Catch Up

I hate catch up posts because they are so long and a bit of an overload, but lots has happened and if I don't post now I'll be even more behind. We moved about three weeks ago. So far so good. We are getting used to our new place and it seems to get cozier and cozier each day. We decided to start things with a bang and host Thanksgiving dinner here with Tommy's family. Tommy and I both questioned what we were thinking to sign up for this, but it couldn't have gone more smoothly. The turkey was cooked through, nothing caught on fire, and we had plenty of food even though I completely forgot to set out two of the dishes I had made.

Here's a glimpse into our day...

Tom's family (notice the camping chairs)

The turkey and all the trimmings

Tom fulfilling his manly duty of cutting the turkey (does it count if he used an electric knife?)

Jessie adding her special touch of love to the rolls.


After Thanksgiving we hung out, did enough Black Friday shopping to get a new iron desperately needed, and had a visit from some friends down south. It was a relaxing, enjoyable weekend.

We decorated the Christmas tree so generously given to us by my Dad. The girls had fun just playing with the ornaments while Tommy and I took a walk down memory lane, listening to the Christmas music and reminiscing our childhoods.


Jessie and I made a chain to count down the days until Christmas



Here's a couple random pictures of the girls playing in our back yard.






And finally some pictures of our new home. I've hesitated because as you can see we've got plenty of space for our small family, but not much to fill that space with yet. It's gonna take a while, but for now we are just enjoying our new place.

This is our front room it drops down to the left after entering the home.

Here is the kitchen. I love the counter space. I have some changes planned for early next year and will post them when we actually do it.

Here is the Family Room. it is right next to the kitchen.

This is the Dining Room. I love this little space.

This is a spare bedroom that will eventually be made into a guest bedroom/office.

Sorry to post a picture of the bathroom, but we finally have two bathrooms. This is the one in our room.

Part of our hallway that goes to the girls room and guest bedroom.


More pictures will be posted later.

Stinky Foam

Yesterday while I was getting Jessie out of the car, I noticed that she kind of stunk. I thought maybe it was her breath, but it was pretty powerful and seemed beyond halitosis. She was sleeping so I put her in her bed not thinking much of it. But when she woke up, it was bad. I kept asking her if she put something up her nose, but she denied it every time.

Tommy came home and I asked him if he had noticed Jessie's foul smell. He finished my question before I could. I started to explain to him that it reminded me of this little girl I'd once seen at a clinic I used to work at. Her mom brought her in insisting that something was wrong because her daughter really stunk. She was right, seconds after entering the exam room the smell had overtaken the air. We were baffled at what could make this sweet little girl so stinky. They had gone to the hospital and done CAT scans and x-rays, not finding anything and she demanded an answer. Come to find out she had a make-up foam tip applicator up her nose that had been rotting. The mother left with her stink-free daughter satisfied.

After explaining this to Tom he suddenly began to remember a few days back when we were moving and Jessie had approached him saying that she had something in her nose that she couldn't get out. Busy moving boxes he took a quick look and not finding anything consoled her and forgot about it. One week and two days of rotting later I laid her down (flashlight, saline spray, and tweezers in hand) to find a big chunk of foam stuck in her nose. Luckily it was low enough to grab with the tweezers.

Now, a day later Jessie is breathing easier and smelling better. And I am thankful for that stinky girl that came into the office one day branding that scent forever in my nose and helping us to solve the mystery.

And here is the culprit

Top Twelve...

The move is quickly coming. In fact, at this very moment I am taking a break from the packing. I realize I'm excited for our new home and new neighborhood and city and new adventures. I'm also more than a little sad to be leaving this home. Honestly speaking in my 31 years here on earth Eugene has been my favorite place to live. In all other areas I've lived up to this point the pessimistic side of me has found at least a handful of things that bugged me about it, but Eugene has allowed no room for that pessimism. I know that it's not just Eugene the city that has made my experience what it is...it's the people, the ambiance, the flow. I really can't describe it.

I realize by saying that, some of you reading this now may be tempted to vomit, others may be nodding in agreement, and still others throwing there arms up in the air screaming "WHY?" This post is dedicated to all of you, especially to Eugene. Perhaps it will serve as a reminder to those who love it here exactly why they do, or maybe prove to others that Eugene is more than just hippees and compost, but mostly I think it will help me to get past the denial phase of moving and I can look forward with bright hopes to our new home.

My Top Twelve Things I have loved here (there are many more)in no specific order.

1. Parks, parks , and more parks.
2. Chicken Bonz (technically it's in Springfield).
3. Exploring the running trails with my girls.
4. All the local farms and produce.
5. The desire to be a little ok a LOT more green.
6. Prince Pucklers (sadly I recently went there for the first time only last summer).
7. People that actually pick up their dog's poop.
8. Friends, ward, and girls night.
9. The fear of hitting a biker when backing out or turning a corner.
10. How beautiful it is.
11. Date nights with Tommy.
12. Oregon football games at Autzen.