Baby O likes SUN!

palm springs belly february 16, 2007

so i'm officially firing myself from blogging....almost fired anyway. i'm terrible at keeping this up to date! here is an old post that i'm putting up late...

Mister and I just returned from a mini vacation in Palm Springs. It was heaven to get out of the dark and rain for a few days. I couldn't get enough!

I love waking up there... having some coffee outside on the patio, relaxing then going for a nice long walk in the sun. Getting some pool time, hiking, shopping, reading...ah. I think I could get used to that lifestyle a little too easily.

I hung back and did my own thing (sun worshipping, shopping, exercising) while mister and his ma golfed it up. He was in heaven. I think that's the ultimate place for us to vacation considering we both keep ourselves so busy there.

Hiking at Indian Canyons was really awesome. The weather was perfect (the whole time we were away actually) and the views were beautiful. I love to look out and see mountains and palm trees.

One night we went to Flemmings at the River in Rancho Mirage. Oh my word. I had petite filet and mister got lava cake at the end. It was SO GOOD. I almost never eat red meat, so it was certainly a treat. My former, non-meat eating self, would cringe to hear me say those words, but I do love me some filet!

Our house is nearly complete. I snuck my there this morning on my way to work. The bathroom looks like a million bucks and the kitchen is beautiful as well. The cork floor is down and turned out looking really cool. I love it all...what a luxury to have this remodel done. We really needed it and I'm sort of happy we had to wait 4 1/2 years before getting it done. It makes it all that much better to have really lived in the house as it was with all the quirks-vinyl and chipped tile counters...

ziva and the club of love...

There's nothing quite like getting a new hair cut and eating a super yummy sandwich to brighten a pregnant girl's day. Just when you are feeling gross and ugly you can turn it all around with a little trip to the gym and the dial of your nearest and dearest salon.. you are magically transformed into a new (and much less negative) woman...oh and add the delectable turkey and bacon sandwich in there as well with a dash of non-portland-like January sunshine.

Mister and I had a really fun weekend. The weather here was amazing, lots of sun and not too cold. I love it when there is no rain! Maybe it's just me, but every single day that is dry around here I feel like busting out into heel clicks and "hallelujahs"...

Baby O is growing by the second and I think I might be feeling the little one move around, but this being totally foreign to me, I can't be certain. In just two short weeks from today we will find out what this little baby is...boy or girl. Mister is convinced it's a girl, but I think boy and lots of people who know me have guessed it's a boy as well. We shall see on the 12th!

Back to my weekend, so Friday night was uneventful. I rented some really bad B rate movie Step Up, which was mildly entertaining but left me about ten to fifteen years dumber. It's a jr. high sleepover movie to the max. Channing Tatum was pretty fun to look at for a couple hours however. I hacked and coughed my way through a sleepless night and woke up the next day feeling even crankier.

Saturday I dragged my negative, pouty and growing butt to the SW Community Center. A place I sincerely love. It's a true community center with a big pool and lots of families and kids around. No big old meat heads to dissuade you from picking up a dumb bell in the weight room or make you feel stupid for only doing the elliptical before calling it a day.

We went over to our house to take a look see at the remodel progress. I am really happy to report the bathroom is coming along very nicely and the tile work in the new shower looks incredible. I should slap myself silly for not taking before pictures to post, but maybe I'll go take some while the remodel is in process.

Mister treated me to dinner at Jopa. They have the best grilled vegetable salad you've ever had in your life. It tastes like summer...a season I'm frequently day dreaming about!

Yesterday was super nice out yet again so after my hair cut (thank the lord for Christopher at Ziva, he worked his magic on me) we took a long walk down around 23rd. I ran into some friends which is always a nice surprise. We rewarded our hard work with sharing a "club of love" sandwich from Ross Island Grocery. That place honestly is so good it's out of control. Turkey, Bacon, Tomato, Lettuce...on toasted bread. Oh good god. After a long day of indulgence we realized a trip to the gym wouldn't hurt. Turns out it did hurt, but hurt so good. Am a tad bit sore today.

Have a good monday!

mo

Rapidly Growing...and weird dreams...

15 1/2 weeks pregnant: 1/12/07

It's been a long hiatus. Just a few things have changed since last time I posted (in JULY). Brandon and I are expecting a little bean this 4th of July. I keep having dreams that the child will have firecracker red hair. That's not saying much considering I also have dreams that our baby is super human, is a boy then girl, is a 10 year old straight away...I am starting to realize the myth of strange dreams when you are pregnant is true. Having a lot more really scary dreams too. I try not to remember those ones.

Speaking of dreams, the other day Brandon woke up in a panic. He dreamed he was being attacked by a cougar. He was holding a small child and the cougar bit a chunk of his arm off. I shouldn't laugh, but it was pretty funny to see him all worked up over his nightmare considering I've been having the craziest dreams of my life lately. Maybe it's rubbing off on him.

Work lately has been pretty boring. I mean, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm really looking forward to maternity leave. It's not that I don't love the company, because I really do. It's just that I don't love my actual job (who does?)...I've been thinking a lot lately about the future and what in the world I'm going to do with my life. I mean, besides being a mom. You all know me, and this is nothing new. I am and always have been thoroughly confused about what I want to do with my life. You'd think with all the random jobs I've had and all the time I've spent pondering the subject I'd have come to some answers! But alas, I have not. Lord knows I'll have an abundance of thoughts during those up at 3:00am feeding and diaper changes. Stay tuned. Come July I'll be posting about wanting to become a horse whisperer or some damn thing.

I attribute my craziness to lack of sunlight. Thank GOD we are going to Palm Springs next Month. I absolutely cannot wait to feel my skin warm up from the sun versus a space heater.

until next time...

missus o

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaack.......

No, I didn't keel over and die. I'm still here, just plugging away.

Yesterday I was hosting the Refugee All Star band (at work). What a trip! They were very sweet and soft spoken before the show...then lights on and they rocked it out for the big performance. If you haven't heard their music, it's definitely worth checking out. It's days like these when I truly love my job.
http://refugeeallstars.org

Moving on...

Mister and I have had one crazy and hectic summer so far. June was spent traveling nearly every single weekend. Mostly to the beach and to the Deschutes River, throw in Seattle for good measure and you've got yourself a month of being away on the weekends. What's that song, "everybody workin' for the weekend"? livin the dream here folks.

So you know how I'm slinging candles, demonstrating for Gold Canyon? Last weekend, I demonstrated for a home party through a co-worker (who I don't know from Adam mind you). It went really well and was a big success. It was fun to meet some new people and that happy, smiley dimples sort of way.
http://www.mygccandle.com/sparks

Piper is becoming cooler by the second. I just love this dog. I know most people do tend to love their dogs (or other pets) but I mean it when i say that i love her. she's so cool! if i were a dog i'd want to be her. you may think this is strange, but i'm so serious.

first of all, she's really athletic and energetic, but she can also be really chill and loves to be near us. she will just lay on her purple dog bed and entertain herself if we are busy (well, not always...some days she's deliriously chasing me around the house licking the lotion off my legs, biting at my shoelaces and stealing dirty socks from the laundry basket...). actually, come to think of it, scratch that. she's not so big on laying around unless we are in the room. the other day i came in the living room and she was standing on the chair sniffing at the book case. no no.

secondly, she gets to go on long walks almost every day and harass her neighborhood friends (other dogs that are generally older and think she's terribly annoying); she gets to swim in rivers and lakes and hike on weekends and play on the beach near the ocean! now that's a great dog life!

last but certainly not least, she's really beautiful. she's really dark brown now and has nice shiny hair and green eyes. i know people who really love their ugly dogs, but it's hard to resist cuddling and kissing your dog when she's this gosh darn cute.

i sound like a complete wacko. i realize this. if i have to get reincarnated as an animal though, a dog i hope to be (then cross fingers you don't get freaks, lazy or mean owners). being owned, not so sweet in any form of life. am i completely deranged for thinking about these things? maybe so.

Well, that wraps up reading rainbow for today. that's about all i got for now. this weekend mister and i will be in town for the second time in a ROW! woo hoo!

be nice to your dogs.
mo

Hit the Beach! In the Rain!

Mister Man and I are heading to the beach tonight...it's cloudy, rainy and in the 60s, but oh well. It will be fun regardless.

We are taking our golf clubs "just in case" although we both know darn well the weather will be even worse there than it is here. I mean come on, Oregon Coast in June? It's almost comical to think we'll plan an outdoor activitiy other than running to and from our car in the rain.

I love the coast. It's so peaceful no matter what time of year, what the weather is like or who you are with (well, there are exceptions. i don't think i'd love being there with a psycho but you get the point).

We met with the remodel designer again this week. This was SUPPOSED to be the week we signed the contract, but she came in 20k OVER budget with no real hard explanations as to why. Mister was not sweet on that. He decided take a few days to let the steam escape from his ears and to think about what this remodel is really worth to us, to the value of our home etc. In the end I'm confident we will go forward with it, but if I've learned anything in the 2 1/2 years I've been married, it's when NOT to push the mister. He cannot be pushed and have it end in my favor. He can be pushed and have it end up in my face however. I don't like that result so much. Patience is a virtue that comes so easily to him and is rather difficult for me. I'm working on it.

Oh...i'm also an official candle lady now. "oh boy" you say. but it's actually really cool. I'm a complete candle freak and spend entirely too much money on them. My mom bought me this one called "birthday cake" a couple years ago and I've been scouring the earth for it ever since. I had long ago burned it up or out or whatever and had thrown the thing away. anyway, it's a private company that only sells through distributors, so when i figured that out last time i was home visiting the folks-i promptly came home, did my research and got myself enrolled to be a distributor for the company.
http://www7.mygccandle.com/sparks

chigity check it out.

have a good weekend.

your mentally sun-drenched, but physically soaked,
mo

Mushroomin

Went on the annual memorial day morel mushroom hunt with my parents, mister and piper this weekend. my brother is usually always with us...but alas he was off baking himself on the beaches of maui. rough. the mushrooms were tougher to find this year, but we managed to find a gallon or so between the four of us (piper wasn't much help although i did stick her nose by the bag of morels in hopes of training her to detect them...didn't work). we fired up the bbq and cooked up some burgers and morels when we got home. oh yum.

we got to see our great friends, rachel and sennett while we were home as well. they are just the best. i love hanging out with those two. we ended up randomly playing darts at barley hoppers, then mister and sennett got in a face off with these total dark sharks. they got hosed 3rd game into it. we sat by and laughed while sennett took down a diet coke that he thought was a long island. oh the simple pleasures in life. you might wonder how a person could mistake a dc for a long island. the only explanation is very simple. it was late and we were drunk. his taste buds could no longer decifer i guess...

i got to go on a few long runs while i was home, which may sound odd, but it's hands down my favorite thing to do when i'm visiting there. i love to run the bridges over the snake river. it's so beautiful and peaceful! we took piper on her first swim as well and she was hesitant until i rolled my pants up and hopped around in the river with her. she's a funny dog. i think she's going to be an absolute monster (huge). her paws are off the charts.

mister played in a golf tourney with my pops all weekend. it came down to the wire and out of over 100 teams they ended up in 3rd place! we didn't get out of town until 6pm on monday night so that was a long drive home. not too terrible though. we rolled in around 12.

So...back to portland. i have to preface this by saying we've had some beautiful weather in the past month (not so much this past week). now, I know I'm suppose to hate the rain. But, when you think about the major upside of not having to water your garden, yard or flowers...well, it's kind of nice. At least it's not cold out today. Wow, am I in an optimistic mood or what? Hold on to your hats folks! This good attitude is bound to come and go on a whim.

mister had a baseball game last night and they won yet again. Games are so much more fun when you are winning or on a winning team. There is nothing worse than playing your ass off and the rest of the team either a) sucks or b) doesn't give a crap. i know games are "just for fun" and all, but personally I think they are much more fun when you are winning! he plays tomorrow and saturday as well. ever since i got a "warning" for bringing little miss piper i'm pissed at the guy and don't want to go as much since i have to leave my dog at home. poor little thing spends too much time inside anyway. it's just wrong to go spend a couple hours at a park without her.

anyway, mister's sister is having a baby and her baby shower was today. she looks so dang cute with the belly out there. i love weddings, birthday parties, baby showers all that stuff. it's so fun. people don't get together often enough unless there is an occassion it seems. this weekend i'm going to a friend's 30th bday party downtown. a bunch of girls going to dinner and dancing. will be a riot. i'm sure i'll have stories to tell.

that's all i've got folks.

happy friday coming your way.

mo

RIVER RATS

the mister and i went to his family place on the river this weekend. i haven't been there in a long time and it was heaven. saturday we got a little hike in, played with piper in the sunshine and got a little tan!
i love going down there. it's secluded, the river is a stone's throw away and you can relax and let your brain take a time out from the every day routine. that's a beautiful thing.
we are planning our annual trip to the russian river in the wine country (california). we are going to attempt to drive this year. it will be monumental for us as we have not had the time or resources to take a legitimate "road trip" together in the past. it's long overdue and i'm pumped. it takes about 11-12 hours to drive down there from portland so we are thinking we'll split the driving days in half...tackling oregon to the boarder on the first day then the home stretch on the 2nd. we'll be able to stay there 5 days this year and that is (again) something to smile about. we are crazy about the russian river and also crazy about our friends that invite us every year. that place is a dream; every detail from the river, the old cabin and it's screened in sleeping porch, the outdoor shower, the rickety walk down to the landing...the lazy river you can swim in, paddle down, float on...wine valley surrounding, quaint little town center with amazing shopping and restaurants. what more could you possibly want in a vacation? i don't know. i think it really is the best.
i just found out today that my parents had to put our family dog down this weekend. she was a fourteen year old yellow lab named Brylly. such an amazing dog and we loved her every day for 14 years. she was spunky and definitely a part of the family to the fullest extent. we'll miss her.
hope all is well out there in the worlds of all of you.
we had this great thunder storm last night and it reminded me that summer is not so far away after all...

mo