my bucket list

So, recently Ryan and I watched "The Bucket List" and its made me think lately about things I'd want to do in this life. More so, its made me wonder how I can make it all happen. The mission in Africa, backpacking in Central America, New York City and the US Open, Wimbeldon, Europe, the Mediterranean, all seems so far out of reach. Don't get me wrong I'm still counting on Ryan to make millions so we can do it all when we're 60, but what about now? (FYI, in case you missed it, the last sentance was somewhat humorous--I don't expect Ryan to make millions, I'm excepting billions). So I've been devising my bucket list on paper and here it goes (these aren't in any particular order, yet):

1. Live in Portland Oregon
2. Soak up the history and beauty of the east coast--in person.
3. Party it up in New York City.
4. Grand Slam--French Open, Austrailian Open, US Open, and Wimbeldon (this ones for Ryan)
5. Serve mission in Africa (not sure which part yet)
6. Donate money to have a city tennis court facility built and promote children learning/playing tennis.
7. Figi
8. To bear and raise our own children
9. Own a Volvo SUV
10. Live debt free (including our home)
11. Let go of my past--completely
12. Love God more than myself
13. Love myself
14. Adopt a child
15. skydive
16. hang glide
17. Live on a yacht in the caribbean sea
18. raise a fun, beautiful, and talented family
19. become an experienced and good chef
20. learn to sew and create my own line of fashions, home accessories, and textiles (fabrics)
21. Get my masters, and then PHD (wanted it in political theory, but not sure now)
22. Increase my vocabulary
23. Master spanish and learn Italian
24. Become concert pianist
25. Own a Steinway Grand Piano
26. Pursue Journalism and publish a book
27. food critic, experience all the finest restaurants
28. experience fulfillment in my own life instead of envying (or looking for it in) others creativity, beauty, fun, passion, excitement, etc.
29. get all my closets/house orgainzed (this one I can actually achieve, maintaining it another quest).
30. Live in Mexico
31. Be an intellectual guru
32. become a good photographer
33. live close to the beach (warm, sandy beach)
34. Live in San Francisco
35. compose beautiful music with my husband
36. temple worker
37. Be naturally optimistic and love life in the moment regardless of the circumstances.

#1 is definitely raising a fun, beautiful and talented family!

i hate fire!

So forget exciting stories about the first things your cute kiddies say, my favorite is Ryan's new one..."I hate fire". Yep, its official! He's even writing a song on his guitar about it. Fire is definitely not the nor cal's friend this year, nor the b.e.c.k.'s. As many of you know, we had our very own HOT seat a couple weeks ago! Fire broke out in the creek way away from our house. The grassy field we once coveted (who wants neighbors on all sides of them) became our enemy as the fire scorched across the field. Ok, enough of the dramatized storytelling...well, needless to say we came really close to losing our home, I guess it could have been closer, but it was CLOSE ENOUGH (oh about 30 feet close). Thank goodness for firefighters. Thanks to the fire though, we have 1. food storage 2. first aid kit 3. an ugly view from our back yard and 4. the best memories of ryan carrying to glass pitchers of water to me at the fence to put out the fire with if it came to close (what? I actually threw them on the ground--not much two pichters and a garden hose can do). oh and the best memory of all...I was losing it and found ryan praying in the backyard and all that came out of my mouth was, "What are you doing? Do just sit there and pray, you have to do something. DO SOMETHING!" Riiiiiiiiight. So I guess that will show you the measure of my faith! FYI, before we left the house from being evacuated I suggested we offer a prayer on our home. I'm not that bad! P.S. I'll keep you updated on the "I Hate Fire" song. Watch for it on You Tube!

speaking of packages...

just wanted to say quickly again, how amazing ryan is! i forgot to mention that when i arrived home from utah (at 1:ooam) ryan had left me the most amazing surprise. you may have to close your eyes to imagine the amazingness, sorry no pictures. well, walking in from the garage i notices a poster on the door. it welcomed me home and said that he had left me a little scavenger hunt throughout the house. how fun! first there were cinnamon rolls in the fridge for breakfast to eat while i watched the episode of grey's anatomy that i missed while in utah, then the newest issue of my favorite decorating magazine waiting on the couch, flowers and potting soil outside to enjoy my current hobby of gardening, my fav salad from trader joes in the fridge for lunch, and a new addition to my wardrobe ("because the brown section was looking a littl grim"). how awesome! i couldn't believe it! then the best of all, he was asleep in bed waiting for me! what a stud!

may 2008

I can't believe its already been a month since I posted last. Life is so busy and I know we don't even have kids yet. Well, regardless of that fact...ITS BUSY!!!! In may I traveled solo to Utah to visit my sisters and the kiddies. It was sooooooooo tiring! I never believed the saying about a stay-at-home mom's job being busier than a full-time career. Well, ladies I'M A BELIEVER!!! The gals at the office were concerned I'd come home from the time with the kids and be pregnant or ready to make it happen, but as I predicted it worked more in the favor of birth control. It only took a day or so before the exhaustion subsided and I was ready again for a family! Too bad I can't control that all on my own...
Utah was great! It snowed, poured rain, and shined. Too bad all I brought were flip flops. I was able to attend an endowment session at the SLC temple (my first time there) with my sister Julie. It was beautiful and really made me think! We took a trip to the Hoogle Zoo too! I was also able to see one of my best friends, Emily and her new baby Brennan! How fun! I was however, VERY EXCITED to return home after being gone 8 days. I don't know if I can be gone that long again from Ryan. I guess maybe with time, we're still newlyweds I guess. It will be 2 years this fall and 4 years since we began dating and we are really enjoying our relationship. I think we're growing more and more closer and more comfortable with each other. We have definitely moved beyond the adjustment period---THANK GOODNESS!! We're just both excited about the next chapter(s) of our lives.

After a week of recooperating, we headed off to Santa Cruz for a weekend trip with Ryan's parents. Can I just say that I have the MOST AWESOME IN-LAWS! I wouldn't even classify then as in-laws. They are family to me!!! They invited us to Santa Cruz with them and gave us the most relaxing weekend ever and we really needed it! Work has been stressful for the both of us and it was a needed getaway! Thanks Craig and Janice! You're lifesavers! We ate amazing food, tons of our favorite cookies from Pacific Cookie Co., surfed, laid on the beach, went to the movies, shopped, ate more great food, and just enjoyed Santa Cruz--the crazy place it is.

Life doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon...In to June--camping with my family, more con ed courses for ryan in portland, he's got an old friend coming to intern with him at the pt clinic and living with us half the week, and more stress at work for shizzle! It too will pass...it better darn it! Then in July--more con ed (just a weekend course in Sac this time), I fly to Seattle for old roomie/friends wedding and reunite after years of separation, Ryan's sister visits and hopefully they move back from florida, and hopefully we get a short vaca in before the summer is over...oh ya and all those crazy church responsbilities we have lately. Gotta love 'em!

Love Comes in all Different Packages

Its unbelievable how many different ways love comes packaged. I can't fathom how much Ryan loves me and all the different ways he either chooses to express it or is forced to because he married me and feels sorry for me. Anyway, I thought I'd share about a moment recently that really struck me...

So, I could tell Ryan really loved me a few weeks ago when he came home telling me he had bought me a book! How thoughtful! That was something I normally did for him. Well, he handed me the book and the title read, "How to be Totally Miserable". WOW honey gee thanks! As if I didn't already have that one down, and that is the exact reason he bought me the book. As you most know John Bytheway is very humorous in his talks and writings and this book was by him. Well, it gave tons of ways to make yourself miserable. Unfortunately, it left me feeling confused because I laughed when I knew I was being stupid for doing the things it said you were suppoed to do to be miserable, but then I also felt sorry for myself because I did them. Needless to say, I did a quick read through the book, it got lost in the seat crack of my car and I'm more miserable than ever. It worked right? Ha, well, I'm not really miserable but its funny how often I catch myself falling into that trap. Sometimes I just am not willing to get myself out of it or stop from falling. I'm still a working on that one. Thanks honey for watching out for me though! I know he has a good heart! Oh, and since I've mastered the book, its on sale on ebay (figured I'd infect the world with misery while I'm at it!). Gotta love sarcasm!

Thank goodness to a loving and committed husband that keeps me out of the depths of self-pity (most of the time) and helps me keep my chin up and my tummy sucked in. This may have been the most stupid or confusing post, but unfortunately I'm posting it anyway.

C-Sections and Ice Cream Babies

Life is flying by and I feel as if I'm just trying to keep up! Its really great though! Well, March started with a weekend getaway to nearby Sacramento. It was great! We stayed downtown within walking distance of our favorite restaurant-- PF Chang's and I had one my most favorite meals ever-- Lemongrass Prawns on a bed of lemon-infused noodles. Oh YUM!!! We also had breakfast at one of our favorite places, Mimi's, where I gained oh about 1 Million pounds that weekend! YIKES! March ended with our trip to Portland Oregon. Thank goodness there weren't any death scares this time. We traveled safe! We had a beautiful drive and made it in less than 8 hours. I spent way too much money shopping and we again, ate way too much food! Let's just say in the past month I did everything I could to defeat my weight loss goals. After only a few days back from Portland I was off to Sin City for a CE class for my job. I learned a lot, but again, ate way too much good food! I've now convinced myself if it wasn't for my genes, I'd be a big fat budha! I've gained some of the weight I lost in Jan/Feb back and now I'm trying to kill off the "eat until I need a c-section for my ice cream baby" phase. If its not ice cream its pizza, french fries, the corn dog and lemon ice I was just craving two weeks ago. Geez Louise! You'd think I'm pregnant, and I'm not despite being nausous and throwing up one morning. I think it was caused by the millions of calories I've consumed in the past month. Note to self-- discontinue eating binge and start starving. Ok, maybe just eating healthy!

Febril

Febrero y Abril = Febril...and thank goodness for that! I have been so grateful for the rain (well the torental downpour), but move on out brother! We had one storm that got disconnected from the jet stream and just sat over our house for almost 48 hours straight. It was wet! Well thank goodness it now feels like april! What a saving grace! I was getting that sunshine depreviation my life sucks disease! It has been sunny almost a week and I wore shorts saturday and it was GRRRRRRRRRRRRRReat! We head to Portland for class 3 of 4 for Ryan's McKenzie Therapy specialty and I'm excited to greet Spring in Oregon! I'm very excited! With plenty of snow in las mountains hopefully we'll have an extended snowboarding season! This will probably be our last summer footloose and fancy-free so I'm planning on taking advantage! Surfing, mountain biking, camping, and some traveling. Very excited for 2008!!!