A Breath of Fresh Air

A day off (yes, a weekend day...holy cow). Good weather. Adventurous Spirt. This calls for a hike outdoors!

There are three places that I've heard people mention that are nice for hiking: Skinner Butte, Spencer Butte, and Mount Pisgah. I opted for Skinner Butte since it was a shorter hike, free parking, and good views of the city. I put on my sunglasses, grabbed my camera, and jammed.

My handy navigation system, brought me to the park. A good start. Then I had to ponder: should I bring my jacket? I made the right decision there - turned out warm and sunny. At first I wasn't sure where to go since there was a bottom park. Where was the trail head? I decided to just walk and if I saw a break in the woods, uphill area (aka the butte) then I'd break for it. Finally, I found an entrance. Up I went!

The hike - okay, I'll be honest, it's not a hike, more like a power walk - was quite nice. I stopped and smelled the flowers (not literally). Along the way, I snapped a few photos, pretended I was Bella in Twilight (dork), and then just enjoyed the birds tweeting and the fresh air.

I encountered some strange people too (remember this is Eugene). Some guys were carrying bags and a net, catcher pole. I asked what they were doing - why not? And they were apparently looking for bugs as a school assignment. I also got a guy to take some pictures of me at the top where there was a view of the U of O Stadium. We chatted about digital photography a bit. I really can't contribute much to this topic yet, but I was able to say stuff like, "why, yes this is the age of digital for sure." Did I mention yet that I'm a dork?

I hung around the butte top a bit, then headed downhill. It only takes about 10-15 minutes to get to the top (or bottom). I realized once I was on the top, that you can drive. Lame. Anyway, at the bottom is the Willamette River. Also, I saw some random people biking, soaking up the sun, play with kids, or throwing frizbees.

On the way home, I detoured to the Saturday Market. The Saturday Market is a huge outdoor market during the summer. There is food, art, crafts, jewelry, music, and all sorts of interesting hippie stuff. I returned home somehow smelling of incense (Josh noticed too).

That's it. I came back, posted photos, and wrote this entry. A nice little outing. Note: Josh is going crazy studying for finals. Perhaps I'll write a post about him and his studying this week.

Starbucks gone IKEA

I originally was going to call this Star-IKEA to indicate how a recent task I did for work reminded me of putting together IKEA items; however, Josh said that made him think it was a Star Trek reference not Starbucks. I even giggled as I was typing thinking how clever the title was, but sadly I opted to change it to Starbucks gone IKEA. Still clever, right?

Actually, I probably think too much about titles and spend lots of time thinking and not enough time writing - or getting to the point of the blog post for that matter. So let's get to the point!

Yesterday I was assigned to do my first promotion setup. If you've visited a Starbucks recently and enjoyed a frappuccino, then you would have experienced our lasted and greatest. No visit recently? Or didn't get a frapp? Well, we came out with a new frapp recipe - one that uses all fresh ingredients and customizable. You can make it decaf, any milk (or soy), sweeter, etc. Oh wait, you're not a customer...anyway, when we launch these promotions, we put up new banners, retail, stickers on windows, and more. The setup comes as a kit in boxes - just like IKEA! And you know what else is like IKEA, the instructions. It show a picture of the pieces in step one and then they are in the final product in step two. You're left looking at a box full of little things that make you think, "hmm, I wonder how this is going to work?!?" Then the instruction book is like a novel. However, I'll admit, it was a nice change up from the everyday routine.

Here are some pictures of my fabulous setup and my latest artwork;





Here are some other signs I've done recently. Can you guess what we're promoting?? That's right VIA is still going strong! Would you like to take some VIA home with you or for the road? Oh geez, I keep reverting back to my sales talk. I'll just run with it...if you want some delicious VIA, stop by our store today!

Apple Love

Well, I do love apples. They are quite delicious. In fact, I have one practically everyday. Whether it's in my salad, alongside peanut butter, as a crisp, or on it's own. Yum, crisp apples. HOWEVER, this blog post is not about apple as the fruit. This is about apple the Apple (aka Mac). Hmm, Mac Mania would have also made a good title to this blog.

Like most people you probably looked at the picture first before reading my lovely post, so you must have already guessed it: I got a new computer! My lovely Mac Book was dying a slow and painful death. I had moved practically all my documents onto a remote drive since it was incredible low on space. I had to check it every day to make sure it didn't drop below 1GB. Lower than 1GB and the crash possibility is almost a given. Too much precious stuff to let that happen. The kicker was when I returned from Chicago and was not able to download my photos. I had to download them to Josh's computer and them post them to Flickr from there. I couldn't stand it any longer. I needed my pictures. I needed my space. I needed a new computer.

I'd been contemplating options for about a month now. Yes, a month. I'm a horrible decision maker especially with bigger expenses. I took the dive Thursday and we headed to the U of O campus bookstore that has an Apple-like store (no Apple store within 2 hour drive of Eugene mind you). Considering my want to pick up photography and my love for lounging on the couch with a computer, I opted for a combo: iMac and iPad. The iMac is much more power and get-your-money-worth type of computer. The iPad makes my lounging possible. In fact, it might make me more technically mobile - just look what the iPhone did to me.

I'm super excited (no buyers remorse). I'm lovin' both my new iMac and iPad. The screens are fabulous. We'll, I could go on, but I fear I shall bore you to death. You get the idea I think.  Anyways, here's the new and improved Heather desk area:

Apple Craziness: iMac, iPad, iPhone

Freedom

Freedom is a day with no obligations. This is something to cherish. No work. No appointments. No need to do anything specific. A day like this is rare, and today I got to enjoy such a day. (Well, honestly I could find something to do, but I decided to put those aside. Also, then my whole post concept of freedom wouldn't be possible)

What does Heather do with a free day? To start, it's entirely necessary to stay in PJs as long as possible. Sure, at some point I start to feel the guilt seep in, but one must try. I managed to stay in my PJs until 12pm; that's freakin' awesome. I love PJs. They are just so comfy and nice. I can be pretty productive in them too mind you. I know others might not have this ability (or should I say skill), so I'm glad I am able to be one of the few that that pull this off. I don't mean going outdoors. Stacey and Clinton would kill me (note: that's a reference to TLC's What Not To Wear, a guilty pleasure of mine...guess it's not so secret anymore). However, I am productive online or doing random stuff. For example, I did some emailing, scheduling (for other days, not today!), and whatnot. Productive in PJs.

As I said, by noon I was out of the PJs. Actually, the changing out of PJs is in part thanks to it being a nice, sunny day. And it was the sunshine that drew me outdoors. I'm not a lay-in-the-sun gal. Plus it's was still a tad bit chilly, so I decided on a stroll. I've been meaning to walk the other direction on the path at Alton Baker Park (recall the Alton Baker Park post earlier in the year). This is exactly what I did. I brought along my camera to practice. For instance, I have some shots playing with angles and some of ducks butts. Yes butts. Curious? Check it out on Flickr.

With some fresh air, I moved on to indoor type stuff. I headed to Trader Joes, Target, and Market of Choice. I was gathering groceries, obviously, for a picnic planning for tomorrow as well as to make my favorite Cornmeal Cherry Scones (recipe from Berkeley's Cheeseboard cookbook - thanks Melissa & Jeff).

Along the way I made a pit stop at TCBY for Waffle Cone Wednesday - good deal. I ate that in the sun as well. Got to get that Vitamin D; soak it in. I also stopped to say hi to a friend, Kim, at Full City Coffee shop downtown. I bought a delicious pumpkin cookie for tonight.

On my way home, the clouds started to return. Now, it's raining. There goes the burgers on the outdoor grill. Indoor skillet here I come. At least, I got to enjoy the sun. Really, if you see the sun here in at this time of year, you've got the seize the moment. The weather in one day here can change very quickly. In fact, I may get to the grill yet. Let's hope the sun is around for our picnic tomorrow.

That's my free day. Tomorrow its back to the grind.

I'm a Survivor

Josh just finished an audio book called The Survivor's Club by Ben Sherwood. Along the way, I've been told about all types of survivor tips and stories. For instance, he mentioned that the people we consider lucky aren't necessary lucky but have these innate qualities that lead to survival and success. Qualities like remaining calm, relaxed, and optimistic in situations. This is all second-hand, mind you, I just listened to Josh tell me about this stuff.; I didn't actually read the book. However, it actually sounds quite intriguing. I don't think I'll end up reading this book with my imagination though.

Although I don't plan on reading this book, my interest was sparked. I wanted to know if  I was a survivor. Would I do the right thing when the time called? Would I survive in the face of danger? How would I do this? Well, there just happens to be a cool survivor profiler type survey that corresponds with the book.

A survey you say? I'm in! I've always been a secret (okay, not secret) fan of surveys and the sorts. My family probably recalls me filling out the feedback forms at restaurants when we went out. Or those dang emails around high school and college days where you'd get an email with questions about yourself and then send it to people and then they'd have to fill it out. Yea, I liked secretly liked those too. That said, it wasn't too surprising that Josh was able to convince me to take this survey.

I'm in luck as the Survivor Profiler confidently declares me as a Survivor! Not only that, but I've got a well-defined survivor personality and tools that help me overcome any crisis. Woohoo! Yippee!

Here's what it says about my Survivor type...

Survivor Type: Connector

My Top 3 Survivor Tools: Love, Empathy, and Purpose

The Blurb: Your Survivor IQ tells you precisely which kind you are. After analyzing your answers, it’s clear that you’re a Connector. You overcome incredible adversity by harnessing and mobilizing the power of your relationships and bonds with other people. You are deeply devoted to your family and friends. Your love for your parents, spouse, partner, children and friends motivate you to tackle enormous obstacles. You know that your family and friends depend on you and need you. You hold these relationships sacred, and you will go to any lengths to protect and preserve them. You draw strength from these primary relationships and you often rely on support groups or social networks to help you through difficult times. You’re able to lean on others for aide and you know how to reach beyond your regular circle of friends to find the help you need. You’re a good networker who makes the most of your connections. You often feel great empathy for others who are struggling. You take care of other people before you look after yourself. You’re good at reading strangers and situations. You know how to get along with others. You play well on teams and work effectively with others to get things done. You survive because of your powerful bonds. You would endure anything – and go to any lengths – for the people you love. Above all, you’re a Connector.

Bottom Tools: Adaptability, Intelligence, and Flow

Wowwza. I'm a Connector. Makes sense really. Josh took the test too. He's got different survival skills, so perhaps if we're together our chances of survival are even greater with our shared strengths.

Survey Fun! And better yet, I might just survive!

Scrumdiliumptious

Blog Purpose: To get your mouth watering [Note: Scrumdiliumptious Definition]. Here we go...

Creamy Lemon Crumb Squares - I made these delicious, oaty, lemony things last night. I was very impressed. In fact, I liked them enough to bring to work. And let me tell you, I don't bring in everything (as in the faulty stuff) to work. Seriously people, I have a reputation to uphold; can't give the wrong impression. The recipe comes from a blog I follow, The Pioneer Women (btw, she's become quite big in the entertainment world - might have a movie made). I saw it and thought they'd be fun, spring type snack. They did not disappoint and easy to make!

The Divine Cupcake - Actually, we just returned from this scrumptious experience about an hour ago. A spur of the moment outing on a nice day to get something sweet. Plus we've been meaning to give this place a try for a while now. It's all the rage in Eugene because it has gluten-free and whatever type products. Don't miss interpret me here; I don't mind gluten free so long as it tastes good. I got a carrot cake cupcake while Josh got the red velvet cupcake. Then we got a mini lavender cupcake to share. They were quite good; not Sibby's in San Mateo, but quite good. Pictures Below!

Humble Beagle - Josh and I had dessert at this restaurant last night. We tried the Spiced Chocolate Pudding. It caught our attention on a previous visit, but we just never go to it...until last night. Now, it sounds very Eugene-like (aka hippy, vegan stuff), but it was pretty good. It was quite rich actually. I recall using words like complex and intense. It was a silken tofu pudding. The waiter mentioned that it was a take-off from a New York Times recipe. For me, a few bites was enough as it was very chocolatey, spicy, and rich - all deliciousness though.

Somewhat Recent Baking - I made a few goodies somewhat recently that we've enjoyed. This includes an Apple Rhubarb Crisp, Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Lemon Ricotta Cookies. However, there was one flop with Snickerdoodles. These were just over baked unfortunately. I'd like to blame our decrepit oven that doesn't close all the way and warms the house up nicely when on (I say this in the early spring when it's cold still). Really, I think it's because I left the dough out on the counter too long while I got absorbed in something else and the butter got too soft and then they spread out too much in the oven...

Annual Bunny Visitor

The Annual Bunny Visitor is my effort (emphasis on effort/trying part) to come up with a clever blog title for Easter. I think it's probably pretty lame, but hey it's the best a girl can do sometimes. In fact, the titles are one of the harder parts for me with this whole blog thing. I either come up with way too many ideas/options or just one stupid one. I guess today is the latter.

Okay, enough on titles because this could be a very boring post otherwise. Scratch that; this is probably going to be somewhat boring. We didn't do that much for Easter. I know it's an important day to celebrate (esp. religiously), and that didn't go unrecognized; however, we just didn't do too much to write about. The little we did do though I will share with you...

I started Easter at the wee hours of the morning. As I drove to work in the dark (yes, there was time change but that doesn't mean it's light out that early), I thought I might see a bunny hopping to houses. Like Santa, the bunny comes during the night for my family. Blast to the past: When I was a kid the bunny would leave a trail of easter eggs from my sister and my bedroom door to a certain area of the house. Then we'd have to search that area for our baskets of goodies.

As I was saying, I started Easter at work with an opening shift. It was a slow day. I think this was because every other store was closed nearby including the mall. We got a few folks that wanted good coffee to enjoy with their brunch (El Torito and Marie Callendar's were open at not too far away) and/or people that wanted coffee before/after church. The slowness wasn't too bad though since I find this as "good catch-up on other tasks time." We also got to be creative with samples (see picture). We thought samples of Easter pastel colors would be festive and fun. We made raspberry white mochas, caramel white mochas, and green tea lattes. And then arranged them on a sample tray. Beautiful!

After work, and back home, Josh and I opened up Easter "baskets" (Hallmark gift bags with goodies). The Easter bunny worked through the mail this year. We also enjoyed a bit of lunch out at a little place near our home. I had a tasty crepe.

The rest of the day was everyday stuff. Josh worked and I did grocery shopping and cooking. I put together a delicious meal - no ham or eggs involved. Randomly, I attempted meat for the first time in a long time. I made Ellie Krieger's Marinated Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Sauce - see recipe. It turned out quite good even without a grill pan (I used a griddle instead). I also made Snickerdoodles, but they got over cooked (dang it, must try again).

And that concludes our 2010 Easter celebration.

Easter Last Year (2009) and Easter This Year (2010):



On a totally different note...I uploaded more pictures on Flickr from our Seattle trip.

Here's a preview:

Froyo Alert

My froyo (frozen yogurt) rader went off this week...beeeeeep, new froyo shop in town. Beeeeeep!

Of course, being me, I had to investigate this supposed new froyo shop. My friend Kim joined in on the first visit adventure. Going into it I was a bit apprehensive. Would this be a tart, plain, original froyo shop that's all the rage right now? Would it be a hippy, organic, hemp place common to Eugene? The hopes were high entering into it though. I mean YoCream is just up the road in Portland, so there was a fair chance this could be a great place. The only way was to make a visit...

Upon entering the store, I was a bit shocked at the brightness. It wasn't sunny, but it was sure darn yellow inside -- the walls were neon yellow! They took it to the extreme with the neon and candy everywhere. It was like a little kids heaven. I definitely knew who the target was for this place...kids. What about us young adult with crazy like addictions? Would this work? I continued further.

I spotted my friend inside toward the back where the machines were located. Good news...YoCream. The shop owner was there helped us out and giving samples (my appetizer). The atmosphere was forgiven when I saw three beautiful machines - that means six flavor options. Oh boy, oh boy!

Of course, I had to discuss the froyo with the owner. Does she really know her stuff? I mentioned the article I found online with the local newspaper. Apparently her husband and her got the idea from a Cali visit, the land of froyo. She really didn't seem to want to go into much further detail, so I decided to go for a taste test.

Sadly, I found that cookies 'n cream was a recent past flavor (so hope for it next visit). There was peanut butter, blueberry, strawberry, cheesecake, chocolate, and vanilla. Very standard. In fact, most of these flavors are at the sub shop. If you know me, you know I tend towards the cookie type flavors so I opted for the PB and chocolate and vanilla swirl combo. Verdict? It was decent. The texture was decent, but not as smooth as it could be (Yumi is safe). I think they might need to play with the temperature and mixes a bit to get it more velvety. Perhaps I'll mention it next time if I find the same situation.

As for pricing, well it was self serve. I get carried away with self serve and it can add up quick. TCBY is cheaper for sure. However, it could have been worse. On a good flavor visit, this could be totally worth every penny. I shall just have to visit again SOON.

All in all, I was happy to get my froyo fix and hang out with a friend. Oh, and BTW, I did join their FaceBook group. You can check it out.

Kim & Me @ Sweety's

Erin Go Bragh

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

To start, I would like to share a favorite Irish saying:

“May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.”

[Side Notes]: 1.Yes, I did say the above saying to a few customers and co-workers - they found it funny, and 2. I don't actually know Gaelic - referencing the blog title.

With the last name O'Neill and being roughly 25% Irish, it's important to recognize the Irish holiday. I hope you are wearing your green and getting into the spirit of pinching those who are not. I am certainly decked out in my green. Even at work the green was possible...Starbucks classic green apron. Plus, I also had a bit o' green on my shirt collar. Now, work is over and I'm sporting all my Irish jewelry (i.e. claddagh necklace, shamrock earrings) and a green sweater.

Although it brings out childhood memories, I don't think I'll be watching Darby O'Gill and the Little People. I tried re-watching it a few years back and I just couldn't get into it. It shall have to remain a nice memory. Also, I think I'll leave the Irish drinking music to my parents. Actually, the music is mostly my dad; he just loves it. However, my mom did try to make an Irish drink based off a Irish song once. I wasn't there, but the stories say it ended up being mostly just whiskey.

If you're having trouble getting into the spirit, I got a fun quiz you can take about the holiday -- check it out. Who doesn't like quick, fun quizzes (remember those emails that used to go around where you had to fill out the quiz about yourself and email it out to people - those were the days)? Or, you can find out more history here.

As for food, I won't be making corned beef and cabbage. Naww, what's the point? Sure they eat it and it's an Irish dish, but guess what...it's really not that common there. From experience I find you should have brown bread and tomato soup. I ate that everywhere when we visited. They even served the brown bread as the "before dinner" bread at an Italian restaurant (we got tired of Irish food, so yes, we did eat Italian in Ireland). You could also do chicken cordon bleu - that was on the menu all the time. Oh, and not to mention potatoes. They served those with everything. And to drink, Guinness - but not for me (ahem, yes I know I'm Irish, I still don't like it). I think I'll just stick with wearing green today.

That's about it folks. I'm sure I'll remember something and wish I had mentioned it, but for now this should do it. To bring it full circle, let's end with another saying (or blessing):

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”







O'Neill Pub

The Forever Framing

After WEEKS of hard work, we finally got our photos on the wall. Yes, you heard me right, it took weeks (hence the forever in my title). Our neighbor was nice enough to print out some large prints of some of our photos. We decided to frame them for our living room to spice up the place a bit. Well, the print size was a bit large and non-standard, which turned this simple idea into a quest. The quest became to get them framed and the twist, framed in a low cost way. This low cost way ended up taking us from store to store trying to to find the best deal and options.

In the end, the frames came from Target, the matting (we had to do this because of the odd print size) came from Michaels, and the photos from Steve (the neighbor). Looking back, we think that considering the time and money we spent, it's worth just going straight to a custom frame store. (Note: No Aaron Bros here, that might have been nice, sigh). However, the end result...Fabulous!

Framed Living Room Photos

All the photos are those I've taken on our travel adventures together. Starting on the far left, an Amsterdam bridge, then the Millennium Bridge in London, and last (far right) is the Hanalei Pier in Kauai.

And since we were framing, we also framed the awesome print Josh got me. It's a great saying and keeps me going. Check out the background on Wikipedia. Now my office is super cool.

Framed Office Photo

LOL

Some studies have shown that laughing makes your life longer and happier. Another that your friends influence your happiness. I thought I'd help you out. These are a few links I keep saved on my computer and watch occasionally to cheer up.

• Old Spice Commercial (follow up with this)


• Scrub's Diner Dance


• Anjelah Johnson on Pedicures


• SNL Justin Timberlake Immigrant Tale


• Dance Revolution


• Treadmill Dance


• Scrub's Sanford & Son JD Turk Dance


• Wedding Dance down the aisle

Apparently I think dancing is funny. By the way, just in case you weren't sure, LOL means Laugh Out Loud.

P.S. Josh, my official blog editor, hasn't been reading my posts after I've written them, so I apologize for any grammatical errors recently. You may see some slight updates once he's had a few moments to read and edit.

The Usual

As the title suggests, not much has been happening lately. Just the usual stuff. Sometimes people ask me what "the usual" is for me. I guess it makes sense that "the usual" is different for everyone, although I really think my usual is pretty dang usual. Of course, there's always those things that everyone does routinely. Or, I should clarify, at least you hope they do them regularly or they have them done by someone regularly (note: the latter would be quite nice). Anyway, those things are never-ending, blah tasks such as laundry, dishes, bathroom cleaning, vacuum, etc. Ugh. Besides those, there are some other usuals like reading, cooking slash preparing meals (includes planning, shopping, cooking, clean-up), watching tv, etc. Pretty usual, right?

You probably know that the usual change slightly through time. It's only natural. Who watches the same show over and over? Maybe you jazz up the meals occasionally. So the usual progresses and changes over time, but this is still all in the usual category. This might be getting boring (and too deep?), so I thought I'd delve into some more specific things I thought would be fun to bring up...

Cold Season - This is usual, right? You're bound to get a cold especially during wintertime. In fact, I just go over what seemed like the forever cold. It was a pretty bad one and really "got to me" this time. It's rare that a cold hits me so hard that I'm landed on the couch all day, but that's exactly what happened. Sadly I missed a few fun outings that were planned (and could have been potential awesome blog entires - one factor towards the lack of posts lately). The good news is that besides the constant nose running, I'm over it now (2 weeks later!). My warning: Don't get this one that going around if you can avoid it. My recommendation if you can't: Zicam.

How I Met Your Mother - I love, love, love this show right now. Josh and I are going through season by season on Netflix. We're in Season 4 right now. I love it so much that when Josh said we should finish up the Netflix disc that evening, I actually started jumping up and down in joy. Yes, that happy. I think it's a generational type show though. It really shines true to a lot of folks our age. Ted, Barney, Marshall, Lily, Robin. All I can say is...Legendary. (I also considered saying, awesome there but legendary was the clear winner).

In The Kitchen - You know me always trying to experiment and have fun in the kitchen. I was in a funk for a bit and wasn't doing anything wildly exciting, but I got a few things to mention. Monday I made a Banana Pumpkin Bread Pudding. I tweaked the recipe Heather-style (and I didn't have all the ingredients either). It wasn't to-die-for decadent, but it was a decent dessert snack.

I also tried a new eggplant recipe from a blog I follow. It was a bit salty, but I re-vamped it into a pasta bake which ended up being quite delicious. Another recipe I made and added to the week night repetour is Ellie's Balsamic Chicken.

Spring Sneak Peaks - We've had a few days of beautiful sunshine here in Eugene. Also some Cherry Blossom tress have started to bloom. I drive around looking and wishing I were some awesome photographer so I could capture the gorgeousness. Alas, I'm not, but I'll give you my best shot. See below.

Addictions - There is always frozen yogurt, but I'm sure you're tired of that by now. Another addiction which you already heard before: pumpkin. More specifically I'm enjoying pumpkin cookies from local bakeries. Sweet Life and Full City. Yum!

To sum it up, colds are usual, tv is usual, cooking is usual, the seasons changing is usual, addictions are usual. I have lots of usuals.

Coming Soon...There are some exciting weekends for me in March and April, so the posts will be more interesting soon. I promise!!

Spring Sneak Peak

I Saw the Sign

No, no. I'm not singing a song. I really do see signs. Signs everywhere, but there area few in particular I want to discuss. I'm talking about actual, physical signs. Sorry, I'm not going to be "deep" here; just straight forward signs.

Deer Sign - This one is very important. I don't think I'd ever make it home without this sign. The deer sign tells me where to turn off the main street and into our neighborhood. The turn is a bit hidden, and streets start looking the same, so I rely on the deer sign to know when to turn on to Dillard.  Sometimes I'll be driving and think, "oh my, I missed the turn! No wait, there is the deer sign ahead. Whew!" Some wonderful people decorated the deer with a red nose, so I should really call it the reindeer sign. I'll never forget this sign.

Deer Sign

Sub Shop Sign - Yes, I always need to bring up my favorite topic, frozen yogurt. The Sub Shop sign is entirely necessary to see frequently. It has an arrow on it too. It arrow signals to me....come in! Eat me!

Sub Shop Sign

SBux Signs - I've been asked to make several signs at work. Usually it's about VIA. I've made about four different signs since I've started. Perhaps I can be called the "Sign Maker." It's fun to get creative juices flowing. It sometimes brings back memories of being in my mom's classroom and do the boards or chalkboard stuff. Next time you go into a Starbucks, you should look for the chalkboard looking sign where the latest product is promoted. Below is the most recent one.

SBux Sign

Okay, now you're free to sing. Don't know what the heck I'm talking about...go here.

Not Mine

I've debated what to call this post. I've gone back-and-forth with "Not Mine" vs. "The Source." I ended up with "Not Mine" obviously. I thought it might catch more attention. For instance, you might ask yourself, "what's not her's? Perhaps I should find out." <Click>. Or something like that. Whereas source is like, "is she writing a history paper or writing some technical stuff? Ehh seems boring."<Move on to something else>.

Either way I was planning on a post about what blogs or websites I visit on a routine basis. Of course, everyone wants to know where I get my fabulous recipes or random thoughts, right?

Simply Recipes - This is a new favorite. I've made savory and sweet recipes from this site and all have come out simply wonderful (pun intended). Recipes include: Oatmeal Raisin cookies, Molasses Spice cookies, Chicken & Apples in Mustard Sauce, Mango Chicken Curry, Stuffed Herbed Chicken, etc. Plus, most are relatively easy to make. Her descriptions are pretty informative and often have some good tips too.

Pioneer Women - My friend Melissa recently introduced me to this blog. The author writes on several different topics, sometimes multiple posts a day. I don't know where she finds the time! I read mostly her food and photography entries. The past week or so I've really tried to catch up on her photography posts in and effort to self educate myself. Photography is a hobby I'd like to develop. I don't have a cool camera, but I think I can still manage some photos. As for her food posts, I've yet to try a recipe, but she gives step-by-step instructions with photos. I would really like to try the meatballs she put up the other day, but with turkey meat instead. Yum!

Healthy Eats - I just can't escape Food Network. It's on TV, I use it's online recipes, it's everywhere. Not surprisingly I follow one of it's blogs. This one is specifically on healthy recipes, polls, facts, etc. For instance, foods to help fight cholesterol, different ways to use a specific ingredient, what's in season and what to do with it, and recipes. Don't quote me, but I think the author was a contestant on the Next Food Network Star.

Closet Cooking - Come to think of it, I don't think I've tried any of this guys recipes. They do look tempting though. I like his writing style and it impresses me that he can do such gourmet stuff from a small kitchen. I really think I might try the roasted eggplant pasta this week though.

Serious Eats - I think this one is fun because it does random posts and is somewhat humorous. I feel this one is more known / widespread. Anyway, there is some cool stuff. For instance, there was a flow chart diagram on the 5-second rule. It also features reviews of restaurants in different cities like Chicago or Seattle. It also has some posts on techniques.

Farmgirl Fare - I used like like this blog a lot more, but her posts the past few months have just been pictures of her dogs, sheep, or of her backyard. It used to have more variety. I still think her daily dose of cute is fun on occasion though.

Other Ones (Just tired of writing about them now) - 101 Cookbooks, The Amateur Gourmet, The Sugars (Geek, Buzz, Yum), Rachel Ray. Yes, there are more. I usually just scan the titles and pick what I want to read.

There you have it. Those are some of the sources (online sources to be accurate). As far as recipes go, I also get some from my cookbooks and magazines - mainly Cooking Light - as well. I hope you might find a new blog to enjoy now too! Let me know if you follow any. I'm always up for new stuff.

This Old House

Our place isn't really a house; technically it's a duplex. It might have been a house at one point and then converted into a duplex. We're the only duplex around; the other places around are traditional houses. In fact, it's a pretty nice neighborhood. Going back to the "old house" title, our place has character to put it nicely. We've dealt with some interesting things over the past 7-1/2 months.

So far I've been very vague, so let me give you an example: the oven. The oven is in desperate need of replacement. It's slowly gotten worse over the months. Basically the hinges are rusted over. We've been told by two handymen that it's unfixable and needs to be replaced. It creaks loudly when you open & close it. Sometimes I've been seen small sparks (scary). It gets worse as the oven gets hotter too. I found there is a trick with the door. You have to pull up on the left a bit, while keeping the right steady. Also, quick movements works sometimes - i.e. close it fast.

Last week, the tricks failed. As I was baking some delicious oatmeal cookies and taking out the second batch, the entire oven door came off. I stood there perplexed in the middle of the kitchen holding an oven door. Crazy! What does one do with a hot oven door? Questions come to mind such as: Is that real tile on the floor or will it melt when I set it down? Do I set it outside or in the garage? If so, what do I lean it on? In the end, I turned the oven off, and then I managed to get the door back on the hinges and to it's pervious precarious state. Luckily, the cookies turned out still (as I said, they were delicious).

There are other things like the foundation is crooked (hence some cracks in the walls), the windows get wet inside during the winter, weird wiring (what does that switch control?), etc. Ok, enough venting; just had to share. On the bright side...we know what to look for in a home purchase or even our next rental!

Love Bites

Vampires. Eternal Love. Sacrifice.

The last thing is what Josh did for me on Valentines Day. It was very heroic (and romantic, for me at least). I've been waiting for ages (not quite eternity) to see this movie. Rather than spend the big bucks, I've been waiting until it reached the Cinemark 12 theater, the awesome $1.50/person movie theater nearby. Quite magically it reached the theater this weekend...just in time for Valentines Day.  Knowing he'd eventually be dragged to the movie, Josh thought Valentines Day would be the perfect time to sacrifice himself (in his words, "sacrifice on the alter of love").

Valentines Day started at work for me. Somehow I got stuck with the opening shift. It was also a long shift too (actually both days this weekend were opens & long). Although, opening did mean I was done at 2pm. At work, there was some Valentine's Day stuff going on - cupcakes, heart cups, red ribbons tied on coffee bags, teddy bears. The holiday stuff is always fun - the cups were cute. Anyway, I was done at 2pm, which is the real start of Valentines day because it meant starting my time with Josh. Aww, isn't that sweet?!?

As I said, we saw New Moon. We went to the matinee showing so I'd stay awake (remember, I opened). I had a great time. I know it's not really quality acting or film here, but I just enjoy this kind of stuff - my guilty pleasure. Although, I must admit, I think only people that like the movie are those that have read the books (perhaps if Josh read the book, it wouldn't be a sacrifice - ok, who am I kidding). I could review the movie, but this post is strictly Valentines Day themed. And really, is there much to review?

After the wonderful movie, we headed for dinner. We opted for a non-pre fixe or Valentines-typical restaurant. We ended up with pizza. More specifically, we ate at Mezza Luna and created our own pizza. Quite tasty and fit the bill (I mean that literally too). Afterwards we had some dessert at Prince Pucklers. I had froyo, of course.

And that concludes our Valentine 2010 celebration.

Two Years Ago Today

Two years ago I was on a pre-Valentine's Day weekend trip to visit Josh. We were spending the weekend in Portland because it was cheaper to fly in than Eugene. Plus we could go out for a nice Valentines Day dinner in the city. On February 8th, we enjoyed a fine dinner at Wildwood, where I thought for certain if the "big question" was to happen, it would be there. It didn't happen, but it did just the next day on February 9th!

So two years ago today Josh proposed to me. Josh had been preparing for months and had a grand plan. The grand plan involved tricking me about stationary, actually getting stationary (just not what I expected), and a box with a big blue bow. You could say it was a joy.us event (chuckle chuckle). Ahhh two years ago today...

Josh just brought me flowers (awww). And for my readers, a picture of the engagement email we sent out:

The Saints Come Marching In

I wouldn't have known that the Saints won, but I did actually watch the Super Bowl this year (sort of). To be perfectly honest, football is one sport that doesn't excite me much. In general, I would rather be out there playing the sport than watching it. I just don't watch sports, or follow sports teams. And football is especially tough for me since I don't know the rules very well and I also don't like the slowness of the game. What is it with playing for like 30 seconds and then the clock stops for like 3 minutes. It takes forever. Sure in high school I would go to the games, but that was really just to hang out with friends, wear my letterman jacket, and to watch the half time show. I never watched the game. Well, apparently the same holds true today - and we'll get to that, but let's set the scene first...

Josh and I went to our friend's house for a mini Super Bowl party. There were about and about seven of us in total. Anna and Lacie, the hosts, made lots of food. Oh yea, and the game was on. I think we were all more interested in talking, the dog, and especially the food. Food in crazy amounts. There were pork sliders, chicken wings (two kinds), fried green tomatoes, enchiladas, chips, salsa, carrots, hummus, cookies, etc.

Every once in a while, we'd watch the game. But we mostly watched when commercials came on (funny how it's usually the reverse in every day life - ignoring commercials). I think one of the game's highlights was when the Saints guy carried the ball over half the field for a touch down. That was cool. Other than that, I really can't say much about the game. This is what I know: the Colts and Saints played. They were from New Orleans and Indianapolis. Blue and Gold were the main colors. That's it - and I just re-confirmed that information as I typed with Josh. Actually, I keep calling the Saints, the Spirits. Oh well, we all enjoyed the game. Secretly, we all enjoyed flipping to the Puppy Bowl every now and then too.

As for the commercials, they were okay but a bit disappointing overall. I mean what's up with all wearing no pants commercials or talking babies? Google's Ad was decent, or should I say sickeningly cute. Lots of beer commercials. Nothing too memorable. Okay, maybe the one with the long-horn and the Clydesdale.

In a nutshell, the game was fun, but the friends were better. The good was plentiful and we were all happy. All signs of a successful Super Bowl party.

My Afternoon Outdoors

Today I had the day off, but Josh had his "long day" at school. This means lots of "me" time. After a morning of intense cleaning, I saw some sunshine and jumped at the opportunity to take a little adventure outdoors.

Before we talk about my outdoor adventures, let's go back a few days. You know when you drive around you see little trails, and you say you should try that sometime. Well, I tried to do that randomly. I thought I'd just drive around and find one of those "I should try someday" walks. I ended up driving around and finding nothing. Then it got dark and I only really managed driving around. Err.

This time I saw the sunshine, I had free time, and instead of just roaming like before I decided to go out prepared. I hopped on my laptop and looked up a specific park. I already knew what I wanted to do - the park Josh & I roamed last year during one of my weekend visits. With location in mind, and address in the GPS, I was off.

Within five minutes, I was at my destination, Hendrick's Park. Not only was I prepared with location, but I had on boots and red jacket just in case the rain should return. Now, walk time!

I just roamed around - downhill and uphill. There were some flowers peaking out screaming "I want spring!" There was also a part that I decided was a mini rain forest - lots of moss, ferns, trees, and when you stood still you could hear the dripping of water from the leaves (and not raining). My walk brought me past some runners and dog walkers. Oh, and I even found the turkeys. They haven't been around our house lately. Apparently, they've decided to roam the park instead.

With fresh air and sunshine, I felt like it was a fulfilling afternoon. Funny enough, right when I got back in my car, the rain started up again. Figures. (For those not familiar with Eugene weather, it changes about every 30 minutes. If you're not happy now, just wait a few minutes and it'll change.)

As always, I had my camera on hand during my walk. Check out my new Flickr photos.

Seen it?

Have you seen Avatar? I thinking most of you have since apparently it's the highest grossing movie of all time. Now Josh and I are one of the multitudes that have helped it reach that ranking. It took us several tries to get there. The first two attempts we were rejected with the blinking "sold out" at the ticket booth. We decided to just buy the tickets in the afternoon and see it in the evening - it worked. We saw it this Saturday at the very front of the theater with the music pounding in our ears.

Even if you haven't seen it, you might know the story already. How's that you say? Well, it's one part FernGully, one part Pocahontas, one part Dances with Wolves, and one part Star Wars. Okay, maybe throw in some Last of the Mohicans. Yes, my friends, it's a combination of these movies. Top it with some major themes like religion, evil corporations, and go green. Wait, wait...don't take any of this the wrong way; I did enjoy the film. The 3D special effects were awesome and the Avatar concept was very well done. I'm glad I saw it in the theater and got to see it in all it's glory. It was a great action flick for sure. And I always enjoy the movie-going experience (especially when I still have gift certificates - dang, movies and 3D is expensive!). Oh, and it was quite funny to see Phoebe's brother in Friends playing the big Corporate guy - HA!

Anyway, fun movie, fun times, and I'm glad I saw it in theaters. Not to mention, I got Thai food beforehand - Yum yum!