a trip back in time

So this is a blog that I actually wrote almost a month ago. For kicks, pretend it's May 27th (it's a drizzle-y Saturday).

What a day today has been! I was up twice in the “wee” hours of the morning due to the enormous amount of liquids I have been consuming in preparation of a speedy blood donation that was scheduled for early this afternoon. Finally around 7am I got out of bed and found my husband on the porch cutting wood. And no, that’s no euphemism for anything – he was in the process of building something – a shelf, I think. Anyhow, as he sawed, I moved on toward the kitchen for some more water and then started making peach pancakes to go with the yummy butter pecan syrup I purchased on a whim (and against my better judgement) yesterday. Then Shaun headed off to his job maintaining an apartment complex, and I picked up my crocheting (I’m working on a baby blanket for my friend’s sister and I’m so excited – it’s only the second project I’ve ever undertaken). During this time I grabbed my phone to put next to me so I could keep an eye on the time. The problem was that I couldn’t see the time because there was a big message that said I had a voice mail. It was some of my friends that wanted to hang out – COOL! I love hanging out with them. So I called them back and got no answer – so I left a message and went back to my blanket. A bit later I checked the time again and again – I couldn’t do it, because of a voice mail. It was them again. So I called and got the answering machine. So I left a message and again went back to the blanket. This continued for the remainder of the morning… then I realized I had my phone on silent, which is why it didn’t ring while sitting next to me as I was crocheting. Finally we managed to get ahold of each other and got together around 5:00 – yes, that is how long it took for us to get together! Then we spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out what to do. We finally decided on a movie at The Kennedy School (V for Vendetta – which is SO fun to say!). So we dropped Shaun off at home so he could finish building that shelf. Then after standing in line for what seemed like EVER we settled down into a cozy couch with popcorn, milk duds and a pint of brewsky… all of which were consumed rather quickly. As the movie progressed, my eye lids became much heavier and more difficult to keep open. Finally about ¾ of the way through the movie, I was wondering why I was SO very tired. I began going over the events of the day when I realized that I had donated blood just a few hours ago… and then, somewhere over my right shoulder a little bubble appeared with the nurse’s head in it, going over the post-donation instructions – no heavy lifting, good meals, lots of liquids, no alcohol….. that was it! I just downed a pint of Ruby. So then as this is going through my mind, I’m getting more and more comfortable on the couch… sorta melting into it, when it hit me –

I donated one pint of blood.

I just drank one pint of beer.

Hey – I’m 1/8 beer!

This was very funny.
So I made it the 8 blocks to my house so that my dear sober husband could drive my friend home.




The next day
Although everything is fine and there really were no repercussions from my little episode, I would NOT recommend replace a pint of your blood with beer. Ha ha ha!

Yay for good things!

Hey! So I just found out about this place called GoodSearch.com. It's like Google, except every time you search for something, they will donate some moo-lah ($$$) to your chosen charity or school. It's prety neat! It's not a HUGE amount - something like a penny per search, but if we can get a lot of people to use this, then it can potentially add up to a lot of money for some really good causes! So check it out - www.goodsearch.com

luv ya

So this is going to be out of order - I blogged a bit this weekend from my house, where I don't have internet, so it's still in Word... I'll get it to you later, but I just have to ask... is there REALLY a difference between love and luv? Seriously! It's pretty ridiculous, and I hate these kinds of abbreviations (how I feel about text and instant messaging deserves its very own blog)..... but I know that I wouldn't take an "i luv u" as seriously as an "I love you." Then add in "ya" - how serious is a relationship when the most you say to each other us 'luv ya." Not that saying "luv ya" is such a bad thing.... I'm sure I use that when I talk to my husband on the phone, or as I'm leaving sometimes (especially if someone else is around - but again, my PDA issues are for another blog)... but... I don't know. I guess this blog really isn't going anywhere. Luv ya.... I love you. I think both are over(and inappropriately)-used, but which would YOU like to hear? And is there really a difference? I don't know. Do you?

observate these boogers, DINKS!

Kids are funny. I love them. I have chosen to make them the center of my career. Or rather, God has directed me there (I have not been happy doing anything else).
However, I am still WAY too selfish to have my own. I like my time at home. I like spending the evenings with my husband, a good book, some nice music perhaps... maybe playing games with friends. I do not want the responsibility that is kids. And I enjoy that my family is what my dear friend Shauna calls a DINK (double income no kids). But i think technically we're TINKS since I have two jobs. And kids would seriously cramp THAT style.
But they sure are funny! I have two funny examples....
#1. Child is 8 years old and crazy curious. She loves science, which is totally rad. So she's been doing these little experiments and she was just telling me all about the "monocules" that caused the oil to separate... then she said she wanted to put salt in the mixture and "observate it".
#2. Child is 3 years old. I'm trying to get her to go to sleep (it's nap time). Instead of sleeping, she's picking her nose. Then she goes for the mouth. I catch her hand and ask her to use a tissue. She the proceeds to say: "they're my boogers in my nose and my germs. i has to put dem in my mouse (mouth) so noone else can get them! My mom and dad told me not to share my germs with anyone!!! so i has to eat dem!"
How do you argue with that?!

Tuesdays

I've decided that Tuesdays have really gotten the shaft. Sundays are "holy," Mondays are... well, Mondays. By Wednesday we've made it to the "hump" and Thursday is SO close to Friday. Friday is a day full of looking forward to the end and Saturday is fun day. Tuesdays suck. I mean, that's not totally true - Tuesdays have American Idol and House. But as far as the "attitude" of Tuesdays... there really is none. Perhaps I'll invent a Tuesday mood. What do you think?

Alright... I'm back! Sort of

Hi there. It's been quite a while since I have had the time to sit down and blog. During my sabatical I have thought of many clever blogs. However, I have that disease where I can only remember/think of something at the precise moments that I don't need them. So now that I have a few minutes I am at a loss.

Have you ever been so flabbergasted at a good deed done FOR you that you were afraid to even utter it to anyone else in fear of it all being a dream? Or a mistake? Maybe both?
Well last week the church gave Shaun a check... they said that there had been some money put in the collection plate on Sunday that had his name on it. When he told me this, I was so happy for him... he has been working so hard with the teens (he's doing an internship here for a class at school) and not only is not getting paid, but doesn't get a lot of help, and it's a little frustrating sometimes. So I was happy for him, and what it meant for him to know that his efforts were appreciated. Then he showed me the check... five. hundred. dollars! I couldn't believe it! What a blessing! We even splurged and he got himself a ps2 off of ebay. hee hee.
AND then Shaun got a call from his best friend, who works at a wood place. He has been talking to his boss about Shaun, I guess and arranged for the two of them to meet and for Shaun to pick up an application, as they will be needing someone in about a month... and Shaun will be finished with school in ..A MONTH!!! So Shaun met the guy, said he was really nice. He got an application and took it back this morning, so we'll see...

As far as my working situation... I am working at a Montessori school in the mornings which I thought would be great. But I'm just a slave there.. I greet parents in the morning and spend the rest of the day doing office/teacher grunt work and doing potty patrole. It's not a bad job, but it really reminds me that I want to teach - and that I'm not particularly fond of the pre-school age. Luckily, my contract is up in June. I think I am going to start looking at Summer Camp programs with Elementary ages, and then get into a real teaching position for the fall.
I also teach after school art classes and have gone from teaching two classes to teaching FOUR!! And since that is a job that I DO really enjoy, that makes me happy.

I'm sorry I'm not a better blogger.
Hey - I want to read a book. A really good book. Any suggestions?

mindless babble

Well, I don't have a whole bunch of time. I am working lots now... and working on getting used to the idea of our church being gone. Pretty much that means lots of discussions on what we really want and need and have to offer. Also, as my dear hubby is the youth intern right now, we have been spending a lot of time with the kids. It's been hard, but I have enjoyed spending time with them.
Spring is here. Wonderful. That is a half sarcastic wonderful. I am one of those with horrid allergies, so spring means sneezing, itching, sore nose, scratchy throat, and since I'm one of those weirdos who also has allergy-related asthma, lots of problems breathing. Joy and Bliss in my world.
Well, time's up.
Ciao!

quick update

Hello to the person who accidentally wandered over here. It's currently about two or three in the AM. I can't sleep. My eyes are not working too well. Please forgive misspellings and weird ramblings. This will probably be more stream-of consiosness. I'm hanging out at the gracious Wagner's house this evening. My husband is off at the coast, freezing at a youth rally. I am pretty excited to be out of the house. I have been sick this last week and haven't really left the house much. Shaun's been great. I got a box of gifts every day for three days leading up to that crazy February day that people get all crazy about. It was so great - organizers for the bathroom, a brita pitcher, plants/flower/bulbs, pots, etc. Oh, and a Sudoku book! It was so great. And now that I read that, I realize that I am such an old lady. HA! Oh well.
What else? OH - my car pooped out the other day. I am not sure what's wrong with it, but I'm B.R.O.K.E!!! So I've been supressing the stress, only barely, though. I have worked SO hard not to worry about money and things and stuff. So everytime I started to think about it I would pray that something would come up. Sometimes I was able to move on to something else and not worry, but other times I would just kind of repeat the same little prayer over and over and over and over and over...
This evening I was talking to Troy and Shauna and Troy was like "hey, i think we can get you a car for free" HA!!!!!!!!!!!!! He said it's probably not good for a real long time, but it will be GREAT until I'm working more and Shaun is able to graduate and get work! WOOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise Jehovah! It's been such a wonderful lesson for me, as I'm a worry-wart.
It's been deliciously cold outside lately! I love it!
I guess i should try to sleep.
G'night!

employment

I've got a job!!!!!!!! I interviewed yesterday afternoon and got a call this morning - I'm IN!!!!!! I just need to go actually fill out an application and get scheduled for orientations and training and such. WAHOOO!!!!

that's all.
bye

NAKED and SNOGGING

Okay, so what is with parents not being aware of what their children are posting on the internet? Is it really appropriate for a 12 yr old to post photos of her in sexual positions wearing a bikini? (is it appropriate for ANYONE, really?) How is it that a parent says they "cannot" control that?!?!?!

I'm sorry - well, I guess I'm really not, but anyway- I do NOT enjoy looking at photos of scantily clad people........ I do NOT enjoy photos of people kissing..... It just isn't cool. If you want to kiss someone, that's fine. If you want to take a photo of you two snogging, that's even okay. But is that what you want to post on the internet to represent yourself? Eww.

Hm. Maybe I'm just too old fashioned.

hi

Post answer in a comment (fill out whatever you want to):
1. Name:
2. Birthday:
3. Where you live:
4. What makes you happy:
5. Currently listening/the last thing you listened to:
6. Do you read my blog regularlyl?:
7. If yes, what makes it especially good or bad?:
8. An interesting fact about you:
9. Are you in love/do you have a crush at the moment?:
10. Favourite place to spend time:
11. Favourite lyric:
12. The best time of the year:

RECOMMEND
1. A film:
2. A book:
3. A band, a song, or album:

PLUS
1. One thing you like about me:
2. Two things you like about yourself:
3. Look at my friends-list and tell what you like about one of our mutual friends:
4. Put this in your blog if you want to . . . i know it's like an email forward so you don't have to, but if you want, it could be fun . . .

questions questions questions

Three PHYSICAL Things about the Opposite Sex that Appeal to You
1. eyes
2. stomachs
3. dimples

Three of Your Favorite Hobbies
1. cooking
2. taking photos (even though i'm really no good at it)
3. reading

Three Places You Want to go
1. Civitanova del Sanio, Italy
2. Gold Coast Australia
3. New York

Three Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. TRAVEL!!
2. run a bed and breakfast
3. grow my own food

Three Ways that you are stereotypically a Girl
1. i cry for no reason
2. i enjoy it when my nails are nice and strong and long
3. i over analyze everything

Three people that are your friends and why
1. Shaun - my dearest, closest friend who loves me even though he really knows me
2. Brian J. - been friends for a long time. He is probably the first person who really got the full brunt of my horrible jr. high years and ... has just been through a lot of my crap. Yet we're still friends.
3. Richard - my step dad who is pretty much the greatest EVER. Even though he thinks I'm an idiot, he's good at letting that go and loving me anyway. He has done so much for me and I pretty much owe him everything

Okay now I'm done

Photos

Here are some of the photos taken over break.

who's afraid of the big bad blog?

Alright, so we made it home! FINALLY! Again, our flight was delayed. In Denver, this time. Something about mechanical problems. What really sucked was that Shaun was sick, and for the 24 or so hours before the we left was unable to keep any food down. So we didn't even try to eat the morning of our flight (who wants to actually have to use the airline barf bags? eww). However, by the time we got to Denver we were both starving. Then the plane is delayed. So we're sitting there quietly as our stomachs very UNquietly gnaw away at our spines. Finally we can't stand it anymore and begin scanning the airport for food. What does Shaun decide to eat? Dominoes Pizza. Oh boy. Actually, the pizza was delicious and surprisingly not so greasy. So finally we get on the plane and I am SO nervous he'll have to use the barf bag... Especially since we're sitting in the middle and window seat, making it not so easy for him to just up and run to the washroom.
But he made it all the way through the flight! And it was SO VERY good to be home.
Our visit was nice, but it was long and we missed our home.

There hasn't been much to blog of since we've been back. I had a birthday, which just made me feel old. I planted my Chia Herb Garden!!! And it's beginning to sprout! YUM!

Oh, and before we left Colorado, Shaun's boots were exchanged straight across for brand new ones and I got a brand new, cool phone - FREE!!!
But I miss the puppies!

And this was on Tab's blog and I thought it was pretty cool.

Three Parts of Your Heritage
1. Italian
2. Irish
3. Czechoslovakian

Three Things That Scare You
1. grates/holes in the ground
2. clowns
3. open windows when it's dark outside and light inside

Three of Your Everyday Essentials
1. toilet paper (i'm w/ya there, Tabs)
2. something to read
3. cooking (I love it love it love it)

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. One of Shaun's wedding bands (mine is on its way to Shane Co to get cleaned)
2. One red sock
3. One white sock with red and blue argyle

Three Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love)
1. respect
2. accountability
3. humor

Hey I'll finish this later. (promise!)

OH and I want to see Hoodwinked!

Technology....

Well, at around 1:30 or 2am on the first day of our calendar year I sat in bed and blogged. I blogged my little heart out. I blogged of the three days of Christmas that I briefly mentioned, I blogged of our adventures in Colorado, of the crazy funk the New Year seemed to bring... I blogged funny anicdotes (sp?) and some serious ponderings. And it's gone. All gone. Wiped out. How? I have no clue.
But it is no more and I must not dwell on the past. cursed technology.

Sort of off topic, I have gone to see a few movies during my stay here. I have seen The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Memoirs of a Geisha.
How do you feel about reading books v. watching movies? Let me rephrase: do you read the book first or watch the movie first?
I LOVE to read. I have always held firm to the idea that I need to read the book before I see the movie. And I have, for the most part, done so. Yet as I was sitting in the theater watching dear Harry and his pals with my husband (who has only seen the movies) I realized that he could pick up the book and be completely enthralled with a seemingly new story. Now, the movie was actually pretty good. But there is SO much more in the book - too much, in fact, to put it all in the movie. So I began to really think about how I do things... would it, in fact, be more enjoyable to see the movie, get the basic plot line, and then read the book and devour all the sub plots and depth of characters that a good book has to offer? Or would knowing the end of the story completely ruin it?
Also, there is the imagination. I LOVE reading a book and creating it all in my mind. Watching the movie first would eliminate my ability to do that....

I am still pretty far from making up my mind.
What do you think?

Reflections

Well, tis the season the reflect and resolve. 2005 has been a pretty big year. The year began while I was asleep. Here in CO there isn't much to do on New Years so I just went to bed early. A few days later I flew back to my best friends house in So Cal and then we loaded up her car and began the drive back up to Cascade. It was a BLAST!!! Rockin out to some wicked cool music, throwing army guys attached to string out the window, and chaining up her little Golf over the pass. As soon as we got back to town I was able to celebrate Christmas/New Years/my birthday with my wonderful fiance in the snow atop Rocky Butte.
Just a few days after that I began my Student Teaching experience. It started out a little awkwardly and got progressively worse. I was finally removed from THAT school and had a week to recouperate. Then I started Student teaching with the greatest teacher I have ever met. Great teacher, great class - it was WONDERFUL, albeit VERY VERY busy. During that time I was writing my work sample (again, as I had already done one for my first school), trying to keep up with my roommates, plan a wedding, and stay sane. Well, I managed most of that list just fine. ha ha ha.
Anyway, at the end of April I walked with the rest of the graduating class of 2005 and entertained a whole bunch of family, even though it would be another three weeks before I finished student teaching. Then everyone went back home and I was left in my dorm all alone. I finally finished student teaching, officially graduated, moved into a new apartment and began to finally focus on the wedding.
A couple of months later, my best friend came back from Brazil to help plan the wedding, it happened, everyone left (including us) and life was grand. My new husband and I came back to Portland and began setting up house before he began his last year at Cascade.
We jumped feet-first into a new church, and have just been enjoying life, as busy as it may be.
For the first time ever, Shaun and I were able to spend Christmas together and it was spectacular.

In the last year, friendships have been strengthened and those same ones lost, others have been formed, and some are just beginning to grow.
God has worked miracles in my life and I am excited to see what he has in store for me in 2006.

Ciao!

Mele Keliki Maka, Part III

Oy. It was an okay day. Some funny things happened... but this is another thing I'll have to postpone due to time limitations.
We came home tonight and those two really cute lovely puppies that I want to take home with me had gotten ahold of my purse. Goodbye handmade ornament Grandpa gave me. Goodbye yummy lip stuff. Goodbye almost-brand-new phone. (They literally ATE the antenna). Sheesh.
But guess what? I still want to take them home. They have this power over me. It's scary!

Well, Goodnight and I'll do some more re-capping later.

I CAN'T forget this story: Sugar Daddy! (I need to put it in this post so I don't forget to tell you later)

G'night

Feliz Navidad, Part II

Welcome back! Christmas #2 was not as bad as anticipated! Not that I thought it would be horrid... my mom was just much less stressed than usual. Of course it took a little bit of self control on my part to stay merry. But I did it. And I'm glad. We made lots of fish! The feast of the seven fishes, to be exact. I need to go now, so I'll explain more about that later.
Well... I think I'll have to finish all of this later. I'm sleepy!
Good night and God Bless!

Merry Christmas, Part I

Hello dear friends. This is the first installment of a three part blog. As most of you who read this probably know, I'm in Colorado for the holidays. This happens to be the one little town where all of my mom's, dad's AND step-dad's family lives. So there are a LOT of people to see. Fortunately each "side" of the family has chosen a different night to celebrate Christmas. My dad's tonight (the 23rd), Mom's tomorrow, and step-dad's on Sunday. So I will try to recap each day's experience here on this glorious blog. That said, here goes:

This morning I got up and began helping my mom get the house ready for tomorrow's feast. Then we started working on the food. I also made some yummy mac and cheese caserolle to take (along with the zillions of cookies I made last night) to Dad's tonight. Shaun went with my step dad to run various errands and I spend the day mostly in the kitchen. Around 3:45 I realized that I should probably shower and get ready to be at Dad's by 5:00. So I'm in the shower by about 10 after 4...and Shaun's still not back! Noone is answering their cell phones, so I'm a little nervous. He finally showed up at 4:50. So we were a little late getting to my dad's but it was OK. We get there and it's Dad, Lisa (his live-in girlfriend), her brother and his wife and two kids, Lisa's son Ryan, my grandpa (dad's dad) and Shaun and me. So we eat and it's pretty yummy and we chat and had a pretty great time together. Then the kids begin clammoring for the bundles under the tree. so we all gather in the living room and begin opening gifts. My dad and Lisa gave us a digital camera and printer!!! SO cool!

Anyway, after Shaun and I opened ours, it was Lisa's turn and she get a whole bunch of stuff... then my dad gave her a little box that he had been hiding. My initial thought was: It's a RING!!!! then... I considered the source - Lisa has been hinting about this for a LONG time and my dad is just turd enough to get her a stupid gift and present it to her all dramatic like in a little ring box. So I waited ... and it WAS an engagement ring!! They were standing at a weird angle, but I managed to get one kind of cool picture of him putting the ring on her finger.
So that pretty much took the cake! I'm excited... she is MUCH cooler than my last step-mom. And I'll have a step-brother, too! It's so crazy. Five months ago I was very sibling-less. Now I have a sister in law, a brother in law, and soon to be step sister in law and a soon to be step-brother!

Let's see... oh, we also got a ceramic bowl my grandpa made and filled with those little gold coin chocolates and 10 silver coins. My grandma got us a Christmas tree ornament that has "our first Christmas 2005" and Lisa got us some yummy smelling candles and candle holder and some lotion and chocolate candies.

Overall it was a VERY enjoyable evening and I am really glad that Shaun and I were able to be a part of it all... the christmas, the family, the festivities, and the ENGAGEMENT!!! My dad's getting married!!!!!

Well, Merry Christmas eve eve to everyone and I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how Christmas part II goes!

Love ya!

Jess

we made it!

My goodness! So we finally made it out of Portland around noon yesterday. Our connecting flight was scheduled to depart San Francisco at 12:45, but we were assured that all outbound flights were delayed as well, so we weren't too worried.
So we make it to SFO and get off the plane and immediately head for those little computer screens that hold all the information that any passenger could possibly want to know (well, not REALLY, but you know what I mean, right?). We finally locate our flight destination, #, and scheduled time, and then next to that were the big red letters: CANCE. Now what could that mean? I know it just COULDN'T mean what I thought it meant. I wouldn't believe it. So I called the United system and it was confirmed... our flight was cancelled. Now usually when you fly, there is a small group of people that are heading in the same direction you are. You know what I'm talking about - the loud family, the weird guy and the lady who asks like she's too good to talk to anyone - they get off the plane only to follow you to the connecting flight plane... or the baggage claim. Anyway, there were no other people looking lost - trying to make their way to Colorado Springs. So we search the airport for SOMEONE who can help us.
FINALLY we find the RIGHT line and spend 45 minutes waiting to talk to this really weird little guy. He tells us we can fly standby to Denver and then Springs. So I ask "what if we don't make it on those flights?" and he assures me we'll get on. Then, after consulting with his "sweet" (coworker who is obviously disgusted with his antics), he continues to punch buttons and then tells us we can confirm tickets for just $35 a person. This I do NOT want to do. I already PAID for tickets. So I weighed my options - what if we don't get on Standby? "you're SOL" he tells us. "but you can confirm tickets if you pay"
"Why would we have to pay for that when we've already paid for tickets to get us from Pdx to Colorado Springs?" I calmly ask.
"because you missed your flight"
WHAT?! where have you BEEN, little man? is one of many things going through my mind.
But I was kind. "Sir, our flight was cancelled - this is NOT our fault"
To which he went "oh - one moment I'll book you on the next flight"

So we got to fly in a Boeing 777 in the Economy Plus seating... with the little video screen in the chair in front of you... nice big cushy chairs. ahhhh... it was pretty great.
Of course we were pretty late getting to our destination. But we're here and so far - we're still alive.

Oh! And my parents adopted two little dogs that had been stranded from Hurricane Katrina and they are ADORABLE!!! I'm not a fan of little dogs, but these guys... they're Italian Greyhound and Terrier mix... and so sweet, too!!! Hang on, I'll see if I can get a pic off the net. They look like a cross between these two dogs:


Now that I look at them... they look more like the second dog... they're great.
I want a dog.
oh well.

Merry Christmas everyone!