Scott and Heather + One

My Home Gym

2012-02-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

Who needs a gym membership when you can clean house and carry around a 14 pound baby? This is my new workout!

Belle at Four Months

2012-01-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

Stats: 14 pounds (70th percentile) and 25.5 inches long (90th percentile)

Our little girl is four months old! At four months she smiles more than ever and is very close to laughing. She is very mellow and if she does get upset she is either tired, hungry or needs her diaper changed. She is sleeping longer and only wakes us twice during the night now. She lets me cuddle with her from the moment I get home from work until we put her down to bed. I try to give her at least a hundred kisses a day and tell her I love her just as much. We love it when she squeals with delight when we play with her. She "talks and talks" to us in the mornings while we are getting ready for work and seems to always wake up happy. In the past two months she has outgrown about thirty outfits and is now wearing six to nine month old clothes because she appears to have inherited some tall genes from one of us. The dress she wore today is what I wore in my one year old photos and it was only a tad too big for her! All in all, we have a healthy, beautiful daughter who has made every day more special and we just adore every little thing she does.

Why Belle does not sleep with us...

2012-01-23T16:48:00.001-08:00

When did this happen?

2012-01-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

Belle was in outfit number three for the day by 8 am this morning. Let's just say she kept me busy while I was trying to get ready for work. I quickly put a new outfit on her before heading out the door.. When I came home tonight, I realized not only were the pants way too small, but the sleeves on her onesie are too short. When did this happen?!?! Is she growing up quickly already? I swear all of this fit just last week! New item on the weekend to-do list, get Belle some bigger clothes!

Look at that double chin!

Just a few snapshots

2012-01-17T20:41:00.000-08:00

I am falling behind on posting photos and even taking photos for that matter. Work is busy right now getting up to speed since being on leave, dealing with year end (the life of an accountant), trying to get through that never ending to-do list of errands and finding time to balance family, friends and one on one time with Scott. Any tips on how to do it all are welcome! Here are a few snapshots of our beautiful Belle.

Belle enjoying the view from our bedroom window

Belle in her Bumbo

In preparation for our trip to Palm Springs next month, I bought Belle an SPF 55 sun bonnet

Scott made sure she would look cool and bought her new shades, bottom line, this girl is going to be hip and protected!

Ringing in 2012

2012-01-08T18:28:00.000-08:00

2012 is here and we rang the new year in with our friends up in Bremerton, WA. Cory, Lindsay and Emerson hosted us and we had the perfect weekend of talking, playing with our girls, the boys fished and we even went out for a nice dinner on the 31st and the girls behaved! (Dinner might have been at 5pm, but still we were out!)

We had Emerson and Belle lay side by side to compare size. Belle is about the same length as Emerson, but she has a few pounds to gain to catch up to Emerson. Granted "Big E" has three months on Belle. They were enjoying baby talking to each other, slapping each other around and sucking on each other's hands.

Scott and Cory went fishing on the lake by their house one morning. Silly boys didn't wear long underwear or hats and when we walked down to check on them they were frozen. It was a gorgeous day to be outside.

Belle even has a gummy smile in the cold.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! You know you are parents with infants when you eat dinner at 5pm because you need to be back for bath time and bed time. It was the perfect way to ring in the new year and I wouldn't want it any other way.

2011 ended with a toast of sparkling rose from Switzerland, it survived the move!

Lucky Number Seven

2012-01-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

My new title is full time working Mom and it is an adjustment! Thankfully my coworkers have been very welcoming and I have been asked countless time how I am doing leaving Belle at home each morning. They are very supportive and have given me helpful tips on how to handle balancing career, being a good wife and a good Mom. I have yet to break down, but each morning is getting a bit harder to leave her behind.

I just noticed on my desk that I had saved a fortune before my maternity leave saying my lucky number was seven. I remember thinking it was a sign I would have Belle on her due date, October 7th, but it turns out it was just a sign of her weight, seven pounds seven ounces.

Is it Friday yet?

Three Years

2012-01-03T16:17:00.000-08:00

Photo taken in Bremerton, WA on December 31st (Scott is a bit cold)

Happy three year anniversay to my husband Scott! What a year it has been! We started 2011 out learning we were pregnant and you have been dealing with my hormonal highs and lows ever since! In all seriousness, it was an amazing year and I love seeing you as a father to Belle. I pledge to be more emotionally stable in year four and can't wait to see where 2012 takes us. All my love.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T19:48:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve morning we rode the Max downtown so Belle could have her first photo with Santa. She was a gem! She blessed us by taking the perfect photo with him and was not the least bit scared.

Christmas Day was spent with my family and Belle was spoiled with so many generous gifts. She even had her own stocking at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We hope you all had a special day with family and loved ones and a Merry Christmas!

December is flying by...

2011-12-20T19:54:00.000-08:00

Are there really only five more days until Christmas? This month has been flying by for me. We have been staying busy with Christmas parties, having friends over for dinner (flashback to Switzerland with fondue), meeting girlfriends for dinner and doing a little wine tasting with friends. I am also counting down the days until I return to working full time (thirteen to be exact).

Belle has recently discovered her voice and "talks" to me all the time now, look out world because she has a lot to say! I hope to capture a video of some of our conversations. She also learned she has hands! She makes fists and stares at them and makes herself cross eyed, she is so happy to have her hands. We love her more and more and can't believe how much she has grown.

Our friend Wes Price and his son Ty were in town for one night and we were able to introduce Belle to her future boyfriend over dinner. He is a mover and a shaker and beyond adorable.

His reaction to seeing our gorgeous daughter.

As some of you know, I love stripes and I am enjoying dressing Belle to match me on some days. (Not really, it just worked out that way.) Here we are with our serious pose together.

We were at Stoller Vineyards on Sunday for some tasting and a tour of their cellar.

She also loves sucking her fingers...

Our favorite was the 2009 Pinot Noir

We finished the weekend at a party hosted by some friends that live down on the Willamette River waterfront. The Christmas Ship Parade was passing by and we tried to capture a few shots before heading home.

We are looking forward to celebrating Belle's first Christmas this weekend. Merry Christmas to all!

Cozy

2011-12-03T14:43:00.001-08:00

Christmas has come early to the Bulloch household! Scott and I gave each other a gas fireplace for Christmas and it was installed this week. I look forward to making lots of memories in front of the fire as a family and with friends. Now we might just use our living room.

Belle update: She loves looking at herself in mirrors and I love watching her expressions.

Can you tell that she has a full belly in this photo?

I tried using my tripod and timer this week to take a few photos together and as you can see, Belle was NOT having it. Oh well... hopefully we will get some shots together soon and she won't be as upset.

Beaver Believers & Our Little Helper

2011-11-29T11:35:00.001-08:00

Okay, so we kind of had a hunch that the outcome of the Civil War football game would be a University of Oregon win, but we still had fun getting dressed up for the day and cheering on the Beavers. Belle has been given quite a few Beaver outfits, so it was nice to have a reason to play dress up and that it actually fit!

Our Thanksgiving holiday weekend ended with some Christmas decorating (more photos to come), but this little helper was wiped out from listening to of the caroling that Mom and Dad were singing.

Double Digits

2011-11-23T17:03:00.001-08:00

Miss Belle has hit double digits with her weight! Her two month checkup was this week and she was a rock star. She is in the 90th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight. We call her our super model, tall and lean.

3 F's: Fall, Football & Fishing

2011-11-22T16:09:00.001-08:00

FALL: Beautiful colors seen on our weekend walk around the neighborhood

FOOTBALL: Scott and I went to the OSU versus UW football game in Corvallis this past weekend. Our first full day away from Belle! It was so fun to watch them win a game, even if we were almost frozen by the end of the day.

FISHING: Pierre, Raph, Scott and Kyle had a successful salmon fishing trip on Sunday. Our refrigerator is now full of fish to be smoked tomorrow. We really need to invest in a freezer for our basement sooner than later.

That Smile

2011-11-20T20:23:00.001-08:00

Thank goodness for the iPhone camera! I was able to capture two smiles this past weekend of Belle! Her gummy grins make me feel so happy and loved and I need that reciprocation from time to time. The second smile was captured while we were hanging out at Starbucks today and the patron next to us even had to comment on how happy she looked.

I can almost hear her saying, "Aww.. Mom stop tickling me."

Eight Weeks

2011-11-17T19:32:00.001-08:00

Our baby is eight weeks old today. I can honestly say we are starting to get the hang of things a bit more too! We are going on more outings together, she only gets up twice at night now, I can sense we are slowly getting a nap schedule down and she is smiling and cooing, which melts our hearts.

This onesie was a gift from Grandma Bulloch

Scott usually finds us both napping on the couch when he gets home from work, I love my cuddle time

The first stages of a smile. I haven't been able to fully capture a gummy grin yet.

Belle now has a play mat to spent quality time on.

She loves hitting that chicken

We attended our first wedding with her last weekend and she was pretty good. Of course she let out a wale as the bride walked down the aisle and I was mortified, but we survived.

She was up way past her bedtime

And it is fall here in Portland, my favorite time of year. It also means that leaves fall at a rapid pace in our front yard and each weekend we spend quality time outside raking, but we love it.

Laundry: Darks, Whites & Pink

2011-11-01T19:02:00.000-07:00

I am noticing a trend in color with Belle's laundry...

Wiped out from her day

I love her baby blues!

Breakfast with the Hoffbuhrs

2011-10-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took Belle out to a restaurant for the first time on Friday night and then followed it up with breakfast out on Sunday with our friends Cory, Lindsay and Emerson. Belle slept through both meals, so they were actually quite pleasant. It seems like dinner time at home tends to be her "witching hour" so I was a bit nervous.

Proud Moms - Emerson is now 4 months old!

Proud Dads with their daughters

It is hard to believe that Belle will be this big soon.

Our Little Pumpkin

2011-10-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Tis' the season to visit pumpkin patches, corn mazes and drink apple cider. We visited Baggenstos Farms as a family this year with our own little pumpkin and took all sorts of embarassing photos of her while she snoozed away.

Oh yes, she is propped up and fast asleep

Family photos

Walker and Amy were in town visiting from San Francisco

Joey and Hilary decided to go green with their pumpkins

Belle had a great time being held and fed by all of her aunts and uncles over the weekend. Looking back none of them offered to change any of her dirty diapers though! Oh well, next time...

Belle at 4 Weeks

2011-10-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

What I see by my bed every morning

She loves bath time

And she still takes lots of precious naps

U Pick in Hood River

2011-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Scott and I made the leap this past Sunday and went on a big family outing. We loaded up the car (diaper bag, Bob stroller, Ergo, lunch, extra bags for fruit, camera, boppy, coats and anything else we thought we might need to keep Belle happy) and drove to Hood River to pick apples. We ended up at the Kiyokawa Family Orchard in the Hood River Valley and came home with bags of apples that we will be eating and dehydrating for days now. We are learning what was once an easy outing, is now going to take some more planning, time, packing and patience. I am so glad we made the leap because with each outing it can only get easier, right? Belle was great and we are now exhausted, but proud of ourselves.

Scott rocking the Ergo

Belle slept the entire time

Honey crisp apples are delicious!

How many do you want me to pick Scott? I am now on the hunt for lots of apple recipes!

Three Weeks & Date Night

2011-10-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

So I have become one of those Moms that only takes photos of her child now. As one of our friends called it, I am addicted to baby Belle TV. I can just watch her make all sorts of faces for hours these days. Here are a few to celebrate her three week birthday!

Scott surprised me on Belle's three week birthday with a date night! We were actually planning a date night before Belle's arrival, but my water broke instead and we had to cancel our reservations. My parents were able to watch Belle and we were able to have a nice meal together, eat oysters and Caesar salad and drink wine, all without one interruption! Family photo before heading out for the big event.

And finally this is how I found my two favorite people yesterday when I returned home from a quick errand.

Belle at TWO Weeks

2011-10-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

How is our sweet Belle already two weeks old? She had her second doctor's appointment yesterday to mark the occasion and she is just over her birth weight and has grown and inch and a quarter! She is still learning the difference between day and night, she eats like a champ and we love her so, so much.

Belle McRae Bulloch

2011-10-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

As many of you might have heard, our beautiful daughter arrived two weeks early and has been making our lives more meaningful with each passing day. Belle McRae Bulloch was born on September 22nd at 12:37 pm and weighed in at 7 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long. My water broke in the middle of the night on Wednesday and we checked into the hospital later that morning. After spending the night in the hospital and pushing for three hours, she finally arrived and blew all of us away with her size. (We were previously told she was about six and a half pounds.) The past twelve days have been awesome, tiring, challenging and brought Scott and I even closer than before. We are loving every moment with our little girl!

Hello beautiful!

The new Dad

She's here!

She must have enjoyed her first bath! Feet crossed in relaxation.

You can now find this family of three having lots of cuddle time together.

THANK YOU for all of the well wishes, meals, cards, gifts, texts, calls, and emails!

The Nursery

2011-09-16T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I think we are all set for Baby B's arrival. Not only am I 37 weeks today, which equals full term (yea!!!), but I am feeling physically and emotionally prepared for this new chapter we are about to embark on together. I have been asked by a few people to post photos of the nursery, so here you go. I went with a grey, white, khaki and soft pink color theme and I love it so far. I can't wait to add more treasures to the room as our daughter grows up!

Rocking bear was a gift from Scott's aunt. The chair I ordered from Goodnight Room and you can supposedly wipe anything off of it with a baby wipe and it won't stain. We shall see... My Mom found the ottoman at a yard sale for $5 and I had a slipcover made for it by the upholsters down the street from our house. The moses basket (Craigslist) and stand (Amazon) will be transferred to our bedroom when she arrives and will be stationed next to my side of the bed. The bookshelves Scott and I installed and are filling up with so many wonderful children books and some of our own from back in the day.

This toy car was my Dad's as a child and he had it restored by our neighbor in eastern Oregon for us. When I was a child it was yellow and we hauled all sorts of rocks and toys around with it. It now stores my childhood Cabbage Patch Doll and a few new friends.

The picture on the left hung in my Dad's bedroom as a child and then mine. It was cut out of a magazine by his Grandmother and I have the original letter she wrote to him when he was a baby. She always wanted a red headed child and my Dad just happened to be a red head, so she was very pleased her wish came true a generation later. The picture on the right hung in my bedroom and I just happened to come across it when going through items.

Above the changing table I have Scott's baby photo from around 7 months old and mine at about 9 months old. I look forward to comparing our daughter's features to our own as she grows up.

The crib with the bedding I so badly wanted because it has stripes (my favorite) and had small touches of petal pink. Thank you again to my friend Jenny for allowing me to use her designer discount.

The guest room potion of the room. The room is long and narrow, so we still had plenty of room for our queen size guest bed. I am sure I will spend plenty of nights in here so Scott can sleep across the hall in our own room. The quilt was made by my Aunt Wendy and the "Mr. and Mrs. Bulloch" shams were a wedding gift. Scott is still deciding if he likes them.

In Need of Recipes

2011-09-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend Scott and the Guggenheim men rose at 3am and drove to Depoe Bay on the coast for some deep sea fishing and crabbing. We now have a freezer full of rockfish, cod and crab. Does anyone out there have a favorite recipe they would like to share? We have made crab omelettes and crab cakes so far...

Baby Shower in July

2011-09-11T09:11:00.000-07:00

Back in July two of my besties, my sister and my Mom hosted a wonderful baby shower for myself and our little girl. My house was invaded with pink tulle, pink outfits, pink flowers and special friends. It was a very memorable day and I felt very blessed to have so many supportive people in our life. Thank you again to Sarah, Lisa, Hilary and my Mom was spending the time to shower myself and our baby with love.

The pink fairy my Mom made to bless everyone as they walked into the house.

There are a few of us pregnant with girls!

Mandy had Tess Chapman Wilson on August 15th, I am due on October 7th,

Gwen is due in November and Lisa is due in December! Lisa and I were just talking about how we hoped none of us liked the same name for our future daughters.

252 Days aka 36 Weeks

2011-09-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

252 days of pregnancy under my belt, fingers crossed I have about 28 more days to go

Emerson Lee Hoffbuhr

2011-08-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

We hosted our youngest house guest ever this weekend, Miss Emerson Hoffbuhr, the cutest two month old around. Scott and Cory, ran the annual Hood to Coast relay Friday and Saturday, which meant I was able to spend plenty of time with Lindsay and Emerson. She even let me snuggle up with her for a few moments here and there. I did find that my own growing baby bump made it difficult to always hold her how I wanted though. I wish I would have taken more photos, thankfully Scott captured a bunch of her funny faces during breakfast yesterday morning.

Scott finishing one of his legs of the race

Team shot at the finish line, Seaside, Oregon

Lindsey, Emerson and I

Emerson sensing her photo is being taken while napping

No more photos please

She said no more photos!

Okay, one grin

Something else worth celebrating over breakfast, Mark and Akari's engagement!

Dr. and Dr. Hoffbuhr with their adorable daughter! Thank you so much for visiting! Next time we see you we might just have a playmate for Emerson.

We love Pro Deals

2011-08-22T09:27:00.000-07:00

One of the perks of Scott's job is that he can take advantage of pro deals with other companies in the industry. This was the weekend of pro deals at our home. First pro deal purchase was a smoker! Scott's first recipe included baby back ribs with a special rub, smoked for two hours and then the last hour we applied barbecue sauce to make them nice and messy. They turned out pretty good, but we know we can do better. Second attempt at smoking was the steelhead Scott caught back in June. Scott prepared a brine that it soaked in for twenty four hours, then we air dried the pieces and smoked them for two hours. Now this was a full blown success!

The vault, all clean and shiny

This gorgeous fish now looks like...

this!

The other pro deal was our Bob Stroller! We ordered this back in May and patiently waited and waited and waited for it's arrival. Our OSU Beaver orange beauty arrived on Saturday and I practiced pushing it around the living room as soon as Scott was done putting it together! Another item to check off the list!

The Bob with me at 33 weeks!

Weekend Road Trip

2011-08-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Scott and I decided to get out of town for a night this past weekend, we drove around southwestern Washington and into eastern Oregon looking at potential fishing sites for him and just exploring new areas. Our driving ended in Dufur, Oregon, population 588, at The Historic Balch Hotel. We love finding small hotels with history and this was a perfect spot for our one night away. We enjoyed playing cribbage on their patio in the perfect weather, drove to The Dalles for dinner and went to see the movie Rise of the Apes. We need to have these dates nights before Baby Girl B. arrives! If we are within a 50 mile radius of The Deschutes River, we always make a stop for a few hours so Scott can get some fishing in. Given that we were on the river during the hottest hours of the day, he did really well. I think he is starting to get the hang of it.

Howdy

Looking down at the Klickitat River

Relaxing on the patio at the hotel

My first ever cribbage win against Scott! My second win followed shortly after...

Our quaint hotel

Yes, we walked into a farmer's field to take these shots before heading out of town.

Scott with his rainbow trout

We probably saw at least 1,000 people floating the river yesterday, the conditions were perfect for it too. If only I could have crawled down those rocks and jumped in!

31 Weeks with Mt. Hood

2011-08-08T07:48:00.000-07:00

Mt. Hood made for the perfect backdrop for our 31 week photo.

30 Weeks

2011-08-02T08:33:00.000-07:00

Scott likes to refer to me as the watermelon thief at this stage.

He's HOME

2011-08-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have not been so happy for a new month to start in I don't know how long. July was a very long month for me with Scott being gone for almost 20 days out of the month. His longest trip was to Asia (Hong Kong, Macau, Tokyo) for eleven days and the time difference can make it a challenge to feel connected. I was grinning ear to ear all weekend after he landed on Saturday and had the best two days with my husband, it also helped that we had gorgeous weather here in Portland.

Here are the highlights:

Breakfast at Bumblekiss with Scott and getting to see his photos from the trip and hearing him talk in all of the funny new accents he likes to mimic.

Our garage is now organized! Let the nesting begin.

We were able to sell quite a few items from the garage on Craigslist too, which always makes me happy.

Our yard once again looks maintained. While Scott was gone we started receiving a lot more business cards from the neighborhood landscapers in our mailbox. Apparently they noticed I had started to slack off on keeping it tidy.

Sending off our good friends Russ and Elizabeth as they move back to Washington D.C. by celebrating at The Library in The Nines hotel. By the end of the night a few of us decided to check out the rooftop bar called Departure before heading home. While waiting for the elevator to take us up I noticed that my main accessory, aka a baby bump, was very different than the other ladies accessories that were going to the bar (for example: spiked heels, major cleavage, short skirts, fake tans, etc.) As soon as the elevator doors opened, I knew we shouldn't go in. Not only was the music bumping, there was a long line and we learned it is more of a club than a bar at that time of night. I will say the highlight of waiting in line for the two minutes it took for me to tell Scott we were going home, we got to see Charles Barkley and his entourage arrive and breeze past us in line. I love celebrity sitings!

Other highlights included napping, sitting in the sun, playing cribbage and taking long walks hand in hand in the evenings.

I am looking forward to having Scott home for almost the entire month of August (only one night away this time)!

Twenty Seven and a Half Weeks

2011-07-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Let the third trimester begin!

Flashback to June

2011-07-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

A much overdue blog post and belated Happy Birthday to my brothers and sister and Happy Fathers Day to our Dads as well. We were able to spend it together minus my brother Walker and Mom, who were traveling from Bentonville, Arkansas to San Franciso, CA together.

Two thirds of the triplets

The Luu Family

The Bulloch clan

My Dad with three fourths of his children

24 week belly shot

Fly Fishing at Mecca Flats

2011-06-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we made a quick trip down to Bend on Saturday morning to celebrate our nephew's third birthday and see the family. On Sunday we stopped off at Mecca Flats for more fishing (Scott can't get enough), but this time we were also joined by some of his colleagues from Columbia. Pierre and Raph are from France and worked with Scott while we were in Geneva and are now on assignment here in Portland. They decided their new hobby is going to be fly fishing, so Scott offered to spend some time with them teaching them the basics. Fish were hooked and some were landed and some got away, but with more practice they will be pros in no time.

Fishing on the Deschutes

2011-06-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

After spending all of last Saturday painting our nursery we decided to spend all of Sunday outside fishing on the Deschutes River, one of Scott's favorite destinations in the whole wide world. On our drive over he kept saying he hoped it would be "fishy" and boy were we in luck. All of his "honey holes" paid off and he had a successful day. The look of pure happiness on his face at the end of the day was priceless!

Belly shot - 21 weeks

In the end the sun found us!

2011-05-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

The last two days of our time in Kauai were filled with some sun and we were able to have some beach time that did not include rain. Even with the liquid sunshine (which we were trying to escape here in Portland), we had an amazing time in Kauai and would recommend it to anyone in a heart beat. Three cheers to vacation time, exploring new places and being with the one you love.

The view as we walked up to the beach in front of our condo

The beach at 8:30 in the morning, yes we were one of the first ones to arrive!

A glimmer of a gorgeous sunset

Hiking & Beach Time

2011-05-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

Even with the rain we still wanted to get out and exercise a bit while in Kauai. We hiked from Shipwreck Beach along the coast line for a few hours and snuck back through the Grand Hyatt's golf course since it was empty. The next day included some beach time while the sun was out for a few hours. We were determined to get a bit of color!

We have a trend of running into massive snails on hikes! Here is a post I made about Swiss snails on steroids.

Baby B. is a ....

2011-05-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

A girl and our daughter looked perfect during the ultrasound today!

75 Degrees with a chance of rain

2011-05-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our second day in Kauai also included rain, but when it is 75 degrees out and you are in such a beautiful place, it doesn't seem as bad. We still made sure to get out and explore the island and even found a spot on a beach where we caught some sunshine before the rain made it to the west side of the island.

Making my size 7 feet fit in size 9-10 men's flippers for a little snorkeling

Let's do this!

Scott being cool in our Island Car rental, it was a bit sketchy and very cheap

Have you heard about the chickens on the island? They are everywhere and quite entertaining. They also make a punctual alarm clock.

We drove up to Waimea Canyon State Park, but the mist made it a bit difficult to see all of its glory. I think we still managed to have a good time weaving back and forth up the road and counting how many rental cars were either jeeps or convertibles.

Kauai - The Beginning

2011-05-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

As soon as we arrived at our condo we immediately went to the beach to watch the sunset, hear the waves and enjoy being on vacation.

Our first full day in Kauai was spent with our friends Adam and Sybil, who just happened to also be staying on the island for their vacation. We took advantage of our one day overlap with the guys surfing and Sybil and I catching up and trying to catch some sun rays, and then, it started to rain or make that pour.

Out there somewhere are Adam and Scott

Still smiling after the downpour

Adam and Sybil back at our condo

Wow, does our hair like humidity or what? I think we both needed to take a shower.

No meal is complete without a pineapple while in Hawaii, you can quote me on that.

19 Weeks - A Growth Spurt

2011-05-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

We are home from Kauai and feel so blessed that we were able to take a week to visit paradise together. We are already hoping to go back next year and do everything we did not get to see and enjoy. I grew quite a bit on our vacation! A few pieces of clothing that fit just a few days prior to our departure ended up being too snug for me on our trip. Here are two "belly shots" taken in Kauai. I plan to post more photos of our vacation soon.

17 Weeks = An Onion

2011-05-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

Estimated Baby Size - 5.1 inches (approximately an onion)

Estimated Baby Weight - 5.9 oz

I am blessed to be feeling great and excited to find out the sex on May 25th!

Fishing and more fishing

2011-04-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

Scott has had fishing on the brain a lot lately and here are the photos to prove it. Two weekends ago he was on the Deschutes River with friends camping and fishing (I stayed home to avoid the wind, rain and cold).

This past Saturday we enjoyed the rare sunny day here in Portland by actually driving two hours out of town to fish at Harriet Lake for the day. It was fun to get our raft out of the garage and for me to row around while Scott fished. He even let me fish a bit and was the captain of the raft. Thank goodness we went on Saturday too because Sunday brought showers and temperatures back down to the 50s. Where is spring?

Here I am carefully getting my fish out of the net, I have had a few flop over the edge on me in the past.

Ta da!

Scott's last cast before rowing back to shore at the end of the day landed him a native brown trout!

Now we are back to the work week and Scott is in Panama City, Panama for the week and I am in good ole' Portland holding down the fort. Bump pictures to come soon!

Switzerland - More than just mountains

2011-04-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have visited Switzerland or even lived there, this will make you smile.

14 Weeks and Counting...

2011-04-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

When we first learned our news, the baby was only the size of an apple seed

By week nine it was a green olive

And we got to see it for the first time and hear the healthy heart beat

And here we are at week fourteen with a little lemon. Baby B's anticipated arrival is early October!

Hello Sunshine!

2011-04-08T15:23:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the news? The sun is shining in Portland! Spring finally feels like it has sprung and it has helped me get out of the funk that has been caused by record breaking continuous days of rain and gray skies. I promise to start updating this blog more and I promise to get outside and take more photos! Cheers to a new season and to sun!

Celebrating 30

2011-03-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Last week sixty or so of our closest friends helped me surprise Scott on his 30th birthday at Spirit of 77. It warmed my heart with how many people came out to toast my husband. I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was busy chatting up a storm. I will say a highlight for me was the big reveal of Scott's fishing themed cake, I went all out and gaudy. It was perfect. THANK YOU to everyone who came out to celebrate and here's to many more birthdays!

Happy 30th Birthday Scott B.!

2011-03-17T09:55:00.000-07:00

Photo taken at the Guinness Beer factory in Dublin, Ireland

Happy 30th Birthday to my wonderful husband! I am so thankful we are back to being in the same decade. May all your wishes come true!

Getting Outside

2011-02-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

Since Scott and I both work in offices five days a week for more hours than we usually get to spend at home together, it was nice to get outside this weekend and breath some fresh air. We made a quick trip down to Sisters, OR to visit family and were lucky enough to enjoy sunshine and snow on both Saturday and Sunday. Now back to the grind of sitting in an office.

Scott and his parents during our hike around the neighborhood on Saturday

I wonder how many items of Columbia, Mountain Hardware and Sorel we are wearing between the two of us?

Sunday we put our snow shoes on and broke trail outside of Sisters

Snow!

2011-02-24T13:41:00.000-08:00

We awoke to a light blanket of snow around our home this morning, sadly it melted in a matter of hours.

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

Visiting Wes

2011-02-14T08:46:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Scott and I headed east, all the way to Baker City in fact, to visit our friends Wes, Jocelyn, Ty and the entire Price clan. Wes was injured in a plane crash back in September and has been healing and inspiring countless people every since. Scott was able to go visit Wes in Denver back in November, but this was my first time seeing his smiling face since our wedding over two years ago! The day was spent eating, being mesmerized by Ty's big blue eyes and smiling face and watching Wes move his toes and his right leg! It was a special weekend and we can't wait to see them again soon.

Scott and Ty getting acquainted

Wes showing off his new movement to Jocelyn's parents

Tom getting ready to serve prime rib for dinner. Check out that cutting board!

Jocelyn and Wes

And finally, the weekend is not complete without a bit of fishing.

Atlanta & The Wedding

2011-01-31T20:08:00.000-08:00

We are back from a wonderful weekend in Atlanta to celebrate my brother Walker and now sister in law Amy's wedding. We all enjoyed being in a new city and our rental home, Tres Belle, worked perfectly for all of us to stay together and host rehearsal dinner. Here are the highlights.

Our rental house even had a pool! It was sunny and in the 70s most of the weekend, but still not warm enough to take a dip.

Couple shot before the rehearsal dinner

Breakfast on Saturday at the funky R. Thomas

Walker, his family and his groomsmen

Fast forward a few hours and they are now Mr. and Mrs. Walker Thompson at the gorgeous Peachtree Christian Church on Peachtree Street

My parents won the dance off for the couple married the longest ~ 41 years

I finally got to meet Miss Gabrielle! She is a delightful and sweet girl. It was also special to have an east coast wedding so I could see my cousin Jessica and Jeffrey.

Oh yes, the car was decorated, cans and all

Atlanta from the 28th floor Peachtree Club deck, the after party location (this was also on Peachtree Street)

The happy couple again

News flash: They call that bump over there a mountain!

It was a memorable weekend with our family and we are so happy for the newlyweds. Now Scott is in Geneva, Switzerland for work for the week and I am home getting back into the groove. I will say I now really, really want to visit more of Georgia, especially Savannah.

Scott the Arborist

2011-01-31T19:27:00.000-08:00

Over MLK weekend Scott decided to attempt to give me a heart attack by climbing up the tree and onto our garage to do some tree trimming in the backyard. Thankfully he did not fall out and he did a pretty good job. We still have a pile of branches in our back yard, but he found a special use for them a few weekends ago when we had a little visitor.

Scott standing on top of our garage

Just the beginning of the pile of branches

I wonder how many bags of yard debri it will take to get rid of this pile?

Uncle Scott made Logan a fort during his visit, perfect use of those branches.

Hood to Coast - The Movie

2011-01-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of the 197 mile relay from Mt. Hood to the Oregon coast? If you live in Oregon and are a runner, most likely you have participated since it began 30 years ago. Scott has ran it four times and I walked the Portland to Coast relay once and I imagine we will be involved in the races again in the future. Last night we attended the opening night of the Hood to Coast documentary with some friends and a full theater of Hood to Coast runners. The movie follows four separate teams through their journey of preparing for the race to the finish line in Seaside. Each team has a different reason for being in the race and of course there are some tear jerking moments (or at least for me there were). Scott and I give this documentary two thumbs up! Even if you are not a runner (like me) or have not participated in the race, go out and support this film made in Oregon, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Kalama Steelie

2011-01-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

Big news at the Bulloch household this weekend, Scott caught a steelhead on the Kalama River! I have a feeling our summer project will be prepping our garage to fit a new drift boat.

Virtual Baby Shower

2011-01-08T14:58:00.000-08:00

Last night a group of friends gathered to have a virtual baby shower for our friend Jesse via skype. We were so twenty-first century and it was super cool. We ate, we drank, we played games, we opened her gifts and showed them to her and most importantly, we got to see her baby bump. Baby Foss anticipated arrival date is February 10th and we are looking forward to future skype dates to meet him or her! Hugs and kisses to you Jesse from Oregon to Tokyo!

Sarah showing Jesse our table. We ate bento in honor of Jesse being in Japan.

We wrote messages on diapers to send to Jesse for when the little one arrives.

Lots of laughs were shared and it was almost like we were all in the same room.

Laurelhurst Market

2011-01-04T13:07:00.000-08:00

Mouth watering brisket, house made mozzarella, steak and greens, fingerling potatoes and house made chocolate sorbet all made it our best anniversary meal yet! Totally worth the hype.

Happy New Year

2011-01-03T09:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! We spent the holiday weekend in Manzanita, OR with friends at a beach house and enjoyed watching football, eating, watching the kiddos, eating, playing board games, eating and very short walk on the beach followed by more eating. Needless to say we plan to start getting our bootys in shape in 2011. (Isn't that how we always start the new year?)

Our board games for the weekend. I learned I am very literal when playing Apples to Apples and the Deckers are very heated when playing Cranium!

It did not rain once while we were on the coast, but it was very chilly!

Rosie loves her sticks during walks on the beach. No, we didn't get a dog, we just borrowed her for a walk.

Tia, Lily and Andrew Over, dear friends of ours

We enjoyed dinner in Cannon Beach one night. Oyster shooters and fish and chips were the favorites.

As we left the coast, we just had to pick up some crab to bring home with us. Scott's absolute favorite dish is crab.

We will you all joy and happiness in 2011!

Happy Anniversary

2011-01-03T08:58:00.000-08:00

To my Love, who makes every day more special, Happy Anniversary.

Moon & Sixpence British Pub

2010-12-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Scott and I strolled down to Moon & Sixpence, a British Pub in our neighborhood, for some beer and a few games of darts. They have a vast beer selection, seventeen on tap yesterday, and the menu is traditional British pub food. We plan to go back to try the food out soon. Maybe if we have a snow day this week?

Scott's winning bulls eye

Hey, three on the dart board and not on the wall!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-27T19:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve photo op

My parents and Zezo

Our stockings hung by the fire

Pre-Christmas Day run to the mailbox and back (some of you know how far this is)

Post Christmas Day run

Just call me the Dog Whisperer - Seriously where one goes the other follows

The Newlyweds

The goof offs!

Tis the Season to Volunteer

2010-12-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I joined some of my coworkers to volunteer at Medical Teams International in Tigard, Oregon. This was my second time volunteering at their site and each visit has been very meaningful and rewarding to me. We were fulfilling Santa wish lists for children from various non-profit organizations. Of course I loved going through the lists for all ages of girls and picking out Barbies and all of their accessories to put in their stockings. All of the toys were donated! I am proud to say I completed my 16 hours of volunteering that is suggested by my company for 2010!

Peacock Lane, Colgate & Tasty n Sons

2010-12-20T20:41:00.000-08:00

Another week has gone by and once again I didn't make a blog post. Here is a recap of our week!

Date night for the week was trying a new Hawaiian food restaurant in Portland called Ate-Oh-Ate and a tour of Peacock Lane. I finally found a Portland attraction that Scott had never attended! The people that live on this street are so generous in decorating their homes, paying outrageous power bills and letting hundreds of people walk up and down it every single night.

I think this guy means to be at a rave instead of a Christmas attraction.

Guys night out on Saturday included Cory, Scott, Mark, Josh and Mark P. Don't they look thrilled to have me taking their photo? I won't go into the details of where their night took them.

Christmas came early with Mark P. staying with us! He works for Colgate traveling the world auditing the company and always brings his "goody" suitcase full of products. THANK YOU Mark for giving us enough toothpaste and tooth brushes to last us a year.

Before sending Mark P. and Cory off on Sunday morning, we went to breakfast at the new hot spot in Portland, Tasty n Sons. We arrived twenty minutes early and we only had 20 or so people in front of us.

The rest of the day we hiked the Wildwood trail in Forest Park, grocery shopped at a favorite local spot for fresh pasta and started our 2011 goals list. More on that later.

Out with the Old and In with the "New"

2010-12-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a big day for me. I finally found a hutch that I liked and was in my price range. My go to website for furniture is the ever so popular Portland Craigslist. If my memory serves me right, it is the second most used Craigslist website after San Francisco and I love selling and buying off of it.

When we purchased our home it came partially furnished and some pieces are wonderful and fit my taste and some not so much. Case in point the buffet in the photo below. Thankfully due to my bargain pricing, I sold it a few hours after posting it on Craigslist to a couple driving through Portland from Boise.

Now after renting a Uhaul cargo van, driving down to Sherwood in the pouring rain, having two wonderful friends help me unload it (thank you again Adam and Sybil), I can now store all of our dishes in the kitchen!

The buffet that was left by the previous owners

My "new" hutch

Our kitchen (the island on wheels, bar stools and rug also came with the house)

The eat in area

Where was Scott during all of this? Golfing at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, it is his annual guys weekend and it appears there was a touch of wind yesterday.

The Balloon

2010-12-08T19:37:00.001-08:00

Who knew a balloon could provide hours of entertainment with Uncle Scott? I love Logan's giggles and shrieks of laughter.

Christmas Cactus Right on Time

2010-12-08T18:07:00.000-08:00

Thank you again to Cory and Lindsay for our Christmas cactus! It looks like it is going to be in full bloom right on schedule.

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T18:42:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, Scott and I drove to Sisters, OR for Thanksgiving with the Bulloch family. Our drive was quite slow going over Santiam Pass and very white. Scott can't remember the last time there was this much snow on the ground in Sisters for Thanksgiving. I was very thankful for our new all terrain tires during the drive and our safe arrival to see family.

Brad had a roaring fire going all weekend to keep the house nice and cozy. My very first visit to their home years ago involved me being freezing cold one night in their house and ever since then, he makes sure the heat is at an "acceptable Heather temperature." I was very thankful that we had a warm home to be at with loved ones.

Brad and Linda cooked a perfect Turkey. I was very thankful that we were able to feast together this year during the holiday, my first with this inlaws.

The head of the table was occupied by our nephew Logan, the coolest two year old we know. I was very thankful to spend time with this special dude who brings us more smiles and laughs each time we see him.

The day ended with watching football and some wrestling. I was very thankful to be with my husband who continues to amaze me and I love a little more with each passing day.

Our Home

2010-11-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have been asking for photos of our home. There are still plenty of things I would like to change out or acquire, but it is starting to feel more like us with each passing day.

Our living room. Unfortunately the fireplace is currently not in a working state, but we hope to install a gas fireplace next fall.

The TV room

Entry way

Our dining room

Cape Sebastian Trail

2010-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

We ventured out for a scenic hike this past Saturday along the Cape Sebastian Trail. It is known for excellent whale watching. Thankfully the weather cooperated with us and it didn't rain the entire time we were on the trail.

Camera's Timer

2010-11-09T19:51:00.000-08:00

I thought this string of photos was pretty funny. It usually takes us at least four times to get a photo right using our tripod and timer. Either the camera slips, the timer goes off early or too fast or we simply look awful. We finally got it right on the last one.

First attempt, he almost knocked me off that log, hence the expression on my face.

No clue what happened here.

Once again, totally tackled by Scott.

This one works!

Tu Tu Tun Lodge

2010-11-09T19:39:00.000-08:00

This past Friday we left Portland early to drive down to Gold Beach, OR, also known as where the Rogue meets the Pacific, to have a weekend get away at the Tu Tu Tun Lodge. It has been our tradition to celebrate birthdays with trips and even though we can't escape to Barcelona or Rome like we have in the past, Gold Beach was a wonderful choice made by Scott. Neither of us have spent much time on the southern coast of Oregon and we left wanting to come back to see more.

Back to the lodge. It was beyond perfect. Scott might say the only flaw was not having a TV in our room to watch College Game Day and some football, but I would say that made it even more perfect. As soon as we arrived on Friday we started a fire in our room, drank a glass of Pinot and sat in the gigantic California king bed. The staff was so friendly and welcoming and the food, oh the food. The chef makes everything from scratch and even has his own herb and vegetable garden on the grounds. I just can't say enough good things about our time there, it was just what we needed.

Scott looking out onto the Rogue River from the lodge. I know he is thinking, "to fish or not to fish?"

I loved the chairs on the lawn. If it wasn't sprinkling rain, I would have enjoyed reading my book in one and of course curled up with a blanket.

Bring on the Street Sweeper!

2010-11-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons we loved our new home was the tree lined streets of the neighborhood. Now we are experiencing the work that these trees cause. Today is one of two days the City of Portland will be sweeping/vacuuming up the leaves this season and we have to pay $30 as a resident, so of course we are going to take advantage of this service. Last night we raked and raked and raked some more and made nice neat piles of leaves down our street. Nevermind the fact that Mother Nature brought some wind last night and even more leaves fell. We are excited to see the street all clean when we get home from work tonight!

Linfield vs. Menlo

2010-10-31T10:39:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we packed up the car with all of the necessary tailgating items (canopy tent, crock pot full of meatballs, blankets) and met friends in McMinnville to watch our alma mater the Linfield Wildcats play Menlo. I am proud to say that Linfield won 38 to 0. Thank you to all of our friends and their little ones for coming out in the rain to watch some football and toast my birthday.

Scott tailgating with George

Dave and Ben

Ellie, Ryan and Gwen

The Ladies

Last year we were here enjoying the fall colors and this year we are very happy to be back in Oregon doing the same thing.

Spirit of '77

2010-10-31T09:51:00.000-07:00

We are back from taking a blogging break while we worked on getting settled in our new home. I still would not say we are "settled," but the place is starting to look better and soon enough we will have pictures on the wall and be more organized.

Now, to this past Friday night. Scott organized a birthday celebration for his colleague, Sean, at a new sports bar called Spirit of '77 here in Portland. A fellow Linfield alum and friend of mine, Fritz, happens to be part of the group that owns the bar. We enjoyed tasting their happy hour food and drinking their $1 can beers and shooting some hoops. The night ended with a late night dinner at Montage, the best spicy mac in town. Happy Birthday Sean and congrats to Fritz on his new venture!

This time it's Official!

2010-10-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Today we closed on our first home together! (Previous home posted did not work out.) Let the moving begin! We have belongings spread out all over the state of Oregon, and we look forward to unpacking and reconnecting with our precious items. Give us a call to stop by this weekend!

Congratulations Hilary & Joey

2010-10-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my beautiful sister Hilary and her new husband Joey and their marriage. The wedding weekend was very special and I am so happy for you both. Hopefully we will have more pictures to share soon!

Norwester

2010-09-27T15:39:00.001-07:00

Our fishing group from Saturday

Rockaway Beach

2010-09-26T15:25:00.000-07:00

Friday evening we headed to Rockaway Beach, OR for a weekend of deep sea fishing and catching up with friends. Upon arrival we enjoyed a walk along the beach, our first since moving back to Oregon. The lighting was so beautiful for pictures.

The beach has miles of drift wood

And seawood for Scott to whip around

A lot of plaid going on with my outfit

Trying to catch a frisbee

I love sunsets on the beach

Prost!

2010-09-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

Feel the need to celebrate Oktoberfest in Portland? We found the perfect spot, Prost! on the corner of N. Mississippi Ave. and N. Skidmore. We enjoyed German bier, brats and sauerkraut, rye bread and pretzels. The occasion for this night out was to see our friend Mark Pauley who is in town for the weekend. Mark travels the world (literally) for his job and it is always special to see him, even if it is once a year. Last year we saw him in July in Geneva, here is where you can see some photos from a hike we took together. Until next time our dear friend!

Sunset Boulevard

2010-09-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Last night was date night with the Deckers to see Sunset Boulevard at the Gerding Theatre in Portland. A perk of being in Portland again is being able to support the arts and see a play that takes you back in time. We definitely plan to see more performances this season. Right now The Santaland Diaries are at the top of my list, but next time we plan to do rush line to save our pennies.

Sunday

2010-09-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

A few shots from our Sunday.

While waiting for the new tires to be installed on the Pathfinder (finally got Scott to replace them), I shopped for some new fishing gear. This Barbie fishing net would have been perfect for me back in the day when I loved all things Barbie.

We biked Marine Drive pathway from the I-205 bridge down past Salty's and back. It was the perfect afternoon for a bike ride and gorgeous view of Mt. Hood.

The weekend ended with dinner at 50 Plates with Tia and Andrew. I recommend trying the Tuna Poke.

The rest of the weekend

2010-09-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Was spent reading by the pool, listening to the DJ and looking out at downtown Dallas

Eating pizza with paper thin crust at Eno's Pizza in the Bishop's Art District

Taking advantage of the warm evening and walking back to our hotel after dinner. The Belmont was really fun and the staff were friendly and helpful.

Having one last breakfast at Smoke

Touring The Sixth Floor Museum and learning about the events leading up to JFK's assassination

Good bye Texas, thank you for your hospitality!

The Game

2010-09-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

When we first walked into the stadium we just stood on the balcony and let it all soak in. Even the smaller side screens are big! The open air feel was refreshing after being outside in the sun and the energy of the fans was contagious. I haven't seen Scott this excited or nervous for a game ever.

It appears that every seat in the house has an excellent view of a screen and the field.

James after his first touchdown

Quite a few people in orange on our side of the stadium!

Scott and Walker watching a replay

Even though we did not win, we had a great time watching the season opener and might need to make this a tradition! GO BEAVERS!

Tailgating in 120 Degrees

2010-09-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

It was hot tailgating! Maybe not 120 degrees hot, but man oh man all of that pavement had been cooking all day in the sun. Still, we had the best time cruising around the parking lot talking to TCU fans and Beaver fans. The TCU fans have to be some of the nicest fans in the country. The Beaver fans were drawn to any shade they could find around the stadium, us included. Everyone was just so giddy that college football season was starting.

Just your average $1 billion stadium

Beer pong to pass the time

Here we go!

Fort Worth

2010-09-08T19:37:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning in Dallas we enjoyed breakfast at Smoke Restaurant, which has the same owners as our hotel. As usual, I had to order the local eggs benedict, their version has pulled pork, and Scott enjoyed the broiled raw sugar grapefruit and with grits.

Scott's breakfast

Then it was off to the Fort Worth Stock Yards. I had no idea what to expect, but it turns out it is just a tourist site with shops, restaurants, bars and the occasional longhorn steer you can pay to sit on and take a photo.

Five dollars to sit on this hunk of beef

The perfect shade of orange and only $695!

After visiting the Stockyards, we drove to Texas Christian University to see their campus. To put it simply, it is gorgeous. We got out to snap a few photos in from on the stadium.

Amy and Walker

Next stop, Cowboy Stadium!

Dallas - Night One

2010-09-07T21:24:00.000-07:00

Scott enjoys taking mass transit in all of the cities we visit. After landing at DFW at 4:20pm on Friday we took a shuttle from the airport terminal to a parking lot to catch another shuttle to the Trinity rail stop to catch a train to downtown Dallas to then take a bus to our hotel. We arrived at our hotel at 6:20pm, safe and sound. Another successful public transportation adventure!

Thankfully, my brother Walker and Amy were patiently waiting for us and we headed out for dinner on McKinney Avenue.

We enjoyed Mexican food at Chuys. The salsa was very good!

And look who else joined us!

Myself, Sarah, Tyler, Walter, Stephanie, KP, Dana and Scott

Dallas, TX

2010-09-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we fly to Dallas, Texas and on Saturday we will be here to cheer on the Oregon State Beavers versus TCU. Get ready for a lot of pictures full of orange next week. Any recommendations on what to see in Dallas? We have found quite a few steakhouses to visit so far.

Say Cheese

2010-08-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

The whole Bulloch clan gathered Friday night to celebrate Sam and Meghan getting hitched. Our nephew Logan provided us with some priceless entertainment. He has recently discovered girls and developed quite a crush on a pretty lady at the reception.

Notice they are both wearing gingham?

I wonder if she will let me sit right next to her...

Oh yea, she did!

This is the precious face he makes for me when he knows a photo is being taken.

And here is my crush, looking quite dapper!

Smores

2010-08-28T11:47:00.000-07:00

The perfect way to end our visit with Cory and Lindsay last weekend was making smores! Oh my goodness, I forgot just how good they taste. Roasting that marshmallow to perfections takes practice.

Kayaking

2010-08-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have a new love, kayaking. Before this weekend, I had only been once before with Scott on Suttle Lake in Central Oregon and now I would absolutely love to do it daily. Cory and Lindsay let us take their two kayaks out on the water behind their home this past Saturday afternoon. At first I was nervous I would be unstable and tip over, but once I got moving my confidence grew. Everyone had a chance to go out and even the dogs went along for a ride!

Bremerton

2010-08-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we enjoyed being able to hop in the car and drive with friends to see more friends! A perk of being back in the Pacific Northwest for sure. Mark, Akari, Scott and I visited Cory and Lindsay in Bremerton, WA for some rest and relaxation and major catch up time (it had been over a year and a half since we saw them). Thank you again for being wonderful hosts and putting together such a fun weekend. Here are some photos from our Saturday morning hike, more to come soon.

You can just make out Seattle's downtown in the background (left side of the photo)

Volunteering

2010-08-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

Can I just say I do enjoy volunteering? Part of my year end review at Waggener will include completion of 16 hours of community service during my work hours. I find it so refreshing that a company promotes that their employees get out there and give their time to various community organizations. Yesterday I completed my first three hours of volunteering at Schoolhouse Supplies in northeast Portland. Our task was to sort and inventory donations made to the organization and it just happened to be on the morning of a heat wave. It felt good to accomplish sorting three pallets of donations and helping them prepare for the school year shopping that begins next week. I look forward to completing my remaining thirteen hours very soon.

Our New Home

2010-08-18T17:05:00.000-07:00

It is looking like this is going to be our home by the middle of September!

The inspection went well today, as expected there are a few items we would like fixed prior to taking ownership, but overall it is in pretty good shape. I spent a lot of time calling contractors today to start getting quotes on everything and I am learning a lot about roofs and electrical work! The owner is taking all of the appliances with them, which means Scott and I get to go appliance shopping in the coming weeks! We are both very excited and look forward to making this house our home.

Bike Ride & Water Jets

2010-08-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

Did you get outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather this weekend? Today we spent a wonderful day together, finally we had a Sunday together again. We biked part of the Springwater Corridor and took the Willamette Jet Boat tour, yes we were tourists for the afternoon. If you have out of town guests and the weather is sunny and hot, then send them on down to the river to take this tour! We sat in the front row and were completely drenched within the first five minutes. To see the city of Portland from the river was a new perspective for me and I enjoyed all of the fun facts were learned along the way. Oh yes, and we might just have a new home in our future, it sounds like our offer was accepted!

Logan

2010-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Due to the lack of exciting things to really share in my life, I thought I would take this moment to share a funny photo of our nephew Logan. Love you little dude.

Blueberries

2010-08-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

Blueberries anyone? Scott and I picked a lot of blueberries this past Sunday. My colleagues enjoyed them all morning. What a yummy antioxidant!