Lunch at the Falls

Part of Danielle's Christmas Gift was a lunch date at Multnomah Falls Lodge. We headed there today. It wasn't a sunny day, but it wasn't raining either. We had a nice drive to get there and got caught up on life since we'd last seen each other.

This is the falls. Lots of water coming down with the snow melt and rain.

Danielle and me, without a view of the falls, but with smiles!

What a nice, quick get-away!

Hockey Time

Once upon a time, very recently really, when I was with Jenny and Sara we had talked about going to a Portland Winterhawks hockey game. A few days later the Living Social deal was two for the price of one tickets to a hockey game. It was a week when the Blazers weren't playing in Portland, so Jenny, Matt and Sara didn't have a basketball game, so the four of us went to see some hockey.

I picked the tickets up the day before the game and we scored some good seat. Third row back from the Kamloop's (a Canadian team) box. We were so close we could smell the players...ewww....

Everyone was giving this guy a hard time for his (in our opinion) creepy mustache. I can definitely do without facial hair like this on a guy.

Sara, Matt and Jenny looking up at the jumbotron. (usually at the Blazer games they are looking down at it!)

Smile!

And, again!

Jenny and me!

I found a clapper for Jenny...she loved it!

"Tom-a-hawk" the mascot.

We had such a fun time looking up info on Hanes, with the creepy mustache. Apparently, he's a ladies man, his birthday is March 1 so we wished him a happy one and soon everyone in our section was "cheering" for him too. Sara and Jenny wanted to give him a high five when he was going into the "chute" after the game.

We had such a fun time and got to laugh a lot. Another good night out with friends.

Sally "Retires"

My friend, Sally, "retired" from work (may days at my old site-'work') today. I headed over for her retirement party and then from there went to her "after party"/birthday party with friends and family at her home. In recent years the "thing to do" so to speak, was to retire on your birthday. Three of my co-workers did this.

I didn't take any pictures of the work party and I didn't take any at Sally's home, except a few family photos. I know one of Sally's daughters took some, and when I get copies I'll post them. In the meantime, enjoy Sally's family. She and her husband Gary and their seven kids-goofy style!

Woohoo, Sally! Congrats on your retirement!

Basketball and Friends Take 2

I'm a lucky girl with lots of good friends! With some of these friends I got a repeat of a Blazer game with girls that make me laugh and who I enjoy spending time with. At the Super Bowl Party I went to at Sara's, Matt, Jenny's boyfriend asked me if I want to go in his place to the next game. After confirming I didn't have anything scheduled, I said yes! I couldn't pass up an opportunity to spend time with these lovely ladies!

Jenny so badly wanted to have some face painting done. Sara refused, I agreed and then while we were in line Sara caved. We came away "airbrush" face painted, not the form of face painting that I'm used too from my childhood. It was minimal compared to the completely covered faces, but we enjoyed our Blazer pride!

Jenny~Me~Sara~

The signs that Jenny and Sara made for the first game came back and we got a picture

AND we got on the jumbo tron again, twice. I had to get a picture for proof.

It's sort of hard to tell it is us, but it is! I promise.

What a fun evening out with dear friends, again! I love you ladies!

Smiles

Isn't that smile just the best?! I love being able to see Josie's smile when I have my weekly visits with my dear friends, Stasia, Dave, Myles and Little Josie!

Keep smiling, Josie!

"Glass is the most magical of all materials." ~Dale Chihuly

I love Groupon! I first signed up for Groupon after my friend, Megan showed me the glass balls that she and another friend of hers had made. I had always thought it would be fun to learn how to blow glass. After a few months of daily emails I got the coveted Groupon offering the half off glass blowing experience. I bought two, as my friend Holly and I had talked about what fun it would be to try glass blowing when we watched people doing it at Mt St Helen's years ago.

So, away we went yesterday to have our adventure.

Gary was our "tour guide"/assistant/the only one who really knew what he was doing out of our small group. He is in the red cap and Holly has gotten started.

Hot glass to start!

Rolling it through the base color.

Into the fire!

Rolling through the color.

Back into the fire!

Gary did the shaping for us! Like I said~the only one who really knew what he was doing!

Holly was blowing through the tube that was connected to the rod to make the ball. Gary would tell us when to blow lightly, when to blow hard, when to stop blowing. He did the shaping.

Looking good!

After the ball was blown to the size it needed to be they headed over to cut the glass ball off the rod.

Lookin' good so far!

Gary then put a dollop of melted glass on the bottom to seal the hole.

Holly stamped it!

And away it went to the kiln...voila! Almost done!

This was the shop dog!

Then it was my turn!

Hot glass.

Spinning the rod.

Rolling through the base color!

Into the fire. It was nice and warm right here.

Blow light. Blow hard. Stop. Blow light.

Lookin' good.

And then the stamp and kiln!

These were the glass pieces from mine...amazing that they created such a beautiful ball.

There was this fantastic glass hanging in the studio. It was impressive.

The longest piece of glass was probably 4 feet long. Must be a heavy piece.

Tonight I picked up our pieces after they were in the kiln overnight. This is what the finished products look like. Mine is the one on the left and Holly's on the right!

So that you can get an idea of size...I am holding it. You can also see the base on it at my palm area.

After our glass blowing adventure, Holly and I headed to lunch at Deschutes Brewery. Love. And then we went to Anthropologie...a store where I love the "home" section and Holly had never been too. I think she loved it as much as I did. We then headed to Micheal's...she wants to take up crocheting. It was such a grand day!

Ladies Night Out

I have some great friends. A good group of them were at the site I was working at and they still count me as one of their own. I worked with some great ladies and miss them, but have great opportunities to see them-even for ladies night out at Duke's- a cowboy bar! We had a great evening and I will remember this fun night out with these wonderful friends.

Jenny, Shauna, Jennifer, Brandy, me and Sara!

Nice group, eh?!

I love that you can see my glow-in-the-dark glass in the dark picture below. That glass contained an amazing drink...I won't repeat the name--but it was a little bit of coconut tastiness.

:)

Jenny was staying at Sara's for the night and this is right before I left to head home myself!

Me, Jenny and Sara. And, Jenny--you can thank me later for not posting the picture of you sleeping...! :)

Thank you ladies for a soul rejuvenating night out and for keeping me as one of yours! I {heart} you all more than you know!

Dear Deer,

Thank you for coming down to my "backyard" so I could be thankful for the glories of God's wonderful creations!

When it snows, deer come down lower on the mountain I live on to eat the vegetation. They graced me today with their presence in my backyard. This was the second day they came down. Two on the first day and three on this day!

Saying Goodbye

As stated before, I am starting a "new" job and am leaving my current job. I will technically be doing the same job, just in a different building. I'm still working on processing this, but in the meantime-things end and things begin. One event marking the end was my going away party from the site I've been at for over six years. Alas, Friday the 13th was my last day. I didn't know and I still don't know exactly what to think about that, but it has happened and the next phase must begin.

Here are a few shots from the party...

The table of goodies- almost 100% gluten free.

Getting ready for the party to start~ Waiting with me are friends, Megan and John.

Above: My dear friend, Diane (pictured in the below picture on the left in black) used her artistic experience to create this cat picture for me!

Diane and Jan

Opening gifts. My friend, Sally, knows I love almonds-I have a lifetime supply now...or at least a years supply! She also made a yummy gluten-free pound cake with lemon icing!

Dear friends Jenny and Sara! I will miss them so much!

Two of my biggest fans! John and Cece!

Jenny and Shauna!

Pam, Monica and me! Pam and Monica are the nurses on "my" team that isn't my team anymore. Monica is the official photographer and most of these pictures are courtesy of her.

Monica also got a picture of my office space that I shared with Donna. It's weird to know that isn't my area any more.

I will dearly, dearly miss all of my friends and coworkers at my "always-will-be-home-to-me" site. Maybe some day I'll return. I hope that I never loose contact with those who matter most to me from my days at this site. My heart hurts to say goodbye.