Time for a tree

I knew there were people who decorated real Christmas trees in their home.  They talked about the smell of fresh pine.  The fun of picking out the tree and the different shapes and sizes they came in.  I knew there were those people, but I have never been one.  I have driven by the lots full of trees, the signs promising the best price, but I was never intrigued. 

Lucia Falls

A little adventure is in our bones and we need to take advantage of every dry day we have left.

TRADING: big news for lots of luck

It's just a simple story.

A couple is searching for somewhere to lay some roots.  They search and search until one day they drive past a neighborhood that looks cozy.  They pull in and see a couple houses for sale.  They see a model home that looks open and let themselves in.  There, they find a sweet lady who appears to be on her way out. She asks if they would like to see the 2 houses for sale.  They hesitate and wonder if they should come back later, they - you see - were on their way to walk through a different house.  A house that they were trying to be interested in, but somehow it wasn't sitting right with them.

Finally, they agree. They walk though a gorgeous one story home that is filled to the brim with options and luxury, but with only 3 bedrooms and no room to grow they wonder how on earth the home will hold the 10 children the man promised the woman when they married.  They move on to the next house, now very late for their previous appointment.

They walk into a 2-story home with open spaces and room to grow.  The woman marvels at the incredible closet and storage space throughout the home.  They smile over the raised counter-tops perfect for the tall man.  They imagined BBQ's under their covered patio and a small vegetable garden on the side of their house.   They thank the sweet lady for showing them around.

Finally, they arrive to their previously scheduled appointment, very late - with much apologies, while visions of closet space and covered patios danced through their heads.

They loved the 2-story house.  They hardly needed to even voice the words to each other.  It seemed to fit, they wanted this to be the home for their 10 kids and the dog the man so badly wishes he had.

They made lists of things they need and requests they had.  They studied every detail of their soon to be home, went to their local church and drove the exact mileage to and from their favorite places.  {28.8 miles from Shannon and Dan.}  The drove by the house morning, noon and night.  They stood at the front door and watched the neighbors, looking back this may have been a little insane. Finally, they presented a list of wishes to the builder. Back and forth they went until everyone was happy.

That, my friends, could only mean one thing...

THIS:

PLUS this:

PLUS this:

EQUALS: 

Our first HOUSE!

We are beyond excited for this big new adventure in our lives.  TECHNICALLY, it's not ours quite yet. We aren't scheduled to close until the end of May since we made above mentioned list asked for some changes to be made inside.  But keeping my big mouth shut was getting WAY too hard.  I mean you should see the closets in this place!!  I could literally live in the hall closet - let alone the master.  My storage prayers have been answered.   Ben's dream of outside BBQ's will come true. I should mention that we do not truly plan on producing 10 children as my age, and patience, would hardly allow for that. Nor can I promise that we will stay in this home forever.  But it's perfect for now, and for growing, and I am crossing my fingers that the end of May comes without any hiccups.   

Wish us lots of luck, luck, luck!

Iowonian adventures

I am in Iowa for a few days working with some clients.  In case you haven't yet been to this great state I would like to give you a taste of what you find when you make the trip.

Space

I drove for an hour and a half from the airport to the hotel.  This is pretty much all I saw.

HARDEES



Do you remember this place?? One mushroom swiss burger please... j/k I didn't stop.  My sis in law, Maureen, used to take Nate, Ashley and I to Hardees every Thursday night after Classic Skating.  Ah the sweet bliss of childhood.  Now it just looks like a knock off Carl's Jr.  Did they merge?

Tractors driving down the road

This must come with the territory when you have so much space.  I should add that this was a 50mph road.

3 ALARM Hot Tamales

Found at the 24 hour Walmart.  Included in the pack are hot, hotter and hottest hot tamales.  I ate about 5 and my stomach is in complete knots.  HOT HOT HOT - 3 alarm gets less than 3 stars.



Sending love from the midwest!

Channeling Steven Tyler

We both love ruffle shirts, loud music and we are equally hilarious... what else do Steven Tyler and I have in common?

Oh, I don't know... maybe FEATHERS in our hair?  

I know, I know, I am not that original.  A lot of people already have them.  I wish I had longer hair so I could have them long in the bottom.  I tried to get them to blend as much as I could as to not tamper with my professional appearance. I may or may not look like I am in high school, but I'll tell you what... I can wash, curl, blow dry and style my new little feathers and I love them almost as much as I love candy. 

Rock on little feather extensions, Rock on.

Jump on it

We are children, and not just at heart.  Take eight adults, a building full of trampolines, dodge-balls and a jumping pit and you will get sheer madness.  Watch out kids, we might be bigger than you - but when a flurry of childhood trampoline games come rushing from our memories we don't hold back, we will push, jump and dodge-ball you right out of our way.  Everything is free game when trampolines are involved.

I told you - I will handstand anytime, anywhere.

Ben is laying some serious smackdown with the dodge-ball.  He was also crazy fearless flipping into the foam pit.  Some of us weren't as fearless... I won't name names.

Check out Deneal's awesome delt and triceps.  I am impressed.

Amanda was being a bit of a peeping Tom trying to check on the dodgeball game in the next pit over.  Tim was also very serious about flipping into the foam pit.  Why are tall people so fearless?  Don't they run a greater risk of smacking their tall heads?

The guys were super into the dodgeball game.  The girls kept getting attacked by flying balls as soon as they stepped on the court.  Needless to say, the girls decided jumping without the dodgeball game was more fun.  

I am officially ninja chopping Shannon in the blurry picture.  This is a warning to anyone who thinks they may mess with me.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Three Tangent Tuesday

I LOVE TUESDAYS!!
It's time for T.T.T.  It's a new tradition. Just list 3 random things. Look, everyone is doing it. You should too.

1.  I always feel bad in the mornings when Ben is up at 5am to go to work.  I am the complete opposite of a morning person and I lie blissfully asleep dreaming of sugarplum fairies as he is showering and dressing for the day.  When he comes to say goodbye I try with all my might to act very awake as if to say, "Sweetheart, don't feel bad you're already up, LOOK I am awake too."  But, I know he can see right through me.  Especially because most my talking is done with my eyes still closed.  Such a good hardworking man, I think it's in the blood.

2. Tuesday night is movie night! Five dollar movies at the local theater.  We go to a movie just about every Tuesday and I love it! We always sneak our favorite snacks and sometimes even drinks into the show. However, I do get a little embarrassed when the unmistakable pop of a Diet Coke can happens during opening credits so I have tried to limit my movie beverage intake to water. As Billy would say, we are "hillbillies". But - if I have to pretend I am pregnant to get snacks into a movie, then so be it! :)

(NO- this is not an announcement, except the kind that announces we are addicted to candy)

3.  Tuesday is downtown Portland Anthropologie markdown day!!  I love to peruse the downtown store looking for "fresh cuts" and items I can't live without.  Plus, my awesome in-laws gave my an Anthropologie GIFT CARD for Christmas and I have been itching to find something perfect to purchase with it.  You know how it is with gift cards, you want to find the perfect item so you can say for years to come, "Remember when you gave me this awesome ________!"  I might be crazy... but gift cards are serious business and the perfect item might just be waiting for me today! :)

{Plus do they not have the CUTEST gift cards ever?? I mean seriously!}

Now it's your turn - Three Tangent Tuesday!  On your blog {or if you don't have a blog then put it on facebook, or in my comments, or email it} just tell us three things about you, three things that are going on or just three things you have been dying to get off your chest!  Come on, it's tradition.

A jumping we will go

Well our good friend Tim recently had a birthday.  Deneal, Tim's wife, told me MONTHS ago that she was going to take Tim for a surprise birthday bungee jump since he had never been before.  She suggested I bring Ben, but the worrier in me thought -  "yeah, I don't know that I should fling my new husband off the side of a bridge..."  {If you remember - Deneal, Shannon, Dan and I went bungee jumping over 1 year ago to commemorate mine and Deneal's birthday here and it was AMAZING} so as the days grew closer the excitement of jumping of a bridge grew and I thought this was something I certainly didn't want to miss.  Ben was on board from the beginning.  I would ask every day, "Are you SURE you want to go??" "Are you making this decision all on your own??", he assured me he was - rain or shine, sickness and health he was jumping off that bridge.  Well alright!

Saturday morning the sky poured rain and Ben coughed, sniffled and sneezed -having contracted my latest cold - and I asked one more time, "Are you SURE you want to go?" his answer was most assuredly, yes.  I packed a backpack of our warmest clothes and the entire medicine cabinet and some snacks for the hour drive and we were off to meet our friends.

When we got there the skies had cleared and Deneal, Tim and Travis were already suited up and ready to go.  So Ben, Billy, Cameron and I suited up, weighed in and signed our life into their hands.  We were ready to go!

Walking onto this bridge is a weird feeling - as you look down 500 feet to the ground below {which is a river that was very full this time as opposed to the rock/creek floor from last year}a little bit of panic sets in as you think, "seriously I am jumping into that?" and then there is an eerie calming feeling as you look at the giant bungees attached to the steel frame of the bridge promising to hold 9,000 pounds and think, "it's all in good fun!".

Tim, the birthday boy, was the first to go - it was kind of like he listened to the instructions, climbed over the platform and jumped. There was no thought at all, which is the best way to do it!  

Ben was next. I am not sure who was more nervous, me or him. Probably me. I asked him to repeat all the instructions back to me and then to the jump master.  I know, I am insane, but I can't take any chances here!

 

He suited up and... well, see for yourself....

And then for the second jump, backwards. 

And he is back, safe and sound - I can breathe again!

If you are wondering why we are all wearing helmets, it is not to save our lives.  Travis had this really cool helmet cam that recorded our faces as we fell.  Seeing your face react to the fall is the icing on top of this lovely bungee cake.

Next was Billy. The boys were all so funny - you see, Deneal and I were the only ones who had done this before.  They all knew that and admitted later that even though they were terrified they knew there was no turning back because you can't let a couple of girls be more brave than you! So, they all did what any brave man would do, they jumped right off that bridge. 

Billy 

Travis

Next, Deneal. She was tad nervous the second go round, but after a good pep talk she did what any sane person would do, she turned around and jumped.

Then Cam, who after Deneal's pep talk wasn't sure this jump was as easy as everyone had made it look.

And lastly, me.  This is the problem about bungee jumping being short, you have to use different ropes and get stuck going last.... 

Closing my eyes as I stand on the platform, 3...2...1...

Now, I just have to share the most scariest thing ever about this whole experience... For me, the worst part about bungee jumping is climbing over the railing and standing on the platform.  In my opinion so many things could go wrong in those moments that I want to pee my pants just thinking about that railing.  When you get to the bottom of the jump and stop bouncing around the jump masters send you down a carabiner to attach to your harness and hoist you up.  Now we are wearing this big helmet {see the above picture of me, my head is huge!} so when they send down the carabiner I can't see around the huge thing and attach it to what I THINK is the right harness.  As they are pulling me up I immediately feel like someone is picking me up by a backpack and think, "HOLY CRAP, I attached it to the wrong one!!" As I get to the top, I tell the girl that I am attached by the top, not the bottom, harness in my best trying-to-cover-the-sheer-panic voice.  She says, "Oh." and gets me to mentioned above terrible platform.  At this point she is trying to get the carabiner unattached from the harness so I can crawl back over the death railing, but SHE CAN'T GET IT UNATTACHED.  Every time she tries to get me loose instead it  hoists me up a little more! I really don't need to explain this... but my legs are very SHORT, so I am BARELY touching said death platform. Now, I realize that I am still attached to bungees and should I fall the likelihood of me being just fine are very good.  But here I am, done with my jump thinking, "This is not okay, NOW I am going to die??!"  So I rip the helmet off, because the inability for me to see is NOT helping. Finally, the other jump master comes over and very easily let's me down.  Problem adverted... but as I hung there tippy toeing the platform and thinking off all the ways this could go wrong, I almost swore off bungee jumping. Almost.

Here we are all safe and sound and feeling like we can pretty much do anything now!  Bring it on world!

Skiing across the country...

Or Cross Country Skiing - cause we would have NEVER made it across the country.  Last week Ben and I took a day off work and were looking for something to do.  He and I both agree - if you take a day off work, you can't just waste it lazily.  We were in Utah to visit my family for a couple days, since we won't be able to spend the holidays with them, and had originally planned on going snowshoeing.  We were hoping we would be able to rent boots since neither of us own a good snow shoeing pair.  Well - we couldn't find a place that wanted to rent them too us and late Thursday night we weren't sure what Friday would hold.  My mom had an idea that maybe Rick and Peggy, {their friends across the street} had snowshoes and boots.  She gave them a call and after Peggy had a big laugh picturing her and Rick on snowshoes and wondering what my mom planned to do with them she said, "Well we do have cross country skis.  Amber and Ben can use those!"

And use them we did!  Neither Ben or I had been cross country skiing before so we knew this would be quite the adventure.  We searched for a resort who had open trails, apparently they all open later in December, and finally found one in Park City {which we both decided later was really a blessing to get us above the yucky inversion}.  Plus the scenery was beautiful, so we suited up and were ready to go!

I was having quite the trouble getting my boot attached to my ski.  Finally, got it!

 Ben showing off his ski and balancing skills.

 We started with a 5k trail.  I was thinking.... "3 miles, I got this in the bag.  I could run this all day!"  Well cross country skiing is a lot like running on skiis, let Ben demonstrate... {you'll have to tilt your head, I can't get it to turn!}

 That's how it should be done.  But, you have these little poles here because what you don't know is that you can tip over at any second!  Let me demonstrate...

I honestly fell more than 15 times! I had to laugh because just when you thought you had it you would be on the ground face first the snow and not quite sure what happened.

 This was the best fall ever!  My legs were so tangled Ben had to come unhook one of my skis so I could move.  I thought falling was hilarious, I never expected to be fabulous at this from the get-go.

 Ben on the other had was quite annoyed that some instability was ruining his track record of being amazing at  everything.  I had to catch at least one picture of a little topple from my sweet husband.  He no where near caught up to my 15 awesome falls though.

We had a blast - falling and all.  Ben is not sure he wants to take this on as a hobby seeing as the best part of it was when we were flying down hills.  And let me tell you, getting to the top of those hills was no easy task.  My original thought that the 5k was going to be a piece of cake was just a tad off, but a good workout it certainly was!  I would love to go again!