Portland City Grill

For our belated Valentine's celebration, AJ and I along with his sister, Jana, her husband JJ and AJ's best friend Corban and his wife Lauren, went to Portland City Grill for dinner. For ya'll who have never been there it is 30 floors up in downtown Portland with windows all around and a spectacular view of the city. AJ, Jana, JJ and I got there early and sat in the bar in couches right at a window and enjoyed drinks and a beautiful night in Portland. Then for dinner the six of us at one table and we all had amazing food, great wine or drinks and we were all so full, no dessert. I would have as I heard there was creme brule on the menu. But for Lent this year, I committed to abstaining from desserts. If ya'll know me, I eat candy as if it were going out of style so this is a stretch for me and a good one, if I say so myself. So no dessert, but we all left full and well fed. We decided we should do this more often as we had so much fun!

Ellie got a haircut

Ellie and her "baby"

(if you ask Ellie where her baby is, she will go and fetch this little stuffed dog)

We take Ellie to the groomers every other month. Today she went and got a haircut and a bath. When she comes home, Lucy, our other dog, sniffs her and looks at her funny like, "What happened to you?" And then Ellie struts her stuff like she is the coolest dog on the block. Such crazy dogs! Ellie just looks so cute after her day at the groomers!

Happy Valentines Day!

Last night I had planned to set up my surprise Valentine for AJ. He usually falls asleep before me and he is out. He does so much that he is exhausted when he hits the pillow. So I stayed awake till I thought he was out and then went and blew up a bunch of balloons and made a fun hanging bouquet of balloons. As I was attempting to hang them from the ceiling in the bathroom, to my dismay, they would not stay taped to the ceiling so I was a bit frustrated and was deciding what to do when I heard a little knock on the bathroom door. AJ wasn't asleep and he was wondering what I was doing. I told him nothing and to go back to bed. But of course, now he was curious. I told him it was a surprise and to go back to bed. He did and I finished setting up the balloons and then put some fun squishy Valentine hearts in the shower and his present and card. Off to bed I went. This morning I woke up at 6:45 thinking AJ should have been in the shower by now as he wasn't. I rolled over and asked him why he wasn't in the shower and he told me he always takes his shower after me. Well, that isn't what I remembered but oh well. I took my shower and then reset it up for AJ and he was pleasantly surprised and loved it.

I guess I am a hopeless romantic at heart and always have such lofty dreamy ideas of how I want it to turn out and then how it really turns out. All in all, AJ was surprised and said, "I thought we weren't doing anything for Valentine's Day." I shrugged my showers and thought, "How can I resist a reason to be a little creative." Such fun!

Then today after work I came home to get ready to go work out and AJ had already left for class in Corvallis. He had left his surprise gift for me in our room. It was a very touching heartfelt DVD that he had put together. I turned on my laptop and watched it alone and cried. I love my husband and how thoughtful he is. It is pretty creative for AJ and all that he put into it amazed me. What a man!

To everyone out there who reads our blog, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! We love all our family and friends and wish there were more hours in the day to experience more of life. But know we think of all of you.

I passed!!!

Last Wednesday I took my Property/Casualty Insurance State Licensing Exam and after 150 grueling questions, I passed! I was so excited and relieved that it was over. I had been studying for three weeks straight on my lunch breaks and going to bed early to get plenty of sleep. I didn't feel right reading my People magazine or starting a new book for fear my brain wouldn't hold all the information. Now, I can read on my lunch break and watch TV till midnight and meet friends for lunch. I passed!

Just picture this proctored environment where I took the test. A room full of computers, 20 people all taking various types of test for various reasons. I started at about 9:15am and about 11:15 am I had answered all the questions and was now making the decision if I was going to be done. The computer asks, "Are you sure you are done?" My hands are shaking and I am so afraid of being done. So I say, "Yes." It asks again, "Are you really sure you want to be done. There is no going back." Um, do I? Maybe I should look at the questions again. No, I know myself, I won't change any of the answers. If I thought it was right the first time, why wouldn't it be right now. So I say, "Yes, I am sure I done." Pause pause and then my score comes us. I can't scan the screen fast enough, did I pass? My heart is pounding at this point. And then I see the four letters I was looking for, "PASS." Yay!

I wanted to stand up and scream and confetti poppers to go off and a marching band play a song. And they would all congratulate me and hand me my certificate. No such luck. I walked out in silence, shaking and clammy sweaty to get my purse and certificate and leave. Nothing thrilling or exciting, just normal procedure.

Needless to say, we celebrated the next night at Red Robin with drinks and dinner. I had the Tropical Mai-Tai in preparation for our cruise in March. Only 38 more days! We can't wait.

Happy February!

I just can't believe the whole first month of 2008 is already over. Time has been flying and in reality, we are counting the days down to AJ's Spring Break and the DeBacker family cruise. We are so excited and looking forward to some sun in March and a nice break from all the bleak gray weather we have been having. I definately miss my winters in Bend where I grew up and all the crisp cold days, maybe snow but BLUE sky and sun!

Right now AJ and I have opposite weekends. He goes to school all day Friday and Saturday on the weekends I have off. And then when I work all day Saturday, AJ is home doing homework. It works well for him because then he can get a lot done but for me, I miss seeing him. Such is the life we will most likely be living for the next 3 years as he wants to go on and get his phD. He is so smart!

So, I have taken to working out more. We joined the Courthouse Athletic club here in Salem and I have been working out and taking classes and getting in shape. My hopes are (if I write them I guess I will really have to do them) to participate in the Pole Pedal Paddle in May in Bend with my sister and then my highest hopes are to run/walk the Portland Marathon in October. I figure I better before I get much older.

That is life for us right now. Work, school, eat, sleep, work out, homework and every once in a while something fun. And most importantly counting the days down to our cruise and even better than that, springing our clocks ahead and slowly seeing our days stay lighter later!