My worst nightmare

As I've made clear on my blog in the past, I cannot stand Michele Bachmann. I think she is pure evil, filled with hatred and bigotry. I also think she is a complete moron but also a savvy politician who has managed to fool those around her into thinking she's legitimate (or the people of the 6th district really are just that scary - I don't know if I can't accept that).

Anyway, in a new development, she has now started a blog. I refuse to link to that blog here, as I don't want to increase her traffic even a tiny bit (my three readers might accidentally click it, and I cannot be responsible for that). I quickly glanced at it myself (oops), but I didn't see much. I can only imagine what kind of right wing, anti gay, bigotry she will be spewing in the future, but I certainly won't be checking it out. I really wish she would just go crawl under a rock somewhere, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. Sigh. At least you've now been warned - there is another scary blog lurking out there for you to avoid. Good luck!

The tale of the cat and the mouse (and a silly dog)

The other night I was up late doing some work, and the pets were keeping me company while B slept. Suddenly I heard a noise in the kitchen, where Elijah was hanging out, and I knew instantly what it was - Elijah had pounced on and caught a mouse. He came running out of the kitchen with it alive in his mouth, and at this point, I wasn't sure what to do. I figured it was best to let him do his thing, as I clearly cannot catch a mouse (and I definitely didn't want to either). Things were great until Matty decided she wanted a piece of the mouse. She ran over to Elijah and basically pounced on him. This made Elijah freak out and he of course dropped the mouse. The mouse then scurried away into one of two places - under the desk or in our bedroom. Elijah seemed to think under the desk, but Matty seemed to think in our bedroom. Matty kept jumping around and smelling like crazy. I have no idea how she didn't wake up B, but she didn't.

Unfortunately, at this point, I had to go into our room to go to bed. I couldn't turn on the light, as I didn't want to wake up B, and I had already taken my contacts out for the night, so I couldn't see very well. As I got ready for bed, all I could picture was a mouse falling out of my PJs or running across my bare feet...GROSS! I hustled into bed and eventually fell asleep for the night.

I haven't seen a mouse since then, and I have no idea what happened to the one I saw. I hope its near death experience convinced it to return to the great outdoors, but I doubt it. I also doubt that will be the last mouse I see this winter, as it's been brutally cold and Gordy hasn't sealed up the spot where they are coming in. Oh well. I guess that's just living in an old house and being unable to use traps for fear of harming the animals that should be catching the little vagabonds!

Oscar - Just say no to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

B and I went on a date to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Friday night. I was excited to see it because I had been looking forward to it since I saw the previews. Looking back, I don't know why I was excited, as I've never been a big Brad Pitt fan. And after seeing the movie, I have only one thing to say to Oscar - Just Say No to Benjamin Button!

First, Brad Pitt really has no depth. Obviously he is good looking - that's not in question. But I just felt no warmth from him whatsoever, and his acting seems...average at best. Second, there was no chemistry between him and Cate Blanchett. When she and Brad were supposed to be intimate, I actually wanted to shout out, get off of her! It just felt really dirty and icky. I normally love Cate Blanchett, so I'm not sure it was her...I just think it was a complete lack of chemistry. Ick, ick, icky! Third, the movie was just too long. They could have cut an hour without damage, honestly. Fourth, the story...I just couldn't connect with it. I can normally let go and just go with the story, but I couldn't with this one. Really, I can sum up feelings about this movie by saying just this - boo to Benjamin Button!

Speaking of movies, what is up with all the Oscar films being so...depressing? My mom always says that too many movies are downers, and I used to argue with her about that. Now I am starting to agree - who wants to go to the movies to watch awfulness? I mean, some stories need to be told (Holocaust movies for instance), but really, can we just have some joyous, non violent, good movies? Perhaps I should ditch law and head off to Hollywood. My movies might suck (I've never been much of a storyteller or a writer), but at least they wouldn't make you want to slit your wrists!

A glimpse of parenthood

Last weekend, B and I watched her nephews Charlie and Mathis on Saturday night. Mathis only stayed for a few hours, and Charlie stayed over for the night. I love when we watch the boys, but it definitely gives me a glimpse of the future, aka PARENTHOOD! I think B and I do quite well with the boys, especially B (she really is much better). However, I think I might wind up being too much of a softy. An example: I was in charge of Charlie by myself on Sunday morning. I made him pancakes for breakfast. He barely ate anything, so I asked him if he wanted something different. He turned to me and said, macaroni and cheese. Now, it was only about 8 am at this point, so really, it was too early for mac and cheese. Being the sucker I am however, I went back into the kitchen and proceeded to make mac and cheese for breakfast! What a pushover! In my defense, he had been sick for a few weeks before, and I wanted him to eat something, no matter what it was. Still...weak!

Obviously Charlie is not my son, and I think it's okay for him to have fun with us; the home rules don't necessarily need to be enforced strictly here (within reason of course). However, as I made mac and cheese at 8 am, I worried that maybe I will be too easy on my own kids. I like to think I won't, but it's hard to say. I do know I won't have time to make multiple meals (well, really, B will be cooking), I will want clear rules, etc. Regardless, I can see how easy it is to let the child run the show...if he's happy, I am happy, at least in the short run. The problem is the long run...it will be our job to set boundaries and rules so our kids grow up to be decent people. That will mean making decisions that bring tears and arguments, and as the kids get older, it will mean slamming doors and the silent treatment. Through it all, it will be our job to stay strong and draw the line...no mac and cheese in the morning is just the beginning. Scary, exciting stuff, and I'm excited to begin that journey some day.

Duggar Wedding Insanity

B, Karen, and Paige suckered me into watching the Duggar wedding the other night. If you aren't familiar with the Duggars, you are missing out on a whole new level of insanity. Hard core, bible thumping, conservative Christian, southern family with EIGHTEEN kids. 1 8 ! Insanity, pure insanity. Don't get me started on all the reasons why having that many kids is just wrong, as that would equal an entire additional post. Instead, I will focus on the insanity of the wedding, which was the point of the crazy episode we watched.

In this episode, the oldest Duggar son (probably about 20 years old) was getting married...to a woman he had never even kissed! He hadn't dated her, talked to her much, hung out with her...he didn't know her and she didn't know him. It was basically an arranged marriage, and it was just creepy. The worst part - the son was so horny (well, duh, after 20 years of NOTHING) that his entire focus was on finishing the ceremony and racing back to the hotel. He kept saying that he didn't want anything to interfere with their departure time...that poor girl he married! A lifetime of Christian, missionary style, jackrabbit, let's make a baby sex lasting for a minute or so...EW. An even creepier part - his dad gave him some DVD explaining what should happen on the wedding night before the wedding. The four of us actually considered ordering that DVD just for the laughs!

Anyway, back to the wedding...how does anyone think this is a good idea?!? They are both super young and have barely experienced anything yet. Getting married without at least even kissing...what if there is no chemistry? What if they aren't physically sexually compatible (this is actually possible)? I guess they are just out of luck, or at least she is. Her wifely duties will require her to put out for the rest of her days, no matter how bad it is. Her duty is to reproduce, and now I'm sure they will go about overpopulating the earth just like his parents...creating little babies to continue on their weird, screwed up community. Scary, but mostly sad. I feel sad for her.

Obviously I could be wrong; they could wind up blissfully happy. Maybe I'm too cynical or too jaded. I guess we'll never know, as she won't be able to speak up if things turn sour. I never thought I would say this, but it turns out being raised Catholic wasn't so bad afterall!

Do you know where your college transcript is?

As we begin this house buying process, I'm figuring out it's a huge pain in the ass! At least the mortgage part anyway. Example: I have to produce copies of both my college and law school transcripts. Law school is not a problem, but I graduated from college TEN years ago! Obviously, I don't have a transcript handy, so I had to order one. Another example: I have to call all of my utility providers and ask them to write letters detailing how long my account has been open, how much I pay, and if I've ever paid late. That doesn't seem like an easy thing to do - what incentive do those companies have to write such letters? Third example: I have to write a letter explaining the gaps in my recent employment history. Why the law school transcript isn't good enough is beyond me - doesn't that prove what I was doing for the last 3 years? Bizarre. Anyway, those are just a FEW of the things I have to produce - wow!

My favorite suggestion from the banker so far? Go out and USE my unused credit cards to prove that the accounts are active. WTF?? You want me to go shopping with credit cards to prove I have good credit? I already have an active account that has a balance - an account I've used for years. Plus, I have a car loan and student loan payments that I've been working on for years. None of that is good enough - I might have to go out and SPEND more money to prove I'm worthy of a loan for a house. Sigh.

Clearly I didn't do enough research into what this process entails before I started. We've barely started and I already feel tired. Plus, I'm worried that we won't be able to afford a decent house, and the current state of the economy scares the crap out of me. Every day brings more layoffs, more businesses closing, etc. It's starting to catch up to the firm, and I'm worried this is just the beginning. If I get laid off, we would be screwed! Scary, scary times out there, and things aren't supposed to get better until after 2009!

Despite all these worries, I'm still excited about the idea of home ownership. It is a great investment, and houses are basically on sale right now. Plus, interest rates on mortgage loans are currently low as well. Most signs point to moving forward, but the fear bubbles up every once in a while too. One day at a time, right? :)

Roe v. Wade Anniversary Shenanigans

Today is the anniversary of the United States Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade. The anniversary usually brings out the typical right wing, anti choice nut jobs in big numbers, and today was no exception. Normally I would have thought about picking up an escort shift at Planned Parenthood on such a day (I've been derelict in my volunteer duties - working full time does that to a girl), as I sort of enjoy keeping the peace in all the chaos. However, it turns out it's a good thing I wasn't volunteering this morning, as something unusual happened at the clinic - a rabid anti-choicer decided to drive his SUV or truck up onto the sidewalk and into the front door of the clinic. I guess he then proceeded to ram the door several times, and when the police came to arrest him, he was mumbling on about closing down "Auschwitz" aka Planned Parenthood (I find the comparison to the Holocaust extremely offensive, but that's a post for another day). Wowzers! As I mentioned, I'm glad I wasn't volunteering as an escort today, as they don't really train you for THAT scenario. Bombs, guns, protesters, yes, but a protestor actually ramming the building with a car, not so much.

The most irritating thing about it? Abortions only constitute 5% of all services provided at that clinic. Most women are there for birth control, annual exams, etc. That doesn't stop the nuts though - they have to disrupt service for EVERYONE to prove their point. What I will never understand however is this: how can they claim to be so "pro-life" yet then oppose funding for programs that benefit single parents and their kids? Also, I think everyone can agree that no one WANTS abortions to occur. Unfortunately, the anti-choicers somehow seem to forget that the way to prevent pregnancy is via birth control - something they also vehemently oppose. I also hate the whole bury your head in the sand, abstinence only approach. I'm sorry, but people are going to continue to have sex - it's a human need and right. Isn't it better to PREVENT unwanted pregnancies than to terminate them later? Alas, you simply cannot reason with this group. Instead, it turns out you have to watch out for flying cars on the sidewalk (and other mayhem) while volunteering. Good times! Good Friday should be REALLY interesting this year. Stay tuned for that!

Thirty!

I've now lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers! THIRTY, 3 - 0! Yeah! This week's loss was especially crazy, considering how I ate when I was in Neenah with B and her family. To really demonstrate how amazing 30 lbs is, here are a few examples of things that weigh 30 lbs:

• Matty's giant bag of dog food (that is an excellent visual)
• 6 bags of flour
• 30 boxes of butter
• 1 big bucket of kitty litter (yikes, I know how heavy those feel when I'm hauling them in from the car)
• 3 10 lb bowling balls
• 1.67 Tonys (my big orange cat)
• 1/2 of Matty the dog
• My lawschool backpack (okay, that's probably an exaggeration).

I think you get the point - 30 lbs is a significant amount of weight. My clothes are starting to be ridiculously big; I have to cinch all my pants, and I laugh at myself when I look in the mirror before work. I guess that's a good ridiculous though, right? Also, my knee feels a lot better, which is fantastic. My health, especially my knee, was my biggest reason for starting this journey, and I think my work is already paying off in that department.

In bad news, I haven't been to the gym in a LONG time. I also haven't played volleyball for over a month. Illness and work (and let's be honest, some laziness) have kept me from both activities. I was planning on going to the gym tonight, but I may go to bed instead. At 8 pm. Yes, I know I'm only 32 and not 82, but I'm tired. Work has been stressful as of late, and I still don't think I've completely recovered from the blackhole of sickness. So, the gym will have to wait yet another day. The personal trainer may kill me, as I haven't worked out once since we met last week. Oh well.

As I travel along this weight loss journey, I'm discovering there are a few food staples that I need to survive:

• Soup - I eat a lot of soup. Always have though, so this isn't that different
• 94% Fat Free Popcorn - this is a new one, as I used to hate popcorn. However, my weakness is salty, snacky type food (not sweets at all), and popcorn fulfills those cravings for me. I'm eating some as I write this!
• High fiber bread and lean lunch meat. I LOVE sandwiches, so I needed to find bread I can eat. I found bread that I enjoy, and it's only 1 point a slice (good, hearty bread)
• Fruit - bananas, clementines (tons of those), apples, pears, fruit cups, etc. I love fruit.
• Oatmeal - maple and brown sugar, lower sugar, almost every single morning
• Malt O'Meal - love it
• Eggs
  
• Smart Ones meals - I take one for lunch almost every single day
• Fat free Yogurt
• Babybel light cheese (LOVE this)
• Weight Watchers ice cream treats, especially the 1 point fudge bars
• Chicken breast
  
• Baked potatoes
• 100 calorie snack packs, especially the cheez it party mix. Yum!
• 60 calorie Jell-O pudding cups (70 calorie for Rice pudding)
  
• 10 calorie Jell-O cups
• Refried beans
• Canned green beans
• Diet coke (or other diet soda). I know, I know. I'm supposed to drink a lot of water. But I just like Diet Coke a lot more. I try to drink more water, but a girl can only change so much at once. :)
  

There you have it - my life in food for the last three months or so. I'm probaby forgetting a few things, but I think that at least provides a glimpse. Additionally, B often cooks for me, so I'm really blessed in that department. Her help is especially important right now, as I've sort of hit a motivational wall. To help me overcome that wall, she told me to pick five new recipes from the Weight Watchers cookbook for her to make. It doesn't get much better than that, right?

I know I always say this, but I hope I can find the willpower to continue on this journey. The first 30 pounds weren't easy per se, but they also weren't that hard. From past experience, I know the last 30 will be absolutely brutal. However, I might be getting a little too far ahead of myself here, as I have the middle 30 to lose before I even get to the last 30. Yikes - how did I let my weight get so out of control? That's simply mind boggling to me. Alas, it happened, and all I can do now is work on repairing the damage. So far, so good, right?

As usual, I'm open to tips/advice on new food, work out ideas, etc. Only you can help me prevent food boredom, friends and family. I need you! Here's to losing the "middle" 30!

WW Update

Drum roll please...I've now lost 27.8 lbs on Weight Watchers! Woo hoo! I received my 25 lb medal at the meeting today, and I also received my 10% key chain (which I was supposed to get a while ago, but I was sick). I'm thrilled. Soon, I will have to buy new clothes, as my pants are falling off me. Good thing some of them are slightly adjustable, or I would be in trouble!

The new session at work starts next Tuesday, and I'm paid up through that (ends near Easter I think). I hope I continue to succeed, but it will only get harder as I lose. Oh well, today is a good day, a day to celebrate! Yay for a smaller Schmiddy!

PS - Happy birthday to my good friend Ms. Moe! I love you!

B and I are buying a house!

Big news - B and I are buying a house together this summer! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it, and I think she feels the same way. It's such a big step, but I feel completely confident that it's the right choice. She and I have been solid for a long time, and she's the real deal. Wedding bells might be ringing in the near future, but I can't give too much away online, as she is one of my 3 readers! Anyway, I can't wait to begin the next stage of our lives together, and that will involve moving in together for real (we live together now, but I'm still on the lease for the Saint Paul apartment too - most of my stuff is still there).

We started the process by looking at houses online, and then today we drove around and checked out some places too. We want to buy in Saint Louis Park or Minneapolis, and we spent most of today in SLP. We saw tons of places, many in our price range, but we only went to two open houses (both not the houses for us). We don't want to close until mid-June, so it's probably a little too early to be looking really seriously, but we wanted to get an idea of what kind of house we can afford, where we want to live, etc. My mom, a former realtor, said many more houses should be coming on the market next month, so that's also great news! I'm super excited for the whole process, and I can't wait to get started!

As I noted above, we are looking at SLP. That's right, we are considering a suburb. I never thought that would happen, and I will be SAD to leave the city if we decide to do so. However, there are good reasons to choose SLP - proximity to B's family and job, proximity to downtown, the schools, the JCC (I love, love, love belonging there - so much so that B says I should be in their next promotional piece), the nicer houses, etc. Still, I've been a city girl for a long time now, and it will be hard to leave that behind. Plus, I have to leave my beloved LRT as well...I guess I will have to bus it if we move out there. Definitely doable, but not ideal. Anyway, we haven't decided for sure where we will wind up, but there is definitely a chance I'll be going back to my suburban roots. Gasp! Let the mocking begin!

As we begin this process, B and I are open to your tips, advice, suggestions, etc. Specifically, we need a good exclusive buyer's agent, so if you have any recommendations for someone, please pass them on. We also need an attorney who does GLBT partnership work, so if you know someone for that, please share as well (unfortunately, my law degree will not help me in that area, and it's too important to screw up). Also, please know that we will be talking about houses, realtors, and everything related for the next six months. I apologize in advance, but that's just how it will be. :) Thanks for your support and patience as we begin this amazing journey together. Woo hoo - that's the best I can capture how excited we truly are, at least for tonight, as I'm quite tired. WOO HOOOOOO! :)

PS - thank you to my parents for all their support and help through this process! I am truly blessed.

Seattle Stories

As I've mentioned before, my sister Samantha and brother in law Travis moved to Seattle last year (sad). So, B and I decided to go visit them to celebrate the new year, as we miss them and neither of us had ever been to Seattle. We left on December 31 and stayed until January 4 - the longest vacation B's had in a LONG time. I felt happy she could take some time off and even happier we got to spend it together. :)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I started to get sick on the Monday before New Year's Eve. By the time we left for Seattle, I wasn't feeling all that great. However, I was determined to push past it for B, my sister, and for myself, as I wanted to enjoy the trip and to see the city. Overall, I think I did okay. Here's a run down of the five day weekend:

Wednesday:
We arrived safely in Seattle, and our checked bag did too - yay! I never take that for granted after the five day outfit in Israel! Samantha was waiting for us, and we were soon on our way to her place in Kent, a suburb of Seattle.

Unfortunately, we saw something horrible along the way. As we waited to turn left at a busy intersection, we noticed a guy crossing the road we were attempting to turn on, against the light. He appeared to be intoxicated, and was trying to stop traffic by holding up his hand as he walked as his friends watched. The cars whizzed by him, but he made it halfway. I thought he would stop at that point, but unfortunately he continued on. One car missed him by inches, and then suddenly I heard a horrible bang. A car had smashed directly into him, and he flew into the air with such force that his pants came off. We thought for sure he was dead, and we wanted to stay as witnesses for the driver (the poor person had no chance, as it was dark, rainy, uphill, he had the green light, and the guy was wearing dark clothing). However, we were forced to turn left onto the road, and then turned around as soon as we could. We passed the scene, and we could see the EMTs/paramedics treating him as if he was still alive. Unfortunately though, there was no place for us to pull off safely. We really have no idea if the guy lived or died, and we couldn't vouch for the driver. Yuck.

After all that, we were quite shaken up, and we couldn't stop talking about it for a while. Clearly the guy was an idiot, but no one deserves to die for that. I hope he made it, and I hope the driver can find some peace too. Any one of us could have been that driver, and I think we all recognized that. Life is crazy!

We eventually collected our wits and continued on to arrive safely in Kent. Samantha and Travis's new home is great! Huge, lots of space, nice floor plan, etc. We even had our own guest room (now called our room I believe!). Since it was new year's eve, we debated whether we should head into the city to see the fireworks. Ultimately, we decided to stay in and play rock band, as it was chilly and rainy. We had a great time and went to bed not too long after midnight (it was after 2:00 CST afterall).

Thursday:
On Thursday, the four of us went to the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project museum. I thought the space needle was great, and I really enjoyed the views of the city. It was definitely cold and windy on the outside observation deck though - yikes! I also enjoyed the EMP, but not as much as I thought I might. The visit confirmed that I have NO musical talent, but I still manage to look pretty dang good rocking out with the instruments. Too bad there has to be sound! :-P

On Thursday evening, we went to dinner at a restaurant in Kent, the Zephyr - it was not great. They were out of a ton of stuff, and they screwed up the meals. They torched my salmon and then served it with some sort of rice that smelled so bad that Samantha wouldn't even taste it! I tried it, and it was NOT good. After dinner, we went back to the house and chilled - a good day.

Friday:
On Friday, I felt horrible in the morning, so I stayed in bed to sleep. Samantha and Beth went to Silverdale to run some errands and passed through Tacoma on the way. Beth can now legitimately sing that song that goes, "I've been to Phoenix, Arizona all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, LA" as she's been to all those places. Pretty cool. Anyway, they were kind enough to stop for meds and tea for me, and when they arrived home, I got ready to leave the house (slowly).

When I was ready, we journeyed back into Seattle to visit Pike's Market, and I loved it. Samantha said it was not really busy, so I can't imagine what it's normally like! I loved looking at all the stuff for sale, and I loved the view of the water (was that Puget Sound? I forget.). We enjoyed some delicious crepes and then bought some dried fruit (most of which we forgot in Seattle - bummer. Samantha, please enjoy it for us!). We walked around for a long time, and we saw the place where they throw the fish and the first ever Starbucks too! I definitely loved the market, and I think I would frequent it often if I lived out there.

After the market, we visited Samantha's church. It was nice to see where she sings each week. The place is huge - comparable to the Basilica or Cathedral here. Very nice - they are lucky to have her, as she's quite talented. She didn't even have to audition, as her experience preceded her. Nice!

After visiting the church, we decided to head back toward Kent. Samantha drove us past Safeco and Qwest fields - cool to see. I am looking forward to catching a Mariners' game at Safeco in the future!

As we drove back to the burbs, we decided we wanted Chipotle. Samantha suggested we stop at the one in Tukwila (another suburb), but I stupidly said let's get it in Kent so it will be warm. We agreed that was a good idea, and went to the Kent Chipotle...where it turns out they had no food to make burritos. Literally - no tortillas, no salsas, and no spices for the meat. Unfortunately, they didn't tell Samantha until AFTER she had ordered. I said no thanks, not going to waste points on horrible, non-Chipotle, Chipotle. We were all bummed, as we were craving Chipotle big time. In fact, we were so bummed that we decided to go BACK to Tukwila to actually order decent food. We arrived to find a well stocked restaurant, and then finally we were on our way back to Kent. That was a delicious burrito, well worth the drive in my opinion. Thanks, Samantha!

Saturday:
On Saturday, Samantha made us a delicious breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and the spicy potatoes B taught her to make (if you hadn't noticed, I fell off the Weight Watchers wagon in Seattle. Oh well). After that, B, Samantha, and I headed into the city for the Underground Tour. Like Jerusalem, Seattle is a city on top of an older version of itself. It's a long story that I don't feel like explaining, but basically you can go underground and see parts of the old town as it existed before being trumped, literally. I really enjoyed the tour, as the guides were informative and hilarious. B really enjoyed it too, and that made me happy, as she was really looking forward to it.

Oh, before the tour, we visited Samantha's office at Amazon. She works in the tallest building in Seattle, and her desk provides a view of Mt. Rainier on clear days. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate so we couldn't see the mountain. Oh well - it was neat to see where Samantha spends her days!

After the tour, we went to a really cool toy store (Magic Mouse?), and Samantha bought a fun new game - the Smartass Game. I think that's the right name. After the toy store, we hit up a local Italian restaurant, DeNunzios. The place was a riot, as it was a tiny joint in a basement (continuing our underground theme) with a crazy host/waiter. The waiter, Tonelli, a flaming gay man, literally made me spit out my gum, though I'm not sure why, as the place was in a BASEMENT for pete's sake. Not a four star joint. Probably not even three, but B and Samantha thought that was hilarious. Anyway, we enjoyed our meals and each other's company (and we even enjoyed Tonelli), and then it was time to go (but before that, Samantha said something so funny that Beth spit out her water all over me and Samantha - Samantha could barely speak she was laughing so hard at that point. We still can't remember what Samantha said, but the whole thing was pretty dang funny). However, before we left, Tonelli insisted that he should take our picture, though we aren't sure why. We let him do that, and then we were on our way back to the burbs for our last evening in the pacific northwest. It's sad how fast vacation goes.

Sunday:
We had to wake up early to get to the airport, and I was feeling AWFUL by this point. B took care of me, and after a long shower, I was at least able to function. As we drove to the airport, B said, "hey, is that Mount Rainier?" Samantha looked back and said, "why yes, it is" or something similar. As I said above, the weather had been dreary the entire time, but it finally cleared enough for us to see the big mountain on our last day. It was beautiful, and I'm glad we got to see it. Good job, B!

After we said good bye to Samantha (sad), we caught our flight and were headed home. B's sister Aviva picked us up in Mpls (our bag made it home too!), and then it was off to run some errands. Finally we headed home and I got to rest...for another whole week of illness! Ick.

Recap:
We had a great time in Seattle, and we especially enjoyed spending time with Samantha and Travis. I miss them a lot, and I'm looking forward to our next trip out. Hopefully when the weather is nicer, as all that grey does get a bit old. ;) Plus, we want to do some of the more outdoorsy stuff, like the national parks and Mt. Saint Helens (which is also a national park I think). Plus, there's always baseball - clearly that's a priority! :)

Thanks to Samantha and Travis for hosting us - we love you guys!

Blackhole of Sickness

Clearly I haven't updated in a LONG time. B keeps reminding me that I haven't updated since December 23...yikes! However, I think I have a legitimate excuse - I was stuck in a black hole of sickness for about 12 days. That's right, a black hole. I literally feel like I lost time, and it all went by in a blur. It started off as a sore throat, and then suddenly I had no voice at all. Then, it turned into a horrible cough, and soon I was a snot factory. Gross, I know. I was sick for my entire trip to Seattle, and I was sick for a full week upon my return home. I finally went to the doctor on Thursday, and it turns out I have a sinus infection, an ear infection, and bronchitis. I got some amoxicillin and some powerful cough syrup, and finally I felt some relief. I think I slept for 15 hours on Thursday night! It was nuts.

Part of the reason I was so exhausted is because I had to push past the illness to work all week. I had a draft due, and I couldn't push it back. Fortunately I worked from home. I'm sure my coworkers are glad I spared them this horrible illness and the piles of tissues that surrounded me as I worked. It was not good. At least I finished the draft! Unfortunately, I had to miss this trial academy that I was signed up for, but there was just no way I could have made it. Too bad, as I had done a lot of the prep work already. Oh well.

I'm finally feeling mostly better, though still stuffy with a tight chest and quite tired. Regardless, I'm 100 times better than I was. I hadn't been that sick in a LONG time, and I didn't miss it. I hope that's the last bout of the season, but I don't have the best luck in that department. Fingers crossed - otherwise I may have to buy stock in the company that makes Puffs and Kleenex!

More Holiday Madness

The holiday madness continued, as B and I celebrated with my family and the Halters on Christmas day. We opened presents in the morning, and then we shared a fabulous meal together. After that, we enjoyed treats and numerous rounds of Apples to Apples. Even my dad and Mary joined in for the game, and we had a blast! I love that game! The only thing missing: Samantha and Travis. It was definitely sad to not have them with us, and I hope in the future we can all be together on the holidays. Probably not likely, but a girl can dream. Despite the big hole caused by their absence, it was a great Christmas.

Oh, a sad note - my grandma joined us, and she is in terrible shape. The Alzheimer's has really taken hold, and she is almost completely incoherent - doesn't follow conversations and can't express her feelings. She still likes to help with things (she used to run the entire Christmas day, and she did it with grace - some of my best childhood memories are of Christmases at Grandma's and Grandpa's place), so I set her up with me to put cream cheese in the celery. It was painful to watch her attempt to figure it out, but with some guidance and patience, she was able to help. I think she was frustrated, but I also think she felt useful. Otherwise, she really didn't know what was going on. Sad to watch. I hope she soon reaches the stage where she no longer realizes that she can't remember things. That's the hardest part - to know she knows something is wrong, but we can't help her. So sad.

After Christmas, B and I hosted her parents for a few days to celebrate Hanukkah. On the 27th, we hosted a big Hanukkah meal for everyone, and it went really well. B did a great job with the meal, and everyone had a nice time. I really enjoyed spending time with B's family, and Karen and Paige too. I'm looking forward to incorporating a Hanukkah celebration into my holidays each year.

Things finally returned to normal after Christmas, at least until we left for Seattle on the 31st and I became sicker than a dog (see following posts for more details).

All in all, the holidays were fantastic this year. Busy as usual, but really packed with family, friends, and joy. No complaints at all! Can't wait until next year already!