The last couple of weeks...

It's been kinda busy around here! Brad got a new job (yay!) so he's been super busy with that. I have been having some friend get togethers over in Seattle in the evenings, been doing lots of planning for my Dad's 60th Birthday party in Walla Walla this weekend and have been patiently (well, impatiently perhaps) awaiting the arrival of little (practically) niece, Baby J. Who by the way, sure seems to be taking her sweet time getting here! I was praying that she would come before I leave tomorrow for the long weekend, but it's not looking that way :( So Baby J, if you can hear me (sorry Court) "Please wait until Monday if you are going to arrive over Memorial Day Weekend! I would really like to be present when you come in to this world, thanks girl!" Although I am sure no one is more ready for her to get here than her parents :)

So tomorrow afternoon we are off to Walla Walla! We are heading over to celebrate my awesome dad, who will NOT STOP inviting people to this party, btw! We are now up to 75 people for a BBQ in Walla Walla...really!? And it's supposed to rain...ugh, keep your fingers crossed we can be outside (we need the space)! Sunday it is supposed to be sunny & 75 (of course) so I am hoping to catch the farmers market & hopefully do some wine tasting while the boys golf. Hope everyone has a lovely long weekend!

Chelan Weekend

It's hard to come back from 80 degrees, no agenda, 9 great friends, lots of wine and lots of food. We spent the weekend celebrating our wonderful friend Delane, laying in the sun & reading entirely too many gossip magazines. I think I pretty much know everything about Spencer's weird crystals, Heidi's strained relationship with her mom, Sandy B's new baby Louie, the crazy NYC & NJ Housewives, etc. No more mags for a little while :)

The deck where we spent all day Saturday laying around in the sun, such a pretty view!

Out on a walk in the very empty lake, it looked so weird with the water down so far

Rothie & Lisa

All of us girls with a little self-timer action

Our fabulous dinner of salmon, corn, asparagus & salad

The birthday girl & her yummy red velvet cupcakes!

Spry & her excellent motto: "What happens at the lake, stays at the lake" ;)

Off to Chelan!

Tomorrow I am off to Chelan to celebrate my fabulous friend Delane as she rings in 30! There are 9 of us staying in an incredible house that we rented about this exact same weekend last year for our friend Cabe's bachelorette party. Cabe will not be with us this weekend because she is about to give birth any moment! And I mean literally, she is due today! SO exciting! Courtney will also not be able to join us either, as she is getting very close to her due date as well! So many babies coming, I can't wait!

This is the sign that greets you as you walk up to the house. Very true! I cannot wait to get to Chelan! It is supposed to be 80 degrees this weekend! Sounds like paradise to me! Hello poolside lounging!

We will be staying here, courtesy of Spry's boss!

We wine tasted at Karma last year, hopefully we can do a little wine tasting this weekend as well!

Beautiful Lake Chelan!

My room last year, LOVED sleeping in a boat! This house is adorable & totally beachy, I love it! I'm hoping for maybe the tiki room this time :)

*Sorry about my lack of posts for the past month. I have been camera-less unfortunately. I had a little mishap with my camera being in my purse & a faulty hook in the bathroom at Miners, NOT good :( Thankfully my year warranty with Nikon still had 4 months left & they were able to repair it for me! It was delivered yesterday, just in time for this weekend! Other than that, I have just been settling in to life living with Brad on the eastside. And I must say, it's very nice :)

Showering Court!

On Saturday we celebrated the impending arrival of Baby Juhl, who will be the darling child to my BFF Courtney.

Seriously, could she be any cuter!?

Courtney and her lovely mother Karen

Courtney & I, still trying not to laugh right after Rothie described her "pots of gold" appetizer to everyone in the kitchen

Jamie's award winning (for real) key lime pie cupcakes. Delish!

Court opening all of her fun presents for Baby J!

All of us girls basking in the (freezing cold) sunshine

The shower hosts with the mama-to-be!

All my cute prego friends...I see LOTS of baby showers in my future :)

Goodbye City, Hello Suburbs...

Well, after nearly 8 years of living in the Seattle...I am officially leaving the City, and moving to the...suburbs! Yikes.

I have had an awesome year living alone for the first time in my life & truly being independent.
It was such a great experience for me to do this. I now feel really confident, and ready for the next step. Which, is moving from my North Capital Hill/Eastlake apartment (which also doubles as a sauna May-September) into Brad's condo in Juanita. Though not necessarily ideally sized for two people to be living in, the current housing market really wants to give our relationship a good test & see how we do in 850 square feet together ;) Done: two tv's! Kidding, kind of. But honestly I am really excited, mostly of course just to live with him, and, after almost 4 years of packing a bag to go back & forth while living 30 minutes away from eachother, I can finally STOP carrying a bag every single day!!! Yippee!

Other Pros: Finally living by a grocery store, we're talking 2 blocks away (those who live in my old neighborhood of Eastlake know that living by a grocery store would be a serious luxury!) I also will now have an affordable dry cleaner, an awesome chinese restaurant (for some reason this is unheard of anywhere in my current neighborhood), a Dairy Queen for Blizzards (ugh, this may move to the con list very soon), Papa Murphys...well I could list every food establishment in North Kirkland I suppose, but clearly you can see I am happy from a food aspect.

Cons: I will miss my Seattle girls desperately :( Not that I won't ever see you guys again obviously, just saying it won't be quite as easy/convenient. I will miss dinner gatherings at Pazzos, watching the Bachelor at my apartment every Monday night, getting cheap QA pedi's together at Diamond Nails, all the yummy Capital Hill restaurants, being 5 minutes from downtown...you get it.

This will be a new adventure for me...for us. And I can't wait. So please come visit me friends...even if it's the "east side" :)

Goodbye to my cute little apartment...my morning view and my evening view...

And hello to my new view... lots of trees :)

*this isn't my actual view, but something like this*

Now if only I could snap my fingers and the move would be done...hmmmm.

Weekend in DC

We started off with a little sightseeing on Saturday & Sunday.

It was cold, but very pretty & sunny!

We met up with The Reynolds at the Cherry Blossom Festival!

The cherry blossoms were about 5 days short of their peak, dang. Still pretty though :)

Switching gears...Monday was Brad's Grandma's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. It was a very beautiful, and emotional service. She will now be with her husband.

Some views around the cemetery. It was pouring rain and the ground was sopping wet!

It was seriously amazing to see how a funeral service happens at this place, it honestly felt so traditional and American. It was really incredible to be a part of. There is such a huge part of our Nation's history here.

As we were leaving, Brad and I saw this woman visiting the gravesite of a loved one. After already such an emotional experience, I thought this was just so sad and beautiful as she visited someone very important to her that morning.

DC

via

Tomorrow morning Brad and I are off to DC for a few days! We will be attending his grandmother's funeral service on Monday, at Arlington National Cemetary. The rest of the time I hope to be sightseeing & getting some excellent Spring shots of DC in full bloom! The Cherry Blossom Festival coincidentally begins this weekend, and I LOVE cherry blossoms...yay.