Magical Amount

I frequently find myself singing this little jingle throughout the day. I can't believe it....but hey, it's catchy! Watch at your own risk...you too, will end up singing this tune:

Preparing for Taiwan

In order to help my sibs and I prepare for Taiwan 08, Jennifer sent along these Hello Kitty quizzes. The best part is the English translations!

One measures your level of caring {take the test here!}. This is mine:


The second tells you which historical figure you are most like {take the test here!}. My results:


The final test measures your stress level {test here}. Mine:


Now that I know what Hello Kitty thinks of me, I think I'm prepared for our Taiwan trip, and it sounds like I should take up gardening to reduce my stress. I'll just have to discover my green thumb first! :)

Introducing...

...Dr. Blake {officially!}. Blake's graduation was a wonderful experience! I am so completely proud of him, and am excited for him to begin working. If you need a chiropractor, look him up!



...Mr. & Mrs. Dr. Casey V. What a cute couple! I wish them many years of happiness and safe traveling as they move from Iowa to Seattle {where Casey is going to practice} this week. We are going to miss them!

Itchy

I hate winter because my skin gets dry and then I get itchy. Lately, however, it's been awful. I am itchy all over {especially on my back}! Sometimes, I can't get to sleep because I'm so itchy. I think I better see a doctor about this next week. I even have a small rash on my left shoulder blade. Putting aloe and Neosporin on it seems to help...but I hate being itchy, especially on that small spot of my back that is hard to reach!

Cap and Gown

This soon-to-be Doctor of Chiropractic is still a kid at heart. We were trying to figure out how to make his doctorate hood thingy work properly on his graduation gown, when we gave up, and decided to mess with the cap instead. I think he should wear it like this at his graduation on Friday:

Please pay special attention to the tuft of hair sticking out of the front, and the fact that his ears are tucked into the sides of the cap. :)

Filing a grievance

This is the way to do it. I guess I just needed a swift kick in the butt, though I'm not sure I would define my offense as negligible. Middling is a much nicer word. :) Thanks Jen!

click on the image to view in larger size

Loving Winter

Who is the lone winter lover on my poll? If you would please make yourself known, I'm very much looking forward to enlisting your help to scoop the drifts out of our driveway, all the while enjoying your favorite season.

Since the break of this last winter storm, we've been snowed in. Blake headed to school today to attend some last minute meetings before he graduates this weekend. The roads were pretty dicey for him getting there, so he is spending the night with a friend. Only a little over a month until Spring. Hooray!

Free to a good home

We met Dakota today. A 5-year-old pure-bred American Eskimo dog {Learn more about the breed here} , who's love-able, friendly, beautiful, and in need of a good home! We tossed around the idea of taking him in ourselves, but with the changes we've got in our future {more specifically, both of us working full time}, we weren't sure it was such a good idea.

He would need a little work {as any dog would}, but would make a great addition to any home! His current owners leave him kenneled up all the time and provide him with a bad diet, which has made him overweight. This is an easy fix: a daily walk and some special dog food will lighten him right up {plus, the person watching him now is already working on getting rid of some of those pounds for you!} If you have a home, are getting one soon, or are allowed to have pets where you are, please consider this wonderful little dog!

The only cost to you for Dakota would be a minor vet check-up bill which would probably be less than $75. If you're interested, let us know via a comment or something. We can get in touch with you, provide you with more details, and even arrange a meeting if need be.

He's so sweet. Isn't he adorable?!

What a Valentine

I can't list the number of reasons that I love my adult choir so much, but I can show you. Look at the Valentine they gave me! {Well, that the men gave me...but I know it's really from everyone} I think my favorite part is the homemade card. Gosh. I just love them so much! Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow!

Sick

Sorry for the lack of updates....I've been feeling a little under the weather, and I'm sure a lot of it has to do with what seems to be the never-ending winter. I don't even think I remember what pavement looks like as it seems all the roads I have to drive are covered in snow, ice, or both. I want to see some green foliage, though the other type of green {$$$$$} would be nice as well.

After Blake graduates next weekend, we'll be on the hunt for some guest beds. Hopefully we can find a steal. Any ideas for great bed shops? Or better yet, anyone have a full-queen sized bed they want to donate to the Becky and Blake household?

Yum

I've got great things in store for these delicious looking cards that I picked up yesterday! I can't wait to mail them. Some of you should pay close attention to your mailboxes in the coming weeks and months! :)

If you don't like what the card has to say, it should {at the very least} make you a little bit hungry! Have a great weekend!

Chinese New Year

In honor of my heritage, Happy Chinese New Year! Welcome to 2008: The year of the rat. What Chinese zodiac animal are you? {You can find out here if you don't know} Blake and I are both dogs.

Snow day

I think this picture explains it all. Sophie vs. Snow Drift.


P.S. The house being built across the street is already on the market. Anyone want to be our neighbors? :)

Upgrades

It's only Tuesday, and already I feel like I have a whole bunch of fancy new technology.

1. I've never owned an ipod. It's not that I didn't want one, but I just never felt inclined to spend some major moolah on something that I didn't figure I'd use much. I went into the bank to add some more convenient features to my already existing account {e-statements, debit card reward points}, and they informed me that I qualified for a free ipod Nano. I was already using some of the services that were required to qualify, so by adding the last few, I quickly found myself the owner of a new ipod. Sweet. It's especially nice right now as I have a nice long vacation looming on the horizon {and a long flight to boot!}.

2. My new passport came in the mail today complete with my requested name change. I was hoping the last time I got a passport that I could really fill it up with stamps, but it looks like I'm starting over...again. I guess that's what happens when you get married a year after renewing your passport. However, now I have one of the cool new electronic passports, which means when we travel to Taiwan in May, I'll be through immigration and enjoying lunch before the rest of my family even get through the manual passport verification. WOOP! According to my little pamphlet about my new passport, "...Proceed to the special immigration lanes displaying the Electronic Passport logo to be assured of the fastest and most efficient processing." It also still works in the regular lanes, so I can chill with my fam in line if I want. Bonus.

Two fancy things in two days. Not bad, huh? :)

Ugh

First, it was facial hair, and now I have another thing to add to the list of things I despise: wet, heavy snow.

Sure, it's great for building a snowman, but it's terrible to drive in! As I was on my way home today, I happily ended up following a semi down the treacherous two-lane, curvy highway. I thought it was a pretty lucky incident since the roads were terribly slick. Turns out, it didn't matter. I ended up spinning out again {the first time was a few weeks ago} and get this....in practically the same spot on the road! It must just be that one curve in particular {maybe the angle of the road? The direction of the curve?}. As I spun, I watched in dismay as my little "travel companion" continued driving away, as well as the relatively new tracks for me to follow in. Luckily, I didn't have to be pushed out this time, but it was scarier because I stopped in oncoming traffic. Thank goodness no one was close. After quickly finding my wits, I continued on my way, to discover two other cars in the ditch on the same curve probably within 50 feet of my little spin. Scary.

If spinning cars was a sport, I'd be winning. Bring on spring.......

The bearded man

My brother, Brian, came home this weekend sporting....A BEARD!

Let me first explain that I really do not like facial hair {and mustaches are the creepiest of all!}. I know that some people look good with their faces covered in scruffy pubes, but I think it's gross. Brian's was patchy and disgusting. Thank heavens he shaved it before the weekend was over! My only regret: I didn't get a picture. However, I did find a picture online so that you can re-live my weekend horror:


Ok...so it wasn't that bad...but you get the point. FACIAL HAIR SUCKS!