Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends who read my blog. Today I'd like to share what I am thankful for:

My kind and patient husband

My crazy but affectionate, loving kids

My health

My siblings, whom I have great relationships with

My secure career, when many don't have jobs

Lower gas prices...sounds shallow, but it really does make me happy ;)

I am thankful I still have my mother

Having a cozy home

The many opportunities I have been given in life

The 28 years I was given with my dad

Try This...It Really Works!

It's cold and flu season. Last week I was an unwilling participant. I am now better. I was just starting to think we were in the clear. Night before last, oh, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1am, I woke up to a strange sound. Is there a seal in my kids' room? I thought to myself. No, come to find out, it was Rowan coughing and crying. Poor little guy had croup. For those of you who have never heard the cough of a child with croup, it is actually kind of scary and sounds really terrible.

So I gave him a dose of cold meds, then wrapped him in a warm blanket and took him outside where we sat on the porch for about a half hour. The cold, brisk air instantly made the cough better. Since it was in the mid 30s, we couldn't stay outside forever and the moment we came in (literally, within seconds) Rowan was again sounding like a barking seal.

Then I tried something that I remember reading on the internet a long time ago: I rubbed Vick's Vapor Rub on the bottom of his feet, put socks on him and zipped him back into his jammies.

It worked. I don't know who figured this out or how it works or why it works. It just does and it turned my barking 2-yr-old into a peacefully sleeping baby.

Last night when I put him to bed I did the Vick's trick, skipped the cough syrup, and not a peep out of him. I hope none of you get sick kids, but if you do, give it a whirl!

For You, Erin Lea

Erin...You know you are counting the days until Twilight comes out on DVD so you can buy your own copy and watch the make out scene over and over when no one is home.

It's OK. I am too!




We're 31. We should probably grow up one of these days...

Twilight...I'll Be Seeing You Soon...

So today I get this email from Erin:

Also, where in the heck is your Twilight blog? I will be expecting one soon as you must be somewhat consumed by this or you wouldn't be a crazy person like me getting up at the butt crack of dawn for coffee, movie and a little bit of Edward on the side.

Yes, that's right, I proudly consider myself A Follower Of Whatever Is Currently Popular, and yes, that means reading the vampire books.

You can blame Erin. She has read all 4 of them. And she was always like "Jessie you HAVE to read them!!" I figured I would in time, but when I start a book it is pretty much all consuming, kinda like crack, so I was going to wait awhile for when it would be convenient for me.

Fast forward to Sunday night. Dale and I were in the hotel in Portland and were crazy bored. On TV I saw the preview for Twilight (book #1 in the series) opening Nov 21. I talked Dale into going to Target with me so I could buy the book because
I knew I had to read it by then so Erin and I could go see the movie this weekend. So I went and bought it...let's just say it's ~500 pages and I read it in 48 hours...
And usually I don't even like fiction!!

Oh! And it cracks me up that it takes place in Forks, Washington. I heard on the news that Forks is totally inundated with tourists. I bet they are loving the boost in the economy up there! The movie was actually filmed in St. Helens, OR, which is one of the small towns we rode through on the STP. Cool!

Erin's and my date is for early Saturday morning. First Starbucks and breakfast...then onto the movie with 1000 teenage girls to spend two hours with the dreamy vampire Edward...I can hardly wait!!

Photoshop Class in Portland

I have wanted to attend a photoshop class for a long time now. I have the software and a bunch of books, but I am not the best self-teacher. So a few weeks ago I get an email from Adobe saying there will be a class in Seattle held by Kelby Media (as in Scott Kelby, the Oprah of the Photoshop world, if you will) in the end of November. Unfortunately, it was on a workday for me. I was pretty bummed about it.

Then, duh, I thought to myself. Check and see if they are holding the same class in Portland. I did, they were, and it was on my day off. Even better, Dale was staying in the Portland area for work training at the same time. It worked out perfectly. I was able to stay with my hubby at his hotel the night before, then it was only a quick jaunt to the class the next morning.

Great class. Learned a ton. I am excited to practice all of my new tips and techniques.

My crazy, scribbly notes:

Sarah's Pregancy Photos

I recently did a photo shoot for my dear friend Sarah as my gift to her. No one deserves a baby more that she and her husband Garrick. They have been trying for a baby for ten years. Sarah once confided in me that deep down inside she thought she would never have a baby. Now look...a baby with a Christmas due date. I can't imagine a better day for God to give her this gift.

Germphobes...Stay Away

I am sick today.

Dr. Bowers is gone all week, and I always have the option to work or not whenever he is gone. I planned to work all week. On Tuesday, one of the front office gals told me that there were no patients scheduled for Thursday (today), so did I just want a day off? I told her that I DID want to work, and that I have a few very expensive months coming up, so please find me some patients so I can have paycheck that meets my needs. So then what happens? I get sick. I can't even go to work today. I feel terrible that they scrambled to fill my schedule, and now they have to cancel all those patients.

I felt fine all day yesterday. I spent the day with Erin, and by the end of the day my voice started feeling a little scratchy, nothing big. Then this morning, I am in the throes of illness. I have that lovely, hit-by-a-bus feeling. My voice is limited to a whisper, and if I try really hard, I can get my vocal cords to line up and a faint squeak will come out. That's it. I even am wrapped in my down comforter sitting here at the computer.

I just hope to be better by Monday. I am heading to Portland for a class. Since it is photography-related and not dentistry-related, I am really excited for it and can't imagine missing it. So until then I will rest and take my meds and pray this bug speedily runs it's course!

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by my dear friend Kaylee.

So here we go. Seven unique and random things about me:

1. The very first time I ever golfed, I parred the first hole. I thought to myself, I am a freaking natural! I have never done it again.

2. I didn't get Chicken Pox until I was 23. It was awful. I wish I had a picture.

3. I never tell the story of my most embarrassing moment because after 22 years, I still blush just thinking about it.

4. I have a squinty left eye. I hate it and always notice it in pictures.

5. I once belonged to a knitting club called Knit Wits. It was me, Kaylee, and her sisters Rachel and Jojee. I spent more time drinking wine and telling stories about my crazy patients then I did actually knitting.

6. I had a bone tumor the size of a quarter removed from my jaw when I was seven.

7. I hate following rules. So I am not going to follow these rules and tag anyone else!

A Night Out With Jay

Last night I went out and saw Jay Leno. No...not in LA, but right here in Lil' old Shelton. We are so "big city" now. It was a great show. I was with great company, my brother and sister! They are so much fun to be with, and two of the funniest people I know. Good times...

Western Washington Weather

I took these photos last night from our living room window. I love the colors of fall, and after a heavy rainfall they are especially vibrant. I love this cluster of trees.


The rain left the most beautiful rainbow. I don't often pay attention much to rainbows, since we get so much rain here they are a dime a dozen. This one, however, was defined and bright.



Then the rainbow shortened and seemed to be swallowed by these big strange clouds that rolled through. So pretty!

Help Me Out

Ok guys, I really need help here. I can't stay out of the kids' Halloween candy. It started this morning...I had a Reese's peanut butter cup after breakfast, and I told myself it will be the only piece and then I will be good the rest of the day. But, throughout the day I have gone back and back again for more. I am a junkie. Even as I sit here at the computer, I see candy wrappers in front of me. And earlier when I took my jeans off and emptied my pockets, several more candy wrappers. I practically have a stream of chocolate drool coming out of my mouth. I told Dale about my problem (like he had NO idea being with me for 10 yrs now) and he said simply, "just stay out of it." That's like telling a heroin addict not to shoot up when there is a needle in front of them. My will power is just not that strong!

The kids got enough candy last night to feed a small country. We only let them have one piece a day (and they are lucky to even get that, considering I started parenthood out as a no-sugar-what-so-ever mom). I figure that at this rate, we will have their candy bags on the premises for about the next 2 years. Even when I remind myself of the dangers of constant candy consumption (tooth decay, cellulite, etc.) I still can't manage to stop myself.

Do I throw it away and just play dumb to my kids? "What do mean 'where's our candy?' You ate it all, remember?" I will probably send the rest of it with Dale to work. I have got to do something or it will soon become a hazard to my health.

Gotta go. I hear the candy calling my name.

Marley & Me

Whenever I spend time in a new city, I always read the local newspaper. It helps me to familiarize myself with my surroundings. Learning about what's going on, what's popular, the weather, the crime, the culture, makes me fee a little more like an insider.
While in Chicago, in the hotel room, I was reading the entertainment section of the paper and read a review on a new book The Longest Trip Home. The article referred to it's writer as the author of the surprisingly popular and lovable memoir Marley & Me, a book about a family's adventures with it's highly neurotic and hyperactive yellow lab named Marley. I didn't give it too much thought.

Fast forward to Thursday of this week. I was with my patient whose name is Marley. Out of all 3000 of our patients, he is the only Marley. And he's one of my favorites. I asked one of the assistants, Janie, to come help me with some documenting. When she saw his chart, she said "Hey Marley! There's a book written about you!"
Then I instantly remembered the review I had read back in Chicago and said, "Oh, Marley & Me?"
"Yes! Have you read it? It is soooo good! You've got to read it. And they've made it into movie with Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. It comes out Christmas day."

So yesterday I ran into Target for some new eyeliner and came out with Marley & Me. It is SUCH a good book so far. I can't put it down. I read it until midnight last night. I got up and read some more. I read it in the car while Dale drove us out to lunch. I even considered taking it into the restaurant (given we'd have some waiting time and all) but I decided that would be taking it a bit far. I read it while on the Stairmaster, and I swear if I could figure out a way to safely drive and read my book, I totally would.

I will of course go see the movie, too, and I promise it has nothing to do with my little crush on Owen Wilson.



Look how far I got in one day!