On life and vacation

Right now I am all cozy on our couch...taking in a summer evening. I got put on-call tonight from work and did not except to have this free time. . .so rewarding when it comes unexpected. Pete is in Seattle spending a weekend with his dad and some of his buds. The house is quiet and peaceful and I just might pour myself a glass of white wine=perfect blogging conditions!

The fact that 2011 is half over as of today-blows me away. Life is a giant whirlwind sometimes. I really don't know what happened. I feel like one day it was February and today I woke up and we are nearing the end of June. WOW. We have been busy. Pete is enjoying his career at Wells Fargo as Private Banker and is going between mainly two different branches in our area. He has been at this position exactly one year now. I have pretty much adjusted well to night shift nursing, but always find myself in need of just a few more hours of sleep. ;) I started my dream job in Post Partum the beginning of MAY. I love working with moms and babies more than I could have ever imagined. I'm working a lot though, so Pete and I cherish the time we have to relax and unwind.

Which brings me to our recent relaxing vacation. We went to Maui to celebrate our 5 year anniversary and be part of Avery and Chad's (our dear friends) wedding- as they were married on June 18th! It was a fabulous vacation. My parents also went and we had the best time with them. Memories included: beach walks, runs, wave riding, sand storms, mai tais, lava flows, macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup, delicious seafood, gorgeous sunsets, boat cruises, snorkeling in search of turtles, home friends, happy hours, jeep rides, shave ice, good books, slow dancing on the beach and then dancing on the dance floor, champagne toasts, nightbows (a night rainbow), and lots of sunshine, laughter, and suncreen...it was the perfect getaway. We were reminded how important marriage is as we start year 6 of ours and as we watched our friends fall in love and share in their beautiful wedding vows! It brings me sooo much joy to watch someone I have known since childhood find happiness!

I know I am about as sentimental as they come, but I truly cherish making memories with the ones I love. To me . . .vacation is one of the best concepts of life. Time to get away from the day to day grind, remember why you work so hard, cherish the beauty of a different city, and laugh with the people you know best. This vacation was a win win situation because we were in tropical paradise and we were with family and friends! I had the post-vacation blues pretty bad when I got home. This week has been gloomy. I find myself constantly thinking "last week at this time we were"....I have contemplated grabbing pete and driving back to the airport on numerous occasions. But as my dad said, "Vacation has got to end so you can start looking forward to the next one!" so that is what I am doing...looking on to the next one. Thanks to all of you who made this one something special!!

Juanitas!

I've been out of the blogging world for awhile, but I had to blog about my latest craving. I need Mexican food like I need my right hand, but I never thought I would desire tortilla chips all hours of the day. Pete and I have a new craving... Juanitas Tortilla Chips made in Hood River, OR. As we wandered through the chip/cracker aisle at Whole Foods on Sunday, Pete said, "Man I heard those chips were good!' I threw them in the cart without a second thought. Upon opening the bag back at home- I realized just how addicting these little crunchies can be. The perfect blend of crunch, salt, and moisture-these chips are authentic and delicious. Pete says they can also be found at the Mexican market in Beaverton. Yum. Top them off with some mango-pineapple salsa and you are set for one epic treat! More posts to come soon. :)

Act FAST

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. A stroke can occur to anyone-at any time. Working on a stroke care unit, I have started to learn more about the brain and strokes than I would have ever imagined.

I want to share a quick acronym that can truly save lives. It is called F.A.S.T. and it helps in identify a stroke as it is happening. There is a lot to learn about strokes-ischemic vs. hemorrhagic, what part of the brain it impacts, what are the treatments, etc, but this simple acronym is what anyone can use..in your home, on the street, at the mall...knowing how to identify a stroke and seek help is key. Research proves that F.A.S.T. catches a majority of strokes.

F is for FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A is for ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S is for SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Are the words slurred? Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?

T is for TIME: If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important.

GET HELP F.A.S.T.-BRAIN CELLS MAY BE DYING.

Hold Us Together

Love this song by Matt Maher called "Hold Us Together". It is about finding faith. . .God is so good! He has risen indeed!

Happy Easter 2011!

Lyrics below. . .

Don't have a job

Don't pay your bills
Won't buy you a home
In Beverly Hills

Won't fix your life
In five easy steps
Ain't the law of the land
Or the government

But it's all you need..

Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone

It's waiting for you
Knockin' at your door!
Every moment of truth
When your heart hits the floor

When you're on your knees then...

Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone
:
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, s'gonna be alright

This is the first, day of the rest of your life
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, s'gonna be alright

Love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone

Hammocks R Us!

What's better than a mid afternoon nap at Drake Park in Bend? An afternoon nap in an Eaglesnest Hammock from ENO!!

I was turned on to this awesome set up last summer while hiking the PCT with my pal Justin. I asked him what kind of tent he was going to bring and he smiled and said, "I'm sleeping under the stars my friend." He showed me his hammock and how small it packed and lightweight it was (1 lb 8 oz for hammock and straps) I was instantly attracted. After taking a few naps in his on the trail, I knew that this was instantly atop my list of things-to-get at REI. So when I got my dividend this year, I went straight to the Hillsboro REI and bought myself this awesome sleeper! One nap down, many more to go!

-Pete

You are the Best thing....that ever happened to me!

Our beers at 10 Barrel Brewery (Tasty new Brewery to Bend)

Enjoying a sampler at Deschutes
This yummy Huckleberry Icecream was to die for
We made it to the peak (nicknamed Misery Ridge)

Cougar's Den or Fred Flintstone's Cave?

As we cruised through the high desert of central Oregon listening to Ray Lamontagne sing "You are the best thing" on a semi sunny afternoon. . .I thought to myself. . these are the moments of life I cherish most. The moments when you are feeling care free with the love of your life in the driver's seat. . .looking outside the window at the beauty of this world. . thinking about the yummy dinner you are going to have and the good night's sleep you are going to get. This is just a glimpse of the rejuvenating 2 days Pete and I shared in Bend, OR this past weekend. It was a weekend full of laughs and calories.

We were in need of a relaxing getaway and Bend was the perfect spot. A couple years ago, we spent a brief afternoon in Bend. This time we really wanted to get a feel for this city we've heard so many good things about. We loved it. It reminded us Boulder, CO and Hood River, OR. It is beautiful with a plethora of outdoor activities, funky shops, numerous breweries, and a happy go-lucky vibe.

We did a gorgeous hike at Smith Rock State Park and had famous huckleberry ice cream to follow, ate and drank at Deschutes Brewery and 10 Barrel Brewery, had mojitos at this adorable little bar called Tart, and sipped some delicious coffee at Thump and Back Porch Coffee Houses. At Back Porch, I ordered a Vanilla Bean Lavender Latte....it was heavenly!! We also saw a movie at McMenamin's Theatre where you sit on cozy couches and enjoy the flick.

We had time to sleep in, sit in the spa, and drive through the quaint neighborhoods of Bend...so many lovely houses along the Deschutes river. The drive home was also very scenic with lots of mountain views. We wrote down at least ten different campgrounds we hope to visit this summer.

We give BEND four thumbs up and can't wait to get back there for another getaway. We recommend it to anyone who is interested in hiking, rock climbing, white water rafting, kayaking, good eating, brewery hopping, boutique shopping, and breathing fresh air. They also get 300 days of sunshine a year. As I look outside to sideways rain, I'm pretty sure this is more than Portland. :)

Scrubb'n

What's new in my wardrobe these days? Scrubs... I cannot get enough of them. Scrubs are the one part of nursing I always have dreaded. They just seemed so boring and simple to me. Comfortable...yes! Functional...yes! BUT cute. . .not so much. Well I have been proven wrong. There are some cute scrubs out there-full of flare and color. My unit does not have a color or style requirement. The one and only rule is clean scrubs. So as I started my search I started simple. . black scrubs. . .then I got some bright teal bottoms. . .and then a fun print top. My mom found an adorable polka dot one and then today I went for it and got a bright yellow one with daisies and a funky 70's looking print in green and blue. Man the options are endless. I wonder what my co-workers will think tonight when I show up in my bright attire. There is nothing like "Brightening" up your patient's day right?