DCA After Hours

This morning I was sitting at my desk going through email, like a good worker would, when I get an email from my boss. In the email there were two pictures of me from last night. This may not sound weird except that I was at the DCA After Hours and she was not. "Where the heck did you find these?!", I asked. To which she replied, "On Facebook!" I've never been on the DCA's FB page until today. But I "liked" it, so I'll see those photos first from now on! Well, assuming I actually check FB. Anyway, in case you didn't know, once a month a different business downtown hosts and after hours shindig, and I sell tickets for a raffle. Its like a service/volunteer thing, but I also do it so I can shmooze with all the business owners and try and learn a thing or two. Hey- it never hurts to be well connected. Also, it's fun to learn of all of the events being offered all of time.

 This is me selling tickets to guests.

 And this is me with Steve Hutchinson, the DCA board president, and Joan Wessell, the DCA's Executive Director. She's a peach and ropes me into it every month.
Photos courtesy of Jennifer Mooreland and Dave Basset.

A Sunshine Day

It's been sunny lately here in Oregon. Much needed sunshine after all the rain and flooding last month. I took a walk on my break today and it was so gorgeous outside; I had to snap a few photos along the way. Working in Downtown Corvallis pretty much rocks my world on days like this. Anywhere you go there is something interesting to look at.

Do you ever have a soundtrack playing in your head during certain activities? Ok, I know that sounds weird, but I often have some sort of song playing in my head at any given time.  It's like a soundtrack to my life. And today's song just happened to be the Brady Bunch, Sunshine Day. Yeah, I just admitted that online. Awesome. Anyways, hope you had a sunshine day today!

Hello February!

Today was a good beginning to a new month. Forget January, I'm so over you January. I'm looking forward to good things in February. Like great lunches. Today's was focaccia bread pizza loaded with veggies, fancy water, a good book, oh, and  a shopping trip for my first ever supremo shampoo. Yup, that all adds up to one pampered lady. In addition to a good day, I just got home from knit night at Stash. Everyone there is just so nice- it is so fun! Got picked up by my loves, Greg and Napoleon. Lots of kisses from both. :) 

Aaahhh, February, the month of love! It's a 10 day countdown to mine and Greg's 6 year wedding anniversary. Then there is Valentines day. Oooh, and spring starts coming to Oregon! Pretty soon the daffodils will be peeping, and buds will appear on tree branches. Yes, February is going to be a good month!

He's Back!

Napoleon is finally home! I can't even express to you how much we missed him. Greg and I picked him up yesterday evening after all of Greg's follow up appointments. I now have both my boys back. I'm one happy lady! And I have to say, we have one happy pup! Greg and I were both met with tons of loves and kisses all over our faces. He was SO HAPPY to be home! And he was so cute. All he wanted to do was be on Greg's or my lap, at all times. I thought for sure he'd want to run around a little, but no, all he wanted was snuggles all night long. No complaints here!

Ahhh, life is good. Oh, and a Gregger update...he is doing really, really good. Sodium levels are still up. It was a promising appointment with the neurologist yesterday. Oh, and get this, the resident who did most of the exam is from Phoenix/Tempe. Its always nice to connect with former southwesterners like us. :) Have a lovely day! 

One sick puppy

I've had my fill of my favorite housemates being in the hospital this month. First Greg, and now poor little Napoleon. Tuesday he started getting really sick, and I was getting really worried. Apparently the puppy flu has been going around some of his playmates. Only-he is just too small to handle it! So he has been at the Albany Animal Hospital since Wednesday night. It's crazy how much we miss that little pup! He's been getting good care there though, and he finally turned a corner and started eating yesterday! Hooray! This morning I'm on my way to see him and give him lots of loves. I'm hoping that they will send him home with me, but they might keep him another night just to make sure he is free and clear of whatever was plaguing him. 

 Here he is hooked up to his IV to give him fluids and sugar. Poor guy!

As soon as he saw me the other night, he got as excited as the vet has seen him get, gave me lots of kisses, and just wanted to snuggle. He stayed snuggled in my coat until I sadly had to leave.

 Here he is as his perky self.

To help give you an idea about just how small he is, this is him with a plate sized pancake. Ya- before he got sick we had just gotten his weight up to 3lbs! That was a momentous day! We're going to have to work up to it again I'm afraid. 

If there is one thing he is really missing, other than us and his normal routine, it would be his bed and his toys. He LOVES his bed. And he is a very neat little pup, always collecting his toys on his bed. He never leaves them out around the house. If he sees one out, he immediately picks it up and carries it to his bed. It's the cutest. He is going to be so so happy to get home!

Well, think good thoughts for him that he can come home soon! And have yourself a lovely winter Saturday.

GOALS

Image source.

I have some goals I would like to accomplish this year. Not necessarily resolutions….I’ve not yet resolved exactly what I want to do with some of my goals. And I hate New Year’s resolutions because they never happen for me. In the past, I’ve set these lofty (almost unattainable) goals for myself, never really shared them with anyone, and then once I thought about starting to work on them- realize just how lofty they are and then never even started. So that is goal numero uno! START MY GOALS! I suppose that would include overcoming my fear of failure and success. Yes- I am so afraid to succeed it’s not even funny. Perhaps I should look at each new goal or adventure as a failure adventure- then maybe I’d surprise myself by succeeding and keep up with it! Hmmm, reverse psychology does work wonders for me. 

Here are some goals of mine this year:

1. Don’t be afraid to JUST DO IT!
2. Get better at blogging. This will include posting AT LEAST once a week. This also includes sharing more of our lives with you.
3. Take more pictures. I’ve taken a lot of time off of photography. It’s time to get back into the game and rediscover my creative self.
4. Keep a cleaner house. (who am I kidding really…if you’ve ever lived with me you know. But a goal of mine it is nonetheless)
5. Remember birthdays and send birthday cards. (part one will be easier than part two for me)
6. Finally start learning a new language. I’d like to get Rosetta Stone and learn French. Oui!
7. Get and stay in shape.
8. Go somewhere new in Oregon every month.
9. Take online classes. One can never learn too much.
10. Sew. Learn to use the machine I have and go to town.
11. Branch out in my knitting. With my latest project, I’ve already grown a bit more confident in trying new patterns. I’d like to keep it up.
12. Cook more- and get better at it. Bake more- and really get better at that. Basically, I’d like to do more kitchen experiments (that is usually what my cooking is).
13. Make the Kids Art Discovery Zone at the Corvallis Fall Festival (40 year anniversary this year!) BETTER than EVER!

Well, there you have it. Nothing too lofty.  And now I’ve shared them- so that is supposed to make me want to do them more right? Right. And I can share my progress throughout the year- which will accomplish goal #2- blogging more! Win, win.

Do you have any goals this year?

Knitting for a Cause

I spent all weekend knitting. It was quite nice, I must say- to sit and watch movies all day while my hands were busy at work. I'm not just knitting because I felt like it (which is reason enough, of course), I'm knitting for a cause- for a cure to Type 1 diabetes. The idea was spawned to make a blanket to auction off at the JDRF fundraising gala in May. I had just bought the cutest little pattern to make a "Beekeepers Quilt", so I showed Christine the pattern (she is the administrator of the company I work for, my only knitting partner in crime, and is on the JDRF committee in the Portland chapter).  Well, she loved it, and so the company is buying all of the yarn, and we (and other recruited knitters- hint hint) are going to shoot for 600 "honeycombs" by April. This is quite the undertaking! I don't know, for some reason I thought the pattern would move through a lot quicker. I did finish 6 this weekend..and it went a lot faster the more I completed. I was half thinking-what the heck have I gotten us into- but then recovered and realized that as long as I devoted as much time to it as possible- and especially if I could rope in enough women to make as many as they could- then all would be well. I mean- this blanket once done should bring in a lot o' money honey! It's my secret wish that it would be the highest ticket item at the auction and go for at least 20 grand. (a girl can dream you know!) 

This is now where I try to recruit YOU! Are you a knitter? Do you know anyone who is? Wouldn't it be fun to knit for a cause?! It's totally a service project doing something you like, at your convenience! At the end I would of course show you a picture of the completed project. Plus- I'll provide you with the yarn and pattern- as well as any help you need! Shipping included if you live out of state. Really- I don't mind mailing it to you at all, with a return envelope. I got you covered babe! Or dude- if you are a man and you for some reason reading my blog and happen to knit. dude- i got you covered. (that would be really weird tho) Anyway, I digress....so if you are interested in knitting for a cause/cure, then email me at nrphoto(dot)andrea(at)gmail(dot)com. Knitting for a cause is super awesome- just so you know. Ooh, and if you need service hours- this would use up so many of them! Ha! It's perfect really.