This week is spring break for the school district where I sub, so I've got a week off! Really, it's my second week in a row of no work because I took off last week while we had company. Speaking of that company, here are a few more pics of our week of fun in the sun (well, sun for most of the time)!

We participated in a Chili Cook-Off for Will's squadron. We didn't win. Anna and Matthew gave our chili the thumbs-up, and they're pretty picky, so we thought we were a shoe-in. What we forgot is that we're in the land of Yankee. I think ours might have been a little too spicy for the judges. Maybe next year?


We really enjoyed the Seattle Underground Tour. It was an interesting glimpse into the history of the city - funny tour guides, not too long, and lots of extra info about the area. It's not too expensive, but it is kinda creepy/cobwebby/stinky down there. All in all, I'd say it was worth it. I just wish Will could have gone with us!





Fish market. A must-see for any tourist because of the fame factor. Next time I have an extra fifty bucks, I'm actually going to buy some instead of just watching the spectacle of fish-throwing.


Traditional Pike's pic! Aren't they precious?


Will was able to arrange for us to see a jet. He gave the kiddos a grand tour, including a look out of the hatch at the top of the plane. The view was awesome as in the clear blue sky Rainier was out in all her glory. This really is a beautiful part of the country when you can see it!

I think our guests had a good time. We relaxed, we cooked out, we ate out, we toured, we walked, we saw, we conquered. I had one of the best weeks I've had since moving here.

So the only question I have is...Who's next???

We had a great day yesterday, our first full day of hosting Spring breakers! We had lunch at a local burger joint on the water, where the waitress noticed, "You're not from around here, huh?" Ha! I wonder how many times we'll hear that this week? Later in the afternoon we headed to Seattle for a Sonics game. So, they're not the best, but we had fun. They played the Nuggets and they really held their own there, off an on at least. The arena was nicer than we expected, and we got to see a part of town we hadn't been to before. The arena is right at the base of the Space Needle. To top it off, it was clear out towards the Sound (no views of Rainier today - very cloudy to the East) so we could see across to Bainbridge Island, etc. It ended up being a pretty late night for us, let alone for our visitors whose time zone is three hours ahead! Needless to say, the teenagers are still asleep. Will and I are enjoying coffee, quiet, and hoping the sunshine that greeted us this morning will stick around!

Is it Friday already? Where has the week gone?

I've enjoyed staying busy with subbing, but the house is suffering. I need to get some cleaning done before our guests arrive tomorrow! My niece and her boyfriend are coming for a week! We'll get to do some more touristy things that we've been wanting to do, as well as just hang out and enjoy the Southern accents and great personalities we miss so much. These 2500 miles (from Texas) might as well be half a world away. We're still adjusting to the extreme differences in personalities and culture (read: manners) up here, and it will be nice to get a small taste of home.

I was out in the driveway after mowing the yard on Wednesday and some new neighbors walked by with their two dogs. They stopped to introduce themselves and chat...They're from Arizona and are also having a hard time adjusting. The lady asked me if we new anyone friendly in the neighborhood, so I pointed out houses of people I know. Then she asked me what was the deal with people staring blankly at you when you wave at them. This has been a huge adjustment for us as we like to wave at our neighbors as we drive down the street or walk by with Maddie girl. People just stare at us like they've never seen such a thing, don't know how to respond, and definitely don't like it. I just told the lady that I don't know why they react that way, but we just keep on waving and smiling and let them think what they will. Like I said - it's a different world. Sometimes I wonder if we probably shouldn't let ourselves adjust. Our personalities aren't going to change, and I really don't want to get to a place where I think the way they treat each other up here is better than what we're used to. I tend to think we were raised right.

Oh, and I absolutely think the culture differences are largely weather-related. It's very hard to be happy and outgoing when there's no sun for weeks on end. Yesterday we almost hit sixty degrees. The sun was shining. We had birds on our fence, chirping even. I had the windows open in my car as I ran errands around town. I got home and played with Maddie in the yard. I got teary eyed when I saw the ever-impressive Mt. Rainier. It's so beautiful here, but we haven't been able to enjoy it in a long time. The last time we could comfortably sit outside was when Alicia and Chris were visiting - almost a month ago. So, after years and years in this dreary weather (not year-round, but for about 9 out of 12 months) it's really no wonder people are slow to smile. Thankfully we won't be here that long. I think about 4 years here would be enough at one stretch, but I could come back after a long break in a place where the sun shines a little more often!

Here are some more pictures from our trip to Leavenworth, WA. We had an absolute blast, along with getting some much needed R & R. The place we stayed was amazing. It was our first bed and breakfast experience and it was more than we hoped for - the details added up to a one-of-a-kind vacation. We felt catered to and spoiled, but yet the place wasn't stuffy or snooty at all. These people know how to run an inn.

The B&B - Run of the River Inn


Little details in our room...food for the birds (to leave in the feeder on our balcony), a personal note welcoming us, and a key on a pretty pewter key chain. There were also pears on our pillows. Yum.


More details...Burt's Bees products in the bathroom. Nice!


This is the common room where we had breakfast each morning. They had coffee, tea, cocoa and cider available all day, as well as fresh-baked cookies each afternoon. The staff was very helpful and we ended up hitting some really good restaurants on their suggestions. At first I thought it might be weird or uncomfortable to all eat together, but it was great. Breakfast was at nine and everyone was still waking up and not too chatty, but just talkative enough to keep the awkward silences at bay. The inn only has six rooms, and they were not all full, so the table always had extra seats. Plus, the breakfasts were so amazing I would have eaten on the floor - fresh fruit, different smoothies each day, shittake mushroom quiche with Swiss Gruyere cheese, caramel apple flan...just to mention a few items on the menu!


One day we took a bike ride into town. The inn has mountain bikes for each room. The loop we took ended up being about eight miles, but the long part was the ride into town. We took a break to shop, snack and wine taste (which is why Will's teeth look purple!) before riding the less than two miles back.


A shot of the town. Really cute shops...Neat places like The Cheesemonger's Shop and Icicle Ridge Winery Wine Shop. It's a small downtown area, about enough to fill one or two days of browsing. However, the food was good enough to fill a week! We got our fill of schnitzel, sausage and red cabbage!


We spent a day skiing at Steven's Pass. It was a blizzard when we got there, and snowed all day long. It let up in the afternoon on the front side of the mountain, but the back side was so windy and cold! I almost wimped out at lunchtime, but I pushed through and we ended up having the best afternoon. It was more than we expected skiing in Washington to be.



Lots of snow!



Brrr.


This last pic is from Will's squadron's welcome home party. We somehow left without taking any pictures, so we took this on the street before getting in the car to drive home. It was a nice way to wrap up Will's two weeks off. Good food and good company. Oh, and doesn't he clean up nice?!? My handsome husband (makes up for the goofy, purple teeth, bike helmet picture!). =)

Okay, well, that was LONG! I have a million more pictures because it was just that much fun. It wasn't too hard of a transition back to real life, though, because my husband's home - much better than what my "real life" has been like the past four months. Life is so good.

So, Charla gets something cute like "Clara Clarke," and I get this...

Your Irish Name Is...

Saoirse MacSween

What's your Irish Name?

Whatever... =)

Gig 'em Ags...


...whew!

Just a few teaser pics from our first day of bliss...Starting with the gift basket in our room, followed by some pictures of our balcony and its view in the middle, and ending with the two of us enjoying some freshly brewed coffee on the swing (I'll have to elaborate on the amazing coffee makers they have in the rooms here later). And yes, folks, that's sunshine. The weather is a whole different ball game up here in the mountains, and thankfully we've timed it just right. And to top it all off, they have a gorgeous Airdale here named Plaka who is ready to accompany you on a walk if you so desire (and I do desire)...it's like a huge version of Maddie girl.






And now I'm lounging on the bed, feeling the breeze from the balcony door, enjoying the view. Will is lounging in a chair by the fireplace reading the paper.

Can I just say that we are loving life right now?

Today we're packing for a few days away...



...a few days that will include a stay at a B&B (a first for us) and some snowshoeing. We're going to try to work in a little skiing as well. I'm so looking forward to a few days away in what looks to be the most romantic place we've ever stayed. More to come when we get back from our week in the Cascades.

Quick Update...

Will made it home safe and sound. It was a fun, anxiety-filled afternoon and evening as we waited for them to finally arrive. There were news crews and a huge group from a local middle school to welcome them home. Oh, and lots and lots of cheering family and friends ready to have loved ones back.

Home!

In front of the plane they came in on, the Patriot Express, a charter that carries troops around the world (and most importantly, carries them home!).

This little guy had all of them sign his poster that read, "I enjoyed my freedom today. Thank you." He and his dad came just because they heard troops were getting home. They didn't know anyone there and they weren't affiliated with the school group.

Just to prove the mustache came off! :) Oh, and to show off the Ireland sweatshirt Will picked up for me when they stopped in Shannon, Ireland on their way home.

There will be more pictures to come of our time in Seattle with Alicia and Chris. I'm just sneaking in a blog post while Will is up at base taking care of the few things he needs to do before getting two weeks off!

Tomorrow...he'll be home tomorrow.

Please pray for safe travel. 30 plus hours in transit can't be too fun. Hopefully I'll post some pictures soon of the sweet, sweet homecoming...but then a blog hiatus is in order. I've gotta spend some time with my husband.

I never thought I'd be one of those people, but now I am...I have a drink at Starbucks. You know, my drink.

It all started with a gift card. I usually just like regular coffee, but with a gift card I felt justified in spending over $3 on a coffee drink. Well, I've got about $12 left, so it might not last long, but for now, here it is:

Sugar Free Cinnamon Dolce
Sugar Free Vanilla
2%
No Whip
Latte

Mmmmmmm.

One week left!!!
Maddie's really excited to get Will back...can't you tell? :)

On the other hand, I am incredibly excited. I'd take a picture of my excited self, but I have a raw, red nose and glassy eyes courtesy of the nasty cold that is making its way around the country...well, around the world actually, because Will said today that he's getting it, too. Yuck. Looks like it might be a homecoming full of cold medicine, vitamin C and chicken noodle soup!

What the hail?

Weird weather up here. It was sunny (and freezing) most of the day yesterday, but this morning I woke up to snow. And for today...what had been a clear, but cold, afternoon turned into a hail storm. Not big, Texas-sized hail, mind you, but hail nonetheless.

Spray paint is a wonderful thing...

I was able to completely change the look of a desk and chair to use in my sewing/guest room and it was so easy. Once it dries and I put the clear coat on it (also in the spray version) I'll get it up in the room and hopefully get a picture to post. When my sister is up here next week she's going to help me make curtains for the room, and then it will be done! After that, we'll only have the "man room" to finish. It's finally all coming together, and I am feeling more and more at home...in my house. Not necessarily here in WA. The other day (after seven straight days of rain and cold - the cold being the temperature and the people) I told Will that I thought we needed to move. He said we could...in three or four years, when the military tells us too. Oh well, in good time, I guess. Until then, I'll hole up in my house until my hubby is home and we can face this state together!

Slowly but surely...


...here are some house updates, in pictures.

Some decorating - this was a wedding gift!


Table in the entryway, courtesy of the neighbors who no longer had a use for it. I just now finished hanging the pictures on my own "happy wall" - a term coined by my Grandma Trudy, whose happy wall was covered in family pictures. Mine is full of pictures of all of the couples in our immediate family. It serves its purpose very, very well...I love it.


Finally got the mirror up...It took all of five minutes, but those five minutes came after five months in the house!


Our new dining room furniture, courtesy (in most part) of birthday and Christmas gifts of gift cards to World Market - Thanks Laura, Ray and Bernie!

The Sound in February...

The day started off beautifully, especially for February in Washington. With promises of sixty-degree weather, my neighbors (more like my adoptive family) decided to take their boat to the bay. It's only about a ten minute drive, and we were rewarded with sunshine and lots and lots of fun. It was so warm, compared to normal, that we all ended up cruising around in just long-sleeved t-shirts. There were scores of sailboats and great views of Mount Rainier.

We were able to enjoy the weather and boating for about two hours before the clouds started to roll in...you can see their ominous presence especially well in the picture of the capital building. Before long, we ended up in layers of sweatshirts and jackets, the kids huddled under a blanket. The temperature had dropped fast, and the wind was downright frosty. However, we didn't get raindrops until the boat was home, in the driveway, covered. Perfect timing!

The worst part of the day was that as we pulled up to the boat ramp, we were greeted by dozens of emergency personnel. They were waving at us, ushering us to the dock, and we had no idea why. Another boat had called for help because a man onboard was having a heart attack, but they didn't have a description of the boat and thought we might be the one. A few minutes later the boat pulled up and the rescue crew got to work. My heart was touched when my neighbor's 8-year-old daughter asked me what was going on and what we should do. I told her that all we could do was pray for the man that he would be okay, and for his wife who was obviously distressed. Her response: "I already have." Apparently it was the first thing that occurred to her to do, and she didn't even know what was going on - she just saw ambulances, a fire truck, and a whole lot of people in uniform running around, so she decided to pray. Thank you, God, for these neighbors who make this cloudy place a little bit brighter for me!

Hope you enjoy the pictures from our unexpected day on the bay!

This is mainly for my teacher friends. These are actual sub notes that were left for me. The teacher was there in the morning, and I took over in the afternoon. The first line refers to "this notebook," however, this was a single sheet of paper left on an otherwise empty desk. There were no class lists, no seating charts, and no further explanations. I hope you can click on this an enlarge, but if not, maybe just from this picture you can see how incredibly brief these notes are. If they weren't the norm, it wouldn't be so bad. Oh, she did apologize that it was printed on a map - she said someone must have left that paper in there...but, I guess she didn't think it was necessary to print off another one on a clean sheet of paper. I mean, that would take, like, a whole three more seconds. Oh, and those abbreviations...I have no idea.

Long ago I promised Will that after he got back from his deployment he could get a more manly dog. A bird dog, to be more specific. His dog - that's how we refer to it...well, I guess "her" would be more appropriate, because I stipulated that it had to be a female dog.

So, in a few short months, the gals in this house will outnumber the men three-to-one. I'm not sure what color we'll end up with, but here is a little sampling of the breed. We're getting a French Brittany (she should be born sometime this Spring, March or April-ish), and I'll let you know when we know more! Right now we're planning an early summer trip out to Montana to pick her up! And, we're already thinking of names. It's kind of hard since we don't know what she'll look like, but if you want to weigh in, feel free!

Today I...

...had only one conversation in-person, and it was with the Macy's sales clerk who helped me find a new pillow. I did talk to a few people over the phone though.

...ate pho.

...strategized for the next three days which I will be spending in eighth grade math.

...tried to catch a stray dog in my neighborhood, but the darn thing wouldn't come near me, even though I had tons of tasty treats. Finally, I just piled up the treats on the ground and left. I hope the dog is fine, and good luck to whoever tries next to catch it. Argh.

...thought, as I was driving down the freeway, that I could keep on driving and driving (North to Canada or South to Mexico) and no one would even know. Except Maddie.

...realized that none of the organic products that I buy (well, I guess it would be product, milk, which I buy because it really does taste better) come in containers that can be recycled. That just seems, in some small way, to be very, very wrong.

Year-round school?


Nope, they don't actually have year-round school here, but they did just finish the first semester of school. School should have ended around the 20th of June, but due to snow days/power outages it looks like they'll be in school until nearly July. I wonder if they're allowed to celebrate the Fourth of July at school, or if it's one of those holidays that might offend someone...

Blessings and brownies...

This month I have been blessed with more work offers than I can take. I don't know what it is about the month of February, but everyone around here wants to take off! Unless anyone cancels on me, as of right now I will work every day this month except the 23rd, 26th and 27th. That's 17 work days for me this month...7 more than last month! The actual work I do doesn't always feel like a blessing, but the fact that I'm not just sitting around this last month before Will gets back is a huge blessing. I already feel like I'm nesting because I've been decorating like crazy, rearranging, and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Now that I don't have stuff all over, I can see the floors...the DIRTY floors! I really don't mind cleaning - what I do mind is dirt! As the time for Will to get back draws closer, I find myself keeping things tidy just in case he should come back early.

So, on to the brownies...A while back I decided to make brownies from scratch instead of from a box. They were super easy and I was amazed at how much better they tasted - pretty different from boxed, but so, so good. So good that my neighbor is still craving them (I had to share with the neighbors lest I eat them all myself). I have, over the last few years, become especially fond of chocolate, mainly dark chocolate. My dear, sweet husband sent me a box FULL of chocolates for Christmas...truffles, extra dark chocolate, extra extra dark chocolate, with nuts, without nuts and even with espresso! I decided that it would not be wise to eat all of this chocolate myself (except for the truffles, of course) so I decided to cook with it! Now, brownie batter calls for unsweetened chocolate, but you can use dark chocolate and adjust the sugar a bit for flavor. I've found that the best thing to do is to follow the recipe exactly, except instead of using chocolate chips, use chunks of the fancy dark chocolate bars my husband sent!

So here you are - a decadent, high carb, high sugar, high fat brownie recipe. The only thing that makes it better is the recipe that follows for Cappucino Frosting. Mmmm. Diabetics, beware. You probably shouldn't even look at these brownies.

Because Life is Short Brownies

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips (dark, milk, white, peanut butter, etc.)
dash of cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired (especially if using the Cappuccino Frosting!)

In a large bowl, microwave chocolate and butter at high for 1 min., then stir. Continue microwaving at 30 sec. intervals until melted. Stir in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating with a spoon, until just blended. Stir in flour and vanilla, then chocolate chips. Pour into a lightly greased 9"x13" baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 min. (until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean). Cool completely.

Cappucino Frosting: (adapted from Southern Living Dec. 2006)

1 envelope instant mocha cappucino mix
1/4 cup hot milk
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
dash of cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Dissolve mocha mix in hot milk, then cool completely. Pour mix in a bowl, then add butter. Beat with a mixer, adding sugar and beating until smooth.

Spread frosting over the brownies. Garnish with chocolate curls - Just take a vegetable peeler and peel off curls from a chocolate bar (preferable a dark chocolate bar with espresso added!). Make these for a crowd, though, because they are rich and don't keep all that well (a few days at most). Happy snacking!

Need a job?

This state employs more sign-holders than any place else in the world, I think. Every street corner in commercial areas has sign-holders on them. For new homes, liquidation sales, and deals on anything and everything else you can imagine. Sometimes the sign-holders are even in costume. Sometimes they dance (they usually have iPods). Sometimes the signs have too much to read or too small of print, so they're not likely to be very effective. These sign-holders are out there rain or shine (which means usually rain, so they're in bright yellow ponchos). I have no idea where you sign up to get such a job, but at least I know if times get tight I can get a job somewhere...I bet I could hold a mean sign.

Today I saw a guy holding a red, arrow-shaped sign. "Now Selling" was all it read. The guy holding this sign was wearing khakis and a red sweatshirt...no other identifying factors. He was on a corner of a busy intersection with dozens of stores in strip malls. So, I'm left thinking, now selling what? Again, not so effective. Or maybe I just don't appreciate the intricacies of this marketing strategy...because I think I might drive by there again tomorrow to investigate just what is sold now and whether or not I need it.

As of today I can finally say...


...Will is coming home next month!

Brrr. It's cold up here! Another round of icy roads for tomorrow's commute...good thing I don't have anywhere to commute to!

Even though I don't have to go out in the frigid weather, I'd much rather be back here...



...with a few of these!


Can you take a second honeymoon without your honey? Nah...I think I'll wait until he gets back. ;)

Mold...the bane of my existence in WA. This is from Will's truck. Guess this is what happens when a car sits for six weeks without being run in this climate. I've cleaned and cleaned and I think I've gotten rid of most of it, but I'm afraid it's down in the vents and in any and every other hidden spot. I hate mold.

Hope this isn't mold of the deadly variety, because I breathed it for the hour and a half it took me to clean it out. The guy at the auto parts store up the road said it's pretty common because of the temperature changes causing condensation in cars. Now I just need to start it up often and keep the windows open a bit when it's not raining (ha!)...It sure would be a whole lot easier if the battery weren't dead.

Think he'd mind if I just bought him new truck and had this one carted away while he's gone?

Random musings...

This morning I made the perfect pot of coffee. It's always hit or miss with me...I use the same amount, usually, no matter what brand I buy. There are so, so many to choose from up here, from small shops that roast their own beans, to local and regional brands sold at the grocery store. Because I love coffee, I even tried some organic blend once from a Seattle company. It was gross. I've read about brewing coffee on the internet. A few years ago I started using more coffee than I thought I needed and it started tasting better. Now, I've lost the touch. But not today...Today my Archer Farms from Target brand coffee turned out just right. Just. Right.

Last night some spouses from my husband's squadron got together to do one of those put-meals-together-and-freeze-them-for-easy-dinners deals. I've done this once before - my sweet neighbor offered to split the meals with me (because we both have just two adults in the house, and the meals serve at least four) and it turned out to be relatively cheap, definitely easy, and fun to boot. However, some of the meals were less than par, and we ended up throwing out almost a whole chicken. Last night we had a great time, aided by the fact that we brought desserts and wine. I made six different meals, and halved them, so that we have twelve meals for two (although some look like they will end up with some serious left-overs). I'm excited to try them as they all looked really good. I felt like I knew which choices would be the best for us after doing this once already. I'm most looking forward to the Adobo Chicken and the Shrimp and Pasta with Pineapple Salsa. I'm saving them for when Will gets home. One of the best things about the event was that the business is owned and operated by two military spouses whose husbands are in another squadron at our base. They give a 20% military discount...nice.

I'm taking today off...no subbing for me. I've been working almost every day for a few weeks, which I know sounds pathetic to those of you who work full time, but until moving here I have worked full time since college and let me tell you what - subbing one day is the stress of two days of a full time teaching job, if not more. You would think that with no lesson planning, no grading, no evaluations, no conferences, and no inservice it would be less stressful. But, in all honesty (and it is somewhat hard to admit), the planning and grades and evaluations and conferences and (ahem) inservice are all worth it because you KNOW your school, your kids, your administrators, and your curriculum. I walk in blind. Often with no lesson plans, no materials, no seating charts, no discipline instructions, no rosters, no CLUE. Unfortunately, this is more often than not. Yesterday was the FIRST day I've subbed and had seating charts and rosters and clear instructions...oh, and answer keys! (It was math.) I am exhausted at the end of the day because I've had to invent a day's curriculum by leafing through books, asking kids what they did the day before, and pulling tricks out of a hat, all the while trying to look utterly cool, collected and prepared. I've talked to other teachers, principals, and even the district office, and they all told me the same thing - the teachers ALL have a substitute binder provided by the district (they just have to fill it out themselves) and they go through training on how to prepare for a sub. Um...okay. I'm going to go ahead and say the training didn't work. Have they heard of reteach? But, this is my best shot at ending up with a full time teaching job next year. And when I get too ticked about it all, I can take a day off (like today). I'm very, very thankful for that.

Okay, now that I'm done ranting I'm going to enjoy my second cup of perfect coffee.



Oh, one more thing...Purely out of curiosity, I am wondering if all Wal-Marts around the country carry Organic Socks??? And not even some random local brand, but Faded Glory? I stopped in my tracks, stared for what was probably too long, and even laughed a little to myself (because I know no one else in our store would have thought it was funny). Organic Socks. Is it because the pesticides are carried through the cotton to my feet? Maybe one of you has the answer...