happy birthday

Yesterday was Derek's 26th birthday. I have posted about this before, but I just LOVE birthdays. I love to celebrate, I love to make people feel special and I love to feel special on my day. My husband, on the other hand, would rather fly under the radar and not get a bunch of recognition on his birthday (at least that's what he says, but I think he secretly loves it as we all do!). He told me repeatedly this year not to do anything and refused to let me make a big deal out of his birthday. This is not an easy feat for me as I want to spoil him rotten, but alas I adhered to his request. Since we have been together I have gone all out for Derek's birthdays (hot air balloon ride, surprise trip to the Oregon coast, best friends driving all the way to Vancouver from Oregon...) and this is the first year I laid low a little bit. Although I will add that I got him a stinkin awesome birthday gift that was a complete surprise to him and can be seen here, the coffee snobs will appreciate it (and know what it is). Thanks to Dave B for helping me find the right one! Derek did give in a little bit however and we are headed out to a pub this weekend with our close friends for a mini celebration and yummy beer :)

Happy 26th Birthday this week to Jeff, Deanna and Derek! Thanks for being born friends.

Mount Washington - March 16-18, 2007

Remember the free ski getaway we won from the radio? This past weekend we cashed it in and went skiing on Mount Washington. I can hardly begin to describe the great time we had. I think the fact that we didn’t have to pay for it made the trip that much more enjoyable. We caught the 3pm ferry from Horseshoe Bay on Friday and pulled into Nanaimo close to 2 hours later. We stopped at the grocery store after unloading from the ferry to stock up for the weekend and then off we went to find us a mountain. It was about an hours drive until we finally saw the turn off to Mt. Washington to our great relief. We feared we had been going the wrong way as we could not see any mountains and there was not a drop of snow anywhere to be found. Once we took the turn off it was about 20 more minutes of driving straight up hill. We finally saw snow and the beautiful mountain. We were very happy about our nice hotel room, which included a full kitchen, a fireplace, a separate bedroom and nice view. We bundled up and decided to go take a little walk around to see what the grounds held. The mountain was two steps out of the hotels front door and we were excited about the idea of skiing out of our hotel room the following day. The next morning we allowed ourselves to sleep in a bit before hitting the slopes, but then spent the majority of the day skiing. I wasn’t sure how I would do because I haven’t skied in quite a while. But after a few runs I got the hang of it again and enjoyed every second of it. Such a great, intense, freeing feeling you get coming down that mountain with the wind in your face and the huge mountain at your back. We had a blast and were surprisingly not too sore the next day. That evening we hit the pub for dinner where we had the favorite burger and beer. Derek ordered a green beer since it just so happened to be St Patrick’s Day. The next day we hung out on the mountain a little bit, ate a beaver tail, and said goodbye. We did a little shopping in Nanaimo and then caught the ferry home. All in all we had an amazing, much needed little holiday. Enjoy the pics!

Mount Washington - March 16-18, 2007

changes

Thing are changing, I can feel it in the air, I can feel it everywhere I go. We've been quite comfortable in Vancouver for the past 2 1/2 years but things must always come to an end and things must always change. Which isn't bad, just different. The first of our "group" of friends is moving away at the end of April, this is a tough reality but a good thing for them. They will leave Vancouver, after almost 3 years, with a Masters degree, a baby, and a great new job. Crazy how things change so much. A couple of my friends are pregnant, which is weird, because when we all moved here we were just newly weds and kids seemed so far away for each of our couple friends. Things change, people grow, time passes. Derek will finish his degree at the end of April. The cherry on the sundae that we have been building over the past years. What an accomplishment, what success! The next big adventure is calling our name. It's looking like we will take on and conquer yet another country, it's a dream really. Although surreal. Can't believe how much has changed.

Snow!

Sometimes you wake up on March 1st and it's snowing outside!! It sure is gorgeous outside. Still had to go to work today though, darn it.

View from our bedroom window

Gone Curling

Curling is a precision team sport similar to bocce, played on a rectangular sheet of prepared ice by two teams of four players each, using heavy polished granite stones which players slide down the ice towards a target area called the house. Points are scored for the number of stones that a team has closer to the center of the target than the closest of the other team's stones. --wikipedia

On Saturday a group of 16 friends went to the Richmond Curling Club and experienced a true Canadian Adventure...Curling (although it originated in Scotland in 1541). Curling might just be the most boring sport in the world to watch. But playing is a different story. We had so much fun and it can get quite competitive. Only a few in the group had been curling before, but for most of us, it was the first time. I think this made it all the more fun. People were slipping and sliding all over the ice, lots of falling, lots of laughing (maybe an injury or two). I think we came to the conclusion that helmets, elbow and knee pads, butt pads and mouth guards were needed in this game. I had never heard of curling until we moved to Canada and honestly never thought I would actually get the chance to play it. But alas, I did and it was such a blast! I encourage it to all who have access and maybe one day I will see you on the ice!

Click on the album to view the pics!

Curling

This is where I live

Wow!
Courtesy City of Vancouver Planning Department

Girls weekend Getaway!

This past weekend, myself and 5 other girls took a little retreat and had a girls weekend getaway. We were able to escape our everyday lives and our studying husbands for a nice peaceful weekend on the Sunshine Coast. Friday afternoon 3 of us drove to Horseshoe Bay and took about a 45 minute ferry ride to Langdale and then drove another hour to Pender Harbour. We arrived at Rosewoods (a guest house of a Regent Alum couple who allow groups to come to their property for a retreat and for a very small amount of money) around 3:30 and were so excited for what our weekend would hold. We walked the grounds a bit and just relaxed and waited for the other girls to arrive. They finally got there around 8:30 and we had a late supper and then just enjoyed a wonderful weekend together. We ate nonstop, enjoyed a soak in the hot tub, watched a movie, had fun conversation and just enjoyed the time. Click below to view the pictures!

February 16-18, 2007 - Girls Getaway

Spring?

When I walked outside today to go for a run, I couldn't help but smile as I felt the warm sun on my face. It was absolutely gorgeous outside all day. Is it Spring time already? Or are we just being spoiled for a day and then the rain will fall hard yet again? I guess we'll see.....

weekend O sports

I can proudly say that I was routing for the Colts to take Super Bowl XLI and I can proudly say that I am a Peyton Manning fan! Despite the rain and the fact that the Bears ran back the opening kick-off 92 yards for a touchdown...it didn't slow down Indianapolis. GO COLTS! We had a great time at Lucas and Shannon's Super Bowl party with good friends, good food, and good booze. And eventhough Derek and I didn't have much backupcheering for the Colts, we still came out on top! So that is how the weekend ended. On Saturday night we went to a UBC (University of British Columbia) Men's Volleyball game where Levi's brother, Ian, and the Thunderbirds beat Trinity Western in the 5th set. It was an awesome game and, I admit, I think it was the first time I had ever been to a Men's Volleyball game. Now I can't say that I got up early Sunday morning to watch a Soccer match, but my husband will gladly consent to that. It was a sports weekend extravaganza and I have the pictured to prove it all.

Watching the v-ball game

Go team!

Super Bowl XLI - Bears vs. Colts

I made the sign...and it got a little overused during the game

friends
more friends

So the other day when I was posting about free stuff and my thoughts there, little did I know that it would pay off. I played the radio game, I earned me some points and I decided to go ahead and bid on some things. Last Friday night when we came home from a friends bday party there was an email saying that I was the highest bidder!!! I won a stinkin Ski Getaway to Mount Washington. Including 2 nights accommodation, 4 lift tickets, 4 meals and ferry costs. So Derek and I get to go on a free holiday to the island to ski and sit by a fire and drink hot cocoa. Sounds heavenly right?? I am going to go pick up the prize on Friday and we will then decide what weekend we can go. Hopefully real soon!

In other news, my friend, Chad, had a very big birthday and turned the ripe old age of 30 (he might kill me for posting this). He had a huge bday bash and we had tons of fun. I posted a few pics below.

On another not-so-fun note, I have been sick :( The doc thinks I have a bladder infection, the jury is still out on that one. They will get back to me tomorrow. Hopefully that's all it is and there isn't anything else wrong with me. I do feel quite crummy though. Infections throw your whole body off for sure. I am back at work today though after missing the last day and a half. But I won't lie, it hurts to sit and I wish I was in bed.

Enjoy the pics....

Charlie came too!

The boys hanging out...the big Hockey game was on TV

Momma Jess and her sweet baby boy

Fun times!!!

thoughts on free stuff

Lately I have been faced with the option of getting something for free or at least the possibility of it. "Free" is a weird thing and I realize that people will pretty much do anything to get free stuff.

Yesterday I had the chance to go to a meeting at UBC where they were going to have a drawing for a few different prizes. A night at a fancy hotel, free airline tickets, great prizes indeed! Unfortunately I could not go, but the only reason I was even thinking about attending this meeting was because of the possibility that I might get something for free.

Today I went to a Grad Secretaries appreciation lunch where, if you attended, you not only received free lunch, but a free door prize as well. The door prize I got was a chocolate bar, not very exciting but free nonetheless on top of my already free food!

I always listen to the same radio station here in Vancouver when I am at work or when I am in the car. They are always having contests or giving away prizes. For the past few weeks they have been doing a contest where you if hear certain words on the radio, you go onto their website, enter the word and you slowly accumulate points through the code words and various other ways. Then every week or so they run an auction and you can bid your points to win free stuff. Sounds fun and easy enough, right? People in this city have become absolutely obsessed with it! I admit I am one of them, but not in the same way as some of these people. I fortunately found this online forum where people post all the code words and all the other things that get you points so I don't have to sit and listen to the radio all day long. Instead I just read through the forum, find the words and enter them online. Easy enough for me. But these people on this forum sit ALL day and listen to the radio, waiting for their chance to earn points just so they can maybe get something for free. Maybe. They post on the forum all day long about the unfairness of it all and how some people have more points than others and they just whine and moan about something that they are doing by their own free will to win prizes that they don't have to pay a dime for. It amazes me really how much they can complain and bicker about it all.

FREE can be a dangerous thing I am realizing. And really, when is free ever really free?

hello charlie

Last night Derek and I got to meet the precious Charlie Auden. He may be a "big boy" but really he is so tiny and precious. It was amazing to be there and get to hold him and see him in his 3rd day of life.

I didn't want to put him down

The happy fam

too cute

He likes to cry..but he's still adorable while doing so

I may even be blessed by a tiny little visitor at my home today. Jess and Charlie are going to be on this side of town taking daddy to work, so we might just get to hang out. I have a feeling this blog may soon contain more pictures of Charlie than of myself. :) Just can't help but love him so much.

a child is born...

Sunday afternoon I received a phone call from my friend Jeff. I excitedly answered the phone and said "is it time!?", Jeff replied in a sober voice "it's time". Jeff's wife, Jess, was officially in labor at long last. I gathered information from Jeff and phoned all of our friends to give them the update. That was about 2:30 in the afternoon. I sat and waited by the phone for more news until I couldn't stand it any longer, I had to know! I picked up the phone and called Jeff & Jess's home at 7:00pm. Jess's mom answered and told me that they were heading to the hospital. Learning that they did not have enough car space for all of them to get there I rushed over (along with my friend Grace) to pick up Jess's mom and we met them all at the hospital. Not too long after, all of our friends began arriving one by one. Pretty soon there was about 9 or 10 of us in the waiting room supporting our dear friend and waiting for the news. Enjoy the pictures below...they tell a better story than I can.

This Jess about a week before she "popped"

Passing the time in the waiting room

Here we all are along with Jess's mom and dad

Shelley, Grace & Katie C. -- getting sleepy

At about 12:45am we received the news --- "It's a boy!"

Hugs all around
Charlie Auden...the newest addition to our group of friends.
We love him already.

Sadly because it was so late and we all had to work the next day (well later that morning technically), we did not actually get to see Charlie the night he was born (although I was willing to wait). But tonight Derek and I have the honor of blessing our good friends with a meal and meeting this precious baby boy. More pictures to come I am sure. Congratulations to the new mom and dad!

friends

The party the other night was great as expected. We heard about everyones holiday break, Ansley got to share her big news about being pregnant, we got to oogle over the size of Jess's ready to burst tummy and we drank beer with our best of friends. It doesn't get a whole lot better than that. I snapped a couple pics so I decided to share this one of me and the girls. A few of "the girls" are missing, but you get the gist. These are my friends. I love them.

Tonight I get the priveledge of seeing the girls again cause I am hosting "Clothes Swap 2007". It will be a night full of clothes, hard cider, Dixie Chicks and girlfriends. I don't think it gets much more girlie than that. Unless we all wore pink or something.

The internet at home has been incredibly turtle like. I swear it has been slower than dial-up (remember dial-up?). It's funny how quickly we get used to new technology and how it seems as though we could never go back to the way it was. I admit, I have been feeling that way about our internet connection. It has been unbearably slow. Things like checking my email that should take maybe 30 seconds are taking 5 minutes. I wonder how long it will take me to actually post this blog.

Yesterday was my flex day (I had the day off) so I slept in, got a good 8 hours and when I woke up, I looked out the window and saw this:Crazy Vancouver weather! About 3 days ago it was in the upper 50s here and then snow! Of course it all melted by about mid-day but it was fun while it lasted.

Derek and I had to run some errands in the States so late yesterday morning we made the journey southward to Bellingham. The border wait on the way down was about 30 minutes, not too bad. In b-ham we went to the bank, bought beer at Fred Meyer, went to Target (of course) and then to a book store. The border wait on the way home was non existent which was wonderful. Our whole trip there and back was exactly 5 hours. Record time I'd say. It will probably be our last visit to the states for a while. We are ready to stay put in Vancouver for a good chunk of time.

Last night we had a wonderful dinner with some close friends who we haven't seen in a while and found out they are going to have a baby! How exciting! Just as one friend is about ready to pop I find out another has one on the way. Tonight we are going to a party where we will get to see all our friends again, most for the first time in 2007. I am excited to hear about everyones holidays and see all my wonderful friends again. I miss them. And my one friend will get to tell everyone that she's expecting. It's going to be a great night. Pictures to come I am sure.

Christmas pics and highlights

A few higlights from our Holiday in Oregon include:
-seeing LOTS of good friends
-staying with Dave and Majell
-gettinng a whole new bathroom set for Christmas (unexpectedly)
-watching Taladega Nights, In Good Company, Oceans 12, Pursuit of Happyness and The Holiday
-Deschutes Brewery tour
-hours and hours spent at Backporch
-Our awesome Christmas gift from Dave and Majell "Free drinks for the time you are visiting"
-Beginning my New York scrapbook
-3 Christmas celebrations!

Feel free to look through the album of pictures

Christmas Holiday 2006

Home at last! Happy New Year!

Happy 2007 everyone! My Holiday has officially come to an end. No more lights, trees, presents, backporch coffee and no more Oregon. It was a great great trip but I must admit, a bit long. We are glad to be home to our own place with our own bed, our own shower and our own space. Today I went back to work and life is now officially back to normal for the most part. The last week or so in Oregon was great. Just as relaxing as ever mostly spent sipping coffee at Backporch. I got to see some old friends, went to a wedding and had 2 more Christmas extravaganzas with Derek's family!! I am very happy to report that our drive home was much more successful than the drive down. We did not hit any snow banks and though we were quite tense driving through the snow over the Mt Hood pass we made it through safe and sound. Below you will find a couple pics of our last days in Oregon. I will try and post the whole album in the next couple of days in case you want to see more of what we did during our break. I hope everyone had an amazing Holiday with family or friends or however you spent it. I am just so thankful for all of the friends we were able to see while in Oregon. Dave & Majell, Chris & Jenni (and Sam), our new friend Joe, Kari, Megan, Marc & Alexis, Shaun, Amber, Rachel and more...I love you all and appreciate your friendship so much.

Kari, Megan and I (just like old times) on top of Pilot Butte in Bend.

At Beth Colclough's wedding

Beth's wedding reception with Jessica and Allison (love you girls!).

opening my new sheets and down blanket from Derek's dad & step mom!!

Our adorable niece and nephew on Alex's new rocket! Aren't they the cutest?!

Christmas and more!

The past few days have been great. Full of friends, family and fun! A couple days before Christmas, Derek and I, along with my dad and a few of his friends went to a Deschutes Brewery tour and tasting. Which, by the way, is free and totally recommend it if you are ever in Bend.

This is beers number 3 and 4 :)

On Christmas eve my sister and her husband came into town at last. We went to a Christmas eve Candlelight service with the fam...

...and then out to Pine Tavern for a late dinner

Christmas morning arrived at last and the family gathered to open presents and spend the day together.


My wonderful husband got me the new iPod shuffle!!!! I am so excited about this. It is so cute and compact and perfect for anything.

The rest of Christmas day was spent with the fam. We hung out at home, went running with Annie, had a big Christmas feast around 2:00 then we all went to a movie. The kids saw Night at the Museum and the adults saw The Holiday. SO SO good. After the movies we had a gift exchange and Derek and I scored some great DVDs and a wine opener set. Exciting! Later that night as we gorged ourselves on dessert we played a fun game of Cranium that lasted way too long. But we had a blast.

Well, Christmas has come and gone, the rain has finally stopped falling, and the retail return lines are ridiculous. Exhale! Derek and I went shopping a lot of the day yesterday and last night we were treated to dinner at Zydeco by Dave and Majell. A splendid meal. Now I sit again at Backporch coffee just hanging out and waiting for the day to officially begin. I am meeting my friend Amber in about a half hour and then later today meeting with Megan and Kari. Oh how I love my friends :)

party

Last night Majell had a birthday party. We had lots of fun with friends....

Here's everyone hanging out


Dave and Derek hid in the back room avoiding the social scene for some of the time :)


It was a "bring a dessert to share" party and boy...there was quite a spread



Now I sit, once again, at backporch awaiting a friend as the rain falls on the streets outside. Another day in Bend continues.