This is what I did last week in Oregon…

Spent many hours in this building for training…

Worshiped here one night…

And brought some of this goodness home to Jeremy for us to enjoy…

It was good to be back in Oregon.  I haven’t been to the Portland area since our wedding 2 1/2 years ago.  I had fun thinking about that time and how happy I am that we got married.  I brought home the cupcakes because we had those at our wedding, but at the end of the night, sent ALL the left overs back with my family to the house they were staying in.  Jeremy and I have regretted that decision ever since!

I head back to Oregon tonight for a few more days of training.  This week I get to meet up with some good friends that I haven’t seen in years.  Should be a fun quick week!

This was my last week of no work.  I didn’t really do much… a little shopping to get some new work clothes, a little house cleaning, and a bit of organizing of closets, drawers and life.  Here are a few pictures of some completed projects….

For New Beginnings we are using the Theme of “The Pattern for Life”.  Sew (get it, hehehe) we turned these old wooden spools of thread that I had into invitations for the girls.  I of course didn’t do this on my own, but helped with the collective idea.

As I was organizing my life, I realized I needed a better way to remind myself of my goals to achieve and a better way to track them and hold myself accountable.  So tonight I created this….

Sunday I head out to Oregon for 8 days of training.  I’m excited to start work and even more excited to see some friends I haven’t seen in years while I’m there.  I’ll miss Jeremy.  Though he does have a new video game coming out while I’m away that will keep him occupied much of the time!

This is what I’ve been wasting my time with…

http://www.captainforever.com/captainforever.php

and this

http://magic.pen.fizzlebot.com/

Magic pen is the poor man’s “Crayon Physics”, which, if you have a PC I recommend you check out (there is a free demo at http://store.steampowered.com/, and while you’re there you should also download the demo for “World of Goo”).

Tonight I get to cross another thing off my list.  The thing I’ve been wanting to achieve the most since I made that list. 

• GET A JOB

Yep, after many months of praying, and applying, being hopeful one day, and feeling really discouraged the next, I was offered a full time, permanant job!  I’ll be returning to my credit union roots (the only job that I’ve held for longer than a year {that’s a good omen, I think}).  I’m a huge fan of credit union, so this is perfect.  I’ll be working as a member services representative for First Tech Credit Union.  I am elated.  And I can’t wait to start (in another week). 

Seriously, I couldn’t be happier right now.  Thank you to all who prayed, fasted and sent lots of good thoughts my way.  Thank you to all who encouraged and helped me along this arduous journey.  I love you all!  I know our prayers and pleadings are heard AND answered!

Now I can continue with the rest of the list!

I can’t wait for tonight’s new episode of WHAT NOT TO WEAR! 

Seriously, this is my favorite show and I have been whining about it’s hiatus for months now.  I love Stacey and Clinton, they do fabulous work.  I’ve begged and pleaded for my sister to turn me in, it would be a dream come true.  I’m sad they’ve given Nick Arrojo the boot, he’s amazing.  One day I’ll save ridiculous amounts of money, go to New York and have my hair done by him.  Who’s in?

Oh, and if you’d like to turn me in… blessings be upon your head. I’m all for it!

For Christmas I was gifted a new apron (my first!!!) and I love it.  Plus I received a cupcake cake mold.  I’ve been dying to try it, but didn’t want a giant cupcake left sitting in the house for me to eat.  So I volunteered to bring a treat to our activity for the Young Women tonight and I attempted using the mold.  During the baking process I was a bit worried if it was all going to work or not, but it did.  However, my decorating skills are lacking a bit

Hello 2010! 

Did you set any goals or resolutions?  I’m big on goals, but this year I didn’t set any new goals or resolutions, because I made a HUGE list for myself back on my birthday.  This year I was inspired by a women, Ali Edwards, whose blog I follow.  Ali is a designer and artist who does a lot of work in the scrap booking world, a lot of hybrid stuff.  She’s big on words, and how powerful words are.  For 3 years now she’s been encouraging others to pick a word that you’d like to focus on for the new year.  Read here about the tradition, and why she does it.  I liked the idea and leading up to the new year (new decade!), I thought about what word I’d like to focus on during the coming days, and have decided on:

ACHIEVE

to bring about an intended result; accomplish some purpose or effect (dictionary.com)

Read more

Ugly Sweater Party-  a sweater was hard to find, so I ended up with these two vests.

My Parents came to visit.  Mom and I did a lot of baking.  My cookies didn’t quite look like that.  Mom said they looked more like Mexican Flag cookies.  It was so fun to have them here!

Our annual Hammafication… or Hammagedon.  It depends what end of the week we’re talking about.  At the beginning, it’s great.  But by the end I’m glad the Ham has disappeared!

Wrapping Presents- one of my favorite things to do

Hours of Star Trek Enterprise- it grew on me and now I’m considering T’pol for a girls name…

Christmas Eve Hike to Lake 22… and we’re still recovering!

Us at the Trail Head

A little ways up the trail… much more to go!

Us at the top… it got cold once we stopped moving.

We spent Christmas Day with the Foote/Specks.  It was a lot of fun to just hang out and talk.

It was a nice, relaxing Holiday Season.

I spent most of the day watching and (mostly) listening to this High Schooler play Rockband (http://www.lasfas.com/stream.html).  He’s trying to raise money for one of my favorite charities, Child’s Play (www.childsplaycharity.org) by playing EVERY song available in Rockband 2 on EXPERT DRUMS, including all the downloadablecontent (that’s a little over one thousand songs!).  He’s been at it since Friday, and plans to continue until he’s finished the whole setlist.

Child’s Play provides toys and games to children’s hospitals.  As many of you know, both video games and children’s hospitals have a special place in my heart…  So check out www.childsplaycharity.org, and maybe even pop in in Kennedy’s video stream to see what he’s up to (his mom may even talk to you). 

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes!
   – Jeremy