June-uary

So, this has been one crazy weather month. We have had high temps with dry weather, abnormally rainy weather and everything in between. One day it hailed so much it looked like it had snowed. It was hard to feel like it was spring and summer was starting when you are depressed because of the rain. Even within a day the weather went from promising to depressing or even when driving from one city to the next!

We managed to get some fun in but not a lot of yard work. It's really hard to do yard work when you are busy savoring the few bits of sunshine that occurred. This month we went to Multnomah Falls, the Pacific Science Center, the Buckley Log Show, Long Lake and Putt Putt. We got a Cornhole game, celebrated Father's day a few times, and took care of wedding things. Here are some pictures of the fun!

Multnomah Falls is always fun to me. It's a bit challenging so I feel like it's worth it, there's lots of water in the spray, falls and river, and it's beautiful. I was shocked that Ryan didn't complain and powered through to the top even when he didn't look like he would. Bruce has amazing stamina and can be kind of annoying like Des with the running ahead (I still love them). I like slow and steady. It was the busiest I've ever seen because it was a nice weekend but we still had fun.

At the Pacific Science Center the Circus was the main exhibit. There are pictures of Ryan walking the tight rope. I got a standing ovation for the simulation of tight rope walking with a pole. Ryan and I squeezed ourselves into a contortionist box and we were both pretty weak in the strong man contest. Bruce did really well with the grip test ~ it said "ouch!" and Ryan played with a back-hoe type machine. We all LOVED playing with the fun mirrors.

At the Buckley Log Show it was really slow. They didn't keep the action going and it was just tooo hot (I know, I can't believe I'm complaining either). The people watching was terrific. I wish I had taken pictures of the people that were walking around. It really gave me some inspiration for the White Trash Party we're going to in July. The only pictures I took were of the Tree Topper competition in which they men had to climb up 75feet and top the tree and come back down.

We were also able to find bridesmaid dresses! Yay! Britt posted pictures on her blog which you can find on the right side of this blog:) Britt looked amazing in the dress but the picture doesn't do it justice. I didn't think I would be so excited about a bridesmaid dress but Britt had been really hard on herself and self-conscious (as all women are) about parts of her body. She had tried on something like 30 dresses from David's Bridal and Benita's in Silverdale. It was the very last dress she tried on and it was a total fluke that I pulled it off the hanger right as she was getting ready to get dressed. None of us looked at it and thought anything of it until she put it on. It was great. I don't think I would have been so excited for Britt if it hadn't been that she had tried on sooooo many dresses. We ordered it right then and there.

The rest of our summer feels like it's booked already. I hope we get some down time to spend at the lake and that the weather cooperates so that can happen!

120 Days to Go

Check, Check, Check
We have the date: 10/10/10
We have a venue: The Attic in Sumner
We have a dress: no peeking but I love it
We have the shoes: no peeking, I want to wear them now
We have the caterer: Act III brunch
We have the cake: simple cake from Act III
We have a photographer: John Nolte Photography
We have the rings: Scott Kay via EE Robbins
We have the colors: cranberry red with gold & cream
We have the theme: fall (very original)
We have a florist: J Robbins
We have the honeymoon: Aruba

So.....What else do we need to get our list completed?
Officiant
Bridesmaid dresses
Suits for the guys
Marriage license
The TIME we'll get married!
Finishing our registry (we started one at Macy's)

There's only 120 days to go. I'm glad to have all the big stuff done. Now I can focus on finding items for decorations, the candy bar, etc. I still need to find a tiara I like. Details, details, details, that's all that's left for the most part. I don't have a lot of control over the bridesmaids dresses because Des and Britt keep saying they aren't ready. Well, when will they be ready?! I won't control what mama wears. Daddy will need help just to decrease his anxiety. I'll be going with Bruce and Ryan to get a tux or suit (probably suit, I can't really imagine a tux).

So far it has been REALLY STRESSFUL planning. This is not my thing. I mean, I'm a planner. But I like to plan things I know about and understand (therapies, dinners with friends, vacations, my life :). This, however, does not include our wedding. I eat a lot when planning the wedding. This has not been a good thing. I hope that now that all the big stuff is done that I can get on with the fun little things that don't have to be completed asap.

I guess I should mention that in the midst of planning the wedding, I have been planning a work-related trip to Central America, a trip to Chicago and mini-vacations for the summer. No biggie putting all these things on my plate at once. I'm just sleep deprived, scattered, and I lose track of my thoughts easily. Can you tell by reading this? I guess this is "good stress"? Nope. It's not. Stress is stress and it's getting to me. Now that the photographer and florist are completed tasks this week, I am looking forward to the upside of wedding planning. There is an upside, right?

Photographers

This week has been busy with meeting photographers and obsessively pouring over photos they put online. After having seen so many beautiful photos, how can I just let any old person take our wedding photos?

Here's what a photographer does according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics:

Photographers produce and preserve images that paint a picture, tell a story, or record an event. To create commercial-quality photographs, photographers need technical expertise, creativity, and the appropriate professional equipment. Producing a successful picture requires choosing and presenting a subject to achieve a particular effect, and selecting the right cameras and other photographic enhancing tools. For example, photographers may enhance the subject's appearance with natural or artificial light, shoot the subject from an interesting angle, draw attention to a particular aspect of the subject by blurring the background, or use various lenses to produce desired levels of detail at various distances from the subject.

Previously, I never really thought about the expertise that goes along with being a photographer. Well.... I guess that's not entirely true. When you take a picture you don't want it to look like there is a tree growing out of someone's head or that they have no left arm or anything like that so I guess it has at least crossed my mind. Photographers really are artistic and some of them have amazing pictures and are really good at what they do. This picture demonstrates the difference between a professional and an amateur. To me this is important on our wedding day.


I think that I will have to prioritize 3 things: price, personality & style.

As far as STYLE is concerned, I wouldn't have even contacted them if I didn't like their style. Candid moments are really important to me because most people don't like posing for photos. I also want to feel a mood has been captured - not just a record of a moment in time. Most lovely of all, though, is they can edit photos! If Bruce gets a cold sore (heaven forbid), someone looks a little green from flu season, or even if Ryan gets a black eye (he's playing football this year) then these things can be edited out. Some may think this is terrible. I don't. That's what matters :) Editing really makes the photos stand out, look professional, and make you want to display them because they are so beautiful.

So, PERSONALITY-wise it is difficult because they have all been personable. Some are laid back, some are super excited about their jobs and others give a feel of trying to get everything done. They have all been really nice, though.

PRICE will likely be the deciding factor. Who will give us the most bang for our buck? Every one of them wants me to choose them for their work, not their price. However, some people have such amazing work that I just cannot afford them! If I were rich I could choose whomever I wanted, but I'm not so I'm looking for the best in my price range.

Hopefully We'll have the decision made by this coming weekend. I'm tired to pouring over these photos!

Oh, Washington, How I Love Thee

As I was sitting inside listening to the pouring rain and wind on this lovely start to Memorial Day weekend, I began questioning my love for this state and then I remembered it IS awesome.

In one weekend, I can visit a rain forest, volcano, the longest spit in North America, islands, sandy and rocky beaches, as well as ride a train,ferry, and ski boat. I can enjoy every weather possible in one day if we're lucky. I can visit Children's Museums, the Science Center, the Space Needle, SAM, EMP, multiple zoos and animal sanctuaries, Point Defiance Park and the Seattle Center. I can eat every type of food imaginable without leaving town. I never have to look for a coffee shop to get a Chai latte (unlike when I was in San Diego). Hiking, biking, snow shoeing, skiing, water skiing, wakeboarding, swimming, skating....it's all close by!

Then I saw a list that I thought was funny:
You Know You're from Washington if...
1.You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Enumclaw and Issaquah.
2. You know all the important seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Raining (Spring), Road Construction (Summer), Deer & Elk Season (Fall)
3. You buy new sunglasses every year, because you cannot find the old ones after such a long time.
4. You measure distance in hours.(doesn't everyone?)
5. You think people who use umbrellas are tourists.
6. You get a terrible sunburn on the first really nice day of summer.
7. You can't make it two blocks without seeing a Starbucks.
8. You can tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai food.
9. You can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best and Tully's.
10. You can't imagine living through a tornado or hurricane but you secretly think earthquakes are kind of fun.
11. You can endure 100 days of rain and wind but an inch of snow means school cancellations. (so true!)
12. When you cross the mountains into eastern Washington and it feels like you entered a completely different country.
13. When you live in a small town and when you try explain where you live, you eventually have to give up saying other larger towns around you and say "Oh, never mind. Just NEAR Seattle."
14. When you think wearing a hooded sweatshirt 11 months a year is normal. (it's not?)
15. When you're out of state, people always ask you about the rain.
16. Smiling and waving at strangers is no biggie. (is this strange?)
17. Being pale isn't a big deal, because everybody is.
18. Whenever someone visits from another state you always start a fight over the fact that we have more stuff started in Washington than any other state. (Starbucks, Boeing, Microsoft, Costco, Sea's Best,"the wave," etc.)
19. You, or someone you know, lives "in the woods."
20. You can name 10 different apples.
21. You can smell the rain coming. (again, is this strange?)
22. You expect snow for Valentine's Day, not Christmas.
23. When you visit another state and it rains...and all the other people around you run and scream while you continue to slowly walk around in your flip flops and shorts.
24. You "Do The Puyallup" every year.
25. You feel guilty throwing something away that could be recycled.
26. You or someone you know works at Boeing or Microsoft.
27. You know the difference between "showers followed by rain" and "rain followed by showers".
28. The sight of Mt. Rainier is still awe inspiring.
29. Your lawn is mostly moss and you don't really care.(haha! Bruce and I were talking about how we like the moss because it stays low and it's soft!)
30. You use the word "sunbreak" and know what it means.
31. You know more than 10 ways to order coffee.
32. You never go camping without water proof matches and a poncho.
33. You can point to at least 2 volcanoes even if you can't actually see them through the cloud cover.
34. You often switch from heat to a/c in your car in the same day.
35. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit under a raincoat.
36. You know how to pronounce geoduck and know that it doesn't quack or have feathers.
37. You go to work in the dark and come home in the dark even though you only have an 8 hour workday
38. You realize no education is required to be a weatherman in Washington. Just make up different ways to say it's going to rain.
39. You know what 'Sodo Mojo' is
40.You think summer starts in July and winter in September. (well, mid-September really)
41. You know you better enjoy the snow the first day it falls before the rain washes it away
42. You prefer one mountain range to the other
43.When someone honks at you, you think they are trying to say "hi".
44. You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Enumclaw, Issaquah, Steilacoom, and Sammamish.
45. You consider swimming an indoor sport.
46. You keep snow chains in your trunk but they've never been used.
47. Eating seafood isn't anything special.
48. You yell at the TV if they pronounce the name of a city wrong or make an inaccurate Seattle reference on "Frasier" or "Grey's Anatomy." (So true...)
49. You rarely wash your car because it's just going to get muddy again tomorrow.
50. You only visit the Space Needle if you need someplace to take out of town guests.
51. You've used every setting on your intermittent wipers. (In one drive, nonetheless!)
52. You lose your sense of direction if you go east of the Cascade mountains. (where are the landmarks?!)
53. You know the difference between a rhododendron and an azalea.
54. You think it's not a real windstorm until your lawn ornaments blow away.
55. You get pissed when you watch 10 Things I Hate About You, because you know that Stadium High School is not in Seattle. (And that paint balloon place has never existed at Gasworks Park, dang it!)
56.You feel overdressed wearing a suit to a nice restaurant.
57. You always have to specify "Washington state" instead of just saying Washington because of D.C.(OMG this is SO true!)
58. You do the "Washington Wave" when someone lets you cut in front of them in the freeway. (well, yeah, doesn't everyone?)
59. You know what an "oh shit" handle is.
60. You still call it The Bon even though now it's Macy's.
61. You know the difference between Chinook, Coho, and Sockeye Salmon. (yes, 4th grade, Mr. Gurez)
62. You have no concept of humidity without precipitation.
63. You put on your shorts when it gets above 50 degrees but still wear a sweatshirt (did this look weird when I did it in Las Vegas?)
64. You know what a Frango is. (mmmm, mint is my fave)
65. You give directions using the Puget Sound and Cascades as points of reference. (haha, I remember when Bruce called me when he was lost and got mad at me when I asked which side was the river on so I knew whether he was heading east or west!)
66. You know 5 different ways to kill a slug.
67. You have more than 10 recipes that call for blackberries. (this can't be true of just Washington, could it?)
68. You've used the phrase "The mountain's out today"
69. You regularly pass volcano evacuation route signs when driving around town.
70. You live in utter fear of black ice
71. You miss the King Dome.
72. You don’t think the Panama Canal is anything special because it’s just like the Ballard Locks.
73. Seeing a submarine, aircraft carrier, or battleship isn’t a big deal.
74. You know the significance to the phrase, “My Oh My!”
75. You can name at least one bridge that’s collapsed or sunk in the last 50 years.
76. You consider a floating bridge a pain in the butt, not an engineering marvel.
77. You don’t grab an umbrella even though you know it’s going to rain.
78. You go to Wild Waves even when it’s raining because you know the wave pool is heated. (ahhaha!, it's the best time to go!)
79. You have to know what time of day someone’s traveling in order to tell them how long it will take to get somewhere. (for sure)
80. You remember where you were on May 18th, 1980 (and you know the significance of that date).
81. You know more people who own boats than air conditioners.
82. You’ve actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.
83. You buy new sunglasses every year because you’ve lost last year’s pair after such a long time not needing them.
84. It’s not a “real” mountain unless it has snow year round and has erupted within the last 200 years.
85. You can identify 7 different types of rain.
86. You know the difference between a "house boat" and a "boat house."
87. You know who J.P. Patches is.
88. You don't know what a turnpike is. (I had to google this: a toll road).
89. You know someone's house that has been partially crushed by a tree.
90. Within 20 minutes of your house you can visit a mountain range, the Puget Sound, a lake and a river.

Soon Summer will be here and I won't question why I didn't leave this place when I had a chance. I LOVE IT HERE!

♪♫ Aruba Honeymoon Here We Come ♪♫

Ok, we finally booked a Honeymoon. We were so kindly gifted a time share or two and really wanted to go to New Zealand, Australia, or Tahiti. Unfortunately, the times were just not working out for us. Sad, but not deterred, we looked to the Caribbean.




As you may know, I was obsessed over the possibility of HURRICANES but I did a LOT of research and "settled" on Aruba. We'll be staying at La Cabana Beach and Racquet Club near Oranjestad. La Cabana is located on Eagle Beach which is, according to "Travel and Leisure" magazine, one of the top 10 beaches in the world. Does this look like we're "settling"?


Bruce and I are not very good at sitting around and doing nothing but relaxing. Don't get me wrong, we like to relax a little, but we need things to do. I was worried, initially, that if we went to the Caribbean we would be bored and have nothing to do but be beach bums. Pleasantly wrong, we'll have ATVing, horseback-riding, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking (if I can convince Bruce) and hiking to look forward to. Can I get Bruce parasailing? Hmmm....

There is also a Wildlife Park, which is right up our ally, and I think we may have to stop by and see the Donkey Sanctuary just because it sounds strange. There is also a Butterfly Farm and Ostrich Farm ~ what the heck are they doing on that island? Caves! I love caves and there are a couple here to visit. Adventure awaits us :)


How wonderful it will be to travel as husband and wife. Time alone on an adventure celebrating our togetherness. Heaven.

http://www.aruba.com/ This is a website for Aruba. It makes me so excited to go. I don't want to wait until Oct. 15th! I just saw there is a Pirate Ship you can sail on. I think I should put it out of my mind and focus on my trip to Costa Rica, which is coming this summer. Or focus on the details of the wedding. That might be important too :)

Honeymoon Planning

We have been trying to plan our honeymoon but without much success. We should be having lots of fun planning it but we have to decide where to go first. That's the problem, though.

The Dilema

New Zealand
I would really like to go to New Zealand to have a big trip that would never happen at any other time in our lives. Unfortunately, I have a list of cons so I'm torn.

Cons:
1. The plane tickets are around $2500 for both of us. That's a lot of money when you don't have any.
2. The flight time is something like 13 hours. There is a stop in San Francisco and then it's straight on to New Zealand for 11 hours!
3. It will be Spring there when we go. I don't know if that would be good enough for Bruce even though he is not a sit-on-the-beach kind of person.
4. Possibility of planning a 2 week trip and hating it so much we end up getting a divorce as soon as we get back to the States!!!

Pros:
1. We have the option to use 2 different time shares to save us money while we're there.
2. There would be tons of fun activities to do ~ exploring waterfalls, beaches, forests, lakes, cities...
3. I love trying new things so I would have a lot of fun experiencing a new culture.
4. I would be with my favorite person.



Hawaii

Hawaii would be a very safe way to go. It's in the US, technically, I've been there before and know what to expect and every body seems to do it.


Cons:
1. It doesn't have the same appeal as going someplace more exotic for our honeymoon.
2. Been there, done that.
3. Supposedly transitioning into wet "winter" weather, so the weather may not be as nice as we hope (but temperature between 70-90 degrees).

Pros:
1. We could fly free to Hawaii using our airline miles.
2. Only a 6 hour flight.
3. Not a real chance of culture clash (which is my fear for Bruce who is not always as adventurous as I am).


Of course, we could always try the Caribbean also...
Caribbean


Cons:
1. Has anyone heard of HURRICANE SEASON???? Yes, October is in the trail end of the season.
2. The unknown factor ~ again, this could end in divorce if it doesn't go smoothly.

Pros:
1. Almost free flight. I can use my airline miles to fly to Florida and then pay for the jump to the island.
2. Potential for very beautiful weather and beaches.

I shouldn't be complaining. It's a good dilemma to have. We'll just have to do some more thinking but come up with a plan quick or we may be forced to go somewhere we didn't expect.

Ryan's 8th Birthday

Wow! Ryan is getting so big! For his 8th birthday we had over family and friends to celebrate. Ryan didn't want an extravagant party "just a football cake and some #8 balloons." Easy enough to do. We had pizza, played lawn games, talked a lot, and ate some cake and ice cream.

We had the party in the evening because Ryan had baseball practice right in the middle of the day. He woke up to a "Birthday King" crown and his pick of donuts :) He wore the crown all morning, even after getting his baseball uniform on. When he came back it was party time. He got his first San Diego Charger's jersey (yes, he's always loved the Chargers ~ or "Shockers" as he used to call them), multiple Star Wars Lego sets, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen DVD, a G.I. Joe assault vehicle, and a DVD player for his room. The boys played football outside for a bit but it was getting dark.

Ryan had his friend, Michael Velez, spend the night and they watched G.I. Joe on the big tv and went to bed late. Oh, yeah, and we found out Ryan can be easily tricked by Des. I found these cute little football candles and Des convinced Ryan they were made of caramel ~ so he tried them. He found out they are made of wax. What a nut!

We also celebrated Daddy's birthday since we couldn't celebrate on his actual birthday. He had to take advantage of the good weather for work. I made him a lasagna and some fresh Honey Wheat Berry bread. Yum! I had sent 2 bags of Reese's Pieces easter eggs home with Britt on his actual birthday. Mmmm....food. Daddy came to the party and also got a crown that barely fit on his head. He accessorized the crown with some light-up, flashing green glasses! They didn't show up well in the pictures but they were a hit at the party!

Here are some pictures of the party!