OSU!!!

My niece Ashley starts school at OSU (Oregon State University) on Monday. I am so excited for her to start college! Ashley and I are pretty close, we lived in the same house for many years. She's more like a little sister than my niece. I am so proud of her. And last night I'm proud to say OSU beat the USC Trojans! GO BEAVERS!!!

"Good Luck Ashley, I know you'll do great! I love & miss you very much!"

"disappointed, tired, sick and grumpy FRIDAY"

Okay, so last night was the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy, I waited all week for it and to be honest I wasn't that impressed. Don't get me wrong it was good but I guess I was just expecting more. I was expecting to be blown away! Now I have to wait 2 weeks for the next new episode!

Now on to more venting...
Yesterday afternoon I started getting a sore throat, and now I'm totally sick! I was miserable last night, I think I only got an hour and a half worth of sleep. And I HAD to come to work today because the only other person who knows how to do my job had the day off. So I'm sitting in my office all alone and sick as a dog! CAN I GO HOME YET!?!? It's going to be a long day. Now I'm going to spend my whole weekend in bed trying to feel better (just what I want to do with my weekend). Oh and can I add that I have to deal with some of the dumbest, rudest people I've ever encountered in my 30 years on this planet!

Can you tell I'm grumpy!?!? I don't do well when I'm sick.

Are you as excited as I am?!?!

I am soooooo excited about the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy this Thursday! I am seriously addicted to this show. This season is going to be so good. I know some people say it's not "healthy" to watch so much TV but I really don't care! I love TV, I'm a TV junkie, just ask my husband. I get up and go to work everyday, we pay our bills, I'm a good person, why shouldn't I get to watch as much TV as I want. It's my form of entertainment, I like nothing more than to put on my pj's, sit on the couch and watch "my shows". Is that so bad?
It cracks me up when my husband picks on me about watching so much TV when he is always watching some kind of sporting event. I swear if there was football on 24/7 he wouldn't leave the house! So my question is...what's the difference between watching too many TV shows and watching too many football or baseball games? Ummmm NOTHING! I hate watching sports, I'd rather watch a TV show, so leave me alone to watch my Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill and Law & Order: SVU!!!!!

Counting down the days until Thursday!!!!!!

A great weekend with a great guy...

This past weekend Kyle & I went camping and riding up at California City. This was the first time we've been there, the riding was pretty good. We liked it because there was no one camping around us. It was a very quiet and relaxing weekend. We usually go camping/riding with a group of people but this time it was just us. Don't get me wrong we love going with friends but sometimes it's nice with just the two of us.

I left work early on Friday afternoon so we got to our "camping spot" at about 2:30. Kyle & I were both really tired so after we set up camp we took a nice long nap. Once we woke up we had dinner and got things situated in the trailer. It was pretty windy outside that night so we couldn't have a fire, instead we stayed inside and played a few games of Yahtzee & Scrabble and hung out with our dogs.

Saturday we slept in and then went on three pretty long rides. The weather was perfect! It wasn't windy Saurday night so we were able to have a campfire.

Sunday we got up, packed up the trailer and headed for home. It was kinda nice because we got home at about 2:00, were able to clean out the trailer and have the rest of the evening to watch TV and relax!

It was a great weekend with a great guy! I love you Babe!

My new favorite drink!

Okay I've found my new favorite drink! Lipton raspberry white tea!!! Mmmmmm it is so good and refreshing, I love this stuff! It has to be really cold, and it can't be the diet stuff (yuck!). I was buying the big bottles of it at the grocery store but yesterday I discovered they also come in 12 packs of 16.9 oz. bottles!!!!!

I am soooooo jealous!

Okay I just need to vent! My Mom is going on an amazing trip next month and I am so bummed I can't go with her (because of money). She's going on a 3 week vacation to Scotland to visit friends & family, but she's also going to the Netherlands to visit her friends daughter (& her family). Depending on time & money she may go to France & Germany too! I know (or at least I'm hoping) I'll get a chance to go on a trip like that one day and right now just isn't the time, but I'm still sad. It would've been a great "bonding" time with my Mom. And I know once Kyle & I have kids I won't be able to take a trip like that for a while! At first I was really mad, sad, and frustrated but now that I've had time to think about it and realize we just can't afford me taking three weeks off from work and go gallivanting around the world I feel a lot better.
Thanks for letting me vent...

I love this thing!

I've had my Nikon D40 SLR camera for little over a year now and I love it! I am by no means a "photographer" but this little camera sure makes it seem like I am. The pictures I get with this camera are great, I highly recommend a Nikon, the colors you get are so much more vibrant than any other camera I've seen. It's a little pricey, but worth every penny! I take this camera everywhere with me, I'd be lost without it. Anyone who knows me knows I love to take tons & tons of pictures (a little too many sometimes hahahaha), it's easy to use and does everything I need it to do (it probably does a lot more but I haven't read the entire manual yet).

Wonderfully Wicked!

Last night my friend Tana and I went and saw "Wicked" at the Pantages in Hollywood. We got there a little early and went and had dinner at this Cantina down the street from the theater. It was a really nice evening. The show it's self was awesome! very well done, and Glinda the "good" witch was hilarious! If you get a chance I highly recommend you go and see Wicked, it's very entertaining!

Pantages Theater, Hollywood

The stage before the play started

The playbill from Wicked

Tana & I at intermission

Kyle's drill

I feel like I'm always posting about things I'm doing, so this post is about something Kyle did.
As most of you know Kyle is a dispatcher for the fire dept., sometimes he has to go out in the field to participate in drills to prepare him in case he has to go out on a big fire (like he did last October). Kyle is part of a mobile dispatch unit that goes out in a trailer and works from a command post in the field when a really big fire breaks out, last year he was gone for 6 days.
This particular drill was a few months ago...

7 years ago...

Never Forget

September 11, 2001

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL' You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK..I am ready to go.

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.

I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan . I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you . But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

-God

I could seriously live in these!

I've been wearing PINK sweats by Victoria's Secret for the last 4 years and I seriously could live in them! They are so comfy & CUTE!!! I love the rest of my PINK clothes too but my sweats are my absolute favorite. Why can't we wear them to work?!?! I would get so much more done if I was comfortable.
here's a link, check them out
http://www2.victoriassecret.com/collection/?cgname=OSPNKSPLZZZ&cgnbr=OSPNKSPLZZZ&rfnbr=3462&page=all

Oh how I love this kid

This is a picture of my 18 month old nephew Jake. I asked him to smile for the camera and this is what I got. He cracks me up!!!

prayer request

Kyle's Grandpa (Papa) had open heart surgery about 3 weeks ago and now he's in a transitional living facility. We went to visit him last Sunday and he doesn't seem to be doing very good. He didn't feel like eating and his heart rate wasn't normal. He lost his wife a few years ago and hasn't been the same since, but now with this operation he seems a lot worst (well at least to me he does). So please say a little prayer for Papa Stew and for Kyle's Dad (he's having a tough time with this too). Thank you...

Happy Birthday Kim!

It's funny how things happen in life. Growing up I always wanted sisters (since I had 2 brothers). When I was in high school my niece & nephew came to live us so it was like having a little brother & little sister running around. But I always wanted that older sister figure, and long behold when I married Kyle I got one! Kim is Kyle's older sister and I couldn't of asked for a better blessing in my life than Kim. She's my role model, my friend and most of all my sister and I love her so much! I was very lucky when I married into Kyle's family and got such wonderful in-laws. So this post goes out to Kim...

Happy Birthday! We love you so much and appreciate everything you do for us!!!

Karen (Kyle's Mom) helping the kids light the birthday cake for Kim

Amanda, Jen, Kim and Jenna

"Mommy" and Jenna blowing out the candles
Jake and his Mommy

Hope you had a great birthday Kim, thanks for sharing it with us.
And thanks for the yummy banana cake Karen!

Magic Mountain 2008

Every year the fire dept. puts on a "private party" at Magic Mt.. This was Kyle and my second year, it's so awesome because you don't wait in any lines, you just walk on all the rides! This year our friend Casey and his step daughter Amanda went with us, Amanda went on all the rides except for 3 (the same three I didn't go on). This was her first time to Magic Mt. and she was a little scared at first but she did awesome and had a blast!

Amanda & Casey on Colossus

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Kyle and I soaking wet from roaring rapids!

walking up a really big hill

Amanda on the swings
Amanda & I sat this one out!
There is this new ride at Magic Mt. called X2, holy cow was is scary! but so much fun!! My favorite ride is still Tatsu. Besides walking around soaking wet all night from roaring rapids we all had a great time together, can't wait for next year!

Congratulations Josh & Shawna!!!

My cousin Josh got engaged! Josh and I were pretty close growing up, some would say he was my "favorite". Josh and his fiance Shawna are planning on getting married on June 27th, 2009 in Oregon. I am so excited for them! Congratulations guys, we love you!!! Can't wait for the wedding...

Josh & I at my wedding last year.

"Kick Ass"

Okay this post goes out to my friend Leslie. She's new to the "blogging" world so I thought she'd get a kick out of this...

For my 30th birthday Leslie got me this adorable necklace! And how perfect was it since I love country music and it's a little cowboy boot (plus I do kick ass hahahahaha). You can check out other products by dogeared at dogeared.com (available at Nordstroms). Their stuff is so cute!

Thanks again Leslie, I love my necklace!!!

Our nieces & nephews

Here's pictures of our nieces & nephews, aren't they precious? we love them so much and we're so proud of them! Here they are in order from oldest to youngest...

Lacey (18 1/2) and her son Riley ( my great-nephew!)

Ashley Elizabeth-18

Jacob Bradley-15 1/2

Lauren-14
Camron River-10
Brook-4 1/2

Jenna Lynn-4

Jake Taylor-1

better late than never...

Back in July I did a post about Kyle & I laying tile downstairs in our house, well I never posted pictures of it all finished! So here are some pictures of the tile, base boards and door casings we did, better late than never right?

This picture is looking down at the entry way from upstairs

the door casings we did around all the door ways

dining room

walk way into the living room

the thick, white mouldings look so nice up against my red wall
looking into the dining room and kitchen area
not too bad huh? when we first started (and during) I really wished we had hired someone to do it for us but now that it's all finished I'm glad we did it ourselves. Kyle did an awesome job!!!

I am such a tourist!

After Kyle and I went to the Griffith Observatory (see previous post) he took me to see Grauman's Chinese Theatre, El Capitan Theatre, The Walk of Fame, and then we drove by the Pantages, Rodeo Drive and Skid Row.

Why is this picture so important you might ask? well in 2 weeks my friend Tana & I are going to see WICKED!!! I am so excited!

El Capitan Theatre

Johnny Depp's hand & foot prints at The Grauman's Chinese Theater

Tim McGraw's star on the Hollwood walk of fame!
The Grauman's Chinese Theatre
So there you have it, our little adventure to Los Angeles!

We went to the Griffith Observatory

Kyle took last Sunday off from work so we could go spend the day together. And being the total tourist that I am I made him take me up to Griffith Observatory (I don't think I've ever been there, unless I went when I was a kid). We started our day by having lunch at BJ's and then headed to L.A.. The observatory is really nice and the view from up there is amazing! It may look really smoggy in the pictures but believe it or not some of it is the fog coming in. We walked around the museum, stood outside with a couple of sodas and watched some deer play on the hillside for a little while, I took tons of pictures, and then we went and watched "Centered In The Universe" in the Planetarium.

downtown Los Angeles

inside the observatory

I made Kyle pose for a picture (can you tell how thrilled he is hahahaha)

the humongous telescope at the observatory

a tribute to James Dean

(for those of you that don't know parts of Rebel Without A Cause was filmed up at the observatory)

this was the only celebrity we saw in L.A. "BAMBI"

the Hollywood sign from the observatory