Rolling in it

Q: How do you know when you have reached total loserdom?

A: When you get excited that you've finally got over $200K in the bank on Farm Town.

Not that I would know or anything...

Oh, who am I kidding!?!

I am a Farm Town addict and I love it. Yes, it has made me a big ol' dork of a farmer, but I am a RICH farmer...so there!

Playing online games is SO not my bag, but I am really digging the farmer scene.

Rob makes fun of me, but I sense it's just jealousy. :)

I cringe a little when I find myself planning parts of my day around making time to farm...this is when you know it's time to take a step back. I'm sure I'll grow bored with it soon, but until then...I'm off to plant some onions...

~Farmer Win

We're Melting

It is hot up here.

Like 100* hot.

I know this doesn't sound that bad to a lot of you, but up here in the Pacific Northwest central air or even air conditioning isn't standard for most residences. So yes, it is stinking HOT!!

Last night as Rob and I laid on the floor downstairs with three fans blowing on us we realized we'd be much better off to

a.) be sitting in a cool movie theater

b.) drive around in the car with the air on high

c.) be anywhere but where we were

Since we've seen nearly every movie in the theaters we decided it best to put on our shorts and tanks and head over to Alki Beach.

It was SO much cooler by the water! We took a nice stroll and then had an amazing dinner at Cactus. It used to be a grocery store that was recently transformed into this funky Tex Mex restaurant.

We had a great table *bonus point* that gave us a perfect view of the beach *another bonus point*. Since it was our first time there they gave us some yummy appetizers on the house *that deserves two more bonus points* and the dinner was delish *yep, another bonus point*, so all in all, looks like Cactus has made it was into our regular rotation of restaurants.

We decided to head back home around 9:30, certain that our place would have cooled down to a much more tolerable temperature by then. We walked in the door and felt like we were hit by a heatwave. Ugh!

I've already decided that I will be putting in some time at the mall and then catching a movie after work today so that I don't have to endure any more time that necessary at our residence, which appears to have relocated to the Sun.

Oh, the games we play

This afternoon we discovered our favorite new thing to do...play racquetball. After our normal workout we thought we'd borrow some racquets from the gym and give it a try.

Turns out it is lots of fun and we happen to be semi good at it...even if we don't know the actual rules. We kind of made up our own rules and they seem to work good enough. :)

Yeah we'll have to learn the real rules eventually, but I think our way will tide us over for the next little while.

We are now off to see Orphan. Definitely not my first choice of a movie, but since Rob took me to see The Ugly Truth last night without me even asking, I guess I can see this one for him.

Backwards

Here I sit, on a lovely Saturday afternoon, at work.

Craziness is ensuing at our house (maintenance workers fixing up after The Leak), and I have loads of homework to do. In order to get a little peace and quiet, I have left home and headed to my office.

Who knew this place could be so quiet and relaxing when it's empty? I just may do this more often.

Plus my boss stopped by for a second and was surprised to see me in...just a workin' away. Sure, I could have corrected him, but what good would that have done?

I smell a raise. :)

Don't believe everything you read

I've been sick the past few days and thought I would be proactive and change the sheets/pillowcases so as not to pass my icky germs onto Rob.

As I was changing the pillowcases yesterday I noticed that the pillows were machine washable. I always knew there were tags on pillows, I just never took the time to read them. I usually just toss out bed pillows when they have done their time and then purchase new ones. I probably should have done the same with these ones, but I thought I would do a little extra work to make sure that my pillows were germ free.

I read the instructions and followed them to the letter. I'd started the washing machine and headed downstairs. A few minutes later I heard drip - drip - drip and looked up to see the ceiling leaking. I put something under the drip to catch the water and ran upstairs in a panic to see that the washing machine had flooded all over the floor! I turned it off and took off back downstairs to attend to the drips...only to find the ceiling dripping in three more places!!

Luckily Rob got home soon after that and took over for me. Turns out that even though the instructions say that washing two pillows at the same time in a full size washer is acceptable, it really isn't. I think it's safe to say I won't be buying anymore Laura Ashley pillows...those liars. :)

Good 'ol famliy camping

Last week we traipsed up Logan Canyon for a few days of camping. It was loads of fun, but it would have been funner if Jason and Tyler's families were there as well...missed you guys!

One of the many Rob/Erika photo ops on the way to our fishin' spot. Ryan maneuvering around in Jord's pontoon boat.

Rob fishing, me chillin' in the shade, Rob still fishing. This was basically how the whole fishing thing panned out.

More relaxing...

Cute girls, huh!

Goofy boys!

Jordan and the Dora chair. Rob working on his secret chili recipe. He's quite proud of it.

Again, aren't they the cutest?!?

Marshmallow roasting time!

On Sunday we were able to grab breakfast with some friends at Jeremiah's and then we went to WSU to watch the fireworks that evening.

Good times!

Camping vs."Camping"

This is how normal people camp...

...tents, fire pit, outdoors, the whole thing.

This is how Rob and I camp...

...spending the days being outdoorsy with the family and then drive down the canyon to the Econo Lodge for the evenings.

At least for the first night. We wussed out and moved to a nicer hotel after the first night.

Hey, we tried!

Fun camping pictures to come soon...

A little of this and a little of that...

Chopped a bunch of my hair off. Still not sure if it's a like or hate thing yet...more time needed to decide.

Sunglasses in (blurry camera phone) picture = I still haven't put my makeup on yet. That's right, I put my make up on at work.

It's here at last! Harry Potter is today, and yes...I am still going by myself because I am a loser awesome. Don't hate.

We're hopping a flight down to Utah tonight for a family camping extravaganza. It should be exciting. Stay tuned...

Because I am just THAT cool

I just bought myself a ticket to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on opening day. This also happens to be the same day we fly down to Utah. Did this deter me? No. I'm going to the early show and then flying out later that evening.

The part that makes me feel super pathetic cool is...I am going all by myself. I could not find a single friend who wanted to skip out of work early that day and go with me. Not even Rob. How's that for loyalty. And I really don't want to do the logical, grown up thing and wait a week until we're back from Utah to see it.

So, yes I am a super cool twenty-something who is leaving work early to go and see the new Harry Potter movie on opening day with a bunch of screaming tweens and I am proud of it. At least I'm not wearing a cloak and carrying a wand. I do have standards.

I FINALLY get it

On a nearly bi-weekly basis for the past eight plus years I have dragged Rob from store to store where I expect him to flip through racks of clothes with me, give his opinion, then critique each and every piece that I try on and carry it for me once it's been purchased. And get this...he says he doesn't really like it. Shocker, I know!

It's taken years for me to catch on, but last night it really sunk in: shopping isn't fun if you aren't the one doing the shopping.

I'd agreed to accompany Rob while he bought some new suits. It was fun for the first seven and a half minutes...maybe, but then I was done. There wasn't any girl clothing to look at, just suits and ties and shirts and dress shoes and cuff links. Boring! After what seemed like days (it was really just a couple of hours) Rob had selected his suits, gotten fitted for them and paid. I thought I was on the verge of death by boredom.

I now have a new appreciation for all the tolerance he shows when we I go shopping and rather than having to reciprocate, I think it's best that we just shop on our own from now on...for the most part, at least. :)

I should point out that it wasn't a total bust...I did get to see His Handsomeness is some mighty sharp suits, and he did buy me some earrings! Of course, in true Rob fashion, we ended the evening with breakfast-for-dinner at IHOP.

Over the Fourth

Day one of our adventure was pretty adventure-less. We browsed the Lloyd Center Mall, got our pictures taken in the photo booth a la Jr. High style and saw Transformers 2. Total waste of two hours if you ask me. The first one was pretty good, but the second one was just plain stupid. It was just a bunch of running around, blowing up and machines zooming all over the place. Not good.



A yummy Standford's dinner after made up for the lack of cinema excitement and then back to the hotel for some shut eye. I am not a big sleeper, but Rob had to drag me out of bed the next morning because this hotel has the most comfortable beds I have EVER slept in. Seriously. That is why we always stay here in Portland. Not for the amazing location, great nightlife or the charming shops. It's the beds.

Next up was the St. Paul Fair and Rodeo. It wasn't much of a fair, but it sure was a good rodeo! As we parked at the city cemetery and walked into 'town', we passed this chalk art and it made me laugh. Had to take a picture!

Rob thought it would be $10 well spent for me to get a palm reading. I went for it and the whole time she was doing her thing I was thinking 'what a bunch of garbage', but she was SO serious, it was almost funny. Apparently I will be on the receiving end of a promotion within the next 3-4 months, I have a long life line (isn't this the lamest line in the palm reading book!?!), will be married within a year, will have three children (two boys and a girl) and will be financially successful for the rest of my days. OK, so I liked that last part.

At the rodeo the bucking bronco was right up there near the top of the list, followed closely by the bull riding, but my favorite part was when the rodeo clown reenacted every dance step of Beyonce's entire Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) video. It was SO funny!!

We skipped out before the fireworks to avoid the crowd when leaving. Little did we know, this sneaky maneuver led us to hit downtown Portland just as their fireworks were getting out, so we didn't get back to our hotel until 12:30. Genius, we know. We still caught some fireworks along the way.

The next day we grabbed lunch and did some shopping downtown.

Rob fell in serious like with an extendable scrubber at Sur La Table and insisted on carrying it around all day. Next stop, Puma. They had the funniest signs! Here's the Hot Stuff sign with my Hot Stuff underneath it posing with his new friend. This last sign was my favorite...it was in the mirror in the dressing room area.

Good trip. We had lots more planned, but ran out of time. It'll all have to go on our list of things to do on our next trip down.

Away we go

Tonight we are going to endure the drive down to Portland, yet again.

Well, Rob will endure the drive...I will be the amusing passenger and instigator of The Name Game.

We plan to have three days full of sleeping in, golfing, a baseball game, fireworks, a blues festival, shopping and perhaps a rodeo or two.

We are quite looking forward to the time away because after all, Portland is the Paris of North America. Fun, I know, but don't be jealous. We'll take some pictures and share it all upon our return. Have a fun and save 4th!!

Rabbits

My car is in need of a new alternator (my bank account says 'Boo!'), so I was given a loaner car to drive around while my darlin' is out of commission. The dealership gave me a VW Rabbit. Cute car. As I pulled away in it I was reminded of another VW Rabbit. One my G & G Pickup had when I was younger.

I remember thinking that it was the coolest little car and that I want to drive it. And from that thought, my mind wandered to all of the other memories I have of my Grandparent's place.

The remainder of my drive home I played a little slide show in my head of all the great memories I had of visiting my Grandparents on their farm in California. And let me tell ya...it was a really nice drive home.