That is what’s happened right now. In the past two weeks we’ve spent extended time in Seattle and Portland. We’ve booked major wedding components and checked out a big handful of houses. I came home and immediately came down with a horrid flu and was sicker than I’ve been in years. Fever spiked at 104.5!

Now, life it returning to our normal chaos and everything, I mean EVERYTHING, needs to be done.

Anyone reading this in the Portand area. We are looking for a rental house with 3+ bedrooms, 1500+ square feet, preferably in SE or SW and as close-in at possbile for my commute to PSU. Any assistance would be much appreciated. Also, I REALLY want two full bathrooms, a dishwasher is a must, and a yard is a pretty huge deal. K thanks.

Ali enjoying our cake tasting.

P.S.- New pics here and here.

Highway 30 North of Astoria on 12/22/08. Yes, the trees are bending in like they’re about to break.

Trista and Ali sharing music in the car.

Ali, Alyssa and "Abuh" sleeping on the way home from our Christmas in Salem, OR on 12/28/08.

Grabbing a snack at Northgate mall on New Year’s Eve.

Ringing in 2009.

New Year’s Day. I’m dressed for the Iowa bowl game that was in the morning (actually Ali is to with an Iowa shirt that has ELMO on it!) but Ali was sick and feverishly sleeping on me.

Headed home, 1/2/09.

Ali was happy to be back and also to enjoy all the new toys we had to leave.

When the sun comes out there is actually some light to take a decent picture!

Yum, Nutella! Thanks [almost] Aunt Becky.

She kept "throwing" sand on me and non-stop cracking up.

I know the holidays are practically a distant memory at this point. But I just now uploaded the few pictures I got. Especially compared to last year!

December 20th, the night before Christmas at our house.

Enjoying a Christmas snack at her new table and chair set.

We took our tree down on December 21st!!

The snow we drove through to get to my parents’ house. It was a 5.5 hour trip.

Nana, Grandpa, and Ali watching Tony build a snowman on their patio.

She loved to drop facedown in the snow for a bite.

Everybody out sledding.

This picture totally cracks me up.

Smiling at Karlin.

Pretty much her favorite place to be now.

Now up to Seattle for Christmas at Billie’s.

Is this raincoat not SO her?

Dressed to take the city by storm on NYE.

To see the pictures that didn’t make the cut, click here.

She’s a genious, right?

Btw, we got a video camera for Christmas!! So expect more video whenever we get the freetime to upload and then blog.

As you must have noticed we are BUSY! For the holidays we spent time in both Gladstone and Seattle. We travelled through all sort of weather. We had a great time with family and friends but missed home. It takes a lot of adjusting after being gone for nearly two weeks.

School is back up again for me and will be much more work intensive than in the fall. We are also full-speed ahead with wedding plans! Booked a venue yesterday and my mom and I have been brainstorming bridesmaid dresses (yes, she is making them!!!). On the 18th of January we will be back in PDX going to bridal show. Now to begin the hunt for a dress…

Really the wedding stuff is much more exciting than I thought it would be. The main issue is time. Especially because I think we may be doing a lot ourselves to save money. So, swamped. We are also pretty much sure we will be moving to Portland in the spring. Moving. Soon. This term. Among crazy wedding plans and juggling a courseload and this other thing I’m not supposed to blog about.

Overwhelming.

Which is why I can’t go there. Only focusing on the here and now and the POSITIVE. Thus, I must go do some reading or math or something.

Gah.