Living on Love

Annoucement, Annoucement, Annoucement....

2012-02-11T00:40:00.000-08:00

The title always makes me think of girls camp-anyone else? Anyone? Bueller?

Well, our announcement is that we have finally reserved a fabulous venue for our fundraiser! Drum roll please... The Fisher's Landing Grange Hall. I didn't even know what a Grange Hall was before this and I still don't..just kidding. We're really excited about this cute place! The sweet old farmer in charge of rentals met with us-Bob, who informed us that he rides a Harley, loves his fruit trees, and doesn't wear a coat until its 40 degrees below. This cute man gave us a great discount for our Saturday event. Instead of the regular $450, he felt that it was such a great cause, he is giving us all day Saturday for $150. Considering that most other places we checked into were asking for $150 as a deposit on top of the $600-1100 fee for the day, we felt extremely lucky to have met up with Bob! We heart him.

So the date of our "Carnival IVF Fundraiser" is during National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), on Saturday, April 28, 2012-from 2pm-5pm. Please mark your calendars and show up with the whole family for a great time!
We hope that having it in April will give us the time we need to organize a fun event that will educate, inform, and raise money for IVF. If you're interested in helping to plan and/or organize, let me know- we'd love your bright ideas.

We are planning on having delicious food and carnival games for sale with raffle tickets. In addition, we are hoping to have other items; arts, crafts, goods, services, etc., donated for a silent auction along with more costly items auctioned in a live auction. We are contacting local businesses inviting them to participate and support our cause by donating gift certificates and goods as well.

Russell and I are so excited for the opportunity to "grow our family" and pray we'll continue receiving the support and help from so many of you! Please check our blog often as we will be posting updates about the Fundraiser, how to help, and information about how to educate others about infertility, especially during NIAW.

So mark your calendars for Saturday, April 28th, and start practicing your "carnie" skills- Family...isn't about time!

Start the poking...

2012-02-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

We started the poking- we had our first round of blood tests and don't we look thrilled! Well, Russell does actually!

They always have a hard time finding my veins so I always ask for the heat pack to bring those puppies to the surface...plus I kinda like getting all cozy and warm.

Could we just take a second and talk about the plethora of colors and patterns I was wearing that day...WOW and WOW.

Anywho-these test are just the basic tests to make sure we don't have any lovely diseases that our baby could contract like HIV or Rubella or what have you!
Overall, pretty painless and quick, just like this "post"..

"You know you are not getting any money from this?"

2012-02-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday Russ & I along with my parents, Taylor, and Court & Jill's family went over to Justin & Liz's house for Dessert and FHE! Well, let's first describe the loveliness that was dessert..I wish I had taken a picture, but I didn't.

On the menu was homemade chocolate chip cookie bowls, with creamy vanilla ice cream, drizzled with a smooth, homemade hot fudge sauce (compliments of Liz), topped with whip cream and nuts...and then some popcorn on the side :) I would bathe in the hot fudge sauce if the occasion presented itself, it was that good. Then Liz conducted a lovely spiritual thought and Justin and Maren performed a musical number that was the best rendition of heart and soul I had heard since the 90's. It ended with a small planing session for the upcoming fundraiser, which I'm totally excited for. Hopefully by the next week we'll have the date and kinks worked out and I'll post about it.

The most amazing part of the whole evening was the enthusiasm for the fundraiser generated from all our adorable nieces and nephews ages 2-12. As we chatted about trying to get crafts, goods, services etc., donated, the 4 girls said, "We can make friendship bracelets for people to buy." This was then followed by the older boys announcing that they were going to make gimp key-rings and parachute cord bracelets to sell. It just made us so happy that it's a family affair. How cute are they? They have some good parents.

Then, as an added bonus, the next night, I was talking with Liz and Jill about the kids' endeavors and they both said that the kids were working so hard making bracelets and key-rings. Liz told me that she really wanted her son, Zach (11yr) to know that by making these bracelets, he was not getting anything or money from them. She asked if he understood that and he replied, "Yes I am getting something, I'm getting a baby cousin." Insert my tears. I just welled up.

It was not more than 5 minutes later that Jill's daughter, Ava, (7yr), came up to me and handed me a dollar bill. She said, "I want you to have this." I told her I wasn't going to take her money, but she said, "It's for your baby, I want you to have it." Insert round 2 of tears. I was so floored by there simple love and mature understanding of our desire. But that our desire became their desire as well. The next morning I told Russell about these sincere experiences and we just stood in our kitchen and cried again.

We feel so incredibly humbled by the outpouring of love and support from our families, friends and community. We can not thank you enough for your encouraging words and amazing donations. We are so lucky to have such people in our lives, we love you.

FUCHS...a tender mercy

2012-01-26T23:02:00.000-08:00

One of the preliminary tests I need is a recent pap smear (seriously, who came up with that name-it's just ridiculous). So needless to say, I made the appt and I went into the dr last week. My regular Dr. is booked till the end of February so lovely Kaiser gives you whoever is available.

Well, I always get a little anxiety and the cold sweats before going in for a pap. I mean who likes this procedure- you are completely vulnerable. Any-who, my confidence was waning when I heard the name of the doctor I would be seeing- Axel Fuchs, MD. Really? Was this a joke? No wonder he is available.

However, it turned out that this Dr. Fuchs was a tall, German man who speaks with an accent and wears a red bow tie..so naturally, I liked him instantly!

With his warm greeting and happy demeanor he asked me if we were just doing a routine exam. I answered yes, and that I'm in the process of IVF and needed some lab tests done as well. He input the lab requests and inquired if I had taken Clomid or done IUI or artificial insemination before going to IVF. I told him yes and that its something that we've been working on for about 5 years. He just stopped and looked at me and with great sincerity said, "Oh, I am so sorry, that must be so hard for you." What does someone do with a statement like that?

Well, THIS SOMEONE just started crying and then apologized for my crying. For someone to just validate where I was at was priceless. He was the cutest German man ever and I kinda wanted to put him in my pocket and take him home. He told me, "Its okay to cry, we have lots of Kleenex. Crying is like losing weight, just let it go."
However, I know that statement to be untrue because if losing weight was just like crying I'm pretty sure that after the last 2 weeks I should be a size 4 and I'm not.
I have to say that it was an amazing visit- not a phrase that I usually associate with the Gyno, but fitting. I was so grateful that I went to membership services and wrote some good comments on their feedback card for Dr. Fuchs!
I left the office and felt that Heavenly Father had just given me a tender mercy by having Dr. Axel Fuchs as my doctor.

And it's begun...

2012-01-24T21:28:00.001-08:00

We went to our first initial consult appointment with the doctor today and it was a little nerve racking and intimidating along with completely hopeful and exciting! Meeting with him was super informative. Even though we technically know how to get pregnant, he wanted to go through the intricate details of how it happens. After the 40 minute conversation/lesson on our anatomy and the process, I was dumbfounded how anyone gets pregnant. It's kinda a crap shoot ;) The stats or percentages of getting pregnant are pretty much null for us. He said we're at a 1% chance every month of getting pregnant. However, throw IVF in there, and it goes up to 75%! Wahoo!

After Russ and I met with the Dr. we went our separate ways- I went home and he went to work. As I was driving-it all started to hit me. Excited as I was- I was also freaking out a bit. This is a HUGE decision and a HUGE commitment to go through with this procedure. Emotionally it has been challenging because it's all happening so fast-things have just been falling into place- but I feel overwhelmed with all the tests and pre-testing, finances, the "what ifs", and the no guarantees.

However, after having a couple good conversations with Russ and my family and a couple good cries, I felt better. Both of us feel like Heavenly father is guiding us and so we are choosing to trust that! It's hard to believe, but from what the Dr said- we could totally be pregnant by April. This process takes about 10 weeks from when we start the process, which is in 2 weeks. Holy Cow.

Overall, we're super excited for this opportunity and hope that we can pull together to accomplish our goal!

Family...isn't it about time?

2012-01-22T20:47:00.000-08:00

It's 2012, and we’re back! This year is an important year for us because we’ve decided to go forward with IVF, In Vitro Fertilization, on our journey towards having a baby. This is our story…

Russell and I met in 2003 serving missions for our church. However, it wasn't till 2 years later that that we reconnected, and in January 2005, had our first date. From there, all it took was a little chasing on his part, a visit to his family's farm and seeing him on a horse and I was done! We got married ten months later on October 14th.
We both wanted kids and figured we’d have no problems getting pregnant. We started “trying”, and today, 5 years later, we are still “trying”. After our first year , we went to the doctor and got pricked, prodded and tested trying to figure out where the problem originated. From there, we started rounds of Clomid, a drug inducing ovulation increasing chances of pregnancy. After months of that drug and the crazy side effects I experienced and Russell endured, the percentage of conceiving drop dramatically and we felt that we should stop.
Next I had an HSG test performed, looking for any blockage in my fallopian tubes. Not only was this the most painful procedure thus far, I wasn’t very confident in the 14 year old looking Dr. who assured me this was a quick & easy procedure. He forgot in his description that it was extremely painful, but alas, I survived. With no blockage showing, we were relieved yet still puzzled as to what was preventing us from pregnancy.

After two years of testing, taking Clomid, tracking cycles & ovulation, miscarriages, and ultimately frustration and grief, we decided to try a less conventional method, (for a full description of the crazy story go here. A friend of mine said her sister got pregnant by going to this “baby masseuse” and now had 3 kids. I had nothing to lose so my friend set up the appointment and came with me to act as my translator. We had no idea what we were getting into. Upon entering this tiny, old apartment and being greeted by the Latina Masseuse, Lupe- I was told to take off my shirt and bra. Wow, we just met I thought, but okay, I wanted a baby. After getting rubbed, massaged, cupped, and knocked around- Lupe said to come back with good news in 6 weeks. Well, 6 weeks went by and always the same result: Disappointment and tears.

Another hopeful opportunity-another depressing heartbreak. Our doctor then told us about IUI, intrauterine insemination, or artificial insemination. We thought that this was the definite answer to getting our dream. We went to the IUI specialist and were devastated when the first cycle resulted again in a Negative test, not to mention it drained us of a few hundred dollars. After some deliberation, we strongly felt that we should try again and again. With excitement we did 2 more additional rounds of IUI and close to $1000 later, we again felt defeated. By this point we took a little break because every month was always such an emotional rollercoaster and we were completely exhausted in every way.

In August 2011, I started doing Acupuncture and taking Chinese herbs to help us. I was excited to try something new, yet trying hard not to put all my hopes in one basket. In the first visit, the doctor told me that I wasn’t pregnant yet because I was too stressed and had poor circulation. Well, pretty sure I could have diagnosed the first reason … but the 2nd was interesting and so I started the herbs to increase my blood flow. I have become very comfortable with these needles and have enjoyed the weekly treatments so much that I have fallen asleep several times-only to be rudely awakened by my own drooling and loud snoring. :) Who knew it would be such a relaxing therapy session? But he was one of the first doctors who actually believed in me getting pregnant. When we talked about treatments he would say, “When you get pregnant…” I wanted to cry because I had lost hope- but with those few words, I felt excited once again.
As I continue to do acupuncture, Russ & I have tossed around the idea of coupling my treatments with IVF, IVF, In Vitro Fertilization.

Friends of mine have successfully done IVF, resulting in healthy babies. After looking into it further and attending a free seminar about it at Oregon Reproductive Medicine, we found that our insurance would NOT cover a penny of the treatment or tests related to IVF-a procedure costing up to $16,000. Hello! That is not a small sum of money. Let's be honest- it would take years for us to save and by then, who knows if we'd be able to qualify. AHHH, what to do! We want to start our family so badly and feel that we need to exhaust all our resources before we stop believing that we can have our own baby.

A friend of mine was in a similar situation just over a year ago. They were able to do a few things to raise money to help make their dream a reality. After only one cycle of IVF, they were blessed with twins. We hope that we will be half as lucky as we go through this process as well. We would love to have your continued love & support throughout this crazy process and hope that we can not only raise money for this cause but also raise awareness about the rising problem of infertility.
Please don't feel obligated to donate- although, if you would like to help, there are several ways to do that:
1. You can support our fundraiser (March 2012-more info to come)
2. On this blog, you can donate directly to the cause through pay pal
3. You can donate goods and/or services to be raffled at the fundraiser

We will have arts/crafts, goods and services, and delicious homemade foods for sale, raffle tickets for items like gift certificates or gift baskets from local businesses, and a silent auction for larger items. All the proceeds will be donated to fund IVF for Russell & Brie
Thank you for visiting our blog! We hope that this will help us reach our goal of having a baby. Family, isn't it about time?

2011-07-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

Our weekend away at Salishan Lodge outside Lincoln City, Oregon beach. It was a wonderful Memorial Day vacation that helped us get away from the stress of work, school, etc...all coupled with a fabulous 1/2 day at the spa with a deep tissue massage...let me tell you, i was in HEAVEN. We ate ono chowder, took naps, did some shopping, ate some more, read our books, laid on the beach, flew a kite, played words with friends, enjoyed some huckleberry icecream-twice, enjoyed the beautiful sunsets, bought some "barancle bills" smoked salmon, and threw the football around on the beach...loved this much needed "staycation"
o

what we've been up to

2011-06-19T22:56:00.000-07:00

life has taken us for a ride these past several months-here is what happened..in a nutshell. Trip around the pearl district and i loved this street with the colors..

Russell is DONE! He graduated from WSU-Vancouver with his Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering and has was promoted to a full time position within UPS! Woo Hoo I'm so proud of him.

Some of the family, parents, sean & sandi's family, Justin & liz's family, taylor and Russ and i went to Great Wolf Lodge- a fabulous indoor water park that kinda rocked!

I went to Vancouver, British Columbia, with my mom who had a conference. i got to explore and found this great park... who knew there were black squirrels..

i love this picture of my mom- we laughed the whole way...

on a little tour of vancouver...

This guy playing and singing was fantastic...we just sat and enjoyed the sun and music..

fish n chips...so good

jr mints

2011-01-28T22:06:00.000-08:00

i've had a love affair with jr mints for sometime, but in the past few months, it has really intensified... i love them. they have gotten me through some late nights doing homework, have comforted me and my sweet tooth during some precious days that i've wanted to forget and has brought russ and i closer because it's something we both can enjoy! dear jr mints, thank you for being a low-fat, "creamy, flowing, refreshingly light mint surrounded with just the right amount of rich dark chocolate!"
love,
your biggest crush

Leavenworth race pictures

2010-11-24T20:00:00.000-08:00

Some pictures from our 1/2 marathon in beautiful Leavenworth, Wa. My family and russell's family came up to support us..though some of my pics, that of the stotts included, were ruined...so send them to me so i can put them up!

during and after the race
Post race-dinner and cabin!

turkey lurkey

2010-11-24T19:14:00.000-08:00

i love this time of year and especially this year bc it has already snowed, made record breaking temperatures, and Christmas music is playing early! but i wanted to make a Little list of some things that i am super grateful to have!
1. my husband russell who supports me in all our adventures
2. my family who are so fun yet so greasy
3. the gospel! without which i would be pretty lame
4. heating that comes from our ceiling
5. "inclement weather"-few things around this time of year get me so excited than those words
6. electric toothbrushes
7. our cozy, cozy bed-nothing better
8. Christmas lights
9. friends-
10. chips & salsa
11. hot chocolate with hazelnut and whip cream
12. the hunger games trilogy
13. indoor plumbing
14. my running shoes
15. HOPE! it makes everything better!

Have a lovely thanksgiving! I know i will with my in laws in eastern washington!
"Turkey, lurkey lee, and a turkey lurkey giggle- i wish turkey only cost a nickel"-adam sandler

13.1...what?

2010-09-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

what do chaffing, spandex, salty dried sweat, achey knees, the runs, and the feeling of accomplishment have in common? they're just a few of the things i've been experiencing since i started training for a 1/2 marathon with russell. i can't emphasize enough that it is a 1/2...people who run for 26 miles are just plain crazy. back in may, russ and i started talking about doing a race together. there has been a running fever in my family and several brothers and in-laws have been running, racing and participating in 1/2 and full marathons, and apparently we were downwind and caught the running bug, at least till we finish our race, we'll see what happens post mortem, or post run. anywho, so when we went to hawaii in June, we started training,just running 3 miles everyday. We got back and started on hal higdon's program.
which we have loved. both russ and i are amazed at what we have been able to do. we've ran a couple races, a 5k & 10k, to get us used to the "race" feel..which is pretty incredible. we got some free shirts, so it was totally worth it. the longest we've gone is 8 miles and tomorrow we run 9 miles...i'm hoping i don't have to "drop the kids off" in the middle of it...yikes. I might be taking some tp, just in case. anywho, we are excited and nervous to be doing it, but happy that we're doing it together. the race is saturday, october 2, up in Leavenworth, Wa, for anyone wanting to bring signs and noise makers to cheer us on. Leavenworth is a cute little town that will be celebrating Oktoberfest the same weekend. so hopefully we'll be alive to celebrate along with the locals...sober of course, but drunk on brauts! will anything sound worse after running 13 miles? a huge juicy bratwurst?? also we're celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary in october...so literally, we're running into 5 years with flare...or quite possibly with flare-ups. all in all, we're enjoying our workouts and just loving each other!!

Seriously

2010-09-01T22:18:00.001-07:00

well, it has been a crazy last few weeks. i was called to talk to my bishop with the thought that he was just "checking in"-I went into his office as light as a feather and came out feeling quite heavy. i was called to be the new YW President of my ward. hello. the bishop extended the call and immediately my eyebrows started sweating. i questioned his sanity, but realized he was serious. Crazy!! with teaching, grad school and YW's, it will be super busy...However, with amazing counselors and advisers at my side & fabulous young women, I am really excited about working with them all. So, i ask all 4 of you who read my blog, to give me advice, ideas for mutual and activities, or any other YW nuggets of truth, if you have them-i can use all the help i can get!

detroit was built for lovers

2010-08-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Detroit Lake was perfect. it was a blast with Justin's family, taylor and the 'rents, and sean's family on the weekend. i'm convinced this could be ZION. "i know a place, where no on ever goes..."

deep in the heart of texas

2010-08-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

my amazing sister got a ticket out to texas for my birthday so i got to visit her family and drive to houston to visit seth's family. 2 for 1 deal. we had such a fun time! miss you guys. and pulse it!

2010-08-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

kirstin, this two liner post is just for you, so you don't have to slap me. we've had such a fabulous summer-post and pics coming soon.

its official....

2010-05-14T23:33:00.001-07:00

we're going to kauai at the end of june!! holla. i turn 30 next month...yikes, pretty sure i thought that people who were 30 were really old, until now.. my last trip to kauai was "girls gone wild" if you know what i mean..wink wink, when i was 20. i went with kirstin and jen, my bff and an old room mate, and we hitch-hiked are way to and from the na'pali coast...there might have been some other "organic" things along the way :) ha ha...anywho, i'm sure that this 10 yr reunion with kauai will not bring the same adventures, but fun new adventures are sure to be had! double workouts till kauai start now...

natural wonders

2010-04-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

what do you think of this quote? i was just talking to a co-worker about how much i miss, at times, being a kid and exploring things for the first time...
"...the main thing about kids then: we spent an awful lot of time doing nothing...All of us, for a long time, spent a long time picking wild flowers. catching tadpoles. looking for arrowheads. getting our feet we. playing with mud. and sand. and water. you understand, not doing anything. what there was to do with sand was let it run through our fingers. what there was to do with mud was pat it, thrust it, lift it, and throw it down....my world, as a kid, was full of things that grownups didn't care about."-Robert Paul Smith (The art of awareness)
choose to care about those things-bc i miss caring about those things...they're a good time waiting to happen!!

Observations-

2010-03-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

No exciting news YET on "MY OVEN"-To Be Continued.

However, I have started a new term in school and one of my classes is about assessment and observation. I think that many of the points, quotes and teachings are very valid. I just thought I'd post a quote from my readings, once a week or so and get your opinion on the quote or what it made you think of...I'm just doing my own little experiment, so join in if you feel the desire...mahalo

#1- "Children are miracles, not minimums!" (Anita Olds) They come to us full of wonder, eager to understand and be competent. Yet amid our good intentions to teach them, we adults easily begin to deplete children's innate well-spring of zest for learning. No child on earth was ever meant to be ordinary, and you can see it in them, and they know it too. But then, the times get to them, and they wear out their brains learning what folks expect and spend their strength trying to rise over those same folks." (The Art of Awareness, introduction)

Fixing my oven!!

2010-03-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

so i don't know how to really begin this blog other than jumping right in. so please enjoy it and hopefully in a couple months i'll be able to report good news as a result. about a week ago 2 co-workers were joking with me about why i don't want kids yet. "is it because you have enough kids here at school ms. brie?" my response is, "ha ha, yeah, thats why i don't want kids." one of them didn't catch my brush off response and asked again differently. "No really ms. brie, you don't want kids, too much trouble?" for fear that the brush wouldn't work again and that i might have to make up another excuse, i lightly said, "oh, yeah, i'm saving up for a boat." well, that is my usual response, but this time i was polite and just said, "it hasn't really worked for me yet," followed by me changing the subject. that co-worker left the room and the other one, nora, said, "ms. brie, my sister couldn't get pregnant for 6 years and then she went to my friend, Lupe, for a "belly massage" and two months she was pregnant and now she has 3 kids." well that peaked my interest and wondering if my insurance covered this masseuse i asked, "how much does she cost?" $15!!! "is she a licensed massage therapist," i asked. "uh, no," she said.
well i stopped and realized what this meant: a) she is cheap. b) she has no training, and f)she is just some random friend of a friend who rubs lotion on your belly to help you get pregnant.. i was skeptical to say the least, but after several years of trying, with conventional medicine and wisdom i decided to do something different..so nora gave me Lupe's number.
i talked to russ and he was all for it..i went to work the next day and told my good friend amanda about this elusive "LUPE". she offered to go with me and since she spoke spanish, i thought it'd be a good idea. so a few days later, amanda and i were in the car going to Lupe's house to get my "oven fixed," as amanda puts it.
we show up to this apartment, not in the best area of town, and knocked on the door. i'm not sure what i was expecting, but when lupe opened the door, in what looked like a dirty, well shirt and short, i started thinking...is this sanitary? she welcomed us and led us into this dark room....amanda sat on the bed and translated Lupe's questions or should i say question. she only asked me one..."how long have you been married?" I replied, Just over 4 years." She answered with, in spanish, "Take off your shirt and lie down." On the floor she laid down some random blanket and a couple pillow from this bed, and i being keenly aware of germs and lice ( comes with my profession) was desperately fighting with myself about laying down half naked on a baby making blanket...eeewwww.
i sucked it up and laid down with my shirt pulled up. i told amanda, that she was going to be getting more of show than she ever wanted...she just said, "they're boobs, you can see mine later!" i laughed and it made it more comfortable which was good because i was anything but comfortable laying 1/2 naked on an unknown blanket. lupe started rubbing "cream" on my belly and pushing very deeply on my lower abs. you could just hear the gas rolling around in my belly, and it wasn't getting any quieter. with each rub, my belly was growling back in pain. she looked at me and then repeatedly said to Amanda, she has a lot of AIR in her belly-HOLD IT, translation means -she has a lot of gas-and i did. i'd been chewing gum, ate a quick lunch...not good. but lupe kept pushing and massaging so hard it was really hard to "hold it in" if you know waht i mean...i wanted to let it go, but couldn't just fart in these small quarters with this unknown latino women...it wouldn't be right...so i kept tightening my abs just hoping she'd stop, and after 10 minutes she did. but then she asked me to get on all fours and put my but in the air...could this get any more awkward..not to give too much information, but thats the stink bug position, to release some AIR from your body...I was thinking, you've got to be kidding me? now she wants me fart in her face??...no she didn't want me to fart, she said to brace my forehead with my hands while she pushed and thrusted my hips forward almost knocking me over. she pushed me forward with her hands on my bum and all the while, and i awkwardly on all fours just hoping she doesn't jog anything loose...after that i was once again on my back with her rubbing more cream...however, surprisingly it didn't hurt anymore...that was odd, i didn't pass any gas. she then immediately asked me, which was more like a statement, "It doesn't hurt anymore does it?" i said no, and she told me that my tilted uterus was now aligned again, and it is this that would help get me pregnant. i was also supposed to follow a routine of rubbing fresh, hot aloe vera gel and a special cream on my belly each morning so that the inflammation would lessen and the sperm can swim easier..I can't make this stuff up.
but, the massage didn't end there. she said after she aligned me that she had done what she needed to, to help me get prego, but that the next stuff was just "Extra!" I was summoned to talk my shirt completely off and lay on my stomach...i did, and she massaged my back for a few minutes. i was then told to sit up "between her legs against the bed" for her to massage my neck. 1/2 naked, chest hanging all over, between a ladies legs that i've known for 13 minutes.
however, she then started loosely moving my neck like the chiropractor does right before he adjusts your neck...well, that freaks me out and i started saying, "amanda, i'm not comfortable with this, and as quickly as i was saying it she was translating it and being completed ignored. Crack, went my neck. Then she started the other side and i repeated the same things...but couldn't jerk away quickly bc i didn't want to be paralyzed from lupe...so i said it again and then Crack..my neck.
Well i thought it was finished until i saw her bring out the alcohol and jars... she then poured some isopropal alcohol into a jar and out again and then wiped it out on her unclean shirt. she got the lighter out and lit it inside the jar and then immediately put it on my back...the heat mixed with alcohol and against my back created a suction and my skin was sucked up inside the jar. She repeated this back sucking process about ten times and only managed to slightly burn 3 times...that was nice of her :) It was so bizarre, this whole process. she said she was sucking the "AIR" or toxins out of my body..enough about my air already, i get it. I have a lot of Great Attitude and SPirt (GAS)..and let me remind you that this part was just an extra perk that she was throwing in. ALl in all it was a hilarious experience...and i am going to be believing. i am following her instructions to rub hot, fresh aloe on my belly everyday and special cream that you can only find a latino market...all in all, i am just hoping this works..if anybody else would enjoy an unforgettable experience, i can get you hooked up with LUPE!!

80's dance

2010-02-24T22:38:00.000-08:00

back in january we got together to have an 80's dance! it was a good time. sweet outfits, rad music, and hot dance moves equals an amazing time!
missy was my picture date bc russ was at work.

my 80's pose

missy and matt- holy mullet

Adina busting a move

Kelsey and Mike-check out her heels...so hot

amber and tony-sweet gold chains

kendra re-applying her much needed lipstick :)

russ made it to the last dance and for a few pics

Rachel and joe- she was nominated best oufit...she had an awesome faux hawk...

small yet powerful tribute to russell

2009-12-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

russell's birthday was friday Dec 11. happy brithday love. you made it. i just wanted to write a little "love tribute" to you so here it is....this will meet my blog quota for the year.
i love his patience with me. i love that in the middle of costco he starts a game of tag and wont stop till he wins...which didn't happen.:) i love that he is a genuinely happy person. i love that he cooks and bakes..often. i love that he is not afraid to tell or show me how he is feeling. i love how hard he works. i love his smile and the freckle on his upper lip that almost always distracts me when he talks. i love that he is a simple man (not to be confused with simple-minded-which he is absolutely anything but). i love how he thinks logically and analytically. i love that he is the best listener ever and that he humors me by listening to all my stories. i love that he doesn't always take my side..he thinks objectively. i love that he understands me and "gets" me. i love that he is laid back and easy going. i love when his nose scrunches up when he laughs really hard. i love that he has a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. i love that we get to be each others "preferred everything companion" forever.
Even though you had to give a presentation at school, finish a paper, and go to work till 11pm on Friday, i still hope you had a decent birthday and u felt how much i care about you. love you hot stuff.

howie day & colbie calliat at crystal ballroom

2009-10-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

oh summer days

2009-09-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

so i officially suck at keeping up my blog. i have a million pics to share from our adventures this summer, mostly uploaded on facebook...so if you're really that interested in my life, you can see our pictures from camping in orcas island, montana, our trip back east to visit my bff Kirstin and her hubby Travis, and other fun times on facebook. but as for the past couple weeks, russ and i visited aprille and trev in texas and their brand new baby girl Kaiya. also, russ did some electrical work for them and put in recess lighting in their kitchen and family room...awesome. also, seth and betsy just had twins, charlotte and cooper. what a busy busy summer. lastly, we got to go down to salem and party at one of my best friends from childhood, wedding. molly hanneman looked absoultey stunning. she is as fun loving and beautiful and kind as ever. it was great to see her and her family. so here are some pics.

apparently i put the pics in after and before order..instead of before and after. i'm too lazy to change them..you get the picture right.

2009-06-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

Beginning of our trip to warden, wa, for branding and castrating the little calves and just a weekend-o-fun!

click on the pics during our trip and enjoy them as much as we enjoyed this weekend.

Tonight I felt like a Chef

2009-06-27T20:42:00.000-07:00

to show my appreciation to russell for my amazing birthday gift...(tickets to comedian brian regan, which was amazingly hilarious), i wanted to make him a special dinner. he loves coconut curry and instead of spending money at this yummy Thai restaurant, he agreed to me making dinner for him. now as a disclaimer, i do like to cook, but russell is head chef in our house. i am really good at cleaning :) anywho, tonight we switched hats and i made this delicious Peach and Coconut Chicken Curry. So just in case you want to be wowed and delighted i'm posting the recipe and a picture of our meal. yeah for me, i felt like a chef bc russell LOVED it!!! yes!
Fruity Curry
A mild, but strong, Indian style (more or less) curry with an intriguing fruity touch.
This is a recipe I came up with after trying a curry recipe I found in Men's Health magazine a few months ago. I have tried this with a few fruits, but the one that gets the most interesting reaction when I offer to make it is "Peach Curry." I've also tried raisin and mango, and expect that papaya and grape would work. I have also considered plum, apple, and pear, though there are likely other fruit that would work.
Peach Curry
Serves about 6

* 3 Acorn squash
* 4 Tbsp. olive oil
* About 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast
* 2 medium onions
* 2 large red bell peppers
* 2 peaches (or other fruit, about 1 cup)
* 4 Tbsp. curry powder
* 16 oz. coconut milk
* 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
* 2 kaffir lime leaves
* ground cumin
* ground turmeric
* black pepper
* salt

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Cut the squash in half and clean out the seeds. Apply about 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to each and rub over the surface of the meat. Season with salt, black pepper, and cumin to taste. Place squash halves face up in a baking pan and roast in oven for 25 minutes, checking periodically. Tips should be brown when done.
Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Coarse chop onions and peppers. Chop fruit into small pieces as necessary and set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil (about 1 Tbsp.) in a large, heavy skillet or dutch oven. Add chicken and season with salt, pepper, turmeric, and cumin to taste. Brown over medium-high heat, turning continually until chicken is nearly done. Add onions and peppers and continue browning, stirring to keep from sticking, until onions just begin to go soft.
Stir in coconut milk, curry powder, cilantro, and fruit, add lime leaves. Raise heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. As soon as it begins boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
Remove lime leaves before serving. Serve curry in squash halves, one per person.
To spice this up, add some chopped Thai peppers or some hot pepper sauce with the coconut milk and curry powder.
Serve with sticky rice.
(i didn't use the lime leaves)

Russell wanted his rice separate from the squash, but i used my squash as a bowl and put rice and the curry on top...it was really good like that. i reccommend it that way.

birthday dinner at Marrakesh Moroccan Restaurant

2009-06-24T18:39:00.000-07:00

we were so full after our meal...and what i didn't get a pic of was the oversized towel, wash basin and huge teapot they brought around for us to wash our hands between courses. And to top it off we enjoyed a little dessert, included in the 5 course meal. hello. we rolled ourselves out of there ready to ensue in a long food coma.
http://www.marrakeshportland.com/

spring fever

2009-06-07T21:41:00.000-07:00

So i've been a little MIA for the past few months, but now that school is out, i am free!!! so much has gone on since march, but to recap everything would be too much work for me, so i'm just going to try to keep things updated this summer...so first of all, we have started a little garden in our backyard. i know this is not monumental news, but to me it is...we have beans in our garden...beans. we grow things..we're pretty much farmers.

it's pretty exciting. also, our flowers are blooming and i feel that my morning chats with our "foxgloves, rhododendron aka Rhody and petunias" really enhance their day and growth speed...

here are some pictures that will recap the last month:
camping in gifford-pichot national forest...which means we meant to camp 45 mins east of Vancouver, but kept driving and driving and driving till we found a deserted spot on the side of this mountain. it was fabulous, as were our meals. we eat so good camping. russ and the small tree stump-(sounds like the name of a book), yummy pancakes by moi, tin foil dinners that made our night complete and russ enjoying the yumminess.

Saturday's Market downtown portland, taking the max into town, with our elephant ear 3/4 eaten on the waterfront...you never forget how greasy and delicious those are, the "doggie dash" the dog was doing some wicked tricks and last but not least, local ice cream guy which i hope to also be my summer employment.

wicked

2009-03-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

the musical...my mom and i went a couple weekends ago down in Portland, or. Incredible!!! Glinda, the "good witch", was hilarious. Her body language reminded me of Ariana, the spartan cheerleader. She was just fantastically self absorbed, yet remarkably loving. Then Alphaba, the "bad witch" was fabulous too. Anyways three hours went by so fast and we enjoyed every minute. If you have a chance, go see it...the story itself is what happened before the movie the wizard of OZ. We see the true side of how the wicked witch began. It makes me want to go rent the movie now too. anywho...its a fantastic show and has amazing music. do "wicked" and you won't be sorry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0m6sclZkH0

The Rocker

2009-02-26T19:07:00.000-08:00

"The Rocker"...Rainn Wilson, or better known as Dwight, has a new movie out..it was actually pretty sweet. i expected something way lame, and yet rented it anyway..yet it didn't suck, it was funny. I just love his characters because he is completely immersed in them...much like will ferral who just doesn't break character...Rainn is a little bit like that...and then it turned out to be funny and basically, "IT ROcKED!"

Lucky

2009-02-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

valentine's day was fabulous and i hope everyone had a great day. russ and i started off working out because we knew we were going to pig out later at "red lobster." which of course we didn't disappoint. we were both starving when we got to the restaurant, which was not good, because that led us to believe that we needed to first, order an appetizer. An artichoke/lobster/ cheese creamy delight dip that conveniently included our weekly caloric intake. It was a bit insane. but so good...after our mouthwatering shrimp platter, we drove downtown portland to "cupcake jones," a taste buds delight. we got 4 mini cupcakes, we had to try several different flavors. which proved to be the wise choice when we both ended up liking the opposite flavors. we then beelined for Powell's bookstore, which was crazy busy, but profitable nonetheless. i got my book club books for cheap. we came home, exchanged gifts...i got the perfume i've been coveting and beautiful pink roses and lilies. we took a nap, which was greatly needed and ended it with the movie "Eagle Eye." Which kept us engaged and entertained. Needless to say it was a fun, relaxing, and enjoyable day with my love. and to sum it up, the chorus lyrics to Jason Mraz's song, Lucky, is how i felt and feel about my russell the love muscle.

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
Lucky we're in love every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IgHkbRranM&feature=PlayList&p=22576CAD2530099A&playnext=1&index=2
here's a link to the song on you tube...it's one for your playlist.

polka dots

2009-02-05T19:51:00.000-08:00

one thing i love about my job, a preschool teacher, is all the "frank" and "honest" comments from my students. i believe if we were more like 3-5 years there would be a lot less confusion on where we stood with people and how others felt about us. i have been a fortunate recipient of a few of these comments...one in particular, was last week. I'm not sure why at the ripe age of 28 years old, i'm still battling some form of post puberty acne, but regardless of what i do to cover these headaches up, someone is bound to notice.
so last friday during a nice lunch, one of my little students, with a "black southern accent" sitting next to me asked, "Ms. Brie, why do you have polka dots right there?"
"polka dots?" i replied,
"Yeah, right there, and there and there," pointing at my chin.
I just started laughing...and couldn't stop.
She then had the gall, at 5 years old, to continue pointing out that I have "red polka dots" on my chin and "brown polka dots" on my cheeks.
I was dying at this point and informed the other teachers why I was laughing so hard...and then they started laughing.
Well, being the professional that i am..:) I proceeded to educate this little girl that the "red polka dots" are "blemishes" and the "brown polka dots" are freckles. I did point out to her that she had freckles on her face too...and that one day, she might be the recipient of red polka dots too.

GUR

2009-01-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

i wanted to write something really cool today...but nothing is coming out. but i guess something cool that russ and i are looking forward to is a race in june. It's called the Great Urban Race, GUR. www.greaturbanrace.com Check it out. they do them all over the nation. it's like the amazing race but around your own city. there are 12 clues that you have to solve and complete in and around the great city of portland. and perhaps one of the most exciting parts of the race is that your team of two gets to dress up as some fun couple. maybe i'm the excited one out of the two of us, but nonetheless, it'll be a good time.

wish it was an etch a sketch

2009-01-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

"not pregnant" are two of the most unholy words in our english language. there i said it. the end.

Groceries Galore

2009-01-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

So I have been so into grocery shopping ever since i was introduced to thegrocerygame.com. I have learned to shop smarter for cheaper and now I have a lot more in my food storage, which was nothing before...but its amazing. Aprille introduced it to me...and I'd like to bear my testimony about it...amazing. So check out the website and try it for a month for 1$. This website does the work for you- all you have to do is buy the Sunday paper with all the coupons, check out the website and check all the items you are interested in buying and they tell you what the original price is, then the sale price, which coupons to use and which paper they are from. Then cut and organize them and shop...seriously, awesome.

So here is my last score...
9 boxes of cereal
2 cartons of 18 eggs
2 gallons of white milk
1/2 gallon of OJ
1/2 gallon of Choc milk
2 pkg fiber one pop tarts
2lbs powdered sugar
2 pkg of 10 granola bars
4 healthy choice frozen meals
1 bag of cotton balls
2 lbs of Roma tomatoes
4 canisters of salt
2 cans of healthy request Campbell's soup
4 cans of Ro-Tel
6 pack of 16.9 oz water bottles

The total before coupons was $ 99.04
The total after preferred card, coupons, and getting the grocery game deals = $14.54
Jump on the Bandwagon...I'm ready to help anyone who wants help...happy grocerying..is that a word?

in addition to the post below...mahalo kirstin

2009-01-14T23:32:00.000-08:00

ARRR

2009-01-13T22:45:00.000-08:00

I need an eye patch..anyone have one I can borrow...in an attempt to overtake me with the nerf gun, my great aimming husband shot me right in the right eye...its pretty serious, its kinda touch and go...a little blurry...i need a pirate patch.

this google pic said, "dominant women with an eye patch" i think this is the one.

Artic Blast

2008-12-21T16:18:00.000-08:00

ARTIC BLAST 2008- for 2 weeks now i've been glued to the tv. watching the news and waiting to hear the sweet words from the meteorologist..."there is a chance of snow" or "we could see snow up to 1-2 inches on the valley floor and in clark county (Vancouver)". these few phrases have stirred up a pot of hope in my soul that i have greedily devoured. The chance that we could have some snow, and as a bonus, get school/work off, is the happy anticipation that keeps me going all winter...Childhood memories of the newscaster saying.."Salem-Keizer school districts are closed/2-hour delay, or buses on snow routes." has always been sweet music to my ears.. and as an adult today, working in the school system, not much has changed. those words still ring sweetly and is usually accompanied with warm feelings in my heart and a little hop in my step!!!
And as a matter of fact, Starting last sunday, I woke up with some extra spring in my step. My eyes beheld the beautifully falling snow! It had been going non-stop for a couple hours bc it had cover our driveway and car! So Upon waking up and running crazy all over, i "affectionately" chewed Russell out for letting me sleep when this Christmas miracle was taking place. We cuddled up with blankets and hot chocolate and watched the news. Later on that morning our church was cancelled. and i know what you're probably thinking...we must have had at least a foot or so of snow to merit a cancellation...however, that is false. something about the Northwest that people may not know is that we are not so much accustomed to the snow, as we are to the rain. When it snows, even just an inch or two, Stores shut down, school and work gets cancelled, and roads are blocked off. That's the beauty of Winter in the Northwest!
So as luck would have it, sunday night I got the "CALL". The call from my supervisor informing me that the "inclement weather" would prohibit us from work on Monday! PARTY! Considering that this week, Dec 15-19th, would be my last week before Christmas break, i was One day closer to freedom. Tuesday followed with a 2 hour delay! Wednesday- school was cancelled- which was hilarious considering the little snow we had, had melted and now rain was coming down. And Thursday and Friday followed with a cancellation of my class, but as staff we were supposed to post...which i chose not to...it was just such treacherous driving conditions....not. but i was mentally checked out that Sunday. So the last week sent me to school a total of 1 out of the 5 days,..However, the real excitement really came Saturday morning when we woke up to a few inches of snow and the sky so full of snow clouds that there was no signs of stopping. Saturday brought us about 4-5 inches with east winds that made it feel like it was 13 degrees. Well, we went over to my parents and got "snowed in". Russell and I brought clothes and toiletries just in case it was impossible to drive home in. We spent the night making fudge and watching the snow and Christmas movies. Again church was cancelled and today, Sunday, has brought us more interesting weather. We ventured outside and were met with inches of ice over all the snow fall. It was crazy!! we were sliding all over the place having a good time. We did a little sledding, ate some yummy treats, played some scrabble and listened to the news that said might bring us an additional 9 inches. Possibilities are endless after what I've seen and experienced this past week. we could have a white Christmas, we could have a Christmas miracle...i love it. and I'm not ashamed that i pray for snow each night and that i revert back to an 8 year old when snow is in the forecast. I Hope all of your are enjoying the Holidays and winter weather as well.
Jan 3, 2008-
we had a white christmas!! snow fell as we opened presents and it was magical...i loved it!! happy new year!
Russell's birthday Dec 11 and he playing santa at our ward party..i totaly kissed santa...some kids were disturbed y that, but who could resist.

Neices ava and elley at the nutcracker...we had a blast.

russ with his beloved birthdya gift, ZUNE

first real snowfall while at work..begging to get the day cancelled...my asst Dawn and I are hoping

a little snow, a little more, and lot more and then 16 inches total!!

random-
my new haircut, which you really can't tell that i cut it but the back is realy short, trying to do the a line cut to grow out the hair...

more pics..a very festive mom and dad...ice frozen on everything, it even made the perfect replica of this leaf...the grey ominous clouds and me dressed up as ralphie's brother from "THe Christmas Story".

more amazing photos of our holidays, jills amazing christmas sweater, the snow on christmas, me being a donkey in the christmas story withh ava as mary on my back...our awesome scrabble game.."Whoring" mom came up with that one.

lastly, dinner with all the adults and new's years eve games, and russell and I with our new WASHER and DRYEr...lugging our laundry to my parents house for the past 3 months has been crazy.,thankful they let us do it,but more grateful to now be the proud owners of such a miracleous machine.

Halloween a little belated

2008-11-16T14:29:00.000-08:00

Some of our friends had a Halloween party and it was so fun to see everyone dressed up..What did we dress up as? Well my outfit stemmed from an internal desire to dye my hair black. I've always wanted to and never have, so I thought Halloween would be the perfect day for my transformation. It started with the black hairspray and it just metamorphosed into something else. I got black lip liner, black nail polish, fake sparkly eye lashes, which I've always wanted to wear as well. Tattoo's, fish net stockings, black tutu, lip ring and a nose ring, which I secretly wanted in college, and came home with a fake one my freshman year, as a trial run with the family...didn't go so well. Any who, the outfit and whole persona evolved into a goth rocker chic...which uncannily resembled many Portland teenagers with much angst and a lot of makeup. It was a good time. Russell on the other hand doesn't share my same enthusiasm for "dressing up." ( 9 times out of 10 he dressed up as "Clark Kent" growing up). His high maintenance outfit would consist of jeans, superman t-shirt, glasses (instead of contacts)and a white dress shirt on top. So this year I begged him to really dress up and well... he delivered. He was Tony Stark, Iron man guy. Jeans, White t-shirt, and the bright arc reactor...he was a hit. He got a lot of compliments on his cleverness...Oh how I love him.

Pay for pain...

2008-11-05T19:31:00.000-08:00

The idea of Acupuncture has always been somewhat of a joke to me and definitely a foreign concept...paying to be poked and prodded by thin, delicate needles ...which at any sudden movement such as a; cough, sneeze, or itch, could break off and be embedded in your skin until screaming was heard by the embedder, and therefore removed.
These are the afterthoughts that accompanied me today as I lied completely still upon a table in only my birthday suit.
It'll be almost 2 years this December since I injured myself running and haven't fully recovered. After many, many Dr. visits, which haven't helped, several different anti-imflammatories, muscle relaxants, steroids, and "alternative" methods such as Chiropractics, massage, and Physical Therapy...I am trying acupuncture. I wish this little story ended here, and I could say that this was the "alternative" care I had been seeking...however, it remains a mystery.
But upon arrival and initial greeting with the acupuncturist today, whom I liked right away, I felt, for the first time in awhile, a glimmer of hope. A hope that something as bizarre as needles in my ear, on my head, and all over my body, will help to relieve the aching pain that has plagued and hindered my daily life these past couple years.
During my first half of treatment I could feel my body finally succumbing to the urge to relax...I firmly believe that this "alternative care" is one of the last legal forms of drugs. It was an awesome experience. I never have felt so light and fluffy and so morbidly heavy simultaneously. I was intensely unaware of my surroundings which in turn should have prevented me from operating any machinery, such as my car, however, I chose to ignore that side note and drive anyway.
All in all it was amazing to feel how my body "let go" and released many evil gremlins, called toxins into my body..of which I am now combating with imbibing gallons of water. It's interesting to me to see how my perspectives and opinions have changed since pain has become personal and relief seems to be sparse. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me...hopefully it takes me to a destination far away from pain.

Family Home Evening

2008-09-15T23:23:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love my husband. just for the simple fact that we have FHE..just the two of us. i love the fact that he says every time we start, "welcome to the stott family home evening." i love that he has me pick an opening song which, despite our best efforts, can rarely finish without laughing at how off key we are. or because i try so hard to harmonize with him, but in reality hit notes that only dogs can hear. or laugh bc of some bodily function that really isn't that funny, but for some reason during something spiritual..it is. a lyman family trait i'm afraid. i love that we read our scriptures and when i ask how it relates to him, he always gives me a true answer. i love that when he chooses the closing song i almost always want to choose a different song. i love my husband for leading our family of two.

Back to School

2008-09-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

Back to school, back to school, to prove to dad I'm not a fool!!! Well, more like back to work, but yesterday was the day. I have about 2 weeks of training and orientation, and then I get students at the end of the month. I am looking forward to teaching my little rugrats this year. I'll have 20 kids and 2 assistants..the way it should be in a preschool. My amazing asst. Dawn and I were setting our classroom up today, which has to be my one of may favorite parts of the beginning of a school year, and I was imagining my kids doing language puzzles, exploring the properties of some awesome green goop that looks like snot, and dressing up in the play area. I love to imagine what this year will bring- and sometimes I don't even want to know. However, I do know that I have 4 kids speaking only Russian, 4 speaking only Chinese, 5-6 only Spanish speaking and the rest speaking good ole fashion English....I need a mini human interpreter that can fit in my pocket and can translate at any given moment...much like the lepruchan on Darby O'Gil and the little people...about that size. Leave a comment if you're interested.

2008-08-29T00:22:00.001-07:00

Take the Quiz here!

Camping at Oxbow

2008-08-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

So I lost my camera for awhile and haven't been able to update my blog..and lets be honest, who is going to read it without pictures- let alone not many read it even with the pictures. But alas, Russell found it..yeah! However, at the moment I seem to have misplaced it again...I'm really on a roll. But I do have some pictures from our camping trip. Actually they are all of me trying to lure Bambi into eating out of my hand. I was persistent for 2 days and conquered. I tried to convince myself that this was Bambi's first encounter with humans, but I was brutally rebuffed, and told that deer have come into the campsites before. But seriously, I don't want to brag or anything but, I Fed Bambi!

Catch UP

2008-07-17T17:10:00.000-07:00

I've written several posts and uploaded some pictures, so scroll down a ways!!

BFF Kirstin came for a visit..finally

2008-07-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

There is not a lot I can say about us two together, but hopefully the pictures are worth a 1000 words. Hugs not drugs!!

From Hawaii to Mainland-The Bionic Woman

2008-07-17T10:24:00.000-07:00

SO here are a bunch of pictures from the day mom went under the knife to today when she cuts a rug watching , "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!" She has amazing pirouettes..jk ANywho, HOpe you enjoy them, she is doing really well and she has been staying with us in Vancouver, WA, while she looks for a house. Well, Look no more. Before my dad joined us here at my Small Apt, i might add, they made an offer on a house and are in process of closing...YIPEE! So check out the pics and enjoy!!

Home on the Range

2008-06-13T20:19:00.001-07:00

Over Memorial Weekend we got the chance to run up to Warden, Washington, to visit the in-laws. Every Spring we go up there to round up all the cows and give them their vaccines. We also round up all the new calves and give them their shots and vaccines, brand em and best of all casterate them :>....or what they call it banding. A VERY small rubber band stretched out and around the "Cow Family Jewels". Anywho, here are some pics wrestling the calves to the ground, branding, banding, etc. etc...hope you enjoy, because its such a good time being a cowgirl for the weekend. I think I was born for it..

Just us Girls

Maui Love

2008-04-24T20:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of Maui! Hope You Enjoy!!!

Bankrupt $$$$ What??

2008-04-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

Aprille and I flew out to Maui to surprise mom for her 60th birthday. It was a glorious vacation in which we enjoyed the sun, the beach, and of course, mom and dad. We went on a whale watch-

Ate at the famous Kimo's Restuarant in Lahina

Bodysurfed at Keawakapu Beach

Walked and did yoga on the beach as the sun rose and then worshipped it's rays at our own beachside pool.

Needless to say it was pretty much heaven and a much needed to trip. Aprille was here for a week and left Tuesday night. I on the other hand was supposed to leave today, Thursday morning, on an ATA flight to LAX and then to PDX. Well, as I was packing and then weighing my luggage Wednesday night, mom got on the Internet to verify the weight amount on ATA's website. Low and behold, this is what our surprised, shocked, eyes began reading....

ATA AIRLINES DISCONTINUES ALL OPERATIONS
After filing for Chapter 11 on April 2, 2008 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Indianapolis, IN, ATA Airlines has discontinued all operations and cancelled all current and future flights. Following the loss of a key contract for our military charter business, it became impossible for ATA to continue operations. Unfortunately, we were not in a position to provide our customers or others with advance notice.

We apologize for the disruption caused by the sudden shutdown of ATA and regret the impact on passengers, employees, suppliers, and other parties. ATA customers should seek alternative arrangements for current and future travel. A list of other airlines serving ATA’s destinations is available here.

ATA customers who purchased tickets using a credit card should contact their credit card company or travel agency directly for information about how to obtain a refund for unused tickets.

ATA currently is unable to provide refunds to customers who purchased tickets directly from ATA with cash or a check. These customers may be able to obtain a full or partial refund for their unused tickets by submitting a claim in ATA’s Chapter 11 proceedings. Information about submitting a claim will be available at the following website: http://www.bmcgroup.com/ataairlines.

Can you believe it??? As of 4am that morning, they filed for bankruptcy. I am out a ticket, money, and a way home. So at that moment we looked for alternative airlines and due to ALOHA Airlines also filing for bankruptcy last week, Hawaiian airlines kind of has the power, ergo, one way flights have sky rocketed. No flights available below $800, for a one way ticket, mind you, and no availability till Monday....I don't think so, just sell all my stuff back in the mainland, I'm not coming home....PS Russell, you'll have to move over here. :)
So I am missing my husband more, missing more work, and unfortunately will NOT be able to make my dentist appt on Friday for my ROOT CANAL....so sad.:) However, being stuck in Maui..its really not that traumatic. I'd highly recommend it to a friend.
As of Thursday afternoon, I am booked on a Monday Flight back to reality. But I get to live the dream for a few more days and cook my skin to a dreamy shade of brown. So till then...aloha!!

Men in Black

2008-04-02T01:16:00.000-07:00

Take the Quiz

911-Please Hold!!

2008-03-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

Southeast Portland is no Beverly Hills and the other day I had a choice experience that proves the validity of my statement. So I work in a less desirable part of Portland and as my friend and I were carpooling home in her car, we stopped at a red light just blocks away from my work site. Low and behold across the street were 3 guys, most likely in some gang, weaving in and out of traffic on FOOT. Yes, on foot. The perpendicular lanes were also at a red light and two of the guys were chasing the other man trying to bust him up with a baseball bat. The poor people in the cars, surrounding these ridiculous heathens, were so afraid that either themselves or their cars were going to personally meet this "metal Louisville slugger" and bust their face or their window. It was scary, and as a passenger not more than a crosswalk away, I couldn't believe my eyes. As we kept "rubber necking" our way to the best view, a man in a big truck finally got out and faced these punks. As we neared the scene I noticed the truck guy had a pistol that seemed the size of a cap gun from the dollar store, and he was pointing it at these hoodlums. It finally struck me that I needed to call 911. I'm a virgin 911 caller..never done it. So I called and I was put on HOLD. That threw me for a loop. Then a nice recording came on and said, "Say emergency, if it's really an emergency." So I yelled, "EMERGENCY!" I then was back on hold. It was only when, moments later, we flagged down a police officer driving next to us, that an operator came on the phone. Since we had just told the LIVE officer where the beatings and pistol fighting were happening, I told the operator to forget it...IS THAT CRAZY. Never knew I'd be put on hold, asked by a computer if it really is an emergency, and then put on hold again, and then finally get a real person on the other line. I could be dead by then. Awesome. I didn't hear anything on the news about the bat fighting and if anyone got hurt...but I did feel pretty cool to be an eyewitness in a random bat battle and a little weirded out by the slothfulness of the 911 operator.

R-I-V-E-R-D-A-N-C-E

2008-03-06T20:09:00.000-08:00

Riverdance-need I say more...Our friends, Jodi and Jason, got tickets for her Jodi's bday and invited us to come along...It was INCREDIBLE!!! You need to watch this you tube clip. It's not the same people who were on in Portland, but this was our favorite dance the whole night...Seriously, I wish I were #1 Irish, #2 An Irish Dancer who could move my feet that fast, and D. lets be honest, I wish I was a performer in some way. :) Anywho, we got dressed up and went out..good times!! Check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rN7j_SxtSk&feature=related

For YOUR Health Sake

2008-02-04T21:07:00.001-08:00

I had a work training today titled, "I am Moving, I am Learning," how to incorporate more movement and activities in the classroom to help youngsters develop a love for being active. The childhood obesity rate has skyrocketed over the last 20 years and more so in the past few years. Anywho, I am an advocate of getting up and moving with my students. To demonstrate the decrease in child activity and movement I have a sad yet funny story. The other day during class it was outdoor time and it was RAINING...it really wasn't a surprise, but the capital letters makes it seem more outlandish...anywho, I decided to do an obstacle course in the classroom. I turned off the lights, for effect. Put the chairs on top of the tables and all of us formed a line. We started off marching around the room and midway we turned into snakes slithering on the floor under the tables and then ended up as crustaceans crab walking around the shelves. We did several varieties of exercises like these, rolling, skipping, crawling, etc. We followed this pattern for a total of 10 minutes. By the end of it I had a few kids come to me and my assistant and asked us what was pounding in their chest so hard. No joke. They came to us frightened and scared that something terminal was wrong with them because they FELT THEIR HEARTBEAT!! Is that insane? How sad is that? Of course we had a small discussion on our hearts and the why they beat, etc. But main point...many kids are getting very little if any exercise these days. So as parents, adults, teachers, we are the role models and if WE do it and find it important, so will our kids and students. Another conversation I just remembered today highlighted Portion Control, which is a severe problem for me and probably many of us who will admit it. :) My friend was telling me that when she went through her grandmother's china she asked, "Why aren't there any dinner plates and only dessert plates?" Well, come to find out, the dessert plates were the dinner plates. That is how small they used to be..but today are portions have been so distorted and super sized that what used to be a normal size plate is now a normal size dessert....Scary! Russell and I have been trying to use our salad plates and dessert bowls for everyday use instead of our rather large plates and bowls-in essence we kind of trick ourselves. We still fill up the plates and bowls, but in reality there is just a lot less on our plates, and ergo, less in our bellies...this is just something to chew on.

This is just an idea to give you a visual...

So here is a list of activities we were challenged to do daily to get moving. SO I pass the challenge on to you.
* Get outside and take a brisk walk during lunch
* Check your posture while sitting-sit up straight
* Try to eat at least 3 colors of fruits and vegetables during the day
* Take a moment and focus of 10 full breaths. Close your eyes and inhale and exhale slowly and comfortably 10 times. Do it twice a day
* Have at least 1 good belly laugh!!
* Try to follow the serving size charts during snacks and meals
* Try to eat 5 servings of veggies and/or fruits a day
* Stretch your face muscles by making a fish face! Repeat 10 times
* Drink at least one extra glass of water than you normally drink
* Give someone a compliment
* Make a healthy choice during lunch, share it with friends, or take a portion home for the next day

Also, here are some great websites and ideas to help you eat right, get moving, and get educated about health.
www.mypyramid.gov
www.thedailypate.com
www.americanonthemove.org
www.smallstep.gov
PS-sorry you can't just click on the website, technical difficulties. I will post the link in my "Places to Wander" section so you can just click and go.

"Brie, can I sleep wif you?"

2008-01-23T22:44:00.000-08:00

Give me a break. What do you do when your juicy, 3yr old niece says to you, on your way out the door after a Friday night pizza party at her house, "Brie, can I sleep wif you?" What did you think was going to happen??

As soon as I said, half jokingly, "Ava, do you want to sleep at my house?" She said yes and went upstairs to her room to pack. With minimal help from Court, Ava's princess backpack was packed and it contained 7 dolls/stuffed animals, two blankets, and one princess sleeping bag attached to the outside of the bag. She came downstairs and started saying her goodbyes. She was sooooo cool at that point. Her older brother and sister were TOT JEAL.
As we got home and Russell went to work, Ava got all cozy in my bed and kept saying, "Brie, dis is so cozeee!!"
I was in Ava Heaven. She was just juicy. No other words describe her that night....except for maybe Insomnia.
Because this was her first sleepover, she didn't want to sleep. After we watched "Nanny McPhee" which she calls "Nanny Poop Bum" (its off the movie) it was past 11pm. I thought she surely she must be exhausted from all the jumping on the bed, late night chats, and the movie...but to no avail. She wanted to talk and laugh and play...however, after a long week, my eyes were definitely failing me. So between my sleepy eyes, small whispers every few minutes, and intermittent jumping sprees- We....and I mean SHE, fell asleep about 1am. I however, couldn't fall asleep until 4 am..awesome.
She did let me sleep in until about 9am, which I was pleasantly surprised...but when I heard small whispers again saying..."Brie, Brie, I have to go potty." I knew sleeping was done. Luckily I had showed her where to go a few hours prior so she finally just got up and went to the bathroom. As she was in there, she courteously left the door open and waved to me while doing her duty. Almost upon completion of her "task" she toots on the toilet and looks at me, laughs, and then waves one finger by her nose and said, "Big toots." I was dying- I was laughing so hard...In that instant I knew that is why we had the sleepover. I also knew that I was so mad for not having my camera near by to catch it all on film....dang it. She is a precious and hilarious munchkin. So after a hearty breakfast

Little Mermaid movie

and nail painting, it was over...she was asking for mom.

It was, however, one of the best sleepovers ever and just a precursor to the following week when older sister, Elley, came over for her sleepover.

I promised Elley I would put the pictures on that she took of us, so here they are. Also, I pinky swore that i wouldn't tell anyone who she has a crush on...but here is a picture that might give you a hint...We watched "Hairspray" two times in less than 24 hours.

Needless to say it was a hit-after watching Zac Efron, a small pillow fight, popcorn and treats..we fell asleep. Elley was so sad to say goodbye and upset at the same time that we couldn't have another sleepover that next night. I'm really campaigning for best aunty.

Stop Pushing

2007-12-14T15:26:00.001-08:00

So apparently some negative thoughts and feelings have been felt as some people have logged on to my blog. I've been getting hate mail that just yells at me to "UPDATE" everyone on my life. So here it is, as uneventful as it may be. First off, December 11 was a very important day...it was my 1/2 birthday...and Russell's 26th birthday...that was the real celebration! But much like my sister, and Trevor will attest to this, we somehow take the attention off the special someone and refocus it on ourselves...I heard that's NOT IN for 2008, so I'm trying to quit. Anyhow, I guess it's just one of our special talents...awkward. So for his birthday he got a much deserved gift, the gift of being finished with finals for this term. Small blessings. In addition we went to dinner and devoured a very delightful mixture of lettuce wraps, cashew almond chicken, and sweet and sour chicken, at one of our favorite restaurants, P.F. Changs. Plus as a bonus we got leftovers for the next 2 days. Good times.

Then we drove home and I had planned a small yet powerful surprise birthday party with 4 other couples. I had given them my key and they decorated the place and sprayed silly string at Russell as he walked in. It was a surprise up until he opened the door and saw all the many pairs of shoes in the walkway...note to self, have guests hide shoes for ultimate surprise factor.
Russell opened his presents and he received a Norwegian Waffle maker, wallet and watch- we went with the "W" theme apparently. Also, he got the 5th Harry Potter movie which is fantastic. As a small side note, Russell has mentioned a time or two that my deviated septum nose, resembles that of the one and only Lord Voldemort...weird

I thought it would be fun to have a pinanta so we did...we got lots of candy and had a good time swinging.

Our friends made some yummy peach/blueberry cobbler for the birthday treat. And being the genius that I am, I forgot to buy candles so I took the one candle from the complimentary restuarant dessert, stuffed it in my bag and then put it on the cobbler...Pretty amazing huh?

Well, a party is not a party unless it ends in a rousing game of "Catch Phrase" and party bags that include Kazoos..remember how cool those were. Anyway, it was a fabulous evening with "food, folks, and fun!!" (ten dollars to Kirstin if she remembers who said that).
So hot right now.

Macy's Grand Re-Opening

2007-11-14T21:36:00.000-08:00

I was just looking through some pictures and realized that I failed to comment on one of the funniest things I've done recently. My friend invited me to go early Saturday morning, to the downtown Portland Grand Re-Opening of Macy's. She convinced me that we would be one the 1000 people to receive a gift card ranging from $5-$500 dollars. So, I consented. We took the Max (public rail system in PDX) and walked downtown to Macy's. There was already a large line at the early hour of 8:00am-and we jumped right in and made quick friends with a bunch of women who were here the previous day trying to win the big prize. Well, I meandered on up to Starbucks and got Peppermint HOt Chocolate of course, and as I left, sipping so carefully, I realized they forgot the PEPPERMINT-lame, but I was almost back to the line so I let it slide...anywho, upon my arrival, our line was like a bunch of rabbits, multiplying every few minutes. Incredible. So as we were chatting it up with the ladies, another woman, who was in front of us shimmed her way into the conversation. Pretty sure this woman was mildly or not so mildly inebriated...at 8:00am. Whatever keeps you warm on this crisp, fall day...anyways, she keep grimmering her way closer to my friend and I and explaining over and over how if she wins she's taking us to Lunch and visa versa...its a gift card for MAcy's not McDonalds..but whatever. She was great. Well I managed to pull myself away briefly so I could get a picture of my friend Bethany and I. The ladies behind us shot the photo and as I hit the "review" button, this is what I saw....

Need I say more- she squirmed her way into my picture. It was so classic that I couldn't delete it. And what was more delightful was when she grabbed my hand and pulled me in like we were BFF's and took a picture of us on her cell phone. So, if you see me on the Internet or on a milk carton with this woman, you'll know I was suckered into it and that I am not really on "girls gone wild" or "missing". To end the saga, the doors opened up at 9:30 and the line had snaked around by then, and the "END of the line" was up by the front of the line. As we began moving, people from the back started to TRY and sneak in...and I say try bc in an instant, a small riot broke out. This Hispanic guy, in front of us, of a small stature made a mad dash to the front, yelling and waving his hands at the people, aka betrayers of trust, screaming at them to get back into the END of the LINE. The Front line People were clapping and joining in the heckling whilst the END of the liners were scowling as they were forced back to the end. IT was madness...I was laughing so hard. People are serious when it comes to free money and gift cards...well, needless to say we got in with much shoving and pushing. I got a $5 gift card and a free facial massage while my friend enjoyed $25 dollars and facial. All in all it was a complete success...pretty much amazing.

2 year anniversary

2007-10-24T21:49:00.001-07:00

Well- we've made it 2 years.

Doesn't it look like my thumb is extra large...not on purpose, it just happened. "It's boring, but it's my life." Anywho, to celebrate our marriage we decided to go to Hood River to pick some of the most delicious apples and pears. random huh? But it was so fun. It was the most beautiful fall day. the air was crisp and the sun was shining through the golden and auburn leafed trees. It was picturesque. We drove to this little town beyond Hood River called, Parkdale, where we managed to drive the "Fruit Loop" of fruit orchards. 13 miles of different farms selling their autumn goods. We opted for the farthest farm owned by a Japanese family who now had 4th generation family members running the farm. It was awesome...as were the tastes and prices of the apples. They had 25ish different kinds of apples and about 15 different types of pears. We tasted several and our favorite, Mt. Fuji, were 69 cents a pound....compared to the outrageous 2.50-3.00 in the grocery store. SO we bought about 60 apples and 40 pears...to make applesauce and bottle pears...no big deal..it was only $15.00. I know, amazing. Pretty much like our tasty applesauce. i don't want to brag, but...it's really good. Soooo, after our afternoon excursion I surprised Russell with a romatical evening on the "Portland Spirit." A dinner cruise on the Columbia River. We pretty much felt like movie stars with our candlelit dinner and live jazz piano entertainment in the background. We had a wonderful evening of "getting better acquainted" and then got home snuggled and watched a movie. It's amazing how much more I love him every day!! I got lucky...;)

Look How Large the apple is!!!

"Portland Spirit"-so hot right now

Birthdays

2007-10-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

Taylor came up on a Sunday to celebrate he and Jill's day-o-birth. It was tot fab. Jill made a "lovely" dinner and we got to eat cake and open gifts...it was a good time. We love when Tay comes up and so do the kids...Ava, I think, has a small crush...NBD...Name this movie..."Guy is totally crunching you. ..Do i want to be crunched? OH Yeah!!" Random, I know, but the crush thing made me think of it...okay HAGS. Ps Tay has gotten better looking as he has aged. Year 24 is looking like a good year for Tay.

Tag-I'm it

2007-10-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

I'm It!
Betsy, my cute sister in law, living in Texas, tagged me. Which means I'm supposed to answer these questions about myself:

Jobs I've had:
1. Roth’s IGA grocery store
2. BYUH Luau Hostess (with the mostess)
3. Jamba Juicer (for life)
4. Montessori Preschool Teacher
5. Head Start Preschool Teacher/Home Visitor

Movies I can watch over and over:
1. Pride & Prejudice
2. The Holiday
3. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
4. Fletch
5. Harry Potter #1

Places I've Lived:
1. Salem, OR
2. Rexburg, ID
3. Laie, HI
4. Las Vegas, NV
5. Vancouver, WA

Favorite TV Shows Past and Present:
1. The Office
2. So You Think You Can Dance (yes, I think I can)
3. American Idol
4. Law & Order- SVU (not by myself however)
5. The Bachelor- i'm embarassed by this one...but its so funny, pathetic to see what girls do to get the attention of one guy...sick, i know..

Last 5 places I've been on vacation:
1. Lincoln City, OR
2. Maui, HI
3. Dallas, TX
4. Warden, WA
5.

Favorite Dishes:
1. Chips and Salsa from Chevy's
2. Zuppa Tocana Soup from Olive Garden
3. Chocolate Malts
4. Russell’s homemade squishy butt rolls
5. Roast and mashed potatoes with gravy

Websites I visit:
1. Hotmail.com
2. Blogs of friends/family
3. Wells Fargo
4. ooeygooey.com-fun ideas for school
5. Weather.com

Places I'd like to visit:
1. The places my family lives which are several: such as; Chicago, TX, CA, MAUI!!!!
2. Africa, Italy…Europe anywhere- lets just take a VACA
3. East Coast (whats up)

People I'm tagging next:
1. Kirstin
2. Nancy
3. Hayley
4. Jodi
5. Ashley

My "carrier monkeys"

2007-09-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

It was my first week of school with kids and guess what? I got infected by those "carrier monkeys" I call my students. Several children were leaking green goop from their nose and a few more sneezing without covering their mouths, their contagious germs were bound to infest my body and take over...but, what else is new?

Anywho, I have to say that this year I have been more prepared and ready for students than any other year. However, the first day was more exhausting and scary than any other year. I realized after evaluating that first day that I had not properly prepared the environment according to my students'ages...which majority of them were brand new three year olds, which i guess I kind of dismissed and thought of my class last year, comprising mostly of 4-5 year olds.

Well, you can imagine that every little item was thrown, chewed on, and nearly destroyed by the curious and excited preschoolers. So, after school I rearranged the shelves, removed several activities that should be introduced later in the year, and added a couple of more appropriate "jobs" for my students. The next 2 days were a complete difference. After one day of going through the routines of the class, they were catching on. It was much more peaceful and constructive. They were much more settled and not as distracted by all the age IN-appropriate activities on the shelves. My assistant and I were so thrilled that we were able to evaluate and change the class according to the needs and abilities of the kids. I am stoked about this year and what other fun opportunities it will bring.

I do have to say that my favorite part of the day was when one of my 3 yr old boys started to use the broom (child length) as a sword. I almost got beheaded...However, after I intervened and showed him how to use the broom to sweep junk into the little 1 foot by 1 foot taped square on the floor- Use the dustpan to collect it all-Then dump it in the garbage- I've never been happier watching him copy my exact movements and complete the whole task. He was so proud of himself. That is one the greatest rewards in teaching...showing students how to become successful, useful, and independent. Good times.

Cell Phone Usage

2007-09-22T15:18:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying how fabulous the cell phone is. I remember returning home from my mission, 4 years ago, and thinking..."I am NOT going to go with the "FAD" and get a cell phone. I didn't have one before, so what has changed?"
That uneducated mentality lasted about 5 months and then I broke down and sheepishly galloped onto the cell phone train and bought one. I kind of became obsessed, like so many of us did or do. I remember thinking that texting was one the best inventions and I didn't know how I ever lived without it..Even more so when "Naked Nancy" formally introduced me to predictive texting. It was like the boyf I never had. We just seemed to get along famously well. So well in fact that during class time I found myself checking my phone every 5-10 mins just to see if those 3 little words had appeared on my phone- 1 text msg. It was like a shot of adrenaline racing through my veins and once I pushed the "read" button it was like reaching the finish line of a long awaited race...excitement. I know I sound a bit too passionate about a worldly object, but come on, everyone has felt that thrill of receiving a text from that special someone right?? If not, then pretend for the sake of the story. Any who- even though I may embellish my stories a bit, we can agree that Cell Phones are definitely superbly useful.
However, my one beef with them is the location in which the user chooses to employ or use the phone itself. These past couple weeks I've noticed a trend at the gym. Several people use their cell phone WHILE working out...weird.
Now the first subject I observed while trying to concentrate on obtaining flatter abs, was this woman-a thin, pretty lady on the incline bench where you'd do some form of AB work. However, I saw nothing of that nature. At first I was a little bewildered to why she was just laying on the bench when there clearly were a few people waiting to use it..But I just kept crunching a.k.a. hurting, and watching. Well, it wasn't until I took a breather from my hard core workout- that I realized she was lying there TALKING ON HER CELL PHONE. I'm not sure why this evokes such madness, but it does...and it got even worse when she was pretending to do some leg lifts while talking. When in reality I think she just had an itch. Now, what is the point of that??
Subject number two- Upon my arrival and check in to the gym, on a different day, I noticed someone talking REALLY loud on their cell phone and realized that it was next to the bikes, where I would be doing cardio. I assumed that after a few stink eye glances in her direction she would move....However, apparently I am not that intimidating. Had Kirstin been there with me, I'm sure a nice exchange of colorful vernacular would have been involved.. I don’t know. All I do know is that even after I turned my headphones up to the almost full ear blowing extent, I could still hear her lively expressions of "Oh my gosh. and He said what?",...and oh, a nice, sixth letter in the alphabet, bomb. I was livid at this point and finally gave her one last intense visual beat down, before I was going to be forced off my bike and have to “politely” ask her to take her animated conversation elsewhere.
She got the subtle hint and removed herself from the “WORK OUT” area and sat down in the “waiting area” where she was free to talk and wait to her hearts’ content. Have a little respect please. I would tell you about one more but it doesn't compare with the first two so never mind. I just thought these experiences may be something that others can relate to. And I would just like to clarify that I am a big promoter of cell phones, walkie talkies, Morse code, anything and everything to communicate, but have a little respect for others when and where you choose to use them. I am not exempt from this but I have to say that I am more aware of my conversations on my cell phone.

Multnomah Falls

2007-09-15T00:24:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we ventured out into the wilderness...or to a popular tourist park- for some beautiful hiking. We thought it would be a perfect day to hike and apparently the whole valley thought so too...it was busy, but we delved right into the forest and began our trek. It was a pleasing hike through the flora and fauna, even though we were on completely paved trails, we were in Nature...(it's why I come up here.) The first mile was as if we were doing thigh master for 30 minutes at a 15% incline- straight up the mountain...it was awesome. Embarking near the top of the trail, we stopped to take a swig of our water....which we forgot. Lucky for us we saw an episode of "Man vs. Wild" and we learned that we CAN drink our own pee to stay hydrated. So we did it...Psych! I'm personally bringing that 90's word back into circulation. No, we just secretly swore at ourselves for being slightly dull-witted and hoped that by chewing our gum harder and faster we might produce more saliva to wetten the cotton mouth we had produced.
So in no time we arrived at our goal and it was breath taking. Being at the top of the falls was a small but rewarding accomplishment. However, as I neared the side of the wooden railing to look down on the lowly people in the parking lots, I about lost it. Visions of belly flopping off "Blowout Bridge" raced into view. I gripped the railing so hard my knuckles were turning white and legs became immovable sacks of bricks. I couldn't move for a minute, and even when we asked a couple to take a photo, Russell could bearly get me to move or let go of the side. Bridges or heights over looking massive drop-offs...not my favorite thing. So we headed back down the mountain after exploring up the river a bit.
Now as a disclaimer, I will inform you that the next few paragraphs are just mearly observations, though they come across clearly as judgements :) We noticed on our way down there were several people still coming up and we realized we could categorize these people into about 6 different groups.
We passed two girls that were a little out of shape and asked us, "Are we almost there?" We said they were close and they exclaimed with little breath, "Finally, I am so tired!" This is the group that we call, "Angry to be alive." They just didn't want to be there. The next set was the "Von Trapp Family". We saw a line of people varying in size coming upon us so we scooted to the side...10 minutes later the last of their group passed us. No doubt all related somehow...we waited to see if they'd break into a rendition of "Doe a Deer," but sadly they didn't. Now this next couple we saw made Russell and I flat out upset. This couple seemed to be holding something small in a blanket. My first thought was that they were carrying a baby, weird, but okay. However, as we got closer, they were "Coddling a baby rat or a baby chiuacha"...and as we passed them another couple stopped and ogled at the dog. Mad- Then there were the "New Yorkers"-People who were fully dressed and had a Starbucks in their hand as they hiked. "15 Yr old Smokers" who were coughing and breathing so hard as they continued to pull even harder on their cigarettes. Lastly, there were the "Weekend Warriors." People who came out of their "own" worlds for the weekend to try and renew themselves through natures offerings. I think we fit in this category because it was a blessing to be outside in the sunny weather enjoying the beauties of the earth....Hiking, isn't it about time?

Life's Mysteries

2007-09-07T21:29:00.000-07:00

Over the past couple weeks I have had some mystifying experiences. Things that I can not explain why or how they happen. For instance, I was watching a movie late one night, all by my lonesome. I embarked upon an emotional scene-and the tears began to fall. Though I was by myself I tried to stifle my crying, and in the meantime my left hand started to ache. A few minutes past and my blubbering was over, however, the left hand kept aching. It wasn't just a dull ache but a pulsating, lasting throb that encompassed me for another 15 minutes. Now, lets be honest, this isn't the first bout of "Achy left hand" syndrome that I've encountered, and I daresay it won't be the last. However, I am left mystified to why the aching starts during emotional scenes in movies.... I open that question up for review. Now, experience number two- What is grosser than gross? When you go into a "Women's" restroom, you put down a seat cover, you sit your bum down and it’s wet!!! It goes straight through the cover sheet onto bare skin. Seriously, there shouldn't be any good reason to why the seat is wet. The flushing system is one that doesn't spit dirty water back like some tend to do. There are cover sheets available, so the hovering option should be eliminated. And lastly, we are women; we sit down to pee, no standing up playing some aim and shoot game with our anatomy. Please answer me that...
Now for number three- We recently went out with some friends to a Mexican restaurant; it's pretty much our favorite place to eat bc of the instant gratification we receive with the "all you can eat chips and salsa." Which believe me when I say we take full advantage of that. Anywho, it was during this time of inhaling, chips and salsa, that "IT" happened. Now It didn't occur to me that I may be ingesting these pointy, spicy delights a little too quickly into my mouth, but it seems that that was the case because about 15 minutes of eating and chatting, my right armpit started to ache. Now I know what you're thinking, they must have been really good chips and salsa to have gotten me really emotional-to a point where my appendages start to ache. But that wasn't the case. I can't be alone in this experience-where you eat something and it seems to travel down to a small stomach that unbeknownst to you was actually in your armpit. I looked at my friend Jodi and said, "I think there is a chip in my armpit." It felt as if one of the right angles of the crispy, corn tortilla chips had done a triple sow cow in my arm and lodged itself in the very tender spot of my...right armpit. I know it sounds crazy, but what is that? Why is that? Why does it hurt there? Again, life mysteries leave me mystified. If anyone can hear my plea and impart some wisdom, I would be all ears...

Ouick trip to Manzanita/Cannon Beach

2007-08-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Early Saturday morning Russell and I drove out to Manzanita to meet up with Court's family and the Whites to spend a night hanging out with them. We took a "ROMANTICAL" walk on Cannon Beach, made pictures in the sand with the nieces and nephews, and last but not least played a lot of Guitar Hero, which rocks ps. It is my new favorite game to play- who has not had the dream of being a rock star? Sometimes I feel I might have missed my calling in life, but this is one fabulous way of "Living the Dream."

Burr- its cold in here

2007-08-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

Bursitis is the name of the game. I have been suffering from some kind of hip/ psoas muscle/ sciatica pain intensely for the past few months. Between the Dr. visits, x-rays, prescribed medicine, I think one of the doctor's finally pinned down what it is. Bursitis in my left side- I have intense inflammation in the muscles around my hip, psoas and sciatica. Fabulous!! However, being on a lot of prednisone, a steroid, tends to make me react with all the side effects. For example, I'll be at work and helping kids with activities and it will just hit me like a truck..If I don't get food within 5 minutes, I swear I will devour my left arm...it increases your appetite...Awesome. It also tends to make me nervous and anxious and finally it causes me not to sleep, which I heard is in for August 2007, because I am definitely setting a trend with that one. So you can imagine what I look like at school...A hyped up person who acts like she is quitting diet coke- that has the munchies every other hour and who falls asleep when students are talking to her. Pretty much a really good role model at this point. Thankfully, I only need to be on the steroids another week...Good thing next week is vaca time.:)
Anywho, life in the "COUV" is great- Russell just finished with finals and has 5 weeks off from school..YIPEE. Well, till next time-Aloha!

Here is a link to more information on the Bursitis- I have talked to several people who have suffered from this or think they might-either way it's interesting.
http://www.winchesterhospitalchiro.com/trochanteric_bursitis_of_the_hip.html

Vacation to Ephrata

2007-08-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

I know, it may not sound like the optimal vacationing place, but it was tot fabulous!! Sean and Sandi drove from Chicago, a total of 35 hours-with their sweet A boat and kids in tow and selflessly (is that spelled right?) catered to our boating desires out on Coulee Lake. Court and Jill's family, Russell and I, and Taylor, drove up Saturday morning and spent the afternoon swimming, skiing and wake boarding with their family and friends. We had a great BBQ and enjoyed a lot of BS later on that night...it wouldn't be a Lyman Family gathering without a lot of greasy BS, mis-quoted movies, and a hack and bark from laughing so hard. Anyhow, it was a short but sweet weekend and we were all left wondering what Chicago has that Washington doesn't? Answer me that Sean and Sandi....Stay tuned, pictures are coming soon.

2007-08-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

Hello- well I've decided to jump on the bloggin train and try out this new way of journaling, at least that is what it is for me. Russell and I just moved into our new apartment....next door from our old apartment. We downsized which was hard to do especially for me who tends to keep items for an unnecessarily long time. I remember when Aprille and I were kids and she loved to organize my room...not much has changed, but she was amazed by all the "junk" I had so she decided to chuck some things in the garbage, without asking, mind you. Needless to say I thought I'd never be the same without those precious items in my life..but I survived. Weird.
Anywho- I am currently teaching at a Montessori school for the summer and will be returning to Head Start in the fall, it's a better schedule for me. Russell is attending Clark College studying Mechanical Engineering and working as a Supervisor for UPS-"What can brown do for you?"