A Time to Love

Sewing Projects

2010-12-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

This Christmas I made purses for some of the ladies in our families. They were so fun to make!

Random Photo Update

2010-11-29T20:54:00.000-08:00

Since I am obviously not one to blog very frequently, I tend do sporadic updates that contain way more random information that a blog post should. That being said, let the randomness begin.

I think I mentioned that I got a haircut, but did I mention that I dyed it with henna?

It's auburn-ish now, especially in outdoor light. I like it muchly.

We got a new cat. Not intentionally, but he pretty much fell into our lap... or rather, got stuck in our fence. Anyway, we named him Riley. That makes three cats. o_O

Some of my family came to visit in the fall. It was great to see them. :)

We got some snow. Unusual for this part of the valley.

We got our Christmas tree today!

Ah, how I love Christmas time!

The new me

2010-10-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

So I got another haircut a couple days ago. I rather like it. :)

Life is good.

2010-09-15T13:19:00.001-07:00

My Old Kentucky Home - A Story

2010-08-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

My Old Kentucky Home - A Story

A photo story of my life as a farm girl

Claire's Glove

2010-07-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Claire is infatuated with my rubber gardening gloves. Even though I hid them in the cabinet, she found them and insists on storing them in the bedroom closet. When I first bought these gloves, they disappeared the very first day and it took me weeks to find her hiding place. :P

Sweet and Spicy Salad

2010-05-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

My lunch today... greenleaf lettuce, navel oranges, feta cheese, and zesty italian dressing. Mmmmm!

Merry Christmas to all!

2009-12-24T17:24:00.001-08:00

The Northwest Christmas Waltz

2009-12-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure where the idea came from, but this morning I found myself rewriting a familiar Christmas song. What started as simply a possible status message ended up in an actual recording.

***No offense meant to my fellow Oregonians - I love living here, but there are days when I wish for a warmer climate. ;) Also, no slight intended against Christmas. I love Christmas and this song is not meant to be taken seriously... except for the Uncle Sam reference. :P

The Northwest Christmas Waltz

My apologies that the lyrics are rather difficult to discern... I had to use my iMac's built-in microphone and it's not that great for recordings. Plus, the background recording was too low for me. hehe.

Frosted window panes,
Cold air streaming inside,
Frozen icicles on my tree
Andrew's on his way
He worked all day for things
Things for our Uncle Sam.

It's that time of year
When I can't feel my toes
And my fingertips are so numb
Merry Christmas
Next year I'll be in the south
Where it's warm all year
I just can't live here
Or I'll die I fear
In the Northwest.

Frosted window panes
Candles gleaming inside
Wish we insulated before
This cold weather
Now I can't afford to turn
Turn the thermostat up

It’s that time of year
When the world falls in love
Every song that you hear seems to say
Spend more money
Make your New Year dreams come true
If you're cold and broke
Then you're like most folk
Wishing you and yours
The same thing too!

Christmas Tree Adventure 2009

2009-12-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

This year Andrew and I drove up into the snowy mountains to find our Christmas tree! It was such a beautiful day for making memories...

The slippery road

We found the one!

Taking it back to the truck

All decorated!

House Tour Videos

2009-11-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

Here's a quick walk-through of our new house!

Our House - Pictures!

2009-09-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

So this is our new place. As you can see, it needs lots of work and remodeling, but we can't wait to make this into a beautiful home. I plan on repainting the exterior at some point, but for now it will have to wait until we have more $$$.

This is the living room, complete with wood-burning stove and built-in desk and bookcase. We plan on ripping up the carpet and refinishing the hardwood floors underneath.

Side door and dining room built-ins. The current owners haven't moved out yet, so their stuff makes it look rather cluttered.

The pink paint has to go, but I love the kitchen. We'll be putting down new vinyl in here and repainting everything.

This room is our future office... minus the clutter. ;)

The utility room is getting new vinyl too.

The entire house has lovely fir floors, so we'll be removing all the carpet and refinishing them.

Other details... the lot is over half an acre, so plenty of space for gardening! Because of the outrageous price of land in Oregon, we never expected our first home to have such a large lot. What a blessing! There are already fruit and nut trees on the property, as well as lots of roses and other beautiful flowers. There's a large workshop behind the house, perfect for Andrew's future wood-working shop. The house also has an 800 sq. ft. unfinished basement, so lots of extra storage there.

Everything about this home has gone over and beyond what we expected to find. We always loved the Arts & Crafts style, but never dreamed we'd find a home in our price range. Not only this, but the owners have agreed to pay for all the repairs in the house inspection - $30,000 worth of repairs! This includes connecting the property to city water and replacing the roof. Basically all we have to do is refinish the floors, update the bathrooms a bit, and paint!

God is very, very good. I feel so undeserving, yet oh-so thankful. If you think of it, please pray that the closing process goes smoothly and we don't run into any big delays. :)

Can't wait until October 5th!!!

Latest Designs

2009-09-01T17:27:00.000-07:00

Some earrings I recently made for a friend in Ohio...

Exciting News!

2009-08-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

On August 24, we made an offer on a house and the offer was accepted! :D More details (and pictures) to follow...

My Garden

2009-07-08T14:50:00.000-07:00

It's not much, but it's about all I can fit on our little balcony. :)

Yes, those are green beans growing up surveyor lath. ;)

Kentucky Trip Photos

2009-06-06T12:44:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a great time in Kentucky! The majority of my pictures are on Facebook, but here are a few favorites...

Miss Breanna acting shy around Andrew. hehe.

She's a cutie.

All the "kids"

Mom has a blast with her grandkids

We toured part of Mammouth Cave!

At the Civil War battlefield in Perryville

After Jellybean's bath. He still doesn't look completely clean, but it's good enough. :P

Mmm, I love Kentucky's hayfields!

Beading

2009-05-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

I recently made some earrings for myself and as gifts... twas addictingly fun. :)

2009-05-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

There's nothing quite like sitting around a campfire on a chilly night, roasting marshmallows, and singing songs with friends. :)

Shots from the Tulip Field

2009-04-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I attended a macro photography workshop at Woodburn's famous Tulip Festival. After the lecture, we were sent out into the fields to apply our "new" knowledge. (It wasn't so new to me, but whatever.) I got a few shots I like, but shooting macro is frustrating when you don't have a macro lens. That's on my "To Buy Someday" list.

Too Many Clothes?

2009-04-06T19:09:00.000-07:00

Can a girl have too many clothes? Maybe. ;)

Apartment Life

2009-03-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

We've lived here at DCC apartments for about 1 1/2 years now. All in all, it's a pretty nice apartment complex, still relatively new, well-maintained, well-managed, and most of the residents are decent, normal people. Still, with the variety of people comes a variety of lifestyles. Since I'm at home most of the time, I see a lot that goes on around here; sometimes it's funny, sometimes annoying, sometimes embarrassing, sometimes scary. Here are a few things I've learned throughout the past year and a half...

Neighbors can be very noise sensitive. A couple that lived in the apartment below us used to write complaint notes and stick them on our door. They said our bed squeaked and our footsteps were too loud. We fixed the bed, but couldn't do much about our footsteps. :P
People sometimes forget to close their blinds. Like the guy and girl who were making out in front of their sliding glass door, wearing only their undies. :P Come on, people, I didn't want to see that!
TVs are bad things to have in bedrooms. Especially when it's in the bedroom of the apartment below you and the owner keeps the sports channel blaring all night. Gaaah.
Avoid the lady with the wimpy yipper-dog. She has it on a leash, but doesn't restrain it from attacking my ankles as I walk by. Stupid dog. I wanted to give it a good kick. Maybe the owner too.
Avoid gardeners and lawn workers. Ever since one of them suddenly burst into song in Spanish about a "beautiful woman" when I walked by, I've made it a point to avoid them. Just in case it wasn't coincidence.
Avoid outspoken lady who hates certain cars. Once I got in the general area around her on my way to pay rent and she started ranting about a car that drove by. "I hate those trashy ____. Nothing but junk. I would NEVER buy one of those cars!" o_O Okaaaay, like I needed to know that.
Beware of blond girl. During my daily walk, I was talking on the phone as I passed a little girl playing near the sidewalk. She said hi, so I smiled and said hi back. Next time around, she said hi and I said hi again. Third time I walked by (still on the phone), she said hi and I just smiled and nodded. Very indignant, she said, "I SAID hi!"
Never walk after 3 PM. All the teens and middleschoolers are home from school and they aren't very friendly, nor do they like to share the sidewalk.
Never leave anything of value in your car overnight. A few months ago three or four cars were broken in to during the night. Thankfully, both of ours were unharmed.
Life is warmer when people are living below us. Their heat keeps our apartment quite toasty. ;)
People really do have knock-down drag-out fights. Just last night the couple below us had a doozy of a fight, yelling, knocking things around, swearing at each other... the woman finally left. Then the baby started crying.... and wouldn't stop. *sigh*
Wall insulation between apartments much be very scarce. Just recently we were awakened around 3 AM by someone else's alarm clock playing an annoying tune over and over and over and over. It played for at least an hour; we eventually had to move to the other bedroom.
Never pet the cat that comes out to greet you near one apartment. It bites.
If I look straight up at the sky while walking and sorta squint to make my peripheral vision fuzzy, I can imagine I'm on a farm in the country. Then I trip and come crashing back to reality.

So although we don't want to live here any longer than we have to, it's not a bad place and we've been very happy in our little apartment. :) Still, I'm looking forward to that house in the country... some day.

Wow!

2009-03-16T07:27:00.000-07:00

I just counted up my Amazon gift cards today and I've won $50 worth from Swagbucks! That means $50 to spend on anything I want at Amazon... pretty nice! I have enough to order the photography reflector I've been wanting, so next I'm going to save up for either a DVD drive or something cheaper like a movie or pair of earrings. :) This is so fun!

My New Purse

2009-03-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

I finally found the style of purse I have been wanting for the past year! Andrew spotted it in the 50% off bin while we were browsing an Eddie Bauer outlet store. It's an embroidered, cross-body, messenger bag...

It may be a little weird to like a purse so much, but I think it's adorable and I'm delighted. ;)

And in marches spring.

2009-03-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was probably the prettiest day we've had this year. I spent an hour walking, enjoying the sunshine, warm breeze and birds singing. This kind of weather makes me really want to start gardening! My potted garden is beginning to grow, but it's just not the same.

I've been sewing a lot the past couple weeks. I made a brown and white polka dot summer dress and had enough fabric left over to make a skirt as well. I also finally finished the Scottish blouse that I started months ago (I had everything done but the cuffs and hem), and made a white blouse out of eyelet fabric that my grandma gave me. Everything turned out very well, much to my delight. Perhaps my next post will contain pictures.

Andrew is working nearly full-time again. I'm both happy and sad about that. ;) It was wonderful to have more time with him during the slow months at work, but it's really nice to have a better income each month.

In other random news, I nearly have enough Swagbucks saved up for my free photography reflector! Yay! Can't wait.

Well, it's 9:00, which means the office is open, which means it's time to pay rent. :P Fun, fun.

"Sometimes I'm perfect, but other times I don't, won't they?"

2009-02-09T18:47:00.000-08:00

I found these skits quite amusing. Perhaps you will too. :)

A few pictures...

2009-01-24T16:23:00.000-08:00

For those of you who can't access my Facebook albums, here are a few shots from our recent trip to Kentucky.

Little Miss Cutie

We played with beads a lot. :)

I made a new Regency dress.

Abby and Andrew had fun browsing the Internet. ;)

Skeet shooting.

It's fun to be an aunt. :)

Ha!

2009-01-23T09:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, this made me laugh.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Changefest '09 - Obama's Inaugural Speech

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

January Update

2009-01-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

We brought in the New Year in Kentucky. The 11-day visit was planned rather quickly after finding out Andrew would be off work for two weeks. What better opportunity to take a trip, eh? My parents knew we were coming, but we surprised everyone else. It was great to be "home," see all my family and friends, take care of my sweet cows, work on the farm, sew with Mom, do some skeet shooting, and enjoy Mom's good cooking. (You don't realize how much better homegrown food is compared to grocery store produce until you've been without it for a year.) If you're a Facebook member, you can view pictures from our visit here.

While in Kentucky, I made a new Regency dress for this summer. (When undertaking an unfamiliar or more difficult pattern, I like to have Mom nearby so she can explain how something works when I'm baffled.) I used a white voile and lined it with white muslin. It turned out really nice and I'm anxious to wear it. I also found super cute brown and white polka-dot fabric that will make an adorable retro dress.

Because things are slow at Andrew's job, we both have been looking for part-time jobs. I have a group interview at Wells Fargo next week for a teller job, but after further thought and research of the company, I've almost decided I don't want the job. Still, I plan to attend the first interview and gain the experience. I've already learned a lot just in preparing for this interview.

I finally hit upon the perfect bread recipe. Andrew doesn't like his sandwich bread too sweet and I don't like it if it's not sweet, so it was difficult to find something we both liked. This white bread recipe has a nice balance of sweetness, perfect texture, and a great flavor.
The best part is I can use my breadmaker to do all the kneading!

Sunny days like these makes me long for a house of my own. I want to work outside cleaning flower beds, get dirt on my hands, plant things, smell that earthy smell of spring, see bulbs emerging from the ground... I also want a puppy, a clothesline, and a deep freezer, all of which have to wait until we find a house. And wait we must.

Life is good. I would be remiss in not mentioning it. I am a happy girl indeed.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T14:28:00.000-08:00

It's snowing again.

2008-12-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

As you can see from last post's pictures, we've had some wintry weather for the past few days. Three inches of snow won't seem like much to some of you, but it's a big deal for the Willamette Valley. I'm just happy we got some white stuff at all; rain is usually the extent of our winters. Andrew was off work a couple days this week, partly because of the icy roads and partly because there wasn't anything to do at work. It was great to have him home, but we hope work picks up so we'll have a decent paycheck.

I really like our Christmas tree this year. I really liked it last year too. Maybe that's because we decorated the tree exactly the same both years? ;) We also have candles in the windows and another string of lights around the sliding glass door. I love Christmas lights.

In a [failing] effort to save money on electricity, I've been trying not to turn on the heaters very much. But when your houses gets down to 60 degrees (as it was this morning) and you're shivering constantly despite all your layers of clothing, you say 'the heck with saving money' and crank up the thermostat. I miss the good ol' wood stove at my parents' that kept the house at a lovely 80 to 85 degrees. It was heavenly. I'm beginning to think that heat = happiness for me. If I'm warm, I'm happy. Hot showers are delightful. Three quilts on the bed is just right. Wool socks are the best, and the thicker the better.

We have a drip in our kitchen. It seems the snow is melting and dripping down the oven vent or the warm air is forming condensation on the vent... or something. Anyway, a slow trickle of water runs off the top of the oven hood and drips down the side of the neighboring cabinet, pooling on the countertop. I have installed a large bowl under the drip to catch said moisture, but it's slowly ruining the side of the wooden cabinet. We have informed the apartment manager of the problem and she didn't seem to care very much. "Oh, it's just condensation. We'll have to wrap the vent with something sometime." Oookay.

Speaking of moisture, our windows form a lot of condensation every night. I wake up to a bedroom window dripping with water... on the inside. It wouldn't be so bad, but the wetness grows nasty black mold faster than you can imagine. Blah. So I keep a roll of paper towels nearby to mop up my windows every morning. I'm thinking the black mold may be the cause of the bothersome sinus trouble I've had ever since moving out here.

But all things considered, life is still good. I'm thankful for a loving husband, terrific family, a place to live, food to eat, snow to play in, packages that arrive in the mail, hot water, my computer that still works despite its age, music, friends near and far, health, and most of all a God in Heaven who cares, provides, and blesses us beyond measure.

SNOW!

2008-12-15T17:21:00.000-08:00

I am delighted to announced that we have SNOW! It is so beautiful... all two inches of it. ;) We may get more on Wednesday. Yay!

We went caroling with a large group of friends (about 25-30 people) last Saturday. It was a lot of fun and the rain held off until the very end. :) I took one video clip of us clustered around a front door, but you can't see the entire group...

Swagbucks

2008-12-03T13:00:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I signed up for an account with Swagbucks. Swagbucks is a search engine (just like Google) and you can win Swagbucks as you search. As you gain more and more Swagbucks, you turn them in for free stuff, like gift cards from Amazon, Target and Starbucks. Pretty cool.

I have my PC set up where my homepage and toolbar search engine is Swagbucks, so I'll do all my searching there, thus increasing my chances of winning.

Anyway, if you sign up using the link below, we'll both get Swagbucks when you win. :) So that's even cooler.

Try it out!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Thought.

2008-11-25T08:34:00.001-08:00

"The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career."

~C.S. Lewis

Of Hats

2008-10-23T12:07:00.001-07:00

This morning, it being a very chilly fall morning, I decided to wear my black pageboy hat while running errands in town. It's quite warm and I love the hat but rarely wear it, formerly convinced I do not look good in hats.

I was in Wal-Mart's auto parts department, browsing the [meager] selection of window washer fluid, when I caught a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. It was a Wal-Mart employee coming toward me at a brisk trot. Thinking he meant to ask if I needed any help, I turned slightly to face him, amazed that a Wal-Mart employee was so anxious to help a customer. The middle aged man, also wearing a hat, proceeded to ask something which I did not expect:

"Do you accept compliments from strangers?"

"Sure," I replied, surprised and curious.

"You wear your hat very well," he said with a smile and a slight bow.

I laughingly thanked him and he returned to his place behind the auto parts desk. I continued shopping, but with a happy spring in my step knowing I don't look so bad in hats after all. :)

My New Lens

2008-10-03T10:11:00.001-07:00

Last week I got a new camera lens! It's the Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM, a portrait lens! We went to two nearby parks last Saturday and Andrew modeled for me so I could try it out. I thought the pictures turned out very nice, but I could be slightly prejudiced because I think the subject is the handsomest guy on the planet.

In other news...

I'm going to see my family next week! Can't wait. I'll get to meet Adam, finally!

Andrew and I were extras in a movie last weekend. The movie is called Caroline and is set in the Regency era. We were extras mainly during the dancing scenes, but we also got to do another scene where David is telling me some entertaining story and I'm giggling at it. Andrew walks up, gives David a cold look, as if telling him to get away from his girl, and David makes his exit. It was fun.

A step back in time...

2008-09-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

...to the sponge roller days. ;) I did this just for fun, but I'll probably regret it tomorrow!

Happy anniversary... to us!

2008-09-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

One year and still newlyweds. ;)

Adam Carr

2008-08-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

I was awakened this morning at 5:30 by my cell phone ringing. It was Mom calling to tell me the happy news - my nephew had been born! His name is Adam Carr and we have no idea how much he weighs, because he was born in Ryan and Jodi's garage! :D Apparently they were getting in the car to go to the hospital when Jodi said she couldn't make it that far, so they got back out of the car and Adam was born right there in the garage! I haven't seen many pictures of him, but here's one I swiped from Jodi's Facebook that sort of shows his face...

I think Breanna is thrilled with her new little brother. :) I can't wait to see him in October!

Wow, another post in August!

2008-08-25T20:36:00.001-07:00

The Robin Hood Ball was last Saturday and we had a blast! The live musicians were terrific, the dances were fun, and everyone had such a happy time. Laura even made flower head wreaths for some of the gals!

More pictures of the ball can be found on my Facebook. :)

In other news, next Monday is our first anniversary! :D :D :D We have simple plans, but I'm so excited! But more about that later...

The Loopy Slug

2008-08-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

This morning I encountered a little slug who just couldn't figure out how to travel in a straight line.

P.S.

2008-08-01T20:39:00.001-07:00

I have revamped my photography site, SarahGale.com. Go check it out. :)

(Be patient. The main image may take a couple moments to load.)

A Looong Overdue Post

2008-08-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, I feel rather bad about not updating for the past two months. I intended to post something in July just so I would have a post every month, but August crept up on me faster than I realized. It could be because we have been a little busy. ;) To refresh my memory of the past two months, I'll have to flip back through the calendar...

June 10 - My 23rd birthday. Just a relaxing day at home with my sweetie. (Andrew gave me a digital piano for my birthday! Yay!)

June 12 - I went hiking at Horsetail Falls with some friends. (Pictures) Andrew had to work that day, so that's why he isn't in any of the pictures. :(

June 14 - We went to a small pre-graduation ceremony for Brian in Corvallis, then went out to eat with family.

June 15 - Brian's formal college graduation ceremony. (Pictures) It was a long, hot event, but we were happy to be there.

June 20 - Every month a different HSAer in the area hosts a Game Night. A bunch of HSAers get together, eat, play games, dance and talk. This evening it was at my friend Charlyn's house and we had a great time.

June 28 - The Summer Ball. (Pictures)

July 4 & 5 - We participated in the Willamette Mission Civil War reenactment. (Pictures) It was fun to dress up and see so many other people also dressed in Civil War era clothes. I loved seeing Andrew play with the Fife & Drum Corps. He's so handsome in uniform. ;)

July 7 - Dance practice with a few friends so they could learn a difficult dance.

July 10 - Brian and I drove to Portland to meet two friends, Jess and Jaime. (Picture) It was a fun afternoon. :)

July 14 - Dance practice again.

July 18 & 19 - To celebrate Dad Plett's birthday, we all went to Portland's Highland Games. (Pictures) It was cool to see so much of the Scottish tradition and discover that I have Scottish ancestry.

July 21 - Dance practice.

July 26 - Game Night in Vancouver, Washington. We met some new friends and had a blast playing Four-on-a-Couch and Nertz. I laughed so hard.

And I think that brings us to the present. :) There were lots of other things going on in that time too, but they were the kind of stuff you don't write on the calendar. It's been a busy couple months and August looks like it'll be the same, but life is good and we're happy. :)

How observant are you?

2008-06-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

Notice anything different about me?

(Beside the fact that I look weird... but wait, that's nothing different.)

Yep, I got my ears pierced. :) It took me a month or so to decide to have it done and I was quite nervous about it, but it wasn't too painful. (I was pierced by a hollow needle, not the more commonly used piercing gun.) Now I just need to hurry up and heal so I can start wearing some cute earrings. ;)

New Look

2008-06-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

As you can see, our blog has a new look! I thought it was time to brighten up for the summer months... that is, if we're ever going to have summer!

My family's visit was a lot of fun and we're so glad they came! We took them sightseeing most days, going to the beach, visiting a lighthouse, touring an air museum, driving up in the mountains around Mt. Hood and the lovely Columbia River Gorge. We took many pictures and I have posted a number of them on Facebook. Go here to view.

Yesterday we celebrated our nine-month anniversary. :) (Yes, we celebrate by the month!) Andrew took me out to eat and we had a lovely afternoon relaxing together. How I love being married to Andrew. He's the very bestest.

Last Saturday we marched with the Civil War reenactor group in Portland's Starlight Parade. You can vaguely see us in the following clip. Andrew is the tall fifer on the right and you can see me at the very end of the clip as they zoom out for a group shot. I'm on the right of the group, wearing a light skirt and a black vest.

Lots more going on around here, but it's hubby time now. :) Toodles!

A Year Ago

2008-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

A year ago today Andrew asked me to marry him!

May 12, 2007

May 11, 2008

I'm way too busy to write a real entry, but I did upload some pictures from yesterday. Facebook users can view the album here.

Just a few days now!

2008-05-09T15:24:00.001-07:00

My family is coming to visit us and will be arriving next Tuesday! It will be their first time in Oregon and our first time to have company stay with us. Being a perfectionist, I want the apartment looking just right for my guests and it's taking a lot of work. Today I re-upholstered our dining room chairs (Aunt Sharon will be glad to hear that ) and made Chicken Tetrazzini to put in the freezer for a quick meal next week.

I'm excited about showing my family around Oregon. There are so many scenic places I want them to see, such as, Multnomah Falls, the coast, the mountains and various parts of the Willamette Valley. I wish we could take them to Crater Lake, but it's just too long of a drive for little Breanna and I hear the park is closed due to snow.

It'll be great to see my parents, Ryan, Jodi and Breanna again! It's been almost four months since we saw them last. I'm sure we'll take lots of pictures during the week, so stay tuned.

A Busy Saturday

2008-04-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

The weather is finally becoming more spring-like (i.e. warm) in the Willamette Valley, so we had to get outside and enjoy it. After picking up Brian (Andrew's twin brother) in McMinnville, we headed toward the coast and spent about two or three hours hiking the trail at Cape Lookout. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful trail with beautiful views of the beautiful ocean. But lest I begin to overuse the word beautiful, we'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Facebook users click here for pictures.

Everyone else click here for pictures.

After the hike, we went straight to Portland to some friends' house who were hosting a game night for HSAers. We, amazingly, arrived right on time, albeit rather muddy from our hike. We ate dinner and played Taboo, foosball and a very lively game of bunco. It was a fun day!

HSA Group at Game Night

Friends

2008-04-22T19:16:00.000-07:00

Today I drove to Portland to meet some friends who were driving down from Washington. We had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory, then browsed the mall for a bit. It was great to meet them in person after knowing them online for quite some time.

Me, Bethany and Sarah

The funny thing is, Sarah is also married to a guy named Andrew and she drives a car identical to mine!

After leaving Bethany and Sarah, I met up with some other friends of mine who were shopping at the same mall...

Heather, Charlyn and me

I shopped with them for awhile and we split a delicious cinnamon roll. Mmmm. It was fun to get out with some friends and do some shopping... although the only thing I bought (besides food) was a black belt.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse Video

2008-04-15T12:06:00.000-07:00

We took this video on our trip to the coast, but I didn't get it uploaded until today. Enjoy.

The Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm

2008-04-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday afternoon, Andrew and I visited the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn, Oregon. The tulips were in full bloom and the crowds were flocking to see them. I think I was more amazed at the number of people than at the number of tulips, even though the latter was quite impressive. In this case, words aren't sufficient, so without further adieu let's go on to the photos.

A section of the tulip field... and the crowd.

It was chilly, so Andrew went back to the car to get my sweater. What a sweet, handsome dude.

Afterward, we went to Mom and Dad Plett's house for dinner and got some pictures there...

Laura

David in his normal attire

The Coast

2008-04-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day yesterday, so we took to a trip to the coast. Temperatures were in the mid 70's, the sun was shining brightly, the skies were blue and clear... it was a perfect day. We even got mild sunburns!

We visited a lighthouse in Newport, walked along the beach in the surf, took lots of pictures, looked for sea creatures in the tide pools, ate milkshakes and had a splendid time together.

It was impossible to pick only a couple pictures to post, so I'm going to post more than a few. Sorry, dialup users!

The Yaquina Lighthouse

This was taken about halfway up the lighthouse.

The view from the top of the lighthouse.

The lighthouse is still in use and its light can be seen up to 22 miles out at sea.

Yes, I did get in the water and yes, it was cold!

Now we're off to the tulip farms in Woodburn!

Another Photo Shoot

2008-04-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

So this morning I took pictures of some cute kids...

It went really well and I think we got some good ones. :) Fun stuff.

Sewing Projects

2008-04-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

My mom, aunt, grandmother and other friends have been asking to see pictures of the dresses and skirts I've been sewing lately, so I finally bit the bullet and modeled them this evening. Andrew took a few shots for me and I weeded out the best ones. It was hard to find the "best" ones because I didn't like any of the pictures of me. Oh well. You all asked for it!

I'm one of those people who likes to make a mock-up before cutting the good fabric, so I stopped by Goodwill and bought a cheap, used, pink sheet for my test clothes...

The skirt mock-up. Sorry about the wrinkles, but after all, it's a sheet.

The real thing.

The dress mock-up.

My new Regency ballgown.

Anyway, they aren't perfect or stunning, but I had fun and got some good sewing experience. Next projects: a full skirt and a 50's dress!

Photo Shoot

2008-04-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

To get practice for my upcoming photo shoots, Andrew and I went to the state capitol's huge front lawn this weekend for a mini photo shoot of our own. Here are two of our favorites...

(Sidenote: I have discovered the joys of shooting in RAW.)

Doesn't he look like a model for Carhartt?

Fun with textures.

(Another Sidenote: I found it amusing that our favorite shots both happened to be tilted shots.)

Columbia River Gorge Hike

2008-03-30T11:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Andrew and I went on a six-mile hike with a group of friends at the Columbia River Gorge. We started out at Multnomah Falls and worked our way up the mountain, across snow-covered trails, past multiple waterfalls, and circled back to our starting point at the lodge.

It was a good three-hour hike (the first hour of which spent hiking completely uphill), there was lots of snow on the trails in the mountain, but I stayed warm with five layers of clothing. :) I was so thankful for my waterproof hiking boots, wool socks, raincoat and the new warm Carhartt pants Andrew insisted I buy. Having the right gear made the trek much more comfortable. Still, I ended up limping back to the lodge because the duration of the hike made my already-injured foot start aching worse.

The group leaders (three teenage boys) set a very fast pace for everyone to follow, so it was either focus on the trail and walk as fast as possible or enjoy the scenery and get left behind. I managed to take a few pictures, but I missed many great opportunities for shots because I had to keep up.

Click here to see the pictures.

Another Blessing!

2008-03-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

After six months of having only two recliners and not being able to sit together unless I sit on Andrew's lap (which I did a lot), we were blessed by Andrew's boss giving us a loveseat! His wife was redecorating their house and this loveseat didn't match the new color scheme, so they offered it to us. Isn't it nice?

Although it looks rather gray in the pictures, it's dark tan and looks brand new. We're so happy with it and love being able to sit together comfortably now. :)

In other news, Andrew had his wisdom teeth extracted on the 7th. He did exceptionally well and is healing nicely. He was really funny after he woke up from the anesthesia. He couldn't speak, but he wrote me lots of silly notes and told me all about the plane that was in the picture on the wall. Still feeling loopy, he started dancing in the parking lot as the nurse and I walked him out to the truck. :D

Last Friday I turned in my last assignment for the online Photoshop class I've been taking. Although it was a bit too basic at times, I enjoyed it and learned a few new things. One of my assignments was to create a postcard, so I made this:

Spring is here in the Pacific Northwest and the rain is less frequent. Buttercups and flowering trees are in full bloom and it's sometimes warm enough to open the windows. All in all, life is terrific. :)

A New Addition to the Family

2008-03-03T20:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally bought a car. :)

It's a 1998 Honda Civic EX, complete with sunroof, CD player, and power windows and door locks. It's a bit older than we were planning to buy, but it was a good price and had very low mileage for a '98. We're going to get it detailed, waxed, the oil changed and possibly buy new hubcaps, but it seems in good condition. It'll be nice to have a newer car that works properly. We pick it up tomorrow! Yay!

(It'll also be nice to not have to sort through long listings of Hondas on Craigslist anymore.)

George Washington Birthnight Ball

2008-02-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

Our latest Ball was held last Friday night and lasted from 7:00 to nearly 12:00. There were lots of dancers, lovely colonial and regency costumes, and live music! The beautiful ballroom made it feel like we'd stepped back in time.

Coming Event: A Pride & Prejudice Ball is scheduled for April! Do come. :)

Pictures of the Ball

For more videos of the Ball, check out My YouTube site.

The Budget Meal

2008-02-22T13:27:00.001-08:00

Some of you have been asking how I keep our grocery bill so low. Maybe this will clear things up for you:

Okay, seriously, this was a rare occasion when I wasn't feeling hungry for dinner, thus eating only some carrots while Andrew finished off the leftover beef stroganoff. We thought it would make a funny picture though.

A Very Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-15T09:46:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was our first Valentine's Day together and we had a great day. Andrew took off work early so we could spend the afternoon and evening together, so that was a real treat. He showed up at the door with this:

I had mentioned that I would like a house plant instead of cut flowers, but I wasn't expecting such a huge house plant! I love it though. Andrew's such a sweetie and so generous.

I love my husband!

Happenings of Late

2008-02-05T16:16:00.000-08:00

We've been traveling a lot these past few weeks. In January, we flew to Kentucky to spend a week with my family and had a great time there, then this past weekend we went with Andrew's family to a dance workshop in Ashland, Oregon (a 5-hour drive). I have lots of pictures to share from both events, but first here's a shot from a friend's wedding we attended. It was a lovely ceremony, but unique in the fact that a groomsman fainted and a bridesmaid nearly fainted. It must have been hard on the bride and groom to stay focused on lighting the unity candle with all that going on behind them!

But on to the KY trip. We got to spend a lot of time with my family, play with Breanna (who is sooo cute), see friends at church, feed my cows, go shopping, relax, go to a movie, and lots more. The week really passed quickly for me; it was good to go "home." Sadly, I didn't take many pictures during the stay. Shame on me.

The clouds were so soft and fluffy... like a sea of cotton. Why should anyone be afraid of flying with they have such a soft bed beneath them?

Frontier planes have TVs in the seat backs and you can track your progress on a map.

My hubby likes to read during a flight.

Unless I distract him by taking pictures.

I spotted a neighboring plane in the distance.

We went to the Creation Museum because Andrew hadn't been yet. Here we are with Isaiah and Moses.

At the Creation Museum. I didn't take many pictures of the exhibits because I had already done so on previous visits.

One day we went shopping and ate dinner at Olive Garden. We also went to see "Enchanted" because Mom and Dad hadn't seen it yet and I think it's adorable. The music really gets stuck in my head though.

Waiting for our food at Olive Garden. It was delicious when it finally arrived.

Last weekend's dance workshop was a lot of fun and great exercise. It focused on English and Contra dancing and we danced for about 5 hours on Saturday. (I was so tired that night!) I'd only done Contra once before so it was hard at first, but I loved it. It's so lively! Andrew and I did pretty well on most dances, but everyone was kind and helpful when we goofed up. I didn't take any pictures at the dance (Hey, I was dancing!), but Brian took a video of us dancing and you can view that here. We stayed in a historical hotel which was rather cool.

Andrew, Brian, David and Laura sitting in one of the lobby's lovely nooks.

The front lobby with a view of the mezzanine.

Andrew in the mezzanine where we ate breakfast of scones, yogurt, bagels, cereal, and all sorts of other yummy things. I love continental breakfasts!

Our cozy room.

There was a TV in the wardrobe and we enjoyed watching parts of "Groundhog Day." I had never seen it before and it was hilarious.

We drove back on Superbowl Sunday and David and Dad Plett didn't want to miss the game, so they watched the end of it through the restaurant's window where we ate dinner.

I have some videos to share, but YouTube isn't letting me upload anything. Grr. If it starts working again, I'll post them later.

Triple Dippy

2008-01-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I was browsing some of our honeymoon pictures and came across these three consecutive shot that made me smile. During our week-long stay in Smoky Mountains (North Carolina side), we decided to visit Gatlinburg. There wasn't much there of interest (the town is just a tourist trap) and it was sweltering hot, but at least we got a yummy ice-cream cone out of the trip... and these three pictures.

First try: Camera takes the shot unexpectedly.
Result: Mouths full of ice-cream.

Second try: Camera goes off while husband is talking.
Result: One weird expression, one cheesy smile.

Third try: Camera shoots at the right moment.
Result: Melted ice-cream.

For your amusement.

2008-01-16T12:23:00.000-08:00

While I was waiting for Andrew to get home last night, I took these...

I call it Death By Hair.

Waiting.

Acting stupid.

Looking angelic. (Ha!)

Looking cheesy.

As you can tell, I'm in my natural state - no makeup, no hair style. I did run a comb through my hair sometime prior to these pictures, but it didn't help with taming the wildness much.

Exciting News!

2008-01-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

Guess what?! I'm going to be an aunt again! And Breanna is going to be a big sister! Ryan and Jodi called this morning and told me the news. I'm so excited and can't wait to meet my new niece or nephew this fall!

Baking Day

2008-01-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

The Twelfth Night Ball

2008-01-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Andrew and I went to the Twelfth Night ball hosted by his sister in McMinnville. It was a great evening of English Country dancing, talking to friends and sampling delicious treats brought by everyone. You can see my pictures of the event by visiting my website.

Andrew, Brian, Laura and I did a demonstration dance called Argeers. It is the most difficult dance we've learned so far and took us a couple weeks to get it down. We messed up a couple times, but it was a lot of fun to dance. Below is a video clip of us:

To view more videos of the ball, drop by my YouTube channel.

What is Twelfth Night? Twelfth Night is the evening of January 5th, the eve of Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi to Jesus. It is the night leading into the twelfth and final day of the Christmas season. From as early as the Middle Ages, Twelfth Night has been the occasion to have a huge Christmas celebration. People would come from far and near to be together with their families and friends for a wonderful evening of feasting, dancing, and mummer’s plays.

A White Christmas

2007-12-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, we had a white Christmas! It began snowing early Christmas morning and snowed almost all day. Sadly, it didn't accumulate because the ground was too warm, but it was really gorgeous coming down. We stopped to take some pictures on our way to Andrew's parents' house.

We put Andrew's truck in 4WD a couple times because the roads were slick.

We got up about 5:30 to open our gifts, then had a breakfast of sausage balls and cereal. As usual, the living room was a mess after opening presents...

We went to Andrew's parents' house for the afternoon and had a nice time with them. Unfortunately, Andrew's dad and Brian were both sick with a bad stomach virus.

Brian rallied around to open gifts, but had a rough day, poor guy.

Bruno got a doggie coat for Christmas.

The well members of the Plett family

Westward Ho!

2007-12-21T18:49:00.000-08:00

Today I realized I have never posted any of the pictures we took during our move to Oregon. Here are a few of us during the trip...

Me in front of the lovely Grand Tetons (Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming)

Taking a boat ride on Jenny Lake (Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming)

Andrew waiting for Old Faithful to erupt (Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming)

Multnomah Falls (Oregon)

Horsetail Falls (Oregon)

There are so many more I could and should post, but that will have to wait for another day.

The Watch Band

2007-12-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

My hubby got to open one of his Christmas presents from me this morning, but I wasn't planning on giving it to him early. He needed a new watch band badly, so I bought him one a couple weeks ago. This morning the following dialog occurred just as Andrew was about to leave for work...

Andrew: Are you going to Wal-Mart today?
Me: No, I'm not planning on it.
Andrew: Well, that's okay. I may stop by one while I'm out.
Me: Why, what do you need?
Andrew: I thought I'd get a new watch band.
Me: *panicking*
Me: Uh, no, don't do that.
Andrew: Why not?
Me: *unable to think of a good excuse*
Me: Just don't!
Andrew: *puzzled*
Andrew: Um, okaaaay.
Me: Arrrr!
Andrew:
Me: *laughing and frustrated that he knew what I got him*
Me: Hmph. Okay, do you have a moment?
Andrew: Well, I'm late for work already, so sure.
Me: *retrieves a small package from under the tree*
Andrew: *chuckling*
Me: I bet you can't guess what's in here.

The package was unwrapped, the watch band tried on and found to be a perfect fit, and Andrew was walking toward the door again.

Andrew: *teasing grin*
Andrew: Hmmm... I think I'll buy a MacBook today.
Me: lol. Go ahead! I didn't get you one of those!

Our Home for the Holidays

2007-12-13T14:12:00.000-08:00

We're having company for dinner tonight and the apartment is all clean, so I decided to take pictures. It looks very much the same as it did the last time I posted pictures, but my mom wants to see some of my holiday decorations, so this is for her. :)

It's a foggy day out there.

Okay, so the computer room is still a mess, but it's improving... ...I hope.

Not much different here. Still no couch.

Perhaps a little neater.

New table and picture in the hall (Mom, that's the kissing picture you sent. )

The table set for seven

Mom, these bells are what made that strange noise in the package!

Our Christmas Tree

2007-12-11T14:21:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we got our Christmas tree! We had planned to go to the mountains to cut one, but when Saturday rolled around we were just too tired from the work week. Instead, we went to a tree farm and cut one there. It took about an hour of looking since I was being very picky and unable to make up my mind with so many choices. Eventually we found one that passed the Sarah inspection and Andrew cut it down...

Trees, trees, everywhere! It was so hard to pick "the one."

The tree man

All decorated and looking pretty

Seven Weirdnesses

2007-12-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

I just discovered that I have been tagged by Morgan to post seven weird and/or random things about myself. That shouldn't be too difficult, considering.

1.) I can touch my nose with my tongue. Yes, like a cow.

2.) I don't like to eat "old" leftovers. Old, as in three or more days in age.

3.) My kitchen must be clean. The counters must be neat with as few items as possible sitting thereon. Currently, I have more stuff on my kitchen counters than I prefer simply because I don't have room to put everything away.

4.) I like to play Command & Conquer: Red Alert, but I don't like to attack the enemy until my base is impregnable. Then I build up my forces and wipe them out at my leisure.

5.) I don't like pine needles on my car. Grr. I also don't like any dirt in my car, but I'm learning to put up with it since we don't have a way to vacuum it out.

6.) My hair was straight during childhood, turned curly around age 12 and now it's growing in straight again. I wish it would make up its mind. Yeesh.

7.) I'm very germ conscious... always eyeing door handles, grocery cart handles, stair rails, elevator buttons, etc. and thinking about all the sick people who have touched them in the past. Before I got married I would never drink after someone else or share food, but now... heh. With all the kissing we do, what does it matter?

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

2007-12-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

No snow in the forecast for the Willamette Valley, but it still feels like Christmas with all the lights and other Christmas decorations. Feeling festive, I bought a few decorations for our place...

A wreath for our front door

Candles and a berry spray for our centerpiece

Christmas shopping is almost done!

We're going to the forest to cut our tree this weekend! I'm anxious to decorate it. (Is that a camera I see in the reflection? Fancy that. )

Last Saturday, Andrew and I went shopping at the Washington Square mall near Portland. We didn't find everything on our list, but we had fun and found some good gifts.

I'm trying out YouTube. Let me know how you like it vs. the usual way I post videos.

Thanksgiving Surprise

2007-11-30T22:05:00.000-08:00

This year our Thanksgiving started out a little differently than most. Instead of sleeping cozily in our beds, dreaming of turkey drumsticks, we were struggling to find a comfortable position on a crowded plane during a red-eye flight to Cincinnati. (By the way, you don't fully realize how uncomfortable airliner seats are until you've spent the night in one. Our flights were unusually on-time and uneventful... except for the fact that the lady sitting by me spilled her drink down the side of my skirt. )

Yes, we were going to Kentucky for Thanksgiving... and it was a surprise.

(Waiting for our connecting flight in Houston)

(The look of exhaustion while flying to Cincinnati)

(We started to feel goofy despite, or perhaps because of, our weariness. And no, my hair isn't pink/orange as the picture may lead you to believe.)

(Andrew drinking H2O at 30,000 ft.)

My dad thought up the idea, arranged the surprise, and made it all happen. It was his Christmas gift to Mom. He picked us up in Cincinnati, drove us to the farm, and smuggled us into the garage. From there, we crept around the house to the basement entrance, slipped silently inside and tip-toed up the stairs to the kitchen. Mom, Granny and Aunt Sharon were busy cooking and no one even looked up, even after I commented that it sure smelled good. I had to say it three times before Mom finally looked up and stared at me in complete shock. That was an expression to remember!

(The usual delicious feast)

(Some of us eating Thanksgiving dinner... the rest of our family was at another table)

(I got to see my niece!)

(She's a cutie.)

It was so fun surprising everyone and spending a few days with them. We flew back to Oregon the following Monday evening and eventually got home around 2 AM. A tiring trip, yes, but completely worth it.

VIDEOS
Waiting for our flight in Houston (6.9 MB)
The result of sleep deprivation and Andrew's demonstration of airline dancing (16.4 MB)
Breanna trying on Mom's glasses and just being cute (48 MB)

Outside Tour

2007-11-14T14:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, you've seen the inside of our place. Now it's time for a tour of the outside...

Our cute doormat... too bad we don't have a dog.

Veteran's Day Parade

2007-11-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today I attended the nation's second largest Veteran's Day parade in Albany, Oregon to hear/watch my husband play in the Fife & Drum Corps. Not being a part of the parade, I followed along through the crowded sidewalks and took pictures of the Civil War reenactors... especially my guy.

To see more pictures, click here.

The Concert

2007-11-03T11:02:00.001-07:00

To celebrate our two month anniversary, we attended a concert by Joshua Bell in Eugene, Oregon. It was a really fun evening with lots of beautiful music. We had second row seats in the mezzanine, so we could see pretty well. I didn't take any photos during the concert, but here are a few we took before the concert, during intermission, and afterward.

Mom requested a picture of our outfits, so this is for her

Feeling a little excited during the drive

Andrew and me at the Silva Concert Hall

I bought the "Voice of the Violin" CD

Poor shot of the Eugene Symphony warming up, but taking photographs during the concert was not smiled upon.

Yay!

We met someone from HSA, Kari S.

Getting my CD signed. We were nearly the last in line to meet him and he looked really tired.

VIDEOS

Hult Center & Cookies (12.5 MB)
Waiting for the concert to start (4.8 MB)
Intermission (5.2 MB)

Modeling for Mom

2007-10-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the FedEx man delivered a large box filled with goodies from my splendid mom, so tonight Andrew and I decided to model the clothes she sent so she could see how they looked on us. As you can tell, we had fun...

This shirt is wrinkled from being boxed, but it's sooo comfy.

And it has words on the back too!

Andrew's a Columbia aficionado and Mom knew it.

What's a photo shoot without a smooch?

I'm standing funny in this pic.

Aw, no words on the back of this one!

Hey, I was just taking off my socks...

Mmmm... My handsome guy.

Thanks, Mom, for everything you sent! It was a great treat!

An Evening with Joshua Bell

2007-10-31T16:15:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night we're going to a concert by virtuoso violinist Joshua Bell!

Morning Musings

2007-10-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning, blog world. It's a cloudy day in Oregon with the hint of possible rain to come. I've noticed it's not getting light out as early now, which is bad because it's more dim and gloomy after Andrew leaves for work. Or maybe it just seems dim and gloomy because he isn't here.

Today I'm hanging around the house all day, waiting for the repair man to fix the bedroom heater and FedEx to bring a package. Hopefully they will both come in the morning hours so I'll be free this afternoon.

I never realized quite how wonderful marriage would be. Last night, for example, I had a bad dream and it was oh-so comforting to wake up and not be alone, but to feel instead a strong arm around me and hear Andrew's steady breathing. Husbands are really nice.

Andrew is the bestest. Yesterday evening, after supper, I wasn't feeling too well (chilling, upset stomach and the like), so he made me sit down while he washed and dried all the supper dishes (which were quite a few!), put away the leftovers and cleaned up the kitchen. Then he wrapped me in a thick blanket, put my pajamas in the dryer so they would be all warm and toasty when I put them on, and combed my hair for a long time (nothing relaxes me like someone combing or playing with my hair). Wow, that felt so good! And he did all that despite being tired from a long day at work. What a wonderful guy.

Photo Contest

2007-10-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

I recently won best overall photo in HSA's photo contest! Here's my winning shot:

Showers of Blessing

I also won first place in the Macro category with this photo:

Nature's Jewelry

Our Home

2007-10-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I have been living in our little apartment in Oregon for a little over a month now. It has surprised me how long it has taken for us to get things unpacked and put away, but we're finally getting organized. Things still aren't decorated to my satisfaction and the furniture isn't arranged properly. We're planning to get a sofa sometime (ours wouldn't fit through the door), so I'm waiting on that to decide where to hang pictures and stuff. But since our place is finally sorta neat, I thought I'd share pictures...

The living room... lacking a sofa.

Kitchen and hallway (Please ignore the bottle of window cleaner; I was cleaning the bathroom mirror.)

Andrew's parents are letting us borrow some of their recliners since we can't use our sofa

My kitchen... which is a bit too cluttered for my taste, but I don't have enough cabinet or drawer space to store everything properly.

Dining area... set for three because we were having a dinner guest that evening.

Entry

The messy computer room

Bathroom sink

Bathroom

Our bedroom

Also, I took two videos of our place for my family:

Apartment Video 1 (24.4 MB)
Apartment Video 2 (13.3 MB)

The Awkward Moment

2007-10-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

The first entry of a blog is always difficult. One never knows exactly how to begin or what to say. Should it be profound? Introductory? Comical? Or does one just leap into blogging, pretending this first post is no different from all the rest? In our dilemma, we are often prone to ramble and not say anything of significance.

Case in point.

Anyway, welcome to my new blog. :)