February 2013

Randy and Teresa came down the first weekend in February to go to a Jazz game with us. We also took them to our favorite breakfast place (the Park Cafe) and to one of Sophie's favorite walking places (Summit Park). It was a bit of a strenuous hike (Dustin and Sophie adventured into the really deep snow and he ended up carrying her). However, it was totally worth it, because Sophie found us a yearling moose! The kitties quite enjoyed the new blanket that Teresa brought us and Jade rediscovered his love for rings off milk cartons.

We went up to Pocatello the following weekend. Our renters were supposed to move out that weekend, but changed their minds at the last minute. We used the visit as an excuse to eat some pizza bombs (true to form, Dustin demolished his bomb while I massacred mine) and support one of the local used bookstores (I scored the best kid's book ever! The Incredible Journey was one of my favorite movies as a kid). We brought back a lovely little houseguest. Lotus is a big, gorgeous, sweet lab that belongs to our friends Cody and Beth. He stayed with us for a few days and is one of the best dogs I know. He gave our few dog toys some exercise, and generally kept Sophie company. I love that they get along so well.

 Dustin joined a second soccer league and promptly broke his fibula, ending his snowboarding and winter soccer season. He's been hobbling around and abstaining from evening walks with Sophie (the recent bad air quality also kept walks to a minimum).

 Can you see the teeny tiny crack?

Mishael and I drove up to Ashton for Juniper's birthday party. She had a 'spa' day with some of her friends on Friday, but we still had a family get-together on Saturday. It's always a lot of fun to get the whole (Idaho-residing) family together. I got Juniper some bright yellow skinny jeans, which she wasn't too keen on (it wasn't pink or purple), but I'll keep working on her!

 Kelli and I posing for an envy-inducing photo for Brit and Jeremy back in Oregon.

How awesome is this present from Aunt Sandra? It was a color-your-own cardboard castle. Complete with plume! (Ask Juniper, that's what they're called!)

Due to my Pinterest addiction, I decided to organize all our paper files during February. We keep WAY too many copies of things! I still had every single cell phone bill I've ever gotten (going back to 2004)! It took me about three full evenings to go through everything, but I really pared it down and I can find whatever I need within a matter of seconds.

Sophie and Jade were most helpful organizing buddies!

Sophie and I took another great walk in the freshly falling snow (gimpy daddy stayed home). This is definitely one of my favorite weekend activities lately. Sophie loves new snow so much that I can't help but love taking her out in it! 

This past weekend Dustin and I drove up to Pocatello again to go through our old house and get it ready to put on the market. Our renters didn't clean/fix anything, so we put in a lot of work over the weekend (with a TON of help from Randy and Teresa). Teresa and I cleaned everything from baseboards to blinds while the guys replaced doors (the renters punched holes in not one, but two interior doors without replacing them), patched a lot of holes, changed locks, and fixed hardware on screen doors. Can I tell you how much I hate cleaning bathrooms that other people have been using (and not cleaning)? Yuck! On the plus side, we got to go to Goody's again (sandwiches this time around) and the house is looking quite a bit better. Happily for me, I will be missing out on the paint touch-ups and carpet cleaning of next weekend, since I will be in Seattle(!) getting in some much needed playtime with my sister and former roommate, Jennine.

Poor tired dog. Watching your human beings clean all weekend is hard work!

In work news, I was offered a full-time position with the University of Utah Hospital. I am now the LEAD tech at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital and I am loving it! I am back to working Monday thru Friday with holidays off. It's pretty much the best work schedule an x-ray tech could ask for!