First let me say, I LOVE our neighborhood. Yesterday we had our fourth cul-de-sac 4th of July celebration. It’s so much fun and yet different every year.  This year we had another BBQ and potluck. There we so many good things to eat with the burgers and hot dogs. I love that we do this every year. This year there was potato salad, green salad, pasta, watermelon, coleslaw, and more.

After we had dinner we all cleaned up a bit and then the fireworks began. We always say at the end of every year we’re going to get less fireworks because it seems like we do so many. This year was no exception. Eric did a great job of lighting the fireworks and deciding which ones we should lite next.  Our new neighbors daughter, Fatima, was so cute.  She made another little friend, Emma. The two girls sat together hugging, cheering, and clapping at every firework display. They were so adorable. I think Sammy and Pla got pictures this year. I was so busy getting things ready that I forgot to charge my camera.

After we celebrate the 4th each year I can’t help but thinking how much I really love my neighbors and neighborhood. You know in this day and age it’s not often that you live somewhere that you know all your neighbors, that you like them, and that you do things together. We’re a great neighborhood.  It’s like a slice of small town America… but international at the same time. In our small cul-de-sac we’ve got people from India, Africa, Japan, Thailand, and America. I think it’s unique and rare… and I like it.

Thanks everyon for another great party!

Happy New Year to you all!!!

Well the last year has had it’s ups and downs but turned out quite well. I can’t believe we’re in 2007 already. Last night Eric and I had a quiet New Years celebration last night. Eric had to work. While he was working I made us a great turkey, stuffing, potatoes, etc dinner. It was AWESOME!!! Eric and i love those sorts of dinners but don’t get left overs because we haven’t had either Thanksgiving or Christmas at our house for left overs. SO, we had a dinner last night. It was super!! We ate, had wine, and then at midnight toasted the new year.

With the new year comes a few resolutions!!

1) Jona needs a job yeah! it’s time
2) Eat healthier (no carb w/o a protein)
3) Workout at the gym more (3-4 times a week) Need to think of some “reward” for meeting this one each week.

Other than that, not a lot to put on my list. I’m pretty happy with things. I do have a few things planned for this year but they’re not like a resolution, more like goals.

- Get my business license before the 14th of February
- Scan all pictures from mom and grandma as TIFF’s and burn for family
- Start my “book of me” scrapbook
- Read more

Oh, before I forget, in an effort of post more about the books I’ve been reading and what I thought of them I’ve made another LJ I’ve posted all the books I’ve read for a while but haven’t put all my comments on them. I did this because when I make my business “live” the CreativeWebsights link will just have the business there, nothing else.

OK, I’m rambling… Happy New Year to you all!

I love Christmas for a lot of reasons. I think the biggest reason is that I love being with family, celebrating time together, spending quality time together, catching up and just being together. This year was no different. I was a little worried because Eric had to work right before Christmas Eve and then the day after Christmas which meant we’d have a short visit but everything worked out.

Christmas eve was spent with Eric family. We ate a ton of food, put puzzles together and just spent time together. and I had dueling laptops going for quite a while and at the end of the evening we took a little time to open a few presents. it was a nice night. I had the kids open their PJ’s so they could wear them. They both looked so cute.

Christmas morning we all got up and had a wonderful Christmas breakfast of blueberry pancakes, and bacon. yum…. made a great breakfast for us all. and and Miles and Beth were nice enough to come over a littler early so we could all have breakfast together and then open gifts. Ordinarily it wouldn’t have been an issue but we needed to leave by 11am to make it to yakima for my mom’s family Christmas. It was so much fun opening gifts but watching the kids open and play with theirs was the best. They are both really growing up to be big kids.

The Nathlich Family

I really did have a great time at the Titus house for Christmas but I have to say, going to Yakima and having a HUGE Christmas with my mom, brother, grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids was the best. I can’t even remember the last time we were all together like that. It was great too because I was able to get a picture of everyone before any of us left. It really made me appreciate my family and appreciate the big Christmases we used to have. I love having a ton of people for the holidays. I had a great time touching base with my cousins and just being together.

All in all this year was great. The weather cooperated, we got to be with family, spent time with my family that I haven’t seen for quite a while, and had great food.

Next year… Christmas at our house!!! Can’t wait!!

Happy Anniversary to us! Happy Anniversary to US! Hard to believe that two years ago I married the best person in the whole world. I can’t believe Eric and I are celebrating our 2nd anniversary already. Man I wish I was in Oregon right now (note: I’m in Boston for work). So since I’m not at home to say this I guess I’ll write it hear and share with the world.

ERIC……I LOVE YOU!!! Happy Anniversary! Wish you were here J

P1000403,

Tonight was amazing, it was everything I’d hoped and more. All the neighbors came together and we had the most amazing BBQ. Everyone came but people from one house. I thought that was pretty good. It was great to meet all my neighbors after saying “hi” and waving for so long. We all realized that of the 8 houses in the Cul-de-sac, five of us work for Intel. We got to meet the babies in the neighborhood too. The whole night was just terrific. Eric did a wonderful job being the grill master. Everyone brought a dish or two for the potluck. We had more food than we knew what to do with. All of us ate very well.

Lara, the girl in this picture was the first to start the fireworks party. He dad, Brian had bought some fireworks for her to shoot off and do. She started with a sparkler and was a little nervous about holding it and swinging it around. Next it was the popits (you throw them on the ground and they make a snap or pop sound). Lara was nervous with those two but it wasn’t long and she was grabbing handfuls of them and throwing them as hard as she could. It was cute and funny at the same time because she’d throw them and not all of them would pop so, Subash walked around and stepped on them to pop them. We all joked with him that it looked like a new dance.

Later in the evening, when it got dark, Sammy and Pla broke out their Costco sized box of fireworks and started the show. Between Sammy, Pla, Eric and Brian they had two,three and at one point four going at the same time. It was a great night. Everyone said they had a good time and were glad I set it up… next up, and end of summer party after we’re back from Boston.

Click the picture for the rest of the pictures, there are some wonderful fireworks pictures. I’m getting better all the time with the new camera. I love DSLR!

I can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait. Today is the neighborhood BBQ. It should be a lot of fun. I love our neighbors and celebrating the 4th is going to be the best ever. I got my camera ready to go for the whole evening so look forward to pictures later. Yesterday I went to Costco and got all the things we needed for the BBQ. It was fun buying all the party things. I love parties. I love hosting them and having people over. The best part is as the host it’s my responsibility to make sure everyone is having a good time and making it as easy for everyone to enjoy the night. I think some people forget about that sort of thing but I think it’s important to be at ease but also make sure everyone is having a good time. There’s nothing worse than going to a party, dinner, etc where you’re not having fun or they can’t be bothered.

I’ve been excited about today so much I needed to distract myself from it all. I could have done laundry and things like that, things that need to be done but instead I’ve been scrapbooking. I LOVE scrapbooking! Today I’ve done several layouts and had a blast doing it. I love the creative process of it all. I love selecting the pictures, the paper and creating a unique and fun layout. I’ve noticed too that I have more simple layouts than I used to. It’s like ti do the paper and pictures first then I pick the embellishments to add a little “pizazz” to it all. Oh, crap! it’s 3pm. I got go put the pop in the cooler. I’ll post later with pictures and things.