are you three triplets?

Favorite line of salesmen, but also asked by many other people over the years who did not want our money. I guess I can see the resemblance... :)

i'll take the corner office with the view, please

God's country, aka Colorado Springs. This is the view of the Rockies from our audit room here. The weather has been gorgeous and sunny, and we've reached temperatures of a balmy 55 degrees. Simply lovely.

pot pie sunday

Happy birthday. Merry Christmas. You need to buy your own flight home for the holidays.

That was the deal made so I could get my very own sewing machine. The beautiful Bernina Activa 230 Patchwork Edition showed up awhile ago, and this weekend I finally made my first project. I stayed up 'til 3am making the apron pictured below. There are now two things I'm willing to stay up that late for: sewing, and making out, of course.
The power was out at church today so we ended early after a cold, dark Sacrament Meeting. Break the Fast was also cancelled, so we decided to make dinner at Diana's.

Jon and Patrick, looking good in their aprons, and copying my pose. Cute, guys.

Sheri always goes for the fresh fruits and veggies.

Tracee came late, and contributed to the dinner-making mostly with comic relief and interesting science facts.

Diana checking on our pie. I can't remember the last time I had chicken pot pie. Good idea, Di. We made it completely from scratch too!

Despite some apparent struggles with the crust, I think the leaf-shaped cut-outs give it a little something extra, don't you think? It was delicious, and packed full of nutritious vegetables.

We missed Matt (not pictured), who ended up getting called into work for some emergency financial analysis. Seriously though.

is this a joke?

I have a head cold, and after a stop by Jamba Juice for a Coldbuster smoothie for dinner, I was planning to go straight to bed. Like, seriously, I want to be under the covers by 6pm.

Unfortunately, this beast was waiting for me in my in my bedroom:

It's drying my carpet and pad, which is helpful, but does it have to be so loud in the process? And it smells bad. And, I want to know how much electricity it's wasting, and how much it's going to cost. A note from maintenance said it needs to run until at last tomorrow. I am not pleased.

welcome home

So Saturday night after arriving home in Portland, my roommate warns me not to drink the tap water. Apparently there's an E. coli scare for the water in the west side of Portland. Lovely.

Luckily it only lasted a couple days as avoiding tap water is a huge pain. I still brushed my teeth with tap water during the scare, though. I figured if brushing with tap water in Vietnam and China (oops) didn't make me sick, it certainly wouldn't in Portland either.
Just before going to bed the night I got home, my room smelled all mildewy. I washed the towels and bath mats and cleaned my bathroom in case that was the problem. Then I noticed that if I stepped on my carpet in one area, a huge wet spot would appear. Gross. After discussion with maintenance, apparently water is leaking through the retaining wall and into my bedroom. Thank heavens I rent and this does not have to be my problem (other than the smell, avoiding stepping in the growing wet spot, and hoping I am not breathing in poisonous mold spores). Good luck with that, guys.

congratulations, you're our 100th customer

This is my one hundredth post. For such a special occasion, I will simply give a Thanksgiving shout-out for the top two things I am grateful for.

Number one: I am grateful for an amazing family!
Number two: I am grateful for fantastic friends! (Some, not all, pictured here.)
If I had to pick a third place something I am grateful for, it would be silliness or headlocks or awkward moments or some other thing symbolized by this photo.

what keeps me company on the weekends

How many weekends have ended like this for you? Evidence on our wrists of an attempt at doing something fun and out of the ordinary (several failed attempts, in fact) yet still with piles of candy on the floor, indicative of renting a movie to watch at home. Luckily, I have amazing girlfriends, and although MY ENTIRE LIFE IS ONE BIG GIRLS' WEEKEND, I never really get sick of the time we spend together.

This coming Saturday, my sister and I are going to the LDS temple for the first time. I am really excited to go and express my commitment to and my love for God.

As I am not currently spending money on a mission or a wedding (when many women traditionally choose to go to the temple) I decided a new dress was in order for the occasion. Naturally. Thank you Anthro for this beauty:

rite of passage

Last week I worked my very first late night techincally the next morning. There's something so unsettling about leaving the office and knowing you have to be back there in less than eight hours. It's kind of awesome that I never had a night that late in my whole first year. I seriously doubt it will be my last.

While I was really tired, and didn't have time for much else than work, I felt really great at the end of it. Working hard on something and accomplishing it feels so satisfying. As long as I don't have to work that hard every week. :)

yes, this is my real life

So last Friday at work, someone from the client told us there was a cake in the basement in the employee kitchen and we were welcome to have some. So I drag my coworkers down to get some cake and we see it's a birthday cake with three people's names on it, and no one has cut it yet. So we trudge back upstairs with no cake. I was so unhappy.

We later mention something to the same person at the client and he tells us it's totally OK to just cut it. I don't need anymore encouragement than that, so I drag one of my coworkers back downstairs with me. (Disclaimer: he is really not the kind of person you should be taking social cues from.) After all, it was like 3:30pm, and they were clearly not getting around to it.

This is a picture of us cutting the cake that does not have our names on it because it is not our birthday month and we do not work there.

We are back in the audit room, enjoying our cake, when we hear the ladies outside the room say, "Let's go down and do the birthdays now." Panic. Total panic. The entire office is now heading downstairs for a birthday celebration, and when they open the cake box they will see there are two pieces missing.

I tried to convince myself they wouldn't know it was me as I licked the blue frosting that used to be someone's name off my fork, but it was no use. They would know, they had to know. Then the VP walks by and says, "I was going to see if you wanted to come down and have some cake, but I see you've already got some." Someone please just kill me now and end this misery. No one else said anything to us after the fact, but I'm sure they were judging us.

So here are my questions for you, my friends:

1) Have you ever been that desperate for a piece of cake or treat of some kind?

2) When is the last time you behaved that badly?

august: osage county

So the other week I went to see this play because my friend Megan was sick and couldn't use her ticket. I went with Diana and Rachel, and they both hated it. But I didn't, and I've been thinking about why that is ever since. The play followed a dysfunctional family as they gather during the father's brief disappearance and then suicide. The entire play is about the family fighting. The entire thing.

I think the first thing I liked about the play was the quality of the acting. The actors were so passionate and it was electrifying to watch. I don't think I would have felt more uncomfortable if I had actually been in the room watching a real family fight than I did sitting in the audience.

I often like dark movies and books. I find it inspirational to see people be happy in their imperfect lives, much more so than story lines where everything wraps up perfectly. Fairy tales can be a fun escape from reality, but I don't believe in happily ever after endings real life. This play, however, was not one of those stories. Every character ended up alone and miserable, and the writer of the play did not hand us a take away lesson.

I don't know if there's ever been such an unhappy family, although I know there are some very dysfunctional families in the world. Between the yelling, hurt feelings, abandonment, depression, marital problems, addictions, affairs, incest, child molestation, lying and cheating, there was some element of tragedy everyone could relate to. Unless of course you have a perfect family and don't know anyone who struggles in life, and then I am very happy for you that that is your situation. I kept wondering what it is that makes some families rise above these problems (or even avoid them in the first place) and why other families fall apart. I know the gospel of Jesus Christ helps my family, and I would imagine the same principles of love, mercy, and forgiveness are in place in all happy families.

There was one scene in particular where a young girl was sitting on the stairs listening to her separated parents fight. I started to cry real tears as I was overwhelmed with how hard and heart breaking life can be. It was kind of cathartic to watch the play. And kind of exhausting. I remember convincing my family to see a pretty dark movie over the holidays one year. My mom hates dark movies, and I think she is still a little upset about that one Christmas. :) So I know plenty of people hate dark stories with unhappy endings. But I simply don't. I find human nature fascinating, even in desperate situations. And at the very least, the take-away is, be nice or you will die alone.

What do you think of unhappy movies/books/plays? Do you love them or hate them? Or maybe some of each? Do you have rules for what makes it go one way or the other?

happy halloween

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.

stay-cation birthday week day three

I find birthdays are a great time to reflect as you measure the distance travelled in the last year.

Last night as I chatted with an old friend, she mentioned trying to calculate how many times she has wished me a happy birthday. We met in the 4th grade. I immediately started to tear up as I thought back over the years of our friendship, and of my many other friendships. I have really amazing friends, more than I can count, and more than I deserve. The phone calls, e-mails, text messages, and facebook wall posts today served as a reminder of how loved and blessed I am. I wouldn't trade any of the people I have met or the experiences we have shared for anything in the world, not for some really expensive shoes, a raise, or even a boyfriend (none of which are currently pending)! I could not be happier with where I have come in the past year since moving to Portland, and I look forward to more discovery, adventure and growth in the coming year(s).

Now, to keep this from getting too serious, because I like to keep things light, I will share a line from a birthday card I received from Kristine and Kristen tonight: "Love your amazing ability to keep it classy, keep it inappropriate, and keep it real, all at the same time!" Best. Compliment. Ever.

Well I am 25 today. Let's have a toast! For my cupcake tasting party, we had 5 different kinds of cupcakes. 3 from bakeries and 2 homemade, big thanks to Di and Meg for staying up late on a work night to meet my demands.

On the day's menu:

• Dark chocolate cupcake and chocolate frosting from a Sprinkles mix (made by Diana)
• White chocolate raspberry cupcakes from the Cupcakes Galore cookbook (made by Megan)
• Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and vanilla bean filling from Cupcake Jones
• Pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting from Saint Cupcake
• White cupcakes with chocolate ganache from Helen Bernhard bakery

You're so jealous. Unless of course you were there, then you're a little bit sick. :)
Making a wish and trying to extinguish the very spread out candles in one breath.
Laughing after my very sad attempt at blowing them out in one try. Don't worry though, I still have every intention of getting everything I wished for in the next year!
Beautiful birthday flowers from RZ. I really made out in the gift department, but I will blog about that tomorrow because I am sleepy. Must have been that afternoon nap that really tired me out... xoxo