Birthday Report

I'm a bit hesitant to post anything about my past birthday. Not because it was a crappy birthday, in fact it was just the opposite, it was a grand day. But merely because I've already posted twice about my birthday this month and I feel like I'd be a beating a dead horse if I did a third. However, I know many of you are curious to know how the big day turned out. So in order to appease my audience, I will post one last time about the subject and cease to speak of it again...at least until next year...

First off, I want to thank everyone that wished me a happy day! I felt really loved and special! Overall the day wasn't anything spectacular but it was special to me - and that is all that counts. Here is what I did:

Worked for 10-hours (my work is doing a trial four 10-hour schedule) - this is what I look like in the tenth hour

Received a surprise visit from my mum-in-law and four nieces and nephews who serenaded "happy birthday" to me...AND showered me with gifts for the Beavers Game (it was a surprise visit so I didn't know to have my camera with me when I was called to the front desk - this picture doesn't do the event justice, it's merely a representation of the event)

Went to PGE park for the Beavers game

Sat in the 90+ degree weather watching the baseball game (we hit a record high that day of 102d! It was hot, even at 8pm in the evening. Poor Wyatt was obviously very uncomfortable but stuck through it in my honor - what a man!)

Opened presents...I did that before the game but this is one of the things Wyatt gave me. A new pair of Pyrameds slippers shipped all the way from Haleiwa, Hawaii. I love them! I love them because they're my favorite kind of slippers and I would NEVER buy them for myself. Wyatt is good at buying me gifts I would never buy myself. That sounds bad. Not that I don't want those gifts, it's just that I'm cheap sometimes. He also bought me cake and cookie decorating tips from Sur la Table! I'm equally as excited about those!

I'm sad to say that I only ate one hotdog. Pretty pathetic for all the excitement I had about the things. However, the sky looked really awesome!

As it turns out there was on a smog warning all weekend. Even Portland has pollution. I know, pollution is bad, except for the amazing sunsets it makes. This picture doesn't do any justice to the real deal. I'm wondering if we could've captured a better shot if we had Wyatt's fancy camera on hand? We'll never know. If you blow this image up you can see that the sun was red. It was spectacular!

We had to document that we were there witnessing the sunset...

Happy Day!

That's right! I'm officially 26 today (August 14th)! And I am on my way to half a century. Sweet yo! The days events will be: working for 10-hours with a lunch break at Nacho Mama's with my coworkers, followed by the Portland Beavers game at PGE park. You can bet I will be eating many many hotdogs...probably 26 to be exact. I'm sure somewhere in there my sweet husband will be giving me my present that arrived at his work three days ago! Hip-Hip-Hooray! This is the greatest day ever!

PS - Happy Birthday Kelsey.
PPS - Pictured above is last years birthday
PPPS - It is forecasted to be 96d and SUNNY!!!!!!!!!

Accentuate the Positive

I had the opportunity to fly to Colorado...then drive to Green River, Wyoming last weekend for my Aunt and Uncle's 60th wedding anniversary. It was something I had a hard time committing to because of my lack of time off at work. Finally I decided I needed to go because I knew I would regret it if I didn't. It was a short 48-hour trip packed with early morning departures, long road trips, delayed flights and late arrivals (thanks again for picking me up at 2am Wyatt!). Despite it all, I am glad I went! I got to see lots of family I haven't seen for years and most of all my dear Aunt Lois and Uncle Dale. As horrible as this sounds, I just don't know when I'll see them again. Not so much because their getting on in years but because I've discovered that as I get older, it has become increasingly difficult to travel like I did when I was younger.

At one point in the celebration my Uncle Dale got up and sang the song "Accentuate the Positive". I'm sure many of you know or at least recognize the song if you heard it. It was a really special experience for me to listen to him sing the song and reflect on my memories of him and know that he really has lived an exemplary life of optimism. I've made an effort this past week to follow in his example and try to carry a positive attitude. It hasn't been easy, especially with everything that has been going on at work. But I just sing the song to myself and it makes it a tad bit easier to focus on the good. I am grateful too for Wyatt. I always told myself that I wanted to marry someone that portrayed some of the same characteristics as my Uncle. I knew in some ways the two were similar. But it wasn't until this weekend that I realized the positive attitude they both carry. I am grateful for Wyatt and the way he helps me recognize the good in life. It was such a wonderful weekend! And I'm happy to say I have no regrets for going!

(I've been waiting to post this all week because I've been waiting for my cousins to post pictures of the event on their blogs so I could copy the pics and post them on my blog. I took some with my camera but they all turned out too dark. However, no one has posted pictures...except for Collete. But even she said she didn't have very many. Who has all the pictures? Abbie? I'm sorry that you won't get any visual entertainment out of this post.)

Countdown

10 days and counting until my favorite day of the year...

Just Like Mom

Momma, Me and MIL

I've finally come to that point in my life where I have become my mom...almost. Give me a couple of years, a few kids and I might be a spitting image. Or rather a talking replica. I've caught myself the last few months blurting out the exact phrases I grew-up hearing my mom say. The one phrase that caught me off guard and in turn, started my tally of "mom phrases" was this: "There's food to eat at home." I hated it when my mom said this as a kid. For one, it meant that eating out was out of the question. And it also meant that I had to be a little more creative on what was for dinner by searching the barren cupboards for something edible. Okay, the latter was a bit of an exaggeration. We always had food in the cupboards - it just wasn't instant food. I said this to Wyatt a while ago when he asked me if I wanted to eat out. To my defense, I had just gotten home from being at the grocery store. Sad to say, I've said it more than once since the first incident. Here are a couple other phrases/thoughts/behavior I've inherited from my mom:

1. "Put the dishes in the dishwasher"
2. "Close the shower curtain - it'll get moldy if you don't"
3. "Ripped my head off" (in reference to encountering wind when I walk out the door)
4. "It lacerated my mouth"
5. my obsession of cleaning
6. my ability to pray for a long time (I hated this when I was a kid...Wyatt's not too fond of it either)
7. my ability to leave long voice messages
8. waking up at ridiculous hours in the morning (4am) to go running - okay, this one is a lie. My mom is alone in her craziness on this one. I'm lucky if I can get up at 7am for work.
9. my love for doughnuts
10. "Killerdog" as in, "it was a killerdog day at work" or "that was a killerdog run" - to be hard, difficult, long (I am still working on incorporating this into my vocabulary more)

And one from my mum-in-law:
"there's some in the fridge that needs to be eaten" - Wyatt said this was a precursor to the type of meal he was going to eat and is still hesitant to eat the end result after hearing that phrase

Wait until after I have a couple kids and I just might say, "My Way", in reference in how to clean the bathroom, kitchen, family room, etc.

I love you mom!

Do you have any phrases you've inherited from your parents?

We Have a Winner!!!

The ballots are in and the winner of my Product Description writing contest is ready to be announced.    And the winner is Charlotte!  The vote was completely anonymous, seeing that Wyatt hasn't been connected to the WWW in over a week, due to his week long motorcycle trip with his dad.  So when I presented him with the contestant's entries - he didn't know who's was who's. Well done Charlotte!  You'd be great at my job!  As for the prize, as promised it is something from my work...you are the new owner of Philips SHE9501 in-ear headphones!  For a more detailed description you can check them out here.  (I am sad to say that I did not write the product description for the headphones - mine would've been 100% better).  Charlotte, please email me (brittany.nichols@gmail.com) your address and your new headphones will be on their way!  And thanks to all for taking part in my contest - I enjoyed reading all your descriptions!

I asked Wyatt to take a picture of the headphones...this is what he provided me with.  Interesting...

Summer

So we're officially one month into summer - which means we are a third of the way through it. And I am panicked! I know, I still have more than half of the season to enjoy but in my mind it's basically over. I guess I am just so excited that it's here - the thought of it leaving is so depressing to me. Three months is not long enough! I haven't even gone camping! Or gone on any exciting summer vacation for that matter. Dear Summer, if you're reading this, will you please extend your stay for a few months? Please? Think "Indian Summer". I'll let you think about it...