Go Huskies!

The Huskies are playing tonight in the "2013 Fight Hunger Bowl" against BYU. We're excited to root our team on, and the whole family is decked out in our Husky gear:

Go Dawgs!

Future Husky?

We're working on raising our son right, which includes turning him into a University of Washington Huskies fan. Here's our future scholar ready to root on the home team:



Look out ladies, he's sure to be one of the cutest dudes on campus! (Although, I may be a little biased on that...)

Retake Montlake!

To me, it's the most wonderful time of year: the beginning of a new college football season! Husky fans packed the house to "Retake Montlake" today. After a year of construction, the new Husky stadium was unveiled, and it was quite the experience. As a fan, I'm glad to be back on the shores of Lake Washington, and I'm ready to cheer on the team in another great year of Husky Football!




The whole family is ready to cheer on the Huskies. We've been working with Matthew to celebrate with "Touchdown" (as you can see, he's even practicing in his sleep!), and he's just started saying "Go!" as he watches the games. What fun!

Touchdown!

Put me in Coach Sark!

Ready to watch the game with Dad?


What a great day at the stadium -- here's to a great season. Go Huskies!

Six Months Old!

Our son is six months old today. This Labor Day weekend, we celebrate the beginning of college football, while also training our son to root for the correct team -- Go Huskies!

Happy Memorial Day!

We've decided to raise our son right -- as a UW Husky fan! :) Here he is decked out for his first Memorial Day barbecue with friends:

August to Autumn

Phew! We've been busy here enjoying the last of the cool summer and watching the leaves turn shades of orange and yellow during the fall. I've been meaning to post for some time, but it seems that I've been neglecting this little piece of Cyberspace...

In mid-August, we had the opportunity to take a few days off and camp at Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey Island. It was such a treat to enjoy the last of the summer heat (it was actually warm during our trip, which was a rare occurrence this past summer!) with friends. While we were up on Whidbey Island, Lennie and I took a quick trip into Oak Harbor to visit with our friends Beth and Tim. It was so nice to reconnect with them and to hang out with their family for a day. They even got to bring their kids out to our campsite to make their first s'mores. Too fun! I always enjoy spending time with friends, and this quick trip was definitely what the doctor ordered. (Although, I don't think that the doctor ordered the colds that Lennie and I came home with, but that's another story...)

Over Labor Day weekend, I tried my hand at canning homemade applesauce, as well as drying the first set of apples. Yum! We also got to attend a great friend's wedding, where the blue skies made an appearance for just enough time for an outdoor affair. It was definitely a night to remember, and I'm grateful that we got to attend the event.

September has brought sunny days and crisp air as well as the beginning of Husky football season. I love the opportunity to sit in the stands and experience the energy of Husky stadium. While our team may not always pull out the win, it's certainly fun to be amongst the crowd cheering the team on to victory. I do have to say, though, that the USC win was a little too stressful for my blood -- taking it down to the last two seconds definitely brought my blood pressure up!

We're excited to be back on our "regular" schedule, with life in full swing and a fun chill in the air. Our neighbors have already decorated their houses for Halloween, complete with lights. I'm excited to see what the rest of October brings, including trick-or-treaters! Happy October everyone! :-)

Fall

Fall has most definitely arrived! I am sitting here snuggled under my blanket, and there is a chill in the air. The condo is filled with the smell of cinnamon and apples, and the sun is shining. I do enjoy fall days like this!

I had the pleasure of going to the UW football game last night, where the air was crisp and cold, and the crowd was abuzz. Being a football fan sure is stressful; the night was full of ups and downs as our team was in the lead, then really wasn't, and then pulled the game out in the last few minutes of the game. We were heading out of the game with a few minutes left... I stopped in the restroom on the way out, and the team decided to kick it into gear right then and score not one, but two touchdowns in the span of just two football minutes! Exciting stuff. It sure is nice to have a team that is putting it's heart into the game this year; very refreshing to go to games where the team is actually showing up to play. I'm loving it... although I may have to start seeing a cardiologist -- the ups and downs are a lot to take! :-)

Yay For College Football Season!

This weekend marked the beginning of another college football season. The 7:30 p.m. game was a little bit of a stretch for me (I prefer earlier games), but we "tailgated" before the game at the bar of a local restaurant and then took the bus across the lake to Husky Stadium. There is nothing like the energy of the stadium on game day, and Saturday was no exception. The air was buzzing as we walked into the stadium and you could feel that change was afoot. A new season, a new coach, and a new opportunity to prove that our team was a worthy opponent.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't have high expectations. I'm a Husky fan, after all. However, it was refreshing to see that our team came with something to prove, and we were in it to win it. We didn't win the game, but we hung in there until the bitter end, and all of us left with our heads held high, and with great hope for the season. Yep, it's a new year, and I'm excited to get back into the swing of Saturday football games at Husky Stadium.

Go Huskies! :-)

Thankfulness

This is the time of year where we sit back and reflect on life, and ponder the things that we are thankful. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought that I would reflect on what I am thankful about this year.

Friends and family come to mind immediately, and I am truly grateful for the people that I have surrounding me. My husband is one of the greatest guys in the world (I may be a little biased on that assesment), and I love that he always has the power to make me smile, calm me down, and make my heart flutter, no matter what is swirling around me.

My parents really kick butt (if you know them, you'd likely agree whole heartedly with me on that one), and I couldn't ask for better people to have raised and molded me into what I am today.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: my friends rock. It's great to know that there is a long list of people that I can lean on in times of need, but that I can also sit and enjoy the sunnier side of life too. How can you complain about life when you're surrounded by cool people? I'm thankful that I've got a great group surrounding me.

Faith. I am fortunate that I live in a place that allows me to freely practice my faith, and that I can voice my opinion without major backlash. Without the foundation of faith, I don't think that I would be the person that I am today. I'm truly blessed to have God in my life. Also, I go to an awesome church with a community that is feeding and challenging me. I am constantly thankful for the power of community.

In a time of financial recession, I'm grateful to have a job that pays me fairly and that challenges me every day. I love that I'm in a position where I'm not bored with what I do, and I want to go to work almost every day. With so many layoffs and other uncertainties around me, I'm very thankful that I'm gainfully employed and doing a job that I enjoy.

Redemption. I'm thankful that the Husky football season is almost over, and that next year is a new, fresh start. (I had to get one last note in about Husky football, don't you think?!)

Beauty. We live in a beautiful place, surrounded by snow-kissed mountains, water, and wildlife that constantly takes my breath away. There have been so many times where I have turned a corner when driving somewhere, and I'm just taken aback by the beauty of the place that I live.

I've got a lot to be thankful for, that's for sure. I'm thankful for all of you, readers and friends, too. Hopefully, wherever you are, and whatever your doing this year, you're taking some time to ponder what you're thankful for too.

Not Amused

I have just spent the afternoon watching the heartbreaking 101^st Apple Cup game, where cross-state rivals University of Washington played Washington State University. For most of the game, we were in the lead. And then, well, we 'Couged it.' Seriously Couged it, actually, and at the end of a double-overtime match-up, we lost by a field goal.

To my Husky footbal players, I say this: I am not amused. Really not amused. This was the one game that you needed to win, and you didn't come through. I'm disappointed, but I am confident that there's always next year, right? Right.

There may be one game left in the season, but I give up. I'm not going to sit on the edge of my seat hoping that it'll go better. Rather, I'm going to hold on to the hope of next year, and be grateful for a perfectly bad season. I'm a Husky fan, I should be used to this by now, I think.

I'm still not amused though!

Did You Crawl Into My Brain?

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to reconnect with some friends over a great dinner. It was well worth missing the (terrible) Husky game to share laughter and smiles with friends.

Part of the conversation turned to the abundance that we enjoy in America, which can be found in our grocery stores and warehouse stores. I think that sometimes we forget how much we have here in the U.S., but when people come here, it can be overwhelming. Our abundance was a small but powerful topic of the dinner conversation.

Fast forward to the sermon today, where our pastor gave a short illustration, quoting comedian Yakov Smirnoff about the overwhelming number of choices at the supermarket. Oh pastor, how were you able to crawl into my brain, or my life for that matter, and address this topic so appropriately? I'm one of 2,000+ parishioners on Sunday, and yet you knew to mention that story in your sermon. Amazing. I am constantly blown away by how appropriate each week's sermon is, it's like someone has crawled into my brain and picked out exactly what I needed to hear.

I'm grateful, that's for sure, for timely messages, and for being able to stich together seemingly different experiences into this quilt of life. Can't wait to see what comes together this week!

Relaxing Weekend

Halloween marked the anniversary of our first date, so on Friday night, Lennie and I trekked to Red Robin for our traditional Halloween date night and some people watching. We enjoyed some great food and conversation, and then went over to our friends house to help with trick-or-treaters and a party for ~20 junior high schoolers. It was a lot of fun to see all of the kids dressed up, and to help out with the party games. Definitely better than sitting at home without trick-or-treaters, that's for sure!

On Saturday, we relaxed at my parent's house before coming home to watch part of the UW game (kind of glad that I took a nap instead of watching the game!) and attend our neighbor's pirate-themed party. People went all-out on their pirate costumes, and it was cool to meet some new people while also connecting with other friends after a few months. Our neighbor decorated his condo -- going all out with wall coverings, cannon balls (okay, balloons) on the deck, and a plank completed the motif. Most amazing was his jack-o-lantern with a ship carved in it. I wish I had gotten a photo of it -- the attention to detail was fabulous.


Today, we went to church and listened to a great sermon and then had the opportunity to reconnect with our friend Kevin, who was in town for the weekend. Had a great lunch with fun conversation, and then came home to relax.

Friends. Laughter. Fun. That's what I call a great weekend! :-)

Political Candidates, Husky Football, Lunch

I had the pleasure of going to another Husky football game yesterday. It was a beautiful fall day here in Seattle, a little cold, but blue skies, sunshine, and changing leaves surrounded us. We enjoyed an afternoon tailgating and laughing with friends before making our way into the stadium. Outside of our gate, Washington's current governor, Christine Gregoire (also a UW graduate, holds the same degree as me, actually), was shaking hands and working the crowd. I had the opportunity to greet her and shake her hand before entering the staduim and watching the Huskies get their pride handed to them by Notre Dame. Ugh, if only we weren't currently in pursuit of the perfectly bad season this year! (Seriously, could we just win one game this year?!)

This afternoon, Lennie and I ran errends and then enjoyed lunch at Bahama Breeze in Tukwila. As we were finishing up our meal, the waiter pointed to a table across the section and said "Do you know Dino Rossi, you know, the guy who's running for governor? Well, there he is!" Yep, we had lunch in the presence of Dino Rossi, the challenger in the 2008 Washington gubernatorial race. So, I guess you could say that I watched the Husky game yesterday with Gregoire, and had lunch with Rossi today. How political of me! :-) Heh heh.

Silly Huskies!

I shouldn't be surprised that we lost the game last night. I'm a little sad, but have decided that perhaps we're going for the perfect season; a perfectly bad season, that is... Unfortunately, our star quarterback, Jake Locker, broke his right thumb during the game last night, which may be a season-ending injury for him. I hope that it's not, and that he heals quickly.

Seattle Times writer Steve Kelley may have put it best:

Another Washington football season is doomed. Another year with Locker will end without a bowl trip.

And even before the leaves have turned, this season feels as broken as Locker's thumb.

I'm still a Husky fan, but I'm a realist too: I'll cheer (loudly) for every completed pass, every play that's well executed, but my hopes aren't high, and all that I can ask for is that we act as the "spoilers" in the Apple Cup this year against our cross-state rivals. If we can win that game, it'll be an okay season after all...

Labor Day Weekend & Disappointed Dawg Fans

For Labor Day Weekend, we had the opportunity to hang out with some great friends at their cabin on Lake Kachess in Eastern Washington. We had a fabulous time relaxing and trading laughs. We also had the opportunity to go out quading -- what a rush! As we rode amongst the trees and traveled up the mountain, we got to take in great views while the wind whipped past our helmets. After a while, we stopped near a clearing where our friend demonstrated some of his firearm skills. I'm not one for guns, so this wasn't an activity that I participated in, but everyone seemed to enjoy some attempts at target practice.

Saturday night brought some yummy chili (which was a welcome dinner choice after being out on the trails all day) and a very disappointing UW football game against University of Oregon. True to form, the Huskies had a great second quarter and a crappy rest of the game. I think that I may agree with Mr. Brewer of the Seattle Times, who says that Ty's days may be numbered at the U. That makes me really sad on the one hand, but on the other hand, we can't go through many more "rebuilding eras" like we have been for the last few years. Fasten your seatbelts, Dawg fans, it's going to be a long year. Despite the loss, I still enjoyed time watching the game with friends -- even though a few of them fell asleep due to lack of excitment during the game.

Sunday brought sunshine and a trip to Roslyn, WA for lunch. It's kind of refreshing to go to a town that is so quaint... and that has very few stoplights. :-) Too fun. We went on a night quading ride -- although I don't think that we intended to be out that late, it was fun to ride through all of the mud puddles in the darkness. At one point, I slowed down so that I could be sure to hit every mud puddle at optimum speed -- fast! It's not often that adults get to play in the mud, so I did my best to make the most of it. Good times!

On another note -- we just harvested our first tomatoes. (It's been a weird growing season this year, not sure what to do with it...) The tomatoes were between baseball and softball sized... amazing!

Silly Huskies!

I'm becoming a disillusioned Husky fan. I've gone from calling it a rebuilding year (for the past four years) to a rebuilding era. After the Arizona game, though, I have to say that I'm starting to question my loyalty to this year's team. I'm a tried-and-true fan, sure, but I'm also feeling pretty fair weather right now too. However, I think that Steve Kelley of the Seattle Times expressed it best in his article "Changes are Needed:"

The age of forgiveness is over. It ended late Saturday afternoon. Ended after Washington blew a 15-point fourth-quarter lead — to Arizona.

It ended when the defense allowed 535 yards and the offense committed five turnovers. Ended with a 48-41 loss.

Last week, Washington coach Tyrone Willingham speculated that none of his players could start for USC. And then those players went out and proved him right.

Turns out the Huskies don't even have the talent to beat Arizona.

"Obviously there are a lot of people who don't feel very good about who we are right now," Willingham said after the game.

This was a 24-karat embarrassment. Washington was outscored 22-6 in the fourth quarter. Last week, Oregon outscored the Huskies 24-3 in the fourth. Read more of the article here.