...and that's a wrap.

Can't believe I'm typing this on the coat-tails of summer, as we usher in cooler weather and shorter days. WHERE DID SUMMER GO????

Oh that's right, I think I caught a glimpse of it there in the blur of activities and guests we enjoyed. I think I saw it streak by.

Goodness. Well, welcome September. I like the looks of you so far, as long as you stay sunny & warm, with no more than a light breeze...we should get along okay.

My family came to Seattle last month! My momma, daddy, and little brudder Josiah journeyed out our way, and stayed in our newish place with us. It's so fun to go and see new things that I havent even seen yet, constantly rekindling my love for the Pacific Northwest. I never would have guessed that I'd live out here someday, but now that I'm here, I can't imagine living anywhere else. Amy will testify to that, there's something magical about Seattle, I promise.

Here's my mom & dad while on our hike in Discovery Park.

Me & Josie.

Many of you dont know much about my family, so let me try to describe Josiah for you. It IS his birthday month here (21 in a few weeks....YIKES!), so I'll give him a little shout out.

Josiah came into our family when I was six years old, and although he's technically growing up into a man, that word just sounds funny to describe him. He's my baby brother, who gives the most affectionate hugs, has such a gentle heart, and the greatest sense of humor. I dont think I know anybody as creative as him, to be honest. I can never, ever guess what shenanigans he'll be up to next, inventing art and ideas out of thin air. He's a secret genius, clever, spirited, witty, talented in a thousand ways, good-natured, forgives easily....I love love love him.

here he is:

making our way to the lighthouse...

I cant get enough of this:

some touristy things. note my dad's packer apparel.

Even though I had to work some while they were out here, we were able to sneak away to Vancouver, B.C. for a night. Here's my dad practicing his arm shot...not too shabby, pops!

our view from the Hyatt...

Lions Gate bridge...

Zacharias Sushi night! I was so impressed with my fam's willingness to try something outside of the Wisconsin norm. We had some good laughs.

a natural with his tempura clams...

Went to see a suspension bridge & a maze of ladders & treewalks through the forest. Felt like a combination of avatar, fern gully, and National Lampoon's Vacation.

My momma, representin'. First Nation, baby.

thanks again, family for sharing our lives with us out here!

Just a couple of random pictures of a dinner Sayaka and I made a couple weeks ago. Trying my hand at asian food...a shrimp curry stir fry, chicken satay, and a spicy dipping peanut sauce. Mostly, I just love taking food pictures...

My buddy, Sandra, came over a week ago, and brought her giant stuffed tiger. It was hilarious to see Jack freak out over what she thought was a totally real jungle cat.

not the brightest kitty, I guess.

what's a post without soccer pictures? Futbol season will be wrapping up in not too long (probably by the next time I post, at my going rate...). One of our "all-star" players took his leave from Seattle to join ranks with the Chicago Fire. We played Chicago last week, and needless to say, our entire fan base has turned their backs on ol' Freddie. It was fun times. We're actually doing pretty well at the moment! Playoffs here we come!

Our lil' nephew-man, Owen, turned ONE last week! Where did the year go? It seems like only yesterday that Jon & I were driving, all jittery, to meet the newest addition to our family at Swedish hospital. It's been the best, seeing him grow and develop the sweetest, spunkiest personality. Here are some shots of the cutest birthday party ever. Way to go, Kristen & Ryan!

The birthday boy!

A couple of characters. Jon is the most ridiculous and hilarious uncle you've ever seen. These two love each other so much...it's pretty cute to witness.

And that's about all I've got in the way of pictures for now.

Jon was asked to be on a panel of people within his company to meet together in New York city a few times over the next six months, and we're trying to work it out that I can go with him at the end of the month. Fingers crossed for that.

Our community living experiment is going fabulously! I absolutely love living with Rachel!! Our place is great, the situation is great...Jack loves having an auntie to play with all the time...Jon loves Rachel's dvd collection....it's really great.

Rachel had a bunch of people over the other night, and we hung out on the rooftop, had on my record player, had some yummy food....great people, good talks....I just LOVE living in a place where lots of people want to hang out, and where we can fit them all! I've got visions of thanksgiving & new years parties floating around in my head.

Dave Matthews concert at the Gorge on sunday night! Binders are in town! The weather is awesome! Life is good!!

An Experiment in Community

Gather ‘round, kiddies...this is going to be a long one. I’ll get to the title at the end, since I HAVE to go in chronological order or I’ll forget everything entirely. This is how I roll. I flip through my folder titled “July” and put up pictures as they were taken, and tell stories along the way. Now you know.

Well, there was the fourth of July! I've never experienced a colder, wetter 4th than this year...haha. THANK YOU, SEATTLE.

I had extremely high hopes of spending the entire day down at Gasworks park (right across the street from us!) for the fun & games, facepainting, food, live music, and then Seattle's premiere fireworks show. I was going to have friends over, and soak up the sun....and then it rained cold rain all day and all my plans washed away :)

My friend Sayaka came over anyways, and her, Jon & I watched the fireworks from our balcony, which was still a pretty stellar view. Here's a shot of the park from our place...that's a giant inflatable statue of Liberty, if you're wondering.

then I tried in vain to go to sleep, as I am one of the Americans who has to work the day after the fourth. Do you remember the band, Presidents of the United States of America? You know the song..."Movin' to the country, gonna eat me a lot of peaches..." Or how about our favorite, "She's lump! She's lump! She's lump! She's in my head..." They were down at the park performing live til about midnight...so that was aweeesome trying to fall asleep to. Haha, I felt like I was trapped in my sophomore year of high school, and couldnt get out.

My brother David came out to stay with us for a week!!! You know it's a great time when the week seems to go by at warp speed, and before you know it you're taking someone back to the airport to say goodbye. It was SUCH good, quality time with my bro, that I cannot wait for him to come back to stay with us again!

We met Amy for breakfast the first morning...they hadnt seen each in a long, long time...so that was sweet to see them be reunited.

Showed him the fremont troll, of course.

my artsy shot of it.

That afternoon we went hiking (with a girl from work too who's new to the area). The trail we had wanted to take was closed, so we improvised and forged our own hike to a waterfall. We spent most of the time jumping from rock to rock across the river, and tightrope walking across fallen trees. It was a really beautiful day to be in the woods.

One of the days Jon, David, Sayaka & I went whitewater rafting! I think it was a first for almost all of us, and it was suuuuch a fun day! Definitely want to go again. I didnt dare bring my camera onto the river, so I only got a couple of shots as we got into our sweaty wetsuits in 103 degree weather. It was not a pleasant or easy chore to get those suits on.

While David was here we went to two baseball games, and a Sounders match. Haha. I think he got his fill of pro sporting events. He enjoyed the soccer game much more than the "boring" baseball games, and it was great to show him something we love out here.
and I regret that I didnt take more pictures of David's trip, but it was truly because we were out having a good time. He got scuba certified in the puget sound, caught up with an old college buddy who lives out here, and worked on his tan. Haha. Thanks for visiting David! Please come again soon!!

Onto my birthday, which was really just this last weekend. 27, what the what?! I'm officially teetering between my mid and late 20s...kinda weird. But life just keeps getting better, so how can I complain?

And can I just send a HUGE thanks out into the interweb to all of you who left me voicemails, sent me sweet cards, facebook messages, emails, texts....I kid you not, I shed tears of joy that day for how overwhelmingly loved I felt on July 16th. Like the name of my blog, I live over two thousand miles away from so many of you guys, yet I felt like you were all here! I know how cheesy that sounds, but birthdays mean so much to me, and I can't express loved I felt. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Amy was soooo sweet to throw together a party at the beach for me on my big day. The sun broke through just in time, and I have the GREATEST friends and family that showed up to spend time with me!

Here's Amy&Nelson's dog, Roger. He enjoyed basking in the sun with the rest of us.
As did Jon...
Here's me with my buddy, Sandra. This girl is hilarious. And canadian.
Amy & Nelson Liu!
Me & Amers. Love this girl.
Amy& Roger & Rachel (remember Rachel's face. More about her later)
Some of the fam....thanks Dave & Sue for making it up!


Amy, Thanks again for putting that party together for me! It was such a fun night. I stopped taking pictures pretty much right away, so I didnt even capture how many other friends showed up to make me feel special! All these current and past coworkers, friends of friends, family, family of friends....hahaha. Thanks you guys. It was a really fun night, and I was blessed to share it with ya.

The next day Jon shared his birthday present for me, which was going out to the Gorge at George (yes, the venue and the town) to see the Kings of Leon perform! I've never been to a concert at a setting like this, and it makes perfect sense why everyone raves about this place. I mean, just LOOK:

It was incredible. It was hot, and crowded, and I loved every second of it. Kings of Leon were amazing, and it was a great time with my hubs. Thanks, Jon!!!!!!
The morning after THAT, Dave, Sue, Kristen, Ryan & Owen journeyed up to Seattle to have lunch with Jon and I, as a little family birthday get together (embarrassed now. Day three of my birthday? Isnt that just gluttonous?! Okay, I'll take it :) And it was really great to spend time with all of them, see Owen's new tricks (such a sweetheart!!!!), and show them our new apartment. Thanks for coming up to see us, you guys. I love you all!

And onto the reason for my title tonight. Yes, we are moving. Again. Six times in five years to be exact, but that's neither here nor there.

We had hoped to stay in this place for more than just a year (in fact, I told Jon FIERCELY last year that I would NOT do this again. Under penalty of death, I would not move the next summer so help me...) But circumstances out of our control have changed the game, and we needed to find a new place to live. Coincidentally, our good friend Rachel was also looking for a new place to live...and we began nonchalantly throwing around the idea of finding a place that was sort of duplexy...could accommodate the three of us in a way that we wouldnt have to be up in each other's faces all the time...

Nothing really came along. We really thought we'd end up in our own respective places. And that was cool too.

When all of a sudden this GEM of a place comes along that we did not expect, and all three of us fell in love with. It happened kind of suddenly, and we might just prove to be crazy in the end, but it's just one of those things. We all felt really at peace with it, it's a really large place (a penthouse, actually) with a couple of different living areas...and an enormous private rooftop deck to boot.

So we signed!

And we are in the throes of moving once again.

Jon & I have eleven more days til we need to be out of our current place, which I know will go lightning fast, but for now is helping me breathe easier. Also, I'm head over heels in love with the new apartment, so I actually have the motivation to keep on top of moving our lives over there.

And it's only three minutes down the road, so that's a huge plus.

I plan to put together a little video tour of the place once we're all moved in, but for now these are the only shots I've got, of our view...

and yeah. Call us crazy, we kind of sprung this on everybody without telling many people beforehand. We're ready to go for it! I know this isnt the traditional route married people take, but we're ready to try our hand at community living, at least for a year :) Someone asked us if they could plant cameras in the house, with a live feed to their tv. Very funny.

So anyway, that's that.

My mom, dad, and lil' bro Josiah are coming out to visit in three weeks. In the words of my nephew, Henry..."Holey smokes!" I think we're going to take a couple of days to get away to Vancouver, and I'm just really excited to have them in the city with us.

This summer is whizzing by, full of so many fun things. Before I know it, it'll be fall again, and I'll be getting another baby nephew in my life. (I'm pulling for the name Oscar!)

So, I should probably get some sleep now. night :)

Couple of things...

First of all, a belated birthday post to my little brother, David!! He celebrated the ol' golden birthday yesterday, turning a manly 24 years old. Welcome to the mid-20s, bro!!! We were always the middle siblings in our troupe, finding allllll sorts of mischief together. He's one of the funniest people I know on this whole planet, and I attribute my sense of humor to him & I in constant competition to make the other laugh our entire lives. I barely knew life that didn't include David, my parents bringing home a chubby bundle when I was three. So glad you're in my life, D. I love you and can't wait to see you in a week and a half!!!

next up: Help-the-Poulins-adopt-a-baby-from-Ethiopa-while-simultaneously-buying-a-kicking-hat! My sisterinlaw's sisterinlaw (a.k.a. my "Bonus Sister"), Shannon and her sweet family are in middle of an adoption process, to bring home a little boy from Africa!

Kristen has designed some amazing t-shirts to raise money, and I'm offering up some hats for the cause too! All of the information on this can be found on Shannon's blog (click here!)...take a look at the awesome shirts too!

If you are interested in buying one of these hats (all proceeds go straight to the adoption!), swing by my Etsy shop and make your purchase there. You can buy one that's shown, or be as creative as you'd like with colors, styles, sizes, etc!

that is all. thank you :)

whirlwind

june 19th, really??

thus concludes what is projected to be the craziest week of 2010. Knock on wood.

I am running on so little sleep at the moment, it's a small miracle that I havent come down with a cold or anything.

before I share bits from amy's wedding, I'll speak about the picture below. I have embraced soccer with a genuine love I never thought possible. Call me a bandwagon fan if you will, but I've been spending the past year growing in understanding and appreciation, as I've faithfully supported our Seattle team.

and then came the world cup. I truly truly love soccer. I watch full matches in amazement, and jump out of my seat involuntarily when crazy things happen. Loyalties are being formed to different players, and I'm keeping up with statistics and wins and losses, and I'm waking up at any time I need to in order to watch my teams live (stupid pacific standard time!)...I can't believe I never watched the world cup before!! Anyway, here's Sayaka and I the first time we watched a 6:30 a.m. game...Japan vs. Cameroon. I knew on that morning I was hooked.

since then we've done another six a.m. to watch the U.S. vs Slovenia (so cool that I've actually BEEN to slovenia!), which was a crazy match...and then this morning pushed me to the limit with a 4 a.m. game of Japan vs. the Netherlands. Saya's my girl, so I gotta root for Japan...but Amsterdam is my JAM! I lived there for a bit five years ago, so it would be downright traitorous of me to root against them. I claimed neutrality (and ashamedly dozed off during the second half...)

anyway, that's my rant on soccer. I'm in love, and dont want this to end...but then again, I'd like my life back...

Amy's wedding week. WOW. The entire week felt like a surreal time warp, getting to spend a whole WEEK with my old buddies and surrogate family (the Binders). I havent spent that much consecutive time with any of these people since college. And then throw babies in the mix, and yup...it's surreal. But awesome.

Here's De & Joseph's little guy, Jacoah. Bluest eyes, and cutest face. I love this kid.

De, Amy & Samara. Some of the best friends a girl could ever have.

George rehearsing with Amy. Look at her glow! The wedding was outside, at Ray's boathouse...just down the road from where Kristen & Ryan got married three years ago. So pretty! The Olympics were off in the distance, and since it was an evening wedding, everybody got to see a pretty sunset. It was gorgeous.

De & Jacoah.

me & amers.

Jon & I only got a couple of shots together, but here ya go :)

I was so relieved that everybody stuck around for a bit, the days after the wedding. Left to right, more college friends...Lindsey, me, Cathleen, and her hubby Eric. We went out for breakfast in Queen Anne, and groggily downed coffee while discussing how amazing the wedding was the night before. A perfect morning.

Got a call from the rest of our friends, beckoning us to come out for lunch...which we gladly did.

De, Rachel, Eric, Joseph, Eric, Samara, and Cathleen. I'm serious. We've known each other since we were teenagers. I just can't believe we're all married, in Seattle, having kids (well, not me...)....life is ballistic.

And then finished off the day with a barbeque at a giant house Amy & Nelson had rented for all of their family. It was the most perfect weather that evening...we played football, had a campfire, took goofy pictures, played games...dyed our teeth blue with m&ms...

Sporting our chicago paraphernalia. Amy's brother on the left, and Cathleen's husband on the right.

random Darth Vader helmet lying around.

me & Cathleen.

Eric, Sammy, and I. Let me mention that Eric is one of my dearest friends. It was because he and I were friends that I even met Amy. We've traveled all over Europe and Israel together, and is truly a brother from another mother. I've known Samara even a few years longer than him (met her on her sixteenth birthday! talk about feeling OLD!), and these two friends from completely different places in life ended up falling in love! I love these guys, and love them together.

So sweet of them to come into my spa for treatments, and then out to dinner with Jon and I. So hard to say goodbye!

And there are many more pictures floating around out there....I will most likely put a few more up, but facebook will be my primary mode of sharing all those photos.

Cathleen & Eric were the last of the friends to leave this morning. I had a great night with them last night, hanging out & going to the Mariner's game. I hadnt seen Cathleen in over three years, and I have now seen her three times in three months. Crazy huh? Such is life :)

Tomorrow I have a day off of work....Hoping that life can slow back down. At least for a few weeks, until my bro David comes out :)

Tomorrow is father's day with the White family (wahoo! I miss those guys!), and monday Jon leaves to lead some training in Portland for the week. Have I mentioned that my hubs is getting promoted in a few weeks?! The guy has earned his stripes, let me tell ya. I am thankful he is such a hard worker, and for his brilliant mind. I'm so thankful his company values him so much! It's so evident how much the partners love having Jon to rely on, and how his associates love to work with him. Yup, I'm definitely proud of Jon-O. Way to go, babes!

Alright, I've been up since 3:15 this morning, so I'm gonna call it. Night :)