Viral Video Film School: Animal Vs. Machine

If you had a bad day, or week or month, watch this video and all will be forgotten. And if you've been having a wonderful go of it, let this be the cherry on top.

Life, Friends, Trees, and my Holiday Eye

As usual I have lots of catching up to do. Much has happened in a month! We'll start with the bad news, my Grandma Rose became pretty sick and basically bedridden in November so I went to visit her the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was really hard to see her in bed like that, but it made her passing (the day after I left Spokane) much easier. Its comforting to know she isn't suffering anymore.

Erik and I had planned on driving to Jenny and Ben's house in Kamiah, Idaho for Thanksgiving, but those plans changed when everything was up in the air with Grandma. My parents ended up having Thanksgiving at their house and were able to have my Uncle, Aunt, and two cousins from New York attend as well (because they were in Spokane for my Grandma's funeral).

Erik and I decided to have Thanksgiving here, which turned out to be great! Dinner was at Todd's apartment with Sarah, Sobo, little Sobo (Eric), Kim, Jen, Dorian, and of course Todd. It was a delicious meal and a very good time.

The gang eating a Thanksgiving feast

Eric looks disgusted by Todd's turkey basting, Sobo approves

mmmmm......

The weekend after Thanksgiving I flew back to Spokane for my Grandma's funeral on Monday. It was nice to see relatives I don't see often and to say goodbye to Grandma. Thanks to Uncle Duane for planning almost everything!

Last weekend Erik made me a delicous surf and turf birthday dinner. What a good husband :) Saturday we drove waaaay out past Estacada and cut down a Christmas tree in the forest. It was really fun doing it the old fashioned way and of course the dogs had a blast running around.

to the trees!

Captain found some frost to eat

couldn't get a good picture because he wouldn't stay still!

pretty pup girl

I will defeat the tree!

Erik actually did the sawing

victory!

The tree looks creepy wrapped in a sheet
on top of the car, but we didn't want to
scratch the paint!

Saturday night was our work Christmas party at our boss's house. It was really fun and the homemade lasagna was delicous! As was the fancy wine that I drank too much of. Sunday Erik drove up to Seattle to meet up with David and go to the Seahawks/Partriots football game. They both had a great time and I enjoyed having a lazy Sunday.

Unfortunately the weekend ended badly when I woke up Monday morning with PINK EYE! I went to the doctor ASAP and got eye drops, but today (Tuesday) it is actually worse, redder and more swollen. Hopefully tomorrow that trend will reverse. I am trying to have a good outlook by referring to it as my "holiday eye" (green and red), however its not making it any better.

oooogly booogly!

I just can't leave you with that horrible image as the last thing you see, so I'll post some Christmas decorations around the house. Enjoy!

The top foot of the tree is crooked,
so the star looks pretty silly

my baby reindeer from long long ago

Kitchen adventures

Last weekend was a good one, but of course not long enough. I can't believe it is already Sunday afternoon, again! I say that every Sunday. But lets get back to last weekend....

It occurred to me that I do something pretty much every weekend and never really talk about it. Saturday morning I like to go through my cook book and pick things out to make over the weekend. Its usually baked goods, but I do cook as well.

Last weekend I decided to make homemade noodles and subsequent chicken noodle soup. It was a lot of fun and turned out delicious! And what goes better with soup than biscuits? Pretty much nothing, so I made some of those too.

chosen recipes

My equipment

I like aprons

Kitchy Pup - always in the way

Noodles drying

Mmmm biscuits via toaster oven

the fruits of my labor

mmmmmm.....

Honeymoon and Pumpkins

Ok before I get too far behind, I've decided to skip wedding pictures until I get the ones Tom took (since those will be the most professional). And then I can pick the best ones to put up! Until then, I will put up some from the honeymoon and this weekend.

Two weeks after the wedding we left for our honeymoon in Maui, Hawaii. The flights weren't too bad, we were so excited nothing could bother us. We got up REALLY early to leave Oct 4th and were back on the 11th.

Maui was an amazing place. Our hotel was about a block from the beach and not far at all from fun little shops, tasty restaurants (varying in price and quality), and countless other beaches were just a short drive away.

It took us a while to get used to the idea that although the ocean LOOKS cold, its actually really warm! We swam and snorkeled every day, saw three sea turtles, tons of fish, and really crazy coral. We also made the drive to Hana, which is an event in and of itself. Lets just say I'm really glad Erik drove because that is the scariest road I've ever been on. It was well worth it though because we got to see an amazing waterfall after an awesome hike, and swim in the Seven Sacred Pools.

It was an amazing and memorable honeymoon to say the least!

Seven Sacred Pools

Obviously an amazing tree

400' waterfall

A bamboo forest!

Sunset

The splashing waves weren't really working for me

Much better for Erik

View from our balcony

And just to be totally updated, I'll rehash this weekend. Friday was Todd's birthday so we went to the Cheesecake Factory (delicious as usual). It was actually a joint birthday celebration since Jen's was on Monday. Happy Birthday, Jen and Todd!

Yesterday Kim came over and the three of us went to get pumpkins. It was pretty fun, except for the fact that the pumpkin "patch" was actually a pumpkin lot. I wanted to rip a pumpkin off the vine, but this is as close as we got.

We got home and Kim and I made delicous ginger cooks, Erik made dinner, and later we had mulled apple cider with whiskey. It was very tasty and left Kim and I very red faced. After that we met up with Sarah and Sobo at Todd's house and we all played Apples to Apples. That was quite entertaining and an all around good time.

Today Erik and I had a nice relaxing day around the house and took the dogs to the arboretum. There were TONS of people there, but the place is so huge it wasn't crowded. The trees were beautiful and the weather was perfect. A great weekend!

Corn maze

We made it out of the hay maze!

No, Kim is not actually that short

hay ride

Beautiful leaf at the arboretum