Beverly Beach...

BF and I went to Beverly Beach the weekend before last. Mostly I just wanted to get out of the house and away from the norm.

Also, I LOVE when I get to use my camping stuff.

I wanted to stay in a yurt, however there weren't any available so we got to camp in my tent instead.

We built a fire and roasted hot dogs, marshmallows, etc and just got to hang out which was super nice. It was also BF's last cheat meal before the Bill Pearl Classic in less than 2 weeks so he stuffed himself full of goodies.

We completely FROZE at night and I don't know why. I've been using the same tent and sleeping bag and pad for two years now and I've never gotten that cold. I was a little damp when I went to bed, so that could have been one reason. Anyway, I woke up all achy and stiff because of the cold, and then I remembered I had those handwarmer packets you use while skiing in my car so I broke those babies out. Those are marvelous.

We had eggs and toast and sugar free hot chocolate for breakfast and took a lovely little stroll down the beach. It made me want a dog, sort of.

We eventually headed back home and wished we had longer weekends.

BF has pictures. Eventually I will post some.

Throwing A Fit

Let me just do this.

I need this.



Why can't it be about me? Why can't one day be solely based around me and what I want and what I like and what makes me happy?

This is what I want. I think I need it for my sanity.

I work EXTREMELY hard and tirelessly. I pour my soul into what I do at work, for my family, for BF, for my friends and yet I don't feel like I get a lot of that back and it's starting to wear on me.

I'm not saying I'm entirely forgotten, but for the most part days and weeks go by without any recognition or any relief for my efforts.

On my day dedicated to me I want flowers and massages and hugs. I want lovely conversations and humor and pretty things. I don't want to be asked to do anything tedious or time consuming or requiring any effort. I don't want to hear complaints or whining. I don't want to do the dishes. I do want to spend most of that day with BF since our together time is rather limited due to work and his school/exercise schedule.

Will someone please give me this day?

This Would Be Heaven For Me...

Ridiculous Things I Did This Weekend... Jealous?

Friday was awesome because I didn't have to do anything. I got off of work at a reasonable hour, then I went to the gym and had a nice work out, and then BF and I hung out around my house and watched movies.

Doesn't seem like the most awesome Friday night, but it was. Sometimes you just need to sit around in sweats and watch movies. It doesn't mean you are old and boring, it means that you know when to take a break.

Saturday was also full of awesome, but in more exciting ways. I went to the gym- which was the best because no one else seems to work out on the weekends so it was pretty much deserted- and had a nice long work out. I got to try out some new ab exercises without the Douche Squad in my way so that was nice. In case you didn't know, the D Squad is a group of meat-head guys at the gym that take over the mat area where you are supposed to do ab stuff and they just sit on the mats and talk and eat protein bars and drink protein shakes. There are chairs in the lobby for that sort of thing. Get off the mats if you aren't working out or stretching (and they never are). Anyway, so BF came over in the afternoon and we oiled him up and put in him in his "posing suit" so he could practice his poses for the Bill Pearl Classic (in 3 weeks!!!). Can I just say that I didn't realize how difficult posing was. You have to find exactly the right angles to make yourself look just right and you have to flex as hard as you possibly can for what seems like an eternity. I'm not sure that is something that I could ever do- without giving myself an aneurism. The best part of this was that BF came to my house to do this becasue I have huge full length mirrors and just as he was standing there in barely anything my mom comes in the room and starts talking to me. Then she noticed an almost nude BF standing there all glistening looking in the mirror and she stops cold and starts backing out of the room. Of course BF could've cared less, mostly because he's used to it ( I mean, come on, he stands on a stage in front of hundreds of people AND judges like this) so it was mostly my mom's reaction that was hilarious.

After posing practice, BF and I picked up BF's little sister (LS for short) and then we all went to Kells Irish Pub for dinner. I had the Veg Sandwich and BF had the Ballycastle Sausage Roll. In the midst of eating dinner, Kells was taken over by ridiculous golf-apparel-clad middle agers on a pub crawl through Portland. I wish we had taken pictures, but as always seems to happen in these situations, I didn't have a camera with me. The group stayed for about 30 minutes before rallying and heading off to greener pastures. We finished our dinners, ordered the Guiness chocolate cake and then headed down the street to the Thirsty Lion. We hung out there for a bit and then the Golf Gang showed up again so we left before it could get too out of control. We headed for the Shanghai Tunnels since LS and I had never been there. It's totally deceiving because when you walk in you see a bar with maybe 4 barstools and then 2 little cafe tables. But then you go further inside and see a stairwell that leads you into a basement of sorts where there is another bar and pool tables, pinball machines, booths and tables and chairs all around.

We headed home just in time to catch SNL, so we watched 20 minutes of that before deciding we were much too old and tired to stay up any later.

Sunday morning BF made us eggs and toast (again, what else?). Then he drove me home so I could go for a run in the glorious sunshine. I then sat outside and read a book, decided it was time to get real clothing on for the day, then watched movies as I tidied my room and played with the cats.

I woke up this morning hating the fact that I had to go to work- even though I like where I work and who I work with. I just wanted my fabulous weekend to continue.


Now BF and I are getting ready for the Bill Pearl Classic on May 8th. I'm. So. EXCITED. BF's going to win a trophy and a sword.

SWORD.

Sort of like Conan.

Blah Blah Blah, Everybody's Pregnant

What the heck is going on?

It's gotta be something in the water... or people were really bored this past winter. Who knows, but it seems like everyone that I know is pregnant. I have this sinking feeling that we will be getting more and more announcements of this sort as spring progresses. Call it a hunch. (Also, I've seen some friends and coworkers who look a little "pudgy" in a particular area, BUT NOT ANYWHERE ELSE... don't think I'm not on to you. Maybe pudgy isn't the correct word. More like larger and more solid...?)

Don't worry, I'm not making any sort of announcement here (reference the title). Just to be clear, Heather is NOT full of baby- unless BF and I go back to eat at the sushi place that has deep fried baby octopus, in which case my stomach will be digesting babies.

Anyway, like deaths it seems to me that pregnancies come in multiples. Now that everyone's married (practically) it looks like I should start gearing up for a round of upcoming baby showers and put my bridal shower party favors in storage.

Are baby shower gifts tax deductible? Is there a way I can make them tax deductible?

Sitting on a Loveseat... Because We're in LOVE

BF said the funniest thing the other night. We were headed to the living room to kick back and watch some television "on the late night", as only BF says, when he asks, "Wanna sit down? We can sit on the loveseat... because we are in LOVE."



Hahahahaaaa! Ok, so it was getting late and we were both pretty exhausted so that could be why I found it so funny but it was also the cutest dang thing ever.



Sometimes I realize how lucky I am to have such a sweet and caring boyfriend. It's not all roses and puppy dogs but things are pretty darn good. He also makes me realize that not all guys are like the guys I've dated before. They aren't always selfish, they aren't always liars, and they do think about you when you aren't around.

I'm so thankful to have such a caring, wonderful (not to mention cute!) BF who makes me laugh every day- whether intentional or not.



Also, Taxes. UGH. This weekend needs to be REAL GOOD to make up for having to pay Oregon $146 more.

I'm pretty sure BF will make sure it's a good one. So far I hear Kell's with Jenny?

BF + Kell's + Me + Jenny?= AWESOME

More Strange Dreams

Sometimes I have strange dreams- ones that mystify me or that foretell days to come. Last night was no exception.

I woke up this morning completely grossed out and confused. Really the dream wasn't that gross but it totally gave me the heebie jeebies.

In the dream I was having a picnic with a guy that I used to be friends with (who knows why, I haven't spoken to this guy in years or even thought about him in what seems like millenia). We were sitting at a park on a blanket that my great grandmother made and I was getting all of the food out of the basket. I looked up and this guy's face was right in my face and he started talking about how he was in love with me and that we should be together. I pushed him away and asked, "What about your wife?", which he completely ignored and began to undress... outside... in the park. I got up and started running to my car and jumped in and drove away as fast as I could.

Then I ended up downtown and went to some restaurant where they had a huge table with donuts arranged on large trays all over the place and everyone was eating different kinds of donunts and pastries. I grabbed a plain donut with chocolate icing and sprinkles and shoved it in my mouth as I walked through the restaurant. I made my way to the back door and walked out onto a patio of sorts. Waiting for me on this patio was now-naked guy from the park, along with other naked people having a nudist party. I turned around and ran back out to the front of the restaurant and called my mom and told her about how everyone was naked at the donut place and that I was coming home because everyone was losing their minds.

Then I woke up.

In real life this guy from my dream is now married and has kids and I'm pretty sure he doesn't ever think about me- mostly because I don't think about him.

Also, I didn't eat before bed, or watch any tv or movies, or read anything strange. Actually, I read an article in a magazine about recipes for summer grilling so it makes no sense to me how any of this came up in my dreams... well, maybe I understand the donuts thing. I haven't eaten a donut in such a long time and they are SUPERB.

Anyway, what weird dreams have you had lately?

Weekend, Movies, and Other Things

I had a pretty nice weekend.

Friday night, BF and I went to the movies. We opted to see "How to Train Your Dragon" in 3D (Because if it's offered in 3D, you MUST see it in 3D). It was super cute, and now dragons remind me of cats. You'd have to see the movie to know what I'm talking about.

Saturday BF and I went to Ikea (yay!) to get some organizery stuff for his classroom and I wanted to get some lampshades for my desk lamps. Then we went to the Bagdad Theater to meet up with some of BF's cohort friends (and their significant others) and to watch Fantastic Mr. Fox. We found out the the movie started half an hour earlier (but I'm 100% positive the website said 5:30, not 5, but whatever) so we decided to eat dinner at the pub. After dinner we decided to go bowling and Michelle and I had to buy socks out of a vending machine. Who totes extra socks in case of spontaneous bowling? Not me...

That's right... they sell socks at the bowling alley OUT OF A VENDING MACHINE. Of course we got the ones that said "Happy Hooker". Get your mind out of the gutter (LOL), it's a bowling term.

Hahahahaaa... I'm laughing at my lame "gutter" pun.... give me a minute.

Ok, back. Anyway, it was great to hang out with BF's cohort peeps. I really love them and we always have a great time. Kate and I want to start planning summer camping trips. I'm in heaven- finally someone to collaborate on camping plans with instead of trying to be the lone ringleader!


Sunday I made BF and myself breakfast (eggs and toast, what else?) and then I hung out with the Fam since my uncle is in town.

On a side note (sort of) I've been in this crazy Spring Cleaning mode. Last week I rearranged my office cube and cleaned everything. Then Sunday I did ALL of my laundry, cleaned out and vacuumed my car and then rearranged my bedroom. It feels really good to clean everything and get rid of old stuff and I start to feel a lot less stressed by things. Is that strange?

Things I Fancy As of Late...

It seems like I've stumbled upon some fabulous products lately that have changed my life. Well, not dramatically so, but definitely for the better. For your reading pleasure, I've listed some of them below:



1. Dr. Bronner's Castile Soaps- I have the Almond one and you can use this soap for practically ANYTHING. It comes in a variety of scents and sizes, plus it is all natural, organic and not expensive. I use it for handwashing, face washing, and even my hair (but only paired with a really good conditioner). You should peruse the site and see all of the cool products they make. I recently bought a tiny travel size of the Rose soap for my gym bag so I didn't have to carry a separate body soap, face soap and shampoo; so now I'm down to the Rose soap and conditioner in my shower bag.



2. Tea Tree Oil- not only is it an antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal oil but it also dries out and clears up pimples SO FAST. I've been putting it on my finger and toe nails after I file and paint them to moisturize and also keep them a little cleaner. It has a strong scent, but you sort of get used to it; plus it's not a bad smell. There are other uses for it, and it and if you are using pure Tea Tree oil it may cause some irritation if you over apply or if you have sensitive skin.



3. Republic of Tea's "Pineapple Ginger" tea- BF got me hooked on this one. At night when I start craving sweet, bad for me food I like to make a nice cup of a fruit-flavored tea so I get my sweet fix without the sugar. Sometimes it works, and sometimes I still want to eat the bad stuff but I'm full of hot liquid so it deters me. Either way it works.



4. Flat Out Wraps- I switched to whole grains back in November and I've learned that you can't always eat whole wheat bread. Why? Because it get's old. So you look for new things to make sandwiches out of. I found these lovelies at Fred Meyer and they come in different flavors. Plus they are softer and more oblong than tortillas (also more filling) so you feel like you are eating more. One of my easy dinners/lunches is to take some of that pre-grilled and sliced chicken you get from Costco, saute some bell peppers and onions with chili powder and add the chicken, then throw it all on a honey wheat flat out bread and I'm done. It's so declicious.

5. Aquaphor- for EVERYTHING DRY. I use it on my lips, on my cuticles and on my feet. I get really dry skin when the seasons change- to the point where it cracks, and this stuff is miraculous. I made sure to buy the multi-pack and I keep a tube in my nightstand, a tube in the bathroom, one in my purse and one in my desk at work.


So there you have it. Try these things if you like the awesome.

Muse and Silversun Pickups

...blew my face off.


It was the awesomest concert EVER.



EVER.


And our seats were amazing.





I was afraid the evening wasn't going to be that great because Saturday was a little bit hectic and I was a bit grumpy. I ran errands and cleaned and worked out at the gym, then had to stop at the grocery store on the way home from the gym. At the grocery store I quickly perused the make up aisles because I needed a new moisturizing foundation (my skin is drying out!). While trying to make a quick color match an old grumpy lady came up behind me and said, "Hey, your purse is unzipped... so, you know, anyone could just walk by and stick their hand in it."


So my purse was unzipped, but the only thing I had in my purse was my chapstick and glasses case. My wallet was in my jacket pocket on me and so were my keys and my cell phone. Also, I had my purse wedged between my body and my arm and NOT GAPING OPEN... it would have been pretty hard for someone to come by and just stick their hand in and grab away.


Anyhow, so I said, "Thanks for noticing. I think it's ok."


To which she replied, " Well, you should zip it up."


To which I replied, "Ok, well, thanks, but there's nothing in there worth anything so I think I'm ok."


And then grumpy old lady said, "Just zip up your purse... people these days... don't know what's good for them."


Oh. No. At this point I just lost my mind. I will not tell you what I said but I said something to this little old lady that I've never said to an elderly person IN MY LIFE. I'm not that proud of it, but it felt good. I sort of wanted to push her over.


Lesson- don't walk around giving strangers unsolicited advice. Also, don't keep telling people, especially strangers, what do... with their stuff or with themselves.


Anyway, so I was a bit grumpy eating dinner and getting ready for Muse. But then BF ran an errand for me and I finished getting ready and looked SUPER CUTE (in my favorite outfit, thank you very much). Then we got to the Rose Garden Arena and found our seats (section 102, row D).


I almost died when I saw our seats. They were perfect. We were just above the GA section that had to stand and sweat on each other, and we had the perfect view of the stage, just to the left side where Matt Bellamy was situated.


Silversun Pickups was superb and I LOVED the bassist's outfit. She definitely has this rock chic/glamour with a bit of romantic style that I love.

When Muse came out I realized that I had forgotten my camera in the rush of getting to the concert. BUT my mind was officially blown in the first 2 minutes so I would have forgotten to take pictures of it anyway.

Such a great show! I don't even have words to describe how fantastic it was.

PS- Silversun Pickups warned us that our minds would be sufficiently blown by Muse and they were correct.

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself.

You guys, MUSE is TOMORROW.

TOMORROW!

I know, I can hardly believe it myself. I'm so anxious I'm itchy.

Also, today I visited BF's elementary school and talked to the kids about Native Americans. Plus I got to give them little swag bags from work. It was sweet. Kids are adorable. I may want to start volunteering to do reading groups at the school. I think I'll wait until next year when BF has an actual job at an elementary school. That would make more sense. I sort of forgot how cool elementary school is. Bulletin boards! Star stickers! Crayon smell! Hall passes! It really brings me back.

Lastly (maybe) I'm fighting off another cold/flu thing I think. At first I thought it was allergies but then my throat started hurting so I've been downing Ocillococinum, Vitamin C fizzy drink powder and herbal tea like it's going out of style. It still may be allergies. Who knows.

Oh wait... THIS is the last part. I got new shoes.

They are like little wetsuits for your feet. You can wear them rockclimbing, boating, hiking, running, kayaking... you can pretty much wear them for EVERYTHING. I'm excited to try them out. The only downside is that I cannot wear them to work. Not because we have a strict dress code or anything, but I'm pretty sure my coworkers would freak out if I wore any active shoe not made by our company or one of our affiliates to work. So instead I wore these the other day, with my new favorite outfit:

My new favorite outfit being my new black skinny jeans and my white v-neck Hurley t-shirt with these shoes. Black, white and red. Perfect. I need to wear red lipstick with it, but I don't really do lipstick. Maybe for this outfit I should start.

Happy Friday!