Happy Valentines Day!

Hello all my lovelies! Here is the stack of valentines day cards I bought 3-weeks ago with the best of intentions to write and send out little love notes to everyone.  le sigh. sort of like how I was going to do christmas cards this year too. well. anyhow - I'm sure none of you are shocked. :)

We're off to a great dinner at Ox tonight (a good excuse for a delicious dinner being the best part of this holiday) - Happy Valentines Day and hugs all around!

xoxo

7-years! Time for Wool!

It's our 7-year anniversary! I'm so lucky to be married to this guy - we have great adventures together!

Colorado Trip - Part 1: Ralph's in Ridgway

ok - I know I haven't posted in ages, I will try to do better in 2014!!

here are some pictures of our time at Christmas with Ralph at his home in Ridgway. We had a great time hanging out with he and Nori, Andrew (nori's son), and Daphne. We went ice climbing, skate skiing, on long walks, and had a great Christmas dinner with Ralph's good friends Angela and Jim. 

Me - climbing for the first time in 2 years. 

Me again. On WI-5 - not bad!!

Ralph - killing it, as usual. 

Laea - sniffing out the prime rib on Christmas in her new holiday kerchief 

Skiing in glorious sunshine at Top of the Pines. Ralph hooked me up with his friend Sara Ballantyne for a loop. Well - turns out Sara is a former UCI mountain bike world champion. so you can imagine the pace she set! pretty sure my lungs were bleeding at the end of the loop, but I had a great time!

View at Top of the Pines

View of the Sneffels Range from Ralph's front porch. Not bad!

Christmas morning walk with little Lancelot tucked in my coat. 

Nike: First Weeks!

I'm two weeks in at Nike and so far it is great! Very challenging, and LOTS I don't know (chemistry!), but everyone is friendly and the campus has great energy.  

Here are a couple of shots from around campus - it is a really beautiful place.

This was an exhibit in the Prefontaine Hall which houses Nike history, plus great rotating exhibits on neat projects groups around campus are involved with. This exhibit was for...ooh. I can't remember the name...it starts with an F. It's a project Nike does every year in collaboration with OSHU where Nike designers work with a number of children from Dornbechers to design shoes. Then Nike produces a limited run for sale and all proceeds support the children's hospital. Pretty inspiring. I liked this quote too and am going to try to remember it in my own life: "People who turn out best are those people who make the best of the way things turn out." Good wisdom there. 

The lake on campus - with a Japanese garden to commemorate Nike's initial roots with Omakase Tiger (shoe company. I may have butchered the first part of the name too...)

Another view on a sunny day. 

First pair of Nike shoes purchased! For fashionista Adele's birthday!

Kathryn, Brian & Stella Head South!

Kathryn, Brian and Stella headed down for Anna's final weekend in the PNW. We had a low-key weekend and topped it off with a trip out to Hood River to go hiking at syncline. 

Anna and the glorious view. 

Kathryn, Brian and wee Stella peeking out of the pack. 

Mt. Hood in the distance and Kathryn hiking away. 

More please!

Stella and I laughing at the house when I was supposed to be focusing and getting her changed into new clothes for the drive home. 

There must be time for at least one self portrait. 

Blowing raspberries on the belly! We'll stop playing soon. 

Time to get serious and put those clothes on! Sort of. Couldn't resist pulling the pants up as high as they would go for a laugh - Stella was unimpressed. 

A Week Off + Anna: Part 2

The end of last week was great! The weather cleared up and Anna, Mom and I were able to get out to go mushroom hunting. Thanks to Anna for the next two pictures!

Our excellent haul!

Anna's little red snail buddy. 

After picking Anna headed back to PDX to visit friends, and mom and I headed to the coast for a night. 

Sunset at Cape Kiwanda

Dinner in Newport at an amazing seafood restaurant: Local Ocean Seafood

Me and the epic crab cakes

View of the harbor

We slept in the van. Mom was so comfortable she didn't want to get up!

Happy pig dog on the beach.  

Then I rolled to Corvallis and met William and Anna for an evening. We did some more mushroom hunting, got a few beers, and made a big mushroom pizza. Delicious!!

Rough Week

This has been a rough week! The weather has been terrible here in Portland (epic rain) - which is hard enough on its own - but to top it off Thor is in Mexico where they are having amazing weather!!! 95 and calm seas - he has already caught a 35lb yellowfin tuna and seen a whale shark next to the boat!

Good thing Anna is visiting from Hawaii to enjoy this miserable weather too. 

Portland: rain in one day this past weekend. 

La Paz: Thors view of the sunset. Wish I could hate him, but instead I just miss him terribly!

BUT - I have great company. Anna has braved the onslaught of the PNW fall with a much better attitude than me!