This Tuesday marks my grandfather's 80th birthday. This is Dad's Dad. So on Saturday, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Clint and I piled into a car and drove to Portland for Chief's 80th party. We were greeted by Uncles, Aunts, Great Aunts, and cousins that I haven't seen in several years to over a decade.
It was really great to have people together in the same place celebrating Chief's resistance to aging. Or at least in his mind. I remember Chief as somewhat of a wild man, traveling from here to there, always in search of the biggest wave or best snow, depending on the season. Passing through on his way, stopping in for dinner and a shower when he could. Despite the slowing of his lifestyle, his attitude and mental agility are still right at the top, and I hope to all hopes that I inherit those characteristics.
Today is a day for family, too. The Big Blue House family. I woke up yesterday morning feeling congested and short on energy, but pushed through the day, for the party, only to sack out in the car on the way home. Today I woke up feeling like a moose had lodged itself inside my head. My sinuses are packed to the brim with funk and it's not going anywhere. No drips, no coughs, just sticking around. And this feels miserable.
So today I got to spend a lot of time on the couch with my hubby and the kitties, who I think have felt neglected the past two weeks due to our over-working schedules paired with a successful effort of getting back to the gym.
I cancelled my previous plans for the day and just relaxed. Hopefully this crud will start making its way out of my head tomorrow. Although I LOVE napping and waking up to a magnificently clean kitchen!
Stuff I Do
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Routine Wins
Hello, one and all. It's been a crazy couple of weeks, and I'm looking forward to getting some normalcy back in my life. Two weekends ago I spent the weekend in Poulsbo with a good friend of mine (Jenni) and two of her girlfriends* for a "Ladies' Weekend." We rented this super cute house overlooking Hood Canal just a few minutes up the road from old town Poulsbo. We arrived Friday afternoon and had a lovely time cooking dinner, chatting, and being girls. Saturday we walked down to the private beach in the mist and rain, walked around the neighborhood, spent some time in old town Poulsbo, and ended the evening with a moderately drunken dance party. OK, more than moderate, but this is a family blog... Sunday was definitely recovery day, as the 4 of us took turns napping in the house's 2 beds. Mid-afternoon arrived, and I hopped the ferry back to Shoreline and came home to a relax husband and a messy house. Let's face it; it's not fun doing chores alone.
This past weekend we went to Portland to use a hotel reservation that we mistakenly booked over 9 months ago. As it was already paid for, there was nothing stopping us. We went to the Farmer's Market, which is huge and awesome, and ate Falafel and Papusas, and drank the Rogue Ambush IPA. It was great! We walked to the Rogue brewery and had a tasting flight of 4 4-oz. beers before walking down to Bridgeport Brewery, where we had their tasting flight of 8 4-oz beers. Wow, dinner time. We ate at a very small French Bistro, Le Bouchon. I don't think I have ever dined at a real French restaurant. We started with some Pate, and Clint and I each ordered a duck dish. Fabulous! I think duck is my new favorite red meat. :-) And what French dinner is complete without creme brule? Not ours! After dinner we walked to the Deschutes Brewery (yes, they have a Portland location) for one last tasting flight; 8 more 4-oz beers. Despite the free trolley that took us close to our hotel, it was still quite a stumble home. Noticing a pattern here?
Sunday was overcast and windy, but not too cold. We walked to Mother's for breakfast, our Portland must-do every time we go. Crab cake eggs Benedict for me; stuffed frittata for Clint, and a shared French Press of their Stumptown coffee of the week. Not as good as last trip's Panama Duncan Estates blend, but still an exceptional cup of Joe! We wandered around Powell's for a bit, shopped here and there, then met Chief & Rose for lunch. More food. It was great to spend time (albeit short) with them and laugh about this and that. Chief has some great stories that kept us laughing all throughout our chowder.
Chief's parting gift to me was a pair of short skis that he bought a few years ago. Now I didn't really know what to expect, but when he pulled out 3" skis from his trunk, I got it. Oh boy. I am going to break my butt the first time I try these! Wish me luck...
So now we're home. We've grocery shopped and made our weekly menu. This weekend we're here, and we're looking forward to cleaning the house (oh God, these floors...), taking care of some projects here and there, and just being home. It's amazing how drained I feel not having a sense of normalcy and routine in my life. I am lost without it.
*So it turns out, after a day together, that one of Jenni's girlfriends there knows my mom, dad, grandma, and brother! Talk about a small world! Alicia O'Dell went to EUUF a few weeks ago when dad was the lay-leader and met the family. She lives in Marysville and went to WWU (knows Misty), and is totally awesome. It's nice to make a new connection in the area!
This past weekend we went to Portland to use a hotel reservation that we mistakenly booked over 9 months ago. As it was already paid for, there was nothing stopping us. We went to the Farmer's Market, which is huge and awesome, and ate Falafel and Papusas, and drank the Rogue Ambush IPA. It was great! We walked to the Rogue brewery and had a tasting flight of 4 4-oz. beers before walking down to Bridgeport Brewery, where we had their tasting flight of 8 4-oz beers. Wow, dinner time. We ate at a very small French Bistro, Le Bouchon. I don't think I have ever dined at a real French restaurant. We started with some Pate, and Clint and I each ordered a duck dish. Fabulous! I think duck is my new favorite red meat. :-) And what French dinner is complete without creme brule? Not ours! After dinner we walked to the Deschutes Brewery (yes, they have a Portland location) for one last tasting flight; 8 more 4-oz beers. Despite the free trolley that took us close to our hotel, it was still quite a stumble home. Noticing a pattern here?
Sunday was overcast and windy, but not too cold. We walked to Mother's for breakfast, our Portland must-do every time we go. Crab cake eggs Benedict for me; stuffed frittata for Clint, and a shared French Press of their Stumptown coffee of the week. Not as good as last trip's Panama Duncan Estates blend, but still an exceptional cup of Joe! We wandered around Powell's for a bit, shopped here and there, then met Chief & Rose for lunch. More food. It was great to spend time (albeit short) with them and laugh about this and that. Chief has some great stories that kept us laughing all throughout our chowder.
Chief's parting gift to me was a pair of short skis that he bought a few years ago. Now I didn't really know what to expect, but when he pulled out 3" skis from his trunk, I got it. Oh boy. I am going to break my butt the first time I try these! Wish me luck...
So now we're home. We've grocery shopped and made our weekly menu. This weekend we're here, and we're looking forward to cleaning the house (oh God, these floors...), taking care of some projects here and there, and just being home. It's amazing how drained I feel not having a sense of normalcy and routine in my life. I am lost without it.
*So it turns out, after a day together, that one of Jenni's girlfriends there knows my mom, dad, grandma, and brother! Talk about a small world! Alicia O'Dell went to EUUF a few weeks ago when dad was the lay-leader and met the family. She lives in Marysville and went to WWU (knows Misty), and is totally awesome. It's nice to make a new connection in the area!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
A few more for this week
So in my challenge to make a card a day this week, I would give myself an A-, as I missed Thursday, but as I mad previously mentioned, I was gone from 5:30 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. Friday morning. I think I get a pass. So I made multiple cards Friday & today in an effort to make up for Thursday, Or because I like making cards and it's what I wanted to do regardless.
Anyhow, here's a few more from this week.
Anyhow, here's a few more from this week.
A cute little spring-timey note:
Yeah, not too sure about this one. Too much going on with the flower & polka dots.
A new technique: spray your stamped image with water to make it bleed & look like a watercolor. No, it's not your eyes. :-) I"m getting a funky reflection in the gold brads. Strange!
A simple Wedding Card for a high school friend of mine.
Friday, March 4, 2011
David Gray and Four Years
The Incredible Mr. Gray
Last night I had the pleasure of attending a David Gray concert with my good friend and college sophomore roommate Stephanie. The tickets were a gift from my boss, as he likes to do that from time time, and I like to receive things like that from time to time. I had heard some of Mr. Gray's more popular songs on the radio, but i have never purchased an album or sought him out on a Pandora station. I knew enough of his music to know that I liked him. So off to the concert we went. Mr. Gray's band consisted of a piano/keyboardist, bassist, drummer, cellist, guitarist and himself, but the stage was set with way more instruments than people. During the set, they would finish one song, and all shuffle around to other instruments and start the next song! It was incredible! The pure, raw, unfiltered sound in that auditorium was amazing, and I truly found myself captivated. And now I'm going on iTunes to buy me some David Gray songs!
Four Years
Tomorrow marks my 4 year anniversary of working at ICON. I was thinking about this the other day on my drive home, and realized that four years, while being a drop in the bucket in terms of life scope, is also a very long time! When I interviewed with ICON, I had been graduated from college for just under a year, living with my parents, had just bought my first car (my original car was a gift from Grandpap), and was woefully single. ICON needed a receptionist/admin assistant, so I took the job. The pay was low, but it was better than what I had previously, and a lot more ethical, to boot!
Within 3 months of working there, both of the other support staff quit, so it was just me supporting both planners. Yikes! But as I am a well rounded person, I was able to step up and fill the need for the office, and landed myself into the role in which I now find myself. I now make almost double my starting salary, I have great benefits, Matt is a terrific boss (see The Incredible Mr. Gray, above), and I find that my needs are satisfied. So congratulations to me for finding ICON, and congratulations to ICON for making it a place worth sticking around!
OK, more about four years:
As I mentioned, a lot can happen in 4 short years. In the time that I have been working at ICON, I have:
1. Moved out of my parents house
2. Met a boy I love
3. Moved in with boy I love
4. Boy and I move in with my parents (yes, I know)
5. Boy and I get married
6. Husband and I buy a house (hence the living with parents to save up a down payment)
7. Husband and I fill the house with things and kitties
8. Husband and I live happily ever after...
OK, so really the big things are getting married and buying a house. But to think that I hadn't even met Clint when I started at ICON is pretty nuts. And consider the fact that I was living paycheck-to-paycheck for quite some time, sometimes barely being able to afford simple things, and now I OWN A HOUSE; that's pretty crazy, too.
A lot has happened in 4 years, and I eagerly look forward to the next four!
Last night I had the pleasure of attending a David Gray concert with my good friend and college sophomore roommate Stephanie. The tickets were a gift from my boss, as he likes to do that from time time, and I like to receive things like that from time to time. I had heard some of Mr. Gray's more popular songs on the radio, but i have never purchased an album or sought him out on a Pandora station. I knew enough of his music to know that I liked him. So off to the concert we went. Mr. Gray's band consisted of a piano/keyboardist, bassist, drummer, cellist, guitarist and himself, but the stage was set with way more instruments than people. During the set, they would finish one song, and all shuffle around to other instruments and start the next song! It was incredible! The pure, raw, unfiltered sound in that auditorium was amazing, and I truly found myself captivated. And now I'm going on iTunes to buy me some David Gray songs!
(INSERT SEXY PURR HERE)
Four Years
Tomorrow marks my 4 year anniversary of working at ICON. I was thinking about this the other day on my drive home, and realized that four years, while being a drop in the bucket in terms of life scope, is also a very long time! When I interviewed with ICON, I had been graduated from college for just under a year, living with my parents, had just bought my first car (my original car was a gift from Grandpap), and was woefully single. ICON needed a receptionist/admin assistant, so I took the job. The pay was low, but it was better than what I had previously, and a lot more ethical, to boot!
Within 3 months of working there, both of the other support staff quit, so it was just me supporting both planners. Yikes! But as I am a well rounded person, I was able to step up and fill the need for the office, and landed myself into the role in which I now find myself. I now make almost double my starting salary, I have great benefits, Matt is a terrific boss (see The Incredible Mr. Gray, above), and I find that my needs are satisfied. So congratulations to me for finding ICON, and congratulations to ICON for making it a place worth sticking around!
OK, more about four years:
As I mentioned, a lot can happen in 4 short years. In the time that I have been working at ICON, I have:
1. Moved out of my parents house
2. Met a boy I love
3. Moved in with boy I love
4. Boy and I move in with my parents (yes, I know)
5. Boy and I get married
6. Husband and I buy a house (hence the living with parents to save up a down payment)
7. Husband and I fill the house with things and kitties
8. Husband and I live happily ever after...
It's legal!
Our house!
OK, so really the big things are getting married and buying a house. But to think that I hadn't even met Clint when I started at ICON is pretty nuts. And consider the fact that I was living paycheck-to-paycheck for quite some time, sometimes barely being able to afford simple things, and now I OWN A HOUSE; that's pretty crazy, too.
A lot has happened in 4 years, and I eagerly look forward to the next four!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Daily Card Challenge
On Monday of this week I decided I was going to try to make a card each day this week. Well, I know I'm going to fail, as I'm going to Seattle straight from work tomorrow for a concert, but oh well...It should be "Barring and unforeseen circumstances that would prevent craft time..."
But here are the cards that I made Tuesday and today.
This first card is a color change from a previous set that I have on Etsy. I was contacted and asked to make the same set in pink/purple. So cute!
This card is one that I case'd from one that I randomly found online, but I changed a few elements, and viola! I think it's pretty cute & sweet.
But here are the cards that I made Tuesday and today.
This first card is a color change from a previous set that I have on Etsy. I was contacted and asked to make the same set in pink/purple. So cute!
This card is one that I case'd from one that I randomly found online, but I changed a few elements, and viola! I think it's pretty cute & sweet.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Mojo Monday #180
Today I decided to do a design challenge through Mojo Monday. Today's design seemed simple enough, with straight edges, circles, scallops, etc. so I thought I'd give it a whirl...Right. Despite looking like a crisp & clean card, this was a plethora of bits and pieces to assemble!
I struggled with this design, just like I struggle with following a recipe. I usually just do whatever comes to mind and make it all work together. But following these guidelines and staying within the confines of the pre-set layout was really challenging and took so much longer than normal to create this card! I had to think about all the parts and pieces, choose colors that would coordinate, think of a picture and sentiment to use...I didn't have any coordinating patterned paper, so I hand-drew the pinstripes. Seriously! This was no walk in the park...But I somehow found a way to make it all work. Here's my take on it, and...another dude card, to boot!
Recipe:
Cardstock: PTI Ocean Tides, Vintage Cream, Smoky Shadow, DCWV Glitter Stack, Open Stock dark teal textured cardstock
Stamps: PTI Enjoy the Ride, SU Apple Blossom
Ink: SU Night of Navy, SU Many Marvelous Markers in Sahara Sand and Not Quite Navy
Accessories: PTI Enjoy the Ride die cut, Marvy 1" circle punch, dimensional squares, vivory 1/4" ribbon.
Friday, February 25, 2011
PTI Blog Hop
Good afternoon! Today I am participating in the Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Challenge, which I have never done before. The challenge is below; let me know your thoughts about my interpretation!
And here is my card. I used my scalloped circles die cuts to make this cute little flower. I cut the circles, cut a wedge out, and used adhesive to stick the two straight edges together, giving the flower some dimension. I used 5 layers, and I cut a progressively bigger wedge out of each layer as I neared the center of the flower to give it a blooming effect with the tightest blossom in the center. And no flower is complete without a pearl and glitter center.
I also used the Fillable Frames #5 die (scalloped rectangle) behind the Fillable Frames #10 to give the sentiment bubble an extra pop and make it stand out more. The sentiment is from the Signature Greetings set. All in all, I'd say it passes. What are your thoughts?
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