Something feminine. Something pink!

I just finished making blueberry jam. Yum! The apartment smells just like blueberry cobbler right now! I could die lol. It's the best smell ever... But that means we'll be having home made blueberry jam all through the winter, i made so much. I really should give some of it away but everyone seems to complain about sugar these days. Bunch of wimps! lol... I don't know what it is about making jam it just makes me so happy.... A couple weeks ago i made mango jam, which was interesting, but not my fave. It was an experiment since i've never had mango jam before but i think it tastes more like pumpkin rather than mango. Maybe i'll use it for filling in a dessert... Next i'm going to make peach macadamia conserve. So let's hope it works out. I'll do that in another couple weeks.

Dana's interview is tomorrow. Yay. I'm excited for him. He really wants the job so hopefully he'll get it.

So right now i'm reading The Host. It's really good so far. Kind of suspenseful. But very mysterious. I'm still not completely sure what's going on but i've only just started it. Hopefully the pieces will start to fit together and it'll make more sense. But yeah, it's really good so far. But, dang, it's a loooooooooooong book. It'll take me a while to finish.

*sigh*
So this upcoming weekend is going to be fun filled *insert hint of sarcasm*... Yeah, it's time for the annual family reunion on my dad's side. My dad's side of the family is kind of.... Ummmmm....... Stuck up at times. I have a hard time getting along with most of them but i just try to act happy to see them and it usual works out well... This time around i'm going to be making sugar cookies with cute cutters and icing for the kids. Yep, way exciting lol.
Yikes. Time for some rest.

Last weekend was pretty fun.
Friday I hung out with my mom, my oldest sister and her kids / husband. I had a pretty good time with them... Saturday we just slept in and did some shopping.
Sunday Dana and i went to Mt. Hood Ski Bowl for fun. We went on the Alpine slide a couple times and then raced each other on the race cars. It was actually quite fun. The scenery is so pretty up there too. Sometimes I wish I could live out in the woods like that. Maybe somewhere near the town of Sandy or Government Camp. It's just so peaceful and pristine.

Dana has heard from a couple jobs recently - so hopefully that means he will get an interview soon. He really wants to stay in IT work so let's hope he can find something.
*crossing my fingers!!!*

I love him sooooooo much!!!!! He's such a cutie, my Hank.

This last week was pretty damn hecktic. Geez, i'm so happy it's Saturday today. We were supposed to hang out with our friends Steve and deb but they ended up being way too busy so it'll have to wait till next weekend. And that's okay.
I finally started volunteering at the library again today. That makes me so happy... Although, i was NOT happy about getting up at 7am again today. I so desperately wanted to sleep in but got ready anyway. And I ended up feeling really good about doing that. I love volunteering. The library happens to be one of my favorite places to enjoy my spare time and it's also going to help me with my career - hopefully.
But now I feel like i could REALLY use a good night's sleep. I'm going to bed relatively early tonight and then sleeping as late as I want!
Yes, i'm happy about that.
Oh, and I lost 2 lbs this week. .... !!

So yeah. We should all be typing EFULJ instead of LJ from now on. lol...
It seems like many people are suffering through the economy and such these days. Wish more positive events would happen in our lives so we would have more "happy" things to write about. But not to worry - what goes up must come down.... And then possibly back up again??? *smilies*

So I have decided to start volunteering at the Tigard library again. I did not even get a chance for the Tualatin library paid position and that really made me sad. And... Sunk my confidence... Then a few days later I got a call from a guy who wants to interview me for some contract type office job... Hmmm, it pays the same as what i'm making now but i'd be stuck sitting in an office all day instead of burning calories while flitting around walmart stores at my currect job. Huh... Yeah, i'll keep my job.
Plus, today I worked with my boss (i only work with him every 3 months or so - he lives up north a few hours) and he said that eventually the company will probably want me to work full time. Woot! I hope that happens. I could really use the extra cash and the bene's. So that is something to hope, wish and/or pray for. ((((PLEASE))))
So i'm in a pretty good mood today. No real particular reason why except for the fact that it's sunny and i got to wear my white and baby blue sundress today. Also with the white beaded necklace that my mom bought me. And white sandals with a heel... Ahhhh, a dose of fresh sun. Tomorrow i'll tan also.
SO hopefully if i keep volunteering for a while i'll be able to land one of the library jobs that pay better than what i'm making. That would be so great. And also finish my book. Rrr, haven't had time lately but eventually.
Yep Yep. In a good mood.

I would rely on my mother for advice. She has been co-owner of the "family business" for over 25 years and knows almost everything there is to know.
It is my dream to own a business someday, even if just a small business. I have so many ideas in my mind, but mainly one in particular... And my mother would be there for me every step of the way.

I would have to say that I favor pie over cake as of maybe a year ago. I would have said cake before... I think pie is the best when it's warm or even hot. And I like it plain - rarely want ice cream. The one exception is pumpkin pie - it always needs ice cream or whipped cream.

I sooooooooo LOVE these pebble necklaces and want to order a couple soooooo bad!
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5528272
I want one for xmas this year if I do not get the chance to have one sooner, which I probably won't. I just they they are so pretty.

Today I stayed home from work again and have been working on my novel instead... I think I have a pinched nerve. I am in some very very very bad pain because of it. The pain starts in my left side of my lower back and continues down my leg. I could hardly get out of bed this morning. *sigh* I need to see a doctor but can't, damn it. Oh well, that is my life.

But I want the pebble necklaces!!!!

That is a hard question for me to answer... I care the most for my husband. But I also care and worry a lot about my mom and 3 sisters. I also care so much for my friends and even my LJ friends. But Dana is the #1 person that I care about.

So last Tuesday I started a new diet... God, help me. I am practically starving myself, though not enough to be harmful. I'm just not used to the incessant hunger pains and not indulging in my cravings. I have been giving in to myself wayyyyy too much for the past few months. So now i'm getting back on track. I lost 2 lbs, so I must be doing something right... I decided that during the weekends I should be allowed to eat some "bad" things so we went out to lunch yesterday. And then today we at lunch at the saturday market. I had really good polish food, just like grandma used to make it.
I've finally come to a stopping point in my book. I cannot go any further. Like I am having writers block and i'm right at the end! I HATE that! ... So Dana and i decided it would be a good idea to just print out the whole novel from start to finish and then read it like a book to see if maybe that will help me get an idea for the ending... I think it might actually help me.
Yay. Back to work tomorrow. (Please library call me back for an interview, please please please please). And back on the diet! woohoo!

So this last weekend was pretty good.
We took Dana's mom out to dinner on Friday. We went to this awesome italian restaurant called DeNicola's. I would have to say that they are the 2nd best Italian restaurant in the Portland area where Giovanni's is number one. They are to die for! Anyway, we had a great time with his mom. We haven't seen her in like two years but she just moved in with Dana's sister in law in NE Portland. So we'll be seeing her more often.
Saturday we drove down to Eugene and hung out with my mom and my unkle who is living with my mom while he looks for a job. We pretty much just hung out with with them and watched movies for most of the day. We also met my moms new dog Zoey. He's an older Boxer/Pitbull mix. He's actually VERY sweet and loving though. I took him on two walks on Saturday - now we're best friends. He has to be the strongest dog I have ever encountered. When he would stop for a quick pee on a bush or something he would just stop without me noticing and I would be jerked backward. And I'm no skinny little thing... So yeah, he's a strong boy.
Sunday I was the first person in the house to wake up at 9am. Everyone else slept till at least 10 but that's only because I made sure to make enough noise to get them up! hehehe... Dana and I went Goodwilling because I'm looking for OLD cookbooks. I found three. Then we came home and my mom and I went to Fred Meyer she got her oil changed in her cadi.
So we had a pretty good time and I got to spend time with my mom for once.

I also realized this week that I really like gardening as long as it's not overwhelming. We started a little garden on our patio. We planted bell peppers, tomatoes, chives, rosemary, basil, cilantro and mint. And we also have a hanging pink gardenia. So pretty, i'm really enjoying it. Can't wait to reap the benefits.
Tomorrow I'm going to apply for a library position again. *crossing my fingers* and then get ready for the work week. I'll be working tuesday through friday this week. Yay.

So I have been testing out a few recipes that turned out quite yummy. Last weekend I made Strawberry Ice Cream - No Sugar Added. I used Splenda and fresh strawberries. It was good but not as wonderful as I had expected. So I'll make some adjustments next time. It was still quite good though and I only made enough for Dana and I to have two small servings, which we ate over the weekend.
Then on Sunday I made Strawberry Jam from scratch. And I made it the old school way - using a cookbook from 1974. I am a freak for old recipes. I truly have a "thing" for old cookbooks and love to give them a try. I'm thinking of collecting antique cookbooks from now on. Anyway, I did a lot of studying and then followed the directions to the T. The Strawberry Jam turned out well though a little runny as I did not have a candy thermometer. I now have one! But ohhhh the taste is wonderful compaired to store bought. It is worth the time and effort, in my opinion. And it is not too runny, just moreso than normal.
I made the third recipe today as I stayed home sick from work. I think I may be coming down with something, although I doubt it. It's probably just alergies... So today I made Turkish Delight. If you've ever read or watched the Narnia books/movies then you have heard of Turkish Delight. The evil queen uses it to win over the chubby english boy (The candy is very popular in the UK from what I have heard)... So traditionally Turkish Delight is a jelly like candy cut into squares and rolled in powdered sugar to keep them from sticking together. The traditional flavor used is rose and lemon. So that is the flavor I decided to try for my first time making the candy. It was surprisingly easy to make! You just boil the ingredients and then refrigerate like a jello mold... The rose water was the only expensive ingredient. But all in all I'd say it was worth it also.
I have always wanted to start up a candy making business but I'm sure I never will. It's just a little fantasy I have had since my teen years... So it satisfies my soul a little when I accomplish even just one succesful candy batch.
I can die happy now that I've FINALLY tried the famous Turkish Delight! *giggles* And I'll keep making it in different flavors. Same for the jam.
( Pics of yummies )

Hey,
I just wanted to post this info for anyone who needs a new pair of glasses and wants to get a really good deal.
Glasses are so expensive these days if you buy them at one of the chain glasses stores or directly from the doctor's office. I couldn't afford a pair last year when I had my eye exam!
So my sister told me about this website where you can order perscription glasses starting at $8.99. They go up from $8.99, of course. And if you need bi focal or tinting or something like that - it is extra. The lenses are high quality and the frames are pretty good. They have a wide selection of styles of frames.
I ordered two pairs and Dana ordered two pairs also. I spent $12.99 each for mine.
You just need to know your exact perscription - so we just called the eye doctor and the receptionist told us.
The website is zennioptical.com...

Hope it helps.

So the sun has finally decided to show it's self today. Thank you Sun!!! Dana and I went on a bike ride when I got home from work and it was quite enjoyable. I sweated like a pig, but such is life??? Yep, I need to get back into shape enough to get up those hills. We have tons of hills around where we live. There is no such thing as a flat road around here, I swear. Oh well, it's still fun. I'm so sore though!
There are so many houses for sale in our neighborhood, it's a shame we cannot buy a home. But I'm working on getting on fulltime with the company I work for. And my credit rating has gone up lately so that should help if we ever are able to buy a home some day... There is a really cute house for rent like a quarter mile from us that has a pool in the back yard. God, it's expensive but I so wish we could afford to rent a house. Maybe in the future.
I found a recipe for Turkish Delight a few months ago. And it has taken me this long to obtain the ingredients to make it so i'm going to try that out later or maybe tomorrow. Yum, I can't wait! I really must go to England some day.
Also going to make strawberry jam this weekend! Yay!
Anyway, that's it for the time being.

Hide and Go Seek was my fave game as a kid, especially playing it outdoors.
But if we're talking boardgames then I guess it would have to be Candyland when I was little. And then I liked Clue or Life when I was a bit older.

I still really like Clue or any game that involved a whole group of people playing. Like Pictionary or something like that.

Last weekend we got a new kitten. Just kind of on a whim we decided to go pick out a kitten on the way to a friends house.
He's really cute and sweet. About 6 weeks old. He and my older cat Zoe are not getting along but they at least are not fighting anymore. So eventually they will (hopefully) be friends but right now they are still getting used to each other.
His name is Hank.
( Pics of baby Hank )

Pop tarts
Yes, I love pop tarts. I know they have nothing to offer nutritionally (not to mention the calories are high) but I just love the cinnamon ones. So I buy a package of them like every couple months and eat them in less than a week.
So yeah, I feel really guilty and silly for buying them and wish that I would stop.

Fun!
The husband and I had a wonderful weekend!
Saturday he worked for a couple hours then he picked me up and we visited some friends across town - so to speak. We brought chicken, potato salad, soda and chips with us. It was all ready good and so was the company.
And since we have been having such nice weather lately (today it was 80ish degrees) we decided to go check out Mt. Saint Helens. They had free admission to the observatory just today. So we drove there, it took about an hour and a half. And we had fun looking at the scenery, buying t shirts and just hangin out. The volcano is so pretty and still covered in snow but rapidly melting. I'd like to go back and stay at the resort they have over there. Maybe later this summer.
But right now we're planning a trip to Victoria B.C. still. Yay. I looooove summer. We didn't get a Spring this year. It just went from Winter to Summer. Oh well. Not gonna complain!

I'm all ready tired of hearing about Obama and Hilary. I sincerely believe that both will do a great job as the president. So just pick one all ready! hehehe.

Probably... 10ish
I can't afford to buy shoes that will just sit around in my closet waiting for that special engagement for me to wear them.
My shoe inventory:
1 pair black shiny shoes (low heel)
2 pair black heels
2 pair black dressy sandals
2 pair pink dressy sandals
1 pair Nike's
And maybe two pairs of flip flops

So there!