Mount Pisgah at 7:30am

Yesterday Cliff and I decided to get up at our normal Monday-Friday wake up time and hike Mount Pisgah.  It was clear.  It was frosty.  It was beautiful.

We got trekking poles for Christmas and have used them twice.  We bought them for backpacking.  We also bought them because I tend to fall a lot so an extra set of legs on the ground could be beneficial.  They are pretty awesome.  I was really frustrated when I used them the first time as my mind couldn't figure out where to put them and I was constantly accidentally dragging them or kicking one.   Seriously.  I got so frustrated that I cried on a trail (really embarrassing but it happened).   Apparently I just needed to chill out and use them on a hike that totally winds me.  My brian kicked right in at 7:30am and worked those pole to help me haul my butt up and down a steep (and at times) frozen hill.  I like them now.

Funny to note, Cliff was like a fish to water with them.  Apparently Cliff had quite a thing for making walking sticks when he was little.  Knowing this I'm not sure why we didn't get them earlier. 

Did I mention that is has been kinda cold here?  It's only been getting up to the 30s the past couple of days. There was a frost on everything.  There was even some snow in the shadier spaces.  With it being so cold it has made me realize how much I want to see snow this year.  I want inches of snow.  I want to be snowed in.  I want to chop wood in snow and drink hot chocolate by the fire.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

We have really lucked out the past two weekend as it has been clear.  In January!  It just goes to show that even in Oregon you can have a little unexpected sun during that long stretch between October - June.

The Holidays in Oregon

First off, happy new year!  I hope that everyone's 2013 is off to a good start.  It is hard to believe that the holidays are over (although Cliff keeps telling me that they aren't over until this upcoming weekend when we take down the tree and decorations).  This was an odd holiday season as this was the first time we were away from the east coast and on our own for Christmas.

Cliff and I did an excellent job of getting into the Christmas spirit.  We went with friends to see holiday lights (see Coos Bay post), we watched holiday movies, ate chocolate, listened to Christmas music, decorated the whole house, and drank egg nog.  We were in good shape until Christmas eve.  We were really homesick and sad.  So we made dinner, chatted with our lovely family, watched "It's A Wonderful Life", and headed for bed.  On Christmas we finished opening presented (we snuck a few ahead of schedule) and packed up to head to Portland to spend the night with Kathy, Jill, and our friend Zoe who flew up from California.  We were actually supposed to go up to Portland before Christmas but postponed the trip as Zoe's flight was cancelled and she came in a few days late.  I'm really glad we changed our plans as spending time with friends helped to make a really nice Christmas.  Kathy, Jill and Zoe made a delicious lunch/dinner (ham, vegetables, bread and cheese, green bean casserole, stuffing, mimosas, and homemade cookies!).  We Skyped with our friends Sam and Steve in Pittsburg.  Afterwards we all went to the movie to see Les Miserables.  The theater was packed.  I love going to the movies on Christmas.  We all really enjoyed the movie and cried a lot...well....I cried a lot.  I get so emotional with musicals.  They are magical to me.  After the movie we opened presents and ate Chinese food.  It was a solid day.

We came back from Portland on Wednesday so that I could work the rest of the week.  Cliff and I were both looking forward to the weekend as REI was having their scratch and dent sale.  We really want to start backpacking but are missing a few essential items and we had Christmas money burning a hole in our pocket.  We got there 2 1/2 hours before the doors opened and we were about the 70th or so folks in line.  It was cold but dry and a friend waited with us so the time went by pretty quickly.  Once inside, Cliff did it.  He found the exact tent we wanted.  The tent sells for about $350 and we got ours for $70 because a non-essential zipper was broken.  Totally excited!  We also got a fuel bottle for our future stove and I got a fuzzy fleece jacket.  We were pretty proud of ourselves.  We put the tent up in the living room quite a few times that night.  Rudy was very confused.  We are now a few steps closer to our first spring backpacking trip.

Last night we went out to dinner with a friend from work and stopped in at our neighbor's for a get together.   The clock struck midnight as Cliff and I were going to bed.  We decided to ring in the new year with sleep.  This morning we got up and Cliff suggested that we climb Spencer Butte.  It has been dry this week (awesome) and the sun was out.  Everyone and their mom, brother, cousin, and dog was at the butte today.  We all wanted to take in the view and the sunshine on the first day of 2013.  There was quite a bit of frost and even some ice on the butte.  I took a photo of some as it was a cool shape. It was clear and we could see the Three Sisters and even up to Mt. Hood.  The whole hike was relaxing and wonderful.

I've failed to mention that Rudy had an awesome Christmas.  He got a new bed, treats, a long and leggy Santa monkey, a Rudolph rope/squeak toy (via Kathy and Jill), and a new tie (via mom).  He has been a happy camper.  He won't leave his new bed and when he does it is to either eat, go to the bathroom, or frolic with his new toys.  You can't see them all, but he is sitting on top of them in this photo.  He likes to snuggle with them.

As for the new year, 2012 was full of transitions for us and for the family.  We are looking forward to 2013 and the new challenges and the opportunities that await.  We don't really do resolutions but Cliff and I have a few hopes for the upcoming year:

• Spend more time outside
• Start backpacking (the goal would be once a month in the dry times)
• Be more active and eat healthier (we both have quite a big sweet tooth)
• Finally get the dog to walk properly on a leash
• Cliff wants to row another marathon before April
• I want to improve my ability to balance work and life

May the new year bring you all lots of love, laughter, prosperity, and happiness!  Bring it on 2013. 

Thrift Store Christmas Decor

As you know, I really enjoy estate sales and thrift store shopping.  From Thanksgiving to Christmas might be my absolute favorite time to hit up the stores as they have their holiday decorations out.  This year I've collected a few new goodies.  

99% of the items cost me $.49- $.99 except for this creepy little cutie.  He set me back $1.99.  In case you can't see it, he is holding a banner that reads Merry Christmas.  He chills with the garden gnomes and greets people on our stoop.   

So I found this little guy two years ago but I still wanted to post about him as I found him in a CHKD thrift store in Virginia.  He is a 1999 Annalee.  He is our version of elf on a shelf.   Favorite.

Stained glass Santa!  He looked really beautiful yesterday as it was sunny for a few hours.

I like to call this decoration "inappropriate snowman" as he looks a little suggestive.  Perfect decoration.

So I apparently really love Annalee holiday dolls as I have two other little ones.  I found these guys at St. Vinnie's in Eugene last year.  One is a Santa mouse and the other mouse is in it's nightgown.  Cliff has the genius idea of putting them on top of the coo coo clock (like hickory dickory dock).  Awesome.  Love it.

You gotta believe.  Maybe I like this sign so much because of my time in Baltimore when the "Believe" campaign was going on but it doesn't matter... I really like this sign.  Believe in Santa!

Speaking of Baltimore I found this awesome ornament in Goodwill.  As a Maryland girl, how could I not buy it?

We even got a new stocking for Rudy (in case you can't see it, it is a dog with a Santa hat on hanging by his tail).  We have to wait to fill it until Christmas as otherwise he would be a pest.

For work I bought a mini Christmas tree, a Hallmark Rodney the reindeer (like the one we had when I was little), and a little alpaca.  We named him Horacio the Holiday Alpaca.  He instantly makes people happy.  Cliff kinda giggles when he sees him as he likes Horacio so much.  He is handmade and awesome.

I love Christmas decorations!

Coos Bay Adventure

This weekend Cliff and I did a few activities to get us into the holiday spirit.

On Friday, we had our Winter Wonderland event at work.  We had photos with Santa, two live reindeer, face painting, a ton of holiday crafts, hot chocolate and sugar cookies at Mrs. Claus' kitchen, snow, violinists playing holiday music, train rides, a gingerbread competition, and a festive sweater contest.  Cliff even volunteered and decorated the top of the bouldering wall to look like a penguin village (think snow, lights, inflatable penguins).  It was adorable and the event was a success.  

Yesterday, we went with my awesome co-worker, her husband, and two kiddos to Shore Acres State Park for holiday lights.  Shore Acres is south on the coast (that's right we got to see a part of the state we hadn't before!) and for the holidays they put up over 300,000 lights.  It was a long day in the car but it was totally worth it as we got to see a few pretty cool things:

1) Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area:  On the way down to Coos Bay there is an elk viewing area.   The area is a year around home to about 100 Roosevelt Elk.   We decided we needed to stop by to see if we could actually see any. Holy cow they were there!  There is a little pit stop area where folks can have a picnic, go to the bathroom, and watch the animals.  They were super close to the road.  I felt like we were back in Yellowstone.  I'm a big fan of elk. 

 

2)  Fun Food:  We ate at the Blue Heron Bistro in Coos Bay.  It is a German/seafood restaurant.  What could be more fun?  At our table we had fried oysters, cod fish and chips, steamed muscles, bratwurst, sauerkraut, stewed red cabbage, German potato salad, and cucumber and cabbage coleslaw.  It was tasty.  The whole restaurant was covered in old Norma Rockwell images.  

After dinner we went to Cranberry Sweets and More as we heard they had tons of free samples.  They literally have a sample for every item they sell.  Every. Item. They.  Sell.  No joke.  They even had free coffee and cider.  It was all decked our for Christmas.  We sampled cranberry and raspberry chocolates,  cookies, candy canes, fudge (Cliff was really brave and tried their neon cheddar cheese fudge) , jelly candies, spicy chocolate and a ton of other things.  It was nuts (but I didn't eat any...haha).  I asked to buy a chocolate covered cherry and they gave me two for free.  Awesome.  I highly recommend the stop for anyone who is going to Coos Bay. 

3) Shore Acres Holiday Lights: So apparently Shore Aces State Park has some of the most amazing scenic cliff and coastline views in Oregon.  With this said, we got to the park once it was dark.  But that is ok as  we could hear the ocean so we knew it was close.  We will need to go back in the summer when it is light, green, and the flowers are in bloom.

Every year for the last 26 years, Shore Acres State Park has decorated with lights.  Each year, more and more lights have been added and now there are over 300,000 lights in the park.  We all got bundled and walked around the gardens.  We enjoyed more cider and cookies and listened to girl scouts singing Christmas carols in the gazebo.  It was pretty great.  

They had little light displays of marine life (whales, seals, crabs, frogs, herons, etc.).  A few of the light displays had actions.  The frogs jumped and croaked.  There were underwater glowing Koi.  They had lights in bushes to create glowing hydrangeas (I love hydrangeas!).  They sold these special 3D looking glasses at their gift shop.  When you looked through them at the lights every bulb turned into a gingerbread man, stocking, and candy cane.  I tried to take a photo of the effect.  See below for the first of my terrible photos.  The one to follow is actually of Cliff and I.  My photos rule.

It is crazy to think that we are just a week out from Christmas.  All of our gifts are in the mail, the tree is up, and we are all set to watch Christmas Vacation or Love Actually tonight.  It is finally starting to feel like Christmas. 

Personal Victory

I started my first fire in the stove yesterday.  I completed the project from start to finish: split kindling, selected logs, started it, and worked the dampers.  This might seem like a small feat for most of you but I didn't use a fireplace growing up.  Also, Cliff has taken on the task since we moved into the cottage.  No worries, as I did it and yesterday.  I told Cliff to stay way and let me do it all on my own.  Personal victory. 

Christmas Parade

This weekend I got to be in a Christmas parade. 

Every year my work helps to sponsor the event and they always enter a float.  When I was first hired I thought that maybe I could sneak my way into the parade.  Well, I lucked out as my coworker and I ended up being responsible for our whole thing.  We came up with the design, did the decorating, and then got to walk the 2.9 mile route yesterday.  How cool is that?

Our float's theme was "we've caught the holiday spirit!".  It involved a magical penguin ice fishing house that was filled with 20 little pre-schoolers with penguin hats on.  The pre-schoolers also made fun watercolored fish to which we glued "holiday spirit" words.  Our words included Joy, Peace, Love, Family, Friends, Hope, Wish, and we even added Rain since we do live in Oregon after all.  The little fishies went on the poles hence "we've caught the holiday spirit!".  I'm biased but I think it was stinkin' cute (that is a fish joke FYI).  Plus, I got to incorporate my super-cute thrift store penguins.  Yard decorates never looked so adorable.

We lucked out as it only rained a little yesterday.  It wasn't super cold and we didn't get soaked.  Plus I managed not to step in any horse poop.  We handed out thousands of pieces of candy and wished many people merry Christmas and happy holidays.  It was a lot of work to put together (heck Cliff even pitched in to staple tinsel icicles to the house) but it was really fun.  I can't wait for next year to do it all again!

November

What happened to November?  The whole month flew by.  Seriously.  Where did it go?  A lot happened in those 30 little days.  In addition to turning 29 years old (let the count down to 30 begin!) and the 2nd annual Eugene Friendsgiving,  Cliff and I also did a bunch of little things.  For example, we purchased quite a few end-of-season fall bulbs and planted them in end-of-season clearance bamboo pots.  Cliff really loves flowers. 

We retrained our dog where to go to the bathroom in the yard as apparently somehow he forgot after doing it several times a day for over a year. Cliff kicked his climbing into the next gear of awesomeness and I started swimming again.   I passed my six month mark at work and now have full health benefits!  This is a good thing as I'm pretty sure I need glasses.  I helped to organize a 5K and Cliff ran in it.  And I even got my first cold of the year.  We were productive.

We also received quite a few generous and awesome gifts in the mail.  Birthdays are fun.  First came the Virginia Ham.

Then, I received a super-cool Fascinator (one of those little hats that British people wear) from Mom and Pam for my birthday.  Awesome.  Mom, Pam, and I had a good time trying them on when I was in Maryland between wedding weekends.  Mom bought one as well and now for fun we wear them when we video chat.  Again, awesome.

Cliff received his birthday crock.  We can now make homemade sauerkraut and pickle anything we can get our hands on.  It is beautiful.  This week were are going to try our first batch after we buy two cabbages.  Let's be honest, the process will warrant a whole post so get excited.

We want to thank everyone for the birthday messages, cards, gifts, and love that have been sent our way over the last two months.  We are totally spoiled.

Oh, did I mention that Cliff also grew a mustache and soul patch for Movember?  Cause he did.  In case you have been wondering what is up with all of the mustaches running around town, men are coming together to show support and promote awareness for men's health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer.  They are doing it the best way they know how...by growing facial hair.  Many of the male teachers at Cliff's school decided to take the plunge and see what their faces looked like with a 'stash.  Cliff shaved after the official Men of Movember celebration on Thursday but I think we are both curious now to see what he would look like with a full beard.  Hummmm...do I sense a winter break project?

Lots of love to all and happy December!