Get 'r Done Round #2

As if you didn't know it already, I really love my family. My amazing parents visited Nick and I this weekend with a mixed agenda of business and pleasure. The business/pleasure ration is very much 3/97 but still...we did have a few projects to get done around the house. Luckily my dad's livelihood and hobbies are one in the same: fixing stuff. So we had at it and got a lot done. Lamely, I did not take a single photograph while they were here (I have no excuse...I need to train myself to be more picture orientated), but I thought a bullet list of our accomplishments could take place of a picture. To be fair, my dad did 97% of the stuff, but because he is an inclusive kind of guy, he would say that in a matter of 2 days Mom, Dad, Nick, Brea and I:

• Rewired the garbage disposal so it doesn't blow the breaker every time we turn it on
• Replaced weather stripping around our front door for higher efficiency during the cold months
• Repaired the wood base one of the french doors...the wind can be harsh around here
• Fixed the shower door to stop the water from leaking out
• Re-caulked the kitchen and bathroom sink
• Tuned the locks on all the doors for easier functioning
• Partially built the air filter replacement system for our furnace
• Replaced broken shingles on the roof (see that wind is fierce!)

There were times when Nick and Dad were working together on a project and there was no room for me...so I cleaned things that I typically put off...like washing our big bay windows...inside and out and vacuuming under the couches (I really try to avoid this at all costs...). It was great! Plus, dad helped me with quarterly taxes...yuck!

But don't think we didn't squeeze any fun in there. We toured the town on Bellingham and Fairhaven on bike, had a celebratory birthday dinner for dad (steak, potatoes, corn, salad and dessert of course: Buttermilk Yellow Cake, layered with chocolate pastry cream, bananas and whipping cream), hit up Hellingham at the Up-Front Theater (improv show) and went to church. So...not too bad for a weekend with the folks. Nick and I know we are spoiled with such great parents (including ours in Texas!!!)...what a blessing God has given us!

Fall is Here

I was reflecting about my blog today and found myself a bit frustrated with it. I seem to fail in the "blogging often" category. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if any one even read this anymore because my blogs are so few and far between. I figure this is OK considering in a few years, it will be nice to look back and see where I was (sometimes it is so easy to forget) and where I am (sometimes so hard to imagine).

I admire my consistent blogging friends...like my dear friend Anne Marie who is traveling through Italy right now and posts every day, if not multiple times a day to write in great detail about the adventures she has taken part of. Or my incredibly creative and amazing photographer friend Shannon, who posts often the most beautiful pictures of her kids, nature and so easily blogs about the perks of life (like kids cocoa at Starbucks). I doubt I will ever be an everyday, creative photo posting blogger...but as I tell myself so many times throughout the day about many things..."compare and dispair Andi...compare and dispair."

On a different note....I have been enjoying the beautiful Autumn weather. Fall has always been my favorite season. All the color changes, the crunchy leaves that are so fun to stomp on and the crispness in the air. I often look out our front windows in our living room and see the leaves from the neighbors yard dance their way from the branch to the ground. It really is quite a sight. I also love to add a few Autumn accents to the house.

I wouldn't call myself a seasonal decorator, but I just so happen to have a lot of brown, red and orange stuff. Chalk it up to buying my condo a few years ago in Kirkland in the fall and needing to turn an empty place into a decorated home. It didn't even dawn on me until the following January that most of the stuff I bought were fall colors, because that was what was available in the stores. Ah well...I don't mind...it just gets me even more excited when this time of the year comes so I can switch it up a bit.

Today I am particularly cheery because I my work-space is bright and warm. Our house is a comfortable 69 degrees without the furnace running (thanks to a passive solar home design).

My "office"

It's the little things in life that makes the difference. Speaking of which...make sure you vote! I sent my ballot out today!

Wedding Season 2008 Comes To A Close

A feeble attempt of my photography to portray how Steve can transform a tent into an elegant wedding reception. Check out his website for real pics of his talent.

Late on Saturday night, another season came to a close in my life: 2008 Wedding Season. After the bride and groom had made their vows, cut their cake and danced their first dance as husband and wife, I made my quick rounds of goodbyes to the families, vendors and staff, slipped on my jacket and drove myself out of Semiahmoo Resort. It was a joyful drive home...a 30 minute trek of reflecting over the summer's festivities, experiences and well... nightmares.

I learned a lot this spring and summer as a wedding coordinator for the oh-so-talented and amazingly gifted Steve Moore (http://www.stevenmooredesigns.com/). Like how to ensure a wedding will start on time when the bride arrives an hour and a half late to the venue for pictures, and has yet to apply her makeup and put on her dress. (Please note that the groom was impeccably timely....come to think of it...all the grooms and groomsmen this summer were ALWAYS attentive, helpful, timely and courteous. Too bad society has given them a bad reputation for being just the opposite of that.) Or the time the groom disappeared during the garter toss and I sprinted up and down the halls of the resort to locate him while his bride sat patiently in the middle of the dance floor with 400 eyes on her and twenty single men swarming her. Or the SEVERAL times a weather call had to be made 20 minutes before the ceremony because of the dark clouds and gusty winds felt like Washington's first typhoon approaching. Don't think for a moment that weather-calls are easy decisions to make when thousands and thousands of dollars have been committed to these outdoor venues, rented chairs, string quartets, sound systems and flowers, not to mention the hours dumped into finding the "perfect spot," laying out the ceremony floor plan and practicing just how the processional will transpire.

Don't get me wrong, of all the nightmares that happened this summer, the beauty, elegance and charisma that a wedding brings out far out-weighed the traumatic, dramatic and sporadic moments. For example, seeing the happy couple stare longingly into each other's eyes throughout the night...knowing that this wedding is going to last. Or the times when not a single glitch occurs (logistically) during the night and the MoB, FoB, BM and MoH all come up to you to compliment the workings of a well-ran wedding. And of course...the most important of all...being surrounded by such an amazing team of professionals who love what they do and do it well. Nothing makes a wedding coordinators job easier than having vendors who are reliable, consistent and enthusiastic. Wow! I do feel so very blessed to have seen what I have seen, done what I have done and I look forward to another season of it next year. Until then, I will continue to do behind the scene stuff, building up my business, oh and enjoying my Saturdays OFF!

Growing my Computer Knowledge

Man oh man...it only took me a year and a half to understand how Blogger works, but ahhhhh....now I can rest at peace because: I GET IT! That whole side bar thing really through me for a loop, but see what can be done with a Saturday morning (as your husband is at Whistler, riding his heart out)...an updated profile and new picks, links and blogs!

Go COUGS!

Last weekend the Lopez clan hit I-90 East for yet another Lopez Family extravaganza. All six of us (well...7 if you count my sister's bun in the oven) piled into the Toyota Sienna, with the new pop up camper trailer in the back and hit the road to Pullman (a 7 hour drive - one way).
For those of you who know Matt, my brother in law, you know that the Cougs are not to be taking lightly. For as long as I have known him, Cougar Football would rank high, if not the highest, on the list of all-time-favorite-pass times. I am talking a die hard. The man has flown my sister all over the country to watch the first game of the season, not matter what the cost. He LOVES it. So the family decided to take this 14 hour road trip to see just what the fuss is all about...we were to attend our very first Coug football game.
This being my first time to step foot in Pullman, I have very low expectations. After all I have heard to two repetitive things about this school:
1. They party hard
2. Extra curricular activities (besides partying) was cow tipping
So needless to say, when we drove into town I was pleasantly surprised. I saw hills, green trees, a beautiful campus and lots of young people with energy that can only be given off in a college town. We parked our car and trailer in the overflow parking lot near campus (our accommodations for the weekend), and hit the town walking. First stop was dinner: Stella's, the land of amazing Pizza and Calzones. After dining on our fab pizza (I recommend the Birkenstock) we began to soak up what was to be a common sight for the Cougar weekend as we toured the campus: clusters of young college students, screaming, cursing and just pain ol' having fun all around us. Matt was an amazing tour guide...full of random facts about the buildings and landmarks. We put in miles and miles and I am happy to report that I was taken away by the campus. As I said above, college campus' give off this vibe of energy and exuberance. WSU was no exception. You could almost smell the individualism, new experiences, youth and learning in the air. I was astounded at the Student Union Building...the x-box players, the full size movie theater, the Rock Band playing hard with their audiences pounding free Full Throttle's, one after another, the Bookie (Barnes & Noble), the goreous view of the Stadium...it was quite impressive. We headed back outside for a closer birds-eye view of the stadium...preparing ourselves for the game yet to come. Then, the peace and solitude quickly ended as we ventured to the land of skimpy clothes, high heals and foam parties: Greek Row.
My adorable cousin Matthew, is a "pledge" in one of the fraternity houses at WSU...a freshman this year (gosh they grow up so fast). I couldn't tell you which one, because they all sound the same to me: Phi Betta Kappa, Delta Phi Betta, etc, etc, etc. Anyways...my determined mother thought it would be a great idea to visit Matthew, so she gave him a call and passed the phone to Matt to get directions. So there we were, 6 (7) gawking, plainly dressed (as in wearing jackets and tennis shoes not the obvious college wear of short skirts (girls) and no shirts (boys - headed to the foam party), out of towners walking down Greek row looking for cousin Matthew. Finally we stumbled upon him and he took in his family (like it or not, here we are) with amazing grace. Luckily, he was on "risk management" (making sure the "brothers" aren't getting out of control) so he gave us a tour of the frat and the run down of what it's like to be a "pledge." After a bit, we parted ways and headed back the 2 miles to the camper trailer...after all we did have to rest up for our game the next day.
The game, I am sorry to say was a bit of a bust. Cougs lost to the Oregon Ducks 63 to 7 or something terrible like that. However it was great fun to finally capture the true experience of being at a game ourselves. Plus I got to eat the best ice cream ever from WSU's very own creamery, as well as work out in the state of the art recreation center, and analyze the cheerleaders moves with my sister (I may have caught a collective 10 minutes of the game). After wards, we hit up Stella's for yet another dinner, then back up to the Student Building for a free viewing of Get Smart (hilarious).

My balloon visor...it was 80 degrees and we were sitting in the direct sunlight. Good think Nick always has balloons in his pocket.

All in all the weekend was awesome! Well worth the drive over there...but what can I say...I am a sucker for family time, new experiences and delicious food!

The boys - Wow...there's a lot of legs in this pic!