A few weeks...

It's amazing how much things change in just a few weeks. These are pictures taken from my office window. The top one is from May 19 and the one below from May 28. I don't think the pictures do justice to the purple Rhododendron. I can't wait for the rose in the pot to bloom, it's a Double Delight.

Clean Jeep

Before...

and after.

Not only does he fix the Jeep, he is also the best spotter on the trail and he cleans it after a muddy weekend. A wife couldn't ask for more; he's the best!

Dinner with the Hortons

Last night I was able to meet my favorite newly-wed couple for dinner. Bethany and Josh were visiting from Memphis and we were able to meet at Agua Verde in Seattle. It was great. Bethany and I are friends who first met in Santa Cruz. Then, she lived in Seattle when Terry and I first moved up here. However, she moved cross-country and married Josh last November. I hope the next time they are in town we can do more together than just have dinner.

4-Wheeling in Tillamook, Oregon

So, we just got back from our weekend in Tillamook State Forest with the Timber Tamers. I had a great time. For the most part, the weather was good, the people were fun and the wheeling was pretty. The trails were all labeled as to how challenging they were so it made it easy to know what to expect. We didn't find too many difficult trails and never had to use our winch. One of the most difficult areas was covered in snow, so we didn't get to play there. It was very pretty and I look forward to exploring the area more in the Rhino one weekend with Terry.

View from the trail

We left home on Friday afternoon and took some back roads down there to miss the Portland traffic. We arrived at camp and was able to get things set up before it got too dark. After we settled in, we enjoyed the campfire with the other people there. On Saturday we loaded up our rigs and hit the trails. We found a couple of the more difficult areas including the Can Opener trail that made for some good photo ops.

Watching Gary on Can Opener

Airing down the tires

One of the tougher sections

Terry at the top

On Sunday, Mike had some issues with loose bolts in his suspension so Terry and other Tamers helped tighten things up before we hit the trail. By Sunday afternoon, we were in snow. I never thought this weekend would lead to a snow run. We also found a very cool trail where we got to drive thru a tree that had fallen. Due to a late start and unexpected snow on the trail, we didn't get back to camp until after 8:00 on Sunday.

Terry under Mike's Jeep

Going under the Tree

Zeus was VERY tired

When we woke up on Monday morning, Terry and I started to load up our gear so we could get an early start home. We amazingly hit little traffic on our way home and made it in just about 4 hours.

I thought it was a great weekend. I am glad we were able to see the area since it was very pretty and will be a great place to go back with the Rhino.

Click here to see the rest of my Tillamook pictures!

The Bone

So, over the weekend, I gave Zeus a special treat. He promptly brought it into the back yard and buried it somewhere. I suppose he got hungry today as I walked in the living room to find him eating his treat in his bed. He is too cute!

My Favorite Treat

Ok, so I am back on my endless diet and excercise plan with the hope of losing a few more pounds before my week long camping trip to Eagle Lake, CA, in August. Last year, I dropped about 40 pounds but gained a little back with all the tasty holiday treats. Now, I am about where I left off last summer and would like to trim a little more. However, in the last 2 months, I did lose about 3% body fat, even though I didn't really lose any weight.


So, back to my new treat. I love the Morning Star Burgers! They are so tasty. The Tomato Basil Pizza tastes like pizza. I eat it plain, so it only adds 120 calories to my day and has 10 grams of protein. I eat oatmeal almost every morning for breakfast and know I should have some protein too, and now I do. I am thoroughly excited!

Zeus's New Collar

So, I finally got around to putting Zeus's tags on his new collar. I am not good at the little ring things; I totally suck at getting keys on and off my keychain. It's something I always ask my husband to do. Anyways, I asked Beth at Smashing Threads to make a new collar for Zeus and here it is. I love it! It will match his camo sweatshirt perfectly.

Yard Pictures

I figured with all the hard, back-breaking work we did this weekend I should post a few more pictures. It will be fun to watch my garden grow.

Front Yard, I love our house!

My new flower bed in the back, it was all grass a few months ago!

My backyard view from my office, I can't complain!

The Sun

The sun was out again today. It wasn't nearly as warm as yesterday, but once again, Terry and I decided to take advantage of the spring weather. We got a TON of yard work done. With Terry's help, we got the front yard edged and mowed plus I planted a few new flowers. In the back, I got my veggies planted, planted a bunch of pots, weeded and also mowed the lawn. I was very excited at Walmart I found a dwarf variegated weigela that I added to my new planting area.

Salsa Garden

One of my pots

We also finally invested in some patio furniture. We found an 8-piece set at Walmart for $198. We couldn't pass up the deal since right now we don't have anything. It is still in the boxes and I can't wait to get it set up!

Tillamook Preparation

Next weekend, Terry and I are taking off and heading to Tillamook, Oregon, with our 4-wheel drive club. To prepare, Terry did a once over of the Cherokee's suspension to make sure everything looked trail ready. Zeus helped.

I have to say, I am quite excited about next weekend. Not so much for the off-roading, which I love, but more so for the fact we are going to Tillamook, Oregon, as in Tillamook cheese and ice cream, Oregon.

Zeus's New Toy

Since last summer, Terry and I have discussed getting a small trailer that we could pull Zeus in behind a bike when we went on bike rides. Last year, we enjoyed riding along a path from Puyallup to South Prairie, but always had to leave Zeus at home. Well, this morning, as I lay in bed sleeping, Terry was doing his usual browse of craigslist. When I woke up, he was standing over the bed grinning and telling me about different canoes and cab over campers he saw. He then mentioned the trailer.

A fellow in Shoreline was selling a pull behind trailer he outfitted for his dog, it was a screaming deal, so we jumped in the car and started our drive north. When we got to his house, we were amazed at the condition of the trailer. We brought it home and as Terry was putting it together, Zeus wouldn't stay out of it. It's nice because it also has an optional front wheel and you can push it like a stroller. I can't wait for our first trip to see how Zeus likes the ride!

Date Night

So, I decided I wanted to take advantage of the nice weather and told Terry we were going for a picnic. He didn't seem as excited as I was about my plan. He hadn't yet been to the Ruston Way waterfront in Tacoma and I was looking forward to taking him down there. I spent the day preparing food for the picnic since I was afraid I didn't have enough. I packed a basket with jalapeno cheese buffalo sausage, Tillamook cheddar cheese, bleu cheese stuffed olives, carrots, celery, Triscuts, prosciutto wrapped asparagas, meatballs, chicken breast strips and a good bottle of Bonny Doon wine (I ended up bringing plenty).

We first drove down Ruston Way into Point Defiance Park. I wasn't sure where we wanted to eat, but after driving thru the park, we returned to Ruston Way and found a sunny table to enjoy our picnic. It was nice, we were able to take our time eating as we dreamt about owning all the boats that went by and also had a great view of Mount Rainier. After a nice meal, we walked along the waterfront briefly before returning home fat and happy. It was nice to get out and see a beautiful area that is close to home. Now, we have someplace to take friends and family when they come to visit!

Sping has sprung...

I think spring has finally decided to show up. Today we are suppose to get great record-breaking weather. But, unlike last month where we broke the record for latest snowfall, today the record may break due to the heat. It is suppose to get into the upper eighties, which is crazy hot for WA. I can't wait!

I am not the only one that likes the sun. Here is a picture of Zeus I took around 9:00 this morning. He doesn't let me out of his sight too often, so here he is napping on the floor in my office. I am thoroughly jealous. I just wish he would stop moaning.

Deception Pass Camping

When I was a kid growing up, I would go camping with my parents. We would take trips in their RV and my dad would sit at the table every morning doing write-ups of the trips that would include a summary of our day and pictures. I thought it was weird at the time, but now going back and seeing us grow and the adventures we went one, it's actually pretty cool. It inspired me to write similar summaries of our trips when we go places in our trailer. Here is the write-up from our most recent trip to Deception Pass State Park. It took me a while to complete, but I am finally done so decided to post it here.

May 2-4, 2008

We left our house Friday afternoon around 2:20. We got lucky with traffic and arrived at Deception Pass State Park at 5:30. Once we checked in, we found our campsite, number 115. Terry unhooked the trailer and leveled it out while I started dinner. For dinner, I made spaghetti with Italian sausage and garlic bread. After dinner, we took a walk through some of the campground and down to Cranberry Lake and the waterfront. It was a very pretty walk and we thought all the sites here were good ones.

our site

When we got back, it was almost 9:00 and we decided to brush our teeth and get ready for bed. Right as we were about to head to sleep, Jason, Katie, and their daughter Kiera showed up. They were in site 120, so we walked down and helped them unload. Terry built a fire for us to enjoy and we roasted marshmallows and made s’mores. Kiera seemed to like the fire and asked for marshmallows right away even though it was only her second time camping.

On Saturday when we woke up, it was raining. Terry made some coffee and hot cocoa for us. For breakfast, we gathered our ingredients and headed to Jason and Katie’s site to cook. I made biscuits, sausage gravy and scrambled eggs for breakfast. It turned out really good, everyone, including Kiera, seemed to enjoy it.

After breakfast, we decided to walk up to the check-in area nad get a map of the park. From there, we found a trail that lead up to the bridge. It was drizzling on us as we hiked. Kiera got a little tired, so we took turns holding her. We made it to the bridge and walked across it and got some pretty views. After that we decided to head up to Goose Rock via summit trail. It was fairly steep and a little uneventful at the top. There probably would have been pretty views from the summit if it weren’t foggy. After that, we decided to head back to camp. Poor Zeus was soaking wet and filthy by the time we made it to the summit, but he was a trooper and walked the whole way. Three and a half hours later, we arrived back at camp.

Along the trail with Kiera, Katie, Jason and Terry

Deception Pass bridge

Once back, we made lunch and snacked on junk food. For lunch, we barbequed hamburgers and sausages. Once we were done eating, we headed back to our trailer to put Kiera down for a nap and get out of the rain. Terry, Jason and I placed a game of Yatzee while Katie got Kiera to fall asleep. Soon after she fell asleep, my parents arrived and it stopped raining. It took a while, but the sun finally started to poke thru the trees and the sky started to clear up.

Kiera enjoying lunch

When Kiera woke up from her nap, we walked down to the shore near our campsites and let her play in the sand. My mom showed her how to write he name in the sand and even though she didn’t get the letters right, she did like drawing in the sand. We stayed down there for a bit before heading back to camp to start dinner.

For dinner, we had shredded chicken tostadas. Katie had pre-shredded the chicken and it was really good. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. Terry started another fire for us to warm up around. My parents left around 8:00 to head home. About that same time, we walked down to the shoreline to enjoy the sunset. We got lucky that it cleared enough and we got a very pretty sunset.

The amazing sunset

Back at camp, we roasted some marshmallows and made more s’mores. At exactly 9:00, Kiera wanted to go to bed. We stayed up a little longer enjoying the warm fire and chatting before heading to sleep.

On Sunday, I was up early, but Terry slept in until after 8:30, which is late for him. I made some hot cider and read my book while I waited for him to wake up. Once he got up, we walked down to see Jason and Katie. They were just waking up as well. For breakfast, Katie and I cooked scrambled eggs, hash browns and the left-over chicken. It was of course yummy. Once we were done eating, we slowly began to pack up camp. Jason and Katie left slightly before us. We left camp at 10:45 and took our time getting home. It took us about 2 hours to get home. We had a great time and definitely want to camp there again sometime.

Ferndale, aka Ferntucky to Terry

Going up to my parents' house sometimes feels like a mini-vacation at a bed and breakfast. We splurge on dinner, have breakfast that isn't oatmeal and get our own private suite on the property. We headed up there for Mother's Day and turned it into a Mother's Day weekend for my mom. We arrived Friday evening and went out to dinner. On Saturday we tried a new breakfast spot in downtown Bellingham that I loved (can't say anyone else liked it) and walked thru the farmer's market. Then, my mom and I went to the nursery. On Sunday, we worked in the yard as a gift to her. I weeded, planted pots, helped separate and plant Dahlias while Terry found rocks.

Terry enjoys digging holes at my parents' house. He walks thru the back pasture looking for little rock surfaces, then digs until a rock appears. Last time he did this, it took my parents 6 yards of rock to fill the hole he made near their driveway. This time, he found a smaller rock and with the hole in the back, it shouldn't need to be filled.

Terry also helped my dad give the llamas shots. The llamas weren't too happy about getting pricked, twice. I bet you Terry never thought giving llamas shots would be part of the job description when he married me.

Overall, this weekend was nice. Terry dug a big hole and gave the llamas shots. I ate good food, helped plant in the garden, weeded a little and cooked Mother's Day dinner for the family.

Click here to see more photos of our Mother's Day weekend!

On a separate note: I wonder who came up with the idea it was okay to pee in the trees on the golf course. It is amazing how many men (haven't seen any women yet) walk nonchalantly to the tree line and relieve themselves. I should put my telephoto lens on my camera and start taking pictures of them. Then, I could post the pictures on the bulletin board on the golf course (I am sure they have something like that) for everyone to see. It would just be nice to not have to worry about seeing a man taking advantage of the great outdoors when I look into my backyard.

Here goes nothing...

Okay, so I think I will finally jump on the blogging bandwagon. I have thought about doing this for a while now, but was never that cool to start up a blog. It appears like it is finally time I step and join the in crowd of blogging. I am not super computer literate and don't care a lot about modern technology, so bare with me a little.


So, I guess I will start with a little background info for those that don't really know me, but like myself like to read other people's blogs to feel like I am not alone in this crazy world. I'm 27 years old and already hate the fact I am not 25 anymore; it was such a good age. (I am 25 in the picture.) My husband and I started dating about three years ago. We were married on July 4, 2006, in a small chapel in Reno, NV. There is a cute story behind all that, but you probably don't care too much to hear about at the present time, or you have already heard it. Maybe I will get into it later.


A lot has changed since then. My husband, Terry and I moved up to Spanaway, WA, just over a year ago from Santa Cruz, CA. We almost moved to Austin, TX, but luckily decided upon the Pacific Northwest instead. We found a cute house that we moved into after living the first 2 weeks in Washington in a hotel room. We also got a dog since I think that is what you are suppose to do once you have a house and a yard. We enjoy being up here.

After a year, I have a friend and we found a new 4-wheel drive club. We joined the Timber Tamers out of Lynnwood, WA, (http://www.timbertamers.org/) and seem to fit right in considering the last trip Terry attempted to help with the fire and caught a fellow Tamer's sock on fire. My friend also happens to be my trainer. I am on a perpetual diet and exercise plan. Twice a week I see her at the gym and she tries to kill me with new workouts. One time I was sore for 5 days after having to do too many sets of jump squats. On the weekends, we go out to dinner and don't talk about what rich food we are eating or that the following Tuesday I will be telling her about how great my eating plan is going.

I suppose mostly this will be for me, but will also invite family, friends and strangers to read my thoughts. I hope to keep pictures posted and write about the trips my husband and I take around the area. And maybe people will be able to keep up with whatever it is we have planned next. Until next time...