Phill and Jess

Emery's Blessing

2012-01-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

We finally got a few of Emery's photos back, so I wanted to share. We love them!

Our little double-chinned eskimo :)

We also blessed Emery today. Making the day even more wonderful was the fact that so much family was able to come and join us!

The McCains.

The Stevens.

Christmas Fun!

2012-01-12T10:08:00.001-08:00

My family came into town to celebrate the Christmas season with us. It was an absolute joy having them here and I can't wait for them to return!

Let the present opening begin!

Even Emery got in on the action.

My brothers had to leave for Washington, but my parents were able to stay with us for several more days. They had never seen Temple Square with Christmas lights, so we decided to head downtown! It was a chilly 25 degrees, so we bundled Emery up in about six layers.

It was such a wonderful night! The snow was falling ever so lightly and this made for some beautiful photos.

We had so much fun introducing Emery to my family!

My family had to leave town just before Christmas day, so we celebrated Christmas morning just the three of us.

"What?"

Then it was off to Logan to see Phill's family. Emery loves her sweet cousins!

We had an amazing Christmas this year and were so glad that Emery made it just in time to celebrate it with us! This is just such a happy time in our lives!

Our Emery

2011-12-11T20:12:00.001-08:00

Our little Emery Kate arrived this past Wednesday on December 7th. We are so in love with her and feel blessed to have her safely here.

Hospital visitors.

Emery and Addy, friends for life.

It was so good to see you LeAnn! Thanks again for dinner!

Finally on her way home.

Love our Mamaroo already!

Family visitors.

We are so grateful to have this new little angel in our lives and we simply could not be any happier.

Almost There...

2011-11-19T15:03:00.000-08:00

Oh baby!

Just two more weeks to go over here in Riverton, Utah. We got into our new home just in the nick of time. Can't wait to meet our beautiful baby girl!

30 Weeks!

2011-09-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well, 30 weeks down and 10 to go! But where, oh where am I supposed to "nest" without a house?! Hopefully we can be moving into one soon!

A Baby AND a Move?! We Must Be Crazy!

2011-07-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

Today was the day the verdict came in, and.................

It's a girl!

Phill and I are happy to announce that we will be expecting a baby girl in early December! We couldn't be more excited.

We are also excited to be moving to Salt Lake City in the next couple of weeks. Phill was offered a promotion there, so we'll be headed out August 5th. The University of Minnesota will still let me complete my Nurse Practitioner program, it will just involve a few flights out to the Twin Cities. So we are all set to begin our move and are excited to be back with family out west!

Washington D.C. and New York

2011-07-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

Well, our visit to Washington D.C. and New York was last March, but better late than never!

Our first day in D.C. we tried to see as many of the sights as we could!

Next presidential candidate?

The setup for this picture took us like ten minutes and twenty tries. We finally got it!

This was actually a boat where you took your purchased seafood for cooking. So much fun!

Yankee game!

Next up...Statue of Liberty!

It was fairly rainy and windy that day if you couldn't tell...

Then off to Mary Poppins on Broadway!

And finally, a trip to Times Square.

It was a wonderful trip! Can't wait for the next one!

Jazz vs. T-Wolves

2010-12-27T09:21:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday, December 22nd, Phill and I went to a Timberwolves game at Target Arena downtown. Needless to say, we were not there for the T-Wolves...

Millsap!

D-Will!

Security was pretty lax, so we went right down by the court.

That's Butler's Gordon Hayward, newcomer to the Jazz, behind Phill. I looooove him! And so does my mom...

Kirilenko getting in a good stretch before game time.

We had so much fun! Of course, it was extra great since the Jazz made a last second comeback to win 112 to 107 when they had been trailing the entire game, and were down by 15 late in the third. We just pick good games to attend!

Christmas Picture

2010-12-21T22:05:00.001-08:00

Nothing says Christmas like a snow village-y Christmas portrait! Happy Holidays all!

Snowed In...Literally

2010-12-12T13:28:00.000-08:00

Well, the Minnesota Viking's Metrodome just couldn't take any more this morning. It completely caved in under the weight of 20" new snow in just 24 hours.

We've been to a few games in there, but apparently won't be back for a while. There is a game against the New York Giants that was scheduled for today, was moved to tomorrow night due to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport closure, and now has been moved to Detroit due to...hmmm...shall we say an arena closure?

Meanwhile, Phill and I stayed warm and cozy inside.

As night approached, we decided to venture outside to survey the snow damage. The drifts were out of control!

Haha! This one made me laugh.

Each garage on our street was completely blocked by 4' snow drifts. This snow storm was the fifth worst in Minnesota history. They hadn't closed the airport since 1991. Good time to be here...

Actually, it turned out to be kind of fun. We didn't have to be anywhere, so we just stayed cuddled up inside watching football (what else?). Bring it on Minnesota!

December Update

2010-12-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

Oh wow! School starts and everything else goes on hold. Well, my first semester is coming to a close, just a few finals left! One semester down, seven to go!

Before school and work took over our lives, we had the pleasure of a visit from Phill's family. This was waaaay back in Sepember, but we had some real fun and I just had to share!

We explored the historic downtown St. Paul and found a few Peanuts characters just hanging out.

We also visited the St. Paul Cathedral.

We spent an entire day at the Minnesota State Fair, which is the largest fair in the nation in terms of attendance per day. It's a big deal over here, so we had to check it out. 200,000 people a day can't be wrong!

Are you kidding me?!

We had heard of several famous fair foods, so we concluded that to be good temporary Minnesotan citizens, we should try them all...

We were all absolutely sick by the end of the day, but it was well worth it!

We loved our visit from Phill's family! We get lonely out here. If you're ever in Minneapolis, don't hesitate to drop on by!

McCain Family Vacation!!

2010-08-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Back in July, we went to the Oregon coast for a McCain family vacation! Of course, when we returned to the Twin Cities, it was right back to work, moving, shopping, buying, selling, blah, blah, blah. So it is only now, with a few days off work that I get to post these pictures...finally! Yay!

First day there, straight to the beach!

The McCain family, together again, anwwww.

This was just outside of the beach house where we stayed. It was just beautiful!

The view from our house.

Kitchen cooperation for dinner prep.

Evan must be having an extra good time.

Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, Oregon.

The rocks there made for some amazing pictures.

Michael...up close and personal.

Fun with Dad...

Back at our beach at sunset.

Ready for some kite flying? Mom passed. She was almost blown over just holding a kite as it was readied for lift-off! Mom, you're a small lady :)

Our beach was famous for its wind levels. There were kite flyers and wind surfers everywhere!

Michael doin' some kite flyin'.

I tried...

...and promptly gave up.

It was so windy that we had to find a big ole dune to camp behind for our beach time.

Evan shielding himself from Phill's kite attacks.

Oh baby...

The hazards of skim boarding...

Jessica's down - that makes 1.

Evan's out - that makes 2.

And Phill's officially done - that makes 3! Plus, now a trip to the hospital for a possibly broken foot. Stupid skim board. Worst 15 bucks we ever spent!

Don't be fooled...he's fine. Just passing the time while Phill registered for x-rays.

We waited...and waited. X-rays came back with just a sprain. Phew!

Last day.

Our house was right down there along the curve of the beach.

Wonderful family fun! Can't wait until next year!

He's BAAAaaacck!

2010-07-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

Evan gets back tomorrow and I get to see him this Friday! I just can't wait. He may be my little brother, but he is one of my very, very best friends.

He has been in South Korea for the past two years and has loved every minute!

What a stud missionary!

Gotta love this guy. Can't wait to see you Evie!!!! Love you!

4th of July Weekend Awesomeness

2010-07-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the holiday weekend Phill and I relaxed at St. Paul's Taste of Minnesota festival. It included fun, food and music!

We saw Gin Blossoms, Augustana and the Counting Crows!

He was awesome!

Great weekend!

First Day Flowers

2010-06-22T21:48:00.001-07:00

Today was my first day at my new nursing job! I will be working in pediatric home care and dealing mainly with little kids who have trachs, are on ventilators, have feeding tubes or all three! I'm so excited!

And after a long day of orientation, it was wonderful to come home to flowers and a card congratulating me on my first day!

That Phill, what a dude!

Twins vs. Yanks

2010-05-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Last night we made it to our first Twins game. It was the last game of a three game series with the New York Yankees.

Loaded nachos...yum.

We had a Twins fan rooting for Joe Mauer...

And one Yankee fan rooting for A-Rod.

The Yankee fan went home bummed thanks in part to this guy, Jason Kubel, who had two home runs on the night, leading the Twins to an 8-2 win.

We sat right behind him out in left field.

Good day!

Minnesota

2010-05-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

We moved! So it's been a little crazy the past few months. Phill got a promotion located in Minneapolis, Minnesota so we packed our bags and headed off to the "Land of 10,000 Lakes!" Oh, and by the way, they have little ponds here everywhere you look, which I'm pretty sure they are counting towards their total tally of these so-called "lakes," so this 10,000 mark could be an exaggeration. They should call it the "Land of 9,998 Ponds you can Walk Across in Fly-Fishing Waders...plus 2 Real Lakes." I'll send this suggestion on to the state board, see what they think. But we really do love it here! It is beautiful now that spring has sprung and all the flowers are in full bloom.

We left Washington at the beginning of April. We had help moving out, which was wonderful! Thanks to all who helped!

We weren't so terribly sad to be leaving our small apartment in an area of Spokane that was becoming more and more "ghetto" each day. But we were sad to be leaving our family and friends!

The Powell Family - we will miss you!

We said our last goodbyes and headed out. Phill drove the moving truck, which towed our second car and my dad and I switched off driving our other car behind Phill.

This was my view for a thousand miles...awesome.

Not much change in scenery as one drives across eastern Montana and North Dakota...pretty, eh?

Phill - a true trucker.

Finally to our apartment!

We unloaded the truck and then went to explore the city - or cities in this case, the Twin Cities!

St. Paul.

So glad my dad was there to help us get moved in!

Time to unpack, uggghh.

And the finished product!

The Mall of America is literally 5 minutes from our apartment. It was meant to be...

This is INSIDE the mall. This mall is a kid's paradise!

So, we are all settled in now. We plan on being here at least 3 years. Phill is loving his new job and enjoys working in downtown St.Paul.

Phill's Comcast building in St.Paul.

As soon as I found out we'd be moving to the Minneapolis area, I applied to the University of Minnesota's School of Nursing. They have a Doctorate Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program that begins in the fall and I just recently found out that I was accepted! So, I'm not quite done with school yet, but I'm getting there! Speaking of nursing, I am also now a Registered Nurse in the state of Minnesota and am looking for a new job in the pediatric field.

So although we will always be Utah State fans...

...and Washington State fans...

...who's to say we can't add one more??

Go golden gophers! That's right, I said GOLDEN GOPHERS! Fierce!

Avatar is the Coolest

2010-01-22T20:28:00.000-08:00

Avatar was the best movie I've seen in a while! Not only was it the first of its kind in visual effects, but the story was pretty excellent as well.

The 3-D imaging was just great! Like nothing I'd ever seen!

Aaron and Amber joined in on the fun!

Phill's older brother, Nick, worked on some of the 3-D effects for Avatar and it was the first time we got to see his name officially in the credits! I actually got it on video! He's listed under "Additional Visual Effects." Congratulations Nick!

Graduation at Last!!

2009-12-15T20:35:00.000-08:00

We're finally done! Phill finished with his Executive MBA and I received my Bachelor's of Science in Nursing! We were lucky to be able to graduate at the same time and in the same ceremony. Feels good to be free!

Amy, Lindsey, Angela and Becca. Candice below - all wonderful girls in my graduating class.

Prashant flew up every other weekend from San Diego to attend classes along with Phill. Those guys worked hard!

GO COUGS!!

Calling All McCains!

2009-11-13T13:09:00.000-08:00

And Hendricksons too!

Does anyone have Grandma McCain's recipe for that dark, honey mustard that she used to serve with ham all the time? I actually think it might have been Della's recipe. If anyone has it or knows a good one just like it, please share! I want to make it in time for the holidays! Thanks!

Californ I. A.

2009-11-12T13:35:00.001-08:00

Phill's parents planned a trip to California back at the end of October to visit Phill's brother Nick and his wife Stacy, who live in the Hollywood area, and we were lucky enough to go join in on the fun! We got to go to Universal, Sea World, Disneyland, California Adventure and even the San Diego Zoo! I'd never been to any! Can you believe it?! I'm so glad we had the chance to go. We had so much fun!

This is my niece, Elizabeth.

Oh, and her lashes go on for days...

That's her older sister, Brooke, posing as Forest.

Mel and the kids, Will, Elizabeth, Brooke and Jackson.

Ahhhh, love at first sight...

with a giant sponge.

Ahhh, love at first sight...

with a man-eating shark.

Kevin tried to cop a feel several times during this photo op.

Always breakin' rules, that one.

This was the Waterworld show at Universal. It was pretty amazing!

All the parks were decked out for the approaching holiday.

Phill's so happy here cuz Minnie just planted a big one on 'im. I wanted to rip off her bow.

We went to Disneyland Halloween night and got to get all dressed up! We had a couple of 50's ladies with us as well as a few Jack Sparrows.

Oh, and one cat.

They made the late night fireworks show at Disney all scary for Halloween. It was awesome!

Phill was everybody's surfing coach. And that's a white shirt he's wearing...

Will was rippin' it up.

As was Jackson.

Nick and Will were having a good ole time.

That's a leopard right behind us. It's kind of hard to tell, but it was RIGHT there! Yikes!

We had so much fun! Family vacations are the best and we're already looking forward to the next one!

You Tube Sensation!

2009-09-26T23:09:00.001-07:00

Seriously, can't get enough of these guys! I used to watch Star Search back in the day just to see the kid acts. A friend showed me a video of them singing the National Anthem and I couldn't help but look them up on You Tube that evening. I found a whole load of videos! They are called the Cactus Cuties. They're from Lubbock, Texas and they are amazing! Give them a listen!

Here's the first video I saw a few days ago that floored me.

Here they are with Reba.

And here's a solo performance by Madeline Powell, one of the girls in the group.

Left to right: Baylee Barrett, Andi Kitten, Madeline Powell and Blaire Elbert.

Just stinkin' love 'em! Tell me what you think!

Lyndee's Big Day!

2009-09-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

My bestest friends are gettin' married off faster than I can post about them! In the month of August it was Lyndee's turn and her wedding was absolutely beautiful, but we'd expect no less of Ms. Lyndee Star Giese's wedding, now would we?!

Amanda has the blue eyes I want, but will never have...

Lauren, a newlywed herself, was one of Lyndee's bridesmaides.

Sarah and Adam came too! I hadn't seen Adam in like 5 years! It was a mini reunion, which is seriously the biggest reason I LOVE weddings - you get to see everyone from high school!

Lyndee looked gorgeous as always.

Gotta have sassy shoes.

So much fun! Love you Dee! Best wishes!

We Love The Office!

2009-09-20T12:37:00.001-07:00

With its new season underway, we couldn't be happier!

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Trip to Seattle Part 1: First Day on the Coast

2009-07-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we took a TON of pictures on this trip, so I thought I'd at least divide them into sections. Phill's family came up from Utah, and we thought we'd have the most fun over in Seattle...not Spokane.

We started out on our first day there (after a traveling day) by taking them up to Larrabee State Park to see the tidepools.

Some tiny purple starfish are on that rock.

Kurt's taking the pictures. He was our trip photographer.

That's Kurt up there. Made for a pretty cool picture.

In the evening, we made it back down to Seattle to visit the Chittenden locks.

Seattle Trip Part 2: A Day Downtown

2009-07-31T12:20:00.000-07:00

Our first full day in Seattle started out with a trip to Pike Place Market. Where else would you start?!

Before I knew Phill really well, I thought that he and Kurt looked like twins.

This is either anise or fennel (both look similar and taste the same) that Gary bought at the market. He knew that I hate black licorice and tried to get me to take a bite since it looks just like celery. Tricky, tricky man!

This is Sylvester, one of two mummies at Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on Pier 54. They are two of the best-preserved mummies known.

And here's Sylvia.

The Seattle Aquarium was our next stop, afterwhich we went on a cruise of the harbor. Above, you can just see Phill through the hole in the rock.

Seattle Trip Part 3: Mariner Game

2009-07-31T11:56:00.001-07:00

We all went to the Mariner-BlueJay game on Monday evening, which started out as a close game, but ended in an 11-4 blowout. But Ichiro did have an awesome night with three hits, which bumped his average up from .358 to .363 and let him take over the AL batting lead. Gotta look for the silver lining.

Griffey's back in Seattle!!

Griffey's up to bat.

Seattle Trip Part 4: Space Needle & Science Center

2009-07-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

I was born and raised in Washington and somehow I never managed to make it to the top of the Space Needle! Well, not anymore!

A Stevens family pic!

Elliot Bay out towards the West.

I stuck the camera straight out and took a picture looking down. Makes me a little queasy just lookin' at it.

Lake Union looking East.

Phill was having a little too much fun with the mirrors at the Pacific Science Center. Don't ask...

Just one of many beautiful butterflies fluttering around the Tropical Butterfly House.

Under the glass was a honey bee hive. Junior Birdman investigates.

Seattle Trip Part 5: Museum of Flight

2009-07-31T11:19:00.000-07:00

Jan's admiring the size of these things!

This is an actual lunar buggy.

A space station wing.

A Baby and a Beautiful Bride

2009-07-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends was married this last weekend down in our hometown of Pullman. Her fiance, (now husband!), Kyle, grew up out on a country road not far from my childhood house and they decided to have the wedding out there in the beautiful countryside. It was a perfect day weatherwise and there was even a slight breeze. It was like we'd all jumped into a Julia Roberts movie - except no runaway bride. She stayed put.

Here's a sneak peak of Lauren before the wedding. I snuck in and once I spotted her, I couldn't be stopped.

The ceremony was a few miles away from their house, so the guests met at Kyle's parents and were then bussed out to the wedding location. I hadn't seen Amanda since LeAnn's wedding, so it was like a reunion! I love weddings because you get to see everyone! It's so much fun!

The perfect setting.

And Mo was there too! I think the last we saw each other was high school. And of course we spent many afternoons together at Stefany Larsen's house back in our middle school days carrying out official Spirit Club business. That's right--we even had matching shirts.

We all LOOOOOVED Lauren's hair! Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?!

The whole gang!

This is LeAnn's brand new baby boy, Kent. Melanie, the mother-of-the-bride, was getting her kisses in before passing Kent on to all who wanted a turn holding him. He's so tiny!

From Melanie to Amanda...

From Amanda to Lyndee...

Then from Lyndee to Phill...and this was only his first round.

We were workin' 'sassy' to the camera.

First dance together as husband and wife. ...and they lived happily ever after...

Trip to the Coast

2009-07-08T21:05:00.000-07:00

Over the 4th of July weekend, Phill, my mom and I all went over to the Washington coast. We spent some time near Seattle, and then went up to Bellingham and Vancouver, B.C. before returning home.

First stop on the coast was Larrabee State Park.

The tide was out, so we were able to work our way down the rocks to explore the tide pools.

The weather was wonderful and we didn't have any rain! The Seattle area is experiencing a dry spell as of late.

Second stop - Vancouver, B.C.

That's Lions Gate Bridge in the background, which crosses the Burrad Inlet and connects the city of Vancouver to the north shore.

Although we may have left the country for the 4th of July (we felt a little guilty), we had to return for the evening's fireworks display in Bellingham, WA.

The fireworks were set off over Bellingham Bay.

There's my grandpa! He's a stud.

And finally, on our return trip to Spokane, we took the North Cascades Highway, which winds its way through the mountain pass.

I just had to take a picture of this dog! Her face was completely white and I thought she was just adorable. Her name was Zoe and she was 11 years old. That's 77 in dog years!...i think.

Just bathing...

Our last stop was Grand Coulee Dam, which is about an hour and a half northwest of Spokane.

Here's Phill on the coast playing in the tide pools. We all had a great time together!

Phill's in China

2009-07-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well, not anymore, but he was June 6th through the 16th. He went as part of his International Business class, so he had classes just about every day, but also had the chance to do some fun tourist-like things while he was there.

Just read this out loud. Makes no sense whatsoever.

This is one of the lions that guards the Forbidden City.

The king's throne.

Phill looooved the Great Wall. It was the highlight of his trip. Screw learning...

This is the small class that went.

The Olympic Water Cube.

And the Bird's Nest!

This is an actual office building.

This is a student from one of the international classes they met with in China. He was 28, owned his own business, which he'd started from a one-million dollar grant from the government. Not a loan...a grant. Watch out folks, we may be moving!

A Good Day

2009-05-10T16:04:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was just one of those days where nothing could go wrong. Phill and I drove down to Pullman to meet up with my parents before driving over together to Lewiston, Idaho for a family friend's mission farewell barbeque. My mom and dad's substitute children (while one's away at college and one's away on a mission), Robin and Jared, decided to come along for the ride -- they also knew the soon-to-be missionary whose house we were visiting. But before going to the barbeque, my parents wanted to pick out some irises from a nearby iris farm to take home and plant by a new little well house that my dad built for my mom for Mother's Day!

Surprise, surpirse! While at the iris farm, Evan called Robin to test his calling card. We weren't expecting to get his phone call until later that evening, so it was a wonderful surprise! And, of course, it made sweet Robin cry!

This was a HUUUUUUGE English Mastiff that the farm owners had rescued. His name was Big Lou.

Jared found a new best friend.

Here's Mom with her two daughters (close enough, Robin!) on Mother's Day weekend!

One, happy family!

Look at my hubby! What a hottie!

Robin and Maja are the two sisters I never had! Add Mel and now I have three! Lucky meee!

It really was just a wonderful day. We all got to talk with Evan, who called around 10:00 pm our time, which meant it was somewhere around 2:00 pm his time...I think. The perfect end to a perfect day!

Baby Mania

2009-04-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

Today was a popular day for baby showers! I had one shower in Spokane at 11:30, and had to leave early to make it to LeAnn's shower down in Pullman, which started at 3! Crazy, crazy, but I made it on time. But all this baby business got me thinking...no, no, not about actually having one (easy Nanners...and Michael), but about this video I've seen on youtube! I've shown it to several friends and gotten such great laughs that I finally promised I'd post it. It's pretty funny. It reminds me of smells I face working in the hospital. Sometimes ya just gotta take a deep breath (before entering the odor-packed area), hold it, and dive right into the good stuff.

New Bikes!

2009-04-24T23:04:00.000-07:00

Yay! Today we finally went to pick up our new road bikes and I'm so excited! I grew up in the country, with nothing but gravel for miles, but that didn't stop me! Did it LeAnn?! The two of us plowed through that gravel like pro's. So I'd say I'm more than ready for an easygoing road bike baby! I'm sure it's harder than it looks. Actually getting up on that high seat is tough enough...it's awful pointy...I'm feelin' sorry for Phill.

Habitat for Humanity

2009-04-13T23:23:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I got the chance to help out with Habitat for Humanity here in Spokane and it was so much fun! We did it as a group of nursing students and not one of us had any real building skills, but they put us to work nonetheless. We painted, shoveled, wheel-barrowed, picked up sticks (that's right), and were even allowed to handle staple guns - darn straight! It was a pretty awesome day.

The guy in the middle was whose house we were building. He pays for the materials, but all of the labor is voluntary.

An annonymous electrician...

An annonymous builder...

All the nursing girls at work!

Robin is a very happy painter.

Nicole got really good at posing for wheel barrow pics.

Kristin and Ciara loved every minute!

UNC All the Way??

2009-03-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

We're getting MAD up in here! March MAD, that is. Phill and I have carried on our tradition of filling out official brackets (so you can't scratch out and update your picks with acutal wins and losses) that you fill out online at cbssports.com. Phill's got a whole group of high school friends + wives that join in on the fun. And the women are kickin' bootaaayy! Who'da thought?! I've got UNC going all the way, while Phill has Louisville...nuff said. And the thing is, I really don't like UNC. I think Hanbrough looks like a baby deer mixed with a squirrel and he's such a whiner!

But everyone said they'd win, so I had to go with it. I, unlike others who will remain nameless, don't watch Sportscenter every, single night of my life, so when you're filling out a bracket, ya gotta go with the experts - and the pretty colored uniforms - that's just what ya do. So, good for NC? I guess! And wish Phill luck with Louisville...hah-ha! (can you hear Nelson from Simpsons?).

Stay Classy San Diego

2009-03-16T12:42:00.001-07:00

San Diego was wonderful! We already want to go back.

This was the view from our room. We stayed on Harbor Island and were right on the bay. It was gorgeous!

Wednesday night we went up to Old Town San Diego for dinner. It was some of the best Mexican food I've ever had. Course, the cooks were probably Mexican...

On Thursday, we made the two hour drive up to Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Never seen a Rolls Royce until that very day. It went by too quick to snap a picture though.

And of course, no trip to Hollywood would be complete without taking a stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

I'm a Harry Potter nerd!

This is my favorite picture from the entire trip!

After getting our fill of Hollywood fame, we hiked our way up to see the "official" Hollywood sign. I was in flip-flops.

On our way home we stopped in Anaheim to eat at the ESPN Zone on Disneyland Drive. Can you imagine? Phill wanting to eat in a restaurant with 40 TV's all playing ESPN channels?? I know, I'm sure it was absolute torture for him.

Mr. Vader here is made completely of legos, and not the big kind, the small, itty-bitty legos!

Friday we went out to Coronado Island in the morning. I want to live there in my next, millionaire life.

After Coronado, we went down to Chula Vista to play a round of golf. The course was beautiful and I couldn't get Phill to leave until the sun had set and we were the last ones out there. We made it back to the clubhouse like 2 minutes before closing. I think Phill'd have slept there if they'd let him.

No comments on the form please. I have been forced to learn to golf and can easily report that it is the hardest sport I have ever attempted! I can hit a volleyball, shoot a basketball and throw a softball without much effort, but to hit that tiny little golf ball takes extreme concentration! I am learning slowly, but surely. More slowly.

Saturday morning was our last full day in San Diego and we went with some friends to see San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park out near Escondido.

This little guy was only one day old! He was born Friday morning and we saw him Saturday. He didn't even have a name yet!

We really had such a great time. There was just so much to do! In fact, we didn't really get to do all that we wanted, so a return trip is most definitely a possibility.

I Want a Puppy!

2009-03-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

It comes in waves. At times, I'd just love to have a sweet little furball, but then I start really thinking about it and remember all the poop I'd have to pick up and the dream starts to waver. Phill says that it would be a huge pain to be in an apartment and have a puppy, especially with us being on the top floor of three. But the way I see it, wouldn't it be best to potty-train a puppy on an apartment carpet?! If we buy a new house, would we want to smell up the carpet with a new puppy?! I'm tellin' ya, I might NEVER get a puppy! But I'll keep workin' it and I'm confident I'll wear Phill down eventually. I keep showing him pictures from online and I can feel his front starting to break down. I'll get there. Wish me luck.

Which would you choose? I just looooooove bulldogs, but Mom has made it all too clear that they die early...just great. So I've moved onto the idea of either a Yorkie, a Pomeranian, or (today's new pick) a Shar-pei! So many wrinkles! I could play with those for days! Ya know how there's that skin at a cat's shoulder more towards the under belly? If the cat is nice, you can rub it together and it is sooooooo fun to play with! Well, a Shar-pei is nothing BUT those wrinkles, so I'm pretty sure I would have myself a good time. Tell me what you think! And don't tell me you wouldn't be tempted to rub some of those wrinkles together between your fingers!

Sweet Elder McCain

2009-02-16T22:06:00.000-08:00

So I know that I am a crazy blogger lately, but that seems to just be how I do things in life. I have runs and remissions. Go-go-go, then get lazy for a while, then repeat. Anyways, I just had to share this poem that Evan wrote to Robin (his one and only) for Valentine's Day. When I heard it I thought it should be published! It is amazingly clever and sounds like it could have taken days to write, but knowing Evan it probably took somewhere around an hour. He's just too smart!

(His smart, all-knowing look)

He is all about the drama, that guy! Ok, so you gotta know that the poem he sent Robin contained a hilarious drawn picture of Mista' Elder McCain guarding a large heart (complete with veins and arteries) against a line of eager looking girls - some short, some tall, some large and some small (that's right, I can rhyme too!). It was a great visual for the following poem, in which the heart has made the rules and Evan is simply the heart's guard following through with his orders. Here it is:

Deep down in the chest, surrounded by ribs, and all types of tissue and vein,
There's a man who stands in guard of the heart, waiting to vouch safe its claim
Its owner, he's told, is quite far away, a few thousand miles as it were
His orders are strict, not a tid, not a tad goes to any but uniquely her
Many will come from both here and from there, stating that they are the one
But say as they may, the rules stand the same, as sure as the moon and the sun.
Not a tid, not a tad, not a pound or an ounce, nor a newton (for the well-learned sir)
Goes to any at all no matter the case, unless they're that genuine her
The first one to come was a well mannered girl, with golden hair flowing in locks
Who affirmed it was she that owned the said heart, and requested it put in a box
The guard firmly stood, put his hand in the air, and shook it to make himself clear
And then calmly said, "Good girl, 'tis not yours, so find your way out through the rear."
Disappointed and sad, the girl walked away, 'til the heart was no more than a blur
It's no fault of the guard's, He was keeping the rules, the girl was just simply not her
The second in line was a hefty ol' gal, with a belly the size of a bear
This one said it was she who deserved the big heart, and demanded it right then and there
The guard once again held his hand in the air and asked that she please move along
But the gal didn't budge, instead furrowed her brow to insist that he must have been wrong
"How dare you?!" She roared, "You insensitive pig! How quickly you reject my chance!"
"It's because of my fat, my appearance, no doubt that you've not even taken a glance!"
Coolly he said, "Miss, you've had your fair turn, and as for me I like the plump..."
"But the chooser you see is not me but is He, so sorry, please exit stage rump."
The third to show up came from Scotland, way North, and was truly a bonny young lass.
But she, just the same, as the others before, was told kindly to leave, out the...bum
"Oh please man, have pity," she sighed in despair, "I really have come oh so far..."
"Surely I've earned it, much more than the rest, just how high is this heart's bar?"
"My dear can't you see?" asked the guard in concern, "I'll speak slowly and try not to slur,"
"The standard is this: Not a tid, not a tad goes to any but uniquely her."
Then many more came to argue a deal, in hopes of achieving the heart
But all were fast shooed and sent down the tube, for none of them yet filled the part
And so it continues to this very day the guard stays alert and on duty
'til the owner returns with the title so mentioned, to gladly lay hold of her booty
When she does he'll sing praises and usher her in, respectfully holding the door
For she is the one the heart belongs to, the one so referred to in lore
She'll ask lovingly and soft, "Can I have that there heart? I held it once so long ago..."
"I've been gone for a while, but I'd like it right back. Oh please? I do love it so..."
The guard will then smile, tip his hat with a bow, his words will so warmly assure
"Oh ma'am, yes of course, this heart is all yours, you see miss because, you are Her."

I mean, how cute is that?! I cried when Robin read it to me. What a sweetheart! Miss you Evie Wevie!

Be My Valentine

2009-02-14T23:58:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day! I just love Valentine's and have ever since I was little! It gives me an excuse to be extra gushy to everyone and tell them how much I love them all in one day! Remember Valentine's Day in elementary school? Why, I can see myself now sitting at my 5th grade desk tediously cutting out tiny little pink and white hearts to paste all over my shoebox mailbox. Best day ever! Then everyone would bring a box of Wal-Mart purchased Valentines to school - some with Barbie, others with Spiderman - and slip them through the shoebox slots. I even used to sneak candy into the "special" ones - pretty much LeAnn's and Jay's. This was even against the rules, so LeAnn, you best appreciate the risk I was taking!

Phill got me gorgeous flowers, along with chocolates and a sweet, sweet card. I returned the favor with a card, some chocolates and some jeans...that's right, jeans. He was in dire need of a new pair. All in all, it was a very Valentine-y day.

Happy Anniversary

2009-02-13T15:49:00.001-08:00

Tuesday was our 2-year anniversary and we celebrated it at The Melting Pot! It was such good food and the whole evening was truly an experience. Happy Anniversary Philly!

The pictures are a bit blurry because we were trying to take them without the flash on. It was a dark restaurant and we didn't want to keep flashing away. Nobody likes that couple!

Christmas at Mom and Dad's

2009-02-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

We decided to drive down to Pullman on Christmas Day. The drive was beautiful as it had just snowed once again that Christmas Eve.

Molly desperately wanted in on the action.

Thanks for the scarf Evie! I love it!

Bon Appetit!

2009-02-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

Jan gave us a great cookbook for Christmas and we have already used it plenty! It has many short, simple recipes and every one we have tried thus far have been very, very good! So I thought I'd share one of our favorites -- fruit pizza! It is great and very easy to make. It is simply a sugar cookie crust with an orange, cream cheese frosting and assorted fruits as the toppings.

Sugar Cookie Recipe:
1 1/4 c. butter 2 Tbsp. milk
1 1/2 c. sugar 2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder 4 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs

Beat butter. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour. Divide dough in 2 and roll out each half over a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 8oz. package cream cheese
3 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate
3 c. powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add orange juice and beat in powedered sugar.

Fruit Toppings:
Sliced strawberries, kiwi, peaches, mandarin oranges, etc.

It was sooo good, and pretty too!

Christmas in February!

2009-02-10T23:25:00.001-08:00

Finally got around to putting up some Christmas photos! Yay!

I like looking at these pictures again (now that it's February)! It makes me happy all over again!

My First Gingerbread House Worth Not Eating!

2008-12-21T21:36:00.001-08:00

Ok, so I know that I am not the most creative girl out there. I would rather read a book than sew a quilt and I might enjoy a good basketball game more than scrapbooking hour on PBS, but I have officially made a gingerbread house that I don't want to throw away! This is good news folks! I am making progress in my home-making ways! Now, for all of those gingerbread house veterans out there, please don't laugh. I am quite proud of my first gingerbread house - complete with frosted trees and a gumdrop cobblestone walk.

Phill wanted to eat his competition.
Check out his work of art below!

The final product - complete with powdered sugar snow. I had so much fun and will try to make this a new Christmas tradition!

Buried Alive!!

2008-12-21T21:09:00.000-08:00

I just don't get it. I spent three solid years down in Utah and only after coming back to Washington do I see a record-setting snowfall! We got 25" in a mere 24 hours this last Wednesday and Thursday and apparently it's not over yet!

To try and stay ahead of these storms, our apartment complex decided to clear the lot and told us that if our cars were not moved by morning they would be plowed in. So that meant a fun-filled evening spent shoveling out our little Hyundai, which was barely visible under the two feet of snow.

Halfway there!

It's a car! Congratulations Phill!

Mahalo Hawaii!

2008-11-16T19:11:00.001-08:00

Last month we were lucky enough to have the chance to visit Hawaii! It was the first time to Hawaii for both of us and we had a wonderful time! We stayed in Honolulu on the island of Oahu and went around for the first couple of days doing all of the "touristy" things. We spent some time at Waikiki Beach, visited the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor and shopped (window, that is) at the Ala Moana shopping center - one of the priciest shopping areas in the United States (the stores were unbelievable).

However, after just a few days in Honolulu, we were ready to get away to see what the North Shore area had to offer. We made the drive up there, initially, to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, which both of us absolutely loved!! After we had seen the North side of Oahu we didn't want to go back. North Shore was amazing! It was full of pineapple fields and small towns full of locals. I just loved the easygoing lifestyle of the North side of the island far more than the bustling craziness of Honolulu and the rest of the South shore.

But it was great to see the island of Oahu in its entirety and we are already making plans for our next trip down there now that we know more about Hawaii, its culture and the better places to stay.

Pearl Harbor

2008-11-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

Polynesian Cultural Center

2008-11-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

Polynesian Cultural Center

2008-11-16T18:43:00.001-08:00

North Shore

2008-11-16T18:25:00.000-08:00

Ty's Wedding

2008-09-24T23:48:00.001-07:00

Ty's Wedding

2008-09-24T23:45:00.001-07:00

My First Blog!

2008-09-24T23:06:00.001-07:00

Finally! I think Blogspot was made for computer-savy geniuses! But after several rounds of trial and error (along with a few tantrums), I have conquered the demon that is Blogspot.com! Now, I'm not quite sure how this first blog will turn out because I'm not positive on exactly how to post pictures along with text or if I need to post each pic individually, so I will learn as I go.

Phill and I were able to escape from Spokane for a bit back in July to attend Tyler Johnson's wedding down in beautiful Park City, Utah. It was wonderful to get away for a long weekend even though it was about a 10-hour drive to get down there. I love Utah even though I can't claim it as my home state and everytime I return after I've been away for a long time, it seems just even more gorgeous! Park City, especially! Congrats to Ty and Carly - the ceremony was beatuiful, along with the setting and fun-loving atmosphere.