O Christmas Tree

Since it was a sunny day, I headed out with Linds to get our Christmas trees. It was a bit of an adventure because we were doing it all by ourselves this year! Luckily there were some "beastly, bulging men" out there able to help us. We found our Charlie Brown trees in record Worzniak time too.

"That's about a 7 footer"

Back home with our trees.

I want to thank you. . .

Each year between dinner and dessert on Thanksgiving, my family reads our Thankful lists. It's an awesome tradition that is guaranteed to make everyone laugh, make me and my grandma cry and a chance to remember things that happened to our family in the past year. Below is my 2006 Thankful list. I have SOOOOO much more that I am thankful for but these are the top of the top:
I am thankful. . .
1. That in 3 years and 1 month I will be a pediatric nurse. And that in 3 years and 2 months I will be in Europe. The countdown is ON!
2. For the Treehouse, my fearless leader Beth, my kids and the darndest things they say every Sunday.
3. That Charla graduated with flying high colors, passed her boards, is now an Oregonian again and that we remained BFF through it all!
4. For my Rolling Hills girls with whom I am always guaranteed to laugh, learn and consume chips and salsa – all in large quantities. I honestly don't know where I would be without each one of you.
5. That Andy was brought to Oregon and has become one of my best friends. And for knowing that if nothing else, laughs are guaranteed.
6. That we don't have to take Christmas pictures anymore!
7. That 20 years ago Dad wasn't chosen as the Teacher In Space and lost in the Challenger tragedy.
8. That Lindsay has her new little "casa" and I am so proud that she is living on her own.
9. For the hour of driving mom around on the jet skis in Catalina because I've never heard her laugh so much in my entire life.
10. For my laptop and that Biatch lets me borrow her internet.
11. That Janie found my New Nut and in typical Toyota fashion, my cutie car takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.
12. Coffee & chocolate - in any shape, form or combination of both.
13. For "Bart my boss" and for getting to experience the enormity of the World Cup, making the moment when the US scored their only goal one of the most exciting sporting moments I've seen in my life.
14. For red sunflowers.
15. That I still have 4 healthy and happy grandparents. (And that I have those genes!!!)
16. For conversations with Papa as together we try to answer some of the hardest and some of the most exciting questions life asks us.
17. That two of my dearest friends - Nicole and Rachel - found their Prince Charmings and that I was able to be a part of their weddings.
18. For the "Mexican" cruise, hottie foreign waiters, chocolate/Mexican/pizza buffets & towel animals and the anticipation of doing it all over again next summer! (And that no one killed each other before we got home.)
19. For my parents who continue to astound me with their endless love and continual sacrifices, more than ever before it seems like. I was not aware I could be loved this much.

Charla and I hovering over our pumpkin pie - fresh out of the oven. (Yes, I'm in my Joey jersey and it was obviously me bringing him good luck as he beat Detroit on Thanksgiving. Go Dolphins!!!)

Happy Birthday to You

Sunday was Miss Elisa's birthday so me, Nancy and Shannon kidnapped her for a surprise! She didn't bring her passport, so we had to resort to Plan B - dinner at a very cute restaurant in the O.C. (Oregon City - man, I swore I would never use that phrase!)

From L to R: Nancy, me, Birthday Girl Elisa and Shannon.

After dinner, we went back to Elisa's for cake and presents and it got a little late. . .and well, below is the result of lots. . .well, I wish I could blame it on something but sometimes when you start laughing, you really can't stop.

And just remember folks, these people are all in positions of influence of youth at Rolling Hills. Scary but true!

If I wasn't a Celebrity, would you be so nice to me?

Just another day at the office. . .same ol', same ol'. . .just happened to see the greatest player in women's basketball and the greatest player in men's tennis:

Smashing Pumpkins

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!

We're Havin' a Party

"Why can't we get all the people together in the world that we really like and then just stay together?" ~ Snoopy

Before Tualatin's very own redneck got the heck out of Dodge, we had to throw a party. And what better theme for Andy's goodbye party than CAMO?!?! Although civilian clothing was frowned upon, most people did dress the part. (yea, festive friends!) A good time was had by all (especially the G.O.H.), and really who wouldn't with gorgeous weather, the BBQ grillin', beverages flowin' and more food than we knew what to do with!!

Roomies! Steve & Andy. This shindig was at Steve's house and he was the host with the most that night! (Not to mention one half of the decorating committee. One guess who was the other half?)

Dancing machines Meghan & Elisa (my salsa and country dancing buddies!)

Blonde moment: Me & Andy AND MY KICK-BOOTY TANK CAKE!!! (sorry, but I am really proud of that thing!)

This is what happens when it gets late and there are cheesy, plastic army props laying around!! (Check out the awesome decorations above us! We went all out!)

Fly Like an Eagle. . .

. . .or a Goose!

"I feel the need. The need. . .for speed."

-Maverick and Goose

After checking Multnomah Falls and Pittock Mansion off the list, Andy's Tour de Oregon continued this weekend with a trip to the Evergreen Aviation Museum to see the Spruce Goose. Here's a helpful hint: if you're going to a flight museum, it's handy to have someone along for the ride that actually knows a thing or two about airplanes & helicopters! Like someone who flew Blackhawks in the Army. . .yeah, they're pretty smart.

"Please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their upright and locked position."

Left: Proof Andy visited the Spruce Goose

Right: Me with the best looking guy in McMinnville on the infamous Third Street.

And of course we couldn't go to McMinnville without seeing Linfield!! We ate supper at Geraldi's. Mm-mmm I love my spaghetti and meatballs!!

And did I mention a couple hours later I lost both the heads on my drivers at the driving range. They went farther than the balls!!! (Insert your own joke.)

Next up: Ape Cave & Mt. St. Helen's!

So Long, Farewell

"In tennis, love is nothing. In life, it's everything."

Sunday was Andre Agassi's last match as a professional - shoot, maybe his last match ever because his back is so totally and completely injured. In his 3 rounds over the course of 4 days at the US Open he received at least 5 shots of either cortisone or anti-inflammatory drugs. Being the "Tennis Nut" I am, I don't remember a time when Andre wasn't playing and he will certainly be missed. I was fortunate enough to have attended his annual fundraiser in Las Vegas in 2003. (For that year), it was the single largest fundraiser in the country. And why shouldn't be when Elton John, Robin Williams, Billy Joel, and Lance Armstrong (among others) show up. Thank you Andre!!! You rock!!!

Andre blowing his final "4 corner" kisses to the crowd after losing on Sunday.

Everybody's Workin' For the Weekend

"Friends are thieves of time" - Anonymous

Labor Day weekend rocked the house because it was filled with friends - both being newbies to The Blog. After being on our duffs all day Saturday (Go Ducks!), Sunday, I showed off Oregon to my Alabama friend Andy. The goal was to climb to the top of Multnomah Falls. (And neither plums nor peppers could stop us!) We didn't exactly make it there, but over 6 miles and an elevation gain of 1500' later we saw plenty of other gorgeous sights. Oh, and I did the entire trip in flip-flops. Since it was totally spontaneous (thus the flip-flops) I had to borrow pictures from the website: waterfallsnorthwest.com

These are the 3 big ones we saw: Weisendanger Falls, Ecola Falls and the last one is Wahkeena Falls which means "most beautiful." And how! This is Andy and I at my birthday party earlier this year:

Sunday night: CHARLA!!! She made a pit stop in L.O. on her way down to becoming a P.A. in Eugene at a dermatology clinic. Here's another archived picture: after she baptized me last summer:

Monday was the Cape Horn Trail adventure with my other New-Kid-On-The-Blog friend, Nancy. We got kind of a late start and traveled to another state and couldn't find the official trailhead and didn't know if this was a loop or out and back and had to call my mom and dad and walked the last 1.7 miles on the "shoulder" of an undivided highway. . .but other than that, it was a great hike!!!

Check out the GORGEOUS views of the Gorge. It looked exactly like this during the Multnomah hike, except we were staring at Washington.

Nancy and I during our pit stop about halfway through. (Really, who knows where we were or how far we had gone at that point?) I do know we were good and sweaty though!!

We started our hike walking next to that field. Yes, that is an elevation gain of over 1000 ft. Granted, we did the thing backwards so maybe it was a little more for us. At least I had boots on this time!

I can't begin to explain how happy I was to see the car! This was one of Portland Monthly's "Lost Hikes" and boy did we do that name justice! Not that we got lost, we just didn't know where we were - yes, there is a big difference. Now it's off to Chez Elisa's for dinner!!!

You say it's your birthday

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional."

It was my grandpa's (a.k.a. Papa) 80th birthday celebration on Sunday. We toasted to our Patriarch that he would rule for many more years. The reason he was so excited to celebrate was he knew he was getting his iPod. What other 80-year-old asks for an iPod for their birthday??? Papa, you're too cool!

Singing 'Happy Birthday' to the Birthday Boy

Luckily he didn't have 80 candles to blow out!!!

Papa with 'the fab four.' Linds and I seem to be glowing for some odd reason. I went to Treehouse that morning, but Linds, what did you do?? :o)

Too cute! This rivals our black and white picture.