Christmas Letter 2013

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Thats...3.5 years living in Seattle, 2 years of blissful marriage, 10 years being in love, 1.8 years at Responsys, 1.3 years at Logic 20/20, 1 month with a mustache, 8 months with shorter hair

Pretty crazy stuff. 

Let’s just focus on this year shall we? Even though time seemed to go by so quickly, we still managed to have a very fulfilling year. We explored our hometown, ventured to getaway, and enjoyed visits from our parents and friends.  We also had some fun at parks, sporting events, and festivals. Here's a little bit about all these fun things...

SEATTLE, A CULTURED CITY: 

Even after three years, we are still exploring our hometown of Seattle and it’s surrounding areas. There never seems to be a lack of something to do. No doubt about it, we love Seattle and we’re staying put. Some of our top spots included the Chihuly Glass Exhibit, Museum of Glass (in Tacoma), the Conservatory, and Mohai. If you ever want to visit, we know where to take you!

VISITORS:

Speaking of visits, we were lucky to have both sets of parents visit this fall. With the O’Neills we took the ferry over to Bainbridge and enjoyed time in Seattle with some good food, too.

The Browns joined us for Thanksgiving. It was the first time I (Heather) had made Thanksgiving dinner for more than Josh and me. It was a total success -- especially the stuffing and pie. Beyond all the turkey we also took the Browns to the Olympic Peninsula and explored some of the cute towns there.

Another visitor this fall was Josh’s best friend, Kevin. They both attended our church’s Resurgence conference (another item to note for the year: Josh got baptized!). They had a blast spending some time together - it was like they were never apart. It’s great that a friendships can last so long and over the miles.

GETAWAYS:

We love Seattle, but we also love to get out of dodge once and a while. Our big trip this year was across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Any guesses on where that would be? If you guessed Victoria in British Columbia, you were right. There we met up with our good friend from Holland, Irene, and her boyfriend Jochem. We had a grand time seeing friends and checking out our BC neighbor. 

Beyond our international trip, we also took a weekend getaway to Port Ludlow. This serene port on the Olympic Peninsula served as our home base when we hit up some local cideries and also spent the afternoon in Port Townsend. What a way to relax from our busy schedules!

Other awesome day trips: Snohomish and Dungeness Spit Hike

HEATHER'S TRIPS:

I (Heather) took two trips without Josh this year. I learned from this that I just don’t like trips without Josh!  

The first trip was down to Encinitas to visit my parents to say goodbye to my childhood home. Yes, it’s true, my parents moved from the home that I lived in since I was about 8 years old. It was hard to sort through all my stuff (so many My Little Ponies!), and even harder to say goodbye to the house. On the same trip, I joined the family on the MS Walk in Legoland. 

The other trip was to Chicago for my cousin Jeremy’s wedding and to see family. It was great to see my Grandma Ruth. She’s a tough old cookie, and still manages to eat her Hackney’s burger and fries. We also went to the site of my parent’s first date, Ravenna. There we saw Chicago (the band) play in Chicago (the city). 

WORK:

We guess we have to work sometime. Heather has been a Program Manger with Responsys for just about two years now. Not to sound too cliche, the best part of the job is the people. They like each other so much that we’ll even do stuff on the weekends like Wayzgoose. Heather has also traveled down to San Fran for the big Interact Conference her company pulls off each year - quite impressive.

Josh has been a Senior Consultant with Logic a year now. He mainly works on Microsoft projects and ventures out to Redmond often. He has had a wide verity of projects there in a number of their groups and is getting to do what he does best: solve problems.

HAVING FUN:

We’re not all work and no play. There is definitely play. Definitely. Let’s list some of the awesomeness we have done this year:

PARTING NOTE:

It surly has been a great year. We are so blessed to have such loving family, and kind friends. We hope you had a wonderful year. Enjoy this season and have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Cheers! 

Heather & Josh

Cook's Corner: Thanksgiving Feast

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I know, I know, it's already mid-December and I'm only just sharing my Thanksgiving with you now. Is there a 12 days of Thanksgiving? No? Bummer. Well, maybe you can pick up some of these recipes for Christmas. The two dinners are pretty similar (at least, in my family), so there's that at least.

So I bring you Cook's Corner as opposed to Baker's Corner. And this is a special Thanksgiving edition! 

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

I found this while looking on Sunset magazine's website for recipes. I saw the secret ingredient - Earl Grey tea - and knew it must be made. I love the brightness of cranberries, and the punch it gives to your meal. The best part, though, is putting git on a turkey sandwich. We were originally going to skip this one and buy cranberry sauce to save time, but Josh gave the saddest face, so we ended up making it. Glad we did!

Rustic Herb Skillet Stuffing 

[aka Dressing - my parents call stuffing dressing. I'm not sure how I ended up calling it stuffing. Weird] Now here's something about me. I don't like stuffing. But, this stuffing made me change my mind. No joke, it was that good. I picked it because it was mostly made on the stove top, and I knew I wouldn't have much time with the oven given the turkey and all. The other reason was the parmesan. I am a sucker for parm - Josh and I put it on practically everything. Oh, and we used a tasty potato bread from a local bakery, Marcina. So give this one a whirl, you won't be disappointed.  

Mashed Potatoes

This is more of a method than a recipe. I used the video to make these lovely mashed potatoes. They turned out perfect - smooth, creamy, and oh-so-good. I watched the video and then wrote the recipe out, printed it, and then deleted it (sorry). Watch the video though, it'll be great. You could be doing it all wrong!

Roasted Veggies

I wanted to make both sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts. Alas there was not enough time. So I cooked both in one! So clever. This was a classic roasted veggie dish, and they were a great side to the meal. I added some brown sugar for the last few minutes of roasting to add some sweetness. 

And I didn't make my own rolls. I wanted to, but there wasn't enough time. Just pop them in the oven and they taste homemade. Guess there is always next year! 

Turkey Breast

The main event: the turkey! Although in my opinion, it should be dessert. Wink wink. For one, I totally need to take the time to brine the bird. Just do it. I use this brine from Allrecipes. Then I used this recipe for the bird itself. I only did a beast - we just don't need the whole bird. This was just enough for the four of us, and it even made leftovers (and we used the carcass for soup - eh carcass, that sounds gross, but the soup is good).

Pumpkin Pie

Now, this is what I'm talking about - dessert! This is the main event, no doubt. I made the pumpkin pie the way I like it - with a gingersnap crush. This pie was perfection. I think it helped that I made my own pumpkin puree. I found that this is actually pretty easy. You know what made this even better, the spiced whipped cream. And Nada & Don bought us a special whipped cream dispenser. I reminded me of my Starbucks days. I know there are fun creations with this ahead. 

The Table

The flowers were a gift from my father-in-law. Isn't he sweet. Without them, the table would have been lacking. This was the wonderful table upon which we ate all the food above. If you go to so much trouble to make the food, let's dress the table up too. The table wants to be part of the party.

The Cooks

Nada and I were the cooks of the feast. I was the chef, and Nada my sous chef. We were great together. 

Top 10: The In-Laws Visit

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Goodness, it's almost Christmas, and I've hardly told you anything about Thanksgiving. I was totally focused on Thanksgiving that I didn't realize how soon Christmas was as well. When Thanksgiving ended Christmas came out of nowhere and smacked me in the face. Snapped to reality. I need to get moving. Now I'm cramming in Christmas - gift hunting, shopping, decorating, music, lights, baking...ahh! 

Deep breath. I feel better now. 

So Thanksgiving. It was really quite nice. My in-laws flew up to celebrate with us. It was the first time I had to organize, prep, and cook a Thanksgiving feast for more than just Josh and me (hence why I was focused on Thanksgiving). It went swimmingly. I'll tell you more about the food later. The more important stuff first: the in-laws visit. 

Here's the top 10 highlights from their visit: 

1. Don's 70th Birthday

We celebrated with dinner with Vince & Jonita (good friends).

Don's 70th Birthday

2. Cooking & Baking with Nada

I was the chef and Nada was my sous chef - we were quite the team.

Nada & Heather cooking the Thanksgiving feast

3. Thanksgiving Feast

More to come on the food. For now you just get to see the table with food. Yum!

The Thanksgiving Table

4. Helix Bridge

I've shared this bridge with you before, but I think it's just too cool. This team it gets bonus points for the fog.

Helix Bridge in the fog

5. Walk in the Fog

The fog while we walked at Myrtle Edwards Park was so cool. I will try to share a post with you soon with more photos. 

Walk at Myrtle Edwards Park in the fog

6. CB Nuts

We drove over to the Olympic Peninsula and came upon CB Nuts. Another awesome, local company. Washington rocks. 

7. Meandering Pike Place Market

Breakfast at Lowells. Coffee at Storyville. Gum wall. And a cool Pike Place Market truck.

Pike Place Market Truck

8. Port Townsend

We also stopped by Port Ludlow. Drove by Port Gamble. Lots of ports.

Adventures in Port Townsend

9. Boats

Don, my father in-law, loves boats. Shh, we trespassed to the boatyard - we're wild & crazy. He made me do it.

Boats at Lake Union

10. Being with family

Great to see the family. Nada seems to bring the sun with her, too. (Thanks for that)

Brown Family

Brown Family

'Stache Status - Final

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November is over so that means Movember is over as well. Which also means Josh finally can shave the 'stache and grow back the beard. - hurrah! But...I bet you're wondering how the final 'stache is lookin'. Even though I'm not a huge fan of the 'stache, I have to say Josh did pretty good. 

I'm not sure what he co-workers were thinking about not voting him the best moustache. The Josh 'stache has style. But the best thing is that he raised some awareness. And so did my work team, 'Stache of the Titans - we raised $380 buckaroos! 

Goodbye Movember. Hello Beard again. 

(and no more blog 'stache updates. happy? sad? maybe again next November, maybe.)

Thankful on Thanksgiving

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You know what I'm thankful for...Thanksgiving. It's frustrating how lots of retailers just skip right over Thanksgiving. But Thanksgiving should not be skipped over. It's a time to remember what's important in life - family and friends (and food, you need it for survival, duh). It's a day to step back and put things in perceptive and remember these important things in your life.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to share some of the things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving.

1. A Loving Husband & Happy Marriage

2. Family - Parents, Sister, & In-Laws - that are always there for you

3. Friends that make you Laugh

4. A Beautiful City

5. Good Job with Fun Co-workers

This list could go on and on, but I need to get back in the kitchen to continue the Thanksgiving feast. My in-laws are in town, and we're planning a awesome dinner. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo, Heather

Baker's Corner

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It is about time I wrote to you about some baking. I kept it low key during the summer. Dudes, the kitchen in the summer is just ridiculous. Have I told you that we don't have air conditioning? Then add a 350-400 degree oven to the warm weather. I'm just not doing it; I melt. I did make some cold desserts though (more to come on that). Let's talk baking and treats!

Doesn't that all look so scrumptious? Want me to say something to make you jealous? Well, I got to eat every single thing you're seeing in that picture. Oh yea baby!

Top-Left corner working down to bottom-right:

  1. Strawberry Shortcake - I loved 'lil Strawberry Shortcake when I was a girl. One of my birthday's was Strawberry Shortcake themed. So I've moved from the cartoon to the actual food. I think the latter is the better choice. This recipe had some balsamic in the strawberries - a nice touch!
  2. Peaches - OMG, I had a whole series of peach photos to share. I was going to share how to peel peaches. This was an August treat. I'll do that sometime; maybe next August.
  3. Watermelon Floats - This was something I made as a refreshing alternative to baking. It sounds odd, but it was really tasty. I also made rhubarb floats. Delicious! 
  4. Blueberry Pie Sundae - I wish it were summer again so I could eat this again. Hey wait, I do eat frozen yogurt & ice cream in the freezing cold. Guess I should go make this and eat it while wearing gloves and snug in blanket. It was super easy, too. If you don't like cold treats in the winter, then be sure to bookmark this one (or pin it).
  5. Homemade Oreos - This was a Josh favorite. Did you know Josh loves Oreos? It's a very typical dessert in our house. It's best with milk. I gave these cookies a whirl, and they were great. I was doubtful of the cream center, but it was totally good. And the cookie was crispy! Now if I can get Josh to stop asking for them all the time. 
  6. Pumpkin Whoopies - If you don't know by now that I love pumpkin then I don't know if we can be friends. I've got my friends trained...they tell me when they discover something pumpkin delicious (or that their baby only likes pumpkin - kid after my own heart). So, I have to make these pumpkin favorites every year. Check out last year.
  7. Macrina Peach Galette - See #2 above. This is the result of the peaches. It's actually from my Macrina cookbook. The closest recipe I can find is here. Macrina is my parent's favorite bakery in Seattle. This thing turned out gigantic. Not probably with that, but it was crazy (and crazy good).
  8. Sky High Muffins - No joke, these muffins really rose. However, I thought they were too dry and bland. I think if you can take the rising trick and apply it to a different recipe, that would be good. This these muffins...these look delicious and scream fall! 
  9. Lemon Crinkles - Lemon in desserts is so refreshing. I love citrus desserts. These were not a disappointment. 

Now it's fall and winter and I'm back in the kitchen some more. Plus, I will be baking more for the holiday season, so I'll be sure to share. I wonder though, will anyone bake me something? Being in the kitchen is tough work. Then again, if you give a baker a cookie, she'll want to bake it herself...

'Stache Status - Week 2

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I know you've all been waiting for another 'stache status! We're heading into week 3 now, so let's do a quick look at the 'stache.

Apparently Josh saw some of his competition in the office today. The same guy that won the office Movember competition last year is looking pretty 'stache-y. Josh might have to rub in some Rogaine next week. 

Unfortunately for me, I have to live with the 'stache four days longer than I'd like...the office Movember party isn't until 12/4. I just keep repeating to myself, "it for a good cause." Speaking of which, here's Josh's Mo Space (unabashedly promoting this thing all month long, folks, deal with it). 

'Stache Status - Week 1

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As promised, I am providing a 'Stache Status. Josh is growing a moustache this November for Movember. Don't know what I'm talking about? Go to my last post.

Josh is making good progress after this first week. 

I think on the matrix he's around the Swedish Chef, or possibly Ron Burgundy. Although he's aiming to be Lawrence from Office Space (unfortunately not on the matrix).

How do you think he's doing? If you think he's doing good, how about a donation? If you think he needs encouragement, how about a donation? Here's his Mo Space.

But wait, there is a runner up. Me! I think my moustashe wins!! Okay, so it's a edited photo (THANK GOD). But I'm a Mo Sista, and have to support my Mo Bros. My motto is: "I'm not growing a mustache (thank goodness), but I am growing awareness." Here's my Mo Space. I joined the office competition, and my team is 'Stache of the Titans. Feel free to help my team win the office competition - wink wink.

Mo Bros

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This year Josh is s going to be a Mo Bro, which I guess makes me a Mo Sista - we're a  Mo Fam! We don't Mo alone. 

Who is Mo? What the heck am I talking about? Movember! It's pretty simple Moustache + November = Movember. For the month of November, men grow mustaches to help change the face of men's health (get it - change the face). Here's the websites description of the mo-vement:

“Movember is the month formerly known as November, where men and women across the globe join together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health. Men grow and women support a Mo (moustache) for 30 days becoming walking, talking billboards. Movember supports world-class men’s health programs that combat prostate and testicular cancer.

Men who support Movember, called Mo Bros, start by registering at Movember.com. Mo Bros start Movember 1st clean-shaven, then grow and groom their Mo, for the rest of the month, raising money along the way. Women who support Movember, called MO SISTAS, also start by registering at Movember.com. MO SISTAS champion the Mo by registering and supporting the Mo Bros in their life, spreading the important message of men’s health, leading a team and organizing events.”

On November 1st, Josh shaved. When I saw him, I didn't quite recognize him. I've known him with a beard now for three something years. Then all of a sudden he gets a shave and cuts his hair. Funny how my opinion of the beard has changed. When we first met, I refused to let him grow a beard. But when he moved to the Northwest before me, and grew a beard, I suddenly think it's great. So I was sad to see the beard go. But I'll survive the month...I think. 

Prior to the shave, he let the bread grow. It was pretty...uhh, how shall I say this, it was luxurious. Here's a before and after:

Josh is the Captain of Team Logic 20/20, his office's team.  And I'm joining a team at my office, team name is TBD. If you're wanting to help the cause, donate to Josh's team here. I'll write some follow-up posts to keep you posted on his moushache progress. Maybe he'll grow something like Mr. Pringles. 

Top 10: Parents Visit

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The weekend before last, Josh and I enjoyed a visit from my parents. We really lucked out and had some awesome Seattle fall weather. We ate at some great restaurants, and did some fun activities. So I'm happy to report we all had a pretty fantastic weekend. Here's the top 10 from the weekend ... in photos! (so you don't have to listen to be babble so much). 

 

 

 

1.  Ferry to Bainbridge (and back)

 

Ferry Ride to Bainbridge & Back

3. Beautiful fall colors (Nothing you'd see in San Diego)

Fall leaves

4. Standing around a BIG-ass pumpkin

 

Standing around a BIG-ass pumpkin

5. Celebrating Josh's Birthday! 

Celebrating Josh's Birthday

6. Round and Round in the Great Wheel

(with a scared mom)

Seattle's Great Wheel (aka Ferris Wheel)

7. Roaming the Ballard Farmer's Market

 

Ballard Farmer's Market

8. Touring the Chihuly Glass Museum

Chihuly Glass Museum

9. Drinking Coffee

(except for Dad, he drank tea) 

10. Wearing funky flip flops

(a gift from the nail salon) 

Jan & Heather's funky flip flops & pretty nails

For more photos - go here.

Across the Sound to Victoria

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Life has been pretty hectic lately, especially with work. But fear not, I'm am dedicated to telling you about my exciting life. The latest edition in my exciting life is the trip Josh and I made at the end of September across the Sound to Victoria, BC. 

My good friend, Irene, from Holland, and her boyfriend, Jochem, were journeying through Canada and we decided to rendezvous in Victoria. Josh and I took Friday off to make it a nice, long weekend. To get us there, instead of driving and all that crazy hassle, we hopped on the Victoria Clipper. The Clipper zips you from Seattle to Victoria in just under 3 hours. Easy breezy.

Victoria Clipper

Boarding the Clipper

We arrived by 11am in Victoria, and we were ready to explore. Oh wait...make at 1pm because we got trapped in a random security check at the border control. Wah-wah-wah.  

We met up with Irene and Jochem at our "hotel" - an apartment we booked through Home Away. Then we began exploring the city together. We began with a stroll through Beacon Hill Park. We saw peacocks, dogs, dogs chasing peacocks (no joke), ducks, and pretty views. We also cross a "medieval bridge" (in photo below). Not quite sure how it was medieval, but whatever, we get it...very old.

Heather & Irene at Beacon Hill Park

The exploration continued on past Thunderbird Park (aka a bunch of totem poles), Parliament, Fairmont's Empress hotel, and then along the waterfront. 

Thunderbird Park, The Empress, and Parliament

Thunderbird Park, The Empress, and Parliament

After all that walking, we needed a tea break. We found ourselves enjoying a spot of tea at Silk Road Tea near Chinatown. (Fun fact, apparently Victoria's Chinatown is Canada's oldest Chinatown.) After our tea, we explored some more - you guessed it, in Chinatown. There was a cool, narrow alley called Fan Tan Alley. (Another fun fact, Fan Tan Alley is Canada's narrowest street. Boy, am I full of facts, or what?!)

Fan Tan Alley & Chinatown

Fan Tan Alley & Chinatown

That pretty much sums up our first day. Now on to the second day, Saturday. Saturday brought rain. Lots of rain. We heard it was the end of the cyclone that hit Hong Kong. But we were troopers, and we will have fun even in the rain. So take that rain!

Jochem and Irene had a rental car, so we drove out to Duncan for some fun outside of Victoria. Duncan has a very nice farmer's market, even in the rain. In fact, when I stopped to look at the Victoria Island Salt Co. stand, the guy said we would take whatever salt we wanted because it was wet and would never re-sell. Score! (got some fleur de Sel and flavored salt - our lucky day). So my favor in return is to tell you now...to buy salt from them -- debts are now returned.

Next, we found ourselves some lunch, cookies, and a view into the rainy bay at Cowichan Bay. After lunch, it was still raining, so we took a scenic route back towards Victoria. We stopped for a quick look at a scenic lake - and a 5 minute break in the rain!

Lunch in Cowichan Bay

Lunch in Cowichan Bay

Happy Heather & Josh at lake near Cowichan Bay

We made a pit stop at Mattick's Farm, which we thought we be more of a farm than a shopping center. Turned out to be the latter (dang it, I hate not having Internet Internationally for reasonable prices - raise fist up in anger). And we wrapped up the day with a cocktail at the famous Bengal Lounge in the Empress hotel.

Sunday was our last day. And it was still raining. We started our day with some munchies at Murchie's (sorry had to). Then we checked out the new Victoria Public Market. And by new, I mean, opened just a few weeks ago. And best part - it's inside! No wait, the best part was the cheese. Nom nom nom, cheese in my belly. We had to take some home. 

 

Bengal Lounge, Murchie's Tea, and Victoria Public Market

We left Victoria via the Clipper at 2pm Sunday. And so ended our exciting weekend with friends. We did have to take some dramamine on the boat back - as advised by Victoria Clipper team members - because of the choppy, stormy weather. But we got back to Seattle without a scratch (or anything of that sort).  

In conclusion, it was a fantastic trip.* And we give Irene's boyfriend, Jochem, our approval as a new friend.** And of course, it's important to get our approval since I mean...it's us. (I'll get off my high horse now).

Good trip, good friends, good times!

P.S. Didn't get enough pictures. Check out the album. 

*Wow, I sound like I'm writing an essay. It sort of feels like an essay with the amount of writing I did here. Hope that's okay. Do you like essays? Wait, let's call it a novel, that sounds better

**Sorry, I didn't mention, we hadn't met him yet. Holland is a bit far away.

2 Year Anniversary

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Josh and I have been together two years now. No. Wait. That doesn't seem quite right. Make that 10 years. Yes, that feels more like it. Have I confused you, yet? No, I'm not saying the past two years feels like ten years. Rather, Josh and I have been together for 10 years this fall, and as of today, we've been married for two years. That's my long winded way of telling you we're celebrating our two year anniversary together.

It's been a great two, I mean ten, I mean two years. 

Holy cow, looks at us back then...here's a photo of us now and then.

Heather & Josh, Circa 2003

Heather & Josh, September 2013

And because it's our anniversary, I can't help post a wedding collage. All day today I was playing the game, "two years ago today, we were...." Awwww, such good memories. And no joke, our wedding day was the best day of my life (to this point).

Check out more... 

{Sorry, when I transferred to my new blog (software update), so of my past blog posts lost there "look" and got a bit wonky. But remember, it's all about the content.}

Summer Look Back

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As a farewell to Summer (because let's just all admit it, summer is over), I decided to do a look back with pictures. Here's a trip down memory lane. 

Starting from top-left...

  1. Hiking St Edwards State Park
  2. Fourth of July Celebrations 
  3. Visiting Northwest Trek 
  4. Fun times at Ballard Seafood Fest
  5. Wine tasting at Kirkland Uncorked
  6. Touring Snohomish 
  7. Go Sounders! 
  8. Rat City Roller Derby 
  9. Go Mariners!

Starting at the top-left...

  1. Random Lunch in downtown
  2. Josh's dream...we found a Sonics 
  3. Take me out to the ball game
  4. Discovering Snohomish
  5. Lucha Libre 
  6. Visiting Chicago & Grandma Ruth
  7. Jeremy's Wedding 
  8. Happy Hours on Patios - cheers!
  9. Kayaking on Lake Union

Wow, when you look at this way, we did quite a lot this summer! And I didn't even post about everything -- missing stuff like the awesome day kayaking on Lake Union, the Mariners game, hiking, happy hours, and roller derby. Man, we're awesome! 

Not enough photos? Check out my Summer gallery on Flickr...or, since I'm slowly transitioning my photos to just be on my site! So you can find even more photos here!

Wayzgoose

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When you first get to know someone, you ask them where they work, or what they do. When I say Responsys, I usually get a quizzical look. Or an "oh, okay." It's not like Google or Facebook. If you're in the industry, you probably know us...otherwise, I just end up babbling about how email is not spam. 

The next step is telling someone about what I do. I find this rather difficult, too. I am a Program Manager - not a programmer (lots of people seem to jump to that conclusion). Ohh am I far from being a programmer (trying to picture that - ha!). What I do, in a nutshell, is manage projects. Specifically, I manage creative projects. I mainly work with the creative team who designs and writes emails for our clients. 

That was a long winded way to lead into this post. The main purpose from all my babble above is that I work with creative people. And I think they are super creative. Sadly, lots of people don't know them as creatives because we are not at a company that's only creative. But my creative peeps shined the other week, and I was so thrilled to help (hey, I have a creative streak too!).

The event was Wayzgoose (I think I say it differently every time). And we rocked it at Wayzgoose. Now, more people learned about Repsonsys and it's awesome creative folks. Booya! Go us. 

Responsys Poster: Museum of Glass

Basically, a bunch of local design/creative/print companies get together to make large poster prints. It's an annual event, and the theme this year was museums. Each company got assigned a museum then designed a poster for that museum. We, Responsys, got The Museum of Glass (remember when I went there?).

Before the event, everyone made a linoleum "stamp" of their design. Then the printing happened at the event. 

Starting with the top, left photo, here's how the process goes:

  1. Make your stamp.
  2. Paint it - Here's where I helped. 
  3. Place it on the ground. 
  4. Lay down a large piece of paper over the stamp. 
  5. Put a piece of wood down to secure the paper. 
  6. Take a steamroller and roll over the print.
  7. Lift up the paper...(insert "ohhs" and "ahhs" here).
  8. Hang it up for everyone to see. 

You saw our finished poster (pictured above), but the competition was fierce. There were some other crazy awesome posters. The best poster, besides ours obviously, was the Pinball poster (which also got first place). Here's a few I liked: 

Other Posters at Wayzgoose

Everyone hung there poster from the building (the School of Visual Concepts puts on the event) . It was cool to see all the posters hanging.

Hanging Posters at Wayzgoose

Lots of talented folks where at the event, and it was pretty great to see. And the cherry on top was that we got honorable mention. Three of us got honorable mention actually (equally placed), and then the Pinball poster got first place. We were pretty stoked about our win. Like the dark horse riding in. Boom.  

Yay Team Responsys (photo credit to some of these to Henry Alva)

My co-workers are the bestest (one of the copywriters probably just cringed there). Fun times! 

P.S. My co-worker, Henry Alva, took some excellent photos - they're up on Flickr here. 

Vashon Sheepdog Trials

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Have you seen Babe? It's a movie based off Babe, the Gallant Pig, which I read when I was in elementary school. It was through this book and movie (and our family dog, Maggie, who was a border collie) that I learned about sheepdogs. Yes, I learned about sheepdogs at a very young age. And I believe it was all preparation for this weekend when Josh and I when to the Vashon Sheepdog Trials this past weekend at Misty Isle Farms.

Although I knew about sheepdog herding and that they did competitions (like in Babe!), I didn't know much beyond that. This weekend, my berth of knowledge on sheepdog herding was vastly advanced.   Let me share some of this new found knowledge with you.

First, the sheepdog itself. Generally it's a herding dog, like a Border Collie or Australian Shepard (more here) who are naturally inclined towards herding. It's in their blood. With some training, you can get these dogs to herd animals (fear not, nobody gets hurt in the herding). 

The handler, who is the dog owner, trains the dog to herd the sheep. The handler actually plays a big part in the herding because they are watching the dog and the sheep. The handler will give commands to the dog using a whistle, or sometimes yelling out to the dog. For instance, we heard them instruct the dog to "lie down" a lot to help slow the sheep and dog down in order to make the next move on the course. 

For the competition, the dog must through the field, fetch the sheep, bring them through fences and gates, and then get in the pin, all directed by their handlers commands. 

To start, the dog would run down the field to the sheep that were on the opposite end. As you can see, it's a large field. Probably why a whistle is needed! 

The Course Field

Running down the field

Then the dog must round up the sheep and bring them back down the field and bring them through the gate. As you can see in the video, the dog & sheep were going pretty fast and missed the gate they were supposed to run through.

Once the group is near the handler, then they need to circle a tree, and then bring the sheep through two more gates - a gate on each side of the field. If only the dog's had the sheep's password - bah ram ewe!

Herding sheep through the fence

Herding sheep through the fence

"Bah Ram Ewe"

"Bah Ram Ewe"

After the two gates, they come back around to where the handler is standing. The handler picks two sheep, and the dog needs to sort them. Then they put the herd together again, and then round them into the pin. Here's another video where they dog and handler successfully get the sheep into the pin.

And they need to do it all in 11 minutes! These dogs are super smart, super speedy, and super cute! And I'm sure the handler says, "That'll do Pig" eh hem, I mean, "That'll do dog" at the end.

We had a great time watching the event!

(psst! More photos in my gallery - just scroll down)

The Spectators

The Spectators

Stop and Remember

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As I was driving home from work Tuesday, my mom asked if I remembered 9/11. I said, of course! But then we realized, it's been twelve years - an entire decade! Someone that is a teenager today, about 16 or 17 years old, would only have been like 4 or 5 years old when the attacks happened. This just blows my mind! They probably won't remember where or when they were when they heard the news. They don't remember watching the television in shock & horror. They don't remember the lives that were lost and the tragedy. Do you remember?

So, for those of us that do remember, let's put so much brainpower into it that we make up for all those that are not able to remember. Stop and remember - just take a minute today. 

God Bless America!

 

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Weddings & Family in Chicago

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Wedding + Grandma + Family = Trip to Chicago

That's the formula for a visit! And so between August 23rd and 26th, I was in the Mid-west. 

1. Wedding

One of the main reasons was to see my cousin Jeremy wed. The wedding took place in Milwaukee at the Pabst Brewing Company factory. I have to say, the venue was pretty cool. Pabst has been around since about 1884, and I think the factory building since 1880 (I figured it's 1880, since that's the year on the building. I'm so clever).

 

But this visit wasn't about the building or the factory, it was about my awesome cousin Jeremy marrying Nikki. The ceremony was short and sweet and was in a courtyard. The reception was on of the larger rooms in the building. In a nutshell, they were very happy and everyone had a lovely time. {More Photos in the album here}

2. Grandma Ruth

My Grandma Ruth is 92 years old and still chugging along. I am so glad to see her every year as she is very special to me. We visited her for lunch on two days during my visit. She was so happy to see us, and even mentioned how we'd traveled all the way from California (I'll give her the California thing, 3 of the 4 of were from Cali; Seattle would be hard to remember). 

We took her to Hackney's for burgers (Hackney's is a favorite of the family. It's one of the places we visit on every trip). She still has a hardy appetite, which always amazes me. (In the picture, she is waving to the camera!)

 

Grandma and Family at Hackney's for Lunch

3. Family

Did you know that the majority of my relatives are from Chicago? Both my parents were born and raised there. We were the runaways of the family that moved to California, but the rest remained in the general Chicago area. I have many good memories of summers in Chicago. So it's always great to visit and catch up with the family. 

Being that my parents were raised in Chicago, there are a lot of memories there. On Sunday night on our visit, we visited on such memories. We went to Ravinia, the site of my parent's first date. Ravinia is a concert venue where people can picnic and watch the band/artist from their picnic site on the grass. They saw Dionne Warwick (you'll recognize her songs), and when it started to rain she sang Rain Drops Keeping Falling on my Head. 

But we didn't see Dionne. Instead, we saw another favorite band of my parents, Chicago.  Yes, we saw Chicago in Chicago (you'll recognize their songs, too). We had a nice picnic and enjoyed the music.

John & Jan at Ravinia

Chicago

And that was my visit to Chicago. Good time with the family.  

For more pictures, go to my Summer Photos album on my blog! (I'm going to move away from Flickr albums, FYI).

Lucha Libre in the Park

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To me, "lucha libre" sounds like free lunch. I know it's not (I didn't take Spanish for six years for nothing!). In fact, it's far from it. It's wrestling, but an entirely different kind of wrestling. I had actually never heard of it before, so this was an entire world of sports I did not know existed before August.  

I learned that lucha libre means free wrestling. It's a type of wrestling that's much, much more than just arm strength and  grappling on the floor. It's gymnastics meets wrestling - it's jumping, and acrobats. It originated in Mexico, and is second to soccer in popularity. And not only that, but they wear awesome costumes and masks...at least the luchadores in Mexico do - some other luchadores skip that part (lame).

As it so happens, there was going to be lucha libre right here in Seattle. Honestly, I didn't really want to go (side note: I don't think I really understood what it was until after I witnessed it). Our friend Aaron and Josh talked about it, and how awesome it sounded, and for me...meh. But being a good sport, I decided to give it a whirl. What else was I doing that afternoon anyways? Plus, Josh is patient with my TV shows and frozen yogurt needs, so I figured I could do this for him. 

The event was down at Duwamish Waterway Park - near West Seattle. It was a nice, sunny day. A perfect day for some lucha libre. They had two guys introduce the wrestling match. The first match was the Mexican luchadores. There was Sonic and Blue Steel. I gave them those names...but they did have names, I just don't remember.

Then came the couples match (note: that's not a technical luchador term). One was wearing a crazy tiger costume and the other a red, white, and blue eagle costume. Then there was a girl in black & yellow, and a guy dressed like a girl with a wig and all.

 

Tiger Luchadore

Tiger Luchadore

It was quite hilarious. The luchadores would taunt each other - like "I will crush you" and then they'd involve the crowd to cheer or boo. The kiddos loved it, and there was quite a bit of cheering. 

The one girl (the real girl) was crazy. She'd climb up on the side and then jump.

Flying Girl Luchador

Flying Girl Luchador

Then there were a few matches with American luchadores that didn't wear masks. Booo. The masks are way cooler. There was one guy that was like Mr. Machismo. He basically wore a speedo with a bow tie. No pictures of that one for you - this is a family blog people!  

I probably should have bought a mask for Halloween. Dang it! 

Luchador Masks

Luchador Masks

And that is Lucha Libre.  

Oh, and if you're here in Seattle, you can train to become a luchado. That's right; the people that brought the event are Lucha Libre Volcanica, and they're waiting for you to sign-up!

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Hanging the Jewels: DIY

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I don't actually do that many DIY projects. I would like to, but I never seem to just hunker down and do them. The last real project was last year (remember this)! Usually it's because I'm slightly intimidated by them.

I go on Pinterest, and see all these folks pinning awesome DIY projects. Do people actually do those projects? I wonder. Am I the only gal that's looks at something and thinks it just too much work?

When I came across this jewelry board on Jones Design, I thought that this might actually be one I could take on. Not too complicated, and the materials & tools seemed simple enough. Although the post didn't actually explain the project step by step, I though I could swing it. Plus, I had the cork board just sitting here - it has been in our office since we moved here (so for 3 years).

Not to mention, I've been wanting to organize my jewelry for ages. I've been eyeing cute organizers on Etsy. Like this one, and this one. Oh, and then there is this DIY project, too, but the wood and knobs ... yikes! 

I decided why spend so much, when this one could actually created, by me, on the cheap... challenge accepted.

 

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And guess what? I DID IT. It was pretty easy, too. Let me tell you how this is done...

First, you need supplies. Here's what I got:

  • Cork board - IKEA for $5.99
  • Burlap Fabric - Joanns for $3.99/yard (like 2-3 yards)
  • Decorative Nails - Joanns for $2.99
  • Ribbon or Lace - Joanns (can't remember)

As for tools, well, I thought I didn't have a staple gun, but I did. Woohoo! Otherwise, I was planning on glue - like the glue gun. I bet it would work, too. And that's the only tool you need. 

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Lay the fabric on the floor, and place the board cork down. Then, staple on the back. I got the staples as close to the wood frame as possible. Make sure to tug the fabric to make sure it's all snug. 

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When you get to a corner, just put in lots of staples. I tried to be tidy, so I folded the fabric - just like you would like when wrapping a gift - at the corners. Go all the way around. Remember to keep pulling to ensure it's tight.

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Then I placed the ribbon in diagonal stripes across the board. And staple some more. Lastly, put in the decorative pins all around. I tried to visualize the board as a grid to make it even spacing, but I didn't go crazy. Just eye ball it. Nobody will judge. 

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That's pretty  much it. I had a fabric flower thing on my dresser that I never use, so I put it in the corner. Then just grab some push pins and hang those necklaces! Voila! 

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After I made this board, but before I wrote this post, I noticed Jones Design came out with her own step by step instructions. You can check it out, if you think my instructions aren't good enough (which would make me sad). But I like the fabric option she shows, so you can check it out for idea purposes (and that would be okay; my feelings won't be hurt). 

It took my like an hour, or less, and now my necklaces are on display. Benefits of this board:

  • I can quickly access which one I want to wear.
  • They are kept from getting tangled up.
  • They make the room dazzle. 

I think you can totally do it. Totally!

Or, if you're nice enough, and you really want one, I might just make it for you for a birthday or Christmas. 

Fight & Win, Go Sounders!

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After living in Seattle for 3 years, Josh and I decided it was about time we go to a Sounder's game. We heard that the games were a lot of fun, and we definitely found out why! 

We went to our first game on Saturday, 8/3. I was excited to see what all the hub-bub was all about with the Sounders. Generally speaking, I'd rather play the game, than watch it. Although I do remember enjoying the Real Madrid game I went to Madrid (which I later learned had some very famous player involved - ha, I just went to be social - sorry soccer fans). But I was curious if I might enjoy watching soccer since I did play it competitively during my younger years. 

We parked in Pioneer Square, which is apparently the "thing" to do. Everyone that walked beside us to the stadium was geared up in their Sounder's paraphernalia - all pretty much green.

Then we arrived.

I could feel the excitement buzzing around me. There was a band playing, people were crowding around drinking and eating, and just a overall all cheery jive. 

We found our seats, and we were very impressed with how close we were to the field (section 105, row U). I almost felt VIP. Almost.

Once seated, the real excitement began. Now, let me tell you, there is a ritual to being a Sounder's fan. And somehow everyone knows about it. Josh and I just rolled with the punches and followed the fans around us.

First, the clapping. Suddenly people raised their hands up. Just raised them, and after about a minute, the hands all slowly started to come together. Slowly the clapping began - the whole stadium coordinated, mind you. Then it grew faster and faster, until it began a wild, rage of claps.  

Next, the announcing began. Players from the other team were announced. And after each name of our opponents, there was a big "boo" from the crowd (aren't we good sports?! ha). Then our team was announced. Again there was a ritual...the announcer would say the players first name, and the crowd would follow by shouting of the last name.

Time out: okay, and this might be the exact order of events, but you get the general idea.

Then, came the fire from the goal posts - yes fire. There were two blow torch type things on the end of each goal post, and those fired off at the very same time that the field (and I learned later that both the goal post fire & fireworks boomed when the Sounder's scored). 

Oh, and the fun doesn't stop there. 

One thing that the fans loved to do was hold up their Sounder scarves with "Sounders FC" facing the field. My favorite was the scarf that said, "Pride of the Northwest." Guess I need a scarf now. 

Of course, there was all the National anthem. They brought out a flag and everyone. I love that!  

More cheering. There was also a moment when they let off a bunch of green streamers. 

Now, here's the kicker.... Little did we know, we chose THE game as our first. The latest Sounder player was announced before the game. The new guy came out with a announcer wearing a hoodie. Funny thing: Before I caught on to what was happening, I thought he must be some famous rapper because they played this video. But this was an incorrect assumption.

The announcer dude said, "So Dempsey, we hear you've been touring the West coast looking for a new home. Did you find anywhere you like?" Then Dempsey unzipps his hoodie to reveal the green Sounder's jersey. The crowd went completely wild. Even a flag that said "Keep Calm and Dempsey Watch" was raised. (This guys must be good. I bet he probably has a pretty big ego, too. I would too if people held up signs and cheered for me like that - ha!)

After all that, the game started.  And we stood the whole time. Everybody stood the whole time. I felt I might be shunned if I sat. That, and I wouldn't be able to see anything. But it all added to the fun & excitement. Look at us having a good time:

Heather & Josh - Sounder's Newest Fans

Heather & Josh - Sounder's Newest Fans

In my opinion, we owned the game. We had control most of the time. We saw some penalties, some yellow cards, some corner kicks, and some good passing.

Sorry, here's Soccer for Dummies if you don't know what I'm talking about. 

The cheering kept up throughout the game. There was one section at the end of the field, which I believe is called "the nest" that cheers the whole time. You look over there and the fans are bouncing up & down the entire game. They hold up flags, and then did some crazy arm "wave" thing where they held up their arms to the left, and then to the right. It was like a sea of arms waving. Pretty wild stuff. 

At the end, we beat Dallas FC (btw, we played Dallas), 3-0. Booya! There was even a great penalty kick at the end.  

Playing the Game

Playing the Game

We left the game as Sounder's newest fans. I definitely want to go again this season. It was a fantastic time (probably helped that we won, but hey). I even have a Sounder t-shirt that I wear proudly. 

Gooooooo Sounders!!!!!