I Got A JOB!

Hallelujah! I got a job. I interviewed on Friday for a position at Rosedale Elementary! I will be working full time. Half of my job will be teaching reading to a group of low/intensive 2nd graders. The other half of my day will be spent as an instructional assistant. I am so excited to be in the classroom full time! I am also super stoked to be working at Hillsboro's newest school! Wish me luck~

Civil War Cannot Get Here Soon Enough!

I am absolutely excited for this year's game at Autzen. As a UO alum, I hope the Ducks pulverize the Beavers. I want to embarrass them again like we did last year. So, here are a few fabulous pictures that are getting me through the next few days. Enjoy and GO DUCKS!

28 and Counting....

Yes, it is official. I am two years away from thirty. I have been looking forward to turning 28. For some reason I have felt this would be a good year. So far, so good. I am subbing everyday, I am happy, healthy, and still madly in love with my husband! I am surrounded by the best friends and family a girl could ask for. I am grateful for everyday and looking forward to all of the great memories to come.

Last year a tradition was started. Since my birthday is in November, it is kind of hard to do something fun for your birthday, or so I thought. However, I came up with a wine tour to celebrate getting old with my best friends. Last year we rented a stretch excursion limo, this year we opted to save money and use the DUCK MOBILE! We went to four wineries: Domaine Drouhin, Vista Hills, Sokol Blosser, and White Rose. We then ended the night at my favorite sushi restaurant, Le Hana. The wine tour has now been named: The 1981 Vintage Reserve Wine Tour. This year I put together some of the best songs from 1981 {this was a huge hit!} Next year, I think we will do shirts :)

Here are some fun pictures~

Yummy Soup Recipe

I love butternut squash and I love soup. So, I decided to make this butternut squash soup recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Everyday Food: Great Food Fast.

Super easy and super delicious:
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 3/4 pounds small butternut squash, prepared and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Sour cream, (optional)
Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Directions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, and squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in 4 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes.
Purée soup in two batches. When blending hot foods, allow the heat to escape to prevent splattering. Remove the cap from the hole of the blender’s lid, and cover with a dish towel. Stir in juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve hot, with sour cream, pepper, and pumpkin seeds, if desired.
From Everyday Food, October 2004

The Pumpkin Patch and Halloween!

We experienced the Roloff Farm for the first time this year. We took the Doherty Family with us so we had kids with us ;) Jake and Kylie are the two wonderful kids that I nannied this summer. We saw all the craziness that embodies the Roloff family. Wow, talk about a money maker! They even charge $2/car to park in their lot {like as if you can park anywhere else or take the MAX?!?} What a scam! I will never go back there again. Given, they are television "superstars" for those of you who watch their show. I think they capitalize on their disability and the father, in particular, is an awful role model and citizen. The amount of money they charge to tour their farm is absurd... Oh, and they have a baby tiger. I am not kidding. A baby tiger in a cage the size of a small dog run. How do you even get a permit for that? I can guarantee you not anyone can get that "permit!" Anyways, the kids had fun and that is all that matters. Here are some pictures:







On Halloween, CJ and I spent the night in Eugene watching the best Duck football game! This was the night of the fabulous win over USC! 20-47~ it was such a great night to be a Duck and watch the game. ESPN Gameday was there and we spent the entire night basking in the glory. No costumes, just two very happy Duck fans. We ended the night by hanging out with friends at some of our favorite college hangouts and driving home on Sunday morning. What a great night!

Arizona Trip

We spent five fabulous days in Tempe, Arizona in October. We went for the wedding of two of our good friends from college- Colleen Mortland and Gus Sackos. The weather was beautiful! It was extremely hot for that time of year is what I was told. It ranged from 100-104 degrees the entire time we were there. We went to some amazing restaurants, hung out with friends, and attended their lovely wedding. CJ and I also took a day to play 18 holes of golf at a great course. I have never golfed in 100 degree weather and man it got tiring!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip:

Some of the ladies out celebrating at Colleen's Bachelorette Party:



The bartender's view at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar:



CJ golfing:


The wedding at the Mission Palms


A Duck Wedding :)




Lots of fun and would love to go back to visit them again soon!

A Fabulous Read!

If anyone needs a great book to read, I have one for you. I just finished Wally Lamb's "The Hour I First Believed" and it was phenomenal! Although I am biased because he is my favorite contemporary author it truly was a terrific book. It is about the lives of a husband and wife. They both worked for Columbine High School when the horrendous shootings happened in 1999. It follows their lives before and after up to 2008. It was such a deep and well researched book. He retells so much of what happened at Columbine HS that tragic day. Although it is 730+ pages it is a fast read because you cannot put it down.

I am fortunate to be able to see Wally Lamb speak at the Schnitzer this Thursday night thanks to Margaret Evenson! I am so excited :)