squirrel jerky

This morning Rosie was out in the backyard chewing on something. I saw that she had this large black thing, and I instantly knew it was something old and dead. Emme said it looked like a big piece of bark. I got some newspaper and retrieved it from her. Thankfully she let me take it. It was indeed a dried out mummified, and I assume, was a squirrel. Or a giant rat. But they're pretty similar anyway.

what a weekend!

Friday morning I got up early and made my way up to Seattle for a brief visit.

I hung out with Sydney



I finally got to meet Anatomist's baby Jack! Here he is sporting the baby bolero I made for him. The sleeves are extra wide to accomodate the big biceps he's working on. This was also the first time he held a toy!



The impoetus for my trip was a baby shower for Ms. Khya, here she is sporting Jack on her shelf.




Khya and her baby daddy have a ghosts and monsters theme going on. So I designed a little hat.....



Here's it's close up



the shower was fun, I wrote some haikus:

Khya once lived a
life of booze and partying
that is now over

Baby bumps are hot
Celebrities say it's so
Khya's bump is best

I took off shortly after the shower and headed back to Portland. I got home and started cleaning.
Today I have been super duper productive! besides lots of cleaning, organizing, and tree trimming, Jeff and I went to Costco and got a Costco membership! We bought way too much food of course. Should last us through the winter...... A few weeks ago a co-worker gave me a little freezer. It's really the perfect size for an extra freezer, it's shorter than me and not too heavy. So I finally cleaned it up and we got it into the basement. To put our frozen Costco goods in of course. I suddenly feel very grown up. Like all the other stuff, the career, the homeowning, the PTA meetings and step parenting, none of it quite did it. It was the Costco membership and the extra freezer.

Rosie pic time

Kindergarten Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

On top of the hay pyramid



In the hay maze



on the hay ride



warty pumpkins?

Baltimore!

Jeff and his Momma



My first ride in a limo



These ladies boogie down! Some of these dancing beauties are about 75 years old!



Jeff and his uncle, the father of the bride



It was a flash in the pan trip, but it was a total blast!

patience

Lately I feel like I'm always waiting. Waiting for some kind of answer/plan/timeline/date. I'm waiting today to see how our childcare plans will work out to find out whether or not we're flying to Baltimore tomorrow at 5:30 am. We have the tickets, but might not be able to use them. Waiting to see whether or not I need to pack...... I'm waiting to find out other things to figure out when I can plan a wedding. When we can pick a date. Everything is on hold and I'm so tired of waiting. I seem to possess a patience I either did not previously have, or it's just never been tested this way. I give full credit to my mom, I'm sure I learned it from her.
I have been overwhelmed this week with our stuff, as well as with co-workers, close friends, and family who are dealing with tragedy. So much in one week, it's unbelievable.
But when the worst happens to people you know and love it does seem to have the effect of bringing out the good things and putting many other things in perspective. I know I am lucky lucky lucky and I will wait and wait and wait if that is what I have to do.

storytime

Ahoy Matey's!

Today we went to the Portland Pirate Festival. It sure was piratey! We got to see Captain Bogg & Salty, which was very exciting. If you have never heard them I recommend picking up an album. We also saw parrots, sword fights, puppet shows, big ships, pirate treasures and cannon battles!

dancing a pirate jig



treasure hunters




a pirate and his parrot



a true pirate parrot



a parrot and a pirate



argh ye scurvy scallywags!



pirates pirates everywhere

bling bling

Thar it is. He went and popped the question and I said yes!





Actually, I think what I really said was more like "Oh baby you know I will."

what's new

Emme started kindergarten today! This picture really sums it up.



I built a patio over the last week. With a little bit of help. We're trying to get corsican mint to grow in between the rocks.



I recently had the pleasure of meeting this goat:



and this llama:



but that's another story.....
I am enjoying taking pictures with my new digital camera, the Canon SD1000. It's the simplest feature-less camera ever, totally basic point and shoot. At first I thought I'd hate it, but now I love it.
Of course a million other things have been going on. Some I just don't feel are appropriate to blog about and some are too boring and then there's so many other things that don't get blogged because I'm just too dang busy!

inexcusable

I know, the length of time I have been gone is inexcusable. Though I'll try to make excuses: oh so so so busy busy busy, and moving, and no internet at home for way too long.
There. That's done.
Instead of trying to update all the stuff that has happened over the past month +, (anatomists wedding was a blast, moving into my new house has been great, work has been ok-good) I'm just jumping right back into the swing of things.
Friday I'm going golfing. Today I went to Goodwill with a co-worker to assemble our golf costumes. I don't golf, this is a company golf event we are attending. So I bought a few clubs at the Goodwill because I think it will be cheaper than renting some, and more entertaining to have old clubs with funny names. I got a pink skirt with white polka dots and attached undershorts, all brown saddle shoes, a white polo shirt with thin bright multi-colored stripes, and i will add my own plaid hat and argyle socks.
I'll try to take pictures.
And this leads me to my technology issues. Today I have been trying to solve them, or at least take the necessary steps. I have had many technology issues lately. Lucky for me, kungfuramone may be solving one of the biggest. Back to my old complaints of not being able to use the multiple listing service because it's not mac compatible, KFR just might be hooking me up with an old PC laptop so I can work from home. HALLELUJAH! Now this is BIG people, BIG!!!! Because in the upcoming weeks I may be hanging out quite a bit with the wee Emme before she starts kindergarten and the office is not a very fun place for her. So being able to work from home will be so so great! As for my other technology issues, my old Pentax digital camera kicked the bucket. So I am ordering a new camera. I found a great deal on the Canon SD1000. My Powerbook has been randomly shutting itself off because the Operating System has been quitting unexpectedly. So I am getting an external hard drive to back everything up before I have the operating system re-installed. I'e been needign to buy an external hard drive for ages anyway, because I have tons of photos that need storing. I'm also trying to get Jeff's old Emac working wireless and need either an old airport card, which I've seen from $90 - $130, or a USB wireless adapter which I think i found for $30. I feel I have accomplished a lot in one afternoon of floor time. I did get a call today, from someone trying to sell me a technology class for Realtors! HA!
now, after this EXCITING post, did you miss me or what?

Success story

Today I signed for the sale of one home and the purchase of another. Pretty eventful day!
My trip to the Eug was productive, we readied Alder st for its change of ownership. Also the timing was good, because my brother Braden had to get lung surgery. So I'm glad we were down there to visit him in the hospital. He was still there when we left, but hopefully will go home tomorrow. He has to go home with the tube in his side. His lung collapsing has been much more severe than mine was.
Now to toot my own horn: "Toot! toot toot!" I did some math today, and once my sale and purchase fund and close I will have done over $1,000,000.00 in Real Estate transactions. I think that's pretty good for my first 7 months!

Where Have I Been?

My apologies for being a neglectful blogger, I didn't mean to be away for so long! I have been to Eugene and back a couple of times. Had a fun 4th, did the Butte to Butte with my parents, Jeff, and my brother Braden. Also the 2 Saif's, my parents exchange students from United Arab Emirates. They're cousins, and tehy're both named Saif. One of the Saifs came in 40th with the runners! We were all very impressed. He didn't even train! He doesn't even run regularly. After the Butte to Butte we helped my sister move back home. I had to kick her and her friends out of my old house, since we sold it and all. After moving all day in the heat, and then lazing about, Jeff and I lost all motivation to do anything productive. We went to bed outside on the deck, listened to fireworks squeal and probaby fell asleep around 10.
I just got back from a quick daytrip to Eugene for a closing for some old friends. Very exciting! They got a great house in Glenwood, it's an awesome house with a gorgeous yard and has CRAZY low taxes. The lowest I've ever seen and probably the lowest I will ever see. Glenwood is in the process of doing a huge urban renewal plan, it's pretty awesome! Look for amazing riverfront development coming soon to Glenwood near you......
I am also heading back down to Eugene on Sunday, will spend a few days down there finishing everything up at the Alder house and signing papers for it's sale.
This evening I'm going to go see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I'ma little disappointed in myself for not going the other night at midnight when it came out, but I'm a working girl these days. Tonight will be more fun as tehre is a bigger group going now too. I am also realy excited, because I found a bookstore in Anacortes that is having a midnight release party next Friday. See, i will be at Deception pass for anatomists wedding. I was quite worried about not getting my book, but now I'm getting my book and you can guess what anatomist and pope urbane are getting for wedding presents!

Big Cori and Little Cori

Friday morning one of the first things Emme said to me was "Cori, I want to look like you." I said "Really, in what way?" and she said "The clothes!" She insisted that we match that day. So we wore dark blue jeans, light blue t-shirts, red jackets, and black shoes, and we put black clips in our hair in the same place. I was kind of amazed we managed to match as well as we did. She came to the office with me that day, so I had a 5 y.o. mini me. It was hilarious. She would even insist that we button or unbotton our coats the same. Such attention to detail! She started calling herself little Cori and then I was of course Big Cori. (I really wish I had pictures...)

In other cuteness:

Emme and Rosie



Rosie and Cholumley playing!



Rosie has gone from barking like crazy and nipping at Emme, to doing tricks for her and snuggling with her at night. Amazing improvements, I am totally thrilled and relieved.
Rosie and Cholumley have also come a long way in their friendship. They play! They chase each other around, and Cholums will roll on his back and bat at her face! He also does this hilarious rev-up thing with his back legs, and then he charges her! I lvoe that Rosie makes kitty friends. She's not so good with doggie friends, but at least there's some hope. I think we might have to get her a kitty. It'd be better than getting another dog.

it looks like I bought a house....

It's super cute, and right across the street from a park, and down the street from a bigger park......
We are set to close on July 23rd. I'm just crossing my fingers that it all works out!

I've been super busy, lots of work, househunting and purchasing, voyages to various places, and more to come this weekend and so on.....I'm exhausted! by the time it's 8 pm all I want to do is go to bed. I went to bed really early last night, it's weird going to bed when it's still light out.

Bill Clinton is a playa

I put this picture as a repeating tile on my desktop in my profile at work. So when I log into the work computers I get 12 Bill's a winkin' at me. I'm finding it inspirational. Also, I've decided to stop logging out. So that when the computer falls asleep after I use it and someone goes to wake it up to use it themselves they'll get a little glimpse of winkin' Bill. I just want to share the love.

Wheelin' and Dealin'

I love my job.
It's the weirdest strangest scariest hardest job I have ever had. But it's been new and interesting every day, and I am learning so much and finding it all incredibly rewarding. I want my lifelong profession to include helping my friends make the biggest purchase and best investment of their lives. That makes me happy.
It's been a good week.
I got a full price offer on Alder, so far it's looking good. I'm house shopping now. got a real little hot cake to go look at this evening. I've also got a smattering of people I'm helping find property and negotiate other properties. Business is good, life is good.

back from the eug....again

Another grand weekend in Eugene has come and gone. I had an open house on Saturday for my Alder St house. it went pretty well, it was fun. This one woman came by who lives up on Kincaid, and she was looking around looking a little out of sorts, after a few minutes she said "Oh! I've been here before!" Turns out she looked at it when it was for sale before, when I bought it. She was very impressed with it now! She said the backyard is against her old friends yard, and she really wanted to be able to buy it back then but it needed too much work. I told her we did all the work, now she can buy it. She didn't seem that interested though. and now it's double the price. It was a funny experience.
We attended bradens graduation that night, congrats to Braden on graduating high school! and Austin's birthday was Sunday, congrats to Austin for turning 23!
Sunday afternoon we went rafting. Not just regular rafting though, we dressed up like pirates! Lots of red and white stripes and bandanas. We piled 11 people into our rubber raft. It's a 10 person raft, we had 10 adults plus one 5 year old. It was a heavy boat. But we had a great time! my mom took pictures, I'll post some when I get them from her.
and today, i got my first Realtor paycheck. Pretty sweet. the first of MANY more to come!

many adventures and goings-on

I've been all over the place, and have been a neglectful blogger. here are a few pics of a few of the things i've done lately.

Braden's eagle scout court of honor


the flags were falling, he rescued the flags instead of the table with all of his stuff on it. that's just the kind of good boy scout he is! sorry....thats EAGLE scout now!


this is the out-house house he built for his eagle scout project

we also did some hiking and swinging in the woods that weekend:





some playing with Aubs's old collection of beanie babies:


emme's in there somewheres.....

Raven's birthday party was a super afternoon in the park:








there were more cute babies and good lookin' peeps than should ever be allowed in one place.

the inauguration of the softtub:


featured mojas, pulpshopgirl, myself, and cristaliano.......

in other news:
We closed on my first transaction! Congrats to my uncle, he is the proud new owner of a duplex in jefferson. Great little investment property, the rents cover more than the mortgage. Just Great. and I gotta say props to me for getting him a screaming deal on it. That's right, 15k below asking price. It was on the market for awhile. Things don't move very quickly down there.
There's been quite a bit of interest in my house in Eugene, so that's promising. I'm holding an open house this saturday. Should be fun!
Grindhouse totally rules. go see it.

sellin' da houses

I've listed my house in Eugene.




It's kind of sad to be selling it, but also kind of exciting. It's such a great house. I just don't want to live in Eugene. I want to buy a house in Portland.