out of order

So I'm skipping several weeks and posting some stuff from yesterday...

I drove out to NoPo (like my slang, Rae Ann?) to meet up with the girls and Mom. We had plans to visit the Portland Art Museum for the "Dancer" exhibit. I've been so pumped about this exhibit - I think I'm going to go back at least a couple more times before it leaves the museum in May.

But I had to get some gas on the way to Rae Ann's place, so I stopped at this station just off of Portland & Interstate. I was blown away by what I paid for gas - and I didn't even fill up! I drive a Volvo sedan, folks! Grr.



[$50.00 for not even 15 gallons, at $3.43 a gallon]

This next picture is of Rae Ann and Ivy in the more contemporary, 20th century part of the museum. I don't think Rae Ann or Mom were nearly as bugged as I was by the guards in the place. I really enjoy the museum and go several times a year, and I'm usually pretty patient with their rules, but when this 20-something-year-old lady guard looked crying Ivy straight in the eyes and told her she needed to stop crying - correction, she couldn't cry - I about blew my top. It was good that we left when we did because I was about to become very ugly and they'd probably never let me back in the museum...



On a lighter note, can you believe this weather? It's 60 degrees today, and it's still FEBRUARY! Praise God for sunshine - it's so heartening!

Up next: Nate's birthday party.

most recent inspiration

So I spotted this pack of counting cards wall art at New Seasons last year sometime in October and it's become my baby room inspiration - I'm in love! Nate bought me this set for my birthday.



These next two pictures only enhanced my excitement over this new theme. I found them at Blue Butterfly - I have the one that says "Hope," and I hope to pick up the "Miracle" sign sometime soon.

It was inevitable.

It's finally happened. Couldn't be avoided, I guess.

Birthdays

So, my 25th birthday was in December, and Nate's 28th was just this past month. I had a plan in my head about how I wanted to celebrate his day with him - it just happened to end up that everything was, well, free!

We started out by going to coffee, which the Dutch Bros. guy gave us because it was Nate's birthday (actually, he gave Nate his and mine was free because we'd filled in all the little boxes on our punch card). We went to dinner at the Olive Garden and used a gift card that Nate's grandparents had given us for Christmas. We went to a movie ("Cloverfield"...craziness) and used tickets I had given Nate for Christmas. And then we ended the night at Papa Hayden for cheesecake and coffee, and used money that Mom and Dad had given me for Nate's traditional birthday cheesecake...I think the fact that everything was free was Nate's favorite part of the whole day.





Rick and Karen took us to dinner to celebrate Nate's birthday on the following Friday night. And guess where they took us - Nona Amelia's, only the best restaurant ever! The last time I ate there was four years before, when Nate took me for my 21st birthday. Don't worry - the spaghetti portions haven't diminished at all. I ate spaghetti for the next three days. It was awesome!

After dinner, we went back to Rick and Karen's and watched some TV with them. And Nate tore into a package from Ricky. He included two presents, one for Nate and one for me. Ricky, we love them! Thank you! The shirt fits me wonderfully, but Nate will have to get his ears pierced before he can really appreciate your gift...



Can you believe it? February is here already and March is just around the corner...

DCS Alumni Game

Surprise, there was an alumni game for Damascus Christian at the beginning of January, the little private school I attended for 12 years.

No one really knew it was happening until that day, but Nate and I made it a point to attend...and for our great effort, guess what - we were almost the oldest people there! There were some class members from classes that graduated while I was in junior high, but most of us were in my grade or the grades just above and below us in age. It was weird. And it helped me feel that much older. How grand.

Anyway, here are some pictures! Leslie, these are mostly for you, dearest :) Love you!