Here’s a little vlog about me, Eric, and the joy of changing a tire.

Don’t know if you’ve heard but the weather in Portland tonight is NUTS!!! We’ve had crazy rain and wind all night. In fact, Eric and I just spent the last 5 hours in the dark, OK, well not in the total dark, we did have flashlights and candles but in the dark pretty much.

About 7pm tonight the power went out in our whole development. I called PGE and found out the there are more than 45,000 people without power tonight. I’d watched on the TV earlier in the night and learned that there were several roads closed because of downed power lines and blown transformers so i wasn’t super surprised when we lost power. What I really didn’t like was that Eric was in Lake O taking a final and I was home alone, in the pitch black with a dog not sure what to make of things. I managed to grab the camp lantern (battery powered) and some flashlights and things and made myself ad home and started reading my book, anything to get my mind off the fact that I was home alone, in the dark and only had my cell phone.

Eric got home a little later and then headed to the grocery store for batteries for the radio, a battery powered alarm clock and a cheap phone. We have phones but they, like most people’s require electricity to work. When Eric got back he offered to make me some Chai tea. I mentioned to him that we didn’t have a way to do it. he reminded me about the joys of a gas stove. He turned it on, used the BBQ lighter to light it and in no time we had hot water for tea. YEAH!!!!

Although tonight was sort of not fun, missed some of our favorite shows, it was a lot of fun. I had lit a whole bunch of candles so we weren’t in the dark. it was nice to have some quiet and just relax a little. Eric got to play his new game on the DS while I read my Jodi Picoult book. It reminded me that we need to sometimes just turn off the TV, shut out the world and just be. I mean it was so nice to just sit together in the same room and just enjoy our hobbies without the whirl of the world.

I’ve been down here in AZ for about 5 days with Eric, my mother-in-law and father-in-law and LOVING it. I’m being really bad about posting partly because we’re just having too much fun, swimming, reading in the warm sun shopping, the spa, the sun, etc while the boys golf and also because there’s only Internet (wireless) in the lobby which mean little contact with the outside world which isn’t half bad. I’m having such a relaxing time I honestly wish I could stay down here. It’s been in the high 60′s to mid 70′s this whole time. Right now it’s 74 and sunny outside. God I love the sun, I can’t get enough of it. It’s times like this that make me realize how much I hate the rain in Portland.

Today Eric and I are off to visit some of my friends down here while his parents have a quiet night at home. No Pinochle tonight. Oh, that’s another thing, Eric and his parents taught me how to play so we’ve been playing several hands every day so far us “girls” are up two games.

Pictures will come but not until I get home, can’t be bothered posting them right now because every minute here on my computer is another minute I’m not in the sun Keep warm all my northern friends and know I’m not jealous of the cold at all..

Eric and I headed to Ellensburg today. We go every year about this time as Julie and I have a tradition of going to the scrapbook convention in Bellevue every year. We stopped at Eric’s parents first. Neither Bob nor Julie were home so we just left Baylee there while we went to Greg and Hollie’s to see them and the kids. The last time we saw them all was Father’s day weekend in June when they’d just bought the house and showed it to us.

We timed it just right as Beth was just awake and it wasn’t long until Miles had woken up. Those two kids are SO cute and I can’t believe how big they’re getting. Eric and I were stilling in the living room chatting with Greg when Miles came down the stairs turned and headed towards us. Hollie said something like, “Look it’s auntie and uncle” and Miles smiled from ear to ear and came running toward us. Of course it was big hugs all the way around. We sat there and chatted with Greg and played with the kids while Hollie was messing around in the kitchen. Beth is so super cute with her big brown eyes. Beth is so young and we haven’t spent the time with her like we have Miles because Greg and Hollie moved a little less than a year ago so I’m really not sure if she even knows who we are yet. It was a lot of fun though to play with the kids and catch up with Greg and Hollie.

It wasn’t long and Miles asked if we wanted to go upstairs and play video games. Originally he’d ask me if I wanted to play but I asked if Eric could play with him because Eric likes video games and with my tendinitis the repeated thumb usage isn’t good for me. We all headed upstairs to the landing where the kids have this great little play space to play video games and trains. It’s such a fun little place. Miles played a couple of games for a bit while Beth, Greg, Eric and I watched. Then, Eric and Miles were playing. Beth had a blast cruising around upstairs checking things out, jumping on the bed and playing with Miles clothes. Greg was multi-tasking by watching his laptop and hanging out with us while Hollie was downstairs. I had a lot of fun keeping Beth happy while the boys played video games. She’s VERY ticklish so of course I tickled her like crazy. One of the most precious moments was when Greg was on the floor with Beth and tickled her. He had Beth in his arms with her back to him while he hugged her with one hand and tickled her with the other. The best part was their facial expressions. I wished at that moment I had the camera because you could see the love Greg has for Beth and the love she has for her daddy. It was a very precious moment! It is those moments with the kids that mean so much. I want to have a close relationship with both Miles and Beth.

After we’d spent a few hours at Greg and Hollie’s we headed back to Bob and Julie’s to spend a little time, have a cocktail and chill before we all met at the local pasta restaurant for dinner with Greg, Hollie and the kids. I had a great night. I mean, it was so nice to sit with Bob and Julie at home, have a little to drink and catch up on things going on with all of us. It makes me appreciate the “slow times” where you really get the opportunity to talk with each other. Later on we headed to dinner and met up with Greg, Hollie and the kids. It was a great dinner; the kids were so good, better than I think I was at that age. It was nice to sit as a family and have dinner together and catch up. I really love moments like that, gathering together, spending time, chatting about all sorts of things and just appreciating each other. What a great night.

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