Ski Day #2

It has become our own tradition to go skiing on Christmas Eve and this year did not disappoint. Not only did we not have to wait in a single lift line, we were treated to about a foot of fresh powder. I got in some deep stuff and face-planted a few times, B wiped out and had to dig his ski out, and it snowed ALL DAY. It was epic. Yeah, that's right. Epic.

O Christmas Tree!

Since I have moved to Oregon, I have had this want, no, need to cut my own tree down at Christmastime. When I was younger, we just went to the local tree lot, which was probably the hardware store or the grocery store, and picked out a pre-cut one. Then we got an artificial tree and I never really thought about it much after that.

Well. Oregon changed all that. I'm pretty much obsessed now. Last year? Last year, I made Bryan drive for what seemed like ever, past tree farm after tree farm until we got to the one I had seen a cute sign for. Just for the record, B has the patience of a saint. Anyway, we ended up picking out one that had already been cut so my plan was foiled.

This year? This year, B and I found a small tree farm about three or four miles away from our apartment (we live really close to the countryside, pretty much over the hill from the countryside) and the tree farmer man said, "Any tree you want. 30 bucks." Let me tell you what a great deal that is. A freshly cut noble fir for 30 big ones? Folks, it just doesn't get any better. So, I proceeded to cut down this year's tree. Next year? Next year, I want to kick it up a notch and ski into the woods with a sled, a thermos of hot cocoa and an axe.

Holiday Photo Booth

Ski bunnies

So we went skiing yesterday. FINALLY! For a girl raised in the flat lands of Nebraska, who first learned how to snowboard when she was 20, you wouldn't think that I'd be absolutely nuts about skiing. But I love it. There is something about being out in the cold, brisk air, hurtling yourself down a mountain that just gets addictive after awhile.

Yesterday was a great day. If you ever want to experience having entire ski runs to yourself, or being able to ski right up to the chair, no lift line, just come visit B and me and we'll take you skiing on a Wednesday. It's delightful.

Sure, it got really cold once the sun went behind the clouds, there were rocks and trees still sticking up that normally aren't there, and you really had to pull yourself up to the lifts instead of just glide in, but it was Day One of what hopes to be a great season.

Itsy, bitsy Etsy.

Through all of my blogging travels, I've discovered a little place called Etsy. I'm sure many of you are familiar with it, but it is an online marketplace for buying and selling "all things handmade." It has an excellent, very unique, art section so I made the suggestion to B this week that he should try and sell some of his prints in an Etsy online store.

So, ta-da!

I present to you: www.bryanhoybook.etsy.com.

He has put some of his photos from his "viewfinder" series up for sale. Much more to come. So, tell your family, tell your friends! I think the one thing on everyone's Christmas list this year, is a Bryan Hoybook original.

Merry shopping!

P.S. Etsy is neither itsy, nor bitsy. I just liked how it rhymed.

Goodwill Superstore. How I love thee.

So, we did it again. Found more furniture at our friendly, neighborhood Goodwill Superstore. We seem to stop by there so much that B and I now have a system. We go in, cruise the book section together and then we usually split up. He checks the cameras, I look at the fabric and purses and then we both, independently, check out the furniture.

It's funny. We'll both look at the same grouping of furniture and see something with different potential. On this most recent trip, B saw a table. A really great, solid oak dining table. I saw these chairs.Probably only because the chairs were $12 and the table was almost $100, we decided on the chairs. B cleaned them up and we're now on the hunt for new fabric for the seats. They are perfect for our apartment because we only had two chairs at our dining room table. Now, we can actually invite another couple over for dinner and not have to use every chair in the house.

Anyway, here's your before photo. I bet you can't wait for the "after."

Hello, you can turn the rain off now.

It has been raining since Friday night. Non. Stop. The Oregon coast has been experiencing hurricane force sustained winds, over 100 mph in some places. All of the roads west from Portland to the coast are closed, blocked by landslides and trees. It's a mess. Apparently, we are getting the tail end of two Pacific Ocean typhoons-- a "Pineapple Express."

I'm majorly bummed about this on two levels. First, all that snow I've been wanting? Well, it snowed A LOT last week, about 14 inches or so. But, since the temperature at Timberline Lodge was a balmy 37 degrees today and the freezing level was 8,000 feet, all of that snow is being melted by the buckets of rain.

And second, the Sitka Spruce fell. You know those cheesy tourist attractions that pop up along the interstate? The biggest porch swing in Kansas somewhere, that weird tree that grows out of a rock in Wyoming. Anyway, this tree was the largest Sitka Spruce (by mass, I think) and was along the main highway to the coast near Seaside. It was over 700 years old and the storm snapped it in two. That tree was older than this country. Guess I'll just have to drive my kids to see Wall Drug instead.

My roommate is back!

That's right. Jen came to visit. My very first Portland-made friend. We met at REI about 4 years ago when we were both hired as "seasonal employees" for the holidays. We had about 2 minutes of training and then were scooted out to the sales floor to provide North Face Denali jackets to the teenage masses of Lake Oswego. Next thing we knew, we were roommates and Jen was tap-dancing in the hallway of our duplex.

You know how people always say, "Oh, when you meet that one person, you will just know." The people are usually talking about couples, soulmates. I think it works the same way with friends. Something between Jen and I just clicked. It worked. Did you know that Jen once called in sick to two of her jobs so she could go to the beach with me for my birthday? Well, she did and that's how I knew. Knew we'd be soulmates. J-pup was in town for the weekend and we got to spend a lot of time together-- mostly eating and drinking time-- but lots of time. And nothing has changed. Maybe distance does make the friendship grow fonder.Jen, I already miss you! Move back!