Happy Birthday to Me!

My golden birthday was two days ago, I turned 24 on the 24th of July, a once in a lifetime event! Thanks a bunch to all on Facebook, Myspace and Blogspot who wished me a happy birthday! I didn't realize I had so many friends and it made my day really special! My bday landed on a Thursday, which we all know the weekend days are prime for a birthday, but I had the day off because my last day working as a caregiver was Wednesday and I start my new job working for a cardiologist on Monday!!! A great job that both Matt and I are thrilled about and feel like a lot of our prayers have been answered.  My 24th year is gonna be a good one I can tell already!!! My mom wrote me a birthday poem on her blog, and I LOVED it! It seriously brought tears to my eyes because it was so funny, true and personalized. Check it out at http://boisehowells.blogspot.com and leave my Mom a comment about what a good poet she is! I think she should write the next Where the Sidewalk Ends series :) Anyway the whole reason I am blogging about my birthday is because Matt got me my DREAM PURSE and I kept saying repeatedly how much I loved it so he mentioned that it was only fair since I blogged about how much I love our Dyson vacuum that my purse gets the same treatment!  I would have to agree!

Behold my new favorite inanimate object! 

     You can look, but don't touch. :)

After my perfect purse was purchased, we went out to dinner at Buca Di Beppo and shared a scrumptrilescent Italian dish. It was a great night! 

Then yesterday to continue the fun in good birthday extending fashion I went and had Matt's cousin Christine cut my hair into an A-line bob. Gotta ring in my 24th year with a new do! She did a fabulous job! Later at night Matt's parents Ed and Carol came over and they took us to dinner at Fins in Westlake.  Like all dinner outings should be, we mostly went for the dessert!  We shared chocolate fondue with berries, pound cake and wafers and a enormous banana split in a dish so big you could probably curl up and take a nap in it (that is, if you like napping in ice cream) They were delish! It was a lot of fun! 

No more stringy locks and split ends! Yahoo!

                  The end. 

Perusing Portland Before Heading Home

Eating lunch together at the oldest restaurant in Portland! Nice camera trick making Matt and I look like munchkins in the background, wish I knew how we did it. 
The oldest fountain in Portland. Well maybe not, but it went with the restaurant theme. 
I found out Ben's weakness: Bread Pudding. Looks like it's Chantal's too. 
The four of us by the river. It was an awesome way to end our vacation exploring Portland with Ben and Chantal. 

The Lighthouse

My mom waited 'til we got to the top just so she could take our picture,  seconds before my camera died!
The light makes me look like a short legged giant.

I wanted to take this spiral staircase home with me. 
All the family at the look out by the Octopus tree. 
Nice view!

Out takes

The Croquet Warriors. 
I don't think that's how you play croquet though. 

         Attack of the Gulls. Bryson thought he would give them a treat and they went berserk!
Feed me seymour! Feed me!
Our family motto. 
Bryson's adopted pet. 
I think we can! I think we can! (it was really steep)

This is what happens when you have Ben take your picture. 

Never a dull moment with the Howell's!

I dare you to come near my birthday cake!

Karate Kprow

Best Beach Bonfire

The two of us on Rockaway beach.

Brother and Sisters and I promise that's real not a cardboard backdrop behind us. 


Sun was beginning to set. Time to break out the roasting equipment!


Our bonfire camp that the boys set up for us. The tarp made a cozy wind block, perfect place to sit while roasting dogs and mallows. 

Cool pic that Matt took of our fabolouso bonfire and Mom and Bry. 

Chantal invented a new way of roasting and toasting that was quick, easy and smoke free. 

S'more making 101.  

Matt doesn't kid around when it comes to feasting on s'mores. All the black smudgies on my face is mascara from the smoke in my eyes. I guess I shouldn't have been staring at the fire. 

This was my favorite night of our vacation and you can see why. 

I lost count of days but here is more fun that we had!

All the men scrunched up in the back of the van on our way to the Tillamook factory. Careful over those speedbumps!

Our three flavor masterpiece compliments of the young kid behind the counter whose scooping skills were amazing. He gave us bulldozer size scoops not kidding. 

Look at that beauty. 

World's largest ice-cream cone. My arm was straining just to hold it up to licking range. 

All of us after our dairy and sugar intake for the week was maxed out thanks to all the ice-cream and cheese samples. 

Day 3: Boogie boarding

We three, Bryson, Dad and I, decided to brave the ocean waters described by Chantal as arctic (which I think fully captures their numbing capabilities after about 30 seconds of being in them).  I am positive none of us would have even considered going boogie boarding  if it weren't for the wet suits my Dad brought.  

After being in the ocean for awhile our fans with cameras came out to capture some pictures. If you listen closely you can hear our teeth chattering. 



Dad and I. And oh look, the sun finally came out to pay us a visit! It was a lot of fun boogie boarding that first day we were there and the wetsuits though hard to get on and off were a lifesaver.  I should have blown this picture up so our rippling muscles could be seen better.  

Three sea lions playing about. Or could it be us out there? It's hard to say. 

After playing out in the crashing waves.  I think we would have stayed out there all day if we hadn't lost the feeling in all of our phalanges. 

Day 1 and 2: train ride from H-E- double hockey sticks

Getting ready to board our 30 hour train ride to Oregon. Cheerful and happy and have absolutely no idea here what we are in store for. 

My thoughtful pose. Probably beginning to suspect we haven't fully understood how long 30 hours really is. 

Matt here is entertaining the thought of retiring early and staying on vacation permanantly. 

This is a shot of our caboose (not that one)

And here is a pic of us 20 hours later.  Still on the train. Still in California, delayed an extra 7 hours because two drunk dummies in the early a.m. decided to play chicken with a freight train that was ahead of us and one aforementioned dumdum ended up losing a leg. We had already dealt with a bunch of crazies on the train, 2 guys got kicked off and arrested for getting inebriated 3 hours into the ride, there was a lady sitting in front of us who was dying to have a conversation with anyone and everyone and if no one wanted to she was quite happy to have one with herself, and there was a bajillion kids playing tag up and down the rows for hours on end. I think the conductor himself was about to have a breakdown from all the chaos. Well on the bright side we can cross "riding a train" off our list of to-dos. Thankfully my parents were nice enough to drive an extra 2 hours from Portland where they were scheduled to pick us up at 3 p.m. to Eugene where we practically jumped in their arms! We wouldn't have gotten into Portland until after midnight so it worked out better that they came and rescued us. Thanks Mom, Dad, Ben and Chantal! We owe you big time! How about a slice of Tillamook cheese?

Amazing

Today at church we had a musician named Kendall Payne come in and sing for us.  I posted the song she sang to the side of this blog. Just pause the songs I have at the bottom of my page that play automatically so you can listen to this one. (Next time I'll have to remember to line my pockets with Kleenex beforehand) It will give you goosebumps. These are the lyrics......

I will show you love like you've never loved before
I will go the distance and back for more
If you just say the word

'Cause you will come alive again
Call to trying times your friend
Pain that you have suffered through
Will never get the best of you
You will hope in something real
That won't depend on how you feel
When you call my name
Then I will answer, answer

'Cause I am on your side
Though the wind and waves
Beat against your faith
And you were on my mind
when the world was made
Trust in me my child
Trust in me my child

Walk out on the water
Where you have no control
Scared to death of failure
You sacrifice your soul
Please let that go

'Cause you have climbed
An uphill road
You have worn a heavy load
You have cried through endless nights,
nearly giving up the fight
Watched your dreams like falling stars
and heartache made you who you are
now looking back you see
That I have always been there

'Cause I am on your side
Though the wind and waves
Beat against your faith
and you were on my mind
when the world was made
Trust in me my child
Trust in me my child

Where're you gonna hide?
Where're you gonna hide from me?
Where're you gonna go?
Where're you gonna go, that i can't see?

'Cause I have heard you cry
And it breaks my heart, for I love you so
I would never lie
This is not the end, there is still a hope

And I am on your side
Though the wind and waves
Beat against your faith
And you were on my mind
when the world was made
Trust in me my child
Trust in me my child

Spider City Relocation

I haven't written in a while, and that is mostly because I have been too busy killing spiders to sit down to type.  That's right the Spider City  exhibit from the Los Angeles Zoo a few months back I'm pretty sure has relocated to our apartment. I am getting a crick in my neck from straining it all the time doing this 360 degree head turn scanning any room I'm in for eight legged squatters. Spiders are NOT welcome where I live! So whoever extended them an invitation I am revoking it right now!  They have caused me all sorts of problems....namely Anxiety, especially because whenever I see one I squeal (that's precisely what it is I'm ashamed to say) for Matt to come squish it. However his track record of squishing is not that great. In fact so much so that I can't even watch now because every time he goes for them with a paper towel, he is confident he's got it and then comes up empty handed! Which you can imagine leaves me in a panicked frenzy hopping around like I'm standing on hot coals! The thought of a spider still lurking in my midst doesn't sit well with me. I swear Matt's theme song in his head when he's the exterminator is that Snoop Dogg one that goes "drop it like it's hot, drop it like it's hot".  But it's the thought that counts I suppose, because he never fails to try and get them for me. 

The list of troubles these arachnids have caused me goes....not only anxiety and restless night, but also the time I was carrying a pot of boiling water from the stove to the sink, saw a spider by my feet and almost dumped the water all over myself. Matt that time said that a spider crawling on me is worth the risk rather then get third degree burns. I suppose he is right about that one. 

And the number one inconvenience in my life lately caused by spiders is.....HIVES. Yep, never had them before and I'll be thrilled to never get them again. I was beginning to think I had the chicken pox for a second round, when Matt researched it on line and found you can get them from an insect bite. It just so happens a few days prior I had asked him one morning about a red bump on my hip and he was positive it was a spider bite. (sick! spiders should not allowed in beds!)  It was really itchy and started to get bigger and then I got a rash which then turned into hives! NOT fun. I don't recommend anyone get them :) 

Well the pretty much wraps up my spider rant.  I realize there is a need for spiders in the world, but if they could just stay outside and out of my view I would greatly appreciate it, lately they just seem to want to get domesticated and think our casa is their casa.  Everytime I see them I just want to yell what Adam Sandler says to the golf ball in Happy Gilmore "Go to your home spider! Don't you like you're home!?"