Vacation

OK, so it has been almost two months now, since we took our trip to the Pacific Northwest, but I thought I would finally post a few pictures for your viewing enjoyment. :) This was our FIRST "non-family" vacation since we have been married, (which will be 5 years in just a few short months!!), and it was a whole week too! It was a great time to get away together and we had a GREAT time. So just sit back and enjoy the whirlwind picture parade from our vacation. :)

First, we flew into Seattle and made our way down the WA coast, and spend the night just over the border in Astoria, OR. (Where the Goonies & Kindergarten Cop were filmed).

This is looking from OR back toward WA. Isn't that bridge amazing? It was so much fun to drive across! The next day we hiked up the Astoria Column, a punishing 200 or so stairs -

It was beautiful from the top! (Please refer to the 1st picture). We then headed down the OR coast...

Beautiful, isn't it?? We were also able to see some puffins pooping on a rock!!! That was, by far, one of the highlights of the trip! (If you believe me, you don't know me very well).

We then headed inland and spent a day in Portland, we spend the night at the most amazing B&B, and among other places visited the Portland Rose Garden. (This picture doesn't do it justice, there will hundreds of different kids of roses, millions of roses, and it is on the top of a hill overlooking the whole city with Mt. Hood in the background... BEAUTIFUL!)
And then we headed to the Japanese Gardens. If you ever find yourself in Portland, this is a MUST!

It was so peaceful and just beautiful.

We then met up with my best friend Heather and her husband Bryan, and our friends from Olympia and saw Multnomah Falls, the 4th tallest waterfall in the US. Sadly, it is so tall we couldn't get a picture of the whole thing! Just imagine it. :) We also took a day trip and went up Mt. Rainier.
And we also took a ferry across Puget Sound into Seattle. Here is a view from the ferry. :)

And we spend our final day in Seattle. We visited Pikes Fish Market and watched them yell and throw huge fish, the original Starbucks and the last thing we did before heading to the airport was go up in the Seattle Space Needle. Here is a picture of downtown Seattle from the top. :)
And finally, this post was sponsored by our friends from the NW. Rachelle did an INCREDIBLE job of planning our trip for us. She gave us a list of cities to stay in, places that were worth seeing and made the vacation that much more relaxing and amazing.

Thank you for watching. :)

Post Happy

I know this is my 3rd or maybe 4th post today, but what can I say? I am in a good mood, it is Friday (and payday) before a long weekend and I am done working for the day!! Here are some updates on the House & the Hubby for those of you who have asked:

Hubby:

Andrew is doing well, neither of his classes are particularly demanding (and by that I mean that it takes him about 25 minutes to do any homework assignment). He does enjoy learning, and as I think I said before (I can't remember), the worst part is usually before it all starts, once you get in a rhythm it doesn't seem so bad. He is now on a schedule and probably gets more done before breakfast than I do in a whole day. (Not to mention the fact that I am still sleeping when he has breakfast. :) Life will step up a notch when we start childbirth class in a few weeks, but I know the Lord will grant him grace for that too. And we are going to be able to go to Charleston for a family reunion in October, so we are looking forward to the break!

House:

Our house is still on the market. Things are starting to pick up a little in this area, but since everyone moving here is from Florida, and their market STINKS, no one has the money to buy. However, we are OK with staying for a while or moving, so right now we are just taking one day at a time. If only I didn't have to keep the house spotlessly clean all the time!

Pregnancy Quirks - 2

I thought of one more:

• You can order something at the drive-thru and by the time you get to the window it doesn't sound good anymore. (Praise the Lord for a husband, brother and brother-in-law who will eat almost anything :).

Bumpersticker of the Day

GOD KISSED THE EARTH
AND CALLED IT ASHEVILLE

FALL!!!

The feeling of fall is FINALLY in the air! Fall is BY FAR my favorite season, here are a few of the signs that we have had in the past few weeks to mark the beginning of this season/reasons I love it:

• Pumpkin Spice Latte!! - I know I posted that I hate coffee, and the smell gets to me, but a pumpkin spice latte is not coffee, it is an amazing dessert in a cup. I love it, I have been checking the Starbucks website for a week and it is back!! I have already had two. :)
• Day planner - I have pulled out my calendar, there is just something about the start of school that makes me want to use my calendar more. So today I went through and added every possible event I could think of, it is still not very full (which is fine with me) but it was fun anyway.
• Cool Weather!!!! - After almost an entire month of upper 90's and high high humidity (not at all normal for Western NC), today's high is 77!!!! Bring on the crisp, cool weather!! Real shoes, sweaters I love it all!
• Football - A bunch of youth kids from our church play on a local football team, and I got the schedule today, I love watching football in the crisp cool weather, especially when you know some of the players.
• School - well, there are good sides and bad sides to school starting. I love school supplies and with Andrew starting school we were able to get a few, I also have a lot of friends who are teachers, so that has been fun... although it also means the return of school buses, the part I hate. I got stuck behind one the other day who didn't use her lights and little stop sign, she would just randomly stop, I haven't been that mad in a LONG time. I think she was doing it just to make me mad.
• Darker - Even though it gets darker earlier, it just makes me want to curl up with hot chocolate by the fire with a good book. Or make soup and bread.
• Leaves - Although the leaves haven't really started to change it has rained almost every day this week so seeing the leaves on the ground is just a taste of what is to come. :)
• Birthday! - And finally, when it is fall it means that my birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas (and baby) are just around the corner! Bring it on!!!

L

Bumpersticker of the Day

LET GO

OR BE DRAGGED

Pregnancy Quirks

OK, so pregnancy really does change everything, I can only imagine how life will change once the baby is born! Here are a few things that have changed for me:

• I DETEST Coffee - Can't even stand the smell
• Everyone is always asking "How are you?" with a concerned look on their face
• Food has lost its interest
• But I do latch on to some foods, right now it is strawberries
• People give you all sorts of free stuff: car seat, stroller, maternity clothes
• Pets become EXCEEDINGLY ANNOYING
• Getting out of bed before 7:30 or 8 has become impossible
• The couch has become the place I eternally long for
• I work less (thankfully I have a flexible job!!)
• I went from loving to hating grocery shopping almost overnight
• Everything from going to the store to climbing the stairs requires a cost/benefit analysis

Bumpersticker of the Day

IF THEY CALL IT TOURIST SEASON

WHY CAN'T WE SHOOT THEM??

Reality

Reality has been setting in at our house the past couple of weeks. As I have talked about off & on, Drew has been in the process of applying to different schools in hopes of starting an MBA program this fall. After much much thought and prayer we have decided to stay in Asheville, and Drew will be starting Wake Forest's MBA program in January. The program is every Saturday from 8-5 for two years... in Charlotte (2 hours away). It won't be easy, but you can do anything for 2 years, right?

Since his undergrad is in Government, not Business he has to take a couple pre-req classes from a community college this fall. So next Monday he will be taking Statistics and Accounting, one is a MWF morning class, and the other will take up every Tuesday and Thursday night until Christmas.

And just in case working full-time and going to school full-time isn't enough, we are adding a baby to the mix. :) We have childbirth class every Wednesday night this fall. And yes, our house is still on the market, no bites yet. We have pretty much decided that once our house sells we are going to move into an apartment and settle into life with grad school and a baby for a while before we add building a house to the mix... although we are closing on the property for the next house on Friday, so if we feel really suicidal we could add it as well. :)

Actually, although life sounds busy, you will notice that I am not playing a huge role in the busyness. My life, at least for the present, will consist of continuing to work part-time until the baby comes, and then I will be on husband & baby duty. :) Although it is going to be busy, and probably stressful at times, I am looking forward to the next stage of life. So, all that to say, if the blogging relaxes in the next few months, just know that I am trying to take care of my amazing husband, instead of just writing about it. :)

Bumpersticker of the Day

CAUTION: I DRIVE AS BADLY AS YOU DO!

Seen on the back of a Volvo wagon with a "BABY ON BOARD" Sticker.

My Crazy Brother

Ok, one of them....

Micah went with a bunch of friends on a camping trip and hiked up a mountain and camped on top, and he packed a watermelon the whole way to eat on the top.

Bumpersticker of the Day

Charter Member of the

VAST RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY

Resurfacing

I have been out of it for over a week now, and I am just starting to feel normal again... although normal is a relative term.

About 10 days ago I got a NASTY head cold that took me out of commission for over a week, which then (yahoo) developed into Pink Eye. I think I am finally ALMOST back to the normal pregnancy sickness.

I am now a week and a half past the 1st trimester mark, and still no big signs of the sickness letting up. Although I think I have a little more energy.... I now need a nap only every OTHER day instead of twice a day. :) But maybe that is just not being as sick any more. AUGH!! Life is fun.