Some Selfie Time

I was talking with my mom and she made a comment about how she missed seeing me. She said she wanted more pictures of me on the blog, so I took some selfies after my interview today! I don't have any great ones of Brandt but I'll throw in the most recent one I have and a few extras of me. Enjoy!

It's a Wonderful Day for Pi

This year was the Pi Day of the century so we decided to celebrate! Brandt is a great cook and made plans to make pie. He enjoyed looking up creative and ridiculous pi themed pie recipes. I got home from work while the pie was cooling. It was one of the best pies I've ever had!!

Brandt didn't know of my secret love for monster cookies, so it was a doubly good surprise. He said it was difficult to make because he had to make the monster cookie mix, the cheesecake filling, and then he also decided to make pizza from scratch so he made dough too.

The pizza was, of course, pi themed as well. The crust was a little too fluffy but it still tasted good. I thought the pepperoni was a cute touch. Brandt made enough dough for a second pizza, which we ate tonight. This time he made the crust flatter and the dough had time to age. It was delicious!

Today is my only day off this week, so I'm making this post quick so we can celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a glass of Guinness and another of Baileys. A delicious way to celebrate another great March holiday!

Uprooting Isn't Easy

I used to garden with my parents when I was younger. When pulling weeds, I was taught it was important to pull it from the base of the stem to ensure the roots came out too. If you don't pull out enough of the plant, the roots can grow a new weed. Among my favorite plants are trees. I'm fascinated by their roots. They slowly force through sidewalks. They burrow deep for nourishment. Roots act as anchors during windstorms, keeping trees firmly in place. I love that some large trees have roots that seem to roll like waves in and out of the ground as the stretch out in search of water.

Picking up and leaving friends and family isn't easy. There's a reason they call it uprooting. I hadn't lived anywhere but Kansas and my entire root system was there. Everyone I loved lives there (or had at one point). When I moved I severed my physical ties to those people. Technology keeps us in touch but there are times I feel extremely homesick.

Last March, we made the decision to follow our dreams and move across the country. The last month has been full of reminders that I can't just drive a few hours to see my friends and family. Two of my nephews had birthdays. Two of my friends got engaged. One of my closest friends is pregnant with her first child and just posted her first belly picture. The annual fundraiser, of which I was an integral part, took place this weekend. I'm happy that life moves forward but I'm torn apart that I can't be there.

It's not just the life changing moments or the milestones, I miss being a part of the little things too. As the weather warmed up here, I had a sudden flash of going to Silver Creek on a lazy afternoon: Sitting in folding chairs with my toes in the creek, enjoying the sun with my friends. I also won't get to sit under the awning in my parents' backyard as the sun sets. No weekend trips to my friends' farm to shoot guns and eat Donut Whole deliciousness.

I'm happy living in Oregon and I know it was the right choice for me. The anniversary of our decision seems to have brought on more nostalgia for home. Even though we're having fun on our new adventures and we're slowly regrowing our lives here, we still have our loved ones on our minds. Brandt and I may have uprooted but we left the majority of our root system intact. Unlike the weeds in my parents' garden, we still have our support system of loved ones. Our anchors.

Image from "The Fountain" one of my top three favorite movies.

Riding the MAX

A wonderful aspect of Portland is the public transportation system. The TriMet offers three options: buses, the MAX Light Rail, and the WES Commuter Rail. Many people that I work with don't have cars and ride the buses to work. Being from a small town with absolutely no public transportation, this was one of the many culture shocks I knew I'd experience out here. Everyone thinks I'm crazy when I say I've never ridden on a bus (other than school buses). Even in college, there wasn't public transportation (that I was aware of). They did have Safe Ride that picked up people and drove them home from the bar district, aka Aggieville for you Wildcats out there. I lived nearby so we usually walked unless it was unbearably cold or raining. In Wichita, the bus system was extremely lacking in most aspects and I never really considered riding. A friend living in Dallas posted Facebook pictures recently of entertaining Kansas family members by taking them on public transportation. It's just such a fascinating concept for us!

Back home, everyone has a car, even if it's a beat up old clunker. If you don't have a car, you have to rely on the small town kindness of your friends and family to get around. I put my old Geo Prism through a lot and every once in a while it needed some work. I either had to hitch rides from friends or drive my dad's truck: a gold behemoth that sounded like a diesel. I had a terrible time shifting because, unlike the Geo's compact gear shifter, this thing had one half the size of my body.

Last month, I met up with some friends for Japanese food. To my surprise, it was in downtown Portland and we were going to take the MAX. After the usual stares of utter shock when I explained I didn't know "how" to ride nor had I really used public transportation, my friends were quite helpful in teaching me the ways of the big city.  *Disclaimer: I've used taxis in Chicago, San Antonio, and Mexico. I've also ridden the subway in Washington D.C. but that was in a large group with someone telling us what to do and where to get off.* We then drove to the Park and Ride station, which also has parking for bikes. Purchasing a ticket was simple. I inserted my debit card, selected that I wanted a day pass (smallest increment is 2 hours and we didn't know how long dinner would take), and I got my ticket. Then we waited underneath a canopy in the typical Portland drizzle and made jokes.

My first MAX ticket.

The ride was uneventful. It was dark and I couldn't see anything outside of the windows. I'm looking forward to riding again during the day so I can see the lovely Portland landscape. The MAX passes through a tunnel through the huge hills between Beaverton and Portland. During that time, it's hard to hear so we could only talk loudly to the person next to us. Once we entered Portland the MAX's automated voice told us what stop we were at and to exit to the right. Then it gave directions again in Spanish. One of the guys even spoke with the announcement in both languages. It wasn't his first trip. Google Maps was also helpful in determining our stop but we still checked a large map that told us where each stop was. It was located right next to the bike racks. (So awesome!)

The sushi bar.

We exited and walked to the restaurant. It was an amazing traditional Japanese place. Patrons sat around tables, traditional Japanese style. The tables were regular height but situated as if you were sitting on the ground (you had to step up to get to the seating). Our party was large so we could sit at the bar top or a table in the bar section was opening soon. I was sad that we sat at an "American" table and plan to go back to sit at a traditional table next time. I tried new foods, some of which were delicious and others I won't be sampling again.

The ride back was the same as the ride into town. I was a little sad that no one checked my ticket either time. Apparently, there are people that check tickets and year-long passes but they're not on every train. I made jokes about getting caught without one and being thrown off the train, Indiana Jones style. My Portland friends informed me that you get taken somewhere (police station, TriMet depot, I can't remember) and receive a $250 fine. You can also be arrested and/or banned from riding. That is a gamble I'm not going to take.

A Simple Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a holiday that I don't celebrate. As a child, I enjoyed making valentine boxes and opening my cards and candy. Then as I grew, the boxes, cards, and candy stopped. The holiday turned into an obsession with buying things and people without a significant other were always depressed. I didn't like that and thus, decided I didn't want to participate. Brandt had other ideas.

Brandt said he felt like he should get me something and followed through every year, despite my protests. I can't lie, it is nice to be reminded that I'm loved though it felt stupid it was required on a certain day. The last four Valentine's Days Brandt has sent me flowers at work. I'd always secretly desired that my S.O. would send me flowers at work and he was the first to do it. Even on "just because" days, I'd become giddy like a little girl when I walked to the front desk and saw a beautiful bouquet. I hate being a typical anything, especially a typical girl, but I love flowers! I'd always proudly display them on my desk.

This year, with money tight and no "grown up" job I knew I wouldn't be getting flowers at work. Finally, Brandt was going to listen to my constant griping about how dumb this holiday was. Then when I was bombarded by all of the hearts and cute valentines at Target every day, I had a terrible feeling: I didn't hate this holiday so much any more. Maybe I'm getting older, maybe Brandt broke through my icy exterior, maybe my crafting has made me love all holidays. Who really knows.

I thought it would be nice to do a little something for my boyfriend since he always did a little something for me. I couldn't decide what to do and didn't want to spend any money. I'd almost given up when I was scrolling through my Pinterest page and came across an adorable I idea I'd pinned months ago! I'd make him a bouquet of beer! It was simple, cheap, partially handmade, and definitely not a traditional gift. Just my type of thing!

On Valentine's Day, I left his "flowers" in the fridge and went to work. When he got home from work, Brandt loved his present but was upset that I'd given him something and he had nothing for me. I told him not to worry because he always gets me flowers and this year it was his turn.

Silly guy did go out and get me a gift though. Best part was the note...

I cracked up and thanked him for my macaroni salad. There had been some in the fridge the week before but he'd destroyed it before I got any. When I went to eat it, I mentioned I was sad that it was gone. Now, he bought me my own! (I've censored the note for anyone sensitive to such verbiage.)

It was also our second year of exchanging digital valentine's. We constantly frequent meme sites such as themetapicture.com and imgr.com and had saved a lot of cheesy valentine memes last year. We spent the entire day sending them back and forth. We did the same this year during my last break. We didn't have as many but it was nice to laugh and know we'd been thinking of each other. I took a screenshot to give you an idea of how dumb/awesome they are. It's way better than spending money on one card. We can give as many as we want for free!

And so ended our fifth Valentine's Day. No big dinner (we hate crowds), no plants, no chocolate. Just two nerds giving each other cheesy gifts "homemade" gifts. I think it was our best V.D. so far!

January is Finally Over!

After the crazy, stressful, sleepless month that was December, January was a droll month. Brandt ended up back in the hospital in early January because his gallbladder was not done tormenting him (even from the grave). They took out "sludge" and "sand" during his final ERCP (going in through his mouth to access his bile duct) and he's been healthy every since.

Target drastically cut our hours and I was struggling to even get 20 hours each week. I've been watching the shift swapping sheet like a vulture and grabbing any hours I could. I need at least 30 hours to pay my bills and have been getting close. I picked up many cashier shifts these last two weeks and remembered why I dislike it so much. I'm very glad to be back out on the sales floor!

I've made several friends at Target and we've started a game/social/food night once every week or two. We've been playing Cards Against Humanity and it is the best game ever! I have left each time with my abs sore and my cheeks unable to move from laughing so hard. I invited everyone to my place this weekend and Brandt joined in on the fun. He dominated the game with his awesome sense of dry humor.

I've had a few interviews here and there but nothing successful yet. One employer actually called me afterward to let me know that they'd hired someone else (I'm lucky if I even get an e-mail) and they had wonderful things to say about me. They decided on another candidate because s/he had more experience. The job market is extremely competitive out here. I had another interview last week but this time I was overqualified. They haven't reached a decision yet and I'm hoping that they choose me because it is a job I would truly love, even though it's part time.

Brandt is working at the bank and all of his organs seem to be fully functioning! We haven't gone out and done much because we are conserving money and job searching. I haven't had much to write about on the blog, thus my long silence.

All three dogs are still alive. Sparrow is always happy and I've decided that she can't walk without wagging her tail. Everywhere she goes her mouth is open (tongue out) and her tail gracefully wags back and forth. Ellie is quiet, as always, but full of love. She really has come out of her shell, even more so than this summer. This weekend, she walked up to my friends and even let them pet her. I was a proud dog-mom! Cedric is a ball of unending energy. We've let his curls grow out to keep him warm during the winter. Brandt describes him as a Moopet (from the new Muppet movie). I think he's adorable and he's cuddling me more often than he has before.

What they say about the pacific northwest is true: it is always rainy and wet in the winter. It's usually a drizzle or barely noticeable but the ground is almost always wet. It does rain at times but we haven't had thunder to accompany it since this summer. It's been fun to see moss popping up on all the trees and I love that everything is always green.

Here's a picture of my curly boy because this post is much too text heavy. Happy February and here's hoping for a great month!!

Zoo Lights

The zoo in Portland has a light display in December and early January. We enjoyed Illuminations in Wichita and decided to go to Zoo Lights as our Christmas gifts to each other. It wasn't as impressive as Illuminations but we had a good time.

It was the coldest night since we moved out here but was still warmer than the year we went to Botanica. Some animals were available for viewing like the bats and elephants. There was even a baby elephant, which was adorable. The lights were on in the bat enclosure so they were sleeping. We watched them stretch for a while because bats are one of my favorite animals. They look like little flying foxes!

The zoo was crowded and the lights were placed far apart. Brandt and I did quite a bit of speed walking when the lights were only along the path. Some of the displays were breathtaking, which I've included pictures of below. We splurged and got hot chocolate to warm us up and I got peppermint in mine. It was delicious!

Overall, it was much shorter than we thought it would be. Illuminations was impressive with the constant music, Santa, heaters, and synchronized music and light displays. Zoo Lights had its impressive moments and we enjoyed a night out.

Here are some of the best displays:

This display was truly amazing!

I want this in my future backyard!

I would like this in my yard as well.

Dinosaurs!

I really want this display!!

I could watch these penguins "swim" all night.

Needed a cold selfie at the end.

This dragon was pretty cool. It even blew "smoke rings."

The train was pretty but it was too expensive
for what they offered.

I loved the totem pole and how it was lit.

Part of the display was out, but it was still cute!

Goodbye 2014!