Adventure: In The Area

Last week I finally was able to take some adventures after about a 2 month period that lacked new adventures.

Pittock Mansion
Thursday I took a much needed day off and took a field trip out of Forest Grove with Abby, an optometry student's wife. The field trip took us to Pittock Mansion, the home to Henry & Georgina Pittock and was built in the early 1900s. Henry purchased the Oregonian and made it what it is today. The mansion is nestled amongst the trees and what seems to be the highest point in Portland.

When we got to the mansion we walked the grounds to see the overview into the city and pretty sure we could see the whole city through the trees. We decided we didn't want to pay to see the inside of the mansion, but were told it was free to see the servant quarters house. Even that was amazing, yes smaller, but we both decided we could comfortably live in a house of it's size. Plus their was even a volunteer there to give us a bunch of history on the Pittocks and their servants.

Roloff Farms
As I was moving out here Jodee told me I better stop at Roloff farms if I see it, because she is a fan of Little People Big World. So I finally looked it up and discovered it was about 15 miles for our house. Well of course we had to go then, it was just a matter of figuring out when we all could go. The farm is only open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October. Sundays are hard because of varying church schedules and Saturdays run into a lot of games for me, so we had to do it a Friday and I would have to leave work early.

Well, we finally found a Friday that worked. Last Friday, we headed to Roloff Farms to get a pumpkin. When we got there I spotted Amy Roloff right away, due to the line of people wanting pictures with her. So I jumped in line and eventually was joined by both my roommates for a picture with Amy. I was very aware of how tall I was and this time it wasn't because I looked like a giant next to my roommates!

After our picture I went on the search for the 'perfect' pumpkin and Chantel and Natalie properly documented the search with their photography skills.

'Eye Ball'
Saturday night was the 'Eye Ball', a fundraising semi-formal dance for the Optometry Amigos clubs. It is a club that travels to other countries to provide eye care to underserved people. So I purchased a ticket to attend with my roommates and also got them in contact with my Uncle Doug who helped them get Chinese Garden tickets donated for the silent auction. The silent auction was a mix of donations from places in the area as well as optometry supplies for the optometry nerds who the 'Eye Ball' was for anyway. Our tickets provided a tasty dinner with far too many forks.

Public Transportation
Sunday I headed into Portland after church, but chose to ride the MAX, the public transportation system instead of driving. I checked out the map and knew what trains I needed and thought it would be easy. I spent a good 10 minutes trying to decipher how to buy a ticket! But finally ended up with a 2 hour pass, which I thought was an all day pass... Anyway to get on the train you don't have to scan your ticket like in Chicago, so my ticket was never checked, so I rode the train back 4 hours later with the same ticket.

Changing Plans & Goals

About a week ago my mom was working on cleaning off the computer when she came across an essay I wrote for a scholarship my senior year high school. She sent it to me to look at and all, I could think of is 'wow how goals and plans change!' Here's the essay:

In the future I want to do something that I enjoy and want to continue to do. I plan to attend Central College next year and major in architecture. I will be participating in volleyball and track and field. My top priority while at Central will be deciding between architecture and landscape architecture. No matter which I decide I would like to graduate with a degree in 2012, as both programs are six year programs. From there I would like to join an architecture firm. I would eventually like to have my own firm. I hope to travel worldwide to study architecture of different regions and time periods. After traveling I want to bring back new ideas to the United States and incorporate them into my own designs. I also hope to work toward a master's degree after spending some time in the field. My goal is to find a career that will suit me and allow me to use my education. This is my dream, one I will continue working on until it comes true.

Well, I definitely did not become an architect, because I really am not a good free hand drawer. However, while that seemed to be my huge goal at the time, I also included small ones of having a career I enjoy, completing my education on time and finding a career that suits me. And I did play volleyball and participate in track and field. Architecture didn't, but I am still not sure I know what career will fit me. I am hoping to start a master's program in next year or so.

Isn't it odd how many goals and plans we make in life, but if we look back at them we see how many of them were changed? What we saw as a perfect plan or goal in our lives at 18 has completely changed at age 23. It also leads to the thought: Did I fail because I didn't achieve these goals and plans?

I think it is a reminder as much as we try to lay out a plan or set a goal for ourselves there is a higher power who has the ultimate plan for us. We can make plans and set goals, but can't be disappointed in not meeting them perfectly, because it may not be the plan laid out by God.

Jeremiah 29:11:
"For I know the plan I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."

23 Years

My birthday has come and gone. And yes I worked the whole day, I guess that's part of growing up. I also suppose that I shall work on my birthday for a majority of the remainder of my life. But you know what, that means I can get birthday gifts delivered to work, right?

Shortly after I got to work on Tuesday I heard someone ask if I worked there, I dreaded that my parents had sent me balloons and wondered what I had to pop them, they are so awkward to carry home. But when the delivery person found my office they handed me a tray of mini cupcakes. My mom had figured out how to get 'Mama's Cookie Jar', a local sweet shop to make and deliver me cupcakes, much better than balloons.

After working a whole day I came home to a birthday banner in our front entry way that my roommates had hung up and Natalie gave me a bouquet of yellow and red daisies. We then had a nice roommate supper at Grendel's in downtown Forest Grove. While it was an attempt to be a meal without optometry talk, it failed. They had just finished a test and had to unwind from it!

It was then off to IM volleyball for Chantel and I. But afterwards our IM team came back to share the delicious mint chocolate chip ice cream cake with us. It was great to have visitors and of course because mint chocolate chip is my favorite flavor of ice cream!

Also I received many cards and a random assortment of surprises in the mail...THANK YOU everyone who sent birthday wishes my way!

Introducing My Roommates

Chantel

Our North Dakotan, Chantel is the oldest, after taking a year off she is hitting optometry school hard. She is the most dedicated to her studies in our house and maybe the most of anyone I have ever met. She was our leader on the camping adventure, but she lives in the library. Literally, she visits everyday and if it is near a test or quiz day she stays until 1 am! Pretty impressive, considering in undergrad I didn't use the library until I was a junior and from then on it was very, very limited!

Chantel also does well putting things into perspective for the young ones in the household (me and Natalie). She has travelled worldwide on many mission trips, has had her family's home taken out by a tornado and has the most dedicated mail-sending mom. She also is a pretty good cook and handy to have around with all her experience she has had re-building her house last year.

Natalie

The Colorado native, Natalie is the baby of our house. She graduated undergrad from BYU in three years and turned 21 in August. She is very focused on getting doctorate in optometry, but sleep gets in the way quite often. She is more prone to studying at home, because she doesn't see the need to haul her stuff to campus to just be distracted there too. However, she has fallen asleep on her studies more than once. Last week I came into the living room to find her asleep on the floor with a her book open, she also tries to stay up and study to wake up at 3 am and find her light on and her notes and computer open. Though, it seems to work for her as she continues to do well.

Natalie is an improving cook, compliments of the cookbook her sisters put together for her. As a former gymnast and diver, she swims laps around us at the pool! She is also the most likely to give in to having ice cream even though we banned it from our house until my birthday! (It's not been going well!)

Thoughts

I am the eye test guinea pig for them and they support my random chaotic schedule, it's great!

I am grateful the Pacific classifieds were so helpful in helping my find these guys. Having only talked to Natalie for about ten minutes before moving out here, I was a bit worried. After living with them for 2 months, I am still in awe of how well it all worked out. We have adjusted to each other quirks and get along well. We know we can ask for advice or support from anyone we live with and being 2,000 miles from home it is great to have that.

Budget Survival 101

Mailing Lists!

As much as I hate mailing lists cluttering up my inbox I also find them very handy. In Chicago we all signed up for a bunch of them, because we could get free sandwiches at Quiznos or free ice cream at DQ. Which was great because everything was more expensive there.I never unsubscribed to either, especially DQ, because who would really turn down free ice cream?

Anyway, the Quiznos one has come in quite handy out here. I'm not saying I go there every week, but when I get a coupon for $2 off a sandwich I do visit and get it for the next day's lunch. I also am a fan of the ones I get from Shutterfly for free pictures, I have taken a lot of pictures out here and it's nice to be able to print them for free.

The other thing I find hand is swagbucks.com. It is a search engine, powered by Google, however as you search you can gain points for gift certificates. It really is a marketing research ploy. You have to have an account, so I am sure what I search is monitored for research and sorted by the demographic I fit. But hey I am a marketing person too, so if it helps go a head and graph it as long as I get my gift cards. I regularly get the Amazon coupons, which is making life a bit cheaper here because I am ordering Christmas gifts online and having a discount and not having to pay for shipping!

I've learned you can be a smart shopper without a lot of effort if you just know where to look. And between Chicago and Oregon I have discovered many good ideas to stay on a tight budget...or maybe my frugal Dutch side is starting to show!

Gratefulness Challenge

I would like to issue a challenge to anyone who reads this. It is rather simple and I think you will find it to be rewarding. Try it for awhile, say until Thanksgiving, and I bet it will become part of your routine.

The challenge is this, grab a small notebook and keep it on your nightstand or a place you will see it each day. Then make it a point everyday to write something you are grateful for. Challenge yourself to come up with at least three a day, if you have more great write them down. At first it might seem a little awkward, bu as you get into it I think you will realize it will become easier and as you go through your day you will recognize things (tangible or intangible) you are grateful for.

Here is a little info I found about gratitude:

"Science tells us that an "attitude of gratitude" is a good health choice. Being more grateful more often makes us happier and more optimistic. But gratitude also adds to the bottom line - in very real ways. And the best news about gratitude is that it requires little time and no money."

Here are five reasons gratitude improves your life:

1. Gratitude reduces negativity

- When you realize what you are grateful for you can see more positives in a situation.

2. Gratitude helps us learn.

- See the silver-lining, every problem has an opportunity for us to learn.

3. Gratitude improves relationships.

- Let people know how grateful you are for them being in your life and what they do.

4. Gratitude attracts what we want.

- When you are conscious of the blessings in your life, you attract more the same thing.

5. Gratitude improves problem solving skills.

- You will enter a situation with a perspective of improvement & opportunity rather than challenge.

There is so much to be grateful for, just take the challenge and you will notice the gifts you have been given in your life!

Where has the Time Gone?

I am not really sure where the month of September went, but it went fast! And with very little in the adventure category. My roommates got into the full swing of optometry school and athletic events seemed to attack my schedule. But I can proudly say I made it through my first month as an SID and still enjoy it.

I believe I have started to get the hang of soccer language and that of course makes writing those stories easier each time. But when it comes to zero-zero ties, I lack words to explain the situation!

Golf on the other hand, you say how many strokes they shot in the round and how far over or under par they were and how the team did....and that's the whole story!

I am now starting swimming stories as well. At this point I only have sent out the preseason preview, but their competition starts this weekend. Which means I am going to have to start understanding swimming in about 48 hours from now!

My other sport of the winter will be wrestling...men's & women's....hmmm. Anyway it cannot be assumed I have seen wrestling just because I am from Iowa. I, in fact, don't really like wrestling. I don't understand it and I have never seen a match. Hope I can write a good story!

I have learned in this first month, if I act and think I can do something well, I can. I also have learned that I have more free time than I ever did as student-athlete. It's weird coming home after work and not having homework structure my day. I free read a lot, but even that gets annoying when you have read so many books in the past 4 months! I really don't want to become a TV bum, so if anyone has an idea to help me fill up some free time e-mail me suggestions. I have problems sitting still for long, I like to be active!

My tickets have been booked to get back to Iowa for the holidays. I will be flying in on December 14th and have bonding time with the family until I fly out on January 5th. It will be a great 3 weeks of Iowa snow and siblings' basketball games! I can't wait.

October---Birthday Month

October means birthday month in our household. Mine is the 19th & David's is the 28th. And then Grandpa's is November 2nd, so he just celebrated with us when we were littler.

This year my mom and dad will spend the birthdays of their two oldest in parent-teacher conferences. I will spend mine in Oregon and David will spend it in classes at UNI.

When I was little I celebrated a my birthday at a wedding in Minnesota. It wasn't the same waking up in a hotel to birthday gifts as it was at home. But over the past four years I have gotten used to celebrating in odd places.

Through college my birthday always fell during Central's fall break. Which is the typical time frame the Central Volleyball team takes their big trip.

My freshman year I was not on varsity so I got to go home for my birthday. My sophomore year it was Los Angeles. It was right in the middle of our trip, so when I came out from breakfast to load the vans all the parents sang 'happy birthday' to me and then surprised us with cupcakes after our game. It was nice, but not the same as being able to talk and see my family.

Junior year was even more interesting. New York City. However, it was the day we flew home. I was up at 3 a.m. eastern time to head to the airport to fly back to Iowa. Teammates were there to tell me 'happy birthday' but we were exhausted, so I spent the flight sleeping and then slept most the day when we got home. Senior I celebrated at home again! We had taken our trip to Oregon during Labor Day weekend, so we had fall break off. I got to see Daniel's cross country meet and Leah's volleyball match and celebrate my birthday at home!

This year I will celebrate in Oregon, the fourth state in 5 years! Interesting track record to have. But in the rules of our house you get to choose how to celebrate it. Chantel chose camping....my front runner is roller skating at the rink in Hillsboro decked out in 80's attire. Keep following for pictures to come! :)

Also I will celebrate with care packages.... :D haha.
But really: I like books, so Barnes & Noble. Panera & Target are nice too! Or just fun treats!

Book Review: Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

Fiction again, sorry. Since the library failed me I haven't been back. My roommates and I were at Goodwill looking for a couch a while back and got sidetracked by the books the large book selection they had. For only $2 a piece we stocked up, why buy a book at full price when you can get them that cheap? And most didn't look like they were previously read!

Anyway, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas is by James Patterson, a different author than I have been reading so I thought it was worth the purchase. I also have had people tell me it was pretty good. Thinking of James Patterson as an author makes me think more of murder mysteries, so I was a bit skeptical of this book.

After getting into it, I really started getting into the plot. It was suspenseful and I wasn't able to predict the end before it happened. It was also a very detail oriented and emotional book. I was almost to tears near the end! I don't want to say much about the plot because I think it would ruin the suspense for those of you who read it, but I definitely think it is worth a casual read!

Budget Survival 101

Coupons!

We live by them here. Every Tuesday the free advertiser is dropped off at our house. It is complete with ads to every grocery store in the area and a pack of manufacturer coupons. I knew there was no way we were just going to throw those away. So every week I cut them out and put them in what has become our coupon drawer.

As I learned in Chicago, many specials at the Safeway are only good if you are 'club member'. So right away the first week I got a club card. Which every week the club card combines with Safeway coupons to save bunches. This morning I saved nearly $15 dollars and ended up only paying $25 for my groceries. I felt pretty proud to have shopped smartly!

Also we discovered how expensive slipcovers were last week, it would have been more to cover one couch than it was to buy both! So I found some flat sheets on clearance at Target and made up some slip covers. Grandma will be so happy I finally got out my sewing machine, a graduation gift from her, to put them together.

Here are the before and after pictures of our lovely floral furniture: