Zoo Lights Video

Today we decided to walk around the Christmas Bazaar at the Portland Expo Center. It was two huge buildings full of booth after booth after booth of vendors selling their products. We really didn't buy much, just a couple of things, but it was fun. Katie made it a little more difficult than it had to be though because of course she wants to buy everything that interests her, so we spent a lot of time negotiating with her. She did get to buy one special thing, though.

We ate an early dinner at the Hall Street Grill and then headed over to the zoo for Zoo Lights. It was the perfect evening for walking around outside enjoying the light displays. It wasn't too cold and it was rain-free! I took some video so I could share it here. Enjoy...

In Search of Firewood

We have a wood-burning fireplace in this apartment, which is more fun, in some ways, than one equipped with gas. It's been ages since we've had a wood-burning fireplace. If I remember correctly, it was the early 1990s and we lived in Pasadena. I'm sure Regina will correct me if I'm wrong, which I admit I often am.

Anyway, we figured instead of paying $6/bundle of wood at the grocery store, we should buy a larger supply from someone, but who? My first thought was to search craigslist for sellers and that led us to a guy and his kid in a rural area near here who had some for sale. We got a little lost trying to find their place, but with the help of our cell phone, we found it. We filled up the back of the Jeep and now we have several evenings worth of firewood.

But before we did that, Regina and Katie (sort of, anyway) spent the morning watching the Hokies play football. Katie thinks that anyone playing football on TV are called Hokies, even though we've tried to explain it to her, she doesn't get it yet. We'll just let her think that for now, anyway. So while they did that, I headed out to Michaels with my email coupons in hand. Both coupons were valid only today. One of them before noon and the other one was valid after noon. The afternoon coupon was a greater discount, so I saved that one to buy a higher priced item. I was there to buy a scrapbook and scrapbooking accessories. I'm taking advantage of this free time I have during the day in the apartment to catch up on Katie's scrapbooks and I'm starting a new one that will contain nothing but her artwork. It was starting to pile up on me and I needed a way to not only manage it, but make it accessible so we could enjoy it.

After I finished my shopping at Michaels, I headed over to the grocery store and shared with them my story about leaving behind two items I had paid for yesterday during checkout. I was worried that they wouldn't believe me and they'd think I was scamming them to get free stuff. The customer service rep said cashiers usually bring the items to them when that happens. But, my items weren't there. She asked to see my receipt and didn't miss a beat before telling me to go find the items in the store and take 'em. Thank you, Fred Meyers for giving me the benefit of the doubt.

Black Friday

That sounds like such a negative term - black friday. But it's good, financially speaking. Right? Black means positive numbers on the books, which translates into profits while red indicates negative numbers, which represents loss. In this economy, I hope it truly is a black day.

Regina, Katie and I are NOT those (crazy) folks who get up at oh-dark-hundred hours (that's a military term, right?)to stand in line and fight the crowds to get the best discounts. I, for one, just don't have it in me, but I admire those who do.

Regina's company didn't get today off from work, this year. They will get it off next year, though. So, she went to work today. Of course it was a slow day and not many of her co-workers were there. She got her top priority tasks done quickly, allowing her to leave early. She met Katie and me at Red Robin for lunch. We then decided to brave the crowds at the mall, which was just across the street from the restaurant. We chose to walk over there rather than waste time and risk frustration trying to find a parking spot near the mall. We walked around the mall for a couple of hours and it wasn't too bad. It was certainly crowded, but it wasn't completely obnoxious. I'm sure we missed out on some incredible deals by not getting there at 5am, but I can't worry about that.

Of course, we had to stop by the Disney store to see if they had Bolt merchandise in yet. You'll be relieved to know that Bolt is in stores now. Katie got Bolt (the dog who thinks he has superpowers), Mittens (the sassy, street-wise cat), and Rhino (the oversized hamster) stuffed toys. We're thankful they price their stuffed animals quite reasonably.

Regina and I made some progress on our Christmas shopping. I'm pretty proud of our purchases and our savings. Although my favorite purchase wasn't on sale, darn it. I got it anyway because it is the perfect gift for this particular person!

Regina and Katie went home and I stopped off at the grocery store. Even though I was exhausted and my plantar faciitis was extremely sore, we needed several things. The only reason I mention this is because I'm upset with myself for leaving the store without two of the items for which I paid. I'm sure they were sitting there at the cashier's station, unnoticed by him, and completely forgotten by me, as I left. So, what do I do now? I checked my receipt and I definitely paid for them. Will they believe me if I return and tell them what happened? I guess I'll find out tomorrow when I go back and tell my sad story to the customer service staffer.

When I got home from the grocery store, Katie and Regina were already there since they went straight home from the mall. Shortly afterward, Regina put up our artificial, pre-lit Christmas tree. Artificial trees are pretty much taboo here in Oregon, the country's largest supplier of fresh Christmas trees. (I admit I haven't necessarily confirmed that to be true, but that's what I heard, and I find it easy to believe.) Anyway, in our defense, we bought the artificial tree when we lived in Phoenix where we learned that fresh trees don't last long in the dry climate. We also liked the idea of not having to install lights anymore, so we opted for artificial, pre-lit trees. We bought them at Frontgate.com in their after-season sale. So they're really nice and we didn't pay a fortune.

Once the tree was up and ready to receive ornaments, we fired up a bundle of wood in the fireplace, put on some new Christmas music I recently downloaded from Walmart.com (it's a little cheaper than iTunes and I can still load it on my iPod)and we decorated the tree. It was great fun.

Then at 8pm we all watched "Polar Express" on TV. This was the first time I'd seen the entire movie and I loved it. Check it out, if you haven't already.

Happy Thanksgiving

After our turkey soaked in a brine solution for about 14 hours (1 hour for every pound of turkey), I removed it from the ten-gallon zip lock bag, dumped the solution down the drain and had the turkey in the oven by about 8:30am. We ate our Thanksgiving meal at about 12:30pm. While I was preparing our meal, Regina and Katie walked to a nearby park. Katie was bouncing off the walls and needed a release. Fortunately, it wasn't raining, so it was a good time to go outside.

Because we are in an apartment this year with a minimally-furnished kitchen and we didn't want or need all the calories, we didn't have all the traditionally excessive side dishes this year. No stuffing, no mashies, no green bean casserole. I did make gravy though and we opened a can of jellied cranberry. Instead of potatoes, I made a batch of brown rice. We did have green beans, but not in casserole form. We also had a yummy orange cream fruit salad that is actually the perfect companion for the cranberry. The two tastes are so satisfying together.

After we cleaned up from the meal, we got into our matching Christmas pajamas. It might sound corny, but it's incredibly cute and we like it! I set up a make-shift photo studio and we took our family pictures we'll send out in Christmas cards in a couple of weeks.

The next activity on our schedule, we decided should be a trip to the movie theater to see the new animated Disney flick, Bolt. Ever since Katie saw a trailer for the movie about 6 weeks ago, she's been patiently waiting for its release. Today she was out of her mind with excitement. Fortunately, it was a good movie and I get the impression it met all of her expectations. She didn't leave her seat for the entire movie, which is pretty remarkable for her!

Happy Anniversary, Regina!

This week marks the year anniversary of Regina's employment at Epiq Systems here in Portland. To recognize the milestone, the folks to whom she reports sent her this gorgeous, oversized bouquet of flowers. I thought I'd share it with you here...

Pre-K Thanksgiving Concert and Feast

Katie's class invited parents to school today for a brief concert and a Thanksgiving feast put together by the kids. The meal turned out to be more for the kids than for the parents. But we managed to sample a few things on the table before it was all over.

Here is a short video of the festivities:

Weekend Houseguests

This weekend, we enjoyed the company of our friends, Melanie, Courtney and their 8-month-old twins Avery and Jack. They drove down from Seattle on Friday and left today after lunch. We loved being able to spend the entire weekend with them and look forward to the next time. Of course, we had our video cameras out and running. Here's just some of what I got. Enjoy...

No Rain Today!

I could have sworn the weather forecast last night said more rain for today. So, imagine my surprise when we woke up to sunshine this morning! It's been raining non-stop for several days now, so everyone is certainly ready for a break.

Katie was home today due to parent/teacher conferences. We met with her teacher at 11:20am and went to Red Robin afterward. Regina went back to work while Katie and I found a nearby park. I took my video camera. Take a look...

Music: Below Freezing by T. Michael Coleman

Video of Our Apartment

I've been meaning to post a video of our apartment and the surrounding area, but the weather has not been very cooperative for the outdoor shots. Today I went ahead and did it anyway, because there's no telling when this rain will ever stop! Additionally, I was motivated to do it today because the cleaning lady came so the apartment was neat and clean for filming. Anyway, here is a video of our current, but temporary, living arrangements...

Music: Yasmine by Shahin & Sepehr

Get Your Vitamin D Level Tested!

I had a physical the other day and part of the bloodwork included a test to see what my vitamin D level was. I came in at 32 and the normal range is something like 40-75, I think. So, I'm taking 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily for the next three months, at which time I'll be retested. I also take a tablespoon of Cod Liver Oil every day which includes 1,200 IU of vitamin D, but I mostly take that for the fatty acids.

My doctor said that most of us are deficient in vitamin D and don't even realize it. There are very few food sources that provide us with vitamin D and most of us don't get the right amount of sunshine (without sunscreen) per day to supply the vitamin D our bodies need. Studies are beginning to show that vitamin D deficiency is major factor in several cancers, depression, heart disease, chronic pain, and numerous other conditions. So, get your level checked! It's just a simple blood test. Do it the next time you see your doctor.

Today we saw Hood River, Oregon

Mel, Court and their family visited Hood River to stock up on local fruit canned nearby. Hood River, we learned, is only about an hour drive from our location here in Portland, so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to see them. This morning we loaded up the car and headed east on highway 84 through the Columbia River Gorge. Boy, talk about a beautiful drive! The fall foliage is out in full color, but it was raining most of the time, so I failed to get any still shots or good video of its glory. Anyway, we ate lunch together and walked around the shops a little bit before it was time to hit the road. It was such a treat to get to see them, especially since we're now spending most of our time down here in Portland and they live in the Seattle area. I used to go over there every week and spend several hours visiting and playing with the babies. I really miss being able to do that.

Below are a couple of pictures of Katie I took today. In the first one she's modeling this new outfit we got her last night. I just love dressing her. Everything looks good on her slender little 4-year-old body! The second picture is Katie on the foyer floor putting together her new 100-piece puzzle. She really enjoys putting puzzles together and this one is her biggest challenge thus far.

P.S. What do you think... should we get a puppy? And if so, what kind?

Day 19 of 21-Day Cleanse

Well, I guess the cleanse is over. Unless Recees Peanut Butter Cups and Baby Ruth and Kit Kat candy bars are on it! Um, don't think so. I didn't go crazy though. I took them from Katie's Halloween candy, so they were all bite-sized rather than full-sized candy bars. Anyway, I don't know what came over me. I had just finished with my very healthy lunch and I suddenly had an overwhelming desire for a peanut butter cup. After a couple of minutes of contemplation, I figured one peanut butter cup isn't going to undo all the good I've done, is it? So, I allowed myself to have it and then I decided that one little bite-sized baby ruth isn't going to kill me either, right? So I ate that too! Anyway, you get the idea.

I think now what I'm going to do is try to eat the way I've been eating for the last 18 days, most of the time, while allowing a treat now and then. I doubt I'll go back to drinking coffee every morning. For me, once I'm drinking coffee every day, if I miss a day I get a horrible caffeine-withdrawal headache. I'll still drink it, because I love coffee, just not every single day. Also, I'd like to NOT add diet soda back into my diet. Maybe one now and then, but I should really stay away from it. There are no redeeming qualities in diet soda, whatsoever.

Time For Bed

It's time for bed, little mouse, little mouse,
Darkness is falling all over the house.

It's time for bed, little goose, little goose,
The stars are out and on the loose.

It's time for bed, little cat, little cat,
So snuggle in tight, that's right, like that.

It's time for bed, little calf, little calf,
What happened today that made you laugh?

It's time for bed, little foal, little foal,
I'll whisper a secret, but don't tell a soul.

It's time for bed, little fish, little fish,
So hold your breath and made a wish.

It's time for bed, little sheep, little sheep,
The whole wide world is going to sleep.

It's time to sleep, little bird, little bird,
So close your eyes, not another word.

It's time to sleep, little bee, little bee,
Yes, I love you and you love me.

It's time to sleep, little snake, little snake,
Good gracious me, you're still awake!

It's time to sleep, little pup, little pup,
If you don't sleep soon the sun will be up!

It's time to sleep, little deer, little deer,
The very last kiss is almost here.

The stars on high are shining bright --
Sweet dreams, my darling, sleep well...

Good night.

Day 17 of 21-Day Cleanse

I really, really want a Diet Dr. Pepper and a handful of Katie's Halloween candy today! Maybe it's because I was too lazy today to fix myself a decent lunch and now I'm dissatisfied, though not necessarily hungry. Well, maybe I am actually hungry. Even so, I still don't feel like cooking my usual lunch. A snack of apple and peanut butter sounds good though. That's what I'll do...

Day 15 of 21-Day Cleanse

I'm almost done and I can hardly believe I've actually managed to stick to it! Since starting 2 weeks ago, I've lost 5.2 lbs and although I don't really feel all that different yet as far as chronic issues go, I have eliminated food cravings that have been making it difficult to manage my weight. Even Halloween didn't tempt me with all the yummy treats given out so freely. I successfully abstained and don't feel like I missed out on anything. Hurray!

Katie and Me in the Morning

Wearing our matching Christmas PJs from 2 years ago.
I'll never get tired of Katie's hugs!

Happy Halloween!

Today didn't happen entirely how we planned it would. Regina woke up with a pretty bad headache. Thankfully though, I woke up feeling fine. That was a pleasant surprise, since I've been strung out on headaches for about the last 10 days, due to various things - not food, though (I've been very good about eliminating my "bad" foods). Anyway, Regina and I had appointments today with the same doctor at 10:00 and 10:40am. By the time we got there, Regina was feeling worse, it seemed to me, anyway. So, she saw the doctor first. I went in for my appointment later which was just a routine annual exam. The plan was for Regina to watch Katie while I did that, but as it turned out, Regina was unable to do that. So, Katie accompanied me for my (GYN) exam! The doctor was good about not exposing me directly to Katie - thankfully. We also got our flu vaccination. Instead of the shot this year, Katie and I both got the nasal mist. Katie took it very well, although she was not a willing participant. Of course, now after the fact, Katie is quite proud of herself for doing such a good job taking the medicine in her nose!

Okay, so meanwhile, Regina is in the room next to us, having received an injection of pain medicine and anti-nausea medicine, lying down with the lights low. She said later that her pain was almost gone, but she began throwing up and they had a hard time getting that under control. By the time we left, around noon, they thought she was vomitting less frequently so she might be feeling better soon. At home, she went straight to bed. Unfortunately, I heard her throwing up on several occassions after that. Katie and I had to leave and run the errands. When we got back, Regina wasn't any better. In fact, she was getting worse because the pain was returning because the pain medicine was wearing off and she was still nauseous. Argh! Well, there wasn't much I could do for her, so I let her rest and focused on getting Katie ready for trick-or-treating. At a little after 6pm, she and I headed out the door to hit up the neighbors for candy. Since Regina wasn't able to answer our door, I put two huge vats of candy on the porch. Fortunately, they were empty when we returned 90 minutes later. We teamed up with our immediate neighbors who have kids Katie's age and walked around as a group. We all had a good time. And even though it had been raining all day long, it dried up just in time for the outdoor festivities. Here are a few pictures of the kids:

When we returned from trick-or-treating, Regina was just miserable so we took her to the ER. They gave her their "migraine protocol" and she came home feeling much, much better. She even had an appetite for some of Katie's Halloween candy. Not long after that, she went to bed. No more pain, no more vomitting!

Field Trip to Pumpkin Patch

Katie's pre-k class climbed aboard a mini-school bus at 10:00 this morning and made their way to Lee's Pumpkin Patch for their first field trip this year. Parents are allowed to attend, but we don't get to ride the bus with the kids. So, I met them there, as did several other parents and siblings. Each of us was armed with our camera, and together we became the "mom-arazzi"! Here are some of the pics I got of our little celebrities:

Day 8 of 21-Day Cleanse

Well, I've made it a whole week eliminating caffeine, alcohol, animal products (including dairy and eggs), gluten and sugar. And you know what? I feel like I can keep going. It's not quite as miserable as I imagined it would be, honestly. Although I don't necessarily feel great, yet. Which is why I want to keep going. I'm actually thinking about doing it until I do feel good, if not great, however long that takes. Oh, and I lost 3 pounds since starting the cleanse a week ago. That's not necessarily why I'm doing this, but I'll take it, of course!

Day 6 of 21-Day Cleanse

I'm continuing to stick to this 21-day cleanse (no alcohol, caffeine, gluten, animal products or sugar)and am doing okay, minus this stubborn caffeine-withdrawal headache that continues to linger. Tonight, however, I'm really fighting the urge to cheat on cheese pizza and ice cream. Regina also bought some evil cupcakes that she and Katie enjoyed with their ice cream. So far, I've not allowed myself to indulge.

Today we bought 2 new car seats for Katie. One for each of our vehicles. Katie has been in the Britax Marathon since she was about 8 months old and recently we've noticed that she's just too big for it. Regina did some research and since we like the Britax brand, we agreed to get their Frontier model.

We drove over to the baby-stuff store and bought two of them, only to discover that it cannot be installed in our Jeep because the seat belt isn't long enough! I'm so thankful we took them up on their offer to install it for us because if we had taken it home and tried it ourselves, it would have driven us crazy trying to make it work. It would have never occurred to me that the seat belt might not be long enough to strap the seat into place, so I would have assumed we were doing it wrong. AND, if we'd taken it home and tried the installation ourselves, they wouldn't have let us return it. But, since the seats never even left their parking lot, they knew we hadn't done anything to them and were willing to take them back. So, per their recommendation, we bought the Graco Nautilus which they said is of equally good quality, at about half the price. Katie says she's more comfy in the new seat and she's especially excited about the built-in cup holder and it also has open space inside each armrest for her to stow things away for easy access during a car ride.

So now, we're wondering about what do we do with these two used car seats? Do people buy used car seats?