The sweetest boy you ever did meet

Tonight I was telling Trent about the family that our department "adopted" for Christmas. I was telling him about how the family couldn't afford Christmas presents and how in this family they had a little boy that is 5 and he had asked for Star Wars action figures. When I went to the store to buy him some, I picked out General Grevious - which is Trent's absolute favourite! I told him I and wrapped it all up to give to him so he could open it on Christmas. A few minutes later, he comes over to me with this six-year-old-self-wrapped-package. In this package, he tells me, is one of his own Star Wars figures (used of course) that he wanted to give the little boy too.

How does that not just melt your heart?! He's such a sweet boy.

As I was leaving, he said- "if you wait a second, maybe I could give you like 5 nickels you could give to him too". Man I love that little buddy. He's got such a good heart. Really makes you prioritize your life and the example you set for others.

Girls' Weekend!

This past long weekend (for us anyway) was super fun! Kristi and Melissa came to visit me in my new CASA! It was so much fun to see them both and I'm very grateful to their husbands who watched the kiddos so they could get a much deserved break away!

Friday night I picked up Kristi at the airport. We came back to the house to get things settled and give the tour. Then we went to dinner at Porque No? Kristi wanted something Portland-y and this was in my old neighborhood, so we went there. It was delicious! She had a long day flying from Atlanta, so after some chit chat I let her get some sleep :)

Saturday morning, after Kristi was awakened by the rooster in my neighborhood (UGH - somebody please come on a rooster hunt with me....) we picked up Melissa at the airport. Funny enough one of our old friends from college days Holly was at the airport getting on Melissa's plane as she was getting off. Very very small world. We dropped Melissa's bags off at the house and headed out to the outlet mall in Woodburn, OR (about 30 min South of Portland). Taking advantage of tax free shopping (as if we needed the excuse). It was SUPER busy, but we all found some things we couldn't live without. On the way back, after a very tiring shopping excursion - we decided to catch a movie. We hit up the Bagdad Theatre for a showing of Crazy, Stupid Love. It was a pretty good movie and then for some pizza at APizza Scholls. Then home to bed! We were tired girls!

Sunday morning we kicked it off right with a ritual provided by Melissa (of course). Seriously I could never get sick of those things. Then we headed downtown for some breakfast at Voodoo Doughnut. At about 9:30am there was a line for about 25 minutes out the door. Crazy. But really fun to see all the junk people are willing to put on a doughnut. Of course - the non-adventurous eater I am - opted for the Plain cake one with chocolate frosting. I only went for the non-glaze option because I thought they would make fun of me. Next we had appointments for massage and facial at Spa Sasse. It was pretty nice to just relax and be pampered for a good chunk of the day. I probably wouldn't go there again, but it was fine. Then we walked around Saturday Market for a bit and ate lunch out of a food cart which are all the rage here in Portland. There was definitely no let-down in the people watching category today. Then we had to drop Kristi back to the airport so she could get home to her family. Melissa and I mostly hung out talking that night and just enjoyed catching up. We had already had quite the eventful weekend!

Monday we went to the mall in Clackamas to see Footloose - and while we were there actually got manicures and pedicures! Man it was a fun, pamper-filled weekend! I was sad to drop Melissa off too at the airport Monday afternoon but I'm sure they were both very excited to get home to their families! I know it's a lot to be away from the cute munchkins for too long - and I'm so grateful they were able to come for a visit! We were already planning our yearly Girls Weekend for next year! I can't wait! Love those girls!

Lindsay "Bare-Buns" Gets Married!

This past weekend, the family traveled up to Seattle for the wedding of my cousin Lindsay and her, now husband Paul. Lindsay Blair, kindly nicknamed Lindsay Bare-Buns by the Harker Family is really close to Blake's age and they were always so fun to watch play together when they were kiddos. At the wedding it was great to get to see Aunts and Uncles and Cousins I haven't seen in a very long time! The wedding was gorgeous! Lindsay was, of course, GORGEOUS! Funny that we didn't take a single picture of the whole group.

Got in a ton of lovely Trent time. He chose to stay in my room with me and we had SO MUCH FUN! Between sneaking off to slip funny notes under his parents' door and telling ghost stories (mine was the one about the girl that always wore the green ribbon around her neck. Her husband, always asked her to remove it - she refused. Finally on his death bed she granted him his wish to see her without the green ribbon...and her head fell off!) we laughed forever at that one! Best time of our sleep over was in the morning when he gets up to go to the bathroom and I hear him, but wasn't ready to be awake. All the sudden there's a tiny whisper voice in my face saying, "Aunt Jamie...there's something wrong with the soap!" Without opening my eyes I say, "I don't get it - what's wrong with the soap!?" Best reply ever, "It's too dry and scratchy!" The greatest smile on my face as I reply - "oh...buddy...you have to wet the soap first." Man does that kid make my day or what!?

We downloaded a lot of games on my phone for the car ride back. Fruit Ninja was our fav! I get to watch him again Saturday night while Jake and Denise go out for her birthday. It's going to be SO MUCH FUN! I'm hoping to get some moving of some boxes to the new house on Saturday morning and then the BIG stuff will be moved with the help from my brothers the next Saturday. Hopefully one of these days I'll have everything in one location. Fingers Crossed.

The new house has plug-ins for good smell (even though it's brand new), a rug, my new mattress and box spring and the wood blinds Jake helped me install last Sunday. It's coming along very slowly but surely.

I just signed my life away!

Looks like I'm putting down roots in Oregon!
I'm officially a home owner. Crazy.
Get the keys on Tuesday (hopefully)

Family BBQ

We had a family BBQ this weekend. It was SOOOO HOT! While the little kids were playing in the pool/slide - the boys were doing crazy stunts on the 4 wheelers. It was a fun weekend.

Hell's Belles

My girlfriends and I here have a "craft night" usually once a month. We all try to attend even if we're not currently working on a project. Who are we kidding - we usually aren't working on a project. It's hosted at a different person's house each time and that person is responsible for keeping us in food & drink for the evening. This last time was our newest addition's turn. Tram's house was SO FUN! I don't think we picked up a single craft all night. But I think we all grew in size by about 15 lbs. The food was INCREDIBLE! Thanks Tram! The funniest parts of the night were when Cheryl, our 8.5 month pregnant friend attempted to try out the stripper pole installed in Tram's house. Or when Monica's daughter Avery kept pretending to be the dog "Puffin" and spilled red wine all over the carpets (much to Monica's dismay). Tram was Johnny on the spot with the Resolve and it came up without issue.
It was a very eventful evening. I can't wait until the next one! I can't wait to host one in my new house! :)

House - take 2

The family room, where the refrigerator will go in the kitchen, the hallway from the front door, the back door out to the little yard, master bath, the outside of the place, this cute built in thing at the bottom of the stairs, the stairs, the kitchen, the laundry area, the master walk in closet, the tiny bathroom downstairs, and the banister to the stairs.

In typical Jamie fashion - I have finally decided on a house. After 3-possibly 4 months of looking I ended up with (wait for it...) the first house I looked at. Of course I did! Seriously why do I have to make things so much harder than they need to be?!?!?!

Anyway - it's a townhouse (yay for no yard to maintain). 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. 1350 sq ft. It's perfect for my first place. So now I will be figuring out where to put furniture, what colours to paint and what I want to put on the walls! HIP HIP HOORAY! The offer still stands - visitors welcome.

I removed my offer on the other house due to some complications with the inspection and a shady lot next door that they were probably going to build a house right on top of mine (no gracias) so I backed out. I think this new one is PERFECT!!!