Snacks Anyone?

You know how sometimes between meals, or when you get home from work, and you feel a little hungry, but all you have in your cupboards is stuff you have to cook? All you need is maybe some nuts, dried apricots, crackers, or M&M's. Behold the snack jars. We kind of stole this idea from Kaitlin and Justin, they had lots of these cool Ball jars from her mom that they started filling up with items from the bulk section. I can't tell you how much money it saves us!

We found all of our jars at thrift stores around the area. Each one cost less than $2. You can also find them at antique stores, but be ready to pay around $15 per jar there. Antique stores are just all around more expensive because people go out and find all the cool stuff at the thrift stores, mark it double or triple (or sometimes more), and put all the cool stuff together in one easy to find location - antique stores. We happen to enjoy the hunt- and the bargains of the thrift stores. I'll have to do more posts about the stuff we find. We sure are enjoying our snacks!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday everyone! And what a beautiful day it is! It's 65 degrees and sunny here in Corvallis, and with flowers and buds popping up everywhere- it couldn't be more gorgeous! I really wish I could just walk out of work right now....but then they might not let me come back, so I'll just stare out the window and dream. My co-worker, Melissa, forwarded me some random thoughts. I don't know where they came from, but I thought I'd share. There are so many that made me laugh and that I directly relate to (pay attention to # 2, 7, 10, 11, and 14). Here they are:
Random Thoughts for the Day:

1. I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10. Bad decisions make good stories.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well..

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Tequila than with Kay.

I have some things to share- updates on our lives and such. Stay tuned for that. HAVE A HAPPY WEEKEND!

A follow up to my rant last week...

So, after talking to my mom and sister, I now know all the reasons behind the crappy voting on American Idol. As my sister so lovingly commented/questioned- did I vote? NO! I didn't. Honestly, I don't even have cable. I only get to watch the show a couple of days later after all the damage has been done. But really, what adult has time to watch it on the night and vote? Not any that I know of. Including my sister. And so, the voting is left to those like my little bro Chad - who vote for girls that can't sing just because they are cute, and who aren't into Indie Rockers who actually have talent. To be fair to him, he does have pretty good taste in music most of the time- only he is more into pop than rock. My sister challenged me to complete the season, and so Jeni, I will. But you and I will have to talk about it since my boss just informed me that she won't be watching anymore because she was so dissapointed with the top 12. Hopefully, as my sister informed me it would, it will just keep getting better. Did anyone watch last night? Was it any better??? I'll find out soon enough......

A little American Idol venting....

Ok, so I have never ever seen a full season of American Idol. Here's why...all my favorites always get voted off!!! Such as Lilly Scott:
WHAT GIVES?? I'm a fan of Indie rockers- she totally did her own thing and I love the style of her voice. She had better get signed with some record company and come out with an album soon. Why watch the show when you have to listen to crappy people who can't sing or can't perform? Seriously- what is wrong with American voters???!!! And the other people who got the boot could actually sing too! I am so dissapointed. I'm not even sure I want to keep watching. But, I think I will keep watching only because there are still a few who I enjoy listening to. They are:
Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Casey James and Michael Lynch. If any of them get the boot next week I think I'll be done.

Ok, that's all. I'm done venting now.

Happy Anniversary to us!

ON February 10, 2006, Greg and I married. Best decision I've ever made. I think I love him even more now. Funny how love can grow. So that is 4 years of marriage, and I think it suits us well. We both are on the same page in life, we both want the same things, we both love each other, and we both enjoy each others company. I mean, could you live in a studio with your spouse? It works out pretty well for us. At least, for now. :)

To celebrate our anniversary, we spoiled ourselves this past weekend with a romantic couple's retreat at the most beautiful spa I have ever been in. We both got a one hour massage, snacks, a robe and slippers, and they blocked off the mens locker room for couples only. We got to steam together (oh, and the steam room had the coolest wall of tile that lit up like stars), and shower together (TMI?), and the shower was amazing because it is a rainfall shower. If you don't know what that is, look it up, because it is amazing! Anyway, we were completely relaxed and pampered.

Tonight, if the rain stops...haha...we are gonna go on a picnic. But, we might have to resort to plan B. Don't know what plan B is, but I know it entails us being together and eating some food. Greg is leaving for Arizona tomorrow and will be there for a week. He said he is still my Valentine though.

Anyway, below are two pictures I scanned in from our honeymoon. We went and stayed in a cabin in Sedona, AZ. I don't think those cabins exist anymore, but ours was super cute and cozy.


Greg: I love you with all my heart. You keep me sane. You light up my life. I look forward to each new day with you. Thanks for being my everything! Happy Anniversary babe!

Snapshot

Greetings to 2010. I can't believe its been so long since I have done a post. The new year has started out quite well I think. Not much new to report on. We've made some changes in our lives, such as eating better and we have a new zest and vigor for life. I guess that is something to report on. Maybe I'll post about some of that stuff this year. I never know what to write about, so feel free to leave me ideas.

Today was a beautiful Sunday. Greg and I went out for a drive. We took our cat, Dora. She loves car rides. It is kind of hilarious! She loves to sit on top of my head rest and just lay her body over it so she can look out the side windows. And after she is bored of looking around and exploring the car, she gets really lovey and lays in our laps and purrs. It's pretty adorable. I have a few snapshots from today to share. And I wanted to share a quote about snapshots from Ansel Adams. I read it today in a book about film photography that I got for Christmas when I was in high school.

"The snapshot is not as simple a statement as some may believe. It represents something each of us has seen - more as human beings than as photographers- and wants to keep as a memento, a special thing encountered....The more we look, the more we see, and the more we see, the more we respond. Wen we begin visualizing our responses to the world in terms of images, we become photographers in the most rewarding sense of the term."
-Ansel Adams

So, without further ado, here are our snapshots of the day:

Baby- It's Cold Outside!

So- who else has been FREEZING this week? I know my friends in Colorado are FROZEN! I know there was a storm in Arizona this week. Kristi's electricity even went out. I have been absolutely freezing. The high today is 32 degrees- a little warmer than the past couple of days. It was 14 degrees when I left the house this morning. I have been wearing triple layers of clothes and I am still cold. And let me tell you something....wearing thermals under your work clothes when you are required sit most of the day can be very uncomfortable.

It is, however, very sunny. Bright and sunny and cold. I love the sunshine! By the end of the week, it will warm up and then the rains will come. I wish it were snow. Because if it was snow, then maybe we could have a snow day. If we had a snow day, then I could stay inside and be warm with my sweetheart. I've been thinking about the song- "Baby It's Cold Outside". I love this song! If I were the one to sing it though, I would be making my own excuses to stay inside and not to go out.

What are you doing to keep busy and warm inside? Greg and I just got a new record player. And by new, I mean old- but working and new to us! Greg got it all set up, and it is pretty sweet. A while ago, I saw this deal on Craigslist for a few boxes of records- $50 takes it all. Well, we got it all. All 8 boxes packed full of LP's! We've barely gotten through one box. That is a lot of hours of listening. It is fantastic. And while we listen to new and old sounds, we have been cooking and baking up a storm. This also helps to keep our apartment warm.

Another project the two of us are working on is making some pillows. My Uncle Johnny fixed our old sewing machine that we got this past summer. THANK YOU Johnny! Now we will learn to sew. It is a pretty cool machine, I think. I'll have to take a picture of it and post it for you.

Well, that is all for now. I hope you all are having a fabulous Christmas season. Love and miss you all!