One Shining Moment. . .

Quick post, but did anyone else watch "One Shining Moment" after the championship game on Monday? I found it kind of funny that the only clips of KU playing showed Arthur and Collins--both freshman and neither really integral players in the tournament. Funny. So it's farewell to another season--though we did end up #5 in the polls at the end of it all. Next year. . .we're Joe Lumbardi's pick to be the top #1 seed in the tourney. Please let it be true :)

In mourning. . .

So, last night officially ended our season, and I am continually amazed at how attached to KU basketball I get. The game was really sad for me, not because we lost, but because we shouldn't have. I feel like I'm a teacher or parent who's child/student is exceptionally talented, and after being with them throughout their journey, having to watch them fall down. Sad. Seriously, I really believe that our team is a better team than the UCLA team that they played last night. We have better defense, talent, and quickness. But, instead of being flexible and working around their defensive play, we just ran right into them like a stupid lab rat in a maze hitting the wall and handed them the ball. We worked so hard defensively on every possession to steal the ball, but then we didn't convert. . .making less than half of their layups? They truly started to give up that ballgame about 1 minute before halftime and never recovered. I don't mind losing if it is a hard fought battle where the other team is just better, but losing when we have the potential to win and head on to the final four is tough to take.

Now we begin to look at next year. Brandon Rush, although you played well in the tournament, you are NOT ready to jump to the NBA. Let this year be about Oden/Durant and don't make the mistake that McRoberts from Duke is by jumping early. Instead of sitting on the bench for a year in the NBA, work hard over the summer, gel more as a team, and help bring home our first national championship in 20 years. Next year is the year to do it. After that Self is really going to have to rebuild from the ground up with all of the players graduating and leaving for the pros. To all of "my boys", congratulations on a fantastic season. Big 12 conference and tournament champs, you have worked really hard. When you click on the court, you are AMAZING and very fun to watch. We're all bound to have our bad days. Store this one away and, like last year, use it as fuel to push further next season. . .all the way to the top!!! You have every reason to be proud of your accomplishments, and you will always be #1 in my book! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!

Work and wedding planning and skiing. . .oh my!

It's been a hectic last few weeks. Work is really busy right now, the class I'm taking this semester is a lot more involved than I thought it was going to be (I mean, really, a 10 page paper for an online physical therapy course? --- I'm a science major, not a history major!) , wedding planning is continuing, and it just feels like the "to do" list gets longer and longer.

Wedding stuff is coming along, though. Raoul and I did our invitations this weekend and my mom booked our DJ, so I think all the big stuff is done. I honestly think this planning thing is overrated, and I'm beginning to dream of why we didn't just do a wedding/bbq in the backyard. It's getting closer all the time, and it will sure be nice for Raoul not to have to leave all the time. . .oh to live in the same town.

Raoul and I did go skiing a couple of weekends ago. He was very patient with my less than stellar performance, and went on green runs with me all day. I'm hoping I'm about ready for a blue, but I'm still not confident in my ability to stop, and then there's that fear of hitting a tree. Considering buying a helmet. . .

We watched the KU vs. Texas A&M game on Saturday. A loss that is acceptable in that they are a ranked team (and a good one too) but not acceptable in that it was at home, they were ahead the entire game, and it was college gameday. Did anyone else's jaw drop to the floor when Digger Phelps said that KU has the potential to contend for the national title? I'm pretty sure that guy has never said a nice thing about KU ever. . . maybe he got caught up in the magic of the Phog :) This week is KSU (who just beat Texas) and Missouri (at Columbia) both games where they'll really have to buckle down a play ball---and both of which will not be televised on the west coast :(

President's Day weekend is fast approaching, and Jaimee, Adrienne and I are ready to hit the slopes in Nelson, B.C. We're staying in a cute little hostel there and scored a good deal on lift tickets (yippee for the Canadian dollar!), so we're way excited for a fun girls weekend. Other than that I think that's my life in a nutshell. Now I'm just awaiting the groundhog's prediction. . .

The Post Entitled: Rock Chalk Jayhawk, or Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow, or Why is it so Cold???

After a very busy week back in the midwest, Raoul and I are back out west and starting to get back into the groove of our normal routine. I had the chance to spend some really good time with my family, visit Raoul's parents' new house in Tulsa, and get A LOT of wedding planning done. In Hutch, my Uncle and his family drove in from western KS with my grandma to have a post-Christmas gathering with my central KS side of the family. I hadn't seen some of them in over a year, so it was good to visit for a day. Raoul and I spent New Year's Eve with my sis and her fiance playing Cranium and catching up with some old friends of the family. New Years Day Raoul and I drove to Wichita to meet up with Trina for lunch and re-do our Target registry (they apparently lost our info after our first attempt to set it up in November). Then it was on to Tulsa for a couple of days. In true Mattson fashion, we took some time to relax, enjoyed some great food, and Pam and I got into some Sudoku puzzles. I am very thankful, also, that the case of Washington wines I brought home with me on the plane made it safe and sound, so everyone was able to enjoy them in one piece! After Tulsa, we were back up to KC for the rest of the trip. My sister and I spent a day doing some retail therapy--something I no longer take for granted! Then was the day of mayhem. . . In just 7 short hours, we had our engagement pictures taken, picked out the tuxes, met the reception site coordinator, stopped by the church, met with the florist, met with the cake baker, and finally stopped off at the caterer to get a contract started. I honestly can't remember a more productive day that I have ever had. That night we met up with Frank and Scorbin and got to meet her fiance as well. It's always good to see friends when we get a chance, and maybe sometime when we don't have so much to do we'll be able to relax a little more rather than just put it onto our schedules for that trip. The next morning we dropped Raoul off at the airport and then did wedding dress shopping for my sister. That ended the third of three exhausting days, so I was glad for a break to sleep in a bit on Sunday morning before flying back.

Since coming back we've still had pretty big loads at work, except when the snow came (hence one of the titles of this post). Starting early on Wednesday morning we received a blanket of snow and ice (rare for the valley) that has continued to accumulate over the last couple of days. Thank goodness we learned how to drive in these types of conditions, because there are a lot of people out here who haven't. It's so pretty to look around and see the snow, and the roads are pretty clear, so we haven't had any problems getting around. While most people here hate the snow, I just don't feel like it's really winter until we've had a good round of it, so I'm now content. The snow is staying around because IT IS COLD! Now I know the midwest has had ice storms, so I'm not trying to start an argument about where is colder, but IT IS COLD! So could in fact that Raoul and I were unable to go skiing yesterday. We figured skiing in 10-15 degree weather probably wouldn't be much fun :( I work next weekend, so hopefully the weather will get better because I really need to practice before our President's Day getaway to go skiing in Canada.

Finally, the Jayhawks. Their performance on Wednesday against OSU? AMAZING! Their performance on Saturday against ISU? What the heck? I swear, I'm about ready to recommend sending the team to a psychiatrist because I'm pretty sure they are bipolar or have some sort of multiple personality disorder. When they really play, they look like they could beat anyone. When they don't, I wonder if the local high school team could give them a good run. It really does come down to which team decides to show up to the game. I am glad to start seeing a lot of turn-over in the top 25 though. It's good to keep everyone on their toes. Plus UNC lost so that doesn't hurt my feelings. There has been mixed feelings out here though. . .Gonzaga is really starting to struggle, but WSU has played some fantastic games and was ranked 22nd this week. I love college basketball!!!

That's pretty much the update. I'm just trying to get things cleaned up around the apartment and staying on top of the wedding stuff. Hope you all are having a happy New Year!

I do exist!

So, I know it's been forever since I last posted. Things have been crazy for the last month with the holidays and work, but it's Christmas so I'm taking a moment to reflect on the chaos and pass on another update.

Thanksgiving was busy, but I was able to come home to see my family. Paul came too, making it our first real holiday together. I was supposed to join his family in Tulsa on Thanksgiving Day and then on to my family the following day, but the airlines thought otherwise. The plane we boarded had an instrument broken that tells whether the nose of the plane is pointing up, down, or straight ahead--a pretty important part. So, they were delaying my flight 3 hours to fly in a new part from Atlanta (yes, I said Atlanta). I did manage with some finangling to get a different flight out and arrive in KC 2 hours before my delayed flight would arrive. My plan was to change planes in KC and then head to Tulsa, but even with my new flight plan, I could not make that connecting flight. So, after a day of stress and negotiating, Raoul and his sis and bro-in-law came up to KC with Thanksgiving leftovers at my sister's apartment. The next day we left early for Hutchinson and then came back to KC to look for bridesmaid's dresses and show my mom "the dress". After a thumbs up on the dress and finding one that the girls liked for them, Raoul's family and my family met up for dinner. Then it was back to WA the next day. A whirlwind with a few kinks, but worth it to see my family and get the dress stuff done.

The following weekend I went to Spokane with Jaimee and Adrienne to find "the dress". We found it in the perfect size, color, and length, so I bought it right off of the rack. They gave me a discount, so I ordered this really great veil to match. Now the shoe hunt begins!

Since then I have been really busy with work--end of the year surgeries are really starting to pile up. I played piano for the kid's Christmas program at church, so that took time for practices and the performances. I also got to play two duets with another woman at church on Christmas Eve--hurray for getting my piano at home! Raoul and I picked up with our pastor again on our pre-marriage counseling. We had a discussion on conflict and how we handle it. The whole discussion was really encouraging. I guess after being together for four years we've been able to learn a lot about each other, and I am really glad we waited to get married as long as we have. We've had some invaluable time and experiences to be better prepared for meshing our lives together. On top of those obligations Christmas things had to get done. I mailed some of the packages (the rest of you will get them when I get back home!), sent out our save-the-dates/Christmas letters, did my Christmas baking, and got things lined up for my trip home.

Raoul and I did discover a new winery in Clarkston that is doing really well for their first wines. I also found a red wine that I didn't find too dry as well--so maybe they'll convert me from white to red afterall! I really am facinated by the whole wine making process, and found a wine course at the local community college that might be interesting to look into.

So, Christmas finally came. I worked this weekend, so tons of really great friends invited me to spend Christmas/Christmas Eve with them--and I took a few of them up on it. Last night I went to a couple from church's house and spent time with their family, including participating in a theatrical reinactment of the Christmas story directed by their 8 year old grandson. This morning I worked and then went to my pastor and his family's house for lunch and a few games of cards. Then it was off to have Christmas dinner with my boss and his family. Overall, considering I didn't get to see Raoul or my family, it was a fun Christmas. I've been really blessed with wonderful friends who care about me!

Now I'm rearing up to head back to KC on Sat. Tons of packing, laundry, etc. to do. But, then I get to see my family and Raoul's family! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! Merry Christmas!

Gilmore Girls Episode 6 & etc.

So, the reason it's taken me so long to post about Gilmore Girls Episode 6 is that honestly, I really didn't think much of the show. It seemed like an hour passed with more not quite as witty dialogue and no plot development. So, I honestly have no comment, but feel free to comment if you thought differently.

Things here have continued to be crazy. A week ago Raoul and I went to Seattle to see Matt and Emily and their new place. It was fun to see friends again and their house is really awesome! Raoul and I also started to attack our wedding registry. We figured we'd need to start since the pass (through the mountains on the way to Seattle) will be pretty bad until next spring and it would be hard to get back over there again until then. All in all, it went OK and we got a good start with our kitchen stuff.

Last week I got sick, so I spent two days home from work trying to get rid of a nagging head cold/losing my voice. I'm still trying to get rid of the sniffles, but at least I'm well enough to get back to work--being gone makes it really hard on everyone because things have picked up so much. Work continues to be really busy with no slow-down in site. So, we're just hoping we'll find another physical therapist who would love to move out here and work with us.

I had a good birthday, thanks to all of you for your e-mails/flowers/phone calls. 26. . .so I've entered my "late" twenties I think. Trina's glad I've caught up with her, but she'll be a year ahead again in February :) . I'm still playing with my ipod, and have downloaded a lot of awesome stuff to tide me over during my endless travels over the next couple of months. I'm looking forward to seeing my family next week--Thanksgiving is almost here! Then, I have a course to attend in San Francisco the following weekend, so I'll be off again 4 days after I get back. I'll be here for the Christmas holiday working, but I'm planning a trip back to Kansas the first week of January, so hopefully I'll be able to catch up with everyone then. . .and do some much needed wedding planning!

Picked up the new Keith Urban and Sugarland albums this weekend. I love the new Sugarland album, but am not so sure about the Keith Urban one yet. It's kind of sounding a bit overproduced, less country, than his previous works. And, I don't really know if that's a good thing. I just hope that Nicole K. isn't changing his music style. . .that would make me cry :( Any other country fans out there have any thoughts?

Gilmore Girls Episode 5

So, it's time again for a Gilmore Girls update. I must admit that I think this was my favorite episode so far this season. Here's why--I am a fan of Loreli and Christopher, so I love the fact that they got into a fight and resolved it like mature adults (with their own flare of course). Loreli's right, Christopher can't just send Gigi over to Sherri--he really can't trust her based on a single letter. He was mature enough to think over what Loreli said, and Loreli wants to support him in this decision. What a breath of fresh air to have Loreli's guy want to involve her in his child's life!

The Emily DUI storyline was absolute genious. She is the character that we all love to hate, yet somewhere inside of her she has a soft center--making her even more lovable.

Logan really hooked me in during this episode. It was really sweet of him to suprise Rory on his business trip. It's also really great to see him becoming more responsible, enjoying his job, but still not becoming a fuddy duddy like his dad. I'm getting a big red flag, though. The whole Bobbie thing is going to cause some problems. Rory is obviously jealous, and I'm afraid that she is going to do something really stupid and ruin the great thing that her relationship with Logan has become. I truly believe that he is genuinely in love with her and wouldn't do anything to jeapardize that. Rory, though, I think is not as trusting. . .

As for me, things continue kicking along. I got a fabulous early birthday present this weekend from Raoul--a pink Ipod nano! I'm uploading all of my CDs into Itunes as we speak, so I can actually have some variety to listen to during my workouts. We had a retreat for work this weekend and got a lot of things discussed and learned some new things to help out with treating people more effectively in the clinic. We have an exciting weekend coming up with a visit to Seattle to see Matt & Emily and get started on our wedding registry! Look for another update after we return.

Gilmore Girls Episodes 3 & 4

So, things have been extremely hectic lately, so I haven't had the chance to post updates. I have been keeping up with GG though. The 3rd episode didn't really do much for me. I felt like much didn't really happen, although the writing did seem to get a little bit better. So, I am one of those few who thinks that Christopher and Loreli should end up together, but episode 4 is making me a little wary. Chris is a great guy and is treating Loreli like a princess, but the way they are writing the relationship is a little weird. It just feels perfect, yet disconnected, like I can see them having the two of them split in a few episodes. Plus, everyone is acting all paranoid about him being the rebound guy. Understand the worry behind getting too serious too soon, but why does everyone treat Loreli like a little kid? I'd really love to see her come into her own and not need someone else to tell her what to do. Anyways, I don't have much to comment about it, just waiting to see what happens.

I have been keeping up with Project Runway, so the big finale was last night. It was kind of disapointing that Jeffrey won. Throughout the show I have been a fan of Michael Knight, but honestly in the runway show I thought his collection was kind of trashy. Uli's collection, however, really impressed me. I really think she should have won the competition just based on the runway show. Any other Runway fans out there who have thoughts?

Things here are still really busy. We lost our PTA last week, which has its good and bad points. Good because she wasn't a good fit with the rest of us and bad because we're stuck short-handed again. Volleyball is going OK, but it's kind of tough because my team has a tough time taking the game seriously. I mean, I'm all about having fun, but I really like to play well and win occasionally. . .that's definitely not happening. Plus, since we can't get a pass up, there's no chance of setting it up for a spike, which is my favorite part of the game.

On a good note, though, I went to Spokane next weekend and found "the dress". It took trips to 6 stores to finally find a store with a helpful service staff and a gorgeous dress. So, now the quest is to find it in KC to present to my mom before ordering it back here. So keep your fingers crossed so we can find it.

That's about it. . .feel free to comment away!

Gilmore Girls: Episode Two

So, it's Gilmore night again, and I must say that tonight was better than last week. The banter was better, much better actually, but there still seems to be something missing. And what was up with the repeated references to Gwenyth Paltrow?

First, new stuff that popped up on the show. Lane is pregnant! Crazy, especially since that's how her mom had her (getting pregnant after having sex on her wedding night). I think it will make a really good story line with Lane really growing up. She will be a great mom! The big question, though, is what will happen to Hep Alien?

Then, Kirk's makeshift diner. So, usually Kirk just makes me go "what the heck?" but tonight he actually made me angry. What is he thinking setting up a diner in front of Luke's? And, he was downright rude to Luke, which was uncalled for. Will he actually sue Luke--he really must be crazy!

Another uncalled for item: Luke hunting down and punching Christopher. What in the world makes him think that's OK? Now I understand that he's upset and I'm not justifying Loreli's choice to sleep with Christopher, but she did break off the engagement. He no longer has the right to be upset about what she does with her life. End of story. And really, I understand he's upset, but he was really the first one to make the move away from getting married when he put April out of their lives, and put her in front of Loreli. Then, was Loreli basically just makes it final, gives him the choice, he stumbles. Her decision then is that she's had enough--and I really don't blame her. It doesn't matter if we think he should get a second chance, she made that decision, and I think people need to respect that. Instead, Luke turns around and acts like a two year old because he's too insecure to admit he's hurting over the break-up. That's really making me not like him much right now. At the end of the show he begins to redeem himself, but I think he's right. They just weren't right for each other, even though it did seem like it when they first started dating. Other parts of their lives got in the way.

My prediction? Loreli and Christopher will begin a relationship after he tells her that he's really serious about her and loves her. Part of the reason I think they haven't gotten together before now is because they have needed to grow up, and go through some things to bring them to where they are now. One reason that I think Loreli was so excited about Luke was that he was so far removed from her parents and their way of life. She has lived her life so determined to not be like them, that it has influenced a lot of her life decisions. Now I think she's kind of afraid of being with Christopher because he is kind of a part of that life, though he's not at all like her parents. She needs to come to accept that she doesn't have to be a polar opposite of her parents' way of life to establish herself as an individual. This whole idea has begun to be explored by the Logan/Rory storyline, that entering into that world of wealth does not necessarily mean that you have to become a superficial stuck-up snob. Not that Logan didn't have his own childish spoiled rich kid ways, but I think he's beginning to grow up as well. Also, I know that Rory is upset about him purchasing a ticket for her to visit at Christmas, but after thinking about it, that means that he's committed to remaining faithful to her for the long haul. And, maybe he'll pop the question in Europe? Hey, maybe the show will end with a double wedding? :)

Thoughts?

Gilmore Girls: Episode One

So, I watched the season premiere of Gilmore Girls on Tuesday night, and I'm not sure how I feel about it so far. There were times when I wasn't sure if things felt weird because of the writing (since the writer is no longer with the show) or if I was just paranoid because the writer is no longer with the show. I noticed it especially in the arm wrestling scene with Sookie and Michel. Was it over the top because of the characters or just because that scene was badly written? The whole mood of the show was kind of slow and painful too, but again, that could be because of the strained situations Loreli and Rory are dealing with in the episode.

Personally, it was really painful to sit through the whole show going "Luke and Loreli need to talk. I don't care if they get back together or not, but they need to talk". The silence between them was deafening. Then there's the whole Rory/Logan thing. The rocket gift/reference to the Twilight Zone was cool, but just when you think things are going well and maybe you could actually get used to the idea of them as a couple he makes plans not to see her until Christmas. Grrrr. . . I kind of think that the Luke and Loreli thing is over, though. And, I have a feeling that she'll be with Christopher at the end of this season, kind of a happy family kind of ending. After what Luke put her through with April and keeping Loreli out of that relationship, he really does deserve what he gets. I mean, Loreli can't play the desperate character forever (though from the previews for next week it looks like she will take that position yet again). With Rory? I have no idea! As always, though, Taylor continues to annoy me, Kirk continues to make me wonder what planet he came from, and Paris continues to be as socially incompetant as ever.

So, fellow Gilmore fans, any thoughts?

Yeah for Rain!

So, after months of dry weather and fires, it has finally rained. In fact, it's rained for almost 3 days straight now. I just love the crisp air after a good rain. . .I do miss thunderstorms, though. They don't have them here like they do in Kansas. So, let the rain continue. . .

I had a busy work weekend last weekend, so I am definitely looking forward to two days off this weekend. Things have been hectic all around, but somehow we always seem to get things done. I attribute most of it to teamwork--my co-workers rock! I turned in my first case study for my class last week and heard back from my instructor yesterday. She wants to use my paper as a discussion for everyone taking this course--and she gave me 100%. Yippee! It's really hard to commit to doing this class in the midst of all of my work stuff, but it helps to have that kind of encouragement along the way.

Jaimee and I road bikes for about 10 miles tonight. Now, Quijote makes me look like a novice (it took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to do it), but it was fun to shake things up a bit instead of just walking or going to the gym. Volleyball starts next week! We practiced a bit last weekend, and boy am I rusty! My timing is way off--hopefully it will come back. Otherwise "Da Wall" will become "Da girl who can't get there in time".

Since work has been so crazy recently, I decided to treat myself to something I've been eyeing for awhile now. On Sunday I bought a 37" flatscreen LCD TV. It is absolutely beautiful! The funny thing is that I explain to everyone here that I needed a bigger TV so that I could watch KU basketball games without sitting 2" from the screen. They all seem to think I'm crazy, but ask any fellow Kansan and the first thing they say when I tell them I bought a new TV is "that will be awesome for watching basketball on". Somethings these northwesterners will never quite understand. That's OK though. The beauty of Kansas basketball is that it is absolutely insanely awesome--our fans have every right to obsess as much as they do about "our boys". I mean, I am not crazy for watching recruiting stuff all summer and anxiously awaiting "Late Night" in October for the season to begin, right?

Things I miss about Kansas: basketball, BBQ, open night skies, Panera, my family, Denim and Diamonds, Trina, my friends--can't wait for my visit home over Thanksgiving!

Missing Seattle already. . .

So, as you've probably already read from Raoul's post, we returned from Seattle safe and sound. It was an absolute blast! Definitely a fun time with Trina and Karen. . .needed to hang out with them for a few days. They keep me laughing, sane, and having fun--we truly are the dynamic trio (phrase coined by Karen). We did a lot of "Seattle stuff"--the science center, experience music project, space needle, walked along the piers, pike's market. . .and we can't forget several stops for coffee. We also did some dress shopping and found some that are definitely up there on the list. The final decision will be made the weekend after Thanksgiving when my mom will meet up with us in Kansas City. I also exposed Karen to Ikea, and now I think she knows why I rave about it so much. Too bad that my entertainment center wasn't in stock when I went to get it on Monday, nor has it been back in stock since. Maybe someday I'll be able to get it and finish setting up my living room!

Work continues at a frenzied pace. Lots of people to see and it seems like less and less time to do it. There are several circluating rumors about the hospital on the Idaho side of the valley, doctors becoming unhappy with them, staff being laid off because there isn't enough work to do. . .and all of that seems to be flooding us over on the Washington side. Good for our business, difficult at times for us to maintain our sanity. Weekends are becoming less a 3-4 hour task and more often a full days work--this is bad for trying to plan anything outside of work, but good for bringing in more cash. I'm working next weekend, so that should help out with the seemingly endless plane tickets I'm purchasing.

Volleyball starts in a couple of weeks, so we're trying to find more players to fill out our team. I can't wait to get back onto the court again! I'm also keeping busy trying to organize the leftover piles of stuff that have accumulated in my office and bedroom. I hung up a few things on the walls, trying to get rid of the endless cream-colored expanse.

If I could have just one wish right now, I would wish away all of this horrible smoke! The fires around here continue to burn, and with the exception of Seattle, I haven't seen the clear sky in about a month. It makes it difficult to breath, and then Jaimee and I can't go walking outside. Also, several of my patients have had more problems, which can complicate their already present illnesses. What we need is rain, and lots of it!

Raoul and I start teaching high school sunday school tomorrow. . .should prove to be interesting. Other than that, things just keep ticking along. Looking forward to summer being over and fall weather setting in, checking out a high school football game or two, and finishing up my duplex.

Seattle here we come!

So, as you can tell from the title of my post, I'm excited about this weekend's trip to Seattle. My sister and Trina are flying in to spend time in a fantastic city! We're going to do all the "Seattle" stuff, Trina has requested repeated trips to Starbucks, and on Sunday we'll be doing some dress shopping. Hopefully, at some point I'll find a new entertainment center to replace my broken one. . .yeah for Ikea!

So, for an update since my last post. I've slowly been continuing my quest to organize my duplex. Slowly is the operative word here. I did clear a path in my office to the futon so Raoul doesn't have to use his Steeplechasing skills to sleep on Saturday nights. It's all about injury prevention. We did go to Macy's and pick out some Fiestaware. We did 4 sets in three different colors: cobalt, sunflower, and scarlet. I know, you're probably all thinking "why didn't you just wait to register for them?" Well, Macy's had a huge sale and were selling them for "buy one get one free". It was too good of a deal to pass up, so I splurged a bit. I'm really going through this nesting thing. . .putting together a decent home has suddenly become this huge drive, thus the curtains, dishes, etc. Next on the list? Entertainment Center. End tables for the living room.

Last Saturday Jaimee and I went to Spokane for the day. We hit all the good spots, including Target, and I introduced her to the wonder that is Sonic. We also stopped by David's Bridal and I tried on a couple of things. It's really weird, you know. I'm not exactly a frilly girl. I wear pants and polos all week and usually just casual skirts to church. I pretty much happy in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Putting on a fancy dress is fun, but just feels odd. Hopefully I'll break into it a bit more after this upcoming weekend.

Raoul and I are continuing wedding planning stuff. It's definitely not easy 2,000 miles away. We have contacted a few photographers and gotten some information on caterers, but I feel like there's so much to be done. I just remember friends planning weddings in college and it being this really elaborate ordeal. Being in the working world, there just isn't time for that. I'm trying to live by "keep it simple, stupid". Good advice, huh?

Also, look for us to come out with a CD of our favorite tunes. As we've been looking for wedding music, we've realized that a lot of our favs are either depressing, about a break-up, or basically just wedding-incompatable lyrics. So, this CD will contain everything that won't work for a wedding. . .should be an interesting compilation!

My Newly Dressed Windows and my New Apartment!

So after weeks of attempting to get things together, I finally have some of the pieces in place. My first triumph is dressing my windows!

Here's the blinds for my bedroom. . .



And the vertical blinds on my sliding door. . .



Finally the curtains are hung on my living room window. . .



And here are some pictures of my duplex. . .



Along the side of the duplex. . .



The backyard. . .



My living room. . .



My dining room. . .



My kitchen. . .



My bathroom. . .



Hallway to the bedrooms. . .



My office. . .



So the rest of the place is pretty messy still, so I won't post pictures of the rest of my office and my bedroom yet. But, this will let you have a quick look at my new place. Hopefully in a few weeks things will be in better shape.

Quick Update!

I'm just posting a quick update (at the urging of an impatient future sis-in-law :) ) with a more in-depth post to come in a few days. Things at work have been crazy busy, so I haven't had much time to even think during the day. I've been kicking the exercise thing into high gear--Jaime and I have made a pact to stay after work for 30 min. M-Th and alternate between arms and legs for strength training and then doing abs each day. This adds in to the 3-4 times a week we either take our 5 mile walk or I do 60 min. of cardio at the gym. Now, if I can only stick to it!

Had an exciting evening with Benji winning So You Think You Can Dance. I really did like all four finalists. . .and as cheesy as it sounds I wish the tour was coming close by so I could see them. They really are fantastic at what they do. Now I'm addicted to Project Runway. . .there will always be more reality TV! Raoul and I watched track on TV last weekend and found out that the 2008 Olympic Trials are in Eugene, OR. We're definitely going to try to get tickets to go! I mean, really, 2 days of amazing athletes competing in one of my favorite sports. . .awesome!

The duplex is slowly coming along. They're installing new carpet in as I'm typing this so I'll finally be able to get all of my furniture back into where it goes. Then the organizing can begin. We also hung blinds this weekend, so we only have the new curtain rod/curtains to go. That will be done this weekend after Raoul and I check out the Lentil Festival in Pullman. Keep checking for more details on that experience. . .it should be interesting.

One final thing, for those who haven't checked Raoul's blog, the wedding date is set. June 9, 2007 at Danforth Chapel in Lawrence, KS. More details to follow as I find time to try to keep planning.

An Entertaining Weekend in Spokane

So, this week has been pretty crazy. Busy, lack of sleep, and clutter all around from not yet unpacking everything. I did finally get ahold of my landloards who have decided to get the carpet cleaned so that Raoul doesn't die of an allergy attack. Knowing that we'd be spending a lot of time on Sunday moving everything out of my living room and dining room into the garage, we decided to have a fun day in Spokane on Saturday.

One of my primary goals was to take a look at some window treatments so I could ditch the horrible drapes (that incidently are pretty much laden with cat hair) that are currently in my living room window and on the sliding glass door. I've never bought drapes before, but I knew I'd be investing some money. . .not that I wanted to spend much since I don't plan on staying in this duplex forever. Anyways, I digress. After stopping off at Sonic for lunch (yippee!) we headed to JC Penney's to check out there drapes. We found the perfect fabric to match my pillows, but because my window is gigantic, they would have to be custom made. The salesperson calls is sticker-shock, I call it highway robbery--$2,500 to dress my window and sliding glass door. I DO NOT think so. So blinds, she says, are a less expensive option. Again having to be custom made because of the size of the window--now I'm looking at $350 for the window alone. Again, I DO NOT think so. Determined to find a cheaper avenue, we headed to Target. And, I again found matching drapes (a difficult thing because of the deep red color of my pillows). This time each panel was only $40. A little more than I'd like, but much more do-able. Problem, the rod I have in place will not work with these drapes. Problem solved. . .I ditch the curtain rod I have along with the curtains and start from scratch. I found a cool curtain rod that matches the feel I want for the room. . .and then another problem. I'm going to need 4 panels to cover that window--$160 for drapes. But we can make this work for cheaper, right? So I buy two panels and the rod. Then it's off to Linen's and Things and World Market to buy sheers to go behind the curtains, leaving it open in the middle so I can have more light in the room anyways, and it will still look good. $20 x 4 panels for sheers? This window is getting very expensive! So I find these shears at World Market for $12 a panel which is definitely more manageable. Then, I remember that you can't put two different curtains on the same rod. But, by this time I am dead tired and sick of shopping for window treatments. I'll pick up a simple rod for the sheers at Wal-Mart this week.

After this exhausting experience, I've decided that I'm going to get vertical blinds for the screen door--a much cheaper $60 from Home Depot. I also need to get new blinds for my bedroom window because the ones I have now don't exactly shut all the way. Definitely a trip to Home Depot this week.

After abandoning window shopping, Raoul and I looked at flatware at Pottery Barn and then went to dinner at Olive Garden (yippee!) where I had a really good glass of Riesling--nice and smooth without too much bite to go well with dinner. Then Raoul and I took a little tram-ride to see Spokane falls. A pretty sight, but nothing compared to our trip to Multnomah falls this May. On our way to the tram we stumbled upon Spocannabis. Yes, that's right, a festival with a bunch of hippies trying to get marijuana legalized. Odd thing, though, the band that played was hardcore screaming stuff--not exactly hippy grooving tunes. I'm sure that Raoul will recreate this experience for you more vividly, so check out his blog. We also stumbled upon tropical snow in Spokane!!!! Yeah!!!! I miss Tad's a ton, and I don't know who runs this thing, but it's the same stuff----and it's awesome!!! Yummy sugary goodness.

So, an exciting and exhausting day. Sunday we pretty much took a 2 hour nap after church and then spent the afternoon emptying out my apartment. . .and getting rid of those dreadful curtains!!! They are now banished to the garage where they will stay for all eternity, or at least until I move out. We saw Taladaga Nights tonight. It's a really funny flick, definitely a recommended movie when you feel like watching something pointless and funny. It's a whole lot 'o redneck crammed into 2 hours of laughs. So, check it out, and tell me what you think. Also any advice on how to do this window shopping stuff without spending an entire paycheck?

I Feel All Grown Up Now!!!

A quick aside before I start the real reason for this post. I just got up from sleeping 11 hours straight, and oh my gosh is that amazing! I don't need it all the time, but about once a month, man is it great!

Anyways, back to the subject at hand. So I have officially been working for an entire year now. There's something about being able to say "I've been here a year" that sounds so much more impressive than "I've been here 10 months". It's a huge milestone, like I finally feel like I have some credibility and that I'm not still "in training". When I really sat down to start thinking about it, I realized that I have completely provided for myself--everything I've needed or wanted--for an entire year. Although I have always been very appreciative of all of the help my parents have given me over the years, there is just something about being able to say that I can take care of myself. I've officially become a productive part of society and financially self sufficient! That makes me a real grown-up!

So, as my second year of employment begins, I am to have an evaluation with my boss regarding my work performance, and I am eager to see where I'm on the right track and where I need to get things together a little more. One thing I definitely want to do is to do more independent research to keep up with journal articles/new techniques, etc. This first year has mostly been just trying to keep my head on straight (and I think I need some more post-it notes!) and I haven't done much other than be a sponge and soak up stuff that the other guys already know. I'm on a quest to become an independent sponge so that I can squeeze out some things of my own for them to learn. All about becoming a team player.

My assessment on adulthood? Some things are not as much fun. . .less vacation time, bills, etc. Some things are much cooler though. . .being able to afford quick weekend getaways, having real furniture, keeping a steady paycheck! I think I'm content to stay where I am at for awhile. . .afterall there is no going back now!

Moving. . .

As the rest of the country has felt the heatwave, the LC valley is no exception. It has been between 95 and 110 for over a week now. And, of course, when it is that hot I decide that it is a good time to move all of my stuff to a new apartment. The new place is great, with the main exception being that the previous owner had a cat, and the cat left behind a not so great odor. I've tried several things with only marginal success, so now it's on to talking to my landloards about the need to replace the carpet in about half of my apartment. Aside from that, I love my garage, I have a ton more room, and central air is a definite blessing. For the sake of Raoul and his allergic reaction to cats, though, I should definitely get the cat thing taken care of. We got most of my stuff moved last weekend, all of the furniture and my clothes, dishes, etc. My electronic stuff came over mid-week when my cable was turned on here, and all I have left is odds and ends like coats (which you don't really think about when it's 110) and storage stuff. Hopefully next weekend I'll have some down time to get the apartment clean and turn over the keys so I can be done with the old place!

This weekend after working a 7 hour day on Saturday, we had the pleasure of having Matt and Emily come in from Seattle. . .though they may have wished that they had stayed there after they got a taste of the heat here. We had dinner at the Sangria grill (yummy!) and went to see "Lady in the Water" while indulging in frozen junior mints. The movie was really fantastic. . .probably my favorite M. Night movie behind "Signs". And, contrary to the trailers, the movie is not scary. In fact, it is really sweet and a wonderful story. Today at church we officially became members, and then we took Matt and Emily to the pizzeria where they know us by name. We took in the "Idaho Sucks" video at the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center, and then went out to the Nez Perce visitor's center. Unexpectedly, a park ranger was giving a talk on how to throw an atlal. And, after some instruction, we were able to try it out for ourselves. Congrats to Matt who was the only one of the four of us who hit the cardboard woolly mammoth! Then Raoul took them back up to Pullman so they could head back up to the coast. It was a quick weekend, but a fun time to catch up with friends.

That leaves me an afternoon/evening of some relaxation. I might catch up on some laundry so I have clothes for the next week, and I need to pick up another load of stuff at the apartment because Jaime's coming over tonight to experience DDR for the first time. I have a feeling an obsession with be born and we'll have another mode of exercise besides walking the bridges. Then to face another week of work and try to get this place in some semblence of order. More to come when I finish the move and hopefully some pictures of the new place too!

I'm Engaged!

OK, so I know that most of you who read my blog already know this fact, but the unanswered question from most of you is "how did he do it?" So here goes. . .

My sister, her boyfriend, and I were driving back up to the KC area after a day in Hutchinson with my family. They were supposed to drop me off in Lawrence with Raoul who was helping Paco pack up his apartment. I called him once we got there and gave the phone to my sis for directions to his location. She said he wanted to meet us at the Union. . .and then proceeded to drive around in circles all over campus (passing the Union several times in the process) because she "hadn't seen campus in awhile". Definitely suspect. Then we ended up in front of the CC house and Paco showed up behind us in his car. He brought up a card for me and a packet for my sister. The card said that Raoul had set up a scavenger hunt for me. At each location, Paco would give me a card with a memory written on it from some special time that Raoul and I had shared at that place. My sister would also give me a question with the answer each time being the next location. I took this trip down memory lane and ended up at the Campanile. From there I walked down to the bench where 4 years ago Raoul and I agreed not to date for a year (do you all remember this? and remember how that promise lasted all of about 2 months?).

Raoul was down at the bench and said I needed to sit down because he had something special for me. He handed me a plastic bag and told me to open my eyes. Now for all of you who know him pretty well, you know that Raoul has a habit of giving people gifts in the bag that they came in from the store. So, this part of the proposal made me chuckle a bit. I looked in the bag and saw a Nintendo DS light with Tetris, the Brain game, and Nintendog (complete with a virtual pembroke welsh corgi). Definitely cool, but not exactly what I was expecting. Then he told me he had something else for me. He reached in his pocket and kind of went down on one knee to bring out. . . the Nintendo DS itself--since he and Poco, and others had been playing it for the last 2 days. He then told me that he knew I wanted something else but that he wasn't quite ready for it. . .and wanted to know if that was OK--to which I replied "well, not really, but I guess it will have to be". Then he said "good, because I'm ready now". Then he got down on one knee and pulled out a gorgeous white gold with a 1.5 carat diamond ring and asked me to marry him. And, of course I said yes! My sister and Poco were present to capture the whole thing on camera, so it was a very special time for us that we will always remember.

So, that's the whole story. No plans on a date yet, still trying to figure out a location first. Regardless of location, we will be planning a casual reception in Washington/Idaho and another back home for our friends in addition to the wedding, so hopefully we'll get to see everybody at some point. I'll keep everyone posted as things come together.

Congrats to Bugsy and Bobo!

Well, we have all officially made it through the wedding in one piece. . .and I must say that it was a fantastic experience. I loved the smallness (is that a word?) because it allowed all of us to really spend some time together and not just run around going crazy making sure everything was in place. The bride was beautiful. . .gorgeous actually. . .and both of them kept things really light and fun--no stress or tension here! Overall, a very fun, relaxing, and special weekend that I feel blessed to have taken part in.

Massachusetts. . .what a crazy state! I've never seen so many trees in my life, and I live near the mountains! Driving there was quite a trick, since they seem to have omitted several important street signs and you cannot see around you because of the trees so it's easy to lose your sense of direction. We did have beautiful weather, though, and even got to spend a few hours at the beach. Our hosts were fantastic and made our experience as minimally confusing as possible. A neat place to visit, but I guess I just love my scenery and wide-open spaces too much!

After much craziness at several airports. . .with a big thank you to the guy who got us on the plane to Providence at MCI even though we almost missed it thanks to not receiving an update on our flight changes. . .and a long drive from KC, I'm finally here at my parent's house for about 24 hours before heading back up to KC. Since the US Senior Open is going on right now, we're pretty much caged in to our neighborhood, but Grandma and Grandpa are coming over for dinner tonight. I also got to see my cousin briefly before she left on a flight to see my uncle's side of the family. . .think driving to the airport at 4:30 am this morning. I promptly came back home to sleep after that!

That's a quick update on our trip so far. Plans to go to the Royal's game on Saturday and meet up with some of my classmates in KC on Saturday. A busy trip, but did I mention that I love being paid to have fun? Yippee for vacation time!