A visit from Mom and Dad Russell

A week after moving in we were excited to welcome mom and dad Russell from Illinois. Mom had been planning to come for a couple months, dad was a surprise (and a VERY welcomed one)! C had to begin working at the Portland office the day they arrived, so T got to spend each day with them cleaning, unpacking, patching, drilling, painting, and even a little sightseeing! They were incredibly helpful in accomplishing tasks around the house and helping to make us get more moved in and settled. We decided to take Thursday off and go on a day trip. We started at the falls, of which there are many! The first one we stopped at was called Horse Tail Falls. It is beautiful and right off the beaten path just down from the second tallest falls in the states, Multnomah Falls, which is where we went next. Multnomah Falls is absolutely beautiful! Dad and I decided to take the mile hike up to the top. It was quite a hike, but on a paved trail up through the woods and well worth it. After our hike and a yummy picnic lunch by the crick, we packed up and headed up to Mount Hood. The drive was breathtaking! Unfortunately we couldn't go into the park area because they were working on the lodge. We had a wonderful day together! I wish our time had not passed so quickly, but I look forward to having them visit again soon.

A Tour of Our Home

T takes you on a tour of our new home. Enjoy!

We've moved!!

August 7th we embarked on a road trip up Hwy 5 from Galt, CA to Portland, OR. Janet and Gary came with us and were wonderful to help with driving two cars and the move-in. It was the farthest north I had ever traveled by car so it was a very fun and scenic drive. It was beautiful as we passed through Shasta and further north. We made a couple stops; one in Weed, CA where we got lunch. We arrived at our new home at just passed 6:00 p.m. and were happily surprised as we had not seen it in person until now! For as nervous as we had been, we are very happy and we love our new home! We have been very busy cleaning and unpacking and getting it ready for visitors. Come and see us, we'd love to have you!

Moving Day

As many of you know, C and I have been planning to move to Portland for several months. At one point it seemed far in the distance, but on Monday, August 4th we were awakened quite early with a phone call from the truck driver letting us know he was on his way to load up our things. We had spent the weekend in a packing frenzy in attempts to get ready for his arrival (although we did take a couple hours to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary!!). With the help of Janet and Andrea and a couple all-nighters we were able to get everything packed. It's amazing to realize how much STUFF you have when it comes time to pack it up. This is precisely why I enjoy moving every 1-2 years, it really cuts down on all the stuff! However, even with all the sorting out and selling off our furniture we still ended up with a total weight of 6000 lbs!! It's all those school books! When the truck arrived it was quite a sight to see a 60 foot semi pull up and park out in front of our tiny little apartment complex. The neighbors came out of the woodwork to stare at this huge truck and to wonder if we really had that much stuff! The loading team didn't show up so C and I ended up helping with the loading. It took four of us about three hours to get it loaded up. We both thoroughly enjoyed watching the driver put all of our things in like a puzzle. It was really quite fascinating. We spent the night in our empty apartment with a sleeping bag, pillow and suitcase. C actually stayed the following night since he had to be in the office, but I headed over to Galt on Tuesday to spend the next couple of days with Janet and Gary. Bye-bye, Redwood City!!

C 'n T celebrate 5 years of wedded bliss

We can't help but pause and think of our wedding five years ago. It could not have been more perfect and continues to be remembered as the best day of our lives. Here are a few photo favorites. If you want to reminisce through photos visit our wedding website.

Finished!

I finished my Master's degree today! After 18 months of coursework it came down to three essay questions in three hours. The test was from 9am-noon and I found out early this evening that all four of us who sat for the test, passed!! YIPPEEE! So, in case you are wondering here is my Masters degree title: M.A. Interdisciplinary Education-Reading Emphasis with a Reading Specialist K-12 credential. Thank you for your prayers, support and well wishes! I PASSED! :) Now on to those boxes waiting to be packed.....

Cousin Devin gets married - July 4th, 2008

This weekend while C was in Galt, I flew to D.C. for my cousin Devin's wedding. With summer classes in full swing, it had to be a quick trip, but one I wouldn't have missed for the world. I flew out Thursday night on a red-eye and on an airline I'd never flown before, Virgin America. Having heard stories about this particular airline, I was anxious to see what it was all about. C and I LOVE airports and airplanes and this was no exception. The plane took off from the International Terminal, which is the newest terminal at SFO and it's beautiful! I sat and watched the planes land and take off as I waited to board. The boarding call came and as I walked on the plane through the tunnel there were flashes of lights and a purplish hue with music in the background. Boarding this plane was like walking into a Vegas club! The seats were white leather, the aisles wider than usual, and the staff were smiling and welcoming as one of them led me to my seat. As I sat down, I noticed the screen in front of me. I'd also heard about the screens. They are touch screens and not only can you select any kind of movie you want, you can play video games, watch TV shows, order food and drinks for yourself, order food and drinks for other people in the plane, AND you could chat with other people in the plane! What will they think of next? However, it was after 10pm and I was tired and anxious to get some sleep before the big event. To my great disappointment, Virgin America doesn't equip their planes with blankets!!! I was freezing (yes, FREEZING!) and didn't sleep. I was glad to arrive in D.C. at 6:00 am the following morning and have it already at 75 degrees outside! After arriving and renting a car, I headed to the hotel in Maryland where I would be staying with my grandparents. It was a beautiful drive! I loved it. Upon arrival at the hotel I was greeted by Grandpa and Grandma with big smile, big hugs, and a nice big bed to take a nap! We ate breakfast together and then I crawled in bed and slept for three hours. I woke up and began to get ready for the wedding later on that night. All my cousins were in another hotel and busily getting ready, even sewing dresses to the very last minute (including the wedding dress!!). The setting of the event was beautiful! It was in a small catholic church about an hour away from the hotel. The old stone church was set up on a green hill and surrounded by old gravestones. There was a stone gate surrounding the church and a walkway leading to the front door. It was a perfect day for a wedding, slightly overcast with light, misty rain. We were greeted at the door by kilted groomsmen and led to our seats after hugs from Uncle Ron. The wedding was beautiful. The bridesmaids wore Indian Saris, the groomsmen wore kilts. Lyndsey wore a gorgeous wedding dress with a long veil that reached the ground and Devin wore a tux with a scarf the same as the kilts over his shoulder. Cousins Alyssa and Breanne and Lyndsey's sister were bridesmaids (along with a few friends) and Lyndsey's brother was among the groomsmen. The ceremony was beautiful with Bible passages read by the fathers and music sung by one of the bridesmaids together with the congregation. As the newlyweds exited the church, they were led out by a bagpiper and the guests threw flower petals as the bride and groom ducked into their awaiting Rolls Royce. The reception was at a mansion about 30 minutes away. Again, a beautiful setting. There were appetizers for guests to enjoy while we waited for dinner to begin. I loved the way the entire wedding was all-encompassing of Devin and Lyndsey's interests and their relationship as a whole. Each table had a card that detailed an important part of their courtship. During the meal the M.C. went around and one person from each table read the card. By the end, the story of their courtship had been told from when they first met to when Devin purchased the ring to the proposal. It was beautiful! The food was delicious, the cake even more so and the dancing....the dancing is always the best part! They said their farewells at just past 11:00pm and raced through a tunnel of sparklers to the waiting limo. As they drove away, fireworks lit up the sky. What a fairytale!
The following day, the family met for brunch at Lyndsey and Devin's townhouse. It was a wonderful opportunity to greet the newlyweds and spend more time together before everyone went their separate ways. I was there just over 24 hours before it was time for me to head back. I'm so glad I was able to go. It was a beautiful, memorable weekend. Congratulations Devin and Lyndsey!