No more wisdom!

I had all 5 of my wisdom teeth pulled out yesterday. I chose to go all out, meaning all out with a beautiful drug called Propofol. I fell asleep peacefully and woke up peacefully numb and totally drunk. It was fun.... until the local anesthetic wore off. I've been eating Vicodin with chicken broth and watching movies... this morning I felt much better. Here are some pictures of me. As you can see, I was out skateboarding already!
Oh, yeah.... I look good. Totally looking forward to my liquid diet this week...! I want a BURGER!

Smith Rock in the Winter

It was so difficult being back at work after our winter vacation. As some of you know, I have been going up to Bend, Oregon every year for the past several years, but in the Summertime
only. The initial attraction up there was the world-class Rockclimbing at Smith Rock, State Park.
Each time I went up there I spent more and more time in Bend and fell in love with the town, its people, the restaurants, the coffee shops, the local breweries, the lakes, the river, the feel of the whole place.
I really was curious to see how "I would do" being there in the winter and whether or not I would wither away like a petite flower in the cold. And I really was excited to be there with Dan for the first time. I didn't freeze to death. Dan kept me warm. (Ok it was my coat and gloves and scarf too...) Oh, and it was just as beautiful with patches of snow everywhere... different, but still beautiful...and calm. This is us in front and around Mirror Pond in town.
My sweet MOM got me a season's supply of MEGA warmers from REI. Those little pouches and pads that you open and they heat up for several hours. I stuck them in my gloves and my boots and my pockets....they really helped! Thank YOU Momma!!!
Dano and I at SMITH ROCK. We hiked around and just looked at the climbs...

We hiked up around Asterisk Pass... a 5.5 scramble on cold rocks... in UGGS. It was a first.
My Mountain Man. Man vs. Rock
Of course, we finished the day off at DESCHUTES BREWERY for some refreshing microbrews followed by a decadent dinner at my favorite local hole in the wall. Can we move here? PLEASE?

From 2007 to 2008 in Bend, Oregon

HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dan and I spent NYE 2007 with Doug and Andrea, Doug's brother Kevin and wife Whitney and Doug's friend Chris...



Doug is just here to point things out...









The Boys: Dano, Chris and Doug Fir

















ANOTHER year with you?...... Oh. Ok.

The year's end in Portland and Mount Bachelor

Welcome to 2008 everyone!!! On the first day of the year, on our much needed "downtime" in Oregon, Dano taught me to "Blog." I am officially a part of the 21st Century. Wow. I still refuse to use "My Space" so for now this will be my space.


We started our Winter wonderland Vacation in Portland, Oregon. Stayed at Hotel Lucia in downtown Portland, very trendy, chic, with a very cool vibe.



We got to "Dance in the rain"


Hang out in coffee shops where they grind your beans for EACH cup of coffee then make shapes on your foam....like a heart...

....which Dano quickly changed to look like a pair of large breasts...


Got to eat the MOST delicious foods...
Put my tootsies in the snow for the second time...
And yes! Dano talked me into going skiing at Mt. Bachelor! Andrea and I had a blast!
It was breathtakingly amazingly and all other adjectives beautiful!
Andi, Doug, Dano and I after an amazing day in God's country... White looks good on us!

A great day of skiing and NO injuries! Imagine that.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas! This has been the best Christmas yet. I feel SO blessed and lucky to have been surrounded by friends and family, from BOTH sides! We got to ride in Castillo...


My coleagues and I brought cheer to our patients the entire month... Riley the therapy dog was a huge help! Look at him! How can you not feel better with him at your bedside? Such a good dog...

Brian, Jane and I stomping out disease in a festive way...

Dan got to meet more of my co-workers at our work Christmas party. From left to right: Dan, Moi, Jane, Eddie, Destiny and Brian.

The men and boys hitting high notes during Christmas Carols at the 30th annual Family Christmas party (Started by Dan's family and two or three other families 30 years ago and continues to be a tradition today!)

Dan and I outside by the firepit at the Frailey's home.

Nice home, great Holiday party!





Then Christmas at OUR home...

Dan and I in the spirit at home on Christmas Day. (Yes, I did dress like that for work that day)
The Hallada's John, Leslie, Nancy, Dan. We missed you, Laura! (Dan's other sister who lives in New Jersey with her husband Ron and their kids Erica and Ryan)
MIKO really enjoyed the gifts he got from Auntie Laura's cat. Then he played with the bow all night. After he finally got it off.

THEN, we celebrated Christmas with my parents and brother Ivan, my sister in law, Eliza and my two adorable nieces. (We missed you Ervin and Allie!)

My sweet (youngest) niece Eden, checking out the biggest present Santa brought...
Nevaeh opening her box-inside-a-box-inside-another-box present... it wasn't all that exciting once she got to what was really in there...."Oh. Clothes..."
My sister in law Eliza, and Jenn (my sista from annudda mista' whom I've been friends with for a million years...she's part of the fam) looking smashing for Xmas...
I love my man! You made this the best Christmas ever!

And now for my favorite picture of the Season: The Nativity Scene as seen by my four-year-old niece...

Please note that Baby Jesus is walking away perplexed. There is a lizard in his bed, Mary is not sure what to do about it, Joseph is making a run for it about to get on the camel, and the last of the Kings is about to flee the scene...

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Beautiful surprise..."She said YES!"

I know by now most everyone has heard the news. But since this is my first post into a blog ever, I felt strange not mentioning that first.

Dan proposed to me on the edge of Figueroa Mountain on December 2nd, 2007 after an amazing weekend of riding Motocross at Castillo Ranch track.



This was the spot we had had one of our first dates in 2005 and Dan wanted to re-enact it. Only instead of sandwiches and drinks we had a proposal. Yes, I was completely and totally surprised...and of course, delighted. We had finished riding and in retrospect now I know why Dan was stalling in getting going. We were headed to the Cold Spring Tavern for bbq tri-tip sandwiches and I was starving. When he told me we were taking a "short detour" all could think about was whether or not I should have a snack and risk ruining my appetite for the tri-tip or not.




Needless to say after we walked out to the edge and enjoyed some pre-sunset lighting against the mountains and he got on one knee and proposed... I wasn't hungry anymore. It was a beautiful surprise. It was perfect and sweet and everything a proposal should be. I said yes!




Us at the Cold Spring Tavern later on that night... after our tri-tip sandwiches!

Outside the Cold Spring Tavern by the fire after the band was taking a break. What a great end to a perfect weekend and a perfect day!

Honda Civic DX coupe 2D. Gets 170 miles to gallon

Dated the post last year for filing purposes. But I am CURRENTLY as of 7/9/08
SELLING MY TRUSTY HONDA CIVIC DX COUPE... 1998 with ..... miles. Gets that many miles TO the gallon... She has been good to me but it's time to move on. If you know anybody that might be interested, let me know. Very good condition...THULE racks included! (Or I can take them off if wished)



Stickers can and will be easily removed
Check out that cool interior




Only scratches on both sides of and on rear bumper...