Family and Beat the Bridge

First off, I can't figure out how to place pics where I want them so I am putting them all at the top! I need to get better at this!

What a weekend!! It was so great! It was in the 70's ALL WEEKEND! I love it!

This weekend was especially great because I got to see my mama! I needed to pick up some vases from our wedding that I am letting a friend borrow so my mom was nice enough to meet me in CleElum (not sure about spelling) to give them to me. I drove Saturday morning with Mia in tow and spent about 1 1/2 hours or so with my mom. We went to a popular meat market where I got a couple steaks for Cody and I and some pepperoni sticks for Cody. Then, we went to a little mom and pop place for breakfast and just caught up a little bit. Last time I was home it was such a quick trip that I didn't really get to see her much, so it was great just talking and enjoying each other's company! Thanks MOM!! Love you!

After meeting with my mom, I headed back to Bothell and then spent some time with Kristen while Cody, Uncle Jay, and Ryan golfed in Renton. We headed to the golf course and had a few drinks while waiting for the boys and when they got done we ordered appetizers and just enjoyed the weather. Kristen and Ryan stayed with us that night since we were all doing Beat the Bridge...so, after appetizers and church, it was home to prepare for the 5 mile race....which, by the way, I have not been running to prepare for this!

Now, onto Race Day..first of all, Beat the Bridge is a fundraiser for Diabetes so it felt great running for a good cause..I think the race raised around 1.2 million dollars for research! That is truly amazing!

Anyhow, it was an early morning. Cody was so nice and got up super early (5:30) to make everyone breakfast of turkey bacon and eggs..I usually don't eat so early but knew I would need the energy. We met up with some of our friends at our gym at 6:50 and headed into Seattle. I was so nervous...we were in the 3rd wave which is the biggest wave and so even when the clock started we were still standing around for like 2 minutes...needeless to say, we didn't beat the bridge...well, Matt and Carter did...but no one else...I was SOOOO close! They were just blocking it off when I got there. After the bridge was raised, I ran the last 3 miles in 22:32 so my 5 mile time was 40:32..not bad for not training huh! haha It was so cool running into Husky Stadium and onto the turph..I have only done 1 5k before this and a 12k trail run last summer and I am so pumped to do more! My ultimate goal is to do a triathalon, but I need to get all the equipment first and it is kinda spendy for road bikes and wet suits...eventually :)

After the race, Cody, Kristen, Ryan, and Uncle Jay went and walked around some shops and then went to RedMill Burger for lunch which is rated the best burgers in Seattle 10 years in a row! It also made Oprah's list of 20 burgers to eat before you die...I have been wanting to go there for so long and was finally able to. I normally am not a huge burger joint person but I just had to see what the hype was about. Cody and I shared a burger which was more then enough for 2 people and some fries and it was pretty darn good!! After that it was time for some relaxation...I rented some movies and just enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with Cody and Mia.

It was a great weekend and Beat the Bridge was an awesome experience..I am so glad I had such amazing friends to enjoy and experience it with and can't wait for another race!!

Out of all the days this year, this weekend was BY FAR the best weekend in Seattle yet. The weather was amazing! I spent most of it outside because how can you not enjoy this beautiful weather. When it is sunny and warm in Seattle, it is THE best place on earth! So pretty!

Our weekend started on Friday when we decided to skip the gym and hit up a happy hour in downtown Bellevue. We were able to sit outside and sip on our drinks and just enjoy the sun.

Saturday, Cody went golfing with some buddies so I went to the gym and then walked around Greenlake with one of my new friends Leslie. Leslie and I started at our gym the same week last September and have gotten to know each other quite well this past year. She is definitely one of the sweetest girls out there. She is actually the person that introduced me and Cody to City Church. We were sort of church hopping but in November I decided to go with her on a Saturday night to see how it was and I loved the pastor..so much that I took Cody a few weeks later and we are hooked. We feel like we definitely found our church home and hate missing a service! Pastor Judah is an amazing speaker and we learn so much from him! So, THANKS LESLIE for all that :)

Anyways, back to the weekend. After our walk I met Cody at home and we took a mini nap before heading to some shops to browse around for some golf clubs and then headed off to church. Because of Mother's Day, Pastor Judah's mom spoke and she gave an amazing message. Made me miss my mom on Mother's Day too! I was supposed to meet my mom Saturday for the afternoon because she was on Chinook Pass but we learned that it is still closed until the end of the month. I am hopefully going to get to spend some quality time with her next Saturday though and give her her gift!

Yesterday, Cody and I went to the gym and then went and looked for more golf clubs...these clubs are for me because Cody really wants me to start golfing with him. He ended up finding some for me that were clearanced out too so I might need to take up golf lessons! Oh, the bag isn't very cute so I will invest in a new bag too :) He thinks I am such a girl when I mentioned this to him! Gotta look the part though right? haha
After that, I went to Greenlake with Mia and met my friends Yelena and Steven for lunch at Laboda Pub and then we took the dogs for a walk. I worked with Yelena at SL Start and it was great seeing her again! After the walk, Cody and I went to Mi Tierra in Kirkland for dinner and I had a margarita..not one to normally order those kind of drinks anymore but it was so warm out and it sounded good...one was a bit much for me though! haha

All in all, it was a great weekend. This coming weekend will be busy..hoping my mom can come up for the day on Saturday and then we are running in Beat the Bridge on Sunday. It is a 10k and is for diabetes so I am excited/nervous for it since I haven't ran that much since last summer!! Oh well, I shall survive!! haha

Have a great week everyone!

Mariner Game and Hiking

This weekend was so busy! My dad and Audrey came to Seattle so on Saturday Cody and I took the bus downtown and spent the day with them. In the morning we took them to my new office so they could check it out and then went to the Mariner Game with them. Audrey got AMAZING seats..right off of 1st base..row 13..they were the best I have ever sat at! The Mariner's sadly lost but the game was still a lot of fun! After the game we decided to head down to South Center to eat at Bahama Breeze (one of my favorite places to eat) since Audrey hasn't been to one in years. They never dissapoint either! This time I got the butter garlic chick with mashed sweet potatoes and broccoli..their sweet potatoes are AWESOME...love them!! Then, we headed to Ikea since neither my dad nor Audrey has been there before. It is huge and it gets me excited for when I actually have a place I can decorate instead of being in a small apartment! After that, they took us to our car and we parted ways. It was a great day and I am glad we got to see them.

On Sunday I got up and went hiking with a bunch of people from my church and 2 girls from Crossfit. I didn't know anyone but those 2 girls but it was great meeting new people! :) We went to Lake 22 which is near Granite Falls. It was a 5.5 miles round trip and pretty moderate..not too steep which was good because I was sore still from some lunges I did on Friday...killer on the bum! When we got to the top, the Lake was gorgeous! It was covered in snow and the mountains were so pretty! It was definitely worth the treck in. It did start raining so it got pretty cold but it will be a great place to hike with Cody when the weather gets warmer! And anyone else who wants to join! After the hike, I found out that my dad and Audrey were still in town and were at Molbax(a cool nursery) in Kirkland with Cody. I got dropped off there and was able to visit with them a little longer. I was pretty wet and muddy but I didn't really care. It was great to be able to see them one last time! After that, I was starving so Cody took me to Red Robin..again, dirty and make-up free haha...I love that place! I spent the remainder of my Sunday taking a bubble bath, watching Lost, The Amazing Race, part of The Apprentice, and my shows I had recorded on DVR...definitely a very lazy afternoon but was great after that weekend!

So, another good weekend..I think this next weekend will be low key BUT you never know...I love squeezing in as much as I can on the weekends because there is never any time during the week!

Have a great week everyone!!

Family filled weekend

It never ceases to amaze me at how fast the weekends go by! This last weekend Cody and I got to head over the mountains to see some family and it was a very short trip, but a good trip at that! We left after work on Friday and headed to my dad's house. They just finished renovating the downstairs and it looks AMAZING. I think they just had a few finishing touches on it but it looked good!

Saturday morning, Cody was very ambitious and went out for a 4.4 mile run..I decided to be lazy and stayed home but I was so proud of him! Later in the morning I went to get my hair done by my sis and she did an amazing job! She really did pick the right profession and I am happy with her choice...I don' t have to worry about finding a hair lady anymore! It was great catching up with her too! After the hair, it was time for Levi's party. He is getting so big! He walks EVERYWHERE and doesn't want you to pick him up AT ALL! He is such a cutie! I definitely wish I could see more of him!

After the party we headed to Cody's parent's house in Yakima. It was great because I don't even remember the last time I saw them! I got to meet Cres's girlfriend too. They had my favorite dinner going...steak and grilled asparagus..I could probably eat this every day for the rest of my life and not get tired of it! I love it! It was great just sitting around catching up with them. They redid their floors with tile and their house looks good too!

Sunday, we went out to breakfast and then shopped around for a bit. Cody and I needed to get on the road but not before a quick spin on the harley! Man, I can't wait til we get one! They are so much fun!

The rest of our Sunday pretty much consisted of driving and relaxing. We decided to end our weekend with dinner at Azteca which I haven't had in SOOO long so it was nice. They have the best chicken taquitos around!

Well, that pretty much sums up our weekend...really enjoyed seeing everyone and miss everyone already!

Weekend of fun

I can't believe it is already Monday! This past week flew by! Traveling during the week definitely throws me off my game! My trip to LA was fun but very quick. Cody was nice enough to drive me to the airport at 5:15am so I didn't have to take the bus. I slept the whole flight there and after going to the hotel and realizing that I couldn't check in early I headed to the office. I am glad I got to meet everyone there and it was great working 1 on 1 with the HR ladies over there! I definitely feel more comfortable being the lone HR over here now! For lunch that day they took me to Hal's for lunch which is a pretty nice restaurant. I ended up getting the steak and managed to only eat a couple of the amazing fries! I was very good! haha That night after work I went to check in and got bumped to the penthouse sweet! It was HUGE! It had a kitchen, balcony, fireplace, huge tub...it was awesome! I just wish I could have shared it with someone...thinking next time my mom will have to just fly over and stay with me on my trip! :) I ended up walking on the boardwalk for a little bit but because I am a wuss I didn't walk far. I get too scared being all alone in a place I don't know! I also had a complimentary dinner so I ordered their spinach ricotta mac and cheese..definitely NOT healthy but I had to try it...honestly, it wasn't that great and I didn't eat much of it. The next day we had a wine o clock at 3:30 at the office where they had a huge spread of wine, nuts, fruit, and cheeses...and NO, this isn't an every day thing! haha It was great to just relax and have some wine before I caught my plane. I got back to Seattle at 10:15 and was so happy to see Cody and Mia!

The rest of the week was pretty boring but this past weekend was pretty fun. Cody and I spent Saturday up in Marysville at the oulet malls and I didn't even buy anything! They had some good deals but I was just in the mood to browse and walk around. We went to dinner at Pen Thai by our house which was amazing..I love Thai! Yesterday it was GORGEOUS outside so after church we took full advantage and took Mia to Kirkland to walk around. She loved it and it was so pretty out! I love Kirkland! Ended the day with a bbq that consisted of buffalo burgers, cucumber salad, and 2 huge glasses of ice tea with lemon..I am addicted to that stuff!

All in all it was a great weekend! This week will be pretty busy and on Friday we are heading to Tri-Cities for Levi's 1st birthday! I can't believe he will be 1! That is the downside to living over here! We don't get to see him grow up!!

Have a good week!

Definitely time for an update!!

WOW! I am realizing that I SUCK at updating this blog. I decided that I would sign on and try this whole blogging thing again. However, I can't figure out how to update the layout or anything like that! OH WELL!!

SO much has changed since my last post!! Cody and I are doing great! We are still living in Bothell in our little apartment but have plans to hopefully become homeowners this summer! We still love being in Seattle...probably love it more now then ever before. I think this is because we have sort of found our niche here now! We have made some amazing friends and we don't feel like we are the "loners from a small town" anymore! We have definitely begun building our lives here and plan on continuing this journey in Seattle!

Some recent updates...while I absolutely loved my job at SL Start, I recently took a new job at DDB. The position is a Human Resource Coordinator position. It is right downtown Seattle (2nd and Madison) so I take the bus every day. I was kind of nervous working downtown and taking the bus but I absolutley love it! The bus allows me to read my kindle, listen to music, and just relax. My stop is 2 blocks up from where I work and I pretty much take a power nap every day on my way home..this works out perfectly for hitting the gym after work! :) Now that the weather is getting nicer, I plan on exploring downtown on my lunch breaks. Last week I decided to go for a run down by the water during lunch since our building has showers, and it was BEAUTIFUL! There is so much around here! I definitely plan on doing this more as it gets warmer!


Besides the new job, I guess not a lot has really changed. Cody is still working in Bellevue, and like I mentioned before, we hope to buy a house before summer is over. I am so excited to be a homeowner and actually have room for our stuff! We still have wedding gifts boxed up!! I can't wait until we have our own yard for Mia and plenty of space for our things!! We also have begun to appreciate the great outdoors of Seattle. One of our favorite things to do when the weather is nice is take Mia to a park somewhere and just walk around. Just last weekend we went to Greenlake to walk around it with her...as much as we have always planned to go there, this was our first and what a great place it is! In the summer we definitely plan on renting the kayak's and paddle boats to take out on it! We also have become fans of local markets and are going to try and visit all the ones around us (there are a lot). We have been introduced to some great hiking places through friends and hopefully will be doing that again soon as well! One thing that has really turned around for us is that we FINALLY found a church that we absolutely love! We were going to random churches our first year here which makes it hard to stay motivated to go every week. But, through friends, we found one in Kirkland that we love and go to their Saturday night service. We are so hooked on the pastor there that we hate missing a week!

I am so excited that summer is coming! We have so many plans! We are running an 8k in May and are going to start looking for some road bikes so we can bike into town on the trails! We will see if we can find any for good deals! Keep your eyes and ears out for us!

I think that is plenty of updating for now..I plan on updating more often and hopefully be able to even post some pictures of the adventures we plan on going on!

Thanks for reading and God Bless!!

Tis the Season

I have come to the realization that I am horrible with keeping up with a blog! I love reading everyone else's, but it just seems that blogs are more fun with pictures. My camera broke so I never have pictures to put up on here so I just don't blog. UNLESS, I am bored or just need to take a time-out from life! Well, right now is one of those times, so I figured I would update WHOEVER reads this, if anyone! :)

This year has gone by so incredibly fast, I can't believe it is almost Christmas! It is hard to believe that in 2008 I graduated college, got married, and started my career. It is crazy to think about. Life is definitely different...priorities have changed, and life is setting in. Work is wonderfully crazy. When I was originally hired, there was one other HRA. She switched positions so now I am the only HRA for the Seattle Branch working for the adults program and both of our kids programs. I am in the process of hiring another one, but until that happens, it is just me. I absolutely love my job here at SL Start. It has taught me so much. Besides the HR aspect, which I truly love, I have learned so much and have appreciated caregivers and people with developmental disabilities even more. They are truly amazing and have taught me more than I could ever teach them. They make my job that much more fun. I could be having an extremely stressful day and one of the individual's we support can come into the office and put a smile on my face and I am reminded of why I do what I do. It is a true gift.

Cody's job is going well for him to. He is definitely stressed because right now he doesn't have a lot of freedom in his job so it is the same thing every day, which can get old, but he knows that it won't be like that forever so he is working hard and doing everything he can to prove to the managers that he is ready for that freedom. I am so proud of him. He is doing such a great job and is such an amazing husband. I am so thankful for him and happy that we are married. I can't wait to start a family with him in the next couple of years. He is so driven and such a hard worker, I know he will be a great provider for me and our family.

Christmas is definitely different this year. We are used to having a 3 week break. Yes, during that break we work for UPS, but we are at homes, with our families, and it just seems more like Christmas. This year, we will see his family on Christmas day, but only because his uncle lives in Port Orchard. Cody works the day after Christmas so we can't stay the night there either, and this will be the second year in a row I won't be able to see my family on Christmas. I haven't seen my grandparents for so long and I miss going to their house on Christmas day, even if it is just for a few hours. There are a few traditions that I definitely miss, but I know Cody and I can start our own traditions and that excites me.

So, to finish off this post, I just want to say that I am so thankful for everyone in our lives that have supported us. Thanks for always being there. Thank you to my friends, who I never see, for always being there when I need you, and thank you Cody. We may be away from our family, but I know in my heart that this is exactly where we are supposed to be right now. And lastly, thank you God for protecting us and our families and allowing us to pursue our dreams.

Merry Christmas Everyone!