opening night

Blazers 96, Rockets 87.

Grant, Casey, Me, Megan. Big thanks to Meg for hooking us up with her Moss discount.

Sporting our new (free) baseball hats.

Holy. Hell.

have you ever seen a cider press?

This weekend Diana planned a cider-making and home-cooked dinner night at her parents' cute house down in Corvallis. It was such a great idea and we all had a good time. When do you ever get the chance to make cider?

Don't these apples look beautiful? I think the water droplets look quite artistic. :) There is no end to the fabulous produce available to Oregon residents.
Some of the apples we actually picked from Diana's parents' yard, and the rest her dad bought from an orchard.
The cider we made was so delicious. Also, I wore my plaid shirt which was perfect for a fall-themed activity in the country! Megan and I have some in our fridge, but if you come over we probably won't offer any to you.
Christina, Jon, and I were in charge of transferring the finished cider into containers. We got a little sticky in the process, and by the end of the night I think everyone was a little sticky. Jon could really uncomfortably explain to you other ways to get kind of sticky.
Jessie and Di posing with the cider press. It's really such a cool toy, and at the top of the list of things I want if I ever end up living in the country. Although, I guess you could plant apple trees in your backyard even in the suburbs, right?
I like walking through nature with Christina because every time I see some plant life I like, she can tell me exactly what it is. Every. Single. Time. This Euonymus alatus could very well have been the burning bush Moses saw in the bible.

All in all, another successful weekend!

sister sister

Kirstin came for a visit and we had such a fun weekend. All my pictures, though, come from our Friday night adventure.

Waiting in line outside the warehouse at the north Portland ship yards on Swan Island. They were not very well organized and took FOREVER to get us all in. I seriously thought we were missing the show, we waited so long. But don't worry, I was really patient about it. Ask anyone there. :)
Diana, me, and Kirst inside. Jon, Christina, and her friend shuffled over to another area to stand, and ended up getting seats in the second row. Total score for them.
The show featured three Portland designers and two Seattle designers and I thought it was all quite fabulous. Every time I am exposed to an event like this I feel a twinge of regret that I chose not to study fashion merchandising and went for accounting. But then Monday morning rolls around, and I realize 1) I am employed, 2) I have enough money to go shopping, and 3) I really enjoy my job, and my regrets fade away.
We then went to Andina for dinner and it was as delightful as I'd remembered. Nuevo Latino Peruvian food-- so delicious. And, we had dinner reservations at 10:30pm, which I thought was quite posh of us. Of course I failed to get a picture of the whole group. Next time maybe. I wish my life were this glamorous every weekend!

Note> You may have looked at these pictures and thought, "Gosh, that's really some unflattering light from the flash." But actually, I am that pale, and my skin does glow in the dark.

just indulge me for a minute

Today I want to blog about some of my closest girlfriends because I have been feeling especially grateful for my friends lately. I have some really amazing friends and have had an opportunity to develop close friendships during the past six years since moving out of my parents’ house. My friends have really served as my family at times (and still do). Sometimes many things in my life seem to be going well, and at other times nothing does. But I have never had a period of time since middle school (gosh, those were some awful years) that I felt like I didn’t have a really great group of friends I could depend on. Today’s post features my best girlfriends from BYU, and I will do another installment at a later date to capture Portland.

Lindsay

She gets to go first, because she inspired me to do this with a post on her blog. I have never once felt the need to make an excuse for my behavior or opinions or who I am to Lindsay, and this is really rare for me. (And I understand that sometimes I should apologize for those things out of pure human decency, but it’s still nice that I have never had to for Lindsay.) When I was younger I developed a strong desire to be more outgoing, more confident, and to like myself more. Lindsay has been someone I can watch to see how those things are done. Lindsay has been my friend for a long time, and making a toast at her wedding was one of the funnest things I have ever done. She and I make a scene everywhere we go and can be so silly, but I also have really deep, insightful conversations with Lindsay. Often on gmail chat. Rather than choose a favorite memory of Lindsay (impossible) I will mention one she didn’t bring up: singing like men at youth conference and then tailgating in the parking lot once it became too much to handle being inside.

Whitney

She is more service-oriented and upbeat than anyone I know. I can remember a few times being surprised to learn that Whitney was stressed out, because she is so positive about life you would never know something was bothering her. Whitney is better at keeping in touch than any other friend I have, and I admire her ability to care about and keep track of so many people at once. I admire Whitney’s dedication in maintaining her spiritual and physical health. There aren’t many times when I’ve been as excited as the time I received an invitation to be one of Whitney’s bridesmaids in the mail. It was such a beautiful, classy card (as was the wedding that followed) and such an honor. Whitney and I have co-hosted many parties and events, and she is a fabulous hostess. One time when I felt really stressed about a party I was throwing Whitney dropped everything she was doing and came over to help bake, clean, decorate, and plant wheat grass. She was there for hours helping me, even though she wasn’t involved in the event at all. I will also always remember that time I was in class and couldn’t get to the free hot dogs on campus so she got me one and delivered it to me during the class!

Megan

I could actually bear my testimony of the freshman dorm assignments at BYU and how they couldn’t be random. But that seems a little inappropriate. People are drawn to Megan because she is so warm and bubbly. She has the most varied group of friends (I feel honored to be in the inner circle—her mom says I am) and such varied interests. I love that Megan is so musical and she has helped me better appreciate music in my life. Megan is so well read, so articulate, and so funny. She is compassionate and full of feeling. We have had some really fun road trips to CA. It’s amazing to see her with a baby (I am still getting used to it) and I cannot think of anyone who better deserves the world’s best baby, whose name is Cal. I will forever treasure the moments we sat on the blue shag carpet in the Shire studying, watching a solid five hours of Law & Order, and eating El Azteca. Oh we have experienced some amazing dating moments at BYU, and even creepily stalked some of them from a dark car parked down the street. Megan is always willing to be real, and I think I love that most about her.

Rachel

Rachel gives good advice, and has been my go-to girl for years. Seriously, the stuff she knows is limitless. Rachel is very good at understanding human nature, and has helped me better understand myself. She is genuinely interested in talking to anyone and always chats with the person in the room no one else is talking to. She behaves beautifully in social settings, and I will spend the rest of my life trying to emulate that. Rachel is all about quality, taste, and class. I could not talk about Rachel without discussing the fun travels we have had. Study abroad in Asia was amazing, as were our trips to Spain, Texas, several to California, and others. Her attitude of “of course we can make that happen” mixed with my attitude of “sure I’ll try that” has made for some wonderful traveling experiences for me. I don’t doubt we have more fabulous adventures ahead. Also, someday I will buckle down and train to run a half marathon (maybe a full too?) and she will be the sole inspiration for that.

Kristen

She and I met our freshmen year (again, those dorm assignments) and our paths continued to cross throughout college (largely in the Tanner building and at those classic Provo parties). After our study abroad to Asia we became more committed to regular interactions and she has become one of my favorite traveling companions in addition to one of my closest friends. Kristen is always having a good time, and I cannot imagine spending even five minutes speaking to her before I am laughing so hard tears come to my eyes. I hang up the phone after our conversations energized and elated. I am kind of intimidated by Kristen’s popularity everywhere she goes (she is just so fun) and by her drive and determination. She is for sure going places in life and I will be forever happy I can tell people I know her. J I will always remember our evening spent at Billy Bob’s, and am so glad I have the garter to remember it by.

Kirstin

Kirstin is my best friend and always has been. We didn’t meet in college (you know, because we shared a womb) but she was certainly a significant part of that experience. I don’t think I ever experienced true loneliness for an extended period of time until she went on study abroad to Spain, and I didn’t have my built-in best friend nearby. Even family vacations were a different experience than they are for most people because I always had a friend along. Although sometimes I’m sure Kirstin wished she weren’t there to play peacemaker between Daniel and me. J Kirstin is the person you want to always be sitting next to because she will have the funniest commentary, but it will all be said under her breath. We’ve been slowly preparing for life apart and were thus roommates for only the first two years of college. Because we have never pictured ourselves 80, living together, with matching outfits and lots of cats. Although, I can tell you I am seriously considering moving to DC in 2011 when she graduates from law school and heads east. There’s something so comforting about someone who has seen you change over the years, and has liked you at every stage. I can remember how desperately we wanted a kitten when we were little (our mom is allergic to cats) and laugh now at how desperately neither of us wants any animals in the house ever. I remember when she made cheer in high school, and even though she had worked so hard and should have been so excited, she couldn’t enjoy even a minute of celebration because she knew how upset I was that I didn’t make it too. We have so many things is common, and so many differences. Don’t ask me to explain how that works. I can (and do) talk to Kirstin about anything and she knows more about me than anyone else. I can admit things to her that I wouldn’t dare tell another soul. I love her so much and don’t even resent her when people repeatedly label her the “good twin” and me the “bad twin” even though I think we’re both equally good and bad. She is just sneakier about it! I could not be more excited for her visit this weekend!

stay-cation birthday week day five

Diana volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House and they needed extra volunteers for their annual gala. Dress up for charity? I'm in! It was the perfect occasion to end my week of fun.

Jessica, me, and Diana helping during the live auction. We had to help collect signatures of the bid winners. Some people have a lot of money to play with.
Diana and I rockin' it in the coat check room. There was a lovely fur I was eyeing and had almost convinced myself to take a picture in it before the woman came to collect it. :)
The whole event looked lovely, and I really liked these centerpieces. The food was delicious too. Some man had bought a table for his company last minute and he was the only person who could make it, so he invited us and some of the other volunteers to join him. I never turn down free prime rib.
In the morning I went to visit Bob's Red Mill. I didn't make it to the factory for a tour, but thoroughly enjoyed the visitors center, restaurant, and store. And I came home with many packages of whole grain goodness-- there will be some healthy and delicious cooking in my kitchen this fall!

stay-cation birthday week day four

This morning I made the drive to the coast for a nice long walk on Cannon Beach. It was delightful. Although typically a fan of lots of color, I can't help but love the Oregon coast, even (especially) on overcast days. The sky is grey, the water is grey, the sand is grey, and the houses are grey. I think it's gorgeous.

I love walks on the beach. And Haystack Rock makes for some of the most beautiful coastline in the world. If I went to Cannon Beach every time and never visited another Oregon coastal town for the rest of my life I wouldn't even care.
Some of you might think this is too many layers for a successful day at the beach, but growing up in Oregon gives you a different expectation for beach trips.
Here are some of my wonderful gifts: flowers, dishes, gift cards, books, earrings, hair clips, and oh yes, a bump it. Which I am planning to wear tomorrow, and many other days. My parents bought me this, and it should be arriving at my apartment sometime next week. I am really excited for it to come, and I am taking suggestions for my first project. And yes, the irony of getting a sewing machine for the birthday that now rounds my age up to 30 rather than down to 20 has been pointed out to me.
Tonight my roommate Megan and I went to the opera. We saw "La Boheme" by Puccini, which originally premiered in 1896. It was fabulous, and I can officially say I am a fan of the opera. Also, I did not know until I got there tonight, that this opera was the inspiration for "Rent," which I saw for the second time earlier this year. The plots are very similar, and it's fun to see the different takes on the same story line. Meg and I were definitely some of the youngest people there, again, not doing myself much of a service in seeming young. :)

P.S. I am not for real having a panic attack about being "old" at 25, but I think 25 does sound much older than any age I've been before. Like, if someone were to ask me if I consider myself an adult, I might say yes now. But then I'd probably have to think of another name for my blog. Hmmm.