I am done with the term! And today we finished moving! Two big things off the list and hopefully closing the chapter on what will be the craziest time for awhile.

Now, it’s Spring Break! I’m going to clean the house, do my application for the BSW program and become semi-fluent in Spanish before next Monday when I began fast-paced second year. I haven’t spoke more than a few words since I finished Spanish 4 in high school at the beginning of 2002. Seven years. Oops. Oh well, that will be my only class this spring so I will have time to focus.

Btw, yes we are still getting married. We have all the details just no invites yet so if you are needing travel info or anything please get ahold of either Tony or myself and forgive us for not getting this part together sooner. It’s one of the things that really slipped through the cracks…

Hopefully I’ll find some time for some more consistent blogging now.

PS- cannot wait for spring, warmth, and sunny skies!

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.

Today was my last final! So there’s a load off.

Tomorrow a major storm is blowing in. High wind warning on the coast which practically gaurantees a power outtage. The question is when it will come back on. Please hope for us that it is soon! This house is 100% electric and beyond some candles we don’t have much. This means no lights, no way to cook anything, no way to keep freezer stuff frozen, no internet(!) or TV (duh, I know, but still worth mentioning), no hot water, no HEAT. Ughhhhh. Not a good situation if it’s more than a few hours in the best of times.

But this will not be the best of times. After wind Friday and part of Saturday some insanely cold arctic air is coming in that may bring snow down to the beach. Which means feet in the coast range (our only hope of heat if things get very dicey) and cold, cold temps. In the valley int’s going to be in the teens for a number of days and not reach above freezing for, like, five days. Not sure exactly what that means for us, except heat would be sorely missed I’m sure.

If you live somewhere cold/snowy, know that this is the coldest weather we’ve had in 4-5 years. It’s kind of a big deal.

Until then I’m trying to do as much internet-ing as I can (thank God online classes are done for the moment), laundry, run the dishwasher, etc. etc. In my mind I’m prepping for a day or more w/o power.

Gah.

What? Well, kind of. Impromptu. And, if you can’t tell, Tony took most of these photos NOT me. He is absolutely the true photographer in the family. Below are some highlights but there’s more from our day at the park.

Hmmm, can you tell I’m pretty much at the tail end of my schoolwork this term? It is SO nice to have a bit more wiggle room with my time and get something besides homework done! Thus, the increase in posting. Here’s to hoping it lasts!

There is just so much to be done with too little time. The end of fall quarter in fast approaching and, while I’m looking forward to a bit more free time (or at least free to choose what I do when), it’s kind of come to my attention that acquired quite a to-do list during what is sure to be a busy few weeks.

For example, an expanse of days at both my parents’ house and Billie’s. Ah, travelling. So invirgorating and yet exhausting. We do hate to love you.

Anyway, the need for a blog is nagging at me. So much that I am avoiding other, probably more pressing, things. So, no lengthy post on the joys of Thanksgiving or the time spent with loved ones. Not even a post dedicated to all that I/we are thankful for (hint: it’s a LOT). I will give a shout out though to all of YOU. This has been a long and, at times, lonely year. Blogging has been an outlet like no other. But the best part is the interaction, the feedback. So, a special thanks to anyone who ever commented. There were days when your words may have made all the difference.

I don’t think I took but a handful of pictures in all the festivities, so I’ll have to go with what I’ve got.

Ali and Tony at the Tillamook Cheese Factory some two weeks ago.

I ordered these shoes from The Children’s Place for under $5. But I think they’re too small. Ali is growing SO FAST!

Billie came down the weekend before Thanksgiving and we had our own little dinner. Thank you Fred Meyers !

Aunt Alyssa, pretty much Ali’s new favorite person.

From the left; Trista, my mom, and Alyssa. Getting in the line outside Walmart about 5am on Black Friday. Yeah, we scored big…

Adorable Adriah who is getting so big! I had the pleasure of spending a few minutes with her the day after T-giving.

Out to dinner for Cass’s birthday. And, of course, there is no group shot.

Tony and Ali on Sunday when we went to get our Christmas tree.

We did good!

I think I’m developing ADD. Mostly because there just seem to be SO MUCH going on. Though a lot of it is in the distant to not-so-distant future a lot of thinking, deciding, and planning needs to occur in the present. There’s much to be done and now I feel the need to blog about it (versus DO it?). The next year[s] will be crazy for us.

• I’m currently going to school. As any regular should know. So I have 12 credits worth of work going on right now.
• I’m graduating from PCC in the spring and have had to line my ducks all up for that recently.
• Next fall I hope to attend Portland State University. Which involves SO many things. At the moment: applying (done), filling out endless scholarship apps (getting there), applying to the BSW program I hope to get into, making sure I take classes that will transfer over well and satisfy as many lower level requirements as possible. A lot of administrative stuff.
• And, further in the future: filling out a FAFSA pretty much on New Year’s Day, MOVING hopefully between winter and spring terms so I can take some on-campus classes my last term at PCC.
• Moving and all that that entails.
• We are getting married in July! And that is quickly approaching. Currently working on "save the date" cards, looking at venues next week when we’re in portland for Thanksgiving, trying to come up with some sort of guest list. Gah.
• The holidays are oh-so-quickly approaching. We blessed to be able to do some of our shopping early this year. Or at least consider it! Last year times were very tough for us.
• I recently started working out again. Which is great, makes me feel good about myself, gives me energy, etc. But that is yet another thing to add to the list of time-taker-uppers. And to feel guilty about when it doesn’t get done.
• Due to a cold/daylight’s savings time Ali shaved nearly and hour and a half off of her normal sleep time. Which means significantly less time available to do: schoolwork, kind of cleaning, exercise, BLOGGING, relaxing, and SLEEP. I think the lack of adequate sleep time (which, for me is 7.5 to 8 hours for sure I don’t do well with less and especially not for a few nights in a row) has been probably the biggest component to my feeling overly stressed and worn out/down.
• Just everyday things like dishes and cleaning have been seeming never-ending and insurmountable.
• Maybe this isn’t so much? I don’t know, but it’s frazzling me. Too many variables and outcomes dependent upon other outcomes. I hope to have some answers in the next couple of months so we will have a clearer direction.

Stress aside, this is a very VERY exciting time. The next year is going to be challenging and I don’t see it get easier after that. I’ll be in school (the Bachelors of Social Work provides the opportunity to get a Master’s in one year versus two) for quite awhile and somewhere in the mix is a sibling for Ali. Which, btw, I cannot believe it’s already something we have to think about! It’s a bit much.

So that’s it. Rather new-sy eh?

Ali has been very into the coloring lately. And she’s still a total lefty! Which makes me happy. Despite being inconveniant at times, I think there’s something very special about lefties- especially left-handed women! Other than that I’m swamped with trying to stay ahead on my schoolwork and plan what the next year holds. Looking at universities and where we’d have to move for me to attend one. Also, that pesky summer wedding is approaching sooner than I’d like to admit. And there’s Christmas stuff in the stores. Is it the holidays already?!?

Storms too! Which are exciting and kind of cozy. As long as the power stays on. Unfortunately something super obnoxious is going on with the house next door (the new one) that it makes horrendous noise when the wind blows. Keeps me up at night and I have to figure out what to do….

Ali being a "Monster" in one of Tony’s old sweatshirts.

And eating her first sucker today, after having to get a shot.

We’ve had a busy few days. My car has been in the shop for a week. Sunday I tried again (one year later) to learn to drive Tony’s stick. I’m just not good at it. Or sticking with it Monday morning I had to take my math midterm at TBCC (proctored, the class in through PCC and online). So Tony [and Ali] had to drive me in and drop me off while they ran errands. It was quicky, less than an hour, and went went grocery shopping at Fred Meyer afterward. Then I had my Speech class in the evening. Which I hadn’t been to in two weeks. So I had a midterm and my first speech. And no ride home. It was a little stressful.

But, all went well. I aced the midterm (despite only getting the study guide a few hours previous from a classmate when the teacher didn’t answer my emails for two weeks!) and apparently did well on my speech since Ms. Arvyn asked if I’ve taken the class before (no!). To be fair, the course is appallingly easy. And, I got a ride home from another student. All was well.

This morning, MOPS! Again, Tony drove Ali and I in. He worked and went to the YMCA. Ali had a rough time when she was taken from me (new procedure apparently) but I guess made a new friend with one of the helper ladies and wouldn’t leave her side. Last time (two weeks ago) she got so upset that she fell asleep on one of the volunteers. And it was nowhere near naptime!!! Lol, her reaction to the situation continues to crack me up but I’m so glad it’s a situation she is being put in.

After MOPS we came home and it was naptime. Then, across the street for shots. Which ended up being SHOT (singular) as there’s a national shortage on one she kind of needs (hib, I think) and we were talked out of a flu shot. Which was fine with me, it wasn’t our idea, we were told she needed it. Ali screamed bloody murder the moment the nurse called her name and didn’t stop until we left the exam room. Though she was fine for the thirty-plus minutes we spent in the waiting room. She’s really getting big that she has such strong associations.

Tomorrow we are back to Tillamook with Ali’s first dental apppintment. Besides it being recommended that all babies get a 12 month check (yeah, she’s late), she has a brown spot on one of her teeth that I’m worried is a cavity but Tony did some research and said it just a discolored area. So, we’ll see.

Also tomorrow, I get my car back! This evening we FINALLY got word of what was wrong with it….and also that it was ready! Just a missing fuse so we only have to pay for that and 1/2 hour of labor. But that only answers why is was stuck in park. Not necessarily why it died in the first place or why the engine light has been coming on for about a year. So I’m still nervous with it.

Yep, things are good. We are happy, happy, happy to be home and be able to stay for a bit for once. Last weekend was our first home in a MONTH and I figured out a coupledays ago that two to two and a half weeks is the longest we’ve been home, continuously, since…MAY?!?! Seriously, it’s been pretty crazy for a very long time.

Also looking forward to Halloween on Friday anda bonus community carnival/party on Saturday!

After the pumpkin patch we stopped to have lunch at Sonic(!), which was a surprise because I’ve only ever seen/had Sonic in Cali. There Tony surprised me with tickets to Weezer for that night! Apparently he’d bought them back in August. BEFORE Ali started sleeping through the night. Talk about optimistic.

The concert was fun, us getting out was even more fun. I guess Ali woke once when we were gone (we put her down and then drove to the Memorial Coliseum) and my mom went in to give her back her paci. And she didn’t freak out!

Sleep was in short supply for a few days though. Parlty because Thursday, my bday, Ali woke up at 4:45am and then I couldn’t go back to sleep and she woke up whne I tried to leave her in our bed and so her and I were up about 5am! Then she/we woke Tony up not long after six. so, after getting to my parents’ and before the concert we each napped separately (Ali has done all her napping for the day in the car). Then we got back from the concert about midnight.

Ali woke up just after 6am.

I was sleepy.

Friday we ran a lot of errands in the morning. Got out the door around 8:30am. Went to Walmart and then was at Toys’R'Us before they opened at ten. It was fun and exhausting to go in there with Ali .Then we went to Costco and after that we were all hungry and so tired. In the afternoon we went down to the high school to see the homecoming parade. We were about an hour early so we got to snatch Alyssa from school and walk down to the elementary school to play and then watch the parade. Something about having only one kid with you and being at the start  of the route, we had whole handfuls of candy flung our way. Nearly filled up Ali’s new Dora backpack. Of course most of it she can’t eat so guess who’s stuck with it!

After that we went to AT&T with Alyssa (who, seriously, made the whole experience bearable with her presence) and got new phones! Our contract was up with Verizon, as we’d signed a two-year one on my twenty-second birthday. It was a slow process but we finally got home just before Trista did! Jordan was there too so, once again, all four kids together!

Saturday I finally got to do all I’d really wanted for my bday, which was to go shopping. Alone. Well, I went with Trista and Alyssa which was the second best thing. I don’t have to carry/entertain them. We went to town at Old Navy and Nordstrom Rack and then wandered through the mall but didn’t find much.

Then Trista didn’t turn onto the freeway. Btw, my license expired on my bday (in Oregon they last 8 years. 16+8=24). And I knew something was up. But I had NO IDEA what. We went to this strip mall on Sunnyside and there was a place called Ceramicafe. And inside was….a party! Cass and Pete, Jordan and Backy, Tony and Ali, Trista and Alyssa, Cynthia and Shayla. And a CHEESECAKE :)

It was so nice and so fun. I had told Tony a day or so before that I was excited about getting together with my mom’s side of the family (our next stop) because I hadn’t had any sort of bday gathering in a long time- maybe since I turned 18. It was great.

After that we quickly went home to change and then went to West Linn to my aunt and uncle’s house for part II. Also a lot of fun. Ali has such a great time in those kind of settings, and that night was no different. Even though she was exhausted she got a second wind and just ate up all the attention. Though we meant to leave early (don’t we always?) and meant to be packed up neither happened. So we didn’t get out until past eight and didn’t leave my parents’ until 9pm and didn’t get home until 11pm. Ali went seamlessly from car to crib.

Sunday we never left the house.

Today we both got hair cuts. Well, I got my bangs trimmed. And my license renewed. We went grocery shopping. Then I prepared for the speech I was supposed to present tonight. But my car died when I was pulling out. In the middle of the street. Stuck in park. It took Tony about an hour and a half to be able to move it back into the driveway. And I didn’t make it to class. Because we’re going to be in Seattle until Tuesday next week I’m going to miss then too. Kind of a struggle. Anyway, that’s why I’m home and have found time for a rather extensive update.

I have too much to do to be doing this but, this is what I’m doing. This morning Ali stuck her fingers in the electric heater. I don’t know if they got stuck or if it was shock but she didn’t pull them out. They got burned and she screamed and wouldn’t calm down. We called the nurse’s line nad were told to go to the ER. Luckily it was a quick and relatively painless trip. Scary and sad and emotional but…well, hopefully she has now learned the heates are both "aught" and "auch-y." Her words.

Hopefully she will be good about her "hook" since she needs to keep bandaged and covered for the next week. Has to go back to get it checked on Thursday (my bday coincidentally!). Now I really need to catch up on school b/c I have class tonight and we didn’t get back from Seattle until about midnight last night. So much to do.