A look back...

As usual, time has run away with itself and I have been remiss about blogging but never fear my dedicated followers... I am here for an update.

Adoptiversary...

On November 30, 2012, our dear Milo celebrated his three year adoptiversary!  Let's take a trip down memory lane in honor of this momentous occasion shall we?

Forever the sun bather...happy boy.

Just before Thanksgiving in 2009, we had the pleasure of fostering a chihuahua named Chance who was said to be about 10 years old.  He had already been in the program for 6 months as he needed rehabilitation (he was a vicious little thing... all out of fear of course).  So we took him in.  Then a week later, he went to a vet appointment and they determined whatever was wrong with his back legs was so bad and that he was in so much pain that he should be put down.  Moral dilemma time...  This dog had been so happy, it sure didn't seem like he needed to be put down!  And let's be honest, he had worked his way into our hearts.  So, since he had such a troubled past and was a cripple, he had no other option but to be adopted by us.  After much soul searching about how we would deal with an aging dog and all the problems that go along with that, we decided to adopt him.  Since then, he has changed his name to Rudy, and then to Milo after both families got animals that were named Rudy/Ruby.  He has been a happy guy ever since and I couldn't imagine life without this cutie.

On the beach, one of our favorite places.

Chillaxin at Magnuson

Christmas cutie last year in San Francisco at auntie's.

Dreaming in Latin...

One of my newfound favorites: Azara mycrophylla 'Variegata' or variegated boxleaf azara

Last quarter was my first step towards my future career in the horticulture field.  I just took a couple classes as that was all I can afford but I loved every bit of it!  My favorite class was Broadleaf Identification.  In this class you learn to identify a ton of broadleaf evergreen plants by sight as well as learning about the plant and environment it best grows in.  I tell you what, knowledge is so much fun.  We had to memorize hundreds of plants by their common name as well as their Latin scientific name.  By the end of the quarter, as sick as it sounds, I was falling asleep and waking up reciting Latin words in my head as I tried to memorize them all.  It was rather amusing and I'm sure, like so many spouses who have partners in school, Shane was totally sick of me walking by a plant and blurting out names.  I really tried to wrangle in my Latin turrets-like outbursts but it's just so much fun being able to identify SO MUCH out there. You just feel smart.  And I am finally satisfying an endless curiosity I've had for forever, always walking around going "what is that plant?"  Love it... thoroughly.  And the grades reflect my admiration!

Christmas

This year we went to Neah Bay to Shane's family for Christmas.  To set the scene, we drove into the bay late at night and were welcomed with beautiful lights on all the town's buildings.  And as it was the day the world was supposed to end, I can't imagine a better place to go than that beautiful remote town :)

So growing up I learned how to wrap presents from my mother, the resident genius of gift-wrapping.  So when we go to Neah Bay for Christmas surrounded by many families... I get swept up in gift wrapping that inevitably goes through 3 AM.  Two nights of that for 2 families, then getting up early to watch Shane's little sister open gifts (tear tear as the ripped paper falls to the ground) then proceed to two brunches and a dinner.  I tell you what, having kids is exhausting and I'm so glad that right now I only have the furry kind:)

But we had lots of good visiting with Shane's family including our nephew as we gifted him a Christmas sweater, one of many ugly sweaters to come:) 

Ryland Isaiah

So for now, I'm enjoying our last few days before school starts.  I think it was easier when I was juggling school and work full time... this end of the year planning at our law firm to help all the rich people avoid taxes is exhausting!  When times get tough, I set off into dreamland and imagine a nice getaway at a snowy chalet, complete with sweetheart, furkids, cocoa and a nice non-textbook book.  

Happy New Year to everyone!