enjoy cake. And then at the very end a new addition - step by step on How to Live Without Sallie. Definitely one of the most unique and sweetest gifts I've ever gotten.
A beautiful shell necklace that a student brought back for me from Hawaii as a thank you
Antibacterial hand soap that my boss got me. Hmmmm - is this a hint?
2 pictures from my wedding - naturally
Gummi food in the shape of Mexican food. Random gift from my friend in the Registrar's Office since I'm always hungry. Doesn't look particularly edible but it's pretty darn funny.
2 month calendar with all the random holidays in the world. For example today is National Mud Pack Day. Celebrate it. Go wild.
Miscellaneous funny things from The Office - post cards, a Schrute Buck, and a really cool computerized generation of Dwight.

Just a quick catch up.......

2008-09-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

Things going on in my life lately.....

Bryce and I went to an awesome concert a couple weeks ago at the Clark Country Amphitheater. We got to see Augustana, Maroon 5 and Counting Crows. I was looking to Counting Crows the most but ended up being blown away by Maroon 5. Their cd's are now on constant rotation at the Majors house. They had great energy and Adam Levine surprised/impressed me with his crisp and unique voice. If you get a chance to see Maroon 5 I would definitely recommend it. Equally entertaining was seeing the variety of people at the concert. Teenage girls screem for Adam, older hippies singing along to "Mr Jones" with Counting Crows and of course the rockers for Augustana.

My dear friend Venessa just asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next August in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Unfortunately, due to the large amount of travelling that Bryce and I are hoping to do in the next year he will not be able to go to Mexico with me. However, my best friend Ashley has graciously agreed to be my date to the wedding so we will be turning it into a Flipa/Ashlex girls vacation. I'm very much looking forward to it because I really do enjoy weddings and it meant a lot to be asked to be a bridesmaid in this particular wedding. Lately it seems like I've been attending/participating in so many weddings these days but I always have such a great time it's always worth it.

After a rough start to our summer, the City of Roses has certainly delivered!!!! Today it actually reached 90 degrees! I truly do feel fortunate to be living in this amazing city. Every day as I go for a run outdoors and pass by the bikers, the neighborhood bbq's, the peple reading in the sunshine - I cannot imagine myself living anywhere else. Just last week I went to Saturday Market which I had not been to in almost a year. I purchased a few unique Christmas presents as well as my very own spoon ring. This guy has been making jewelry out of spoons for the last 37 years! http://www.spoonman.com/ - check it out.

I'm looking forward to October, the leaves changing colors, adding an extra layer of blankets on our bed at night and drinking Bailey's with coffee in the evenings. I hope you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to the small pleasures that come with fall.

Confessions from St. John's

2008-09-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

1) Only about 10 pages into my work notebook it's already full of to-do-lists, flags, and thoughts on how to help out with processes and procedures. Sometimes I feel like such a dork when I realize that I have assigned highlighter colors to specific things. I'm super obsessive, anally organized and I'm not all that ashamed by it.

2) My husband and I have started watching Friends episodes every night after dinner. This isn't embarassing. What is embarassing is that every morning I've started watching Saved By the Bell after breakfast.

3) I just looked on my iPod and apparently the most frequently played song on there at this time is Lady Gaga's "Just Dance". One of my student workers got me hooked on this song and apparently I've been listening to it a lot more frequently than I originally thought. FYI - 2nd most played song is "Dancing Queen" by Abba. Oh yeah.

4) For some reason, many of my friends who don't have kids yet have been trying to figure out what would be potential names for their future sons and daughters. I don't really participate in this game since the idea of actually having to raise a child causes me to break out into hives. One my friends actually threw out that she wouldn't mind naming her daughter Lotus Ann. Lotus Ann stands a good shot at either being as wholesome as apple pie or potentially being an exotic dancer. Yuck......

5) I've been cursing anyone who cruises by me on a road bike. Bryce and I really want bikes and we went to our local St. John's bike shop to purchase them but apparently this is the off season for bikes so we have to wait until October. While I'm fully aware that we could drive down to REI and pick up a bike, we really want to help support a local business. So until October I'm stuck gazing longingly at the bikers we pass by on the drive to and from work. I'm pretty sure that I freak most of them out.

2008-09-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

"I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974." And so begins Middlesex, the mesmerizing saga of a near-mythic Greek American family and the "roller-coaster ride of a single gene through time." The odd but utterly believable story of Cal Stephanides, and how this 41-year-old hermaphrodite was raised as Calliope, is at the tender heart of this long-awaited second novel from Jeffrey Eugenides.

Eugenides weaves together a kaleidoscopic narrative spanning 80 years of a stained family history, from a fateful incestuous union in a small town in early 1920s Asia Minor to Prohibition-era Detroit; from the early days of Ford Motors to the heated 1967 race riots; from the tiny suburbs of Grosse Pointe and a confusing, aching adolescent love story to modern-day Berlin. Eugenides's command of the narrative is astonishing. He balances Cal/Callie's shifting voices convincingly, spinning this strange and often unsettling story with intelligence, insight, and generous amounts of humor. If you get a chance, read Middlesex - I hope you find it as touching and at times as hilarious as I did.

Just a few things to know about me...........

2008-09-02T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today I had someone ask me, "Tell me a bit about yourself." How do I answer that in a few simple sentences? I think I came up with a super generic answer. Not particularly revealing into the being that is Elisa. So here are a few important things to know about me:

1) I love cupcakes. I love cupcakes with tons of frosting. If I could have cupcakes with every meal I would. While I do like to eat healthy and practice portion control, this does not apply to cupcakes. Cupcakes are the loophole. My record is 7 cupcakes in one sitting. Not the baby ones either. Huge cupcakes with deliciously sugary frosting. :)

2) I still wish I could be a travel writer. Or Oprah. Or an Olympian. I'm pretty sure I stand a better shot at accomplishing the first two. :)

3) I think baseball uniforms are absolutely adorable. I don't care if you are a 5 year old boy just playing for funsies or if you are in the majors. I think the uniforms are cute.

4) I think the best thing to do is to discover new places on foot. Not via the internet. Not on accident. Just by wandering around.

5) Two of my favorite things are walking in the sand in my bare feet or going for a rainy day walk with someone I love.

6) My friends tease me for having "girl crushes." Currently they are on Rachel McAdamas and Jenna Fischer from The Office.

7) Other than my husband the only other person who could make me laugh so hard I could cry was my mom. Sadly I don't think she ever realized how funny she really was.

8) I think cottage cheese is disgusting. That's really all I can write before I get really sick to my stomach.......

9) I can pretty much recite every single line to the following movies: Reality Bites, Mean Girls and Newsies. Make of that what you will.

10) I love being spontaneous. Some of my closest friendships/best memories are the result of me being spontaneous. I won't bore you with the details. Although perhaps over a few glasses of wine I may......

My Wishlist

2008-09-01T18:12:00.000-07:00

Just a random list of things on my wish list at this very moment.....

The ability to travel anywhere in the blink of an eye. I would love to be sitting at home on a Saturday afternoon and think to myself - gosh, a croissant in Paris sounds good right about now. And then just zoom on over. Sigh - if only........
Peace on earth - this will forever be on my wishlist
The perfect pair of pajamas. I've decided that if I could have one spectacular article of clothing in my closet at all times, it wouldn't be a fancy designer dress. But just the softest, best fitting pair of pj's ever created. A nice fuzzy robe would be appreciated as well.....
A wine cellar full of a variety of wines. Yummy!
Cupcakes with rainbow chip frosting
A play date with the new baby elephant at the Oregon Zoo
A time machine to have met my parents back in the 7o's and see just how crazy they were back in the day
Medicine to make my cat Sydney remain calm for more than an hour
A road bike so that I don't feel as guilty everytime my husband and I drive the short distance to work
Another day off tomorrow :)

3 Books That Have Made A Difference To Me

2008-08-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

I've been very fortunate to have amazing books come into my life. Some have been funny and entertaining, but then there have been a few that touched my life in a way that I may not have necessarily expected. So I've decided to share 3 books that have made a difference to me - have you had any books that have made a difference in your life? Enjoy!

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

It's difficult to pinpoint what it is that I love most about this book because there is so much to celebrate. Strangely, I find the rhythm of the language soothing even though I'm not a southerner. I see this book as the quintessential coming-of-age story, set in a small southern town, in which racial injustice is seen through the clear eyes of a child. But it is also about the prejudices and preconceptions we all have of those who are different from ourselves. The story of Boo Radley, of course, is the most poignant example of this. I truly think that this book played a huge part in shaping who I am as a person today.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Some people say that Anna Karenina is the single greatest novel ever written. I think that is a difficult title to live up to - but if any novel comes close, this is it. Set against a vast and richly textured canvas of nineteenth-century Russia, the novel's seven major characters create a dynamic imbalance, playing out the contrasts of city and country life and all the variations on love and family happiness. I find this book to be both beautiful and vigorous, which explains why it has left such an impression on me.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

At the height of the Harlem Renaissance during the 1930s, Zora Neale Hurston was the preeminent black woman writer in the United States. Her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, enraged other African American writers due to her use of dialect in the story. The other African American writers during this time accused Hurston of pandering to white readers by giving them the black stereotypes they expected. In my opinion I think Hurston breathes tremendous humanity into both her men and women, and allows them to speak in their own voices. I loved this book because it was the first book I read where I was inspired to read aloud.

Small Joys

2008-08-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

I think it's important to acknowledge the things in life that bring you joy. So here is today's list:

1) My wonderful, amazing, entertaining, funny, brilliant co-workers in the SON. I appreciate being able to come in to work and knowing that something exceptional is going to happen that day.

2) Finding a good book - lately I feel like so many great books have been thrown into my lap. And I've had a chance to read a little bit before I go to bed each night with a nice glass of wine. talk about a great way to end that day!

3) The Trifecta. I don't know what I would do without these girls. :) Ashley has such a wonderful light and joy within her and Venessa quite possibly has one of the sweetest souls you could ever find within a person. Thanks to them for always helping me strive to be the best person I can be.

4) Small random acts of kindness. This has been happening a lot lately as well. My sister-in-law sent me a very thoughtful letter and mixed CD that is on continueous rotation in our car. Then the parents of an incoming freshman bought me some chocolate and wrote a nice note thanking me for all their help and for welcoming their son to UP. It's inspired me to start doing random acts of kindness myself. Better watch out!

5) Newsies - I realize I should be embarrassed about admitting how much I love this movie, but I'm not. What's not to love? It has Christian Bale (pre-Batman), it has singing and dancing, and is about a group of young boys who rise to any challenge. I've loved this movie for as long as I can remember and finally got my own copy. And yes - I still sing along to every song, much to the annoyance of my husband.

Remember to Breathe......

2008-08-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

I have these moments in life when I'm suddenly struck and almost completely overwhelmed by the realization of what truly matters to me. I'm overwhelmed right now. Could quite possibly be the biggest understatement I have ever made but now it's out there. I'm overwhelmed. I've lost my mom, am continuously hitting the ground running as I learn my new job day by day, and am continuously trying to celebrate the friendship and people I have in my life - whether its happy hour or a wedding. So now I'm trying to take the time for me.

I feel like for such a huge part of my life it's been about moving, getting to the next step, working towards the next chapter in my life. But now I would really much prefer to slow time down. Stop moving. I admit that I am a huge to-do-list freak. I'm continuously surrounded by the items I need to accomplish by a set date. Here is just a brief glimpse into the overall to-do-list of my life (pulled out of my planner):

- Make dish for Venessa's wedding reception this Sunday
- Finalize details for Junior Orientation on Monday (breakfast order, packets, deficit list, easels, table and chair configuration, AV needs, etc)
- Finalize Freshmen schedules (yup - that's for all 146 incoming freshmen)
- Compile list of advisors for Saturday
- Talking points for when I meet with the transfer students on Saturday
- Talk to Sallie about carpooling to happy hour after Orientation on Saturday :)
- Pick up gift for Chrissy's birthday
- Clean the house - Bryce's dad visiting this weekend
- Set aside books for Chrissy and Venessa for when I see them on Sunday
- Find the time to breathe

Honestly, that last point is in my planner. :) And I think it's an important reminder to myself to continue to breathe each day. Lately it seems like I'm simply drowning, so I need that constant reminder to relax and allow myself to float to the top.

So here are the three things allowing to breathe a little bit easier each day........

1) My friends and my husband - they make the stresses of life seem like nothing when we are all laughing together

2) Running - I go every day during the week now. Running allows me to feel free and strong and alive.

3) A glass of Ravenswood Zinfandel and dark chocolate at the end of the day makes everything better.

What I Know For Sure

2008-08-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Reflecting on the summer and the things I've experienced - I realized how much I've learned about love and life. So I've decided to share just a few things that I truly do know for sure:

1) When I think of the friends that are such a huge part of my life, I'm grateful for the sense of community they provide. Every single time I've been touched by love or by a special friendship, that heartprint will always remain a huge part of me.

2) It truly is more fun to give than to receive.

3) I want continuous joy in my life and surround myself with people that will continue to provide that joy. The best friendships in life bring joy not just some of the time, but all of the time.

4) Treasure every moment you have with someone you love. Being aware of that moment is really what matters most.

5) Ultimately, I have nothing to prove to anyone other than myself. My new goal for each day is to run towards the best version of myself. I would like to end each day thinking that I truly did my very best and that I did something to make myself proud.

6) I no longer worry about what is to come next.

7) There are no ordinary moments in our lives.

8) Work towards becoming the change you wish to see in this world.

9) Life isn't about what you have but what you have to give.

10) True wisdom is knowing who you are and what you stand for.

It's Wedding Season......

2008-08-07T20:51:00.000-07:00

August is very busy right now - why? Because it's wedding season! Yes, it seems that everything this month is about weddings. Just a little sample.....

The month started off with Bryce and I attending Karl and Noelle's wedding reception at the Science Works Museum in Ashland, OR. It was a very unique wedding reception but was an absolute blast! We were able to play around the science museum and get to know the other guests in a much more different way. Are you able to pull your entire body weight up this pulley? Because I know I can! Can you really place your entire self into a bubble? Because I could barely manage! Plus with fun music from the 70's I was surprised to see my own husband out on the dance floor!
On the 6th Bryce and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary. We both took the day off which was a nice midweek break. He was nice enough to treat me to a spa day (massage, manicure and pedicure) and then we had dinner out at Papa Haydn. It's hard to believe that two years have gone by so quickly. I feel like I blinked and suddenly there we were toasting to two years!
This weekend I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding at the University of Portland. Bryce and I have two friends that we graduated from UP with that are getting married. It should be a lot of fun because many old friends are coming together back on our old college campus.
Later this month my dear friend Venessa will be having her wedding reception because she and her sweet husband (Raul) just got married. It's going to be at Officer's Row in Vancouver and will be a potluck style reception. I'm definitely looking forward to that one because I have a feeling some amazing Mexican food it going to be available. :)

Due to weddings (and wedding anniversaries) I'm full of love this month. Hope your August is as full of celebrating as mine is!

Beach Music

2008-07-20T11:08:00.001-07:00

I just finished up "Beach Music" by Pat Conroy and loved it. The main story follows Jack McCall, who flees to Rome with his young daughter Leah after his wife Shyla has committed suicide. He leaves behind a bevy of colorful family and friends in an effort to escape his torment and begin a new life in a new land. As a travel writer by trade, Jack is able to pick up and live wherever he chooses. However, he soon receives a telegram from his brother that will finally bring Jack back to South Carolina to face his demons and learn the stories of all those he loves.

Conroy has the ability of dropping crumbs along the way leading you to each character's hidden story. He touches on times in history involving the Holocaust and the Vietnam War -- each decade so real that I don't even want to think about the horrors. But it is these horrors that have come to shape the characters and they are all part of a finely interwoven story with South Carolina as the stage for the grand finale.

I enjoyed reading this book because I was going through a difficult time while reading it. I had just lost my mother - and found myself relating to the McCall way of coping with loss - with humor and reliance on your family. While this is a book about tortured souls, it is also a book that holds great promise filled with love and hope and devotion.

Summer afternoon

2008-06-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

Henry James once said the most beautiful words in the English language were summer afternoon. This time of year this is definitely true. I love this time of year - the way the heat of the sun feels on my shoulders. Drinking a tall glass of ice cold water after the walk home from work. Sitting on my porch reading a book. Having dinner get togethers with my friends over margaritas. This is probably my favorite time of year. The days are longer and Bryce and I will often find ourselves outside hiking, running, or playing tennis.

In celebration here are the songs I've been listening to in the sunshine:

"Got to Give It Up" by Marvin Gaye
"Breathe Me" by Sia
"Believe" by The Bravery
"Ache for You" by Ben Lee
"Chasing Pavements" by Adele
"Stayin' Alive" by Wyclef Jean
"Walnut Tree" by Keane
"Home" by Marc Broussard

I hope that you are having a wondeful summer so far. Remember to kick up your heels and take a nap in the sun.

A quest.....

2008-06-03T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm currently reading a book called "The Know It-All - One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smarted Person in the World." It's about a guy who decides to read the entire series of the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Sounds like a great idea right? Who doesn't want to learn that dwarfs in fact have prominent buttocks? That fact could come in handy should you ever find yourself on Jeopardy.

I'm enjoying the book immensely because he brings such humor to each of the facts that he learns. The novel basically becomes an abridged copy of the Britannica - highlighting AJ Jacob's favorite entries from the Encyclopedia, as well as allowing the reader small glimpses into his life at the same time.

If you get a chance - definitely check this book out. There are not very many books out there that will make me laugh out loud - but this one does. So check it out. I now leave you with just a little sample of "The Know It All"..........

elf

Not the cute creatures we've been spoon-fed by the media. Elves in traditional folklore sat on people's chests while they slept to give them bad dreams. They also stole human children and substituted deformed fairy children. Wonder if Santa is really a crack dealer.

fowl

Technically, the term "duck" should be used only for a female. The proper term for a male duck is "drake." So Daffy Duck's true daffiness: gender identity disorder.

Glyndwr

A district in Wales. Please buy a vowel.

What I Know For Sure

2008-05-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

In her O Magazine Oprah will often write a paragraph about some things about life that she knows for sure. I always enjoy reading this section of the magazine because often I think about what things about life and love am I really 100% sure about. Throughout my life I've learned important lessons from different people and I always file them away in my mind because ulitmately difficult times will arise and those life lessons always help me through them. So on this gorgeous sunny day in Portland here are just a few things that I know for sure:

I have the right to change my mind. For a long time I thought that I had to hae everything in my life planned out. My career, my marriage, children - my planner is one of my best friends for heaven's sake! Planning is a way of life for me. However, I've recently learned that I have every right to change my mind any time I want to. I don't need to stick with a particular job for a few years to establish myself. If I wasn't happy or having fun in that job - what's the point? Try something new. Experiment and experience life. Let go of the stresses that you face and don't be afraid to change your mind. You have that right.

Take the time to be grateful for at least 5 things everyday. My entire attitude towards life is transformed when you change your perspective. Don't focus on the negative - make note of the little joys. The stars, crickets, random acts of kindess, a phone call or email from a good friend. Make note of what you are grateful for and celebrate each day.

Friendship is one of life's greatest gifts.

No matter how much our hearts and spirits may get broken at times, each experience allows us to live a more thoughtful and fuller life.

My week in review

2008-05-02T12:51:00.001-07:00

This has been a crazy, insanely busy, but fun week. Here's just a quick review of the fun I've had:

Monday: Bryce and I got together with Kat and PR for dinner. Every since they moved out to Hillsboro we see them every couple of months. We had some chicken fettucine, wine and watched the Playoff games together. Kat also brought over the bridesmaid dress I'm wearing to her wedding. It's very pretty, black, knee length and simple. I'm grateful because it will actually be a dress that I can wear again. If you've seen 27 Dresses in the movie it was very funny because at every single wedding Katherine Heigl's character says, "Oh yes, you could always shorten the dress and wear it again." I don't know who would ever shorten a turqoise dress to wear again, but I know I can definitely reuse the black one I got.

Tuesday: Free cone day at Ben and Jerry's! Yes - we joined the block winding around the block to get a free scoop of ice cream. Afterwards Bryce and I picked up the appropriate makings to have a true Black and Tan (Harp and Guiness combo) to have with dinner on Friday. Then we went shopping at Express for some summer clothes. I'm having a difficult time shopping due to the fact that everything is neon colored and 80's style lately. Now don't get me wrong - I love the 80's. I just don't want to dress like somebody from the 80's.

Wednesday: The School of Nursing had a BBQ for the graduating seniors and it was a lot of fun. The faculty got up and danced to YMCA except they re-wrote the lyrics about how it's fun to be a Young Nurse at UP. YMCA/YNUP was hysterical. Then the seniors got an opportunity to roast the faculty. They got creative this year and rewrote the lyrics to "American Pie". It was very funny and impressive how creative they were. Brilliant!

Thursday: First Thursday in the Pearl District! Bryce and I went out with our friends Karl and Noelle, got to sip wine, eat yummy snacks (including mini-cupcakes!) for free and look at art. It was a gorgeous night and it seemed like the entire city of Portland was out and about. Afterwards we followed a marching band down the streets of the Pearl and participated in an impromptu dance party. Well, Noelle and I did. The guys weren't too enthused at the idea of a dance off.

Friday: Last day of the week. We are laying low tonight with pizza, beer and a Lost marathon. Tomorrow I'm working at the pinning ceremony for the nursing students. Then Bryce and I are going out to dinner and a movie. This week has completely flown by and so now I leave you with a few things that helped make this week a little easier:

Running - as the weather gets better I find it easier and easier to motivate myself to go out for a quick jog
Music by Beirut, Yael Naim and Missy Higgins
My new SIGG waterbottle (with the words THINK GREEN on it as a constant reminder) and Chaco sandals
Creme brulee creamer in my coffee - DELISH

How time goes by........

2008-04-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend is graduation for the University of Portland seniors, reminding me that I've been out of school for 4 years now. Today as Bryce and I were leaving cherry blossoms were falling down on us and I remembered how much I love this time of year. I don't like the allergies mind you - but I do enjoy stepping outside and being able to breathe in the anticipation. The hope. The idea that tomorrow is going to bring something new and exciting into my life. So I wanted to wish you a happy spring. I hope that life is treating you well and you are making new discoveries every day. Reflecting on life since graduation, I've changed jobs, moved homes, got married and learned how to swim. I still read as much as possible and enjoy doing the NY Times crossword puzzles - and in pen! How bold! I've realized that once you walk across that stage and get your diploma your education doesn't stop there. Everyone can be a life long learner. For me I hope to continue to read voraciously, learn another language, get my Master's and maybe try to bring some peace to this crazy world. What about you? Happy spring - sink your teeth into the endless opportunities out there.

Camping at Champoeg

2008-04-14T09:39:00.001-07:00

Bryce and I went camping at Champoeg this weekend and we had a wonderful time. Here are some highlights:

We went Yurt camping for the first time. It was really nice because we didn't have to worry about putting a tent together and then taking it apart. However - I think I would only go Yurt camping in the Fall or Spring time because I imagine that those yurts would get too hot during the summer time.

There was a group of families that went yurt camping together. Sounds like fun. Really - they just ended up being a huge headache. The kids would run around - screaming at the top of their lungs and the parents would continue to drink beer and ignore them. Never told them to play quietly. Nothing. In fact - as the parents continued to drink more beer - they ended up being louder than the kids at one point. Bryce and I were honestly contemplating knocking this kid off his bike because he kept biking around us screaming, "Mama mia!!!!" Why? I'm not really sure.

We had a spazzy squirrel AND a scrappy outdoor cat follow us for food - sorry guys. I don't think Doritos and beer fit into your diet.

Bryce has started reading "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime". I'm so glad that he is finally reading. It is a hilarious book that would have me laughing outloud and forcing my cheeks to hurt. We read a lot of our favorite lines to one another for entertainment.
All in all - a good start to the camping season. Looking forward to more adventures - Mama mia!

Some great song lyrics

2008-04-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

I've been very busy lately but in addition I have been listening to Brandi Carlile's song "Fall Apart Again" over and over again. And I think it's because I love the lyrics. If you haven't heard this song - you must. Download it, check it out, rock out to it. It's amazing.

Long is the day, take it away
Hold it up and you don't let it fall
Cause devils play, was yesterday
And I don't care about that at all

I just smile, once in a while
Because I don't want the lines on my face
I sit right here, holding the years
And I count all the stars in space

You fall apart again and you can find a friend
Don't turn to someone else because they won't understand...

Self respect, goes unexpressed
I don't dream because I cannot sleep
And I think the world of myself
But the world doesn't think much of me
As long as the day is full of time, there will always be room
for your hand in mine

You fall apart again and you can't find a friend
Don't turn to someone else because they won't understand
I don't want to hear
You say that you miss yesterday
If you don't like what you see
That means nothing to me

No one's home I'm alone with my music and my tv
And I still say that yesterday is best when left to sleep

You fall apart again and you can't find a friend
Don't turn to someone else because they won't understand
I don't want to hearYou say that you miss
If you don't like what you see
That means nothing to me

A letter to my younger self......

2008-03-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

"Put yourself, and your growth and development, first. There are long-term repercussions to what you're doing now. Everything you do, every thought you have, every word you say creates a memory that you will hold in your body. It's imprinted on you and affects you in subtle ways—ways you are not always aware of. With that in mind, be very conscious and selective."

— Phylicia Rashad, from a letter to her younger self

What advice would I give to my younger self? It probably wouldn't be nearly as profound as Phylicia's advice, but there are some things that I would definitely tell my childhood self if I could meet her. And yes - I was one awkward middle schooler. :) Here are the pieces of advice I would tell young Elisa:

Take more photographs with your parents - with my father gone and my mother growing older each year, I really wish I had taken more photos of my parents. I will always have these small memories that I hold in my heart, but I wish that I had captured in a photograph the day my parents and I drove to the Washington coast on a whim. Or the day we attempted to make a tree house. Or even the day I tried to pick a cherry from the highest branch atop my dad's shoulders.

Your entire future will not be ruined if you can't remember your multiplication tables. Focus on your strengths and don't beat yourself up for your weaknesses. I remember getting so frustrated with myself because I never excelled in math - it was always difficult for me. And rather than celebrating the fact that I was the fastest reader in the class or could write the most moving paper - I would care about the bad grade I got on the math test.

Don't be embarassed that you're afraid of the dark - a lot of people are. Don't ever be ashamed of your fears - but instead face them. Jump into pool even though your feet only graze the bottom. Sing out even if you have an awful voice. Dance even if you look goofy. Never be afraid to be unique and never think of yourself as weak just because you have fears. Everyone does. No matter what you have a choice in how you deal with those fears.

Despite what the nuns tell you, sometimes it is worth it to live life on the edge. I don't think of myself as a rule breaker. But I'm certainly not one to follow the rules of life exactly. It's all about finding that fine line. I used to think that unless I earned straight A's my life would be ruined. But sometimes (and not all the time, but sometimes) it's okay to skip class to have coffee with a friend. It's okay to go for a run outside in the sunshine rather than spend 2 hours studying for a test. Your experiences in life aren't graded, but those grades may determine what experiences you get to have. So find the balance, study and work hard, and go to happy hour with your friends too.

Eat lots of cupcakes and frosting. Life is too short to not revel in the guilty pleasures now and then. Go ahead and sleep in for an extra hour, spend all of Sunday in bed reading, snuggle up to your parents and watch a movie. Do it - you won't regret it.

Climb a branch higher in the tree, but be safe while you do it. When I was younger I used to love to climb trees. And sometimes the desire still strikes me today at 25. I was obsessed with wanting to see the world from another perspective. That ended up translating into the travel bug I suffer from daily. Rather than keep your feet planted firmly in the ground, seek adventure. Try unchartered territory - who knows what wonders you may stumble upon? You may even run into yourself along the way.

Open up Pandora

2008-03-12T08:45:00.001-07:00

So many people want to know how I discover so much new music - here is the answer: www.pandora.com. This website it amazing! You can create your own radio station based on artists you like, and at the same time discover new ones. Try it - it's free and incredible.

Some Tuesday Joys

2008-03-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love many things in life. One of them being Portland - I've lived here since 2000 and over 8 years later I still find myself enthralled by the city in all of its rain-soaked, art-covered, beer-cheering, hybrid-loving glory. In addition - I love this time of year. The weather is getting a little bit warmer, the sun is shining a little bit longer. In honor of Spring (and Portland) here is a list of joys for me this Tuesday morning:

I love my job. I do. I've had the horrible job where Bryce would have to literally drag me out of bed and kick me out the door. But being back at UP - I love love love it. I love the staff, the faculty, the students. I love the energy of being back on campus. I love the excitement of running into my old teachers and joking around with them. I enjoy being able to go for a run on my lunch break along the Bluff in order to release any stress. I'm just so grateful to be in a job where I find myself challenged and excited and engaged everyday .

I've finally gotten over my fear of public speaking. I used to hate giving speeches in my classes. I remember how I used to get physically ill right before I had to stand up and deliver my topic for 10 minutes to my classmates. It was awful. But now - because I'm talking about something I truly care about (UP) it's easy. It's difficult to pinpoint what happened - my old advisor says that I simply grew up. I think that it's simply getting over that initial fear that I'm going to fail. I'm not really sure. But thank goodness I've finally overcome it!

Crossword puzzles. Isn't this kind of sad? I really like doing crossword puzzles lately for some reason. UP always has copies of The Oregonian and The New Yorker available for staff and faculty and I love working on these before I go to bed at night. I even check my answers the next day. That's right - it's the simple things that bring me joy! :)

Bringing my own coffee to work. I know this may sound strange, but I feel really good about myself when I bring my own coffee to work. For one thing, I'm saving a bunch of money. And I'm also doing my part for the environment by reusing my travel mug over and over again. It makes me sad to see all the people being wasteful and chucking their paper cups into the trash after only drinking a little bit of coffee. It's a very small thing - but I always feel proud of myself for doing it.

Portland's public transportation system. Over the weekend Bryce and I went into town taking the bus and riding the Max. I think it's fantastic that Portland provides such a user-friendly transportation system. Again - I feel really good about myself everytime Bryce and I take the bus into town. Why not do everything we can to lighten our footprint on the earth?

The smell of Powell's Books. I love walking into Powell's and smelling the excitement of new books to discover. It drives Bryce nuts but I take my time strolling aisle to aisle, glancing through all of the used, well thumbed through novels. You can't help but take a deep breath when you enter Powell's - smell the stories, the promise of adventure in a paperback, the history.

Ordering office supplies. This is a really silly thing but I love being able to order any office supplies I need. I love colorful post its. I love R.S.V.P. pens. I enjoy picking out colorful flags for my notebook. Gel pens, calendars, and pencils - oh my! Plus after I place the order through Staples, they always deliver a package the next day - making me feel like I'm getting a present!

Sunshiney Day........

2008-03-06T15:56:00.000-08:00

The Rose City is truly gorgeous today. I'm wrapping up my day at work and am about to go play in the glorious sunshine we have today. Here are some small things that are bringing me joy right now.....

Slowly but surely checking things off my extensive to-do-list
Casual Friday tomorrow! Jeans and flip flops! Yay!
My amber ring from Spain. I love amber jewelry. I really really do - but sadly this one is starting to fall apart. Boo......
A window for some fresh air
A good hair day (yeah - that's right..... goodbye frizz)
Knowing that even though some of them are far away - my dearest friends are always with me

It's okay - no need to finish a thought sometimes.....

2008-03-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

“Im impressed with people who can create new spaces with the right words. I only know one language and sometimes in the middle of a sentence I feel like a foreigner trying to talk because I have word spasms where parts of some words begin to sound peculiar to me and in the middle of saying the word I think ‘Oh this cant be right-this sounds very peculiar, I dont know if I should try to finish this word or try to make ir into something else, because if it comes out good, itll be all right, but if it comes out bad Ill sound retarded…’” ~Andy Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol

I have a strong affinity for the “…” I think there is something inherently comforting about not finishing the sentence, letting it hang out there for everyone to fill in the blanks themsleves.Similarly, I like an unfinished thougts. Finished thoughts can be packaged up, and prepped for their exit out of your mind and into the external world via blog or the more traditional conversations over beers. Unfinished thoughts just rattle away in your head, gaining and losing clarity and coherence over time. You can return to them at night, mull in the morning and maybe visit them occaisionly while “listening” to a particularly dull conversation. They are random, raw and unpackaged, just waiting for you to transform into structured sentences…

A sense of adventure

2008-02-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

“The good story tellers are the people who are attracted by the mystery of things that don’t make sense rather than fearing those things.”~The Story Factor

I’m not sure when I became such a wannabe adventurist. It’s possible that my desire to explore hidden and colorful portions of the world may have been ingrained in me from childhood. My parents and I would travel frequently - whether it be to the salty Oregon Coast or to the tropical islands of the Phillippines. Even now in Oregon I find adventure as I leap into the rainy unknown. The tough thing about the unknown is that soon enough it becomes known and novelty disappears. With novelty gone, I grab for excitement and adventure but find them fading away.Frustrated I search, I grope for things to reignite my spirit. I find a match, but discover that matches are hard to light when you are on a roller coaster. So here are some of my favorite tales of adventure - small photographs cherished only in my mind.

1. Road trip to Seattle and the EMP Museum my Sophomore year of college

I remember 4 of us piling into a car and singing to "Mustang Sally" on our long trip north. We were only sophomores and not yet willing to answer to anybody - much less the boyfriends we left behind for the weekend. Cheap beer and stale pretzels were abound at the Green Tortoise Hostel in the heart of downtown Seattle. We named our band the Green Tortoises as we sang"Wild Thing" at the EMP - not realizing that our jam session was being shown to everyone in the museum at that very moment. We got recognized over our greasy fries at the nearby McDonald's and handed out our autographs with humor and even a bit of haughtiness. We were big time now.

2. Road trip to Nevada and ending at Wallowa Lake my Junior year of college

My friends and I decided to do this on a whim. We were crammed into my friend Rebecca's tiny Ford Focus named Pebbles and hit the freeway. Mastered the art of making the perfect jello shot thanks to our new found bartender friend Joey. Danced the can can by the road heading out of Nevada. Dressed up like it was prom part 2 and told scary stories late at night as we all huddled together. Fed all sorts of wildlife creatures outside our cabin and hiked through the snow - all the while singing songs from Moulin Rouge to scare off bears.

3. Granada, Spain - my study abroad experience

To me Granada is the most magical place in the world and I don't think I will ever be convinced otherwise. To live 6 months in this beautiful tiny town will forever be one of the best memories of my life. The 45 minute walk to school amongst gypsies. The churros with chocolate, the coffee, the endless amounts of journaling. The beer and tapas. The shots bar where I became friends with Bartender Javier. The feeling of sore feet after a day of exploring and an evening of dancing. The acoustic guitar player who dedicated his evening song to me on my stroll home from the library. The sunset and sunrises, the park I would run around barefoot in. The smell of incense, the amber rings, the tiny alleys littered with the most amazing array of jewelry stores. Drinking amazing tea out of delicately created glasses and the tortilla de patatas. Yes - truly the most magical place in the world to me.

4. Positano, Italy - a trip during my study abroad experience

I went to one of the most romantic places in the world with two crazy girlfriends. A city that is built completely vertically and along the Amalfi coast - you can't help but get a workout on your way to and from the beach. I remember the gelato, pizza and beer on the beach. The sun shining down on us. The bag of cherry tomatoes I bought and would pop into my mouth as we started our trek up the hill to our hotel. The gnocchi, the red wine, the Christmas lights strewn about. The long, winding bus ride home with Bruce Springsteen playing in my ears.

5. Haleakala on my honeymoon with Bryce

I've never felt smaller than standing above the clouds at Maui's crater. The steep car ride uphill at 3 am in the morning. The blanket and pillows I had grabbed in order to get some extra sleep on the way. Singing along to John Mayer (in my awful voice mind you) in order to keep my new husband awake. The crowds of people, the silence, the peace.

Who are you really?

2008-02-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

I frequently like to go on Oprah's website. I know - I'm like every other housewife in America on board the Oprah train. But she does bring up some interesting topics about who we are, what we believe in, what led us to be the person we currently are. So here's the thought for today from Oprah (and p.s. - My instant reaction was I am a dreamer):

Quick, finish this sentence: "I am a ________." What popped into your mind? Did you immediately think of your job title? Did you identify yourself with a relationship term, like wife, daughter, or Elvis fan? Maybe you described your body ("I am a svelte size 10"), your personality ("I am an optimist"), or your favorite hobby ("I am a heavy drinker"). Identity labels like these are useful, even necessary. They shape the way we act and feel (and the way people act and feel toward us) in every situation, from taking the bus to taking a lover. But many labels are misleading, and none can fully describe the multifaceted reality that is a human being. Moreover, any external criteria we use to label ourselves—looks, power, health, relationships, anything—can disappear in a heartbeat. So really, the only way to avoid a lot of insecurity, fear, and suffering is to learn how to wear our identities lightly and let go of them easily.

Things I want......

2008-02-22T12:03:00.000-08:00

Things I want right now:

The ability to transport anywhere in the world at anytime. If this truly was a possibility - I would like to be on a beach in Mexico - visiting Venessa
For the temperature to move up into the 80's..........
A drink in a coconut - complete with tacky mini umbrella
A warm fuzzy blanket
The new Jason Mraz cd - that isn't being released until May. Dang
A green gel pen
Some peacefulness to come over campus - I've been dealing with some of the most upset students lately. Those nurses are wound tight!

Things I have right now:

Buterflies before a presentation
A nalgene bottle full of water I really should be drinking - everyone here has been sick lately
An iPod that is playing "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark - sometimes I like to listen to bad 80's music, is there something wrong with that?
A cold office
A huge to do list I'm not completely ready to attack just yet

Your day in 6 words?

2008-02-08T13:33:00.000-08:00

This is actually a fairly fun exercise. My friend Melissa asked me - "I don't have much time but how is your day in 6 words?" Here's what I came up with. Have some free time? Give it a whirl. If anything it's a fun way to take a mental break during the day right?

So today Elisa is: Simply celebrating this delightfully mudluscious life.

Why? I'm simply in an e.e. Cummings mood. So to leave you on this soggy Friday - here is that poem.

In Just- spring
when the world is mud-
luscious the little
lame balloonman

whistles far and wee

and eddieandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer old
balloonman whistles
far and wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and
it's
spring

and
the
goat-footed
balloonMan whistles
far
and
wee

These are a few of my favorite things

2008-02-04T10:05:00.000-08:00

Every year Oprah reveals her “favorite things” list to an audience of self-help-reading, home-at-3pm-tv-watching followers who ooh and ahhh appropriately in honor. Well I have a list too, and while I may not have throngs of devoted fans (or one devoted fan), for whatever its worth here is my official 2007 (and very late) favorite things, places, or events.

1. Queen Bee Bags
Founded back in 1996 these little bags have taken over the Rose City. They can be found in stores such as Powell's, but it's always more enjoyable to go to their store in person. The bags are made of sustainable materials and no two bags are ever alike. Interested? Check out their website: http://www.queenbee-creations.com/ . I just purchased my first bag (the Truckette) and I absolutely love it. They have everything from totes, to diaper bags, to messenger bags. Help support a local Portland artist - and hey - if you love bags as much as me this is definitely for you!

2. Ladybug Organic Coffee

This little coffee shop is less than a 10 minute walk away from home and Bryce and I love it! It's become a recent favorite amongst my friends as well. The people that work there are much friendlier than Starbucks and take the time to lean against the counter and chat with everyone a little bit. The atmoshpere is relaxed and often full with UP students studying and overcaffeinating themselves. In addition, the coffee shop as a weeknight game night. People can bring their board game of choice (or choose from the large selection available) and get competitve with your neighbors over a game of Scrabble!

3. Green Dragon on Belmont

The Green Dragon is the latest brewery to hit Portland, and it is becoming a favorite. They currently have a unique guest tap selection, but look for the first batch of their own beer in January. The food is fantastic, I am obsessed with the Mediterranean bread salad in all of its olive oil soaked goodness. PLUS, there is a glass of chalks and the tables are chalkboards, so you can doodle freely and, on a whim, express love to your dining partner, or write a limerick (if that is more your style) without the guilt of publicly defacing property.

4. Bridge to Bridge Run

If you enjoy a challenge (and the satisfaction of devouring pizza and beer as a reward at the very end) then this is the run for you! The 10k run is held annually amongst the April showers and is a great way to start off your Sunday morning. The most challenging part is running up to the Fremont Bridge - but the view of Portland and the city is incredible once you get there.

5. The Portland Trailblazers

I know - I'm amazed this made my list as well! Call it the influence of my husband - but these guys are incredible! They are a young team and just a joy to watch. All of the bad seeds are gone (well - there's still one left) but they are a team that fights until the very last second of every game. They went on a huge winning streak, have the Rookie of the Year (and the newest All Star) Mr. Brandon Roy, and the biggest fan club in the city of Portland.

We're rooting for them - so should you!

Happy 2008!

2008-01-03T10:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that 2008 will be full of adventure, fun memories, laughter, challenges, and peace for you. I usually make a ton of resolutions - and I still do. But I'm hoping that 2008 will be a year of growth for me. I'm anticipating that it will be.

I'm back at the University of Portland and working in the School of Nursing. I ended up getting promoted after a month because one of my co-workers decided to pursue a career elsewhere. So starting on Monday I'm going to be the Nursing Program Counselor for all undergraduate and transfer students. It's a big job full of challenges and I'm a little nervous - but mainly excited. It's going to force me to face my anxiety regarding public speaking. In addition to counseling students, I will also have to do several presentations and serve on different panels to provide information about not only the School of Nursing, but about UP as well.

Then Bryce and I are going to be going back to school for our Master's. That's right - we are the eternal students. I'm going to be working towards a Masters of Arts in Communication with a focus on Journalism and possibly Organizational Communications. I've never juggled a full time job with school so I do hope that I will be successful.

What are your plans for 2008? Whatever they may be - approach this year with excitement. It's going to be a good year. I can tell.

What are you grateful for?

2007-11-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has already passed - but I wanted to make note of what I am grateful for. This has been a wonderful year full of surprises but here are the standouts......

- The constant support of my husband

- A brand new job, home and kitten

- New opportunities and new friends

- Old friends I've rediscovered and reconnected with

- Finally finding the courage to face my fear and learn how to swim

- Amazing books - I've come across some amazing books this year. At some point I'm hopefully going to write a review on my favorites

- Finding the time to breathe again

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and remembered all the things that you are grateful for - be it big or small. I think the most important lesson that I am taking away from this year so far is to believe in the good. There was a point halfway through this year when the stress at my old job and difficult friendships made me wonder if there is any point of believing in the good. I think that one of my greatest weaknesses is my tendency to put people that I find interesting or inspiring up on a pedestal. But this year I was disappointed and even shocked at times by the people I had once "looked up to".

But I'm an optimist. I believe in the promise of tomorrow. I believe in the good. I believe that everyone has some good in their heard - but often times they need to find it within themselves. And I hope that you all believe in the good too. I could have easily become jaded and become cynical and started being wary of others. But that's not how I operate. I believe in the good. And that's never changing.

October - A time of change

2007-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

October was a great month - but it was also a really tough one for me.

The house ~ Bryce and I moved into our townhome which we love. We've been walking around the St. John's area and discovering all of the fun new places that have become a part of North Portland. Our new tradition is every Saturday we walk up to Ladybug Coffee that serves organic, shade grown coffee. After a cup of a coffee we walk one block over to grab a pastry at Tulips Bakery - My current favorite purchase there are their Marionberry Fritters...... delightful! Then Bryce and I usually walk through Cathedral Park and play with the many dogs that are always running around. It's so great to be back in that area........ last week I ran across the St. John's bridge and was overcome by how beautiful fall in Portland is. Behind me was downtown St. John's - alive and full of families running around and enjoying their Sunday mornings. Ahead of me I was running towards Forest Park - its trees vibrant with the fall colors. To my left I could see downtown Portland over the water - so peaceful and calm.

A new job ~ I just got a job in the School of Nursing at the University of Portland as an Office Support Specialist. This is a brand new position in the department and I'm really looking forward to being back on campus. UP has such a special place in my heart for so many reasons - I met my husband there, the faculty members that were my mentors when I was a student (and who I am fortunate enough to call my friends now), the experiences I had while I went to UP are ones that I treasure wholeheartedly. I'm exciting at the prospect of going back for my Master's. I'm not sure what I want to go to school for - but I'm thinking perhaps an MBA........ I'm also very excited at finally being able to have a 5 minute commute vs. my hour and a half trip to and from Wilsonville. Perhaps in the spring/summer I could even get a bike to go to work! Plus Bryce is on campus...... there are just so many great things about accepting this position it was tough to say no.

Saying Goodbye ~ October was hard for me at my current job because I had to say goodbye to two of my managers. It's been very stressful at work because I've been the sole person representing the foundation and trying to juggle about 4 different jobs. To lose my strong support group was very difficult and I had about two weeks for struggling to even get up in the morning sometimes. But when the UP opportunity came up you would think that I would be jumping for joy. Instead, I have cried at the thought of having to say goodbye to the remaining staff. Even though it has been difficult at work, and even though there is a fair amount of instability - it doesn't change the fact that I still genuinely care about the staff and am going to miss them. It's going to be very hard to say goodbye to them next Friday (my last day) - it feels like I'm going off to college again for the first time......... it's a bittersweet goodbye.

October has been a month of change. But I'm looking forward to what November has to bring. There are still many more adventures to be had..........

2007-10-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

"The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible."
~ Arthur C. Clarke

Life is going well so far - Bryce and I moved into our new place! I've never been a big fan of moving. It's always so stressful trying to pack all of the fragile items oh-so-carefully and not breaking anything. But so far everything has made it in safely and we are loving our new neighborhood. Yesterday Bryce and I took a walk around downtown St John's and in the last year it has changed dramatically. There is a brand new organic coffee shop that we are enjoying. There are tons of brand new homes and town homes going up around the area. Cathedral Park (across the street from our house) was full of dogs and families running around and enjoying the fall weather. I would have never thought that I would like living in a town home just because my entire life I envisioned myself working in a garden in the back yard. I pictured my husband hanging up Christmas lights on the garage and kids building snow forts in the front yard. But as time has gone on I realized that I needed someplace very simple and easy to maintain. In reality - I hate yardwork, my husband is perfectly content hanging Christmas lights around the house - and there is a park across the street for those future snowball fights.

The other part about our new home that I am enjoying is all of the light! We lived in an apartment with only 3 windows and now have a place with 14 windows! It's so great having so much light and sunshine filling our rooms. Our kitties are also enjoying how much more room they have to run around in. The thing I'm really looking forward to about our new place is being able to walk everywhere! Bryce and I love running and I actually became a runner while we were going to the University of Portland. I didn't enjoy it for the longest time but when we started running along the bluff which overlooks the city of Portland - I became a big fan and haven't looked back since. I'm so excited to be able to go running on the bluff again - definitely beats running on a treadmill (although I don't mind running in a warm gym vs. super rainy cold weather outside). Also in the area - we are able to walk to a breakfast place, Starbucks, Safeway, the post office, a pizza place, Blockbuster, a dry cleaners, a Hawaiian restaurant (which has yummy Italian sodas in the summer), a gelato place, a Mexican taqueria, and of course........ St. John's Pub. Bryce keeps saying how great it is that only a 5 minute walk away is a date: drinks, dinner and a movie.

Anyways -need to run. Here's a quick playlist of some amazing music I'm listening to right now. I love making playlists at any point in time and always share them with my friends. Check it out!

"Colorful" by Rocco DeLuca
"Warning Sign" by Coldplay
"Waiting in Vain" by Annie Lennox
"Under the Milky Way" by Grant Lee Phillips
"All I Need" by Matt Kearney
"Falling Awake" by Gary Jules
"Tell Her This" by Del Amitri
"The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson
"When You Know" by Shawn Colvin

Fall is here......

2007-10-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

Fall snuck up on me - I definitely wasn't expecting it. I've been enjoying the warm lazy days of summer and suddenly BAM! Fall arrived! I enjoy all of the seasons for different reasons. I love fall though because of the extra blanket you wrap around yourself for warmth. I love running outside through the falling leaves and seeing my breath. I love having Bryce hold my mittened hand as we walk through downtown Portland. This is a great time of year.

Small Joys Friday

2007-09-21T13:01:00.001-07:00

It's Friday and there is a lot to celebrate and be grateful for:

- We got the house!!!!! Bryce and I are so excited. We will hopefully be moving into our two bedroom townhouse in October! For a while we weren't sure if we were going to get it but the abatement came through and now we're going to be homeowners! I'm very excited and can't wait to be back in the North Portland / St John's area! Yay!

- Race for the Cure! This Sunday Bryce and I will be running a 5k with an estimated 50,000 people through the streets of downtown Portland. I've been doing Race for the Cure since my senior year of high school and each year it becomes a bigger, better event. More than anything I think it's wonderful how many people are getting involved and joining the battle against breast cancer. A great event and I'm hoping and praying for some sunny weather. Not everyone has to run though - there's a walk and my good friend Ashley is actually doing Paddle for the Cure down the Willamette River.

- A weekend to veg! Bryce and I are taking this weekend to just relax and watch the entire third season of Grey's Anatomy - one of our favorite shows. We're going to have to enjoy this weekend too because the next month is going to be full of fun stuff.

- Great running clothes! I recently went to the Adidas outlet in Woodburn and bought some new running clothes since I'm always in dire need of them. I've gotten to the point where I'm running so much, but I can never justify spending money on Adidas Dri Fit tank top and matching shorts. The other strange thing that I really should buy, but never do are socks! I have awful running socks that are too big for me....... yet I can never bring myself to buy a new pair. Sad - I know.

I'll end this quick rant with a couple books and some new music to check out:

- Currently loving John leCarre's books! Ashley bought me "The Constant Gardner" for my birthday and that was great. Her dad bought me "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" which I am reading right know and loving!!!!! If you get a chance, check out his stuff.

- Music musts include the new James Blunt CD "All The Lost Souls". If you've heard his old album, "Back to Bedlam" (which I hope you have!) - his new material does not disappoint. It's on permanent play in our apartment right now! Also - Josh Ritter? Fabulous! Great artist and definitely one worth checking out. If you're feeling in the mood for more playful, lighter music - Donovan Frankenreiter and Guster are who I am loving.

Have a great weekend! Enjoy the sunshine and breathe in the crisp fall air if you can....... I plan on it!!!!!

It's been awhile.....

2007-08-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

The last month has been a little crazy so here's a quick little update......

1 Year Anniversary

Well - we did it! 1 year of marriage! We celebrated it by camping over the weekend and then going out to dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Bryce and I have been dying to go to Ruth's Chris for a long time now and it did not disappoint! Yummy steak, mashed potatoes and an excellent happy hour! I still can't believe how quickly this last year has flown by. But I'm looking forward to more anniversaries and more memories......

Camping

Bryce and I have had the chance to go camping at Nehalem Bay a couple times and we absolutely love it. It's just a little bit south of Manzanita and it's our own little retreat from the hectic lives we've currently been living. Our favorite thing to do is to wake up fairly early and have a yummy breakfast at our campsite. Then we drive over to Manzanita, get a cup of coffee and wander around that town for a couple hours. The rest of the day is usually spent out on the beach reading and listening to music. It always makes me realize how important it is to slow down and take some time to ourselves.

Cats

We have a new addition to our family - a hyperactive but snuggly cat named Sydney. She and Cheka are still trying to get used to each other and Sydney hasn't quite picked up on the fact that nightime is sleeptime........ NOT playtime. However, Bryce and I both adore her and think that she is just a real treat to be around.

Job Stuff

Things at work have been a little crazy and I was trying to pursue an opportunity at the University of Portland. Things didn't work out but I'm hopeful that something better will come along. I truly believe that things work out the way they are supposed to. So I allowed myself to be bummed out for 5 minutes, and then bounced back with a positive attitude. Something greater is out there waiting for me...... all I can do is try my hardest and ultimately I'm very proud of myself for making it down to the last two candidates.

Friends

This has been an eventful month for friends! Bryce and I got to celebrate Ashley's 25th birthday with everyone at our favorite Irish bar - Kells! It was a great time and it was good for all of us to be together again. Ever since we graduated from college, it's become difficult for all of us to get together because we all have jobs, new homes, marriages, relationships, etc. But I'm so happy that at least the entire "family" was able to get together for a fun night.

In addition, I've spent a lot of time with my old housemate, Chrissy Marquardt. She's from Jamaica originally and her entire family was affected by Hurricane Dean which swept through Jamaica a couple weeks ago. She's been showing me pictures of the devastation that has occured in Jamaica. Pictures of her home with the roof missing, of the car she learned to drive in stuck up in a tree, and the flooding. Luckily, everyone is okay and now they are in the process of rebuilding their home.

Also, I was fortunate to get back in touch with another old housemate, Maria Woodall. She was always such a dear friend the last two years in college and I was really sad when we somehow managed to grow apart. Luckily - due to the fun of MySpace - If found Maria and we have been able to catch up and even meet for coffee a couple times. She's now a proud mama and I got to play with her 4 month old son Leavitt who's a squirmy bundle of joy.

My friendships mean a lot to me and I've truly been blessed with some of the best friends I could ever ask for. It's been a good month!

Some other random stuff........

Here are a few more of the other things I've gotten to do this month.......

Finally got to meet Ashley's dad for the first time in our 5 years of friendship! We went out to coffee and then shopped for books - always a good time!
Went to a Mariners game with my father/brother/and sister-in-law. We went to Alki beach before the game and ate at the Pyramid Alehouse as well. Fun times!
Saw the Bourne Ultimatum - It's great! Check it out!
Went and watched the most recent Harry Potter movie with Chrissy and her younger sister in 3-D. Very cool!
Said goodbye to my good friend Katie. :( She got promoted and is now working for the Rose Garden..... Lucky duck! We still call and talk every week but it just isn't the same without her.
Went to a makeup party with Ashley. This was completely on a whim and was probably one of the most stressful situations that anyone could ever put themselves in. A bunch of women, squeezed into a teeny tiny makeup store and getting attacked from every which way with lip glosses, foundation, and blush! It was Ashley's idea and I went along with it to be a good friend. We left after about 10 minutes and ended up having a mojito at a nearby bar and talking for 4 hours. Much better. :)
And we're in the process of buying home...... more on that later........

Anyways - hope everyone had a wonderful summer!

Let's hear it for Portland!

2007-07-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

I'm obviously very proud of Portland. I think it's a great city. I can't imagine myself living anywhere else (except for maybe Spain...... but that's a long shot..........) and I think that everyone in Portland should be proud of the fact that it's been voted one of the top 10 green cities in the U.S. Below you can find the reason why Portland was bestowed such an honor.

In 1974, Portland (pop 529,121) began to tear down a six-lane expressway to replace it with Tom McCall Waterfront Park, one of many urban parks that make up almost 16 percent of the city. Portland's integrated public transit system, its status as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, and its ranking in the top third of affordable cities by the National Association of Homebuilders put it on our Green Guide list. Portland scores extra points by leading the nation in green-building practices: It has the most building projects registered for LEED-certification, in total number 52 and per capita. In 2002, Portland became the first city to gain approval from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to implement their own green building ratings system "Portland LEED", in which local codes were tailored to meet or exceed the USGBC's standards. When it comes to escapes, skiing on Mt. Hood is popular, as are canoeing and hiking along the Columbia and Hood rivers. And right in the city itself, Forest Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the country, provides 74 miles of hiking, running and biking trails.

Powell's is so crafty!

2007-07-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Yet another reason to love Powells, these kick ass retro notebooks. The covers for these spiral bounds are old hardback library childrens’ books complete with check out slip and stamped dates on the inside cover. My favorite: Nancy Drew of course! I imagine myself filling those pages with all sorts of Drew-inspired notes. Heck maybe Ill even write my own mystery novel complete with a hapless sidekick.

Interesting.......

2007-07-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Just took a quiz so I thought I would share........

Your Life Path Number is 11

Your purpose in life is to inspire others

Your amazing energy draws people to you, and you give them great insight in return.
You hold a great amount of power over others, without even trying.
You have the makings of an inventor, artist, religious leader, or prophet.

In love, you are sensitive and passionate. You connect with your partner on a very deep level.

You have great abilities, but you are often way too critical of yourself.
You don't fit in - and instead of celebrating your differences, you dwell on them.
You have high expectations of yourself. But sometimes you set them too high and don't achieve anything.

What Is Your Life Path Number?

Congrats to You!

2007-07-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

“But look at 2006 through a different lens and you’ll see another story, one that isn’t about conflict or great men. It’s a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It’s about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people’s network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It’s about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes.” Time.com

I recently found out (in July, congrats Elisa) that Time's 2006 person of the year was ME, and well you too. It's the entire web community and rightly so. For all the while, while politicians huffed, while the news media droned on, while terror levels rose and fell, we were collecting. We collected ideas and published them on blogs, we collected videos and posted them, we collected information to build an evolving encyclopedia.

It is unbelievable to imagine the wealth of knowledge that lies beneath the url bar, just a google search away. With knowledge comes power and with shared ideas and culture comes tolerance. Take what the printing press did for promoting and preserving human thought and experiences, now multiply by 1,000, maybe 10,000. We are building the largest community in all of human history, and WE are all founders. Never before has information been accessed so rapidly and spread so widely. All have equal chance to contribute, express, and in this way, the web is the grand equalizer.

I am proud to be a part of such a grand and global human landscape. I am going to enjoy the rest of 2007 with new hope and pride in my fellow contributors.

Action and Adventure!

2007-07-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

“The good story tellers are the people who are attracted by the mystery of things that don’t make sense rather than fearing those things.”~The Story Factor

I’m not sure when I became such a wannabe adventurist. It’s possible that my desire to explore hidden and colorful portions of the world may have arisen out of the lack of color of younger days. I refuse to maintain the ordinarity of my past. Which is one catalyst that drove me to Portland rather than stay in the oh-so-comfortable-Tacoma. It was in Oregon where I would find adventure, it was a leap in the rainy unknown. The tough thing about the unknown is that soon enough it becomes known and novelty disappears. With novelty gone, I grab for excitement and adventure but find them fading away.Frustrated I search, I grope for things to reignite my spirit. I find a match, but discover that matches are hard to light when you are on a roller coaster.

These are a few of my favorite things.....

2007-07-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

I'm compiling a nice long list of all my favorite things for the summer of 2007 (so far). So here they are.........

Small Joys for me:

Anything and everything green (both the color and people becoming environmentally conscious

Elephants - huge, clumsy, awkward, lovable

The sense of accomplishment after a run (or after successfully treading water for more than a minute)

Hiking around waterfalls and/or mountains

Exploring - I like to explore. I like to explore the great outdoors, the city, new people, new music, cultures other than my own, and most of all I like exploring this planet

Watching the Discovery Channel with my husband - in particular we are hooked on Man vs. Wild. The show follows Bear, a former British Special Forces agent and he will get dropped off by helicopter somewhere in the wild (a Forest, the Australian outback, a desert, on a glacier, etc). Bear then has to find his way out and back to civilization with only a flint, a knife, and a small waterbottle. He's amazing! I spend so much time learning all the techniques - just in case in the very small, remote chance I too would end up somewhere in the wilderness. In addition, Bear teaches his audience a variety of lessons such as: How to build a bow and arrow using only tree branches, how to escape quicksand, and what to do when you can't find a source of water anywhere. Fascinating.......

Pumpkin Flax Seed Granola from New Seasons - So yummy mixed with organic vanilla yogurt, strawberries, blueberries and bananas!

White Chocolate Americanos

Talking about books with Ashley's dad

Anxiously awaiting the next movie/tv show from Netflix

Organizing - I get such a sick thrill out of cleaning and organizing. I'm not sure who I developed this from because neither my mom or my dad every displayed as much excitement as I do at the thought of cleaning

Peanut butter

Reading US Weekly from cover to cover - I should be ashamed of myself, but I'm not

A nice long phone conversation with friends that live far away

Music that is making my summer even more enjoyable:

Dar Williams

Brett Dennen

Dear and the Headlights

Feist

Gary Jules

The Paperboys

Any of the music Putomayo puts out - African Groove, Latin Salsa, French Wine Country, it's all a delight!

The soundtrack to Amelie

4th of July Fun

2007-07-12T07:48:00.000-07:00

Well, my friends and I had another fun and safe 4th of July. I thought I would post some pictures from that day. The weather was perfect - sunny but not sweltering. We had a BBQ at Zach's and then went down to the park and enjoyed the sun while the guys played kickball with some neighborhood boys.

Here is Bryce enjoying his pony keg of Heineken

Ashley, Carrie, Kat and I hanging out in Zach's kitchen

Stuey and PR are having a good time

The besty and me - I love Miss Ashley!

Bryce and PR playing frisbee down at Cathedral Park

Ashley, Chrissy and I enjoying the sun

Zach, PR, CJ (Chrissy's husband) and Stuey waiting impatiently for Bryce to throw the Frisbee

Ashley, Nikki and I cheering the guys on

PR, CJ and one of the local boys in action

Here comes the sun.......

CJ, Stuey and Zach are looking a little tired now.......

Simply the best - Ashley is one of the greatest friends to have

PR and Stuey think it's time to go.......

I never get to see Stuey as much as I would like - Love him!

It was definitely the most mellow 4th of Julys that we have celebrated - but it was one of the best!

A wonderful week of music

2007-06-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

I love music. I really and truly do. And this has been a wonderful week of music for me for the following reasons:

On Monday Ashley and I went to the Dirty Martini and Colbie Caillat concert at the Crystal Ballroom. It was amazing!
I've discoverd another great band - The Paperboys. The best way to describe them would be as a Celtic, bluegrass, stomping pop band. If you get a chance to check out their music - please do. You won't be disappointed!
Also I stumbled upon Matt Nathanson - wonderful acoustic music! Another one to look into.

Small Joys Thursday

2007-06-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Yet another list of things bringing me joy today........

Jamba Juice - Strawberry Nirvana
Getting tickets to go see Dirty Martini with Ashley
A good friend and co-worker coming back from a 3 month break
Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Yoga - a nice way to take a break from the world and concentrate on my own intentions
Completing a book - I find that when I read I can speed through the entire thing but when I reach the final chapter it always takes me a few days because it means that I'm saying goodbye to characters I've fallen in love with
Having the courage to finally say what I want and what I see myself working towards at work

New Music to Check Out......

2007-06-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

I've discovered some fabulous music today:

Check out Dirty Martini's self-entitled CD and their other CD, "Tea & Revenge"

In addition, Colbie Caillat is a joy.

Juggling

2007-06-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

When I contemplate the horizon, reality fuzzes a bit and is replaced by a vibrantly idealistic fantasy of which I am the star. In this particular fantasy, I am a juggler, effortlessly balancing a successful career and wonderful marriage all the while continuing to excercise mind and body in various fashions and maintain a full social calendar. The future “me” aparently does not sleep and is part machine.What I am chasing is a mirage, puffs of pink fluffy gasses that cloud my senses.

I went running the other day, and I noticed some absurd behavior in myself. As I jogged along tree lined neighborhoods, past the storybook houses, fresh-cut lawns, and flowering bushes, I would occaisonally try to sniff one of those flowering spring buds wihtout breaking stride. This was impossible to do without looking ridiculous. My nose would zero in on a flower, my jogging body would push me forward past the flower, and my head (lead by my nose) would be helpless to follow, so I throw my head back and to the side to allow one quick sniff of flowery aroma.
Such is the pace of my life right now. I am a passenger, Time is behind the wheel, and he is running stop lights. I am trying desperately to stop and smell, and breathe, and enjoy.

When did the home, 2.5 children and a white picket fence become the ultimate goals in life? Did I miss this vote? Can I nominate Intelligence, Truth and Balance?

Balance, ahhh balance. If there is one thing on my horizon, it is the quest for balance. Ive got to work on my juggling.

Open Yourself Up

2007-06-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

"Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart."
--Myla Kabat-Zinn

I've been going through some tough things at work. There's been a lot of closed door meetings, questions hanging in the air about the future, but I've learnedthe power of being gracious. My manager tells me that when it comes to making decision (either at work or in life) I should see if I would look back on that choice proudly. She has faced a lot of backlash, but she has been such a source of inspiration for me. It is very rare to meet someone who will truly stand up for what they believe in not because of money or power, but because it's right.

I'm very fortunate to have had many mentors in my life. I recently received an e-mail from my English teacher and advisor from UP, John Orr. He wanted to know if I was still keeping my eyes and heart open. When I was at UP I had a tendency to overload myself - I was incapable of saying "no". At one point I found myself juggling 3 jobs, tutoring Spanish students, volunteering to coordinate a Hispanic Women Writer's conference, and participating in Eucharsitic Ministry (all while keeping a full semester's worth of classes). I remember storming into John's office because I had finally reached my wits end and I needed to tell somebody. I felt so alone because none of my friends came close to taking on as much as I had. And all John said was, "Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart."

I still take those words to heart today. So even while there is a lot of ambiguity and questions and tensions at work - I remind myself to keep my eyes and heart open.

Small Joys Thursday

2007-05-31T07:53:00.000-07:00

Another list of things bringing me joy right now.......

Music by Amy Winehouse and Brandi Carlile - they are both phenomenal!
A cool spot in the shade
My purple gel pens
Soup at Hand - I find it very difficult to motivate myself to make a sandwich in the morning for lunch. Instead, I can grab these handy little guys and call it good
Exchanging e-mails with friends at work - makes the day a little more fun :)
Skirts - my entire life I used to hate wearing skirts. But now, I actually enjoy throwing one on once in awhile
Special co-workers who stand up for what they believe in even though it can be difficult
Highlighters

Things I Love and Things I Don't Love

2007-05-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

Things I Love:

A warm, sunny day
A nice, long run
Good customer service
Calla lillies
Flip flops
Watching the dinner scene from The Breakup with Ashley
The color yellow
My oh-so-organized planner
Making lists
My book club
Post it notes

Things I Don't Love:

Cingular
Dishonesty
Angry people
Lies
Mustard
Laziness
Right handed scissors (they don't work for a lefty like me)
A disorganized cork board

Trip to St. Louis for Britton's Wedding

2007-05-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

Bryce and I are back and completely exhausted from our trip to St. Louis. Here's a quick recap.....

Wednesday night: Our dear friend Ashley spent the night because she was the only one willing to drive Bryce and I to the airport at 3 in the morning. For her reward Bryce made yummy chicken kabobs, macaroni salad, and ice cream sundaes.

Thursday: We get to the airport at 4 am, check in, and board our plane to Seattle. At this point, we're a little sleepy but still in good spirits and excited to get to St. Louis. The little puddle jumper to Seattle is tight, but not bad for a 45 minute trip. The trip from Seattle to St Louis was a bit more interesting........ They boarded all the passengers and everything seemed to be fine. But after about a half hour the pilot announced that there is a part of the plane that is not painted the correct color, which is against regulation. We were all stuck sitting on the plane for an hour, waiting as they painted the correct color on. After a late start, we then arrived in Chicago's O'Hare airport. There was a lot of construction going on, and eventually Bryce and I found where to pick up our rental car (complete with GPS). We then hit the road, still hoping to get into St. Louis at a decent hour.

However, as we started our journey, we realized that there was a lot of traffic on the freeway. We soon heard on the radio that a big chunk of I-55 (the big highway that runs between Chicago and St. Louis) was shut down because a warehouse caught on fire and there was no visibility whatsoever! So Bryce and I were stuck sitting on the freeway for about 2 hours. We finally arrived in Chicago around midnight and were completely exhausted!

Friday: After getting a good night's sleep, Bryce and I headed out to check out the City of St. Louis and we had a great time. Here are some pics of what we did during the day.......

Here we are checking out the city and hating the humidity......

Bryce and I are up in the Arch looking down upon the city.......

I'm 630 feet in the air!!!!

Here I am on a paddleboat on the Mississippi.....

Making silly faces on the paddle boat......

After checking out the Arch and going on a paddleboat tour, Bryce and I had lunch in the more "urban" district of downtown St. Louis. We then went to Britton and Molly's rehearsal and dinner and had a wonderful time meeting their friends from college and exchanging stories.

Saturday: Bryce and I checked out of our hotel at 11 am and had some time to kill before Britton and Molly's wedding, so we decided to go on the Anheiser Busch tour. The facility is amazing! It looked very much like a college campus! Plus, as great lovers of beer - it was interesting for us to learn how much beer (and business) Budweiser actually goes through!

The Budweiser horses - aren't they cute?

Bryce enjoying the free sampler beers

After the Budweiser tour we headed off for Britton and Molly's wedding. It was held in a beautiful church in a rougher area of St. Louis. They had a traditional Catholic wedding so poor Bryce was stuck standing in his tux, in a hot church, for over an hour. But Molly looked beautiful and Britton was so excited to be marrying her. There were a lot of people and many had travelled from 21 different states! The reception was a lot of fun and I got to meet Bryce's friends from high school and grade school. We got to dance to some fun 80's music and dinner was very yummy!

After the reception (around 11:30 pm), Bryce and I left in our trusty rental car and headed off for Chicago and began our journey home. All in all that final day was quite jam packed. In the span of 24 hours Bryce and I did the following:

Went on a tour of Anheiser Busch
Attended a wedding and reception
Slept for a total of 3 hours
Travelled through 4 different states (Missouri, Illinois, Washington, Oregon)
Took 4 different types of transportation (car, plane, light rail, and bus)
Learned the beauty of XM radio

All in all - one successful trip for the Majors! :) Congrats to Britton and Molly!!!!!

Monday Madness

2007-05-21T10:12:00.001-07:00

Things have been crazy for the Majors. Here are some recent highlights:

Bryce just accepted the position of Financial Aid Counselor at The University of Portland. I'm so proud of him. It's been his dream to someday work for UP and I admire that he recognized a wonderful opportunity and went for it. So congrats to him!
I learned how to tread water (sort of) at my swim class. My teacher says that I'm still a little too frantic, but that there is some improvement.
Bryce and I are leaving this Thursday for St. Louis for Britton's wedding. Bryce is in the wedding party and we are both very happy and excited for Britton. Should be a fun time!
I recently joined a book club with my co-worker and love love love it! There are 10 of us that get together and discuss books over margaritas once a month. What could be better?
Work is going very well for me. Even though my favorite manager recently resigned - I'm having a great time with what I'm doing. I've taken over the ProStart program which is a school to career program for high school juniors and seniors. I work closely with the teachers to help find mentors and worksites within the industry for their students to gain the experience necessary to enter the hospitality industry. It's been wonderful being able to have a positive impact in the lives of students. I've had the opportunity to get to know a lot of them and have been inspired by them. It's been a learning process but it's all been worth it.

That's all for now....... until next time......

Things I'm Grateful For......

2007-05-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

I've had a great week. And in honor, I'm grateful for the following:

Bryce for being so supportive and encouraging - I had my first two swim classes this week. I wasn't looking forward to it since I would be overcoming a childhood fear, but Bryce was wonderful.
Discovering the music of Dar Williams - beautiful voice and wonderful songs
The warm sunny days we had the last few days
My new eyeglasses -I haven't gotten new glasses for 5 years. It's nice to see the world a little clearer now!
Becoming a better tennis player
Pizza Roma - some of the best and cheapest pizza in Portland...... yummy!!!!
A new Office episode for the week

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I'm very much looking forward to it. Tonight Bryce and I are going to happy hour at Henry's with our friends Zach and Hannah, then seeing the movie Fracture. Tomorrow morning we are going to practice swimming. Or at least I am. I still haven't quite figured out how to breathe off to the side while swimming. Then Bryce and I are going to watch his friend from Seattle play music at a Portland bar. Sunday we are going to go for a long hike at Multnomah Falls. I'm so excited. :)

Camping time!!!

2007-05-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

I love camping. Bryce and I are usually unable to ever really slow down. Even when we set aside a whole weekend and promise ourselves that we won't do anything - we usually end up running chores, meeting up with friends and running a lot. So our "relaxing" weekend never really is. But camping - that's the one time I can justify sleeping in until the sun wakes me up (not the alarm clock). We can read for hours and be quiet and still. I recently found these pictures from the last camping trip we took with friends for Memorial Weekend. Some of my favorite moments include:

Playing football
Drinking beer and talking by the campfire until 3 in the morning
Zach bringing his huge 10 person tent - when he and Ashley ended up being the only ones sleeping in it
Visiting the Astoria Column
Burying P.R. in the sand at Cannon Beach
Buying every single type of candy imaginable in Seaside - I had never had Pop Rocks until this trip!
Cooking a yummy breakfast - or rather eating it....... I never really cook.......
Having a bad dance off in Zach's huge 10 person tent. The girls and I love dancing. But more than that...... we love dancing badly. I usually win the competitions because I've got some sweet Jazzercise/80's moves
Hiking
The ride there and back - I love singing in the car with friends. I'm not a good singer. In fact, I probably am one of the worst singers I know. But ever since I was little I always loved singing in the car.

Small Joys Thursday

2007-05-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

Vale (my sister-in-law) does Small Joys Thursdays on her blog and I really like it. Sometimes I get so busy, I forget how important it is to remember the small joys that make life truly enjoyable. So here is my list of things that are bringing me joy right now (or maybe later today.....):

Listening to my iPod on shuffle

New Office episodes (like tonight!!!!!!)

Finding old pictures (like the ones above) that remind me of how much I love summer

My new North Face fleece pullover (so soft.......)

Having my morning cup of coffee out on the porch with my husband

Travel memoirs - particularly stories of people who discover themselves while in another country

Going for a run on my lunch break - a nice way to relieve energy and escape for 30 minutes

My biscotti candle - makes my office soooooooo cozy.........

Having a new office with a window - I love feeling the sun shine in

Organizing my planner - I keep track of everything in here: projects I'm working on, to-do lists, books to read, music to check out, movies to see, birthdays, phone numbers....... everything.

My Spain calendar - I love looking at the pictures (one for each day). It always reminds me of the beauty of the country and the people

New Year New Start

2007-01-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

2006 came and went and was one big blur for me. However, since I have some free time in my day - I'm going to jot down some of my favorite things from last year (Please note that the following may not have necessarily been released in 2006, but really just defined 2006 for me):

Top 5 CD's:

Corrine Baily Rae ~ Corrine Baily Rae
James Blunt ~ Back to Bedlam
John Mayer ~ Continuum
Death Cab for Cutie ~ Plans
Evanesence ~ The Open Door

Top 5 TV Shows:

The Office - The American version. Such a guilty pleasure for me! Funny, sarcastic, and who can't laugh at Dwight Schrute? Plus I hate to admit that I'm somewhat invested in the Jim-Pam unrequited love thing.......
24 - Jack Bauer delivers again ..... this last season was a hard one to watch becuase so many of my favorite characters were killed off.... but I anxiously await the next installment in the series anyway.
Scrubs - Just a classic. Wonderful lovable characters and just hysterical.
Lost - I too have jumped on the Lost bandwagon..... it's just so intriguing, I can't stop watching!
CSI - Only the Las Vegas series though. Makes me want to be a forensic scientist.....

Top 5 Movies:

The Family Stone - Captures the craziness, fun and love involved in being a family, and becoming a part of a new family
In Her Shoes - A guilty pleasure movie really.....
Elizabethtown - Didn't like this movie at first. But as I watched it more and more, I began to really appreciate it.
Garden State - Perfect.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding - This helped me to continuously find the humor as Bryce and I planned our wedding!

Top 5 Books:

The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt - I went to Venice years ago but my curiosity about its history has never faded. This book focuses on the fire that ruined the Fenice opera house in 1996. It's suspenseful and beautifully written.
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - My friend Ashley recommended this book to me and I really enjoyed it. It's written about Chicago in 1893 and revolves around the talented architect of the World Fair, and the serial killer who used the fair to find his victims. Another great book.
Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris - Just a hysterical, entertaining writer.
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris - See above
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini - An unforgettable story about life in Afghanistan.

New Finds for the Holidays

2006-12-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

This holiday season I have discovered many small delights I never knew existed!

1) Hershey's Candy Cane Kisses - I love chocolate. I love candy canes. Put the two together and you have my new favorite sweet treat!

2) Land-O-Lakes Graham Cracker Hot Chocolate - This makes me think of camping and sitting around a fire with friends. Memories of s'mores, munching on graham crackers for breakfast, and sunburnt faces always come to mind as I drink this concoction.

3) Cookie exchange - At work they have always have a holiday cookie exchange. As a cookie fanatic, I can't wait to try the different creations my co-workers come up with. I've always been a big fan of gift exchanges but I think I may be pushing for cookie exchanges with friends in the future.

4) Avalon Organic Hand and Body Lotion - I found this at Fred Meyer and love it! I'm really into natural lotions, soaps, shampoo etc. The lotion is available in a lavendar as well as a lemon (my personal favorite). Since I don't have the luxury of going to a spa, I indulge myself with this yummy lotion.

5) Tristan Prettyman - Just discovered her music on Monday and absolutely love her! I've found myself in a music slump and would like to hear about more great music. It's too bad I can't insert a music suggestion box here. I've also rediscovered alternative music. I used to love alternative music in college and then I transitioned to the John Mayer/Jack Johnson/Jason Mraz phase. But lately I'm leaning towards alternative music.......

Lists

2006-12-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

I'm big on lists. I have been my whole life. I love the sense of accomplishment of crossing something off my list. At work there are lists everywhere in my office: List of things to do, people to call, classes to coordinate, things to update on our website, etc. At home I have a grocery list as well as a list of chores to do on our fridge, a notebook full of books to read, another notebook with a list of words for me to look up. I stumbled across my list of things to accomplish for 2006...... I didn't do too bad. I will probably have to put some of them on my New Year's Resolutions List for 2007.....

1) Run 5 miles - I have accomplished this and am really proud of myself. I used to hate anything and everything associated with exercising. I started running because my husband kept on raving about how he loves it. So I gave it a try on whim. I wheezed, and puffed, and sweat - but now I'm a huge fan of running. Well that's not entirely true - I hate the feeling while running. But I love the feeling after running.

2) Read at least 3 books a month - I was an English major in college and one of my favorite parts of school was perusing Powell's Books for my assigned reading for the semester. For me there is no better assignment than "Go home and read the next 6 chapters." Unfortunately, I haven't had as much time to read as much as I would like. I don't think that I've met my 3 books per month quota, but I've done pretty well overall.

3) Get an iPod - This was obviously for my own entertainment as opposed to improving myself as a person. I've wanted an iPod for the longest time because I love music. It's such a huge part of who I am and I get such a thrill out of discovering a new song or music artist. I finally own the iPod I've always wanted and can often be found dancing to one of the latest playlists that I've created on it.

4) Learn how to swim - This is a life long goal. Eventually I will learn. I attempted to find a swimming class and got numerous responses saying "Why would we offer a class on how to swim for adults?" Maybe next year..........

5) Keep a plant alive for at least 6 months - I've been a notorious plant killer for as long as I can remember. The plants are still alive and I'm at two months so far.....

6) Go wine tasting - Is it lame that I'm 24 and I still haven't gone wine tasting? Sigh, maybe someday.

7) Take up painting - Still haven't gotten an easel, paint brush or paint. Will try again next year.

8) Start a book club - Started one with a couple friends. Unfortunately, our schedules are all so busy we'll have to make a better effort to get together and actually try to discuss the books we read sometime....

A Year of Change.....

2006-12-04T11:43:00.000-08:00

A lot happened in my life in 2006. It was a year filled with laughter, tears, joy and sadness. Here's a recap:

Bryce and I left our beloved NoPo for suburbia. We miss the seedy bars, the coffee houses ran out of the owner's home, and the walks we would take along the waterfront. We miss running along the Bluff, seeing friends pop up a random places, and taking public transportation. I have faith that in a few years we will end up back in the heart of Portland. Until then, we are forced to enjoy it on weekends rather than on a daily basis.

I welcomed some new friends into my life and got back in touch with some childhood friends. I went to private schools my whole life: First Holy Rosary for grade school, Bellarmine Preparatory School for high school, and finally The University of Portland for college. I never had much growing up because my parents put all of their money towards my education. For them, it was important that I receive a good education rather than the coolest pair of shoes - and I will always be grateful for that. However, at times I did find that it was difficult for me because I was definitely the odd one out: I was a female, a minority, who grew up in one of the rougher areas of Tacoma, and was attending a very ritzy private school. As a result, I always felt a little out of place. But when I got back in touch with my grade school friends they said they will always remember me as the girl with the sunny disposition. I was so insecure growing up (and being so different from everyone), it was nice to hear that they never noticed.

I lost my father in June to lung cancer and that was a difficult time for me. However, it also made me find a deeper strength within myself that I never knew I had. I'm thankful for the wonderful friends and family that were there for me.

In August Bryce and I got married after a year and a half of planning, more planning, and just general stress. It's a nice feeling being able to say that I've married my best friend. We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and had a blast. I don't know how to swim and what do you do in Hawaii? Hang out on the beach and swim. We ended up purchasing matching life vests (Bryce knows how to swim but bought one to be supportive) and had a great time snorkeling and running around on the beach in them.

We just celebrated our first official Thanksgiving as a married couple and we managed to make a great meal. We also purchased my first real tree for Christmas. My parents always put up a small artificial tree around the holidays so this was a new experience for me. I love the pine smell in the morning! However, Bryce and I keep calling it the Charlie Brown Christmas tree since we only have about 9 ornaments total. But it is the holiday season.