Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Vacation at Christmas Time

What a great time of year to take a trip to the East Coast! Some may think I was a little crazy considering the weather I could have possibly had…and then I HAD it as they were right. I can tell you that I got to experience firsthand an East Coast Snow Storm in other names: Winter Storm Dion (seriously? Who makes up these names?) My flight in was perfect, I was on time and not delayed at all. I flew into Denver so it was AMAZING to see The Rockies during the daylight and they were breath taking! Our plans quickly changed as I was in midair to DC as the storm was coming in faster than they first thought. So after I landed, we went and grabbed some dinner, hung out at Becky and Spooner’s house for a little awhile and then headed up to Gettysburg to brace for snow, ice and COLD! Luckily living in La Grande, OR for so many winters, I was used to the cold to the bone kind of cold that a winter can bring.



 We ended up getting 8 inches over 3 days and it was so beautiful on the farm! Cole got to experience his first snow and sledding (which he about fell asleep). Then we adults got to take our turns being pulled around the field and that was tons of fun. Spending the week with Cole Man was special. I was able to experience a few firsts with him: Snow, first word (Dada) and Sledding. I also was able to have some delicious food that the boys hunted and prepared. Dove, Duck and Deer! Although I have had deer before, but the Dove and Duck were very tender and SO good. We didn't get to go to New York City as we had hoped due to the snow but it was still fun and the snow saved me a lot of cash J



 Kristen and I were able to get away for an afternoon and stroll around Gettysburg Square, do a little shopping and had lunch! I was able to get a few awesome keepsake ornaments and a few unique Christmas presents as well. I just love small town shops; they have such great little things that you can’t find anywhere else. We headed back down to NOVA to spend a few days there before I head to fly out. KJ was home from college so I was able to spend more than just 5 hours this time with her. The day before I left KJ, Spooner and I headed into DC to see the National Christmas Tree, The National Law Enforcement's Memorial, Capital Tree that’s from the State of Washington and a few other things that are holiday related. It was a ton of fun just the three of us and since Spooner is a cameraman in DC; it was like having our own personal tour guide telling us about the history and the buildings. I was sad to have to leave, but I was really happy to be home too. It was fun and memorable! I cannot wait to go back but it’s their turn to come to Oregon! So happy that I was able to check a few things off my list as well and eat some GOOOOOOOOD food…that I now crave daily! Until next time NOVA…





Tuesday, November 5, 2013

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!!!

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS...MY FRIENDS!!!!


I just have to say...HOW AMAZING it is to have my RED SOX be back on top after finishing dead last in 2012! Only one other team has done that before(Minnesota Twins in 1991). Lester's pitching, Papi's hitting, Ellsbury's defense! It was just an all around awesome series. I like the Cards, so i feel bad but it was a great series.

I can now say that when I go to Boston in May 2014 for my 30th birthday that i'll be WATCHING the REIGNING world series champs!!!!

I am just HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! My championship gear should be arriving soon...










THIS IS FOR YOU, BOSTON

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Catching up..

Well, it sure has been awhile since I've blogged. Since August?! Really that long, crazy how time flies.

There hasn't been a lot that’s happened. The Hops finished out the season with almost a playoff berth, but lost it by one game. That was a fun summer working at the ball park, I loved every minute of it and the people are great, I cannot wait for the 2014 season! Man I just LOVE baseball. The month of September is ALWAYS one of my favorite months…COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK BABY!!!! You can find me on Saturday mornings with my butt in front of the TV starting at 7am to watch College Game Day with Desmond, Chris, Coach Corso and Kirk! I love those guys and it just makes me feel better once football is back! The ducks are kicking MAJOR A$$ and I am loving every minute of it, Mariota for Heisman!!!  My other team, Georgia was doing well, until they BLEW it up big time again Mizzu last Saturday…yuck yuck yuck. Come on Murray!!!!!


The last camping trip of the year happens every September with the PGE crew down at the coast at Fort Steven State Park. I just LOVE this state park; it’s one of my favorites, hands down. Great food, stories and people, what more could you ask for?! Another GREAT thing happened in September, I got a new job within OHSU and I love every minute of it and couldn't be happier with the move. It was a promotion so now I am an Administrative Coordinator on our West Campus just off 185th. 15 minute drive compared to a 1 hours 15 minute commute to the hill?! HOLLA!!!!!!!! The people I work with and for are great out here, very warm and passionate people; I can see myself here for a long time. Do I miss seeing patients face to face? Actually, I haven’t even thought about it to be honest! I love it that much that it hasn't crossed my mind. This campus is friendly and they really encourage getting to know each other and keeping that bond, so they do monthly get together, game nights, movie nights etc. It’s a ton of fun and it’s so relaxed out here, no pressures of the hill anymore.

I have also started playing fantasy football this year and I am doing two different teams. It’s actually a lot of fun and it makes me pay more attention to NFL now, which I didn't really used to care that much for. I am also in the process of saving and hopefully moving into my new apartment in November sometime, it could be December or even the first of the year. Apartment prices are dropping like crazy so if it pays off to wait a little longer to pay less rent, why not?! I've actually received and paid for some really great things from family and friends that they were getting rid of or downsizing: Couch, Vacuum, Dining Room Table, Bar Stools and Lamps. It’s all coming together and I am SO excited for it, that I can hardly contain myself.  I am also working for the Portland Trail Blazers in the Suites, that is actually a really fun gig and the people are awesome there. The girls from the Hops convinced me to come work there as well. I was hesitant at first cause it’s farther away and I can’t leave till AFTER the game is over, but with my new job and hours, it’s not so bad. I’m working blazer games only, so that’s roughly 2 a week on average, sometimes 3 but it’s not that big of a deal. The best part is this money is ALL going to my 30th birthday trip in May 2014 to FENWAY PARK!!! My friend Sarah and I are planning this out as we are two of the biggest Red Sox Fans EVER! I am so excited to spend a week in Boston and see the beautiful city and of course see at LEAST two games at Fenway. One is a MUST to sit on the Green Monsta and the other is to sit close to home plate. It’s going to be WICKED AWESOME! ;-) I just hope that they can play a little better right now against the Tigers in the ALCS, I mean that was a KILLER comeback by us in game 2 with Papi’s 8th inning GRAND SLAMMI, and then Salty’s game winning single!!!!! But we can’t wait for that to happen guys…too close for my ticker. Best headline ever: SALT & PAPI J

BOSTON STRONG

Papi’s Grand Slam


Saltalamacchia’s Game Winning Single & Gatorade bath with Erin Andrews



Until next time…

Monday, August 19, 2013

#14 HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

100 Things that make me happy happy happy

1.)    My family
2.)    My friends
3.)    My dog Lucy Marie
4.)    Playing softball on all my teams
5.)    Playing Volleyball
6.)    The Beach
7.)    The smell of campfire
8.)    S’mores
9.)    All my nieces and Nephew
10.)  Coffee
11.)  Fall Weather
12.)  La Grande during the Winter
13.)  Wallowa Lake
14.)  Camping
15.)  The Seafood & Wine Festival
16.)  My morning talks with my coworker Joan
17.)  Reading
18.)  College memories
19.)  The Boston Red Sox
20.)  The Detroit Lions
21.)  The Portland Trail Blazers
22.)  The Oregon Ducks
23.)  College Softball World Series
24.)  Scarves
25.)  Boots!!!
26.)  Shopping with my mom
27.)  My dog’s content sighs
28.)  Vernonia Softball Tournament
29.)  Weddings!!!!
30.)  Great night out with friends
31.)  Meeting new people
32.)  Christmas Morning
33.)  The smell of Juniper
34.)  The crackling of the fire
35.)  FOOD J
36.)  Water with lemon slices
37.)  Vodka Soda’s J
38.)  Cold beer on a hot summer night
39.)  Catching a baseball game
40.)  Country music
41.)  Cowboy boots
42.)  Smiling
43.)  Not waking up to the alarm clock
44.)  Falling asleep via moonlight
45.)  Waking up to the sound of the ocean
46.)  The Oregon Coast all year round
47.)  Eastern Oregon Thunderstorms
48.)  Bend, OR
49.)  Sewing
50.)  The last conversation with my grandpa
51.)  Clam digging
52.)  Beach fishing
53.)  The Sun!
54.)  Stanley Cup Playoffs
55.)  Curled up on the couch just reading all day
56.)  Hot Chocolate w/ Peppermint Schnapps
57.)  Hiking
58.)  The Columbia River Gorge
59.)  Cheese!
60.)  Moms cooking
61.)  My Uncle Todd’s dancing hugs
62.)  Going to the Zoo
63.)  Traveling
64.)  Getting snail mail
65.)  My friends having babies
66.)  College Game Day Saturday’s J
67.)  Teeing off on the golf course
68.)  The feel of hitting a volleyball
69.)  Stories that give me Goosebumps
70.)  Donating to Charity
71.)  The wind in your hair
72.)  Pedicures
73.)  Hot summer night drives
74.)  Friends the TV Show
75.)  I Love Lucy
76.)  Happy Camp
77.)  College Volleyball Road Trips
78.)  Military Homecomings
79.)  Catching up with friends
80.)  Wine
81.)  Stormy days
82.)  The smell of rain after dry days
83.)  Bubble Baths
84.)  Massages
85.)  The feel of a new crush
86.)  First kisses
87.)  Baby snuggles
88.)  My Grandma’s hugs
89.)  The memories of my grandparents back yard when I was young
90.)  Being named after my Aunt, Great Aunt and Grandma.
91.)  Watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Thanksgiving Night!
92.)  Black Friday Shopping with Mom and Seester.
93.)  Skinny Vanilla Latte’s
94.)  Le Cookie Monkey cakes
95.)  Peanut Butter & Chocolate Ice Cream
96.)  Family gatherings
97.)  Keeping Traditions
98.)  Scars that tell a story J
99.)  Good Chinese Food

100.) My heavenly father

An Ode to Vernonia 2013

Oh Vernonia…

So many people when they hear that know EXACTLY what I’m talking about! Another Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Softball Tournament has come and gone, and boy was it one for the memory books and one that I am for sure never going to forget! This was the best team we’ve ever brought to Vernonia in my 6 years of playing on this women’s team, and from what the other ladies are saying, best team EVER in their 21 years coming to this tournament of the 39 years it’s been on! That is saying something.

The fact that we have 2 boys’ teams and 1 women’s team in this tournament alone is huge. Constantly watching softball this weekend and I loved EVERY minute of it. I played 6 games and I watched 10, all in 2 days of beautiful weather!!! We were lucky to only have the high be 86, unlike the 100+ we had on all 3 days last year that we were there. Our women’s team did amazing, oh wait, I know I’ve said that already. J We took second place overall (1st in the lower bracket). We went 5-1 with the best record there this year and lost in the Championship game. We’ve never been on the winning side of the bracket before because we tend to ALWAYS lose the first morning game on Sunday! We had great defense, solid pitching and our hitting was amazing (until the last game….eeek). I couldn’t have been happier to lose to Seaside in the championship game, those ladies are awesome!


For our boys, we had BAW (British Auto Works) and Tuxedo’s as usual in the tournament like every year. Our coaches are split between the two teams and then just all of BAW is guys that I went to high school with and play on coed teams together. BAW had it rough this year, they played great but man I swear every bad call that was made this weekend had to have been in their games and against them, there was just no luck there for them, it was hard to watch. Tuxedos, well this was there year at Vernonia! They played great and ended up taking 4th in the upper bracket. Buuuuuuuut…the best part is the won the COVETED SPORTSMANSHIP TROPHY!!!! Free entry but MOST importantly…FREE PORT A POTTY in the camp J We know what’s the important thing here J


Our women’s team kicked SO much booty this weekend that we got 7 awards!!!! Our All-Stars were: Left fielder Tina, Pitcher Beth, Outfielder Elyse and MOST importantly our cheerleader who couldn’t play (cause I broke her finger in a game 4 weeks ago L  ) MICHELLE! So deserving and she was still crying about it J  Our Miss Golden Glove was Alyce who ran down SO many balls in Left Center, our MVP was Marissa who had 13 RBI’s and 3 home runs (oh to be 19 and fast again lol) and then there was our BEST HITTER! Now, this isn’t just best hitter on the team, it was for the WHOLE women’s tournament it went to…ME! I am still in shock and I swear the stats are wrong. I think honestly getting this award that is VERY hard to get has humbled me in a way. Apparently so they say I hit .647 with 11 RBI’s and went 11-17. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out what I won haha! The boys had to explain it to me, but when I went down to accept my t-shirt award, the tournament’s director Bill, gave me a very nice compliment that really took me back. He said in front of all 8 teams that with how I played in the field and hitting that I am a very well rounded player, that he’d take me any day on his men’s team with a bat like that. WOWZA! That is sure a compliment that I am still replaying.



 It was full of so many great memories not just Vernonia but the season in general!! I cannot wait to play next year’s women’s league and I am SO looking forward to the 40th Annual VAP tournament next year. Until then Vernonia…stay classy!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

#18 Send a care package to a soldier overseas

Giving back is always a great feeling, however; this time I felt SO much more alive and touched. I have always wanted to send a care package to a random soldier or platoon that I did not know, who is stationed overseas in Iraq. In the past I have sent them to my best friend when he was in the Army, but to a random person, that is just amazing. I have adopted a platoon out of Kentucky with 7 guys and 2 girls. I honestly can say, this was the best I've ever felt spending $46 in my life. I hope that it makes them feel at home and more loved knowing that a stranger wants to help them out and to feel appreicated while they are over serving for our country for our freedom and protection. I can't wait to send them a package every 3 months(it takes a month to get there). Just knowing that I may bring a smile to their faces, that right there is enough to make my heart happy and FULL!

Monday, June 3, 2013

Sunday Funday... #54, #55 & #98

Sunday, what a day that was! Yesterday was for sure a SUNDAY FUNDAY! I was able to check a few things off my 100 in 1001 list or get them in progress!!! Growing up here in the Portland area, I have never been to the Rose Festival... I know, right?! Well, I can now say that I have and what blast that it was!!! IT WAS GORGEOUS OUT TOO!!!!

Tom McCall waterfront fountain

 My brother, his girlfriend Stephanie and my friend Amy all were heading down for Countryfest on the Waterfront and our ticket to the concert got us into the festival as well. We had alot of fun looking at all the games, people watching, safari animals, people watching, rides, and did I mention people watching?!

Amy, Steph, Kyle & I at the Concert


Countryfest was loooooooooooooong! We now know what to do and what to expect for next year, that's for sure! It was fun and some of the acts were OK and one wasn't that great. Their sound was horrible and you couldn't understand them at all. We were able to walk around and get some yummy food as well as see alot of things the City Fair has to offer. One thing that we LOVED going to(we went there about 3 times throughout the day) was they had the Safari Animals on exhibit there. We got to see a Tiger, Black Leopard, Barbary Lion, Lynx, Bobcat, a baby Tiger, baby bobcat and a Wallaby as well. They were entertaining animals for sure :)


They were so much fun to see!!!

Little Big Town(LBT) was AWESOME!!! They were the headlining act and they put on a show! I love them as a group and I saw them years ago when they just had come out with Boondocks. We had a great time and it wasn't so packed in there but by the time LBT came on it was 8:45pm and there were alot of people way to hammered for the last concert and had to leave or should have left. Overall it was a fun day(minus the fact that I lost my ID somehow...I don't think it even made it to downtown Portland). But it will be fun to go again and you can't go wrong with seeing 5 acts and getting into the Rose Festival! Can't wait to check out more of the Festival this coming weekend :)