WHAT is wrong with me?!?!?!?!

That is a REALLY good question, and frankly, one that would take wayyyyyyyyyy more time and energy than I think any of us really care to devote to answering.

However, there is, as my mother would say, "a reader's digest version."

Let me clarify: when I ask "What is wrong with me?" I mean "WHY have I not posted anything in a month and a half?"

The answer?

I have no idea. I think I got lazy reading everyone else's and was like "eh, that'll do." But I was so lazy I couldn't even point you here, here or even here....which is basically like oxygen to me.

I'm really sorry. Please forgive me. Also, I work, right? so there's that...... (you're not buying that excuse, are you?)

So here's a promise: I promise that I will post more frequently, unless something better, I mean, urgent (like watching everything I've Tivo'd in the past 6 months) comes up. Heh.

But really, there have been some great things going on out there that you should see. So in the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some awesome projects I've seen.

Also, I know I told you about all those projects I had started myself. Let's be honest: I have not started a single one of them. So sue me. Okay, please don't sue me. Now that the weather is getting craptastical, the "summer dining room" that was our carport is coming down, till next year, which means I'll have a work space to attempt doing some of this crap in, until the snow catches up with me (God willing, right?)

[NOTE TO SELF: go buy chains this weekend at Wal Mart while in Lake Chelan]

[QUESTION TO SELF: can I use chains with my Ford Explorer? I have 4 wheel drive, but we know what happened last year when I really depended on it: Sergio crapped out on me - Sergio is my black Ford Explorer. I will have to ask about using chains and 4 wheel drive]

Okay, right, so back to decorating stuff. Ummmmm, where were we? Right, I promise to work on my projects. I've got the following to do:

-strip and refinish that office chair I got for Paul, even though he told me he doesn't want it - even without seeing it, or letting me give a description

-strip and stain or paint cute entryway table I got on Freecycle (currently Barney purple with broken top)

-cover and fix elementary school cabinet that was supposed to be our china hutch that I've had for over a year, which houses a bunch of crap we don't want people to see. (yeah, cuz the sunshine yellow and orange doors and sides are totally camo)

-Store all my summer clothes (um, I didn't even take them out of storage, so why are they all over my bedroom floor?)

-Knit everything in sight:

-puff ball ottoman

-hat for Paul

-scarf I started 4 years ago, seriously, I'm not joking

-water bottle cover

-hat for little Jackson (our friends' newborn)

-Take a picture of Emily and I and put it in a damn frame once and for all (we have many empty frames all over the house, it's weird.)

-Buy a house.

Okay so that wraps it up!

WHAT?! Oh, you saw that last one? riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. Well, I've been himming and hawing for a year or so now, and I think it's really time for me to get serious about it. I think I'm one of those people that is in a situation to be able to buy, and if the price is right and the project looks good......you know what I always say! "I'll start that this weekend"

Oh! Also, one last note: I'll try to take pictures of Chelan this weekend to show you and gush over when I return, AND I am attempting to start my long overdue food blog, so if you have any name suggestions, I'm all ears people!

hugs!

Siiri

Happy Last Friday of summer

Not to be a total Debbie Downer, but seriously, sad face, right?

So I thought I'd post some things that make me happy, and will make YOU happy:

Dino does Bainbridge. This was when we were puppysitting for Akash and Marissa. What a fun time!

St. Patty's Day Ri-guy. So precious!

Tiny Thatcher-poo. So good! Such a good pup!

My favorite: fudgesicle Ri-guy. I think this was his first one ever, and if I recall from Kate's blog post, he wasn't too pleased when she wouldn't let him have the whole thing. :) Shocker.

Okay, so I hope this cheers you up! It did for me, just as I was posting! We've got a big wedding this weekend, and we'll be all dressed up! I'll be sure to take fun decor related pictures of the venue, etc. (and clearly some pictures that are not decor related, but will be entertaining to say the least!)

Happy weekend,

Decorazzi

Happy birthday to me!

YAY! So excting. NOT.

I was not jazzed to turn another year older, but my peeps pulled through:

-my coworker, boyfriend and sister conspired, and got my sister to surprise me with Riley Bruce for lunch on my birthday. I was SO SURPRISED! What a great way to spend my day!!!!! Thanks to Kate, Paul and Lauren!

-Paul took me to Crow. SO GREAT. go now. I'll wait.

-Kate, Nathan and Riley got me my ever-sought-after game: Hungry Hungry Hippos

-Paul got me Twist and Spout, a great hat, and a mystery gift that hasn't shown up yet, but I'm pretty sure it's this.

-Lauren got me Cafe Du Monde from New Orleans.

-My coworkers surprised me with a birthday gathering complete with singing, candles a card and cupcakes from New York Cupcakes.

Many numerous birthday wishes were sent my way.

All in all, a great day, minus the rain.

Thanks to all, it was a good one to remember. :)

Road Runner

This is not a design post. It's not a decor post. It's a post about running. And that's what I'm doing.

I've been doing a running program, a series of podcasts (audio file like a song but you can record your voice, for those of you who aren't familiar), where a man, Robert Ullrey, is my personal running trainer and buddy.

The program is 9 weeks long and called "Couch to 5K in 9 weeks." Today I will start week 7, and I'm feeling pretty darn good! So, realizing that the program will be over soon, I thought "I should find a 5K in the near future, so I have some other goal to work towards." See, doing the audio program was the goal in and of itself. And now that I'm almost done with the program, I want to keep going with a goal that will help me keep the pace and continue to get in better shape.

So I found the Irongirl Seattle, which hosts different levels of events, such as a 5K, 10K and marathon. I signed up for the 5K which is at Greenlake, on September 12th.

I already paid, so now I really do have to stick with it, because more than being out of shape, I hate wasting money!

The Irongirl website had it's own 5K prep course running program, and it's 8 weeks long, which is exactly how many weeks I'll have after I finish the current program, before my race.

If any of you are interested, here are the links to all the info (you can click the sentence or see the full link after that, they both go to the same location):

Couch to 5K podcast series: http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/podcasts/podcasts.html
Or you can get them straight off of iTunes.
Robert Ullrey (the guy who does the podcasts) website: http://web.mac.com/robert_ullrey/iWeb/Robert/Running%20Blog/Running%20Blog.html
Irongirl Seattle: http://www.irongirl.com/Events/Seattle.htm

Anniversary dinner = awesome

So Paul surprised me with a wonderful dinner last night at Seattle's own Chez Shea. And, seriously, OMG, it was amazing. He totally took one for the team by taking me to a fancy French restaurant because, let's be honest, he had to eat another dinner after we got home just so he wouldn't pass out from hunger. But I loved it. And he said that made it totally worth while.

If you haven't been to Chez Shea, GO. NOW. seriously. What are you waiting for? Get off your chair and make a ressy now for tonight. SO GOOD. the mood, music, atmosphere, food, staff, all was amazing. I decided it's our new spot.

Pictures will come for sure, after I get them uploaded from Paul's camera...which I forgot today.

Also, we exchanged presents after dinner, and we both totally scored! I got the 8 piece All-clad Limited Edition set you see above (it's annodized, and they're only making a limited number of those sets, so I'm super lucky to have it!). I'm drooling just THINKING about what I'll make first. This cookware will last me a lifetime, so I'll never have to buy pots or pans again.

Paul also lucked out, because I bought him the top of the line roof rack system from Thule.

(This is what it will look like on the focus....I just googled "Thule roof rack on Focus," and this is what came up, which is weird, because it's exactly Paul's car, color and all)

After many, many months of trying to source that s**#&^, I finally broke down and bought it all from REI. The upshot of course being that they'll install it and if anything goes wrong, we can bring it back there. He's stoked for using it this summer for camping (think roof box), and this winter for skiing (he can now take 3 friends, put all 4 sets of skis on the roof and everything else in the trunk!)

So, yay for both of us. We had a great time, and I think as each year passes, and we continue to grow up, and grow together, our life together continues to get better and better. We are so very lucky!

I love love!

(Okay, enough of the barfy mushy talk. I'm done now. Thanks for listening!)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to US

Well, it's already here, and I can't believe another year has passed! Today Paul and I celebrate our 4 year anniversary (of our first date).

I just couldn't be happier. He makes me a better person when I'm around him, and he makes me want to be a better person when I'm around others! He sent the most fragerant (sp?) bouquet of red red RED roses and white white WHITE lilies, my faves.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy, while I enjoy the flowers in my office.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you where we went for dinner, and what we gave each other as gifts!

At a wedding of some family friends, July 2007.

A great trip to Vancouver, BC. As usual, with coffee in hand from our favorite coffee shop, which of course I can't remember the name of right now.....I'm obviously over-caffinated, and Paul is under-caffinated. I think it's right after our 3 days in Whistler during April of 2007.

At my favorite Seattle restaurant, Purple Cafe, for my surprise 25th birthday party. Paul did such a great job, I was SO surprised, I cried. that's me, crying, but smiling. August 2007.

Out and about with Em, on a Friday night at Chapel, in Seattle, April 2009.

I think our second white water rafting trip, so must be on the Skykomish River, circa May 2007.

This past Chirstmas season, 2008, getting our tree out of the forrest. This is Paul's tree, which turned out to be really curvy, and not in a good way. But it had it's Charlie Brown charm.....that is, until one day it keeled over and died on us, while we were gone, and came home to the tree fallen over, ornaments everywhere, and water soaking into the hard woods. Good times.

Another great trip to Vancouver, BC, sometime around September of 2008? Having dessert and coffee at an Italian Jazz club in the Gaslamp District.

At Rachel's wedding, September 2007, in Massachusetttes. We match, it's true.

At a Oregon Ducks game, at Autzen Stadium, sometime around October 2007, before Kate and I went to China for the first time. GO DUCKS!

New Years 2008/2009.

With my siblings, Jessica and (her husband) Brian, New Years eve, 2008/2009.

At our wonderful friends, Lincoln and Corina's wedding, last July (2008). Now they're expecting to be parents soon!

At a wedding earlier this winter, circa February 2009, at the beautiful New Castle Golf Club

just recently at a wedding, June 2009

In our second city, Vancouver, BC, on one of many trips, enjoying Stanley Park. circa 2006