Autumn

It seems like fall is already almost over and winter will be here soon. I wasn't the best at decorating for fall, but I have made our home smell like fall! Pumpkiny, leafy, spice smells are my absolute favorite! It's the coziest smell...if smells can be cozy. Here is my dining room table for October and November. I found these cute little crows and the wine cork holder when on a FANTASTIC wine tasting/girls weekend expedition. A group of my favorite gal pals and I went to Chelan for a weekend away. The company was great and the wine was delish.

We have also been enjoying some Cougar Football Saturdays. Although we are not the most winningest team, it's been fun. I love Butch!

One year down, 50+ to go

Tim and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary this past weekend! The year has gone by so quickly. I must be getting old. When I was younger, I remember my parents used to say that time flew by, and that's what happens when you get old.

We haven't even gotten our wedding album yet. We didn't actually go and look and pick out our favorite pictures until after tax season. The gal at Quicksilver had proofs for us about 2 weeks later. But now why don't we have our album? We haven't edited it down. It's just too difficult. I go online and look at our proofs often, and I LOVE what I see. Maybe it's a goal for this next year! Ha!

Life being married has been wonderful. Tim is the most loving, patient, and caring soul I have ever met. He truly loves me no matter what. I love that no matter how my work day has gone, he will greet me with open arms and a kiss every single evening. I could go on an on, but I'll save some gag reflexes. :) Happy One Year of Wedded Bliss, Husband!

We drove up to Spokane for a mini-getaway. We stayed at the Davenport Hotel.

This guy was really there, he opened the door for me at valet parking.

We ate at Agave Latin Bistro (YUM!) I had the mahi mahi with seared scallops, coconut rice, asparagus, and the amazing jicama (sp?) relish, . Tim had the lobster paella. I got the prickly pear margarita which was such a pretty shade of pink, I didn't want it to go away when I drank it! :) (I took a picture on my phone, but I think my phone has some kind of virus and it won't let me send pictures. Boo.)

We had a wonderful weekend, which I wish never ended. Maybe that's why we have to go to work? So we truly appreciate and take in all the fun in our lives? I dunno...but that's what I'll go on for now.

Culprit

Now, here is why I love our cats. As a background to this little story, Tim eats Costco muffins nearly every morning for breakfast. When we buy them, I put each muffin in a ziploc bag, and put them in the freezer. Tim can then pull out what he likes to thaw out for breakfast.

This morning Tim and I got up, popped in our P90X DVD and worked out. I immediately showered and started getting ready for work, and Tim sat and watched tv for a bit before getting ready for work. I hear, "hey". I look over, and Tim is holding one of his little ziplocs with a muffin in it. Nothing seemed out of the norm, so I asked what was going on. Tim told me that he had pulled a muffin out of the freezer and had left it on the counter to thaw. Julius had taken the muffin off of the counter, and had carried it across the house, and up the stairs, and dropped it right next to Tim, and then just sat and stared up at him! I didn't stop laughing for a while!

Our boys are spoiled and love people food. They get little pieces of whatever muffin Tim is eating that morning. Apparently Julius was just trying to get the ball rolling.

The New Digs

Here are a couple of pictures of the house semi-decorated. We haven't put much on the walls yet. I just want to make sure I want pictures in the perfect place because drilling holes in brand new walls is a little traumatic for me. I've only ever lived in very-lived-in rentals before (like every college student). Enough about the walls, here are some pictures!

Go Cougs!

Rock Band at Our Place

Last night we had some people over as a belated get together for our friend Scott's birthday. Scott and I used to work together at the Sport's Page. We try to get together every once in a while for dinners and games (although it doesn't seem often enough).

We snacked on appetizers and had lemonbars for dessert (at Scott's request). My favorite appy right now is bacon-wrapped dates! YUM! They are ridiculously easy to make and the mix of salty and sweet is unbeatable!

Scott with his birthday lemonbar

We alternated between the group playing the different insruments of rockband and then we played a "quick" game of Cranium. We laughed all night, and it was a blast!

Scott on the guitar, me on the wine ;)

Tom on the bass

Kevin on the drums

Tim celebrating, with guitar in air

Birthday in a Bag & Free Cakes for Kids

Once upon a time there was a child who lived in a group home (after multiple failured foster homes and continued abuse). He got a visit from a caseworker who had gone to do a routine monthly visit to check on the child. He became excited and asked her if she was there for his birthday. The sad truth is, no one had remembered his 11th birthday. He had no cake, no party blowers, no games, and no one to celebrate his birthday.

This isn't really a once upon a time type of story. It's real and it happened to a real child who is a dependent of this state within the last year.

As a result of this tragic story, a goal of our CASA Program this year is to ensure that every child we represent has a birthday. It's about the celebration and not about the gifts. A non-profit agency called "Friends of CASA" has stepped up to the plate to fund "Birthday in a Bag" and "Free Cakes for Kids". On their birthday, each child will receive: a customized birthday cake, and a Birthday in a Bag, containing:

• A Pin the Tail on the Donkey party game
• a birthday balloon
• birthday hats
• party blowers
• plates, cups, napkins
• a disposable camera for party photos
• a coupon for photo developing
• and a hand-made customized scrapbook page for party photos

I will be making the scrapbook pages for each of the kids this year! I am excited! It has been so much fun, and I have only made three thus far! Here are the pictures of the pages I've made. (Two of the pictures were taken in the plastic sleeve, so they glare, but it gets the point across.)

High School Musical Theme (like any normal 8 year old would LOVE!)

Topsy Turvy

A boy into old computers/games

If this could be my full-time job, it would pretty much be my dream job! I love scrabooking, but I love doing it for other people, especially kids who need to know they are cared about! I enjoy making cards for people for invites, I made our Christmas cards last year, but I never want to keep what I make. I enjoy the process, and the outcome, but there is something about making so homemade for someone else.

OH, P.S. The child metioned in the story in the beginning actually did get to have a birthday party.....they celebrated his half-birthday. :)

Home Sweet Home!

This Tuesday we hosted a late holiday party for a section of our department. It was for the CASA volunteers for our county. They volunteer their time to advocate for abused and neglected children, and to be their voice to the judge in dependency cases (just a brief little education about what I do and who I work with....what a CASA/Guardian ad Litem are for those who don't know).

We have only had Tim's parents over, and a couple of our friends who really only stopped by to pick us up to go to dinner. For the party we had a group over. It was SO great to have people over. We had good food, gifts, and it made me love our home even more. :) (Is that even possible?)